Whispers of Fate

Whispers of Fate (Chinese: 水龍吟; pinyin: Shuǐ Lóng Yín) is a 2025 Chinese television series based on the serialized martial arts novel Enduring a Thousand Tribulations by Teng Ping. It stars Luo Yunxi as Tang Lici, a highly skilled yet morally ambiguous swordsman who is accused of murder, and his martial arts adventures.^[2] The series premiered on Mango TV and Migu Video on October 24, followed by a broadcast on Hunan Television on October 30. The series received an international release across more than 110 countries, streaming simultaneously on platforms such as Netflix, WeTV, Rakuten Viki and featuring localizations in languages including English, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Whispers of Fate achieved high broadcast and streaming performance, setting a record for Mango TV with 3.68 billion cumulative plays, being Migu Video's highest-rated content ever and topping international charts in multiple regions. A related Whispers of Fate Theme Park, located in Sichuan Province, is mainland China's first immersive film-tourism complex. The park transforms the series' xuanxia universe into a large-scale live-action role-playing experience, allowing visitors to influence narrative outcomes within a technologically enhanced environment featuring AR and VR integrations.

The morally inscrutable Tang Lici is framed by a former friend, and is forced to enter jianghu to clear his name.

During his journey across the lands, his initial detachment softens as he is gradually influenced by the community's profound code of chivalry and courageous spirit. As this transformation occurs, he uncovers a sinister plot: under the manipulation of the House of Pleasure, the entire martial arts community faces extermination.

Tang Lici realizes he must not only shoulder the fate of the world but also confront his true identity and purpose, leading him to finally face his destiny.^[3]

• Luo Yunxi as Tang Lici (唐俪辞)
  • Tang Lici (唐俪辞): Given the nickname 'Fox Tang' due to his sly and astute nature, Tang Lici was formerly known as Ajibaner·Tangjia (阿吉班尔·唐伽) before entering Zhoudi Tower as a disciple. He is a highly-skilled swordsman who is known for his sound-kill abilities through playing the dizi and the Guqin. He is the owner of the Ship of Ten Thousand Apertures (万窍斋), the center of all wealth in the lands (神州). The discovery of the highly addictive and poisonous 'Bloody Ghost of Nine Hearts Pill' (腥鬼九心丸) in the martial arts community comes to his attention, and he works together with the orthodox sects to find the source and destroy it forever. ^[2]

• Xiao Shunyao as Shen Langhun (沈郎魂), a stealth assassin
• Ao Ziyi as Chi Yun (池云), Tang Lici's bodyguard
• Fang Yilun as Liu Yan (柳眼), former third disciple brother of Zhoudi Tower and well-versed in the Pipa. Founder of the House of Pleasure (风流店)
• Chen Yao as Xifang Tao (Peach Blossom) (西方桃), member of the House of Pleasure (风流店)
• Bao Shangen as Zhong Chunji (钟春髻), member of the Sword Society
• Jelly Lin as Ah-Shei (阿谁)
• Jeremy Tsui as Gui Mudan (Ghost Peony) (鬼牡丹)
• Riley Wang as Fang Pingzhai (方平斋)
• Yang Shize as Puzhu (普珠), a secular disciple
• Xie Binbin as Yu Furen (余负人)
• Jiang Zhenyu as Miss Hong (红姑娘), member of the House of Pleasure
• Bai Shu as Xue Xianzi (雪线子), a carefree martial artist with no loyalties
• Li Jiahao as Gu Xitan (古溪谭)
• Chang Huasen as Wanyu Yuedan (宛郁月旦), leader of the Palace of Fallen Jade (碧落宫)
• Xia Zhiguang as Fu Zhumei, former second disciple brother of Zhoudi Tower and well-versed in the Drum
• Zhang Zhixi as Dragon Lady (龙女)
• Wang Jialin as Bai Nanzhu (白南珠)
• Kudousi Jiang Ainiwaer as Yuchi Hu (尉迟忽)
• Ou Mide as Mahoraga (摩呼罗迦)
• Qi Xiaxia as Gandharva (乾达婆)
• Qiu Xinzhi as Shao Yanping (邵延屏), leader of the Sword Society
• Zhang Junning as Fang Zhou (方周), oldest disciple brother of Zhoudi Tower and well-versed in the Guqin. He takes in the wounded Tang Lici after finding him unconscious.
• Wang Zirui as Cheng Yinpao
• Xiu Qing as Yu Qifeng (余泣凤)
• Cui Peng as Yang Shangqing
• Lu Xingyu as Jiang Qingyu
• Liu Yuhan as Hua Wuyan (花无言）/ Cao Wufang (草无芳), member of the House of Pleasure
• Zhang Lei as Tang Weiqian (唐为谦), Tang Lici's adopted father and father-in-law to the Emperor
• Chen Bohao as Sir Tianxuan (天玄先生)
• Du Yuchen as Yu Xuanqing (余玄清)
• Hou Tongjiang as the Abbot of Gold Leaf Temple (金叶寺）
• Li Fei as young Ye Mo (叶摩)
• Li Yizhen as Princess Xiya (希娅公主)
• Bai Haitao as Marquis Hao (郝文侯)
• Zhao Shiyi as Huiniang (慧娘), Shen Langhun's wife
• Ai Mi as Shuiduo Po (水多婆)
• Li Muyan as Bai Suche (白素车)
• Zhong Lei as Jiang Feiyu (江飞羽), Head of Yanmen Sect (雁门)
• Xue Bayi as Feng Chuanxiang (风传香)
• Deng Xiaoci as Jiang Cheng (江城)
• Deng Jinghong as Ji Wuyou (纪无忧)
• Zhong Ming as Jiang Wenbo (蒋文博)
• Wang Yijun as Xiao Qilan (萧奇兰)
• Mu Le'en as Shang Yunqi (商云棋)
• Cheng Tao as Shangguan Fei (上官飞)
• Wang Bowen as Fu Cui (抚翠)
• Qin Xiaoxuan as Bi Lianyi (碧涟漪)
• Yusan·Ababaikeri as Meihua Yishu (梅花易数)
• Jia Zongchao as Kuanglan Wuxing (狂兰无形)
• Wang Baian as Lady Cicada (青蝉娘子)

Whispers of Fate was announced on November 11, 2023, at Mango TV's Commercial Presentation (芒果驷马难追建群大会).^[4] The series began filming on December 2, 2023, and finished on April 24, 2024.^[5][6] This series marks the third Otters Studio production with Luo Yunxi in the leading role, after Till The End Of The Moon (2023) and the unaired Immortality. Otters Studio also brings back frequent collaborators Huatian Studio as its world concept team, Huang Wei as costume director and Wang Haiqi as action director.

Filmed over 144 days, the production used over 2,000 crew members, 12 purpose-built soundstages, and 164 outdoor locations. For the series, 847 costumes and 1,222 accessories were specifically designed.^[7]

For its international release, Whispers of Fate was distributed across more than 110 countries and territories, with availability on global streaming platforms such as Netflix, Rakuten Viki, iQiyi International, and WeTV. The show was localized into several languages, including English, Thai, and Vietnamese, for its simultaneous global launch.^[8]

Since its premiere, Whispers of Fate achieved both high broadcast ratings and online streaming numbers. It has dominated both the CSM National Network and CSM-71 Cities ratings, consistently ranking first in its time slot among China's provincial satellite channels. For its release on streaming platforms, the drama set a new platform record for Mango TV with 3.68 billion cumulative plays, while becoming Migu Video's highest-rated content ever with a heat index surpassing 15,000.^[9] It achieved a single-day peak of 100 million views. Internationally, the series launched simultaneously across 19 platforms in over 60 global markets spanning 110 countries and territories^[9], topping charts including Thailand's Mono Max and Vietnam's FTP Play Chinese-language chart.^[10]

Whispers of Fate theme park "Wufengxi · Longyin Tiancheng", is located in the Wufengxi Ancient Town, Jintang County, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. It is scheduled to officially open to the public on December 17, 2025. Recognized as the first immersive film-and-tourism integrated project in mainland China, the park is built upon the xuanxia universe established by the series. Its core operational model is a large-scale, live-action role-playing experience, allowing visitors to select characters from the series to participate in and influence narrative development.^[11][12] On the technological front, partner China Mobile Migu has provided the park with metaverse-based AR guided tours and VR large-space experiences. This integration blends the series' plotlines with the historical and cultural context of Wufengxi Ancient Town, expanding the town's experiential content and spatial dimensions through digital storytelling.^[13]

• Whispers of Fate on Weibo (in Chinese)
• Whispers of Fate at IMDb
• Whispers of Fate on Rakuten Viki
• Whispers of Fate on YouTube