#he would have so much fun with jin ling. he is made to be a fun uncle

[waitineedaname]

Please tell me about mystery uncle, this story has so many uncles and so many ways this could go

this fic happened because I was thinking about Wei Wuxian getting the chance to be an uncle to Jin Ling in a modern au! I think a bit of estrangement has to happen even in a modern au, so I was wondering how Jin Ling would feel about an uncle that didn't appear in his life for several years. His parents didn't die in this situation so he grew up a little more well adjusted, but Wei Wuxian's name kind of haunts his family and always makes his jiujiu upset and his mama very sad, so in his little kid brain, he decides that he hates anyone who makes his mama cry. And then, unexpectedly, this mystery uncle that makes his family so upset just suddenly arrives on their doorstep. here's a lil excerpt

this was actually the first thing I wrote for this series! it was kinda just an experiment playing with the characters, but I might rework it somehow and make it a companion piece to the kidney transplant fic I posted a little while back

[robsterskellington]

Okay, so I've read all of Mo Dao Zu Shi, the novels and manhua, and watched the donghua three times. Safe to say the brainrot is real. So, I wrote a little something. My brain always comes up with the same scenario for every fandom I'm interested in: what if one character woke up back in a specific point in time, but with all the memories of what will happen? Would or could they prevent certain things, or make the same mistakes?

Anyway, here's a piece I wrote earlier:

Wei Wuxian slowly opened his eyes, feeling dreadful and very confused- he had been in bed with Lan Wangji, hadn't he? They'd celebrated their wedding anniversary in Yunmeng, then went to bed. It was a fun celebration, even Lan Xichen had come out of seclusion to join. Wei Wuxian ate good food and partied with the people he loved; he'd finally patched things up with Jiang Cheng, Jin Ling had called him *Uncle Wei* for the first time, and Lan Sizhui tried to make him happy by trying the spicy foods. Lan Wangji also seemed happy, he'd started smiling more so it was easy to tell. Once the party was over, they had their intimate moments and fell asleep curled in each other's arms, happy and in love.

So... why was Wei Wuxian lying on his stomach, surrounded by resentful energy, in what looked like the bottom of the Burial Mounds? His body hurt, like it had done when he was thrown down by Wen Chao. He scowled at that memory before managing to get his arms to move, forcing himself to sit up, wincing. "Ow..."

He looked at himself and froze- he was back in his old body, but back to when he was about 17 or 18? He opened his robes a little and felt his blood run cold. The Wen brand on his chest was still fresh, as was the stitching on his abdomen from when he had his Golden Core extracted. It was a miracle that the stitching didn't split when he fell. His robes were the same, though his Clarity Bell was missing, obviously.

Wei Wuxian felt dizzy, hearing the whispering of the dead, their souls unable to rest, the resentment being the strongest here. This was the perfect place for someone to become a wielder of the dark arts, though only if they truly had no other choice. Wei Wuxian's options were to absorb it, or die... and after what happened to Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan and the rest of the Jiang Clan, how could he choose death for himself? No, he'd take all the resentment, and use it to carve his own path- after all, to secure Jiang Cheng's future, Wei Wuxian sacrificed his own. Once he absorbed it, he could walk around with no pain, only power. That was when he'd find a cave filled with scrolls- people who fell here had tried to do what he did, but with no success, dying and joining the resentment.

That was when Wei Wuxian became the Yiling Patriarch, the Founder of Diabolism, the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. Someone who's strength couldn't be beaten or tamed, and someone who was feared by all.

Why was he going through all this again? It couldn't have been a result of the incense burner, they'd left that behind in Guzu. He had all the memories of everything that happened after this, and frowned. If this was a second chance... how much could he change? How much *should* he change? What if he made everything so much worse?

This thoughts immediately went to his Shijie, her husband, and how her son grew up, with no parents to guide him. Wen Ning's death, and Wei Wuxian being unable to let him go since he'd died with his eyes open. Hell, the Wen Clan remnants truly didn't deserve what they got, it was a miracle that Wen Yuan was given a second chance as Lan Sizhui. Nie Mingjue absolutely didn't deserve what fate gave to him, and while Jin Guangyao was a piece of shit, it was only because of his unfaithful father. That just brought up the whole mess with Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan, as well as Xue Yang.

Wei Wuxian didn't know what to do. Interfere? Would that just make things worse again? Besides, *how* could he interfere with some things? Could certain things even be prevented or caused? He can't exactly claim he knew what was going to happen without sounding like a madman, and he couldn't even blame that on Mo Xuanyu this time! A depressing part of him then wondered: how much could be prevented if Wei Wuxian simply chose the second option? If he died here, would that be better? Without his talisman, his inventions, his knowledge... all of which were a double edged sword.

Resentful energy continued to pour into him, not caring about what choices he made, and no longer giving him time to think. Wei Wuxian had forgotten how bad the pain was, and couldn't help but scream in utter agony, as he was stabbed, had resentment shoved down his throat, and had his memories replay every bad moment in his life, stirring up his rage and sorrows. For a brief moment, he remembered the images of the past, and what would be this version's future. Tears streamed down his face, as he went limp, just allowing what happened to happen. If he lived, fine. If he died, fine.

*****

"..."

*...where are you?*

"...huh..?" Wei Wuxian's soul was in some kind of white space, and he could hear soft music playing. His mind was fuzzy, so he couldn't quite recognise the tune. There was no voice, yet he swore he heard a question. He focused a little more, taking advantage of the fact that be wasn't in as much pain.

*...Wei Ying..? Where are you..?*

Wei Wuxian's mind kicked into high gear- that was Inquiry!! Lan Wangji was trying to find him!! He grinned from ear to ear. Knowing what he did now, he understood that Lan Wangji never hated him, never wanted him to come to harm, that right from the beginning, all Lan Wangji wanted was to have Wei Wuxian as his partner. To marry him, bed him, have a future with him. To make sure that every day meant every day.

This was good, but also terrible. Wei Wuxian wasn't able to go down a normal cultivation path now, and with this new power, he would always scare Lan Wangji, who would always worry about his health and sanity. What the fuck could he do? He couldn't risk Lan Wangji coming after him, what if he got hurt or worse?! But he also couldn't just ignore him...

*Wei Ying... please... are you still alive..? Please... any sign... give me a sign...*

He wanted to call out, but didn't know what to say. All words died in his throat. Closing his eyes and calming down, Wei Wuxian did as he was asked and gave a sign that he was alive: he knew that Lan Wangji would be able to hear the response, and only Lan Wangji would understand as he started to sing that same beautiful song that Lan Wangji wrote for him and performed in that disgusting cave. Wei Wuxian knew that hearing wangxian would be enough to tell Lan Wangji that he was still alive. But because he didn't answer any questions directly, he knew Lan Wangji wouldn't ask. However, he still responded...

*I hear you... Wherever you are, please be safe... I want to see you again... I swear to try to look after Clan Leader Jiang and Lady Jiang in the meantime...*

Wei Wuxian's breath hitched as tears streamed down his face. Lan Wangji clearly didn't go through what he just did. Obviously he couldn't change that, but he wanted to have his husband as soon as possible. So he decided to stop resisting, and allowed the beginning of this darkened path to stay the same. The next time he saw Lan Wangji, he'd be the Wei Wuxian everyone would fear, though if he could change that, he decided that he absolutely would.

He woke up once more, and stood up. He knew what to do, his glowing crimson eyes filled with a new sense of purpose.

****

In the previous life, he'd hunted down Wen Chao and broke him little by little. He wanted the prick to suffer, but maybe he would look less evil by not reducing him to a burnt and broken skeleton this time. Besides, he was Jiang Cheng's to kill. Some things, he kept the same. He slowly attacked Wen bases and slaughtered their soldiers, but this time, he was far more careful. When he sensed some of the people wanting to escape, or switch sides, he'd test them:

It was a very simple test. He would leave for them plain grey robes baring no official Clan colours. An easy to understand message of 'If you want to abandon the Wens, discard their colours and insignia, and run while you can'. Most people did exactly that, and the test was far more effective than Wei Wuxian could ever dream; he wanted to protect the same people he once had, and they had turned out to be more than willing to turn their backs on their own Clan.

The one person he was most surprised about was Wen Qing, who had encouraged Wen Ning to do the same. The Supervisory Office in Yiling had quickly grown into a safe haven for any Wens who decided that their morals and lives weren't worth participating in this war. Wen Ruohan had been furious and sent Wen Chao to deal with it personally, but unfortunately, the coward couldn't get close- something about the traitor's camp being surrounded by feral zombies who refused to let them pass? In the end, they were left alone.

News spread, and at first, none of the main participants of the Sunshot Campaign knew what to make of this development. The Jin Clan thought it was better to annihilate the Yiling Camp, in case the Wens changed their minds and decided to attack. The Nie Clan also thought it best to kill them, since all of them were dogs needing to be put down, in their eyes. However, the Lan Clan disagreed, as these people had proven that they wanted to live and weren't willing to fight or kill people they considered innocent in all of this, just wanting peace- Lan Xichen also argued that most of the people were elderly, crippled, children or doctors who refused to bloody their hands unless healing.

It was that comment that made Jiang Cheng confess that Wen Qing and Wen Ning had saved the lives of himself and Wei Wuxian, so refused to have them killed. He came up with a solution, then: "Why don't we take in those Wens who have proven to be better than the ones we fight? They've discarded the name of Wen, really- so how about they bare our own names?"

The Hall was in uproar, everyone shouting their disagreements. But ultimately, a choice was made. Once the Sunshot Campaign was completed, and those Wens had been monitored for long enough to prove that they wouldn't turn and attack, restarting the war, then they would be integrated into the four main Clans instead. Nie Mingjue wasn't happy at first, but he also knew that in actuality, his anger came from Wen Ruohan's actions. Plus, he couldn't blame those Wens for their inaction, they'd already been threatened and some killed before they could escape. Unwilling to kill, but willing to die to escape.

After listening in, Wei Wuxian was ecstatic! He had no idea that his plan would work, and yet it did. He prayed to the Gods that the Jiang Clan would take in Wen Ning and his sister, and that the Lan Clan would take in Wen Yuan and his dear granny. He just wanted his friend and his little radish to be safe.

Things seemed to proceed similarly to how it did before, but now the Wens that abandoned the main Clan were now helping in different ways. Some were soldiers and blacksmiths who swore their loyalty to the Nie Clan, and managed to help with their fighting and weaponry. Wen Ning was recognised for being a talented archer, and in exchange for not having to fight in the war, he helped Jiang Cheng train the new members of the Jiang Clan in archery. Wen Qing was a talented doctor, so unfortunately she was very overworked, but she admitted that it was far better than standing aside.

Wei Wuxian stayed in the shadows, using his tricks and dark arts to kill off any loyal Wen Clan soldiers he could. Originally, he'd scared Wen Chao and his bitch so much that she killed herself, while he was a broken, unrecognisable husk. Now that Wei Wuxian had prioritised other's safety first, he didn't have time to torture them... scaring them, however?

It was almost embarrassing how confident Wen Chao was that he could prevent anything from happening to Wang Lingjiao, setting up spirit warding talisman all over their safe house. But the fool didn't notice that Wei Wuxian had added four extra strokes to each one with his own blood. The spirit lure talismans were what ultimately lead to her death, though Wei Wuxian being in the area and playing his flute didn't help matters. He couldn't deny himself a smile when her screaming finally silenced.

But then, he felt guilt. Not for killing her, she got what she deserved for trying to hurt Luo Qingyang and branding him. Killing for pleasure, that was what made him a monster. He never did, or so he thought, but this single moment proved him wrong. Wei Wuxian sighed, then frowned and looked up in the sky- a firework baring the Wen insignia...

"Wait. That's where Jiang Cheng-! Hold on, I'm coming!"

****

"Where is Wei Ying?!" Lan Wangji had never shouted with such anger before in his life. He knew that when he used Inquiry a while ago, Wei Wuxian was still alive. Only he knew the song he wrote for him, after all. But it had been so long, over three months at this point, and he had been too busy with rebuilding the Cloud Recesses, fighting in the war, while also helping that sweet old lady with that adorable toddler who called him 'daddy'. He knew he was making up excuses at this point, he should have tried harder.

But his thoughts shut off and his heart shattered to pieces when Wen Chao scoffed, "I threw him into the Burial Mounds months ago. I doubt even his bones will be left now. So you can stop looking for him, and join him in Hell!"

Jiang Cheng sank where he was forced to kneel, shaking. Wei Wuxian was gone? He'd been gone this entire time? What would his sister say? Even Wen Ning was excited about possibly seeing him again. They couldn't even lay him to rest.

Lan Wangji had a very different reaction. His fingers were bleeding, his spiritual energy was all but depleted, but the thought of Wei Wuxian being all alone and suffering filled him with unbridled rage. Was this why Wei Wuxian didn't tell Lan Wangji where he was? If he was trapped in the Burial Mounds and already weakened from being attacked by Wen Chao and Wen Zhuliu, then maybe he was dying and didn't want Lan Wangji to come and find him. Wanted him to remember him as he was. Lan Wangji screamed his pain and grief, lashing out one last attack that obliterated the strings of his zither, but to no avail.

In the end, both Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji were forced to kneel, swords at their necks, with none of the soldiers daring to attack in fear of the two strongest men losing their lives. Neither of them had much will to fight after that, anyway.

Just as Wen Chao was about to give the execution order, a strange sound caught everyone's attention. Crows had begun flying overhead, their sharp caws loud enough for everyone to hear. It was strange, but whatever. However, that was just the beginning. The flames that burned throughout had changed from their bright yellow hues to a sickly green, the lighting significantly dimming. The Wen soldiers shuffled on their feet before looking up at the main watch tower at the sound of a piercing flute.

Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng watched the newcomer standing confidently on the tower, playing a strong melody. They couldn't make out his face, but the glowing red eyes were impossible to miss, along with the long, free flowing hair. Wen Chao quickly called back his guards, just as the bodies of the fallen slowly rose to their feet as feral zombies, attacking the Wen Clan and giving the Jiang Clan time to regain their senses and join the fight.

Jiang Cheng grinned, but Lan Wangji looked uneasy. Jiang Cheng looked at him and scoffed, "Whatever you're afraid of, put it aside for now. His methods are unorthodox, but he's very obviously on our side. So let's not waste his efforts!" That was when Lan Wangji finally nodded and unsheathed Bichen, while Jiang Cheng brandished Zidian.

When the Wen army was severely crippled and downsized, the figure on the tower floated down using what looked like a cloud of resentful energy. Wen Chao immediately ordered Wen Zhuliu to attack, but the figure was a lot faster. Nobody could see what happened; from their perspective, the figure simply ran past Wen Zhuliu, and the barer of the Core Melting Hand was suddenly on his knees, coughing up blood.

Wen Chao stared in horror as the figure then held up what he had taken: Wen Zhuliu's Golden Core. The figure looked at it, as if contemplating something, before putting it in his sleeve, as if he was saving it for something. The mist around the figure faded, revealing a wicked grin that made Wen Chao choke on his own gasp, "W... Wei Ying?! You're supposed to be dead!! G-ghost!!"

"It's been some time, Wen Chao. Didn't I tell you I'd come back?" Wei Wuxian smirked, but then decided he had better things to do. He whistled, then turned his back to Wen Chao, "I need to talk to the people I care about. I trust the lady you left to die can keep you entertained?" Wen Chao went pale as the feral zombie who looked exactly like Wang Lingjiao slowly approached him. Wei Wuxian then snapped his fingers, and some of the soldiers that Wen Chao lead to their deaths attacked Wen Zhuliu, to stop him from rescuing his master.

Jiang Cheng smiled brightly at seeing Wei Wuxian, and when he watched Wei Wuxian smile and open his arms, he ran in for a hug, "You bastard, you scared the shit out of me!" He felt Wei Wuxian hold him, and felt the slightest of trembles. Jiang Cheng teared up and completely lost his composure, "...I thought you were dead, *big brother*."

Wei Wuxian tensed- how long had it been since he was called that? It made him tear up and hug him tighter, "I'm sorry, *little brother*. I wanted to come and find you and Shijie as soon as I got out, but... I was scared. I'm not the same as before."

"You really think that matters? It's still you. And I'm so damn happy to see you." They held each other a little longer, calming down a little before eventually pulling away to see each other smile again.

"...Wei Ying."

"Huh?" Wei Wuxian turned to see Lan Wangji's stoney expression, and tilted his head, "Lan Zhan?"

"Was it you who killed the Wens along the way?" A nod in response. "Did you also create those talisman?" Another nod. "Wei Ying... this path you're on, it destroys the mind and body. That's saying nothing of what it does to your temperament. There's never been any exceptions. It's a heretic path for a reason."

"...Lan Zhan, I didn't have a choice." Lan Wangji froze at those words, and noticed just how exhausted Wei Wuxian truly was, "Believe me, I don't actually *want* to be on this path. But at the time, my options were become like this, or die." Wei Wuxian took a calming breath and faced him properly, "I know what I'm risking. And I'll do whatever I can to go back to normal, if I can. As for my temperament, I've been trying to keep it under control by not allowing revenge to blind me. Lan Zhan, *I* was the one saving the Wens who just wanted out of this shitty situation. I'm not going around slaughtering mindlessly." He looked ashamed and pointed to Wang Lingjiao, "She was an exception to that, I admit that, and I'm not proud of it. I understand if you don't want to believe me. But I promise that I never asked for this, and I don't want this."

As if to prove that he was truly in control, Wei Wuxian ordered the feral zombies to step down, and freed what was left of their souls. Aside from using resentful energy, how he brought the spirits to rest was exactly how he was taught in the Cloud Recesses. Lan Wangji stared at him, his eyes full of despair, "...return to Guzu with me." Wei Wuxian looked at him; last time, he didn't hear him out, and it lead to a horrible argument. This time, he indicated for Lan Wangji to elaborate, which he did: "If you're truly trapped on this path and we can't help you, then we'll find a way for you to have some semblance of normality. I swear, I will never let anyone harm you, nor will I let you be forced into seclusion. I just... believe me when I tell you that I just want you to be safe. Let me help you, Wei Ying!"

Wei Wuxian watched as Lan Wangji was fighting back his tears, and simply turned to Jiang Cheng, "Clan Leader Jiang. I ask that once I've played my part in the Sunshot Campaign as a Demonic Cultivator, once this war is over, I request to go to the Cloud Recesses with Lan Wangji. If I'm wrong, and I can go back to a normal cultivation path, I'd very much like to. I believe that the Guzu Lan Clan can help me with that, just as I believe Lan Wangji's words are sincere."

Lan Wangji stared at Wei Wuxian in disbelief, but could slowly feel his heart repairing itself. He was being given a chance to help, and Wei Wuxian trusted him. While he was impatient, he wanted to take Wei Wuxian back now, and maybe try to hide him away if he could be talked into it, he also didn't want Wei Wuxian to feel trapped or obligated to stay. Plus, he could no longer deny the effectiveness of the dark arts, and couldn't doubt that Wei Wuxian was in full control.

Jiang Cheng hesitated before nodding, "Very well. But I'm adding to this compromise: on every Night Hunt, you join me and represent the Jiang Clan as my right hand. Besides, I don't think sis would be happy with you if you didn't come home from time to time." With Wei Wuxian's new power, the Lotus Pier would be theirs again, so there was no issues in stating that it was their home once more.

"I agree with the compromise," Lan Wangji stated, "especially when you're still part of the Jiang Clan. I just want to..." he trailed off, unable to confess what he was thinking, but it didn't matter.

"Then it's settled. I'll come back with you, Lan Zhan." Wei Wuxian gave him a warm smile, looking like the man he'd grown to love. It made Lan Wangji's ears tint red. Wei Wuxian looked over to see that Wen Zhuliu had stopped moving, but Wen Chao was surprisingly still writhing in pain, bits and pieces bitten off of him. He turned to Jiang Cheng, "He's all yours."

Jiang Cheng unsheathed Sandu, but then looked towards Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian shook his head, he already got his revenge. But Lan Wangji held Bichen once more. Wen Xu had lead the attack that killed his father, and since Nie Mingjue had already decapitated him, Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen couldn't get revenge. At first, he didn't mind, revenge was a disgusting thing, but now he had the opportunity, he couldn't deny wanting to just make sure Wen Chao couldn't come back. He still hesitated, so Wei Wuxian chuckled and held up his flute. He'd had his fun, but if this helped Lan Wangji, so be it.

In the end, all three of them took the life of Wen Ruohan's youngest son that night.

[starcrossed591]

CDrama Year in Review 2023

I'm still very much a CDrama beginner--I just started watching them in the summer of 2022--but since this is the first year I got into them in earnest, I figured I might as well do a year in review a la @dangermousie (whose lists I have found incredibly helpful in deciding which CDramas I really, really need to go back and watch as part of my CDrama education--so thank you!). So, without further adieu, here is my ranking of 2023 CDramas, in order of least enjoyed to most enjoyed*.

(See also: KDrama Year in Review 2023)

*Disclaimer: *not* a measure of objective quality

10. Royal Rumours: This drama was not great? Meng Zi Yi and Jeremy Tsui were fun, but the story started out messy and got messier. For some reason I still finished it, I think because I had a lingering cold and it was all my brain could handle at the time *shrug*

9. Gone with the Rain: I actually really enjoyed this one! The pacing was inconsistent, but Zhang Nan was fun as the irreverent Mo Xi, and we love a grizzled general. Special shout to the teacher who was not actually evil, just a sad lesbian whose gf disappeared on her

8. Love You Seven Times: Intriguing concept, not a strong enough FL to carry it through. The reincarnation stuff really worked for me at first, especially in their first mortal tribulation (as people, not CGI animals), but I got tired of it pretty quickly. I admit, the gifs of Ding Yu Xi as a sexy cat demon *did* pull me back in, but not enough for me to actually finish the thing, alas

7. Destined/Chang Feng Du: Started out really strong, and then stalled out on me. I think I only got up to about episode 22 or so, after their epic desert crossing and new start in a new state--they lost all narrative momentum for me there. I stopped watching and then just...didn't start again. I do, however, remain a big Bai Jing Ting fan, and will be keeping on eye out for whatever he does next

6. Hidden Love: (Contemporary) Age gap romances are hit or miss for me, but Zhao Lu Si absolutely stole/carried the show for me in this one. Although more fun imo when the main couple are in the the will-they-won't-they phase than in the family melodrama after they get together, still the only contemporary CDrama to get me to give it a go this year--and I'm glad I did

5. My Journey to You: Featuring my favorite murder girlies Esther Yu as Yun Wei Shan and Lu Yu Xiao as Shanguan Qian! Gorgeous costumes and sets, sweeping cinematography, and plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Full disclosure, I have not actually watched the last two episodes because I got busy and then saw weird chatter about them, so I have no comment on the allegedly weird ending

4. Till the End of the Moon: Look, I know the ending wasn't ideal, but for the majority of its run, this drama owned my entire soul. It also introduced me to Bai Lu as Li Su Su, who inspired my first actual tumblr post (that wasn't a reblog) because I was so obsessed with her. And everyone knows that Tantai Jin is the CDrama ML of the year. 10/10, no regrets at letting it take over my life (and the OST my Spotify) from April to May of this year

3. The Story of Kunning Palace: More Bai Lu is always a good thing, and she's extra fun here as the transmigrated former evil empress and totally-over-your-nonsense Xiang Xue Ning here. The reverse haremness of it all totally shows why Bai Lu is the chemistry queen, especially with the princess (Liu Xie Ning) and cranky, morally grey, would-fail-gym-class strategist Xie Wie (Zhang Ling He). So glad this drama made it out of the CDrama vault and didn't languish indefinitely in censorship hell

2. A Journey to Love: Finished this one two days ago as of this writing and am still not normal about it. Ren Ruyi (Liu Shi Shi) and Ning Yuan Zhou (Liu Yu Ning) lead an exceptionally strong ensemble cast in this wuxia that explores the complicated relationships between love, duty, loyalty, loneliness, and companionship. Ruyi and Yuan Zhou are far and away one of my fave OTPs of the year, but just as compelling are the relationships between friends/brothers/fellow assassins Yu Shisan, Yuan Lu (ugh my heart), Qian Zhou, and Sun Lang. This drama definitely has one of the strongest ensemble casts of the year. And the character growth of Yang Ying from little princess abandoned in the cold palace to who she becomes by the end will stick with me for a long time. Plus another 10/10 OST!

1. Lost You Forever S1: I'm not normally a reverse harem girl, but the longing, loss, and hard resolve portrayed to perfection by Yang Zi as Xiao Yao really did it for me here. This whole drama struck an emotional chord for me, and where TTEOTM consumed my soul, LYF took over my heart. Xiao Yao's relationships with her power hungry, overprotective cousin Cang Xuan; hot snake demon Xiang Liu/playboy archery shufu Feng Feng Bei; and perfectly devoted Tushan Jing are all equally compelling to me, and while I may know who she ends up with in the end, who I *think* she should be with changes based on who's on screen at any given time. And A'Nian, my favorite bratty princess who really just needs some strong parenting, holds a special place in my heart. I know we may never get S2, and even if we do, censorship means it probably won't be what the drama makers are capable of, but I'm so glad for this little piece of absolute perfection. And, again, a top notch OST!

Fave Drama: Lost You Forever, by just a hair over A Journey to Love. See above.

Least Fave Drama: Royal Rumours--truly why did I finish this, what was past me thinking

Biggest Disappointment: 2023 is also the year I read Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir, my very first CNovel! But then I didn't even bother checking out its adaptation, Romance of a Twin Flower, because it got rid of everything that made the novel such an addicting read, including a brilliant, strategic, ice cold FL and an ML who actually kind of sucked at the beginning, only to grow on you very, very slowly over time. I'm grateful that the chatter around the drama is what brought the novel to my attention, but other than that, hard pass.

Favorite Male Character: Lots of good ones this year, but I'm gonna go with Cang Xuan (Zhang Wan Yi) from Lost You Forever. The conflict he faces between getting enough power to protect the people he loves the most and that power making him incompatible with those loved ones is so compelling, and his yearning for Xiao Yao even when she's right in front of him is wrenching. Full disclosure, I also just really love the sound of his voice

Favorite Female Character: This could easily have gone to Li Susu (TTEOTM), Xiao Yao (LYF), or Ren Ruyi (AJTL), but I'm gonna go with Bai Lu's Xiang Xue Ning in The Story of Kunning Palace. Something I really loved about this character was just how jaded Xue Ning really was, even in her second go round at life. Yeah, she wants to make amends for the harm done in her previous rise to power, but that has hardly turned her into a good--or even pleasant--person. Instead, she's incredibly skeptical and still plays most things ice cold, especially with her family. As a bonus, we got plenty of Bai Lu's fantastic side eye as she basically had to do high school all over again when she gets called into the palace despite her very best efforts not to be.

Favorite Ship: Ren Ruyi and Yuan Zhao from A Journey to Love have got to be it. They balance each other out so well, and over the course of the drama, learn to communicate effectively with each other whenever they have a problem. They also recognize that not all problems can be solved by ~love~, which makes their relationship even more compelling when they decide to prioritize each other in a way that respects what the other wants from life.

Favorite Secondary Ship: Little princess Yang Ying and Yuan Lu absolutely broke stole my heart in A Journey to Love. Doomed love even more than the main OTP, these two's youthful romance was such much fun to watch, especially as they egged their respective mentors on in their own romance. Yang Ying's recognition that her first love did not have to be her only love is also something I always love to see, even as it broke my heart that (spoiler) she and Yuan Lu never really had a chance at an HEA. Their relationship really exemplified a key theme of this drama: that you should love the people you love while they're still with you because tomorrow is never promised.

Non-2023 Dramas that I Watched: Two non-2023 dramas I watched that deserve a special shout out are Love and Redemption and The Sword and the Brocade. Love and Redemption prepared me to really appreciate the big swings that Till the End of the Moon took, and The Sword and the Brocade went a little way to filling the Story of Ming Lan shaped hole in my heart. The Sword and the Brocade also had absolutely searing critique of the concubine system, even as it featured one of the most genuinely good-hearted FLs I've seen. Would recommend both!

Most Looking Forward To: Yes, I'm a sucker and the censors (not to mention the characters) will probably break my heart, but I'm still crossing my fingers that Lost You Forever S2 will live up to the promise of part one. See above: still a CDrama beginner, have not yet had all the optimism knocked out of me. Sue me.

[veliseraptor]

So that latest Zelkam art of the core transfer has been sucking my brain out of my head all night. And now I can't stop thinking of how much JC's inherited that he never wanted or knew: Zidian (mother), the core (brother), Jin Ling (sister), Suibian (brother x2). I'd include the Jiang name and clan if I wanted to include his father. And it hurts me. He's left with so many remnants of his loved ones and yet how hollow does he feel? How unloved? Answers surely depend on post/canon timeline but idk. I'm just wrecked. *dies quietly*

I have a lot of Feelings about the ways in which Jiang Cheng really does just keep getting handed inheritances he doesn't want to have. People keep giving him things (in a material and metaphorical sense), but it doesn't seem like the give him things as an uncomplicated gift but as this enormous, weighty thing that comes with an immense price. "Here, take my life," people keep saying to Jiang Cheng, "take this and my death with it." And the hideous irony of the core transfer is that that's true even when Jiang Cheng himself tries to give his own life for the people he loves, only with the result that Wei Wuxian turns right around and gives up his own to "fix" it.

But yeah! His mother bequeaths him Zidian in the process of sending him away while she dies. Wei Wuxian dies and leaves him with a flute and a sword he doesn't want. Jin Ling...it's not that he doesn't want Jin Ling, he always would have wanted to be in his life, but not like this. oh I know I'm going to do the thing I do and quote my own fic

You, me, and a-Cheng, said a-jie’s voice in his ear. We must stay together, and never separate.

He’d never learned how to let go, but he’d been the one left behind anyway.

for someone who is in a lot of ways defined by the way that he holds on to the past, for better or worse (and I don't think it's all bad! his success rebuilding Jiang Sect is I think owed in part to his drive to never let what happened to it before to happen again), he does keep end up being the one left, and left holding mementos and reminders that are just a constant chafing reminder of what he lost.

it really adds something fun and spicy too to the bit during the second siege of the Burial Mounds, both in the novel and in CQL:

Jin Ling had never seen so many fierce corpses before, much less at such a close distance. He could feel his scalp tingle, and clenched Suihua's hilt. Yet, suddenly, his fist was peeled open, and a cold object was stuffed inside. He looked down in surprise. "Jiujiu?"

Jiang Cheng propped himself up with Sandu, which had lost its spiritual energy. His figure wavered slightly. "Try losing Zidian, just see what happens!"

[...] When Jin Ling saw that all of the people his age had rushed over, he couldn't hold himself back either. When Jiang Cheng was distracted, he stuffed Zidian back into his hand and sprinted toward the front... (Chapter 80, trans. Exiled Rebels)

The way it's acted here in particular it feels very much like Jin Ling at least has a sense of how loaded this gesture is, whatever Jiang Cheng says about giving it back. Here he is! Continuing the chain of just passing down things as a legacy that in no way substitute for the person they stand for.

just to set those screenshots alongside this:

there's something I think to Jiang Cheng that's not just incredibly painful in all the obvious ways about the core transfer, but specifically in the way that it's related to a sacrifice he very deliberately made - and now he finds out that not only was that sacrifice ultimately utterly pointless, or worse than pointless, the person he originally made it for made it so. It's this "oh, you can sacrifice yourself for me but I can't do the same for you?" that's so bitter to feel, both because I do think there's some amount of "why do you always, always get to come out of things the hero" but more than that, "why did you do this when I made my decisions specifically to protect you; does my desire to protect you not matter? doesn't it mean anything?"

Jiang Cheng standing with his hands full of memorials going "I don't want these," because what he actually wanted was his family, but the world kept taking them away, and apparently in at least one case his family actively didn't get the memo.

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

No bitches?

@cullen-blue23 🧟💖⚡️ was another one I thought of (“Jiang Cheng discovering the resident Fierce Corpse has a more successful love life than he does” was a joke I made to a friend a while back and it got a few laughs)

Had way too much fun writing this, I was laughing so hard. This is crack, don't start discourse on me.

Anyways, Wen Ning fucks. And he does it well. That's why he has so many return customers.

Jiang Cheng doesn't mind being single. He doesn't, really - he's made peace with it, he doesn't need anyone, he has things to do and a partner isn't one of them.

He has a sect to run, he has to help Jin Ling settle into his new leadership role, he has night hunts to go to and work to bitch about. So, he's very busy. Much too busy - in fact, even if he did want a relationship, which he does not, he would probably not even have time for even the most basic forms of intimacy. It's a blessing he got blacklisted, the last thing he needs is matchmakers pestering him.

So this isn't about him being jealous. It's about him being entirely fucking scandalized that the entirety of Lotus Pier thirsts after the Ghost General. You know, Wen Ning. Wen Ning. Wen, as in the Wen that attacked and killed their families 15-something years ago.

Nobody in this damn sect has any dignity.

Jiang Cheng is busy, as we've already established, and he has tasks to delegate to certain disciples. Regular sect leader stuff, right? Except that the universe fucking hates him and it's become a regular occurrence for his disciples to take "sick days" whenever there is word of the Ghost General being in the area.

Apparently, the incidence of "broken backs" and "unable to walk" has increased in the Jiang sect. Now Jiang Cheng may not be all too versed into this whole medicine thing, but he knows that's not an epidemic.

God, he can't even try to kill Wen Ning about it. The Lan sect's basically adopted him, and the last thing Jiang Cheng wants is to deal with them too - so all he can do is, I guess, let the Ghost General run through his entire sect.

And the worst part is, they like it. Jiang Cheng has to make an active effort not to hear about what exactly Wen Ning can do and he genuinely would rather die than ever find out. He doesn't want to know, he doesn't need to know, and he's going to qi deviate if he has to order new bedframes for his disciples ever again. Whatever the hell Wen Ning does to them, he can do it on the goddamn floor, where he won't break anything.

How the hell are dead people so fucking horny?

Actually, don't answer that.

Problem is, Jiang Cheng has started to sort of accept this. He's already had to swallow the fact that his golden core isn't his, there's very few things worse than that.

So you can imagine the kind of thing Jiang Cheng walked into his head disciple and Wen Ning doing in the Lotus Lake for him to write an official letter - stamped and everything - to the Lan sect, specifically addressed to Hanguang-Jun's honorable spouse.

Wei Wuxian,

I don't know and neither do I care to find out what the hell is causing your horn dog of a fierce corpse to come to my place and defile all my disciples, but by God if you don't do something about it, I'm going to cause a diplomatic incident that not even the fucking Lan sect will be able to mediate it.

Sect Leader Jiang Wanyin.

Three days letter, a very elegant reply in perfect calligraphy - Lan Wangji, for sure - reaches the Lotus Pier.

Jiang Wanyin,

No bitches?

Hanguang-Jun, Lan Wangji.

[qiu-yan]

JC I presume? 21 + 36?

21. Drink of choice (not just alcoholic)

it would be really funny if jiang cheng actually did want to try one of those colorful girly cocktails, except wei wuxian made fun of him for it One (1) time (when they were both at the peak of their teenage insecure masculinity phase), and then jiang cheng never touched one again.

it would also be really funny if jiang cheng actually really liked the lotus wine wei wuxian invented, except after Everything That Happened he can't enjoy it anymore.

post-timeskip jiang cheng seems like a proper killjoy, so he might be one of those people who only drinks water (hydro homie jiang cheng...). on the other hand, he also seems like he probably needs some sort of stimulant to keep up with all the work you know he's doing.

36. Their favorite season

lotus pier was probably at its most beautiful in the summer. some of jiang cheng's happiest childhood memories were probably formed during the summer, when he and wei wuxian and jiang yanli would go swimming in the lakes, tear through the markets, and eat so much watermelon they'd nearly throw up...when, after spending an evening demolishing the summer festival games and gorging themselves on festival food, they could climb atop the highest hill they could find and watch the fireworks blossom in the summer night sky, reflected in the waters of their home below.

more realistically, it probably depends on which seasons have the heaviest flooding. if summer is flood season, that brings with it problems ranging from refugees to water ghouls, which might make it a thoroughly annoying season instead.

after everything that happens...the time period around qingming, at least, will probably be depressing for him.

during the timeskip, jiang cheng's favorite seasons are going to be whichever ones in which he has custody of jin ling.

[thebroccolination]

I wanted to ask about some fandom, that you don't actively take part in anymore, but was into before, so I checked your ao3 fandom list looking for those that have 3-6 fics and the pokemon I choose is MDZS. :D I have watched the drama more than once before, but finished the book only recently, so it would be very interesting to read your opinion <3

So, for the 001: MDZS!

I actually have two extra questions.  1. What made you like it back then (enough to write fic)? 2. Why did you stop liking it enough to write fic? :'D

There is obviously no pressure to answer whatsoever. I understand that talking about old fandoms may not be fun, so feel free to completely ignore the ask! <3

For the fandom number meme:

Ooh, this one’s fun! And thank you for asking! I love doing these. :D

- MDZS -

1) What made you like it back then (enough to write fic)?: I found a fan translation of the novel while I was living in Japan back in 2019 and devoured it. I only read it once so I don’t remember everything clearly, but I did very emphatically think that Wei Wuxian was one of my favorite protagonists. I have the Seven Seas translation of the first volume, but I’m reading Guardian (Zhen Hun) first because that was my intro to danmei (and still my favorite of what I’ve read).

2) Why did you stop liking it enough to write fic?: Thailand distracted me. \:D/ I also didn’t know anyone in the fandom, so I’d just been sort of enjoying from the sidelines. No one to drag me back, y’know?

Now the meme proper!

001 | Send me a fandom and I will tell you my:

• Favorite Character: Wei Wuxian

• Least Favorite Character: Aaand now we’re into the stuff I blocked. Y’know that one dude? Him. Ooooh I wanted him to die so bad. I don’t actually remember if he did. I’ll tell myself he did. Good. [spits]

• 5 Favorite Ships (canon or non-canon): Our heroes wangxian, and that’s kind of it? I did hope for some sapphic pairs, but I don’t remember who I was rooting for.

• Character I find most attractive: All the women.

• Character I would marry: All the women.

• Character I would be best friends with: All the—

• A random thought: I’d love a companion book that explains the cultural and genre subtext that readers unfamiliar with them could enjoy. Like when I was in Word of Honor fandom, I loved learning about all these aspects of the series that viewers familiar with the genre conventions were pointing out.

• An unpopular opinion: Not interested in watching the series. I just loved the novel so much the way it was, so I don’t really feel any need to watch the adaptation. I’ve heard it’s great! It’s just one of those “read the book first” things.

• My canon OTP: Wangxian

• Non-canon OTP: Me x All the Women

• Most badass character: Jin Ling’s uncle

• Pairing I am not a fan of: That one character I hate paired with the guy I ship with someone else. There’s this one pair in the book and there’s betrayal and one of them ends up a broken spirit? Them I love. <3

• Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): None! I think they’re all extremely well-written.

• Favorite friendship: Wei Wuxian and the goat (was it a donkey?)

• Character I want to adopt or be adopted by: Jiang Yanli :’)

[spriteofmushrooms]

Another late night brain blast, in a AU where JC is a reincarnated SJ, Bingge comes through on a hunt for a kind Shizun. He sees that JC is a SJ without any memories and that he acts like the kind Shizun, especially towards his young nephew. BGG tells him he’ll destroy everything unless JC comes back with him and fulfill his past life debts by taking care of him. JL and WWX are freaking out and begging that JC doesn’t do anything stupid, but it’s not like JC isn’t used to sacrificing himself to keep others safe. Maybe if his past life was as horrible as this Demon Emperor made it out to be it would be safer to keep himself away from them. He’d obviously brought to much karmic debt with him and that’s why his life had gone down hill. So BGG takes him back with him and thus starts a fraught story of JC trying to figure out what to do to keep this erratic creature from tearing him and anyone he loves apart in a fit whilst WWX goes insane trying to find away to get to and save his shidi. Maybe the center of the Burial Mounds has a Xin Mo buried in it. BGG would be swinging between being pissed that JC isn’t exactly like either Shizun and obsessed with the bits that are like them.

Anon, you simply must know that this is divine.

It wouldn't even take a moment of consideration for Jiang Cheng, would it? He's probably been obsessed with ensuring that the next Jiang-zongzhu would be well-prepared for their new role. "If I died tomorrow, would Wei Wuxian the true second-in-command in all but name during and after Sunshot Jin Ling while Jin Rusong was alive my second-in-command be able to lead the sect?" must be a question that haunts him. So Lotus Pier has been designed, and his disciples have been trained, for the inevitability of his death.

Do you think the idea of being The Worst Person Ever™ (according to PIDW Luo Binghe) would settle into Jiang Cheng's insecurities easily, nestling into his soul? I don't think he'd even need to be convinced; he would certainly not defend himself. When have Shen Jiu or Jiang Cheng ever defended themselves? ("To whom should I complain? Did I tell this, / Who would believe me?")

I think he'd ask for a moment with Jin Ling. And grasping, desperate, hungry Luo Binghe would allow it--if he can watch--so that he'd be able to observe how Jiang Cheng loves other people. So he can recognize the signs in case Jiang Cheng could ever love him.

Very fun concept. Jiang Cheng would be sooo miserable.

[mykingdomforapen]

more link click headcanons as I ride the bus

The more I walked around the city, the more I noticed piles of cat food left in random street corners, stairways, and sidewalks. People will genuinely just leave little disposable cups or piles of dry cat kibble for the stray cats to eat. Naturally, Lu Guang is responsible for many of these.

Cheng Xiaoshi takes the BEST pictures of Qiao Ling whenever she asks for them. She will never tell Xu Shanshan this. Cheng Xiaoshi has the photography squat down like a king. Although she never posts them on social media, her self confidence quadruples whenever CXS gets her best angle. It’s also the only time any stranger will ever mistake her and CXS as a couple because both parties will happily spend a whole hour taking pretty photos of QL in some photogenic spot. Lu Guang takes that hour to wander off and get a lemon tea.

This isn’t a headcanon so much as a note for anyone who would like to know, as well as it will add a fun little sprinkle for anyone who continues reading my longfic spinning silk—the Guang in Lu Guang’s name is 光，which means light or brightness. Do with it what you will.

Growing up, Cheng Xiaoshi’s mother would refer to Qiao Ling and Cheng Xiaoshi as her two little bunnies, after the children’s rhyme. Qiao Ling at three years old made that a permanent fixture in her aesthetic.

Personally, my headcanon is that Cheng Xiaoshi is the originator of his and LG’s abilities, but Lu Guang has the advantage of time hopping to seem to understand their abilities sooner than he does. CXS’ parents also have some magical side to them, vaguely related to photography.

Lu Guang was raised mainly by his grandparents, and is very close to his Yeye. His parents had gone abroad to get their masters but died in a car accident when he was a toddler, so he doesn’t really have memories of them. Personally he would say he had a good childhood and was loved if not a little spoiled. He looks at photographs of his parents whenever he’s feeling vulnerable, though.

Qiao Ling’s parents out of respect of Cheng Xiaoshi’s dignity will claim that he will need to pay off a 10 year debt, but secretly they refuse to hold him to it. Cheng Xiaoshi as a little one would freak out about living away from the studio but also was terrified of spending a night alone, so there was a period of time where her dad would literally sleep on the sofa overnight just so that he would feel safe.

Just a factoid for you to do with it what you will—if you intend to put a photo or something on someone’s grave or urn, traditionally it should not include the living in it. So you can’t have a photo of yourself with the deceased on their grave because you are still alive. That being said, while Lu Guang has no interest in taking photos of himself alone he treasures the photos he has of himself with CXS. To him, it is either a promise or a threat, and he doesn’t mind either.

Cheng Xiaoshi has absolutely suggested that he and Lu Guang become sworn brothers Jin Yong style, and was 100% sober at the time.

bonus: Lu Guang’s cat rest stops

[dani474]

Jiang Cheng, the Golden Core, and why it's love. [PART 2]

I ended part one by noting that the burial mound siege wasn't the end of their relationship, but it is not the reconnection of it yet either.

Jiang Cheng capturing and torturing people who cultivate like Wei Wuxian, believing they could be possessed by him, is definitely something that would make you think of hatred. So far though, he has not actually come back into contact with Wei Wuxian, neither through the constant spirit summoning or possession trials.

Checking for possession in this moment is especially important, because this is the closest he has been to finding Wei Wuxian since his death. The fact that he's spent the last 13 years doing this is. Unhinged honestly. Even Lan Wangji didn't go out searching for him.

We all know that Lan Wangji knew Mo Xuanyu was actually Wei Wuxian because of WangXian, but Jiang Cheng heavily suspects it’s him due to Wen Ning being the force corpse summoned. 

No matter who might’ve followed WWX’s cultivation methods, summoning WN is probably something no one else has ever tried much less succeeded at. (Later, we learn why, as we learn how Nie Huaisang and Jin Guangyao are both playing their own game, but for now, all we know is that WN hasn’t been seen for at least 13 years.)

Later, we see that Wei Wuxian is scared of dogs, like to the point of potentially being a phobia due to PTSD, and this is what confirms his theory that MXY is still somehow Wei Wuxian even without the possession. Rather than a question of demonic cultivation, this is actual experience with Wei Wuxian's fears, personality, and thought processes.

His emotional state here really shows his conflicting emotions regarding Wei Wuxian and his return, as well.

“Don’t you…have anything to say to me?”

In the novels, it’s noted that Jiang Cheng speaks softly in reply. “You won’t repent, just as expected.”

“And you haven’t improved either.”

I think it's interesting that this^ is what makes Jiang Cheng angry, not Wei Wuxian admitting he has no idea what to say to him. This makes me think he wanted an apology or an acknowledgement in some way, rather than an explanation on how he got his body.

“It’s all your fault that Jin Ling is made fun of like he is now. Don’t you forget how his parents died!” This anger makes total sense, and unfortunately lacks the information around the circumstances that led to Jin Zixuan's death. he's not wrong though, and I'll come back to this.

Wei Wuxian also admitted as soon as he learned it was Jin Ling, that he would've never let someone speak to him that way, so Jiang Cheng's defense here is not one to criticize in general, no matter if the words here are equally harsh.

More than that though, throughout the present period, their interactions are sporadic and limited. Somehow, we go from this tense exchange to one's that begin to unravel more of Jiang Cheng's feelings regarding the entire thing.

When Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian locate Nie Mingjue’s head in Jin Guangyao’s room and attempt to confront him, he is able to attack and force Wei Wuxian to grab his Suiban, leading to his identity being revealed. 

Jin Ling protests here, but Jiang Cheng is visibly unsure, questioning if the possession part could’ve been wrong despite Zidian, because of the sword unsealing itself.

This is his confirmation that Wei Wuxian has returned to the land of the living. After 13 years of searching and torturing people under suspicion (and guilt of demonic cultivation), he's making this face.

In the novels, he’s noted as looking “incredibly upset.” and also that he was “seeming to ponder what action to take.”

Unintentionally, this expression, this moment of hesitation (in a room full of killing intent mid you) reveals just how complicated their relationship actually is. Normally, if you hated someone and had them brought low, you'd take the chance to strike. We see that here with everyone else in the room, later Jin Ling (despite his own messy feelings over it), and later with Nie Huaisang.

Here though, he pauses. Jin Ling had more initiative to harm Wei Wuxian than him.

And at the second burial mound siege, Jiang Cheng led his people into the Den and was willing to consider Wei Wuxian’s theories. It’s unconscious, but he holds that judgment and intellect in high enough regard to actually approach it, rather than dismiss it. When Wei Wuxian makes himself a target, and takes Lan Wangji off with him, Jiang Cheng decides to help too, with no request from anyone. Jin Ling follows AFTER his uncle.

At the end of the fight, when everyone decided to go to Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji followed and Jiang Cheng just…didn’t say either way. And when he asks Jin Ling who bullied him, the assumption that it was Wei Wuxian here makes sense in this context specifically. Note that he uses ‘Wei Ying’ in his thoughts.

You can say what you want about Jiang Cheng, but he protects his nephew undoubtedly. Is he perfect about it? No, but I do not expect the same tenderness Yanli could give him. His own experiences with parenting shape the way he responds. Still, Jin Ling tells Wei Wuxian outright that Jiang Cheng has never hit him, and yes, he can be harsh but seems to be trying to avoid belittling him. He is actually looking out for Jin Ling's safety and actively trying to support his cultivation (just not in the best way). Then again, it's hard to change such deeply ingrained responses.

Also, I think that if we're going to call Jiang Cheng abusive (though I personally disagree) for being crass and harsh towards Jin Ling, then we should consider he is an abuse victim and hasn't broken every single toxic trait he's learned. It is not a moral failure, and it actually makes his character more nuanced. So.

Anyways, for the most part, things are ambivalent.

It’s not until Wei Wuxian takes Lan Wangji around Lotus Pier, and they do the tree jump hug thing that things seem remiss. Jiang Cheng witnesses it and sees them going to the Ancestral Hall. More than any of his harsh words towards their ‘friendship’, he’s angry because Wei Wuxian is going without showing respect to Jiang Cheng or even his parents. This is audacious of Wei Wuxian, if only because he didn’t bother to tell Jiang Cheng he’d like to visit the Ancestral Hall. He doesn't live there anymore and their relationship is still very much damaged, so honestly, I can kind of understand being upset about the Ancestral Hall being approached the way it was.

He still blames Wei Wuxian for the destruction of Lotus Pier and Lan Wangji being there is fuel to the fire. Due to his own perceptions, Iang Cheng sees this as a mockery of his parents and their deaths, so I’m not surprised he reacts so negatively. Is it strictly true or fair, no, but it’s also something they’ve never actually talked about. It’s still pent-up between them.

Note that Jiang Cheng only makes a vaguely homophobic comment after Wei Wuxian tells him to shut up (for insulting LWJ). He’s being a dick sure, but this comment was specifically to goad Wei Wuxian into fighting. It’s working. Jiang Cheng’s words after this make me think he’s angrier about the introduction of Lan Wangji to his own parents because of their ‘thing for each other.’ He clearly read the intention of a marriage blessing and I think that’s what’s bothering him the most here. Why? This: “...If you two have any integrity, you shouldn’t have come here and…”

Again. Jiang Cheng points to Wei Wuxian saving Lan Wangji as being the catalyst that destroyed Lotus Pier. This is specifically what he's referencing.

Wei Wuxian strikes first, and then they’re fighting. Which is what Jiang Cheng was looking for. He can’t totally explain why he’s upset, so he argues instead.

Wen Ning decides to tell Jiang Cheng about the Golden Core transfer because he was hurting Wei Wuxian, with his actions but also with the burden of said secret. Jiang Cheng’s reaction to this – the secret itself and his own feelings around it/Wei Wuxian – are pretty justified, and instead of starting a fight later, he mostly shares his true feelings about it. 

Jiang Cheng keeps responding to it with anger, but right here, this is shock and hurt, as far as I can tell. His next words make me believe that: “Lies!” “Lies! All of you are lying to me!” 

Right now, he has no idea what to think of Wei Wuxian. He has no idea what’s really happened and who’s told him the truth. It completely upheaved his current perceptions. He does ask others to try pulling out Suiban. Because he knows, on some level, that WWX’s sword should not be ‘unsealed’ and that Baoshan Sanren should’ve been much more elusive. 

I think the most interesting aspect here is the result of it.

Jiang Cheng does what Wen Ning asks and once he enters the Guanyin Temple, well. Jin Guangyao taunts, throwing his confusion and whirlwind behavior in his face.

His anger here is not at all surprising, considering this is a private issue. The fact that it’s being used against him during this little skirmish is not a good sign for him. It's forcing him to acknowledge that Wen Ning was telling the truth, in a way that even unsheathing Suiban himself can't.

Jiang Cheng is upset here because he’s having all of his accomplishments since the Sunshot Campaign started questioned, diminished, and attributed to Wei Wuxian. Once again, someone is telling him that he will never be good enough, and by mentioning a golden elixir, even implies that he must ‘cheat’ in order to even match Wei Wuxian. Of course, like most people, being compared to someone this way is hurtful, and to have it done repeatedly by so many people who see that other person as more likable and more accomplished, is going to leave deep seated issues.

Still, the moment JGY threatened Wei Wuxian’s life, he was over there to protect him without a thought. JGY was intentionally riling Jiang Cheng up in order to put him in that position. With his ability to read people, he quickly realized that despite any potential anger and hurt, he wouldn’t allow Wei Wuxian to be injured, not when he’s just learned about the Golden Core Transfer. By doing this, he was able to injure Jiang Cheng as he was slower to defend himself.

In response to Wei Wuxian saying “I told [Wen Ning] so many times not to say it!” is anger first. This is probably the most blatant he is about his own insecurities concerning and his own capabilities.

He’s mocking Wei Wuxian’s choice as playing the hero and living up to their sect’s motto in the way he couldn’t.

It’s interesting that Jiang Cheng is overshadowed by Wei Wuxian to the point of viewing himself as inferior at everything; to the point of needing to question who or what he is. This sounded strange to me at first, but subconsciously people recognize that Wei Wuxian’s abilities are higher despite who he is – the son of a servant (or the potential bastard of JFM) according to what’s convenient. Jiang Cheng is lower here because his parentage is “no match” for Wei Wuxian's. The parents aren’t mentioned outright, but why else would a sect heir, and now a sect leader, be pitted against his head disciple and viewed as a failure for not matching up? 

It's the same reason Madam Yu was so angry.

Because failing to match Wei Wuxian is seen as a slight against the Jiang sect. She was angry that Jiang Fengmian kept acknowledging Wei Wuxian but not his own son and heir. It’s why the gossip was so bad, and why it was getting to her. It’s also why Jiang Cheng can't help but be jealous. It's a conflict of status. He feels much lower, but his status is nothing of the sort. Wei Wuxian’s accomplishments are higher and more respected, but his place is much more tenuous. 

This is not either of their faults. It’s the results of classism and parental conflict. The Jiang parent's and their personal strife leads to the belittlement of their children, and the jealousy directed at Wei Wuxian leads to a conflicting position. The son of a servant and a head disciple who should be good, but not better than Jiang Cheng. The son of Canse Sanren who's as well known as Madam Yu, but also brings her disrespect and dishonor in the rumors. Whichever causes the most tension at the time. 

Also, yes, I know Jiang Cheng’s rant in the novel is much more harsh, and his actions more impulsive, but that doesn’t really change anything. People do not act rationally when they are this upset. Some of the things he says in here show how belittled he feels (ex. “You never tell me anything. You treat me like a fool!” and “What am I? Does it serve me right to be blinded by your brilliance?!”)

When Jiang Cheng lashes out here, he’s also questioning their positions, even before he says it outright. He tries to shove Wei Wuxian and we can say whatever about this choice, but to be honest, I very rarely see people who are close peers much less those raised in the same household (whether they’re allowed to consider themselves brothers or not) approach anger or hurt without being a bit of a childish dick about it. Lan Wangji is quick to interfere of course, so Wei Wuxian isn’t actually hurt. 

I already noted why he’s asking these questions. ‘What am I if the son of a servant, even one taken in by my family, can outshine me in everything? How can I live up to that? Why can’t I, when I’m a sect heir? My status is higher than yours, but you are much higher than me.’

Again. It’s not intentional, but it is driven by classism, not just sibling jealousy.  Being so close to one another in their youths makes his perspective on Wei Wuxian's class more flexible than his parents, but it also means the discrepancy between them, and the public opinion is much heavier. It drives those insecurities deeper.

Jiang Cheng going on to mention the deaths that Wei Wuxian caused. It’s no surprise he still blames WWX for being the catalyst in Lotus Pier’s destruction, but I think him bringing up Jin Ling's parents is different. The politics around the Wen’s attacking Lotus Pier are complicated enough that he only mentions his parents rather than the whole sect, as he did in the immediate aftermath of the attack. 

Jin Zixuan and Yanli, though? These must hurt in such a specific way. Wei Wuxian is more to blame for these deaths than the others, because both of them went out into an unsafe situation to help him.

Wei Wuxian was increasingly unstable, his position on its very last leg, and his powers caused the injuries. Yanli is more complicated, if only because she was injured but would’ve survived if she hadn’t stepped in front of a sword strike meant for Wei Wuxian. They chose to protect him, in two different ways. Jin Zixuan was trying to diffuse the situation enough to get Wei Wuxian out safely, and Yanli wanted to calm Wei Wuxian down enough to control the corpses, to get him out of that situation, and more than anything -- she wanted to see him again.

Jiang Cheng’s anger is not unjustified, to be honest. Is it complicated? Yes. Everyone else's actions also caused those deaths. But emotions are not logical nor are they simple. 

And then we get to the crux of the issue, in my opinion. 

This more than anything is why he’s angry. Because breaking it meant Jiang Cheng could not lean on him or count on him for support, which he definitely needed while rebuilding the sect. 

Because it meant his sect (and Jiang Cheng himself, maybe) was not worth protecting. Wei Wuxian did choose to protect ‘outsiders’; he may have done so because it was the right thing to do, because he owed a debt that he couldn’t ever really repay, but it is still a choice that puts the Jiang sect (JC) second. When he asks: “what did you take our family as?”, that is what I hear. 

Jiang Cheng is asking whether or not he should or is allowed to hate Wei Wuxian. LWJ gets in between them and Jiang Cheng decides he can fight if necessary. And to be honest, I can’t help but pay attention to everyone's expressions when he steps closer to Wei Wuxian. Everyone looks so surprised to see he’s in pain, that he’s crying. Everyone takes his at face value, so they miss how much he carries behind all of it.

He’s so angry at Wei Wuxian, maybe even hates him, because more than anything, it hurts.

This is just all that pain and grief coming out. Jiang Cheng lost Wei Wuxian when he broke that promise, and after having lost his parents, then his brother-in-law and sister, that was all he had left.

He doesn’t understand why Wei Wuxian couldn’t tell him these things. It would’ve hurt much less if he knew the truth, I imagine. Because for this entire time, he didn’t have any explanation for Wei Wuxian’s behavior. This, honestly, tells me that he wanted Wei Wuxian to stay. We know Jiang Cheng wanted to protect him, as Yanli did, and now he knows that Wei Wuxian wanted to protect him, too.

When Wei Wuxian apologizes for breaking his promise, Jiang Cheng is upset with himself for needing it. For wanting it. He feels weak for not being able to just hate Wei Wuxian. Because that’s the thing.

Jiang Cheng asked those questions because he struggles to reconcile feeling like he should hate WWX – maybe actually hating him on some level – and still loving him. 

And yes. Jiang Cheng loves him.

He may see Wei Wuxian in a position of both servitude (as his head disciple, regarding the expectations around him being a sect heir, and Wei Wuxian being of a servant’s line) and one of admiration and inferiority to. But they’re close enough to bicker and be tactile as siblings would, but not enough to be considered siblings by anyone else.

They see this causal behavior as one of disrespect, and at Jiang Cheng’s lowest and most politically unstable moments (sunshot and after), he began to see it that way as well. It’s much harder to ignore everyone shouting these kinds of things at you constantly when you have next to no one countering that perception. MianMian and Lan Wangji both tried to stop people from spreading this idea but they couldn’t. Jiang Cheng couldn’t either, and the fact that they fed into pre-existing insecurities makes them very easy to internalize and manipulate. Don’t forget that he’s literally 17-20 when this is mostly happening. 

When Jiang Cheng apologized to Wei Wuxian, and he responded like this, I was questioning if he chose to do it out of obligation.

Why would he say this? Is it because Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian asked him to take care of their children? Because the Jiang family took him in?

Or because Jiang Cheng accused him of betraying his family? 

Wei Wuxian giving his Golden Core to JC is not something anyone would’ve requested of him to fulfill his obligations to the Jiangs. It was an experimental procedure that hadn’t even been heard of outside of Wen Qing and her family. Wei Wuxian chose to do it because he wanted to protect Jiang Cheng. To protect from his grief and his guilt over not being able to get revenge for their sect. To protect him from feeling inferior. Jiang Cheng was literally at his lowest point and was arguably suicidal. After bringing JC to someplace safe enough for treatment, he’d already fulfilled his duties to the Jiang family. But choosing an extremely risky procedure, to give someone a part of himself that the cultivation world considered near sacred, wouldn’t have crossed any cultivators mind. 

Choosing to do it anyway. How is that NOT out of love? 

It’s just that he didn't tell Jiang Cheng the truth because it would hurt him. And by hurting him this way, making him feel as if none of his accomplishments were his own, he would be dishonoring his obligations to the Jiang parents. 

Wei Wuxian’s own feelings here are more complex. He’s grateful that Jiang Fengmian took him in, so he approaches the Transfer in a way that emphasizes that to reduce the sense of loss. He says as much in the novels:

“If it had not been for Jiang Fengmian bringing him to Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian might never have crossed paths with the cultivation world. He would never have been conscious of such a mystical and magnificent realm.”

“[...] He’d have had no way of cultivating, let alone a chance to form a golden core. And at that thought, he’d feel a lot better.”

If he hadn’t been taken in, he’d never have a golden core and would never feel that loss, but he’d never have met Yanli or Jiang Cheng either. So, duty is easier. But this is AFTER.

Wei Wuxian wanted Jiang Cheng to live, so he did something that would ensure it, even at the cost of his own health. Regardless of the parents, these three value each other's lives enough to risk their own. It’s shown to us repeatedly. All of these are reciprocal and are done without any need for debt or obligation.

The reason Wei Wuxian says it this way is because he thinks that Jiang Cheng shouldn’t have to apologize for his words. From his perspective, Jiang Cheng believes he should repay the Jiang family, because of how he's been saying these things. 

I say it like that because Jiang Cheng doesn’t like that response. He questions it. To my parents? To my sister? And then Wei Wuxian asks them not to talk about it, to let it be in the past. He’s doing this to protect himself and yet inadvertently implying that he chose to do it because of literally everyone BUT Jiang Cheng. 

It sounds like “I did this to repay your family, not for you.” and that bothers him. But he doesn’t say anything else because Wei Wuxian told him not to. Wei Wuxian said it because he thought it would make Jiang Cheng feel less betrayed. They’ve completely talked past each other and don’t even know it.

He doesn’t look relieved here. Seriously. This is not the face I’d be making if those words relieved me. His face is scrunched and his teeth are clenched. He looks pained. He’s trying to keep the rest of his tears in. 

It hurts him to hear that, but he can't say anything now. 

And with the reveal that Su She casted the Hundred Holes curse on Jin Zixun, Wei Wuxian is rightfully feeling that he was wronged. The moment Jin Guangyao says that, actually, Wei Wuxian would be besieged regardless and would die young, Jiang Cheng gets angry. It hurts to hear, because it ended up being true. JGY knows it and uses that to his advantage, but only after being called the son of a prostitute. (Before that, he's just generally taunting.)

By laying all the blame for Wei Wuxian’s death on Jiang Cheng, he’s hitting a surprising sore point. Jiang Cheng feels guilty over aiding in Wei Wuxian’s death. He knows that the wedge driven between them happened because of his insecurities. And he knows that by allowing the other sects to target Wei Wuxian rather than risk the sect to back him, he pretty much set the stage for Wei Wuxian's death. It took a year, but once there was a ‘reason’, he ended up with no choice but to siege the Burial Mounds. Once again, these things happened due to more than just themselves. They did not have a path outside of this one due to where they both were.

I like the detail that Jin Ling has to hold him back here, but Wei Wuxian also won’t let it slide. He immediately comes to JC’s defense once JGY starts to imply that JC killed him. (He corrected Wen Ning on this, too.)

(Side thing: They both care for Jin Ling. Yes, Jiang Cheng is rude, but he does try his best to spoil and protect him, and when Jin Guangyao takes Jin Ling hostage, he’s upset to the point that he uses the affectionate form of his name. This also causes Wei Wuxian to immediately try to help in response, due to being familiar with Jiang Cheng’s different tones.)

At the end of all of this, Jiang Cheng had wanted to tell Wei Wuxian something just before he left, but didn’t. I particularly like his expression in the manhua. 

“I didn’t get caught by the Wen Clan because I insisted on returning to Lotus Pier to retrieve my parents’ bodies. When you went to buy rations in that small town during our escape, a group of Wen cultivators caught up to us. I noticed them early and left the spot where I’d been sitting to hide in a corner of the street. I didn’t get caught, but they were patrolling, and they would have surely bumped into you while you were getting us food.

So I ran out and lured them away.”

TL;DR

Like most people, Jiang Cheng’s words and actions don’t always match, and they don’t always say what he’s feeling. Can he hurt people with his behaviors, yes. But honestly, this is just how people work and isn't a sign of one-dimensional villainy. He hurts others with his actions and other people’s actions hurt him. It’s just the nature of being involved with others, and especially in loving them. 

Keeping his actions within his relationships in full context is really the only way to understand his motivations, emotions, and why other characters feel the way they do about him. This is about how Jiang Cheng’s insecurities and strained familial relationships influences how he responds to Wei Wuxian over the course of their lives, how politics shaped the fallout, and ultimately why it was not duty that led to the Golden Core transfer, on either side. 

They didn’t tell each other about those sacrifices – ones they made out of love for each other and with little regard for anything else – because knowing would hurt the other. 

Sacrifice as a form of love is a theme between these two. Sacrifice was a form of love between many others too. Yanli, Wen Qing, Lan Wangji, Madam Yu, even. An element of obligation doesn't actually counteract that. Everyone has some level of obligation to the people around them.

Even so. They deal with their issues by pretending they don’t have issues, so of course it builds up. Of course, Jiang Cheng’s personality results in a grudge, but that doesn’t mean it’s all he feels. It’s complicated. I think with people you’re close to, it’s easy to resent them and also love them. I think they love each other, and there’s just so much pain and trauma and communication issues between them that it festers into something ugly. It looks like hate because those pains build until they explode.

I think for someone like Jiang Cheng, it’s so much easier to hate someone than to love them when it’s painful to do so. 

It must have been so much easier to hate the man Wei Wuxian became – the Yiling Patriarch – than it was to remember who that person was, to him. We know that Jin Ling and Jiang Cheng are noted as being similar, and I think Jin Ling’s complicated feelings reflect this point. Jin Ling stabbed Wei Wuxian because of his parents being murdered, but also helped him and didn’t want to see him get hurt, because he came to like the man Wei Wuxian actually was rather than the big scary boogeyman. I think this happened in reverse for Jiang Cheng. Hate the boogeyman to forget the human you knew. 

But, eventually, the truth comes out, and they can’t keep those things in anymore. 

So to me, the Golden Core Transfer, from both ends, was them saying: ‘I want you to live.’ And how can that not be an act of love? Of devotion? We see Yanli’s protection of WWX as an act of love and sacrifice, but not this? Because their relationship cannot be easily described? Because Jiang Cheng is a hard man to work with, or even love? Because acknowledging this level of devotion might threaten the impact of wangxian? Sometimes, for better or worse, we know people who are hard to understand and hard to communicate with, but the love is there and it’s real. And for these two, I think even if the love could not outweigh the tension or the circumstances around them, they tried as best as they could. Because they both believed the other was worth it. 

We know Wei Wuxian has more positive feelings overall towards Jiang Cheng, but it’s much harder to get into Jiang Cheng’s head because he’s not often the narrator. This is on purpose of course, but it also means we can miss intricate details. 

That doesn’t mean it isn’t there though. And that doesn’t mean there’s no love. 

LINK BACK TO PART 1

[m34gs]

Now that you're done watching S2 of Link Click please tell me your top 5 favourite scenes/moments in the series so far!

Oh this is a fun ask! Thank you for sending it to me!! I am so excited to answer this. I love this series so much and I can't wait to get started on the fic ideas I have for it! ehehehehe.

Because of spoilers, I will put the list under a cut! We will be counting down from 5 to 1, with my all-time favourite being #1! Of course, I'll include some honourable mentions, ehehe. I will be excluding the opening and ending credits from both seasons from these, as I don't consider them to be scenes (though I *know* you know the part that would be my absolute fave if I *did* include them).

Alright, which 5 Link Click scenes made Meags go absolutely feral??? Let's get to it!

5. After the earthquake dive, when Cheng Xiaoshi drops to the floor and Lu Guang immediately drops down to comfort him. God. I love that scene so much. You know. You *know* what it fuels in me. The angst. The tension. The...tension 👀👀👀. But seriously, the tenderness of it, too. The moment of just being held by someone close to you while you lose it and cry. My poor, poor baby Cheng Xiaoshi. Looking back on it, knowing what Lu Guang knew from previous dives, knowing he probably knew exactly where it was heading, and that he couldn't stop it even if he wanted to, that he would never be able to stop Cheng Xiaoshi from being overwhelmed by that dive even though he wants to never hurt him. Knowing that he went into it probably trying desperately to justify the pain he would cause his best friend just so that he could save his life. If that isn't a tragic beauty, I don't know what is.

4. Qiao Ling kicking ass in the hospital with Cheng Xiaoshi. My girl can fucking *wield* an IV pole. Love her so much. She's so fucking strong and she makes such a good team with Cheng Xiaoshi when they're fighting off the attackers. Love to see it.

3. The memory where Lu Guang appears at the basketball court. The reason this one holds a special place in my heart is because of his expression. As much as he's "just met" Cheng Xiaoshi; you can see the recognition in his eyes, the longing, the hope, the love...the "you're alive...you're still alive...I have a chance" that sits in his heart and is the only reason he can keep doing this again and again and again. It wrecks me. I love it.

2. Cheng Xiaoshi coming face to face with his own recklessness when he's possessing Lu Guang's body in the past... because oh my god that is so fucking funny. The way he went from "yessss, I just saved myself AND my boyfriend, haha, I win this time" to "jesus fuck I forgot I was an absolute impulsive dumbass" was so fucking funny. And it was so funny seeing his expressions on the usually-stoic Lu Guang's face. Gets me every time I think about it. I will never be over how fucking funny that was. I can just imagine Lu Guang later going "not so funny when you're on the receiving end of the impulsiveness, is it?" ahahahaha.

Honourable Mentions: Qiao Ling slaps Qian Jin at the funeral (get his ass!!!!), Xiao Ma getting shot (zero fucking sympathy for you sir!), Lu Guang buys Cheng Xiaoshi boba tea after the earthquake episodes (we love to see boys being soft and comforting each other, even if one of them has to be a bit tsundere about it...), Qiao Ling and Lu Guang refusing to take cases after the earthquake case in order to protect Cheng Xiaoshi (love to see some protective friends).

When Cheng Xiaoshi gets shot and Lu Guang goes absolutely fucking feral on Qian Jin's ass. Get him. Fucking. GET. HIM. UGH. I love it so much. He's 100% ready to kill the man who shot his lover best friend. I am always here for the calm and composed one losing their absolute shit when the people they love are harmed. You know what they say; demons flee when a good man goes to war. And I love that, this time, Cheng Xiaoshi wasn't dead. He was only grazed. And what does he do? He doesn't fucking hesitate. Lu Guang is beating this guy's ass? Guess that's what we're doing then. Like, sometimes I like to think up to that point he has held in his urges to punch someone not just because of the gun, but also because he's like, "gotta do what Lu Guang would do. Can't disappoint the boyfriend" and then he sees him going nuts and goes "oh if Lu Guang says so, then it must be ok" and decides to join in. Like. Ugh. They are so in fucking love.

Ok, ok, there are my answers! Hope you enjoy! And I'd love to know what your top 5 fave scenes are too👀👀👀

[mdzs-fanon-exposed]

An in-text rumor rating does sound interesting!

For example, WWX being a ‘playboy’ is something believed by everyone, even JC, and fandom even has a tag for it. But!there are lines about WWX saving his first kiss, he never follows up on his flirts, he actually dies a virgin himself, and a lot of those rumors came from ‘yllz deflowering virgins’ and other propaganda to turn WWX into a public target by the clans. And at the time WWX was stuck on a corpse mountain burying a giggling radish.

So the RUMOR is true but it’s not ‘true’ for the character.

And, JC killing DC cultivators as a ‘rumour’ is interesting. Cuz one of the first thoughts we get from JC is him thinking to take away ‘MXY’ to ‘confirm’ and this is from his first opening appearance. When JC feels sure and WWX is finally cornered, JC just gives a gesture and his disciples act immediately, bribing and cordoning off the inn and absolutely no one intervenes as WWX screams in terror from inside.

Jin Ling is the most important character witness for JC, as he the closest to him and also the one who defends JC the most. And he confirms that JC ‘doesn’t let any of them go even if they’re innocent’ and actively helps MXY escape, saving him from his own Uncle. Even if the specific statement about JC whipping people to death is false, there is enough to say that there is some credibility to it overall. And JC’s overall violent behavior, even to his own nephew, doesn’t do him any favors.

This is getting a bit too long sorry, but I need to point out a problem with mo dao and gui dao. Just in case you don’t know, the official translation messes up these extremely important words which leads to a lot of confusion about WWX’s actual cultivation and fanon claiming that it is evil. WWX practices gui dao and other than one time, uses this to describe his cultivation. Xue Yang uses mo dao and all its horrors as seen in Yi City and the Villainous Friends extra.

This can get very confusing when getting into details and singular incidents, when seeing how the narrative treats WWX’s cultivation, how the public is made to see it, how clans like LQR assume it to be, how JGS tries to recreate it, and of course, how it’s treated when compared to the Nie cultivation and how its users always canonically Qi deviate but doesn’t face such scrutiny cuz Nie is a Great Clan.

But obviously you can’t just believe my words, so perhaps there might be a need for a direct Chinese text confirmation, maybe from a trusted friend or online if you can find a trusted source (very hard in this fandom sadly).

Thank you for your time. I hope this blog is fun for you, I love MDZS and having even more people analyzing this amazing book and text is wonderful.

i really appreciate your second ask, and there's no need to apologize! i did in fact ask for correction on that claim about jiang cheng, and i'm happy to get constructive feedback. thank you for messaging me! (and if these aren't sent from the same person...... whoops)

to your second point: if i'm understanding it correctly, you're saying that the "demonic cultivation" we know from the english translations is actually two things mistranslated as one; wei wuxian's branch "gui dao", which he invented, and the actual "mo dao" of Mo Dao Zu Shi, which is the more... harmful/evil of the two, and which maybe existed before wei wuxian came along? (or he invented both but only uses gui dao?) the implications i'm getting here are that the fandom (and many of the characters) misconstrues wei wuxian's actual method for the "evil" method and so thinks wei wuxian is committing more harm than he actually is.

that's a really interesting point, and i'm glad you brought it to my attention. unfortunately, i don't have any preexisting trusted friends/sources that would be able to help me with the chinese raws. in general, my unfamiliarity with these nuances (and chinese culture as a whole) means that i'm much more likely to make mistakes if i rely on that knowledge base on this blog. as i mentioned in my pinned post, i'm only using the english translation of the novels for this reason, and the english versions don't differentiate between different forms of demonic cultivation.

in future posts i will likely not be making a distinction between "gui dao" and "mo dao" without extra help; however, i also don't intend on answering any submissions that would require me to make the distinction anyways. i'm trying to be as objective as possible on this blog (with the exception of some clearly labeled analysis), and i don't exactly feel qualified to rate something as subjective as morality. i can rate the canon or fanon status of specific actions such as "wei wuxian digs up graves," but submissions that make generalizing statements along the lines of "wei wuxian's branch of cultivation is evil" will be ignored.

thank you again for the ask! i'd love to continue this conversation, especially if you (or anyone else) wants to clarify something here. i love MDZS too and i'm really happy that so many people are coming along for this ride with me :)

[bi-turtle-enthusiast]

Hello.... Can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from MDZS? And why you loved them? And your top 5 favorite moments from the series? Thanks if you want to answer....

yeah sure!

Characters:

5. Lan Sizhui/Lan Jingyi I love their dynamic SO much. They're best friends who have clearly known each other for such a long time, and they're both really interesting characters in their own right! Lan Sizhui is so interesting, what with his Lan upbringing and his Wen heritage, and the fact that he's connecting to both by the end of the book. Lan Jingyi is Lan Sizhui's ride-or-die, protecting his best friend at every opportunity while having the best lines in the entire book, and he makes every scene he's in 100x better.

4. Wen Qing Medical malplractice queen!! But in all seriousness, there's something so viscerally powerful about the fact that she's willing to go against nature itself for her baby brother. She'd both die and kill for Wen Ning, and later for Wei Wuxian. I feel like her type of character (murderous older sister) is kind of rare and I really, really like her. I feel like The Untamed really fleshed out her character and I really appreciated her after I watched it. She's equally capable of nurturing and destroying—a force of nature herself.

3. Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian Fun fact: I hated Lan Wangji when I first read MDZS, and to be honest I'm still so-so on novel Lan Wangji. However, he was easily one of my favorite characters in The Untamed, and watching it made me see him in a whole different light. He doesn't communicate through his words, but through his actions. I think Wang Yibo was perfect casting because he NAILED Lan Wangji's micro-expressions and body language and really brought the character to life. Reading Lan Wangji as autistic also made me understand him a lot more. As for Wei Wuxian, I initially read him as a silly guy and... was right. Despite everything, he stays silly. I do find him a little insufferable pre-death, but I think that was intentional. He probably would have been higher on the list, but while I think he's a really compelling character (and ADHD personified, just like me fr), I'm also very frustrated by him and I don't like how he treats people sometimes. Still, I adore the way he looks after Jin Ling, refuses to let anyone blame Jiang Cheng for anything that happened to him, and takes care of Lan Wangji (towards the end, anyway).

2. Jin Ling Ok he probably would have been at the very top of this list but unfortunately jiang cheng brainrot is real. But CAN WE TALK ABOUT HIM. Over the course of the story, he finds out that his disgraced uncle who insulted him for not having a mom was actually Wei Wuxian reincarnated, then had to contend with the fact that Wei Wuxian was both the reason his parents and grandparents died AND the guy who protected him at every opportunity. Not to mention, he learned that Jin Guangyao, his beloved uncle who gifted him his beloved dog, had orchestrated his parents' death and was ready to kill him too. And what does he do at the end of the novel? He cries. He doesn't seek revenge, he doesn't get angry, he just cries, and he lets go. He chooses not to pursue revenge, because he's seen how the quest for revenge has destroyed everyone around him in one way or another. He's a little shit (because he's an edgy 15 year old) but he's a really intelligent and kind person who loves Jiang Cheng more than anything.

1. Jiang Cheng Some of y'all are going to disagree with me but it must be said. Jiang Cheng is the best MDZS character. Jiang Yanli's love and care taught him how to be loving and caring too. He loved Wei Wuxian, he loved Jin Ling, and he loved his sect. Jiang Cheng never stopped loving Wei Wuxian, even after everything that happened. He hated Wei Wuxian too—that's undeniable—but he also loved him. He kept his belongings intact, he never stopped believing he would come back, he literally gave up his golden core to protect Wei Wuxian. And Jin Ling! He loves Jin Ling so much! Despite having AWFUL parents himself, he was determined not to be that way towards Jin Ling. He did his best to break the generational trauma of his family because he wanted Jin Ling to have it better than he did. When Jin Ling becomes sect leader, he makes sure that he knows that if he EVER needs ANYTHING, he'll provide it to the best of his ability. I could go on for hours about this man. Best MDZS character. He's so full of resentment and hatred and vengeance, but in the end, the thing that always wins out over everything else is his unshakeable love.

Honorable mention: I loved MianMian in the Untamed and wish she got more time to shine in the novel

Favorite moments: 5. Literally anytime Lan Jingyi is in a scene. Every time he opens his mouth it's my favorite scene. He keeps Wei Wuxian humble in a way that only a teenager can. 4. The WangXian scene where Wei Wuxian hides porn in Lan Wangji's book. It starts off so genuinely nice—you can tell Lan Wangji isn't really serious anymore when he tells Wei Wuxian to stfu, and you get the feeling that Wei Wuxian is probably the closest thing Lan Wangji has to a friend. Wei Wuxian draws Lan Wangji a little portrait, and it's genuinely a sweet gesture. Lan Wangji thinks so too—he hasn't ever gotten something like this, and the fact that Wei Wuxian took the time to learn his appearance and commit it to paper makes him feel some type of way. And then, it turns out that everything was just a ruse so Wei Wuxian could prank Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji is,, understandably enraged. It feels cruel that Wei Wuxian would be so insincere just to do that. I kind of hated Wei Wuxian in this scene, but it's one of my favorites because it kind of shows the nature of their initial relationship—half-sincere, but never truly sincere. 3. Xuanwu cave scene. It's so funny and so painful and so sweet. We really see everyone's characters coming out—Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji being selfless protective, Jiang Cheng being capable and responsible, Jin Zixuan being brave and righteous, MianMian being the GOAT, Wang Lingjiao and Wen Chao deserving death, etc. 2. The umbrella scene in the Untamed. It was just so powerful. Lan Wangji putting down his umbrella, which represents the rules and morality of his sect, and just letting the rain mess up his perfect appearance. He doesn't know what's right and wrong anymore, because he loves Wei Wuxian, but everyone is telling him that's wrong. Wei Wuxian himself doesn't know what's right and wrong. Lan Wangji has been thinking in terms of black and white all this time, and for the first time, he finds himself in a gray area. It was just so powerful!! 1. The conversation between Jin Ling and Jiang Cheng after the temple scene at the end. It was just so beautiful. Go read/watch it.

[habizuh-studios]

Reaction to Guardian (Chapter 2-Chapter 10)

okay so i had to stop myself from binge reading so that i could make this post, but i think i failed.

okay i'm not even gonna lie, i kinda really love guo changcheng. he makes serious situations so funny and i feel kinda bad for him. ik he would be soOOO annoying irl, but in the book he kinda heightens the experience without intruding on zhao yunlan and shen wei, lmao.

i re-looked at the cover for volume 1, of course, and my first impression of shen wei was that he was apprehensive or concerned, but now he seems a little in love/shy type of concerned. idk, after reading, their expressions seem a lot more soft.

the python lady, whose name i forgot. wait. erm. ZHU HONG that was it. okay so first of all the period jokes are crazy. at first i was abt to say why tf would you spend so much money on making her learn about tech stuff, but then i realized this was based in china and idk how much universities cost there. whoops. ALSO ALSO WHY THE FUCK IS SHE FLIRTING WITH ZHAO YUNLAN?? HELLO?? bro was actually disgusted and she should've been ashamed. that being said, i do quite like her. i think if there are scenes with her in the future, they won't be that bad.

lin jing- whose name i only remember because of jin ling- is super kewl. idk, bro just seems like a wingman. i think i imagine him differently in my head because of jin ling.... so he has no glasses and is kinda short in my head... but all is well, yk? i like his- again, i binge read, so sorry if this is offensive/incorrect- monk/buddhist motif.

the fight scenes are so well made, holy shit. and so are the illustrations! like omg, they were so fun to read. i love love love fight scenes and with guo changcheng it definitely wasn't AS serious, but yk. obv we love shen wei being a badass and daqing being daqing.

the illustrations are such bangers as well, i love the style. especially the one where zhao yunlan was holding the dagger in his mouth and holding the talisman? dont ask me why, but i love when characters do that. it feels so badass to me.

i'm so excited to read the rest. i'm not sure if zhao yunlan's memory altering technique thing will work on shen wei, because he is a little sus. meaning that he definitely has a hidden past and is like secretly a demon or guardian of zhao yunlan or some shit, yk? i have the covers of the rest of the novels at my disposure, or whatever the fuck, and i can see that they have long hair, which was kinda strange to me because it seems like a modern type au so far?

oh yeah quick interlude: love the fact that you can shoot ghosts with bullets. that seems so fucking badass to me. this novel is so badass, dont ask me why

anyway i really enjoyed the little kissie that zhao yunlan gave shen wei. i wonder what their future dynamic will be?

so excited to read the rest, i highly recommend if you like good fight scenes!! can't wait to unravel the mystery.

oh, p.s: li qian (?) wasn't the one who died, i was wrong. but she was supposed to die- or so i think rn, idk the twists. ah, maybe mxtx has shapen me into expecting something so out there, but with jun wu and nie huaisang and luo binghe, things aren't really what they seem, i'm SURE of it.

i love guardian so far, and i'm sure you will too!

until next time...

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

Thank you

I, of course, respect democracy on this blog, so since the overwhelming majority voted for me to write this terrible, heavy angst, here you go <3

"Da-jiu, what did my mom look like?"

Wei Wuxian sighs, nostalgic, a distant ache throbbing behind an only slightly forced smile. "She was... beautiful, elegant. You got her eyes, you know? When we were children, we would always compare them to chocolate or roasted chestnuts... She had a very warm smile, a soft voice, but even so, she could be incredibly fierce when she wanted to..."

"How did she wear her hair?"

"In all sorts of ways, but she liked braids the most. She practiced on me and your jiujiu a lot."

A snort. "You probably looked ridiculous."

"I did! But it made your mom laugh, and that was more important than me getting made fun of!"

Wind rustles through the falling leaves of the forest trees, the chill warning that winter is a mere few weeks away. The moon shines bright, at its zenith, and wildlife howls and groans in the distance.

"Da-jiu..."

"Hm?"

"Do you think jiujiu will be mad at me?"

Wei Wuxian's smile trembles at the edges. "No, he's never actually mad at you. That's just how he is."

"But he will be mad at you, though..."

"He's always mad at me."

"He shouldn't be... And I shouldn't either."

"Jin Ling-"

"No, listen... Back then, my parents were collateral victims... at the wrong place, at the wrong time. I don't want to be too late telling you this, so... I forgive you. It wasn't your fault."

Wei Wuxian's eyes fill with tears as he reaches to move a few bloody strands away from the boy's face.

"And... I'm sorry I stabbed you back then. I was angry and didn't think..." Jin Ling takes a deep, painful breath. "This isn't your fault either."

Wei Wuxian's eyes try so hard not to trail over the mess of bloody, golden robes on his nephew's clothes, doesn't want to see the extent of the damage anymore. It's all too familiar.

"You... need to tell that dumbass Jingyi that I don't actually hate him." Jin Ling continued, his own eyes filling up, "And... and tell Sizhui that I'm sorry I've been so insufferable back then... I didn't really know what having friends was like and I was... an ass to him even if he only tried to help..."

He blinks, heavily, his eyes starting to glass over. "And... I owe Zizhen... 400 coins for the last book he sent me..."

Wei Wuxian brings the boy close, holds his body against his own, tears endlessly falling down his face as he feels the blood seep into his robes. Jin Ling's growing heavier in his hold, heavier and cold.

"I... really admire you...' His voice comes out as barely above a whisper, raspy and distant, almost like he's talking in his sleep, "...and Hanguang-Jun... and I'm thankful... for having met you..."

"A-Ling..."

"And... thank you... for..." a heaving, last breath, "...staying with me... I really... hate... being alone..."

Jin Ling slumps against Wei Wuxian, lifeless.

There is a smile on his face even so.

He looks so much like his mother.

[llycaons]

ep50 (1/4): endings, partings and reunions

ough we made it. okay first of all it is my professional (ha) opinion that this series has better impact if watched within a span of ~2 months and not 7-8 months. really allows the emotional payoff to be that much fresher in the mind. next time I rewatch, I'm going to have to set aside solid chunks of time and then really commit to not liveblogging. last time I only liveblogged text reactions, which did cut down on time. but it might be impossible to refrain. it's just more fun this way!

oh man the look of utter betrayal here. jgy always, always trusted lxc. he's in disbelief - how did this happen?

oh I love this little monologue. so juicy

another parallel!!! see: wwx saying 'lan wangji, oh lan wangji' on the steps of carp tower. there is was wwx ruefully accepting lwj's support, here it's jgy bitterly commiserating what's left of his relationship with lxc in the wake of a shock of betrayal

I actually believe that he means that. it's not true, because he harmed lxc's close friend using the techniques lxc himself taught him, but I think he believes it nonetheless. he never would have physically attacked lxc

...or maybe he's lying again! this guy is just so hard to read

bro you murdered his friend...

well jgy drags them both back to release nmj's spirit so what was that, jgy?

wwx stopping lwj from doing dangerous shit is actually a pretty solid part of their dynamic now. wish more authors incorporated it into their characterizations

okay so I think it's a test. will lxc actually strike the killing blow?

and...he doesn't. he can't. he's unable to strike jgy down and free himself. and jgy sees this, and I think that last gesture of humanity, of love even, is what he wanted.

so off he sends lxc, to live without him

god he is so fucking dramatic.

actually based on that look...maybe he was a little in love with him after all. maybe this was the last and kindest thing he did for him

very true to form that it consisted of 'put his life in danger, demand proof that he loves you, then send him to safety. from danger you put him in' this guy is such a piece of work

jc here looks GUTTED bc of jl's pain. goddamn

ohhh look how they're crammed into the corner with the rest of the shot all desolate

zhijis, baby. but it took wwx and lwj years to get there NOT counting the years wwx was dead which would be unfair because they couldn't work on their relationship!!!

oh god this shot too. he looks so alone

lqr is so funny. 'no running!' I saw you hustling up here old man. you love your nephews you hypocrite

ah, of course everyone gets flocked by loved ones. jc by his disciples, lwj by his uncle, wwx by...is that fucking. oyzz? he's a sweet kid but that's a little random

ohhh boy tense brotherly staring

I love jin ling so much I really do. I think the reason he's so much more compelling to me than lsz is that he has really bad habits, and he can't control his emotional reactions. he screams, he runs away, he cries really loudly, he threatens. but despite his anger and his fear, despite going through a horribly traumatic night, he sends his dog away because wwx is afraid of her. he puts someone else's need before his own, and he acts against his own impulses because he cares about someone else and wants them to be okay. and I appreciate the effort that takes, and the love that shines through even a prickly and touchy exterior

ohhh wwx watching jc leave. very weighted look. this is the last time he sees jc in canon. he smiles a bit, but doesn't talk. what's there to say? I can only hope the temple events sink in after a while and they awkwardly resume at least talking

well, there's always lwj to stare soulfully at

I've noticed this episode that wwx breaks out the 🥺 a lot more with lwj than I'd expect, compared to the smiles. I like that - wwx enjoys fun, but with lwj he also gets gravitas and sincerity, which i think he needs in his life bouncing around and pretending like things just shake off him

aw man, meng shi!! she was cast perfectly with this young meng yao. she deserved better than the destruction of her burial site, as it's implied nhs does in the novel

AWW YEAH BLOOD ON THE HANDS. and UNSCRIPTED BABY

I feel like this is going to be the cql version of 'aragorn broke three toes when kicking the orc's helmet'

and this dead-eyed look when walking away...well if you dedicate a decade to revenge and then you do it, now what?

I never particularly cared about the answer. there's nothing preventing nhs from living in luxury and power for the rest of his life, making new friends and indulging every one of his interests. sure, it's sad his only family is dead, but I really think he'll be okay. nhs's emotional fulfillment rank a little lower on my priority list than 'wen ning being able to live in a community' or 'lxc being able to e=leave seclusion' or 'lsz rediscovering his heritage' or 'xxc and a-qing's souls' or I'll say it even 'wwx and lwj's freedom to have mindblowing gay sex'