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Duel on Mount Hua: Eastern Heretic and Western Venom chinese drama review
Completed
Duel on Mount Hua: Eastern Heretic and Western Venom
14 people found this review helpful
by Xtinew
29 days ago
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 10
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 10.0
This review may contain spoilers

CLASSIC. I LOVE IT.

It's classic and I love it. Jin Yong is my favorite author, read his novels many times and never get tired. Reminded me watching 80th movies where realism is the standard of good cinematography. There isn't neat, beauty, jewelries dangling from women's hair or iron-press robes. What it is mud, messy hair, wrinkle clothing, and growling of painful thrown. This 8 episodes is only 1 part of 4 sets. There're 5 great masters; They are: Ouyang Feng (Western Venom), Hong Qigong (Northern Beggar), Huang Yaoshi (Eastern Heretic), Yideng (Southern Emperor), and Wang Chongyang (Central Divine). The tittle of this drama is 'Duel in Mount Hua' so they all should have met and fight to determine who's the most powerful and greatest martial master will own the Nine Yin Manual which everybody come fight to have it.

This time is the beginning young life of Huang Yao Shi and Ouyang Feng as they first knowing each other. They both are talented in martial arts. His friendship with Huang Yao Shi is surprising, I mean I used to know they both aren't friendly to each other, a rival. In this drama apparently they sworn in brother rather kill each other.

Ep 6 is the best scene when Ouyang Feng (Guo Wei Guang) fight in mud. When he's in the mud, he slides and thrown into, mud caked into his face and hair - hard to win the fight for sure. I love Mr. Chai, he's cute and funny, I think Mr. Chai gives boost to the story, whoever the actor is giving fun entertainment. Guo Wei Guan is great as Ouyang Feng, as he's supposedly a Westerner his face is undeniably Caucasian. This Ouyang Feng first discover world, although very talented and powerful he isn't that masterful as older-him. He still get kicks and poison, lost his attendants and money too, still naive and straight forward. Kindness is still in his DNA (not when he's older though) and wants to learn the craft. His older-self though he'll become a crazy and venomous character, his nephew is actually his illegitimate son (he fathered a son from his affair with sister-in- law) whose name Ouyang Ke. Uncle & nephew (or father & son) has the same malicious character as going after Huang YaoShi's the Nine Yin Manual and Huang Rong for marriage (in Legend of Heroes: Hot Blooded), his famous stance is Toad (frog) Skill which will rip bloody heart out or aiming to the victim's head.

Huang Yao Shi most significant is inner strength and also gifted intellectually as well as arts & medicine, he's a melancholy whom lucky to find love in Feng Heng (Chen Du Ling) which she's also super intelligent and has photographic memory. Just too bad Feng Heng is bodily weak, she loves her husband and understand him too much. Judging by the book, she doesn't live very long, she'll die in early childbirth to Huang Rong. Sad knowing that because she's a lovely lady & well read. His meeting with Feng Heng is accidental, with his life circumstances I understand why he hesitant to take her in and also he doesn't understand feeling. Because of his slow acceptance of Feng Heng into his life, he put Feng Heng in danger forever sickness from poison. He'll live in regret for the rest of his life after her death, go down into depression and anger. He injured all of his students and banished, he live in seclusion with only his new born daughter, after many years he's out about the world again looking for his missing daughter . He'll be infamously known as heretic or eccentric - don't give 'f..k' about anything or anybody. No moral compass will bound him. Zhao Yi Wei seems to know Huang Yao Shi character, he spokes softly and mannerly, concern eyes for his sadness to Feng Heng, in the novel he's slander and mind his own business type of man.

I say the director and cameramen doing awesome job, very nice deliberation. Chen Du Ling as a young (& pretty new) hold up her acting in surrounded more senior actors, her presence soften the male dominant scenes. So good job to all who involve with this drama. I would say guys watch this drama first and continue to watch Nine Yin True Sutra which about Huang Yao Shi's students. The Northern Beggar & Southern Emperor, The Five Then end it with Legend of Heroes: Hot Blooded (2024) 4 of them combine appearance for their young generation and new heroes. All related but ofcourse there's next novel to continue on.
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