The immortality pill arc at ChongLing Valley, ep 7-14, some facts and summary:

• Doctor Su Taiyi, LQQ’s disciple went in seclusion in the Jiujue Cavern, supposedly refining these pills, which are expected to grant eternal life.

• LQQ, is skeptical and believes the doctor is doing something nefarious. He watches the cavern to catch the doctor, navigating a web of hidden identities and corrupt cultivators trying to steal the tablets.

• This arc is a major part of the "six calamities" or deadly trials that the LQQ and Xin Mei, must navigate to break a curse.

In the novel, Dr. Su Taiyi’s decision to refine the immortality pills is driven by a complex, somewhat cynical view of human progress and the role of cultivators in the world. 

His Motivation: The "Cultivator Stagnation" Theory

Dr. Su believes that the existence of cultivators has actually hindered human civilization. 

He points out that while humans took only a few thousand years to develop incredible tools and gadgets, progress stalled once people began focusing solely on personal immortality and spiritual cultivation.

Because powerful individuals focused on "ascending" rather than solving worldly problems, the common people were left vulnerable to natural disasters and stayed in the same state for ten thousand years. 

• The "Immortality Pill" Project

Fifty years ago, when Su Taiyi began refining the pill as a massive social experiment or "solution": 

• He needed resources from the immortal sects to conduct his research. In exchange, he distributed 30 Gongshan Jade Tablets to the twelve major sects.

• He told them that whoever held a tablet could eventually trade it for a finished immortality pill, which would grant them eternal life without the usual grueling years of cultivation.

• The Trap: While the sects see it as a shortcut to power, the arc reveals a much darker side. The "pills" often lead to chaos, greed, and the loss of innocent lives, serving as a test of the cultivators' morality—or a demonstration of their corruption. 

Which I believe was Dr Su’s ultimate intention, to create chaos among these so-called Sects, and let them kill themselves off, but he didn’t take in consideration the suffering he caused to the general commoners.

Yup, not an accident, as the title gives it away, there is a fate element involved. In later ep., when they go into the heart changing steps, you will understand how Xin Mei’s curse play an important part;).

ymynym:

Megumi-H:

Yup, not an accident, as the title gives it away, there is a fate element involved. In later ep., when they go into the heart changing steps, you will understand how Xin Mei’s curse play an important part;).

so it's not really deviating from the original plot in the novel?

Nope, so far still good.

ymynym:

Megumi-H:

ymynym:

Megumi-H:

Yup, not an accident, as the title gives it away, there is a fate element involved. In later ep., when they go into the heart changing steps, you will understand how Xin Mei’s curse play an important part;).

so it's not really deviating from the original plot in the novel?

Nope, so far still good.

thanks for the reply!

Actually by ep 18, the biggest different for drama is the motivation of f both ML and FL. the novel FL is portrayed to be more bubbly. ML didn’t want to be human, instead he wants to undergo transformation to become a true War Ghost. However ML wants to be human. So that’s the biggest change.