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| Cheng Yi swings one last immaculate blade in iQIYI’s wuxia-fantasy romance finale |
Sword and Beloved (天地剑心) closes out its 36-episode run with a finale that’s equal parts operatic wuxia and aching romance. Du Lin directs; Cheng Yi leads as Wangquan Fu Gui, a “military weapon” raised to exterminate demons, and Li Yitong co-stars as Qing Tong (a cheeky spider-spirit infiltrator with a conscience).
It’s loosely set within the Fox Spirit Matchmaker universe—so expect yōkai lore, sect politics, and a heady “duty vs freedom” arc.
Key cast (selected): Cheng Yi, Li Yitong, Guo Junchen (Quan Ru Mu), He Ruixian (Long Wei Yun), Tan Kai (Quan Jing Ting), Ken Chang (Wangquan Hong Ye), plus turns from Fan Ming (Fei Ye Ye), Chang Hua Sen (Fan Yun Fei), Zhang Kai Ying (Li Xue Yang) and more.
Vibe check: slick production, gorgeous ink-wash fight language, couture-level costumes, and a central pairing that’s tender without being passive. Fu Gui is all flinty stoicism; Qing Tong brings warmth and wit; together they push and pull each other into something braver.
Quick Recap of Sword And Beloved Final Episode
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Betrayal & blood debt: Villain Quan Jing Ting slithers back (again) and weaponises family bonds. Quan Ru Mu breaks free to protect Long Wei Yun, only to be fatally stabbed in a coward’s sneak attack.
Sword and Beloved Ending Explained
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“All things have limits; love and hate often don’t.”
The finale stages that aphorism as a moral duel: Fu Gui was forged to be emotionless steel, but the only way to wield the ultimate sword is to understand great compassion, not severed feeling.
Sacrifice redefined: Fu Gui doesn’t “win” by being colder than the Fox; he wins by holding grief, guilt, and love without drowning in them.
Taking Qing Tong’s seed—with her consent—turns a grim tactic into a shared vow.
Weapon → person → guardian: The white-haired “demonised” Fu Gui is a feint; he resists the shadow’s corrosion and returns to himself.
The last slash isn’t a murder blow—it’s a libation, offering his life to the living.
Open ending (quietly hopeful): The whispered “Qing Tong” invites belief without cheap resurrection.
In the Fox Spirit Matchmaker ethos, bonds echo across realms. The show stops at the echo, letting viewers choose faith or finality.
Characters Wrapped (Where Everyone Lands)
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Wangquan Fu Gui (Cheng Yi): Burns life to fuel the Sword of Heaven; destroys Black Fox; passes the mantle with no regrets. His journey answers “Why draw the sword?”—for people, not doctrine.
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Qing Tong (Li Yitong): Offers the Bitter Love seed, dies by Fu Gui’s hand, returns to original form at the tree. Her love is agency, not plot armour.
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Quan Ru Mu (Guo Junchen): Loyal cousin, dies after finally breaking free; his death ends Fu Gui’s restraint and seals Jing Ting’s fate.
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Long Wei Yun (He Ruixian): Drains her power for love; the red bridal veil under the tree is devastating and elegant.
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Quan Jing Ting (Tan Kai): The cockroach era ends—no more escapes.
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Wangquan Hong Ye / sect & allies: Reorganise. Feng Ting Yun oversees a split guardianship to keep the peace.
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Fei Ye Ye (Fan Ming): A standout masterclass in loyal-retainer nuance—small scenes, big heart.
TL;DR + Short Review
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TL;DR: Tragedies stack, choices sharpen, and Fu Gui trades his life for a better world. A whisper promises either reunion or remembrance.
Short Review: The mid-arc meander is real, but the show rallies with breathtaking ink-brush action design, Cheng Yi’s steel-to-sorrow performance, and a finale that sticks the philosophy. 4/5 stars.
Sword and Beloved Ending In-Depth Takeaways
The Four Relics aren’t MacGuffins; they’re values. Bitter Love (empathy), Pure Yang (clarity), Sword (responsibility), Pearl (wisdom/control). Fu Gui only becomes unstoppable when he embodies all four.
Consent reframes the tragedy. Qing Tong choosing sacrifice rescues Fu Gui from becoming the very instrument his father once feared he’d be—love turns a necessary cruelty into a shared act of guardianship.Father–son line pays off late but clean. Wangquan Hong Ye’s severe moulding reads, in hindsight, as PTSD-ridden preparation for this exact day. The message he couldn’t say—live as a person, not a weapon—is the one Fu Gui finally realises.
The whisper is the point. Fox Spirit stories relish karmic threads. The series doesn’t break its world’s rules; it simply stops at the poetic ellipsis, letting the audience hold the last note.
Craft & Performances (lightning notes)
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Action language: Calligraphy-like blade trails (that “flying-white” brushstroke energy) turn CG into culture.
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Production: Landscapes and wardrobe sell the high-fantasy canvas without looking plasticky.
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Cheng Yi: The eyes do the heavy lifting—weapon-cold → battle-broken → Zen-clear.
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Standouts: Fan Ming (Fei Ye Ye) for lived-in loyalty; Ken Chang and Tan Kai bring veteran authority and sneer respectively.
FAQ
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Is there a Season 2?
Unlikely. Sword and Beloved functions as a self-contained tale within the Fox Spirit Matchmaker franchise. This arc closes here; don’t bank on a direct S2 continuation.
Happy or sad ending?
Bittersweet leaning tragic. The world is saved; lovers part. The last whisper keeps a candle lit, but there’s no firm reunion on screen.
Do you need to watch other Fox Spirit Matchmaker entries first?
No. Familiarity adds flavour, but the show stands alone: new romance, new trial, clean thematic landing.
Why did Fu Gui “kill” Qing Tong?
To assemble the four primordial powers needed to end the Black Fox forever—with Qing Tong’s consent. It’s the finale’s moral crux: love chooses sacrifice to save the many.
What’s the meaning of the white hair/demonisation?
A visualisation of hate and corruption testing Fu Gui. He weaponises the look to bait the Fox, then centres himself—proving heart > corruption.
Verdict
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★★★★☆ (4/5) — A couple of saggy middle episodes aside, the finale is a stunner: emotionally literate, visually poetic, and thematically sound.
Cheng Yi anchors the storm; Li Yitong’s warmth gives it a heartbeat. The last sword is worth the journey.
Closing Note
So… did you hear “Qing Tong” as memory or miracle? Drop your take—team open-ending hope or team poetic farewell? And if you had to choose one relic to face your own Black Fox moment—empathy, clarity, responsibility, or wisdom—which one are you grabbing first?