Synopsis

Cast & Crew

Episodes

Reviews (5)

In the toxic political haze of ancient Chang'an, Che Yuan Shan, a minister of justice, stumbles upon a wounded merman named Yi Xia at a murder scene. Mermaids are trafficked for their silk and pearl tears, and the law decrees death for any human caught harboring them. Yet, Yuan Shan spares Yi Xia, setting off a dangerous forbidden romance that intertwines with a vicious power struggle for the throne. As the Crown Prince schemes and a dragon beast spreads corrupting qi, Yuan Shan finds himself torn between duty to his wife and king, and his growing obsession with the beautiful, otherworldly Yi Xia. With interspecies tensions boiling over and the merman's secrets unraveling, their love faces impossible odds. This low-budget Chinese wuxia fantasy weaves together political intrigue, supernatural lore, and steamy intimacy, culminating in a mind-bending meta ending that will leave you questioning reality itself.

Zhang Kai Qiang

Cast

Lawrence Zhang

Cast

Xu Yang

Cast

Leng Ji Yuan

Cast

Historical

Cast

Supernatural

Cast

Episode data is coming soon.

6.2

out of 10

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merman_lover

June 2025

8/10

I absolutely adored the chemistry between Yuanshan and Yixia! The longing looks, the steamy red-sheet scene—my BL heart was full. Yes, the plot is messy and the wigs are tragic, but I didn't care because their forbidden love felt so raw and passionate. That ending made me cry happy tears; soulmates through time is my favorite trope!

logic_over_fluff

March 2025

4/10

The premise is interesting but the execution is a complete mess. Characters flip from hating each other to making out without any development. The world-building is barely explained, and the political subplot is incoherent. I appreciate the attempt at Chinese BL representation, but this feels like a first draft that needed another hour of runtime.

visual_dreamer

January 2026

7/10

Despite the obvious low budget, I was impressed by the cinematography. The ancient sets, the ethereal mermaid costumes, and especially the use of red lighting during intimate scenes were visually stunning. The ending sequence with the music and the slow-motion reveal was beautifully shot. If only the script had been as polished as the visuals.

critical_lens

August 2025

5/10

I struggled with the power dynamics here—Yuanshan literally kills mermaids for a living, yet Yixia instantly falls for him. There's no real discussion of consent or the trauma of slavery. The love story feels like Stockholm syndrome wrapped in fantasy. That said, I'm glad a Chinese film dared to show explicit same-sex affection. It's a step forward, but a flawed one.

melody_seeker

December 2025

6/10

The music is the hidden gem of this movie. The ending theme completely overwhelmed me with emotion—it made the confusing meta twist feel poetic and heartbreaking. The rest of the score is standard wuxia fare, but it works. I wish the soundtrack had a proper release. It's the only reason I'd rewatch this.

Mermaid’s Jade