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“sounds like this person started to plan this a long time ago.” — nie huaisang, chapter 108

for @lan-xichens​‘ #marchgifchallenges, week 2: composition ∟ multiple gifs on one canvas → steps to jin guangyao’s downfall

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I recently reblogged a post about Lan Jingyi and his hero-worshipping of Lan Wangji, and was reminded of something that I only really paid attention to while screencapping some scenes of the 2nd Siege of the Burial Mounds some time ago: the relationship between Lan Jingyi and Lan Qiren.

After the freed juniors, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji meet the arriving cultivators and are attacked by the puppets, the newcomers lose their spiritual powers one by one in the middle of the battle. When this happens to Lan Qiren, it is Lan Jingyi who hurries to his side, supporting and protecting him.

And as the cultivators retreat inside the Demon Subdue Palace, he stays right by Lan Qiren's side. It is him Lan Qiren gives his scabbard to hold while he activates the array to hold the puppets at bay.

And it is next to Lan Qiren that Lan Jingyi delivers his verbal bashing of Su She, to no objection from the former (Lan Sizhui looks far more disapproving).

It is Lan Jingyi who constantly flanks Lan Qiren, and who stays behind by Lan Qiren's side as Lan Sizhui and Jin Ling go out to help Wen Ning fight the puppets (contrary to the novel, where all the juniors follow Wen Ning).

And as the cultivators flee the Demon Subdue Palace while Wei Wuxian lures the puppets away, it is Lan Jingyi who helps Lan Qiren and looks after him.

Lan Jingyi is, of course, a Lan by blood and thus related to Lan Qiren (I have not seen it mentioned how closely), so it is his duty (more than the other disciples', except Lan Sizhui's perhaps) to look after Lan Qiren. But there is a familiarity and ease in their interactions, in the way Lan Jingyi is his loudmouthed, straight-spoken, not-giving-a-shit-about-status self in Lan Qiren's presence that speaks of more than just duty. That says the two of them genuinely like and respect each other, that gives off a kind of grandfather - grandson vibe.

That says that the strict, rules-enforcing Lan Qiren has gotten just a little bit softer with age, has become close with a certain Junior dubbed the most un-Lan of Lans. And that is one little change in CQL that I find charming as well as thought-provoking.

Because it seems so very different from the relationship between Lan Qiren and young Lan Wangji. While it is quite clear that Lan Qiren deeply cares for Lan Wangji (for both his nephews), their relationship has always appeared much more formal, more wreathed in strict rules, never with similar kind of ease or closeness. One factor in this is, of course, the very different personality of Lan Wangji compared to Lan Jingyi. And as Lan Qiren was pretty much single handedly raising up the Twin Jades, he was raising clan heirs, and saw the need to apply and enforce a more strict regime. Added to that all the pain and loss and lack of proper communication intertwined in their history, it is no wonder Lan Qiren came very close to losing Lan Wangji. And that is perhaps one major factor behind this relationship: the questions "Who is right? Who is wrong? What is black? What is white?” must have been imprinted in Lan Qiren's mind (how could they not have been?) and pondering them over the years perhaps added at least a few shades of grey to his world view (he is willing to at least listen to Wei Wuxian here, quite an improvement!), and led to him being more approving (perhaps even appreciative dare I say?) of those who do not fully embrace the perceived norm, who dare to question things and speak their mind.

And perhaps Lan Jingyi is his second chance, his chance to have the kind of relationship he wished he'd had with Lan Wangji. Or perhaps I'm just reading too much into this. Whichever, I'll just finish with these two screencaps from the aftermath at the Guanyin Temple:

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the sound of qin echoes in the jingshi playing a song of inquiry but answered by no soul

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Morning routine

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xiao zhan - legend of the condor heroes weibo update

Who hasn't received the exclusive "Qigong" yet? Move your lucky little fingers quickly, accept the blessing, good luck and vitality, and everything will go smoothly in the new year~

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the untamed + text posts

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teen wangxian date

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Happy Pride Month! Trans lwj for u <3

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happy birthday lan wangji 🌸💌

Commissions

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i love how Gandalf invested in Hobbits in year one and has been pushing them ever since. Thorin, i hear you need help with a breaking and entering. Can I recommend one of these little cunts? Silent as fuck, trust me. Elrond my dude i know you're skeptical but these four chucklefucks just transported a weapon of mass destruction all the way here. Theoden, you've gotta get yourself a hobbit man, I've got a spare one here. Denathor you big prick, take a hobbit - literally this is the bottom of the range but listen to him sing. Beautiful little bastard.

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the untamed + text posts

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Finally! My art for Fandom Trumps Hate!

@scarlettohairdye requested Foxxian and Dragonji in Ponyo-esque pose, with elaborate hanfu. Thank you Scarlett for answering all my questions about the details (especially given my only vague familiarity with this trope), for giving me the opportunity to draw something so fun, and for your patience while I got it together enough to finish <3

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sketch request! wangxian just so so cozy in bed. like, it’s winter in the cloud recesses and they have a million blankets burritoed around them and are cuddling so close type cozy in bed :)

ur brain huge ur so real for this

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Xuan Lu 宣璐 | birthday photoshoot [2025.01.15]