Mo Dao Zu Shi (roughly “Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation”) is a Chinese animation (donghua) web television series that is based on the novel of the same name by author Mo Daozu Shi. The 113-chapter-long Mo Dao Zu Shi novel, written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, was initially published as a web novel in 2016, and then as a print novel in 2017. Later, Chinese animation studio G.CMay Animation & Film, well renowned for its work on The King’s Avatar, announced plans to convert the episode into a donghua series, which is currently in development.

Season 1 of Mo Dao Zu Shi launched on Tencent’s video streaming platform on July 9, 2018, some months after the show’s introduction. It was well praised for its clever storytelling and visual design, as well as for its overall production value. The second season of Mo Dao Zu Shi premiered in August of the following year, in August of 2019. Since then, fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of Mo Dao Zu Shi season 3. Here’s what we know about the situation.

Synopsis

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are walking down a deserted road in the middle of nowhere when they come across a stone plaque that reads “Yi City.” They continue their investigation into the mystery surrounding the cursed severed arm by venturing into the desolate city in order to get more information.

However, with the advent of a strange new cultivator, the investigation into demonic arms leads Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji to a conspiracy that threatens the survival of the cultivation world as they know it today. When the two discover that the new issue involves the main cultivator of the famed Lanling Jin Sect—Jin Guangyao—the gravity of the situation is magnified even further.

The pair’s friends and coworkers are becoming increasingly sceptical of their motivations as they try to put together the important plots of the cultivation history. To win back the trust of the people who have lost faith in him, Wei Wuxian must prove he is not the demonic sorcerer they believe he is in order to save the cultivation world from the sinister evil that lurks within it. With the entire world against him, he must prove he is not the demonic sorcerer people believe him to be.

Review and Plot Analysis of the Film ‘Mo Dao Zu Shi’

The ‘Mo Dao Zu Shi’ series is comprised of two intertwined storylines. The first is the storey of Wei Ying’s death, which takes place in China. The second part tells the narrative of his reincarnation. The stories each have separate plots and concepts that are easy to study on their own, but because of the non-linear nature of the narrative, they are all intertwined fairly tightly. The first storey is around the legend of the Yiling Patriarch, which is told in the first person. Death is the central theme of the play, both metaphorically and literally.

There are other themes as well, but this is the one that stands out the most to me. The death of innocence, of sects, of parents, siblings, of one’s own identity, and of one’s own hope Everyone experiences the loss of someone or something. Even Jin Guangyao loses the last shred of hope that he may have for his father to respect and approve of his actions and choices. It is the loss of hope that sends him on the path that will ultimately lead to his demise. It is at this point when the Patriarch dies in the literal sense, and the tale begins to take shape.

The second storey is around the investigation of a murder mystery. The notion of rebirth and redemption runs throughout the storey. Starting with Wei Wuxian’s physical rebirth, the storey progresses to him slowly redeeming himself as he pieces himself back together – just like the corpse that he is hunting for.

Lan Zhan is likewise looking for redemption in order to alleviate the guilt that he has been carrying around with him for so many years following the death of Wei Wuxian. Even Jiang Cheng is given a redemption arc, and the audience is given an understanding of the incredible lengths he went to in order to protect his brother and family.

It is surprising how few fatalities there are in the second storey as opposed to the first, as this storey emphasises what has been won rather than what has been lost in the first. It is also important to note that the theme of rebirth is prevalent, most notably because of Wei Wuxian, but also because of Nie Huaisang, whose figurative rebirth following the death of his brother transformed his character from one of meek and useless to one of calculating and manipulative mastermind.

Characters Associated with Mo Dao Zu Shi

In spite of the fact that Mo Dao Zu Shi features a large number of characters, the show only has two central characters. We’ve supplied you with some background information on each of them in the sections below.

When Wei Wuxian first appears on the scene, he is a bright and hopeful Young Master, and throughout the majority of the drama, he is the main protagonist. In spite of the fact that Wei is a naughty youngster, he is shown to be an innocent child with a kind heart. Wei is also revealed to be somewhat of a prodigy, with his true power being his capacity to develop new spiritual development techniques that are not defined by standard cultivation practises.

Wei, a former disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, subsequently embarks on the prohibited and deadly Demonic cultivation path, which ultimately leads to the establishment of the Demonic Sect, which causes widespread devastation throughout the region.

Despite his sins, Wei is betrayed and finally slain by someone close to him, as a result of which he suffers the consequences. Wei, on the other hand, is able to evade utter annihilation because to his remarkable abilities and incarnates himself into the body of a maniac named Mo Xuanyu. Wei, on the other hand, is unable to escape incarceration, and Mo is eventually apprehended by Lan Wangji. Once captured, Wei takes on the appearance of Lan and travels throughout China in order to unravel the mystery of a walking corpse, and it is through this effort that he is ultimately able to clear his reputation.

In the programme, Lan Wangji is the second Young Master of the Lan Sect and one of the Two Jades of Lan, alongside his older brother, Lan Xichen. He is also one of the Two Jades of Lan, who are guardians of the Lan Sect’s treasure. Lan was a classmate of Wei’s when he was younger, and he developed feelings for him. Lan, on the other hand, was heartbroken when Wei chose to go down the forbidden path and found the Demon Sect.

Despite Lan’s persistent attempts to persuade Wei to give up the black arts, he was unsuccessful and witnessed Wei’s murder. Lan, on the other hand, recognises Wei as Mo Xuanyu years later and, after solving a perplexing case, assists Wei in clearing his identity. At the end of it all, he and Wei form a partnership in the cultivation of marijuana.

When Will Mo Dao Zu Shi Season 3 Be Released?

Season 1 of Mo Dao Zu Shi premiered in 2018 and consisted of 18 episodes.
Season 2 of Mo Dao Zu Shi premiered in 2019 and consisted of 8 episodes.
Season 3 of Mo Dao Zu Shi premiered in August 2021 and consisted of 12 episodes.