I'm curious about Li Yi's true allegiances and motivations. He's clearly a Qin Dark Guard ordered to watch the protagonist, but his attitude has shifted from wanting to report the death to wanting to care for him. Is he just following the "take good care" order, or is something else developing? The line where he sits by the bed with "undisguised entanglement" in his eyes is telling. There's a human story behind him that I hope gets explored.
The world-building around cultivation resources and spirit veins is solid. I like how the Fire Element Spirit Vein being sold to the Zhang family is a major blow, and how the family’s economic decline is tied to Ji Haoyuan’s failures. It makes the stakes feel concrete instead of just abstract “the family is in danger” talk.
One tiny criticism: the dialogue occasionally feels a bit too modern for the Song Dynasty characters. When Su Shi says “Why worry so much?” and Su Zhe says “I shouldn’t have listened to your nonsense,” it sounds like something from a Chinese web novel from 2025, not from two scholars in 105 But honestly, it doesn’t break immersion too much because the story is so fun otherwise. It’s a minor trade-off for readability.
I have to admit, the love/CP situation is already giving me emotional whiplash. In her past life, she ended up buried together with Xie Linyuan, which implies some kind of tragic connection. But he was also the one who forcibly took her and she caused his death. Now in this life, he's treating her coldly yet still detoxified her. Are they enemies? Lovers? Strangers who will somehow find their way back to each other? The tension is killing me in the best way.
The confrontation at the ice rink is masterfully set up. Shen Qi overhears them trashing her, and instead of crying or running away, she waits until she can move and then acts. The soda bottle smash is perfect because it's so public and humiliating for Fang Yi. He's all about appearances, and now he's bleeding in public. The way she walks away without looking back shows she's truly done. The author uses the setting well - the crowded rink, the loud music, and then that one focused act of violence. It's a scene that sticks with you.
I was a bit confused about why Lin Zi didn't just tell Qin Kuan the truth upfront instead of drugging him. She could have just asked him to let her try her ability. But maybe she didn't trust his reaction.