I was fully immersed in drama from the start, as I was impressed by the introduction. Although wuxia elements were very typical but sufficient to keep me engaged, and the extremely likable female lead from the very start... mysterious male lead, action-packed sequences... everything sold it out. Then episode by episode I started to love all interactions between leads, development in their relationship, sizzling chemistry, cuteness overload moments, and before I knew romance was the only thing that kept me around... as apart from it everything become quite a lot of mess in the end.

Drama can be categorized into three parts politics, the martial arts world, and war. A huge ounce of the drama revolves around politics (of course its title has 'rule' in it) that shouldn't be a problem but it's not clever or even smart, kinda illogical at some points over the top, and repetitive. I was bored by schemes circling one after another with the most annoying, bratty characters with a lot of screentime. My most beloved part in the martial arts world (expect the tianshuang sect *if you know*), it has thrill, excitement, and interesting enough concepts to keep one stick but to the disappointment, it's too brief, I would prefer it over boring politics 100 times... then comes the war part: most condensed one, with choppy editing, dizzy camerawork, inconsistent transitions, and not bad CGI. Everything is rushed here, many things don't have proper closure... no explanation at all, we just have to imagine many things in our head to reach the conclusion given the situation.

Apart from terrible CG at some places, it's high budget production.. aesthetics, costumes were beautiful, and sets were extravagant. Keeping spinning fight scenes... cinematography was impressive, love the grandness... yet simplicity whenever needed.

Have to say Bai Feng Hei Xi has become my most beloved couple in c-dramaland... firstly they both are extremely likable as individual characters, they compliment very well, they are very well aware of each other's needs, and they have 'conversation' (damn isn't it very unlikely when leads talk with each other in dramas)... though their story has some stereotypical elements it stayed a mile away from stupid misunderstandings, noble idiocy, greater good... blah blah blad, thus romance brightens everything.

Nonetheless, drama is the victim of crappy writing in some arcs, screentime distribution doesn't give justice to everyone except Yang Yang, there's less Zhou Lusi in some parts, where annoying, spoiled characters get loads of time to annoy us to death but interesting characters whose arc should have been way more interesting with good setup given a pinch of screentime that they don't get flushed up. Some characters appear and vanish as per the convenience of the storyline and it is so bothering.

After a long time, I can really say that BFX is an example of a strong female lead, whose intellectual doesn't come and go as the story needs.. who is consistent throughout the drama. Lovable, carefree, bright as the sun, smart... and I love she's a foodie. Literally, there wasn't a single moment where I didn't like her.

I hoped they should have kept little darkness in HFX's character from the book... firstly it confuses as hell viewers BFH's attitude towards him in the beginning, secondly he's just too perfect, fitting in that 'I don't have any cons' mold accurately, which brings us two nothing but perfect leads which don't really lead to any character development in them.

And damn that identity reveal was so underwhelming considering I waited for it a long time, it was bland as water.