The Longest Promise

True Love - Strong and Lasting

I am not fond of drama series; but this the best drama series for me. I'm a fan of Xiao Zhan. Started when I watched The Untamed. I'm obsessed watching all his drama series and movies. Watching this many times until now, though it breaks me repeatedly, I couldn't help it. Love their scenes. Shiying 's perfect moves, acting and Zhu Yan's heartfelt emotion. Empathizes me that hits me through the bones. The OST is superb! It's just saddened me a lot with the ending. Hoping there will be second season and hoping the writer may seem to consider the watcher's emotion to twist the ending it was a heartbreak for me. Just watch and don't skip. The best drama for me.

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Not a fan of the story line

There is no chemistry between the two main leads - Zhu Yan and Shi Ying. None.

I don't think that this role is perfect for Xiao Zhan. He has such an expressive personality and face; this wooden, stiff character doesn't fit him. I can name at least three actors off the top of my head who could have looked better in this role.

On the whole, I loved each actor and I loved their acting despite the fact that not everyone fitted their role perfectly. But I also think that different casting (for some characters), better editing, and more importantly - different screenwriter could have done wonders to improve the drama.

There are a lot of drawn out episodes (insanely long fights, for example) that do nothing for the story. Lots of flash-backs that are so repetitive, it's easy to get bored. Dialogs go in circles in times and that made me fast forward quite a bit.

And then - of course - the ending. I am not sure why the person in charge thought it was wise to deviate from the novel. The characters were put through hell, I think if anything they deserve a happy ending that the author thought was perfect for them.

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Just as a starter: hard to believe but this was my first Xiao Zhan drama ever. This was the one that led me to the rest of his world, recently having watched The Legend of Zang Hai too. Ok, off topic, getting back to this drama. In my opinion, the ending was a little confusing. Like was Shi Ying there or is he just a figment of Zhu Yan's imagination or did bro spawn from a flower? But Xiao Zhan did a great job, and Ren Min also did not bad. The story was good, the comedy was good, there were just a few parts that weren't as good like when he dies and Zhu Yan somehow revives him. Like that doesn't make any sense. She was not especially good at martial arts or anything of that sort, so why should she be able to do such a complex spell? I get it's because of their love, but it was a little far-fetched. Overall, you can watch it if you want to, and it's not the best drama ever, but not the worst either.

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Disappointment

The drama starts off strong, with a prince unjustly separated from his mother due to false accusations. Only the princess, who believes in his honesty, loyalty, kindness, and trustworthiness, stands by him. Everyone, including the princess, believes he has perished. From a young age, she diligently cultivates magic in hopes of bringing him back. Meanwhile, the prince tirelessly cultivates himself to reclaim what he has lost. Their journey is fraught with hardships and trials.

While I enjoyed the subplot involving the other prince's love story and their chemistry, the main storyline falls short in the end. The conclusion leaves me unsatisfied, unsure if the prince truly returns or if it's merely the princess's illusion. I wish the drama had a more definitive and fulfilling ending.

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Pretty Nice for Chaotic Love Line

This drama focus is all over the place. The actings are great. It is like a beautiful chaos.

Fantasy theme drama is one hard to pull off. The actors got to be sleek enough with their entire performance to make their scenes ethereal. It’s a lot to bring the imaginary to live. The CGI here is glowing good and still awkwardly executed. Some shapes is just not blending nicely. The sand monster looks like stiff godzilla. Spotted view wobbly feet landing on their fighting and flying scenes.

Their costume is not embellished bejeweled, but the fabrics flow enchantingly. The head pieces very modest nothing is sparking enough to blind the eyes. The mermaids fabrics has beaming light better than any of the jewels. The swords look playful and plastics. Their props team needs serious detailing overview. Luckily the cast ensemble are mostly face card. So anything they wore is just felt breathtakingly pretty. And sugar view is always nicer to watch.

Acting is the all reason of continuing to watch this drama. The acting quality is good decent and somewhat spectacular actually. No lines was spoiled half baked. Every dialogues has depth and the proper execution to bring out each scenes.
Eventhough the storyline and renditions are all over the place. Chaotic. Messy and overlapping. The revenge plots is not vengeful enough. The villains not so bright. Hence the heroes not doing so much either. The way things got dragged just boring and annoying.
ChongMing and Shi Ying bromance felt natural and adorable. ChongMing truly the birdy character preaching awesome performance.
Giving both the child actors and actresses a ten for excellent performance. The fluidly captures all the emotions needed for the build up.

The love triangle, is kind of weak and dry. The ideas was reincarnation lovers clashes with bad omen couples. That should’ve been interesting and juicy to watch.
Zhi Yuan has this mysterious vibes with his wicked smile. Explore that. Bring more latitude of his 200year something kept away desire. They don’t do justice with his character. He becomes this cheesy character and was only left being a shadow of this and that. Then suddenly at the end 10 episodes, he is being shoved here and there to get the intensify love triangle. It felt being rap up at F1 speed level.
Wished they create better build up on the romance, even if it supposedly be lukewarm. The OTP got cute flickers on their romance scenes.
The way hesitation keep overclouding Shi Ying attitudes towards Zhu Yan is just tediously long. When at the start he seemingly sure of having a crush, why detoured it in falling obliviously clueless.
However, there were moments. Not plenty enough. Where Shi Ying is actually felt not robotic. The temporary amnesia moments brings color to Shi Ying face and more warmth.
My favorites scenes would be where at the end Shi Ying played on duo character clashing in one body. And when he stabs himself.
At start my thoughts were like Shi Ying and his plenty magic spells. It never got into that though. Just Shi Yang and his plenty back and forth vagueness.

The ending is pretty predictable. And it is what it is. The way the episode develops on each is not witty and indulging enough. The acting is what kept me going to finish. It is a good thing the cast here are fantastic. Rewatching values are just so so. I do say this, this one still pretty good to watch if you’re on mid series binge watching waiting for that one unstoppable craving drama to start.

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Beautiful drama with beautiful visuals

As a fan of Xiao Zhan it is my duty to watch him in Wuxia/Xianxia dramas. This drama was visually spectacular. The CGI and the characters were beautifully weaved in a good storyline. What surprised me was the female lead was cute and her acting. She did a really great job in portraying the character. Xiao Zhan as always was top notch in his acting. He never disappoints.
Strong female characters and their dynamics with each other also with the male characters was portrayed really well in this drama. I am a sucker for sad endings and I loved this drama . The female lead was strong improved herself through sheer hardwork, she had a spine always stands for what is right. I truly loved her character.
ALso this drama has some really good ost.

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IT IS A 50-50. NOT THE BEST OR THE WORST. NOT GOOD BUT ALSO NOT BAD.

4) this is a series that I had high hopes for and it might be because of the same reason that I feel disappointed after watching the series.

If the story's main agenda and other things are not something you care about and you solely want to watch the drama for the romance or because of some actor, then feel free to choose the story. If not then do consider reconsidering. Some things just made me so fucking triggered and some things were truly beyond something I would understand or even some things were logically speaking complete nonsense.
But then again don’t just drop it because of my review as many have found this drama to be a good one

At first let me make this clear, from the very beginning I was not satisfied by the story. a few minutes into the story you hear the female lead calling the male lead ‘shi fu’ which translates to master. i am not someone who agrees to a story where the master falls in love with the student and if that disturbs you please do not watch the series but if that is not an issue then go ahead and watch the series.
The plus points of the drama include the cast and their acting xiao Zhen did well up to my expectations and Ren Min also did her role well. Some other characters also had notably wonderful acting skills. Then comes the vfx the vfx was a believable one, more than that a good one. The fantastical setting was brought to life with the help of such a great VFX. Some things are enjoyable in this series. The actors look, they look adorable and the costumes and other artifacts used were also elegant. Throughout the story production, an ethereal feeling was preserved.

Now the negatives. The main issue with the story lies in its plot. The plot itself doesn’t have many plot holes and things match up but the plot seems to be too long with useless incidents that were meant to contribute to the character development but then it wasn’t of much use. the way characters react to different emotions and under the influence of different emotions seemed unacceptable to me. (I mean no one would behave like that) then again each character wasn’t well written and thus that affected the overall performance of the actors. The story wasn’t based on and or wasn’t following any main concept. in other words, the story did not have much of any main plot other than the main leads' relationships with each other. the main lead evidently died three times and somehow just resurrected (ok that is fine for once but thrice felt too much for me). the next problem is something related the story just pulls up concepts and facts out of thin air to aid the story. The relationship was also formed based on some incidents only.


All together I cannot say that this was a good drama neither can I say that this was a bad one.

So all the best and happy watching.

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An imperfect and atractive story

I have just finished the series and this is my first impression...
While I think the story had some inconsistencies it was pretty good.
I'm devastated with the ending, and the plot twist they tried to give it in the last seconds I'm not buying it...
It's a series to suffer that's for sure, I had to stop watching some chapter for a moment before continuing because of the helplessness it generated in me.
Most of the characters made me feel anger at some point, sometimes irritation and sometimes empathy. I liked that they fluctuated between being a villain or a hero, although this transition was not always very harmonious.

It is an imperfect and attractive story. As much as it left me with my heart in my hand, I feel it was worth watching.

I must say that Ying (Xiao Zhan), Yan (Ren Min) and Yuan (Alen Fang) have deeply conveyed their emotions to me. And I feel that, beyond the story, this was achieved by those who played their characters.

On the other hand, I have read several comments about the main character being irritating, but I think she doesn't deserve the scorn, although she had a careless and capricious character, she was quite human, and I think that irritates people, when she makes human mistakes and it seems that she doesn't learn and repeats the same mistakes, but I think her character evolved and in the end matured.

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….

At first it was a bit boring but I got through it and middle way it got a little bit exciting, the thing is IT ANNOYS ME HOW THE FEMALE IS ALWAYS SO WEAK THERES NEVER A TIME WHERE SHES ACTUALLY STRONG.and please dont even get me started with the misunderstandings and how the female character is always getting in the middle of the plans. Just based on my opinions I feel as though the actors and actresses are lacking a but more emotion and chemistry. this drama didnt fail to make me laugh however I wouldnt say it made me twirl and scrunch up my toes together. Ill give it a 7 considering the 43episodes but yeah…

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Good until ep 32, then goes downhill in a disapointing way

Gosh, this was one huge disappointment.

This drama started off well, laying a solid foundation and gradually developing genuinely interesting characters—right up until episode 31. But by episode 32, the writers made a questionable choice that pushed the story in the wrong direction. From there, things continued to go from bad to worse.

Poor pacing became an issue —important side characters introduced earlier were suddenly brushed aside, disappearing from the story for long stretches. Meanwhile, the narrative became overly centered on the two main leads for several episodes in a row, leaving the rest of the plot feeling neglected, imbalanced, and uneven.

Then there’s the ultimate villain—so exaggerated and overblown that it disrupted the internal logic of the entire world. In fantasy tales, when you introduce a great evil, there usually needs to be an equally compelling force of good to counterbalance it. That sense of balance was entirely missing.

On top of that, the script was plagued with inconsistencies, contradictions, unanswered questions, and a growing number of weak narrative choices. What began with so much potential ended up being a frustrating and disjointed mess.



------------ Spoiler Alert : Do not read if you haven't watch the Drama yet -----------------



List of weak narrative choices and inconsistencies

Ep 31 - Shi Ying being vague about his true intentions towards Zhu Yan allows a major misunderstanding to take root between them. For someone usually so perceptive and intelligent, all of a sudden, he's become dumb... This feels frustratingly careless.

Ep 32 - Zhu Yan takes the little boy, Sumo, to an untrusted physician without first consulting or even informing Zhi Yuan. Given that Zhi Yuan likely has the knowledge to treat the boy himself—and that both Zhu Yan and Shi Ying are shown later to be capable of healing him—this decision feels illogical.

Ep 32 - Zhi Yuan lies to Shi Ying about the true culprit behind the attack. After working so hard to build peace and earn Shi Ying’s trust, it makes no sense that he wouldn’t come clean immediately—especially about who was truly responsible and the real identity of the Dragon King. Withholding such vital information undermines both his character and the plot.

Ep 32 - Shi Ying prepares a wedding scroll as a gift for Zhu Yan, placing it in a box along with the embroidered scarf and jade pendant. Then, in episode 34, he makes these items disappear under pressure from the Grand Preceptor’s (Da Si Ming) threats against Zhu Yan. Yet when they finally marry in the tower later on, he never gives her these deeply meaningful items. Why? Are we supposed to believe he destroyed them? I doubt he would abandon so easily after all the trouble he went through for her already.

Ep. 35 – Shi Ying takes his own life to atone for killing Zhu Yan’s friend. While the act is meant to be emotional and dramatic, it comes off as unnecessarily extreme. He could have made his point just as powerfully by stabbing himself in a non-lethal way to show remorse—without making it life-threatening. The gesture feels overly theatrical rather than thoughtful.

Ep. 36 – Zhu Yan is repeatedly described by her master as having only average magical talent—yet suddenly, she's able to single-handedly decipher, master, and succeed in casting a long-lost spell (Star Revival Blood Oath) that no one has been able to unlock for millions of years, according to both the Grand Preceptor and Chong Ming. How does that make any sense?
And if this spell has never been successfully used before, how can the Grand Preceptor confidently predict its aftereffects—such as Shi Ying losing all memories after a certain point (“before his soul is fully restored, he will only remember things from before he met you”)? If this is truly uncharted territory, wouldn’t it be more believable for the consequences to be unknown? A simple case of temporary amnesia would have felt far more consistent and coherent.


- The Dragon
Introduced early on as if he would play a significant role in the story—perhaps even something pivotal—but no. After a brief introduction, it vanishes from the plot, only to reappear fleetingly for a minute here and there, giving empty clues such as waiting for a woman from the White Clan (Ep. 17), before disappearing again entirely until Ep. 40. In the end, it serves no real purpose and plays only a vague role in the unfolding events. A completely wasted opportunity, and frankly, pretty disappointing.

Ep 40 - At the end of this episode, Zhu Yan and Shi Ying descend into the abyss to meet the dragon for an important discussion. The scene ends mid-conversation, clearly set to continue in Episode 41. But no! Episode 41 opens with them already elsewhere. We never learn how their conversation with the dragon ended, how they left the abyss, or how they figured out how to find and awaken Zhi Yuan. And the dragon? Never seen again.


- Legendary Hundun Demon (Ep. 8 & 9)
Existed before the creation of heaven and earth. Born from accumulated resentment throughout history. Even emperor Xingzun of the past was also powerless against it.

Ep 43 - If Shi Ying was able to defeat the Legendary Hundun Demon and escape from it successfully back in Episode 9, then why, in the final episode 43, is he unable to destroy or seal Xuyao—even with Zhu Yan’s help and both of them wearing the magical rings? The inconsistency in power levels makes the final confrontation feel underwhelming and poorly justified.


- The ultimate villain (Emperor XingZun / Xuyao - God of destruction)
Introduced in Ep. 2 at the Ice Clan's Hall as a mysterious human figure wearing clothing, a cape, and a mask. We can see he has eyes, and black smoke fumes out of him. Addressed as "Excellency" by the Ice Clan's members.
Ep. 23 reveals he's the late Emperor XingZun, but he gets killed, and some of the black smoke enters a crow.
After that, the ultimate villain comes back and reveals himself to be just a bodyless black cloud.

In any case, how can there be a God of Destruction without a counterbalancing force—a God of Creation or Restoration? In mythological or fantasy-based stories, the balance between opposing forces is crucial. The absence of such a counterpart here leaves the mythology feeling incomplete and the final arc stretched thin—especially with the unnecessary deaths of so many key characters.


- The 2 Relics that are sealed (Houtu Ring + Heavenly Ring )
Their origins, purposes, and unlocking mechanisms remain vague at best, or unexplained at worst. This lack of clarity becomes increasingly frustrating as the plot unfolds.

Ep. 17 - When the emperor's blood is in peril, the Houtu Ring will emerge.

Ep. 18 - We find out the Sacred ring of the Menghua Dynasty is not located in Konsang but in the ruins of the fallen sea Kingdom. Bai Wei sealed the ring. It can't be retrieved by Xuyao. No further details are given.

Ep. 23 - Kriptic explanation: As long as there is chaos and calamity in the world, the Houtu Ring will leave Biluo Sea and return to Kongsang.

Ep. 35 - After Shi Ying's death, the Demon is able to break the seal and take the ring. How or why this is possible remains unclear. Suddenly, a second ring—the Heavenly Divine Ring—is revealed to exist, but again, nothing more is explained about it.

Ep.40 - The demon now possesses both divine rings.
He declares: "With the combined power of the dual rings, I'll destroy the world. I can use the power of the world to instantly annihilate the entire Yunhuang, then lead the Ice clan to establish a new Yunhuang on this wasteland."
He finds out he can't use them because of the Dragon Soul Seal (cast by Bai Wei on Houtu Ring 7000 years ago).
To break the seal, he needs the blood of the Sea Emperor.


Conclusion:
Altogether, these weak narrative choices and unresolved inconsistencies undermine the strength of what initially promised to be a rich, tightly woven fantasy. While The Longest Promise presents compelling themes and emotional moments, its storytelling often falters under the weight of rushed decisions, missing explanations, and character actions that defy logic or previously established traits. These gaps leave the viewer questioning not just the plot, but the internal consistency of the entire world it built.

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I love everything about this drama. Xiao Zhan is a great actor indeed. The music is good and eargasm. I hope they will play it every touching scene because i fell in love with the song. Please someone can give me the title or i can find it on YouTube?

The flowering romance between the two lead is giving me butterflies, though the concept of the master and disciple romance is always used to in most dramas. I yhink they already given us justice with the plotof it.

I also like the second lead A'Yuan. He os a hopless romantic merefolk and also the Sea Emperor. Hope he will realize it soon. As for the other couple XueLu and Qing Gang , hope that they can love each other freely. Hoping also for the character development of that cunning Xue Lu. Shi Yu and Xue Ying also please. I want Chong Ming to have a fl so that he will not be a third wheel anymore to Shi Ying and Zhu Yan. hahahahhaah.

For now i enjoying the friendship between him and Shi Ying because soon they will fight against each other for their own principles and for Zhu Yan. They are destined to be enemy.

Again i love everything about the drama. I don't care what other people are saying about the female lead. If you just gocus on her acting and not on her ,you will see that she is a great actress in the making.

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