Original subtitles

[Sword and Beloved]

[Episode 4]

You long to see the scenery outside

and to get out of that Palanquin.

Who would've known...

that you'd end up blind?

Why don't you be my eyes?

Everything outside must be beautiful

because...

you sound so happy.

You're hundreds of years old.

How can you still be like a child,

falling asleep the moment your head hits the pillow?

[Lu Qiba, Raccoon Dog Demon]

How can you sleep so deeply?

Fine.

Keep sleeping.

You won't get to eat it.

[Lu Shangxia, Raccoon Dog Demon]

Who? Who was that? Who...

Pretending.

Still pretending with me?

I'm not.

Give it to me!

Alright.

Give you what?

Give it to me!

You're the fastest

but the dumbest

raccoon dog demon in your clan,

Lu Qiba.

The other's your brother,

who is even dumber than you:

Lu Shangxia.

I heard that you two

couldn't stay in the raccoon dog demon clan

because you opposed using the winged spirit pearl.

So now

wander around performing for a living.

How miserable.

This man is

quite rich.

Qiba,

how about we...

What?

You want to kill me?

[Quan Rumu, Young Master of the Quan Family of the Borderlands]

We d-didn't offend you, did we?

Yeah.

Wh-Why did you come to us?

What do you want from us?

Enough.

I want you to do something for me.

Help me find and follow this person,

and report his whereabouts to me.

Where to find me

is also written clearly on the note.

Th-Th-This job

is not...

not easy.

Yeah.

This will involve food and lodging...

Th-Th-This job

is going to cost a lot of money.

It's not an easy task.

Enough.

Don't be cheeky.

How much do you want?

Fi-Fi-Five hundred taels!

Yeah.

Five hundred taels?

Forget about 500 taels—

I don't even have five taels.

Are you kidding us?

When you raccoon dog demons court mates,

you rely on

the small braid after transforming into human form, right?

Growing a braid

takes a very, very long time.

And without it,

you'd basically be like

a eunuch among us humans,

right?

I'll kill you!

My braid...

I'll keep

your braid safe for you.

Come to me after the task is done.

I'll definitely help you reattach it

perfectly.

You shameless bastard...

Qiba!

Boss!

Boss!

Young Master Fugui,

I've never seen such a big lake before.

When spring comes next year,

this place will surely be even more beautiful.

By then,

let's come back to see it together, okay?

Young Master Fugui.

Don't worry.

I know how to weave brocade.

By that time,

I'll weave this entire scene into a brocade.

When your eyes heal,

I'll show it all to you.

[On the day of the Blue Sky Assembly]

[Li Family of Peach Garden, Yiqi Alliance]

[Li Family of Peach Garden]

Young Master,

we've arrived at the Li Residence.

Young Master Fugui,

we've arrived.

Let's go.

Wait.

This is an Aura Concealment Talisman.

It can temporarily conceal your demonic aura.

At the Li Residence, you must be cautious at all times.

Yes, Young Master Fugui.

I will

keep the talisman on me at all times.

I've already told them

that you're a maid arranged for me by Mr. Fei.

Once inside the Li Residence,

you'll stay in the guest room.

Try to meet as few people as possible.

Okay.

But...

Young Master Fugui,

Chief Hongye

should already be inside by now.

If he finds out...

If he finds out

you can't see right now...

As long as I don't lose,

he won't care

what becomes of my eyes.

[Li Quzhuo, Master of the Li Family of Peach Garden]

Hongye,

what's wrong with Fugui's eyes?

Fugui was injured by a snake demon.

He'll heal in a month.

Since his eyes are injured,

this Blue Sky Assembly...

[Li Muhai, Young Master of the Li Family of Peach Garden]

Fellow Daoists,

the Blue Sky Assembly is a grand ceremony

held once every 36 years by our Yiqi Alliance.

Today,

our Li family acts as host.

We hope to help the alliance

select outstanding members of the next generation.

This Blue Sky Assembly

still follows the Yiqi Alliance's tradition.

The competition is divided into

three parts:

Physical Combat,

Skill,

and Mind,

one part each day.

This assembly has brought together

talented young people from various families of the Yiqi Alliance...

Master, we've found the Young Master's whereabouts.

After the prescribed competitions,

those who excel will be chosen

to observe the secret Spiritual Stone left

by the Third Young Master of Aolai.

Through the Spiritual Stone,

those exceptionally gifted young people may glimpse

the message left by the Third Young Master.

At the same time, the Yiqi Alliance will

carefully guide them to become pillars of the alliance.

You all know the rules now.

Today is the first day of the competition:

the Physical Combat Contest.

Rumu!

It's so difficult for me

just to see your face.

Father,

what are you talking about?

I was just heading to the Blue Sky Assembly.

Then why didn't you go there with me?

Well,

of all the vast lands beneath the sky,

the dullest place of all

is by your side, Father.

Your words

are breaking my heart.

My beloved father, you never do anything for nothing.

Tell me,

you came specially to find me—

what do you want me to do?

These friends of mine think

that even though the Soldier is blind for now,

he's still invincible.

So they want to see

your true strength.

The Soldier of Wangquan Manor...

Wangquan Fugui.

He shall challenge all of today's victors in the Combat Contest.

This is a battle of honor.

The results

will not affect your advancement to the next round.

Good luck, everyone.

Everyone,

please draw your swords!

Rumu.

You're in poor health.

After that strike, you won't be able to exert any more strength.

Go back with me.

You are my son.

Why can't you just listen to me

and follow my will?

Would I harm you?

Everything I do and everything I get—

won't it all be yours in the future?

Father...

So it turns out you love me.

Fine.

How about I tell you

some stories about

how you, my birth father, love me?

Back then,

you committed a grave error

by practicing forbidden arts.

You were expelled from Wangquan Manor

and exiled to the Western Regions.

You knew full well that I had asthma

and that in that place

I simply couldn't survive.

The Chief intended to keep me,

but at that time,

what did you say?

Rumu's asthma is severe.

[Young Quan Rumu]

If he goes with you to the Western Regions,

[Grand Ambition Soaring to the Heavens]

with all that dust and sand,

I'm afraid he won't survive.

Let him stay.

No need.

Wherever I go,

he goes.

Jingting.

If Rumu goes with you,

he will die.

I won't leave him here with you.

Since he's my son,

in life he's mine,

and in death his ghost is mine too.

Just like that,

after we arrived in the Western Regions,

my asthma grew increasingly severe.

Even surviving was hard for me.

And you?

You began to ignore me,

killing demons everywhere

and making enemies.

Finally, one day,

someone captured me as a hostage for revenge.

At that time, I knew

that taking me hostage was useless.

My life meant nothing

to you.

But what you did

was even worse than I imagined.

Quan Jingting!

I have your son!

Give me back my mother's bones!

That piece of trash is of no use to me at all.

Kill him if you want!

Today...

I'm here to capture you!

After that,

I wandered through the desert for over 10 years.

Did you ever look for me?

You didn't.

Did you care whether I lived or died?

You didn't.

But ever since I became famous with one sword strike there,

you remembered

you still had a son like me.

You remembered to love me.

But how did you show this love?

For the sake of your ambition,

you took my friends as hostages

and forced me to work for you.

Father,

your love is

more poisonous than arsenic.

How dare you!

You have such strength

yet possess no grand ambition!

I've been working hard for so many years.

You are my son.

You should work for me.

Where have you imprisoned them?

Rest assured,

your gang of worthless friends

is very safe now.

As long as you obediently

go to the Blue Sky Assembly and defeat the Soldier,

I'll let them go.

However...

before that...

you have to take this first.

In this world,

what kind of father would ask his son to take this?

This is just a pill

that can greatly boost your spiritual power.

I want to ensure you win.

Even if I don't eat it...

I can still defeat the Soldier.

You think I'd believe you?

If I weren't holding the lives of your worthless friends

you made in the Western Regions,

would you have obediently come with me to the Blue Sky Assembly?

I know you've been looking for them these days.

Stop looking.

Even if you find them, it's useless.

What do you mean?

Do you know what this black liquid

is?

Crude oil.

With just a spark,

these worthless friends of yours

will be burned to ashes.

Let us go.

What do you want?

Don't come over!

Don't come over!

Mother!

What do you want?

Don't come any closer!

Let us go!

No!

No!

Father!

Mother!

No!

True Dragon Power?

You wretch,

say goodbye to these worthless friends of yours.

Wait!

I'll eat it.

Now that's my good boy.

Today's Combat Contest is already over.

The evening banquet will start soon.

Go attend

and make up for

your willful absence earlier.

This is the chamber specially prepared for you, Soldier.

There's also a side chamber inside

for your maid.

Thank you.

Young Master Fugui,

you must be very tired from today's martial arts contest.

Rest for a bit.

You still have the banquet to attend tonight.

Okay.

Come on.

To you.

This year's young competitors

are very good.

Hongye,

indeed, they're good.

But compared to us back in our day,

they still fall a little short.

Muhai,

let the banquet begin.

Everyone!

Didn't you say

you're hosting honored guests tonight?

Then why...

is there no seat for me?

Who might you be?

Good evening, Uncle.

I, Rumu, missed today's competition,

so I've come specially to ask you

for the qualification for tomorrow's competition.

The Blue Sky Assembly aims to select future talents.

If you want to participate,

just ask them.

Everyone!

I'm Quan Rumu.

I've come a long way for this.

Please

do me a favor.

Today's banquet is only for

the winners of today's Combat Contest.

They have earned the Soldier's recognition.

Rumu, you were absent today.

If the Chief allows it outright,

it would be unfair.

That's right.

Rumu.

Elder Shouyi is highly respected.

You have to prove yourself with your strength.

I see.

Okay.

Then I'll trouble the Soldier

to come out for a fight.

Invite the Soldier over.

Tonight,

if you win the Soldier's approval,

you may compete tomorrow.

Cousin.

It's been a long time.

Why are you wearing a blindfold?

Are you blind?

Just a minor injury.

Nothing serious.

[Auspice from the East]

See you at the arena tomorrow.

Okay.

Young people are

indeed hot-blooded and vigorous.

Just a small interlude.

Let's continue our banquet.

Cheers.

Who are you?

Judging from your swordsmanship,

miss, you're

a third-rate martial artist in the alliance.

Miss,

how long have you been practicing swordsmanship?

What's your relationship with the Soldier?

Why should I tell you?

You haven't practiced

for more than a month, have you?

Your sword aura and inner breath

are just like the Soldier's.

I seem to...

have discovered a big secret.

What...

What secret?

You're not human.

Who exactly are you?

I can't sense your demonic aura.

Why don't you tell me

what kind of demon you are?

Fine.

I'll tell you.

I'm not a demon.

You're feistier than you look.

You're not thinking of

killing me to silence me, are you?

Fine.

I'll tell you another secret.

I'm the one...

who blinded the Soldier's eyes.

You...

You dare to hurt him?

What?

You're really going to kill me?

No need to fight.

He's not an enemy.

Young Master Fugui...

Aren't you blind?

How do you know it's me?

We crossed swords earlier.

Naturally, I know it's you.

Young Master Fugui,

do you know what he just said to me?

He said he's the one

who blinded you.

There's more to this matter.

He is indeed a friend.

In that case,

it's all a misunderstanding.

Fugui,

your girl's swordsmanship is

quite good.

Hey.

Don't talk nonsense.

Such a strong reaction.

You two

haven't gotten to that stage yet, have you?

I...

I'm just

Young Master Fugui's maid.

Don't talk nonsense.

You should

learn to speak like a normal person now.

Then...

what are

the two of you, exactly?

Mind your own business.

How did things go?

It's all done.

I made an appointment with them

to meet by the river tonight.

Let's go there now.

What do you think?

What?

It's not for you.

You're the one who blinded

Young Master Fugui.

Who knows if you've poisoned it?

Young Master Fugui, here.

I already tried it.

Just drink it.

It's so cold even next to the bonfire.

I'll go move around a bit.

What are you doing?

Fugui,

let's have a round?

Fugui? He's not your buddy.

Young Master Fugui!

You're so amazing!

How can that stone

skip on the water for so long?

Do you want to know...

our story?

The rumors outside are so exaggerated.

[16 years ago, Cold Pool]

What barrier?

What "no outsiders" rule?

How exaggerated.

This lousy barrier—

I broke it

with ease.

The food is so plain.

Why don't they serve anything tastier?

Ghost!

[Young Wangquan Fugui]

Soldier,

why are you standing behind me

without making a sound?

Listening to sounds.

Listening to sounds?

You really aren't normal.

Ignore me.

I won't disturb you.

I just came in to look for something.

I'll leave once I find it.

You are Rumu?

Yes, yes.

Your cousin.

The one who spars with you

and gets knocked down the fastest every time.

You did that on purpose.

You saw through that?

Why do those sparring partners

take it so seriously?

We're all going to get knocked down anyway.

Might as well fall early and rest.

Here you are.

It's my friend.

Now you're being unreasonable.

How is it your friend?

It's my only friend.

Keep this up, and I'll get angry.

Get out.

This is my courtyard!

You really think I'm afraid of you?

I'm sorry.

It was really my only friend.

Just now,

you said you were listening to sounds.

Were you listening to the cricket's chirping?

So, it was

the only living thing here, besides you?

It's...

eerily quiet here.

Is being a Soldier

this miserable?

♪ The past is mottled and worn, a life bound by blades ♪

Where are you taking me?

We're here. Right here.

♪ This life, adrift and wasted, still has my heart chasing the wind ♪

Beyond this lake

lies the world outside the manor.

♪ I plant a tale deep within my soul ♪

This is the first time I've left Cold Pool

and come so far.

♪ Even if, in the end ♪

Since I caused the death of your best friend,

I'll

♪ I can only sigh at fate's cruel jest ♪

be your good friend from now on.

Next,

we're going to perform a very important ritual.

♪ I once swore my sword would sweep away all injustice ♪

Can you make this stone

skip across the water,

♪ Yet returning, I wander through rains of blood in search of old paths ♪

bouncing beautifully into the distance?

♪ Perhaps this life is but a fleeting dream ♪

♪ I raise my sword to cleave the mountain of destiny ♪

Nice!

The Soldier can't skip stones.

♪ Who will share this journey with me? ♪

You should throw it like this.

I don't want to practice martial arts every day anymore!

♪ I've crossed thousands of peaks and rivers wide ♪

Here.

♪ Unafraid as fate mocks that I'm still young ♪

Try again.

♪ Unafraid of countless swords piercing my heart ♪

I don't want to practice swordsmanship every day anymore!

♪ Nor of the sword drawn, pointing toward the abyss ♪

I want to eat all the delicious food in the world!

I want to go out...

to see the world outside!

♪ Unafraid as old grudges scatter to the wind ♪

♪ Unafraid to stand among the clouds ♪

♪ For my heart, Heaven and Earth shall bear witness ♪

♪ I once swore my sword would sweep away all injustice ♪

♪ Yet returning, I wander through rains of blood in search of old paths ♪

♪ Perhaps this life is but a fleeting dream ♪

♪ I raise my sword to cleave the mountain of destiny ♪

♪ Who will share this journey with me? ♪

Hurry!

♪ I've crossed thousands of peaks and rivers wide ♪

♪ Unafraid as fate mocks that I'm still young ♪

♪ Unafraid of countless swords piercing my heart ♪

My father made a mistake.

♪ Nor of the sword drawn, pointing toward the abyss ♪

I'm leaving.

I heard that in the Western Regions, humans and demons live together—

the boundary is still unclear.

♪ Unafraid as old grudges scatter to the wind ♪

There are even dragon demons there.

It must be interesting.

♪ Unafraid to stand among the clouds ♪

♪ For my heart, Heaven and Earth shall bear witness ♪

I'll go out

and see the world for you first.

♪ Unafraid as fate mocks that I'm still young ♪

♪ Unafraid of countless swords piercing my heart ♪

♪ Nor of the sword drawn, pointing toward the abyss ♪

This is for you.

You made this?

It's made specifically for skipping stones?

♪ Unafraid as old grudges scatter to the wind ♪

Yeah.

♪ Unafraid to stand among the clouds ♪

♪ For my heart, Heaven and Earth shall bear witness ♪

So you two...

have known each other since childhood?

I lived at

Wangquan Manor until I was 10.

I secretly became his friend for half a year.

I don't know

if he made any other friends afterward.

Clearly not.

Nice!

Then I'm the Soldier's

only friend.

Since you are good friends,

why did you blind his eyes?

It's a long story.

I consented to it.

Not long after you transformed into human form,

he came to me.

Come out.

That day,

you made a spinning stone skip

right in front of me.

Were you trying to tell me

that after seeing the world,

I still had to come back?

Although it's perfect for stone-skipping,

there are no lakes in the Western Regions.

I still never learned how.

It's been a long time,

Rumu.

I've returned it to its owner.

It's been a long time.

The reason I blinded his eyes

is that my friends' lives

are in my father's hands.

He used them to threaten me,

forcing me to use this filthy method

to ensure I could defeat him

at the Blue Sky Assembly.

So I went to him in advance.

He asked me to blind his eyes

to keep my father satisfied.

And even if I hadn't done it,

my father would have used other dirty means

against him anyway.

So,

we played along with my father,

taking advantage of the time he's pacified

to figure out how to rescue my friends.

Young Master Fugui

trusts you this much?

Your Fugui and I...

He hasn't received much affection.

So,

he will cherish it even more.

You talk too much.

Where are those raccoon dog demons I asked you to find?

He

sought us out to do work for him,

didn't give us a penny,

and...

and even threatened and intimidated us...

Here they are.

How can he do this?

You're having a little tea party here.

What's so good about roasted oranges?

Who... who's this?

Who are they?

He's blind?

Did you track that person?

Cut the crap!

Wh-Where's my braid?

Did you track the person?

Give me back my braid!

Oh,

so you didn't track him.

Little spider,

go burn it.

Oh.

Got it.

We tracked... we tracked him.

Why did you all come together?

Let me tell you,

we followed him all the way

to a place called Xiyun Hall.

He went in and never came out after that.

So that means

Xiyun Hall is very suspicious.

Suspicious, indeed.

Don't be

f-fooled by the name—

there are a lot of people

going in and out.

Besides,

let me tell you,

there must be

a cave there.

There's a cave in Xiyun Hall?

Yes.

And it's v-v-very big.

My father showed me

the place where they're imprisoned.

It's obviously

in a cave.

It should be that place.

Yes.

Th-That is the place.

Right there for sure.

Look, I've completed the task.

Please give me

my braid back.

I-I-I have to go home.

Well...

Mr. Piaopiao.

As the saying goes,

"When you help someone, see it through to the end."

Could you please

take them there as well?

Then, when will this ever end?

Yeah.

Little spider.

Got it.

Go, go, go...

Fine, I'll go!

Why did I take on this task?

Gosh...

How far is Xiyun Hall from here?

I don't know about you guys,

but at my speed,

a round trip takes four... four h-hours.

Rumu,

you seem to have something on your mind.

This morning,

he forced me to take a pill.

He said

it would ensure I defeat you.

But I don't know what it was.

I have a bad feeling about it.

If I

do something out of line tomorrow,

don't hold back.

The world is vast,

I still have to find a very important person,

and I don't want to die at all.

But if

something really goes wrong,

I still hope

I can die by your hand.

In my brief twenty-some years of life,

I don't have much I can't let go of.

There's only one thing I want to ask of you.

If one day you meet a dragon demon

carrying a gourd etched with snowflakes,

please tell her

that I, Rumu...

never blamed her.

Master.

Wangquan Shouyi's men

have participated in the Blue Sky Assembly.

Don't let

any of our men get involved.

Understood.

Master,

the Young Master and the Soldier have known each other since childhood.

Do you truly believe

he can kill the Soldier?

Whether he can or not...

we'll find out tomorrow.

Rumu,

at tomorrow's Blue Sky Assembly,

you and I will act separately.

You'll go participate in the Skill Contest and stall for time,

while I'll

go to Xiyun Hall to save people.

You must hold on until I return.

The matter you've entrusted to me

is still yours to complete.

Don't worry.

You won't die.

I won't let you die.