Lai Zhan - Kiku Ju Jingyi and Zhang Yunlong Reunion Drama

Ex-SNH48 Star Ju Jingyi Leads “Lai Zhan” With Zhang Yunlong in Fresh Xianxia Pairing (Weibo)

Get ready for another round of spellbinding xianxia! “Lai Zhan”, adapted from Jiu Lu Fei Xiang’s novel The Master’s Feeling Distressed, has officially kicked off filming on 29 June 2025 at Hengdian World Studios. The project is set to run around four months, giving fans something juicy to look forward to.

This fantasy saga brings together Kiku Ju Jingyi and Zhang Yunlong in a reunion years in the making. Back in 2017, Ju had a supporting role opposite Zhang in Xuan Yuan Sword: Legend of the Han Clouds, but this time she’s stepping up as leading lady A’Dai. Zhang Yunlong returns as her former master, Xiao Yihan, who famously carries a wine gourd wherever he goes — proper xianxia flair, that.

Ju Jingyi’s fanbase made sure nobody could ignore her presence at the booting ceremony. From towering flower walls and fancy LED displays to massive banners and sponsorship gifts, they went all-out — some even say it’s one of the most extravagant fan showings the Chinese entertainment scene has ever seen for a female celeb. If loyalty was a sport, Kiku’s fans would be winning gold.

The ensemble is stacked with familiar faces too: Xiao Yan, Gu Zicheng, Zhang Junning, Qi Yuchen, Hai Yitian, Ma Xinrui and, for a bonus, a special guest appearance by Jelly Lin Yun. Behind the scenes, Stellar Pictures is bankrolling the production, and Jiu Lu Fei Xiang herself is penning the script — which ought to reassure fans hoping for a faithful page-to-screen adaptation.

Given Jiu Lu Fei Xiang’s track record with hits like Love Between Fairy and Devil and The Legend of Shen Li, there’s every reason to think Lai Zhan might be the next big buzz in xianxia land. One to watch, no question.

As for the broadcast, Lai Zhan has already confirmed iQIYI as its exclusive streaming platform in China, giving it a solid boost in distribution power. Early word suggests the drama is targeting a 2026 premiere, so fans will have to hold their breath just a bit longer to see it land on screens.

With the scale of production and the excitement brewing from its star reunion, Lai Zhan looks well on track to become a major tentpole series for iQIYI next year. Once post-production wraps, it should be ready to drop some proper eye-popping teasers to keep the hype burning hot into 2026.