Some nice characters but overall I didn't care for any of them

STORY/PLOT
This show suffers from having too many characters in general. They are introduced when the ML comes across them but then quickly forgotten and then later on "revived" when you've long moved on to other new characters that appear. There is not much backstory to most of these characters and so you're not really invested in what happens to them generally. The show also relies too much on flashbacks to fill in the gaps (i.e. stuff that wasn't shown before). For example ML when in a pivotal moment in a fight performs some new move - cue flashback to when the grandmaster showed him that specific move. Certain people are shown as being very important to the ML but because that relationship/journey has not been explored very much, I don't buy it.

The ML is introduced as a smart but stubborn character. He wants it all - to have his cake and eat it too. He is scheming and has his own agenda and seems to like going against his father's plans/wishes. That is all fine but the problem I have is he has just come home after 3 years gallivanting in the wilderness - I find it hard to believe how he has managed to have informants and loyal people under him when for all intents and purposes, he wasn't doing much for those 3 years.

There doesn't seem to be a clear FL in this show. Yes the ML has a servant he is interested in, and she has a backstory too. Their romance is as dumb as dumb gets - fake assassination attempts and getting paid to read books to him. Constant teasing like "You can't die because I want to be the one to kill you" is just eye-rolling.

One of the things that makes a show great is a good villain - one that creates chaos and can really hurt the ML. This show doesn't seem to have a good one. Everything was dealt with easily by the ML with the grandmaster at his side. For much of the show, the illegitimate prince is portrayed as the main villain but he was so weak!! His red armour that followed him around wasn't much help either. The master eunuch put up a good fight at the end but being outnumbered he should have eliminated them one by one to increase his chances. Overall this big fight turned out rather disappointing.

ACTION
There is a fair bit of action but I find that some of the grandmasters are just too overpowered and just takes the fun out of it. Having the grandmaster Li by his side also meant it was kinda boring because nothing much was going to happen to ML while the grandmaster was there.

Some of the powers of these grandmasters is just a bit ridiculous and not really of interest to me. I prefer more realistic type wuxia but I find this show is a bit more magical/fantasy type (e.g. magical flying swords, riding waves, tornadoes lol).

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