Introduction
This is the final part of the episode recap article series. In Blood River: Drama Recap Episodes 19 to 28, Su Muyu and Su Changhe went all the way to bring the Blood River guild into the light. Would they finally accomplish their mission for the “Other Shore”? As they dived into the palace political struggle, things got more complicated.
The featured image shows the key figures in this drama. Besides Su Muyu and Su Changhe, whom I already wrote about in depth in the third part of this article series, there are also Bai He Huai, Mu Yumo, and Su Zhe. There is also an interesting reason as to why I chose this drama poster as the featured image of the final part of this recap article series, but it’s spoilery so I will put it with a tag spoiler below.
An interesting reason to choose this featured image
Nobody in the poster dies by the end of the drama!
Recap Episodes 29 to 38
Episode 29
Hehuai didn’t like opening a clinic in Tianqi because the city was so big, but it was Muyu’s plan. This city was open, and Blood River didn’t want to hide anymore. Why can’t they live under the sun? Now, Blood River was like another sect. Hehuai finally agreed and supported their mission. While talking, she suddenly sensed that Yeya was nearby, through Baicao’s snake that linked with the wicked woman’s snake. That means she was nearby!
Hehuai wanted to go with Muyu, but Yumo, who had been tailing her beau, arrived. She knew Liangyue found Yeya. Hehuai left, and the two went to look for Yeya. She was with Tang Linghuang, who had already become a drugged puppet. Liangyue was there, too, to save his martial arts brother. Unfortunately, he couldn’t be saved. Under Yeya’s order, with super power he tried to kill the three and even released poison. Luckily, Muyu had Hehuai’s jade snake that absorbed the poison. Muyu revealed to Liangyue that he didn’t know how to save Linghuang, only to kill him as they did with Jian Wudi in Wushuang City. He and Yumo then left.
The Jade Snake, Hehuai’s gift, helped Muyu absorb the poison.
The next day, two Guardians of Tianqi City sought an audience with Prince Langya. Liangyue looked distressed, so he went first and told the Prince that he had met Tang Linghuang, but the latter had become a drugged puppet. Liangyue mentioned that Muyu helped him. The Azure Dragon, Li Xinyue, quickly added that the patriarch of Blood River asked for an audition with Prince Langya. Liangyue thought that his highness should refuse, because people would talk. However, Liangyue thought that Blood River meant no harm. Prince Langya agreed and sent an invitation to meet them in a big restaurant, out in the open.
Yeya sought an audience with the first prince and showed the drugged puppet Tang Linghuang. The first prince pretended he wanted a perfect puppet, but he asked his advisor, the Great Eunuch Zhuo Qing, for advice. Meanwhile, Changhe was curious about Prince Langya, so he met Zhuo Qing. The Great Eunuch basically said it was not good to ally with Prince Langya. The emperor, due to his paranoia, even dreamed that his brother would kill him. Changhe was nervous about the upcoming meeting with Prince Langya, and asked Muyu his opinion about showing off their massive wealth at Yellow Springs Pawnshop. Muyu disagreed with two reasons. One, the Baixiao Hall would start to dig into the Blood River’s past missions, including the past of every member. Two, Blood River would become targets for everyone.
Episode 30
We got quite a full episode of Prince Langya’s background, which I didn’t complain about, because I liked the actor and the actress who played Situ Xue (Dai Lu Wa). Who is Situ Xue? You could say she was Prince Langya’s wife or woman.
They met many years ago when he was still young and free from royal duties, and went to look for his missing martial arts brother (Azure Dragon’s husband now). It was love at first sight for both of them, and they hit it off. Sparks flew and really burnt them with desire. This Situ Xue was quite wild, lol! And they went to places together, including saving his brother. Later, Prince Langya (who didn’t tell her that he was a prince and used his regular name) wanted to meet her father. Judging from his famous sword, her father knew right away that he was a prince. Situ Xue didn’t want to be confined in the palace; she liked to be free. They agreed to separate for a year, and Prince Langya went back to the palace. However, after one year, he had royal duties. Situ Xue got pregnant, and their child, Xiao Lingchen, was brought up at the palace. Because at this time, Prince Langya wanted to meet Situ Xue again, and told her that he might die, and asked her to take care of Lingchen if he died. Situ Xue said, once she took the child, he would live her carefree wanderer lifestyle.
Their tragic love story might be short, but it was quite sad. No wonder Prince Langya was lonely.
Because he stayed for a while at the reunion place, long after his beloved left, Prince Langya was late to the appointment with the Blood River people, and made Changhe impatient.
Episode 31
When Prince Langya finally arrived, Muyu went straight to business and asked for his cooperation to help them live in the light. In exchange, Blood River would rescue Tang Linghuang, get rid of his poisonous body, and eliminate the Yeya. As for her backing, they would help Prince Langya wipe their power from the earth. Prince Langya agreed with the negotiation and believed that they could bring a new Blood River into the jianghu.
After dinner, they went home happily. When Changhe teasing Qingyang who wanted to confess to Xuewei, he felt Changhe’s hand was very cold. In fact, Change froze. They rushed back to the clinic. Changhe was infected by Prince Langya’s poison in the previous episode. Hehuai directly stated that Prince Langya was terminally ill from being poisoned. Muyu remembered many years ago, five grandmasters wanted to poison him, and it seemed one succeeded. They guessed that, because he was dying, Prince Langya spent so much effort removing the suspicious people in the court and clearing the way for his royal brother. Changhe stated he needed to go to seclusion to regulate his body from the poison.
Uh oh… what was with Changhe corresponding with the first prince vs Changli? I hope he didn’t do dirty stuff behind Muyu…
The rest of the episode was not good. Hehuai was brought by Tu Wan to see a VIP patient to promote the clinic. Hehuai found out that the patient had been infected with the puppet poison. The VIP patient’s father felt Hehuai had to be kept close to his son, but she refused. Luckily, Muyu picked her up. On the way home, they were ambushed by a martial artist Xu Liuyun, the Ghost Blade sent by the enemy, because Hehuai found their secret. Muyu fought him, but Hehuai was stabbed by Xu Liuyun’s aide. Hehuai was Muyu’s weakness. Xu Liuyun set a special formation, and if Muyu broke it with his internal strength, he would be seriously injured. But Muyu didn’t care at all, Muyu vomited a mouthful of blood as soon as he picked up the sword and stood up, feeling very weak.
Episode 32
An unlikely savior came out of nowhere… he was Tu Wan! Tu Wan knew he couldn’t match Xu Liuyun at all, and only wanted to fight Xu Liuyun for one incense stick. That bought time for Muyu to regenerate his inner strength, and finally kill Xu Liuyun. Muyu healed Tu Wan’s stabbed wound and took Hehuai back at the clinic.
Yumo arrived at the clinic and reported that Yeya was outside with the arrow shooter Xie Zai Ye, the ghost puppet Tang Linghuang, and a bunch of guards. Hehuai was in a critical condition, but transporting her outside was not a good idea. Muyu was in the killing mood because his beau was hurt, so he went out to settle the account, while Yumo and Xuewei guarded him to get out safely. Xuewei, created an array within an array with poison inside. Meanwhile, Xiao Zhaoyan, Hehuai’s apprentice, tried to cure her master.
Muyu went straight to Dian Ye, the Flying TIger General of Beili, the first prince’s uncle. Dian Ye was the one who sent the Ghost Blade Xu Liuyun to attack Hehuai. He declared that Hehuai was dead, to trick them, and killed everyone in the mansion but Dianye. The people who were attacking the clinic got a report that Muyu went to Dian Ye’s residence and that Hehuai was dead, so Yeya retracted the ghost puppet, and they left the clinic. If not, the ghost puppet Tang Linghuang would’ve killed the Blood River people, because he could absorb the poison Xuewei set up.
Yeya and her group went to Dian Ye’s residence to deal with Muyu. Muyu himself was not necessarily in good health, but sure, he was in the killing mood. Unfortunately, with Yeya and the ghost puppet back, he could’ve easily killed, if not for the last minute, a lady arrived. She was none other than his and Changhe’s master, Su Yunxiu. Master Su easily drove the ghost puppet away with Yama Palm and took the wounded Muyu away.
At a safe place, Muyu recuperated with Master Su and Qingyang by his side. Master Su had never seen Muyu angry like this (he was usually emotionless), and after Qingyang filled her in about the miracle physician, Master Mu could tell right away that Muyu liked Hehuai, which he confirmed, and she teased him. Apparently, Master Mu left Blood River of her own accord. She was so skilled that nobody in Blood River could track her down, so they declared her dead. She changed her identity and opened a library. However, now knowing her disciple was wounded, she rescued him. After Muyu’s condition was stable, Master Su left.
In his seclusion, Changhe tried to get rid of the poison that had gone into his body, but couldn’t. He was angry when his brother Changli reported that Muyu had been hurt by General Dian Ye he wanted to work with.
Episode 33
Seeing the dire situation, Qingyang came to seek Prince Langya for help, sending his guardians. Changhe was in seclusion; one family head was hurt, one was away in Blood River headquarters, and one was not as strong as the others (he referred to himself). Unfortunately for Qingyang, only Tang Lianyue left, since Azure Dragon went to support her husband in the battle, and Master Ji went to look for medicinal herbs for Prince Langya. It seemed the Blood River people were a bit salty at how Lianyue treated their beautiful sister Yumo, lol. Prince Langya graciously let Lianyue go, although he was very sick. Luckily, later, Azure Dragon asked her Sword Deity daughter, Li Hanyi, to come guard Prince Langya, and she brought the Scholar Deity Xie Xuan
Uncle Zhe was hanging out leisurely with Uncle Qi Dai, head of the Xie family, back in Blood River headquarters. They were talking about how the assassins turned into farmers lol, and the reports were only about wild boards attacking their harvest. It was peaceful until a report came about Hehuai and Muyu. Uncle Zhe suddenly broke the table into two and stormed out heading to Tianqi, hahaha!
Tu Wan had secretly transported the wounded Muyu and the comatose Hehuai to Pleasure House. That was the brothel Muyu and Uncle Zhe went and Muyu met Tu Wan for the first time. At this moment, it was the safest and most secret place. Zhaoyan, Muyu’s sister, nourished Hehuai and she woke up.
Qingyang came back to the clinic with Lianyue. Xuewei was not happy seeing Lianyue either, lol, especially since she was Yumo’s bestie. But they needed Lianyue to help them investigate the poison. Qingyang and Yumo left Lianyue alone with Yumo. She asked him directly if she was in his heart. Lianyue revealed that he often thought about her, but he was a Tang Clan member and the Guardian of Tianqi City. His grandmaster wouldn’t agree if he went to Blood River to propose. Yumo asked if liking a woman from Blood River was shameful. Lianyue denied the idea, but Yumo already said what she wanted to say, and from now on, they were just partners in action… awww!
Tu Wan gave a lead that the puppet drug was most likely sold in Tianqi’s black market. The patient Hehuai treated before, suddenly got strong enough to pass the military exam; however, he experienced backlash. Rumors had it that he went to the black market and when returned, he became super strong. Qingyang, Xuewei, Yumo, and Lianyue went to the ghost market to investigate. They went to the right place, the puppet drug auction in the black market. Unfortunately, Yeya, the ghost puppet, and Xie Zai Ye were there, too! Lianyue was face-to-face with his own martial arts brother Tang Linghuang!
Episode 34
Well, there wasn’t much they could do but just retreat, and Lianyue was even poisoned because he touched his senior. Qingyang and Xuewei went back to the clinic to report to Muyu, while Yumo and Lianyue went to report to Prince Langya.
Ok, we don’t really need to know the backstory of the first prince, who supposedly wanted to avenge his mother, because the emperor had neglected her until she died from depression,
Muyu met Prince Langya, and Muyu finally understood that Prince Langya had planned for Blood River by pretending to be weak. Muyu actually didn’t want Blood River to embroil in the palace politics. He wanted Qingyang and Xuewei to take Hehuai back to the Blood River, and he would find out about Changhe’s seclusion from Changli. Hehuai said, as the most senior in Medicine Valley, she was somewhat responsible for the drugged puppets, so she had to stay to see what she could do. Luckily, at this moment, Uncle Zhe showed up!
It is well known that Yumo likes Lianyue. So, when Prince Langya met them, he teased Yumo and Lianyue mercilessly. Yumo and Prince Langya hit it off in terms of teasing Lianyue. Yumo directly stated that she didn’t like Lianyu anymore; she liked a bold person like the prince. Prince Langya laughed so hard that he ended up coughing. After that, Prince Langya went back to business, asking Lianyu to identify the noble sons to Tianqi city who came for the tournament.
Uncle Zhe went to transform all his internal strength into Muyu. Qingyang explained that high-level martial artists could exchange life with each other, a method called Divine Demon Nirvana Art. Although now the one who gave life wouldn’t die, the person would receive backlash. Hehuai sensed that her father was ready to die for his future son-in-law. She tried to break through the barrier that separated them, but she couldn’t.
Changhe finally managed to reach the highest level of the Yama Palm. After he got out of the seclusion, he was asked to go to meet the first prince right away. Changhe was unhappy when he heard that Muyu and Hehuai were hurt because of the ghost puppets. He jokingly threatened the first prince that he had a 50-50 chance of killing him at this time.
Episode 35
The head eunuch warned Changhe that if he killed the first prince, he would be dead, too. Nah, Changhe was just joking; it seemed he liked to scare the crap out of the first prince. The head eunuch explained that the incident was an accident and they did not intend to kill those people, but they accidentally ruined the plan. The head eunuch suspected that Changhe and Muyu had disagreements; thus, they had chosen different allies. Changhe said Muyu really didn’t know his decision. The first prince wanted to test whether Changhe told the truth or not. He gave Changhe a lie detector snake and asked Changhe if he wanted to kill Muyu. The snake turned red and attacked Changhe. He killed the snake and threw it to the ground, unabashedly warning everyone not to harm Muyu.
The emperor asked the first prince to play chess with him, but he actually warned him not to cause chaos in the city. The first prince wanted to use regular people to be the drug puppets and blame the chaos on Prince Langya, as if he wanted to rebel. The first prince didn’t care because his mother was neglected by the emperor. Apparently, although he was the firstborn, his mother was a concubine.
The place where the Blood River hid was found and attacked. This was unfortunate because both Uncle Zhe and Muyu passed out after the internal strength transformation. The rest were not capable, so Qingyang told everyone to escape, and he would stay behind to stall the villains. Xuewei insisted on staying with him, too. However, Qingyang and Xuewei were no match with those three grandmasters. They also burned down the place. Qingyang died, Xuewei, too? His divination coin rolled and landed on “luck”, tho.
When Muyu finally woke up, Hehuai told him about the sad news that Qingyang and Xuewei had died at the old place, which had been burned down. But their bodies were not found. Qingyang’s divination coin also landed on the “luck” side. Qingyang also asked Xuewei, if he didn’t die, would she say yes (to his love proposal), and she nodded. Imo, their endings were open. Who knows the author/screenwriter wanted to make open endings for them, to continue in the second season?
Sishe/Snake, one of the zodiac assassins who followed Muyu, reported that Changhe had left his seclusion chamber for a while, but hadn’t come to see them. They wondered if Changhe had another plan, but he didn’t want to tell Muyu. For example, when he wanted to kill the former patriarch and seize the Sleeping Dragon Sword.
Episode 36
When Changli reported that both Qingyang and Xuewei died after holding the fort while Muyu and the rest escaped, he didn’t say anything, but his face was dark. He was not in the mood when the sword deity Li Hanyi came to challenge him because she found out he had gone to see the first prince. Hanyi was sent by her mother to protect Prince Langya, because other city guardians were gone for their mission.
Hehuai gave Yumo an antidote for the young noblemen who were poisoned by the puppet drug. Yumo and Lianyue were given a mission by Prince Langya to find and cure these young men. While they were treating the patients, Yeya came with her super puppet Tang Linghuang. He couldn’t be overcome, so Yumo released her spider carrying the antidote. Tang Linghuang attacked her. In a moment of consciousness, Tang Linghuang knew that he had become a drug puppet, so he committed suicide in front of Lianyue.
Showing off to your girlfriend
Lmao, Yumo still took the chance to propose marriage to Lianyue, and he said he would marry her. Since it was known in public that Yumo had chased Lianyue all along, she asked if he could make a grand wedding for her, which would make her look good. Lianyue said that he would take her with the red phoenix, I guess, as the wedding limo, hahaha! Yumo thought Lianyue was silly, because there was no phoenix in the world. Lianyue showed off his three hidden weapons in front of Yumo: Cries of 1000 birds, Skywrath Thunder, and if they both were released at the same time, it was Phoenix Descent. The Phoenix burned down the place, including Yeya. After attacking Yeya, Lianyue took Yumo with him. Did he kill Yeya or not?
Prince Langya always knew that the emperor was still secretly poisoning him, although his brother said he trusted Langya. He drank the poisonous tea anyway and left. After the prince left, his body was already covered with ice (frost poison). Prince Langya knew that he didn’t have much time left.
Episode 37
The Sword Deity Li Hanyi found that Prince Langya was already poisoned badly, and she tried to cure him. She found out that the poison was actually in the pastries and the poisoner was the first prince. The emperor knew about it, but he didn’t say anything. What a messed-up family! On the way back, the eunuchs tried to attack the prince and had to face-to-face with Li Hanyi!
The great eunuch himself, Zhuo Qing, together with the three grandmasters, was there to fight Muyu, who wanted to avenge the deaths of Qingyang and Xuewei. Muyu’s former subordinates, the Spider Shadow Assassins unit, also showed up to fight the grandmasters with the help of Uncle Zhe, who came with Hehuai. Muyu faced the great eunuch, who might have the greatest power because he had seriously injured Muyu. When Muyu was about to lose his strength, Changhe came out from the dark and attacked Zhuo Qing. The great eunuch was shocked, as Changhe seemed to work together with him and the first prince.
Changhe pretended that he had only reached the ninth level of Yama Palm, meanwhile, Zhuo Qing was above that. Changhe used Zhuo Qing to level up to the tenth level. He also poisoned Zhuo Qing with the venom he took from the Slumbering Snake from the Yellow Springs Pawnshop.
Changhe revealed that he had been waiting for this moment for more than 20 years. His family was annihilated by Zhuo Qing. He told Muyu, that was the reason why he ripped the info from the Wanjuan Tower, because he always knew who his enemy was. The poisoned Zhuo Qing took the internal energy of the three grandmasters with force, because they would die anyway. Because of the additional strength, Zhuo Qing became powerful again, and it was hard for Changhe to hold Zhuo Qing. At this time, Muyu took the initiative to choose to fall into the demonic path. He would kill this person even if it meant losing her life. The transformation of his hair from dark to white was amazing! The fighting CGI was spectacular! Muyu succeeded in killing Zhuoqing with his big move at this moment, but then he became fully possessed. Luckily, Hehuai had an Iceheart antidote, but it also depended on Muyu. Because of Muyu’s kind heart, he turned away from the devil.
Muyu’s gone demonic
Hehuai herself was not as lucky as others with internal strength. He was poisoned by Yeya. Her father originally wanted to use his internal power to force out the toxin, but she said that it was useless. Muyu carried Hehuai to find a miracle physician in Tianqi, but they both fainted when they arrived. Darn it, that ghost physician didn’t die! Too bad she didn’t die. With all the grand display of the phoenix, Lianyue could only injure her??? In The Blood of Youth, Yeya was also the great villain, so it seemed the author/screenwriter let her live in this alternative world to be killed later?
Episode 38
Li Hanyi was busy fighting the eunuchs, Zhuo Qing’s subordinates. She was very strong, but Xie Zaiye secretly wanted to kill Prince Langya with his arrow. Suddenly, Situ Xue, Langya’s wife, jumped in front of his carriage and struck the arrow, but she was injured. Seeing this, Hanyi used her signature Floral Sword Art to face everyone. She managed to kill two eunuchs and Xie Zaiye, and one eunuch ran away. After seeing Prince Langya reunited with his wife, Li Hanyi secretly left. Aww, apparently Situ Xue secretly planted spies around her husband to make sure he was alright.
Lianyue met Yumo after she woke up. He was very worried about her, so she knew that although Lianyue never expressed his feelings with words, he showed his love to her with actions. Yumo realized that duty came first, so she told Lianyue to take care of the prince first as the guardian of Tianyi. When everything was over, they would find each other. That meant, when he was no longer the Xuanwu Guardian of Tianqi City, and she no longer the Blood River assassin. Lianyue agreed and expressed his hope that she would also live in the light. Before leaving, Lianyue gave her a wooden rabbit he had carved himself, as a love token. Rabbit was Yumo’s zodiac alias when she was in the Spider Shadow Assassins unit.
Darn it, the head eunuch didn’t die; the other eunuch who ran away from Li Hanyi rescued his boss. The young noblemen who were kidnapped by the first prince and the gang were rescued. The first prince only admitted partial mistakes, while his uncle Dian Ye took all the blame and was sentenced to death. He offered to be confined to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, relinquish his princely title, and forever abstain from political disputes. Yeah, right! Changhe was not happy with the outcome. He threatened that if his bro didn’t recover, he would kill both the first prince and Prince Langya. He called Yumo and asked her to be the Mu head family for now. Since she and Lianyue promised to wait for each other, there was no more impatience. Yumo accepted the new role.
When Muyu woke up, Changhe told him that Hehuai had passed away. Her father, not wanting his daughter to endure any more pain, had used Changhe’s sword to end her life while he was unconscious. He took her body back to Medicine King Valley.
Muyu agreed with Changhe about the unfortunate turn of events, especially for the cause of everything that happened, and who was the first prince. He didn’t face death punishment, but a mere confinement to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Muyu and Changhe decided to punish the first prince à la Blood River style. While Changhe was fighting the people outside, Muyu killed the first prince after declaring that from that moment, Tianqi City would remember Blood River’s name, as they would no longer be manipulated as pawns.
After slitting the first prince’s throat, Muyu and Changhe rode away. They didn’t realize that they had passed a carriage with Hehuai and Su Yunxiu, their master. However, both Muyu and Hehuai kinda sensed each other’s presence when he passed her carriage. Hehuai didn’t die; Yunxiu healed her and took her away. Master Mu told Uncle Zhe that she needed Hehuai to stand by her side as she cultivated a new martial art. Master Mu threatened Uncle Zhe. If he told Muyu, his daughter would never return.
I agreed with Master Mu’s decision to separate Muyu and Hehuai. She knew that many people in Blood River had longed for a change in the guild, in which they would walk under the light and not be controlled by others anymore. She believed her disciples, Changhe and Muyu, could make that hope a reality. However, Muyu shouldn’t be distracted by Hehuai. He did, to avenge the deaths of Hehuai (mostly), Qingyang, and Xuewei, Muyu went back to the darkness to kill the first prince. Muyu should concentrate on the Other Shore’s goal for now.
Before leaving Tianqi, Changhe and Muyu bid farewell to Prince Langya. The prince expressed his disagreement with their decision to kill the first prince, because it was unsalvageable. They declared that Blood River sought to stand in the light, not be pawns in power struggles. Blood River carried their own justice, and possessed its own justice, and with that justice, the first prince deserved to die. If anyone wanted to use them as pawns again, they would be the chess players instead. They would eventually reach the “Other Shore” despite the difficult journey. Prince Langya hoped that if they met again, they wouldn’t be enemies, but Muyu added that not even as friends. In short, they didn’t want to meet Prince Langya again.
On the way back to the Blood River’s headquarters, Changhe questioned if Muyu regretted killing the first prince, because now they returned to square one. Now they couldn’t work together with Prince Langya anymore. Muyu said that the prince only wanted to secure the future for his loved ones (the emperor, his son, and probably the first prince?), but their paths were fundamentally different from Blood River’s. So, an alliance was unlikely.
The “Other Shore” ring, a symbol of the renewal of commitment
Muyu believed that even in the polar (deepest) darkness, light could be found. Changhe added that even (night) clouds would clear, revealing the moon. Muyu put on the Other Shore’s ring, symbolizing his commitment to the goal from now on, and then he took off with Changhe in tow.
Eight years would pass before Blood River once again emerged in the martial world, and twelve years before Muyu and Hehuai would be reunited. In the post-credit scene, it shows that when Muyu visited Hehuai ‘grave’, she stood behind him. He turned around. They both smiled between their tears.
THE END
Conclusion
What a whirlwind of drama with a complex story, colorful characters, and cinematography and costume! Worth a 10-rating in my opinion!
Blood River is not just about slash-and-dash, but there are valuable messages taken from it:
Sincerity can foster strong bonds: A key message conveyed is the value of genuine belief and sincerity, which can create strong, unforgettable bonds between people even in a world of assassins and mistrust. I love the found family elements created in this drama. From Muyu and Changhe’s bond, as they jointly stayed alive together from the final test of being assassins to the found family of the Nameless of the new Blood River Guild.
Individuals can challenge their destiny: The characters’ struggles suggest that people are not merely products of their environment or predetermined fates. They can make choices to change their circumstances and pursue a different path, even if it is a difficult, life-threatening journey. Muyu and Changhe’s families were slain, and they fell into the Blood River’s grips. Instead of becoming killing tools, taking orders from the people in control, they wanted to take control of their lives.
Peace demands a cost: The narrative implies that achieving peace or justice within a chaotic world often requires immense personal sacrifice and navigating complex, dangerous political landscapes. Well, there are a lot of deaths in the beginning during the internal power struggle to bring the new Blood River guild. Also, there were a lot of deaths along the way, starting with Muyu’s revenge in Wushuang City, to the political turmoil in Tianqi City.
I heard that the author/screenwriter Zhou Munan, planned to make a novel sequel for Blood River. Somehow, the way he ended things was also ambiguous and full of cliffhangers. The “Other Shore” was nowhere to be found in this drama. Their big villains, the head eunuch and Yeya, didn’t die. Muyu and Changhe’s master suddenly showed up and wanted to cultivate a new martial art way. Qingyang and Xuewei’s bodies were never found. I wonder if someone took them away alive? The divination coin landed on “luck”; was it a forecast?
I would love to see the drama sequel of Blood River ( 暗河传 ) again! As an idol drama, which usually gets low scores of 5 or 6 on Douban, this drama got a surprisingly good score of 7.1 on Douban (on the date I published this final part). So, it won’t be surprising if Mr. Zhou makes a sequel to this amazing drama!
