Adapted from Wei Yu’s novel, the show belongs to a series of popular fantasy romance works such as Rattan, West Out of Yumen, Seven Strings, and the upcoming Three-Line Maze.
These stories all feature beautiful heroines, though each director has different aesthetic skills.
- Rattan and Qingerang both captured the heroine’s breathtaking beauty
- West Out of Yumen succeeded largely because Ni Ni is naturally stunning
- Seven Strings gave Liu Haocun styling that unfortunately made her look plain
Wei Yu’s stories also share similar structures:
- A powerful, skilled heroine
- A troubled hero
- They meet through conflict, then grow together
- Adventure + romance
- A united ending
Though familiar, each story has its own unique fantasy concept.
The heart of the drama is not the monsters—it is the people
The world includes “Owl” creatures that survive on human blood, and the humans who hunt them: the Nanshan Hunters, divided into three branches:
- Whip Clan – control
- Dog Clan – tracking
- Blade Clan – combat
Nie Jiuluo belongs to the Blade Clan.
Despite the supernatural setting, the monster designs are simple and not meant to be the highlight.
The true focus is human emotion and internal struggle.
Nie Jiuluo’s depth
Her childhood was destroyed by the hunter identity she never chose.
She lost her parents, her freedom, and grew up being trained as a weapon.
She both resents and relies on the organization:
it raised her, yet imprisoned her.
In her art, she expresses “rebirth,” a stark contrast to the “destruction” she is forced to carry out.
Her inner conflict—duty vs. self—is the soul of this story.
The scary side of the Nanshan Hunters
Strangely, most young hunters have never even seen an Owl.
Yet they train brutally, even sacrificing senses or health.
It almost feels like they’re being groomed or indoctrinated.
One can’t help wondering:
What if Owls didn’t truly exist?
What then is the Nanshan organization?
Fortunately, in the story, the Owls are real. Otherwise the implications would be chilling.
Hero vs. Heroine
The male lead’s inner struggle is mild compared to Nie Jiuluo’s.
He knows early on that his life has been built on a lie.
Thus, he plays a supportive, less conflicted role.
Ultimately, The Legend of Qingerang is a female-centered narrative.
We are watching Nie Jiuluo carve her own path between fate and freedom.
Her blade does not only slay monsters—it cuts through her destiny.
