The Unclouded Soul

A String of Fate, Unraveled: An Exploration of Ruin, Redemption, and Human Nature

“Protecting humans is my duty, but falling in love with you was instinct.”

Do not listen, read, or watch anything related to this drama aside from the trailer. If the provided material piques your interest, just watch it. I’ve seen a lot of hate circulating around this drama and honestly, it’s really not necessary. I’d encourage you all to take the baseless negativity with a grain of salt. If you want to watch this drama, just go for it!

I’ll rate this drama using my personal criteria, called ‘CASES’ that looks at the following: cinematography, acting, storyline, experience, and soundtrack. I’ll break down each one individually.

CINEMATOGRAPHY - 5/5
Lighting: 5/5
Camerawork: 5/5
Ambiance: 5/5

The CGI is immaculate, no flaws there whatsoever. I haven’t followed this drama since it’s early production, but based on the behind the scenes clips, you can tell that the entire crew poured their entire heart and soul into its creation. The visual, creative, and drama directors especially deserve a whole standing ovation for their devotion to the craft. The sets, cinematography, and worldbuilding for Xiao Yao are truly unlike anything I’ve seen before (at least in a Chinese drama production). It doesn’t take a seasoned drama viewer to tell that every shot, camera angle, lighting, and setting were made with intention. The directors like to challenge themselves, playing with various different shots, manipulating the elements within the shot, and just making use of every tool in their toolbox to craft a scene that’s not only visually-appealing, but one that evokes hidden meanings here and there. There is almost a hyperactive attention to detail, and it’s precisely this quality that sets Xiao Yao apart from other dramas. You’re not just watching moving pictures, you’re being pulled into that alternate universe. The soundtrack is god-tier, with each song being replayed over and over again until my YouTube crashes. You have those slow, melancholic tracks like ‘Parting in the Mortal Realm’; epic, high-fantasy ones like ‘Embers’, and light, upbeat ones like ‘Mirror’. The lyrics to all of the songs are meaningful, poignant, and befitting for the story. Through the dramas top-notch production and attention to detail, I truly felt like I was transported into the world of ‘Xiao Yao’ from the comfort of my own bed. It’s truly magical.

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ACTING - 5/5
Naturalness: 5/5
Characterization: 5/5
Chemistry: 5/5
Charisma: 5/5

Acting. God, where do I even start? I’ll toss it right out from the getgo: Seven Tan and Hou Minghao were an unexpected duo that somehow managed to sweep me off my feet. I’ll admit that I went into this drama without much expectations. I’ve never seen any of Seven Tan’s works. HMH is one of my favorite actors and is the one who sets the BAR for what acting SHOULD be. In the past, I’ve never really found anyone who could ‘match’ his level of skill, but Seven Tan completely changed my perspective. When you’re watching dramas, there is always one actor who’s delivering more than the other. Sometimes, you can see the discrepancy between their level of skill (it may be subtle or obvious), but I didn’t see that here at all. Seven Tan’s performance was natural. She is one of the few actresses who can act cute without giving the audience second hand embarassment. She breathed Xiao Yao’s bubbly, likeable character to life; HMH gave an impeccable performance that was able to capture Hong Ye’s gentleness and compelxity. Their chemistry is ‘fluctuant’ in the sense that they have good chemistry as friends off-screen, and ones as lovers when the lights turn back on. Their chemistry is not overt, but subtle and filled with tension. The drama itself is a slow-burn, probably almost pain-stakingly so for some people. However, this is precisely what allows their romance to progress naturally. Let me tell you. When I realized that this was taking that slow-burn route, I rejoiced: “Yes!! They’ll know eachother’s names when they kiss! They’ll know eachother’s names, everybody!” Both actors excel at micro expressions, and this is especially useful for slow-burn romances where you’re able to pick up on these subtle changes as the story progresses— how that initial, cold gaze belonging to a demon who has fortified his walls crumbles in the face of his destined one. I didn’t see the chemistry or vision at first, but over time, I got converted. I am now a member of the Seven Tan cult (and a long-standing member of the HMH one), and I can only thank Xiao Yao for pairing them up and allowing these two actors to showcase their abilities!

No complaints for the rest of the cast. Acting is not something you will have to worry about when watching this drama. Here, we have a lineup of seasoned actors and actresses who know how to act through their eyes, breathing their characters to life and delivering a convincing performance throughout.

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STORYLINE - 4.4/5

Premise: 4/5
Plot holes - 4/5
Flow - 4/5
Pacing - 4/5
Ending - 5/5
Predictability - 4/5
Relationship development - 5/5
Character development: 5/5
Worldbuilding: 5/5

Let’s hop onto the meat of the review, shall we?

News flash: this drama tethers on two extremes. When it’s sweet, it’s tooth-decayingly sweet. When it’s sad, it’s a soul-crushing blow. This drama made me cry bitterly, but it also made me smile in front of my laptop like an idiot.

Xiao Yao is what I would conider an ‘escapism grounded in reality’. The narrative sheds light on human nature and it’s various facets, toys with your moral compass, makes you doubt your own principles, and ultimately raises the question “who is truly in the wrong?”.

The essence of this drama, I find, is contained in this quote: “In todays world, have humans and demons truly become indistinguishable?”

The whole theme of demons vs humans is nothing new to xianxia and has always been a ‘black and white’ sort of debate. You will typically see humans portrayed as the good ones and demons as the bad ones (or vice versa), but this is my first time seeing a drama that makes it so both sides are equally flawed. In Xiao Yao, every character (no matter human or demon) has a reason behind their actions, and oftentimes, that ‘reasoning’ is identical. The lines become blurred, and the moment that veil of prejudice is lifted, you realize that the demons and humans are actually cut from the same cloth; instintiguishable from eachother.

A Chinese idiom I find is the ‘foundation’ for Xiao Yao’s plot is 冤冤相報 (Yuān yuān xiāng bào), which directly translates to "grievance upon grievance, mutual retribution." The complicated entanglements between the leads, and just the entire story in general, is just a deep-dive into what’s right and wrong, what’s considered just and unjust, and who is truly worthy of sympathy.

That being said, it’s hard to hate any character in this drama. Even the villains have souls, with the overarching ‘villain’ being quite whimsical and cute, such as Hei Wu.

Hei Wu is a compelling villain because, despite lacking a backstory, his personality and comedic adlibs makes a ‘flat’ character like him just as lovable as the others.

The plot is truly a wild-card. Just when you think they’re going to recycle all of the common tropes already explored in xianxia, they do something completely different. Xiao Yao’s plot is complex, layered, and isn’t the typical ‘3 lives’ theme explored in dramas like TMOPB. It may seem that way at first, but as the story progresses and the revelation finally hits you, you realized that you’ve been bamboozled. In that regard, this drama scores a moderate in predictability. It starts off predictable at first, but as the story gradually unfolds, you’d find that your deductions were wrong and that it’s going to take a completely different approach than what you originally thought.

Pacing-wise, it’s definitely on the slower side. This may deter those who aren’t a fan of slow burn romances, but as someone who goes rabid for that trope, I found that Xiao Yao delivers quite well in this aspect. The storyline is a perfect balance between character and plot, so even when the romance is seemingly lacking, the plot grips you enough so that watching doesn’t feel like a chore. That being said, the ‘slow’ aspect of the plot is not just a stylistic choice; it’s calculated and intentional.

Characters are also layered and well-written. We have a plethora of seemingly ‘irredeemable’ villains with the purest of souls, and ‘innocent’ characters who are hateful go the core. There are many characters, but I’d like to expand on a select few who stood out to me the most.

Bing Zhu is a morally-upright character who cycles through a dramatic character arc. He starts off as a character unshakeable in his principle to a man who eventually loses sight of them. BZ is compelling in this regard because he represents the ever-changing nature of the human heart, showing how it’s the most testable thing in this world. His characterization delves into the question: In the face of countless setbacks, who’s heart can remain eternally pure?

Xiao Yao is truly a remarkable and mature female lead who was strong willed from beginning to end. Her character doesn’t change much throughout the story, but she is in no way two-dimensional. She’s layered, entertaining, witty, and surprisingly relatable. Overall, I’d consider her to be the ‘constant’ who drives the plot forward. She is someone who navigates using both her heart and mind, governing with reason while never truly losing sight of her own beliefs. Overall, a very well written FL.

Hong Ye is the most complex and intriguing character of them all. If Xiao Yao is the constant, he’s the variable that is ever-changing. He goes through a series of major character arcs in which he gets pushed to hell and back, building his character. You see him get ‘beat into shape’, basically. He’s not good, he’s not bad, he’s the demarcation between black and white. His origin story is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen, and HMH did a great job at breathing his role to life. His character will definitely have a special place in my heart, and his story is one that’ll leave an everlasting impact on me for a long, long time. I won’t forget about him, that’s for sure.

The relationship between Hong Ye and Xiao Yao is pure and healthy (despite what they’ve been through). For once, I feel like I’m watching a drama where the two leads are actual adults— not some 12 and 16 year old. Communication isn’t a barrier here, no no. We have a couple who actually knows how to use their mouths to talk to eachother. When things go wrong, both the male and female lead know how to take the initiative in order to smooth things over, handling conflicts in a patient manner. You’re also not getting love triangles here (well, maybe a love pentagon?), so theres no hair-pulling miscommunication in that aspect. All in all, I’m incredibly pleased with the way their relationship is portrayed. Miscommunication is fun when it’s in moderation. Sometimes, a healthy cp who knows how to talk to eachother is very much needed!

Good things aside, I just have a few complaints about the plot that I’ll throw out here. The pacing was slow and calculated for the first half, but sped up considerably towards the end. At some point, it did seem a bit rushed, but fortunately it anchored itself on the last few episodes. In addition, there were also some aspects of the plot that could’ve been resolved. Not ‘plot holes’ necessarily— just characters who deserved a bit more closure towards the end because their story either felt incomplete or ended too abruptly. Just fixing up those loose ends, that’s all!

Finally, some people say that the drama ended off weak, but I would honestly say the opposite. It started off strong and ended just as strong. Sure, it was a bit rocky towards the end in terms of pacing, but I personally liked the ending a lot and found it to be incredibly thought-provoking. The ending is like: “If I could start from the very beginning, even if it meant overcoming those obstacles, I’d be willing to stake it all in one throw just to see you again” or “I am a protector of all beings, someone who is meant to be selfless— but for you, I am willing to be selfish for once.”

It’s been a while since I initially felt so conflicted with the ending, but after staring at the ceiling for a good hour after the final episode, I was like: “damn.. that was a good ending.”

Mind you, when i completed that final episode, I was pacing around my house with the occasional urge to say: “Damn! That ending was GOOD!” A part of me sees it as a combination of OE, BE, and HE. Ultimately, it depends on your perspective, but I just love reading other people’s narrative interpretations of the ending. There is a lot food for thought.

It’s just.. this drama is one of those films that has such a unique storyline that it manages to stick with you for a long, long time (despite its flaws). It maps out a love so profound that it transcends time and space, as well as countless lifetimes.

Overall, I’d say the ending was closed and ‘perfect’ in my book— though it may not seem that way to others!

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EXPERIENCE: 5/5

God, I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve been this absorbed in a xianxia romance. Been in a bit of a drama slump, you see. Xiao Yao unexpectedly pulled me out of that rut. I revived my IQIYI membership to get a ‘taste’ of what this drama would entail, not knowing I’d sink into it completely. For the first time in a long time, I waited in anticipation for the episodes to release everyday, feasting on bite-sized content on 小红书 to curb my hunger in the meantime like Squidward begging for spare change on the sidewalk. That being said, no dull cliffhangers here. Every episode grips you and you’re left wanting more.

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SOUNDTRACK: 5/5
Variety: 5/5
How good it is: 4/5
How fitting it is: 5/5

I’m lost in the music. In fact, I’m throwing it back to ‘燃烬’ as we speak. What can I say? I’m just obsessed. The songs were properly placed, addictive as hell, and had me screaming ‘HONG YEEEEEEEE MY BABYYY HUHUHHHHHU’ at the top of my lungs— is that telling enough?

All in all, Xiao Yao is great if you’re looking to indulge in a high-fantasy drama with impeccable worldbuilding and emotional acting; a tight script that takes a ‘spin’ on a common romance trope; an ensemble of well-written, impressionable characters; all weaved into a thought-provoking narrative that will have you questioning your morals, principles, and existence in general.

Was it a masterpiece? Debatable, but Xiao Yao is one of the most memorable dramas of 2025-2026 for me and is one that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for some food for thought.

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Marvellous masterpiece: 3 lifetimes 3 magnificent stories of main leads

It's one of my most anticipated fantasy and romance drama, I couldn’t be more happier when it was released. Ever since it has been released, I have been deeply engrossed and always excitedly waiting for next highly spell- bindind, gripping and mesmerising episodes.

💫The story of the drama is extremely refreshing and highly unpredictable yet it successfully enthrals, fascinates, engages, entrances and enchants the audiences with its extraordinary and unique top-class and out of this world plot💥💯. One of the noticable features of this storyline is time cycle encounters (where she learns about past lives). It's neither simple straight timeline nor just a circle. The main characters are influenced by irregular timelines, their identities and circumstances change in each life time. These encounters allows them to meet and confront each other. At certain points, the main leads loose their original memories in past lives. However, very importantly, XY's final time jump to place where she met HY in the demon valley, is completely different from previous time. In the last encounter, both of them have the knowledge of their previous lives ✨️.

💫Hong ye is highly complex and intricate character portrayed brilliantly, magnificently and impeccable by phenomenal actor HMH. Although, Hong ye at present is very morally good, just, kind, smart and responsible demon lord, he doesn't have the commanding aura of a formidable demon king, showing self-blame, repentance, and a deep internal struggle as he has yet to rediscover his true self. Fortunately over time, particularly after meeting Xiao Yao, he gradually reconnects with the bold, trusting, fearless, extremely formidable and unrestrained version of himself that existed centuries ago. I absolutely adore Hong Ye, I love his extremely sweet, protective, romantic, mischievous (influenced by Xiao yao), strategic, playful, kind, bold, reflective and righteous sides. He is extremely precious demon, who is XY's treasure. He has stolen my heart ✨️❤️‍🔥.

💫Xiao Yao is also very complicate and sophisticate character, portrayed flawlessly and effortlessly by versatile actress TSY. Xiao Yao (half demon and half human) in her original third lifetime is very special person, who has very pure and incorruptable heart despite being of very explorative, mischievous, jolly, and tricky nature. She always stays true to her heart and sticks to her moral principles. Always be kind, friendly, playful, just and protective of all beings around her whether they are humans or demons. Although she likes money, she always uses it for proper needs and is never blinded by greed or desire of extreme power or immortality. Xioa Yao with her untarnished beautiful heart molds and influences the opinions and principles of many demons, spirits and humans during her exciting journey together with Hong Ye in 3 lifetimes. I absolutely love her cute, adorable, bubbly, flirty, calculative, tactical, prudent, combative, witty, romantic, wise and thoughtful sides. She is very lovable and unforgettable character, she has won my heart 🥰🔥.

💫Hong Ye and Xiao Yao, through the 3 lifetimes encounters, always triggers long standing conflicts between humans and demons. We are shown through many stories, how desires, trust and moral choices effects the fates of both races. However, Xiao Yao's pure heart becomes a crucial power that drives the story toward reconciliation and redemption. Thus, making this drama different from conventional romance yet the 3 life time romance we experience between Hong Ye and Xiao Yao is extremely remarkable and heart-warming. Their chemistry feels incrediblly natural and romantic. Hong Ye is always extremely accommodating, malleable, attentive, soft, tender and protective to Xiao yao. Same goes for Xiao yao she is extremely observant of Hong yes's hidden feelings and worries, does anything to protect and help him and is always concerned for him. Their romance is extremely sweet, intimate, synchronized and natural, sending viewers hearts into total frenzy✨️💖.

💫Not forgetting to mention, whenever, they have misunderstanding or disagreement they very quickly, effectively and proactively resolve it in best way possible, which very beautifully brings them even closer. Every trial or event bonds them together more firmly then ever. They trust, rely, and protect each other no matter what. Through out the 3 life times ardous journey, these two have created really powerful feelings and overwhelming emotions, which have greatly moved me. Both of them are striving towards establishing peace for humans and demons by employing their responsible, righteous, courageous and selfless hearts to attain this dream/goal.
I have completely melted 💘🫠 for this breath-taking, very compatible and beautiful unforgettable couple. They are totally made for each other.

💫All the others actors have also enchanted me with their brilliant, dynamic, dedicated, committed, creative and powerful acting. They have displayed their deep emotions, passion, feelings flawlessly and their stories unfolded magnificently and seamlessly well with good pacing. Their dynamic and smooth chemistry with each other and the main characters brought this masterpiece to life. The short stories were very touching and engaging endorsing the hearts with meaningful messages about making the right choice under various circumstances while always rememberering that demons and humans have good and bad people amongst them.

BZ's character development started out well, with him and his sister standing up for their principles while learning to distinguish between good and bad demons. But sadly he seems to have lost his way along the way for quite some time due to PP's predicamen. Thankfully, he got his sister back and redeemed himself. Now, for the other characters: my personal favorite are XM the cat demon, LL the pig demon, the little herbs and Bamboo demon. They are very adorable and funny, there is never a dull moment with them around. The 3 great demons, were at times very adorable, chaotic, intriguing and funny. However, they made HY and humans suffer a lot, they got chance to change their ways and later they paid for their mistakes with their lives.

💫The CGI, FX and cenimatrography of this drama is incredibly beautiful and stunning💞🔥!The attention to detail, photorealism, seamless integrations, lighting and texturing makes geographical lands in the story enchanting and magical. The CGI in this drama not only gave us compelling visual experience in the action scenes but it effectively communicated the stories and emotions of the characters too. It successfully engages the viewers and leaving an everlasting impression. The gorgeous costumes, stunning hairstyles and mesmerising make up for the casts is breathtaking making the drama very enticing and inviting visual feast. But it's not just the visuals that stand out, all the OSTs especially the opening OST 'desire and calamity' and 'afraid it's only a dream' are extremely beautiful. They have emotional resonance, clear production, and originality. All OSTs give emotional and atmosphereic depth to the scenes and and events.

💫I absolutely fell in love with this most magical, sweetest, beautiful, adorable and naturally romantic couple. With their superb acting, they have manifested one of the top-class heart warming, touching, emotional, magical, romantic and unforgettable Xuanhuan ever for me. Looking forward to next episodes very eagerly. Only downside is that the episodes are coming to an end and I absolutely don't want it to finish because I just can't get enough of this enchanting unique magical story.

ENDING:

It seems that the main leads have achieved their major goal of bringing lasting peace to both races. Everyone, who has made bad moral choices either got retribution and paid for their sins some way or repented and redeemed themselves. Eventually, the vicious cycle of voilence and revenge between demons and humans was broken. Ofcourse, 10,000 years of chaos and feud came to an end with price of selfless acts of bravery.

Even though the end was little ambiguous, I find it totally worth the watch beacause there is really nothing HY and XY didn’t do together as a couple in 3 lifetimes.

✨️With XY (having special body) mastering the art of time travelling, I guess she can relive the numerous happiest times with HY in 3 lifetimes while correcting the mistakes made before or possibly find another way to seal the kunlun mirror! Possiblities are endless when she can travel any point into past and can change anything and this time she knows everything!✨️💞
☆⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝☆

✨️Any point she jumps to is a new beginning!!

"Everything has started anew"
"Everything is just a beginning"

✨️Thus, this timeline is not a never-changing cycle, nowhere it says that everything repeated the way it was.

🌈Looking at the last seen: both XY's and HY's aura was different from the original scene because both of them know and remember everything this time around and are about to start a new. It's already a chance to change everything. 🎊

🌟So, it's Not a repeat But a Reset!!!💕💯⭐️

Overall, I thorougly enjoyed every second of this masterpiece 😍 ✨️ 👌 I highly recommend it to people who love fantasy and romance.

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This is for people who want a deeper understanding of the Human Condition

Don't just blindly trust the bad reviews and judge for yourself. This drama is something that can only be judged once they get to the end. This series is like a food for the soul, makes you ponder about the human condition and moral values. Some people may get bored because they don't understand the long journey, but once you reach the end, everything makes sense and clicks into place, and it makes you want to go back and rewatch it. It is thought provoking. The emotional value it brings is also amazing.

So it is not a popcorn drama for people who want a cliched trope like a domineering CEO and hot scandals. It does try to cater to a wider worldview because it encompasses many characters, and so the world-building feels more complete and not only about 2 people's romance; their actions actually affect the world.

Plus, it has great acting and comedic moments, so it won't be boring. It starts getting meaty around episode 25. But you won't be able to appreciate the second half without the beginning either! Also, because it being 3 iterations, we can also see and analyse what the same people who had different circumstances & spiritual journey would do.

I would like to say that I've been watching both TanSongyun & HouMinghao's dramas, and I think that they are both great seasoned actors, and this work is really top-notch and beautiful. HMH delivers different characters each time, so don't expect this character to be anything like others he has done; just a little hint remains the same. The songs are great, they fit the emotional theme well, the CGI is smooth and beautiful, I heard it's big-budget CGI by the people behind Nazha, the animated movie.

For some people who feel there aren't enough kissing scenes, "Love" is not only about physical touch. There are different love languages and small nuances that make this work elegantly beautiful.

For those people who disagree with the ending, I feel like it's just nature taking its course. I also believe this show delivers on the premise that nobody is perfect and everyone has inherent strengths and weaknesses. If everyone was thinking more wiser & more long term then none of this drama happens hahaha! I agree that even I wanted a different deus ex machina occurrence but this ending makes the lesson that we can learn from this more hard-hitting and like the song in episode 38, "beautiful".

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An interesting plot & heart-warming romance make it worth watching.

📌 Plot : 8.5/10. For me to finish this drama in just a week means that the story was to my liking. The plot in the first 36 episodes: 9/10, but the last 4 episodes: 6/10 at best. However, I enjoyed most parts of the story; it was interesting with the right pacing most of the time. Sure, the story had its slow moments—episodes 17-19—that can't be avoided in a 40-episode drama. Okay, let me talk about the problematic last 4 episodes. The plot starts to become underwhelming in these last revelation episodes, which started from episode 33, but to me, it truly went downhill from episode 37 to the end. With many unnecessary deaths, Bing Zhu suddenly became an annoying evil character, the romance became dull & less enjoyable, and I liked Hong Ye less and less in these episodes—while I understand why he did what he did, it is still a fact that he used Xiao Yao for his selfish reason. Instead of making me more fond and understanding of Hong Ye and Xiao Yao's course of action, it just made me feel annoyed at both of them. The ending, although it is slightly better than the ending of the last drama I watched, TRoDH, is the same annoying type of ending. I hate when the main character pulls a self-sacrifice act, like, can't you think of a better option than that? So uncreative and lame.

📌 Acting & Character : 8.5/10. TUS was my fourth completed drama of Neo Hou. Tbh, I liked his character here more than in LiTC. Fr, the man is looking so divine here. For the whole 36 episodes—I will just forget episodes 37-40 ever existed—, I fell in love with Hong Ye again and again. He was the embodiment of a green flag ML. I liked his calmness, gentleness & attentiveness towards Xiao Yao. I loved the way he treats her, knows when to say sorry, is honest when times need him to be, & is not afraid to show his flaws. In short, I liked everything about him. Meanwhile, this is my first drama of Tan Song Yun; I enjoyed her acting & character here. While Hong Ye loves quietly, she loves loudly. Other supporting characters did well too. I enjoyed watching Xiao Mu and Xiao Ming's synergy with Hong Ye. The actor who played them as two characters in one body was brilliant, really. Aside from Hong Ye, I can't take my eyes off Bing Zhu in the first 20 episodes. Pity, he was an interesting character until he was not. I also enjoyed watching 3 ancient demons with their antics: Teng She, Qiong Qi, and Ao Hen.

📌 Chemistry & Romance : 9/10. To describe the romance here: Sweet, heart-warming, mature, healthy & not spicy. Our couple not just shares joyful feelings; they communicate all their worries as well. Conflicts in their relationship do not get dragged out, as they will be resolved right away. Hence, this drama has almost zero angsty level. One thing that disappoints me was the G-rated kissing scenes. Just touch on the lip, and done lol.

📌 OST, Cinematography,Costume: 9/10. The cinematography & visual was up to par. I loved Hong Ye's costumes the most. Xiao Yao is so pretty in her Azure Dragon looks, with white hair and outfit. The OST was great too. I enjoyed listening to a few of them, newly added to my Spotify playlist.  My favorites: Afraid It's Only A Dream by Neo Hou, From Now On by Tan Song Yun, Cinders by Jing Long, and Mirror by Duan Aojuan.

In conclusion, 8.5 rating I gave for this drama mainly because of its first 36 episodes. I might rate this as high as 9/10, if the last episodes did not happened. Despite the letdown ending, TUS was worth watching for the interesting plot, heart-warming romance, Neo Hou & other things I mentioned.

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it's worth it

What captivates me most about this drama is the connection between the couple. Their love is so pure that neither time nor their poor choices could drive them apart. Even in difficult times, they understand and support each other with such deep love. I didn't give the story a 10 because the second couple felt very unstable and unbelievable to me. But it's definitely a drama worth watching at least once, even if you don't like open endings.
The OST... the last time I really liked an entire album was with Tsubasa Chronicles.
The acting, both are good actors with excellent microexpressions and expressive eyes. I really enjoy watching them.

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SOUL - CRUSHING BEAUTY

'EVERYTHING HAS STARTED ANEW, EVERYTHING IS JUST ONLY BEGINNING'

This story centres around the Jade Wine Divine Spring ( Yuli Spring), a mythical source ofpower that has caused a hundred years of conflict between the humans and demons. The story follows Xiao Yao, a spirited and adaptable human girl who stumbles into the valley of ten thousand demons. She encounters Hong Ye, the demon king, who has grown disillusioned after centuries of war and betrayal. While it begins with a lighthearted 'mortal girl meets cold demon king' trope, the plot eventually dives into a complex, non-linear mystery involving time travel and reincarnation. It presents the idea that some tragedies are inevitable, even as the characters travel back 10,000 years to change the past, they find themselves fulfilling the very destiny they sought to avoid.

Moreover, Tan Songyun is known for her range, as she breathes life into Xiao Yao, transitioning seamlessly from a quick-witted con artist in the early episodes to a woman burdened by the weight of ancient memories. While some viewers found her early 'childish' persona polarizing, her emotional depth in the latter half of the series is widely praised. Minghao delivers a restrained, nuanced performance. He portrays Hong Ye not just as a powerful ruler, but as a 'heartbreakingly devoted' figure whose instinct is always to protect. His chemistry with Songyun is a slow-burning, relying more on subtle tension and shared glances than overt romantic gestures. ( NEO HOU WAS SOO PRETTY IN THIS DRAMA, AND THAT JUST MADE ME SO HAPPY ♪(´▽｀)

Furthermore, the production value is one of the drama's strongest suits. The cinematography creates a stark contrast between the two realms. The demon realm is rendered with vibrant, whimsical colors ( think pink glowing grass, silvery skies, and glittery blue water). It feels like an enchanting, whimsical adventure. The human realm is more grounded and traditional, emphasizing the grit and Greek that fueled the search for immortality. Also, the CGI is polished, particularly in the large-scale battles and the depiction of the Yuli Spring, though the costume design stays within safe traditional xianxia territory.

Lastly, one of the characters that made me so disappointed and angry was Dali. She was seriously just a fake flower. Xiao Yao's intentions were very pure, and she just wanted to be friends with her, but her expectations let her down as Xiao Yao got stabbed in the back by Dali only because she felt inferior and not loved by everyone ( which is not exactly true). That reason was too lameand if I were Xiao Yao, I would never forgive her or let alone be friends with her anymore.

This drama avoids the typical 'happy ending' tropes in favor of a more philosophical conclusion about loss and the purity of the heart. While the pacing can be slow in the middle arcs, the emotional payoff and visual world-building make it a must-watch for 2026.

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Breathtaking in every way...

I love everything about this story, I am a massive fan of both the lead actors and they did a phenomenal job with these lead characters. Their chemistry was natural, and brought the story to life in a way I feel like only they could. I haven't felt this attached to a Wuxia Fantasy in a while, one of like 3 in all of 2025 that really crept into my heart and nested there. I am so sad it is over, but I would rewatch this one just for the beautiful storytelling, believable acting, amazing chemistry, and the magic and creatures in this story were so well done. I Love the concept of this unwinding love that transcends through thousands of years over and over again, no matter how our leads met. It was thrilling to watch them fall in love three times over, and in unique ways each time. The story itself just worked for me in ways not many do.

It was literally shaping up to be one of my all time favorite cdramas before the last two episodes completely decimated me. I am actually crying over this one. It hurts my soul that it ended this way. I don't even know what to do with myself in this moment. If you want to see a happy ending, stop before you get too far into ep 39 and you can live in la la land. I almost wish I had held off on the ending now but I also love that I did them justice in seeing it through despite my heart break, because even in the ending we get to see the depth of such a love.

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Ignore the ratings, this drama is truly enjoyable!

I honestly don’t understand why it didn’t get at least an 8.5 rating. Is it because of the ending? In my opinion, an ending like this is quite common in xianxia dramas. It wasn’t that bad either — it was simply an open ending, which leaves room for interpretation.
Hou Minghao’s acting in this drama is absolutely outstanding, especially in the crying scenes. His emotions felt so real that they made me cry as well. Tan Songyun, as always, never disappoints in any role she plays. The storyline is very engaging. Although the beginning feels like a typical and familiar plot, the story develops into something different and more interesting in the middle.
I also really loved the chemistry between the two leads. Their interactions felt natural and emotionally convincing, which made the story even more enjoyable to watch. Overall, despite the mixed ratings, this drama is definitely worth watching for its strong performances, emotional depth, and compelling story.

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3 Life Times, Over 10,000 Years For One Another For To Find Eachother Again, For One To Be Locked...

It Took 3 Life Times, Over 10,000 Years For One Another For To Find Eachother Again By Accident, And By Chance, And For One To Be Locked Away Forever. 😭 ***WHAT AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COSTER THIS DRAMA HAS BEEN***

1st I Must Make This Comment, I Have MANY FAVORITE ACTORS, SOME I CAN'T STAND LIKE YANG YANG, KU KAI, LUO YUXI!!!
I 1st Saw Huo Ming Hao, NEO About A Year Ago, By Chance SADLY. ☹ He Was In A Music Video, A Rap Song Sang By Liu YuNing For The Fangs Of Fortune Drama, Which By The Way I Have Not Watched Yet. Neo's Look In The Music Video, Is Just Wow... They Make Him Look Beautiful, Handsome, Gorgeous All At The Time Just Like In This Drama. Although I Do Remember Seeing Another Music Video Before The Liu YuNing Rap Song, The Whole Cast Is Singing, And Dancing To A Really Cute, And Happy Song, And Neo Has Blond Hair. Could Be Before Or After, Bad Memory. Anyways, I Noticed Him Then, But I Didn't Know Who He Was, But Did He Catch My Eye... He Seemed Familiar, But Had No Clue, Only Person I Knew Was Chen Xiao, Which By The Way I Do Not Like Her. 😂🤣😂 Anyways Whatever It Might Be, I Wish I Knew About This Young Man Sooner... MY GOD, HE Is So Cute, Handsome, And So Freaking Gorgeous...
(I Still Love And Adore My YiBo, And Zhan Though. So To All You Singles, Or One Actor Fans, "WHATEVER!!!" 😝 I Have Probably Over 20 Favorite Actors. Yes, And I Don't Care What Anyone Says About Only Having One Ba-Hum-Bug!!!)
I Actually Finally Saw Him With Seven In H!6, For The 1st Time On January 6th, 2026, Watched It, And Thought Neo Was Such A Cutie Pie And Had To Watch This Drama. WHA-LA!!! PLUS I Believe I Watched Crush Of Music Before The Episode With Seven, Because Of Liu YuNing, And Zhou Shen, (YES I AM A FAN OF LIU YUNING, AND ZHOU SHEN TOO!!!) And Neo Was In The Episode I Watched, So I Knew Who He Was... That Is The Whole Reason Why I Wanted To Watch The H!6 Episode White Seven, Because Of Her And Hou MingHao!!! Thought I Was Very Confused, Because She Didn't Pick Him Right Away From The Get Go But She Explained, It's Because He Wanted To Take Her To Demon Valley, And Make Her Study, When I Saw This Episode I Was Like HUH? After Watching The Drama, And Rewatching Highlight Of The Show, I Now Understand. There Was Another Reason, But You'll Just Have Watch That H!6 To Find Out. Plus Hou Minghao Says In That Episose, I Don't Care That She Didn't PICK ME, I AM JUST GOING TO PICK HER!!! And Grabs Her... 🥰🥰🥰
(It's So Funny Too, Because I'm Like Why Is This Dude #1, #2 On My Drama List When I 1st Joined, NOW I SEE WHY!!! Oh My God I Am So In Love With This Cutie Pie!!! Thanks To YuNing For Singing The Fangs Of Fortune Rap Song. P.S. BY THE WAY NEO SINGING REALLY AWESOME TOO... 👍👍👍)

The Drama Was Awesome, And Everything Was Great. I Loved Everything About This Drama, I Do Always Say That About Most Drama's I Watch Expect For A Few, Actually I Am Pretty Shocked That I Didn't Give This One A Lower Score, And Just Lower To A 9.0 Just For The Fact Of The Ending. (Which By The Way Is Kind Of Confusing To Me, Because What she Kept Going Into Is Just Memories Of The Past, Soo... ***SHRUGS*** How Was Once Was, Going To Begin A New??? Or Was It Really Truly Of The Past??? I'm Beginning To Realize It, It Wasn't Just Memories, It Really Was The Past. That's Why She Herself Was The Azure Dragon, And The Princesse When She Went Back Into The Past.
NOPE, WRONG!!! She Cultivated For 3 Years To Perfect And Master A Type Of Magic To Go Back Into Her Memories In Her Own Mind Just To See, And Be With Hong Ye Again. I Was Right The 1st Time, Those Were All Just Memories, So Like I Said How Will The Story Beginning Again, And Start A New???

Before I Say Anything Else I Will Say The Out Come Even Though I REALLY REALLY REALLY LIKED THE DRAMA, The Ending Pissed Me Off, Because For One When He Had No Powers, And He Was Going To Leave Her, He Promised He Would Always Talk Everything Though With Her, But The Ending, And Him Disappearing Was His Decision, And His Choice Alone, He Didn't Talk It Over With Her At All... He Only Realized That He Used Her Both Previous Lifes To Get What He Wanted, And He Was Very Sorry... For A Demon That Never Crys, He Cried, Saying Good Bye To Her!!! And I Understand Under The Circumstances, He Had To Think Quick, And I Know He Would Do Anything For Xiao Yao, Even If It Meant Dying To Protect Her, BUT COME ON, OVER 10,000 YEARS, AND 3 LIFE TIMES TO BE TOGETHER FOR A FEW DAYS, OR FEW WEEKS JUST FOR HIM TO SEAL HIMSELF AWAY IN THE KUMOR MIRROR!!! 😭😭😭 ***REDICULUS, AND JUST UTTERLY OUTRAGEOUS*** MY QUESTION IS WHY COULD HE SEAL HER WITH HIM??? WELL I GUESS NOT, BECAUSE THE MIRROR WAS GOING INTO HIS BODY!!! ACK, THAT PISSED ME OFF...
(I Have Watched Well Over 40-50 Chinese Drama, Movies, And I Have Maybe Seen 8-10 With Happy Endings Under The Power, The Blue Whisper 2, Fated Hearts, A Dream With In A Dream, Prisonor Of Beauty, Revenged Love, So It Really Makes Me Mad Because, So Many Sad Drama's... All I Know Is There Are Way More Sad Drama's Then Drama's With Happy Endings Which, S-U-C-K-S!!!)

HOW SAD, AND MORE TRAGIC CAN IT BE??? I AM NOT EVEN JOKING, I CRIED SO MUCH TO THIS DRAMA, IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY!!! IT TOOK 3 LIFE TIMES, OVER 10,000 YEARS TO HAVE HER FIND AN EYE THAT HAD HIS SOUL IN IT, AND WAKE HONG YE WITH HER BLOOD!!! For Him To End Up Dying, Because Of Her In Both Previous Lifes, Basically Because Of That Stupid Kumor Mirror. WATER OF IMMORTALLITY MY BEHIND, WHEN HONG YE DRANK THE WATER THE 1ST TIME, IT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HIM!!! And Xiao Yao Even Created A Arrow Like Thing, And Put It Though His Heart, And Killed Him, SO WHAT IMMORTALITY??? BESIDES XIAO YAO AS THE AZURE DRAGON IS WHAT CHANGED HIM, AND MADE HIM INTO A DEMON!!! THE 5,000 YEARS LATER!!!
IT TOOK 9,900 YEARS LATER FOR THEM TO FINALLY TRUELY GET MARRIED, And IT Took 3 Love Sick Idiots Whom She Only Consider Her Brothers To Mess, And Turn There Lifes Upside Down, And Sideways In One Day. She Always Loved, And Always Did Love Hong Ye Though The 3 Life Times, And Over 10,000 Years, As He Too Loved Her, And Always Did, And There Love Never Changing For Eachother.

To Be Able To Follow There Story, And See The 3 Diffrent Life Times Though The Over 10,000 Years Was A Privilege, It Was A Very Fun, And Very Crazy Emotional Roller Coster For Me, But, Even Though I Am Mad, And Pissed Off At The Ending, The Drama Was Truely Fun To Watch, Some Of The Humor In It Was To Funny. I LOVED The Scene Where It Was Xiao Yao's Birthday, And He Made Hong Ye Made Her Noodles, And She Said "This Is Best Noodle's I Ever Had... I Was Like Awwww... And Cried. My Most Favorite Is When He Made The Chinese Lion Lanter Come To Life, And It Jumpped Around On The Roof Tops, THAT LION WAS SO ADORABLE!!! Only If I Could Have My Own As A Pet. Lot's Of Other Favorite Scenes, But... You'll Just Have To Watch To See.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED HOU MINGHAO AS HONG YE BOTH AS HUMAN, AND DEMON!!!
I LOVED LOVED LOVED TAN SONGYAN AS ALL 3 CHARACTERS AZURE DRAGON, PRINCESS, AND HUMAN!!!

O.k. I Have To Comment 1st On Xiao Ming/Xiao Mu, That Cat Man Was Too Freakin Cute... I Was Kind Of Freaked Out By Him At 1st, But Eventually I Really Started Liking Him, And Thinking He Was Cute... Kind Of Clinging, And Whinny, Towards Hong Ye, But Still Adorable At The Same Time. Loved His Voice, Wiether He Him Himself Or Voice Actor, Perfect For The Character. In The 1st Episode I Saw That His Ears Would Move When He Was A Human Demon, But After That They Never Moved Again. ☹ They Should Have Made His Ears Move Thoughout The Whole Drama, Would Made Him More Unique, And Super Special. Plus Another Thing That Was Confusing Was Sometimes He Had A Blue, And Yellow Eye, And Sometimes, Brown, And Sometimes Both Yellow... I Know He Had 2 Diffrent People In Him That's Why He Had 2 Diffrent Names Xiao Ming, And Xiao Mu... It Was Strange Seeing When Hong Ye Told Xiao Ming To Call Out Xiao Mu, I'm Like Why Isn't He Going To Get Him... Him Kneeling Down On The Floor Didn't Help Either, Then When He Says Xiao Mu Doesn't Dare Come Out, I'm Like What??? I Started Understanding There Were 2 Demon People In The Cat. Which Is A Intresting Touch.

The Gaurd BingZhu, All I Gotta Say About Him, Is: "WHAT A ROMANTIC???" He Had Twists, And Turns, But Seemed Only Loyal To Pian Pian For, He Was In Love With Her, But Unfortunately Helping, And Saving People Was His Duty. His Story Turned Out To Be Something Totally Different, And A Dramatic Change Happened To Him, And It Has To Do With The 3 Love Striken Idiot. Came As A Total Shock To Me At The End, Plus He Did The Opposite Of What He Originally Wanted To Do. He Went From Being Good, To Bad Because Of Pian Pian, But I Guess I Would Say There Is A Good Reason Why. The Back To Good Again, Which Was Pretty, NO Was VERY Confusing.

All The Other Cast Members Did A Great, And Wonderful Job In The Drama From The 3 Love Striken Idiots To The All The Members In The Azure Clan, To Ever One That Lived In Demon Valley... Even The Tiny Living Little Trees, Those Things Were So Funny, And Cute. Everyone Played There Characters Perfectly, And Did A Wonderful, And Great Job.

One Last Thing I Have To Say Is... And I Will Only Say This ONCE!!! I Am So Very DISAPPOINTED!!! In One Specific Person, Character Or Demon, And That Would Be DaLi. ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS FAKE FLOWER GIRL IS... FAKE FAKE FAKE!!! Acting All Nice In The Beginning, And Then Becoming A Total Betrayer, And Total Back Stabber. HUMP... I Would Not Want A Friend Like Her At All... Fake BOTH INSIDE, AND OUT!!! Knows Nothing About What True Friendship Is. >:0/ She Was A Total Disappointment So She Was Written Last About.

January 11th. 2026 6:39 A.M. To January 13th, At 4:00 A.M.
Posted At 4:08 A.M.

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True definition of “love that transcends time”

This drama is a masterpiece. Story and acting are superb. THE ONLY THING WAS THE ENDING. Not the worst, just not satisfying.

I love the cast and story so much. Never a dull moment! So many comedic scenes. I love their love. I love every gesture and every expression of their love. It was so pure through all the lifetimes and truly moved me. I haven't been attached to a drama in a while; this one is it. I am hooked and obsessed with the story as well as the ML /FL.

The reason for the 8.5 rewatch rating is that I can't go through the ending again; my heart can't take it. Nevertheless, this drama is a must-watch at least once. It is a great drama.

Keep up the great work, HMH and crew! Thank you for bringing the characters to life and letting us viewers truly immerse ourselves in this story.

Looking forward to many more of your dramas. Stay healthy and happy always!

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