Original subtitles

♪The rift in time and space is deftly manipulated♪

♪Dark clouds roil, malice lurking and waiting♪

♪I roar, stirring a wild tempest on the ground♪

♪No need for praise, courage is my nature♪

♪Unable to endure the deafening cries for help♪

♪Then don't look back. I'll bring this battle to an end♪

♪I will not be a caged animal♪

♪Passive waiting is not my way♪

♪Awakened from slumber, the sealed power ignites♪

♪With the Divine Warrior's Physique, I preserve justice's fate♪

♪Don't be too alarmed. I have made my entrance♪

♪Step aside willingly. Watch as I address the chaos of battle♪

♪In youth, we're wild and free, even venturing where dragons be♪

♪This battle's not in vain, for the light that I maintain♪

[Hero Is Back]

[Adapted from Xu Chen's comic: Rakshasa Street]

[Episode 12]

Lingyu,

I actually came here today

to explain

everything.

The reason the three of us

are going to the Luhua Ancient Tower

is to rescue someone.

Rescue someone?

Yes.

My unconscious companion

is named Cao Yanbing.

Ten years ago, his mother

entered the Luhua Ancient Tower

and never returned.

That's why he's determined

to go in

and rescue her.

As for Xia Ling,

her father was once a Spiritual Guardian

who died mysteriously ten years ago.

So she's entering the tower

to uncover the truth.

Then,

what about you?

It's all for Shui, of course.

Shui?

Is that your daughter?

Did you find her?

I did find her.

But three months ago,

I was sabotaged by a traitor,

and Shui got caught up in it too.

Her Primordial Spirit was shattered.

How did that happen?

I've heard that inside the Luhua Ancient Tower,

there's a secret realm called Penglai,

which holds the Divine Power.

It can purify corruption

and has the ability to restore life.

So, I've been thinking,

maybe I can enter the tower

and use this power

to save Shui.

Lingyu,

the three of us are going into the tower

for the sake of our loved ones.

I'm sure you can understand,

so

I'm hoping

you'll help us

by having Ruofu

lead the way for us.

Of course.

If I were in your shoes,

I'd do

whatever it takes

to enter the tower too.

Rest assured,

I'll discuss it

with Ruofu tomorrow.

But tonight,

let's just enjoy some drinks and catch up.

Here,

another toast to you.

Okay.

I really don't get it.

With such a low tolerance for alcohol,

why are you still trying to outdrink everyone?

Be careful.

I'm not drunk. I can drink more.

Get me another drink.

Yan Ruofu,

why do you have to push yourself

so hard all the time?

Water.

Water.

I need to drink water.

I need some water.

Who's hosting whom here?

I need some water.

I'm getting you the water.

I'm getting it right away.

Let me raise another cup to you.

Lingyu,

I think we've both had enough

to drink today.

You've had a long day too,

so you should head back and get some rest.

Beiluo,

it's been years since we last met.

Why the rush to leave?

Let me tell you,

I have plenty of fine liquor at my place.

Don't be shy.

Tonight, we must drink until we drop.

Here.

Don't be so formal with me.

I'll down this one first

to show my respect.

Lingyu,

I remember you have internal injuries.

Drinking so much

could worsen your condition.

Let's call it a night before it gets out of hand.

As a female general,

I'm not that delicate.

It's nothing.

Besides,

since we're catching up with old friends today,

we must drink

until we drop.

Let's keep going.

Cheers!

All right.

What's wrong?

Sorry,

I need to go out for a bit.

Beiluo,

are you all right?

Sorry about that.

It seems age has caught up with me,

my tolerance for alcohol isn't as strong as before.

I'll be right back.

Just wait for me.

Beiluo.

Where is Cao Yanbing?

Is he in the room?

He's probably in the room.

Did you wrap up your drinking?

Is the catch-up over so quickly?

Let's drop that for now and go inside to take a look.

Take a look at what?

Didn't you say

you wanted to see something?

Did you see it?

Close the door first.

Close the door.

What's going on?

By the sacred master's will,

with my blood as a medium,

I open the underworld

and call upon the Six Paths.

With my blood as a medium,

I open the underworld

and call upon the Six Paths.

By the sacred master's will,

with my blood as a medium,

I open the underworld

and call upon the Six Paths.

Master,

is that you?

Celestial Fox.

You really are still around.

I'm so glad to see you again.

Thousands of years have gone by,

and you're still

such a sentimental little fox.

It seems you've held on

to the toy I gave you back then.

I remember you said

this small mirror

was made from shards

of the Sky-Patching Stone.

Although it doesn't have the same power

to mend the heavens

or bring the dead back to life as a complete stone,

I hoped

it might still bring you back for a moment.

It really is only for a moment.

Remember to send me back

into Cao Yanbing's body later.

Got it.

But Master,

why are you in Cao Yanbing's body?

Weren't you supposed

to have been obliterated in that great battle

years ago?

Obliterated?

It wasn't that easy.

Though I was defeated in the great battle,

I left behind lingering energy

that drifted through the world.

After thousands of years

of absorbing the essence of heaven and earth,

I regained my power

over 800 years ago.

But I was soon sealed again

by the Prison Guardian.

Not long ago,

Cao Yanbing

suddenly appeared.

Not only did he allow me to see the light of day once more,

but his Divine Warrior's Physique

also provided me with a new host to inhabit.

I see now what you've been through.

No wonder Cao Yanbing is so formidable.

He's utilizing

your immense power.

What's even more wonderful

is that Cao Yanbing is actually planning

to visit the Luohua Ancient Tower.

Do you know

what's inside that tower?

I've heard

that within it is a realm called Penglai,

which harbors the most supreme Divine Power.

Do you know

which deity this refers to

and who actually wields that power?

Could it be...

Although my physical body perished back then,

the core of my power

remained indestructible,

trapped within the Penglai realm.

Now that I've taken form again,

I plan to completely corrupt

Cao Yanbing's mind,

seize his body,

and then reclaim

my power from Penglai.

With that, I will be able to rule the world once more.

What?

Is that true?

Did I hear that right?

When have I ever lied to you?

What can I do for you?

I'll give it my all, no matter the cost.

You don't need

to do anything for the time being.

We'll talk about it later.

Master,

actually, Cao Yanbing's journey

to the Luhua Ancient Tower

wasn't by chance.

It was intentionally directed by someone.

Directed by someone?

What do you mean?

His name is Huangfu Longdou.

Human as he is,

he is a rare and powerful figure

in the Spiritual Crossroads,

with the strength and ambition

to topple the Border Realm.

He drew Cao Yanbing

to the Luhua Ancient Tower

to gain its power.

I'm concerned

he might interfere with your plans.

Do you need me to deal with him?

Celestial Fox,

do you know

what's the most fun in this world?

It's watching a show unfold.

Watching people painstakingly plan

and strive,

only for it to benefit

someone else in the end.

Isn't this show exciting?

This world is too dull.

We need a little fun,

don't you agree?

Be good,

I'll come back to see you,

little fox.

Master.

Master?

Master,

I can make my fox ears

disappear this time.

Good job.

It looks great this time.

Little fox,

I have something important to take care of.

Why don't you go play somewhere else for now?

Master,

please bring me along

for this great battle.

As I've already said,

you don't have to go.

I know I'm young

and weak,

but I want to fight to the death for you.

I also want to protect you.

You talk too much.

Master.

Little fox,

I'll come back and see you.

Master.

Master,

regardless of whether you need it or not,

I will definitely help you.

What?

Are you saying General Yan

intentionally sent us away

to deal with Cao Yanbing?

Are you sure about that?

I'm only speculating.

I intended

to just drink a little bit tonight and return,

but Yan Lingyu

insisted on keeping me company.

Despite her internal injuries,

she insisted on drinking until the end,

as if she were stalling for time.

I felt something was wrong,

so I found an excuse

to leave early and come back.

I hope I'm just overthinking it.

I think you might be overthinking it.

We've just arrived at Lingfeng Street

and already have a conflict

with the Wind-Treading Clan,

so it's natural to be cautious.

But since he seems

to be okay now,

we shouldn't jump to conclusions

and risk wrongfully accusing someone.

That makes sense.

It's probably because after so many years

of roaming around,

being wary has become my second nature.

Oh,

did you bring up the important matter

with General Yan while drinking today?

You mean the guide?

I did.

Not only did I bring it up,

but I also explained to her

why we needed to go

to the Luhua Ancient Tower.

She didn't refuse at all

and readily agreed

to have Yan Ruofu guide us.

She agreed just like that?

Didn't she mention any conditions?

Conditions?

She didn't mention any.

Maybe since we helped Lingfeng Street

deal with the Fire-Eater King,

she's just returning the favor,

which is quite normal.

No.

I feel

that things aren't as simple as they seem.

So you're suggesting

that Yan Lingyu

appears to be friendly with us on the surface

but actually has ulterior motives?

She has quite the motive there.

Considering how she insisted

on asking you to stay with her tonight,

I seriously suspect

her real purpose is to...

To what?

To get you.

Honestly, I think she's interested in you.

It's getting late. Go get some rest.

I genuinely believe it.

In fact, I've already analyzed it.

Think about it...

Don't push me out.

She's a general

who lacks nothing.

She's beautiful and wealthy,

so what could she be missing?

What do you think she lacks in her life?

She only lacks...

Sleep.

Go to bed now.

Stop talking nonsense.

There's one more thing I'd like to say. Just one.

I'm serious.

Go ahead.

Here's the thing.

Today,

although Cao Yanbing helped everyone

defeat the Fire-Eater King,

he destroyed a house

and he looked pretty frightening.

The general didn't say anything,

but I bet the clan members

are really displeased with us.

Just look at the Young General's sour face

when she arrived today.

I suggest

we all pitch in

to help repair the house

and ease the tension with the clan members.

Now, that sounds reasonable.

Also, you should showcase

your abilities

in front of the female general.

Actually, I have

a few more ideas to share with you.

Would you like to hear them?

All right, it's settled then.

See you tomorrow.

Bye, and good night.

[Assembly Hall]

Do you think it's plausible

to claim that you were ambushed

and then fainted?

I dare not deceive you, General.

I woke up this morning

to find that I had been knocked out

and left in the yard.

I truly don't know who did it.

Beiluo Shimen?

It probably isn't him.

I had suspicions too,

which is why I used the excuse of delivering breakfast

to investigate.

There was nothing out of the ordinary

about him and the girl named Xia Ling.

They are probably not involved.

If it's not them,

then who could it be?

General,

how about I give it

another try tonight?

That's not feasible.

Last night, we had a chance

because Cao Yanbing

was badly wounded and unconscious,

and Beiluo Shimen and Xia Ling

were off guard.

We had our chance then,

but it won't come again.

I'll think of another plan.

Relay my order.

Tomorrow,

I want to host a banquet

for our guests.

What

is the meaning of this?

To deal with an opponent,

it's not always necessary to resort to violence.

Simply follow my instructions and make

the arrangements.

You'll see why in the future.

Yes, Ma'am.

Xia Ling?

Beiluo?

Where are they?

This trinket of yours is quite nice.

That should be him.

He looks quite young.

So it's him.

It is him.

He's the one who killed the Fire-Eater King.

Yes.

You said he's pretty capable.

You know his appearance but not his true nature.

Sir, some buns, please.

Sure. Just a minute.

Here.

You can have it.

They are dirty.

I'll go...

I'll go get you some fresh ones.

How much do I owe you?

Nothing.

Free of charge.

Why free of charge?

You can't talk?

You

were speaking just fine earlier.

Where can I find Xia Ling and Beiluo?

Nails.

Here you are.

Okay.

We did a great job.

The progress this morning is quite promising.

Why are you two

fixing the house here?

I'm starving.

He's awake. How are you?

Do you feel any discomfort?

Besides feeling the discomfort

from hunger,

what else could I be feeling?

Do you not remember anything?

What do I need to remember?

Say something, you two.

Just now, the people on Lingfeng Street

looked at me as if they'd seen a ghost.

What's going on?

Do you know

why we're here

fixing the house?

It was blown up yesterday,

and you did it.

I did it?

How is that possible?

Yesterday, I was...

Darling, come here.

What is it?

See if he is the one

who destroyed our house.

It is him.

Did I fight

the Fire-Eater King here yesterday?

That's right.

You fought

the Fire-Eater King here yesterday.

During the battle,

you were consumed by the power

from your own body again,

and it was even more severe than before.

Then, you ended up blowing up

this house.

But it's okay.

You're back to normal now.

We can explain things

to the people of the Wind-Treading Clan later.

They won't really

hold it against you.

Why am I considered abnormal?

Wasn't I consumed by that power

to help them with the Fire-Eater King?

That's true,

but you're also the one who blew up this house.

How about this?

You fix it yourself,

and then we'll go apologize to them.

Apologize?

Why should I apologize?

Yesterday, I saved the Wind-Treading Clan

and Lingfeng Street.

At worst, the pros and cons should balance out.

Why should I apologize?

What kind of logic is that?

You two.

Wait.

What's with this reaction?

Did I say something wrong?

It's just an empty house

with no one in it.

I didn't do it on purpose.

The Fire-Eater King

was going to slaughter their street.

And the Wind-Treading Clan,

well, it's fine if they didn't thank me,

but they went behind my back and criticized me.

It's really rude

and ungrateful.

What's wrong?

Can't I speak honestly?

The people of the Wind-Treading Clan

are just ungrateful

and rude.

I dare you to say that again.

This is great.

My mother even asked me

to pass on the message

that there will be a banquet tomorrow to thank the three of you.

I didn't know the Wind-Treading Clan

was held

in such low regard by you.

If that's how you feel, why don't you just leave?

Why are you still here?

Young General,

you should know

why I'm still here.

If it weren't for the fact that you're the guide,

I wouldn't be arguing with you,

I'd be fighting you.

Sure.

Let's fight.

Who do you think is afraid?

Of course, I'm not afraid.

I'm worried that you might be afraid of me.

Please, both of you, stay calm.

Can't we just talk things over peacefully?

It's none of your business.

With your mediocre skills,

if it weren't for me yesterday,

the Fire-Eater King

would have ruined this place by now.

Let's not even mention your lack of ability.

You don't even have the self-awareness.

I offered to help

out of goodwill,

and you locked me up,

calling me a braggart.

How about now? Isn't this embarrassing for you?

Cao Yanbing, that's enough.

You've crossed the line.

You beat the Fire-Eater King.

So what?

I think you

are just as bad as he is.

The Fire-Eater King didn't blow up any houses,

but if you don't achieve your goals,

you'll probably be even worse than him.

Young General,

your comments are out of line.

It's going a bit too far.

Whether I'm good or bad depends on who the person is.

Right now, I'm obviously on the side

of Lingfeng Street,

but who knows what the future holds,

especially

since you'll be the future Spiritual Guardian.

You...

Why did you have to talk

like that?

- Well... - Young General.

That's just the way things are.

You shouldn't back down in a verbal fight.

Young General.

[Lingfeng Street]

Don't mind Cao Yanbing.

He always

speaks harshly,

but it's not really

how he feels inside.

One of you plays the bad cop

and the other the good cop.

Such nice teamwork.

Since you've already offended me,

there's no need to try and appease me.

The only reason you followed me

is that you still expect me

to be your guide.

Why are you

so ungrateful?

Although most

of what Cao Yanbing said today

was wrong,

he was right about one thing:

we saved you.

I don't care what others

think of us.

At least we don't owe you anything.

Yes,

you saved me.

I'm thanking you here.

Are you satisfied now?

I'm not satisfied.

What kind of attitude is this?

Is this how you show gratitude?

This is how I show my gratitude.

It's up to you whether you accept it or not.

I won't accept it.

Listen,

if you're not going to thank me, then don't.

But if you do want to express your gratitude,

look me

in the eye

and say "thank you".

No.

It is possible for me

to thank you properly.

But there is a condition.

Condition?

Let's have a proper fight,

without using Guardian Primordial Spirits.

Why do you want to fight with me again?

Didn't we already have

a drinking contest yesterday?

You were so drunk

that you couldn't even be helped up.

Forget about yesterday.

Let's have a real fight with real weapons.

Are you up for it?

Why do you

want to fight with me so badly?

Did I offend you or something?

If you're scared, just admit it.

What's there to be scared of?

I'm not afraid of you.

All right, it's decided then.

Tomorrow at dusk,

on top of Lingfeng Mountain.

So,

do you need a hand with anything, Beiluo?

If you weren't so impulsive in the future,

we wouldn't be so busy.

I've already explained

that it wasn't done on purpose.

I'm not talking about that.

If so,

what are you talking about then?

Many things.

For example,

you never told me

that you were constantly at risk

of being backfired by demonic forces.

You sneaked out of the prison

and faced the Fire-Eater King alone.

In the military,

lacking any sense

of teamwork like that

would get you harshly reprimanded.

My situation is different.

I'm a Spiritual Guardian,

and after all these years

of fighting solo,

I've become accustomed to it.

But things are different now.

You have friends.

Didn't you want to help?

Do it now then.

Sure.

Since we are friends,

can you show me how it's done?

Can you hammer nails?

Come.

Okay.

Help me hold it, and I'll do the hammering.

Take this.

Cao Yanbing,

you still need to be cautious

about the power within you.

While Yan Ruofu's remark

about you resembling the Fire-Eater King

is a bit of an exaggeration,

it's important to stay alert.

You don't want to end up

being devoured by the demonic power

and doing

something irreversible.

That's impossible.

Yan Ruofu is just spreading

alarmist nonsense.

That's right.

She has a difficult personality.

She's like a hedgehog,

always ready to poke at whoever gets in her way.

Miss Xia finally understands me.

So shouldn't you

apologize to me?

You are like a barking dog. You are no better than she is.

Xia Ling, how can you say that?

Which side

are you really on?

Enough now.

Let's stop the repairs for now.

Let's go have some food,

and we'll pick up where we left off afterward.

Let's go.

Come on.

It's true that I'm very hungry,

but Xia Ling, you must understand

who your real allies are.

Enough

with the bickering.

You should think

about how to handle this guide instead.

That's what really matters.

Here's a general guideline:

Cao Yanbing should talk less.

Why are you telling me to talk less?

You're the one who should cut down on talking.

Both of you should talk less.

Honestly,

if it weren't for what you said,

I wouldn't be wasting my time appeasing that general.

You need her

to be your guide.

Do you understand that?

So it's my fault again?

I was the one who fought the Fire-Eater King, you know.

You did fight the Fire-Eating King.

Why don't you go beat

the Young General up as well?

If she weren't the guide,

I'd have already...

Come in, please.

My mother sent me to ask

if you have any food allergies

or dislikes for tomorrow's banquet.

Not really.

I'm quite easy-going

and have no specific demands.

I've answered everything.

Is there anything else you need to say?

Our showdown is scheduled for tomorrow.

I know.

You...

Don't you want to know what we'll be competing on?

I thought we were supposed to fight?

I know that already.

Are you angry again?

I must defeat her tomorrow.

Never mind.

She already took the initiative

to tell you to ask

about what's involved in the competition.

You'd better play along.

You should be humble when you are asking for a favor.

Young General.

Are you all right?

I'm fine.

Young General,

why do this to yourself?

I was born weaker than others.

So I mustn't slack off.

I don't want to be underestimated

to the extent that people

think they can easily defeat me.

Okay.

Allow me to keep you company then.

Sure.

Please help check my movements.

It's already so late,

can't you let me go get some sleep?

Hold this.

Hold it.

If Yan Ruofu doesn't sleep tonight, neither will I.

Are you ready?

Go ahead then.

Lang Da,

would you like to have a spar with me?

Young General,

it's getting late now.

You should get some rest.

You'll need to perform

for the guests tomorrow.

Perform?

Perform what?

Actually, I'm here to pass on a message

from the General.

There will be honored guests at tomorrow's banquet,

and they expect you

to perform the festive dance.

What?

Mother wants me to dance for them?

[Assembly Hall]

The Young General's dance is exceptional.

it's truly awe-inspiring.

Yes.

Normally, the Young General only performs

during festivals and celebrations.

Keep it up.

Today,

it's considered an exception made for those three guests.

It seems that no matter where you go,

having children perform something is a common trend.

Human behaviors

are remarkably similar.

Come,

let me offer a toast to the three of you.

The Fire-Eater King has declared himself king

and, over the years,

has frequently invaded

and plundered the Lingfeng Street.

This time, he's even more outrageous,

aiming to exterminate our entire street and clan.

Your efforts

to eliminate the Fire-Eater King this time

is truly a great help to me.

Thank you.

General,

this is...

It is a token

of gratitude from my clan.

General,

this is very generous of you.

Thank you so much.

I'm rich now.

There are so many Border Coins.

Liang would be over the moon if I brought them back.

My Rakshasa Street

is finally getting rich.

We are grateful for your kindness, General.

But in terms of the Fire-Eater King,

you have already repaid our favor

by agreeing to let the Young General

be our guide.

So there is no need for further expenditures.

That's right.

My effort to deal with the Fire-Eater King

is also to secure a guide.

All you need to do

is agree to let the Young General be our guide.

Mr. Cao,

as you are new to this place,

you may not know much

about our Luhua Ancient Tower yet.

As the dwelling of deities

in legends,

the tower is extremely perilous.

For thousands of years,

anyone who has attempted to enter

has never come out.

Never came out?

Indeed.

Despite that,

do you still insist on entering the tower?

In the face of extreme danger,

it is not disgraceful to back down.

I believe

that if your family

were aware of this,

they would not want you

to take such risks for them.

Family?

It seems you already know

why we need to enter

the Ancient Tower.

Beiluo

has more or less explained everything to me.

Since you already know,

you must understand

why we are determined to enter

the Ancient Tower.

You mentioned

that no one has ever come out of the Luhua Ancient Tower.

Well, let us

be the first

to emerge from it.

In that case,

I'll be honest with you.

In fact, our clan has had

a long-standing rule:

anyone who wishes to enter

the Luhua Ancient Tower

must first undergo a trial

set by our ancestors.

Only those who pass the trial

are qualified

to be led into the tower by a guide.

How come I've never heard

of such a trial before?

Beiluo,

you never mentioned before

when you came to our Lingfeng Street

that you wanted to go to the Ancient Tower.

What happens

if we fail the trial?

The will of our ancestors must not be violated.

I'm afraid I won't be able to assist you further.

The trial comes with risks,

and life and death are determined by fate.

I hope you all

consider carefully

whether to participate.

General,

may I ask

if the people from ten years ago

also went through the trial?

Of course.

All right.

Since this trial

is a tradition of your Wind-Treading Clan,

I'll respect it.

If the group from ten years ago

was able to pass,

there is no reason we cannot succeed as well.

I will participate.

- Me too. - Me too.

Very well.

I truly admire

your resolve and courage.

In that case,

I will schedule the trial

for tomorrow.

I look forward to seeing your performance.

General,

I have another question.

If we manage to pass the trial,

can you assure us

that the Young General

will definitely be our guide?

Rest assured.

I am the Spiritual Guardian of this street,

and my word is final.

However, the requirement

is that you must pass the trial first.

♪Listen to the heartworm of desire♪

♪Gnawing away at thoughts♪

♪Behold the giant's world♪

♪Quaking and slowly tilting♪

♪We stride through thick smoke♪

♪Fearless in the face of stormy seas♪

♪Pressing on barefoot♪

♪I will never surrender♪

♪The fire blazes fiercely♪

♪Let nightmares and dark nights be erased♪

♪I will never surrender♪

♪Crimson blooms with fervent grace♪

♪For a fresh and radiant tomorrow♪

♪I'll never fail♪

♪I'll never be alone♪

♪Life is like falling leaves♪

♪Having no last words to recover♪

♪With my veiled eyes♪

♪To glimpse the hidden perils♪

♪On the edge of fate's blade♪

♪Facing the darkest abyss♪

♪Daring to leap forward♪

♪I will never surrender♪

♪The fire blazes fiercely♪

♪Let nightmares and dark nights be erased♪

♪I will never surrender♪

♪Crimson blooms with fervent grace♪

♪For a fresh and radiant tomorrow♪

♪I will never♪

♪My fire must blaze fiercely♪

♪Let nightmares and dark nights be erased♪

♪I will never♪

♪Crimson blooms with fervent grace♪

♪For a fresh and radiant tomorrow♪

♪I'll never fail♪