Fantasy tale finds new fans​

The protagonists, Bai Jiusi and Hua Ruyue — respectively portrayed by actor Zeng and actress Bai as two celestial beings born from a single force in the mythical age of creation — possess opposing powers: as one grows stronger, the other becomes weaker. Due to a series of misunderstandings, Hua mistakenly believes that Bai heartlessly abandoned her to suffer and be tortured during a special "mission" they had once hoped would make them stronger. Consumed by resentment, she devises a complex plan to assassinate Bai. However, the truth takes an unexpected turn, revealing a heart-wrenching story.

Rooted in traditional culture and ancient literature, which offered a treasure trove of inspiration, Guo reveals that the creative team drew heavily from Shan Hai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas), an ancient collection of mythical geography and fantastical creatures estimated to have been compiled over 2,000 years ago.

Such instances include Mount Buzhou, a snow-capped peak described as the sole gateway between the human world and the realm of the gods, and leiniao (thunder bird), a fantastical magpie-like creature with two heads and four legs, capable of controlling fire and igniting or extinguishing flames at will.

Interestingly, the director, a veteran with over two decades in television production, reveals that the art team adopted a sci-fi-style world-building approach to envision the heavenly realm as a floating paradise beyond Earth.

After six months of preparations and discussion, the special effects team designed the celestial world with unique elements, such as aligning the sun along the same horizon as the divine realm. Celestial beings are portrayed with flowing sleeves and robes to suggest weightlessness, and are rarely shown eating, only occasionally taking a bite of some magical fruit.