Deci16

I remember reading on Weibo that Director Zheng has been working on this project for years before it started filming. This should be good one.

It’s important to distinguish between cutting scenes to harm an actor and the restructuring of scenes because contracted boundaries limit how the original romance can be portrayed. No studio is going to approve edits that “maliciously” damage their own artist. But a studio will request tone adjustments, intimacy reductions, or emotional softening if they believe certain portrayals are not aligned with how they want their actor to appear. That is standard across the industry and affects both leads, not just one.

And this is exactly why, as I’ve said before, when the central romance between the two leads is dialed back, the production has to compensate by adding new storylines, expanding side characters, and shifting emotional arcs elsewhere. The added plots and characters that were never in the manhua are a direct consequence of that structural redistribution.

None of this requires “malicious blurring” or sabotage to explain. It is simply what happens when a romance-driven IP is adapted with reduced romantic content between the leads. The emotional weight still has to go somewhere, and in this case it went into new arcs, new characters, and new conflicts.

As for the FL being OOC, once her relationship arc is reshaped, her motivations and emotional beats inevitably shift. That isn’t on the actress and doesn’t imply wrongdoing it’s the natural outcome of adjusting the central relationship that defines her character.

Finally, comparing this drama to HL doesn’t negate the point. Different productions have different negotiated boundaries, different tone expectations, and different studio strategies.

So the issue here isn’t that anyone “maliciously” cut Cheng Yi’s scenes. The issue is that altered romantic boundaries required the story to be rebalanced, and that rebalancing is what created the new plots, new characters, and tonal shifts you’re pointing out.

I understand your perspective, but it’s still very plausible that scenes were adjusted or reduced if Cheng Yi’s studio felt certain moments were too intimate for how they wanted his image or boundaries managed in this specific project. An actor being willing to film a kissing scene in one drama does not automatically mean every production will receive the same level of intimacy. Different contracts, different creative directions, and different studio strategies can all result in different limits.

Studios routinely make decisions based on timing, positioning, branding, co-star dynamics, and the overall tone they want for an actor’s public image. Protecting an actor’s set boundaries or adjusting emotional intensity is common, and it doesn’t require a public statement to be true. That is precisely why many dramas across the industry have romance scenes cut, toned down, or re-edited during post-production.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, when you reduce or remove romantic content between the two main leads in a story that originally depends on that emotional arc to drive its momentum, the production is forced to redistribute that emotional weight elsewhere. That is simply how narrative structure works.

It would help if you could share an example so that I understand exactly what you are referring to.

Cheng Yi may not control every production decision, but it’s also inaccurate to claim that his team has no influence at all. In today’s drama industry, an actor’s studio negotiates boundaries, scene categories, and comfort levels long before filming starts. These agreements directly shape what kind of emotional content can or cannot be filmed. This is standard practice, not blame, just how contracts and role discussions work.

As for the story itself, the entire “Fox Spirit Matchmaker” franchise has always been built on romance. All three installments, no matter the tone, center on the relationship between the male and female leads. Even in the Wangquan arc, the romantic thread remains essential because the IP’s core themes are love, fate, and reincarnation. Calling this chapter “non-romantic” simply doesn’t match the original IP or the trilogy’s established structure.

On cinematography, the shallow focus and changes in depth of field are not “blurring him out.” These are basic storytelling tools. Directors adjust focus to highlight who carries the emotional weight of a scene. It’s not about diminishing anyone; it’s about guiding the audience’s attention. Both leads receive this treatment throughout the series depending on the moment.

And most importantly, the male lead is still the narrative and visual center of the drama. His screen time remains the highest, and many of the most heroic, visually striking, and emotionally critical scenes revolve around him. Shifting focus to supporting arcs at times does not change the fact that he carries the backbone of the story.

This drama has many structural issues worth discussing, but attributing every creative decision to a single person is simply not realistic.

I have watched every one of Cheng Yi’s works and have supported him throughout his career. His discipline, professionalism, and dedication to acting are evident to all. At the same time, it has become increasingly clear that, at a certain stage in his career, his studio began steering him away from romance-heavy roles and limiting his participation in overtly intimate scenes. If this direction reflects his personal preference, then it is entirely legitimate and deserves respect.

Because of this, I was surprised when he accepted the role of Fu Gui in Sword and Beloved. This is a project whose original work and adaptation are fundamentally built around a central romantic arc. While many female fans understandably prefer him in male-oriented roles without emotional entanglements (a perfectly valid preference), it is unreasonable to expect a romance drama to be executed without romance.

If the studio had reservations about intimate scenes, and both the teams and the production side reached a consensus to reduce emotional content, the narrative structure would inevitably need to be adjusted. As a result, to maintain plot progression, the emotional weight would have to be redistributed to other characters or subplots. This is the most plausible explanation for why the two leads spend extended periods apart, and it is also the reason why a dual-lead storyline ultimately shifted away from the original romantic focus.

Therefore, it is neither accurate nor fair to place the deterioration of the story solely on the director, screenwriters, producer, and most importantly the actors and actresses themselves. The direction of the character dynamics and emotional emphasis was shaped by the studio’s choices, with the production team agreeing to those parameters. Responsibility for the outcome must be shared by these two entities.

The drama never states outright that the final scene is imaginary, heavenly, or symbolic only that’s an interpretation, not a canon fact. The writers deliberately left the ending open-ended, and when a story uses concepts like vows under the love tree, “another life without burdens”, and two lovers shown reunited in white, it intentionally invites reincarnation as one valid reading.

Yes, the donghua and drama differ, but they share the same core mythos, a vow beneath the love tree binds fated lovers across lifetimes.

And Fu Gui’s line to Qing Tong is categorically different from what he says to his father or Fei Yeye his wish for “another life together without burdens” is a specific romantic vow, not a general blessing.

Ultimately, people are allowed to interpret it as reincarnation, rebirth, or simply destiny fulfilled. Declaring all other readings “wrong” is presumptuous, the narrative leaves room for multiple interpretations, and reincarnation is absolutely one of them.

Fu Gui’s farewell isn’t meant to close the door on reincarnation. He clearly says he hopes that “in another life, both he and Qing Tong can live without burdens.” That line alone signals continuity beyond this lifetime. And in the manhua, they both explicitly make vows to meet again in their next life.

The love tree itself reinforces this reading. In the original lore, vows made under the love tree allow destined lovers to reunite in their next life. So even if the drama chose not to show a literal rebirth scene, the symbolism still points toward reincarnation rather than oblivion.

In other words, the ending doesn’t deny reincarnation, it leaves it open.

I completely understand where you’re coming from, because this is exactly why I feel so heartbroken for Qing Tong. She loves him unconditionally, and I’m not doubting that he feels something profound for her, but the problem is that he rarely, if ever, expresses it when it matters most. That emotional imbalance is what makes the scene feel so jarring.

I can see the argument that maybe he was trying to deceive the Black Fox by appearing cold, detached, and driven purely by hatred. But even if that was the intention, the narrative still needed to give us something… a quiet moment of grief, a flicker of conflict, a brief monologue… anything to acknowledge what it means for him to be forced into killing the person he supposedly loves. Without that, the emotional logic collapses.

And no one can seriously argue that this isn’t meant to be a love story. The entire foundation of their arc, in the donghua, in the manhua, and in the drama’s own promotional framing is built on the tragedy and depth of their bond. When one side is pouring their soul out and the other stands frozen, it naturally creates a disconnect. That’s not the audience “misreading” the material; that’s a structural issue in how the emotional beats were executed.

This is why some viewers aren’t reacting to the idea of the plot, they’re reacting to the inconsistency in how the emotions were presented.

Think of it as the reincarnation of both Qing Tong and Fu Gui. In the manhua, Qing Tong actively searches for Fu Gui after he reincarnates, and they eventually reunite. Once his past memories return, Fu Gui finally acknowledges the feelings he had for her all along.

I actually agree with a lot of what you’re saying. The way WQFG’s emotions were portrayed made the “love story” feel uneven, almost as if QT mattered less to him than the other people he cried for. It created a disconnect that made their relationship hard to read.

Your point about QinCheng is fair too. As problematic as he was, his emotional through-line was at least consistent. With FG, the hesitation and mixed signals toward QT made it difficult to believe in the depth of their bond. It really did come across like she walked beside him, but wasn’t central to his inner world.

So I understand completely why the story gave you an “icky” or unsettled feeling. A tragic love story only works when both sides feel emotionally alive, and here the execution didn’t quite deliver that.

There is no official confirmation from iQIYI, the production team, the drama’s official Weibo, or Cheng Yi Studio that any separate post-wrap reshoot cycle occurred for this drama or that specific episodes were rewritten. The only verified production timeline is the principal photography period from January to May 2024, recorded as a single continuous shoot with no additional reshoot announcement afterward. Unused BTS clips or early leaks do not prove reshoots, every xianxia generates unused footage because scenes are routinely cut, reordered, or refined during editing. And even if small pickup shots were filmed (which is standard industry practice), reshoots can happen for dozens of normal reasons, including fixing continuity issues, correcting lighting or audio, adjusting VFX, addressing NRTA compliance notes, clarifying transitions, or filling gaps in pacing. None of these routine possibilities support the specific narrative being claimed. Without an official statement from a credited party, everything else remains speculation, not verified fact.

There’s no official record from iQIYI, the drama account, or Cheng Yi Studio that episodes 26–32 were “all reshot” or that iQIYI forced edits over his screen time. Principal photography ran from 01/05/24 to 05-02/24 and wrapped; no reshoot block was ever announced. The iQIYI program page and the show’s Weibo only cover airing info, no reshoot notice, and Cheng Yi Studio’s recent statements address rights protection, not episode edits. If you’re asserting reshoots or platform rejections, please share an official link; otherwise it’s speculation.

Neither Cheng Yi nor his studio, the drama account, the producer, or iQIYI has given a reason for any reshoots, there’s no official post about “eps 26–32” or iQIYI rejecting episodes “without CY.” Until the credited parties say something, this is pure speculation. If reshoots happened, there are many routine possibilities such as continuity fixes, SFX/ADR updates, broadcast compliance, story clarity, scheduling collisions, but none of us has the authority to pin it on one actor or make up a “5-minute per ep” number.

You just admitted you don’t need evidence and you’re comfortable spreading whatever rumor suits your narrative. That tells everyone exactly how seriously your claims should be taken. Fabricating stories because “you can” is a confession that you have nothing real to stand on. If your argument had substance, you wouldn’t need to brag about making things up. 脑子不够用就别强行解释了，越说越丢人。

Unless you have actual evidence, you’re just spreading lies. A drama airs because platforms approve scripts, production filings, and broadcast standards, not because one fanbase “funded” it, and iQIYI does not greenlight a major series because CY fans bought cloud seats. Cloud seats, data tasks, and sponsorship engagement come from multiple fandoms and general viewers, not a single group, so claiming CY fans single-handedly carried production, marketing, and broadcast is pure fantasy. Calling someone “ignorant” only shows that you don’t actually have facts to stand on. And saying an actor is “living under someone else’s roof” shows your ignorance of how professional productions work. This drama exists because of an entire cast, crew, and investment structure, not one person’s fanbase. If you want to discuss the show, stick to facts; if you want to push conspiracy theories and insult other viewers, don’t expect people to take you seriously.

You’re repeating the same lies and gossip as if it’s a production statement. There is zero verified source stating Li Yitong demanded romance changes, script rewrites, independence arcs, or that anyone “cut CY’s scenes” for her. Not one official statement, not one industry insider with a name, not one production document. Just fan-made rumors that magically shift depending on who wants to blame her.

The script structure, episode focus, and character arcs are decided by the producers, screenwriters, and director, not by an actress coming in after four months to redesign the entire plot. That claim alone shows how unrealistic this rumor is.

If you “donno things,” that’s exactly why you shouldn’t invent them. A lack of information doesn’t give anyone the right to fabricate political backgrounds, family connections, or imaginary legal threats. That is textbook definition of conspiracy theories.

Li Yitong hasn’t sued anyone, hasn’t threatened anyone, and hasn’t taken legal action against a single viewer. The only people throwing around accusations are the ones spreading lies. Honestly, I don’t know why she hasn’t sued, if someone were circulating this level of defamation about me, I’d file in a heartbeat.

You’re spreading a conspiracy theory with zero evidence. Dragging an actress’s family into your fan-war narrative is slander. Li Yitong has built her career the same way every other working actor does, through years of auditions, training, and a massive workload. None of that magically turns into “CCP princess” just because you need a scapegoat for a storyline you don’t like.

And the claim that she’s “silencing and suing everyone” is another rumor you can’t back up. Not a single verified source, not a single legal filing, nothing. Just anonymous “I heard” gossip repackaged as fact.

If you dislike a character arc, say that. But inventing political backgrounds and lawsuits to attack an actress crosses the line from fandom discourse into pure defamation.

Try holding yourself to the same standard you demand from others, bring evidence or stop making things up.

I already explained that QT had no reason to believe Fugui wouldn’t kill QC, because at that point, QC was fully possessed by the Black Fox, actively harming others, and a serious threat. Fugui is a righteous cultivator; of course, she knew he might act decisively. But pulling her brother away wasn’t about distrusting Fugui, it was about taking responsibility. She wanted to handle it herself, not because she doubted Fugui’s heart, but because she didn’t want to force him into a position where he’d have to kill her brother for her. That’s not prioritizing QC over Fugui, it’s shielding Fugui from that burden.

Also, QT didn’t poison Fugui because she prioritized QC emotionally, she did it because she was cornered. She was forced into an impossible choice between two people she cared about, and she chose the path that gave her a chance to save both. The fact that she poisoned herself to get the antidote shows that her intent was never to harm Fugui permanently, it was to buy time and minimize damage.

Regarding your point about QT not asking Fugui about his injuries, she may not have asked about his injury at that moment, but let’s not forget she spent two months in seclusion nursing him back to health. She’s shown care, loyalty, and love in ways that go far beyond words. Her grief over QC doesn’t erase her devotion to Fugui, it highlights the emotional cost of choosing peace over blood ties.

So no, she hasn’t changed in a way that betrays Fugui. If anything, she’s grown into someone who can carry guilt, grief, and love all at once, and still chooses the future she believes in with Fugui.