rainypuddle

Finally a happy ending. I didn't think the story was particulary unique or original (maybe because I watched it after a long marathon of xianxia and now I'm oversaturated on tropes), and as much as I adore looking at the leading man, something about him being 'the most beautiful of the immortals' really got on my nerves. It was too on the nose for me (yes we know he's hot guys, but mentioning it makes it less so and rather cringe). Also the set up of the romance between the female lead and him was also irritating. She was just like 'oh I'll have this one' and without any meaningful development it just sort of...happened? With her magic powers? There was no significant moment where it went from 'I don't like you' to 'oh maybe I'll like you now' to 'okay now I'll die for you to get you reincarnated.

I get that they wanted to accelerate the love plot development, but I still didn't feel it. At the very least there could have been a backstory or some sort of exposition. Also doesn't Deng Wei look hilarious in that wipsy beard? It just makes him look like a girl with a beard! It's like 'who is that girl trying to pass for a man?' It really kind of took away from him trying act evil, it didn't really land for me in the beginning - beard or no. 'He's supposed to be evil? Damn he just seems kind of like an annoying teenager.' But Deng Wei really nailed the evil role in the end. And he's just so beautiful while doing it. Did I mention this already? *sigh*

But the ending was great, nobody died tragically, everyone lived happily ever after and had a healthy crop of babies. I'm so relieved! It was wonderful seeing him be a dad, and hilarious watching him try to seduce his new wife (who, after about 70 years of not sleeping with her man, is still all nervous and confused when that moment comes, even with her past life memories!). But the dialogue in that scene is extremely funny and cute.

Also let's mention the VFX. I watched this right after 'Til the End of the Moon' and the difference is huge! I have a very good eye for that sort of thing, and even though they were shooting on a greenscreen for so much of it, the compositing was really good compared to most other xianxias! Nothing took me out of the scene. The fx sims looked really good (I do cringe at the thought of how long it must have taken for so much magic, but it was worth it!). Really worth the investment, and thank you thank you VFX supervisor!

And I could watch many series worth of Deng Wei being a cat. Please more cat roles for him. And he's definitely my favorite bai boy. So gorgeous it almost makes me upset.