me0w786

Decent start, draggy middle, confusing end

If anything could be the saving grace of the show, it would be the visual candy of Cheng Yi and Xu Zhen Xuan, along with the fight scenes which were truly quite epic.

Plot: The start was entertaining enough, and felt reminiscent of ADWAD but with a slight spin to the usual delivery, which led to some interest in how they would resolve the time travel (spoiler: the conclusion was unsatisfying). But somehow the pace or direction of the show was lacking, and quite a few scenes were fast forwarded as opposed to watching it in the entirety to understand/appreciate the plot. Said plot ended up being too convoluted, with too many sub-plots without a clear direction, like a cook adding too many ingredients when the focus should be on a few key ingredients and making the flavors pop.

Characters: Not sure if it was the direction or acting skills itself, but most of the supporting characters did not make much of an impression. There's not enough backstory to explain why they acted the way they did, and sometimes the actions of the main villain/antagonists just did not make sense, or overly contrived. Yeah sure some parts could be inferred, but cramming so many different subplots made it feel more like the additions were an afterthought, instead of intentional characterizations to bring the story to life. To be honest, even Xiao Qiu Shui's character growth seemed a bit bizzare, and the portrayal of his headstrong/childish (?) moments also feel a bit flat. The brief moments of supposed chemistry/sparks between XQS and Tang Fang also felt rather dull...

OST: Other than that one main OST, the other songs didn't make much of an impression.

Ultimately, I'm not sure what the show was trying to convey (other than serving great visual candy, lol). Granted, yes, there was quite a bit of exposition on ideals and how to fight the big baddies, with the usual notes of brotherhood, sacrifice and care for others, but maybe the message was not strong enough to hammer in the points? idk. As compared to ADWAD, A moment but forever, there were certain themes or messages that could be gleaned from the story, which made it feel more than surface visual entertainment, and left some food for thought.

Nonetheless, there were some highlights such as the pairing of Li Chen Zhou and Zhao Shi Rong, and the camaraderie in the brotherhood, especially with Tang Song. It's actually really enjoyable to see both LCZ and XQS together, because Cheng Yi portrays them so distinctly - but it also raises some questions on why they look similar. Afterall, they could have just pretended that the characters did not notice the similarities in appearance, but no, the similarities were highlighted multiple times! But even till the end of the show I had no idea why the creative direction was as such, other than wagering a guess that they were representing two opposing approaches to achieving their goals for the martial world/country??

TLDR, can watch just for Cheng Yi and the fight scenes, but don't expect to gain much out of it, and possibly feel a bit disgruntled even at the ending hahaha.

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Beautiful set, enchanting plot

Xianxia drama with a less troupe-y plot and beautiful visuals from the cast, and set costumes. If you like Dilraba, this is a show to watch. Her styling was immaculate and the costumes were a visual treat, and her acting, IMO, just keeps getting better recently (the most recent drama I watched with her as a lead was LotTL

Pros:
- The acting by both leads, and their chemistry! The FL's loneliness, rage, sadness, yearning, love, resignation to fate, hope, joy etc wow Dilraba had a beautifully nuanced and measured portrayal of the range of emotions experienced by the FL. Same with the ML, have never watched shows by Arthur Chen but the contrast in emotions portrayed by him for the ML was an enjoyable watch.
- I actually liked the interaction between Jiang Ai and Bai San Xing haha they were cute. Feng Yi also provided much comedic relief, and the other scenes were he portrayed a more grounded/responsible/serious demeanor were an enjoyable contrast to watch.
- The OSTs! So beautiful and such a treat to listen to, especially 若能在你眼中!! Gets me in the feels everytime.
- The CGI used in the drama was beautiful and incorporated smoothly, which complemented the portrayal of the fantasy world that the drama was set in, and the sparkly magical skills that the characters had.

Cons:
- The lighting is harsh in certain angles, which reduces the immersiveness of the set (i.e., looks fake), and the CGI at the start was - somewhat campy looking.
- I...did not really feel much from the ML's acting...but to be fair his visuals are not appealing to me so maybe there is some bias there.
- I cannot take Miles Wei seriously in this role lol, his character was constantly oscillating between being a puppy for the FL, trying to seem nefarious and evil, supposedly being power hungry and then scheming to bring the ML down. The characterisation was not particularly strong or distinct which made it harder to feel for him. Still a visual treat to look at though, especially with all the beautiful set costumes. To be fair I might also be biased as I watched his other shows where he starred as predominantly green/beige flag ML characters without much grey area characterisation so...but yeah it did feel like there was room for improvement for the portrayal of the villain role (e.g. Qi Min in Pursuit of Jade where you hate him but you also felt for him).
- There was not a lot of background context to certain motivations, charactor relationships or even the background world building context so you have to suspend coherant logic for certain segments.
- Certain parts of the plot were a bit draggy, speedran through the second half just to know how they resolved it in the end. When that is the main motivating factor to finish a show, there is little rewatch value or memorable scenes which would I would want to watch again.

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Emphasizing the ties that bind, with time travel done right

Did you ever get into a dilemma wondering about whether to watch a historical period or modern day drama? Well fret not now because this drama has both, and more (since it includes the future too LOL). One might think that this was just a short story based drama tying to the main mystery, but it ended up being much more. Each mini story had a deeper underlying message to convey about the ties between friends, lovers and family across time and space - ultimately emphasizing that no matter how fleeting our time is, or if it is even altered, what matters are the treasured bonds and memories between people, beyond material antiques. Afterall, the value of items in general, beyond aesthetic or functional use, also lies in the stories related to the object.

An enjoyable watch with a slice of life kind of pace/vibe, I initially watched it because of Vengo but ended up staying because of the beautiful visuals of the set (Ya She's design was so intricate and a feast for the eyes honestly, along with the other sets, which had some level of detail beyond the usual cookie cutter set), intriguing mystery and compelling chemistry between the actors, both main and supporting. One minor gripe was that I do not really understand the driving force for the antagonists, so it felt like a bit of a cop out, but then again I also have no idea how else they could spin it to cause the events that happen in the past. Maybe I just do not understand the demand for antiques, haha. The emotion was emoting lol never expected to tear up for this drama but there were multiple memorable moments that truly touched me. And that ending! A beautiful full circle moment. Needless to say, the time travel conundrums were decently fleshed out, where changes to the timeline and how they were addressed made logical sense, so at least the story did not seem overly far fetched.

It could take a while to get immersed in the story, but once you are hooked, it's well worth the ride.

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Letting go of obsession after it is no longer a crutch, but an impediment from living life fully

Such a compelling show where more is conveyed through their interactions and expressions, instead of words. Some may say this is a slow burn romance, which is true, but there is zero displays of physical affection, lol. However you can still tell how there is an undercurrent of fondness and longing from the FL for the ML, and definitely a simmering yearning that the ML has for her. The show explores themes of obsession vs hope, nature vs nurtured environments and dedications without expectations.

Story:
Outwardly it's a story of the ML being sent on a somewhat wild goose chase to collect 5 types of medicinal herbs, and how they know each other better through his journeys back and forth to the FL (to pass her each herb), with an underlying mystery of sorts that the FL is trying to solve. These two aspects tie in together well, serving to keep audiences hooked with the depiction of their growing affection along with who the main villain is and how he is linked to the mystery case. Good pacing throughout with secondary plots and relationships that kept the storyline engaging, while not detracting from the main couple.

Acting:
Li Qin's acting was amazing...I loved how she conveyed so much just with her eyes and facial movements. Maybe a large bulk of how I binged the show in 2 days was because of how beautiful she looked and acted, lol. Joseph Zeng's character seemed to be a bit more grounded than his role in MLC but it generally seems to be in the similar vein as his recent roles in xianxia/xuanhuan/wuxia shows, which he manages fairly decently anyway. Some aspects could still be improved but the chemistry between both leads were compelling enough even for me, a sucker for (more obvious) romance. They both looked great together too, the FL with the world weary demeanor who was slowly melted by his ernest and steady optimism.

Characters:
Props to the supporting cast, especially Chang Wu Jue's entourage. CWJ was sickeningly evil while Miao Feng, Miao Sui and Ming Jie had their moments to shine. Their characters balanced both the big baddie energy and the contradictions with the original nature, since afterall they mostly started out being forced against their will to be on the path with CWJ.

OSTs were nice enough, not the kind to make you flashback to the emotions and story of the show when you hear them, but enough to add to the vibes when they start playing.

Worth a watch if you want something easy on the eyes, with a straightforward plot without too many twists and turns, and leaves you with a bittersweet ending to finish. It would not rip your heart out or make you squeal in excitedment, but it is akin to a waning winter chill that brings along a tinge of a warm spring breeze.

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Strong and witty FL with puppy ML that has his badass moments in a countryside farm setting

If you like Tian Xi Wei and Joseph Zeng, this show would likely be an enjoyable watch for you.

Story - succinct and tight plot which was not too draggy, no prominently draggy or exciting arcs but it was consistently engaging throughout. It was basically a blend of a main video game quest storyline, FL achieving said quests and all the shenanigans involved. Yes, there was a 2ML sub plot but it was resolved well with not much second lead syndrome yet did not feel perfunctory or unnecessary. Like what some mentioned, there's really no much romance shown from the main couple, it was more of a slow build up of admiration which blended into love, not much sizzling chemistry (if you want that, just go watch POJ instead). You do need to suspend some thinking with regard to the game storyline though, like why show the FL having financial trouble just to imply the reason for her signing up for this game? It would have been easier if the show just indicated that she was an employee or intern etc since the show is 99.99% about her in the game world, and in-game her did not ever think about her real world background or allude to her previous financial struggles to solve game world challenges. The ending was also...questionable (can't they just show the couple in the same frame instead of showing a token of their love) but I accept it lol (How dare you?! definitely addressed the real world vs alternative world dynamic better - at least they showed both the leads in the real world).

Acting - enjoyable acting across the board, some characters are really insufferable but somehow the actors managed to flesh out the nuances, making them more multi-faceted and bring them to life (technically they are NPCs in a game but the show does not allude to the NPC nature vs some shows where the characters are literally called calefare 1 or etc.) Side couples were also cute and balanced off the main couple.

Characters - Really satisfying character growth arcs towards the end, when you see how the family situation evolves with different circumstances and comes to a conclusion.

Production (Music, Visuals, Cinematography) - One or two key OSTs were memorable and really added to the feels. Costumes were not overly elaborate but looked realistic, which is understandable since they were all farmers mostly, LOL. The other satin like hanfus etc were pleasing to look at too, nothing of the cheap, plasticky polyester look. Generally not much gripe on the cinematography except for some angles where the lighting was a bit too harsh. But overall the music, set visuals and cinematography were complementary and added to the viewing exprienced instead of detracting from it.

Pacing - 26 episodes which felt like a decent length, maybe some filler and lulls here and there which can be skipped through but still overall alright.

Rewatch Value - will likely not rewatch because there were not too many iconic moments and there was no major plot device and intrigue that I would want to watch again lol.

TLDR watch if you just want an easy to watch show about a strong FL overcoming challenges with wit and determination, which also has decent cinematography. Not much standout themes that made me reflect more though, it's mainly about family ties and how relationships, familial ties are what makes life worthwhile.
Content notes: Some violence during the fighting scenes.

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Philosophical reflections using a xianxia setting, with a slow burn, steady romance

Originally watched it when it was first released for Liu Xue Yi, and just finished my binge rewatch of it again this week - clearly there is rewatch value here.

Pros:
- The way the drama explores themes of morality, good vs evil, action vs thought, time vs reality, balance and excess.
> some memorable moments
- Likewise, the use of the craftmanship theme was first - visually compelling and beautiful (did not look campy!), refreshingly different and also beautifully explored themes relating to technology
- Main CP's romance - there is really nothing steamy here lol, everything is super PG13. But it was beautiful seeing their commitment to each other, and definitely entertaining at the start when the ML is annoyed by the FL but still constantly intrigued by her. And the FL just has this unwavering dedication to him beyond job responsibility which she took a while to finally realise oh yeah I do like him.
- Bai Shu's acting as Mei Shan is phenomenal as usual, maybe he keeps playing similar characterizations (I always see a sniff of Teng She in his roles lol) but I always enjoy his presence on-screen lol.
- Same for Baron Chen's acting!!

Cons:
- Subpar set lighting and makeup, this aspect does not detract much from the typical xianxia where the lighting is sterile and white with little nuance and play on light vs shadow, which makes the setting look artificial and washed out.
- Side characters/couple romances were not the most compelling (Except for Pei Jiu!! I cri everytime) (incomplete review because idk how to save this as a draft lol)
- Weak plot devices - so the FL has a restraint on her falling in love/revealing her identity...but we don't really see any major repercussions from it, other than her not being able to speak. But I also have no idea how else they could have depicted it.

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Watch if you are a fan of Xiao Zhan

For background context, this drama was highly anticipated for me ever since the trailer came out for it because I am a fan of the original novel and Xiao Zhan. And the trailer combined with the OST really brought out the wow factor further. So while I enjoyed it in general because I am already a fan, it might not be as enjoyable to someone who does not have any prior understanding of the original novel, and I would recommend The Land of Warriors (2024) sequel instead.

Pros
- Stellar acting from Xiao Zhan, for each arc of his journey. It was a treat to see the progress of Tang San from his adolescence (maybe Xiao Zhan looked a little too mature for that segment, but the youthful exuberance he portrayed made it reasonable), to the period spent in Shrek academy and up till the final confrontation towards the end of the show. Be it moments of insecurity and loneliness in his childhood days, to his underlying commitment to justice, the dedication and protection of the FL, to his rage and pain at the antagonist that was charged with emotional intensity - every scene was a treat to watch.
- Evocative and highly complementary OSTs, it was an especially nice touch that some of the OSTs were sung by the cast members too (Xiao Zhan, Wu Xuanyi, Liu Run Nan).

Cons
- Not sure how much the budget for the drama was but....the set design looked quite shabby, and some costumes looked drab and run-down. Like it was to the point where the cast looked somewhat ludicrous,
- The plot is quite different from the original story, and while it was engaging enough, it felt abit jarring because there was not as much context provided within the show itself. So the changes in plot felt somewhat jarring and not cohesive to the story.
- Felt that the romantic chemistry between the leads was a bit lacking...but then again they were in the stage where it was more of a 'sibling' relationship so...perhaps it was more of a directorial decision and not about the acting skill.

Tldr, watch only if you like the leads or the original novel, and if you do not mind moderate changes to the plot. If not the production quality really leaves much to be desired at times and the watch time can be better spent elsewhere, lol.

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Easy to watch adaptation true to original story, with good visual atmosphere

Having read the manga, watched the donghua, and loved the first live action adaptation of Soul Land, this drama was a satisfying watch that was definitely closer to the original story than Douluo Continent (DC). First time watchers with no prior understanding of the story might be a little thrown off by the first episode, which kicks off in the middle of a fight, but stay invested and the plot plays out coherently after. But if you are like me, who really loved the original story and the donghua music, the opening of this drama was perfect, where the combination of the epic donghua OST, good CGI, decent visuals made me hooked from the get go.

Pros:
- I hate to admit this but I actually thought the chemistry between the leads here were better... (even though my personal bias is Xiao Zhan). The supporting cast also felt better/more appropriately casted here, be it in terms of cast chemistry, characterisation of their roles and even the way they were styled. Ma Hong Jun in DC was totally different from the original which was somewhat strange but Ma Hong Jun here was perfect (albeit thinner lol).
- Good plot pacing and plot that followed the original story closely.
- Way better set costumes and good CGI (but game-like, which might not be the preferred vibe for some people) that blended in decently and made the drama setting look much more immersive and enjoyable to watch.
- The drama-specific OSTs were not super memorable but were complementary to the show at least.
- *Liu Yuning appearing towards the end in his guest role cracked me up so much but he nailed it regardless!!

Cons:
- It's been a while since I've watched it and nothing particularly bad stuck out, other than taking some time to get used to the characters who are all played by completely different characters. And the ending only stops midway of the original story, in the midst of one the more interesting arcs so I do hope there is a sequel because the set visuals of that arc were beautifully portrayed in this drama.

Tldr if you loved the original novel/donghua, this would be a perfect watch! Also a great watch for anyone who enjoys fantasy themed shows and...likes games I guess lol (the fighting dynamics in the show is somewhat like that of games like Dota, LoL, Honor of Kings, MLBB etc.

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Convoluted relationships showing the complexity of emotions and motivations of couples

Honestly watched this only for Liu Yuning and thought it was just a standard modern day romance drama. This ended up being a drama that was at times frustrating yet eye opening to watch. How many of us can truly say that relationships are pure and simple? To be fair, the plot does create the conditions to explore one angle of the intricacies of temptation, commitment and love, which can make you think - what kind of crazy and morally grey show is this?! It then turns on itself and explores the fallacies of certain mindsets, which all in all made for a decent show that's not complete fluff/sugar/bewilderment.

Definitely stellar acting from the leads, and Vengo Gao reminds a favourite for me, where he balances his goofy/dorky charactor with an underlying steadiness which made the characterisation much more nuanced and enjoyable to watch. Plus points for it being different from his other roles which could seem more on the stiffer and stoic side LOL he was a cheeky lovestruck clown in this one. However, the acting from the other characters fell a little flat for me.

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Watch for beautiful visuals, costumes, captivating romance...and a cute cat

Reviewing this after bingeing this again (yes, the show definitely has rewatch value) and as someone who has watched too many xianxia/period costume dramas to count, this is truly one of the better shows to watch. Whether it is the aesthetics, plot, charactors or on-screen chemistry, there is really have not much to gripe about. OST wise was decent too but not particularly memorable where you are transported back to an iconic scene etc. Of course, if you are a fan of Deng Wei, this is a must watch, the styling is on point and there were multiple facets to his charactor on top of the character growth that he portrayed, which really makes you appreciate his acting skill here. Along with the strong characterisation of the FL, and the cohesiveness of how they blended the characters from different timelines together. Some dramas require you to suspend logical thinking or to close one eye to subpar visuals/CGI, but for LOTDT, you can just sit back and immerse yourself in the beautiful world set up in the drama.

I also appreciated the references to the meaning of memory, our lives and the outcomes of our own choices/action. What use is restarting in a new world if the memories are completely different, even if the alternative world has the life you desire? In the end, we are but a sum of our own experiences and relationships with each other.

ps. Many others have highlighted this and I will add to the chorus - Deng Wei's hair styling was a main character in itself here too !

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