Original subtitles

The great road leads to heaven, we'll go our separate ways.

Tuck it away.

Your tails are priceless,

but worldly desires are poisonous.

Be careful.

My name is Huaishan.

I used to be a sorcerer.

At the age of sixteen,

I began studying demon-catching,

right here in Luoyang.

It was the heyday of the Tang Dynasty,

where people sought pleasure

and demons reveled.

My original intention was to protect people from demon harm.

However, what happened afterward

made me doubt whether I truly understood the nature of demons,

or perhaps

I had never understood

the essence of humanity.

Sir, please come in.

Sir,

your western grape wine, please enjoy it at your leisure.

It smells good.

Here's your cumin lamb chop.

Here comes the special envoy.

Sir,

please come in.

Young master, that

tall one

is the envoy from the regional governor.

His master, taking advantage of having just quelled the rebellion,

came to Luoyang to seek praise from the Emperor.

Not only did he look down on everyone in the court,

but he also killed several commoners in the bustling market.

Do you know who I am?

All you need to know is that

the one who will kill you today

is me,

Gong Tianbao.

How dare you!

When did you come back?

Did you know me?

You're bleeding.

Why don't you wipe it off?

I can't bear to use your stuff

to wipe it off.

Then consider it returned to its rightful owner.

[Love Death and Cat]

When did you come back?

Could it be him?

Maoqiu,

why are you here?

Auntie,

I'm just here to bring you flowers.

Your tail hasn't even grown out yet,

and you're running around everywhere.

It's dangerous.

Auntie.

You

need to eat something that can help you grow a tail,

otherwise it won't grow.

Auntie.

This handkerchief...

This handkerchief belongs to the original owner of this body.

If her acquaintance come knocking,

I'll help them continue this unfinished fate.

Young master.

I've inquired about the dancer.

Besides her performances every day,

she doesn't entertain any guests.

Even the owner of the Red Brothel didn't know where she is.

Young Master, there's another matter.

Miss was beaten by Master.

Young Master!

Liu Yuanzhi!

Tianbao!

What’s wrong?

How dare you, Master!

You, a son-in-law by marriage, dare to beat Miss?

No, Tianbao, listen to me.

It was your sister who took a whip and beat me in the street.

I couldn't bear the pain,

so I accidentally pushed her.

Even if my sister whipped you,

you still have to endure it.

Let me ask you, have you ever loved my sister?

Yes.

Do you know Liu Yuanzhi of the Southern City?

Yes.

Isn't he that dandy in the Southern City?

Yes.

Liu Yuanzhi is not only a bona fide handsome man

[Zuixiao Tavern]

but also a complete coward.

He married that ugly daughter of the Duke's family

as a son-in-law.

Being a son-in-law is good.

I really envy him.

Don't envy him.

He's in a miserable state now.

Just yesterday, Liu Yuanzhi was beaten to death.

Beaten to death?

What happened?

Yes, tell us.

Tianbao,

why were you still so impulsive?

I did nothing wrong.

Liu Yuanzhi was the one who was wrong.

He sneaked out to meet another woman in the middle of the night.

If this spreads,

how can I maintain my reputation?

But there's no need for you to be the one to teach him a lesson.

Sister, don't cry.

He shouldn't bully you.

What's there to cry about for him?

Father, last time I was blind to fall for him,

but this time I'll listen to you.

I'll take my leave.

The body has been sent to Yizhuang.

I've already bribed the officials in charge of the autopsy.

The official statement will be that he died from

a lung disease.

You need to keep your mouth shut about this.

[Yizhuang]

Master Liu, how could you end up like this?

I haven't had a chance to repay your kindness yet.

This is a black cat.

This is a white cat.

Yes, it's white.

Let's pour some hot water on it,

then we'll know.

Go get hot water.

Move.

Hurry up!

Liu Yuanzhi, don't run!

Leave quickly.

Be careful next time.

Come here.

Did I tell you to run?

Come here!

You...

Don't pull me.

Hit him! Harder!

You...

What are you doing?

Brother Cat, you've helped me catch so many mice

and guarded my Four Books and Five Classics,

but I can't even afford to

buy you a fish to eat.

I'm ashamed.

But when I pass the imperial examination and receive an official appointment,

I'll make sure you have fish to eat every day

until you're so full you can't even catch mice.

How about

I write a poem for you instead?

Even though you won't understand it,

when I become a high-ranking official and a great poet in the future,

I'll ensure that this poem

is passed down through generations.

By then, you'll be the most prestigious cat

in the world.

Master Liu,

you've been so kind to me.

I can't let you die.

By the way...

Why are you, a tall guy,

acting so suspiciously?

You haven't changed at all.

Finding it strange?

I don't know you.

Tell me, who are you?

I've known you for a long time.

I used to

be infatuated with you,

wrote you letters, sent you flowers,

followed you,

took your things without permission,

and even shared a room with you, yet you were completely unaware.

Just when I wanted to get to know you better,

you left.

You got married.

Unfortunately,

the wedding was fail to hold.

Are you one of the few in this world who are deeply devoted?

You've liked me for so many years,

wanting to marry me, have children with me.

I only care about tonight.

If you didn't say it,

how would I know what you wanted to do tonight?

I'm already dead, aren't I?

Yes, you're dead,

but fortunately not completely cold yet.

You are...

Young Master, have you forgotten?

We met in the Gong Mansion a few days ago.

Gong Mansion?

Yes.

A few days ago, when you were reading at night.

Young Master.

Miss, who are you?

I accompanied you in studying before.

Don't you remember?

I'm the little black cat you saved years ago.

Since that day,

I've been thinking about

repaying your kindness.

Liu Yuanzhi,

come with me.

Madwoman,

what nonsense are you talking about?

Lotus moon comes the little raccoon slave,

guarding the farmstead with thousands of books.

Ashamed of my poor family and thin honors,

cold without a cushion, eating without fish.

This is the

poem I wrote.

This is the poem you gave me.

Miss Cat.

Slow down.

I just traded a tail for your life.

It's not stable yet.

Wrap these up for me.

I'll pack them for you.

What are you doing, beggar?

Get lost!

Get lost!

Get rid of him.

Don't interfere with my business!

Get lost!

Get lost!

It stinks, what's this smell?

It stinks.

It stinks.

Don't stay in my stall.

Get lost, beggar!

Stay away!

It's too smelly, smells like rat droppings.

It's a mouse.

Master!

Master! Master!

I remember it right.

Today is the seventh night. How come there's no movement?

Did I come late?

Master.

Are you crazy?

You're driving me nuts.

Before, it was only for two or three days,

but this time it's for seven days.

I'm worried you'll starve or suffocate.

I'll come out now.

Now it's fine.

I have closed myself off many times before.

There's no need to make such a fuss.

Master.

Please don't close yourself off.

There's a nobleman named Zhu

who wants us to catch demons and save people.

Master.

Go away. No need.

Saving people is a duty.

Saving people is a duty, slaying demons is also a duty.

Every action has its consequences. Unresolved issues weigh on the heart.

The reason for my seclusion

is to clear away these things

from the mind. Understand?

Stop thinking about it.

You won't understand.

Master, when can I be in seclusion?

When you've figured it out.

Then...

Should we save the person or not?

Don't talk nonsense. Hurry up and follow me.

Okay.

[Zhu Residence]

Your illness is not just an ordinary plague;

it's caused by the venom of a malicious rat demon.

Traditional herbal remedies won't suffice.

Unless...

Unless what?

Unless you use the tail of a demon cat as medicine.

Cats and mice are natural enemies,

and their toxins naturally counteract each other.

You mean,

wise one,

that there's still hope for my illness?

That's right.

There have been several disappearances near the Red Brothel in recent months.

I'm worried about your safety.

Acting on my own initiative,

I sent someone to investigate the background of that dancer one month ago.

Today, the local authorities in Yangzhou

sent me an old case file.

In the 26th year of the Kaiyuan era,

a peasant girl named Yin was married off to a local wealthy family.

The family invited a fortune teller to choose an auspicious date for the wedding,

and they selected the third day of the tenth month.

However, they didn't expect...

What demon?

That night, the peasant girl Yin went missing,

and almost the entire wedding procession were brutally killed.

After hearing this,

don't you have anything to tell me?

So, everyone says I went missing.

It was her who went missing.

Aren't I her?

No, you're not.

A sedan man survived in the wedding procession.

He told a story.

A story of

a demon cat possessing someone's body.

Then who am I?

You are a demon.

You killed her.

Are you here to seek revenge for love?

When I was young, I heard stories about demon cats that

were chilling, tales of them captivating souls

and usurping human bodies.

In the past, I thought demon cats were terrifying monsters.

But now?

She's beautiful.

You like me?

Yes.

I'm not someone you know.

I've never really known her.

But now,

I really know you.

Don't worry.

Are you trying to be with a demon now?

It's different from before.

Besides, human hearts are more deceitful than birds and beasts.

You're a human.

How can I trust you?

Do you want me to become a demon?

Can you still be human

if you're with me?

Master.

This is not a fish.

This is a dried corpse.

Its essence is drained,

and its vitality is completely lost.

It's the work of a demon cat.

Huaishan.

We came to the wrong place in Luoyang.

Master, once we find the demon cat, won't everything be fine?

We can save people by taking one of her tails.

The key is we have never found such a big demon.

Are you afraid we can’t defeat her?

There's no demons that I can't defeat.

Well,

with the Tang Dynasty flourishing like this,

how could she hide?

How powerful is this demon's cultivation?

Do you find it disgusting?

A bit.

Don't you think it's cruel?

No.

They are human.

So what?

You and I have the same scent.

We demon cats desperately hide in human skin,

living like you.

But you

on the other hand, live like a demon.

This has never been some kind of earthly paradise.

Living like a demon,

isn't that good?

Maoqiu, you have to understand that

we Demon Cats

need to renew our tails every nine years

to continue living.

You're already sixteen and haven't grown one yet.

Auntie, how can I

have such a tail?

Demon Cats will learn to hunt eventually,

whether it be humans or monsters,

it is the natural law.

It stinks.

My flowers smell better.

What are you thinking?

How long can your clan live?

Longer than you people.

What?

What a pity.

If there is a way,

I will cling to you

until you die.

Nonsense.

Every stolen body has its expiration date.t.

When I change a new one,

will you still cling to me?

Wanna bet?

On what?

I bet on...

no matter what happens,

I will always stick with you.

You stole my flower!

Stand still.

You stinky rat!

Give me back the flowers!

You...

Little Mouse.

A rat meets a cat.

What kind of show is this?

You're up there again.

Mother, I...

How many times do I have to tell you not to go up?

It's not easy for you to become a human body at such a young age.

But you can't hide your mouse scent.

In their eyes, you're always a stinky rat.

Mother...

Stop talking.

Think about it.

I'm doing this for your own good.

Do you remember your cousin?

He sneaked up last month

and ended up like this.

Look, this young man is so handsome,

taking care of his wife so diligently.

It's really enviable.

Let's go.

Hei, can you help me with your magic?

Without a tail,

I'm still weak.

Yuanzhi,

take the sewing I finished last night and sell it.

To buy whatever you want to eat.

Okay.

Okay.

There are still people looking for Demon Cat tails these days.

How interesting.

[Notice]

Yeah, where to find this?

A hundred taels of gold.

Really?

That's a lot.

Why don't we try?

Please come in.

Master, they are here.

I have posted notices throughout the city.

Anyone who can get the tail of Demon Cat

will be rewarded with 100 taels of gold.

Please stay here and wait for news.

What's wrong?

Are you sick?

Let me ask you.

If I don't look like this one day,

or I get a younger and prettier body,

do you still love me?

I love you.

I love you.

Alright.

Stop teasing me.

Let me tell you something serious.

A rich man surnamed Zhu in the south of the city

offered a reward of a hundred taels of gold for anyone

who can track down the trail of Demon Cats.

What for?

He wants your tails to cure illness and prolong life.

How dare him!

I'll throw him out of Luoyang City these days.

No need.

Zhu

is just a greedy businessman who is afraid of death.

The real enemy

hasn't shown up yet.

There's someone you're afraid of?

In the next few days,

I'll keep Maoqiu from running around recklessly.

I finally found you.

You Little Mouse is hiding here.

Give me back my flowers!

If you plant the flower here,

can it live?

So what?

After being with me for a long time,

It becomes smelly too.

What are you doing?

Who is this flower for?

For me?

Stay away from me.

I stink.

It smells so good.

I like your smell.

Fine.

Since you stole my flowers,

From tomorrow onwards you sell flowers for me.

If I help you sell flowers,

I definitely won't be able to sell a single one.

The people up there all hate me.

But I don't hate you.

Remember, tomorrow,

500 taels of gold to find Demon Cat tails.

It's really valuable.

This is rare.

You'll have to search carefully.

Stop!

Stop!

Stop running!

Stop! Stop! Stop!

Stop! Stop!

Stop! Stop!

Stop! Stop!

What are you doing?

He stole fish in our master's pond.

He deserves it.

Right.

How to beat him if he stole fish?

I'll break the hand that stole the fish.

That makes sense.

You wait here.

Yuanzhi, are you alright? Let's go.

I'm fine.

Why did you go fishing in someone else's pool?

I can't catch one in the river.

Is it worth it

for two fish?

You gave me another chance to live.

But nothing has changed.

I'm still a loser

who can't give you anything.

I'm a cat.

I don't need what you said.

Who says there's no change?

We have fish now.

Neither a life of poverty nor a life of wealth and nobility

compares to a life where you can eat fish.

Right, you are a cat,

so you don't understand.

Where is he?

Are you not selling flowers today?

I have a surprise for you today.

I found a very interesting place.

Come.

Where are you?

The view of Luoyang City from up here is truly unique.

I've never been to a place this high before.

I'll take you to a higher and better place.

Look at that spice store.

When I was passing by,

I kept sneezing.

The clothes from that clothing shop

must look nice on you.

There's a little boy

seems to be drawing.

This is the best time.

What are you doing?

Calm down.

How is it?

Do you like me clinging onto you?

I can't see anything.

I'm scared.

You shouldn't be scared.

Let go of me!

How stupid.

What happened?

I'm not playing with you.

Maoqiu.

Come on.

You are...

I am her. She is me.

Where are you?

Why not let her take my place?

Come out!

If you are willing,

I'll take her away now

and stay with you forever.

Don't play tricks on me again.

Remember,

no one can replace you.

I hunt in the city

to absorb their Yang Yuan energy

to maintain this body skin.

Unfortunately,

tt's nothing but just a drop in the bucket.

Then what to absorb?

The essence and blood of a mouse.

The alchemist's cultivation...

Alchemist?

A alchemist who has cultivated for years

possesses a pure constitution.

However, it's better not to provoke them.

If you encounter someone formidable,

you might not be able to defeat them.

What?

Hello.

Alchemist.

Don't be afraid. I just want to talk to you.

You've been with a girl

recently.

Haven't you?

You knew she is a Demon Cat?

That's strange.

You're a mouse and she's a cat.

You two are natural enemies.

Don't you want to die if you stay with her?

She won't eat me.

Are you sure?

Although she won't right now,

she will eventually.

She won't.

Bewildering others,

taking the body and absoring the essence and blood

can enhance her cultivation.

This is the nature of a Demon Cat.

It won't change.

You're an alchemist.

You didn't hurt me either.

This...

This is different.

Being an alchemist is my choice.

But you have no choice.

I only know

she's the only one who shares the best things with me in this world.

She's my only friend.

If she eats me,

that would be great.

What did you just say?

I didn't hear you clearly.

Look.

The wine is so fragrant.

I just want to have a sip.

So you're also a drunkard,

just like my master.

My master's wine pot...

He stole it.

1,000 taels of gold

1,000 taels

We'll be rich if we really find it

Let's look for it.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

If we can find the Demon Cat's tail,

we'll have the wealth for the rest of life.

Look at mine.

This is mine.

This is real.

This is real.

This is real.

I have tails here too.

I know where the Demon Cat is.

Excuse me.

I know where the Demon Cat is.

Master, this man broke in

and said he knew the clue about the Demon Cat.

I indeed saw the Demon Cat.

You saw the Demon Cat?

Yes.

I also know where she is.

If you lie to me,

I'll make you like this.

Master Liuzhi,

What do you think?

Master, you must believe me.

I really saw the Demon Cat.

She had two tails,

but now she only has one left.

I was bewitched by her.

I was enslaved and drained of my essence every day.

I was emaciated and miserable, worse off than dead.

Worse off than dead?

This man,

has the demon aura of the Demon Cat.

Not only did they meet,

but also intimate.

But you're not bewitched by her.

If you were really bewitched,

how could you come here?

Tell me the truth.

Okay, I'll tell you.

I saved a black cat when I was young.

This black cat, in order to repay me for saving its life,

exchanged for my life with its tail.

We've been living together since then.

But I'm a scholar.

I don't study to be with demons,

or do farming day and night.

I have my big ambition.

You are really a man with gratitude.

I'll teach you the method to cast a love spell on that black cat.

Choose a day to bring her here,

and then hand her over to us.

Thank you for your help.

You don't have to thank me.

You're the kind of person I hate the most.

I help you

because we are all human beings.

Master, I have a doubt.

I heard that

Zhu Wanyi is a famous profiteer,

he engaged in illegal trade in the beginning.

Is he worth saving?

Boss, a bowl of Tangyuan.

Okay.

And the demons we want to kill,

do they all deserve it?

People have good and evil in them.

Demons are the same.

But some demons

are not humans after all,

even though they're not in demon body.

Its remaining nature

can still hurt people.

This is their instinct.

It has nothing to do with good or evil.

Master, wait for me!

Maoqiu, look what I brought you.

Did you steal again?

I met an alchemist.

He wanted to catch me,

but he was defeated by me.

This is a trophy from him.

Fine, you're just bragging.

Let's drink.

Okay.

Listen.

Don't let other girls kiss you again.

Got it?

How can I...

Little black cat.

I'm sorry.

Yuanzhi, where are you taking me?

Don't worry. You'll know later.

Take a look.

What do you think?

Do you like it?

Do you want to wear it?

I thought

one day

I can hold a wedding

with you in the city.

But I have no identity anymore.

Back home we can also happily

have our own wedding.

Even without these elaborate decorations,

I'll still be very happy.

I'm a cat.

I don't care about that.

Yuanzhi.

Am I pretty?

In our tradition, before we hold a wedding,

the bride is not allowed to see the groom.

Yuanzhi, are you sick?

I'm sorry.

Yuanzhi.

Go!

Master Liuzhi, you deserve the reputation.

Why,...

do this to me?

Sorry.

Cut!

Liu Yuanzhi.

The lotus and moon welcome a little cat.

It protects all the books in my study.

I'm poor and ashamed to reward it meagerly

that it has no cushions to sit on when cold,

and often no fish in his food.

No!

What a mistake!

I'm sorry.

Money.

Money.

All is mine.

It's almost dawn.

Do you want to go somewhere higher?

Why aren't you saying anything?

Little Mouse.

Little Mouse, what's wrong?

I'm fine.

I'm sorry.

It's all my fault.

I ate your blood by mistake.

I didn't mean it.

I couldn't control myself.

It's not your fault.

It's me who brought that bottle of wine.

Listen to me.

Don't cry.

Without you,

I would have lived underground forever.

What's the point

of living like that?

Let's go somewhere higher.

Okay.

Since my father passed away,

my mother has been living underground.

She said she would never come up.

I can't do the same.

Because of you.

When I'm with you,

I look forward to every day.

If there is a next life,

I want to be a little mouse again,

living in the sewer with you.

No.

I'll be a cat.

Maybe we can catch mice together.

Why don't we jump together?

Let's go to the next life together.

Okay.

All I know is

that she is the only one

sharing the best of this world with me.

She's my only friend.

Eaten by her

would be the best thing.

Can you smell it?

I can smell it all.

Little Mouse, wake up.

Wake up!

I don't want a next life.

I want this life.

Wake up now.

Please, open your eyes.

I'm begging you.

You ate the mouse's blood.

Now you finally have your first tail.

Wake up!

Wake up!

Wake up.

What a beautiful tail.

You should thank it for saving you.

Aunt.

Remember this day.

Remember how you got your first tail.

As a Demon Cat,

you must learn to hunt sooner or later.

I couldn't figure out

why those two demons would rather die

than do it.

Until one day,

I met Liu Yuanzhi again.

Fool!

Fool! Beat the fool!

Run!

Hei.

I finally know that some feelings

need to be proven by our lives.

Hei.

Because if we give it up early...

Hei.

In the end,

life is worse than death.

All is no use now.

Do I look different?

No.

You lied to me.

Aunt.

Aunt.

I saw it just now.

They seem to have hired an alchemist.

What's his name?

There is an old one and a young one.

The old one seems to be Liuzhi.

Liuzhi?

I'm scared.

Don't be.

You only have one tail now.

They won't notice.

But don't come to my place

for the next few days.

You want to take the alchemist's powers.

Is it worth it?

You're just a human.

Don’t pretend that you understand me.

Mr. Gong, here is your medicine.

Mr. Gong, take care.

Master, that man...

Such a heavy demonic aura is rare to find.

This person has an extraordinary physique

as well as an imposing aura.

His Yang energy is leaking out.

He must be bewitched by a Demon Cat.

A rare and strong demon.

I just placed a track talisman on him

to find out the demon's residence first.

Master, I'm going, too.

Where to?

Take my knuckle.

What did I teach you?

The tail of a Demon Cat is priceless,

but a human's heart is poisonous.

What do you mean?

You'll understand in the future.

I'm leaving.

Apple of Sodom.

So we finally meet.

Finally.

Do you like this place?

After all, you're going to die here.

Your primordial spirit is full of blood.

There must have been

a lot of wrongful deaths here.

Yes.

You'll be one of them.

Borrowing from the Five Elements,

swallow the gold!

Borrowing from the Five Elements,

grab the wood!

I will break your spell.

Sleep.

Borrowing from the Five Elements,

freeze with water!

You lunatic!

You can only break it to fix it.

I'll let you pay with your life today.

Borrowing from the Five Elements...

Heavy fire!

Tianbao.

Let go.

He'll burn you to death.

Nasty Alchemist. Do you kill humans now?

Humans are not righteous,

but demons have feelings.

In such a world,

what is indeed right or wrong?

Stop the spell!

Master! Master!

Master!

Don't you want revenge?

A demon can't kill my master.

Master was killed by a human.

Now the person who killed him is dead.

Who am I going to take revenge on?

Who told you I'm dead?

If you were that person...

My master would have been killed by someone.

That's the government's business then.

If you want me to believe you,

just stay here

and atone for your sins in this prison.

Sorry, Mr. Gong.

Take him down.

Don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid.

I'm here.

I'm here.

Do you remember our bet?

I told you I'll pester you forever

until you die.

You are in me and I'm in you.

Although this world is small,

there's you and me.

Master.

We don't know good from evil

and ignore right and wrong.

Just because we think demons are harmful,

they deserve to die.

But since ancient times,

it's mostly been humans who kill humans.

Doesn't it make us worse than demons?

I can't tell you

the answer right now.

All these years,

I've been keeping you by my side.

But I never ask you to kill.

That's because

I don't want you to follow me blindly.

But one day,

I believe

that you will find the answer for me.

[No animals were hurt in this film.]