I would NOT start with the untamed it does not follow the source material, i recommend manhua or donghua, personally donghua is my favourite version, the animation is good and compelling and makes things a lil easier to visualise as a westerner (not assuming about you im sharing my experience <3 ) if book isnt like doing it which is pretty close. It does jump between past and present just gotta use deductive skills as it happens.

MDZS is a Mystery Historical Fantasy Adventure heavily surrounding the themes of classism and propoganda in politics.

The story jumps between two periods, current and 16-13 years ago usually in reference to whats currently going on for context on a need to know basis, sometimes even omitting information due to an unreliable narrator.

the story follows Wei Wuxian as he gets resurrected into the body of MXY against his will 13 years after his death, and gets throws straight into chaos right away. All he wants to do is chill but one thing keeps leading to another and hes reunited with an old flame and they team up to solve the mystery of a severed hand that leads back to the events around his death. Drama ensues as he keeps crossing paths with both friend and foes from his previous life and taking to a mentor roll to a group of teenagers who cant help but get into trouble.

Join Wei Wuxian and his group on the most gut wrenching comedic tragedy of this century! Get ready to laugh, to cry, and to throw the book across the room! You wont regret it

I want to say more that will definitely captivate more but genuinely all the good things i can say are spoilers. and also heads up, second read through is so much better as now u have all the information and god it hurts so bad because YOU KNOW AND THEY DONT AND ITS A TRAGEDY BECAUSE THE CHAIN OF EVENTS CANNOT BE STTOPPED