Ru Yi Ke Zhan (2024)

Interesting but lacks development

The story is pretty interesting but there is a lack of development particularly towards the end.

The key characters (Lan, Lady Hong and Wu Ren Ai) are fleshed out pretty well with their individual back stories unraveling as the story progresses. These characters are relatable, and I did find myself caring about them quite early on, which kept me hooked early on.

Unfortunately, there seem to be invisible boundaries limiting the development of character relationships. The relationship between Lan and Lady Hong border on GL, but anyone who knows anything about China's censorship will know that it is impossible to portray directly. Yet, there is hardly enough innuendo. The closest suggestion comes towards the end with Lan losing her memory and yet is instinctively waiting for someone--a sort of plot device usually reserved for romantic relationships.

Then there is Ren Fan Sheng and Wu Ren Ai's relationship, which has very faint hints of a one-sided BL. In one scene, the usually nonchalant Ren secretly goes after a drunkard who has injured Wu. (And it is suggested that his punishment for the assailant is waaay worse than what the latter did to Ren). Then in another scene, Lan tells Wu that he has a special place in Ren's heart. But then again, the suggestions of romantic love are few and far between.

The lack of clear development for the character relationships are not a major issue though. What hurts the story more is the lack of clarification regarding the central conflict and premise: Lady Hong has the grant people's wishes but, in exchange, they have to give her their flower of lust. Lady Hong herself does not remember how she becomes someone like that until quite late in the series. All she knows is that she sustains herself by plucking the flower of lust in people and she cannot do so indefinitely--she has to pluck a white flower of lust from someone who is willing to give it up so that she can survive and make the person the next Lady Hong.

Even with the revelations that come a little too late in the story, there is a lack of resolution: an immortal who feeds on the flower of lust is the one who has given Lady Hong her power. It is said that the immortal feeds on people's desires (hence gaining energy from the flower of lust), but why on earth does she need a Lady Hong to be the proxy? The immortal appears to be the personification of cruel Fate, but it does not make the ending particularly satisfying.

There are also some major plot holes. Lan is the one with the white flower of lust, but because of her desire to save Lady Hong, her flower turns pink. Thus, the immortal offers her a potion that will erase her emotions. Yet, if she manages to erase her emotions, why would she willingly give up her flower for Lady Hong? The story is interesting, but it is unfortunate that it has not been developed fully. Perhaps there is room for a sequel, but in itself, the ending of the series isn't very satisfying.

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