海市蜃楼 Sky Mirage

Synopsis

Li Hongchou, the creator of the "Mao Pian" team, presents a new work: a mysterious mirage in Dengzhou City conceals a shocking conspiracy. A female sword-for-hire and a clever young boy join forces to uncover the truth. A suspenseful fantasy period drama rated 8.3 on Douban.

Overview

"Sky Mirage" (Chinese: 海市蜃楼, also known as "Arabian Nights") is a 2025 Chinese mainland suspense fantasy period web series co-directed by Li Hongchou, Che Zhigang, and Xing Dongdong, and written by Li Hongchou, Che Zhigang, Xing Dongdong, Wang Feihu, Yang Yuchen, Zhou Yangfan, Jia Yan, Fu Yu, and Xin Shu. The series is produced by Youying Culture and Youxi Film, starring Fei Qiming, Lyu Xiaoyu, Shao Zhuang, An Ning, Yang Yu, and Jin Zixuan.

The series premiered exclusively on iQiyi on December 19, 2025, with a total of 24 episodes, each 50 minutes long.

"Sky Mirage" is the new work by the "Mao Pian" team, with the directing team publicly claiming that "the production quality far exceeds 'The Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty'." It received a high rating of 8.3 on Douban, making it one of the most anticipated suspense fantasy dramas at the end of 2025.

Plot

The story takes place in the fictional Dengzhou City. A mysterious mirage frequently appears in the sky above the city, triggering various strange cases.

Female bounty hunter Zeng Qian (played by Lyu Xiaoyu) and her younger brother Zeng Xin pass through Dengzhou while escorting a prisoner. She becomes embroiled in turmoil after tearing down a wanted poster for the "chivalrous thief" Night Owl. As bizarre incidents occur frequently in the city, Zeng Qian teams up with the exceptionally intelligent Cao Sheng (played by Fei Qiming), the mysterious Night Owl (played by Shao Zhuang), and the skilled but arrogant Xie Jingtang (played by Yang Yu) to uncover the truth behind the mirage.

In Dengzhou City, Xie Jingtang causes trouble and incurs a grudge with Zhao Peng. Later, Zhao Peng dies a bizarre and tragic death, and various eerie events point to the secrets behind the mirage.

Cast

Production & Reception

"Sky Mirage" is created by the original team behind "Mao Pian." Directors Li Hongchou, Che Zhigang, and Xing Dongdong previously gained high acclaim in the suspense web series field with the "Mao Pian" series, which was once hailed as "the ceiling of domestic suspense web series."

This series is another masterpiece by the "Mao Pian" team following "The Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty," with a comprehensive upgrade in production quality. The writing team, led by Li Hongchou, includes multiple screenwriters who jointly constructed a complete and expansive fictional world.

Fei Qiming previously received praise for his role as the high-IQ character Gao Junfan in "The Long Night 2." In "Sky Mirage," he once again takes on a high-IQ role as Cao Sheng, considered a genre he excels in.

Cultural Impact

The release of "Sky Mirage" once again proves the creative strength of the "Mao Pian" team in the domestic suspense web series field. From "Mao Pian" to "The Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty" and now "Sky Mirage," the team has consistently won audience trust with high-quality productions.

By blending suspense, fantasy, and period genres, the series offers a new direction for genre innovation in domestic web series.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/36382628/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/海市蜃楼/64520699
3. iQiyi: https://www.iqiyi.com/v_27puk4z5uko.html
4. Tencent News: https://view.inews.qq.com/a/20251210A055UA00