This series turned out to be a lot better than I originally expected. The acting was all-around quite commendable. Hu Jun's acting and chemistry with all his co-stars was palpable and hit the notes just right, whether it was a comedic scene or a suspenseful one. The deviations from the novel were not disruptive, but helped to enhance the characters' development and the emotional drama. *Pros* - acting; - production quality; - fight scenes where CGI was used to illustrate the how cultivation power works (not to be confused with traditional martial arts); - the dialogue; - characters; *Cons* - storylines - often times they just dragged on and on; - the villains - not convincing enough whether in terms of their motivations or the complexity of their schemes. *Overall* Enjoyed it and will be watching for the second season.