Shi Fang Wu Sheng

his donghua is an adaptation of novel by the same (Chinese) name. I haven't read the novel so I won't be speaking to how this does as an adaptation.

Plot Summary: Wei He, the youngest of 3 siblings, is a sheltered and somewhat naive young man. His family is supported by his eldest sister's reputation as a fierce martial artist of the slums. Believing that their parents are still alive despite their disappearance, his eldest sister regularly goes out on searches to find clues about their whereabouts. Before one of these trips, Wei He has a bad prenomination, prompting him to join his eldest sister. On ... this trip, they encounter an accident leading to his sister going missing. Once without their protective shield, he and his second eldest sister are at the mercy of thugs around the slums. Faced with these new harsh realities, Wei He joins a martial arts school in order to become stronger so he can protect his family and continue to search for his parents.

Plot and Setting
Our MC (implied to be a transmigrator), first starts off as a sheltered and naive young man, who quickly mans up to protect his family once tragedy strikes. The transition is a bit abrupt, but given the condition the world is in, makes sense. While the story and plot are mostly focused on the MC, there is a factional war going on in the background over control of the city, which the MC becomes an unintentional catalyst in escalating the conflict. In regards the the ongoing factional war, it is a bit difficult to understand the web of alliances at first, but as you get furthur into the season, we can get a clearer picture. The highlight of the show is really the MC's growth and character.

The setting of this donghua is fairly typical, set in an ancient world during a chaotic time (modeled after ancient China). However, what really stands out is the mature depiction of the world: casual murder, attempted kidnapping, attempted s**ual assault, selling one's children for food, etc are all depicted in the opening episodes. There are also rather gruesome displays and gore, though they tend to tone down some of this (likely for censorship reasons). All of these explicit depictions are quite unusual for donghua.

Characters
The main character of importance is, of course, the MC. He starts off as a bit sheltered and naive, but quickly steps up and grows once he loses his shelter. His growth throughout the season, his compassion for friends, cunning, and ruthlessness towards enemies makes him a compelling and relatable main character. As for the other characters, they have their own unique quirks and traits; there isn't anything that breaks the mold, but they flesh out the world.

Animation
The animation and character modeling is done very well for this donghua. The character models are detailed, reflecting a high budget style, and has the usual xianxia/ancient world type style. The models for characters are both unique and uniform, allowing viewers to easily identify characters and factions. The animation for normal movements is smooth and the choreography for the fights is good, though there are times when there are minor kinks in this fluidity.

Final Thoughts
This donghua was much more enjoyable than I anticipated. The story was engaging and characters likable. There was a greater conspiracy plot that gets a full reveal at the end (it does get hinted at throughout the show if you pay close attention). If you are looking for a cultivation style donghua with a more mature tone and world depiction, this is a highly recommended watch.

Score: 8/10