Anais

This story follows Cai Zhao, who grows up in a world divided between six “righteous” sects and the Li demon sect they are constantly at odds with. Her aunt is introduced as a legendary fighter who sacrificed her power to stop the demon sect leader rampaging due to a dangerous martial technique. Though she succeeded, she endured years of suffering afterward, slowly dying from the consequences of losing her power. Witnessing this deeply shaped Cai Zhao, who admired her aunt above all else and internalized the belief of fulfilling your duty, that the elders and the “righteous path” must always be followed.

Cai Zhao is later sent to the prestigious Qingque Sect. Its master once loved her aunt and, out of affection, promises to help Cai Zhao grow stronger and fulfill her aunt’s wish that she learn martial arts. Another expectation is placed on her as well, she is meant to marry Zhou Yuqi. Her life is basically entirely planned out for her.

But on her journey to Qingque Sect, Cai Zhao and her family rescue Chang Ning, a young man whose father and clan were just wiped out. He barely survives and is taken in as well. The sect master, who also holds affection for the Chang family, offers him a home. However, Chang Ning quickly proves to be far from trusting. He manipulates people, lies, is revengeful in general and subtly draws Cai Zhao closer to him.

As their relationship develops, another man appears claiming to be the real Chang Ning. It is then revealed that the man we’ve been following is actually Mu Qingyan, the missing heir of the demon sect, presumed dead after Nie Zhe seized power. The Mu clan is known for following their hearts, but that same nature led Mu Qingyan’s kind-hearted father to be betrayed and killed. Mu Qingyan himself grew up neglected and mistreated, then losing the one parent who truly cared for him.

Mu Qingyan is layered and complex, driven by revenge, a desire to reclaim what is rightfully his, and pursue his growing love for Cai Zhao. He manipulates those around him, including her, yet his feelings while intense remain genuine. Despite the rigid divide between “good” and “evil”, and the expectations imposed by their sects, he is determined to fight for what he wants, including Cai Zhao.

Meanwhile, Cai Zhao, more naive and idealistic, seeks the truth about her aunt and the past. She is swept into events, struggling between her feelings for Mu Qingyan (the only man who truly moves her) and the expectations of her elders and society.

At its core, this is a story about two young people challenging the burdens of the previous generation (entrenched beliefs, hidden truths, and unresolved pain). Even though it felt like it dragged at times, I have to admit that once the story came near its end everything began to click and come together as more reveals about the previous generation were made. Mu Qingyan wasn’t the only deep thinker in his family. While his father seemed largely untouched by this mindset, Mu Qingyan arc closely mirrors that of his uncle. That’s what makes the “generation to generation” theme so fitting for this series, both were mistreated as children, lost a parent/guardian they deeply cared about, faced constant rejection, and grew to be self-reliant, cunning and paranoid. They both tried to reclaim what was theirs from birthright, manipulating those around them without regard for the consequences, exerting revenge, even though they both had genuine feelings for their fated ones. It’s a really strong and tragic parallel.

The question is, can this new generation break the cycle and choose differently?

The acting, especially from Zhou Yiran, is excellent, subtle and nuanced. While many supporting characters fall into typical superficial stereotypes, the leads basically carry the series as the pacing feels dragged out.

I also want to give a shout-out to whoever handled Zhou Yiran’s styling, because he was basically in a new outfit every episode after the first few. His wigs and hairstyles were very well done, especially when you compare it to some of the questionable looks male leads get in other dramas. That’s one thing you can’t take away from this series. Also, even though the female lead had a more limited wardrobe as a disciple, she was always put together nicely. On top of that, the sets were stunning and the cinematography was consistently on point.

To conclude, I really appreciated the themes, the blurred line between good and evil, societal expectations, obedience to elders, and the struggle to follow one’s heart. The ideas are compelling, even if the execution could have been much better.