Sword and Beloved

Purest and my top favorite c-drama of 2025!

To me, I am personally very satisfied with the drama. It kept me hooked till the last, though I know many left it in between maybe after ep 12 or didn't like the story. But it is one of the most refined, balanced and mature plots I have ever seen. I loved how every episode was crafted, the hidden layers and the morals it was conveying throughout. It was like finding my own conscience and the Way while watching it. i was not just lost in romance or a scripted World, it was like I am personally being transformed throughout. The acting was top-notch, along with the dialogues. The best chinese historical drama which went so ahead in conveying the overall message. Good always wins over the evil. Love is never a weakness. It can win over anything,
I loved every character, our both secondary couples and the characters from its past prequels. Every episode felt like a story I wanted to rewatch again and again, and all episodes are so wisely numbered and arranged. Episode 12 , 29 and 36 were my favorites. It shows us all forms of love and relationships. The best drama to watch for unconditional and true love and promises.

Don't watch it if you are only here for entertainment, time pass, to see some romantic arc between the ML and FL, conventional power struggles, or some Xianxia. Watch it with a pure heart, try to understand what deeper message the drama is trying to convey and the essence of living this life. The war between hatred and love, good and evil, desires and promises, so beautifully and painfully portrayed. There was no kissing scene between the ML and FL, still love never felt distant between them. They were so pure as characters, their love naive and eternal, their affection deep and so do their strong mind, sticking to their morals and the duties. Their individual selves not lost in the love but being complimented by it. The main story was not lost in love, though love did play a huge role. A strong emotion capable of destruction and new beginnings.

I loved our two couples in Western regions. I enjoyed the comaraderie, the freedom and the unrestraint throughout. I know many sacrifices and deaths are there throughout, each one teaching you something and bringing out a strong emotion, still the other characters' carried. Every character (good) was capable of saving the world in their own way and did their best. They believed in each other till the end. Love doesn't always need a long time to be spent together. Even one small encounter can bloom into something deeper and sacred. The way they looked at each other, always there by each other's side, always protecting each other, even sacrificing themselves, their hearts speaking the same emotion.

Trust me, you are gonna enjoy its every episode. It is one of the most refined and powerful c-dramas of all time. The vfx, the sceneries, the osts, the costumes, the stage design, everything. It's meant to be watched on big screen. I usually watch dramas at 2x, but here I really wanted to slow down, to feel the emotions, and the essence truly. I know the ending was not that great. We don't know if the couple ended together or not, was very much like an open ending. But now it doesn't matter. Having witnessed their true love and the life story, now I couldn't care less if they end up together. I know they will always be happy wherever they would be and would always be together. If not in this realm, maybe the other and would forever be remembered in our hearts. A silent smile filled with hope, is all I can say to describe the ending. It is not weak but exactly as how it should be. Looking forward to the new generations while cherishing the past ones! I hope the sacrifices were worth it and if there is a sequel to this, it would be less painful and wish for more mortal togetherness.

It gives me the same feeling I had while watching The Untamed. Die a life with no regret. Do everything you can to protect your loved ones and let love never be a burden. Don't let your heart be corroded with hatred, walk on your Way, and find your purpose. Wanquan Manor or Western Regions- I prefer western regions more. (stories etched on borders are more fateful than those of central plains)

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10/10 — An Absolute Must-Watch!

I genuinely loved this drama from start to finish. The plot is captivating, especially for someone like me who isn’t into romance—I was fully invested in how the story unfolded. The cast did an amazing job: the protagonists are easy to love, while the villains are perfectly hateable, which just proves how well they delivered their roles.

The visuals are beautiful, and the OST is incredibly catchy—I found myself humming it without even realizing. The storyline is solid and meaningful without needing to rely on romance, and the ending left me satisfied, especially with the Black Fox finally gone.

What really sets this drama apart is its message about love and sacrifice. A happy ending doesn’t always mean the leads end up together. True love can be selfless, and Fugui showed that through his devotion to protecting all living beings. I’ll always choose a story with depth and purpose over one packed with romantic clichés.

Overall, this drama delivered everything I want and more—a well-deserved 10/10!

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Worth watching with great fighting scenes and little romance

For those who want watch this drama, the English title of this drama should be "Heaven and Earth Sword Heart".

When looking the title named "Sword and Beloved", I think everybody will expect the sweet romance will really happen between FL and ML.

So if you want to get many romantic scenes between ML and FL, i don't think this drama will meet your expectation.

I have watched two series before: The red moon pack and Love in Pavilion. And this drama is the story of Wangquan Fugui, the son of Wangquan Hongye (Wangquan Sword) and Dongfang Huazui (Dongfang Fire). Since I have already known about his parent story, this drama becomes more meaningful for me, especially the presence of Chengyi for FuGui's role.

I do aware this drama has some shortcomings:
1. Many supporting roles dominate scenes between episodes 21-29, making screen time for ML become less and many unecessary scenes appear.
2. Why the villain Quan Jinting takes long to die? and he always sucessfully recommit crime again and again. what happens hey?
3. I think many viewers expect Fugui's Experience much better after getting out from the Wangquan Manor. But back to the way this story is written, his screen time become less and less after.

Despite its shortcomings, I still enjoy watching this drama until the last episodes for this reason:
1. Every cast of this drama plays the role perfectly.
2. The Fighting scenes is also incredible
3. Visual, outfit, acessories, and ost are perfect.
4. CGI the best
5. The story of friendship and family touches my heart so much.
6. Chengyi's presence. I become more inlove with him in this drama. The character of Fugui is always consistent from the start. He is so handsome (of course), calm, warm, cool, thoughful, lovely, and say no to hate till the end after all the things he has been goin through. He never hates his father and All bad people in Yiqi Aliance. What's more about Chengyi: his fighting scenes and double character are never dissapointing.
7. Love how Li Yitong deliver FL characters. From a careless, funny, cheerful spider to a firm, smart, and cold person. In the last few episodes, after she lost his brother, her painful is still felt but remains strong.

I know that everybody has their own perspectives for this drama, so do I.

For me, Sword and Beloved has its own place in my list. Having followed two previous series before watching this, finally i can breath calmy to know the black Fox is gone for good. Eventhough FuGui has to sacrifice many things including himself. Yes of course it is so sad watching the ending like this and I cried. However the scene is cool and perfect when FuGui defeat the black fox with 4 treasures including Wangquan Sword, Dongfang Fire, water-control orb, and the seed of grief tree.

happy watching guys

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Good looking, worth watching for Wang Quan Fugui!

Wang Quan Arc upto 18 episodes and from 32-36 eps is a masterpiece. Fugui is an absolutely god tier male lead. I'm truly in awe of young master divinity.

Middle part for about 10 eps, male lead has less screen time. these 10 eps are filled with filler content from side characters.. With full of noise from spider siblings and other supporting characters (though supporting characters story line is better than siblings) with limited screen time for male lead...

Even with limited screen time male lead Wang Quan Fui said: Don't worry, don't worry. Finish yours, finish yours. Finish yours, finish yours. As long as I'm here, I'l definitely pull you all back to the main storyline. The whole cast and crew should bow to him, I'm serious, it's been so incredibly hard. The acting skills, anime like fight scenes, male lead relationship dynamic with his dad, brother and other supporting characters everything is great.. except for female lead as she abondended the main story line and male lead to be with her brother. Otherwise we would have seen classic ice king sunshine girl cp story which is what I wanted to see for so long as it's cheng yi's last bg drama. Heartbroken cp fan 💔.. Anyways i find her character and storyline inconsistent and nonsensical. Just this fl character alone ruined the masterpiece.

But this show is definitely worth watching for wang quan fugui. Especially last few episodes are absolutely explosive. If you don't like any parts that doesn't include male lead, you can fast forward it without affecting the main storyline. Just follow wang quan fugui.

Acting : 100/10 for cheng yi, cause It's not easy for the male lead to still be trying to push the main storyline while stuck in his own meager scenes. First time I have seen a drama so ridiculously dependent on lead actor alone. I thought it was 'save dad, then save my brother, save this one, then that one. Who would've thought he'd end up saving the audience? The moment he appeared and the camera panned to him that was all the motivation I needed to keep watching.

CP : For the first 18 episodes, the male and female leads share good chemistry. However, the director often focuses more on the female lead during their scenes together, which makes it harder to see how the male lead truly reacts to her. Still, he successfully conveys the “more than friends, less than lovers” dynamic.

After 18 eps, they were never together. Later fl became cold bitter constantly reminiscing his brother. So there's no romantic love between them. So don't compare it with love and redemption/ immortal samsara, as that one is pure love story.. this drama focuses on Wang Quan Fugui finding his own "dao". He possess great love for all beings and is shouldering two generations responsibility. both characters their responsibilities and situations are entirely different.

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Something about the romance.

I'm just here to comment on the romance of this drama.

I don’t know if I’m just being nice here, but for a title like Sword and Beloved, you’d expect a romance that’s intense or at least emotionally charged. Instead, the main leads have a more mature, calm kind of love , it fits their personalities, sure, but it doesn’t really live up to the “beloved” part. Their relationship feels more like quiet mutual respect than an emotional need for each other.

What makes it worse is that the second and third couples actually get the kind of romantic development the main leads should’ve had. It almost feels unfair seeing their chemistry grow while the main couple just… stays steady.

Like Fugui and Qingtong ... their connection honestly felt more platonic than romantic. They clearly understand each other, but since the writers didn’t bother to dig deeper into that relationship, it ended up feeling flat and underdeveloped.

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PERFECT COMBINATION OF CGI AND ACTION SCENE

What I loved most about this drama is the perfect combination of CGI and ML's action. It is so good to see how well the Wangquan sword and Dongfang Fire are played on Fugui's hand. Chengyi was the best actor for Fugui's character, with a wide range of expressions that made me feel his emotions too. Chengyi also plays another character in the last few episodes, and I absolutely love his white hair with a dark character.

This drama is worth watching, especially with its various awesome action scenes that should not be just ignored. Just because it received a lot of negative reviews and an unsatisfying ending, don't miss the opportunity to witness the fantastic scene of thousands of swords attacking Fugui while he carries Qingtong to get out of the Wangquan mansion. Another scene where ML shows the power of his Dongfang Fire and Wangquan Sword is one of the best fantasy drama scenes I've ever seen. Especially when Fugui attempts to break through the outer barrier and then uses the Wangquan Sword, Dongfang Fire, Water-Control Orb, and the Seed of Grief Tree in turn to defeat the Black Fox outside the circle, it is a must-see.

While this drama received negative reviews due to its seemingly messy plot. I think this story might be more captivating if it focuses more on Fugui's journey with his sword heart and his relationship with Hongye as his father. More screen time between FL and his brother should be shortened. However, let's pay no attention to these negative reviews since every cast member in this drama truly did their best. Even though their scenes appear frequently compared to the ML in the middle episodes, they performed very well, and I found their scenes enjoyable and not boring.

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Seriously, ignore the critics on this one.

If you watch Fox Spirit Matchmaker 3: Sword and Beloved and complain about too many deaths or not enough kissing, you’ve fundamentally missed the point. This isn't a fluffy romance; it's a profound, heart-wrenching epic about duty, soul-deep sacrifice, and the enduring power of a love that costs absolutely everything.

This show is brave. It understands that true devotion isn't measured in sweet, lighthearted moments, but in the choices you make when destiny demands your life.

Wang Quan Fu Gui’s story is the ultimate rejection of his fate. He was bred to be a perfect weapon, but he threw away duty, status, and life itself just to protect his love, Qing Tong. His exile and the final definitive sacrifice to become the final weapon is the most breathtaking love confession I've ever seen on screen. Their bond is so powerful, so earth-shattering, that it creates an eternal connection that defies mortality itself. Tell me that's not romance!

And thank goodness the show wasn't just about the leads! The writers did such an amazing job deepening the world. The tragic arc of Quan Rumu and Long Weiyun—a parallel love that ends in absolute heartbreak—hits you like a punch to the gut, perfectly reinforcing the central theme that love is worth dying for, even if the ending is despair. Even characters you initially hate, like Wang Quan Hong Ye, are brilliantly nuanced. His cruelty turns out to be a desperate, twisted form of protection, making his final, dying moments with his son so incredibly powerful and earned.

Add to this the jaw-dropping action and visual storytelling. The choreography around the legendary Wang Quan Sword is simply gorgeous and carries so much emotional weight. This drama doesn't pull any punches; it maintains a tone of beautiful, high tragedy that elevates the whole experience.

If you are tired of shallow Xianxia and want a drama that rewards complexity, depth, and the kind of legendary love that defies lifetimes, you have to watch Sword and Beloved. It’s a masterpiece of heartbreak and devotion.

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Great acting, but horrible characters and unfitting story

Cheng Yi did an amazing job being the cold, unfeeling Wangquan Fu Gui the story writers forced him to be. How could he not be cold when he wasn't given any lines to say goodbye to Qing Tong as she is crying in his arms and they both know he is about to kill her? Qing Tong said goodbye properly to Wangquan Fu Gui, but Wangquan Fu Gui only confirmed she was about to die by not denying her asking if she was next to die. He never asked Qing Tong; can I take the seed of love, knowing it will kill her because he later states he knew she was willing to sacrafice. Wangquan Fu Gui stated he knew Qing Tong knew he wanted the seed of love from her. He knew she was a good person, so why didn't he ask if she would give him the seed of love to him to save the world? His character doesn't love Qing Tong based off of his lack of asking her to take the seed or say goodbye to her or pat her head or show any love in the end. Regardless of this, somehow Wangquan Fu Gui is somehow able to wield the power of the love seed, not Qing Tong, who was the living embodiment of love. It doesn't make sense. Why is Wangquan Fu Gui the only one who can wield the power of love against the tree of hate? He doesn't love the so-called beloved. Overall, I would not recommend watching this show solely because of the character flaws in Wangquan Fu Gui.

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A Masterclass Performance Trapped in Sabotaged Production

The first 12 episodes are a flawless 10/10, easily ranking among the best fantasy dramas in C-ent. Having watched favorites like The Double, The Untamed, Love You Seven Times, Love in the Clouds, and Fated Hearts, I was blown away by the initial execution. The early episodes deliver a tight script, amazing fight choreography, high production value, and stunning cinematography. Even the quieter, simple interactions between the ML and FL feel incredibly natural and deeply woven into the narrative, moving the story forward without needing loud, forced tropes. Unfortunately, after episode 18, the production completely loses its grip. By episode 20, the narrative dissolves into heavy bloat, and the Male Lead—who is undeniably the star of the show—suddenly feels like a guest in his own drama.

The Mid-Section Breakdown (Episodes 19–32):
The plot becomes highly fragmented, but recovers from episode 33 onward, episode 34 showing a glimpse of his acting genius which we all saw in Vendetta of An, without the camera or make-up flaws of that series. If you want to bypass the heavy padding and stick strictly to the main plot, fast-forward and only watch episodes 19, 24, 25, 26, parts of 29, 30, 31 and 32. Note that many of these scenes were frantic, late-stage additions; the editing is noticeably choppy, and Cheng Yi looks visibly exhausted due to the chaotic filming conditions.

The Behind-the-Scenes Reality:
This narrative collapse wasn't the actors' fault. Industry news confirms that Cheng Yi was approaching the end of his contract with Huanrui Century (H&R) with no intention to renew. In response, the production house purposefully diluted his character to launch or elevate other actors. When Cheng Yi openly fought back against these illogical script and character changes, management retaliated by cutting his scenes and creating immense on-site friction. Industry veterans like Tan Kai have openly defended Cheng Yi, proving that the drama’s flaws lie entirely on a vindictive production crew and incompetent management.

Watch it for Cheng Yi's spectacular acting and the phenomenal first half, but keep your fast-forward button ready for the middle.

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