I’m kind of pissed off by how humans always blame demons, while they themselves are free to do evil things and then pin everything on Hongye. It’s like: Something bad happens—"Oh, it’s the demon’s fault." Then... "Oh, we must kill Hongye."
What kind of logic is that? Can't u give this man a rest?
I also realized that most of Hou Minghao’s characters that I’ve watched so far are targeted or blamed for things they didn’t do. Tbh, he has already done the demon king trope and the ‘being blamed’ trope before, which makes me wish he would pick more diverse roles. That said, so far I like how the story is progressing, the characters are cute, and the Xiao Yao–Hongye dynamic is enjoyable.
I also love how Tan Songyun portrayed Xiao Yao’s character—she’s unique, naughty, has her own judgment, full of love, and wise. She’s playfully annoying in the cutest way possible. I love her.
I decided to watch this drama on its premiere date. Four episodes in so far, and I love it! I really like how every character has their own motive, and you can’t help but be suspicious of everyone. Even those characters with an ‘innocent’ look.
I love how the plot has evolved so far. It’s not too slow, not too fast—just the right pace. I also like the ML’s survival instincts. And the FL is SO, SO ALPHA (love it). She’s the real definition of a firstborn daughter and firstborn granddaughter. Her responsibilities and pressure are REAL.
I also want to praise the writer for not turning the ML into a completely different character after he experiences memory loss. He still retains his core personality traits, martial arts skills (which can be explained as muscle memory), and intelligence. Basically, he’s still the same person—he’s just lost his identity and memories of himself, without losing who he is at his core.
I've watched K-dramas since 2012 and C-dramas since 2015, yet ironically I hadn't seen any of Cheng Yi's dramas until SAB. Now, I finished Sword and Beloved and Mysterious Lotus Casebook.
SAB has HUGE POTENTIAL as a drama, although I started to dislike the obsessive sibling plot in the later part. I would have given it a higher score (maybe a solid 8–9 considering the aesthetic, OSTs, costumes, acting, and unique plot) if they hadn't leaned so much into that weird sibling storyline. Some parts also made me question why they drifted away from the main focus of the drama, which is Fugui and Qingtong. Despite that, I genuinely liked most of the characters—especially Fugui. There's so much to learn from his character. The way Cheng Yi portrayed Fugui is the reason I'm now watching more of his works. I'm not part of his fandom, just a casual viewer, but I can say he's an amazing actor.
Then I decided to watch MLC…
I'm the type of person who chooses a drama not based on reviews, data, heat index, etc. But I've heard for a long time that MLC is an amazing drama, and I'm glad I finally watched it in 2025—better late than never! (Hopefully I’ll write a review on MDL soon lol.) I love MLC SOOO MUCHHH that I honestly regret not watching it in real time. It's truly good, and the second season is very much needed—it has huge potential for a comeback. I've watched several Chinese crime-solving dramas, and I’d say this is one of the best (my personal favorite).
Right now, I'm watching Love and Redemption and Immortal Samsara back to back. Both dramas are definitely angsty-coded (and I knew Cheng Yi’s characters tend to be tragic). I don’t mind happy, sad, or open endings as long as the ending is meaningful—an ending that doesn’t make me question the purpose of the story. Hopefully these two will also turn out to be good ones.
If anyone comes across this comment, feel free to recommend me Cheng Yi’s dramas with amazing plots!
I'm on episode 18, and a little bit traumatized by Liu Xue Yi's character (somehow he gives off a crazy, obsessive guy), which reminds me of a spider brother in SAB (NO HATE FOR THE ACTORS THEY DID SO WELL BTW).
I just kinda traumatized by the obsessive villain trope. While XueYi has been getting annoying in the past 3/4 episodes.
I’m watching Love and Redemption and Immortal Samsara simultaneously — L&R (episode 18) and Immortal Samsara (episode 7). I love the story so far. I’ve only seen (sadly) the not-so-romantic side of Cheng Yi in SAB. Meanwhile, MLC (the one I really like) has only about 1% romance, since it’s not a romance-focused drama.
I'm not a sucker for romance, but I’m trying to explore Cheng Yi’s romance dramas, so I started with Love and Redemption and Immortal Samsara. L&R is quite cute — I wouldn’t call it a “mature” romance because the characters feel young, but it’s still adorable.
Surprisingly, Immortal Samsara has really good chemistry! Somehow, the leads just click for me. I don’t know how the plot will take their relationship (considering people say this drama breaks your heart), BUT I hope the writer executes it well, especially because the ML and FL have huge potential together on screen.
according to dramaslot.com’s review of this drama, it is exactly what you look for. looks nice. imma give it…
Hi! A little update: I’ve watched until episode 23, and I LOVE IT!!! I just love how chill and fun the dynamics of the drama are, and somehow I can relate to the characters. I don’t really need to think about the plot—it feels like watching the daily lives of some young, ambitious people. Also, I love how the FL and ML’s relationship grows. Their romance isn’t the only main focus! The way they build themselves (career, family, relationships) and how they handle problems is also the reason why I love this drama.
As someone who’s looking for a slow-paced, chill, and relaxing drama, I’d definitely recommend this one.
Hi! I’m looking for a chill drama, and this one seems fun and relaxing. This might sound weird, but I want a drama where I don’t have to think too much, and most importantly…it’s not emotionally draining! Is this a good one to watch?🧐
Everything about Lize Palace just doesn’t make sense—especially the part where they force their clan members…
(UPDATE) THAT ANNOYING GIRL IS SIFENG'S MYSTIC SNAKE PET??!!!! WTF... wow... what... Poor Xuanji, Linglong, Mingyan... this is so stupid... :")))) huft... It's not Sifeng's fault, but that pet...she's really annoying this time. I hope there's no stupid ideas for next time.
As much as I really appreciate this drama—the story, acting, costumes, and cinematography... The ending still traumatized me, lol. It’s been more than two years since the drama aired, and I feel like they never gave the story a proper ending. If they wanted to go with that kind of ending, they should’ve made a season 2. Honestly, I’d rather have a sad ending than no conclusion at all. The story had so much potential for another season, and there were still so many things left unexplained.
I decided to watch this drama because I’d already watched Sword and Beloved (I think Cheng Yi’s acting is…
Everything about Lize Palace just doesn’t make sense—especially the part where they force their clan members to wear masks, forbid them from interacting with outsiders, and prohibit friendships, emotions, or relationships. They even said that Sifeng could be pardoned after completing the 13 towers, but in the end, they still used him and kept him bound by that love-curse mask.
(Little update) — I’m on episode 10 now, I like the plot so far. But, the new girl (I forgot her name—Ms. Lu? The one who said she was lost or something) is annoying AF. Also, the way she tried to “trap” Xuanji by forcing Minyan to pin her down was just diabolical. Her actions weirded me out...
I decided to watch this drama because I’d already watched Sword and Beloved (I think Cheng Yi’s acting is amazing in that one), so I decided to check out one of his representative works. I’m currently on episode 7, and so far, I really like it! Also, the female lead is so cute~ I love how she’s cute, unbothered, innocent, kind, silly, yet smart at the same time. I hope the drama turns out to be as good as people say it is.
Also, we still don’t know if Fugui is going to be D-word or not, but…It’s funny how I started this drama…
HAHAHA, after that "Heaven and Earth Strike" thing, atp just give Fugui that peacefulness where he can drink his tea and enjoy the view. Idc if it's in heaven. Bro just want to enjoy a normal life.🤣🤚
After episode 20, it looks like everything has changed, for instance Qingtong’s character. She was smart and…
THIS. I feel like she’s smart enough to notice how her brother changed so drastically. Also, when she was first kidnapped, she asked the Spider Silk Cave agent to inform her if something happened to her brother or the city. But somehow, she brushed it off even though she realized how strange her brother was.
What I noticed: 1) Qingtong already felt something was off about her brother. 2) She knew her brother was hiding a lot of things and doing something evil. 3) She knew he actually framed her, but she was just in denial. Even Fugui told her that deep down, she already knew who the real culprit was. 4) Episode 27 proves that Qingtong was simply in denial, using her “loving sister” feelings to overlook how evil her brother had become.
One thing she should understand is that her brother was the one who chose to let the Black Fox’s power and hatred consume him. All of his evil deeds were his own decisions!
Here’s what I thought after watching 27 episodes of Sword and Beloved (I turned on the spoiler thingy just in…
Also, we still don’t know if Fugui is going to be D-word or not, but…
It’s funny how I started this drama hoping for a happy ending, and genuinely believing it would be one. But at this point, considering how Fugui has no real attachment to life and how unfair the world has been to him, I’ve started thinking, “It’s okay if Fugui’s gone at the end of the story—maybe he’ll finally be happier when he reunites with his loving mom.” lol. Just imagine Fugui sipping his tea, making lanterns, maybe having a drink and chatting with his mom in heaven. Maybe Fugui has been teaching me the art of letting go.
Here’s what I thought after watching 27 episodes of Sword and Beloved (I turned on the spoiler thingy just in…
What I love about this drama: - I love the aesthetics of this drama. - I love Fugui and Rumu’s relationship (which is different from Hongye and crazy Quan Jingting). - Can we talk about how amazing their costumes/make up/ styles? Sooooo pretty omg. 10/10 - The OST, omg, I love it so much. Liu Yuning's voice matches Fugui's fighting scene so damn well. - It actually has an interesting plot and a lot of potential, only if they didn’t add too much of the siscon thing lol. - I didn't expect Fugui-Rumu-Yunfei dynamic to be so much fun! - Crazy villains (which is interesting), but still that Qingcheng siscon plot is a BIG NO.
I will rate this drama a solid 9 only if: - LESS SISCON PLOT WTF (I’M SO PISSED OFF WITH QINGCHENG–QINGTONG’S RELATIONSHIP). At first, Qingcheng was the only one who pissed me off, but in episode 27, Qingtong really disappointed me... Girl, I trusted you, and you did this to me lol. - Fewer unrelated plots (like the siscon one). I feel like Qingcheng’s arc is just too long. I don’t mind if he turns out to be a villain, but this siscon plot has been going on for almost 10 episodes? Please be real... - They kill Quan Jingting and Qingcheng (I’m sorry, but they need to die, or at least get proper karma). - If they end the evil black fox demon storyline, because Hongye and Fugui’s sacrifices should be ENOUGH. How long are they going to use this black fox demon as the main villain? Is it really that powerful that their sacrifices weren’t enough? lol.
What I think about Fugui as a male lead: First, I didn’t expect that I would love Fugui’s character this much. If I could compare him to anyone, it would be a monk. He’s so unbothered, calm, kind, but surprisingly sociable (considering how he grew up in such a secluded space). He’s the type of person who’s selfless and never lets hatred control him. Why a monk? It’s because of the way he smiles, acts, and thinks. He doesn’t really have attachments and is ready to let go of everything. That’s why, when he loses something in life, he can still find his own peace and happiness. No matter how hard his life gets, he always finds a way to live.
What I think about Qingtong as a female lead: I love her so much. She’s like a ball of sunshine—super kind, beautiful, emotionally smart, and lovable. But around episode 24 to early 27, I had a feeling that the siscon plot would ruin her character, and it did on episode 27. WHICH IS ANNOYING. It feels like I'm betrayed by her lol. Where's my old Qingtong
If I’m being honest: I’ve been considering postponing the drama ever since they dragged out the siscon plot and Qingtong’s character started to disappoint me (in episode 27). Maybe it’s because I loved the FL so much at first, so when she got blinded by her love for her brother and ignored his evil deeds, it pissed me off. But since I really want to know how Fugui will solve all of this chaos, I’m hoping they’ll end the siscon plot soon. Once again, this drama has an amazing potential, but they kinda ruined it with the siscon plot.
This drama is the definition of wasted potential.The first half had me thinking I found a hidden gem… and then…
It really pissed me off when they decided to change Qingtong’s character to make such a dumb decision (ep 27). Fugui is sacrificing himself for everyone at this point. Also, the Fugui–Rumu–Yunfei dynamic kind of saves the draggy siscon plot—which, honestly, I still don’t understand why it’s even important. I don’t care about Qingcheng’s obsession… what’s the point?😅
There are a few episodes where I barely see Fugui, which is kinda weird. I’m fine with fillers if they add something to the story, but the siscon plot? Just random, dumb, and annoying. 😮💨
I didn’t expect to like Fugui’s character this much, which is also why I’m staying for him. He’s somehow unbothered, calm, and smart, yet surprisingly sociable in his own way. His character is really interesting, and that’s why I want to see how he’s going to solve all this chaos.
Something bad happens—"Oh, it’s the demon’s fault." Then... "Oh, we must kill Hongye."
What kind of logic is that? Can't u give this man a rest?
I also realized that most of Hou Minghao’s characters that I’ve watched so far are targeted or blamed for things they didn’t do. Tbh, he has already done the demon king trope and the ‘being blamed’ trope before, which makes me wish he would pick more diverse roles. That said, so far I like how the story is progressing, the characters are cute, and the Xiao Yao–Hongye dynamic is enjoyable.
I also love how Tan Songyun portrayed Xiao Yao’s character—she’s unique, naughty, has her own judgment, full of love, and wise. She’s playfully annoying in the cutest way possible. I love her.
I love how the plot has evolved so far. It’s not too slow, not too fast—just the right pace. I also like the ML’s survival instincts. And the FL is SO, SO ALPHA (love it). She’s the real definition of a firstborn daughter and firstborn granddaughter. Her responsibilities and pressure are REAL.
I also want to praise the writer for not turning the ML into a completely different character after he experiences memory loss. He still retains his core personality traits, martial arts skills (which can be explained as muscle memory), and intelligence. Basically, he’s still the same person—he’s just lost his identity and memories of himself, without losing who he is at his core.
SAB has HUGE POTENTIAL as a drama, although I started to dislike the obsessive sibling plot in the later part. I would have given it a higher score (maybe a solid 8–9 considering the aesthetic, OSTs, costumes, acting, and unique plot) if they hadn't leaned so much into that weird sibling storyline. Some parts also made me question why they drifted away from the main focus of the drama, which is Fugui and Qingtong. Despite that, I genuinely liked most of the characters—especially Fugui. There's so much to learn from his character. The way Cheng Yi portrayed Fugui is the reason I'm now watching more of his works. I'm not part of his fandom, just a casual viewer, but I can say he's an amazing actor.
Then I decided to watch MLC…
I'm the type of person who chooses a drama not based on reviews, data, heat index, etc. But I've heard for a long time that MLC is an amazing drama, and I'm glad I finally watched it in 2025—better late than never! (Hopefully I’ll write a review on MDL soon lol.)
I love MLC SOOO MUCHHH that I honestly regret not watching it in real time. It's truly good, and the second season is very much needed—it has huge potential for a comeback. I've watched several Chinese crime-solving dramas, and I’d say this is one of the best (my personal favorite).
Right now, I'm watching Love and Redemption and Immortal Samsara back to back. Both dramas are definitely angsty-coded (and I knew Cheng Yi’s characters tend to be tragic). I don’t mind happy, sad, or open endings as long as the ending is meaningful—an ending that doesn’t make me question the purpose of the story. Hopefully these two will also turn out to be good ones.
If anyone comes across this comment, feel free to recommend me Cheng Yi’s dramas with amazing plots!
I just kinda traumatized by the obsessive villain trope. While XueYi has been getting annoying in the past 3/4 episodes.
I’ve only seen (sadly) the not-so-romantic side of Cheng Yi in SAB.
Meanwhile, MLC (the one I really like) has only about 1% romance, since it’s not a romance-focused drama.
I'm not a sucker for romance, but I’m trying to explore Cheng Yi’s romance dramas, so I started with Love and Redemption and Immortal Samsara. L&R is quite cute — I wouldn’t call it a “mature” romance because the characters feel young, but it’s still adorable.
Surprisingly, Immortal Samsara has really good chemistry! Somehow, the leads just click for me. I don’t know how the plot will take their relationship (considering people say this drama breaks your heart), BUT I hope the writer executes it well, especially because the ML and FL have huge potential together on screen.
As someone who’s looking for a slow-paced, chill, and relaxing drama, I’d definitely recommend this one.
(Little update) — I’m on episode 10 now, I like the plot so far. But, the new girl (I forgot her name—Ms. Lu? The one who said she was lost or something) is annoying AF. Also, the way she tried to “trap” Xuanji by forcing Minyan to pin her down was just diabolical. Her actions weirded me out...
What I noticed:
1) Qingtong already felt something was off about her brother.
2) She knew her brother was hiding a lot of things and doing something evil.
3) She knew he actually framed her, but she was just in denial. Even Fugui told her that deep down, she already knew who the real culprit was.
4) Episode 27 proves that Qingtong was simply in denial, using her “loving sister” feelings to overlook how evil her brother had become.
One thing she should understand is that her brother was the one who chose to let the Black Fox’s power and hatred consume him. All of his evil deeds were his own decisions!
It’s funny how I started this drama hoping for a happy ending, and genuinely believing it would be one. But at this point, considering how Fugui has no real attachment to life and how unfair the world has been to him, I’ve started thinking, “It’s okay if Fugui’s gone at the end of the story—maybe he’ll finally be happier when he reunites with his loving mom.” lol. Just imagine Fugui sipping his tea, making lanterns, maybe having a drink and chatting with his mom in heaven. Maybe Fugui has been teaching me the art of letting go.
LOL… what the hell am I even typing.🤣
- I love the aesthetics of this drama.
- I love Fugui and Rumu’s relationship (which is different from Hongye and crazy Quan Jingting).
- Can we talk about how amazing their costumes/make up/ styles? Sooooo pretty omg. 10/10
- The OST, omg, I love it so much. Liu Yuning's voice matches Fugui's fighting scene so damn well.
- It actually has an interesting plot and a lot of potential, only if they didn’t add too much of the siscon thing lol.
- I didn't expect Fugui-Rumu-Yunfei dynamic to be so much fun!
- Crazy villains (which is interesting), but still that Qingcheng siscon plot is a BIG NO.
I will rate this drama a solid 9 only if:
- LESS SISCON PLOT WTF (I’M SO PISSED OFF WITH QINGCHENG–QINGTONG’S RELATIONSHIP). At first, Qingcheng was the only one who pissed me off, but in episode 27, Qingtong really disappointed me... Girl, I trusted you, and you did this to me lol.
- Fewer unrelated plots (like the siscon one). I feel like Qingcheng’s arc is just too long. I don’t mind if he turns out to be a villain, but this siscon plot has been going on for almost 10 episodes? Please be real...
- They kill Quan Jingting and Qingcheng (I’m sorry, but they need to die, or at least get proper karma).
- If they end the evil black fox demon storyline, because Hongye and Fugui’s sacrifices should be ENOUGH. How long are they going to use this black fox demon as the main villain? Is it really that powerful that their sacrifices weren’t enough? lol.
What I think about Fugui as a male lead:
First, I didn’t expect that I would love Fugui’s character this much. If I could compare him to anyone, it would be a monk. He’s so unbothered, calm, kind, but surprisingly sociable (considering how he grew up in such a secluded space). He’s the type of person who’s selfless and never lets hatred control him. Why a monk? It’s because of the way he smiles, acts, and thinks. He doesn’t really have attachments and is ready to let go of everything. That’s why, when he loses something in life, he can still find his own peace and happiness. No matter how hard his life gets, he always finds a way to live.
What I think about Qingtong as a female lead:
I love her so much. She’s like a ball of sunshine—super kind, beautiful, emotionally smart, and lovable. But around episode 24 to early 27, I had a feeling that the siscon plot would ruin her character, and it did on episode 27. WHICH IS ANNOYING. It feels like I'm betrayed by her lol. Where's my old Qingtong
If I’m being honest:
I’ve been considering postponing the drama ever since they dragged out the siscon plot and Qingtong’s character started to disappoint me (in episode 27). Maybe it’s because I loved the FL so much at first, so when she got blinded by her love for her brother and ignored his evil deeds, it pissed me off. But since I really want to know how Fugui will solve all of this chaos, I’m hoping they’ll end the siscon plot soon. Once again, this drama has an amazing potential, but they kinda ruined it with the siscon plot.
There are a few episodes where I barely see Fugui, which is kinda weird. I’m fine with fillers if they add something to the story, but the siscon plot? Just random, dumb, and annoying. 😮💨
I didn’t expect to like Fugui’s character this much, which is also why I’m staying for him. He’s somehow unbothered, calm, and smart, yet surprisingly sociable in his own way. His character is really interesting, and that’s why I want to see how he’s going to solve all this chaos.