sulkytofu

What else is everyone watching while waiting for L&R updates? I'm so stressed thinking about the angst in the upcoming stretch, and would love to hear what others are watching to tide themselves over as we go through this together!

Truthfully, I'm having the same problem. I haven't been able to watch a single one of Daddi Tang's works, and even though I absolutely love Sun Qian, I found their chemistry in the trailer to be mediocre for me/not yet enough to convince me to pick this one up. I may go into this one with low expectations; and am hoping that it'll be a good watch to tide me over as I wait for some of my other ongoing shows to update.

Reporting to the tofu corner again today ~ I just finished episodes 27 to 29, and have been slowly savouring the fluff. I’d like to think that Episode 28 is the ending I want to see for this drama, but am scared that the whole chunk of angst following this is what I’m going to recieve!

Your own thesis sounds really awesome; I can definitely see how many of the threads and ideas that you’ve brought up stem from your own personal background in literature. Truthfully, with CQL I still feel there is much to explore. I personally focused my thesis on the politics of the series (media censorship, soft power, etc.) as opposed to the literary value it held in itself as a cyberliterature work that eventually was adapted (not that these are always mutually exclusive however!) In other words, I’d love to hear the thoughts you had about that series, although I agree that for this conversation we may need to migrate to another platform! And thank you so much for your interest in my thesis, it’s always very sweet to hear! I’m actually presenting it at a conference in January and it’s in the process of being revised for publication, so at the moment I’m only able to share verbally/summarize the thesis (admittedly, its current state is a little sad with all of the edits it’s going through.) Again, this only further emphasizes that we need to have a separate discussion on CQL itself, haha!

A lot of the elements we were discussing about Hao Chen really showed up in these past couple episodes to me. It was interesting to see how it feels as if he’s ironically experiencing his own “mortal tribulation,” especially in the challenges that are being brought to his fundamental beliefs and desires, even though he voluntarily went to the mortal realm himself. I like the way you voiced this, when you said that even he doesn’t realize that he’s fallen quite far from his godhood (which is especially ironic since his first approach was to try to bring Xuanji on this path, even though by the time he decided to do so, he had already had feelings deviating from asceticism).

And I further extend what I raised before about the “protagonist’s halo,” because in Episode 27 I think they began to discuss the history between Hao Chen and Xuanji, and I felt that had the story been written another way, Hao Chen easily could have been the protagonist of a just as “tragic love” as what exists between Sifeng and Xuanji. I find it quite satisfying in a way, however, that the drama is doing everything it can to show us that the perfect match in the cultivation world (i.e. via the marriage stone, the blessing of their relationship, etc.) is Hao Chen and Xuanji, while leading the viewers as outsiders to favour the fate between Xuanji and Sifeng.

There are so many translations that you’ve caught on to as well, and I’m both envious of your sensitivity and your contextual knowledge on the words that are chosen and their intentions. It would be so fun to see the different nuances and implications from the way in which things are conveyed (which I know was a HUGE issue in CQL when the romantic relationship has to be depicted through subtext and other non-explicit means). Thanks for sharing that with me, and I also agree that I definitely am very grateful for the incredible work that’s being done for the international community by Alice and AVV. There is a lot of dedication and hard work put into this, and I can’t stress enough just how appreciated this fan labour is, especially in expanding the accessibility of the series. The fact that this is done out of one’s own personal schedule is incredibly humbling to me, and I’m glad to see how lively the comments section is solely because of how many of us are watching this show together right now as it airs!

I’m off to watching Episode 30 now, it’s been a real treat to have an episode a day so that I can slowly enjoy each minute. I know that you’re much further ahead, and I can’t wait until we finally both reach the ending and review this series in its entirety!

Thanks so much for sending this link! I actually just saw your post, and I'm pretty excited to read the article.

I agree with some of your comments, because if there's one thing I think this drama has done really well it's with pacing. There really isn't a boring moment at all, and I think I agree that if the drama stayed with its original episode length, perhaps the quality of the drama itself may be lessened (even if there are some logical issues still unaddressed).

Interesting that the novel is less angsty! I honestly had no idea that the whole "nine lives" situation was going to be part of the story until I saw the posters on kisskh, but I'll have to reach that point first before I can comment on it!

I like the idea of being tofu relatives! And your comments about Hao Chen in particular have made me rethink a lot about the way that he's characterized in the drama. What you mentioned about the "God being evil" trope is particularly interesting to me, because of the questions that it raises. For example, are the moral consequences of "playing" God relevant, if the person is God himself? It's really interesting seeing the ways in which Sifeng and Xuanji in their mortal forms challenge both Hao Chen's abilities and his mindset on shaping parts of their futures, and I'll be sure to keep paying attention to this thread as I continue watching. I'll warn that I'm someone who requires English subtitles, so it will probably take me some time to catch up to the same point as you are at!

And no worries! It's great seeing such a lively conversation in this comment thread, and I'm sure that there are others who may have the same thoughts. If anything, the amount of time that we have spent breaking down the characters in the drama is evidence of how well-fleshed and complex they both are, even if at points in time they all also embody aspects of conventional tropes (i.e. the protagonist, the villain, etc.) while subverting them as well.

And no problem! Reading these essays are really fun, and I'm glad that there's someone else to discuss these themes with. Drama watching is my hobby, but it's also a personal interest of mine, as I wrote my undergraduate thesis on The Untamed (LOL). I can definitely assure you that there are scholars and academics particularly of Chinese popular culture who are also picking at these questions, with xianxia being a particularly interesting genre to analyze, because of how it consists of elements often ripe for censorship (taboo, the supernatural, etc.) while upholding ideologically and morally congruent values (i.e. having to adhere to drama or novel censorship restrictions and policies).

I'll keep my eye on Hao Chen and am very glad for the warning! Personally I think it will be very satisfying to see how far Hao Chen will surpass the boundaries we associate with human morality (although, as I raised before, does this really qualify if he's technically not human?) Ironically, the more villainous he becomes, I suspect the more "human" he also becomes as well, with feelings of avarice, greed, jealousy, and fear, and I think that this will be really interesting to see in the future!

Perhaps this is from my own experience reading "transmigration into a villainess/the cannon fodder/etc" stories, but there are some really unique things about this drama that I was surprised to see. I did not expect at all that ML + FL are from the same world, and that the main world has the interesting business conflict between He Tianxing and He Mingli. This makes the stakes higher for returning back to the main world, but also makes me interested in how they're going to resolve the conflict between loving Tianxing and Si Tu Ao Ran (are they two different people? Or are they the same person?)

I personally also think that Vivian Sung has a lot more chemistry with Simon Lian/Qingfeng. I don't really feel the chemistry between her and Marcus Chang (although it's interesting they were in Vivian Sung's debut movie together? and this is their second time working together). I also expected a lot more face-slapping in the novel world, but I suppose it's being saved in the main world. I see a lot of comments about theories, and so I'm guessing that the plot gets meatier after the beginning set up, which I think will be super interesting.

As for now, I'm really watching this as I wait on other dramas to update. I would say it's not my favourite show because the humour doesn't work for me (which is surprising, because I've been a fan of Taiwanese dramas for a while and love the more comedic/slapstick humour characteristic to the genre). I also find some of the acting to not work that well for me, which I wasn't expecting (sometimes it feels like the actors are all doing a good job individually, but when put together it comes off as rather unnatural?). So far I'm enjoying the ride though, and can't wait to see what happens in future episodes.

I loved your comments about Hao Chen! Truthfully, I think the main difference is that Hao Chen would also make an interesting protagonist, it's just that Sifeng clearly has the "protagonist's halo" here, and the way the drama frames, edits, and films the show definitely is meant to create a disconnect between their mentalities and beliefs. I neither blame nor hate Hao Chen for his beliefs, because they are a product of his own experiences and background, but seeing how his growing feelings for Xuanji increasingly break down and challenge his nature as a deity is a really interesting thread.

And I really agree with you that Xuanji may be the spark of confrontation, but the rationale behind their conflict is not always necessarily solely focused on her. Although I do admit it's interesting the way they both treat her differently, with Hao Chen clearly taking a more protective and stable mentality, while Sifeng is willing to weather through hardship and tribulation with her because of her decisions.

Reminds me a lot of one of my all time favourite MLs, Li Chengyin from Goodbye My Princess (I think it's one of the few dramas where the ML truly surpasses the boundaries of humanity morality). The morally grey and complicated characters are often my favourite, and it's probably why I'm always quite appreciative of actors such as Luo Yunxi's taste, since he generally chooses scripts and characters that have this complex dynamic. It's probably why one of my favourite tropes is "villain is the ML," and I hope that going forward we'll have more shows that have these characteristics (I can already think of the high-profile BL adaptations coming next year as certainly fitting into the category of complex and dynamic characters, if significant changes aren't made to the plot and underlying story).

It would be really interesting to see the main novel differences from the show. I often hear that this is a point of contention amongst fans (especially when novel adaptations are rising in popularity b/c of existing fanbases, and cheaper to produce compared to original scripts). I can understand disappointment when a novel adaptation does not do justice to the story itself, but I agree that so far I think the drama as a standalone entity has still done quite a solid job with the production!

I think you've really nailed down the problem with Xuanji's characterization, in that it's a tough balance to keep especially in relation to pacing and audience reaction. Even though I'm only on Episode 26 so far, I appreciate how gradual and natural Xuan Ji is developing, and as I've mentioned in my previous comments if there's one thing I think this drama has done a great job with so far, it's keeping the viewer interested in watching the show.

I honestly can't wait until I get to the part about the past lives. From your comments, I personally think their different lives are interesting enough for stand-alone plots (I remember clearly that in Ten Miles, I absolutely loved the whole "three lives" situation and the mortal tribulation Bai Qian faced). But I think I also see what you mean because it heightens the attachment of the viewer to the last life that both Sifeng and Xuan Ji are currently in. I won't lie though, when Xuan Ji panics at her identity when they're in the Bahuang mirror, and Xu Feng yells steadfastly "you are Chu Xuan Ji," I was very touched. At the end of the day, while they may be in different lives, their essence is still the same. Hopefully we get some extras on this, but I think if they really tried to shove nine different lives with substantial time in the drama, it would venture into some of the problems of quick-wear/quick-transmigration novels (which sometimes suffers from lack of emotional investment because of just how many "lives" exist).

For those who are looking for some general comments, I'd probably say that if you're not a fan of extended misunderstandings, some logical issues and inconsistencies, and star-crossed lovers (literally....) I may stay away from this drama. There is quite a lot of angst that surrounds these aspects, and much of the drama revolves around these elements or has these problems.

However, the cast has so much chemistry together, and there are so many great relationships in this drama (from Master to Disciple, to lovers, to sisters, to Sect members). A lot of the main characters are truly loveable, and I don't think I need to go on more about how much chemistry Cheng Yi and Crystal Yuan have. The production is absolutely stunning, and everything from the costumes and sets, to the OSTs, are gorgeous. Most of all, I was pretty wary about the episode length, but the pacing is actually really good and quite intense. I've rarely skipped and the main plot is definitely interesting enough to keep your attention.

Also, I can't emphasize enough, please visit Alice's or A Virtual Voyage's site and come join those of us waiting for English subs on their websites! Their videos have been reuploaded on to different sites which have done so without their approval, and so I'd highly recommend you go to their actual site instead to watch. Let's all sit through the angst, pain, and the fluff together as this drama is airing!

I actually laughed a bit at this comment because even when the name is written wrong, I can tell immediately that it's Alan Yu. He's been getting a lot of criticism for constantly being placed in lead roles, especially for dramas with MLs that have "meatier" backstories, despite the (controversial) quality of his performances.

Haha, I laughed a lot at the tofu comment as well ~ Tofu relatives!

I think I agree with you! The one good side about all the cuts is that this drama doesn't drag at all, and plot points go by really quickly and keep you wanting to watch. I'm a chronic skip watcher, and I've been surprised by just how much I love the cast that I haven't skipped once. In other words, perhaps if they originally had 70 ~ 80 episodes for the drama, this may not necessarily be a good thing either. I can therefore forgive some of the logic issues, especially because of just how intense the pacing is, even if I agree that discussing the inconsistencies is still quite fun (and theorizing about what they mean or imply is interesting as well!)

Thanks as well for warning me about the latter episodes. I heard that it gets really tragic in that stretch, and I'm really bracing myself since I've already cried so many tears (and we haven't even gotten to the main angst yet!) So far I've definitely been able to lower my expectations about the plot and just enjoy all of the cast, and truthfully I actually find the broader plot (with the spiritual keys and different sects) to be really interesting. Can't wait to discuss the conclusion and the ending with everyone here. I hope it's a happy one, because I don't know if I can handle a tragic ending with all of the angst we're going through!

I don't want to spoil too much, but let's just say Merxat did have a leading role in a drama that was released this year.... but he kind of STILL doesn't get the female lead in that one. From some of my past watches, I'd honestly rather see Merxat instead of Alan Yu from an acting standpoint as ML!

I'm currently only on Episode 20. However, I've been actually feeling quite frustrated at Si Feng. I know a lot of comments have talked about him being sympathetic, and he definitely is, but I find that Xuan Ji's love for him is no less. I find it so aggravating that we circle back to the whole "Xuan Ji loves Ming Yuan?" problem even though the only man Xuan Ji has kissed, has defended wholeheartedly, and who she always talks about is Si Feng. In many ways, I feel like Si Feng often finds ways to justify or confirm the fact that "Xuan Ji doesn't love me," and part of that is because he's quite insecure (and for good reason), but also because he doesn't believe himself that Xuan Ji could possibly like him.

Another way to put this is.... if Hao Chen himself isn't even worried about Ming Yuan, then Si Feng why are you? I'm just so frustrated when Ming Yuan and Ling Long are almost all but engaged; and Xuan Ji has already explained in Episode 12 her feelings for Ming Yuan. Of all the people Si Feng should be watching out for, it's definitely not Ming Yuan, it's Hao Chen (although Hao Chen just raises another can of worms. Just discussing who is more toxic between Runyu from Ashes of Love and Hao Chen definitely needs to be a discussion topic). Overall,there are so many bigger issues that could tear the main couple apart, that I just feel saddened seeing how this is where we've come back to again.

This also brings me to a whole host of logic problems, especially with the Lover's Curse. When the first feather was lost after Si Feng saw Xuan Ji and Ming Yuan in the ice pool, I almost rolled my eyes. The rules for the curse are so strange, as in yes Si Feng was hurt, but that hurt was completely made up in his own mind and was his own misunderstanding. Xuan Ji did not intend to hurt Si Feng purposely, nor did she do it out of loving someone else. So that means the Lover's Curse simply works anytime the person is hurt? But even when people love each other, they hurt one another as well. And this brings me to how I wish the rules for the curse itself were more well-defined, especially the ways to revert the curse and the ways that the curse proceeds. A lot of things feel more like "issues meant to further the plot along," and contrived angst for the sake of angst sometimes.

I'm still really enjoying the series. I haven't skipped a single episode. But I do admit there are some things I really am pretty frustrated by. Bracing myself for more angst as I continue to support our main CP!

Let's keep watching it together and get through this pain :'( I am really hoping we get happiness, because it will be just too bitter if we end up with a sad ending.

I'm watching Episode 11 now. Thanks for letting me know, I will need to buy more tissues at this rate :'(

The problem is that I'm finding if I skip, I end up skipping so many episodes, because that's just how much pain there is. I don't know how I'm going to continue, but when I start bawling I try to remind myself that at least we're seeing such good performances by Cheng Yi and Crystal Yuan and that's why we feel so emotionally invested. I totally agree with you about the great story, plot, and the lack of filler, so at least I really want to keep watching, but oh my god it's really hard to watch all of this suffering.

Thanks for letting me know! I know exactly what you mean, and to be honest I remember when I was watching Ten Miles and Ashes of Love, there was DEFINITELY angst, but I don't remember it being to this level (like we had a lot longer periods of sweetness?) In any case, my heart is hurting so much and I'm so scared to continue on.

I'm so stressed. I'm only at Episode 10 and I've already bawled my eyes out like twice from all of the angst. Hearing this isn't relieving, but at least now I can be prepared for the upcoming episodes.

She was in My Dear Destiny, which is pure fluff (until the mid-stretch) and she had TONS of chemistry with the ML in that one. The only issue is I think the subtitles stopped after 2/3 of the drama, but otherwise I quite liked it as a mindless watch.

To be honest guys, I'm starting to find the drama hard to watch (and I'm only on Episode 10). My heart seriously just hurts so much. I just realized that at this point, the episodes of bitterness and angst have been almost equal (if not more) than the episodes of sweetness in the beginning, and this is literally only 1/6th of the way through the drama.

I also think it's a lot of pain considering we haven't even reached the meatier "angst" and the big problems in the drama yet, and all of the angst right now is really misunderstandings (that are small, but due to timing and circumstance have obviously blown up). I knew that the drama was not going to be smooth sailing all the way through, but honestly it hurts to watch some of these scenes. Props to Cheng Yi and Crystal Yuan's acting for seriously making my heart ache so much.