#silver-cyn

[mxtxfanatic]

Thank you for your thoughts on Xie Lian and low self -esteem/self -harm tendencies. My question kinda piggybacks of that.

In the novel, Hua Cheng has concerns about Xie Lian's pain and willingness to withstand it or ignore it in favor of getting a solution. 

Land of Tender was pretty extreme and I think Xie Lian genuinely considered not having any other option before doing what he did. 

But there's the time when Xie Lian planned to jump in the pit to help those thrown in and brushed aside his own potential injury from such a fall. (But was naturally worried when Hua Cheng jumped instead)

And also the time Xie Lian took a blow from eming to stop the fight between Hua Cheng and Lan Qingqui(sp?).  

And withstanding the needle in his foot and forgetting about it until Hua Cheng took it out. 

Or being willing to swallow a sword to capture the fetus spirit.

Or in the Mt. Tonglu arc, where he picks up something that has poison on it. He's had it happen so often, it didn't bother him. 

I can see this is not Xie Lian self-harminhg,  but it does seem like a low amount of concern for his pain/safety.  

He even makes a promise to Hua Cheng (they promise each other) not to touch anything weird/dangerous without telling the other first so the other can handle it. 

And when Hua Cheng took a hit from Xie Lian (who had to obey because he was wearing the brocade immortal) - Xie Lian took issue with that and Hua Cheng called him out on that. 

----

"Xie Lian hadn’t expected him to ask that. “Maybe…it was to remind myself of some things.” He then quickly said, “San Lang, don’t…don’t change the subject. What kind of bad habits have you developed? That situation just now—you could have just restrained me. Why did you stand there and take the blow?” 

“So you do know that it’s a bad habit, gege?” Hua Cheng replied. “You have no right to lecture me when it comes to taking beatings, you know.” 

“Oh, really?” Xie Lian said, but he felt guilty the moment the words left his mouth—after all, he’d almost swallowed a sword back when he fought the fetus spirit in the water, and Hua Cheng had caught him red-handed. 

“Yes, really. ‘Why use other methods if I can solve the problem by taking a beating?’ That’s your bad influence on me,” Hua Cheng replied. 

Xie Lian waved him off. “Never mind, San Lang, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s look at these robes.” "

TGCF volume 7, chapter 117, page 200

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From all this, would it be accurate to say Xie Lian has low regard for his pain/safety if it means finding a solution to a problem...and potentially even going for that route faster/ or finding that easier before thoroughly considering other options? 

Or is perhaps Hua Cheng being too overprotective? 

Or is it secret option number three? 😅

I leaned towards the first thought. It seemed that Xie Lian maybe stopped concerning himself about his own pain until he realized someone else cared about him very much and so he decided to be more careful. 

Again, not saying Xie Lian is reckless. Or that he wouldn't tend to his own injuries. Just that perhaps he was setring aside his own pain/potential injury in favor of getting a quick solution. 

I hope I explained that well. Thank you for your thoughts! 👍🏾

Idk how long this is gonna be, so I will start off by saying that Xie Lian's actions exist in line with two realities: 1) he has built up an extremely high pain tolerance from just living life for 800 years and experiencing The Horrors against his will. I do not think that having a high pain tolerance and therefore being alright with experiencing injury because the pain means nothing to you is the same as having a low regard for your pain or safety at all. Xie Lian does not seek out situations to harm him, and he doesn't disregard his safety in situations he puts himself in (emphasizing the "he" because there are a lot of situations he is forced into, where him experiencing The Horrors is the point and thus unavoidable). 2) He literally cannot die (also as part of experiencing The Horrors, but he's learned to weaponize it to his advantage). So let's get into these examples:

Land of the Tender: he was drugged and vulnerable with the only thing between him and potential death was a barrier and a child. He quite literally had no options that weren't "assault/kill Hong'er" or "lose your cultivation and get you and Hong'er killed." He stabs himself to relieve the poison and maintain a semblance of mental clarity because the only other cure to the drug outside of sexual intercourse was physical violence. The moment Mu Qing and Feng Xin show up to help, he stops stabbing himself.

Banyue Arc: He is the god who was sent to clean up the mess, he was going to have to go down there eventually anyways. There is no "injury from the fall" (unless due to his own bad luck, but it doesn't happen in when he actually goes down, so...) because he is a god who jumps up and down these heights all the time. This the same dude who has to jump down from the heavens to do work. Why should he have allowed San-lang or, god forbid, an actual human to go down there first in his stead when 1) he knows he can handle the task but has no evidence that they can and 2) he knows that even if he can't somehow handle it, there's still Mu Qing and Feng Xin and he, himself, cannot die?

Fight between Hua Cheng and Lang Qianqiu: Xie Lian had tried to stealth and de-escelate, but Lang Qianqiu was the one who charged forward in reckless anger. Xie Lian, seeing that Hua Cheng's blow would kill him if it connected, absorbed the blow, instead, because he knew he could, only injuring an arm. Was Xie Lian supposed to let his former student die in front of him just because to save his life would injure him in a way that he would heal from fairly quickly?

The needle and the fetus spirit: I analyze the needle scene here (and will return to this analysis at the end), actually, but as for him doing whatever it took to capture the fetus spirit, once again, this was a matter of life or death, and Xie Lian had a choice between temporary pain or sacrificing someone else's life so that he wouldn't be injured. What kind of cultivator would he be, exactly, to let civilians die for his comfort? A cultivator who was asked to save lives, mind you. He could have chosen to avoid the needle and let the fetus spirit escape to kill again, but he didn't.

Now, I'll give you another example of Xie Lian choosing "pain": during the Birthday extra, Xie Lian is experiencing pain so badly that it makes him blackout. He hides it because celebrating Hua Cheng's birthday with him for the first time is more important. After it's discovered, Mu Qing and Feng Xin realize that the pain seems to be worse around Hua Cheng and theorize that putting some distance between the two would give Xie Lian reprieve enough to figure out what's going on. Hua Cheng leaves immediately, no questions asked, because his priority is Xie Lian's wellbeing. Xie Lian, on the other hand, panics, because while physical pain is something Hua Cheng cannot tolerate him experiencing even if Xie Lian can handle it, the emotional pain Xie Lian derives from feeling abandoned is something he cannot handle. He immediately sends himself back to his husband's side. While Xie Lian can tolerate pain, he only tolerates what he wants to and never seeks out pain for himself.

As for Hua Cheng, a loved one being upset at your experiencing of pain for whatever reason is not evidence of self-harming tendencies or a lack of self-care on your part. The thing about Hua Cheng's responses to Xie Lian allowing himself to be injured/pushing into danger is that Hua Cheng knows Xie Lian's history. He was there for the land of tender and saw Xie Lian mutilate himself to keep him safe. He was there in the temple when Xie Lian was mutilated against his will for the sake of others. He was there when Xie Lian was utterly abandoned by everyone he knew and loved and acting out in self-destructive ways. All of Xie Lian's worst moments, he's experienced, and his whole goal of amassing power was to be able to protect his beloved. Even when he wasn't there, he was collecting information and stories on his whereabouts and experiences. But Xie Lian doesn't know this when they first meet.

Xie Lian has spent 800 years as a lone wanderer with no long-term companions and no one who even knew of his existence. He could only rely on himself from his early 20s on. Not even his friends were dependable, and that is the mentality that Xie Lian has at the start of the story. "I cannot ask others to do right because they are unreliable, so I will do it, myself, without asking." Hua Cheng is upset at this mentality not because he believes that there is something wrong about Xie Lian but because he knows that this belief has sprung from the truth that Xie Lian really didn't have someone to depend on, and even though Hua Cheng's 's back again and ready to be that someone, the fact that Xie Lian is still risking himself instinctively without even considering that Hua Cheng can help him means that he has not proven to his beloved that he is dependable and is here to stay.

So for your conjecture, it's not that Hua Cheng is being overprotective, but he wants Xie Lian to see him as the pillar of support that he is and realize that he no longer has to fight anything alone. And it's not that Xie Lian stopped caring about his own hurts until someone else started caring for him, it's that he hasn't had the luxury to care and tend to his own hurts, because no one was gonna do the things that needed to be done while he took a rest. Others may have had him, but he only had himself. Until Hua Cheng, of course.

[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!

[ardenrabbit]

Hello! I was rereading A Long and Slow Recovery and read those moments when Hua Cheng’s butterflies would just randomly flutter off him. It seemed to happen when he was feeling happy or some strong positive emotion. I just thought it was a really nice touch to add that. And another small tell to let us know how strongly and how GOOD he feels being around his Gege, especially when Xie Lian is displaying his love and affection for him. 🌸🌸🌸

Ahh thank you!!! 💐💖💐 I just feel like when he's that stupid happy he needs to vent it somehow lol. Thinking about how MXTX was saying that HC pulls away and avoids touch with XL either as self-punishment or specifically because he's afraid he'll get too excited about touching his God, so my brain extrapolated that to mean that HC gets overstimulated and overwhelmed lol (hence alasr chapter 21 lmaooo). Also, ghost fever when he needs to offload spiritual energy? He's venting! And he's literally never been this happy before, so how else is he supposed to cope? 😂 So instead of kicking and screaming, he just converts it to spiritual energy and burns it off via butterflies?? Idk I think it's cute 😅💖

Thank you so much for these comments, they make me so happy 💕🥹💕

[thestupidhelmet]

Hello! 🤗

Can you think of a storyline where you still have the main ships (Jackie/hyde, Donna/eric, etc) but in addition to this Jackie and Eric actually manage to become good friends?

Absolutely. I've written a few fanfics that do this. Beneath a Shattered Sky, in particular, explores and develops their relationship into a deep friendship.

I develop their friendship in other stores, but it's a main feature of BaSS.

[illuminatedferret]

#mu qing#xie lian#jun wu#i think it's a very good point that mu qing and xie lian did switch places#not for a day or a year but for centuries#life is hard#life is unfair#i think mu qing's response is the natural response#i understand it completely#but what i love about xie lian is that he actively chooses kindness#compassion#and doing the right thing#he's not perfect but this is something he cultivates#and god that's not an easy thing to do when you know how cruel people can be (from @silver-cyn)

There's something to be said about how Mu Qing and Jun Wu both held these ideas about Xie Lian and who he really is as a person- specifically, that his kind and forgiving nature is a lie, and deep down he's actually just like them. These are ideas Mu Qing and Jun Wu spent centuries believing, refusing to be convinced otherwise until they had no other choice.

But that's where their similarities end. Because while Mu Qing resents Xie Lian for his good character, he also honestly admires him for it. Jun Wu, on the other hand, 'loves' Xie Lian, but grows angrier each time he's reminded of how different they really are. And so I think it's very fitting that when Mu Qing finally swallows his pride and admits his preconceptions and faults to Xie Lian, it's on the Heavens-Crossing Bridge, the literal wreckage of Jun Wu's hopes and dreams.

[thecake-isalie]

Tessa’s touys :(

[thefishinyourwalls]

My lord if this isn’t projecting I don’t know what is uhh NEW HC SILVER NUMBER 1 MD FAN 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

[kittydragondraws]

Silver Retrievers Cyn

Basically an AU where N and Cyn swap places, Cyn becoming the disassembly drone and N becoming the antichrist.

(Also I know you can't see it but she has a hat. It's like N's but has a bow on the back and she wears it backwards cause she's quirky.)

[dragons-hoard-of-fandoms]

Cannot BELIEVE that literally every single Sonic AU in this fandom casts Tails/Nine as Cyn when Sage is RIGHT THERE.

[mxtxfanatic]

Hello!!

What did you think about Jun Wu's ending? Do you think he got off easy after everything he's done? 

And, iirc, you mentioned that Mu Qing kicking out Hua Cheng from the army wasn't really a good thing. That it took away an opportunity for him for upward growth out of poverty. Is it possible to add more on this thought? I remember when I first read that part in the novel, it did seem like a good thing (as kids fighting in wars generally isn't great)So this was an interesting take for me.

Lastly, anything about the Xie Lian calamity time period that seems like an uncommon take that the novel backs up pretty clearly?

Feel free to answer all or whichever one catches your interest most. TIA! 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Alright, a few questions lol.

I think Jun Wu's ending is fine. The problem is that the main story ending (at least in the unedited version) doesn't make it clear what happened to him, but the extras say he's being suppressed under a mountain as all extremely dangerous evil beings in cultivation novels tend to be, so this tracks.

My uncommon calamity period take? Xie Lian was never gonna destroy Yong'an. The man with the bamboo hat helped, but he was not the deciding factor.

Now onto the biggest topic: Mu Qing and his life-destroying jealousies. Tgcf, despite being written in the modern day by a modern author, is set in an ancient time period where things we find harsh or dangerous, now, are an acceptable part of the "ancient" narrative. Why is Mu Qing being a child warrior battling ghosts and demons (a cultivator) acceptable, but Hong-er being a child soldier battling other people isn't? Why is no one arguing that 14yo child servant Mu Qing shouldn't have been working because "child labor"? Is it because we understand that the setting allows for certain situations that create upwards mobility in place of modern conventions that do not exist in the story? Government safety nets don't exist to protect them in this fictional fantasy, so Mu Qing works instead to keep himself and his disabled mother out of poverty. We, the readers, accept this when we pick up ancient setting novels. Likewise, people begin the path of cultivation in these stories as young children and are sent out on dangerous tasks to hone their skills. This, we also accept as a part of the setting, because it is fictional and there is no real world equivalent of "we send children out to fight demons" in the modern world. So in a setting where, just like cultivators, future generals are sent to war at a young age to earn income, merit, and maybe a more permanent job, what makes war the moment where people wanna draw the line of "morally acceptable"?

Now those are all general genre observations, so let's get to the tgcf-specific ones. Hong'er is a soldier because he has no choice, just like Mu Qing became a servant because he had no choice. Both were children in poverty who needed to earn an income or suffer. None of these circumstances are meant to be seen as acceptable and unavoidable in the world of tgcf, but their causes are due to widespread, hierarchical corruption that the story makes exceedingly clear cannot be resolved simply by focusing on the life paths of an individual. Mu Qing had the fortune to have a loving, living parent, even if she couldn't work, and made it into the palace where he fortunately caught the crown prince's eye, while Hong'er was an abandoned child who faced stigma from his entire community and who Mu Qing maliciously denied the same opportunity of earning the crown prince's grace. Hong'er had even less choices than Mu Qing, and we see this when Xie Lian finds him again after Mu Qing kicked him out, where he is back on the goddamn streets.

If Mu Qing was thinking about Hong'er's wellbeing when he made that decision, he would've brought it up to Xie Lian when Xie Lian mentioned having him promoted (you know, so he can learn better skills, earn better pay, and not just become a cannon fodder soldier on some forgotten battlefield). Hell, he could've given the kid some money or set him up with something else so that he wouldn't have to be a soldier. What does Mu Qing do instead? He first tries to dissuade Xie Lian from promoting him by saying that "it's against military rule" to promote someone so young, and when Xie Lian still insists, he goes behind his back to kick him out completely, apparently calls Hong'er trash, and leaves him with the assumption that it was under Xie Lian's orders that the teen be discharged immediately:

[Xie Lian] trailed off, recalling immediately what exactly transpired that night many months ago and just how discomposed he was. Images filled his mind and he reddened, feeling slightly awkward, and hurriedly cleared his throat, “So it was you. I was going to look for you a while back, but with so much on my plate I’d forgotten. Ahem, aren’t you a soldier in the army? Why are you in the city?” Hearing him, that boy was taken aback and replied, a little mopingly, “I’m not in the army anymore.” Xie Lian was bewildered, “Huh? Why not?” That boy was even more bewildered, “I... got kicked out. Your highness, did... did you not know?!” Xie Lian was perplexed, “Know what?”

—Chapt. 83: Land of the Tender; Body of Gold Hard-Pressed Against Desire (Part 4), fan translation

Mu Qing replied, his face covered in blood, “I only made him go home, it’s not like fighting a war is a good thing! How should I know he’d end up this crazy, holding grudges until now!...” Before he finished another forceful punch landed, BAM!, and his face was almost contorted. Hua Cheng smiled, “Think I can’t guess why you booted me back then? Hm?” Mu Qing’s eyes flashed. Hua Cheng then snickered, “Isn’t it more than obvious now who the useless trash is?” “...” It was as if Mu Qing was stabbed where it hurt and he spat out a mouthful of blood, then he said, spitefully slow, “Thank goodness I kicked you out, otherwise if we kept you in the army and allowed you to get closer to his highness, were you just going to watch him all day with your mind full of unspeakable filth? Disgusting!”

—Chapt. 176: Cave of Ten Thousand Gods; Faces of Ten Thousand Gods (Part 2), fan translation

Did any of this save Hong'er in the long run? No, because he dies as what? A cannon fodder child soldier on a forgotten battlefield. And then Mu Qing has the audacity to say that it was a good thing that he kicked the teen back to the streets, explicitly not because he "prolonged his life" or whatever, but because it kept a devotee away from his friend that is oh so above being worshiped by a street child. Nowhere in this confrontation does Mu Qing ever say that he did what he did to protect Hong'er just that "well, being in war isn't good, anyways!" nor did Hua Cheng say that Mu Qing explained his actions as such. Mu Qing ruined Hong'er's one chance for upwards mobility and recognition because he was jealous that Xie Lian said the boy reminded him of Mu Qing:

Dressed, Xie Lian lowered his arms and sat down poised on the bed, “That child was pretty skilled, I think he’s got really good potential with the sabre. If he’s taught well he’d definitely be spectacular when he’s older. Mu Qing, remember to find him for me when you get a chance. Settle him well. He could be appointed.” Xie Lian was someone who loved those who were skilled in martial arts, and just had to appoint them to his side just so he could watch them everyday and soak in delight. This wasn’t the first time he made such a comment, but it was the first time it was directed to a child. Mu Qing heard him make those “really good potential with the sabre”, “spectacular when he’s older” remarks and his expression turned unreadable, scrunching up the hair band he’d just untied from Xie Lian in his hand, and turned around to throw it to the side. Feng Xin on the other hand, remarked, “That brat only looks to be about fourteen or fifteen, isn’t that too young? What’s he gonna do after getting appointed?” Mu Qing spoke up too in a flat voice, “It’s not proper. It’d be against military rule.”

—Chapt. 83: Land of the Tender; Body of Gold Hard-Pressed Against Desire (Part 4), fan translation

So why should we celebrate this as an act meant to "protect a child?" When politicians sign laws abolishing child protections and legalizing child labor under the guise of "fighting poverty," do we praise them for "protecting children," too?

[one-flower-one-sword]

Hello, and thanks again for sharing your thoughts on my previous ask.

More random thoughts to share! : -D

At the end of the fight with Jun Wun, Xie Lian props up his bamboo hat to shield Jun Wu from the rain. That really stood out to me. Jun Wu tormented him for so long. Most people would spit on his body and burn it. Haha, maybe not all that, BUT, they wouldn't give him any sliver of kindness and that would be expected. Xie Lian doing so is just another tell of how much compassion he has for others, and it just blows me away. I couldn't help but see the parallels between what he did for Jun Wu there and the kindness the man with the bamboo hat showed him. I'm still thinking on this a bit, but...Xie Lian had people who loved him (Hua Cheng) and showed kindness to him (the man with the bamboo hat) even at his lowest. I wonder, even if unconsciously, if he wanted to provide some hope to Jun Wu that he can move forward past the worst part of himself. Not saying at all that Xie Lian wants to be part of that process, simply that once Jun Wu is no longer trying to actively harm him or others, he doesn't have any ill will to him. (but even that is over simplifying things - I'm sure Xie Lian could have bad days where he does). But that's my vague thought on this... Xie Lian is able to see the good in people even while not dismissing the bad they've done. To me, it seems he tries to nurture that as much as possible. What are your thoughts on that scene though? :) __________

Interestingly enough, Xie Lian has the hardest time with Qi Rong's personality. Qi Rong is mean-spirited, self-aggrandizing, and cruel as a child, and even more so as a ghost. By the time he's a wrath ghost and we see him facing off with Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, he's really quite pitiful. He can't even see how pathetic he is and it really comes off like a child begging for any attention he can get, even if it's bad attention. Xie Lian's feelings towards him are very complicated. I find it a little ironic and sad because it really does seem that if Qi Rong had had a much firmer and consistent hand in discipline, boundaries and love, that things could've been different for him. Maybe Xie Lian could have when they were young and both alive, but Xie Lian had so much going on himself and honestly, Xie Lian was still a child himself! The adults needed to step in at that time. And when Xie Lian is old enough, I think he's realized he just can't with Qi Rong. For whatever reason - history, personality, family dynamics he can't deal with Qi Rong in a compassionate way and so does what he can and keeps his distance (until present time run-ins start happening). And honestly, that's probably one of the few acts of self-care and boundaries Xie Lian set for himself. He knew his limits with Qi Rong. I do want to be clear that Qi Rong's actions are his own. He's hurt and killed many. He made his own poor choices and is responsible for that. I just think, if from the beginning, if he'd had someone who could be firm and compassionate, things could've been different for him. And potentially, if he'd met someone as a wrath with the patience and compassion to guide him, things could've been different...even if it took another 800 years! On the flip side, maybe Qi Rong did come across such a person but rejected it. We'll never know since it wasn't revealed in the book, but it's interesting to think about. Also, this is the first time I've thought about their relationship dynamics so I could totally be missing some things. What are your thoughts on their relationship dynamic? ------- On a more lighthearted note - one of the things I really love about the novel are all the many ways Xie Lian and Hua Cheng show their love and care for each other. Not just with big moments, but in little ways too with words and actions. There's so much material and every time I'm reminded of it, I just smile inside. I'm so happy for them! But one scene in particular that came to me was right after Xie Lian and "Ming Yi" help Shi Qingxuan escape the Heavenly Capital. They go back to Puqi Shrine and find Hua Cheng tidying up the place with essentially his shirt off. Xie Lian gets flustered and tells him to put his clothes back on and once he does, Xie Lian notices his collar is a little crooked and straightens it for him. Haha, I thought it was very sweet and definitely a "you're already married" moment. : ) Any favorite small moments you remember off the bat?

Thank you for your ask! I'm sorry it took me so long to reply after all (the funeral was last week, so as you can imagine the days leading up to and after it were quite stressful and draining). That said, let's get right into it :3 Gonna go through it from the top:

Xie Lian - His kindness and compassion really are admirable. It's why I find it so baffling when he's described as naive and/or arrogant by fans because that's not at all how the text portrays him. Throughout the story, he's the one willing to against the status quo - both in the human realm and in heaven - and to help the ones no one else cares about, no matter how much pain it results in for him personally. The trauma Jun Wu causes him almost makes him lose himself and then afterwards there's a long time where he blames himself and it's only through meeting Hua Cheng (again) that he gains back his confidence - and like you said, the final scene with Jun Wu shows in such an understated yet profound way that the core of who Xie Lian is has not changed at all: someone who believes that people deserve saving, that kindness is never in vain.

Qi Rong - I can't think of much else to add at the moment, but yeah just like you said, he might have turned out different had he had better parental guidance, but in the end the text is very firm that our choices are our own. I think it's also interesting that when people call Xie Lian naive and arrogant for wanting to save the common people and blame it on him being "spoiled and privileged", it's actually Qi Rong who demonstrates what happens when people born into privilege never question their status and instead do everything they can to take advantage of it and uphold it. Meanwhile Xie Lian even at seventeen was very critical of the power structures and morals that surrounded him and unlike Qi Rong didn't believe that he should be held to a different standard of justice than those "lower" than him. And it can't be chalked up to different guidance, since Xie Lian's views clashed repeatedly with those of his parents and his teachers.

Hualian - I absolutely adore all those small moments that showcast their relationship. Some of my favorites that immediately come to my mind are when they're in heaven and Mei Nianqing is explaining about Jun Wu's past and then inquiring about Xie Lian kissing Hua Cheng:

"Xie Lian could sense that he'd have a hard time swallowing whatever the state preceptor was about to tell him. He wanted to call for Hua Cheng, but before he could do so, Hua Cheng had already come to sit beside him." [...]

"When Xie Lian realized that Hua Cheng likely hadn't lived past eighteen, his fingers trembled. Hua Cheng reached out with one arm and gently covered Xie Lian's chilly hands, palm to back. Although their skin was equally icy, there was warmth where their hands touched." [...]

"Xie Lian had been desperately trying to stop the state preceptor from talking, but with no success. Covering his face, he silently shuffled behind Hua Cheng, who smiled and circled an arm around him as he raised his brows."

Hua Cheng's mere presence is such a source of comfort and safety for Xie Lian, it makes me so ;_; that he wanted him near for emotional support. And they're so tactile, so gentle with each other, always seeking to be close and to reassure and comfort each other through touch ;_;

I feel like I just rambled but I hope my answers managed to still be interesting and satisfying! Thank you for your ask, the distraction and interaction really helps rn <3

[ardenrabbit]

Happy New Year!!!! Good wishes and good vibes to you! ^_^ I read the latest update for A Long and Slow Recovery which was just so sweet to read. They are so in love. I wanted to hug Xie Lian when he realized Hua Cheng was the reason he could meditate before, and I also understood his desire to do so without Hua Cheng there. And all the interactions in Ghost City were just a pleasure to read. I also reread the Xianle Quartet chapter and I just LOVE it so much. I love Hua Cheng being petty and mean to Mu Qing and Feng Xin while still meeting the basic requirements of being a hospitable host. I love flipping back and forth between his intense dislike(hatred?) of them to his intense love for Xie Lian. I love for every bit of shade and distrust Fengqing throw at Hua Cheng, Xie Lian remains calm and simply inquires further into the circumstances. To me, it shows he knows and understands Hua Cheng and when he has his questions answered, it only confirms his belief that for whatever Hua Cheng may have done, he had a reason for it and acted honorably(or at least in a way none could really find fault with). I love how Xie Lian had that small flinch when he heard Hua Cheng put his ashes on the line, but didn't twitch at all about the other heavenly officials. I love how quietly confident and unashamed he is to acknowledge his love and relationship with Hua Cheng.

I love Feng Xin showing gratitude and respect to Hua Cheng and Hua Cheng's response. I just...loved all of it and feel incredibly pleased and happy whenever I read it. I have a thing for Xianle Quartet dynamics, haha. Thank you, thank you, thank you! ^_^

Silver thank you so much!!! 💖 Aghfhf I'm so sorry for replying to this so late. I'm so happy you're still enjoying alasr! Honestly I had so much fun with the Xianle quartet chapter lol, their dynamics are all so weird. They're all doing their best, but Xie Lian is really the only person who likes everyone else in the room. Feng Xin and Mu Qing would walk through hell for Xie Lian, but they really just wish he'd stop living with the devil. And aaaaaaah writing Hua Cheng is probably my favorite lol. He's so certain of his priorities and yet so uncertain of himself at times. I'm really glad you liked that chapter!! 💜 Wishing you an awesome 2025!

[labyrinth-zone-act-1]

i have so many characters i wanna be the quote unquote number one fan of but like . every time im like " nah im not big enough fan theres someone who likes them more . " even if im clinically insane about them

[steampunk-arc-knight]

Attention Murder Drones fans!

I give to thee: blog stickers to show to the world who your faves are!

This is part one cause of media limit

Thad is in pink text cuz originally it was for my friend so I apologize for that lol

[hoshinorail]

Drawing some favorites from memory

Dude some of these turned out awful

I need a reference to draw correctly

[thefishinyourwalls]

er er ermmm uhhh here magma shits that I did with @melystar48 :3 mely so cool and stinky trust