 |
| The Journey of Legend Confirms September 11 Release with Cheng Yi, Gulinazha and Eleanor Lee |
The wait is finally over—The Journey of Legend (江湖奇旅) has confirmed its premiere for September 11, 2025, dropping simultaneously on iQIYI and Tencent Video.
The series had a bit of a rocky lead-up, with questions hanging over whether Singaporean actress Li Kaixin a.k.a Eleanor Lee would remain in the line-up after a swirl of rumours earlier this year.
Now it’s official: she’s in, and the drama is ready to take centre stage in the autumn schedule.
Cheng Yi Steps Into a Wuxia Dream
 |
Adapted from Wen Ruian’s novel Shen Zhou Qi Xia, the drama brings a fresh transmigration twist to the wuxia genre. Cheng Yi plays Xiao Mingming, a weary modern office worker who lives for martial arts novels.
His daydreams turn real when he’s suddenly transported into the very world of his own stories, taking on the role of Xiao Qiushui—a rookie disciple of the Huanhua Sword school.
Though initially weak and clumsy, Xiao Qiushui grits his teeth, trains hard, and slowly evolves from a wide-eyed martial arts fanboy into a true hero capable of defending both his clan and his country.
Opposite him, Gulinazha leads the cast, joined by Eleanor Lee, Xu Zhenxuan, Liu Mengrui, and Ding Xiaoying, with special appearances from veterans like Lu Songxian, Zhao Huawei, and Zhang Zhilin.
Eleanor Lee Back as Tang Fang
 |
Much of the pre-airing chatter circled Li Kaixin aka Eleanor Lee’s status.
After an audio clip allegedly showing Eleanor Lee “insulting China” went viral in May, the actress’s name disappeared from promo materials, sparking whispers that her role might be axed or re-edited with a replacement.
Some fans even worried the drama’s release would be delayed altogether.
But in a twist as dramatic as any wuxia plot, the truth emerged: Eleanor Lee’s former assistant confessed to faking the clip, clearing the actress’s name.
With the air now cleared, Li Kaixin returns as Tang Fang, a pivotal character, and wasted no time posting her own character poster within minutes of the official announcement—an unmistakable signal that she’s “back in business.”
With its mix of classic martial arts spirit, a meta transmigration hook, and the stormy backdrop of cast speculation, The Journey of Legend is shaping up to be one of September’s most talked-about launches.
Whether Cheng Yi’s office worker-turned-warrior hits the right emotional notes, and whether Eleanor Lee’s on-screen comeback wins over fans, are questions only the broadcast can answer.
But one thing’s clear—the journey is back on, and this legend is officially happening.