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This review may contain spoilers
A Great Catastrophe: Born of the Insurmountable Obsession w/ Cai Pingshu—the De Facto Protagonist.
"To judge a person, you should not look at how good they are in good times, but how bad they can be in bad times." - Mu Qingyan
I don't think I can start this review any other way than to address how our main leads were thoroughly utilized as mere instruments to honor the legacy of the valiant Cai Pingshu and clean up after the mess of several other crooked-minded predecessors.
What I thought was a simple flashback—a tribute to their predecessors' prowess—turned out to be the main plotline little by little. It was a narrative progression I had never foreseen, and something that caught me completely off-guard. It was an element of the story that utterly bewildered me upon discovery because, as the plot progressed, it gradually took over and soon revolved heavily around them instead of our two main protagonists. This deviation overshadowed, and ultimately stole, the story's focus from our "supposed" main leads, stealthily stripping away their identity as the legitimate main characters of the story. This structural subversion significantly reduced them to being mere icing on the cake—ones who were bestowed with life and characteristics for the sole purpose of unraveling and denouncing the hidden, filthy truth behind the atrocious events of the previous generation, revisiting the connection and friendship they built, honoring the sacrifices they made, and ultimately taking revenge for Cai Pingshu—the de facto protagonist of this show.
Was I disappointed? Damn, Yes! How could I not be when what I thought to be a simple, prolonged flashback appearing every now and then—one that lasted through approximately the first 10 episodes and that I assumed ended for good—suddenly came back several episodes later and became the core narrative the story goes back to every time, and later permanently rotates around? I am still in disbelief! I felt like I was tricked, because little did I know that they simply took a quick break from those flashbacks to "somehow" develop the main leads' story, only to shortly go back to the same track again. This progression was definitely not on my bingo card when I picked this series. At this point, it won't even be an exaggeration to declare that this story is a memoir, a grand tribute to the legacy of the legendary Cai Pingshu.
One distinctive attribute of this story's writing style that utterly mystified me—and totally deserves a resounding round of applause—was their flawless ability to manage the story's flow and transitions without seemingly overshadowing the main protagonists, simply because they are still technically the ones fighting the antagonists. *Eyerolls* It was meticulously executed to the point where it may have gone unnoticed by some, unless you're like me who's extra sensitive to and incredibly invested in the main leads.
To be fair, I was not hypercritical of the flashbacks at first. It only became a concerning factor for me when they finally went overboard by investing more than half of the show's runtime in the previous generation and their unresolved conflicts, instead of focusing on the new generation's growth and journey—as they should, since they are the main leads being promoted.
That said, just because they provided an excessive amount of exposure to the previous generation—more than I think should have been given—doesn't mean the leads lacked sufficient character development. It was never like that. In fact, I can say that the leads' arcs were still compellingly realized. Their story, although highly influenced by the past generation's conflicts, was still properly developed with steady pacing, consistent growth, and a beautiful ending—all of which were nicely dissected and delved into through different means, but most commonly through flashbacks. Countless, endless flashbacks... since that is something they are experts at. Lol
At the end of the day, it's just a mix of accumulated emotions—feeling disappointed, bewildered, and in total disbelief. Imagine, even the time that should've been spent exclusively on the main leads was instead spent on yet another batch of countless flashbacks that heavily included the past generation's shenanigans. *Sighs* Mind you, I was initially curious and interested in the past generation's story too, but as time passed, I gradually got tired of it because they were just being shown way too much.
In addition, despite the good flow of the story, there really were some scenes that made my forehead crease, my eyebrows raise, and my eyes roll at the farcical plot devices. Some of those scenes include:
First, the male lead creating their own demise. Mu Qingyan repeatedly stated his desire to kill Nie Zhe once he captured him. Yet, he allowed himself to be manipulated by Nie Zhe's diversion technique, which used his emotional weakness and caused him to escape—when he could have easily slit his throat, since his sword was literally half an inch away from his neck. I understand that he still wanted to squeeze more information from him, but I never expected him to be a victim of such schemes given how smart he is.
Second, the frustration toward Cai Zhao's parents. They forced her to leave Luoying Valley to train at the Qingque Sect and enter the Pugilistic world, when all she ever wanted was to become a businesswoman—even with the infamous knowledge that their Cai lineage has been known to produce the so-called "Demoness" for the past several generations. Thus, I find it infuriating how they reacted with shock upon learning that Cai Zhao has a mutual romantic relationship with Mu Qingyan, when they should have fully expected it following their family's historical pattern. It's just ridiculous that they have the audacity to react this way when they are equally responsible for this foreseeable outcome. On the positive side, I loved how they finally grew to accept and support Mu Qingyan toward the climax.
Third, Cai Zhao's misplaced trust in her sect mates and master, Qi Yunke. It was grating to watch her stay in denial about her master's involvement and identity as the "Man in Black," even when the evidence was pointing directly at them. More so, it is outrageous how she cried and felt conflicted about what to do with him when he deserved nothing but a painful death for the countless innocent lives he took to achieve his utterly crooked revenge.
Fourth, the leads' pitiful state. It made me scoff out of frustration to see how vulnerable, weak, and miserable both of our leads were during the final fight scene of the climax. This entire situation could have been avoided if the FL hadn't hesitated to suspect or doubt her master in the first place.
Fifth, the excessive amount of blood splattering. The sheer volume of blood in this drama felt completely unnecessary. 😅
After completing this series, one issue that totally stood out to me was the production's greed to introduce most, if not everyone, in Cai Pingshu's circle of friends from her generation. This became a considerable concern because the majority of them don't even participate in the main story's timeline—and even if they did, it was just for an irrelevant, ephemeral scene—yet the show constantly jumped between flashbacks of their younger selves and scenes of their older selves in the present time. This created so much confusion because, aside from the fact that they were never given enough individual screen time to establish themselves, there are just so many of them. So keeping track of who is who became a truly overwhelming struggle for me, especially when they were all clumped together. It reached a point where I just didn't give a fuck at all by the end.
On a brighter note, I want to praise them instead for their seamless buildup and execution of the final enemy's identity reveal. Up until the very end, I didn't dare conclude who the final antagonist was until it was officially revealed—my primary suspect was Li Wenxun. The production did an impeccable job crafting Qi Yunke's identity as a righteous, pure-as-white man, to the point that I didn't dare doubt him even a little. I know that this is an extremely cliché plot device, but I have to say they did a stellar job with it; I never held any suspicions toward him, nor did I ever doubt him.
To finally conclude this review, I just want to say that I still thoroughly enjoyed this story despite all my rants, unfavorable feedback, and complaints. I love how our main leads match and rival each other's wits—he was an excellent manipulator and she was highly perceptive—leaving no room to develop any "I'm oblivious to your schemes" drama because they could see through each other's plans along the way. I also love the ending so much! I appreciate how he stuck true to his word about marrying into her family and settling down in Luoyin Valley. There is simply no better way to end their perilous journey than this.
"Cai Zhao, listen to me. We can never be separated. So what if my meridians are severed? Even if I am reduced to ashes, I will return to find you." - Mu Qingyan
Story - 9.0, The story was actually well-crafted—fast-paced and progressive. If they had at least halved the number of flashbacks, everything would have been perfect. It's just frustrating how I came here for the main leads but ended up drowning in Cai Pingshu and her generation's unresolved drama.
Acting/Cast - 9.5, I was planning to give this a 9.0 rating, but I was reminded of how the actors pulled off the excessive amount of blood splatting and vomiting, and I thought I should give them credit for that. lmao This is my first Zhou Yiran drama, but the one who captured my attention the most remained to be Bao Shang'en—despite this being my third drama of hers. Her styling here was insane! It was simple, plain, and muted, with absolutely nothing fancy about it, yet it looked exquisitely crafted for her, making her naturally beautiful features and body proportions stand out in a graceful, striking manner.
Music - 8.0, The songs beautifully accompanied every scene from the beginning until the end. I don't particularly have a favorite, but I certainly love the ballad track the best.
Rewatch Value - 7.0, Despite it being beautifully and evocatively written, I don't think I can sit through all of the flashbacks ever again. This rating is solely based on the narrative's positive aspects.
Overall - 9.0, Honestly, I think the writer and the entire production team should go back on set to film a prequel to this show focusing on the previous generation, just to fulfill their unconcealable obsession with them. Dang! I still feel a bitter distaste in my mouth whenever I think of how our leads were discreetly stripped of their roles as the main protagonists.
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
I don't think I can start this review any other way than to address how our main leads were thoroughly utilized as mere instruments to honor the legacy of the valiant Cai Pingshu and clean up after the mess of several other crooked-minded predecessors.
What I thought was a simple flashback—a tribute to their predecessors' prowess—turned out to be the main plotline little by little. It was a narrative progression I had never foreseen, and something that caught me completely off-guard. It was an element of the story that utterly bewildered me upon discovery because, as the plot progressed, it gradually took over and soon revolved heavily around them instead of our two main protagonists. This deviation overshadowed, and ultimately stole, the story's focus from our "supposed" main leads, stealthily stripping away their identity as the legitimate main characters of the story. This structural subversion significantly reduced them to being mere icing on the cake—ones who were bestowed with life and characteristics for the sole purpose of unraveling and denouncing the hidden, filthy truth behind the atrocious events of the previous generation, revisiting the connection and friendship they built, honoring the sacrifices they made, and ultimately taking revenge for Cai Pingshu—the de facto protagonist of this show.
Was I disappointed? Damn, Yes! How could I not be when what I thought to be a simple, prolonged flashback appearing every now and then—one that lasted through approximately the first 10 episodes and that I assumed ended for good—suddenly came back several episodes later and became the core narrative the story goes back to every time, and later permanently rotates around? I am still in disbelief! I felt like I was tricked, because little did I know that they simply took a quick break from those flashbacks to "somehow" develop the main leads' story, only to shortly go back to the same track again. This progression was definitely not on my bingo card when I picked this series. At this point, it won't even be an exaggeration to declare that this story is a memoir, a grand tribute to the legacy of the legendary Cai Pingshu.
One distinctive attribute of this story's writing style that utterly mystified me—and totally deserves a resounding round of applause—was their flawless ability to manage the story's flow and transitions without seemingly overshadowing the main protagonists, simply because they are still technically the ones fighting the antagonists. *Eyerolls* It was meticulously executed to the point where it may have gone unnoticed by some, unless you're like me who's extra sensitive to and incredibly invested in the main leads.
To be fair, I was not hypercritical of the flashbacks at first. It only became a concerning factor for me when they finally went overboard by investing more than half of the show's runtime in the previous generation and their unresolved conflicts, instead of focusing on the new generation's growth and journey—as they should, since they are the main leads being promoted.
That said, just because they provided an excessive amount of exposure to the previous generation—more than I think should have been given—doesn't mean the leads lacked sufficient character development. It was never like that. In fact, I can say that the leads' arcs were still compellingly realized. Their story, although highly influenced by the past generation's conflicts, was still properly developed with steady pacing, consistent growth, and a beautiful ending—all of which were nicely dissected and delved into through different means, but most commonly through flashbacks. Countless, endless flashbacks... since that is something they are experts at. Lol
At the end of the day, it's just a mix of accumulated emotions—feeling disappointed, bewildered, and in total disbelief. Imagine, even the time that should've been spent exclusively on the main leads was instead spent on yet another batch of countless flashbacks that heavily included the past generation's shenanigans. *Sighs* Mind you, I was initially curious and interested in the past generation's story too, but as time passed, I gradually got tired of it because they were just being shown way too much.
In addition, despite the good flow of the story, there really were some scenes that made my forehead crease, my eyebrows raise, and my eyes roll at the farcical plot devices. Some of those scenes include:
First, the male lead creating their own demise. Mu Qingyan repeatedly stated his desire to kill Nie Zhe once he captured him. Yet, he allowed himself to be manipulated by Nie Zhe's diversion technique, which used his emotional weakness and caused him to escape—when he could have easily slit his throat, since his sword was literally half an inch away from his neck. I understand that he still wanted to squeeze more information from him, but I never expected him to be a victim of such schemes given how smart he is.
Second, the frustration toward Cai Zhao's parents. They forced her to leave Luoying Valley to train at the Qingque Sect and enter the Pugilistic world, when all she ever wanted was to become a businesswoman—even with the infamous knowledge that their Cai lineage has been known to produce the so-called "Demoness" for the past several generations. Thus, I find it infuriating how they reacted with shock upon learning that Cai Zhao has a mutual romantic relationship with Mu Qingyan, when they should have fully expected it following their family's historical pattern. It's just ridiculous that they have the audacity to react this way when they are equally responsible for this foreseeable outcome. On the positive side, I loved how they finally grew to accept and support Mu Qingyan toward the climax.
Third, Cai Zhao's misplaced trust in her sect mates and master, Qi Yunke. It was grating to watch her stay in denial about her master's involvement and identity as the "Man in Black," even when the evidence was pointing directly at them. More so, it is outrageous how she cried and felt conflicted about what to do with him when he deserved nothing but a painful death for the countless innocent lives he took to achieve his utterly crooked revenge.
Fourth, the leads' pitiful state. It made me scoff out of frustration to see how vulnerable, weak, and miserable both of our leads were during the final fight scene of the climax. This entire situation could have been avoided if the FL hadn't hesitated to suspect or doubt her master in the first place.
Fifth, the excessive amount of blood splattering. The sheer volume of blood in this drama felt completely unnecessary. 😅
After completing this series, one issue that totally stood out to me was the production's greed to introduce most, if not everyone, in Cai Pingshu's circle of friends from her generation. This became a considerable concern because the majority of them don't even participate in the main story's timeline—and even if they did, it was just for an irrelevant, ephemeral scene—yet the show constantly jumped between flashbacks of their younger selves and scenes of their older selves in the present time. This created so much confusion because, aside from the fact that they were never given enough individual screen time to establish themselves, there are just so many of them. So keeping track of who is who became a truly overwhelming struggle for me, especially when they were all clumped together. It reached a point where I just didn't give a fuck at all by the end.
On a brighter note, I want to praise them instead for their seamless buildup and execution of the final enemy's identity reveal. Up until the very end, I didn't dare conclude who the final antagonist was until it was officially revealed—my primary suspect was Li Wenxun. The production did an impeccable job crafting Qi Yunke's identity as a righteous, pure-as-white man, to the point that I didn't dare doubt him even a little. I know that this is an extremely cliché plot device, but I have to say they did a stellar job with it; I never held any suspicions toward him, nor did I ever doubt him.
To finally conclude this review, I just want to say that I still thoroughly enjoyed this story despite all my rants, unfavorable feedback, and complaints. I love how our main leads match and rival each other's wits—he was an excellent manipulator and she was highly perceptive—leaving no room to develop any "I'm oblivious to your schemes" drama because they could see through each other's plans along the way. I also love the ending so much! I appreciate how he stuck true to his word about marrying into her family and settling down in Luoyin Valley. There is simply no better way to end their perilous journey than this.
"Cai Zhao, listen to me. We can never be separated. So what if my meridians are severed? Even if I am reduced to ashes, I will return to find you." - Mu Qingyan
Story - 9.0, The story was actually well-crafted—fast-paced and progressive. If they had at least halved the number of flashbacks, everything would have been perfect. It's just frustrating how I came here for the main leads but ended up drowning in Cai Pingshu and her generation's unresolved drama.
Acting/Cast - 9.5, I was planning to give this a 9.0 rating, but I was reminded of how the actors pulled off the excessive amount of blood splatting and vomiting, and I thought I should give them credit for that. lmao This is my first Zhou Yiran drama, but the one who captured my attention the most remained to be Bao Shang'en—despite this being my third drama of hers. Her styling here was insane! It was simple, plain, and muted, with absolutely nothing fancy about it, yet it looked exquisitely crafted for her, making her naturally beautiful features and body proportions stand out in a graceful, striking manner.
Music - 8.0, The songs beautifully accompanied every scene from the beginning until the end. I don't particularly have a favorite, but I certainly love the ballad track the best.
Rewatch Value - 7.0, Despite it being beautifully and evocatively written, I don't think I can sit through all of the flashbacks ever again. This rating is solely based on the narrative's positive aspects.
Overall - 9.0, Honestly, I think the writer and the entire production team should go back on set to film a prequel to this show focusing on the previous generation, just to fulfill their unconcealable obsession with them. Dang! I still feel a bitter distaste in my mouth whenever I think of how our leads were discreetly stripped of their roles as the main protagonists.
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
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