A really good surprise
I was honestly pleasantly surprised by this drama, I saw a lot of recommendations for it online and I was struggling to find anything to watch after my last drama, and I had already watched the first episode of a bunch of other dramas to see if I enjoyed it, I watched the first episode of this drama and immediately disliked it, there was just something really cringey about the FL that didn't sit right with me, especially since it felt like she kept being saved by the ML at every turn. It was also really praised for it cgi online, and although the cgi used really is extensive, the quality felt the same as any other wuxia drama.But again I didn't have anything to watch, and at that point a cringey drama felt much better than a bad one, so I kept watching while I was trying to find another one to watch, and lo and behold, I actually started to like it, I think it was by episode 3, when I realised that the Fl was actually originally really cool, and didn't need anyone to save her, their backstory was honestly really beautifully done and was what encouraged me to keep watching it.
Things that I liked:
1. I loved the chemistry between the FL and the ML, there was so much yearning and pinning from the ML that I loved so much, it felt low key like a forbidden romance, except it was the FL that forbid it herself, it's just that she didn't remember.
2. Character development, there was so much character growth in this drama, I don't think there was a single flat character, maybe the ML's disciples who felt like followers at times, but even their characters were lightly explored. There were characters with a redemption arc, like the ML himself, who used to be obsessed with power but because of the FL ended up growing content with just living life to the fullest. There were characters who fell from grace but were still redeemable.
3. The world building is simply chef's kiss, I can't complain, it's same as any other wuxia drama, but the scenes were still uniques in its own way, I loved all the nature and green.
4. The fighting scenes were really good, I had to suspend my disbelief a couple of times, but I got into it after a while.
5. Lastly, the pacing was also done well, I don't think there was a single episode that felt useless to the plot, the first two episodes weren't that good for me but I understood why it was necessary now.
Things I didn't like:
1. There were way too many coincidences and quick fixes in this drama that I again had to suspend my disbelief to be able to follow, "got killed don't worry you can get resurrected as a tree", "got poisoned I coincidentally have a pill for that", "got poisoned again, sorry I no longer have a pill for that so we have to journey far and wide to save you", "oh I'm surrounded, ok I have a spell/talisman for that", like things just tend to fix themselves really smoothly when they want to, it made the moment they suddenly can't fix it due to the plot feel a lot more unbelievable. I docked some point from my overall score because of this.
2. Something that always irritates me so much in Cdramas, is all the blood spitting scenes, like these productions must seriously have a huge budget for all the fake blood that these actors have to spit out, like it felt like they would just spit out blood in some scenes for absolutely no reason. And the whole fainting while standing scene honestly annoys me so much, cause like who the heck stays upright when they faint, it makes it so unimaginable, there is just so much my belief and my imagination can be suspended.
3. The whole second amnesia plot felt very unneeded, especially since it feels forgotten by the last arc of the drama, and honestly just served to make the drama drag on a bit more.
4. The ending was a happy ending, but at the same time it felt very bittersweet, I didn't get the point of them leaving their friends behind and never seeing them again.
Anyways, although it personally doesn't have any rewatch potential for, as there are so many other dramas in my to be watched list, I don't see myself ever picking this up again, but overall I would still highly recommend it.
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