The Immortal Ascension Synopsis
Based on the novel by Wang Yu, The Immortal Ascension follows Han Li (Yang Yang), an ordinary young man from a poor village who enters the world of cultivation by chance. Despite his modest talent, he sets out on the path to immortality, relying on his intelligence, caution, and determination to overcome the challenges ahead. As he grows stronger and faces increasingly dangerous opponents, Han Li must learn how to survive in a world where power, ambition, and betrayal often go hand in hand.
The Immortal Ascension Review
The Immortal Ascension is an engaging xianxia drama that stands out from others in the same genre. One of its greatest strengths lies in its action sequences and the effective use of visual effects.
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While many xianxia dramas favor elegant, flowing fight choreography that emphasizes their characters’ spiritual powers, The Immortal Ascension combines elements of wuxia combat with the fantastical battles typical of xianxia. Flying scenes in some xianxia dramas can feel rather simplistic, but this series takes a different approach, making its aerial sequences feel more realistic and reminiscent of the action scenes in DC and Marvel films.
This approach makes the fight scenes particularly satisfying to watch. Several monsters created with visual effects also look convincing and lifelike, although one or two are less impressive.
The Immortal Ascension
Spectacular Battles, but an Uneven Story
The Immortal Ascension offers a refreshing take on the xianxia genre with its spectacular action sequences, convincing visual effects, and complex, realistic protagonist. Han Li’s journey also explores themes of humanity, trust, and inequality in the cultivation world. However, an uneven balance of power between the sects, underutilized powerful characters, and awkward romantic subplots prevent the story from being entirely satisfying.
Good Stuff
- Spectacular action sequences with realistic fight choreography.
- Convincing visual effects, particularly in flying scenes and monster designs.
- A complex portrayal of Han Li, with meaningful character development and reflections on human nature.
Bad Stuff
- An uneven balance of power between the sects that makes some conflicts less convincing.
- Powerful characters such as Nangong Wan and Han Li’s teachers are underutilized.
- Awkward romantic elements that feel disconnected from the main storyline.
The visual effects and action sequences are not the only things that set this drama apart. Although it follows Han Li on his journey toward immortality, the story avoids some of the common clichés found in similar works. Rather than focusing solely on Han Li’s efforts to increase his power through various artifacts and spiritual herbs, the drama also explores his personal growth and invites viewers to reflect on different aspects of human nature.
Han Li’s transformation from a teenager from a poor family into a dependable member of his sect is portrayed naturally. As the protagonist, he is neither an idealist nor a straightforward hero. Instead, he is clever, pragmatic, and realistic. Interestingly, although he has witnessed human deceit firsthand since his youth, he manages to retain his humanity.
Being betrayed by a teacher he once respected during his teenage years makes Han Li reluctant to trust others. He keeps his distance from people he does not trust, but conceals his suspicions behind a friendly demeanor and smooth talk. This shows how painful experiences shape the way he interacts with others. He learns to remain cautious without openly revealing his distrust.
Han Li also recognizes the flaws and inequalities in the social order of the cultivation world. However, he understands that his abilities are not enough to change the entire system. Instead, he looks for ways to survive within a flawed society. This approach sets him apart from protagonists who are determined to uphold their ideals or transform the world around them. Han Li would rather assess the situation, weigh the risks, and make decisions based on the opportunities available to him.
These qualities make Han Li a complex and believable character. Viewers can understand the reasons behind his actions, even when they do not necessarily agree with his decisions. Yang Yang delivers a fairly convincing performance in the role.
Through the supporting characters, the drama also reveals the flaws in the system and values upheld by the immortal cultivators. The group that claims to represent righteousness and the demonic factions portrayed as evil turn out to be surprisingly similar. In both camps, hierarchy is determined by talent and strength. The differences between them, therefore, do not always come down to morality, but also to the interests and positions they seek to protect.
An Uneven Balance of Power in The Immortal Ascension Season 1
This is where the first season begins to show its weaknesses. The demonic faction, which consists of six sects, is portrayed as having more troops and powerful cultivators than the righteous side, which consists of seven sects. As the story progresses, we learn that the leaders of the righteous sects have reached a peace agreement with the demonic faction. Under this agreement, these powerful figures are not allowed to intervene in the war. On top of that, the seven righteous sects have been infiltrated by spies and defectors.
Once the conflict intensifies, however, Han Li’s side seems to suffer defeat after defeat. This can be frustrating for viewers, especially when Han Li loses fellow cultivators in the struggle against the demonic faction. Even a victory that initially appears genuine turns out to be an illusion created through deception.
Han Li and his seniors do achieve a victory, but it comes at a heavy cost: two senior cultivators and two of Han Li’s companions die in the battle. Yet the drama does not clearly explain whether the sect they fought was connected to the six demonic sects. This lack of clarity makes it difficult to understand how that particular battle fits into the larger conflict.
The situation feels odd because the seven righteous sects also have many powerful cultivators. Nevertheless, we rarely see them achieve meaningful victories that could turn the tide in Han Li’s side’s favor. Meanwhile, although only a handful of important characters from the demonic faction are prominently featured, they manage to inflict devastating blows on their opponents.
Repeated defeats can be an effective way to build tension and demonstrate the magnitude of the threat facing the protagonist. However, they need to be supported by a convincing portrayal of both sides’ strengths. The outcomes of the battles would feel more credible if they reflected a clearer balance of power, or if the story offered sufficient explanations for why the seemingly stronger side struggles to win.
As a result, powerful characters such as Nangong Wan and Han Li’s teachers seem underutilized. The power dynamics established through the descriptions of the sects, troops, and skilled cultivators do not fully translate into the outcomes of the battles. This makes some of the conflicts less convincing, even though the political tensions and internal betrayals provide a reasonable explanation for the difficulties faced by the righteous side.
A Romance That Feels Awkward
Another aspect worth examining is the romance. Han Li is described as having “false” spiritual roots, referring to a type of spiritual root associated with four or five elements that is considered disadvantageous within the drama’s cultivation system. People with this type of spiritual root are regarded as untalented and are believed to have difficulty reaching higher levels of cultivation.
Han Li is also repeatedly described by other characters as an exceptionally ordinary-looking young man. That description is difficult to take seriously when compared with Yang Yang, the actor playing him. Yet this supposedly ordinary-looking young man, who is also considered to have weak spiritual aptitude, attracts the attention of four women. They come from very different backgrounds, ranging from Nangong Wan, a grandmaster of a prominent sect, to Mo Cai Huan, an ordinary mortal.
This situation could have been an interesting part of Han Li’s character development. A person’s status and abilities in the cultivation world do not necessarily determine the personal relationships they form. However, for the romantic elements to feel convincing, the women’s attraction to Han Li needs to be developed through interactions and relationships that viewers can understand.
Unfortunately, the romance becomes one of the drama’s weaknesses because it often feels strange and awkward. Han Li sometimes finds himself on the receiving end of aggressive advances from women who are attracted to him. His dialogue and interactions with these women also feel awkward within the broader context of the story. Rather than strengthening the relationships between the characters, some romantic encounters seem disconnected from Han Li’s personality and the conflicts unfolding around him.
On the other hand, this weakness may not be entirely unavoidable. The romantic elements make the story feel more human because even those who pursue immortality cannot escape love, friendship, family ties, and enmity. The problem is not the presence of romance itself, but how these relationships are developed and integrated into the story.
Overall, The Immortal Ascension is a distinctive xianxia drama that offers something different from many others in the genre. Although parts of the story left me feeling frustrated, puzzled, or uncomfortable, the series generally delivers an entertaining visual spectacle through its fight choreography and convincing special effects. Han Li’s journey and the experiences of the other characters also offer reflections on humanity, trust, inequality, and the ways people learn to survive in a system that is not always fair.
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