#banyue pass arc

[flowersdiceandlove]

Wait, people don’t like the Banyue Pass Arc?? I love the Banyue arc, it might even be my favorite???

This arc is hilarious. Just like you said, those three clowns were clowning hard in this arc. I’m half certain that HC was even playing it up with the other two bc he knew XL was enjoying it. I do love identity porn shenanigans though, so I may be a bit biased in that regard. But still, we get absolutely banger lines in this arc.

“Forming a friendship should depend on how well two people hit it off and how well their personalities match, not their identities. If I like you, you could be a beggar and I’d still like you. If I dislike you, you could be the emperor and I’d still dislike you. Shouldn’t it be like that? It’s simple logic, so whether you’re human or not is irrelevant.” San Lang laughed out loud. “Yeah. You’re very right.”

We get XL feeling HC’s chest and throat up. We get HC dancing around in a battle holding XL princess style like it’s nothing. We get XL used to and comfortable being held like this.

But the more he laughed, the more he felt something was off, and it came to him suddenly. He was still letting San Lang carry him. And the scary thing was, he had gotten used to being in this position without realizing it!

We get Banyue telling us that Xie Lian said "I want to save the common people!" even when he was with her, letting us know he still holds the same dream that he held in his youth even after all these centuries and all that happened.

“You also said, ‘Do what you think is right!’” Banyue told him. “‘Nothing can block your way!’ ‘Even if you fall in the mud a hundred times, you must get up with determination!’ And a lot more similar sayings.”

We get Hua Cheng's thoughts on this famous statement.

“To dare speak of the people of the world, whether to save or to destroy them, is admirable. The former is harder than the latter, so it’s even more respectable.” Xie Lian shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “If you dare to speak, you have to be able to follow through and actually achieve it.”

and

After a while, San Lang said quietly, “Something like saving the common people, it really doesn’t matter how you do it. But, although brave, it’s foolish.” “Yeah,” Xie Lian agreed. Hua Cheng continued, “Although foolish, it’s brave.”

We get THIS beautiful part:

He laid an arm over his eyes. “Oh, all right. I suppose that’s nothing. What Banyue said was already pretty good. I’ve said sillier things when I was even younger.” Hua Cheng laughed. “Oh? Like what? Let’s hear it.” Xie Lian was pensive for a moment, and he smiled softly as he chased his memories. “Many, many years ago, there was someone who told me they couldn’t live on anymore. They asked me for the reason they were alive and what was the meaning of their life.” He glanced at Hua Cheng. “Do you know how I answered?” It might have just been Xie Lian’s imagination, but there seemed to be light in Hua Cheng’s eyes. He asked softly, “How did you answer?” Xie Lian said, “I told them, ‘If you don’t know how to live on anymore, then live for me! If you don’t know the meaning of your life, then make me that meaning, and use me as your reason to live.’”

We get:

“You know, Your Highness, we’ve only known each other for a few days. Is it all right for you to say so much to me?” “Well,” Xie Lian huffed, “what’s the problem? Whatever. Those who have known each other for decades can become strangers in a day. We met by chance, and we may part by chance. If we like each other, then we shall continue to meet; if we don’t, then we shall part. At the end of the day, there’s no banquet in the world that doesn’t come to an end, so let’s take it easy, and I’ll say what I want to say.”

We Hua Cheng nervous about showing his true form to Xie Lian, but promising to do it next time they meet.

We get:

“I promise, you won’t find another person more sincere than me in this world,” Hua Cheng replied.

We get HUA CHENG GIVING XIE LIAN HIS ASHES!!

I really love this part of the story because it's also when we get to see Xie Lian and Hua Cheng's dynamic for the first time. We get to see how Hua Cheng acts beyond the rumors we've been told about and the short meeting on Mount Yujun. We're introduced to a lot of different parts of the characters here and learn more about them and how they act.

The characters and storylines of tgcf are really good and fleshed out, but I just really love this simple little part of the story with the Xianle quartet clowning around with their shenanigans and the wonderful tension and moments of Hualian. Is this really a super disliked arc?

I know a lot of Tgcf fans greatly dislike the Banyue Arc (and I understand in the sense that it’s early on that all adaptions really mainly include up to that arc in this point in time and it gets repetitive) but I am actually a decent fan of this arc, mainly because of Hua Cheng, Mu Qing, and Feng Xin all just wearing obnoxiously obvious disguises.

Xie Lian really humored these three.

Hua Cheng is the least offensive of these three. He’s not really actively trying to hide his identity per se. I imagine that he didn’t want to straight up lie to Xie Lian, which is why he only disguised his appearance and then proceeded to be the weirdest person ever. Like mans lowkey waltzed up to Xie Lian and said “Hey bestie, I’m just a good old normal, 100% average teenager who is most definitely not a ghost king or anything like that! Look, I can breathe!“ and then proceeded to info dump a shit ton of information about gods and shit like he’s Wikipedia which a normal, 100% average teenager who is most definitely not a ghost king would most positively not know.

However, our other two offenders actually thought they were fooling Xie Lian, whom may I remind you, is legit their childhood friend. They swapped color pallets and called it a day. And not only did they not try to not act like their selfs in the personality sense in their disguises, they also were just so bad at pretending not to be themselves. Like, someone says “General” in the cave where all the travelers were hiding and they both respond like it’s them being addressed. Idiots.

Also, the three of them just bicker half the time. Mu Qing and Feng Xin just kept yelling that this random nepo-baby Xie Lian picked up was so sus and trying to prove it to him while Xie Lian sits there and tells them to go for it while he snickers internally, knowing the identity of every single disguised person in the room.

These three legit had an argument about whether or not this “San Lang” could drink water. That’s just so fucking funny to me.

Honorable mentions in this arc is Feng Xin getting the shit beat out of him by Windmaster because he somehow was unaware that they swapped gendered forms (which btw, how the fuck did he not know this)?! Also, He Xuan and Hua Cheng just seeing each other in disguises because I wish I got their internal monologues for that.

Tldr: Banyue arc isn’t the best arc in the series, but it still stands as a fairly comedic regardless.

[starchbean]

Hua Cheng would ABSOLUTELY give his entire support to that little kid merchant who said he was gonna build a temple for Xie Lian after the Ban Yue mission concluded.

I can imagine that kid grew up to be the most successful merchant of his age, always having a little extra luck for reasons unknown to him. Even ghosts never disturb his company's shipments.

He also finds himself hiring a one legged beggar with a broken arm as his marketing rep--which turns out to be the best decision of his career. The company has a banquet once a year in the finest restaurant in the capital. The marketing rep brings the same dour faced stranger with him every year. This stranger eats through half of what the restaurant makes for the entire company.

Even though he never got Xie Lian's identity, events would unravel that would mysteriously allow him to figure it out. A puzzle that intrigued him through his adolescent life, very satisfying to finally solve.

When the merchant starts working on the temple he promised Xie Lian, he commissions the divine statue from an especially talented and earnest traveling sculptor with no references or background to speak of--he just has a good feeling.

Hua Cheng and Xie Lian visit the completed temple often, and even go there on dates sometimes.

[pre-reform-voice]

Parallels between Sinner's Pit and the Heavenly Parade

Re-reading TGCF is interesting. Someone has probably said this, but here I go anyway.

During the Banyue arc, I had a bit of an epiphany. Hua Cheng catches Xie Lian, keeps holding him while fighting Kemo, and tells him not to be worried.

In the flashback at the end of the second volume, Xie Lian catches a then unknown child, keeps holding him during the staged fight with Mu Qing, and tells him not to be worried.

Even the first time I thought ‘It’s dirty’ is an odd excuse for not setting Xie Lian down. I mean, they’ve travelled through the desert by funnel cloud, they’ve had a building collapse right near them, and had an intermezzo with the mud face. I’m sure Xie Lian’s clothes weren’t exactly pristine any more. But that isn’t what it was about: He refused to pass up the opportunity to recreate their first encounter with reversed roles. It was just too good to let go.

This is really, really well done.

(Pictures from the Seven Seas novels 1 and 2.)

[bookswithsyd]

Ghost Kings, Dice Rolls, & Lucky Crown Princes | Heaven Official's Blessing

After the full, intense story that started with book one, book two keeps up the high stakes. When the group returns to the Heavenly Realm to report what has occurred in Banyue Pass, Little Pei does his best to shift focus off of his wrong-doings of the past and put to light the fact that a Ghost King was lingering. Pulling the corpse to prove that the injuries could only be inflicted by Crimson Rain Sought Flowers, Little Pei does his best to attempt to put down Xie Lian for the closeness seen during the mission.

I might not be a Heavenly Official, but I would expect them to appreciate the fact that they can have a good tie to the most powerful Supreme in the land. But, I guess that is asking too much.

Not even getting a chance to breathe, Xie Lian is asked to hunt down a Heavenly Official who sent out a distress signal. With many odd things happening in the Upper Court, he is paired with the Wind Master and sent into Ghost City (which, of course, is overseen by Hua Cheng).

With Ghost City, comes the Gambler's Den, and my favorite scene in the whole book. The tension throughout the entire time in the den is just superb. Xie Lian has to stay quiet, trying to hide from Hua Cheng but also wants to see him in his true form. Crown Prince Tai Hua being... Crown Prince Tai Hua and running in solely on instinct. Wind Master suggests they gamble their way to winning back Tai Hua. The whole scene was hilarious to read and even better to watch.

Hua Cheng was the strawberry on top, with his teasing of Xie Lian during his dice-throwing lesson. I feel like that scene was such a window into their dynamic. Hua Cheng loves to joke around and tease Xie Lian, but will still be very protective of him. Xie Lian goes almost blindly with Hua Cheng (just wait, an upcoming event screams this).

After ending up in Paradise Manor, we see even more actions done by Hua Cheng to prove that he is head over heels for Xie Lian. Even went as far as giving Xie Lian a little bit of his amazing luck along with a pair of dice. After getting a moment by himself, Xie Lian snoops around the huge mansion with Wind Master, and bad roll after bad roll, they are finally able to find the Earth Master. Beaten and broken, they carry the Earth Master away only to run straight into Hua Cheng in his glorious armory (that he offered to just give to Xie Lian because he liked the weapons).

This scene was sad to read and watch because the tension in the room is thick. Tai Hua jumping end and starting a one-on-one fight with Hua Cheng leading to Xie Lian getting hurt made me want to pull out my hair. I know that he is impulsive, but to take on a Ghost King with such a dangerous weapon? And of course, the fire engulfs Paradise Manor while Hua Cheng just stands there! This series is excellent and gets you invested in the characters and boy oh boy does this scene prove that.

Now most would hope for a break after two back-to-back missions. But, this is Xie Lian, and like the God of Misfortune that he is, he is accused of murdering Tai Hua's whole family... And to add on top of that, Xie Lian confesses to it!

Now, here comes the thing that I mentioned earlier. After being put on house arrest, Xie Lian gets "kidnapped" by the cruel Ghost King and taken away from the Heavenly Realm. Where does Hua Cheng take him? Oh just to visit the Green Ghost Qi Rong, who just happens to be Xie Lian's annoying little cousin who became the looked down upon fourth calamity.

In the span of a night, it comes out that the murder of Yong'an's royal family was not done by Xie Lian. A back-and-forth between the cousins ensues as Qi Rong announces that the remaining royal family of Xianle were the real killers. With the shock of a lifetime to poor Tai Hua, this section sets up perfectly for the second arc where we see Xie Lian in his youth.

The Gambler's Den might have easily been my favorite scene, but the confrontation with Qi Rong has become my second favorite. The drop that Xie Lian is related to one of the Four Calamities and that Xie Lain WAS LYING about being the killer was such a great way to wrap up an arc.

Through the end of the book, we see little Xie Lain up til his point of ascension. We see the morals that he had prior to becoming a Martial God. The main premise that is touched on is how during the Lantern Festival, Xie Lian jumped off stage to save a falling child from certain death. The Crown Prince states that he did nothing wrong and that the life of a child is more important than staying on the stage. The main issue is that the child caused the float to turn in early, and cut the performance short. Xie Lian still says he did nothing wrong, and therefore should not repent for his actions.

This part did feel a bit slow, I didn't love this section nearly as much as I did the first half of the book. But, I do appreciate the lore that is given in this part, I feel like this will give us a better look at the choices that Xie Lian will make in the future and it also already gives us a better look at his relationship with Qi Rong.

[zhaleqjj]

One thing that struck me recently was a few crumbs of He Xuan/Shi Qingxuan and Pei Xiu/Banyue parallels. The parallel I noticed is the crouching during confrontation.

Near the end of Banyue Arc, Shi Qingxuan crouches in front of Pei Xiu and chides him for his actions in Banyue Pass for the past two hundred years. Since tgcf is from Xie Lian's narration, the history behind Shi Qingxuan and Pei Ming and Pei Xiu isn't elaborated on beyond the characters' dialogue, such as Pei Xiu saying to Shi Qingxuan something along the lines of, "Hasn't the Wind Master always been suspicious?" But to me personally, that scene read more like a slap on the wrist than actual anger on Shi Qingxuan's part - more like disapproval and carrying out punishment where justice was due. Supporting this interpretation is Shi Qingxuan's offhanded comment that Xie Lian's question in the communication array reminded him of this problem, implying it had slipped his notice, and Shi Qingxuan's later offer to Pei Xiu to help him rise back in the heavens as long as he recognized his wrongs, implying he didn't dislike Pei Xiu and just wanted to punish the action.

Then, near the end of Black Water Arc, He Xuan crouches in front of Shi Qingxuan and is described to look directly into Shi Qingxuan's eyes, speak slowly and enunciate his words, and say the whole "your brother, an ordinary common mortal" spiel for Shi Qingxuan to hear ("this was all said for Shi Qingxuan to hear"). Even later, when he is giving the brothers two options, when it comes to Shi Qingxuan's turn, he is once again described to speak slowly and say each word clearly. He Xuan crouching in front of Shi Qingxuan kind of gives me a cruel sense of irony when compared to Shi Qingxuan crouching in front of Pei Xiu. They're both trying to get across a point of "the other person should recognize their wrongs" while getting on equal footing with them, rather than looking down on them. I kind of feel like this was He Xuan's last ditch attempt to get Shi Qingxuan to (literally) face and confront his indecision over this horrible situation. As soon as He Xuan yanks off Shi Wudu's head, he stands over Shi Qingxuan and looks down on him, since that last chance of understanding was gone.

And honestly, He Xuan could be mimicking Shi Qingxuan's way of handling problems and carrying out justice by using the familiar crouching gesture :(

[deiscension]

so when can we expect this dissection of that lyric for sqx huh 👀🍿

@deathfavor You can get it right this instant if may be allowed to pull an swd and lose my entire gotdamn head. This isn't as detailed or organized as I'd like to get with it because I want to pull very specific lines from the different arcs they're involved in but I'm going to summarize as best as I can!

First off I need to emphasize that I think as "unfair" as what happens to SQX is, I think it needed to happen. I am putting "unfair" in air quotes because I'm also a HX defender and as terrifying and life-altering as Black Water arc is for them, I also do not think SQX would lament how "unfair" any of it was after the proverbial dust has settled (that's a discussion for another time though because I have A Lot Of Thoughts about swd's beheading + the direct aftermath + SQX not wanting to ascend again + immediately seeking to descend and not be sought out again after willingly giving up their powers).

SQX loves SWD, MY/HX, and XL. I refuse to put past tense there too okay she's full of love for better or worse. Usually for worse. I digress. She loves them, but she doesn't know them. She thinks she does. She's had no reason to believe she didn't, and that she was running out of time to know them all. That's why things had to happen the way they did. That's the price of her ignorance. It's not a faultless thing even if it was never meant to be malicious. And my GOD, she's lived her whole life in layers and layers of ignorance, all of it heaped onto her. She can go her whole life loving with all her heart but she has to learn how to actually know others, too. Let me try to break down what I mean through the three specific characters I mentioned. I am going to try to keep this short-ish because I will elaborate more when I've got the braincells and quotes to go for it but!! Here we go.

Also before I get into it, I don't mean to say that she didn't know any of them at all. She knew them all in exactly the ways they wanted to be known, in my opinion; not all of it convenient or surface level either! And she's a fair more insightful about all three of them than one might notice on a first reading. But she's still missed key facets of each one-- if I may be a bit heavy-handed, she's blinded by the sun and stumbling through the shadows, thinking that because she can't see those shadows they're not there. And that's not how people work. So!

Xie Lian -- while it is very indicative of the type of loyal, rational (when necessary), ride-or-die, and kindhearted person SQX is when they defend him against PM and then against the Heavenly Court, it goes to show just how easily blinded they are. Don't get me wrong, it also says a lot about their ability to think for themself (that's another bone I have to pick with popular fanon interpretation of them LOL) and not bend to social convention/pressure. But they're also letting one interaction inform them against centuries of history. Granted, we aren't ever told how much SQX knows about XL before coming across him at Banyue Pass. However, considering the amount of officials that play nice with SQX, I can't imagine they wouldn't have heard all matter of gossip-- truth mixed with tales and the like. And then there's the whole "he had remembered the flower but forgotten about the sword" line: SQX knows XL as a gentle, level-minded, experienced person. They haven't yet contended with his personal history. This trait of theirs is a double-edged sword. I can't imagine they wouldn't have reflected on this after being left in the Heavenly Capital. They would've never meant any harm by not digging into XL's past, but how ashamed they must feel of trying to be a good, reliable friend while remaining ignorant of all his past troubles.

Shi Wudu - that's her brother! She LOVES her brother! He's given her the world, he's kept her safe, he was the only person she had for so long-- the only person who didn't try to take advantage of her pain and ignorance and just wanted what was best for her. He'd never lie to her, he'd never hurt her, he'd never belittle her, he'd never give her reason to fear him. Not in any way that's anything more than a temporary sibling tiff. Except he did. Time and time again, he did. And I'm not saying this to disparage SWD because especially after a second reading of BW arc, I know SWD loved them too, and he is a fascinating character. We need characters like him alright, just as much as we also need SQXs and HXs and XLs and HCs and so forth. There's so much that needs to be taken into account when examining SWD's behavior towards SQX and how frightened SQX is of her own brother even before discovering the truth-- and I'd love to get into it but maybe not here because I'm already rambling soooo much LSDKFJSDF. Back to the point. SWD loved her. But at what point does love become a cage? At what point does it become hands around your throat? SQX has no idea what all was sacrificed for her. She's not allowed to know. Yes there's the iconic "the one he feared most had been beside him all along" about Ming Yi but HAVE WE CONSIDERED HOW MUCH IT APPLIES TO SWD TOO. HAVE WE!!!! Because I am Considering and I am Dry-heaving at how on the nose it is for SWD too. I already talked a little bit about it (here) but in his efforts to secure a place in the heavens for himself and her, SWD became the exact thing SQX hated and feared the most. SWD is a mirror to the Reverend, at least in actions. Gobbling up lives without a second thought, using fear as a means of control, laughing in the face of another's undeserved and unearned misery, "we've lived good lives"-- EVERYTHING SQX fears is her brother. Her brother, who she loves so much but didn't know nearly well enough.

I'm planning on doing a whole Shi sibling meta but I need to read through a few more passages with SWD first because while my brain is not particularly big I also refuse to misinterpret his character on purpose just because I sometimes want to give him a swift kick to the ass. SWD my beloathed-loved. Idk. Bestworst shitass brother. Still meditating upon that one though because they are both unreliable narrators with each other and XL is an unreliable narrator too so I have much to think about.

He Xuan - [gripping your shoulders and looking into your eyes] Help Me God I Am About To Explode. Where Do I Begin. I'm not gonna lie the first time I heard this part:

I was a kid until I fixed it Tore into a love affair Between me and what wasn't there Oh, I was kissing you Just to feel the air

my brain was like 'wow S.arah K.insley that's so SQX reflecting on her time with MY/HX you're so right'. Which is what led me to thinking even more about all SQX's other relationships too. I know fandom has a lot of contention in how to read into their relationship pre-BW arc and post-BW arc. Frankly I am here to cry as hard as I can and as long as I can so based on my second reading of BW arc + the way SQX acts with both MY/HX and comparing it to how she is with everyone else, I think her feelings with MY/HX are deeper than they're often given credit for. SQX is "friends with everyone", sure. But to HER, MY is her first true friend. Her most beloved, most trusted, most treasured friend. And she never really knew him. Oh, we can point the finger at him and say "well, he was pretending to be someone he wasn't, she wouldn't have found anything out either way". To that I say yes-- and I'm sure SQX did try to poke around for more, but she's so carefree and trusting, it seems logical to me that she would've taken his prickliness and closed-off nature as "just how he is".

All we have about her social life before ascending is pure speculation. I know I'm not presenting good evidence for my reasoning at the moment (I really want to cook up a post about the type of sheltered life SQX lived because all that spoiling and opulence came in after being brought into the middle court-- like yes SWD spoiled them by always being the one to take care of the difficult things, but again! Another topic for later! I have much to say about SQX's learned helplessness there). SQX didn't have anyone but her ge. I'm sure she had "lots of friends" in the Middle Court too. But she didn't have a capital-f-Friend. And then-- she has MY! Someone who's not trying to get to her brother through her (LOLLLLLLLL), someone who doesn't disappear during times of storm, someone who doesn't disguise their true nature or intentions for the sake of personal gain (LOL x2). Well I'm laughing there but again- HX defender. I digress, again. SQX isn't latching onto MY out of pure convenience. If SQX wanted to befriend someone who goes along with all her whims, never gives her a hard time, and plays coy for her amusement, she has thousands to choose from. Hell her brother could've picked for her. But she wants MY as her best friend and closest confidant. It would've been so easy for her to dump him on his ass and chase after best friend status with XL if all her clinging to MY was purely informed by self-interest and the desire to feel good about herself all the time. They themself even say that XL has earned "second best friend" status during the beginning of BW arc, all while XL is objectively the only person giving her tangible comfort. She doesn't just want a best friend, she wants her best friend Ming-xiong. My god! He's the first they cry out for at what's arguably their lowest: right after willingly giving up their power, when it turns out their brother is the type of person they've always feared the most, when it's clear they cannot save anyone, they cannot even save themself.

And oh, how she wanted to be the same for him! She risked HC's wrath (or at least she thought she was, which is also so funny in greater context) to "rescue" him. She would've done anything for him. Except she couldn't. She didn't know him. She failed him so terribly, so miserably, so shamefully. Him and everyone else who loved him and actually knew him, the ones who died so she could have a life she hadn't earned. We both know how agonizing those moments in the Nether Water Manor-- but what about the aftermath? What about when it was just them stumbling around, after the fear and shock had worn off, with nothing but their own audacious words echoing around in their head? "This whole thing has nothing to do with Ming-xiong, but he had to suffer like this". THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT! And they said it with such grief then-- well, what about now? How much worse had they made his suffering? Had he felt nothing but revulsion that whole time? Had she made his loneliness, his suffering, his weariness worse? All those times she told him not to worry, all those times spent fussing over him, (trying to) dote on him, looping her arm through his and pulling him this way and that. Did it mean anything at all? He was her best friend, he was who she wanted at her side, but who was she to him? Was he ever really there?

But SQX is too empathetic to only think about herself when it comes to such pains. Once the wallowing wore off, how often did she spend wondering about him? Knowing that of anyone in the heavens and on earth, he was the one deserving of the good life, he was the one deserving of someone who loved him for who he was. What a fool she was for thinking she was that someone! She couldn't even call the right name. She did indeed cause the death of her closest family. She did indeed cause the death of her best friend. And what can she do? What can she say? Sorry doesn't bring anyone back; sorry doesn't make everything better; sorry doesn't make up for being unworthy of the time she squandered at his side, all because she didn't know. Ignore, for a moment, the fear and trauma now casting impenetrable shadows over the image of "her best friend", and consider: by any grace yet again unearned, could she ever accept an offering of forgiveness for such grievances?

I know SQX is doing "fine" as a mortal, she has friends that don't just want something out of them, and I know she's taking better care to practice knowing along with loving. But it just kills me how all her life she has had "everything" but nothing at the same time. None of it was hers. She did nothing to earn it, no matter how much she as a person deserved it. What's deserved without earned, after all?

[lesbianwenqing]

banyue

banyue literallt so scrimbly so silly she's so well written but they're trapped in the banyue pass arc

LIKE!! AHHH she is the way she is BECAUSE OF XIE LIAN!! kinda

after xie lian dies, what happens IMMEDIATELY AFTER IS KINDA VAGUE but we do know she goes away from banyue (region) to study "dark magic"

(seemingly in yong'an?)

she comes back, more powerful, and less of a frail, powerless little girl (trans agenda /j), and can actually, truly "save the common people" as xie lian would always say!! she BECAME THE STATE PRECEPTOR. BECAUSE OF XIE LIAN. because he influenced her to be a GOOD PERSON and SAVE PEOPLE IN NEED..

(even if his self sacrificial tendencies did spill a bit on her but...)

she's literally the sweetest and i believe xie lian and her are (at least to an extent) paralells

in conclusion: banyue ily go out with me

[bluberryblurays]

Why Shi Qingxuan IS TGCF's Plum Blossom

Heaven’s Plum Blossom❀➢

Throughout Heaven’s Official Blessing Shi Qingxuan’s character represents both uplifting joy and resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship, the same values as the plum tree’s blossoms. During his first appearance as a character, Qingxuan works to defend Xie Lian –our protagonist– and also defend the truth. He then is seen further assisting Xie Lian through their adventures in Ghost City, bringing a characteristic flair and positivity to the third realm. He then faces unimaginable hardship, imprisonment in the Black Water Demon lair, and loss of godhood. But even as a beggar, as a mere mortal. Qingxuan showcases that flair and positivity still kept his positive outlook, and still fought for the greater good.

We met Qingxuan disguised as a lady during the Banyue Pass arc of the series, and from that point forward he was characterized by the greater good and his positivity. When all of heaven is called to meet before Jun Wu in the Palace of Divine Might, Qingxuan defends Xie Lian and the true events of Banyue Pass unfazed by the threats from Pei Ming, unwavering in his defense. From these early moments we are informed that Qingxuan’s guiding ideals are pure, and that he is a agent for the greater good.

Immediately following this arc we see Qingxuan alongside Xie Lian venture into Ghost City to investigate a distress signal scene in that region. Another dangerous task he takes up even without being a combat focused martial god. Throughout this whole arc we see Qingxuan assist Xie Lian and face their challenges with bravery and optimism. He doesn’t shy away from the unknown dangers hidden in ghost city, all because someone else's life was on the line, someone they weren’t even sure was still alive. And all the while he keeps his characteristic flair, from costume changes to gender changes, Qingxuan’s look remains a defining portion of his identity.

We next time Qingxuan is seen of substantively is in the beginning of the Black Water arc, where he in ernest meets strife. From betrayal by his best friend, to discovery of his brother’s deceit, Qingxuan is repeatedly bombarded with hard choices, hard to swallow information, and we finally see his joyous stature falter. In the start of this arc, we see Qingxuan try to keep a hold on positivity while he jokes with Ming Yi and makes Xie Lian and Hua Cheng play a silly game. But after he is imprisoned twice, we see him react to his dangerous circumstance more logically, with fear. But even while in the disgusting prison of the Black Water Demon Lair, Qingxuan’s appearance still signals the purity he represents, his white robes being a point of contrast against the muddy prisoners around him. Even when he is knocked down, he still represents that perseverance.

The last appearance we see of Qingxuan is in the mortal capitol, where beaten, bruised and a beggar, he still offers to put his life on the line for others. He is the first, and the leader of the rest of his beggar colony to join the fight against the spirits of Mt. Tonglu. Qingxuan shows his dedication to the greater good, and his pure spirit with his unwavering desire to help others, a desire unswayed by being a mortal ejected from heaven. During this meeting we also see his symbolic appearance take importance again, with his bright teal eyes serving as the shibboleth to alert Xie Lian to his identity. Once again, even in times of extreme strife and when he has been knocked down as far as anyone could possibly be, he still wants to help, he still shines brightly if even through just his eyes.

Now this is all true, but how does that relate to the plum blossom? In the cultural traditions of both Chinese and Japanese culture, the Plum Blossom represents the ideals of perseverance and hope, just like Qingxuan. As the first flowers to blossoms in late winter and early spring, their bright colors poking out from the dead environment signal the hope of a forthcoming spring. Plum blossoms also represent purity of the mind and the ability to elegantly overcome challenges as they do when blooming in winter. Qingxuan’s ideals of the greater good, and his flair ever present when fighting against even the harshest of evils perfectly exemplifies this. 

Through both his actions and appearance Qingxuan’s identity is intrinsically that of the Plum Blossom. Perseverance through hardship, grace, bravery, elegance, hope and purity are words equally interchangeable between the two. When looking at Qingxuan, you shouldn’t just see him as a supporting character in the book series, but see him as the purest form of good and the most representative god in heaven of the greater good. His elegant problem solving, dedication to helping mortals, and commitment to the greater good even when in the face of indomitable evil shows why Qingxuan, falsely ascended, is most deserving of godhood. if you found this remotely interesting, give it a kudo on Ao3!

[marshymeds]

What are your fave scenes from each Mxtx work?

I probably don’t need to say this, but I will anyway! SPOILERS for SVSSS, TGCF, and MDZS below!

Ill start with TGCF since it was the first I read. There are so many scenes that I loved, and this series was so long its a bit hard to narrow down, but everything in the White No-Face arc was impactful to me specifically. The 100 sword scene, the drunk scene, the suicide scene…I just think the arc did a really good job of portraying how helpless Xie Lian felt. There was literally nothing good happening. But my FAVORITE scene from it all was the bit where the man came back, in the rain, to apologize for being angry and tell Xie Lian to suck it up and get out of the rain. Something about the scene was so incredibly human, both for Xie Lian and the man. We have a tendency to see bad and assume there will only be bad, and it wasn’t just that it was a “happier” ending to it all. It was interesting and very REAL to see someone who had yelled at him for no reason turn around and apologize, explain he’d had a bad day, and then help him out without babying him.

MDZS was the second I delved into (technically at the same time as SVSSS but that’s not important) and I loved it for a lot of the same reasons. My favorite scene is probably the one where Lan Wangji visits Yiling and runs into Wen Yuan and Wei Wuxian. Everything about the setting was bittersweet—despite all of their disagreements in the past and the situation they’re in now they walk on egg shells and just sort of. Be friends for a bit. And then, Wei Wuxian, who knows on some degree that he’s ruining himself to save these people, walks in on the Wens throwing him a large dinner. And Wen Qing says they were AFRAID to ask him. That they thought he was some scary lofty figure but have grown so grateful that they want to give back somehow. And he just feels as if it doesn’t matter anymore how hard it is. Something felt so…painful but heartwarming about this scene. Like watching an old video that includes a family member that passed away or finding something from a friendship that didnt end well but was happy at the time. Im not sure if that makes sense. In that moment, despite their troubles, they just got to exist.

For SVSSS I’ll cheat and choose something from the extras because its kind of a tie. I loved the Bamboo Branch Poem extra so much, I love Zhuzhi Lang and Tianlang-Jun’s familial relationship a lot. The Airplane extras are also very near and dear to me as a moshang lover, but I love the bit specifically where Shang Qinghua runs away and Mobei-Jun tries to take him back and is actively making concessions to do so (carrying him, offering to make noodles) because

Overall, I think what I love most about MXTX books is how human the characters seem. Theres never a “good” or “bad” outcome necessarily. The Banyue arc is a good example in TGCF, or Wei Wuxian’s struggle to save the Wen prisoners in vain and tearing himself and his relationships apart in the process in MDZS. The gods in tgcf are more human than god, and the cultivators in mdzs and svsss are still flawed despite all their training and skills. Scum Villain is a bit different because it comments a lot of fandom culture and media consumption but ultimately its commenting about the READER instead of a character—still in a very human way.

I hope that wasn’t all gibbrish—I’ve been drawing and thinking about this question for a bit now and my mind is soupy from a busy week. So I hope my thoughts make sense. Thanks for the chance to ramble a bit and I wish you a great weekend ❤️🫶

[darke-faerie]

Update - we've just got to the start of the Banyue Pass arc, I have almost exhausted my supply of spoilers (the end is very blurry in my mind so that's not helping lol) and Mam (she's in her 60s) keeps telling me how 'the boys in this are prettier than girls'

Also she keeps telling me off when I stop at us 3-4 eps a day (well, yesterday we had a visitor, and today crunchyroll crashed lol)

Please wish me all of Hua Cheng's luck, I am starting Heaven Official's Blessing with Mam... we are about ten mins in and I've paused like 5 times just to explain spoilers to her... (she likes spoilers so this was to be expected)

[protect-namine]

They're CLOWNS lmao all three of them are

[mousehole5000]

tgcf is so funny because it’s full of centuries old immortals in disguise and pretending not to know who each other are when everyone has beef with at least two other people in the room at any given time and also whenever a character needs to go away for a while they just get turned into a doll or put in a pot until they’re needed again

[naamah-beherit]

TGCF microfics #1: remorse

[set in book 1 before Banyue arc. Written on 10 July 2020]

The worst is what Feng Xin remembers the best. The sneer on His Highness's face and the madness in his eyes; the bleak days that only grew darker. And, above all, he remembers His Highness's expression when he told him to leave and Feng Xin, like the idiot he was, heeded his command.

That was almost a millennium ago and His Highness of today is a different man. He's calm and collected when he used to be passionate. He brushes everything off with a small, gentle smile—even the things that would've sparked righteous indignation in the crown prince of yore. He treats the sentient silk band wrapped around his wrist like one would a harmless puppy despite its sickening evil aura.

And he lives in a bloody ruin, having taken in the most suspicious teenager in all of the 3 realms.

Feng Xin isn't sure what irks him more: the state of His Highness's abode—

(it's wrong, his mind screams, giving him the images of ANOTHER rundown cottage unworthy of royalty)

—or the teenager himself, staring at Feng Xin and Mu Qing as if he can see right through their disguise.

(like a predator looks at its prey, like Hua Cheng did that day he stormed Heaven and challenged 33 random gods)

(like he looked at the two of them too, with his hackles raised and eyes burning with the afterimage of the fire that gave birth to his power.

"Faithless scum," he called Feng Xin that day. "Traitor without loyalty."

And in his words echoed everything Feng Xin had kept agonising over ever since that fateful day.)

But that was then, and now...

"Ah, San Lang," His Highness's says as he potters about his dilapidated house. The teenager that's probably Hua Cheng is drinking in his every move. It makes Feng Xin's eye twitch. "I hope you don't mind sharing food and water with me again."

"Not at all, gege," the kid says without a drop of vitriol he spewed earlier at Feng Xin and Mu Qing. "As long as you don’t try to give me all of his food again."

This time when His Highness smiles, it's more radiant than the sun itself.

"I won't, don't worry. I know now you wouldn't accept it."

It's sickening to see His Highness smile at Hua Cheng, and more than a little disconcerting to see Hua Cheng watch him like a hawk with an expression that on anyone else would've passed for fondness. But above all, it's wrong to see His Highness in this ruin of a cottage and realise he now fits it perfectly.

The man Feng Xin knew is no more, buried somewhere under a lifetime of struggles he knows nothing about. There's no salvaging the friendship they had. But there's always the possibility of forging a new one, and Feng Xin—

Feng Xin remembers the superficial smile His Highness gave him and Mu Qing, and the way in which he's now looking at Hua Cheng, and realises he's already too late.

#

(Also on AO3: olden days, endless loss)

[bettsfic]

yesterday i had my last class of my first semester of my phd (5-7 more semesters to go), and today i had a great convo with an agent who really loves my short story collection and has very high aspirations for it. it’s wild to get an agent at all with a short story collection so i’m still reeling. also i wrote a 17k revision plan for my gay teenage macbeth novel and solved my major plot issue, so after sitting on it for a year i can finally start on revisions. tomorrow i’m making pumpkin pies, and friday we get the banyue pass arc of the tgcf donghua (i’m irrationally excited for that). also i’m almost done with nanowrimo! i still have a mountain-high stack of grading, a seminar paper, and next semester’s classes to plan, plus writing-wise, an unholy amount of revision to do, but things are looking a little bit hopeful now!

[danmei-trash]

Me on the outside: *doing my usual work, poker faced*

Me on the inside: Will we get to see Hua Cheng's true form in this season of the donghua will we even get past the ghost groom arc oh wait they had banyue in the poster so banyue pass arc must be there but will there be more than that where will they start since his ascension or straight in the wedding dress damn Fu Yao and Nan Feng look hot San Lang oh god why you so pretty I love you- wait what about Shi QingXuan he should be there in the banyue pass arc where is he in the poster so does that mean banyue pass isn't there in this season what is going on oh god I wanna see Hua Cheng-