#because of course xie lian just wants hua cheng as he is

[yea-baiyi]

about hua cheng re: that conversation w xie lian about his “true appearance”, and why hua cheng freaks out when xie lian’s asks to see his real appearance — like san lang is basically his normie appearance. whereas he usually prefers to be full makeup platform heels acrylic nails. but when xie lian asks the question, he wonders if xie lian would consider his “true form” as his ugly self. (after all, that’s what most people mean when they ask for someone’s true form — they mean their original human appearance). but the way xie lian phrased it makes it clear that it’s about being open and comfortable with each other, not about some demand for truth. which reassures hua cheng not only that xie lian will like him no matter his true appearance, but that he would accept hua cheng’s chosen appearance as his “true self” because it’s how he truly sees and portrays himself, rather than his original appearance. xie lian’s words assure him that it’s not the Honesty or the Original appearance that matters, just that he’s aware that san lang is a facade for his benefit and he’d rather see hua cheng the way he prefers to appear.

[biboomerangboi]

Hua Cheng essentially cockblocking himself for possibly all of eternity will literally never not be the funniest thing MXTX ever wrote.

Xie Lian was pretty much completely in love with him the second he saw those lanterns (and completely oblivious about it) and then we get the wonderful first kiss underwater moment and Xie Lian is basically drawing hearts around Hua Cheng every time he sees him. While like quietly dying cause he literally has no idea what to do with it. Like at this point he doesn’t even really understand that he is head over heels totally gone for this man.

Until Hua Cheng is like I have a beloved I just haven’t won them over yet. Which he thinks is perfectly reasonable because his self esteem is the worst and he doesn’t understand how he could have won Xie Lian over yet. (He’s only on step 22 of his Marrying Dianxia 3000 step Master Plan ((that he debates throwing out on a regular basis because he doesn’t deserve to even dream about wanting Xie Lian)). So course he’s like yeah I have this wonderful noble beautiful beloved I just haven’t won them over yet wink wink nudge nudge.

But Xie Lian is like oh of course obviously I don’t deserve nice things and fuck I actually wanted him so badly I’m actually in love with him and now I will resign myself to never being happy for his sake. (Their combined self esteem is truly a so low it’s a hole in the ground which is hilarious because they think the other person is to good for them and unattainable forever because they literally have the same neurosis.) So he starts boxing up his feelings forever constantly wanting Hua Cheng and feeling guilty about it and literally dying inside because he wants Hua Cheng like he’s never wanted anyone.

Like essentially books 3 and 5 only happen because Hua Cheng has now cursed them both by saying he has a beloved because Xie Lian believes he isn’t wanted and therefore any nice thing Hua Cheng does is just him being nice and not Hua Cheng pulling out steps 23-34 of his plan thinking he still hasn’t won Xie Lian over. (He has he so has but he shot himself in the foot so badly it’s painful to read).

Like thank the Gods Hua Cheng is so unhinged and created the cave of 10000 Gods cause Xie Lian would literally be at his own wedding to Hua Cheng still convinced he wanted someone else and this was in fact a thing they were doing to solve a case together otherwise.

Like he needed something that unhinged to put 2 and 2 together otherwise he never would have caught on he’s Hua Cheng’s beloved. Meanwhile Hua cheng is like 🥺 he’s going to think I’m a weirdo now and I’m only on step 50 of the plan 🥺 like the two of them wouldn’t have been fucking nasty 2 books ago if he just kept his mouth shut and didn’t cockblock himself so violently.

[mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess]

Hua Cheng trying to rope Xie Lian into play fighting cause thats what couples do right, its fun and cute and a great chance to roll around and maybe a way to get a lil frisky

Xie Lian insists that no, he wont do it, he doesnt want to accidentally hurt his husband or break something, thats so irresponsible, San Lang, fighting is no joke, i used to be a martial god, you know this

But Hua Cheng insists and pouts and acts all cute and pathetic like gege please 🥺 just a little bit, for me?

And Xie Lian cant say no to his San Lang of course so it starts all cute and playful until Xie Lian's instincts kick in and he pins Hua Cheng down, hands above his head and a bit too much strength and Hua Cheng turns as red as his robes and bursts into butterflies immediately because he did not expect to be manhandled like that and like it so much

[mikkeneko]

HUA CHENG THINKS HE IS THE GENERAL'S UGLY BUT LOYAL WIFE.

That's it that's the romance trope here. I didn't click to at first because it's not really a thing in (modern) Western romance, but this is absolutely a Thing in more classical/medieval periods.

So you have two kinds of General's Wives, right; the kind that stays at home and minds the castle, and the kind that loves her husband so much that she follows him to war. And the thing is, in these kinds of the stories that is not a devotion that the lord husband appreciates, especially because by abandoning her sheltered life of comfort and embarking on the trail, the wife opens herself up to weathering and accidents and becomes ugly.

The lord husband will usually fall in love with some other woman -- one who doesn't hang around in war camps and get chapped hands and wrinkles -- and the loyal wife will pine for her beloved husband's affection. Usually this story ends with the loyal wife throwing herself between her lord husband and a sword and dying, so that the husband can go be with the pretty and sheltered woman instead.

Hua Cheng thinks he is the loyal wife in this situation. His lord husband, highborn and skilled at the craft of war, goes off to campaign and Hua Cheng trails behind, but he thinks he is The Loyal But Ugly Wife so of course Xie Lian won't want to see him. He's just keeping his eye (ha) out for a chance to fling himself in front of a sword (ha) so that his lord husband will maybe hold him as he's dying.

Meanwhile Xie Lian a) was never told he was supposed to be anybody's husband in the first place and b) takes one look at Hua Cheng's face and discovers what his dick is for the first time in 800 years.

[heartinhyacinth]

Listen, I love the idea of Hua Cheng finally getting to propose to his beloved special someone after 800 long-awaited years (and correct his previous blunder haha), but hear me out…

After Hua Cheng’s year of absence, hualian reunite, spend some blissful days soaking up each other’s company at the small cottage Xie Lian built on mount taicang, then decide to take a trip to ghost city. They could use the dice, of course, but it’s such a nice autumn day and days as such have become dear to them.

They’re snugged up close in the step-litter when Xie Lian casually asks, “San Lang, wanna get married?” He wears his usual gentle smile—the one he would use as if he were asking if Hua Cheng was feeling hungry or if he’d like to take a stroll through the maple trees.

But there is also the unmissable twinkle of amusement that is present, which Hua Cheng uses to convince himself that Xie Lian is in a silly mood and surely this is just payback—Xie Lian will confirm it any second now. But it doesn’t come. Five seconds, ten, fifteen, and the confirmation does not come.

So Hua Cheng simply sits there, expression bordering between pure terror and pure ecstasy as he tries to dissect the situation for any sign of its true reality. With breathy giggles, Xie Lian finally has mercy on the poor ghost, “You don’t have to say yes, San Lang—I can take it.” Despite his words, it’s exceedingly obvious by the humor in his tone that they’re both aware heaven and earth would sooner turn to dust, and with that, Hua Cheng finally regains control of his brain. “It would…” he takes a deep breath, nearly a millennia of longing crowding his throat all at once, “It would be my greatest honor, your highness”. Xie Lian’s smile brightens and he takes Hua Cheng’s hands in his own, “good—because no more dying, okay?”

The idea of Hua Cheng’s heart and soul asking him to spend their existence together—of Xie Lian affirming that he chooses Hua Cheng and wants him as his beloved forever and always, wants to walk by his side till the end—it’s just…too much to handle. (Him saying yes to Hua Cheng’s proposal would also achieve this but you get the idea).

Bonus: Hua Cheng fully planned to ask him during that same trip but Xie Lian beat him to it

[sisislair]

Thoughts on the importance of ghost city arc to building up Hualian's relationship.

Hua Cheng showing Xie Lian his true form as promised. Xie Lian getting to see him in his role as ruler of the ghost city, and not casting any judgement on it. He already trusts Hua Cheng enough to wholey believe he won't let things get out of hand in the gambling den.

God the gambling cup scene. What can I even say? The tenderness, the obvious teasing in this moment of intense intimacy. The shared bun. How obviously he dotes on him from the very beginning.

And it's not like Xie Lian trusts him blindly! He is very aware that Hua Cheng could very well be behind the missing official giving the timing. He just doesn't believe that Hua Cheng goes around killing or kidnapping people willy nilly. So when the waning moon officer is acting suspicious, he gladly latches onto another possible explanation for what's going on, but he doesn't fully dismiss his suspicions.

Trust but verify.

I always love reading Xie Lian's introduction to paradise manor, because it is so blindingly obvious that Hua Cheng is trying to court him. But he still leaves enough room for interpretation that if Xie Lian doesn't want this, he can pass it off as a joke. Just being in his presence, being able to feed him and offer shelter is enough for him.

And luckily for him it is working! Xie Lian is a bit overwhelmed at times by how much Hua Cheng gives him, but you can also tell that he deeply cherishes it.

And he is so excited about the armory! Hua Cheng set this up specifically for him, and the only reward he desires is getting to see Xie Lian's reaction to it. To see Xie Lian get to express himself in genuine happiness, to share love in an interest that they both have, truly I think that is the happiest both of them have been in a long time.

Of course the time that Xie Lian spends with him as San lang in book 1 is important! It's vital for establishing their initial rapport with each other, as well as the beginnings of trust. But it is under false identity. Ghost city allows both of them to interact for the first time both fully knowing who the other person is, and what that means for each of them.

They get to just bond and exist together for a bit during this arc, and that's very important to building up their relationship enough to see through some of the things ahead.

[sunshineastro]

hello tgcf fandom. let’s talk about yin yu and hua cheng’s relationship for a minute .

yin yu as a banished god, being picked up by the last believer of another banished god. yin yu spending years and years serving hua cheng and witnessing the art he creates and the worship he bestows and the love he carries. yin yu being one of the few people who knows the full truth of xie lian’s fall from grace, because he’s proven himself trustworthy. yin yu learning this and learning what’s been done to hua cheng and how deeply he still loves xie lian, and maybe for the first time in his life being able to look at himself as something good.

not necessarily because hua cheng wants him in any way, but because if xie lian is still deserving of love (and of course he is, yin yu would never argue otherwise) and if their stories are so similar… well, let’s be honest, that’s what it would take for yin yu to feel capable of being a person again. i think he looks at hua cheng’s unending devotion and hears about wu ming and he sees quan yizhen. who was willing to die if yin yu asked it of him, in much the same way.

i don’t know how to end this, i just think the parallels there are neat :)

[mikaela-the-slut-expert]

can you do a hualian x m reader. Like they had a relationship with Xie Lian a long time ago and then they ‘die ‘ or something. They are actually just staying away because they feel like they failed or didn’t protect Xie Lian. Then they see him and hua cheng together and they just look so happy so of course they are happy for xie lian and stay away. Eventually they meet again and Xie Lian is desperate to involve them in the relationship as well. Just all angsty then fluffy 😂

Dragged In

HuaLian x M!reader

Xie Lian is very happy with his life

He has friends, they've saved the heavens, he has a stable life, which is much better than it was back then.

Most of all he has San Lang.

Xie Lian is so grateful he's found someone to love him through everything

That doesn't mean he doesn't miss you

He hasn't seen you in a long time and every now and then he thinks of you.

That's a lie he's always thinking of you.

But he's already accepted that you would never come back and you- you would want him to be happy so Xie Lian doesn't feel guilty for loving San Lang

He still spends late nights telling San Lang about you, telling him about your life about the two of you.

Sometimes Xie Lian makes off hand comments like, "he would have liked this" or " this was his favorite"

San Lang doesn't mind, he loves Xie Lian and he talks very fondly of you. So San Lang likes you too

Although you guys have never met San Lang feels like he has. Xie Lian is very good at telling someones story

You died a long time ago, which was very unfortunate.

That's why Xie Lian talks about you so much, you were his first love and it's been years, centuries. He's scared to forget you.

You didn't deserve the death you were given and you don't deserve to be forgotten either.

Welp good thing you aren't dead!

Not that Xie Lian knows.

You've just been ghosting around, staying in the shadows.

It took you a while but you were able to become a pretty powerful ghost.

Now you can see Xie Lian all the time, just. . . From far away.

You would love to be close with Xie Lian again but he's already so happy

He has a husband and a lovely, stable life after so long.

You don't want to ruin that

You've been watching for a while, you especially don't want to hurt San Lang.

You don't want to break them up and make him feel lesser.

Silly thoughts, Xie Lian would've opened his arms for you.

Which he did. Because Xie Lian isn't dumb and neither is San Lang.

They definitely aren't blind

One can only go so long seeing small flashes of colored robes in the shadows of ghost city.

One can only go so long seeing strands of long colored hair that reminds Xie Lian of the man who's hair he used to run fingers through.

One can only go so long seeing the ghost of a man that he used to know

It's not hard to find you when you peer around ghost city so curiously.

You were always curious, always observant, always watching

So is San Lang

San Lang would do anything for Xie Lian that includes finding you.

When Xie Lian tells San Lang of his troubles, that he's been seeing you and he wishes you were still here

Well he goes to find you of course, he can do it especially since you're in his city.

It's easy pickings.

You know what Hua Cheng looks like but not San Lang.

So when a young man in maple Robes starts asking you for help, who are you to deny?

He needs help finding paradise manor? Alright you've mesmerized the way like the back of your hand!

Plus you can check up on Xie Lian while you're there!

It doesn't go the way you thought when suddenly San Lang is pushing you through the doors of paradise manor and grabbing you by the sleeve so he can take you to Xie Lian.

Look what the fox dragged in!

At first Xie Lian thinks he's gone crazy.

You died, he saw you die!

But now here you are in the hands of San Lang -who is very proud of himself by the way-.

While you sputter for words, Xie Lian is pouncing on you.

He hasn't seen you in centuries and now here you are in his arms, he's so happy he can't help but kiss you right then and there.

It was a beautiful moment but it was quickly broken when you ever so gently pushed him away and stood up from the floor.

Xie Lian's expression turns to heartbreak and San Lang grabs you to make you stay.

Ain't no way you're going to make his Dianxia dad when he worked so hard to find you

You eventually explain that you feel selfish, you feel like you would be taking Xie Lian from San Lang. That you can't believe Xie Lian so readily kisses you when San Lang was standing right there.

You're so nervous but Xie Lian eventually laughs at you. Soft chuckles, and crow feet

He wraps his arms around you and Xie Lian takes a lot of time in explaining that he loves both of you

And there's no reason you all can't be together.

He can share, there's enough love for everyone

There's no way he's letting you go anywhere because you feel self righteous

He wants you to be selfish and he wants to spoil you with his affections after he was robbed of it

So you were basically dragged into a relationship with San Lang and Xie Lian.

For you it takes some getting used to, but your lovers are patient and they spoil you endlessly

Surprisingly enough you and San Lang get along great and he loves spending his fortunes on you.

You deserve it and Xie Lian likes to see it too

How lucky you are.🦊🪷

[ajmasch]

@here4hualian kissmas day 4: indirect kiss

Xie Lian flopped down on the bed, exhausted, ignoring the way the sudden impact sent clouds of dirt flying off of him. He needed a bath, he needed sleep, but before any of that…

He placed two fingers against his head. “San Lang?”

The reply was instant. “Gege! This San Lang was beginning to worry he’d never hear your voice again!”

Despite his exhaustion, his husband never failed to draw a laugh from Xie Lian. “San Lang, I’ve only been gone for a day.”

“And this poor husband has been wasting away in your absence the entire time,” Hua Cheng complained dramatically. “I pray my beloved will return to me soon?”

Xie Lian sighed. “I’m sorry, San Lang, it looks like I’ll be away a little longer than anticipated. The spirit itself wasn’t too much trouble, but he managed to gather somewhat of a following, I think he was trying to copy Qi Rong–”

“Trash,” Hua Cheng interjected, bringing a smile to Xie Lian’s face.

“Yes, well, it’s just taking a bit to make sure we’ve cleared out the whole operation. Hopefully only a couple more days at most, but…”

“Need any help?”

Gods did Xie Lian want to say yes. As much as he teased Hua Cheng earlier, he felt the same ache at being separated from his husband. He wanted nothing more than to fall into Hua Cheng’s arms, but he knew he couldn’t.

“We’re supposed to be proving we can keep our relationship separate from Heavenly business,” he reminded Hua Cheng.

“Hmph,” Hua Cheng grunted. He had made his position on the matter very clear from the start, he thought it was a stupid policy. Honestly, Xie Lian kind of agreed, but he could see why there would be some hesitation about allowing a Calamity to be involved with the Heavens after everything that was revealed about the former Emperor.

“Never mind that. Would you just… tell me about your day? I miss you.” His cheeks heated up as he admitted it even though the only one who heard was Hua Cheng, who said that type of stuff all the time.

“Of course, Gege.” The softness in Hua Cheng’s voice as he replied left a fuzzy feeling in Xie Lian’s chest that continued as he began to narrate his day. Xie Lian sighed in contentment and settled down to listen to his husband speak. He closed his eyes and let Hua Cheng’s voice wash over him, imagining he was at home in their bed, and that any minute now he would feel the comforting weight of another person beside him.

That weight never came. Struck by the urge to feel as close to Hua Cheng as possible, Xie Lian found his hand reaching for the ring of ashes that lay against his chest. He lifted it up and pressed it to his lips, wishing he could be kissing his husband instead. To his surprise, at that moment, Hua Cheng stumbled over his words.

“Gege? Did you just… do something?”

Xie Lian’s face was surely red. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know San Lang would be able to feel that, haha…”

“Do it again.” Xie Lian didn’t know it was possible to sound breathless over a communication array, but Hua Cheng managed it somehow. He lifted the ring again and pressed another kiss to the smooth surface.

“Gege…”

“What does it feel like?” Xie Lian asked curiously.

“It’s like… It’s like when we exchange spiritual power, except it’s emotions. I can tell they’re not mine, but I feel them so strongly, whatever Gege is feeling.”

“Oh? So then…” Xie Lian focused on Hua Cheng. His San Lang. Every emotion he had about his husband, all the love he could possibly manage to hold, and he pressed it into the ashes. He heard Hua Cheng gasp through the spiritual array, then nothing.

“...San Lang?”

“Gege… really will be the death of me.” Hua Cheng’s voice sounded wrecked, as if he were barely holding himself back from tears.

“San Lang deserves to know how much I love him,” Xie Lian replied.

“I love you too, Gege.” Xie Lian’s smile turned into a yawn that Hua Cheng clearly heard over the array, because he chuckled and said, “You should get some sleep. I’ll see you soon.”

“Sing for me?” Xie Lian requested.

“Of course.” Xie Lian drifted off to the sound of his husband’s voice, holding his ashes tightly and trying to convey as much love as he could through that connection until he could do it in person again.

[virgostarlight]

Thinking about the tgcf extras and man I just. I wanna see more of Xie Lian acting spoiled. Hear me out.

He did act spoiled when he was a prince, of course he was. But it always felt... Restrained to me. That he subconsciously knew he had to act a certain way, live up to the image of royalty and to the standard of a person who is expected to ascend to godhood. He is also so so kind so even though I feel as if he had times he wanted to act out he usually wouldn't.

We saw more of more of sass during his white calamity crash out. So we know he has it.

Then he went to complete opposite way during his time in the mortal realm during his second banishment. To the point he was used to embarassment, used to pain.

Then in the end, he is more balanced. But I also think he would finally feel safe enough with Hua Cheng to show his bratty side fully. Hua Cheng has seen him at his best, worst and everything in between so how could Xie Lian not feel safe expressing himself truely.

Also you know Hua Cheng is just *waiting* for the moment Xie Lian is a little demanding, acting a little more spoiled. Because he's locked and loaded to indulge his husband in anyway he wants. I think Hua Cheng would honestly cry if that happened, because he knows that Xie Lian trusts him completely. Poor Xie Lian would feel so bad when seeing his tears bc he thinks he went too far lmao.

I love them sm your honor.

[baiwu-jinji]

TGCF author's notes translation

@/camilikha on twitter kindly provided links to TGCF author's notes and I translated the ones I find informative and interesting. See translations below:

chapter 58 notes: The second book is all about the overconfident Xie Lian with delusions of grandeur and the tender little flower (mxtx means kid Hua Cheng) and their diaries of the downfall of Xianle. Word count is undecided, I'm never accurate at estimating word counts anyway. It's just like the xianxia I write doesn't fit into your regular xianxia, the royalty I write doesn't fit into your regular fictional depictions of royalty - just the outlandish made-up worlds and social customs in the author's imagination...

chapter 60 notes: If we put Qi Rong in a modern context, we could say that he has bipolar disorder.

chapter 72 notes: about the chapter title "To Meet You in the Mortal Realm; to Find Flowers Beneath the Rain" - eventually I feel that "To Meet You" is more romantic than "To Meet Someone". Just think about it, "meeting you" is one of the most romantic things in the world.

chapte 80 notes: Of course (HC) won't give (XL) a handjob or help him [...], but Huahua's sexual awakening starts with this incident... (XL is seriously obssessed with martial arts combat!)

chapter 88 notes: Xie Lian never gets tanned, I envy him... I finally reached this place - in a dilapidated temple, a god about to be forgotten and a believer who's still young - this is the first mental image I have about this story, which drove me to wrote the story. I'm the kind of person who'd make up a whole book just to get to write a certain passage...

chapter 119 notes: Actually Huahua is just being naughty and wants to joke around playing dead, who'd have thought...

chapter 123 notes: So Black Water made his appearance long ago, he's been hanging around before your eyes all along. Wind Master never knew the real Mingyi, it's always been the same person before him - and before you readers. (Black Water) officially recognized as Best Actor of this story! I've been holding it a secret for so long and so has he, now I can finally let it out.

chapter 141 notes: If you heat up Huahua in the kiln, he'll grow bigger~

chapter 175 notes: "Hua Cheng! Your diary! We've read it all!!!"

chapter 229 notes: Huahua low-key sucking up to the elderly to make a good impression

chapter 242 notes: Why do you like to spook yourselves? - why on earth would there be such plots as (XL) waiting for another 800 years - too long, impossible! Happy ending is around the corner!

SVSSS is my first work so it has some exceptions that I won't discuss here, but MDZS and TGCF both only have one main couple. I said this repeatedly in the author's notes when MDZS was being serialized and in other places. As for Mo Xuanyu, he is a little gay dude but he died at the beginning of the story so he doesn't count as a serious character...It's fine to have headcanons you like as long as you don't seperate the main couple. But for me personally, my taste leans towards having only one gay couple in the story, and I have no plans to write about another secondary couple. I'm stating this to avoid some unnecessary disputes.

XL is good at making pickled vegetables. Because pickled vegetables are needed with steamed bun and rice porridge, so XL became quite experienced after practicing for hundreds of years. Also you can just leave the pickled vegetable by itself most of the time and let it undergo chemical reaction. XL mostly fail because he get inventive.

XL and Mu Qing chose the same path of cultivation and are both Daoists. But Feng Xin never studied under a master at the Holy Royal Pavillion so he's not a Daoist and simply a plebeian martial god, so he doesn't need to observe the celibacy rules like XL and Mu Qing.

My passion for inventing new dishes (or rather weapons) cooked by Xie Lian is only slightly less than my passion for making Huahua change into new clothes

Huahua often turn into human forms, in which he has two eyes, so you guys can stop counting the number of his eyes.

In the setting of this story, if you want to be a god,you need to be a human hero first, which means you need to be the best of the best among humans. Only heaven officials who ascended are real heaven officials and belong in the Upper Court. How do you ascend? Firstly it depends on your personal ability, you have to be outstanding in some aspect (such as martial arts or literary talents) to enter the path of ascension. Secondly it depends on luck, if you're extremely lucky and a favourite of fate, and just picked up some rare secret guides (to ascension) or immortal pills by the roadside, that works too. Officials in the Middle Court are appointed, which means someone in the Heavenly Realm could promote you to that position. But Middle Court officials have the opportunity to become a bona fide Upper Court official too if they're capable enough.

Black Water indeed owes Hua Cheng a huge sum of money and is a very impoverished Calamity, seriously lowering the income standard of the Calamities (although there're only three of them). But his debt isn't completely due to eating too much. As for the money Black Water owes, it's an ancient debt - 40% is the cost of buying gifts for heaven officials of Upper Court and planting agents there (bribery!), 30% is maintenance fee for his territory and expenses on pet food, the rest 30% is food (for himself).

Talismans are probably the equivalent of the business cards (of heaven officials)... "Hello this is my consecrated talisman" = "hello this is my business card"

You can't get rid of ghostly essence (which XL is tainted with because he spends too much time with HC) simply by brushing your teeth with plain water...you need to use consecrated spell water (which is super bitter and weird).

The weapon forged by a heaven official is called fabao (literally "dharma treasure"); if it's a weapon forged by mortal Daoists and monks, it's called faqi (literally "dharma tool") - only after their ascension can their weapons be called fabao.

In my imagination, Xianle ia the kind of small ancient kingdom that's overall culturally Han, but has peculiar customs...although I feel like what I wrote on Xianle is mostly just peculiar hahahaha [facepalm] [beat myself up]

Not only are the forms, customs, cultures, and politics of countries in this story made-up, the kind of arcane stuff like occult sciences and philosophical values are all made-up. Although I did research but the records I consulted are too difficult to understand, so I just made things up on my own. Please bear with me If you're knowledgable in this sort of thing hahaha.

Puqi refers to water chestnut.

Look up "Blood-Soaked Fire Social" (xue she huo) if you're interested, it exists in real life and is very thrilling. What I wrote is different from the traditional festival, there're some made-up elements to make it more exciting

[marshymeds]

About your idea "AU in which He Xuan believes Shi Qingxuan is dead, does not handle it well, and Paradise Manor has a mysterious new employee. Hua Cheng is losing his mind" Can you tell us more about it?

Absolutely. I’m simplifying a lot here, but essentially, this takes place several years post canon. Shi Qingxuan finds himself in a situation where he has to fend off a yao from some street kids, and he gets injured. Mortal or not, he has his convictions, and he would do his best to protect some innocent disadvantaged children. An injury was worth it, though it might’ve been a little more serious than he would have liked.

Somehow this ends up with everyone believing he died, and he’s not complaining! Sure, his friends are mourning, but it was going to happen at some point anyway right? At least this way Black Water, who he’s recently discovered is almost definitely stalking him, will get off his tail! He can live out the rest of his somewhat miserable but respectable life in peace and no threat of a bloodthirsty ghost king hanging over his head.

Only, he probably needs to hide out a bit, and he definitely needs to deal with this injury. He Xuan was notoriously hermetic, he definitely wouldn’t be in Ghost City—that was Hua Cheng’s territory! He’d just show up at Puqi Shrine, ask for help and beg Xie Lian to swear to secrecy and a good disguise, and he’d be off. Xie Lian nearly has a heart attack, but really he shouldn’t be too surprised at this point. He really doesn’t think this is such a great idea, but the former Wind Master seems very sure of it and he can’t bring himself to deny his friend in such a state. He agrees to take him to Ghost City and find him somewhere to stay.

Hua Cheng sees through it immediately of course. The only reason he doesn’t tell He Xuan right away is because Xie Lian asked him to respect Shi Qingxuan’s wishes, though he didn’t feel too great about it either. The next best thing was to give him a ‘job’ in Paradise Manor, and hope things would resolve in time. Yin Yu gets saddled with a new assistant he doesn’t want. Because, of course, He Xuan is in Ghost City. He’d been growing weaker, snd Hua Cheng and Yin Yu had gone through quite a bit of work to convince him not to just run off and close himself up on his island.

Shi Qingxuan revises his plan a bit in the hopes that he could—in pretending to be someone else—learn more about He Xuan. That was something that haunted him about their final interactions. He’d called for the wrong person, and he’d never gotten a chance to even learn who his best friend really was. Maybe now he had a chance to. He’d just help Yin Yu take care of him and slowly try to earn his trust again.

Only, He Xuan wasn’t just weak. He was dispersing. His final reason for remaining in this world had died, and there was nothing holding him there anymore but regrets he had no hope of mending anymore.

Tldr; Shi Qingxuan becomes a glorified hospice nurse to a ghost king who is far too happy to leave this world while desperately trying to find some way to keep him there. Lots of ghost trio content, lots of angst and lots of sickfic cliche moments ft both sides of beefleaf (dont forget that injury sqx had).

[biboomerangboi]

Been thinking about the homoerotic potential of Xianle Quartet again and I think I’ve figured out the best/funniest way for the post canon dynamic to play out: Xie Lian gets his offical harem.

And no I don’t mean Xie Lian just gets to hold hands with everyone. I think Hua Cheng who wants Gege to be happy and give him everything he wants but also genuinely believes he’s better than Feng Xin and Mu Qing starts acting like the Wife and Feng Xin and Mu Qing are Xie Lians concubines.

I think it would start with Hua Cheng giving them strictly solicited times to be with Xie Lian and then later when Xie Lian admits he feels something more about the two of them he would get real into it.

He makes it extremely clear he’s the first and most important wife in this game and they play by his rules. They deal with his times and get to see him give Xie Lian really extravagant gifts to wear when he spend time with them as well as giving him lots of love bites not to mention lots of little digs and because Fengqing are Fengqing they instantly match the energy.

The Harem games begin.

There’s so much side comments and subterfuge and of course fights to see who is the favourite while also convinced that it won’t be them because they start to notice all the beautiful things about their competitors in a really homoerotic way.

They would all start to act nice with each other when they are with of Xie Lian because they notice that he likes that and they have points to win. So there are lots of group spars and meals with a general play nice vibe to them. Until they reluctantly start to like playing nice but are also be thinking fuck these guys. These two guys are the worst people in the world.

Then of course Xie Lian goes away for a few days on a mission and they all lose it . They will literally have no one to perform for and yet they are all still being so petty and in each others business, then each others faces, and then suddenly they are all in each others bed.

Xie Lian naturally comes back to this and is delighted by this development.

[mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess]

Since MXTX said HuaLian live until the modern times, have some random headcanons:

Hua Cheng keeps being an interior decorating king so of course his and Xie Lian's home is tastefully decorated for every season and holiday. However, that doesn't stop Xie Lian from occasionally adding the fugliest item ever because he got emotionally attached to it in the store. "It was all by itself, San Lang, nobody wanted it... i know what that feels like better than anyone..." and now they're both sniffling holding an ugly styrofoam pumpkin in the middle of the fall decor isle of Ikea.

The stray animals food budget is off the charts but it's nobody's fault all strays are immediately drawn to Xie Lian and he has to feed them cause he "knows what it's like to be hungry". This does not just include cats and dogs but also rats, raccoons, several bird species and at least one coyote.

Speaking of budgets, the financial control authorities are lowkey on Hua Cheng's case because he is still stinking rich but nobody knows where the cash is coming from. They think Ghost City is the name of some shady mafia establishment and are trying to find dirt on Hua Cheng but there is literally nothing there and it eats the government alive.

Xie Lian occasionally dumpster dives in places where he knows they throw perfectly salvageable things. Hua Cheng cries every time it happens but he stands watch so the police doesn't arrest his husband for it.

In the same vein, Xie Lian insists on recycling literally everything. They have those different colored trash bins and everything, and every time Hua Cheng places an item in the wrong bin, Xie Lian gives him a disapproving look that has the ghost king crumble.

They have so many house plants. It's like a little jungle in their living room but the air is so crisp.

They keep several scrapbooks of paintings, pictures, letters etc from all the people they met to remember them even hundreds or thousands of years after those people have passed away. Even if they now have access to phones and other media for storage, they keep up the tradition of using scrapbooks and notebooks anyway.

Xie Lian is actually up to date with memes and internet slang but has embraced being a cringe Facebook grandpa and is now committed to the persona. Hua Cheng finds this hilarious (he runs a very well maintained beauty channel and a side channel on swords where Xie Lian features in every video and geeks out about their sword collection. They have a golden button and a very large following).

Hua Cheng has a 25 step skincare routine and only uses the fanciest brands of products for literally everything. Xie Lian still swears by 8 in 1 shampoo and somehow has clearer skin. Hua Cheng is both enamored and scandalized about it.

Hua Cheng is a very big fan of acryllics and lets Xie Lian pick the base color every time. Xie Lian takes this task very, very seriously and tries to coordinate it with any activities/events they have planned so Hua Cheng stays being stylish.

Hua Cheng has a portable Dyson Airwrap with him at all times because one time a kid said his hair looks like a wet dog.

Xie Lian is not allowed to get a job because every time he tried to along the decades he became a cautionary tale somehow.

[potatosaresweet]

tgcf spoilers btw

i keep thinking about how jun wu was convinced that xie lian's last believer(hua cheng) would leave him in that final battle since his own last believer(mei nianqing) also left him but to be fair to mei nianqing the situation is completely different.

xie lian was all hua cheng ever had, the god who saved him as a child, who protected him, whose shrines offered him shelter and comfort. xie lian is the literal reason he refuses to leave this world, as he wants to help and protect him just like he did so many years ago-he's what ties his existance on earth because he had no one else. his family seemed to despise him, no other friends, nothing. of course he'd follow xie lian anywhere, of course he'd do anything for the ONE PERSON to ever care about him, the person who held him while he cried and told him it wasn't his fault.

but mei nianqing? he had friends other that the prince. he had the other perceptors-all five of them were incredibly close. and then they turned against jun wu(for understandable reasons) and he killed them. his friends. THEIR friends. of course mei nianqing got scared,wouldn't you? seeing his prince slowly fall into madness, going as far as to kill people he cares about,people they both held so dearly in their hearts, it makes sense why mei niangqing fled.

the situation was completely different and yet jun wu failed to see that. he was so desperate to draw or forcibly create parallels between him and xie lian he ignored how big their differences are. yes junmei paraller hualian in a more tragic, messed up way but the dynamics are not identical and part of why jun wu failed is because he assumed not only that xie lian and him were the same , but also that mei nianqing and hua cheng's circumstances were identical

[heartinhyacinth]

Thinking about how Xie Lian cared about Hua Cheng when he was basically an orphaned street rat who ruined the ceremonial procession, cared about about him when he was a weak little ghost fire being sold like an object, and cares about him when he’s a king whose power and wealth is unmatched by few in all the three realms.

“If I like you, I don’t care if you’re a beggar. If I hate you, I don’t care if you’re a king. It’s all trivial to me.” (Paraphrased from the donghua because I don’t want to find that page).

I think Hua Cheng must’ve felt silly for a least a second after he was like “but gege…my heartbeat is silent…” because of course Xie Lian would not bat an eye at that. He never has.

I also think it’s funny that Xie Lian is just like ignores appearance, rumors, reputation, social status, etc., “what a neat person; I’m gonna keep them” and Hua Cheng (and banyue, etc) is pleasantly surprised each time, meanwhile fengqing, as his self imposed bodyguards and as people who do take those things with weight, are ripping their hair out at this tendency that is still very much active 800 years later. They thought they got lucky when hong-er ran away and Xie Lian failed to adopt him into their group. Little late, but it still happened haha.

Don’t even get me started on the fact that he’s a scrap god and he collects broken things and gives them a home and purpose and loves them regardless of their state.

Edit - I also think it’s funny that in book one, Xie Lian does all these tests on “San Lang” to see if he’s a ghost and what rank, which come up inconclusive, but he knows this kid is not a normal kid and is most likely the crimson rain sought flower, but like…doesn’t do anything. He doesn’t really care lol, he was just curious (which is so real). He also said he couldn’t do anything if he wanted to but I think he just…didn’t want to. Why would he? He’s hot and nice to him and helps clean his shrine.