Immortal Samsara Pt. 1 (沉香如屑)
Episode Recaps & Reactions
spoilers are present in these recaps & commentaries
Episode 1: The Lotus Blooms
Yan Dan stands at the Bridge of Emptiness.
“Ying Yuan, this is my first and last time standing on this Heavenly Gallows for you. The agarwood ember flickered wearily, and the scattered dust sprawled soundlessly. The throes of my previous life were all for naught, and further longing provided no alleviation. If I knew it would end like this, the lotus should never have bloomed.”
500 years ago
The Heavenly Emperor (Zhu Yong Teng) invited deities from all the realms to celebrate the special Four Leaf Lotus; however, those of the demon realm tried to steal it. Ying Yuan (Cheng Yi) prevented the demon deities from stealing the lotus, and the lotus bloomed into two young sisters, Yan Dan and Zhi Xi.
500 years later
Zhi Xi (Meng Zi Yi) becomes the vice courier at the Magical Pavillion, while Yan Dan (Yang Zi) stays as an attendant at Immortal Lord Bei Ming’s residence as a regular immortal. The two sister’s personalities and aspirations are different. It is revealed that Zhi Xi is the weaker of the two lotuses – thus, she works hard to improve herself. At Star Catching Ceremony, deities who ascend (finished their mortal realm trial) get blessed by the four Sovereign Lords, Zhi Xi is belittled by Immortal Fairy Ying Deng (Xu Kai Ning), but Ying Yuan steps in to speak on her behalf.
Yan Dan spots the person who has been turning over the divine tortoise at Xuanxin Cliff and tries to catch him. The Immortal Lord Bei Ming (He Zhong Hua) promises to give Yan Dan his copy of the “Four Riverside Dreams” if she manages to capture the person.
Episode 1 reactions
I'm utterly confused by the heaven realm and each of the attendants/deities and their status. Hopefully, they will all come together as the show progresses. There's so much going on in the first episode. Yang Zi gets that same female lead set up of being "lazy" and inferior to others as in Ashes of Love. I like Yan Dan and Zhi Xi's sister bond, though, and I hope it doesn't get into an ugly entanglement later on. Mainly because we see that Zhi Xi has some impression of Ying Yuan that is more than just admiration? This is weird to me because they only met twice.
Episode 2: Tortise Flipping Man
The artifacts taken by the previous Magical Pavilion curator, Si Xuan (Zhang Mo Xi), were given the demon realm. Amidst the chaos, Marshal Huo De (Li Yu) requests for Ying Yuan to help retrieve the artifacts. Ying Yuan intercepts Zhan Yi (Zhang Tian Yang), and his forehead starts to glow red upon using his divine arts to fight Zhan Yi. Zhan Yi realizes that its the Asura Totem, which only a descendant of the Asura Clan may possess. With the defeat of Zhan Yi, Ying Yuan suppresses the Asura Totem as he thinks back to the reveal of his identity from the Heavenly Emperor. Ying Yuan is the descendant of an immortal fairy and the leader of the Asura Clan. After Ying Yuan’s mother realized she had been deceived by his father, she sacrificed her life to kill Ying Yuan’s father and entrusted Ying Yuan’s life to the Heavenly Emperor. Not having the heart to kill Ying Yuan, he created an identity for Ying Yuan and tells him never to divulge the information to anyone, as it would wreak havoc in the divine realm.
Back in the divine realm, Si Xuan, is being tried for falling in love, a taboo in the divine realm as deities are not supposed to fall in love. Her love for Zhan Yi caused her to forgo her duties as the Magical Pavillion curator. Instead of admitting her mistakes, she wants Ying Yuan to give her a quick death, “I would rather perish with love than live with heartless beings like you all.” Ying Yuan grants her wish but saves a sliver of her spirit so that she may cross the Night Forgetting River to start anew and find love in the mortal realm.
Yan Dan heads to Yang Xu palace to receive her punishment for breaking Ying Yuan’s favorite belt. Upon seeing him, Yan Dan calls him the “Tortise Flipping Man,” only to discover his true identity as Ying Yuan, the sovereign immortal. Ying Yuan punishes Yan Dan by making her serve in Yang Xu palace while she fixes his belt. Upon her departure from Immortal Lord Bei Ming’s palace, they play one last game of weiqi that Ying Yuan has set up for Immortal Lord Bei Ming. As Yan Dan solves the weiqi both Yan Dan and Immortal Lord Bei Ming makes fun of how easy Ying Yuan’s riddle is. Ying Yuan walks in on their conversation and punishes Yan Dan to copy the divine arts novels and solve weiqi riddles for her remarks.
Yan Dan works on her play based on the Nine Fins Clan, which were abolished during the war. At that same moment, the black fish in Weishui Pavillion becomes a full-grown man. He walks into the play’s rehearsal and follows Yan Dan to acquire the next part of the script. Realizing that he has no name, Yan Dan gives him the name Yu Heitu, but the blackfish reads it as Yumo. Realizing that Yan Dan didn’t mean to name him Yumo (Zhang Rui), he persuades Yan Dan into keeping the name instead of Yu Heitu, which he found lame.
Yan Dan and Yumo want to visit the Kunlun Scared Tree, located in the forbidden Land Under the Horizon. The Kunlun Scared Tree gets injured and attacks the attendant who was responsible for trying to extract the sap from the tree. Yan Dan and Yumo discover the attendant and realize he is lying to them while asking for help, and they get attacked. Yan Dan uses her divine arts and gets Yumo entangled in the tree.
Episode 2 reactions
I must not be the only one who was reminded of Si Feng and his association with the Asura Clan? Cheng Yi must attract these roles XD, but I spot two foreshadowing events in this episode. The first is the demise of his status as a well-liked sovereign lord in the divine realm once the deities discover his true identity. The other is that he will fall in love like Si Xuan and will not regret it. So much like his role as Si Feng, and I can't unsee it! What I like about Ying Yuan is that he sees the potential in Yan Dan and uses the opportunity of the broken belt to pull her in. I'm curious about what goes on outside the typical Demon Realm vs. Heaven Realm trope, falling in love with another heavenly immortal and going through the mortal trial. Why is it so focused on all these possible love lines as deities and immortals that are forbidden to fall in love? I'd be interested to see more content on the deities and immortals fulfilling their jobs, their importance, etc. I like Yan Dan so far, she's playful and blunt, and though she plays the typical childish character, Yang Zi's acting isn't coming off as over the top and hard to stomach as being ignorant. Yan Dan knows and understands a lot but chooses a different pathway than the typical deities where they want to ascend to be more than just a deity. She's "childish" but doesn't come off as dumb, which I like. We can already tell Yan Dan's passionate and caring as she wants to catch the tortoise flipping man, apologizes to the blackfish, etc. - all the creatures. She even wants to partake in the mortal realm trial for her sister.
Episode 3: Distance Keeping Bracelet
Celestial Deity Ji Di (Li Xin Ze) saves Yumo from the Kunlun Sacred Tree and captures the two spies from the Demon Clan.
Back at the Pavillion of Books, Yan Dan gives Yumo a seal made from her lotus form. The seal will always glow as long as she’s alive, as this marks her promise to watch over Yumo.
Ying Yuan and Celestial Deity Ji Di go to the Kunlun Sacred Tree to discuss where the Demon Clan may have entered the Heavenly Court. Ying Yuan believes that the tree is the spot from where the Demon Clan enters from. They suspect that the missing ancient artifact, the Unparalleled Mirror that was stolen by Si Xuan, was used to open a barrier into the Heavenly Court. Using Heavenly Lord Zhao Sheng’s Lichen, which can expose all barriers, Ying Yuan and Celestial Deity Ji Di discover the transportation hole that the Demon Clan uses. However, to not alert the Demon Clan of their knowledge, they decide to not seal the entrance. While investigating the Heavenly Court, Ying Yuan finds a hidden code and seeks for Tao Zi Qi (Hou Meng Yao) to help transcribe the message.
Yan Dan decides to teach Yumo a few low-level immortal powers to help Yumo protect himself in the future. Yan Dan expells a move, blows out the candle, and asks for Yumo to try. Thinking Yumo is weak, she doesn’t expect much from him and tries to tell him that it’ll be okay if he fails on the first try. While in reality, Yumo doesn’t want to expose his true powers; however, a slight move knocks over the post. At that moment, they get stuck inside a barrier. Yan Dan decides to expose herself and asks Yumo to stay hidden. Celestial Deity Zi Huai takes Yan Dan to Yanxu Heavenly Palace and greets Ying Yuan. With Yan Dan’s words, he thought that Ying Yuan wanted to eat the soup; however, Ying Yuan doesn’t plan to help Yan Dan and tells Celestial Deity Zi Huai that he never asked for Yan Dan to cook for him. Yan Dan decides to put on a show to make herself look pitiful and treated wrongly by Ying Yuan. Yan Dan believes she escaped as Celestial Deity Zi Huai leaves in a hurry, but Ying Yuan assigns Yan Dan to be in charge of Yanxu Heavenly Palace’s meals and to copy the weiqi manual 15 times.
Yan Dan decides it’s time to exact her revenge on Ying Yuan and uses different tactics to physically approach Ying Yuan to get revenge. Through her failed attempts, Yan Dan decides to lay low on the physical attacks and embroiders a lotus on the belt. Ying Yuan puts a jade bracelet on her, and she thinks it’s a gift, but it’s a Distance Keeping Bracelet that will push Yan Dan to stand however many steps away from Ying Yuan, based on his words. Yan Dan approaches Lu Ming (Xia Zhi Yuan) for help to get revenge. She decides to study mid to high-level divine arts to exact her revenge instead of a physical approach.
Episode 3 reactions
I enjoy Yan Dan's little antics. It's not over the top where I question why she has such a huge protagonist halo. I also like that Ying Yuan allows Yan Dan to feel hatred for him so that it pushes her to study more to become stronger. A smart move that works, but we see that he's enjoying his time around Yan Dan as she is the only thing that keeps him entertained apart from that weiqi board he's always staring at.
Episode 4: Embraced by Yan Dan
Immortal Fairy Ying Deng visits Yanxu Heavenly Palace and presents Ying Yuan with a belt; however, Ying Yuan denies the belt as he is wearing the lotus belt Yan Dan has sown for him. Yan Dan’s copies of the immortality books were presented to Ying Yuan. Right when Ying Deng tried to grab the papers, and they started to fly. Yan Dan stands outside Luoyan Hall, using manipulation as she curses Ying Yuan. Immortal Fairy Ying Deng wants to teach Yan Dan a lesson, but Ying Yuan stops her.
In Pixiang Hall, Yan Dan’s actors are asked to evacuate the area. Immortal Fairy Ying Deng was upset with Yan Dan’s antics from earlier in the day and decided to teach Yan Dan a lesson. Ying Deng attacks Yan Dan, who’s barely holding on against the attack until Ying Yuan gives her advice on the side. Yan Dan was able to reflect Ying Deng’s attack, and Ying Yuan tells off Ying Deng for being arrogant, saying, “Keep your hands off my people.”
Zhi Xi visits Yan Dan at Yanxu Heavenly Palace, and Yan Dan finds out that Zhi Xi will deliver the broken artifacts to Qianyun Palace to be incinerated. Yan Dan knows this will involve the Demon Clan trying to retrieve the Zi Wei bottle and asks Ying Yuan to allow her to replace Zhi Xi.
To deliver the broken artifacts, Yan Dan disguises herself as Zhi Xi to not tip off the traitor. During the incineration process, Divine Official Yan Chi, tries to delay burning the last artifact, the Zi Wei bottle. At the same moment, the real Zhi Xi gets brought into the room as she is seen lurking behind the back door. Yan Chi attacks the Qianyan Palace worker, and a fight breaks out. Yan Dan and Zhi Xi defend themselves against the attacks; however, Yanchi’s attack leaves Yan Dan flying, and Ying Yuan catches her right in time. Yan Dan quickly hugs Ying Yuan and asks for him to help her.
Knowing that she is the weaker of the two sisters, Zhi Xi is upset. Failing to defend herself from the attack and being belittled by Immortal Fairy Ying Deng and other immortals, Zhi Xi allows their words to let their words get to her.
Ying Yuan throws a tile from the roof and scares Yan Dan. He calls for “one step,” making the bracelet pull Yan Dan to him. The two flip tiles on the roof while they drink and talk about their wishes.
Episode 4 reactions
Yang Zi is so beautiful in the white gown, but I can't help but crack up at their interactions or lack of interactions. I think it's due to Yan Dan's one-sided fight, so seeing her all heated up makes me crack up. That hug!!!! <3 Imagine Ying Deng seeing Yan Dan embracing Ying Yuan!! XD She will spit blood and then go crazy over it. Then not being able to bully Yan Dan, she'll go to Zhi Xi for it. Speaking of Zhi Xi and Yan Dan, I do hope there's no feud later due to Zhi Xi being jealous or something. I liked seeing that little heart-to-heart on the roof about what they wish for and their happiness. Ying Yuan doesn't seem to open up to anyone about this, and his thoughts are really simple as a Heavenly Lord. Yet, a small immortal like Yan Dan makes him think about what's more for him and not for the sake of the realms. Again, foreshadows their future and the lengths he may go through for his happiness as people in the divine realm will turn against him despite his sacrifice for their peace. Thus after their heart-to-heart, Ying Yuan sees her in a new light!
Episode 5: Amongst the Milky Way
Ying Yuan helps Yan Dan with her Genesis of War script. Wanting to find out the truth about the Nine Fin, Yumo enters Ying Yuan’s room to inquire about what happened to his clan during the war. However, Ying Yuan claims to only know as much as Yumo and expells him out of the room.
Marshal Huo De breaks into Yanxu Heavenly Palace and demons for Ying Yuan’s book of war. Ying Yuan asks Yan Dan to put an act with him. Ying Yuan pretends to be sick and cannot fight Marshal Huo De for the right to Ying Yuan’s book of war. Noticing that Yan Dan and Ying Yuan were putting up an act, he decides to stay and “help Ying Yuan recover.” Going through Marshal Huo De’s torture on light meals and heat stoves, Ying Yuan asks for meat while Huo De is asleep. Yan Dan feeds Ying Yuan a drumstick but gets caught by Huo De. Marshal Huo De demands that Yan Dan has broken too many rules and must be punished based on the divine realm laws with 80 lightning strikes. Ying Yuan decides to give his beloved book of war away.
Late at night, Yan Dan catches Ying Yuan sneaking out of the palace. She accompanies him to exact revenge on Marshal Huo De, and they take back the soiled book of war. Together, the two of them replay the weiqi war strategies. Once they reach the end, Ying Yuan promises to grant Yan Dan a wish as long as she can help him solve the last formation. After several rounds, Yan Dan wins by 1.5 points, and Ying Yuan allows her to leave Yanxu Heavenly Palace. Yet to his surprise, Yandan asks for Ying Yuan to accompany him to watch the stars. “I watched the stars with you last time, so you will watch the stars with me too.”
Ying Yuan takes Yan Dan on a kun, and they go through the stars.
“I’ve experienced blessings like these thousands of times. But today is the first time I realized that it’s more beautiful than the Milky Way.”
On their way back, they encounter three demon clan spies trying to break into Tianji Pavillion. Both Yan Dan and Ying Yuan are taken to Yuqing Palace. After discussing the next steps with the Demon Clan, Heavenly Emperor and Ying Yuan walk out to find Yan Dan asleep. She wakes up, greets Heavenly Emperor. He is suspicious of Yan Dan and Ying Yuan as they are both out past curfew. Yan Dan puts on an act to prevent the Heavenly Emperor from thinking they may be romantically involved.
Episode 5 reactions
So... it's definitely untrue that Ying Yuan has never fallen in love - unless I'm reading this whole world setting wrong in the divine realm. He said that falling in love is one of the hardships for mortals. As he would have had to go through the mortal realm to go through all the hardships to ascend as a heavenly lord, Ying Yuan would have fallen in love at one point. Do these immortals remember their mortal life? But knowing that immortals may not fall in love and how strict Ying Yuan is, he wouldn't fall in love in his thousands of years as an immortal. Yet, it takes someone like Yan Dan, who doesn't follow the rules and questions them, to get Ying Yuan thinking. But the way Ying Yuan got jealous, thinking that Yan Dan was going to give the stars to Yumo, but he handed them back when it was for Zhi Xi. XD He's falling for her faster than I expected! As usual, though, Cheng Yi plays a character with conflicting emotions. Whether it's not being able to fall in love or his identity, it's quite similar to his characters in Love & Redemption and Stand By Me. Nothing wrong with it because Cheng Yi plays it so well, and I go soft when he shows the conflict on his face of wanting to fall for the person next to him but holding himself back because of who he is. Cheng Yi does it spectacularly! I really don't get why immortals can't fall in love. How do they copulate to get more immortals or get married? I'm sure not all those in the divine realm were once mortals or was just an object. Or I'm still lost to how the xianxia world setting works.
Episode 6: Demon King Announces Rebellion
“If I ever fall in love, but I’m not hurting anyone, nor doing anything wrong, will you kill me?”
Yan Dan confronts Ying Yuan about mortal and immortal nature to have feelings and act upon them. Ying Yuan tells Yan Dan that he will kill her if she happens to break the rules and fall in love.
Ying Yuan introduces the Quadruple Attack that Yan Dan helped him solve for the army generals. They praise the mysterious person who contributed to solving the thousand-year tactic.
Ying Yuan heads to Yan Dan’s quarters to apologize for saying he will kill her if she ever falls in love, as he only wants to scare her into following the divine rules. He opens the door to find Yan Dan asleep with the Divine Pivot Brush between her teeth. Ying Yuan carries Yan Dan to bed and finishes the 100 copies in her place.
A notice is put up to praise Yan Dan for participating in capturing the demon spies. Zhi Xi stumbles upon the comments of other immortals praising Yan Dan and belittling her. With Immortal Fairy Ying Deng’s taunting, Zhi Xi believes that Yan Dan has betrayed her and purposely made her look bad.
Yan Dan finds that the tortoise is acting strange and seeks Yumo to help communicate with it. Once she locates Yumo, it turns out he is drunk and tells her his secret of being part of the Nine Fin Clan and the black fish from the pond. Feeling bad for Yumo, Yan Dan pretends not to remember anything from his previous night’s rambling. She finds out that the tortoise wants to escape to the mortal realm to stop getting bullied by Ying Yuan. Yan Dan decides to steal a Yanxu Heavenly Palace token to take the tortoise to the mortal realm.
The Demon Clan, infiltrates the divine realm as the Demon King Xuan Xiang declares a rebellion. Ying Yuan prevents a break-in from the demon clan at Nantian Gate. However, another group has broken in and is on their way to Yanxu Heavenly Palace. At the same time, Yan Dan is on her way to take the tortoise to the mortal realm with the Yanxu Heavenly Palace token on her wrist. She stumbles on a group from the Demon Clan, and they see the token and want to take Yan Dan as a hostage. Yan Dan was able to put in a few of her divine arts skills but was being overpowered. Ying Yuan shows up to help but gets injured by the Divine-breaking Sword.
Episode 6 reactions
Yan Dan is correct. Despite being mortal or immortal, they all have feelings and emotions. It's inevitable to act upon those feelings. If the divine realm is so adept at not allowing love relationships, they should create some sort of concoction or use their divine arts to make it impossible for immortals to fall in love. Instead, they must walk on awkward eggshells to avoid getting in trouble. This part of the plot (demon vs. divine) bothers me. I don't think we got a real motive behind why there is a war that has been going on and off for thousands of years. We just happen to know that there was once the War of Genesis, and now the Demon Clan has been plotting to get into the divine realm. Why do they want to get in? Are they trying to rule all of the six realms? Did I miss something, or is it one of those "good vs. evil" things that I'm just supposed to accept? Either way, kind of boring to me because there's no real motive or nothing made to spice it up to make it a bit more interesting than just a war between the obvious opposite realms. Then there's the suspicious Heavenly Emperor, who seems to be keeping important information away from Ying Yuan. It seems like bad information, like how Emperor Lord Bai Lin in Love & Redemption kept information away from Xuan Ji to groom her into who he wanted her to be. Or I could be reading his intentions wrong, but he's really sketchy to me right now. I feel like his lover was Ying Yuan's mother, and she fell in love with someone from the Asura Clan, and he was salty. Probably made decisions that led to her death and wants to redeem himself through Ying Yuan or just using Ying Yuan. Whatever the case is, he's not a good person just because he's conditioned Ying Yuan to be fearful of his own identity and grateful that he took Ying Yuan in. There is some good old manipulation because Ying Yuan is working his life away to protect the six realms. On a less serious note, Yan Dan is starting to see Ying Yuan in a better light. However, there are a lot of hinted further conflicts. Zhi Xi's jealousy and lack of confidence will probably cause a one-sided feud in their sisterhood. While Yumo may find fault with Ying Yuan because of their identities. Ying Yuan from the Asura Clan and Yumo from the Nine Fin Clan. Both come from clans that fought in the War of Genesis.
Episode 7: Battle of Demons
The four sovereign lords, other powerful celestial deities, and immortals are sent to fight against the Demon Clan. Yan Dan gets Lu Ming to open the Sacred Temple for her to enter. Inside, Yan Dan and Yumo write down their wishes. On Yan Dan’s last stroke, the pillar starts to crack. Lu Ming runs in worried as the pillar of the Sacred Temple holds the Heavenly Realm up, and if it falls, the Heavenly Realm will be flooded by the Jade Pool. Demon King Xuan Xiang uses the Nine-tailed Hydra to take down the pillar. While inside the Scared Temple, Yan Dan uses her lotus spirit to seal the pillar.
On the battlefield, Demon King Xuan Xiang uses the enchantment of the Eye of Demons to strengthen the power of the Nine-tailed Hydra. Celestial Deity Ji Di rushes to fight the Nine-tailed Hydra alone while the other immortals fight against the Demon Clan. Ying Yuan flies to help Celestial Deity Ji Di against the Nine-trailed Hydra and gets injured by its fire poison. Underestimating the Nine-trailed Hydra’s power, Ying Yuan and Celestial Deity Ji Di fall from the fight. Ying Yuan doesn’t give up and flies back up to the Nine-tailed Hydra and defeats it with an artifact. Demon King Xuan Xiang flees, and Ying Yuan orders Celestial Deity Ji Di and the other immortals to capture Xuan Xiang. Not being able to withstand the fire poison, Ying Yuan collapses.
In the Heavenly Realm, Zhi Xi comes to Yanxu Heavenly Palace to collect artifacts to help heal those injured from the war. Though Yan Dan is weak from restoring the pillar in the Scared Temple, she happily greets Zhi Xi, who brushes her off. After Zhi Xi leaves, news comes back that though the Heavenly Realm has won the war, there are many casualties.
Ying Yuan, resting in the infirmary, wakes up with blurry sight and overhears that all three sovereign lords, Celestial Deity Ji Di, and immortals have perished in the war. Upset at the news, Ying Yuan decides to let the fire poison consume him as he leaves in grief.
The Heavenly Emperor consolidates the six realms as no powerful god is left. The Divine Realm will be combined with the God Realm to make the Heavenly Realm. The Hades Realm is abolished from the war and no longer exists. Land from the Spirit Clan and the war territories from the Demon Realm will become a part of the Mortal Realm. Only three realms will exist Heavenly, Moral, and Demon.
Episode 7 reactions
So, I finally got some context behind the Demon Realm's motives. I think I get it, as they feel inferior and oppressed by the Divine Realm. I understand Xuan Xing's point of view. Why does the Divine Realm get the right to rule and the power to do so? It's a structure that doesn't seem fair or right; however, I think it's hard for us viewers to feel bad for the Demon Realm at this point because they were already painted to us as the "evil" ones. We have yet to see anything they have done that is evil. So, it's hard for me to emotionally be invested in the Demon Clan or care too much for this war. Poor Yan Dan is getting the cold shoulder from Zhi Xi because of her lack of confidence and inability to mentally accept her weakness and shut out other people's opinions. Who cares what's prophesized or what other people say? Why make a competition out of your sister? You've been with her for 800 years plus as a four-leaf lotus. What causes you to think negatively of your sister even if you don't have bad intentions toward her? Does it truly make her feel better to be the smarter and strongest one between the two because of your ego? Then we have Ying Yuan, willing to sacrifice himself for peace in the six realms, to realize that his decision has sacrificed everyone else but him. How horrible of a feeling he must be going through.
Episode 8: The Tale of The Genesis Hero
Yan Dan tries to visit Ying Yuan at the infirmary to be turned away, so she decides to visit Celestial Lord Bei Ming. She finds him withering in pain, hoping to be removed from his misery. After losing his soul, Celestial Lord Bei Ming, there is no hope of his survival. Yumo shows up in regret that he has never got the chance to call Bei Ming his master. Yan Dan subdues Celestial Lord Bei Ming of his pain and allows them a moment together before he passes.
The funeral for the three sovereign lords, Celestial Lord Bei Ming and Celestial Deity Ji Di are held. Yumo and Yan Dan are at Xuanxin Cliff in sadness as they speak of Lord Bei Ming’s kindness in using the Jade Bone Pestle to restore Yumo’s dragon scale so that he can stay alive as a spirit. An act of kindness that made him a laughing stock amongst the immortals. They dwell on the lack of joy or sorrow in the Heavenly Realm. Yumo speaks of how rain is used to wash away an unjust death in the mortal realm, relieving the bereaved of some pain, but the Heavenly Realm has no rain or snow. Yan Dan makes it rain upon Xuanxin Cliff to relieve Yumo’s pain.
Yan Dan’s play on the War of Genesis is well received by the Heavenly Emperor, but it upsets Marshal Huo De, who is still grieving the loss of the great lords and immortals. He feels like the Heavenly Emperor doesn’t care for the loss of his people and speaks his mind. Marshal Huo De’s words upset the Heavenly Emperor, and he is stripped of his position to take over Xuanxin Cliff.
The Heavenly Emperor grants Yan Dan her wish to take the Mortal Realm trial in place of Zhi Xi; however, Immortal Fairy Ying Deng’s words and other immortals’ gossip make Zhi Xi look at Yan Dan negatively. Zhi Xi believes Yan Dan is trying to make herself look good and walks away with Immortal Fairy Ying Deng.
Episode 8 reactions
I didn't include Ying Yuan and Yan Dan's "encounter" in the recap. I already watched the trailers for the upcoming episodes, so I know they'll meet. XD But I'm sad that Ying Yuan is bearing all the pain alone. I'm glad Yan Dan is such a caring person to remember the good that Ying Yuan has done for her and actively seeks him out. Immortal Fairy Ying Deng and all the other admirers don't seem to care too much about his disappearance or his goodwill. It's sad to see Celestial Lord Bei Ming and Celestial Deity Ji Du die due to their presence in the drama. They weren't huge characters but were characters that I could easily adore as I saw their interactions with other characters in the show. I'm not sure if they'll make an appearance in the Mortal Realm later, but I hope they do. Yan Dan mentioned that the Heavenly Realm feels joy or sorrow - not true! They're sitting there in sorrow, and people were sad over losing so many immortals to the war. Maybe they need to clarify this aspect of the Heavenly Realm for me. Are they trying to say that those in the Heavenly Realm should be more zen and not have desires or express emotions that aren't related to their roles? Lu Ming clarified that it's taboo to love relationships between immortals and gods, but not those of the Mortal Realm. So at least, we understand that it's strictly related to the Heavenly Realm. As annoying as I found Marshal Huo De in the previous episode to get Ying Yuan's book of war, his words make some sense. The Heavenly Emperor and many immortals show no grievance in the loss of the great lords and immortals who sacrificed them to be able to sit in peace. Even though his blame isn't quite just, it's understandable as those immortals fought alongside him for thousands of years. To lose them all at once in the Battle of Demons must be hard to digest. And probably because I don't like the Heavenly Emperor at this point, I'm siding with Huo De's words. XD Zhi Xi is annoying me again. As I've said, she should know Yan Dan's true nature the best. Just because she is jealous, she doesn't have to shift the blame onto Yan Dan. She has to learn to grow up some more, and she doesn't deserve the right for Yan Dan to take the Mortal Realm trial for her. She needs to go through hardships herself, and maybe she will mature. I'm done with these petty characters, bring back Ying Yuan!!
Episode 9: Under the Kunlun Sacred Tree
Yan Dan is sad that Zhi Xi misunderstood her, along with Ying Yuan and Yumo not showing up to watch her play. While waiting for Yumo to show up at the Treasure Pavillion to hide the tortoise in the treasures bound to the Mortal Realm, Yan Dan falls asleep. She dreams of Ying Yuan haunting her through the curse of her wish that the Tortoise Turning Man will make a fool out of himself. Yan Dan wakes up on the ground with the guards surrounding her. She wanders to the Kunlun Scared Tree and sees Ying Yuan.
Realizing that Ying Yuan is blind, Yan Dan tries to hide her identity by disguising her voice and saying that she’s an immortal attendant from the Magical Pavillion. Yan Dan retells the play to Ying Yuan, and Yumo transforms into his human form to look for Yan Dan. Yumo finds Yan Dan with Ying Yuan is upset. Yumo meets Lu Ming at the Pavillion of Books, who confirms that Yumo must be in love with Yan Dan. After Ying Yuan pushes Yan Dan away, she meets up with Yumo and Lu Ming. Yan Dan confirms in one of the books that there is no cure for the Flames of Wuwang.
Ying Yuan wakes up from dreaming of Celestial Lord Bei Ming and Celestial Deity Ji Di. Yan Dan visits him at the Kunlun Scared Tree and feeds him an osmanthus cake, and Ying Yuan realizes that there’s a hint of lotus smell. He concludes that the mysterious lady must be Yan Dan in how she speaks and acts. Worried that the poison may make him harm Yan Dan, he puts the Distance Keeping Bracelet on Yan Dan. Yan Dan tells Ying Yuan that she’s not scared of Ying Yuan even if he is the Demon King Xuan Xiang, triggering Ying Yuan’s emotions. Yan Dan embraces Ying Yuan and refuses to let go as the poison harms her.
Yan Dan and Yumo sneak into the Heavenly Infirmary to put the tortoise into the jar that is to be gifted and sent into the Mortal Realm. Hearing someone come inside, Yumo and Yan Dan hide. The two attendants discuss that the only cure for the Flames of Wushang is the heart of a four-leaf lotus, which is hard to find as the clan has died. However, Ying Yuan has already denied that method.
Yan Dan visits Ying Yuan to find that he has created a barrier to stop Yan Dan from entering. She starts digging a hole into the barrier but unravels the Asura Clan’s ghosts that have been buried for 10,000 years. One of them was Ren Hun Jian, the spirit of Xuan Ye, the Asura Clan lord. The fight with Ren Hun Jian (Zhao Wen Hao) reveals Ying Yuan’s true identity as a member of the Asura Clan to Yan Dan. Ying Yuan becomes the owner of the spirit sword and collapses.
Episode 9 reactions
XD The dream Yan Dan had got me bursting! I remember watching her write down that wish and being sad that she did - as it hinted that Ying Yuan would meet a tragedy on the battlefield and be looked down on by the immortals (probably hinting at his true identity or something). And now she feels so guilty about the disappearance of Ying Yuan that she dreams of him haunting her! XD Yumo's feelings for Yan Dan are probably not romantic. Maybe it's more of appreciation and friend/familial love towards Yan Dan but not as a man and woman. If that's what the writer wants to tell me, I'd say they didn't do a good job depicting a nice setup to make me believe so. On the other hand, if anyone remembers the actor who plays Lu Ming, Xia Zhi Yuan, he plays Dan Zhu in Ashes of Love with Yang Zi. Dan Zhu was the Moon Immortal responsible for love and marriage between all mortal beings. I see a hint of that in Lu Ming's character as he's always talking about love and wanting Yan Dan to use the Law of Enchantment book XD Of course, the only way to heal Ying Yuan is through the coincidentally matching female lead's spirit... Xianxias really loves pulling this trope. But I remember reading comments on how Ying Yuan doesn't know Yan Dan was taking care of him/sacrificing herself for him in the novel. It seems like in the drama, he is aware that the immortal attendant is Yan Dan, so I hope he doesn't mistake Yan Dan's intentions as Zhi Xi in the future. There's more foreshadowing as Yan Dan talks about the two immortals jumping into the Bridge of Emptiness (seen at the beginning). If I remember right, from watching the ending credits, Ying Yuan jumps after Yan Dan when she falls on the bridge. I would like to believe (this early on) that he is willing to jump off the Bridge of Emptiness with Yan Dan, despite the consequences and repercussions of being unable to stay immortal.
Episode 10: Love in the Guodan Abode
Yan Dan tries to cool down Ying Yuan’s heat by soaking him in a bath, but he turns ice cold, so she decides to transfer her lotus spirit to him. Being drawn to her warmth, Ying Yuan pulls Yan Dan’s mouth to him.
Yan Dan wants them to name the cottage they’re in. Through feeling the strokes of Yan Dan’s writing, Ying Yuan confirms that the person beside him is Yan Dan. He decides to gift her the Chenhua hairpin that heals wounds. Ying Yuan wanted to name the house Guojue Abode, a place with no hope, but Yan Dan decided to combine characters from their suggested names. With the Guodan Abode plaque up, Yan Dan promises herself,
“Sovereign Lord Ying Yuan, I won’t let you die. From now on, you will protect everyone, and I will protect you.”
Knowing that the Land Under the Horizon is dark and cold, which isn’t suitable for a plant-based spirit like Yan Dan, Ying Yuan shines up the place with his divine arts. Meanwhile, Yan Dan uses one of her lotus petals to emit a calming fragrance for Ying Yuan and suppress the poison. Yan Dan takes Ying Yuan outside and tries to verbally describe the “lotus pond” outside for Ying Yuan to picture while drawing on his palm and writing:
“My heart belongs to you. I only want to stay by your side.”
Not wanting to lead Yan Dan on, Ying Yuan lies to Yan Dan that his senses have been damaged, and he can’t feel what Yan Dan has tried to draw on his palm. Instead of being disheartened, Yan Dan takes Ying Yuan onto the swing, enjoying youthful happiness together.
The next day Yan Dan tries to take some of Ying Yuan’s hair away to pray at the temple. She happens to tell him that in the Mortal Realm, couples would tie their hair together so that they would be together for three lifetimes. Ying Yuan quickly tells Yan Dan to give his hair back to him.
Yan Dan tells Ying Yuan that she heard about a possible cure for the Flames of Wuwang from the Heavenly Infirmary. All that they need is the four-leaf lotus. Upon hearing Yan Dan’s words, Ying Yuan grabs Yan Dan in anger and tells her to promise him not to do something that may cost someone’s life, as his life is not worth it. Ying Yuan feels that the Kunlun Sacred Tree that has been sealed is supposed to wilt after five days and is still alive. Using his divine arts, he realizes Yan Dan used her lotus spirit to keep the sacred tree flourishing.
Realizing that Ying Yuan’s birthday is coming, she asks him to celebrate and gifts him a luxurious coffin and a red paper cut-out figure. Wanting Ying Yuan to see hope in his future, Yan Dan burns the paper cut out and holds a funeral for his past so that Ying Yuan can now be reborn.
“You’re not someone’s hero nor the descendant of any bloodline. You’re just yourself. I just want you to be a normal nobody called Ying Yuan.”
Yan Dan pulls on Ying Yuan’s eyelash and angers him, but she tries to justify that in the Mortal Realm if one makes a wish on a deity’s eyelash, the wish will come true. In return, Ying Yuan pulls on one of Yan Dan’s eyelashes, and they both make a wish.
Ying Yuan: I surrender to my fate and am willing to overlook life and death. Laden with heavenly sin, I have no other wish but to see Yan Dan spend her life in happiness and unharmed by woes. Yan Dan: Gods and deities, lend us your aid so that Ying Yuan can heal from the fire poison and make a full recovery. Whatever death wish he has, ignore him. I beg of you!
Yan Dan gives Ying Yuan the wine, “As You Wish,” that she brewed herself and Ying Yuan falls into a deep sweet dream.
Episode 10 reactions
This episode was filled with so many sweet moments between the two. Yan Dan realizes her feelings and isn't afraid to be forward with how she feels. She pretty much confessed to Ying Yuan, and he denied her. I adore how the things Yan Dan does for Ying Yuan may seem menial, but they're really sweet because she knows that Ying Yuan has accepted death. However, Yan Dan does all she can to make Ying Yuan see the beauty in the world and want to continue to live. She made sure that he yearned to see the world again. Yan Dan lets Ying Yuan know that there's someone who cares for him, aka herself. She tries to make him enjoy life through the small things like sitting on a swing. Then also try to make him live life for himself and not for other people. Yan Dan has such a pure soul that I believe she would've done this for anyone else. It's more heartfelt because we know they're the main leads, and they both have feelings for each other. The way Ying Yuan was angry at Yan Dan for mentioning the four-leaf lotus cure. I think Ying Yuan still feels a lot of grief and doesn't want another life to be sacrificed for him. But at the same time, we know that Ying Yuan is concerned Yan Dan will do something irrational, like using her own lotus to save him (which she will). So that truly worries him.
Episode 11: Sweet Dreams and Broken Lotus Hearts
Ying Yuan is sleepwalking in his dreams and walking toward the lotus screen. Yan Dan stands on the opposite side and leans against his lips. The Butterly of Lucid Dreaming that Yan Dan borrowed from Lu Ming flies out, and Yan Dan joins Ying Yuan in his dreams, where they get married and live a blissful life as husband and wife.
Once they wake up, the poison starts to act up, and Ying Yuan pushes Yan Dan away again. Ying Yuan tries to gift Yan Dan a wooden lotus incense burner that he carved as a parting gift. Yan Dan is reluctant but takes the incense burner and heads to the Magical Pavillion to secretly borrow the Fuxuan Cauldron. As she was going to take away the cauldron, Zhi Xi caught Yan Dan and wouldn’t allow Yan Dan to take the cauldron unless she told Zhi Xi why she wanted it. Yan Dan tells Zhi Xi the truth about Ying Yuan’s poison and to her disguising her voice. Zhi Xi wants to use the opportunity to take credit for helping Ying Yuan and agrees. Immortal Fairy Ying Deng overhears the two sisters and tries to harm Zhi Xi’s heart and immortality with the Heartpiercing Drum. Zhi Xi decides to turn Immortal Fairy Ying Deng’s attention towards Yan Dan, who has been spending the most time with Ying Yuan.
After Yan Dan removes half her heart to create the concoction for Ying Yuan, the guards come and look for Zhi Xi, who has been reported by Immortal Fairy Ying Deng for stealing an artifact. Yan Dan disguises herself as Zhi Xi and returns the artifact but is now being taken to the Heavenly Gallows to receive nine lightning bolt strikes as punishment.
The two dragons in Xuanxin Cliff, Ao Xuan (Wang Hao Zhen) and Zhao Lan (Zhu Li Lan) turn into their human form. Yumo, who has been cultivating in his true form, feels Yan Dan’s seal on his wrist wavering and turns into his human form. Ao Xuan starts a fight with Yumo, while the starstruck Zhao Lan tries to prevent the fight. Yumo uses Zhao Lan’s Heartseeker Bell to shake off Ao Xuan as he leaves to find Yan Dan.
With the last strike of the lightning bolt, Yan Dan collapses but isn’t dead. Immortal Fairy Ying Deng is unhappy and about to secretly use her divine powers to end Yan Dan’s life, but Yumo shows up.
Episode 11 reactions
The dream was so sweet! <3 Why can't we just get these two to stay in the dream world for a bit longer? I know after this, we probably won't get to see these two being adorable until they get to the Mortal Realm (maybe). It'll be a long time till we witness something like this again. Immortal Fairy Ying Deng and Zhi Xi get on my nerves. Just girls who want the guy but aren't willing to do anything for the guy. And they want Ying Yuan for their own selfish reasons. Zhi Xi wants the power and backup of Ying Yuan, while Ying Deng wants him for her own selfish desires. I still don't know why we're focusing so much on all this affection when these immortals shouldn't fall in love. I'm sure many succumbed to their desires, but to have it solely focus on the romance aspect and then you will be punished for love is not attractive and has been done too many times. In fact, Zhi Xi's selfishness and unwillingness to save her sister irked me, not because she's now considered an antagonist or the other girl who wants to butt in. It's because she lacks a sense of righteousness as an immortal. She puts on an act to carry herself as the better of the two sisters, but she truly isn't. I can't blame her for being mentally unstable about her flaws, and I don't need Zhi Xi to be rational, but she should better utilize her emotions to make better moral decisions. She would be truly mocked by Ying Yuan if he saw that she wasn't humble and respectful enough. My last straw was definitely seeing Immortal Fairy Ying Deng was going to kill Yan Dan, but she hesitated to help. Though she was relieved seeing Yumo is saving Yan Dan, she returns and puts pity on herself, saying that she has no one to look out for her. The girl needs to stop creating a sob story for herself. But it's interesting to see that Yumo may get his own loveline with Zhao Lan now that he can ring her soulmate bell. Can't wait for the angst XD
Episode 12: Stolen Credit and Longing Gazes
Zhi Xi goes to Yanxu Heavenly Palace and injures her heart with the Distance Keeping Bracelet on her wrist. Ying Yuan wakes up in Yanxu Heavenly Palace and asks for Yan Dan. However, his attendants tell him that Zhi Xi was the one who saved him and is injured.
Yumo and Lu Ming are overlooking the weakened Yan Dan. They’re upset that Yan Dan didn’t consult with them before creating such a dangerous act.
Ying Yuan confirms that half of Zhi Xi’s heart is gone, but his heart tells him that the person who has been helping him all along with Yan Dan. Zhi Xi tries to make Ying Yuan believe that she was the person with him in Guodan Abode him by recounting the events. Yet, Ying Yuan concludes that Zhi Xi only knows the details because Yan Dan allowed her to take the credit or that Zhi Xi has stolen the credit.
Yan Dan enters Yanxu Heavenly Palace to hear the attendants praising Zhi Xi for helping Ying Yuan. Knowing that Zhi Xi has stolen the credit, Yan Dan stares at Ying Yuan and Zhi Xi in sadness and disbelief, leaving the two.
Ying Yuan visits Yan Dan and tries to beat around the bush to see if she will hint that she was the one beside him the whole time. Yan Dan decides not to tell Ying Yuan the truth, allowing Zhi Xi to take all the credit. With Yan Dan’s words, he can tell that Zhi Xi took the credit from Yan Dan. But due to Yan Dan’s love for their sisterhood, she won’t tell Ying Yuan the truth.
Zhi Xi interrupts their conversation. When Ying Yuan leaves, Zhi Xi lies to Yan Dan that Immortal Fairy Ying Deng injured her heart with the Heartpiercing Drum after overhearing their conversation. She collapsed in Yanxu Heavenly Palace looking for Yan Dan but was mistaken as Ying Yuan’s savior and couldn’t tell everyone the truth. Zhi Xi tells Yan Dan that this is the best route as love between immortals is forbidden. As allowing Ying Yuan to know the truth may harm Yan Dan.
Immortal Fairy Ying Deng visits Zhi Xi, and the two argue over their selfishness in wanting Ying Yuan’s support. Immortal Fairy Ying Deng was once a lamp for Ying Yuan, an inanimate object that turned into an artificial spirit. Zhi Xi calls Ying Deng out for wanting Ying Yuan’s affection to make her artificial spirit into an immortal spirit. Instead of wavering, Ying Deng pits Zhi Xi against her own sister. Immortal Fairy Ying Deng warns Zhi Xi that Yan Dan can always betray her and bring her down if she doesn’t kill Yan Dan.
Yan Dan re-gifts Ying Yuan’s Snow Lingzhi to Yumo, who used his cultivation to help her.
Episode 12 reactions
Sigh... this episode left me angry for like 5 minutes and then depressed for 30 minutes afterward. Zhi Xi makes me angry because she MANIPULATED Yan Dan into believing and agreeing with her decision because she was SELFISH and acted like she was trying to look out for Yan Dan. I'm so mad with Zhi Xi. Even Immortal Fairy Ying Deng doesn't even upset me that much! Everything was expected from the trailers I saw and the story's setup, but I still can't help but be angry and sad. Then the Heavenly Emperor, who now knows Ying Yuan didn't die, pretends to suck up to Ying Yuan... again. Ying Yuan and Yan Dan have one thing in common: allowing people they think are close to them, like the Heavenly Emperor and Zhi Xi, to manipulate them. Then there's Yan Dan, and Ying Yuan's longing makes me sad with them! Yan Dan believes that Ying Yuan can't identify her and is sad. But Ying Yuan knows the truth and won't say it because she knows Yan Dan wants to protect Zhi Xi/allow Zhi Xi to shine. I watched the previews for the upcoming episodes after Yan Dan jumped off the bridge. I'm so sad that she's upset with Ying Yuan. I may be heartbroken until the next arc in the mortal realm.
Episode 13: Mistaken Intentions
Testing Zhi Xi, Ying Yuan mentions teaching her the Excelling Spell in the Land Under the Horizon. Since Zhi Xi knows the spell, she performs it for Ying Yuan while he thinks of a way to punish Zhi Xi without making Yan Dan upset. Yan Dan witnesses Ying Yuan catching Zhi Xi, and she leaves with a heavy heart. Yan Dan heads to the Guodan Abode and takes the lotus agarwood incense burner to be incinerated at the Qianyun Palace.
The Heavenly Emperor hears that Zhi Xi and Ying Yuan are getting too close and is worried that they have developed feelings. He brings the Red String to test their feelings for each other, and as expected, the Red String breaks.
Ying Yuan sends Yan Dan to collect dew at the lotus pond, hoping the lotus can help heal her. Yan Dan continues to draw the line with Ying Yuan but can’t help herself to visit him after drinking with Lu Ming. Before entering his quarters, she disguises herself as Zhi Xi and cries beside him. Zhi Xi witnesses this scene and doesn’t want Yan Dan to fall deeper for Ying Yuan.
Immortal Fairy Ying Deng has been poisoned with the four-lear lotus. Zhi Xi and Yan Dan get called in front of the Heavenly Emperor, wanting justice for the poisoning. Zhi Xi claims to have been beside Ying Yuan at the time of the poisoning, and Yan Dan has no alibi. Not wanting to show favoritism and put Yan Dan in a tough spot, Ying Yuan decides to punish Yan Dan, further disappointing her trust in him.
Episode 13 reactions
I can't watch these two dance around each other. I want them to tell each other what they feel and why they're doing what they're doing. They're "protecting" each other but hurting themselves and eventually the other person. I hate when this happens! Poor Yan Dan is now going to hate Ying Yuan :'( So tired of the scheming between Immortal Fairy Ying Deng and Zhi Xi. It's like watching a harem drama, which I'm not a huge fan of XD I'll just wait for my heartbreak and a new start in the mortal realm :)
Episode 14: Betrayed and Imprisoned
Zhi Xi confronts Immortal Fairy Ying Deng that they only agreed to make Yan Dan “commit a small mistake” and move Yan Dan out of Yanxu Heavenly Palace. However, Immortal Fairy Ying Deng states that she wants to make Yan Dan disappear from the world. Yan Dan witnesses her items removed from Yanxu Heavenly Palace as she’s being escorted to prison. Feeling bad, Zhi Xi visits Yan Dan. Yan Dan pours her heart out on her love for Zhi Xi and how disappointed and hurt she is by Zhi Xi’s actions. Zhi Xi finally tells Yan Dan that she has always felt inferior to Yan Dan as the “weaker” of the two lotuses. She has always felt ridiculed and that Yan Dan keeps making her look bad even though her intentions weren’t. With these words, Yan Dan accepts Zhi Xi’s years of grudge and forgives her.
The lotus agarwood incense burner that Yan Dan wanted to burn at Qingyan Palace couldn’t be incinerated due to the divine arts in it. The immortal attendant from Qingyan Palace brings it to Yanxu Heavenly Palace to return it to Yan Dan.
Lu Ming creates an illusion to inform Yumo that Yan Dan is in prison. Worried, he tries to break out of the barrier set by Marshal Huo De. Meanwhile, Lu Ming also creates an illusion to talk to Yan Dan, who tries to console him that her punishment is to be banished to the mortal realm and that she will be fine.
Ying Yuan heads to the Land Under the Horizon and reminisces their time together. Upon entering Guodan Abode, Ying Yuan discovers a lotus petal and realizes that Yan Dan used her true form to help him calm down the Flames of Wuwang. It wasn’t until Ying Yuan saw the Butterfly of Lucid Dreaming did he start to cry. Lu Ming has been trying to make the cocoon hatch for centuries but has not been able to transform it.
“Although the Butterfly of Lucid Dreaming’s cocoon can bring someone into the dream realm, only true love can make the cocoon turn into a butterfly. That night, Yan Dan appeared in my dream. The person who spent the rest of my life with me wasn’t just an illusion. It was Yan Dan’s real form.”
Immortal Fairy Ying Deng approaches Ying Yuan. Ying Yuan tells her he has investigated and knows she has poisoned herself. Ying Deng feels it’s unfair for Ying Yuan to favor Yan Dan as they were both his immortal servants. But Ying Yuan calls her out for wanting to use him to enlighten herself. Knowing that she may not escape Ying Yuan’s wrath for harming Yan Dan, she threats Ying Yuan with Yan Dan’s love. As the Heavenly Emperor sees love as a criminal offense, Ying Yuan, who is favored and strong, may escape alive, but with Yan Dan’s injured form, she may not survive. Ying Yuan makes Ying Deng promise to not expose their affections for each other.
Ying Yuan heads to Xuanxin Cliff to ask Marshal Huo De to give a Letter of Immunity to Yan Dan and bring her to Xuanxin Cliff as his disciple. And in exchange, Ying Yuan gives away his book of war.
Episode 14 reactions
I'll be honest: I didn't want to start today's set of episodes. But we haven't hit the sadness in Yan Dan's eyes and the betrayal she'll feel because of Ying Yuan. So I guess I'll have to walk on eggshells for a little longer. I have to applaud Zhi Xi for being such a good manipulator. She knows her sister well, and by playing the pity card, even if she does feel guilty, she pits the blame on Yan Dan, so she will feel a bit better about her actions. I know several people like Zhi Xi in real life and several like Yan Dan. I kind of do not even feel bad for Yan Dan at this moment. Though she's doing it out of love, love can only go so far, even for family. You can't always forgive people who have wronged you, and you can't always indulge in their mistakes. Yan Dan has yet to learn that after everything that has happened. :| Ying Yuan's tears when he sees the butterfly </3 I wish he'll tell Yan Dan, that he loves her, even if it's just to say they can't be together. At least then she won't think that he has betrayed her :'(
Episode 15: Letting Go on the Bridge of Emptiness
Yumo sneaks into the prison to save Yan Dan, but she refuses to leave, as it would be equivalent to admitting to poisoning Ying Deng.
Ying Yuan guides Yan Dan to the Heavenly Gallows, and they pass by the Bridge of Emptiness. Yan Dan confesses to her crime of falling in love and questions the laws of the Heavenly Realm. Losing hope in Ying Yuan’s lack of response, Yan Dan jumps off the bridge when Ying Yuan turns his back to her. Once Ying Yuan realizes that Yan Dan has jumped, Ying Yuan follows and takes Yan Dan to the Night Forgetting River. Ying Yuan tells Yan Dan that he knows she is the one that saved him and only wants to protect Zhi Xi. Yan Dan was happy that Ying Yuan knew all along, but she was upset to see his reluctance to admit his feelings for her. She decides to walk through the Night Forgetting River to forget their memories.
Ying Yuan heads to the Heavenly Emperor to admit his sins, asks to be punished at the Heavenly Gallows, and picks the crime of love. Despite Marshal Huo De and Ying Deng’s words to allow Ying Yuan a lesser punishment, Ying Yuan doesn’t agree. Not being able to punish Ying Yuan any longer, the Heavenly Emperor extracts memories of Yan Dan so that Ying Yuan will no longer remember. However, once the memories were about to disappear, Ying Yuan collected them and sealed their memories into his immortal spirit. This upsets the Heavenly Emperor, but Ying Yuan begs him to allow him to keep the memories and promises not to be distracted again.
Episode 15 reactions
It is here! The moment that I've been waiting for. I feel a lot of Yan Dan's sentiments. She's upset at Ying Yuan for being hot and cold with her as she feels he's leading her on. I would also dislike that, but I'm surprised that as much tolerance she has had for Zhi Xi, she wouldn't give Ying Yuan the same. But I'm proud of Yan Dan for standing up for what she believes in. I think there are many things in the Heavenly Realm that Yan Dan doesn't agree with. Not just the abstinence of love, but the lifestyle and what they live for. Yan Dan never understood Ying Yuan's goal for peace. Nor does she care much for the status, which is all that really matters in the Heavenly Realm. Her spirit is so free and she's so loving, that in a realm that doesn't allow the freedom of expression, she doesn't belong. At the same time, no real meaning is put behind these rules that they follow. Why do they have to abide by these laws? What calamity ensues if it breaks? They're being told to follow them just because "it's the rules." So, I think it's hard for Yan Dan to abide to these rules, as she wants something that just happens to be considered a crime and is not be able to have it. I'm still conflicted on how I want to feel with either them on this. I don't feel like either one was right or wrong if we look at the overall picture and not at wanting two people to come together. Though I don't like this type of male lead of silently shouldering it for the two, I can't exactly blame Ying Yuan. Ying Yuan has lived in the Heavenly Realm longer than Yan Dan. He has been groomed by the Heavenly Emperor to follow the rules and be the perfect examples for all immortals. Ying Yuan feels like he owes the Heavenly Emperor a lot for saving his life and there is some guilt in him as he is the offspring of a couple who broke the rules, and that of the Asura Clan (which was once the enemy). So, I think I can overlook this being a simple solution by fighting for love and screw the silly rules. Because if we're able to accept the innocent Yan Dan's look on love, we have to accept the troubled Ying Yuan's struggle to break the rules for love. BUT we do have to see that he has broken many rules for love, even if it's not the right rules we want him to break. Although I'm sad, I'm excited to see what's next.
Episode 16: Suffering Alone in Guodan Abode
Days have passed, but Yan Dan struggles to let go of her memories on the Night Forgetting River. While Ying Yuan is also struggling to wake up from his injuries. So, the Heavenly Emperor helps him but warns Ying Yuan’s attendant to not allow him near fire while he recuperates. Ying Yuan wakes up and realizes his lotus belt is gone. He follows it to Qingyan Palace, where it was taken to be burned. Knowing that the belt is inside the Soul Incinerator, Ying Yuan doesn’t hesitate to retrieve it. Although Ying Yuan successfully got the belt back, he has severely damaged his spirit. With a mouthful of blood and a smile on his face, Ying Yuan leaves Qingyan Palace with no regrets.
“Although Yanxu Heavenly Palace is coveted by all heavenly beings, it’s nothing but a cage to me. I’ve lived for 10,000 years but never been this happy.”
After announcing that he would no longer occupy Yanxu Heavenly Palace, Ying Yuan makes Guodan Abode his new residence. Yumo finds the lights on at Guodan Abode and wants to attack Ying Yuan, but Lu Ming stops him. He tells Yumo that Ying Yuan had good intentions for Yan Dan and that they should focus their strength on finding Yan Dan in the mortal realm.
Zhi Xi finds Yan Dan’s box of personal items that includes notes about Zhi Xi on all of them. Feeling remorse, Zhi Xi prays at the Sacred Temple for the safety of Yan Dan. “Yan Dan, everything was my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to that witch. I shouldn’t have blamed you for my incompetence. Don’t worry; this time, I’ll surely avenge you.”
Knowing that Zhi Xi and Ying Yuan are seeking information about Yan Dan, Immortal Fairy Ying Deng creates a fake report that Yan Dan has moved onto the mortal realm.
Yumo cuts off one of his horns to use as a knife that can be used to cut a hole in the barrier so that he can go to the mortal realm. By doing so, Yumo passes out due to the high loss of celestial power. Zhao Lan decides to push forward her engagement with Ao Xuan. At the engagement banquet, she requests the Pill of Nine Refinements from the Heavenly Emperor as a gift.
The Scared Temple pillar’s cracks were finally discovered and are now being worked on to be repaired. They want to find the fairy who helped seal the pillar and reward her. Ying Yuan uses his divine arts to find out that the mysterious fairy is Yan Dan. Then faints after using his own powers to help repair the pillar.
Yumo wakes up and discovers that Zhao Lan has sacrificed her future for him. With no regrets, Zhao Lan continues to help Yumo escape the Heavenly Realm.
Episode 16 reactions
I have to say I am now bored. I think I've been spoiled with this plot-filled story line and now we're at a slow down. Or could it just be the lack of Yan Dan? I frankly don't care for Zhi Xi at this point, and I dislike how Ying Yuan feels. The way Ying Yuan believes that he can make it up to Yan Dan is to silently bear physical pain and spit up blood. He could be doing more for her and himself by continuing to do what he still believes in the Heavenly Realm and maybe try to change those nonsense rules, clear her other crimes, or get revenge on Ying Deng. I do like seeing that he had his epiphany moment and decided to leave his palace. It wasn't to make it up to Yan Dan, but it was the start of Ying Yuan's retaliation to the rules in the Heavenly Realm. But the number of times he "loses his powers" to gain them back miraculously :/
Episode 17: 800 Years on the Night Forgetting River
All of the physical damage to Ying Yuan causes him to fall into a deep sleep. Yan Dan is still walking on the Night Forgetting River, while Yumo successfully makes it to the mortal realm.
800 years later
Lu Ming has become the Heavenly Emperor’s attendant. On his visit to the Pavillion of Books, he finds out that the Night Forgetting River guide, Yi Zang, sent a request for amnesty for a deity trying to cross the Night of Forgetting River for over 800 years. Now that it’s getting close to the limit of 900 years, the deity may perish if she fails. Seeing that the deity is Yan Dan, he tries to wake up Ying Yuan. Zhi Xi steps in to help Ying Yuan wake up by using her lotus spirit.
Lu Ming relays the news of Yan Dan to Ying Yuan, and Immortal Fairy Ying Deng overhears. Before Ying Yuan could get to the Night Forgetting River, the Heavenly Emperor stopped him. Ying Yuan punishes himself and begs to save Yan Dan before coming back for further punishment.
On the Night Forgetting River, Yan Dan is close to losing her five senses, and her days are running out. Yan Dan can’t enable herself to forget her memories and is willing to perish. Ying Yuan disguises himself as Yi Zang and wants to help Yan Dan cross the river. Taking Yan Dan to rest at the inn, Ying Yuan tries to make Yan Dan feel as much warmth as he can give her before they try the next day again.
Zhao Lan is dodging Ao Xuan’s proposal to get married. Upon confronting Zhao Lan, he steals her precious black scale and returns it to his father. They figure out that it’s from a descendant of the Nine Fin Clan, who was once the ruler of the Four Seas. If the descendant is alive, they may lose the power to rule the Four Seas, so Ao Xuan seeks to eliminate Yumo in the mortal realm.
Immortal Fairy Ying Deng secretly communicates with the King of the Underworld to retrieve the four-leaf lotus to cure himself. She leads him to Yan Dan, who is already within his grasp.
Episode 17 reactions
I really want to skip to the mortal realm already. I'm pumped to see them start anew. I would like to see less of Ying Deng's petty schemes because she wants to be the favorite, but she's not. I'd like to see less of the Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Realm that has no real motive behind what they do and why they do it, but somehow everyone wants to "in." We are already starting to see less of Zhi Xi, but I probably wouldn't mind seeing more of her if she grows and becomes likable. And I'm excited to see all the new characters from the mortal realm. Some familiar faces have yet to show up that I'm expecting. I don't really see how Ying Yuan lighting up the agarwood incense burner, giving Yan Dan warmth and showing her the lotus pond would help. Isn't he trying to make her let go of her memories? So, wouldn't that make her hold on? Kind of lost on that and the introduction to the King of the Underworld and his whole issue. I'm sure things will be explained in the next episode, so we will have to wait it out.
Episode 18: Goodbye Kiss
Yi Zang almost spills the truth about the Butterfly of Lucid Dreaming, but Ying Yuang stops him. Instead, he lies to Yan Dan that the metamorphosis stage occurs because of a lack of love. This saddens Yan Dan as she thinks that the reason why she entered Ying Yuan’s dream was that he didn’t have any affection for her.
Ying Yuan plans to split the Night Forgetting River for Yan Dan to walk through to the mortal realm, even if it means she must keep her memories. As he splits the river, the King of the Underworld and his lackeys show up to capture Yan Dan. The King of the Underworld didn’t realize he was fighting with the Sovereign Lord Ying Yuan until it was too late. When Ying Yuan hand-cuffed him, he saw Sovereign Lord Wan Yun’s Golden Seal of Seven Planets in The King of the Underworld’s arms. The King of the Underworld revealed to Ying Yuan that he got the wound during the Battle of the Demons. The Sovereign lords killed Demon King Xuan Xiang and made him surrender. With this new information, Ying Yuan realizes that details must have been hidden or written down differently. The Sovereign lords and celestial immortals couldn’t have died if they had defeated the Demon King Xuan Xiang.
However, Yan Dan was his biggest issue at the moment, and he realized that Yan Dan was missing. Ying Yuan finds her walking on the Night Forgetting River. Still not being able to let go of her memories with Ying Yuan, he knocks her out and decides to create an amnesia pill. After creating the pill, he forcefully removed her memories and gave her one last kiss. With her memories gone, Yan Dan lies alone on the river with the Chenhua hairpin in her hair. And as she breaks into the mortal realm, Ying Yuan watches her leave with the only one left to remember their moments. Right before he leaves the river, he gets attacked by a black-cloaked figure. Realizing that he may have been purposely distracted, he finds the King of the Underworld dead.
In the mortal realm, Yumo has been looking all over for Yan Dan for over 800 years. As he uses his divine arts, Ao Xuan uses Yumo’s scale to locate Yumo and attack him. Being backed up by Ao Xuan and his gang, Yumo bumps into Zi Lin, who was also being chased and attacked. Both of them help each other fight off the enemy. Yet, because they were outnumbered, Ao Xuan could cause sufficient damage to Yumo’s core, and Zi Lin transport them away.
Episode 18 reactions
Still kind of bored. Because I've already settled with the idea of them parting, this feels dragged out. In my opinion, these scenes were added to create more "heartbreak," but it doesn't necessarily add much. I do think it's getting a bit more interesting with the hidden secret from the Battle of Demons. And I'm not too sure how I feel about the spirits introduction. There's a lot going on with new characters again, so it'll take a little bit to grasp the mortal realm being meshed with the spirit realm and some of the demon realm. My biggest worry at this point is that we're only 18 episodes in and we have a good 10+ to get to the end of the first part and then we have a whole 20 episodes for the second part. I'm assuming that the second arc of the show will be focused on a bit of meaningless demon/spirit catching in the mortal realm? Then it will somehow be looped back into the secret behind the Battle of Demons and conclude with Ying Yuan's real identity and the mystery behind the Asura Clan and the Heavenly Emperor. Then changing up the rules in the Heavenly Realm and a happy ending for the two leads. At least, in a typical xianxia, this would be the route with added backstabbing, villains, and mini arcs. Though it makes me worried, if Yang Zi and Cheng Yi can hold down their acting to make it convincing (given that the storyline doesn't get so far fetched), I may be able to hold on till the end!
Episode 19: Yan Dan becomes Bai Piao Liang
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1/30/23 Note: I fell behind with up-to-date episodic recaps and commentaries and overall weekly watching. I still plan to finish this one and will compile a final review of Immortal Samsara (沉香重华 / Chen Xiang Chong Hua) sometime in 2023. I have added some gifs and commentary of my favorite scenes on my tumblr.
