If you're here for a love story, it's a hard pass. The visuals are beautiful, production did a great job with the visuals and creation of the show, the actors look great and do such a great job considering the storylines, but the failures are deeply in the writing of the story. Seriously, who wrote this? What genre even is this?

They spend a good part of the first set of episodes trying to tell a backstory about the varying kingdoms, side plots developing the importance of certain sects, trying to garner sympathy for these family turmoils, but they do it in such a way that feels both rushed and underdone. I was so bored by the time they tried to explain all of this stuff out, and never really felt they developed the main leads in a way that makes you feel like they're a main part of the story. The writers have to rely on just saying the main leads have known each other for years so you miss out on how they actually progress into love, getting to know them, their chemistry, etc. Their relationship just sort of happens and it feels like it happens fast and over coincidentally (like really, of all people, he is found in the water by her? It'd make sense the other way around considering he actually had people following her but in all of this open water of all people and of all boats.. really?) What were the catalysts that changed their relationship to one of romance?

and they incorporate these really overused romance tropes of skinship and romance without understanding how and why those tropes can actually be exciting in other shows and how they can be used successfully. They don't understand why shows often include a second love interest, whether its because the guy is also a heartthrob that makes you want to root for them too, or maybe the guy creates conflict for the main leads. The secondary love interests are just, not even there for either side. Like they are, but they really aren't? I guess they were supposed to be but the writers didn't understand how to incorporate them?
Ex: They set up this whole story of going to the kingdom to win back the kings trust and win over this girl's hand in marriage and all of this storyline doesn't really make sense, but they try really hard to make it sound like they're all being smart in their decisions and calculating. We need to do this to win back the kings trust so we have to pass these tests but also not fail? And the main female lead just helps without any tugs on her heart of, I don't know, this is wrong and stupid, like why? They start to mention like this woman had always kind of liked Feng Langxi but then don't explore it and it feels kind of stupid that they even bring up that past in the first place. These side characters and this whole idea of a contest to win a girl's hand, ... could have been so good, had it been a romance drama and developed in a way that makes literally any sense.

The main leads don't have chemistry. I mean they kind of do, but like, it just felt really forced. Their characters and connection just aren't given the time or energy needed to make their love connection worth pining for. There's too much other stuff going on.

If we're comparing the show to a dessert, the love story is the cherry on top, the actual dish isn't even a dessert (romance). You see the cherry and get excited for sweets and all you taste are mashed potatoes. Why do they present the dish like a dessert when it isn't even that? Does the cherry even go there?
Before I keep going, can I just say for another example on character development, the writers spend a lot of time trying to make really crappy characters seem decent, and a lot of really dumb characters seem smart. For example, the first prince, they try to make you feel sorry for him but he kills innocent people just for finding out about his illness, beats staff, and then cries about his pathetic existence a good portion of the beginning of the show.. when all you really want to do is see the leads develop a love line.
Also, they have so many plot set ups that would be great potentials for love conflicts and development that get largely overlooked. The mystery surrounding their identities could have been a huge one, but it gets glazed over and you wonder why it was even included in the first place. Another example? The main female character is supposed to be a carefree spirit, but all she does is get entangled in war and leadership without any pushback. The characters are flat, and lack needed dimension and, well, character. Everything needs to be explained, and you realize it has to be, because otherwise it's entirely nonsensical. The explanations themselves, hardly help.

The usurp was comical at best. So much soap.

Refeshing part: The female lead is meant to be powerful, beautiful, and smart. I liked that she kept her own and that there aren't really conflicts between the female characters over a guy and that instead they become friends. That was super refreshing. I also liked that she 'doesn't suddenly lose her powers' due to sacrifice and stupidity.. but of course they add in a subplot that she dies and is revived, and dies again and is revived (eye roll) and that the male lead sacrifices his powers just to appease his horrible father... but then gets them back and then again his life... There's little redemption and reasoning on these side plots too, and really frustrating to watch.. why are some of them even included? Because the show is so visually appealing otherwise and you just keep hoping it's going to get better but it just drags on. By the time the leads actually get together, it feels like it happened way too late but also in some ways, way too fast. Like they skip the sweet developments between them and they're just kissing and sitting on one another's lap and that's not a big deal since they need to trick someone but.. I just, didn't feel like the writers understood why these romance tropes are even used, why they can be exciting to watch, or how to really make a romance based story. It didn't feel like a genre the writers even understand, so I'm not sure why they even mask this story as such. It is really not a love story, it really is not a romance genre.
Don't even get me started on the end. So stupid.
I guess at least they made the visuals appealing? It's literally the only reason I've continued trying to watch. So much potential just lost in bad storytelling. It's a shame.
Skip this if you want a love story. Actually skip this if you want, well, anything. I don't understand why they even made this show. Who is the target audience? What genre is this? What is the point in this story?