When Immortality Takes Three Seasons and a Lot of Pills
When I watched this drama, I could not help but suspect that the screenwriters were men. Why? The story revolves around Han Li, a humble mortal from a poor family, who somehow captures the hearts of four women—without even trying. No seduction, no sweet talk, just pure existence. A scenario straight out of many men’s secret ego-driven fantasy, I suppose (lol).
In this first season, it is impossible to guess which woman he will ultimately end up with. Romantically, Han Li appears almost indifferent to all of them, though he clearly sympathises with Mo Cai Huan. Personally, I am rooting for the Senior Immortal Nangong Wan—especially after that one unexpected intimate moment between them. Unfortunately, the setting for this scene feels rather cliché and underwhelming; the execution is so vague that it is hard to even tell what truly happened.
If I were to nitpick, the scene where Han Li saves Nangong Wan and she accidentally absorbs all his powers feels a little off. His reasoning that it is simply repayment for their earlier intimate moment struck me as somewhat cheesy—reducing something so personal to a mere transaction - is poor taste.
Han Li’s journey to immortality is anything but easy. Born with weak spiritual roots, he faces enormous hurdles. He is bullied in his sect and even the seniors think that the Foundation Pill to enhance spiritual growth is going to be wasted on him. Yet, through his deep knowledge of herbs and medicine—and a few fortuitous encounters—he manages to break through multiple cultivation stages. The one moral lesson to take away is don't give up on yourself.
Expect a lot of pill-popping in this drama. Han Li seems to have a pill for every spiritual need, and true to the genre, there is never a shortage of characters suffering severe injuries that require urgent treatment, acupuncture, or mystical remedies.
Yang Yang plays the suave hero perfectly—always calm, always ready to rescue a damsel in distress. To overcome his spiritual shortcomings, Han Li arms himself with an impressive arsenal of magical artifacts, which means plenty of dazzling special effects throughout the series.
The drama ticks all the boxes: an engaging storyline, breathtaking CGI, a stellar cast of attractive actors and actresses, and exquisite costumes. All the production measures are top-notch.
The only catch? This is just season one, with two more seasons still on the way. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and cannot wait to see what the sequels bring. Hope that won't take too long.
That said, I did feel a bit cheated—nowhere was it mentioned that this was only the first season, and there I was, expecting a grand finale in episode 30… all in vain. For now, all we can do is sit back, relax, and daydream in a tropical paradise while we wait for the sequels.
In this first season, it is impossible to guess which woman he will ultimately end up with. Romantically, Han Li appears almost indifferent to all of them, though he clearly sympathises with Mo Cai Huan. Personally, I am rooting for the Senior Immortal Nangong Wan—especially after that one unexpected intimate moment between them. Unfortunately, the setting for this scene feels rather cliché and underwhelming; the execution is so vague that it is hard to even tell what truly happened.
If I were to nitpick, the scene where Han Li saves Nangong Wan and she accidentally absorbs all his powers feels a little off. His reasoning that it is simply repayment for their earlier intimate moment struck me as somewhat cheesy—reducing something so personal to a mere transaction - is poor taste.
Han Li’s journey to immortality is anything but easy. Born with weak spiritual roots, he faces enormous hurdles. He is bullied in his sect and even the seniors think that the Foundation Pill to enhance spiritual growth is going to be wasted on him. Yet, through his deep knowledge of herbs and medicine—and a few fortuitous encounters—he manages to break through multiple cultivation stages. The one moral lesson to take away is don't give up on yourself.
Expect a lot of pill-popping in this drama. Han Li seems to have a pill for every spiritual need, and true to the genre, there is never a shortage of characters suffering severe injuries that require urgent treatment, acupuncture, or mystical remedies.
Yang Yang plays the suave hero perfectly—always calm, always ready to rescue a damsel in distress. To overcome his spiritual shortcomings, Han Li arms himself with an impressive arsenal of magical artifacts, which means plenty of dazzling special effects throughout the series.
The drama ticks all the boxes: an engaging storyline, breathtaking CGI, a stellar cast of attractive actors and actresses, and exquisite costumes. All the production measures are top-notch.
The only catch? This is just season one, with two more seasons still on the way. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and cannot wait to see what the sequels bring. Hope that won't take too long.
That said, I did feel a bit cheated—nowhere was it mentioned that this was only the first season, and there I was, expecting a grand finale in episode 30… all in vain. For now, all we can do is sit back, relax, and daydream in a tropical paradise while we wait for the sequels.
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