♪Ask the sword and knife, and do away with resentment♪
♪I fear that new and old grudges will add to my troubles♪
♪Ask each tactic and move to see who is more skilled♪
♪Fate changes and cannot be predicted♪
♪Ask the road and journey ahead♪
♪Where is my soul mate?♪
♪Ask the rain and clear skies about the troubles on my mind♪
♪Face the moon every day and night♪
♪Ask the flowers and leaves, their colors are perfect♪
♪Happiness and pain are both short, how many springs are left?♪
♪Ask autumn and winter, the snowstorm continues♪
♪The rainbow scatters easily but the days are hard to endure♪
♪No one knows why the flowers blossomed early♪
♪Heaven doesn't mock us, you've also grown old♪
♪The martial arts world is small, but the rest of the world is vast♪
♪I've forgotten those who are gone♪
♪No one knows why the flowers withered early♪
♪Heaven feels no sorrow, you've also grown old♪
♪The heroes have died and little time is left♪
♪I've forgotten those who are gone♪
[Word of Honor]
[Episode 3]
Wen-gongzi.
All night I've been helping you kill and bury people,
but still you keep saying Wen-gongzi.
Can't you stop treating me like a guest?
With your injury, best not to drink cold liquor.
A-Xiang.
Warm [Wen] a little.
I'd serve you even if you were old and poor,
but now you want me to serve Big Fool and Little Fool?
Xiang-jiejie, I'll do it, okay?
Take it then.
Wen-gongzi.
Marvelous!
It really feels like skin and flesh!
When I stroke you, it gets hard
To imagine it doesn't grow just like mine.
Not hard at all. I don't have energy for that sort of thing.
Who is this guy really?
He both recognized the Flowing-Clouds-Nine-Palaces Steps
and saw through my disguise.
In years of watching people, I've never made a misjudgement.
Your body's bones are like clear mountains;
certainly an extraordinary type.
How can …?
Master!
Last time you pointed at the back of a village girl
and praised her for having fair shoulder blades,
saying "Certainly a beautiful person!"
And then? She turned around,
Little squinty eyes, really a pig's head, and greasy too!
What would you know?
That person was born with innate beauty.
But growing up in poverty turned her wretched.
That shouldn't be counted as a mistake.
As for Zhou-xiong ….
Zhou-shu.
I haven't found a flaw yet.
But you've surely changed your appearance.
Am I beautiful?
Absolutely beautiful.
Zhang-gongzi. The group that was hunting you,
They were wearing the ghost masks of the Mt Qingya Ghost Valley.
That group of evil devils haven't been seen in the Jianghu for many years.
What did Mirror Lake Sect do to stir them up?
I have no idea.
You have no idea?
Beautiful Zhou-xiong.
You surely should know how terrible the Ghost Valley is.
For no good reason, you got yourself a big pile of trouble.
Don't you want to know the whole story?
I don't know,
I don't want to know,
but I can guess most of it.
Zhou-shu.
In the Jianghu, most matters
Come down to three things: greed, anger, and foolishness.
Ghost valley has been lying low for years.
Unlikely to be anger.
Qiu Yuejian has always minded his own business and stayed aloof from the world.
So it's not foolishness.
That just leaves greed.
The Mt Qingya ghosts wiped out Mirror Lake Sect
because they coveted something.
I don't know if Zhou-xiong has heard the children's rhyme—
♪To the five lakes all water flows,♪
♪Martial supremacy, where else could it go?♪
Just so.
This children's rhyme has spread all over the south in the past few months.
Everyone knows it's the Five Lakes Alliance campaigning to lead the martial arts world.
But a few days ago,
The south has added a strange second verse.
Master! What is it?
♪Bright clouds scatter, glazed glass breaks,♪
♪Who will weep at Qingya's gates?♪
Those Mt Qingya ghosts, what's to cry about?
Which of them wasn't guilty of monstrous crimes with no escape but to go but Ghost Valley?
Zhou-xiong has the right of it,
But the phrase "at Qingya's gates"
isn't about the group of ghosts.
Rather, twenty years ago,
they executed the demonic Rong A-Xuan in front of Mt Qingya.
The story goes that this demon named Rong
left behind something called China's Arsenal of Military Science And Treasures.
It contains the supreme martial arts that have been lost for a long time from the major sects and schools.
and can make any common guy's common son without equal in the whole world.
But, the key to this arsenal
is called
the Glazed Gadget.
A treasure that makes you invincible?
This kind of Jianghu devil-talk
Only fools country bumpkins and foolish laborers.
Wen-gongzi, you actually believe it?
Why doesn't Zhou-xiong believe it?
Hidden treasure, supernatural weapons,
Martial arts secret manuals, magic elixirs of immortality,
Every few years, ah, invariably something like this gets made up somewhere.
Let the Jianghu people
Scramble and squabble until they're mostly dead,
if it makes them all happy.
Laughable.
How is it laughable?
How isn't it laughable?
These hidden treasures, ah,
There's a name for this sort of thing.
They're called "the Way of Reaping without Sowing".
Put simply,
it's all just greed.
Who would have expected Zhou-xiong
to actually look at it the same way I do?
The whole thing is just
mediocre fools getting themselves worked up.
I've been mulling over what you just said.
You're right. Anyone who'd want to steal that stuff
would have to know their martial arts are bad, that's why they want to get something for nothing.
But if they already know their martial arts are bad, and they try to steal from others—
do they want to stop living?
Master.
Looks like there are lots of people who are more foolish than me!
Gu-guniang is smarter than I expected.
Zhang-gongzi, what do you think?
Rest a bit, okay?
It's going to get light soon.
The sky really is starting to get light.
[Mirror Lake Manor]
[Leader of Mount Dagu Sect, Five Lakes Alliance, Shen Shen]
Cover the bodies well.
We need to get them out of the sun.
Put it here.
Good.
Kuan-er!
Shen-shishu! [younger brother of master]
Respectful greetings to the Mt Dagu sect leader.
What happened?
Shen-shishu—
Where's your Zhang-shishu?
Shen-shishu!
Last night, this disciple hurried here, but by then,
everyone young and old in Mirror Lake Sect had been killed.
Here are the bodies of Zhang-shishu and his two sons.
Fourth brother! [older brother]
Shen-shishu!
Out of the way!
—Shen-shishu! —Out of the way!
—Shen-shishu!
It's better not to look.
Zhang-shishu and his sons were tortured to death.
Their remains are disturbing.
—Shen-shishu! —Shen-shishu!
Hero Shen, Hero Shen!
Shen-shishu! You—
It's all the fault of my incompetence.
I didn't notice the problem in time. I didn't save them.
As Yueyang Sect's first disciple, I must bear the blame.
Please, Shishu, punish me.
Weren't you told to come deliver the invitation?
Why didn't you get here in time to help them?
Last night, while in Yuezhou City, we saw the fire start
and immediately hurried lakewards to help
but earlier in the night someone destroyed all the boats for crossing the lake.
What a shrewd and scheming enemy!
If I find them,
I will make them pay a thousand times over!
This old woman has lived so many years
And never heard anyone blowing so much hot air.
How can you brag so much without a blush or twinge?
Pink Peach, Green Willow, what do you mean?
[Grandma Pink Peach, Grandpa Green Willow] Pink Peach, Green Willow, what do you mean?
[Grandma Pink Peach, Grandpa Green Willow]
Hero Shen. [Grandma Pink Peach, Grandpa Green Willow]
When you became sworn brothers, didn't you take an oath [Grandma Pink Peach, Grandpa Green Willow]
to die on the same day of the same month of the same year? [Grandma Pink Peach, Grandpa Green Willow]
to die on the same day of the same month of the same year?
Now your sworn elder brother died so horribly!
Why aren't you killing yourself to tag along behind him?
You think a tear here and there is enough?
Rubbish.
Old woman. You don't understand anything about this.
The Five Lakes Alliance’s understanding of the words “faith” and “loyalty”
has always been special.
When they were alive, you didn't visit each other for over ten years.
The moment they're dead, you hurry over for their funeral, bawling like your mommy died.
This kind of profound friendship is so unusual!
You demean the friendship of us five brothers!
Are you deliberately picking a fight?
Brothers?
Hero Shen,
You're trying to make yourself look golden?
Leaving aside whether Zhang Yusen would even recognize you, his little brother,
To Alliance Leader Gao,
Sect Leader Shen, are you a brother or a hunting dog?
It's clear to anyone with the eyes to see!
You bully too much!
Sect Leader Shen!
Elder Huang!
[Elder of Beggar Guild, Huang He] Elder Huang!
[Elder of Beggar Guild, Huang He]
Sect Leader Shen.
Pink Peach and Green Willow were specially asked here by this old beggar as a favor.
Please, sir, honored elders, for the sake of this old beggar, hold your tongues.
When faced with a formidable enemy, we must be a united front.
For now, let's set aside old grievances.
Set aside.
Sect Leader Shen, ah,
Isn't revenge for the Mirror Lake sect
more important than debating gossip?
But Elder Huang,
who... who could have done this?
Follow me.
[Luohan Temple]
Have you stared enough?
I'm just wanting …
you, this mask, underneath it,
what kind of pretty face is there?
The sky is bright. Thank you both.
Today we met by chance. Brought together by fate.
And if fate has the skill, it might bring us together again.
Zhou-xiong.
Really, there's no need to wait for some new day to meet again.
You need to deliver this child to Lake Tai,
such a long and lonely road.
I happen to have a large pleasure boat.
I also desire to spend time appreciating the sights around Lake Tai.
We might as well go together by water.
Wouldn't that be more relaxing?
My whole life I've rather hated
to see people brought to me by fate eating in the wind, sleeping in the dew,
hit by rain and buffeted by wind.
Interesting.
I need to find out who you really are.
People brought to you by fate?
Really, master?
that sick old devil is so thin and sallow!
He uses more energy than he takes in.
He might just fall over ka-boom on the road!
Why on earth are you trying to carry him?
Is it because you think things are too easy?
You haven't met enough people yet.
That man's voice is like a phoenix, magic and pure. And such refined bones!
Especially the shoulder blades on his back.
Not one in ten thousand ….
You make him sound like a flower [beautiful girl].
Isn't he a grown man?
You don't say!
Don't I know he's a man!
What I mean is...
This man's features and bone structure are completely incongruent.
Yet I can't see any trace of disguise.
In the Jianghu, there aren't many
who have the skill for that little trick.
Even I can't see any flaws.
And that flexible sword of his...
Master.
Why were those people trying to play ghost tricks last night?
That leader even called himself Hanged Ghost.
Do they think we're fools?
Master, where are you going?
Those brought by fate … I'll go to meet.
[Luohan Temple] [Smile to difficulties of life] Those brought by fate … I'll go to meet.
[Luohan Temple] [Smile to difficulties of life]
Shen-shishu, we've found all the remains
except Chengling's.
The rest of them were …?
I found the remains in this courtyard here.
Hero Shen, be careful!
Such hidden danger they've arranged!
Shishu, these are extremely sharp.
The naked eye practically can't see them.
We did a cursory clean-up,
and haven't finished a careful cleaning.
This yellow paper ….
Ghost Valley?
That's right.
All of us old people know,
when Ghost Valley makes trouble, they have to make a big production of it first.
I was worried that someone would do evil under the guise of Ghost Valley.
So I asked my two old friends, Pink Peach and Green Willow, to come here.
There's no one left on earth—
That's right.
No one in the whole world understands this stuff better than us.
We are the way we are because of the harm these things did.
This is Hanged Ghost's "Soul-Tangling Thread".
The ten great devils of Ghost Valley.
We should have eradicated these evils before now.
I will kill everything in that valley until not even chickens or dogs are left.
Sect Leader Shen, you should know what you're getting yourself in for.
Who'll kill whom?
The way things are, Ghost Valley will wipe out the Five Lakes Alliance.
Stop blowing hot air from your mouth!
Grandma Pink Peach!
You're picking fights again!
You think this Shen Shen doesn't dare to kill you?
♪To the five lakes all water flows,♪
♪Martial supremacy, where else could it go?♪
♪Bright clouds scatter, glazed glass breaks,♪
♪Who will weep at Qingya's gates?♪
What's this devil talk?
Who says it's devil-talk? Sect Leader Shen,
As they say, do no evil and you'll have no worries
about ghosts knocking on your door at night.
The Ghost Valley has knocked on the door of Mirror Lake Sect.
Who can say they won't knock on your door tonight?
Quick.
Immediately send a report to your shifu.
Be sure to tell him the second half of the children's rhyme.
I'm giving you the Alliance Leader's Token.
When you have this, it's as if the Leader is present.
Gather your people and do everything you can
to find out where Chengling has gone.
Will do.
Hero Shen.
If the baby of your ally Zhang's family escaped alive,
the Beggar Guild will not shirk our duties
and will of course take on the responsibility of helping look for the orphan.
You can be at ease.
Thank you, Elder Huang.
Don't mention it.
It's the duty of all on the righteous path.
Everyone in the Five Lakes Alliance, young and old, will remember what you've done today.
There's no need to be so formal.
I'm tired.
Kid.
When we get to the bend,
we'll find a shady place to rest for a bit.
Master.
Zhou-xiong.
Didn't expect fate to bring us together again!
Drink a cup of tea
and loosen up in this heat!
That Wen Kexing is a persistent devil.
Most likely they're after the Glazed Gadget too.
Why leave?
Here's a lake.
Drink some water and quench your thirst.
[quoting] When the water is clear,
I can wash my uniform.
When the water is muddy,
I can still wash my feet. [poem]
Zhou-xiong.
We keep meeting by chance!
Don't tell me this guy
put some sort of tracker on us?
There has to be a tracking method I don't know about.
Let's go.
Zhou-xiong, where are you going?
Aren't you going to rest a bit longer?
Seeing that Shen man nearly piss his pants in fear
was a delight.
Five Lakes Alliance has been so arrogant for so long.
At last maybe someone can sort them out.
Grandma Pink Peach, a little restraint.
If the Ghost Valley shows their faces, the calamity won't be limited to the Five Lakes Alliance.
I don't care.
I've got one foot in the grave already.
As long as I can watch the Five Lakes Alliance fall,
I can die with my eyes closed peacefully.
Grandpa Green Willow,
what do you think?
Back then, for that Glazed Gadget,
how many people died in vain?
In the end, the Five Lakes Alliance took no blame.
Everyone let them off lightly.
Now, the Danyang Sect was made extinct, and then the whole family of Mirror Lake Sect was killed.
I feel like karma has come for the Five Lakes Alliance at last.
Lu Taichong left behind two young disciples.
They sought refuge with Ao Laizi and Mt Tai Sect.
He's sure to have gotten Lu Taichong's piece of the Glazed Gadget.
We have to find Ao Laizi quickly.
We can't let another piece of the Glazed Gadget
fall into the hands of the Ghost Valley.
[Tianya Inn]
Even one room would be workable. [Tianya Inn]
Lad, give us a break here. [Tianya Inn]
Lad, give us a break here.
If there were a room,
wouldn't I let you stay?
There really is a young noble
who rented the whole place out.
Sir, many apologies.
Why don't you go and look elsewhere?
Elsewhere? Are there other inns?
I'm sorry. I've just realized there aren't.
Then where else can we go?
Once you leave our inn, it's none of my business where you go.
You—
Got a woodshed? A woodshed would do.
Our journey has left us wearied.
We only request a place to spend the night.
Why, isn't that Zhou-xiong?
What? A woodshed?
How could we possibly let Zhou-xiong sleep in a woodshed?
Innkeeper, would you
have the best room in the house cleaned up
for the benefit of this beautiful …
this heroic man?
Very well.
Lad, quick, get it set up!
Alright!
Zhou-xiong, ah!
I gave you my own room.
I even prepared two new outfits for you.
And now you sweep in like the emperor and bed down in my nest?
You should at least let me come in and sit for a bit.
Looks to me like there's lots of empty rooms here.
Pick some other place at random and sit there.
But this first-class room is the only one!
Zhou-xiong!
Zhou-shu, what are you doing?
You can't guard yourself too carefully.
I don't think Wen-gongzi looks like a bad guy.
You, ah. Who don't you think looks like a good guy?
You didn't sleep all night.
Come and nap a bit.
Zhou-shu, you didn't sleep either.
I'll be fine dozing in the chair.
You go to bed and lie down.
Do what I tell you.
Yes.
You baby.
Going to bed with your clothes still on?
I'm the problem, that it?
I'll go.
Oh right,
your injury, is it serious?
You don't need to tell me if you don't want to.
This is a wound purifying medicine.
Smear it on yourself, okay?
Zhou-shu.
Thank you.
Zhou-xiong, we indeed have a deep predestined affinity.
Could it be a destiny of three lives? [married in a previous life]
More like a persistent devil haunting me.
I don't know why Wen-gongzi always follows me.
What do you really want?
Why don't you just tell me?
My desire is quite simple.
Show me your true self,
and I'll tell you immediately.
It would be better to show me your true self first.
Your true self must be very handsome!
My true self, hah—
It's almost certainly not that good to look at.
Maybe there's scars across the whole face.
Maybe it's green with fangs.
No matter what it is, I'm not that interested.
Anyway, let me offer you one piece of advice, Wen-gongzi.
Things that have nothing to do with you?
Don't be so interested.
In that case, Zhou-xiong, let me ask you:
What does that Zhang-gongzi upstairs have to do with you?
Without knowing how deep the water is,
you're putting your foot in the whirlpool anyway.
I received others' trust. I will be loyal to the matter.
I only have to take Zhang-gongzi
and hand him safely to Zhao Jing.
Other matters?
Not my problem.
Master!
Y'all are drinking without me?
A-Xiang, I ask you,
The second cutest person in the world,
what kind of person are they?
What kind? Someone who treats me to a meal!
It's a person with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
So who is the cutest person in the world?
A person with a slim waist, long legs, and a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
This child is from a prestigious family.
My Beggar Guild must use all our power to find this boy!
Will do!
These subordinates will solemnly obey the elder's command,
So, if we find him, what do we do next?
At all costs and with no scruples,
you must bring the child directly to me.
At the same time, you must not let anyone know
that the child is being brought to us.
Will do!
Zhou-shu.
Young Master Zhang, you're finally awake.
We've been waiting for you.
Your Zhou-shu wouldn't touch his chopsticks without you,
so we were too embarrased to touch ours either.
Wash your hands and we'll eat.
I'm hungry!
Why clean your hands? You don't eat things with your hands!
Feral girl, since we find ourselves in human society,
can you try to act a little bit human?
Look around and watch how other girls conduct themselves.
[Tianya Inn]
All you uncles, take pity, take pity on us! [Tianya Inn]
All you uncles, take pity, take pity on us!
Is that him?
Take pity, take pity on us, dear uncle!
Young Master Zhang, why are your chopsticks motionless?
Is the food not to your liking?
No, that's not it.
Many thanks for the hospitality, Wen-gongzi.
So you know to thank someone for treating you to a meal,
but you're still acting like it tastes bad.
Do you know, having someone like you at the table
can really disturb the appetite?
But … I really don't feel like eating.
I'm a girl and I can't stand you acting like a delicate flower who's never experienced wind and rain!
No culture, no martial arts,
One tiny problem, and it's like the heavens fell and the earth tore!
If you don't eat while alive, you'll starve to death!
You think the heavens will be so touched by you they'll come smite your enemies kaboom bang dead?
A-Xiang, stop bullying him.
Eat your rice.
Master, is A-Xiang wrong?
Look at that silly boy, his head's gone rusty!
Let me tell you,
if you don't eat really well,
so you grow strong and skilled,
don't tell me you're hoping us passersby will take bloody revenge on your archenemies for you?
Yeah …
"At home rely on parents, away from home rely on friends."
but that's just pretty talk, see?
even this sick old—
Zhou-xiansheng [gentleman teacher]
isn't a big enough sucker to fall for that.
Eat a little more slowly. No one's trying to steal it from you!
Be careful or you'll choke to death, you big fool kid!
Now you're crying big fat tears?
A-Xiang!
You're acting as if I bullied you.
[Chongwu Palace]
[Five Lakes World Alliance]
Everyone.
This Gao accepted the position of leader of the greatest alliance in the world.
[Leaders of Haisha Guild & Water Transport Guild] This Gao accepted the position of leader of the greatest alliance in the world.
[Leaders of Guilds] This Gao accepted the position of leader of the greatest alliance in the world.
During my tenure, Ghost Valley [Leaders of Guilds]
[Disciples of Yueyang Sect: Zhu Yao Zhi, Gao Shan] During my tenure, Ghost Valley
viciously attacked the Mirror Lake Sect of the Five Lakes Alliance, [Leader of Five Lakes Alliance, Gao Chong]
causing the extermination of my fourth brother Zhang Yusen's family. [Leader of Five Lakes Alliance, Gao Chong]
causing the extermination of my fourth brother Zhang Yusen's family.
This is unprecedented shame and humiliation for the Five Lakes Alliance!
A blood debt must be repaid with blood!
The Alliance Leader speaks truth! Blood debt, blood payment!
Blood debt, blood payment! Blood debt, blood payment!
Everyone!
Since the great battle at Mt Qingya,
the Jianghu and the Ghost Valley
have lived in harmony for twenty-plus years,
because back then,
the Jianghu and the upright Daoist master who created the Ghost Valley
made a pact:
If Ghost Valley didn't do harm in the Jianghu,
the Jianghu and the Daoist master would not set a single foot inside Ghost Valley.
But now,
here's Ghost Valley showing up to do harm in the Jianghu!
Consequently,
This Gao will call together a general assembly of heroic men!
It is time for us to fight together to slay Mt Qingya top to bottom
and eradicate this malignant cancer!
Blood debt, blood payment! Eradicate the malignant cancer!
[Leader of Mount Tai Sect, Ao Laizi]
Shifu, how is it?
Not bad. I didn't see anyone suspicious.
How is Qing Hua?
Ah, common cold, that's all.
[Disciple of Mount Tai Sect, Qing Bai] Ah, common cold, that's all.
[Disciple of Mount Tai Sect, Qing Bai]
A little feverish on and off. [Disciple of Mount Tai Sect, Qing Bai]
Shifu, can we make a fire? [Disciple of Mount Tai Sect, Qing Bai]
Shifu, can we make a fire?
Just bear with it.
Once we reach the Wudong Mountains, it'll be alright.
I'll take the night watch.
Shifu, you've been on the move without rest the whole way.
Your shifu is fine.
If not for having to go to Mirror Lake Manor,
that shoddy Shen Shen wouldn't have let us get away.
If he catches us again,
how can you kids deal with him?
At worst, I'll fight him.
Shifu!
Reckless!
Ao Laizi shibo [master's older brother]
How about...
you... you just hand us over?
After all, Shen-shishu is Uncle's sworn brother.
We are Danyang Sect's last two disciples.
I think
the Five Lakes Alliance won't do anything to us, right?
Foolish child.
Shen Shen relentlessly pursues you
only to rob you
of the Glazed Gadget that your shifu left.
However, you can rest assured,
since this Shibo
accepted thy shifu's dying command,
no matter what,
I'll put these old bones on the line
before I let the Glazed Gadget
fall into the hands of the Five Lakes Alliance.
Help me! Help me! Help me!
Help me! Help me! Help me … help me …
Dad!
Dad?
Zhou-shu?
You're fine now.
Lie down, okay?
[Bright and Blessed]
Zhou-xiong!
You must be looking for these two people.
It's been handled for you.
Go back to sleep, hm?
Again, it's Ghost Valley.
On our heels at every turn.
In a bright clear world,
humans and ghosts are hard to distinguish.
Wearing a ghost mask doesn't make someone a ghost.
Wearing a human face doesn't make someone human.
Who knows?
You really know your stuff, hm?
This is 30-year-old yellow seal [liquor].
I can call you A-Xu, right?
A-Xu's ability to judge liquor
is comparable to my ability to read people.
Come, a mouthful, hm?
With that look in your eye?
Forget it.
I read people very accurately.
I'm very sure
that if I peel the outer layer off that body,
surely, concealed inside, is a
big, big pleasurable surprise.
You might as well peel it off and take a look.
No rush, no rush.
Sooner or later.
♪The sky was gray as I crossed the cold river♪
♪The moon in my cup at night reflects the sadness in my smile♪
♪Who allowed me to roam around the world on horseback?♪
♪Who is drunk in their dreams but can't find home when they wake?♪
♪The cold rain kisses my windows♪
♪I don't mind hate and slander, but my melancholy persists♪
♪The spring breeze brings greenery along the river♪
♪But can't warm my cold heart♪
♪Is that our light out of nowhere?♪
♪I regret not meeting you earlier, but we've finally met now♪
♪Don't let the seasons pass in vain♪
♪Give up the adventures on horseback for a peaceful quiet life♪
♪The lights of ten thousand families light up the world♪
♪The past disappears like smoke in a sandstorm♪
♪I will spend the rest of my days enjoying my life with you♪
♪I will be with you forever♪