E7 - Scorpion-Tailed Snake Shadow

Source: Crunchyroll
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:29] ---
    Entangle!
[00:30] ---
    Catch on something sturdy!
[00:37] ---
    I didn't mean San Lang!
[00:41] ---
    No!
[00:47] ---
    Lian, take this.
    Just don't fly away again.
[00:50] ---
    Thank you, San Lang.
    That is kind of you. Retract!
[00:52] ---
    Wow, you know magic
    on this level, amazing!
[00:54] ---
    Um... San Lang! Don't panic!
[01:03] ---
    Sorry, it's safer this way.
    Just hang in there.
[01:09] ---
    One more time!
    Don't catch on people!
[01:14] ---
    Ugh, get away from me!
[01:16] ---
    Get off!
[01:17] ---
    What are you doing here?
[01:19] ---
    You should ask your stupid silk sash!
[01:22] ---
    I told you not to catch on people!
    Heavenly officials are people, too!
[01:34] ---
    You two hang in there, too!
[01:35] ---
    Entangle! Don't make the same mistake.
[01:38] ---
    Go!
[01:40] ---
    This doesn't look like a good idea.
    Let's think of something else!
[01:49] ---
    I've caught something!
    Let's give it another chance!
[01:52] ---
    Just take it easy on me!
[01:53] ---
    It feels taut! Must have caught
    on something heavy! Retract!
[02:26] ---
    This is all thanks to the
    heaven officials' blessing.
[02:28] ---
    Hurry! Hide in there!
[04:39] ---
    Those wretches. If I got
    my hands on them, I would...
[04:43] ---
    You'd what?
[04:44] ---
    Swallow a few more pounds of sand?
[04:47] ---
    Shut it!
[04:56] ---
    Lian, what's on your mind?
[04:59] ---
    Those two women had a strange gait.
[05:01] ---
    They're no ordinary people.
[05:03] ---
    The one in white must be
    the Half-Moon Grand Preceptor.
[05:06] ---
    Then who is the woman in black?
[05:08] ---
    Could she be the other
    evil Daoist Fang Xin?
[05:13] ---
    That's not possible.
[05:14] ---
    Fang Xin is the Grand Preceptor
    of Yong An Kingdom.
[05:17] ---
    The two of them were born
    almost 100 years apart.
[05:20] ---
    How do you know so much
    about Yong An Kingdom?
[05:22] ---
    Huh?
[05:24] ---
    To be honest, I used
    to collect rubbish there.
[05:28] ---
    Anyway, if the Half-Moon Daoist's
    goal was to get us stuck here,
[05:33] ---
    she's accomplished her mission.
[05:34] ---
    Are we going to wait here
    until the end of the sandstorm?
[05:37] ---
    That's our only option.
[05:54] ---
    By the way, Nan Feng, why didn't you
    summon the Thousand-Pound-Drop
[05:57] ---
    in the sandstorm just now?
[05:59] ---
    I did! It didn't work!
[06:01] ---
    This vast expanse of land
    is in the far Northwest.
[06:02] ---
    There's no way we'll find
    any Xuan Zhen temples.
[06:07] ---
    My General controls the Southeast.
    His is in the Southwest.
[06:10] ---
    Once we leave their jurisdiction,
    our magic is less effective.
[06:15] ---
    That's odd. This rock is solid--
    how could someone dig a cave here?
[06:23] ---
    Like master, like servant.
    Always making something out of nothing.
[06:33] ---
    The Half-Moon people are herders,
    and at night, to escape the sandstorms,
[06:37] ---
    they dig caves in the rock, sometimes
    blowing them open with dynamite.
[06:48] ---
    What's wrong? Who's there?
[06:56] ---
    Who are you?
[07:01] ---
    I... We're just ordinary
    merchants passing through,
[07:03] ---
    taking shelter from
    the sandstorm raging outside.
[07:08] ---
    If you're just ordinary merchants,
    why are you slinking around like phantoms?
[07:12] ---
    We were sitting here just fine
    until all of you stormed in.
[07:15] ---
    You lit a flame in your bare palms--
    are you humans or ghosts?
[07:18] ---
    We were too scared to make a sound!
[07:22] ---
    You little rascal!
[07:24] ---
    Tian Sheng, don't talk nonsense.
[07:26] ---
    Uncle Zheng, I'm not!
    They're the ones who look suspicious!
[07:36] ---
    I think there's been a misunderstanding.
[07:37] ---
    I am the head priest of
    a Daoist temple, and these...
[07:39] ---
    These are my men from the temple.
[07:41] ---
    What they used was Daoist magic.
[07:45] ---
    Wow, that's amazing! It's so bright!
[07:47] ---
    So, you are but ordinary merchants.
    We are just ordinary people, too,
[07:51] ---
    and we have come to the same
    shelter to weather a sandstorm.
[07:55] ---
    I see... Since we're
    all just regular people...
[07:58] ---
    "Half of those who ventured
    there went missing"...
[08:00] ---
    And yet you still dare come here--
    how could you be ordinary people?
[08:05] ---
    That rumor is exaggerated.
[08:07] ---
    As long as you find a reliable guide
    and avoid entering Half Moon Kingdom,
[08:10] ---
    you can come and go safely.
[08:13] ---
    That's right!
[08:14] ---
    A local guide took us.
    He helped go around the quicksand.
[08:17] ---
    As soon as the wind picked up,
    he took us and told us to hide here.
[08:21] ---
    Isn't that right, Zhao?
[08:24] ---
    I was just doing my job.
[08:26] ---
    I hope the camels and their cargo
    will be fine until the storm passes.
[08:29] ---
    I'm sure they will!
[08:31] ---
    So, Daoist master, you see...
[08:33] ---
    Now that we've cleared the air, I'd like
    to apologize for all the fuss just now.
[09:07] ---
    --Lian?
    --Yes?
[09:09] ---
    There seem to be some characters
    carved in the rock you're sitting on.
[09:12] ---
    Huh?
[09:25] ---
    These are...
[09:26] ---
    Is this Half-Moon script?
[09:28] ---
    You can read Half-Moon script?
[09:31] ---
    To be honest, I was collecting
    rubbish in Half-Moon Kingdom
[09:34] ---
    before the evil
    Half-Moon Daoist was even born.
[09:36] ---
    Is there anywhere you
    haven't collected rubbish?
[09:41] ---
    Ignore him.
[09:42] ---
    What does the tablet say?
[09:49] ---
    General.
[09:51] ---
    What?
[09:52] ---
    This stone tablet marks
    the grave of a general.
[09:55] ---
    San Lang, you... can also read
    Half-Moon characters?
[09:59] ---
    I learned a character
    or two just out of curiosity.
[10:01] ---
    Excellent.
[10:01] ---
    Come over here, we can read it together.
[10:16] ---
    General... This tells
    the life story of the general.
[10:20] ---
    A general from Half-Moon Kingdom?
[10:25] ---
    He is from the Central Plains.
[10:27] ---
    Half-Moon Kingdom was constantly
    at war with the Central Plains,
[10:29] ---
    so why would the Half-Moon
    people honor an enemy general?
[10:32] ---
    Because there's something
    special about this general.
[10:35] ---
    Although it says "general" on the tablet,
    he was actually just a captain.
[10:43] ---
    As the war between Half-Moon Kingdom
    and the Central Plains raged on,
[10:46] ---
    he led his troops to the front line.
[10:48] ---
    Was he promoted to general
    because he won the battle?
[10:52] ---
    No.
[10:53] ---
    At first, he commanded 100 soldiers.
[10:56] ---
    Then 70. And then only 50.
[11:01] ---
    He kept getting demoted.
[11:03] ---
    How could a military officer's career
    move backwards like that?
[11:06] ---
    Normally, if you don't make mistakes,
    you can at least maintain your rank!
[11:08] ---
    How could he have
    failed so miserably?
[11:12] ---
    Young man, this world is full
    of all kinds of extraordinary things.
[11:16] ---
    Let's continue...
[11:18] ---
    This captain was being demoted because
    he kept intervening on the battlefield.
[11:22] ---
    What do you mean?
[11:23] ---
    He didn't allow Half-Moon soldiers
    to slaughter enemy civilians,
[11:26] ---
    and stopped the enemy from doing the same.
[11:28] ---
    Each time he did this,
    he would get demoted,
[11:30] ---
    until he couldn't move
    any lower in the ranks.
[11:34] ---
    He was saving lives by preventing
    soldiers from killing innocent people.
[11:37] ---
    What's wrong with that?
[11:38] ---
    That's true, he didn't hurt anyone.
[11:40] ---
    I agree. What's wrong with that...
[11:41] ---
    Hmph! Everything!
[11:43] ---
    Every job comes with responsibilities.
    Soldiers must perform their duties, too.
[11:47] ---
    Of course there are casualties in a war.
    If you try to do things for both sides,
[11:51] ---
    your people will despise you,
    and the enemy will laugh at you.
[11:56] ---
    You would end up with nothing.
[11:59] ---
    But he saved people's lives!
[12:00] ---
    They even put up a monument to him!
[12:02] ---
    What does the monument
    tell us other than that he died?
[12:06] ---
    And isn't Half-Moon Kingdom no more,
    according to historical records?
[12:09] ---
    What's the point of what he did?
[12:12] ---
    But, but...
[12:13] ---
    Boy, you are too naïve.
[12:18] ---
    Daoist master, am I right?
[12:21] ---
    But this captain was
    saving people's lives...
[12:24] ---
    You're right. He did die.
[12:27] ---
    Killed by his own men, surely?
[12:29] ---
    Not quite.
[12:31] ---
    It says here that one time,
    in the midst of a battle,
[12:35] ---
    his shoelaces came loose,
    and he tripped over them.
[12:39] ---
    He was trampled to death and stabbed
    by crazed soldiers from both sides.
[12:56] ---
    What's so funny?
[12:57] ---
    No, no, it's just... dying like that...
[13:03] ---
    Though the captain's reputation
    in the military had been tarnished,
[13:06] ---
    some people felt grateful to him.
[13:08] ---
    They addressed him as "General"
    and erected this stone.
[13:12] ---
    Later, it turned out
    the tablet had magical powers.
[13:16] ---
    If you kneel thrice before it,
    you will gain the ability
[13:18] ---
    to transform misfortunes into
    good luck here in the Gobi.
[13:20] ---
    Is that true?
[13:22] ---
    It is.
[13:35] ---
    Does it say so on the monument?
[13:38] ---
    I just made it up.
[13:39] ---
    They've had their fun--
    now it's our turn!
[13:42] ---
    --You're a jokester.
    --What's this?!
[13:45] ---
    There's a snake!
[13:46] ---
    How?!
[13:54] ---
    The desert is full of snakes,
    what's so strange about it?
[13:57] ---
    Its tail--watch out!
[13:58] ---
    San Lang!
[14:00] ---
    Its tail is fascinating!
[14:03] ---
    Lian, check it out.
[14:05] ---
    So, it's the scorpion-tailed snake.
[14:08] ---
    Scorpion-tailed snake?
[14:09] ---
    A creature from Half-Moon Kingdom,
    with the body of a snake,
[14:12] ---
    and the venomous tail of a scorpion.
[14:15] ---
    One reason the evil Half-Moon
    Daoist was made Grand Preceptor
[14:18] ---
    was that she could control
    these kinds of snakes.
[14:22] ---
    Control them?
[14:25] ---
    There's more--everyone, out!
[14:31] ---
    Snakes!
[14:32] ---
    So many snakes!
[14:34] ---
    Here, too!
[14:59] ---
    Get out!
[15:00] ---
    Hurry, hurry! Quick!
[15:18] ---
    We paid our respects to the tablet,
    but it only brought us bad luck!
[15:20] ---
    Yeah, the more we worshipped,
    the worse our luck,
[15:22] ---
    just like when we prayed
    to that scrap-collector god!
[15:25] ---
    What happened?
[15:27] ---
    Uncle Zheng!
[15:30] ---
    --Uncle Zheng!
    --What's wrong?
[15:38] ---
    This venom is strong.
[15:44] ---
    Well done.
[15:47] ---
    Zhao, is Uncle going to die?
[15:51] ---
    The venom of the scorpion-tailed snake
    kills its victims within four hours.
[15:54] ---
    What can we do?
[15:59] ---
    Is this the antidote?
[16:01] ---
    It will only delay his
    death by a day or so.
[16:09] ---
    So we're just waiting for him to die?
[16:10] ---
    Is there really no cure?
[16:12] ---
    There's a cure.
[16:13] ---
    There is a plant called the Good-Moon
    herb, an antidote for this snake's venom.
[16:17] ---
    Zhao, why didn't you
    say something earlier?
[16:20] ---
    Of course he didn't tell you--
    someone has to die to save the victim.
[16:25] ---
    What?!
[16:26] ---
    The Good-Moon herb can only
    be found in Half-Moon Kingdom.
[16:29] ---
    No wonder so many people
    are risking their lives to go there.
[16:32] ---
    True.
[16:33] ---
    What are we going to do? How...
[16:38] ---
    The venom of the scorpion-tailed snake...
[16:41] ---
    Was this what the Half-Moon
    Preceptor was after?
[16:43] ---
    Ling Wen, I wanted to ask
    you something. Ling Wen?
[16:49] ---
    Are you able to enter
    the Telepathic Matrix? I can't.
[16:53] ---
    Me neither.
[16:54] ---
    Nor I.
[17:00] ---
    Could even the Telepathic Matrix
    be blocked? What on earth...
[17:07] ---
    Watch out...!
[17:20] ---
    Everyone, be careful!
[17:22] ---
    There might be more snakes.
[17:26] ---
    San Lang?
[17:30] ---
    Don't worry... it's not that bad...
[17:46] ---
    Hang in there, brother.
[17:53] ---
    Don't! The venom is extremely potent,
    you might get infected, too...
[18:05] ---
    He wasn't about to get bitten--
    why did you have to grab the snake?
[18:08] ---
    Jeez.
[18:09] ---
    But what if he'd gotten hurt?
[18:15] ---
    All right, San Lang, I promise,
    it doesn't hurt anymore.
[18:24] ---
    I swear.
[18:26] ---
    Thank you.
[18:29] ---
    Everyone, inspect yourselves.
[18:30] ---
    If you have any open wounds,
    make sure to bandage them.
[18:42] ---
    Dao master, your hand...
[18:45] ---
    --I'm fine.
    --Yeah, right!
[18:46] ---
    The snake just bit you!
[18:48] ---
    We'd better get back
    to heav--uh, just go back!
[18:51] ---
    What? You're leaving?
[18:53] ---
    What about us?
[18:54] ---
    Dao master, don't leave us!
[18:58] ---
    The Telepathic Matrix is blocked,
    so we must go back to report it...
[19:03] ---
    Saving lives is our
    top priority. Don't worry.
[19:06] ---
    Stay calm. We will find the Good-Moon
    herb and bring it to you within 24 hours.
[19:11] ---
    But...
[19:13] ---
    ...we need him to guide us.
[19:16] ---
    But if he leaves...
[19:19] ---
    Fu Yao will stay and protect you.
    Would that be all right?
[19:22] ---
    Huh?!
[19:24] ---
    Fine by me if Zhao is fine with it.
[19:25] ---
    Sure.
[19:27] ---
    It's easy to get to the Half-Moon Kingdom,
    we just need to walk in this direction.
[19:36] ---
    Zhao, we're counting on you.
    Go ahead.
[19:38] ---
    All right, let's go.
[20:08] ---
    Do you feel there's something
    off about this Zhao guy?
[20:10] ---
    Maybe I was just being paranoid.
    He's here now; let's keep an eye on him.
[20:23] ---
    How long has it been since they left?
[20:24] ---
    Zhao said Half-Moon Kingdom was
    not far, so they should arrive there soon.
[20:28] ---
    I'm worried Uncle Zheng
    won't make it to their return.
[20:30] ---
    I'm worried, too.
[20:32] ---
    I need to pee.
[20:33] ---
    --Me too.
    --Me three.
[20:50] ---
    And here we are!
[21:17] ---
    This is Half-Moon Kingdom?
[21:19] ---
    The walls are high, but it looks
    more like a city than a kingdom.
[21:23] ---
    It should've just taken a few days
    to conquer, don't you think?
[21:26] ---
    Don't underestimate this desert kingdom.
    They say only 10,000 people lived here,
[21:29] ---
    but every single citizen
    was a soldier armed to the teeth,
[21:32] ---
    so conquering it was no easy task.
[21:35] ---
    Dao master, you're full of knowledge.
[21:37] ---
    It's because--
[21:38] ---
    Wait. There's someone here.
[21:49] ---
    Why did they suddenly
    disappear in the blink of an eye?
[21:52] ---
    Do you want me to hunt
    you down one by one?
[21:56] ---
    It's the Half-Moon Grand Preceptor.
[21:58] ---
    You should ask your friends for help.
[22:01] ---
    No, no, I prefer to ask you.
    Aren't you happy about that?
[22:06] ---
    Why would I be?
[22:07] ---
    Hurry!
[22:09] ---
    Lian, should we deal the first blow?
[22:12] ---
    Let's wait until they leave.
[22:13] ---
    We can't waste time.
    Finding the herb is our top priority.
[22:16] ---
    If we engage now, what if they
    bring in the Half-Moon soldiers?
[22:20] ---
    Then we'll have a problem...
[22:27] ---
    Huh? What's wrong?