Original subtitles

[Blood River]

[Based on the novel of the same name from Zhou Munan's Youth in Jianghu series]

[Available on fanqienovel.com & bkneng.com]

[Episode 29]

Where did you guys hit it off at first sight?

At the Pleasure House, of course.

The place was full of drunks.

Only Mr. Su and I kept our cool.

I'll take my leave.

Let's go.

Take care, Mr. Su.

Prince of Langya...

After dark,

Tianqi City is easier on the eyes than by day.

You don't like Tianqi City?

I don't.

It's too big here.

The houses are big.

The streets are wide.

Even the food is big.

An osmanthus cake

is the size of a brick!

Does a bigger cake

mean better taste?

Nan'an...

Nan'an...

I want to go back to Nan'an...

We shouldn't stay long.

Oh, Su Muyu,

now that we're in Tianqi City,

shouldn't we keep a low profile?

Opening a clinic here

pretty much tells everyone

we're right here.

Why can't Blood River

enter Tianqi City?

It's just a sect in the imperial city.

We'll tell everyone

we're here.

Every move we make

can stand in the open.

What's there to fear?

Exactly!

What is it?

Is it that snake from the Medicine King?

Yes.

Baicao gave me this one.

It's paired with the one Night Crow keeps,

life-and-death linked.

When they get close,

they react.

So, Night Crow is nearby.

You should head back to the inn.

I'll go take a look.

My martial niece is vicious,

and good at every dirty trick!

I'll go with you.

No need to worry.

I'll go with Muyu.

All right.

Then be extra careful.

Don't worry.

Yumo,

weren't you staying at the inn

with Changhe?

Why are you here?

Among those people,

one was Tang Lianyue.

So,

you were tailing Tang Lianyue first?

Quit asking.

Let's move.

Remove the puppet poison

from my senior,

or you won't leave alive!

Oh, really?

Master Su.

Seems someone can't see me.

Miss Mu.

Xuanwu Guardian,

you're in trouble now.

Master Su,

I expect you to lend me a hand.

Looks like tonight,

I've got two fine whetstones.

Ghost Physician Night Crow,

I don't like

this Tang clan prodigy next to you,

but I like you even less,

someone who toys

with people's lives.

The miracle physician said,

if we ever meet you,

I should kill you, traitor,

for the Medicine King Valley.

Seems you do heed

my senior.

But taking my life

won't be that easy.

Go!

Who is he?

He's the Tang clan's deputy master,

Tang Linghuang.

Master Su,

if you help me save my senior,

I will remember

this favor for life.

Favor?

To repay it,

you'd do anything?

So long as it doesn't cross the line.

Save it.

Die!

That was "Tide Rising"

from the Springwater Sword.

Muyu,

why not use the Eighteen-Sword Array?

Tang Lianyue wants him saved,

not dead.

The Eighteen-Sword Array kills.

It can't save.

Yumo,

trap Night Crow first.

Thousand-Spider Array,

activate!

Darn it!

My senior never learned Poison-Sand Palm.

It's poison drawn off Xuewei.

Fine.

It was just a test

of this Gold-Body Puppet's power.

That's enough fun

for tonight.

Let's go!

Don't run!

Senior!

Thanks to Miss Bai's snake.

Darn it.

You learned it just now.

Even if you find Night Crow,

you still can't

save your senior from her.

What did they do to my senior?

One thing you can trust.

As a Gold-Body Puppet,

he's still alive,

just unconscious.

His martial skill

will even improve.

If I'm right,

though he's your senior,

and much older,

the two of you

are roughly equals.

But just now,

he took on two of us

and had the upper hand.

So how do we break the puppet poison?

I don't know.

You don't?

I only know

there's just one way to kill a drugged puppet:

pierce the heart

and grind it to pulp.

I know you're anxious,

but your senior's life

is in others' hands.

We can only wait.

We'll meet again soon.

Yumo,

let's go.

Master,

why don't you go in and sleep?

Changhe and I will wait here.

I'm uneasy.

I can't sleep.

Miracle physician...

Bored of waiting?

I'll do a trick for you.

What trick?

Hand it here.

Wow, that's an eye-opener!

Just a parlor trick.

You're back.

Yeah.

You look a bit worse for wear.

What master did you run into?

Tang Linghuang

of the Tang clan.

Oh, the future grand master of the Tang clan.

He finally showed himself.

He's a tough one.

Still,

why would he attack you?

He was turned into a drugged puppet.

What?

Tang Linghuang was made a drugged puppet?

A Heaven-level master

was made into a puppet...

She really created

the perfect Gold-Body Puppet

of legend!

Li Xinyue has agreed

to reach Prince of Langya for us.

Do you think

he'll work with us?

He should hate us after all.

He founded the Inner Security Division

because he thinks the Shadow Sect should not exist.

He likes things out in the open.

But we...

don't really fit that.

We're not the old Blood River anymore.

He will come meet us.

People's bias is hard to uproot.

You're that sure?

He's Prince of Langya.

If he sees like the crowd,

that means

we chose the wrong partner.

Then let Blood River's tide

truly surge into Tianqi.

Why are you two here so early today?

We've got urgent business to report!

You look even more pressed.

You go first.

I found my senior's trail last night.

He's under the ghost physician Night Crow,

already forged into a puppet,

hiding in Tianqi City.

Yesterday,

Master Su and I

tried together to save him.

But as a puppet now,

his strength was too great.

He got away in the end.

Wait.

Master Su?

The Umbrella Ghost?

That's why I'm here.

[Loyal and Dutiful] Blood River Patriarch

and the three current family heads

brought a squad of Blood River elites

into Tianqi City together.

But,

they haven't tried to hide it.

Yesterday,

I found them.

They said

they want to meet you.

Blood River

has been tangled with me

since the late emperor's time.

What do they want with me?

They say they want to work with you.

Last time they came to Tianqi,

one of them told me

they'd build

a new Blood River.

What do you think?

Best not to meet them.

Rumors are flying in Tianqi City.

If it gets out

Prince of Langya met Blood River in secret,

it will be a headache.

Lianyue,

what do you think?

I think

they mean no harm.

Let's meet them, then.

[Three days later, meet at Fengxue Tower]

Three days from now,

he'll meet us at Fengxue Tower.

That's the big restaurant in the south of Tianqi!

I hear their steamed fish is great.

Naturally, you're coming too.

I'm not with Blood River.

You're there to talk business.

What's the point of me going?

Eating fish, of course.

Oh, right.

I'm in then.

But this should be a secret meeting.

Why did he pick

a restaurant?

Maybe because he's Prince of Langya,

the most powerful man in Tianqi City.

That's his leverage.

Looks like

we'll be staying

in Tianqi City.

We're invited to the feast

three days from now.

But our clinic opens

the day after tomorrow.

Then we'll open it first.

That way we have a public face

here in Tianqi City.

He-Yu Clinic, Tianqi Branch,

opens the day after tomorrow.

Do you need me?

No!

It's been a while.

Greetings, Your Highness.

I'd like to see

the one you spoke of,

the near-perfect

Gold-Body Puppet.

As you wish.

Halt!

How dare you!

Good!

Night Crow, you've got nerve.

It's fine.

What do you think, Your Highness?

Not like the old drugged puppets,

dull and wooden.

This Gold-Body Puppet is agile,

and...

that punch just now

had the force of a Heaven-level master,

Not a common Heaven-level one.

Your Highness,

who is your strongest guard?

Why ask that out of the blue?

I assume

it's a formidable Heaven-level master.

If you dare,

let him test

my Gold-Body Puppet.

I'm confident

the one who wins

will be this puppet.

May this puppet's power

reach the Spirit-Roam level?

Your Highness's standards

are quite high.

Our target

is Prince of Langya.

He has four guardians,

each one

a Free-Heaven level master.

So, Night Crow,

I expect

an even finer Gold-Body Puppet.

I will not fail.

Master,

did you see

that punch just now?

Do you think

Night Crow's bluffing?

That puppet's body

is Tang Linghuang,

the next grand master of Tang clan.

Its strength

should have touched

the Grand-Free threshold.

Compared to me now,

it's still a step short.

I see.

Master,

if you two join forces,

can you kill Prince of Langya?

Yong,

Is your aim

just to kill Prince of Langya?

He's the biggest obstacle

in our path.

Even if Prince of Langya dies,

His Majesty's favorite

is still the Sixth Prince Xiao Chuhe.

That won't change a bit.

What we must do

is make His Majesty stop trusting Prince of Langya.

And make him

distrust Xiao Chuhe,

Prince of Langya's closest ally.

Only then,

the Dragonseal Scroll

will bear

your name.

I was too hasty, Master.

Return to the palace later tonight.

At Qiushui Cottage,

I've arranged a distinguished guest.

Have a drink with him

before heading back.

A guest?

What kind of guest

worth the word "distinguished"?

Blood River's current leader,

the Patriarch,

Su Changhe.

Well now,

this just got interesting.

What are you looking at?

The mortal world.

I, Blood River's "devil",

am looking at the mortal world.

Changhe,

you seem to have more of that everyday warmth now.

Everyday warmth?

Not really.

If I caught any,

it's from time with you and the miracle physician.

I was just watching

this bustling market

and wondering...

is an ordinary life

meaningful?

No feuds of the jianghu,

no courtly plots,

just ordinary days,

haggling over rice and oil,

living on and on...

It is meaningful.

Everyone lives differently.

A steady life like that

is already a luxury

for many people.

Aren't we fighting

to bring Blood River

back into the light?

So Blood River's all folks,

not just you and me,

can choose other paths.

So they won't be other's blades

or shadows in the dark.

How they live from now on,

how they go on,

is their choice.

If you had a choice,

Changhe,

what would you do?

No "if".

Even without choice,

I'd cut a new path.

Speaking of choices,

do you truly trust Prince of Langya?

Why ask?

If he were so sound,

why end up

in such a bind?

The emperor wary of him.

The princes fearing him.

And he himself walking on eggshells.

If you ask me...

forget it.

You won't like it.

Weren't you buying herbs with the miracle physician?

Go on then.

I'll sit this one out.

I'm done

just watching this world.

I'm going downstairs

to experience it for myself.

Everyone knows

Tianqi's best wine

is at Diaolou Cottage,

their famed Autumn Dew.

This is my first time tasting Autumn Waters

from Qiushui Cottage.

Autumn Dew

is brewed once a month,

and served for only four hours.

But Autumn Waters here

appears only once a year,

for just three days each autumn.

Sir, your timing

is just perfect.

How is it?

I don't drink.

Why not?

Sometimes I can drink all night,

sometimes one sip floors me.

As for wine,

it means nothing special to me.

I'm not like Sikong Changfeng

or Baili Dongjun.

I'm no hard-drinking wanderer.

I'm...

What?

The ferryman to the Other Shore.

What is the Other Shore?

Yong,

don't be so tense.

Sorry.

Master.

Go on, Sir.

His Highness just called you "Master".

I didn't expect that.

I thought your disciples

were only the Five Great Eunuchs.

I entered the palace as a child.

I was frail by birth,

and bullied for years.

Until I was sent to Yongle Palace,

where I met Consort Shu.

At last, someone cared for me.

Consort Shu

was gentle and kind, generous to all.

Seeing my frailty, she urged me to train.

She even brought out

clan manuals for me to study.

Among them was a partial manual

titled "The Humble Heart".

I studied it for years

before grasping this unique art.

Consort Shu...

Is she your mother?

She was consort

to the late Emperor Tai'an,

and my mother's aunt.

Consort Shu had no children.

In her clan,

she was close only

to this niece.

She knew her clan's power

had declined,

so she asked me to watch over Yong.

Sadly,

I was soon assigned to guard

the imperial mausoleum.

I could only slip away at times

to teach him a few arts.

I never thought

you would be so loyal and true,

same as me.

Sir,

you're a fascinating one.

The last time

you came to Tianqi City,

I knew

one day,

we'd be friends

or foes.

Often,

friends or foes

are decided

in a single thought.

Sir Zhuo Qing,

will we be friends?

That depends

on what kind of friend you need.

As I said,

I'm the ferryman to the Other Shore.

And right now...

I need a boat.

No wonder you were once second

only to Mr. Li.

I've seen qi freeze ice,

but never a single glance

freeze water itself.

Su Changhe!

You spoke a name you shouldn't.

Yes?

Yong

is the first prince.

His mother's clan has faded,

but it's still one

of Tianqi's top five houses.

Among the princes,

only a few

are fit to rival him

for the heir-apparent's seat.

Second Prince Xiao Chong

noble-born as well,

was known for his talent since childhood.

Sadly,

he was poisoned years ago,

and remains blind to this day.

No one can cure him.

The Seventh Prince Xiao Yu,

born to His Majesty's favorite consort,

was doted on since youth.

But he's reckless and spoiled.

The Shadow Sect behind him

was wiped out by you.

The only real rival to Yong

is the sixth prince,

Xiao Chuhe.

Behind him stands

Prince of Langya, Xiao Ruofeng.

Your opponent

is Prince of Langya?

We're far

from the only one.

He's too dazzling and too powerful.

Worst of all,

he's far too proud.

So,

almost all Tianqi City

sees him as their rival.

The whole city?

Yes.

His Majesty

must also be

losing sleep.

Your Majesty,

what has happened?

It's nothing.

I merely had a nightmare.

Dreams

often run contrary.

No need to worry, Your Majesty.

I dreamed

I lay alone on a sickbed.

Someone,

in armor,

came to my bedside with a sword.

He lifted the bed-curtain

and drove it through my chest.

Did Your Majesty

see the assassin's face?

Brother,

it's me.

I'm here.

No.

I couldn't see.

Each time he appears,

only the blade is clear.

His face

is always a blur.

Every time?

Yes.

I've had the same dream

for over half a month.

Leave me.

Got it.

[He-Yu Clinic]

"He-Yu Clinic, Tianqi Branch"...

Miss Bai didn't send you

to set up the shop,

but had you

writing paper seals instead?

What a waste of talent.

She says

since it's her clinic,

it must stand out,

make a name.

Later,

I'll write for the Nan'an branch too,

like "timely care, cure on time".

See it's He-Yu Clinic's medicine,

and they're sure...

to come back next time they're ill.

That's exactly the kind of idea she'd have.

Let me try one.

Hand it here.

How is it?

[He-Yu Clinic, Tianqi Branch]

Huan-liang-shao-hua...

Bai-tang-xi-hua...

Write it like you usually do,

neat and proper.

Not wild cursive like a maniac.

Or when you're done tonight,

watch out tomorrow

for poison in your tea and food.

Enough of that.

Back to business.

Tianqi's waters

run deeper than we thought.

We still can't read

Prince of Langya's mind.

How about this...

The Yellow Springs Pawnshop's hoard's sat too long.

Let it see daylight.

No.

Why not?

Whatever side we choose,

those items will be

Blood River's best leverage.

Even if we stay neutral,

they're our shield.

The Pawnshop trades with court and jianghu alike.

Its holdings are priceless.

If they flood the world,

powers led

by Baixiao Hall

will start digging,

tracing every lead,

unraveling every clue.

Blood River's past,

our dealings,

our grudges,

could all be laid bare.

The risk is far too great.

Besides,

an innocent man

is blamed for the jade he bears.

If Prince of Langya,

the First Prince,

even His Majesty,

see those arms and treasures,

Blood River will likely become

everyone's target.

Until things are clear,

we can't touch it.

All right then.

Then I'll

write a few more seals for practice.

♪Like fate, winding with the tide♪

♪Who can ford this river of night?♪

♪Where's the far shore we chase all our lives?♪

♪Surrendering all hues for a glimmer of light♪

♪Through joy and sorrow♪

♪Still I can't let go♪

♪Longing keeps me awake at night♪

♪My heart no longer my own♪

♪No one can escape from love♪

♪How many hidden feelings♪

♪Sink in silence deep?♪

♪Searching through the endless nights♪

♪Struggling on the edge of love and pain♪

♪Shadows crossing shadows♪

♪Whose name hides in your eyes?♪

♪When the wind blows, ask not when I shall return♪

♪Ask not when I shall return♪

♪Like fate, winding with the tide♪

♪Who can ford this river of night?♪

♪Where's the far shore we chase all our lives?♪

♪Surrendering all hues for a glimmer of light♪

♪Through joy and sorrow♪

♪Still I can't let go♪

♪Longing keeps me awake at night♪

♪My heart no longer my own♪

♪No one can escape from love♪

♪My heart no longer my own♪

♪No one can escape from love♪