Original subtitles

Episode 35

Yuzhen Pavilion

Young Master Mei Si.

Why do you like me?

You're asking me why?

Is there supposed to be a reason?

Yes.

Why do you like me?

When did you start liking me?

Lady Liu.

We grew up together.

I've known since I was little that you would be my wife.

What other reason do I need?

We grew up together?

Is this a painting…

of your childhood friend?

So that's why I always thought something was missing from this room.

It turns out this painting is with you.

The Liu Taizhen you first knew,

the Liu Taizhen you liked most,

and the Liu Taizhen you were engaged to,

were not me.

The Liu Taizhen you grew up with,

the Liu Taizhen who liked you,

actually died…

10 years ago.

Everyone knows that…

when the Liu family's daughter was young, she accidentally fell off a cliff

but survived the fall.

But did no one think about it?

For a mortal body…

to fall from a cliff…

How could she possibly come back to life?

As the Snake Lord of the Demon Underworld,

I often had to travel in the Mortal Realm.

My previous identity was no longer sustainable.

So I borrowed her body.

When Liu Gongshen learned that his daughter was found,

he didn't know that though I looked like her,

everything had long since changed.

But…

But Wu Zhen is also a demon.

But she's clearly Wu Zhen.

She's an anomaly.

She became a demon in human form.

So she's half-human, half-demon.

As for me,

I am not.

It's you!

I thought it was Xiao Mu or Chi Hua.

What are you looking at?

I secretly took a few martial arts manuals.

I'm studying them now.

Soon,

I'll be both a demon and a cultivator.

With my profound power,

I'll be the greatest demon in the world

who travels between the Mortal Realm and the Demon Underworld.

What?

I'm going to master all the practices

of Changxi Palace.

Aren't you worried at all?

Learn all you want.

You can ask me if there's something you don't understand.

I'll teach you.

You underestimate me!

From its very essence,

Taoist magic and demonic magic are mutually exclusive.

They cannot be merged.

If you manage to master them,

you'd be the most powerful being in existence.

I'm Cat Lord of Chang'an, mind you.

Perhaps I'm the rarest genius

this world has ever seen.

You…

You are not her.

You're not.

I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have kept it a secret for so long.

But I thought…

mortals' emotions are fleeting.

I thought if I ignored you,

you would fall for someone else in no time.

- I thought-- - You "thought"?

How can demons…

understand humans?

Who are you to judge humans?

No wonder.

Lady Liu's personality changed 10 years ago.

She suddenly ignored me.

I thought it was my fault.

I wondered what I did wrong.

But I never imagined…

that you're not her.

Give me back my Lady Liu!

Take your time to read and learn.

What? Did you get your answer?

Or were you scolded?

You should be used to it by now.

Forget it.

Let's not talk about you two.

I'm here today

to tell you some good news.

- I-- - I want to be alone.

Chang'an's Yinglong.

Are you here for your tribulation to ascend?

Yes.

For a Yinglong to ascend,

you must undergo this trial.

If you're ready,

we shall begin.

I'm ready. I'm ready!

What's going on?

Why didn't I transform into a dragon?

It's because you failed to ascend.

You did grow dragon scales,

but your heart is still troubled by worldly matters.

There are things that you must let go of

before you can ascend and transform into a dragon.

Have a bite.

You mortal.

Do I look vegetarian to you?

I bet you're scared.

You lowly mortal, why aren't you kneeling and bowing at the sight of me?

It was fine when you were obsessed with painting.

But now,

you've ended up with nothing but idle amusements.

You're keeping loaches now!

Father.

It's not a loach.

Little Loach, I'll protect you. Hide well in my arms.

Didn't you ask for this marriage?

You think you get to marry her if you want to

and back out when you don't?

That's right. I've changed my mind.

I don't want to do it.

I'm not marrying Lady Liu.

Why did you reject the marriage?

My tarnishing a woman's virtue and being irresponsible

would still be better than putting Lady Liu in a tough spot.

In ordinary matters,

it's fine to go along with the ways of the world.

But marriage is a serious matter.

How can she be bound by the rules of mortals again?

So to him,

we demons

shouldn't be besieged by the masses.

Instead, we should be free

and unrestrained.

It's all those two's fault.

They ruined my plan.

Don't go! Don't go!

I haven't become a dragon yet!

Don't go!

I haven't become a dragon yet!

Don't go!

Heaven and Earth as one

Lady Wu.

Why are you here?

Fifth Brother.

There's something I'd like your help with.

Just say it.

Heaven and Earth as one

Help!

- Help! - Fifth Brother!

- What's wrong, Fifth Brother? - Fifth Brother!

Don't come near me!

Fifth Brother, are you being serious?

This is unacceptable!

It's just an arm.

Everyone in Changxi Palace

is naked on top during morning training.

I've seen it all.

That's not the same! Men and women should not be intimate.

If I treat you, I'll have to touch you.

That goes against propriety. Moreover, you are a married woman.

With your husband by your side,

if I were to show you disrespect, it would show a lack of etiquette.

Baring oneself in the name of martial practice is justifiable.

How can a lady behave so recklessly?

It's highly improper. Highly improper!

I am a martial artist.

I absolutely cannot do that!

You…

Fifth Brother. You're quite eloquent, aren't you?

Fifth Brother, is that really you?

Fifth Brother, are you sure you're yourself?

Fifth Brother!

You're not possessed by a demon, are you?

Fifth Brother, what's wrong? Are you all right?

Fifth Brother, are you all right?

Are you okay?

Fifth Brother, do you feel unwell anywhere?

What's wrong? Tell us!

Help me!

What's going on?

What's wrong? Do you feel unwell?

I saw something strange growing on my arm.

I came to get it treated.

Show me.

Yuzhen Pavilion

This is the first time I've seen you like this.

You've truly lived for centuries in vain.

Did you just grow older without growing wiser?

So what if you didn't tell him about it?

I can't hide it forever.

There are things that, once you say them,

you'll lose everything.

Wouldn't it be better to be happy for as long as possible?

The incident with Little Kitty made me realize

some things are better explained sooner.

Lest you harm yourself and others.

If you ask me,

Mei Si is an idiot.

Since he can accept that you're a demon,

then why can't he

accept the fact that you are not the original Liu Taizhen?

Because what he loves isn't me,

but the memory of the past.

You don't have to try to be matchmaker for us anymore.

Just focus on cultivating and ascending.

Do you think I want to meddle in your affairs?

You two are the ones who are delaying my ascension to a dragon.

How about I bring him here? You two can talk again.

No need.

I was just about to capture you, but you're already here.

Hurry and talk things out with your Lady Liu.

Hurry!

Where is Lady Liu?

What?

Lady Liu?

Where is my Liu Taizhen?

I'll take you there.

Since I took her identity,

I couldn't leave a name for her.

No one tended her grave after her passing.

I was the one who couldn't do right by her.

We've been apart for 10 years.

You used to love lively places.

You must be very lonely

in this wilderness.

Your wife…

I can't save her.

What she has is not an illness,

but her tribulation.

No can do!

Can you please not shout?

It's a bit scary.

I already made an exception when I let you into the archive.

I can't always make exceptions on your account.

Besides, this is too dangerous.

I'm not doing it.

I know you mean well.

But her demonic sores are regrowing.

She doesn't have much time left.

No matter what that tribulation is, I must find out the truth.

So…

this magical tool found in the archive

can take Zhuyu back 18 years

to see what happened that night.

Yes.

That's amazing.

For a mortal to reverse time

is a forbidden spell that goes against the law of nature.

If anything goes wrong, not only can you not save her,

but you yourself

will also die in the turbulence of time.

I know.

But as a Celestial Master,

I cannot just disregard the Demonic Infant.

As a son…

I cannot stand by and do nothing about my parents' murderer.

As a…

I cannot stand by and watch my enemy

in the body of the person I love,

draining her life.

I've made up my mind.

I must do this.

Please grant my wish.

Tell everyone to get ready.

Understood.

It's so ugly.

Are you sure it's from Changxi Palace?

It's precisely because it's ugly that I'm sure.

What does it say?

It says I need to go to Changxi Palace immediately.

Could there be progress regarding Cat Lord's matter?

I hope so.

I've been meaning to ask you something.

Wu Zi Shu has been roaming the streets lately.

What exactly is he doing?

I don't know.

I knew it.

This was the place you wanted to go 18 years ago.

Take a look.

Thank you so much, Mr. Ling Xiao.

You've helped me out of a tight spot.

It's nothing.

Understood!

Here, take it.

Since the transaction is complete, I'll be on my way.

Why isn't the wine here yet?

You still have guests…

at this hour?

Guest?

More like some lord.

He's been drinking here for three days straight.

If he weren't rich, I would've chased him away a long ago.

- A lord? - Mm.

What lord?

I heard a certain rich young lord has been drinking here for three days.

Turns out it's you, Young Master Mei Si.

Mr. Ling Xiao.

How distant.

Aren't you going to buy me a drink?

I don't have a cup.

Never mind.

It seems I'm not welcome.

After years of covering for you at Yuzhen Pavilion,

this so-called friendship only leaves me in sadness.

Sadness?

Why are you here, Mr. Ling Xiao?

Me?

I was just passing by.

I heard you were here,

so I came to tease you.

Don't look at me like that.

I'm just concerned about you.

Why don't you go home?

Xuan Hui is there.

So that "Grandpa" cornered you at your place,

and you're hiding here, drinking instead.

What do you mean, hiding?

It's because this osmanthus wine is delicious.

That's why I'm here.

I'm not hiding.

Right.

The osmanthus wine here is quite good.

It's been popular in Chang'an for years.

Many people have loved it as faithfully as on the first day.

Just like…

your love for my master.

Mr. Ling Xiao, you can leave now.

All right.

I don't want to be a nuisance here.

I just want to ask you one thing.

Everyone knows

you've liked Lady Liu for over 10 years.

But Lady Liu changed 10 years ago.

Ten years,

and you still haven't come to understand her any better?

Are your mind…

and your feelings

at a standstill,

still stuck at the beginning?

By the way,

their wine is indeed delicious.

Because they use Chongyang osmanthus from the southwest.

It's just a pity that some time ago,

their carriage had an accident.

Several carriages of Chongyang osmanthus were lost on the way.

Therefore, they don't have any fresh osmanthus wine.

But still, you want it urgently.

So…

So it wasn't the osmanthus wine…

that you said was delicious.

I'm off.

Seriously, if he can't figure it out himself,

there's nothing anyone can do.

Don't you agree?

Yes.

Lord Shu.

What is it?

I'm just giving a heads-up.

I'm taking these two demons with me.

My master said,

since Cat Lord is coming back,

I'll let you go first. I didn't have a choice back then.

Please don't blame…

me.

Is Snake Lord back?

What's the matter?

Do you have something to say to my master?

Not really.

Let's go.

Lord Shu, now that the ban has been lifted,

you seem to be in high spirits.

Let's talk inside.

Do you have a plan, Lord Shu?

Lord Shu.

You haven't gotten the key to the door yet.

No need to gloat.

How did you know?

Did you follow me?

Lord Shu.

Don't put it that way.

I saw you searching around the Demon Underworld two days ago.

You were very focused.

I wasn't the only demon who paid attention to you.

You should thank me.

If I didn't lead them away,

you wouldn't have found that place

so easily.

It seems like…

I should thank you, Elder Hui.

What do you want?

I just want to collaborate with you, Lord Shu.

I want to go in together.

As expected of the demon who had free rein in Chang'an

all these years.

You're truly resilient.

There's no other way.

You are Lord Infant's confidant after all.

If I want to go in and take a look,

I'll need your help, Lord Shu.

Isn't that right?

That's the former grounds of the Demon Underworld.

Only Snake Lord and Cat Lord can enter and exit as they wish.

Currently, Snake Lord is the only one in Chang'an.

If we wish to enter,

we will have to approach Snake Lord.

It seems that,

Lord Shu,

you need a helper.

Elder Hui, you're quite the silver tongue.

I'm sure you've already thought of a way to get me the key.

Lord Shu.

You're trying to pry into Lord Infant's secret

to save Cat Lord, am I right?

We can certainly collaborate.

Once we find Lord Infant's secret,

we won't interfere with each other…

nor get in each other's way.

All right.

Eighteen years…

The core has been in her body for 18 years.

Strange signs have been showing up frequently.

I'm afraid it can no longer be sealed.

I need to see the moment the previous Cat Lord sealed it.

Only then can I find a solution and keep her safe.

Thank you, everyone.

Zhuyu, remember this.

This act itself goes against the laws of nature.

When you return to the past,

you must not alter cause and effect, or change life and death.

I understand.

Let's begin.

Heaven and Earth as one

Everything that has happened is predestined.

If you act rashly,

not only will you be trapped between the past and present forever,

but the world itself

may change in ways no one can foresee.

Mei Teahouse

Translated by Scarlet