#if he finds out at the end of the story are actually [Shen Qingqius Love] points

[torchstelechos]

While objectively this wouldn't work at ALL I do think it would be funny if LBH also had a System. Mainly little annoying ass blurbs that pop up like achievement unlocked! The Endless Abyss Greets You! and LBH is just like. Hmmm. I do not like that. But obviously they wouldn’t be helpful, right? In the Water Prison arc I think he would get a pop up that’s basically “Achievement Unlocked! No Matter The Universe, We Find Ourselves Here Again!” and hes just fucking FUMING at this point internally but after he leaves he gets a few new ones and he looks over as they scroll in the air and promptly chokes on his own spit; Achievement Unlocked! You Call This A Fan Service Scene? Achievement Unlocked! No Answer, No Problem! We’ll Just Act It Out! Achievement Unlocked! Ripping Him A New One...? Achievement Unlocked! UST Over 1000+ Points! For every choice SQQ makes LBH gets like fifteen pop ups and if LBH knew what an adblocker was he would have installed one ages ago. But alas, he just gets more pop ups.

[lacamorte]

~ if you're gonna be the death of me

(in for a long and suuuuper messy one today, folks, pls bear with me)

In the world of Proud Immortal Demon Way, the Protagonist is Luo Binghe, destined to battle and conquer and eternally emerge victorious against all he raised his blade against.

Shen Qingqiu is the Calamity, whose meridians are so tangled and damaged that he drains the life force of all he touches. He will bring the world to an end.

aka: PIDW is not a stallion novel, but rather a power-of-friendship story where the main antagonist is SQQ who, as one of the most powerful cultivators, has a qi deviation so terrible that he almost ends the world until LBH kills him.

So when SY transmigrates into SQQ, he thinks about the role he has to play as SQQ, the Calamity. The thought of hurting anyone in Cang Qiong makes him sick to his stomach. He almost enters a qi deviation at the thought, and has to enter seclusion in the LingXi Caves to stabilize himself. After preventing LQG's death, he decides to go to great lengths to not stress himself out. Thus, he concludes that in order to achieve a stress-free life, he has to leave Cang Qiong.

Brilliant idea! Except, when SY goes to Qiong Ding to speak to YQY about his retirement, YQY blatantly refuses him. SY tries again the next day, but he's refused every time. The Sect Leader, who used to seek out SQQ often, miraculously began avoiding him.

Well. SY has always been better at asking for forgiveness than permission.

He leaves the sect in the middle of the night, with all the documents for his resignation on his desk. He becomes a wandering cultivator, evading cqm's every attempt to bring him back.

Furious at his behavior, the System figures that if telling SY no won't stop him, perhaps showing him how hopeless the situation is will. And so during his time away, SY tries again and again to resist the plot. again and again, the System foils his every attempt. its favorite method is isolating SY — anyone the man wants to befriend always mysteriously ends up suffering or dying. SY had always loved PIDW for the beauty of its world — he'd never anticipated how witnessing it all alone after weeks of camaraderie and laughter for companh could be so harrowing.

he never finds out whether it was all because of his role as the Calamity, or the interference of the System. that damned thing stopped speaking to him ages ago.

LBH is a kid roaming the streets freshly bereaved when he meets SY, a gaunt looking man who gives him his food. eventually, LBH starts trailing SY, and SY tries to dissuade him, but he persists. whenever SY switches towns, LBH follows. he sometimes catches a man wearing white talking to SY, and every time the man leaves, looking more stony than when he arrived. LBH develops a habit of stealing some food for SY, and SY scolds him but LBH wont take no for an answer and they compromise by splitting the food between them. eventually LBH gets into serious trouble when he gets caught stealing and SY saves him. SY is remarkably quiet as he gently pats LBH's head as he cries.

eventually, SY stops trying to convince LBH to stop following him. instead of camping out in the forest, SY enters inns and makes LBH take the bed. this is how LBH learns that SY is actually loaded. but then if he's so rich, why does he never buy himself food? inedia can only sustain someone for so long. turns out, the only meals SY has are the ones LBH steals for him, and even those he tries to turn down. so at the inn, LBH insists on splitting everything in the meal SY gets him.

the white robed man visits again, and LBH is wary of him bc of how gruffly he speaks to SQQ. still, no matter how gruff he might be, SQQ is far more uncooperative. in all the time LBH has known him, he typically responds in one word only, often not replying to anything he doesn't consider particularly important, which is most things. the white robed man asks that question again — why? the same one he's been asking every visit. SQQ stares at him soullessly, before suddenly reaching out and patting the man's head.

"i'm sorry," he whispers. somehow, LBH thinks both he and the white robed man will never get the answer to that question.

as SQQ spaces out again, as he often does, the man drags LBH outside and LBH is of course wary and fights back. that is, until the man lets go of him and tosses him a particularly sturdy branch, a similar one held in his own hands.

"hit me," he says. LBH stares, incredulous. he throws the stick at the man, who deflects it and it whacks LBH square in the face. this ignites his anger and he spends the rest of the afternoon trying to land a hit on LQG.

then, when LBH finally collapses from exhaustion, the man gives him a waterskin.

"same place, same time, tomorrow." he says.

"fuck you," LBH swears hotly. he does turn up the next day. he leaves with more bruises than the day before, and a bag full of clothes to replace the ones the man rips on accident.

this becomes routine. one that LBH begrudgingly look forward to, bc these days, the only time SQQ looks anything other than disinterested and aloof is when he's treating his wounds. most of the time he just glowers and frowns, but when LBH is lucky, he can get a few angry mutters about "stupid liu qingge" and "careless brute".

so the next time LBH goes to the site, he has a name to cuss out. he leaves with more bruises, and SQQ has never had more to say.

LBH doesnt think much of it until he finds himself supporting SQQ on one of his missions, when he can stand on equal footing with the monsters his master battles on the regular. when SQQ looks at him, he looks annoyed.

"now i have to get you a sword," he grumbles. LBH feels bad until SQQ spends 5 hours going through each and every little tidbit and detail about his commission with the blacksmith, whos all but ecstatic to craft a blade for the mysterious cultivator who solves any problem in exchange for concealing his presence. at least, that's all SQQ asks for, but the residents eventually learned that its easier to dump the gold and fruits and furs onto the cultivator's little disciple with the sparkling eyes. they'd tried complying with SQQ's request to keep his whereabouts a secret at first, but after seeing how LQG trailed after SQQ like a particularly lost, particularly strong puppy, they couldn't help but make an exception for him.

idk what happens exactly, but i do know i want LBH to grow up and become a strong disciple under SQQ's tutelage. he wants to prove himself to his Shizun during the immortal alliance conference, and rife with resignation and a mourning LBH will never understand, SQQ agrees and they go. and when the demon invasion happens, the peak lords happen to be confronting SQQ, and he stays silent as they yell at him, demanding an explanation.

that is, until SQQ reaches out to touch one of the beasts leaping towards him—

—and it disintegrates into dust beneath his touch.

"a demon will become the hero," he murmurs. "and a human, the villain."

in the end, the System really did manage to teach him a lesson.

i think ill make it so the endless abyss is sort of ecstatic to be so close to the Calamity — the excitement of which unlocks LBH's demon inheritance. in the og novel, SQQ sent down LBH. Here, SY takes his face in his hands, tenderly wipes the demon mark from his forehead and conceals it, and chooses to go down to the abyss. LBH cries out, cries his shizun's name —

but when SQQ turns around to look at him, LBH's breath is caught in his throat.

'that is not my Shizun,' his heart whispers traitorously. his Shizun had been stoic and quiet, yes, but his eyes always held something unyielding.

yet when SQQ looks at LBH, LBH sees something broken. LBH sees something turned to dust, something withered, something as fleeting as a dream.

LBH wonders how someone alive could look so dead. in the end, SQQ turns around, and falls into the abyss.

not understanding, and not wanting to risk telling people what happened, LBH tells everyone SQQ was dragged into the abyss... and likely dead. it's a lie he tells so many times he begins to believe it himself.

in the end, LQG has to drag LBH to bai zhan peak kicking and screaming. it's weeks before LBH can do anything besides scream, cry or hurt. he can't even eat without insisting on giving it to his Shizun, or making tea in case he comes back. in his grief, LBH becomes a model member of BZP, and while his sect siblings don't understand the gloom that clings to him, they see his resolve and respect it immensely.

to honor SQQ's memory, LBH goes around various towns helping the hungry and the needy. he plays SY's guqin — he can't play quite as well as SY, but that might be bc he can't stop himself from crying every few notes — and he spars with LQG. maybe they bond over their shared grief. maybs bingliushen, idk. maybe LBH believed SY dead until LQG gave him a look and said "he's alive." something about the cold certainty in his voice, as if it couldn't be anything but the truth, helps strengthen LBH.

LBH befriends LMY when she finds one of the poems MQF asked him to make for his 'therapy'. he befriends NYY when he helps her take care of the garden that SQQ apparently left behind when he left CQM. he even befriends YQY, who seems to find comfort in the presence of someone mourning as much as him. no one can deny LBH, not when his fumbling with formalities juxtaposes so beautifully with his perfect tea brewing, not when the food he makes particularly well match the tastes of the qing jing peak lord exactly, not when his less than ideal upbringing doesnt conceal how he is so clearly SQQ's.

no one can say no to the Protagonist.

there are rumors of HHP investigating abyss rifts. LBH and LQG are cautiously interested, at least, until HHP announces that they've caught a Heavenly Demon. LBH, aware of his heritage, feels like he has to go. YQY, LQG and co. bring him along.

"where do you have him trapped?" YQY inquires.

The HHPM laughs, waving dismissively. "well, in truth, the demon was suppressed by immortal binding cables and some of our best talismans. as long as you don't disturb it, it doesn't bite, so i thought it best to let it roam around. its hardly going anywhere in the state that it's in."

the words spark suspicion amidst the cang qiong delegation. still, nothing prepares them for the tall, lonely figure roaming the gardens, golden ropes binding his wrists like bracelets rather than suppressants.

SQQ won't even look at them.

[lee-hakhyun]

What is the ORV Side Story?

I've gotten this question a lot, and have decided to make a propaganda post on the side story so I can direct everyone here instead of repeating myself :) The side stories are chapters 553+ of ORV, with 200+ chapters currently. There are 200-300 total chapters planned! Although it's labeled as a 'Side Story', it is a continuation of the main story and is post-epilogue content. This is still Kim Dokja's story, but it's not for just that one Kim Dokja.

Spoiler Free Synopsis

The protagonist of the side story is Lee Hakhyun, the author of ORV from another worldline (think Singshong), who ends up transmigrating into TWSA along with other readers of ORV.

Lee Hakhyun?

Lee Hakhyun was actually in ORV's main story for a grand total of half a chapter. Other than that, he's also the protagonist of Singshong's currently untranslated second work 'How to Become A Star Writer', which was discontinued after 22 chapters.

Where can I read it?

There's no official translation, but there are fan translations offered for those who purchase the Korean chapters on Munpia/Naver Series! Here is a guide on how to sign up to Naver, purchase chapters, and a way to unlock chapters for free

@/vapolunes on twitter is offering a translation of season 1, requiring purchase proof. I am also offering my ongoing translation of season 2+ if you've purchased the chapters, send me a message :)

If you're not able to read the chapters, i am summarizing the chapters as i read them under the tag #side story rambles for season 1 (Masterlist) and #side story lb for seasons 2+ ( Newest / Chronological)

Things that might sell you on reading (spoilers):

I mentioned transmigrating into TWSA, not ORV, because this isn't the 3rd regression. as a result, Kim Dokja is not physically there.

If it's not the 3rd regression, then which is it? ...The 41st.

As for kim dokja's fate after the epilogue, it's complicated. we do see what happens after the door opens, though.

Kim Dokja kkomas.

JUNG HEEWON ENJOYERS. YOU WILL LOVE THE SIDE STORY.

New incarnations! New attributes, skills, everything! More worldbuilding!

yoohankim will never have peace

Do you like 49!KDJ? He's expanded on. A lot.

This is my personal opinion, but I find Lee Hakhyun an incredibly charming character. I haven't stopped thinking of the description of him as a mix of Shen Qingqiu and Shang Qinghua: "Author transmigrated into his own novel as a minor villian character except that villain is deeper than was first thought"... his personality is his own though <3 if you like those two characters you will most likely like LHH!!

This story is about you, dear reader. These transmigrated readers are just as devoted to this story as you are.

For more information, including some frequently asked questions, check out Vy's post (A little outdated as of season 3, we have new information on KDJ's situation~)

Got any other questions? Send me an ask ^^b

[theladysunami]

So I read i burnt thick candles aloft to shine the beauties bright by anorangecarrot and it’s an absolute delight so far. I definitely recommend it!

It also has me thinking up some alternative AU ideas…

There are loads of stories where Shen Yuan and Shen Jiu are siblings, plus some where Shen Yuan is his own character but comes across Shen Jiu as a child, but how about one where Shen Yuan transmigrates as Qiu Haitang from the start?

Shen Yuan having the advantage of A) a past life’s worth of experience, B) being genre savvy, C) being terrified of Shen Jiu’s future murderous breakdown, and D) not being blinded by ‘her’ love of ‘her’ brother, would absolutely figure out what’s going on with his new brother being a shit to Shen Jiu.

The story could go so many different interesting routes from there!

Shen Yuan wouldn’t abide by the abuse for sure, but while he’d be more privileged as a young mistress then he would be as a fellow slave, he’d still be stuck as a teenage girl in the Xianxia equivalent of ancient China. His hands would still be rather tied.

I think my favorite idea is Shen Jiu quickly picking up on how off Qiu Haitang’s behavior has been recently (he’s the future peak lord of the strategy peak, so he’d absolutely notice), and somehow getting Shen Yuan to “admit” that his fever swapped out some of ‘her’ present life memories with those from his past life (Shen Yuan probably couldn’t sell the transmigration idea, but past life memories are true enough). They then become a “fuck you Qiu Jianluo” fake-fiancés but actual sworn-siblings tag team.

Shen Jiu helps teach Shen Yuan how to manipulate people and act as ‘herself,’ while Shen Yuan acts as a genuine supportive force in Shen Jiu’s young life, and uses ‘her’ relative privilege to get them both the tools necessary to at least start cultivating properly.

Naturally they both escape to Cang Qiong Mountain eventually (possibly with some amount of murder still).

Which peak ‘Qiu Haitang’ joins, and what gendered form Shen Yuan is living in by the time Shen Qingqiu takes over as peak lord, has plenty of possibilities.

For laughs, maybe they found Airplane’s ripoff version of the cursed springs of Jusenkyo from Ranma 1/2, or something similar, so Shen Yuan actually goes back and forth. (If anyone could manage the required number of fiancés for a Ranma 1/2 ripoff, it’s Shen Yuan!)

Naturally once Luo Binghe finds his way into the sect, he’ll end up smitten with Shen Yuan in whatever form. He’ll have to stew in envy over the fake-fiancé and/or ex-fiancé current sworn-sibling situation though. Even with an improved outlook and more support, Shen Jiu probably still doesn’t like him much.

(Binghe would most likely end up in the abyss reguardless, to Shen Yuan’s frustration, because suddenly being outed as a demon when the sects are currently under attack by demons, is never a good thing, despite his and Shen Qingqiu’s altered antagonism levels).

That’s all my thoughts on this for now, but I’d love to hear what ideas anyone else might have along these lines!

[minsarasarahair]

As someone who already graduated from liking WangXian too much and not a fan of romantic HuaLian, I'm actually surprised I like BingQiu than I expected?? I really enjoyed their transition from platonic to romantic relationship. There are moments where you just enjoyed how emotional the scene is without shipping them. I only start to ship them in Book 3. Its a good move that the story don't always make BingQiu's scenes look romantic from Shen Qingqiu's perspective so you don't have romantic lens when you're looking at Luo Binghe as love interest. My problem in WangXian and HuaLian are they start strong at first and I ship them in the beginning but I lose interest quickly after the confession. But in BingQiu its the opposite, I like their master-disciple dynamic at first and it took a while before I like them as couple so I'm more interested in their after-stories antics. Its a short story after all but I feel really satisfied in their main story ending. Sometimes the ship that will stay in you is the least you expected, that's BingQiu to me. I also read Sha Po Lang (yifu kink) and Tian Ya Ke (cannibal gong) before my reading experience in SVSSS so I'm not disturbed that much.

What's more surprising is I really like Luo Binghe?? He's the only gong by MXTX that I'm actually invested in reading. Maybe because he felt like a hero? Not a love interest? He's a novel's protagonist after all so maybe that's why? Shen Qingqiu felt like the love interest instead. Its fun to read his good and ugly sides. I like his journey of finding out if Shen Qingqiu deserve his trust or not after the betrayal and their growth as flawed couple. I still stand that Hua Cheng is the most terrifying and unhinged MXTX gong for me which make sense because they are gods and ghosts. Xie Lian is also calmer than Shen Yuan so yeah. Imagine TGCF from Shen Yuan's perspective and see how scary Hua Cheng is.

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: BONUS- Chapter 22

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.

Yall I am sick as heck. I tested for the plague and it does not seem to be that, but I defo have a head cold/sinus thing going on.

I did something wild and a little unhinged and made my matcha latte with a protein shake like i'm some sort of athlete instead of a feeble old man. I also have enough vitamins running through me courtesy of ener-c to fuel a football team.

Still feel like ass, but this chapter was a solid up to my day.

Before we even get into it, based on the title of this chapter I can already tell I am not ready. The fact that there are TWO Binghe's is already telling me there is a metric shit-ton of threesome PWP on Ao3

Oh! okay! It's like an immediate continuation of the story. I totally thought we would be skipping a bunch of time or something, yay! this is a good surprise. p11

I forgot about the bamboo house replica LBH made for SQQ. It is so cute that he got the bamboo to actually grow in this realm. p11

LOL ofc LBH is sulking because SQQ will not sleep in the same bed as him. p12

I feel like based on the chapter title and the behaviour of the Binghe we have here that this is not the sweet Binghe we know and love. p15

How has LBH constantly pulling AWAY from SQQ not triggered some red flags for this man. Normally LBH makes every excuse to attach himself to SQQ. p16

okay LOL now SQQ finally questions it p18

Ming Fan you fucking narc! No one asked you to go get the other peaks involved. so rude! p19

Dang. Liu Qingge really is all or nothing. He is truly doing the lords work trying to constantly save SQQ from himself. The fact that he keeps picking up his literal shit every time this guy gets himself into A Situation is telling. Not enough respect for this guy, truly. p21

Oh god, well. RIP SQQ because this LBH is most definitely an imposter! p23

(I literally cannot read what I wrote for this note/I think my hand was working slower than my brain and many words are missing in the sentence. I think I was TRYING TO SAY): This Binghe is evil as shit and SQQ still has not confirmed. I am a little bit worried if this Binghe is here- where is the other one????? Is he okay??? p26

Yeah! You correct that asshole Ying Ningning. (If you can't tell this character really grew on me- she had the glow up for sure for sure). p27

I do love that this evil Binghe get's to have some internal dialogue that we read, "Like fuck you do!" p28

OMG. This evil Binghe totally did read the BingQiu porn and is taking his "shizun" for a test run. Oh no! Does good Binghe stop this??? p31

Thank fuck SQQ finds out who this Binghe is (though he sort of was not complaining about the man handling at all). Bless for good Binghe for showing up too! pp32-33

Bless his heart, "In the end, he and Luo Binghe were too unfamiliar with each other's bodies. That was why it had taken him so long to figure out what was wrong here" P35 Okay but I do love that his response to all of this is definitely- "me and Binghe need to be more intimate in case this situation happens again. I will definitely fix this for the future".

The way SQQ is just clutching his pearls this chapter is killing me LOL the romance novel energy is too much. "Shen Qingqiu was stunned silent. Playing around with who? Playing around with me? Bing-ge you...you'd accept all corners?! Welcoming both men and women! Is this something like 'both meat and fish are fine- I'm not picky, I'll eat whatever I'm given'?" P37

SQQ: "What the fuck am I supposed to tell anyone..." Also SQQ: p39

Oh no! Bing-ge is getting into Bing-mei's head. Leave the poor boy alone, he is very sensitive. All the while SQQ is trying to get the little guy to just focus on dealing with Bing-ge. p41

Since this is a different Binghe, I have decided to add another dime to the demon blood mite bank. I believe we are at $0.60 which is TOO damn much. p44

It is highly effective! p46

Oh no. Now Bing-ge is having feelings. Understandable though- he really did get the shit story where in everything is terrible and he has no real support. Bro just wanted some softness. p47

Oop. Well. I guess Bing-mei is going to attempt to level up some skills today. p49

Luo Binghe and his Dick Weapon (TM). p52

Blessed be, we have some sort of lube. I am literally so glad for this. The way my body viscerally reacted to their last scene- this is not much of an improvement, but they are getting there. p55

Oh no, and they're both crying now. p57

Thank fuck his disciples did NOT decide to fix the roof. p60 that would have been one heck of a surprise.

Okay, but this is so tender. Look at them both growing and learning. p61

LOL LBH is DETERMINED to learn. "Shen Qingqiu knew what he wanted to ask and mercilessly spoke first, "awful." However this time, even after receiving criticism, Luo Binghe wasn't depressed. Rather, he exuberantly declared, "Yes, it was awful. Unacceptably awful." "what are you saying...?" "Because it was simply awful, this disciple requests that his Shizun assist him with further exploration." Well." p62

It could have been worse!

These two are so damn weird. Good for them, but also, it's too much LOL. One is self sacrificing, the other is needy as HELL. It must have been so weird for BIng-ge to witness; drastically different version of himself!

[alittlelessalone]

I’ve been thinking about the AU I setup in this post about Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu getting stuck back in their old bodies for a little bit and getting a chance to write some changes into being (and say goodbye to Shen Yuan’s family). The rest of the context there isn’t really important for this post, but I implied that they’d find some vague way to help Bing-ge and I wanted to give how they helped him here.

So post the extras, Bing-ge is left in his world with only the memory of a nice shizun and an understanding that he’s miserable but no idea how to change things. But then one night, a figure reaches out to him in his dreams.

And of course he’s immediately suspicious. He controls his dreams and this figure isn’t something he understands. His close are weird and he’s wearing something strange on his eyes, but when he looks into those eyes, they look just like nice shizun’s.

And the figure reached out to him and says he’s sorry that he doesn’t have a better answer. He says he and Airplane tried, but that idiot could only work so many miracles with the shitty story he wrote, so they were a little limited. He says that Bing-ge doesn’t have to take his offer, but he hopes he will.

And Bing-ge is confused and demands to know what he’s talking about. But the figure just says that if Bing-ge takes his offer, he’ll lose his powers, immortality, and even cultivation. He’ll end up weak and ordinary, but he’ll get a second chance at life.

And Bing-ge asks why he has to go away and sacrifice to get anything. He says he knows the figure is nice shizun and asks why he can’t just choose him and stay by his side, but the figure just pulls him in close and apologizes and says he’s sorry he can’t do more for him, but he says that he’ll be sending Bing-ge to a grieving family who would have just lost their son. He says to tell them Shen Yuan sent him and they’d understand.

And Bing-ge is scared and confused in a way he hasn’t been in many, many years but nice shizun keeps hugging him, so he reluctantly agrees. And suddenly a bright light flashes around him and his head begins to spin. And as the world is fading, he hears nice shizun yell to him not to flirt with his sister.

And then he wakes up and feels weak and disoriented. His core and demonic powers are both gone and he’s in a strange room with all sorts of strange, glowing objects. Then a tall, beautiful man rushes in and demands to know who he is.

And when he says he’s Lou Binghe and Shen Yuan sent him, the man collapses to the ground and hugs him and cries that his brother is really gone, but he’s glad this means he’s safe. And Lou Binghe doesn’t understand, but the man’s arms are warm, so he collapses into them.

And over the next few months, he learns more about the world. He reads the novel Proud Immortal Demon Way and finally understands just how lost he was. He reads the extras Airplane and Cucumber published while here, learning the truth about Shen Qingqiu and why he was the way he was. And Lou Binghe can’t bring himself to forgive him, but he’s glad he apparently didn’t leave the man to suffer for all eternity. And he laughs in delight when he learns about Shang Qinghua and Mobei-Jun and how apparently his stoic right hand has secretly always been a hopeless romantic.

And he reads the extra about himself and realizes that all it gave him was a single hand reaching out. And while that’s sort of scary, it also means that the kindness he’s found from Shen Yuan’s family wasn’t something forced into being, but rather a choice they make every single day.

And Lou Binghe vows to live this new life better and take advantage of the opportunity. And he also reaffirms his promise to Shen Yuan that he won’t flirt with his sister. Though fortunately, he never said anything about his eldest brother. And while this cool, elegant, beautiful man might not be Shen Qingqiu, he is certainly a Shen. And this one actually loves him in return.

[thegoldenavenger]

not gonna write this right now but!

svsss / lotr fusion au

proud immortal demon way is a grimdark fantasy story sorta like game of thrones/song of ice and fire which shen yuan hate read because he liked the protagonist and really wanted him to get a happy ending but, that, uh. DID NOT HAPPEN. EMPHATICALLY.

anyways, shen yuan transmigrates into a hobbit, waits for the plot to Happen, and when it doesn't for almost 10 years he realises he must have transmigrated to sometime before or after the plot happening and dives head first into being a hobbit. the food! the books! the gossip! yes, he'd love to get out an explore this fantastical world a bit more, but hobbits weren't very adventurous and shen yuan didn't want to stumble into the plot any more now than at first.

shang qinghua is his fellow transmigrated hobbit. once shen yuan realises this, he latches onto shang qinghua and they become somewhat antagonistic friends. shen yuan cherishes him! despite having written the novel, shang qinghua also does not know exactly where in the plot they are. the shire got very little mentioning in the original novels so they could really be at anytime at all except for the part where the shire gets burned down or what not.

this is all very well and good until someone knocks on shen yuan's door in the middle of the night and he opens it to find a strange, tall, extremely, tall, extremely beautiful, man who waltzes into his little hobbit hole like he owns it.

this is shen jiu, a wizard. who... knows? shen yuan? shen yuan does not know shen jiu. shen jiu does not seem to be worried about that. shen jiu, after making himself QUITE at home in shen yuan's little abode, gang presses shen yuan into a fun little quest. shen yuan is not quite sure how exactly he ends up on the trail towards a mountain to free it from a dragon but he is--in a word--excited.

a dragon? he's only read about them! in two worlds now! and he'll get to see one, and possibly more amazing creatures. he is accompanied by shen jiu of course, snappy and acerbic, stern and moody by turns, but obviously and intimidatingly powerful. he is also accompanied by ming fan, a relatively young dwarf who falls all over himself to impress shen jiu; ning yingying another excitable dwarf happy to be on this quest of some import; yue qi, a solemn but friendly man who falls over himself around shen jiu more than ming fan does; also like three to five more people i cant be bothered to squish in. this isn't about them!

anyways, it turns out that this is the prequel story--shen yuan only finds out when he returns from his adventures with an unbearable amount of treasure, to a shocked shire and an even more shocked shang qinghua who explains that Shen Jiu, whom shen yuan has grown a bit fond of in spite of himself, is actually Shen Qingqiu, the wicked wizard who set Luo Binghe on his path to becoming the dark and gritty protagonist in Proud Immortal Demon Way.

shen yuan boggles. surely not????? shen jiu is prickly, yes, but he didn't seem like the man the book described. shang qinghua shrugs, said this was a light hearted fantasy he wrote when he was younger and more idealistic but it is definitely the Same Dude.

but, shang qinghua says, they obviously aren't following the same plot since Shen Yuan was definitely not in shang qinghua's writing, and several things didn't happen or were changed. in any case, this prequel was decades prior to anything that occurred in the main novel so shen yuan delicately decides he probably doesn't need to worry about it.

he fingers the jade pendant he'd been given on his journey.

the pendant, of course, belongs to Luo Binghe. in Proud Immortal Demon Way Luo Binghe started the novel out as an orphaned halfling, without family or community, and barely the clothes on his back to his name. he struggled to survive on his own, his only treasure the jade pendant he'd always had since he was a baby. he could only imagine that his parents bequeathed it to him before they--died? probably. luo binghe had never known what happened to orphan him so thoroughly.

he'd stumbled into wardship with a powerful wizard who was meant to mentor him, however instead of nurturing luo binghe's relative youth (halflings aged much slower than men, a hearty thirty years was mere teenage years in comparison) he had set jealous eyes on luo binghe and made his life miserable. when he caught sight of luo binghe's pendant, he'd stolen it and with it released the other half of luo binghe's heritage.

su xiyan was a creature much like a hobbit, as these things go, but his father was a powerful demon (dark elf? listen i am not deep in the lotr lore but w/e the hell sauron is haha). the union wasn't meant to be, and when separated, tianlang-jun tried to raze the realms in fury, and almost managed it with his demon sword of power xin mo. however, he was defeated, xin mo shattered, and sealed under a mountain.

luo binghe's heritage was also suppressed. whatever su xiyan carried from her entanglement with tianlang-jun, resentment or pity or fear, she evidently cared enough for her child to try and give him a normal life free of a tainted ancestry. she gave him a pendant and set him adrift on the luo river where his tale of misery began.

when shen qingqiu removed the pendant, in the situation it happened in, luo binghe's powers and heritage manifested. shen qingqiu disavowed his newly unmasked disciple and abandoned him among the shadows of the badlands around mount doom.

embittered and adrift, luo binghe fought through what was tantamount to hell, laid claim on the throne his father left empty, commanded the wayward bands of orcs and goblins and other unsavory creatures, and worked on claiming or conquering all else. the realm of men never showed him any kindness at all, and so he would burn it all to the ground.

what started as a fairly interesting, if dark, coming of age story morphed into a grimdark grapple for power, politics, and sex. shen yuan, who had been charmed by the young luo binghe's enduring effort to find somewhere he belonged, became swept away with the darkened and awakened luo binghe's effort to create somewhere he belonged, without mercy if necessary.

however, somewhere during luo binghe's rise to power more and more of the plot threads were being dropped. luo binghe's cunning coups and strategic battles became more single note. at some point the adversaries became one dimensional, canon fodder. luo binghe's plans came to fruition with barely any struggle. as a power fantasy, shen yuan supposed it was fine-enough. one could, theoretically, turn their brain off and enjoy luo binghe's methodical scouring of the realm, conquering of power, and claiming of women. but everything shen yuan had started reading for, and had stayed for, was stripped away except for the protagonist himself.

in the end, the only place luo binghe could make for himself was a cold, lonely world empty of anyone luo binghe could turn to.

it was, perhaps, no wonder that shen yuan had frothed himself into such apoplectic fury he had died cursing the author's work.

the point is, though, that there was absolutely no way the cute youth shen yuan had encountered in the goblin caves had been luo binghe. the boy hadn't introduced himself, but when shen yuan was fleeing the wrath of the goblin king, the boy had given shen yuan his necklace.

"it will turn you invisible, so it can help you escape." the boy had said.

"what about you?" shen yuan had asked, reluctant to take the boy's only means of defense.

"it's fine!"

"but it's your treasure, isn't it?" shen yuan recalled the hours of commentary he had coaxed out of the boy as he'd been led through the dank tunnels trying to reunite with his wayward band of dwarves and wizards.

"it can help you now, i want you to take it!" the boy's eyes had been starry in the dark.

"but--" shen yuan was forced to hold the pendant as the boy shoved it into his hands. with reluctance, he settled it around his neck. "how will i return it?" he asked instead.

the boy had smiled at him, eyes wet with emotion. "i'm sure we'll meet again, shen yuan from the shire."

"okay then. i'll give it to you next time."

the pendant had turned him invisible and shen yuan was able to escape the goblins, somehow rescue his teammates, sneak into the dragon mountain, steal the treasures he'd been tasked to steal, liberate the mountain he'd been tasked to liberate, and even accomplished his own secret goal: save the dragon.

(you see, shen yuan loves creatures of all sorts, and he'd always sort of been sad when things like dragons had to be killed to save the day. didn't they also deserve to live in peace? so, when a snake like creature conspired with him to help relocate the dragon under the guise of burying it with melted gold, what could shen yuan do but agree? and the plan had worked! the mountain was liberated, the city nearby was freed from constant dragon-induced fear, his traveling companions were happy enough, and the dragon and presumably its snake-friend were safely living somewhere else probably.)

anyways, the boy can't have been luo binghe and the pendant cant be the pendant because the pendant never turned luo binghe invisible in the novels shen yuan read, and luo binghe would have never given it away! he'd reliably become berserk if the pendant had ever been in danger and of course the moment shen qingqiu had stolen it luo binghe had erupted into a coalescing tornado of unleashed power.

that did not happen when the starry-eyed, lonely, somewhat skittish but still kind and receptive young kid had given shen yuan the pendant. therefore, that kid wasn't luo binghe and this pendant is not The Pendant. there are probably a hundred sad orphans and a thousand more magical pendants in the wide million-word history of proud immortal demon way.

so when shang qinghua points at the pendant some years later and starts yelling hysterically, shen yuan has no idea why. shen jiu, who is visiting for shen yuan's birthday celebration, and quite used to shang qinghua's hysterics, offers to look over the pendant. shen yuan lets him, though if shang qinghua was awake he might get scolded for that. yes shen yuan knows shen jiu steals the pendant in the book! but! shang qinghua said it himself: shen yuan has already changed things! probably shen jiu won't steal from shen yuan! they're friends! also, this isn't the pendant so it's all a moot point.

this leaves shen yuan completely open when shen jiu does actually steal the pendant. he whisks it away, barely touching it, folding it into his billowing sleeves, eyes as flinty as shen yuan had ever seen them.

"i need to find out what this is," shen jiu explained, as shen yuan angrily stormed after him on his way out. "it feels-- hungry."

"i--" shen yuan is stopped when shen jiu whirls around and places his hands on shen yuan's shoulders.

"do you not trust me?"

shen yuan thought that was very unfair, as he had just determined to himself to trust that shen jiu wouldn't steal his pendant and the wizard had just gone and done that. but the look in shen jiu's eyes stayed shen yuan's tongue.

"do you think i would just take from you for no reason? have i not labored enough under your ceaseless expectations of me to have earned your trust in this?"

shen yuan carefully breathed out through his nose. "is it not the same question for me?" he asked, "do i not deserve an explanation? must i always sit here in the dark as though even the simplest of truths would make me suspicious of you. do you not trust me to listen?"

shen jiu seemed to struggle.

shang qinghua managed to recover, at this point, and catch up to them. he interjected, for once his tremulous tone evened into a sober enough inflection that even shen jiu listened. "It is exactly what you suspect! we can do whatever tests you need right here, in shen yuan's hearth, you needn't journey with it yourself."

shen jiu's eyes narrowed, and shen yuan cast confused glances at both his friends. even if it was luo binghe's pendant, wasn't it just a seal limiting binghe's power?

"you're not even touching it and can feel it whispering, can't you?" shang qinghua asked.

"what do you know of it?" shen jiu snarled, but his eyes betrayed a sort of fear shen yuan had never seen from his friend before.

"it won't do you any kindness to keep it, whatever you mean."

shen jiu, for a minute, looked as though he would ignore shang qinghua, but in the end the wizard closed his eyes and lifted the handkerchief covered pendant from where he had stashed it.

"it's heavy," shen jiu said, and dropped it into shen yuan's waiting palm.

it turns out the pendant is actually xin mo. "xin mo was actually uh, pretty fucked up? it corrupted tianlang-jun's mind, that's why he tried to destroy everything. su xiyan sealed its power into the pendant, but as luo binghe gets older and his heritage closer to awakening, xin mo grew more powerful." shang qinghua explained once shen jiu left ostensibly to research the predicament they were left in, but more realistically to recover from his brush with xin mo's corruptive influence. at least according to shang qinghua.

"but binghe didn't have the pendant when he started his conquest." shen yuan pointed out.

"no? he didn't need a hell-artifact trying to corrupt him. you read the story bro, his life sucked. he didn't need much of an excuse to get revenge."

"then why the pendant at all? isn't that too confusing? a macguffin you don't even use?"

"that was the point though!" shang qinghua was picking up enthusiasm now. "Luo Binghe had Xin Mo, the same thing that drove his father mad, but Luo Binghe could have resisted that. but being treated the way he was? his master undermining him and, ultimately abandoning him? magical artifacts don't make people into all of that," he said gesturing as if he could encompass all of luo binghe in his hand, "People make people into monsters quite enough on their own."

shen yuan bit his lip. that was, of course, why he'd stuck with reading pidw after all. he couldn't refute shang qinghua's words. watching luo binghe's slow descent into more and more anti-hero grimdarkness was enthralling because of how thouroughly the bright niavety had been beated out of him. shen yuan had wanted luo binghe to get his revenge, to get his power, and to create a place he could call home. he'd had plenty of the first two, but the latter had never come to fruition.

"wait! that was the point?" shen yuan asked, "but you never explained xin mo at all? or all this about the pendant! after shen qingqiu stole it, it might as well have disappeared! even after luo binghe captured him, the pendant wasn't brought up again. i had to bend over backwards to try and gather all of your loose plot threads! half the novel was just him winning another fight or finding another woman!"

"well, i mean, it was supposed to be the point. but ah, well i lost my notes and then--" he made a noise as shen yuan hit him. "But! I tried! Luo Binghe got a sword didn't he? after he captured shen qingqiu? that's xin mo! that's why he does all the fighting and fu-- uh, women. shen qingqiu couldn't destroy the pendant, and breaking it only released its true form. so luo binghe got his father's sword after all and it doesn't matter at all that he could resist it, because he didn't want to."

"why is shen jiu so worried about it anyways? i mean, i didn't feel anything." shen yuan looked skeptically at the drawer they had hidden the pendant.

"uhm, most people can though." shang qinghua said. "that's a lot of why luo binghe's life sucked so much? everytime someone was around him they felt xin mo."

shen yuan frowned, remembering the bright eyed youth from the caves. that had been luo binghe then? with his messy hair and messier clothes and dirt stained hands and feet. shen yuan, breathless from fear and running, had still not been able to resist the urge to wipe at the kid's face with his sleeve. people looked at that and what? felt compelled to be mean?

"most people are petty," shang qinghua said, correctly interpreting shen yuan's furrowing brow, "not everyone can be as peerless as the great peerless cucumber--"

"shut up." shen yuan frowned and crossed his arms. "you didn't answer my question! okay so, it has bad vibes. what about it? it's a pendant? i'm certainly not going to scour the realms. even if i wanted to, i could be squashed like a bug. who cares? why steal it from binghe?"

"because, if someone squashed you like a bug or stole it from binghe then it would eventually find someone who was powerful enough to scour the realms. i mean, even shen qingqiu wasn't immune to it! he thought taking it from binghe was the right choice, because he was worried someone stronger would take it, but obviously it wasn't. even with binghe's heritage being revealed, shen qingqiu ended up fracturing a lot of his connections while he held onto the pendant. he thought he was protecting the realms from it, but really he was just protecting it until binghe picked it up again. he practically laid the ground work for his own imprisonment with that. besides that, there are plenty of people who would think xin mo was a tool they could use for good. and they'd be wrong. so it's best to destroy it."

"but if binghe can resist it, and taking it from him is half of what makes him turn into you know, bing-ge, isn't it best just to give it back?"

shang qinghua boggled. "how did you come to that conclusion?"

"well, it's his treasure, and he wasn't doing anything wrong with it. you said yourself he could resist it! so isn't it best if the protagonist holds onto it? binghe's strong enough no one could take it..." well, besides the time someone had taken it.

a look came over shang qinghua that shen yuan couldn't identify. "i don't know. maybe he had such a tolerance because he built it up while it was in his posession all those years. but you've had it for like ten? twenty? years?"

Shen Yuan frowned. it wasn't that long for a hobbit, but it was incredibly long for the human shen yuan had been once.

"who knows how he'd react to it now! and absolutely no one is going to agree to just give an artifact of ancient evil to some kid no one knows!"

"he'd be almost thirty now, wouldn't he?" shen yuan said, almost without his own will putting together the timeline. in the novel, this is when luo binghe would be meeting shen qingqiu for the first time. thirty was too young for a hobbit to be on his own, never mind that shen yuan had been living by himself in both lives by the time he was 19.

"you are, frankly, impossible." shang qinghua gave up.

shen jiu came back in the middle of the night, as he was prone to doing, and whisks shen yuan and shang qinghua away on a journey to bring the pendant to a meeting of the realms in order to further discuss what to do with it.

"destroy it," shang qinghua murmered.

there were whispers of a dark power coalescing in the north at the bad lands bordering mount doom. orcs and goblins and other sort being organised and turned against the villages and townships close to the border, each raid pushing their powers further out.

"it's too early for binghe yet, isn't it?" shen yuan asked under his breath.

the worst of it. "they know the pendant is in the shire." shen jiu informed shen yuan and shang qinghua in the middle of throwing things into packs for travel.

"what? how?" shang qinghua quailed.

"who knew about the pendant? ming fan? yue qingyuan?" shen jiu asked, at once correctly inferring the only possible time shen yuan might have come across it.

"no--" shen yuan faltered. luo binghe had been the only other one to know, as he'd given it to him. but would luo binghe sell that information to the dark forces rising against them? or was he, indeed, the dark forces themselves?

shen jiu tsked. "it doesn't matter just now. we have to leave."

so they left, headed towards the cang qiong mountains where shen jiu hoped they could foist the responsibility of the pendant onto some other poor sucker.

[mxtxfanatic]

@zykamiliah Ok bear with me because I’m just writing off the top of my head.

I think I misspoke a little in the tags on your post: I don’t think Shen Yuan attributes all of his good deeds and skills to Shen Jiu throughout the novel; I think he attributes them to Shen Qingqiu the Character. Now, walk with me a little:

I like playing video games, especially those in which I can customize my own characters. Two such games are The Sims and Dragon Age. In The Sims, you can create your own character from scratch, meaning you are in charge of their looks, their personality, their backstory, their narrative, and life progression. You are in charge of everything if you so choose to be. Dragon Age, however, is not like that. You get to decide what your character looks like (to an extent), but you don’t get to create a backstory. You can decide romance but you are not in control of the story beats of those romances, just the choices you make in them. You can influence certain aspects of your character, but they will always go through certain events and always arrive at a predestined conclusion. How does this apply to Shen Yuan? Well, he’s just been stuffed into the character of a seemingly Dragon Age-type narrative.

Shen Yuan doesn’t get to decide Shen Qingqiu’s backstory. He doesn’t get to decide what his story designation is; he is automatically assigned the “scum villain” role. He doesn’t even get to decide Shen Qingqiu’s personality until he unlocks the ooc function. Shen Qingqiu is already a teacher, he is already a powerful cultivator with a renowned name, sword, skills, and he is already Luo Binghe’s abuser that will eventually throw him into the Endless Abyss, all story points that are unchangeable. And Shen Yuan is fully aware of this—uncomfortably so, in fact, with how the system exists to monitor his every move in order to keep him “on track.” It’s not unreasonable, therefore, for him to believe that this predestination applies to everything and everyone else, so much so that he believes that his small acts of kindness can only serve as pockets of reprieve for the “characters” before the predestined hardship arrives, nothing more.

But, as we find out, these “small acts of kindness” are narrative-changing—much stronger than the so-called predestination—and it is the formerly stated awareness and surveillance that leads Shen Yuan to be unable to see this, disregarding the tangable ways that his style of playing Shen Qingqiu has altered the narrative written by the author and upheld by the system. This applies to as early as Ning Yingying’s bolder personality and as late as Luo Binghe’s corruption by Xin Mo. It’s probably very significant that just how much the world of pidw had diverged from the original book is revealed to Shen Yuan only after Shen Qingqiu the Character self-destructs and Shen Yuan resurrects himself using the plant body. From that point on, he has to contend with how his actions have changed things, how Luo Binghe has been changed by him, enamored with him—not Shen Qingqiu the Character—and how, actually, the book he has transmigrated into doesn’t have a predestined ending because he has broken everything wide open.

And this isn’t to say that Shen Yuan doesn’t fully see himself as Shen Qingqiu, but it’s the difference between seeing himself as a part of Shen Qingqiu vs. seeing Shen Qingqiu as a part of himself. “Luo Binghe can’t love me because Shen Qingqiu is his scum villain.” “I can’t love Luo Binghe because Shen Qingqiu is his shizun.” “PIDW is destined to be a stallion novel, and Luo Binghe is guaranteed happiness with his harem.” These are the “predestined facts” that Shen Yuan has been shaping his pidw experience with, until they stop being facts and he has to actually look at the changes he has wrought and what he wants out of them, not what Shen Qingqiu would want or expect or react to. And I don’t think he ever fully divests himself of this mentality (we can still see him being casual about his skills even in the extras), but he is much freer in his actions and desires at the end of the story without the weight of Shen Qingqiu the Character dogging his expectations and even more so in the extras without the system acting as enforcer to his thoughts and behaviors.

[gurggggleburgle]

throwing my hat into the should bingqiu be parents ring to say No. Neither of these adults should be parents but for wildly different reasons until they've had like 10 years post cannon to work shit out.

This is because these idiots have so much shit to work out between them and if you threw a kid in there any point before the story ends and well after I can't see this going well.

Reason 1) Have you ever met someone in their early 20s who has been in an on and off again mess of a relationship that clearly needs couples therapy? I have. Don't

reason 2) Everyone keeps being all Luo Binghe would be absolutely jealous of whatever baby ends up in their acquisition and I would like to say FALSE. Binghe's hatred of any babies is tangential to age and adoption vs weird mpreg vs where in the timeline. For example if Shen Qingqui acquires a baby pre abyss at 17ish and said child is in an age range of 7-15ish he's gonna be jealous because that's an age range where this kid could potentially compete with him any younger and you're bordering toddler territory which is about in the same range as literal baby. Where this kid could get his room. If it's a baby tho he doesn't hate the baby. It poses no threat. It's a bonding experience.

If anything he's absolutely more worried about the kid being a secret love child with Liu Qingge or some other threat.

The same applies also minus that last caveat if he ends up teen pregnant. This version of child snatching is weirdly the one I think they'd be the best with even tho they absolutely should not be doing that.

Meanwhile if Shen Qingqiu acquires or has Luo Binghe's kid while their in the abyss then Qingqiu is gonna be a mess of a parent if it is full straight up baby. The man has the domestic skills of a boiled potato. He probably is leaving most of this baby's care to Ning YingYing and Ming Fan by virtue of having to actually do his own paperwork now and other tasks. Like he loves the kid but.... like let's be real liking children and being nice to them does not a good parent make. He's probably panicking and demanding help every five minutes driving them all insane. Meanwhile if Binghe finds out about this kid and it's not his specifically he's gonna lose his shit because it means Shizun's got himself another malewife and he bets it's that whore Liu Qingge. And if Cucumber man let's it slip then Lou Binghe is never letting that child leave his sight. He is acquiescing that kid. And if that child is not a baby he will go into panic mode because that's his REPLACEMENT. Shizun got a new fluffy child to dote on.

Again if Luo Binghe somehow ends up pregers when he falls into the abyss I will say he will become the most disturbingly devoted parent possible and both cherish and resent the child and be absolutely feral about it. If he finds one down there he probably takes care of them and is kind because like Luo Binghe is a fucking orphan. He knows what it means to suffer without parents. If he sees a small demon kid named 4 balls (the long lost brother of 6 balls) or something he's not gonna abandon them to die.

Meanwhile if it's like new item obtained: small child! about water prison and after or one is found out to be mpreg.... I mean Luo Binghe would triple on his imprison Shen Qingqiu for the sake of the baby if it's him. For himself I think he would either tragically walk away and say the baby is all he gets as a piece of Shizun's love or it's like more desperately clinging and waiting for SQQ to cave. Any adopted child at this point is a threat. Our boy's brain is too far gone for that. Child's must be acquired before this point or risk softlocking your game. Also side note depending on where in the timeline Yuan gets pregnanté you can make an incredibly angsty but also comedic argument about abortion as that is certainly one way to take care of it.

Post cannon children can be acquired and this will not make Luo Binghe jealous. Man will see any kid as an extension of his and Shizun's love immediately post cannon. He's not jealous of the baby. If anything they're vetting the baby's playmates. He insists on breast milk long past it being required. You have to get a daypass to even look at this child. The baby has nappies worth more than your house. Man would be a disturbingly protective parent. He would be the one to spoil the kid rotten.

Our trust fund protagonist would have to be the moral compass on this and that is funny and terrifying

Reason number 3) they would be those hoa and pta parents. their kid would be the asshole child in the school who everyone knows they can't bully.

[bingqiufics]

I wonder if you have read anything like this:

Luo Bing-ge, reincarnated as his younger self and be like: 'I'm gonna get revenge on Shen Qingqiu! I'm gonna let him paid >:))....... Wait, who the fuck is Shen Yuan???'

Basically, it's a BingexYuan fic, but I started to think I'm hallucinating that fic exists since I can't find it anywhere TT, please help!!!

You might be looking for:

Try Again by PrinceJakeFireCake (51K, Complete, Mature)

OG!Bingqiu (Bingyuan) & Liushen (implied)

(Canon Divergence, De-aging, Endless Abyss, Depression, PTSD, Courting, Identity Reveal, Courting, Slow Burn)

Luo Binghe, heavenly demon lord with three hundred plus wives, wakes up fourteen-years-old again. He quickly realizes that the man who looks like Shen Qingqiu is not the real deal. He is really contemplating putting everything behind him and leaving the sect to raise sheep.

If it's not the fic you're looking for, try checking out our Shen Yuan Reveal and De-Aging tags.

Also, here's other Bingyuan fics featuring De-aging :

You are My Place to Stay by handa__dake (70K, WIP - 16/?, Explicit)

Bingyuan & Bingqiu

No System AU, A/B/O, De-Aging, Mpreg, Possessiveness, Lactation Kink, Alpha!OG!LBH, Omega!SQQ)

Shen Yuan is a broken Omega. But after his death, he gets the chance to become the normal omega he always wanted to be. That is living as Shen Qingqiu.

Luo Binghe was a Demon Lord who had more than 600 wives. But once he wakes up one day, he goes back to the early days when he was only 10 years old. Not! That's not what confused him! But the fact that the Shen Qingqiu in this world is an Omega!? How?!

And their paths met.

The grabbing hands always grab what they can by Hazel_23 (26K, WIP - 16/?, Teen)

Bingqiu, Bingyuan & 2BingQiu

(Canon Divergence, Hurt & Comfort, Threesome)

One day, the original Luo Binghe has a qi deviation and shrinks into his 15 years old self. As if this wasn’t enough, Xin Mo sends him somehow into a parallel universe where he finds his other self and decides to warn him how bad Shen Qingqiu is and what will he do in the future.

OG.LBH: He let you sleep into the woodshed and gave you a wrong cultivation manual. LBH: Shizun let me stay in the room outside his bamboo house and gave me private lessons. OG.LBH: He sent you to fight with a much stronger opponent! LBH: Shizun risked his life to save me! OG.LBH: Whaaat? ( ╯°□°)╯ ┻━┻

(Set after the Dream Demon arc)

Like swallows in spring (I'll always come back to you) by chia (chiateablend) (14K, WIP - 1/2, Mature)

Bingyuan & Bingqiu

(Fantasy AU, De-aging, Hurt & Comfort, Mutual Pining, Flirting)

Ten years ago, Shen Yuan had held out his hand, his voice steady as he offered a boy before him a taste of what he'd never known before: true kindness.

Now, as he finds himself caring for the child he'd found floating down the river, he couldn't know he was repeating the same mistake. Because always, those that had the least fought the hardest to keep what was theirs, and damn it all if Luo Binghe wasn't going to repay his debts.

... Well. As soon as he actually remembered who he was, that is.

A Transmigrator and a Time Traveler Walk Into the Bamboo House by VeryCharismaticDragon (98K, Teen)

(Time Travel, Fix-it, De-aging, Partial System Reveal)

Over a year after Shen Qingqiu's death, Luo Binghe consults his servant's servant, concurrently his disgraced martial uncle, for a way to bring the love of his life back. Shang Qinghua sends him in the direction of a certain time-traveling artifact, which supposedly brings one to the day they first met their soulmate. Odd, though, that the artifact ends up missing the destination by just a few years…

A story in which post-Abyss Luo Binghe relives his disciple days, while juggling his secrets, traumas, and some unexpected revelations about the man he loves on top of that.

recced by @souein

Hope this helps!

[nyoomerr]

Hi! You're one of my fave fic writers, so I hope it's not too foward if I ask some writing advice? I'm currently working on my own fic, and it feels like my brain is working overtime. When you're writing scenes, do you struggle to find a balance between dialogue and just texts describing the situation the characters are in? How exactly do you plan for the execute fic ideas you have? Again, love your work!

hello! i'm always quite flattered when y'all enjoy my writing enough that you think of me when you'd like to ask for advice, no worries at all! 🥰 just remember that this is advice about what works best for me personally, and there's a lot of different styles of writing out there that i'm not as familiar with as the one that i personally use, etc etc.

all advice under the cut, so it doesn't clog anyone's dash up!

for balancing dialogue/descriptions: personally, i find that a dialogue-heavy story tends to be more character driven + interesting to read, so it's what i prefer. if it's possible to convey an important plot point via an interaction between characters, i'll usually try to do so, with an exception for things that aren't very interesting and therefore are best conveyed as quickly as possible in just a short text description.

there are a couple cases i can think of where incorporating dialogue doesn't always come as naturally as "characters A and B are in a scene together and stuff happens," though, so here's some of my thoughts on those -

if i want to convey some sort of montage (xyz happens, time passes, etc etc), the bulk of that montage actually happening usually just ends up as a text description. where possible, i try to add short snippets of conversation as an example of what's happening in the montage.

if plot points happen when there's only a single character around and they don't have anyone to engage with, I try to break up the descriptive scenes with moments where the character's thoughts are highlighted in dialogue format. (i.e. an occasional "Maybe it would be easier to just walk straight into the monster's mouth myself, Shen Qingqiu thought" in place of a "The work was miserable enough that Shen Qingqiu briefly considered if it was worth it to just accept his death")

Alternatively, I've also used a character's memories or mental image of someone close to them as a partner for a 'pretend' conversation, though the mileage I get out of this is pretty dependent on the character's mental state and etc. (i.e. "Binghe is the pride of Qing Jing, Shen Qingqiu had once said. Now, Luo Binghe lays in the dirt in the Abyss, and he wonders if such a thing could ever be true again. Shizun, could Qing Jing ever claim me, when my disciple robes have been marred with ichor and blood? Could you ever be proud of me, when I fight with ugly brute force instead of the delicate sword forms you taught me?")

for planning/executing on fic ideas: usually, when i have a fic idea, i'm starting with some vague idea of where i want to start the fic and where i want to end it, and then i have to sit down and brainstorm all the middle bits before i can get started writing. for me personally, the ending i want to achieve is usually an emotional or relationship development, so i tend to plan out the middle bits by thinking "what would it take for this character to develop towards that specific emotional state?"

this often means i plan out "middle" scenes to be things that are designed to disprove a belief that the character currently holds, or to show them something that they don't currently believe. then i pad those out with scenes that give the character time to settle into their new mental/emotional state before putting them into another scene that changes their mentality once more.

i hope those tips help out a bit!! 🙇 and ofc remember that everyone will enjoy writing in a slightly different way, so if some of this advice doesn't vibe with you, don't try and force yourself into following it -- even if you were trying to mimic the way i write exactly, even i don't follow my own advice all the time XD

also, i think i've gotten enough of these writing tip asks that it probably warrants its own tag, so i went back tagged all the ones i could find with #nyoomerr gives advice. i'll continue to use this tag in the future to help y'all find stuff !

[veliseraptor]

Inspired by 'it's not love, it's obsession': what are your thoughts on the parallels between Luo Binghe and Xue Yang?

oooh this is a fascinating one.

One of my favorite things about looking at MXTX's books as a corpus of work taken together is the ways in which you can see her evolving as a writer. I don't necessarily mean stylistically (I don't feel like I can speak to that, since I can't read the original), or even necessarily narratively (though I do think TGCF is the strongest narratively, for all it's probably longer than it needs to be). What I really mean is how you can see her coming back to the same themes over and over and exploring them with variations and shades of difference. There are very clearly things that are MXTX Concerns, as it were, that she revisits and echoes and plays with in all of her works; questions about justice and the cycle of violence are one big one that I've thought a lot about personally.

And when you're looking at the three books together, there are places where you can draw throughlines - for instance, from Yi City > Black Water Arc, or from (arguably) Xiao Xingchen > Xie Lian. In light of the trivia that Yi City comes at least in part from an older, abandoned story MXTX worked on when she was younger (per an interview with her, I believe), I feel like you can draw the line from Xue Yang > Luo Binghe as far as some of the tropes being played with. Xue Yang is (in some ways) an echo of Luo Binghe is an echo of an older story that had a character who may or may not have been named Xue Yang.

In obvious ways Xue Yang takes a different position in the story he ends up in than Luo Binghe does in his (he ends up an antagonist), but while one could look at the Song Lan/Xue Yang/Xiao Xingchen trio and posit Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan as the intended pair of whatever original story they came from, that doesn't, in my eyes, fit with the other relationships MXTX chooses to write. Xue Yang lives at a nexus of a lot of the things MXTX pokes at with Luo Binghe and, yes, Wei Wuxian, but also (to a lesser degree) Hua Cheng - the legacy of childhood violence, the importance and weight of small kindnesses in changing a person, the probing at the idea of people as irredeemable or incapable of change (and finding it lacking).

He comes from a disadvantaged, marginalized background (as do the other two protagonists) and, despite perpetrating atrocious acts of violence (Wei Wuxian actually, Luo Binghe less so in SVSSS canon but explicitly so in PIDW, which is the way Shen Qingqiu relates to him initially), kind treatment from a single person having a deep impact on their behavior. There's also the quality of deep, obsessive devotion, notably beyond death, that Xue Yang shares with Luo Binghe, Lan Wangji, and Hua Cheng (portrayed in the latter two cases as clearly and explicitly romantic and to be valued). Xue Yang doesn't occupy a protagonist role in MDZS (obviously), but he has some of those thematic qualities that tend to pop up in MXTX protagonists and/or love interests.

(Hua Cheng might stand out here, and he is different, certainly, but I would point to the very, very early identification of him as inherently ill-fortuned and bad to be around. Xue Yang has TGCF echoes, I'd say, to a lesser extent in Hua Cheng than in Jun Wu, but I don't think the echoes are absent from Hua Cheng, either.).

This positions Xue Yang, potentially, as (if we're using a crude metaphor) a little bit the Luo Binghe to Xiao Xingchen's Shen Qingqiu, with Song Lan potentially occupying more of a Yue Qingyuan place (but of course that's just speculation and we'll probably never know).

This is a lot of tl;dr but I guess the main thing I'm thinking about here is that while it's I think shallow to describe Xue Yang as a proto-Luo Binghe (or rather, ur-Xue Yang from that older story as), I think it's fair to see that relationship between the two characters as part and parcel of MXTX's revisiting, revising, and reconsidering the same themes over and over again in her work - in the same way, I think, that within the same story Wei Wuxian's parallels with both Xue Yang illustrate that same impulse. (And not, to be clear, as a simple "this one good, this one bad" morality tale; what MXTX is doing with her parallels is, I daresay, more interesting than that.)

anyway, there you have it. I feel like this went maybe a little left of what you were asking (maybe you wanted me to talk about the actual parallels in terms of character?) but this is a sub-category of that subject I personally find very fun to think about.

[greentrickster]

yuu1412  Although now I gotta wonder: did Miku get Binghe into gaming? Did he find fanfiction? Did he have pokemon or adventure ships???

(question asked on AO3)

YES, she did, of course she did, you’re so incredibly right, argh, how did I not realize before that she’s the one who started all this! She’s the one who got him playing Pokemon Go, they’re both on Team Valor and, while Binghe is there, they rule their local gym (Tatsu doesn’t play and Masa is Team Instinct because he liked the gym leader’s style (I wonder why (stares at Masa’s hair))). Binghe’s enchanted by Pokemon purely because “OMG, Shizun would love this, Shizun thinks monsters are so cool, he would love a world where you get to tame and battle with monsters, I must share this with him as best I can!!!”

He does this by basically becoming a walking pokedex of pokeknowledge, watching an impressive amount of the anime, and also making his Pokemon Go avatar based on Shen Qingqiu instead of himself (partially so there can be at least one world where Shizun gets to experience this, partially so that, you know. He can be the one helping Shizun become the very best, like no one ever was, because Shizun deserves it-!!!). Pokemon Go tends to be the pokegame he plays the most, though I’m going to say he watches Miku play Legends Arceus a lot, because he finds the story both intriguing and relatable (in a way). Miku lets him play her save file from time to time to go shiney hunting, because Binghe has the best luck with shinies (I wonder why).

I think this might actually be the first thing that Binghe and Miku really connect over - he has a hard time figuring her out at first, just because she acts so differently from anyone he’s ever met before, in a lot of ways he doesn’t expect. Like, she doesn’t seem bothered by Binghe spending time with Tatsu-sensei? At all? Binghe’s only got eyes for Shizun, but it’s like she’s not even worried Binghe might try and steal Tatsu-sensei from her or something? And why is she okay with Tatsu-sensei spending time with Binghe when he could be spending it with her? And why is she being so seemingly friendly with Binghe? What’s her ulterior motive? What does she want from him???

Miku: I don’t want anything from you. Tatsu likes you and he could use some more friends - and you look like you could too.

Binghe: (nods politely, then spends as many points as he dares when he’s alone that night trying to get some explanations for what the heck’s going on)

Because, thinking about it, Miku’s going to, just by being herself, be a good example of how to be in a healthy relationship, same as Tatsu is. Yeah, they’re a slightly odd couple, but they’re happy together and comfortable in themselves, and, bless him, Binghe needs that in his life.

I think Binghe also gets into Animal Crossing in a big way. Fighting games just aren’t as interesting to him when he’s, you know, actually been the one doing all the cool fighting stuff, kind of a step down, but Animal Crossing? That’s such a Binghe game, making a beautiful home and island that you have complete control over? 10/10, he’s going to think of it wistfully from time to time when he eventually returns to his world.

As for fanfiction and shipping... hmmm... I don’t think he does, he’s engaged enough with web novels, the library, and other such things that he never manages to stumble across it. He does discover YouTube, however, and ends up watching a lot of self-help videos. Masa taught him the important things for internet usage: search functions, where to find the p*rn and h*nt*i, and how to pirate (Miku’s the one who helped him find the webnovels). With no knowledge to even conceptualize things like AO3, deviantart, or tumblr, Binghe just doesn’t stumble across them. And, frankly, that’s probably for the best, I adore fanfic, obviously I do, but the world does not need Binghe discovering The Tropes, that could-

...wait.

(considers)

...gods, this boy’s too smart, he’d probably use the trope knowledge he gained via fanfiction to try and get himself into Scenarios to get Shizun to notice and/or sex him.

Except then he gets home and discovers his stupid Heavenly Demon Blood makes him immune to basically Everything, sorry Binghe, gonna still have to ask for what you want in bed. Not that he lets this stop him entirely.

Side note, Shen Yuan starts actively avoiding anything potentially thorny, because his wonderful but accident-prone disciple keeps tripping into them and getting his clothes ruined, Binghe, please, think of all the pure and delicate maidens whose hearts you’re going to break by exposing them to your perfect everything-!!! ...though it is a little odd that it never seems to happen when he’s wearing his apron. Weird. Oh well, at least Binghe heals quick thanks to his demonic heritage...

Binghe, still in his latest ruined set of robes, flopped on the floor of Sha Hualing’s lab: Why won’t Shizun notice me???

Sha Hualing, barely paying attention: You wear too many clothes.

Binghe, still face-down on the floor: No, I thought about that, but Shizun’s more the sort to be into a tantalizing, unexpected glimpse of what’s usually hidden than seeing everything all the time. It’s more intriguing.

Sha Hualing: Humans are weird.

Binghe: You’re weird!

Sha Hualing, to Mobei-jun who’s sitting against the far wall: Why did you help him get in here again, I have a deadline for getting this sword done, you know!

Mobei-jun: ...

Sha Hualing: I don’t speak ice cube you-!

Binghe: Liu Mingyan’s human, you know.

Sha Hualing: ...

Sha Hualing, setting tools aside: So tell me more about these weird human fetishes.

Binghe: IT’S NOT A FETISH, SHIZUN IS TOO PURE AND ELEGANT AND DIGNIFIED TO HAVE-!!!

...so yeah, Binghe can have a little exposure to fanfiction, as a treat. Because it could be funny.

[minsarasarahair]

I love SVSSS recurring theme of "dehumanization"

Shen Yuan seeing the people he interact with in the novel as just characters and stereotypes. He only see them as Black and White situation where there are good and bad people instead of how complex they are. Typical Anti who only care about the hero and privilege behavior lol

Shen Jiu being a victim of abuse just because he's been human trafficked. He don't have the social status, wealth, not privilege, not powerful and even late in his cultivation path. He was human first before he became one of the antagonist in Luo Binghe's life. Whether they are good or bad people, humans can commit crimes. Its not because they are monsters or evil incarnate but because they are humans. And that's why a not cartoon villain matters in stories we read.

Shang Qinghua is just an author doing his job so that he can survive his daily life but his readers forget he's also just a human like them who's only trying his best to deliver good output that can satisfy his readers. Even rejecting his own wishes for his story, prioritizing his readers satisfaction. Just like what he said he started with pure ambition but was changed for his own survival in the career. He represent the relationship between content creator and his fans. That at the end of the day he's still human who don't deserve to get hated if his story is not your preference.

Luo Binghe's protagonist status. Shen Yuan is guilty in this. Because of his take on the character he love, he didn't see Luo Binghe's complexity. That he was a child at heart first before he became cruel.

Zhuzhi-Lang, Luo Binghe and Tianlang-Jun's demon lineage. The demons in this story are treated badly simply because they are different race from humans. Zhuzhi-Lang only felt he's treated better when he only received a human-like body and not his original form hence he's very grateful to his benefactors. LBH and his dad are both wronged by humans just because of their demon blood.

Yue Qingyuan as the leader. We only see him as the calm sect leader of Cang Qiong Mountain sect who's most role is to support Shen Qingqiu like your typical supporting characters. But later we find out that he's actually impulsive as person. Exact opposite of his leader persona. He has regrets and just pretending to be strong as leader because he need to.

Shen Yuan see the women as just accessories for a man's harem in the beginning. Just like how most men viewed the girls in stallion novel.

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Chapter 4

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.

aaaaaaand i'm back for another chapter! Again at my desk with my reading buddy (Charlie) tea for this chapter is a soy matcha latte.

So, I thought the conference was a few days from when Shen Qingqiu/Shen Yuan was in the cave, but im assuming it's annual? Since he was in the caves for a year? p191

Ah JK. the top of the next page - the conference is every 4 years 192

I'm actually so stoked for this demon blood reveal. I want to know how its spun in this "version" of the story p 193

I love how confused shen yuan is, he's still over here thinking he's the villain when he has so clearly been upgraded to Love Interest/Damsel in Distress. IDK what to tell you pp193-194

Okay so now luo binghe is 17. Question though- do we ever actually get an age for Shen Qingqiu? p195

This kid is still here simping. Actually at this point I dont even know who is the simp. Luo Binghe is openly heart eyes and Qin Qingqiu isn't even aware of his own feelings but the way he describes future luo binghe is too much LOL. It is a trainwreck to read. p195

Binghe: *all flirt* Shen Qingqiu: shit. fuck. ah. I need to not fuck this plot point p196

LOL at Shen Qingqiu taking the carriage "I'm frail and indisposed" x3 twink energy p200

not the snacks too LOL p200

oh no! Luo Binghe thinking that Shen Qingqiu has any feelings at all for Liu Mingyan p201

But also then trying to make Shen Qingqiu jealous. Oh boy.

Let's take a second to appreciate how clear and concise the point system is for the conference. like this was well thought out- I love it. It's also giving a bit of hunger games spectator energy p205

This guy (Shen Yuan) already knows the outcome, and yet he's going to gamble (AND GAMBLE BIG) anyways p 208

I cannot with this group following Luo Binghe "my feet hurt :(" p215

why the foot fetish material 💀 217

RIP to the OG timeline's harem- the have been felled to the Demon Realm's Nu Yuan Chen p218

omg this is a massacre p220

awww at liu qingge not letting Shen Qingqiu join the fray. I feel like these two probably have a shit ton of fics pairing them p223

THE HEAD SPIDER WHAT pp226-227

Shen Qingqiu's entrance though!!!!!!!! p227

Shen Qingqiu is even getting the flower poison plot (points for my love interest/damsel in distress plotline) "Stop. Do not pass go. The girl you're supposed to pick the flower for, Qin Wanyue, is right next to us, watching- and you want to deflower it in her presence, and for a big, strong man to boot? Leave your wife some dignity, all right?!" p231

oooo now we get details on who the spy is. Enter Shang Qinghua p233

Shang Qinghhua deserves an Oscar for this performance 236

And more damsel shen qingqiu 242

the miscommunications! oh gosh why is this scene so painful. They're talking about two different things. pp247-248

Oh no. Shen Qingqiu/Shen Yuan is not okay :( p257

oh no oh no oh no -> heartbreak points?!?!?!? this is so sad p259

OMG WAIT WHAT AN END TO THIS CHAPTER. THE AUTHOR IS HERE TOO???????????? WHAT THE HECK!!!

RE: Who the spy is- A SPY WITHIN A SPY?

Thats all for today!

The twist really twisted me at the end there. AH. I can't wait to read more. Will they work together? will they be mortal enemies??? Will this be the author attempting to usurp Shen Yuan????? I DONT KNOW????