Mysterious Lotus Casebook

An existentialist Jianghu adventure

MLC is what I heard somebody described as classic wuxia. It’s got adventure and mystery, good-looking heroes with impressive martial arts abilities, and well-choreographed fight scenes. It's also got a good dash of humor.

I was a bit hesitant going for this show because it has no female lead. I don’t particularly need romance, but I do like a strong FL to root for. However, after watching another show where I felt the romance detracted from an otherwise enjoyable story (Ancient Detective), I decided I could set aside my feminist leanings and just enjoy this story about men.

Ultimately what I really love about this show is its underlying existential crisis. From the beginning, Li Lianhua is waiting for his death. He just wants to tie up a few loose ends first. As I watched, I desperately hoped it would not happen, but I also understood that he was already on this path and it would be a win if he survived rather than a loss otherwise. At least his friends were right there with me, hoping and trying to turn this around.

This show contains a series of mystery cases strung together with an overarching storyline. I felt the cases themselves were a bit of a mess… they were so convoluted that they were hard to follow. There was often no chance of the audience solving it together with the characters, if only because the answer often involves strange magical feats. That aside, it just felt unrealistic that any detective could identify and then put together such a random set of clues to come up with such complicated explanations. But hey, our boy is a genius, so whatever- I just sat back and enjoyed watching them kick butt.

The three main characters are really loveable and where I think a lot of the fanbase lies. The brotherhood and also the humor between them is really great. Li Lianhua’s casual lying is hilarious; people have complained about Cheng Yi mumbling (they all dubbed themselves) but I think it captures Li Lianhua well, and not a problem if you use subtitles! Fang Duobing is sillily naïve and lovable, and Joseph Zeng’s anime-like expressions had me laughing. Xiao Shunyao as Di Feisheng unfortunately gets less screentime, but he is so grumpy badass when he shows up. I think all three actors did a great job capturing the spirit of their characters and making them likable, and their looks and styling all suited their characters well.

The show doesn’t have a female lead, but it does have some female side characters who are not too useless. Fang Duobing’s mom is a fan favorite. Qiao Wanmian, who is Li Lianhua’s ex, got a bit of hate but I actually really sympathized with her situation. I felt her arc was handled very well, a breakup she doesn’t want but has to accept- like the rest of the story, it's sad in a realistic way. I just feel she got a little shortchanged because they could have let her show off a little more. Her one sword strike showed no technique at all. Su Xiaoyong, I saw one snippet from the actress saying “I am you, the audience!” and that’s a good description- Li Lianhua’s fangirl. But in the end, neither she nor the princess actually factors in much (not that I would have wanted some random love story muddling the waters). Probably the strongest female character is Jiao Liqiao, who is batshit crazy and whose sole purpose in life seems to be to get the man she likes. So, across 40 episodes, I’d say this one might not even pass the Bechdel test. But I guess that’s ok, it’s a story about men in a men’s world.

The fighting in this show is well choreographed, aside from a few nonsensical sword strokes. In general it’s also fairly well performed. Unfortunately Di Feisheng doesn’t really fight, he just swings his sword and everyone goes flying. Fang Duobing’s fights look great- this actor seems pretty athletic- but as a character, he leveled up a bit too quickly. I find it unbelievable that he was a sickly child… but, who needs logic.

In all these fight scenes, especially towards the end, I do think there was a bit too much strike-and-pose with hair blowing in the wind. Once upon a time I might have thought it was cool, now I find it cheesy.

Once again, I think the main draw of this show is its existential undertones. I really appreciated, under the very well-done humor and swashbuckling adventure, the sadly realistic tone of the entire saga. Li Xiangyi was a genius and admired by all, but also a legit difficult and arrogant person. Such a character is very realistic, reminding us that people at the top are not always perfect. Li Lianhua lives with guilt and memories and needs to find his peace; this is also something that we ordinary people struggle with. The realistic, life-isn’t-perfect message resonates with us as we navigate our own lives. This alone, to me, gives it a high rating, despite other flaws like nonsensical cases, dismissible female characters, and too much posing.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





The ending is, controversially, a forced open ending. I think it broke a lot of peoples’ hearts, but at least it gives you the option to believe what you want. Lengthy critical analyses abound on the internet arguing one way or another, I could totally see a high schooler writing a 5-paragraph essay for English class.

Personally, although I wish it were simply a happy ending, I also think that would have been too forced for a show like this and might have cheapened it a bit.

…that aside, I don’t see why he couldn’t have just eaten the flower and then saved everyone else afterwards using yangzhouman. The Styx flower was not even in the book, it was a gimmick added to the drama. It gave us all hope, then was ultimately used to generate dramatic flare. Honestly, the self-sacrifice theme was so overused and tired by this point. In this context, the whole plot device of the Styx flower was also a bit cheap.

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A Strange and Delightful Story of Friendship and Forgiveness

I can confidently say this is a masterpiece among the C-dramas I've watched.

This was my first time seeing Cheng Yi perform, and he was absolutely incredible. Only Cheng Yi could portray the challenging role of Li Xiangyi/Li Lianhua in such a charming, cool, and amusing way.

The drama's plot progresses quite rapidly, with different cases being resolved every couple of episodes. However, each mystery is connected to the next, and each one is essential to solving the overarching mystery.

To unravel these mysteries, Li Lianhua, Fang Duobing, and Di Feisheng embark on a quirky and entertaining journey together, which is absolutely hilarious! The dynamic between these three very different characters, as they argue, laugh, and work together to solve cases, made me laugh and cry multiple times.

Li Lianhua learns to forgive others, something Li Xiangyi never did. He forgives and frees the people connected to his past. However, Li Xiangyi himself cannot forgive himself. This aspect is very sad and poignant, highlighting his humanity.

I highly recommend this drama to those who enjoy mysteries and human dramas!

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Interesting show that keeps you engaged.

First thing - Decisions were made. Some of the choices were distracting that made me question my own sanity for watching (that first fight WTF, fight scenes, flashbacks, esp the one where Li Lianhua stole the ring, etc - hilarious/illogical) but overall I enjoyed this series.

So many likable characters. Esp A Fei/Di Fei Sheng, Fang Duo Bing, Jiao Li Qiao. The Princess, Su Xiao Yong and She Shui. Everyone was unique with their own set of motivations, and what they wanted. The cases were always interesting - but they got me googling the heck out of some of the logic (no, not all eels are males, and no, these Jianghu techniques dont exist in real life). The acting was great all around. Special call out for Li Lianhua, Fang Duo Bing, A Fei/Di Fei Sheng, and Jiao Liqiao.

I did like how the series had twists and turns. I think the director did great tying in elements where its x guy from former cases cause it was nice seeing ppl again, but also most too the cases almost had 2+ culprits. Also, the main storyline wasn’t as typical as I thought it would be. There’s a tacit understanding some of these characters have with each other (esp Di Fei Sheng with Li Lianhua, and Li Lianhua with Fang Duo Bing) which was beautiful to see progress over the series. Each character (Li Lianhua with his cunningness, Di Fei Sheng stoicism, and Fang Duo Bing’s hopefulness, special Jiao Liqiao with her obsession hehe) has defining qualities and it was interesting to see those relationships. Im glad this wasn’t a full on romance series, and it was poignant in the way that Li Lianhua addressed Ye Bingchang I mean A’Mian after all these years. I forget, not all FML counterparts are equal, and Qiao WanMian is extremely flawed - in a way I dont like. Interesting character though. 

This show does feel like it didn’t end because it’s open ended, but also Im a bit mad at how it ended as well. Im not sure I would consider this a happy ending show.

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A story-telling masterpiece

I've been a huge fan of Cheng Yi since love and redemption and I have to say writers need to stop giving him roles where he goes through a lot all the damn time. My heart always hurt seeing him in pain!
I kept pushing back watching MLC because there was no cultivation in the series, but Cheng Yi and Joseph Zhang drew me in, and I have to say I enjoyed every bit of it. I've always been a fan of mystery, and the cases they dealt with were delivered well, especially in connection with the main plot. Twists here and there will leave you in awe, and the interactions between the leads will amuse you from time to time. The martial arts here reminded me of cultivation dramas from time to time, and the stunts were cool to watch. Overall, it was worth watching, but my baby deserves better in all his dramas!

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What can I say? After watching all 40 episodes, this show does a good job of not letting the heroes always win. The story moves pretty fast, and if you're someone who loves mysteries and being a detective, this show is for you. The plot is something that caught me so off guard and you can never really guess what the real truth to any of these case is.

Something I really apprentice in this show is its ability to portray what actually happens during the cases that they solve. Every case they solve, it shows us an actual play of the scene. However, one issue that comes with this show, is Li Lianhua is a bit too smart to the point where you don't even get a chance to guess what happens. Because everything that happens in the show is almost unpredictable, and Li Liana can guess what happens every single time.

Li Lianhua's character is very interesting. He is very observant and conniving. He is very slick and knows how to calculate, which is very impressive. It was such a pity to not see much of his fighting scenes, but there was other fighting scenes which caught my attention especially with Fang Duobing and Di Feisheng. Those 2 characters make the show give a bit more comedy.


Now the ending, not exactly a cliff hanger. He could have saved himself, but he didn't. I want to believe that he isn't dead but considering the fact that he was poisoned and he gave away the only thing that could save him, it was such a pity.

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They'll never let you go, hard as you might want it.

Li Lianhua, Li Lianhua, what a beautiful story. The trailer didn't do justice to this drama as it was vague and didn't reveal much, I could have missed out on this one.
This drama was worth all my 40 hours spent on it. Very suprisenly for me, there was no character I hated in here, even the bad ones.
Although LL adopted FDB as his own (not what happened in the drama, you'll understand if you watch it), I wish he had actual kids of his own for FDB to raise.
Everyone had their role to play and everyone did it beautiful, no cheesy, no overcompensating, just professionalism.
I would watch a sequel if one ever gets into the works.

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Mysterious Casebook is an absolute must on your watchlist. I enjoyed every single second of this drama — not a single episode felt slow or unnecessary. The pacing was tight, the cases were clever, and the way each mystery was slowly unraveled kept me completely hooked.

Each case brought something fresh, from eerie and suspenseful moments to heartwarming and even funny turns. The detective work was smart without being overly complicated, and the little clues scattered throughout made you feel like you were solving it alongside the characters.

The chemistry between Cheng Yi and Joseph Zeng was just perfect — both beautiful and hilarious. Their banter had me laughing out loud, while their moments of trust and understanding added so much emotional depth. It’s the kind of partnership you can’t help but root for.

Di Fei Sheng was the definition of martial honor. One scene I’ll never forget is when he refused to fight Li Lianhua while he was weak — a mark of true respect. He always says I'll heal you...so I can fight with you...And when he tried to save him with all his might, it really showed how great he was as a character.

Li Lianhua himself was such a layered character — witty, seemingly laid-back, but carrying deep wisdom and a bittersweet past. Watching him navigate both the martial world and these intricate mysteries was a joy.

Now… Jiao Liqiao. I hated her so much — she was manipulative, cunning, and ruthless, yet the actress played her so well that I couldn’t look away. She’s the kind of antagonist that makes the story richer just by existing.

What I loved most was how the drama balanced mystery, humor, and action so well. One minute you’re on the edge of your seat with a tense fight or shocking reveal, the next you’re laughing at a quick-witted remark or silly misunderstanding.

Totally worth it. If you enjoy mystery-solving, charismatic leads, and stories set in a rich wuxia world, Mysterious Casebook is for you. It’s entertaining, touching, and endlessly rewatchable...
Chenyi , he is amazing!

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Two legendary figures along with a a budding talent become the perfect trio!

When I saw watch this show, I mean WATCH THIS SHOW! Li lianhua/Li Xiangyi was portrayed perfectly by Cheng Yi. Every moment, every emotion, his thoughts, he reasons, were all perfectly depicted by Cheng Yi; to see this beautiful acting alone is imperative! As we follow Li Lianhua/ Li Xiangyi's journey you slowly fall in love with this flawed main character, every action he takes makes him so human, you can't help but love him while also watching him succumb to his fate. After seeing the ending and the special episode, I would be lying if I said I didn't cry. This drama truly touches your heart, each character is so well written and so well done by their actors that they almost feel like friends to you, making this drama''s ending so heartbreaking.

I specifically loved the main trio. Di Feisheng and Li lianhua/Li Xiangyi definitely have some enemies to lovers energy (note this isn't a BL drama tho) and I am here for it! While Feng Duobing, a newcomer fits right it. Between their arguments, fights and encounters, they grow such a heartwarming and true bond that was incredible to watch on screen.

The only point of this show I didn't quite enjoy was the solving of the cases. In the beginning it was structured in a case after case manner, making it quite tedious to watch, but it got better as we got deeper into the plot. The cases were still interesting though!

Overall, I truly hope you give this drama a chance, it was truly touches your heart and immerses you in a way few dramas can. I wouldn't rewatch this though because I don't think I can put myself through the ending again, but watching for the first time, the experience makes this drama unforgettable and totally worth it.

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thanks???

BAGUSSS POLLLLLLLL🔛🔝
meskipun aku nangkepnya ini sad end, isokeyyy itu lebih releated sama alurnya, dan untuk FDB sama DFS, makasih jugaa udah jadi beban LSS, sengganya dia hidupnya bisa lebih ber warna karena kalian berdua, meskipun banyak hal yg bikin orang ikuy emosi jugaaa, but isokeyy makasii ya gw bakal gamon u/ bbrp hari, cheng yi lu suksessss bgt bikin gw keluar banya tisuuu :((
ditunggu project selanjutnya ya ge, sehat-sehat seruss😭😞😻🤍😠🔥😮🫂😎🏃🏻‍♀️🎉🌹😆🤪🥺😒💀💤🤺🏊🏻‍♀️🧟‍♀️🏖️🐉🕊️🦮🐎🫕

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The best wuxia drama I've seen thus far!

Mysterious Lotus Casebook is hands down one of my favorite Chinese dramas to date. Though it is not perfect by any means and it doesn't have the most satisfying ending, it didn't leave me frustrated or disappointed unlike another C-drama that would've been without flaw if not for its horrid ending. In fact, it leaves you hungering for more with its open ending that may or may not lead to a second season. Despite the fact that it is a solid detective story dripping with political intrigue, mysticism, and evil schemes for world domination, the true driving force of this series is its characters. It boasts of well-written characters that each have their own story arcs and go through significant character development as the plot progresses.

Cheng Yi plays somewhat of a dual role, the young and brash, Li Xiangyi, who basks in the glory of his achievements in the martial arts world, and Li Lianhua, the reclusive wandering physician with a sharp tongue and an even sharper wit. I love how he contrasts these two characters, showing how much the ambitious and arrogant Xiangyi has changed over the years and become the more mature and grounded Lianhua, who is content in lazing about with the company of his dog and growing vegetables in his garden. I love love this snarky bastard! 😍

Zeng Shunxi is Fang Duobing, the young and impressionable son of a noble man who grew up idolizing Li Xiangyi. He also undergoes a major change as the series goes on, from a bratty rich kid to a young man worthy of becoming Xiangyi's successor. Xiao Shunyao plays Di Feisheng. He starts out as an anti-hero but soon proves to be one of the most compelling characters in the series. His friendly rivalry with Li Xiangyi or Li Lianhua is quite possibly one of the best bromance dynamics I've seen in any drama. While he is the typical stoic “tsundere” character, his interactions with the other two protagonists are the funniest moments in the whole series. And damn, he's such a striking figure, an absolute badass!

The villains are absolutely despicable! You will never find an ounce of sympathy to spare for these hateful people. But they are not exactly your cookie cutter type of villains since their motivations aren't solely rooted in the fact that they are evil. The supporting characters are also engaging albeit some of them are not as memorable as the others. But perhaps the one character that really struck me was Yun Biqiu. His story of remorse and redemption is truly touching.

The writing could've been better, though. There are parts in this series that left me scratching my head, trying to find logic in them. Some seem too contrived, convenient, and coincidental that I had to suspend my disbelief more than a few times in order to enjoy this series. I wish they could've been more precise in the writing department, but since it is a fantasy drama, I figured I could just chalk it up to mystical arts.

As for the production value, they didn't skimp on the set designs, costumes, and cinematography although there are some scenes that looked iffy to me. I suppose I could attribute that to bad CGI due to lack of budget. The fight scenes are spectacular, though. Most costume C-dramas don't play around with their fight choreography, but this drama, in my opinion, has some of the most convincing fight sequences and the main actors really look like martial artists. I give the stunt coordinators and fight choreographers (apart from the actors of course) the credit for that.

All in all, this was an enjoyable 40-episode drama that I don't regret watching and would probably watch again if I can't find another series to obsess on, or when I miss Li Lianhua. But for now, I'm saying goodbye to my old friends, Lianhua, Fei, and Duobing. Yes, they're my friends now!

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Youth falls but meaning of life eventually find you even you are in mess

First of all ,I watched this drama having normal expectation but how story developed and played my mind was actually blown I was very emotional due to cheng yi superb emotional drawn of feelings .things he talked about how the youth goes we never understand..
Basically, I watched many dramas around the year but chengyi overly-talented literally makes me feel he deserves more recognizance.
People still bully him what???
Back to pov , this drama will be my safe place actually the betrayal we feel in friendship and love are shown but li lianhua/li xiangyi never bore hatred towards them but let them go that was actually so heart breaking but key to peaceful life.he sacrifice everything for others even tho he Didn't show it but he did. I hope every youngster should watch it many meaningful words and advices are there
I totally love it...

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