Whispers of the Devil Dao’s Resurgence
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality (Fanren Xiu Xian Chuan), the acclaimed donghua adaptation of Wang Yu’s seminal xianxia web novel, advances its epic narrative with episode 166, released on October 25, 2025, via Bilibili .
Produced by Original Force Animation Studio and Wan Wei Mao Donghua in collaboration with Tencent Penguin Pictures, this 20-minute installment—part of the ongoing third season (now exceeding 160 episodes)—immerses viewers in the shadowy undercurrents of the Devil Dao resurgence arc. Directed by Wang Yuren and Wu Zhenzhuo, with action sequences helmed by Munin, episode 166 masterfully blends meticulous cultivation progression with psychological intrigue, focusing on protagonist Han Li’s calculated maneuvers amid escalating sect rivalries.
Premiering in 2020 on Bilibili with weekly Sunday releases at 11:00 AM, A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality has become a benchmark for xianxia animation, praised for its faithful adaptation of the novel’s deliberate pacing and Han Li’s pragmatic anti-hero ethos.
Unlike flashier titles like Soul Land, it emphasizes strategic restraint over bombast, where immortality is a grueling ascent forged through cunning and isolation. Episode 166, fan-subbed as “Shadows of the Bloodcolor Forbidden Land” (official Chinese: “血色禁地之影”), picks up from episode 165’s tense standoff, where Han Li’s covert alliance with a rogue Devil Dao cultivator unearthed a map fragment to the long-sealed Bloodcolor Forbidden Land—a perilous relic site teeming with ancient demonic artifacts.
Plot Overview: Threads of Forbidden Qi Unravel
Set against the mist-veiled peaks of the Heavenly South Continent—a fractured realm where righteous sects clash with insidious Devil Dao insurgents—episode 166 propels Han Li deeper into a labyrinth of moral ambiguity and latent power. The narrative commences in the dim confines of a hidden cave abode, where Han Li, voiced with understated intensity by a veteran seiyuu, pores over the map fragment under the flickering glow of his Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword formation.
The animation’s subtle cel-shading captures the qi-infused parchment’s veins pulsing like living arteries, hinting at the forbidden land’s corrupting influence. A brief recap montage revisits episode 165: Han Li’s opportunistic aid to the rogue cultivator— a mid-Nascent Soul Devil Dao elder fleeing Yellow Maple Valley pursuers—secured the map but sowed seeds of distrust, as the elder’s parting glance betrayed a hunger for Han Li’s Winged Transformation Peng bloodline.
As dawn breaks, Han Li ventures into the outer fringes of the Bloodcolor Forbidden Land, a crimson-hued wasteland scarred by ancient heavenly tribulations, where the air thickens with residual demonic qi that warps perceptions. Accompanied by his spirit beast companions—the loyal Weasel and the maturing Gold Devouring Beetles—Han Li navigates illusory pitfalls: phantom beasts conjured from blood mist lunge with fangs of solidified resentment, testing his Azure Glow Sword Art’s precision.
The sequence is a visual standout, with 3D particle effects rendering the mist’s tendrils as coiling serpents that dissolve into Han Li’s counter-arrays, echoing the novel’s emphasis on defensive mastery over reckless assault.
Mid-episode, the plot thickens with an ambush by Devil Dao scouts from the nearby Arcane Devil Sect, drawn by the map’s aura. Led by a cunning female cultivator with a seductive veil of illusion arts, the scouts deploy a “Bloodsoul Binding Formation” that latches ethereal chains onto Han Li’s meridians, siphoning his vital energy to fuel their advancement.
In a pulse-quickening skirmish, Han Li unleashes the “Bamboo Peak Sword Array,” channeling his mid-Core Formation prowess to sever the bindings and expose the scouts’ hidden motives: the forbidden land harbors a nascent Devil Dao relic, the “Crimson Heart Pearl,” capable of accelerating soul refinement but at the risk of heart devil corruption. Han Li’s pragmatic mercy—sparing the female cultivator for interrogation—yields crucial intel: the Arcane Devil Sect’s grand elder, a late-Nascent Soul powerhouse, seeks the pearl to challenge the righteous alliance’s dominance.
The episode’s fulcrum arrives in a hallucinatory trial within the land’s outer barrier, where Han Li confronts spectral echoes of his past—ghostly visages of Doctor Mo and his Yellow Maple Valley mentors—manifesting his inner doubts about allying with Devil Dao elements. Emerging tempered, Han Li secures a shard of the pearl, its crimson glow integrating into his dantian and subtly enhancing his Imperial Reincarnation Technique, pushing him toward a breakthrough in soul stability.
Flashbacks intercut this introspection, recapping Han Li’s solitary ascent from a lowly Qi Condensation disciple to a calculated immortal aspirant, underscoring his mantra: “In the path to immortality, caution is the sharpest blade.”
The climax erupts as the grand elder’s divine sense probes the barrier, shattering illusions and forcing Han Li into a desperate evasion, his Gold Devouring Beetles swarming to buy precious seconds.
Key Plot Beats:
- Map Activation: Han Li’s initial probe into the forbidden land triggers illusory defenses, blending exploration with tactical qi deployment to reveal the pearl’s allure.
- Scout Ambush: The Bloodsoul Formation clash introduces Devil Dao mechanics, with Han Li’s sword array countering soul-siphoning in a choreography of light and shadow.
- Spectral Trial: A psychological delve into Han Li’s psyche, where past echoes test his resolve, advancing his reincarnation technique without overt power-scaling.
- Cliffhanger Probe: The grand elder’s intrusion shatters the barrier’s edge, teasing episode 167’s full incursion and potential uneasy alliances. 3
This layered progression sustains the 20-minute runtime’s momentum, prioritizing Han Li’s internal calculus over gratuitous spectacle.
Character Developments: The Mortals’ Calculated Ascent
Episode 166 refines Han Li’s archetype as the quintessential “mortal” cultivator—his sparing of the female scout not from sentiment but strategic utility, reveals a subtle evolution toward reluctant leadership, foreshadowing his role in broader sect politics. The rogue elder’s spectral cameo adds pathos, humanizing Devil Dao as flawed survivors rather than caricatured villains.
Supporting Nuances:
- Female Scout: A fresh antagonist with layered ambiguity—her illusion veil cracks during interrogation, exposing coerced loyalty to the sect, hinting at redemption arcs.
- Spirit Beasts: The Weasel’s cunning diversions and beetles’ swarm tactics showcase Han Li’s bond with his companions, grounding his isolation in quiet loyalty.
- Grand Elder: Teased via divine sense, his oppressive aura evokes a formidable foil, critiquing unchecked ambition in late-stage cultivation.
These touches deepen the ensemble, making the Heavenly South’s factions feel like a web of intertwined fates.
Themes and Symbolism: Immortality’s Crimson Veil
Echoing Wang Yu’s novel, episode 166 probes the xianxia ethos of vigilant pragmatism: the Bloodcolor Forbidden Land symbolizes temptation’s allure—demonic relics promising swift gains but birthing heart devils—mirroring Han Li’s cautious path amid Devil Dao’s seductive chaos. The spectral trial evokes Daoist introspection, where confronting inner demons forges true resilience, while the pearl’s integration warns of power’s corrosive underbelly.
Amid the intrigue, themes of isolation versus alliance resonate, positioning Han Li as a bridge between mortal humility and immortal detachment.
Production Quality: A Subtle Symphony of Qi and Shadow
Original Force’s animation captivates with refined 2D/3D hybrid: crimson mists swirl in hypnotic detail, sword arrays fracturing illusions in crystalline bursts. The soundtrack—somber guzheng motifs swelling to tense percussion—amplifies dread, while voice acting imbues Han Li’s sparse dialogue with chilling precision. At 20 minutes, pacing is deliberate, though some note minor CGI seams in beast swarms. It holds an 8.5/10 on MyAnimeList, hailed for “atmospheric restraint” that elevates the genre. 6
Conclusion: Veins of Eternity in Crimson Haze
Episode 166 of A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality is a masterful veil-lift in Han Li’s odyssey, where shadows whisper temptations and blades carve caution. Its nuanced weave of intrigue and introspection captivates, blending cerebral xianxia with haunting visuals in a donghua that redefines patient ascent. Stream it on Anime4i or Lucifer Donghua for a 20-minute meditation on mortal resolve—because in the forbidden lands, every step toward immortality casts a longer shadow.
