Objectively I think this was a well-written drama. The mystery subplots were interwoven well with the main story, and I liked how they gradually added more characters to their party.

However, I did find it difficult to connect with the main characters and was very confused about the story until many episodes in; I do want to say that a caveat is that I haven't really watched historical/costume/wuxia/xianxia dramas so the language was something I wasn't that used to.

In terms of romance, the main one was decent, particularly because I enjoyed the FL's strong, no-nonsense personality. The secondary romance was less enjoyable though — the SFL's motivations and emotions were kind of unclear throughout, and overall the dynamic just felt uneven. I didn't really want them together and didn't really understand when development took place.

It's really the bromance that stands out in this show. The relationship between Jian Buzhi and Zhao Wohuan has its ups and downs but it's clear how much they grow to care for each other and it's really great to see that the unconditional trust they have in each other.

Another thing was I wish there were higher stakes. Sometimes it felt like the deaths didn't hit hard enough, or there wasn't a feeling of real danger for the leads.

Nevertheless, ultimately, I do think this was a decent drama — but someone who enjoys wuxia might enjoy this better than me.