Xiang83

You made a valid point about WX and ZYZ.

There are clues which have the plot flowing understandably to where it is, but it depends on whether you notice small details in the first 19 episodes.

There was a tattoo on Bai Jiu's hand in (I think it is) ep 7 for several seconds, indicating he is from ChongWu Camp. Also, in the flashback of the fight between WX's teacher and LL in ep 16, LL is stronger than ZYZ despite LL being wounded with the Ever-Burning Wood beforehand. In that clash, it is ZYZ that spat out blood due to internal injury, while LL was unscathed even while WX's teacher was sealing him. LL may be using forbidden arts which shortens his lifespan, but he and ZYZ are demons who are more than 30,000 years old, and both are powerful.

Ep 4 was when ZYZ explained to ZYC and WX about LL's parasitic skills, and only the two of these team members would have known not to allow LL to touch you or allow any of his leaves to touch you, unless ZYZ explained this to any other team members.

In ep 18, LL told ZYZ about BJ being a Pagoda Tree Spirit. LL may be a pretty face because of the actor but considering everything LL had been planning and doing while sealed, he must have also been thinking of a way to deal with the Ever-Burning Wood problem which burns him from the inside-out and will kill him if unresolved, because LL was determined to break out. LL had 8 years to realise that while sealed, he did not feel physical pain from being burnt so the seal stops the effects of that wound. But to him, being buried alive for eternity is a fate worse than death. Ep 18 and 19 looked as if LL had planned a specific setting for meeting the team because they would need the water LL had collected after his plan to destroy the Baize token in Ep 16 worked, and therefore LL could meet BJ, insert his inner core into BJ, and then "die". That cage for trapping ZYZ so he could not use his power was obviously planned as well.

In the first part of ep 23 when ZYC was fighting ZYZ, the sword already had cracks appearing because of stabbing ZYZ whose malicious energy was clearly affecting the sword in reaction to anything threatening its existence, just before ZYZ then hits ZYC and injures him (due to WX yelling at ZYC not to insert the needle, and ZYC paused).

If we remember the flashback in Ep 16 of LL versus ZYZ, ZYC going to fight LL with a sword bearing cracks means the sword will likely break, because LL is much more intentionally ruthless than ZYZ and at least as powerful as ZYZ even if LL does not have full control over BJ's body. LL being willing to kill ZYC might be underestimated by many viewers because the actor for LL is very handsome, but take away the looks and remember what LL has been doing and saying: Very direct demon in terms of intentions. LL's appearance starting in Ep 3 was him going to find ZYZ to talk, and LL made it clear that he wanted to talk to his old friend. In ep 19 before he "dies", LL already told ZYZ that he would give ZYZ the feeling of nothing when ZYZ was trapped in the cage, which LL believes ZYZ once gave LL. LL also said he would kill the team one by one.

Frankly, what happened to ZYC in ep 23 with LL is ZYZ's fault, because ZYZ needed to sit down and talk to LL. ZYZ could not understand a different POV. Your ex-best friend gives you a life-threatening injury, enables you to be sealed, does not visit you at all during that time, and when you find ways to come out to finally speak to him, he speaks to you in a derogatory manner as if everything you shared with him means nothing, while he is showing how much he cares for and protects a bunch of mostly-humans whom he has barely known for less than a week (excluding WX) unlike more than 30,000 years of connection which you both shared. ZYZ verbally stabs LL in the heart every time they meet because ZYZ doesn't realise what he has done to LL from LL's POV, and there will be consequences for that.

WX asked ZYZ in ep 4 about LL looking for ZYZ and ZYZ avoiding LL, and ZYZ dodged the second question with a half-lie. ZYZ has his own big problems after LL got sealed away, but from LL's POV, ZYZ's betrayal after ep 4 is completely unforgivable. From a friendship POV, ZYZ looks heartless. Both ZYZ and LL are idealistic, and unfortunately ZYZ did not realise what he was doing to LL who by the way, is not good for killing humans recklessly and being a social Darwinist. But clearly, ZYZ and LL needed to talk.

((We'll just ignore the fact that there are lines in the original script floating around Weibo which certain actors probably read but could not act out and film, otherwise would not pass the censors. LL's bond with ZYZ was supposedly more than platonic, so LL's actor is portraying that non-verbally or with vitriol at ZYZ's "friends" without being too overt, which is why LL and ZYZ have more chemistry than LL and WX. If we look at the mythological demonology of LL's and ZYZ's origins, it makes sense that they could be more than platonic. They are demons. They take many years to develop and understand emotions, and they are not bound by human ideas of love and society. The amount of time they have spent bonding with each other means such ties can have more meaning than the ties between humans)).

I was having a discussion with another poster 3 days ago, about LL and BJ and LL's psychological state of mind, including why I'd say LL is 50% psychotic. These won't be spoilers now, as of ep 23.

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19367614

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19374790

As to WX and ZYZ, that sundial arc in ep 23 made the strength and bond of their relationship more understandable, but GJM needed to build more on their relationship beforehand in the first 21 episodes, so GJM either needed one more incident or a flashback between ZYZ and WX, and not just conversations. The chemistry between ZYC and ZYZ plus LL and ZYZ was initially much stronger than between WX and ZYZ for at least 16 episodes, because WX needed to realise over 16 episodes certain things about ZYZ to become more romantic. I'm not into romance dramas. But in this case, the bromance/brotherhood/sismance and WX with ZYZ's relationship is a tricky balancing act. And GJM needed to balance WX with ZYZ better, otherwise it does feel a bit abrupt.

As to how the sundial works, it depends on whether people were paying attention to the conversation between WX and the Mountain God in ep 15. WX also developed as a person, so GJM's character development of WX is welcome. WX has been made aware countless times of how physically weak and inept she is even as part of the team, and the lesson was rammed home in ep 16 for her, because she could not do anything when ZYZ lost control. WX looks pathetic there. But instead of collapsing, after what happens to ZYZ's four senses being sealed in ep 20? She is determined to find a solution. And she uses her wits and determination, like never before.

Being in the sundial and spending the equivalent of 300 years there, singing the same song every day year after year, to cultivate the Divine Wood? WX learned what it was like, to be alone and unable to do anything else but be with the tree. That probably made her realise the pain and suffering of being isolated and alone and helpless, such as ZYZ being trapped in his body and LL being sealed underground. WX was a smart-arse, when she mocked LL and got rightfully whacked into the water. When LL was "dying" and revealed what ZYZ gave to him, WX seems to have realised how wrong she was, where previously she was very judgmental about demons being inferior to humans. This is why when ZYZ and WX encounter BJ/LL at the end of ep 23, the way WX speaks to LL is no longer condescending and judgmental. LL has also rammed home his lessons of how brutal and ruthless he can be.

Notice BJ/LL was walking away, even though he would have heard WX and ZYZ calling ZYC's name? LL could have ensured ZYC is dead, since ZYC was unconscious. One of those branches stabbing ZYC through the head or heart would end everything, but LL did not do that. LL has a sense of honour even if he has resorted to what seems like despicable means to achieve what he wants. Because of Ying Zhao, Ying Lei is still alive, but LL made it very clear that LL means business. LL hit Ying Lei so hard that Ying Lei suffered internal injury. LL never directly aimed the gift from ZYZ at ZYZ, but ep 19 was too much for LL.

LL has been mocked and insulted enough. The team made a gigantic mistake in belittling LL and overlooking his POV. When LL gave ZYZ the umbrella, from one almost-immortal being to another, it was LL innocently learning to reciprocate ZYZ's kindness. As a tree, the umbrella was meant to shade ZY and protect ZY. ZYC claiming and explaining why humans never give umbrellas was ill-timed and irrelevant, especially after ZYZ attacks LL with the umbrella and tries to stab LL. When WX grabs the drum toy and destroys it, it was a smart move from her. But it also removed the emotional seal on LL. LL never needed the drum, to begin with. LL's final encounter there with the team made LL believe that from now on, LL no longer needs to hold back once he returns, and to give these humans what they want especially ZYZ, since ZYZ insists on humans being right and demons being lesser beings who are wrong. Since you like humans so much, until you can dismiss your origins, then you should be given what you deserve. That is why LL's final words to ZYZ is to say ZYZ instead of ZY. He is drawing a line.

朱厌 is an ominous beast who rules the world in chinese demon mythology, so that needle crafted using half of LL's spiritual soul power to ram into ZYZ's forehead is apt, for truly transforming ZYZ into the beast that fits the name.

WX and ZYC could no longer go with their over-simplistic view of "we all good and LL all evil" after ep 19, when they realise what ZYZ accidentally did to LL. Anybody wants to live. ZY was not the one sealed underground for eternity, and forced to explore all sorts of ways to break out and also find a solution to a life-threatening injury. Did ZYZ give any help to LL the way ZYZ protects the team, after what happened to LL? It is ZYZ now wanting to talk to LL, who sees no point in talking to a heartless liar. ZYZ calling LL's name is filled with multiple emotions, feeling pained at what happened to ZYC, while apologetic to LL, and desperately wanting LL to stop and listen.

Right now, BJ as LL at the end of ep 23 meant when ZYZ met BJ/LL, there is only the chilling reality that LL intends to kill ZYZ and ZYC, and the look from BJ doesn't have any nostalgia or warmth in it, unlike all previous encounters between LL and ZYZ. ZYZ seems to have learned from being locked inside his body for many hours and days about what it must have been like for LL to be sealed away underground for 8 years with no seeming chance at escaping such a hell for eternity unless LL resorted to forbidden arts to escape because nobody was capable of helping LL get out unless he made his own solutions (unlike ZYZ who has WX and others trying to help ZYZ). The way ZYZ speaks to LL is much less judgmental and minimises being derogatory, and more explanatory, than their previous meetings.

And because of that change in tone and approach, also combined with what sounds horrible but must be investigated, BJ/LL nods in acknowledgement of what ZYZ says, before vanishing.

Unfortunately, ZYC was touched by LL. LL will hurt ZYC at least one or two more times. His female demon underling Ao Yin can pretend to be anybody, and frame anyone, so good luck to ZYC.

I remember Yan An has at least one diehard fan on Youtube. This is not a FMV, but it has a good compilation BTS of him in his next drama directed by GJM:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwqaseg31yI

我不明白葡萄牙语, 而且我讲的是演施虐狂。闫桉和刘学义演施虐狂不错, 但是闫桉必须演的某些行为简直就是反社会的。刘学义没有给那种感觉。

Episode 23 has me taking my hats off to 闫桉. He is possibly better than 刘学义 for sadistic roles.

I wrote a summary yesterday about what I guess will happen as an ending for specific characters before episode 22 aired, also using BTS of some footage early this year that wasn't aired yet until episode 23. If you want to see the spoilers, then see the summary. If not, don't click.

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19382996

Please put a spoiler tag for your comment. There are many viewers who have not even caught up to episode 23 yet.

Fan vids on bilibili aren't always on other platforms and vice versa, including weibo. I'll give a different video with a different song where most of the scenes are still present, Click and scroll down to the 13th post in this search list, and see the video which is 1 minute 27 seconds by 鱼汤不开会:

https://m.weibo.cn/search?containerid=231522type%3D1%26t%3D10%26q%3D%23%E9%97%AB%E6%A1%89%E5%8D%8E%E5%AE%B9%E7%AE%80%23&extparam=%23%E9%97%AB%E6%A1%89%E5%8D%8E%E5%AE%B9%E7%AE%80%23&luicode=10000011&lfid=231522type%3D1%26t%3D10%26q%3D%23%E6%9C%B1%E6%A1%A2%23&featurecode=newtitle%0A%E5%96%9C%E6%AC%A2%E6%B8%A9%E6%9A%96%EF%BC%8C%E9%A1%BE%E5%AE%B6%E7%9A%84%E4%BD%A0%EF%BC%81%0A%E5%B0%81%E9%9D%A2%E6%9D%A5%E6%BA%90%E5%BE%AE%E5%8D%9A%EF%BC%9A%E5%A4%A7%E5%B0%BE%E5%B7%B4%E7%8B%BC%E5%A4%96%E5%A9%86PUPU%E3%80%82#&video

I'm doubting whether Li Hong Yi and Yan An will have chemistry, given how the novel styles their respective characters of Chu Ding Jiang and Hua Rong Jian. At least Hua Rong Jian will definitely have a healthier ending in the drama than Li Lun in FoF. The BTS of Hua Rong Jian might put a smile on your face:

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19389084

I'll give you a BTS of 闫桉 in his next drama (also directed by GJM). Your Li Lun is much healthier here, and smiles a lot more. He is the SML as 华容简 in the drama 烽影燃梅香, and somebody made a charming music video compiling a few of his scenes:

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1J7GQeiE6B/

(And Ying Lei is adorable. His crying scenes also touched me very deeply.)

I want a HE. Heck, I would be happy if LL got a happy ending, even if it means he dies peacefully after ZYZ verbally forgives him and acknowledges him as his friend, or if LL dies in the arms of the female demon he saved. Or at least just give ZYC a HE. But GJM knows too well about shredding heartstrings. In MJTY when the assassins had invaded the Gong family's stronghold, they were eventually repelled, but at a cost of certain characters dying. And the main couple? The open ending was... well... Not well for the female lead and hence the male lead, implications-wise, before that open ending.

Given how little connective screentime she has, it looks more like she had a tiny role, and then it was expanded to include some form of intimacy in the last quarter of filming, or the amount of chemistry and tension between ZYZ and LL means their scenes won't pass the censors and be cut. One example is when ZYZ finds the paper windmill pretty (flashback in ep 16), and his first reaction after thinking of that and assuming it is also a hair ornament is to turn and want to put it in Li Lun's hair- I nearly choked on the water I was drinking. He was stopped only because the stallkeeper exclaimed that the paper windmill was not a hair ornament. Gifting or inserting 髮簪 is typically only for lovers. One could argue that demons would not know what is a paper windmill, to scrape past the censors. However, ZYZ has been going to the human realm constantly. How would he not know the symbolism of buying and gifting and inserting hair ornaments in chinese culture, such as hairpins?

Here's some relevant BTS vids from January and February this year, wrt to my guesswork (even if you don't understand mandarin, the videos are self-explanatory) and please note that if you don't want spoilers, don't click on the links I shared:

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19385484

Wrt to my thread a few hours ago guessing at the ending for specific characters, I'll share 2 BTS videos from January and February this year. This pertains to the Eyes of Truth which Li Lun was gifted by ZYZ.

First link is from January, where you can see ZYZ giving it to Li Lun: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV18K411e7Nk/

Second link is from February 2024, where Li Lun gives it to ZYC: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1AW421K7gH/

Bonus is someone using a small portion of footage and putting together a Li Lun x ZYZ video: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1qnDpYxEcd/

This is the only other answer I can give you, to add to why I think my guesswork is right:

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19384218

If it's any consolation, GJM cannot kill the entire team. That would piss everyone off. However, GJM can make it miserable enough for all the male characters. The title of this series in Mandarin gives a clue, depending on which interpretation is accurate. "大梦归离" can be interpreted as the end of a dream, to return to reality. The team being together as DHB is akin to a temporary dream, and the reality is what happens to each member of the team by the end of this series. WX's love with ZYZ is temporary because ZYZ must die, ZYZ being treated as a human with friends by his friends of DHB is temporary, ZYC having a demon brother and these friends in DHB is temporary- All things must come to an end, once the team is no longer a team.

For another series titled "一念关山" starring Liu ShiShi and Liu Yuning, it was translated as "A Journey To Love". That translation is totally off. If you look at the poem that this title is based on ( https://www.cidianwang.com/mingju/8/89335720682.htm ), it's most likely a sad ending for the main team and couple (and yes, that is what happened).

There are actually two parts in the psychological dissecting of Li Lun. Li Lun is somewhat of a textbook case, so he hasn't actually done anything to surprise me (spoilers present in link below up to episode 19, for those who have not watched until that episode):

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19374790

You can write long essays. It's more fun sometimes. Feel free to join in the dissection of Li Lun relative to Bai Jiu here (edited to add that spoilers are present up until episode 19, in link below):

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19375376

Ying Lei will have the happiest ending, despite losing almost all his male friends after he lost his grandfather. All the guys are destined to either die or be left alone. In all three stories involving GJM's favourite side actors and actresses, Qing Geng played by AiMi was the only one to have some kind of decent ending and as a demon, she can wait and look for her beloved Fei when he is reincarnated. Everybody else died, also after losing a loved one.

I correlate the amount of screentime and character development with the likelihood of GJM killing off the character, otherwise what's the point? ZYC is a slow developer emotionally and only human, so he will be given time to learn. Alone. Once again, all guesswork.

This is guesswork based on what has occurred so far plus certain scenes that have not yet aired in the subsequent episodes, but the guesswork involves what happens in the end for specific characters. Therefore, please scroll down to the end of the dots, if you want to read this. If you don't want to see that kind of guesswork, stop reading here.
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Given GJM's penchant for endings and also by episode 17, two-thirds of the characters in the opening song MV are already dead: a decent ending for any character is to be left alive and healthy, but alone. A sad ending is to be left alive but isolated and/or pining. And the key type of heart-wrenching ending is to have one character die for another, which may explain why GJM puts so much effort and storytelling into building up certain characters, because the likelihood of killing them off becomes high .

ZYC's sword will be broken by Li Lun. Despite his wound from ZYZ, Li Lun was already more powerful than ZYZ, in their fight against each other just before WX's teacher sealed away LL. The clue for that is ZYZ spitting blood, while Li Lun is unscathed. To fix this unique sword, it will necessitate going to a specific place and doing specific things. That should be where the memories of Yinglong and BingYi (ZYC's ancestor and first wielder of the sword) will be shown. ZYZ will sacrifice enough power to at least make ZYZ powerless and vulnerable, to enable the sword to be whole again.

The masked villain finds a way to become a demon given his research on humans and demons and animals of the Great Wilderness, he but still wants ZYZ's core and also poisons LL, because LL found out what the masked villain intends to do to the demons in the Great Wilderness and he also realised the masked villain lied to LL about it all this time. That poison won't be able to kill LL yet (unsure if it will succeed over time because Bai Jiu has a human body and this might be combined with the injury LL already possesses from ZYZ, which I am not sure if the effects of the Ever-burning Wood crosses over to Bai Jiu but is suppressed by his lineage containing Divine power), but I presume LL will not allow the masked villain to win, and LL definitely isn't willing to let such an underhanded villain kill ZYZ.

LL will sacrifice himself and ultimately die with the masked villain to protect his friend ZYZ and honour his oath to die together with ZYZ (by going first), only after giving to ZYC the eyes which ZYZ gave to LL so that ZYC can protect ZYZ. Oh yes, LL does so because ZYC also makes a choice indicating some form of sacrifice to protect ZYZ, which LL recognises as ZYC being worthy to protect ZYZ. By this point, ZYZ and ZYC have each made a sacrifice for the other that touches LL emotionally, and LL chooses what he does to protect both of them. The threesome that can never be, alas... So if we're still pretending they are all straight and not even bisexual, all this is a wonderful heartbreaking brotherly exchange of gestures.

ZYZ will insist on the vow that ZYC made to him being honoured. ZYZ will find some way to die, either by sacrificing himself for one of the team or having a fight with ZYC (and if the fight between Yinglong and Bing Yi ended because Yinglong killed himself on the sword after Bing Yi was unwilling to stab him, then ZYZ will do the same to ZYC in a fight).

Does Bai Jiu die? One possibility is Bai Jiu dies to save a team mate such as ZYC, or Bai Jiu doesn't die but makes a sacrifice to help stop the masked villain's plans which renders Bai Jiu so badly injured and weak that he turns into a tree to slowly heal and when enough time passes and his injuries are healed, Bai Jiu will recover enough to transform back into human form. This could take decades to hundreds of years, if it happens. Then Bai Jiu looks for Ying Lei, because everybody else in the team would have passed away... (unless ZYC's bloodline or LL gifting ZYC more than just the eyes means ZYC somehow gains a longer lifespan). If ZYC gains a longer lifespan, then GJM is likely to make ZYC pine for ZYZ in a brotherly way (otherwise how to pass the censors?) Why am I talking about pining? Wrt reincarnation, surely the idea of ZYC and ZYZ being the reincarnations of Bing Yi and Yinglong respectively must have crossed your minds? And if so, you can forget about a happy ending for ZYZ and ZYC.

WX continues as the Baize goddess and picks a pupil, without ZYZ. PSJ seeks a new life using her skills, with her brother accompanying her. ZYC roams the world alone, seeking some sign of ZYZ being reborn. Ying Lei continues as the new Mountain god of Kunlun. If there is a happier ending for some of the characters, I'll be happy for GJM to make my guesswork completely wrong. But if I'm the director and given what has already aired, the intention is to make the viewers go through the emotional wringer, so get ready your tissues.

Edited to add that I would like an alternate ending extra, ten minutes long. Either ZYC finds the young adult reincarnations of LL and ZYZ as humans and ZYC becomes their adopted older brother plus takes them to Kun Lun to see Ying Lei, or there's a modern-day version where all of them exist today, and the extra episode shows how they meet up to hang out and celebrate welcoming the New Year together.

Edited a second time, to add: Before Li Lun actually passes the Eyes of Truth to ZYC that Li Lun once received from ZYZ, I am guessing that sometime within the next 7 episodes, Li Lun fights ZYC, breaks ZYC's sword, and at least once possesses ZYC (because Li Lun managed to make physical contact with ZYC) to make ZYC do something which emotionally devastates ZYC once the control from Li Lun is over and ZYC is himself again. What Li Lun does to ZYC also hurts ZYZ emotionally.

LL targeting ZYC in such a sadistic manner stops, when LL himself realises how he has been deceived by the masked villain and is poisoned. With 34 episodes in total, this might happen by the end of episode 30. Of course, GJM, please prove me wrong. I'd like some kind of happy ending for ZYC, but everything currently seems impossible because ZYC made that oath to ZYZ.

homaKP and I were having a discussion about Li Lun's intentions and also discussing Bai Jiu. You might find this thread interesting, such as the comments where I psychologically dissect Li Lun:

https://kisskh.at/755301-the-story-of-mystics#comment-19366928