Whispers Of Fate (水龙吟) is a fantasy Chinese drama with xianxia elements which is where Luo Yun Xi tends to shine best. So, I’m pretty sure his fans are waiting for this drama with much anticipation. I was also looking forward to watching this one although this is my fifth costume drama in a row. There are just too many dramas with ancient settings recently. But it is also hard to ignore them given the star power and publicity. So, I just dove in and started watching one after another. Now, I can add Whispers Of Fate to my review list after having completed all the 40 episodes.
My rating: 8/10
Episodes: 40
Type: Fantasy, Wuxia
Aired: October 2025
Images credit: Douban Movie
The Cast Of Whispers Of Fate
- Leo Luo Yun Xi as Tang Li Ci
- Xiao Shun Yao as Shen Lang Hun
- Ao Zi Yi as Chi Yun
- Alen Fang Yi Lun as Liu Yan
- Bao Shang En as Zhong Chun Ji
- Jelly Lin as A Shui
- Sebrina Chen Yao as Xi Fang Tao
- Jeremy Tsui as Gui Mu Dan
- Yang Shi Ze as Master Pu Zhu
- Xie Bin Bin as Yu Fu Ren
- Jiang Zhen Yu as Hong Gu / Xiao Hong
- Bai Shu as Xue Xian Zi
- Li Jia Hao as Gu Xi Tan
- Li Mu Yan as Bai Su Che
- Wang Zi Rui as Cheng Yun Pao
- Riley Wang as Fang Ping Zhai
Main Characters
Tang Li Ci
Tang Li Ci was accepted by Fang Zhou to be a disciple of Zhoudi Tower after Tang Li Ci has lost his memory. He has very strong cultivation powers with the ability to self-heal. Thus, Tang Li Ci has a mysterious background. He is smart and a brilliant strategist. However, Tang Li Ci can also be cunning and his methods to achieve his aims could be morally grey.
Shen Lang Hun
Shen Lang Hun is the top assassin of Shishan Towers. He is a ruthless killer with his speciality being his ability to conceal himself. He is also a serious and broody man. Shen Lang Hun’s wish is to kill Liu Yan who has indirectly caused the death of his beloved, Hui Niang.
Chi Yun
Chi Yun is Tang Li Ci’s servant and bodyguard. He is a talkative young man but lacks the quick wits of Tang Li Ci. Chi Yun has excellent martial arts skills with his light feet and Moon-Crossing Ring fighting technique.
Liu Yan
Liu Yan was a disciple of Zhoudi Tower and a healer. He was also Tang Li Ci’s disciple brother and friend turned enemy. Liu Yan is now a lunatic and ruthless man who is obsessed on killing Tang Li Ci to get his so-called revenge for the death of Fang Zhou. He is seen as the leader of Fengliu Shop.
Zhong Chun Ji
Chun Ji is from the Shanfeng Sect and the favored disciple of Shao Yan Ping who is the Sword Master of Central Plains Sword Alliance. She is a hardworking swordswoman who wants to uphold justice and bring criminals to justice. Chun Ji was a lost child when she was young.
A Shui
A Shui is a pawn in Liu Yan’s revenge plot against Tang Li Ci when she has to sell herself to bury her dead father. She ends up serving Tang Li Ci and is drawn to him. A Shui is a timid young woman but smart and observant.
Xi Fang Tao
Xi Fang Tao is the West Palace Chief of Fengliu Shop. She is shrewd and quick-thinking.
Gui Mu Dan
Gui Mu Dan or Ghostly Peony is the founder behind Fengliu Shop. He is a mysterious and eccentric figure. Gui Mu Dan also has a talking puppet in his body.
Master Pu Zhu
Master Phu Zu is the disciple of Tianjin Pavilion. He is a revered figure who is known to be righteous.
Yu Fu Ren
Yu Fu Ren is the Commander of Sword King City. His father is Yu Qi Feng who is known as the Sword King, a powerful figure in the pugilist world.
Hong Gu / Xiao Hong
Xiao Hong is Liu Yan’s subordinate. She is devoted to him although he can be harsh towards her.
Xue Xian Zi
Xue Xuan Zi is the Hermit Of Snow. He is Tang Li Ci’s friend and debtor.
Gu Xi Tan
Gu Xi Tan is a disciple of Camellia Island. He is a simple-minded mind who is in love with Chun Ji.
Bai Su Che
Bai Su Che is Sword King Yu’s concubine on the surface but is actually working for Fengliu Shop. She is also Chi Yun’s fiancee in an arranged marriage.
Cheng Yun Pao
Cheng Yun Pao is the senior disciple of Camellia Island and Gu Xi Tan disciple brother. He is also a high ranking member of the Central Plains Sword Alliance. Cheng Yun Pao’s main weakness is his lack of sense of direction.
Fang Ping Zhai
Fang Ping Zhai is the owner of Shishan Towers. He is a masked man with a seemingly carefree attitude.
Synopsis
Tang Li Ci and Liu Yan were disciples of Zhoudi Tower. Their senior disciple brother was Fang Zhou who took in Tang Li Ci when the latter was found unconscious and has lost his memory. But Zhoudi Tower was subsequently wiped out and Liu Yan believes Tang Li Ci killed Fang Zhou. So, a revenge game initiated by Liu Yan begins. As Tang Li Ci’s background is suspicious with an ability to heal himself in a quick manner, Liu Yan becomes obsessed in exposing Tang Li Ci and wants to kill him in his own way.
In order to save himself and clear his name, Tang Li Ci gets into a cat-and-mouse game with Liu Yan. Tang Li Ci starts out as a detached person with a morally grey outlook but gradually becomes more concerned of those he has collected around him to counter Liu Yan. With his identity being a mystery and his connection to a past villain being questioned, Tang Li Ci has to dig into his reserves to prove he did not kill Fang Zhou. Along the way, he has to seek unlikely alliances but challenges abound with Liu Yan putting obstacles to hinder his aim. At the same time, Tang Li Ci has to find his life purpose and identity which are partly lost with his memory.
Whispers Of Fate Ending & Recap (Spoilers Alert!)
Whispers Of Fate has a bittersweet ending. Shao Yan Ping, Chi Yun and Liu Yan have died due to the villains doing. Ye Mo needs to be killed to stop Shenzhou from being destroyed. He was sent out to Shenzhou to revive Tianren Realm. The plan was to grow and nourish the Bronze Tree in Shenzhou until it connects to Tianren Realm’s Xuan Tree. The tree is the medium to suck powers from Shenzhou and transfer to the realm. Consequently, Shenzhou will face destruction.
Xiao Shi is where Ye Mo has been hiding his essence. Li Ci has not expected it as Xiao Shi seems like a harmless kid. So, it is Xiao Shi who helps out Xi Fang Tao in Sword Alliance and kills Liu Yan without anyone noticing. But Liu Yan transfers back half of the Rebirth Scroll to Li Ci before he dies. Hence, with the complete Rebirth Scroll, Li Ci could kill Ye Mo in a time rift that he has entered with the Inverted Dream artifact.
Li Ci could create a more powerful Inverted Dream artifact because he now has a perfect Tianren body after experiencing the 7 different emotions. This artifact could then be used to reverse time. Li Ci dies after killing Ye Mo and then exhausts his powers to change the time back to the days when his friends are still alive but without him and Ye Mo in it.
Ending Narration
The drama ends with a narration of a story. It is said that a white fox lived at the bottom of Mount Li and had been scaring the villagers. A man of great kindness from Zhoudi Tower took the fox in. He showed the fox compassion and taught it music. 7 years had passed when one day, a white dragon soared into the sky. 4 years later, calamity struck. The fox-dragon remembered the kindness it once received and offered itself as a way to reverse the fate of heaven and earth. Then, it vanished among the common people.
Tang Li Ci’s Identity
Part of Tang Li Ci’s past is revealed while he is trapped in an illusion in Episode 11. He was told that he was born to kill and sacrifice himself to ensure all others survive during his childhood. In Episode 12, Tang Li Ci’s forehead bears the mark of Yique Yin Yang, the previous Imperial Preceptor who tried to usurp power and caused chaos. Hence, he is exposed to be connected to Yique Yin Yang in some ways.
Li Ci tells the Chief of Biluo Palace, Wanyu Yue Dan, and Master Shao Yan Ping that he and Yique Yin Yang were from Tianren Realm in Episode 19. He believes they must have escaped from there as it isn’t a pleasant place.
In Episode 26, Li Ci seeks treatment from a divine doctor, Shui Duo Po, for his injuries. He reveals to her about Tianren Realm. It used to be from the mortal world and it was a clan of cultivators. The leader at that time promised them eternal life and used a secret technique to forcibly lift them off the ground to be gods. But such an act against nature caused the entire realm to disappear into a shattered void and they experienced decline for thousands of years until their lives hung by a thread. Later, the Gumu Kingdom was built on the ruins of Tianren Realm.
In Episode 34, Li Ci learns that his mother was a Dragon Goddess and he was born as the Holy Son who was destined to cultivate and reverse the fortune of the Tianren Realm.
What Happened To Fang Zhou?
Liu Yan duels with Li Ci in yet another revenge ploy in Episode 19. He learns then that Li Ci has Fang Zhou’s crystal heart inside his body. Fang Zhou’s heart meridians were damaged during the battle with Yique Yin Yang and didn’t have long to live back then. Li Ci suggested using the Rebirth Scroll technique practiced by Yique Yin Yang to save Fang Zhou but Liu Yan and Zhu Mei disagreed as they saw it as evil. But Li Ci managed to convince Fang Zhou to do it. Fang Zhou wanted to keep it a secret. Hence, Liu Yan and Zhu Mei were sent away before they started the process.
However, Liu Yan and Zhu Mei returned earlier than expected and the process got truncated. Now, Li Ci has Fang Zhou’s crystal heart in him while he has hidden Fang Zhou’s body in Zhoudi Tower. As long as they use the Rebirth Scroll technique to restore the process, Fang Zhou can be revived. But Liu Yan doesn’t believe Li Ci and refuses to return the other half of the scroll that he has stolen. He goes back to Zhoudi Tower to look for Fang Zhou’s body in Episode 20 but couldn’t find it in Episode 21 which cements his belief that Li Ci is lying to him.
In Episode 30, Li Ci recalls Liu Yan trying to stop the process and a backlash caused Liu Yan and Zhu Mei to be blown out of the room. Fang Zhou fell unconscious. Li Ci took his heart out to save him. This was the part that Liu Yan saw before he fainted. Liu Yan didn’t see how Li Ci implanted Fang Zhou’s heart into his body thereafter. This caused Liu Yan to keep insisting that Li Ci killed Fang Zhou.
Fang Zhou’s Body
Gui Mu Dan has stolen Fang Zhou’s body earlier and placed it on a high-rise platform. When Li Ci goes to retrieve it in Episode 31, he has to battle the Tuo dragon to get it. But the crystal coffin that is preserving Fang Zhou’s body inside falls off the platform and breaks into pieces. Consequently, Fang Zhou’s body fades into dust. Li Ci then falls into a coma and dreams of Fang Zhou in Episode 32. Fang Zhou gives him encouragement and tells him that his powers can be directed to good use with sincere intentions. Furthermore, his new friends needs him with the attack by Fengliu Shop against Sword Alliance.
Upon waking up, Li Ci cuts out Fang Zhou’s heart to quickly recover. He regains his powers to defeat Fengliu Shop and save Sword Alliance from further destruction.
Liu Yan’s Distrust
Li Ci tries to convince Liu Yan again that Fang Zhou is still alive in Episode 30. He brings Liu Yan to where Fang Zhou’s body is hidden. But Gui Mu Dan has stolen Fang Zhou’s body earlier. Without the body, Liu Yan thinks Li Ci has lied to him again. Liu Yan thinks he can kill Li Ci in Episode 33 after getting Chun Ji to insert a special needle into Li Ci to weaken his cultivation powers. But Fang Zhou’s heart has blocked the needle which reduces its effect on Li Ci. Hence, Li Ci defeats Liu Yan in their fight.
As Liu Yan is still unrepentant, Li Ci forces him to share his consciousness to see for himself what happened to Fang Zhou. That is when Liu Yan realizes that he has been wrong about Li Ci all along. Liu Yan also feels that he is the one who caused Fang Zhou’s death and wants to commit suicide over it. But Li Ci stops him and wants him to live to atone for his sins. When Shen Lang Hun chances upon an injured Liu Yan, he stabs him to get his revenge. But Liu Yan is saved by Xiao Hong.
In Episode 36, Liu Yan becomes obsessed in researching for an antidote for the Ghost Pills he created for Fengliu Shop earlier which has caused many deaths. He even tests the poison on himself as he is desperate to make amends. Liu Yan is captured by Xi Fang Tao to lure Li Ci out in Episode 38. By then, he already has come up with the antidote formula which has been passed to Xiao Hong. Liu Yan dies in Episode 39 despite being freed by Li Ci due to the poisoning effects and Xiao Shi’s strike.
Li Ci’s Injuries
In Episode 26, Shui Duo Po informs Li Ci that his vital essence is critically depleting which is why his hair has turned white. Li Ci has been keeping Fang Zhou’s heart in his body and nourishing it with his vital essence to keep it alive. While A Shui’s blood can help him recover, he will need more and more of it until she is completely drained. With Fang Zhou’s heart being in his body for so long, it has connected to his own heart meridians.
A medicine from a meteorite could heal Li Ci’s injuries but his condition would rapidly deteriorate later on. Hence, if he wants to live, he will need to remove Fang Zhou’s heart. Between them, only one can possibly live.
Shui Duo Po first claims that she is Princess Xi Ya’s personal maid when questioned by Li Ci in Episode 27. That is why she refuses to make the medicine for Li Ci initially. But she relents after Li Ci convinces her that killing him means Fang Zhou will also die. Hence, Shui Duo Po subsequently makes Li Ci 3 pills that could extend his life and instantly restore his martial powers when injured.
Shui Duo Po finally admits to Li Ci that she is Princess Xi Ya in Episode 29. He plans to sacrifice himself to enable Fang Zhou to live and wants Shui Duo Po to help him extract Fang Zhou’s heart out and implant it back into Fang Zhou. After all, Yique Yin Yang covets Li Ci’s body and thus, it makes sense for Li Ci to destroy himself.
Yique Yin Yang’s Background
In Episode 27, Li Ci falls down an abyss into the Time-Space Rift of Mount Baojing. Fragments from the past are shown to him. Over 5 decades ago, Ye Mo of Tianren Realm broke through the void and escaped. But he was attacked by the Tuo Dragon at the void’s edge and fell down to the Gumo State. Ye Mo met Princess Xi Ya of Gumo who stayed by his side. The King of Gumo State begged him to stay by claiming that his deity presence was auspicious. This was Ye Mo’s happiest time of his life.
Later, Ye Mo was deceived that there is widespread plague in the state which resulted in many deaths. The King of Gumo State tricked Ye Mo to use a Tianren Realm’s technique to supposedly save the people. Once the spell is activated, one could exchange the caster’s mind. The King wanted to obtain Ye Mo’s divine body to become a deity. But Ye Mo managed to break the King’s mind control. The backlash caused the King to be killed. Ye Mo was captured and tortured.
As a result, Ye Mo came to the realization that people outside the Tianren Realm are worthless, inferior and foolish. To him, they shouldn’t exist but must be slaughtered so that they can be completely purified. Using his powers, Ye Mo burned down Gumo State and called himself Yique Yin Yang.
Yique Yin Yang’s Plot
Li Ci suspects Yique Yin Yang is still alive after entering a dream created by the Inverted Dream artifact in Episode 28. But Yique Yin Yang could be waiting to be resurrected as he is assumed to have been killed by the martial masters. Li Ci sees also Gui Mu Dan in the dream and wonders if the latter could also be Yique Yin Yang. He suspects he is being targeted for his Tianren body which was trained to be the most perfect ever by the realm.
In Episode33, Li Ci correctly surmises that Gui Mu Dan is Yique Yin Yang’s puppet after having been captured. Yique Yin Yang wants Li Ci’s body but it would not be possible without Fang Zhou. So, Yique Yin Yang was willing to abandon his own physical body to achieve his goal. He also got Fang Ping Zhai to create the Inverted Dream artifact so that Li Ci could go back in time to stop Fang Zhou from getting killed.
Fang Zhou is the key because he is the one who would later save Li Ci and guide him. It is also because of Fang Zhou that Li Ci could experience the 7 human emotions needed to perfect the Tianren body. Ye Mo couldn’t have the perfect Tianren body because his cultivation was wrong from the very beginning and was tainted by malice with his experience in Gumu State.
Gui Mu Dan’s Ending
Gui Mu Dan is not content being Yique Yin Yang’s puppet. Once his master is resurrected, Gui Mu Dan will cease to exist. Hence, he asks Li Ci to cooperate with him to kill Yique Yin Yang in Episode 34. Gui Mu Dan will send Li Ci back in time to stop Ye Mo from being born. Without Ye Mo, there will be no Yique Yin Yang. But it is Gui Mu Dan’s ploy to possess Li Ci’s perfect Tianren body. Gui Mu Dan mistakenly thought he has suppressed Li Ci’s powers before Li Ci was sent back in time. Hence, Gui Mu Dan is defeated and presumed killed during their fight in Episode 35.
However, Gui Mu Dan survives and recovers in Episode 38. After this experience, he learns that there is no freedom for puppets as long as his master is still alive and tells Xi Fang Tao so in Episode 40. His mission is to nourish the Bronze Tree and activate it when the time comes. The tree will then be connected to the Tianren Realm. Its roots will draw energy and power from Shenzhou to revive Tianren Realm which has faced declines.
Gui Mu Dan is killed when Xi Fang Tao refuses to let herself be sacrificed to nourish and activate the tree. She attacks him and is struck when he reaches out to save his cat which has jumped in. Finally, he sheds a tear and experiences real emotions. His body then explodes and all that is left of him is a beating mechanical heart.
Who Is A Shui?
A Shui’s blood could save Tang Li Ci. She first uses her blood to save him from his injuries while he is unconscious in Episode 9. She does it again in Episode 13 and risks her life to jump into the icy water to look for him in Episode 15. A Shui gives Tang Li Ci the pearl that protects her from the cold in Episode 16. She tells him that she just wants to save him although he is unsure of her motive.
In Episode 29, Shui Duo Po takes A Shui’s pulse on a whim and discovers that A Shui has an incurable heart disease and a strange energy in her body. So, it is a mystery how A Shui can survive with the heart illness. She also has memory loss and couldn’t recall what happened to her before. But everything comes flooding back when A Shui sees a wooden carving of Fang Zhou that Li Ci has made in Episode 30. Fang Zhou turns out to be her elder brother.
Thus, A Shui is conflicted when Li Ci decides to extract Fang Zhou’s heart from his body in Episode 32. This effectively means her brother is gone for good. Gui Mu Dan appears then and it is revealed in Episode 33 that she was arranged to be by Li Ci’s side. Part of her memory was extracted so that it she could be more convincing as a victim to Li Ci. Her bloodline was also changed which was why her blood could heal Li Ci’s injuries. Li Ci learns about this after being captured by Gui Mu Dan. He is also told by Gui Mu Dan that Fang Zhou is her brother in Episode 34.
Did They Get Together?
A Shui has conflicting feelings for Li Ci due to what happened to her brother. There is love and hate. Hence, A Shui leaves Li Ci after he has killed Gui Mu Dan and she has regained back all her memories in Episode 35. She leaves behind a letter to inform him that she has hidden his third life extending pill which she has added with the blood fragment in her. She has only stolen one of his pill to give to Gui Mu Dan. Furthermore, A Shui mentions in her letter that she doesn’t know how to face him and thus, it is better that they let go of each other and lead separate lives.
Xi Fang Tao & Master Pu Zhu
Xi Fang Tao is Master Pu Zhu’s chess partner for a long time and they only meet once a year to play. She is revealed to be Gui Mu Dan’s foster daughter in Episode 19. Hence, she has to listen to Gui Mu Dan and fights Master Pu Zhu to weaken the Sword Alliance in Episode 22. She pulls Master Pu Zhu down with her off a cliff and they fall into a secluded valley below. He uses his energy to save Xi Fang Tao as he wouldn’t want her to die because of him.
Both of them are stuck together at the bottom of the cliff as they don’t have enough powers to escape with their injuries. So, Master Pu Zhu starts chatting with Xi Fang Tao in Episode 25. He tells her that he was the Crown Prince of the former dynasty. The current Emperor is his cousin. Master Pu Zhu felt guilty for being unable to stop his father from trusting the wrong people which led to many deaths during the chaos caused by Yique Yin Yang. That was why he joined Tianjing Pavilion to cultivate and was taught that everyone has a chance to start anew.
Master Pu Zhu goes on to tell Xi Fang Tao that he won’t kill her because he doesn’t want any more blood on his hands. He is indirectly guiding her that she can change and stop being evil. He then uses his inner energy to heal her injuries to enable her to leave the bottom of the cliff. When Xi Fang Tao returns to Gui Mu Dan in Episode 26, she claims that Master Pu Zhu has escaped.
Xi Fang Tao’s Real Motive
Xi Fang Tao appears to be influenced by Master Pu Zhu to stop doing evil and switches to help Sword Alliance in Episode 32. She plays a role in helping to defeat Fengliu Shop. Xi Fang Tao gradually works to increase her profile and lobbies to be the new leader of Sword Alliance when Shao Yan Ping offers to step down due to injuries in Episode 35. She feels hurt when Master Pu Zhu decides to let go of worldly attachments and return to Tianjing Pavilion in Episode 36.
However, it is merely a ploy to get her hands on the Black Tuli which is a residue that is produced when those who have consumed the Ghost Pills die. Xi Fang Tao is still serving Gui Mu Dan in Episode 38. By hunting down Fengliu Shop members who have eaten the Ghost Pills and turning into monsters, she is seen as a heroine. The Black Tuli is for Gui Mu Dan to absorb to recover his body after being defeated by Li Ci in Episode 35.
Xi Fang Tao asks for freedom from Gui Mu Dan but is told that there is no actual freedom as long as their master is still alive in Episode 40. When she realizes she would be sacrificed with her powers absorbed by the Bronze Tree, it is too late to escape. In the end, Xi Fang Tao uses the last of her powers to kill Gui Mu Dan and break free before perishing with her body fading away.
Chun Ji’s Past
Chun Ji was a lost child and ended up on the streets as a kid before being taken in by her master, Shao Yan Ping. In Episode 14, her harsh experience as a child is revealed whereby she was bullied and taken advantage of. Her humble background also becomes a discriminatory factor over how others judge her.
The current Emperor lost his daughter when she was 3 years old during the chaos caused by Yique Yin Yang. Minister Tang asks Master Shao Yan Ping to help look for the girl in Episode 20. When Chun Ji is captured by Liu Yan in Episode 23 in order to lure Li Ci into a trap, he gives her a tattoo that fooled the royal family into believing she is their lost child. He also brainwashes her into seizing opportunities to change her fate. Hence, Chun Ji is recognized as Princess Lang Ya based on the tattoo on her back in Episode 26.
In Episode 29, Chun Ji confesses her feelings to Li Ci but gets rejected. Li Ci says that he was created to kill and be emotionless. Hence, he doesn’t know how to love someone. But Chun Ji thinks he seems to love A Shui when she sees them together. Consequently, she is influenced by Liu Yan to insert a special needle into Li Ci to destroy his cultivation in Episode 31. She thinks that a weak Li Ci means she could take care of him and leads him to fall for her. She still thinks that she did nothing wrong when her master questions her in Episode 34 as she feels Li Ci is carrying too heavy a burden for all of them with his powers.
Did Chun Ji Get Exposed?
In Episode 37, Li Ci has a chat with Chun Ji. He knows she is kind to him but explains that it is not the kindness that he wants. Li Ci also knows that she is a fake princess. But he tells her that true or fake doesn’t really matter anymore as she is already recognized as a princess. What is important is to be the kind of princess that she wants to be since she has chosen to be one. This sets her back on the right path.
Her master dies in Episode 38 after they were attacked by Xi Fang Tao and Gui Mu Dan. Xi Fang Tao forces Chun Ji to kill Shao Yan Ping if she wants to live. Hence, Shao Yan Ping ends his own life himself to save his disciple from the pain of killing him. After her master’s death, Chun Ji decides to clarify her identity with the Empress in Episode 40. But in actual fact, the Empress already knew of her pretense because Li Ci has written to her much earlier to explain Chun Ji’s situation and plead for mercy.
As Gui Mu Dan realizes later, the Emperor doesn’t care at all about Chun Ji’s real identity. What matters is Chun Ji could play her part to strengthen their imperial power in the pugilist world.
Fang Ping Zhai’s Background
Fang Ping Zhai is the owner of Shishan Towers. He seems to be someone who is driven by profits and a good deal. However, he is actually Master Pu Zhu’s younger brother and this is revealed in Episode 28. His aim is to restore the former dynasty. Hence, Fang Ping Zhai is tricked by Gui Mu Dan to create the Inverted Dream artifact which could supposedly allow people to go back in time to rewrite history. But the artifact didn’t change anything for Fang Ping Zhai which leaves him sorely disappointed.
Why Bai Su Che Left
Chi Yun has been looking for Bai Su Che for 3 years and finds out that she has become Sword King Yu’s concubine in Episode 9. They have an arranged marriage and thus, she is supposed to be his fiancee. Chi Yun is adamant she should be his until Episode 35 when he goes to see her for information on Li Ci who has been captured by Gui Mu Dan. He apologizes to her for his previous insistence and burns their marriage agreement. Chi Yun still wants to marry Bai Su Che although this time, he wants her to decide to do so on her own free will.
In Episode 36, it is revealed that Bai Su Che is a spy planted by Li Ci to get intel on Fengliu Shop. She agrees to the mission as she also wants to avenge her family’s deaths. Chi Yun follows her to find out what she is up to and they are set-up by Ye Mo’s puppet. He becomes exposed to the poisonous fumes of the Ghost Pills. Li Ci temporarily suppresses the poison for Chi Yun who is also given a pill to make him forget everything that led to the poisoning which includes Bai Su Che.
However, Xi Fang Tao tampers with Chi Yun’s food which causes the poison to flare up in Episode 38. He escapes from Sword Alliance but Bai Su Che and Li Ci manage to track him down. Unfortunately, Chi Yun goes berserk and start killing people due to the poison. Li Ci tries to calm him down but unsuccessful. In a moment of consciousness, Chi Yun asks Li Ci to kill him. Li Ci does so mercifully to prevent Chi Yun from turning into a monster. Chi Yun then dies in Bai Su Che’s arms.
Whispers Of Fate Review – Good But Complicated
According to news reports, Whispers Of Fate is doing really well in China and has immense popularity. It has set new records for Mango TV with its high viewership. It isn’t surprising to me because the drama does have all the right vibes that will resonate with the domestic audience. The start itself will arouse your curiosity as the protagonist’s background is mysterious. A massacre with a lone survivor identifies the protagonist as the killer. Thus, he is forced to come out of hiding and confront the schemer who is making him out to be the villain.
Basically, the plot has a lot of backstory to it. Hence, nothing is told upfront and this is where the addiction may come in as you chase for answers. Add in the love-hate relationship between the protagonist and his disciple brother, the story becomes not only intriguing, but also refreshing. This is because this unique relationship has elements of revenge and lunacy. The antagonist’s feelings are complex and he wavers between revenge and his desire to trust. Thus, watching their interactions is a kind of enjoyment in itself if you could relate to their complicated relationship.
Furthermore, Whispers Of Fate has grand settings with beautiful costumes. It makes it easy to get into the drama as it is visually appealing and reinforces that oriental fantasy narrative with the flowing robes and detailed pieces. The aesthetics is probably better than most for dramas of this genre. It does have the typical spirit of chivalry in a saga of good versus evil. Although that is the core of the story, the adventure isn’t as simple as it sounds as the drama progresses though.
Complicated Details
Whispers Of Fate is not a straightforward adventure whereby all the information is clear and obvious. In other words, there are a lot of details in the story and hence, you need to pay attention to get the full picture. This is not the kind of drama whereby you can watch it while being distracted by something else. There were times I was playing with my phone while the drama was on and I had to rewind to get a clearer understanding of the plot. Basically, if you’d missed a detail, a part of the story may then become vague.
The drama has an intricate plot with subplots and backstories to gel everything together. It can be confusing with all the different characters especially when it comes to the main villain and his puppet. Some parts do not have a clear explanation until much later such as the time travel bit to go back to a particular time period. So, bits and pieces of the story can be difficult to comprehend at times and you need to be patient to get the whole picture which will only appear towards the end.
I guess this type of layered storytelling would be interesting for some but not others. If you like more complex stories that don’t spell out everything upfront, Whispers Of Fate would be a very interesting drama. But if you don’t fancy the feeling of not knowing what is happening and have no patience to wait for the clarification, then this drama would not be that enjoyable.
No Romance
Like Sword And Beloved and The Journey Of Legend, Whispers Of Fate is not a romance-centric drama. In fact, there is no romance at all. There could potentially be 3 couples and a love triangle but none blossomed into a full-fledged romance. Any love between the partners is left to be subtle and unspoken. The one that makes his intention clear has his love rejected for reasons that are left unexplained until nearly the end and they hardly appear together throughout the drama.
Therefore, viewers that expect a love story might feel disappointed and give this a lower rating. There are no hugs and kisses; only a few conversations that give a subtle hint that there could be more beneath the surface. Romance dramas are easy to digest but Whispers Of Fate is complex and detailed-oriented. It is not a breezy watch that will give you a sugar rush. So, if romance is what you are after, it would be best to look at alternatives such as Love In The Clouds and Fated Hearts.
To me, the lack of romance is completely fine. In fact, a romance may even mar the essence of the protagonist’s character and story. It just doesn’t fit the overall vibe. Moreover, the acting is really on point to flesh out the character and no skinship is necessary for the actor to garner the required attention.
Solid Cast
The acting is one area that Whispers Of Fate did really well for me. Luo Yun Xi’s portrayal of Tang Li Ci does remind me of his role as Tantai Jin in Till The End Of The Moon. He seems to be made for this kind of fantasy drama. The start may not endear you to him with his heavy makeup and elaborate costume which might look over the top. But once you get used to his styling, you will appreciate his acting. Tang Li Ci is not just a calm and cold character. He is also an extraordinary being and Luo Yun Xi is able to project the divine aura that the character needs.
Tang Li Ci is not particularly expressive but somehow, Luo Yun Xi is able to give him an interesting rather than bland persona. He does have his moments of fear, uncertainty, and desperation which are all acted out well. The scene whereby he lost his disciple brother’s body when the coffin shattered is still fresh on my mind. The agony and desperation is heartbreaking.
The other actor that deserves a mention is Alen Fang. He has to play a very complex character in Liu Yan. But he passed with flying colors to me. He is a lunatic but started out as a gentle soul. Liu Yan is playful but also ruthless and vengeful. There is both love and hate for Tang Li Ci. Alen Fang is able to merge these different sides of Liu Yan into an unforgettable character.
Another actor that stands out is Jeremy Tsui as Gui Mu Dan. I just cannot imagine anybody else playing this puppet. In short, the whole cast gave their best performance which contributed to the overall enjoyability of the drama.
My Verdict – Watch!
Whispers Of Fate is a big budget production. It is pretty clear when you observe the set, props and costumes. It is reported that over 800 costumes and accessories were prepared for the drama. So, even if you don’t like the plot, I guess you could still marvel at the elaborate costumes and hairpieces. But aesthetics aside, this is an intriguing drama which starts off with a crime investigation. Its storytelling relies on suspense to sustain your interest as things are only revealed in stages. For instance, you are told the protagonist killed his senior disciple brother at the beginning. But you will have to wait to find out if he actually did it and why.
As a result, it is easy to get hooked to the story. This is especially so when the main characters are not the usual good and bad guys. You have a puppet which is supposedly emotionless and a revenge-obsessed disciple brother who is on the edge of insanity. However, the entanglement between the protagonist and his disciple brother can feel dragged out with the few cycles of revenge ploys. So, if you are not really into the story, this drama may get a little boring halfway through. This is compounded by the fact that the story is not exactly easy to follow if you don’t pay enough attention while watching.
On the whole, I would rate 8/10 for this review of Whispers Of Fate. You don’t watch this for a romance and relaxing time. You watch this for an intricate plot and solid acting. A word of warning would be bits and pieces of the story may remain vague for some viewers as the story is more complicated than usual especially for those who are not familiar with Chinese fantasy elements. But do give it a try as it is one of the better dramas for 2025.
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