01x23 - Episode 23

[bunniefuu]

[Episode 23]

Greetings, Your Grace.

In the end, she had no choice
but to take up the Kunwu Blade

and become the Sovereign of Spirits
feared by all spirits,

following the same path as her father.

Greetings, Your Grace.

Ever since Si Mu became the Sovereign...

Rather, after her parents left,
she changed completely.

Even I found her a stranger.

She was no longer who she once was.

To keep herself on guard at all times,

it was not only her body and flesh;

she even made her heart
turn utterly cold and ruthless.

[Sovereign's Hall]

Over these four hundred years,

Si Mu has done so much for the Mortal
and Spirit Worlds.

But no one has truly reached her,
understood her,

or done anything for her.

Then again, she has no need of it,

nor does she expect us
to give anything for her.

After all, powerful as she is,

there is little we can do for her.

I see.

She's long accepted her fate.

Born only to die,

she endures eternity.

All she loves fades like smoke.

Only the abyss will endure...

as long as she does.

Why? Are you afraid?

Si Mu is a very stubborn girl.

From her parents,
she inherited an unbreakable pride.

She warms this world with her fervor.

That is exactly why I adore her.

Your Ladyship, am I the first one
to come out of the Prison

with my soul candle being snuffed out?

You are the first mortal to do it.

But the first spirit was Si Mu.

The two most powerful spirits in the Void,

Si Mu and that one,
once clashed in the Prison.

Both their soul candles went out.

Yet Si Mu alone, three days later,

walked back out and relit the soul candle.

It was a miracle.

As expected of Si Mu.

One free of desire stands unshaken.

Spirits are bound by the obsessions
they cling to,

so they can't break free
from the Prison's illusions.

But Si Mu is different.

Obsession isn't what makes her.

Love is.

It is still early.

Your Ladyship, tell me more.

Gladly.

If you want, I can talk without repetition
for three days and nights.

Si Mu.

I've heard much about you.

- I didn't expect you...
- Now that you are out of bed,

come with me.

All right.

Where are we going?

Just come with me.

[Graveyard on the Void Mountain, the Void]

Si Mu, this place is...

Over 400 years, I've had 22 lovers.

These are their graves.

Most of them never knew who I really was.

The time I spent with them was on and off,
yet it totaled only 20 years.

This is the first mortal I ever liked

before my father was annihilated.

Wherever our journey took us,

he followed me there.

His name was...

I can't remember.

I once cared for him deeply.

But now, I can't even speak his name aloud.

Duan Xu.

This is who I am.

My life is measured in centuries.

Time will wear everything away.

One day, I won't even remember your name,

let alone the grand tales behind you,

or the memories we once shared.

How long could you stay with me?

In the end,

you will be nothing more than a tiny ripple
in my everlasting life.

Would you...

accept that?

It seems you genuinely like me.

So, I'm genuinely rejecting you.

Foxy,

you have your dreams.

Your first 20 years were too hard.

From now on, you should live more happily.

You'll meet a girl you love more,

start a family,

and live a happy life,
with kin you can lean on.

I know you may be heartbroken now.

But in a few months, you'll let it go.

General Duan, you're a gifted young hero.

What fine lady could you not wed?

Go back to the Mortal World.

If trouble finds you,
or if you need any help,

just call my name, and I will come.

Of course.

I wouldn't help you for nothing.

I still have to trade with you
for the five senses.

Did you let me see the Void...

only because of our deal?

No.

It was to express my thanks.

You let me feel that the Mortal World
is better than I ever expected.

So, this is my thanks to you.

You went to the Prison to save me yourself.

While I was unconscious,

you stayed by my side the whole time.

Whenever I called for you,

you would always hold my hand.

No need to thank me.

I brought you to the Void.

It was only right that I do this.

I kissed you.

I held you in my arms.

You never truly punished me.

You knew I could handle much on my own,

but whenever I asked you,

you always went soft on me.

You are good at pouting and pleading.

Do not dodge the real issue.

What issue am I dodging?

Do you truly...

have no feelings for me?

You are not in my thoughts.

After all, soon enough,

I will even forget your name.

Cry if you want.

Just don't cry in front of me.

You are my only spell bearer.

I hope all your wishes come true.

But I am the wish you can't fulfill.

Take me out of your wishes.

May you grow wings...

and achieve your ambitions.

She fears the sound of thunder.

Now, I know her a little better.

Bad timing.

She's so cruel,

isn't she?

That's what you want, right?

He's just a mere mortal.

I knew it would come to this.

He is no mere mortal.

This child is different.

He truly understands Si Mu.

What could he understand?

Perhaps the things that you never
managed to grasp in 300 years.

You act as if you understand it all.

Why can't you let Bai San Xing go
after 300 years?

Worry about yourself first.

Even if this mortal leaves,
do you think Si Mu will choose you?

Aren't you curious
why Bai San Xing's soul candle died out,

yet after 300 years,
he still hasn't met annihilation?

That may sound simple enough,
but there aren't many answers.

His soul candle is still there.

That's strange.

Back then, we watched Si Mu
snuff out his soul candle.

That mortal's soul candle went out too,
yet it was lit again.

He could relight his soul candle,
likely because he loved Si Mu deeply.

As for Bai San Xing...

You suspect me?

Bai San Xing was madly in love with you.

Everyone knew it.

That's ancient history.

Before he entered the Prison,
he wanted me torn to pieces.

Why would I light his soul candle?

I'm not out of my mind.

This is very strange.

I'm afraid it may bring trouble.

Tell me.

Trouble for whom?

This young man is
the most special mortal to me.

On the b*ttlefield, he was resolute,
confident, and wildly proud.

There was a self-destructive ferocity.

His heart was shattered,
with countless old scars,

yet he gathered up the fragments
himself and pieced them back together

till it beat with fierce, living warmth.

But only before me,

- when he spoke my name,
- Si Mu.

he seemed like a wild beast,
offering his throat and bare belly.

That day when he was covered in blood,

he did more than reach out to me.

He placed his heart in my hands.

From that moment on,

the way he looked at me always seemed to say,

"You could wound me with ease."

"I've given you such power."

Only now do I realize I was actually afraid.

This is the first time in my life
that someone has come for me.

I'm afraid I can't hold this heart,

and it will slip from my hands
and shatter on the ground.

I want to shield him from the
suffering of the Mortal World,

so this heart bears no new scars.

For a mortal,

the finest life is to rise with power,

and be happily married with kids
and fulfilled ambitions,

instead of being entangled
with a spirit like me.

I will return his heart...

to him intact.

Greetings, Your Lordship.

[Ledger]

This is the ledger
Jiang Ai hid in Xuling Temple.

Now, I place it in your hands.

How are things with Jiang Ai?

There is no movement yet.

Though you're in charge
of Jiang Ai's affairs for now,

her influence still remains.

Do not underestimate her.

Now, she still trusts me.

I may as well seize the chance and...

Do not be too hasty.

Once all is in readiness,
I will bring her down for good

and leave her no way back.

When that time comes,

I will have you take her place.

You've always kept your promise to me.

What do you want to do next?

I can help you.

There is one trouble indeed.

I have received word that
Bai San Xing is still alive.

Bai San Xing?

His spirit power is formidable.

Even in the Prison, he managed to survive.

One day, he will be a grave threat.

I understand now.

I will not let him live on.

Your Lordship, that mortal has left the Void.

I must have been half-asleep
and opened the door by mistake.

If Her Grace finds out,
I will surely be punished.

Good thing no one saw me.

You're always hiding here to read memorials.

Since when did you grow so diligent?

I just sent Mr. Duan away.

He looked utterly heartbroken.

Si Mu, don't you think
you were too harsh on him?

He left this gift for you.

He asked me to deliver it to you.

He said, "Take care".

[Map of the Void]

[Map of the Void]

There is glowworm-like light here.

In summer, it'd gleam in scattered,
yellow-green lights,

like jade shining.

As the ancients said,

rain won't wash away the light;

wind will only brighten it.

If it were in the sky,
it must be a star by the moon.

For some reason, by the wall stood
a cluster of rose-like plants.

In the blooming season,
their fragrance will fill the air;

their thorns can wound;

their crimson blooms vary in shade,

like dawn and glow, set off well by plantain.

As the saying goes,

behind drawn curtains,
one naps at noon,

with red rose trellis and green plantain.

A Second-Place Scholar indeed.

What a waste to use your gifts for this.

Scent, colors, and texture.

Are you trying to give me
a wholly different Void as your gift?

In this lonely place,

do you mean to leave me life?

Do you truly...

have no feelings for me?

Foxy,

why go to such trouble for me?

Meng Wan. Qing Sheng.

- Xu.
- Chen Ying.

- You're finally back.
- What are you doing here?

Chen Ying.

Look at you.

- You've become sturdier.
- Xu, you jest.

It has only been a month.
It's not that dramatic.

General, long time no see.

Xu, you've grown much thinner.

- How are things in the army?
- Rest easy, General. All is well.

In three days, we'll reach Nandu.

Where is Xiao Xiao?

She didn't come back with you?

She's fine.

She went home.

I should go home too.

Chen Ying,

let's go home together.

Your Ladyship, what do you need?

- Gently.
- Find more male spirits.

Send them all to the Left Hand?

Yes. You will go as well.

Yes, Your Ladyship.

[Void Valley, the Void]

Who's hiding here and playing tricks?

My Lord, over there!

Come out now.

[Ascension Pool]

Make sure the spirit set to jump
into the pool matches the list.

If there is another mismatch,

jump down yourselves and make up the number.

Yes, ma'am.

Wait here.

Yes, ma'am.

How dare you devour spirits
without permission?

Jiang Ai.

Your Ladyship.

Your Ladyship.

Your Ladyship, is something wrong?

Shall I pursue him?

He's jumped into the pool. How to pursue?

By jumping in?

[Yu]

Hey. Why didn't the Lord of Yuling Temple
come today?

He asked for leave?

That doesn't seem right.

The Lord of Yuling Temple
has always upheld the rules.

He never misses court.

Greetings, Your Grace.

The Lord of Yuling Temple
has met disaster and annihilation.

- What?
- This...

- It was so sudden. What happened?
- Your Grace,

even if he was as stubborn as a mule,
you shouldn't have...

After the curfew,

his Lord Token appeared before me
out of nowhere.

I traced the token's spirit power.
It came from the Prison.

When I went to look,
there was no trace of him.

Even Xu Sheng's memories
were tampered with.

[Yu]
What happened can't be known.

Even Xu Sheng was tampered with.

Who could be that capable?

You looked deep in thought just now.

Do you have any leads?

I am being punished for my offense.

I have neither men nor power now.

What leads could I have?

I will surely follow Her Grace.

From this day on,
send more people to search the Void.

Your Grace, who are we to investigate?

Bai San Xing.

- Bai... Bai San Xing.
- Bai San Xing.

- He still hasn't been annihilated?
- Exactly.

Well...

Just now in the Sovereign's Hall,
you told Her Grace

you've never met Bai San Xing.

Why? Is there a problem?

Let's put aside how Bai San Xing
got out of the Prison.

I know Bai San Xing well.

You are the knot in his heart.

He has loved you for a thousand years.

He's always been unable
to let go of your rejection.

He's tried every way to claim you.



and he wandered lost for centuries.

Now that he has escaped,
how could he not come for you?

He loves me?

I'd say he wanted to dominate me.

He always longs to claim
anything fine in the world.

Perhaps after he woke up,
something else caught his fancy,

so I was set aside for a while.

But speaking of deceit,
you are his most loyal Vice Lord.

Now that he's escaped,

shouldn't he settle with you first?

Why did I just hear you tell Her Grace
you'd never met Bai San Xing?

I've never met Bai San Xing.

Neither have I.

Instead of doubting each other,
best pray for yourself.

[Nandu, Capital of Great Liang]

The joy is shared. No need to bow.

Congratulations.

It was no easy feat.

Mr. Liu.

Mr. Liu.

General Duan.

General Duan, you've won great merit.

His Majesty will reward you well.

Congratulations. Congratulations.

Thank you.

Congratulations, Mr. Fang.

Congratulations, Mr. Fang.

Mr. Fang.

Congratulations, Mr. Fang.

Long time no see.

You've risen fast,

and become the Vice Minister of Revenue.

Congratulations.

You are too kind.

You turned the tide
and led your troops across the Guanhe River,

storming the enemy camp alone,
and taking Awo Erqi's head.

Your merit is unmatched.

His Majesty has summoned you back to report.

A reward must surely follow.

I offer my congratulations in advance.

- What great influence.
- Indeed.

His Majesty arrives.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Long live Your Majesty.

My loyal ministers, rise.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

This time, in our battle with North Chong,
we won a sweeping victory.

For the first time in 30 years,

we crossed the Guanhe River

and reclaimed Shuozhou, Yunzhou,
and Luozhou in one stroke.

This is a great blessing for Great Liang.

Heaven blesses Great Liang.

Congratulations, Your Majesty.

Now that the army returns in triumph,

rewards should be granted by merit.

Where is Qin Huan Da?

I'm Qin Huan Da.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

This time, Qin Huan Da has rendered
outstanding service.

Reward him with 5,000 taels of silver
and 5,000 bolts of silk.

Further, grant him the title Duke of Defense.

The Ministry of w*r will reward
the other generals.

Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace.

The Ministry of Revenue
raised funds and provisions.

Fang even went to deliver the supplies.

All meritorious officials
shall be duly rewarded.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Duan Xu took Awo Erqi's head
and should rank first in merit.

But he defied orders and attacked Shuozhou
without permission,

putting the city's troops and people
in grave danger.

His merit cancels out his fault.

He is stripped of General Tabai
and bestowed the post of Court Counselor.

Thank you, Your Majesty.