Original subtitles

♪The Upper Three hold the seals♪

♪A valiant general, an opera star, and a ruthless cripple♪

♪The Middle Three stir the clouds♪

♪A fiend, a wandering hero, and a master of the blade♪

♪The Lower Three deal in gold♪

♪A beauty, a seer, and a scholar♪

♪The Upper, Middle, and Lower Three♪

♪Represent the nine houses of old Changsha♪

♪Together, they are known♪

♪As the Mystic Nine♪

[Mystic Nine] [Adapted from the novel of Kennedy Xu]

[Episode 4] [This story is purely fictional]

Keep watch on Unit 401!

Fifth Master!

All the capable ones are already down there.

We useless lot should wait

and see what happens first.

Let's stop here.

Zhang Qishan's soldiers

seem neither human nor ghost.

This wretched tower

really is sinister.

Who knows whether it has anything

to do with that shadow he's chasing.

After we came in,

your attitude toward Zhang Qishan

seemed to have changed.

Yes.

He does know what he's doing.

I'm still testing his limits.

Until I know them,

I'll humor him

and let him lower his guard.

That sounds more like you.

I'll go on ahead

and scout the way for Ding Qiansui.

We can meet up anytime afterward,

the usual way.

It's not time yet.

You can't leave.

Besides...

I need your help too.

I'll help you afterward.

Madam Huo,

Your Highness, Your Excellency,

Your Majesty, Matriarch Huo.

So many honorifics.

Which one am I?

That depends

on which one you prefer.

Haven't we been here before?

Here?

No, we haven't.

Why?

Do you think

we might've passed through here

when we were lost?

Impossible.

I have an excellent memory.

We've never been here.

Let's look farther ahead.

Eighth Master,

what exactly

was that shadow just now?

It didn't look human.

What does the divination say?

The results

aren't very accurate right now.

There's no sunlight down here.

Tell us anyway.

When did you hurt your hand?

I don't know.

I didn't notice.

Huh.

It's safe down here.

Come on down.

Stinky Yu, you went down by yourself.

How am I going to get down?

Eighth Master,

why don't you come with us?

That'd be great.

Don't worry, Eighth Master.

We'll keep you safe.

Many thanks.

Eighth Master.

You scared me half to death!

It's all right.

You're safe now.

Come on, get up.

Eighth Master.

Where did you go?

Master Zhang told you to look after me.

Yet you left me behind.

Come with me.

Come with you?

Master Zhang told you to stay here.

Why are we leaving?

Where are we going?

Wait, Yu.

If you've got business to handle,

I won't get in your way.

I'll wait over there.

Over there.

I can't disobey Master's orders.

You must stay beside me.

Wait...

Oh, dear.

Fifth Master.

Where's Master Zhang?

Your Master had business to attend to.

He told me

to come back and take charge.

They're still alive,

but completely unresponsive.

Laogou.

Laogou,

could they

have been given

some anesthetic?

Could that be why their pupils won't constrict?

Could it be

that the shadow was controlling Unit 401?

Now that the shadow is gone,

Unit 401 has stopped moving too.

But what exactly is that shadow?

And how did it control them?

Bizarre.

Absolutely bizarre.

Speak plainly.

Laogou.

Laogou,

I examined them closely just now.

Their breathing is extremely faint.

Normally,

they shouldn't even be able to stand.

But every muscle in their bodies

is completely tense,

as if they're ready for battle.

Are their lives in danger?

For now,

all I can say is they're still alive.

But

they don't look

like they're possessed either.

Laogou,

given the situation,

I think

here's what we should do.

We should lead Unit 401 out at once

before they're controlled again.

Master Zhang is highly capable.

He can surely protect himself.

We can leave him a message on the wall

and wait for him outside.

What do you think?

I thought

you'd become Zhang Qishan's lackey.

It seems I misjudged you.

I'm fine with that.

I came down here to find Unit 401.

Now that we've found them,

it's time to leave.

Are we leaving or not,

Puppy Zhang?

Until Master returns,

none of us are leaving.

Eighth Master.

Before entering the tower, Master specifically ordered me

to keep your mouth in check.

Keep talking nonsense, and I'll seal it shut.

According to our agreement,

once Master Zhang returns,

he'll have to leave the Mystic Nine.

Surely he isn't planning

to break his word, is he?

Don't worry.

Master will keep his word.

Good.

Then we'll wait.

I'll await Master Zhang right here.

That's strange.

Only Unit 401's soldiers are here.

The medics, patients,

and the men guarding the entrance are all missing.

Could they have split into two groups?

Could someone have sent these soldiers out

to lure us into a trap?

Must you always suspect everything, Tiezui?

Could it simply be

that some of them couldn't keep up?

Tiezui,

why not just ask Unit 401 yourself?

You and the Otherworld Patriarch are in the same trade.

Perhaps they'll show you some respect.

No need.

Has the shadow returned?

Then where's Master Zhang?

They're being controlled again.

Block them!

Yes!

Nobody move!

There are only a few of you.

How many can you stop?

What do you suggest, Fifth Master?

I say we follow them

and see where they're going.

I thought only Master Zhang would act rashly.

But it seems, Laogou,

your methods

are no less audacious.

Audacious? What do you mean?

Didn't you say

there must be

a scheme behind all this?

So let's follow them

and see what it is.

No.

Master Zhang said that.

Laogou,

if they're moving

under the shadow's control,

why are they still moving

when Master Zhang has gone after it?

Even if it isn't the shadow,

something else must be controlling them.

Otherwise, Runty wouldn't be this frightened.

I don't know why,

but I feel like we reek

like the dead.

You're the one who reeks of death.

Watch out!

Nobody move!

Where's Unit 401?

Where did they go?

They vanished in the blink of an eye.

Did you hear any footsteps just now?

The footprints end here.

How could

so many people just vanish into thin air?

I refuse to believe this.

Keep searching.

- Yes. - Yes.

Runty.

Runty.

Runty.

How can this be?

Runty can't pick up their scent anymore.

Master, should we go back and check?

Could we have

gotten ahead of them?

How could

so many people vanish right under our noses?

There were over 100 of them.

Even if they'd vaporized,

they should've left some trace on the ground.

If they'd really vaporized,

the trace should be on the ceiling.

It's this tower.

This tower is playing tricks on us.

Laogou,

everyone's at a loss.

Say something

to put them at ease.

Exactly, Master.

We're helping Zhang Qishan find his men.

Let's not get everyone killed doing it.

Runty sniffed the ceiling.

No reaction.

Master.

Runty.

How could their scent just vanish like that?

That proves there's

no hollow space above.

This is bad.

Tiezui was right.

This tower has come alive.

Remember how,

deep in the woods,

you sometimes

come across ancient temples

with human faces painted on the walls?

The elders say

that if a temple with painted faces

stands in the woods long enough,

it will come alive.

Once someone steps inside,

it toys with them endlessly.

Tianpeng,

remember that time we...?

Tianpeng... Tianpeng!

- Tianpeng! - Tianpeng!

Tianpeng!

Tianpeng!

Tianpeng!

Master,

Tianpeng was just here.

How did he suddenly disappear?

Did Unit 401 take him?

Enough of this trickery.

I don't care what it is or what powers it has.

Boys,

split up and find Tianpeng!

- Yes! - Search!

- Tianpeng! - Tianpeng!

Tianpeng!

[Liunian Hall]

Master...

Master!

Did you find him?

Master,

this gate wasn't here before.

What's going on, Master?

We haven't found Tianpeng,

but this gate appeared out of nowhere.

I'm afraid Laogou was right.

This tower has come alive

and is playing with us.

[Gate to Liunian Hall]

Juanlian, Tiezui,

you two come in with me.

Zhenyuan, you and the others stand guard outside.

Yes, Master.

Laogou.

Do we have to go in?

Tiezui,

I won't force you

if you don't want to.

But the tower may invite you in.

You've already seen

how it invites people.

I'd hate for you to be locked outside alone.

Don't scare me.

Zhenyuan and the others are out here.

Fine.

I understand.

So to you,

Master Zhang is still more reliable.

Laogou,

that's unfair.

Fine.

I'll go in with you, all right?

[Liunian Hall]

Tianpeng.

Unit 401.

Tianpeng!

Unit 401!

Master,

do you think that creature is inside too?

The tower itself is the creature.

Will you be quiet?

Runty stays outside

to keep watch with you.

[Liunian Hall]

Stinky Yu, give me that.

More trickery.

There's no one here.

Wait.

This is very strange.

What is it?

The Thunder Patriarch Seal.

It's a hand seal used to subdue evil

and command spirits to uphold the Way.

There's something behind this wall.

Speak plainly.

Laogou, look.

This entire hall was built

to suppress what's behind it.

Whatever's there must be dangerous.

By your reasoning,

this hall appeared out of nowhere

to lure us here and make us

dig out what's behind the wall?

I understand now.

The Otherworld Patriarch sealed

the tower's manifested body

inside this wall.

So the creature caused all this

to lure us here

and use us

to break the seal

and set it free.

Impossible.

That's not what it wants.

How can you be so sure?

If it truly wanted us

to release that thing,

then after we came down,

the first place we'd reach

would've been Liunian Hall,

not those corridors outside.

It wouldn't have made us chase Unit 401

and then taken Tianpeng.

If that isn't the case,

why did this Liunian Hall

appear at all?

If it truly has some purpose,

we'll know soon enough.

Zhenyuan?

Zhenyuan!

Zhenyuan!

Zhenyuan!

Where is he?

Zhenyuan!

Zhenyuan.

Zhenyuan, weren't you just...?

Tianpeng.

Tianpeng?

Master,

how did they get inside?

[Liunian Hall]

Master Zhang!

Why are you here?

Where are my men and my dog?

I haven't seen them.

What?

Tianpeng! Zhenyuan!

Zhenyuan!

- Why are you here, Master Zhang? - Tianpeng!

- We were just inside... - Zhenyuan!

But you weren't there.

I chased the shadow here

and never left.

Where's the shadow?

It got away.

Wait, Master Zhang.

Are you sure you've been here all along?

I'm certain.

Don't make me burn you down.

What happened?

Where's Unit 401?

If this tower really plays tricks on people

like you say,

what does it want?

Such beings are hard to fathom.

They don't think logically like people.

They often act on a whim.

Zhang Qishan,

what exactly was that shadow?

Did you see it clearly?

No.

It was extremely fast,

but definitely not human.

No human could lose me.

If it wasn't human,

then it was a ghost.

Now the ghost is gone,

and my men have vanished too.

How interesting.

Here's the deal.

From now on,

you help find my men,

and I'll help find yours.

Then we'll

be even.

Master Zhang!

It's hollow.

Hollow?

I hear water inside.

Master.

Keep going.

It's a waterway,

probably the building's drainage system.

Could the shadow have gone in?

Master, there's no echo.

There's no telling how long

this waterway is.

It must

run deep into the mountain.

Fifth Master!

Fifth Master!

Tianpeng?

Tianpeng!

Tianpeng!

Boys, grab your weapons! Save Tianpeng!

- Yes! - Don't rush in!

Tianpeng appeared too conveniently,

as if he was being shown to us.

Besides, the wall was sealed.

How did Tianpeng get inside?

It's hard not to suspect a trap.

Master Zhang.

Adjutant,

scout ahead.

Yes.

If the tower

wants us to go inside...

But no one could fit through at this height.

Master Zhang.

What is he doing?

The water is flowing.

Eighth Master,

I can lie on the plank

and let the current carry me

deeper into the waterway.

Xiaojin.

What's the thread for?

It's a special thread from the Zhang Clan.

It's extremely strong.

We'll tie it to the back of the plank.

That way, if I run into danger,

you can pull me out quickly.

Be careful.

Don't worry, Master.

♪The past fades like smoke♪

♪A choice is made in silence♪

♪In this labyrinthine puzzle♪

♪Who can reach the shore?♪

♪Just an ordinary farewell♪

♪The sun seems to shine bright over our heads♪

♪But this could be our last trip together♪

♪The spring breeze continues outside♪

♪Who was it who left in such haste?♪

♪Caught in the game, the raging waves fall silent♪

♪Who believes in fate?♪

♪For my home and my country, the years pass like a dream♪

♪When the song ends, who will still be waiting?♪

♪With a nod, we bid farewell and set out again♪

♪Take care♪

♪We once raced♪

♪For the dawn♪

♪Ever-lasting bond, a satisfying vindication♪

♪In the web of fate♪

♪No one can escape♪

♪Life and death cut like a blade♪

♪We too were young once♪

♪Fortunate to brave the raging waves together♪

♪Keep the ember lit♪

♪To illuminate the journey ahead♪

♪The spring breeze continues outside♪

♪Who was it who left in such haste?♪

♪Caught in the game, the raging waves fall silent♪

♪Who believes in fate?♪

♪For my home and my country, the years pass like a dream♪

♪When the song ends, who will still be waiting?♪

♪With a nod, we bid farewell and set out again♪

♪Please, do take care of yourself♪