Chinese wuxia drama The Blood of Youth: Nanming Li Huo – 《少年歌行之南明离火》officially announced the start of filming on May 11, marking the long-awaited return of the The Blood of Youth franchise after nearly four years.
The original series, The Blood of Youth, premiered in late 2022 and quickly became one of the most talked-about martial arts dramas in recent years thanks to its youthful cast, fast-paced storytelling, and distinctive fantasy wuxia aesthetic. Since then, rumors about a second installment had circulated online for quite some time, with production discussions reportedly beginning as early as the end of 2023.
On May 11, streaming platform Youku officially released the sequel’s first concept poster through its social media channels while confirming that filming had officially begun.
Over the past few years, the broader The Blood of Youth universe has continued expanding through multiple spin-offs and prequels. These include the 2024 prequel Dashing Youth, starring Hou Minghao, as well as the 2025 spin-off Tales of Dark River, led by Gong Jun. Both projects achieved strong online discussion and helped maintain audience interest in the franchise between seasons.
One of the biggest points of attention surrounding Nanming Li Huo is the confirmed return of the franchise’s central cast members.
Li Hongyi will reprise his role as Xiao Se, while Ao Ruipeng is also returning as Lei Wujie.
Meanwhile, fans had previously been uncertain whether Liu Xueyi would return as Wuxin after early reports suggested his participation had not yet been finalized. However, recent comments from the screenwriter emphasizing that the “core trio cannot be separated” have now effectively confirmed Liu Xueyi’s return as well.
Behind the scenes, director Yin Tao and original novelist-screenwriter Zhou Munan are once again collaborating on the sequel, continuing the visual style and ensemble storytelling approach that defined the first installment.
The production is also reportedly planning major visual upgrades for the sequel’s action sequences. According to early production details, the drama will incorporate a new “Chinese ink particle” technology that blends 3DCG effects with traditional ink-wash aesthetics. The goal is to create more stylized martial arts choreography and a stronger Eastern fantasy atmosphere throughout the series.
With the return of its original leads and a significantly expanded production scale, The Blood of Youth: Nanming Li Huo is already shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated Chinese wuxia dramas currently in production.
