Original subtitles

That wily fox didn't run away with Xiangjiu, did he?

It might be for the best if they did.

Otherwise,

the world will fall into chaos.

Your Highness...

Why are you...

looking at me like that?

I've heard that Lord Feng is a demon.

You're not a demon too, are you?

Your Highness must be joking.

As the saying goes, "The Master does not speak of supernatural matters."

There are no such things as demons or evil spirits in this world.

It's nothing but baseless rumors.

Then swear it.

If you're lying to me,

may your bloodline be cursed:

may your sons be slaves for generations,

and your daughters be prostitutes forever!

Swearing oaths is also

part of such superstitious nonsense.

They are meaningless.

Since they're meaningless...

why don't you dare to swear?

Your Highness,

trust me.

I would never lie to you.

There are no demons in this world.

Feng Mochen is not a demon either.

Why are you here?

Bai Yu,

repeat what you just said.

He really is a demon!

I can't believe it.

Haven't you known all along?

Your Highness,

although he...

is not human,

he's not scary.

He won't hurt you.

What do I have to be afraid of?

In this world,

what could be more frightening than humans?

He is not human,

but I am.

If anyone should be afraid,

it should be him fearing me.

Besides,

Lord Feng has been keeping Father alive all these years.

I believe

he must be kind-hearted.

You shouldn't be too confident.

Demons are capricious and treacherous.

My ancestor died at his hands.

You must not lower your guard.

Bai Yu,

why are you still so stubborn?

Lord Feng, could you show me

your true form?

I have never seen a demon before.

I haven't been

feeling well lately.

Perhaps another time.

That won't do.

If you don't show me something today,

I

won't let it go.

Your Highness.

Xiangjiu,

you're so lucky.

What do you mean?

You get to pet a cat every day.

Not really.

He's a fox!

Isn't that the same?

Xiangjiu! Xiangjiu!

Everyone in the palace is saying

Lord Feng is a demon!

Tell me,

how could anyone believe such an absurd thing?

A demon?

That's just a story for toddlers.

Le Ning!

What's wrong?

You're stepping on...

my tail.

Le Ning!

Mao Jin,

take her back to her room and look after her.

Okay!

Let me try once more.

We're off.

The news has already spread throughout the palace.

Soon, the news that you are a demon

will spread across the land.

We can't let this get out.

Otherwise, panic will erupt,

and the world will descend into chaos.

I'm afraid

the Crown Prince won't let this go.

As long as you insist you're human,

the Crown Prince

can't do anything about it.

That's not necessarily true.

There are plenty of ways

to force him to reveal his true form.

Exactly.

Moreover, there's currently

a cultivator in the palace whose true nature remains unknown.

How could you be so foolish?

Lord Feng and Xiangjiu have treated me so well,

and yet you dared to hurt her?

The Crown Prince forced me to do it.

I had no choice.

Did you truly have no choice,

or were you trying to eliminate a threat to your father?

You reap

what you sow.

Everyone should be responsible for their own actions.

If your father was truly involved in Xiangjiu's father's disappearance,

then let him bear the consequences.

Feng Mochen...

is a demon.

Why are you so calm?

The people I live with

are no less terrifying than demons.

Your Grace,

His Majesty requests your presence!

Have you heard the rumors spreading through the palace, Lord Feng?

I've heard something.

Even Miss Xiangjiu has heard about it,

and you haven't, Lord Feng?

I've heard everyone in the palace saying that...

Your Highness is a demon.

What you've heard

differs greatly

from what I've heard.

What rumor

has Your Highness heard?

Lord Feng

is a demon.

That does sound

quite different.

I wonder...

what Your Majesty thinks.

This matter

is absurd.

However,

since word has spread,

let's gather everyone

and clear things up.

Father,

someone witnessed it.

Song Yicheng!

Yes!

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Tell Father

what you saw.

Yes,

Your Highness.

Your Majesty,

at noon today,

I was outside a window of Fucang Palace

when I saw His Grace suddenly appear

before my very eyes!

And...

and he even had a tail!

And his tail...

was this long!

I-I was terrified.

That sounds quite vivid.

However,

there's one thing I don't understand.

The Fucang Palace

lies within the inner courtyard.

Outsiders are

usually not allowed to enter.

How did you end up outside the window of Fucang Palace, Mr. Song?

I was just passing by!

You just happened to be

passing by and happened to see

His Grace brazenly

displaying his tail

by an open window?

These trivial details

aren't worth pursuing.

Father,

there's a Demon Master at Qingfeng Temple outside the city.

His magical powers are formidable

and can reveal the true form of any demon.

Why is Your Highness in such haste?

Could it be that you're

trying to strike first

and cover up the truth?

What do you mean by that?

I've already mentioned

that there are rumors in the palace

saying

Your Highness is a demon.

And that's not all—

I also have a witness.

Her Highness Princess Ningshuang has arrived!

Greetings, Father,

Lord Feng,

and Mentor.

You say

you saw your brother in his demon form—

What's this all about?

At noon today,

I went to the Eastern Palace to visit him

and accidentally saw him

with...

s-such a large tail!

I was absolutely terrified!

Ningshuang.

Your lie is far too obvious.

Everyone in the palace knows

you never set foot in my palace.

Crown Prince,

do you really not know

why I came to your palace today?

Do tell, dear sister.

Fine.

Since you, my brother,

have become so shameless,

then I, your sister,

no longer need to cover for you.

Father,

a few days ago,

the Crown Prince's brother-in-law—

that's him,

Song Yicheng—

made improper advances toward me!

I had him seized and brought to my palace.

But unexpectedly, the Princess Consort came to plead for him

and took him away,

promising to give me an explanation.

Two days have passed,

and still nothing has been said.

So I went to the Eastern Palace to demand an answer.

Fuying,

is this true?

Father...

Your Majesty,

it's true.

Then why was this not reported to me?

Father, please don't blame Steward Sun.

I was worried about your health

and feared you would get angry,

so I specifically instructed Steward Sun

not to tell you.

Song Yicheng!

How dare you!

I

only allowed you to serve in the palace

because you're Lian's brother.

Yet you shamelessly

committed such disgraceful acts!

Your Majesty,

it's not like that!

Princess Ningshuang...

she seduced me!

Insolent bastard!

With a face like yours,

I don't even want to look at you.

How could Ningshuang seduce you?

Guards!

Take him

to the prison

and castrate him!

-Yes, Your Majesty! -Yes, Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, please spare me!

Brother Fuying, save me!

Brother Fuying, please save me!

Your Majesty,

how can we believe

the words of such a person?

Father,

in any case,

everyone in the palace knows Lord Feng is a demon.

Lord Feng, if you don't clear your name,

I'm afraid you won't be able to silence the rumors.

Why not

let the Demon Master test him first?

Pure gold fears no fire.

Since the master has arrived,

please bring him in.

Summon the Demon Master!

Insolent!

Bow to His Majesty at once!

I'm a cultivator.

I bow only to immortals,

not mortals.

Insolent fool!

Guards!

Enough.

I've heard that you

can force demons to reveal their true forms.

Is that true?

This Universe Ring

was bestowed upon me by the Great Deity of the Three Altars.

Any demon standing in this ring will be

forced to reveal its true form.

Everyone, please observe.

Tong.

Follow my command!

He really transformed!

How magical!

Lord Feng,

please.

Wait.

The palace rumors

don't just point to Lord Feng alone.

Although

the Crown Prince is Your Majesty's own flesh and blood,

it's said

that demons

can possess human bodies.

Since Your Majesty wants to quell these rumors,

perhaps

His Highness should also enter the Universe Ring

to prove both their innocence.

Hmm.

That's a good idea.

Fuying,

enter together with Mochen.

Surely Your Highness isn't afraid?

If you are, then forget it.

I stand upright with a clear conscience.

Why would I be afraid?

Lord Feng.

After you.

Your Highness,

let's go.

Follow my command!

I heard that the Demon Master from Qingfeng Temple has entered the palace.

He has a Universe Ring.

That artifact can force any demon to reveal its true form.

So, besides telling jokes,

you actually know quite a lot.

The Universe Ring...

is a divine artifact left

in the mortal world by a deified immortal.

Then

can we destroy it?

It's not something mortals can destroy at will.

Extreme yin overcomes yang.

The Universe Ring is an object of extreme yang.

If I enter the ring with a person of extreme yin,

its power

can be neutralized.

What is a person of extreme yin?

Someone born in a yin year, yin month, yin day, and yin hour.

Would someone born in the year of Yi-Chou, month of Ji-Mao, day of Yi-Chou,

and hour of Ji-Mao be a person of extreme yin?

This is a destiny of pure yin in all four pillars,

an even stronger form of extreme yin.

Your Highness, is that you?

It's the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince?

How could he possibly help us?

Nothing is impossible.

Right.

We'll make him

help us.

Follow my command!

Follow my command!

Follow my command!

Follow my command!

Demon Master,

where's your magic power?

Follow my command!

Follow my command!

Follow my command!

Follow my command!

Impossible.

I thought there'd be something interesting to watch.

How boring.

Your Majesty,

now

both of them have cleared their names.

So

it was all a misunderstanding.

Well then,

I shall take my leave now.

Wait!

Silence!

Shut up!

You...

May I ask...

when were you born?

Year of Yi-Chou, month of Ji-Mao,

day of Yi-Chou, and hour of Ji-Mao.

So that's it.

Your four pillars are pure yin.

The Universe Ring is an artifact of extreme yang.

It's most incompatible with people of extreme yin like you.

Lord Feng.

Why don't you...

try entering it

again yourself?

Silence!

Are you finished?

You, a mere street magician,

know only some cheap tricks.

How dare you repeatedly

insult the Heaven-Mandated

Celestial Lord

of Supreme Purity

and Ultimate Divinity,

personally appointed by His Majesty!

That long?

Mm.

Though I may not be much,

I do know a thing or two

about these street tricks.

Mao Jin!

Everyone, please look.

It's nothing more than

some cheap illusions to fool children.

Alright.

There are quite a few demons here.

I'll start with you,

you babbling little girl!

You're that...

Little horse,

go cultivate for a few hundred more years

before coming back to challenge me.

So you're a fox spirit.

My horse!

Master!

If Your Highness wishes to see magic tricks,

you can come to my Fucang Palace.

Just don't bring charlatans like that

into the palace anymore.

Father.

That wasn't a trick.

Let's go back.

You should rest well.

I'll go to the Imperial Kitchen

to get you something nourishing.

I'll have Mao Jin go with you.

I'm not at ease

with you going alone.

Mao Jin needs to stay and take care of you.

I'll go with her.

Right.

With Her Highness accompanying me,

no one will dare to harm me.

Bai Yu,

you should go back and rest early too.

I'll leave in a bit.

Let's go.

Master.

You just endured a tribulation

and dealt with that so-called master.

You must have consumed a lot of spiritual energy.

I knew it.

Dealing with that person

shouldn't have drained your vital energy this much.

But haven't you

just endured a tribulation?

Bai Yu.

Let my master rest properly.

Has your tribulation cycle

already shortened to this extent?

Even if my master's tribulation cycle has shortened,

you're still no match for him with your abilities!

If his tribulation cycle shortens to once a day,

are you sure I still won't be able to handle him?

Don't forget!

There's still me!

Just you?

Wanna try?

Let's try then.

Come on!

You guys go ahead.

I'll go upstairs and rest.

You can't leave.

Look how much Xiangjiu cares about you.

When your tribulation shortens to once a day,

what about Xiangjiu?

Do you want her to watch you suffer like this every day?

I know what I'm doing.

You're not only torturing yourself—

you're torturing Xiangjiu too!

Master,

Bai Yu has a point.

Since Huo Xiangjiu is your ferryman,

why not simply let her ferry you to ascend to immortality?

Xiangjiu is your ferryman?

Have you ever thought that

if she helps you ascend with her own hands

and you never meet again in her lifetime,

how painful that will be for her?

Are you doing this to get revenge on me?

You know I have feelings for her,

so you're hurting her to get back at me?

Bai Yu,

not everything is about you.

Then tell me,

why are you doing this?

Since you know she's your ferryman,

why couldn't you have just appeared before her

as a stranger

and asked her to help you ascend?

Or made her hate you to the core

so she wouldn't feel heartbroken?

You think my master doesn't want that?

He's already tried his best to avoid her!

He only wanted to see her once

before his ascension—

to appear before her as a stranger

asking for help!

That way, she wouldn't be in so much pain!

If that's what you wanted,

then why didn't you do it?

Yearning.

What?

My yearning for her.

I was torn every day,

unsure whether I should go see her.

If I went to her,

I was afraid I wouldn't be able to let go of this mortal world.

Yet if I stayed away...

what was the point of cultivating immortality?

When she appeared before me...

I told myself

to see her just this once.

After seeing her,

I'd ask her to help me ascend.

But after seeing her...

I began to think,

perhaps I could see her a few more times.

Then I thought...

perhaps I could spend more time with her—

just a little longer.

Then I thought...

I just wouldn't ascend at all.

Even if the tribulation shortens to once a day...

I'm willing to endure it.

The Dao says,

"From three, all things are born.

At seven, change is inevitable."

I've watched her fall in love

with someone else many times.

Do you understand that feeling?

This time...

I can't hold back anymore.

I can't suppress my yearning for her.

I just want to be with her every moment.

Bai Yu.

Am I being selfish?

I'm not in the mood to hear your stories now.

In short, you have only two choices.

One is to stay.

When your tribulation shortens to once daily,

not only will you suffer the pain of tribulation every day,

but Xiangjiu will too.

The other...

is to let Xiangjiu help you ascend.

Even if she suffers for a while,

at least she will still have a future.

Before she falls any deeper,

let her go now.

That's the only thing you can do for her now.

Old Fox,

time for your medicine.

Come on, take your medicine.

I don't want to drink it.

Take it away.

This medicine can ease the pain.

I said

I don't want it.

Are you feeling really uncomfortable?

Then let me feed you.

Come on...

You're really annoying.

Fine.

I won't bother you then.

Get some rest.

I... I'll sleep downstairs.

Call me when you wake up.

I'll bring you the medicine then.

Mr. Song,

you should be seeking help from the Crown Prince and his consort right now.

Or at least

call for a doctor.

Why the urgency to see me?

I don't know how to reattach that thing to you.

Old Gongsun,

you're still in the mood to make sarcastic remarks?

I'm afraid you don't realize

that your family

is on the brink of disaster.

Well then,

I'd like to hear

what kind of disaster is coming.

I heard it myself—

Huo Xiangjiu

told that wretched son of yours

that they're going to secretly

smuggle my sister out of the palace.

And you can guess the rest.

This time, when my sister leaves the palace,

she'll probably

elope with your wretched son.

Such words could cost us our heads.

You can't say them lightly.

"Say them lightly?"

Whether it's true or not,

you know better than anyone, Lord Gongsun.

Don't forget.

It was the two of us

who secretly sent

the Crown Prince to my sister's bed.

My Lord.

The drug's already been slipped in.

Don't mess this up.

Rest assured, My Lord.

My sister

is waiting for your son.

Compared to your son,

I'd certainly prefer

my sister

to become the Crown Prince's mistress.

Isn't that right, My Lord?

Just like you—

you surely hope your son

will marry a princess

rather than

some village nobody,

right,

My Lord?

Good that you know.

I'll leave the rest to you.

Alright.

If my sister

succeeds in eloping with your wretched son this time,

all our wealth and honor

will be gone.