The Immortal Ascension

Great drama based on the novel. With Yang Yang in the lead, his portrayal brings Han Li's pain, pride, and eventual transcendence vividly to life, making the series both a feast for genre enthusiasts and a star-driven entry point for newcomers. As a martial cultivation tale, there's enough here to captivate fans of the genre-especially those drawn to power ascension and mythical lineages. If you're just starting your journey into Xianxia or craving an epic with a dragon-touched hero, this might be your next binge.

Utterly captivated by China's unique cultivation system. The novelty and the step-by-step strategic thinking could even be applied as life wisdom. Lead actor Yang Yang's action sequences are incredibly fluid and graceful, full of beauty while also conveying raw power-this brings an authentic feel to the depiction of illusory scenes. I'm absolutely in love with this series!when will the next season be on.

The number of people praising The Immortal Ascension as being the best xianxia of 2025 have set the bar shamefully low.

Absolutely everything about this show is overhyped. In fact, the success of this show is possibly powered entirely by Yang Yang's fans, who insist that Yang Yang "delivered a captivating performance." I think we need to be clear about which aspects of his performance were captivating. First, he really is very good at the combat choreography aspect of his role, and it doesn't seem like he needed a stunt double (based on the behind-the-scenes footage). However, acting-wise, it's like watching paint dry. He doesn't emote in a convincing way, and though he does display some degree of "spatial awareness," it feels forced (that is, he doesn't come across as being fully immersed in the role). Simply put, his acting feels very wooden, which is exactly how I feel about Zhao Xiao Tang's performance as well. This proves that having an attractive cast doesn't guarantee a show's success, especially when the actors are a mismatch for their roles.

To make matters worse, the storyline was all over the place. The first few episodes served as a clever smokescreen that piqued my curiosity, but after that, it starts going downhill fast. By episode 20, it becomes evident that the key to enjoying the show is not thinking too deeply about the plot or caring at all about character development. Just enjoy the combat sequences and CGI because that's literally all that's being served here.

The show starts off slow, and I completely understand why many people felt that way-I almost dropped it myself. But as the episodes progress, it gets better and better. The story gradually becomes so engaging, and the CGI improves tremendously, especially during the mid-series fight scenes-they were just wow!

This review is for anyone thinking of giving up early: don't. You'll miss out on an amazing story and top-notch production. After finishing it, I truly feel it deserves far more hype than it currently has because the storytelling is outstanding.

I will upload this review on MDL too.

Yang Yang's portrayal of Han Li is nothing short of a divine embodiment straight from the pages of the novel. His nuanced and profound acting captures the character's core-that resilience and intelligence shimmering beneath an ordinary exterior. The initial simplicity and naivety of a rural youth are portrayed naturally through his clear gaze and subtle body language. As the character's power grows, Han Li'scold, introverted, and strategic nature is layered and elevated through Yang Yang's restrained yet powerful performance. He not only conveys the character's low-key and enduring philosophy of survival but also hints at his sharpness withexcatly facial expressions, making the cunning and vigilance of "Old Demon Han" leap off the screen.

In action sequences, Yang Yang's posture is as firm as a pine tree, his movements fluid, perfectly blending the ethereal elegance of Taoist combat with tension. In dramatic scenes, he uses his eyes to communicate the complex inner world of Han Li-from lonely courage to responsibility, from restraint to resolution. Every step of his growth is filled with emotional impact. Yang Yang proves with his acting that he needs no exaggeration: through a deep understanding of the character's soul alone, he can forge the epic of a mortal's journey to immortality into a stunning and vivid chapter.