Morwen

Ahhh, thank you so much!!! I had no idea it was a song from the animated series. But now I have at least a name for it. ❤

I didn't want to spend money on the express package so I've only reached episode 38 so far, but I literally screamed when I heard the song starting at around 03:50 in that episode.
It was my very favorite background music song from "The Blood of Youth" that only got played during truly epic moments (sadly, I don't even know its name), so I was immensely happy to get to listen to it again here. 🥹

Now THAT would have been interesting.

I like him as a actor, but oh God, I know what you mean.

Getting tired of seeing this drama being called a remake when it's just another adaptation of the same book.
Maybe a lot of people would be less disappointed if they treated it as such, instead of constantly comparing it to previous adaptations.

He's so, so good.

I admire Zhou Yiwei's ability to roll his eyes without actually rolling his eyes. The man has perfected the expression of polite annoyance, not to mention that of silent seething.

Yeah, the sandstorm setting was bad. Every kid having to spend a prolonged time inhaling that stuff would probably develop lung cancer.
My biggest criticism so far is the heavy use of fog machines, but other than that I love the colors in the 2024 version.

I quite like the colors in this drama, they give the whole thing a more 'classic' vibe, in my opinion.
I've started watching the 2017 version, too, which I like so far, but the colors are blindingly bright in comparison, especially the reds. Sometimes it's hard to just look at them. 😂

Zhou Yiwei once again absolutely terrifying in a role, and I mean that in every sense of the word. 😂

Oh, that I don't doubt! I have a feeling he can play a huge variety of characters, including challenging ones, if given the chance.

Having seen him act, I can absolutely imagine his success. :)

I wonder how Ci Sha will be doing after this, I quite like him in this role. He does the wide-eyed innocence, vulnerability and righteousness really well so far.

Thanks for the recommendation! With all the different adaptations, I wouldn't have known where to start.
I've only seen Yang Xuwen in Eternal Brotherhood so far, but I can definitely imagine him in this role. :)

Five episodes in and I still feel highly entertained. I don't know where the story is heading, but I'm definitely enjoying the ride. 😄

Since I don't know the source material, I also don't know what I'm missing here. Though I'd love to hear more context on some of the characters and their stakes in all this, I feel like the drama is providing enough information to not be too confusing.

I also don't mind the romances so far; I've seen couples fall in love for even less in other dramas. So I'll just wait here and see where all this is going. :)

That's just how he looks. He looks like that on all the pictures, it's just his face. 😂
When I first saw him I thought he was 35 or so. I was surprised to see that he was only 25 back then. Combined with his acting skills he seems way older than he actually is.

I actually liked it quite a lot, though I felt it suffered heavily from cuts , especially towards the end. But I loved the grown-up characters and their relationships. Though there's humor in it, there are also a lot of pretty dark moments.
And yeah, Ci Sha is great in it. He also has a bigger role to play in it, so just keep watching once you start. :)

"Pledge of Allegiance" – he was quite a menace in that one. :)

So I've just finished watching the first 3 episodes and find this drama really entertaining so far. :)
I went into this one completely blind. I have neither read the novels this is based on, nor have I watched any of the previous adaptations.
But so far I have no problem following the plot. I've watched a bunch of wuxia/xianxia dramas by now, so I'm kind of familiar with the tropes and I am also used to having dozens of names and titles thrown at me in the beginning. My favorite part has always been piecing all the names and bits of background together to get a bigger picture, and I don't feel overwhelmed by what has been revealed in these first few episodes. I think the connections and relationships were explained well enough.
I do share the "rushed" impression, though. Everything is happening rather quickly and I wouldn't mind a slower pace, but that's just a personal preference.

Since I have no point of reference, I can't compare the actors to the ones who played these roles before, but I have no complaints so far. They all seem to do a pretty solid job.
Ci Sha in particular is one of the reasons I wanted to watch this, though. The last time I saw him in a drama, he played a political schemer and ruthless killer. It's fascinating watching him in a role now that is the complete opposite of that. His range of facial (micro) expressions and body language is truly outstanding and I can't wait to see his character grow and evolve over the course of the drama.

I'm eagerly awaiting the next few episodes! :)

Thank you for providing some historical context, I really appreciate it!

Thank you! Looks good so far! 😄