#there was no reason for Xiao Ge to place his hand on Wu Xie like that and Yet He Did and his hand drifted down over Wu Xie's hello??

[moonlightfilly]

hand holding???

[whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst]

Things That Like, Technically, Are “My Headcanons” Rather Than Lost Tomb Canon But Still Happened, Okay: Le sequel

1.) Once, due to a schedule error, Wang Pangzi and Liu Sang ended up sitting next to each other on a 12-hour flight. Wang Pangzi remembers it fondly as one of the most fun bro trips ever. Liu Sang counts this night as worse than that time he lost his hearing, because unfortunately during this time he could hear everything.

2.) Hei Xiazi is never available for work on Thursday afternoons. Only Xie Yuchen knows that it’s because that’s his day to lead storytime at the library. He does all the voices.

3.) Wu Xie has had to deal with some absolutely incredible con artists, some brilliant manipulative types, he’s had to scheme with the best of them, think like a mastermind, develop his own deception skills—so the only person in this world who can still successfully lie to him is Zhang Qiling, who avoids doing this at all costs.

4.) Wu Erbai feeds the birds in the park every weekend with Xiao Bai. It’s their thing.

5.) Li Cu punched a guy who was hitting on Liu Sang at a bar and ignoring his repeated requests to back off, bc no one messes with his superhearing, supermodel…brother in law? Uncle? Cousin? Fellow accidental Wu? Unclear. Whatever. His eyes are up here. Liu Sang was exasperated by this, considering he could and would have handled it, okay. Wang Pangzi made desserts for Li Cu for a week. Kan Jian insisted on accompanying Liu Sang to bars as ���backup/slingshot bouncer.” Zhang Qiling offered to train Li Cu after classes. Wu Xie patted his head and smiled as he innocently inquired about the bar creep’s description.

6.) Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling actually *do* have pet names for each other—it’s just that Wu Xie calls Zhang Qiling “Xiao Ge” with the understanding of the intimacy behind that, their history together, his refusal to see Xiao Ge as just some weapon or patriarch. When Wu Xie says “Xiao Ge” he means “my reason” (on several levels)…and no one except maybe Pangzi fully realizes that to Zhang Qiling, the name “Wu Xie” is the most important name in the world, something soft and good that he has kept when he’s lost everything. When Zhang Qiling says “Wu Xie” he means “my one connection to this world”.

7.) Wu San Xing and his crew once ran into Wu Xie and his crew in a tomb entirely by coincidence, but neither of them would accept that it was coincidence. Xiao Ge was forced to sit between them on a car ride leaving the tomb in order to curb chaos, Liu Sang sent him a sympathy text.

8.) Wu Xie has a small and intricate tattoo of a black and gold sword over his heart. Zhang Qiling hated the idea at first (you literally stabbed yourself with needles? For me? Why would I ever want that?? and I have one already??) but within a week Wu Xie has noticed that when they are curled up at night and Zhang Qiling is the big spoon, one hand always comes over to rest very gently on that area of his chest. The other hand splays over one of his lungs.

9.) Hei Xiazi is in a Dungeons and Dragons group that he joined when he was bored, intending to mess with their missions, but somehow he got invested and now they keep succeeding as a result of his actions.

10.) Someone tried to ransom Wu Xie to Zhang Rishan with the idea that he was married into the family. Zhang Rishan claimed later that this was the day that cemented Wu Xie’s place in the family, but in truth this was the day Zhang Rishan seriously contemplated disowning himself just to get away. Wu Xie was recovered within a day, unharmed and extremely smug about their enemies calling him Zhang Qiling’s spouse, although they never figured out who had tipped off the Wu family to the hideout (one of the kidnappers who was sick to death of having such a nonchalant and smartass hostage).

[redxblueihateloveyou]

hoa! hoa! hoa!, so the coma sequence was a reference of novel Xiao ge walking to death with Wu xie? cause boooi that scene gets a whole new dimension of feels xD u can see ZYL going thru a whole range of emotions before settling on resignation, at first I thought it was because they were gonna separate but the implication that he knew in that moment that his lover-not-lover was gonna follow anyways is... and it ties up with the 4 ep when Wu Xie tells him if he gonna die it will be on the road and Xiaoge is all 'baby I'll follow u'... man... THE BAR IS HIGH

Yeah!!! I for real am saying, this is hands down THE BEST pingxie scene in all the series to me!! because it's literally both hella important things about the two (and maybe even more meanings behind as @eirenical said in her post), bc they played it ohhh sooo damn well). 1st its for sure that he stopped him from "going into the light" and it's partially SOP (or NYs??) scene when he had a nightmare of dead PanZi (Ah Ning wasn't there in the book if I remember correctly?) and then he was standing near that monument thinking how he must live cause Xiaoge will come back soon.

But its not only this, cause that doesn't quite explain all of it and his nod as in "its okay". There was also another post here (I cannot find it T_T), that said this too. That brings us to the 2nd part where he dreamt about himself dying and how Xiaoge being there the moment he dies made him feel tanquil: "I think I was seriously sick and felt as if I chose the end of my life myself. But for some reason with him there next to me I was surprisingly content and felt no regrets. So what if I can't live forever with him, at least for a bit I found a way to coexist with him in the same place at the same time... I didn't think it would be so romantic. No one else in this world could turn death into a spice that brings out the taste of dreamy romance. No one else could make it so effortless." Bc in SOP book he was very scared of a dream of dead PanZi and it's seen in this scene in Reboot too, he clearly doesn't want to go with them and he's scared too. But in his notes he says that if Xiaoge is with him, he's surpringly fine with it and feels safe, content and unafraid. I will fucking not cry no.

But also 3rd one.. lets not forget his (and Qiling's too) fetish of I quote "we either go on together or we die together" (and we all remember the mountain walk of "You're going there to die, aren't you? If so, I'm going with you.") So we know canonically they both admitted that one won't exist without the other, but in the books it's in Wu Xie's thoughts and Xiaoge's "you're the only thing that ties me to this world" still doesn't reach his brain, so there he constantly thinks that "if Xiaoge dies, I also don't wanna live, but if I die, Xiaoge will keep living" BUT in Reboot the changed it (to make it as a happy end) bc there like they both clearly know that if Wu Xie dies they both die and don't hide it in any way (that's why I made this post xD). So I don't exclude the fact that what stopped him was also the fact that Xiaoge was like "its okay" and after that Wu Xie was like "hell to the no" lol

The bar is sooo high I can't even, I mean how do I live with these two and their love, idk, they ruined everything for me and they keep going T_T

[wuxian-vs-wangji]

Sorry if you've answered this before but I'm curious about the lost tomb. Does one need to watch the other seasons to watch the reboot or whatever the new thing is? I saw gifs from it a couple months back and thought the cast was really pretty but didn't watch because I didn't want to have to watch all that other stuff to get to the pretty boys yanno? Would I be losing out on anything by not watching the other content?

Hum...

So I watched “The Lost Tomb” first, the original season is only 10 episodes long, and then dove immediately into “Reunion”;  but since every single character is re-cast between seasons with extremely few exceptions, you still have to learn everyone over again. I did feel like I was missing some stuff, but not to a degree that impacted my viewing.

Um... I’ll make a little character guide for you. Read that and you should be fine::

Wu Xie (Iron Triangle #1)

Wu Xie is the main POV focus. Wu Xie’s great-grandfather began robbing tombs during China’s great famine as a way to feed his family. He left behind The Gravedigger’s Notebook (title of the book series), which catalogues hidden tombs both explored and rumored. It is considered the family’s greatest treasure.

Wu Xie does not rob tombs to make money. He believes in studying their history and secrets, and sort of goes in as an advanced scout before summoning archaeological teams and donating everything inside to museums and such.

In the original “Lost Tomb” series (2015), Wu Xie is poisoned inside a tomb. To save his life, Xiao Ge feeds him something called “Dragon Medicine”- an ancient, rare form of Chinese medicine that grows more potent with age. The piece Wu Xie eats is 3,000 years old, and it causes permanent changes to his DNA. This appears in the story as both Wu Xie’s blood being used to protect others sometimes and whenever someone mentions Wu Xie having “Dragon’s Blood”.

Kylin // Zhang Qiling // Xiao Ge (Iron Triangle #2)

A 100+++ year old tomb raider. Xiao Ge is the patriarch of the most powerful tomb raiding family- though he doesn’t have anything to do with them. His kind are incredibly long lived and he may even be an immortal- so long as he doesn’t die of injury, starvation, cold, etc.

His blood is a deterrent to most of the creepy crawlies in tombs, it can cure some poisons, and he has two fingers on his right hand that are elongated and possess near super strength thanks to an ancient and lost technique. 

Xiao Ge often wanders off on his own, but he always appears when Wu Xie is in trouble. For an unknown reason, Xiao Ge has had a couple instances in the past where he as badly injured and lost time or memory entirely, so much of his past is a mystery to him as well.

Wang Pangzi // Fatty (Iron Triangle #3)

Wu Xie’s constant companion and, along with Xiao Ge, one of his best friends. Pangzi was a tomb robber once upon a time, but a couple of raids in a row landed him with Wu Xie, who doesn’t allow him to steal.

Pangzi has friends in low places, but Wu Xie has become the person he is most loyal to. Seriously, they act like an old married couple most of the time. Oh, and Pangzi might have magical abilities like Xiao Ge- no matter how long they’ve been in a tomb or how unprepared they were to enter, he somehow always has plenty of peanuts or sunflower seeds in his pockets. It’s a running joke.

** Wu Xie’s uncle Sanxing had a companion and right hand man named Panzi who is mentioned a couple times. It gets confusing, just a heads up.

Wu Sanxing // Third Uncle

(Couldn’t find a GIF)

Wu Xie’s father is the first brother, Wu Sanxing is the third (the second is listed next). Wu Xie idolized his uncle Sanxing his entire life, but Wu Sanxing vanished after a tomb exploration, never to be seen or heard from again. 

Wu Xie’s guiding mission is to find his uncle Sanxing at all costs- but to do that he must use his grandfather’s notebook to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and try to piece together a decades-old mystery.

Wu Erbai // Second Uncle

Wu Xie’s... second uncle, lmao!

With Wu Sanxing missing, Wu Erbai is the only family Wu Xie has around (in some “Lost Tomb” adaptations Wu Xie says his parents are dead, but in this one it is implied they are alive but estranged from Wu Xie). Wu Erbai is a bit of a mob boss, though he is kind to his family. He tends to finance Wu Xie’s explorations and takes a keen interest in his nephew’s safety and wellbeing.

A-Ning

(No GIF)

A-Ning was one of the first tomb robbers Wu Xie ever encountered on his travels. Over “The Lost Tomb” series, Wu Xie and A-Ning go from enemies to friends- and there are little hints that they may have been heading towards intimate relations.

In “Reunion”, A-Ning is revealed to have died on Wu Xie’s watch as they searched for a tomb (IDK if this is part of another of the Lost Tomb shows, I’m going back now to watch my way through the whole series). Her memory is very present in the story, so it was worth mentioning her.

Black Glasses // Hei Yanjing

(Not Giffed, but... you know... look for a dude all in black wearing sunglasses religiously)

One of the people Wu Erbai has on his payroll. Black Glasses is another semi-immortal. He is only a little bit younger than Xiao Ge, and very nearly his equal in terms of power. 

Yanjing’s main abilities lie in his eyes though. Out in the world- day or night- he is blind without his simple black sunglasses. In a pitch-black tomb though, he can see perfectly due to his insanely good night vision.

Xiao Ge fights mainly with his sword, but Yanjing is more fond of modern weapons such as guns. He’ll use anything to his advantage- and he’s quite mouthy. I think he and Xiao Ge are... cousins? Or something?

=========

=========

That’s pretty much it for “Reunion”. There are a few other characters who are returns from earlier seasons, but their purposes are pretty easy to guess and their roles minor enough that you’ll pick up on their characters pretty quickly. This includes Liu Sang- the one whose GIFsets I keep sharing :)

The show contains itself in its own story very well, so I think you’ll be able to make it through. But if you feel lost, all I watched before going into it was “The Lost Tomb” from 2015 (10 episodes), mainly to learn who the characters are. You can also look up the characters in the DMBJ Wiki (DMBJ = shorthand for the name of the novel).

[selenuntius]

Zhang Longevity - Southern Archives

Hello I know I just wrote about this at length but like I acknowledged in that post, I hadn’t read Southern Archives. Well now I have, and I’ll make a couple of additions/speculations based on the information in that. Don’t read if you haven’t read Southern Archives. Some of this information is related to plot points.

The main takeaway from Southern Archives that’s truly unambiguous is that there is a way to destroy the Zhang longevity (quite violently it appears).

Two other ones that have ambiguity to them are related to qilin blood. It’s a bit hard to just give a conclusion so I won’t be giving one here. My take beneath the break, or just read the novel.

Again, I’m trying to make clear what’s speculation and what’s actually in there, but I think even just by pointing out ambiguity, I’m making an argument. Just read the goddamn novel, really, especially to draw your own conclusions about the qilin blood things.

There are some other takeaways from Southern Archives about Zhang clan lore but I thought I should make a followup of sorts to my previous post with new info. Also Southern Archives was a pretty good read. I enjoyed the third-person POV and the period atmosphere. Zhang Haiyan, Haixia and others are some very engaging characters. I feel I may be a little attracted to Zhang Haiqi but I also want to call her mommy, so you can say I’m in a bit of a Haiyan predicament.

Zhang longevity can be destroyed

Probably one of our biggest takeaways from Southern Archives. This was achieved here via some kind of gas. The people who became aware of this in Southern Archives are Zhang Qishan (and some of his clan?), Zhang Haiqi, Zhang Hailou, Mo Yungao.

This may give support for the Zhang Qishan died because he found a way to age normally theory.

Zhang longevity is in their “blood” (not said to be the same blood as qilin blood; might just be blood as in they’re born with it)

This one is more ambiguous. The quote I’m drawing this from is in c.55:

“That German nerve gas was not produced in Germany, and its origins are unclear. It seemed to be able to destroy the mechanisms within Zhang people’s blood. Mo Yungao mentioned in his records that he found this by chance, and only possessed a single cylinder of it.”

If you’re checking your sources and see that this translation and merebear’s edited MTL is different and want to know why, I will leave a note at the end about this.

Anyways, like I said, I feel like immediately saying that this blood refers to qilin blood is a bit of a leap. I, for one, mostly read it as like a Zhang inherited trait rather than qilin blood. I went into a bit of why I felt the qilin blood is directly linked to their longevity theory wasn’t the best in my previous post, and I did see a reblog also theorising about that but I was too tired to finish writing my response (and I didn’t want to seem like I’m trying to start shit; I really just have too much time on my hands).

If qilin blood is directly linked to longevity, then everyone who has lived for longer than usual has to have a bit of qilin blood. That would mean there’s some kind of threshold for recognising qilin blood, and below that threshold it counts for longevity, but isn’t strong enough to detect.

To confirm the theory, we need some kind of confirmation that an in-between state between full-on qilin blood and non-qilin blood exists. The blood has different degrees of strength - this is true. Wu Xie speculates that the Qiling is chosen by who has the strongest qilin blood (book 8 c.81; N.B. that in Shahai 3 a different reason for selecting our Qiling was hypothesised), and Zhang Haike talks about hearing rumours as a child that our Zhang Qiling had the strongest form of their kekkei genkai blood (ZHH 2 c.7).

However, I still think there’s a distinction between the ones who do and the ones who just don’t, and it’s not all about how strong the blood is. Going back to the Qipan Zhang sect, they wielded quite a lot of power within the clan because they “held the qilin”, which Wu Xie guesses to mean the qilin blood (book 8 c.50 p1). Don’t know if that meant only Qipan Zhang had qilin blood, or if there was just a higher occurrence and a greater strength (I’ve read a headcanon that it’s because the Qipan Zhang absorb anyone who has the blood). Also, Wu Xie says in the 2017 short of Zhang Hailou, “You’re from the branch family… like me, you have to worry about mosquitoes.” Wu Xie, by this point, is quite knowledgable about the Zhang clan so what he says is kinda? reliable. In fact, all three of the Zhang that have qilin blood are from the main family or descended from a sect of the main family (Haiqi is one of the few Hai-generation main family members, southern archives c.47; Qiling was part of the main family according to Haike; Foye is a descendant of Ruitong of Qipan Zhang and Wu Xie speculates at the end of book 8 that Foye’s father brought their entire sect out of the Northeast Zhang’s control, which makes Rishan a descendant of Qipan Zhang too). So is it only the main family that ever has proper qilin blood? If it’s a thing all Zhang have to a degree, surely sometimes it pops up in the branches too.

This is pretty much a joke but I was going to say that maybe bare min qilin blood only protects you from mosquitoes and nothing else but still counts for longevity, and I can’t even make that joke anymore…

The problem here is at what point do we stop saying the longevity has to do with qilin blood and just say the longevity runs in the family, and for some reason, Foye didn’t get it (or died for other reasons). And even if we take a step back and say, yes, longevity does come with the Zhang blood but qilin blood makes you live even longer, not enough time has passed for us to say that.

An addendum about qilin blood, not directly related to longevity: Can qilin blood be an acquired trait?

Mo Yungao believes qilin blood to be an acquired trait, because he asked Zhang Qiling about it and he said it was acquired (Archives c.55).

This is contradicted in other places, for example, by Zhang Haike in ZHH 2 c.7, where he specifically talks about qilin blood as an inherited trait. The two previously mentioned passages about Qipan Zhang and from Wu Xie duking it out with Xiao Zhang Ge also support this, though less directly.

So, why did Zhang Qiling tell Mo Yungao it’s acquired?

There are a couple of possibilities, including Zhang Qiling lying and this actually being true and everyone else being wrong, but I think this was a misunderstanding.

Mainly because I don’t think the line is entirely without ambiguity.

He had asked this strange person if he had been born with his extraordinary abilities or if they were acquired, and the person had replied that they were acquired.

(I have another note about this line but it doesn’t matter for the ambiguity bit, so I’ll leave it at the bottom too.)

The key here is that Mo Yungao, in this omniscient narrator recollection, did not specifically ask about his blood. Mo Yungao clearly meant his blood, because a couple of lines above, Mo Yungao is saved by this person and his blood, and his later obsession is with this blood. But what he actually asked was his extraordinary abilities (plural) so maybe Zhang Qiling took it to mean combat ability rather than specifically his blood?

Again, there are other possibilities, but I prefer a simpler answer rather than a complicated one that takes more speculation to support.

Nerve gas line note:

The original contained the phrase 张家人血液中的肌理, literally “the skin texture of Zhang people’s blood”. This is because 肌理 (skin texture) was likely a typo of 机理 (which I translate as mechanisms here; not necessarily the best one. Could also use principles but I felt that sounded less physiological and more philosophical). These two words have the exact same pronunciation. XL makes these mistakes quite a lot, and because most of our stuff is sourced from his serialisation and web versions, these mistakes don’t get corrected. I suspect this is why merebear uses the vague sentence “but it seemed to specifically target the Zhang’s family blood” instead. It’s not a huge difference, but I thought I should explain my addition of mechanisms and using destroy instead of target (this I don’t quite understand, the original says destroy and I don’t see an issue with simply using destroy) so it doesn’t seem like I’m making stuff up.

Acquired abilities line note:

“Extraordinary abilities” is actually my guess of what XL means when he wrote 无常的能力, because I feel the adjective used is a misuse of the word. 无常 can mean changeable, can be a reference to a Buddhist concept of the cycle of life and death (don’t have the best grasp on this, but bear with me), can be a euphemism for death, or can be a kind of ghost? spirit? that collects people’s souls, kind of like the Grim Reaper I guess but they work for the king of hell. None of these quite fit here. The two characters, taken on their own can maybe mean something like extraordinary, so I’m thinking maybe that’s what XL’s trying to get at but used a slightly different word to replace what you might usually use for extraordinary (不凡 or smth idk), but not to great effect.

[sifeng]

2019′s Guzhuang Dramas

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

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

1. Love and Destiny (宸汐缘) - 8.3 [8.7]

Time Period: Xianxia

Starring: Zhang Zhen (张震), Ni Ni (倪妮)

Episode Number: 60

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

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

2. The Untamed (陈情令) - 8.3 [9.4]

Time Period: Wuxia

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

Episode Number: 50

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

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

Time Period: Tang Dynasty

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

Episode Number: 48

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

4. Young Blood (大宋少年志) - 8.2 [8.3]

Time Period: Song Dynasty

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

Episode Number: 42

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

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

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 55

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

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

Time Period: Wuxia

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

Episode Number: 24

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

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

Time Period: Chinese Republic

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

Episode Number: 58

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

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

Time Period: Wuxia

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

Episode Number: 37

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

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

Time Period: Chinese Republic

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

Episode Number: 21

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

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

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 24

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

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

Time Period: Chinese Republic

Starring: Bai Lu (白鹿), Xu Kai (许凯)

Episode Number: 48

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

12. Detective L (绅探) - 6.5 [8.5]

Time Period: Chinese Republic

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

Episode Number: 24

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

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

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 36

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

Related Shows: The Eternal Love (双世宠妃)

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

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 40

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

15. The Legends (招摇) - 6.2 [8.5]

Time Period: Wuxia

Starring: Bai Lu (白鹿), Xu Kai (许凯)

Episode Number: 56

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

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

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 56

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

17. Princess Silver (白发) - 6.0 [8.1]

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 58

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

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

Time Period: Wuxia

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

Episode Number: 50

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

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

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

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 51

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

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

Time Period: Song Dynasty

Starring: Xu Ke (徐可), Dai Luwa (代露娃)

Episode Number: 36

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

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

Time Period: Chinese Republic

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

Episode Number: 60

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

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

Time Period: Warring States Period

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

Episode Number: 62

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

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

Time Period: Chinese Republic

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

Episode Number: 60

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

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

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 41

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

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

Time Period: Fictional

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

Episode Number: 36

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

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

Time Period: Wuxia

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

Episode Number: 56

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

27. Queen Dugu (独孤皇后) - 3.9 [7.4]

Time Period: Sui Dynasty

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

Episode Number: 50

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

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

Time Period: Shang/Zhou Dynasty

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

Episode Number: 56

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

Ongoing Dramas:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming Dramas:

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

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

[whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst]

Texts from the Lost Tomb, part 5.3

Might fuck around and post the third part, it was supposed to be a one post tale but here we are

Wu Family Chat

Wu Erbai: One of you boys needs to update me right now, or I’m taking a squad to Zhang Rishan’s restaurant.

Wu San Xing: the fuck is going on my phone is blowing up and I haven’t even disappeared

Panzi: Sir, what’s the problem? Have the Zhangs moved against us?

Wu San Xing: if this is some domestic shit i s2g there is only room in this family for one asshole mess, Wu Xie is gonna have to be content with being the himbo mess, i want it on record

Wu Erbai: How lovely to see where your priorities are. Report in, you three, or I will take drastic steps.

Wang Pangzi: OKAY FOLKSES SO THE KINDA-SITUATION IS SOMEWHAT UNDER CONTROL MAYBE

Wu Erbai: …elaborate.

Wu Xie: hey uncle, I’m okay! Don’t worry:)

Wu Erbai: I will be the judge of that. Tell me what on earth is happening.

Panzi: Wu Xie, do you need us? I can have someone there in under ten minutes.

Wu Xie: nope, all good! If you send them your people might see some er cosmetic shifts to the building and also smoke but that’s just from Xiao Ge using his sword and the smoke grenade they threw and maybe that explosion later:)

Wu San Xing: see he’s fine

Wang Pangzi: SO ESSENTIALLY THE SHITSHOW DE JOUR IS A NECKLACE THAT WAS FOUND RECENTLY IN A ZHANG TOMB IT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THE WEARER, SPECIFICALLY A ZHANG WEARER

AND FROM WHAT WE HAVE SURMISED IT ACTIVATED LAST WEEK RIGHT AROUND THE TIME TIANZHEN GOT SICK. AND APPARENTLY THE ZHANGS ARE ALL JUST CHOOSING TO IGNORE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT. IVE MENTIONED IT FIVE TIMES BC ZHANG RISHAN’S FACE TWITCHES AND ITS GREAT IM HOPING TO GIVE HIM WRINKLES

Wu Xie: the necklace went haywire when we arrived and got near it, it started glowing really brightly. Then Zhang Rishan used a smoke grenade thingy to herd Xiao Ge and Pangzi and I into going into these small cells underground, and while they were trapped there, I was taken back upstairs to be tested against the necklace, except then—

Wang Pangzi: SHUT UP TIANZHEN IM TELLING THE STORY, YOURE THE DAMSEL AND WE WILL GET TO U. AHEM.

BASICALLY ZHANG RISHAN MADE A SERIES OF SUCH BAD DECISIONS WE MIGHT AS WELL CALL HIM WU XIE AND BASICALLY THE NECKLACE PROTECTED WU XIE FROM SOME SUICIDAL FOLKS TRYING TO PUT AN IV IN HIM TO ASSESS THE NECKLACE EFFECT ON HIM BLAH BLAH MAD SCIENCE STUFF AND THEN BASICALLY THE NECKLACE KINDA BLEW THINGS UP A LITTLE IN AN EFFORT TO DEFEND ITS WEARER SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS, TIANZHEN IS ABLE TO CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE AT THE TEA HOUSE WITHOUT LIFTING A FINGER.

Wu Xie: :(

Wu Erbai: I have so many questions but I think I’ll hold them til the end. Or try to forget this altogether.

Wang Pangzi: XIAOGE AND I WERE TEMPORARILY STUCK BUT WE HEARD WU XIE SCREAM WHICH WE LEARNED LATER WAS BC HOLY SHIT SENTIENT JEWELRY BUT AT THE TIME WE MAY HAVE LIGHTLY PANICKED

XIAOGE MANAGED TO BREAK DOWN AN ACTUAL CONCRETE WALL WITH HIS BODY DONT ASK ME HOW BUT HE GOT US OUT AND THEN WE GRABBED WU XIE TADAAAAA

Wu San Xing: I’m so proud of the chaos here I could cry. You try to raise them right, then they leave the nest and you just hope for the best<3

Wu Xie: I still can’t believe the two of you falling for a smoke grenade trap to separate us, like yeah I fell for it too but I expected better from you

Wang Pangzi: SHUT UP UR NEW LITTLE ENGAGEMENT NECKLACE OR WHATEVER IS THE ONLY REASON YOU MADE IT OUT WITHOUT NEEDLES BEING STUCK IN YOU

IM SO MAD AT YOU WE ARE CUDDLING LATER

Panzi: so you are all alright?

Wang Pangzi: YEP. ALSO HEI XIAZI AND XIE YUCHEN WERE THERE FOR SOME REASON BUT THEY ARE LEAVING NOW THAT XIAOGE HAS BEEN TALKED DOWN AND THUS RELATEDLY ZHANG RISHAN IS NO LONGER IN IMMINENT DANGER OF BEING BEHEADED. HEI XIAZI IS TAKING XIE YUCHEN TO DINNER AT A REALLY NICE PLACE THAT XIAO HUA WILL 100% END UP PAYING FOR.

WE ARE HAVING TEA AND DISCUSSING WHAT TO DO WITH SAID NECKLACE. AND BY THAT I MEAN WU XIE IS DISCUSSING THINGS WITH ZHANG RISHAN SINCE NOW WE ARE ALL APPARENTLY FRIENDS AGAIN OR W/E WHILE XIAOGE IS GIVING THE UNBLINKING STARE OF DOOM AND I AM ENJOYING MY TEA AND DEFINITELY NOT HOLDING ANY WEAPONS IN MY OTHER HAND AS I TYPE THIS

Wu Erbai: …well. It appears I will be having a conversation with Zhang Rishan tomorrow. It sounds as though you have it in hand for the moment, however?

Zhang Qiling: Zhang Rishan will not be a problem for Wu Xie ever again. I will ensure it.

Wu San Xing: Panzi why don’t you ever do cute and romantic stuff like this for meeee:/

[cross-d-a]

For the give me a character ask 💕 LI CU!!!!!!!

LI CU LI CU LI CU LI CU MY BABY BOY 

you know every day i ask myself: “li cu can’t be your favourite character, right? like you’d die for iron triangle and you’d kill for xiao bai and you’d give your body and soul to free princess mute, like- it can’t be li cu, right?” and then i look myself in the mirror and go: “stop lying to yourself”

WOW THIS GOT LONG SO THE REST IS UNDER THE CUT

How I feel about this character:

Might possibly be my fav dmbj dumbass. who knows. certainly not me. i just- LOVE HIM?? SO MUCH???? He sucker-punched me from the very beginning with his TEARS and his DESPERATION and his ACCUSATIONS OF KIDNAPPING. and ok he’s also a Dumb Teenage Boy and ok maybe he tries Too Hard to be a Normal Dumb Teenage Boy, like he’s going through the motions and maybe I relate a little ok idk.

And I just- adore that so much of Sha Hai is through his perspective?? Because it is very much Li Cu’s story. He’s an outsider here diving into a world we already know so well and Wu Xie is the catalyst. And really- it’s about seeing a character whom we all adore (Wu Xie) who is Hurting and Desperate and Raw (bc Xiao Ge), and he’s doing his best to fulfill a HUGE storyline but maybe he catches Feelings along the way. Maybe he adopts a son who is also Hurting but for very different reasons. And maybe it’s about seeing these two people who are lost and alone find each other in this chaos, see the good in each other, and help them find the good in themselves.

I already screamed about Li Cu’s character at you last night because I just- have So Many Feelings about him. But I think the core of Li Cu’s character really resonates with me?

It’s all about him finding a reason to live and a reason to love himself and a reason to care about himself. And it’s all about him letting others love and care about him, too.

Li Cu’s been told his whole life that he isn’t worth the air he breathes and he isn’t worth the trouble he causes. He isn’t worthy of love or sacrifice or kindness. And so much about Sha Hai is Li Cu realizing that he is. 

As you pointed out so beautifully, Sierra, Wu Xie is in such an awful place, and yet he still helps Li Cu realize his worth. And, re our conversations about how Li Cu views Pingxie, Wu Xie helps Li Cu realize that that love that can a beautiful, kind thing. Painful sometimes, and so fucking hard. But it’s worth it, if you want it.

And honestly, I think a lot of the Tiger Trio is about this, too: finding a reason to live, getting out of the motions of pretending to be a Normal Teenage Boy, finding a reason to love yourself and realizing it’s okay to let others love and care and fight for you, too. 

They’re already friends, but Sha Hai truly brings them together. Makes them realize they are worth it and there is someone who cares about them and will fight for them and will follow them to the fucking ends of the earth. 

It’s about finding FAMILY and I fucking LOVE THAT for them!!!!

I adore our Ya Li so much I could cry (i do. i do cry)

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

You know, I wrote a little about family and love, and promptly tripped into shipping Jia Kezi/Li Cu so hard I straight up blacked out.

I also am interested in Jia Kezi/Li Cu/Li Jiale 👀👀👀 but have not explored this yet.

I have Feelings about Li Cu/Shen Qiong/Wang Can bc of @traineecryptid’s  AMAZING fic 老牛吃嫩草| old cow eats young grass which I think about Often. I honestly don’t really ship straight up Li Cu/Shen Qiong, but adding Wang Can’s Chaotic Murder Element Does Things to me.

I want to ship Li Cu/Su Wan/Hao Ge but anything past Kissing and Holding Hands makes me cover my face in Embarrassed Despair bc they are my BABIES my SONS i cANT

and you already know about that One Very Specific time travel au where it’s li cu/wu xie/xiao ge i have a LOT of FEELINGS about THAT but only for that Very Specific Circumstance

I actually headcanon Li Cu as demi/bi, leaning more towards ace, bc it just?? Fits so well, in my opinion?? I don’t really wanna imagine him having Sexy Times with anyone, just Sweaty, Embarrassed, Panicky Feelings (except for that Very Specific Time Travel au but we’ve talked about this). Maybe this will change. But for now he is simply My Son and I wish him happiness in whatever form he so chooses.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

I WOULD DIE FOR THE TIGER TRIO!!! FOR ALL THE REASONS STATED ABOVE!! THEY’RE DUMB TEENAGE BOYS LEARNING TO LOVE THEMSELVES AND EACH OTHER.

I also unrepentantly would die for Shen Qiong&Wang Xiaoyuan&Li Cu&Su Wan&Hao Ge&Wang Can BROT6. I- wow. okay. Might actually write a fic about this. They are the Next Generation, learning from the Iron Triangle/HeiHua/Su Nan and they are learning from past mistakes and SURPASSING THEM and everyone is SO PROUD LOOK AT THEM GO!!!!!!!! And okay maybe let’s add some Xiao Bai in there, too, hm?

And- well. not BROTP, but it is our Classic FATHER&SON DUO LI CU & WU XIE. They are my favourite thing about Sha Hai. Full stop. They make me Feel Things and Cry. They’re what really got me into Sha Hai and the greater dmbj universe. :)

ALSO LI CU & SPIRIT SNAKE ✨ BFFS FOREVER ✨

My unpopular opinion about this character:

UHHHHH I have no idea I’ve never thought about this before UUHH ARE there unpopular opinions???

OH maybe unpopular opinion is that Li Cu is demi/bi instead of Straight Up Sweaty Gay. he’s just Sweaty bc oH NO HE’S NEVER FELT LIKE THIS BEFORE??? HE L P???

OH also maybe unpopular opinion is that he and the original Shen Qiong actually were good friends and maybe each other’s only friend until Su Wan came along.

And okay maybe this is another unpopular opinion: Li Cu did actually start falling for Shen Qiong but he’s a Confused demi who has a difficult time telling the difference between friendship and romance and also it was a Really Shitty Situation. and he’ll forever wonder if they could have been Something or just Really Good Friends and he’ll never know 🙃

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

MORE SPIRIT SNAKE JESUS FUCKING CHRIST. I want them fighting over control of his body. I want Spirit Snake kicking ASS. I want more of those CRAZY DEAD PEOPLE VISIONS ok i have HEADCANONS about those and I think it was the SPIRIT SNAKE and not whatever the fuck Wu Xie said it was. I want Trauma, I want Reluctant Found Family, I want Li Cu letting the spirit snake take the reins of his body every so often so it can actually Live and maybe get Li Cu’s ears pierced and dress up gnc as FUCK bc the spirit snake don’t need no Stupid Human Gender. and- sierra, as you so eloquently put, Li Cu looking at himself and going “OH?” 👀 bc hELL YEAH THAT’S STUCK IN MY HEAD NOW LET LI CU BE GNC

I’m assuming we’ll get more spirit snake in Sha Hai 2, but if it’s not Leo Wu playing Li Cu I will burst into Actual Tears.

Sierra thank you for letting me cry about My Actual Son Li Cu. \(´；ω；`)/

[cross-d-a]

heads up 7 up

post the last seven sentences of your latest project (meta, fic, any other writing)

omgg i am finally getting to this!!!! @vishcount u always tag me in the best things thank uuuuu!!! i just adore reading all the snippets you send me?? like????? i literally CRIED reading That One Scene the other night and i hardly ever cry when reading!!!! u truly are a goddess and u Ruin me with all your dmbj thoughts ♡

because i am a CHEAT i am doing more than one project bc hello???? too many aus. also, doing ~7 or fewer sentences :)

★ first off I have the year-late HP birthday fic for my dear, dear @haru-tl. pls hit me for not having this finished yet. im an idiot and we all kno it. i tried really REALLLLLYY hard to find a snippet that wouldn't immediately give away the plot xD. i figure u deserve a piece of what i've been cruelly denying u haha:

"Severus only ever catches pieces of him: his laughter, warm and lingering. His hair, a frightful mess of dark curls. His hands, steady and rough, a lovely dark tan that’s as warm as his voice, as warm as a fresh cup of tea cradled between his palms. His eyes, a bottle green. A scar, pale and tangled upon his brow. It stretches its spindly fingers to caress his temple, kiss his cheek, to whisper along the length of his nose."

★ this is from the whispers of spirits, a dmbj fic centered around Li Cu & Liu Sang in Reboot wherein i just....go hog wild on all the stuff i was unsatisfied with, particularly the Princess Mute and Li Cu's spirit snake. this bit is kind of a flashback scene I'm not sure where to put yet:

“Mr. Jiao was predictably arrogant, predictably sleezy. He wielded English like someone might wear 24k gold: as if he thought it was the best way to boast wealth and privilege. He rattled off a price that would have made Liu Sang choke several years ago. It almost made him choke now. But he didn’t. Liu Sang was more professional than that, and he couldn’t afford to show any weakness here.”

★ i've been sitting on a half finished chapter of my ye zun indulgence fic, things we hunger for (guardian), for like 2 months now ( ; A ; ) i seriously need to get back to it bc it might be one of my fav things i’ve ever published???:

"Seeing Shen Wei now, moving about the kitchen like this is his own home, Ye Zun realizes it’s like hearing something slot into place, like a key in a lock. Or perhaps it’s like watching someone add a few strokes to a character, turning it into something new, yet familiar. It makes something in his mind settle and curl content, like: yes. Yes, this is how it’s supposed to be.

It’s a dangerous thought."

★ this is from a Wu Xie/Poly Reboot fic I've had bouncing around for several months now cause like- everyone one loves Wu Xie and he deserves all the love anyway :'):

"His father calls him greedy, but that’s okay because Wu Xie is. He’s greedy for affection and maybe he’s naïve, just like Pangzi says, for giving his heart away so easily. But when someone smiles at Wu Xie and means it?

Well.

That was how he fell so hard to Xiao Ge in the first place. He’d already been feeling a sense of mineminemine, but the second he could read the smile in Xiao Ge’s eyes he was gone. Dust. That was it for him. Here was his second heart, living and breathing and smiling right at him."

★ aaaaand finally we’ve got the star wars/dmbj au @jockvillagersonly and i have been screaming about to each other. omg i’m so Gone on this au. jockvillagersonly you’re such an enabler thank you ♡ also, i really couldn’t help but do more than 7 sentences.....:

“Wu Xie really hates how artful the fall of ink-dark hair is across the man’s brow. All pretty and perfect, like careful strokes of a brush. Like something right off the sinful side of the Holonet. 

“Tianzhen!” Pangzi hisses, elbowing Wu Xie hard in the ribs. “What the kriff are you doing?! I thought you hated Force-users!”

Admiring the equally perfect curve of Zhang Qiling’s backside, Wu Xie jabs Pangzi back. Right in the gut. Ignoring how Pangzi chokes and splutters, Wu Xie doesn’t say that he thought he did, too. He doesn’t say that all changed when he toppled from the Hanava tree. When Zhang Qiling reached out like he could catch him, like he had any reason to catch him. And those long fingers crooked as if he was holding something precious, and Wu Xie—

Wu Xie felt something soft and warm envelope him whole as he stared into Zhang Qiling’s dark, dark eyes, and his body slowed until he was floating midair.

Wu Xie certainly doesn’t tell Pangzi he’s developed a startling new kink. 

Pangzi might never recover.”

once again. sorry not sorry i did this differently. i’ve got too many things i’m working on at the moment haha. and omg vish thank u again for tagging me bc it’s so fun to share things i’m working on :’)

tagging @jockvillagersonly @lichelleme @undyingsunshine and @traineecryptid plus anyone else who wants to share their writing!!! ｡ﾟ✶ฺ.ヽ(*´∀`*)ﾉ.✶ฺﾟ｡