Original subtitles

ADAPTED FROM ZHU YAN BY CANG YUE

I'm willing to tell you

everything I know.

After it.

This is an illusion.

Don't let your mind be distracted.

This is strange.

I used sweet Osmanthus just now.

If we follow the scent,

we should be able to find the entrance.

Shi Ying?

LANG GAN, EMPEROR XINGZUN

Who are you?

Didn't you already know who I am,

Shi Ying?

It's really you.

I killed him.

The Ice Clan had served its purpose.

They no longer have my protection,

so there's no need to fear them anymore.

Emperor Xingzun,

you're indeed still alive.

Yes.

I'm still alive.

It's because

of my obsession with Bai Wei.

That's why

I've been living like a walking corpse

for 1,000 years.

If you have such an obsession with her,

why did you conspire with Ice Clan

and destroy what you both created,

the glorious Kongsang era?

Kongsang has fallen

and can no longer be called a glorious era.

I can't stand by

and watch all the efforts Bai Wei and I made

go to waste.

That's why I want to destroy it myself

and rebuild order.

Only then I can give back to Bai Wei

the prosperous Yunhuang

she never forgot

until her death.

You're so infatuated

with Empress Bai Wei.

It's not an infatuation.

It's deeply ingrained in my heart.

You came to kill me.

It was you who ignited the resurgence of Ice Clan.

I'm the Preceptor from Jiuyi Mountain

and I'm also a citizen of Kongsang.

Anyone who is an enemy of Kongsang,

even if…

Even if that person is you,

I'll fight against him.

Yes.

You're a citizen of Kongsang.

You're the chosen one.

You're the chosen Emperor of Kongsang.

I'm not.

Back then,

I let Bai Wei down

despite her unwavering love for me.

I made her misunderstand me

and I pushed her further and further away.

I spent decades loving her,

but spent 1,000 years

regretting my mistakes.

Do you know this heartbreaking pain?

You won't understand.

Once,

we stargazed together

and I asked her

if the nearest star to us

was an unreachable distance.

She held me

and comforted me, saying,

"No,

as long as you reach out your hand,

you can touch it."

However, I pushed her away

step by step.

Now, you've seen how I ended up.

I've been drifting in this world

for 1,000 years.

I'm very tired.

I knew you would come to me,

so I've been waiting for you.

I know everything

that you've done.

Now that you're here today,

I can finally

let it go.

You can choose to be a ruler

or someone

who assists the ruler.

With you,

Kongsang has a glimmer of hope.

Then I can

peacefully go

and meet her.

Come on.

Do it,

my child.

Come on.

Emperor Xingzun,

please rest in peace.

Where did he go?

I was worried sick.

Are you all right?

I'm fine.

Let's go.

What's inside?

Where's Wu Xian?

Did you see the Sage?

The Sage was none other

than Emperor Xingzun.

He developed an obsession

because of Empress Bai Wei,

so he used Ice Clan

to deal with Kongsang.

Then…

Then where is he now?

He has ascended to the realm of immortals.

Ice Clan has lost his protection

and Wu Xian, the leader of Ten Sorcerers,

was also killed by him.

Ten Sorcerers will collapse

and Ice Clan is no longer a concern.

The current crisis that Kongsang is facing now

is only the Merfolk marine force.

Thrust!

One!

Strike!

Thrust!

One!

- Strike! - Stop right there.

Start.

Sit properly.

- One! - Releasing these captives hastily

may lead to unforeseen consequences.

It's better

if I bring them back to Ye City for thorough interrogation.

General Bai.

Thrust!

One!

Strike!

General Bai.

I'm here on the orders of Prince Shi Yu

to investigate the identities of these marine soldiers.

If they're just ordinary soldiers,

they'll be sent home to reunite with their families.

Thank you for your help, General Qing.

However, these soldiers

are all cunning and deceitful.

You may excel at leading troops into battle,

but interrogation methods require skills.

If not executed properly,

our efforts may go to waste.

At the very least,

there are 8,000 captives from the Merfolk marine force.

I'm willing to share some of the burden with you.

It's all right.

There are laws in our country and the military has its regulations.

Moreover, Preceptor has instructed us

not to abuse them

with private punishment.

General Bai,

it's a large number of marine soldiers.

I need to start dealing with them immediately.

Take them away.

If we treat the Merfolk well,

it won't be long before this battle comes to an end.

Then how can I achieve military accomplishments?

Shi Ying,

I'll remember

what you and your disciple

owe me.

You did it.

I'm glad I didn't let you down.

Shi Yu is currently overseeing the withdrawal of troops.

However, it will take some time

to restore the relationship

between the two clans.

I've obtained an imperial decree

that guarantees the safety of civilians.

Refugees who have lost their homes in the chaos

can seek assistance from local authorities.

Whether they are Merfolk or Kongsang people,

they will be given the same treatment.

Thank you for being thoughtful of us.

I hope that after this battle,

there will be no more conflicts between the two clans.

May peace reign in Yunhuang.

After the war has ceased,

the Sea Emperor must fulfill his promise.

Farmers have their own fields.

Weavers have their own looms.

Everyone should have a home.

The elderly and the young have someone to rely on.

People are wise and knowledgeable.

Those who speak have no fear.

Everyone can make the best use of their talents,

learning from the past while embracing new progress.

The well-being of our people shall be everlasting.

The country will also be prosperous and stable.

Now that the matter of Evil Star has been resolved,

so after this,

shouldn't you leave your post?

Fortunately, I have the foresight

and have chosen a pet name for you,

Xiaoyingzi.

What do you think?

Does it sound like Xiaozhuzhu?

Isn't it a good match?

Who's Xiaozhuzhu?

Who else?

It's Zhu Yan, of course.

After you leave the post, your relationship will change.

Perhaps it's time to change how you address each other as well.

Stop talking about it anymore.

Can you honestly say

you didn't leave the post because of her?

Do you dare to deny that you leave the post

because you want to be with her?

I do.

Now that's more like it.

However, Zhu Yan has been the one pursuing you.

You've always been free from desires and truthful without pretense.

So how do you plan to make it clear to her?

I'm indeed not skilled in this matter.

If I were to express my feelings to her rashly,

I'm afraid it would scare her.

I should wait until after I leave the post

before making any decisions.

What kind of joke are you making?

You're afraid of scaring her?

Do you think she's a delicate woman?

You're actually afraid of scaring yourself.

Preceptor.

Lord Chong Ming.

I heard you talking about Princess Zhu Yan just now.

If it weren't for her mediation,

perhaps we wouldn't have been able to trust each other.

The war wouldn't have had room

for resolution so quickly.

Yes.

The ceasefire

was thanks to her.

Preceptor.

I know there are some things I shouldn't say,

but I have to say them.

The happiest time in Princess Zhu Yan's life

was when she became your disciple

and lived with you on Jiuyi Mountain.

The most painful time for her

was when you expelled her from Jiuyi Mountain,

thinking that she'd never see you again in her lifetime.

I watched her grow up

and took care of her like my family.

Now, I have to go and serve my clansmen.

I can't stay by her side all the time to take care of her.

Preceptor.

You're the one who truly brings her happiness.

Since there will be peace in the future,

I hope she'll never shed tears again.

That's my only wish.

I've said things I shouldn't have,

so I'll punish myself with three drinks.

I promise you.

Please sit down.

As Merfolk, we can live for hundreds of years,

so we're used to facing life and death.

I thought I wouldn't care about anything anymore,

but recently,

I couldn't help but think of the past.

Do you remember

the heartbreak I mentioned to you

about hiding in the Western Huang

for over 200 years?

Yes.

The last time Kongsang and the Merfolk signed a peace treaty,

it was presided over

by the woman I love.

She was the chief of Crimson Clan,

Chizu Feili,

who was also Zhu Yan's great-grandmother.

It happened over 200 years ago.

The first time I saw her,

she was dressed in red,

with a heroic demeanor.

Her swordsmanship was outstanding.

It was unforgettable.

Did you stay with Crimson Clan

because of this?

Chizhu Feili,

the Sword Saint of Kongsang,

advocated for a ceasefire with the Merfolk

and the expulsion of the invading Ice Clan.

She was born into a prestigious family.

She was radiant

and splendid,

attracting the attention of countless noble families

and the admiration of the Six Ministries.

I'm worlds apart from her.

I shouldn't have any delusions.

This is the destined sword

that accompanies us Merfolk since birth.

You're the one I drew the sword for.

From that day on,

it has accompanied you and me in sword practice,

as well as in our war campaigns.

However, I haven't figured out

what to name it.

Just now,

I decided to name it

Extreme Biluo.

Extreme Biluo?

Because your Extreme Wind City

is my sanctuary.

Yaoyi,

you have a weakness

because of me.

However, I'll spend my whole life repaying you

by being your sword and armor.

Then it's a promise

that you'll repay with a lifetime.

I only wish that this lifetime was longer.

Extreme Biluo.

The deep affection of a sword.

At that time, as the war continued,

I didn't know

if we would ever be separated,

so I decided to disregard everything

and express my feelings to her.

It's better to end in heartbreak

than regretting it for the rest of my life.

The best thing I've done in my life

is to tell her in person

that I love her.

Shi Ying.

I'll leave it to you

to tell her in this lifetime.

I wonder

what Master is doing now.

Let me go!

I don't want to take a bath!

- Someone is trying to kill me! - This kid…

Help! I don't want to take a bath!

Help me!

Let me go!

Let me go!

Help me!

Someone is trying to kill me!

I don't want to take a bath!

I must hurry.

I can't clean this in time.

Yan'er.

Master.

I've been too busy

to visit you lately.

Are you all right?

How can I let Master

see me in such a messy state?

Yan'er?

Master.

I'm all right.

It's just that

I'm not accustomed

to the environment here.

How about you write a prescription for me?

I wasn't attentive enough.

Wait for a moment.

50 G OF MINT AND COSTUS

TAKE THIS…

TAKE THIS WITH…

TAKE THIS WITH WATER

So beautiful.

Yan'er,

follow this prescription for your recovery.

I'll come and visit you tomorrow.

Master,

I'm just making a fuss about nothing.

If you have something important to do,

please go and do it.

I said before

that no matter what you say

or where you are,

I won't have any more resentful thoughts.

The matter of the withdrawal of troops

was also because of your speech in the hall.

When I was in the streets,

I saw many people

clapping and cheering.

My master sure is amazing.

I've entrusted the matter

of Kongsang's soldier withdrawal to Shi Yu.

As for the Merfolk marine force, Zhi Yuan is taking care of it.

I have no other matters to handle.

Right.

Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival.

Would you like

to accompany me to the market?

Master, is there anything you want to buy?

Just let me know.

I'll have someone buy it for you.

You once said that

you'd show me around in Extreme Wind City.

It didn't happen back then.

How about we do it

in Ye City instead?

You…

You want me to come with you to the market?

Yes.

Just for the sake of wandering aimlessly

and having fun?

Would you like to?

Yes.

All right.

I'll see you tomorrow.

See you tomorrow.

My lady.

Did you see that?

My master came to visit me.

Yes.

The Preceptor just left.

So what I saw wasn't an illusion.

My master did come.

Something is not right.

Could it be

that someone transformed into my master

to deliberately play tricks on me?

My lady,

what are you talking about?

No, that's not right.

What nonsense am I spouting about?

Yes, that's my master.

He came to my room.

He said he wanted to go to the market.

- My lady. - He came to my room.

- Isn't that a good thing? - Go to the market.

Why do you look at it as if it's a catastrophe?

You're right.

It's a good thing, Yufei.

My master is taking me to the market.

My lady.

Come and take a look.

No, right?

How much is that?

I can tell…

Yes, take it.

Master,

it has been a while.

It feels like returning to Jiuyi Mountain.

Is this the place

you wanted to come?

Of course.

I share the same preferences as you.

I like whatever you like.

CALLIGRAPHY AND PAINTING HALL

Look. This is not bad.

Really?

Master,

this painting was painted by Master He Yu,

who is known as a master of painting.

They say it vividly depicts a beautiful woman with bright eyes,

a charming smile,

and lifelike details.

It's one of his representative works

called Huanxi Sand.

Legend has it that the woman in this painting

was someone he encountered by chance

during a spring outing.

Unfortunately,

he didn't express his feelings at that time.

After completing this painting,

he went in search of her,

only to discover

that she had already married.

Master is happy with it.

My efforts yesterday were not in vain.

I have noted down all the renowned artists

and their most sought-after works

in the calligraphy and painting shop

just in case we need them in the future.

"The most famous ancient books and paintings

should be

by Master He Yu.

He excels in portraying beautiful women."

Beautiful women portrait?

This landscape painting was painted by Gu Ruobai.

There are various opinions about which scenery he painted.

Some say it's the forests between the mountains,

likely from Tianque Mountain in the east.

- So it's Tianque Mountain. - Tianque Mountain?

- It's the first time I've heard of it. - So that's the place.

Who is she?

Master, why are they looking at us like that?

They probably mistake you for the commentator in this art gallery.

Watch how I make them leave.

May I ask

about the background of this painting?

This painting

is by a renowned painter surnamed Xi.

The name is quite special.

It's called

Early Moon, Blossoming Spring.

It has gained great popularity in recent years.

Nonsense.

Early Moon, Blossoming Spring?

This painting belongs to Qin Zhang, titled Begonia under the Moon.

Early Moon, Blossoming Spring is pure nonsense.

Her boasting went too far.

- That's right. - So she was just pretending.

This work was actually painted by Qin Zhang

during his retreat on Xishan.

He gave this painting

to his friend, Li Hezhi,

who returned the favor

by writing a poem.

The moon sets on Xishan early

Begonia blossoms in early spring

He also left a note as the name implies.

So Early Moon, Blossoming Spring has its own significance.

Besides,

it serves as the best witness to their deep friendship.

I made things up on the spot.

Master can even cover up for me.

What else can't he do?

So…

may I know what's the background

of this painting on this folding fan?

FOLIAGE

This landscape painting

is one of the representative works of Master Lin An

and it's called

- Foliage. - Foliage?

- Did she say Foliage? - This is Master Lin An's

Orchid and Jade Tree painting.

What does this have to do with foliage?

It's true.

Foliage also has its own significance.

As for the specific background,

I'll let my master explain it to everyone.

Master Lin An has a unique way of titling his works.

He can have a straightforward title,

a tangential title, or even a lying title.

Moreover,

he often hides the true title

within the calligraphy.

He was right in front of me when he created this painting.

The true name of this artwork

is indeed Foliage.

It captures the essence of spring,

symbolizing the birth of the smooth and soft foliage.

Without the foliage growing first,

how could the orchid and jade tree grow?

He has a point.

If you look closely

at the second pine needle of the third branch from the left.

It has a slightly lighter shade of ink compared to the others.

That's because I added it when I was young.

It's true.

This…

Excuse me, sir. May I ask who you are?

I'm just an ordinary person,

not worth mentioning.

Yan'er,

time to go.

He's indeed an expert.

Show it to me.

Come and take a look.

You sure have picked up a treasure.

Right here. This is the one.

- It's indeed there. - It's really there.

Come and take a look.

Let's go.

CALLIGRAPHY AND PAINTING HALL

Master, you're so impressive.

Are there any lies in this world that you can't cover?

Luckily, I know Li Hezhi and Lin An.

If we stayed any longer,

our lies will be exposed.

I can be mischievous at times

and you've always been strict with me.

I didn't expect you to go along with me.

I'm truly overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

What do you expect me to do?

Leave you to perform a one-man show?

However, I didn't expect

that it would be this amusing

to engage in nonsense with you.

So…

you don't have to see me

as your master all the time.

No, I can't do that.

A joke is a joke.

Once a master, you'll always be my master.

As a disciple,

I should adhere to the rules of being a disciple.

However,

Master,

why are you suddenly saying this?

I get it.

It's because you're a cultivator.

You don't want to reveal your identity in the mortal world.

You can put it

that way.

Master…

Then where would you like to go next?

I'll go wherever you go.

No, I'll follow you.

All right then.

When I was young,

I once watched a shadow puppet show.

However, I couldn't watch until the end.

I've always had regrets about it.

How about this?

You accompany me to find it.

If we can find that particular shadow puppet show,

it would be fulfilling

a wish in my heart.

All right.

I'll definitely find it.

That way, your effort to fulfilling my wish

won't be in vain.

STEAMED BUN SHOP

The one over there.

Yes.

Let's take a look over there.

- Sure. - It's hot.

We've already searched several streets,

but we still haven't found that fish.

Master, do you still remember

the color of the fish?

I remember it was red.

Red?

Perhaps it's no longer there

after such a long time.

Then do you remember

what the shadow puppet show's venue

looked like?

I only remember

two large fish swimming around.

They looked happy.

- Awesome! - Incredible!

Excellent!

- Great! - Marvelous!

If I find it, what is my reward?

- Great! - Marvelous!

Are you making me to promise you something again?

Stop right there.

- Awesome! - Awesome!

Your injuries just recovered.

Don't run.

All right, Master.

It's pretty.

I've never seen this before.

Be good.

That's so beautiful!

Later, you can just lead me the way.

Don't run.

All right.

Look.

Did Master hold my hand earlier

because there were many people around

and it wasn't convenient to use magic?

That must be it.

It must be because of the crowd.

- Keep up with him. - Hurry up.

The view is better from over there.

- Wait for me. - Coming.

Let's go.

It's beautiful.

Master, look.

It's these two fish, right?

It was probably the lights

from the shadow puppet show

casting onto the fish,

making it appear as if they were swimming around.

- I'll go there. - All right.

We finally found them.

Yan'er,

thank you.

Don't forget you owe me a favor.

All right.

I'll remember.

Sir,

do you happen to know

if there are any shadow puppet shows nearby?

I remember you.

You're the owner of the shadow puppet show.

I've been performing for more than ten years.

Paper-cutting and shadow puppets

have a similar effect.

Ten years ago,

I watched your show halfway here.

Ten years ago?

The most popular one was Tales of the Righteous Demon.

- Awesome. - Awesome.

Sir,

could you perform it again for us?

We'll generously compensate you.

Miss, there's something you don't know.

Just the other day, Consort Qing summoned

the Princess of the Crimson Clan

to the palace to reprimand her

for her improper behavior,

which made us ordinary folks

bear the consequences too.

Now,

we can no longer perform

any romantic love stories.

It has also affected my business by half.

Innocent people like us were implicated for no reason.

I have to apologize for declining.

Since you're old acquaintances

and have come to my stall.

How about this?

Let me make a small paper-cut portrait for you.

Then can I trouble you to teach me instead?

I'll do it myself.

Sure.

Master must be compensating

for the unintended harm we caused

to the old man's business

out of guilt.

Sir,

please have a look.

It truly is a masterpiece

from the hands of someone with deep affection.

I've been doing paper-cutting for decades,

but I've never seen

such lively and exquisite work.

Now that the paper-cut portrait is finished,

you can choose a congratulatory wedding scroll.

A congratulatory…

A congratulatory wedding scroll?

Have a look.

These words

are from the scripts of my puppet shows,

as well as some fine quotes from scholars.

Both of you

can choose the one you like

and stick this paper-cut portrait

on top of it.

PLEDGE OF ETERNAL LOVE

You misunderstood.

We're not…

"Desirable marriage"?

"Great couple"?

Isn't this the wedding wishes he gave me back then?

These characters

come from the story of a virtuous woman.

It tells the tale of a girl named Liangnv

who fell in love with her lover.

However, their parents disapproved

and their attempt to elope

also failed.

Her lover died

and turned into a star.

The story may be good, but…

The ending is tragic.

Unbelievable.

When you sent me the congratulatory wedding scroll,

you were already foreseeing

my future as a widow.

A LIFETIME TOGETHER, NEVER LOSE, NEVER FORGET, NEVER BE SEPARATED

If a handsome man like Master

were not a cultivator,

I wonder how many women in the world would be infatuated with him.

Which one do you like?

I like…

Right. You mean the wedding scroll.

I like…

This one?

It's a riddle

from the play, Jade Casket.

It refers to a couple in the story

named Orchid and Jade,

who eventually marry

and grow old together.

We happened to see

the Orchid and Jade Tree painting earlier.

It seems

that it's pretty fated.

"A lifetime together,

never lose, never forget, never be separated."

I understand it now.

What is it that you understand this time?

Why are you looking at this scroll again?

Could it be that you intend

to choose this one when you give me the next congratulatory wedding scroll?

Yan'er.

I've planned

to leave the Preceptor post

and resign from the position of divine official

after the withdrawal of the troops.

Shi Ying.

Shi Ying.

Shi Ying.

- Chong Ming? - I've finally found you.

Something happened to your brother.

I heard he was carried back to Jialan.