If you are looking for a show with “Word of Honor” vibes, then this show should be in your bucket list!

It has been five years since I wrote about “Word of Honor” and following rigid Chinese censorship because of which quite a few BL adaptations are still under radar; I never thought I would get to watch a show that would be on par with the 2021 hit. “Realm’s Night Rain Dreamlike” doesn’t dwell much on the mechanics of the universe we indulge in, but it plunges us headfirst into the dynamics between our main leads who are like fire & ice. Yan Zi Xian’s Bu Liang Shuai is a wanderer in the martial world but he is a righteous man as against Min Xing Han’s Ye Yu, the disciple of one of the top assassins in this universe. They have an inconspicuous history dredging between them, which Liang Shuai doesn’t remember. So, for most parts, he tries his best to avoid the evil assassin who stalks him with a conviction that seems too unhealthy. And then, the mighty fall; Liang Shuai falls as well, as Ye Yu grows on him and becomes the most important part of his life. There is no heterosexual explanation for the way, they stare at each other; though at times, Ye Yu does try to destress this subtle homosexual tension between them.

The Twin Blades That Weren’t Meant To Be

Bu Liang Shuai (Yan Zi Xian) is the legendary Jiang Hu or the Chief Inspector. He was well known for his martial skills and a righteous commander, until his superior General Hu was charged with treason. To protect his brothers, Liang Shuai becomes a dead slave for the Lu family. Years later, when he decides to leave the martial world, the Lu family patriarch forces him to consume a three-dimensional insect that preys on his inner force. As a result, Liang Shuai is rendered incapable of using his martial skills. On the other hand, Ye Yu (Min Xing Han) is the illegitimate child of the Lu family. His elder brothers killed his mother and to seek revenge, Ye Yu trains under the top assassin in their world. When their paths cross, Liang Shuai unwittingly kills Ye Yu’s target and from thereon, Ye Yu follows him everywhere. Liang Shuai wants nothing to do with the Lu family affair while Ye Yu wants to use him to destroy his own family.

The Blatant Romance You Can’t Skip

Ye Yu is a top-notch flirt, there is no better explanation for the way, he clings to Liang Shuai; even though the latter wants nothing to do with him. It is a pull and push relationship in the initial episodes, with Ye Yu constantly testing Liang Shuai’s patience levels. However as they grow closer, Liang Shuai relies on Ye Yu’s strength because at times, the insect inside renders him useless. In those instances, Ye Yu defends him and even fights on his behalf. Their relationship shifts further when the Liang Shuai’s close friend, Ji Niang (Xiang Jing Yi) is killed by the Lu family. Ji Niang was in love with Liang Shuai who only thought of her as his family. As Liang Shuai seeks revenge for her death, Ye Yu shifts the three-dimensional insect to his own body damaging his inner force. Liang Shuai recovers miraculously but Ye Yu starts fading.

“You don’t seem to be afraid of your own death, but now you seem afraid of my death.

That’s right, I’m afraid”

The soulful exchange between our main leads after this dialogue speaks volumes about their relationship. Ye Yu is surprised because Liang Shuai is the kind of person who keeps a tight control on his emotions. The love between them grows until Ye Yu dies and Liang Shuai follows him in death, not willing to live a single moment longer than his soulmate. Yan Zi Xian & Min Xing Han have the kind of chemistry that makes you sit straight and take notice. The scriptwriters do try their best to keep the buildup under control, but it’s obvious that they are in love and rightly so; especially Liang Shuai, who doesn’t care much about anything else, except his Ah Yu!

Final Impressions

Liang Shuai and Ye Yu are a reckoning force when together, even if one of them is injured at all times!

Their dynamics quickly shifts once Liang Shuai accepts that Ye Yu is a part of his life, and he isn’t going anywhere. He even forgives Ye Yu’s betrayal and earnestly follows him around, as Ye Yu seeks revenge from his father, brother’s and crazy sister. Li Lin Fei does a fantabulous job of portraying the antagonist, Lu Qin. She is scary, ridiculously loud and bloodthirsty. Liang Shuai and Ye Yu’s romance remains at the centerfold, and it is the most exciting part of this show!

Rating- 4 out of 5

Streaming on- HuashiTV YouTube Channel