Original subtitles

Bai Yu,

have you thought it through?

Your cultivation may surpass mine,

but if you intend to fight Feng Mochen to the death,

even with my help,

there's no guarantee we'd prevail.

Then why did you come?

Tomorrow is Feng Mochen's tribulation.

During a tribulation, he's at his weakest.

Eliminating him at that moment

would be effortless.

Why should I believe you?

Can a tribulation be fake?

Then how about

offering a token of allegiance?

I won't slaughter the innocent.

Of course.

Like you,

I have a kind heart—

how could we possibly slaughter the innocent?

The token I want

is Feng Mochen's barrier incantation.

For Xiangjiu's safety,

you must take her far away.

Xiangjiu is your ferryman.

If you don't let her ferry you through your ascension,

you'll have to endure endless torment in the future.

No matter how much you cherish her,

she must ferry you through your ascension and become immortal.

This isn't the time to discuss that.

For now, stay here and protect Xiangjiu.

Once I have dealt with Gongsun Hao,

you may then take her away.

I've faced Gongsun Hao in combat.

He truly is gifted—

his power even surpasses my father's.

In a true fight to the death,

you may not be his match.

If you don't try,

you'll never know the outcome.

And if you fail?

A warrant has already been issued.

Xiangjiu has been branded a criminal

and forced to live her entire life on the run.

I will persuade His Majesty.

We'll join forces

and eliminate Feng Mochen.

I will see that Huo Xiangjiu

is returned to you safely.

Xiangjiu,

do you remember when we were young?

There were people coming and going at your home every day,

asking your father for help—

anything from wrongful cases

to neighbors' marital disputes.

Your father took care of them all.

Back then,

you often helped him,

and he always praised you,

saying that when you grew up,

you would surely surpass him.

By contrast,

my father was always scolding me for being useless,

for disgracing the Bai Clan.

I, too, wanted to make him proud.

Bai Yu,

in the absence of our parents' guidance,

we must forge our own path to decency.

Y-You're not going to eat me, are you?

We're cultivators.

We're meant to ascend and become immortals—

we don't do bad things.

You'll become an immortal someday too?

Of course.

In the future,

I'll stand guard at the South Heavenly Gate

alongside Lord Howling Celestial Dog.

That's wonderful.

Then once you ascend,

grant me a good marriage, will you?

Well…

it's not that easy, actually.

One has to endure many tribulations—

and also

has to meet one's ferryman.

Some people

wait thousands of years

before they ever do.

The tribulation must be terribly painful, right?

Probably extremely painful.

I haven't been through one yet.

My first tribulation

is coming in a few days—

I hope I can make it through.

If only I could meet

my ferryman before then…

but that's just wishful thinking.

What does your ferryman look like?

Any distinguishing features?

I could help you look.

You won't find them.

A ferryman bears a mark on the back of the neck—

only the one ferried can see it.

The back of the neck?

Hmm…

do you mean right here?

Yes.

Right there.

Oh my heavens!

Master,

look!

Oh—right,

I forgot.

You can't see it—

only I can.

She bears the ferryman's mark—

she's my ferryman!

I can ascend!

I can ascend!

I can!

I can stand guard at the South Heavenly Gate

with Lord Howling Celestial Dog!

I was worried about what I'd do

when the tribulation came in a few days,

but now I don't have to worry anymore.

I don't have to undergo a tribulation.

I don't need to undergo a tribulation anymore.

Tribulation?

I never imagined that Le Ning would turn out to be my ferryman.

Mao Jin,

a tribulation?

What does that mean?

You've seen it before,

Master earlier—

What you suffered before…

was that a tribulation?

It's nothing.

I'm used to it.

I-I really can't hold it in any longer.

Tomorrow is Master's tribulation again.

The only one who can help him now is you.

As long as you're willing to ferry Master through his ascension,

then Master won't have to endure—

Enough!

All right.

I'll ferry you through your ascension.

All right.

I'll help you deal with Gongsun Hao.

This won't do.

Cultivators are not allowed to—

What I want as your token of allegiance

is Feng Mochen's barrier incantation.

I know

you've been to his barrier.

As long as you tell me the incantation,

we can truly become one family.

Give me your hand.

G–

Gongsun Hao!

How did you get in here?

Your Grace,

Absence makes the heart

grow fonder.

Let her go.

If you want anything, take it up with me!

It was no small feat catching her.

How could I just let her go like that?

What do you want?

What do I want—

don't you already know?

You understand me so little.

It truly breaks my heart.

Old Fox,

kill him!

Kill me?

Cultivators who take a life

suffer total annihilation of body and soul.

You know that, don't you?

Feng Mochen.

Feng Mochen,

when you've thought it through and figured out what I really want,

come find me.

But

make it quick—

I can't promise

I'll be patient.

Xiangjiu!

Mao Jin,

you don't need to worry about anything.

You're about to ascend.

Heaven let you

meet your ferryman before your tribulation—

that is Heaven's favor.

Go. Fulfill your ascension.

Master,

what are you saying?

How could I leave you at a time like this?

The more people I care about

who stay behind,

the greater my misgivings.

If you ascend now,

you'll be helping me.

Master,

no!

Mao Jin,

didn't you once say

you were a loyal dog?

This is my final command as your master.

For hundreds of years,

thank you for staying by my side,

so I was never so lonely.

Every parting

begins with a meeting.

From the day we met,

it was destined that there would come a day of separation.

Mao Jin,

go ascend.

Go fulfill your wish.

Go meet Lord Howling Celestial Dog,

and stand guard with him

at the South Heavenly Gate you are meant to protect.

Since things have come to this pass,

Your Highness, why not

proceed to the inevitable?

Have an abdication decree prepared at once,

secure His Majesty's relinquishment of the throne,

and at tomorrow's court assembly, you may claim your rightful place.

My concern is that the conservative faction

will condemn my ascent as a usurpation.

At tomorrow's morning court,

I will prepare a grand gift for Your Highness—

a gift

that serves as irrefutable proof that His Majesty

has been bewitched by a demon.

When the time comes,

the court will surely stand with you.

What kind of gift

could be so formidable?

The

Nine-Tailed

Fox.

Gongsun Hao,

how dare you capture Xiangjiu!

Bai Yu,

why such anger?

Now that we have Huo Xiangjiu in our hands,

Feng Mochen

will surely walk into the trap.

Why not take advantage of it?

You promised me

that Xiangjiu would be kept safe.

Yes,

of course I did.

She

is my future sister-in-law—

how could I possibly harm her?

I won't hurt her.

Rest assured.

Tomorrow,

dress splendidly

and accompany me to court.

The state's lively, isn't it?

Much more so than before.

Prince Fuying forced me

to write an abdication edict.

Did you write it?

I did.

A wise man knows when to yield.

When it's announced,

I'll simply deny it

and see what he does then.

I came this time

to bid you farewell.

So you've finally

met the one you've been waiting for?

That's good.

You've kept an old man like me company all these years—

it hasn't been easy on you.

Take care of yourself.

You too.

I won again.

Not quite.

Our thousand-year Nine-Tailed Fox has finally appeared.

Can you let her go now?

Old Fox,

I'm fine.

Get out of here!

So noisy.

You little beast—

acting on impulse again, are you?

What exactly do you want?

Of course

I'm here to give you a gift.

Feng Mochen,

this is your new home, forged from black iron just for you.

Help yourself.

Open the gate!

Need some help?

Old Fox,

don't go in.

Old Fox!

Crawl!

Go on—keep crawling.

You're almost inside your new home.

That's what a beast

should look like.

Old Fox.

Damn it—

who locked you in there?

Old Fox!

Long live Your Majesty!

May the State of Muxi prosper eternally,

the realm remain at peace,

and all generations dwell in safety and wellness.

All ministers, rise.

We thank Your Majesty.

Do the ministers have any matters to present today?

Recently,

forces from Xuanyue State have been making repeated incursions to our state.

Father,

I have a memorial to submit.

Prince Fuying,

what is it you wish to present?

The abdication edict Father drafted yesterday—

shall it be proclaimed today?

Is this not an act of usurpation?

An abdication edict?

When did I ever issue an abdication edict?

Father is truly growing old—

your memory has failed you.

Father,

bewitched by a fox demon,

you have thrown the court into disorder.

You are no longer fit

to occupy the thorn.

Is this not rebellion?

This is rebellion!

Exactly.

Bewitched by a fox demon?

A convenient charge.

Framing someone this way—

how very clever.

Father, do you refuse to acknowledge it?

I can't.

I

no longer even recognize you as my son—

how would I recognize any fox demon?

Will you

ever come back?

The heavenly laws are strict—

I'm afraid it will be very difficult to return.

I understand.

This will be your last meal in the mortal world.

Eat, then set out.

Le Ning,

when I was very young,

I'd already heard the legendary tales of Lord Howling Celestial Dog.

As one of the canine clan,

fate is not easily defied—

yet he broke free of it

and rose among the immortals.

From that day on, I made up my mind

to become someone like him—

to become a divine dog

and stand guard with him at the South Heavenly Gate.

No matter what I encounter

along the way,

I must not waver.

All right.

I never said I wouldn't help you.

Since Heaven chose me to be your ferryman,

then this is our destiny.

Go fulfill your wish.

Isn't that His Grace?

How did he end up in a cage?

Yes—

he's clearly Lord Feng.

Where is this so-called fox demon?

Your Highness,

surely you must be joking.

Esteemed ministers,

please remain calm.

Today

is the day this demon is to suffer a tribulation.

When the tribulation descends,

I will make this demon

reveal its true form.

Gongsun Hao,

what exactly are you trying to say?

Yes—

what is this tribulation?

None of us understand!

Exactly.

What is a tribulation?

A tribulation

is a punishment imposed by Heaven

upon demons who refuse to stay in their proper place.

Once they develop feelings

and dare to defy the Six Realms,

they must face a tribulation —

to be struck by thunder

and scorched by raging flames.

To take human form,

she has already expended all her cultivation.

Had she remained a little flower,

she would never have had to endure any of this.

She fell in love.

For demons, the interval between tribulations is halved each time.

The first tribulation

comes after 1,000 years of cultivation;

thereafter, the interval keeps halving,

until they encounter a destined one who can ferry them through the ascension—

only then can they fully ascend and become immortal.

As for the Nine-Tailed Fox before you,

his tribulation cycle

is approaching—

soon to be a daily ordeal.

Have you ever seen anything like this?

Does this happen often?

Once

in a thousand years.

Everyone,

please look.

Yes—

it's true!

The tribulation

is here!

Feng Mochen!

Feng Mochen.

Appear, demon!

It really is a nine-tailed fox demon!

A demon—an actual demon!

Unbelievable.

Truly unbelievable!

Now you all believe it, don't you?

I've never seen anything like this in my life.

I'd only read about it in books—

who would've thought I'd see a real demon,

and

a demon undergoing a tribulation at that!

Well, this really is an eye-opener—

never seen anything like it.

If this were a human,

they'd probably already be dead.

Exactly—

just look.

Distinguished ministers,

if any of you take pleasure in it,

we can hang him outside the gates.

From now on,

you may enjoy this spectacle every day.

Isn't that a bit too cruel?

It's a demon,

not a person.

Why pity it?

Yes, yes.

That's true.

Bai Yu!

What are you doing?

Heavenly Thunder,

Earthly Fire,

Five Elements,

Six Harmonies,

Commence the soul exchange!

Follow my command!

Bai Yu,

you actually joined forces with this demon?

Master was right about you—

you really are useless!

Xiangjiu once told me

I could live like my father—

but I won't.

All right.

I'll ferry you through your ascension.

Good.

I'll help you deal with Gongsun Hao.

Bai Yu.

Bai Yu!

Are you hiding something from us?

It won't be that easy

dealing with Gongsun Hao.

Aside from fighting Gongsun Hao,

what else did you say?

You fought Gongsun Hao?

Yes.

He's my senior.

What else is there?

He wants me

to join forces with him

to eliminate Feng Mochen.

Then join him.

This may be our chance—

not only to get rid of Gongsun Hao,

but also

to set things right.

Gongsun Hao,

what happened?

Your Highness,

you may now read His Majesty's abdication edict.

Gao Wei!

Yes, Your Highness!

By Heaven's mandate,

in accordance with the will of the times—

What's wrong?

What's happening?

Go on. Read it.

Let me do it.

You wretched woman—

who do you think you are?

What right do you have to read the edict?

This edict—

apart from me,

I'm afraid no one would dare read it.

Gao Wei.

T-This—how could this be?

How could it—

Such a bother.

By Heaven's mandate,

in accordance with the will of the times—

Edict to Depose the Crown Prince.

Prince Fuying,

as my beloved son,

ought to have restrained himself, observed propriety,

upheld virtue,

and placed the people

and the realm above all else.

Yet

beneath a facade of benevolence,

he is cruel by nature,

devoid of kindness or filial piety.

As a husband,

he habitually abused his wife to vent his rage.

Even branches know to entwine

and rely on one another—

yet he showed no tenderness to his spouse,

worse than grass and trees.

How could he be a husband?

As a son,

with his father gravely ill,

he failed in filial duty,

day after day wishing for his father's death,

night after night longing for his passing

so he might inherit the throne—

heedless of human bonds.

How could he be a son?

As a subject,

he forced his way into the palace and plotted rebellion,

seeking to murder his sovereign and usurp the throne—

betraying loyalty and abandoning virtue.

How could he be a subject?

Such a man—

disloyal,

unjust,

inhumane, and unfilial—

how can he be allowed to remain in this world?

In consideration of the bond between father and son,

I cannot bear to send him to the execution grounds.

By imperial grace,

he is granted

leave to end his own life.

So decreed.

Your Highness,

accept the edict and give thanks.

Gongsun Hao,

what are you standing there for?

Seize that demon woman!

Guards—

seize the traitor Prince Fuying!

Gongsun Hao,

are you out of your mind?

You're insane!

Gongsun Hao,

what are you doing?

We're setting things right!

Father,

it was all Gongsun Hao— he led me astray.

Do you remember

what I once told you?

In this world,

there are two hardest things:

first,

to keep to one's place,

and second,

to govern oneself.

As your father,

I gave you chances—

but you

squandered every one of them.

Father!

Father!

Let go!

Gongsun Hao,

you framed me!

Let go!

Let go!

There is still one person

left to be punished—

and that is me,

Gongsun Hao.

I killed my father,

Gongsun Wugui.

I also killed

the Princess Consort.

What does this mean?

How could it turn out like this?

Is this really true?

I am

willing to give my life,

to atone before all under Heaven.

Don't!

How is it?

Just recite the incantation exactly

as I wrote it for you.

And that

will let you ascend and become immortal?

Yes.

Understood.

Nine stars move in order.

Primordial forces stir.

Radiant essence shines bright.

The primal spirit disperses.

The gaze flows without end.

Descend upon me your radiance.

I ascend toward the Vermilion Realm.

Obstructions are released; the heart is unbound.

I abide among soaring clouds.

I rise to the Purple Firmament.

All matters of the mortal world—

let them be revealed to me first.

I'll let you out first.

The fox demon is being released!

My stomach hurts terribly!

Your Majesty,

I must take my leave and return home!

I must take my leave now.

My mother is waiting for me to eat!

Feng Mochen,

do you really think you've won?

Then we'll

die together.

Gongsun Hao, don't do anything rash!