Chinese Drama 2021

Sword Snow Stride (Chinese Drama Review & Summary)

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GLOBAL GRANARY BEST DRAMA RECOMMENDATION FOR 2021

DRAMA OF THE YEAR

 

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• Genre: Historical Costume Drama Fiction, Romance
• Release Date: 15 December 2021
• Origin: China; Based on a novel by Wang Juan
• Cdrama: 50 Episodes

Cast

• Zhang Ruoyun as Xu Feng Nian
• Li Geng Xi as Jiang Ni
• Hu Jun as Xu Xiao
• Crystal Zhang as Nangong Pu Che/White Fox
• Vengo Gao as Chen Zhi Pao (Adopted Song of Xu Xiao)
• Frida Li as Xuan Yuan Qing Feng
• Liu Duan Duan as Zhao Kai
• Zoey Meng as Hong Shu
• Zhang Yi Shang as Shu Xiu
• Gao Tai Yu as Ning E Mei
• Liu Pei Qi as Li Yi Shan (Xu Xiao’s Military Strategist/Fengnian’s Master)
• Yang Hao Yu as Old Huang/Jian Jiuhuang
• Tao Hai as Lao Kui (Old Hank of the Lake Master)
• Liu Tian Zuo as Chu Lu San (Adopted Son of Xu Xiao)
• Finn Han as Zhao Xuan Xu
• Rong Zi Shan as Xu Long Xian
• He Qiang as Zhao Xituan (Old Taoist Master of Longhu)
• Claire Jia as Yu You Wei
• Gao Tai Yu as Ning Emei
• Tao Hai as Hu Di Lao Kui/Old Hank
• Du Yu Ming as Han Diao Si (Zhao Kai’s Master/Chief Eunuch)
• Tan Jian Chang as Old Xu (North Liang Veteran)
• Liu Pei Qi as Li Yi Shan (Master of Tingchao Pavilion)
• Edward Zhang as Hong Xi Xiang
• Dong Yan as Princess Sui Zhu
• Li Nian as Xu Zhi Yu (First Sister)
• Janice Man as Xu Wei Xiong (Second Sister)
• Wang Tian Chen as Zhao Xun (Lord Jing’an’s son)
• Yu Yang as Zhao Heng (Lord Jing’an)
• Sui  Jun Bo as Pei Nan Wei (Lord Jing’an’s consort)
• Gao Zi Gang as Wang Ming Ye
• Yu Rong Guang as Wang Xian Zhi (East Sea)
• Hou Chang Rong as Zhang Ju Lu (Prime Minister)
• Wang Hui Chun as Yang Tai Sui (Palace Precepter/Spiritual Adviser)
• Yu Heng as Lu Bai Jie (Sword Immortal of Tangxi)
• Su Mao as Zhao Huangchao (Hermit of Mt Longhu, The Fisherman)
• Wang Tong Hui as Cao Changqing (West Chu Celebrated Swordsman)
• Wang Gang as Zhao Dan Ping (one of Four Arch Taoist of Mount Longyu)
• Li Jie as Xuanyuan Jing Cheng (Eldest of Xuanyuan, father of Xuanyuan Qingfeng)
• Zhang Bin as Xuanyuan Jing Yi (Second Brother of Xuanyuan Family)
• Sun Wei as Xuanyuan Jing Xuan (Third Brother of Xuanyuan Family)
• Xi Yu LI as Madam Xuanyuan (Qingfeng’s mother)
• Zhang Chung Sun as Xuanyuan Da Qing (Celestial Level)
• Zhang Yi Cong as Yuan Ting Shan

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Quick Precis

This should be good as the drama comes from the same pen which wrote Joy of Life and Young Blood.

Apparently, it was about the rise of a young man into a great military leader.

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Snippets

• 9 December 2021: Rumour has it that this drama is due to broadcast on 15 December 2021

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Episode 1

The first episode is sumptuous as can be expected of a Zhang Ruoyun drama.  The cinematography is really good.  It is like watching a film.  This is a big-budget drama. An S+ drama just like Joy of Life.

Looking at the list of the cast, it is populated with popular and good actors.  Even Finn Han, who was really memorable as young Fan Xian in Joy of Life is on the list but not seen in this episode yet.

Anyway, Xu Feng Nian is the son of Xu Xiao, who is a mighty General.

Xu Xiao was instrumental in bringing peace to the land when there was previously only chaos. He was a legendary general.  He was rumoured to have annihilated a whole race or clan due to the upheaval and chaotic condition some years ago, thus Northern Liang eventually prevailed and peace covered the land.

Xu Feng Nian was wandering around like a beggar with only Old Huang for company plus a loyal but rather taciturn horse.

They met many adventures including the remaining people of the Chu clan who absolutely hate Xu Xiao.

When they found out that they had Xu Feng Nian before them, they could not wait to kill him but then a lady in white appeared to save Feng Nian.

Her martial art was so out of this world that she was able to put the Chu Clan to sleep with her lightning speed skill.

She was Nangong Pu Che/The White Fox who carried a couple of swords which she did not use as she did not think the remaining Chu Clan was worthy of her swords.

Anyway, she saved Feng Nian and Old Huang on the condition that Feng Nian would bring her to the Tingchao Pavilion which houses a library of books collected by Xu Xiao.

Feng Nian was finally on the periphery of Northern Liang.  But before going further, he stopped at a road eatery for some lunch and drink.

Again, they were hounded by the Chu Clan but then Pu Che turned up again.  But this time Feng Nian did not need her because with just one whistle the guards came to save Feng Nian.

Episode 2

Feng Nian was met by his beloved brother, Xu Longxian.

Xu Longxian was popular with the Xu army but he was devoted to Feng Nian who he carried on his back all the way to the manor after Fengnian got so drunk.  He would not allow anyone else to do it.

He then had Feng Nian bathe and change and then Longxian stayed by Feng Nian’s bedside watching him sleep.

Xu Xiao was so happy to see Feng Nian.

Feng Nian, however, was prepared to beat his father who banished him for three years, living from hand to mouth like a pauper.

But after some male bonding, Feng Nian told his father that he would resume his persona of being a playboy so he could be his eyes and ears when he’s in town.

Not everyone was excited that Feng Nian was back after three years.

A girl sneaked into the sleeping Feng Nian to stab him.

Feng Nian was ready though and stopped her.

It turned out, she was his maid, Jiang Ni, but treated like a younger sister.  She was his favourite.

Episode 3

Feng Nian told Pu Che that she was free to go to Tingchao Pavilion but could only stay for two hours.  If she wanted unlimited access to the pavilion, Pu Che had to become his bodyguard.

Feng Nian heard about a popular new dancer at the local brothel who specialises in sword dance.

Feng Nian went, dragging with him Pu Che and the cute as a button Jiang Ni.

Yu You Wei said that she could dance the sword dance for Feng Nian but it has to be for his eyes only as it is a very flirtatious dance.

Feng Nian was intrigued and followed the girl to the back room.

The dance of course involved a sword, a very sharp sword that You Wei would have used to assassinate Feng Nian if Pu Che did not turn up and cut the weapon in half.

When Feng Nian asked why Yu You Wei wanted to kill him, she said that she was from Chu and heard that Xu Xiao had the whole of the Chu Royal Palace killed including the little princess.

Feng Nian had Jiang Ni brought in.  He asked her to show You Wei her dagger.

It turned out that Jiang Ni is the Chu’s young Princess who now works as one of Feng Nian’s twenty-odd personal maids.

Jiang Ni was rescued by Xu Xiao from the massacre of the Chu Royal Family.

You Wei was taken back to the Xu mansion as another maid.  You Wei was a bit wary of being a ‘maid’ to the playboy Feng Nian.

Jia Ning assured her that being a maid does not mean warming the bed of the master.

Episode 4

Xu Xiao had adopted six-strong military officers.  The strongest and most admired was Chen Zhi Pao.

And Xu Xiao was worried that he would get control of the military which Xu Xiao had earmarked for his first born biological son, Feng Nian.

Episode 5

There was an old man tethered using meteorite chains in the deep of the pond.  He has phenomenal strength.  He lived off fish so he could breathe underwater.  I am not sure how.

Old Hank from the deep of the pond frightened Scholar Lin who had been trying to assassinate Feng Nian.

It looks like Scholar Lin had been subliminally influenced to hate and kill the playboy Feng Nian for the good of the Liyang.

It looks like the mastermind was Xu Xiao.

Xu Xiao then explained to Feng Nian that his young brother had been gaining followers from the army which means Xu Long Xian might usurp the leadership meant for Feng Nian.

Feng Nian told his father that that was fine with him as he never wanted to be the leader of the army.

Xu Xiao told him that if his young brother becomes the leader, it would be the end of peace.  Longxian is born with strong qi and spirit but at the same time, he is childlike and easily manipulated.

He was ordered by his father to make a choice, banish his brother to the border of Northern Liang or kill Ning Emei, a commander who is very loyal to Xu Long Xian.

Feng Nian found out from Qingniao, his maid, that she is one of the four planted by Xu Xiao to protect Feng Nian.  The other two had already died.

Feng Nian was gutted to realise that he did not even know who the other two who died were.

Episode 6

Feng Nian borrowed  Pu Che’s sharp sword and went to the pond to free Old Hank.

Old Hank was not grateful.  Instead, he tried to create havoc in front of the pavilion but the old masters were ready for him. Old Huang was a revelation.  He used his most beloved box which houses his collection of the 6 greatest swords ever created.

Finally defeated Old Hank agreed with Old Huang when he was asked to stay in the manor and protect Feng Nian until Old Huang gets back.

Poor Feng Nian cannot get over the fact that Old Huang was one of the three most revered swordsmen ever. Even Pu Che admires Old Huang real persona. He was Jian Jiuhuang.

Old Huang was with Feng Nian for three years in the wilderness.  Feng Nian thought that he was just an ordinary guy.

Old Huang later told Feng Nian that the box used to contain ten swords but he lost the four. One of these four swords was still in a wall of a fortress and he had to go there to finish a war he might have started.

It was really sad to see Old Huang leave Feng Nian.

Episode 7

A good historical drama’s secret is not only because of the gorgeous male and female leads.  The real backbone is the presence of the more mature cast.

And this is what makes this drama so good just like Joy of Life and Ever Night 1.

`It is the coming of age ceremony for Feng Nian.

He was surprised when it was not being held at the ancestral temple.  Instead, his father led him to his mother’s grave which was like a Taj Mahal.

Xu Xiao said that they will honour Feng Nian’s mother on his coming of age because she had been partial to him till her death.

The first of the ceremony was changing into a crimson gown and cloth cap for maturity, leaving childishness and adopting the morality of adults.

Then this was changed into a black robe with a Pelt Cap for nobles and officials.  Feng Nian has officially entered the army as an official commanding 350,000 cavalry.

He had another change of robe which was dark charcoal grey with a Lordship Cap which symbolises his rights to an Ancestral Worship which is solely for the benefit of his long gone mother who especially made the cap for him.

It was an auspicious day as it started snowing.

It was a beautiful ceremony.

But what follows was something else.

Xu Xiao told Feng Nian that now more than ever that he had to contain his young brother.

Xu Xiao said that he had found a solution, no banishment, no killing instead they had to tamper with the qi of Xu Longxian. He added that he found someone to do it.  He had already sent Longxian to the Wudang Sect.

Feng Nian was aghast.

He asked Pu Che to go with him as his bodyguard to Mount Wudang.  Pu Che turned him down because she does not want to be expelled from the pavilion if she goes against Xu Xiao.  Instead, she suggested that Feng Nian should go with the pond man, Old Hank. She also lent her long sword to Feng Nian and told him to return it to her when he gets back.

Old Hank agreed to go with him for a bit of an adventure but they found that Xu Xiao was one step ahead of them.

Xu Xiao had all the horses transferred to the barracks but then Jiang Ni secretly kept two horses for Feng Nian.

Then they can’t get out of the town because Xu Xiao had ordered the guards to close all the gates.

Fengnian had to go get Ning E Mei to order his guards to open the gate.  Fengnian explained to Emei that he was going to save his brother from the Wudang Sect.

They finally got out but Chen Zi Pao chased after them.  He said that Fengnian was making a choice and it would be down to him whatever outcome it may bring.  If anything untoward happens, it would be Fengnian’s fault.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ni confided to You Wei why she kept trying to kill Fengnian.  She said that it was their fate that one of them will die.  She was trying to make Fengnian get used to the idea that she or he may be gone before their time.

Episode 8

Fengnian hurried to Wudang Mountain where the Wudang Sect of Taoist Monks lives.

Fengnian saw Hong Xi Xiang and beat him up immediately.

Apparently, Hong Xi Xiang was into Fengnian’s older sister and his sister was in love with Hong Xi Xiang.

But Hong Xi Xiang would not come down from the mountains until he becomes the best martial artist while Fengnian’s sister would not climb up the mountain so she married someone else.

Why Fengnian beat up Hong Xi Xiang, I do not know.

Anyway, he found his brother in the mountain.

They had a heart to heart and it made me cry.

Longxiang willingly went to the mountains to destroy his innate power so he will not harm Fengnian.

Fengnian asked him. if he was stupid but his brother said that he will do anything to keep Fengnian from harm,  awww I had a bit of a cry because it was so heartwarming.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ni turned up with provisions.  She was sent by Xu Xiao to bring in pens and papers and clothes for Fengnian.  This was a punishment for her for giving Fengnian the horses.

Their life in Wudang was disturbed by the arrival of the Master of Mount Longhu who wanted to take Longxiang.

Mount Longhu is an Arch Taoist sect and even the Wudang Sect refused to get involved with Fengnian’s fight.

Zhao Xituan came to speak with Fengnian who instructed Old Hank to give the monk the karate chop.

The monk was a brilliant street fighter but in the end, he told them that he was sent by Old Huang.

Exciting stuff.

Love this drama and getting the hang of the story.  It has a lot of laughs and intrigues.

Episode 9

Zhao Xituan said that Old Huang made a deal with them that he will go to WuDi City to fight with Wang Xianzhi.  This exercise would test Wang Xianzhi’s extent of prowess which would help Mount Longhu.

Old Huang was doing this for Fengnian because he knew he was in a dilemma about his brother who is now wanted by everyone including the Royal Family.

The Royal Family is waiting for North Liang to make a mistake but they knew that as long as Xu Xiao is in charge, they could not do anything.

If Xu Xiao hands over the control to Fengnian, the Royal could use Longxiang against Fengnian which is now the dilemma of Xu Xiao.

If Xu Xiao hands the control to Longxiang, he was too naive and would be easily controlled by the royals and that would be the end of Northern Liang.

Mount Longhu is the number one sect and the only one that could ensure Longxiang’s safety.

Zhao Xituan said that he had never taken a disciple before because he was very choosey. He needs someone born with a special ability like Longxiang.

And the royal could not touch Mount Longhu because they have a secret royal in their sect.  This royal is a descendant of Liang.

This finally convinced Fengnian after Longxiang barged in and said that he wanted to go to Mount Longhu.

As Zhao Xituan was leaving with LongXiang, a rider came and gave a letter to Zhao Xituan.

Zhao Xituan went back to Fengnian to tell him that Old Huang is dead.

Xituan showed the letter to the very shocked Fengnian.  Old Huang did not lose to Wang Xianzhi, Old Huang died from exhaustion.

Wang Xianzhi was the best fighter in the world and would only use one hand to fight but with Old Huang he used two hands and their fight lasted 68 rounds which tired Old Huang who was not young anymore.

Fengnian was unbelievably sad.  He missed Old Huang.

He then asked Old Hank to teach him martial arts.  It is the only way he could take over North Liang and take back and protect his brother.  Also so he could defeat Wang Xianzhi and recover Old Huang’s swords box.

Old Hank told him that he was living in old cuckoo land, Fengnian is too old to master martial arts and defeat Wang Xianzhi, the only way was to take the Xu cavalry and go to Wudi City.

Fengnian insisted that he wanted to learn as he was told by Old Huang to learn it many years ago.

Old Hank started teaching Fengnian sword fights.  He was also helped by Hong Xi Xiang.

Fengnian made Jiang Ni promise that if he was in trouble one day, she had to make sure to run and never look back.

Jiang Ni did not promise but told him if he was dying, she would finish him off.

Episode 10

Wow, this drama is getting better and better.  The cinematography is real quality.

This is definitely the historical drama of 2021

Anyway, Fengnian was getting better and better with his martial arts and he was really focused on learning while Jiang Ni was busy in her little garden.

Jiang Ni was so proud of her garden, it was her pride and joy which was truly hers and no one was allowed to touch any of her plants.

Then came a disaster in the body of Princess Sui Zhu who came to Wudang Mountain looking for Fengnian.

She stepped on Jiang Ni’s plants.  Jiang Ni tried to control her temper but the princess seemed to delight in her power and trampled more on the plants.

Jiang Ni pushed her away, the princess’s guards were getting irate that Jiang Ni even touched their princess.

The princess slapped Jiang Ni and ordered her guards to beat Jiang Ni up but a sword came flying by.

Then in walked Fengnian.

He told the princess to apologise to Jiang Ni.  The princess was Fengnian’s fiancee three years ago but he was not around, the betrothal was canceled.

The Princess ordered her guard to subdue Fengnian.  But then Old Hank turned up and sorted all the guards.

Wang Chong Lou, the leader of Wudang Sect turned up and sided with Fengnian which only irked the princess even more.

The princess left in a huff but was met by Hong Xian Xiang who told her that he wanted to be on her side.  He said that not everyone at Wudang Sect was pro-North Liang.  He then took her to the mountain peak to spy on Wang Chong Lou and Fengnian.

They saw the two talking.

Wang Chong Lou explained to Fengnian that he wanted Wudang Sect to join North Liang.  He said that there are 9, I think,  sects but very small in comparison to the Capital (Emperor) and North Liang.

The sects are like boats trying not to capsize in the waves between North Liang and the Capital but sooner or later the waves will engulf the boats.

To preserve the Wudang Sect, they would like to affiliate with North Liang.

Fengnian said that Xu Xiao might not like it and the members of the Wudang Sect might not be in favour as well.

Wang Chong Lou has a sweetener for Fengnian.  He talked about martial arts.  He said practitioners are divided into nine ranks.  Then the first rank (topmost) has four levels: the Diamond Realm, which is the entry point of real martial artists where the body is hard to destroy and the bones won’t decay.

Wang Chong Lou said Old Hank belongs to the Diamond Realm.

The next is the Void Realm, Old Huang was in this level but during his battle with Wang Xianzhi, he reached the next level which is the Celestial Realm.

Only a few people could reach the Celestial Realm.  Wang Xianzhi is at this level for half a lifetime already.

The top one was the Immortal Realm.  This is more or less mythical because no one can reach it.

Above all the levels and ranks is Unity.

Back to real business, Wang Chong Lou opined that if Fengnian really wanted to go to Wudi City, he must reach the Void Realm at least.

Wang Chong Lou said that Wudang Sect has Duhuangting.

Duhuangting is special because it could change a person’s bones.  But Duhuangtin is not really learned, it is passed by a master to the next by giving his genuine spirit to the inheritor.

Wang Chong Lou passed it to Fengnian who was resisting because it would mean Wang Chong Lou would die and Fengnian can’t be responsible for it.

Wang Chong Lou said that he was not doing it for Fengnian but for the survival of Wudang Sect.

He passed his Duhuangting by cultivation.  He pushed the resisting Fengnian into the pond.

Fengnian was drowning and he started thinking of the four people who were nearest and dearest to him: Xuxiao, Xu Longxian, Old Huang, and Jiang Ni.

The thought of them gave Fengnian renewed vigour to come up into the surface but Wang Chong Lou had turned the surface into a gelatinous, plasticky, bubblegummy sort of texture which he cannot break.

He started going down again into the abyss.

Hong Xian Xiang did not turn against the Wudang Sect. He was following Wang Chong Lou’s order to make the Princess a witness for the passing of Duhuangting from Wang Chong Lou to Fengnian.

Aww brilliant.  Can’t wait for the next episode.

Episode 11

Wang Chong Lou fished out Fengnian from the deep.  The CGI was really good, quite breathtaking.

Anyway, Wang Chong Lou proceeded to transfer his Duhuangting to Fengnian watched by the princess and her guards plus Hong Xian Xiang.

To make it more believable that Wudang was determined to be a part of North Liang, Hong Xian Xiang, encouraged the princess and her guard to stop the ritual.

They were just about to attack but they were stopped by the monk of the purple forest.

So the ritual was completed.

Jiang Ni, later on, watched Fengnian moaning about the Duhuangting mark on his forehead.  He thought it might be unsightly so Jiang Ni said he could pass the Duhuangting to her.

Fengnian jeered at her for two things: first, he will die if he pass the Duhuangting on and second he doesn’t know how to do it.

They were ready to go back to North Liang.  It was rather sad, even Jiang Ni was not enthusiastic to leave.

Then as their contract had lapsed, Old Hank bid his farewell to Fengnian.  He advised Fengnian to continue with his martial arts and they might even meet again one day.  I am going to miss Old Hank.

They were near the Xu Manor when they spotted Hong Shu and Qingniao.  The two said that there was something in the mansion.  They were further surprised to find Xu Xiao waiting at the shed.

This really shocked Fengnian.

It turned out Second Sister had come back from Shangyin Academy and was on the warpath when she learned that Fengnian was learning martial arts.

Fengnian was scared of his sister and tried everything to pacify her but she scolded him for being irresponsible.

She asked him why he still refuses to take over North Liang.

This surprised Fengnian because if someone would understand him about North Liang, it would be Xu Weixiong, his academic sister.

Xu Weixiong went to see Jiang Ni and threatened to drop her on a well to rot if she hears that she tried to assassinate Fengnian once again.

Jiang Ni was made to write her promise not to kill Fengnian on the ground but as soon as Xu Weixiong left she edited it; she will kill Fengnian.

It looks like Chen Zhi Pao is crushing on his adopted sister, Xu Weixiong because he left the barracks to intercept the departing Weixiong just to say “Hi”

Fengnian is paying Jiang Ni to read to him the instructions manual for the Duhuangting.

Jiang Ni asked him why he doesn’t want to lead North Liang?

Feng Nian said that he doesn’t want to see people dying for trying to keep the peace.

Jiang Ni said would you rather that people die for nothing?

Episode 12

Finally, Fengnian was willing to take on North Liang after Jiang Ni gave him food for thought.

He went to his father and told him his decision.

Xu Xiao asked him his reason for changing his mind.

Fengnian said that there is only one, if he becomes the leader of North Liang, he can get his brother back.

Xu Xiao was not satisfied with his reason, but at the same time, he was secretly happy for Fengnian to finally agree to become the Commander General of North Liang.

He told Fengnian to go see his master at the pavilion.

Fengnian saw Pu Che with her ear against the floor at the pavilion.

Pu Che told him that she thinks there is an underground basement under the pavilion.

Fengnian told her that he had never heard of a pavilion basement before.

Pu Che asked back for the sword which Fengnian had to return rather grudgingly as he had grown used to it.

Anyway, Fengnian saw his master and he confided to him that he had agreed to lead North Liang to his father.

His Master told him that he had to speak his mind to his father; tell his father everything that concerned him, worrying him.  He then ordered  Fengnian to go downstairs.

Downstairs, he saw the secret stairs to the basement.  Pu Che was right.

His father was waiting for him and led him into an underground cave that house memorial helmets of 600 soldiers that had died for the cause.

The memorial included the father of Chen Zhi Pao.

It was overwhelming to see especially when Xu Xiao picked a few up to talk about their valour and good deeds.

Xu Xiao said that this should be one of the reasons that Fengnian wanted to take over North Liang.  Xu Xiao also mentioned that far from forcing Xu Zhi hu to marry someone else rather than Hong Xian Xiang, it was Xu Zhi Hu’s decision to marry someone influential for Fengnian.  She did it for her brother.  The same thing with Weixiong, she went to the academy to gather more influence for her adored brother, Fengnian.  And of course, Xu Longxiang always maintained that he was willing to go away so he will not harm Fengnian.  All his siblings did it for him, to maintain peace, just like the 600 hundred soldiers.

FengNian said he is ready but he will do it differently from Xu Xiao.

Xu Xiao was rather uneasy about it and thought that Fengnian was too naive.  He thinks that only through brute force you can achieve things.

Xu Xiao is a good Republican candidate.  He said that he hates the aristocrats.  He likened the strata of life under the aristocrats to a tree.

A tree with big branches, which are the aristocrats, gets all the light, the sunshine while the hoi polloi are the weeds that grew under the huge branches die because they don’t get the sun.

Xu Xiao told Fengnian to get ready, they will go to Wudi City.

This shocked Fengnian because he was not ready but Xu Xiao said that Fengnian cannot inherit North Liang without a trial by fire.

Xu Xiao told Fengnian to go up while he speaks to his comrade.

Xu Xiao went to a secret prison cell and threw the key to someone inside, telling him that Fengnian needed protection going to Wudi City.

Later on, Fengnian and Jiang Ni were in town.  They got talking about taking over North Liang,

Fengnian said that now he knew why Chen Zhi Pao can’t lead North Liang.  Chen Zhi Pao looks calm but seething with revenge and resentment inside.

Episode 13

Xu Xiao visited the blind Old Xu.

Old Xu got so overwhelmed when he learned that his visitor was the Commander General. He was so grateful to the commander when he got wounded during the war many years ago.  The Commander stayed with him at that time for a long time and gave him the will to carry on.

On the eve of Fengnian setting off, he went to see Pu Che.

Pu Che gave Fengnian her double sword to take and told him to return them back to her.

They got so drunk that when Fengnian woke up the next morning it was to a screeching Jiang Ni who was in bed with him.

Jiang Ni asked why he was in her bed?

He realised what had happened and offer to explain it to everyone.

Jiang Ni told him not to say anything.  They are so cute.

It was the day that Fengnian had to leave.

Xu Xiao arranged for every little detail including who will be in the entourage.  Ning E Mei will lead a cavalry of 100 soldiers from the Fengzi Battalion.

Qingniao will be driving one of the carriages.

Wei Shuyan, the librarian would be the guide and he knows martial arts.

Shu Xiu the assassin will also be going with him.  Even Xu Xiao noticed that Shu Xiu was rather flirtatious so he warned Fengnian to watch out.

Scholar Lin, who previously tried to assassinate Fengnian was now his guard.

Yu You Mei with her cat was also part of the group because Jiang Ni was going, wherever Jiang Ni goes, she goes as well.

Xu Xiao is an old romantic.  He was throwing Jiang Ni and Fengnian together. Awww

Then there was the man, who Xu Xiao calls the monster who was locked up at the pavilion.  He warned Fengnian never to give the monster a sword even if it is a wooden sword.

Xu Xiao meanwhile was going to the Capital to ensure that the hereditary system of North Liang is preserved.

At the academy, Zhao Kai is constantly teasing Xu Wei Xiong.  He told her that she will be his family one day.

In return, Xu Wei Xiong used the Hongzhi, an ancient sword on him which made him fall but as a great martial artist, he was able to hold on to a crevice.  He then noticed, the hooded figure of his master, Han Diao Si

Han Diao Si ordered Zhao Kai to kill Fengnian.  Han Diao Si said that it was not a court order but if Fengnian dies, North Liang will be in chaos.  It would then be the perfect time for Zhao Kai to shine.

Fengnian and his posse were not far from their starting point when they were stopped by the Iron Mask cavalry.

It was only when Chen Zhi Pao turned up that the iron-masked soldier moved.

Fengnian personally told Chen Zhi Pao that he will accept North Liang’s leadership.

Chen Zhi Pao said that Fengnian was not qualified for lacking three things: A cruel heart, a scheming mind, and connection.

Fengnian group continued on.

They camped for the night, You Wei wanted to escape with Jiang Ni.

Jiang Ni, however, as the monster man noticed was way too attached to Fengnian.  Jiang Ni turned down the chance instead she told You Wei that she needed money so she could get herself a decent funeral when the time comes.

Episode 14

They were on the next leg of their travel when there was someone in the middle of the road in full Fujiang armour.

This was extremely unusual as Fujiang Armour was more of a collector piece and so the only one which is still in existence is being kept at the Imperial Palace Museum. 🤣

The monster man said that Fujiang amour was weaponised.  It can be divided into five ways as wood, metal, water, fire and earth.  What they are seeing was the water kind and Shu Xiu and Scholar Lin can’t defeat it.

It took the Monster Man to sort the Fujiang Armour.

It was a very impressive CGI.   Raindrops turned into a water bullet which felled the armor down but the water whirlwind imploded the armor to pieces.

The Monster Man said that there is a man inside of the armour but he can’t be stopped until destroyed because he was under mind control.  Apparently, the amour has a genuine spirit to it. Huh?!!!🤣🤣🤣

The man controlling it was Zhao Kai who realised that it was not the day to kill Fengnian.

Poor Fengxin Battalion was almost wipeout by another Fujiang Armour as reported by Ning EMei.  He was ready to take his punishment but Fengnian told him that he and the battalion fought bravely, they were heroes.

Ning Emei was touched especially when Fengnian ordered to take back the dead and the wounded to North Liang and then to catch up later.

The monster man turned out to be the legendary God of Sword Li Chungang.

He was very impressed with Jiang Ni for realising that he was the God of Sword.  He had been asking her if she would like to be his disciple but she turned him down saying that she does not need martial arts as she is just a maid.

Jiang Ni asked him what happened to Mumaniu, his legendary sword.

Li Chungang said that Wang Xian Zhi broke it during a fight.  He lost to Wang Xian Zhi.

Now, Jiang Ni is worried for Fengnian.

Their next stop was a derelict Taoist temple but actually a hideout of bandits that Fengnian became friendly with when he was traveling during the three years he was away.

The place was deserted.  But that night another marauding bandit came. The leader said that little girl, Qiao Que was taken by Immortals of Qingyang Sect.

Fengnian was determined to rescue Qiao Que and he would go to Mount Qincheng.

Episode 15

Fengnian stopped by Mount Qincheng.

A group of female warriors prevented anyone from entering the Qingyang Sect.

Scholar Lin went to attack with impressive vigour and to break the female soldier formation he used the Chixia, which was given to him by Xu Xiao.  Though it is a powerful sword, it zapped out the user’s qi and blood so Scholar Lin is killing himself with the power of the sword as he fights the soldiers.

Xu Xiao did tell him the side effect of using the Chuxia but Scholar Lin said he was prepared to die thousand times as long as Xu Xiao promises to protect his Lin family.

Despite the power of the Chixia, Scholar Lin is overwhelmed by the sheer number of female ace sword fighters using the Shenxiao Sword Array.

So  Fengnian sent Shu Xiu to assist Scholar Lin.  Fengnian then decided to join in at the same time as Ning Emei arrived with his cavalry.

Before an all-out exciting fight commenced, a happy Xiaoque appeared with Wu Lingsu, the Lord of Qingcheng.

Wu Lingsu invited him inside while Qiaoque was chattering away.  She said that she was happy at Mount Qingcheng and hope to join the Shenxiao Sect so she could learn martial arts.

Fengnian’s entourage was not happy that he was going alone so  Jiang Ni with Li Chungang sneaked in.

They saw Fengnian being ushered by Wu Lingsu to meet a woman which made Fengnian shocked with excitement.

The woman was Fengnian’s mother’s former assistant/sister.

After the death of Fengnian’s mother, this auntie disappeared.

Auntie married Wu Lingsu of Mt Qingcheng, a known detractor of North Liang.

It turned out that it was all a ruse.  They were secretly working with Xu Xiao.

Li Chungang left after seeing that Fengnian was safe while Jiang Ni had to come out of her hiding as she was spotted by Auntie and Fengnian.

Auntie had been investigating the death of Fengnian’s mother.  She was pretty sure the perpetrator was a member of the Liang Royal Family.

She gave her note of her intel into the royal family to Fengnian to read.

Jiang Ni told him that she was going to help Fengnian in carrying out his revenge because she liked his mother.  She was the first one who smiled at her when she first got to the Xu Mansion.

Auntie left the two alone.  She noticed her a messenger pigeon flying out.  She immediately stopped it and removed the message.  She then went to find her husband to give him a blasting.

Apparently, her husband is a double agent.  Their son was being help hostage in the Capital so Mount Qingcheng continues their contretemps against North Liang.  Now and again Wu Lingsu would send intel to the Capital regarding moves by the North Liang.

Auntie said that if Wu Lingsu insisted on blabbing what has happened that day, she would kill herself in front of Fengnian’s mother’s grave.

Wu Lingsu reminded her that their son is a hostage.

Auntie said that she will personally go to the Capital to rescue Shenzhen if Xu Xiao was not able to get him out.

Auntie went back to Fengnian and told him that his mother had left something for him.  It was her mother’s sword that she hoped Fengnian can use if he learns the martial arts.  Otherwise, it should be a betrothal present to his bride.

He gave the sword case to Jiang Ni, who was askance at first thinking that he wanted to marry her but he disabused her of the idea.  He said that he can’t get out of the front gate carrying his mother’s sword.  So she, being his maid had to carry it.

He told her to go the back way but to be careful because there is a monster in the forest.

Jiang Ni was taking her time coming back so the worried Fengnian went searching for her.

It says that this is only season 1, does that mean we have to wait for the next season as long as the wait for Joy of Life 2?!!!

Also, I heard that the novel of Sword Snow Stride, Fengnian got himself 6 wives.

Episode 16

Fengnian, Wei Shuyan and Qingnao found Jiang Ni with a dying Hukui in front of her.  Fengnian realised that the Hukui was pregnant so he performed a caesarian and took out a male and female hukuis.

The mother hukui and Fengnian had a mutual understanding that Fengnian will be looking after the cute but ferocious hukui.

Li Chungang noticed the Daliang Dragon Sparrow sword next to Jiang Ni.

Jiang Ni grabbed it to her which surprised Fengnian that she had become protective of it.  But she said that she was making sure that Li Chungang does not get his hand on a sword as ordered by Xu Xiao.

Anyway, their next destination is Qingzhou.

Fengnian was warned by Auntie to travel by sea or lake.

Meanwhile, at Qingzhou, Lord of Jing’an of Liyang Zhao Heng was being assured by his accountant that they made a lot of money from the Lin property.

Lord Jing’an’s son interrupted, wanting his father to meet a new student who happens to be Zhao Kai.

Zhao Kai said that Fengnian is coming to Qingzhou and it was the best time to kill him.

Lord Jing’an said that if the son of Xu Xiao dies, Liyang would be in chaos.

Zhao Kai said it was exactly his point.  He added that Lord Jing’an would have a stronger chance to take over the royalty.

Lord Jing’an was shocked.  He ordered his son to remove Zhao Kai from Qingzhou.

Meanwhile, Fengnian were sailing on their way to Qingzhou.

Jiang Ni was once again asked by Li Chungang to become his apprentice.  He told her that if she had to stay with Fengnian, she needs to learn martial arts as well so Fengnian will not take her for granted.

It turned out that Li Chungang felt guilty about his girlfriend long ago, she was the reason why he seemed to have lost the verve of life.

Jiang Ni told him that if he needed to instruct someone, then Fengnian was a better candidate.  She then lent him her Divine Dagger as an inducement which Li Chungang appreciated.  He was very encouraging to a romance between Jiang Ni and Fengnian because it remind him of his younger days with his sweetheart.

Li Chungang gave pointers to Fengnian regarding his Duhuangtin in terms of using his swords.  Li Chungang was impressed that Fengnian was so natural.  He even admitted to himself that Fangnian was better than him at the same stage.

Jiang Ni and Fengnian were having a romantic a la Titanic scene when they spotted a ship ahead and another one just behind them.

The ship up ahead had Zhao Xin and Zhao Kai.

Zhao Kai had convinced Zhao Xin to take on Fengnian. Before they could carry out their dastardly plan, they noticed the ship behind.

Zhao Xin decided that it was not time to do any killings as his father would go mental if he finds out.  So they turned back which irked Zhao Kai.

Meanwhile, the ship nearby had the Lord of Jing’an’s accountant who started kowtowing to Fengnian.

He confessed that he was planted by Xu Xiao at Qingzhou 20 years ago and he wanted it to end and go home.

He told Fengnian to follow him on an island.

Fengnian was a little confused.  Can he trust him?

Auntie from Mount Qingcheng had sent a tassel via haw to North Liang.  Her husband asked if this was another test for Fengnian devised by Xi Xiao.

Auntie said that Fengnian is turning more and more like his father.  Fengnian is as brutal as Xu Xiao if he needed to as what he was when dealing with the bandits.  He had them killed without much qualms.

Chen Lu Shan was ecstatic when the hawk came flying by with the tassel.  He had been camping in front of the palace for days looking out for the tassel.  He was ordered by Xi Xiao to ride with his cavalry into Qingzhou when he received the tassel.

Episode 17

Zhao Kai was using Zhao Xun to attack Fengnian but when Zhao Xun was losing, Zhai Kai left with his Fujiang Armour.

Episode 18

Wang Liquan turned out to be a true blue North Liang military man who had been working as a sleeper for Xu Xiao in Qingzhou.

Xu Xiao wanted an audience with the Emperor but he was turned down as the Emperor apparently was unwell.

Going to Qingzhou was part of Fengnian’s way of acceptance for the leadership of North Liang.

But as Qingzhou was a known nemesis of North Liang, the King of Jing’an had to tread carefully.

Fengnian was turned down for a meeting by the King of Jing’an which did not bother Fengnian who played a waiting game.

The King of Jing’an received a note from the Prime Minister which asked him to sacrifice himself by killing Fengnian by order of the Emperor.

He was in a pickle because if he kills Fengnian, not only would North Liang will go after him the Emperor would also kill him and his clan to pacify Xu Xiao. Either way, he dies.

So he finally went to see Fengnian.

Episode 19

Fengnian made a play for the King’s young wife.

Fengnian had heard that the King adored his wife.  It looks like Zhou Xun also fancies his stepmother.

Anyway, to annoy the King, Fengnian flirted outrageously with the wife.  So when he left, the king beat up his wife.

It turned out that Mr Wang, King of Jing’an’s accountant was prepared to do his duty by dying together with every single one of his family for North Liang.

He said that being a North Liang soldier is more than being in the military.  It is about responsibility and duty.  So dying is almost a privilege.

The King of Jing’an made the decision to kill all the Wangs to make it appear to the Emperor that he had not formed an alliance with North Liang.

But Fengnian had other ideas.  He will not let any of the Wangs and the Lins die as a means to an end.

So with Mr. Wang’s daughter, he asked her to bring him to the Wang island but the problem was lack of transport as Mr. Wang had put the boats and ship somewhere else so no one can escape their mass suicide duty as a clan.

The daughter had a secret power and talent.  She could call out to Yuan, a turtle submarine.  With the turtle hero, she and Fengnian managed to reach Wang island.  They somehow able to find ships and ordered the people that they had to evacuate immediately, right this minute.  Just bring their most treasured possession and board the ships.

Mr. Wang unexpectedly arrived and was complaining that it was out of order to leave.  Fengnian gave him a karate chop on the neck which made Mr Wang lose consciousness.

Fengnian ordered that Mr. Wang be brought into the ship and set sail immediately.  His daughter also went.

Scholar Lin now only lives for Fengnian.

Episode 20

I love this drama so much.  I would say it again that it is the best drama of the year.  It has everything.  The supporting cast is as interesting as the leads and that is saying something.

This episode ended in such an exciting scene.

Fengnian met with his old friend, Wei Hua, who was a bandit but had a pure heart.  He doesn’t kill for the sake of it because he likes a clear conscience.  This way of thinking influenced Fengnian so much that he was determined not to follow his father’s way of solving things.  Fengnian would rescue rather than allow innocent people to be made collateral damage.

This is why he was dead set on saving the Wangs.

Anyway, Fengnian told Scholar Lin that he doesn’t have to stay and protect Fengnian anymore.  His Lin family, or what is left of them, were now on their way to North Liang together with the Wangs.  As far as Fengnian is concerned, Scholar Lin has no responsibility towards Fengnian anymore.

Scholar Lin said that his mother told him that he is as good as dead to her so Scholar Lin might as well stay as he always fulfills his promises.

Anyway, there was really no safe way for Fengnian and company to leave the island and they knew it.

So they were expecting a battle and they are going to get it.

The King of Jing’an had told Zhou Kai to kill Fengnian at any cost.

Zhou Kai had four Fujiang Armour with him.

With Wang Ming Yan has a pathological hatred for Xu Xiao and vowed that no one from North Liang would ever step foot at Chu/Qingzhou as Xu Xiao apparently personally plucked out the eyes of Wang Ming Yan’s brother.

There was also Wang Xian Zhi who was a clansman of Fengnian’s mother.  Apparently, Fengnian’s mother was the best swordsman but she left it all to be with Xu Xiao.  The clan had never forgiven her. They hold a vendetta against her issues.

Episode 21

I must say it is getting harder and harder to write a summary of this drama.  There is so much exciting stuff and I don’t know where to start.

Anyway, Wang Xian Zhi appeared and singlehandedly annihilated the Fengxiao Army just by a bit of lightning move and sleight of a hand.  His cultivation level is up the roof.

Poor Ning Emei was felled on the ground.

Li Chungang run riot against the tandem of Wang Xian Zhi and his sidekick girl, who carried his legendary sword for him.

Wang Xian Zhi and the girl later run away when they found out that their foe is none other than Li Chungang.

Meanwhile, Grandpa Wei had found a way to minimise the power of the Fujian Armour.  But they were too powerful.

Shu Xie was having a problem with one of the Fujian Armour.  It’s just unbeatable.  But she persevered with the help of Grandpa Wei, she managed to get into its weak point.

One of my favourite characters, Scholar Lin sacrificed his life to kill one of the Fujian Armour.  It was really sad when he was dying and had a short conversation with Fengnian.  He wanted to know if Fengnian was unharmed.

Scholar Lin said that he had done his duty.  He will die knowing that he had done his duty by Fengnian.

Fengnian assured him that he was ok.

Fengnian was able to defeat a Fujian Armour by adapting the teaching of Li Chungang.

Then Wang Xian Zhi appeared before Fengnian.  He was too powerful for the undefended Fengnian but out of nowhere, Wang Xian Zhi’s heart was plucked out from behind.

A random girl called Miss He He appeared.  She had a superpower.  She can appear and disappear in an instant.

Fengnian remembered this girl as the sauced beef seller in the market.

Finally, the Golden Armour, the most powerful of them all appeared before Fengnian.

Qingnao got severely injured defending Fengnian.

Miss Hehe appeared and save the day.

Fengnian was just thanking her when she started attacking Fengnian. It was a deadly attack as well.

Fengnian asked her why save him and now try to kill him.

Miss Hehe said that if she kills him, she gets paid 1000 tael of silver but if someone else kills him she only gets 500 taels.  So she saved him so she can get her 1000 taels.

She was going to finish him off but Li Chungang appeared and fought with the girl who immediately vanished.

Li Chungang said that Fengnian is dying.  The Hehe girl got him in his major qi points.

Fengnian asked him if there is a way for him to live.

Li Chungang said there is and that was to remove the genuine spirit inside him.  Do away with his Duhuangting.

Fengnian was not sure about that but they have a more pressing thing to think about as King of Jing’an and his army had just turned up.

Exciting stuff.

What I noticed was that Zhou Kai was a terrible tactician.  He could have killed them all if released the four Fujian Armour all at the same time. 🤣🤣🤣

Episode 22

This is not a very exciting episode though still interesting. It shows politics.

It turned out the King of Jing’an was giving Fengnian a way out of Qingzhou by sending his wife to meet Fengnian.

Fengnian understood it because how can the King of Jing’an send his most beloved precious wife to someone letching after her like Fengnian.

So Fengnian understood the underlying message behind it.  He had to pretend to kidnap and take Pei Nam Wei with him.  This will alert the Capital that Qingzhou and North Liang are not in good terms at all.

Fengnian asked the King of Jing’an why would he allow him to take Pei Nam Wei.

The king said that he had always known something is off about her so knowing that his son likes her, the king married her instead to save his son.  He also added that he is warier of the wrath of Xu Xiao than the Royals.  He warned Fengnian to leave Pei Nam Wei somewhere at the earliest opportunity and not to bring her to WuDi City.

Afterwards, Fengnian had an inhumanly painful experience of truly making the Duhuangting a real part of himself and becoming a different person, the only way that he could live or die in the process.

Episode 23

Fengnian and his entourage reached Yangcheng where he was to meet his eldest sister.

It went grim before even meeting her.

His sister had become infamous in Yangcheng because she gained a reputation for being a man-eater.

Xu Zhiyu was a widow and because of the rumours about her, the Lu Family treated her abominably.  The servants were cruel and dismissive towards her.

Fengnian got to find out about the rumour and went to see the man that his sister was supposed to be crushing on.

When he saw the third rate scholar, he knew that it was fake news because the man was not on par with the monk, Hong Xi Xian, his sister’s true love. 🤗

Fengnian with Shu Xiu was able to get the truth from the scholar.

He said that it was from the Royal, they wanted to besmirch Xu Zhiyu’s reputation to create a falling out with the influential Lu Family she was married to.

Without the Lu Family, North Liang will be a little less powerful.

Having found this out, Fengnian tied the man, who dare to connive with the Royals, to his horse and dragged him along the stony street.  No one messes with his sister.

But someone might start messing with his young brother, Longxian at Mount Longhu.

Zhao Kai with the Golden Armour met Longxian who was looking for ripe Hawthorne for Fengnian.

Episode 24

Zhao Xituan saved Longxian from Zhao Kai who was about to command the Golden Armour to attack Longxian.

Zhao Kai immediately apologised and showed the red thread to Zhao Xituan who recognised it as Han Diao Si’s token.

Zhao Kai said that he was in the mountain to look for someone.

Zhao Xituan warned Zhao Kai not to harm Longxian as he was his successor, next master of Mt Longhu Sect.

Zhao Kai roamed the mountain until they found the fisherman.  To test the fisherman, Zhao Kai commanded the Golder Armour to attack.

The Golden Armour promptly collapsed to the ground when it hit the fisherman’s energy shield.

The fisherman was the hidden member of the royal family.  He was Zhao Huangchao and knows everything about Zhao Kai already.

His specialty was reading the heart and mind.  He read Zhao Kai and found out that Zhao Kai’s greatest wish is to be the ruling monarch and to become one he had to kill Fengnian to create chaos which will give him the chance to seize the throne for himself.

Zhao Kai wanted help from the fisherman who said that he was quite happy to stay in the mountain which has been his refuge when he lost against  Wang Xian Zhi of East Sea many years ago.

Zhao Huangchao said that the only way that he will leave the mountain was when he caught the 1000-year-old salamander from the bottomless pond.  And he had been fishing for it for 20 years!  He was not even sure if it is a mythical creature.

Anyway,  in Yangcheng, Fengnian created mayhem but he was almost killed again by Miss Hehe.

His assassination brought out the protective duty of the Lu Family towards him.

But this was not good as he needed to create havoc against the Lu Family because only when North Liang is isolated from all sects and factions could he inherit the leadership of North Liang.

His sister tried to help him out but Fengnian told her that he would rather lose North Liang than have her suffer for it.

He assured his sister that he will create such an enemy of the Lu Family and influential families in Yangcheng, they would all be up in arms against Fengnian and North Liang.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ni and You Wei had to hide their faces under a veil because they are wary of being recognised by the Lu Family.

The Chu clan is hated by the Lu Family because they killed the first born of the Lus.

Episode 25

Zhao Kai and the Fisherman were talking about Fengnian.  How to best get rid of him.

Zhao Kai was all for just killing him at once but the Fisherman had a better idea.

He does not want to kill Fengnian, instead, they would screw him mentally.  The Fisherman said that they will toy with Fengnian’a psyche.

He then brought out a book fresh from the press of a biography he wrote about Wu Su, the wife of Xu Xiao, mother of Fengnian.

The Fisherman reviewed his own book when Zhao Kai deemed it boring after skimming it.  The Fisheman said that it was well written😜 that would make Fengnian know more about his mother and see her die all over again.

What the Fisherman knew about Fengnian was that he was utterly devoted to his mother.  So knowing what really happened to her will make him insane.  The fisherman assured Zhao Kai that Fengnian will go loopy because only the mentally strong could pass what he has in store for Fengnian.

The Fisherman confided that Wu Su was fatally wounded twenty years ago (but not so fatally because she managed to produce two more sons before dying). He openly told Zhao Kai that it was under the late Emperor’s order that Wu Su was attacked.  The attacker was Wang Xian Zhi who left Wudi City for the Capital at that time.

The Fisherman added that the attack of Wu Su was because the Royals were afraid that Xu Xiao was finally getting an heir after Wu Su had only given him female children.   A male heir to Xu Xiao, who had done unprecedented heroism of having conquered six states would weaken the Royal standing.

Zhao Kai left the mountain with the book to deliver to Fengnian.

It so happened that Xu Xiao was also talking about his late wife with the monk.

Wu Su kept her injuries a secret from her husband and had two boys in succession.  Only after the youngest Longxiang was born that Wu Su’s injuries surface and led to her death but before that Wu Su made Xu Xiao not put their children’s live-in peril by trying to avenge her.

Meanwhile, in Yangcheng, Fengnian had Jiangni and Youwei moved out of the Lu Mansion.  He explained about the danger they were in if they got found out as women from the Chu clan.

Fengnian’s sister Zhi Hu was always taking herbal concoctions.  He later found out that his sister is terminally ill.  Her spirit is ebbing fast and there is no known cure for it.

To pacify Fengnian, she promised to go back home with him once he becomes the true leader of North Liang.

Zhi Hu reminded him to make trouble for the Lu.

Fengnian told her that he had everything under control.  He will gatecrash the meeting of the Jiangnan scholars and make them so mad it will be chaotic.

Zhi Hu was rather sad for him and told him so.  She knew that he fancies Jiang Ni but he can’t marry her because she is no longer a princess.

Fengnian went directly to Jiangni and spoke about his sister’s condition with her.  He told her that there is no cure.

She said that Li Chungang and Wang Xian Zhi seemed to have found the fountain of youth and good health.  Probably they could help in prolonging Zhi Hu’s life.

Episode 26

Qingnao commented that Fengnian doesn’t get angry with Jiangni.  With his many maids, he only ever ‘see’ Jiang NI.

You Wei asked Qingnao if she was in love with Fengnian.  Qingnao said that she used to be in the Death Squad.  Death Squad doesn’t do falling in love.

Fengnian was leaving the Lu Mansion but before that, he had to go to the Jiagnian Scholar Debate at the Baoguo Temple.

Anyway, before they could leave, Lu Bai Jie turned up.  He wanted to send them off but Fengnian had a word with him.

Fengnian said that he noticed that his sister was being disrespected at Lu Manor even by the servants.

Xu Zhihu was also not given her correct allowance.  Fengnian said that if the Lu Family is strapped for cash, Fengnian doesn’t mind paying for his sister’s upkeep.

Lu Bai Jie was aghast at how Xu Zhihu was being treated from under his roof.  He had the main culprit among the servants who were disrespecting Xu Zhihu dismissed at once.

He said that Zhihu is part of his family and the Xu is Lu’s extended family.

Anyway, Lu Bai Jie made a counter request, he wanted to have a farewell fight with the God of Sword.

Li Chungang was ok with it but Lu Bai Jie said that he had to prepare as part of his ritual.  He had to take a bath, put some cologne, change his clothes and give an offering to his ancestors.

Fengnian left for the temple while Li Chungang waited for Lu Bai Jie.

Lu Bai Jie was actually doing a delaying tactic.  He kept Li Chungang waiting while he followed Fengnian and his posse to the temple.

At the temple, Fengnian saw the disparity between the rich and the poor.  A learned ordinary guy was reading a book but very submissive to Fengnian and said that he was not allowed to watch or participate in the debate becasue of his lowly status in life.

A noble girl then started harrassing a poor little girl who had been given permission by the kindly monks to pick coins from the pond.

Fengnian saw how the little girl was treated like a sport when the noble girl kept throwing arrows at the girl.

Fengnian intervened and would have dealt the noble girl a severe punishment but the young guy stopped him becasue he correctly said that once Fengnian is gone the poor little girl will suffer from the wrath of the noble girl and her family.

So the next best thing Fengnian did was to put the fear of life on the noble girl and tell her that if he hears that the girl had been harmed, he will come back and kill her and her family. For good measure, he said that he was Xu Fengnian who just killed the third-rate scholar and got away with it.

Fengnian brought the man with him to the podium where a scholar had just started a debate.

At first, the scholars tried to tell him that he was out of order joining in.

Fengnian used the power of his sword which stymied any more complaints from all the scholars.

Further debate was interrupted by Lu Bai Jie when he brought in the gagged widow of the third-rate scholar.  Lu Bai Jie said that the widow was the one who instigated the debate about Fengnian’s perceived abuse of power.  As a family, Lu Bai Jie felt that he had to uphold security for Fengnian.

Then Lu Bai Jie said that he will support Fengnian ascend to the leadership of North Liang as well being his eyes and ears in the Capital but there is a condition.

He wants Fengnian to leave Jiang Ni to him because he knew that she was from West Chu, the clan which killed his beloved cousin.

Fengnian said “No Deal”. Jiang Ni stays with him.

Lu Bai Jie was insistent so as a last recouse, Fengnian told him that he could have Jiang Ni after Lu Bai Jie had killed the most barbaric general of North Liang who is Chen Zhibao.  Lu Bai Jie complained at first because Zhibao is becoming legendary as a mighty general.

Anyway, he had a fight with Fengnian.  He has a stronger marial art thatnFengnian.  Lu Bai Jie managed to maneuver himself to directly go for Jiang Ni’s throat with his sword but a little stone knocked his sword away.

He then saw the mighty sword superstar Cao Changqing, known for being one of the three greatest swordsmen and a Chessman.

Cao Changqing played Lu Bai Jie like he was Geppetto and Lu Bai Jie was Pinocchio. He pulled his string as he can tell every movement Lu Bai Jie makes.  Finally Cao Changqing got bored and threw him against the rocky wall.

Poor Lu Bai Jie collapsed.  Even Zhihu was alarmed that he had died but she was reassured that he was just in a momentary coma.🤣

Anyway, Cao Changqing went to Jiang Ni and knelt down in front of her.  He was very sorry that he had neglected her and allowed the Princess to be downgraded as Fengnian’s maid.

He said he will kill Fengnian and proceeded to do it despite Jiang Ni telling him that Fengnian was kind to her.

Cao Changqing said that Jiang Ni was brainwashed and suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.

Love this drama so much.  I shall reiterate that this is definitely the drama of the year.  The more mature cast are really exciting to watch.

Episode 27

Jiang Ni and You Wei managed to convince Cao Changqing to cease and desist trying to kill Fengnian.

Cao Changqing said that he would like to take Jiang Ni back with him because there are many who survived the onslaught at West Chu twenty years ago.

The Shu needs Jiang Ni to lead being the last of the Royal blood.

Fengnian declined for Jiang NI and Jiang Ni did not want to go either because as lowly as she had become, she had gotten used to being a maid.

Anyway, Changqing did not give up and appeal more to Jiang Ni’s humanity.

Finally she agreed but she would go back after they had been to Mount Longhu.  Jiang Ni said that she feels she owed the Xu for having looked after her.

Cao Changqing finally agreed but advised that they had to keep it in secret because if it got found out that West Chu and North Liang have some sort of alliance, it would be a hindrance to Fengnian’s getting the leadership of North Liang.  North Liang must be standalone with no allies.

So Cao Changqing and Li Chungang pretended to have a massive showdown at the temple ground.  There was chaos in the yard and a pagoda became a very leaning tower.

Zhao Kai was stalking Fengnian.  He finally left the biography book where it could be found by someone from Fengnian group.

It was duly given to Fengnian who had just a training with LI Chungang.

Fengnian found out that Li Chungang had attained the level of Immortals.  He could have easily defeated Wang Xian Zhi twenty years ago but Li Chungang said that he hesitated using the Sword Sleeve because he knew he could and might kill Wang Xian Zhi.  He thought that it would be a shame to kill Wnag Xian Zhi as he has so much to offer to the martial art world.

His hesitation caused him to lose.

Episode 28

I have to be honest, I found the first 10 minutes cringing.  It was just too corny especially the part where Zhao Kai and his Golden Armour were beaten up and defeated by Miss Hehe.

Zhao Kai got up gingerly and told the Golden Armour that they had to go for breakfast±!  Huh?!!!

Anyway, Fengnian started reading the biography of his mother.  He thought it was really pretty tame.  It was when he started looking at the pictures that something happened.

He was absolutely riveted by the dragon picture; Grandpa Wei felt concerned that he had to shake Fengnian from his deep reverie.

Fengnian told Grandpa that he felt he was in a nightmare but he ordered Grandpa Wei to give him some alone time.

Fengnian looked at the book again, suddenly some of the scripts started moving away from the book and the dragon went flying into the clouds.

Then a man was on the dragon’s head controlling it.   As they had not met yet, Fengnian did not know that the man was the Fisherman, the Zhao Royal hiding at Mount Longyu.

The Fisherman made the dragon blow fire at Fengnian but out of nowhere, Fengnian’s mother appeared and used her power to stop the fire from getting to Fengnian, who was getting into grips with seeing his mother again.

In the end, his mother disintegrated with the dragon’s fire but as the Fisherman said it would take 1 in a million for someone not to go crazy from watching someone who resides in their heart disappear forever and not feel bereft into insanity.

It so happened that Li Chungang had instructed Fengnian about cultivation and opening heaven’s gate, which meant you can change your destiny by using Unity, the topmost cultivation level.  With this in mind, he learned how to compartmentalise his issues.  His mother was dead for a long time and he had to let her go.

Miss Hehe found him crying.  His sadness stopped her from killing him.

She advised making closure with his mother because whatever he says, his mother will be able to hear.  Miss Hehe warned him that when he was more cheerful, she will return to kill him.

Fengnian related this to Li Chungang and Jiang Ni who secretly returned to the carriage.

Fengnian said that something does not compute with Miss Hehe.  Miss Hehe tried to kill him twice already but every time he gets hurt, he would actually make him stronger just like his Duhuangting has been completely incorporated into him.  And when he was hurt again by Miss Hehe at Yangcheng, it only made him physically stronger.  They wondered if Miss Hehe was under the payroll of Xu Xiao.

Speaking of Xu Xiao, he was finally summoned by the Emperor to the palace.

When he went there, it was only the Prime Minister and the supreme Eunuch, Han Dao Shi who said that the Emperor was unwell.

Instead, the Emperor issued an edict making it official that Fengnian will lead North Liang but Xu Xiao had to resign as the Grand Commander.

Xu Xiao agreed immediately.  He was happy with the outcome and said that he will return to North Liang with mission accomplished

The Prime Minister was very unhappy about it.  When he got back to his office he summoned the Arch Taoist who is the ambassador of Mount Longyu and as such permanently based in the Capital.

The Prime Minister said that when Xu Fengnian leads North Liang, it would be chaos so he ordered the Taoist monk to return to Longyu and kill Fengnian and also Zhao Kai, the illegitimate son of the Emperor who has the desire to take the throne for himself.

Episode 29

Fengnian and company were on the road again.

A group of riders overtook them.

Fengnian was shocked to recognise Xuanyuan Qingfeng leading the riders.

Fengnian quickly recounted to Li Chungang and Jiang Ni that he had a brief and almost deadly encounter with Xuanyuan Qingfeng during the three years he was wandering from town to town with Old Huang and sometimes with Wen Hua.

Fengnian said that they may have harassed Qingfeng by admiring her too much.  He told her that she had the hips perfect for childbearing.

They did not know the Qingfeng was one feisty lady and chased them all over town.

Anyway, Fengnian ordered his group to follow  Qingfeng and her guards.

Qingfeng was still astride her horse but all her guards were down in the ground, murdered by Yuan Tingshan of Mt Hui.

Yuan Tingshan is Qingfeng’s father’s guard.

Zhixu and Ning Emei with Grandpa Wei managed to fight him off but the Golden Armour dragged him away to Zhao Kai who wanted to recruit him to join the cause of killing Fengnian.

Qingfeng is the only daughter/child, the firstborn,  of Xuanyuan Sect eldest son and she is likely to become the head of the clan one day.

Her father had banished her preventing her from coming home because he does not want her to be in the milieu of the Xuanyuan family whose in-fighting and jealousy was sickening.  Her uncles wanted Qingfeng to enter a martial art contest to fight to the death.  Her father can’t prevent it because he was bookish and deemed weak, even Qingfeng’s mother abhorred him and does not want anything to do with him.

Xuanyuan Sect has a hundred years of history and according to Li Chungang, the clan elder, Xuanyuan Da Qing, had reached the Celestial Realm just like Wang Xian Zhi.

Jiang Ni could not help asking if Da Qing had defeated Li Chungang as well.

Li Chungang was askance and readily corrected Jiang Ni that only Wang Xian Zhi ever did defeat him.

Qingfeng reunited with her clan, headed by her father, who came to meet her aboard a barge.  Her Third (second really) Uncle was also in the group.  They noticed a monk and a boy on a raft.

They guessed that they were from the nearby Mt Longyu.

The monk and the boy were also spotted by Fengnian who started hollering for his brother.

Li Chungang used his Sword Sleeves power to catapult Fengnian to  Zhao Xituan and Longxian’s raft.

Li Chungang told Jiang Ni that Longxiang was born having a Diamond Realm level of cultivation.

The Xuanyuan got curious about the little reunion and found out that Fengnian was Qingfeng’s rescuer.

They later quizzed her how much does she know Fengnian.

Episode 30

This episode is a “Huh?!!!” one.

It is like watching a daily soap set in a historical costume drama. 🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, Qingfeng found out why she was summoned back by her uncles to come home but was unwelcomed by her father.

According to what went on in this episode, the Xuanyuan clan is one dysfunctional family.

To start with, their patriarch, Da Qing, is really an impostor. He was originally just a retainer of the Xuanyuan but as he had attained the Celestial realm, he was adopted into the Xuanyuan clan and ultimately became the patriarch.

Da Qing had always hankered to have living children of his own, his children had all died trying to attain a higher cultivation level.

Now at almost 100 years of age, Da Qing rediscovered his libido and was ready to get jiggy with it with Qingfeng to start with.  `His other goal was to sample the ladies in and around Mt Hui, the old goat.

So marriage to Qingfeng was arranged for the next day.

Qingfeng was abhorred by the thought of it and tried to leave but  Uncle Jing Xuan was patrolling the gates and entrances of Mr Hui.  He told Qingfeng that she had it good growing up and now it is payback time.

Qingfeng remembered her father telling her that he told Yuan Ting Shan to apprise her of the marriage to Da Qing.

Yuan Ting Shan did not mention this to her when she first saw him because it turned out that Yuan Ting Shan had his own agenda.  He wanted to marry Qingfeng himself because only with the full support of the Xuanyuan family could he enter the realm of martial arts.  He promised her that after marriage, she can do whatever she likes and he would not even sleep with her.

Between the horny old goat and a platonic marriage to Yuan Ting Shan, she chose the lesser of the two evils which was Yuan Ting Shan.

Her father, Xuanyuan Jing Cheng, would do anything for his daughter so he decided to go see Fengnian.

No one knew that through being a bookworm, Jing Cheng had attained Celestial Realm and was able to fly in the sky and glide on water and this was the manner of transport he used to go visit Fengnian.

It got hilarious when he saw Fengnian.  Jing Cheng could not get over the fact that he looked so mich like his mother

This annoyed Fengnian and started using his sword as well as his Dihuangting on Jingchen who was untouchable.

Anyway, they remarked that Jingcheng was known as bookish rather than a martial artist.

Jingcheng said that reading could also allow you to reach the Celestial Realm.

Fengnian wanted to know how Jingcheng knew of his mother.

Jingcheng said that he had never met his mother but Qingfeng’s mother did.

When Madam Xuanyuan first met Wu Su, Wu Su was dressed as a man.  Madam Xuanyuan fell for WuSu at first sight and rather irrevocably🤣🤣🤣. It was too late when she found out that Wu Su was a woman.  She had only Wu Su in her heart.

She painted a photo of Wu Su which Jing Cheng saw and he fell in love with Wu Su himself.

That is the reason why Jingcheng and Madam Xuanyuan was not living as normal man and wife because they were both in love with the same person, Wu Su.  Huh?!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, Jingcheng said that in two hours he will challenge Da Qing to a fight where he intend to kill Da Qing.

He knew he will die as well and he would like Fengnian to take Qingfeng and Madam Yuanxuan with him to North Liang.  He said to Fengnian that he could use Qingfeng as a puppet ruler of Mt Hui.

Jingcheng invited Fengnian to watch his fight with Da Qing.

Fengnian and group went to Mt Hui and had a fight with Jing Xuan.

Meanwhile, Jingcheng found Jing Yi harassing Madam Yuanxuan and Qingfeng.  Finally, Jingcheng showed his power to Jing Yi who was so dismissive of Jingcheng.  Jing Yi had been given a tablet by Da Qing to attain the Void Realm but of course, it was no use against Jingcheng’s Celestial Realm.

Jingcheng killed his brother and told his wife and daughter to go to Fengnian for sanctuary.  Jingcheng said that he will kill Da Qing.

Episode 31

Jingcheng went to the snowfield to call out Da Qing who turned up immediately.

He was curious about Jingcheng was brave for once.  He got more curious when Jingcheng showed what he can do.

And he can do weather change seen from far and wide.

Fengnian with his entourage together with Qingfeng noticed what was going on in the sky and realised that the rumble had started.

Jiang Ni was impressed and asked Li Chungang if Jingcheng could defeat the Celestial Realm martial artist Da Qing.

Li Chungang did not hesitate to opine that Jingcheng had not really reached Celestial Realm yet so yes, Da Qing will make a mincemeat of Jingcheng.

They were therefore surprised to find that Jingcheng had not only reached the Celestial Realm but had also become an Immortal-on Earth and with his new power he was able to disintegrate the powerful but surprised Da Qing.

Da Qing was still looking flabbergasted that a nerdy guy who had never shown any martial art skill before was now standing before him sending him to the heavens to meet his maker.

Alas, Jingcheng had just had enough time himself to look at Qingfeng and tell her that she was now the master of Mt Hui before he also turned into dust.

Uncle Jing Xuan had something to say about Qingfeng becoming the new leader.  He said that her father had just committed patricide.  Qingfeng should be arrested for colluding with her father for killing their elder Da Qing.

Qingfeng announced that if she becomes the leader, she will open the door to a new era for Mt Hui.  She would allow anyone including the retainer to study martial arts.

Jing Xuan just laugh off her announcement but a guard suddenly lunged at him and stabbed him repeatedly at the back until he died.

Fengnian said admiringly that Jingcheng was life, Xu Xiao.  He did not leave anything to chance.  He had everything covered.

With her leadership confirmed, Qingfeng had a word with Fengnian about how she could repay his help and support.  She was almost afraid to ask if she had to give herself to him.

Fengnian told her that he has Qingnao who is as pretty and even better at martial arts than Qingfeng.  And he had many like Qingnao in his manor.

Fengnian left momentarily to drag the surprised Jiang Ni with him.  Fengnian introduced Jiang Ni to Qingfeng as “My Girl, the Princess of West Chu”.

As Yuanxuan is the Master Controller of all waterways on Earth, he would like Qingfeng to arrange for Jiang Ni to travel by boat to West Chu.

Fengnian thinks that sailing is the safest way for Jiang Ni to reach West Chu.  He mentioned that Jiang Ni is guarded by the legendary Cao Chang Qing.

This drama is beginning to look like it will have a second series because there are more loose ends to tie up and a good climax to happen in WuDi City and yet there are only 7 episodes left.

Episode 32

Just Recap of the Rank

Jingcheng had ordered that his cultivation book should be given to Fengnian.

Fengnian, however, declined to accept it as he doesn’t want to do shortcuts.  He will climb to the levels himself with his own terms and efforts.

Li Chungang approved of Fengnian’s way of thinking.

Before, Fengnian left, he told Qingfeng that she was nothing special.   She doesn’t have nice boobs or a nice butt and she was always frowning. She doesn’t rock his boat.

Qingfeng was rather puzzled.

Madam Yuanxuan had a bonfire in front of her manor.  She burnt furniture and then the painting of Wu Su which had a pride of place in her house.  Madam Yuan Xuan then went to the snowfield and then she went over the edge and jumped to her death into the ravine.

What happened at Mt Hui made Fengnian uneasy.  He confessed to Jiang Ni that he was scared of Xu Xiao.

Jiang NI told him that Xu Xiao scares a lot of people. It was only Fengnian who was not scared of him.

Fengnian said that he was scared that Xu Xiao will grow old. Awww

Fengnian was invited to Mount Longyu.

Being crafty and suspicious, Fengnian brought with him Li Chungang who he asked if he could take on the four Arch Taoists of Mt Longyu who have Celestial level of power.  They were Zhao Danxia who is the Grandmaster, Zhao Ziyi – the eldest, Zhao Danping – based in the Capital and Zhao Xituan – Huangme’er/Longxian’s master.

Li Chungang just smirked.

Immediately, the two were dubious of their surroundings and they were right to be wary of their surroundings because Zhao Danping was intent on carrying out the Prime Minister’s order of killing Fengnian.

The guards, disciples, and retainers of Mt Longhu were ready and prepared to attack and  just waiting for Zhao Danping’s order to charge.

Zhao Danping had his sword at the ready.  He announced that Fengnian had to surrender his Duhuangting otherwise he would kill him.

Xituan clarified matters by saying that Zhao Danping was working alone.  It was his sole decision.  The Grandmaster and the Eldest were both in the Zone.

Li Chungang said that no one will touch Fengnian who he wanted to see grow old and realised his full pontential.  Li Chungang raised his hand to the heavens and showed that he was not known as the God of Sword for nothing.

Suddenly, the sky became a magnetic pool festooned by all the swords it pulled from everyone at Mt Longhu including that of Zhao Danping.  it was an impressive CGI

Zhao Xituan was amazed that Li Chungang had reentered the heavenly rank as the Sword-Immortal-on-Earth.

A voice boomed out from the Grandmaster who said that it was a misunderstanding.  Mt Longyu did not mean any harm to Fengnian.

Li Chungang asked the Grandmaster to come but the Grandmaster said that he was in the Zone.

Zhao Danping said that he was just testing Fengnian.

Meanwhile, the Fisherman also noticed Li Chungang is back as an Immortal-on-Earth.

Episode 33

6 January 2022:  This drama has now exceeded 4Billion views.

Well deserved.

Fengnian could not help but comment that since Li Chungang is an Immortal-on-Earth, then he could take on Wang Xian Zhi easily.

Li Chungang said that martial arts do not work like that.  It is not about the rank but how you approach the situation and opponent.

Meanwhile, Xituan castigated Zhao Danping for what he did but Zhao Danping said that it was all a show. He never meant to kill Fengnian for the obvious reason that Xu Xiao will have their guts for garters.  It was a show to pacify the Prime Minister.  To show the PM that they did what they could but Fengnian had a superpower protector.

Zhao Danping was lying and so was the Grandmaster who came out from his Zone.

The Grandmaster was not even in his teens yet, he was Finn Han, who played boy Fan Xian (Zhang Ruo Yun) in Joy of Life.

Anyway, the boy Grandmaster said that despite being so young, he was actually dying becasue he was so tired from the inside.  As Danping had been inciting him that the Wudang Sect was now under Fengnian’s protection, it would be no time at all when Wudang would attact Longyu Sect.

So it is wise to kill Fengnian and the Grandmaster must do it himself but away from Longyu.

It was time to depart Longyu Mountain. Fengnian found it hard to leave his devoted brother.

Ning Emei who was supposed to go back to North Liang had developed utter devotion to Fengnian even more than the loyalty he felt for young Longxiang/Huangme’er.

Huangme’re the sweetest kindest boy was actually grateful to Ning Emei for trying to protect Fengnian.

They had not gone too far when they spotted another ship which had  Qingfeng and Grandpa Wei.  The ship was the one to take Jiang Ni back to West Chu.

Jiang Ni and Fengnian had a protracted goodbye though neither of the were saying much.  It was how they looked at each other, the longing and yet they can’t say what they wanted to say to each other.

Fengnian gave his mother’s sword to Jiang Ni.

Jiang Ni was taken aback but Fengnian said that she seemed the natural person to receive his mother’s legendary Wu sword.

They were interrupted by Cao ChangQing and more or less said that they had to say their goodbyes because the next time they meet one another will be on a battlefield.

Quick as a flash, as he looked tenderly at Jiang Ni, Fengnian said that that would never happen, he will change destiny and protect the world for Jiang Ni. Awww

Jiang Ni smiled at him and he at her and said that the next time he sees her and if he wanted to her to read to him, it would cost him two coins per word, double the original price as she is now a princess.

Finally they sailed away to the opposite direction but they looked at each other until they were both just dot on the horizon.

Fengnian’s next destination is Shangyin Academy to see his feisty second sister.

They were sailing fairly calmly when they spotted a boy with a banner saying that he was Xu Xiao’s youngest son.

They took him on board but no one believe that he was Fengnian’s illegitimate brother.  In fact, they beat him up a bit.  The boy was of course the Longyu Sect Grandmaster.

Fengnian said to keep a watch on the boy.

Grandpa Wei asked why he let the boy go with them.

Fengnian said that it was better to keep an eye on him.

And Fengnian should keep an eye also on Zhuxiu as she had been approached by Zhao Kai to join forces with him so he could give her the White Emperor that would give kudos to her clan.

Zhao Kai’s motley crew had grown another member.

Yuan Ting Shan had joined Zhao Kai after a promise of entry to the martial art world.

Yuan Ting Shan asked Zhao Kai why he wanted to kill Fengnian.

Zhao Kai said that only after he had killed Fengnian and he gets a chance to be the Emperor that he is worthy of Xu Wei Xiong, Xu Fengnian’s sister.

Yuan Ting Shan personally thought that Zhao Kai is bonkers for wanting to kill the brother of the woman he was obsessed with.

Episode 34

Fengnian and posse finally arrived at the academy where Xu Wei Xiong was already waiting by the pier.

Fengnian told the others to remain on board as he does not want to send his sister into a towering rage.

But he would disembark with Li Chungang and introduce him to Second Sister.  Fengnian especially told Li Chungang not to mention that she was a sister to Fengnian.  Never to mention Jiang Ni as well.

Li Chungang had a mind of his own and immediately berated Second Sister of her harsh treatment of Jiang NI.

Second Sister explained that she was just doing her join as a surrogate mother to Fengnian where she had to teach his sister in law to treat her husband loyally and thoughtfully.

Li Chungang was surprised into asking whether she really see Jiang Ni as a match for Fengnian.

She said that even a pig could see it.

Li Chungang always like to have the last word and said that Jiang Ni was much better than Second Sister.

Meanwhile, Loi Chungang declined to be a third party to a sibling tete-a-tete so he excused himself.

He went back to their ship but he was waylaid by Zhixiu who mentioned Lyuopao.

Immediately Chungang used water droplets to use as crystal daggers against Zhixui who told him that someone wanted to speak with him.

It was Zhao Kai who gave Li Chungang the address of his old ladylove’s clan.  He said that he does not want in return.

Li Chungang was a man of the world so he ask Zhao Kai what he really want.

Zhao Kai said that he will kill Fengnian and he does not want Li Chungang to interfere or protect Fengnian.

Whoa two of Fengnian’s people might be turning against him.

In the meantime, in the Liyang Capital, the Prime Minister was discussing the killing Fengnian with the Palace Spiritual Adviser who told him that it would be a bad move to anger Xu Xiao and the Emperor vetoed against killing Fengnian.

Instead, they agreed to send a message to Chen Zhibao asking him to work for the palace.  They will then use him to create disharmony from within North Liang.

Xu Xiao noticed immediately that Chen Zhibao seemed preoccupied.

The talk between Fengnian and Second Sister was very enlightening.

It looks like Xu Xiao had underestimated Fengnian who already he contacts in the Capital who was feeding him intel so Fengnian is always ahead of everything.

Fengnian gave his sister the female pet while he left the male to Longxiang.

The Grandmaster went running to Second Sister introducing himself as her youngest brother.

Second Sister was not having none of it and kicked him into the water.

Fengnian final journey to Wudi City starts.

Episode 35

This episode is super exciting and has everything.

Li Chungang went to have a word with Fengnian regarding the bribe given to him to keep away from Fengnian at Wudi City.

It was the address of Lyupao’er new branch sect.

Li Chungang said that the new branch sect had nothing to do with him.  His allegiance was only for his old sweetheart, Lyupao’er.

Fengnian asked him why he was so loyal to Xu Xiao.

Li Chungang said that when he had nowhere to go, Xu Xiao especially built the Tingchao Pavilion for him where he could stay away from the martial art world and just do some introspection without any bother whatsoever by imprisoning himself at the dungeon of the pavilion.

Xu Xiao did everything for him including regular visits to Lyupao’er’s grave on his behalf.

Fengnian knew that it was Zhao Kai who bribed Li Chungang and wanted to kill him.

Li Chungang was surprised that Fengnian knew about Zhao Kai.  He asked Fengnian what would he have done if Li Chungang had agreed to Zhao Kai’s request.

Fengnian told Li Chungang that he could do whatever he wanted because Fengnian owed Li Chungang so much already.  Fengnian said that he does not expect everyone to help him because he is not the centre of the universe.

Li Chungang made one request to Fengnian.  He asked that Fengnian passes his Snakes in Sleeves and Open The Heaven’s Door sword move and sword intent to posterity.

Qingfeng is getting ready to follow Fengnian to Wudi City;

Fengnian was nearing Wudi City and can see the wall littered with embedded swords. Apparently, many had tried to fight with Wang Xian Zhi but no one had won over him.

They can also see Old Huang swords box hanging among the swords.

At North Liang, Li Yi Shan warned Xu Xiao about Chen Zhi Bao.

Xu Xiao was not overly bothered. He believed on Fengnian.  He still remembers the time they were burying Wu Su, he was ready to spread fear to avenge Wu Su but he saw young Fengnian being comforted by young Jiang Ni.

Jiang Ni was telling him not to cry because he still has a father and other familyl. He should cry when he was all alone just like her.

This touched Xu Xiao because this is what Wu Su said to him not to avenge her because their children may become orphans.

Fengnian and the group finally disembarked at the West Gate.  Fengnian was a having memory trip with the spirit of Old Huang.  Fengnian followed the beckoning Old Huang until Fengnian ended at a drinking cum eatery.

Zhao Kai arrived at Wudi City with the Golden Armour and Yuan Ting Shan.  They passed the Sword God Peach Blossom who said that he dare not enter the city for fear that it would inhibit the good fight between the two gods inside.

Fengnian was drinking quite a lot with the spirit of Old Huang and Qingnou asked Li Chungang to go wake Fengnian from his maudlin thoughts before it turned into full-blown depression.

I’ll beat you up into sweet potatoes.

The second-best Wang  Xian Zhi heard and answered the call.

Swords come to me, said Li Chungang, and the all the swords went to the sky before him

Episode 36

Fengnian knew all along who Boy Grandmaster was so he used him like a bullet to defeat the martial slaves who guard the wall of sword memorial at Wudi City.

The boy was so impressive.

Zhao Kai who was watching with Yuan Ting Shan and the Golden Armour was so impressed with the boy.  He thought that he was a hidden card of Fengnian.

Episode 37

Boy Grandmaster took his chance and tried to transfer all his power as well as all his concerns and tribulation to Fengnian.

He said that this transference will send Fengnian loopy.  But before he could complete the transfer of power, Miss Hehe with her super fingers as a laser to disintegrate the Boy Grandmaster.

Miss Hehe then turned to Fengnian to remove what Boy Grandmaster had already transferred to him.

Fengnian asked why  Miss Hehe was helping him.

Miss Hehe said that she would always save Fengnian from death because she owed him or rather his kind mother who gave her a golden hairpin when she was young.  Wu Su actually sent Fengnian to give the hairpin to the young Miss Hehe.

Who trained Miss Hehe is still a mystery.

Meanwhile, it was a draw between Li Chungang and Wang Xian Zhi.  They decided to stop their fight because they were both wary of opening Heaven’s Door.

Fengnian asked Li Chungang to arrange a meet up with Wang Xian Zhi.

The latter agreed to meet and asked what Fengnian wanted.

Fengnian wanted to know what was Old Huang’s last word.

Wang Xian Zhi said that he wanted to bring the best Wudi City wine for his Highness.  Fengnian remembered the promise.

Fengnian said that he would appreciate it if Wang Xian Zhi would provide them with a carriage as Fengnian does not feel 100% healthy.  This was provided.

He then told Wang Xian Zhi that he would return the carriage when he comes back to fight him.  As a last request, he wanted to hear from Wang Xian Zhi who injured his mother.

Fengnian said that no one believe that Wang Xian Zhi was the culprit because his mother would have not been able to leave the Capital alive if it had been Wang Xian Zhi who attacked her.

Wang Xian Zhi said that he noticed some strange people in Liyang at that time belonging to the Mang Sect.

Fengnian was flabbergasted as Liyang was in conflict with the Mang Sect.  The Royal Family made a contract with the Mang Sect to kill his mother.

Wang Xian Zhi left but told Fengnian that he would be waiting for his return.

Fengnian and company are finally returning to North Liang.

Zhao Kai with Yuan Ting Shan and the Golden Armour led by Han Diaosi were now bound for West Chu.

Episode 38

Wow! WOW! WOW and more super Wow.

It has everything and is rather heartwarming in parts.

Han Diaosi was leading his motley crew to the ship that would take them to West Chu.  Diaosi received a message from a lone rider about how with one wave of a sword, Li Chungang killed 2000 soldiers of the Guangling Army which came to ambush them.

Anyway they continued on their way and could just see about the ship that was moored waiting for them.

But someone was also waiting for them.  It was Feng Nian sitting comfortably with only Qingnou for company.

His mother’s attack finally came into the open.

Diaosi admitted that he was there and complimented Fengnian for being better at investigation than Xu Xiao.

Fengnian disgustedly dismissed what Diaosi said. Fengnian elaborated that his father was patriotic and nationalistic.  As the peace in the empire was only newly acquired, he put his personal troubles and vendetta aside and thought of the lives sacrificed by his generals and soldiers to attain and maintain peace.

But he continued that he was different from his father. He will avenge his mother,  It also came out who had been Fengnian’s accomplish with the palace.

It was Gu Jiantang, the roaring dragon general, who was confined in the palace.  And his messenger to Fengnian was none other than Yuan Ting Shan.

Gu Jiantang wanted Diaosi dead.

Then the Xu siblings appeared.

Also, Chen Zhibao and his army turned up and said that he did not come for Fengnian but to avenge his dead adoptive mother.

Diaosi thought is super strong and easily defeated the North Liang soldiers.  Even, Chen Zhibao was not as strong as him.

Poor Zhao Kai was aggrieved when he was faced by Xu Wei Xiong.  He said that he never expected it to end in a fight to the death between a husband and a wife.

Wei Xiong again told him that she was not his wife.

Diaosi saved him and told Zhao Kai to go across the river.

As he was flying to the other side, he was sent back by Nangong Pu Che who suddenly turned up.

Xu Zhihu remained in the ship watching worriedly.

Finally, Fengnian joined is the fight and used his Duhuangting with Sword Sleeve and Open the heaven’s door technique.

Diaosi was just too strong for them all.  He got Fengnian in a throat hold and it was bad but then Fengnian used Deng Tai’e mini sword collection which was especially enhanced by Li Chungang with the Sword Sleeve Intent ended Diaosi’s life.

Zhao Kai was also fatally wounded by the combined attack of Longxiang and Wei Xiong.  He said to Fengnian that he envied him and that he was really marvelous.

Fengnian told him that the difference between them was that he never want to start a war for his own gain.

I do feel sorry for Zhao Kai because he did really love Wei Xiong despite his mental conflict.

Zhao Kai signaled for the Golden Armour to cut his throat and as he did, the Golden Armour died as well.

Chen Zhibao left with the miraculously hale and heart North Liang army.  He said that this was the last time that he was helping Fengnian.

The sibling had a sad but fond farewell.  Zhixu, Wei Xiong and Longxiang had to go back to their respective places in order not to create rumours that they killed Diaosi and Zhao Kai.

Fengnian said that he will come and take them home when he returns from North Mang to take real revenge for their mother’s death.

Nangong Pu Che went back to the Pavilion to do more reading.

Fengnian was missing Jiang Ni but Qingnou started gathering their bits and pieces to go back to North Liang.

Meanwhile, a taster for Season 2..

The tented Hong Xi Xiang seemed to have accomplished his mind melding to be the best martial artist in the world as woke…

Hope Season 2 is not too far away…

 

 

 

This is such a beautiful OST