The Last Immortal

Nothing

In my opinion, it's a beautiful series, because it has beautiful actors and a beautiful story... I always trust Lusi and her choices... I definitely recommend watching this series...♥️
I hope you will enjoy watching this beautiful series like me... I congratulate Lusi and other actors for their excellent performance...♥️
very very very goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
I love you lusi😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘

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Youth Xianxia Provides All The Feels

The Last Immortal's Chinese title (and its first title before they changed it) is Hidden God. I'm disappointed they didn't keep it because it was very apt and would have given the viewers clues about the plot.

Hidden God (TLI) has many hidden gems. It starts out with a mysterious ghost/spirit on her way to being reincarnated. She seemed fine with all her unhappy endings, somewhat cavalier in fact, while discussing it with the god in charge. Seeing an image of a handsome but sad young god in a magic mirror which appeared and, upon learning that he was using it to look for the leftover spirit essence of an immortal he once killed, she remarked that if she were said woman, she would never want to see or talk to this god again.

Thus begins the story of Ah Yin/Feng Yin, the hidden god(dess), the Fire Phoenix going through her tribulation of death and rebirth. Her story is easy to follow, the xianxia cycles of innocence and misunderstanding, pain through injustice and loss, and finally wisdom and responsibility. Its complication lies in the nuances projected by its characters, how actions in this drama mirrored each other (and giving new discoveries in each rewatch) and the unexpected pleasure of enjoying the growth of four friends who were the Scooby Gang of the Immortal World, all four reveling in their youth, suffering in their trials and still ending together as four strong immortal friends who helped each other in times of need.

For me, as a fan of xianxia, my topmost demand for this genre can be distilled to one question: does the drama deliver the xianxia feels?

The First 10 Episodes-Youthful Friendship
***
Because a good xianxia starts with innocence and fun. YES THE LAST IMMORTAL DOES. It was humorous and Lu Si as baby hatchling and the teen Ah Yin was funny, sweet innocent but smart FL. Also, the story gave an unexpected twist--Gu Jin, the ML, was equally naive in his expectation of life and love. He was only a few hundred years old at the beginning of this journey and he acted it. He had a foolish boy-crush. He acted impulsively. He wasn't the usual cold and calculating 60000 or how-many-zeros-added-on year-old ML who held all the power. He didn't. He was going to make the mistake of his life as his tribulation as the god of Chaos. He was the other Hidden God of this story.

The other unexpected twist was the 2ML and 2FL. There were no toxic friendships and betrayals. Both were from different realms and had their own challenges, but 2ML was also a naive young immortal who showed a soft heart for those he cared. The 2FL did not play the jealous card, like any number of 2FLs in other historical dramas. She was always the supportive friend, with no other agenda. I LOVE THIS about the drama.

The Second Ten Episodes--Youthful Love
***
Because a good Xianxia must make me feel good about love and to worry about their future. YES THE LAST IMMORTAL DOES. This segment of episodes had a quest-like feel to it as our friends went around the world looking for pieces of FengYin's soul. We as the audience know the irony of the Hidden God: that Ah Yin was looking for herself. Gu Jin was already being shown his fate: he was going to be looking for Ah Yin and never seeing the real her. We could see the horrible thing called tribulation coming up as our couple went about building loving memories.

The Third Ten Episodes--End of Innocence and Youthful Love
***
Because a good Xianxia must deliver Epic Angst. YES THE LAST IMMORTAL DOES. In heaps. Oh my god, does it deliver. The pain built into a crescendo as the misunderstandings grew through the evil Hua Shu and her father's manipulation. Everything was against our young couple and their friends. There was so much pain, we wonder how Ah Yin was going to make it. We forget that Ah Yin was Feng Yin, the Fire Phoenix. And what do phoenixes do to achieve rebirth? Yes. You got that as a clue.

And our Gu Jin, having giving the oath to accept any tribulation from the Magic Rock to get Feng Yin's soul pieces back, had no idea what that meant. But did he find out. These ten episodes built to a crescendo that kept this xianxia fan clicking to the next episodes. And the tears. Get that box of tissues ready. Zhao LuSi was amazing in these episodes. I don't remember crying while watching her sad scenes in Love Like A Galaxy, but here? She made my heart hurt for her character. As for Wang AnYu as Gu Jin/Yuan Qi who paid the price of being young and noble, trying to fit in his parents' big shoes, he played the role of bum-turned-tragic-god masterfully. A two-hundred year-old master of all five realms who had to learn that being fair and just was a difficult balance in a world where the adult immortals play for power, whatever the price.

The Last Ten Episodes--Rebirth, Retribution and Love
***
Because a good Xianxia must give me back my couple, must make things right, and punish the Big Bad. YES THE LAST IMMORTAL DOES. Everything came back full circle. It's the same and not the same. Our Scooby Gang has grown up. How are they now that 1000 years have come and gone? Are they any better at dealing with these more experienced immortals who played them like a deck of cards?

The surprise of Feng Yin being the cold and more calculating character here was a good twist. Yuan Qi had to figure out how to chase his wife. He was the God of Chaos, whose duty was to sacrifice all for the realm. We learn in these episodes how much he had sacrificed for those he loved, especially Ah Yin. She was the Phoenix Queen now, who had fulfilled her death and rebirth tribulation to rule as a demi-goddess. Having gone through 1000 years of tribulation, she was in no mood for love and Yuan Qi and immortal games. But she knew, to put Ah Yin to rest, she must investigate what had happened 1000 years ago. And thus the Scooby Gang came back together, but no longer the fresh-faced four. They were now the God of Chaos, the Phoenix Queen, the Demigod and King of Demons, and the Eagle Queen. No one could stand in the way of their quest now! Esp. Hua Shu, that Peacock Bitch who was the root of all the pain. Was it fun to see her smackdown by Feng Yin and then, Yuan Qi!

There are two more Hidden Gods in this drama. I'll let you figure it out for yourself. I've rewatched several times as the hidden gems kept coming. And the OST was one of them. It snuck into one's subconscious and although at first I thought it was just all right, I ended up loving it, with all its lyrics.

Way to go, TLI cast! You've made this drama very memorable for this viewer.

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What a great story

What a wonderful and heartwarming story. There’s a lot twist and turn that keeps you on the age of your seat. I love all the characters. They are so well suited For the story. I am so anxious to see the next episode. Waiting for the next episode is so nerve-racking, because I am dying to see what happened. every episode, you watch, makes you want to continue watching it. I don’t want to give up the story, but I can guarantee you that you would love this special facts, the storyline, the costume, the interaction between each of the characters makes the story. My heart pounds to see what happens next

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Lackluster drama despite good casts!!

I watch the first couple of episodes and I found it engaging and found Lusi really adorable as Ayin. The CGI however was very telling on how much investment that was put into this drama (not much). Continuing on the middle of the story so far the chemistry between the main leads are there.

The only thing that makes this drama fall flat is that it is full cliches or rather full of something that has been done before, there is nothing unique to it. It becomes so predictable that I don't even have finish the drama to know what will happen.

If you are just looking for more content of Zhao Lusi just for the sake of watching her, then this drama might be for you. But if you are looking for a drama that actually has a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat or a drama that makes you want more, this drama is not it.

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The Last Immortal" – A Captivating Dive into the World of "Hidden God"

"The Last Immortal," a 2023 Chinese drama adapted from the novel "Hidden God," is a mesmerizing journey that keeps viewers hooked from start to finish. The brilliance of the three main characters, particularly A Yin and Gu Jin, portrayed by exceptional actors, adds a layer of depth to the narrative.

A Yin and Gu Jin's performances stand out, bringing their characters to life with a rare authenticity that resonates with the audience. Their chemistry on screen creates a compelling dynamic, making the viewer emotionally invested in their individual journeys and their shared experiences.

The storyline itself is a testament to the well-crafted adaptation from "Hidden God." It weaves together elements of fantasy, drama, and suspense seamlessly, captivating the audience with every twist and turn. The narrative's intricacies are skillfully unfolded, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats while maintaining a sense of coherence that is often challenging in fantasy genres.

The hope for more TV series featuring A Yin and Gu Jin is a sentiment shared by many viewers, a testament to the success of their performances and the engaging storyline. "The Last Immortal" not only satisfies the appetite for quality drama but also sparks a desire for more explorations into the captivating worlds created by the talented cast and crew.

In conclusion, "The Last Immortal" is a standout production, successfully bringing "Hidden God" to life with stellar performances, a captivating storyline, and a promise of more to come. Fans of the genre and those seeking a riveting narrative will find themselves thoroughly enchanted by this drama.

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Slice of Life Xianxia

This was my anticipated drama of 2023 and although I hoped that it could’ve been 50 episodes (in my personal opinion, 40 is too short. I just feel like 10 additional episodes would be better, but I get it) I still enjoyed the drama in it’s entirety. I was also looking forward to the Lusi-Anyu pairing, they definitely did not disappoint, and they had a lot of chemistry, like kids and friends, and when they matured in the later episodes. You could say that ALP is much more grander in scale and cinematography, but I love the story of TLI. its simple and beautiful and focused on the life of Gu Jin/A Yin. The theme song will also grow with you and I enjoy and love it now.

I do have to say, the friendship of the four leads is my favorite of this series. They are all wonderful as individuals and even greater as a team! Even in the later episodes, you’ll love them even so much more. 🫶
I recommend this drama a lot! and even if you haven’t seen ALP, you can watch this for its plot and slice of life. Yes, it is still xianxia, and the angst are still there, but the happy early episodes are fun and bright. ❤️

I hope Anyu and Lusi get to be paired again! 🫶🫶

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Tedious

Had I not watched the excellent CGI and special effects in 'Till The End of the Moon' I might have given this one a pass but knowing better has raised the stakes and so the first thing of note is the awful cinema. Things that are fake look fake and even those that are real have no sense of proportion (like Hong Yi's red/pink/white furry robes and outfits which were a tad too small around the shoulders). On another note, we also have a scriptwriter who didn't understand how normal conversations or interactions work. The plot, the set design, the atmosphere, the costumes, and the dialogue...all were in a constant state of disconnect; likewise we have characters who do nothing but fly around in the clouds being deliberately oblivious while the villains are left to plot unimpeded. Huh.

Xianxia is never about intelligence cos we all know the god's are 'good' while the 'devils' are bad but only cos the 'gods' wear white <------------ otherwise if we went by their actions we might have to invert that belief. The core of XX is being sold a belief system that allows the audience to empathize with the laborious gatekeeping of the Whites while reviling the monstrous deeds of the Blacks. But what if the audience is indifferent and not easily led by the nose mainly because your character-driven plot failed to give us anyone to root for?!!!
Sigh.

In addition, how is it that the goddess that is Zhao Lusi was cast with this Wang An Yu guy who, by the way, has done some sort of teeth capping which makes it difficult for him to close his lips and in turn is detracting from his main job. Then there's Lusi's reversion to pre-2020 talking voice. Like, this woman has given us so many iconic performances in the last three yrs that we have just barely healed from the assault that was the baby voice, and now they plopped us right back???? Can we say trauma??

Finally, and most importantly, THE PLOT HAS BEEN DONE A DOZEN TIMES AND IT OUGHT TO BE RETIRED. Please, we beg directors and screenwriters to stop giving us 'scattered souls that need to be collected' or 'chickens who turn out to be phoenixes' plotlines. It's been done and we're tired

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From Zero to Hero. A love story about two immortal youths and their trials and tribulations.

I initially dropped this at episode 11 but later decided to give it another chance. Unlike most xianxia’s, this drama has a very youthful feel to it as it follows the love story between two immortal youths. This means that in the beginning, both main leads are shown as naive and relatively powerless characters, and their story revolves around growing up, facing life’s challenges and learning from their mistakes in order to become powerful rulers.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH THE PREQUEL FIRST:
Before talking about this drama, I feel it’s important to mention that this is a sequel to Ancient Love Poetry (ALP). Technically you can watch this without having seen ALP however I feel like you will miss out on all of the important details. First off, this drama throws you into the world without explaining much. In ALP, the three realms are introduced, as well as the different immortal statuses that characters have. This is significant in understanding how the world works in general and most importantly, the power dynamics between characters. Most importantly, the backstories of the big villains in this drama as shown in ALP. Again, this drama just throws you the villains and I believe to truly understand their motivations you need to watch ALP. Third and also very important point is that we see the male lead as a child in ALP. I feel like his character is quite misunderstood by many people but if you watch his childhood in ALP, you will definitely understand clearly why he acts the way he does. A big part of this drama is the Da Ze Mountain which is the place where the male lead grows up. I was only able to feel why this place held such an important part of him because I had seen it in ALP. (Note, if you do decide to watch ALP first, know that the production team is different so the characters' names have been changed).

IF YOU DON’T WATCH THE PREQUEL:
I have written a short comment explaining the world’s setting and male lead’s backstory for those that don’t want to watch ALP but still want to understand what’s going on. WARNING, it contains ALP spoilers.
https://kisskh.at/698285-shen-yin#comment-15573701


THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS DRAMA:
Now, back to this drama. The best part is hands down the character dynamics and development. The main lead's growth is striking from episode 1 till episode 40, as we see them both start off as immature youths and end up becoming responsible and wise rulers. The dynamics between the main leads and the support cast is done well. We see the portrayal of many forms of relationships: friendships, romantic love, kinship, family loyalty, master-disciples.

CHARACTERS/ACTORS:
- Zhao Lusi (female lead) is the reason I watched this and she absolutely slayed in playing two distinctly different characters. She was cute and endearing as a Water Condensing Beast and badass, powerful and calm as a Phoenix. She was indeed the star of the drama and pulled me in all of her scenes, especially towards the end of the drama when she was a Phoenix.
- Wang An Yu (male lead) is an actor I haven’t seen before. I must admit that he is not written as the most likeable character at first (and for most of the drama) but he is perhaps more realistically portrayed as a flawed character who makes mistakes and learns from them. He hurts the female lead a lot (both intentionally and unintentionally) but also redeems himself big time.
- Li Yun Rui (second male lead), he is a big reason I continued to watch the drama after I had initially dropped it. I loved his character as a sly fox and the charisma of the actor definitely made his character shine bright. He had a great character arc and his love story was a lovely addition to the drama.

CGI/COSTUMES/OST:
This needs a separate section because I have mixed feelings. The CGI in some scenes (and the settings) looks vibrant and nice but most of the time (especially in the action/battle scenes) the visual effects were so horrible to the point that I could tell they were shot in a studio. I have read that the production was rushed so that could explain the reason behind it. So for this I’d say, have very low expectations and see it as a low budget drama. The costumes at the start were quite lacklustre but improved later in the drama. I especially loved Lusi’s costumes as a Phoenix. The costume that really bugged me was the horrible orange one for the SML/Fox guy that he wrote A LOT. It was one of the worst I had ever seen. I’m a big cdrama OST lover but the music was nothing special here as none of the songs stood out to me.

POSITIVE:
- Light-hearted xianxia (for the most part) without too much angst. It’s perfect to watch in the evening after a tiring day.
- Great character development for the main leads. We see them grow from immature clueless youths to responsible rulers.
- Nice character dynamics. I loved all the relationship portrayals: friendships, romantic love, kinship, family loyalty, master-disciples.
- Second couple’s love story was captivating. I actually wish they had more screen time together. Their relationship was the slowest of the slowest burns but worth the watch.
- No annoying obsessive/unrequited love. This is a HUGE positive as I absolutely hate the cliche plot line where the second male/female leads are obsessed with the mains and try everything to break them apart.
- Zhao Lusi slayed as the star of the drama. I loved her portrayal of two distinctly different characters. She especially blew me away in her mannerism and majestic aura as a Phoenix. If you love the actress, this drama is a must watch for you.
- Friendship goals. I loved the friendship between the four main characters as they always had each other’s backs.
- Main villains/antagonists were enjoyable to watch for the most part. In most xianxia they annoy me but these I enjoyed watching. They didn’t take too much precious screen time from the main leads like in other dramas.
- No three lifetimes/no human realm plot. In most xianxia we see the main leads reincarnating and forgetting who they are as they go through human tribulations but this drama was just one, straightforward story without these things.
- Cool father/daughter dynamic as antagonists. I rarely like the bad guys in xianxia but the actors really made me enjoy their characters. These two had one of the most loyal family relationships I had even seen.

NEGATIVE:
- Plot was definitely the weak point of this drama as it showed nothing new or unique. I feel like I enjoyed this drama only because the cast did a fabulous job and the characters were interesting. But if this had an infamous cast… it would have flopped for sure.
- Emotional moments didn’t hit me. I cry easily and yet the angsty scenes were just relaxing to watch. Nothing made my heart jump or gasp with shock.
- Bad CGI effects. This drama is said to be high budget and yet the quality can only be placed in the low budget pile.
- Not binge-worthy. It was easy to hit pause on this drama many times and to ff/skip some parts.
- Misleading title. It’s not an important point but I do love to connect the titles with the stories and this one feels all wrong. The title suggests that by the end there will be only one immortal left but that’s not the case.

OVERALL:
This is not the most unique or groundbreaking xianxia, it definitely has its flaws. But the story is enjoyable to watch (especially after episode 12) and the characters (+ actors) are the highlight of the drama. I had initially dropped this at episode 11 but I’m happy I gave it another chance.

I’d recommend this drama to those of you who want to watch a youthful, light-hearted (for the most part) xianxia that’s good to watch in the evening after a tiring day. It has great character dynamics and development, where the main leads start off as immature, clueless youths and end up becoming responsible rules. If you love Zhao Lusi and are not too fussed about bad CGI, you will enjoy this drama.

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Looking for something to make you smile but don't come short on angst? This might be for you.

[reposting from my comment]

I can't believe it has really ended 😭

before I say my final 'review', I would like to say kudos to the cast and crew for delivering such a beautiful story to us. there would always be room for improvements but i think overall, it was a drama worth my time (and money 😝). like i've said before, i can't picture any other actor playing gujin/yuanqi or actress playing ayin/fengyin or any other characters, really. they've all delivered pretty well and i'm so thankful for their dedication and passion to present to us this beautiful production. ❤️

to my f4: gujin/yuanqi (wang anyu), ayin/fengyin (zhao lusi), ajiu/hongyi (li yunrui), yanshuang (jianai), you will always have a place in my heart 🥰 you've made my days for over a month exciting. will really miss these four a lot! hopefully they get together again for a drama, whether modern or wuxia/xianxia, anything! just would love to see them together again. they have so much chemistry as a bunch friends and it made the 4 characters' relationship more convincing and perfect! ❤️

now for my final 'review'. 😁

first of all, the OST! i so so love all the tracks and what i love most is the fact that we start and end all episodes with lusi's and anyu's voice, it is just perfect! im sure i will be listening to them even after the drama 🥰

second, the production, from the actors to the backdrops/cgi. like i already said, i can't really see anybody else playing the characters, esp. our leads. i think they made the perfect casting for them. zhao lusi distinguished and expressed the three different 'personas' very well, and made it easier to immerse to the change of character. i have to give wang anyu a hands down with his expressive eyes. when gujin is happy, sad, conflicted, i could totally see it in his eyes, it made it easier to empathize with his character. considering it is both their first xianxia dramas, i think they really did well together 🥰 as for li yunrui and jianai, they made a perfect second couple. they looked cute together and more lovable as our MLs best friends. lastly, for the cgi. most of the time, it was really good but there are some parts they could've totally improved. but overall, there were a lot more beautiful shots that i think those could be forgivable 😆

last but not the least, the story. like i mentioned at the start of the drama, i love the pacing because it was not too fast nor too slow. some might find it slow, but i think the build up to fengyin's arc was just right, and even if fengyin's arc was shorter, it didn't fall short from ayin's arc. both were beautifully executed with both heartwarming moments and angst.

speaking of angst, who else cried when fengyin dreamt about her and yuanqi back at the forbidden valley which was truly bittersweet for me, when xian zhan returned and met at qingchi palace with the remaining 3 disciples (yq,fy,qy) and then when the daze mountain disciples finally gathered and fy realized all the sacrifices yuanqi did for them? and then last but not the least when yuanqi sacrificed himself to protect the 3 realms where his love lives and fengyin begged fengyuan and bibo to save him before fainting? let's add when our f4 minus yuanqi plus the phoenix clan and daze disciples helped fengyin breakthrough to the god realm...🙋‍♀️ 😄 my emotions were just in a rollercoaster ride 😆

the ending! i was already braving for the worse (that yuanqi won't come back as i think that is one alternate ending the novel has) but i'm so so thankful they went with yuanqi coming back alive! ❤️ the look of happiness and longing in yuanqi's and fengyin's eyes were just..! ❤️ after so many ups and downs and another thousand years of waiting, they finally got the happy ending they truly deserved 🥰😍❤️

we cannot forget hongyi and yanshuang's wedding! ❤️ the wedding was beautiful to say the least, being held at the pear blossom garden they both grew together to wait for ayin's return. it wasn't too grand but all the important people in their lives was there and i think that is what made it truly meaningful and beautiful. 🥰 i totally felt bad for huashu being manipulated by her father but i'm happy that at the end, she still chose to do good. in that regards, lan feng would be really proud of her. i hope that mayne in some alternate universe they'll be reunited. 🫶 the relationship between xiuyan and the mingqi is also one to watch, really. you won't see them as much but their relationship dynamics was also interesting. it really goes to say that having the right people in your life can really help you better yourself. 🫡 lastly, aoge and san sheng shi (the three stones of life) finally returned to where they should be and wanted to be (and they are finally tied with the red string of fate 🤭).

overall, happy ending for everyone! ❤️

again, congratulations to the cast and crew and hoping to see new shows/dramas from our leads and it would be better if they are together again in a new drama ❤️

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Not worth to watch unless you're a die hard Zhao Lusi fans

This seems to me like a low budget xianxia production. The CGI is meh, story plot is easy to predict, and character background story didn't match with how they portray it in the drama. As some of us know already, this story is a sequel of Ancient Love Poetry, which tell the journey and tribulation of Shanggu and Baijue's son, Dijun/Yuan Qi, with the phoenix queen Feng Yin. If you already watch Ancient Love Poetry like me, you will be disappointed of many things have changed in The Last Immortal. And so many downgrades. In Ancient Love Poetry (ALP), even the supporting roles are very strong with their acting and how consistent they bring their characters on screen. Don't expect that In The Last Immortal.

Unless you are a diehard Zhao Lusi fans, this xianxia isn't worth to watch.

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Shaky Story/Production saved by solid cast

I don't watch these Xianxia dramas except for the Eternal Love with Yang Mi & Mark Chao. This is the first one I watch because I like ZL's acting ... I have to admit I skipped A LOT in the beginning to get to the interesting part. I will probably rewatch some but not all because the storyline is shaky and slow initially. Eternal Love is better and more solid in storytelling.
The chemistry and solid acting by almost all of the cast make the drama watchable.

Context: Finished watching ... fan of Lusi ... couldn't handle Ancient Love Poetry (sorry no hate to anyone but I don't like Xianxia. The only one I could watch was Eternal Love with YangMi)
1) Chemistry was 9.0 - WAY & ZL are both youthful - very convincing - and shows love for each other with longing looks (I just wish that they give more time to develop the interactions - I find the scenes disconnected sometimes - they were kissing and then the next scenes - what happened? again it's about couple interaction)
2) Acting from all cast- 9.0
3) Screen play / plot holes (5) - convoluted (again I didn't watch ALP) - sometimes abrupt transitions
4) Director (5) - the way it was film and presented - no wow factor - LLTG was way better in artistic presentation
5) Costumes - the peacock has the best costumes

Overall: I could make it to the end not because of ZL but it was entertaining after ep 10 where he suddenly realized that she's the one ?? just like a step function. As I said, the director is not very artistic ...
I gave it a 9.0 only because it's the only Xianxia that I made it to the end.

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