Saffy88

You can read the novel - just be aware it's a little different from the drama but that is usual in adaptations. I think the screenwriter has managed to keep good faith with the novel and does use many scenes and lines from the novel but has changed some things for dramatic purposes which are totally justified. I think you can enjoy both equally - the screenwriter Xiao Chu is brilliant in her own right and is a big fan of Priest.

IKR? That's what I've been feeling these last few weeks..........it's just crazy!

Looks like youku is cleaning up their subs. Was rewatching the earlier episodes as I tend to do while waiting for the new episodes and noticed their earlier subs seem to be making more sense. Nice that they are diligent enough to do that. And also nice that the production team responded to viewer critique about the pacing of the emotional scenes in ep 14 and actually re-edited them. No wonder this is one of the top dramas of the year.........

OMG - I'm trying to avoid all discussion boards and social media in order to avoid spoilers as the last few episodes play out. But just had to say the look on ZZH's face when WKX pops back up from the dead to exact revenge on ZJ is PRICELESS! The leader of the best secret service in the land is the only one left in the dark - LMAO! Such a satisfying drama this is!

This is one of Priest's earliest novels, if not the earliest, and it's very short and as this is an adaptation for the screen with 36 episodes, the screenwriter has had to expand on certain elements and also changed the dynamics a little between ZZS and WKX. In order for eg to give WKX's character more of a motivation rather than just pop up as a random stalker, she's crafted a backstory where he and ZZS knew each other previously. But she's a huge fan of Priest so she has kept faith with the novel and also uses the novel's scenes in the main. She's also shown that she is a brilliant writer in her own right - I pointed out just yesterday she was able to put in a #metoo moment with 3 guys on a bridge while also at the same time interlacing the script effortlessly with classical poetry and idioms, some from the novel undoubtedly but some of which have been expanded/added by her.
As much as it about WKX it is also about ZZH. Watch that first episode carefully again to see why he too is damaged, wracked with guilt and has decided to just get wasted until he dies. WKX and CL entering his life is what gives him a motive to want to live on and an opportunity to redeem himself in his eyes and he hopes in the eyes of his shifu, his junior and the rest of the Four Seasons Manor.
As we haven't reached the end of the drama, we don't know yet how the story with ZZS and his former megalomaniac boss will play out but we know it's coming up cos of the previews - so again not quite correct to say that it's all just about WKX's revenge. I think it will complete ZZS' arc and give him some closure over his guilt as the Prince's enforcer.
PS. I'm reading the English translation of the novel, but have not yet finished.

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There're so many YT videos explaining these to non-Chinese speakers - it's worth watching them just to be able to appreciate the culture more and add depth to one's viewing - in particular check out Avenue X's videos on the poetry and other references: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvOzbhiiMNA&t=191s

Hi, you can get 3 months free on youku as a new subsciber I believe. Otherwise the lowest package is ¥10. There's no point going to the unofficial sites as I think I've seen elsewhere people complaining that they haven't updated beyond what's freely available on YT. Also these sites are quite fraught with phishing/trojans/viruses etc etc.

OMG I couldn't stop laughing at this fan-made parody crossing TU and WOH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBw_IvAeDuI

Interesting that he still has time to read his fan's posts - responded to a fan who expressed her disappointment that she couldn't see him in person after making all sorts of arrangements through scalpers, by telling her to take care and get home safely. Can't wait to see how his career progresses from here onwards.

Join the fan club :)

He's not a celestial or godly immortal and he will die if he doesn't continue to live in the mountain and eat only certain foods - that's why he's already aging as he stuffs his face and moves around the jianghu.

He's the leader of the Ghost Valley. They killed his family in front of him and then took him in. His childhood was therefore completely brutal and miserable and he only survived by beating everyone else to get to the top. Now he's out for revenge against both the jianghu guys who abandoned his family and the Ghost Valley who killed them. In this drama version, WKX also knows ZZS from when they were kids and he was on the run with his family. ZZS's shifu had rescued them and given them temporary shelter - so their fates are intertwined.
Is he good or bad? You see from his backstory that he turned out the way he did because of what was done to him as a kid and what he had to do to survive. His redeeming features are the fact that he hasn't lost all shreds of conscience and is self-aware. He will also defend to the death those he cares about. I would say he's very human, he's made mistakes and some bad choices, but it's not entirely his fault either given how awful his childhood and his time in the Ghost Valley was. Could anyone stay completely sane in that place? The other major point of course is that the story is about him finding redemption in loving ZZS and having ZZS love him. You will also find that the real villain of the piece is far more psycho, calculating and ruthless than WKX.

On the other hand this rule about shooting shorter series is helpful in keeping them focused and there's less risk of losing the plot. How many c-dramas have been ruined because they've let them run too long - 50/60/70 episodes which they fill up with boring/meaningless plots or boring/meaningless side couples etc. I'd rather have a beautiful coherent drama series that can be rewatched over and over again than one which was ruined because they didn't know when to stop.
Having said that though, wouldn't it be cool if there was a possibility of a prequel for ZZS for eg in the Seventh Lord story (I haven't read the novel but understand that part of his backstory would be there)? Needless to say it has to be brought to screen with the same screenwriter, though.

Don't ask for comparisons - just watch and judge for yourself

Drop some comments on their official social media pages - they are reading those cos they responded to mine.

IKR? I couldn't stop laughing but also thought wah she actually got a guy who's a super kungfu master to say those lines - what a great way to highlight sexual harassment

BTW - just a shout-out to the screenwriter - she actually managed to put in a #metoo moment in Ep 14 in the scene on the bridge with ZZH/YBY/WKX - I thought it was brilliant considering the #metoo movement doesn't seem to have percolated into C-dramaland much or indeed at all............

I too didn’t know his name then cos I mean when you have William Chan and Joe Xu in the drama your plate is full. I was just astonished when I checked out his other roles and it clicked that he was the sidekick. Haven’t even seen his other stuff like Advance Bravely etc

IKR. When I first started watching I had to keep doing double takes cos I know GJ best as the goofy sidekick 11th Prince in Lost Love In Times. I just couldn’t believe that he was the same actor. Truly amazing how he has just levelled up so much in this drama. For me though ZZH is my favourite cos his role requires more subtlety and nuances - suffice to say I’ve now become a total fangirl! He too is completely different from his previous costume drama roles. It’s been such a revelation to watch the two of them. I think too that credit should be given to the scriptwriter and the directors for being able to bring out these amazing performances from them. Am really happy they’ve hit the jackpot with these roles. Hope they will be sent lots of great scripts in the future.