Original subtitles

♪From primal chaos to the starry sky♪

♪In the whole world, we shall hold the balance♪

♪The cauldron tempers divine blades♪

♪The furnace refines the empty void♪

♪The Way is in mystic fate♪

♪Be brave enough to split the primal chaos wide open♪

[Pull Strings]

[Adapted from the novel by Yan Gui Zheng Zhuan]

This is...

a formation.

Answer me:

How long until the Great Tribulation?

Thirty years remain.

Thirty years later,

the Pregenesis Sword will open the Eye of the Sea;

the Great Tribulation will come.

Even if Fairy Yunxiao fails,

someone else will take the Sword.

If that happens,

the only way to break this is

for me to seize the Pregenesis Sword

before everyone else does.

[Forbidden Land, Bear Island]

[Episode 12]

Why can't I shake you off?

I'm hard to get rid of.

You dressed this wound for me?

Of course.

Rest easy.

They're only a few scrapes.

Nothing serious.

Did you see the Pregenesis Sword

in the Forbidden Land?

Yunxiao,

that place is terribly perilous.

Even you suffered in there.

Well.

I'm just a rascal.

I'd be done for there.

That does sound like your cowardice.

Yunxiao,

look at yourself.

You are a Quasi-Saint.

You can do almost anything,

so you take by force out of habit.

But in my view...

If I may say so,

that is just reckless.

Try trusting others for once.

Perhaps

you will get better results.

The folk of Bear Stockade

may look honest,

but they're cut from the same cloth

just like you.

They even used toxin.

Toxin?

You mean this arrow?

There is no toxin on it.

Impossible.

I feel weak all over.

My head is spinning.

If it was only an arrow wound,

how could this be?

Yunxiao.

Well.

How many days since you ate?

It's all right.

Here, come on.

This is

the antidote I made for you.

Take it, and you'll be well.

Here.

Eat it.

Do not worry.

I mean you no harm.

If I meant to harm you,

why did I help you in the Forbidden Land?

Where did this come from?

This?

Well.

This...

This is...

Fine, I'll tell you the truth.

You're not poisoned.

You're just hungry.

You must be lying.

Only mortals get hungry.

You think I don't know that?

Of course, you know what hunger is.

But you were an immortal above.

Food and drink meant nothing.

You've never felt hunger.

Knowing what hunger is

and feeling it are different.

You don't have to eat it.

This is really good.

It's rather sweet.

I roasted it.

Of course, it's sweet.

Don't move.

Mud.

Here.

♪At the cloud peak, with sun and moon♪

♪My heart is carved with all living beings♪

Just a little more.

Just a little more.

♪An unexpected meeting in this Primordial World♪

♪This lad, at first, is hard to admire♪

♪In a flash, I recall our near misses♪

Flowers, moonlight, and romance.

Changshou,

good luck.

[Li Changshou]

Aren't your hands even dirtier?

Right. I think they are.

Did you see the shooting star?

The shooting star.

I'm telling you.

Back in my hometown,

people wish on every shooting star.

They believe that it'll help wishes come true.

Ridiculous.

What shooting stars?

A Star Lord just tripped and fell

while walking.

And that one.

See the brightest one in the far north?

The brightest one.

Isn't it beautiful?

Pretty, right?

I know

that Star Lord.

He's bright

because he's bald.

Yunxiao,

I know you know the Star Lords.

But you've never taken a slow,

careful look at them

from this angle on the ground, right?

Is this starry sky not beautiful?

Only mortals

can feel such joy.

But a mortal's body

is so fragile.

Yunxiao,

you were born of pure essence.

You are used to drifting as an immortal.

This is your first time

standing firm as a human, right?

Such a chance is rare.

Why not enjoy it properly?

But is it truly joyful

to be a mortal?

Of course...

not.

Mortals don't have magic power.

Our bodies are frail.

We have birth, aging,

illness, and death.

Our life lasts only decades.

So, many seek immortality.

In that case,

how can one enjoy it?

It's hard to be alive,

so

a full meal

can bring us joy.

And a good night's sleep

can bring joy as well.

When we finish work early today,

start late tomorrow,

and need not rise early,

is that not even happier?

Exactly.

But I didn't need joy

a long time ago.

Who says so?

I know.

Your joy lies

in those dazzling magic instruments.

You think I do this for myself?

If it were for myself,

I could roam beyond the heavens.

Why fight people everywhere

and end up on this barren isle?

If not for all I hold dear...

If not for the coming

Great Tribulation...

The Great Tribulation?

I do not understand the beauty

of the stars you praise.

And you'd never understand

the burden I carry.

I will take the Pregenesis Sword.

Say no more.

Leave on your own.

Well.

You think I do not wish to go?

I cannot leave, can I?

I understand.

I don't understand

the mission

you're carrying.

Then, you surely

don't know the future I face.

Right?

Yunxiao,

if I help you,

will you trust me?

You will help me?

I need you to trust me.

Let me hear it.

Remember the scary story

Hua Ritian told?

That was just made up.

Even the best lie

can't be all lies.

Look at the locals here.

They endure hardship every day.

They toil without complaint

and use song and dance to cheer themselves up.

Do you think they enjoy it?

They do not.

They are afraid

of the deity here

who may punish them at any time.

If that is true,

what is your plan?

Since the locals trust the deity,

then why

can't we

become

that deity?

[There is no deity in this world.]

[Because we are deities.]

Here it comes!

Fresh from the pot.

Smelling wonderful.

How nice.

Everyone, hold a moment.

Listen carefully, all of you.

In this world...

There is no deity at all.

What nonsense is that?

Keep your eyes on Bai Shi.

No matter what happens,

do not look away.

Sea Demon!

The Sea Demon is here!

Hurry up the mountain!

Find Xiong Laosan!

Everyone, stay close!

- Hurry! - Follow me!

Keep up! Keep up!

Move, move!

Yunxiao,

must you grip so tightly?

I must hold your hand.

If the Sea Demon comes for you,

I can sense it in time.

Thank you for caring.

Who said I care about you?

You promised to find the Sword.

If the Sea Demon takes you,

who will help me find it?

You rascal.

That line was supposed to be mine.

Why steal it from me?

If you had said it,

the one in danger now

would be you, right?

You...

I do not care.

You promised to find the Sword.

If you dare die here,

I will even go

to the underworld

to drag you back.

Rest assured.

No matter what,

I'll never let go of you.

Why hide over there?

I'm not hiding.

Then why keep staring at me?

I wasn't staring.

Hua told me to watch you,

in case you vanish at any moment.

If only vanishing were that easy.

Bai, if we stand as one,

we shall survive.

With us here,

you needn't be afraid.

I'm not the one who's afraid.

You are.

Don't be afraid.

They went to get help.

You'll be saved soon.

The help they seek

is Xiong Laosan,

Xiong Lingli's father,

elder of Bear Stockade.

Elder Xiong Laosan is

the wisest man,

the most commanding,

and the most revered leader.

[Xiong Laosan, elder] He dwells on the peak,

away from others.

Only when the stockade is in peril

does he appear.

Father!

Father!

Father!

Father!

The Sea Demon is here!

The Sea Demon!

The Sea Demon is here!

Sea Demon! Sea Demon!

The Sea Demon is coming!

What do we do?

What must come

will come sooner or later.

Then what should we do?

What do we do?

What now?

Why are you all panicking?

Da, Er.

Prepare the offerings.

Light the sacrificial altar!

Bear Island is so great.

We love Bear Island.

Listen to the deity.

And we'll live forever!

They're inviting the deity.

You'll be saved.

You need not be afraid.

Deity?

What deity?

You'll be saved?

Saved from what?

How is there hope?

What is happening?

The last story was unfinished.

Now, I can continue it.

The Sea Demon came

and devoured people.

Then, the locals

fled up to the mountaintop

and asked for help from Xiong Laosan.

At the sacrificial altar,

Xiong Laosan called out the deity.

And that deity

defeated the Sea Demon

and saved the stockade.

The deity?

That's right.

Deities truly exist in this world.

You'll be saved.

Deity,

watch over our island.

Listen to the deity.

And we'll live forever!

[Laodao, Wang Cai]

Listen to the deity.

And we'll live forever!

What's this?

A spell?

Look.

Le'er.

Are you all right?

I can't hold on, Hua.

It's going dark.

Yes and no.

Then what is it?

It's a formation.

A formation?

I studied this island's feng shui

to look for any formation

that limits our magic power.

But then I thought it over.

You are a Quasi-Saint.

To use a formation

to seal your magic power,

it would take a grand formation.

This island is so small.

It could not hold such a formation.

Yet by chance,

I found a small Hovering Array.

What a surprise

that this is its very purpose.

What deities?

They're mere nobodies.

Beyond this island,

they are nobodies indeed.

But here,

our magic power is gone.

So, they become great immortals.

What puzzles me is

how they are still able

to cast spells at all

and set this crude Hovering Array.

Okay.

Deities.

I've felt your sincerity.

Since I have come here,

you need not worry anymore.

Wonderful!

Thank you. Thank you.

Deity.

You have descended to earth.

Xiong Laosan,

are the offerings ready?

Yes.

We placed them here for you.

All set.

All set. All set.

Mentor,

there is nothing here.

Xiong Laosan,

where are the offerings?

They are all right here.

Aren't these just stones?

Yes, they are stones.

You had us dig up stones.

Yes, just stones.

It was exhausting work.

Look how tired the lads are.

I asked you to dig stones?

Yes.

Mentor, shall we

take them back?

Sure.

Take them all.

Take them all.

That's right.

Take every last one.

What else can we do?

We must earn our keep.

Wang Cai.

Here.

Open the altar.

Begin the rite.

Xiong Da.

Here.

Xiong Er.

Beat the drums

to show the power

of the immortal.

Okay.

Help! Help me!

Help!

Someone help!

Deity, save me!

Deity, help me!

Deity, save me!

What's going on?

Watch him. Keep watch!

I am.

Why panic?

He runs too fast!

Didn't I drive the Sea Demon away?

No, the Sea Demon is still here.

It is still here, Deity.

If you doubt me, listen.

Listen.

The Sea Demon is still here.

Save me, Deity!

Xiong Da, did you hear that?

The Sea Demon is coming!

The Sea Demon!

Do not come for me!

Xiong Lingli, save me!

Please, save me!

I cannot save you!

Xiong Er, go fight the Sea Demon.

- Fight it. - Do not come for me!

But Mentor,

shouldn't the Sea Demon be gone?

Exactly.

It should have left by now.

Then this...

Little brat.

If this doesn't work,

I'll surely deal with you.

Ritian.

Only you can save me now.

The Sea Demon hasn't left!

Mentor.

Is this man

one of us?

I've never seen him before.

The Sea Demon hasn't left!

What are you doing?

Play along with me.

Save me.

Save me.

Please, save me.

Help!

Help!

Sea Demon!

Back!

Little brat.

The Sea Demon is gone!

The Sea Demon is gone!

It really vanished!

Thank you, Ritian.

Had you not saved my life,

I'd have been at a loss.

From now on,

I shall join your sect.

I will serve you daily

and follow you always.

Accept my bow, Deity.

Accept our bow as well.

Accept our bow as well.

Accept my bow, Deity.

Accept our bow as well.

What?

Why are you joining in?

Accept our bows.

Accept our bows.

Deity, accept our bows.

Deity.

Insolence!

Deity.

What lesser immortal are you?

You dare rival my Westdawn Sect?

No.

I am not.

He is no lesser immortal.

He drove off the Sea Demon!

He must be

a great immortal.

That's right.

That is right.

He must be a great immortal.

Hua hides power to spare you.

- Yes. - If he used his full power,

he could churn rivers and seas

at ease.

Ignorant juniors.

How dare you

doubt a Westdawn Qi refiner?

And you bumpkins.

If you serve the deity,

you'll gain the deity's protection

from blades and spears,

as well as fire and water.

No blow can leave a mark.

Today,

I shall open your eyes.

- I don't believe it. - Great.

Great.

Great.

Excellent.

Wang Cai.

Show them.

Great!

Mentor, are you serious?

Miss, would you care to try?

I...

Are you sure you want me to hit you?

Please, give it your all.

Wang Cai.

Wang Cai.

Wang Cai.

Wang Cai.

Mentor.

From now on,

let's not come here again.

Sure.

Alright?

Never again.

We'll never come back.

Deities, don't go!

Deities, I struck too hard.

Sorry.

Get up now.

Up.

♪Fight against fate for my life♪

Fly then!

Up!

Up!

- Deity! - Stay back!

Any closer,

and I'll jump!

Deity!

Father!

Don't jump, Deity!

What wrong have we done?

Just tell us!

We are all weak...

frail mortals.

We need your protection.

Don't jump!

I understand.

We didn't give offerings to them.

So,

they're angry.

Then let's give them

the offerings.

Here.

Deities, catch!

♪A mere yet fearless mortal♪

Lingli!

I...

You killed the deities with that stone!

I didn't mean to.

Today, I'll hit you...

- I'll kill you! - I didn't mean to!

You didn't mean to?

Can deities be killed

by a stone?

Yes, Father.

Well.

Can deities be killed

by a stone?

Lingli!

Our island

used to be a paradise.

It was outsiders

like you!

Your doubt in your hearts

summoned the Sea Demon.

Now, you spread panic here

and doom the deities.

If the deities die,

what are we to do?

What of Bear Island?

Father! Are you all right?

Father!

Well...

Father!

If the deities are gone,

find another one, then.

Pah!

Easy for you to say.

You think we can just

find one at will?

Where would we even look?

The one who can drive off the Sea Demon

is the deity!

There!

Sitting right there!

Isn't that obvious?

A true deity.

Me?

What?

Him?

You saw it with your own eyes.

That fake deity

couldn't drive away the Sea Demon.

It was this true deity who drove it away.

Before,

someone also claimed to be a deity.

That was fake.

Believing them

would bring disaster to us.

Exactly, exactly.

It'd bring disaster!

You're right.

It'd bring disaster!

What disaster?

Do you know what end awaited them?

Do you know?

Do you know?

What their end is?

They were burned to death,

as a sacrifice to the Sea Deity,

to appease Westdawn deities' wrath.

They were burned alive.

They were burned alive.

You're an outsider!

Spreading wicked lies.

I'll burn you!

Good idea.

Good idea?

He's the hardest to burn!

- Good idea! - Yes, burn him!

- Good idea! - I'll burn you to death!

I'll offer you to the Sea Demon.

It's not me.

It's him.

I'll burn you

to offer you to heaven.

Burn him!

Burn him!

Burn him!

Burn him to death!

Burn him!

Burn him to death!

What are you laughing at?

It's just the Sea Demon.

I'll teach you

how to defeat the Sea Demon.

Defeat the Sea Demon?

Haven't you heard

of the Sea Deity Sect?

The Sea Deity Sect?

The Sea Deity Sect?

If you believe in the Sea Deity,

you'll gain great strength.

I'm done pretending.

That's right.

I am

the Grandlord of the Sea Deity Sect.

If you believe in the Sea Deity Sect,

you will

become strong.

If you lie to me,

I'll burn you alive right now.

Burn me alive?

If the Sea Demon returns, you'll all die.

Yes.

We can't burn him then.

The original deities are dead.

Father, don't burn him.

Don't burn him.

What if the Sea Demon

comes back?

Exactly.

We can't burn him.

Father.

Three days.

I only need three days.

Within three days,

I can make you strong enough

to defeat the Sea Demon.

Please, I beg you.

You're the one who turned me into this.

You can't just watch me die.

Let them sacrifice you.

Our meeting was fate.

Can you just watch me die?

Yes, I can.

He asked me to help put on a show.

I don't know anything.

Where did you get that roasted sweet potato?

No!

You've been

stealing my food!

This is his?

Does it have a name?

No, it doesn't.

Look.

Bai Shi.

Qing Luan.

I'm not done with you!

Aren't you going after him?

He'll be back.

I can't stay here anymore.

Bear Stockade is a dump anyway.

Whoever wants to stay can stay.

I'm done with this.

Hua.

What are you doing here?

I...

I miss home.

And you?

I...

I came to find inspiration.

The sea

always gives people

endless imagination.

Such profound words.

The sea

always gives people endless imagination.

What kind of imagination?

Grandlord, what a coincidence!

Have you eaten?

Eat.

Raw fish slices?

It needs soy sauce to be tasty.

We locals like it natural.

Go on, eat.

Good, right?

Grandlord.

Thank you.

I killed the deities today.

Thanks to you.

Or else...

What's done

is done.

Don't dwell on it.

I've always felt I'm completely useless.

Da and Er are so strong,

while I'm so skinny.

I can't even reach 200 jin.

Da says if I stay like this,

I'll never get married all my life.

Are you choking?

Let me pat your back.

No need.

It's all right.

I'm not as good at work as my brothers,

and I always cause trouble in the stockade.

If it weren't for you,

my father would've killed me today for sure.

Grandlord,

I know you're no ordinary person.

You know?

Ordinary people

aren't as handsome as you.

Indeed,

you are a deity.

Wonderful!

Our stockade is saved!

We'll never have to move stones again!

Thank you, Grandlord.

Grandlord, rest assured.

From today onward,

whatever you need,

just come to me.

I will definitely help you

defeat the Sea Demon soon!

What's wrong with you?

Grandlord, you eat first.

I'm going to rest now.

From now on,

I'm a member of the Sea Deity Sect.

Go, Grandlord!

Hua,

I know you're hiding many things from us.

You know?

I also understand

why you must do this.

You understand?

It's okay.

No matter if you're Hua,

the Grandlord,

or someone else,

none of that matters.

I know

your true identity.

You really know?

No, how could you possibly know?

I...

Of course, I know.

Your true identity is

a great hero.

You always step forward

in the world's darkest hour.

You sweep away all darkness.

You're a light that pierces the night,

a beacon for all mankind.

Hua,

you are a true hero.

You can surely defeat the Sea Demon

and save this stockade.

You are a great hero.

You can do it!

Where's my boat?

Laodao said he was from the Westdawn Sect,

a minor sect of Cattle Land.

It's been at peace for a thousand years,

never at odds with the Three Sects.

But they actually meddled

in this South Sea isle.

They used the Sea Demon to scare the locals

and spread fear to promote their faith.

Westdawn is no orthodox sect.

And to have chosen Bear Island,

they must covet the Pregenesis Sword.

So, you want to use their own ways

against them.

That's the only way

to get back at them.

According to your intel,

the Pregenesis Sword

is likely in the Forbidden Land.

But Xiong Laosan guards the Forbidden Land,

and there are countless traps.

Forcing entry is out of the question.

The only way now

is to use the Sea Deity's name

to get Xiong Laosan to lead us in.

Since we need to fake a Grandlord,

why not play the part yourself?

I can't even avoid

this karma.

What about me?

Being Grandlord is risky.

I can't let you risk it.

But

how are you going to get Hua Ritian

to come back as the Grandlord?

Tell me.

What's your plan?

[Plan to Revive the Sea Deity Sect]

To found a sect,

what's the most important thing?

The Grandlord.

Wrong.

It's belief.

Belief.

When I was little, I heard

that elephant trainers will tie young elephants

to a wooden stake.

For a young elephant, that wooden stake

is extremely sturdy.

No matter how the calf struggles,

it can't escape the wooden stake

until it loses heart.

It believes it can never beat it.

Later,

when the calf grows up

and becomes a great elephant,

it can actually pull out that stake with ease.

Yet in its heart,

there's already been planted

a small notion:

It can't beat that wooden stake.

So,

the elephant is calmly tied

to that small wooden stake.

It's become the tamed elephant.

All the locals here

are the tamed elephant.

They have been tamed so long

that they've forgotten their own might.

So, you mean...

That's right.

Just as you think.

We should remove

the wooden stakes from their hearts

and make them believe...

Yes.

That's right.

That's it.

We need to make them believe

they can defeat the Sea Demon.

Clap if you understand!

Go ahead.

You...

What painting is this?

Sand

painting.

Sand

painting.

Launch!

♪I don't ask, too lazy to fight♪

Go get her!

♪In the Primordial World♪

♪Who sings and drinks free♪

♪The stars smile at fireflies♪

When I was little, I heard

that elephant tamers always tie calves

to a great wooden stake.

♪Learn the watches of the night♪

♪The hearth smoke rises high♪

♪Let the comings and goings be♪

♪Let the answer be empty♪

Great.

♪A varied life♪

♪In all these myriad ways♪

♪I drink the breeze that comes my way♪

♪The steadiest surge of all♪

Later,

when the calf grows into a big elephant,

it's already

been instilled with this belief:

It can't defeat

this large wooden stake.

Come on! Come on!

Come on!

It's all right.

It's...

♪I scorn to ride the eastern wind♪

♪Not hiding from fate's pursuit♪

♪In this Primordial World♪

♪Who's out there sword riding♪

♪Flags fluttering on chaotic peaks♪

♪Snarling and grinning, playing lone hero♪

♪I toss aside my cup; my hands open wide♪

♪Accustomed to life's rise and fall♪

♪No one can predict the clock of time♪

♪Then please, just relax♪

♪How many night watches have passed by♪

Me?

♪Let the comings and goings be♪

♪Let the answer be empty♪

Begin.

And all of you

are like this tamed elephant.

You haven't realized your own strength.

We must

pull out this wooden stake within.

Believe in ourselves.

Believe we can defeat the Sea Demon.

Clap if you understand!

♪A carefree smile♪

Great!

He told such a touching story

so inspiringly.

That's why I chose Hua Ritian

as the Grandlord.

Tell it again, Grandlord!

♪See mortal joys and sorrows♪

♪Reunions and partings, as fate unfolds♪

♪Alas, love has many twists and turns♪

♪Memories filled with sorrow♪

♪Slowly, wishes turn to regret♪

♪You've gone afar, like mist fading♪

♪Tearfully, this life's bond is not over♪

♪Past fragments vanish into night♪

♪Down a few more cups of wine♪

♪Through land and sea, I ask you to come♪

♪For honor's sake, upright and grand♪

♪Alas, our story is short♪

♪Slowly, wishes turn to regret♪

♪You've gone afar, like mist fading♪

♪Tears fall, this fate's not done♪

♪Past fragments vanish into night♪WEBVTT

♪Past fragments vanish into night♪