Original subtitles

♪Chasing wind, I set out afar♪

♪The road ahead lost, my voice unheard♪

♪I've tasted joy and sorrow♪

♪Laying low, I plan every move♪

♪With a mortal heart and lingering ties♪

♪I'm roaming far and wide♪

♪A twist of fate in desperate times♪

♪A bond that outlives the dust of life♪

♪Still chasing what immortality means♪

♪Even eternity flashes by in a blink♪

♪Don't mock my ordinary life♪

♪I fight alone as chaos shakes the world♪

♪Don't scorn my humble roots♪

♪Kind at heart, ruthless when I must be♪

♪Fate stirs with joy and grief beneath♪

♪I hold the tide between life and death♪

♪Faith carries me through endless dark♪

♪And I return with a heart refined♪

♪Forged by trial, I rise through three realms♪

♪Reborn in the wheel of fate♪

[The Immortal Ascension]

[Adapted from the webnovel, The Immortal Ascension by Wangyu]

[serialized in www.qidian.com under China Literature Limited]

[Episode 7]

Master.

What unruly creature dares

to cause trouble here?

We'd better move.

If we don't leave now, a Core Formation cultivator might show up.

Yes, sir.

You're spared for now.

How could such a fiend

appear among rogue cultivators?

Could this be the work of those demonic sects again?

That young man

should count his blessings.

I've been saved.

A high-level cultivator must have stepped in.

I escaped by the skin of my teeth.

It seems being a rogue cultivator means hardship

at every turn.

If I want to survive,

I'll have to join

a worthy sect.

What's going on?

Where is Wu Jiuzhi's body?

It's gone.

[Tomb of Wan Xiaoshan]

♪Shards of dreams inside a dream...♪

Let me tell you something, Han.

When it comes to cultivation in the Yue Kingdom,

I know everything there is to know.

Ask me anything you want.

I learned a lot from you yesterday.

We rogue cultivators are like one big family.

Living free and easy as a rogue cultivator for life

doesn't sound so bad.

♪Too hard to forget, easier just to miss♪

♪They say the past fades like smoke...♪

[Qingniu Town, Wuligou Village] Once I reach Yellow Maple Valley,

[Han Li's Home] I will leave behind the world of mortals.

Worldly ties

will no longer concern me.

Before I go,

I should head home one last time.

The third uncle came.

He's here to take you to the Seven Mysteries Sect entrance exam.

Father borrowed three big bowls of noodles

from the sixth uncle,

Madam Zheng,

and Gousheng's families, just to send you off.

He even had me pull up some scallions.

Before I knew it,

Xiaomei was already of marrying age.

Father.

Mother.

Li,

do you think you can pass the Seven Mysteries Sect exam?

Yes.

I'll definitely pass.

My brother said he'll pass the exam!

My eldest grandson will surely make it.

Without a doubt.

♪Time will fade♪

♪All the words ever spoken♪

♪Only this longing remains♪

♪Crossing centuries and days...♪

Grandfather.

Brother.

Xiaomei.

I'm glad I got to see you all

before I set off

on this long journey.

[Moonshadow Sect, Celestial Moon Ark]

I pluck a piece of cloud to send home,

to let them know I am safe.

Show-off.

Yan Ruyan!

What's wrong?

Yan Ruyan!

The entrance to Yellow Maple Valley

should be around here.

Where exactly is it?

Come back!

Come back!

Get back here!

[Yellow Maple Valley]

A sky full of yellow maple leaves.

Is this

Yellow Maple Valley?

What's this?

[Wu Xuan, Liu Jing]

[Song Meng, Zhong Weiniang]

That's

mine...

Fu Yunzi.

Remember these tiles?

[Fu Yunzi, Clear Void Sect]

Show-off.

Is today not the day

new disciples are admitted?

Shouldn't you be somewhere else

rather than playing mahjong here?

[Li Huayuan, Yellow Maple Valley]

Of course.

But you know the rules

of Yellow Maple Valley.

When it is time for new disciples to enter,

I open betting pools.

It helps liven things up, you know?

Of course. Absolutely.

You came at the right time.

The first round

shall begin now.

Great!

Left is odd.

Right is even.

Place your bets. No changes after this.

Come on.

A hundred-year lingzhi.

I bet on odd.

Odd for me too.

Me too.

I bet on even.

Here.

Wouldn't want you to say I cheated.

Show us the results.

One.

Two.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

16.

16 is even, right?

Is 16 even?

Yes, Grandmaster.

It is even!

Collect them!

Collect them all!

My talisman!

Take them.

What's all the fuss about?

There are wins and losses

in gambling.

That's right.

Accept your loss.

Don't be a sore loser.

Good.

Huayuan,

boys,

we will end here

for today.

I bid you goodbye.

Mentor Fu Yunzi.

Liu.

Master,

I have something important to report.

What is it?

A young man holding

an Ascension Token has arrived in the valley.

Ascension Token?

[Token]

I haven't seen this thing in over 400 or 500 years.

Indeed.

This is a rare item.

Indeed.

This...

Wait a minute.

How many were there just now?

- 16. - 16.

Add this one

and...

What's

16 plus 1?

18.

Fu Yunzi.

I have seen cheating,

but never someone this shameless!

Isn't it 18?

It's 17!

Give me that!

Get it!

Hurry!

Quickly!

Whose is this?

- Oh, you. - My talisman!

This token

couldn't have come at a better time.

I'll remember you.

This is yours.

Hold up.

My talisman.

Where is he?

At the bottom of the north valley.

Mentor.

What precious possessions

have you brought today?

[Hongfu, Yellow Maple Valley]

[Zhong Lingdao, Yellow Maple Valley Sect Master] Snow Mountain Ice Lotus.

Paired with hundred-year banana leaf you brought,

it balances cold and heat.

Nourishes the spirit root.

Excellent.

Wu.

What about you?

[Wu Mian, Yellow Maple Valley] What I brought is nothing

compared to what you all have.

That's a fine item.

Nine Heavens Mystic Cicada.

Gentlest of all.

Please.

What tea are we having today?

Let's enjoy some fine tea.

Allow me.

Watch this.

Excellent tea.

Enjoy.

Having tea without me?

Here comes the tea moocher.

Quick! Finish the tea!

I hope the tea scalds you,

you money-grubber.

Who says I am mooching tea?

Look.

I brought something.

A hundred-year spirit herb.

Excellent choice.

Hongfu,

I brought it just for you.

Everyone,

today Yellow Maple Valley welcomes a rare guest,

someone who's the likes of whom we haven't encountered in a hundred years.

Come

and have a look at this.

What is it?

I'm Song Meng, a Foundation Establishment disciple

of Yellow Maple Valley.

This is my sixth junior brother,

Wu Xuan,

and this is our seventh junior sister.

So he is the one who brought the Ascension Token?

That is right.

What is your name?

My name is Han Li.

Why is he here?

That guy has

the Ascension Token?

That guy?

No way.

Someone with a fake spirit root

couldn't possibly have an Ascension Token.

They say anyone who enters with an Ascension Token

receives a Foundation Pill by default.

Why?

Because their ancestors rendered great service

in the past.

He doesn't look like someone from a meritorious bloodline.

A mere mortal

trying to sneak into the cultivation world.

Their ancestors did great service?

Cultivation clans use their most precious resources

on their own descendants.

Even I had

to fight for my life at Tianwu Arena just to earn

the right to a Foundation Pill.

What gives him

the right?

Enough.

We are here to cultivate,

so let us focus on that.

Do not judge others.

Understood.

Got it.

Qiaoqian is right.

We came here to become cultivators,

unlike someone

who came to be a toad lusting after a swan.

Right.

Pay no mind to their comments.

Four of the five elements spirit roots,

all at once.

You could not ask for worse.

Indeed.

And a fake spirit root at that.

Indeed.

Which clan would waste

an Ascension Token

on someone this useless?

If I remember correctly,

sect rule 23 states that anyone bearing the Ascension Token

must be accepted

without questioning

their background or aptitude.

That is right.

And by the rules,

he should be given one Foundation Pill as well.

What?

Giving him a Foundation Pill

is such a waste.

What about my disciples then?

Yellow Maple Valley has already done him a huge favor

by accepting this fake spirit root.

Must we give him a Foundation Pill too?

What is owed must be given.

We can't break the rules over one pill.

Indeed.

If word gets out,

we'll become the target of mockery from the other six sects.

Indeed.

He's right.

Regardless of his talent,

he should be accepted

into the sect.

The Foundation Pill should

be given too.

However...

However what?

The Foundation Pill quota

is set in advance every year.

This year, we only prepared one, for the champion

of the Tainan Bazaar.

If we give it to this newcomer,

then the champion

will not get one.

Then so be it.

My suggestion is

that we temporarily replace it with gems.

After all, the champion

will surely qualify next year.

Well.

It's settled then.

It's settled then.

Wu,

go

and welcome him into the valley.

Yes, Sect Master.

Hongu.

Please.

You brat,

I just repaid that gambling favor earlier.

Let's have some tea.

Come.

Lovely tea.

Sect Master Zhong,

where's my cup?

Here you go.

No tea for latecomers.

The tea's rather ordinary.

It's good.

There's more.

Really?

Senior Wu.

Senior Wu.

You are the one

who brought the Ascension Token?

Yes.

My name is Han Li.

The Ascension Token is a rare item.

Even I have never seen one before.

How did you come by it?

It was passed down from my ancestors.

Are you perhaps from a cultivation clan?

Or do you have a senior family member

working in one of the seven sects?

I come from the mortal world.

I am not from a cultivation clan.

No matter.

The Ascension Token is rare.

The fact that you received one means you have fate with Yellow Maple Valley.

My surname is Wu.

From now on,

you may call me Mentor Wu.

Welcome

to Yellow Maple Valley.

I am

officially

a disciple

of Yellow Maple Valley

now.

Thank you, Mentor Wu.

For today,

I will act as your guide

and help you

understand

the basic rules of the valley.

Follow me.

Mentor,

watch your step.

That is the Qianji Library.

It holds basic cultivation manuals and alchemy recipes.

You can borrow them by paying gems.

I also

work there.

To the west is where

Qi Refining Stage disciples live.

Aside from being hot like a steam furnace,

it is not too bad.

If you have enough gems,

you can apply to move to the rear mountain,

where the accommodation is better.

Move aside.

Otherwise,

you will have to wait until you reach the Foundation Establishment,

Thank you.

and establish your personal abode.

There are many things that require gems in the valley.

How can I earn them?

You can go to Baiji Hall and take on tasks

to earn gems.

What kind of tasks?

Tasks such as

caring for spirit beasts in the valley,

supervising mining operations at the quarries,

or instructing new disciples

in basic techniques

at the Chuangong Pavilion.

Each task pays a different amount

depending on its difficulty.

Baiji Hall is overseen by Mentor Ye.

He has a rather eccentric temperament,

so stay sharp around him.

This is the Alchemy Room.

Once you've saved up enough gems,

you can come here.

Ye.

What are you doing so early in the morning?

I brought a new disciple

to pick up his entry supplies.

Didn't someone just come earlier?

Why are we doing this again?

Greetings, Mentor Ye.

You must be the one with the Ascension Token?

Even you've heard about it.

These youngsters

have no interest in learning,

but they are all experts when it comes to gossip.

You may not have much talent,

but you sure are lucky.

Wait here.

Don't touch anything.

Come here.

[Cultivation Basics]

This is the Yellow Maple Valley entry token.

Draw a strand of spiritual power and inject it to activate it.

After that, it will be bound to you.

Go ahead and infuse your spiritual power.

A tenfold mystic pouch,

one Cultivation Basics,

a set of daily refining tools,

the Solarflame Sword and Cold Moon Blade,

and a yellow entry robe.

You will take tasks to earn gems,

and spend them on gear

and tools here with me.

Come back when you have more gems.

Thank you, Mentor Ye.

Well?

Does the Yellow Maple Valley disciple's robe

not look flawless?

It does.

It is the first time in my life

I have seen a robe without stitching.

Walk with me.

That is about all you need to know

about the valley for now.

According to sect rules,

anyone entering with an Ascension Token is to receive

a Foundation Pill in advance.

This one

is yours.

Take it.

A word of advice.

There are many

who covet Foundation Pills.

Keep it safe.

If you lose it,

no amount of gems will get you another.

Thank you, Mentor.

I am responsible

for teaching the disciples basic cultivation techniques.

If you ever encounter difficulty in your cultivation,

come find me anytime.

I will never forget your guidance

when I succeed

in reaching the Foundation Establishment.

Don't worry about Foundation Establishment just yet.

Regardless of whether you succeed,

this pill must be

carefully safeguarded.

I'll remember that.

Thank you.

Hurry back to your quarters.

Even if they gave me a Foundation Pill,

with a fake spirit root like mine,

I'll never reach the Foundation Establishment.

That must be

what he meant.

Don't give me that look.

Wasted on the undeserving.

Like giving a lamp to a blind man.

An absolute waste of resources.

Look at that snow. So white.

Hey, it's Ascension Token!

Ascension Token!

My name is Han Li.

"Han Li" doesn't sound nearly as impressive as "Ascension Token."

Why not just rename yourself?

You can be "Ascension Token" from now on.

You two, that's enough.

Grandmaster Hongfu.

Choose a leaf you like.

You will ride it

through the skies.

Yellow Maple Valley's expanse is such that,

using just your legs,

you wouldn't cover it in ten days.

If you can't fly,

you'll never find

your place here.

Most of you have only taken flight

in your dreams.

Some are too timid

to even dare dream of flying.

Those people

will never leave the ground.

Cultivation begins

by breaking past the limits in your heart.

If the Kunpeng can soar,

so can people.

Harness the power of Heaven and Earth,

command

the six energies,

and fly upon the wind

through the void.

Grandmaster,

are you saying that if we believe,

we can fly?

Then what does that make us cultivators?

Fools chasing dreams?

Whether something is possible is one thing,

but whether you can do it is another.

Just because others can

doesn't mean you can.

Just because others cannot

doesn't mean you cannot.

Remain steady in both praise and shame,

and let your heart guide your every move.

This is the state

that cultivators seek to attain.

All right.

I've explained

what needs to be explained.

Fly beyond the mountain ahead,

and you will be

formally inducted as disciples of Yellow Maple Valley.

Any other questions?

Grandmaster Hongfu,

we just need

to fly over the mountain.

We don't need to use these leaves, do we?

The choice is yours.

I will be waiting on the other side.

I don't need this lousy leaf!

Come on!

Come on!

Let's go.

Let's go!

How did this turn into tug-of-war?

Harness the power of Heaven and Earth.

Command

the six energies.

Here I go!

With the Kunpeng in my heart,

I will surely take flight.

This is too slow.

This is no Kunpeng.

This is a bug.

What do you think?

When did you learn this spell?

While the flowers of April fade in the mortal realm,

peach blossoms bloom anew at the mountain temple.

It's just a small trick of mine.

Don't let Xuan'er see you

using this.

Seeing all these flowers and plants

will only distract her more from her cultivation.

You're right.

One moment.

There.

No more of that.

I'll never use that again.

Hongfu,

why are this year's

new disciples

so untalented?

They're the worst group I've ever seen.

That's not entirely true.

What about the disciple with the Ascension Token?

Surely, his possession of such a rare item

indicates

that there is something exceptional about him.

It is a waste of a Foundation Pill.

Still, he is not without merit.

Maybe because he knows

he is mediocre,

he has

a good attitude

and strong will.

A human life is short, like trees in autumn.

With talent like his,

I fear

he might grow old and die

before he ever uses that Foundation Pill.

What was that for?

I gave him some wind to wield.

Let us see if he is a sparrow

or a great swan.

♪Chasing wind♪

♪I set out afar♪

♪The road ahead lost♪

♪My voice unheard♪

♪I've tasted joy and sorrow♪

♪Laying low♪

♪I plan every move♪

♪With a mortal heart

♪And lingering ties♪

♪I'm roaming far and wide♪

♪A twist of fate in desperate times♪

♪A bond that outlives the dust of life♪

♪Still chasing what immortality means♪

♪Even eternity flashes by in a blink♪

♪Don't mock my ordinary life♪

♪I fight alone♪

♪As chaos shakes the world♪

♪Don't scorn my humble roots♪

♪Kind at heart♪

♪Ruthless when I must be♪

♪Forged by trial♪

♪I rise through three realms♪

♪Reborn in the wheel of fate♪

From today onward,

you are officially disciples

of Yellow Maple Valley.

As your Sect Master,

I have only one request.

Focus on your cultivation

and avoid causing trouble.

Your purpose here

is cultivation.

The first major milestone in cultivation

is the Foundation Establishment Stage.

- Once you reach the Foundation Establishment... - Want some?

I'm fine.

Thank you.

...you can absorb

the essence

of the sun, moon, earth, and heavens.

You will no longer need to consume food

or take in worldly impurities.

So,

even if

you are still in the Qi Refining Stage,

you should already

begin practicing fasting.

You should eat later.

It's fine.

I can eat

while he talks.

I can understand if it takes time

to let go of gourmet food.

But if you can't even put down a piece of flatbread,

how will you ever succeed in cultivation?

Who says cultivating means you can't eat?

My family told me

there's a Core Formation Grandmaster

who loved eating.

They carry all their utensils with them.

What's wrong with me eating a flatbread?

It's better than starving.

Bad examples shouldn't be followed.

Is there really a Core Formation Grandmaster

that greedy?

Indeed.

Don't listen to his nonsense.

What a joke.

Is there really be such a gluttonous Core Formation cultivator?

The rule of the Ascension Token was set by our ancestors.

It's not something that can be changed.

If you work hard and make good progress

with your variant spirit root,

the Valley may grant you

another Foundation Pill as a reward.

Another one?

These 300 gems

are compensation

for you.

Sect Master,

I was the champion at the Tianwu Arena.

According to sect rules,

I should receive a Foundation Pill.

You were simply unlucky.

By the sect's rules,

the Foundation Pill must go to him first.

That

is a rule

we cannot alter.

Sect Master,

I cannot accept this!

Enough.

Just accept your loss and move on.

Did you not hear what the Sect Master said?

The Foundation Pill goes to the Ascension Token holder first.

- But... - You are engaged

to the daughter of the Chen family.

The Chen family has plenty of Foundation Pills.

What's the matter?

Too proud to ask them for one?

If you want to blame someone,

blame the one with Ascension Token.

Watch closely.

Did everyone understand?

Is there learn a specific technique you wish to learn?

Mentor.

- Mentor. - Mentor.

You, over there, go first.

♪We made a promise to reunite♪

♪And walked into the unknown♪

♪But now that we've met again...♪

I want to learn

Aura Concealment.

A fake spirit root wants

to learn Aura Concealment?

What aura do you have to hide?

Aura Concealment,

as the name suggests,

uses spiritual aura

to isolate yourself from the outside world.

If done well,

it can hide

your presence

and actions

from others.

Observe.

♪Never let yourself become a hollow husk of what you once were...♪

What?

Where is he?

Where did he go?

Where's Mentor Wu?

He vanished in an instant.

Amazing.

Come.

No wonder they call it Aura Concealment.

Now,

you give it a try.

♪We're just fleeting mortals♪

♪Time slipped by before we knew♪

♪Yet we burn that spark of light♪

♪Into this starry sky♪

♪Starlight fades into the Milky Way...♪

He didn't conceal anything.

What did you even conceal?

Mentor Ye.

Today's lesson

is on talisman crafting.

♪Each step of fate's game unclear♪

♪Who can guess the ending?♪

♪But my heart has never rested♪

♪Ever chasing, still searching on...♪

Give it a try.

♪Through all the joy and sorrow♪

♪How do I choose the way?♪

♪Now we part, so far apart♪

♪We walk our separate paths♪

♪Just as I rise to compete, the years have already fled...♪

The morning glow really does feel better than the evening glow.

♪To be one who stands tall between heaven and earth♪

♪Never let yourself become a hollow husk of what you once were♪

♪Shards of dreams inside a dream♪

♪A pale moon falls into mirrored skies♪

♪Years slipped by as I lingered on♪

♪Old scenes rise again♪

♪Too hard to forget♪

♪Easier just to miss♪

♪They say the past fades like smoke♪

♪But looking back still stirs the ache♪

♪This noisy world, this lonely page♪

♪Swept away by time♪

♪Eyes once looked far♪

♪Now lost in the shift♪

♪Autumn winds stir♪

♪Smoke curls once more♪

♪Like clouds on the edge of sky♪

♪Returning to my eyes♪

♪Looking back from the mountaintop♪

♪Time lost its name♪

♪Was it yesterday♪

♪Or tomorrow?♪

♪The world has changed♪

♪Beyond recall♪

♪Time will fade♪

♪All the words ever spoken♪

♪Only this longing remains♪

♪Crossing centuries and days♪

♪In a fleeting moment we call eternity♪

♪In a fleeting moment called eternity♪