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| Wuxia, Vengeance, and BL Tension: Returned Master Begins Streaming Today |
Wuxia fans and BL stans, your July just got a whole lot more dramatic. Tencent Video has officially launched Returned Master (复仇掌门 a.k.a The General's Youngest Son) today, 18 July 2025 on WeTV (Tencent Video on July 16) — a 24-episode Chinese series packed with sword fights, blood debts, mysterious identities and a slow-burn bond between two very different lads caught in the middle of a deadly conspiracy.
Starring Dong ZiFan as the sly and charismatic Ghost Valley heir Chen XiaoXi, and Li KaiWen as the grief-stricken and vengeful noble son Li JianWei, this one’s not your average historical drama. We're talking full-on Wuxia aesthetics, shadowy backstories, dual identities, and the kind of enemies-to-allies energy that gets fan artists sketching by Episode 3.
What's it all about then?
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It kicks off on Chinese New Year's Eve, when the entire Li family — once a proud military household — is slaughtered in cold blood. Only the youngest son, Li JianWei, survives, barely. Driven by the fire of vengeance, he ditches his old name, assumes a new identity, and sneaks into the infamous Ghost Valley, home to shady dealings and even shadier characters.
There, he meets Chen XiaoXi — unpredictable, cheeky, and definitely hiding something. What starts as a deadly cat-and-mouse game slowly turns into an uneasy alliance… and maybe more.
But the deeper JianWei digs into the truth behind the massacre, the more the lines between friend and foe start to blur. Turns out, the so-called villains — the Zhongyong Army — might’ve been scapegoats, and his own family’s reputation? Not as spotless as it seemed.
Cast Breakdown
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Dong ZiFan as Chen XiaoXi: A charming yet cunning heir with secrets as sharp as his blade.
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Li KaiWen as Li JianWei: A broken son with a vendetta and nothing to lose.
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Dong XiaoBai as Princess QingYuan: A royal with her own part to play in the tangled web.
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Ao Lei as Wan QianHong: Loyal, quiet, deadly — your classic man of few words.
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Wang Chao as Shi Tou: The brawn of the group with surprising depth.
What sets this drama apart?
Aside from the stellar fight choreography and sleek production, Returned Master leans hard into classic Wuxia tropes while mixing in that addictive modern BL dynamic: misunderstood connections, emotional walls being torn down, and just enough longing glances to keep the fandom well-fed. It’s fast-paced, emotional, and loaded with twists — no filler nonsense here.
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The chemistry between Dong ZiFan and Li KaiWen? Surprisingly strong. Their characters clash like steel at first, but gradually become entangled in a high-stakes journey that forces them to confront not only their enemies but themselves.
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Where to watch:
You can catch Returned Master on Tencent Video (July 16) and WeTV (July 18), with new episodes dropping every few days. (And yes, there are already fan subs popping up if you're watching from abroad.)
Whether you’re here for the high-stakes Wuxia, the unraveling revenge plot, or the emotional push-and-pull between two broken young men tied by fate, Returned Master might just be your next obsession. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.