Original subtitles

[Episode 3]

The way you and Jiao Chao Gui went at each other...

was truly spectacular.

I misunderstood you.

Why didn't you defend yourself?

I told you before.

I have too many enemies.

It's safer for you to take him alone.

If we hadn't gotten here in time,

you might have been killed by Jiao Chao Gui while trying to hide our tracks, you know?

Is it that in your mind,

only you can protect us,

but we cannot protect you?

That's not what I meant.

Just because I'm new to this world doesn't mean I'm ignorant.

Roaming this world, who doesn't make a few enemies?

That Jiao Chao Gui came for me with a sword formation.

That clearly marks him as my enemy.

Don't take it all on yourself,

as if you're the only one worthy of having enemies.

I truly didn't mean it that way.

I think we should help each other deal with each other's enemies on this journey.

I guarantee neither of us will lose out.

Huo, you're right.

That makes sense.

What exactly happened with your injury?

I don't want to bring you trouble.

We've been through life and death situations together, right?

Why are you still keeping secrets?

I have an old friend.

He was a constable in Yicheng County.

He uncovered a major case and was persecuted for it.

My injury was sustained while saving him.

So, did you save him?

As he lay dying, he entrusted the case to me.

I cannot fail his final request.

The Xiuluo Cult is notorious for all manner of wickedness,

Villainy is their daily bread.

But why would the Shangqing Sect want to target you?

The one who injured me was not from the Shangqing Sect.

It was Zhi Hua, the Black Fox.

How is that possible?

The Great Benevolence Palm is a secret skill of the Shangqing Sect.

Even their own disciples may not receive the true teaching.

Furthermore, their palm techniques have been passed down orally for ages.

There are no written manuals.

It's impossible for an outsider to steal it.

This point baffles me as well.

Forget it. I'll believe you for now.

You still have many questions?

I know it couldn't have been easy for you to say even this much just now.

Since I've decided you're not a bad person,

let's leave it at that for now.

So, are we friends now?

Let's wait until he settles his affairs first.

For now...

we are just temporary partners.

Partners on the road to the capital!

What are you thinking about, Huo?

I was wondering why Shengyun Stronghold would have a sword formation designed

to counter Linglong Manor's techniques.

Jiao Chao Gui refused to tell me why.

There must be a conspiracy behind this.

The reason behind it might be very simple.

So simple that only someone as pure-hearted as you would fail to see it.

There are the Three Famous Manors in this world:

Golden Bawang, Silver Shengyun, and Jade Linglong.

Bawang Manor fell into decline ten years ago.

You mean they devoted themselves to research to seize the title of the Number One Manor?

Yes.

His loss to you made the issue of challenging Linglong Manor untenable.

So he simply brushed it off.

They spent years on that research.

If I hadn't discovered it by chance and broken the sword formation,

Linglong Manor might have suffered a disaster.

Rest assured, Huo.

The Master of Linglong must have seen through Shengyun Stronghold's intentions long ago.

He won't just wait for disaster.

I heard that Bawang Manor's decline was because they challenged the Linyuan Sect,

and were ultimately annihilated by them.

The lesson is right there.

Why would Shengyun Stronghold still vie for supremacy?

Do they not fear the same fate?

Before Bawang Manor was destroyed,

it did enjoy a glorious time as the Number One Manor.

In these rivalries, history records only the champion.

That is likely why Jiao Chao Gui is so unwilling to let it go.

Isn't the point of martial arts to protect oneself and uphold justice?

This endless cycle of winning and losing...

What is the point of it all?

Spend more time in this world,

you will get used to such things.

If I thought like them, I might as well just go home now.

I wish I were like you.

You know everything, yet you don't care about any of it.

Let's find a tea stall to rest for a bit.

[Granny Hanshui, Master of The Hanshui Palace]

Chang Hong Bi.

I have been waiting for you for a long time.

Granny has come in person to fetch you.

Hurry up and come here.

His name is not Chang Hong Bi,

and he won't be going back with you.

Where did this brat come from?

Step aside at once.

I will have them leave your corpse intact.

If you want to take him,

you'll have to kill me first.

No!

So you're a youngster from the Huo family.

So young, yet your skills are quite impressive.

What a pity.

Zhang Yue. So this is the person you mentioned?

Precisely.

He is actually faster than my staff.

Interesting.

Not only are you severely injured,

but also poisoned.

Do you really intend to strike a rock with an egg?

Zhan!

The poison in your body was never cured.

The medicinal properties are gone from my blood.

Am I right?

You knew it all along.

You were originally mute,

but gradually you became able to speak.

The medicinal scent about you grows fainter each day.

I am already a useless person.

Why didn't you tell me?

Only by losing the medicinal properties can you become human again.

Zhan!

Zhang Ri, Zhang Yue.

Kill these two and take Chang Hong Bi away.

- Granny. - What?

Have you gone soft?

I wouldn't dare.

Do it.

Stop!

Granny, I'll go back with you.

As long as you let them go.

- No! - Chang Hong Bi's secret must remain hidden.

These two must die.

If they die, I will not live on alone.

Then you will never get Chang Hong Bi.

You've grown quite bold,

daring to threaten me?

I would brave all dangers to protect them.

Are these two worth trading your life for?

Granny, you must think that I was kidnapped by Su Yi Zhou by force, right?

Don't tell me you chose to follow him.

I wanted to leave on my own.

Su Yi Zhou once predicted that I would die at 15.

When a person realizes that, no matter how they endure humiliation,

they won't live for long,

surely they want to see the outside world.

So, I took advantage of your seclusion,

tricked the two hunting dogs guarding the gates, and left the palace.

So, is the outside world beautiful?

Ever since I left Hanshui Palace,

I've been fought over by all sorts of people, and abused.

Only the two of them treated me like a human being.

They protected me like a treasure, never coveting the secrets I hold.

If there is someone in this world willing to risk their life for me,

then I am naturally willing to die for them.

After you die, I can simply find a new Chang Hong Bi.

With your skills, finding another Chang Hong Bi isn't hard.

But every four months,

you must have my assistance to continue practicing the Luotian Great Art.

Counting now, it's been over three months since the last session.

If you reach a critical juncture without my aid,

you'd likely need to wait another 10 or 20 years for a breakthrough.

Can you afford to wait that long?

Besides, if a Chang Hong Bi were so easy to find,

you wouldn't have had to come to these desolate mountains yourself.

Fine.

I promise you.

I didn't expect you to be so bold and meticulous,

so brave and resourceful.

I truly underestimated you.

You can't go back!

You are the first person who has ever shed tears for me.

To have someone grieve for me...

I count myself fortunate.

Don't go!

The outside world may be treacherous,

but it has people I care about.

One day, I will leave Hanshui Palace

and I will find you again.

Your real name isn't actually Huo Xiao Di, is it?

Could you bestow that name upon me?

Wonderful! I have a name again.

[Chang Hong Bi]

[Huo Xiao Di]

You're awake.

Chang Hong Bi...

He's called Huo Xiao Di now.

I gave him my name.

He returned with the people from Hanshui Palace to rescue us.

I still couldn't save him.

Once I settle my affairs,

we will go to Hanshui Palace together.

But rescuing someone from Granny Hanshui is no easy task.

We'll find a way.

Clarity eludes me more each moment.

For a century, Hanshui Palace has rarely been involved in worldly strife.

Even if Chang Hong Bi is a coveted prize,

Granny Hanshui's fearsome reputation deterred challengers.

Why are the Tang Sect and Shengyun Stronghold both making moves?

How did they know the exact time Granny Hanshui was in seclusion?

With the strength of Shengyun Stronghold and the Tang Sect,

they would never dare to storm Hanshui Palace.

So this secret must have come from within the palace.

Su Yi Zhou?

While you were unconscious, Xiao Di mentioned Su Yi Zhou.

He said Su Yi Zhou predicted he wouldn't live past 15.

That's why he decided to come out and see the world.

Su Yi Zhou was hailed as the world's greatest fortune-teller.

Legends say he could glimpse heavenly secrets.

However, he died three years ago.

The reason Bawang Manor clashed with the Linyuan Sect

was because Su Yi Zhou predicted

that Bawang Manor would be wiped out by the Linyuan Sect.

The master of Bawang Manor could not rest,

so he finally decided to strike first.

In the end, the entire manor was slaughtered.

The master blamed Su Yi Zhou had instigated the conflict.

With his last breath, he tracked him down.

Su Yi Zhou's wife died while protecting him.

Since then, Su Yi Zhou became a broken man.

He told everyone he met that he couldn't tell fortunes at all.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have failed to foresee his own wife's fate.

Then who is this person pretending to be Su Yi Zhou?

Anyone brazen enough to enter Hanshui Palace and deceive Granny Hanshui

would need an escape plan and possess superb skills in disguise.

Disguise skills?

Is it the ever-changing Black Fox, Zhi Hua?

It's him again.

What does he gain by tricking Chang Hong Bi out and pitting Shengyun against the Tang Sect?

Using such methods to make the two factions fight seems far too indirect.

Perhaps that wasn't his primary goal.

He just wants Hanshui Palace to lose its secret treasure,

so he can deal with them.

Does he have a grudge against them?

Regardless of any grudge,

now that Chang Hong Bi has returned to Hanshui Palace,

he won't let it go.

I hope Xiao Di will be safe.

I'm afraid Hanshui Palace will never know peace again.

Get some more rest.

Let's hurry and leave.

The pursuers will be here soon.

If we head northwest,

we should find Xiqiao Ferry.

Northwest. This way. Let's go.

It's truly impressive that you can keep your bearings in these mountains.

You're not a local.

How are you so familiar with the terrain?

I really don't understand.

You're rushing so recklessly.

Don't you care about your own life at all?

There are things in this world that are more important than life.

Old Souls at First Glance is acting up again?

He's our target!

Tell Shao Ji Zu that if he keeps spreading my portrait everywhere,

I won't spare him.

Zhan?

Wake up.

Zhan?

The horse can't run anymore.

The pursuers shouldn't be able to catch up for a while.

Let's find a place to rest for a bit.

Okay.

Are you all right?

Be careful.

Don't worry about me.

You should leave now.

Why are you saying that again?

[Wanted Notice] Look carefully.

Their target is me, not you.

Carefully enough?

Shao Ji Zu is looking for you, not me?

The officials sealed the post stations, halted all horse markets, and searched everywhere.

It's all because of you!

You knew all along? Why didn't you tell me?

I didn't mean to hide it.

You told me before that your friend was a constable.

Before he died, he entrusted you with this task.

That's when I concluded that even if you're not a high official,

you're still a man of the law.

Shao Ji Zu is also a man of the law.

Why is he chasing after you?

I don't know why either.

You still won't tell me the truth.

Even if I don't have a good impression of Shao Ji Zu,

officials don't typically hunt each other, right?

Huo...

this matter cannot be judged by common sense.

From the moment I stepped into Xiangzhou,

I've been hunted repeatedly by both the law and the underworld.

My pursuers wield immense power here,

commanding figures like Zhi Hua and the Xiuluo Cult.

For them to mobilize the Cavalry and Infantry Commander Shao Ji Zu,

it's not impossible.

The scale of this power terrifies me.

I just want to know,

who exactly are you, to have escaped from such a person?

It doesn't matter who I am.

It seems that we cannot return to the capital together.

You'll escape much more easily on your own.

I won't leave you.

I know, Huo...

that you have a chivalrous heart.

I admire this chivalrous spirit of yours.

But I'm afraid my body can no longer hold out.

So... there is something I wish to entrust to you.

You mean the matter your friend entrusted to you?

His name was Liu Hong Yi.

He entrusted this to me with his life.

It must be of great importance.

The dangers I've faced along the way only prove that this matter

is likely involved in a major case affecting the entire Xiangzhou.

You want to stay and face the pursuers alone?

I know you refuse to save yourself alone.

But this matter concerns all of Xiangzhou.

This letter must be delivered to the capital.

However, I must warn you first.

If you accept this...

it will bring trouble upon you.

I'll take it.

Rest assured.

I will definitely help you deliver this safely to the capital.

But once I'm there, whom should I look for?

Since you are acquainted with Prince Zhao, give it to him.

Once he receives it, he will know what to do.

Remember.

From now on...

don't get involved anymore.

What will you do after I leave?

I'll find a way to stall the pursuers, to keep them off your trail.

But the road ahead...

you'll be on your own.

I haven't been honest with you.

My real name isn't Huo Xiao Di.

You are a young hero of unrivaled chivalry from Linglong Manor.

Since you like the name Huo Xiao Di,

then to me, you are the only Huo Xiao Di.

Burning your bridges like this...

you've resolved to fight them to the death, haven't you?

How could I die so easily?

I must stay alive to seek justice for my friend.

They're here already?

Can your injured leg hold?

It's functional.

But, to execute A Fleeting Glimpse,

I need to regulate my breathing first.

Can we get up there?

No problem. I can manage that.

Good.

We'll split up.

You hide up there.

When they enter the barn, I'll pin them down.

You take the chance to ambush them.

This group should be from the same unit as the cavalry earlier.

We can handle them.

Alright.

Is this spot okay?

Stay low.

Don't let them spot you.

Huo, I'm sorry.

Your pressure points will be released in four hours.

[Zhong Xiong, Flying Trident Guardian] Zhan Zhao, the Southern Knight.

You truly live up to your reputation.

[Zhan Zhao, the Southern Knight] We've laid a tight net all along the way.

You've been hunted by elite government cavalry, and martial artists.

With your portraits circulated, we've chased you for three days.

And you almost managed to escape the Xiangzhou border.

I cannot help but be impressed.

I wondered who it was.

So it is you, Chieftain Zhong.

You know me?

Chieftain Zhong is a formidable leader.

Who doesn't know of you?

Since we are both of the same world,

if you hand over that item,

I will not make things difficult for you.

Handing it over isn't the hard part.

I am just curious.

Who is the sacred figure who could make the retired Flying Trident Guardian return,

gather his old subordinates,

and pledge such desperate loyalty?

And why would Chieftain Zhong disregard a martial artist's integrity

to do such dirty work?

Capturing the Imperial Cat counts as dirty work?

As for you, the great Southern Knight serving as a lapdog,

that news has spread far and wide.

Nowadays, your reputation is no better than mine.

Enough, Master Zhan.

The poison will kill you soon.

You certainly won't walk out of here.

Hand over the item, and you can suffer less.

If I wanted to avoid suffering,

I wouldn't have carried it all the way here.

You are at the end of your rope.

I wonder how many of my moves you can block.

How many moves?

Try me and you'll find out.

Fall back. Guard the perimeter of the barn.

Don't let him escape.

Yes, sir!

I, Zhong Xiong, consider myself a hero.

I've long yearned to fight the Southern Knight.

But since you are now severely injured,

it would be an unfair victory.

The outcome of this battle, win or lose,

will only be known to the two of us.

I appreciate your consideration.

May you have no regrets.

As expected of the Southern Knight.

Even while severely injured,

you can still block so many of my moves.

But if you continue to fight,

the clash of injury and poison will likely kill you on the spot!

Chieftain Zhong, do you think you've already won?

If my flying fork had moved forward half an inch,

your blood would have stained this floor!

Unless... you can fly?

Could this be...

Heavenward Crane Strike?

The ultimate skill of the Ding family from Songjiang Prefecture?

How could you possibly know it?

I told you...

not to regret this fight.

What a magnificent Heavenward Crane Strike.

I, Zhong Xiong...

have witnessed such peerless martial arts.

My life is fulfilled.

I was careless and underestimated you.

The winner has been decided.

Kill me if you wish!

Killing you is easy.

But outside this barn, there are still dozens of your men.

They won't let me go so easily.

What do you want then?

Past the farmhouse ahead is Xiqiao Ferry.

Once across that river,

it is no longer under Xiangzhou's jurisdiction.

Another twenty miles will lead to Yincheng Town,

where the Guanghua Army is stationed.

Their commander, Meng Kui, is my friend.

He will send men to escort me all the way north.

With a fast horse, I can reach the capital in less than two days.

You want to take me hostage to get there?

Not that far. Just to the ferry will do.

Move aside.

Chieftain Zhong, do not move recklessly.

Heavenward Crane Strike has locked your heart pulse.

If you force your internal energy to break free,

you will die from the backlash.

Don't worry.

I don't want to die just yet.

If I die, how can I see how long your Heavenward Crane Strike can hold out?

Do you think taking me hostage guarantees a safe passage to the ferry?

You have more than just my group on your tail.

Let us go!

Please let our family go!

These arrows are tipped with our Xiuluo Cult poison.

One hit means instant death.

If I were you, I wouldn't take another step forward.

You dare use innocent civilians as leverage?

These people could have lived their lives in peace.

You're the cause of their plight.

As the renowned Southern Knight,

can you really just stand by and watch?

Yan Zi Qing!

The Yunying Sect was a righteous sect.

Why did you betray your master to collude with the Xiuluo Cult?

Zhan Zhao, hand it over,

and these people will live.

Chieftain Zhong.

Today, your Iron Blood Guards and the Xiuluo Cult have joined forces to stop me.

When it comes time to claim credit,

I wonder how it will be divided.

In my eyes, only gratitude and loyalty matter.

I don't care about the feuds or the fate of the imperial court.

If not to repay a debt of gratitude,

I would never associate with such a despicable man.

Although your water fortress

was outlawed and purged by the court,

but it never harassed the common people.

But now, the benefactor you serve

is acting in a way that completely contradicts your own sense of honor.

Are you really going to turn a blind eye?

Zhan Zhao, there's no need to provoke me.

If you want me to do something, just say it.

I want to know if I move to save them now,

will the Iron Blood Guards assist Mo Dao?

Save them?

How can you?

This is a dead end.

That is my concern.

Chieftain Zhong, just tell me.

Will you, or won't you?

I truly despise such despicable methods.

Go ahead and save them.

The Iron Blood Guards will not interfere.

However, we won't help you either.

Thank you.

Zhan Zhao, can you really bear to watch them perish because of you?

They will not perish!

Fine.

I'd like to see just how many you can save.

- Please, let us go! - No!

Have mercy!

Father! Mother!