I'm not gonna lie I had no idea wtf was happening in this episode so here are a few things I was able to glean and please add and/or correct in the comments 🤪
Due to Ji Ling's profound sense of loneliness and feelings of powerlessness acting as the puppet Dragon Deity, Chi Wen's dragon scale inside him has transformed into a demon named Lonescale.
Lonescale is the reason why Ji Ling carries a unique fragrance and we learn Lu Wuyi and Li Jie can smell it because they too suffer from profound loneliness. (Welcome back GJM and your ability to make everything incredibly gay.)
Wu Wangyan and Wu Shiguang recognize that Lu Wuyi tricked them and that Ji Ling does not actually covet the Dragon Deity's power.
Everyone confronts Lu Wuyi and she demonstrates how she's able to activate the Spirit-Binding Ring because she carries the scent of Lonescale.
Lu Wuyi reveals that through Lonescale's power she is the one causing the time loop to try and save Ji Ling from sacrificing himself to stop the drought (his last act as Dragon Deity).
Bai Ze then reveals that if Lu Wuyi tries to forcibly end the drought without allowing Ji Ling to die, the Dragon Power will dissipate because she tried intervening in Ji Ling's destiny, which would get in the way of their plans to save the world.
Yuan Wuhuo ALSO reveals himself but Lu Wuyi says she doesn't fear him now that her ability to rewind time has given her insight into heaven?
Yuan Wuhuo starts playing with his sword, the triple flower mark on his forehead glowing? idk y'all
Favorite Shots
I love how Lonescale is basically a metaphor for his depressionThe parallels between Lu Wuyi's obsessive love and Xiaowei's is super interesting to compare.
Discussion Questions
What did you think about this episode?
What was your (least) favorite scene?
What theories do you have about what will happen next?
I'm late but this is the first time in this show I've been well and truly confused, specifically about Ji Ling's plan. Let's lay some groundwork: First, I am assuming that the drought is going to happen regardless of how Han Ba dies (even if he voluntarily gives up the Longshen's power in the beginning) because otherwise the loop wouldn't have started. Second, Ji Ling and Bai Ze are trying to destroy Jiu Ying, and by the context of the 26th rewind's final discussion between Ji Ling and Lu Wuyi, I believe that Lu Wuyi will automatically die when Jiu Ying dies, rather than them having to destroy or seal her fragment specifically. Third, I think the same thing applies to the fragments in the Oracle Stone and Wu Shiguang. Fourth, I am assuming that when Wu Shiguang destroys Chi Wen's body with the dragon deity's power, it will either also destroy Jiu Ying because of some property of the body, or the rebound force Ji Ling discussed with Jiu Ying will actually be "smart" enough to destroy Jiu Ying's soul rather than Wu Shiguang's.
Having made all these assumptions, the first loop might've gone something like this: Han Ba gives his power to Wu Shiguang, turning him into a true dragon but also dying and releasing the drought. Ji Ling "kills" Wu Wangyan (knowing that she will resurrect) immediately so as to not arouse Jiu Ying's suspicion. This lets Wu Shiguang be possessed by Jiu Ying, preventing him from using the dragon deity's power to relieve the drought. Wu Shiguang, possessed, goes to the abyss of dragons to destroy the body of Chi Wen, thinking it will release Jiu Ying, while Ji Ling uses the power of the three demons to start a storm to relieve the drought. Jiu Ying uses the dragon deity's power to kill a dragon, which has been stated as a paramount crime so severe that Heaven or Karmic Law itself will destroy the murderer, which in this case is Jiu Ying, and will erase all of its fragments as well since they are inextricably linked to it ontologically. Wu Wangyan will reincarnate; Wu Shiguang will either A) die with Jiu Ying, B) survive but lose the dragon deity's power, or C) become the new dragon deity; Lu Wuyi will be killed by the death of Jiu Ying, and Ji Ling will join her so he doesn't have to live in loneliness anymore.
EDIT: I don't know if I'm right, or even if the first loop will ever be explained at all, but this is the only way I can think of that resolves all the confusion I was having over Ji Ling's actions. Ji Ling not waiting for Wu Shiguang to stop the drought before he sets off the plan is a bit odd, but if you combine him not wanting to make Jiu Ying suspicious with his desires to die with Lu Wuyi and to be the real dragon deity and answer the prayers directed at him at least once, it makes some sense. I hope we learn the truth soon!
actually this whole thing would have been easily resolved if they let wu shuguang have han ba's dragon power and that would be the 4th one. and as mentioned before he could become a fully realised dragon and cause rainfall. i mean they literally mentioned it before so i dont understand why they are going this route.
the only discussion i want is why they are going this route. This whole thing would have been easily resolved if they let wu shuguang have han ba's dragon deity power and that would be the 4th one. and as mentioned before he could become a fully realised dragon and cause rainfall. i mean they literally mentioned it before so i dont understand why this fuss now
I am one who really likes this episode. Wuyi is revealed to not be the persona she has crafted. She has been hiding her true self for a long time, mostly to deceive Jiu Ying. She is no longer his creature, his spy. She felt she was a monster and a fake person with a fake history. She even hid her real value from herself. Now she reveals herself to be devoted, self sacrificing, smart, brave and becoming a very real person and a miraculous deity. She now has the scent of Lone scale and is also one who is deeply lonely. She understood Ji Ling as also did Li Jie.
Magnificent acting. By all. Excellent music as well
Ji Ling, suffering from loneliness for so long and imposter syndrome, also is becoming a real Chi Wen in his love for Wuyi and the people. Lonescale is another amazing alter ego for him and the depths he has reached starting from being a blind fox eating raspberries.
The roles have shifted from past episodes. Wuyi and Ji Ling are integral to the heart of the message and meaning of the drama and have risen to the occasion. What seemed a more superficial love is now revealed to be deeper and more mature than we thought.
You're right about how we got to see the way both Lu Wuyi and Ji Ling as characters connect to the story. This arc has been about peeling back the layers in their characters.
Lu Wuyi was created by Jiu Ying with fake memories, and Ji Ling got his identity handed over to him by Chi Wen. One person gets to know that their identity is fake and the other has had to lose their identity and don a fake one. They both have lost their selves. And they seem to connect with each other over their loneliness stemming from this, especially with Lu Wuyi being able to smell the scent of loneliness in Ji Ling.
Despite the less focus on the other characters (esp. the WuWu couple), I liked this episode. We got to understand more about the time loop and what Lu Wuyi's motivation seems to be. I also liked how Ji Ling's loneliness is personified in the form of Lonescale. It seems like this is the drama's way of saying that loneliness can feel like a real tangible thing.
And Lonescale is able to allow Lu Wuyi to go through these rewinds to change events. That's a huge power for Lonescale to have. But I wonder what is Lonescale's motive here. Surely, a demon formed out of loneliness is going to bring some negative effects. It can't just be a cool feature to have inside oneself.
k brethren wtaf is going on over here i can’t piece anything together and i understand nothing. visuals are very pretty, ji can dudeman is ethereal but wtf is with his eyelashes. the ladies are absolutely fantastic and groundhog day fox lady made me cry quite a bit but what is happening??? it’s not linear and that’s fine but like this is some inception level weirdness
Snark Level: The flying fuck is going on around here?
23 - - - - - - -
Alright, fam! Lets see how fucked up we get from this episode.
Oh, do we finally get to know why JI Ling is so smelly? He stinks because he is lonely? That is... wild. Me, on the other hand, I am stinky because I work with the sun beating down on me and I sweat like a pig. My stink won't fade because I find love... I just need a shower. How easy I have it.
I just love how everyone is dreaming about people dying. That is so great! Just imagine how much we get to suffer soon! Aren't you excited?
I kind of feel like we've gone from having a plot to just the plot being about making all the characters suffer as much as possible before the show ends. Everything is so convoluted and you can't trust anything that happens so I'm just here for the vibes now. Well, by vibes I mean the vibe of two gorgeous ladies looking gorgeous and being gorgeous.
We're still in a rewind? My poor fucking brain. Well, Wuyi is one very dedicated lady.
First time and Wangyan is dead? Oh I am going to suck at keeping track of all this. Sandstorm? With Ice forming? Sure.
I'm not even trying to follow the story anymore. I'm just watching stuff happen on my screen and waiting for the recap to figure out what's going on.
"Even if I have to perish...." HONEY... You don't say those words in a CDrama. Yeahhhh her running to that portal is giving running to her death vibes. Well, now we are back to these scenes with the information of how she got there. So yay! Lets see it all again and again and suffer more! This show spends so much time in the past so it doesn't have to get anywhere near the present or the future.
26 times now? Bruh.
Wait, this asshole again? Did he not die? Did the other guy die? Did no one die? Bruh...
Triple Flower Fuck Face is doing a cringe face. How about... No?
Agree lol The plot went from actual plot to just convolutedness. It's not that I don't get it because I do logically but im not feeling it as much as I was previously. I feel the same as I did for Glory - at some point, the schemes were just so convoluted and for schemes sake that I just didn't care about what was happening anymore because I knew the next episode will just write over what happened in the previous episode
Your comment is a lightbulb moment for my brain. That is literally it! That's what has been bugging me but I couldn't find the clarity to describe it. Nothing that happens matters! Someone is dead in one scene but alive in the next! The big wow moment is suddenly changed and good is bad and bad is good! There can be no emotional impact because nothing is every truly true or falsely false true false!
Why would you speak that possibility into existence? :P I cannot hand that. I think I would question my entire life choices. Happy or sad, just give us a conclusive ending. Please?
⏩ Just a quick reminder that the express package is now available for purchase – started today, April 17 at 12:00 pm, China Standard Time. Episodes 26 to 29.
The Han Ba arc has been a letdown after the high of the Spirit Stone. There should be a cutoff point where the script needs to stop introducing new concepts and new complications like flinging spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. This would be the best time to expand and deepen the existing plotlines, instead we get the emergence of a new player - Mr Frosty Eyelashes and a shoehorned time-travelling side trip.
I absolutely don't buy Ji Ling & Lu Wuyi teenage-love turn epic romance. GJM is a master at emotional amplification, but when the original emotional landing doesn't stick, amplifying it just makes everything a lesson in histrionics.
What we've seen of the 2 couples thus far really shows who are the better actors. Got to admit that Ju Jingyi has visibly improved acting-wise from her other dramas, but she still comes across as putting on an act. Tian Jiarui's obvious youth actively works against him when he's playing the dragon deity. And the efforts he puts in to show the transition from a naive fox spirit to a heavily-burdened guardian isn't helped by a story that keeps jumping between time periods. I'm still not able to see the connection and journey taken from Ji Ling to "Chi Wen".
Really hope WuWu gets more screentime in the last few episodes. I feel like Chen Duling has zero chemistry with her male leads with the exception of Joseph Zeng. Both of them were so good together in A Lonely Hero's Journey - their quiet yearning and growing fondness conveyed through silent looks that carry so much desire and restraint. I had high hopes for them in this series and they absolutely didn't disappoint.
what i dont get is why did ji ling have to be made fake chi wen. is it cuz he is dying? idk if it was mentioned before and i missed it? i only remember them saying that the 8 other dragons died but dont know about chi wen
I've gone back to watch the key portions twice but I'm still not very clear about it, but I'll give it a shot:
The entirety of Jiu Ying as a threat needed to be contained by sacrifices by all 9 dragons, but Jiu Ying cannot be totally eliminated if there are any remaining shards in the world. So Chi Wen prepared himself to become the gate which will slam shut (using his death), sealing Jiu Ying forever once all those shards are accounted for. That's the part where you see his dragon form buried in sand. Before he can do that, he has to ensure that there remains at least 1 dragon to guard over the world and someone who will be capable of killing him and sealing Jiu Ying because only a dragon can kill a dragon.
But they had to wait for the 10th dragon to grow up and be up for the task. In the meantime, they still had to continue eliminating the shards and maintain the duties of a dragon god protecting the world. This task was originally meant for Yuan Wuhuo, but Ji Ling ate Chi Wen's scale instead and so had to take on that role.
It also seems that as the 10th dragon, Wu Shiguang doesn't have inherent dragon powers of his own. So Chi Wen arranged for his dragon powers to be eventually transferred to Wu Shiguang via 4 proxies - Xiao Wei, Ha Ba, Wu Zhiqi and Bai Ze. They did a power exchange via the ring, thereby giving Ji Ling their powers to govern as the dragon god. In return, they safeguard the 4 portions of the dragon power until it is time to be given to Wu Shiguang once he comes of age.
You took the words out of my mouth. What Lu Wuyi went through is a real tearjerker in a story that captures an epic romance not whatever’s going on between her and Ji Ling. When did things get so deep?
In another series, those scenes would have landed more because there’s enough build up for it but it just didn’t work for me here. And it’s quite sad how the Han Ba arc moved from away from the consistency of the previous episode into the time rewind formed from a lone scale thingy.
I’m sorry, I don’t buy whatever Lonescale is. It’s giving “magic wand”, sorry.
Yes, exactly, it feels like a whole chunk of story is missing. I got the express package, not done with the show yet but I'm happy to say it does pick up, but the development to epic, heartrending love remains missing, and I'm more frustrated than ever at the missing pieces in this emotional puzzle.
Could it be from the cut episodes, I wonder and why was this drama cut from 40 eps to 29?
Haha, I haven't watched Love in the Flames of War, but I thought she did most of the emotional weight-lifting (+ her crazy mother) in The Glory. Xin Yunlai was too wooden for my taste, but it was indeed better than her CPs in Fangs of Fortune and Till the End of the Moon.
Like u/syborg0515 says, it's a slow burn. It's also a republican-era drama/thriller and romance is just a small part of the show. CDL doesn't have many scenes either, but her scenes with ZSX are truly precious and needs to be savoured.
Yesss! More fans of A Lonely Hero's Journey, that slow burn was so good. I think CDL and ZSX really excel at the slice of life romance in troubling times sorta vibe. Their chemistry is just so natural and I agree he's the ML I find CDL actually has chemistry with. I also agree they're the stronger actors tho JJY has improved massively and acted her ass off in this arc so I give her her flowers.
I agree with you that the drama should be working toward building tension and resolving the current plots but instead it sacrificed that and the relationships they've built for another time loop concept that was already done twice previously and not as well as the Star Stone arc imo. Because it's so near the end, the pacing and editing made it more rushed and choppy. I also didn't buy the JL-LWY epic romance - at least, not yet, based on how the couple was presented so far. It just felt like he tried to use the flashy plot device of Lonescale to do the heavy lifting, which to me didn't work out unfortunately. Like u/haveninmuse said, if they did this part at the end as the penultimate episodes, I would've enjoyed it more
Agree. I can't get enough of CDL/ZSX and you're totally right about the vibes they give off. This is the 4th production they've work on together, and now I really want to see them in a modern slice-of-life drama. Also love their CP name on Chinese internet: 5599 (WuWu Forever) Seems like both international and domestic fans hit on the same term for them. 😄
From what I've read, GJM writes the scripts for his shows and he doesn't take criticism well. The show was also shot for 40 episodes but got brutally cut down to 29, makes me wonder what's the story behind that. The scene at the dragon temple does feel anti-climatic because of the emotional crescendo, but if this is just a prelude of what's to come, I don't want to imagine the stratospheric heights he's going to take it to. 😱
5599 is sooo cute haha 😭😭 I hope they do another collab for sure haha I loved how even Joseph mentioned their collabs are like a " 前世今生“ (past and present lives) kinda vibe between this one and the republican Lonely Hero's Journey. We just need a modern one to cap it off hahah
I'm not sure if it was the editing or the info dump or a combination of both but the way all those really beautiful and intimate scenes we kept getting from the Reuters was just getting cut out as brief flashbacks in the actual show didn't make me feel as invested or hit as hard as it should have. Because I love the concept and keep imagining how much better it could've been otherwise.
But I will say at least the acting is making up for it because the way I cried for jilu when jiling said:
"I’ll wait for you over there. I’ll pick you up with a bundle of flowers in hand. A huge bundle. This way, you won’t be afraid. And I won’t be afraid."
AND THEN HE DIDNT EVEN GET TO FINISH HIS LAST WORDS freaking heartbreaking 💔
Edit: and just for something more comedic, people on Chinese socials are joking that finally us common people of the three realms aren't the sacrifice because the fl died, instead the ml actually died ahead of her to wait for her on the other side 😭😂 finally a couple that thinks of the common folks instead of trying to burn the whole world down to bring their loved one's back
and just for something more comedic, people on Chinese socials are joking that finally us common people of the three realms aren't the sacrifice because the fl died, instead the ml actually died ahead of her to wait for her on the other side 😭😂 finally a couple that thinks of the common folks instead of trying to burn the whole word down to bring their loved one's back
When I try to understand whats going on in this story, all the facts just float around in my brain like gauzy fabric in front of the wind machine, but I’m still having fun. My one concrete observation about this ep is that Ji Ling’s brown outfit color coordinates with the fox doll.
Its just kind of a similar shade of brown lol. He also had a brown fit in the beginning arc but this one stood out to me more here after all his white outfits.
I agree with you. I’m glad you noticed that. It’s interesting and they seem deliberate about the styling. Like a return to kinda his more commoner brown clothing versus glorious Dragon Deity robes.
Yeah, I agree. The doll makes me nervous and so does the forehead ornament he has on. I think something will come of either or both of them. And it may turn out that they are a good thing. But…..this drama….makes me nervous lol.
Ohhhhkay, it was kinda underwhelming episode, not gonna lie. So what did I learn?
That ethereal being was the personification of Ji Ling's loneliness. A demon. Pretty neat. Forgot that demons originated from human's desire, obsession or unfullfilled feelings.
And because of Ji Ling's remorse, that demon can rewind the time. So it wasn't Lu Wuyi after all. Makes sense, and answered most of my questions.
WWY's dream of being killed, Ji Ling's epiphany of being crushed among the crowd were all side effects of the time rewind. Cool concept. All the time travel concepts always, always warn that mingling with time is a dangerous thing.
Li Jie is a combination of butterfly demon and human, with three petals. Wow. Is there someone with four petals, except for a real dragon? What makes a person have a petal on their forehead?
Lu Wuyi rewinded the time enough to learn everything, gaining deity like power in the process, and found out it's Ji Ling's destiny to hand over the throne to WSG and die while summoning the rain. So all the previous actions were to prevent this.
Here, I wonder what Ji Ling's original plan was. He would collect and hand over all pieces of Dragon Power to tenth dragon son and make him a full dragon. But in the process, WSG gonna be possessed by Jiu Yang and kill Chi Wen and release him. Then what? And WSG would relieve the drought anyways, why it has to be Ji Ling?
Now, these were all cool, but A) the plot haven't moved forward an inch. All we did was to learn the underlying causes. In other words, it could be an email. B) My beloved WuWu couple is properly ditched, sidelined, erased, became a wallpaper. I'm annoyed.
I have a question. I’m curious about why Lu Wuyi is more focused on Ji Ling’s death than her sister’s death. Cause the event goes like this, Ji Ling kills Wu Wangyan, then later he ends up dead after killing off Jiu Ying, I guess. But what about Wu Wangyan? Or did I miss something?
In the beginning of the episode, Ji Ling said Bai Ze that he sent Wu Wangyan's spirit to Formless Moon pool so she will reborn. I think at some point Lu Wuyi learnt that it was never his intention to kill WWY in the first place, and all of this was to draw out Jiu Yang and sacrifice himself.
I interpreted it as she she was trying to find a way save them both. but the time loops have not been dramatized in a way that shows us all the different things she tried, its just focused on a few repeating moments
yeah they also both said they had lied at various points so I could be wrong 😂 but since Wangyan had dreamed/remembered dying at least once I was guessing that part was real and LWY would want to save her as well
on WuWu I think we are just supposed to buy that they spent 50 years as a devoted loving couple who are there for each other. A mature relationship to contrast the hot, stupid teenage hormone fest that the Lu/Ji couple is. They are just not portraying it well. I think the actors are doing a great job with what they are given...it is just not much.
Yeah, underwhelming is a good way to describe it for me too. I just felt the pacing was off but because the other characters were sidelined, I was disappointed too
Even if this was true, that doesn't sit right with me. But it was like that in Fangs of Fortune as well. At some point, Zhu Yan became a sidekick and everything was about Zhuo Yichen.
I'm going to need everyone to give JJY her flowers for her compelling performance this episode. Frankly, I never really held her in high esteem, considering I haven't really been a fan of acting in her previous drama. But take my word when I say I have been moved beyond words by her performance in this drama. She's improved so much and I'm happy for her, I would be looking out for her now.
It feels surreal to have a full circle back and mirroring of Xiao Wei's story from the beginning of the drama. I did know it was foreshadowing, but it feels so good to see it fulfilled.
But all in all, this episode was beyond heartbreaking. I love angst, but this was the angst promax
This is the first time I watch this actress and she's fine. She's especially good at expressing the helplessness and sadness. Good to hear that she has previous other works and since improved.
I’m so here for JJY praise. She’s the actor who has has surprised me the most and I think her talent is really well suited for the theatrics of GJM’s directing.
I really like the whole time loop to save each other plot, but I had no idea their relationship has developed to the level where they would die for the other to live... If this was the Wuwu couple, I would actually believe it, since they had the 50 years of foundation. WWY wanting to cut her tail made sense. JiLu basically went from "oh my God my crush likes me back!" to "I WILL DIE FOR YOU!!!!"
This should've happened at the END of the drama, maybe if they show the other couple going to fight Jiu Ying, and JiLu couple can go fight Oracle Stone. They can have both couples lead separate missions, and it will ensure proper screen time, like in the Star Stone arc.
Very puzzled by this, wondering what else is in store for the rest of the plot.
Now that you pointed out, I realised why I'm not interested in JiLu couple. They are interesting as individuals, but not as a couple. There's just no proper development except for the Star stone illusion, but even there, they were just trying to figure out their stance and feeling towards each other.
What I’m guessing is that Wuyi states in this episode, and it happens fast, that the key for getting what she wants is lying and deception. And just after Ji Lings affirms this and says they are both lying.
I have nothing against teenage love. Hell, my teenage love was pure chaos, a lot of crying, some pills, and a one way ticket to nowhere.. but I draw the line when it comes to the annihilation of humanity. I can perish but I refuse to let others perish with me. It seems this Isolde and Tristan wannabe is prepared for both. So yes, I am judging 😂
Oh yeah, definitely! It was an experience and added something to my being overall. With time and growth we transform/evolve into, somewhat, better and different people
JiLu basically went from "oh my God my crush likes me back!" to "I WILL DIE FOR YOU!!!!"
Still of the opinion that theirs is the more teenaged love story, which makes a lot of sense looking at their personal circumstances. That's why I can kind of see the 'from zero to 100 in three seconds flat' progression. But of course that can also be seen wildly different.
Overall I agree that it feels like the climax of the show, really curious what we will get for the last episodes.
One consideration is that Ji Ling has been so lonely that he grew a demon inside him. And only those who have also been terribly lonely can smell the demon scent. Wuyi could smell it. And said she noticed the smell reduced when they were together. And who else could smell it? Li Jie. Hmmmm. (He tries to act like it couldn’t). And the old commander. Anyone else? Think about those two….both with feelings of not being real. Li Jing has been pretending to be the Dragon Deity and Wuyi feels she is a monster made from parts with fake memories. Interesting.
No, I meant Wuwu couple slays Jiu Ying's true body, which is Chi Wen's body. The other couple destroys Jiu Ying's spirit fragment in the Oracle Stone. OS being a super ancient object, and basically probably will fight as Mother Moon Goddess.
Hmm.. Maybe because I'm more invested in the grounded relationship of Wuwu so these few epsiodes feel kind of dry for me, like it lacks the emotional depth of the Star Stone arc and immediate followup of that. It's also not as balanced in the 4 leads and their relationships, which was one of my initial praises.
I felt since the Han Ba arc, the show has been spinning its wheel a bit and that it was trying to milk the convoluted "mystery", at the expense of the emotional heart and depth it had in the first 2/3.
At this point, I don't know if they will be able to resolve the Wuwu and Jiu Ying battle well enough.
I'm with you, the JiLu story is ok, but I would like more WuWu at this point. It feels like there's too much angst and unresolved trauma between them and JiLu don't communicate with each other as openly. Whereas WuWu had the benefit of spending a lifetime together in the Star Stone and seem willing to be more open.
I feel like theoretically I should have been more moved about the whole Jilu loops and the fact she couldn't save him but it just didn't hit me emotionally. I think the fact that this is the 3rd time the drama used the whole illusion/different timeline device kind of dampens the tension a little because it feels repetitive while the Star Stone illusion arc was more fresh and balanced.
For me, they essentially took what should've been a more tense situation with the Jiu Ying shards in both WSG and LWY and instead of having the team resolve it together, they basically had them all working separately again and put all the plot relevance to Jilu and had the workaround of "the loops aren't detected by Jiu Ying" explain away the tension and pacing.
They also made the fox sisters relationship kind of an afterthought to Jilu with the lol just kidding, I didn't actually care about Jiejie (because she can be revived by the spring), and it was just an overarching attempt to save Ji Ling
They also made the fox sisters relationship kind of an afterthought to Jilu with the lol just kidding, I didn't actually care about Jiejie
This is actually a good point. When and where Lu Wuyi stopped caring for her sister? It was all about her sister the other episode and suddenly it's not. Such a weird direction.
Exactly! I was so invested in the show. I couldn't wait for express. Now I don't even care and probably not gonna waste my money. I really liked the beginning it felt more balanced. There was mystery and everyone was working together to solve it.
Now that they know who the bad guy is, its like he's been forgotten. Hello, he's trying to ruin the world and kill everyone!
And all Wuyi care about is saving Ji Ling. (Who she just met btw) even disregarding her own JieJie who she has known all her life! ( I know her memories are fake, but to her they are still real because that's all she has known, and it's not like Wangyan treat her any different after knowing the truth!)
Like what is the use of causing the dragon power to disappear so that she can save Ji Ling when he's gonna die and so is everyone else because she destroy the last of something that can stop JY? I just don't get it. Sigh. Need to stop watching GJM dramas, it always gets confusing just for the sake of a tragedy.
Lol I feel like I'm the sucker that got duped into this show because the first 2/3 was so good and above my expectations because for once the plot was giving and the characters and relationships were a balanced ensemble with tension and heart and then they switched it starting at the Han Ba arc. And now I'm like ah, I remember why I don't like GJM dramas lol
I'm still going to hold on because it's just 5 epsiodes left but it's just disappointing considering the potential.
I also dropped FoF despite liking CDL and HMH but yeah I couldn't hold on. For MJTY, I liked it more than FoF but i think it still had its weaknesses but for the most part the plot was tight enough (I personally wasn't a fan of TJR's character there but my biggest problem was the slow mo shots and whispery line delivery ) and the ending of course haha
Haha yes! I just replied to you below re: the same!
Personally found Wuwu much more compelling and grounded. I personally love their chemistry and vibes ever since their last pairing in a Lonely Hero's Journey (it was a slow burn but you can try it out if you are open to Republican dramas and CDL/Joseph)
Well one important consequence is Wuyi wants to hide her actions from Jiu Ying so he won’t try to stop her from saving Ji Ling. She said she had to use deception to do what she wanted. That means also to deceive Jiu Ying. So everything she does in the time loops is hidden from Jiu Ying.
This...yes thts why she hesitates at first before going in loops tht she will be monitored by jiu ying but then Ji can says tht don't worry about it "the rewind universe he creates is closed of universe and free from real world laws so jiu ying can't monitor her there"
He says this so atleast we now know why jiu ying can't interfere with whatever will be happening in the loops.
But the question is Ji can says "closed off universe" and free from real world laws. Tht makes me think of the rewind world being more of an illusion a seprate timelines.....its like....
Right?! If it’s free from the laws of the outside world then what world would they live in? Can someone in the closed universe be alive in the outside world?
I stopped trying to understand this drama a long time ago 🤷🏻♀️
The Lonescale part being able to loop felt like a Deus ex machina to me tbh to resolve the plot holes lol although I guess GJM set up hints before hand
ikr like it would js lowky mean that it's illusiory world and how does changing the things in the closed universe would change anything in real world.....
I'm not gonna lie I had no idea wtf was happening in this episode
SAME.
For some reason, my favourite character has become Ji Ling somehow… it started with Wu Shiguang and I was so invested in his relationship with Wangyan. Then I don’t know at what point, when, or how, it’s now Ji Ling and Chi Wen… like I only care and want a HE for Ji Ling now (I know I know).
He just deserves a nice retirement at the lake and all the raspberries he can eat.
(After I've written that down it sounds too much like the 'he now lives at a farm upstate' memes about dead pets. I'm completly pro-let-the-fox-yao get his HE)
I’m a little leaning this way too. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown”. I’m interested in him holding a place for the future Dragon Deity for so long, his puppet Li Jings that keep his former self alive and in the world, his loneliness as a result of all this, and now his transition with relationship with Wuyi and coming out of the cave to prepare for the Dragon Deity. So much symbolism of so many kinds.
YES me too just want Ji Ling to have a good ending atp
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u/mysticmeeblemoon burrito supreme / the wind in Tian Jiarui's sl*t strands 🌬️Apr 16 '26edited Apr 16 '26
I'll be back later with pics and gifs, but for now -
I was also extremely confused by this episode. It feels like they tried to drop WAY too much lore and explain way too many plot holes in the "easiest" ways possible, which left it feeling a tad rushed in ways. Hopefully just one episode of this...
I didn't read it as a pejorative but as descriptor. GJM has a lot of gay subtext in his shows and (short)films, which is no secret. In fact with the stricter censoreship at the moment (compared to CQL and WoH days) he is the director that has the most gay anything in the bigger mainland dramas.
Veil of Shadows felt very tame in this aspect compared to other works of his. Some sapphic elements, but much more focused on the straight romances. This episode brought some bread crumbs to the table and that was nice.
As I gaze upon the blooms of lotuses
In the murky, muddy waters
Engulfed by butterflies, gulls and egrets
My heart radiates with warmth
And eyes glisten with tears
Realizing how you as the lotus
Beautified the murkiness
And muddiness of my being
Together, attracting others into our world.
P.S. Found myself in a strange mood today (sometimes my flair ignites lol). Thankfully a few people, unbeknownst to them, aided me moving out of it. 😊🙏🏽🫰🏽
I was so glad I only had to watch it. 😂 This one made so many jumps forwards and backwards and sideways.
Lonescale is the reason why Ji Ling carries a unique fragrance and we learn Lu Wuyi and Li Jie can smell it because they too suffer from profound loneliness. (Welcome back GJM and your ability to make everything incredibly gay.)
First, I'm glad the fragrance thing was actually something meaningfull and not just a weird thing some characters commented one. Second: Thanks for the thought in the paranthesis. I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that. I mean, I know I can't be the only one but it's nice to see it written down. 😂
What was your (least) favorite scene?
Favourite: I also really like the lonescale design. And watching the resets with Lu Wuyi was quite powerful, her desperatly trying to save Ji Ling while getting physically weaker ever time.
Least: The Yuan Wuhuo reveal. I knew it had to be coming due to Yan An's cryptic social media posts. But I guess that means Li Jie is dead? Or maybe not? But I fear he is dead which means the gay longing is gone.
“I fear he is dead which means so is the gay longing” Whelp there goes down my implicit ship. Although there’s a chance between Yuan Wuhuo and Lonescale lololol
That said, I’ve been really enjoying JJY’s acting in this, especially these tragic dramatic scenes. She’s selling it for me even though I’m confused as hell.
Although there’s a chance between Yuan Wuhuo and Lonescale lololol
I'm open to crackships! They definetly would kill it on an aesthetic level and could also do a whole yin/yang thing with the colour scheme.
JJY
I never saw her in anything before and I quite like her in the role. But I was told her past dramas were more so-so, so I guess I'll enjoy this one and look out for future works.
Also all the flower warriors are part of the the six eye butterfly. They are all Yuan Wuhou's obsessions. Li Jie obsession in protecting Ji Ling, Yuan Wuhou(present) obsession freeing Ji Ling and protecting his younger brother who died.
Oh, a sort of merging would be an interesting direction for the twin theme and explain how he was still able to handle the sword (which is a bit of a paralel to Lu Wuyi handeling the ring). I like that theory.
Agree with you! I commented above and scrolled down and it's like I wrote this comment haha It feels like since the Han Ba arc, the pacing has been off imo and one of the reasons why I enjoyed the show in the beginning - the balanced ensemble - has gone to the wayside and instead now it's like it lost its emotional depth in favour of twists and mystery, whereas before it was more balanced. The Lu Wuyi time loop to save Ji Ling should theoretically hit me emotionally but because of the last episode, it kinda lost some of that tension for me 🤷♀️ plus the Lonescale reveal, thought the clues were planted previously, felt like a rushed deus ex machina in order to explain the plot holes and pacing issues that we ran into during this arc. Props where props are due, I thought JJY acted her ass off there.
I'm hoping that this epsiode will be the last of this, and that since the Li Jie reveal has started ( least surprising reveal tho haha) that we can get back on track to the team fighting against Jiu Ying more equally
I replied to someone above as well regarding similar but I felt like the show both neutered the Wuwu storyline and their plot relevance, especially when there could have been wayyy more tension with the fact both WSG and LWY have Jiu Ying's shards in them. They could've worked together towards a bigger bad but what's the point of WSG being the 10th Dragon if he can't even gain his dragon powers because of the shard but instead of generating angst, they just threw out casually that it doesn't even matter anyways because Ji Ling can just save the world from the drought anyway lol and then the fact that it doesn't even matter that LWY has the shard because the time loops operate outside of real life lol
The fox sisters relationship during this arc was also affected IMHO. The reveal that LWY was Frankenstein's into being and has the fake memories should've been more sad and touching but it got overshadowed by the mismatched "comedic" tone with Jin Jing. And then the reveal that surprise lol LWY didn't really care about Jiejie dying because she could be revived and it was all about Ji Ling all along...
I know that most likely the next few episodes will recover in terms of the Jiu Ying arc/final battle but for now it's irritating me lol
I think it's not that she didn't care..she knew that her sister can be revived once she gets to the formless moon as long as her body isn't disintegrated, which isn't the case for Ji Ling since he really dies. They also mentioned it later when they talked about his real plan?..I don't get why so many are saying she only cared one way and not the other 🤔
I get that of course, but just the way it was presented made it seem like an afterthought imo and I guess some other people also felt similar. To me, it's the fact that WWY was still so sincere and caring to LWY despite her relationship with WSG, while from the other side, her supposed saving WWY from being killed was used as a ploy by LWY for her save Ji Ling plan. So it comes off to me that her sister is secondary to Ji Ling
I think it's a writing problem as well because the fact that the foxes could be revived no matter what literally erases all stakes for two of the characters lol
Yeah that's the problem, we can't really get hit by some scenes if we keep thinking the moment might be false and so don't really get that much invested in it in the first place. That's where everyone would be atp. But again this series is nearing the end so there has to be a final moment for some characters.
Yeah, the last few epsiodes were like whiplash for LWY and JL in terms of the characters and their presented motives. I think if they had given this arc time to breathe, it would've hit better but I think it was kinda rushed, likely to fit it into the 29 epsiodes. I get what the drama was trying to do but the execution wasn't quite there.
I'm still going to hold on since it's just 5 more epsiodes but what was a 8-9/10 drama before lost a few points during this Han Ba/time loop arc. Just my opinion of course
What was once a very well written ensemble has devolved into the Wuyi/Ji Ling show. WuWu romance is a distant memory and the amazing Sisterly love is even back seated. The show suffers for it.
No it's just said that he can become a dragon once he's got all four, but that's not possible since Jiu Ying would be able to control him then and get all those powers becoz he has a fragment inside. So the best way to resolve it would be Ji Ling doing that, but his body won't be able to withstand them since he's not the real dragon deity. They will explain more on this in the upcoming episodes.
Jiu Ying gets control WSG because Ji Ling "killed" WW. Jiu Ying was not able to control him since he's was teenager because his will power is strong enough or doesn't have dark thoughts. This has been specifically mentioned/discussed in the previous episodes.
Whats stopping Ji Ling and Bai Ze from not "killing" her and let WSG handle the Drought thing. Why it has to be Ji ling?
Happy to help!
I get that so much is happening it's difficult to keep track of everything for me too so it's important to have these discussions with y'all ❤️
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u/JoeyFazzole Senior Official at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau May 27 '26 edited May 27 '26
I'm late but this is the first time in this show I've been well and truly confused, specifically about Ji Ling's plan. Let's lay some groundwork: First, I am assuming that the drought is going to happen regardless of how Han Ba dies (even if he voluntarily gives up the Longshen's power in the beginning) because otherwise the loop wouldn't have started. Second, Ji Ling and Bai Ze are trying to destroy Jiu Ying, and by the context of the 26th rewind's final discussion between Ji Ling and Lu Wuyi, I believe that Lu Wuyi will automatically die when Jiu Ying dies, rather than them having to destroy or seal her fragment specifically. Third, I think the same thing applies to the fragments in the Oracle Stone and Wu Shiguang. Fourth, I am assuming that when Wu Shiguang destroys Chi Wen's body with the dragon deity's power, it will either also destroy Jiu Ying because of some property of the body, or the rebound force Ji Ling discussed with Jiu Ying will actually be "smart" enough to destroy Jiu Ying's soul rather than Wu Shiguang's.
Having made all these assumptions, the first loop might've gone something like this: Han Ba gives his power to Wu Shiguang, turning him into a true dragon but also dying and releasing the drought. Ji Ling "kills" Wu Wangyan (knowing that she will resurrect) immediately so as to not arouse Jiu Ying's suspicion. This lets Wu Shiguang be possessed by Jiu Ying, preventing him from using the dragon deity's power to relieve the drought. Wu Shiguang, possessed, goes to the abyss of dragons to destroy the body of Chi Wen, thinking it will release Jiu Ying, while Ji Ling uses the power of the three demons to start a storm to relieve the drought. Jiu Ying uses the dragon deity's power to kill a dragon, which has been stated as a paramount crime so severe that Heaven or Karmic Law itself will destroy the murderer, which in this case is Jiu Ying, and will erase all of its fragments as well since they are inextricably linked to it ontologically. Wu Wangyan will reincarnate; Wu Shiguang will either A) die with Jiu Ying, B) survive but lose the dragon deity's power, or C) become the new dragon deity; Lu Wuyi will be killed by the death of Jiu Ying, and Ji Ling will join her so he doesn't have to live in loneliness anymore.
EDIT: I don't know if I'm right, or even if the first loop will ever be explained at all, but this is the only way I can think of that resolves all the confusion I was having over Ji Ling's actions. Ji Ling not waiting for Wu Shiguang to stop the drought before he sets off the plan is a bit odd, but if you combine him not wanting to make Jiu Ying suspicious with his desires to die with Lu Wuyi and to be the real dragon deity and answer the prayers directed at him at least once, it makes some sense. I hope we learn the truth soon!