ADAPTED FROM BAI LU CHENG SHUANG'S LOVE IN THE CLOUDS
-Show me your hand. -What for?
I didn't do anything wrong today.
If I wanted to hit you, would I go for your hand?
-What is it? -Strange.
After your trip to Zhangwei Mountain,
the Heavenly Grief in you stopped spreading.
Sometimes I can't even detect it at all.
-Now this hand. -Really?
Could the feng shui at the Bo clan's ancestral home
have somehow helped me?
You might be right.
The Bo clan
created both the Heavenly Grief and the Golden Millet Dream.
And Fairy Bo herself was your…
My what?
Your benefactor,
of course.
She gave you the Golden Millet Dream recipe.
Even if we still need to find the Diwu tree's core,
the fact that she gave you the recipe already makes her your benefactor.
It's a pity Ji Bozai destroyed the Golden Millet Dream.
Otherwise…
It's not over yet.
Though the Diwu tree's core hasn't been seen for ages,
the Bo clan still managed to make
the Golden Millet Dream and the Heavenly Grief a century ago.
Since the Golden Millet Dream Ji Bozai had was made by Fairy Bo Yulan,
she must have found a core.
That's my disciple. Smart as ever.
If they could find it, why can't we?
What matters most is the Diwu tree's core.
The rest of the ingredients, like Ostrich Rat, mesona,
and turtle shells,
are easy to get.
Ming Yi, don't worry.
-With me here, there's nothing to fear. -I know.
When you're here, Master,
I feel safer than when my father was around.
What's wrong?
You're getting more sentimental
with age, aren't you?
If you want to cry, go ahead. Here, my shoulder's free.
What are you doing? I'm your master.
Show some respect.
If we really manage to make the Golden Millet Dream,
I'll not only reenter the Qingyun Tournament,
but I'll also win it for another seven years.
Is this the time to be thinking about that?
But you're right.
No matter how hard it is,
we'll find those ingredients.
I can't stand watching you suffer any longer.
Show some respect.
You cheeky brat.
The last ingredient for the Golden Millet Dream is the Diwu tree's core?
How could we possibly find that?
The Diwu tree's core has vanished from the world,
but I can't just watch her die.
Fuyue,
the Yousu Fox Tribe can seal a primordial spirit within an Illusory Realm,
which is considered a form of immortality.
So, I wonder.
Could this technique
be used to keep Ming Yi alive for now?
Have you lost your mind, Your Lordship?
You know full well
that using the technique like that
inflicts burning pain to the bone. One mistake,
and you'll lose your mind completely!
You're only talking about the consequences.
That means
the method itself can work.
Am I right?
-Please-- -Your Lordship!
Please.
I'm begging you.
Your Lordship.
This fox spell can lure souls into an Illusory Realm.
It can strip a being of their three souls and seven senses
and weave an Illusory Realm.
Within that Illusory Realm, the spell can be reversed
to extend her life with someone else's lifespan.
I can capture some wandering spirits without families.
They have no ties in this world.
Killing them won't cause any trouble.
We can't do that.
If I stain my hands with the blood of the innocent,
Ming Yi will never forgive me,
and I'll lose any chance of a future with her.
Even now,
Your Lordship still can't bring yourself
to lie to her?
This is my only wish.
I have deceived her before
and done many things I can never undo.
But in the end,
I must become someone like her
to be worthy of standing by her side.
Three souls and seven senses, enter the endless Illusory Realm.
Burn the heart and refine the blood. Cross the heavens and the netherworld.
With my bare body and organs,
I offer all my life's fortune
to lengthen her years
and extend her life.
-Ming Yi! -Immortal Situ.
I found a way to save you.
Take this medicine.
What is it?
Ming Yi, just take it.
Tell me what it is.
I learned a technique that refines the blood of my heart.
This way,
I can trade my lifespan for your time.
Ming Yi, I told you,
I won't let you die.
Ming Yi.
You…
Immortal Situ!
You…
You're awake.
How do you feel?
Have some water.
Here.
Ming Yi, you know
I did this willingly.
Immortal Situ,
when I took you to the Qingyun Tournament years ago,
it was just a small favor.
Why are you so fixated on it
that you went this far for me?
Ming Yi,
this is the first time
you've acknowledged who you truly are to me.
I always knew,
but hearing you admit it yourself
means so much more.
I'm sorry.
You see me as your sister, yet I kept secrets from you.
You've held no grudge
and helped me again and again.
I truly don't know how to repay you.
In fact, I was already
in deep despair back then.
If you hadn't taken me to that Qingyun Tournament,
stood on the Totem Platform with my badge,
and said those words to me,
I don't think I could've kept going.
So,
no matter how much lifespan it costs,
I'm willing to give it.
Ming Yi,
without you,
I would've given up on my life long ago.
So,
think of this as me fulfilling my wish.
This time,
let me be the one to keep you alive.
You can't make someone else your purpose in life.
You should live for yourself.
Immortal Situ,
in truth, I'm the one who owes you.
In that case,
promise me one thing.
I haven't decided what it will be yet,
but you'll do
whatever I ask for me,
won't you?
Your Lordship!
Your Lordship.
Come.
Your Lordship,
you're suffering the aftereffects of reversing the spell.
If you give in, you'll lose your mind completely.
Hang in there.
Fox blood can ease the pain for now.
Your Lordship.
It doesn't hurt.
A CLOUD OF PEAR BLOSSOMS AND A FORLORN DREAM
Old Man She! Old Man She!
Look! They're back!
Just now, they suddenly recovered!
-What did you say? -My spiritual veins! Look!
-See? -All right.
-Stop using your spiritual power. -No, look. They're really back. Look.
And the Grief Blossom isn't showing itself.
You're better.
You've really recovered.
I knew you wouldn't die!
I was so worried!
All right.
This is good news. Why are you crying?
Did it just ring?
Your spiritual veins have recovered.
Of course, Twenty-Seven would sense it.
Your companion beast will return soon.
A companion beast comes into being when a cultivator
reaches the Transcendent Stage.
With your spiritual veins restored,
Twenty-Seven's lingering divine consciousness
will also grow stronger gradually.
Soon, you'll be able to bring him back.
Twenty-Seven.
You said Immortal Situ refined his heart's blood
and traded his lifespan for yours?
He said it was a secret technique of his clan.
I never knew
that Zhushui Spiritual State had such a powerful clan
with mastery of such a rare art.
He sacrificed so much to save me.
Even if he's keeping secrets from me, I have no right to question him.
To be honest, Immortal Situ has really treated you well.
I owe him so much, I don't even know how I could ever repay him.
Stop thinking about it. I'll make us something to eat.
Let's celebrate properly tonight.
I'm off.
-Don't make too much. -Don't worry.
Ming Yi.
From the sound of it,
he only managed to keep you alive for now.
What about the Heavenly Grief inside you?
How do we get rid of it completely?
Still,
we should thank Situ Ling properly.
Yes. I owe him too much.
What do you plan to do next?
Master, let's return to Yaoguang Mountain at once.
No way.
What are you thinking? What's in that head…?
Ming Yi,
right now, Madam Meng and Ming Xin control Yaoguang Mountain.
If you rush back there, you'll fall straight into their trap.
We must first find proof that Ming Xin used poison
and reveal what truly happened.
Only then can you reclaim the title of Crown Prince with honor.
Though Father has named Ming Xin Crown Prince,
the investiture ceremony hasn't taken place.
He still doubts whether Ming Xin is truly worthy
of the position.
If Ming Xin fails
to represent Yaoguang Mountain as Crown Prince in the two-realm tournament,
he'll lose all face.
The tea gathering.
Before the two-realm tournament,
Father plans to test Ming Xin through the tea gathering.
Here, Your Lordship.
"My spiritual veins have recovered, and I am well again.
I offer you my deepest thanks.
I will never forget the promise I made to you.
If you are ever in need,
I will come to your aid without hesitation,
no matter what it takes.
Ming Yi."
Your Lordship has sacrificed so much for her,
yet she treats it merely as a debt of gratitude.
Will she treat Ji Bozai the same way?
Enough.
As long as she's safe, that's all I care about.
Really?
Search your heart, Your Lordship.
Do you really only want her to be safe?
Can someone from Zhushui Spiritual State really be such a fool for love
-who expects nothing in return? -Fuyue,
I will never become like my father or my brothers.
Never.
Are you saying that to me
or to yourself?
Your Lordship.
You won't become like them, Your Lordship.
I know you won't.
How did Ming Yi's spiritual veins get restored?
Didn't you say
this technique could only prolong her life?
Her spiritual veins were destroyed by the Heavenly Grief.
Only the Golden Millet Dream can heal them.
I…
You may go back.
After some rest, I'll return to the Judgment Hall.
-Your Lordship… -Don't worry.
I'm fine.
Chao Yuan, was it really worth it?
Open your eyes and see.
You gave her everything.
You almost died.
But has she ever cared for you?
Has she ever truly seen you?
Have you forgotten how you came this far?
Did anyone ever show you the slightest respect in the past?
Have you forgotten it all?
-Get in there! -Get in there!
Let me out!
Here they come.
-Come on out! Come out! -How do you like that?
-These are all prepared for you! -Let me out!
-Come out! -Let me out!
Come out if you can!
-Get in yourself. -Yes.
Save us the trouble of beating you up.
-Good boy. -What a good boy.
-Why is he so quiet this time? -I can't…
-Now he's crying. -That's more like it.
As expected, one without spiritual veins is worthless.
You'll never crawl out of there yourself!
After all these years, he's still the same.
This is no fun.
That's enough for today.
What are you still struggling for?
You've never truly forgotten that pain.
The Situ Ling everyone else sees is a lie.
All that talk about willingness
and selflessness is a lie!
You are Chao Yuan.
You're just like your father and brothers.
I'm not.
I'm not!
The tea gathering is near,
yet His Majesty passed so suddenly.
The future of Jixing Abyss is uncertain.
Yes.
Are we really going to let the Princess inherit the throne?
What a disgrace.
Never in history
has a princess become the ruler.
How are we supposed to hold on
to our position among the Upper Realms this year?
-Right. -Exactly.
Meng Yangqiu, what is the punishment for speaking ill
of Her Majesty in private?
According to the laws of Jixing Abyss, 30 lashes
as a warning.
Thirty lashes? That's fair.
It's enough to break some bones,
but not enough to cripple someone.
Some people,
born so lowly,
only managed to crawl their way up by clinging to others.
You…
Under a female monarch, I'm afraid our realm will lose all decorum.
Do we really need to wait
for the law to punish those who speak ill of our ruler?
I spent most of my life imprisoned.
I barely know anything about the law.
If anyone keeps speaking filth before me,
I'll kill them on the spot.
Her Majesty is here!
Whether you accept it or not,
I am now the new ruler of Jixing Abyss.
-Well… -She…
You all have ears and eyes.
You can hear and you can see.
Judge for yourselves
how I rule from this day on
and whether I am worthy of this seat.
Today, I give you my word.
I will lead Jixing Abyss
to win the Blessed Rain at the Qingyun Tournament.
If I fail,
I will step down of my own accord.
If she says so.
Indeed. We shall see.
We'll see if she keeps her word.
-Can she do it? -Fair enough.
I think you were right.
About what?
When the water is too clear, no fish can survive.
If one seeks an uncorrupted rule,
perhaps the first step
is to cast away purity itself.
Life and death are forever intertwined.
Only by emerging from filth and decay
can one reach true benevolence and the Way.
In all honesty,
if possible,
I'd still rather see you stand in the light.
That's my selfish wish.
Tianji,
you can leave
all the dirty work to me.
I'm willing to be your blade.
I don't need someone to soil their hands for me.
I will never be that kind of ruler.
I will bear both the good and the bad
of Jixing Abyss
myself.
But I do have one question.
Immortal Yan,
would you walk this path with me?
With unwavering devotion.
Good.
May stars and blessings forever grace the Abyss.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
It seems
that among everyone today, only you and Xiuyun
saluted me with sincerity.
Ming Yi,
do you believe I can be a good ruler?
Whether others believe in you or not means nothing.
Follow your words with actions and see them through.
Sooner or later, all will
bow before you.
You're right.
If they refuse to submit,
they can try to take this seat for themselves.
Let's see
if they're capable of that.
With such resolve,
Your Majesty will surely achieve greatness.
I look forward to witnessing it.
Come, sit with me.
Ming Yi, have you heard?
I made a promise
to lead Jixing Abyss to victory in the Qingyun Tournament.
If I fail, I'll abdicate the throne.
So,
I want your help.
Ji Bozai can't forge artifacts,
yet in the battle against the netherbeast army on the Prayer Night,
he wielded a demon-repelling parasol.
That must have been your work, right?
So, Ming Yi,
join Shouhua Academy.
If I refuse,
what will you do, Your Majesty?
At first, I thought about threatening you with your life.
Later, I considered other ways.
But in the end, I came to a realization.
You made the demon-repelling parasol to protect the innocent.
I shouldn't pressure someone like you.
So, please, Ming Yi, I'm begging you.
I know you've been staying at Zhang Tai's place lately.
Something must've happened between you and Ji Bozai.
I get it. Married couples shouldn't be apart for too long.
But there are only four people at the Academy.
I really need you.
Chen Xi is still young.
However talented he is, he needs proper guidance, doesn't he?
We lost seven years in a row. Our best talents all left.
We are falling far behind the other realms in forging.
Yet people still call Jixing Abyss a land of master Forgers.
It's embarrassing just to hear it.
Ming Yi, if you don't help me, we're doomed!
Please.
You're the Empress now.
-Can you act like one? -No.
My dignity doesn't matter.
As Empress, my top priority is to find a great Forger for Shouhua Academy.
Politics, pride…
None of that works on you anyway.
-Let go. -No.
-Let go! -Not until you say yes!
What brings you here, Yan?
This year's tea gathering will be held at Yaoguang Mountain,
which puts Jixing Abyss at a great disadvantage.
So, I came to ask if you'd be willing to move into Shouhua Academy for now.
It'll give us more time to train together,
and it'll boost morale.
Of course.
As a warrior of Jixing Abyss, that's my duty.
I appreciate it, Ji. Farewell.
Your Lordship,
you asked me to look into the message that lured you to Zhangwei Mountain.
I couldn't find the sender.
MING YI HAS GONE TO THE ZHANGWEI MOUNTAIN
TO OBTAIN THE SECOND HALF OF BO'S MEDICAL CLASSICS
Your Lordship,
the sender didn't leave their name,
and the handwriting has been altered.
The sender deliberately lured me there to rescue Ming Yi
but set no traps.
Only Situ Ling would do something like that.
Did you find anything about him, as I asked?
I located the head of the Situ clan.
After Mu Qibai's death, he feared he might be implicated,
so he went into hiding.
I found him
and told him he'd be spared if he told the truth,
so he confessed everything.
In fact, he forged Situ Ling's identity.
The Situ clan never had a long-lost younger son.
Situ Ling's true identity
is Chao Yuan, the son of the Emperor of Zhushui.
He's the son of the Emperor of Zhushui?
Then why did he infiltrate Jixing Abyss
in the first place?
Judging by his actions,
it doesn't seem like he was on Mu Qibai's side.
I went to Zhushui Spiritual State and learned
that Chao Yuan had no spiritual veins and was never favored by his father.
He'd long been bullied by his elder brothers.
He most likely escaped on his own.
-When did he come to Jixing Abyss? -It's been some time.
The head of the Situ clan
said that at first, he stayed with their clan,
claiming he was there on a mission.
He also inquired about the Sunken Abyss.
After last year's Qingyun Tournament, he assumed the identity of Situ Ling,
took Jixing Abyss's Immortal Examination, and joined the Judgment Hall.
He must have learned in Zhushui Palace
that Mu Qibai was using the Sunken Abyss to refine medicine.
I went to the divine capital
after last year's Qingyun Tournament.
He must've come
for the Golden Millet Dream.
You did it again!
Calm down. Look, you even made dust fall into my bowl.
I'm not taking an official post at Shouhua Academy.
I'm just teaching forging.
That way, I can go to the tea gathering with them
without raising suspicion.
I will only agree to your request verbally.
You grant me the Blessed Rain, and I'll teach Chen Xi how to forge.
But I have two more conditions.
Sure.
Shouldn't you hear them first before deciding whether to agree?
I've seen the demon-repelling parasol.
No one in Jixing Abyss can match your forging skills.
If you agree to teach at the Academy,
I'll meet any condition you name.
First,
I want to accompany the warriors to the tea gathering.
No problem.
Second, I want Your Majesty to promise
to give it your all while preparing for the Qingyun Tournament.
When the Six Realms gather,
you must expose the crimes
of the Emperor of Zhushui and his followers before everyone.
Agreed.
That's what I've always intended to do.
Now,
welcome to Shouhua Academy, Fairy Ming Yi.
So, that's your plan.
If you can't outsmart Ming Xin, at least you'll have helped form a force
to stand against Zhushui Spiritual State.
Since I've already stepped down as the Venerable,
I'll use this time
to search for the ingredients needed to make the Golden Millet Dream.
Honestly, I still can't tell if the poison in you
is truly gone.
While I'm out looking for the herbs, remember to…
I can take care of myself.
Be good, or else…
What are you? A three-year-old?
Oh, right.
Every year, there's a spiritual power contest at the tea gathering,
followed by a travelers' competition.
Anyone besides the warriors can join.
It's meant to let ordinary people of the Six Realms
test their skills against each other.
I've heard this year's prize
is a black lingzhi mushroom.
It can help companion beasts regain their form.
So, it can bring Twenty-Seven back?
-Smart girl. -Really?
With that mushroom, you can speed up Twenty-Seven's revival.
Twenty-Seven, did you hear that?
There's a way to bring you back.
Just wait for me, all right?
The Tiger-Subduing Shield. Strong in both offense and defense,
especially the latter.
It suits you, Meng Yangqiu.
Thank you, Fairy Ming Yi.
This is the Lvqi Zither.
It has a quick attack speed and can amplify healing effects.
Yan Xiao, this one's for you.
Thank you, Fairy Ming Yi.
This is the Haotian Staff.
Once you channel spiritual power into it, you can strike enemies
from 100 chi away and knock down everyone in its path.
-Thank you, Master! -Did I say you could have it?
Just kidding. It's yours.
Here, take it.
Ji, come and try these artifacts.
With your strength and Ming Yi's craftsmanship,
no one in the Six Realms would be able to rival you.
What are you doing here?
By order of Her Majesty, I've joined Shouhua Academy
to teach Chen Xi forging.
You didn't know Fairy Ming Yi
had joined Shouhua Academy?
-Actually, Immortal Ji and I… -Come with me.
Wait, I wasn't finished.
Did Immortal Ji and Fairy Ming Yi
have a fight?
Come back… Children shouldn't meddle in adult matters.
Just stop here. There's no one around.
Why are you really here?
I want to go to the tea gathering
to find proof that Ming Xin poisoned me.
If I wait until my father holds the investiture ceremony
to name him Crown Prince,
-it'll be too late. -Staying at Shouhua Academy
could easily expose your true identity.
I don't even know much about forging,
yet I saw the similarities between the Nirvana and the Embers.
Do you think I'm an idiot?
That I'd forge weapons for everyone that look just like the Embers?
You've only seen a fraction of my forging skill.
The artifacts I create are far beyond your imagination.
So, don't worry. No one will find out who I really am.
Fine.
Since you dared to come to Shouhua Academy,
does it mean your spiritual veins have healed?
Thank you for your concern, Immortal Ji.
Yes, they have, perhaps through divine mercy.
I also owe it to the elixir Immortal Situ refined for me.
Otherwise, I wouldn't have survived.
Immortal Situ?
Situ Ling?
Yes. And my master
also transferred half his power to me.
But I'm not sure whether the poison's been purged
or if it's just a temporary recovery.
Either way, I'm not in pain now,
and I'm safe for now.
How did he save you?
With his heart's blood.
He gave me some of his lifespan.
I owe him a great debt.
What's wrong?
Congratulations.
Wait! I owe you too, Immortal Ji.
Even though the Golden Millet Dream's recipe
never came into use,
without your help,
I would've died searching for it.
Thank you, Immortal Ji.
I'll take my leave now.
Did you really give the Golden Millet Dream to Ming Yi?
Are you slamming the table at me?
Does that even matter? You should be worrying about yourself now!
Do you not value your own life at all?
Have you forgotten that the Heavenly Grief in you
was never truly purged?
Back then, because there was no catalyst herb,
Fairy Bo had to use her clan's secret technique
and combine other ingredients of the Golden Millet Dream
to suppress the Heavenly Grief in your body.
But it could relapse at any time.
Later, Fairy Bo made the complete Golden Millet Dream
and left it to you.
But now you've given it to Ming Yi.
If you suffer a relapse someday, what will you do then?
Buxiu, I know what I'm doing.
Do you?
Then why did I sense
the Spirit Well you formed with your spiritual power has closed?
Did you drain your own power to refine the Golden Millet Dream directly?
Planting the Golden Millet Dream within someone
takes an enormous amount of spiritual power,
and the process feels like being flayed alive.
You did all this so Ming Yi could take it directly,
didn't you?
Did you really go that far? could take it directly,