#no cause I completely get hua cheng

[biboomerangboi]

Hua Cheng essentially cockblocking himself for possibly all of eternity will literally never not be the funniest thing MXTX ever wrote.

Xie Lian was pretty much completely in love with him the second he saw those lanterns (and completely oblivious about it) and then we get the wonderful first kiss underwater moment and Xie Lian is basically drawing hearts around Hua Cheng every time he sees him. While like quietly dying cause he literally has no idea what to do with it. Like at this point he doesn’t even really understand that he is head over heels totally gone for this man.

Until Hua Cheng is like I have a beloved I just haven’t won them over yet. Which he thinks is perfectly reasonable because his self esteem is the worst and he doesn’t understand how he could have won Xie Lian over yet. (He’s only on step 22 of his Marrying Dianxia 3000 step Master Plan ((that he debates throwing out on a regular basis because he doesn’t deserve to even dream about wanting Xie Lian)). So course he’s like yeah I have this wonderful noble beautiful beloved I just haven’t won them over yet wink wink nudge nudge.

But Xie Lian is like oh of course obviously I don’t deserve nice things and fuck I actually wanted him so badly I’m actually in love with him and now I will resign myself to never being happy for his sake. (Their combined self esteem is truly a so low it’s a hole in the ground which is hilarious because they think the other person is to good for them and unattainable forever because they literally have the same neurosis.) So he starts boxing up his feelings forever constantly wanting Hua Cheng and feeling guilty about it and literally dying inside because he wants Hua Cheng like he’s never wanted anyone.

Like essentially books 3 and 5 only happen because Hua Cheng has now cursed them both by saying he has a beloved because Xie Lian believes he isn’t wanted and therefore any nice thing Hua Cheng does is just him being nice and not Hua Cheng pulling out steps 23-34 of his plan thinking he still hasn’t won Xie Lian over. (He has he so has but he shot himself in the foot so badly it’s painful to read).

Like thank the Gods Hua Cheng is so unhinged and created the cave of 10000 Gods cause Xie Lian would literally be at his own wedding to Hua Cheng still convinced he wanted someone else and this was in fact a thing they were doing to solve a case together otherwise.

Like he needed something that unhinged to put 2 and 2 together otherwise he never would have caught on he’s Hua Cheng’s beloved. Meanwhile Hua cheng is like 🥺 he’s going to think I’m a weirdo now and I’m only on step 50 of the plan 🥺 like the two of them wouldn’t have been fucking nasty 2 books ago if he just kept his mouth shut and didn’t cockblock himself so violently.

[eunxhan]

❝ Who knew getting dominated by some human would feel this good? ❞

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Ꮺ Anon Requested ⨾ hihi! The req you wrote was so good! /pos

Hua cheng and xielian my beloved hehe. Anyways! I'm so happy that you're in WHB! Can i req dom top male reader with the kings? I'm a sucker for domtop reader with a harem and i really love your writing style. But if you don't write harem then just choose one is fine! /pos gen

Ꮺ Eun Replies ⨾ This is the second part, Thank you for explaining it to me. Let me know if this is the correct way though, This is my first time writing for polygamous relationships and if you want me to re-do the first part, I'll write a new version. I came out of my comfort zone for this one, I was so ashamed of my first part.

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Ꮺ Disclaimer — THIS IS NSFW. if you're underage i would recommend to stop reading if not then I'm not responsible for what you consume. PLEASE DON'T REPORT ME OMG..

Reader & Genre ⨾ TOP!DOM!MALE!reader,

Words used ⨾ 1,566 words 9,152 characters

Character ⨾ LEVIATHAN + BEELZEBUB

Links ⨾ My Navigation and Mandates , Part one

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Ꮺ ⨾ SHARING YOU —

If they were to find out they were sharing a darling, they would likely become very competitive with each other, each trying to outshine the other and prove that they deserved the darling's attention more. They might even resort to tricks and mischievous shenanigans to try to win the darling's affection, not caring about the harm they might cause in the process.

Ꮺ ⨾ LEVIATHAN —

He certainly wouldn't be happy about it. Being the more reserved and antisocial one of the pair, he would initially avoid confrontation. However, if he feels like he isn't getting enough attention or that their third person is "choosing" Beelzebub over him, he would take things to another level and make it clear that they're either going to have to compromise or he's going to have to take drastic measures. Leviathan is no doubt possessive and jealous, and would hate to find out that Beelzebub was after the same person as him. He would likely try to claim you for himself and use a mixture of intimidation, manipulation, and jealousy to get his way and keep them all for himself.

Ꮺ ⨾ BEELZEBUB —

Beelzebub would probably find Leviathan's reaction amusing, and this would probably infuriate Leviathan even more. He would most likely resort to using his own strategies to win the person's heart. This would mean using his social skills to his advantage and trying to get the person to see what a "great guy" he is. The two will fight over everything from who gets to go on dates to how their Darling should be treated. This could get quite messy and chaotic, as these two have no limit to the lengths they'll go to in order to win your heart.

Beelzebub may resort to using his charm and his more extroverted personality to appeal to you. Leviathan, on the other hand, might be more direct and possessive in his approach. If you end up choosing both of them, then the two would be incredibly surprised and delighted... After a few days of fighting. They'll even try to one-up each other and compete to see who can win your affection the most. They would become incredibly possessive and controlling over you, and would probably try to make sure you only had eyes for them.

They would go above and beyond to get your undivided attention and affection, and would even fight over who gets to spend time alone with you. As demons, Beelzebub and Leviathan are known for their lack of empathy and compassion for others, often seeking out ways to cause harm and chaos. They are not completely heartless.., and they have been known to develop attachments to certain people or things on occasion.

In the end, it would likely come down to who the darling found more appealing and who they found more fun to be around. Whoever won the darling's affection would likely be the winner of the competition, but the other would not be happy about losing. And of course, there would likely be plenty of mischief and trouble caused by both Beelzebub and Leviathan in the process... But unfortunately You wouldn't pick..

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They're intrigued and want to explore his Dominant side, unsure of how to proceed. they're used to being in control and having their way, so they're curious to see what it's like to be on the receiving end of it. They might also be surprised and even intimidated by his confidence and assertiveness, and they may not know how to react or handle it. Overall, their reaction would be largely influenced by their personality and their previous experiences.

But rest assured they find it refreshing to have someone be dominant over them, as it gives them an opportunity to let go of their control and be in a different position... Though Beelzebub still prefers being in control. They may also view it as a challenge to try to turn the tables and gain control over him again, viewing it as a game of power dynamics.

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Leviathan and Beelzebub had fought yet again over who would have the privilege of servicing [M/N]. Their petty squabbles and jealousy had finally reached a boiling point, and he had enough. He stood before them, imposing and unyielding. With a stern expression, he ordered them to spread their legs wide open and lie down on the bed, completely nude and restrained. A look of fear crossed both of their faces, but they knew better than to defy him though Beelzebub having a sharp tongue.. Which angers [M/N] more, giving the demon a slap on the ass.

Once they were securely bound and spread eagle style, [M/N] loomed over them, his eyes burning with authority and dominance. His deep voice reverberated through the room as he spoke, "I should have never given you both the time of day. Your petty bickering and constant need for attention have hindered our progress and disrupted my peace."

His words cut through the air like a knife, leaving both Leviathan and Beelzebub feeling humiliated and ashamed but at the same time excited and aroused. [M/N]'s presence alone had the power to bring them to their knees, and the realization of their folly hit them hard. As punishment, [M/N] decided to take turns riding both of them simultaneously, using his enormous cock to shut them up.

[M/N] positioned himself on top of Leviathan who was on top of Beelzebub, both of the demons were still arguing. "Stop fucking squishing me" Beelzebub complained, making Leviathan roll his eyes "It was your fault for fighting me."

[M/N]'s thick, veiny cock throbbing with anticipation. He grasped onto Leviathan' s hips, pulling the male closer to him as he slowly lowered himself onto his waiting body. The demon's eyes widened in a mix of fear and desire as [M/N] began to thrust, his powerful strokes causing both of the demons' entire bodies to tremble.

Beelzebub could feel everything, being under Leviathan.. He can hear both of the male's moans and breaths, it was not helping when Leviathan's cock was rubbing against his. Each movement sent waves of pleasure coursing through their bodies, their moans echoing throughout the room. Poor Beelzebub can't talk shit as Leviathan was drooling all over him, he finds it arousing. He laughed before he smashed his lips with the man on top of him, [M/N] watching them made his cock throb more.

[M/N] was taking his time as both demons take turns onto tasting his cock, Despite the pain and humiliation the demons' felt, both Leviathan and Beelzebub couldn't deny the intense pleasure that overwhelmed them. Their minds raced with conflicting emotions, torn between their loathing for [M/N] and their insatiable desire for him.

As [M/N] continued his relentless assault, he spoke in a low, gravelly tone, "This is what happens when you can't control your base instincts. You fight over me like animals, and this is the consequence." His words hung heavy in the air, adding another layer of humiliation to their ordeal. They could feel their hearts pound with a mixture of fear and lust, their bodies writhing beneath [M/N] dominant form as he increased his pace, his thrusts alongside with his slaps.

" M-M/N don't fucking stop..!" Leviathan cried out, his body aching from their position but he doesn't mind it. [M/N] chuckled pulling himself out before replacing his dick with a vibrator that was once inside Beelzebub just earlier , making the male moan harder. Putting his dick inside Beelzebub, "N-now y-you ngh!.. Fuck me.. Now you want me? fucking human.." he muttered out, he can't even feel his own cock..

As [M/N] continued his torrid affair with both Leviathan and Beelzebub, his powerful thrusts caused the very foundations of the room to shake. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his muscles straining with the effort of dominating both demons simultaneously. Their moans and pleas for mercy filled the air, but he paid them no heed. Instead, he increased the pace of his relentless onslaught, driving his massive cock deeper into their willing bodies. The friction between them was intense, their skin slapping together with each powerful thrust.

The room seemed to spin around them, the intensity of their shared experience pushing both demons to the brink of ecstasy. Their bodies shook violently, their minds consumed by the pleasure-pain inflicted upon them by their boyfriend. The three of them were like animals, scratching, marking, combining their bodily fluids as if they're marking their territory..

God knows how long they did it.. Multiple rounds, no breaks as both demons pulls [M/N] back in bed, multiple positions.. And finally, [M/N] pulled out, his cock glistening with their combined fluids. He towered over them, his eyes cold and calculating, as he spoke in a voice devoid of emotion, "Think long and hard about your actions. The consequences will only grow worse if you continue down this path."

Leviathan and Beelzebub lay there for a while, stunned and humbled by their experiences. They knew they had been warned, but the reality of their punishment had been much harsher than they had anticipated.

It took [M/N] a whole minute to apologize for what he did as he cleans both of the demons, he untangled them from each other and the restraints, their bodies aching from the intense ordeal. The demons however, They avoided eye contact, both knowing that they had been taught a valuable lesson - one that they wouldn't soon forget.

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Ꮺ ⨾ I DO NOT CONSENT TO MY WORK BEING COPIED OR TRANSLATED.

[mikaela-the-slut-expert]

I got this idea (completely platonic reader btw, sometimes I just need nice friendships rather than romance 😭) :

what if heavenly official gn!reader who is pretty chill & terribly practical it seems like they completely ignore their own emotions.

They become a friend of Xie Lian when he first ascended decided help him out during his banishment & keep him company without the knowledge of other officials.

Over time they become really close friends & XL discovered a habit of the reader- they would randomly make little sketches & crafts like origami & give it to the people they trust the most.

In the beginning XL is one of the very few people who received these, but a few days after Hua Cheng exposed the truth about Yong An massacre in QR's cave, reader gives one of these to HC as a symbol that they trust him to protect XL.

(maybe it's a little E-ming sketch/origami? )

I'm sorry if it's confusing & if there are some gaps in it. Please dont push yourself too much & feel free to ignore this ask if it causes stress

Origami

HuaLian x gn!reader platonically

You and Xie Lian have been best friends for a long time.

You began a friendship with him once you ascended

He didn't have many friends and you offered to help him through his banishment even though you technically weren't allowed to.

It went from there

Through the years, the many, many, many years you've gained Xie Lian's trust and he's also gained your trust

Your love language is giving people things.

And you have a knack for origami.

Xie Lian knows that being friends with you means having lots of paper designs given to him

You're really good at it too

Making swans, butterflies, flowers.

You're amazing and the origami always comes out pretty

His shrine is covered in origami trinkets.

It's how you spread your love and show Xie Lian that you trust him and your guy's friendship

So when Xie Lian and Hua Cheng become a thing he's very surprised when you so quickly warm up to Hua Cheng.

After you all got out of Qi Rong's lair you tell Hua Cheng to hold out his hands.

Then you drop some origami in his palms.

On closer inspection Hua Cheng and Xie Lian look at the e-ming origami even his little red eye! You made some silver butterflies too.

Xie Lian is very excited to tell his lover what that means.

Hua Cheng is very honored to receive your gifts.

You're one of the only gods he likes so now that you trust him so much, he feels very happy.

Hua Cheng will protect them with his life

He proudly sets them on shelves or frames them.

Xie Lian is happy that his lover and best friend get along.

[melaniepilled]

i know the fandom loves to pretend that xie lian doesn't take care of himself but let's really think about it for a second. he doesn't have a penny to his name, he has no luck, no spiritual powers and no friends and family left in the mortal realm. how exactly should he take care of himself?

he eats food off the floor because it's better than going hungry. that's how many people in poverty live. he doesn't think twice before touching something that might poison him because when you don't receive medical attention for centuries, you're naturally going to adopt an "it is what it is" mentality about your health. he probably didn't get treated by a healer the first few times he got corpse poisoning because he didn't have enough (or any) money to pay them with. he's humble and ignores however which way he's slandered because what can he do? he's heard things like that and worse before.

800 years of poverty will teach anyone humility as well as strip them of it. 800 years of poverty and solitude can make anyone into a complete cynic, an abuser and/or worse.

but xie lian didnt break, not permanently. what jun wu put him through is nothing compared to what the world put him through. tell me this: is jun wu truly the real villain of the story? or is he a micro manifestation of all the other systematic issues in the TGCF universe, wrapped up into a shiny, evil package that's easier to hate, easier to digest and easier to fall for?

know that even though jun wu "set up" the fall of xianle, it was corruption and imperialism that truly brought the kingdom to its knees. know that teen xie lian truly fought for his people, be they patriots or rebels, and that the reason his efforts could never come to fruition was the corruption of the royals and the nobles.

in a world as systematically corrupt as that (much like our own), how easy do you think it would have been for a poor, homeless and friendless man to live a happy, fulfilling life (which he never lived)? and how much easier would it have been for him to gradually give away his morals and principles in favour of a better meal for once, for a better bed for the night? considering his martial skills and vast knowledge of cultivation, would it not have been easy for him to take a path like jun wu himself? like xue yang, even?

and do you think that xie lian did *not* do all these things just because he had "self-sacrificial" tendencies? after centuries of being only a little better than a beggar, do you think the reason he wants to help the common people is because he feels Rich Prince Guilt?

don't you think that the act of preserving oneself here, the act of not sacrificing onself for a cause, is actually whenever xie lian decides to keep following the path of justice, his Third Path? does self preservation only count when it's your body you're preserving, or your material wealth, or your name? surely your own principles matter more. surely you mean more than a fancy title on a tyrant's mouth.

place yourself in xie lian's shoes, and answer this: if you were to go through all that, even if you were to not become a horrible person, would have found and maintained the courage, time and time again, to keep being kind, to keep taking care of yourself, to not become heedlessly reckless, to not become a walking corpse with a noose (ruoye) wrapped around your neck?

in my opinion, xie lian is a hell of a lot positive for a man who's been through so much and never heard a "it's okay, you can rest now" once (until hua cheng came along, at least).

do you think xie lian doesn't feel bitterness towards lang qianqiu, who buried him with a stake through his heart for gods know how many years, because he just... hates himself? or do you think it's because he helped raise lang qianqiu since childhood and earned real respect and admiration from him, after so many years of being spat on, cursed and ultimately turned invisible? do you think he begged to be banished once again only because he felt guilty (although yes, he did feel very guilty) for the terrible fate that befell lqq's family, or because he also genuinely cares about what happens to his people --- he protected the xianle remnants by setting himself up as a cold-hearted murderer, and he protected lqq by refusing to fight him.

do you think that being so old and having seen so much, xie Lian can't tell danger when it's looking him in the eye? he's not stupid. he doesn't neglect his safety until and unless it's to protect someone he cares about. e.g., when he tried his level best to protect shi qingxuan during the Blackwater arc, knowing that he's fighting things and people beyond his control. my point: it didn't matter if he failed. he had to try, just like he tried with his kingdom, and the kingdom that came next. sqx was the first person after hua cheng to befriend and defend him in a long time, and he wanted to show him the same courtesy. can this be reduced to "self-sacrificing" tendencies or "playing the hero", too?

when xie lian stepped out of that bridal sedan, he knew he was playing with fire, but he's not stupid. if he hadn't stepped out, who is to say that crimson rain sought flower wouldn't have entered on his own, or dragged him out forcefully? xie lian isn't a "you only live once, let's make bad decisions" person. xie lian is a "no matter how many lives i live, i will not change" person.

[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Don't you think it's funny cause actual canon gay characters in BL manga will say "I love you" but only the shounen bromance can spew out some of the most romantic shit akin to a 19th century poet writing a letter expressing his surpressed love for his lover 😭.....

Genuniely can't tell if it's bait or not, but I'm going to treat this ask seriously anyway.

Here, have some examples of beautiful and poetic expressions of love in BL media!

I'm going to start with my favourite murder husbands, Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu from Word of Honor/Faraway Wanderers!

This happens in episode nine, less than one third into the story- it's that early, they've known each other for like a week and are already able to tell they're meant to be. They've made their decision to be together, and over the course of the story:

They defend each other multiple times and fight side by side in multiple episodes, sometimes protecting their adopted kid/mentee Chengling as well

Zhou Zishu is willing to go against the whole martial arts society for his boyfriend. With zero hesistation, might I add.

They both know the other has done horrible things (lots of murder on both sides here) and that's not only okay, it's a big part of why they're soulmates and get each other so well!

Zhou Zishu is slowly dying (poisoned nails in his chest, long story) and Wen Kexing can and will risk his life to save him. Don't worry, they get a happy ending both in the show and the novel even if the show's last episode is behind a paywall and Netflix didn't even include it for some reason?

But enough about them, let's move on to the immortal fantasy genre boyfriends Hua Cheng and Xie Lian from Heaven Official's Blessing!

Please note how Hua Cheng is ready to accept Xie Lian in whatever state he's currently in- as a god, a fallen outcast, even grieving and angry and at his absolute lowest. He's stood by Xie Lian in his worst moments, even if at the time Xie Lian had no idea it was him.

Hua Cheng has loved Xie Lian for 800 years, ever since he was a boy Xie Lian saved from falling to his death during a procession.

Xie Lian became a god, then fell due to horrible circumstances, almost committed a war crime against another nation that destroyed his country, spend 800 years wandering the mortal realm as a poor cultivator with his powers greatly reduced, and eventually ascended to become a god again. Throughout it all, Hua Cheng loved him and did his best to help him and then find him.

They're both adorable and the definition of a power couple once they're reunited- no spoilers, but they eventually fight an incredibly powerful god side by side and win & the last scene in the story is them reuniting for good since there's no more obstacles to their immortal love.

Let's move on to my favourite Japanese BL, Our Dining Table (also available as a series that came out semi-recently, but the examples below are from the manga.)

Yutaka is a lonely salesman who meets Minoru, a restaurant worker and his much younger brother Tane grieving the death of their mother.

Yutaka and Minoru hit it off by bonding through food they cook and share. The series is incredibly heartwarming, and as seen above Yutaka becomes a much happier person thanks to both his new relationship and big brother-like bond with little Tane.

As a little bonus, the whole found family together!

This post can't be complete without Golden Stage (or Golden Terrace, as the English official translation calls it).

Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan aren't even in love at this point! This is at the beginning of the story, when their marriage has just been arranged by the emperor and they're still bitter rivals.

Yan Xiaohan is already protective of his future husband- later on, he also builds him a mansion meant to accommodate his disability (nerve damage in both legs, which requires a wheelchair and/or crutches). They're both incredibly powerful military generals, and the emperor was an idiot thinking an arranged marriage would humiliate them.

Of course they fall in love, of course they're a power couple, of course they send each other letters through trained geese when they're separated during the war, of course they run to each other as fast as they can across a wide cold river when they're finally reunited! Of course they're important to me!

....Aaand how about some Wangxian to wrap up this post? They need no introduction, an absolutely wonderful and complex relationship in a complex fantasy/intrigue story available in several forms - the books, the animated series (as seen above), the live action series, the audio drama, there's so much!

Some of their most beautiful moments:

Lan Wangji writing a song for Wei Wuxian and naming it Wangxian. Years after it's composed, Wei Wuxian plays it and LWJ is able to recognise him even in a different body.

LWJ begs WWX to come with him to Cloud Recesses, to safety, after WWX makes himself an enemy of the whole cultivation world for protecting innocent people.

They confront the final villain together, and work together to expose his crimes. This is also when their final love confession happens, and it's hilarious- in front of everyone's salad, WWX declares he also wanted to sleep with LWJ.

Despite censorship, the animated series was still able to allude to their wedding, showing them in red wedding robes (unfortunately can't find a gif rn)

Respectfully, if you genuinely think BL doesn't have beautiful love confessions and displays of romance, you need to find better BL.

[one-flower-one-sword]

Sending virtual hugs! 🌸

I’m wondering about your thoughts on Xie Lian and how he views Hua Cheng and the Gambling Den.

He expressed to Hua Cheng his concerns about how dangerous it is, and let it go when he understood that he and Hua Cheng have differing views on the matter.

It makes me wonder how things would have unfolded if the man who gambled to have his competitors die or give his daughter’s life and marriage if he lost, had been able to complete his bet without interruption. Like how much is Hua Cheng involved in something like that?

Would that man simply have walked away with the luck he needed to get what he wanted? I can’t see Hua Cheng actively hunting down and killing those people.

But I can see him allowing the man the luck needed to make his desires come true - so not actively engaging but not interfering with the man’s terrible decisions - kind of like with how he dealt with He Xuan.

I’m not completely sold on that thought though…😅 your thoughts?

Thank you! 🌸

And thank you for your ask! I love talking about Ghost City :3

I've thought about similar things regarding the Gambler's Den, but ultimately, I think it's on purpose that we don't find out for sure and are left to wonder. Especially since, at this point in the story, both the reader and Xie Lian are still slowly uncovering who Hua Cheng is as a person.

When we look at this scene after everything is revealed, I think it's quite clear from the mockingly derisive way he talks to him that Hua Cheng did not like that guy, and I wonder if he would even have taken that second bet if Xie Lian and the others hadn't been there - he seems to have a pretty good understanding of Lang Qianqiu's character when be talks about him with Xie Lian later, so I can see him use that second bet as a lure to make Lang Qianqiu cause a commotion. Because then Hua Cheng gets to "discover" that Xie Lian and the others are there, which means he has a reason to invite Xie Lian to Paradise Manor, which is necessary to make that whole "have them rescue 'Ming Yi' so that He Xuan's cover isn't blown" plan work.

As an aside, though of course Hua Cheng is always happy when he gets to spend time with Xie Lian, I think he must have deeply hated deceiving him like this. It speaks to how much he values his arrangement with He Xuan and how vital the information He Xuan provides is to him - which is proven when right after this, the whole Fang Xin reveal happens. Without He Xuan monitoring what's happening in heaven and relaying the information to him, Hua Cheng wouldn't have known that Xie Lian got locked inside his palace and couldn't have come to rescue him.

Back to the topic at hand though. I think it's worth looking at the actual dialog when Xie Lian and Hua Cheng discuss the den because there's so much in there:

After some hesitation, Xie Lian spoke up again. "San Lang, it may be out of line for me, but I still have to say it. That Gambler's Den of yours is incredibly dangerous. Won't it blow up in your face one day?"

A place that allowed the betting of sons and daughters and people's lives, granting wishes for others' sudden deaths - it was dreadfully sinful. Never mind a little brawl; if one day the bets got out of hand, the Heavenly Realm wouldn't be able to stay on the sidelines.

Hua Cheng gave him a look.

"Your Highness, did you ask Lang Qianqiu why he had to jump into that mess?"

Xie Lian was slightly taken aback, not quite understanding the intent of the question.

Hua Cheng continued, "I bet he must have told you that if he didn't do it, no one else would."

He was amazingly on the mark, obviously having seen through Lang Qianqiu.

"That's indeed what he said." Xie Lian admitted.

"Then I'm the complete opposite," Hua Cheng said. "If I don't control a place like this, then someone else will. I'd rather that person be me."

Xie Lian knew when to back down, and he nodded. "I understand."

It seemed, although Hua Cheng was the sentimental sort, he also cared more about control and power than Xie Lian realized.

It's fascinating that it we look at what Xie Lian actually says and thinks here, what he mainly seems to be worried about is what would happen to Hua Cheng and his friendship with Hua Cheng should Jun Wu be given reason to actively start going against him. Which is also what Xie Lian worries about during this entire mission - what will happen if it turns out Hua Cheng is involved with a heavenly official's disappearance and heaven retaliates, what will happen if he's not involved and Xie Lian has destroyed their friendship by deceiving him. It doesn't matter to Xie Lian that Hua Cheng is a Ghost King and that they're technically on opposite sides - he's decided based on his own experiences and judgment that Hua Cheng is a good person and a good friend, and he's already at this point very protective of him. Especially since he's not unaware that the heavenly realm in general and Jun Wu in particular do not share his opinion on Hua Cheng, and the political implications thereof:

Jun Wu turned around. "Tell me, what kind of extraordinary character did you engage with when you descended this time?"

Xie Lian raised his hand. "My Lord, I swear I did nothing. Just, one day by chance, I encountered an interesting young man on the road, and we spent some time together. I didn't think much of it."

Ju Wu nodded. "Chance encounter, young man, Supreme Ghost King. Xianle, surely you are aware what the consequences would be if Ming Guang was to question you further and you confessed to this in front of the other officials? No one would believe you."

"Xianle knows," Xie Lian replied woefully. "So, I'm grateful for My Lord's timely intervention. My Lord, you're not actually going to interrogate me, are you? I wouldn't collude with the Ghost Realm. These are absurd concerns."

"Naturally, I know you would not intentionally collude with the Ghost Realm," Jun Wu said.

"I'm grateful for My Lord's trust," Xie Lian replied.

Xie Lian is definitely stretching the truth here with the "I didn't think much of it" part, given that by the end of his investigation in Banyue, he damn well knew that the "interesting young man" was Supreme Ghost King Hua Cheng, and then he kept spending time with him regardless. He's very careful about protecting their friendship by downplaying it and being vague, and further than that, he's very careful about protecting Hua Cheng. We've already seen this earlier when Pei Ming was interrogating him - Xie Lian even pretended not to know who that "red-clothed young man" was because he rightfully deduced that Pei Ming would try to use Hua Cheng as a scapegoat to get Xiao Pei off the hook. Then when Pei Ming does try to pin the whole thing on Hua Cheng, Xie Lian immediately speaks up in his defense:

"General Pei, let's keep things clear and separate. Let's not talk about whether the young man I traveled with was Hua Cheng or not. At the very least, even if he was indeed Hua Cheng, that has nothing to do with what General Pei Junior has done. A Supreme Ghost King might have the worst possible name on people's tongues, but not everything can be blamed on him."

I find it very telling that the reason Xie Lian is being so carefully vague is less so he himself won't get into trouble and more that he's very aware that if Hua Cheng gets wrongfully accused, no one will question it simply because of who and what Hua Cheng is. And it's that kind of injustice and prejudice that Xie Lian will always stand up against. At this point he still completely trusts Jun Wu, but when it comes to Hua Cheng, Xie Lian not only disagrees but actively disobeys, though he's careful about how much of that he shows in front of Jun Wu:

Jun Wu shook his head. "I should not comment on the friends you make, but I will say this: Be careful of Hua Cheng."

Hearing this, Xie Lian bowed his head slightly, keeping his eyes down and saying nothing. He should've responded with "Yes, My Lord," as he should have been able to say yes with ease by that point. Yet, for some reason, he really didn't want to say that particular "yes".

Hua Cheng likewise also understands his and Xie Lian's respective positions and is careful not to endanger Xie Lian. Like here, when he explains why he put up somewhat of an act of not knowing Xie Lian because there were other heavenly officials present:

"Since gege is here, why not come in? We haven't been apart for that long, so don't be a stranger to San Lang."

At his beckoning, Xie Lian let down the beaded curtain. "Earlier in the Gambler's Den, it was San Lang who pretended not to recognize me."

Hua Cheng approached and stopped at Xie Lian's side. "Lang Qianqiu was there too, so if I didn't put on an act, I'd be giving gege trouble."

Or here when he's content to be accused of having maliciously kidnapped Xie Lian if that means Xie Lian won't be suspected of resisting his arrest and made to look guilty:

Xie Lian finally understood. Shi Qingxuan could see that Hua Cheng had no ill intent, but on the surface, they had to pretend that Hua Cheng had only barged into the Heavens to collect his due. It would prevent gossip from those how might suggest that Xie Lian had maliciously and intentionally absconded. Hua Cheng understood Shi Qingxuan's intent and had played along. However, Xie Lian didn't want to go this route.

"All right, stop acting. He only came to the Heavens to save me. San Lang had good intentions, so why conceal them?"

Hua Cheng does this to protect Xie Lian, but Xie Lian likewise wants to protect him. This has ended up quite long-winded, but I wanted to look for more evidence of why I think that Xie Lian mainly brought up the Gambler's Den because he's worried that the bets could end up endangering Hua Cheng himself.

Hua Cheng sincerely thanks Xie Lian for his concern, but makes it clear that he doesn’t quite agree, and I think it's worth looking into why that is.

I've seen Hua Cheng be described as completely amoral by fans, but I don't think that's how the text actually portrays him. He certainly can be quite critical and cynical with his views on both humans and gods, but his reasoning for establishing and keeping the den isn't "I don't care what happens there" or "I want places like this to exist for my own gain". He is, at least from his perspective and based on his experiences, simply being grimly realistic about how if he forbids these kinds of bets, the people who want to conduct them will simply move underground and do their gambling in secret. So not only will these bets happen either way, someone else will eventually take control of such a place, and Hua Cheng doesn't trust that such a person wouldn't take advantage of it.

Hua Cheng isn't amoral, he just has his own perspective on morality and justice. He's also not passive and uncaring in the face of what he perceives as wrong and unjust, but he doesn't really talk about that openly unless prompted. Like here during the Black Water arc, when they discuss the scroll with (supposedly) the names of victims of the Reverend of Empty Words:

Xie Lian turned to Hua Cheng. "San Lang, you said it's full of outrageous mistakes. How so?"

Hua Cheng scooted over to him, they were now sitting much closer than before. Hua Cheng pointed at a few names. "These are wrong."

Xie Lian looked at the names closely; all of them were known to be lawless, malevolently evil tyrants. "How do you know?"

"Because I killed them," Hua Cheng said.

Hua Cheng deeply hates people who abuse the power they wield, to the point that he personally acts against them. I think this ties in well with his reasoning about the Gambler's Den. I don't think there's anything in the text that suggests Xie Lian is upset to realize that Hua Cheng cares more about power and control than he'd thought, just surprised - until he comes to Ghost City, Xie Lian has mostly been around the very laid-back "San Lang", and this is the first time he's encountered Hua Cheng in his own territory, where he's a Ghost King ruling over the largest settlement within the ghost realm.

Also Xie Lian doesn't know this yet, but given everything we later learn about Hua Cheng's past, I think it's quite obvious that Hua Cheng's preoccupation with the power and control he wields, as well as his contempt for those who abuse theirs, is rooted deeply in the trauma he's gone through. Control in particular is a huge thing for him for several reasons, one of the main ones being that as a child, he was repeatedly punished for things outside his control, and he internalized that pattern to the point where he now punishes himself for things outside his control, as is shown repeatedly when he decides he's failed Xie Lian in some way. But I'm going to go into more detail about this in my Hua Cheng + trauma responses meta.

Lastly, I think it's important to keep in mind that the text makes clear that even when Xie Lian and Hua Cheng disagree, rather than a point of conflict it's actually proof of how strong and healthy their relationship is. I've sometimes seen fans (not you) portray their relationship as Xie Lian being irritated with Hua Cheng's attitude towards others, having him either be somewhat grudgingly resigned to it or actively trying to change Hua Cheng's behavior. But when we actually look at the text, we realize that nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the opposite is the case - Xie Lian is incredibly protective of him and repeatedly gets defensive when others judge and blame Hua Cheng. I'm gonna examine that in more detail in my hualian meta though, so for now, I hope this turned out a satisfying answer!

[the-deal-breaker]

Revamp of my Ghost Feng Xin AU

I actually almost completely cutt his arm off like I did in my Swap tgcf AU but decided against it. But I also gave him tusks!

I like making Yin Yu and Feng Xin coworkers though, my ideas for them are great. Mostly they become drinking buddies. Except for the fact Feng Xin is banned from writing any documents but he is completely fine with that. (They drink on Hua Cheng tab)

Somehow he ended up dealing with 3 calamities.

Hua Cheng quite literally holds his ashes, somehow. And he's the only one that knows what happened to Feng Xin.

He Xuan just follows him around whenever Hua Cheng makes him play waiter. Because the only thing that Feng Xin tries is swearing and that doesn't work.

Qi Rong get dragged by his collar a lot. And called a brat. But he somehow becomes manageable mostly cause Feng Xin scared him a little when he was alive, and that's only cause he broke his arm without blinking.

[meganehaise]

Thank you for the response to the form I posted before. With 18 submissions, we successfully managed to create our own quanyin-shaped exquisite corpse! I did the opening and closing sentences, but it was thanks to everyone's creativeness that something this wild and entertaining was put together.

Participants: Mango, Hiro, Redlikerozes, Ashen, Liv, J, Cherries, Mthaytr, Senju and the three anonymous participants.

This is posted today for day 5 of QuanYin Week, using (initially) the prompt "earrings". Enjoy!

Exquisite Corpse Story

With Quan Yizhen's birthday approaching, Yin Yu decides to gift him a pair of golden earrings. Quan Yizhen doesn't really put earrings on, so Yin Yu isn't expecting him to use them. However, these earrings have a high value for a god.

The earrings were supposed to help stabilize and strengthen a god's qi. Or at least that's what Hua Cheng told him the earrings did.

So why was Yin Yu feeling worse than before? He tugged at the heavy gold earrings he was wearing, and tried to fight the urge to pass out.

Quan Yizhen immediately grabbed Yin Yu's hands to stop him. He said nothing, but looked with his huge golden eyes.

“Shixiong, let’s make a baby,” he said, eyes full of determination.

“You don’t even know what that means, Yizhen,” Yin Yu spat, trying not to choke from the initial shock.

Quan Yizhen frowned. “I do.”

The blood rushed so fast to Yin Yu's face that his pale skin looked as though it had been suddenly set aflame, like it might burst from the excess blood. Yin Yu couldn't help it when his lips pulled back into a snarl and he said “Well, I don't! I don't want to marry you!”

“But— but I do, I want to marry you, Shixiong, please!” Quan Yizhen pleaded with round puppy dog eyes.

“F-fine then,” Yin Yu stammers out, “but I'll only accept if you can complete three challenges.”

Yin Yu thought he could get away with it if he turned accepting the proposal into an impossibility, but seeing the determination in Quan Yizhen's eyes, he knew he fucked up.

“Ok!” Gods and Calamities, Yizhen seemed excited, of all things. “Three challenges from shixiong sounds like fun.”

Yin Yu exhaled shakily, still trembling from Quan Yizhen's earlier query. He narrowed his eyes, sweeping Yizhen up and down.

“Challenge one,” he said, voice hard, “Sample His Highness Xie Lian's cooking. In front of Hua Chengzhu.”

Quan Yizhen grew pale at once. White as a sheet, eyes wide with horror, he stammered:

“I-I'll do it.”

And so, Quan Yizhen sets off to track down the Night Touring Green Lantern. Yizhen had always found him disgusting to deal with, but he needed that favor, and only he could help him in his quest.

“NIGHT TOURING GREEN LANTERN,” Quan Yizhen yells out after kicking down the wall of a cavern.

Qi Rong screams and drops the leg he had been eating.

“Who are you?????” Qi Rong demands.

“I need a favor,” Quan Yizhen says, and tosses 15 gold bars at him.

“What the fuck?!”

Qi Rong flails his arms around in a futile effort to protect himself, looking rather like a disgruntled green windmill. Quan Yizhen throws another gold bar at him for good measure.

“Where's my shixiong!” Quan Yizhen demands.

“Who?????”

“My—” When Yin Yu arrives to hear this, the other disciples become quiet, as if suddenly held captive by his presence.

“He was disrespecting all his seniors,” says one. 

“NO—  he was an absolute fucking—” Other disciples hold that one down before he can be silenced.

He looked out the window, precisely when a bird was pulling on a branch with its small beak. He felt the weight of a thousand bricks on his shoulders. Could he become a good teacher?

This was what he wanted, of course; yet sometimes, it all seemed so daunting. Sometimes, it felt as though a single misstep would cause him to crumble beneath the weight. And oh, he feared that, he feared it more than anything.

Still, fear couldn't rule his life forever. Even if it was difficult, he wanted to exist for more. His initial intentions were long forgotten, but he had unburied the latent wish to overcome his own ties. If a certain unruly man were to stay by his side, Yin Yu strangely felt that everything would turn alright.

THE END

[nyerus]

Hi, Nyerus... Long time no see.... 😆😘 Sorry I just got log in to tumblr again. Because of you, I got into TGCF 3 years ago, thanks so much.... 💐

I know maybe this ask have been ask before, but can I ask your top 3 (or top 5) fav quotes from TGCF and why you love them? Thanks if you want to answer....

Welcome back! <3 It means the world to me that I helped you get into TGCF!

My top quotes from TGCF have gotta be (random order):

"Only having met you did I rediscover that it's such a simple thing to be happy." This quote absolutely killed me on the SPOT when I first read it. 😭 Xie Lian realizes how revealing it was for him to say this, but he was completely honest there. He spent centuries alone, in terrible conditions, always secretly hoping that maybe one day he would find someone who would cherish him for who he was, faults and all. He didn't have much happiness in his life, but was grateful for every kindness he encountered. Now with Hua Cheng, Xie Lian is finally able to laugh again, to feel safe, and be truly happy. Such simple, human things that he'd forgotten due to how lonely and difficult his life was.

"To watch with your own eyes your beloved be trampled and ridiculed, yet being unable to do anything. That's the worst suffering in the world." This was so iconic of Hua Cheng, and it comes before we learn the truth of what really happened to him and Xie Lian in the past. It perfectly describes why he is the way he is, and it sent chills down my spine! I think it's quite underrated, as well. Hua Cheng saw Xie Lian harmed and ridiculed so much in the past -- he will not stand for a single instance more!!! ;o;

"You saved me. I've always looked at you. In this world, there are countless people more 'successful' than you, but none of them could have saved me like you did. None of them could have done those things you did -- You have no idea how much courage you gave me, for me to become the me today." This quote is from Hua Cheng in the final amnesia extra. That whole extra was very entertaining and fun, but then it hits you with this and I started sobbing like a baby hahaha! Once again, it perfectly encapsulates why Hua Cheng is so in love with Xie Lian: not just because Xie Lian caught him, but because Xie Lian saved him in so many ways. He was the only person in Hua Cheng's life (after his birth mom died) that showed him true compassion and gentleness. Who believed him, and believed in him. This gave Hua Cheng courage. And then he saw Xie Lian stand against the impossible to try and help others, and continue to do the right thing even when it caused himself harm. Something no one else would do. Of course Hua Cheng fell hopelessly in love.

"Something like saving the world, it really doesn't matter how you do it. But, although brave, it's foolish. [...] Although foolish, it's brave." I love this quote because despite how much he admires and respects Xie Lian, he isn't afraid to give his honest opinion on things as heavy as Xie Lian's very ideals. He doesn't agree with Xie Lian's morality, and doesn't think the common people are worth saving in the same way as Xie Lian does. I feel like sometimes, people get the wrong idea that Hua Cheng is a doormat who just goes along with Xie Lian's ideas -- but that can't be further from the truth. Hua Cheng is quite vocal and straightforward about his own goals/morality/etc. He knows it's different than Xie Lian's, but that's just who he is -- a terrifying Ghost King who will do things his own way. (And Xie Lian really really likes that about him, and wouldn't want him to change!)

"What matters is you, and not the state of you." First said by Xie Lian, and then repeated by Hua Cheng when Xie Lian needed to hear it the most! It's THE iconic, quintessential Hualian quote. So of course it's a fave!

Thank you anon for sending in this ask! I had fun with it!

[sonics-atelier]

A Sacred Celebration: Love's Eternal Embrace

Summary : Hua Cheng comes home to a surprise Xie Lian baked - well burnt - for him, cue tooth rotting fluff, fox and ferret plushies, self indulgent.

a/n : Hello Tgcf Fandom, wanted to Kickstart my journey by writing a piece for Our Kings Birthday, hope you like it <33 ❣️ (This art is so beautiful btw, I was inspired from it)

Hua Cheng wandered through the fields, the setting sun casting a golden glow over the landscape. As he made his way back home, a sense of peace enveloped him. Upon entering, he was greeted by a delightful surprise: a small celebration prepared by Xie Lian, complete with a half-charred, half-cream-covered cake. The sight was endearing, bringing a soft smile to Hua Cheng's face.

“Gege, how did you know it’s my birthday?” Hua Cheng asked, his voice filled with affection and surprise.

Xie Lian beamed with excitement. “I asked around, and Ling Wen told me since she owed me a favor,” he replied proudly.

Clearing his throat, Xie Lian began to sing a sweet, if somewhat off-key, birthday song, followed by a playful poem he had composed:

“Oh Lord of Ghost City, so brave and true,

How you have bewitched me, oh how you do,

With your smile so bright and your gaze so keen,

In your embrace, I find a world unseen.

Trapping me for eternity,

Oh what bliss,In moments stolen, in every tender kiss,

Through trials and storms, together we stand,With you, My love, I find my promised land.”

Hua Cheng’s eyes welled up with tears, his heart touched by the genuine effort Xie Lian had put into the celebration. He tried to speak, to thank Xie Lian, but his emotions choked him up. Mistaking his reaction, Xie Lian shook him vigorously and patted his back, thinking the cake was causing him to choke.

“Are you okay?!” Xie Lian asked, his concern genuine "I knew my skills aren't good-"

Hua Cheng started laughing, the sound rich and heartfelt. “I’m fine, gege,” he managed between laughs.

Xie Lian pouted playfully. “Don’t scare me like that! You almost gave me a heart attack”

The ghost king apologised profusely while his gege swatted at him.

Xie Lian’s face lit up with another idea. “Wait, I have something else for you.” He pulled out two cotton-filled plushies he had made: one was a fox with an eyepatch, and the other was a ferret with a crumpled hat. Hua Cheng’s eyes widened in surprise and amusement.

Xie Lian began to narrate a whimsical tale, holding up the plushies. “Once upon a time, there was a brave fox with an eyepatch and a clever ferret with a crumpled hat. They met in the woods and became the best of friends. One day, the ferret proposed to the fox as a joke.”

Hua Cheng laughed loudly at that, his eyes shining with delight "I already apologised gege!"

Xie Lian continued, grinning, “But the fox took it seriously, and they decided to get married. They had many adventures together and lived happily ever after.”

Hua Cheng, caught up in the story, started playing along with Xie Lian, making the fox and ferret plushies dance and interact. Their laughter once again filled the room, creating a melody of joy and affection.

When the laughter finally died down, Hua Cheng looked at Xie Lian with a depth of emotion that words could barely convey. “Thank you, Xie Lian, for always standing up for me, for being there when no one else was, for being my source of comfort.”

Xie Lian cupped Hua Cheng’s face tenderly. “You deserve to be loved, Hua Cheng. I am so proud of how far you’ve come.”

Hua Cheng kissed Xie Lian’s palm, a gesture imbued with reverence and devotion, as if he were worshipping at the altar of his beloved. Their love was a sacred religion, each kiss a prayer, each embrace a hymn. They moved closer, their lips meeting in a kiss that was profound and tender, a testament to their unwavering love.

In that moment, they were bound by more than just affection; their love was a sanctuary, a holy place where they found solace and joy. Smiles and contentment radiated from them as they held each other close, their hearts beating in perfect harmony.

- @sonics-atelier 2024 ( do not repost or reuse in any way shape or form , I will decapitate you )

[margarrivergod]

I’m bored so i’m here to recommend some of the brain rotting fics i’ve read recently(all on ao3):

BSD:

A Dolls House by Abyss_In_Wonderland_likes_sexy_cannibals

Rating: M

Warnings: NA

Description: “Chuuya and Dazai get trapped inside of an ability made sigil. Now there's a creepy lady telling them that in order to get out they need to complete five tests. If they don’t pass they’ll just stay there forever or die, but no biggie, right?”

this is a high favorite of mine, the author does a PHENOMENAL job at characterizing the characters, plus the story is *chefs kiss*🤌🏼 i pray that they’ll write more skk fics in the future!!

the liars house by burgundytshirt

Rating: M

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Description: “Dazai, Chuuya, and four others are trapped in a cursed house where you cannot lie—each time you lie, you lose an organ. In seven stages, they are asked deeply personal questions that need to be answered in order to escape. Welcome to The Liar’s House.”

Dare I say this is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, skk fanfic?!? Like holy shit this is SO GOOD! This is a translation of the original, which is in mandarin, but it’s 12/10 regardless!!

TGCF:

Thank You For The Venom by xoTsundoku

Rating: E

Warnings: Underage, Graphic Depictions of Violence

Description: Mu Qing is guarded and hollow after losing his mother but he's content in his darkness until he moves in with the Fengs, and a light pierces his comfortable solitude in the form of his soon-to-be stepbrother. Two people who can never be together fall in love.

There’s a tag that’s reads “pseudo incest” and idkw but i found it to be the funniest shit lmaoo. But in all hknestly I REALLY like this fic. I still reading it currently but i’m bulldozing through it. I also believe the author does an amazing job at characterization while tying them into a modern au

Bad Intentions by bizzybee

Rating: E

Warnings: NA

Description: “Despite their hatred for each other, renowned cook Feng Xin and first-timer Mu Qing co-judge an amateur cooking show with a strong following on social media. As filming wraps up, Feng Xin is set to go on an international tour for the release of his debut cookbook. Their public relations coordinators team up to devise a plan that will not only jumpstart sales of Feng Xin’s book, but also boost Mu Qing’s rising fame and satiate the thirst of their shared fans: They will accompany each other on the book tour. Together. As a couple for the cameras. Whether they'll kill or kiss each other first is anybody’s guess.”

This is the first fengqing fic I’ve completed and it will forever hold my heart it’s SO GOOD! My emotionally cknstipated boys thrown into a cooking au!

if you can’t summon the flames directly from hell, store bought is fine by buthgoth (GremlinGirl)

Rating: E

Warnings: NA

Description: “Shi Qingxuan gets more than he bargained for when he steals a candlestick from a mysterious magic shop's private collection. A haunted apartment may be the least of his concerns, however. The demon he awakened is ancient and hungry, and it seems Shi Qingxuan might be his new obsession.”

Have I mentioned how obsessed I am with butchgoth’s work?… YES! this is the first fic of theirs that i’ve read and one of my faves. If your a beefleef stan then PLS read this fic plus their others!

as if by destiny by debwriting

Rating: M

Warnings: NA

Descriptions: “Hua Cheng stumbles upon the mysterious Midnight Cafe. He enters for a much-needed meal, and stays for the enigmatic owner, Xie Lian.”

A cute hualian coffee shop au with a twist!

MDZS:

Back to Bite One by diamond bruise

Rating: E

Warnings: NA

Description: “or, lwj, wwx and a couple of lan disciples get stuck in a haunted manor”

this one is cute and a tad angsty (like i wanna ram my head in the wall cause y’all r dense lol) but nothing too serious imo

RAWR! is I Love You in dinosaur by FireAwayy

Rating: E

Warnings: NA

Description: “Xue Yang has spent a life running only to find himself as an animal wrangler at Jurassic Park. He spends his time managing previously extinct monsters, and loving every second of it. Until Xiao Xingchen shows up.”

i love this author i love this fic i love this author i love this fic i love this author i love this fic!!!! if i couldn’t make that clear enough

Furry Porn Costs Extra by Fireaway

Rating: E

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Description: “Lan Xichen is the CEO of one of the richest companies in the world. He's efficent, savvy, and altogether bored. Lan Wangji is a ruthlessly efficient police officer with the highest moral code of anyone who had ever donned the uniform. Jiang Cheng is living day to day, getting by with his art. And when that doesn't work, robbing people blind. Wei Wuxian is the thief who hides behind a guileless smile and his uncanny ability to simply vanish when needed. What happens when their lives intertwine with one another? Will they find the answers they're looking for, or will they end up losing more than they ever bargained for?”

If i didn’t make it clear enough this author writes lovely fics! this is my fav Xicheng fic to date, it has its serious plot plus the humor is spot on (there is no actual furry porn)

Thicker Than Water by athena_crikey

Rating: M

Warnings: NA

Descriptions: “A disaster, is Lan Zhan’s first impression as the bike squeals to a halt on the far side of Song Lan’s car. The man riding it – and he’s tall, and lanky, and sure-footed – hops off and locks it to the car’s back door. The back door of a police vehicle. He pulls his helmet off to reveal long, sweat-soaked hair with a shaggy undercut, bright grey eyes, and a smile that launches like an arrow straight through Lan Zhan’s chest. No, he thinks, watching this trainwreck of a man shimmy between the narrow space dividing Song Lan’s back bumper and the next car’s hood like he’s doing some kind of dance step. Absolutely not.”

I absolutely ADORE athena crikey and her work- ALL OF IT!! this one in particular is one of my favs- here we have a modern cultivation au with my fav neurodivergent duo

Every River, Every Stream by athena_crikey

Rating: E

Warnings: NA

Description: “Wei Ying, rookie architect and chronically unable to prioritize his love life, in a moment of madness turns out to be tested for compatibility with famous new entertainer Lan Zhan, struggling with the after-effects of chemo. Unexpectedly matched with a man on a very different career trajectory, he's presented with a litany of unappealing choices. Oh, and also love.”

Another work by dear ole athena. This was the first fic I’ve read of hers and it will forever be a strong favorite.

Post Mortem by Cataclysmic_Calamity

Rating: E

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Descriptions: “Life is a horror movie sometimes. You ignore all the warning signs. You end up standing there in the final scene, covered in blood, contemplating your life choices. Wei Ying is used to that. But it’s harder when you’re in love with your best friend.”

If you guys are heavy into the tgcf or mdzs fandom than you’ll know exactly who this author, Evie, is. She wrote NPAB and The Soul Remains, along with a bunch of other beautiful fics. BUT MY GOD THIS ONE!!! I never see anyone talk about Post Mortem and I will proudly say this is my fav Wangxian fic, and one of my favorite fics period. The story is wonderful, characters r well written, beautifully paced, plot is to die for(lol). She’s an amazing author all in all so check her work out if you haven’t!!

[yumemiruuuu]

“Qi Rong thoughts that followed me around like how baby Qi Rong followed his Cousin around like a scrunkly, rabid raccoon”

because as someone who gets upset but can’t effectively voice their frustrations, I get serotonin from watching a scrunkly little green man be stinky and cause a scene

First and foremost, how did he go from being just a brat to straight up submissive and breed-able bratty bottom?

No, like, seriously. These are two completely different individuals??? One is just a brat, and the other is a breed-able bratty bottom, and I’ll be honest here, it took me such a long time to fully appreciate the donghua design because I was so used to STARember’s design. And yes, I threw a fit to every single person I know about how vastly different his design is, I can show you the receipt.

Since his height isn’t listed… (as far as I’m aware), I’m convinced that he’s the shortest adult character in the series (yes, shorter than Ling Wen… who is TALLER than Xie Lian??????) Thus, if he were to be a dog, I can imagine him as a chihuahua. And everyone around him would be like “awww is the tiny little pookie angry???” and just make fun of him, because that’s what people do to angry Chihuahuas for some reason.

This is him throwing a fit at Pei Ming (yes, PM is a German Shepherd in my mind. Yes, I will make videos on this.)

That one specific plot-point in the novel where HC and XL are in a shack/inn and QI RONG WAS THE COOK??? Like WHAT?? Chef Boyardee who? I only know Chef Qi Rong

He’s also unfortunately selectively intelligent??? Which actually makes sense since he did grow up as a part of the royal family. And I feel like a lot of people forget that. But at the same time, even without the royal background, I feel like he has a certain sense of intelligence…. that comes from… god knows where???? And that’s kinda scary to think about, because imagine if he actually put his full thinking cap on 😭😭

Bro just straight up Out-Gay-ed Shi Qingxuan, which… I didn’t even know was possible. Like, when he flicked his wrist, I almost expected him to go: ✨✨SLAYYYY 💅✨✨

Please don’t forget the “waist snatched, tits out” potential with this man. Donghua version. Manhua version would never.

Disfigured Pikmin Qi Rong

Did I talk about “DOG HUA CHENG” and “DOG FUCKED XIE LIAN” already? Because like… despite the nasty implications, he was definitely onto something. He probably just didn’t realize to what extent 😭

I just want an official plush of this man so that I can use him as a soccer ball when it’s pouring outside and kick him around into puddles and mud and… yeah

I could have sworn I had more thoughts of him but I can’t remember now so maybe there will be a part two 🤔🤔

Oh yeah, I just remembered my friend telling me about how his name means face of sorrow or pity or something like that and just… CAN YOU IMAGINE. I need to go into a wholeass thing with this some day because when I realized that, I did not feel okay 😭

[transmascxielian]

its MY tumblr blog and i get to painstakingly write out an animatic i'll never make. SO ive got a heaven official's blessing piano man animatic in mind and i just can't shake it

ages ago i was listening and came up with this stupid concept just for the sake of funniness where i was imagining it as xie lian singing, mu qing and feng xin passive-aggressively going back and forth at each other with piano and harmonica respectively, hua cheng backing xl with the accordion, and shi qingxuan playing the lyre/mandolin in the background. and that was it for the longest time and was just a joke. but then i listened again and now have accidentally associated the lines with everyone

'he says 'son can you play me a memory? i'm not really sure how it goes, but it's sad and it's sweet and i knew it complete, when i wore a younger man's clothes''-- this is fairly nebulous because i don't know enough about him (sorry!) but this just makes me think of mei nianqing.

'now john at the bar is a friend of mine, who gets me my drinks for free, and he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke, but there's someplace that he'd rather be'-- shi qingxuan. their whole feeling of lost potential. 'he says 'bill i believe this is killing me', as the smile ran away from his face, 'well i'm sure that i could be a movie star, if i could get out of this place'' once again. you're there and you have a role and youre good at your role. but can't shake the feeling that you could do so much more.

'now paul is a real estate novelist who never had time for a wife, and he's talking with davey who's still in the navy, and probably will be for life'-- this may be a little bit gauche but pei ming and shi wudu. pei ming's fuckboy reputation which may or may not be a front for just not having enough energy to give to one person. and the navy -> sea association aside, spending time with the other person there who can't commit. and they both definitely fucked but regardless of that this brings us onto

'and the waitress is practising politics as the businessmen slowly get stoned, yes they're sharing a drink they call loneliness, but it's better than drinking alone'-- ling wen. reduced to serving the other gods despite being more than capable (or perhaps because she's more than capable) intellectually. finding escapism from this place she's put in through others who are similarly disregarded in a sense based on reputation. the three tumours as three people who bonded initially only out of having nobody else really to turn to.

'it's a pretty good crowd for a saturday, and the manager gives me a smile, cause he knows that it's me they've been coming to see to forget about life for a while'-- jun wu, and how xie lian is such an emblematic figure for better or worse, representing everything idealistic and perfect about the heavens, and in the end being such a figurehead (and, when needed, an easy punching bag) that everything wrong with his heavens goes unnoticed for so long.

'and the piano, it sounds like a carnival, and the microphone smells like beer, and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say 'man, what are you doing here?''-- hua cheng, watching and waiting for him the whole time. giving xie lian support and sustenance in everything he does for the heavens, and never telling him to leave, but wondering the whole time why he does all this for a system that doesn't deserve him. loving him enough to let him live by his own choices, but loving him too much to not be eaten up by watching him do this and receive nothing in response.

this is by no means perfect nor the best character analysis/song application. and it does bug me that nothing stood out to me to be right for mu qing and feng xin (i think about the xianle quartet a lot.) but i had such a vivid feel for everyone i mentioned here that they didn't feel right for the song. anyway if you've read all of this i love you and please talk to me about tgcf

[lryghe]

MXTX thoughts; conventions

The long awaited (not) analysis of MXTX conventions is here! I’ve literally been meaning to talk about this for months but it got sidelined in favour of vicious arguing on PDB about MBTI. Anyways! Obviously this post will contain spoilers, and something I wanted to touch on was 3rd person limited in MXTX, but I already have a post on that here, so feel free to check that out for a better explanation of it. Beware of mediocre analysis ahead, I’m a little rusty (also shoutout to the person who liked some of my posts this morning, you reminded me to actually write something!).

THE AGENDA since this post is long:

Non-linear storylines

Dying and resurrection

Colour symbolism

Character tropes

NON-LINEAR STORYLINES

An interesting thing that follows MXTX’s more thought out works, is the non-linear plotlines she follows in them. This itself is a really good convention of writing in general, especially if it’s done well, and I can safely say that MXTX did it astoundingly well in TGCF. The clear cuts between time periods in relation to each book is an incredible feat, and is something that easily trumps MXTX's other examples of non-linear storylines. Through the use of the jumping back and forth in time, specifically in TGCF, creates an excellent cause and effect, something that is definitely central to the novel. Everything done has an effect, whether that be on the continuation of the plot, or even as a characterisation point, so the non-linear narrative cements that sense of foreboding hanging over everything. A simple sentence said when Xie Lian 17 somehow amounts to a complete upheaval of the heavens 800 years later, unveiling a conspiracy well over 2000 years old. A friendship group dissolving due to difficult circumstances results in a really horrific friendship confession later in the novel. Shi Wudu trying to save his sibling ends his own demise, the crippling of said sibling, and a vengeful ghost with nothing to do anymore. This nonlinear storyline is definitely used in MDZS as well, but I found it a bit more complex, and actually, now that I think about it, is a really good reflection of Wei Wuxian in general. The thing with MXTX, is that all her novels are in 3rd person limited, so they follow our protagonist in 3rd person, but it’s tinged with their own personal views and biases that limit the omniscience of 3rd person. And with MDZS it would be a fair assessment to say that the unordered mess of time leaps in the novel are an excellent indication of Wei Wuxian’s bias leaking through the 3rd person. The incessant jumping is difficult to follow in places (don’t say otherwise), but it’s actually a genius idea because it’s an accurate assessment of the thought process that Wei Wuxian probably follows anyway. I wouldn’t say that this was definitely on purpose however, as MDZS was written before TGCF, so it could just be MXTX growing alongside her writing, but hey, maybe it is a stroke of complete and beautiful genius! Don’t bother mentioning SVSSS, it’s definitely an interesting novel, but it’s not non-linear, at least not as wholly as MDZS and TGCF are. The most you’ll get in SVSSS is like a two line flashback, plus the extra’s, but I think that’s a reflection of when MXTX wrote it.

DYING AND RESURRECTION

Moving on from serious conventions, MXTX’s trope with one of the main characters dying and then coming back later is a really funny kind of convention, because it’s not funny in the moment obviously, but the fact that it’s done at least once per novel is hilarious. Wei Wuxian’s initial resurrection after 13 years of being dead, Shen Qingqiu’s return in his plant body 5 years later, and then his return back to his ‘original’ body, and Hua Cheng’s little death defying stunt at the end of the novel. Then there’s the use of cliffs and such, like Binghe’s fall into the Abyss, Hua Cheng’s fall off that wall (forgive me its been like 3 years since I read TGCF), and if we’re being inclusive, then there’s always Wei Wuxian’s death in The Untamed. Maybe there’s a hidden meaning in there somewhere, but it’s fine to look at it from a surface level, which amounts to ‘MXTX got bored and needed some drama’. A perfectly reasonable deduction. 

COLOUR SYMBOLISM

Another thing I wanted to touch on was the colour symbolism that MXTX uses because I think it’s pretty cool, AND it has the added benefits of adding symbolism and contrast to each novel's main character and their love interest. It’s mentioned in the novel’s obviously, but it really shines in fan content and fanarts. I like the symbolism of Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqiu’s robes both being green before the time-skip, because Luo Binghe was a disciple at the time and a little white lotus, so the green was used to directly align him with Shen Qingqiu. After the timeskip he’s obviously got his big boy pants on and swapped to a stunning black and red ensemble, fitting of the protagonist, and that itself contrasts Shen Qingqiu’s majestic and lofty green robes, because Binghe means business with this fit. A fun thought is how green and red fit together on the colour spectrum, because they don’t, they’re contrasting colours which is some real obvious symbolism. Do I really need to spell out Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian? I feel like this one is rudimentary. White equals noble and virtuous, pure and holy, and black is evil, demonic, cruel, and scary. Simple! And Hua Cheng and Xie Lian’s red and white are a very cute mixture, because although it gives them a Bingqiu style christmas tree vibe, it’s interesting in comparison to the previous two love interest and main character dynamics, considering red and white are a lot more complimentary than black and white or red and green. And it’s a testament to how similar Hualian are with their complimentary robes, how like-minded they are throughout the novel, especially considering their predecessors. Or maybe I’m overthinking it, who knows?

CHARACTER TROPES

In regards to tropes of MXTX, I think her character tropes are incredible and have the addition of being really funny. She’s consistent enough with her conventions that clear links can be drawn with her side characters across all 3 novels. To begin with, there’s Mr Angry. I think you can guess who that is, but it's Jiang Cheng, Liu Qingge, and Mu Qing. All have a really close relationship with their related main character, all are angry or harsh where they probably didn't need to be, and all three are good fighters. Then there’s the guy who’s always smiling, like Yue Qingyuan or Lan Xichen. Complacency is a key part of their characters, and excuses aside, it’s interesting how it played out. You could argue for Jun Wu to be a part of this circle, but I’ll keep that to myself. Finally, there’s the fodder characters, only useful to further the plot in a miniscule way. Gongyi Xiao (MAY HE REST WELL), Xiao Xingchen, and once again, I don’t have a very good TGCF equivalent. Gongyi Xiao dies after the events of the water prison, and Xiao Xingchen was really just there to highlight how fucked up Xue Yang was. Rest in peace our beloved fodder, especially Gongyi Xiao, MXTX should have treated you better…

I think I’ve typed myself out honestly. Kudos to whoever reached the end of this post, I haven’t written this much since my Team 7 analysis when I got back into my Naruto phase briefly.

Word count: 1271

Reading time: 4 ½ mins

[fairielux]

That's the spirit by bmth is basically just a summary of Hualian's story - analysis(?)

i originally sent this to my bestie weeks ago, but i still think about it every day...

⚠️tgcf novel spoilers ahead⚠️

doomed - honestly i think this song very much fits to both characters cause they both had extremely traumatic and fucked up lives but thats too broad when i can give u exact specifics!!!!!

i gave this song to xie lian specifically to the xl who was ready to release the human face disease at the end of his first banishment. at this point in the story he had been stabbed 100 times, had seen his parents hanging, had been abandoned by both of his childhood friends, tried to commit suicide multiple times and was literally begging to die. he has been psychologically totruted by white no face for months with no end, he's lost everything including his faith in humanity. the only person who cared about him was a nameless ghost wearing a mask (wu ming, who we later find out is hua cheng), and their time was cut short when xl was forced to release the disease and wu ming sacrificed himself to absorb the curse, his soul getting torn apart in the process.

happy song - again, it fits both of them and i will elaborate

xie lian - first banishment, after his kingdom fell (partially by his own fault) he was on the run with both his parents and his two childhood friends feng xin (fx) and mu qing (mq). xl so desperately wanted to keep his loved ones hopeful even though his father was sick, his friends were working themselves to the bone, his mother was depressed and he couldnt get himself to work and improve on his cultivation to try and ascend to godhood again.

hua cheng - in the 800 years he was searching for xl, he always made sure to keep up appearances and establish himself as this powerful and arrogant ghost king while he was absolutely desperate and lonely in reality trying to find his beloved with little to no progress

throne - xie lian during his second banishment and third ascension. despite his terrible luck he manages to prove all the gods who badmouth him and look down on him wrong by achieving a third ascension after travelling the world alone for 800 years

true friends - oh my this is a heavy one. xie lian being abandoned by both his childhood friends, one by choice one by force. mu qing was the one who left first, he couldnt keep taking care of xl and his mother at the same time. xl said he understands but he was extremely shaken and hurt, he felt like it was so sudden and out of the blue. later mq betrays him again when he sends xl away instead of defending him in front of 33 other minor gods. feng xin only left him because xl forced him to. xl lost all faith in himself, after white no face haunting him for months, he told fx what has been going on (partially) but fx just wrote him off as paranoid and insane. xl couldnt take it anymore and believed fx deserved better so he sent fx away

follow you - VERY OBVIOUSLY HUA CHENG!!!!! this song captures hc's devotion to xl so so perfectly. they meet when hc is only a child and xl saves him. during the war of xianle hc serves in the army for xl. after his death when he becomes a ghost fire and xl finds him by chance, he stays by xl side, he watches as xl gets betrayed by mq, gets stabbed 100 times and literally begs for death, and in an effort to try and protect his beloved from white no face he turns into a savage ghost. he stays with xl as wu ming after his parents die and xl decides to get revenge. he sacrifices himself for xl when his god is forced into releasing the disease and gets himself torn apart. by the sheer power of his devotion he doesnt get dispersed completely, he works on getting stronger and stronger, willingly goes to mount tonglu (where the ghost kings are forged, its a place full of grief and suffering) and survives it, spends the next 800 years seeking revenge on everyone who wronged xl while searching for him. after finally finding xl he never leaves his side unless absolutely necessary, and gives all he is and all he has to his god, asking for nothing in return

what you need - hua cheng hunting down all the ppl who wronged xie lian. he challenges 35 heavenly officials and defeats the 33 that accepted his challenge, when the 33 gods dont keep their promise of renouncing their godhoods, hc burns all their temples to the ground in a single night. he becomes the bane of heaven solely because of how heaven has treated xl. he wreaks havoc in every way he can, he humiliates the gods who come anywhere near him. bad bitch behaviour fr

avalance - xie lian second banishment, 800 years alone because he thinks he deserves it for releasing a curse on humanity. he accepts and listens to everyone berating him for his mistakes, watches as the ppl he cares about die or turn against him. he gets robbed, murdured, betrayed, his houses collapse, communities drive him out because of his bad luck, he cannot stay in one place for longer than a few weeks. but he takes it all in silence. at one point he is nailed to a coffin and buried alive for a century yet he never seeks out other gods to ask for help

run - hua cheng, after finding xie lian, breaking his cursed shackles, telling him who he really is and gow much history they have together, and helping xie lian defeat jun wu the heavenly emperor who is also white no face, xl's tormenter.

drown - xie lian during his first banishment, basically doomed 2.0 but not really. idk in my head they are complementary. drown is specifically the time xl spends with wu ming, after all the tragedies he was forced to live through. wu ming is the only person who keeps him from drowning at this point.

at the same time this song is also perfect for post canon hualian, as they become each others anchors. they are the only ppl who can understand each other truly, they are there for each other especially throughout the darker moments and flashbacks, just building each other back up bit by bit

blasphemy - this is THE hua cheng theme song, it describes hc as a character so perfectly i am literally obsessed. hc the most powerful ghost king in existence, the bane of heaven, ruler of ghost city, gods hear the silver bells sounds or see his wreath butterflies and shit their own pants, quake in their boots

oh no - maybe i was wrong and after further consideration, oh no is THE xl theme song. cause the song is literally xl's internal monologue after 800 years of being alone and enduring terrible thing after terrible thing... hc has a lot of work to do to buikd his gods confidence and self worth back

if youve got this far, thank you for listening to this yappeteer, i'd love to hear what u think abt the songs in relation to hualian or in case u werent familiar with the album, go give it a listen and please read the lyrics!!!

[one-flower-one-sword]

Hello! I’m new to your blog so it’s possible you may have shared similar thoughts. I recently finished the novel and just wanted to share some random thoughts. :-D Did you figure out Hua Cheng was Wu Ming before the novel revealed it? I was spoiled on this before reading and so saw the hints leading up to it. I don't know if I would have figured it out beforehand, but I just think it's interesting seeing some of the hints. One being when Hua Cheng and Xie Lian were running on the rooftops of the Heavenly Capital, trying to get to his guoshi. Xie Lian felt a sense of deja vu I think. And then Hua Cheng's reaction when Xie Lian made a joke about being stabbed and turned into mush. I just thought that was really good foreshadowing. _____

I’ve seen some of the jokes about Hua Cheng being a stalker and I have to say again just how not true that is and it’s not even something I want to joke about. Seeing how Jun Wu actually stalked him, tormented him and all the pain that caused Xie Lian. Hua Cheng never did, and would never do anything like that. This man has such a visceral reaction to any pain Xie Lian has that it would be, at this point, like going against his very nature to do so. He is so careful about not wanting to cause Xie Lian harm by his own actions ( and of course by others).

—--------------- I was reminded from a TGCF discussion thread how young Hua Cheng was during the time Xie Lian was the White Clothed Calamity. He was 16-17 or 17-18. After all the suffering he saw Xie Lian go through, of course he was ready to burn the world down for him. It’s completely understandable even if one doesn’t agree with it. And as soon as Xie Lian changed his mind, he put aside his own desire for revenge and helped Xie Lian stop it by sacrificing himself.

I once read a thread where a comment was made that Hua Cheng encouraged Xie Lian to commit genocide because he asked why wait 3 days to inflict the Human Face Disease and it bothered me because that just wasn’t the case. And I feel it kind of does a disserve to Hua Cheng - missing out on the fact he too had just witnessed his beloved stabbed to death. Ofc, he wanted revenge but he never let that desire override what Xie Lian ultimately wanted to do.

I remember a fanfic I read kind of addressed how back then Hua Cheng didn’t try to stop Xie Lian from doing something that would’ve hurt him mentally and emotionally. Hua Cheng said at present he would say something to Xie Lian if  something were to happen again. Although Hua Cheng didn’t deny he’d ultimately follow through if Xie Lian persisted, Xie LIan said he wouldn’t because he’d listen to Hua Cheng. I know it’s fanfic, but I thought that was the best way to surmise how things would play out because Hua Cheng at present wants Xie Lian to keep from being hurt in all ways, not just his body, but of course will ultimately follow whatever Xie Lian says.

I guess I just wanted to know, from your reading and thoughts on the characters, how do you think Hua Cheng would respond to Xie Lian if he was on the verge of doing something of that nature again? 

Sorry for the word vomit, happy to clarify anything that got too jumbled up! And if it's too much to answer, any thoughts you'd like to share about anything I mentioned is just fine. :) Thank you!

hi, thank you so much for your ask! I'm honestly still really humbled people want to know my tgcf opinions, I did not expect this much interest at all when I started posting.

I was also spoilered for Hua Cheng being Wu Ming, but yeah, the foreshadowing in this novel really is amazing! as with the Black Water arc, every time I reread the novel I spot another small bit of foreshadowing.

I also feel your frustration in regards to the "Hua Cheng is a stalker" thing, I'm continually baffled when it comes up in fandom - because like you said, it was Jun Wu who repeatedly displayed this kind of violating behavior towards Xie Lian, not Hua Cheng. I've mentioned it in previous meta posts, though I've not yet talked extensively about it. I have a longer post in the works though where I tackle several takes on hualian's relationship that seem popular in fandom yet I feel are directly contradicted by the text.

In regards to your last questions, I've also wondered about these kinds of what-ifs, though I think the point of this storyline was that Xie Lian ultimately did choose kindness and forgiveness, and also that he was only brought to this point after suffering through the trauma of incredibly brutal violation and torture and the loss of his parents through suicide. and in regards to Hua Cheng, like you said it needs to be kept in mind what witnessing Xie Lian be violated and tortured like this did to him as well. it's very obvious both from Hua Cheng's wrath against anyone and anything who causes Xie Lian pain - including Hua Cheng himself when he feels he's failed Xie Lian in some way - as well as his unflinching self-sacrifical protectiveness towards Xie Lian, how deeply he was traumatized by what he witnessed people do to Xie Lian. unfortunately i feel like the complexities of the whole situation often get flattened out or outright ignored in certain fandom circles in favor of takes like "and that's why hualian is a toxic relationship" and other such nonsense.

also like you said it's often a disservice to Hua Cheng in particular, who I've several times seen described as one-dimensional and "walking red flag of a person". honestly one of the reasons I've been focusing so much meta on him is because of how baffling and frankly annoying I find these kinds of takes.

I think I may have read that same fanfic btw! that conversation feels familiar :3 I don't remember all the details but it did make sense to me.

don't apologize for rambling btw, always feel free to send me your thoughts! I feel like this reply ended up also quite rambly, I hope my answers were at least somewhat satisfactory anyway. some of the things you touched upon I will definitely address with more detail in that longer post I mentioned on hualian's relationship that I've been working on.