Original subtitles

[Respect Copyright, Everyone's Responsibility]

[The Eternal Fragrance]

[Adapted from Shisilang's novel, The Eternal Fragrance]

[Episode 21]

I wanted to form a cultivation partnership with Lifei,

but I feared that my uncle wouldn't agree.

She panicked

and went straight in to ask why.

Since both Lei Xiuyuan and Ji Tongzhou

want to vouch for Jiang Lifei,

we can test whether these three

are lying.

My disciple and Jiang Lifei were indeed with me.

Are you going to interrogate me as well?

Xiuyuan!

Sir, what is this?

What have I done to offend you?

My eyes must have been playing tricks on me just now.

Maybe I was mistaken.

Everyone,

we've found the culprit!

Mr. Shi!

Shi Chengtian,

tell everyone about your dealings

with the demons!

You're lying!

When did I ever collude with demons?

This monster-bewitching powder

was found on you.

Still denying it?

You...

Impossible!

I used up that powder long ago!

You're framing me!

This is a setup! A frame-up!

Everyone.

Mr. Shen.

Mr. Shen.

Mr. Shen.

He's the one who colluded with demons.

It's got nothing to do with us.

We were just trying to make some money.

Right, right.

That person in red said

that if we drove the beasts mad,

we could

kill them openly and sell them for money.

Person in red?

Yes, yes.

Someone!

Take Shi Chengtian and that man away!

Keep them under tight watch!

Wait, I...

- It's got nothing to do with me. - Shen...

It's nothing to do with me!

Mercy!

It's got nothing to do with me!

Have mercy!

That person in red Shi Chengtian mentioned

must be a demon Guardian.

It's Rakshasa.

I fought her last night.

So Rakshasa is behind all this.

Demons are cunning and treacherous.

Hard to guard against.

From now on, we need to be extra careful

and watch out for demons sneaking in.

Given Shi Chengtian's strength,

he couldn't have helped a demon escape the city.

We still need to find out

who the real inside contact is.

After last night's city-wide sweep,

the demons wouldn't dare stay.

They've probably fled by now.

Facing such a massive threat,

we must stand together.

That was the whole point of this Shanhai Gathering.

Elder Cuixuan! This is bad!

Sir,

Wuyue Court just sent an urgent message.

A demon spy broke into Hushe Peak.

Sir,

does Wuyue Court have a Hushe Peak?

Quiet.

No more questions.

All Wuyue Court disciples,

return with me immediately.

Sir,

Jiang Lifei and Lei Xiuyuan

were my friends at the academy.

I'd like them to stay a few more days

so I can ask how things are going there.

Cuixuan.

Duanming City has just settled down.

We could use skilled disciples to help with defense.

Do me a favor

and let them stay a little longer.

Fine.

You two stay and help.

Once Duanming City is secure,

come back right away.

[Duanming City Inn]

Are these demons everywhere at once?

Causing trouble here while ambushing us there.

But Deng and I had a deal.

If anything goes wrong,

he'd come in right away.

How is it?

Not bad, right?

Will they suspect something?

Relax.

I've cleared it with my master.

He'll play along.

Sorry to drag everyone into this.

What are you talking about?

This is something we want to do too.

Gelin's right.

We were born into the imperial bloodline

and have been hunted by Longming Sanctuary.

If it weren't for righteous people risking their lives to save us,

we wouldn't be here today.

Now that

we're seeing such injustice,

how could we stand by?

We worked well together

and got out clean.

I always thought Mr. Zuo Qiu's talk

about serving the people

and purifying the world

was just empty words.

Now I see

how hard it is to stand up to power

and fight for what's right.

Hard as it was, we did it.

Come on!

Everyone,

we've triumphed.

Time for a good drink.

- Here. - Cheers!

What a shame.

Here.

These sects are divided.

With a little provocation from the demons,

we fall apart

and turn on each other.

News reached my master, Sect Leader Miao.

He told Changyue and me to hurry back to Dizang Sect.

My uncle wants me back at Xingzheng Hall as soon as possible.

The demons sent only a single Guardian,

yet they threw Mountain and Sea Sects into utter chaos.

We can't underestimate them.

He wants me back to train

so I'll be ready

for the Sea Calamity.

We barely had time to catch up,

and now you're all leaving.

Who knows

when we'll see each other again?

We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Next time we meet,

it'll likely be the Sea Calamity.

Before that,

I'd like to ask you all for a favor.

Ever since I was little, I've known a girl.

I think she's the most beautiful

and lovely girl in the world.

I've always wanted to marry her.

We all know.

You all are the dearest friends to Changyue and me.

Before we part,

I want you all to witness this.

Ye,

- you... - Changyue.

The Sea Calamity is coming.

No one knows what lies ahead.

Better to cherish the one beside you

than to live with regret.

Changyue,

will you be my wife?

My head hurts.

I'm going to my room to rest.

Changyue.

Changyue.

I'll go check.

Tongzhou.

During the Wanxian Sect's questioning today,

you were quick on your feet.

You're getting almost as good at lying as I am.

Actually,

I wasn't entirely lying.

Tongzhou,

we made that three-year pact back at Lugong Town.

How about we move it up?

Sure.

We should've done this long ago.

But I won't lose.

Tomorrow?

At the Wu hour.

Alright. Enough.

Why fight?

Aren't you tired?

Right now, the most important thing

is helping Ye Ye and Changyue

with their wedding.

If you really need to fight,

wait until it's over

and find a place to settle it.

- Alright. - Fine.

After Fanghu Island,

I suddenly realized

I can't wait any longer.

Waiting any longer

would only hurt you and Gelin.

Time slips away

in the blink of an eye.

I don't want to waste any more time.

I want to be with you.

I want you to be my wife.

- I want... - Enough, Ye!

Stop.

I said I needed time to think.

Gelin.

Changyue.

You should be discussing the wedding with Ye.

Why are you looking for me?

Gelin.

Ye and I... I...

Changyue.

You seem smart,

but you're really clueless.

I used to worry

Ye wouldn't take good care of you.

Turns out I worried for nothing.

He takes great care of you.

He's worth marrying.

Gelin.

I let you down.

Before, I was too caught up in my own things.

I thought you were still young,

so I kept things from you.

You ended up going all the way to the East Sea

and suffering so much.

It's all my fault.

I'm sorry.

Changyue,

don't worry.

I don't like Ye anymore.

Really.

I like someone else now.

I don't even remember those childhood things.

Gelin.

Listen to me,

liking someone isn't a crime.

You didn't have to run so far away.

I really don't like him anymore.

You don't have to turn him down because of me.

Ye was right.

Time slips away

in the blink of an eye.

We shouldn't waste any more time.

I genuinely wish you two the best.

Unless...

Unless, after you get married,

you decide you don't want me anymore.

What are you saying, silly girl?

Talking nonsense.

Always talking nonsense.

No matter where we are

or how far apart,

I'll always miss you.

And I believe you'll miss me too.

We'll always be sisters,

through life and death.

Gelin.

What's wrong?

Lifei said you went to Yingcui Island.

I thought I'd never see you again.

I thought you were all leaving

and never coming back.

I didn't want you...

you all to worry.

You're hurt?

Feeling better?

Treasure it that much?

Did some special girl give it to you?

It's the crest of the Jiufeng Clan.

Why no eyes?

Did you lose them?

You want to see the eyes?

Yeah.

It would look better

with eyes.

This is...?

Now it has one.

What did you do?

I swear by the Jiufeng Clan,

I will never betray Baili Gelin.

Through life and death,

we'll never part.

Lu,

are you crazy?

Take it off for me.

Once it's on, it can never be removed.

Baili Gelin,

you started this.

Come out.

My Lord,

have you finally seen their true colors now?

Stop using the demon clan.

Their situation

is no different from yours 500 years ago.

My Lord, you remember me now?

Your soul has been hiding in a bone-devouring butterfly.

You've waited centuries

for a result, haven't you?

The Sea Calamity is coming.

Instead of mutual destruction,

it's better to go home while you can.

My Lord!

Xiuyuan,

thank you

for helping with the wedding.

I only hope that one day,

you can step out of being a stand-in.

But I still have a mission to fulfill.

Until it's done,

I can't afford a single wrong step.

Mission?

The true king of Gaolu

isn't named Ye,

but

Yecha.

That Demon Lord?

In ancient times,

when Yecha was still a Divine Lord,

our ancestors followed him.

A thousand years ago,

heaven's wrath descended.

The Ye clan was ordered to guard the Central Plains.

Our duty is to find the Divine Lord

and end heaven's wrath.

That is our mission.

So

until it's fulfilled,

I don't even dare to die.

Is the mission

really that important?

A true promise is etched in stone.

It can't be broken lightly.

Not in a thousand years,

not in ten thousand.

Oh,

I saw

you and Lifei made up again.

So,

are you two in love?

I do like her.

But I don't know how she feels.

Lifei seems happy enough.

It's probably mutual.

Uncle.

I'd like to stay for Ye Ye's wedding

before returning to Xingzheng Hall.

Our highest techniques require cutting off attachments and desires.

If you don't focus on your training,

how will you help your brother

secure the kingdom

and achieve greatness?

Do I have to give up

the one I love to achieve greatness?

Remember who you are.

Can't a prince of the Yue State

pursue the one he loves?

To protect this kingdom,

you must master the Xuanhua Sacred Fire

and attain immortality!

I don't need the Xuanhua Sacred Fire

or immortality

to protect the Yue State!

Jiang Lifei's heart already belongs to another.

Can't you see that?

Lifei has feelings for me.

At worst, I'll give up my title as Prince

and abandon my path to immortality!

You!

You...

Changyue,

no bride in the world is more beautiful than you.

It's just this dress that's beautiful.

Jiao prepared it.

She said

she'd give Lifei one when she gets married.

So beautiful.

From the primal chaos,

yin and yang were formed.

Love between mortals

is passed down through rites and teachings.

Today, bound by ritual,

they wed before these guests.

They share the ritual feast

and drink the nuptial wine.

With heaven and earth as witness,

under the sun and the moon.

First bow to heaven and earth.

Tongzhou!

Tongzhou.

Lanya?

Lanya.

Tongzhou.

Lanya,

what happened?

Tongzhou.

Wugou invaded the Yue State!

Duantu has fallen!

- What? - What?

Tonghe...

Tonghe was captured by Zong Quan!

What?

It was Zhijie.

He held off Longming Sanctuary

so I could escape.

We're going back to Duantu right now!

Don't act rashly.

Since Zong Quan showed up,

Longming Sanctuary must have fully mobilized.

Let's return to Xingzheng Hall, gather the disciples,

and go rescue him together.

Tongzhou!

Are you ready?

If you are, let's move.

The three of us will go to Duantu with you.

Ye Ye and Changyue are going back to Dizang Sect first,

then they'll meet up with us.

Right.

Longming Sanctuary is acting against all reason.

We'll report to our sect leader

and join forces with other sects

to stop them.

The situation is unclear.

You'll all be dragged into this.

If we can't

watch out for each other in times like these,

what's the point of cultivation?

- Right. - Yes.

How could this happen?

Mo Chen.

Chen!

Chen.

Chen.

Tongzhou.

It was Longming Sanctuary.

It was Zong Quan.

Move! Behave!

- Go! - Keep up!

Hurry!

[Xingzheng Hall]

You must avenge

us.

Chen.

Chen!

Chen!

No survivors.

It's been less than two years

since we heavily wounded Zong Quan.

How did his cultivation recover so fast?

Not just recovered.

He seems even stronger.

He wiped out

the entire Xingzheng Hall in a single night.

What kind of evil art has he been practicing?

Is it the Spirit-Devouring Canon?

After Gaolu fell,

Longming Sanctuary used every means

to hunt down the imperial bloodline.

They'll use the same tricks again.

[Yue State Imperial Palace]

Tonghe.

Are you alright?

Tonghe.

No.

No.

Tonghe!

No.

Don't leave me.

Tonghe. Tonghe!

Tonghe.

No!

What a touching display of brotherly love.

Prince Ying conspired with Xingzheng Hall to usurp the throne.

The Emperor of Yue is dead.

How do you like my gift?

Zong Quan.

I'll kill you!

Xuanhua Sacred Fire?

What a pity.

You haven't even mastered it.

You've only reached the second level.

Otherwise,

you might have traded a few strikes with me.

You practice evil arts?

The law of this world is simple.

The strong rule.

As long as you have the power to control everything,

the means don't matter!

But

I don't want to kill you yet.

Your spirit power is pure,

and your constitution is excellent.

You'll be useful to me.

Tongzhou.

Get Tongzhou out of here!

Let's go.

Zhao Zhijie, are you insane?

Zhao Zhijie?

They've all been controlled.

Xuanhua Sacred Fire.

Demon Annihilation!

Lanya?

Mr. Xuanshan!

Tongzhou!

Mr. Xuanshan.

Mr. Xuanshan.

Are you alright?

Mr. Xuanshan.

Mr. Xuanshan. Mr. Xuanshan!

Mr. Xuanshan, hang in there.

Mr. Xuanshan.

Remember,

this is the fourth level of the Xuanhua Sacred Fire.

Incineration!

Mr. Xuanshan.

Mr. Xuanshan!

[Duantu City]

Let me go.

Let go!

A Xingzheng Hall disciple!

Perfect.

Xu will reward us well.

Hold him tight. Don't let him move.

Lu.

What's this thing for?

It's Longming Sanctuary's puppet seal.

Well...

Pup...

Can it be removed?

Yes, by pulling the puppet spider out.

But

one wrong move

and it will backfire,

snapping the host's neck.

Mingli,

after you got hurt on Fanghu Island,

didn't you go back to Xingzheng Hall early?

How did they catch you in Duantu?

When I returned from the East Sea,

I found Longming Sanctuary had ambushed Xingzheng Hall.

Behave!

Move it! Hurry!

- Move! - Hurry!

I went to find my brother for help,

but his house was empty.

When I went to the Commandery Princess's Manor for news,

I ran right into Longming Sanctuary's people.

Now their spies are everywhere.

Still have no word from my brother.

What about Prince Ying?

Is he with you?

Uncle.

Uncle.

Uncle.

He'll pull through.

Uncle

Tongzhou,

I pushed you into the fire today.

Will you hold it against me someday?

No.

Uncle.

I won't defy you anymore.

I'll listen to you.

I'll cut off attachments

and master the Sacred Fire.

Uncle.

Don't leave me.

Uncle.

You must live.

Live on for all eternity, in the name of the Yue State.

Uncle.

Uncle.

Uncle!

If you ever feel wronged or unhappy out there,

come back to me.

Forget cultivation if it comes to that.

I'll support you.

Got it.

I'm going.

Tonghe.

Tonghe.

Tonghe.

Tonghe.

Tonghe!

Tonghe.

Tonghe.

Tonghe?

Tonghe!

Tongzhou.

The Yue State and Jingwu

are yours now.

No, Tonghe.

No.

Tonghe.

Tonghe.

No!

Tonghe!

Tongzhou.

Lifei?

Lifei!

Lifei.

Lifei.

Don't be scared.

Be careful.

You're still hurt. Don't get too worked up.

You've been unconscious for five days.

We were all so worried.

Five days?

All this time,

you've been channeling your own spirit power

into me?

It was Gelin and Xiuyuan.

They've been working day and night,

setting up formations to repair your spirit meridians.

Everything happened so fast.

So much at once.

I couldn't even bring myself to come see you.

Scared?

When we first escaped,

your meridians were shattered. You were barely clinging to life.

Thankfully, Xiuyuan kept us all grounded.

Since the Shanhai Gathering,

seeing so many people and spirits die,

I suddenly realized

even the strongest lives are so fragile.

I was afraid we couldn't save you.

Afraid you'd give up and follow your family.

So,

I hid outside for days,

too scared to come in.

Until Xiuyuan said

you'd live.

What does it matter if I die?

I'd rather it had been me.

I'm so useless.

I couldn't protect anyone.

Why wasn't it me?

Why am I the only one left?

Why only me?

Because there is someone who need you.

Xiuyuan.

Tongzhou.

You don't have time to grieve.

Your brother was a great emperor.

Before Duantu fell,

he managed to evacuate most of the people.

But many soldiers were captured

and will be slaughtered.

They are your people.

You have to shoulder the responsibility.

You don't have the right to give up.

And you can't throw your life away.

[The Eternal Fragrance]

[Adapted from Shisilang's novel, The Eternal Fragrance]

♪I trade all the mortal world's splendor♪

♪For a fleeting moment with you♪

♪Our fates intertwined, embracing yet fighting♪

♪The hardest bond to balance♪

♪Obsessed and struggling, a thousand thoughts arise♪

♪Love sprouts again in this lifetime♪

♪No calamity can rival the lingering thread of a fragrance♪

♪With you, through mountains falling and seas turning to sand♪

♪Withered branches burst into bloom♪

♪Hand in hand on the Naihe Bridge♪

♪Past the pagoda, in fine robes on galloping horses♪

♪Always, at the very end of obsession♪

♪Comes that one moment of softness♪

♪Betrayed by all, I still reign supreme♪

♪With you, we melt into mist and haze♪

♪I trade the highest heaven and endless clouds♪

♪For a fleeting moment with you♪

♪Pierced by countless arrows, pain and illness pile on♪

♪Yet I remain silent♪

♪Deep love and long yearning, a kiss falls into a dream♪

♪In the distant night, bitterness blooms♪

♪The grand chapter is rewritten, startling the whole world♪

♪With you, through mountains falling and seas turning to sand♪

♪Withered branches burst into bloom♪

♪Hand in hand on the Naihe Bridge♪

♪Past the pagoda, in fine robes on galloping horses♪

♪Always, at the very end of obsession♪

♪Comes that one moment of softness♪

♪Betrayed by all, I still reign supreme♪

♪If the seal can't be broken, then let it go♪

♪Where the heart finds peace, there is home♪

♪Side by side, we fly through seas of clouds♪

♪Break through the waves; the heart's ocean knows no shore♪

♪Always, at the very end of fate♪

♪Comes that one moment of defiance♪

♪In the human world or above, like flowing water and falling petals♪

♪Let this fleeting life be whatever it may♪