#like they like the political intrigue in mdzs more

[waitineedaname]

🦞 - cant wait to start TGCF !!! everyone has been telling me that tgcf is more romantic than other mxtx books ... whats your opinion about it ?? and do you have any tips before I start reading it 😶

it is definitely the most romantic of the three mxtx series! personally it is my least favorite of the mxtx novels, which isn't a criticism of tgcf and is more just a matter of my own tastes lol I am too thoroughly svsss-pilled and also I found the pacing of tgcf kind of dragged in the beginning/middle. HOWEVER the last several parts of tgcf are fucking CRAZY and i enjoyed them a lot, so it's definitely worth sticking through it if you get bogged down in the pacing of the early parts. I found the ending very satisfying and it made me understand why people say hualian invented love <3

my number one tip is to keep track of names!! I could not remember ANYONE'S names in that damn series lol everyone has their birth name and their god name and sometimes they're referred to as the place where they're from and sometimes they have another title on top of that and then sometimes they just fucking LIE about who they are and it's so confusing. a friend of mine was keeping a spreadsheet of names while reading and that meant I occasionally got texts that were just "MY FUCKING SPREADSHEET" when yet ANOTHER identity reveal happened. it's great.

[letteredlettered]

Hi!! Out of curiosity, which MDZS character do u think about the most and why?

The answer is, without a doubt, Wei Wuxian.

Part of what makes WWX special to me is he feels really archetypal and yet the archetype doesn't actually appear in most of the western media with which I'm familiar. The archetype may be super common in eastern media or perhaps, more narrowly, Chinese media, but my point he feels singular to me and therefore interests me, and I'm familiar with mostly western media. The comparisons in this post are all comparisons to western media, since that's what I'm familiar with, and I tried to pick popular examples so that people would understand what I mean.

Wei Wuxian is a protagonist who does bad things. Very bad things. We see that in plenty of western stories, but it's less common in western fantasy. That is, you can read a million stories about professors sleeping with their students and making a very bad muck of their lives; you can watch Breaking Bad and The Sopranos, but more often in western fantasy you're going to have a Good Guy who does good and Bad Guys who do bad.

But, okay. There's certainly a significant portion of western fantasy in which no one is a Good Guy, and everyone is a little corrupt: Song of Ice and Fire, Interview With the Vampire. Wei Wuxian feels very different to me than the protagonists of these media, because Wei Wuxian is trying to be the Good Guy. He's well-intentioned. He is willing to stand against all of society to defy corruption and protect those who are weaker than himself. That kind of protagonist isn't very common in the kinds of "dark" genre fiction that are about the corruption of humanity or the political intrigues of society. If they exist, they're usually martyred and disappear from the narrative because they are too good for this world, too pure.

But the point of WWX is that he is not too good; he is not pure. He is good; he is brave; he is righteous; he stands up for the little guy--but he is also over-confident in his own ability. He overreaches. And people die because of it. Lots of people. And then, after he accidentally murders people due to losing control, he goes mad. The Nightless City massacre occurs not due to an accident but because WWX is careless and angry. He kills a lot more people then.

I will say that western fantasy is full of characters who turn to "the dark side. The threat of "going dark" has become, in fact, an integral part of most portrayals of the hero's journey. But in the media with which I'm familiar, when someone does go dark, they become the villain. They are not allowed to live, or if they live, they must still be vanquished. Star Wars is a quintessential example: Luke Skywalker is tempted by the dark side but resists; he is the hero. Darth Vader is tempted by the dark side and gives in. Even though he turns back at the end, he must still be eliminated.

Of course, there are plenty of villains who reform in such stories and then manage to survive. I think you could say that once resurrected, WWX is reformed in this way. He knows he lost control. He knows he hurt people. He's very sorry about it, and while he still has a drive to put his hand in to help others, I can't imagine him coming to the point where he would lose control again, and I also do not think he has the kind of anger or resentment that would allow him to be so careless and wanton with his cultivation again.

So, in this sense, WWX holds the place of a reformed villain, like Zuko or, say, Angel, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One thing to note about both of these examples--Zuko is shown to be "on the dark side" because of the family and culture in which he was raised, and also, he was a child. Angel was "on the dark side" because he didn't have a soul. That is, the excuses for why these reformed villains were ever villains at all exonerate them to some extent.

Meanwhile, WWX was a villain because he was full of himself. Like, it's still understandable why WWX was a villain: he sacrificed all the power he had for someone he loved; he still needed power to protect his own life when he was being tortured, and this took him down a dark path; he needed even more power to help the world fight corrupt fascists; he was villainized by society even before he became an actual villain because that society feared and desired his power; he was literally ostracized and rejected by his own family for doing the right thing. But in the end, it wasn't like he had no other choice when he caused the death of JZX. He didn't feel like he had another choice to save the Wens, but if he had not been so over-confident in his ability to control himself, JZX would not have died. And while I find the massacre at Qionqi Pass maybe excusable considering the pressures WWX was under, WWX goes mad after that. Also understandable, but there is no way in which the massacre at Nightless City is excusable. There's just no way to say it wasn't his fault.

Okay, but there are some reformed villains in western fantasy who really were villains because they just made some wrong choices. They were arrogant like WWX, or they were petty and small, or they had a sucky childhood but nothing that should've led them into darkness. These characters do exist, but I find them few and far between (and I will fully admit here that maybe I just haven't read enough western fantasy to come up with enough examples). When they do show up, they are not usually the protagonist (Snape); they more often play side roles.

And the point with these guys is that they did bad things because they were not well-intentioned. Their intentions change, and therefore their moral alignment changes. But WWX was always trying to do good. It's only at the very end that he is no longer trying, and he loses his mind partly because all of his efforts to do good have flown up in his face. I just feel like I never get to see someone who was honestly trying to help people so earnestly, and fucks it up because he was trying to do too much. The closest example is Xie Lian, and I think we can all agree Xie Lian never becomes anything close to a villain.

However, now comes the trait that really does make WWX different from any other protagonists I've ever read, and most I've seen on screen: he is all of the above, a reformed villain who was well-intentioned throughout his descent into villainy, who doesn't brood.

Everyone I mentioned above--Zuko, Angel, Snape--are all very serious people who are consumed by their pasts. If they're not dour or bitter, they're still unable to be light-hearted or carefree. Meanwhile, WWX is the definition of light-hearted and carefree. He has a lot of regrets and some guilt, but he really doesn't dwell on it. Like, he fucked up. He died. How else can he atone? He knows he can't make it up to the people he hurt. Might as well move on and not get in their face about it.

In general, WWX's personality is unusual for the kind of hero he is. While it's true that the wise-cracking, smart-talking hero is a staple of western fantasy (Iron Man, Spider Man), these aren't the kind of heroes who can make the serious mistakes that WWX makes--or, though they do make mistakes that lead to the deaths of countless bystanders, they are never really confronted with the enormity of those crimes. I know that some people will say that WWX is not confronted with them either, that his crimes are not dealt with seriously enough in the text. I admit that I was very surprised that WWX blames the death of JZX on JGY during the final showdown in the temple. In the end, however, I think there are enough questions about whether WWX is actually a Good Guy that the story of MDZS seems quite different than, say, many western superhero stories, in which yes, superheroes do bad things and make mistakes, but are still ultimately our heroes.

But the other thing about WWX's personality that is unique for such a protagonist and also further distances him from heroes like Iron Man is this: WWX is pathetic. He's allowed to be pathetic, on quite a few occasions. He pretends to be a child. He pretends to be a damsel in distress. He purposely harasses and teases others in a way that is actively annoying to them. He's laughable. The closest parallel I can think of to how deeply WWX is willing to abase himself and annoy the fuck out of others in Deadpool, but the thing about Deadpool is that he is ultimately comedic. You know you're going to laugh if you're reading a Deadpool comic or watching one of his movies. Also, while Deadpool is a badass, need I remind you that WWX is the most powerful and the most feared person in the entire world, perhaps in all of history. The fact that WWX is as powerful as he is and still throws himself on people he likes and pretends to weep is only matched by Luo Binghe, but LBH is different in that his willingness to be pathetic is a tactic of manipulation. Meanwhile WWX is pathetic for fun; he likes to annoy people; he's ridiculous; he's laughable.

He's also lovable, but imo, like Deadpool and like LBH, I don't think we're always supposed to find him charming. We're supposed to recognize that these characters sometimes go too far for a joke. We're supposed to be annoyed at times, at least imo.

But in the end, we are supposed to like WWX. We're also supposed to feel really sorry for him and sympathize with him for what he did. He's an enormous woobie, while at the same time he massacred thousands and then laughed it off. Who does that? Who does it like the Yiling Lazou? When you add in the fact that he's super gay, but all his gay fantasies consist of farming and eating Lan Wangji's cooking and talking about fishing and keeping house, I'm just left asking, Wei Wuxian, who the fuck are you? Who the fuck can match you?

This is why I spend so much time thinking about this character. I can't actually wrap my head around him, and frankly, the way MDZS is told doesn't help. MXTX actually does not really get into WWX's head very much once he starts his path of demonic cultivation, and while we get some insights as to what is going on with him through flashback and his dialogue at the time, I am still somewhat in the dark about why he made the choices he did.

The only character I've ever encountered who even comes close to WWX is Spike from BtVS, and WWX is still on another level.

Lastly, I'll say that the relationship between Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng is another thing I have never witnessed in western media. It is so complex and interesting to me that I could make a whole post on it, which is why even though the answer to your question is by far Wei Wuxian, if WWX didn't exist, Jiang Cheng would win this question by a landslide.

[bambooswordwielder]

So funny to see the different demographics that each MXTX book series attracts and how that affects the way the fandom interacts with each other and themselves.

SVSSS is a Fandom full of people who embody the 'dont-like-dont-read-it' mindset I believe we need more in fandoms. You wanna ship Shen Qingqiu with Tianlang-jun, Luo Binghe's father? Go ahead. Wanna write a 300k fic about Shen Qingqiu as a bird that follows Luo Binghe around during his childhood? Where's the bloody link. Wanna make memes about Skinzun? Me too, send me all the memes and drawings.

The nature of SVSSS being a meta-retelling of stereotypical Male fantasy harem novels means it references and is heavily influenced by Fandom Culture, especially during Airplane's Extras of his past life.

It's because of that fact it means to read and finish the books, you automatically just have to be a person who's been dealing with fandom culture for a long time. You've learnt to accept that other people ship other ships, you've learned to love the random rare pairs that show up on your homepage that you never would've thought of but now will be hunting for on AO3, you've just learned to have fun with the source material.

This mentality is further pushed by the fact SVSSS doesn't have alot of Canon Material being produced, meaning a majority of content is fanmade for fan consumption. This builds a level of community that means there's not that much discourse, and any discourse there is is usually shut down with a simple "Oh hey Shen Yuan, nice to see you here."

MDZS has a bit more diversity in the people it can attract. It has a well-written love story between WangXian, it has Sibling Angst in the form of the Yunmeng Siblings, Nie brothers, Lan Twin Jades, and the entirety of the Jin Family, and it has deep political intrigue and discusses/dissects discrimination of your birth status (Sexism, Classism, Merit VS Blood). MDZS is also the novel with the most adaptations (The OG Novels, a Donghua, a manwha, audio drama, Life Action in the Untamed, and a manga), meaning more people can consume it in their preferred style.

However, it's due to these reasons that MDZS tends to have a lot of fights/debates in it in terms of interpretations of the characters/plot. Someone who watched the Untamed primarily is going to have a vastly different interpretation of Jiang Cheng’s character than say someone who read the original novels, and someone who watched the Donghua will have different scenes than in the Novel. People who came primarily for the Sibling Angst might wish for Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian to reconcile, while someone else for came for something else might be happy they don't interact.

There's also the fact the story deals with a lot of characters going through extreme circumstances over a long period of time, meaning characters make decisions that might make some fans hate them and some fans want to defend them for it. This overall just causes a lot of debate.

Love the works, love the Fandom, but 99% of fighting is caused by people reading/watching different adaptations which has different portrayals of characters (I'm staring directly at you Jiang Cheng).

I will update this when I finally finish TGCF and can get a glimpse of the Fandom, though would love to see any statements about it or the other fandoms.

[hellenic1864]

Turning by Kuyu

okay. I acknowledge the fact that I wasn’t expecting much when I started reading Turning. Just out of desperation since the manhwa was still at early stages and I ended up on the novel. I was kinda expecting disappointed (bad experience with to novels) and was sceptical about the absolutely humongous amount of chapters.

Even as I started reading it, it felt a little boring and slow paced (mostly due to being used to Fast and Furious(tm) in bl romance), but I gradually started to enjoy how Kuyu-nim developed their characters. In all the instances of reading novels, one thing had remained the same for me: not being able to remember the side-characters. Obviously, this time it was different. Even the most insignificant character showed development as the story progressed, something which I really loved and am wholly invested in. And soon enough I found that I started to crave for even more chapters to read. Finished 1/4th of the tl in two days, three weeks to catch up. Not a moment passed when I felt the need to drop it due to bad plot OR bad to (kudos to the translators).

I almost couldn’t believe it was omegaverse. The fetishisation of the a/b/o trope in many novels wasn’t present here. Then comes the world building. Like TOTCF, this novel has mages, swordsmasters and divine power users, along with the author’s personal inclusion of ‘awakeners’, all of which Kuyu-nim has masterfully balanced and structured.

That aside, the political intrigue in this novel has been a major highlight, since the mc’s and ml’s shenanigans in this sphere (especially ml’s) has been an absolute delight. While in the power sphere, the mc’s fights are engaging.

I could rant all day, but to all those who are apprehensive of starting reading this, lemme tell you I am 89% sure it’ll get famous when the manhwa catches up. Early readers gonna get the perks. Please, please read this novel. Show all your support, cuz in my humble opinion, I have stumbled upon a masterpiece I place right beside Little Mushroom in standards and way above mdzs, svsss and maybe even tgcf in comparison

[unfotp]

there has to be like a time travel fix of mdzs where old 50+ year old aceVirgin Jiang Cheng who took the years to figure himself and his emotions out, was a wonderful sect leader gets transported into baby 18 year old Jiang Cheng. He knows he was in romantic love with this bitch boy not-yet-necromancer and just

he changes. he acts mature and doesn't get riled up fights his mom and disparages his father for being a coward and it's a wonderful slow burn to chengxian

it Has to follow like those villainess manhwa plot points where he manages to reduce the war casualties, ausses out jgs and is just so hypercompetent and Busy.

on another note I wish there were side stories on the political intrigue this man was doing to get Lotus Pier to more than its former glory

[frostfires-blog]

What are your top 5 (or top 10) favorite media ever (can be anime/manga, tv series, books, movies, games, etc)? Why love them? Thanks ⭐

[ In all honesty, as I was going through my inbox, I was dreading responding to this ask. Not because the question was awful—it's a great question. The problem is that I'm quite indecisive and tend to overthink things. I'm going to attempt to keep this brief because if I allow myself to ramble, it will take me a month to write this post—and by then I'll have changed my mind. (Spoiler Alert: I failed lmao)

As I've already stated, I typically only consume anime/donghua and manga/manhua/manhwa, so my list will be confined to those. I have conflicting feelings about many of the series I've seen, especially those that have ended recently—because, let's be honest, manga endings have been terrible lately (if you know, you know)...

Another issue is that I've been attempting to restructure my top ten because my entire concept of what constitutes a great series has shifted recently. For a long time, I had subconsciously internalised the notion that shoujo/josei series and non-combat-orientated series were inferior to mainstream battle-focused shounen series.

I subconsciously thought that I would be looked down on for including these series in my top 10 over more respected manga. Although it persists to some extent, I was mostly able to get over this after learning about biases in the anime and manga industries on how shoujo versus shounen series are handled and perceived. ]

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Top 10 Favourite Series:

#10 The Apothecary Diaries

This show has captured my attention even though I have only seen the first season. Although Maomao and Jinshi's dynamic is undeniably my favourite part of the series, its complex themes and political intrigue are not to be understated either. Another aspect I like about the series is its unique incorporation of femisism. It uses its rigidly misogynistic historical setting to highlight the subtle strength, ingenuity, and resolve that women rely on to navigate and endure society. Even amongst a society that devalues women and fosters competition among them, we observe women supporting one another and persevering. In this manner the series provides a refreshing standpoint on female empowerment. The adaptation was perfectly executed, as exemplified by its undeniably captivating aesthetics, music, and ambience. I'm eagerly anticipating season 2 and can't wait to see where the series goes.

#09 Link Click

While at first, it may not seem like much, this show has really developed into something refreshingly brilliant thanks to its unique supernatural abilities and ever-increasing stakes. Aside from its unique art style, compelling twists, and captivating storytelling, all of which are refreshingly good, the music is definitely my favourite part of this show, as it is carefully crafted to complement the narrative. The dynamic between our two leads is incredibly endearing and heartbreaking. The symbolism is incredibly intricate and complex and is intertwined masterfully into every aspect of its production—most notably its character designs, music, and visuals. Every episode leaves you on the most stressful cliffhanger of your life, leaving you eager for more.

#08 Mo Dao Zu Shi

My favourite part of this series is that there are so many different mediums to experience it through, with each one providing a slightly different experience. While the novel and Donghua are my personal favourite adaptations, the C-drama was very entertaining as well. I hope to be able to experience the manga, manhua and audio drama adaptations as well. Its story and characters are so intricate and multi-faceted that trying to describe them in such a short paragraph would be laughable, so I'll refrain from doing so. This series combines action, mystery, and romance with complex themes and vibrant characters. MDZS is unquestionably the most exceptional MXTX novel in the field of world-building. The story is set in an intricately crafted world in which historic customs, mystical abilities, and martial arts intersect, with each setting playing a critical role in the development of the characters and their journeys. This was the first series I watched featuring a canonical M/M main pairing that also possessed a robust and compelling plot beyond the romance, which I greatly appreciated. The heart of the series is its compelling cast of characters. WangXian's dynamic is the foundation of the series and is undeniably one of my favourite aspects of it. Their contrasting personalities are deftly counterbalanced by their similar ideals and shared passion for protecting others. Their relationship is an attestation of the enduring power of love and is centred on the themes of transformation, loyalty, and sacrifice. The series addresses a variety of complex themes, including enduring love, filial piety, vengeance, justice, acceptance, redemption, forgiveness, corruption, morality and perseverance despite adversity. The most apparent themes in the narrative are social prejudices, the interplay between perceptions and actuality as well as the dichotomy between good and evil.

#07 Kimetsu No Yaiba

Inexplicably, this series is both exceedingly popular and heavily criticised. It is generally critiqued for its simplistic story, but I believe it exemplifies how simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. People often fixate on its stunning animation and thrilling battles, overlooking its powerful emotional narratives and seamless integration of complex themes. The series centres around themes such as the importance of family, coping with loss, and maintaining resilience and determination in the face of adversity. That said, my favourite theme in the series is how it highlights the significance of compassion and empathy, even amidst extenuating circumstances. This is a vital lesson that reminds us that we are all capable of demonstrating compassion and empathy to others within reasonable limits. Alongside its compelling narrative and dynamic battles, KNY's eclectic ensemble of well-developed characters stands out—thanks to their distinct designs and motivations—lending depth and complexity to the series.

#06 Akatsuki No Yona

Although YOTD seems like another archetypal historical romance about a princess on the run—there is so much more to this series. YOTD is a masterful blend of romance, adventure, and drama. The series deftly reworks conventional tropes and integrates them into its intricate, fantastical setting. YOTD's multi-layered narrative and its profound character arcs—in addition to the depth of themes it addresses—set it apart from comparable series. The manga incorporates various heavy themes into its narrative—such as betrayal, vengeance, inequality, power struggles, and the connection between privilege and ignorance. It also covers more hopeful themes—such as camaraderie, courage, and the enduring power of love. YOTD's primary strength is its remarkable character development. Each of the series' characters is thoughfully constructed to embody several themes that add to the plot, while every one of their interactions helps to advance other characters.

#05 Boku No Hero Academia

Although this series mostly garnered popularity from its compelling plotline and flashy fight sequences—its greatest assets are its well-developed core cast, significant emotional resonance, and nearly seamless integration of deep and heavy themes. Despite the series' initially light-hearted and hopeful tone, its stakes are deftly heightened by introducing darker symbolism and more intense conflicts. Its later seasons highlight the complex nature of heroism along with the obstacles encountered by both heroes and villains—thereby differentiating it from other series in the superhero genre. Some of my favourite themes that the series highlights are identity/self-discovery, the nature of heroism, power/responsibility, sacrifice/redemption as well as the importance of having bravery in face of adversity. The series' astute use of imagery, metaphors, and narrative subtext enhances thematic and character development, augmenting its symbolic value and rendering it more engaging and captivating.

#04 Fruits Basket

Fruits Basket has an unparalleled charm thanks to its unique blend of drama, humour and romance. This series has become a staple in the shoujo genre due to its profound character depth, compelling narrative, and immense emotional resonance. A web of multilayered character dynamics forms the foundation of Fruits Basket—where characters are not merely utilised as narrative devices, but portray the subtleties of human emotions, relationships, and development. It is precisely because the series' characters reflect real-life issues that we are able to empathesize and relate to them. The series' capacity to engage in meaningful discussions on profound concepts and convey insightful messages is the primary reason it resonates with its fans. The series weaves a variety of profound themes into its narrative, including loss, acceptance, transformation, healing, love, societal expectations, parental alienation, familial connections, and the cyclical nature of life. The series' emotional impact is established by incorporating the aforementioned themes—which not only enhance its complexity but also foster introspection and empathy within its fans.

#03 Naruto + Naruto Shipudden

Regardless of its shortcomings, detractors cannot dispute that the Naruto series has significantly influenced pop culture—evolving the animanga industry and influencing audiences on a global scale. The series' popularity stems from its complex storytelling, emotional depth, large multi-faceted cast and exploration of profound themes. To this day, the Naruto series continues to be relevant, having cemented itself as a cornerstone in the history of the animanga industry. The series has not only inspired numerous creators, but it has also played a significant role in the integration of anime and manga into global mainstream pop culture. The themes addressed in the series add greatly to its narrative depth and resonance—not only enhancing audience engagement but also providing them with valuable lessons. Some typical themes explored by the series are friendship, personal growth, and perserverence admidst adversity. While some of its more profound themes include the vegeance, redemption, the cycle of hatred, the reprecussions of war and conflicting ideals of peace. The series employs these themes to not only enhance its character arcs and layer its narrative—but also to encourage its audience to contemplate their implications within human interactions, historical contexts and the systems of society. The series' continuing relevance as a pivotal reference for analysis and discussion is a direct result of the adept integration and complexity of these themes. Another essential component of the series is its character development which not only drives the narrative but also enables viewers to empathise with its characters. Throughout the series, we encounter an array of compelling characters whose development and interactions significantly contribute to the series' depth and appeal.  Considering that this series was a significant part of my childhood, it will always hold a special place in my heart. I practically grew up alongside its characters, which has made their hardships, conundrums and triumphs all the more personal. Given this was the first anime series I completed, it was the catalyst for my current passion for anime and manga.

#02 Gintama

Let me go off script and say that I know this series' length is off-putting to a lot of people—but I promise it is absolutely worth it... Though I wouldn't reccomend this series for everyone. I myself quit this anime about 4 times despite liking the characters. However, I'm glad that something (cough opening 13 cough) convinced me to stick with it—since it has become my favourite anime now. This series is set in a fictionalised version of Japan's Edo period, where aliens have invaded the nation after having defeated its samurai. This bizarre premise serves as the foundation for the show's quirky characters and absurd happenstances. Gintama has made an everlasting impression on the animanga industry due to its distinctive amalgamation of genres, outstanding character development, and capacity to weave together comedic and serious narratives. Gintama is infamous for its comedy. Its ability to parody various sectors of pop culture, including other animanga, is second to none. The series is able to poke fun at both itself and the animanga industry thanks to its satirical take on classic shonen tropes. The series' unapologetic willingness to take risks has contributed towards it becoming a cornerstone in the animanga industry thereby influencing numerous subsequent works. The series also humorously explores an array of social and cultural issues, not only providing entertaining social commentary but also reflecting society, thereby fostering introspection and discourse on a number of topics. This not only enables it to delve deeper into its complex themes but also to surpass conventional anime archetypes. Unexpectedly Gintama is adept at balancing its comedic elements with its profundity, allowing fans to resonate with the series on a deeper level. The series' core themes include resilience, mental fortitude, honour, loss, camaraderie, platonic bonds, and maintaining optimism when confronted with adversity. Gintama's enduring appeal stems from its distinctive, diverse, and colourful ensemble of characters. Their differing personalities, experiences, and peculiarities add to the series' humour, relatability, and complexity. We witness these characters face many obstacles as they grow and evolve thus deepening our connection with them.

#01 Tian Guan Ci Fu

For those unfamiliar, MDZS (ranked as #8 on this list) and TGCF are written by the same author, MXTX—thus, many of my statements there also apply here. Despite consuming almost every adaptation of this series—the novel, the donghua and the manhua—I have never grown tired of it as every rendition presents a novel perspective on the characters and setting and is enlightening in its own right. This series deftly integrates action, comedy, mystery, horror, fantasy and romance—while also drawing inspiration from Chinese culture and mythology, to create a riveting story that draws you in from its start.  Although I wouldn't want anyone to value this series solely based on its romance—it is undeniably its most captivating aspect with its main couple being the epitome of devotion, longing and enduring love. Similarly to MDZS, the TGCF donghua is heavily censored when it comes to its romantic dipictions under China's censorship regulations. This becomes especially noticeable when comparing it to Japanese animated BL series. Nevertheless, the production team's meticulous attention to detail ensures that the affection between the main couple remains just as apparent as in the novel. In no other series have I paid as much attention to the characters' movements, expressions, and tones as I did with TGCF. HuaLian's affection for one another is palpable through every held glance, melodic sigh, and subtly delicate touch. Consequently, this meticulous attention to detail allows for a steady build-up—resulting in an immensely authentic and sincere romance. The series' amalgamation of its fantastical setting and mystical elements with Chinese traditions and mythology augments its richness and immersiveness. Furthermore, each song in the donghua is flawlessly crafted to complement each scene—creating the ideal ambiance. The series touches on a multitude of heavy topics providing��insightful commentary on social expectations—making it worthwhile for those seeking depth and complexity. Among the themes featured are duty, sacrifice, redemption, vengeance, unconditional love, acceptance, perception as opposed to actuality, and the correlation between free will and fate. One understated feature of the series that I appreciate is its deft deployment of motifs and symbolism to represent characters and their growth as well as to hint at impending plot points. Flowers, colours and other celestial symbols are recurring motifs in the series that add depth to the narrative. It is undoubtably the series' complex characters and intricate character relationships that form the core of TGCF—adding substantially to its allure. Our lead characters are incredibly multifaceted and nuanced, possessing distinct motivations and principles—while remaining charming and endearing. In contrast, each side characters in the series adds complexity and intrigue to the narrative—enriching the series without detracting from the main characters' roles while remaining well-rounded.

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[P.S. Were any of you guys who regularly see my posts surprised by this list? I'm willing to address any questions you have regarding these entries, and I hope it encourages anyone who hasn't seen any of these series to do so. Once again I'm sorry for rambling...Hope this answered your question. ]

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[wangxianficrecs]

Follower Recs

~*~

Hi! I'd like to make some WIP recs (fair warning, MDZS fandom turned me into a time travel fix-it fanatic so that's what these are). LQR centric focusing on Lan sect intrigue with adorable baby Lans. @ck90

An Old Fool

by StarClearWaters (Readoutloud)

T, WIP, 32k, Wangxian

Summary: He has come to bitterly resent his younger self for the rash decision of his younger days, both for his brother, his sister-in-law and for his nephews. To keep one from a good man because he was not decorous enough and to entrust his other to a viper because the man knew how to be polite and gracious. No, he is a fool- An Old fool but still young enough to have the ability to support and care for his family. He is old but he has learned and he will not make the same mistake again.

~*~

Immortal Hanguang-jun & the Demon of Yunmeng. Smutastic & squeeworthy. @ck90

Time and Time Again

by Jammingjackelopes

M, WIP, 115k, Wangxian

Summary: "Ascend," Wei Wuxian whispered to Lan Wangji. His husband’s shining tears dripped over their hands. "It might take awhile, but the pain of my passing will eventually fade. Ascend, and forget about me." "No," Lan Wangji said, resolute. "I will never forget Wei Ying. Not in this lifetime, or any other lifetime. Together, forever, or none at all." "Play me our song," Wei Wuxian responded, eyes closed.

~*~

feat. McRagey LWJ ✺◟(＾∇＾)◞✺ @ck90

A Life Without Regrets

by naqaashi

M, WIP, 74k, Wangxian

Summary: After his death at the first siege of the Burial Mounds, Wei Wuxian is thrown back in time to when he was nine years old, just before Jiang Fengmian took him to Lotus Pier with its tumultuous affection and unpayable mountain of debts. He decides to take the second chance he has been offered, to live freely and without regrets. As it turns out, a life without regrets involves: 1. Avoiding all attempts to be adopted so you can launch your career as a rogue-cultivating-assassin, while 2. Juggling a hit-list comprised of the cultivation world’s Who’s Who, and 3. Desperately missing your not-boyfriend who picked the worst ever timing to confess his undying love for you. Murder and mayhem to follow.

~*~

One of my favorite WIP

Wilful Blindness ≠ Ignorance

by Cy_an_Blue

E, WIP, 59k, Wangxian

Summary: It feels like a lifetime, but it's only been little more than 3 years since the Massacre of Lotus Pier and the start of the Sunshot Campaign. Wei Wuxian is no longer the bright promising young Omega of Lotus Pier. Lan Wangji is no longer Emperor Qingheng-Jun's spare heir. They've been so many things over such a strange period of time, to return to what they once were is... not possible. But maybe they can figure out a way to compromise... together. Welcome to the love story between the Wen's Imperial Concubine Wei Guifei and the Lan Empire's Imperial Wangye; Hanguang-Wang.

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for these hard-working authors if you like – or think others might like – these stories.)

[grubus]

How would you rank MXTX's books? I assume SVSSS is your favorite, but what about the other two?

Well, svsss is, as you said, my favorite! I've reread the books far too many times in one year, wow.

For the other two... hmmm.

I would probably put mdzs on second place and tgcf on third, even though it took me much longer to get through mdzs than it took for me to finish reading tgcf. It's not that tgcf is bad, it's more that it didn't quite call to me like the other two did?

I loved the political intrigue and mystery of mdzs, and I love svsss whole thing about storytelling and misunderstandings and all that. I guess my main issue with tgcf was that while I enjoyed reading it, I was always far more curious and invested in all the side characters than the main couple? I like messy relationships! So while XL/HC were cute together, I was always impatient to go back to the other characters and their messy dramas.

Still had a great time reading it, I did devour the last four books at a rapid pace. The only actually disappointing part were the short stories, but I think svsss spoiled me there, nothing beats the svsss short stories and how much they add to the narrative.

[wemade-an-arrangement]

Since I love my moots, I want to share some stuff on the content I do~ and a few interesting facts about my art journey. Why do I want to draw chibis? Why did I choose to draw George like that 🤣.

Well I always did traditional art and little sketches, like everyone. But then I moved to digital art. At first, my art sucked 🤣🤣🤣. Later on, I fell in Love with Hinduism, and drew the dieties very often. (Traditional and digital) then I started drawing chibis on them.

There I realised how cute it came out! And how it made others feel~ in a positive way.

I think I mastered turning everything adorable, and idk why. But I love sharing it with others.

Afterwards, I got introduced to Mdzs~ and yes, I contributed fanart for that Fandom too. I do more fanfics than fanart cuz I love writing~ and I find that that my art wasn't good enough for the fandom😫.

I always loved royal or revolutionary history. Or fashion history. It's intriguing how fashion can change depending on the change or happenings of society or views. Also how a person can wear something to convey emotions, their thoughts and political views (sometimes) without saying a word.

How a person of power can tie two nations together with just one piece of jewelry.

~~

Hamilton was really entertaining, with catchy songs. Some people say that they don't like how they were portrayed, but it's theater! And that too a musical. They have to be fun and appealing to the audience. Imagine watching a 2hour play about old men~ just standing there~ reading a long speech in a monotone voice. Then they stop, to scratch their powdered wigs, because of lice™️, while they recall if they asked their 'special maids' to make mashed potatoes and beans for dinner.

~~~ ok if it was a documentary, it would be ok. But in the world of music, it doesn't work.

Unpopular opinion to this~ "Lin in glorifying them!"

He's not, he just succeeded in making them attractive (appealing to the eye) So appealing that we loved the musical version more. That's what certain screenplay do~ They turn dirt into decorated clay pots.

So I said, lemme draw King George, Queen Charlotte, and of course Seabury. And like before, they came out a little too cute. I'm so glad that everyone got very fond of them. I never new I would get the appreciation ❤️❤️🥰. It means a lot. I love giving everyone adorable art because I know how I feel when I see adorable fanart too. GOT TO SPREAD THAT LOVE🥰

~~~~

Um well as for ships in my content. GEOLOTTIE is the main. However I'm free to draw any ship concerning Kg. Just for youuu. In my nonsensical comics, Seabury is just that friend who's dragged my king George, and he loves to be dragged (affectionately) by him. He's George's ride or die. Definition of a loyalist. (Yeaa, I'm a bit of a Kingsbury Stan~ Don't come for me! )

Everyone depicts him as selfish, but I try my best to incorporate his historical traits (did research), and the depictions of him I saw in certain shows/movies.

25% Hamilton diva. Mostly the Hamilton Groff Diva 🤣

25% Historical.

25% from queen charlotte.

25% My own little flavour

~~~~~

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Sincerely yours~

Ralph Robinson 💅

[yume-x-hanabi]

Concubinage Behind the Scenes - ch.9

And finally a new one :)

It's been so long since I started this bts series, never mind updating the actual fic. I'm in a good mindspace for it atm tho, so maybe??? Soon??? But I'm not keeping my hopes up too much because I have lots of work things pending, so we'll see if I can maintain my fandom drive this time around...

(chapter | DW post | previous posts)

So, chapter 9...

This is the start of a sort of "filler" arc (if this were an anime lol); not much plot advancement, but character moments and development. This one is about Arst and Lin's improving relationship in particular, and also an excuse to extend the setting beyond the castle grounds, for once.

My mental image of the part of town they visit is inspired from Kyoto's Kamogawa river banks. In fact, ancient Kyoto and Chang'an are my main sources of inspiration for Xian Yang in terms of urban structure and architecture, though Xian Yang has a large river splitting the city in two, with the castle in the middle of the river. It's a completely different vibe from the towns we get to visit in the game, but the worldbuilding of Auj Oule being made of different tribes, plus the endless possibilities given by spirit climes made me want to develop other kinds of environments and structures.

(No but seriously spirit climes are such a brilliant worldbuilding elements. It's such a good excuse to have a town with hotter climate close to other mountainous and super cold areas XD Man I love Xillia's settings so much.)

Anyway. It's kinda funny to write Gaius going sight-seeing or leisurely eating ice cream at a terrace, but this is what fanfiction is for ;) That's especially something I love about this fic, it's that it's a more... "mundane" setting than Gaius' actual backstory. At this point of the story, he's just busy being married. That's it. Domestic life with a sprinkle of political intrigue: the fic. And there's nothing I love more than portraying characters in situations we don't get to see in canon x)

There's been a short time jump since the previous chapter, and in the weeks since then Arst and Lin's relationship has started improving a lot. They're still awkward around each other at times, but they're getting to know each other, are communicating, and are spending more and more time together. Of course, it's not all perfect yet, hence their discussion about trust (as an aside, the fact Arst is openly talking about it is a huge improvement in itself).

I didn't want things to be too smooth for them once they start getting along, because there's a lot of heavy baggage behind them. And this kinda reflects their canon backstory in reverse: Wingul was the one who used to see Gaius as an enemy and had to learn to trust him. Here it's Arst who has a lot of reservation about Lin and doesn't give his trust easily. This sort of "role reversal" from canon is also a major underlying theme of this fic.

And Arst, it is totally a date :p

Their talk about city defense is very Gaius and Wingul, though. Here I'll admit something: I haven't actually planned yet how they're going to take control of the clan. I have a number of ideas in mind, but I haven't decided yet. I think that's something that'll come more naturally when I get to that part of the story. So Arst's "strategy" to take the city could be foreshadowing... or not lol. If they go the "conquest from outside" way, I'm definitely keeping this bit in mind as to how to plan it. But it could also be a "take from the inside" thing. Or more like canon. As I said, haven't decided yet :p

The token thing is kinda inspired by MDZS/The Untamed (which I was very into at the time lol) and how the Gusu Lan clan uses jade tokens to enter/exit the Cloud Recesses. Here they don't have magical properties, and serve a bit as ID cards in a way; Arst gets the ones reserved for concubines, but there are actually many other types depending on the person. Servants have their own (though their uniform is usually enough for the guards, but if they want to be diligent they should check it's not just a disguise), as do courtiers or council members, official suppliers etc. And for everyone else, there are visitor tokens distributed at the entrance if their visit has been approved. Long Dau family members don't need one ofc, and could technically bring anyone in without handing them a token (though they should, but again, for all the security measures, they've become quite lax and complacent in some areas).

Concubines not being allowed to leave at will is not an Arst-exclusive thing in this case, they're all bound by the same restrictions. Gilded cage and all that...

Lin letting Arst hold on to his is a big thing. As much as he wants his respect and friendship and love (tho not yet atp), he doesn't entirely trust him yet either. After all, Arst does have a reputation as a troublemaker. Plus at this point of the story Lin is still very reluctant to go against clan rules. But this is a sign that he's already changing under Arst's influence: where he used to be passive and go with the flow before, he's now starting to make his own decisions, and this is one early significant example. He's looking at the future here, a future where he and Arst have a good life together. And that future won't come on its own, so he has to plant the seeds and nurture them. So this is his move.

Not being familiar with the system, I don't think Arst fully realized just how significant this was for Lin to do, but he does appreciate the gesture.

Last point, I don't know if readers noticed, but the narration (which is closely following Arst's POV) stopped referring to Lin as "Prince Lin" in this chapter. This shows the difference in Arst's view of him since the previous chapter. "Prince Lin", when not derogatory, was neutral/polite but distant. Now that they've become closer, he's started seeing him as just "Lin", a (tentative) friend. Of course, protocol still had him use his title when speaking to him, but in his mind he'd already dropped the "Prince" part, hence why he slipped at the end out of enthusiasm. And Lin welcomes this of course. It's a big step in their relationship.

At the end, Lin's totally changing the topic to hide a blush ;p

[three--rings]

So I'm in a mdzs rewatch kind-of mood and lowkey... sometimes I get so upset about CQL? Like, I love the cast and certain scenes are done well and I can even manage the censored romance bc it's still v gay and I get the limits... but all the changes to the plot/politics/how wwx's powers work... it kinda ruins the vibes? Even when I do rewatch, I have to skip through so much of the beginning eps with all the random stuff they added. I have a soft spot for the show for how much it was able to bring to life but lowkey I can never rec it to ppl who wanna enter the fandom bc it's so different and the plot is not nearly as intriguing as the og canon... (sry, just needed to rant bc now Emotions)

Nod, nod.

I get you. I really enjoyed CQL when it aired and for a while afterward, as someone who had read the novel first. It made me go back and reread and deepened my appreciation of the novel.

And I thought it was a good intro to the story for new people, assuming that people would then go on to read the novel and appreciate the ways it was deeper and more logical and more fulfilling than the show.

Unfortunately a lot of people decided that the show and the novel were in competition and the novel was somehow inferior because it had dirty parts and people love to parade their ignorance and mostly now I have really negative associations with CQL because of all the clowning western fans of it did.

However I have recently gotten to watch some folks experience CQL for the first time in a discord and that was really fun and woke up some of my positive feelings about everything, so...yeah.

Fandom is complicated, this one especially. I DO think CQL is a much more flawed narrative than the novel but I think it's probably the best we could have gotten, given the climate in which it was produced. And considering the freeze on all dangai shows now we're lucky we DID get it at all.

[dayurno]

hai do u have any danmei recs? maybe with the reason why you like them?

haiiiiii hm well to say i don't would be a lie but truly i am very mainstream with the danmei i read so i doubt you haven't read them before

all of mxtx's stuff is really good and worth a try but tgcf is always going to be my favorite. there's a new revised version out by now i am pretty sure which is all the more reason to check it out. the plot beats are clever, xie lian is one of the most compelling main characters ever written, but i think the worldbuilding is what makes it so good. you can tell it was crafted very lovingly and the cultural aspects make it twice as interesting! hua cheng is also very jean-coded to me

i think mdzs needs no introduction but if you're into more somber stories it will definitely please you, the political intrigue is well written and all character dynamics are very compelling. i reread mdzs every few months and i always come out of it obsessed with a new character so i feel like, if you're coming from aftg, it will be the smoothest transition. that being said wangxian are VERY into cnc and i know it can be an issue for some people so i would suggest avoiding the extra if it's a total turn off for you. if it's no issue, i'd also say that if you read mdzs and end up not liking jin ling you will no longer be welcome in my page

qiang jin jiu/ballad of sword and wine is one of my favorites but it is VERY extensive and it goes really deeply into politics, so it might not be everyone's cup of tea. the main characters are truly nasty to each other at first but their relationship develops into one of my favorite dynamics i've ever read, and their scenes together are pretty sweet and intimate. this novel also has a canonical lesbian couple in the bg, though i am pretty sure you only get more information on that in the extras, which is always nice :) again i am repeating that this one is famously heavy on the politics so be aware of that! also some pretty graphic scenes of gore torture and abuse

2ha/dumb husky and his white cat shizun is good but i will say that meatbun's specialty is not plot and you can tell. if you're reading 2ha you're most likely reading it for the character dynamics and the worldbuilding, which are always amazing, but the plot is convoluted and in desperate need of some heavier editing. yuwu/remnants of filth suffers from a similar fate but has the essential flaw of not having chu wanning in it so i don't recommend it as much, BUT there are two characters who are kevriko in another world for sure

i think that is all? i picked up stars of chaos recently for the milfisms and i do plan to finish it eventually but i can't say for sure if it's good yet

[sunbeamsoup]

13,18,21 for the ask game!

13. Worst Blorboficiation 

Hm. Hmm. Hmmm. I think it depends on how the blorbofication in question is impacting the quality and consideration of one's own or shared analysis of the text. Really there’s nothing wrong with someone liking/loving a character I find insufferable, in theory. I think the reception of Jin Guangyao in the mdzs fandom is annoying, though I’ll concede some of that is just because I don’t like him and I’m sick of hearing about him get a new tragedy. Anyway. I have found the ‘blorbofication’ of his character specifically seeping into people’s meta and analysis which frequently leads to the shoving aside of how the cruelest parts of his character and actions function to inform some of mdzs’s more intriguing commentaries. Sometimes the way people talk about Mo Xuanyu is obnoxious but I wouldn’t consider it the “worst.” Idk.

18. It's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on…

Reading comprehension!

21. Part of canon you think is overhyped

Maybe the forehead ribbon. Definitely the “political drama,” but really only when people attempt to overemphasize the existence of it to cover whatever weird shame game they’re playing for liking the novel/live action adaptation.

(18. Addendum: 

I think fandom sleeps on the first archery competition a lot. Yeah it was only like a page long I think about it a lot however. I also think we could have more fun with the parallels between Xiao Xingchen and Wei Wuxian but it’s a long novel the things being overlooked aren't necessarily inexcusable lol)

apply here to enable my hater tendencies

[introvertpanda21]

MDZS Story Plot Rant

This is an rant for an story idea that I needed to get out of my head so I can focus on finishing some assignments for school. I don’t know why but, I have this thing where my brain just imagine an whole damn storyline which make me lose focus... And I already have the attention span of a turtle..

Here we go, the base of the story involves the junior trio minus Sizhui (There a reason for that) were sent to the past right when the Wens were about to launch an attack on Lotus Pier. Well, they aren’t exactly juniors since they are much older like in their twenties or mid-twenties but, I’m going to just call them the junior trio.

Okay, back to the story they suddenly show up in the middle of Yumeng and see the Wens army coming that they hurry and head to Lotus Pier to warn the Jiangs. The Jiangs along with the juniors don’t even have time to question anything about each other since they are trying to escape alive. Luckily the junior manage to do some quick thinking and Madam Yu is able to survive. (She and her husband deserve some redemption.) 

Don’t fully have a idea how the juniors were sent to the past but my brain decided that it got to do with some god or goddess using their power or ability to sent them to the past at the cost of the god or goddess getting punished by the heavens. (My brain is weird...) But, in my brain they only find out later in the story plot when the god or goddess shows up. Anyways the reason that the god or goddess sent them to the past was that the history was bound to repeat itself.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Buckle up, because my brain comes up with weird story plot. 

Okay, so in the future like a couple of years after the truth was found out about Jin Guangyao, it appear peaceful on the outside but on the inside the cultivation world is still unstable. Since LanlingJin clan reputation is stain with the revelation of what happen with the Wens and all the dirty laundry of the previous sect leaders. Like they are still rich and powerful but many small sects find the Jins to be unworthy of being so powerful. (Honestly don’t fully have an idea on sect politics) Basically greedy and selfish cultivators jealous and wanting more power for themselves. (cough Jin Guangshan cough) 

Anyway, the juniors have become adults and are trying to navigate a world full of political intrigue among clans. They also become sworn brothers after a few years of knowing each, unaware of the trouble that was coming their way. As they were growing up they had been trying not to repeat the mistakes of the past generation along with healing from generation trauma... which they don’t exactly achieve... either one... 

Honestly I feel bad my brain decided to give these children their own set of generation trauma. 

Back to the point, Jin Ling had to handle being sect leader at such a young age and has to deal with corrupt officials and not getting the proper respect as sect leader. Also, dealing with the whispers of insults about his family name and all the sins his uncle and grandfather committed. Through all that Jin Ling has been trying to fix all damage his clan has cause. Which isn’t exactly easy since they all associated him to being like his uncle. (The poor boy also experience way to many people trying to murder him in his early years as sect leader, that he’s a little paranoid) Luckily he has his uncles to support him, and my brain decided this needed some Zhuling. So, Jin Ling and Sizhui had developed feelings for a while and are sort of dating but have to keep it as a secret or shit hits the fan. 

Oh funny thing, my brain decide to make the decision of making Jingyi the biological son of Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng. Don’t know how but something along the line of them sharing the same ying and yang that somehow made Jiang Cheng have Jingyi. (Sometime I question my brain decisions...) In my story, they ended sleep together around the time that the sunshot campaign was over or maybe after Wei Wuxian death. I don’t know but, in my story scenarios they had developed feelings for each other but kind got off the wrong start. Consume by alcohol or need for comfort brought them together but due to misunderstanding made them go their separate ways. My brain haven’t fully thought out the whole thing.

Poor Jingyi though, since Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng weren’t exactly perfect parents. When Jiang Cheng found out he was pregnant, he and Xichen decided to let Jingyi grow up in Gusu. And growing up Jingyi barely had any contact with his parents. Only being giving gifts on his birthday and brief visits by the sect leaders on those days. Even Jingyi always had to properly speak to them that he never called them his dads as a child. Not only that but he had to listen to the whispers of calling him a bastard son of two sect leaders who did not love each other. But, growing up he was more outgoing and behave differently that no one associated him with the two sect leaders given the different personality. He also grew distant with them and made excuses when they tried to talk to him. In my storyline, Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen do love their son but don’t really know how to express it unlike how they do with their nephews. (I imagine that their past selves feeling really guilty at seeing Jingyi acting cold towards them.) 

Anyways, Jingyi does feel some envy at Jing ling but bottle those emotions to the side seeing how Jin Ling had suffer through a lot. Jin Ling had confronted Jingyi about being cousins but, Jingyi would say they are but Jiang Cheng basically left him in Gusu so he is just Lan Jingyi, an disciple of Gusu clan. My brain decided that their relationship is sort of like Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian. They feel this bond of family but, at the same time Jingyi had to deal with the occasion jabs of Jing ling greatness as sect leader and the attention he gets. While, Jingyi had to listen to subtle insults of the elders on his legitimate right as sect heir and how he was abandon by his fathers as one wallow in grief while the other attend to his nephew. And in a way growing up he becomes really attached to Lan Zhan and Sizhui who are basically like family to him. 

Zizhen also has to deal with the pressure of his father about getting ready to become sect leader in a few more years. He finds out that his father was involve in the encampment of the Wens and the extreme treatment that occur there. He tried to confront his old man, who denied and tried to say that the Wens deserve it. Later on, Zizhen’s mother gets brutally murder as retaliation from far-distant relatives of the murdered Wens that managed to somehow survived or had left the Wen sect before the war. Or from people wanting to avenge the atrocities that Zizhen’s father committed. Since that man was not completely innocent since he support Jin Guangshan. (Oh his past self is going to suffer from so much guilt for causing his son so much pain) Anyways Zizhen’s father basically wallows in guilt over his wife death and Zizhen force to become sect leader. He becomes the second youngest sect leader after Jin Ling. 

So, Zizhen is fill with rage at his mother’s brutal death that he take revenge which ends in a brutal manner. And has to deal with the amount of acts his father committed after the war. Now, Zizhen’s hands are cover in blood that Zizhen basically abandon the one of the things that brought him happiness which was writing. And he feels that he had done nothing but repeat the same actions that his ancestors had done. Oh, and he becomes more cold towards others in order to get them to respect him and can barely stand staying in the same room with his father. 

Sizhui has to deal with learning about his Wen heritage and the heavy burden on being one of the last survivor. I imagine he deals with guilt and has to listen to the whispers related to the Wens. But, still manage to smile through the whole ordeal. (I guess he’s the one who trauma happen mostly in his childhood.) He does have to deal with the expectations of being Lan Zhan’s adopted son and prodigy.

Anyways, the juniors had their own burdens throughout the years but were still sworn brothers until a tragedy occur a few years before they were sent to the past. 

Haven’t fully thought it out but, I imagine that it involve a siege or a coup or maybe like an attempt at war again. Personally I feel like the clans probably never learn since they always fear each other or don’t like when one clan starts to grow more stronger. 

But, during this event Sizhui ends up dying. (I swear I love my child, but it was necessary for my storyline) One of the scenario, is Jin Ling being responsible for the death of Sizhui, like he accidently ends up killing him because he corrupt by resentment energy or something. The potential angst for this since it remind me of what happen to Yanli. (similar parallel between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian..) But, Jin Ling doesn’t died and has to live with the guilt. And Jingyi grows to hate Jin Ling and tries to fight him before he face punishment by the Lan elders for attacking a sect leader. While, the Lan elders are upset over the death of Sizhui, they aren’t willing to ruin relationship with the Jins and cause another fight. 

A scenario of mine, is that Jingyi has to endure the disciple whips like Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan object to the punishment but, Jingyi tells him that it is necessary since the Lan elders would place blame on Wei Wuxian over Sizhui’s death.(The Lan Elders are petty a-holes) Given that resentment energy was involve, Jingyi doesn’t want Wei Wuxian to suffer anymore after losing his son once again. I imagine he kowtow to lan zhan and beg him to let him do this as Lan Zhan, Sizhui, and Wei Wuxian had treated him with kindness. 

He ends up getting like he get fifteen strikes on his back since he fought a sect leader but also refuses to acknowledge his mistake. Further enrage the Lan elders, who wanted a more stronger punishment but Lan Zhan refuses. After the last strike, he ends up in the clinic as he’s getting treated.

Lan Xichen temporarily left seclusion after hearing what happen to his nephew and son. However, Jingyi refuses to acknowledge him as a concern parent and only as sect leader. Xichen would remain from a distance and would leave the clinic to visit his brother and his brother-in-law. 

Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan would visit Jingyi at the clinic, causing Jingyi to hug Wei Wuxian as he beg for forgiveness for Sizhui’s death. 

Even through tears Wei Wuxian comfort Jingyi and tell him it wasn’t his fault. However, scold him for accepting such a punishment. 

Another scenario is Jin Ling grieving over the death of his lover and the guilt that he isolate himself for a few days. That even his uncle was unable to visit him, until Zizhen forcefully manage to enter and see Jin Ling. Even through his grief of losing his sworn brother, Zizhen had to knock some sense into Jin Ling given the political instability among the clans. Jin Ling knowing Zizhen is right, force himself to return back to his position and try to fix the politically instability among the clans. 

Haven’t though more on the storyline but, I imagine the god or goddess decided to sent the juniors back in time with some sort of requirement in hopes that the past generation realized the trauma they past down to the future generation. They would have to deal with the war and at the same time tried to connect with the juniors and bond with them in order for them to heal their souls. While, the juniors deal with changing the past to ensure that no one dies. 

Another thought involving this storyline was that in the end, the juniors from the future would disappear since the past has change so much. And it this sort of bittersweet but happy ending since the Juniors from the future would disappear from the timeline but at the same time they have some comfort knowing that they would not have to experience any of the suffering and they will always become sworn brothers in this new timeline. Along with helping ensure everyone could be happy in this new timeline. I imagine in one of my scenario that before they disappear, the people of the past see this vision of like Jiang Cheng, Lan Xichen, Wei Wuxian, Lan Zhan, Wen Ning and Sizhui waiting for the juniors. And like Sizhui is waving at them with his gentle smile as the juniors rush towards him. And then it changes to them when they were still teenagers and had big smiles before they disappear completely. 

[shieldherostuffs]

Drunk Lan Naofumi 🍶

I have yet another MDZS x Shield Hero idea!

Naofumi is a Lan. Could be a regular disciple or part of the main Clan, I honestly don't care right now.

And he acts like a Lan, following the rules as much as he's able to in this new world. Until the duel against Motoyasu in which Motoyasu cuts Naofumi's forehead ribbon, unleashing the rage Naofumi had kept hidden deep inside.

After the duel, when he and Raphtalia leave, he decides to think everything over. If he'd just listened less to the rules impeded upon him from childhood, they'd probably have fewer problems and enemies. If he'd just said what he wanted, used more words to explain.

And, he shouldn't be impeding the rules upon Raphtalia as they'll be taken as laws upon her because of the slave crest. So, he starts living a little freer and surviving and becoming stronger in this new world.

However, even with the Shield's resistance to any kind of poison, it can't win over the Lan's terrible alcohol tolerance.

Surprisingly, Naofumi manages a whole three cups of alcohol before he passes out without as much as a word, worrying his whole party and L'Arc and Therese.

When he wakes, his face is carefully blank, but his eyes are slightly glazed, and his lips are slightly puckered in an almost-pout.

As Filo returns to playing around, and Raphtalia starts arm-wrestling people again, L'Arc and Therese are looking contemplatively at Naofumi, who seems to be pouting at his empty cup, for some reason.

A few minutes later, he looks up from his cup, coming face to face with L'Arc and Therese both looking at him. His lips parted slightly, in a silent, awed gasp.

"Heeey, Naofumi! Are you drunk already? I saw you passed out!" Motoyasu comes over, cup in his hand and drunken flush on his cheeks, standing close beside Therese, who calmly leans away from the drunk man.

Naofumi is not as calm. He quickly stands up to childishly push Motoyasu away from Therese.

"Don't touch," Naofumi says, putting his hands on his hips, seemingly trying to glare at Motoyasu, but to his party and L'Arc and Therese he's pouting fiercely, and to anyone else, his face is blank as always.

L'Arc and Therese's thoughts: 'Cute'

Motoyasu whines for a few moments but then moves to go back to Myne and his party. (Naofumi is a Lan here. As if he would ever even utter the words Bitch or Whore. He just had her stripped of every valuable possession and political and royal powers.)

Then, Naofumi sits back down between Therese and L'Arc, letting out a gentle huff of breath, satisfied with himself.

As he looks at the table and his empty cup again, he sees both L'Arc and Therese's hands resting on the table near their cups as they watch drunk Naofumi in intrigue.

Pursing his lips slightly more, Naofumi reaches up, and pulls off his forehead ribbon. L'Arc and Therese are a little confused, as they've never seen him take it off around them, and Raphtalia only explained that it was something important to Naofumi, which no one else was allowed to touch except himself and his family (Including Raphtalia and Filo, as his children).

A moment later, Naofumi had tied one end of the ribbon around L'Arc's wrist, and around his own, leaving half of the ribbon free. In their confusion, L'Arc and Therese don't move as Naofumi proceeds to tie the other half of the ribbon around his other wrist, and then the end around Therese's.

Only as he looks proud and satisfied by his work, do his eyes widen, suddenly realizing he bound his own wrists together with little moving space. A pout forms on his face again, which L'Arc and Therese take as him being uncomfortable.

"Do you wanna take it off, Kiddo-" L'Arc asks

"No." Naofumi says immediately.

"Are you sure-" Therese asks

"Keep it on," Naofumi says, determined as he reached over to hold L'Arc and Therese's bound hands in his own

A few minutes later, L'Arc and Therese decide it's time to get Naofumi to bed.

As they get him to his room, Naofumi refuses to let go of their hands, laying on his side on the edge of the bed. Only, when they sit down on the bed to wait until he falls asleep, he moves, hauling the two onto the bed as he moved back to make space. Before they can move, Therese laying on top of L'Arc and both their bound hands held firmly in Naofumi's, who-

Who's already asleep. Welp.

For a few minutes, they maneuver around to get all three pairs of boots off and off the bed, before deciding to just stay and rest for a bit.

(In the morning, Raphtalia will splutter to herself as she remembers what she saw as L'Arc and Therese left the party with Naofumi, while Naofumi only remembers what happened until he pushed Motoyasu away.)

In the morning, Naofumi wakes up being cuddled by both L'Arc and Therese. He's holding Therese's bound hand in his, close to his chest, while L'Arc has somehow moved behind Naofumi, his bound hand under Naofumi to also be held close to his chest.

Naofumi's cheekbones and ears quickly become red. What happened last night?

[whetstonefires]

Political arranged marriage

Okay so this is actually a challenge option! For 1) how likely am i to write this fic trope and 2) whom for.

Because see, it's an interesting topic to me broadly speaking, but as it's used in fandom it's primarily a romance vehicle. A contrived scenario to set up a pairing in a Situation. Specifically a situation involving forced intimacy and externally imposed sexual pressure.

And like. It's not that I'm incapable of enjoying that, if it's the right blorbos handled in a way that works for me, it's a structure you can run a lot of fun dramas in, but I don't have anything I particularly want to deliver in that line, either.

Statistically at this time I'm most likely to find myself writing one of these about wangxian, because 1) my brain is in a rut help i have never cared about a ship like this in my life and 2) there are SO MANY of these damn fics in this fandom (modao zushi/the untamed), and historically 'high concentration of trope i find mildly annoying' has a high rate of inspiring me to process my feelings by producing my own iteration of that thing.

The Thing about wangxian politically arranged marriage scenario in particular is that it's a direct inversion of the context shaping their relationship in the canon.

Arranged marriages for political purposes require both parties to be actively embedded in high-status formal social webs which very proactively sanction their official attachment, regardless of personal sentiments, and any ensuing relationship develops within the framework of not being free to part.

All of this is the exact opposite of their situation; they are deliberately the exact opposite of this.

Now, if you engage with the thematic inversion on some level in your fic that's good fun, but if you try to edge awkwardly around it it gets very stale very fast. If I hadn't seen anyone doing anything fun with this I'd probably have been possessed and produced something by now, but I have, so it's eh. We're fine. It's fine.

More generally, I'm absolutely likely to depict politically arranged marriages, in general, but I don't know that it counts as doing the trope because I'm chiefly fascinated by all the ways these relationships can develop that aren't particularly close matches for romance as we typically block it out.

You know the bit in Fiddler on the Roof where after all the drama around love-matches rather than relying on the matchmaker, the dad asks the mom if she loves him, after like 30 years in a normal, traditional arranged marriage? And after initial bewilderment, having never considered the question before, she finally says she supposes she does, and he says he supposes he loves her too. Compelling. I'm intrigued.

If I'm going to write a political arranged marriage as a central feature of a story it's going to be about the social construct of matrimony and how it's conceptualized within the society in question. Necessarily this means it will also be about gender. The household as a sociological unit. Power and property.

It will also, obviously, be about politics.

So I'm much more likely to wind up doing this as a subplot in original fiction than as the premise of a fic, basically, but now I admit I am tempted to go figure out a premise for a one-shot political marriage fic for wangxian that I would find inherently interesting. I am easily baited, what can I say.

Alternate answer: i'm brain stuck in mdzs so technically the correct answer to this is like 20% and Jin Zixuan/Jiang Yanli because they're this in canon already and i'm basic like that.