Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[In the Western Region of the Nine Provinces,]

[there's a vast desert.]

[The treasures left behind by 24 countries]

[attracts a gang of desperados.]

[They wander in the law of survival]

[between beasts and treasures]

[and are known as]

[hunters.]

Si Ming, come over here.

Sure.

According to the map,

the treasure should be in there.

I know.

Move it.

There are so many precious items!

We're going to be rich!

Thanks, buddy.

Hey!

Watch out!

We have discovered new land again!

Who do you think left this?

I think there are too many stories beneath the desert.

What is it?

It shouldn't be a good thing.

Let's go!

Run!

Liuhai!

What kind of beast is this?

Help!

I think it's something

we can't afford to mess around!

It's Shule Desert Worm!

Help!

[Now, let's talk about]

[the origin of the hunters.]

[The 24 countries in the Western Region]

[had been separating and annexing for over a century.]

[Numerous treasures]

[lie beneath the Gobi Desert.]

[They have since attracted]

[legions of treasure hunting people with extraordinary talents,]

[like Lady Taibao,]

[servants,]

[wandering monks and nuns,]

[and even eagle bearers.]

[They are all known as hunters.]

[Let me tell you.]

[Legend has it that in this desert,]

[lies the treasure of the Dragon Clan.]

After the Dragon Clan and the Mirage Dragon were annihilated,

[the Sogdian Merchants of the Western Region took control.]

[My humble store]

[is the transit station for hunters and the Western Region treasures.]

[Everyone, drink and feast away before you go.]

[Come back soon.]

Let's get a drink.

Excuse me.

I won!

Come, come again.

Come!

Come!

Come! Place your bets!

One more jar.

Come, bet on this one.

Come, don't stop.

All in!

Gambling heroes grappling for good fortune.

As the golden plate is tossed...

Thousands of men will yield.

Save it!

Give me one more jar.

My one of a kind talent will be useful.

The fortune I give away will find its way back.

This is mine!

Don't fight!

This is mine!

I'm rich!

Wine in a night-glowing goblet.

Music starts to play as I start to drink.

Don't laugh at me for dying on the battlefield.

Not many have ever come back from one.

Patches within the coat.

A poor fool pretending to be a wealthy man in the hunter hotel.

Hey.

I don't care about such a small amount of money.

If we're doing it, we'll do it properly.

You promised my father back then

that I'll be successful.

In the end, we are here, collecting scraps in the desert.

It has been three whole years.

After you're done writing The Desert Journey,

you'd be the person who knows the Western Region best.

You will be successful then.

How much have you written?

Have you written down that Jiang Liuhai

is blessed with beauty and wisdom, cracked the puzzle

and battled the Shule Desert Worm bravely?

Have you written it all down?

Every young man has a loving heart.

Every young man sets his eyes on a damsel.

-Toss the armor. -I'll help you out.

I'm running faster than a camel.

Come to think of it,

the Dragon Clan has been annihilated for 20 years now.

[The Dragon Pool has turned into a desert from an oasis.]

Rumor has it that survivors of the Dragon Clan are still wandering.

[They are seeking the opportunity to take revenge.]

[Where is the treasure of the Dragon Clan then?]

[Right, where's the treasure?]

The treasure is in an incredibly dangerous place.

No hunter has ever come back.

-Buy me some grilled chicken. -That's dangerous.

-Five chickens. -Five is too...

How about the Mirage Dragon?

Good question.

[After the Dragon Clan was annihilated,]

[the Mirage Dragon hid in the ruins,]

[holding on to countless gold and silver.]

[It became a real tightwad.]

It took the three pearls on its forehead,

[Qielan, Hengluo, and Eyu,]

to form a barrier in the desert,

killing treasure hunters.

But where there is poison,

there is an antidote.

Legend has it that a relic called Ghost Craftsman Sphere

could destroy the barrier

and point out the location of the treasure.

Nonsense!

What nonsense!

Midget.

Have you seen the Mirage Dragon

or the countless treasures with your own eyes?

Twenty years ago,

my brother trusted a con man

and went treasure hunting at the Dragon Pool.

In the end, we couldn't even find his corpse.

If you dare to spread lies here,

I'll teach you a lesson.

Who?

Who was that?

-Not me! -Not me!

It was me.

I am the King of Adventure in the Western Region,

Jiang Liuhai.

So it's the King of Scraps in the Western Region,

Jiang Liuhai.

What are you doing here?

Big Beard,

the characters of his stories

are real heroes.

The Mirage Dragon and the treasure

are not something

that you low-lives deserve to see.

Apologize to him.

Apologize?

You seem to have a death wish!

I have a feeling

that you're going to have bad luck today.

I have admired desert hunters for a long time.

Today, we wanted to find a handful that we could trust

to go to the desert with us.

Excuse me.

Who knew

it would be a disappointment.

-It's him. -He's not a good man.

-I've never seen him before. -I've also never seen him before.

He looks like a difficult person.

You have some nerves

coming to the hunters' turf for a fight.

Putao!

The Dragon Plume Sword is as tough as the dragon bone and capricious.

It's a relic of the Western Region.

I want to see

who's the last one standing

and gets to take this money.

No!

Don't bully an unarmed kid.

Fight someone your own size!

It's the Ghost Craftsman Sphere!

The Ghost Craftsman Sphere that can locate the treasure of Dragon Clan!

The treasure in the Dragon Pool opens once every decade for ten days.

This is the deposit.

If you find the treasure,

there will be a more handsome reward.

More idiots are here again.

You people!

You

don't understand the desert.

You don't know what's going to happen.

When you get there,

you'll find everything that crawls, swims, and flies

are drooling and awaiting you.

They are going to eat every bit of you.

Treasure hunting?

I think you are better off treating us to drinks

with this money.

Am I right?

-Yes. -That's right.

I'll go with you.

Calm down.

I don't want

your money.

Is that true?

After we find the treasure,

I want half of the Dragon Clan treasure.

We were told that the desert hunters

are idiots who have fallen into a bag of money.

You fit the description.

You are way out of your league.

-Step aside. -Lord Jin.

This money is not going to cut it for me.

What other talents do you have?

Si Ming.

Show it to them.

All right.

-This is my Heaven Shaking Hammer. -Heaven Shaking Hammer?

I can guarantee

that no one here can withstand it.

Even a dragon

has to be careful.

Calm down.

King of Scraps.

You better go back to collecting scraps

with your buddy.

That's right.

This isn't collecting scraps.

We are turning scraps into treasures.

If you don't agree,

find someone else.

-Let's go. -Wait.

I agree to your terms.

My lady.

But under one condition.

If anything goes wrong,

you have to die before I do.

What?

Deal.

Wait.

Lady Hexi.

My nickname is the Big Cat of the Desert.

These are my buddies.

We'll be useful to you in the desert.

I can't promise

that when there's danger,

I'll die before you do.

But I can promise

I will bring your...

I will bring your corpses

back from the desert safely.

[Gate of Ternary]

These are our ancestors

who should be the most revered heroes.

[When they ventured into the deserts alone,]

[they left behind many legends and stories.]

[All they had was their persevering courage.]

[That's why we can venture into the desert now.]

[Cheer up.]

[We're going to be rich soon.]

[Don't believe a word Jiang Liuhai says.]

[What?]

[Are you worried that we can't find the treasure?]

[It's impossible anyway.]

[What's there to worry about?]

[Cheer up. Smile.]

[After all, we are in the service industry.]

Lady Hexi.

When I gave you the Ghost Craftsman Sphere,

you promised to give me one-third of the treasure.

I did.

But that guy wants half!

How are we going to split it?

We are short of manpower now.

If we can't find the treasure,

we get nothing.

In that case,

your share would be too little.

I don't care about the treasure.

If so, isn't that guy asking for too much?

Are you talking about me?

Lord Jin, don't you understand the language of the central plain?

He's Sogdian.

He practices Zoroastrianism.

Every year, their tribe

will kill the fastest running horse

to serve as an offering to the gods.

I think

if necessary,

he wouldn't mind killing a person.

If I were you,

I'd be really wary of him.

You seem to know the desert very well.

My master is a hunter.

I know one or two things.

I've known Lord Jin for ten years.

I know the kind of person he is. Don't you worry.

On the contrary, I heard that hunters

can kill their dearest family and friends for money.

Is that true?

It depends on the reward.

A reward for a good job.

I find it fair.

Also, this desert needs hunters.

They are the tools to balance the world.

It seems you hunters are not only greedy,

but also arrogant.

You don't trust us.

But you hired us anyway.

Is there

a hidden agenda?

I don't know what you mean.

I took a look at your hairpin.

There are three stones.

Are you

the last princess of the Dragon Clan?

And that makes Yiren

the Blood Oath Guard?

If you dare to tell anyone...

I would never dare.

You're the boss. I'll listen to you.

According to the star map,

the Qielan Pearl is in the center of the lake.

It's only evening,

but why is it so dark here?

This place is called Sun Covering Lake.

It's dark because clouds gather above it

and don't dissipate.

But I don't get it.

When will the Qielan Pearl show itself?

I know.

We have to wait until night falls.

According to the teachings of Yin and Yang,

the Qielan Pearl has a freezing aura.

It's evening now.

The Yang aura of the sun still lingers.

Only when the Yin aura peaks,

can it resonate with the Ghost Craftsman Sphere

and show itself.

Do you think there are rabbits in the desert?

I think so.

Look.

What is it?

It's the Qielan Pearl.

The barrier is open.

Whoever brings the Qielan Pearl to me

will receive a bag of gold.

Two bags.

You go.

Should we go? It's two bags of gold.

Let's go.

Something seems to be stirring in the water.

My foot!

You're turning me away

so that you can have the gold all to yourself, right?

Don't even think about it.

I got it!

I got the Qielan Pearl!

I got the Qielan Pearl!

He's gone.

There's something out there.

Look down.

Retreat! Stay away from the water!

Throw the fire torch away.

Hang in there!

Hurry, get over there!

Come over here.

Let me go!

Go!

Go!

Quick!

It doesn't work.

Liuhai.

I already told you.

Treasure hunting at the Dragon Pool

is as good as throwing your life away.

Did you listen?

I shall keep these gold coins

for you.

Liuhai.

Rest in peace.

We'll take care of the rest of the journey.

[-Liuhai.]

[-Jiang Liuhai. You're already dead?] [-I already told you.]

[Treasure hunting at the Dragon Pool is as good as throwing your life away.]

[-Did you listen?] [-Useless!]

[Liuhai.]

[Rest in peace.]

[Useless!]

[-We'll take care of the rest of the journey.] [-Treasure hunting at the Dragon Pool]

is as good as throwing your life away.

[Did you listen?]

I shall keep these gold coins for you.

Liuhai!

Si Ming.

What happened to you last night?

You scared me to death.

I thought you people took all my money.

What are you talking about?

You have no money.

You can't just go.

Why won't you let me go?

-I have paid you. -You didn't tell me it's life-threatening.

I don't care. You have to pay us more.

-How much do you want? -Double.

Pay up!

Sure.

Take it.

If you don't pay up, how are we going to work together?

That's right.

Thanks to Lady Hexi.

She has great medical skills.

Could this be the legendary

Reviving Dead Grass?

Your wound seems to have closed up nicely.

It's going to rain. I better pack up.

The panacea of Khotan is truly impressive.

I didn't expect to have an important place

in your heart, Lady Hexi.

You're overthinking this.

I kept you alive

for other reasons.

They say kind words can warm three winters.

But vile words can freeze the summer months.

Lady Hexi, what you said

is truly hurtful.

Many years ago,

[the barbarians attacked the Dragon Clan.]

[The Dragon Pool was on the verge of falling.]

[So we struck a deal with the Mirage Dragon]

[to expel the barbarians.]

In return,

we have to provide endless wealth and women of the Dragon Clan

to the Mirage Dragon.

After the war against the barbarians ended,

while our clan was weak and recuperating,

[the Mirage Dragon annihilated my clan]

to take over the Dragon Pool

and hoard all the wealth.

So,

the only goal of my life

is slaughtering the Mirage Dragon

to avenge my clan.

They wiped out your clan.

With only a few of us,

how can we help you get revenge?

After fighting our clan,

the Mirage Dragon was sealed in the underground palace of the Dragon Clan.

Losing two pearls, its power has weakened tremendously.

If we can find the underground palace,

with the power of the Ghost Craftsman Sphere,

we should be able to slaughter it.

Have you thought about

how short life is?

How about you let go of your hatred

and lead the Dragon Clan to start afresh?

But it killed my most beloved people.

My father is the Zhechong Military Officer of Chang'an city.

When I was little,

I always get sick and couldn't practice martial arts.

My father saw me as a disgrace to the family.

So he threw me into the desert

to let nature take its course.

Thankfully, I met Master

who saved my life.

Then...

Are you going back to look for him?

Chang'an is really far away.

I would only be wasting my time.

Stay in the desert for the rest of your life then.

My pleasure.

Every good thing that has ever happened to me

happened here.

Hexi Qing.

What?

It's my name.

Hexi Qing.

It's the last name of the royals.

It's quite a unique name.

But

is it worth any money?

You're truly a hunter.

Si Ming.

Why do you want to write The Desert Journey?

Once I complete The Desert Journey,

anyone who comes to the Western Region

can use it as a guide.

I see. You want to write a book

so that people will remember you.

I promised my father

I'd be successful in three years' time.

Otherwise,

I can't bring myself to go home.

I didn't expect

a dreary man like you

to be so ambitious.

Of course.

Si Ming.

Yes?

Come here.

Putao, things might go a bit fast,

but actually, I can...

They're gone.

They're all gone!

The camels, the food. All gone!

Hexi Qing, where are you going?

You won't survive. Think carefully.

You're heading in the wrong direction.

You're so stupid.

Boss, drink some water.

You took everything.

Putao, what's going on?

Shut up. Do you want to die too?

I'd rather die than leave them behind.

You'll come with us from now on.

Pretend that nothing ever happened.

Let me go. Do you hear me?

Si Ming, I like you.

How is it?

I've fallen for you

since I first laid eyes on you.

I know you like me too.

So come with me.

We'll be together from now on.

If you take me with you,

I'll hate you forever.

You'll be my enemy from now on.

Si Ming, you will die if you go back.

I'm already dead.

You killed me.

Let's go!

Putao and the boy are getting away!

Stop!

Get back here!

Why?

Don't ask.

Water.

There's water!

There's water!

Water!

Wait.

It's a mirage! Don't drink it.

My lady!

My lady!

Let's head back.

Maybe we can come across a caravan of merchants.

Anyway, the Dragon Pool will open once every decade.

We can come back again.

Let me go.

Let me go!

-Let her go! -Let me go!

My lady.

Hexi Qing.

I want to slaughter the Mirage Dragon.

I want to slaughter the Mirage Dragon.

My lady.

It's fate.

Hexi Qing.

I don't want to wait for another decade!

This is the vengeance of your ancestors.

It has nothing to do with you.

It's not your fault.

You can choose to be yourself

and live your own life.

My own life

has been decided a long time ago.

My fate is mine to decide.

If you would have me as your hunter

for the next decade,

or the next one,

no matter how long,

I will be with you.

I think

the most miserable ones are not the dead,

but the living.

I don't think so.

We, the living,

are the meaning and proof of the existence

of those who were once alive.

Liuhai.

Liuhai.

Lady Hexi,

we're back!

[Hengluo Town]

[Twenty years ago,]

[the Mirage Dragon wreaked havoc]

[and set the Dragon Pool on fire.]

[My clan was almost annihilated.]

[Chief Li Ying then sacrificed himself]

[to seal the Mirage Dragon in the underground palace.]

[He was my savior.]

[Without him,]

[the Dragon Clan would have been wiped out.]

Watch out!

Look!

I see it.

Let me take care of them!

Blood Oath Guard, don't make me kill you.

Lord Jin, you're well prepared.

Of course!

Please!

Heaven Shaking Hammer!

Oh no!

Did you hit a woman? Seriously?

Fight someone your own size.

He's a good fighter.

Who are you?

Chief, I'm Yiren, the sixth generation Blood Oath Guard of the Dragon Clan.

Yiren?

He belongs to the dead.

Why are you talking to him?

Chief, I didn't let you down.

This is the blood of the Dragon Clan

that you saved.

The Princess of the Dragon Clan.

What happened 20 years ago are bygones.

I didn't protect you

so that you could come back for revenge.

Chief, we must avenge those

murdered by the Mirage Dragon.

Please help us.

Imbeciles!

It won't end well if you're controlled by your hatred.

As long as I'm here,

nobody is getting into the underground palace.

Trespassers of the Dragon Pool will not be spared.

Let me take care of the big guy!

Yiren.

Yiren.

Yiren.

Si Ming.

Take the princess and go.

Let me stay here.

Let's go together.

You are dragging me down.

Go now!

All right.

I'll go.

But promise me that you will live.

I promised you

I'll die before you do.

Get your revenge.

You know you are no match for me.

Why are you still fighting?

Is going into the underground palace

more important than your life?

Speak.

Do you want the treasure

or do you want revenge?

Treasure or revenge.

[To me, they are not important.]

[Because I promised her.]

I will protect her.

I am a man of my word!

Lady Hexi.

Behind this door

is our last destination.

It's the underground palace.

This is the first time I've seen so many gold coins.

Be careful, everyone.

The Mirage Dragon can appear at any moment.

Without the three pearls,

it won't appear in dragon form.

Who is there?

He has a conscience after all.

The Mirage Dragon.

Three hundred years ago,

the Wuna people used the Gold Rock Dark Arts

to make the three pearls,

Qielan, Hengluo, and Eyu

and placed them on my forehead.

These pearls absorbed my power.

The so-called Dragon Clan

was the posterity of the Wuna people.

The Dragon Clan used the pearls to manipulate me

into doing their dirty deeds for them.

Twenty years ago,

I finally got the opportunity to escape the underground palace.

I had to take revenge

and kill the greedy Dragon Clan.

In the end,

I came across Li Ying.

This boy

used the Hengluo Pearl to set up a barrier

and obtain the magical prowess as a mortal,

trapping me in the underground palace.

But he

was also sealed in the Hengluo Pearl

for 20 years.

That is impossible!

It was you!

You murdered them because you wanted the wealth of the Dragon Clan!

I see.

Everyone from the Dragon Clan is the same.

Distorting facts.

Disregarding right and wrong.

Fine.

You're the last blood of the Dragon Clan.

You

are here after all.

You're a liar.

Kill me

and you can bury the truth

forever.

My lady,

don't listen to him.

Take your revenge.

Think about

how he slaughtered your clan.

Some of them were your family.

That's because they deserved it!

Shut up or I'll kill you!

My lady, do it!

Hurry, kill him!

Do it!

Kill me

and leave with the gold.

Isn't that what you want?

If what you said is the truth,

what have I been living for in the past 20 years?

Yiren.

Jiang Liuhai.

And the people who died in vain.

It's over.

I'm so stupid.

I've lost everything.

Nobody moves.

My lady, don't move.

I don't want your blood on my hands.

Lord Jin?

Since these two scrap kings joined us,

I knew I had to play dirty,

or I'd get nothing.

Didn't you trust me?

Trust you?

How can I trust you?

I couldn't believe

you promised half of the fortune to that kid.

I've known you for years.

How much did you promise me?

The Ghost Craftsman Sphere is mine.

The Dragon Clan should have been wiped out 20 years ago.

That's right.

Your war with the Mirage Dragon

was incited by us, the Sogdians.

Our plan almost worked

until Li Ying ruined everything,

making us wait for 20 years.

It was you?

Twenty years!

Did you do it

just for the gold?

What else?

Won't these shining gold

makes you feel excited?

I've made it!

I've made it!

Wait.

How are you going to move

so much gold alone?

How about we carry it for you?

You can kill us later.

King of Scraps.

If I trust you,

I would be the biggest fool.

What took you so long?

Where's the dragon?

Lord Jin.

Where's the dragon?

Behind you.

This is the dragon?

Look at him.

How hideous. How is he the dragon?

Don't be scared.

His pearls are gone.

His powers are gone too.

Putao.

Putao!

Big Beard, you conspired with them.

Or else, why did we let you go?

You're a liar!

How dare you lie to me!

Don't move!

It's your fault that you're stupid.

Big Beard.

What are you doing?

You're the Big Beard.

We need one less person to split the gold with.

I didn't expect

to die in the hands of somebody like you.

The great Mirage Dragon,

let me see you off.

After I kill you,

I'll be the most incredible hunter in the Western Region.

I was wrong.

It shouldn't have ended like this.

What are you talking about?

I said,

nobody is getting the treasure today!

Help!

No!

Sorry, buddy.

Si Ming.

Since you're not going to kill me,

let me help you out.

Consider it my compensation.

[It's the Dragon Plume Sword!]

[Young man.]

[I don't feel any hatred in you.]

[Letting you live]

[might lead to a different ending.]

[In that case,]

[I'm going to give you a hand.]

The Dragon Plume Sword is here.

From now on,

I am the Blood Oath Guard of the princess.

Do it!

Impressed?

Nobody can get ahead of me.

I'm sorry.

After leaving here,

I'll tell the world the truth

and clear your name.

Aren't you afraid that I'd kill you?

The Dragon Clan is annihilated.

From now on, there won't be any princesses.

You and I have evened the score.

The Dragon Pool

shall remain a myth.

Well said.

You and I are both miserable.

I was trapped by hatred.

You were deceived by it.

What's the point in killing each other?

Jiang Liuhai.

These coins

belong to you.

One is enough.

What?

If you don't mind,

I want to stay by your side.

Then...

Would you accept the current me?

I have

lost my title as a princess.

Also, back then,

I was mean to you.

Of course not!

You!

But

you are my boss.

Si Ming, aren't we waiting for them?

We'd be a nuisance to them.

When Jiang Liuhai has a girlfriend,

he will forget his friend.

I didn't expect

Hexi Qing would give up the treasure of the Dragon Clan and her title

and be with a hunter.

This trip was a waste.

We didn't get anything.

Hey, you still have me, don't you?

Yes, that's true.

Aren't you happy about that?

Hey.

Look at me when you answer.

I'll hit you if you don't.

Fine. I'm happy.

The latest news.

The ranking of hunters is out.

-What's my position? -Let me see.

Third place.

-Yes. -Really?

Who's in the second place?

Who do you think?

You?

Yes.

That's impossible.

-The second... -Hey!

Who's in the first place then?

[Ranking of Hunter]

Forget it!

Once the work is done, leave the credit and reputation behind.

Ranking

is vanity anyway.

If you care about it too much, you'd be dragged down.

My great hunter has learned to be humble.

Impressive.

Where are you going next?

Chang'an.

Chang'an?

Do you want to come with me?