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 9]

Oblivion Pill.

It makes you forget the past

without even realizing it.

Hence the name.

This stuff's great.

It may come in handy someday.

Better write it down.

[Pill Recipe]

The Chuangong Pavilion charges

by the hour.

Copying like this

is just wasting your gems.

Elder Xu,

is there a better way?

I may be unworthy,

but I'd like to learn this technique!

That's how you lose your rice bowl.

Name your price!

Ten gems!

Ten gems

for each copy.

Didn't expect Lushan Hall to have rules like that.

Then please, Elder Xu,

prepare some good recipes.

I'll copy them all at once.

That's easy.

Look at these ones.

How about them?

This is not useful.

This one?

No.

Lushan Hall

can't be full of junk like this, right?

Everyone asks that their first time here.

But they don't realize

without a good furnace,

even the best recipes

are useless.

So you mean

I have to buy a furnace

from you

before I can see the real recipes?

Smart kid.

If

you buy my alchemy furnace,

these recipes

come free with it.

Two hundred gems.

Lowest price, one eighty.

The furnace is in the Dihuo House.

And the recipes?

Buy my furnace,

I'll throw in the recipes.

A man of his word

never goes back on it!

The recipes.

The recipes!

The Foundation Pill?

That's the Foundation Pill recipe!

Then I can make it myself!

Using the Green Vial to ripen the herbs,

then I can make as many pills as I want!

No one can take them from me!

[Foundation Pill Recipe] To refine the Foundation Pill,

you'll need:

Jade Marrow Mushroom,

Violet Monkey Blossom,

and Celestial Essence Fruit.

What even are those?

Never heard of any of them!

Where am I supposed to find them?

This is the Dihuo House.

And this is the 180-germ furnace.

Let's start with a simple recipe.

Oblivion Pill.

You're up.

It worked on the first try!

No wonder it costs 180 gems!

Let's try the Yellow Dragon Pill next.

The purity's way better too.

I set up a hidden field

within the Herbs Garden.

I use the Green Vial to grow herbs

and test new combinations.

I've made a good number of useful pills.

But,

for the Foundation Pill,

I still haven't found

the key ingredients.

Every time

before the Bloody Trial Ground open,

the Seven Sects

always pick a location

to hold a joint summit.

[Xiang Zhili from Yellow Maple Valley] This concerns

the future of every sect.

So, every time

the Trial Ground opens,

- The Bloody Trial Ground? - it directly affects

each sect's future strength.

Oh right,

I also heard something.

They say

any disciple who enters the Trial Ground

gets a Foundation Pill.

Is that true?

No.

Knew it.

But,

that rumor

isn't too far off.

Do you know

why the Trial Ground

is also called

Seven Sects' Herb Vault?

Because the place is rich

in rare spiritual herbs.

Only there, in all of Yue Kingdom,

can you find ingredients for the Foundation Pill.

No wonder those herbs

aren't seen in the market.

So each trial,

disciples from our sect

fight to get in, right?

Not exactly.

Getting in

isn't the hard part.

But getting out

is the real challenge.

The Trial Ground

is a deadly place.

Do you know

what the survival rate was

for those who went in?

Less than half!

That dangerous?

You there,

are you interested in the Bloody Trial Ground too?

Huh?

Han,

what are you eating?

A fruit.

Got any more?

Yeah.

Just one left.

Thanks, Han.

Thanks, Han!

Senior,

who was that just now?

You don't know him?

That's Senior Xiang Zhili.

He's the oldest Qi Refining cultivator here.

He's entered the Bloody Trial Ground multiple times

and made it back alive.

But he hasn't reached the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Kind of strange, really.

That old guy's a total fool,

just laughing to himself all day.

The sect sure has it all planned out.

They need pills,

so they send us Qi Refining disciples

to trade our lives for them.

Don't you think

that old man's just trying to scare us?

He's old,

yet hasn't reached the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Bet he's dying to get into the Trial Ground

for a shot at the Foundation Pill.

He wants in,

but afraid we'll take his spot.

So he's trying to scare us off.

But...

what if he's telling the truth?

Airship approaching!

Elders,

thanks for coming all this way.

I greet you

with respect!

I've prepared tea and fruit

in the Qianji Library.

Please,

come with me.

Mentor,

everything is ready.

You may go now.

Yes.

Come on,

eat up.

Try this.

Try one of these pastries.

- This one's good. - Smells amazing!

Tastes good.

Better than last time.

Stop eating!

We haven't even had enough yet.

The Bloody Trial Ground is about to open.

Per tradition,

the Solunar Purification Pearl,

held by Yellow Maple Valley,

must now be passed

to the next sect,

the Moonshadow Sect.

Hongfu,

please wait.

Before we transfer the pearl,

there's something

I'd like to discuss with the elders.

Isn't this a Foundation Pill?

But the quality's a bit poor.

Mine's slightly better.

These two Foundation Pills

must've been made

in different batches.

That's right.

The one Fu Yunzi has was made with herbs

gathered from the Trial Ground twenty years ago.

And

mine?

Yours was made with recent herbs from the Trial Ground.

They're both Foundation Pills,

but the quality difference is clear.

I believe you all

have noticed it as well.

The quantity and quality of spiritual herbs

in the Trial Ground

aren't what they used to be.

Therefore,

on behalf of Moonshadow Sect,

I propose that after this trial,

we enter an early seal period,

and seal the Trial Ground

for sixty years.

What?

Sixty years?

That's way too long!

Exactly!

Li!

It's really you!

Miss Han!

After we parted at Tainan Valley,

I thought I'd never see you again.

I didn't expect

you'd join Yellow Maple Valley.

I should be thanking you

for that book you gave me.

Miss Han,

are you here for Seven Sects' Summit too?

Oh right.

Just ahead,

there are snacks for Qi Refining disciples.

Go give them a try.

Those over there

are all about to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Just sitting near them

makes me nervous.

I'll pass.

Thank you, Li.

Miss Han,

are you going into the Bloody Trial Ground too?

My brother's old illness flared up.

He's been unconscious.

Only the Solarflame Blossom from the Trial Ground

can save him.

Can't your elders

cure him?

That's why

I have to find the Solarflame Blossom myself

to cure my brother.

Even if I die trying.

You're so nice to your brother.

I have a younger sister too.

When I left home,

she was about this tall.

The herbs in the Trial Ground

are incredibly rare.

Even with one opening every five years,

we barely gather enough for Foundation Pills.

And now it's sixty years between?

[Elder Han, Spirit Beast Mountain] How should we make up the shortfall?

Exactly!

That's right!

Yeah!

Your Moonshadow Sect is rich and powerful.

Of course you've stocked up on Foundation Pills.

But the rest of us?

Our disciples are still waiting in line.

- Exactly! - That's right!

What are we supposed to do?

Foundation Pills matter

because they're for the younger generation.

But every time the Trial Ground open,

nearly half the Qi Refining disciples end up dead.

Do their lives

mean nothing

to you elders?

Heaven's way never changes,

not for sages, not for tyrants.

Does your compassion

outweigh the way of Heaven?

You're putting a mere Foundation Pill

on par with the way of Heaven?

That's a bit much.

Seems like

your Yellow Maple Valley

is siding with Moonshadow Sect.

Rare treasures in this world

are limited by nature.

Some spirit herbs

take a hundred,

even a thousand years to mature.

But in recent years,

disciple numbers have skyrocketed,

while herbs

only get scarcer with every pick.

Exactly.

At this rate,

we're just killing the golden goose.

Besides,

I heard the Six Demonic Sects are starting to stir again.

We should be minimizing losses,

or what if they strike?

Demonic sects?

It's been centuries,

and every year someone claims they're back.

But aside from us old-timers,

who's ever actually seen them?

True!

Young Master.

Young Master.

[Wang Chan, Ghost Spirit Sect Heir, Mid Foundation Establishment Stage]

When...

[Elder Tong, Early Core Stage] when are we setting out?

Always in a rush, huh?

[Elder Gui, Early Core Stage] The Seven Sects of Yue Kingdom

are a chaotic mess.

If we just charge in blindly,

how many men are we going to lose?

Young Master,

forgive me.

But

your aunt

marched into Jiang Kingdom

half a month ago.

If she gets ahead of you,

I'm afraid

your position

will only get more awkward.

That's true.

My aunt is pretty aggressive.

But I prefer finesse.

And I'll use this chance

to show my father

who the next leader of Ghost Spirit Sect should be.

So then...

what's the plan?

No sudden moves.

No sudden moves?

Young Master,

you're not going to Yue Kingdom?

Of course I am.

The three of us are enough.

Just the three of us?

No need for a full army?

Besides, the Bloody Trial Ground

is about to open.

Time for those blockheads

from the Seven Sects

to get busy.

And another thing:

once you two get there,

keep your mouths shut.

They don't talk the way you do.

Yes, Young Master.

Yes, Young Master.

That's true.

You've all been around the sects for years.

Don't you know full well

how the Seven Sects are doing?

How do they compare to five years ago?

Or sixty years ago?

It's because our strength is fading

that we need the Trial Ground

to gather more herbs,

so our Qi Refining disciples

can grow stronger

and level up.

Exactly!

That's right.

We can't just avoid

the Trial Ground out of fear.

Won't that

be throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Exactly!

It's just not worth it!

Anyway, we don't agree.

Why's everyone so stubborn?

- I'm fine either way. - You sure?

Before, it was a gamble every five years.

Now it's one shot every sixty.

I just wonder

Can some folks afford

to wait that long?

Hey, you talking about me?

Hongfu,

please activate the Solunar Purification Pearl.

Hongfu,

if you would.

What's that?

The Solunar Purification Pearl!

Looks like something's up with the elders.

I'll go check it out.

Miss Han.

Come back safe from the Trial Ground.

See you!

What's the Solunar Purification Pearl?

Fellow Elders,

have you noticed

anything different about the pearl?

It's dimmer.

It's not as bright

as it used to be.

That's right.

The Solunar Purification Pearl

was crafted by our sect's ancestors

to dispel the mists within the Trial Ground.

It glows with the essence of sun and moon.

But what you may not know

when the heavens shift,

the pearl is affected too.

Sun and moon should shine steady

through the ages.

But with the Trial Ground opening too often,

the spiritual energy is drying up,

and the pearl has lost its glow.

Doesn't that prove my point?

Now you understand?

Come on,

let's talk this through.

The Trial Ground is so dangerous.

Maybe I should wait for the next round

when I'm better prepared.

Did you hear that?

From now on,

the Trial Ground will open once every sixty years.

Getting a Foundation Pill

just got a lot harder.

Yeah.

If you don't reach the Foundation Establishment Stage,

your lifespan tops out at around 200 years.

Wait another sixty,

we'll be old by then.

Why not take this chance?

Let's ask my cousin.

If she goes, we go.

No need to ask.

If that Lu guy's going,

you know she'll follow.

But the rules have changed this time.

There'll be way more disciples than usual.

We've got to be extra careful.

Losing your life over this

just won't be worth it.

Alright.

Let's go.

Everyone's lining up to sign in.

Let's move!

Once it closes again,

it won't reopen for sixty years!

Senior Xiang,

didn't they say

those signing up for the Trial Ground

should gather here?

Are we having the wrong spot?

Who are you all waiting for?

I'm right here.

Grandmaster!

Greetings, Grandmaster!

Quite a turnout.

Are you all ready

to throw your lives away?

I'm not trying to scare you,

but out of thousands in our sect,

do you know

how many have reached the Foundation Establishment Stage?

Barely a hundred.

And do you know why?

Because Foundation Pills are rare.

That's only part of it.

Listen,

Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment may be just one stage apart.

However,

the gap between them

is like night and day.

That's why

so many people,

just like you,

all want to enter

the Trial Ground,

hoping to get lucky.

And the result?

They die for nothing.

Forget reaching Foundation Establishment,

just surviving is a long shot.

So,

if you haven't come

with the resolve to die,

I suggest you leave now

before your cultivation journey ends here.

Of course,

if you've heard me out

and still want to go,

step forward.

Let's see who's got guts.

Let's go.

Wait...

Hurry up!

You thirteen guys here

have heard

the Trial Ground

won't open again for sixty years, right?

Not bad.

Smart thinking.

Our Yellow Maple Valley

has fifteen spots

this time.

Two are still open.

Me!

Count me in!

Can you handle it

at your age?

I just can't wait another sixty years!

Fair enough.

That leaves one spot.

Alright then.

I'll count to three.

One...

Jumped early, huh?

You're only at Tier 11 of Qi Refining.

You want to die out there?

Grandmaster,

I may lack talent,

but I don't have sixty years

to spare.

Please grant me this chance.

Not bad.

Bold kid.

I like it.

Shame about the talent though.

Alright,

the rest of you

go home.

Grandmaster!

I want to go too!

Grandmaster!

What were you waiting for earlier?

Get back for now.

If you still want to go,

wait for the next batch sixty years later.

I'll be 120 in sixty years, Grandmaster!

Please, give us one more chance!

There's still training and testing ahead.

If someone drops out,

you may get called in.

Alright, enough. Head back.

Go on, now.

We're so lucky.

Getting picked today

took some luck!

Everything starts with courage.

Congratulations.

You've passed the first round

of my test.

Thank you, Grandmaster!

The Bloody Trial is more than just a treasure hunt.

This is a mission

that affects our sect's standing among the Seven Sects.

It can shape our future power.

To make sure you all come back alive,

I'll be training you thoroughly.

This trip is extremely dangerous.

If you're having second thoughts,

now's the time to back out,

before you lose your life in there.

Inside, the weather's brutal

and wildly unpredictable,

with rugged terrain.

Many don't even survive day one,

brought down

by nature itself.

You'll need to memorize these herbs:

Jade Marrow Mushroom,

Violet Monkey Blossom,

and Celestial Essence Fruit.

These are key herbs

for the Foundation Pill.

The Trial Ground

is crawling with demon beasts.

If you want those herbs,

you'll have to get past them first.

If you can't,

you'll be their dinner.

The disciples in the Trial Ground

fall into three general categories.

First,

the weak ones,

like some of you here.

Some are forced to come,

others are just gambling on luck.

These disciples

usually don't survive the first day.

Second,

those with decent cultivation

but not true experts.

Some of them cut corners.

They skip herb gathering

and try

to kill others for loot.

But by day three,

the cleverest among them

start vanishing

in the Trial Ground,

without a trace.

That's when

the third group shows up.

Grandmaster,

what about the third group?

They're the ones

who know

how to bide their time

and hide their power.

When they finally strike,

they each

reveal their true strength.

Grandmaster!

With all that said,

which group survives the most?

Naturally, the third,

the real powerhouses.

Wrong.

It's the first group.

The...

the first group?

Standing out makes you a target.

Everyone entering the Trial Ground

has some kind of skill.

But without caution,

even the strongest

end up dead and gone.

And the weakest?

They accept their limits early on.

And that

often help them make it out alive.

"Hide cleverness with clumsiness."

- We won't be cowards - "Do good with discretion."

- in the Trial Ground! - Never thought

everything Physician Mo taught me...

Let's grab the most spirit herbs!

- ...would still hold up in the cultivation world. - Let's beat Moonshadow Sect!

Let's beat Moonshadow Sect!

We'll crush Saber-Shearing Sect!

- Crush them! - Crush them!

We're outpacing Spirit Beast Mountain!

We'll wipe out Giant Sword Sect!

We'll wipe out Giant Sword Sect!

Alright, that's enough.

I love the enthusiasm.

But I'll say it again:

what matters most is coming back alive.

Yes, Grandmaster.

The Solunar Purification Pearl

was crafted by our ancestors

specifically for navigating the Trial Ground.

It emits radiant light

and suppresses

all manner of toxic mist.

In the Bloody Trial,

there's an artifact

called the Solunar Purification Pearl.

It shines like sun and moon.

It worked so well

in the Trial Ground

that the other six sects protested.

Our sect

had to surrender it.

It became shared property of all Seven Sects.

After each Bloody Trial,

the sect holding the pearl

must pass it to the next.

This year,

it's returned to our hands.

The Seven Sects agreed:

the pearl can only be activated

on the fourth day.

So, Grandmaster,

does that mean it'll be easier

to collect herbs on day four?

Quite the opposite.

Until the Solunar Purification Pearl appears,

you'll be relatively safe.

Once it's out,

you better start hiding.

Why's that?

Because its appearance signals the start of killing.

Think about it.

If you've spent three days

and still haven't found a single herb,

what will you do

with limited time left?

Kill for treasure.

Now, I must pass the pearl

to one of you.

Yan Ruyan.

I won't let you down, Master.

How's your health lately?

Any more

fainting spells?

Thanks for your concern, Master.

I've been much better.

Since joining the sect,

my old heart condition hasn't returned.

Even so, don't let your guard down.

I've studied the ancient texts.

To fully cure you,

you'll need a Dark Spirit Root cultivator

to balance your yin and yang.

Thanks for the care, Master.

But right now, cultivation is my only focus.

I'm not ready to think about marriage.

You had me stay behind.

I assume you've got a task for me.

You'll lead the team

into the Trial Ground,

and guard the pearl.

There's one more task, something important.

What is it?

There'll be battles for sure

during this Trial.

I'd better to prepare some solid artifacts.

[Wangyu, Shopkeeper of Treasure House] I am Wangyu,

shopkeeper of Treasure House.

My name...

is Li Feiyu,

a rogue cultivator.

I'm looking for some artifacts.

Price is not an issue.

Mr. Li, I like how direct you are.

Come on in.

Brew a pot of top-grade tea.

Yes, sir.

No need.

I'm not here

for tea and chit-chat.

If you've got nothing good,

I won't waste my time.

Wait, Mr. Li!

This is a full set of Mother-Child Blades.

One mother blade,

and eight child blades.

They're forged from refined steel and pure gold

by a master craftsman

over three days and nights.

With the mother blade in hand,

you can control all eight child blades at once.

The enemy won't just be overwhelmed,

they'll lose their minds.

You'll be unstoppable!

This is the Mystic Iron Flying Shield,

a rare defensive artifact.

It's forged

from mystic iron mined in the icy land.

Not only is it tough,

once activated,

it orbits your body

and defends you automatically!

Tell me, Mr. Li,

what have you been through?

Some big-shot battlefield?

Alright then.

No more pretending.

Let me show you

my favorite little toy.

The Thunder Ball!

It's formed from condensed heavenly lightning.

Even

a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator

will be blasted to dust

if caught head-on.

Just gone like that.

It's rare, sure.

But it comes with a fine price.

You sure

you can afford it?

Golden Glow Ganoderma?

That's not worth much.

Come on now.

Even one over a hundred years old

barely fetches anything.

Smell it again.

Five hundred?

Five hundred years old?

It's five hundred years old!

Alright, that's fair.

I want more.

Bring out your best stuff.

Close your eyes.

This is the Golden Brick Talisman,

our shop's finest treasure!

Only a cultivator

at the Core Formation Stage can craft one.

It's a bit slow to activate,

but it's far

from ordinary.

Now tell me,

Mr. Li.

Which treasure

do you want?

I'll take them all.

You're talking

like a real big spender.

But Mr. Li,

aren't you mistaken?

Yes,

your herbs

are rare,

but still not enough to trade...

for all of this.

Who said

I only brought five-hundred-year herbs?

A thousand years.

It's a thousand years old!

Deal.

It's all yours.

Including the table,

the gourd,

and the tea set, take it all.

The Bloody Trial Ground is extremely dangerous.

We'll need to stick together.

Yes.

I'm not going with you.

I'll be moving solo!

Senior!

What's wrong, Senior?

Enough.

Don't just stand there!

Go get the Grandmaster, now!

Her old illness is acting up again!

I'm in the middle of nowhere,

perfect place to test my new artifacts.

Mother-Child Blades...

Lu Mingyuan,

I even gave you my Foundation Pill.

Now you're breaking off the engagement?

Someone's there!

Qiaoqian,

was that really necessary?

If I can win Dong Xuan'er's favor,

then Grandmaster Hongfu

may take me as her disciple.

Why will I still need your pill?

You're an absolute idiot.

Alright.

Soon enough,

you'll see how lucky you were

to have me.

Get your hands off me!

My father will know we're done.

Keep dreaming!

Give me back my Foundation Pill.

Even if you don't,

the Chen family will come for it.

We're done here.

Easy, Qiaoqian.

No need to worry.

That's just my Wind Bind spell.

If you aren't the only heiress

of the Chen family,

maybe I'll let you go.

But honestly,

I'm worried you'll hold a grudge

and get back at me.

So I'll take

your Foundation Pill.

As for you...

it'd be best if you disappeared

from this world.

How did scum like him

end up in Yellow Maple Valley?

♪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♪