KiKo Tsukino

Moonlight Mystique is among one of the anticipated drama's I have been wanting to watch, since I know this is adapted from the novel which is part of the trilogy/spinoff that focused on Tian Qi and Yuemi love story from Ancient Love Poetry (Shang Gu Novel). After watching this drama as a whole, I can tell you that Moonlight Mystique has the least(almost-to-none) connection to Ancient Love Poetry, so this can be regarded as a standalone drama/story featuring Fan Yue/Jing Yuan and Bai Shuo/Xing Yue.

So you don't really need to watch Ancient Love Poetry to understand the backstory since it was changed completely. MM doesn't feature the god realm, and has no relation/connection to the original backstory for Tian Qi and Yuemi in Ancient Love Poetry.

Instead of the God Realm(ALP), in MM, this was changed to the 3 Divine Realm: Lunar (Govern by Goddess Xing Yue), Demon (Govern by Demon God Jing Yuan) and Hidden (Govern by the Hidden God Mo Li).

Before Jing Yuan and Xing Yue backstory was revealed, I didn't know it would be like this out of all my speculation, but it actually turned out to be so different than what I imagined their backstory to be like. I really love the playful and silly side to Jing Yuan from back then (60,000 years ago), because one way or another, I still like to find some references that will tie back to his original character in ALP (Tian Qi). So with this being said, I am glad his character somewhat stayed true in that sense that Jing Yuan is not afraid to confess his love/feelings to the woman he loves, in this case it is Xing Yue and I love that. In it's originality, Tian Qi is someone who will choose to protect the woman he loves first before the three realms. He would go that far to just protect that one person. I'm glad to see that Fan Yue/Jing Yuan is the same, in that sense where he will always choose to protect Bai Shuo/Xing Yue first. These are traits and qualities that I'm glad they kept to the original in MM.

But in MM, I am glad that we get to see that this is being directed at someone like Bai Shuo who can return his love equally. He deserves to be love. They both deserve their happy ever after at the end of all this. I am glad they got this happy ending in the end.

The God Realm is my favourite arc, although it was short but their backstory truly touched my heart and made me fell in love with Jing Yuan and Xing Yue back story.

Even when the story to MM was changed completely from their original backstory for Tian Qi and Yuemi, please don't let this discouraged you from watching Moonlight Mystique though, because I can assure you that the journey for our beloved main character: Fan Yue and Bai Shuo and this beautiful pairing is very worth it in the end!

While from ALP fans perspective (since I am also ALP fan), I get why fans want some form of connection back to the original story too. Since that is where their backstory started.

But from the writing perspective, for fans who never got exposed to their backstory and watch this as a standalone, they probably don't want to see Jing Yuan(Tian Qi) loving someone else in the past and Xing Yue(Yue Mi) being hurt by this unrequited love in the process.

To me, the change has its pros and cons. The change was done better for Tian Qi part for me but cant say the same for Yuemi with what was portrayed in their backstory revealed as Xing Yue and Jing Yuan in the past. Since Yuemi will never hurt Tian Qi on her end. But as we have seen from their past; despite they love each other, they cannot be together, and this leads to their tragic ending, which is very sad. I love how they made it clear/explained that Jing Yuan have been searching for Xing Yue on his end, and I find their story to be somewhat bittersweet in that sense. I actually wrote up my feelings in this thread in here, if you're interested in reading: https://kisskh.at/discussions/zhu-yue/134640-jing-yuan-and-xing-yue-ending-contain-spoilers

With that being said, I will add this part to my review as well, I remember when this drama(MM) started airing, I told my online friend about it, since we both like Tian Qi and Yuemi story in Ancient Love Poetry, and we were talking about the cast selection. When I shared this to my online friend about the actress Bai Lu in this drama; he made a comment saying if I can still watch Bai Lu? Since he knows how I feel about her, and if I am going to be honest with you, her character Li Su Su in Till the end of the Moon had really traumatized me to the point there was a period of time, I cannot watch any of her drama's at all. I remember back then(when MM was still airing in the early episodes) my reply to my online friend was: "At the end, Bai Lu can either have two outcome for me, she either will go into my blacklist if she turned out to be another character I don't like in this one by traumatizing me once again, OR her character in this drama (Moonlight Mystique) will heal my previous trauma of her character in Till the End of the Moon. So in the end, what I can say is, I am glad I gave her this benefit of the doubt, while it is true that I started off neutral with her, but her character growth/journey and her portrayal in Bai Shuo or Xing Yue had really won me over and made me became a fan of her as the story progresses, although I love Bai Shuo better because her character is written more to the way of my liking. Bai Lu have done an excellent job bringing out the character: Bai Shuo and Xing Yue to life. I like how she played out the emotional scenes, and her crying scenes didn't feel force but genuine. I like that because it makes it more impactful when I watch those scenes.

As for Male lead actor goes, I have never seen Ao Rui Peng in another drama before, and the irony was while I have watched a few episodes of Blood of Youth back then, his character didn't stand out to me in that drama, BUT him portraying as Fan Yue and Jing Yuan is just on another level!!! Love him and his make up/costume in this drama. He looks so cool/handsome and especially with the purple shades in his hair when he played as Jing Yuan (The Demon God)!!! Ao Rui Peng whether he is Fan Yue or Jing Yuan, he is very good at playing out these emotional scenes as well. He also has a very passionate chemistry with Bai Shuo/Xing Yue (played by Bai Lu). I love all their screen time together onscreen, and their interactions is just a delight to watch, even at the beginning! There is never a boring moment when they're onscreen! They are definitely noted down as my favourite couple of all time, as a matter of fact, I think I am bumping Fan Yue and Bai Shuo up as my no.1 favourite Xianxia CP!

When it comes to pairing side of things, I don't think I have ever encountered a pairing that is this healthy, what I mean by healthy is... Both Fan Yue and Bai Shuo, they have communication, they will talk it out and not let it lead to any miscommunication or misunderstanding between them. Communication is the key!!! And Bai Shuo and Fan Yue have this and I am really thankful that they are consistent with this to the end from their characters. This is really refreshing to see, and I really love it. It makes them stand out to be the most well written pairing that have communication that work through things together. Not to mention they definitely have chemistry as a pairing!! Their Kiss scenes makes me blush and I am glad we got these beautiful scenes for our beloved pairing!

Xianxia is my favourite genre, but if I am going to be honest here, how I feel about xianxia in the overall have been disappointing as time goes by in terms of having a promising start, but a disappointing ending where they recycled the plot about the "responsibility in protecting the three realms". I am honestly at the point where I don't want a love story where the ML have to shoulder that responsibility in choosing to either protect the three realms or the woman he loves.

I want a love story where the ML choose to put the woman he loves above the 3 realms(or how many ever realms there is). I guess this is why Fan Yue and Bai Shuo love story appeal to me so much, because I see this as a breakthrough to the overused plot of choosing to protect the three realms and carrying that burden on your shoulder and cannot love freely the way you would want to without those responsibilities.

So going back to my favourite character here, whether it is Fan Yue or Jing Yuan(in MM), he is really a romantic person in my eyes, because he will continue to protect the woman he loves above anything else. I honestly love his love for Bai Shuo/Xing Yue. I LOVE FAN YUE & JING YUAN!

One of the things that makes Moonlight Mystique(MM) stand out is that there is never a boring moment with the plot that makes it feels like a filler, because each arc has a purpose that tells the story and will connects to the next one, which makes everything come into place at the end. Even when the side character/stories have their own impactful story that was written so well that it made me cry or teary for them, so they really stand out on it's own(in a good way).

I love the kids actors who played as Fan Yue and Qi Feng and Bai Shuo and Bai Xi, their backstory played by these little actors where they played their role in the backstory, made the present time more impactful because you know how much has changed between them from back then (as kids) and now (as adults).

I also want to make a memorable mention on the character Chen Ye, I didn't think I would like him when I first saw him, even when I found him handsome, because he was cold and ruthless, but when his backstory was revealed, I cannot not like him you know. I even love his interactions with Fan Yue and all their screen-time together (because...... I won't spoil the details for you).

Fu Ling is another character I didn't think I will like, but in the end, she has become a character that I came to like on my end. I also like her love story with Chong Zhao as well. It is quite sad to be honest. Yeah sad, meaning they got a tragic end.

In terms of ending for Fan Yue and Bai Shuo, I just want to say this, I really love the ending to MM, I was really nervous that it will be a last minute happy ending like ALP or TLI, but I am glad it isn't the case in MM. To be honest, I was already happy with the ending I got from Episode 40 because they get to hug and shared 1 last passionate kiss together, but when they gave us an epilogue to show their wedding at the end, this just makes it more satisfying for me, because I have come to love Fan Yue and Bai Shuo so much. I love them to the point that if their ending is a Open Ending, I don't think I will be able to control my emotions. I mean, I was really disappointed with Song of the Moon(SOTM) Ending which is another Xianxia by IQIYI by cutting out the ending I know was filmed, but they never included this in the epilogue in that drama(SOTM) so this is why in MM, I am happy and over the moon for finally giving us and our beloved pairing Fan Yue and Bai Shuo their happy ending in a satisfying way! They deserve this to be honest!!! Because they have suffered so much from their past as Jing Yuan and Xing Yue!!!

MM ending is loveable in my eyes because we got a satisfying and conclusive ending for the Main Pairing, and the other side characters was implied and confirmed they will return one day (so that is a hopeful happy ending for our beloved side characters who died for the great cause). The writers didn't have to give us this but they did so I love them for this.

Among the three story: Ancient Love Poetry(ALP), The Last Immortal(TLI) and Moonlight Mystique(MM), as far as ending goes, while they are all a Happy Ending, but MM definitely have the best and most satisfying ending compared to the other 2. I felt like TLI(Yuan Qi and Feng Yin) got the short end of the stick, because at least Bai Jue and Shang Gu(ALP) get to hug, but Yuanqi and Feng Yin(TLI) ending was them standing at a distance looking at each other.

In the end, it's up to you whether you will watch it or not, but IMO, if you don't watch it then you are really missing out. It may not be every one's cup of tea and that's fine, but I will just say that for me personally, not many Xianxia nowadays pull through as the best and this feeling stay true to the end, since they normally started off well, but then got boring like how I feel towards The Blossoming Love which was airing at the same time, In The Blossoming Love, I got bored with the plot and the direction it was going whereas for Moonlight Mystique, the plot and characters got me engaged/hooked into the story from beginning to the end!

Oh and let's not forget about the OST! Please be sure to check it out because they are all so good!! I love all of them!!! And I have to say that this is the first time, I never actually want to skip the Opening (Intro song) and Ending (Outro song), because they are very captivating!!!

P.S: Fan Yue and Bai Shuo is now officially my no.1 favourite Drama CP. I still want to make an honorable mention to my other favourite pairing: Jing Yuan and Xing Yue! To me (if you have not read that thread of mines), then I will just add it here as well: In the overall, how I took the theme to their backstory and ending is, Fan Yue and Bai Shuo are reincarnations to both Jing Yuan and Xing Yue, and they lived on as their happy ending. Just like what Jing Yuan said to Fan Yue before he joins Xing Yue in the stars: that perhaps his awakening(60,000 years later) was to give them(Fan Yue and Bai Shuo) a chance to be together. He told Fan Yue to protect Bai Shuo well and don't let their(Jing Yuan and Xing Yue) regrets in the past repeat itself 😭😭 so to me, this is how I saw it... To say I am not sad would be a lie, because I was sad in that scene, but when I look at this in another sense/perspective, their ending gives a sense of bittersweet where their happy ending lives on in their next life(as Fan Yue and Bai Shuo) it actually makes sense if you look at reincarnation side of things. I felt like how the writers wrote this was very poetic and sad, yet beautiful at the same time that the love they held for the one they love is irreplaceable. We saw this through Fan Yue, Bai Shuo and Jing Yuan.

So in the end, does this make me dislike Fan Yue and Bai Shuo for having a happy ending? No!! Because Fan Yue and Bai Shuo deserves their happy ending too and considering all their suffering and sacrifices they earned it and I am glad one way or another Jing Yuan and Xing Yue can live on in Fan Yue and Bai Shuo in that sense(since that is their next life), without Jing Yuan and Xing Yue backstory, then we wouldn't have the Fan Yue and Bai Shuo that we came to love in this lifetime. And I will end my review with one of my favourite quotes in this drama:

"That's all in the past. This time, we've met again, not as Xing Yue and Jing Yuan, but as Bai Shuo and Fan Yue. In my heart, you're the best Bai Shuo, the only one in this world, and is irreplaceable" - Fan Yue.

Thank you for this wonderful journey, thank you for making a great start in 2025 for me! MM gave me back the hope that Xianxia can have a happy, satisfying and conclusive ending! I am still reluctant to say goodbye to my beloved characters, so this is currently on my rewatch list!!!

After several rewatch of this Drama, I decided to check out the Novel, in which I have on my end, and here's my feelings to the Novel in comparison to the Drama: https://kisskh.at/discussions/738079-zhu-yue/139258-reading-the-novel-made-me-appreciate-love-the-drama-better-contain-spoilers (In summary, after reading the Novel, it made me appreciate/love the Drama even more).