Love on the Turquoise Land (2025) Chinese Drama Review | Plot & Cast

Details RATING: (8.5/10) NATIVE TITLE: 枭起青壤 – Xiāo qǐ qīng rǎng YEAR: 2025 EPISODES: 32 DURATION: 45’ DIRECTOR: Tian Li, He Tan, Meng Yuan SCREENWRITER: Tian Li, Liu Xin Dan, Lu Zi Xuan, Chen Si Yi ORIGINAL CREATOR: Wei Yu (枭起青壤 – The Predators That Rise From the Turquoise Soil)

Love on the Turquoise Land is a drama set in a world torn between modernity and superstition, between shadows creeping at the edge of the night and mysteries too dense to be unraveled. It’s a story that treads on tiptoe, traversing enigmatic villas and streets alive with an underground unease, where the echoes of an elusive threat coexist with moments of unexpected tenderness and disarmingly fragile human relationships. In this unstable balance between contemplation, mystery, and science fiction, the series builds an atmosphere that envelops and narrates with tact and poise.

In this Love on the Turquoise Land review, I will try to highlight what works and what fails in this peculiar narrative universe of expectations and disturbing truths.

" 人心难测。"
[Human heart is unfathomable.]

Plot

Nie Jiu Luo is a self-taught sculptor who dreams of making a name for herself in the art world, but behind her seemingly ordinary life lies a secret identity: when she’s not working in her workshop, she is Feng Dao, key member of the ancient warrior elite known as the Nanshan Hunters.

The army was born during the Qin era, after a meteorite crash brought to the surface monstrous, bloodthirsty creatures known as Earth Owls (Di Xiao). For centuries, the Nanshan Hunters have kept this threat at bay, preventing the Earth Owls from wreaking havoc; now, however, some of them have taken human form and live among the population.

Despite longing for a normal life, Nie Jiu Luo decides to take up her sword once again to aid the Hunters and save her mentor, who has fallen into the Owls’ hands. This is how she meets Yan Tuo, a wealthy heir to the Roadsound Pharmaceuticals Group, determined to avenge the death of his parents caused by the Earth Owls leader, Lin Xi Rou, who has become his adoptive mother.

With the help of the guy and that of his half-sister, Lin Ling, Nie Jiu Luo manages to capture some Earth Owls in the hopes of exchanging them for the kidnapped Hunters. However, it will not be easy for her to manage her double identity, her complicated relationship with her former companions, especially the rigid and distrustful Xing Shen, and the increasingly deep feelings she begins to develop for Yan Tuo.

Through deception, lies, and confrontations to the death, the age-old rivalry between the Nanshan Hunters and the Earth Owls unfolds in all its ferocity, culminating in a final battle with an uncertain outcome and potentially devastating consequences, especially for the bond between Yan Tuo and Nie Jiu Luo.

Love on the Turquoise Land Review (No Spoilers)

Love on the Turquoise Land is a drama that thrives on contrasts: slow-paced, contemplative, more inclined to reflection than action, yet permeated by a silent threat that hovers at the edges like a hidden presence ready to strike. In this suspended world, where tension rarely explodes and often remains trapped in a sort of temporal bubble, the characters give substance to the narrative: strong yet fragile figures, impulsive yet cunning, marked by a turbulent past and forced to navigate secret identities, lies, and feelings that struggle to find expression.

Alongside this intimate dimension, the series introduces disturbing elements and twilight atmospheres that amplify its sci-fi imagery, while the plot gives a nod to the thriller, humanizing it with scenes of everyday life and the protagonists’ personal dramas.

Love on the Turquoise Land is a combination of contrasting elements: it presents the fragility, strength, and peculiarities of a story that fascinates, moves, surprises, and sometimes bewilders, but certainly does not disappoint.

Plot and Narrative Pace

The plot is solid, but the narrative unfolds with an almost contemplative slowness that dampens the tension and, at times, eclipses the sci-fi element.

Faced with a threat as present and disturbing as that of the humanoid Earth Owls — whose aura of danger should permeate every scene — one never feels the pressing sense of anxiety one might expect. Their ferocity remains controlled, their hostility measured, more an echo than a looming shadow, and this evanescence prevents the plot from building compelling tension.

The story seems to unfold in a sort of limbo: a bubble in which time seems to expand and fray, like an endless game of chess where every move is destined to always lead to the same result and where the characters move like pawns in the hands of a player whose logic remains obscure. It’s a suspended space where past, present, and future blur, and where the characters advance blindly, trapped in their roles and prejudices, almost incapable of perceiving the urgency of the world around them.

Within this almost hypnotic suspension, emotion is the only thing that manages to emerge with surprising clarity. The sequences in which the protagonists recall the few serene moments of their childhood, in which they question the fragility of their emotional bonds or unprotectedly expose their most vulnerable sides, become the story’s only true driving force. These intimate fragments redeem the phlegmatic narrative progression, restoring weight, depth, and a certain depth to the entire story.

In this sense, Love on the Turquoise Land proves to be a deeply introspective, almost philosophical series, despite its modern setting and its thriller and sci-fi elements.

Beyond the presence of semi-demonic creatures and the struggle between good and evil, what truly drives the narrative is a constant reflection on identity, bonds, right and wrong, and how people deal with what they cannot understand and perceive as threatening.

The series almost seems more interested in dissecting these themes, investigating the human psyche, analyzing behavior, and giving meaning to the silences that remain after dialogue, than in telling a story. It is in this meditative exploration that it finds its most authentic signature, transforming the sci-fi framework into a mirror of human anxieties rather than a simple narrative backdrop.

Characters and Love Story

The characterization is truly effective. Chen Xing Xu portrays a Yan Tuo who is light years away from his iconic character, the implacable prince in Goodbye, My Princess. He’s determined, yes, but less ruthless, more awkwardly tender, and genuinely fascinated by Nie Jiu Luo‘s strength.

She, on the other hand, is a monolith of independence and mistrust, tempered by a harsh and lonely childhood. Yet, when danger becomes concrete, she finds the courage to trust this young scion who both irritates and intrigues her, perhaps because she recognizes the wounds he seems to bear. She combines altruism and indifference: she cares for her companions, but remains reluctant to give up her life and return to work with the Nanshan Hunters. It is precisely this combination of strength and weakness that makes both protagonists so believable.

The relationship that develops between them, despite arising under complex circumstances, is imbued with an unexpected tenderness, a humanity that seeps through the cracks in their souls and ultimately warms the entire narrative. Initially, their bond is strategic: both hope to benefit from each other’s connections. But, through enduring dangers and sharing secrets, that prudent usefulness transforms into genuine affection.

Yan Tuo is won over by her resolute strength and instinctive altruism; Nie Jiu Luo, who has always lived protected by her own mistrust, ends up being surprised by his naive sweetness, by the way he supports, sustains, and even protects her in the most critical moments. In this mutual trust, born almost by chance, the story finds some of its most sincere and human moments.

Cast

The cast’s work is commendable, proving to be the drama’s true narrative engine and the true driving force behind its overall success. Since the characters’ interactions and inner lives support the entire framework, it’s impossible not to acknowledge the actors’ astonishing professionalism in responding to the plot’s demands.

Chen Xing Xu imbued his Yan Tuo with a rare humanity: apparent superficiality coexists with a disarming kindness, spontaneous generosity with remorse for past events, physical strength with an emotional fragility that surfaces at the most unexpected moments. All of this is brought to life through acting that manages to remain genuine, almost naive, without ever losing depth.

Equally credible is Zhang Yi Chi‘s portrayal of Lv Xian, so authentic that we root for him and for the success of his relationship with the introverted Lin Ling until the very end.

Dilraba Dilmurat did not disappoint this time either: her Nie Jiu Luo is strong, independent, yet capable of sweetness, vulnerability, and emotion when the situation calls for it. A flawless performance that once again confirms her versatility (though I confess I loved her in all her roles, even her most naive one in Eternal Love of Dream).

Zhang Li and Tian Xiao Jie (he was also admirable in Legend of Zang Hai) are very convincing, both brilliant at giving their characters the complexity and nuance necessary to make them emerge as central figures in the drama, without ever making them appear over the top.

Dong Chang, on the other hand, is a bit subdued: his Xing Shen is so impenetrable as to be almost unintelligible, clashing with the psychological and introspective tone that characterizes the rest of the drama.

Visual Aspects and Soundtrack

Visually, Love on the Turquoise Land stands out for its direction that, despite a certain overzealousness, appears sincere in its attempt to create atmosphere. The director carefully crafts the shots and settings, which are often evocative — the hotel where Dilraba’s character stays in the early episodes, for example, seems like a subtle homage to the Overlook Hotel from The Shining.

At times, however, the insistence on twilight hues and desaturated colors feels a bit forced: it’s true that the Earth Owls operate primarily in the shadows, but making everything dark doesn’t automatically heighten the sense of unease, especially when the tension isn’t truly supported by the narrative.

Overall, however, the drama’s aesthetics works very well, thanks above all to the outdoor settings — varied, believable, and imbued with a naturalness that gives the story a sense of space — and the evocative aerial views during the car journeys. The inclusion of a real fireworks display to simulate New Year’s Eve celebrations is the ultimate testament to the attention paid to building a vivid and authentic scenic world.

As for the costumes, Love on the Turquoise Land generally manages to maintain a good stylistic coherence: the outfits are appropriate to the characters and believable within their narrative context.

The only real discordant note, I find, is Nie Jiu Luo’s wardrobe. Despite being an artist, we see her wearing surprisingly elegant clothes even in the lab while sculpting—a choice that, besides being unrealistic, clashes with the extreme concreteness of her character.

However, it’s her look, as a Earth Owls hunter, that is truly perplexing: a jumpsuit with strategic cuts on the top, a Matrix-esque overcoat, and that long braid with extensions that seems straight out of the Tomb Raider imagery. A visually striking ensemble, certainly, but somewhat out of place for someone who should be engaging in hand-to-hand combat, not walking a catwalk.

Added to this is the fact that Nie Jiu Luo wears constant makeup, a detail that — more than in other dramas — is annoyingly obvious and contributes to making her character visually unbelievable. These aesthetic choices, while likely intended to give her character, end up weakening, in part, Nie Jiu Luo’s believability.

The soundtrack is a pleasant surprise: far from the usual melodramatic ballads that often accompany Chinese productions, here each song seems to possess its own independent identity with a precise and recognizable musicality. The main theme, modern and rhythmic, manages to combine anxiety and melancholy without weighing down the atmosphere, becoming a discreet yet highly effective emotional counterpoint. Even more interesting is the opening theme, where a sort of storyteller brings to music the ancient legend of the birth of the Earth Owls: an evocative and unusual fusion of tradition and modernity that captures the attention and gives the drama a musical accent that is hard to forget.

Love on the Turquoise Land Review (Spoilers)

Love on the Turquoise Land is a drama that, despite some imperfections, still manages to leave a surprisingly authentic emotional impression. This is thanks to a writing that, when it focuses on human relationships, finds its best expression, and above all to a cast that supports the entire structure with rare interpretative strength.

With its twilight atmospheres, evocative panoramas, intimate dialogue, and emotionally complex characters, the drama builds an original world, perhaps imperfect, but certainly alive. And it is precisely this vitality—at times tender, at times tragic, but always sincere—that makes the overall experience satisfying and justifies watching this series.

What Works

The Characters and their Relationships

One of the aspects of the series that works best for me is the character development, which, thanks to the actors’ masterful performances, comes to life surprisingly vividly.

Chen Xing Xu offers an incredibly nuanced portrait of his protagonist: Yan Tuo is a betrayed, broken man determined to exact his revenge, but lacking the ruthless, calculating aura that characterized Prince Li Cheng Yin in Goodbye, My Princess. His ML is more awkward in his gestures, more timid in his approach, almost in awe of the rough and magnetic strength of his companion in misadventure, Nie Jiu Luo, whom he observes with sincere respect and barely restrained admiration.

The FL, for her part, embodies the toughness of those who have learned to be self-sufficient: independent to the point of stubbornness, suspicious out of necessity, she is a warrior tempered by a stolen childhood and a painful family separation that still weighs like an unhealed scar. Yet, when the situation becomes truly dangerous, she decides — almost against her very nature — to place her trust in Yan Tuo, a rich, spoiled young man, seemingly out of place, who captures her interest, perhaps because she recognizes in him a shadow of her own loneliness.

Despite having a profoundly altruistic heart — as demonstrated by her concern for the fate of Sun Zhou and Yan Tuo, injured by the Owls, and of her companions Que die and Jiang Bai Chuan, kidnapped by Lin Xi Rou — Nie Jiu Luo’s behavior remains at times thorny: her reluctance to return to patrol with the Nanshan Hunters and her tendency to proceed alone are difficult to reconcile with a threat like that of the Earth Owls, who have become even more dangerous after assuming human form, so much so that they blend in with the common people and even escape the scent of the Gou Clan’s “hounds.”

It is in these contradictions, in this mix of vulnerability and strength, that the two main characters find their balance and that the evolution of their relationship proves interesting to follow.

There is also something surprisingly comforting and tenderly human in the relationship that develops between the two protagonists. Although he initially appears to care for her with an almost strategic intent, hoping to exploit her connections to carry out his revenge, as he is gradually won over by her resolve, her instinctive courage, and her altruism, which emerges in the most critical moments, this attitude transforms into genuine care.

For her part, she, who has made individualism and detachment her essential armor, ends up being surprised and won over by the sweetness with which Yan Tuo helps her, cares for her, and, when necessary, protects her. In this unexpected trust, in the way Nie Jiu Luo accepts to abandon herself to his care without losing her strength — as during her convalescence in episodes 10 and 12 or when she hugs him in fear after dreaming of drowning in episode 27 and before facing the Earth Owls in episode 29 — the series finds some of its most emotionally authentic and touching moments.

The Script

The script is another aspect I really enjoyed, especially for the way it handles the delicate game of secret identities. The protagonists carefully balance naiveté and lies, maintaining a facade of normality to protect themselves from the hostile gazes of the Earth Owls: a fragile balance, constructed with speeches and gestures of rare subtlety.

I particularly appreciated the subtlety of the hidden dialogue between Yan Tuo and Nie Jiu Luo at the restaurant in episode 16, as they pretended to entertain their dinner companions, as well as the scene of the “false” love confession in episode 18, during the dinner hosted by Lin Xi Rou: a setup to mislead the enemies, certainly, but also a true stream of consciousness, a moment of emotional truth in which both reveal what they felt during their time together.

Adding to the script’s believability and humanity are the intimate scenes interspersed between the two factions’ clashes: the hair washing and the preparation of jiaozi in episode 12, or the brief but touching exchanges between Yu Rong and Que Cha. Small gestures, poised between sweetness and vulnerability, stand out even more against the dark backdrop of a subtle threat like that of the Earth Owls.

The Horror Elements

Despite the slow pace of the narrative, there is one element that, though introduced quietly, is sufficient to maintain the tension throughout the series: the Earth Owls’ need for a sort of “blood bag”, a person whose blood allows them to obtain and maintain their human form.

And it is precisely the nature of this bond that generates growing unease: since these humanoids’ lives are much longer than that of a common mortal, they work with an almost macabre determination to ensure that their blood bag mates with another human, generating offspring that can sustain them when the original “source” ceases. The blood bags must be inbred, since blood from different individuals would alter the Earth Owls’ physiological balance, revealing their distinctive odor — easily detectable by the Hunters. This horrible secret adds a disturbing edge to the plot and, along with the characters’ tender moments, helps give the story depth and emotional weight.

What Doesn't Work: Minor Narrative Inconsistencies

In addition to the overall slow pace of the narrative, the plot presents some small logical flaws that are hard to ignore, especially regarding the nature of the humanoid Earth Owls. Once transformed, they lose much of their animalistic strength, and their scratches are no longer infectious. Yet they continue to enjoy their original longevity and heal with unnatural speed from very serious wounds — such as Gou Yan after falling from a window, or Chen Fu being impaled by Yan Tuo with a screwdriver. These disconcerting developments, however, fail to explain why the Hunters aren’t concerned that a stunned Owl might recover at any moment, or how long they can realistically consider it harmless.

Added to this are other narrative inconsistencies: for example, the fact that Nie Jiu Luo continues to live peacefully in her villa — and even takes Lin Ling, Chang Xi, and then Yan Tuo there — despite knowing that Lin Xi Rou knows her address and has long suspected her. It’s also unclear why the Owls don’t immediately raid her home after discovering she’s a Nanshan Hunter following Lin Ling’s failed kidnapping attempt, nor why Yang Zheng doesn’t identify her as Feng Dao when she openly wields her iconic double sword.

Many of Lin Xi Rou’s decisions are also incomprehensible, especially because they’re attributed to someone who’s supposed to be cold and ruthless. First, one wonders why she doesn’t eliminate Jiang Bai Chuan when she realizes he’ll never reveal Feng Dao’s identity. And second, it’s hard to believe she wouldn’t get rid of Yan Tuo despite knowing full well of his hostility and his desire to kill her. These are details that don’t compromise the entire story, but they crop up here and there, leaving a slight sense of dissonance.

Characters and Cast

Primary Characters

Nie Jiu Luo/A’Luo/Feng Dao (Dilraba Dilmurat), sculptor famous for creating the Hermit Duck, a figurine popular among young people. In reality, she is Feng Dao (Mad Blade), key member of the Nanshan Hunters and leader of the Dao Clan (Blade Clan). Her weapon is the Life-Death Blade, a double-bladed sword, the only instrument capable of killing Earth Owls.

Yan Tuo (Chen Xing Xu), son of the deceased owner of the former Roadsound Mines, became General Manager of Roadsound Pharmaceuticals Group. After being orphaned, he was raised by Li Shuang Xiu, whom he later discovered to be his parents’ killer. Through his encounter with Nie Jiu, Luo learns that she is actually a Earth Owls, a bloodthirsty being born from a genetic mutation caused by a meteorite that fell in the area hundreds of years earlier.

Li Shuang Xiu/Lin Xi Rou/Lin jie (Zhang Li) self-declared cousin of Li Er Gou, a miner from the Roadsound Mines who inexplicably disappeared. She assumed the identity of Yan Tuo’s mother after killing her and her husband. She is the Legal Representative of the Roadsound Pharmaceuticals Group, but is also the leader of the group of Earth Owls who have taken human form. Her goal is to transform others of her kind using Roadsound Pharmaceuticals’ technology.

Supporting Characters

Yan Huan Shan/Da Shan (Wang Da Qi), Yan Tuo’s father and owner of the Roadsound Mines. After the disappearance of miner Li Er Gou, out of compassion, he hired his self-declared cousin as a nanny, spelling the ruin of his family. He was unaware that Li Shuang Xiu was actually a Earth Owl who had assumed human form deep within the earth and who had approached him to steal his family’s property, leading to his death.

Lin Xi Rou (Yi Shan), Yan Tuo’s mother. Although highly suspicious of Li Shuang Xiu, she initially agreed to take her into the family, but then realized something was wrong with her. After a failed escape attempt, Li Shuang Xiu kidnapped her daughter and forced her husband to put all the family assets in her name, then killed him and forced her to commit suicide.

Yan Xin/Xin Xin (Zhang Xin Ran) Yan Tuo’s sister who disappeared into thin air when she was still a child. In reality, she was kidnapped by Li Shuang Xiu to force Yan Huan Shan to register all his assets in her name.

Liu Chang Xi (Lin Peng) former miner at Roadsound Mines and an old friend of Yan Huan Shan, who runs a dumpling shop. He is very close to Yan Tuo and he saves and gives him his late mother’s diary, thanks to which Yan Tuo discovers the truth about Lin Xi Rou. For this reason, Yan Tuo doesn’t hesitate to entrust Nie Jia Luo to him, when she is seriously injured by Chen Fu, and Lin Lang, after Nie Jia Luo frees her from Lin Xi Rou.

Lv Xian (Zhang Yi Chi) traditional Chinese medicine doctor and owner of the Wanbaolou Clinic. He is an orphan whose studies were sponsored by Lin Xi Rou, and therefore he is extremely loyal to her, treating her injured men for free and without questions.

Lin Ling (Liang Song Qing) Lin Xi Rou’s adopted daughter and Yan Tuo’s half-sister. She is actually the sister of Li Er Gou, Lin Xi Rou’s blood bag, whom she is trying to marry off to Lv Xian to ensure her offspring. Initially indifferent to the boy, she gradually begins to genuinely care for him.

Si jie (Li Zheng) Earth Owl who works as Lin Xi Rou’s housekeeper. She is responsible for monitoring Lin Ling and ensuring her safety.

Xiong Hei (Su Xin) Vice President of Roadsound Pharmaceuticals and Lin Xi Rou’s right-hand man. In reality, he is a Earth Owl from her clan who handles dirty work.

Gou Yan (Wang Yun Fan) teacher assigned to the Roadsound Orphanage by Lin Xi Rou. In reality, he is a Earth Owl from her clan, whom she sends to the institution to reunite with his blood bag, the little orphan Tutu. However, his uncontrolled behavior and “omnivorous” eating habits threaten to expose his true nature, so Lin Xi Rou decides to execute him.

Han Guan (Yang Shu Ming) and Chen Fu (Tang Yi Nuo), Earth Owls from Heyang who travel to Xicang to witness the transformation of a new Owl into a human. The Hunters attempt to capture them to secure the release of Jiang Bai Chuan and their other companions, but something goes wrong and Nie Jiu Luo is forced to kill the former and is injured by the latter.

Xu An Ni (Yang Yue), Chen Fu’s partner. In reality, she’s his blood bag and he plans to have her raped by a criminal to continue her bloodline and have a new blood bag to exploit after her death.

Yang Zheng (Qiang Ba Cai Dan) Earth Owl who belongs to the Lin Xi Rou clan. He is a nursery worker and travels to Xicang to witness the transformation of a new Owl into a human.

Li Yue Ying (Kong Yan) Earth Owl who belongs to the Lin Xi Rou clan. She is an artist and travels to Xicang to witness the transformation of a new Owl into a human. She is part of a group of Earth Owls who consumed the blood of a sterile man to assume human form, and therefore she’is ill.

Feng Mi (Pan Mei Ye) Earth Owl who belongs to Lin Xi Rou’s clan. She is a DJ and travels to Xicang to witness the transformation of a new Owl into a human.

Shen Li Zhu (Gao Li Pei) Earth Owl who belongs to Lin Xi Rou’s clan, whom the Hunters capture to secure the release of Jiang Bai Chuan. She runs a snack shop in Yudong, and her blood bags are her adoptive sister Yu Cai Yan and Yu Cai Yan’s daughter, Lu Yu Qian.

Zheng Liang (Zhao Jing Shu Yu) Earth Owl who belongs to Lin Xi Rou’s clan, whom the Hunters capture to secure the release of Jiang Bai Chuan. He works in veggie logistics in Guigu, and his blood bag is his roommate, the porter Zhou Cheng.

Wei Jiao (Xie Yu Meng) Earth Owl who belongs to Lin Xi Rou’s clan, whom the Hunters capture to secure the release of Jiang Bai Chuan. She is an art teacher at a training institute in Jinyu who cares for her student, Meng Tong, her second-generation blood bag who replaced his deceased mother.

Zhu Chang Yi (Kang Xuan) Earth Owl who belongs to Lin Xi Rou’s clan, whom the Hunters capture to secure the release of Jiang Bai Chuan. He is a taxi driver from Huihu whose blood sac is his adopted son Cheng Xiao Tao.

Qin Chi, Earth Owl killed by Li Yue Ying because he was part of the group whose blood sac was a sterile man and therefore destined to die.

Mr. Lu (Tian Li) manager of Nie Jiu Luo.

Mrs. Lu (Shi Yue Ling), Nie Jiu Luo’s housekeeper.

Pei Ke (Nie Chu Yi), Nie Jiu Luo’s mother who disappeared when she was still a child while defending her companions from the Owls during the repair of the Golden Gate — the entrance to the Twilight Chasm of which the Nanshan Hunters are the guardians.

Nie Xi Hong (Wang Fang), Nie Jiu Luo’s father, who committed suicide some time after his wife’s disappearance.

Ling Jie (Cai Yu Jie), senior member of the Nanshan Hunters and a friend of Nie Jiu Luo’s mother. She died when Nie Jiu Luo was still a teenager due to kidney damage sustained during the fight in which the girl’s mother disappeared.

Jiang Bai Chuan/Jiang Shu (Tian Xiao Jie), senior member of the Nanshan Hunters belonging to the Gou Clan (Hound Clan) and Nie Jiu Luo’s mentor. During the raid to free Que die, he was captured by the Earth Owls and infected.

Que Cha (Zhao Xin), girl adopted by Jiang Bai Chuan. She was initially tasked with caring for Hua saozi while the Hunters went to rescue Que die, then, after Jiang Bai Chuan’s kidnapping, she joined the Hunters to free him.

Xing Shen/Kuang Quan (Dong Chang) key member of the Nanshan Hunters, leader of the Gou Clan, and a childhood friend of Nie Jiu Luo. To sharpen his sense of smell and become Kuang Quan (Mad Dog), he took the Huoqian pill, an ancient Hunter remedy, which, however, left him blind during the day. His weapon is the Copper Hammer with which he repels the Earth Owls.

Que die (Pei Kui Shan) senior member of the Nanshan Hunters belonging to the Gou Clan. To free him, Jiang Bai Chuan is captured by the Earth Owls.

Da Tou (Yang Yi) senior member of the Nanshan Hunters belonging to the Gou Clan.

Xiao Ge Zhi (Zhang Tai Wen) young member of the Nanshan Hunters belonging to the Gou Clan. He becomes Xing Shen’s right-hand man.

Ma Han Zi (Zheng Hao) autistic boy and a member of the Nanshan Hunters. He is a childhood friend of Nie Jiu Luo and Xing Shen and is in charge of scientific analysis.

Yu Rong/Guishou Dabian (Yan Zhuo Ling) key member of the Nanshan Hunters, leader of the Bian Clan (Whip Clan). Her alias is Guishou Dabian (Ghost Whip) and her weapon is the Whistling Whip, with which she tames the Earth Owls.

Hua saozi (Wang Yi Chan) senior member of the Nanshan Hunters, belonging to the Bian Clan. She is nearly killed by Xiong Hei when he goes to rescue Gou Yan and Yan Tuo, who were kidnapped by the Hunters.

Zhang Shan Qiang/A’Qiang (Zhang Ming En) member of the Nanshan Hunters, belonging to the Bian Clan. He is young and impulsive, but also one of the most skilled and dedicated to the mission.

Lao Dao (Shong Shu Xin), senior member of the Nanshan Hunters belonging to the Dao Clan. He is seriously injured while fighting the Earth Owls to save Que die.

Mazha, Earth Owl captured twenty years earlier by the Nanshan Hunters, whom Xing Shen is trying to tame.

Mr. Meng (Lu Sen Bao), supplier for Roadsound Pharmaceuticals in Heyang, whom Yan Tuo uses as an excuse to go and interrogate Xu An Ni with Nie Jiu Luo.

Mrs. Wang (Yang Qiao Yue), Roadsound Welfare Home’s teacher who is killed by Gou Yan because the wound on her hand awakens his predatory instincts.

Sun Zhou (Ding Wen Bo), Nie Jiu Luo’s tour guide, is bitten by Gou Yan while waiting for the woman near the Zhong Kui Temple where she had gone for research. Not having received the “fire cure” in time, he transforms into a “Earth Demon”. Nie Jiu Luo, however, can’t bring herself to kill him, so Xing Shen decides, unbeknownst to her, to tame him and use him to fight against the Earth Owls.

Qiao Ya (Chen Yu Mi), Sun Zhou’s girlfriend.

You Peng, Earth Owl whom Lin Xi Rou plans to transform into a human but who is killed by Nie Jiu Luo and Yu Rong at the Youtang Mine while rescuing Yan Tuo.

Favorite Character: Lv Xian

He’s one of those characters who, despite starting out quietly, end up shining thanks to his positivity.

Patient, easygoing, not particularly ambitious and driven by genuine altruism, he gratefully lives the debt he feels he owes to Lin Xi Rou, the woman who supported him since childhood in the orphanage and who financed his studies.

Yet, when he realizes Yan Tuo needs help, he doesn’t hesitate to side with him, even at the cost of thwarting his benefactor’s interests: a choice that reveals surprising moral courage, but one that isn’t born solely from his generosity. Lv Xian has discovered that the same woman who saved him is also the source of his downfall: when he was still a child, it was Lin Xi Rou who disappeared the bone marrow donor who could have cured his father’s leukemia and prevented his mother from dying of exhaustion in a desperate attempt to support him.

It is this painful truth, combined with his admiration for Yan Tuo, that drives him to take up a battle that he, conditioned by her loyalty, would never have found the strength to fight alone.

Despite his gentle nature, he proves unsuspectingly skilled at lying and concocting small schemes to outwit Lin Xi Rou once he discovers her inhuman nature.

When Lin Xi Rou tries to push him into Lin Ling’s arms — in the most unlikely of arranged marriages — he remains respectful, patient, careful not to force her. He tries to win her over step by step, making her feel safe, and ends up truly fond of her, so much so that he risks his own life to free her from the control of her treacherous stepmother.

Although a secondary character, he naturally occupies a prominent place in the story: his purity, his generosity, and his ability to inspire sympathy make him a luminous presence, a small anchor of humanity in a world dominated by deception, mystery, and danger.

Un-Favorite Character: Xing Shen

He is one of the most ambiguous and morally questionable characters in the drama despite being formally positive.

Although his childhood was difficult and lonely, this past does not make him more empathetic: on the contrary, it hardens him to the point of appearing selfish, insensitive, and incapable of seeing beyond his own ambition.

Despite his evident affection for Nie Jiu Luo, he has never truly supported her: rather than accept her choice to abandon the role of Feng Dao to pursue her dream of becoming a sculptor, he chose to turn his back on her and become Kuang Quan, following a path that distances him from her and from the selflessness he should demonstrate towards the common people.

Obsessed by the desire to excel within the Nanshan Hunters and no longer feel like an outcast, he resorts to the most dangerous shortcut: he takes the Huoqian pill, sacrificing his eyesight to fill what he considers his own shortcoming.

His mission as a Hunter stems not from a desire to protect civilians, but from a desire for personal glory, as demonstrated by many of his most ruthless choices, such as when he asks Yu Rong to train poor Sun Zhou, unaware and condemned to transform into a monstrous, bloodthirsty creature, to fight against the humanoid Owls — effectively causing his death; or when, out of mistrust and pride, he prefers to unmask Yan Tuo in front of Lin Xi Rou rather than collaborate with him, abandoning him to the woman’s mercy and causing him needless suffering resulting from his imprisonment in the former Roadsound Mines.

Even in the finale, when he uses the wrapped-head xun (Chinese ocarina) of Nanshan Hunters to awaken the infected Hunters beyond the Golden Gate, he acts without truly considering the consequences: those now deranged warriors could have attacked anyone, including him and his companions—as ultimately happens.

In short, he embodies the most toxic form of heroism: the kind that disguises itself as duty, but is born of pride and ends up putting everyone in danger.