#Ban Yue

[bleuarbre]

some sketches of ban yue

[seoryne]

❝ Body in abyss, heart in paradise ❞ - Xie Lian

[pichirobi]

puqi household

commissions open!

[starry-eyed-psychopomp]

Do y’all think Pei Xiu recognized Xie Lian when he came down to handle the ghost groom case? Like imagine when you were a kid, you and your childhood best friend were irreparably traumatized when her adoptive father died in front of you, highkey radicalizing both of you and leading to you teaming up to do hella war crimes together, which subsequently gets her killed and you made a god, but now you’re dealing with a massive coverup for the rest of your immortal life. That one death changed your life forever, and said coverup has ensured that you will never be able to forget it or move on.

And then two hundred years later you’re on some random job to pick up a prisoner from that weirdo scrap god everyone’s talking about, and who do you come face to face with but your dead friend’s dead dad, who is both alive and wearing a wedding dress.

Pour one out for Little Pei, man’s gotta be exhausted

[mimimar]

tgcf au where everything is the same except hua cheng adopts ban yue when she's still human

(bonus: when your dad's crush finally ascends again and it turns out it was your Other Dead Dad)

(part 2)

[munchy-k]

goodmorning here is the real assignment that I turned in for an real grade at the real college that I pay money to go to

[kimbapchan]

Im sorry. I found this meme on my timeline. I suited Pei Ming

[i-bez-togo-toshno]

I'm sorry

Template by @oshikasa

[tea-cat-arts]

Today, I bring more Dad Lian doodles cuz I got inspired by some of the responses to this post. Tomorrow, who knows

[muzsmocsing]

Underrated book 5 moments

🦋 Hua Cheng being salty about Qi Rong copying his blood rain aesthetic with the gaudy hanging corpse foolishness.

🦋 Xie Lian fully shoving a butchers knife in Qi Rong's mouth for endangering his San Lang.

🦋 Banyue offering to put the small, sick Hua Cheng in a little pot because that made her feel better too.

🦋 Pei Ming and his "childhood friend" naming his sword after their ship name (no homo tho).

🦋 Ling Wen & Pei Ming being actual best buddies.

🦋 Everyone fighting for their lives in the stomach of a mountain spirit while Hua Cheng and Xie Lian are having quality cuddle time.

🦋 Qi Rong profiling Xie Lian as a bottom.

🦋 Xie Lian seeing Quan Yizhen's proper autistic hyperfixation on martial arts and going "same :D".

🦋 Pei Ming acting like the great⁶ uncle he is and telling his nephew to shut up and eat his dinner.

🦋 This illustration. Look at that scary little face. Look at Xie Lian having the time of his life. 10/10

(Book 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

[incorrecttgcfquotes]

[orenji-iro-no-sora]

Thoughts on TGCF book 1.

Vol 1 | Vol 2| Vol 3| Vol 4| Vol 5| Vol 6| Vol 7| Vol 8

*Spoilers*

Xie Lian's crush

I finished the first book and at this point Xie Lian might as well be sighing, giggling, twirling his ponytail and kicking his legs. He is so charmed (I don't blame him). It's funny that literally in bottom of a deathly pit, he's worried that he's too comfortable in Hua Cheng's princess hold. MXTX protagonists really have the worst timings for gay epiphanies. (Does it count as an epiphany if you're still oblivious?)

Body in abyss, isolation, friendship, and reverence

While they did say that Xie Lian learned that when body is in abyss, the heart can't be in paradise, I think he still managed to find tiny moments of paradise with Hua Cheng. And isn't that life?

Xie Lian has been extremely lonely all this time which contributed to him being attached to San Lang quite quickly. Also, Hua Cheng's sincerity shines through even in a disguise so immaculately created. Xie Lian is smart and figure things out easily, he's able to perceive Hua Cheng for what he is, irrespective of what others say about who he was. Their friendship is something that he holds dear; he values Hua Cheng's company.

Him being able to tell that Hua Cheng is the only one who ever called him 'His Highness' out of genuine respect instead of sarcasm also shows how aware he is of other's harsh sentiments towards him.

However, I do believe that even though it may be idealistic to accept and focus on the positive, Xie Lian as deep as he has been in the abyss, carries a troubled heart. His desire to forget his own suffering, embarrassment at his own actions, even when they stem from right intentions is a proof that he sees himself as someone who failed at all levels.

Instinct to protect

This idea is brought up again and again but Xie Lian is helpless in his desire to save people. First, as the commander who "died" saving Banyue, facing demotions and ridicule yet trying to protect civilians at the border, protecting is his way of showing that he cares. And he cares... alot. He is instinctual in his love. He didn't need to protect San Lang (from the bite, from the pit) especially when he knew that he's Hua Cheng yet he acted before thinking. Someone who's as calm and collected as him falling to his knees, screaming from the edge of pit really demonstrates how much he care about San Lang (to the point of irrationality, atleast by his standards).

Saving the common people, parallels to morality in real life

While he acts embarrassed of his foolish (yet brave) dream of saving the common people, it's something he's still striving for. Despite feeling self conscious and disappointed that he could not live up to his words, despite his strong belief in his own misfortune, despite his poor self confidence and lack of support, despite still not knowing the answer to how to save people, he's still doing it. He's still brave.

Xie Lian is also a perfect example of how people who choose morality and ethics in life are often treated by the rest. MXTX often makes her characters pay the price of taking a moral stance. There's a strong culture of self serving in the Heavenly Realm, officials want to extend their influence and climb the ladder. They carry disdain for Xie Lian, thinking him naïve for wanting to do something fruitless and selfless like striving to save the world. Hua Cheng carries admiration for the exact same goals.

Heavenly Realm, to me, is a reflection of society, where people are worshipped for their accomplishments, elevated to a godly status for their fame and influence, even when they have acted mostly in self interest. Service to community is not desired, even laughed at. There's an acceptance for certain doom and no initiative to change it.

Banyue: symbolism for young adult cluelessness

When state preceptor Banyue asked Xie Lian how to save the people, he expressed remorse at his inability to answer her. Banyue feeling like she had been a failure because she hadn't figured out life in 200 hundred years is such a parallel to how it feels to be a young adult having no idea what you're supposed to do in life and slowly wasting away with the time passing gradually out of your control.

I always thought being an immortal would take away the pressure of time, but I guess nothing can save us from this commodifying mindset, trying to find value and reason for existence. Even ghosts want purpose. Even deities do.

Ambiguous conflicts and nuanced feelings through Nan Feng and Fu Yao

One of the things that I really liked was that both the major conflicts in the story, that of Xuan Ji and Banyue vs Central Plains, were ambiguous in terms culpability. Who's to blame? Every party involved was responsible and in case of the war helpless in their own need for survival. Another parallel to reality.

Similarly, Nan Feng and Fu Yao's feelings towards Xie Lian were also nuanced. They "volunteered" to help him but carried anger and resentment towards Xie Lian, towards themselves for not supporting him back then, admiring him but also condemning him at the same time. I'd love to see how it'll all play out, I'm sure Xie Lian knows who they are and I want to see how he'll deal with it all. Emotions are often nuanced and complicated, you can love someone but dislike them, you can fear someone and still crave them and this juxtaposition of complicated feelings is something I really enjoy in fiction (and hate in real life).

Stereotypes and expectations

Tremendous Masculinity. XD

It might be a gag, but it also shows that even deities do not wish to live up to any expectations people may have of them. Often what is believed is not rooted in reality at all, and heavenly officials are powerless and unable to control people's beliefs about them.

Worshippers' ideas about gods also contributed to Xianle's downfall. Xie Lian was not invincible, that was his crime. That's why, later Xie Lian constantly denied Puqi people that he cannot offer wealth or a wife or a child to anyone. He won't make promises he can't keep.

Hua Cheng's name

Finally, I'm not sure which idea I like better: Hua Cheng being his real name, destined and fated to seek and hold flowers, or Hua Cheng being his fake name that he chose to live for Xie Lian, that he chose to find meaning in him.

Either way, I'm looking forward to learning more about who he really is.

Final Note- Ruoye is so cute. It's a band but it's cute.

I am sure my ideas are bound to change as I proceed with the novels but for now I'd say the first book was really enjoyable, a good mix of horror and action and fun interactions. Onto the second one!! <3

[fucked-up-chronically]

more hearts

[sairusboom]

And second prompt for @dukethvmas

tgcf [SFW] Pei Xiu and Ban Yue

I love the moment when Ban Yue dances. So I thought it would be fun to draw them dancing together.

[tempo-takoyaki]

Heaven Official’s Blessing except I haven’t read the book, remember nothing of the donghua, and saw a few spoilers.

And here it is, the final part! 12 parts, 36 pages, and 4 months of work, and an incredible community that accompanied me along the way! Thank you so much for your support!

Until we meet again!

Let's go read the books now!

Part 1 | <<Previous Part<< | Final Part

[goldenstage]

alternative storyboard for the season one opening sequence. taken from the official donghua artbook.

i decided to make a slideshow-like gif with the thumbnails