【Preview】EP17-20: The road is long and challenging, but forge ahead bravely!✨| YOUKU
♪Chasing wind, I set out afar♪ ♪The road ahead lost, my voice unheard♪ ♪I’ve tasted joy and sorrow♪ ♪Laying low, I plan every move♪ ♪With a mortal heart and lingering ties♪ ♪I’m roaming far and wide♪ ♪A twist of fate in desperate times♪ ♪A bond that outlives the dust of life♪ ♪Still chasing what immortality means♪ ♪Even eternity flashes by in a blink♪ ♪Don’t mock my ordinary life♪ ♪I fight alone as chaos shakes the world♪ ♪Don’t scorn my humble roots♪ ♪Kind at heart, ruthless when I must be♪ ♪Fate stirs with joy and grief beneath♪ ♪I hold the tide between life and death♪ ♪Faith carries me through endless dark♪ ♪And I return with a heart refined♪ ♪Forged by trial, I rise through three realms♪ ♪Reborn in the wheel of fate♪ [The Immortal Ascension] [Adapted from the webnovel, The Immortal Ascension by Wangyu] [serialized in www.qidian.com under China Literature Limited] [Episode 17] Something’s wrong! Han! Miss Mo! What happened? We need to get out of the city. Someone’s after us. I know an old waterway that leads outside. I’ll take you there. It’s this way. Han… Why did it suddenly get so dark? Han. This path was something a patient once told me about. It leads right out of the city. Why’s it a dead end? Step back! Don’t get hurt! I’m Dong Xuan’er. What’s your name? Mo Caihuan. I’m a friend of Han Li’s. A friend? When did you two become friends? A long time ago. No wonder he never mentioned you. We haven’t seen each other in years. I just ran into him. I wish I had someone to watch fireworks with too. Move on! They’re catching up! There’s light up ahead! Sirs, you must’ve heard by now the fall of Jiang and Cheqi Kingdoms. The demonic sects have been quiet for years. But this time, they’re really here. I heard those royal families were secretly learning cultivation, trying to become cultivators. They broke the rule barring royals from cultivation. The demonic sects acted, and maybe they had a reason. What’s the point of fighting over scraps? Righteous or demonic, why should our Seven Sects get dragged into this mess? If we provoke the demonic sects, they may come after us next. Exactly. Everyone, since we were all invited here by Hongfu, let’s hear what she has to say. I heard a Nascent Soul cultivator is involved in this fight. Yes, someone from the Joyful Union Sect, Grandmaster Yunlu. Grandmaster Yunlu? You old geezers, what’s that look for? Talk business if you must, but keep your eyes off my senior! All of you, I didn’t call this meeting. Nangong Wan from Moonshadow Sect did. What? Yan Clan Stronghold sided with the enemy? I saw it with my own eyes! Inside Yan Clan Stronghold, they activated two grand arrays. Not just to block detection, they were meant to trap every Seven Sect disciple attending the wedding inside the city. On the surface, it was a wedding feast. But in truth, Yan Clan worked with the demon sects to set us up. This… this can’t be true. I didn’t dare delay. As soon as I realized it, I rushed back to report. I should’ve seen it coming. Yan Clan Stronghold is right on the border, next to the Jiang Kingdom. [Episode 18] Xuan. What about the two from Yellow Maple Valley? Lv, calm down. We can find an opening to ditch the Foundation Establishment cultivators. Xuan’er! Xuan’er! Dong Xuan’er? Xuan’er. What happened to you? Dong Xuan’er. Senior Wu. Hurry. Senior Han is… What happened to Han Li? He needs your help now. Where is he? Xuan’er. Xuan’er, what’s wrong? Everyone, Xuan’er escaped from the Yan Clan Stronghold. I must send her to the Valley. Go now. We’ll go rescue Han. Xuan’er… I feel much better now. The demonic sects might be on the way back. I should take a detour. My seniors, aren’t we going to rescue Han? This is the wrong way. Chen. The elder sent us a message. The Yan Clan Stronghold owns a gem quarry nearby. The demonic sects must not seize it. We are ordered to take it immediately. Han Li? Why are you here? What is she doing here? Senior Chen. Is he from the Yellow Maple Valley? I am Lv Tianmeng from Spirit Beast Mountain. I am Xuan Yue from Moonshadow Sect. I am Han Li from Yellow Maple Valley. I escaped from the Yan Clan Stronghold. Han. Are you alright? You look badly hurt. No one else can find out about the change in our route. We must keep this person here. Agreed. What’s with these two? This is weird. For you to escape the Yan Clan Stronghold proves you are highly capable. The rest of us were sent on a mission by the Seven Sects. Things are urgent right now. Join us. We can watch each other’s backs. Senior Xuan. Since Han is injured, he should return to the Valley. We can handle the mission. Chen. The coalition gave an order. All Foundation Establishment disciples were assigned missions. Lv has the coalition’s official dispatch as proof. Han. Please lend us a hand. Please don’t turn us down. It seems they are ready to accuse me – if I refuse… – Han. to help them. Please. No choice then. I’ll play it by ear. I accept the order. I’ll go with you. [Episode 19] See that? They are inside the cave. I don’t care if you have to dig. Just bring him to me! Young Master, the cave system is convoluted. The tunnels are windy. The bends are sharp. Straight to the point! It will be difficult to find them. It will be easy to find them. How can I say it’s difficult when I haven’t tried? But Young Master, you see, those vermin are no threat. Just leave them be. Vermin? Zhong Wu, you finally said something right for once. Vermin. We should treat them like vermin. Right? My friends, I suppose this is all the demonic sects could do. They can’t do anything if we hide in this mountain. That’s right. Unless they can move the mountain. Or better yet, blow the mountain up! Earthquake Talisman? Young Master, you can’t do that. If you use the Earthquake Talisman, this quarry will be all gone. Your aunt will be angry. She will be angry? More reason for me to blow it up, then. But, what about our people in there? Die! Quick! Run inside the cave! – Go! – Hurry! – Quick! – Quick! Hurry up! Are those people out of their minds? They used an Earthquake Talisman on their own quarry. Now that the quarry is destroyed, no one will know we were ever here. We just have to survive until the earthquake is over. You’re right. Once we get out, I’ll buy you a drink. Lv, come. Let’s go. Who’s there? Show yourself now. Oh, no. I ran into them again. It’s me, Han Li. Is this Senior Lv and Xuan? Yes. Han. Come join us. I have no choice but to meet them. [Episode 20] Nichang, why stop me from leading the disciples? Do you really think if we don’t fight back, the demonic sects will spare us? Look at you. You’re good at everything, except knowing when to quit. The Six Demonic Sects are too powerful. We, the Seven Sects, can’t compare. Even if we give it our all, we still won’t stand a chance. Better to hold our ground and preserve our strength. They’re after cultivation resources. They likely won’t come after us. Nichang, if they take the Yue Kingdom and start rounding up spirit-rooted mortals, then what? I don’t know if that counts as resources, but I do know we can’t just stand by. Aren’t you afraid that if we go too far, some Nascent Soul elder will step in and get someone you care about killed? That won’t happen. When in doubt, retreat first. Besides, most Nascent Soul cultivators don’t bother with worldly affairs. They won’t waste time coming after us. Since logic won’t work, I’ll just tell you. The demonic sects run wild. But do you know why none of the Nascent Soul elders from the Seven Sects are stepping in? Simple. They know they’ll lose. In the cultivation world, strength rules. Below Nascent Soul, we’re all ants. Our elders once fought Grandmaster Yunlu of the Six Demonic Sects. They lost. To avoid a larger war, they cut a deal and both sides agreed: No Nascent Soul cultivators can join this war. So it’s true. I thought the war had just begun, but it was already over. Peace lasted too long. We’re like kids flashing treasure, just asking to get robbed. It’s not just the demonic sects. Even the Righteous Alliance is eyeing us. They’re all waiting for the demonic sects to invade Yue, so they can swoop in while we bleed. Nichang, are you really going to watch as Yue Kingdom burns? I knew you’d say that. So, I’m giving you one year. One year? For one year, whatever you want to do, slay demons or save mortals, I won’t interfere. But, the sect won’t offer much support. The Grand Elder made the decision. I can’t go against it too far. Your words are more than enough for me. Take care of yourself. If the outcome is already set, then my duty is to save as many as I can. Nichang, I’ll make the most of this year you’ve given me. [Golden Drum Plains, One year later] The Seven Sects are getting cocky lately. This month alone, we’ve lost over twenty men. Eyes wide, all of you. Don’t walk into their ambushes! No way. In broad daylight? ♪Heaven and Earth, the sacred path♪ ♪The root of all creation♪ ♪Through endless trials I train♪ ♪To awaken my true power♪ ♪Within and beyond all realms♪ ♪Only the Dao stands above♪ ♪Golden light surrounds me♪ ♪Wrapping me in its glow♪ ♪It can’t be seen♪ ♪It can’t be heard♪ ♪It holds the world♪ ♪And gives life to all♪ ♪Chanted a thousand times♪ ♪It makes my spirit shine♪ ♪The Three Realms guard my path♪ ♪The Five Emperors guide me♪ ♪All the immortal bow♪ ♪Even thunder serves me♪ ♪All the immortal bow♪ ♪Even thunder serves me♪ ♪Demons tremble in fear♪ ♪Spirits are out of my sight♪ ♪Demons tremble in fear♪ ♪Spirits are out of my sight♪ ♪Thunder resides in me♪ ♪With the lightning’s name sealed♪ ♪Wisdom flows through me♪ ♪Five forces rise from within♪ ♪Golden rays blaze out♪ ♪And shields me from all harm♪ ♪And shields me from all harm♪ ♪The way of Heaven and Earth♪ ♪I swear to crush all evil♪ ♪Blood may stain my robe♪ ♪But who can see the truth?♪ ♪I won’t let the world decide♪ ♪What I must look like♪ ♪I’ll show what I’m made of♪ ♪And break through every trap♪ ♪Swinging my sword at sorrow♪ ♪My will stays unshaken♪ ♪The road is full of perils…♪