Original subtitles

[A Moment But Forever]

[Episode 23]

Come with me.

-Snitching, huh? -Snitching, huh?

-How dare you! -How dare you!

Stop!

I want him.

[Master Yan's Mansion]

This isn't right.

[Master Yan of the human race, Guan Zhi]

Not right. Not right.

Something's off.

What's not right?

Master.

You came at the right time.

Take a look at this drawing.

Master.

The servants told me

that you haven't had

a proper meal in days.

Can't you eat first

before working on the drawing?

I can't even finish the drawing.

How can I have the mood to eat?

Come on, take a look.

I've always said

you're suited for learning craftsmanship.

But you insist on taking over your father's position.

What a waste of talent.

There are thousands of craftsmen in Yandu City,

and you have students all over the world, Master.

You won't miss just one like me.

But I'm my father's

only son.

Your father has obtained

the immortal pill from the Youhu Clan.

After he comes out of seclusion this time,

he'll have several decades of good life ahead.

Between you two,

it's hard to say who will die first.

You don't need to rush to take over.

Master, your words...

Are absolutely right.

Of course, my father will

live a long life.

You too, Master.

I'm not that blessed.

I don't know if I'll ever have the chance

in this lifetime

to have a read of the Wushuang Secret Manual.

Master, you're still looking for the Wushuang Secret Manual?

Isn't that just a rumor?

If that rumor is false,

then these questions in my mind

might never be resolved in this lifetime.

Oh, by the way, Master.

Has Shen Ying

been here recently?

He hasn't been here for quite some time.

He's also your disciple.

He used to serve you diligently

and was very respectful.

I suppose he must have been too busy lately.

Why?

Did he offend you?

No, Master, you're being too serious.

He brought Dai

and the immortal pill back.

It's fair to say his achievements are outstanding.

Father has entrusted him with important responsibilities.

Recently, in the city,

he's also taken on the role of the Imperial Guard Commander.

He's been very busy.

Everyone's busy with their own affairs.

That's good.

What's in that box you brought?

So mysterious.

If I didn't ask, you wouldn't take it out, would you?

On my way here, I passed by Qiju Pavilion

and found it interesting.

So I bought it.

Master.

Thriving and prosperous, making money hand over fist.

Exquisite.

Master.

Even in a random utensil shop,

we can find such craftsmanship.

It shows that

our race is full of talented individuals.

There's great potential in craftsmanship.

Master.

As long as we work together with one heart and mind,

given time,

why should we worry about the human race not thriving?

Exquisite.

Truly exquisite.

This is the house I've rented.

Come on in.

How is it? Not bad, right?

It's really spacious.

There are several rooms here.

This one here is where I live.

Those two are empty.

I was thinking of renting them out,

and you came.

Isn't that a coincidence?

They can all be cleaned up later.

Look.

How's this room?

You can stay in this room.

I just moved in not long ago,

and I only cleaned up the main room.

This room can be lived in after a quick clean.

The owners of this place are surnamed Liu.

They're also well acquainted with my family.

Their entire family moved away recently,

so this house became vacant.

Knowing I wanted to rent a place,

they rented it to me at a good price.

This side room

used to be

where their second daughter lived.

She liked to arrange flowers and plants.

Those in the courtyard

were also planted by that Miss Liu before.

So this was a young lady's boudoir.

Sir.

Just stay here comfortably and recover.

You're Tanyin's friend,

which makes you my friend too.

In one's lifetime,

everyone has difficult times

when the path ahead seems narrow.

Hold your breath and endure it.

With a broad mind, the world becomes broad.

Thank you, Xue.

We'll pay you the rent.

Alright.

If I don't let you pay,

you probably won't feel comfortable staying here.

Don't worry.

I'll definitely take good care of him.

I'll go make some delicious food.

Have dinner here, alright?

You wait here for a moment.

I'll go tidy up a bit.

You've finished cleaning?

Do you need my help?

No need, you rest.

Just relax and wait for dinner.

Tanyin,

who is he?

He's kind of a friend of mine.

His name is Qian Lin.

Qian Lin?

That's quite a nice name.

I noticed he doesn't talk much.

He wasn't like this before.

Don't worry.

I'll take good care of him.

He probably won't stay for long.

I'll make time to come over every day.

Xue, sorry for the trouble.

There's no trouble at all.

Xue bought a set of old clothes

from the neighbor next door.

You can change into them later.

Qian Lin.

We've come to know each other.

Since I met you,

I won't turn a blind eye.

If you're willing,

you can stay.

If you don't want to and wish to leave,

you're also free to do so.

Get some rest first.

You're letting me stay just like this?

I am a War Demon.

So what if you're a War Demon?

War Demons are people too.

Take care, you two. Please come again.

Okay.

Sir,

are you waiting for someone?

You must be waiting for your wife, right?

You're truly blessed, Sir.

Your wife

is both gentle and virtuous.

She leaves early and returns late every day.

I heard she works at Qiju Pavilion

as a craftsman, right?

That's impressive. Truly impressive.

This is really enviable.

Oh, by the way, Sir,

it's raining outside.

Did you bring an umbrella?

♫Listening♫

♫Toona leaves knock fireflies into a vase♫

♫Ripples faintly spreading♫

♫In the pavilion in the clouds♫

♫Warm wine brews to the sound of the zither♫

♫The fragrance lingers like brush strokes, sketching out your form♫

♫Tonight♫

♫In a light intoxication, I feel the longing in the crystalline snow♫

♫I cannot bear to think of you♫

Yuanzhong!

♫I only wish♫

♫That the years would remain ever sunny♫

What's this?

It's a treasure basin. I just bought it.

♫So that, within the drifting light, I could share the breeze with you♫

Are you here to pick me up?

Where's Xiu?

♫The wind blows♫

At the noodle shop.

♫It stirs the scenery♫

You left him there alone?

♫It awakens our heart♫

Aren't you worried he might get lost?

♫It makes me certain that you are my destiny♫

You wish.

Who would steal him?

♫The closer we get♫

Let's go.

♫The more it feels like a dream♫

♫And the more I look intoxicated♫

♫I cannot fully express my yearning for you♫

♫The wind blows♫

♫It blows away the shadows of the clouds♫

♫It makes the moon seem even brighter♫

♫It makes me wake up from a dream♫

♫The wind blows♫

♫It reddens my eyes♫

♫It warms the promise we made♫

♫In the wind, we gently♫

♫Drift into a better place♫

Young lady, you're back.

Thank you for looking after Xiu for us.

So the little one is called Xiu?

He looks sturdy and strong.

Quite adorable.

Oh, by the way,

are you two having noodles today as well?

Yes.

Alright then.

I got paid today.

Although I spent some,

there's still quite a bit left.

I went and

exchanged it for gold beans.

Today, Xiu

can finally eat a bit more.

You go sit down first.

I'll go wash my hands.

Okay.

Your noodles are here.

Thank you.

What's wrong with him?

He ate the gold beans but didn't get full,

and now he's throwing a tantrum.

Do we really not need to go look for him?

It's alright.

After he's done with his tantrum,

he'll be back soon.

Let's eat the noodles.

Tell me,

why doesn't he grow no matter how much he eats?

Why do you want him to grow up?

Why, you ask?

Aren't we staying here

in order to raise him?

What's wrong?

Nothing.

I guess I'm still not earning enough.

If children don't eat well,

their health will suffer.

He's a weapon spirit,

not a child.

Yuanzhong.

Yuanzhong!

Yuanzhong! Yuan-

I've finally found you.

So this... This is your-

You two-

He's a weapon spirit, named Xiu.

Oh, so he's a weapon spirit.

Looks quite cute.

How did you think of

coming to Yandu to find me?

I originally came down the mountain

to find a place for cultivation.

But unexpectedly,

I ran into Zi Fei and the others on the way.

That guy asked me to come help you.

He said when he left,

he didn't leave you enough money,

so he asked me to bring you some.

That's really kind of you. Thank you so much.

Now that we have money,

Xiu can finally eat his fill.

How did you find me?

How did I find you?

I've been wandering around the city for several days.

I just ran into

this child on the road.

Right,

I smelled your scent on him.

I followed the scent all the way here.

What a dog nose you have.

Xiu!

Xiu!

He ran away?

Xiu!

Whose child is this?

I'm sorry.

Xiu!

What's going on?

Xiu!

My wine!

You've caused trouble again.

Pay for it!

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

I'll compensate you.

Quick, give me the money pouch.

It's gone.

Xiu, spit it out now.

Xiu, listen to me.

Spit it out right now. Be a good boy.

Or I'll have to spank you.

This little guy has really caused trouble.

Yeah, what kind of upbringing is this?

Let me tell you something.

You can't just eat without growing taller.

You understand?

You need to grow up quickly.

Here, this is for you.

This isn't for eating.

This is for playing with.

It's not made of gold, you know?

Yuanzhong, look.

Yuanzhong.

Yuanzhong?

Oh, right.

Zi Fei asked me to pass on a message to you.

He said that after they break Ling Yao's

seal,

they'll go to the Five Extremities on their own.

They won't come to meet you.

But even if they didn't come,

I had to come see you.

Otherwise, next time,

I might not see you again.

When little Xiu grows up,

you'll begin, right?

Yuanzhong.

Have you really made up your mind?

Sir, what would you like to eat?

Same as them.

Got it.

Darling, I'm back.

Why haven't you come home so late?

Xiu is already asleep.

I couldn't sleep, so I came out to find something to eat.

At this hour,

there are still so many customers here.

Yes.

The proprietress has been busy without a break.

This is the unique hustle and bustle of Yandu.

Madam, a bowl of wontons, please.

Sure.

What's wrong? You're not talking.

This place is quite nice.

You have a great eye for picking places.

Is that so?

I've been sitting here for three quarters of an hour,

and the proprietress has been busy for three quarters of an hour.

During this time,

her baby in the cradle

cried twice,

and the slightly older child

broke a bowl.

The proprietress has been so busy that she hasn't had a moment to rest.

She's been tending to the children while running the business,

and hasn't stopped to rest

for even a moment.

Her husband

came back reeking of alcohol,

not only refusing to help,

but nearly overturning the stall.

He looks like a leisurely customer,

acting absolutely not

like he should

as the man of the house.

All these trivial matters

are enough to weigh her down,

leaving her no peace.

Well, I think many things

can't be judged at first glance.

Look at this husband.

Although his clothes are old and worn,

even patched up,

his wife

and the two children's clothes

look much newer in comparison.

His feet

are covered in mud and water,

and his whole body is covered in dust.

He looks like

someone who does hard labor.

Although he smells of alcohol,

it seems

more like medicinal wine.

Perhaps he

finished a hard day's work,

applied some medicinal wine,

and due to exhaustion,

he fell asleep.

You always find a way

to see the better side of things.

Because even though there are

many bad people in this world,

there are also plenty of good ones.

Madam.

Coming.

Business is really good, isn't it?

It's always busiest at this time of day.

The craftsmen from the workshops finish their work,

and they come straight here

for some warm food.

Is that your husband?

Why does he let you

work so hard all by yourself?

Oh, him? He's exhausted from working all day.

I asked him to go home and get some good rest,

but he wouldn't.

He insisted on coming here to keep me company,

so that we could close up later together

and go home together.

You see?

Instead of guessing back and forth here,

worrying yourself,

why don't you just ask directly?

Their life

isn't as bad as you thought,

right?

The couple is loving,

and the family is harmonious.

So,

what's really bothering you?

Ever since we entered Yandu City,

you've been preoccupied

and gloomy.

Is there something on your mind?

Do you believe in fate?

Fate?

When I was born,

the Elders of my clan

read my fortune.

They said my life is cursed by the Seven Killings,

and I'm destined to encounter entanglements.

My life would be turbulent

and full of dangers.

If I focus on doing good,

perhaps in desperate situations,

I might glimpse a chance for survival.

But I must never give in to greed or attachment.

Once I desire something,

that chance for survival will vanish,

and even greater misfortune will follow.

Ji Tanyin.

Don't always try

to probe into others' minds

to figure out what they're really thinking.

After all,

you're not exactly an honest person yourself.

Ji Tanyin.

Don't always try

to probe into others' minds

to figure out what they're really thinking.

After all,

you're not exactly an honest person yourself.

[Dengyun House]

[Painter, Fu Jiuyun]

Xue.

I bought you some treats.

What?

You bought me treats?

What kind of treats?

The sweet cake.

I love that sweet cake.

And this, plum wine.

I'm afraid of getting drunk,

so I've never dared to try it.

It won't make you drunk. It's sweet.

You'll definitely like it.

Where's Qian Lin?

Oh, him? He sleeps all day,

hiding under the blanket, refusing to go out.

I think

he doesn't want me to go in and check on him.

Does he eat?

Yes, he eats everything I bring in.

He eats as much as I bring,

like he's a reincarnated hungry ghost or something.

Thank you for everything.

Don't mention it.

You're awake.

I've prepared

some pastries for you.

Come and try some.

Why did you fall asleep here?

Maybe I've been too tired lately.

Did you have a fight with the High Priest?

He seems to dislike me a bit lately.

Why?

Maybe because he thinks I'm not honest.

Is he honest?

Not really.

Then he's no better than you.

What right does he have to dislike you?

It's different.

Although he's not honest,

I know everything about him.

You know everything?

I doubt that.

Your magic source is broken?

Yes.

It's not a big deal.

Being an ordinary person is quite good.

I'll head back first.

Ji Tanyin.

Thank you for the pastries.

Rest well.

You're not angry anymore?

When was I ever angry?

Miss Ji, we meet again.

Come on in.

I'll treat you to a meal.

These are all specialties of our small restaurant.

Dear guests, please enjoy your meal.

How do you like these?

If you want to eat

or drink something else,

feel free to order.

It's my treat today anyway.

Thank you, Mei Shan.

Don't mention it, Miss Ji.

Well, one is my long-time old friend,

and the other is someone who bore heavenly thunder together with me.

A meal together is no big deal.

Is this the first time

you've been away from Baitou Mountain all these years?

Yes, indeed.

I've only stayed in the mountain

for a mere few decades.

I never expected the Mortal Realm

to have changed so much.

Come on, let's eat first,

to fill our stomachs a bit.

Today,

I've also invited another friend.

What friend?

You'll see when he arrives.

Look. Since you're trying this dish first,

it's easy to tell you're not a local.

This pouch pancake is the essence

of this table's fare.

As for this pouch pancake,

locals call it "sack pancake."

Since it's a "sack,"

you have to fill it with vegetables.

Like this.

That's how it's best eaten.

Here you go.

Thank you.

It tastes really good.

Miss Ji, you're truly appreciative.

No wonder Yuanzhong likes you.

Here, let me show you something interesting.

I bought this yesterday

when I was at the market.

This paper crane

can fly without any magic skills.

Besides, it's coated with Tung Oil,

so it won't get wet in the rain.

Isn't it amazing?

There's a piece of iron inside.

When the iron piece rotates,

it has an energy-storing effect.

When the energy is released,

it should be able to make

the wings of this paper crane

flap up and down.

However, it should only work once.

That's right.

The merchant who sold it to me

said the same thing.

On my way into the city,

in the mountains on the outskirts,

I saw a huge stone tower.

Black smoke was billowing from inside.

Do you know what it is?

We saw it on our way

into the city as well.

But we only

caught a glimpse from afar.

Is that some kind of workshop?

That's a metallurgy workshop.

It operates non-stop day and night,

and there are many mines around it.

They're all dug very deep.

But those who are mining the mines

are not humans.

Instead, they are

high-hanging iron hammers

and constantly spinning iron shovels.

I heard them call it

the Thunderbolt Device.

When we have the opportunity,

we can go take a look.

Have you been to the south of the city?

That's currently

the most prosperous area of Yandu.

People there travel

by stepping on a kind of

small wooden board with two wheels,

moving freely back and forth.

It's even more convenient than using magic skills.

On the eaves of many houses,

there hangs a kind of huge black umbrella.

It's said that those black umbrellas

can collect

heat from the sun

to keep people warm.

Wood and minerals are both limited resources,

and when they burn,

they release strange odors.

I didn't expect

them to start

looking for alternatives so soon.

Focus on eating.

Indeed.

It's truly a case of one day in the mountains,

a thousand years in the world.

Thanks to craftsmanship,

now ordinary families

can also live a good life.

Compared to magic skills which depend more on innate talent,

craftsmanship truly benefits all living beings.

That Goddess Wushuang

who's worshipped by the human race

truly has immeasurable merits.

Mr. Qi.

It's Mr. Qi.

Why is he here today?

Mr. Qi?

What?

You... You know him?

I've bought his paintings before.

What a coincidence.

Mr. Qi!

Mr. Qi!

Fu. Fu!

Over here.

How dashing.

Come on.

Let me introduce you to two good friends of mine.

This is Fu,

Fu Jiuyun.

I met him on my way

to Yandu.

We've shared a table and had drinks together a few times.

He's a man of refined taste.

I wouldn't say refined.

At most, it's just

a way to entertain myself

when I'm bored and free.

This is Yuanzhong,

a good friend of mine for many years.

This is Miss Ji, Ji Tanyin.

She's skilled in craftsmanship.

I'm not exaggerating.

Her skills are definitely among the best

in Yandu.

Ji Tanyin, right?

What a beautiful name.

Miss Ji.

I am Fu Jiuyun,

a painter.

I live alone here in Yandu,

without family, a wife, or children.

Are you a craftsman, Miss Ji?

To earn Mei Shan's praise,

you must be highly skilled.

As it happens,

I'm recently

quite interested in craftsmanship.

I wonder if I might have the opportunity

to visit you and seek your guidance?

Fu. Fu.

Come on, have a seat first.

Have some wine.

The wine here is quite good.

It's refreshing and not too strong.

Here, let me pour you some.

Is your name Fu Jiuyun?

That's correct.

But the people downstairs just now

all called you Mr. Qi.

I've mentioned that

I'm a painter.

So this name

is somewhat inconvenient.

But of course,

you can call me

whatever you like, Miss.

I bought a treasure basin

from Qiju Pavilion before.

The fish in the painting come to life when they encounter water,

and return to being a painting when the water dries up.

Mr. Xu, the shopkeeper, said

it was Mr. Qi's work.

You're referring to that painting of the swimming fish, right?

That's right.

Indeed, it was my creation.

I didn't expect Mr. Xu

to have sold that painting

to you, Miss.

In that case,

we must be destined to meet.

If you like it,

I can give you a few more as gifts.

I have many such paintings at my residence.

Paintings of birds, beasts,

court ladies, flowers, and plants–I have them all.

If you have time, Miss,

you're welcome to come and appreciate them at my place.

Fu.

Come on, let's drink.

These past few days,

the weather has suddenly become hot,

hasn't it?

Isn't it weird?

Good wine.

Fine wine,

beautiful scenery,

with a beauty by my side.

Mei Shan.

Knowing you as a friend

is the greatest blessing

of my life.

Who would say otherwise?

Come on, let me introduce you to

this other friend of mine.

I didn't introduce him properly earlier

because I was afraid it might frighten you.

This one is quite formidable.

He's the nemesis of the War Demon

and the pillar of the Youhu Clan,

who broke through Pinghu Xianzhou

with just one palm strike,

the last remaining

god in this world,

Yuanzhong, the High Priest of the Youhu Clan.

Impressive, isn't it?

This one is actually his handmaiden.

They are... You know.

That kind of relationship.

The owner of the Divine Left Hand,

High Priest Yuanzhong.

My apologies, my apologies.

However, after the war between gods and demons,

no god has set foot again

in this mortal world.

So, as for

the claim of being the last god in the world,

High Priest, do you agree?

Is that painting in the dance house your work?

Painting?

The Goddess Painting.

The figure in that Goddess Painting

looks a lot like me.

Have you seen me before?

Not exactly.

What do you mean by "not exactly"?

I mean

we have never met in this world

with these appearances.

But I have seen you in my dreams,

more than once.

I wonder, Miss Ji,

have you ever seen me in your dreams?

Yuanzhong! Yuanzhong!

Yuanzhong! Yuan... Yuanzhong!

It seems someone here

doesn't fancy my presence.

Then I won't

disturb your pleasant gathering any longer.

Mei Shan,

thank you for the invitation.

Let's meet some other day.

Miss Ji,

until we meet again.

I'll... I'll see him out.

This is our shop's signature dish, Wealth Tree.

Esteemed guests, please have a taste.

Xiu.

This isn't a gold bean.

You can't eat it.

What are you grunting about?

Scholars and literati

are just so carefree.

Esteemed guests.

There's a letter for Miss Ji.

Don't open it!

Tonight between 7-9 pm,

at Rest Teahouse,

I'd like to invite you there for a chat, beauty.

I... I won't go.

I won't go, either.

Gentleman.

What have you taken a fancy to?

Who made this five-wheel fan?

You have a good eye, Gentleman.

This five-wheel fan

was made by the Zhuang's of our Tongtian Workshop.

Their five-wheel fans

are exquisitely made, sturdy and durable.

One person operating it can cool an entire room.

It's most suitable for summer heat relief.

This isn't Old Zhuang's craftsmanship.

This...

What do you mean by that, Gentleman?

Are you accusing me

of selling fakes?

My Qiju Pavilion

has been operating in Yandu for decades.

What we rely on is honest business practices.

Gentleman, you...

That's not what I meant.

I mean, this five-wheel fan

has been modified by someone else.

That person modified the connection point

between the chain and the axle,

making it easier to operate

and increasing the wind power.

Old Zhuang's craftsmanship is indeed exceptional,

but he's not good at innovation.

So this five-wheel fan

can no longer be considered his work.

I see.

I misunderstood.

Someone gave this to me.

If I'm not mistaken,

these two items

should be crafted by the same person, right?

Your discernment is truly impressive, Gentleman.

These are indeed made by the same person.

Who is this person?

Well...

Where does this person live?

I only know it's a

young woman surnamed Ji.

As for where she lives specifically,

I really have no idea.

A young woman?

That's right.

This Miss Ji's craftsmanship is exceptional.

In my opinion,

she's even better

than many famous master craftsmen.

What?

Do you have prejudice against women, Gentleman?

That would be weird.

Here in Yandu,

we don't practice male superiority.

As long as one is educated

and has learned a craft,

regardless of gender,

they can make a living.

After all, the ancestor of our craftsmanship,

Goddess Wushuang,

was also a woman.

You've misunderstood, Sir.

I'm just curious

how such a young lady

could have such remarkable skills.

It's truly a case of the new generation surpassing the old,

and the young outshining their predecessors.

In that case, I apologize for my rudeness.

Sir.

If that young lady comes to your shop again,

please keep her here.

This...

Just tell her someone admires her craftsmanship

and wishes to meet her.

That won't be difficult.

Miss Ji comes to my shop

every few days.

However, I don't know

where you live, Gentleman.

If she comes,

how should I find you?

Just come find me at Master Yan's Mansion.

Master Yan's Mansion?

Guan Zhi, Master Yan's Mansion.

Yan... Master Yan?

What are you thinking about?

You're here.

You didn't hear me knocking just now,

so I came in directly.

That guy's identity is suspicious.

You're not allowed to meet him.

I won't go.

If you run into him outside,

you're not allowed to talk to him either.

If he speaks to me,

am I not allowed to respond?

I won't talk to him.

Let's go eat.

I'm not going.

Why?

I'm not hungry yet.

What's this for?

I'll go wash Xiu's feet.

Wash his feet?

[Ningrui Pavilion]