My initial impression is this drama is too dark and cruel. I only keep watching it because I have sympathy and hope to the main character of the story, Tantai Jin/ TTJ, the devil fetus and later the Demon God (played by Luo Yunxi). I want to know what will happen to him, wishing this pitiful character would get his atonement and happiness in the end. My decision is right because starting from immortal arc and on (around episode 30), the story begin to reveal its gems. The reasons behind all events, the meaning behind all sufferings, and the moral behind the story are disclosed. All questions are answered.

I am a layman on any technical aspects of drama making (such as lighting, wardrobe, editing, casting, etc). Therefore, I am able to focus on the story. And the story is the strongest aspect of this drama (followed by the acting skill of the male lead). The story is interesting because (strangely, uniquely) it takes the antagonist/ the main villain to be the central character. There are tons of dramas with perfect, heroic, and righteous main characters across Chinese drama land. Only this time, I found a drama that deviates from common tropes. I deeply appreciate and congratulate for the author, the scriptwriters, the director, and the producer for their bravery to take the risk, to bring a full of flaw character to the spotlight. And the result is a very valuable and memorable drama.

The story began with the Demon God, Tantai Jin, who is extremely powerful, super evil, and unstoppable. He brought calamity to all realms. All immortals were defeated, except the last two sects to be destroyed. They found a way to stop the Demon God by sending Li Susu (played by Bai Lu) to the past, 500 years ago where the Demon God was still a mortal human. Her missions are to destroy his evil bone (the root and source of the Demon God's power) and to kill Tantai Jin. However, this mission is full of hardship. The problem is not simple because once she knew Tantai Jin as a person, she began to understand Tantai Jin, his life and suffering. Later, she grew empathy and compassion toward Tantai Jin. And what makes this compassion is justifiable is because Tantai Jin is actually a good person. It is just fate that toys him so that he experienced unfathomable tribulation over his life. His suffering is the prerequisite for him to turn to be Demon God after his death. With this premise, we are brought to question: Will Tantai Jin become Demon God in the end? Will Li Susu be able to kill him?

What I love about the story: it serves us with a lot of irony and moral dilemma to chew, makes us question, what is good and what is evil actually? It breaks out heart with deep moral dilemma to deal with so called evil. First, it is easy to kill a villain if we hate or if we don't have any feeling or affection toward him. But, Tantai Jin is just a pitiful but very lovable character. He was full of flaw, but he is not wrong to some extents. He is willing to learn to be a good person. Therefore, we understand him and support him to survive and get happiness. To kill him as such a "good" character, is the hardest thing to accept. Killing him is the real evil thing for us. That is why, Li Susu came to the past expectedly as a heroine, but along the story in mortal arc, we saw her as the evil and cruel one due to her mission. This twist at this part is shocking.

Second, good and evil is not black and white. We see all characters in this drama are grey. The so called "normal and good" people have the capability do evil things, and the so called "monster and evil" have the capability do good deeds. For example: Tantai Jin is seen as evil, but he is actually a good and wise ruler for Kingdom of Jing. The nine-tailed fox demon (Pian Ran), Mo Nv, and even Si Ying and Jing Mie are demons, but they are also selfless lovers who are ready to self-sacrifice. Li Susu/ Ye Xiwu is seen as good, but she repeatedly betray and hurt her lover. Tantai Jin aide and bodyguard, Nian Baiyu, as well as his nurses, are all loyal but understandably can betray, too. Xiao Lin/ Gongye Jiwu is righteous, but for his country he refused to accept peace proposal from Tantai Jin in mortal arc and was willing to devilize to kill Tantai Jin in immortal arc. All immortals called themselves as righteous, but full of hypocrisy, prejudice, and hate. So, who is the valid person to uphold the truth? How to stop evil then, if the good and evil are actually intertwined?

Fortunately, in the last three episodes all questions are well answered. It started with the emergence of Ancient Demon God in Tantai Jin's consciousness the time he accepted his fate to be Demon God. He learnt the true nature of Demon God which is a permanent condition as long as there is sin in the world. Good and evil is part of karma in the world. Ancient Demon God failed to dominate his heart; he has the key to change his fate because he finally learnt what is love and how to love, not only for the person he loves, but also for all beings and realms. He accepted his fate to die willingly, he ended his life beautifully, like a butterfly. He was perished, but his legacy continues. He was remembered as a good one. All realms are in peace and beautiful. His wife and daughter lived well. The future is bright.

It is a very good ending with clear moral anchor in Chinese philosophies. The cosmic conflict in this drama is solved intelligently, not just by killing. All characters are not left in agony. Even though it is a rather bitter because Tantai Jin is died in the end, his death is a meaningful death. We audience shouldn't ask more like he should be revived, he and Li Susu should reunite and live happily ever after because it would be contradictory to the logic of the story and the world building where gods and goddesses can die. Reviving him is just making his life cheap and less impactful. Giving him a happily ever after is just like a Disney story.

To enjoy this show, I suggest you to go transcend your self and see from above, get the big picture, that the ending of this drama is just right and perfect. Not an open, sad, or even a bad one. Don't ask for perfection, because this story itself tells us that perfection is the most absurd thing in life. I highly recommend you to re-watch it and collect all beautiful things offered by this drama. Maybe you miss it at the first time. Don't get too disheartened by some flaws in terms of production and other technical aspects. It is very tolerable when you don't ask too much.