#he’s at cloud recesses summer camp

[teleport-warning]

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Flashback, warm nights.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[poorlittleyaoyao]

ngl I don't really like it when jgy hiding lxc is presented as this idyllic getaway at all because like uh. Canonically, in Xichen's own words, he found running away from the burning of the cloud recesses to be shameful, he's injured himself and afraid for his life, his father(in the novel) just died and while I don't think that guy's good for much Wangji cried about it so there's a decent chance Xichen is pretty bummed too, his younger brother is injured and taken to evil summer camp where he doesn't know what'll happen to him, he doesn't know if his uncle or any other family members he might be attached to are alive, and he's hiding out with some stranger who isn't even a cultivator who is endangering his life out of the goodness of his heart. I agree that there's no way jgy is hiding him at his childhood brothel, he definitely didn't go back there, he's only mentioned to be a book keeper at an unmentioned location which could be literally anywhere? Ye olde literacy rates were not high, a literate dude who was good at math could get a job without having to slink back to trauma central. I just think that the whole experience was kind of awful and that's why they bonded so strongly, with maybe moments of peace before the reality of their situation came crashing back in.

YEAH. One of my biggest beefs with Novel Xichen is that he doesn’t tell anybody about Meng Yao hiding him, even when asked directly by his best friend who knows them both and wants to know how they know each other, even though this would have immensely helped Meng Yao and a letter of recommendation is the least you could do after a guy of low social standing risked what little he had to save your life. And the only way that choice makes sense at all is if the shame and pain associated with that time cuts him so deeply that neither duty nor gratitude can compel him to speak of it. If it was foremost a soft romantic getaway, then Xichen’s refusal to speak of it is beyond selfish (and tbh would imply that he was ashamed of Meng Yao in some way, since Meng Yao himself only keeps silent out of deference to Xichen). Not cute! Bad actually!

I can see it working as idyllic in CQL canon to a degree, due to the timeline changes. Meng Yao has just been exiled from Qinghe, so he too has been abruptly rendered homeless and friendless. They already know each other and are finding each other again in similarly-traumatized states. For this version of Xichen, Meng Yao caring for him would have less shame attached to it, because it’s not “despite being the new leader if one of the great cultivations sects, I’m now so helpless that I must rely on this poor stranger’s kindness” in this canon, it’s “the small kindness I showed before is now being repaid a hundredfold by my friend’s trusted deputy.” (There’s a post I remember seeing about how Meng Yao’s kindness would be vital to Xichen maintaining his view that the world is ultimately a just and good place that I think is true for both canons.) Meanwhile, Meng Yao in this canon is relieved to find Xichen safe, and having lost his former standing because Mingjue doubts his integrity, he would be basking in the glow of Xichen trusting him and thinking he’s a good person. I know the change in motivations/circumstances isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (because yeah, “helping the guy from your meetcute” isn’t the same vibe as “helping a stranger because it’s the right thing to do”), but I do think in CQL the changes lend themselves more readily to Xiyao enjoying each other during their time in hiding beyond bonding through shared hardship.

[yunmeng-jiang]

ok it's time for my Official Jiang Cheng Ship Opinions Post. buckle in this is gonna take a bit

Xicheng: I like it in 1 extremely specific circumstance (bonding over very similar experiences post-canon) but I've only seen that done well like. twice. NEEDS to have good characterization (also rare unfortunately) and take into account what they can and can't do as their own sect leaders with regards to courtship/marriage.

Chengqing: perfect in every way. that's it that's all I need to say.

Sangcheng: ehhhhh? Cute in Cloud Recesses summer camp era, not feasible post-canon due to irreconcilable differences in worldview and how much danger it's acceptable to put Jin Ling in.

Zhancheng: honestly I prefer this to be platonic. Hatefucking is not my jam and LWJ is Wei-Ying-sexual in canon anyway. Give Jiang Cheng a friend who is as weirdly obsessed with Wei Wuxian as he is but in a slightly different way. I want to see them coming to terms with that.

Ningcheng: again, someone just as weirdly obsessed with Wei Wuxian, but a little to the left. I don't think either one of them is ever going to look at the other and not see "the guy WWX likes better than me." Maybe someday they'll form a relationship that isn't based entirely around Wei Wuxian, but it seems kind of unlikely.

Chengyao: I'm actually coming around to this a bit recently? Again, it really needs to keep good characterization at the forefront and consider their positions as individual sect leaders, and remember that their "divorced couple energy" is part of the Guanyin Temple shitshow and not the way they would usually behave, especially for Jin Ling's sake. I want to see more fics where Meng Yao grows up with the Jiang sect so that Jiang Cheng is attached to him from the very beginning.

Mingcheng: meh. I don't really think about this ship that much because it honestly doesn't compel me at all. sorry to the mingcheng enjoyers it there I simply do not get it

Chengxuan: same as above, I don't really get this one. Their dynamic is just not that interesting to me.

Chengyi: that is a child. hard no on this one.

Miancheng: kinda cute? I like it when Jiang Cheng recruits her into the Jiang after she gives up on the Jin, it's a fun idea, but I think I like them better as friends.

Ruocheng: no. just no.

Zhucheng (chengliu? Wen Zhuliu and JC): also no.

Chengsu: I could get behind the idea of JGY desperately contacting Jiang Cheng and being like "help I just found out my fiancee is my sister can you please pretend you've been in love with her all this time and get married to her instead??? I'll negotiate to get you more Jin Ling rights if you do." she fits JC's list of desirable qualities in a wife. unfortunately she gets like 6 seconds of screen time and then dies so we really don't know very much about her, which makes it a bit hard to form a strong opinion on the ship

Other Chengsu? Sucheng/Mincheng/Chengshan/whatever this is: I actually think it's interesting that Su She and Jiang Cheng share the trait of "treat them nicely within this narrow window of time in their life in order to get them to become loyal to you forever, otherwise fuck you." It's possible that if Su She had grown up with the Jiang the two of them would have found some common ground and maybe become friends. I'm more interested in non-romantic interactions here

Cheng...yang? what do you call the Xue Yang/Jiang Cheng ship? Xuecheng? idk. again, not really my jam.

Chengjiao. Lingcheng? Jiang Cheng/Wang Lingjiao. Do people even ship this? I could see it as character development for her I guess. At this point I'm just fishing for possible pairings.

and finally, saved for last...

Xiancheng: this isn't romantic or sexual or platonic, it's all three and also a secret fourth thing that's more intense than all of them put together. As a ship, I don't prefer it, because it's too easy to flatten it out into either a boring cutesy fluffy cliche or a boring jealous/possessive boyfriend type thing. I need to see them being weird about each other in a way that no one can possibly identify, especially themselves. They'll die for each other. They'll live for each other. They'll destroy themselves and be happy about it as long as they believe that the other is going to be okay. You really can't make it as simple as "yeah these two want to fuck."

[thatswhatsushesaid]

do you think NHS will ever be satisfied with the way things have turned out in the end? or is he already? I've seen polar opinions on this one and honestly can't decide which one I like more

oooh, what crunchy questions, anon.

short answer: I think he thinks he's satisfied.

the tl;dr answer: I don't think it's possible for us to know with any degree of certainty how nhs feels about anything post-canon, because the text gives us almost no insight into his interiority outside of wwx's speculation in the aftermath of the guanyin temple sequence. but I think we can make some educated guesses based on what we do know about his character.

rather than just rewrite stuff I've already written on this subject before, I'll drop some links to previous posts that I think are relevant to your ask:

nhs took so long to enact his revenge quest because he could not make up his mind about what he wanted to do. also this one, which includes discussion of his cql performance as well. indecisiveness is as core to nhs's character as his desire for vengeance, and I think that extends to his feelings about his situation post-canon, too.

this is definitely more within the realm of headcanon and speculation but I went deep on this the magnus archives-mdzs fusion reblog speculating on why I think nhs would be an avatar of the hunt, and a big thing about the hunt is that once the hunt is over, the hunters... don't really know what to do with themselves. womp womp.

now on to the point I don't think I've spilt much digital ink on yet:

nhs is, and always has been, a people person. this is extremely obvious when you dip back into the gusu lan summer camp for wayward young cultivators chapters, where nhs is at his most effervescent when he is bopping around the cloud recesses as wwx and jc's bubbly tag-along, lamenting how much lwj and lqr clearly hate wwx while cheerfully offering to give wwx more porn to make up for what he's lost. (it was nhs's porn, too! he'd be justified in being a bit cheesed off about it, but he really isn't!) if he sees a didi-shaped hole in a prospective friends' group, he sees an opportunity to make himself lovably indispensable as the court appointed littlest brother no one asked for, and quite frankly who could blame him? he loves to be spoiled and doted on, but imo there's some clear self-awareness and reciprocity at work in these dynamics that goes beyond a desire just to be pampered and looked after. I suppose an uncharitable read on teen!nhs would be that he's lazy and manipulative and finds easy marks to do the heavy lifting for him so he can sleep and paint and catch birds for his private collection, but tbh I think that interpretation does his character dirty. most people who end up spoiling and doting on nhs in the text are clearly happy to do so and seem to get something out of making life easier for this charmingly incompetent dandy. good for him--and for them!

...and then, post-canon, he is a people person without any people around him. sure, we can presume the existence of some unnamed nie sect subordinates who are stuck dealing with a sect leader who allowed his sect to languish and decline in the years after nmj's death, but I think if any of those unnamed subordinates were inclined to be people nhs could rely on to fill the 3zun and/or wwx and jc-shaped voids in his life, we'd at least know their names. I think it is telling that we don't, and that the last meaningful interaction we see between nhs and the characters who used to be his closest friends in the text amounts to an interrogation. whatever affection wwx used to feel for nhs has clearly withered on the vine and has been replaced by mistrust and suspicion--to say nothing of lxc's dead-eyed silence as soon as he begins to put the pieces together.

also: the last glimpse we get of nhs in the text before he disappears from the story altogether is him picking up jgy's hat and walking off with it. why does he do this? why is this the very last thing we see him do in the story? there are a few different possibilities:

"he's taking the hat to keep as a trophy!" I mean. maybe? I suppose I can't entirely rule out this possibility, but it is the least interesting one to me because it glosses over the complexity of nhs's pre-existing relationship to jgy.

"nhs doesn't know why he picks up the hat and takes it with him. he just does it." this is the idea I vibe with the most because it is most consistent with my read on his character--namely that he is never 100% sure about anything (except what qualifies as good erotica). but I think the part of him that still cares about jgy (it's there! it's tiny and shrivelled and warped by his transformation into the wuxia version of montresor, but it's still there) does not want to see his hat abandoned in the mud and dirt, and also does not want to interrogate his feelings about why he feels that way that closely.

"nhs can't abide littering! he's doing his part to keep the city streets clean." doubt.jpeg

[silversoulstardust]

it's funny how in the first few books wei wuxian adamantly believes he's only attracted to lan wangji after being resurrected as mo xianyu because mo xianyu was a cut sleeve, but then in the extra chapter about his former life in the lotus pier after that whole summer camp at cloud recesses he's sighing and sulking over lan wangji turning him down while flirting with other girls. fag behavior

[wangxianficrecs]

One Can Keep A Secret (If He Does Not Know It's There) by H_Belle

One Can Keep A Secret (If He Does Not Know It's There)

by H_Belle

T, 5k, Wangxian

Summary: At fifteen, during summer camp in Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian invents a bunch of talismans when bored or prompted by Nie Husaisang. Thinking it awfully funny, he creates a throwaway account at a professional cultivation research/purchase network and uploads them for sale for a modest fee. Then, he forgets about the whole thing. Years later, the mysterious Yiling Patriarch is known in all Jianghu as an elusive genius cultivator who revolutionised his field. Those two statements might or might not be related. In other words: three different ways in which Wei Wuxian finds out he is filthy rich and academically acclaimed. That’s it. That’s the story. Kay's comments: This story was absolutely delightful and I loved how it told us the three different ways in which it all went down. I loved the humour and how the characters were protrayed and Wangxian finding their way together was nice in every version too. I'm so weak for genius inventor Wei Wuxian and this story definitely did him justice. And of course, I'm also very fond of modern cultivation stories, so this was just a great read all around for me. Excerpt: Lan Xichen put a placating hand on his uncle’s arm. “Master Wei, don’t you have a phone? Or internet access? Many people have been trying to reach you.” Wei Wuxian cocked his head, ponytail swishing to the side. “Reach me?” Him? What people? Like, cultivation clans people? Sounded fake. “Whatever for?” For a hot moment, it looked like the sheer outrage robbed Lan Qiren of his words. “Have you been paying ANY attention to the world outside this backwater?!” Well. The short answer would be no. The long answer would still be a no but with a fuck you attached that could be extended to a low-key retort.

pov wei wuxian, modern setting, modern with magic, humor, inventor wei wuxian, genius wei wuxian, secret identity, yiling laozu wei wuxian, identity reveal, rogue cultivator wei wuxian, pining lan wangji, getting together, happy ending, college/university, research, good friend nie huaisang, @hedgebelle

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[icyolive]

Let's look at all the ways the text tells us WWX is not fucking responsible for the fall of Lotus Pier.

Madam Yu: "So you came here this time for the sake of a kite?" ... Wang Lingjiao: "I came this time to punish someone on behalf of Wen Clan and Wen-gongzi."

If we didn't already know from their unprovoked attack on the Lan, this kite thing makes it extremely clear that WWX's actions at the shittier summer camp reeducation camp are absolutely not to blame for the fall of Lotus Pier.

They were always going to make a move on Lotus Pier, and they'll pick whatever excuse they want—from a kid playing with kites, to an unnamed offense from a clan leader who has been in seclusion for decades, to a prisoner (!!!) fighting back.

In fact, WLJ says it herself: taking over Lotus Pier was "the second important matter [she] came to Yunmeng for," something that was going to happen whether or not they punished WWX.

That's the point at which Madam Yu snaps: when he pride, her status, and (if we're being charitable) her family and home, are finally threatened. Instead of simply pacifying a more powerful clan, punishing WWX became an act of submission to the Wen. It would mean following orders as a subject of the Wen, not just a less powerful clan with an upstart disciple. And orders from the Wen's servant envoy, no less.

So she finally fought back—and that's what sparked the actual battle. If anyone is going to argue that WWX should have kept his head down and not caused trouble, well then, here's where Madam Yu should've kept her head down.

Like... this is barely even meta. It's literally in the text:

"If you dare lay your hands on me, he'll—" Madam Yu raised her hand and slapped her again. "He'll what?" she mocked. "Chop off our hands or our legs? Burn down our residence? Send people to raze Lotus Pier to the ground? Establish an overwatch office here?"

Maybe didn't give them ideas, Madam Yu?

Meanwhile, the worst threat given for refusing to punish WWX:

"... things won't go so well the next time Wen-gongzi asks questions!"

WWX was never an important part of this equation—not for anyone but WLJ. The Wen were there to establish a supervisory office, and they attacked in response to Madam Yu literally striking first.

And of course, later, after their escape:

"Deep down, Jiang Cheng knew very well that even if Wei Wuxian had not saved Lan Wangji in the Xuanwu of Slaughter's cave at Mount Muxi, the Wens would have found a reason to come knocking sooner or later. But he couldn't help but think that had it not been for Wei Wuxian, perhaps it wouldn't have happened so soon. Perhaps there would've still been time to salvage the situation."

Even JC knows he's grasping at straws.

(Also, the time for salvaging the situation was when the Wen took all the land and forbade night hunting. Or when they demanded inner clan members as prisoners. Or when they burned down the Cloud Recesses. Or even after WWX and JC made it back, instead of leaving to diplomatically negotiate Jesus Christ Jiang Fengmian. The time was NOT when WWX stepped into a fight with their captors, in support of their allies, that was already happening.)

[inappropriatewenning]

AU meme: footie AU of COURSE

of COURSE

So the first question is whether each clan is a team or whether there's one team with everyone in it. If I have to make a choice--Cloud Recesses is the Lan club ground but also where the national youth teams train. The altitude is a challenge for everyone but the Nie contingent. Lan Wangji and Lan Qiren are surely not smug about this. Lan Xichen isn't smug about this either but like actually not smug. Gusu Summer Camp period is the under-17s. I...can't quite extend this analogy fully through Sunshot, though, so uh, let's leave that one there.

Wangxian get left behind, locked overnight in the away changing room in the sketchiest most miserable stadium they've ever played in. There are cockroaches. There are rats. There may even be snakes. One of them is icing his ankles and the other is starting to feel the effects of an ill-advised stadium snack. Yes, Wangji bites him.

When they grow up, Jiang Cheng is a formidable goalkeeper. His glare throws off many a penalty attempt. He constantly barks orders at the defenders and has a pretty damn good record of clean sheets. He's kept the Jiang team in tournaments they had no right to survive. His father is known for an interview he gave twenty years ago in which he said defense doesn't win games, all that counts is the guy who gets the ball into the net.

no one has ever successfully performed an ACL transplant or even dreamed of such a thing but wen qing is really smart and jiang cheng is unknowingly carrying wei wuxian's exceptionally strong ligaments

Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen retired from professional football early, at the peak of their careers, to organize grassroots youth leagues in underserved areas. And you know what? Nothing bad happens to them ever. A-Qing becomes the star of the women's national team and wins the world cup.

[alixennial]

Ishgard & The Coerthas Highlands (1/3)

The Nail, Coerthas Central Highlands

As is described in the Enchiridion, to ensure the realm of man did not drift apart from the firmament, Halone struck the Nail through both, ever binding the two. And though assailed on all sides by great metal shards fallen from the lesser moon Dalamud's crust, the ancient peak remained standing, a testament to the land's life force.

The Observatorium, Coerthas Central Highlands

Three hundred years ago, Ishgardian astrologian Adaunel the Younger convinced the Holy See that he could predict the comings and goings of the Dravanian Horde by studying the movements of the heavens, and thus secured funding for the construction of the First Dicasterial Observatorium of Aetherial and Astrological Phenomena and its grand astroscope.

The Frozen Fang, Coerthas Central Highlands

In years past, the hot alpine summers would have seen this fallen Dravanian outflyer blown with maggots and reduced to bones in a matter of days. Now, in the endless winter wrought by the Calamity, the carcass rests in the permafrost under a thin blanket of snow, perfectly preserved since the day he was pierced through the heart by a ballista.

The Holy See of Ishgard, View from Coerthas Central Highlands

For the past thousand years, Ishgard has waged a bloody war with the dragons of Dravania. To fend off the enemy horde, a complex web of defenses, magical and corporeal, have been added piecemeal to the city proper's outer walls, transforming her into an impenetrable bastion, while at the same time, isolating her and her people from the outside world.

Boulder Downs, Coerthas Central Highlands

Before the Calamity, Boulder Downs was a vast sloped lea littered with moraine deposited by realm-swallowing glaciers long receded. The rain of debris that accompanied the fall of Dalamud, however, transformed the landscape into a frozen wasteland pocked with gaping impact craters and peculiar dark matter formations.

The Fury's Gaze, Coerthas Central Highlands

A place holy to all Ishgardians, it is believed that when a man stands within this hidden grotto, the Fury Herself will reach deep into the darkest recesses of his soul and lay out his sins before him, allowing the man to repent those failings. The Monument Tower nearby was built to protect this hallowed ground from the taint of dragons and heretics.

Snowcloak, Coerthas Central Highlands

The bitter cold which swept over the Coerthas highlands following the Calamity did not only blanket the region in snow and ice, but transformed the water of Twinpools and the Swiftrun into a mountainous flow of ice—a flow which has slowly crept through western Coerthas highlands and now has completely engulfed Gargoyle Crossing, preventing passage.

Camp Dragonhead, Coerthas Central Highlands

Its name taken from a rocky outcropping said to be the head of a Dravanian king turned to stone by the almighty hand of Halone, this outpost acts as the Coerthas central highlands' southernmost line of defense for the Holy See, tasked with fending off Ixali raids from Natalan, incursions by heretic factions, and the occasional yeti scare.

The Steel Vigil, Coerthas Central Highlands

One of four citadel watchtowers built along the Sea of Clouds, the Steel Vigil warned the Holy See of aerial attacks for centuries before being razed and gutted by the Dravanian Horde and their vile commander, Svara. Now, only the outer walls remain, leaving a bitter reminder of the dragons' destructive power.

Indie's Sightseeing Log

Limsa Lominsa & La Noscea (1/3) Limsa Lominsa & La Noscea (2/3) Limsa Lominsa & La Noscea (3/3)

Gridania & The Black Shroud (1/3) Gridania & The Black Shroud (2/3) Gridania & The Black Shroud (3/3)

Ul'dah & Thanalan (1/3) Ul'dah & Thanalan (2/3) Ul'dah & Thanalan (3/3)

Mor Dhona (1/1)

Ishgard & The Coerthas Highlands (1/3) Ishgard & The Coerthas Highlands (2/3) Ishgard & The Coerthas Highlands (3/3)

Dravania (1/4) Dravania (2/4) Dravania (3/4) Dravania (4/4)

Abalathia's Spine (1/3) Abalathia's Spine (2/3) Abalathia's Spine (3/3)

[deathbyoctopi]

when the Wen attack...

I know that’s a cql thing only, but.

Why didn’t the Wen War begin when they attacked the Unclean Realm? Or the Clouds Recess? In either there was as little justification and maybe half as many dead people as the Lotus Pier attack. But they went, almost casually wounded Nie sect leader, burnt the Lan library, and then left...

And AFTER THAT the sects still send their children for the indoctrination summer camp? Even Nie Mingjue?? 

I know it was a display of force to show what would happen to those who didn’t comply. It happens again with the Lans not soon after!!! But why wasn’t this, or the Gusu Fire, the straw that broke the camel’s back? Is it because with Lotus Pier they went all the way, killing the sect leader too? Is it because they established the Wen Office of Control after that? Or is it perhaps PRECISELY because of who was attacked, that the answer is so different...?

When Nie Mingjue was wounded, who was there to step forward for him? The slimy selfish Jin? The righteous but ultimately passive Lan? The Jiangs, so carefree (and so calculating and uncaring, Madam Yu, I’m looking at you now!!). No wonder no-one raised their voice. With the Gusu Attack, there was just as much silence -though then the Nie were just recovering...

And when it was the Jiangs, under attack? the Lans had already been recently wounded, the Jins saw the writing on the wall for those who opposed even the stupidest thing (and they’d have to relent their power anyways!), and guess what. Nie BAMF Mingjue is recovered from his blow. And he is Pissed. 

And so the Sunshot Campaign begins. 

[mxtxdiaspora-may]

Diaspora story rec: Modern Diaspora 'Verse [series by dragongirlG]

Modern diaspora AU set in the United States, with Easter-egg elements from canon. 6 parts so far.

Part 1: 知往鉴今 | through the mirror of days past

Explicit, Choose Not to Warn (note tags), 3K

As fifteen-year-old Lan Zhan performs his original guqin piece at the Cloud Recesses summer camp talent show, he reflects on his family, his childhood move from China to the United States, and his evolving feelings toward Wei Ying. After his performance, he gets a surprise visitor in the dressing room: Wei Ying, dressed in a bright red qipao and heels, a last minute addition to the talent show's final act. Wei Ying leaves shortly afterward, and Lan Zhan desperately relieves some pressure before he rejoins the audience.

Part 2: just a little bit of your heart

General, no archive warnings, 1K

In the summer after high school graduation, Lan Zhan does a long-distance videochat with Wei Ying, who's attending a summer camp in Taiwan and learning about his mother's homeland. Pining ensues.

Part 3: Welcome to the Multiverse

Teen+, no archive warnings, 3.5K

During a study session late Friday night, Wei Ying convinces Jiang Cheng to beta-test the virtual reality simulator he's been working on with Lan Zhan. As Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying spar with swords, wuxia-style, the competition heats up, and Jiang Cheng becomes determined to beat Wei Ying at his own game. (Also, Lan Zhan makes a cameo with snacks and bubble tea.)

Part 4: the sacred simplicity (of you at my side)

Teen+, no archive warnings, 6.6K

After thirteen years on the run, Wei Ying is finally returning home on a flight from Singapore to the United States. He doesn't expect his old friend Lan Zhan to be the first person he encounters on his journey. Sparks fly as they rekindle their bond on the ground and in the skies.

Part 5: 記憶猶新 | Fresh in One's Memory

Teen+, no archive warnings, 2.2K

Lan Qiren silently judges the drunken karaoke performances at Wei Ying and Lan Zhan's wedding banquet. When it comes time for him to give his toast, he sings instead, accompanying a recording of Wei Ying's late parents performing a song together in their youth. 

Part 6: 一家人 | One Family

*podfic and fic together, co-produced by PandaReads (DrPanda99)

General, no archive warnings, 1.9K 

Lan Qiren awaits the arrival of his family members, both old and new, on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

-

This fic rec is part of our reclist, stories that spoke to us: MDZS fics & the Chinese diaspora experience. Reblogs are always appreciated.

[kiriel123]

Fic recs for mdzs/the untamed

Never Let Me Hit The Ground by phnelt

Modern AU BDSM lwj and wwx pair up to teach a BDSM 101 Ropes class. During demo practice wwx gets tied up. Fully suspended, fully Lan Zhan’s

a baby rabbit is called a kitten and other fun facts by aurora_chiroptera

Wwx and A-Yuan watch hgj’s youtube videos on bunny care. A-Yuan’s class adopts a bunny, and does not take care of it correctly. Obviously, the bunny man must be contacted for advice. Adorable and sweet!

Wrong Turn, Right Place by diamondbruise

Modern AU/Dimension Travel wwx, a modern man, accidentally walks through reality into an alternate canon Gusu Lan. Lwj is assigned to babysit while they figure out how to return him home. Really fun!

Estuaries by vesna (mrsronweasley)

Modern AU three years after a bad breakup, lwj runs into wwx and his son in the grocery store. They reconnect. They take it slow(ish). Also, A-Yuan is a lego champion

and there was only one tent by detectorist

Modern AU wwx and lwj go on a camping trip the summer before everything is going to change. They are in! love! They yearn, they pine, they perish, they take the best care of each other

Unavoidable by diamondbruise

Post canon lwj develops amnesia of one specific person. He is unaware of this. Unrelatedlywho is this wwx that’s suddenly hanging around, somehow knows everyone in Cloud Recesses, and is getting on his LAST NERVE. Also, lwj wants to wreck him.

To Carry Within Us an Orchard by AnotherSpaceWitch

Post canon wwx and lwj, traveling together, going home, taking care of each other. The amount of tenderness in this one, I cry.

Sit down next to me by raitala

Modern AU straight boy wwx has been dumped (again) and believes he’s a bad kisser. Lwj has a duty, as a best friend, to show him he’s wrong. With his mouth. Now with added, equally amazing, sequel

Words are Gonna Bleed from Me by GravityWinsAgain

Crime Families with Cultivation AU (WIP) Modern AU where they’re all criminal families and Lan Wangji requests the help of Yiling Laozu in a case. And once Lan Wangji realizes Wei Wuxian is alive behind that mask, he’s not letting him go again

Ever Become A Stranger by el_em_en_oh_pee

WLW Post Canon wwx and lwj reunite and roleplay and love each other so much. Tender, sexy, and playful. Hilarious and adorable cameos by Lan Sizhui and Ouyang Zizhen. They’re wives! They’re in love!

[poorlittleyaoyao]

Episode 11 reaction compendium for the sake of your dash:

-Wangji using one of WWX’s talismans to defend himself from a Wen ambush is an underrated Wangxian moment!

-Speaking of talismans, Wen Xu apparently hits LQR with something that fucks up your qi if you get angry?? They’ve had that this whole time and haven’t used it against the Nie clan?? Nobody here can strategize I stg.

-“We never thought the Wen clan would attack sects openly like this!” says JFM, and I can only assume that out in Qinghe, NMJ coughed up blood and didn’t know why.

-“Hey since the Wen attacked both Cloud Recesses and Unclean Realm and we personally contributed to the inciting incident, do you think the Wen clan might attack Lotus Pier too?” WWX and JC ask, to which JFM replies “no dw I’m sure it’s fine 😌”

-…oh my god JFM is Sir John Franklin, isn’t he. JFM would 100% be informed that Arctic pack ice is going to trap them all and go “nooo don’t be such a downerrr.”

-WAIT nvm this comparison is unfair. drama!Sir John is a Wife Guy through and through.

-SU MINSHAN DID NOTHING WRONG 😤 (though Wen Xu’s an idiot for not yanking the headbands off the dead inner disciples and trying to gain entrance to the cave that way)

-Wangji also kind of an idiot for bringing the Yin Iron with him when he leaves the cave. “Putting the Yin Iron back in the cave to seal it again” was the ENTIRE REASON YOU CAME BACK, bud.

-why does WRH have lava orcs now. where did they come from.

-Nightless City’s design is baffling. Why is there this massive stone square empty of everything save for some pillars? Where does that staircase go? Since they appear to be surrounded by active volcanoes, wouldn’t that be a hazard due to fault activity? Where is the decoration? Where are the PEOPLE? This is Ashgabat but goth and worse.

-Shoutout to the three disciples from an unnamed sect who show up to Hostage Summer Camp with cool hats. not enough hats in this story.

[ghostvalleylibrary]

Author: H_Belle

Pairing: Wangxian

Setting: Modern Cultivator

Genre: Humor

Warnings: None

Rating: T

Wordcount: 5,602

Summary:

At fifteen, during summer camp in Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian invents a bunch of talismans when bored or prompted by Nie Husaisang. Thinking it awfully funny, he creates a throwaway account at a professional cultivation research/purchase network and uploads them for sale for a modest fee. Then, he forgets about the whole thing.

Years later, the mysterious Yiling Patriarch is known in all Jianghu as an elusive genius cultivator who revolutionised his field.

Those two statements might or might not be related.

In other words: three different ways in which Wei Wuxian finds out he is filthy rich and academically acclaimed. That’s it. That’s the story.

S’s Notes:

Such a fun ride! It’s short and sweet, and it’s good for a chuckle. Nothing too painful or angsty here, just good old-fashioned humor.

[guqin-and-flute]

You know, if you think about it, Lan Xichen was the original Wei Wuxian apologist....