I think it's like how in one city you have a beautiful area for rich people and slums for poor people, yet they're…
It's not a war zone with chemicals and leftover bombs like in modern times. It's probably a few kilometres from the small town, which in those times as long as you couldn't walk to it then it was considered "far". Plus normal people can't see the magical energy of resentment so they're not going to be afraid.
This drama's scriptwriter has done a good job of adapting the novel. The core message that not everything is at seems. The good guys may not be so good, the bad guys may not be so bad. The orthodox path of cultivation of cutting off emotions and severing bonds may not be the only path to immortality and might actually result in tragedy for people who don't have a strong heart.
I'm usually bored with the amnesia arc/trope but it's done very well here. Also has Ranran discovering how she doesn't really know SYS and she has to work on that. That was a nice touch.
The amnesia shows just how complicated the history and relationship is between the two leads. The way everyone around them don't know how to explain it to SYS is funny XD
The on-location scenes for the Eastern Seas were gorgeous. I bet the actors were cold though with all that sea air blowing. CG is good but it can't beat Mother Nature.