"Han Li is a protagonist utterly resolute in his pursuit of the Dao."
This simple assessment, spoken by Lin Yu'ang, director of Seasons 3 and 4 of the animated series A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality (凡人修仙传), during a live stream with Bilibili creator, reveals his deep understanding of the character.
Having evolved from a devoted fan of the original novel to its adaptor, Lin knows Han Li's "Dao heart" is far from an empty concept. It's rooted in his childhood longing for the wider world beyond his mountain village. It's his desperate clutch at the lifeline offered upon discovering his spiritual roots—a chance to alter his destiny. It's the hard-won realization that stopping his journey means only one end: utter annihilation.
"On the immortal cultivation path," Lin notes, "a single misstep leads to ruin, to complete destruction." From the sprawling 7.7-million-word source material, Lin sees Han Li's journey at its core as a "chronicle of solitary cultivation." Han Li must train diligently in obscurity to advance his power. He must hide his strength and tread carefully against formidable foes to snatch any chance of survival. And when acquiring rare treasures, extreme discretion is paramount to avoid covetous eyes and deadly trouble.
For Lin, Han Li's solitude isn't manufactured pathos. It's the essential core of the "mortal's ascent" sub-genre (凡人流). The harsh demands of cultivation bind him to seclusion and loneliness. The survival-of-the-fittest reality forces self-reliance in a perilous world. And his unwavering devotion to the Dao compels him, time and again, to suppress his own desires when faced with emotional choices.
Before "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality"
Before "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality""I truly doubted I'd see this 7.7-million-word novel adapted in my lifetime." That was Lin Yu'ang's thought in 2017, until he saw the film trailer. Only then did he realize someone was already tackling "the incredibly cool project of adapting A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality."
At the time, studying engineering in Dortmund, Germany, the seed of Lin's own "director dream" began to sprout. "I considered switching majors in Germany, but after weighing it all, I chose to return home and start fresh, applying to the Beijing Film Academy."
During this tough period, Lin found solace by repeatedly re-reading the original A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality novel.
Choosing his major at the academy required deep thought. "I prepared for the worst," Lin admitted, "like becoming a script supervisor or a set photographer." Ultimately, he gained admission to two departments: Cinematography (ranking 6th nationally) and Production Design (ranking 16th). "I'm deeply grateful to Professor Yang Qingsheng for believing in me. In many ways, he changed the course of my life."
Driven by a need to "show what he was capable of" during the application process, Lin found validation from professors after entering the academy, solidifying his path. Four years later, his collaborative graduation project took home awards for Best Picture, Best Editing, and Best Actress.
What followed felt simpler. Carrying the title of Best Graduation Film Director from the Beijing Film Academy, Lin quickly connected with numerous film companies and producers, marking his initial step into the industry. "It felt like I'd leveled up, but bigger challenges emerged. Just like Han Li (the protagonist) after his Golden Core formation, the real trials were just beginning."
While many classmates expected him to sign with a film or TV studio, Lin chose the pragmatic route into advertising to repay loans from his film Water Monster. "Truthfully, ads aren't easy. Balancing client satisfaction with creative input is tough." Committed to doing his best, Lin earned several industry-recognized awards.
He told GuDuo that advertising offers three key advantages for new directors: 1) Faster cycles and higher budgets allow experimentation with different visual styles; 2) It builds crucial experience in director-producer communication; 3) The intense shooting schedule keeps creativity sharp.
It was precisely during this phase that Lin explored new technology, becoming one of China's earliest directors to utilize virtual production with LED walls, pioneering the potential of LED virtual environments (LUE) in filmmaking.
When Season 1 of the A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality animation launched in 2020, Lin joined the legion of weekly viewers. Then, a message arrived from a producer at Wanwei Cat Animation: "Do you know A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality?" Still directing ads, Lin knew instantly: the opportunity he'd been waiting for had come.
He swiftly compiled his understanding of Mortal and a full season's adaptation plan. Arriving at Wanwei Cat with over a dozen handwritten pages, he pitched himself to direct Season 3: Journey Through the Starry Sea.
"My first meeting with Wang Yuren, director of the first two seasons, started quite formally," Lin recalled. "But once we delved into the specifics of Mortal, it felt completely natural." That day felt less like an interview, more like a fan meetup. "After just two or three meetings, he decided I would be his new partner for the upcoming production."
It was then Lin discovered the very 2017 trailer that had inspired him was created by Wang Yuren and his team. "Director Wang Yuren has persevered with developing the Mortal IP all these years. As an original fan, I'm truly grateful to him."
From Superfan to Animation Director
From Superfan to Animation Director
"Adapting a 7.7-million-word novel feels like forcing a mortal to endure a heavenly tribulation."
As an original fan who followed A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality, Lin Yu'ang intimately understood Han Li's journey—how a village boy clawed his way up through a brutal cultivation world, driven by sheer will and meticulous caution. "I know all the inside jokes about this story."
That's why Lin recognized terms like "Han the Runner" (韩跑跑), "Old Demon Han" (韩老魔), and "shielding himself with others" (将众人护至身前) not as insults, but as the highest praise for the character's survival instincts. Even "Han Li yielding the initiative" (韩立让柱) reflected readers' deep connection to his cautious nature.
To truly grasp what fans wanted, Lin often lurked incognito in fan communities, absorbing their passion for specific plot points, character interpretations, and hopes for the animation. Every suggestion was carefully considered.
Whether on Bilibili or Tieba, Lin never approached creation from a director's pedestal. Instead, he sifted through comments with a fan's eye, gathering scattered "cultivation insights." Details like "Han Li's eyes should move before his neck" and "magic tools must align with the novel's lore" were quietly woven into every frame.
"Our team genuinely listens," Lin noted. "If the schedule allows, we'll adjust." For example, after fan feedback on issues like "Feng Tianji rescuing Mei Ning" and "the Great Elder's villainy" in Episode 19 (Outer Sea Arc), lines were re-recorded and the episode re-released.
This wasn't a one-off. Earlier, the core team had re-cut and re-dubbed existing footage to create the Director's Cut of the Void Sky Chronicles.
"Unlike a standard recap, Director Wang, editor Lao Ding, sound mixer Lao Yu, and I worked on this during breaks between episodes," Lin explained. "We revisited our work like reorganizing a home—reviewing and refining every detail."
This relentless pursuit of quality stems from the overlap between Lin's fan identity and his role as director. "I often say I'm here to provide directorial services—serving book fans, animation fans, and every production element from script to storyboard to performance."
Lin commits to an eye-level approach in creation. This mindset not only echoes Han Li's "meticulous" philosophy in the cultivation world but also lets Lin, as a servant to the story, preserve the original's spirit while translating it into animation.
Like Han Li, the Animation Keeps Growing Stronger
Like Han Li, the Animation Keeps Growing Stronger"Visually, it's undeniably improving. But narratively, Season 4 feels denser and tighter than the last." Before Lin Yu'ang joined the animation team, the hyper-realistic character models had sparked debate among viewers.
Aware of past discussions around the art style and building on the team's growing expertise in lighting, rendering, and texture refinement, Lin adopted a "gradual refinement" approach for the models. "A sudden overhaul would shock viewers. Subtle, steady changes let them adapt while staying pleasantly surprised."
He understood the challenge: bridging the gap between technical capability and audience expectations. As both a decade-long book fan and viewer of earlier seasons, Lin knew how deeply fans cared about characters matching the novel's essence. So he focused on incremental upgrades—micro-expressions, fabric textures, skin details, makeup for female characters, and dynamic magic tools—phasing in improvements step by step.
"Our partners at Original Force grew alongside this process," Lin added. "They even studied makeup techniques, all to create more memorable characters."
This drive to evolve amid criticism reflects the dual pressures facing China's animation industry: expanding content while elevating quality. While many chase viral trends, Mortal embraced Han Li's "rigorous cultivation" ethos—forging a path through technological upgrades and narrative innovation.
"We find satisfaction within logic, not logic for satisfaction," Lin emphasized. "Han Li's progress is earned step by step. You won't find forced, explosive thrills. But viewers who follow his journey—watching him grow stronger and rise in status—feel genuine, deeply satisfying payoff."
The core of Mortal lies in "how an ordinary man carves his name into the cultivation world." Its power system is meticulously structured: Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, and realms beyond ascension.
This intricate hierarchy reflects a brutally demanding path. And Han Li—a rogue cultivator with no background, resources, or innate gifts—faces even steeper odds.
Lin believes this "underdog" setup makes every victory feel earned through mortal struggle. The animation must therefore trace his climb through rich detail. For instance, Han Li's early medical training at the Qixuan Sect (his first martial arts sect) seems unrelated to immortality, yet subtly foreshadows his future mastery of herb gardens and pill refining.
By committing to this "ordinary growth" logic—rejecting easy shortcuts—the animation uses layered details to map Han Li's calculated rise.
These subtle narrative threads let viewers slowly discover that "every choice Han Li makes has roots." Book fans enjoy piecing together lore clues, while new viewers experience the thrill of hindsight revelations as the story unfolds.
Making Mortal Resonate with More Viewers
Making Mortal Resonate with More Viewers
"From Season 1 onward, our audience has steadily grown." For Lin Yu'ang, satisfying existing fans and attracting new viewers aren't opposing goals.
Faced with balancing "more screen time for the protagonist" against narrative richness, the team deepens side characters and layers in details to ground the story's logic. This subtly enriches the world Han Li inhabits. "'Stereotype' isn't a compliment—we want every character to feel real, even antagonists."
Take Xuan Gu or Wen Tianren—their villainy must have roots. Those driven by random psychopathy or sudden world-conquering urges reflect lazy writing. Even minor novel characters, like last season's Qing Yi or this season's Sun Huo, receive careful shaping when given narrative space.
For example, Wen Tianren's death in the novel is abrupt—instantly killed by Han Li. But in the animation, Lin and the team saw this as possibly Mortal's last major mortal-level battle. They amplified the fight's intensity, adding Ziling's moment to strike when Wen was exhausted. This not only heightened drama but also highlighted Ziling's growth from a naive girl to a key player in the Chaotic Star Sea arc.
"Han Li cultivates immortality, but first he's human. Humans feel emotions—yet his Dao heart demands discipline, burying those fluctuations deep." Discussing the protagonist's relationships, Lin told GuDuo that for Han Li, expressing affection is a luxury. Without power to protect himself or loved ones, vulnerability in this brutal world invites disaster.
Lin believes that within his capabilities, Han Li will always aid those in need—earning his fan title "Savior Han" (韩天尊). Especially for those he cherishes. As Han Li advances to the Nascent Soul stage and beyond, Lin hints we'll see more of his ruthless "Old Demon Han" side.
"New viewers will experience the thrill of his decisiveness in battle. Long-time followers will feel deeper resonance—'He struggled so hard; he earned this.'"
As the story unfolds, Han Li approaches the Nascent Soul realm—a transformative threshold. This isn't just about power; it's an existential shift. Past trials become prologue to true influence in the human cultivation world.
Of course, greater challenges await: immortal wars, unraveling world secrets... Mortal is a long tale, with countless stories yet to tell.
"A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality embodies the Eastern belief: silent accumulation leads to explosive growth," Lin reflected. What Han Li leaves behind isn't earth-shattering legend, but proof of the possible—written in solitude and grit.
What the animation strives for, through its long-game approach, is to etch this uniquely Eastern romance—that every mortal holds transcendence within—into the hearts of its viewers.
The Invisible Craft Behind the Cultivation World
The Invisible Craft Behind the Cultivation WorldWhat truly sets A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality apart isn't flashy tech—it's how technology serves the story's soul. The team's choices reflect Han Li's own journey: pragmatic, incremental, and relentlessly focused on substance over spectacle.
Early viewers debated the animation's hyper-realistic style. Rather than defend it, the team listened. They discovered that "realism" wasn't about perfect skin textures—it was about authentic humanity. When a disillusioned Han Li murmurs "The Dao of cultivation is cold indeed", the slight tremor in his jaw matters more than his pores. Animators began studying micro-expressions: how eyelids tighten during suppressed rage, how breath hitches before a life-or-death decision. This attention transformed stiff models into vessels for silent storytelling.
Facing criticism about female character designs, the team avoided drastic reboots. Instead, they embraced Han Li's philosophy: small steps compound. Season 1 established motion fluidity—swordfights flowed like calligraphy strokes. By Season 3, they enhanced fabric physics, making robes ripple with spiritual energy. For the 2023 remaster, subsurface scattering gave skin warmth under moonlight. Each upgrade felt organic because it prioritized narrative needs: a villain's ornate armor needed intricate textures to convey arrogance; a healer's gentle hands required softer contours.
Rebooting Season 1 after just three years seemed audacious. But for director Lin Yu'ang, it mirrored Han Li reviewing foundational cultivation techniques: "True growth requires revisiting your roots." The remaster wasn't about graphics—it was narrative surgery. They trimmed bloated fight scenes, added subtle lore cues (like background talismans hinting at future arcs), and reshaped dialogue to tighten emotional payoffs. When fans noticed Han Li's revised line "I walk this path alone… but not unarmed"—referencing both weapons and resilience—it sparked deeper character discussions.
The team's tech innovations always orbit storytelling. Virtual production (using LED screens) wasn't adopted for novelty—it solved a core problem. Traditional green screens left actors' eyes empty, killing emotional scenes. With real-time environments projected behind them, performers felt the claustrophobia of ancient ruins or the awe of floating immortal palaces. When supporting actress Li Meng confessed trembling during a cave scene, she admitted: "I wasn't acting afraid—I genuinely felt swallowed by darkness."
Most radical was their transparency. While studios guard pipelines, Mortal's team released modeling tutorials and breakdowns. One Bilibili series showed how a single spell effect evolved:
Draft 1 (2020): Generic energy blast
Draft 7 (2022): Swirling runes that consumed ambient light (physics-based)
Final (2023): Crimson tendrils that sputtered when blocked—revealing the caster's imperfect mastery
This demystified animation while honoring fans' intelligence. As a viewer commented: "Now when I see Han Li's Golden Flame, I know its flicker means he's pushing his limits."
