Spoiler The Founder of Diabolism

I think having Wei Ying lying in Lan Zhan's arms is already a romantic gesture that beats these hugs imo. Because JC hugging WWX, and LSZ hugging WWX, it's just feels platonic to me, so I guess they didn't have them hug because it shows Wei Ying and Lan Zhan relationship is different to the others. That's how I feel on my end.

 

Spoiler

-- some fans interpret LXC slap as showing that JGY is special to him, coz only JGY can 'stir' his emotions, like doing something enough to cause the kind and gentle LXC to lose control

-- I think LZ was intent on chopping off JGY's hand but came in late because JGY pushed away JL first?? I'm not sure about this, just my take on tha scene, because that slash really came late

-- I wanted to believe that NHS just saw it wrong, that he mistakenly thought that JGY moved that's why he alarmed LXC. but here in CQL, they showed that it was really intentional...oh well, I still like NHS. I hope in the future he won't be JGY, hope his scheming ends now that his revenge is complete.

 

I’m curious but if you were the scriptwriter how would you write the explanation of the Wen sect mark without making it too gay? I’ve been wracking my brain and I couldn’t come up with anything lol. imo it’s the gayest Wangxian thing other than straight up physical intimacy and I was pretty surprised it even made an appearance

 

It can be totally platonic.. you are grieving and trying to hold onto anything left behind by a person.. like mom died, so he moved into that house and that house is always silent.. WX died and in grief that he couldn't save him, he tried to hurt himself

 

holding onto memorabilia of a person feels like a whole other level from a self-inflicted wound in the same location as the person. I think the latter would make the straights on the censor board squirm lol

 

I just watched the final episode, and screw this, I don't feel like putting this in spoilers this time.

I do love the whole LSZ and Wei Ying reunion, that was SUPER sweet, and that whole flashback, and how LSZ clung to Wei Ying's legs was

And about the Wangxian ending... I really don't know how to feel about this. For one, I'm really glad that Wei Ying NEVER had the intention to want to separate with Lan Zhan, because he sees them continue to travel together like this, but what about Lan Zhan? Why can't he feel the same on his end? Can he not do his own duties and travel with Wei Ying the same time? It's not like their ideals clash or something! I don't know man, but honestly, I felt like when Lan Zhan can think to even consider walking separate paths at the end, it just really disappointed me on a personal level, because I never see it's within Lan Zhan's character (at all) to even want this in the end, i.e. them to walk separate paths, so that does feel ooc to me, because in canon, he always wanted Wei Ying to stay by his side and he wouldn't mind to continue traveling like this, but this hurts...

Also, someone please enlighten me here, because I am really confuse, is there like a 'time-gap/skip' when they separate and when Wei Ying was on top of the mountain playing the flute?

Because it felt like it's the same day when they separated, so did Lan Zhan follow Wei Ying and decided to abandon what he wanted to do?? That wouldn't make sense when it comes to his character, nor is it very coherent here. It would make more sense when they do like a time - skip to 3 months later, so at least I can just take it that Lan Zhan finish doing what he wanted to do, so he can free himself from the burden and travel together with Wei Ying. And the scene on the top of the mountain is when Wei Ying played the flute 'at another day' where Lan Zhan was able to find him again through this song, because it shows their paths is connected again through their song. At least that would make more sense, but how this whole scene was played out, I don't know if it was a dream or reality, since when Lan Zhan heard the flute song, he continue walking forward to his path, and then the scene shift to Wei Ying on the mountain playing the song, so did Lan Zhan just turn around and follow the song to where Wei Ying is? Even when we saw, he heard the song at first and continue walking down his own path? This is what I don't get and can't figure out, so it really doesn't make sense to me...

In the end, I really can't say I love what I was shown, because the moment when Lan Zhan showed me he didn't want to continue to travel with Wei Ying, I just felt so heart-broken... BUT still, however illogical, or incoherent it is, I am going to take the ending when Wei Ying was playing the flute on the mountain, when someone said "Wei Ying", that person was Lan Zhan, because, yes, that's his voice, and this is NOT a dream or an illusion, but it's the REAL Lan Zhan!!! And yes, Wei Ying smile is genuine, and he only smiled like that when it comes to Lan Zhan, and I am going to read the novel ending now because I felt so bittersweet at this ending.

Anyways, in the overall, from an adaptation pov, and taking this in an AU, considering they have been following many scenes as close to canon as possible, except for opting some parts out due to censorship, I do enjoy this as an adaptation side of things, but there are indeed many plot-holes, that I wish was explored, Lan Zhan's brand mark, I can understand why they put this in, to show us how Lan Zhan feels about Wei Ying, but didn't touch on this the way the novel did because there's no way of explaining why Lan Zhan would want this mark, the same as Wei Ying because he loves him. I rather they not distort the canon meaning behind the scar by including this if it's not going to be the same reason behind it, since I am not all that fond of how they changed the reason behind why Lan Zhan got those discipline whips...

I still will thank the staff crew/the casts in giving us a enjoyable adaptation, but for me, in the overall, while the novel and the live-action have similarities and differences, and while some scenes I love the live-action better (e.g. Wangxian bond during their past life, and Jiang Cheng's character in the overall), but there are also some scenes I love in the novel better, and as for ending goes, the novel ending for Wangxian is the ultimate best, which I already figured it would be...

So, overall rating, I will also give this live-action a 7/10 on my end....

IF they give me this ending (which is my ideal ending)



It will be an 8/10, but censorship.... oh well....

 

yeah I think nobody walking around in CQL were dead or are corpses. I didn’t know that there’s censorship against revival of the dead but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is bc I haven’t seen that trope in any of the dramas lately either. I mean even WWX’s “revival” has to be super vague and tiptoed around.

Spoiler

and I hear they avoided reanimating NMJ’s dead body at the climax scene and had to use some weird plot with WN? lol poor NMJ’s actor robbed of his screentime

WN and SL are both near death they got turned into “puppets”. idk what those black lines mean either lol but I guess the difference between WN and SL is WN was made with the real Stygian Tiger seal and SL was made with XY’s bootleg one lol.

 

Someone pointed this out online that I just found, so knowing there's a time-skip between the whole mountain scene actually makes more sense to me, so when Wei Ying bid farewell to Lan Zhan, he was wearing this:


And then when he was playing the flute on the mountain top, when he turned around after hearing Lan Zhan called out his name, he was wearing this:


And did you know, these smooth transition of the scenes really, really confused the hell out of me, but thanks to some kind soul who pointed this out, it makes me feel about the ending so much better, because it would make more sense on a positive note for Lan Zhan to not abandon his decision (once he's decided on something), and then after he's done what he needs to do, their song (that Wei Ying played) allows Lan Zhan to find him again, and that's quite beautiful when you look at it, so after coming to this thought, I feel much better on my end!

I believe this is something subtle that is intended instead of writing a 'time-skip' (on the screen) because wow, clever, clever, but I needed someone to really point this out for me, because I wasn't really paying attention to what Wei Ying was wearing, since they are both black to me LOL.

I finally understand what Xiao Zhan meant when he said the ending is 'alluring' because it is alluring indeed

 

Does anyone know where to download all the songs in CQL for free? Esp clensing...

 

It took me some replays as well before I noticed this part.. Heck, his robes are both dark-colored (black and dark green) and almost similar patterns. That's why I know there's a time skip, but when I try to explain it online (on another site where we use my native language), well those I've talked to don't believe me and say that there's no separation that happened...

The CQL ending was a little bit frustrating, at the same time, emotional. I hoped for a more solid exposition, like maybe a second or two of LZ from afar approaching WWX. Nonetheless, I'm okay with it since the canon ending is marvelous. And I think CQL's o/e is more on the positive note, given WWX' reaction and all the other hints. I'm taking CQL as MDZS AU, so regardless of some differences, WangXian is still the end game.

I think I'm being more forgiving to the production team because of censorship, lol.

I don't have a copy yet of Cleansing, though the rest of the OSTs, I got from youtube...

 

I agree 100%!! At first i was happy about the end since the bl adaptions that i seen have pretty terrible endings like Guardian. Seeing WWX smile at Lan Zhan as it was hinted that they reunited made me so happy but now seeing more spoilers, a part of me is upset. I know CQL is technically more like an AU but why did they have to make it so Lan Zhan didn't want to follow Wei Ying??!!

I know he had responsibilities or whatever but even i felt betrayed!! LWJ in the novel didn't hesitate to follow and elope with WWX and idk what to feel anymore tbh It's dumb getting upset over something like this but i would have preferred another excuse for making them separate, seeing Wei Ying realize LWJ was not going with him made me almost cry. Part of why i love Wangxian so much is because LWJ always stood by WWX's side and never left him alone after being separated for 13 years!! I just can't rationalize this change, it just seems so weird and OOC but then again CQL!Lan Zhan isn't Novel!Lan Zhan but still CQL Wangxian got so close so fast at the start?? You would think they would have an even bigger bond currently but then they go and do this I guess it's true what they said that novel Wangxian's bond got stronger and better but CQL Wangxian's didn't seem like it progressed that much.

Anyways, overall i would say the series is better in some aspects like it made me actually like Jiang Cheng. In the novel and Donghua i felt neutral at best but in CQL he's more caring and sweet I also love Xiao Zhan's WWX the best, i don't think i can imagine anyone else playing WWX and everytime he smiled at LWJ!! The bad parts are like everyone else said the cgi and fight scenes, they were some parts where i couldn't take it seriously because it looked so ridiculous and not to mention the plot holes and that they never explained the reason why LWJ had a wen mark. Also some other stuff but i can understand that because of censorship, they got away with a lot of stuff anyways so i'm not too picky.

My final score for series is 6/10 but it was definitely better then i expected

 

lol.. but the burning happens because he doesn't have a memorabilia.. remember he was looking for the flute had he been given one he wouldn't have hurt himself .. but JC took that away

Brother in law is so PIA for LZ
and uncle in law is pain in for WX

 

Wait what do you mean they said "there's no separation that happened..."? They don't want to believe they separated?

Honestly, I wouldn't have noticed this since in both scene he was wearing black, and that's my main focus, and the scene connected so smoothly, but then someone actually pointed this out online, so that's when I finally went back and did the comparison, which indeed was true, and to be honest, I'm truly glad since it makes more sense if there's a time-skip, so I felt better on my end afterwards, because I can at least take it that Lan Zhan finish doing what he wanted to do, and then freed of his burdens, he can go and find Wei Ying again.

Still, I can't really take this as 'Canon' Lan Zhan because personally for me, the moment when Lan Zhan didn't have the intention to continue to travel with Wei Ying, it just doesn't feel like his canon character to me, sadly, so yes, I'll just take this as MDZS AU on my end And even when I see the ending on a more positive light now, I can't say I like how Lan Zhan didn't have the intention to travel with Wei Ying even when Wei Ying never intended to separate with him, because it really just hurts too much, so that's a con for me in this live action, sadly

lol, In terms of censorship, I really don't understand why they can't solidly show Wangxian travel together, I mean, can two people really not travel together? How the heck does that affect censorship? but then again, I know the production team did their best, so I'm forgiving to them, having the end where he called out "Wei Ying" is better than nothing, at least.

It's definitely NOT within canon Lan Zhan to not want to follow Wei Ying. I don't see the problem, like, they both made that promise together when they made the lantern, their ideals don't clash, in fact, they have the same wish made on the lantern!

There there, I feel like when they made Lan Zhan come to that decision, even when Wei Ying never had that intention, it really just left a bitter feeling to Wangxian for me in this live action, because I too, love how Lan Zhan always stood by Wei Ying side no matter what, and yeah, it's definitely not within Lan Zhan's character to me (I see it as ooc too), that's why I'm taking this as an AU because when Lan Zhan showed me this, I just can't treat him as canon Lan Zhan anymore... (So *hugs to you*, we both feel the same here )

And what's so sad about this whole thing is, just like in the novel (at the end), how Wei Ying said:
Lan WangJi was now the only one who stood by his side. Luckily, Lan WangJi was also the only one he wished to have by his side.

In the Live-Action, I do feel that Wei Ying wished for Lan Zhan to stay by his side, so when Lan Zhan showed he didn’t have that intention, I'm just so heart-broken on my end... I can tell how much it actually hurts Wei Ying because his eyes was teary, but he was trying to be understanding so...Yeah, not like I'm not trying to, but I don't understand why they can't do this together...

I totally agree with you about Jiang Cheng there! This live-action definitely did well in some parts when compared to the novel, and Jiang Cheng's character is definitely one of them. It actually made me love Jiang Cheng too, because in the novel, I didn't until the end. I love how in the live-action, it shows me how much Jiang Cheng actually cares/worries about Wei Ying, just these little gestures I love and appreciate.

The Live-Action definitely was better than I initially expected, and I don't hate the ending, but I just didn't love it like some fans do. I wish for a more solid note/ending, maybe, even having Lan Zhan walking to Wei Ying, and we see them both on the same screen, but then, I'll just appreciate that we got this scene where he called out "Wei Ying" over nothing at all.

 

Spoiler

- I can pretty much guess those fans are shippers to Jin GuangYao and Lan Xichen lol. But I really didn't expect for that slap, so it was surprising to me.

- In the novel, LZ intention to cut JGY arm of was because JGY was still holding onto JL, so that makes sense, but in CQL, JGY already push JL out of the way and Wei Ying saved him, we even have Wen Ning being under the control of the sabre (NMJ) resentment slashing downwards and cracking the floor, so when LZ cut JGY arms of, I felt like it was just random, and didn't make sense to me, like in the novel.

- I also wanted to believe that, but even if he plotted this, I understood why he wanted JGY dead for his brother's revenge, however, that scene at the final episode, about what Wei Ying said to NHS, and how NHS reacted towards his comment, I am not so positive about NHS anymore, it's really sad because I also love him as a character, I would also like to believe his revenge ends here, and he won't become another JGY, but when he gave Wei Ying that reaction, it makes me doubt..

 

I still have some epusodes to watch as im watching it on wetv but i took a look at ending and while it is happy one i also don't undertsand the decision to make them go separate ways first. It looks like they made it that way just for the sake of it being more dramatic but it just doesn't make sense. It was really painful to watch WWX walking his path all alone again , LWJ would not allow it like this even the one from drama, if he would neeed to do smth still cant imagine him leaving Wwx and to it without explanation....

 

Spoiler

-- yeh, those fans are XiYao shippers, lol. I'm not XiYao shipper but I kinda get it how they see it that way. Just like how LXC snapped at WWX in the novel (though he was just angrily shouting there), maybe that slap is LXC snapping at JGY. He seems shocked himself after the slap, looking at his hand after like he can't believe he slapped someone... (I don't know, he did say something afterwards, but I don't understand Chinese so I just interpret the scenes)

-- That's why I'm not sure, because I'm thinking of the novel explanation... So I replayed the video and.. LZ made the slash after WN attacked. Midway WN's attack, JGY pushed away JL then stepped back, just in time when Baxia was about to strike down and at the same time, LZ unsheathed his sword. Given that LZ's face was in a close up shot, maybe he tried to deflect Baxia's strike but since JGY stepped back, his arm got caught in the slash and was chopped off? (I don't know, that's how I interpreted the scene) Was that not addressed? Didn't they say anything about it after the scene? Because it's really weird for LZ to cut off JGY's arm when Baxia already attacked...

-- Spoil me pls... what did WWX say to NHS and how did NHS react? I saw that scene but really can't make anything out of it since it's not in the novel so I don't have anything to use as basis.... my dear NHS.... this novel gets to show how circumstances can twist people.
novel!JGY, XY, NHS.... they could have been good people but some people just get to do some things and twist their personalities... if only JGS showed JGY some love... if only XY met XXC early, or at least met someone like JFM.. if only JGY didn't have to kill NMJ...

 

I feel you there so hugs it is really heart breaking indeed but I have read others interpretation to this whole scene and that made me feel much better, so I'll share with you some thoughts on my end to soothe your heart.

Apparently they really made the transition so smooth that at first glance you really see the whole scenes connected around the same time, but from what I gathered there's a bunch of "some times has passed in between"(subtle here)

Someone made a comment (which this is very enlightening) that the first time they went separate ways was because LWJ decided to do the right thing instead of the thing he wants most just like they promised each other. He needs to return to help fix everything that JGY ruined in the cultivation world seeing as LXC might not be in the right mind to do it. They still meet each other during this time, just like when they played together on Cloud Recess and then met NHS.

And in the end, WWX decided that he wants to travel the world so he left again while LWJ had to stay and do his job, when they bid their farewell on the mountain top.

And at the very end, there is a time skip after they bid their farewell, on the mountain, after this, some time has passed, where WWX was playing his flute while missing LWJ and then we heard Lan Zhan called out his name "Wei Ying", when Wei Ying turned around, he was so surprised and happy that LWJ came back to him after all.

So fans believed that LWJ decided to do the right thing first by helping the cultivation world recovers before he can rest assured and be with Wei Ying in the end so I guess it's not that bad now if we think like this?

I think it is really subtle and it's hard to really tell from your first watch. I was also so heartbroken at first when Lan Zhan didn't have the intention to travel / stay with him and I also still don't understand why they can't do this together since they share the same wish

But on my end, I tried to see this in a different light now that this temporary separation really shows us how much Wei Ying misses Lan Zhan when he was playing their song, and you know what that thought is just romantic to me, and how no matter how far apart they are, when Wei Ying played this song, it always connects him to Lan Zhan which allows Lan Zhan to find him again, so that ending is yeah very open ending but in another light reading fans perspectives, it didn't hurt as much as when I first watch this ending because it is romantic in that sense. At least Lan Zhan came back to him in the end, even when I prefer there's no separation at all since it hurts so much but in the end what matters is, Lan Zhan is back with Wei Ying.

I do think it is very alluring in that sense because damn, I really didn't pick out all of this since I thought the scenes were all transitioned at the same time and "not some times passed".

 

wow, whoever did that analysis is good! I know it's quite romanticized since that's what we want as fans, BUT, it totally makes sense! What mattered to me was that they stayed together in the end, but kudos to this soul who really made an effort to analyse and spell out what happened in between those scenes. This interpretation is emotional yet sweet... the feels!

 

So I still have a lot of episodes to watch of CQL, but I read your spoilers for the finale

Spoiler: ending

I usually hate open endings, but at least it is not a forced unambigous bad ending (I don't mind sad endings if ithey fit with the story, but not when the shadow of the censors lures behind it). I can console myself thinking they added that "Wei Ying" so the fans can imagine a Wangxian reunion.
I am actually not mad at it. I can forgive most decision due to censorship laws growing more restrictive (especially when certain dates approach, cofocof). I t is just I have this sad feeling I always have to forgive the adaptations for things they're actually out of there control and always having this "What if...?" in my mind

Well, ending aside, and a lot of episodes to catch up, I can say that I was pleasantly surprised with CQL. I had low expectetions, but it has grown on me chapter by chapter. It is a loose adaptation, but I was surprised by how much I liked some developments even if they were not faithful to the novel. It can be seen as an AU (and somehow I think about it too, but not in a bad way), however, i think a lot of changes actually flowed well within the drama and felt organic, even if a prefer how some events were originally in the novel. It is like it comunicates its own vision of the events (read this with a lot of quote marks xD).