What a journey it has been for our main characters! It was one full of laughter, tears, love and friendship. The main cast did a spectacular job portraying characters whom I loved so much. You have equally strong male and female leads who stand strong on their own, but together, are unstoppable. The supporting leads were the cherry on top that made the story extra vibrant with their individual quirks and growth.

As much I was invested in the series, there were definitely parts that were lacking. Considering the strong introduction and plot development in the beginning, it fell short towards the latter third of the series. I was disappointed with the slow pacing of some scenes, anti-climatic showdowns, and lack of character development (i.e. Li Tong Guang). They could’ve scrapped some filler scenes and used that time to focus on what was more important.

After watching the last ep in full, I can accept the outcome for what it was. I interpreted it as RY and the fab 5 dying for the greater good with their heroic sacrifices, and reuniting in paradise. They all achieved what they set out to do and died without regrets, and so, it was a HE in its own way. However, they could’ve done a much better job wrapping up the series. They completely glossed over clearing NYZ’s brothers’/friends’ names, which was the main reason NYZ accepted the task in the first place. This deserved a whole scene where the names are cleared publicly.

I have my gripes about the show, but overall, still love the series very much. The mature love story, brotherhood, beautiful martial arts choreography and acting made this journey memorable.

Shoutout to the lovable characters:
Ru Yi - LSS never disappoints with the action scenes, love a badass FL who is strong and intelligent, defying the expectations of women in the era
NYZ - LYN did a great job in his first leading wuxia role. His character really set the bar too high for men, he is the dream man, almost too perfect. I love the mutual understanding and bond he shared with RY and the bros.
Shi San - Prob my fave character in the series. He made me laugh so hard and I always looked forward to his scenes. Definitely way better than the actor’s other role in The Long Ballad, which allowed him to showcase his potential. This is a great example of a secondary role that shines despite not being the main lead.
Yuan Lu - The happy vitamin of the group. It’s not hard to see why everyone adores him. His positive outlook in life and wisdom beyond his years was what made his character so wonderful.
QZ - The master of the RBF and side eye. Despite his stoic nature, his eyes really speak. He also seems to know all the gossip. The stark contrast between him and Shi San made it even more humorous.
Sun Lang - Fluffy and cute just like the animals he adores. A bit dense in certain matters, but his pure nature is what makes him adorable.
YY - The character with the most wonderful character development. She was a diamond in the rough who really shined. This is my first time watching this actress, and she did an amazing job! I can only see her continuing to amaze viewers with her range in acting.
LTG - The character who had the most potential yet fell to the back burner. I did not mind him being fixated on RY, in fact, his unwavering love/obsession was quite impressive. However, I wished they had fleshed out his character more as he could have had a bigger role in the main plot. Very unfortunate.

To conclude, I recommend this series if you want a good wuxia drama packed with action and romance/bromance. A great drama to end the year of 2023.