#i love it when everyone gets protective over shen yuan

[fairsweetlonging]

pixie!shen yuan au where he transmigrates into a cute little forest pixie, with pretty gossamer wings that sparkle like stars, a voice that tinkles like tiny silver bells, and long dark hair that he braids while wearing flowers as sunhats!!

he lives in a hollow tree on cang qiong, enjoying the rivers and groves and rocky cliff faces. his little house is filled with all kinds of trinkets, a lot of which he's stolen found from the sect, like buttons and beads and scraps of silk, needles as swords and fancy tea leaves from pots left out by kitchen windows. he quite likes his little life, the only downside is that he can't really read books this way, because even though he sneaks into the libraries at night and his wings are a source of light, most books are way too heavy and he's worried his (faint but present) spiritual energy will be detected.

he watches the disciples train on different peaks, soaking in all the new lore and details that airplane put way too little time and energy into. he's there before the plot, so binghe hasn't arrived yet and he can take his sweet time making a plan to ensure binghe won't destroy the mountain.

one day, though, the rare time he ventures out into qing jing peak, he gets distracted by an open window to the bamboo house. he knows it's stupid, but this might be the only chance he has to take a look inside the villain's lair, it's something he needs to know if he wants to help binghe in the future, and so he goes inside and takes a look around—

and promply gets trapped inside a mason jar.

oops.

shen qingqiu's face looks at him from the other side of the glass, still menacingly beautiful even with the slight distortion. worst-case scenarios flash through his head; crushed into pixie jam, experimentation, harvested for parts, stalled out like a fancy ornament on the shelf... but it's none of that.

"sneaking around my peak, entering my home, naughty little thing," shen qingqiu huffs, "were you not taught manners?"

he leaves the jar on the desk for a bit, chiding shen yuan but then—opens the jar? and lets him out? he tells shen yuan not to sneak into his house anymore and then just... continues with his paperwork. shen qingqiu's cruelty is limited to humans, it seems, and not animals or tiny fairies.

so of course shen yuan comes back.

he doesn't want to push it and risk shen qingqiu crushing him like a fly, but he enjoys hanging around the house and watching the qing jing disciples train and play music. ning yingying is already there, so it can't be much longer before binghe arrives. shen qingqiu is surprisingly kind to her compared to the other disciples, who he regularly drives to tears. the man notices him and tries to shoo him off, but ofc it doesn't work. after some time shen qingqiu keeps casually looking around to find him and shen yuan is proud to be getting on the man's nerves.

at some point liu qingge comes by, stomping hard enough to make the leaves shen yuan uses as a hammock shake. since it's the bai zhan war god shen yuan is excited to see him (liu qingge is often on missions, and shen yuan avoids bai zhan out of a healthy precaution of aggressive teens with swords), so he comes closer. the two peak lords hold the stupidest argument known to man that shen yuan only half listens to, fascinated by the sword liu qingge carries. but then liu qingge suddenly jerks his arm and shen yuan spooks, shooting up.

liu qingge sees something flying at his face and reacts like anyone would—he swats at it. hard.

when shen yuan hits the ground he can feel his wings get crushed under him; for a few seconds he's terrified liu qingge will stomp on him and scrambles to get away, only to get grabbed and scooped up into the air. he wildly kicks his legs and hits his tiny little fists on the hands that hold him, little voice jingling like crazy, but then shen qingqiu raises his voice and snarls at liu qingge.

"you idiot! watch where you wave those big paws of yours, brute! look what you did, you could have killed him!!"

then shen qingqiu turns around and goes into his bamboo house, kicking the door shut. he takes shen yuan to his bedroom, putting him on a soft handkerchief as he looks over his little wings and mutters vicious things to himself about "slaughter-happy idiots". shen yuan is too stunned to respond and just sits there as the scum villain fusses over him. his wings aren't really hurt, just a little squished, it's fine! shen qingqiu then lectures him for being reckless and coming so close to a brute like liu qingge.

after that they sort of become... friendly? shen yuan sets out to be the most mischievous little pixie he can be, but somehow it only works in his favor; he steals little things from shen qingqiu's home (not that he can carry much more than a button or brush), flutters in circles around the man's head, dips his little boots in ink and then walks on paperwork, etc. but shen qingqiu doesn't seem bothered by any of it. if anything, he leaves trinkets for shen yuan to take, offers his hand as a perch to sit on, and makes a tiny brush for shen yuan to use instead.

shen qingqiu gains a little friend and life gets a little calmer on qing jing peak. when binghe comes, shen yuan manages to distract shen qingqiu enough that the tea dumping never happens, and binghe is shooed off after the ceremony. binghe still isn't treated right and still has to sleep in the woodshed, but shen yuan secretly helps him and acts like a little night light in the dark, so binghe gets quite attached.

meanwhile liu qingge is regretful of having slammed a pixie out of midair and must prove his honor, thus begins the habit of dropping off gifts at shen qingqiu's doorstep (also because his sister freaked out a little, apparently hurting fairies is bad luck and he might have cursed himself for eternity? anyway).

this display causes yue qingyuan to show up too with the biggest wettest puppy eyes because he heard xiao jiu has a new friend who now lives in his house? shen qingqiu kicks them all out.

this has already gone on so long so the last thing i want to add is shen yuan eventually manages to cultivate a human form, and with a little effort he can even keep his wings! and of course this makes it worse, because that sweet little pixie is now a beautiful man who wife beams everyone in a three mile radius and doesn't even notice it.

shen qingqiu and luo binghe unexpectedly bond over beating suitors away.

[allpiesforourown]

I wanna know more info of the Binggeyuan roomates au. If he knew SY since they were kids what led him to rapid dating. If not, how did they meet/fall in love. How long until Bingge realizes he’s gay? How long until Shen Yuan realizes? So many possibilities

Okay so first it was an admiration thing.. you know how when you're kids the first person in the friend group to start dating is considered the coolest one? Binghe desperately wants shen yuans approval so hes like "I have to get a girlfriend so Yuan ge will think I'm cool!!"

After that it kind of becomes about making shen yuan jealous. Binghe introduces shen yuan to super hot girls hoping shen yuan will pout and say he's jealous of someone taking binghe away from him :((( it never happens though, shen yuan is completely supportive of his relationships

It's kind of insufferable for binghe because whenever he sees shen yuan talking to someone else, he gets super angry and can't calm down until he drags shen yuan away from them. Him going through girlfriends is his way of saying "see i can find other people too" in a childish attempt to even out the playing field but it never happens, shen yuan just pats his head and says he hopes this time binghe finds the one

So eventually he realizes it's a lost cause and gives up on dating. By the time they move in together binghe realizes he's way in over his head. All of a sudden he's seeing his favourite person in the world 24/7. Shen Yuan adorably half awake in the morning eating binghes food. Shen yuan cuddling binghe on the couch while he yaps through a movie about all the references and lore. Shen yuan walking out their bath in just a towel.

Binghe has a few wet dreams about his friend (!???) and he's like okay I'm just horny. My brain is sexualizing my sweet darling yuan ge because he's the only person I see all day. I have to get a girlfriend. And then he's back to being a fuckboy because he's basically using his girlfriends as a distraction

I think shen yuan getting too close to another man would definitely be the catalyst for binghe finally realizing his feelings. When shen yuan gets close to a woman, binghe can just seduce her and steal her away. What's he supposed to do when yuan ge is suddenly spending so much time with a guy?? Binghe could try to fuck him but if he had to date a man he'd rather date shen yuan- he's not gonna think about that.

Binghe is NOT going to think about how dating shen yuan would solve all his problems. How he'd never have to worry about yuan ge finding a wife and moving out. He'd get to kiss and hold shen yuan and lay his claim in front of everyone. He'd get to be the person who takes care of him forever...

Binghe tries (and fails) to assure himself he's just being protective of his frail friend until some guy actually tries to make a move on shen yuan and binghe snaps and pounces

[platinumrosetail]

Yandere Bingqiu x fem reader.

The fem reader is a girl who transmits the same as Shen Qingqiu. She is in the body of the main female villain, who is the crazy lover of the original Shen Qingqiu. The fem reader and the other reincarnated must take care of Luo Binghe and change his unpleasant destiny. (I hope you accept it).

Oooh interesting also my first svsss/pidw request! and so soon too! I’ll try my best! Also sorry for the long wait 😅 been a bit busy and such lately.

Warning: noob author, female reader, yandere characters, and others.

Character: Lou binghe, shen yuan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You’re the sister of the author of the ‘proud immortal demon way’ books which you wished wasn’t just fan service and had the plot your brother originally wanted, though sadly you can’t always get what you want as he needed the money that the papapa scenes gave home when he makes them. You decided to help him with it by making a more plot aligned au for it to help him get what he wanted and since it was an ‘au’ he can still make money on the actual book though sadly not for what he actually wanted to write.

You had fun writing it and helping him get his story that he wanted to make out there, even if it meant not getting payed for it like he wanted but it’ll do for now at least, plus he knows that you were wanting to write stories too so it’s good practice though he hopes that it won’t have you end up having to write any papapa scenes unless necessary.

While writing you would get comments from the one only hater of pidw; peerless cucumber, he comments on how he’s glad that the world building is explored more on this rather than the ‘original’ you show your brother which makes him happy that someone likes the one with plot instead of everyone liking the one with basically all papapa scenes at every corner.

One thing that you hate; more jokingly hate than actual hate, that he based the villains lover after you mostly with how you react to your husbandos that you have from anime and shows. He even based the villain on some of the villains that you like from your shows and anime as well, though he did have to up it a notch since the character was the villain’s lover and therefore a villainess though less than the actual villain. (I didn’t know what kind of crazy you wanted the character to reincarnate into so I did this, hope that’s alright 😅)

What you weren’t thinking about was reincarnated into your brother’s book as the same character that was based off of you. You of course have to have something preventing you from being your normal self as this ‘system’ that is with you makes you being the character as if you be ooc then you’ll be terminated because of it until you earn enough b points to free you from the ooc feature.

Shockingly enough you found out you weren’t the only one that reincarnated; your brother reincarnated as shang qinghua, and your online buddy, peerless cucumber, reincarnated as the villain so with the help of them you all avoided death from the protagonist and his ally.

You even fell in love with shen yuan; who was the one that reincarnated as shen qingqiu and also known as peerless cucumber, you also fell in love with Lou binghe; which kinda shocks you considering you didn’t before your reincarnation so everything was turning out great! It was all good until things started getting weird. Shen yuan and Lou binghe both started acting weird lately and being clingy, trying to make sure you don’t go out as you usually did and if you do it’s usually with one or both of them not even a guard plus you can protect yourself if needed and they know that so them doing this is weird to you. What you didn’t know was that they both were turning obsessed over you and nothing would stop them not even you.

(A/n: hope yall liked it!! 😁 I tried my best with what I was given and I think I did pretty good especially since I never actually read the novel or comic yet and only read au ideas and such. Anyway I believe that’s it so hope yall have a wonderful day/evening/night!!)

[shizunitis]

old man yells at cloud: shen qingqiu and the fandom

cw: discussions of homophobia, abuse & ableism

this was not supposed to get this long, or this disorganised. there’s also a lot of profanity because i am who i am. i half-apologise. annoyed/-ing yapping continues under the cut. i’ll reward u at the end with something i promise

look. listen. hear me out

i agree that shen “yuan” qingqiu is oblivious and it’s funny to see him panic and scramble for a foothold in the insane world of pidw, but some of you honestly sound like you think he should be drawn and quartered for having trauma.

y’all safely out of the closet, loved, accepted and supported since the womb? is that it? you’ve never hurt someone by believing lies purposely fed to you by “the system”? lies that, when questioned, get you punished or shunned? you’ve never been guilty? you’ve never been scared? you’ve never had to hide a part of yourself to be accepted? you’ve never been frustrated by your loved ones’ insistence that “they know better”?

“mxtx wrote a novel where the internet troll gets his comeuppance for bullying the poor author” cannot coexist with “abuse/pain/unjust punishment cannot give birth to a healthy society”. either you want shen yuan broken and made into something else more palatable to you, or you want him to be free to dote on and protect binghe and heal. it is clear what the story chose to do.

there’s a whole ass novel out here that’s basically screaming “be compassionate! be kind! be vulnerable! accept others as they come! solipsism is a bullshit thought experiment and not some grand theory about the nature of the universe!” and yet you’ve somehow, as if hungry for blood, focused solely on the shortcomings of a lost, inexperienced young man trying to make the best of his situation while being coerced by an omniscient, omnipotent, asshole of a god.

there is no clearer allegory in modern media about the destructive influence of coercion, brainwashing, and thought policing, than the one presented in svsss. and yet! here i fucking am, coffee-less, reading with my own two eyes corpsezun-cold ass takes on the “proper” ways of navigating self-discovery.

i hate having to be the one to tell someone to touch grass, so i’ll just urge you to read something else, something literal and educational about the struggles of queer/disabled/vulnerable people in unkind societies (all of them) and outright hostile ones (most of them). watch documentaries, seek out the elders of your communities, think back on your own unpleasant experiences, speak with people you don’t agree with and approach conversations with curiosity. lurk in fandoms before you post.

this is something you’ve internalised: that a queer person must be pure of mind and spirit to expect compassion. that a vulnerable person you deem weak must not be listened to since clearly, someone else knows better. that someone who makes a mistake/misunderstands something should be shunned, or at the very least berated in spite of having already faced the consequences of their actions.

y’all don’t have to love everyone to be kind to them and understand them. and honestly trying to “punish” a repressed queer man for how he’s choosing to survive in a hostile environment by spouting borderline-cruel bullshit about his thoughts that never leave his brain just tells me that you have done close to no self-assessment and are liable to hurt people by accidentally saying some horrendous shit you don’t even realise is painful to hear.

as you have done, and keep doing, especially when seriously and without a moment of reflection you post non-jokey “haha shen yuan is stupid and oblivious of course that happened. every friend he has trying to assert control over his choices is a just and reparative consequence of his stupid pea-brained attempt to survive. the system was good actually.”

i fucking love making ‘liu qingge was a victim’/‘lmao bingy is horny gripping shizun connect the dots’/‘shizun cannot be trusted outside for more than half an hour’/‘lmao ballad of bingqiu’ jokes because yeah! that happens! you get people who crush on you! people sometimes get infatuated with you! sometimes people get very invested in your life! sometimes people worry and care even if you don’t realise it!and it is somewhat comical in hindsight, a bit endearing, a lot bewildering, but ultimately mundane and entirely human!

until it actually starts affecting you in real ways. until people try to corral your movements because they “can’t trust you to be safe” without listening to you, a grown ass adult who clearly knows something they don’t. until your own mistakes come to bite you in the ass and, when you’ve fucking fixed it, you get berated and judged for it because others’ self-righteousness takes precedence.

good people learn and change and take responsibility for hurting those around them. they allow those who have erred to find a better path forward. they act with compassion and respect for even the most undesirable of their peers.

there are many messages in svsss that you can learn from. while it falls short in some aspects (naturally, by virtue of being written by a high-schooler), it does not fail in presenting a human perspective on fucked-up circumstances and asking you to understand and empathise.

characters are there to hold up a mirror for you. it’s a safe, consequence-free opportunity to look inwards and decide if you’re okay, or if some things might need addressing.

fandom is a playpen and you get to do whatever you want forever to the dolls. but your playmates are real people who, in some cases, are susceptible to your influence, and will be hurt by how you choose to present your commentary. when they leave the sandbox and see the distorted reflection of your arguments come alive in the real world, they will then internalise it, just as you have.

and then i’ll have to read it and it’s, frankly, depressing to see what my Not Homophobic, Very Woke (lie) high-school classmates would say all over again. is that what you want? to be likened to a 15 year-old eastern european boy? really?

obviously i’m not talking about jokes, bits, comedies, haha hehe’s, or fanfic depictions that i may not agree with from a storytelling standpoint.

i’m not the mayor of who-gets-to-talk-ville, but i’ve lived all my life in a deeply homophobic, racist, ableist and economically fucked country of former soviet influence and it just, like, annoys me to see the same sentiments in these kinds of spaces coming from inexperienced/young people who just don’t realise the impact of their own ignorance. i hope i’ve made this clear even if i sound like a finger-wagging dirty-mouthed grandpa yelling at the kids on my lawn.

fuck i’m so tired

anyway. here’s the reward:

ah… that makes me feel so much better. <3

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Chapter 3

For those who don't know, I am reading SVSSS for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag bloopitynoot reads SVSSS. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read.

oh, that's good, he's (Shen Qingqiu/Shen Yuan) not dead p135

also not related to my read, but this time I am actually writing at my table (instead of cocooned in a blanket on my couch) so hopefully these note are easier to read (Read: I am trying to have neater handwriting for ✨aesthetic✨). All I need with my notes, book, and tea is a candle and i'd be living my ancient academic fantasy.

If anyone wants to know this chapter is accompanied by a white tea that tastes like loquats. It's my favourite nostalgic tea. My family used to travel south when I was small and my grandparent's house there had a loquat tree. I haven't had loquats in over a decade (canada lol) but this tea tastes jut like them.

Anyways! Back to SVSSS!

Give me patience: the amount of dislike I have anytime Ming Fan is present p135

oh dang, this boy can cook! p138

Re: this boy can cook- Bye LOL "Luo Binghe's excellent cooking skills were his foremost lady-killing technique." p138

boo, I am upset that the Abyss scenario still needs to happen (But I get it, of course it can't be that easy- we do need plot for this book) p139

I can't XD he really is falling into the plot/character of Protagonists Love Interest. First the congee cooking and no the "Poison cure" p142

WAIT. THE CURE FOR THE POSION. wut p143

RE: WAIT: I am crying LOL

But like could he 👀 "Like, he knew that the going at it with the protagonist could have cured the poison, but like he could do that! Could he? Ha ha ha ha..." p145

Not Liu Qingge over here thinking Shen Qingqiu is possessed (not really wrong though) p147

once again we have Ming Fan -> honestly I would not be surprised if he ended up the new villain/scum character role p148 there is nothing likeable about him

this line is killing me "Shen Qingqiu was astoundingly oblivious to the fact that, thanks to the divine wingman abilities of his useless teammate, Ming Fan, Luo BInghe's favor has again risen to a new high" p.150

Oh god, he's in Luo Binghe's dream world. I am so nervous for this. p. 152

Dang. Why so many deductions for failure -1000 is a LOT for him p154

okay but this dream subplot is feeding my theory that Shen Qingqiu is switching character roles from villain to Love Interest p155

Oh no :( not his childhood bullies p160

omg and now his mom's death p161

Shen Qingqiu has been taking a constant beating for 164 pages- how is he not dead p164

LOL Shen Qingqiu really said "i'm not paid enough for this emotional labour" p167

Also Shen Qingqiu "I finished my friendship performance; I can finally leave work now" p169 what a vibe

Even the Dream Demon Lord is over how much Luo Binghe talks about Shen Qingqiu (p172)

uuuugh the foreshadowing RE: if you don't learn the demon path and the seal breaks you are basically fucked p.173

You tell that demon, Luo Binghe! RE: "right now, you are discussing terms with me, and you are free to say anything...but if you harm Shizun, any agreement is void!" p177

LOL "Aura of Badassery" p177

Shen Qingqiu after a very bad no good series of days "pls I dont want to see you omg leave me alone I am v tired" p179 this guy can't catch a break

The dichotomy of Shen Yuan acting in this though. Outward: I definitely can handle this. Inward: I'm so fucking scared, I do not got this. Is so real p180

Shen Qingqiu "I want this kid to remain optimistic and feel positive with his heritage (so he does not turn evil and mass murder me and everyone else)"Luo Binghe "I am going to be the strongest of strong possible so that I can protect Shen Qingqiu" p182

Oh gods, not him asking him to move in with him (to basically have a servant but like Luo Binghe has just had his entire life changed) p185

okay so age check- suddenly he's 15??? I thought this kid was 14 like 3 days ago?? p186

Points to Shen Yuan though for noting that how Luo Binghe was being treated was child abuse. p188

YAY! He's going to train with Meng Mo (also it made me laugh at how pissed Meng Mo is about not having the teacher title) p190

That's all for this chapter!

next one aiming for tomorrow :D

[thesummerstorms]

Rev’s Favorite MXTX Fics (1/2)

Heaven Official’s Blessing

’Til our compass stands still by edenwolfie

After getting lost in Ghost City, Xie Lian bargains away years of servitude to the Gambler’s Den to help a man in need. He dons the robes of a worker and hides his face and life behind an enchanted mask, protecting himself from the city's denizens. Xie Lian finds an unexpected home in Ghost City before he ever sees the lord of it, the infamous Hua Cheng. When he finally does, something about himself seems to catch the attention of the Ghost King, slowly striking up an unusual friendship. Xie Lian must figure out how to navigate his burgeoning feelings, how to keep his identity to himself, and how to get over a ghost so clearly in love with someone else.

the ghost king's bride by arahir

Ghosts won't stop giving Xie Lian flowers, Hua Cheng won't stop teasing, and Xie Lian is out here doing his best, man.

Aren't Alright by Boomchick

It’s been over a week since Xie Lian checked in which, for Mu Qing, is about the longest silence since the one that lasted 800 years. He should probably be glad for the quiet, but instead…

Instead he calls in Feng Xin’s help, and goes to see what’s wrong.

He should have expected this, honestly.

Feng Xin and Mu Qing arrive at the house on Mt. Taicang to find Xie Lian 8 years old both in body and mind. The main problem? Xie Lian isn’t the only one who’s 8 years old. What are two gods to do with a Hong Hong-er?

Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System:

I Wish You Were My Husband by Feynite

AU based on The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir (familiarity with that story's not required).

Wherein Shen Yuan transmigrates into a harem intrigues romance novel (gay edition), Yue Qingyuan really fucks up, Liu Qingge is not suitable for his job, and no one even remotely sees Luo Binghe coming.

Metagaming by esama

[Self-Saving System Activated! You will be now returned to your original starting position.]

Shen Qingqiu dies and gets a second chance and decides to try a different approach.

Character Optimisation by esama

[Bonus mission, "Me, Myself and I" is now available. Would you like to activate the mission?]

Shen Qingqiu tries to sort himself out. Yue Qingyuan and Liu Qingge try to help.

pure white and snow-bright by AMereDream

The first time you are used by old hands but a new soul, it is out of pure curiosity. One hand on your scabbard, one hand on your hilt, and a soft gasp of delight at the sight of your beauty. You preen. You are a beautiful thing, and you know it.

The second time you are used by old hands but a new soul, you kill a man.

(Or, you are Xiu Ya. Perhaps that is not what you were in the past, but it is what you are now.)

Sit With Your Soul by Tossawary

The original Shen Qingqiu suffers a severe deviation that unsettles his daemon, transforming them into a childish and inconstant creature, too curious and without any memories of the life that has made him so bitter. His soul is now unrecognizable to him and everyone can see his humiliation.

Shen Yuan isn't exactly happy to have transmigrated into Proud Immortal Demon Way at all, much less as this doomed scum villain's daemon.

A His Dark Materials Fusion AU.

when at first i learned to speak (i used all my words to fight) by xfrinz

Xiao Jiu doesn't know where he is, but he doesn't need to know where he is to not trust it. The only person that Xiao Jiu trusts is Qi-ge.

//

AKA: Another Shen Qingqiu De-Aging Fic

You came to me through the green of a forest by namio

...I woke, and the low moon’s glimmer on a rafter Seemed to be your face, still floating in the air.

A gentle laugh, inky reeds upon a white fan. This is a figure he will never see again, Liu Qingge realizes.

The Many Trials and Tribulations of Ming Fan by The Feels Whale

Ming Fan just wants to get through ONE supervised night hunt without this happening.

Or: the one where Shen Qingqiu continues to be attractive to people who aren’t Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge. It's a problem.

---

“Da-shixiong.” Ning-shimei’s groan was barely audible to anyone who didn’t have a cultivator’s enhanced senses. To him and the rest of their assembled siblings, though, it rang out like a bell. The only one who didn’t notice was Shizun. He was up ahead and deep in conversation with the Lord who’d summoned them to investigate a series of local disappearances.

“I saw,” Ming Fan sighed. “Eyes front. Everyone knows their roles.”

Frankly, he’d been braced for this moment since he’d asked around about the family hosting them for the duration of this investigation. He’d discovered that they had two marriage-aged daughters in the household, neither of whom were engaged.

Help! My Boss is a Bitch. by x_los

Shen Yuan was born to be Reviewer 2. Decades after his marriage, Empress Shen Qingqiu is living his best life at the entire demonic civil service's expense.

Grasping a Kite with Broken String by yamabuki_kana (cygnisor)

Despite how hard Shen Qingqiu tries to hide it, everyone knows how he mourns for Luo Binghe's loss in the Immortal Alliance Conference.

Liu Qingge tries to help him.

Tongfang by The Feels Whale

Shen Yuan is reincarnated as a cannon fodder character and eventual murder victim in one of the whodunnit arcs in Proud Immortal Demon Way. Things escalate quickly.

Or: that one where young Luo Binghe’s career goal is ‘Bride’.

[ineffectualdemon]

Okay now I'm awake I can explain:

Shen Yuan and Characters he parallels:

Ning YingYing: I already did a whole post about it but when Shen Yuan enters the world he is kinda naive and spoiled and sheltered. He also has her tendency of getting kidnapped or blindly walking into trouble.

I mean he flat out complains about getting scenarios meant for Ning YingYing. And I think at the beginning his excitement and obsession with Luo Binghe is kinda shallow. He is obsessed at this point because he's the protagonist not because he's Binghe.

But as the narrative moves in he finds his purpose and happiness in teaching and matures and finds steel and strength in his kindness. Just like Ning YingYing does under his tutelage.

They also got over their superficial feelings for Binghe by the time Shen Qingqiu self detonates

Where they differ is how.

Shen Qingqiu in embracing Luo Binghe because even though he is still scared of him in that moment he doesn't care. It's not a superficial attachment to a fictional protagonist. His Binghe is hurting and he wants to make it stop. He doesn't really process or realise the depth of his feelings until his resurrection as Plant Shen but it's certainly not shallow

Ning YingYing on the other hand with both great empathy and understanding and steel and strength tells Luo Binghe off and rejects him as her Shidi. She is empathetic that something happened between him and their Shizun but she cannot forgive his role in the destruction of Shen Qingqiu. She is very mature in this moment. More than most of the others around her

Yue Qingyuan: again I already did a post about this but Shen Yuan sees all the wrongs Luo Binghe does and does not care. This is his Binghe. His Binghe who lose his innocence because of him.

Like Yue Qingyuan he left his loved one in hell, betrayed him, mourned for him while he was living, suffered for him, and was/is willing to die for him. And he can never explain why he committed such a betrayal

The difference is Yue Qingyuan didn't know Shen Jiu was alive when he mourned and couldn't bridge the gap and show Shen Jiu that he still cared. Their lack of communication couldn't be overcome due to intense trauma on both sides. And Shen Jiu lashed out at everything around him and Yue Qingyuan closed himself off more and more. Hiding under a false smile and being unable to move until it was too late.

Shen Qingqiu had the Jade necklace, a link he could use to facilitate the conversation. Something Yue Qingyuan lacked.

Su Xiyan: A righteous cultivator whose relationship with a heavenly demon becomes everyone's business. Who the Old Palace Master targets. Whose story is twisted to be a helpless martyr, tainted and destroyed by an evil demon. When in reality she fell in love with someone who loved her completely in return.

It's easy to see the parallels and that's without mentioning Su Xiyan protecting Binghe with her own life, something Shen Qingqiu does repeatedly. In fact he makes this comparison himself at Maigu Ridge when he tells Luo Binghe if he had been Su Xiyan he would have absorbed the poison meant for Binghe and died so he could live.

And then he proceeds to do that exact thing, using his body to take in the poison of Xin Mo so Binghe can live.

Only this time the system shows mercy.

Mobei Jun: this one is harder to explain. The clearest way I can say is they both hide their thoughts behind masks, and have poor communication, and think everyone is on the same wavelength as them. Shen Qingqiu thinks his view is the correct view and the one that everyone sees until he's forced to face the reality of the situation and realises how badly he got Binghe wrong.

The same is true for Mobei about Shang Qinghua.

In fact you could blame both these errors on cultural differences and also class differences. For all the difference of their upbringing they are both born into privilege and wealth. Their starting point blinds them to the truth of the struggles and resentment from their loved interests. They can see it but they don't understand it. They don't understand the emotional weight of poverty like Luo Binghe and Shang Qinghua do.

Mobei and Shen Qingqiu make assumptions and those assumptions blow up in their faces. But, they also learn from them and make amends

Reflections of Shen Yuan:

Shen Jiu: the cruel master Vs the kind one. They are similar in their thin faces and myopic viewpoint and I would say their unreliable narration of the world. I would also argue that neither cares very much for themselves and both deal with deep depression

The differences though are easy. Shen Jiu lashes out at the world. He is a monster on the inside and he's going to act like it. If he had to suffer so does everyone else. Why should anyone else get to be happy and fulfilled? It's not ever his fault, it's everyone else's and yes he deserves it but so does everyone else

Shen Yuan punishes himself. He takes his pain out in his reckless disregard for his life. He deserves his suffering somehow but no one else should be in real pain. The only time he felt like lashing out was online and at Shang Qinghua and even then he pulls his punches. His insults if they go on long enough start to reveal praise. Shen Qingqiu is kind but cannot see how his kindness affects those around him because he does not see his own worth.

The Old Palace Master: the Groomer vs the Righteous Teacher

The Old Palace Master was trying to groom Su Xiyan and would have tried with Binghe. He is gross and cruel and greedy and grasping and controlling. Shen Yuan as Shen Qingqiu was none of those things. He wasn't even aware of Luo Binghe's feelings until after Luo Binghe had been in the abyss for 2 years and he had been dead for 5 years!

He had no intention of dating Binghe when he was his disciple.

They are as different as night and day but narrative reflections

Shang Qinghua: the writer vs the reader

Shang Qinghua is considerably more cynical and jaded than Shen Qingqiu and also less able to change things. He's too close to Binghe. Understands him too well. He is insular and only cares about himself and his King (and later Shen Qingqiu a bit)

He is closed off

Shen Yuan blooms as Shen Qingqiu. He cares about so many people. He changes so much because of that care. It's suggested he was insular in his last life but he has so much love to give. He's so open to it. He blossoms so easily and gives so much.

Shang Qinghua is a hoarder. He hoards his love and his trust and his care and doesn't open up because in his experience that leads to pain.

Characters Luo Binghe has parallels with:

Shen Jiu: started with nothing but pain and abuse and feeling like a monster on the inside. Hurt and distrustful. But Binghe still yearned for love and Shen Jiu had given up.

They look up to and are obsessed with a person who is both lover and father. Someone too kind but who retracts that kindness when they need it most and who they struggle to trust in the future because they never explain their betrayal properly.

Only Binghe gets proof. Proof that Shen Qingqiu cares and will continue to care and put him first and forgives even without explanation. By the time Shen Jiu is able to do that it's too late. Yue Qingyuan is gone and his bed of thorns has been made by his own hands.

Bingqiu is Qijiu if they didn't fail

Tianlang Jun: it's the desire to live a simple life of contentment but being saddled with an empire. Of falling in love with but being reviled and attacked for it. For loving and trusting and feeling like that trust was broken too deeply.

To hate love because of the pain it causes but yearning for it anyway

To want to reject his heritage and adopt humanity totally but it being forever out of his grasp

Like father like son

Shang Qinghua: your protagonist is not you but every other sinks a bit of their soul into their main character.

Binghe has Shang Qinghua's doubt and cynicism. They came from poverty. They hoard. They hoard money. They hoard power. They hoard love and affection and attention. SVSSS Binghe is especially like Airplane Shang Qinghua because they put all their love and affection and trust into one person and they guard that jealously.

They are also liars and manipulative because they will do what is needed to survive.

Zhuzhi Lang: it's the devotion. The willingness to sacrifice everything for the one person who made you feel like you had worth. The one person who made you feel like a person. Zhuzhi Lang willingly throws himself onto a sword for Tianlang Jun. Binghe gives Xin Mo for Shen Qingqiu.

But it's also their desire to kill whoever seems to have wronged them the slightest amount.

Zhuzhi Lang is Binghe's devotion and destruction brought up to 11.

Reflections of Luo Binghe:

Gongyi Xiao: the good wholesome boy is what Binghe wanted to be. What he tries to be, and what he fails at being. It's not that Binghe is incapable of goodness. But he's not this pure centered boy. He's a troubled and hurt and mentally unstable man. He hates Gongyi Xiao because he thinks that because he tried to be like that and failed that Shen Qingqiu would prefer the true "white lotus"

But Shen Qingqiu always knew what his white lotus was capable of and loved him anyway.

The Little Palace Mistress: the spoiled sadist who delights in harm and is grasping and greedy and throws away her childhood sweetheart the moment something better comes around.

She is everything Binghe isn't but what people think he is

Liu Qingge: the war god. White vs Black. They love and they love differently. Liu Qingge can admit when he's defeated. Can admit when he can't win. He'll keep trying but he knows his limits and accepts the outcome.

He says when Shen Qingqiu detonates that he can't beat Binghe and accepts that. He still tries to bring back Shen Qingqiu for five years but he is calm in accepting when he can't win.

He knows at the end of the book that he can't win Shen Qingqiu's heart. His objections to Binghe aren't that he wants Shen Qingqiu to leave him and choose Liu Qingge. It's concern for Shen Qingqiu's safety.

When has Luo Binghe ever been able to accept a defeat? To know his limits? To be calm in recognising a defeat even if he will keep trying?

Liu Qingge is control where Binghe is raw power and chaos. That's why they make such good rivals

And of course - Luo Bing-ge:

I don't even have to explain this one. Just go read the extra where they clash.

Characters that Shen Yuan has parallels with:

Ning YingYing

Yue Qingyuan

Su Xiyan

Mobei Jun

Characters that are reflections of Shen Yuan:

Shen Jiu

The Old Palace Master

Shang Qinghua

Characters Luo Binghe has parallels with:

Shen Jiu

Tianlang Jun

Shang Qinghua

Zhuzhi Lang

Characters that are Reflections of Luo Binghe:

Gongyi Xiao

The Little Palace Mistress

Liu Qingge

Luo Bing-ge

When I'm more awake I'll give reasons

[hey-hamlet]

SVSSS AU Idea: Rogue System

AKA: “The guy who didn’t like musicals” AU

shen twins au, a rouge system shows up to get the plot back on track by Force, taking over people, jumping from person to person, because if they control everyone, then the plot has to carry on, just as it was written.

the system prays upon the wants of their hosts, uses that to infect and control them. it’s why Shen Yuan lasts so long without any sort of halo - he doesn’t want anything, other than the general ‘i’d rather not die or suffer if its all the same to you’. 

LBH is his downfall - he falls in love with him, and thats how the system gets him.

ill give you three possible endings - end 2 is canon but all of them are fun in their own ways.

luo binghe is also taken over, the whole world left to act out the rest of the story like dolls and, when the novel ends, the system vanishes and everyone involved with the plot just. stops living.

luo binghe is protected by the protagonist halo, uses his bullshit dream powers and destroys both the rouge system and the two other systems for good measure. this is that happy end

luo binghe is protected from the system by the protagonist halo but, because of its nature as a meta-narrative force, he can't affect it, leaving him all alone, knowing everyone he knows are stuck as passengers in their own bodies, only able to interact with them in dreams

Extras:

Not Your Seed is Shen Jiu @ Yue Qingyuan because Why does it hurt to love you? Why am I in pain? Why does it hurt to know you? You'll let me down again If I turned my insides out, would you even know that I was there? is just too perfect.

Show Stopping Number is Shang Qinghua cracking under the stress and joining the rouge system because if he can convince himself its just a story, he doesn’t need to be scared anymore. 

Inevitable - because Luo Binghe stumbling on the ruins of Huanhua palace, seeing his Shizun standing tall and undefeated, wrapping him in an extatic hug, only to hear a crooning “Binghe, I’m sorry - you lost” is such a good mental image

[admirableadmiranda]

Thank you so much for your wonderful answers....🤩

First of all, sorry if I'm bothering you with my ask, please ignore it if you don't want to answer it.....It's just that you are the second person from all of the people that I ask (and from other people's asks, that I found) that loved SVSSS more than TGCF....And it's very interesting....

If you don't mind me asking (again), can I ask, who are your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from SVSSS? And why? And what are your top 5 fav moments from the novel? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks.....

That is very interesting. I'm sure there's a few others like me, SVSSS definitely has its fans and it and TGCF are very tonally different.

Oooh now I get to remember everyone! That'll be fun!

1.) Shen Qingqiu/Shen Yuan/Shizun. Hands down my favorite. He's so sassy and witty and I feel like he'd be a blast to talk to after he got the ranting about PIDW out of his system. He's charming and funny and I don't get why people aren't charmed by him too and would prefer his original body's host over him. He's just such a sweetie once you get past the tsun-tsun.

2.) Zhuzhi-lang. Snakey-boy! I enjoyed him and his loyalty every time he popped up. I always feel sad when many characters that are loyal to the first person that was kind to them show up because usually it's used to show them how that trust was misled and abused. But with him it isn't really so much. Both Shizun and Tianlang-jun are kind to him and don't abuse him (much). I hope he has a happily ever after with more kind people in his life.

3.) Luo Binghe. Our little white lotus who manages to avoid blackening by falling for his teacher. I love his struggles, I love the person he grows up to be, I love that he has his eyes fixed forwards and does not look away or give up on what he wants. I am also kind of a sucker for characters who would rather die with their lover than live on alone. Yes, it's very tragic, but sometimes you just want a good tragedy and he would be the hero of the best tragedy. Thank god for the system, amiright?

4.) Ning Yingying. I don't know why she's so high up, but I love this sweet girl with a spunky core that comes out as the story changes a hell of a lot. She doesn't have a lot of screentime or heavy character, but she makes me smile and laugh and I like her development into being a cool shijie in her sect and growing up to be helpful and wiser than she would have been in the original story. She's just fun.

5.) Liu Qingge. I didn't adore him at first, but I'm warming up to him a lot on my reread. There's just something about beautiful man who can and will fuck up your day because you insulted someone they care about that's very appealing. As well as he's easily one of the most determined characters in the book, which is saying something! I'm looking forwards to seeing him more as I reread.

As for my top favorite moments...even though it's shorter than MDZS and especially TGCF, I bet I can find five moments I really love pretty easily.

1.) Shizun's first time mixing his energies with Binghe to stop him from losing control and the fallout from that. It's a very dramatic turning point. It shows how far he would actually go when pushed, gives Binghe a very dramatic understanding of his Shizun that he did not have (even if it's very painful) and fundamentally alters the story in a way that cannot be understated. Literally everyone in the story is fundamentally changed by that action. His students grow up, his martial siblings are united, his white lotus is never the same after that moment and even the enemies are caught off guard by such an act. It is literally world turning and I cannot overstate how much I love moments like that. No one is unaffected.

2.) The whole mausoleum chase. At this point we know how much Binghe cares for and what he would do to protect Shizun, but here we see it the other way around. Binghe is in no state to fight his way through, they are vastly outmatched by an enemy they cannot hope to win against but the absolute last thing he would do is leave Binghe behind. It is Shizun's second act of ardent devotion, by the end of it, he is battered and bruised and wounded and at the end of his rope, but he will not let Binghe be hurt or left behind. And of course we have a coffin scene, which is just lovely.

3.) Papapa to save the world. I'm sure by now you've noticed a trend in my favorite moments...A third great act of love and this one unlike the others is not guided by desperation in the same way. Binghe is in a bad state, but they are alone, they are not being chased or hunted by anyone else in the moment. He just wants to help the man he can admit to himself that he's fallen in love with in the only way that he can think of, stop him from being controlled by this sword any longer. It isn't a pleasant scene for them, but I don't get the feeling that he regrets what he's doing at all, only that the inner romantic in him didn't think this is how everything would go down. If this is what will help him save Binghe, he will do it. And it works, after a fashion anyway.

4.) The deep dream record extra. It's sad, wistful, a little funny and full of Shizun just adoring Binghe and being sad for what he missed and what he went through, and then ends with him initiating intimacy of his own accord. A shorter moment than the rest of them, but I like how it shows that they are continuing to build a relationship that makes them happy.

5.) Bing-mei and Bing-ge's climactic showdown! The price, one Shizun- who will win this fight of evenly matched jealous men? It's just tons of fun and I enjoy Binghe getting to let loose and beat up someone for daring to try and hurt his Shizun for once with no consequences.

Thank you so much for the asks! I hope you've enjoyed my ramblings. Feel free to drop more if you wish. My inbox is always open.

[wangxiandecoded]

Episode 7 (& Wangxian Meta)

Previous Episode | Next Episode

(Spoilers for the whole show ahead!)

The Chosen Ones

Lan Zhan, if this scene foreshadows anything, it’s that he’s certainly going to become a part of your domestic affair.

There is something powerful about the first and only female Lan clan leader giving them her blessing and saying it was destiny that they found their way to her just as she’s about to fade into oblivion. Wangxian are the archetypal Chosen Ones who have been entrusted with keeping the Yin Iron safe. And if this was yet another straight adventure story that delivers poetic justice, we would expect it to conclude with these two people ending up together - and that’s what The Untamed does in a roundabout way with our heroes.

Nothing to see here. Just two guys tripping over each other because the sacred string of fate pulled them towards each other.

Lan Zhan, I’ll Be Your Secret Keeper!

This episode is full of instances where Wei Ying refuses to tell other characters what really happened in the cave, then turns around to look at Lan Zhan with a proud look that screams, “I’m so good at keeping secrets, aren’t I? We are soulmates! Come on, validate me, Lan Zhan!”

The expression on Lan Qiren’s face when Wei Ying calls Lan Zhan his confidant/soulmate. No words are needed. 

The Yin Iron Secret™ is obviously bringing them closer and they begin to share loaded glances that convey everything they wish to say without actually having to. Thus begins the process of everyone third wheeling Wangxian.

Jiang Cheng thinks Wei Ying should move into the Cloud Recesses since he’s hanging out with Lan Zhan all the time. Lan Zhan hears that and appears to be a tad bit disappointed Wei Ying might never actually do that since their lifestyles are leagues apart. It’s tough being Wei Wuxian sometimes.

The Lantern That Started Everything

We are here, folks! The moment that started it all, the scene that defined Wangxian’s story. Once again, Wangxian are framed in contrast with the two straight couples. 

Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are standing together and look at each other while making their wish, just like Yanli x Jin Zixuan, and Jiang Cheng x Wen Qing.

Lan Zhan says he is used to doing it alone and Wei Ying comments old habits can be changed, which just points to the latter’s impact on the former’s life.

Wei Ying has another accomplishment to cross off his list : Finally made Lan Zhan smile today!

Mian Mian asks Yanli why she didn’t make the lantern together with Jin Zixuan, as praying together is a custom followed by couples that are to be married. And that tells you everything you need to know about Lan Zhan and Wei Ying’s relationship.   

The first of many times that Lan Zhan rushes in to hold Wei Ying back.

Lan Zhan for a second believed Wei Ying finally learnt his lessons and crossed over to the lawful good side.. but come on, you love him precisely because he would never do that. And those ants are cute.

Jiang Fengmian proposes to cancel the troth between the clans to marry Yanli and Jin Zixuan. It is worth mentioning that Jiang clan’s approach to marriage is to never force their kids into a lifelong relationship they are not sure they want as they believe in “following one’s nature”. When even straight relationships are progressive and value happiness above all else, what is to stop the show from selling us a central gay romance that ends happily? Absolutely nothing.

We’ve now seen both the protagonists reject the romantic idea of spending their life with a woman. 

Missing Lan Zhan Hours Now Open

Wei Ying pouting like.. What do you mean we have to leave already? Lan Zhan literally just started acknowledging me as his soulmate. 

Oh no, Lan Zhan.. Why aren’t you including your soulmate on the super secret plan™?!

Wei Ying’s reason for wanting to say goodbye to only Lan Zhan out of all the disciples is, “Why can’t I admire his talents? You’re all losers who can’t fight me and he is my Match (Made In Heaven), I desire for an equivalence (and a meaningful union between souls.)”

The camera moves from the Yunmeng siblings squabbling to Lan Zhan observing them from a distance. Zewu Jun joins him and comments that after Wei Ying’s departure, Yun Shen will be silent once more. Lan Zhan’s face falls a little, understandably because he was getting more than used to Wei Ying’s chaotic presence in his life.

Zewu Jun is worried if Lan Zhan will be alright on his journey alone and raises the idea if he should tell Wei Ying about his quest. But Lan Zhan, our beloved idiot, still needs that extra push to come to terms with his feelings and realize Wei Ying will instantly drop everything for a lifetime by his side if he were to only say the word.

Rabbits Symbolise The Chinese Gay God

Even before the fandom taught me that the Chinese god of homosexuality is literally The Rabbit God, so the inclusion of rabbits is gloriously queer subtext, I could gather that they symbolised Wangxian’s feelings for each other. They both talk to the rabbits when the other is not there, Wei Ying paints a rabbit lantern for them to wish together, Lan Zhan raised Ah Yuan among these rabbits because they reminded him of Wei Ying and after 16 years, Lan Zhan drunkenly admits he likes rabbits (the equivalent of saying he’s always liked Wei Ying), they buy the rabbit lantern together and finally come back to find these rabbits in Cloud Recesses. The rabbits are a part of the Wangxian family.

The reappearance of the rabbits when Lan Zhan and Wei Ying’s dynamics have changed 16 years later is very telling. Their relationship by then has survived death and the miraculous return from death; it’s gone through the whole cycle of the promise of love, the pain of loss, the joy of redemption. The rabbits bring their life full circle to denote the certainty and comfort in the fact that they have each other after the trials and tribulations their romance has withstood. Wei Ying even says he isn’t scared of what happens anymore in that scene. There is nothing that can separate our heroes after this, they just have to brave whatever comes together.

And then there’s this promo picture and scene from a later episode where two rabbits are kissing.

This is how The Untamed screamed gay rights : “We’re not saying the heroes are gay, but the Yunshen rabbits are definitely gay and no one can do anything about it!” Only, the rabbits are such a huge part of this love story. 

Wangxian’s Promise of Love and Honor

When they make the wish together, Lan Zhan looks at Wei Ying with a kind of awe and reverence like, how did I not recognize him from the moment we met? He eyes the pouch containing the Yin metal and realizes they are both more alike than he thought, that this guy is possibly and most definitely his soulmate. This is an important stage in their relationship.

When he hears Wei Ying wish that he wants to eliminate evil and protect the weak in exchange for a life without anything weighing down their hearts - I think it is at this point he begins to see him as more of a life partner with whom he can share everything, than just a friend. Because Wei Ying’s impact on Lan Zhan’s life is so profound it alters his being, tilts his axis and expands his perspective. Wei Ying brought with him a free-spirited, flexible measurement of morality and an ardent quest for truth that no 3000 rules of the Lan clan had ever laid down. He realizes the rules he grew up on are right but Wei Ying, with all his moral complexity, can also be right. Wei Ying’s companionship introduced Lan Zhan to a fluid perception of right and wrong that he found perfectly acceptable. This shows Lan Zhan and Wei Ying belong to the new generation that is here to reform the broken system built by their ancestors. In this moment, by choosing to view him as his unequivocal soulmate, by acknowledging their paths are to be forever intertwined, Lan Zhan liberates his mind from the monochromatic perception of life he was brought up on. By making this wish together, Lan Zhan trusts Wei Ying to always do the right thing from now on and trusts the both of them to lead a life that they are proud of.

He doesn’t know right now that staying committed to this wish is going to demand everything from them in the future, but he does know that Wei Ying is the greatest person he has ever met and the first one who is so compatible with him. And that is a revelation to Lan Zhan because there are easily a million things that set them apart. All the same, he sees his own core values reflected in his soulmate. He decides it couldn’t be the worst thing in this world to stand by Wei Ying’s side especially when he’s doing the most honorable thing they both know to be true. This common ground means something to Lan Zhan, even if we don’t hear him admit that. Because here is Wei Ying telling him he doesn’t need to be alone anymore even though he’s used to it. That he doesn’t have to go through any of it alone as long as he is there: fight for justice, vanquish evil, or even simply go through everyday life. Lan Zhan’s face in this scene is understandably the face of a man who is falling in love.

The promise they make to each other on this cliff was in a way, a promise to follow their own path that ended up operating above the constraints of and reinvented the cultivation world’s jurisdiction. There are going to be many forces trying to convince them it's not the right way, but the path they share, which is both the literal path of justice and their love for each other (they are synonymous, after all) is the one they courageously forge and painfully commit to when their world is unable to go on existing with the faulty principles it was founded on. That is why their romance survives every obstacle in the end. It is founded on a love that runs so deep it recognizes and respects the other in the many lifetimes spent serving their just cause. Their love, and the extents it goes to in order to thrive, is the answer to all the troubles that ail their world. And it all began with this lantern. 

This is why The Untamed is the gay drama and Wangxian are the gay warriors the universe has been waiting for. It staged gay romance in a realm ruled by gentry and the supernatural, giving us equal parts of gore as there is swashbuckling, gut-wrenching drama. Literally never been done before.

In conclusion, Episode 7 deepens the bond between our heroes and sets up the main struggle in their romance as we wait to see what will become of the wish they made together. But one thing is clear : They are bound together forever, not just by their love for each other but also by their common cause. That is why the road they walk on can never be different. It will forever be the single plank road they will always find their way back to.

[fairsweetlonging]

have been in a qijiu/qiyuan mood lately, and i was thinking about an au where shen yuan, upon transmigrating, actually loses his memories. he wakes up and has no idea who he is, where he is, who the man at his bedside is. not a clue. the only thing he has is his muscle memory, his sharp recognition senses (he's experiencing a lot of déjà-vu), and blurry fractions of memories that he can't quite make out.

thing is, the memories of both shen yuan and shen jiu aren't actually gone, they start to intermingle, to mix up, a little sister in princess pajamas beside an older brother wearing dirty rags, a bright screen that displays mountain peaks and glittering caves. he's kind and generous the way someone who has never had to worry about food or money is, but he gets vicious and defensive when someone gets too close. sometimes he says cruel things and doesn't even understand why himself.

neither identity fits anymore, both names right and wrong at the same time. it's just... shen qingqiu.

and while everyone else might adjust to this just fine, yue qingyuan does not. because that is shen jiu, but it isn't, but it has to be, but not always. he gets flashes of his childhood friend when shen qingqiu gets viciously defensive over nothing, when he scowls and scoffs and rolls his eyes when he thinks people can't see, but then he smiles, and laughs, and tilts his head in a way that is completely foreign. he likes beasts. shen jiu never liked beasts. but he loves tanghulu, like shen jiu. sweet sugary things. the first time xiao jiu cuddles up into his hug, he cries.

the way he sometimes clings to yue qingyuan when he has a bad day can't be him, but then he says "qi-ge" exactly like shen jiu would and damn near snarls at anyone who gets too close, and he's aggressively possessive the way he was when they were kids. but then he pulls away and apologizes, like shen jiu would never do.

and he never demands anything, scrubbed clean from roughness and filth and selfish want, will act perfect and smiling and pleasant, never burdensome. like he's completely forgotten where he came from, what he was. like the pampered nobleman's son who could afford to be kind. the only time his old self comes fully back up is when he feels threatened or scared or angry, like a trauma response that kicks in to protect himself. and then yue qingyuan starts to wonder if maybe it is. maybe the shen jiu he knows was only ever fear and self-preservation, and the one he is now is a shen jiu without the chains and shackles and scars.

yue qingyuan doesn't know if he's happy for him, if it's for better or for worse. he does know that he feels protective and responsible for this new version xiao jiu has become.

meanwhile shen qingqiu, even when he regains enough of his memories to realize he was once a different person, doesn't know who he is anymore. both, maybe. or neither. he feels bad for taking away yue qingyuan's friend, but in his heart he can't help but think qi-ge is his brother, and no one else's. when he manages the peak he feels like he's taking credit for another's accomplishments, but he remembers suffering for it, he remembers what it took to get there.

[allpiesforourown]

So I found this around, can I ask for Luo Binghe/Shen Yuan (modern AU)?

♥ Send a ship and I'll give you who:

- Gives nose/forehead kisses

- Gets jealous the most

- Picks the other up from the bar when they’re too drunk to drive

- Takes care of on sick days

- Drags the other person out into the water on beach day

- Gives unprompted massages

- Drives/rides shotgun

- Brings the other lunch at work

- Has the better parental relationship

- Tries to start role-playing in bed

- Embarrassingly drunk dancer

- Still cries watching Titanic

- Firmly believes in couples costumes

- Breaks the expensive gift rule during Christmas

- Makes the other eat breakfast

- Remembers anniversaries

- Brings up having kids

Gives nose/forehead kisses: Shen Yuan gives forehead kisses. Binghe kisses Shen Yuan's nose, cheeks, temple, all over his face . Like this

Gets jealous the most: Binghe 100%

Picks the other up from the bar when they're too drunk to drive: Binghe. Shen Yuan can't drive 😭 If Binghe needs to be picked up, Shen Yuan will either call a cab or another friend... depending on who comes *cough cough Liu qingge* the ride home can be very tense

Takes care of on sick days: Shen Yuan has a terrible immune system, and Binghe takes care of him religiously when he gets sick. Obviously he would prefer if Yuan-ge was happy amd healthy but... when Shen Yuan refuses to see anyone else because he doesn't want to get anyone sick and stays at home with Binghe all day... that's not too bad...

Drags the other person out into the water on beach day: Neither. Shen Yuan is more of a "chill under the shade with a book" guy and Binghe would be super protective. What if Yuan-ge cuts his foot on a sharp rock?? What if the water is too cold and he gets sick?? Binghe will sit next to Shen Yuan and ignore everyone calling for him to play in the water with them.

Gives unprompted massages: Binghe... even if all his groping and squeezing doesn't get sexual, he only has to give Shen Yuan puppy eyes and Shen Yuan will give in

Drives/rides shotgun: Binghe drives when he needs to, but they rarely need to. They picked an apartment within walking distance of most necessities.

Brings the other lunch at work: Binghe would but Shen Yuan doesn't have a formal job, so it's more like him bringing lunch to his roommates room

Has the better parental relationship: Both. Binghe is super close to his adoptive mom and Shen Yuan loves his family.

Tries to start role-playing in bed: Binghe would start it, Shen Yuan would be way more into it

Embarrassingly drunk dancer: Neither. They're affectionate drunks, they just cuddle

Still cries watching Titanic: Binghe, but he's not actually crying, he just wants Shen Yuan to pat his head and dote on him

Firmly believes in couples costumes: Binghe. Everyone needs to know Yuan-ge is TAKEN and HIS

Breaks the expensive gift rule during Christmas: Binghe 😭 Shen Yuan is a rich kid but he knows he's a rich kid. He'd be going "if I get something too expensive it'll put pressure on Binghe! Though he deserves to be spoiled, I don't want him feeling like he has to spend his money on me..." Then he buys Binghe something affordable and opens his own gift and its something that Binghe would have to save up for months. Shen Yuan scolds him but Binghe is unrepentant

Makes the other eat breakfast: Binghe

Remembers anniversaries: Both. They're obsessed with each other

Brings up having kids: Binghe but it wouldn't be an actual conversation about having children, he'd just groan out some line about breeding Shen Yuan while they're having sex

[wangxianficrecs]

❤️Demonic Cultivator's Blessing, or: Curse of the Bunny Gods by FayJay

❤️ Demonic Cultivator's Blessing, or: Curse of the Bunny Gods

by FayJay

E, 25k, wangxian, sangcheng

Summary:  Written for the Reverse Big Bang Challenge, to illustrate the beautiful art work below, by Saph0000 (qr-sa on tumblr).

Her prompt was to write something about WWX and LWJ ascending to become deities; I took the liberty of slightly crossing over MDZS with Heaven Official's Blessing for the worldbuilding, and set myself the goal of bringing a smile to the faces of Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen.

So: a story in which the newly-ascended bunny gods set out to give Jiang Cheng's love life a boost, and find a way of cheering up Lan Xichen along the way.

My comments:  Ah, me, this was just as thoroughly delightful for the second read! Great story that focuses on our newly promoted gods trying to find Jiang Cheng someone to make him less lonely (since Jin Ling made a prayer). Wwx throws women at him left and right, and of course, JC just fucks it up over and over. (Except the one older woman who "takes him in hand" and expands his world, just as a freebie. POV everyone, basically, from gods to letter-writing Juniors to JC himself.

Excerpt 1:  “Lan Zhan, the bunnies are experts in papapa. Experts. This is why there are so many of them. Although admittedly some of them can’t make baby bunnies together, no matter how enthusiastically they try, because they don’t have the right equipment - but none of them are sad lonely bachelors, Lan Zhan! We don’t need to protect their virgin ears.”

Excerpt 2:  “That’s what I said. And people are worshipping A Yuan’s dads as the Bunny God of Cut-sleeves now.”

Jin Ling spits his entire mouthful of wine all over his robe. Wen Ning pounds him earnestly on the back, and Jin Ling is so distracted that he forgets that he and Wen Ning are sworn enemies. (He forgets this a lot around the Lan Sect Juniors, to be honest, and only remembers when he’s around his Uncle Jiang Cheng.)

“They what?” he says. “The village women were praying to them for loyal husbands before!”

“Well...they may still be doing that? But now so are the village men. They’ve started praying to them as Tu Er Shen.”

“A Yuan?!”

Lan Sizhui shrugs apologetically. “Apparently this is a thing that has happened. You know how people get confused about things, and gossip spreads easily?”

“But...they are martial gods!” protests Jin Ling. “Great fighters! They didn’t just ascend because of...papapa!”

Lan Sizhui bites his lip. He is trying not to smile; Jin Ling looks so outraged on behalf of Lan Sizhui’s fathers.

“Not just because of that, certainly,” he agrees. “They defeated a mighty dragon! But...they also did an awful lot of, um, dual cultivation, Jin Ling, in order to help Wei Ying develop the golden core in that body.” Jin Ling stares, and Lan Sizhui blushes. “I mean. An awful, awful lot.”

“It was very...educational,” says Lan Jingyi, with a somewhat harrowed look. He swallows. “Hanguang-Jun is clearly…uh...very thorough. And Wei Wuxian clearly has...great stamina. And lung capacity.”

“So loud,” says Wen Ning, shaking his head sadly.

“For many hours,” agrees Lan Jangyi.

“Every day,” they both say at once, looking pained.

“They were building Wei Wuxian’s golden core,” Lan Sizhui repeats, his blush deepening. “They had to make up for lost time.”

Lan Jingyi rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell me they were just doing all that papapa to develop Wei Wuxian’s golden core, Lan Sizhui. They did it in the library. And the cold spring. And on night hunts. And up a tree, that time. I don’t want to even think about it.”

“But…” Jin Ling’s eyes dart around the circle, but even the Ghost General is nodding. “...up a tree?”

“The bunnies are an apt symbol for many reasons,” says Lan Sizhui, in a stifled voice. “So it makes sense, really, that cut-sleeves are praying to them now.”

gods and goddesses au, ascension, romcom, matchmaking, genderflip, genderswap, pregnancy, chinese rabbit god, the god of gays, busybody wei wuxian, lonely jiang cheng, granting prayers, god wei wuxian, god lan wangji, male wei wuxian, female wei wuxian, he can switch back and forth, top jiang cheng, bottoming from the top, bottom nie huaisang, implied switching, sangcheng, humor, favorite, @okoyeleiaantiope

(You may wish to REBLOG as a signal boost for this author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[spockandawe]

So, my heart keeps circling and circling back to The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, and I was idly prodding at why that is, even more than the other mxtx stories, and then I thought to myself, ‘why not ramble into the internet abyss instead of just in your own head?’ And so here we are.

I love this story so much, seriously. It was maybe the most difficult of the three novels for me to begin, because the translation editing is definitely rougher than mdzs and tgcf, and I think the story itself assumes that readers are kind of familiar with transmigration concepts (teal deer, person from real world reads novel, involuntarily is pulled into novel, often(?) as one of the established characters, lives out the-novel-plot-but-different).

But once I got past like, that first chapter? MAN. I was so hooked. 

I think the first thing that really stands out to me is that Binghe as a love interest is...I’m not sure I want to say he’s more “flawed” than the other mxtx love interests, but that’s the best word I’m finding right now. The wangxian ship is mostly in tune with each other in the present, despite a few lingering misunderstandings. And the hualian ship, like, hua cheng rolls up like ‘heyy what up i would do anything you asked of me’ and xie lian was like ‘you. i like you a lottle.’ and their in-book development is mostly about bringing xie lian up to speed on the depth of their history together.

But Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe! The original canon Binghe is specifically a blackened hero, who is casually cruel and manipulative, and has collected up a massive harem of pretty ladies to be his wives and concubines. Pretty much the last straw in that blackening is that his abusive teacher (who he still desperately wanted the approval of) found out he was half demon (also news to luo binghe) and kicked him into the abyss where he had a miserable few years having his demon blood awakened. Later, he came back to the human realm, much stronger and angrier than when he left, and his morally questionable adventures involved de-limbing his old teacher, cutting out his tongue, and keeping him alive for years.

Shen Yuan is a modern-day human bean who has been hate-reading the webnovel of this story, where he can see a lot of interesting potential in the story, but is massively frustrated by the things the author has chosen to do with it. It is a Significant shock to his system when he wakes up inside the story, in the body of Shen Qingqiu. After Luo Binghe has already been his student for some time. Also, there’s a System that’s policing whether or not he acts in-character as Shen Qingqiu, and he’s going to get punished if his points drop below a certain threshold. He gets more freedom to act as the story progresses, but at first he has to do things like argue with the System about why he should be allowed to give medicine to Luo Binghe after he gets beat up (it will shame their sect if outsiders see him with a bruised face). And on the one hand, he’s trying DESPERATELY to avoid a future where he gets mutilated and tortured by his student, but... he is absolutely a massive softy who takes no time at all to start ADORING this kid and being super proud of everything he does. He won’t admit that, even in his own pov, and he has a very, very reserved external manner, but he’s so soft on the inside.

(ps why did using fans as conversational props stop being a thing. maybe sometimes i don’t WANT my face hanging out in public, maybe sometimes it’s extra fun to hide your expression.)

And this makes for a fascinating dynamic, because this new Shen Qingqiu 1) adores Luo Binghe, 2) is terrified of Luo Binghe.

At first, when Luo Binghe is still a teenager, it’s easier to land on the side of just adoring him. The original canon character was a sweet, sweet kid all on his own. And Luo Binghe is still an extremely good boy when this novel starts, even though he’s being mistreated by his teacher and most of his fellow disciples. But when Shen Qingqiu starts giving him support and positive reinforcement, oh my god, he BLOOMS. 

But Shen Qingqiu is from outside the novel, and he knows where this is headed eventually. And at the point where the original character shoved Luo Binghe into the abyss for a couple years of misery, the new Shen Qingqiu thinks he’s in a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation, and... reluctantly does the same thing.

So here’s the trouble. Luo Binghe is... needy. He’s a needy, needy boy. He loves very hard and cares about his people (person) a lot, but he is also clingy as heck, jealous, and has MASSIVE abandonment issues. Getting this treatment from his favorite person in the entire universe is... not ideal. Having it happen when he’s just found out he’s half demon is even less ideal, especially when the framing makes it look like he’s being rejected because of What He Is, not something he has any power to change. And it ties back into to his oldest, most painful insecurities. His name literally means ‘lowered into the icy river’, because that’s what his birth mother did with him. 

So when he comes back to the human realm, he’s not as blackened as he was in canon, and doesn’t have a grudge of the same magnitude as the original Luo Binghe. But the person he loves most in the world hurt him very, very badly, and he :) has :) some :) questions :))))))))))))))

And this is the point where every time Luo Binghe breathes, Shen Qingqiu goes WAUGHHHH

Which is so TASTY, honestly! And the escalation of hurt and mistrust is such a delicious feedback loop! I love a good supportive relationship, but I live for two people who care about each other inadvertently inflicting massive wounds on each other’s hearts.

I don’t want to go into describing the later parts of the plot, because that seems like such a waste, but I feel like transmigration stories are the MOST tasty if having prior knowledge of a novel’s plot makes the leads act as dumbasses in all kinds of new and exciting ways. Which definitely, definitely applies here.

And there are all kinds of DELICIOUS side relationships, which weren’t there in the original canon, and that Shen Qingqiu accidentally discovers/uncovers while he’s fumbling around trying to dodge his canon fate. Like, early in the book, Shen Qingqiu is supposed to kill one of his peers in the sect. The guy was suffering from a qi deviation and the original Shen Qingqiu was like ‘look, he was out of control, and I didn’t want to kill him, but it was him or me.’ Everyone was skeptical, but they didn’t have any evidence to contradict him. This character was the brother of one of Luo Binghe’s eventual wives, so it was pretty much just another bonus reason to hate his shizun once he turned against him.

The new Shen Qingqiu is like ‘okay, so this Liu Qingge is supposed to be strong. Maybe if I save his life he’ll protect me from Luo Binghe?’ And it changes SO MUCH! And Shen Qingqiu is SO DUMB! He’s like ‘wow, liu qingge really hates me, huh.’ And Liu Qingge is like ‘WHY ARE YOU BEING NICE. IT’S WEIRD. ARE YOU REALLY STILL YOURSELF?’ And then later there are spoilery developments, but there’s this act of devotion that moves me so much. (five years!!!!!!!!!!)

And I don’t want to undersell the intense emotions these characters are so frequently feeling in this story, but they are also. so dumb. so frequently, frequently dumb. and I live for it.

Like, I just got past the part in the novel where Shen Qingqiu sees Luo Binghe and Liu Mingyan having their first conversation. Liu Mingyan is a legendary beauty (so beautiful she wears a veil, because otherwise her beauty is just too distracting) and eventually becomes one of Luo Binghe’s favorite wives. So Shen Qingqiu (who hates the original novel, but also sure has a lot of passion for it and remembers a lot of the details, considering how much he theoretically hates it) is like ‘OH, HOT DAMN. MY OTP’S FIRST CONVERSATION. I WANNA SEE HOW THIS GOES.’

And what happens is that Luo Binghe gets so massively jealous. We get a bit of his pov, where almost all of his thoughts are ‘WHY IS SHIZUN STILL LOOKING AT HER?? IT’S NOT LIKE YOU CAN SEE MUCH PAST THE VEIL ANYWAYS. AND ANYWAYS, I’M PRETTIER???????????????’ And finally Luo Binghe goes off out of sight with her so shizun can’t watch her anymore, and Shen Qingqiu is like ‘ah.... alas....... of course the protagonist and his lady get privacy for such an important scene..............’

They are so dumb, guys. They care so much, and they ache so much over each other, and they are so dumb. And the supporting cast isn’t much smarter. Even the smart ones have the dumb ones inflicted on them.

In the extras, at one point demon king Luo Binghe is addressing his main retainers, and he’s like ‘if... hypothetically..... two people’s hearts were out of alignment with each other........ how would u fix that.......... hypothetically..............’ And his poor retainers are like

But I really, really think that the protagonist being afraid of the love interest is a really key point for me, personally. And then it’s extra my favorite, because of 1) him having a good fucking reason to be afraid, and 2) his love interest having no goddamn clue. It makes for such a good blend of humor and sincere pathos. I’m weak to dumbasses-in-love as a dynamic, but it can be hard to have something so lighthearted while also working in painful emotional depths. The premise for this story is hard to replicate, and I’m kind of drawing a blank on anything that I’ve read that measures up to it, and the plot REALLY makes the use of some incredible foundations.

Anyways, thank you for coming to my ted talk, this book is ridiculous and i love it, and it’s also the shortest and most linear of mxtx’s books, and i highly recommend it to everyone.

[delicioussshame]

I can’t finish anything so have some more wips.

______________________________________________________________

Luo Binghe isn’t sure how he feels about Shizun picking up a new disciple. He’s been the youngest for so long. How could he be a decent shixiong to this newcomer when he could barely cultivate? He’s always so busy ruining errands and dealing with Ming Fan too. Surely that’s why Shizun didn’t take him along.

But Luo Binghe takes one look at tiny Shen Yuan holding his shimei’s sleeve, staring wildly around, and feels his heart twist.

“Shen-shidi, that’s your shixiong, Luo Binghe.”

Luo Binghe swears Shen Yuan lit up when he turned toward him, and yet, his answer is very mature. “Luo-shixiong. This Shen Yuan will be in your care. I will do his best not to shame my shimei and shixiong.”

He’s so cute, standing there with a too serious face, that it takes all Luo Binghe has not to hug his new brother.

He’s always worked hard, but he’s going to have to work even harder now. He can’t disappoint Shen Yuan.

___________________

Luo Binghe cannot afford to fail here. He promised Shen Yuan he’d come back with the first place.

Shen Yuan had been so worried. He’d always been pushing books at him, trying to teach him about monsters Luo Binghe kept telling him he wouldn’t see at the Conference.

Nothing he could do would calm him.

Luo Binghe had found his reaction both endearing and heartbreaking.

Endearing, because how could he not when Shen Yuan was so obvious about his attachment to him? It only made his resolve to protect his dear shidi from everything stronger.

Heartbreaking, because Luo Binghe recognised himself in his fear. He remembers how he was after his mother’s death.

Shen Yuan receives no letter and never visits family. He never mentions anyone that’s not from the sect. He came with nothing but the clothes on his back.

Luo Binghe understands how a fellow orphan would be disturbed by the idea of losing his family all over again. He won’t let it happen. He won’t leave Shen Yuan to deal with their shizun’s mercurial temperament by himself.

He has to come back home.

___________________

He doesn’t manage it.

___________________

Shen Yuan has no idea what the fuck is happening.

He is pretty sure he did well on the “not getting slaughtered by Luo Binghe with the rest of the sect” front. Luo Binghe likes him! He always took care of him like a good older brother would. Shen Yuan made for a good, obedient younger sibling, diligent with his studies and polite to his elders.

He did not think that would translate to him being kidnapped out of the sect.

One second he was cultivating by himself, the next a portal opens, Luo Binghe steps out of it (way too early!) and pulls him inside his demonic palace, hello Luo Binghe’s domain.

Then he gets a hug. “Shixiong!”

Luo Binghe doesn’t let go. “Let your shixiong indulges a bit. He hasn’t seen his favorite shidi in so long.”

Shen Yuan sighs. “I’m your only shidi.”

“You’re still my favorite.”

______________________________________________________________

Luo Binghe immediately recognises the man dressed in cultivator garb as Yingying’s shizun.

Beautiful and serene, she said. The perfect image of an untouchable immortal, dressed in white and pale greens. Always holding a fan of exquisite manufacture.

But more than her vivid descriptions of her shizun’s loveliness, he remembers what she said next.

She’d been laying on her side, her long cascading hair not managing to hide her luscious curves.

Luo Binghe had known she wouldn’t be ready for another round just yet, and so had been pleased to listen to her lighthearted pillow talk.

Today’s topic had been her exasperation with her shizun’s lack of sex life.

“Sometimes I can’t believe how obtuse he is. Liu-shishu has been courting him for years, and I don’t think he ever noticed. And don’t get me started on the sect master! All Shizun would have to do is bat his eyelashes and the sect master would drop everything to worship him! But no, he never takes him on it. For a while I thought maybe Shizun just preferred women, but more than one female disciple has tried her hand at him, all to no avail.”

Luo Binghe could imagine the type. Cultivators could be lofty. They think they’re above the needs of the flesh.

He always enjoys teaching them how wrong they are.

If the demonic part of his heritage revels in desecrating those pompous righteous cultivators, no one else could tell. Luo Binghe was too good at his chosen hobby to let his personal feelings interfere.

“I love and respect Shizun more than anyone. Without him, I would never have become the kind of cultivator who can afford A-Luo’s company. So I am motivated by filial piety and nothing else when I say that I have never met anyone who needs to get laid more than Shen Qingqiu.”

Luo Binghe had laughed. “Oh? Is Yingying going to replace me with her old teacher?”

Her scandalised look had sent him into another bout of laughter. “A-Luo! I would never!”

“Then why is she telling me this? Does she want me to take care of him?”

Ning Yingying had stared at him, a glint in her eyes. Luo Binghe could see the plans form in her head as she spoke. “Actually, that wouldn’t be a bad idea. It would do wonders for Shizun, and I know A-Luo loves breaking people like him.”

Luo Binghe had blinked, inwardly caught off-guard. He wasn’t blind. He knew Ning Yingying was a lot more observant than she appeared. It wasn’t the first time she had made that kind of comment. “Yingying knows me so well. Should I be worried?”

She had swapped at him. He could have easily evaded the blow, but he didn’t bother. “A-Luo doesn’t have anything to fear from me. But honestly, if I sent Shizun your way, would you take care of him? I really think he could benefit from it. And Shizun is very beautiful! Many will definitely be jealous if they ever find out.”

Luo Binghe had nothing against the idea of taking a peak lord to bed. He bet Xin Mo would love to feed on such high-quality cultivation. “I would be honored to entertain your teacher.”

He could tell from the way she had brightened he was about to be thoroughly thanked.

She had payed him too, both for herself and for her shizun’s future visit. Generously enough that Luo Binghe had wondered if he should praise her filial piety to her shizun.

She didn’t lie. Shen Qingqiu really is exquisite.

Not as handsome as Luo Binghe himself, but nobody is. “You must be Shen Qingqiu.”

“Luo Binghe, I presume.” Luo Binghe cannot quite decipher the look he’s being given, which is rare enough to catch his attention. He’s pretty certain there’s some attraction there, but the rest? Trepidation? Outright fear? Disdain? Excitement?

He’s sure he’s going to find out. He gestures for Shen Qingqiu to sit down as he moves to prepare tea. He could have one of his servants take care of it, but Luo Binghe has always preferred taking care of things himself. That personal touch has seduced more than one client, if they didn’t visit him only for his food.

Shen Qingqiu drinks the offered tea in silence before he starts talking. “If you would please tell me your fee, I will be refunding Ning Yingying. I am sorry for wasting your time, but I have no interest in procuring your services.”

Ooh, that’s cute. If Luo Binghe wasn’t an expert at perceiving the signs of physical attraction, he might even believe him. Shen Qingqiu is interested, he’s sure of it. He’s just a prude, like Yingying said. “Yingying won’t accept it. Why refuse her most thoughtful gift?”

______________________________________________________________

What if he really intended to kill me?

It’s the thought that can’t quite leave his mind, no matter how implausible it seems. There is no way Shizun would have failed to eliminate him if that was what he wanted. For most people, it’s easy to forget how deadly easygoing, charming Shen Yuan could be, but Luo Binghe had always known better. Shen Yuan was never unarmed. He delighted in wearing ridiculously anachronistic poison rings and hiding slim daggers in his sleeves. He had taught Luo Binghe how to be ready for attack at any time. Luo Binghe had taken this lesson to heart, like everyone he ever received from Shen Yuan.

It isn’t hard for him to reach Shen Yuan’s room unnoticed. Having spent years living in the casino as his protégé, Luo Binghe knew all the employees-only passageways, the hidden entrances, the unused hallways. Two employees recognise him, but it’s not an issue. Shen Yuan would be ashamed of him if he tried something as daring as confronting him in his own domain without having done the proper research beforehand. He knows Shen Yuan buried the truth about his heritage. His shizun told everyone his charge had died in a tragic accident. Everyone figured he meant a job gone wrong and haven’t asked further questions. Those who recognise him seem pleased to see him, and giddy at the idea of him meeting Shen Yuan again.

Surely Shizun must still care, if everyone thinks he does?

He tries to calm his nerve as he enters the security code to Shizun’s room. For all of Shizun’s careful preparations when attacking others, he was downright careless with his own security, recklessly confident in the casino’s personal. In all of the years Luo Binghe had stayed with him, he had not once changed the combination.

The door unlocks soundlessly.

Luo Binghe breathes again. If it hadn’t worked, he would have charmed one of his old acquaintances into letting him “surprise his shizun with his unexpected survival”, but he much preferred not having to count in an interloper.

His first thought is that Shen Yuan is even more beautiful than he remembers.

There were countless nights ending like this, with Shen Yuan drinking tea from a dainty cup, still dressed in layers of fine clothes Luo Binghe always dreamt of removing with his teeth.

______________________________________________________________

Shen Qingqiu would say that Luo Binghe is a morning person, but in this particular case it would be a lie. Luo Binghe is just an anytime kind of person. As long as his husband is on the menu, when doesn’t matter. Shen Qingqiu is convinced that if he himself didn’t enjoy sleeping, Luo Binghe would forgo it altogether in favor of having sex all night long, every night.

Shen Qingqiu would die, but he thinks his stallion of a husband would just feel more energised.

So he’s not exactly a stranger to being awakened by intimate caresses. As long as it’s not too early, he’s usually amenable to it. He has to rise anyway, so why not make it pleasant?

He is somewhat less familiar with the current number of hands and mouth trying to wake him up. He’s pretty certain the teeth worrying at his chest and the hand sliding between his thighs are Luo Binghe’s, so the mouth on his nape and the other hand grasping his left hip must be Mobei-Jun’s.

He’s also pretty sure the erection rubbing against the back of his thighs is also Mobei-Jun’s, unless Shen Qingqiu is terribly wrong and he’s in a very, very bad situation. That is very unlikely, considering anyone trying to get frisky with him who isn’t those two must not only have a death wish, but the kind of death wish where they hate life so badly they want to spend their last year in pain and misery. His status as Luo Binghe’s husband is very, very well known, to his continued embarrassment. The occasional hopelessly stupid demon has tried to kidnap him. It had always, famously, ended very badly for them.

He could just open his eyes and look to check, but he can’t be bothered. He’s still tired, damn it. Last night’s play ended up lasting for quite a while. If they want to have fun, they can work for it.

______________________________________________________________

Shizun’s control over his smell was legendary on Qing Jing Peak.

Shen Qingqiu had always had complete mastery over his facial expression, but that this extended to even his scent was almost too impressive to be believed. And yet, even when he angered, it never spiked. He would still emit the same weak, almost chemical smell he was known for.

Not bad, no one on Qing Jing Peak would dare to speak a word against Shen Qingqiu’s scent, but not pleasant either. Only the faintest notes of plum blossoms could be detected under the medicinal smell.

When he had still lived with Shizun, Luo Binghe had wondered if Shen Qingqiu was hiding a partner on Qian Cao. Maybe it was their smell that lingered on his master.

He’d ruled it out after a while. Shen Qingqiu did not sneak out for mysterious meetings, and spent his heat by himself, seemingly unbothered. Luo Binghe had admired this too. His master was truly exceptional, to govern himself so thoroughly even when no one would have expected him to. Luo Binghe could only dream of having that kind of control. He’d shamed himself thoroughly during his heat, unable to hide how much he longed for Shizun to follow him to bed. Unable to stop himself from moaning his name and imagining him filling him up as he fucked himself on his own, unsatisfying, fingers.

After, Shizun had acted like he always did. He was used to mending omegas still overwhelmed by the aftereffects of their heat. He stayed perfectly appropriate, handling the matter with compassion but no effusiveness. If he heard Luo Binghe calling for him, he never let it show. His disciple could only envy his utter mastery of himself, and be a little bit bitter that it didn’t break even for him.

He only found out why, exactly, Shen Qingqiu’s scent was immune to fluctuations when he started tending to his lifeless body. It wouldn’t do for Shizun to get dirty, so Luo Binghe washed him, as chastely as he could.

At first, he had thought the change of smell was due to his condition. Shen Qingqiu’s body wasn’t able to produce more aroma. Maybe whatever caused it was deteriorating as everything else did?

But no. The scent emerging under wasn’t anything like the faint notes of medicine and plum blossoms Luo Binghe associated with Shizun. Luo Binghe detected something muskier, touches of sandalwood and hints of citrus. Not an omega’s scent. Nothing like Luo Binghe’s smell, which reminded most people of jasmine.

His first reaction had been incredulity. Surely Shizun couldn’t have been an alpha? There was no way he could life on Qing Jing Peak, surrounded only by omegas, and support them through their heats completely unaffected?

It became obvious Shen Qingqiu was just that extraordinary. His true scent couldn’t lie.

It made Luo Binghe giddy. If Shen Qingqiu was an alpha, once he returned there was nothing stopping them from having the family Luo Binghe always guiltily dreamt of! What could be more normal than an alpha and an omega getting married?

[sifeng]

2019′s Guzhuang Dramas

Looking for a guzhuang to watch? Here’s a full compilation of the most popular ones! They will be ranked by the douban ratings (a Chinese rating site), and the MDL ratings will be in brackets. In a case of a tie, I chose the drama with a higher percentage of 5 star ratings on douban. In addition, the time period, main stars, plot and episode number will be provided:

Format: Name (Chinese Name) - Douban rating [MDL rating]

1. Love and Destiny (宸汐缘) - 8.3 [8.7]

Time Period: Xianxia

Starring: Zhang Zhen (张震), Ni Ni (倪妮)

Episode Number: 60

Plot: A love story between the God of War and a young maiden whose very existence can bring harm to the world.

Related Shows: Eternal Love (三生三世十里桃花), Ashes of Love (香蜜沉沉烬如霜), The Journey of Flower (花千骨)

2. The Untamed (陈情令) - 8.3 [9.4]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Xiao Zhan (肖战), Wang Yibo (王一博)

Episode Number: 50

Plot: Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are two completely different people from two different worlds. Lan Wangji was born in the prominent Sect of the Gusu Lan. Due to his great achievements and reputation, he was seen as a hero, the role model of everyone in the cultivation world and is known to appear wherever chaos is. While Wei Wuxian, the Yiling Patriarch,was a name that was feared by everyone. He has done many heroic things in his life, but also really cruel ones. In the end, Wei Wuxian was "killed" by his best friend and only survivor of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, Jiang Cheng, who was once like a brother to him, after he became too evil for the world to exist. At least that is what the legend says. Sixteen years after his so-called “death”, Wei Wuxian suddenly reappeared again at the Mo Village. 

3. The Longest Day in Chang An (长安十二时辰) - 8.3 [8.9]

Time Period: Tang Dynasty

Starring: Lei Jiayin (雷佳音), Jackson Yee (易烊千玺)

Episode Number: 48

Plot: 744 A.D, Chang’an. The remnants of a vanquished Central Asian kingdom have infiltrated the world’s largest city for a planned attack during the Lantern Festival. Meanwhile, the court is fraught with infighting. The aging Emperor is expected to announce the regency of the Right Chancellor during the festival and retreat to the mountains with his young lover. If the Right Chancellor becomes the regent, the reformist Crown Prince risks being deposed—or worse. Intelligence chief Li Bi, a young Taoist priest, and ally of the Crown Prince has only 24 hours to prevent both the attack and the regency. After a botched attempt to capture the infiltrators, Li Bi and his team call in the services of death row prisoner Zhang Xiao Jing — a war veteran, beloved police chief, and murderer of his last direct superior.

4. Young Blood (大宋少年志) - 8.2 [8.3]

Time Period: Song Dynasty

Starring: Zhang Xincheng (张新成), Zhou Yutong (周雨彤)

Episode Number: 42

Plot: During the Qingli Era, troubling affairs brew underneath the prosperity and stability of the Northern Song Dynasty. To avoid war and protect the peace between its people, the Northern Song uses the name of "Mi Ge" (Secret Cabinet) to train young spies. For a variety of reasons and whether willing or unwilling, these six become the Seventh Room of Mi Ge after strict selection and examination: Yuan Zhong Xin, Zhao Jian, Xiao Jing, Wang Kuan, Xue Ying, Wei Ya Nei. Upon first entering the school, each acts out of their own self-interest, making a mess of their surroundings and causing headaches for their teachers. After going through a series of life-and-death missions, the previously ignorant boys and girls gradually mature and form bonds with one another, devoting their determination and loyalty to defending the peace. Burying their names, they become unknown legends within the river of history. 

5. Goodbye My Princess (东宫) - 7.6 [8.4]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Chen Xingxu (陈星旭), Peng Xiaoran (彭小苒)

Episode Number: 55

Plot: A love story revolves around the 9th Princess of Western Liang as she journeys to the Central Plains to fulfill a marriage alliance with the Crown Prince. Two parallel lines begin to intersect in a place fraught with danger and deadly power play and buried somewhere deep inside are memories that have yet to resurface.

6. The Birth of the Drama King (少年江湖物语) - 7.5 [7.7]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Zhou Yanchen (周彦辰), Luo Mingjie (骆明劼)

Episode Number: 24

Plot: A hilarious comedy about two long lost brothers who meet again as enemies in the pugilistic world with the "righteous" hero infiltrating the "evil" dark lord's sect as an undercover agent. Hijinks ensue when the introverted hero tries to befriend the temperamental dark lord by following his master's self-help book on "how to make a friend in ten days." 

7. Hot Blooded Youth (热血少年) - 7.2 [7.9]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Huang Zitao (黄子韬), Zhang Xueying (张雪迎)

Episode Number: 58

Plot: A legendary story about a young man who overcomes many hardships to become a formidable force in the Shanghai Bund. Xiong Tian grew up in the streets. With nothing to his name, he works a thankless job just to make a living. Nonetheless, he is quick-witted, talented and exceptionally gifted in steam-powered machinery. By chance, he gets pulled into a complicated fight and works his way to become a champion.

8. Once Upon A Time in Lingjian Mountain (从前有座灵剑山) - 7.2 [8.5]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Xu Kai (许凯), Zhang Rongrong (张榕容)

Episode Number: 37

Plot: A story that follows Wang Lu, a young genius, who enters the Spirit Blade Sect and embarks on an unconventional journey towards immortal cultivation.

9. Candle in the Tomb (怒晴湘西) - 7.1 [8.2]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Pan Yueming (潘粤明), Gao Weiguang (高伟光)

Episode Number: 21

Plot: The third season of the Candle in the Tomb series is set in the Republican era during a time when the warlords fight for power and bring disaster upon the people. Tomb raider and head of the Xieling Clan Chen Yu Lou joins hands with warlord Luo Lao Wai and heads to Xiangxi to explore tombs of the Yuan dynasty. On his journey he meets Zhe Gu Shao who is not interested in any treasures but wants to find a magical bead that can put an end to the curse on his clan. Yu Lou and Gu Shao eventually form an alliance to tread the untrodden path to the Yuan tombs.

10. Lovely Swords Girl (恋恋江湖) - 6.9 [7.7]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Jiang Zhenyu (姜贞羽), Wang Shize (王仕泽)

Episode Number: 24

Plot: Set in a fictional history rife with conflict and chaos, the story revolves around a sappy young woman who doesn't forget to laugh and chases after true love even as she gets caught in a love triangle. Through her journey, she grows into a loving person and thwarts an evil scheme in the pugilistic world.

11. Arsenal Military Academy (烈火军校) - 6.7 [8.7]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Bai Lu (白鹿), Xu Kai (许凯)

Episode Number: 48

Plot: Xie Xiang joins the army in her brother's stead by pretending to be a man. She becomes classmates with the wealthy Gu Yan Zhen and the calm Shen Jun Shan. Through their rigorous training, the three form a bond to become comrades, all while Xie Xiang tries to keep her cover. After many incidents, Xie Xiang earns the respect of her peers and superiors. She also becomes the object of affections of the two men in her lives. The Japanese military stations more forces in the Northeast region causing the young heroes to engage in battle as they uncover a big conspiracy.

12. Detective L (绅探) - 6.5 [8.5]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Bai Yu (白宇), You Jingru (尤靖茹)

Episode Number: 24

Plot: Shanghai in the 30s: An intriguing crime case emerges amidst the bustling city. A beautiful new graduate of the police academy, Qin Xiao Man, joins the investigation unit. The famous detective Luo Fei becomes her colleague and neighbour.

13. The Love by Hypnotic (明月照我心) - 6.4 [8.3]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Fang Yilun (方逸伦), Ling Meishi (凌美仕)

Episode Number: 36

Plot: A princess and a prince who can't see eye to eye find themselves stuck in an arranged marriage. Yet they start opening up to each other because of hypnosis.

Related Shows: The Eternal Love (双世宠妃)

14. Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋日） - 6.3 [8.2]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Li Hongyi (李宏毅), Zhao Lusi (赵露思)

Episode Number: 40

Plot: A woman from the future arrives at a fantasy-like universe to experience love for the first time. She goes by the name Chun Hua and falls into a complicated romance with two young men who are opposites like black and white.

15. The Legends (招摇) - 6.2 [8.5]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Bai Lu (白鹿), Xu Kai (许凯)

Episode Number: 56

Plot: While attempting to take her predecessor’s Wanjun Sword, Lu Zhao Yao is ambushed by the ten immortal sects and dies. She mistakenly believes Li Chen Lan, who is her best ally, is related to the incident after he is revealed to be the demon king’s son. Five years later, Li Chen Lan has taken over the position of the Wanlu sect leader, and Zhao Yao decides to exact revenge. She who is now a spirit, possesses the body of Qin Zhi Yan, a female disciple of the Immortal Sect, and with the help of the newly gained body, she becomes the direct disciple of Mo Qing aka Li Chen Lan with the aim of killing him. But things don’t go as she planned, when she slowly starts to fall in love with him instead.

16. Novoland: Eagle Flag (九州缥缈录) - 6.1 [8.0]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Liu Haoran (刘昊然), Song Zu’er (宋祖儿)

Episode Number: 56

Plot: Lu Gui Chen is the heir of the nomadic Qingyang tribe, and is sent to the Eastern Land as hostage. He meets Ji Ye, an unfavoured illegitimate son who is training to become a warrior, and Yu Ran, the princess of the Winged tribe. At the same time, powerful warlord Ying Wu Yi has been maintaining a firm control over the Emperor, giving him unprecedented power over the nobles. Lu Gui Chen, Ji Ye, and Yu Ran decide to join the decisive battle against Ying Wu Yi at Shangyang Pass, but unbeknownst to them, an even darker conspiracy is yet to unfold.

17. Princess Silver (白发) - 6.0 [8.1]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Zhang Xueying (张雪迎), Li Zhiting (李治廷)

Episode Number: 58

Plot: A story that follows a princess with amnesia who meets a prince that did not want to marry her and how they find a place for themselves despite the complications of the time.

18. Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber (倚天屠龙记) - 5.8 [8.3]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Zeng Shunxi (曾舜曦), Chen Yuqi (陈钰琪)

Episode Number: 50

Plot: Legend said that whoever obtains the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber can rule the world. Zhang Wuji was orphaned at a young age by schemes to discover secrets of these two weapons. Despite his preference to live a non-violent life, Wuji found himself embroiled in the struggles for power and must fight to save himself and others he loves...

Related Shows: The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射雕英雄传), The Return of the Condor Heroes (神雕侠侣), Demi Gods and Semi Devils (天龙八部), The Smiling Wanderer (笑傲江湖)

19. I Will Never Let You Go (小女花不弃) - 5.6 [7.8]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Lin Yichen (林依晨), Zhang Binbin (张彬彬)

Episode Number: 51

Plot: The story revolves around a young wanderer with an extraordinary business sense and the masked hero who saves her which ultimately results in them falling in love. When the wanderer is revealed to be the Divine Maiden who will obtain a legendary treasure, various enemies hunt her down. She then lives life on the run and meets her savior who turns out to be the ambitious prince that wants to take the throne.

20. The Plough Department of the Song Dynasty (大宋北斗司) - 5.3 [8.0]

Time Period: Song Dynasty

Starring: Xu Ke (徐可), Dai Luwa (代露娃)

Episode Number: 36

Plot: The Plough (Big Dipper) Department is a special investigation institution that works for the emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty. Tai Sui and his partners work together to break odd cases and punish the evils. Through a series of cases, Tai Sui found out there was a hidden conspiracy behind these cases, and it was related to his unknown past.

21. Please Give Me a Pair of Wings (请赐我一双翅膀) - 5.0 [8.1]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Ju Jingyi (鞠婧祎), Yan Yalun (炎亚纶)

Episode Number: 60

Plot: It tells the story of Lin Jiu Ge, the daughter of Shanggu's Police Commissioner who was framed and unjustly imprisoned. She will have the help of young police detective Long Tian Yu to hopefully find the real murderer. Will Lin Jiu Ge be able to get her revenge?

22. Legend of Haolan (皓镧传) - 4.8 [7.8]

Time Period: Warring States Period

Starring: Wu Jinyan (吴谨言), Nie Yuan (聂远)

Episode Number: 62

Plot: During the Warring States Period, Li Hao Lan (Wu Jin Yan) is forced out of her own home and sold as a slave despite being the daughter of the Public Censor of Zhao. Purchased by Lu Bu Wei (Nie Yuan), she is gifted to Ying Yi Ren (Mao Zi Jun) a Qin Royal who is serving as a hostage to guarantee the armistice between the Qin and Zhao states. A dangerous battle begins in result of their arrival and they must rely on their wits to survive.

23. The Great Craftsman (筑梦情缘) - 4.6 [8.0]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Hua Jianhua (霍建华), Yang Mi (杨幂)

Episode Number: 60

Plot: Military conflicts in the Warlord era has resulted in unbearable conditions. Amidst the chaos, Shen Qinan's family experiences a terrible misfortune. The four brothers and sisters overcome many hurdles to flee to Shanghai but they are forced to separate. Many years later, they will reunite again. Shen Qinan manages to climb from the depths of despair to make a name for himself as a famous architect in the Shanghai Bund. He meets Fu Hanjun, a gifted architect who puts the people's needs and traditional Chinese architecture at the heart of her designs. During Shanghai's development, Shen Qinan works hard to build affordable homes for the people. When the Second Sino-Japanese War erupted, Shen Qinan uncovers a conspiracy and plays his part to prevents many deaths.

24. Legend of the Phoenix (凤弈) - 4.6 [7.7]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: He Hongshan (何泓姗), Xu Zhengxi (徐正溪)

Episode Number: 41

Plot: Set in the fictional Eastern Liang dynasty, circus performer Ye Ningzhi’s (He Hongshan) troupe enters the palace and stages a performance to celebrate the empress dowager’s birthday. The ambitious grand princess (emperor’s sister) decides to cause mischief by framing her for treason, though the heroine is saved by strategist Wei Guang (Xu Zhengxi), and falls in love at first sight with him. When Ye Ningzhi enters the palace two years later as the empress’ maid, she stands up for her fellow servants, and refuses to sacrifice her conscience in the face of power. Ye Ningzhi also works together with Wei Guang to crush the grand princess’ plan to usurp the throne, and catches the eye of the emperor in the process.

25. The New Legend of the White Snake (新白娘子传奇) - 4.4 [7.4]

Time Period: Fictional

Starring: Ju Jingyi (鞠婧祎), Yu Menglong (于朦胧)

Episode Number: 36

Plot: The story is set in Hangzhou, then the capital of the Southern Song court, and is about a 1,000-year-old snake spirit that's transformed into a beautiful woman and falls in love with a young man. However, a Buddhist monk intervenes.

26. Listening Snow Tower (听雪楼) - 4.3 [7.9]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Qin Junjie (秦俊杰), Yuan Bingyan (袁冰妍)

Episode Number: 56

Plot: A story that follows the master of Listening Snow Tower and the woman that he loves. He is a martial arts expert known to be a dragon among men and she is known as the blood demon's daughter. 

27. Queen Dugu (独孤皇后) - 3.9 [7.4]

Time Period: Sui Dynasty

Starring: Chen Qiao’en (陈乔恩), Chen Xiao (陈晓)

Episode Number: 50

Plot: After their family was wrongfully persecuted due to the machinations of a corrupt official, Dugu Jia Luo held strict expectations for herself to be independent and strong even at a young age. Her husband Yang Jian is a man of great spirit. He is a warrior, skilled in battle, who rises up the ranks to become the Emperor. With Dugu Jia Luo by his side, they succeed in uniting the country under the Sui Dynasty. The husband and wife stay in a monogamous relationship despite their imperial status and come to be revered by people as the two saints due to their extraordinary contributions to a new golden age.

28. Investiture of the Gods (封神演义) - 3.3 [7.2]

Time Period: Shang/Zhou Dynasty

Starring: Luo Jin (罗晋), Wang Likun (王丽坤)

Episode Number: 56

Plot: In the time of King Zhou of Shang, the Gods are mostly gone and the demons trouble the human world. The Primeval Lord of Heaven decides to use the war between the Zhou and Shang dynasties to choose a new generation of Gods to ascend the celestial realm. His sends his apprentices forth in search of righteous candidates: Jiang Zi Ya assists Ji Fa in governing his new empire Zhou dynasty, Shen Gong Bao infiltrates the Shang dynasty with Su Da Ji seducing the king to rack havoc on the world, and Yu Ding Zhen Ren helps Yang Jian, a human with a third eye, to achieve his potential. The outcome of selection lies in the fates of humans.

Ongoing Dramas:

Joy of Life (庆余年) - 8.0 (ending 2/12/20)

Royal Nirvana (鹤唳华亭) - 7.5 (ending ??)

Sword Dynasty (剑王朝) - 6.8 (ending 1/11/20)

The Romance of Hua Rong (一夜新娘) - 6.8 (ending 12/31/19)

Blossom In Heart (海棠经雨胭脂透) - 6.6 (ending 12/19/19)

To Get Her (惹不起殿下大人) - N/A (ending 12/30/19)

The Mysterious World (天机十二宫) - N/A (ending ??)

Upcoming Dramas:

Dreaming Back to Qing Dynasty (梦回) - N/A (starting 12/14/19)

Disclaimer: Obviously these rankings are just based off of others’ opinions. I really liked “Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre” even though inseams the majority of people didn’t. Whatever show seems interesting to you, watch it! The majority of guzhuang dramas are made with delicacy and attention to detail. I’ve seen reviews complimenting some dramas with relatively lower ratings, so of course every drama has its fans. I would obviously suggest you all go and watch the top 5 if they sound interesting to you.