Notable Actors/Actresses
Xiao Zhan: Wei Wu Xian / Wei Ying
Wang Yi Bo: Lan Wang Ji / Lan Zhang / Han Guang Jun
Jump to ReviewXiao Zhan: Wei Wu Xian / Wei Ying
Wang Yi Bo: Lan Wang Ji / Lan Zhang / Han Guang Jun
Episodes 1-2 Summary: Wu Xian wakes up from his 16 year slumber. Everyone presumed he was dead. He doesn't reveal his identity and disguises himself, especially in front of Lan Wang Ji and Jiang Chen.
[Ep2] Wei Wu Xian's flute scene calls forth an undead warrior who takes down a gigantic walking statue. Lan Wang Ji stops him from playing the flute seemingly to recognize WWX under his mask. There's a tiny bit of tension with the slight arm holding here between the two men. Okay, so that's the first BL scene. I sort of understand this BL genre now. It's watching two hot guys care for each other.
Episodes 3-34: A long flashback of Wei Wu Xian's life and "death" as he becomes the "Yi Ling Lao Zu," the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, the leader of zombies.
[Ep3] Rewind to 16 years ago when Wu Xian and Wang Ji first met. Wang Ji is known for his martial art skills but Wu Xian casually receives his every attack. Its a pretty scene. Wang Ji's a teeny peeved his skills were matched. When Wu Xian tries to befriend him, he obviously takes a step back.
So a playful flower boy meets a stickler.
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| Ze Wu Jun / Lan Xi Chen |
[Ep4] Ze Wu Jun: a clarinet player that controls swords.
The second BL scene, that slight hand touching between these two men. Feeling slightly reserved at these scenes. They're not in your face. It's in their diverting gazes and small movements.
There are some non-BL scenes. Below is the (second) girl Wu Xian has semi-flirted with. She is Wen Qing. She belongs to the Wen Sect (the "evil" sect)
[Ep5] Hm. I sense Jiang Cheng will have a crush on Wen Qing.
[Ep6] Wu Xian gets Lan Zhang (Lan Wang Ji) to drink. He's drunk with one sip. Drunk Lan Zhang gets super obsessed with with his headband. Later on this headband saves them both from being attacked as they spend a night together trapped in a cave. The headband protects them as long as it ties their hands together. Alas begins their slow burning "friendship"
[Ep8] Wu Xian's walking gingerbread man talisman ties him to Lan Zhang for another night hunt. It's cute? I like the fight scene where they've got each other's back; they're both so equally skilled.
[Ep9] I found the recorder player: Wen Qing. Ah story is picking up the pace for me. All our main characters are determined to trace down the origins of these zombies that's taking over the world.
[Ep13] Wu Xian offers to piggy back the almost amputated Lan Zhang but no cigar. Instead he uses his talisman to speak to Wen Qing for help. I like how these three are helping each other. Wu Xian and Lan Zhan are the only ones left in the cave after they save everyone else. Both help each other care for their wounds, prioritizing the other over themselves. Lan Zhan calls Wu Xian by his birth name: Wei Ying. He cautions Wei Ying to not flirt with girls if he's not interested in.
[Ep14] Lan Zhan sings him their love song "Wu Ji" (Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Zi) except Wei Ying loses conscious before he hears the name. So basically, Lan Zhan confessed.
[Ep14] Lan Zhan sings him their love song "Wu Ji" (Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Zi) except Wei Ying loses conscious before he hears the name. So basically, Lan Zhan confessed.
Episode 15-19: The wretched fate between Wei Ying, Jiang Chen, Wen Qing, and Wen Ning.
Wei Ying sacrifices himself to save JC out of brotherly love (and gratitude to Jiang's family)
Consequently, WY&JC now owes Wen Qing and Wen Ning a favour as these sibling risked their lives to save them.
[Ep15] Wen family destroy Jiang's entire clan (because of Wei Ying).
WY was adopted into the Jiang family: Jiang Mom hates it when the father dotes on Wu Xian more than their own son, Jiang Chen. However when Jiang Mom knows the end is near, she saves her son, along with Wei Ying. It's heartbreaking. It angers her that her son doesn't receive as much love from his father than WY (at least from her perspective) but despite that she knows their brotherly bond is thicker than blood. She makes WY promise to take care of her son. However, even without promising, WY will do anything to save JC.
[Ep16] Jiang's family has been destroyed by the Wen sect. Very. Sad. At least mom got a little bit of love at the end. Oof. I want to hear what the dad said at the end to mom: "I love you", "I'm sorry"?
[Ep17] Wen Ning (the younger brother of Wen Qing) is a little on the obtuse side but manages to savily save Jiang Chen whose captured by the Wen Sect. Wen Ning and Wen Qing are risking their livelihoods to save JC.
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| Jiang Chen unknowingly receives his Golden Core (from Wei Ying) |
[Ep18] JC looses his Golden Core (the thing that allows him to have martial arts ability). Without his golden core, he's unable to avenge for his family. For JC that is worse than dying. WY finds a way to help JC: to give his own core to JC. But how is he going to do it? I like how the drama tells a story within a story. WY chances upon Xiao Xing Chen (a wandering hero) and learns that he told a story to Song Lan (his BL lover) to help him regain his eyesight. He told SL there was this master who's able to give him his sight back but SL doesn't know that XXC gave up his eyes for him. WY uses the same story to give his Golden Core to Jiang Chen (with Wen Qing's expert medical skills)
Episodes 19-29 The becoming of the Grandmaster of Devil Cultivation or Zombie leader.
[Ep19] Wei Ying attempts to retrieve Jiang's family's corpses but Wen Family captures him and punishes him. He's sent to this evil piece of land that's sealed from the outside world. Is it just me or I hear WY hallucinating Lan Zhan's voice? The last we see of him is a voice asking him "Do you want revenge?" From the looks in his eyes, yes he does. The beginning of a Dark Wei Ying. Wen Ning and Wen Qing are also punished for saving JC and WY. Eventually Wen Ning is separated from his sister and his whereabouts become unknown.
[Ep20] Lan Zhan and Jiang Chen spend the next three months searching for Wei Ying. He returns and practically levels up with his newfound flute skills weapon, Stygian Tiger Seal and kills the Wen couple, getting his sweet revenge for massacring the Jiang family.
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| Jin Guang Yao / Meng Yao |
[Ep23] With WY's newfound prowess he (single-handedly) destroys the evil sect (Wen family) but one evil minion still manages to survive disguised as a good guy. Its that boy who had a little BL moment with the clarinet player: Jin Guang Yao
[Ep25] Me snickering at their lovely moment. Lan Zhan being indirectly rejected and then accepted:
WY: Lan Wang Ji ah, Lan Wang Ji, who am I to you anyways? Can you not mind my business?
LZ: What do you take me for?
- dramatic pause -
WY: I once took you as my soul mate (a life partner)
LZ: I still am.
[Ep26] Poor, poor Wen Ning gets tortured by the "good" people who now hate the Wen slaves. But he doesn't die! He comes back to life with WY's flute skills as a zombie fierce corpse.
[Ep27] WY decides to leave his friends and family to protect the tortured Wen slaves and Wen Ning (who now has zombie powers). Lan Zhan tries to convince him to stay but WY leaves the "good" sect to do what he thinks is right and just.
WY: Lan Zhan, if them and I will have a war ... then I rather die at the hands of Han Guang Jun. I won't have any regrets that way.
LZ cries.
[Ep28] JC is devastated WY has left the sect (left him) for the Wen slaves. However, once brothers, brothers forever. They put on a show where JC stabs WY while WY breaks his arm to convince the "good" sect that JC did his best to stop WY. WY has now settled himself as The Grandmaster of Devil Cultivation (Yi Lin Lao Zu). He promises Wen Qing to heal Wen Ning. WQ feels terribly guilty for making him leave his friends and family for her and the Wen clan who are neither his friends or family.
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| Jin Zi Xuan & Shi Jie (Jiang Yan Li) |
On a side note, ShiJie gets her romance.
[Ep29] Only Lan Zhan understands and doesn't betray WY. He's torn from understanding him but unable to betray the "good". There's a cute kid scene: he stuck himself onto LZ call him dad.
So Wang Yi Bo is carrying the romance. His gazes to WY is everything, lol.
Wen Ning is back! A very cute zombie.
Episodes 30-33: Hell breaks loose & the "death" of Wei Ying.
[Ep30] Aw JC lets WY see ShiJie in her wedding dress, secretly of course. I like the three of them together, they're each other's only family. WY almost cries drinking the soup Shi Jie made. WY and JC bicker about the wounds they gave each other. Shi Jie's an absolute angel as she also prepares a small bowl for Wen Ning who's obediently waiting outside not interrupting their family reunion.
[Ep31]: A year later, WY is able to attend his ShiJie's baby shower. Except he and Wen Ning gets ambushed by the "good" sect . Wen Ning is so cool with that arrow and, well, actually every move. Unfortunately Wen Ning loses control and kills ShiJie’s husband (and they just had a baby too). This whole fight was schemed by Jin Guang Yao (who's the illegitimate son of the Jin family; the legitimate son is ShiJie's husband). A tormented WY doesn't know what to do so Wen Qing takes matters in her own hand and surrenders (with all of the Wen slaves) to the "good" sect only to be brutally hung to death. Sad.
[Ep32] War starts. An arrow is shot to WY's chest, but he yanks it out and throws it right back, killing the shooter. A cool move. This is the episode that he's gone crazy. Everyone blames him for all the deaths while none of the "good" sect has any fault. Shi Jie comes out in the middle of the battleground look for her "Ah Xian" (Wei Wu Xian). She dies protecting "Xian". Now there's no one who'll call him "Ah Xian".
It's depressing really, when everyone who has helped WY dies for him. There's the innocent Jiang family (including ShiJie note) and the Wen siblings. They're all paving the way for WY to change the world.
[Ep33] Everyone’s greed shows when WY throws away his Stygian Tiger Seal. Each man kills the previous to possess the holy evil power. All that pretentious justice. WY falls off a cliff but LZ grabs him with bloody hands of his own. Its Jiang Chen who gives the last (tearful) blow that sends him to the fiery lava. I don't know if JC missed on purpose. I also don't know if WY let go because he was afraid that LZ will die with him
- 16 years later -
When WY wakes up he asks LZ whether he went to look for him. He did... three years later (because he was punished for three years for helping WY!) WY tells him he doesn't know where he went for 16 years. LZ believes him even if its absurd.
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| Jin Ling, son of ShiJie |
Jin Ling (WY's nephew) claims to want to kill WY right in front of him LOL. WY complains how he's not one bit like his mom (ShiJie).
[Ep34] LZ handsomely saves WY from a dog called Fairy (Jin Ling's pet).
This episode has quite a bit of "romantic" moments between the main couple: LZ doesn't mind being touched anymore, allows him to use his sword to dig dirty bones out, doesn’t want to leave WY afraid he’ll disappear. Meanwhile JC's absolutely furious when he finds WY. He reminds WY that he yelled at Jin Ling for not having a mother to teach him :O. I am very touched to see that WY recognized ShiJie’s charm that’s on Jin Ling.
[Ep35] LZ offers to piggyback WY (he injured his leg) but WY refuses. LZ does it anyways.
They meet Nie Huai Sang and he's still so funny. He's the leader of his clan and notorious for his nickname "Three-I-Don't-Knows" because "I don't know" is all he says.
[Ep36] WY and Wen Ning finally have a proper reunion but he doesn't remember WY until WY takes a huuuuuuge tweezer from Wen Ning's head. Ow.
Episodes 37-39: Xiao Xi Chen & Song Lan & Xue Yang's love
[Ep37] Xue Yang needs WY's help to revive someone. He disguises himself as the blind Xiao Xi Chen to gain pity and uses Song Lan, who is now his puppet, to take his disciplines as hostage.
[Ep38] We get to relive the past between them: the blind XXC was manipulated by Xue Yang to kill Song Lan (XXC and SL are "lovers")
[Ep39] The XXC&SL&XY love line just sucks. Xue Yang is a psychopath in love, the one he wants to revive is XXC. XXC was the only person who cared about Xue Yang and he in turn torments and kills XXC. He makes XXC kill the man he loves, turning him into a puppet (Song Lan). The only one who's alive now is Song Lan (without sight, without voice) and he's going to wander the world just like XXC did to live his life for him. Such pity.
XXC is like a Wei Ying. Everyone loves him and is willing to protect him -cough Lan Zhan cough- But WY's life isn't nearly as tragic.
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| Wei Ying teasing Lan Zhan |
[Ep40] I like the uncle-nephew moment between WY and Jin Ling (although he doesn't know it yet)
[Ep41]WY uses his gingerbread man talisman to spy of Jin Guang Yao. WY learns that he's the mastermind behind Nie clan's ex-leader's death. This ex-leader was the only one who took JGY in when no one else would. He also uses Ze Wu Jun's love kindness to accomplish his evil missions.
[Ep42] Meng Yao puts on a real good show to frame Wei Ying, and reveals his identity in the process. WY pushes LZ away since his identity is revealed but LZ doesn't leave him. His doesn't want to regret anymore. Its Jin Ling who stabs WY (the same spot JC did 16 years ago) :( That's your uncle.
[Ep43] The episode of LZ's love for WY explained.
Ze Wu Jun (brother of LZ) reveals why LZ has those wounds on his back: he was punished for three years for helping WY 16 years ago. He also tells this long story of their parents' love story. It's basically to tell WY that LZ loves him just like their father loved their mother. Storytime is cut off when LZ (happily! Actually.) returns with alcohol.
The awkward moment when WY realizes LZ loves him. I think this is the episode where their love reciprocates. There's no dialogues but their every thought matches each others'. As LZ is playing their love song (Wu Ji)...
WY's thoughts: "One soulmate for one lifetime is more than enough."
Cute scene alert:
WY: I never though that Han Guang Jun would have so many small animals liking him... but not me (or I can't)
LZ: -worried- You can't (like me)? WY meant that he can't be as likeabe as LZ is to small animals
Alrighty, so both brothers are gay. ZWJ is trying to find proof JGY isn't that bad.
[Ep44] Mian Mian appears again. She was the only "good" discipline who supported Wei Ying when he was the Grandmaster. She even left the "good" sect because she cannot agree on outing the Wen slaves. She' more righteous than any of the guys. She's married to a normal man and has a daughter. LZ and WY also reunite with Wen Ning. He's so cute. He cleared all the zombies in their path to protect his master, WY.
[Ep45]Wen Ning discovers that Si Zhui is Ah Yuan. So smart, smarter than WY. He's the little kid who called Lan Zhan his father. He's also the last Wen family member alive (excluding Wen Ning). He was taken in by Lan Zhang and named Si Zhui ("Si" means "thinking"and "Zhui" means "following"). Lan Zhan regrets not following Wei Ying and for those 16 years he was in slumber, LZ has been thinking of him. A confession of undying love?
The other side of the world: JGY purposely married his half sister and killed their child. JGY also killed his father with prostitutes arousing him. Not that the father didn't deserve it, but ew.
[Ep46] The Golden Core story finally reveals
JC needs anger control. I do get though that he might be the most hurt of them all. He loves WY (whether it's brotherly or romantically) but he hates him for killing his family, killing She Jie, and leaving him. That night his anger explodes and WY faints over. An angry Wen Ning comes to protect his master, WY, and commands JC to unsheathe WY's sword. His sword is spiritual, it recognizes his owner. However because WY gave his Golden Core to JC, the sword allows JC to wield it. Wen Ning recounts every single detail of WY's sacrifices for JC. Wen Ning has successfully made me cry. Everyone's crying. Even LZ. There's not a single word from LZ but I can feel his pain and anger.
Later on the boat, LZ asks WN whether it was painful for WY to lose his core. Duh. ):
Oh god, there's also a ShiJie flashback. Another tearjerker.
There's one happy scene: LZ is breaking his own rules to let WY happily enjoy his lotus seeds.
[Ep47] Wen Ning is charming me. He's so cute getting bullied everywhere, haha. Do they not know he's the most powerful weapon out there.
[Ep48] Everyone's tied up by JGY. Why not kill them now? JGY spills every single evil deed he masterfully weaved. Basically anything bad can be blamed on him. However, he doesn't let WY feel guilt-free either because even if JGY didn't exist, there would be another big bad guy who'll take advantage of WY given his terrible reputation. JGY is too smart for his own good and ends up going crazy. Or does he? He sees all the dead spirits coming back for revenge.
WY doesn't even need his flute, he can just whistle the same tune to mess with JGY.
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| The ultimate evil guy: Jin Guang Yao |
[Ep49] I thought there would be a big battle but it's all this talking. Kudos to the actor for JGY for saying all those lines. Wen Ning is controlled by Ba Xia (the sword of Nie clan's ex leader). When WN regains a little bit of consciousness he almost sacrifices himself to protect everyone. Nie Haui Sang is such a scaredy boy behind Ze Wu Jun. The only good thing I've seen JGY do for now is at the very least push Jin Ling away from danger.
[Ep50] JGY's good deed number two: pushes Ze Wu Jun away to save him (although he pulled ZWJ with him to almost die). ZWJ is heartbroken. He also considered dying with JGY... But the real mastermind isn't JGY or WY. It's Nie Huan Sang. He masterfully schemed the entire mission including summoning WY back from wherever he went 16 years ago. Holy.
I also never saw this coming: the reason why JC lost his Golden Core in the first place was because he was trying to protect JC from being caught otherwise it would have been WY who would lost historical. OMG. That's so sad. All these selfless sacrifices. JC keeps this all to himself and WY never finds out.
I'm smiling at this reunion: Ah Yuan and WY. Ah Yuan reunites with mom and dad?
Wen Ning is my automatic tearjerker. He's going to go with Ah Yuan to set up a cenotaph for the Wen family and then go on his own path (wah)
There's a few minutes left in the drama and I thought LZ and WY were going to spend the rest of their lives together. But not? Wei Ying assumed they would. Lan Zhang has taken the master role at his clan. As LZ is leaving, WY plays "WuJi" the song that LZ composed whose name WY still does not know.
Some time has passed (from WY's change of clothes) and WY is still playing "WuJi" without knowing the name of the music. Then someone from behind calls out "Wei Ying." It's Lan Zhan! He took care of his clan business so he can travel the world with him forever. Happily ever after.
Review
"I'm not in love with the show" is what I wanted to say pre-episode 34 (right about the time when Wei Ying wakes up after disappearing for 16 years). As someone who has no idea what this story would be about, it was a lot to take in with a sleuth of characters who each have at least two names. It honestly felt like a chore sitting though the first ten episodes.
I'm still not sold on the BL genre, but I support Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. Their scenes were majestic yet subtle; it was as if their love was at a higher level. Godly even. Kudos to the drama for making me, a non BL fan, support these two and hope they stay together forever in dramaland. I was so happy for Wei Ying when Lan Zhan called out to him at the very last second of the drama.
I'm not a fan of the MLs yet. It was amusing to see Wang Yi Bo being in charge of the romance. It was in his gazes and in that voice (that's not his, lol). But I would like to see him in roles that talk more. As for Xiao Zhan, his character was just too complex, and for me, he didn't sell it. When he's the chirpy Wei Ying, I didn't think it fit him, and then when he's the dark Wei Ying, I wished he channeled a darker vibe.
I like the scriptwriting the best. The amount of detail in each reveal was satisfying to watch and when I thought I caught every detail there's another surprise. I guess, most of the credit should go to the novel? Also, every character paved way for Wei Ying to change the world.
Verdict: My honest opinion, if you're like me it's okay if you don't watch it. I don't see why you would try to sit through 30 episodes of very complicated plot just to be invested for the latter 20 episodes. However, I am relieved that by the end I can appreciate its storytelling and the BL when I'm not a BL fan.
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