The Legend Of Shen Li Review

The Legend Of Shen Li (与凤行) needs no introduction among C drama fans. It is a much awaited title especially for those who fell in love with Princess Agents back in 2017 and have always been hoping for the leads to reunite for another project. So, they got their wish after so long. Hence, the drama comes with not only a high level of interest, but also expectations. I didn’t watch Princess Agents though, thus I’m looking at the leads with a fresh pair of eyes with no preconceived ideas about their pairing. What do I think about them and this drama then? The Legend Of Shen Li review below will reveal some of my thoughts.

My rating: 8/10
Episodes: 39
Type: Romance
Aired: March 2024
Images Credit: WeTV Official Facebook

The Cast Of The Legend Of Shen Li

• Zanilia Zhao Li Ying as Shen Li / Lord Bi Cang
• Kenny Lin Geng Xin as Xing Yun / Lord Xing Zhi
• Xin Yun Lai as Mo Fang
• Chen Lu Xi as Rou Ya
• Zeng Li as Her Holiness Shen Mu Yue
• He Yu as Lord Fu Rong
• Liu Guan Lin as Heavenly Emperor
• Jackie Li Jia Qi as You Lan
• Li Zi Feng as Gu Cheng Jin / Jing Yan / Lord Qing Ye
• Wei Zi Xin as Fu Sheng
• Zhou Xiao Chuan as Shang Bei

Main Characters

Shen Li / Lord Bi Cang

Shen Li is known as Lord Bi Cang of the Immortal Realm. She is the foster daughter and disciple of the realm’s ruler. Shen Li is a powerful fighter and cultivator. She commands respect and is thought of as a strong leader and protector. She is a no-nonsense immortal with a sharp tongue. Shen Li can also be stubborn and has a lot of pride in her.

Xing Yun

Xing Yun is a sickly man in the Mortal Realm. He may not be in the best of health but he has deep knowledge on spiritual formations and divine calculations to enable him to foresee future events. As such, he has a mysterious background. He appears calm and aloof but can be playful and warm behind the mask.

Lord Xing Zhi

Xing Zhi is the last ancient god from the Extranatural Heaven of the Divine Realm. He is a very rational and calm being who is supposed to be free of desires. He has very strong powers to rid the world of demons and the negative aura they create. Xing Zhi can be a very tricky god to deal with due to his status as well as impassivity.

Supporting Characters

Mo Fang

Mo Fang is Shen Li’s personal guard and a general in the Immortal Realm. He is totally devoted to Shen Li. Hence, he can be hostile towards those who create trouble for her. Mo Fang has a stern and serious demeanor.

Rou Ya

Rou Ya is Shen Li’s attendant. They share a good relationship and Rou Ya could voice out her thoughts and feelings to Shen Li unlike a typical maid-master relationship.

Her Holiness Shen Mu Yue

Her Holiness Shen Mu Yue is the ruler of the Immortal Realm. She is also Shen Li’s foster mother and master. Shen Mu Yue is assisted by her generals, Qing Yan and Chi Rong.

Lord Fu Rong

Fu Rong is the grandson of the Heavenly Emperor of the Divine Realm. He is also the chosen husband for Shen Li. Fu Rong is a ladies’ man and has a very playful character. He is an idler who just likes to have a good time.

Heavenly Emperor

The Heavenly Emperor is the ruler of the Divine Realm. But he is deferential to Xing Zhi who has a higher status than him. He has a leisurely life without having to worry much about the world affairs which fall on the shoulders of the Immortal Realm.

You Lan

You Lan is the granddaughter of the Heavenly Emperor and Fu Rong’s elder sister. She is also given the title Luo Tian Goddess. You Lan has a deep admiration for Xing Zhi together with her group of friends. Therefore, she can be hostile towards females who are seen to be close to Xing Zhi.

Gu Cheng Jin / Jing Yan

Gu Cheng Jin is the second master of Qing Sheng City while Jing Yan is his reincarnation after he died.

Lord Qing Ye

Qing Ye was Xing Zhi’s friend in the Divine Realm. He was also an ancient god in the past.

Fu Sheng

Fu Sheng is Gu Cheng Rui’s (Gu Cheng Jin’s brother) advisor in Qing Sheng City. He is a sinister man with cultivation skills and later appears as a demon.

Shang Bei

Shang Bei is a general in the Immortal Realm and reports to Shen Li. He is a gossipy and easygoing character. Other generals in the Immortal Realm include Zi Xia and Zhu Fei.

Synopsis

Shen Li is a great general and the foster daughter of the ruler of the Immortal Realm. When she is forced to marry a playboy from the Divine Realm, she tries to flee to escape the marriage. Shen Li is injured during the escape and lands in the Mortal Realm in her true form as a phoenix. She ends up being bought by a sickly man named Xing Yun. Xing Yun appears as a loner and a mere mortal but he is hiding a side of himself that no one knows.

As Xing Yun slowly nurses Shen Li back to her human form, she falls in love with him before she is forced to return to the Immortal Realm. A while later, she receives news that Xing Yun has died and he retains a special place in her heart. Later, she meets Lord Xing Zhi, the last ancient god of the Divine Realm. Xing Zhi looks like Xing Yun and Shen Li is drawn to him.

However, Shen Li is betrothed to Fu Rong and the marriage alliance is necessary to ensure the Immortal Realm will have the help of the Divine Realm should the demonic Chimeis escape from their sealed up prison in their territory. This complicates her relationship with Xing Zhi as the villains and their evil plan lurk in the shadows.

The Legend Of Shen Li Ending & Recap (Spoilers Alert!)

The Legend Of Shen Li has a happy ending. Feng Lai breaks his Fire Seal that keeps the Chimeis and Liu Ming imprisoned inside Xu Tian Abyss. This is because Liu Ming provokes him to do so in order to get themselves freed. Thus, Shen Li has to take Feng Lai’s place to keep Xu Tian Abyss sealed up. To ensure the safety of the 3 realms, Xing Zhi connects the abyss with Extranatural Heaven. Using all his powers, he destroys Extranatural Heaven and with it, the Xu Tian Abyss.

Both Shen Li and Xing Zhi are prepared to die inside the abyss when it collapses. But when Feng Lai finds out from Shen Mu Yue that Shen Li is his daughter, he forces her and Xing Zhi out of the abyss. He sacrifices himself to keep the abyss sealed up until it is destroyed together with everything inside it.

Xing Zhi dies due to his injuries and overexertion when he destroys Extranatural Heaven. Shen Li brings his body to a snowy mountain. She couldn’t let go of him although she slowly regains a semblance of life. Xing Zhi awakens some years later as the ancient gods of the past had used all their remaining powers to ensure he lives. He is no longer as powerful but Shen Li doesn’t mind as he was a mere mortal when she first met him anyway. They go back to live in his house in the Mortal Realm as a couple. At the end of the drama, Xing Zhi proposes to Shen Li who announces that she is already pregnant.

When Did The Leads Get Together?

Shen Li and Xing Yun meet again in Episode 8 but he is now the ancient god, Xing Zhi. He denies he is Xing Yun and repeats his denial in Episode 10. Xing Zhi’s seeming indifference towards her and the need for a marriage alliance with the Divine Realm make Shen Li accept her fate to marry Fu Rong in Episode 11.

Shen Li realizes Xing Zhi was Xing Yun in Episode 14 after she went to the Mortal Realm again to look for Fu Rong who has fled there to escape the marriage. He pretended not to know her because he didn’t want to give her false hopes. As such, she claims that she feels differently towards him as a god compared to his time as a mortal. Hence, she will still marry Fu Rong and reaffirms her decision in Episode 18 when she gets into a disagreement with Xing Zhi over Mo Fang.

Shen Li understands Xing Zhi’s reluctance to get into a relationship in Episode 21 when she learns that he is using his powers to support the realms. Should anything happens to him, the realms would collapse. Thus, Xing Zhi tells Shen Li that he can’t fall for her although he can’t help himself to tempt and tease her. In Episode 24, Xing Zhi is injured by divine punishment for freezing up the sea to look for Shen Li who has fallen into it after a fight with Fu Sheng.

Shen Li gives in to her feelings to kiss Xing Zhi in at the end of Episode 30 after they are tempted by desire when devilish forces appear while Xing Zhi is treating Shen Li for her injuries. They are shown as having slept together at the beginning of Episode 31.

Is There Any Breakup?

There is no breakup although Xing Zhi is pressured to do so by the Divine Realm in Episode 32 since he is the last ancient god they could rely on to prop up the 3 realms. Shen Li also feels that their duty is equally important although she loves him. She wants to fulfill her obligations to the people but Xing Zhi imprisons her instead in his Extranatural Heaven. He wants to ensure her safety as Fu Sheng is out to kill her for her inner core which is needed to unseal the Chimeis. But Shen Li still manages to escape for a final battle with Fu Sheng in Episode 36.

In Episode 38, Xing Zhi dies after exhausting himself to keep the 3 realms safe. Shen Li refuses to let the Heavenly Emperor cremate Xing Zhi’s body. She keeps his body in a snowy mountain instead and visits him regularly until he awakens some years later.

Is There A Love Triangle?

Mo Fang is also in love with Shen Li. He confesses his feelings to her in Episode 8 after he blamed himself for being unable to protect her during a fight with a Chimei. Shen Li rejects his confession and orders him to purge this kind of thought from his mind. In Episode 18, Mo Fang again tells Shen Li that she deserves his utmost devotion. He simply wants to express his feelings and has no other thoughts but Shen Li tells him not to feel that way towards her. In Episode 23, Mo Fang turns out to be the evil force’s Young Master and a mole planted by Fu Sheng in the Immortal Realm.

As for Fu Rong, he has no interest whatsoever in Shen Li and vice-versa. He purposely behaves atrociously to try to get Shen Li to cancel their betrothal but unsuccessful as she sees it as necessary to ensure the safety of the Immortal Realm. In Episode 19, Fu Rong decides to accept the marriage arrangement since he has no other choice but tries to strike an agreement with Shen Li to have a sworn siblings relationship in practice instead. Their betrothal is cancelled by the Heavenly Emperor in Episode 24 when Shen Li is presumed dead after a battle with Fu Sheng.

Shen Li’s Background

Shen Li’s background is partly revealed in Episode 11 when Shen Mu Yue shows Shen Li the Azure Sea Pearl which she was born with and infuses it back into her body. She was told that she was born on the battlefield and her parents died during the battle with the Chimeis. Before Shen Li’s mother died, she entrusted Shen Li to Shen Mu Yue.

Shen Li learns that there is demonic aura in her inner core through a powerful demon who is treating her for her injuries in Episode 30. The past is fully revealed over Episode 33 to Episode 35 when Shen Li go through Xing Zhi’s scrolls of painting while being imprisoned for her own safety in his Extranatural Heaven. Her biological mother, Liu Yu, and Shen Mu Yue were disciple sisters under the Immortal Lord, Liu Ming.

Liu Ming was resentful of the Divine Realm and also wanted to rule the world. So, he experimented with the creation of Chimeis and wanted a truly powerful Chimei King who could control an army of these creatures for his use. An experiment with a phoenix feather saw the emergence of Feng Lai, a really powerful Chimei in human form.

Liu Yu was tasked to train Feng Lai but taught him to be benevolent instead. They ran away from Liu Ming and eventually became a loving couple. When Xing Zhi needed a Fire Seal to seal up the Chimeis, Feng Lai sacrificed himself to be that seal inside the abyss. By then, Liu Yu was already pregnant. She decided to have the baby despite knowing her body will not be able to withstand giving birth to a half-Chimei. Liu Yu died shortly after giving birth to Shen Li who was entrusted to Shen Mu Yue.

Mo Fang’s Fate

Mo Fang is revealed to be an evil force in Episode 23. However, he doesn’t have the heart to kill Shen Li whom he loves although his side needs Shen Li’s Azure Sea Pearl to rescue his father from Xu Tian Abyss. Mo Fang’s father is Liu Ming who is also Fu Sheng’s master. So, this angers Fu Sheng who reminds Mo Fang in Episode 25 how he had saved him when Xing Zhi sealed up the Chimeis inside Xu Tian Abyss. When Mo Fang tries to resist, Fu Sheng possesses his body since Fu Sheng has lost his body form after Shen Li nearly killed him in a fight.

Mo Fang kills himself in Episode 36 to save Shen Li the dilemma of having to do so since his mind and body keep being possessed by Fu Sheng and eventually, his father. Without Mo Fang’s body to hide in, Shen Li subsequently kills Fu Sheng inside the Xu Tian Abyss.

Gu Cheng Jin’s Past

Gu Cheng Jin was an ancient god named Qing Ye in his past life. Qing Ye was also a good friend of Xing Zhi. He was banished to wander in the Mortal Realm because he fell in love with someone he shouldn’t and then abused his divinity to save her life. Thus, he was stripped of his divine status and punished to always crave for the one he loves in each of his life in the Mortal Realm. This is revealed in Episode 17 when Xing Zhi meets Gu Cheng Jin’s reincarnation as Jing Yan and needs some information from him to investigate a demon named Fu Sheng.

The Legend Of Shen Li Review – Great But Not Totally Awesome

The Legend Of Shen Li is a little overhyped to me. I guess if this is the first time you are watching a Chinese xianxia drama, this could be really superb just like how I felt when I watched Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms a few years ago. But if you have watched a fair share of xianxia dramas, The Legend Of Shen Li may not give you that truly awesome feeling. It is definitely better than most but it stops there rather than make you feel that this is one of the greatest dramas of all time. At least, not for me. The reason for this is simple. The story is nothing extraordinary but a typical xianxia plot that you can easily find in most dramas of this genre.

However, where it does well is the hook at the start. It immediately sucks you into the story unlike Sword And Fairy 4 with a slow and childish-like start that is hardly enticing. The high quality CGIs help so the drama doesn’t look so cartoonish especially when an animated chicken is required in the first few episodes. In fact, this part is highly entertaining as the foundation to the story is laid out. The banter between the 2 leads help to create the right amount of chemistry and amusement as well. Therefore, it is easy to get invested in the story when it begins.

After about 7 to 8 episodes, we already entered the second arc of the story. Thus, the falling in love part in the first arc is very short. The good thing about it is things are kept simple to quickly move the plot forward. But the bad thing is their love affair will seem a little shallow.

Character-Driven Drama

Once you continue watching, you will then realize why the story in The Legend Of Shen Li doesn’t really stand out. This is because it is a very character-driven drama. The focus is on the characters especially the 2 main leads. Therefore, some parts of the drama are kind of stagnant. Nothing much seems to be going on in the middle except for the push and pull relationship dynamics between the leads. So, if you are waiting for more plot originality and wanting more action, it could get a little boring here and there. But if you like the leads’ interactions, then the drama will have a different kind of enjoyment throughout.

Basically, the characters’ personality, identity, feelings, and motivations drive the story which kind of reminds me of Lost You Forever S1. If you are into them, the drama will come alive for you despite the typical storyline. To me, the characters are well-written. Hence, the drama managed to hold my interest until the end. The female lead is written to be strong and the one who wants to call the shots in the relationship. This then provides room for sparks in the couple’s interactions. While the male lead is styled as a powerful and aloof ancient god, a unique sense of humor has been incorporated into his character which makes him relatable and engaging.

Of course, none of these characters can really drive the drama without good acting and chemistry from the cast.

Acting And Chemistry

I think it does take experienced actors to make the protagonists in The Legend Of Shen Li likable. This is because Shen Li is a very hardheaded character with a badass attitude. So, it is very easy for her character to become loathsome without the right expressions. Even slight overacting may kill off any appreciation for Shen Li. Therefore, any actress who plays this role must strike a balance between her strong and soft side. Zhao Li Ying managed to do this rather well to me and I enjoyed watching her portrayal of Shen Li.

Lin Geng Xin also fits the role of an ancient god to a tee in the drama. He didn’t try to do too much but just largely maintained a composed look throughout to look that part. Any inkling of his emotions are shown through facial micro expressions and the dialogues. It is easy for actors who play this kind of roles to end up being too bland and wooden but Lin Geng Xin managed to steer clear of this pitfall.

I presume having worked together previously helped with the chemistry between these 2 leads to light up our screens. Zhao Li Ying is definitely more interesting to watch here with Lin Geng Xin than with her previous partner in Legend Of Fei. They brought out a natural flow in their conversations and interactions to make their scenes together a pleasure to watch.

Filler Ending (Spoilers Alert!)

This will be another major plus point for fans. The last episode is nothing eventful but just another opportunity to give viewers a prolonged feel-good ending. Rather than making it open-ended like The Longest Promise and My Journey To You, The Legend Of Shen Li has a clear ending to give much needed closure to viewers. So, I guess all the time invested in this 39 episodes drama will seem worthwhile once you reach the end. The last episode should satisfy the craving for more from this couple.

I see this as the icing on the cake although there are other aspects of the drama when added up points to a high quality and big budget production. These details include a soulful OST, beautiful costumes, polished CGIs, and comedic one-liners. Thus, the details also help to elevate the enjoyability of the drama overall.

My Verdict – A Must-Watch!

The Legend Of Shen Li is a must-watch especially for fans of the leads as well as xianxia drama lovers. It is a forbidden love drama in its essence with a lonely ancient god having the task of keeping the realms safe and hence, shouldn’t be swayed by emotions. This results in a push and pull dynamics between the leads as they navigate between their feelings for each other and their responsibilities. So, the theme is nothing new and this is the main weakness of the drama. There is not a lot going on in some episodes and certain aspects of the story are also predictable due to the common plot.

However, that doesn’t take away the fact that the story is well-executed and the characters are very well-presented. As a result, the weakness of a typical storyline is effectively overcome. It is not a complex tale at all unlike Sword And Fairy. The simplicity gives room for the characters to work their magic which they successfully did with great acting from the cast and oozing chemistry from the leads.

After taking into account its strengths and weaknesses, I would give a score of 8/10 for this drama review on The Legend Of Shen Li. Personally, it falls short of being a masterpiece without an extraordinary plot. But it is still a must-watch in my books as it is highly engaging and entertaining with comedic elements thrown in. Watch it for the romance and the leads. It should be a satisfying experience overall.