The Immortal Ascension

Like watching a video game

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started this show, but given Yang Yang's performances lately (Fireworks of My Heart was too painful), I see that shows with little emotional depth & campy acting are what actually suit YY best. I've not read the book so my impressions are just from watching it as a show.

In Immortal Ascension, YY plays Han Li, a poor boy from a low level cultivating family who manages to work his way up the ascension ladder through some audacity & luck. He faces many obstacles on the way, of course, but each obstacle proves to be a bridge on the road to ascension.

Han Li's first mentor suggests to him that he should not give up on his humanity on his journey to immortality. So I was searching for the human story in this show, but Han Li's interactions with other characters are superficial. I kept looking for any deep connections he might form with others, but finding none I ended up simply following his progression through the stages, exactly like watching someone play a video game.

Han Li is more selfish & immature than I was expecting. When he discovers how to make a rare & highly prized herbal pill for cultivators, instead of sharing it with the sect that generously took him in, he scarfs down an entire handful, Wukong style, all at once for himself. Han Li takes chances & is reckless for his own gain, but stands aside, hesitant to jump to others' aid. He never fights until he's either called out or forced by his own guilt. The tone of the show also carries a very juvenile video game feel & yet the very adult themes of sexual assault & one night stands are presented with all the understanding & sensitivity of a toxic man baby.

Entering the final 1/3 of the drama we see Han Li's growth into an adult catching up to these themes, but his relationships with his close colleagues don't seem to mature at the same time, particularly those with whom he goes through life & death trials. He doesn't seem to get to know anyone very well, & there's no insight into whatever inner demon is preventing him from connecting with others. There's no shortage of female characters throwing themselves at him, & yet he gives nothing in return but youth & beauty pills as gifts which shows his lack of understanding of any of them as individuals. His emotional emptiness is puzzling, & the best friend by his side is just the puppet body of the only person closest to being a friend in his life. He's a lone wolf who's self serving motives make him unsympathetic.

I realized by the end that this series is only the first season when it was apparent the story was not concluding during the painfully slow final episode. In fact, Han Li's stunted emotional development made more sense given the story was not yet finished. His journey became more interesting as a result. It's unfortunate that the pacing was so uneven. I got the sense that the source material must be more deep & meaningful than the way it was presented on screen, as occasionally a character would ask a thoughtful life question, but only very occasionally. For the moment, however, I can only take this show as a step by step manual on how to ascend, just as a point of interest. The story pacing confused me & the acting barely passable. It could've been a fantastic show with better writing but I am curious to watch the second season just the same.

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A cultivation story with powerful metaphor about humanity, mortality, and purpose

Xianxia drama is not a new thing to us, to the point that they are highly predictable. We have enjoyed various similar dramas before with the same composition involving cultivation, martial arts, magic, power leveling, immortality, godhood, righteousness versus evil, etc.. Characters like Han Li are plentiful, for example, Tang San in Douluo Continent (2021), Ning Que in Ever Night (2018), and even Xiao Se in The Blood of Youth (2023). We already know how the main character will end up: becoming the strongest among people. One thing that makes The Immortal Ascension (TIA) stand out is TIA takes the perspective of a mortal striving to attain immortality. A bottom-up view of the vast world where the story unfolds feels very fresh and adventurous.

So many things are praise-worthy in TIA, I won't repeat them in great detail for you. The cast is perfect, especially Yang Yang. He is very suitable for playing Han Li. The music, the opening and ending OSTs, are great. The game-like visuals for battle scenes, magical creatures, artifacts, place and setting, etc, are so eye pleasing. The way the story is structured is easy to follow, fast-paced, and thought-provoking, with quality dialogue. TIA has clearly set its themes and premises: (1) You were once a mortal. Don't forget that. (2) The world is vast. You must see that. (3) You are weak. You must be more tactful and fully prepared. TIA is about becoming an adventurous, high-achieving, and adaptable person without losing one’s humanity. Because of this, it is perfectly crafted as a character-driven story. We can closely observe Han Li’s changes and growth, and it resonates with us as the audience, who see reflections of our own struggles to become the best version of ourselves.

However, after finishing all episodes in this season, I have some worries to share about future installments. Will the director dare to take the risk of diverging from the manhua/ donghua version while maintaining the established premises, in order to further explore human issues with this story as a reflection? This drama should answer at least one question: If you have already reached the peak after all the struggles and sacrifices, what would make you remain human? The antagonists already show us the opposite: they cease to be human after gaining power, knowledge, and status. With great power, they abuse it and oppress the weak. With knowledge and so-called enlightenment, they turn their backs on the world and the suffering of others. With status, they build rigid structures to prevent others from ever reaching the peak. So, what should a protagonist be like? I want a whole portrayal of a hero who is not only triumphant on the battlefield, but also has the wisdom to write a better history for mankind.

I believe, cultivation stories can be powerful metaphors about humanity, humility, mortality, and purpose, yet too often they stop at power escalation and fan service. TIA Season 1 already shows us 50% of this potential. It is a meaningful story that resonates beyond its genre. People should see these "intellectual gems". TIA is not just another flashy xianxia power fantasy.

For Season 2 in the future, I hope this drama does not abandon the human aspect of becoming an immortal, for it is not only about the sense of justice in the face of oppression. It is also about valuing life—the everyday struggles, love, and relationships—despite the weakness and inevitability of death. I believe life is not only about a man's goals. There should be a righteous "why" behind the power cultivated. Since no one in the real world can truly become an immortal or a god, I hope this drama does not dwell too much in the fantasy realm or become obsessed with power leveling to the point of impossibility. Otherwise, this drama will be nothing more than a typical show, rather than a story that truly resonates.

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A refreshing xianxia journey that stays true to Its roots

Right from the start, the story grabbed me because there’s always something happening, little twists and unexpected turns almost every episode which keeps the excitement going.
Yang Yang really carries the show well, his character feels sharp, cautious and a bit unpredictable which makes him fascinating to follow.
It’s also nice that the drama doesn’t try to push in unnecessary romance just for the sake of it.
Instead, it sticks to the cultivation theme and focuses on the journey which makes it feel more authentic and different from many other fantasy dramas out there.
Another thing I love is the way the production team used real filming locations.
The natural landscapes whether it’s quiet valleys, mysterious forests, or snowy mountains look stunning on screen and give the world a lot of depth.
The show doesn’t rely too heavily on CGI, so it feels more grounded and believable.
The Immortal Ascension is shaping up to be a really entertaining drama that balances beautiful visuals, strong acting and a story that actually stays true to its genre. For me, it’s exciting, refreshing and easy to get invested in.
If you enjoy xianxia with a real focus on the cultivation journey rather than just romance, this one is definitely worth watching!

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Lonely path through eternity

Immortal Ascension opened with some hard-hitting moments: a young boy (our protagonist Han Li, played to perfection by Yang Yang) and his best friend leave home and join the cultivators in order to provide for their families, and to have enough flatbreads. Throughout the show, the flatbread remains a powerful symbol of hope as well as a remembrance of who Han Li is/where he came from. The opening episodes were slow and poetic - time passes on and Han Li adapts to the world. These three episodes on the show set the tone for what unfolds later. These early moments of his life shape him both physically and emotionally and transform him into the loner that he becomes - as he experiences life, there is bitterness, there is also regret. Despite the way his shifu (physician Mo) turns out- the lessons he teaches Han Li echoes throughout Han Li's personal journey.

Han Li is the main character, and what this also means is that there are no other characters that take up significant screen time - the show is a ode to Han Li's journey to immortality. Yet, our main character is not born with extraordinary skills - he has to use his intellect to save himself in the beginning, and even later on. As Mo Cai Huan (Zhao Qing) tells him in what I consider the best scene on this show - "it must have been hard to cultivate without a spirit root". Yang Yang's expression is pained when he hears her say this. Maybe it's because she understands his suffering, intuitively. It's also the only moment in the entire show where we see Han Li's vulnerability and connection to Mo Cai Huan (I would say she is the only woman he runs towards; he runs away from all the others). We don't fully see Han Li's struggles - but he is seen working hard to cultivate. Perhaps it's the desire to survive, perhaps it's the desire to prove everyone wrong. One can cultivate without being born talented - working hard to immortality is a path in itself.

Mo Cai Huan was the only main female character that I really liked - her connection to Han Li and her own story was rather tragic: she lost her family and her love for Han Li remained unfulfilled. She did cry when she saw Han Li- she certainly had many reasons to cry, but Mo Cai Huan was the mortal reminder in Han Li's journey to immortality. She used her life to do good - to serve the people, and despite her life's tragedies, Mo Cai Huan is the most rooted character. When Han Li sees Mo Cai Huan's pharmacy he observes that this is also a good life. The two share a passion and talent for herbs and medicine, they instinctively understand each other - Han Li noticed that she was different when he first saw her at the Mo family house. Their many goodbyes are tragic too - perhaps Mo Cai Huan did not know which goodbye would be the last one. She, like all other mortal things in Han Li's life, perishes.

Of course, what immortality entails is itself hinted substantially in Han Li's own backstory - the family he left behind and watches from afar. The ending song on the show is brilliantly written - summing up Han Li's lonely path through eternity. Time passes by far too soon - to be immortal is to watch all else perish and disappear. "Was it yesterday, is it tomorrow"?
When Han Li hears of the passing of his shifu (Li Hua Yuan, whose death was one of the saddest moments on the show) this perishing world - his friends, his shifu, his colleagues- he knows this is a lonely path. His shifu's words resonate with Han Li's own: "There's so much beauty in the world - go and see it in my place"- Han Li is not a hero in the traditional sense - he does not rush into a fight - he mostly runs, knowing the limits of his own ability. Yet, he does stop to save some people in the course of the story.

Although the show had a lot of potential, I felt rather dismayed by the last two episodes. I know it is following the Donghua but Nanrong Wan was shoehorned into these last episodes, and her reaction to taking away Han Li's cultivation was rather frustrating. I found it very hard to like her, particularly as her character was infantilised. Having so many of the women fall for Han Li was also rather unbelievable, particularly with the limited time each of these characters spent with Han Li. He kept most of them at arm's length. Xuan'er's sudden obsession with Han Li was also unnecessary. The hunger games' parts were frankly not very interesting and as other viewers pointed out, it felt like a game - collecting treasures.

Although the show could have been better had it returned to its philosophical and emotional core in the last episode, I enjoyed this show overall. The cinematography was great, the music was perfectly placed and the acting (particularly Yang Yang, Zhao Qing, Wang Duo, Li Nai Wen, and Chin Shih Chieh) was great.

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The Immortal Ascension: Or, A Masterclass in Corporate Climbing with Flashy Lightsabres

Let’s be real. I started watching The Immortal Ascension for one reason and one reason only: the divine visuals of Yang Yang.

What I didn’t expect was to receive a shockingly accurate, 灵根-opening seminar on corporate survival.
This isn't just a fantasy show; it's a documentary about your 9-to-5, but with better special effects and loads of flying.

First, The Good (The Visuals & The Vibe):
The CG in this show is pretty impressive for a drama.
The mystical realms, the magical beasts, the OP-ed spell rings and all that flying around like Harry Potter in a Quidditch tournament - it’s a feast for the eyes.
It’s like the production team cultivated their budget to the peak and it shows. For the first dozen episodes, the fight scenes had me on the edge of my seat, marveling at the spectacle.

Now, The "Slightly Repetitive" (The Plot's Tribulation):
However, much like my weekly reports, the fight scenes started to feel a tad… familiar towards the end.
It’s the classic corporate dilemma: you find a process that works (e.g., "Gather Qi, unleash divine technique, win"), and suddenly it becomes part of your SOP. It’s like the entire special effects team operate on this “don’t try to be a smart aleck. Don’t reinvent the wheel” principle.
So yeah, the innovation plateau is real, even in the cultivation world. Still enjoyable, but you might find yourself mentally drafting emails during the 15th climactic battle.

The Unlikely Corporate Trainer: Your New Mentor Has a Sword (and an impressive collection of magical items)
Forget your expensive career coaches. The real guru is Yang Yang's character, the ultimate corporate newbie.
He doesn’t have an Ivy League résumé (no fancy 关系 cos he’s no 世家子弟), and his details under "Family Background" simply says "muggle."
Heck, bro doesn’t even have talent. His 灵根 classification is just slightly above “completely useless”.

But he is the epitome of “勤能补拙”. He doesn't just take the cards that fate dealt him; he grinds until the deck is stacked in his favor.

By a stroke of luck, he snags a 黄蜂谷令牌 (his foot in the door), and once he's in, he treasures the opportunity.

What he lacks in innate talent, he more than makes up for with relentless hard work and by constantly enhancing his arsenal.
He's the king of the grind, always 低调 (low-key) but steadily levelling up.

His rise to power is a perfect allegory for office life. Let's break it down:
* The Great Sects = Massive Corporations. The 7 elite sects are the FAANG companies with all the resources. Our hero manages to snag a position in one and is just grateful for the opportunity.
* Cultivation Levels = The Corporate Ladder.He's climbing from Intern (炼气) to Junior Associate (筑基) all the way to Middle Management (结丹). His ultimate goal? Ascension (aka the C-Suite).
* Spiritual Resources = Building Personal Wealth & Assets. This is where it gets genius. It's not just a scramble for company resources.
* Spirit Stones (灵石) are his liquid cash.
* Pills (丹药), which he learns to cultivate himself in a secret garden, are like high-yield investments he creates for himself. This isn't just doing his job; it's holistic financial planning to escape the rat race.
* Weapons & Talismans (法器, 符箓) are his appreciating assets. He legally acquires them from... let's call them "corporate acquisitions" after defeating rivals.
He's not a thief; he's a strategic opportunist who understands that spoils of a fair conflict are a legitimate form of compensation.
He'll even take rare materials from defeated spirit beasts to commission custom gear, like a savvy investor turning raw materials into luxury goods.

His Corporate Survival Toolkit:
* Manages Up Like a Pro: Respectful to seniors (even the shady ones like Doctor Mo), but never hesitates to protect his own projects. He knows respect isn't blind obedience.
* Thinks Before He Talks: In meetings fraught with political tension, he observes, listens, and only speaks when he has a value-add. He never boasts prematurely. This man’s "Reply All" game is strong and error-free.
* Always 留有一手:He never reveals his full hand. This constantly catches his overconfident opponents (and rivals) off guard, allowing him to defeat those deemed far more powerful. He's the quiet colleague who suddenly unveils a game-changing skill no one knew he had. IMHO, this is the ultimate office power move 😆
* Is Brave, Not Reckless: He doesn't shy away from danger, but he's no coward. He's a master of the "tactical retreat" - stepping back to reassess and strategize before coming back with a winning plan.
* Strategic, Not Greedy: He may loot the "office" of a defeated rival, but he later carefully evaluates each item. He found a powerful but dark cultivation manual from an evil sect member and wisely chose not to master it. Instead, he pondered how to 取其精华，去其糟粕 (take the useful parts and discard the useless) - a masterclass in ethical yet pragmatic learning.
* A Networking Virtuoso: Networking isn’t about an exchange of contacts. That’s superficial. As Joe Polish said, it’s about knowing “what’s in it for them?”.
Case in point: our hero helps a master craftsman (炼器 guy) and gets to befriend a formations expert (his 阵法 expert girlfriend). He builds a powerful, reliable network not through empty schmoozing, but through genuine, mutually beneficial actions.
* The Art of the Polite Exit: For people he dislikes or situations that are toxic, he doesn't make a dramatic scene. He extricates himself in a 婉转 (tactful and indirect) manner, avoiding unnecessary conflict while firmly protecting his own interests. This is peak professional EQ.
* Gathers intelligence, but doesn’t take part in gossip: He doesn't get swept up in office drama. He's not there to make friends; he's there to ascend. That inter-departmental conflict? He’s already run three cost-benefit analyses in his head.
* A masterclass in leadership: He might not have started with connections, but he wins people over with a natural, unforced leadership style. He amasses a loyal following not by pulling rank, but by being competent, reliable, and compassionate. He's the manager everyone actually wants to work for.

He is the living embodiment of being strategically, brilliantly calculative.
Bro lives and dies by the principle: 人不为己 天诛地灭
He’s the guy in the office who isn't just climbing the ladder; he's building his own ladder on the side, made of solid gold and backed by a diverse investment portfolio.

Key Career Takeaways from an Immortal:
1. Your Pedigree Doesn't Define Your Potential.Hustle, street smarts, and a relentless drive to "level up" are your greatest assets. Our bro here is the King of Grind, yo~
2. Always 留有一手 (Keep an Ace Up Your Sleeve). Never reveal your full capabilities. Let your work surprise people.
3. Be Politely Assertive. Respect the hierarchy, but never at the cost of your own rights. Learn to say "no" to unreasonable demands.
4. Your Network is Your Net Worth. Cultivate genuine, mutually beneficial relationships, not just a stack of business cards. Your colleagues and contacts are your greatest allies, not just stepping stones.

Final Verdict, The Great Lie & The One Gripe:

I thoroughly enjoyed this show. It’s fun, visually stunning, and features Yang Yang being brilliantly shrewd. It’s the ultimate power fantasy for every overworked corporate drone.

But my biggest takeaway, the one that truly shook my core, was the repeated, audacious claim that this man is "平平无奇" (average-looking, unremarkable).

My friends, if Yang Yang is "平平无奇," then the sun is "mildly warm," a diamond is "a bit shiny," and your annual bonus is "a small token of appreciation."

Clearly, these characters don’t need 丹药 for cultivation. They need an urgent, comprehensive eye examination. And maybe consider walking in the footsteps of Sun Wukong and putting themselves in a 炼丹炉 to cultivate some 火眼金睛 👀

My one gripe? Besides Han Li, the rest of the characters are pretty one-dimensional, which is a real pity. It feels like the HR department only had a budget for one fully fleshed-out employee profile.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Highly recommended for fantasy lovers and anyone looking to refine their office politics gameplay.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with my sect elder to discuss my performance appraisal.

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Still okay as this is the capsule version of actual story

LIKE

When Han Li faced his master’s wives omg they just driving him crazy

The funny man who sold weapons

How Han Li focuses on how to become stronger from weakest point

Demon clan assistants accents very funny the young master is embarrassed of them lol

Everyone get to use their own voices with real accents so pretty genuine

That master who likes to gamble so much HAHAHA

This Han Li attracting girls every where he goes

Seriously the masters just love to play mahjongs really another level lol like nothing better to do or worry about

Everytime someone mentions Li Fei Yu it cracked me up

Wow that fire phoenix was so majestic

Han Li’s master always say the same thing before they left him

DISLIKE

Did not really like Nangong Wan

MUSIC - personal fav

蜉蝣志 Fu You Zhi - 石岩 Shi Yan
凡心 Fan Xin - 王铮亮 Wang Zheng Liang
瞬间 Shun Jian - 谭维维 Tan Wei Wei
不问 Bu Wen - 何亮 He Liang
上计 Shang Ji - 周锐 Zhou Rui

REWATCH VALUE

Five for now

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Good vs. Bad; Fantastic Fight Scenes, Awesome CGI, Storyline? Eh Not So Much. An OE in Need of S2!

Wow, what can I say? Wanted to watch this for YY and know WD to be a good villain and even a funny one. Sad that 10 episodes were cut from this as that's where I think most of the storyline would have been.

Pros: I loved that we got to see HL's cultivation journey from a poor family in some village without a name to a master cultivator figuring the art of teleportation and getting the heck out of dodge. Many people said the CGI and fighting/flying was poor but I disagree because I'm not a fan of the Xianxia genre to begin with especially when they deploy colors bright enough to scorch your corneas. So having subtle CGI colors in formation array and weaponry was perfect for me. I really liked their flying and way of fighting. The entire series; apparently season 1 was centered around ML or HL and his cultivation plus every friend he made and lesson he learned. He was incredibly lucky in a lot of things including evading death. Loved the little mouse that lived with him and was sad that he had to leave it behind but I think it survived. His road wasn't an easy one and he lost friends and his Master at the end. But he was always not one to be a follower but one that walked his own path to cultivation and helped whom he sensed was a good person after learning the hard way who wasn't. Those who met him and liked him, ended up not ever wanting him to leave or wanted to follow him.

WD played who I called sarcastic evil or the bad guy and had more like one or two lines when facing HL (who used his old friend's name when he ran into trouble), but he himself was trying to get a foothold in his own kingdom as even the good sects betrayed their friends to join team evil for the strength and power. Greed was always a factor. But WD though bad, he was comic relief as he and his two monkey assistants were always cracking me up. He acted like a jilted lover as HL had become his inner demon when HL at the end used some ancient teleportation artifact to bail off the continent and who promised one day to return and reduce the evil sects to dust.

The costumes, rock and other OSTs, and certain outdoor locations were quite nice.

Cons: Other than for the ML, no real storyline or plot. No character really had a backstory other than Ms. Mo and the puppet dude. But everyone appeared and disappeared without rhyme or reason. This series had more holes than a planet dusted with craters be they characters or the plot itself. Once ML joined Yellow Maple Valley, many of the Masters spoke of "that person" like who? Uncle Bob? You couldn't say Demon Grandmaster Yunle as we wouldn't know who that was as we don't meet him until the second to last episode anyways? And that he and Master Hongfu used to be together and had a daughter but he hid his identity from her and she was already in love and pregnant by the time she found out. So he decided to start this war to get her back? Yeah great idea for an all powerful creep with a superiority complex; still lost even when he killed ML's master and her real love.

The ML didn't know what love was nor understood it but every woman he met fell for him automatically and you literally had to beat them off with a stick. He wasn't interested; though he treated them all with respect, only Miss Mo he treated like a sister giving her things to protect herself and whatnot but she would find every opportunity to be close to him even when she knew they couldn't be together and he made it obvious he wasn't interested. It was eye roll worthy as this was repeated about 3 or 4 times. The time could have been spent on something important. It was like when they cut those 10 episodes, things were just thrown into chaos and not properly edited so things would make sense. Even the FL felt like a supporting character. This show needs a season 2 and maybe even 3 with the same actors and I hope we don't have to wait for 10 years for it.

Would I recommend it? I would for the pure entertainment of it and HL's cultivation journey. Everyday was fun because there was a fight scene and cool things. Plot wise, obviously not one to look forward to unless you know the donghua. Just relax and enjoy the show.

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If you’re into Ruthless Ml then do not miss

He literally started from the scratch no other ml has done that , He’s cunning and calculating this is the real MERCY FOR NONE …








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