#and xie lian can and will kill ANYONE who even LOOKS at one of his citizens wrong

[pockettgcf]

SLAMS THE DESK

REVERSE ROLES AU WITH CALMITY XIE LIAN RULING OVER GHOST CITY AS TAIZI DIANXIA AND HE IS EXTREMELY PROTECTIVE OVER HIS CITIZENS BECAUSE HE ISN'T GOING TO LET THEM GET HURT LIKE THE PEOPLE OF XIANLE

[xueyuverse]

It's ironic to me that part of the fandom insists so much that Hua Cheng's personality revolves around Xie Lian when in fact MXTX created Hua Cheng first and then had to make Xie Lian his ideal type. Like, the truth is that Xie Lian was molded for Hua Cheng. I find this contradiction very funny, I'm sorry.

But they were indeed created for each other.

Hua Cheng has a strong personality, he is firm in his ideals and beliefs, assertive in his opinions, cold in his justice and someone who does not bend the rules just to fit in, he creates a third way instead of adapting to a world that hates him and was cruel to him.

His ideal type would have to be someone as confident as him, who not only does not bend the rules, but also does not get corrupted by difficulties, someone benevolent enough to see people like him with kindness, because only someone faithful in his beliefs would be able to be so different from everything that the world says is right — because the right thing is for you to annihilate people like Hua Cheng, whether they are innocent or not, just because of a supposed curse that they did not ask for.

This meta is based on this excerpt from the afterword that MXTX put in TGCF ↓

When it comes to character designs, the Shou’s were decided on first for the first two novels, but I was torn over the Gong’s for a long time, and needed a run-in period. Hua Cheng, however, was an exception. Inspiration struck and there he was; inspiration struck again, and I blinded one of his eyes.

[...]

It was actually the Shou, Xie Lian, who tortured me for up to half a year’s time. When the novel started serializing, I was still torn over him for a long time.

[...]

But the most important thing is, by my instincts, someone like Hua Cheng will most definitely love someone like this. So, after a good half a year’s worth of qualms, in the end I still typesetted him: It’s you!

Speaking more about this postscript, I found it interesting how for MXTX, Xie Lian was the most difficult character she has ever played. People tend to think that Xie Lian only has two personality traits: (false, for many) kindness and idiocy. The idiocy may even be right lol, but when you stop to think about it, Xie Lian is a really difficult character to create and, mainly, to develop.

For all the layers he has, he could easily be a snobbish prince, a vengeful and bitter ex-prince, a fallen prince who rises again to reconquer his kingdom and reclaim his throne or a spotless saint who is always intelligent and wise and is above things like sadness, anger, lust, etc.

We know that Xie Lian is none of these things, he was not made for these plots. But if he is none of these things, then what could he be? Honestly, I find it very difficult for anyone to come to the conclusion that your protagonist is a "loser" who failed and has no ambition to rebuild his kingdom and become the new king. It's bold to make your protagonist a poor and extremely unlucky nomad, especially with the princely background that you gave him, we can see from the amount of stories out there about protagonists who lost their kingdoms and then have a path of reconquest that it's difficult not to be tempted to follow that path.

Of course, Xie Lian is a god, something greater than a prince or king, but he is a poor god, known as "the joke of the three kingdoms", he has no wealth and for 800 years he only had 1 believer that he didn't even know existed and he is also known as the "god of plague" and "immortal scrap collector", unconventional titles in the literary world lol

He must experience youthful ignorance, overestimation of his own abilities, have been laughable, been foolish, made mistakes, despaired, felt hatred, gone crazy. But he can’t run, and he can’t hide; everything is what it is. All this was killing me. Not just within the text, but outside the text too. My mediation was useless, and I’ve no energy anymore either, so in order not to be affected, I stopped looking at comments altogether. Since I always habitually vaccinate myself before a serialization begins, speculating on all the worst possible scenarios and preparing myself mentally, by the time serialization started I had already expected how all the negative comments would go down. But after much hesitation, I still thought, why not try all different kinds of characters? I haven’t tried writing a main character like this before.

— MXTX

[mxtxfanatic]

Tbh, I think if you read an mxtx novel with the expectation that the story’s hero is meant to learn some valuable lesson that fundamentally changes their character and views on life, then you are reading her books wrong. There’s not a single mxtx protag (currently) in existence who changes by the end of the story. It’s the world they live in that is changed because of their actions:

—Shen Yuan’s Shen Qingqiu transforms a toxic masculinity fantasy into a queer romance in which the unhappy stallion protagonist with a harem in the 100s is given his monogamous happy ending with a husband he actually loves and values with reciprocity. They fuck off to their forever honeymoon after exposing the corruptness of the cultivation world that ruined Luo Binghe’s life to begin with, and all of this was only possibly because Shen Yuan was just a genuinely nice fucking person. The world lives to see another day and a fuckton of people who died (or didn’t even get to exist) in the original stallion novel get to live long, more fulfilled lives in Shen Yuan’s revision.

—Wei Wuxian is killed for sticking up for a condemned clan, is resurrected against his will, and still stands by his actions in his first life while protecting those that continued to wrongfully condemn him. As a reward, the corpses of the people he died protecting save him and his loved ones (and the rest of the bystanders who killed them), he bags himself the most perfect and perfectly matched man in the cultivation world, and he continues to help others and do what he wants to the ire of the cultivation world who are now too embarrassed to fight him. The younger generation look to him as a beloved teacher, protector, and role model to aspire towards.

—Xie Lian rebelled against hierarchy as a beloved prince of a prospering kingdom, then as a beloved god against the older gods, then as a reviled scraps god against the then most popular gods of the present day. He was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it and to never hold resentment even if that kindness blew up in his face (and it often did). He gets to marry the man (ghost) who has seen him at his best and absolute worst and chooses him unconditionally, something no one else has ever done before. At the end of the novel, he is the god that all the other gods look to for guidance and strength.

None of these stories humble these characters for being good people. Even when their morally righteous actions net them unimaginably terrible results, even when they falter in the face of their failures, they ultimately remain true to their goodness. And none of the books humble them for that, because being good is not a character flaw. So in short: please stop talking about how mxtx protags “needed” to learn valuable lessons to “be good people” when they were already good people from the very beginning. These stories are not about how the world changes people but how genuinely good people can change the world just by actively being kind even with no benefit to themselves and especially if that kindness leads to detriment.

[mikaela-the-slut-expert]

Hi! Can I request a Hua Cheng x bottom male reader x Xie Lian one shot? Maybe that the three of them are already in a relationship together. And maybe when they all go to Qi Rong's (the black water calamity) lair to kill him in that one chapter/episode, Before they start fighting Qi Rong starts flirting with reader and it makes HuaLian jealous as fuck. And so when they defeat him they drag reader back to the Puqi Shrine and reminds him who he belongs too 🤭

Also if possible can you make it smut?

Feel free to delete this ask if you want tho!

Look At Me

Hua Cheng x M!reader x Xie Lian

Sorry it took so long I'm still in school guys 😞 at first I was confused because I thought you were talking about He Xuan because I was sure he was the black water calamity

I forgot the prince's name guys

I made up connections for Qi Rong and reader

Ignore grammar mistakes

Slight ooc?

Smut ahead!!!

____________________________________

They knew it wasn't going to be easy, nor was it going to feel good. Hua Cheng has meant to find Qi Rong, reveal the truth to Lan Qin Qao, and continue on with their lives. Well, he just wanted to beat the shit out of Qi Rong for what he did to Xie Lian.

All of you went to Qi Rong's lair, and watched Hua Cheng beat Qi Rong's face into the ground. Then you all got to listen to the truth about the banquet. So far so good. 'good' is an emotional ride for everyone there. But that was the whole point anyways.

Everything was going as planned, in Hua Cheng's book anyways. Until Qi Rong started slandering Hua Cheng and Xie Lian. He started yelling about how Hua Cheng was Xie Lian's dog, and how Xie Lian is so pure he must've been blinded by it.

You have a deep past with Xie Lian, and a relationship with both men so of course you aren't happy to hear these things. Especially from Qi Rong. You used to be close with him, of course you were. He was Xie Lian's cousin so obviously you would've met him. Now look at Qi Rong. It was truly pitiful.

You were upset by the words Qi Rong was saying, he used to be such a good child for you. The things he was saying weren't fair to your lovers, you also didn't want to see Qi Rong get beat up anymore. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng already had a go at him.

"Qi Rong you've grown to have such a vulgar tongue, please be quiet." You weren't going to hit anyone, you're too sweet for that, so you could only ask him nicely. It's the first thing you've said since you've been here. You haven't said anything, rather staying quiet instead. You just didn't want things to escalate further.

You hadn't expected it to work, Qi Rong is. . . Unstable, to put it nicely. Plus he hasn't looked at you this whole time you doubt he remembers you at all. It's been so long.

Qi Rong snaps his head towards you and his giggling dies down. "Y/n? Y/n is it really you? What a wonderful reunion this is!" Even though Qi Rong had just been upset about 'people throwing a party in his lair'.

"Come closer, come closer I want to see your face y/n. It seems you've been by my high and mighty cousin all this time." He grins widely. You don't reply to that, you don't know what to say. You had gone to step forward though, to allow Qi Rong to see your face after all these years.

Xie Lian stopped you though. Where he usually is so hesitant to touch you has been thrown away, he pulls you by the elbow, behind him now. Xie Lian doesn't know why he does it. Anger? Jealousy? Selfishness? Protectiveness? Hostility? Who knows but he knows that him and Hua Cheng will lose it if Qi Rong dares to spit harmful words towards you.

But Qi Rong doesn't. He does the contrary, as if Qi Rong had really missed you. As if he had a right to your person. He laughs, finding it hysterical how Xie Lian pulls you behind him. How his big cousin is selfish even though he acts like the most selfless person to ever breathe. "Hahaha! Look at you big cousin! Look, look! You've always been selfish! Selfish!" He laughs and laughs against the ground.

Qi Rong looks at you, what he can see peaking over Xie Lian's shoulder anyways. "Y/n, Y/n I've missed you over these 800 years. You must've been blinded by big cousin's light too! His pureness and selflessness right?! You should come with me instead. I miss Y/n's pretty face I haven't seen it in so long!" And he dares to try and reach a hand to your robes.

You don't know if he's being honest in his words or if he's saying it to piss off your lovers. You wouldn't put it past him. "Qi Rong please" you hiss through your teeth. You had been so focused on Xie Lian that you had completely forgotten about the seething ghost behind you.

Hua Cheng's devotion to Xie Lian is admirable and his devotion to you is the same. Qi Rong very quickly finds his face being slammed into the ground again. It's a very gruesome sight and you didn't enjoy it all. Hiding behind Xie Lian and covering your ears as Qi Rong continues to roll your name over his tongue.

Things pass, and tensions increase. Eventually leading to Qi Rong being cut in half and thrown into boiling liquids. Even though Xie Lian drags you off, you can't help but stare where Qi Rong was thrown.

Once the three of you are out of the lair, you're all interrupted by Shi Qingxuan and Feng Xin. Feng Xin wants the two of you to come back to the heavens. To come home. He demands it actually, threatening Hua Cheng with his bow and arrow. Shi Qingxuan stops him though. You and Xie Lian get pulled behind Hua Cheng.

Once things smooth over with them and Hua Cheng bullies Feng Xin with blood rain, you were expecting to go back to the heavens with Xie Lian. The two of you do need to get up there and explain everything that has happened. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng decide differently though. Instead you're dragged off and your lovers are eerily silent, seething quietly. You don't know what to say, because you don't know why they're upset. So you don't say anything you let them drag you along.

They've taken you to Puqi shrine. You can only assume that maybe after such a tiring day, that everyone is missing home. Maybe your lovers just want to spend a few hours with you and have some peace. To make what happened earlier a distant memory. Your mind is quickly changed.

Your assumptions prove wrong when Xie Lian drags you through the door and shoves you down on the mat. "H-hey! What is wrong with you?" You look away. Xie Lian grips your jaw and snaps your gaze back towards him. "Look at me, don't look away again" Xie Lian has never treated you so roughly. You've known him a long time and he's always treated you carefully. Not even in bed does he usually dare to treat you so hard.

You try to gain your balance, and to get off of the floor. You're quickly pulled back by your shoulders and your back meets Hua Cheng's chest. Leaving you between your two, seething lovers. And you? You poor, oblivious thing. You don't even understand why.

"A-Lian, San Lang! Why are you acting like this!?" You're left with no answer besides Xie Lian practically tearing at your robes and San Lang pinning your back against his chest. He's not giving you the chance to move away. Not that you would anyhow.

Hua Cheng being angry, and upset is nothing new. It's concerning sometimes but he tends to pout a lot so you expect it. Seeing Xie Lian angry, is frightening. Well, not exactly but you haven't seen him angry in a long time but he's never been angry with you. Ever.

You're stripped quickly, and your hands shoot out to Xie Lian's face. Holding his face in your hands, making him look at you, forcing him to pause in his ministrations. "A-Lian, what's wrong?"

Xie Lian's brow furrows and he lets out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry y/n" he huffs softly and holds your wrist. He moves his face to the side and kisses your palm. "Qi Rong was right I am selfish. I am, I shouldn't be but I can help it. But I'm selfish for good reasons" he moves closer, nipping at your neck. His usual soft kisses, become possessive bites.

"I have a right to claim you, to touch you. You're mine. You're San Lang's. You're ours" he hisses through his teeth and he bites your shoulder hard. His hands roam while he talks, spreading your legs and his oiled fingers prod at your hole. Where did he get a bottle of oil? When did he even do that?

San Lang makes himself busy by kissing you and shoving his tongue down your throat. Stealing your breath as if it were his. Not that he needs to breathe.

Xie Lian continues, "But what right does he have to claim you? To try and take you away from me, from us?" Xie Lian growls out, and presses fingers up against your prostate. It didn't take long for him to find it, he's explored you many times. It causes you to arch against San Lang's chest and moan into his mouth.

Xie Lian doesn't feel like being nice today though because his fingers continue to rub and curl up against your prostate. You squirm against them both, moans being ripped out of you by Xie Lian nimble fingers. "A-Lian, A-Lian, please~!"

San Lang bullies you too, making you dizzy from his kisses and his forces your legs apart. He's encouraging Xie Lian to bully you. San Lang is good in bed and Xie Lian is usually obedient, but Xie Lian getting out of his shell to bully you? San Lang enjoys it thoroughly.

One of his hands wraps around your dick and he strokes you, he only makes it worse. The two take out their frustrations on you, leaving you to mumble their names. With both of them bullying your front and back, it's not long until your cumming. A long moan spills from your lips and your legs try to clamp shut. San Lang doesn't let them though.

You double over and heave a breath when they don't stop. Xie Lian bullies your prostate and San Lang moves his fingers faster around your dick. It quickly puts you into overstimulation and pretty tears drip from your eyes. "No, no, slow down~" You whine, and your legs shake into San Lang's hold.

"Tell us who's you are then" San Lang purrs in your ear. Another orgasm is forced out of you and you babble some more. "Xie Lian d-does, San Lang too. Please!" You squeal from the pleasure.

Those words are forced out of you many times that night, because they don't intend to let you get away so soon. They bully you for the rest of the night and when you show up in the heavens the next day you have a slight limp. The other officials are worried you were injured by Hua Cheng, but it was both Xie Lian and Hua Cheng who made you cry on their cocks.

____________________________________

I hope you like it 😁🙏🖤🖤

[darlingpwease]

𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠

𔓘 unhealthy behaviour (obsessiveness, possessiveness, clinginess, kidnapping, dependence), dommale elements, pet names ("gege"), dark au, mention of nesting & heat, mention of sex (heavy petting), mention of killing; reader x xie lian, omega!xie lian

ᥫ᭡ You didn't know how long you had been living in this small, cute house with Gege — and where you lived before you met your Gege, who loved white clothes, cooked poorly, smiled like the midday sun, never cried and was not at all the omega who could have anyone but you. Not only because he said that he didn't even have plans to have anyone other than you in his life, but because you saw that Gege wasn't looking for anyone, didn't hold his eyes on anyone; even if he was gentle to children and if he ever wanted to have a puppy, it was clearly that he wasn't going to get an alpha for this — you understood perfectly well why.

Although you haven't self-presented yet and weren't going to guess what your role in gender society would be, you understood that he would only be with you. That you will definitely grow up, get married and will have a lot of happy and married days.

You can't not. He's your Gege, after all.

ᥫ᭡ Your Gege smelled richly tender and a little like blood, a completely incongruous fragrance, — but you've never smelled anyone expect him for more than five minutes, so you didn't know how normal it was. Something in your head is throbbing with the obsessive thought that he smells wrong, he should smell wrong, he smelled completely different before, but you have nothing to oppose — you don't remember that his smell was different, but you know it.

According to Gege, you smelled like milk and his favorite food "even when he was like you," but you always brushed him off; even with your little socialization, you know that people can't smell like a 'specific food', and he only teases you without malice, as he loves to do, affectionately saying that you look 'like a little steamed bun' or peeking at what you're cooking, purring and squinting when you tell him to leave the kitchen.

You know that he can — is able — to cook well (after all, you somehow survived before you were old enough to cook yourself), but for some reason his food looks terrible all the time, and you can't name the reason, but can feel it in your heart. At least he can do physical work like fixing a house or a fence — and you want to say that you didn't decide to live with him just to be a servant, but you can't say this with certainty. You don't remember why you decided to live with Gege — it seems you've always lived with him.

Maybe you were with Gege from the very beginning?

ᥫ᭡ Your Gege is tall, flexible as a vine and his hair is so long that you could get tangled in it. His skin is soft and pleasant, even if his palms are slightly rough, and his pretty, scarlet lips, like cherry blossoms or drops of blood (maybe that's why he smells like blood?), look like a brushstroke that was left because of how adorable he looked on a beautiful, handsome face. Your Gege looked the way anyone would want to look, no matter if it's omega, beta or alpha. Your Gege has slender long legs, moderately broad shoulders, black peach eyes and a thin waist, and even if he gently teases that you will grow up to be even more rare magnificent, you know that the charm of your Gege makes even flowers be ashamed of their imperfections. If Gege wanted to, he could ascend and become the god of flowers — you are not sure if this is how it works, but if heaven did not give such beauty to someone great, then they are definitely blind. Your Gege laughs gently and says that 'Heaven has already given him the best gift', and if it were necessary, he would give everything, but not this "jewel", — and you understand who he means, but pretend that you don't. In the end, you know that you have no one but him, just as he has no one but you.

But he doesn't need to say it — even if he looks like a bunny, you know he's a cunning predator, like a weasel or a ferret. However, even in spite of his nature, you know that he cares about you, and probably cared even before you came, when you remember how you first saw your house — a memory from which your memory begins.

Everything around is like a perfectly modeled paradise for you — living in a comfortable, small house, with a beloved, gentle Gege, with trips to the city from time to time and the opportunity to do anything, since people don't go that far, while if you want to see more, then your Gege is always ready to get up and to follow you. It's like a flower garden in which you were the most luxurious and beloved, the only flower, while your Gege was a gardener who adored you to such an extent that he would do anything to make you bloom.

You want to tell Gege that he is the most charming for you, but he already knows it. After all, you haven't seen anyone for so long and often to tell if there is someone better. But something tells you that this is absolutely impossible — as if he was an absolute that others dare only look up to. If he called himself beauty number two, no one would be able to call themselves beauty number one. Gege says — with complete confidence, almost doom, with a sparkle in his matte black eyes, — that if he calls himself "handsome", then his face will burn with shame of brazen falsehood at the sight of you.

That is why, — he whispers, kissing the top of your head, as if cradling when you hide face in his chest, — the most beautiful things should be hidden.

You don't quite understand "why", but react to gentle purring, letting yourself be hidden in his clothes, smelling of him. even if the sleeping place is hard, Hege is soft and a little warm, and when you are in his hands, you feel as if the whole world is holding you, although he only gently purrs that you are his "whole world".

Just in case, you whisper that he is also your jewel and prettiest flower.

ᥫ᭡ Gege smells sticky, sweet, tender; his hair is wet and tangled, and even his scarlet lips look even brighter and more beautiful, as if soaked in blood, with a slight mist of blush on his cheeks, while his peach black eyes are like an abyss into which no one can help falling, seeing him so tender, so sensual, so... tempting. You can't — at least not now — be able to respond to courtship, not when the smell of milk is still subtly enveloping your body, but Gege doesn't mind at all, hoarsely whispering in the semi-darkness of the small, sweet house that everything is fine as long as you are around, don't go anywhere without him.

You will never you dare, of course, but when you bring him jugs of water, feeling the heat of his flexible soft body, you feel at home. His nest is elegant, not very full of soft things, but it "always has the most necessary" — you.

Even when his skin is so hot, like an oven, you feel so calm and good in his arms, burying your nose, as if hiding from the whole world. Gege's hands are gentle, with palms slightly roughened from frequent work, and you only purr that you have the best Gege in the world, your omega is the best, while he buries his nose in your hair, cooing inaudibly, pressing you to his flexible, wet body, but not at all to the "thirsty" or "in need of an alpha", as you have sometimes heard about omega leaks somewhere on the street — Gege is ruddy, bright-smelling, beautiful, but so homely and... ordinary, only becoming even more clingy and unwilling to leave the nest, and this is the only time when you do not go and leave offerings in front of a small temple for the "dear deity who guards this place."

You hope that the deity will not be too offended, looking at how your usually gentle and calm Gege whines that "you are too cruel" when you have to come out of his nest and bring water and light snacks, because you are an ordinary person and because everything inside the nest smells so much of him that you are afraid not to will he die of dehydration. You don't know how to handle omegas, but you are sure that "as long as Gege is good, everything is right". Gege only purrs that he only needs you to make him feel good when his long, elegant, eternally cold fingers cling to your clothes, looking at you with the gaze of a sad bunny, but your decision is unchanged.

You still bring some gifts to the deity, fearing that your Gege has messed up something again and you should at least remind from time to time that you are grateful to this deity and appreciate their protection.

And when you leave, you definitely feel better.

ᥫ᭡ The smell of Gege is thicker, richer, brighter, bloodily bright when blood flows from his elegant, white, long fingers — fortunately, not his, but even if it were his, you would take care of the wound and would stay on his chest before he wakes up.

You would a little like it to be his blood, because sometimes your Gege is so perfect that you want a little more human qualities from him,

especially when he gives you a gentle, adoring smile again, and his lips are even brighter than even the blood of the body lying on the rain-smelling, dark grass someone. This happens sometimes — even though you live in the forest, it only means that there are even more predators here. Gege gently purrs that you both should not go to the city for perhaps another month — who knows where else these creatures are hiding? it's not safe — and it's not that you're disappointed, having already bought everything you need... but you know that your Gege is doing it for you.

Every year there are more and more of them, like weeds in the garden, but Gege only gently tells you not to think about it, although you more than clearly see that the older you get and more often appears in cities and villages, the more of them. Gege sometimes allows you to go for things yourself to the nearest village, where not only passing merchants often stop, since the village is conveniently located with a road leading to the center, but also other rabble, and you can more than connect the point "they see me" and the point "they began to appear more often in our part of the forest." However, Gege, although omega, is not like ordinary omega at all — he always hides the bodies himself, although never comes back full or with meat, so you prefer to think that he feeds other beasts or does something else. You don't really want to know.

In the village, you heard about a case where omega endured violence from his spouse for a long time and eventually scratched out their eyes and chewed their throats, and whatever Gege did with the body, you just hope that it won't affect you. Of course, you do not commit violence against him, but your future spouse is not an "ordinary" omega, who can only endure until he explodes. Of course, you have never seen him explode, but you are sure that this will not be normal, and he will certainly commit one or two particularly serious crimes, which are whispered about from time to time in cities — you do not quite understand what it is, but you are sure that it will not be very good. Just in case, you regularly bring him flowers and cook food much better — Gege seems to think it's a little silly, but very cute, and hides head in your neck, purring that whoever you turn out to be, he will become your omega husband.

You are not self-presented in any way, although you no longer smell of milk and have definitely grown up, even matured rather, and Gege now puts his head on your chest, unlike how he hid you on his chest, like a parent hides his cub from danger. However, he continues to bring crowns of flowers and gently pulls your name, depending on how you take care of the household, still much better than him. Of course, he also contributes to your small household with a vegetable garden and a plan to build at least a chicken coop, but still prefers to spread out on the wooden hem, looking on how you work, and you can't blame him, seeing his happy face, like he's a pet that's been petted and is now resting.

(purrs plaintively when your hands slide over his chest, but you only coo him to relax when another flower appears on delicate neck, too contrasting with the color of his skin, just like the one that appears a little lower, then to the right, a small inflorescence on stomach, small bouquets on sides, scarlet spots on wet slippery trembling thighs, an ecstatic squeak when your lips descend lower, and his legs try to hide, but you only squeeze his knee tightly — and let him squirm while his legs wrap around your head, draining him even before the start to ease his desperate need and hunger.)

Perhaps you spoil omega too much, who has not even become your husband yet, but for some reason you always want to pamper him, as long as you remember yourself.

Perhaps you are just a good spouse from birth, huh?

cw blood, amnesia, poly relationship

ᥫ᭡ Red flowers always grow around little house. You often bring them to the deity, thanking for protection; the deity never responds, but you are still calmer and happier, as if the very knowledge that someone is guarding you inspires you — just like the sight of red flowers, almost as scarlet as the lips of Xie Lian, your mate, who picks up garbage, likes to dig in the garden and builds a chicken coop where you can then put the chicks, and also repairs the fence and the house, purring that he should prepare if you turn out to be a non-beta. You don't think that you will turn out to be a non-beta, but don't say anything, gently rubbing Xie Lian's back and not resisting when he offers to massage your, enveloping you with a gentle, slightly mettalic scent that has already become your favorite and so native that you can't imagine that there was a more attractive fragrance in the world.

The stranger in red smells of sweet datura — a fragrance that is so rich and bright that it could be used for demonic dual cultivation, but it envelops you so naturally, as if it is focused only on you. He has shiny black eyes, as if absorbing any sunlight that gets into them, and a carelessly woven black braid with a thin scarlet ribbon, the look of which is too familiar, but you don't understand why — and you haven't been so stupid and naive for a long time to say things like "I probably saw it somewhere on the market", because the way it is cut and decorated is too reminiscent of your way. His skin is white, too white for a person in any state of health except death, but his lips are peach-colored, curved in a mischievous smile with a hint of tenderness.

You don't see the point in asking if you know each other when the cheekily sweet fragrance becomes brighter at his playful approach, although you see how his body trembles slightly.

San Lang. My name, — if Xie Lian's smile is like the sun, then he rather resembles the devil, with this gentle youthful aura and the sparkles of the imp in his eyes, — but I'm much more interested in yours.

And before you have time to answer, he continues, trembling slightly, with pent-up delight, looking at you as a deity, although a devilish smile does not leave his thin, gently peach lips:

Let me guess, though.

Xie Lian, your sweet, gentle omega, has always told you that no one but him knows about you, — jewelry should be kept from others, — but in San Lang's eyes, a veil of pure adoration shimmers like black pearls in the light, especially when he tilts his head, and the familiar-looking earring gently follows this movement, caressing unnaturally white skin, like a drop of blood — the same as Xie Lian's bright scarlet lips.

I'm sorry; did I scare you? I just live in the city, — the son of a merchant family, — so I often saw you. Don't you remember me? You often come to our store.

Do you?

We could take a walk before my family starts looking for me, right? After all, I don't bite, so you have nothing to be afraid of, right?

Despite all the playfulness, you hear nervousness, and you can't find the strength to refuse, knowing that Xie Lian knows about your possible long absence and is probably busy outside the house right now. Maybe you just inhaled too much of its smell, leaving a taste in your mouth, and maybe it just seems to you when you feel the familiar bloody notes of fragrance through the sweet dope. Maybe it just seems to you that omega is too passionate about you and trusting even for someone who left the city for the first time and ended up in the forest, and is too playful, even if unmarried and not marked by anyone. You're not sure how normal it is when an omega tries so desperately to snuggle up and purrs something, more just keeping up a conversation than trying to develop it, enjoying your company the way a fish inhales oxygen in water after a long stay on land.

You're not stupid, though. Perhaps you are not very experienced, but you are not stupid, especially when he looks at you as a deity, and his gaze is too reminiscent of Xie Lian's gaze when he thinks that you do not see, not taking his unblinking eyes off you, as if afraid that if he does not see you and you do not give voice then you will disappear, go away like the morning mist.

And the fact that Xie Lian does not grow up; and the fact that you do not remember anything before coming to your "home"; and how you and he bring offerings to an unknown deity; and how white San Lang's skin is, but his gaze burns harder than a burnt hand that you have never burned in your memories.

The small child who fell from the wall; royal colors, like a kaleidoscope, with a sunny smile and a sword made of peach wood; clothes so bright that it's almost uncomfortable, but as long as he's around, everything is fine. Two faces, like a blurred image in a puddle. You don't remember anything before you were brought in and told that he's your family now, and you're not sure you want to know. Maybe there are things you don't need to know.

A small child. Red eye. Blood. A lot of blood.

The little lump on your chest, not understanding what's wrong with you, but trying to do everything.

When blood flows from your body, it doesn't hurt that much.

San Lang's lips taste like ripe cherries.

I don't think Xie Lian will mind.

You think that the omega story may have been more true and probable than you thought.

Perhaps you should find more flowers.

Oh, are you picking flowers for him again? Can I help?

For some reason, now you understand where the bodies went, who defended territory and why scarlet flowers bloomed around everything.

I don't know what you're talking about, my darling.

[emotionaldisaster909]

Today’s episode was heartbreaking

We’ve seen so much of Xie Lian’s pain

So much of the fall of XianLe

But now

Will you tell me that it was all his fault?

The “consequence of his actions”?

So what should we blame him for?

For being a child against the most powerful and cruel ancient evil?

The one that lived 1000 years, destroyed all the gods and deceived the entire world?

Or was he too stubborn and not listened to other people?

Well let me tell you

XIE LIAN WAS NEVER WRONG FOR NOT LISTENING TO OTHERS.

Who should he have listened to?

That very evil that told him not to try and help his people?

His guoshi who knew everything and told him nothing but to sacrifice an innocent child in “penance” to that very evil?

Should he have crushed all youngans in one go, kill the poor starving people, led to desparation?

Should he have told his own desperate people that their cure was in murder and watch the inevitable massacre?

The only thing

The only thing that he should have seriously done differently

His biggest, most fatal mistake

He did

BY LISTENING TO SOMEONE WHO TOLD HIM HE WAS WRONG

ONE TIME.

He listened to his father.

The King of Xian Le.

When at the very beginning of it all they had an argument

Where Xie Lian insisted they should melt his golden statues and let the starving homeless people into his shrines

That’s EXACTLY what they should’ve done, but they did not

Because guess what the father said

We can’t. Because we did not build the shrines and the statues.

People of Xian Le did.

Do you want to disregard your people by doing that?

SAID THE KING

Knowing VERY WELL that he is talking about THE ROYALTY OF XIAN LE.

THE RITCH PEOPLE OF XIAN LE.

THE ONES WHO LET HIM RULE.

THE ONES WHO EASILY MIGHT TAKE HIS POWER

AND LIFE AWAY

IF HE DISPLEASES THEM.

But he knows how to PHRASE IT RIGHT to his son who CHERISHES HIS PEOPLE NO MATTER THE STATUS.

And who might very much not know the intricacies behind the ruler’s chambers.

Because Xie Lian

Was

Never

Meant

TO RULE.

He was raised to be a Martial God.

To fight demons and grant wishes.

NOT

TO RULE

A COUNTRY

BUT GUESS WHO

WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO RULE THE COUNTRY????

WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE A HUGE PART OF IT WON’T STARVE TO DEATH?????

THE KING

And his son had to

ABANDON HEAVEN

To come deal with his mess

You can try blaming Xie Lian for not listening to the prayers from that part of Xian Le.

But he did not NOT listen.

He DID NOT HEAR.

Because the prayers system of “the ritcher - the louder” is inherently corrupt.

And growing up in a wealthy capital

Xie Lian must’ve not even SUSPECTED that there’ll be a part of his country so poor that no offerings would be enough for him to hear the prayers.

He did not know.

BUT THE KING

DID.

There’s no way he didn’t.

Yet does anyone

Does anyone in the book

And outside, anyone of the readers

Ever thought to blame him?

No.

Not even once have i seen this take.

Not even i realised it until recently. Thanks to my dear friend @3luecactuz

And why?

Because Xie Lian tells us the story.

And he himself

Completely believes

That it was all his fault.

When his only real fault was in not standing his ground

Agains the only person

Who held authority in his eyes.

Who was the authority in his life from the very beginning of it.

Who, no matter the future arguments, was the person he loved.

His father.

In the face of the greatest crisis he’s ever seen

Under the pressure to make the right choice for so many innocent lives

He gives in and listenes to a person who he not only inherently trusts

But who objectively had much more experience and knowledge than him

Who’s flaws he has not yet seen clearly enough. And never will.

Because this person raised him to be

Perfect.

And he failed.

Because no one is perfect.

And he believed in it in the wrong time and place. He gave in.

Decided to look for another solution.

And gave the evil orchestrating his demise just enough time to pull the first string.

Of many.

So tell me.

Really, tell me.

Did he deserve this?

Should he have listened more?

Should he have?

Or maybe

Just maybe

He needed someone

Who could have told him

To do what he thinks is right.

[blue-mood-blue]

Danmei Faves Meet Chopped: The Thought Experiment

(with the caveat that I have not read All The Danmei so actually this is “a limited selection of danmei faves” meet chopped) (also as of their official translations, no spoilers pls)

The Contestants:

1) Xie Lian

Pros: There is not one single thing that you could put into a basket that this man would be intimidated by. Not a single thing. He will cook anything that you hand to him, and be delighted to do so. You cannot phase him with unlikely ingredients or conflicting flavor profiles, he has risen above these concerns. He is smiling at everything he pulls out of the basket and probably scaring the other contestants in the process.

Cons: He might kill someone. Not on purpose. He will be out after round one, guaranteed, once the medics standing by in case of cuts intervene for a severe case of “all the judges are now poisoned.” Filming will probably have to stop so ambulances can be called. The crew generously allows him to take his leftovers with him.

2) Wei Wuxian

Pros: He is going to pack so much flavor in every bite! Every single bite! This man knows and embraces spice, and no one will be able to tell him that his meal is bland or underseasoned! Chili oil all over the damn plate!

Cons: The flavor is pain, he’s used every pepper the pantry has, and if he makes it to round two it’s only because of Xie Lian accidentally unleashing the horrors in round one.

3) Mo Ran

Pros: He’s a good cook! He makes a variety of dishes, and he’s gotten used to adjusting recipes for specific preferences. He’s well-traveled so it’s likely he’s encountered many ingredients and had practice in a variety of conditions, which is good experience to have in this competition. He’s been doing his best to be on his best behavior, but heaven help anyone who monopolizes the fryer.

Cons: Again - he’s been on his best behavior, but that’s really for one person who is not currently in the kitchen. He also only really cooks for one person, who has particular tastes.

4) Luo Binghe

Pros: Also a good cook! He, too, has a range of dishes he knows how to prepare, with years of practice going back (probably) as far as his adoption in his early childhood. He is well-traveled as well, with such exciting and… unique locales such as Hell Dimension (aka Endless Abyss) where he probably had to make… questionable culinary choices, so he probably won’t be thrown by whatever’s in the basket.

Cons: There’s a non-zero chance that there’s blood in the food.

(Of this particular line-up, I think it would come down to Mo Ran vs. Binghe for the dessert round, which will be a close call - they both have experience with desserts, I imagine, but I think Mo Ran might have a slight advantage considering Chu Wanning’s sweet tooth. He’s made a lot of sweets and more often. Also, can Binghe lean on a “protagonist halo” when Mo Ran is the protagonist of his own story?)

(Assuming the final round doesn’t devolve into chaos and sabotage, which… is very, very possible.)

The Non-Contestants:

Hua Cheng: Could he do well on chopped? Almost certainly. But why would he? He is here to cheer on gege.

Lan Wangji: Would probably actually do better than Wei Wuxian, if he cooks the meal to Wei Wuxian’s taste - I feel like he would be a little more sparing with the spice. Otherwise, his food is probably too bland for the judges.

Chu Wanning: He has one good dish, and it’s [redacted]. He could last a round but after that he’s probably out. He will do his best. He will not look like he is panicking (he is panicking).

Shen Qingqiu: A millennial who choked to death on bad food and rage. He probably has limited kitchen skills, but beyond the powers of having a microwave? Who knows.

Bonus Round:

Li Yu: He would try so hard. He would put every bit of skill he had on the table. He does not have any skill to put on the table. Do not put a fish in his basket, do not do this to him.

Mu Tianchi: Probably wouldn’t even compete. He’s going to steal Li Yu’s food from the judges. How dare they.

Chang Geng: He could probably do well in the competition, if he could be convinced to compete, but he probably couldn’t. He is smiling very politely at the producer, who is feeling a chill down their spine and backing away slowly.

Gu Yun: Do not let this man in the kitchen, he will cause problems on purpose.

[revel-inbluehues]

This is very much an essay. Consider this my praise for s2ep9. I'll fangirl in another post.

Xie Lian acknowledged that he's never seen Hua Cheng angry, but he approached him without any fear or worry. Even after he was unexpectedly paralysed, he still didn't doubt the fact that HC would never hurt. While he was confused and nervous, he still trusted HC with his life, despite having been out into a paralysis, and doesn't doubt HC's intentions for even a second.

Hua Cheng is angrier than we've ever seen him. He wasn't fazed at all by anything in season 1 except when XL mentioned being hurt or was hurt. He had, in the previous episodes, watched as the love of his existence discredit himself and hold back his tears. Even earlier, HC had accidently hurt him. Now, he gets to vent the anger at himself for his helplessness, anger at the Lang Qianqiu for his ignorance and anger at Qi Rong for his schemes. He is angry and one of the many people who hurt and mocked XL was in front of him. With every insult against XL, HC only gets angrier.

For the next part, I'd like to mention that LQQ in his daruma form is adorable and I laughed when he jumped out like a pokeball.

Onto the more serious look, LQQ is angry as well, but a lot more confused and the donghua team did a great job at expressing. He shifted between denial, confusion, reassurance and anger as he battles the words between XL and QR, and the donghua team did brilliantly to express this. The music was appropriately dramatic. It feels sharp, more like battle music, and paused and played at the right moments to increase the drama. He'd rather trust the man he thinks murdered his whole family rather than face the possibility that he condemned the wrong person and he lived a large portion of his life based on a lie, hating a person who might not have deserved and letting the men who did commit the murder get away with it (to some extent). Even Prince Anle was honoured as a friend of the king in death rather than a traitor to the nation.

Speaking of XL's words to LQQ, the fact that he yelled against QR's words the moment he could talk was a testament to his nerves and desperation and a shock to both LQQ and QR. It is an absolutely absurd situation from LQQ's view. He's watching a man argue that he was the guilty party behind the murders when normally, people would be trying to blame each other and prove themselves innocent. It's very obvious the XL is hiding something but LQQ chooses not to chase the answers and settles with XL's story because if it isn't true, then he would have to reevaluate the past few centuries and face the reality that his personal feelings blinded him to the facts, not that anyone can quite blame him for it. Meanwhile, Qi Rong is shocked because, from his view, a random man showed up and called him a liar, despite him very much telling the truth, or what he believes to be the truth.

When Xie Lian is talking about his second demotion, I love how they cut to HC, softer now that he was looking XL. HC knows exactly why his 'heart was uncertain' but he is also clearly hoping that part of it was because XL missed Wu Ming and he mourned him. The implications is something that novel readers can see and cry about; XL's second shackle was his own punishment for getting Wu Ming killed and it was sign that he did care for Wu Ming, the nameless ghost, his last believer. However, HC doesn't know that. He can only hope that he occupied a modicum of XL's heart but never think of asking because he's afraid of the answer. His love may be unconditional, but rejection would hurt and meaning nothing to XL would be a painful existence for him. In a single frame, I see the love, hope and adoration that HC has for XL.

There are a lot of good Hualian scenes in this episode. There is a lot more casual touches, where Xie Lian is trying to calm HC down and HC is too angry to be panicking about it. The irony is absolutely not lost when QR asks about who'd worship XL and make statues of him while HC, XL's most devoted follower who carved thousands of statues of him, was standing right there.

XL takes every one of QR's insults with a smile because he genuinely isn't offended. It's hard to be insulted by children's jabs after everything he went through. To him, it isn't a big deal, while HC was only getting progressively angrier at QR for insulting him. The moment QR insulted HC, however, was when XL instantly turned to violence, striking before he could fully finish. It wasn't that big of an insult, calling HC blind, but it was enough of a transgression that XL slapped him like a fly. To XL, HC quickly became someone he cared for, respected and wanted by his side, for what was probably the first time in forever. It only makes sense for XL to be viciously protective of the first person that he cared for on a personal level rather than 'the world should be protected' stance. Meanwhile, HC was genuinely surprised by XL's actions. While he would protect XL against everything, he was never expecting that protection returned but HC, in his insecurity and devotion, does not fully understand the fact that, while true devotion can be one-sided, true love can't be. XL does care deeply for HC, a fact that he hasn't comprehended yet.

Even when Hua Cheng blocks Feng Xin with E-Ming, he is extremely gentle. He knows that all of this is going to hurt XL but it needed to happen and Hua Cheng was there to catch. It was also fascinating to see Lang Qianqiu realise that he won't be able to stop Xie Lian from killing Qi Rong if it came down to it and there was a true worry that he might never find out the truth if Xie Lian got through him. On the other hand, Xie Lian was truly desperate; this was a secret he buried, and faced 100 years in a coffin to ensure that it stayed buried. Now, without much of a warning, all of it was coming out and Xie Lian is panicking.

One of my favourite parts in this episode is Qi Rong himself. His voice actor did a brilliant job at portraying the wild, manic and immature personality of Qi Rong. He is somewhat intelligent; you can't survive 800 years without some serious planning, and he did plot the gilded banquet along with other skirmishes everywhere else. However, he is childish and arrogant in a way that the other ghosts aren't. He's powerful enough to stand above other ghosts and too weak to stand as equals with the calamities, so despite his attempt to escape his mediocrity compared to certain others (e.g., Xie Lian and Hua Cheng) failed. His immaturity shines through in the animation. He is the most animated and restless character so far, moving constantly and expressing himself in his limbs a lot more than others. It makes him feel a lot less composed than the others, and his actions cement that. He crawls around, he holds his knees, and he gets red in the face when people don't respond to his riling. It gives a much more maniachal yet silly vision of him. While it doesn't make him a completely terrifying presence like White No-Face, he does make people weary with his antics. He is definitely one of the characters that I hate as people but love as character. I think Qi Rong was the part where the entire donghua team truly and absolutely outdid themselves, even though I do think they do an amazing job every day.

[bloopitynoot]

Reading TGCF: Chapter Six

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.

Mr. Charles went to the vet today for his geriatric check up (he is 11 now). Since he was not being very cooperative, they had to sedate him for his blood work. This boy is high as a kite and only wants soft pets. So, he also read chapter 6 today.

Tea: soy matcha latte!

Let's go chapter 6:

What happened; "Hua Cheng hijacked my bridal sedan, held my hand softly, and took me on a romantic stroll" What Xie Lian told everyone: "Hua Cheng broke Xuan Ji's enchantment array". p163

dang, one mission and he's already debt free! Good for him! p164

Poor guy wants to make friends, but he is doing the internet equivalent of sending them chain messages and commenting inappropriate things on public posts. Poor grandpa. p165

Bro is really out here about to be his own god. His first tiny temple created by himself! pp167-168

Xie Lian has the most upsetting superpower "nothing I eat will kill me" actually the trash man p168

Xie Lian: He reminds me of this one specific man with butterflies p169

oh no. I was joking about the trash man bit but, "The Prince of Xianle ascended thrice as; a martial god, a misfortune god, a rubbish god." p169

Xie Lian, I think you are being stalked. This guy may be Hua Cheng. p172

The amount of questions Xie Lian is asking this "random boy" about his major crush is wild. "What do you think he looks like?" p174

Last post I was wondering about what Hua Cheng's weaknesses would be and here we hve it! His ashes! p175

Oh god. not the tradition of a ghost giving their ashes to someone they love. Why do I feel like this is going to be tragic as hell. p176

Wait XD these ghosts are so funny though!! p181

If this is Hua Cheng (I feel like it is) then these two are the cutest for eachother. Both with their opposite energy; very good luck vs terrible terrible luck, very very good (or tries to) and very evil (or tries to ??) pp 188-189

I can't he's halfway to figuring this out, "ghosts don't normally do fine details like fingerprints. If this is a ghost he must be wrath level or higher" YUP PROBABLY. p189

My heart :'3 This guy just offered to paint him a portrait for his shrine. p193

Oh okay that answers my question about if he has multiple shackles or just one (it is multiple). p195

LOL Xie LIan: I'll fix your hair. Also Xie LIan: does not do that at all, actually, kind of makes it worse even. p197

THE PAINTING IS SO STUNNING p198

I had a feeling this man would/had accidentally ascended/accidentally gained followers. LOL and he really did. One "pls don't tell anyone", and here we go, an entire village worshipping him. p198-199

Oh boy! Maybe he did block "San Lang" with that array!! p200

This was kind of cute tho

Why does Xie Lian have the cutest little stalker. :'3 San Lang is a cheeky guy, I hope they keep eachother. Though I feel like Xie Lian just caused an accidental Grave Offense, we will see next chapter!

[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Sword gays showdown, round 1, bracket three

Propaganda:

For Xie Lian:

The BIGGEST nerd about swords and swordfighting and martial arts it's his special interest and he's incredibly good at it! He ascended to godhood because of his prowess. He can literally defeat people with powers in swordfighting at a time he has no powers of his own. Talks people's ears off about swordfighting and recommends what specific weapon is best for them. Definitely has sword related trauma for *reasons* and doesn't like actually using them to harm anymore, but that doesn't mean he's not still incredibly skilled at using them when he needs to. And he'll still gush over any sword you give him to look at ❤️. A great quote from the book is: The Flower-Crowned Martial God: Sword in one hand, flower in the other. [they] only remembered the flower, but had forgotten:  Xie Lian ascended because of his sword.

Xie Lian basically has a special interest in swords. He's literally so good at using swords that the only person on par with him was the Heavenly Emperor and that was when he was 17!!!! He is LITERALLY "The Flower Crowned Martial God, Sword in One Hand, Flower in the Other". He knows everything about every kind of sword and all the history of every sort of legendary sword. His husband gifts him a whole armory full of swords and he spends a few hours geeking out about it. He's so good at swords he came up with a special technique to absorb the blow from two other swords so that only he himself is harmed but the other two he's trying to get to stop fighting Aren't harmed, and it's so special that he's *recognized* by it even after centuries. He also got stabbed by a sword a hundred times in one night does that count. He REALLY loves swords and is SO good at swords. He's the sword boy.

He is so incredibly autistic about swords. The author descibes him as a sword otaku. He canonically had a massive collection of swords in his youth that he carted around everywhere and wore a different one each day so they would all be appreciated. His love interests most successful flirtation was showing him his armory and just letting him run around picking everything up and infodumping about swords for several hours. Also he could wreck anyone. AND he's gay.

For Quanxi:

She has swords and is very fast, so can use them to kill people before they even realize she is there. She also has four girlfriends.

Quanxi has four girlfriends and says rawr.  The first time we see her, she slices so many peoples' heads off in a split second that she has to get out a second sword.

[lurkinginnernarrator]

Hello, it's MXTX Ask Game :

1.) From the 3 works by MXTX, who is your favorite (canon) couple? Why?

2.) From the 3 works by MXTX, do you have any non canon fav ships?

(FYI, I have at least 10 non canon ships from those 3 series, sorry)

3.) From the 3 works by MXTX, do you have any favorite quotes (from each series)?

4.) Who is your favorite love interest in MXTX three novels (luo binghe, lan wangji, mobei jun or hua cheng)? Why?

5.) Who is your favorite mc in MXTX three novels (shen qingqiu, wei wuxian, shang qinghua or xie lian)? Why?

6 a.) Which do you think is more tragic : Yi City arc or BeefLeaf arc or the Fallout between Shen Jiu - Yue Qi? Why?

b.) Can I ask your opinion on the comparison between bingqiu, wangxian, moshang, and hualian (their plus and minus sides)?

1:

I love all the main couples, but just based on the pairing alone I'd say Hualian, from aesthetics to the journey they went through, it's all very pleasing to look at. As some say, Hualian invented love

2. All of the ships of SVSSS, a rarer favourite of mine being Zhushen. But I enjoy all of them, and I enjoy the character dynamics in any flavour of romantic, platonic or something more unique.

3. That one passage in SVSSS where it talks about Qing Jing being a daycare for ADHD children kills me every time, Xie Lian's iconic "I cannot get erect" and Wen Qing's and Wei Wuxian's whole "Thank you, and I'm sorry."

4. They're all super entertaining! No shade to Bingmei, Wangji-xiong and Mobei-jun but I'd have to say Hua Cheng, reason one being: He's the cuntiest. His jangly boots? Cunty. His monologues? Yes. (When his little monologue to Qi Rong was animated in the donghua I was OBSESSED. I need to be him.) Also I love what he's done with ghost city specifically.

5.Shen Qingqiu, AKA Shen Yuan.

The narrative style immediately hooked me due to its humor, and the special way he looks at the world in part due to transmigration and in whole due to his own mindset and character made it so much sweeter. His journey from beginning to end, especially when we get to the extras makes it so impactful when you return to the beginning and see such a stark difference. His little quirks, and how he's practically unarmed against politeness is hilarious.

Watching him struggle and come to terms with the personhood of the people around him was gratifying, and unfortunately for me, slightly relatable.

He's just so supremely enjoyable.

(Honorable mention here for Wei Wuxian, I adore the sibling dynamics in MDZS so much, especially Yunmeng Trio. I will be forever thankful to the untamed for it.)

6.a)Oh this is HARD.

I am only on Volume Six of TGCF, but from what I've seen of beefleaf so far... It wins. Qijiu devastates me continually, but He Xuan offing Shi Wudu in front of Shi Qingxuan? The tragedy is incomprehensible. The connection between beeflead is worse than dead, it's tainted irrevocably. And the worst part is I can't bring myself to blame just one person. Shi Wudu's motivations compel me, and He Xuan's are completely justified.

And Shi Qingxuan is caught in the middle. Losing a brother to a dear friend. He's the nexus of tragedy in this case.

6.b)

Devotion is the characteristic that strikes me as a throughline of all the pairings, Bingqiu, Moshang, Wangxian, Hualian.

(I'm going to try and keep this short lol)

Shen Qingqiu's devotion is fully demonstrated in the Holy Mausoleum arc, and Luo Binghe's is clear to anyone besides Shen Yuan.

Shang Qinghua's devotion is demonstrated during Maigu Ridge, and when Mobei-jun is left vulnerable during his subsuming of the ancestral Mobei martial aspect. And Mobei-jun's devotion is so beautifully and gently demonstrated through the pulled noodles.

Wei Wuxian's devotion isn't given as much of a spotlight due to the circumstances and time it takes him to get to the point of realization and acceptance, but his continual attentiveness and inherent trust in Lan Wangji, are clear even in his first life. The confession is a clear moment of devotion to me.

Lan Wangji's devotion is well chronicled. His very life is built around devotion. His musical compositions reflect it, his ideals are inspired by it, his family is grown by it. In Wei Wuxian's second life there isn't a moment where Lan Wangji isn't in a mindset of devotion. I think his greatest act of devotion, (though I think there was more than simple devotion at play) was his decision to take in Wen Yuan.

I cannot speak as well for Hualian, as I don't have the full context yet, but what is the bond between God and believer if not devotion? A beautiful form of devotion is worship, and Hua Cheng is a skilled master at all forms of it.

Thank you for the ask, and I hope I answered it adequately!

[wuxianxkexing]

This face. I'm going to talk about it. Spoilers below!

So my pathetic little meow meow looks kind of unhinged here. I've said that much already. But what exactly is he thinking in this moment?

From a storytelling perspective Heaven Official's Blessing doesn't really have a main villain by this point. Pei Ming is the closest thing to one since he caused and ignored the Bridegroom and he tried to sweep his deputy's crimes in Banyue under the rug. However while those things might make him a "bad" guy that isn't quite main villain of the story material since he hadn't really gone after our main character Xie Lian all that hard. Yeah, he tried to shift the focus onto Xie Lian hanging out with Crimson Rain, but it wasn't really personal. He wasn't trying to drag Xie Lian down since he also spoke in his defense and said that Xie Lian was probably just tricked. He just wanted to shift the focus off of his deputy but failed to. Still a dick move to Xie Lian, but at least it wasn't personal? 😅 Or at least it wasn't personal until the very end when he realized that he wasn't going to be able to save his deputy after all.

But from a storytelling perspective having Mu Qing make this expression puts him on the radar as potentially being the story's main villain. At this point all we know about Mu Qing is pretty negative? He used to be Xie Lian's servant but left/betrayed him to ascend to godhood. He clearly still remembered Xie Lian though Xie Lian didn't recognize him and he seemed miffed by that fact. In the books it is revealed that he hangs out in the communication array all day every day, supposedly because he is catty and loves gossip and he has no friends. He is shown to have beef with General Nan Yang, who forgave Xie Lian's absolutely massive debt out of the kindness of his heart and who in this very episode publicly sides himself with our main character when he is concerned about him getting hurt. The audience realizes that Feng Xin is actually a pretty good dude, and naturally we are suspicious of anyone who openly hates him as much as Mu Qing does. Then Mu Qing makes that face. At this point the audience can only assume that Mu Qing made that face because he is a huge asshole and hates Xie Lian. The main villain has to be either him or Pei Ming. Right? They both have personal beef with him, and figuring out which of them is going to be the main villain gives the audience something to think about. I think this is why MXTX decided to have him make this face. The story needs a main villain but she wasn't ready to reveal them just yet so she kind of pretended to throw us a bone to keep us interested.

Ignoring the overall story reasons and focusing on the in world reason that I think Mu Qing made this face: He is just vindictive. Not towards Xie Lian, but Yong'An. Xie Lian describes him as both petty and spiteful. Up until Mu Qing makes his friendship confession and tries to kill himself afterwards the audience doesn't really know any better of him. I've seen some people say that he made that face because he was glad that Xie Lian isn't as perfect as he thought, but I don't think that is the case at all. If you actually hated someone for being too perfect would you even /want/ to be their friend? Let alone be willing to throw yourself into a volcano for them? Nah. Most people try to avoid people that they hate, so Mu Qing wouldn't have even helped out during the Bridegroom arc, or if he did then he would've only done it to sabotage the mission (which he didn't).

But knowing how spiteful and petty Mu Qing is having him make this face upon hearing that the former crown prince of his kingdom massacred the royal family of their invaders? That makes perfect sense for his character. This scene reveals that deep in his heart he is glad that the Yong'an royal family "got what they deserved." They destroyed his home country and they set into motion the process of him losing his 2 best friends as well. Arguably they are the root cause of a lot of his suffering. As for the frown after he was done having his moment I think that the revelation of why/how Xie Lian did it kind of ruined his revenge fantasy. Xie Lian did kill the Yong'an king to protect the former people of Xianle, but he didn't go on the cool V for Vendetta campaign that Mu Qing had hoped for. Which maybe that is a problem too but at least you can see where he is coming from.

Ultimately I think Mu Qing had a very real and human reaction to the news, but it only makes sense with context. Otherwise he just seems like a crazy person. Like all I can think of when I see that face is that if Mu Qing was the one poisoned by the Land of the Tenders instead of Xie Lian he would've had the worst bloodlust ever known to mankind. He is still my little meow meow though.

[beautifulsnake2162020]

We have it all (Hualian adopted daughter fanfic) - Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. I only do this for fun.

Premise: Not long after comforting a bullied girl named Meng Ai, Hua Cheng and Xie Lian find themselves adopting her and together they form a family they didn't know they had needed for awhile.

Story/Genre tags: Slice of life-ish (mainly), Family focused, Hua Cheng's houses finally become homes, there may be an overarching story but that's not the focus, Hualian being parents, Fengqing being uncles, Lang Qianqiu falling in love with someone who was raised by the Xianle squad, technically post-canon (though I haven't read the books so if there are some ooc moments please forgive me).

AO3 link

Follower Tags: @anonimgato1507

Chapter 1

"Congratulations to the newlyweds." A powerful yet gentle voice with an underlying enthusiasm silences the chatter in the wedding banquet. Even Feng Xin and Mu Qing had halted their banter to turn their attention to the latest arrival. They share a glance, and give each other a knowing look as they watch the new guest with concerned alertness.

With every step the new guest took towards the new husbands there were hushed whispers beginning to occur. All of which involved the same emotions of concern, amusement, awe, and confusion.

The only ones who was pleasantly surprised by the new arrival were the newlyweds themselves.

"Xiwangmu, it's been awhile since you've ventured out of your gardens. Thank you for your congratulations." Xie Lian says as he and Hua Cheng wait for her to approach them. From his periphery he notices Hua Cheng's subtle expression of curiosity mixed with concern beneath his calmness.

"Just because I prefer to stay in my gardens and spend my days with my husband does not mean I am unaware of current events. A marriage involving a Supreme Ghost King and a God is quite rare and I feel I must be present to offer my congratulations and blessing. Though I'm quite sure that you are both more than capable of having a happy one even without either." The Great Mother goddess then gives a bow to the couple. Low enough to show that she is being respectful but high enough to show that she is greater than all beings present.

The newlyweds follow the same, Hua Cheng may not have any qualms about killing any God who simply insulted his husband but even he knows better than to disrespect the Goddess whose domain is life, death, creation and destruction. Even ghosts are under her mercy. If there is anyone who could destroy a ghost for good, it is her. The fact that she showed up in their wedding banquet is either a great blessing or a great curse.

Or perhaps both or neither at all.

His instincts told him that she was being sincere in her intentions but she also had an underlying motive for showing up.

She raises her eyebrow and smirks at him.

"Don't be alarmed, I didn't feel the need to interfere in your journey to get to this point. It's why my husband and I merely watched from afar."

"Well I'm glad that you have decided to appear in our wedding." Xie Lian says in a thankful yet diplomatic tone. Only San Lang's thumb caressing the back of his hand kept him steady. In truth he didn't know what to make of her presence here. He can only hope that it is a blessing. After all neither she nor her husband had ventured beyond their gardens and rarely appeared in the heavenly court. He still hasn't met her husband. He asked her about it when she attended the banquet in heaven celebrating his first ascension into heaven.

"My husband is finished with heavenly affairs." She says as she gives him a basket of peaches from her garden. The peaches of immortality serving as a form of assurance that he is indeed immortal.

"It's why only I enter into the domain of heaven. Heaven for him only causes exhaustion of the work he used to do before he appointed a successor. I don't want to subject him to that type of stress again. But who knows..." she cuts open a peach and hands one half to him.

"Given the right circumstances you might finally meet him in the future." And that was the last he saw of her.

Until now.

"How fortunate it is then that my husband and I have a gift for the newlyweds. Something which I will discuss with you at the end of tonight's banquet. But nevertheless I have already given my congratulations, and now as I stand before both of you I shall now give my blessing for your marriage." Multiple colors come out from her palms and gently embrace the newlyweds. There was an aura of optimism, hope, and encouragement emitting from the aura she gave them. It was at this point that everyone began to relax in her presence. If she wanted to cause harm and a ruckus even a powerful Goddess like herself couldn't hide her malicious intent for long.

"There, now I shall wait till you are both ready to meet me in private for the wedding gift that my husband and I have prepared for you." She gives a small bow of her head and gives them a sincere smile before she allows herself to be lead to a place cleared for her beside Lang Qianqiu and his ward. Gradually the banquet returned to the normal fanfare celebrating the newlyweds and everyone almost forgot that the Goddess who rules over their life and death was in their midst.

Once majority of their guests have departed Yin yu escorted the Goddess to a private room with the newlyweds. She passes by Feng Xin ang Mu Qing who both bow with reverence to her. She also feels their skepticism and alertness to her presence. Something she's used to as part of the domain she rules and controls over. It is because of her domain that she and her beloved husband can afford to stay away from heavenly affairs and live a relatively peaceful life.

"We are in private now, I know you want to speak with me more directly than when we had an audience." She says with her gaze focused on the Crimson Rain Sought Flower. He gives a low chuckle as he settles himself to his Gege's right side.

"What gave me away?"

"I could sense that you wanted to dismiss formality and ask me what my real intentions were. But you couldn't out of your love for Dianxie. Well - " she opens her palms and spread them in an encouraging gesture.

"We are mostly alone now, be as direct as you want with me."

"Very well - this gift that you and your husband have for us. There's a hidden catch to it isn't there."

"Yes." Hua Cheng smirks.

"You're not going to deny it?"

"What would be the point? If you think about it everything has a hidden catch. Whether that is to your detriment or favor is up to the both of you."

"Then why give it to us then?"

"Because from what we have observed, you two are the best option to recieve this gift." This catches Xie Lian's attention.

"Let me guess." Xie Lian began. "We need to prove ourselves in some way to recieve this gift."

"Precisely."

"Then is it really a gift then?" Xie Lian asks as calmly as possible while his hand rubs Hua Cheng's.

"It is, don't worry - we are both confident that you two will pass our final test before we give you the gift."

"You don't have it with you." Hua Cheng's voice doesn't bother hiding his skepticism about her intentions. For all he knows she's the master mind and this mysterious husband of hers is unaware of what she's doing.

"Let's just say the gift will be delivered in the right time. I never said that you would receive it tonight."

"Hmm fair point."

"And you're really not going to tell us?"

"Dianxie, both of you are intelligent enough to deduce what the gift may be. Why should I do the work for you? That would be an insult to the intelligence you both possess."

"Or an excuse for you to hide your true intention hidden in this gift." Hua Cheng doesn't bother hiding the threatening tone in his voice. After what he and Gege had been through, he will be damned if they will once again be used in the games of others.

"Think what you will, but I'll tell you right now that should you pass the confirmatory test and should you accept the gift it will also be a favor to me and my husband."

"In what way?"

"Let's just say dear Ghost King, that it would save us from finding other worthy recipients - and before you refuse, I'm not allowing any refusal until you know all you need to know to make a decision."

"The decision to refuse is getting more and more appealing."

"San Lang."

"Are you really not going to tell us what it is?"

"Don't overthink it. Just be yourselves, I'm confident that you will like the gift and will treasure it."

"It better not be a useless toy for a passing amusement."

"Oh don't worry Crimson Rain Sought Flower." She says with a smug smile as she stands.

"I'm sure neither of you will see the gift that way."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What are you thinking Gege?" Xie Lian was brought back to the present as he and Hua Cheng were making their way back to Puchi shrine on a horse driven cart. This time it was Hua Cheng who had the reins while he sat beside him.

"Oh just a couple of things." He says with a blush as he lays his head on his husband's right shoulder.

"Hmm, what's the first?"

"The second time we met...our first real conversation when you were in disguise."

"Like how I am now?"

"Oh be honest, you've also placed one on me."

"Why wouldn't I?" Hua Cheng chuckles and Xie Lian sneaks a kiss on his shoulder.

"It wouldn't do if people would think that you were cheating on me with someone else."

"Hmm but I love you in all of your forms."

"And I love you in all of yours." He pulls the reins stopping the horse as they arrive on front of Puqi shrine. They begin unloading the items from the cart and begin making some partial preparations for the incoming ghost month.

"What was the other thing that you were thinking of?" Hua Cheng asks as they settle down to eat their lunch.

"I was thinking that it was seven years since we got married and till now I don't think we've done any test or recieved any gift from Xiwangmu."

"She could just be bluffing. I may not know her personally, but I wouldn't put it past the Gods to not follow through on their promises."

"Still, she sounded sincere. Perhaps she and her husband forgot."

"Hmph, it wouldn't be the first time for a God or Goddess."

Then from a distance the sound of thunder rumbling emerges.

"Huh, there seems to be a storm coming. We'll need to make some final preparations before the downpour starts."

"Last I checked we'll have to prioritize wood. We could also spend this as one more stroll in the outside before we lock ourselves in?"

"I'd be delighted." Xie Lian says before leaning over to kiss Hua Cheng. Their lips meet briefly, now was not the time for a long lingering one. Once the rain will fall there would be plenty of time for that.

Hand in hand they make their way to the forest, the same forest they had to pass through when they were escaping from ghosts during their second meeting. Perhaps it is instinct, or simply a feeling, but the moment they both entered the forest they heard sobs from someone crying.

It was strange, no one would stay within this forest because of the ghosts that lived in it. And whenever the ghost month would arrive and when the worlds of the ghosts and the mortals collided, it frequently ended up with mortals spreading fear from their ghostly encounters or their deaths. The ghosts would just be more and more active in taking mortal lives.

The sounds of sobbing began to be louder in volume. They share a look of silence to pursuit it. If this is a ghost who is weeping then they will need to help it find its peace before other ghosts may take advantage of their despair.

But it was not a ghost who was crying.

On a stump, a little girl was pouring out her despair.

"I...I don't..." She couldn't help but bring a new batch of tears as the thunder begins to get louder.

"Why...why don't...why don't they like me?" She looks up to the sky. The sky was beginning to darken, and she knew that it was going to rain soon.

Better that she help the rain water the ground while she still has so much tears to give.

"Why doesn't anyone want to be my friend?! Even the creatures in this forest don't want to be my friend! What did I do wrong?!" The first few rain drops begin pouring down.

"Baba says that not everyone could see or talk to ghosts like we could. I tried...I tried to talk to the ghosts here...but nobody wants to be friends with me...what...what did I do wrong?" She brings her head back down to the stump. She feels so desperate now that she just wants to cry her heart out.

"I...I don't...I don't want to be alone...can someone...anyone, please tell me what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you." A deep but gentle voice responds. She looks up from the tree stump and sees a beautiful man with an eye patch over his right eye. His left eye gives her a reassuring look as he gives her a gentle smile. It's only after blinking a few times that she realizes that he's also holding an umbrella which protected them from the rain.

"Really?"

"Yes little one."

"Then why do they say mean things to me?"

"What do they say?"

"That because I could talk to ghosts and have mismatched eyes I was cursed at birth. And they don't want to be with someone who is cursed." She wipes some of her tears on her sleeve as she looks up at the mysterious man. Her parents did warn her to not talk to strangers but something about him was reassuring her that she isn't in any danger.

And she was tired of being alone.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, they also say that my parents made a mistake in giving me my name. Because how can someone who is cursed have love?"

"That is cruel." She was touched by his tone. But she couldn't help but bring a new wave of tears.

Why was he being so nice to her?

Isn't she supposed to be cursed?

And yet here is someone who is talking to her and shielding her from the rain.

"Would you like to know something about me?" She feels her voice become hoarse in trying to say yes. So she nods at the beautiful man and she feels herself lighten up as he smiles at her.

"I was also bullied because of my eyes."

"Really?"

"Yes, little one. Just like you I had mismatched eyes. And others would also say mean things to me."

He leans closer to her as the rain gets stronger. Bringing her closer to the center of the umbrella. Up close he could clearly see that her left eye was a vibrant blue color and her right eye had the same amber color that Gege had.

And she was just like him a long time ago.

Wanting to not be alone.

Everyone rejecting him.

And only one who didn't.

"It had gotten so bad that I thought life had no meaning anymore."

"What happened?" Hua Cheng gives her a gentle smile.

"Someone saved me."

"How?"

"He gave me something to live for."

She calmed down and she was no longer crying. She was now truly listening to him and his words. Behind her was Xie Lian sharing a knowing look with him.

"Would you like to meet him little one?"

[eruhamster]

actually going on w the lil post i made yesterday, i genuinely think theres a lot of random misconceptions about hua cheng

like he's not a stalker. he never was a stalker. you cannot be a stalker when the person wants you around. even as a little kid, xie lian wanted him around to take care of him. when they met again after the first battle with the yong'an, xie lian thought he was cool as fuck and tried to get mu qing and feng xin to look for him - they tossed him out of the military (or, mu qing likely did, probably out of extreme jealousy and fear of replacement), and xie lian was delighted to find him again months later. but then Things Happened and he just became too busy. xie lian was actively looking for that little snot, and hua cheng kept his distance or was forcibly separated from him.

he spent 800 years not stalking, but actively looking for his god that he knew needed his help. and once they meet again he never does anything 'stalker' like. he doesn't hide around corners. as soon as xie lian shows up he finds some excuse to insert himself into xie lian's life, but when he says he's got to go, he legitimately leaves, and when xie lian says he's got something to do, hua cheng doesn't follow him, he stays put unless told otherwise.

he's got an insane cave in mt tonglu, but 1. it was practice to perfect his sculpting for the sake of his god, 2. it is heavily implied hua cheng had photographic memory even as a mortal and that's how he knew the details of all those outfits, 3. the guy was doing nothing but eating ghosts for ten years straight on that mountain and was likely going nuts, especially after nearly dying, 4. xie lian is a god and spending 10 years in a cave worshiping his god and cultivating his skills is something that happens in the genre, meditative seclusion is an eastern religious thing

his obsession is also like... not violent. like i've seen people go 'ohh, people don't make hua cheng violent enough. he'd go home and destroy furniture over things, he'd level towns' and like... you can headcanon that but that's never been shown in canon. he's got no problem killing or harming people who stand in his way or insult xie lian, but he's not just wantonly destructive. he's never been shown destroying things for no reason other than when he's going beserk from the call of mt tonglu. he certainly wouldn't destroy paradise manor, given that he crafted it with the full intention of that being his and xie lian's home together; it would be destroying xie lian's things, and he would never destroy xie lian's things.

his obsession is more just the lack of anything else. literally everything he's interested in outside of gambling is connected to xie lian in some way. he legitimately does not have any other thoughts. he paints so he can paint xie lian. he sculpts so he can sculpt xie lian. he made a whole city so he can take in and organize the ghosts because xie lian had no answer to the cultivator who asks where else he's meant to sell the ghost lanterns xie lian saved. he wields a saber because xie lian told him to. he went on existing for 800 years for the pure intention of being there for xie lian. he has spies so he can look out for xie lian. he has cooks so he can feed xie lian. he learnt carpentry so he can make anything xie lian may want. he learnt an entire language and likely more just so he can try and get information on xie lian's whereabouts. he's obsessed with looking good so he can look good for xie lian. his entire existence is xie lian and the obsession has kept him from dissipating.

he's not a stalker, and while he doesn't care about anyone or anything but xie lian, his violence doesn't get pointed around for no reason; he just kills those who deserve it. but he's just obsessive in the sense that any thought or interest he has revolves around one person, even when he went 800 years without seeing that person, because that person was the one singular person to have any thoughts for or interest in him.

like that's where his weirdness actually lies. if you crack open hua cheng's brain, i do not think you'll go more than 30 seconds without him thinking of xie lian.

[volann]

Everyone in tgcf is a foil character (if you squint)

(pt 2, pt 3, pt 4)

I will be writing this as I reread the book, so this is the first part where I'll write about Xuan Ji and Xiao-Ying. I may not remember some details about Xie Lian and Hua Cheng bc I haven't reread those parts yet but hopefully it won't affect anything important. And neither do I have the revised version nor do I know Chinese, so everything is based on the og version. (also English isn't my first language, I asked my friend to check everything but there may still be some mistakes)

I'll start with Xuan Ji, Pei Ming’s ex that burned down temples and killed 17 brides to attract his attention. So the thing that keeps her as a ghost is her obsession with the man that prevented her suicide attempt. Also she wears red. Yes, I will be comparing her to Hua Cheng here. And this might be a stretch, but the plot may be indicating that she's his foil because Xie Lian first thinks that Hua Cheng is the ghost groom. Anyway, it's more important how those two are different. Xuan Ji's final goal is Pei Ming's love and attention. She doesn't take into consideration his needs and feelings, her own feelings come first. This is their main difference. Xuan Ji broke her legs to trap Pei Ming into staying, died to make him grieve — Hua Cheng died several times to save Xie Lian and didn't care about himself. She cries about how much she sacrificed, like Pei Ming owes her because of it — Hua Cheng gives his ashes to Xie Lian and doesn't care what will happen to them. He only wants Xie Lian to be happy. Xuan Ji wants Pei Ming to come to her, while Hua Cheng has been looking for Xie Lian for hundreds of years. Xuan Ji blames Pei Ming for everything that's wrong with her and her life — Hua Cheng would never. Xuan Ji shows how dangerous an obsession can be. Her love leads first to self-destruction, obvious in her broken legs and her last suicide attempt, and then to burned temples and people's deaths (although she was a general, her actions likely affected others even then). Hua Cheng did burn down temples too, but only to avenge his love, who didn't know about it for hundreds of years. Hua Cheng builds new temples for him. And, in the end, Xuan Ji is as powerful as she is only with Qi Rong's help while Hua Cheng became supreme on his own– his feelings are much stronger.

It is possible to find some similarities with Xie Lian too: besides being a fierce general, she is incredibly beautiful (and Xie Lian is Flower-Crowned Martial God), and while she had a high position during her life, now she's just a ghost. Xuan Ji feels as if noone is on her side, the one closest to her — betrayed her (add two suicide attempts there, although the reasoning is quite different). This reminds me the most of Xie Lian from book four, but fortunately he did see good in people, and in the end the only one suffering because of his actions was Wu Ming. Are these similarities the reason why he doesn't want to judge her without knowing the whole story?* The fact that he sees himself from the past in Xuan Ji and understands the desire to have someone who will stay by your side no matter what? Well, he never judges anyone too quickly and I can't claim anything. So. When compared to Xuan Ji, everyone showes their good sides, wow, what a revelation, I know.

*It doesn't really fit in this theme but those words might be directed at the reader since there are many lies in the book. The first that comes to my mind is the fact that Xie Lian knew about Nan Feng and Fu Yao's true identities already in the first book, but nothing in the text indicates that. But we're not speaking about them (yet?). In case of the ghost groom we first know the legend, then Xuan Ji's retelling and, finally, Pei Su's words, which we perceive as the truth. Every time characters' motivations are changed completely. This happens with many stories, from Xie Lian's past to less important parts like this one.

Now let's speak about the character whom I didn't plan to speak about at first: Xiao Yin. It is possible to compare her to Hua Cheng, or, to be more specific, Hong Hong-er: everyone thinks she's ugly and bullies her. Of course, we only see this behavior from Xiao-Pengtou (I don't remember the "tou" part in his name but wiki says it so it must be true), and the only other person with at least some significance from her village is the teahouse owner who is more of a narrator. But both she and Lang Ying avoid the light and don't look in people's eyes, and in the end she says she hasn't had any good days in her life, which probably means people in general didn't treat her well. Another similarity is the fact that Xiao Yin says that maybe she was born unlucky in the last moments of her life, while Hong-er was literally born under the Star of Solitude. But, unlike him, Xiao Yin isn't angry at the world. Before meeting Xie Lian Hong Hong-er wanted to ruin the festival for everyone with his own death, and now Hua Cheng mostly cares only about the crown prince. But Xiao Yin drags Xiao-Pengtou inside the circle made by Ryoe to save him. I can't think of a better example but from some angles it can be similar to Xie Lian saving Mu Qing, but he had eight hundred years, and he doesn't really care about the past anymore, and the whole situation is different… anyway, Xiao Ying only wants to help people, especially Lan Ying, helps Xie Lian as soon as she sees he needs it, but in the end most of it is in vain (Xiao-Pengtou did die), even her death didn't change anything, and the only one who grieves for her is the bandaged boy. Remember Xie Lian and his attempts to save Xianle? There even was a bandaged boy too. Xie Lian might have lied to Xiao Ying because of it, but he does lie out of kindness quite often, so this may not be true. Back to Xiao Ying. No matter how hard she tries, people always misinterpret her intentions and look for a catch (you want to help this boy? no, surely you're helping the ghost bridegroom). This is a common theme in all of mxtx's novels, Xie Lian isn't an exception. Even Xie Lian compares himself and Xiao Ying and says that she's stronger. That's probably because in her last words, she wanted to overcome her misfortune. No matter what she wanted to help everyone, including those who mistreated her, and didn't even think of sending an awful plague onto them.

I don't think Xiao-Pengtou is important enough to write something about him, although it is quite interesting how he could affect everyone's actions by just being there — after his death everyone was sorry. He probably would fit into an essay about ruling figures in tgcf. There isn't much said about Lan Ying yet, and later we learn way more about Nan Feng and Fu Yao, so there are some things I want to say that are not about characters. The themes important for the whole book and many characters — desire for closeness with other people, striving to find someone who will understand you and will never leave, inevitability of tragic events, discrepancy between what you are and what people see you as, distortion of history — are introduced in the first chapters. All of them will be important in the future arcs and probably this is why it's so easy to find foils: we see how the same themes are explored in different characters. I wonder how many words will be used for more important characters if I wrote so much on Xiao Ying…

[cafe-smut]

3 Immortals Walk Into an Inn

“Let go of me!” she screamed, trying to kick out at the man, terror and anger all at once giving her a mediocrum of strength. But this bastard was a cultivator, he has a golden core and- and he’s stronger than her. The pants she’s stolen and worn, torn, the long shirt she’d also stolen being torn open at that moment. Her dress was already left behind in the burning manor, and now- now she knew her mistake, trusting this man merely because he said she could be strong, even though she was a woman. Because everyone said cultivators were righteous and she- she so foolishly believed it. And now she was paying for it, but this time the man trying to ruin her didn’t have a sibling to hide her wounds from, he had no reason not to do this. To destory her body and soul-

Then he was thrown off of her and she crawled back, barely focusing as a giant black cat stood over her, snarling at the man- a person in white pointed a sword at him, long brown hair reaching far down their back. “How dare you-”

“Leave the child alone.” still covering herself, she blinks now, looking past this giant cat again to focus of the one in white, sword at that bastard’s throat. And- and its a woman. A female cultivator.

“Liar! You said they didn’t exist!” it’s so so terrible now in comparison to everything else. So minor in the face of what he’d been about to do. But she’s been violated so many times before that seems in truly little consequence to her.

“They do, I said that first, little one. They’re just weak though!”

“Not so weak as someone like you who will take advantage of a young child’s hope and light and use it to hurt and breka them, to use them for your own gain. Now leave, or you will not get far.” he laughs, laughs!, up at her, when he is below her sword point. Why doesnt she just kill him?! 

“Oh please, like you could do anything to me! I’ve seen you around town, you refuse to hurt anyone!”

“I have taken a vow not to take a life again, you are correct. Far more observant than I'd thought. However, that does not mean you will escape this.” her sword moves away and she backs up. The giant cat moves off of her, and he finally notices it. The fear in his eyes is- incredibly pleasing to her. The cultivator puts a hand on the cat’s head and says a single word.

“Run.” he scrambles up and away, then out of sight rapidly. The cat doesn’t move.

“Take care of him, but do it like this.” then with what she thinks she hallucinates to be a grin, it takes off with a deep loud yeowl. The second the cat is gone, her eyes meet soft wide brown. “Oh you poor thing.” and now she’s being covered by the cultivator’s own outer robe. She tries to back away, still not trusting her. She doesn’t dare trust anyone anymore! “I’m sorry, I can only imagine what you’ve been through. But let’s get you someplace warm, i can escort you someplace if you need some work, or is your fami-”

“It’s just me!” she snaps, glaring ar ther but clings to the only thing covering her properly. Just to make sure, she glances back at the house, the manor, a short ways away, still smoking. And yes, yes he was dead long before she set the fire. He was- he was gone.

The sudden realization had tension leaving her body. She was finally free. A soft noise comes from the cultivator, which has her focusing again, looking over. She tries to keep glaring, anger keeps her safe now, but it’s hard to hide the fear. And those brown eyes- the last person to look so gently and warmly at her, without pity or anything dark, was- she doesn’t move any closer, they stay quiet for a while. “What if I don't have- anywhere else to go?”

“You could travel with me and my companion until we find someplace you do wish to stay. My name is Xie Lian.” She doesn’t bother to answer her, but now she looks over and smiles, standing as the large cat comes back. It’s got blood on its maw and its paws. And oh that feels good to see.

“Is he dead?” he finds himself asking the cat, it looks over. She finds herself surprised at its silver eyes. But then its lips curl a bit and it purrs, walking over to lay behind her, and licking the blood from its paws. Xie Lian sighs, shaking her head. “Now you stop that. Go on, I'll call you if I need you again Xiao-Xian.” Wait, what?

“You’re calling a giant black wild cat that just killed that bastard- ‘little’?” she asks incredulously. The cat shakes behind her like it’s laughing as Xie Lian sighs.