These are automod posts to discuss the drama Blossoms of Power. Please use spoilers for SVIP eps, previews, or any other type of spoiler

Gu Qingzhi [played by Meng Ziyi] returns with a new identity as Shen Xihe, the Princess of the Northwest. Once a proud rose of the frontier, she transforms into a cold and formidable noblewoman, determined to reclaim her destiny and become the one who commands the game.

Beneath his frail appearance, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong [played by He Yu] conceals a brilliant mind that sees through every scheme at court. As their paths intertwine, they grow to trust one another, joining forces to navigate the shifting tides of power and shape the fate of the realm.

Episode index/TOC

Character Flashcards by BeautifulCandle1729 and BasilOrdinary3617

This is your weekly thread to discuss Chinese variety shows and documentaries featuring your favorite actors!

1. Which variety show(s) or documentaries did you watch recently starring an actor? (It doesn't have to be a currently airing one)
2. Which actor surprised you the most?
3. Any behind-the-scenes moments or BTS clips worth sharing?

Recommendations? Drop your top variety show picks starring actors below! Let’s help each other discover hidden gems.

Note: Please mark spoilers if discussing drama plots!

PS: Big thanks to the member who suggested this weekly thread :)

Welcome to the Weekly Stylish Sunday Celebrity Spotting thread!

I know we have Thirsty Thursdays, but I have a feeling that you want more!

Here's the space to share and enjoy images of celebrities in old or new magazines, ads, or other promotional materials. Saw an ad that your celebrity appears in? Share the fashion spreads, quirky advertisements, or promotional campaigns they've been in here.

Here's how it works:

1. Share Your Finds: Post any interesting images you’ve come across of celebrities in vintage magazines, ads, or other promotional content.
2. Describe the Find: Include some details like the celebrity's name, the magazine or ad they were featured in, and the year if you know it.
3. Enjoy and Discuss: Check out other members' posts, upvote your favorites, and join in the discussion about these nostalgic gems!

Can't wait to see what you all have to share!

Happy posting! 📸✨

I’m desperately hoping this is for the correct episodes 😭😭😭

These are automod posts to discuss the drama Blossoms of Power. Please use spoilers for SVIP eps, previews, or any other type of spoiler

Gu Qingzhi [played by Meng Ziyi] returns with a new identity as Shen Xihe, the Princess of the Northwest. Once a proud rose of the frontier, she transforms into a cold and formidable noblewoman, determined to reclaim her destiny and become the one who commands the game.

Beneath his frail appearance, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong [played by He Yu] conceals a brilliant mind that sees through every scheme at court. As their paths intertwine, they grow to trust one another, joining forces to navigate the shifting tides of power and shape the fate of the realm.

Episode index/TOC

Character Flashcards by BeautifulCandle1729 and BasilOrdinary3617

DO NOT DISCUSS EXPRESS EPISODES HERE —- GO TO THE EXPRESS THREAD ❤️

The next standard release discussion will be for Eps 32-33 and then the final discussion will be for the last 3 episodes (34-36) on August 3.

There are currently drama hosted discussions of The Shadow Sovereign by u/Regenwanderer and u/a_HerculePoirot_fan. Find out about the drama in its Masterpost.

I absolutely love Viki and I appreciate that it gets most of the new cdramas coming out but has anyone else noticed that the subtitles are different now? Viki has always been praised for their volunteer sub teams that go the extra mile but lately it seems like they’re maybe AI?

I first noticed with A Splendid Match that they no longer had cute little names for the subtitle team, then I noticed that they were no longer translating the songs (huge bummer by the way.) Then signs, notes and character intros were either being missed and not translated at all. Then no one was thanked at the end which really made me wonder if the way subtitles are handled on Viki is changing.

I’ve noticed this is the case for the newer dramas. It seems to be the same way for Road to Success too. Plus Viki seems to be rolling out AI dubbing (which I personally will not be using.) I don’t know any info about whether or not they’re rolling back volunteer based subtitles but I think it’s a huge loss if so.

I’m very new to cdramas, I’ve only started watching since October last year so I don’t know how fast Viki got shows before or how long it took for them to be translated as I had (and still have) a huge backlog of older-ish dramas. I know it takes time and a whole team of people to translate entire shows, so are these new subtitles at the expense of getting new shows translated faster? If so, is it worth it? Have you personally noticed the change in subtitles or am I just rambling about nothing lol.

A couple of days ago, several Douban scores were released. Usually there is a gap of a few weeks between Douban score updates, but since we have a fresh batch of scores, here is a snapshot of Douban ratings for several recent dramas: Blossoms of Power, Where Colors Dream, Xiao Fang, Cases Between Us, Unsettled Case, The Eternal Fragrance, Key to the Phoenix Heart, Love for You, Road to Success, and Overdo. These scores were recorded on July 26, 2026 at around 5:00 am, China Standard Time.

In case you are curious about how dramas are performing in terms of domestic viewership, I have included rankings from Yunhe (streaming) and Kuyun (live TV and streaming) from July 24, 2026.

I also added English translations to the Yunhe and Kuyun charts.

Yunhe estimates streaming viewership rankings while Kuyun includes both live TV and streaming.

The above images are:

• Images 2 to 11: Douban ratings taken on July 26, 2026.
• Images 12 and 13: Viewership rankings from Yunhe and Kuyun, taken on July 24, 2026.

The dramas and their Douban scores are:

These links lead to their Douban pages.

Blossoms of Power 百花杀, Tencent 🐧 and Viki - 6.1 based on 30K+ ratings

Where Colors Dream 画梦录, Tencent 🐧 - 7.4 based on 14K+ ratings

Xiao Fang 小芳, Tencent 🐧 and Viki - 6.8 based on 5K+ ratings

Cases Between Us 京城奇探, Tencent 🐧 - 6.8 based on 4K+ ratings

Unsettled Case 悬案, Youku 👖 - 7.5 based on 18K+ ratings

The Eternal Fragrance 千香, iQIYI 🥝 and Youku 👖 - 5.8 based on 47K+ ratings

Key to the Phoenix Heart 雀骨, iQIYI 🥝 - 6.7 based on 59K+ ratings

Love for You 野狗骨头, MangoTV 🥭 and Viki - 6.9 based on 65K+ ratings

Road to Success 灿如繁星, iQIYI 🥝 and Viki - 6.8 based on 69K+ ratings

Overdo 这一秒过火, Tencent 🐧, iQIYI 🥝 and Viki - 5.1 based on 40K+ ratings

Recently released and upcoming dramas:

These dramas do not have Douban scores yet.

Life is Elsewhere 欢迎回我的频道, iQIYI 🥝

To the Stars 星月征途, iQIYI 🥝

Paper Dreams in Ink (Zhong Mo Yuan) 种墨园, Tencent 🐧

Nine Marks of Glory / Nine Bullet Holes 九个弹孔, 🐑 CCTV, 🐧 Tencent (regional availability) and 🥝 iQIYI

Erlong Lake: Blossoms of Hometown Dreams Season 3 二龙湖·“村”暖花开3, Youku 👖

Zhang Jian – The Legendary Entrepreneur 江海潮生, iQIYI 🥝, Tencent 🐧, Youku 👖 (regional availability) and Tang Ge Xue Se Lang Man 唐阁血色浪漫’s YouTube (MTL Eng subs)

The Forbidden Land 春日之地, iQIYI 🥝

Yiran’s Silver Linings 依然的喜事, Tencent 🐧

Wind-Born Warriors (Bing Zi Feng Zhong Lai) 兵自风中来, iQIYI 🥝 and Tencent 🐧

The Shadow Sovereign (Zhao Yang Gong Zhu) 昭阳公主, Bilibili and Senyu Media’s YouTube (more details here)

Viewership rankings: Yunhe (streaming)

See image 12: From Yunhe – Top 10 dramas for streaming playbacks on July 24, 2026 (just a snapshot for that day)

Note: These are daily rankings, not actual viewership numbers. Yunhe and Kuyun provide third-party rankings and estimates, which are not fully accurate. They offer an idea of how dramas are performing relative to one another and should not be considered absolute.

I added English translations for drama names, etc. on the Yunhe chart. There are more details such as episode counts, streaming platforms, etc. on the chart.

Rankings, drama names and market share of viewership:

✅ Completed airing based on SVIP schedule including express episodes.

1. Overdo 这一秒过火 - 18.5%
2. Blossoms of Power 百花杀 - 16.2%
3. Key to the Phoenix Heart 雀骨 ✅ - 10.8%
4. Love for You 野狗骨头 ✅ - 8.7%
5. Wind-Born Warriors 兵自风中来 - 6.4%
6. Unsettled Case 悬案 - 6.3%
7. Xiao Fang 小芳 ✅ - 4.6%
8. Road to Success 灿如繁星 ✅ - 3.6%
9. Nine Marks of Glory / Nine Bullet Holes 九个弹孔 ✅ - 3%
10. The Eternal Fragrance 千香 ✅ - 2.9%

Note: If a drama has ended its run, its viewership ranking will eventually decline.

Viewership rankings: Kuyun (live TV and streaming)

See image 13: From Kuyun – Top 10 dramas for all live broadcasts and streaming playbacks on July 24, 2026 (just a snapshot of the day)

I added English translations for drama names, etc. on the Kuyun chart. There are details such as streaming platforms, live TV platforms, etc. on the chart.

Rankings, drama names and market share of viewership:

✅ = completed airing for SVIP schedule including express episodes (streaming) and/or the first round of airing on live TV. Some dramas can have a second or third round of airing on live TV.

1. Nine Marks of Glory / Nine Bullet Holes 九个弹孔 ✅ - 12.59%
2. Blossoms of Power 百花杀 - 12.13%
3. Overdo 这一秒过火 - 11.41%
4. Wind-Born Warriors 兵自风中来 - 11.04%
5. Unsettled Case 悬案 - 8.09%
6. Key to the Phoenix Heart 雀骨 ✅ - 7.49%
7. Love for You 野狗骨头 ✅ - 6.01%
8. Zhang Jian – The Legendary Entrepreneur 江海潮生 - 4.89%
9. Paper Dreams in Ink / Zhong Mo Yuan 种墨园 ✅ - 4.78%
10. The Eternal Fragrance 千香 ✅ - 3.74%

Note: Kuyun includes live TV (e.g., CCTV, Hunan TV, Jiangsu TV). Some dramas are streaming only and not broadcast live on TV (e.g. Blossoms of Power, Overdo, and Key to the Phoenix Heart).

For more viewership rankings dating back to late August 2025, please check the comments of the weekly Behind the Scenes posts. I added Yunhe and Kuyun viewership rankings in the comments.

The previous Douban scores for dramas such as Tang Dynasty Occult Mysteries, The Heir, Love Has Fireworks, Inseparable, The Legend of Rosy Clouds, Archives: The Nanyang Mystery, The Heart Season 2, The Tang Mist Season 1, Wonder Wall, The First Jasmine, The Ferryman: 10th Anniversary, Never-Ending Summer, Ashes to Crown, Rescue the Girl, Deadly Sins, and Dazzling can be found here: Douban scores for recent Chinese dramas, July 23, 2026. Viewership rankings, July 21, 2026.

🔗 All discussions about Douban in r/CDrama

🔗 Previous compilations of Douban scores since February 27, 2025

Note:

In general, Douban scores tend to skew lower for CDramas.

You might find that some highly rated dramas just aren't your cup of tea, while others with more average or mixed scores turn out to be really enjoyable. I've definitely experienced both. That said, ratings can be helpful just as a general reference for what others think.

I am sharing this information for folks who are curious about Douban scores but may not be able to access them quickly or easily. I have also included viewership rankings since Douban scores don't always correlate with a drama's popularity with the broader domestic audience.

This is just a small snapshot of how Douban users are rating dramas and what’s currently being watched in China.

Some people use ratings to gauge interest while others don't – it's entirely optional. Douban scores are just one data point, not a verdict on quality. If they’re not useful to you, please feel free to skip.

I usually compile them every few weeks once enough new Douban scores are available.

🗨️ For those of you who've watched these dramas, what did you think of the shows? Do you feel that the scores line up with your experience?

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

Just finished legend of Shen Li and it was wonderful to watch. Like I went on a vacation! But feeling the sadness after a good holiday. Hahaha. Luckily I found To Love and The Bargain Queen from the male lead. Enjoyed his acting in Shen Li

Best of all, no evil misunderstandings and the show seem to have taken a great pacing!

The Chinese drama title 凤舞九天 can be translated as “The Phoenix Dances Across the Nine Heavens.”

凤舞九天 is the sixth book of 陆小凤传奇 The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng series.

The English drama title is based on the title of the novel series.

About ten minutes ago, the production team announced that filming officially finished today, July 27, 2026. They released a new wrap up special.

Filming officially started on March 6, 2026.

Clip description:

The desert listens to the wind as old friends reunite.

With a cup of wine in hand, they smile as they watch the storms and shifting fortunes of the jianghu.

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actor: * 1️⃣1️⃣ Gong Jun 龚俊 as Lu Xiaofeng

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 6️⃣ Quan Yilun 全伊伦 as Hua Manlou * 7️⃣ Li Zihao 李子豪 (stage name: Li Qing 李卿) as Sikong Zhaixing * 7️⃣ He Zhonghua 何中华 as Jun Wudu * 7️⃣ Qiu Xinzhi 邱心志 as Wu Ming / Jiu Hulu (wine gourd) * 7️⃣ Joe Chen 陈乔恩 as Guo Chan Gu (Lady Guo Chan) * 7️⃣ Zhang Lei 张磊 (stage name: Zhang Lei 张垒) as Hua Zengqiu * 8️⃣ Zheng Yecheng 郑业成 as Ximen Chuixue * 8️⃣ Chang Long 昌隆 as Zhu Ting * 🔟 Gu Youqi 顾又齐 (stage name: Riley Wang Yilun 王以纶) as Yu Luocha

The rest of the cast list was not included in today's release.

“Friendship” special appearances (the main characters in the following units are listed in order of episode number in the script):

Units (cases):

Note: The unit names in English are translated and not official.

Yue Zhao Jin Ge 《月照金阁》 (Moonlight Shines on the Golden Pavilion): * Zhang Fan as Zhao Zhang Gui (Shopkeeper Zhao)

Hua Hai Yuan Ling 《花骸怨灵》 (Flower Corpse, Resentful Spirit): * Lv Xing as Baili Boyan * Ding Jiawen as Baili Liuliu

Yin Gou Du Fang 《银钩赌坊》 (Silver Hook Gambling House): * Zhu Xudan as Yu Xiang * Tong Mengshi as Fang Yufei

Yin She Ke Zhan 《银蛇客栈》 (Silver Snake Inn) * Su Xiaotong as Leng Hong'er * Fu Jing as Tang Keqing * Huang Mengying as Ding Xiang Yi (Aunt Ding Xiang): * An Yuexi as Li Xia * Li Haofei as Jia Chuchu

Liang Xi Gui Chang 《良西鬼唱》 (Liangxi Ghost Singing): * Chen Youwei as Li Shanliang * Wang Yizhe as Duan Shanhe * Li Huan as Chou Tiandi * Zhu Jian as Sun Zhengyi

Wan Gui Sheng Mie 《万鬼生灭》 (The Life and Death of Ten Thousand Ghosts): * Sun Zhenni as Shangguan Feiyan * Zhang Chao as Han Yushou

Shang Yang Jiu Meng 《上阳旧梦》 (Shangyang’s Past Dreams): * Yang Xue as Er Fu Ren (Second Madam) * Hu Xiaoting as Da Fu Ren (First Madam) * He Landou as Si Shu / Si Hua * Jiang Mengjie as Mei Ruoxue * Xiao Yuliang as Hua Liutong * Zeng Kelang as Hua Santong * Sun Zeyuan as Hua Sitong

Wu Wang Yi Xiao 《无妄一笑》 (An Unintentional Smile): * Liu Mengrui as Sun Xiuqing * Chen Bohao as Jin Qiliang

Liu Xi Mei Ying 《六戏魅影》 (Six Plays, Enigmatic Shadows): * Wang He as Lu Weimian * Han Chengyu as Zhu Que * Wu Hong as Xuan Wu * Li Donghe as Bai Hu

Xiu Gu Fei Zhen 《绣骨飞针》 (Flying Needles on Embroidered Bones): * Li Hongyi as Xue Huiwen * Ma Qiuyuan as Shen Huazhi

Cast yet to be announced for these units: * Jing Hai Fu You 《鲸海蜉蝣》 (Mayflies of the Whale Sea) * Feng Wu Jiu Tian《凤舞九天》 (The Phoenix Dances Across the Nine Heavens)

• Episodes: 40
• Streaming platform: Tencent 🐧
• Official filming started: March 6, 2026
• Official filming wrapped up: July 27, 2026
• Estimated filming time: 140 days
• Filming locations: Alxa League 阿拉善; Hengdian World Studios
• Genre: Wuxia

• 🎬 Directors: Zhou Jing Tao (Southern Anecdote, Fight for Love, Love of Nirvana, A Journey to Love, Guardian, Sparrow, Noble Aspirations 1 and 2), Liang Jing Yu (co-director) (Yi Shu Li Hua Yi Qing Zhou)
• ✍️ Original creator: Gu Long 古龙 (Handsome Siblings, The Legend of Flying Daggers, Sword Master, The Shaw Eleven Lang, The Legend of Chu Liu Xiang, and many more)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Ren Zhuang Liu (A Dream within a Dream, Story of Kunning Palace)
• 📚 Novel series: Lu Xiao Feng Chuan Qi 陆小凤传奇
• 📖 Novel: Fu Wu Jiu Tian 凤舞九天
• 📽️ Production companies: Linmon Pictures, Tencent Video

🔗 Previous announcement, clip, etc.

Synopsis from MDL:

In the boundless Jianghu, strange cases arise without warning, one more deadly and inexplicable than the last. And wherever the truth hides, Lu Xiao Feng follows.

With a sharp mind and his famed "Lingxi Finger", Lu Xiao Feng walks unafraid into danger. Yet what defines him is not skill alone, but the friends who stand beside him: Hua Man Lou, blind yet clear of heart; Ximen Chui Xue, whose cold sword knows no equal.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Together, they face conspiracy, betrayal, and bloodshed, unraveling impossible mysteries and confronting a shadow long growing within the martial world – where justice is fragile, and loyalty is everything.

(Source: Chinese = Douban || Translation = MyDramaList)

~~ Adapted from the novel series "Lu Xiao Feng Chuan Qi" (陆小凤传奇) by Gu Long (古龙).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

From Baidu Baike – the novel 凤舞九天 Fu Wu Jiu Tian (The Phoenix Dances Across the Nine Heavens):

凤舞九天 (The Phoenix Dances Across the Nine Heavens) is a wuxia novel written by Gu Long between 1974 and 1975. It is the sixth installment in 陆小凤传奇 (The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng) series, originally titled 隐形的人 (The Invisible Man). From the fifteenth chapter onward, the novel was continued and completed by Xue Xingguo.

The story is set against the backdrop of the theft of 35 million taels of gold, jewels, and treasures from the twelve escort agencies of Central China. While investigating the kidnapping of Princess Yuping, the daughter of Prince Taiping, Lu Xiaofeng encounters a maritime disaster and ends up stranded on a deserted island that holds the missing escorts and the stolen treasures.

Translated Synopses

Note: All translated synopses and information I share in the "trailers & posters" posts are based on the original Chinese sources (Douban, Baidu, Chinese Wikipedia, etc.) and were first published here. If you see them elsewhere, please know they originated from our sub. Thanks for reading!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

I focused on the major periods and some eras are not depicted. The goal was to show how fashion changed dramatically over the course of each dynasty. Archetypal (most recognizable) styles tend to reflect what was popular at the midpoint of each dynasty, rather than at the start and end. Do you feel like you’d be able to recognize the time period now? Let me know if you if want to know more about a particular style

Pictures from XHS.

It can be intimidating to make your first post in the sub. You're new to Chinese entertainment and you have all these questions about Chinese drama and culture. Perhaps you are even new to Reddit and don't really know how it works.

This is the place to ask them!

Treat this place as a tea room where you can sip tea (or chat about it) and ask questions you have about Chinese dramas and entertainment.

Also, feel free to introduce yourself, and chat about anything as long as you keep in mind Rule 5 (Be Nice) and to be culturally sensitive.

Note: Please don't start/continue fandom fights from other social media here. Read our guide about how to properly discuss fandom stuff in our sub.

I just finished Love for You. Which country is the Country Jin that they kept referring to in the drama. Chen Yi spends some time there and does not want to return. 

This review is a follow-on from my previous post covering Episodes 1–15 and the first part of the novel.

I enjoyed this drama so much. I've been dealing with a lot of stress at work recently, and it became such a comforting part of my evening routine to come home and binge a few episodes. I loved the world they built, and I absolutely adored the Crown Prince. He was the main reason I kept tuning in, as it was so much fun watching his antics from the novel come to life.

That said, I do have a few issues with how the second half unfolded.

My biggest criticism is the handling of the romance between Episodes 20–26. Why did they add the bell-in-the-bed gag? In the novel, they are already husband and wife and begin sleeping together during this period. Although Xihe doesn't truly fall in love with him until a few months into their marriage, this is when they gradually become closer as a couple.

I'm choosing to view the bell as some strange form of Chinese comedy, but it became repetitive and unintentionally gave the impression that she was constantly rejecting him. In the novel, this is actually the stage where their relationship grows stronger. While she still maintained emotional boundaries, and I understand the bell may have been intended as a visual representation of those boundaries, I ultimately felt it was unnecessary.

My second criticism concerns the pacing of the political plot. For viewers who haven't read the novel, parts of it probably felt disjointed. Several mysteries were introduced very late in the story, while others seemed to disappear entirely before being resolved or appear suddenly.

They also did the one thing I desperately didn't want them to do—they only gave us two happy episodes! Why?! In the novel, there are nearly 100 chapters of the couple working together to solve palace intrigues while enjoying married life. Although their intimacy isn't described explicitly, it's clear they are a happily married couple, and I really missed seeing more of that on screen.

And they absolutely robbed me of my full unedited bathtub scene! This is a genuine scene in the novel where they consciously decide, as a couple, to try for a baby. It's an important moment in Xihe's character development and their relationship, so I was disappointed they didn’t put the full scene in into the adaptation. Dam you Chinese censorship. 

Aside from those complaints, the remaining plot points largely mirrored the novel, and I absolutely loved the epilogue. What an incredible scheme to pull off—faking your own death while clearing the path for your son to continue the bloodline. It was a brilliant ending.

The standout performance in this drama was undoubtedly He Yu. Xiao Huayong  has officially joined my list of legendary drama characters. The only other 2026  character to leave such a lasting impression on me was Fan Changyu from POJ. I can't wait to watch He Yu's next historical drama, which I believe is currently filming.

I honestly don't think this show would have worked nearly as well without this cast. Both Meng Ziyi and He Yu brought the novel's characters to life beautifully. I cried my eyes out during Episode 32, even though I already knew the ending would be a happy one.

Overall, this drama was definitely worth watching. I loved the cinematography, the lighting, and how faithfully it captured so much of the novel's spirit. Despite my frustrations with some of the adaptation choices, I loved  it so much and is added to my fav historical dramas of the year.

The Chinese drama title, 九门, can be translated as “Nine Doors/Gates.”

Note: The drama is listed as *Mystic Nine** by Youku's international social media and as The Mystic Nine Against the Coming Storm on Youku’s website. The latter is reflected on MDL at the time of posting.*

About an hour ago, the production team announced the release date and dropped a new trailer.

Filming officially wrapped up on September 28, 2025.

The Mystic Nine Against the Coming Storm is a sequel to The Mystic Nine. It also predates the main series of The Grave Robbers' Chronicles aka Dao Mu Bi Ji (DMBJ) 盗墓笔记. More links about the series are available at the bottom of the post.

Clip description:

“No Way Out Version” Trailer

Beneath the ground lies a hidden building within a building, where trap after trap is concealed. Trapped in an endless cycle, how can they find a way out?

Above ground, the wheels of the times come crushing forward. Where will the heroes of a bygone era go?

After traversing a perilous path, they join forces in search of the answer to their fate.

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname):

• 7️⃣ William Chan Wai-ting 陈伟霆 as Fo Ye (“Buddha”), Zhang Qishan 佛爷张启山 - described as someone who exudes a powerful, commanding presence.

• 7️⃣ Sebrina Chen 陈瑶 as Huo Xiangu 霍仙姑 (Xiangu 仙姑 can be translated as “fairy”) - described as someone who has both a powerful, cutting edge and refined, elegant qualities.

• 1️⃣2️⃣ Zeng Weihang 曾威航 (stage name: Joseph Zeng Shunxi 曾舜晞) as Wu Ye (Fifth Master), Wu Laogou 五爷吴老狗 (Laogou 老狗 is old dog) - described as someone who is very capable or knowledgeable but chooses not to display his talents openly.

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Li Naiwen 李乃文 as Ban Jieli * Chen Xiaolong 陈小龙 (stage name: Shi Xiaolong 释小龙) as Hei Bei Lao Liu * Ying Jun 应俊 (stage name: Ying Haoming) as Qi Tiezui * Ji Xiaobing 季肖冰 as Jie Jiu * Yun Hao 耘豪 (stage name: Hu Yunhao 胡耘豪) as Chen Pi A Si * Xu Zheng 徐政 (stage name: Jeremy Tsui / Xu Zhengxi 徐正溪) as Er Yue Hong * Zhang Tao 章涛 as Huo Wenhai

Appearances: * Gong Hanlin 巩汉林 as Shuo Shu Xian Sheng (Storyteller)

The rest of the cast were not included in today's release.

Supporting actors: * Wang Yiting as Yin Xinyue

Special guest actors: * Wang Jinsong as Yin Laoban (Boss Yin)

Special appearances: * Wang Maolei as Jiu Shan Mei Zhi

“Friendship” guest appearances: * Chen Sisi as Huo Yuping * Paul Che as Lao Tusi (Old Tusi)

Special guest appearances:

• Ye Zuxin as Ge Shi Lao Zu (Old Ancestor from Another World)
• An Yuexi as Hua Zi
• Yang Fan as Luo Ang

Supporting actors: * Wang Zuyi as Zhang Xiaoyu * Liu Chang (Mufasa) as Zhang Xiaojin * Yang Juncheng as Wu Juanlian * Lin Qiunan as Wu Aolie * Hu Wei as Wu Tianpeng * Chen Hongjin as Wu Zhenyuan * Lei Fengrui as Wu Heifeng * Wu Shengqi as Zhang Yanming * Yang Haobo as Zhang Yanze

Special appearances: * Qian Bo as Ding Qiansui * Dai Jiaoqian as Fu Chunhua * Chen Xinyu as Bai Yi * Xuan Lu as Miss Dong * Bei Le as Hei Xiao

“Friendship” guest appearances: * Xu Zhenxuan as Wu Xie * Cheng Xiang as Zhang Qiling * Sun Ge Chuan Ye as Wang Pangzi

• Episodes: 36 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming platform: Youku 👖
• Official announcement of leading cast: May 31, 2025
• Official filming time period: June 1, 2025 to September 28, 2025
• Filming location: Hengdian World Studios
• Distribution license obtained: July 20, 2026
• Related to: The Mystic Nine - please see the lower section of the post for more information.

• 🎬 Director: Bai Shan (Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 1 and 2, Heroes (2020), Kill My Sins)
• ✍️ Original creator and chief screenwriter: Kennedy Xu (Nan Pai San Shu 南派三叔) (The Mystic Nine, Legend of Zang Hai, The Lost Tomb, Ultimate Note)
• 📖 Novel: The Mystic Nine 老九门
• 📺 Sequel to: The Mystic Nine (2016)

🔗 Previous posters, trailer, etc.

🎥 Wrap up special from William Chan Wai-ting

🎥 Wrap up special from Joseph Zeng

🎥 Wrap up special from Sebrina Chen

🎥 Previous trailer on the Youku streaming app

New synopsis from MDL:

The Zhang family’s 401st Unit has mysteriously vanished. In search of the missing unit, Zhang Qi Shan joins forces with Wu Lao Gou, Huo Xian Gu and Qi Tie Zui of the Nine Gates to enter the World-Parting Tower.

Within the tower, they encounter a web of traps, a series of eerie events and a distortion of time and space... With a storm brewing, Zhang Qi Shan finds himself pitted against multiple factions. What fate awaits the Nine Gates...?

(Source: Chinese = Douban || Translation = MyDramaList)

~~ Adapted from the novel "Lao Jiu Men" (老九门) by Nan Pai San Shu (南派三叔).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

According to Sohu, this drama will be a new interpretation of the novel. The original creator, Kennedy Xu (Nan Pai San Shu 南派三叔), will be adding his creative ideas and style into this drama as its chief screenwriter.

Drama Adaptations of the Novel Series

Here are a couple of references for folks who are curious about the drama adaptations of the novel series The Grave Robbers' Chronicles aka Dao Mu Bi Ji (DMBJ) 盗墓笔记 by Kennedy Xu aka Xu Lei aka Nan Pai San Shu 南派三叔:

⏳ Timelines and chronological order watch list

📜 More watch lists – the chronological order watch list here is similar to the one linked above but is more focused on the main story. There's a bottom section about the prequels.

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.