#at first this was just going to be yi kuafu and jiequan but then i decided to be FAIR TO EVERYONE (for some reason)

[velveteen-vampire]

what the fuck? felis catus?

[doodledrawsthings]

Opinions on the Sols from Nine Sols immediately. Please. Your au is delish.

Keep in mind these are my very off-the-top-of-my-head, surface level impressions of them after having recently beaten the game on story mode once, while streaming. I won’t be giving any deep analysis or anything lol so the tone will be pretty jokey and unserious.

MAJOR major Nine Sols spoilers under the cut. Please do not read if you haven’t finished the game.

Kuafu: second favorite character. I love him so much. He’s such a pal, everybody likes him. Hou Yi left him as the final sun standing after shooting down the other nine cuz he’s just a stand up guy. The fact that he’s the one who pled keep Abacus around and set his settings to High Sympathy and kept coming in to talk to him out of guilt over what happened to Yi kills me. Smart, silly, handsome, the last remaining Solarian in existence and he can never go home for the remainder of his life. He’s my ride or die bestie, he’s one of my several husbands who babysit my little brother while I go off on a revenge murder spree and I’m kissing him on the mouth.

Goumang: I like her design and concepts and think she’s a fun character. She was the first boss I fought and i thought she was pretty fun, though I didn’t find the fight as memorable as others. I wish she had more presence throughout the game, I heard from a friend she had some more stuff that was cut apparently? Curious about her rivalry with Yi and relationship with Eigong. And since Yi technically never killled her I’ve considered including her in the Dont Worry About It AU.

Yanlao: Grampa!! I think he and Yi’s back and forth throughout the warehouse area was pretty funny. I was so ready to kick his ass the entire time, especially after the segment where he’s shooting at you as you navigate a maze. Loved his bossfight, first fight of the first three i started with where I really felt the parry/dodge/attack rhythm for the first time. Rip gramps.

Jiequan: BASTARD!! (Half-affectionate but only half) he’s giving Fruity Disney Villain Who Flirts With You As He Stabs You In The Chest. He sucks <3 but he’s such a FUN character, what a great antagonist. His fake out fight is so intense, the prison scene is so intense, his boss fight kicked my ass and his theme goes hard. He’s a war criminal, he’s a freak, he looks like All Might MHA and he regularly irradiates himself as part of his body building routine. “Heroes are forged in agony!” 10/10 Disney villain, very stylish. Defeating him was so satisfying especially after the Kanghui fight in the prison and learning what happened with THAT horror show.

Lady Ethereal: I LOVE HER!! SO MUCH!!! UGH!!! she makes me so sad! But everything about her is SO cool! Her fate! Her backstory!! Her design! Her boss fight! Her entire platforming area!!! Just!!! Aah! I won’t say too much but it’s just so good she had my favorite fight in the game, the dance for that one is so much fun. I was streaming the game on discord for my partner and another friend and when we first went into the cortex, she was like “oh you should keep going left and see what’s over there ;)” and then I did and just!!! So cool that Red Candle started off making horror games, it’s really great. Love it. Awesome character, awesome boss, awesome theme.

Fuxi and Nuwa: Rich asshole twins!! These two suck lol but I do think they’re fun characters. The entire empyrean district is experiencing a resident evil style zombie infection and Nuwa is throwing a rager at the club for the rich cryosleepers only. It’s really eerie over there though, I love the vibe of the east side and the discovery of the mutants and destruction of the west half is spooky as hell. And then I got to the area where you get Fuxi’s sol seal and didn’t even notice he was sitting there until my partner pointed him out. I thought he was furniture lol. She’s really puppeting around her brother’s pustule-riddled zombie corpse Weekend at Bernie’s style cuz she’s that much in denial. Also absolutely horrifying that the district supposedly once held 100,000 sleeping solarians that is whittled down to 300 after the mutated virus wreaks havoc through the area. Personally, I’m mixed on their bossfight, the first half with just Fuxi was fun once I got the rhythm but the 2nd half when Nuwa comes in with her attacks gets a bit too chaotic for me. Their boss theme, however, is probably my favorite in the game. I love the opera samples, it’s so cool.

Ji: I think about them a lot. Like, wow what a guy. I think a lot about his immortality, and that if he had not left Penglai with the council he would have been stuck there, alone for eternity. I think about the fact that because they will never get Tianhuo, there would be no need for them to be in cryosleep, which probably means that in the 502 years that Yi was recovering, he was probably up and about the entire time, probably wandering around new Kunlun mostly alone. I wonder if they ever hung out with the dusk guardians, or if they just stayed in the grotto for the most part. Their boss fight felt the most like a dance to me, or like friends sparring. Do you think they thought of Lear as you attacked them with the moves he taught you in the spiritual realm? He makes me sad, but he is very stylish!

Eigong: FUCK HER! SHES SO COOL, BUT FUCK HER!!! EVIL GRANDMA! this games story is like peeling back an onion of horrors where each layer you peel back brings new, mortifying understanding of the situation at large until it ALL. COMES BACK. TO HER! AND HER FRUITLESS PURSUIT OF IMMORTALITY! Her boss fight KICKED MY ASS. I was streaming my first playthrough, so I was already prone to doing worse than I probably would without an audience (emphasis on probably) but in my first attempt I was fighting her for like 6 HOURS STRAIGHT. And for the true ending too, which meant three boss phases. I just could not get her pattern down and my hands were cramping but i really wanted to finish the game that weekend so I could finally talk about it so I ended up turning up the accessibility options to one punch man her. I did eventually go back and do her fight by myself with the story mode settings and MAN what a fun boss battle once you get the dance down (I’m still so bad at unbound counter), and it is SO satisfying to beat. Incredible character, we love fictional old women who commit atrocities in the name of science.

Yi: and finally we have the man, the myth, the legend. I could probably write a whole separate post about him and Heng and his relationships with the other characters but to keep it short- I LOVE HIM SO MUCH! BUT IM ALSO BITING HIM AND PUTTING HIM IN A BLENDER AND RUNNING HIM THROUGH THE DISHWASHER AND HANGING HIM UP TO DRY. Just UGH! It’s not common for the main character of a thing to be my favorite character but Yi is my favorite character. It’s the fact that he is his own character, and we, the player, must gradually find out things that HE already knows. And his budding and flowering relationships with the other characters, especially those who set up shop in the pavillion which leads into his character development is just AUGH. AND THE ENDINGS. YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT GHE ENDINGS. THEYRE GOOD BUT AUGH. I love him, I’m rotating him in my mind on a skewer, he’s my little manlet, my poor little “I’m not a good person” shadow the hedgehog energy meow meow cat boy. I love him so much, I’m so distraught over his terrible life choices. Incredible character.

Ok hope that was entertaining to read, bye.

[sharkangelic]

Something I like about the boss fights in Nine Sols is that (most of them) feel fitting for the boss. A lot of other games just have you fight someone who technically has lore and personality but their boss fight is just Another Tough Fight, even if the person you're fighting objectively should not be good at it. But not Nine Sols.

We don't fight Kuafu, both because he's not a fighter and he turns out to be our friend. Instead we fight his robot. Goumang is a farmer. Similar to Kuafu, she is not a fighter and never pretends to be. There is no way she should be fighting Yi - and she doesn't. Her minions do it for her.

We don't fight Yanlao, because he's so old and sick that he can't walk on his own. Another fight where we face a tool instead. Kanghui is Kanghui. Next.

Jiequan IS a fighter, like that is his whole shtick, so we do go hardcore when fighting him.

Lady Ethereal is not really a fighter. We fight her in her soulscape, where of course she has control and can do whatever she wants. She attacks Yi in an attempt to provoke him into killing her.

Ji just wants to die spectacularly. He's not malicious, he's just so completely ambivalent about almost everything except his desire to die, because he is an immortal who is bored of life. He is as extra about this fight as he can muster. The Fengs don't want to fight Yi, and they have no intention of doing so as long as he leaves them alone. They want to continue their partying in peace. Nuwa gives him her Sol Seal freely, but Fuxi is basically already dead and cannot, so they have to fight. Eigong is absolutely a fighter and she WILL wreck your shit. The fact that she uses talismans implies she's the one who taught Yi to do that in the first place. Love having the tables turned on me - reminds me of Okami Ninetails. She is SO like Yi - a master scientist AND martial arts master. Everything about this fight is just so fitting.

I love the boss fights in this game. I don't normally say that about games, ever.

[theeyeofeverything]

Brainworms cannot be contained so I need to confess to you one (1) thing...

Yes. I have au where sols can be saved but there is a lil thing I need to mention... not all of them will survive... ACTUALLY THEY MiGHT BE HAPPY ONLY FOR A WHILE ONLY TO DIE AGAIN. Ooops!

So let's call this thing "out of spite AU".

Basic premise is Yi saves as many sols, as he can and all of them have a lession to learn. They given a chance to grow and redeem themselfs. Not in front of apeman or remaining solarians (if there id left any), no. It's a redemption before oneself. Because yes, they will be safe for a while, but the end is the same. Kuafu will be the only solarian to survive in the end... or does he?

Mainly trough this exist to explore 4 things: 1. Dynamics between Sols 2. How they will face their inner conflict (most of them remain their initial core traits, don't worry, but some aspects of them might change a little) 3. Sols interacting with ShuanShuan (it also ties to their inner conflict! He helps others like he helps Yi to understand that life good on its own. Mainly tho its a self-indulingent cute bonding stuff between Sols and ShuanShuan) 4. Jieyi (AM SORRY I HAVE SEVER CASE OF BEING REALLY INVESTED IN GUYS OBSESSED WITH PROTAGS I AM WEAK)

Who will be saved?

- Kuafu. Same as in canon.

-Jiequan. Well, I said it would be really funny concept for him to be saved first of all people. Yi doing exactly that, initially out of spite. But it's ironic that in the literal sense Jieqan did not win - Yi just broke all of his teapods and did not let him die like a hero become a gooquan - but he won the spiritual battle. His torture made Yi better. Well, it's not but it made Yi mad enough to do the opposite of rampage. He is restraind in the pavilion at the time (but not for long)

-Goumang. After thinking (and being really pissed) abou his and Jiequan similarity he desides that he might gone a little bit rough on Goumang. When he is back at the agrocurtual hall she is alive, but gravely injured. It's a miracle she didn't bleed out by the time they arrived at the pavilion. He and Kuafu tend her wounds, but she is NOT happy to be here. At least, at first

-Nuwa. At this point in story Yi is finally giving a rest to his killing rampage. Nuwa is a strange case because she is no use to Yi. Jiequan is a fighter, Goumang is somewhat of the healer in this au. Nuwa is a spoiled mean brat. Kinda just like him! No one deserve to die like...this. He will not let her go near Fuxi, when he's down. She would cry, crawl and bite her way out, but to no avail. I will say she is safe in this au for sake of exploring her personality and how it would change with absence of her brother around. How she would become independent.

-Ji. He is the intresting case because he is wanting to die. He is tired of life. He wants to rest and join dao. However I think he might stay for a while because his hexagramm... lied to him. Jiequan has to much impact in this AU huh. Well, I think he knew Jiequan and Yi's fight would not end good. He forsaw Jiequan die... but now Yi is telling him that the last member of the jie is alive and well! I think that would intrigue Ji, actually. Why would hexagramms lie to him? Did the Yi changed course of history? And additional layer to this if certain someone once also made a hexagramm prediction untrue.

Or, maybe, hexagramms want him to preserve this story too? His last story to tell.

Who will not survive:

-Yanlao. First, at this point Yi was not ignited by spite and did not reconsider his choices! And second - he is a lesson to learn for Yi. A irreversable mistake, that can't be take back. Not that he is greiving for this loss but it kinda make jiequan with his "do you think saving me does you a good guy automathicly? With other you was not that merciful, young master Yi" sting harder. And that is making Yi pissed, but... pissed Yi is a Yi how does rethink his decisions so maybe this is for the better

-Lady Etheral. Well she is no longer in a condition to be saved. She is basicly a brain in a jar and can't be brought back. All they can do is honor her properly. Let her rest at last.

-Eigong. This is intersting case because I belive she is long lost. At least, I think she is beliving herself to be a lost cause. She will not let Yi and Goumang save her. She will go with this ship, because her role is played already. So she would go on her own terms and would not be swayed. I love her so much as a character, but this the vibe I get from her. Besides I need more drama and angst for this AU sooo...

Let's stop for now. There is a couple of aspects I want to talk about more, but I think some of my ideas will translate better trough my art!

Not now, tho. Because I need to finish funny haha comics first and THEN do serious shit.

Feel free to ask about this AU tho!

[17magpiesinatrenchcoat]

Hello I would like to ramble about 9 sols… I’ve almost finished it and would like to talk about it :D feel free to yap with me in the comments too, none of my friends have played it yet so it would be nice to talk to someone about it hehe (in absolutely no order whatsoever)

‼️LOTS OF SPOILERS BEWARE‼️

ohhhhhhhh I LOVE THE MUSIC ITS SO GOOD…. no1 video game ost enjoyer here and I can say it’s so so good;; so many of the songs made me go :00 ITS SO GOOD

I’ve seen people complain about the dialogue and tbh I don’t get the complaints at all;; I LOVE the dialogue and I think it adds a lot and it’s a very good way to tell the story the game is telling and the people who whinge about it are stupid tbh I feel like people often confuse creative decisions they personally don’t vibe with with actual flaws which is really annoying like. man

aghhh SO MUCH LORE I love all the lore I want to know more…… oh but man. hearing about all the solarian’s rich history,, and knowing that ultimately they were doomed to extinction by one idiot is;: oh man. It Hurts

OHHHHH HOW I ADORE THE THEME OF HOW RAGING AGAINST THE INEVITABLE WILL ONLY CAUSE HARM… literally all the things that went wrong in the story are from people trying to run away from death. but sometimes the only thing left to do, and the right thing to do, is to let go. ohhhhhh indie games about death and letting go how I adore you so

lady ethereal made me so fucking sad like. literally everything she ever did was to try and help her people but it all went so so wrong. the road to hell is paved with good intentions, truly. god her storyline hurts so bad. Im very glad yi could give her closure so she could move on,, also her section was by far my favourite ITS SO GOOD RAHHHHH

THE FENGS MADE ME SO HORRIBLY SAD TOO;; I hated them at first, I literally said “eat the rich” lol but. that was before I saw their final cutscene they’re so :(((( they didn’t deserve this. poor fuwa man im so sad I felt so so bad for her by the end

also their district was. oh my god it’s so eerie it made me so viscerally uncomfortable I was so on edge the entire time I was there… goddddd it’s so haunting holy shit the solarians are beyond doomed

I LOVE HOW THE PAVILLON REALLY BECOMES A HOME it’s so fun to see and I really love all the roomies<3 I wanna be friends with kuafu

ohhhhhhh shuanshuan totally reminds yi of heng huh…. ohhhhh that’s so tragic oh the tragic doomed siblings <//3 IT HURTS SO BAD THE LAST THING HE EVER SAID TO HER WAS SO HORRIBLE AND IYS JUST AUGHHHH,,,, HE NEVER EVEN GOT TO SEE HER AGAIN AFTER THAT,,, sorry im so incoherent I. They just make me so horrifically sad

OH OH this is the first game that made me say “what the fuck” out loud 10/10 lol (it was the guy you behead in the prison) AND SPEAKING OF THE PRISON god I felt so fucking bad for yi that entire section. the way he just falls pathetically if you try to dash oh my godddd :((

why did jiequan act so weirdly flirty towards yi. like huh is there something you wanna tell us dude (also side note: why do people ship them I would appreciate if someone explained bc I don’t get it at all HHHRHSHS or maybe it’s just because it’s not the type of ship that appeals to me at all,, hm)

JI IS SO FUCKING COOOOL HES DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVS;; suicidal immortal is such a tragically good character concept that should definitely be done more often I think (in fact, I want to make an oc like that) god I love him he’s so horribly tragic too EVERYONE IS SO TRAGIC and I really like how he’s so friendly towards yi it’s weirdly sweet… and his boss theme being named long awaited death AGHHHH……..

his zone makes me want to bash my head in tho. like genuinely I was ready to tear my hair out this game was made for smarter people I fear

oh and how I love yi’s character development so so much.. he went from straight up torturing the first sol he fought to really not wanting to fight them at all. even the fengs who he seemed really annoyed by,, he seemed genuinely sad by fuxi’s condition;; GAHHH morally grey character AND redemption arc this is the best of both worlds, he’s such a fascinating character I love him dearly <3

man I fucking hate eigong. imagine being the dumbass to literally doom your entire race bc you wanted to be immortal like 💀💀 girl……. also I know she gets Worse too so I wanna see what’s that about

I love yi did I mention I love yi he’s such a great character

ohhhhh that one sequence where you run across the invaded village to save the apemen and the MUSIC;;: one of my favourite sequences in the whole game man it was so goddamn cool

ok im all out of yapping now lol DO TALK TO ME IN THE COMMENTS IF YOUD LIKE ok goodbye 🫶🫶🫶

[theeyeofeverything]

"Out of Spite" The Nine Sols AU TEDtalk time. The Path of Trials, part 1

What I didin't talk about in this is the redemption arc. All of saved Sols need to let go of the things that chain them. Their biggest fear and flaw. Their sin.

They need to start changing.

Lets say they need to go throgh trial. So, what trial it would be for them?

1. Goumang - "Trial of Control"

I think we all came to consensuss in fandom that Goumang have some control issue. As someone who have similar control tendencies I might guess that it came from her turbulent childhood. She so obsessed with control because she can't afford mistakes. Why she can't afford mistakes? Mistakes lead to bleak future. And future is a chaos. Always a chaos. Life is a big game of dice, but as many people who lived in conditions they cannot change she started to try and control everything she does. Beliving this is the way to secure her future survival.

Unfortunately, even when kids like this starting to live normal live, when the chaos in their life becomes more tame, they are unable to let control loose. Being talanted agronomist led Goumang to Tiandao Council. To securing her future. Future of her people.

I belive her control issue manifest in her not just keeping things in check and near her, but, ironicly in equality. You get what you give. Stable equality in relationships and live lead to sense of security.

She needs to let go the control in her live. She need to accept that reality as it is - solarians can't be saved. Her boys...can not be save. This island of stability is ended long time ago and can't be brought back.

Goumang need to understand that even when this period ends that is NOT meaning the next will be worse. Yes, it is unpredictable as most of the life. Isn't it why life is so beautiful, tho?

Vital interaction with Yi: When she first was brought to pavilion she is scared. Why he's changed his mind? Will Yi torture her further? Use her as somewhat of a lab mouse to experement on? She's shaking everytime Yi storm out angry of the Abacus room, where Jiequan held. Everytime she sees him she's afraid he will change his mind again. So, she starts to "become useful" offering help to Yi. Tho throughout the story she is very resnetful towards Yi and they more bickering then talking. Still, they care for each other in their own way. The important breakpoint for them comes near the end of the game. Oooh, it's a big argument about tianhuo and cure for it.

Yi tells her the truth: There is no cure. Eigong is the one who developed tianhuo virus. Goumang is...upset, to say the least. She starts to question her view on time spent in tiandao council. What she once considered the time of peace and stability in her life turned out to be the nightmare. Only this time it seems there is no way to make things work. There is nothing left to secure. They all are doing to die, sooner or later.

Vital interaction with ShuanShuan: After Kuafu he is the second person she starts to open up to. At first she sees in him her boys. ShuanShuan is deligent and hard-working kid, trying his best. Yet, he's... not that caring about result. Unlike Goumang, he just tries again and again until things work right. Kid don't care about mistakes he's just...having fun. Living in the momentum and not caring about what's next. ShuanShuan just enjoying every time he sees Yi and Goumang. He help Goumang understand that she could try to ease her hold on what she doing, because there is no danger for her in pavilion. And she can be loved despite of her "being useful" to someone.

She would help boy to learn agroculture! Through her time with ShuanShuan she learn again to have fun. This leads to her modifying and developing her own talisman technic. Healing talisman!

2. Nuwa - "Trial of Independence"

Nuwa always was the second. For many she seemed like a little brat with too much of free time. In fact, I think she didn't even had a chance to participate in clan's affairs. Fuxi was always ment to be a leader, but, it kinda looked like he doesn't want to. So Nuwa decided to pursue acting career. Her and Fuxi were always toghether. I think Fuxi was the fist who make her intrested in theahter in a first place. I think with Fuxi Nuwa felt...saved and loved. She felt needed.

And when Fuxi fell ill well... it likes her world is crumbled. Now she has to rule the clan. She didn't want this responsibility, she just wanted things to go back how they used to be. No tianhuo. No Ethernal Cauldron. Just them, toghether, putting another play. Living their best life.

And while Fuxi is ill he still was there. Even when he can't talk anymore Nuwa thought she understood him better than anyone.

Now Fuxi is gone. Forever. Nuwa is alone in this big and scary world, full of mutants and death.

And she needs to learn to care for herself and become a proper adult. She need to decides what she actually want to do with her live. Build connections. Take responsibility for herself and her actions.

Because, she need to accept the harsh reality of Fuxi being dead long time ago, even before their fight with Yi started.

Vital interaction with Yi: At first Nuwa would try to cling to anybody for protection and affection. Try to mimic them. To Yi, To Kuafu, To Goumang and even to Jiequan. She would defenetly try to shake her responsibility of when she is comfortable enough in pavilion. Blaming everyone and especially Yi for taking away her brother. She can't party anymore so she starts drinking. with Yi.

One faithful night she and Yi drinking. They start talking about siblings and what it is like to have one. Laughing and remembering past. Then, Yi stops and says, that he misses Heng. And, actually, this is why he saved Nuwa. Because this is what any older brother want - for his little sister to be save. And to grow up, become a better person than him. I think Yi would say some shit like "Me and Fuxi are not the best example of a person" and RUIN THE MOMENT COMPLITLY. What he was trying to say that Nuwa has a potential to become a better person.

Vital interaction with ShuanShuan: I think, since the dialogue with Yi, Nuwa and ShuanShuan have a little rivalry because no matter of Yis words she kinda grew attached to the guy. It's UNTIL the day she hears ShuanShuan playing flute. This is the moment because NOW Nuwa will infodump to him about art and they will even play toghether sometimes!!! Nuwa is a kind of a kid herself, so ShuanShuan is happy there is a someone he can play with and who IS enjoying and encouraging him to further persuit art! Nuwa will become his older sister and THAT is a point where she starts to actually care for someone, like she cared for Fuxi. I think, one day she understands that if she is actually capable of caring for others, thus she is capable to care for herself. And first step she needs to do is accept responsibility for her own life and decisions. It's up to Nuwa - to be an actress or to be the leader of the Feng clan.

Eventually Nuwa will modify her flute to some kind of weapon. Manipulating and controling her enemies, making them dance to the melody of her flute. Kuafu helped with modifications ofc (and only after she said she would not point out his weight anymore)

Nuwa is also..not much of a helper to Yi. She often just brings decorations to the pavilion or helps to preoccupy ShuanShuan when the gang discussing plans. Tho, when time passes I think she's too start to participate in strategic meetings.

Still Nuwa is not a fighter. Like ShuanShuan she just needs a mean to defened herself when the time comes.

Well, thats all for today. Boys are next! Did not expect to write such a long post, but I hope fellow Nuwa and Goumag enjoyers eat well today

[sharkangelic]

For real though, building off what I've already said about Goumang - Why her fate was arguably the cruelest: she was the first of the Sols Yi had the opportunity to take out his revenge on. He wanted to hurt them, hurt her, to relieve the pain he already felt. And it was easier because he already didn't like her and she was being a huge bitch about his own pain. Completely remorseless.

Then he did it, and I suspect he found it wasn't to his taste. It didn't make him feel better. Ultimately it lead to him feeling worse. And that's why he didn't really hurt the rest of the Sols cruelly and hatefully.

But there's also more to it. Goumang's the only one who never made Yi think about his actions. She's the only one who willfully - eagerly! - engaged in the fight for the same reasons he did: vengeance. This is Yi's first attempt at vengeance, and she encourages him.

Kuafu was the first Sol Yi came across, and sparing his life affected Yi's growth later on. More on this later.

Yanlao was after Goumang, and he wasn't really pissing Yi off as much, in addition to him expressing sympathy(however empty), lecturing Yi about the senselessness of revenge(also faking it; just trying to save his own skin) and sort of dying before Yi had the chance to really get at him. The guy died from a mix of being hit by the claw's laser and succumbing to Tianhuo before Yi could enter the same room as him. Yi's mostly responsible for his death, but it wasn't a death blow with his physical hands. He didn't get the chance to end it cruelly.

Then we have Jiequan, and this is where things get interesting. Clearly he wanted to grind Jiequan to dust from the beginning - Like Goumang, he already didn't like him. Jiequan has always been a creep and his treatment of Yi even before Eternal Cauldron bordered on workplace harassment. He's very disturbing from the moment he contacts Yi. Like Goumang(and unlike Yanlao), it would be very easy for Yi to kill him with cruelty.

But Jiequan overpowers him first, and then tortures Yi while mocking him for being a bloodthirsty villain, just like himself, the 'lunatic' Yi so despises. This is an extension of the torture, for the specific purpose of breaking Yi. And I guess, in a way, it did. It's where Yi starts to question whether or not his quest for vengeance is right. Jiequan's accusations really, really bother Yi. He can't stop thinking about them for the rest of the game, and never again does he come at a Sol with the express intent of murder(save Eigong*). This is driven home by Kuafu calling him out the second time he tries to go after Jiequan. He ends up not being especially cruel with Jiequan, not even dealing the death blow himself(though I'm sure he would have).

So again, Goumang was just unfortunate enough to be Yi's first victim. But she also made the mistake of coming at Yi with hatred herself. She is fully engaging with Yi in his quest for vengeance - she has always envied the preferential treatment he received from Eigong, and she hates him. This fight is an opportunity for vengeance for her, too. She makes no comment one way or another on the moral correctness of vengeance, because she feels more or less the same as Yi. (Though, unlike Yi, she seems to enjoy the fact that Yi died, even if it was by Eigong's hand. After his original murder, she did not come to the realization that it didn't sate her bloodlust).

This is different from Jiequan, who wanted to hurt Yi because he's a sadistic fuck. Vengeance is not part of his own agenda, and he enjoys accusing Yi of being a villain. He's taking a stance on the morality of vengeance, even if it's in the wrong direction, primarily for the purpose of torturing Yi with it.

He's making Yi think about his actions. Goumang didn't do that.

If we eliminate Jiequan from the equation, whom I'm only talking about separately because he was a major turning point, we've also got the rest of the Sols who are different from Goumang. All rest of them comment on vengeance and Yi's disturbing bloodlust, even Lady Ethereal.

And then we've got other people, a lot of people, who bring up the ethics of vengeance too. Kuafu, the guy Yi forgave and values as a friend and peer, criticizes Yi's desire to take vengeance on the Sols multiple times, even to the point where they get into a heated argument that Shuanshuan has to break up.

The takeaway is that Yi had many factors challenging his desire for vengeance, but only after he defeated Goumang.

(Eigong is different, probably because there is so much more reason to hate her, from being the creator of Tianhuo itself to being the one who actually carried out Yi's murder on screen.)

This is not absolving Yi of killing all the Sols, btw, it is all for the sake of analyzing his extreme treatment of Goumang. The circumstances of her death, even without the fucked up thing he did, were very different from the others.