凡人修仙传 A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Synopsis

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Wang Yu, this xianxia drama starring Yang Yang and Jin Chen tells the inspirational legendary story of Han Li, a village boy who becomes an immortal through his own efforts and shrewd calculations.

Overview

A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality is a 2025 Chinese mainland costume fantasy xianxia web series directed by Yang Yang, with screenwriting by Wang Yuren and Jia Dongyan. The series is produced by Youku, co-produced by Wanwei Cat Animation, Mortal Immortal Realm, and Golden Media. It stars Yang Yang, Jin Chen, Wang Duo, Zhao Xiaotang, and Zhao Qing in leading roles, with a special appearance by Liu Yan.

Adapted from Wang Yu's web novel of the same name, the story follows Han Li, an ordinary poor boy from a mountain village who stumbles onto the path of cultivation. Despite his mediocre talent, he relies on his own efforts and careful calculations to eventually achieve immortality.

The series is exclusively broadcast on Youku, with a total of 30 episodes. The original novel is the pioneering work of the "mortal flow" cultivation genre and boasts a large number of loyal fans.

Plot

Han Li (played by Yang Yang), an ordinary poor boy from a mountain village, accidentally embarks on the path of cultivation and joins a minor martial arts sect. Due to his humble origins and mediocre aptitude, he frequently faces exclusion and陷害.

However, Han Li never gives up. He stays true to his mortal初心, stands on his own, and through his own efforts and careful calculations, he gradually achieves success and ultimately becomes an immortal.

During his cultivation journey, Han Li meets important companions such as Nangong Wan (played by Jin Chen). They fight side by side and endure numerous life-and-death trials. In the series, Han Li's character is portrayed as "acting after careful planning and accumulating strength steadily," which is highly consistent with his image in the original novel.

Cast

Production & Reception

The series is led by Yang Yang in the starring role. To better match Han Li's early image of being "dark, thin, and rustic," Yang Yang made significant changes to his appearance, earning praise as the "shaper of Han Li's soul."

It is rumored that the original novel contained enough content for forty episodes, but the series was ultimately edited down to thirty episodes for broadcast, which is consistent with Youku's usual editing style.

As an adaptation of an extremely long web novel, the thirty-episode length has sparked discussions among fans of the original work. The pacing of the series has been described as "a bit slow in the first few episodes, but too tight later on." However, for fans of the original novel, the degree of fidelity is commendable.

Cultural Impact

A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality is one of the most influential IPs in Chinese online literature. The original novel pioneered the "mortal flow" cultivation genre, influencing the creation of numerous subsequent works in the same category.

The live-action adaptation of this series is another visual presentation of this classic IP, following an animated version that had already gained recognition from a large number of fans.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/35861087/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/凡人修仙传/53301955
3. TVMao: https://www.tvmao.com/kanju/Zmdjaylc
4. Youku: https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_eaea48e7a4c746c7b62b