#ghost shen jiu

[nagawei]

Can you imagine the sheer and utter hatred Shen Jiu would have for Yuan? This dude managed to have the world go to war for his dead body and Shen Jiu would just be forced to watch this lile "Wow so when he causes issues its okay?" And I imagine ghost Jiu would try and strangle Yuan in his sleep bc of this utter hatred for the goodie two shoes body snatcher who essentially made his reputation go from "revered elder" to "kind Elder" in about a week of MC ass kissing

[diushek]

Ok, yes, but now I can't get the ghost Shen Jiu in Ghost City out of my head, perhaps having his own tea house (which other ghosts disparagingly treat as a brothel), where he gives jobs as dancers, waitresses and cleaning assistants to other ghost women who require it.

And everyone knows that Shen Jiu is someone unsociable and hostile like a territorial cat that hisses at anyone who gets too close. He has his own little corner in Ghost City filled with female company, and even sometimes plays a few pieces of music with his long black ghost nails, and everyone just wonders... what happened to him in his mortal life? It's obviously rude to ask, but that curiosity is there. He looks like a scholar, he has enough rage to be a lower rank wrath ghost. He has rough and mean spiritual power running through his veins, but his polite mannerisms and gestures are... refined, befitting someone of high standing.

Who could this Shen Jiu have been when he was alive?

No one knows, no one asks, and they just leave him in his tea house, serving and offering jobs to women who need it, taking refuge with them from the terrors of a mortal life that he can't seem to leave behind.

[cintiri]

I've read like all 4 docs on ao3 about SY and SJ sharing a body, and I'm soooo not normal about this concept oh my God. So, it's time to ramble about my take on the concept, of course.

Most things I have read have SY transmigrate at his usual date, but... What if he didn't? What if he transmigrated when SJ was a child on the streets?

For the purposes of this, the person who has the most control of the body is based around soul strength, willpower, and collaboration between souls.

In the beginning, SY has very low soul strength, since he just straight up died, but being a child, SJ's is not much better. They both have obscene amounts of willpower, see canon. And at the beginning? Oh, SJ does NOT want to collaborate.

SY hasn't really gotten the whole "baby scum villain" thing yet, and thinks his soul has been glued to a particularly annoying street kid, so he tries to be patient with SJ, but it's not easy! Holy shit, this kid is a turbo brat who hates him! He is constantly threatening to exorcize SY! Like, kid, you can't exorcize me, you're eight. But SY does end up being useful at times, pointing out danger, reading signs that SJ can't, using his adult knowledge to help him as best he can. By the time they get to the Qiu manor, SJ grudgingly trusts and is maybe attached to his weird ghost hanger-on.

And then the Qiu manor hits. It's... Bad. Really bad. Qi-Ge is gone, hopefully to come back to them someday, but someday is not now, and they need to survive the day. Shen Yuan can't get over the fact that this is just a kid, that all of this is happening to a child. He is an adult, maybe he's not the most responsible adult, or the best person to handle this situation, but damn it SY has to do something.

The first time Shen Yuan takes over completely, it's during a beating in the first week. Before, even if SY had some control of the body, SJ was usually able to yank it back at least partially when he wanted to. He was aware of what was going on. But this time, Shen Jiu feels the first few strikes hit his back before Shen Yuan bubbles up, wrapping around him and pulling him down into blissful oblivion.

When Shen Jiu wakes up, it's over, and Shen Yuan is using some meager supplies he got from god knows where to tend to their wounds. Shen Jiu is scared, he didn't know Shen Yuan could take over that completely, but he's also... Relieved. And confused.

"Why did you take over then? If you really could steal my body, why didn't you do it earlier?"

"You didn't deserve that, Shen Jiu. I- how could I see that and not try and help? Not try and protect you?"

Shen Jiu froze. And then, slowly, started crying. Almost immediately SY starts fussing, asking if their wounds hurt too badly, if he needs him to dull the pain more. SJ sniffles, wiping his eyes, and asks; "More?"

Shen Yuan never explains that, but as SJ goes through the Qiu manor, he realizes that he is absolutely not in as much pain as he really should be. It's easier to bear when the pain is shared between the two of them.

The first time that Qiu Jianluo realizes something is off is during one of his lessons. As the brush is placed in Shen Jiu's hands, the angry, venomous child behind a mask of fear fades away, and he is instead facing calm indifference. The characters are perfect, every one of them, even the ones which there is no possible way Shen Jiu should have been able to know.

This pattern continues. Shen Jiu knows things he shouldn't. He is abnormally good at talking circles around guards and other servants, confusing and manipulating them enough to evade Qiu Jianluos summons in ways that couldn't possibly be his fault, orchestrating many of their confrontations with Qiu Haitang around as protection.

Shen Jiu is a good actor, he's smart, he's quick, but he isn't a fully grown adult master poser like our Shen Yuan is. Shen Yuan, number one rules lawyer and actor, is incredibly good at driving Qiu Jianluo up the wall without him being able to retaliate, and when he does manage to get in a beating, SJ/SY is not nearly as responsive to the pain as he should be, and heals faster than he should.

This is because the lovely new flowers that Qiu Haitang has planted in the garden at SJs kind suggestion are a PIDW plant that provides accelerated healing.

Eventually, it's too much, and Qiu Jianluo KNOWS something is up. He calls a rogue cultivator by the name of Wu Yanzi in to investigate the problem, and Wu Yanzi finds, and exorcises it. Shen Jiu is terrified and panicked, and Wu Yanzi, who had seen Shen Jiu's high spiritual potential, places Shen Yuan into a spirit trapping pouch and tells Shen Jiu to burn the Qiu manor to the ground and bring him as much money and jewelry as possible if he wants his little ghost back.

So the Qiu Manor burns, and Shen Jiu joins Wu Yanzi, significantly less willingly this time. Qi-Ge is nowhere to be seen, and Shen Yuan isn't there to save him anymore.

Shen Jiu supposes he will have to save himself.

[10thmusemoon]

Making myself cry thinking about SJ’s disembodied spirit watching the ending scene of SVSSS where SY runs toward Binghe, leaving yqy in the past.

SJ’s eyes widening at the resigned expression YQY is wearing, more vulnerable than it was when he was at death’s door a few days prior. SJ’s head swiveling back to where SY is running past him, words tumbling out of his mouth before he can suppress them.

“Wait! Stop!”

Trying to grasp onto the back of SQQ’s robes, spectral hands phasing through his body. Desperation clawing its way up Shen Jiu’s throat when he turns back to see YQY’s solitary figure.

“Don’t you dare leave him! You can’t—!”

But SQQ can and will happily leave behind YQY for a monster. And Shen Jiu is left grasping at black robes, hands slipping through fabric and flesh, all too aware of how long YQY stared at SQQ’s retreating form until it was just a speck in the sky. Ignorant to the nails trying to dig themselves into any part of him to let YQY know he’s not alone. The fervent whispers of a name long forgotten going unheard. YQY meditates throughout the night, completely unaware of the form curling around him and silently weeping.

[pippuns]

or: the one where shen qingqiu stumbles on a bunch of compiled evidence from qi qingqi that he is Not The Same Person as shen jiu

[levemetal]

Dual calamities Qijiu AU save me.... save me Dual Calamity Qijiu...

Yes they are wearing each other's former coats/outer layer and tons of matching accessory and garment pieces why do you ask

Details under the cut/Rambling ahead

Dual calamities AU, post pidw. SJ kills himself on the shards of Xuan Su by swallowing them. Qijiu end up entwined into one ghost amalgamation, their combined regrets hatred spite and resentment and everything creating a nearly supreme/calamity level ghost. They go off indiscriminately murdering in the demon realm in a mindless unaware rampage, consuming ghosts and demons alike and becoming stronger until they are strong enough to be aware once more.

Luo Binghe becomes aware of the new calamity too late, due to his distraction with the Bingge vs Bingmei extra happenings, and ends up regretting it as he fails to catch up to them time and time again, despite attempting to chase down the new calamity that slaughtered half the demons in a mindless rage.

It could go down the Bingqijiu path or be simply Qijiu retreating somewhere to live in peace. Maybe being annoyed later on by Hua Cheng and/or He Xuan, maybe even Bai Wuxiang once. They kick Qi Rong off a mountain once, when he comes to annoy them for the title only to prove that is not a calamity (unfortunately for him, ily stinky green ghost). SJ is gonna have the time of his life roasting his ass. Qi Rong will leave both in pieces and tears.

Their only disadvantage really is that they cannot seperate too much, physically. But I imagine after being in each other's brains after the soul merge they don't particularly care to be (nor would they want to be. This is Qijiu we're talking about.) It's Qijiu's codependant dream. Xuan Su sewed them together and actually they are very very codependant and possessive after everything so this is just fine. They probably even have a Xuan Su blood weapon, that heeds both their commands and calls. While fighting they synchronise, with YQY being the strength and SJ the brains.

I imagine YQY is able to conjure the arrows that pierced him as spiritual projectiles, and SJ chains that bound him in the water prison. Their strength was cultivated by absorbing and devouring other ghosts and demons.

@ace-shenanigans came up with the lovely title "jade dragon stalks bamboo" which is a much better title than I could ever hope to come up with. Thank you for listening to my mad ramblings

I've been wanting to draw and think on this for a while, of how grotesque to make the initial ghost + the later higher cultivation form. But basically the kiln and everything would count them as one ghost, probably a dual title too. They'd be like a myth amongst the realms, retreating to a comfortable mountain peak with bamboo, occassionally off to hunt down slavers.

[afsosville]

I already have an AU with Shen Jiu in MDZS, so ofc I had a TGCF one backed up somewhere too.

*Slaps this onto the table*

GHOST KING SHEN JIU !!

A friend of mine also has a Calamity Shen Jiu AU of their own so check it out too! @levemetal

I'll rb with the headcanons later, but first, fics>>

Tales of the Five Calamities by FakeAlice

No Prayers for the Gods by Otno

To a Life (Never) Forgotten by Orphan Acc

These 3 were the only 3 I could find, like Calamity Shen Jiu is such a slept on idea fr.

And his Calamity title? Jaded Night Shatters Heaven

Here's more content abt Calamity Shen Jiu I posted a while ago as well if you've got the serious brainrot that I do>

MDZS AU

[sun-and-moon-mushroom]

AU where SJ ends up becoming Xiu Ya after SY transmigrates into his body… but he’s also got amnesia and can’t remember anything but being a sword (aside from some vague impressions/fragments). SY just assumes the System used the amnesia so that Xiu Ya wouldn’t reject him for not being the original. SJ, now Xiu Ya, thinks that they both got amnesia due to the same qi deviation (he can’t see the System — yet).

[quietly-sleeping]

Yue Qingyuan casually thinking he'd rather die than exist without Shen Jiu:

Shen Jiu, dead but still around and busy fist fighting the system: DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE

[yoyowrites]

my toxic trait is that i can barely read anything that includes shen jiu without it being centered around him bc i truly believe that everyone should love and care for this vile man

[marshymeds]

Forgot to share this sketch here. Mobei-Jun was trying to make noodles and failed miserably (the cat is Shen Jiu, this is actually from an au)

[fistfuloflightning]

I binge read @ruensroad’s glorious fic A Voice You Hear With Your Heart (belated congrats on surviving NaNoWriMo hon!) and because I am currently incapable of forming coherent thoughts for a review, have a rough approximation of the fic cover I had stuck in my head :D

[diushek]

In my defense, I just have to say: you left my brain unsupervised and now I'll have to develop more of this AU lol

[cintiri]

More big brother ghost AU because I'm insufferable and this is actually what I wanted to post last night when I ended up writing baby Yue Qi angst instead.

Shen Yuan, being the adult who awkwardly tried to raise Yue Qi and Shen Jiu, absolutely gave them some horrendous modern lingo and habits. Also, SVSSS came out in 2015, so we can presume that Shen Yuan also died in 2015, and so they know horrible outdated memes now.

Consider, if you will, you are Shang Qinghua. You transmigrated into your shitty porn novel 25 years ago, and the pre-plot stuff is beginning. You're already set up as head disciple, and oh look! Baby Qi-Ge is here! You somehow managed to not notice until he was already head disciple and bonded with Xuan Su, but oh well, you've been busy.

You're in a peak lord meeting, and your shizun is talking about yet another Bai Zhan disciple who somehow managed to break his arm in three places by falling into the An Ding waste disposal pit. You're barely paying attention, until you hear your little traumatized future sect leader mutters under his breath, "Rip. Press F to pay respects."

After the meeting, Shang Qinghua pulls little not-Yue Qingyuan aside and breathlessly shouts, "PROUD IMMORTAL DEMON WAY!"

To which he responds by blinking in confusion. "How do you know about that bedtime story? Do you know Yuan-ge?" Definitely-actually-Yue-Qingyuan-somehow says with a desperate tone to his voice.

Oh this is so fucked.

[salmonyay]

Another shen twin idea.

Imagine SJ have chimerism a condition when two twins like join together which made SJ got two DNAs (search for more info couse its quite hard to explain)

HOWEVER, as soon as SJ was born SY was tranmigrated as a soul since something was wrong during the transmigrating, SY was stuck with SJ as a soul. SY was supposed to be SJ twin dead brother who died bc of QJL beatings, which made SJ lose his mind.

Anyway, SY was always there inspecting SJ life going. Since the transmigrating was a failure SY was given a ability, he can manipulate things into other things (yea smth like that) so sometimes SJ can find random medicine near him.

Then life go on... oh ya did i tell you that what SJ go through was half of the pain bc SY also bears half of the pain.

When SJ was at the age of 15, SY found out that his 'manipulation' skill can come in various type like dream manipulation. So one night SJ found him self looking someone whose like himself.

(Reminder: SY soul is almost like him and using robes not modern clothes)

Their conversation be like :

Shen jiu: who are you!?

Shen yuan: your twin imao

Shen jiu: liar demon, go away! This one have no twin.

Shen yuan: i worked so hard to learn dream manipulation so i can talked to you and this is what i get?

Shen jiu: what...

Shen yuan: fine i'll tell you everything (tells everything)

Then they bond together slowly and SJ was slowly convince they're brothers.

then SJ use the Sun-Moon Dew mushroom to get SY a body

The future is your imagination

[rarepears]

AU where Shen Jiu does in the caves saving Liu Qingge and in thanks, Liu Qingge becomes a ghost bride 🙈