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| Chen Ai Mi and Deng Wei Join iQIYI’s New Fantasy C-Drama Directed by Guo Jingming |
Chen Ai Mi and Deng Wei have officially been confirmed as the main cast of iQIYI’s highly anticipated costume fantasy drama Bai Yao Pu (百妖谱), with the platform now listing both actors on the project. Directed by Guo Jingming, the adaptation of Sha Luo Shuang Shu’s popular novel is preparing to begin production, with its booting ceremony scheduled for August 11. For fans who have been watching casting rumours pile up for weeks, the wait is finally over — and, naturally, the internet has already found plenty to discuss.
The drama is being positioned as a major fantasy production for iQIYI, bringing together a well-known original IP, an unusually stylised director and a cast pairing that has already attracted considerable attention.
The story comes from Bai Yao Pu, a xuanhuan fantasy novel that has also inspired a hugely popular animated adaptation, giving the live-action version a sizeable audience before a single episode has even been filmed. That is both an advantage and a rather terrifying amount of pressure.
At the centre of the story is Tao Yao, a mysterious spirit doctor whose medical practice comes with one very firm rule: she treats demons and monsters, but humans can take their problems elsewhere.
Her journey begins after the sacred Hundred Demon Spectrum disappears from Taodu, sending her into the mortal world in search of the missing book and the supernatural beings connected to it. What follows is less a conventional palace intrigue story and more a wandering fantasy built around individual encounters, strange creatures and emotional problems that are often far more human than monstrous.
Chen Ai Mi is confirmed to play Tao Yao, the sharp-tongued and unpredictable doctor at the heart of the story. Beneath her seemingly detached attitude is someone deeply invested in the creatures she treats, and the character's refusal to heal humans gives her an immediately distinctive position in a genre where heroic doctors usually have considerably fewer rules.
Tao Yao's cases are expected to take her across different corners of the supernatural world, with each encounter revealing another side of her personality and the complicated relationship between humans and demons.
Deng Wei is set to play Si Kuanglan, the elegant and formidable swordsman at the centre of the live-action adaptation. The character is presented as the second young master of the Si family in the capital, carrying an aristocratic background alongside exceptional swordsmanship.
His personality is described as cool, restrained and refined on the surface, while hiding a considerably softer side underneath. In the original novel, the character is known as Situ Lan, and his journey becomes closely connected with Tao Yao and her companions as they travel through the human and supernatural worlds.
The role appears particularly well matched to Deng Wei, whose previous costume-drama performances have already established him as an actor capable of selling the combination of restrained expressions, elegant styling and emotionally guarded characters.
For this project, however, the swordsman image comes with another requirement: considerably more action work. Reports surrounding the production have indicated that Deng Wei prepared well ahead of filming, including working on his physique, martial-arts scenes and eye acting to fit the character's polished but formidable presence.
The production itself is no small undertaking. Guo Jingming is directing, with Ge Rui, whose previous screenwriting credits include The Eight Hundred and Candle in the Tomb: The Wrath of Time, attached as screenwriter.
The project is being produced by iQIYI alongside Zui Shi Culture and associated production partners, with a reported shooting period of around 130 days. Filming is centred around locations including Hengdian and Jiaxing, while the production has already attracted attention for the scale of its visual preparation.
For Guo Jingming, Bai Yao Pu is another opportunity to lean heavily into the highly polished visual language that has become closely associated with his costume productions.
His dramas tend to treat scenery, clothing, lighting and composition as characters in their own right, and this particular story gives him plenty to work with. A world filled with demons, spirit doctors, ancient legends and wandering companions is basically an invitation to make every corridor suspiciously beautiful.
The story's biggest distinction is its episodic structure. Rather than building the entire drama around one enormous political conflict, Bai Yao Pu follows Tao Yao and her companions as they encounter different supernatural beings, with each case carrying its own emotional problem.
The creatures may be unusual, but the issues they bring with them are familiar: attachment, regret, jealousy, sacrifice, loneliness, broken promises and the occasional inability to move on.
That gives the drama its central idea of “using demons to see humanity”. The monsters are not necessarily the most frightening figures in these stories. Quite often, their behaviour reflects human weaknesses, while the people around them provide the more complicated moral questions. Tao Yao's job is therefore not simply to defeat supernatural creatures but to understand what is troubling them and find a way to treat wounds that are not always physical.
Her travelling group adds another layer to the story. Mo Ya, the young monk, brings a gentler presence to the group, while Liu Gongzi is described as a powerful snake demon with a more cynical and lazy exterior hiding a fiercely protective personality.
Gun Gun, the little fox spirit, provides another emotional link within the travelling party. Together, the characters create the sort of dysfunctional travelling family that fantasy dramas seem to love — except this one happens to contain a doctor who refuses to treat humans, a snake demon and a fox spirit.
The relationship between Tao Yao and her companions is also expected to be more complicated than a straightforward romance-driven setup. The source material places considerable emphasis on loyalty, trust and emotional connections developed through shared journeys.
That means the drama has room to build relationships gradually rather than forcing every meaningful interaction into a romantic subplot. In a genre already overflowing with people staring at each other across candlelit rooms, that could be a welcome change.
The August 11 booting ceremony marks the project's official production milestone, while filming has already been reported as getting underway in Zhejiang in early August.
Fans have clearly decided that simply wishing the cast well was not enough. Deng Wei's supporters organised a large joint production-start support campaign at Puyuan Fashion Ancient Town, turning the occasion into something resembling a small festival.
The scale of the fan support has been difficult to miss. The main venue reportedly features a 1,600-square-metre western hall, while another area has been transformed into a themed support space.
There are large-scale traditional-style flower walls, a substantial signature wall, a 17.26-metre message wall carrying thousands of fan IDs, towering support flags and a dedicated photo corridor. Even the production of the fan event appears to have received its own production department.
Supporters from 27 cities, along with various Deng Wei fan groups and overseas supporters, have taken part in the campaign. Exclusive cards, desserts and regional speciality gifts were prepared for visitors, while international fans, including supporters from Thailand, also reportedly travelled with their own support materials. At this point, the only thing missing seems to be a formal opening ceremony for the opening ceremony.
Fan reactions have been mixed, although much of the discussion is focused on the casting rather than the story itself. Deng Wei's fans have largely welcomed the opportunity to see him in another major costume production, particularly in a role that appears to combine refined aristocratic styling with swordplay and action scenes. His existing reputation for fitting historical and fantasy costumes has made the casting an easy one for many supporters to get behind.
Others are more cautious about the adaptation. Fans of the original novel and animated series naturally have their own expectations for Tao Yao, her companions and the individual supernatural cases, so the live-action drama has a difficult balancing act ahead.
Some viewers are excited by Guo Jingming's visual approach, while others are waiting to see whether the production can preserve the warmth and emotional storytelling that made the original work so popular without turning every scene into an elaborate fashion shoot.
The casting discussion has also been fuelled by the different expectations surrounding the central characters. Chen Ai Mi's Tao Yao needs to balance her mischievous, stubborn side with the emotional depth of a doctor who understands the pain of the supernatural beings she treats.
Deng Wei's Si Kuanglan, meanwhile, has to project an almost intimidating level of composure while gradually revealing the softer personality underneath. If the two performances find the right rhythm, their contrasting personalities could become one of the drama's biggest strengths.
The production's reported 130-day filming schedule also suggests that iQIYI is treating Bai Yao Pu as a substantial long-form fantasy project rather than a quick costume production.
There is plenty of CGI work, supernatural action, creature design and detailed world-building to handle, and Guo Jingming is unlikely to be the sort of director who sees “good enough” and immediately moves on.
As for the eventual release, an official broadcast date has not been established yet. With filming beginning in August 2026 and a lengthy production and post-production process ahead, viewers should expect a considerable wait rather than an immediate premiere.
Fantasy dramas of this scale require time for visual effects, editing, colour work and the finishing touches that turn hundreds of days of preparation into something that actually looks coherent on screen.
The biggest challenge for Bai Yao Pu will ultimately be deciding what kind of drama it wants to be. The source material offers fantasy, mystery, adventure and emotional standalone stories, while Guo Jingming brings a very recognisable visual identity to the project. If those elements complement one another, the drama could become one of iQIYI's more distinctive costume releases. If the visuals overpower the storytelling, viewers may spend more time admiring the scenery than caring about the creatures Tao Yao is trying to save.
For now, though, the important news is official: Chen Ai Mi and Deng Wei are confirmed, Guo Jingming is directing, the August 11 booting ceremony is set, and production is moving ahead. With a popular fantasy IP behind it, a large-scale production and two actors already attracting considerable attention, Bai Yao Pu has plenty of reasons to be watched closely. The real question is whether the live-action version can turn all that expectation into a fantasy world viewers will actually want to stay in. Are you excited to see Chen Ai Mi and Deng Wei in Bai Yao Pu, and do you think the casting fits the original characters?