Original subtitles

[Respect Copyright, Everyone's Responsibility]

[The Eternal Fragrance]

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

[Episode 25]

I'm going to decoct medicinal herbs.

Aren't you going to save him?

I can't die yet.

But he values you more than his own life!

And you?

You're just a coward who fears death.

What's wrong with wanting to live?

Don't you want to live?

If you don't even cherish your own life,

what's the point of living?

Yes.

The Flower Fairy willingly gave herself for the Demon Lord.

And yet, life after life,

they still end in the same cycle of death.

The dead go peacefully,

without a care.

But what about the living?

You wouldn't understand.

Watching the most important person die before your eyes

and even

sending them off yourself

is utter despair.

After Lu died,

Xiuyuan barely survived.

With me by his side, we sheltered each other from the storms.

And now,

you want him to devour me?

When he wakes up, how will he live with himself?

I don't know if you want him to live,

or die, or

suffer in between.

I won't let him face any of this.

But this is your fate.

I don't believe in fate!

My master said

nothing in this world

is set in stone or forced.

There is only what I want.

What matters is the choice you make.

I want to stay alive with Xiuyuan,

so I'll find a way for us both

to make it.

What if you can't change it?

If it comes down to it, we'll die together.

No big deal!

Lifei!

You're awake.

What happened

last night?

Nothing.

Drink your medicine. Sit down.

Later, we'll go set up a stone for Master.

He liked to sleep.

Let's pick a spot where the sun shines every day.

Lifei.

Don't overthink. We'll figure things out.

Drink your medicine.

Okay.

You dare drink what this wretch gives you?

Master?

Don't get me started. What have you two done?

Cuixuan

mistook you for demon spies.

He's making us bring you back

to verify your identities.

I'm the one connected to demons,

not Lifei.

Take me instead.

You...!

Guangwei, I'm begging you.

Please don't be angry.

I'm begging you.

Look at Xiuyuan. He is already this sick.

You really think they can get away?

- They... they actually got away. - You...

Look what you've done!

Then we'll find them again.

There are vines under this cliff.

Go down to Ganhua Realm and wait for me.

I'll draw them off.

What are you doing?

Xiuyuan, don't let the demon take you!

Listen to your master!

Live well.

Lei Xiuyuan!

You self-righteous scumbag!

Why do you always act on your own?

Why do you give up?

Guangwei.

He's the best disciple

you've ever had.

Your own disciple!

Don't be too rough on him.

I'll go find my disciple.

Lifei! Lifei!

Lifei!

Lifei!

Xiuyuan, you really know demonic arts?

Where did you learn them?

Was it from the Outcast Tomb at White Cliff?

I am an outcast too. From across the sea.

Impossible!

At Chufeng Academy, I probed your spirit root.

You're truly made of flesh and blood.

Master, you've never crossed the sea.

How do you know outcasts don't have flesh and blood?

Shut your mouth!

I've seen those outcasts.

They're all bloodthirsty beasts and demons.

They're not human!

Just because we look and act

differently from you,

we're not human?

Are you telling me

that the one I poured my heart into teaching

is the very enemy the Central Plains sects

despise most?

Master.

But the way of the world dictates that the rigid breaks first.

Only Wuyue Court's techniques

balance rigidity with flexibility. And that is what lasts.

Would you like to join Wuyue Court?

Yes.

The rigid breaks first. Balance rigidity with flexibility.

Master, thank you for taking me in and teaching me.

I will never forget it.

I'm a terrible disciple. Please take back your gift, Master.

You were taught by me.

I can't let you become a great threat to the immortal sects!

Master.

Master.

Master.

You... Soul bewitching?

Sir, thank you for helping the Lord sever his worldly ties

and return to our clan.

Lifei!

Guangwei, I couldn't find Lifei.

Where's Xiuyuan?

No response.

He should be fine.

What is Qingcheng to you?

At East Sea's Mount Man, the vast ocean stretches endlessly.

Left together by Qingcheng of Wuyue Court and Riyan of Qingqiu.

So my master

is Qingcheng.

The Demon Lord was fierce and unstoppable with the Divine Tree's power.

With my friend Riyan's help,

I severed his horns and dealt a heavy blow to his forces.

I used the Senluo Grand Art to stop the Demon Lord

from destroying the Divine Tree.

But Yecha reverted to an infant form.

Only a faint trace of the Divine Tree's fruit remained.

Yet even a blade of grass deserves life. I resolved to devote my life

to studying this being and finding a solution to the Sea Calamity.

For a century after that,

Riyan and I traveled across countless lands,

but never discovered the source of the Sea Calamity.

Because the spirit energy across the sea is thin,

Yecha's green fruit couldn't grow.

And we were badly wounded from our battle with Yecha,

and our cultivation had greatly diminished.

So we returned to the Central Plains

and went into seclusion in Riyan's homeland, Qingqiu.

Decades later,

the fruit that had remained unchanged finally awakened into a spirit.

Even the Ganhua Realm, with its ordinary spirit energy,

was enriched by it.

After more than 300 years in Qingqiu,

on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month in the Year of Gengwu, at midnight,

the shell suddenly cracked open, and inside was a newborn girl.

Radiant and naturally gifted.

She was human, and yet not human.

This girl was born of heaven itself.

Her own spirit energy could generate endless spirit energy.

She could also absorb the spirit energy of others.

If used well,

she could help us boost our cultivation

and make us invincible.

But this reborn Divine Tree was no different from a mortal child.

To keep her from falling back into calamity,

I decided to raise her myself.

But Yecha had a peculiar fondness for her, and I feared

old sins would resurface.

So I set three interlocking seals upon her

and sent her away.

With these seals,

they would hold each other in check.

If kept apart in this life, they could break free from fate.

It's foolproof.

Forget the past. Stay away from conflict.

Just live as an ordinary person.

Mr. Lei of Gaolu was a dear friend of mine.

I set up a protective formation for Gaolu,

and he promised to keep this child safe.

But I grow old, and my strength fades.

Time passes and never returns.

Though I may live long as an immortal,

I long to return to my homeland.

Cultivation is hindered by worldly attachments.

You're meant to rise above mortal ties

and achieve the Great Dao.

Yet now you're held captive by this being.

You've cared for her so painstakingly.

You're seeing her

as a real person.

Do you really

want her to live as an ordinary person forever?

What's wrong with being ordinary?

My Xiaobangchui is so lovely.

Even if she can do nothing, it doesn't matter.

I'll protect you. Right?

Your Xiaobangchui?

You know that no matter how human she seems,

she's still just the Fruit of the Divine Tree.

I've placed seals in her sea of mind.

If you don't tell her,

she'll never know.

You...!

Stubborn.

Fool.

What good is brilliance and talent?

In the end,

you're still tied down by this burden.

You can hide it from her for a day, a year,

even a century,

but how can you hide it from her for a lifetime?

As long as I live,

I'll protect her.

My mind is made up.

Don't try to change it.

I used to live on Hushe Peak.

Everyone said it looked like a mallet.

You

are Xiaobangchui. [*Sounds like "little mallet"]

The Divine Tree brims with natural spirit energy.

Without external spirit energy input,

it draws out spirit energy on its own.

The spirits around Qingqiu were all drawn to it and purified.

Don't be afraid.

But when she was three,

a calamity struck,

and her innate spirit energy suddenly vanished.

She became no different from an ordinary child,

unable to channel any spirit energy.

All these peculiarities

were hidden within this ordinary girl.

Since I treated the child as my own,

Riyan worried my attachments

would block my cultivation recovery.

He repeatedly urged me to teach her the way of cultivation.

I always refused.

In a fit of anger,

Riyan left Qingqiu.

It's fine if you can't do it.

You could just be my disciple.

A girl

spending her days fighting isn't proper.

Making braised radish for me

is the real business.

Am I right?

I'm dirt poor.

If I raised you like a proper girl,

we'd starve.

Let's go.

We'll go make some money.

[Infallible Divination]

Let's go!

Sir, I'll have a baozi.

Sure.

Xiaobangchui, are you hungry?

I'll buy you something to eat.

Sir, would you like a baozi?

Two, please.

This one.

Here.

This one.

Careful. It's hot.

The girl was clever and sharp. It brought me great comfort.

But all these peculiarities

would make her life restless.

So I gave everything I had

to protect her for life.

I thought if I concealed her spirit aura

and hid her among the mortals,

we'd have nothing to worry about.

But heaven had other plans.

Over a decade later,

she crossed paths with an old enemy she was never meant to see again.

Knowing my cover was blown

and I could no longer protect her,

I quickly sent word to Riyan.

Fearing it was too late, I left a hurried note

for Xiaobangchui to go to Chufeng Academy

and seek my other disciple, Hu Jiaping.

At the academy,

with Jiaping and my old friend Zuo Qiu watching over her,

perhaps she and the Yecha boy

wouldn't repeat the same ill-fated bond.

Master, food's ready.

Master!

I couldn't bear to leave the girl behind.

Master!

But

Cuixuan's tracking talisman had caught up.

Master!

Cuixuan claimed to be severely wounded

and invited me to meet him at Hushe Peak.

I walked into his trap and was captured.

Qingcheng.

Where is the Divine Tree?

There is

no Divine Tree in this world.

As a disciple of Wuyue Court,

you side with those across the sea

and cozy up to monsters.

You even built the Outcast Tomb.

Tell me,

where have you hidden the Divine Tree?

In this life, I was tied down by worldly attachments

and never achieved the Great Dao.

My only wish is that Xiaobangchui can live as an ordinary person,

[Senluo Grand Art] happy and free

for all her days.

Master,

with you gone,

how can I be happy?

Without killing Cuixuan,

I don't deserve freedom.

I want supreme power.

I don't want my loved ones

dying in front of me again.

Master,

I will avenge you.

Follow your will. One thought moves all things.

Scatter into wind, gather into form.

Draw the essence of heaven and earth,

and fuse the five elemental powers of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

Let the universe reverse. Let all creation revive.

It's done.

Still not quite there.

With the full strength of our clan,

we'll help the Lord restore his power,

break the curse, and sweep through all immortal sects!

The heart divides yin and yang; a single thought dictates the world.

Save us!

I'm not...

I'm not Yecha!

How can I save you?

Save us, My Lord!

- Save us! - Save us!

Where the heart finds peace,

there is home.

Master Qingcheng?

Resentment is a net, trapping both user and prey.

Only by breaking free can the soul find peace.

Master Qingcheng!

Remember,

where your heart leads

is the right choice for you.

Who am I?

Where is my heart leading?

Xiuyuan. You're Lei Xiuyuan!

Remember,

where your heart leads

is the right choice for you.

Is she wounded and unconscious, or has she gone berserk?

Qin Yangling,

you've been practicing demonic arts just like Zong Quan?

What demonic arts?

As long as it makes me stronger,

who dares say anything?

You can devour spirits too?

Let me go!

Lifei.

Back at Chufeng Academy,

I truly treated you well.

Thank you.

Master.

Cuixuan.

Die!

Overestimating yourself.

You really are the Divine Tree.

You've hidden it well.

You ruined my master's life.

Is the Divine Tree really that important?

With the power of the Divine Tree,

I can unite all the immortal sects.

When the Sea Calamity opens the passage,

I'll conquer the lands across the sea

and wipe out the demon outcasts.

This is the righteous path of the immortal sects.

Righteous path?

It's all nonsense!

What is this?

How is it?

My dragon-trapping lock and spirit-binding seal.

Feels good, doesn't it?

You used these to imprison my master?

You two are truly master and disciple.

Be patient.

I'll make you suffer

everything your master did.

It's useless.

I've fused the powers of the lock and the seal.

No one but me

can undo it.

Cui-Cuixuan,

even if Lifei has done wrong,

we should bring her back to Wuyue Court.

We can question her properly there.

Alright?

The evidence is clear.

What's there to question?

Let go of my disciple!

Chongyi! You dare shield a demon

and defy Wuyue Court's rules?

I stake my life

that Lifei is no demon!

Stubborn fool.

Cuixuan!

Guangwei!

Let's see

who dares take my disciple

while I'm here!

Cuixuan, stop!

Master!

Don't protect me anymore.

I am the Fruit of the Divine Tree.

It was because the Demon Lord possessed the Divine Tree

that the Central Plains sects suffered such devastating losses.

Now the Divine Tree has reappeared.

This thing must not fall into demon hands.

Baifu, watch your words.

What do you mean by "this thing"?

Lifei is a living person.

She's a disciple of Zhuiyu Peak.

You're an elder of Zhuiyu Peak,

yet she's fooled you all this time!

When she absorbed the Achillea Bead,

I found it suspicious.

But you defended her at every turn!

Why bring up

the Achillea Bead again?

Lifei earned that Achillea Bead

fair and square.

Yes, she is the Divine Tree.

But has she ever done

anything harmful?

Has she ever hurt any of the immortal sects?

She colluded with demons, trespassed into the forbidden area,

and wounded Yangling!

Every one of those is a violation!

Besides,

for the immortal sects of the Central Plains,

the existence of the Divine Tree

is a great threat!

You see her as a threat,

so you want to kill her.

Is that it?

And

you said she trespassed into the forbidden area.

I want to know

what exactly is hidden in the forbidden area

of Hushe Peak!

Why did Lifei go to such lengths to break in?

She and Lei Xiuyuan

are both demons from across the sea.

They posed as our disciples

to spy on our sect's secrets.

Chongyi, you should know

that the righteous and the demonic can't coexist.

If you continue to take her side

and blur the lines,

don't blame me for being harsh.

What,

are you going to charge me with colluding with demons too?

Fine.

You've never liked Lifei or me anyway.

Might as well

lock us up together!

That way, you won't have to keep guessing

and finding faults with us!

You...!

Alright.

Don't let an outcast

damage our bonds.

Let's detain the Divine Tree for now.

We'll discuss what to do next.

You're still injured.

Let's not rush into this.

We'll deal with this later.

The Divine Tree has been captured.

The demons won't let this rest.

We must be on guard.

I've ordered a restriction spell over Wuyue Shrine

and sealed off all news.

But while the Divine Tree is detained,

no one

is to approach Wuyue Shrine.

Where's Dongyang?

Where is he?

The day before, Dongyang received a letter from an old friend.

He was invited on urgent business.

He'll be back in a few days.

The sect is in turmoil,

yet he still has the mind for social visits?

You've all gotten too comfortable.

You no longer know what matters!

Lifeng was damaged

and is hard to repair.

For now, all we can do is protect Mu's remaining spirit.

We'll need to find a rare spirit-energy treasure

to reforge her sword body.

Perhaps...

Perhaps what, sir?

You must save Mu.

She...

Jiaping.

Mu is a thousand-year-old artifact spirit.

As long as she has a breath of life,

there's still a chance to mend

her primordial spirit and restore her body.

As for you,

you were wounded by Cuixuan.

Your cultivation has dropped by at least forty percent.

I was careless.

I never expected that Cuixuan's seclusion for healing

was about collecting demon bones in the miniature realm,

absorbing their lingering spirits,

and taking them for himself.

Let's go.

Master Qingcheng was probably murdered.

Sir, I'll leave Mu in your care.

I'm going to Wuyue Court.

For Lifei?

Yes.

Lifei sent me a distant-sensing talisman from Qingqiu.

She's probably been taken back to Wuyue Court by Cuixuan.

Cuixuan has always wanted the Divine Tree all to himself.

Lifei is in grave danger

with him.

I can't stand by and do nothing.

Jiaping, with your injuries,

you won't change a thing.

You'd collapse

before you even saved Lifei.

Even if it kills me,

I must protect Lifei.

I've always known

Lifei's true identity.

But I clung to hope,

choosing to hide and run away.

I failed my master's trust.

Jiaping,

I hope you and Lifei

can live on safely,

unbound by past lives.

Now the demons are running rampant.

The immortal sects are in turmoil.

Outrage is brewing everywhere.

If we reveal the Divine Tree now,

it won't end well.

Since Cuixuan wants the Divine Tree for himself,

let's make the news of its appearance

known to all.

Master,

everyone's saying Lifei colluded with demons

and is an outcast from across the sea.

They're saying she should be tortured.

Is any of it true?

If Lifei really is an outcast,

what will you do?

Master, as long as you still claim her as your disciple,

she'll always be our junior sister.

Yeah.

I trust Lifei's character.

She would never harm the innocent

or bring shame to you.

Let's just break her out.

Get her out first.

With your skills? Break her out?

If a fight breaks out, you'd be lucky to just defend yourselves.

But we can't just sit back and do nothing.

Qin Yangling is guarding Wuyue Shrine.

What if he tries to get revenge?

You're right.

That scoundrel Qin Yangling

is capable of anything.

Master.

On this mission, we must seize the Divine Tree's power

and restore Dizang Sect's glory!

[The Eternal Fragrance]

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

♪The warmth within my arms♪

♪I can no longer hold on to♪

♪In the cold night, how can I♪

♪Keep you warm until sunrise?♪

♪My heartbeat freezes♪

♪I can no longer tell you♪

♪Looking you in the eyes, I cannot♪

♪Utter that line♪

♪Knowing love and hate♪

♪Pain and wounds cannot be stopped♪

♪I still linger on♪

♪Unwilling to let go of every inch of our past♪

♪Last night's stars cast faint glimmers♪

♪But we thought nothing of it♪

♪With a heartbroken cry♪

♪I wish you well♪

♪Knowing right and wrong♪

♪Black and gray are all illusions♪

♪You're still screaming♪

♪Running relentlessly without regret♪

♪The storm looms, yet the wind stands in its way♪

♪A final farewell left on the cliff♪

♪Leaping straight into♪

♪That heartbreaking past♪

♪Just to keep you safe♪

♪My breath is about to stop♪

♪Those hands can no longer hold yours♪

♪Through the future snow, wind, and fog♪

♪Who will be there by your side?♪

♪I smile as it ends♪

♪Afraid that you might cry for me♪

♪Quietly, I turn into a sky lantern♪

♪To light your way through the night♪

♪Knowing love and hate♪

♪Pain and wounds cannot be stopped♪

♪I still linger on♪

♪Unwilling to let go of every inch of our past♪

♪The storm looms, yet I stand in its way♪

♪Torn inside, still I burn bright♪

♪With the light from my fingertips♪

♪I build a paradise♪

♪To wander with you♪