Original subtitles

[Fate Chooses You]

[Episode 31]

[Liubo Temple]

Where is Xin Mei?

Cooking again?

Yeah.

Are there any words unclear?

No.

I just came to see you.

Which volume is this?

Volume 16.

Sheng just delivered it.

Why are the thicknesses different?

These are still drying.

Volume 11 over there is missing

pages 3 and 7.

And after page 20,

they are all incomplete.

Are you printing

everything in duplicate?

Yeah.

To avoid mistakes.

You alone

have to print, apply ink,

cut the paper, and sort.

Can you manage?

Do you need my help?

No need.

Don't be polite with me.

I've finished carving my books for today.

Time to eat.

Time to eat again?

Let's eat.

Eat up.

Why aren't you eating?

Why is it all cabbage?

Oh, right.

I went down the mountain late yesterday.

By the time I got to the market,

there were no other vegetables left.

Only cabbage.

You don't like cabbage?

No, I like it.

Everything you make is delicious.

Alright.

Then eat more.

Thank you, Senior.

You must have been tired from carving blocks.

Eat more, everyone.

Thank you.

It still smells a bit burnt.

What's wrong?

I think it has a unique flavor.

Midnight snack later.

Be there or be square.

By the way,

which volume are you carving now?

Volume 16.

Is that

the volume about Ma Sheng?

When did you read it?

When you were copying

the old woodblocks.

Who is Ma Sheng?

What's his story about?

He is a stable hand who leads the princess's horse.

Because the princess fell for him,

overnight,

he climbed the social ladder.

“Why was

a story like this included?

Actually, it's a story about

Ma Sheng protecting the princess,

defending the realm,

learning horsemanship and archery,

and eventually went to North Xiang to guard the border.

Since then, they were far apart,

yet they never stopped thinking of each other.

I often see

this kind of story

in cheap street novels.

Later, that Ma Sheng died.

The unsent letters he wrote

to the princess were discovered.

They were all timeless masterpieces of poetry.

And then,

he was given a title

called Lord Youyang.

Why didn't you say so earlier?

Beating around the bush so much—

you could have just said Lord Youyang.

Colluding with the immortal sect,

extracting immortal perceptions,

refining them into Yangyuan Pills,

and selling them back to us.

The Master of Qinghong Sect

is really good at doing business.

Are there any other clues?

After the Master of Qinghong Sect died,

the prefect of Phoenix City took over the mess.

We were in a hurry to bring Senior Bai

back to the Central Plains,

so we didn't notice the mastermind behind it.

I will notify the Sect Leaders

to strictly order the immortal sects to carry out internal inspections.

We must find the traitor

and purge the sects.

-Thank you, Master Li. -Thank you, Master Li.

You've worked hard this time.

North Xiang

has never been bound

by the rules of the Central Plains.

As members of the younger generation,

achieving such results

on your first trip to North Xiang

is truly remarkable.

You flatter us, Master Li.

Actually,

if it weren't for Senior Bai,

I wouldn't have been able to come back.

Bai has worked hard this time.

Master Li,

is there really no chance

for Senior Bai to recover?

The disciples of Lingji Mountain practice the Five-Element Formation.

You should know that

the human body is regulated by the five elements,

and each organ has its own attribute.

Missing one cannot be supplemented.

Besides,

his Qihai,

where the five meridians converge,

has a large hole in it.

And his immortal perception was extracted.

Senior,

I feel there's something fishy about this.

Rumor has it that the Master of Qinghong Sect

is a superior cultivator at the Void Stage.

Qinghong Sect has countless masters.

Bai is a Nascent Soul cultivator,

yet he suffered such a huge loss.

How did the two of you

manage to escape?

Qinghong Sect

uses the pretext of hatred toward the immortal sects

to win people over to their side.

Secretly, they collude with the immortal sects,

hunt immortal sect disciples,

and make Yangyuan Pills for personal gain.

We publicly exposed their

dirty transactions,

caused their followers to rebel,

created chaos,

and took advantage of the situation

to escape.

If I remember correctly,

Young Sect Master Lin,

you're still in the Foundation Establishment Stage, right?

So what?

Senior,

among the two Protectors, the Four Dharma Kings,

and the Eight Vajras

of Qinghong Sect,

even the weakest of them is in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

I don't understand.

How exactly

did you manage to take advantage

of this messy situation?

How could we know

they were so powerful?

You know so much about them.

Have you been to North Xiang

or fought with them?

Randeng,

you once fought with a Dharma King,

right?

How was he?

Master,

his realm was above mine.

Senior,

Randeng is

a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Since we are on this topic,

there are some things

I have to say.

What else do you have to say?

Sect Leader,

I want to file a complaint.

Who are you filing a complaint against?

Sima Randeng.

On our way back to the Central Plains,

we had a fight with some people,

and he used my junior brother

as a human shield.

When the pursuers caught up,

he ran away without looking back.

Abandoning fellow disciples

and fleeing from battle—

he is extremely cold-blooded.

Is what he said true?

Master,

I didn't.

Senior Uncle, if you don't trust me,

you can ask Senior Bai.

However,

his repeated fleeing

makes it hard

not to suspect

whether he did it on purpose.

There is a mole among the immortal sects.

Master Li,

I suggest

we start investigating from our inner circle.

Don't talk nonsense here.

Please investigate this clearly, Master Li.

Master,

I came back to deliver the message.

I never had any intention of abandoning

my fellow disciples to save myself.

Senior Bai is still in recovery.

Once he wakes up,

we will know exactly what you did.

The Twelve Immortal Sects are united as one,

which is why we have today's prosperity.

When you first joined the sect,

didn't anyone teach you

to remember the rules of Dao?

Disciples of the immortal sects must not harm fellow disciples,

must not leave others to die,

and must not disregard morality and ethics.

Isn't being callous

and standing by while others are in danger

a form of evil?

Even a newly admitted disciple

wouldn't just leave

a dying fellow disciple behind.

What?

Are you a baby in swaddling clothes?

A scourge like you

doesn't deserve to be in Tianyuan Mountain,

worshipping the same Dao Ancestor as us.

Sect Master,

Master,

he is exaggerating

and making false accusations.

This is the touchstone of Tianyin Mountain.

It can test if you are lying.

I dare to swear on it.

What about you?

Do you dare?

Kneel!

Our Tianyuan Sect

is the head of the Twelve Immortal Sects.

Senior Brother Sect Leader

chose you

among all the disciples.

This trip to North Xiang was for gaining experience.

But what did you do?

You escaped multiple times

and ruined the trust

between fellow disciples.

Now you are still making excuses in front of the Sect Leader.

Admit your mistake!

I was wrong.

Senior Brother.

For this trip to North Xiang,

I was supposed to escort Bai.

But

I was injured in Chongling Valley

and had no choice

but to recommend Randeng

to go in my place.

Randeng is the disciple

I personally raised.

Although his personality is a bit flawed,

he is

absolutely loyal to you

and Tianyuan Sect.

This time,

he must have just lost his head for a moment.

Even if I don't say anything,

I'm afraid Junior Lin

won't let it go.

Go apologize to Young Sect Master Lin!

Okay.

I was wrong about this.

Please forgive me, Young Sect Master Lin.

If you're still dissatisfied,

you can just

give me a few punches here and now

to vent your anger.

Alright.

You asked for it.

Thank you for the lesson, Young Sect Master Lin.

[Liubo Temple]

Let's go?

Let's go!

Where are you going?

Lu, you are up so late at night.

Where are you going?

To buy ink.

So late at night?

To buy ink?

Yeah.

Let us go with you.

Senior.

Here is the sweet soup I made.

Here.

Thank you, Senior.

It's so late. Why are you still reading?

If I finish the proofreading at night,

I can focus on carving during the day.

Don't read so late in the future.

It's bad for your eyes.

There's no rush.

We should rush.

Once the book is carved,

we can return to the Sect,

right?

You miss Master?

No.

Senior,

they went out to eat again.

If they come back late,

they'll wake up late tomorrow,

and the work will never get done.

So you just want to help everyone

finish the work?

Our Sheng has grown up.

No.

It's that Lu Qianqiao.

He says your food is delicious,

but he never skips a late-night snack.

Where did this come from?

Baked buns!

Crispy and tasty baked buns!

Take a look, sir.

Honey pastries!

Only three Wen!

Are you really here to buy ink?

Come and take a look.

This street is full of food.

Look at the honey pastries.

Can you stop walking?

You've had several bowls of rice tonight,

but we haven't eaten anything yet.

Well...

Smelling all these

and walking around in circles,

isn't this torture?

This is the place.

This shop

is a century-old brand in Phoenix City,

and the sheep blood tofu stew is their signature dish.

Fresh sheep blood,

boiled with bone broth—

tender and delicious.

Weren't you

unable to taste anything before?

How do you know so much?

Lin Muhan said it.

The sheep blood tofu stew is here!

Here.

Thank you.

Enjoy.

You're so particular now?

This makes me look like I'm not particular at all.

Delicious!

You haven't had much good food before.

You just recovered your Taste,

and then you ate the food Xin Mei cooked.

It's understandable

you can't tell good from bad.

Now that you've had something good,

objectively speaking,

what do you think of Xin Mei's cabbage feast?

I think it was pretty good.

What do you think?

That would be so offensive.

But to be honest,

it really

tasted awful.

He fell down together

with Xia Xuanzi at that time.

I did try to grab him

and pull him up.

But...

but the moment I saw

Xia Xuanzi,

I was so terrified that I lost my composure

and let go of his hand.

Jin Lun...

Jin Lun!

I thought he and Xia Xuanzi

were both buried under the cliff.

But later, while escorting Tang You

and An back to the Central Plains,

I met him again.

He's still alive?

He lost an arm.

There are countless poisonous insects under Wushui Cliff.

If it were an ordinary cultivator,

they would definitely have died.

But he had the Master of Tianyin Mountain's

bracelet protecting him,

so he survived.

And then?

Why?

Why did you do that to me?

Didn't you say

the core of fate never changes?

Why

didn't you foresee what I've done to you?

I am the daughter of Xia Xuanzi.

I am heartless by nature.

The earlier you realize it,

the better it'll be for you.

If you don't want to die,

just stop following me.

Senior, you must be disappointed in me.

Sheng,

do you like Jin Lun?

Like him?

Right.

He's someone who is willing to

risk his life for you,

and even after you abandoned him,

he still didn't blame you.

You don't like him?

Then when you reunited

at Crescent Lake,

why did you let him go?

After you found out that Xia Xuanzi wasn't dead

and decided to leave the desert alone,

heading into an uncertain and dangerous future—

Jin Lun has profound cultivation

and possesses a divine artifact,

so he could clearly have been a great help.

Why did you let him leave?

Were you afraid that if he kept following you,

he would get hurt again?

Senior,

just take it as

being by your side for so long

made my conscience kick in.

Don't you always say

that I actually have a good heart?

But Sheng, look.

Besides me,

there are many others

willing to protect you like this,

even at the cost of their lives.

Senior.

In this life,

I only want to stay in Xin Xie Manor.

I just want to follow you.

Senior,

do you like Lu Qianqiao?

If you like him, it's okay.

You...

You've changed your opinion of him?

I guess so.

I didn't like him before

because his power was too strong.

I was afraid you would be at a disadvantage.

Right now, he is only a

Foundation Establishment cultivator.

And he will continue to fall.

He's no match for me at all.

If he fails you,

I'll kill him with one strike.

Don't talk nonsense.

This is the real delicacy.

Excuse me!

Coming!

You can still eat?

Pack one sheep blood tofu stew.

I'll take it to go.

Are you only getting one portion for 2 people at home?

Well then... 2 portions.

Got it!

What are you looking at?

That day at Qinghong Sect,

you guys heard it, didn't you?

Heard what?

That I am a War Demon.

Is being a War Demon a big deal?

Are you going to eat me?

I knew it long ago.

[Tianyuan Sect]

Junior.

Thank you

for not telling

Lu Qianqiao's secret.

When I first joined the sect,

the first thing Master taught me

was to always remember our roots

and be grateful.

Neither of us

is ungrateful.

He saved us.

Naturally, I wouldn't bite the hand that feeds me.

Senior.

You should go back.

What do you mean?

You're not going back?

Bai Zongying's immortal perception was dug out.

He's just an ordinary person now.

In Tianyuan Sect,

things won't go well for him.

Exactly because of this,

I must stay.

Senior,

I can't just walk away.

Because my life

was saved by Senior Bai.

-Senior! -Senior!

This formation is

too weird.

We are no match for it.

You guys, leave here now.

Go back to Lingji Mountain and ask Master for help.

That's easy for you to say, Senior.

We're trapped in the barrier.

How can we get out?

Besides,

your eyes were injured by the formation.

You can't see anything.

And you can't help much.

I will break the barrier later.

You guys, hurry and escape.

No, Senior!

You'll die if you stay.

Enough talk.

Tell me where the exit is.

The exit is right behind you to the right.

Go!

Let's go!

Senior!

Just go!

Who is it?

Let go of me!

Hold on to me.

I'll take you away.

Is anyone here?

Is anyone here?

Who's there?

Your eye injury hasn't healed.

You can't be exposed to light yet.

Don't come any closer.

Who are you?

Tianyuan Sect,

Bai Zongying.

Tianyuan Sect cannot compare to Lingji Mountain.

Even with Master Li's care,

you are still an outsider.

You won't be able to help much.

I know.

If you ever face any difficulties,

remember to send me a message.

People from Lingji Mountain

won't be bullied anywhere.

Take care.

Do you have something to say?

Yes.

Go ahead.

This time in North Xiang,

I fought against Qinghong Sect.

With the strength of

Lin Muhan and Jiang Ji,

they couldn't possibly break into

Qinghong Sect's headquarters,

let alone get out unscathed.

Therefore,

they must have hid

something from you.

Didn't you also leave Bai behind,

return to the Central Plains alone,

and not say a word

about what happened?

I was wrong.

Please punish me, Sect Master.

Being selfish in times of danger

is human nature.

Your cultivation is shallow.

For your own life,

you made a forced choice.

I don't want to blame you.

Putting yourself in their shoes,

you shouldn't be too harsh

on disciples from other sects.

Thank you for teaching me.

However,

you just reminded me of something.

What do you mean, Sect Leader?

You mentioned

that female disciple from Xin Xie Manor

and the man beside her

who has been protecting her.

What is their cultivation?

They are both Nascent Soul cultivators.

Sect Leader,

Elder Mo Guan has returned.

Thank you.

It's a long journey from North Xiang

to the Central Plains.

Please take care, Senior Bai.

Aren't you leaving?

I still have matters to attend to.

Look at that dragonfly.

How romantic.

Its tail was broken by a spider web,

and it's dying.

Is this romantic?

Yes.

Why?

Because I've experienced it.

Tell me about it.

It was when my realm dropped.

Dropped from the Golden Core Stage?

I've experienced it

3 times in total.

But at that moment,

I felt freedom.

Senior Bai.

If your heart is bound,

no matter how high your realm is

or how strong your magic power is,

you won't be happy.

If your heart is free,

you are free in everything,

even if your realm drops,

even if you have no immortal perception,

or even if you are just a mortal.

Senior Bai.

What brings you here?

I was worried about you.

I'm fine.

I feel much better.

You call this fine?

Let me help you back.

Okay.

[Wei County]

Young Sect Master,

are you alright?

Grandpa.

Young Sect Master?

Grandpa.

You forgot the osmanthus cake.

Grandpa,

you said this shop's osmanthus cake

is the best.

You barely have any teeth left.

If you eat more sweets, you'll lose them all.

But...

Grandpa said my teeth

will grow back.

Grandpa would never lie to me.

Jiujiu,

I won't lie to you.

When your new teeth grow out,

you can eat sweet cakes again.

Sound good?

Okay.

Let's go.

Be careful.

Okay.

Let's go.

Did you hear?

That guy outside the city hasn't left yet.

He hasn't left?

Going without food and water for so many days,

he won't last, will he?

I heard he's a cultivator.

They say cultivators can abstain from food.

Is it true?

Who knows?

Come on, let's drink.

Let's drink.

Wait for me here.

You don't need to follow me in.

-Yes. -Yes.

Jin Lun?

Why are you here?

Your mind is restless,

and your Dao heart is in turmoil.

How can you comprehend the Dao and improve?

Never mind.

Since we know each other,

I will help you out.

The turbid qi is chaotic and uncontrollable.

If you accidentally inhale even a trace of it,

it will erode your immortal perception.

Yin or Yang alone

cannot grow.

All things share the same origin.

Heaven and earth are fundamentally connected.

Take clear qi as the foundation.

The state of mind has no beginning or end.

Clouds roll in and out.

Winds come and go into the void.

Hold fast to your true essence.

Do not let the impure qi become a flood.

The turbid qi?

You're not in any serious danger for now.

But your cultivation...

I am afraid that from now on,

it can't progress any further.

I know.

Master told me.

Then why did you still...

The situation was critical then.

I had no other choice.

Besides,

I have already reached the Nascent Soul realm,

so I have nothing more to be greedy for.

But you...

You are about to become an ordinary person.

Your realm will be much lower than mine.

Yes.

You are much stronger than me.

But there is one technique

that only I know,

and you don't.

What is it?

Close your eyes.

Xin Mei?

Thank you

for agreeing to marry me.

I should thank you too.

I remember now.

I remember now.

But...

didn't you tell me before

that only Chu Ying knows this technique?

Before, he was the only one who knew it.

But after I remembered

some of the past,

I knew it too.

I told you before.

Chu Ying is a spirit,

not a human.

He relies on

my power to exist.

The stronger my power is,

the longer he can

maintain his human form.

The weaker my power is,

the weaker he becomes.

And his abilities

are exactly the same as mine.

Well...

Back then,

after I left Liubo Temple,

I wandered through the mortal world alone.

I was too lonely,

so I used my powers

to help a spirit tree cultivate.

That is the origin of Chu Ying.

A spirit tree?

So Chu Ying is a piece of wood?

Yes.

He doesn't look like wood at all.

He's free-spirited

and perfectly complements my nature.

It's so late.

Why aren't you sleeping yet?

I ate too much and can't sleep.

You just regained your Taste,

so everything must taste delicious.

But you still shouldn't eat too much.

Let me see.

You seem to have put on some weight.

You shouldn't eat too many meals a day.

Otherwise, it's bad for your health.

Okay.

I see.

We haven't even reached the Central Plains yet.

There's more delicious food there.

You'll be dazzled then,

and won't be able to control yourself.

The woodblocks are almost done.

In half a month,

we can return to the Central Plains.

So by then,

what are your plans?

I'll hand over the copied Unparalleled Secret Magic

to Wushuang Society

and go to Chongling Valley to have my heart transformed.

Then...

I'll just travel around.

Travel around?

Where do you want to go?

Before Su left,

he left me a journal.

It records local foods everywhere.

I want to travel and taste them.

Do you want to join me?

But...

I've been away from my sect

for too long this time.

If I don't go back soon,

my master will be unhappy.

Is there any delicious food

near your sect?

There's plenty.

Near my sect,

there's a food street.

There are Yangchun noodles,

corn cakes,

boiled meatballs,

and Lion's Head meatballs. You know them?

And there's more.

Why are you smiling?

Nothing.

I just like listening to you talk.