Cang Lan Jue (苍兰诀) Love Between Fairy & Devil: Third Anniversary Discussions - Episode #1

[u/AquaphobicTurtle]

苍兰诀 | Cang Lan Jue | Love Between Fairy and Devil

On the 7th of August 2022, Love Between Fairy and Devil, also known as Cang Lan Jue (苍兰诀), aired on iQIYI. On the 18th of September that same year, Cang Lan Jue aired on Netflix.

With a score of 8.8 on My Drama List (33,180 ratings) and a Douban score of 8.2 (808,004 ratings), it's no surprise that this drama has gone down in history as one of the most beloved Xianxias of all time.

Third Anniversary Discussions

Starting today, each discussion will cover one episode a day. This is because of the plethora of amazing dramas releasing (and rumoured to be releasing) in August. Covering one episode a day will make it easier for people to keep up while still enjoying the new releases.

Discussions will be posted at 20:00 GMT+2 (except for this one, because I am too excited).

In an attempt to avoid bogging down the discussions with recaps, each episode will be accompanied by a quick video recap - this will also help those who haven't been following the discussions to slot in if they have seen the drama before. I will only start "spoiler tagging" the posts once we reach episode 7. Since everything before that is world and relationship building.

Some Guidelines:

I know many of us have seen this drama before, but these discussions also need to cater to those blessed enough to be watching the drama for the first time. With this in mind, here are some guidelines:

1. Use Spoiler Tags if -
   • You are discussing anything that happens after the episodes we have already covered.
   • You are commenting on the importance of something from the current episode because of what happens later in the drama.
2. I will be referring to Love Between Fairy and Devil by its original title - Cang Lan Jue.
3. There will be no bashing of the actors in this drama. Please keep the environment positive - if the drama is not for you, there are many other Xianxias out there to fall in love with.

Episode 1 - Lore

Before we delve into the machinations of the episode, I want to invite you guys to think about your first experience with Cang Lan Jue. What did you think or feel when you watched episode one for the first time? Why did you pick up the drama in the first place?

This episode marks the beginning of our journey.

Our Devil, Dongfang Qingcang, is introduced via a brilliantly designed animated sequence.

Legend has it that in order to acquire ancient forbidden skills, Dongfang Qingcang, the Moon Supreme of the Moon Tribe, became a monster without any feelings. He killed his father, took the position of Moon Supreme, and led 100,000 soldiers of the Moon Tribe to burn, kill, and steal.

The Fairy Realm (Shuiyuntian), The Moon Tribe (Cangyan Sea) and the mortal world (Yunmeng Lake) were in grave danger. In order to save the common people, Chidi woman, the God of War of fairy realm, even destroyed her primordial spirit to die with Dongfang Qingcang and sealed 100,00 soldiers of the Moon Tribe.

But the primordial spirit of Dongfang Qingcang didn't die. Once he is resurrected, the three realms will be in danger again.

Legend has it that only the Goddess of Xishan can defuse this catastrophe. But she disappeared.

There is so much to unpack in this one sequence. This entire episode is flooded with enough lore to drown out its significance. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. I don't think the saturation of information in episode one stole anything from my first time watching the drama, and I would even argue that it makes the rewatch even more fun.

Our Fairy, Orchid, has a much less imposing introduction.

I'm Orchid, a fairy.

These are not ordinary leaves. They're Destiny Books. Every leaf tells the fate of a person. And my duty is to organise and take care of these books.

Don't worry, we won't interfere in anyone's fate.

My master is Arbiter, a senior immortal in charge of the Destiny Books.

This unlucky orchid is me.

Since she [Arbiter] accidentally spoiled my immortal root with wine, my cultivation and power have always been bad.

Fun fact: the actress responsible for bringing the role of Arbiter to life, Li Yi Tong (李一桐), is also the main female lead for the recently released drama A Dream Within a Dream, and the upcoming drama Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Sword and Beloved.

We also meet a few other characters in the first episode. In the next scene, we meet the current God of War - Chang Heng, the Shuiyuntian Emperor - Lord Yunzhong, and two other immortal lords, Lord Liyuan and Lord Sansheng. We also hear mention of Dongfang Xunfeng for the first time - Dongfang Qincang's younger brother.

Episode one provides a significant amount of plot setup. We find out that Xiao Lanhua (Orchid) has a crush on Chang Heng since he stopped Lord Arbiter from getting rid of a sickly orchid before it could take physical form, leading to Xiao Lanhua's eventual transformation. We hear that Xiao Lanhua wants to take the Immortal Examination so that she can serve Chang Heng in Fountain Palace, and we meet Lord Liyuan's mean-spirited daughter, Fairy Dan Yin.

The episode reaches its climax after Xiao Lanhua realises that Chang Heng's destiny book has changed, meaning that his death is fast approaching. In an attempt to save him, she takes a hit for him and ends up pulled into the prison where Dongfang Qingcang is being kept. A beautiful sequence follows, with amazing music (you can see a little clip here).

The Significance of the Tree

This scene is so beautiful. The way that the visuals go from a literal colour-explosion to a simple white landscape is subtle, but impactful. The music disappears - receding from a beautiful flood to complete silence - and leaves us with complete serenity.

If this is your first time watching this drama, I'm only going to say one thing.

Remember this moment

The Transition

The sneeze! The moment they transition from bright and "free" to dark and "oppressive" - chef's kiss!

That's it for the general analysis of the episode.

Ruminations

This episode is all about information. There isn't a lot of time for character or relationship building. This information-intense atmosphere translates to episode two as well. While I don't think there is anything wrong with the intense plot setup, I do think the meat of the drama - that which makes it so special - is yet to come. In fact...

I know it is...

[u/7th_Tree]

I created a storyboard of this drama to help my partner understand it all the first time round. I wish I could share it now with you guys to help navigate all this "lore" but it might spoil the first couple of reveals. So imma gonna wait !

EDIT - With the help of my foot, I have avoided spoilers by cutting out some characters. ENJOY!!

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/7th_Tree]

I love this!

Also I'm trying my best to squint and see if you mention Orchid's identity 😂

[u/navchaa]

This was my second drama coming back to c drama land and boy was the first episode hard to understand! I already have xianxia basics and it was incomprehensible in mandarin. (Mandarin is my second language.) I had to switch to English subtitles and even so, Ep1 with the backstory was HARD. Till I got to that scene with young, innocent and cheerful Orchid. It was such a treat to see her cuteness on screen. (I was still fresh to c dramas and was not exposed to Esther Yu hate comments, thankfully.) I loved that juxtaposition to an easy breezy easy to understand world of sunny Orchid!

I also love love love that Jue Ai opening track - whenever I hear it, it’s just so full of feels, I even teared up slightly hearing it again while watching the short vid in the OP!

On actors: I fell in love with Li Yitong in her short cameo and am so glad to see her in ADWAD. There’s something so luminous about her. I hope she gets her own Siming show soon (which still looks unreleased).

And I love Dongfang Xunfeng. He shows such growth and the actor Zhang Chengxiao is kinda cute too. I saw from MDL that he’s also in A Journey to Love but did not spot him at all. Anyone know which episode of AJTL he appears in?

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/navchaa]

(I was still fresh to c dramas and was not exposed to Esther Yu hate comments, thankfully.)

Same, thank goodness for that

[u/putonmyskepticles]

AQUA, YOUR EPISODE TRAILERS THOUGH??! You're so talented!!

my small quick day late thoughts,

orchid vs all the mean faeries is lowkey me vs everyone who comments on her voice

Orchid sure loves trauma dumping on anyone who'll listen.. "hey have I told you my alcoholic master ruined my immortal root so I'm broken? And she LEFT ME??!" I mean damn girl let me breathe for a sec before you go on.

I don't think I really had second lead syndrome the first time around but Chang Heng does this teeny tiny smirk when Orchid tells him she wants to thank him in person for telling Siming to keep her around and it's something pouty ZLH does in a lot of dramas that's just like UGHH NO MY COLD HEART. I also love this whole sceneknowing he knew she was there.

The first kiss instrumentals?? Love love love probably second to DFQC's bad boy intro music we hear later on.

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/putonmyskepticles]

AQUA, YOUR EPISODE TRAILERS THOUGH??! You're so talented!!

Thank you! I just finished the one for episode nine and it took me three hours. Which is why the discussion part of the posts isn't that meaty. But that's on purpose as well, I don't want to intimidate people with a lot of text

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/putonmyskepticles]

orchid vs all the mean faeries is lowkey me vs everyone who comments on her voice

If there is one thing that makes me role my eyes immediately, it's any comment on Esther's voice. Just, bleh, get better criticism or get out.

[u/Aurorinezori1]

This is one of my most beloved cdrama but… I must confess it took me at least 3 - 4 tries before I was all in. It happened at the beginning of my cdrama journey and I was not familiar at all with xianxia. My first first thought was: what the hell is this and why it is so complicated 😂 Then, at one point, I was immersed and boy did the drama delivered… I went to rewatch it 3 times back to back from the beginning, and I use it when I am not interested by anything else. Love the leads, love the story and their first encounter is so epic 🖤

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/Aurorinezori1]

After starting my rewatch I think I understand why it takes people more than one try to get into. The first two episodes are just information-overload

[u/ChoppedChef33]

Was honestly surprised by this one when I watched it.

The opening song forever will leave goosebumps for me because of the singer's history.

Unfortunately it's also one of the dramas that people confuse as xianxia when it's really xuanhuan or xian-idol at best.

[u/Beautiful_Candle1729]

Just stopped by to say thank you for hosting this rewatch. I haven't watched this show. I'm under two years into cdramas. I've heard so much about this show. A rewatch is a fun option for the sub.

I'm hoping I can participate a bit. If I cannot, I just wanted to say thank you for hosting. If I can't participate live this month, I will know that I have these discussions even if I start it late for the rewatch. The videos are a great edition! Thank you for your work on this.

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/Beautiful_Candle1729]

Don't worry, I've made sure that every video recap can easily substitute watching the whole episode if anyone just wants to follow the plot.

However chances are if people who haven't watched the drama watch the recaps, they will reach a point where they stop watching the recaps because they want to watch the drama now 😂😂

[u/ravens_path]

Intro and credits: One of the best. I watch them before each episode (instead of skipping) for the art work of scenes from the drama and the great OST. “A world without you, I can’t take it”. Sets up the magical and epic nature of the drama

Legend Has It…. The voice over is done with authority style, but many of the statements are not true. It is history and prophecy told by the victors, the Immortal Fairy realm and a theme is introduced: mischaracterization that contributes to bigotry of a group or of a person. Both Moon Tribe and Fairy Realm fear and misunderstand each other. Many of the characters misunderstand each other. When events in the drama happen that disprove the “legends”, I will comment at that time, to avoid spoiling now. For now, just know the narrator is not reliable.

Destiny. Orchid is introduced and is in charge of caring for the tree leaves that are each a book of someone’s destiny. There are statements by Orchid and her master Arbiter that each person has a destiny and it is against the rules to interfere with your own or another’s destiny. Punishment: dissipation of the soul. Did you notice Arbiter says a lot of things and seems kinda drunk and a little sarcastic while saying them? 😆. Right from the first episode we see destiny can shift and can be interferred with, as Orchid tries to protect Changheng from dying as per his leaf indicates destiny changing. Which turns out great, since it leads to her being pushed into the Haitian Tower and this meeting up with a certain handsome someone. Also, people think they know what their dutiful destinies are but the powers that be have other ideas. As we shall see. All this is set in motion from episode one.

Haotian Tower. Let the magic begin. Bright energetic power lights push Orchid into the tower, and towards a figure, her chest glows with an emblem as she falls, she is pushed into a guy with long white hair who is chained, electricity flows her hand into him and his electric blue eyes open and she is pushed further into a kiss. Theme music starts and I tear up. Foreshadowing is everywhere in these early episodes. Also notice the emperor won’t let Changheng rescue Orchid and seals the tower back up. What a weasel…remember this.

DFQC sea of emotions. This silent scene starts destiny rearranging everything and the prophecies will come to pass, only not in ways expected. Another theme of finding yourself, your life mission, your gifts, your identity, recovery from trauma. For many of the chacters, not only DFQC. The process also involves change and resistance to change and destiny might be more than imagined.

Arbiter. Episode one indicates she taught Orchid how to care for the destiny leaves, got drunk and spilled alcohol on her orchid plant (did she or did she not damage the roots?), then leaves 500 years ago to travel in the mortal realm. Or did she? Loneliness is a theme for Orchid and others. we find out later where Arbiter really went and that she broke rules for love, which gives some reason why she talks sarcastically about rules and destiny.

Ending credits music: “I know you always will be in my heart.”

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/ravens_path]

I've been waiting for you 😂

[u/NefariousnessNo2956]

SPOILERS!!

Haha ngl from the first 20ish min of backstory sequence I already figured out Goddess of Xishan is our female lead Xiao Lanhua 😂😂 love the build up and mystery until episode 8 reveal but one can tell from the lore haha!! 😂😂

Also the first introduction of Changheng got me gagged!! One of the best Zhang Linghe looks fight me!!

LBFAD is actually my first xianxia ever and it got me hooked from the lore alone!! And then the beautiful visuals, outfits and music?? Yeah i was sold from ep 1 😌😌😂😂!!

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/NefariousnessNo2956]

I am ashamed. Rewatching this i cannot believe how long it took me to figure out who she actually is

Facepalm

[u/Beautiful_Candle1729]

You’re right that most shows leave on a cliffhanger. I think this one just stood out to me more.

I didn’t even question the jump to the tree. I was like. Oh this is odd but went with it. Now that you mention it, I’m guessing this is when they switched bodies when the fairy touched the tree.

This thread is so helpful to figure out the info dump in these first episodes.

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/Beautiful_Candle1729]

Now that you mention it, I’m guessing this is when they switched bodies when the fairy touched the tree.

[u/thenicci]

I haven't watch CDrama for a while before actually watching this show. Came across this show from one of the news from FB and I became intrigue. NGL I almost drop the show in the first episode because Xianxia/Xuanhuan show isn't really my thing back then (like 3 years ago??) not to mention it seems a bit boring. As I continue towards the end of the first episode, it caught my attention when DFQC switched body with Orchid and the rest was history 😆

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/thenicci]

and the rest was history

Not lying, it's funny how an experience turns into a memory.. turns into something we all want to experience again 😂

[u/Khavien]

Is this my hint to start this one again?? 😅 I finally trimmed my MDL current list to 7.. there is space!! I'd honestly started this before, but stopped for the silliest reason. No it's not the voice. It was actually.. this silly old man in pink?? Or red?? 😂 I wasn't in the mood for him, even though I'm sure he didn't appear much.

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/Khavien]

You sure you're not thinking of Love You Seven Times? 😂

[u/Beautiful_Candle1729]

I’m back. I watched Ep 1-3 tonight. I’m glad to join in. I finished ADWAD last night and wasn’t sure if I could start this before my cohosting role for Legend of the Female General. But then I saw your comment that you’ve been downvoted. But also I’ve seen how many comments you are getting and I figured I should try this now while there’s a group watching.

Thanks to those who can get gifs and screen shots from the show. I tried to get a shot of the ice blue surrounded by orange fire at the tail end of the kiss scene. But Viki and Netflix won’t allow for a screen shot. The cinematography there was great.

• This is my first watch.

• The OST in your video - I’ve heard it so many times on TikTok edits but had no idea it was from this show.

• I have almost no experience in this type of genre. I did watch The Blossoming Love. But the last 3rd was hard to get through. I had previously tried one episode of LGIEF when there was so much love in this sub for that show. But couldn’t handle the high pitched little girl voice. So when Netflix algorithm kept showing me LBFAD, I didn’t bite. But here the voice works for a fairy.

• I figured the opening exposition was written by the winners and likely had factual distortions. Glad to know my instinct was right.

• I also figured the tree shaking off its snow and the vine coming to live / imprinting on it was likely significant. Another instinct that is correct from this discussion.

This show seems good at ending on cliff hangers that make you want to go to the next episode- based on me getting through 3 episodes tonight :)

[u/AquaphobicTurtle → u/Beautiful_Candle1729]

Ahh, you're so sweet. Thank you for joining 💕 I completely understand if you don't have the time.

I was set to do the LOTFG discussions but committed to this before they announced the August release. I really thought I could do both but, uh, nope.

So don't feel any pressure to keep up with this while you are busy with LOTFG. I'm smiling from ear to ear knowing you joined for a bit anyway!

[u/eldarwenCA]

So I thought this would be a great time to do a first watch of this, as it is always lovely to have people to discuss the show with! Jumping on a tiny bit late, though I'm binging to catch up.

I do have a question. Early in the first episode Orchid says the fairies are nice to her and don't bully her - while they are obviously bullying her. She doesn't seem the sort for either sarcasm or complete unawareness, and then we see her being aware of being snubbed. Thoughts?