Watch it for your favorite actor / actress

This is the first review I've written because I find the high rating (7.9 currently) puzzling.
Compared to other dramas of similar rating, I must say this is not on the same level.

I'm fan of the leads, so I'm watching the drama because of them. Unlike other comments, I find the acting more than acceptable (but I haven't read the novel, so I can't say if the characterization matches that in the novel). They are cute individually, but I also agree the chemistry is lacking - despite the cinematographer's efforts into building romantic picturesque scene that's just classically gorgeous (particularly those scene in those last episodes - you know the ones. yum.)

Except those few scenes at the end, the special effect was also horrible in the sense that it pulls you out of the story. The "inner force" is all just fan and wind, and the power feels a bit hallow on screen. The line trap that's virtually invisible is thick as a rope at times, and can just be cut through or repositioned if you're a character that needs to stay alive. It is impossibly deadly if you're a bad guy. The green screen effect and prop so obvious that again it looks more like a school project than a professional production. The editing is choppy. The exact same line repeated in consecutive scenes (as if they filmed it, and didn't know how which they want to use and decided to include both).

The fights themselves are not the most interesting choreography I've seen, and we've all seen these actors execute better fight scenes in other dramas. Every c-drama fight is a dance, but it's like watching a professional dancer dance or watching an elementary school production. The steps are simple - suggestive of a fight more than seeing and feeling it. For a show billing itself as a wuxia, the "wu" (meaning fight) element is surprisingly weak. This got worse in later episodes, where they skip the fight entirely. There is a scene where the character picks up their knifes indicating they are going to fight. The next scene is the bad guy on the ground suggesting there was a fight and the bad guy lost... which leads us to the biggest problem of this story - the writing. The political dynamics both of the court and of the martial arts world were brushed over. It leaves the viewers feeling like all the fights were just random. You're barely invested in the fights. You know good guys will win and bad guys will lose.

The drama has never set any tangible goal for any character. Zhou Fei leaves home for the sake of leaving home - no goals to speak of. Xie Yun's goal is achieved by the end of the first episodes, the rest of the time he's just wanting to live his life. Now, wanting to live his life has been the plot of many leading man, if only there was someone who doesn't want him to do that. But in fact, everyone wants him to just live a normal life and do nothing. So, yeah, our leading man is someone who's entire arc rests on do nothing. One could then say his arc is to support Zhou Fei, but Zhou Fei's arc seems to be supporting Xie Yun. So, again, circling around nothing...

Side characters are largely one-dimensional, and again lacks purposes. So often, I feel like why is that character in that scene? She has no skills and therefore no reasons to join this "mission". Eventually I concluded the actress needs screen time. So, even though there is absolutely no reasons for character x or y to be there, the script put them there because that's where the action is. The acting for some were flat - furthering my feeling of "huh?"

Low music scores because as the show progress, I find the music montages as just a way to fill time. Later episode also had very modern sounding music that pulls me out. I thought I was watching a James Bond movie...

I'm writing this review because I use this site to evaluate what drama to watch - and 51 ep is not a small amount of time. So, if you are fan of the leads, go for it. The plot is simple enough that you can watch it easily in 2x without issues. Honestly, this is a fine show if it wasn't for higher expectations. Had this been a show with no names, no supposedly good source material, and released without fanfare, it would have been just another average c-drama in the sea of internet dramas with rushed script and low production. Some reviews say this is their favorite drama of 2021, I suspect it's only because we're in January...

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lighthearted hero live-action drama

I had not read the novel and have not watch the anime - the only thing I knew about this series was based on the previews - and it isn't what I expected. But considering this is a lunch-time tv show, it makes sense.

What I didn't expect:
- how much humor is in this show - I somehow walked into this thinking it's a fighting drama, but it's half comedy. The goofballness of it actually took a minute to get used to, but once I did, it was something I look forward to. The 7 monsters just feels like little trouble-making monsters to me. So cute!
- not as much fight scene as I expected - but I read somewhere that some of more bloody scene had to be cut to get on TV (unsure if there is truth to it, but there are some places where I feel like there is an obvious cut-away - namely a practice fight with the phoenix against the helpers).
- xz is the clear lead, but I grown to care about the ensemble. I don't usually care about the "side characters".
- at the same time, I wish for more character development. Each ep is only about 30min (because it's on TV and has to account for commercial time???). I think each ep can use extra 15 min, and that'd help
- I half thought I would find the FL to be too cute, but actually I find the cuteness fitting of a bunny character. I liked her.
- costume - how many change of clothes did xz have? I liked them all.
- the positive values the show try to teach - I guess that's how it ends up on CCTV...
- I do think the editing favor these moments of teaching vs story / plot... (I chalk it up to the price of being on CCTV. if this is only an online drama, i think it'd be differently edited... but I guess I have to support shows trying to get a wider audience......)
- the trailer made me think this is a xianxia/wuxia shows - but it's much more contemporary than I anticipated, which I enjoy***

What I expected:
- I watched this show because of xz, and he didn't disappoint
- I don't know what's the online grip about the FX. It looks so pretty. I want to go to the secret garden

What I hoped and didn't get:
- While I haven't read the novel or watch the anime, so I don't care how strong ts is supposed to be. But he has his hammer spirit, and clearly someone special. I was very much waiting for that one moment where he comes to that full power (even if it's not as powerful as the novel version, within the limit of the tv version). He kinda sorta does at the last ep (which I do enjoy that last ep), it's still lacking. It isn't his hammer that won the fight, it's FL - which may play well into the partnership / lover thread but I really want ts to have that winning moment. (I guess they're saving something for s2...)
- There are definitely choppy plots. I assume it's due to editing / censorship, etc. It's not so much that I can't enjoy the story, but clearly the story can be better developed.

Bottom line: A lighthearted hero drama - it's not so light that it's without substance. It's not so heavy that you feel like to you need to take a moment to absorb it all. It's one of those shows that feels like it's good for the family - there is something for everyone, young or old.

***edit: since I'm experiencing withdrawal from the 7 monsters, I started binging the donghua (which I had planned to do knowing I'd likely have such withdrawal). I must place the caution here that this drama draws from the source materials, but don't compare. For whatever reasons (market, audience, rules, "wholesomeness"), you see clear inspirations but you won't see the same things at all. I enjoy the donghua. I enjoy the live-action. But each really should be viewed on its own merit. It also explains why it's more contemporary than I anticipated - the source material is very contemporary!

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Best BL wuxia adaptation

As a Wuxia drama: I actually really enjoyed the story about the pugilist world itself. The main storyline circles around greed and power, and it's a storyline that makes sense. This is in part because this story is only 30 some episodes. Unlike others that stretch to 50+ episode, there isn't too many filler plots. Everything has clear cause and effect. There is a slight bit of "why now" element - but let's just assume it takes a while to plan the perfect revenge plan...
Also, I personally adore stories where the line is blurred between right and wrong, good and bad. And, I *love* good bad boys. And there is no better example of such than the cute chief of the ghost valley.

As a BL adaptation: I enjoy BL as much as any other genre. But I have to tip my hat to WoH, wow. I do not understand how this got past the censors. The flirty scenes are wow. Also, if you appreciate the Chinese language, what WKX's lines are so beautiful. Kudos to the screenwriters. I think if you're fans of this genre, this is a must-watch.

The only place for improvement is the fight scenes. I think the fight scenes are too beautiful (particularly between the two leads). It doesn't give off the power (and though in part they are not so much fighting as flirting, so it kinda makes sense). In any case, I do enjoy their dance. It is definitely visually beautiful.

I understand that this is a fairly low cost production. Product placement is obvious. But other than that, I don't really notice the low cost. It is a beautiful production with amazing actors. All of them are amazing - even the side characters.

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