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khattikeri · 2 days ago

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(for the ask game) liu qingge, 8, 12, 15? im a curious man

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

Why just something? I'll give you Several things, I'm itching to talk about Liu Qingge 24/7. Let's go:

They really, really, really fucking dumb him down. He's not a stupid meathead, folks, he's just bad at talking. Like really. Dare we forget he immediately pinned down the fact that Shen Yuan wasn't Shen Jiu, and told him that to his face, but simply lacked evidence to prove that was the truth? This is also the person who knows when he's bound to lose a fight. He doesn't rush Luo Binghe after Shen Qingqiu self-detonates. He tells the disciples calmly that they won't be able to defeat him-- verbally disarming them from attacking. He then continues to lightly say he can't defeat Luo Binghe either. He's called the war god for a reason. He doesn't say much, and is far from the most eloquent character, but he has a brain and uses it well given what little info he has.

Similarly, viewing him as entitled. I tend to see this with some of the more BingQiu Only types, but like... stop and think for a minute just how little information Liu Qingge has, and especially how BingQiu's relationship looks to every single person in-universe who ISN'T a transmigrator. There are so many layers there between teacher-student, human-demon, the simple age gap itself, the transmigrator-protag dynamics... Anyway, Liu Qingge is not "entitled" about Shen Qingqiu, he's justifiably concerned for his peer who saved his life. Yeah he's bitchy about their relationship later and yeah he says questionable shit when irritated ("He's dead!") but he ultimately leaves them alone and accepts their relationship even if he hates it. He's not out there pompously demanding they break up or that Shen Qingqiu get with someone else (much less himself) instead.

Turning him into someone with intense wanderlust, because he "only likes fighting". He has a very strong sense of duty and morals (rich noble-blooded cultivator alert) and wouldn't abandon his post, even if he doesn't really do much traditional teaching. This is the guy who got worried about Shen Qingqiu leaving his peak for over a month without warning while Binghe was in the abyss. If he spends a lot of time away that's for important things like missions (i.e. someone told him to) or literally secluded cultivation. He's not an "abandon your Peak Lord duties" guy.

Making him suave or flirtatious or otherwise excessively teasing. I see this most often in LiuJiu fics (maybe because it's one of the few ships where people tend to have Liu Qingge actually top...) and it pisses me off so badddd. idk what else to even say man that is NOT Liu Qingge he would NOT fucking say or do any of that oh my god. Make an OC. Christ alive.

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

You should read my super duper extra special self-indulgent porno postcanon fic on ao3 for that (login required to view)

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

LiuShen but heavily in the sense of his canonical one-sided feelings; BingLiuShen and LiuJiu and QiLiuJiu as well. I have a very very specific postcanon QiLiu AU churning in my brain too. And let's not forget the terrible modern AU where Mu Qingfang and Wei Qingwei both pursue him and they end up in a poly-- [they are dragged off stage]

I don't mind shipping Liu Qingge with most characters tbh, he's very versatile and fun. Although I have to admit I like him individually more than his ships, and thus enjoy self-shipping most of all ^-^

#ask #jinlin-at-the-moon #THANK U KOI <3 #svsss #danmei #ask game #liu qingge #keri chats #long post #?? unsure but tagging just in case hksfldj

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frostfires-blog · 3 days ago

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Valentine's Day Poll Winner:

Top 10 MXTX Side Ships

Sorry that I'm only posting this almost 2 full days after Valentine's Day... I highly underestimated how long this was going to take and had a few things up which delayed me further... Before I start, I just wanted to remind everyone that this is what won the poll—so I'm not just putting this out to rile people up. I'd also like to reiterate that this list is based on my own opinions—so please don't get upset with me if your favourite ship isn't here or isn't in the placement you'd want to be. Admittedly putting together this list was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be... Considering I value ships that have a good basis in the canonical narrative and avoid pairings with a lot of toxicity, there weren't many options... There are also a quite few popular ships that I have mixed feelings on, so I chose not to include them... That being said constructive comments are welcome! I'd love for you to politely share your own favourites in the comments!

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-> Honourable Mentions:

Lan Yuan × Jing Ling

Lan Yuan × Lan Jingyi

Sha Hualing × Liu Mingyan

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-> Top 10 MXTX Side Ships:

10.) Moshang │ Mobei-Jun × Shang Qinghua

I'm sure a lot of you are going to be disappointed that the only canonical M/M side pairing in MXTX's novel was placed so low on my list... I don't know how to explain it other than that I like the idea of them as pairing but don't quite like the execution... I feel that they weren't given enough time to properly grow on me and that we don't see enough of their dynamic for me to like them as much as the other ships on this list. They have a lot of issues that weren't handled as carefully as I would've liked due to SVSSS' light-hearted tone. That being said I like how they gradually bring out the best in one another—with Shang Qinghua becoming more standoffish and bold while Mobei-Jun becomes more expressive and compromising.

09.) Tianlang-Jun × Su Xiyan

Admittedly it's a little hypocritical of me to place them above MoShang considering that these two got even less screentime and things ended tragically... But I really liked the bit of their dynamic that we saw. Tianlang-Jun is such a fun character and Su Xiyan complements him so well. What I appreciate most about this ship is its subversion of a few conventional tropes, particularly with Tianlang-Jun being characterised as a "lovestruck teenage girl" and a "pampered young lady who fled from home and was oblivious to the world". In contrast, Su Xiyan is characterised as a "wealthy young master," "cold and ruthless," and "solemn and driven."

08.) QuanYin │ Quan Yizhen × Yin Yu

The fandom has many opposing opinions on this ship and while I have my conflicting thoughts, I can't help but want to root for them. They have an intriguing yet complex dynamic in the canon narrative. While Quan Yizhen is strongly attached to Yin Yu and admires and cares for him, Yin Yu intentionally avoids Quan Yizhen, claiming that he despises him—though this hatred appears to be a front to conceal his own guilt and uneasiness. I find it incredibly moving that, despite everything that has transpired, Quan Yizhen has chosen to believe in Yin Yu's sincerity—despite what others say—and continues searching for him. Yin Yu is someone who struggles to see the good in himself—while Quan Yizhen can only see the good in Yin Yu. Despite their difficulties communicating, the extent they've gone to defend one another despite everything makes their care for one another evident.

07.) Pei Xiu × Banyue

Dare I say that this ship is one of the most underrated ones in the TGCF fandom… They somewhat serve as a parallel to HuaLian like most other hinted ship pairs in the series do. Pei Xiu's guilt and helplessness to save Banyue—along with his willingness to sacrifice himself and others to protect and avenge her—are reminiscent of Hua Cheng's feelings and actions. Similarly, Banyue's benevolent beliefs led to her achieving no success and culminated in her suffering, drawing a subtle parallel with Xie Lian's tribulations. On the other hand, Pei Xiu and Banyue differentiate themselves from HuaLian in a lot of ways. While Pei Xiu values Banyue over her own wishes and ends up harming innocent people, Hua Cheng greatly respects Xie Lian's desire to protect others and sacrifices himself instead. TGCF delves into the interplay between devotion, morality, and obsession—with several subsidiary relationships depicting the alternative trajectories the main pair could have followed under slightly different circumstances. This results in dynamics that are both notably comparable but also significantly distinct from the main pair in several of its prominent side pairs.

06.) FengQing │Feng Xin × Mu Qing

I'm sure their presence on their list was expected given that they're the most popular side ship in TGCF. Their immense popularity isn't without cause and can largely be attributed to their dynamic chemistry and abundance of comical canonical interactions. I'm a huge fan of the rivals-to-lovers trope which these two embody perfectly with their tension-filled interactions and contrasting personalities. Despite their distaste for one another they are almost always seen collaborating with one another, often not needing words to do so. They have also saved and protected one another numerous times. They bring out the best in one another as they are very closely matched in numerous respects, and as such their competitiveness drives them to strive for improvement. Although their lengthy history together denotes that they have a better understanding of each other than anyone else, the long-standing misconceptions they have of one another provide opportunities for them to grow as they work through them—which lends their dynamic a sense of novelty. Despite their contrasting viewpoints and personalities, they have the capacity to be a good match given Mu Qing's desire for acceptance and stability and Feng Xin's innate reliability and protectiveness.

05.) SongXiao │ Song Lan × Xiao Xingchen

It's a common conception that Xiao Xingchen was supposed to have his own separate story—I think that the depth of the bond between these two makes this even more apparent. That being said, the Yi City arc integrates itself well into the narrative of MDZS. Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen serve as a great parallel to WangXian. Both Xiao Xingchen and Wei Wuxian had noble aspirations and promising futures but instead fell into despair after doing what they felt was right brought them and their loved ones suffering. Furthermore, both characters sacrificed a part of themselves for a loved one, leaving themselves vulnerable. Likewise, Song Lan and Lan Wangji have similar dispositions and have both erratically pushed away the person they cared about most—leaving them to lament the person's death as they were unable to save them. Although their story ends tragically, their care for one another is evident in their final actions: Song Lan not alerting Xiao Xingchen of his presence to avoid hurting the latter with the revelation of Xue Yang's deception, and Xiao Xingchen taking his own life after discovering that he had been deceived into killing Song Lan. Furthermore, Xiao Xingchen's willingness to give up his sight for Song Lan is not just a display of his innate altruism—or to assuage his guilt—but is also a testament to his care for the latter.

04.) Pei Ming × Yushi Huang

I've really come to like this ship upon my second full read-through of TGCF. While they don't get many interactions, the ones they do get are quite telling. I never get tired of seeing the "pretty boy gets brought down to earth by a nonchalant girl" trope. In this regard, these two are somewhat reminiscent of the dynamic Jinshi x Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries) has. Pei Ming's awkwardness around Yushi Huang, and how he repeatedly finds himself saved by her despite his masculine chauvinism, is incredibly amusing. I maintain that this is the only pairing in which Pei Ming is not depicted as a suave heartbreaker—given that Yushi Huang subconsciously forces Pei Ming to confront his flaws and archaic viewpoints. In my opinion, a healthy relationship is one that continually encourages you to better yourself. Yushi Huang's genuine selflessness and humility sharply contrast with Pei Ming's excessive arrogance and egocentricity. Pei Ming and Yushi Huang are essentially the antithesis of one another, which adds to their complexity and chemistry. Their dynamic is further compounded by their uncomfortable history which necessitates for them to actively work at things for a relationship to work out. In the original novel, I got the impression that there were some unrequited feelings on Pei Ming's end—and from what I've heard the revised version further hints at this. With that in mind, another aspect of this pairing that I appreciate is that it provides a sense of fulfilment regardless of whether it culminates in a mutual relationship or remains unreciprocated. In the latter case, there is a sense of poetic justice as Xuan Ji's curse on Pei Ming will have manifested as a punitive karma.

03.) LiuShen │ Liu Qingge × Shen Yuan

I'm not sure if this counts as the side ship, but I'm going to opt to include them... I've spoken about LiuShen here before—but I'll repeat a lot of what I said because it still stands... SVSSS is the only MXTX novel where I've fully committed to shipping a protagonist with a character aside from their main romantic interest. I just find something about LiuShen's dynamic so gripping... I truly adore all of their interactions. The little presents Liu Qingge occasionally brings Shen Qingqiu from missions along with him constantly returning the latter's lost fans are the cutest detail. They balance each other out so well, with Shen Qingqiu relying on Liu Qingge's physical strength and Liu Qingge trusting in Shen Qingqiu's vast knowledge and intellect. Liu Qingge is a relatively stubborn, aloof, and straightforward person—but Shen Qingqiu brings out this sort of determined, flustered, and complex side of him. The saddest thing for me is that it's highly implied in the extras that Liu Qingge thought that Shen Qingqiu was his soulmate... Shen Qingqiu while often subtly annoyed by Liu Qingge's aloofness and bluntness, clearly has a degree of respect and admiration for him. The way he sometimes finds himself inadvertently poetically describing Liu Qingge's features is both amusing and endearing. Another aspect in the canon narrative that makes me gravitate towards these two is the fact that Liu Qingge spent all those years trying to get Shen Qingqiu's deceased body back from Luo Binghe—despite there being nothing in return for him other than having his pride repeatedly trampled on. Out of all the MXTX pairings, I probably read the most fanfics of these two (& WangXian), so please drop any LiuShen fic recs in the comments below!

02.) XuanLi │ Jin Zixuan × Jiang Yanli

Generally speaking, I find people in the fandom either really like this pairing or really dislike it. While I somewhat understand people's misgivings, I do think many overlook the context of their relationship ignore and Jin Zixuan's character development. Although Jin Zixuan is initially immature and arrogant, he becomes more mature, upstanding and caring. His initial dissatisfaction with his arranged engagement to Jiang Yanli is comprehensible—considering no one desires to be coerced into a lifelong commitment—particularly when confronted with numerous instances of arranged unions resulting in turmoil. After their engagement is dissolved, Jin Zixuan is free to pursue anyone he likes, and it is only after maturing that he falls for Jiang Yanli's compassion and thoughtfulness. Only once his misguided assumptions about her are dispelled is he able to pursue her of his own volition. They complement each other—albeit in a more nuanced manner than WangXian. Jiang Yanli acts as a source of tranquillity, humility, and sincerity to Jin Zixuan—who is otherwise encircled by ostentatious and duplicitous individuals. While Jin Zixuan provides fulfilment, security, and assurance to Jiang Yanli—who has experienced significant loss and upheaval. In this sense, they remind me a lot of Kyo x Tohru (Fruits Basket), which makes me adore them even more. They were both brought up in households with parents who were constantly at odds and as a result, they share a strong desire to better themselves for each other. This is most notably seen when Jin Zixuan invites Wei Wuxian to their son's one-month banquet—despite their prior disputes—to make Jiang Yanli happy. It was truly endearing to see him swallow his pride and embarrassment whilst courting her, and one of my favourite details is that teases him about this after their marriage. I'd give anything for an added scene of them interacting with Jin Ling, their son who embodies their best traits despite them never having had the opportunity to raise him.

01.) Beefleaf │ He Xuan × Shi Qingxuan

Unsurprisingly, I had to rank these two at #1! Why am I so infatuated with these two, despite what occurred during the Black Water Arc? I do not know... But what I do know is that I don't go a week without thinking about them and what could have been... Their dynamic centres around the interplay of vengeance, duty, guilt, friendship, and betrayal—making them narratively complex and intriguing in a way that's different from HuaLian. I fear I'm secretly a sucker for unexpected angst... They pack in so many great complex tropes that I can't begin to list them all... Although I'm typically drawn towards happy endings, they satisfy my deep-seated yearning for angst—in a way that only Eren x Mikasa (Attack on Titan) has managed to do. The Black Water Arc is so messy because while you absolutely feel for Shi Qingxuan, you can totally understand He Xuan as well. That duality is quite difficult to pull off... I believe that we oftentimes tend to focus on Shi Qingxuan's sentiments towards He Xuan while rarely examining the latter's feelings. It's evident that He Xuan wanted to despise Shi Qingxuan but couldn't quite bring himself to. He practically acknowledged that he had wanted Shi Qingxuan to choose him over Shi Wudu by offering him several chances. While Shi Qingxuan never picked up on anything, and He Xuan couldn't let go of his desire for vengeance—the sentiment of "what if" will always remain. While I would've liked to see more of them in the series—particularly after their fallout—I liked how ambiguous and nuanced their feelings are portrayed towards one another. Although it is improbable that they would ever reconcile—it is apparent that Shi Qingxuan will spend the rest of his life rehashing the past, dwelling on overlooked details while wishing he had done things differently. Similarly, it is implied that He Xuan will be watching over Shi Qingxuan from a distance, wondering if he made the right decision—as suggested by the former returning the latter's fan and not having dissipated after exacting his revenge. They possess strikingly complementary yet contrasting aesthetics and attributes that evoke an ethereal, poetic quality. This is undoubtedly what allows me to hear them in so many songs and see them in so many things… Just like with many other TGCF side pairings, several parallels can be drawn between Beefleaf and Hualian. Both Shi Qingxuan and Xie Lian—who are apart of the Famous Four Tales—are among the few gods who are compassionate, moral, and fair. He Xuan and Hua Cheng—both ghost kings apart of the Four Calamities—are seen as antisocial, haughty, and bothersome.

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Thanks to everyone who participated in the poll... Hopefully, this met your expectations. You're more than welcome to share your own lists and any fic recs in the comments! There are a lot of points that I chose not to expand on due to time constraints... So, if there's anything you want me to elaborate on, then feel free to send me an ask. My inbox is also open if you have any other questions or requests...

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