#I am watching you Jun Wu

[bloopitynoot]

Reading TGCF: Chapter 67

For those who don't know, I am reading TGCF for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag Bloopitynoot reads TGCF. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read BUT if you followed along with my SVSSS read, the rules and vibe are the same.

Today's drink of choice is hot water. I am going to the farmers market this morning and I need to be on my A game LOL.

Charlie update things for anyone interested (totally feel free to skip);

So we got a call from the vet quite late last night and totally expected the worst. BUT some good news- it is not lymphoma! We were really worried (and out vet as well) that it might have been lymphoma.

Instead they found that he has Neutrophilia (elevated white blood cells) and that paired with other tests left him with the diagnosis of a bacterial infection in his liver (or hepatitis) BUT the treatment is the same.

Our little guy has a slew of meds but we are hopeful he is on the mend. We were even told his blood work from yesterday showed his liver markers decreasing with the liver support medication he has been on as a precaution the last two weeks (he is no longer in liver failure!) though he is still yellow as hell.

This is much better news than we though <3 it'll be a lot of care work but the vet is hopeful he will get better.

okay now that I have shared the good good news; let's go chapter 67!

Wait, all the ghosts are affected? p273

I feel bad for Guzi going through it this entire time. This kid is going to be so traumatized and confused. p274

WAIT WAIT WAIT I HAVE SEEN THIS ART (points to cover dramatically). AH p276

Yeah, sure, it's the spiritual power, "Maybe it was because Hua Cheng's spiritual power was too potent, but Xie Lian felt filled to bursting by the warmth flowing down his throat, through his chest, and all the way in to his stomach" p277

I would argue that the altar is still a place to worship the divine- [points to cover art] exhibit A. No take backs, I am not wrong. ^-^ p278

My heart! One page Xie Lian is admitting his feelings for Hua Cheng to himself, the next page he is not truthful to Hua Cheng about what happened :( pp278-279

Oh damn. That's what that mountain means. p280

Feng Xin and Mu Qing fighting again. I have grown to love these two so much. The speed in which I will be reading their enemies to lovers/miscommunications fics when I am done reading this series will break the sound barrier. p281

I'm so damn annoyed. How did everyone Xie Lian apprehend (all the very dangerous ghosts) escape. When did this happen? Why is Jun Wu just telling them all now. Seems like a security issue. SO suspicious! pp282-283

I have my eye on Jun Wu

This guys seems suspicious as fuck. He's supposed to be the one in charge but he's done absolutely nothing and doesn't even seem to care about this security threat. VERY suspicious that 1. he didn't tell anyone these people escaped when they did or 2. that they all escaped under his watch at ONCE and he was so casual about it.

BUT ALSO I have lost track and need to know how many times in the past 48 hours these tow have made out but still believe it's unrequited.

[yumemiruuuu]

I wanted to try translating the Heaven Official’s Blessing Season 2 Japanese ending, since I’m quite familiar with the language (being Japanese and all)- and also because the lyrics was so beautiful and fitting for the series. I think the official versions have been released already but I still wanted to share my interpretation of it. The full version of it is also available on Spotify btw btw!!

なぜ、まだこの心は、

Naze, mada kono kokoro ha/wa,

長い夢から覚めないのでしょう？

nagai yume kara samenai no deshou?

Why won’t this heart still wake up from this long dream?

優しさ、愛しさと、君の影を抱いて眠る

Yasashisa, itoshisato, kimi no kage wo daite nemuru.

I go to sleep carrying the shadow of you and your kindness and affection.

遠すぎ��春を待つ

Toosugiru haru wo matsu

Waiting for the spring that is far away,

溢した涙、 数えきれずに

Koboshita namida, kazo-e kirezu ni

I’ve shed countless tears.

もう一度だけ その手に触れられるなら他に何もいらないから

Mou ichido dake sono te ni furerareru no nara hoka ni nani mo iranai kara

If only I can feel your hand this one more time, I would not want anything else.

追いかけた、届きたくて

Oikaketa, todoki-taku-te

I chased after you, wanting to reach

強く歩みゆくその姿

Tsuyoku ayumiyuku sono sugata

the you who walk with strength.

君がくれた全てを守りたくて

Kimi ga kureta subete wo mamoritakute

Wanting to protect the everything that you have given me,

どんな痛みでも肥えてきたの

Donna itami-demo koete-kita no

I’ve endured all the pain.

会いたくて、触れたくて

Aitakute, Furetakute

I’ve wanted to meet you, and to feel you.

刻み続けてきた思いは

Kizami tsuzukete-kita omoi ha(wa)

The feelings I’ve carved into myself,

色褪せること無く募ってゆく

Iro aseru koto naku tsuno-tte yuku

continue to increase and never fade.

ずっと君のため生きて行きたい

Zutto kimi no tame ikite ikitai/yukitai

I wish to continue living only for you.

[naehja]

Beefleaf fanfic prompt

AU where He Xuan changes his mind just before starting his revenge and decides to go in another route.

Not because he fell in love with Shi Qingxuan. Nope.

He reveals everything to the gods about the switch.

He asks for Shi Wudu's punishement. He wants to see him lose everything, loses everything he manages to have since he became a god, he wants to see him being banished. Being helpless. Killing him would be too easy. Too quick. He wants him to suffer.

But it's not all.

He asks to marry Shi Qingxuan. He'll not accept that Shi Qingxuan loses his divinity because he does a good job and has a good heart, and he's innocent but "since Shi Wudu sacrificed me to keep his brother, then i want his brother. Shi Qingxuan took my life, even if it wasn't his choice and that he wasn't aware of it, so he belongs to me!"

So no only Shi Wudu will loses EVERYTHING but he'll also lose his brother and will never see him again. He'll know that his brother will stay a god, even under He Xuan's control but he'll know that he'll never be authorized to see him again. He'll never know how his brother is treated, or stuff like that. He'll know that his brother has to marry a powerful ghost who want him to suffer.

That's the worse for him.

Worse than the lose of his divinity.

Shi Qingxuan is a little terrified and devasted (yeah no wonder) and thinks he'll be treated badly/will be a prisoner, maybe a slave, but he's treated very well.

He has has a big comfy bedroom in He Xuan's manor, nice clothes, delicious food and wine. And He Xuan will never do something he doesn't want.

"You are not putting me in a cell?

What kind of husband do you think i am Qingxuan!?"

Edit:

The Gods are reluctant about the situation, but it was their only situation to make He Xuan satisfied. They didn't want to risk a second version of what Hua Cheng had done with 33 gods. They lost the Water Tyran, fine. But they have still the Wind Master. They could have lost both. and what would be the heavens reputation after that? Jun Wu has insisted for that Shi Qingxuan assists to the most important reunions. He Xuan was reluctant but he let his wife/husband being a god(ness) so he can't really say no. He always leave a clone to watch him and says that Pei Ming and Ling Wen can't interact with him because they are his brother's friends!

So at first, Shi Qingxuan doesn't see a lot He Xuan. The ghost avoids him, thinking that the wind master doesn't want to see him. Or that he misses his old life in Heaven, his brother...

So after the first night where nothing happened because He Xuan doesn't want to force him, they barely interact.

They still marry to ghost city as a kind of "fuck you" to Heaven and to Shi Wudu. And so Hua Cheng has increased He Xuan's debt because of that.

He Xuan had also engaged people from Ghost City to work at his manor, so it would be comfortable for his husband/wife. Soi he engaged a cook, and two persons to clean and a gardener for the little garden of his manor.

Shi Qingxuan has a big comfy room, with a living room in the next room where he can paint, does calligraphy, plays music, reads book. But he's quickly bored. He speaks with the employees, asks if he can help. They all refuse because it's the lady of the manor. Their master's wife/huband.

The Gardener accepts to listen his requests of plants he would like to see in the garden. And the cooks listens when he asks for a particular dishes or dessert.

But Shi Qingxuan is SO bored.

He always eat alone.

He can leave three hours by days for help his followers.

But he can't exactly travel. Or visit locations. Or go the theater for exemple. He doesn't dare to ask He Xuan.

He goes out of the manor too, and walk on the island. He has a bracelet who stop him to leave the island when he's not busy to help followers. So he can't leave and nobody can make him leave, except Black Water.

He can walk in the little wood, among the trees and the wild plants. He can stay on, the beach, watching the sea and the bones fishes who ome to the surface to watch him too. He has even pet some of them after some time.

But he spends a lot of time alone, even if he can speak via spiritual array with Xie Lian and some gods like Lian Qianqiu.

He decides to write letters to He Xuan and slide them under the door of He Xuan's bedroom. Since the guy avoids him. (How dare he? Marrying him and neglected him. Well it's better than killing him he guess)

And so they start to exchange letters at first.

The events of the ends of the book happens.

And Then, after everything is over, He Xuan starts to show up to eat with him, even if he doesn't speak a lot.

Then he starts to answer to Shi Qingxuan.

He lets him go in the library of the manor who was close until now.

He lets him visit Xie Lian as much he wants. Or return to the Heavens to visit friends if he wants. The only rule is to not see Shi Wudu or going close of Shi Wudu's friends. Because that's still a punishement for Wudu after all.

Prompt free for adoption =)

If you are inspired, you can write it =)

[illuminatedferret]

Yes!

About the fate swap thing, I actually do think the timing is partially JW's fault. Not only the third heavenly calamity, but I think what pushed HX to finally do it is the Earth Master being dead. Which, while wasn't explained, I'm sure is JW's fault.

About Mt. Tonglu a.k.a Ghost Rut: absolutely! I agree, but I don't think it's only that XL was alone with HC. Rather, XL was with HC in *Ghost City*, with a bonus of Qi Rong is nearby. That's recipe for pure chaos, and honestly? I bet it infuriates JW if he knew XL solved that by having a heavy makeout session 🤣🤣🤣😭

Actually, adding to that: I bet Jun Wu hates Hua Cheng so SO much. Even from the parade, Hong'er was the one who makes XL differ from JW's character that he was portraying. Then comes Beizi Hill, which... well, I think JW hoped XL was alone, and especially the calamity XL arc. I'm sure at that point, BWX really, really hoped XL was alone, and was so so SO glad when WM finally dispersed (which leaves XL alone). Hell, I think the only reason he didn't disperse ghost fire HC was because XL didn't believe ghost fire HC's words.

I honestly wonder just how much JW knows? Because if he knew HC was all of those from the start when HC escaped the Kiln, I think he would've dispersed him. With good reason: at that point there's no other calamity and the first one was BWX, who he 'dispersed'.

.... i have brainrot over tgcf....

P.S. thanks for the tag ❤️

- 🍁

Last Ask

Oh, Jun Wu totally killed Earth Master. 100%. I'm personally of the opinion there's a reason the idea of messing with the timing of Heavenly Tribulations never comes up in the novel, but hey, that also means there's nothing actually saying it isn't possible.

I am confused by what you mean about Ming Yi's death spurring He Xuan to disrupt Shi Wudu's Tribulation, though. I don't see how that would play any factor in things. I don't think He Xuan was hesitating or anything, if that's what you're getting at. He's not the kind of man to falter. That's kind of his whole deal. He's patient, but only because he has to be. He infiltrated the heavens looking to discover why Shi Wudu was present at his death. Upon finding out (which would have happened either before or even during Book 1), I don't think anything would have stopped He Xuan from his revenge- he'd just be biding his time for the perfect opportunity (which the Tribulation definitely was). That's the tragedy of the Blackwater Arc- everyone puts their family above all else, regardless of the consequences.

Yeah, between Hua Cheng and Ghost City, I think Hua Cheng was above and beyond the bigger threat. The stronger the ghost, the worst they're impacted, after all. Ghost City probably would've been an annoyance, but when the mountain opens, we also see they become incapacitated by it- unlike Hua Cheng, who was more trying to resist its call than anything else. And, again, any damage Mount Tonglu opening could have done to Hualian's relationship would have been far more important to Jun Wu than what Ghost City might have done to Xie Lian. Actually, Qiandeng Temple was probably one of the best places for them to be at the time...

I've actually gotten into debates before arguing over whether or not Jun Wu knew about Hua Cheng. I want to believe he didn't, because it's fun to think of Hua Cheng as the dark horse Jun Wu didn't see coming, but realistically... I have to admit, I don't see how he couldn't. All he had to do was find the Cave of Ten Thousand Gods on his own home turf and it would have explained everything, if he wasn't already watching Mount Tonglu that round to keep an eye on things. Hua Cheng throughout the ages has definitely been an annoyance to Jun Wu, though.

Despite that, I don't think Jun Wu tried to disperse Hua Cheng for a couple reasons. For one, in regards to his connection to Xie Lian, that's not his M.O. Jun Wu is of the belief nobody but him can truly understand Xie Lian, and that all (other) interpersonal ties will inevitably sour and fall apart. If he felt the need to step in and disperse Hua Cheng on those grounds, he'd be admitting he feels that belief of his is threatened. That's why he never does anything to the people around Xie Lian- he might set up difficult situations, but the choices are still always left up to the people around him. He's trying to prove a point.

For two, Hua Cheng did serve a purpose. We can't forget Jun Wu is the one who set the Kiln up to start forging Supremes. He did that because when the Mortal Realm is in turmoil, when there are powerful ghosts and demons out wrecking havoc, more people pray to him, and he becomes stronger for it. Hua Cheng inspires a lot of fear among mortals and gods alike, leaving them reliant on Jun Wu for a sense of security. So Hua Cheng was in one part allowed to live because to kill him went against Jun Wu's personal philosophy(which is. as we all know. very. very important to him) and in part because he was useful for Jun Wu's goals. If needed, he could have killed Hua Cheng. But Hua Cheng never forced his hand. Ultimately, he was more useful as a boogeyman than as an accolade. Even disregarding that, without destroying his ashes, there was no guarantee Hua Cheng wouldn't come back.

[shijiujun]

TGCF SEASON 2 EPISODE 1 PREMIERE RECAP

Omg okay so it was the premiere today and yes TGCF DONGHUA season 2 is not out yet it’ll air on October 18 as scheduled but episode 1 is premiering early today, tomorrow and next week (?) at physical premiere ticketed events, one in Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok each.

What happened: (1) VA intros and yes! Xie Lian’s new VA (2) An edited 1 hour plus long S1 highlights so you JOG UR MEMORY OF WHAT HAPPENED (3) S2 Episode 1 premiere (4) Guest appearance by vtuber Fulgur lol and (5) There’s a lucky draw quiz segment (?)

What you guys can expect in Episode 1 of Season 2:

It starts with court drama as we all know and Jun Wu’s voice is more twinky than I expected LOL

SHI QINGXUAN?! That first meeting between SQX and XL we saw in the mid-autumn teaser release ISNT ALL LIKE THAT SCENE IS WAY FUNNIER IN FULL OMFG

Yes the part where SQX male turns back into SQX female and trying to get XL to try it out

GHOST CITY ANIMATION IS SO DAMN FUCKING GOOD??!!! And all the random store sellers and Lan Chang the older ghost who harassed XL?! And the way he delivers the line where he says he’s impotent LOL

OMFG AND THE DAMN HIGHLIGHT WAS CERTAINLY THAT GAMBLING SCENE FOR LANG QIANQIU omg all the ghosts were watching HUA CHENGZHU flirt with Xie Lian and LIVING FOR IT IT IS WAY FUNNIER ANIMATED EVERYONE IN THE HALL WAS LAUGHING EVERY TWO MINUTES

The TRIPLE QUARDRUPLE HANDHOLDING SCENES OMGGGGGG LIKE EVERYONE ISTG EEPED AND AWWED LIKE THAT IS HOW SWEET AND MUSHY AND EMBARRASSING IT WAS HUA CHENG CONTROL URSELF

We are in for a treat ISTG episode 1!!!

Ends with ‘Gege, I lost to you’ ERMMM AND FLASHBACK TO WHEN SAN LANG SAID HE WOULD MEET XIE LIAN THE NEXT TIME IN HIS TRUE FORM

A random ghost in the background: “omg I’m going to die I’m going to die” after seeing Hua Cheng’s newest ‘skin’ and another ghost going: “wtf aren’t you alr dead lol” 😂😂😂😂😂

Sound on for half a Xie Lian intro and a full Hua Cheng intro 😘

Going to head back and open up the goodie pack!!! I swear I had forgotten how good TGCF was and how excited I am for it like GET TOGETHER TGCF FRIENDS CUZ EPISODE 1 AND SEASON 2 DONGHUA IS GOING TO BE A HELL OF A RIDE

Edit: LOVE THE KEYCHAIN FROM THE SET

[alittlelessalone]

I have an idea for a fun TGCF Beefleaf fix it fic. Idk if I’ll ever write it, but I wanted to share the idea.

Okay. So to set the scene, let’s say that Jun Wu isn’t quite as dead as we thought. And the only person who’s around at the time to realize it is He Xuan who’s just moping by himself and being miserable. And then Jun Wu triggers something that turns back time to the moment of Xie Lian’s third ascension, wiping everyone’s memories but his own, and also He Xuan’s.

Now suddenly He Xuan is left with the ability to change things, the knowledge that Jun Wu is extra dangerous and knows who he is, and the realization that if he changes anything, Jun Wu will immediately realize he also knows. But he takes a gamble that turns out to be correct that Jun Wu wants him to take down Shi Wudu, so he’s not going to out him as long as He Xuan doesn’t give himself away.

Well, there’s only so many people he can trust right now. Obviously Shi Qingxuan can’t keep a secret and they wouldn’t be able to handle the truth anyway. He’d say Hua Cheng, but he doesn’t trust him enough to not risk his life for Xie Lian, so he’s out and the only other god he can stand is Xie Lian, and he’s out since he’d tell Hua Cheng.

However, Yin Yu operates under Jun Wu’s nose and knows how to keep quiet so that’s one. And then there’s Ming Yi who is fated to die soon and who only needs to send off the signal to act according to Jun Wu’s knowledge. And if He Xuan can just convince him to help for a little bit in exchange for freedom and godhood soon, that can get him two.

So for the most part, events continue to play out the same. There are some small moments when Jun Wu subtly changes things and some small ways where He Xuan, Yin Yu, and Ming Yi subtly push back. But mostly, they’re both just plotting and waiting.

And He Xuan still isn’t completely sure what he’s doing about Shi Wudu and Shi Qingxuan. It keeps him up at night and haunts his nightmares. And Yin Yu doesn’t really know what to do about it and he doesn’t know what to do with the info he got about the future and they’re both silently suffering until Ming Yi is like “I’ve been a prisoner for centuries, how am I the best adjusted here” and somehow gets stuck providing emotional support for his captor and the guy who sometimes assists his captor (you can’t tell me Yin Yu was never tasked to help around Blackwater’s lair as part of that debt).

And eventually, the time of the Blackwater arc comes and He Xuan has to make a choice. He goes through with all the setup the same as he did before and feels horrible watching Shi Qingxuan suffer, but knows any changes will put them in danger. But that day, when he’s finally standing face to face with Shi Wudu again, he just can’t do it.

And fortunately, last time Shi Qingxuan was dumped off out of harm’s way. And yeah, it sucks they have to give up their godhood, but He Xuan decides maybe that’s punishment enough. And as for Shi Wudu, he can spend the rest of his life redeeming himself by fighting back.

So He Xuan keeps everyone believing things are going as before, lets Shi Qingxuan give up their godhood, then grabs Shi Wudu, says he absolutely doesn’t deserve this, then suppresses his powers before tossing him into a corner where Ming Yi has been waiting to grab him. He Xuan then grabs Shi Qingxuan and drops them off when he left them before, telling them to be careful and to pray to Ming Yi if they need help.

They’re crying and confused and He Xuan doesn’t have much time, but he promises to explain later and says to pretend their brother is dead. He debates saying more, but ultimately just leaves. He gets back to find Shi Wudu captive where Ming Yi once was and glaring. And no matter how much he hates him, He Xuan swallows his feelings and tells Shi Wudu the world (and Shi Qingxuan) are in danger and he needs Shi Wudu’s help.

By this point, we’re approaching a place where He Xuan can safely tell Hua Cheng and start getting him involved. And Hua Cheng is equal parts impressed and annoyed to learn Yin Yu already knew. But now we have He Xuan, Ming Yi, and Shi Wudu as one fucked up team learning to work together and dealing with their feelings, Hua Cheng and Yin Yu teamed up to protect Xie Lian, and poor Shi Qingxuan who has no idea what’s happening other than something is up and decides they’re not going to just sit back and hide.

And of course it ends in epic battles and forgiveness and friendship and love. And Yin Yu and Quan Yizhen get to be together, Mu Qing and Feng Xin get to end up together, and maybe we could even throw some Peishui in as well because I’m weirdly soft for that. And Shi Qingxuan gets to earn their godhood being badass, yell at He Xuan for lying to them and hurting them, yell at Shi Wudu for lying to them and hurting He Xuan, and then be able to forgive them both and end up with both their brother and their best friend (and future lover) by their side.

And Hualian will still happen of course, but maybe Hua Cheng doesn’t need to disappear for a year. And Hua Cheng will totally beat the shit out of He Xuan for not telling him for so long, but begrudgingly admit he did alright and helped save Xie Lian, so he guesses he can forgive him. He still has to pay off his debt of course, but fortunately he has a very contrite god of wealth in his corner now.

So yeah! Happy endings all around and poor original Ming Yi gets to be a god at long last. And maybe as a punishment for what he did, Shi Wudu will need to help Ling Wen with her work. And maybe while I’m at it, I’ll find a way to give Lang Qingqui a little more closure too since he never really got it. Idk. I just love them all and want them to be happy and He Xuan is going to make that happen!

[animebookworm16]

TGCF Volume 7 thoughts as they appear part 9

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

the way I was screaming nononononononononononononononono the entire time that Jun Wu was talking at Yin Yu you would think I was watching someone murder my own child

If Yin Yu doesn't make it out of this, much like Quan Yizhen I will never recover

Also: Curse Shackle? Super fucked, am now highly concerned that Xie Lian has two of them

part 8 , part 10

[skipblebee]

HELLOOOO TGCF NATION!!! TODAY I BRING YOU AN AU IDEA‼️🫵

So I've been watching this show called Monk lately and MY GOSH I love it- so very normal about it that my brain went "Skip!! What if we made an au inspired by this!!"

And so I present to you:

A tgcf detective au!

------

Where Xie Lian is the best detective there- who can figure out every single case no matter how impossible it seems, but his luck is so terrible that something always goes wrong (like his evidence suddenly missing) and eventually, he gets laid off the force.

Hua Cheng on the other hand, has looked up to Xie Lian ever since they were at the academy and Xie Lian defended him in a case where he was wrongfully accused (also the case that made Xie Lian popular)

Hua Cheng now, is said to be a "good luck charm" because whoever has him on their team ALWAYS ends up solving their cases!! Like wherever he goes evidence will just pop up so he's seen as someone super lucky

On hearing about what happened to Xie Lian, he offers to work with him to solve cases and prove that xl is capable and can get back in the force.

They'd balance each other out and although people think they're an unusual duo, they seem to work pretty well together!!

-----

I haven't thought much about the side characters but so far I'm thinking they work for a detective agency headed by Jun Wu, who has the public persona of an angel but he's secretly into some pretty shady stuff,,,,

Let's just say Xie Lian's cases where evidence went missing,,, most of them might've been from cases Jun Wu would've been involved in.

Y'all know I am an AVID fengqing enjoyer so ofc we have those two, always bickering but being the best duo, always able to bounce off of each other, always getting paired to go on missions together‼️‼️

Yin Yu and Yizhen?? Maybe Yin Yu landed the role of a secratary even though he always wanted to be a detective. Yizhen is someone who kinda just tagged along with him but ended up getting the detective job instead of him. Which is messy but he buys him coffee every break they have cuz he has a massive crush on him. Don't tell him I told you that tho. Not that he's trying hard to hide it.

I came up with this au pretty recently so I haven't fully figured it out yet!! But I do like the idea a lot :D

[veliseraptor]

top 5 fictional villains

oh man how am I supposed to choose from my entire villain warehouse. let's see.

1. Xue Yang. I mean, if this wasn't obvious from my [gestures] whole blog. But boy did I fall hard from pretty much scene one of my first watch of The Untamed, and then never looked back from there. He's just! What a guy. An icon. I love him so much. Fucks up his own life irreversibly and doesn't even realize he's doing it until too late. Whoops.

2. Maeglin. #my trash son. I waffled between putting him and Celegorm on this list (I could've done both, but, well, I felt like I should pick one per canon) and decided to go with Maeglin because he's arguably worse? Though I guess it probably depends on your metric. (I'm not really interested in arguing on that one, I don't particularly care, they're both my beloveds and there's no changing that at this point.) Seriously fucked up childhood that's got to fuck some things up in one's head to begin with, and then making some terrible choices later on that just go rapidly downhill, and again, tragedy of condemning oneself but also how doomed was he from the beginning (pretty doomed).

3. Vegas Theerapanyakul. I kind of hesitated about putting him on here because it feels sort of weird to call him a "villain" but like. He did sexually assault the protagonist in an early episode and threaten to kill him later on, so, like. Even if the story turns around and gives him a happy ending (iconic) I feel like he counts. Disaster of a man, kind of an awful person ("kind of?", you say, and okay, that might be so), and it's very sexy of him. Pete thinks so too, apparently.

4. Shen Jiu. Yest all right I know he's technically Sir Not Appearing In This Book but he is technically the titular scum villain so I'm counting him. Awful man. Miserable history, miserable story. I'm irresistibly drawn to tragedies created by characters themselves and that's what this guy's got going on.

5. Moridin/Ishamael/Elan Morin Tedronai. We! Love! A nihilistic villain just craving the end of everything! Of tenuous sanity and an abiding obsession with the protagonist! Anyway I didn't have a lot of feelings about this guy the first couple times I read Wheel of Time but then on my second to latest reread he came roaring out in front and plop, in the villain warehouse he goes.

thought about including He Xuan but he only sort of feels like he counts as a villain somehow; honorable mentions here go to Celegorm (disney prince murderer), Jun Wu (king of creating a toxic work environment), Clytemnestra (queen of my heart), Azula (since I just mentioned her), Jin Guangyao (generator of infinite discourse) and Jinx. I feel like I'm forgetting folks here. but that happens, I suppose.

and this is not including villains who are just so much fun for me to watch, who live in a slightly separate corner of my brain but are beloved of me nonetheless.

[emotionaldisaster909]

TGCF SPOILERS AHEAD

No no no why do i have to listen to this noooo nonono this dialogue after Pei Xiu banishment, no, no-

I scream at the screen when i watch it in the donghua

AND IN THE DONGHUA HE AT LEAST SOUNDS LIKE A

YOU KNOW, A NORMAL PERSON

But no, here, in the audiodrama

Jun Wu sounds like a BLOODY PSYCHOPATH HE TRULY IS

(I am genuinely not complaining

He makes me sick

Which means he’s a great villain

But i just have to share it or else i might have a panic attack)

THEY PUT EMPHASIS ON IT

UGH THE BGM, IT SETS THIS

UNEASY AMBIANCE

OH MY GOD NO HELP I CAN’T

UGH HE SOUNDS LIKE A PERVERT

UGH I KNOW I MIGHT BE BIASED

BUT UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH

HE DOESN’T SOUND WEARY HERE

HIS VOICE IS LILTING

LIKE HE’S HAVING SUCH FUN PLAYING THIS GAME

KNOWING HE HAS THE BOARD AND ALL THE FIGURES ON IT ON THE PALM OF HIS HAND

UUUUUUHHHHGHHGH THE BITCH

FUCK

XIE LIAN DON’T STUTTER DON’T-

DON’T LET HIM GET TO YOU

KMHKNIKHKHKBJKH

[doddily]

literally only posting this here cause i wanna revamp my instagram after being gone for so long. but here's literally not the expected: hualian! kamisama kiss au! w xie lian as nanami and hua cheng as tomoe ofc!

im literally reading the manga to figure out how to flesh out this au cause literally hualian brought me out of my hole wanting to make content for them. that and ive been meaning to read kamisama kiss and i just love it so haha.

still trying to figure out what is what, like where to put everyone, if i want the other mxtx novels to cross, etc. i think crossing the mxtx novels will make it work best. the way im thinking about it, it will be a lot different than the actual storyline for kamisama kiss for anyone who has watched the anime or read the manga, like the placements for yukiji and mikage or who will be akura-ou. i dont think I'll have a jun wu placement, but we'll see🤷‍♀️ there's enough tug and pull in the storyline w nanami and tomoe's love and in this au, i dont want full angst ;-;

if anyone has ideas let me know please!! I'll tell you guys my ideas too, i just don't want to spoil anything within the first post<3 please enjoy my 4 am post<3

[mxtxfanatic]

Xie Lian’s feet paused in his step. Jun Wu watched him then sighed, “You can’t save everyone.”

Xie Lian slowly straightened up, “Whether if I can I won’t know until I’ve tried. Even if the heavens say I must die, if that sword doesn’t pierce my heart and nail me dead on the ground, then I am still alive, and til my last breath I will struggle to the end!”

—Chapt. 77: Xian Le in Chaos; Crown Prince Returns to the Mortal Realm

[presidentdragon]

some highlights from watching the english dub of Heaven Official's Blessing with my sibling (their first time watching)

Ling Wen sounds like Siri/Cortana

Pei Ming has negative rizz (you'd be prettier if you smiled FUCK OFF HOW DID THAT LINE WORK)

sibling loves whenever ghosts remind each other that they are, in fact, ghosts and already dead

"HOW LONG ARE WE GONNA BE IN THIS FUCKING PIT?" (sibling after like 3 episodes in the sinner's pit)

Xie Lian is daddy (Jun Wu)'s specialest little boy in ALLLL of heaven

Wind Master's male voice is just so 💅💃

if Ling Wen has 100 followers I am one of them. if Ling Wen has 1 follower that's me. if Ling Wen has 0 followers then I am dead

Eming is precious baby

Hua Cheng has entered the Heavenly Official's Group Chat

Hua Cheng to everyone else: 😈 Hua Cheng to Xie Lian: 🥺

[randomshenaniganery]

TGCF Donghua

okay so I've been watching this shit since it was released and I'm fully enjoying waiting for the weekly episodes and I wanna rant about it because I love it so much but I do have some minor gripes

Bad chuchu out of the way first

I am not happy with how generic and unoriginal the designs for most of the supporting characters. Like yeah they still look somewhat different but when the pool of named characters will expand it will get harder and harder to tell people apart if they keep on going with this route. Almost everyone suffers from same face syndrome which I know is rampant in current anime I just wished they allowed for at least more dynamic silhouettes, hairstyles, and color palettes. It feels like a more toned down version of the character design in the manhua. Lang Qianqiu in the manhua is so easy to recognize because of his outfit and pei ming looks more like the bastard he is etc. Don't get me started on the design for Kemo, the manhua felt eh I feel like Kemo was too pretty and too slim but in the donghua its just he's a straight up orc idk, i feel like they could've done better. Pei Su looks very generic, I think out of everyone he's the most generic looking of them all. SQX, Ling Wen and Jun Wu are the best designs for the supporting cast and I think Banyue is also okay looking cause you can tell her apart from the rest so far.

I am super disappointed in Qi Rong's reveal because it doesn't feel as impactful in the book. In the book the reveal of him looking like Xie Lian was so dramatic to me I was like oh my god is that his brother? A twin? a doppelganger? And then Qi Rong just kinda looks like that, tbh his voice actor and his clothes are fine I think they fit. It's just weird how he suffers from same face syndrome. If they made everyone look less like each other making Qi Rong look like Xie Lian would have been so impactful and a really cool cliffhanger but they couldn't do that because even fucking Lang Qianqiu kinda looks like Xie Lian with lighter hair. Also the Fang xin design is alright on the clothes but the mask gives off a bit cheap however I get that it can't be super detailed and it still does its job so I can handwave that small pet peeve.

Also censorship we couldn't get Xie Lian falling on Hua Cheng's lap and so them trying to make up for that was super awkward LMAO, they could have solved this by making SQX fall right on Hua Cheng's chair so that they could justify why Xie Lian grabbed Hua Cheng and throws him but they didn't... and it's so awkward...

I think it was like Episode 2 of s2 that the animation feels weird, Mu Qing's face felt off to me idk what was going on it just felt like something went down but the next episode it was perfectly fine anyway.

Positives!!!

Something the manhua didn't have was Fu Yao and Nan Feng looking a bit like each other, that was so fucking funny and it's a great display of how much they hate each other and live rent free in each other's heads ong. I love that detail the donghua did I think that's smart.

The voice actors are so great in both dubs they're doing amazing (I haven't listened to the jp dub) I have no complaints I love their work

ONE of my favorite things about the donghua is being able to see Hua Cheng's expressions even when Xie Lian is doing something in the book so he wouldn't notice. I love seeing how pleased he is every time someone points out the intimacy with him and Xie Lian. Like in season 1 when Fu Yao is shocked/horrified that Xie Lian shared a bed with Hua Cheng, San Lang puts a hand on his chin and looks so fucking smug and happy. This happens a couple times in s2 as well someone will be like oh that's weird you're so like this with Hua Cheng and he becomes a smug cat it's great.

Another one I enjoy is during the beginning of the banyue arc when Xie Lian reveals to Fu Yao and Nan Feng that he's used to sleeping in squalor the camera goes to Nan Feng not revealing his face but clearly showing his guilt over what Xie Lian reveals. That's good shit.

Lan Chang picking a fight off screen, also cool, love seeing her. I like that she looks inconspicuous so for someone who doesn't know shit about tgcf they will not see *that* shit coming.

ALSO the men look kinda generic if they're not the mls but the girls are all gorgeous???? like the woman who was Hua Cheng's speaker, the girl who led Xie Lian further into the gambling den, XUAN JI, Banyue all the girls are unique without being so ostentatious and I love them. If you put them beside each other they all look like they're own thing but still on theme. From clothes, to hairstyle and colors it's easy to tell and that's good design. I also include SQX's female form cause she's gorgeous too.

The donghua I think adds to stuff I haven't read I'm not sure if this is because I have a bad memory but I don't recall reading a flashback of Lang Qianqiu and the failed robbery. But the message of that entire section was so fucking good. The way that what Lang Qianqiu said about 'maybe he shouldn't have intervened' and the sound effects UGh. It's so good, i love how the book tackles the morality of everything, breaking down Lang Qianqiu's firm positivity and believing in humanity but still promoting being kind and considerate through Xie Lian. This theme still carries on in the show and I think they're doing a great job.

GOD THE MUSIC in the donghua is so fucking good, I love it. The songs, the meanings, the beat it's all perfect I can't say anything more.

even though i'm disappointed in the character design choices the donghua is very solid, I love it a lot. It does come off as very expositiony sometimes but I think that's very prevalent in Chinese Wuxia and Xianxia. Probably weird for people who aren't used to the genre but to anyone who's seen something like it, it's not unbearable and it's kinda necessary because of how the book is written. Waiting for wednesday patiently whilst i draw huahua

There are so many fun details the Donghua adds that shows that they know the story and where it's going as well hinting at character stuff, it's so fun to spot those. Like Xie Lian's reaction to Hua Cheng biting the bun made me wanna claw my face that shit was good af.

[neveralarch]

MXTX fic rec request

hey so MXTX fandoms are really big and i cannot find what i want. the problem is basically:

these books are all really gleefully fucked up

most of the fic i find is fluff, possibly bc ppl are getting the fucked up content they need from canon, or possibly bc i'm bad at finding things

do you have suggestions for non-fluff fic? I've read SVSSS, MDZS, and I'm reading TGCF as the official translation so I'm not all the way thru but I know all the big reveals. SVSSS is my favorite of the 3 but i'm desperate for MDZS and TGCF fic also. i haven't watched the Untamed bc i'm under the impression that it's less fucky than the book and also i'm allergic to long tv shows.

i like the canon pairings, but also original Shen Qinqiu/Yue Qingyuan, Zhuzhi Lang/SQQ, anything with Jin Guangyao (my beloved), and please i need messy Jun Wu/Xie Lian/Hua Cheng to live. i am also v easily persuaded on other characters and pairings. thank you!

[incorrect-web-novels]

Anyway, I’m back from the war (preparing refs for ArtFight), so here are my TGCF and Epic: the Musical thoughts: 

[MAJOR TGCF NOVEL SPOILERS]

Xie Lian’s story is pretty similar to Odysseus’s imo

“The blood on your hands / Is something you won’t lose / all you can choose is whose” (The Horse and the Infant) - this entire plot point is pretty much the “two people and one cup of water.” Just like Odysseus must kill the son of Hector, Xie Lian can’t deal with the war and provide war to Yong’an, and he chooses to prioritize Xianle/the people under him 

“If I became the monster…” is a different reason for blackening - Odysseus wants to protect his crew and family while Xie Lian isn’t protecting anyone at this point - but that song feels MADE for him tbh. The point where Odysseus repeats, “Oh, Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves,” (a point made by Poseidon), where he’s repeating Poseidon’s logic of not showing mercy compared with Xie Lian believing White No-Face/Bai Wuxiang’s philosophy after those infected by the Human Face Disease killed him over and over again

The “Monster” clip could also work for Jun Wu / Crown Prince of Wuyong (even better than for Xie Lian because he was still trying to save the people of Wuyong by sacrificing lives while Xie Lian didn’t really make an active decision to harm anyone until he wanted to release the Human Face Disease, which, again, wasn’t to protect others), but I don’t remember enough to make more of an argument / animatic

Mu Qing and Eurylochus are pretty different yet similar as well - they’re both willing to use “unscrupulous” methods and leave behind others - albeit Eurylochus is talking about leaving their men to stay as pigs on Circe’s Island, I believe, while Mu Qing is not really as cruel or selfish as he’s portrayed; he was prepared to sacrifice himself to save Xie Lian and Feng Xin at the end. However, like, Eurylochus, he’s “not as moral” as Xie Lian and Feng Xin (Odysseus and Polities in Eurylochus’s case) and leaves Xie Lian and Feng Xin during their exile. 

Idk if Mu Qing would confront Xie Lian the way Eurylochus confronts Odysseus in Mutiny though. He was weirdly excited about Xie Lian maybe killing someone (someone mentioned it a while ago; I don’t remember exactly) and seemed to want Xie Lian to be less “perfect.” Plus, Eurylochus is confronting Odysseus about running away from the sea monster Scylla, which I don’t see Mu Qing condemning. HOWEVER, Eurylochus’s doubt in Odysseus's leadership and ability to keep the crew alive is something I could definitely see in Mu Qing (source: just trust me, bro)

(To be honest, I don’t really get Eurylochus’s character that much - he’s upset Odysseus chose to run from Scylla, but he was all for leaving their men to Circe? - but those albums aren’t fully out yet, so it may make more sense later)

I refuse to believe Feng Xin would work as Polities though. It makes sense in all senses of morality, character function, and plot, but Feng Xin would not sing “Open Arms.” I refuse to believe it. 

Pei Ming has the same vibes as Hermes (“Wouldn’t You Like” and “Dangerous”) actually. I don’t have any clear reasoning, but it makes sense to me, yanno?

Speaking of which, while Jun Wu has similar vibes and ideologies to Zeus (“it is the will of the gods”) and Poseidon, if I had to cast anyone as Poseidon, it would HAVE to be Shi Wudu. 

“His title of ‘Water Tyrant was earned due to him capsizing any ship that did not give him offerings” (TGCF Wiki; Book 1, Ch.13) and “When a god comes down and makes a fleet drown, is he scared that he’s doing something wrong? Or does he keep us in check, so we must respect him, and now no one dares to piss him off?” (Monster)

“Shi Wudu considers death better than experiencing or watching prolonged suffering and pain” (TGCF Wiki; Book 3, Ch.124) and “I mean, you totally could have avoided this / Had you just killed my son” (Ruthlessness)

There’s probably more to say, but it’s ~5 am. I was prepared to sleep, like, 3 hours ago. If there are mistakes, no there aren't