Whispers of Fate

Through the Mist of Destiny: My Thoughts on Water Dragon Chant (水龙吟)

Okay, so I finally finished Whispers of Fate / Shui Long Yin, and… I’m conflicted. There was so much promise, but somewhere along the way, it slipped into “almost-but-not-quite” territory for me.

✨ First Impressions & What Drew Me In

I never planned to watch this. Seriously. It wasn’t even on my “must-see” list. But then I saw Luo Yunxi (罗云熙) in the cast, and my inner drama nerd just gave up resistance. His last big project, Till the End of the Moon, felt a little underwhelming for me — so I went in this time with cautious optimism.

And at first? It delivered. The world they built is lush and mysterious — a heavy, fate-laden martial‑spirit realm that felt both epic and intimate. Yunxi’s entrance? Iconic. He’s graceful, sharp, with that refined, otherworldly aura. Exactly the kind of “wuxia royalty” I’ve come to adore.

🔥The Good Stuff (Because There Is Plenty)

1. Worldbuilding & Stakes

The plot is layered. There are sect rivalries, conspiracies, power games — not just shallow sword-fights-for-show. Critics have noted how the story keeps momentum and constantly throws in twists, making it “immersive like a real-time mystery.”
Adapted from Teng Ping’s Enduring a Thousand Tribulations, the story isn’t just about swords — it’s about identity, betrayal, and fate.

2. Luo Yunxi’s Performance

As already felt, Yunxi is the highlight. His grace is not just for show — his wirework is insane, and he grounds the character’s emotional arc really well. Fans comment on how his ballet background helps him move like a “living dragon god.”I also think the same way.
There’s real depth when he’s silent — just his eyes communicating guilt, strength, or sorrow. That balance of elegance + intensity is exactly why I started watching in the first place.

3. Production & Visuals

Visually, oh man — the costumes are stunning. According to reports, there are hundreds of meticulously designed outfits, some pieces crafted with incredible detail.
Special effects are ambitious, especially for a TV drama. According to Sohu, they brought in a major VFX team, and each episode reportedly has hundreds of heavy‑effect shots.
Even the world-building has real weight: set design, the architecture, the “玄侠” (xuanxia) feel comes through strongly. There’s a behind‑the‑scenes video that shows how deeply they thought about the realm’s aesthetics.

👻But … Here’s Why I’m Disappointed (Yes, There’s a But)

1. Unfulfilled Emotional Payoff

After finishing, I feel a weird emptiness — like I should feel satisfied, but I don’t. The first half had more spark, more mystery, more “what even is his destiny?” vibes. By the end, some of that fizzled out into something more… safe.
There were threads (especially emotional ones) that I expected to be pulled tight by the finale, but they were either dropped too quickly or resolved in ways that felt a little flat. I wanted more rawness, more internal conflict — not just glam sword fights and power plays.

2. Pacing & Depth Issues

While reviews praise how “tight” the plot is with constant reversals
, that might have been its curse too. Sometimes it felt like the show was rushing to be twisty, not to give characters room to breathe.
Some character moments felt undercooked. Yes, there are many side‑characters with interesting potential, but their arcs weren’t always fully developed. A few relationships (friendship, loyalty, betrayal) needed more emotional weight.

3. Visual vs Emotional Disconnect

A lot of the aesthetics lean into looking pretty (and they absolutely do), but sometimes that beauty feels superficial. The fight-cinematography is gorgeous, but the emotion behind the fights — the stakes, the regrets — didn’t always land as deeply as I’d hoped.

There were times CGI or wirework felt artificial or floaty (just like you mentioned), and that pulls me out of the immersion. It’s like watching a painting more than a living, breathing world.

4. Character Weight Imbalance

While Tang Lici (Luo Yunxi) is deeply compelling, some supporting characters felt like decorative pieces rather than integral players. They exist to make things flashy, not necessarily to grow meaningfully.

Also, despite the grand world, I didn’t always feel the cost of the power struggles. What really happens when a sect falls, or when betrayal is exposed? Sometimes the consequences feel muted for such a heavy narrative.

5. Underused Themes

The theme of “fate versus choice” is present, but not always explored with the nuance I hoped for. I kept waiting for moments where Tang Lici would desperately fight his destiny — not just wield cool sword‑magic, but break down, question, sacrifice. That raw existential struggle didn’t hit me as hard as I thought it would.

Redemption and sacrifice are teased, but I sometimes felt they were more talked about than lived. There were big moments, but they didn’t always resonate emotionally.

☯️ Final Thoughts & (Some Sarcastic) Conclusions

Whispers of Fate is like a beautifully wrapped sword — the packaging is stunning, the blade is sharp, but sometimes it doesn’t cut as deeply as you think it will.

I respect the ambition: major VFX, complex world, layered conspiracies, a morally ambiguous hero. That kind of scale is hard to pull off.

But ambition alone doesn’t equal emotional satisfaction. For all its twists and spectacle, I kept wanting more — more vulnerability, more real sacrifice, more of the “why does fate demand so much” kind of weight.

At the end of the day, I’m glad I watched it. Luo Yunxi carried it in ways only he could. But I also can’t shake off a little disappointment.

If I were to recommend it: yes, watch it — especially if you love wuxia, fantasy, and morally complex heroes. But don’t go in expecting flawless emotional closure.

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Tears for a Snow-White Fox: On Luo Yunxi's Heartbreaking Mastery

I've just finished watching, and at the end, a little, snow-white, bright fox made me cry.

I have to start with the main actor in this drama. Luo Yunxi proves again that he's a very good, talented actor. Although he's gentle by nature, he can act harsh, sarcastic, and vicious. He's definitely worth awards. Thinking of Yunxi's perfection, I have to remind myself of a few scenes.

Finally, someone made use of his ballet abilities; it was probably appreciated by the director. The scene where he dances... I've watched it many times. As always, he's gentle and perfect in every move.

The scene where he finally says goodbye to his mentor broke my heart into a million pieces. He was crying loudly and sobbing. I felt the despair within my own soul. That must have been emotionally exhausting for Leo to play, but it's a masterpiece. No doubt. I have seen a lot of movies and dramas, but I have never seen a sob like this before. And every time he loses his close friends, I feel that sadness through his tears.

Bu the drama is not only about Luo Yunxi ;) There are a lot of actors very well-suited to their roles.

The whole plot is generally about being a good human. No one is born evil. It's about giving a second chance and trying to push someone back onto the right path. The story is about obsession and fate, forgiveness, loss, sadness, friendship and hope. To work for the betterment of humankind, sometimes we have to sacrifice ourselves.

***
This is another drama I've watched recently where the beloved main lead dies. I'm really exhausted by this. Just like in "Till the End of the Moon," the main lead brings salvation to the world through his death. I'm waiting for a more positive drama with Leo. Now I have to watch a low-key romantic drama to calm down ;)

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Beautiful, philosophical and poetic

This is definitely one of the dramas that I looked forward to watching, mainly because of the cast, but also because the story seemed interesting.

For the most part, it didn't disappoint.

Tang Li Ci's journey is very beautiful and profound and by the end of the drama he comes full circle. His journey is complete and so is his character growth. This drama is clearly all about him. The other character don't really get to shine as much or at all in some cases. The biggest problem there is that there are a LOT of characters that this drama focuses on at some point or other, so they never really get enough time to develop properly. In some cases the characters are rather boring or their story is bland. This is not only true for the supporting characters (which would be normal as they don't get as much screen time anyway), but also for some of the characters that are labelled as main.

While I liked the story, I didn't always like how it was told. The pacing is uneven, the story was a bit repetitive and the revelations lacked dramatic tension, most of the time because of the predictability or timing. That being said, the story itself is beautiful, philosophical and poetic.

This drama is impeccably cast. Luo Yun Xi absolutely shined as Tang Li Ci. Ao Zi Yi was the perfect bright, bubbly and loyal sidekick. Xiao Shun Yao was great as the silent, but observant assassin. The three shared amazing chemistry. I loved watching them just walking around in the woods and bickering. Fang Yi Lun was a perfect fit for Liu Yan, a character that you can't outright hate even though the are plenty of times when he makes you angry. Jeremy Tsui was magnetic. Whoever cast this drama did an amazing job.

This drama is also a visual feast. It's very beautiful and colourful and the costumes were gorgeous.

All in all, it managed to keep me entertained and I loved the overall story.

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Humans are Born with Kindness

A great example of the Yin-Yang relationship, cause and effect, and a spotlight on how human life unfolds in unique ways for each other.

I was drawn to this drama by some familiar faces (Luo Yunxi, Ao Ziyi, Xiao Shunyao, Fang Yilun, Chen Yao, Chang Huasen, and even short-form actors like Li Fei and Huang Youtian) and the stunning CGI graphics.

Story:
I found this drama engaging from the first episode to the end. I loved how the story unfolded so beautifully, step by step. You know, sometimes mystery dramas have plots that are crudely edited to fit the rules. But this is one of those dramas with such a beautiful storyline.
Furthermore, there were several scenes or characters that reminded me of other great stories or games. As you know, the story's premise is actually quite common these days. But I loved how they executed the references so naturally that you wouldn't find any room for complaint or dissatisfaction. Well done, team! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Acting:
How dare I doubt Luo Yunxi's abilities? I've known him since Ashes of Love and have never been disappointed by his work. All the fight scenes, micro-expressions, gestures, even his dancing are perfect!
What surprised me the most was Fang Yilun's acting. OMG, I never imagined how such a kind-faced man could be so great when he's a madman. He pulled off an incredible feat to showcase his acting skills.
Actually, besides Luo Yunxi, I watched this drama because of Li Fei. I was really looking forward to it, and I finally got to see him on screen again. I never thought the mighty Yuwen Yuan could actually act from the main character to the villain. I couldn't imagine the dark version of Lifei being Jeremy Tsu. And I felt cool when I realized how similar their faces were (comparing Ye Mo to Yique Yinyang at the end).
And every character, like Shen Lihun, Chi Yun, A Shei, Zhong Chunji, Yu Furen, Pu Zhu, Xifang Tao, Cheng Yunpao, Xiao Hong, Xue Xianzi, Wanyu Yuedan, and others, was so good that I had no room to criticize them. Even the guest roles were well-acted by them.
Every fight scene was perfectly executed by the actors.

Music:
This is the most fitting drama soundtrack I've seen this year. Everything is so well-written, and each song fits perfectly in its place. A fantastic work by the music director and team!

Rewatch and Overall Rating:
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this drama. It's a great reminder that humans are human. How life can tell us even if they never try. Like this drama made me contemplate about me personally to live as a human being.

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The glory fades away but not in a vain.

There are dramas that do not just tell a story. They change your pace, quiet your mind, and leave you with silence rather than words. And Whispers Of Fate is one of those dramas to me.

In these many years of drama watching, there have been just three dramas that truly managed to touched the essence of my soul.

Arthdal Chronicles — South korea
Whispers Of Fate — Mainland China
Someday or One Day — Taiwan

~*~*~*~

I describe, Whispers Of Fate as in a little poem I wrote for it—
It is a coincidence and also the will of fate,
It is vicissitudes of life and the feeling of returning inward,
It is the belt that becomes loose but you will never regret it, and the way of seasons repeating outside and inside of us.

~*~*~*~

In my heart, Whispers Of Fate is a timeless classic that has no predecessor and no successor and will not be surpassed by anything from C-ent.

The drama is a very ambitious and dream-like project, deeply infused with Buddhism and Taoism and other themes such as heroism, brotherhood, time-travel/loop, redemption, with stunning action and deep character growth, in a visually spectacular xuanhuan-wuxia blend. It starts off seemingly so simple that you wonder what is so great about it—but you will know soon. Then you will feel like you get hit by a truck. Complications will pile up and go on for loops on end. Until you simultaneously know and don't know what’s actually going on. It triggers brainstorming and many viewpoints are worthy of careful discussion to savour every detail.

The narrative explores, the cause and effects (Karma), Illusion vs. Reality, Impermanence, Emptiness (Śūnyatā), Cycle of Rebirth (Saṃsāra)—harmony with the Dao and returning to the origin through letting go.

The drama centers on the enigmatic protagonist, Ajibaner Tangjia (阿吉班尔 唐伽), originating from a mystical realm called Tianrenjing (Tianren realm or Celestial realm) who later fled from there, travelled and grew up in the vast land of Shenzhou (Mortal realm) as Tang Lici (唐俪辞) and focuses on his initial understanding of himself, and the relationship between him and the world.

He is a divine creation trapped in an eternal prison, a hope for the world and the victim of fate. A pair of eyes that are detached from the world; a soul which cannot be bound by the ethics of this world.

He is a disciple of Zhou Dilou and the master of Wanqiaozhai, possessing The Rebirth Sutra and enduring the excruciating pain of co-existing with two hearts.

In the eyes of the world, he is a traitor who killed his sworn brother and betrayed the sect. A chess player who indifferently controls the world for his own desires.

In his eyes, he is haunted by cause-and-effect (Karma), identity crises, and obsessions (e.g., reviving Fang Zhou).

In the end, he shoulders the responsibility to protect the world, allies with various martial heroes, reshapes the martial arts pattern in a world full of devastation eroded by evil desires, and grapples with his own identity and fate. To resign before merciless fate, or to become the fate of himself and others.

The drama is like a Tang Lici’s life train, which stops and starts along the way. People who are traveling with him come and go, get off the train one after another, and move on with their own lives, at last, Tang Lici is the only one left on the train with himself, others were merely an appearance; from beginning to end, this is Tang Lici’s dialogue with himself.

The best thing about this drama is that it explored the duality between light and dark, chaos and stability, good and evil, within every character (not just the protagonist and antagonist). The 'good characters' are not always 'good' and the 'evil characters' are not always 'evil'. The line separating 'good' and 'evil' passes through every heart —and through all hearts, this line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates through our perception and our perception are always based on our knowledge and experiences.

However, the truth we see is part of the ultimate truth—like waves (conventional) arising from water (ultimate). Therefore, our knowledge and experience are limited, putting constraints on our perception. As we explore this world further, we will see more and more things that go beyond the good and evil, transcending duality, ultimately letting go of attachments, recognizing their impermanence, and embracing Emptiness (Śūnyatā) to end the Cycle of Rebirth (Saṃsāra) and attain Liberation (Nirvana).

What truly heals you is never time but understanding; nothing can be taken away or retained, only Karma stays with us. Causality seldom forgives. Regardless of whether others love him or not, whether someone is right or wrong, Tang Lici loves everyone, simply loving everything, needing nothing in return, in this way, he becomes the compassion (Karuṇā) himself, the most primitive power in the universe.

I have noticed some users bringing 'Renegade Immortal' to compare it with 'Whispers Of Fate', I would like to use a line from RI to describe the ending for Tang Lici.

This rain is born from the clouds and dies upon the land; the process in between is life. This rain was born in the clouds but doesn’t die when it hits the land. On the land, it gains a new life; by helping the plants to grow.
Just like that, Tang Lici, who came from the Celestial realm to Mortal realm, gave a new life to everyone. He, who initially wanted to see the light of the world, became the light of the world, in the end.

Luo Yunxi was absolutely phenomenal in this drama without a single doubt, it is so difficult and takes immense courage to pull off the character like Tang Lici (and the version of Yique Yin Yang) with such perfection, he does not only use his face to enact a role but even his body language is different in every act. His eyes speak thousand words. His face is literally a book you can read. He is no longer Luo Yunxi whenever he is onscreen. He walks the character, he talks the character and he lives the character.

The Zhou Diluo scenes are the great example of how much thought he had put into portraying this character. It’s not that A Li doesn’t have emotions, he feels many emotions but does not know how to express them or does not have a means to express them, and when he cannot hold them in anymore, he expresses it like the way a child does, in a vulnerable and uninhibited way. I was very moved by his performance in Zhou Diluo scenes.

Other notable performance that won me over are by; Jeremy Xu as Gui Mudan and Ye Mo, Ai Mi as Shui Duopo, Bao Shangen as Zhong Chunji, Jiang Zhenyu as Hong Guniang, and Qiu Xinshi as Shao Yanping.

Needless to say, I absolutely fell in love with characters; Tang Lici, Xiao Shi, Long Nv and Ye Mo. The Celestial realm arc is the most visually stunning and precious part of the drama and so admired by me, I really need more of it.

The scene that left an impact on me was the scene between Tang Lici and his mother.

In the cold and solemn hall, one stands, one sits. A sense of boundless loneliness hangs in the air. Yet, she could still ask him with a smile: "Do you want to see the stars today?" Such a casual remark carries a faint, inescapable sorrow. As if she knew everything her child had been through.
She could observe the fate of others by looking at stars, Tang Lici asked if she could observe the fate of her unborn child. She replied she doesn’t want to because, in this way, she wouldn’t be so heartbroken knowing the suffering this child would endure in the future, and to obsessively try to change his fate, which she couldn’t.
Tang Lici was born out of his mother’s love and expectations. She was his salvation. He was a child his mother loved so unconditionally, and exchanged her life for him; in the same way Tang Lici exchanged his life for others to have another chance at life.
His final words were: "Mother, you are right. Once you see, obsession will grow; once you see, you will be reluctant to let go. A mother’s words clearly left a profound impact on her child.

Last but not least, I would like to give a shout out to Kwanto, Xiang, TaraVerde, Mizuhira, Levi, Suzuko, HwaBinturong, RBF and underthestars for their continuous support and contribution on this page. Whispers Of Fate is indeed meaningful but we together have made it much more meaningful through our insights on various aspects of the drama. Thank you everyone!

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A memorable experience

From the first episode to the very last one, i was glued to the screen during each one. There were shortcomings regarding the overall quality of the production however compared to the innovations, acting and the sense of watching something new after a long while makes this work of art definitely worth it.
I exceptionally loved the melancholic bitterness of the ending.
Though i generally do not prefer to watch darams that tend to contain moral or ethical undertones, this one in particular happen to be different.
I can say that this was not initially supposed to be a hit or popular drama because it absolutely avoids the kind of trops that common viewers might be looking for.
You might feel unease and unsatisfied after the ending; you're logically convinced yet it's emotionally hard to accept it, and that's what makes it a groundbreaking and realistic ending in my mind.
After all nothing was in vain.

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It is rare to see such satisfying plot

There are heartbreaks, yes, but never in vain and not without a sound cause.

At first, i was drawn on how good the fighting scenes, gorgeous costumes and CGIs scenes. All these visual pleasantry paired with such ambient music made it even more otherworldly.

And then comes the characters, I think TLC is the best fictional anti hero ever created in chinese dramaverse. He is a master of scheming, seemingly heartless, and a tsundere to a fault. All the misunderstanding stemmed from his unwillingness to share his plan to his companions, which i would find unreasonable if not for the complexity of the situation he faced. I usually hated misunderstanding plot, but i did realized from the get go that TLC really could only conceal such situations, i would do that too if i was in his shoes.

At first, i felt this series focused on too much characters, but then these characters have profound existences and i can't deny their importance to the plot.

The death of characters doesn't feel unnecessary, sad, but it moved the plot onwards. And at the end of the series, i feel attached to all the characters involved that i felt the ending is rather satisfying than bittersweet.

The only sad part of the whole plot is where they all forgot they ever worked with an important companion. It is the most sensible ending that could happen in such times, hence my satisfaction for the ending, but i can't help but feel sad to the forgotten one.

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The visuals looks fake. The story is REALLY a mess. The fight is so lame.

The reality of this drama doesn’t live up to what its dramatic trailer promised. Its impression management is overblown, while in truth, many substantial aspects are neglected.

For example, take the storyline. The drama provides too little background, leaving the audience unsure what the story is about, where it’s headed, or what kind of ending to expect. In episode 1, without any introduction, we’re suddenly thrown right into the middle of the plot. The background is revealed only in fragments through bits of dialogue and disjointed flashbacks.

Moreover, there’s no proper character introduction. Even by episode 18, I still find myself asking, “What exactly is Tang Lici? Who is he? Where does he come from? Where does his power originate? What does he want? What is his purpose? What is his history?” The same goes for the villains. Take Lin Yan, for example — “How close was he to Tang Lici in the past? Why does he bear such an extreme grudge, to the point of madness?” There’s no adequate explanation, which makes his character feel one-dimensional. Likewise, Gui Mudan is shrouded in enigma, yet his motives remain vague and undefined. And Puzhu, who is he? How is his relationship with Xifang Tao? Full of mysteries.

I think the producers of this drama poured too much of their budget into aesthetics, CGI, and effects, and beautifying Tang Lici and the villains. As a result, the dramatic aspects that should have been grounded in realism were poorly developed. This drama is supposed to be wuxia — but where’s the action? And when there is action, where’s the blood, the intensity, the impact of the battles? The story is set in the jianghu, yet where is the jianghu? The worldbuilding is unsatisfying. The forests and palaces look plastic. It mentions an emperor, a kingdom, this alliance and that alliance — but where are all these things, other than in dialogue? Too much reliance on dialogues to tell the story.

There are far too many unrealistic elements. For instance, how on earth does Tang Lici have such a luxurious ship? Where did it come from? Where does the power of the ship originate? And once the scene ends — where does the ship go? Likewise, A Shei’s blood supposedly has healing powers — but how, and why? Or, Shen Langhun with his shadow technique, and Chi Yun with his lightness skill. The techniques and martial arts are never shown being trained or developed. Suddenly, everyone just possesses immense power, and their clashes always make it blatantly clear who’s stronger. And why is it that in every battle, only Tang Lici gets hurt or feels the impact? The other characters merely stand around like spectators, coughing up a bit of blood for effect. And, only main characters can fly and doing magical martial arts. Others are just ants waiting to be killed.

Moreover, the dialogue is overly cryptic — confusing, full of riddles, and unclear in meaning. There are too many questions and delayed answers, which drains the drama of tension. The acting, too, is excessively dramatic. Every reaction comes with long pauses, as if the characters are thinking or processing something, but it all feels stiff and unnatural. The storyline also fails to deliver any real emotional punch. Where is the climax? Where is the downfall? There isn’t a single character I can fall in love with or feel invested enough to follow through their journey. None of them evokes sympathy, annoyance, or hatred. The humor is half-hearted. The angst is half-hearted. Even goodness is portrayed half-heartedly — and so are evil and cruelty. The romance is half-hearted too!

And, there is no substantial character development. Tang Lici is too powerful and controlling since the beginning. They are saying he is injured and going to die, but his bearing is still arrogant. Is there still a room for positive or negative changes for him? In every episode, I just saw his costumes changing, while others still wear the same outfits.

Even though this drama isn’t particularly good, even really bad in certain area, I’ll still keep watching just to see Luo Yunxi on screen. But rather than watching him dance around and dress like a peacock, I’d much rather see him in action — as a sharp, mature, composed martial artist who lets his movements speak louder than his words.

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A Lone Protector- Tang Lici

Whispers of Fate dives deep into the obsession and inner darkness that every character carries. This isn’t a story where the villain wants to destroy the world “just because.” Instead, it's a battlefield of brilliant manipulators—where both the hero and the villain have their own reasons, wounds, and justifications. The drama shows that in this world, everyone moves from their own darkness, and every emotion has its own truth.

Luo Yunxi once again proves he is unmatched when it comes to layered, morally complex roles. From Runyu to Li ci, he has shown he can embody characters torn between light and shadow—and here too, his expressions, costumes, and even the CGI-enhanced sequences elevate his entire performance. The Feng Liudian characters also stand out visually; their costumes are striking and meticulously designed.

Compared to the so-called Righteous Sword Alliance, Feng Liudian feels richer, clearer, and more honest—even in their evil. The alliance, in contrast, comes across as cowardly and hypocritical. Chi Yun brings a refreshing breath of life into the story with his gentle, pleasant personality, balancing the intensity around him. And everyone in this drama, almost without exception, is obsessed with something—driven to extremes by desire, revenge, ambition, or loyalty. Tang Lici is the perfect example of this consuming obsession.

In the end, the story leaves a quiet moral behind: sometimes, the only way to survive your own fate… is to learn to let go

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Truly bittersweet ....

we get a strong start , great music and great acting .
luo yun xi truly did a brilliant job playing tang lici and conveying such complex emotion maybe that's what kept me going , we get to see a strong and cunning character yet emotional , even though tang lici denied having emotions a lot of time during the series but you can clearly see it , born to kill and allowed to feel or do anything except for becoming strong , he gets a chance to turn everything around after escaping from his realm , the time he spent at zhoudi tower truly shaped what he became in the end .

liu yan was well portrayed by allen feng , for a misunderstanding " thinking tang lici kill feng zhou on purpose " he was hell bent on killing tang lici and avenging feng zhou yet you can see through the drama he was hesitant at some points during the drama , but couldn't get why he would believe ghostly peony over tnag lici his friend ?? even after tang lici told him the truth he still doubted it .

zhong chunji truly annoying during the whole drama , you don't know her motives , indecisive and coward , you would hate her more as the drama goes , especially after she falsely become the princess , she will do anything for power lie , hurt her friends , she didn't even try to help her shifu we he was killed in front of her maybe she was less powerful than ghostly peony and xifeng tao still at least she could have said something when they were falsely accusing tang lici .

xaoshi was a surprise for me , didn't expect him to be ye mo .
a shui what was her role exactly , don't know what was the purpose of such character , maybe to keep tang lici alive in the first half ? a very forgettable role for me

finally , the finale was a bit lacking , although everything is reversed and everyone is back , wished tang lici returned or at least they remembered him , after what they have been through . everyone got his happy ending except tang lici , what a pity .

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Unexpected Binge

I developed a bias towards Wuxia series from the last decade or so, but decided to try this one based on the rating from a reviewer with somewhat similar tastes. I've dropped countless of Wuxia series due to cheap-looking costumes (including hair and makeup), poor dialogue/plot, annoying FL/ML, overuse of romance, and corny special effects. But this one.. is one of those rare ones that I found myself unexpectedly binging on.

Although some of the corny is unavoidable due to the fantasy element, it was done quite tastefully in this series. I actually found myself enjoying the majority of the special effects from the action scenes. But what really made this one special was that the plot was thought-provoking and the character developments were interesting and complex. The chemistry with the cast were great and I really couldn't find any complaints about any particular character. As there are 40 episodes, it's quite difficult the summarize all of the emotions felt. Let's just say there plenty of unexpected moments, fun moments, and tear-jerking moments. I'm also super happy that the romance aspects of the series are done with maturity and it didn't manage to take over the theme.

Overall, if you're like me who has similar biases towards the Wuxia genre, I would recommend giving this one a try as an exception. They really did a great job in balancing everything and I only wish they maybe delved a little more into some of the characters' histories. You'll also enjoy this is you appreciate tactician-style characters. Despite being very different stories, the ML shares some similarities with the one from Nirvana in Fire.

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