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Glorious. Brilliant. As the viewer is drawn into the world of Feng Suige and Susha Kingdom's court politics, the personal and political circumstances revealing big and little details are masterfully portrayed without dullness or condescension. Colours and palettes in contrast are vibrant and skilfully applied. After his younger brother's Coming-of-Age Ceremony is interrupted, regal solitude of a son paying his respects to his mother's memorial tablet takes your breath away and humbles you simultaneously. Flashbacks are very skilfully limited, and nicely done. BGM is well-chosen, always complementing the emotions of the scenery and moods. The camerawork will tantalise your imagination and have you happily succumbing to the journey created by Fated Hearts.The present reality of Xia Meng and Chen Zheyuan as brother and sister makes one happy for them. Playful, protective, tenderly vulnerable- Xia Meng is enchanting. Chen Zheyuan is the older brother one would be glad to have. When the second half of the episode switches to Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige, what goes around comes around XD Enemies grudgingly agreeing to civil peace is going to be an arduous journey. It's nice to see mutual enmity is going to be realistically difficult to dissipate. Never a dull moment. The ending of this episode is very fitting, as a shrewd First Prince returns to the main question of why the Battle of Pingling was lost. His two underlings Lu Ke and Yun Fang make me grin. Very appreciative of the Directors and Screenwriters who have crafted such a beautiful episode of rawness and diplomacy with bold strokes of well-controlled pacing while slowly unveiling the sub-plots, teasing at future moments of tragedy and delicious competitiveness.
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Feng Suige thought he could protect his sister. Even with the best of plans, unexpected reality thwarts him. To realise his sister has been too well-protected by him is a bitter pill to swallow. His loneliness and schemes are shown for what they are: Fuelled by love. When he confides his deepest thoughts to the memorial tablet of his late mother, the solitude takes on a personal informal dimension of a man holding the second-highest position in the country who cannot trust almost everyone. As a shrewd capable general, Yixiao can read that something is very off with Feng Suige. They eventually share very good bottles of alcohol. Waxing lyrical and somewhat drunk, she is unrestrained in her thoughts and observations while performing a sword dance of sorts (since she is clearly not fighting someone else).Despite being inebriated, her skills and moves are powerfully swift enough to have Feng Suige recognise this is a dangerous enemy leader who fatally shot him and nearly killed him. Ever since they first met, Feng Suige has been treating her as an enemy general he has to accept as a comrade to work together with him, at times acceding to her being female (such as getting her dolled up and publicly paraded as his concubine) when it suits his intentions. He has yet to actually see her as a woman who could be a friend. We are left to interpret his silence, as he holds an unconscious Yixiao in his arms. Poetic, open, troubled, conflicted, possibly more than simply being willing to make peace with an enemy general for the first time.
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The Journey of Legend Episode 18
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The gripping fights initiated in episode 17 must come to an end. And this end is not what Xiao Qiushui wanted. Emotionally rock-bottom after being wracked by all the losses he has had to witness and shoulder, Xiao Mingming realises the difficulty and responsibility of being Xiao Qiushui. No modern device or experience can prepare him for this episode 18.Qiushui has become completely fixated on Liu Suifeng in that kind of intense wuxia way (totally platonic) as someone who is your true rival and complete enemy. It's quite riveting to see, and sad to witness. Liu Suifeng has poisoned him with unrelenting drive of zero mercy. The animosity and other emotions fuelling their duelling makes the excellent choreography even more unforgettable. Cheng Yi is completely in his element throughout this episode. Embodying determination, rage, sorrow, despair, despondency, our hero does not have a single positive moment here. Your heartstrings will survive the melody of anguish triggered by his heartfelt understanding. Your neutrality won't survive until the end of this episode, if you have to choose between Liu Suifeng and Xiao Qiushui. The scenes to move the plot along have been well-integrated here. Everyone in this episode is not an extra, but essential to the impact of this crucial episode in Xiao Mingming's journey of transformation. The candle of hope may burn low now, but it will blaze again in a new episode.
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“难道这里不该是大庇天下，为世人遮风挡雨的世外桃源吗?”- Fu Yixiao to a certain Elder Lei, which triggers the memory of Wei Qingyu saying to him “以后这里就是大庇天下，为世人遮风挡雨的地方。” As a female general in a treasured past overlaps with the present female general protecting the same prince, these sentences brought tears to my eyes. One heart moved by another means Feng Suige is treated with a solution that will require one further solution... If he is brave enough for it. Physician Ling must ask a certain Lady An. Women take charge in this episode: Xue Ying wants to heal Ning Fei's emotional wounds, Yixiao wants to save Suige, and Xiyang wants to avenge her father and brother. Is Xiyang capable of surviving and triumphing in the cat-and-mouse enmity between two half-brothers? Susha Kingdom is now in danger from the Jinxiu Dynasty. What will unfold?
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Feng Suige as a child has always been defiant towards the woman who cajoled him to simply call her "Mother". "Dream on" was all she received. When she now used that same approach to retrieve General Xun Xiang at Ning'an Hall, she received a reminder of what she could never obtain from the First Prince. Feng Suige's past is not the only flashback here. In pain, Xia Jingshi remembers what keeps him constrained and at the mercy of his brother. Memories can be water drowning you in painful sorrows, or something far better in euphoria. When dealing with bad memories or setbacks, what better gift to a friend than a suggestion of how to do so? Yixiao also gives Feng Suige a gift nobody has ever given him. Adrift on a lake surrounded by shimmering steadiness of more than a thousand lotus lanterns, Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige want to fulfill each other's wishes. The cinematography here is beautiful and wordlessly resonant to keep you spellbound on the edge of dreams, and the song used here is most apt. Murong Yao is his usual irascible self around Feng Suige. When Murong Yao goes to find Feng Suige, the chemistry between each of the three individuals is undeniably alluring and/or hilarious. Feng Suige is indulgent of Murong Yao -> Yixiao decides to break up the two ->Yixiao is adoring when she speaks to Feng Suige as her husband while cutting out Murong Yao -> Feng Suige is quick to pick up on her cues and adapts so seamlessly with verbal intimacy that one could mistake them for being long-married = Murong Yao has to concede these two are so mushy that he needs to leave the abode. We have three pairs of contrasts in the final ten minutes. Feng Suige and his younger brother are wonderful to watch together. Xia Jingshi and Wu Ying are also interesting to watch together, especially when Wu Ying shows fear of Xia Jingshi. Xiyang being filial towards her father reveals different endearing angles of a father and daughter. A token of affection, a symbol of protection, a promise of assurance, all portents of-
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你这样很失礼的。~ Feng Suige, upon being greeted with- 让人看见了岂不是更失礼? ~ Fu Yixiao, upon being answered with-What a start to Episode 7, with our two leads showing how well they harmonise not getting along after waking up. The synchronicity of "what goes around comes around" between these two is is impossible not to smirk at. In this episode, Feng Suige demonstrates his ability to see things more objectively and long-term than Fu Yixiao. The royal siblings reveal a sweet true love despite different mothers, with the Second Prince wishing his older sister a harmonious lasting marriage. Chen Zheyuan is shining as Feng Suige, demonstrating his mettle as the First Prince and leader of the Feng Battalion, thereby allowing the audience to understand why his men are so loyal and respectful of him. At 18:00, both leads in a conversation demonstrate why they are capable warriors. These episodes are wholly engaging because the Directors do not tell you what happens, but ensures scenes and dialogues show you what you need to know. Where Chen Zheyuan could demonstrate a wide range of nuances in the previous episode, it is now Li Qin's turn to be allowed to demonstrate a range that evokes betrayal, pain, loss, origins- Skilful intentions of knowing when to allow which lead to shine, without overwhelming the other lead but complementing, is demonstrated again in this episode because the Directors convey specific understanding of what each series of scenes are supposed to achieve for each character, individually and/or together. The buildup and further establishment of certain characters is nicely done in the second half of the episode. The Prince of Zhennan Xia Jingshi meets the Emperor who has specific statements to convey. His daughter Princess Xiyang reminds Xia Jingshi of when they first met. In both meetings, Xia Jingshi stays quiet at the end, leaving the audience to guess at his silences. A single Feng Battalion warrior and his comrades understanding him is important in this episode. Character building and enabling the viewer to connect emotionally with the characters is vital across at least ten episodes. Romance is not vital nor realistic yet. Becoming friends while deepening connections as true comrades is the next stage. The story is executed well, up until this point. Kudos to the Directors and Screenwriters.
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Ding Qi as a student gains the supernatural ability to quintuple time loop, and thereby alter events/lives/situations with his choices or words. Wanting to do as much good as effectively possible with his talents and skills, he becomes a cop. Episode 1 is where our protagonist introduces himself and his capabilities in getting his way when tackling a bank heist. Crisp pace, excellent HK-style action, and precise editing leads to the viewer easily grasping this supernatural power of five loops and how Ding Qi became the person he is. Story manages to incorporate the best touch of comedy possible involving Ding Qi, in this situation of dangerous robbers who don't mind killing anyone. Director has a deft grasp of technicalities such as camera angles and innovative shots, enveloping the viewer easily into Ding Qi's world. BGM usage is also nuanced. Fantastic start to a gripping drama!
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The Journey of Legend Episode 16
1 people found this review helpful
Being pursued by someone can be flattering, or frightening. Or both. At this point, the tension and game of cat-and-mouse between Liu Suifeng and Xiao Qiushui has been well-developed in the lead-up from the previous 15 episodes. If you stuck a tiny flame into the emotional well of Xiao Qiushui at this point as a gift from Liu Suifeng, something is likely to explode.TJOL has literally been a stark reminder of why some viewers such as myself consider Screenwriters and Directors to be as important as the cast.The transmigration foundations for the first two episodes were unclear, no doubt due to them being elements not originally in the novel and hence needing to be incorporated by the screenwriter. An inability to incorporate these modern elements coherently and cohesively into the script without being jarring resulted in the creative direction of the first three episodes of this drama suffering. This becomes obvious after watching ten episodes, whereby the wuxia elements and plots became much stronger and smoother in episode 3 onwards. When a script has issues, the Director being unable to parse the maximum potential in the creative vision that should have happened in turn affected the interpretation and performance of the ML, whose portrayal of Xiao Qiushui can be seen drastically improving from episode 4 onwards, to finally become comfortably convincing in episode 9 onwards.Liu Suifeng as a villain in the eyes of Xiao Qiushui is the unwavering bolt of bitter vengeance that refuses to quit and refuses to let go of what he deems as his. In order to overcome his limitations, Xiao Qiushui will need to embark on a journey of personal discovery. And Liu Suifeng is likely to be hot on his heels while keen to bury him. Can Liu Suifeng be reformed? That's an interesting answer to find out.
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The Journey of Legend Episode 21
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And by this point, the urge to change the main Screenwriter and Directors is irreversible. It's an engaging episode, whereby I'm convinced this drama is supposed to have two MLs of equal importance. When Xiao Qiushui swallows the Yang half of the Infinite Pill after a series of incidents including lying to the deplorable Shao Liulei, his levelling up is almost unbelievable. In this same episode, we are introduced to Liu Suifeng's suffering and cause of loyalty, grounded in willingness to do anything and everything to get stronger and repay the debts to his benefactors. I'm not sure what the Directors and main Screenwriter are trying to achieve in this episode. Using parts of the theme songs when two of Cheng Yi's scenes most needed to convey a certain emotional intensity was jarring. He should have been allowed to portray the necessary according to the sounds of nature or a suitably light BGM. Going forward, the next ten episodes need to walk a better line than this episode.
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The acting of the entire cast in this episode is stellar. You cannot choose your parents, and their choices can affect your entire life, as seen in this drama which starts out in rural Shandong of the late 1920s. My grandmother was told by her father that a girl after the age of 12 does not need education, and that is what he took from her. He was also responsible for her marriage. When I look at the sisters, I find myself experiencing a myriad mixture of emotions for them, and for everyone else who has been affected by an abrupt twist of fate. Xing Fei and Zhang Tianyang are impossible to look away from, and this is the drama where Yang Mi truly blossoms. You will feel the cold, you will grimace at the cruelty of circumstances, and you cannot turn away from everyone on the screen. Get ready a bunch of tissues if you are soft-hearted. The grit and rawness of this episode will stay with you, even after the credits roll. And you might get hungry after watching this. Looking forward to the rest of the drama. The emotional impact has been building since the first three episodes, and this episode is unforgettable.
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