mimi0108

Did qianqian was *aped years ago by her captor with a mask, resulting in a son? And this man is the new sinister guy in town but since it's been so many years and he had a mask and scars she's not sure it's him ?
I'm so scared for her, she seemed so traumatized by her past.

About people complaining about the push and pull between the leads and FL indecision.
The writers want to save the confrontations and plot twists for the final episodes. Consequently, as long as the cults' hypocrisy isn't openly exposed, FL will continue to turn a blind eye and tell herself that ML's methods are too radical and she can't be with him.
Only once everything is revealed will she realize that, ultimately, in this brutal world, his methods aren't the worst (and especially that he's trying to improve). But yeah, it could have been nice to see her investigate a bit more or rebel a bit more against her world. But the problem is that this would have gone against her main core: she desperately wants to avoid the fate of the women in her family and is willing to settle for a simple life (even marrying someone she didn't love in the beginning of the drama). This is what leads her to continue turning a blind eye to the problems in her world.
But little by little, as she learns more about her ancestors, about the world, about people, we see her come to terms with things and even sometimes oppose them. But she hasn't yet reached the point of questioning everything. It's already a good thing that she found the words to express her thoughts to ML and that she wants to be with him if he doesn't go too far.
Let's also not forget that unlike ML, who knew no love or trust outside of his father, FL grew up surrounded by loving relatives. Several cult leaders are like uncles to her, having watched her grow up and looked after her. It's difficult to go against loved ones who care for her, and even harder to see when they have bad intentions.

At the beginning of episode 32, a mysterious shadow passes by the window of FL's fellow disciple. But there's no follow-up. I wonder what it was.

Too much spoilers for later episodes in this synopsis. There was other way to talk about the plot without so much secrets revealed.

I really enjoy the story of this drama, especially the intensity of some scenes and the romance between the leads. The atmosphere and their relationship are definitely the strongest aspects of the show.

That said, the editing and narrative structure make the viewing experience less smooth than it could have been. With so many characters, frequent flashbacks, cut scenes, and past subplots introduced all at once, there is a lot to process and it sometimes feels overwhelming.

Some storylines also drag on while others are strangely ignored. For example, something as serious as the man in black is forgotten for several episodes, and no adult seems particularly concerned about him or the issues related to the Li sect. Yet when it comes to punishing a teenager for the crimes of his ancestors, suddenly everyone is present and involved.

It’s a bit frustrating and sometimes hard to accept, especially since the drama never really made them addresse this imbalance. Still, I genuinely enjoy the emotional intensity of the story and hope the final episodes will wrap everything up properly.

ML expresses jealousy and possessiveness towards FL very quickly (episode 4), and by episode 8 there's a clear sexual tension between them. From then on, it's implied by they have feelings for each other, but given the circumstances, they can't make their relationship official. So, personally, even if they're not officially a couple yet, I think it's great because there's clearly romance between them from the start, and it intensifies over time.
I even find that there are more tensions and romantic moments between them than in some couples who were officially together earlier.

This is actually a great opposite parallel with ML. He has every reason to judge her and be harsh towards her (his accident happened because he was visiting her; she never checked on him and acted as if nothing had happened when they saw each other again). But he learns to overcome his prejudices, see who she really is, and realize he was wrong to blame her since she didn't know him actually.

Whereas SML never tried to see beyond his prejudices and chose to believe other people's opinions rather than what his own eyes told him about how sweet and pure FL is.

This. He never confessed to FL, never even gave her hope. He always scolded her about her wealthy background & let Ye Rong treat her badly. He also never try to keep in touch with her and now acts like if he was the one she had wronged.

Can someone who has read the book tell me whether the FL will finally free herself from this stupid group of college classmates? They are not friends. They have no backbone, never protect FL, never stand up for her, and always let Rong get away with all her underhanded behavior and negative comments.

And I’m not even going to get started on the SML, who acts like a silent, misunderstood victim while allowing everyone, especially his childhood friend, to mistreat the girl he claims to love. He himself treats FL badly, speaks to her in a mean way, never makes it clear that he loves her too, and then acts all offended when she finally decides to give up on him. I honestly want FL to punch him and yell that she is the victim here, not him. I really hope we stop seeing these people altogether, or that someone finally tells them some hard truths, because it’s incredibly frustrating to watch FL be so uncomfortable, surrounded by people who pretend to be close to her while mistreating her, and being demonized by someone who thinks he loves her.

I started my 4 rewatch of this drama so if you want to talk about it or ask questions, I'm here x)

It's unfair and not right to blame her.
Her justification for not helping Wei, even if it was unfair to her cousin, was still understandable. She wasn't a leader or the wife of a head of state. As a pregnant ordinary woman, she didn't want to risk her husband's life. It was selfish but understandable.
Her getting angry at her father was also completely logical and deserved.

Let's not diminish her father's responsibility by saying if his daughter hadn't yelled at him, he wouldn't have been a traitor.

He was narrow-minded, easily manipulated, a head of state who didn't think about his people, and very stupid. He chose to ally himself with enemies who massacred his own people out of fear his brother would be more popular than him.
Anyone with two brain cells could see this alliance only served to eliminate Wei and then turn on him and his state. Furthermore, his nephew was supposed to succeed him; being so paranoid his brother might want to succeed him was truly stupid.

This man was narrow-minded, with an oversized ego, incapable of thinking of the good of his clan and his people, and he ruined his family. He had no qualms about having his own daughter and grandson captured and their lives used to threaten his son-in-law.
He is fully responsible for everything.

There were a translation error. He's his younger brother.

The dream is a magical illusion that, in some way, represented the past. The events have already happened allowing Mu Jin to be born and come with them into the illusion even though it is this moment that allows him to live.

The courtesan is a disguise, she hide her true face because she was undercover. Her real look is Fu Ling, she had flowers on her dress and face.

I don't know if I skipped the passage so I ask here:
Did we have a storyline regarding SML's parents sparing a snake demon so that she can give birth to her two babies? We even have a flashback to this and I thought it was going to lead to something but I don't remember getting an explanation.

From the moment he takes her virginity "widly" (the novel own words) by force, physically hurts her and continues to rape her regularly, the "feelings" she develops are irrelevant to me and it's not a healthy story or a ML I want see getting what he wants in the end. It's rather a FL who seeks light where she can in the middle of the darkness, even if it means ending up "loving" her abuser.

And I don't like the kind of story that romanticizes that kind of violence.
A man capable of hurting a woman this much does not deserve her love.
A woman who has been so hurt, violated and humiliated does not deserve to end up with her tormentor.
A couple born from so much violence will never be equal.
Plus, I hate the idea a man can act like a bully and only if he develops feelings for his victim will he "change". As if this could erase his wrongs and his vision of women as his plaything.

Just for you know, at the end, Heaven promise to give back to life all the people who died along the way to save the world. Even if they didn't come back before the drama end, we know they'll and the leads are waiting for them. So even if it's a tragedy all along, the characters we love will all have a second chance.

Their night wasn't planned. They argued, he started kissing her, she tried to push him away and then realized she didn't want to and kissed him back, leading to their shared night.
When she woke up and after her servant's revelations, she realized what this night entailed:
- they are not married, she has no status and could still get pregnant;
- she is a foreigner and he is a member of the royal family destined for a grand marriage;
- children of foreign mothers are less well regarded and do not inherit
And so on.
Their situation is complicated and unstable and it is understandable she would make this decision. It is her body, her choice. They are not married and technically, she does not owe him to consult him.
In addition, it is necessary to act quickly to take a contraceptive.
Of course, it is a shock to him and it is understandable he's angry she didn't talked to him about it, but he is clearly naive and irresponsible not to understand the concerns she is expressing to him after.

I'm so glad the drama is different from the novel.
I can't stand stories that glorify rape. In the book, ML kidnaps her and rapes her regularly, even physically hurting her with his force during these forced intercourses.
At least in the drama, everything is consensual. And the ML is even too naive of their surroundings in thinking everything will be fine for them and making promises he will not be able to keep.

Given his surprise when he learned she wanted to take a contraceptive because it wasn't the right time for them to have a child, it is clear he is more than naive and delusional about their situation and the obstacles that surround them.
He loves her and wants her but forgets all politics, customs, conflicts etc...
Personally, I find him selfish and dumb in his way of loving her.