[Mainland Chinese Drama 2018] Heavy Sweetness Ash-like Frost 香蜜沉沉烬如霜

[hlntxn]

4 hours ago, bluesytb said:

 

Sweet Dreams was a mixed bag.  I almost dropped it after the first episode too, lol.

The best thing about it was the cast.  The writing had it moments, but often fell flat or was super cheesy, that said, it definitely had some interesting dynamics.  

I liked how it flipped things around a bit (ie had the girl protecting the guy, etc.)  The two leads (DD/DL) had a really cute chemistry and that was nice too.            

Thanks for your review! I'm done w/ Ashes Of Love anyways so i have to find something else to watch! I'll start tonight!!

[Sary Em]

17 hours ago, Helene Tian said:

Thanks for your review! I'm done w/ Ashes Of Love anyways so i have to find something else to watch! I'll start tonight!!

I went back to watch flowers in fog and only watched their scenes, DL playing the lovesick BF and after doting husband seems so natural in my eyes...lol.  But they were both so young and cute and that kiss/peck between groom and bride was too cute and innocent.  Nothing like AOL skinship...they've sure grown up!

[hlntxn]

5 hours ago, Sary Em said:

I went back to watch flowers in fog and only watched their scenes, DL playing the lovesick BF and after doting husband seems so natural in my eyes...lol.  But they were both so young and cute and that kiss/peck between groom and bride was too cute and innocent.  Nothing like AOL skinship...they've sure grown up!

Indeed! After watching AOL, i saw that they already collaborated once in Flowers In Fog but the drama is way toooo old for me so i'm not gonna watch it but saw the kiss haha and yea they changed so much since then wow. much grown up!

[PaulaL]

On 9/9/2018 at 10:21 PM, thehumantree said:

I use my basic Chinese and Google trans app for weibo... I just hash tag their names to find news about them. That's how I found the video I mentioned before. I'm trying to find it again but it'll take awhile cuz I don't remember what I type to get that link!!

 

There's some English sites that keeps up to date news on dramas as well as weibo news too so you can follow them if weibo is too much for you.

Dramapanda

Cnewsdevotee

Avirtualvoyage

WeiboTalk

 

twitter

dramapotatoe

TrendingWeibo

 

 

thank you so much for replying back! I tried to create a Weibo account but I couldn't because of the phone number they ask (my country isn't listed). Anyway, these treads in soompi are always an excellent place to keep up to date with the main dramas.

Today I went to pick up two posters of Ashes of Love I ordered. It's the main posters of the cast and Xu Feng and Jin Mi. I had to control myself not to scream of happiness when I saw them!!! They were so so beautiful!!!! Now, I can put them in my bedroom and fall asleep watching this. Honestly, I can't let go of the show...

 

[bluesytb]

13 hours ago, Sejabin said:

to be honest this drama is too much for me hahaha.. I can't love the way they do.. too much but still I can not to not continue watch until the end  xixixixi.. well I hope I can learn how to love a person like night deity. it is easy to love a person who loves you back and brings happiness to you. but to love a person who brings difficulties and harms you it's not easy. Xui Feng hates Jin Mi because she kills him. Jin Mi kills Xui Feng when she thought he kills her father. so it is very easy to love when that person doesn't make you cry or die. I like night deity because he gives everything he has when he loves. when he stands for her mother vs heavenly empress, when he accepts punishment from heavenly empress when he saves Jin Mi so many times, etc.. well I know the way he loves is wrong because he harms Jin Mi and Xui Feng. but to be able to endure everything like that for the ones he loves is so.. wOw  

 Oh no I am so sorry -  I don't know why I can't put his down but....

 

In my not so humble opinion, RY doesn't love JM -  He wants to own her.  He wants to keep her at his side, no matter the cost to her, or how she's feeling.  That is not love.  He's abusive, so please don't idolize his character - He lies to her constantly, he imprisons her against her will, he manipulates her into marrying him (Water Deity wouldn't have let them be married, had RY not told him that they had mutual affection, which they did not), he KNOWS she has fallen for XF and that she wants to call off the wedding - so he fixes the emotionless pellet to guarantee that she'll marry him.  He KNOWS XF is innocent of killing Water & Wind but takes a hold of the investigation and buries evidence, manipulates JM's dream so that she'll think XF was the culprit, just to drive them apart (and gambles she'll kill XF - whom he tries to kill again,(and tampers with the pill that saves him) several times out of pure jealousy, even though XF is mainly innocent). he helps her a lot, but he uses that to guilt trip her "Whyyy don'ttt youuu loveee meeee, I'veee doneee soo muchh for youuu" Love isn't built on what you do for a person alone, and guilting them because they don't have feelings for you.  People are not obligated to love you/be with you because "they've done so much for you" - He does the whole guilt tripping pretty good, "Oh I am so aloone" In reality XF has always stuck up for him/been there for him and never wanted to fight.  He barely looks at Kuan Lo, who is always there for him.  There are several people who RY "has" but he dismisses because they're not JM.  He's petty, he's vindictive, he's jealous, and he does it all under the guise of "oh I'm a nice guy" 

 

Fellow Ladies, If you meet a dude like RY  - RUN!! FAR AWAY!! 

 

And I do have to disagree, respectfully, about XF hating JM.  It wasn't just that she killed him (Stabbed him in the back, literally) it's that RY tells him that he & JM worked together to kill him.  How JM giving her hair strand to XF, not out of love XF thinks  - looks pretty premeditated.  He can't seem to get her out of his mind, even though he thinks RY & JM love each other and are working together to bring him down again.  So he's very guarded, with every right to be.   (not that I agree with everything he's done)

 

My apologies for going off - this is not your fault - I blame a lot of media on how we perceive things, so I definitely do not blame you and am not angry at anyone - I just...have a lot of feelings when it comes to this topic, it seems.  

 

Cheers.  

 

               

[bluesytb]

 

3 hours ago, Sejabin said:

@bluesytb  aish.. dude like Xui Feng is everywhere while dude like Run Yu is very rare to found  okey but xui feng still the most handsome

 

mmm.. people like RY grew up like he is because of his mother father and step mother. xui feng grew up like he is because even though his mother is an evil woman she's still call him 'xui er' .. no one in heavenly realm call RY yu er.. RY experiences many abuses during his childhood.. so pity  parents must treat their children equally so they won't kill each other later 

 

just one stab and xui feng already hates jin mi. he doesn't even count when they make love under phoenix tree  jin mi too so stupid in analyzing thing and stabs xui feng. as a fruit she forgets when she lets that angry bird eats her  they are deities yet they act like humans. this is happened because they must be always skip lord daolun classes 

 

btw I still have soft spot for RY. he is the toughest here. I will hug him because no one hug him since ep 1 to ep 63  he just needs more hugs and loves 

 

 

 

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

I think a lot of my discomfort and anger towards the RY character stems from  the women I know who have been in relationships with manipulative men and how these women have been deeply wounded by these men.

 

As for RY/his trauma, yes, I will agree that is awful what he went through.  However, knowing so many people who have had devastating trauma and being some of the kindest people I know, and myself being through trauma, (though nothing what many many people go through daily) I can safely tell you that trauma does not mean that you are going to turn into someone who dehumanizes others and manipulates them. Or is remotely bad in anyway.

 

I stand by him for overthrowing the previous emperor/empress, but as for completely dehumanizing JM - he can suck a potato.

 

There are a lot of things I don't like about XF - like his blindness towards his parents, and the way he treats his underlings, his arrogance.  I don't like it when he gets grabby and pushy with JM.  I hated how he forced himself on JM when he went to call out SH's name.  All the toxic parts of masculinity I dislike.  (not saying masculinity is bad or wrong, but there are definitely parts of it that are for sure toxic and  harmful)  

 

But that being said - He's very kind, will do everything he can for his friends, sticks up for RY, JM, The Empress, etc, has a wicked sense of humour, and literally has no ulterior motive - he doesn't care for power and is mainly guided by his heart - TBH I think even though he has some of those stereotypical ultra masculine (read toxic) features seen in archetypes,  he really is more complicated and far softer than that.  And that quality of softness is something I need to see in many more male characters.     

 

  

[rose_loves_ice]

16 hours ago, PaulaL said:

 

thank you so much for replying back! I tried to create a Weibo account but I couldn't because of the phone number they ask (my country isn't listed). Anyway, these treads in soompi are always an excellent place to keep up to date with the main dramas.

Today I went to pick up two posters of Ashes of Love I ordered. It's the main posters of the cast and Xu Feng and Jin Mi. I had to control myself not to scream of happiness when I saw them!!! They were so so beautiful!!!! Now, I can put them in my bedroom and fall asleep watching this. Honestly, I can't let go of the show...

 

Oh my gosh! Where'd you buy your posters of the drama? Official posters or unofficial?

[bluesytb]

17 hours ago, Sejabin said:

 

 

mmm.. I am not liking that schemes and gamblings part too. but still.. for me he loves Jin Mi too. his desires to own her is too big. I think it's male hormones to wanting to own what they love. remember what phoenix did under that tree kwkwkwkwkw 

 

NB. I am not against male hormones hahahaha they are just they are. because I don't want them agains my female hormones like my nagging my make up hobby and shopping hobby hahaha

 

I dunno, I don't think it was just Phoenix - I felt that JM was right there with him, I still believe she took town her own dress.  The next day she says when he feels that he offended her  (something to the effect of) "Oh but it's my fault too" and "now you are mine"  - in my opinion it was quite mutual.    

 

I think they're just in love and doing a natural thing that people in love do.  *shrug*

 

    

[thehumantree]

On 9/15/2018 at 9:26 AM, PaulaL said:

 

thank you so much for replying back! I tried to create a Weibo account but I couldn't because of the phone number they ask (my country isn't listed). Anyway, these treads in soompi are always an excellent place to keep up to date with the main dramas.

Today I went to pick up two posters of Ashes of Love I ordered. It's the main posters of the cast and Xu Feng and Jin Mi. I had to control myself not to scream of happiness when I saw them!!! They were so so beautiful!!!! Now, I can put them in my bedroom and fall asleep watching this. Honestly, I can't let go of the show...

 

Where are you buying them from.? I want some Ashes of Love merchandise too but I live in the US.

 

... It's been like what? close to 1 1/2 week now and all I've been doing is binge watching the drama over and over again!! I've even neglected this site!!

 

===

 

Ashes of Love Weibo Update

 

 

 

 

[missnymeria]

On 9/15/2018 at 10:28 PM, bluesytb said:

And I do have to disagree, respectfully, about XF hating JM.  It wasn't just that she killed him (Stabbed him in the back, literally) it's that RY tells him that he & JM worked together to kill him.  How JM giving her hair strand to XF, not out of love XF thinks  - looks pretty premeditated.  He can't seem to get her out of his mind, even though he thinks RY & JM love each other and are working together to bring him down again.  So he's very guarded, with every right to be.   (not that I agree with everything he's done)

On 9/16/2018 at 6:13 AM, bluesytb said:

There are a lot of things I don't like about XF - like his blindness towards his parents, and the way he treats his underlings, his arrogance.  I don't like it when he gets grabby and pushy with JM.  I hated how he forced himself on JM when he went to call out SH's name.  All the toxic parts of masculinity I dislike.  (not saying masculinity is bad or wrong, but there are definitely parts of it that are for sure toxic and  harmful)  

 

But that being said - He's very kind, will do everything he can for his friends, sticks up for RY, JM, The Empress, etc, has a wicked sense of humour, and literally has no ulterior motive - he doesn't care for power and is mainly guided by his heart - TBH I think even though he has some of those stereotypical ultra masculine (read toxic) features seen in archetypes,  he really is more complicated and far softer than that.  And that quality of softness is something I need to see in many more male characters. 

 That is a very good description of Xu Feng. I do agree 100%.

 

I do not recommend that you read the book though or it will ruin the character for you. The drama did a great job with him (although they should have given him more screen time and more of a backstory) because the Xu Feng of the book was a forceful abuser with murderous tendencies. He's got stars in his eyes when he's in "love mode" but as soon as he sees Jin Mi paying attention to someone else, he becomes a real bastard, even coming close to killing her twice (right before the mutual cultivation too. Nice.).

 

For the life of me, I don't understand the appeal of the novel and I think the drama is a much better piece of work.

 

 

[bluesytb]

9 hours ago, missnymeria said:

 That is a very good description of Xu Feng. I do agree 100%.

 

I do not recommend that you read the book though or it will ruin the character for you. The drama did a great job with him (although they should have given him more screen time and more of a backstory) because the Xu Feng of the book was a forceful abuser with murderous tendencies. He's got stars in his eyes when he's in "love mode" but as soon as he sees Jin Mi paying attention to someone else, he becomes a real bastard, even coming close to killing her twice (right before the mutual cultivation too. Nice.).

 

For the life of me, I don't understand the appeal of the novel and I think the drama is a much better piece of work.

 

 

I tried reading the book not too long ago, but I couldn't do it  Ended up skimming most of it.  For sure, I agree that the drama far exceeds the novel, even if the drama itself could be better. 

 

For me, too, books and novels are completely different entities and what might work in a novel will not work in a different medium (and tbh, there was some big issues with the novel anyways) - I thought the writers did a (mostly) fantastic job of reworking the text.  Thought the part with the frost flower - the metaphor for her love - was well thought out and beautifully executed.  I'm also glad they added the part with the cracking of the yun dan, it solves some of the major issues with the novel - as in it gives JM agency. 

 

I'm probably in a minority, but I actually think XF is far better written than RY (in the drama).  Like RY is given this huge (and overindulgent) back story - like - they are trying their hardest to make us feel sorry for him.  (personally, I can't, for reasons I've stated earlier) and so his story line is "nice guy" has been through trauma and turns villainous because of it. (and I honestly think this trope might possibly be damaging to those with major trauma because in no way, shape, or form does your backstory guarantee you to be a villain) where as XF honestly feels the most human to me, and I think if they had made XF like they did in the novel, it would have been virtually unwatchable. 

 

To digress, I've also been thinking of that last battle scene.  Where RY brings his army to the demon realm to bring back JM, even though she pleads with him to let her go in an earlier scene, and just before the battle  she tells him "i'm really good here, I'm not coming back" he's still determined to possess her no matter what (and is about to genocide flower realm - really, at this point, he's become just like his step mother) JM pleads with XF not to go to war - but really, RY is completely out of control and is going to do whatever it takes to get his way, no matter the cost.  XF really has no other option than fighting, other than sending JM back.  Which is unfair to JM.

[enigmatic_zephy]

marathoned over last two days..

 

what a gem of a drama

[enigmatic_zephy]

although i have to say,

some scenes are downright scary.. and leave an impact..

 

specially the whole cave with two princes scene - the 1st time when she threw her bodyguard.. and in the end she herself..

they should censor things like these... and how do i interpret it.. they ate her like wolves or sexually abused too? They shouldn't have that track in the first place.. very very very disturbing

 

The male actor is quite charismatic. And i am reading in comments that novel character is very different from dramas, because he is actually quite a better person compared to other characters. Where can i get eng novel? Novel good?

[Lynne]

Personaly for me, Xu Feng in the drama is a lot better portrayed than the book. Both have plus and minus.  But what I love the most in the drama is how Xu Feng is still an honorable man from start to the end. Not perfect, but still he's a good person.

He may be a bit arrogant and naive in some aspect in the early episode, but that's how it is when you're young right? 

Just like Jin Mi and Ren Yu, we can see his progression in the story, but a bit more subtle way.

He's naive but not blind in regards of his parents.. the problem is his hand is tied, and I cannot stress enough how I and even other character in the show can see that Xu Feng is a good person, but sadly he bears the sins of his parents. And it is his parent's sin that dooms him. His story is equally tragic to me in comparison to Ren Yu and Jin Mi. 

The story ended with him wiser and still an honorable man. 

 

Things that is always in my mind when I watch the drama were:

"He never wants the throne", this has been shown repeatedly in the early episode. But does anyone listen? 

"He loves Jin Mi first, and when Jin Mi says she didn't love him, this is what hurts him the most." It was never about her killing him... it broke something inside of him hearing this.

"The more he hurts her... the more he is hurting himself" in the demon arc, because he loves her still... He's the one that can't let go.. and he hates himself for it.... Sigh.... Poor Xu Feng and Poor Jin Mi... 

 

For me, Jin Mi and Xu Feng choosing the live a quiet life is something that is right for them.... Again, Xu Feng never wanted the throne, all he wants is Jin Mi. They deserve a peaceful life after all the sorrow and sadness in their life. This is different from the book, but it feels right in the terms of how the drama's story line progressed.

 

LOL... why is this post becoming my love letter for Xu Feng....

 

 

[Nudafu]

12 hours ago, missnymeria said:

 That is a very good description of Xu Feng. I do agree 100%.

 

I do not recommend that you read the book though or it will ruin the character for you. The drama did a great job with him (although they should have given him more screen time and more of a backstory) because the Xu Feng of the book was a forceful abuser with murderous tendencies. He's got stars in his eyes when he's in "love mode" but as soon as he sees Jin Mi paying attention to someone else, he becomes a real bastard, even coming close to killing her twice (right before the mutual cultivation too. Nice.).

 

For the life of me, I don't understand the appeal of the novel and I think the drama is a much better piece of work.

 

Agree. 

 

Even before reading the novel, I wondered why the series emphasised Xu Feng asking if Jin Mi was "willing" before the mutual cultivation scene. Consent. Because of the two times Xu Feng was intimate with Jin Mi in the novel, consent was questionable. Ugh...

 

4 hours ago, bluesytb said:

For me, too, books and novels are completely different entities and what might work in a novel will not work in a different medium (and tbh, there was some big issues with the novel anyways) - I thought the writers did a (mostly) fantastic job of reworking the text.  Thought the part with the frost flower - the metaphor for her love - was well thought out and beautifully executed.  I'm also glad they added the part with the cracking of the yun dan, it solves some of the major issues with the novel - as in it gives JM agency. 

 

I'm probably in a minority, but I actually think XF is far better written than RY (in the drama).  Like RY is given this huge (and overindulgent) back story - like - they are trying their hardest to make us feel sorry for him.  (personally, I can't, for reasons I've stated earlier) and so his story line is "nice guy" has been through trauma and turns villainous because of it. (and I honestly think this trope might possibly be damaging to those with major trauma because in no way, shape, or form does your backstory guarantee you to be a villain) where as XF honestly feels the most human to me, and I think if they had made XF like they did in the novel, it would have been virtually unwatchable. 

 

To digress, I've also been thinking of that last battle scene.  Where RY brings his army to the demon realm to bring back JM, even though she pleads with him to let her go in an earlier scene, and just before the battle  she tells him "i'm really good here, I'm not coming back" he's still determined to possess her no matter what (and is about to genocide flower realm - really, at this point, he's become just like his step mother) JM pleads with XF not to go to war - but really, RY is completely out of control and is going to do whatever it takes to get his way, no matter the cost.  XF really has no other option than fighting, other than sending JM back.  Which is unfair to JM.

 

I think the novel is still worth reading. 

 

The novel is certainly not as logically consistent as the series. I think this is due to the novel being written in the 1st person. At times, it almost reads as a diary, in that we don't get the overall story and other character developments. The big novel standout is that Jin Mi reads like an Asperger's child. Think about it: emotional faculties suppressed while all others functional. Asperger-like characters are usually portrayed with extreme intelligence to offset low EQ e.g. Temperance Brennan (Bones), Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang). Jin Mi unfortunately is not written with impressive intelligence, so it makes her character rather unappealing at the start. The point after stabbing Xu Feng and coughing up the Heartless Pill reads like an Asperger's who has been 'cured' of their condition. Everything before Xu Feng's stabbing appears like a setup to give contrast to the intensity of Jin Mi's downfall. This is why the novel is written in a tightly controlled descent towards Jin Mi's death. I thought the last part of the novel was so masterfully written that I compared it to a Wagner piece in my head. The attempts by the author to 'show' instead of 'explain' in words what love feels like is one of the most evocative reads I have read in a long while. One is not necessarily better than the other, but I think the differences between the novel and series are worth pointing out as an appreciation for both mediums in their own right. 

 

I thought the saddest thing about the battle is that both Run Yu and Xu Feng did bad by Jin Mi. I don't expect any good from Run Yu at this stage, but it set my teeth on edge that Xu Feng did what he did. I have a feeling production may've filmed it or thought about filming the scene right before the battle (i.e. Xu Feng raging about Jin Mi's conspiracy against him and almost choking her to death). We just get a scene where Jin Mi swears she is not to blame and Xu Feng unconvincingly believing that. But then he forcefully takes her to the battle and proceeds to use her against Run Yu. That feels disconnected. The series should've just kept the original scene to explain Xu Feng's behaviour. The way I see it, Xu Feng used Jin Mi in his own fashion on the eve of battle. He claims he had a wedding night with her when it was plainly untrue. While it works to irritate Run Yu, it shames Jin Mi in the process. Xu Feng wanted to fight as much as Run Yu. The only reason you take an unwilling, non-combatant into the heart of battle is to use them. My conclusion has always been that both boys were party to her death. Yes, Jin Mi chose to step in between them and end it. But, Run Yu could've chosen not to attack. Xu Feng could've chosen not to take Jin Mi to the battle. Fine if Jin Mi intended to follow Xu Feng. But she said no before the battle, she didn't want to go to the battle. And she said no, stop fighting shortly before the boys powered up to Ban-kai showdown. If Xu Feng was shown to continue with the battle because there was too much momentum - reasonable and understandable - then fair enough. The way I read Xu Feng flinging Jin Mi off his arm, that is someone who wants to fight. And the way he revs up his troops at the start of battle, that is also someone who relishes the fight. One could argue that Run Yu's invasion was inevitable, and from a strategic perspective, I agree that Xu Feng was correct in strengthening his defences. But his sequence of actions were all about revenge. Revenge against Run Yu. Revenge against Jin Mi. He just lacked the insight that Jin Mi would be a casualty in his war for revenge.

 

Xu Feng could've stepped up and chosen to forgive Jin Mi because he simply loved her enough to do so. I don't doubt that he did love her, but probably not enough to let go of his pride. Because it is clear to me that Xu Feng can't let go of his hate because of his hurt pride at being betrayed - the sense of betrayal doesn't work as strongly if unhealthy, overwhelming pride is not in play. Xu Feng later confesses that he did think about forgiving Jin Mi, but he had his pride to consider. So no, this is not me picking on Xu Feng for all you Xu Feng lovers . Are there characters who chose better? Yes. Zi Xuan (a re-written Xu Xian) in Destiny of the White Snake says of the near fatal bite that Bai Yao Yao gives him: "just make sure you bite only me and not others". Wang Yao Shi, in Mystery of the Condor Heroes, sustains a stab from Feng Heng for no other reason but the fact that she wants to reject him, and he simply chooses to forgive her too. While each have different motives and situations, I believe the moment of choice is the same. Fantasy Chinese series usually espouse the ideal that a moment of thought is what it takes to change any course of events. And in many moments, Xu Feng did not choose well. Otherwise, there would be zero guilt, and zero Xu Feng redemption moments. 

 

The happy point to all of this is that HSALF makes superb material for fanfiction. Lack and flaws in the novel and series for Xu Feng as a character. That is a fanfiction opening if I ever saw one. 

[mimidq8]

I think its been great to read and watch.  I just wanted to say that both the male leads did a great job portraying their characters.  I've read some ppl's viewpoint on RY and I understand where they are coming from but in terms of character I thinks hes my fav.  Don't get me wrong, XF is hot, but RY...I guess we always root for the underdog.  That being said, I think he loved JM as much as XF but was just so insecure, his whole life he had to take 2 steps back to take 3 steps forward and you do what we know. XF was willing to give up everything for love and RY thought he had to attain everything for it.  Here's my question, did he change the dream records to show that XF was the killer? When he was first put in charge he says that it couldn't be XF, but then when JM goes to check again he suggests that KL takes care of the guard and places blame on him... ... so there are two possible reasons for that...

[roxnilla7]

So what would you guys rate this drama overall? I stopped watching after ep 2 because school started, and I suck at multi tasking. But coming here, there were many complaints about too much screen time for the side couples. Do you feel like it affected the quality of the show? It's interesting because despite the many complaints I saw on this forum, the drama still had an overall rating of 9 on mydramalist.

[enigmatic_zephy]

 

1 hour ago, roxnilla7 said:

So what would you guys rate this drama overall? I stopped watching after ep 2 because school started, and I suck at multi tasking. But coming here, there were many complaints about too much screen time for the side couples. Do you feel like it affected the quality of the show? It's interesting because despite the many complaints I saw on this forum, the drama still had an overall rating of 9 on mydramalist.

i loved it.. marathoned over 2 days..

if you like romance, watch it.. the secondary lovelines, i didn't bother much.. and after initial first 15 episodes, once you understand all characters, i skipped most of the non lead / non romance/ non intelligent plotting scenes

[enigmatic_zephy]

3 hours ago, mimidq8 said:

I think its been great to read and watch.  I just wanted to say that both the male leads did a great job portraying their characters.  I've read some ppl's viewpoint on RY and I understand where they are coming from but in terms of character I thinks hes my fav.  Don't get me wrong, XF is hot, but RY...I guess we always root for the underdog.  That being said, I think he loved JM as much as XF but was just so insecure, his whole life he had to take 2 steps back to take 3 steps forward and you do what we know. XF was willing to give up everything for love and RY thought he had to attain everything for it.  Here's my question, did he change the dream records to show that XF was the killer? When he was first put in charge he says that it couldn't be XF, but then when JM goes to check again he suggests that KL takes care of the guard and places blame on him... ... so there are two possible reasons for that...

Where to read it?

[bluesytb]

8 hours ago, lynne22 said:

Personaly for me, Xu Feng in the drama is a lot better portrayed than the book. Both have plus and minus.  But what I love the most in the drama is how Xu Feng is still an honorable man from start to the end. Not perfect, but still he's a good person.

He may be a bit arrogant and naive in some aspect in the early episode, but that's how it is when you're young right? 

Just like Jin Mi and Ren Yu, we can see his progression in the story, but a bit more subtle way.

He's naive but not blind in regards of his parents.. the problem is his hand is tied, and I cannot stress enough how I and even other character in the show can see that Xu Feng is a good person, but sadly he bears the sins of his parents. And it is his parent's sin that dooms him. His story is equally tragic to me in comparison to Ren Yu and Jin Mi. 

The story ended with him wiser and still an honorable man. 

 

Things that is always in my mind when I watch the drama were:

"He never wants the throne", this has been shown repeatedly in the early episode. But does anyone listen? 

"He loves Jin Mi first, and when Jin Mi says she didn't love him, this is what hurts him the most." It was never about her killing him... it broke something inside of him hearing this.

"The more he hurts her... the more he is hurting himself" in the demon arc, because he loves her still... He's the one that can't let go.. and he hates himself for it.... Sigh.... Poor Xu Feng and Poor Jin Mi... 

 

For me, Jin Mi and Xu Feng choosing the live a quiet life is something that is right for them.... Again, Xu Feng never wanted the throne, all he wants is Jin Mi. They deserve a peaceful life after all the sorrow and sadness in their life. This is different from the book, but it feels right in the terms of how the drama's story line progressed.

 

LOL... why is this post becoming my love letter for Xu Feng....

 

 

 

Yeah, these are mostly my feelings too. 

 

7 hours ago, Nudafu said:

 

Agree. 

 

Even before reading the novel, I wondered why the series emphasised Xu Feng asking if Jin Mi was "willing" before the mutual cultivation scene. Consent. Because of the two times Xu Feng was intimate with Jin Mi in the novel, consent was questionable. Ugh...

 

 

Yes.  In the novel the biggest turn off for me in the book was that it was so rapey.  

 

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I thought the saddest thing about the battle is that both Run Yu and Xu Feng did bad by Jin Mi.

 

I totally agree.  I wanted to smack XF upside the head for using JM here.

 

I don't expect any good from Run Yu at this stage, but it set my teeth on edge that Xu Feng did what he did. I have a feeling production may've filmed it or thought about filming the scene right before the battle (i.e. Xu Feng raging about Jin Mi's conspiracy against him and almost choking her to death). We just get a scene where Jin Mi swears she is not to blame and Xu Feng unconvincingly believing that. But then he forcefully takes her to the battle and proceeds to use her against Run Yu. That feels disconnected.

 

I have to agree with you here.  There was definitely a disconnect - you know that scene where JM comes back for a moment as a tear in XF's eyes?  where they're hugging?  I wanted that scene after the wedding, tbh.   

I actually don't remember any scene where he's choking her?  I know he was raging in that scene, but I can't recall at any point him trying to kill her.  

 

The series should've just kept the original scene to explain Xu Feng's behaviour. The way I see it, Xu Feng used Jin Mi in his own fashion on the eve of battle. He claims he had a wedding night with her when it was plainly untrue. While it works to irritate Run Yu, it shames Jin Mi in the process. Xu Feng wanted to fight as much as Run Yu. The only reason you take an unwilling, non-combatant into the heart of battle is to use them.

 

My thoughts are that XF treats the wedding as an actuality.  Like someone else earlier on this thread, He tells JM "is it so bad to be married to me" even when in an earlier scene he plainly told her he'd kill her if she told him she loved him again, and the fact that she thinks the wedding is fake, (and yes, it started out that way, as a trap for SH - but I still feel like XF means all of his words to JM, like his character, though arrogant and cheeky, would never say words like that if he didn't mean them.) He doesn't take the pengyu since he does not want her to leave.  I feel that he's really shaken to his core.  Like to me he's visible shaken especially during the wedding scene where Moon explains all that JM has done for him. (and maybe this is me projecting) I think he means every word of the vows that he has spoken, since he repeats them internally when hugging  her from behind - XF is a person who is not manipulative - he means what he says.  To me, his apology is "off" during the wedding because he has fully realized how wrong he was in believing SH and how much he has done wrong by JM, and not only is his pride is killing him, it's that he's still so protective of himself, too.  To me he's a big ball of conflicting emotions (is how I read it)    

 

My conclusion has always been that both boys were party to her death. Yes, Jin Mi chose to step in between them and end it. But, Run Yu could've chosen not to attack. Xu Feng could've chosen not to take Jin Mi to the battle. Fine if Jin Mi intended to follow Xu Feng. But she said no before the battle, she didn't want to go to the battle. And she said no, stop fighting shortly before the boys powered up to Ban-kai showdown. If Xu Feng was shown to continue with the battle because there was too much momentum - reasonable and understandable - then fair enough. The way I read Xu Feng flinging Jin Mi off his arm, that is someone who wants to fight. And the way he revs up his troops at the start of battle, that is also someone who relishes the fight. One could argue that Run Yu's invasion was inevitable, and from a strategic perspective, I agree that Xu Feng was correct in strengthening his defences. But his sequence of actions were all about revenge. Revenge against Run Yu. Revenge against Jin Mi. He just lacked the insight that Jin Mi would be a casualty in his war for revenge.

 

I totally agree that both dudes were responsible.  But RY hit that point of no return - if JM did not come to the battle, he would have slaughtered pretty much everyone,   and forced JM to marry him.  JM said no to going back to RY and to the war but RY is just bent on taking her no matter what the cost, to her, or hundreds of thousands of lives.  I totally agree that XF wants revenge for everything RY has done, and is more than willing to fight, but someone has to stop RY.  There's no way out of this war - most of it is revenge, yes, but it's also defense. 

 

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Xu Feng could've stepped up and chosen to forgive Jin Mi because he simply loved her enough to do so. I don't doubt that he did love her, but probably not enough to let go of his pride. Because it is clear to me that Xu Feng can't let go of his hate because of his hurt pride at being betrayed - the sense of betrayal doesn't work as strongly if unhealthy, overwhelming pride is not in play. Xu Feng later confesses that he did think about forgiving Jin Mi, but he had his pride to consider. So no, this is not me picking on Xu Feng for all you Xu Feng lovers .

I still believe there was more than just his pride at work. 

I'm thinking about when JM's dying in his arms and he said "I've never hated you, I've always hated myself"  When earlier he's trying to move on from JM, but he can't, especially since JM keeps coming back.  Which he tries to rationalize as a plot by RY, but he still has doubts not only about JM working with RY, but also about SH.  He's so hurt by the fact JM told him that she never loved him (or trusted him) that he has a lot of trouble trying to rationalize how he still feels about her, and yes I do agree that part of that is pride.  But also I think back to him talking to LY, and him not fully trusting SH and thinking that JM is right - like where does that put him if that's true?  It's not just his pride,  it's his guilt, and a whole lot of other emotions to process.           

I definitely think he's always been a conflicted character, between his softer side and his toxic masculinity.  Ultimately, he pays for his toxicity in the end. (or maybe I'm reading more into it than I should)

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Are there characters who chose better? Yes. Zi Xuan (a re-written Xu Xian) in Destiny of the White Snake says of the near fatal bite that Bai Yao Yao gives him: "just make sure you bite only me and not others". Wang Yao Shi, in Mystery of the Condor Heroes, sustains a stab from Feng Heng for no other reason but the fact that she wants to reject him, and he simply chooses to forgive her too. While each have different motives and situations, I believe the moment of choice is the same. Fantasy Chinese series usually espouse the ideal that a moment of thought is what it takes to change any course of events. And in many moments, Xu Feng did not choose well. Otherwise, there would be zero guilt, and zero Xu Feng redemption moments. 

 

The happy point to all of this is that HSALF makes superb material for fanfiction. Lack and flaws in the novel and series for Xu Feng as a character. That is a fanfiction opening if I ever saw one. 

 

I think for me, the most compelling thing about the XF character is that he is so human.  Like, we've all been there - all of us have made wrong choices and ended up hurting loved ones, by holding on to our hurts, our pride and guilt.  I myself know the feeling of wanting to forgive but also being confused with other emotions & thoughts and ending up making things worse  in the long run. 

 

 

3 hours ago, mimidq8 said:

I think its been great to read and watch.  I just wanted to say that both the male leads did a great job portraying their characters.  I've read some ppl's viewpoint on RY and I understand where they are coming from but in terms of character I thinks hes my fav.  Don't get me wrong, XF is hot, but RY...I guess we always root for the underdog.  That being said, I think he loved JM as much as XF but was just so insecure, his whole life he had to take 2 steps back to take 3 steps forward and you do what we know. XF was willing to give up everything for love and RY thought he had to attain everything for it.  Here's my question, did he change the dream records to show that XF was the killer? When he was first put in charge he says that it couldn't be XF, but then when JM goes to check again he suggests that KL takes care of the guard and places blame on him... ... so there are two possible reasons for that...

 RY absolutely messed with the dream records (when him and KL were adjusting stars) and then had the guard killed when JM found out the dream was tampered with since it points back to him.