Love Between Fairy And Devil Review

Love Between Fairy And Devil (苍兰诀) has such high ratings that it is hard to ignore. I didn’t plan to watch this so soon initially but curiosity got the better of me and I quickly got onboard. In fact, I have a backlog of dramas to catch up on and this title wasn’t high up on my list until I saw the ratings. After all, I’m not a huge fan of the leads that I have to watch their dramas the moment they hit the screen. Nevertheless, here I’m with my Love Between Fairy And Devil review after bingeing on it over the last 3 days. Is it really as good as anticipated? Well, you can check out my thoughts on this xianxia drama below.

My rating: 8/10
Episodes: 36
Type: Xianxia Romance
Aired: August 2022
Images Credit: iQIYI Taiwan Facebook

The Cast Of Love Between Fairy And Devil

• Esther Yu Shu Xin as Orchid / Xiao Lan Hua
• Dylan Wang He Di as Dongfang Qing Cang / Da Qiang
• Zhang Ling He as Chang Heng
• Xu Hai Qiao as Rong Hao
• Cristy Guo Xiao Ting as Chi Di Lady
• Charles Lin Bai Rui as Shang Que
• Chi Jia as Lord Yun Zhong
• Li Yi Tong as Arbiter / Si Ming
• Hong Xiao as Jie Li
• Wang Yue Yi as Fairy Dan Yin
• Zhang Chen Xiao as Dongfang Xun Feng
• Cheng Zi as Die Yi

Main Characters

Orchid / Xiao Lan Hua

Orchid is a lowly plant fairy who is in charged of maintaining Destiny Books in the immortal fairy realm known as Shuiyuntian. She has poor cultivation skills due to her damaged immortal roots. Orchid is a little timid and naive but has a kind heart. Her master is Arbiter while Chang Heng is her crush.

Dongfang Qing Cang / Da Qiang

Qing Cang is a prisoner sealed up in Shuiyuntian’s Haotian Tower. He used to be the Supreme Lord of the Moon tribe. Qing Cang has very powerful cultivation powers. He is also known to be ruthless and cruel.

Chang Heng

Chang Heng is the God of War of Shuiyuntian and Lord Yun Zhong’s younger brother. He has many admirers due to his position and cultivation strength. Chang Heng has a tendency to follow his brother’s orders despite his uneasiness at times. He has secret feelings for Orchid but is betrothed to a long lost fairy.

Supporting Characters

Rong Hao

Rong Hao is the Fairy Lord of Shuiyuntian and Chang Heng’s friend. He appears as an upright and easy-going immortal.

Chi Di Lady

Chi Di Lady is the woman who sacrificed herself to seal up the Moon tribe’s soldiers in the battle with Shuiyuntian 30,000 years ago.

Shang Que

Shang Que is Qing Cang’s loyal lieutenant and a black dragon.

Lord Yun Zhong

Lord Yun Zhong is the Emperor of Shuiyuntian. He is not a compassionate ruler and will sacrifice others to achieve an aim. Chang Heng is his younger brother.

Arbiter / Si Ming

Si Ming is the master of Arbiter Hall in Shuiyuntian who has been away traveling for years. She is Orchid’s master who taught her how to repair Destiny Books and the consequence of changing the destinies listed in them.

Jie Li

Jie Li is a trader of valuable items in Haishi City. She is a money lover who is always on the lookout for opportunities to make a big buck. Orchid is one of her customers.

Fairy Dan Yin

Fairy Dan Yin is the daughter of a senior immortal of Shuiyuntian, Lord Li Yuan. She is in love with Chang Heng although he is betrothed to another.

Dongfang Xun Feng

Xun Feng is Qing Cang’s younger brother. He is distrustful of Qing Cang and hates him for killing their father.

Die Yi

Die Yi is the assistant to the master of Liufang Pavilion in Haishi City. She carries out her master’s orders without question and does not hesitate to kill in the process.

Synopsis

According to legend, 30,000 years ago, Qing Cang of the Moon tribe wanted to acquire a forbidden ancient skill and became a heartless monster in the process. He killed his own father and went on a path of destruction which threatened the existence of the 3 realms – Shuiyuntian (immortal fairy), Cangyan Sea (Moon tribe), and Yunmeng Lake (mortal world).

Chi Di Lady of Shuiyuntian sacrificed herself and sealed up Qing Cang’s 100,000 soldiers in the battle. Qing Cang was defeated but his primordial spirit remains. He was quietly sealed up in Shuiyuntian’s Haotian Tower. Legend also has it that if he is resurrected, only the Goddess of Xishan can prevent another catastrophe but she is nowhere to be found after the battle.

30,000 years later, there are now signs that Qing Cang is breaking down the matrix seal to escape. Chang Heng, the current Shuiyuntian’s God of War, is ordered to help to repair the seal. A lowly plant fairy, Orchid, who has a crush on Chang Heng is afraid that he will perish during the process. Her decision to prevent his death leads to her falling into the matrix and encountering Qing Cang.

The chain reaction also causes Qing Cang’s Xilan Holy Seal to be triggered. As a result, he can feel the same emotions that Orchid is experiencing and if she dies, so would he. Thus, he is forced to protect her while he looks for ways to lift the curse. As he spends more time with Orchid, he begins to develop feelings for her.

Love Between Fairy And Devil Ending (Spoilers Alert!)

Love Between Fairy And Devil has a happy ending. Orchid was expected to sacrifice herself to kill the Evil God Tai Sui. When Qing Cang found out about it, he changed her fate instead by taking on the task before she could do so. He then asked Orchid to kill him so that the Evil God Tai Sui can be destroyed along with him. Orchid did so with a heavy heart. As Qing Cang faded away, he left a moon-shaped token behind for her. Over the years, the token was seen to be slowly gathering his spirit.

After the Moon tribe and Shuiyuntian cooperated to kill the Evil God Tai Sui, they buried their hatred and there was peace in the realms. Chang Heng became a traveling immortal and gave up his duty as the God of War. Fairy Dan Yin would be joining the army as she has always admired Chi Di Lady. She aimed to be the next God of War. She has also accepted that Chang Heng would never be her lover and saw him as a good friend instead.

Xun Feng has matured to become a good leader of the Moon tribe in Qing Cang’s absence. Shang Que assisted him. He has reconciled with Jie Li who spent her time educating orphans in Cangyan Sea.

500 years later, Qing Cang reappeared and reunited with Orchid for a happy ending.

Orchid’s Identity

Rong Hao found out Orchid is the Goddess of Xishan in Episode 7 when he tested her with a plant infused with evil spirits. Only the goddess can purify evil spirits which Orchid innocently did as requested.

In Episode 22, viewers will be told what happened to Orchid when she was young. When Chi Di Lady sacrificed herself during the battle with Qing Cang, Rong Hao wanted to revive his master. The only way to do that is to kill Orchid and get her primordial spirit. Orchid was born gifted and has special powers. She not only can heal but also grow things. She belongs to the Xilan clan of Xishan who was also responsible to watch over the Evil God Tai Sui who has been sealed up in an abyss.

Rong Hao tried to get his hands on Orchid. Her parents sealed up her powers and memories and transformed her into a seed to protect her before they were killed by Rong Hao. Hence, Orchid has no recollection of the past and her identity.

Qing Cang and Fairy Dan Yin saw Orchid’s powers and realized who she is in Episode 26. Chang Heng learned Orchid is Fairy of Xishan when Fairy Dan Yin reported it in Episode 29. He then told Orchid in Episode 30 in the hope of making her leave Qing Cang. Orchid sacrificed herself in Episode 31 to stop the war between Shuiyuntian and the Moon tribe. She was resurrected as the Goddess of Xishan named Xi Yun in Episode 32.

Why Is Qing Cang Heartless?

Qing Cang is heartless because his father, the previous Supreme Lord of the Moon tribe, removed his emotions to make him strong. By being heartless, he will not have weaknesses and can revive the tribe against Shuiyuntian’s attack. Hence, his Love Tree has been uprooted but slowly resurrected by Orchid. This angered him as it brought back painful childhood memories. Qing Cang’s past is revealed in Episode 16, 17, and 18.

When Qing Cang’s father found out that his eldest son is the only one who can wield the Hellfire power, he needed to remove his emotions to enable him to master it. In the process, Qing Cang was abused and tortured. He ended up killing his own father and that was what the latter had wanted all along because it meant that Qing Cang can completely strip away his emotions and successfully wield Hellfire.

Hence, Qing Cang hated his father because he thought his father didn’t love him and simply see him as a tool to bring glory to the Moon tribe. But his father had no choice back then as Shuiyuntian was on the verge of wiping out the tribe. Through Orchid’s efforts, Qing Cang was able to confront his past and late father. During the meeting with his father’s soul, Qing Cang chose to keep his emotions together with all the pain rather than uproot his Love Tree again.

When Did The Couple Get Together?

Qing Cang kissed Orchid to give her air while they were underwater to escape a search by Chang Heng in Episode 8. Shen then sent him away to ensure he wouldn’t be captured when she found out that he is from the Moon tribe. Orchid only learned that he is the Supreme Lord in Episode 9 when Qing Cang’s bracelet of hellfire that she was wearing protected her when she was questioned about her origins by Lord Yun Zhong and the senior immortals. She is then deemed as a traitor and Qing Cang took her away with him to Cangyan Sea.

Chang Heng came to rescue Orchid in Episode 13 and Qing Cang was at risk of being killed when Rong Hao also showed up. Orchid could have left with Chang Heng but gave up the opportunity in order to save Qing Cang. As Orchid and Qing Cang gradually develop feelings for each other, they are also constrained by their different life missions. Qing Cang wants to destroy Shuiyuntian while Orchid wants peace. They got together in Episode 26 when she chose to save him over going back to Shuiyuntian.

Orchid asked Qing Cang ro marry her in Episode 28 after she learned that he had to subject himself to punishment for being in a forbidden relationship with a fairy since the Moon tribe and Shuiyuntian were enemies. She also took a punishment in return to prove her worthiness to be his queen. They were preparing their wedding until a war became inevitable.

Is There A Breakup?

Rong Hao’s manipulation caused Shuiyuntian to prepare a war against the Moon tribe. He has also caused Orchid’s life to be in danger. Qing Cang was forced to drive her away with a pretense that he has never loved her in Episode 30 in order to save her. That is why he allowed Chang Heng the chance to reveal to Orchid her identity.

But Orchid refused to believe that Qing Cang has no feelings for her. She also loved him deeply and didn’t want any war. Thus, she sacrificed herself in Episode 31 by using her powers of purity to stop the war and unseal the soldiers from 30,000 years ago. She was resurrected in Episode 32 as Goddess Xi Yun but can no longer remember Qing Cang. She also didn’t have the same personality as before.

However, it was all a pretense on her part to make Qing Cang forget her. He found out in Episode 35. Her plan was to marry Chang Heng and unlock her powers so that she could kill the Evil God Tai Sui once and for all. She also knew she would die as a result and didn’t want Qing Cang to grief over her.

Love Triangle

Orchid saw Chang Heng as her savior when he convinced Si Ming to keep her despite her damaged roots. She had a crush on him even since then. He met her again 500 years later when he was still a weak immortal. She comforted him and showed him kindness. He fell in love with her then but knew he couldn’t love her openly due to his betrothal to a Xilan fairy. So, he took away her memories of him and the flashback is shown in Episode 8.

In Episode 19, Chang Heng found out that he is destined to marry Orchid in the mortal world. So, he risked turning into ashes to become a mortal, Xiao Run. Orchid pretended to marry Xiao Run in Episode 25 to ensure Chang Heng successfully go through his tribulations to become an immortal again. But she refused to leave with him in Episode 26 but chose to save the injured Qing Cang.

Chang Heng confessed his feelings to Orchid in Episode 27 but got rejected. Her feelings towards him was one of gratitude and appreciation rather than love. He tried again to make her leave Qing Cang by telling her about her true identity in Episode 30. Again, she declined to leave with him. But as the Goddess of Xishan, she has a betrothal agreement with Chang Heng. It was part of an ancient arrangement for them to keep the realms safe. She married him because of her responsibility rather than love in Episode 36 so that she could kill the Evil God Tai Sui.

Rong Hao’s Objective

Rong Hao’s master is Chi Di Lady and he is also the master of Liufang Pavilion in Haishi City. His intention is revealed in Episode 7. He wants to revive his master no matter the cost as he has been feeling empty since her death.

In Episode 20, Chi Di Lady was reincarnated as Xie Wan Ching in the mortal world. In Episode 22, we are told of Rong Hao’s collusion with the Evil God Tai Sui to revive Chi Di Lady. When she died during the battle 30,000 years ago, the Evil God Tai Sui helped Rong Hao to keep her primordial spirit alive by giving her some of his evil spirits. Chi Di Lady was then thrown into Yunmeng Lake to become a mortal to ensure her survival while Rong Hao searched for the Goddess of Xishan to revive his master. The goddess’ primordial spirit was needed for the revival due to her purity and special powers. In return, the Evil God Tai Sui will have a chance to escape from the abyss he has been sealed up in.

Orchid’s sacrifice in Episode 31 enabled Chi Di Lady to be revived. She found out what Rong Hao had done in Episode 32 while her body was slowly being consumed by the evil aura she had been fed with by the Evil God Tai Sui. She asked Rong Hao to kill her in Episode 35. He did so to stop the Evil God Tai Sui from using his master’s body as the host. He then destroyed his own primordial spirit to try to stop the Evil God Tai Sui and died together with Chi Di Lady.

Side Couple

Jie Li insisted that she didn’t like Shang Que in Episode 24. She told him that only money can give her a sense of security due to her harsh past experience. She is also revealed to be a spy for Liufang Pavilion in Episode 27. Jie Li was being threatened and controlled through a poison by Die Yi.

In Episode 29, Shang Que told Jie Li that he wanted to marry her. She agreed to his proposal. But Jie Li had to follow Die Yi’s instructions in Episode 30 as she needed the antidote from Die Yi who has also quietly poisoned Shang Que. With her mission completed, Shang Que only knew Jie Li is a spy in Episode 31. She asked him to forget her as she claimed she had merely put on an act to gain their trust. Shang Que suspected something amiss in Episode 32 when he found out that he had been poisoned without his knowledge but has recovered.

Shang Que and Jie Li met again in Episode 34 but she wasn’t keen to rekindle the relationship. She didn’t think that she deserves him. But they were shown to have reconciled in the last episode.

Other Key Events

• Lord Yun Zhong orders Fairy Yu Lin to be stripped of her immortal bones as punishment for stealing Chang Heng’s firefly stone given to Orchid in Episode 8.
• Xun Feng reconciled with Qing Cang in Episode 18 after learning why his brother killed their father.
• Fairy Dan Yin’s mother was from the Moon tribe and Rong Hao knew about the secret. Lord Li Yuan’s flashback on this is revealed in Episode 27.
• Chang Heng found out that Rong Hao is the master of Liufang Pavilion through Qing Cang and Orchid in Episode 27.
• Jie Li is revealed to be Lord Li Yuan’s long lost twin daughter in Episode 32.
• Jie Li killed Die Yi when the latter was going to kill Lord Li Yuan and Fairy Dan Yin under Rong Hao’s orders in Episode 33.

Love Between Fairy And Devil Review

Love Between Fairy And Devil is basically a story about a cold-hearted guy falling for a kind and warm gal in a forbidden romance. Her sincerity slowly melted his heart. The xianxia elements simple made the story more intriguing, dramatic… and a little complex. It is not very difficult to understand but attentiveness is needed to know what the characters are up to at times especially if you are not familiar with this genre. Just like The Blue Whisper, there will be resurrections after deaths. So, if you don’t pay close attention to the dialogues, you may not have a full understanding of some scenes.

With 36 episodes in total, there are some boring portions here and there as well. While the first episode will catch your interest, the story only picks up after 8 episodes or thereabouts. The first quarter of the drama is largely about the couple getting to know one another. If you enjoy their interactions, then the drama is less likely to be a bore at the start. Otherwise, you will need to put up with a little boredom before getting to the more intense part of the drama.

The villain is also revealed pretty early on. That means the curiosity is more or less gone before you even reached one-third of the drama. Thus, I don’t find Love Between Fairy And Devil to be a gripping saga like Love And Redemption and Ashes Of Love but I do appreciate that the romance is well-done despite the story’s predictability.

Predictable Plot But A Great Romance

I think if you have watched a few Chinese xianxia dramas before, you will be able to guess how the plot will unfold in Love Between Fairy And Devil. For instance, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the female protagonist’s identity. The love and sacrifices are also standard fare. The ending is simplistic. Overall, the plot isn’t exactly a refreshing one for the xianxia genre although watchable with some unique elements.

However, where it does well is the way the romance has been presented. This is a romance drama after all. Hence, you would still be drawn to it because of the love story. The pure-hearted female character will move you. The way the emotionless male protagonist slowly experiences love and pain is touching. They fall in love gradually after a period of interaction which lays a strong foundation to the romance. Perhaps that is why you would feel for the couple as the drama progresses. The intense feelings will keep you hooked to their story.

Therefore, even if the overall plot is predictable, Love Between Fairy And Devil is great for the romance. The leads’ acting and chemistry help as well to make it into a highly rated drama.

Acting And Chemistry

Both Esther Yu and Dylan Wang captured the essence of the character that they are playing rather well. Esther Yu gives Orchid a very fairy-feel with an innocent look. She also makes her appear weak but adorable so that it doesn’t rub you the wrong way. In the drama, the actress also has to portray different personalities to the character and she does that really well. The transformation is seamless and natural and the contrast between the different personalities is evident.

Similarly, Dylan Wang is also adept in his role as an emotionless lord. He doesn’t just show us an impassive face but displays just the right amount of tiny expressions in certain situations for us to relate to the character. He is also majestic when he needs to be as the leader of his tribe and shows more emotions as the character changes with the story. You can empathize with him as he goes through emotional pain.

The leads are compelling as an on-screen couple unlike the pair in Ancient Love Poetry. It is hard to resist their charm as a viewer. Together with their acting that pulled our emotions along, the drama ends up being better than most.

Weak Female Character

One point to note about Love Between Fairy And Devil is the seemingly weak female character. Orchid is no Bai Qian of Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms. She is a low ranking fairy with weak powers who is timid. She also sounds naive and girlish with her voice which I believe is her own as she sounds the same in Moonlight. Hence, it might be a turn-off initially especially if you like watching strong and smart female characters.

However, her pure and sincere heart will make you root for her. The essence of her character doesn’t change throughout the drama because that is who she is. It does take time for the character to show her strengths and the more likable side of her which you might need to have a little patience for. But if you see all the kindness as too fake, then the character will end up being less than convincing overall.

My Verdict – Good For The Romance

Is Love Between Fairy And Devil worth watching? Yes! If you are a romance drama fan, this is not to be missed. The plot may be predictable but the rest of the production more than make up for it. They didn’t ignore the details to cut corners. The effort shows in the settings and costumes. Each realm looks different and unique. The costumes that the characters wear exhibit their status, origin, and personality. The CGIs and special effects look professionally done that some scenes are breathtaking and seem ethereal such as the Arbiter Hall.

The male protagonist is also a little different from the usual righteous immortal. He is not out to save the world but to launch a war. It is the process of regaining his emotions and falling in love that gives this drama its legs. So, if you are a sucker for a cold hero and warm girl romance, this is the drama to watch! Add on the bad boy image and handsome face, you will have that perfect fantasy romance.

For this Love Between Fairy And Devil review, I would rate it 8/10. It is a serious romance but with some comedic elements at the right places. More importantly, it successfully makes you feel drawn to the couple’s journey and root for them. You will be moved by their love for each other and that is what makes a great romance drama.

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