The Seven Relics of Ill Omen

Plot which called me here, Acting?!! Maybe. Romance?!! Oh, GOD NO....

First of all I'am gonna declare I have no beef with Song Weilong and Liu Haochun. I think Song Weilong should stick in action theme drama because he is un-stable when doing a cultivate acting; like acting with a detail which require a full control of his face not only the muscles but eyes, nose flare, mouth and simple breathing pose. A raw expression that come out when doing action stunt it captivating. Meanwhile for Liu Haochun; if I can describe it just when you cook a dish, you know it has good presentation, taste great but you feel something miss in that dish, I try to watch w/o any discrimination despite the war between her fans and Bai Lu's. We hooked because adrenaline rush because the plot but her acting disengaged from it like a water douse on fire. The one who keep
keeping the plot a float are Ao Ruipeng, Wang Yiting, Zhang Yichi, the actor who played as Shen Kun even the Young Mu Dai. She has more expression than Liu Haochun. Cameo Clara eonni is scene stealer, I miss her so much since her exile from k-entertainment.

As the one who read the novel they tried to stick with the book but "you know you know" they censor it by science based theme. Each volume in the book being describe as close as possible to the book. I just worried for the end because for them to ceased chain of relic ill omen they chose to become a vessel and die trying if the relic took them over. The reason to be living vessel because their blood could contain the relic so their descendants will pass them on until the "evil" thought of the relic ceased to exist. Mu Dai's 2nd peronality is a present Mu Dai occupied past Mu Dai bcause she meet the 7th relic which show her a time travel device; sun dial kind a thing like FoF. Hope they keep them and show us the Happy Ending (I'm kind a tired of SE drama).

The action choreographer need a pay raise it so damn good. Most of them based on actual combat routine like Song Weilong's mercenary one and Mu Dai's shaolin.

Yuning gege on fire. He is everywhere in 2025. The ost he sings rock the situation.

For the camera work, just one work Oh, PLEASE GOD, NO!!!!! Not gonna talk about the set because it will blown up production budget if I want it good. The cable blunders at few eps, lighting, even the failed mixed of cyberpunk and adventure history science type theme scene. The "business district" oh, my oh how they are so clean, FAKE!!! Heisha scene more believable because I know a place like that minus the rings.

Read More

Mystery Fantasy at its best

It's been a while since I was so excited for a drama. I started watching it out of curiosity and as a long time fan on Song Wei Long and Liu Hao Cun. and it turn out to be one of the most exciting mystery drama.
Indeed there's no need for hard core romance in this kind of mystery drama but I'm pretty satisfied with how it turn out. Not too much not too little just a tease is enough.

No doubt.. Song Wei Long and Liu Hao Cun chemistry are great... they brought their characters well. They're so underrated in cdrama world. but I love their acting here.
It's my first time seeing Ao Rui Peng and Wang Yi Ting acting and I think they did very well.. chemistry were great and they portray their character very well.

Ok let's get to the story. It started out as pretty mediocre story but as the story progress the mystery deepens. Every episodes and story tells of an unfortunate human desire at its worst. The relics really depicts human desire and their worse attitude.
Most probably.. the relics chose people with the worse desire they possessed. I think if the relics fall unto a great person they'll be less evil.
oh probably the relics inside the clam was the most ridiculous one for me as it does not depict any human desire but simply monstrous. The most ridiculous enemy would be Leopard or rather the make up of the actress portraying Leopard. ( I can't stand her plump red lips.. sorry not being biased was just its just too..... )
I love how they wrote Mu Dai's dual personality disorder and how they dwelt on it and gave us deeper history of how it started. In real life... this kind of thing really occurs. In order to protect themselves one will create an alternate personality just simply to protect the main one. (I guess people beyond depression will create this other personality if remain untreated).
As for Luo Ren's baggage, it was his guilt of being able to survive the disaster occurred in his group as well as the adopted daughter.
Yeah the heaviest would be Yi Wan San's baggage among the five but glad that he had Hong Sha as the stopper or rather the reliever of his pain.
The easiest would be Cao Pang2... he has a pretty easygoing lifestyle hence his baggage was not as heavy as the other.
As for Hong Sha, the moment she lost her grandpa, she gained a new family and best friends that's why her baggage was not that heavt as well.

I love the ending.. it is a happy ending but I do wish for an extra short episodes telling how the five of them live their lives after the ordeal not just the three months after it.

And also for the last villain (Or rather the seventh relic Zhang Guang Hua), I do wish they really shown what actually happen to him not just showing his old self laying on the snow (My guess would be he perished from this world aka die).
It was great they did tell us that the other five relics were inside the phoenix squad... but I were wondering about the sixth relic, what happen to it? Did it get injected or merge with the other five or perishes with the seventh one. Can't help but wonder.

Oh the OST are great as well.. I listened to it and it's pretty good .

Alright... If you still doubting to watch.. don't just go ahead and watch with no expectation and you'll l find it amusing and interesting.
I hope you guys will love this drama as much as I did.

I hope to see the phoenix squad acting in another mystery drama together... they made a great team.

Enjoy.. ^^v

Read More

TRULY UNEXPECTED MASTERPIECE

loved this one soo much! started watching it bc of edits on tt xD and didn’t think much about it, but woahh. Everything is truly perfect. Every episode was filled with mystery and action and there were no skips!! every character had a unique storyline and their squad was soo cool. The lore & everything adds up so well and you will feel satisfied watching it unravel until the end. Don’t even get me started on the side of romance between Mu Dai and Luo Ren bc it WAS PERFECT (need them in a drama together again!!) Also loved that it had a happy ending altogether true masterpiece & should have a higher general rating!!😍😍

Read More

Technology and mythology at its peak. Must watch. Trust your magic heart to watch it

Let's start with the music, it so demanding with the story,the song narration is exactly a fit to each scence.
I usually skip the intro but this has me catchy. The narration and detailing inthe intro with the cluster of pheonix, the 'feng-huang-luan buckle', the vibrant colors of the intro just puts me there.
I completed the series not a single second was needed to be skipped. Each detailing from the first episode it was af if I was playing the role in 4D.
The performace from each actor amazed me,not a flaw or out of place . I liked MuDai's subtle acting and Lou Ren's preference to family, HongSha's respected ethics ,chubby's and thirteen -thousand free spirit personality.
Mr. Kun also also a major role in uplifting the theoretical and scientific advancements.
Overall it got together to bring an spiritual and mythological genre to a different level

Read More

The Omen Odyssey

In an era dominated by rom-coms and censorship, horror-thriller dramas are a dying breed. So when The Seven Relics of Ill Omen—adapted from Weiyu’s novel Qi Gen Xin Jian—finally aired on Youku, I knew I had to give it a try. Despite knowing it wouldn’t rake in high ratings, my love for suspense and supernatural thrillers won out.

Long ago, demons invaded the mortal realm, triggering mass bloodshed. A righteous official, Bo Yangzi, sealed them using a scroll of imperishable wood—split into seven bamboo slips—while three phoenixes sacrificed themselves to form the seal. These slips became known as the “relics of ill omen.”

Centuries later, the relics began stirring again, unleashing chaos across time periods—from ancient Fengzi Ridge to the republican era. Enter five unlikely heroes—Mu Dai (an adorable martial arts prodigy), Luo Ren (a brooding mercenary), Yi Wan San (a sharp-tongued barista), Yan Hongsha (a fearless treasure hunter), and Cao Yanhua (a reformed pickpocket). Together, they form the “Phoenix Squad” to confront the seven relics and their dark histories.

Fishing Line Doll – Luoma Lake (Relic of Blade)
Centers on Mu Dai’s adoptive mother, her tragic love, and a parasitic relic haunting Luo Ren’s family. Powerful themes of identity and revenge.

Fairy’s Guidance – Wuzhu Village (Relic of Water)
Yi Wan San returns to his cursed hometown and confronts family grief, survivor’s guilt, and a giant clam harboring the relic.

Rouge Amber – Yueliang Mountain (Relic of Hang)
Yan Hongsha’s past unravels, revealing an eerie tale involving a savage child, betrayal, and jewel greed. Mu Dai also develops a split persona here.

Wind-Blown Dust – Nantian (Relic of Mouth)
Mu Dai’s painful backstory surfaces—an abandoned child, a friend’s tragic death, and repressed trauma culminating in a gripping mental battle.

Cao Village in the Mist (Relic of Earth)
Cao Yanhua’s cousin gets possessed. Deep caves, eerie coffins, and star-related legends make this one suspenseful and myth-heavy.

Hunting Shadow and Leopard – Old Heisha Island (Relic of Human)
Luo Ren’s past resurfaces in the form of Leopard—a villainess with a dark ritual past. It’s intense, and yes, their chicken sidekick steals the spotlight.

Phoenix Reborn – Fengzi Ridge (Relic of Heart)
A powerful finale. The Phoenix Squad confronts their deepest fears in an illusion realm. No death ritual this time—just growth, unity, and healing.

Weiyu has once again delivered a fantasy-mystery marvel. The script, though slightly adjusted for censorship, retains her signature otherworldly vibe. Each relic arc is compelling, and the backstories—especially of the antagonists—are nuanced and emotionally gripping (Leopard excluded, but she’s a fun villain).

Liu Haocun is phenomenal, seamlessly switching between the cheerful Mu Dai and her darker persona. Despite past backlash (notably in Be Passionately in Love), her performance here is a revelation. Song Weilong perfectly balances mystery and tenderness as Luo Ren. Ao Ruipeng (Yi Wan San) is hilarious as ever and forms a fun duo with Cao Yanhua. Wang Yiting also impresses in her first major role I’ve seen.

From visuals to OSTs, everything is top-notch. Despite its supernatural setting, the production feels grounded and atmospheric. Massive credit to the crew for pulling off a genre this hard to air under strict censorship.

Is it worth watching? Absolutely—if you’re into well-written fantasy thrillers with emotional depth and a touch of horror. It does drag in parts, and Leopard’s strange accent can be jarring, but the overall experience is a rare gem. A well-earned applause to the creators for making this happen in today’s industry climate.

If you want to read the full-length review, you can click on this link yes...
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8126149196342022378/6038927938275854787

Read More

Addictive mystery/Sci-Fi series with a great cast!!

PLOT: The FL (warrior with martial arts) investigates a serial killer. During this investigation, she meets the ML (also a warrior) who is investigating the same series. As the investigation progresses, the team joins a wacky old historian (the investigation seems to lead to ancient evil relics), then ML2 (Ao RuiPeng) and Chubby, then FL2.

+++ With ( ღ’ᴗ’ღ ) Song Wei Long (handsome, powerful, charismatic in action scenes) & Ao Rui Peng ( ( ღ’ᴗ’ღ ) even more handsome with long hair - as a cowardly, mischievous, but especially too thin anti-hero) and Liu Hao Cun as FL
+++ Thriller atmosphere, suspense, action, with a touch of humor to lighten the mood.
+++ PERFECT production: fast-paced, good CGI quality, no downtime, great parkour and fight scenes.
+++ Well-constructed, intelligent story, revealing clues at just the right time and maintaining suspense. The viewer's brain is stimulated to follow/hypothesize/speculate about what happens next. Good job!
+++ Cliffhanger at the end of each episode
+++ Excellent OSTs

### You have to be lenient with the 3rd Relic arc; Savage and very artificial settings, less good CGI. But the scene between our two "heroes" vs. Miss Savage (ep. 13) is hilarious :)
### Some makeup is poor (ep. 19 especially)
### The chemistry between ML and FL is strong, but it's a shame there isn't even a single kiss (gossip: apparently Liu Hao Cun refuses kissing scenes??? Such prudishness is not appropriate when you want to be an actress; it's part of the job!)

=> Addictive, magical series, carried by Song Wei Long (however, if I stayed glued to my screen, I'm not sure I'd watch this drama again, because the series loses its magic when you know the end of the story).

*******************************************************************************
Série mystère/ Sc-Fi addictive, avec un great cast !!

PLOT: La FL (warrior avec arts martiaux) enquête sur un tueur en série. Au cours de cette enquête, elle rencontre le ML (warrior lui aussi) qui enquête sur la mm série. Au fil des investigat°, la team va s'ajoindre un veil historien farfelu (enquête semble mener à d'anciennes reliques maléfiques), puis ML2 (Ao RuiPeng) et Chubby, puis FL2.


+++ Avec ( ღ’ᴗ’ღ ) Song Wei Long (beau, puissant, charismatique dans les scènes d'action) & Ao Rui Peng ( ( ღ’ᴗ’ღ ) even more handsome with long hair - en anti-héros lâche, malicieux, mais surtt trop mince) et Liu Hao Cun en FL
+++ ambiance thriller, suspense, action, avec une petite touche d'humour pr alléger l'atmosphère.
+++ Réalis° PARFAITE : rapide, CGI good quality, aucun temps mort, great scènes de parkours et de fight.
+++ Story bien construite, intelligente, pour dévoiler les indices au bon moment et entretenir le suspense. Le cerveau du spectateur est sollicité pour suivre / faire des hypothèses / spéculer sur la suite. God job !
+++ Cliffhanger à la fin de chq épisode
+++ Excellentes OSTs

### Il faut être indulgent avec l'arc de la 3e relique ; sauvage et décors très artificiels, CGI moins bonnes. Mais le passage nos 2 "héros" vs Melle Sauvage, (ép 13) est hilarant :)
### Certains make-up sont pauvres (ép 19 particulièrement)
### L'alchimie est forte entre ML et FL, mais c'est dommage qu'il n'y ait mm pas un seul kiss (gossip: il parait que Liu Hao Cun refuse les scènes de baiser ??? Une telle pruderie n'est pas de mise qd on veut être actrice, ça fait partie du job !)

=> Série addictive, magique, portée Par Song Wei Long (cependant, si je suis restée collée à mon écran, je ne suis pas sûre de regarder ce drama à nouveau, parce que la série perd de sa magie qd on connait la fin de l'histoire).

Read More

Thrilling Supernatural Adventure with Stellar Cast

Story & Plot:
Engaging premise with thrilling relic arcs (e.g., Fishing Line Doll, Rouge Amber). Fast-paced with cliffhangers, but the first 2-4 episodes drag, and the ending feels rushed, leaving some plot points unclear.

Acting & Cast:
Song Weilong and Liu Haocun deliver captivating performances as Luo Ren and Mu Dai. Ao Rui Peng and Zhang Yi Chi shine, with strong chemistry. Minor roles occasionally feel miscast.

Cinematography & CGI:
Eerie visuals fit the tone, but cinematography can feel soap opera-like. CGI is decent but not standout, with some relic effects lacking polish.

Music:
The OST, including Liu Yuning’s tracks, enhances suspense and emotion, perfectly complementing key scenes.

Themes & Character Dynamics:
Strong focus on friendship and subtle romance. The squad’s banter and bonds are highlights, though the romance could be deeper. Themes of revenge and healing resonate.

Rewatch Value:
Thrilling arcs and character dynamics make it rewatchable for sci-fi fans, though pacing issues may deter some.

Pros: Unique, thrilling relic-based plot. Strong performances and squad chemistry. Subtle romance and engaging OST. Binge-worthy with cliffhangers.

Cons: Slow start and rushed ending. CGI and cinematography lack polish. Some miscasting in minor roles.

Read More

Great Acting and Team chemistry, but Writing and Execution could have been better

It doesn’t seem like “The Seven Relics of Ill Omen” has attracted too much attention from viewers. Maybe the novel is not as popular as the other tomb raider series. This is usually not my usual genre and after watching “The Unwanted Detective” with an excellent investigative plot, this drama does fail in comparison.

What I Like about this drama:

1. Acting - The acting is great and it translates to excellent chemistry between the main cast. I’ve seen a few of Song Wei Long’s dramas before and this is his best so far for me. Also, after seeing Ao Rui Peng in a few recent costume dramas, it’s great to see him in a modern one and a very different character. Liu Hao Cun is cute as a button and her eyes can fill with tears whenever she wants it. She’s so much better here than in the disappointing “Derailment”. Wang Yi Ting and Zhang Yi Chi round up the five-some who are just as capable as the others.

2. Friendship/Phoenix Squad - For a drama such as this, the team chemistry is important and you come in expecting a great friendship. I’m happy to say that these guys are different yet complement each other. There’s no misunderstanding, jealousy or hidden agendas. The bromance between Jiang Zhao and Cao Yan Hua is especially fun, and they play off each other so well. Oh, let’s not forget about the chicken and the weird historian. They are a fun addition to the squad!

3. Main romance - The leads might not have a sexy or fluffy/sugary romance, but they are sweet and comfortable. Seeing them together makes me feel warm inside. With all that they go through, a relationship that feels safe, comfortable and grounded seems to be perfect for the pair. I won’t deny I want to see more romantic scenes, but I am only satisfied with what’s given me.

4. Fight scenes - Excellent fight choreography and action scenes by Song Wei Long and Liu Hao Cun. I didn’t know Song Wei Long actually studied martial arts. What was he doing in all those boring costume idol dramas? He needs to be in a wuxia to show us his athleticism. Liu Hao Cun is so petite, yet she’s nimble and quick with her moves. She was beautiful to watch. I wish there were more fight scenes throughout the drama and not just concentrated in the beginning and the end.



What I have Mixed feelings or dislike:

1. CGI/Production - After watching getting used to great CGI and green screen scenes, this drama disappoints. It reminded me of another recent drama that I watched, “The Immortal Ascension”. The sets look fake, the green screens are so noticeable and it’s overall very below average. I was a little confused about the set design. It's a modern drama with all the technology in the world, yet it has a very old school feel to it.

2. Dubbing - Even though I appreciate the actors dubbing their own voices, the actual dubbing is not done well. The movement of the mouths are not matching the lines. And gosh, that annoying Leopard and her English? Every time she speaks, my ears bleed. What is the point of her speaking in weird accented English when she could also speak in weird accented Chinese? If everyone understands her and responds in Chinese, what is the point?

3. Plot (esp ending) - I like how each member of the Phoenix Squad gets their time to shine through the investigation of the relics. We get to understand their backstory and see how far they have come. However, the ending arcs about the 6th and 7th relics, the past and the big villain, are a little confusing. I am not sure if it's my comprehension problem, or the writing seems choppy. Maybe some parts are edited out due to censorship. There’s a lot of explaining instead of showing. And even if they’re showing, it’s not done in a way that’s easy to follow. Of course, this could be a “me” problem.

4. Leopard - In addition to not liking her English, the writing of her character is over-the-top. Yes, she could have been just a psycho, but the way she moves, talks and enlarges her eyes make her seem like a cartoon character. If I am watching a Japanese anime adaptation, I can understand such overacting, but this is not it.

5. Secondary romance - is there a secondary romance? If so, the drama is doing a very poor job in showing that except for that one scene. It could have been developed more to contrast the dynamics of the main couple


I was enjoying the formation of the squad and the mystery of the first 5 relics. But towards the end, the drama lost my attention. “The Seven Relics of Ill Omen” might not have the tightest writing, but the acting and chemistry are good. It offers great fight scenes and very likable characters. It’s not a must watch but maybe for those who are fans of the leads.



Completed: 9/4/2025 Review #620

Read More