#xianle kingdom period

[ilovereadingandstuff]

SO, I SAW THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE ON PINTEREST...

And I thought, at first, that it was just a fanart, right??

just a fanart, a really nice one.

And, i mean, why would the novel include such a situation of Xie Lian in heat to say the least, completely overwhelmed by lust and mortal desires, accompanied for Hong-er (who i finally know it's hua cheng's younger self)...right??

Like, that kind of situation only occurs in fanfics, right?? right?!?!

so...I WAS WRONG!!

This picture is FUCKING CANON!!!

I CAN'T STILL FUCKING BELEIVE IT!!!

I can just say that...I'm falling in love with mxtx novels. That's it.

Because...IT WAS SO CONVENIENT, MAN!! BUT ALSO SO WELL DONE!!

Mister laughstocking of the three realms here was drugged in the middle of the forest by flowers with an aphrodisiac effect (basically).

And yeah!!, HE STARTED TO FEEL SO HOT INSIDE THE CAVE, Y'KNOW??

IT WAS A LITTLE TO HOT IN THERE, am i right??

So he started to stripped down, sweating like crazy, moaning, winning all the way...

and then... HE NEEDED HELP!! He was trying to keep up with the 'purity of mind' bullsh*t and was mostly going insane for bloodlust...

SO, GUESS WHO WAS ALSO THERE?!?!

Not Feng Xin, not Mu Qing nor Wind Master...

NON OTHER THAN MISTER SATAN ITSELF, HUA CHENG!!!

I mean...when he was a kid. his younger self.

He was just thirteen back then.

So yeah!! I loved it wasn't weird the narration, to be honest. Nothing weird nor cringe happened between them even thought xl was...impotent at the moment...

because, yeah, a 20 yo guy messing up in that way with a kid 7 years younger...would have been quite weird to read, honestly.

But it wasn't!! It didn't end the way i was preparing myself to be.

And, well, for the context, it made sense all of it, obviously.

I was actually surprised.

As a obsesive reader myself, i'm used to see this kind of specific situation only at fanfiction most of times. and when they happen in canon...i've find myself reading really uncomfortable scenes which a later regret to read, y'know?

So, I was truly taken aback when I realized where all the 'yao flowers' were about, and when xl entered inside the cave with Hong-er and started going insane for the heat, lust and all...

not gonna lie, i was excited. but nervious, at the same time.

I knew that this situation could become weird at any moment with the wrong line or wrong description...but I was soooo relieved that it wasn't that way!!

I'm truly happy for that. and even when Hong-er touched him!!! even that scene didn't feel cringe nor inappropiate.

you get what i mean??

I just wanted to share my reaction with this chapter and also wanted to point out that, yeah, the novels are good. like, reallyy good.

I don't regret discovering this new fandom and show, not a bit. and yeah...i'll continue reading. I'm heading towards book 4 now, hehe.

[yoyowrites]

small hc that mu qing is the best cook out of the xianle group and he still occasionally cooks. he doesn't need to. he usually doesn't eat the food himself, instead leaving it to his poorest devotees. those meals are a secret even from other people in his camp. he doesn't plan for anyone to find out but people never plan for their secrets to be revealed.

xie lian, after the honeymoon period calms a bit, loves to drop by on short notice. he only does it to fengxin and mu qing. after mu qing's friendship confession the air, while occasionally a bit awkward, was much lighter. xie lian wanted to catch up and also be mire straight forward with the fact that they are friends. when he asked hua cheng how to do that, his husband told him to just be himself.

so xie lian sent a letter stating, he'd be at mu qing's palace that afternoon. when he appeared, the palace seemed to be mostly empty, no mu qing in sight. xie lian was ready to hop back down when a scent caught his attention. xie lian had come right after fulfilling a prayer and was a but hungry.bhe let his nose lead the way.

he found mu qing, relaxed, hair in a low braid, plating what he'd just finished cooking. he was so focused he didn't notice xie lian until he called out.

"ah mu qing," xie lian didn't bat an eye when a serving spoon was sent his way. he dodged it easily and stepped closer "what are you doing?"

"your highness, shouldn't that be my question? why are you in my palace?"

xie lian tilted his head in question "i sent notice didn't i?"

mu qing shook his head in disbelief but he had shown up at puqi shrine unnanounced more than one. "its nothing."

"i didn't know you ate?" xie lian pressed.

"I don't," mu qing got his serving spoon and cleaned it.

"but you cook?"

mu qing sighed and handed xie lian the plate. xie lian shook his head to deny but mu qing put the plate in his hand. "you're practically drooling over this. if i let you leave in this state who knows what that thing you call a spouse will pull."

xie lian saw through the lie. he's not so weak as to faint and if xie lian returned early due to hunger hua cheng would be happy to spend time eating together. still, he sat and happily took a bite. then his tears began to flow.

mu qing, who had been leaning with his arms crossed across from him, was startled. he walked closer with his arms outstretched unsure what to do. "your highness? what's wrong?"

it was like xie lian was in a trance, he took another bite and more tears fell.

"your highness if my food displeases you spit it out!" mu qing raised his voice in panic.

"no no," xie lian finally said. "it's good. i just haven't eaten this in so long."

mu qing relaxed. what he'd cooked was the staple dish of the kingdom of xianle. the recipe had long since been lost and its no wonder that xie lian hadn't had it forever.

"please wipe your tears," mu qing handed gim a napkin. "it's nothing to cry about."

xie lian took it graciously. "my apologies."

"now you make me look like the bad guy," mu qing said. "just finish your food, your highness."

after a few more bites, xie lian offhandedly mentions how he'd like to hua cheng to try the meal. as soon as the words left his mouth, his husband appeared by his side. seeing xie lian's red and puffy eyes, he wanted to make someone suffer but xie lian gives him a bite of the food. hua cheng pauses and chews.

"good right?" xie lian said. "mu qing made it."

"not as good as what gege makes but its passable."

xie lian laughed.

"you two know I'm still here," mu qing said. "you can take it home and please do not come and go to my palace as you please."

"ah, sorry mu qing."

the three bid their goodbyes.

that night, when they were laying in bed together. hua cheng brushed a stray hair from xie lian's face and asked "do you miss the kingdom? it was your home after all."

xie lian leans in to the touch and smiles. "my home is with you. the meal was just a nice memory."

[aoxue]

hualian au role reversal?? where top paranormal investigator!hua cheng falls in love with 800-year-old ghost!xie lian

This is such a good concept?? I don't have the TGCF cred to do it justice, but let's see....

Hua Cheng's a leading expert in paranormal investigation because he's good at what he does -- thorough, efficient, and ghosts just seem to respect him? But also, he's got the cool, dark, mysterious persona. He rides around on a motorcycle. A majority of the ghost hunting community has had at least a small crush on him at some point

Lesser known fact: Hua Cheng has been a history nerd since childhood and the fall of the now-obscure Kingdom of Xianle is his Roman Empire. He comes across a haunted sword from this period... and eventually, it becomes apparent that the ghost attached to the sword is the last crown prince of Xianle. (Who was Hua Cheng's childhood crush, but the ghost doesn't need to know that in any hurry.)

Xie Lian has a lot of unresolved issues (Guilt™️) that have him stuck in the mortal plane. Included in said guilt is the death of one of his young but very loyal followers, who died protecting the prince. (Who is similar in a lot of ways to Hua Cheng, but Hua Cheng doesn't need to know that in any hurry, either.)

He Xuan does recovery dives at shipwrecks and works with Hua Cheng frequently when he comes across cursed items. Maybe this is where the Xie Lian sword was found.

There is definitely voluntary possession/body sharing that happens at some point in this AU, in some perilous scenario that requires it. Or not so perilous. Just recreationally. Who knows. Why not both

AU ask game

[fauzhee10069]

TGCF map?

While I’m writing a fic and looking for a map, I found this fan made map on reddit thread:

Source: a reddit thread

Unlike the map in MDZS, this fan-made map of TGCF is like any other map in fantasy settings (eg LOTR, Final Fantasy series, anime One Piece/HxH, etc).

But what if the TGCF world itself uses China map as reference like in the MDZS?

Because there is one location that also exists in the real world, namely: the Gobi Desert.

Ke‌ ‌Mo‌ ‌demanded, “Our‌ ‌kingdom‌ ‌had‌ ‌disappeared‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌Gobi‌ ‌for‌ ‌over‌ ‌two‌ ‌hundred‌ years.‌ ‌You‌ ‌are‌ ‌not‌ ‌of‌ ‌our‌ ‌people, why‌ ‌do‌ ‌you‌ ‌know‌ ‌our‌ ‌tongue? ‌Who‌ ‌are‌ ‌you?”‌ (TGCF chapter 24)

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌immediately‌ ‌said,‌ ‌“General‌ ‌Ke‌ ‌Mo,‌ ‌I‌ ‌think‌ ‌you’ve‌ ‌mistaken‌ ‌something.‌ ‌We’ve‌ traveled‌ ‌across‌ ‌the‌ ‌Gobi‌ ‌desert‌ ‌to‌ ‌get‌ ‌rid‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Guoshi‌ ‌of‌ ‌Banyue,‌ ‌how‌ ‌can‌ ‌we‌ ‌be‌ ‌the‌ helpers‌ ‌she‌ ‌sent‌ ‌for?”‌ (TGCF chapter 26)

And here is the location of Gobi desert:

So I want to try guessing the locations in TGCF are, which, although the names are fictional, are based on real locations.

Like Morioh and S city in JoJo which are said to be based on Sendai, Miyagi prefecture.

Before proceeding, remember that this is a fan-made and not a serious project either. This is purely headcanon so you are free to agree or disagree, if you prefer your own headcanon then so be it.

First, regarding the location of Mount Tonglu (Wuyong), I was looking for a map showing the locations of volcanoes in China and found this:

However, I didn't really check the history of these mountains, so I more or less made up the location of Mt. Tonglu here:

The map above is for the event circa 2000 years ago, since volcano eruptions by a single mountain was capable to buried the entire Wuyong kingdom, it made me think that Wuyong's territory wasn't that big.

Besides that, I was inspired by the "No Paths Are Bound" fanfic which brought Xianle into the history of Wuyong. Moreover, it was mentioned that for the people of Wuyong, they tried to invade other kingdoms to take over their land & have their people move in. Thus, I’ve made Xianle and Xuli bordered Wuyong.

Most readers believe that Xuli was located in the north, considering Pei Ming's domain (although I don't think it really has to be, because Xuli kingdom had already fallen during present time which I think, its location is no longer necessary where).

There is also Zhaoyi, my made up kingdom for my fic (therefore, not canon). I was inspired by the timeline of the Xia dynasty era where the royal territory was not as big as during imperial era, so I also made Xianle’s territory quite small as well.

Generally in every dynasty there is always territorial upheaval which often ends with one dynasty overthrowing another. In this fanfic of mine, I want to make sure that the Zhaoyi kingdom will be absorbed by Xianle. Yong'an itself was part of another country in the past which will be taken by Xianle.

The old capital of Zhaoyi is Qiyi. Qiyi itself is actually the old name of Qishan. Again, I got inspired by NPAB to incorporate MDZS’ places in TGCF. The name 'Zhaoyi' itself is taken from the history of Qishan County in the Spring and Autumn period during King Wu’s reign (Zhou dynasty) as one of its state; Shao (召 or 邵).

Regarding Lang’er bay location, I’ve made it based on Qinghai lake. Wait a minute, why the lake? Isn’t it a bay? The initial fan-made map is correct in seeing the concept of Lang'er bay as a ‘truly bay’. But I want to match the location of Lang'er bay to the map of China, which according to TGCF, located to the west of Xianle. The problem is, to the west of China there are no bays! Therefore, I tried to redefine the word 'bay' and I came up with this:

Thunder Bay! According to wiki, Thunder Bay is a large bay on the northern shore of Lake Superior, in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada.

In addition, in Qinghai Lake itself there is a spot called “Fairy Bay Area”.

Years later, Wuyong had fallen, its territory was absorbed by Xuli. Xianle itself was expanding its territory and managed to seize part of Zhaoyi's. Zhaoyi moved the capital in unknown location (presumably around Yong’an, which still belonged to said kingdom). Also, moving the capital was a common thing to do since a long time ago.

During this time, Banyue and Yushi were found. It is noted that Banyue was located around Gobi desert and Yushi was a kingdom far to the south of Xianle. The blank territory between Xianle and Yushi can be filled with any random countries.

As time went by, Xianle and Xuli were keep growing. The Zhaoyi Kingdom finally fell and Yong'an officially became a part of Xianle. Despite that, some remnants of Zhaoyi still exist as autonomous zone led by rebels.

Circa 800 years ago, Yushi eventually fell and became part of Xuli's territory. You can see how ambitious Xuli country was back then (like the Mongol empire). Xianle itself began to clash with Xuli and managed to seize part of its territory. However during this tension, Banyue took its chance to absorb the autonomous zone of Zhaoyi. More places are revealed.

Less than a decade later, the fall of Xianle happened as a result of the civil war with the Yong'an rebels. Feng Xin mentioned that Yong'an obtained help from other countries secretly. Thus, given the tension between Xianle and Xuli, I presumed that it was Xuli who was secretly helping Yong'an (and also some of the rebel descendants of Zhaoyi who held grudges against Xianle). Actually some of the Xuli people prayed to Pei Ming, but Pei Ming paid no heed, considering that King of Xuli at that time made him break his sword.

During this time, there was a new dynasty that was starting to grow which would become the home country of Shi Wudu, Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan.

The decline of Xuli was starting to happen, as Yong’an and the unnamed country absorbed some of its territories. Yushi's region was eventually taken over by the unnamed country. Yong'an itself became a bigger country than Xianle, its territory reached the eastern edge (which would become Lang Qianqiu's domain later).

The location of Mount Yujun is revealed. Mount Yujun itself is said to be in Pei Ming's domain (north), because we already believe that Xuli is in the north, then Mount Yujun itself is located in Xuli.

Xuli had finally fallen while Banyue itself kept growing. Ling Wen and Pei Ming were responsible for the fall of their own kingdom (lol), I thought the latter agreed to participate because he saw how corrupt his nation had become. Xuli is then divided into several countries which I don’t bother to name and set the regional boundaries.

Circa 200 years ago, Banyue eventually was eradicated by Yong’an. Some years ago (it was not necessary to coincide with the fall of Banyue), the Black Water Demon Lair was discovered. According to TGCF, Black Water Demon Lair is located in the South Sea.

In the southern part of China there is a tropical island called Hainan, a place that I think is suitable for Black Water Island. In the middle of Black Water Island, there is Black Water Lake, and coincidentally:

On the island of Hainan there is also a lake. In the middle of the lake, there is also a small island that I actually wanted to make the location of the Nether Water Manor on, but I just remembered that the manor is like being in separated dimension (iirc underwater inside the lake).

Finally, Yong'an nation also fell and was divided into several countries (which again, I careless to name and set their territories). More places relevant to the plot are revealed (including the MDZS’ one as a tribute to NPAB). In the end, the largest country is Shi Qingxuan’s unnamed country (lol), and also in the Himalayan region there are several unnamed countries.

Interestingly, in the present timeline of TGCF, there aren’t named countries that are still standing.

Specifically below is a map showing the domains of the martial gods:

The domain divisions are purely made up and not based on regional divisions used IRL.

Thank you to those of you who have read up to here. I made this not to ridicule the fantasy map, not at all. In fact I think the TGCF storyline will be more in line with the fantasy map. It's just that I was challenged to use a map of China thanks to the existence of 'Gobi Desert' the novel mentioned.

[piedoctorcow]

Xiao Xingchen is an interesting character, but he’s not entirely unique in his disposition and subsequent downfall. The most obvious parallel is the one that Wei Wuxian makes between himself and Xiao Xingchen (“In that moment, Wei Wuxian saw himself in Xiao Xingchen…” pg. 156). However, Xiao Xingchen has a lot in common with Xie Lian, specifically his first ascension and fall. Everything that Xue Yang says to Xiao Xingchen in their final confrontation can be said of Xie Lian.

Xue Yang says, “if you don’t know how this works works, then don’t enter it” (153). This sums up the criticism Xie Lian largely received when interfering in the Xianle/Yong’an war. He didn’t understand that you can’t walk away from a war with no casualties, and he didn’t understand how to effectively govern a kingdom. Furthermore, the Holy Temple in which he trained was literally on a mountain, much like Xiao Xingchen’s origins.

Xue Yang says, “save the world! What a joke, you can’t even save yourself!” and “you’ve accomplished nothing! Failed utterly! You only have yourself to blame! You reap what you sow!” (156). This is fairly self-explanatory in the context of Xie Lian’s first fall from grace and the period of struggle directly after.

The fact that Xiao Xingchen parallels two of the MXTX protagonists is interesting. I very vaguely remember hearing that the Xiao Xingchen story was something MXTX had come up with in high school. Then, it makes sense that his character is as such, and might point to somewhat formulaic (not that it’s bad) writing on the part of MXTX.

Thought complete, goodbye.

[mvsicinthedvrk]

The urgency in the other's voice takes him slightly aback, but he listens to the other's instruction to think carefully. He stares down at the illustration of the book for a moment longer, trying to mentally overlay his own recollection of a similar image over the one presented on the page. "I'm almost sure I remember seeing a photo of a parade that looked a lot like this?" he says slowly. Or actually, he realizes that it couldn't have been a photo, since those wouldn't have existed of something from this period of time. A piece of artwork that he'd caught sight of somewhere, maybe? Xie Lian frowns as he tries to imagine the photo or artwork. "It was bright, really sunny in the picture, and everyone was in elaborate costumes... that's similar to this, isn't it?"

Mu Qing doesn't seem to have confidence in Feng Xin's ability to be specific. And while he hadn't give Xie Lian many details, at least he can confirm that the other man had said more than 'something happened.' "No, no, he said that-- hmm." He takes a moment to sort through his recent memories, to make sure that he gets it right. It wouldn't do any good for facts to get lost in translation between explaining others' conversations. He picks up Xiao Bao gently and sets her in his lap, stroking her as he reports, "Feng Xin told me that Xianle was destroyed. We tried to stop it, but couldn't, for some reason." That had been one of the questions that he'd pressed Feng Xin about, because-- how could Xie Lian have ever possibly given up on trying to save the kingdom, if he really had been the crown prince? But it sounded like they had really tried, though Feng Xin hadn't gotten into specifics. "He didn't say anything more, except that he didn't want to dump all the details on me at once, I think were his exact words."

                              “which book?” the question is urgently posed almost before the last syllable leaves xie lian’s lips, unable to suppress his own curiosity. anyone could have heard of the shangyuan festival— this part was unsurprising. but, these particular images had been drawn centuries ago, in foreign lands; there was no way xie lian had just seen it somewhere before, and thus mu qing presses: “think carefully. where have you seen this?” the forces regulating this city had managed to wipe every trace of xianle, except for his own memories, and even those had been tampered with upon arrival. this book was the only physical proof left of their kingdom, which must mean that xie lian had dreamt of xianle at some point. he can’t imagine any other explanation for him to feel as though he'd seen the festival before. mostly, because mu qing could say with confidence that he’d done everything in his power to find even the slightest trace of xianle. then again, he grudgingly reconsiders, wouldn’t it be so typical if xie lian just happened to stumble upon a piece of evidence that mu qing had tried so hard to find? before he gets the chance to get stuck on those thoughts, the crown prince relentlessly drags him back to reality with his next inquiry. his expression darkens immediately, feeling unreasonably irritated by feng xin’s apparent need to immediately bring up xianle’s dark past and to be vague about it. leave it to him to make matters even more complicated. “define something.” his gaze raises to meet with the crown prince, eyebrows raising in question, clearly unamused with the bodyguard’s approach. “don't tell me "something happened" were his actual words?”

[jayktoralldaylong]

Feng Xin's fear of women dramatically got worse after he ascended. It was something I couldn't help but note. He wasn't like that in the kingdom of Xianle. Sure he was not the best at talking to women but he could try. He didn't all out scream as soon as a woman touched him either. It's why no one can imagine Feng Xin impregnating someone because we mostly see the him of Heaven, and that version of him is downright terrified of women.

I have a theory, feel free to debate. Feng Xin has a lot of blushing women in his temple, praying innocently for his "big dick" energy in their lives. 💀 He can't chase them away so he has to listen to their prayers. I always assumed gods recieved prayers like little letters that they could sort through. Xie Lian seems to receive most prayers directly though, like someone whispering in his ear. So now, I imagine poor Feng Xin curled up in bed listening to women praying everyday about exactly what they want in the bedroom. Things they don't dare tell even their girlfriends because it's a very conservative period. So Feng Xin gets up close and personal with first class porn (cause men like to think they're sex freaks but they second class to what women want) on a daily basis. No wonder he's miserable around women.

Side Note: I like to assume that if the prayers do come in a letter form, Mu Qing snuck into Feng Xin's palace and made the Nan Yang junior officials deal with all the requests made by the young ladies, so that Feng Xin doesn't have to deal with them. It's the kind of nice thing that Mu Qing would do, but in secret cause he's embarrassed by it.

[hualianff]

Untethered VIII 《VII》

XL awakens, slow and sluggish like molasses. His hazy mind feels fuzzy. A pleasant tingle tickles his scalp. He doesn’t open his eyes yet, content to nuzzle closer to the warm body he’s safely nestled against.

“Hmmm…” the former prince unconsciously mumbles, stretching his leg that’s currently hooked around a narrow waist. The source of heat beside him chuckles, endeared

A gentle hand pets XL’s head.

“Good morning, my love,” HC whispers, voice rough with sleep. His large hand combs through XL’s dark locks - having lost the blinding shine due to not using royal-grade oils and conditioners - and tucks a few strands behind his ear. 

XL’s eyes flutter open at that. How could they not, when seeing his beloved first thing after waking used to be an untouchable fantasy he only envisioned within palace walls.

HC’s soft gaze greets him. One eye black as coal, the other bleeding scarlet. XL is close enough to see the way HC’s pupils slightly shake, as if his expression could not contain the raw adoration he holds for the man in his arms. 

XL stares at those long, sloped eyelashes. The eyelids that are uneven in their resting state, the twin craters on either side of HC’s shy smile he only shows XL. His long, loose hair spills upon his shoulders like the ink XL uses for calligraphy. 

He is beautiful. 

And he is XL’s.

“Good morning, San Lang,” XL responds, eyes crinkling as he smiles sleepily.

HC’s own heart stutters at the sight of his beloved, finally by his side. XL has been getting much more sun compared to when he was a prince. Tiny, light-tannish freckles now dot his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. His features are soft in the early sunlight. Serene. 

HC commits each and every one of his lover’s expressions to memory.

Immortalizes them. 

Even months later, the overwhelming realization that this is his life now muddles his brain into a pile of lovesick mush.

HC trails his other hand along the smooth skin of XL’s leg.

“What’s on gege’s agenda for the day?” 

***

“How dare your parents arrange a marriage for you when you already have a bride,” HC had scoffed the night he rescued XL. It was the first night they spent in HC’s bed as free lovers, veins still buzzing from the adrenaline rush of battle. “They should know better that Gege’s wife will not tolerate any mistresses.” 

“Oh, my wife wants to keep me all to himself?” XL teased. He held HC’s hand between his own, which were pressed against his chest - above his heart thumping with life. 

“How is that even a question? I claimed him years ago. It was love at first sword fight.”

XL laughed out loud at this. Taking it as a challenge to his words, HC’s fingers dig into XL’s hips, under his armpits, knowing very well every one of his prince’s weak spots. XL squeals as he’s attacked by clever fingers, then clever lips as they descend down his throat.

“HAHAHA- !! You mean sword fights or our ‘s-sword fights-‘“ XL manages to gasp out as he’s crushed by HC’s larger frame. The pirate captain cackles at such an innuendo.

The Kingdom of Xianle would never truly know how playful their prince was. 

HC had missed his beloved so fucking much. 

They fell asleep holding each other close, two pieces of different puzzles that belonged together. 

***

XL’s adjustment to pirate life is interesting, to say the least. Aside from it being a complete culture shock - from the long periods at sea, limited resources, and “pirate” etiquette - XL suddenly has so much time on his hands.

Despite HC assuring him that he is not required to help physically man the ship, XL insists on lending help wherever he can. When he helps, he learns. And gets to know the people who respect HC enough to sail the oceans under his command.

Seeing how the crew’s wounds have healed at record speed (not even a day after ambushing the Royal Ship), XL infers that life on Ghost Ship isn’t exactly human.

And XL is more than okay with that.

He smiles at HC who passes by, the stomps of HC’s leather boots encouraging the crew around XL to work harder. The pirate is fully decked out in his captain attire; his signature eyepatch sits snugly over his right eye, and his captain’s hat sits on his head like a crown, making him appear even taller than he is.

“Does Gege want to help steer?” HC asks, raising an eyebrow at the broom XL holds in his hands. The former prince ignores the sneaky side glances from the crew. They can never get enough of  HC’s whipped behavior, so out-of-character from the sharp, stone-cold captain they’re used to obeying. 

“I would love to! Is San Lang going to show me how?”

HC nods, holding out his hand with the palm facing up. XL gives the broom to a crew member, then places his smaller hand in his beloved’s. 

HC tugs XL toward him, pulling them flush side-by-side. With a hand hovering over XL’s lower back, HC leads XL to the area behind the wheel. 

XL settles in front of the wheel, and HC stands behind to guide him. 

“It’s quite simple. The wind speeds are mild right now, which is ideal for the direction we’re heading today. You can see most of the ship from up here, right? Sometimes, crew members will give you signals, indicating drastic weather changes, or when another ship is nearby…” 

HC’s entire explanation is whispered in XL’s ear. It makes it a bit difficult to focus, the hot puffs of breath sending chills down XL’s spine.

“There you go, darling. You’re getting the hang of it already. As expected of my prince,” HC murmurs, dropping his hands to rest on XL’s waist. 

“I’m not a prince anymore, San Lang,” XL reminds lightly. He flicks a look over his shoulder to meet HC’s eye. HC shakes his head, leaning down to kiss XL’s cheek.

“You’ll always be my prince.”

XL relents with a giggle. He faces forward again, melting back into HC’s chest. One of the pirate captain’s hands leaves his waist, and to XL’s surprise, the captain’s hat is placed atop his head. 

It’s a little too big, covering most of his forehead and both ears.

XL blushes as numerous sets of eyes take in the sight of him and HC visibly flirting behind the wheel.

“There. To complete the look,” HC says mischievously. “After all, what’s mine is yours.”

***

(NSFW)

Two sweaty bodies fluidly move against each other, damp skin sliding against damp skin. If HC could, he’d be gripping bruises onto those pale hips and using them as leverage to wildly fuck up into his lover.

Except XL had gotten the idea to tie HC’s wrists together, then chain them to the headboard. XL moans breathily as he bounces on HC’s slick cock, driving in deeper and deeper, asscheeks clapping against HC’s tensed thighs. XL’s head is thrown back in bliss, both hands splayed on HC’s toned chest.

If HC had a mirror - perhaps a vanity like XL’s old room - they’d probably be able to see the comical picture they make: XL with his virgin, flawless skin, rolling his hips against HC’s heavily tattooed and scarred body.

When XL slams down particularly hard, a grunt is punched out of HC, loud enough to reverberate within the room’s walls. 

“Careful. You don’t want anyone to hear what we’re doing, do you?” XL warns with an evil smirk. He’s paused his movements, now grinding his hips in figure eights with HC’s full cock trapped inside.

“Fuck, I’d kill anyone if they heard,” HC spits out, leisurely lifting his hips on his own accord. XL stays effortlessly seated. He reaches behind with one hand and strokes the area where they’re connected, sighing.

“Then you have to be quiet for me. Or I’ll have to gag you. Understood, Captain?”

HC’s chest heaves up and down, peering up at XL, who is entirely bare except for the captain’s hat perched upon his head.

“Y-yes,” HC breathes out. “So kiss me.”

XL doesn’t need to be further convinced. He leans down to capture HC’s lips in a messy kiss, tongues fiercely licking into each other’s mouths. XL begins lifting up and down again, building up a steady rhythm. 

HC swallows each of his moans, greedily sucking on his lover’s lips like it’s his last meal on Earth. With a high-pitched whimper, XL clenches tightly around HC’s cock - a sign that he’s close.

SNAP!

HC breaks the chain from the headboard, then tears the rope tied around his wrists in an insane show of strength and desperation. XL feels himself being flipped over, the hat falling off, and opens his legs eagerly.

HC enters with a wet slap and starts pounding into XL with renewed vigor. XL can only wail while clutching the sheets beneath him. 

“Please please please please please-“

HC muffles XL’s cries with his palm, giving him a look saying “weren’t we supposed to be quiet?” XL whines pitifully, grasping onto the pirate’s back.

HC pays no mind to the nails digging crescents into his skin. He bows down to nibble at XL’s earlobe, then taunts, “It’s okay, Gege. I know you like it when other people can hear.”

Outside, YY holds himself back from knocking on HC’s cabin door. The sounds of a headboard slamming against the wall, a squeaky mattress, and choked breaths have been going on for far too long. 

Because YY’s cabin is the closest to HC’s, he already has to hear those sinners go at it from dusk until dawn - all fucking night. Now, they’re literally preventing YY from doing his job, damn it. 

Be HC’s right-hand man, they said. It will be fun, they said.

When he hears a muffled scream followed by long, drawn-out moans - the wet slapping sound of skin speeding up - YY turns on his heel and walks away.

He seriously needs a vacation. 

[jiang-yanli-s-soup]

I have been consumed by the thought of Hualian being actual people from ancient times, and how their story would have been written in history pages. No ascension, no human face disease, no BWX, no 100 swords, which also means, no ghost king but HEAR ME OUT.

An exiled prince, chased by the imperial army, saved by a mysterious teenage boy. They couldn’t stay together but years after THEY MEET AGAIN! AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN? LET ME TELL YA.

.

.

Maybe it was 5000 BCE, an ancient forgotten empire. There have been no other artifacts found of that period except a few stone statues of two people and the tales around them that are passed down from generations as well as stone carvings that prove the existence and some truth in the tales.

The most common and popular tale goes like this...

Xianle, was the name of the vast, rich kingdom, and Xie Lian was the nation’s treasured crown prince.

Xie Lian was beautiful beyond words, charming as the full moon, kind as the soft rain on an exhausting summer day. He was loved by many, but was also envied and hated by plenty.

The emperor had been sick for a long time and had passed away, the queen could not bear the agony of losing her beloved husband and had passed away after just a few days. Their kingdom was already suffering from war and poverty. And Xie Lian was the only young, inexperienced, grief-stricken prince.

The traitors of the kingdom took this opportunity. They colluded with the enemy, captured and killed the prince’s most loyal friends, blamed him for the death of his parents and the miseries of his people.

In the end, Xie Lian could not win against the corrupted officials and was exiled from his own place of birth.

They did not stop just there for they feared the intelligent prince will return for vengeance.

Xie Lian, an exiled prince from a fallen kingdom, chased by the new imperial army, was saved by a teenage boy from a poor village, who helped him hide and leave the kingdom’s borders safely, as a repayment to when the prince saved his life when the boy was a child.

Even though he might have had the ability, Xie Lian did not seek revenge. He didn't want to make his people suffer more than they already have because of the war. But his birthplace was peaceful under the new monarch, so he was rest assured.

The teenage boy who saved Xie Lian promised him as fiercely as he could that one day, his prince would not need to worry about anything, that he would protect him from all harm, that he would not let the prince be unhappy even for a moment.

Xie Lian was touched by the skinny boy’s silly, impossible yet sincere words. However, Xie Lian could not stay with the boy for longer. He saw a few men from the imperial army near the place the teenager brought him.

Xie Lian had to leave immediately since it would endanger the boy's life if he stayed with him.

His guilt, grief, and hopelessness did not let him risk another life. He had almost begun to believe he carried misfortune with him wherever he went.

Thus the exiled prince hid completely and left for a solitary journey in disguise of a priest.

He had only one regret. He could not take at least the boy’s name with him who was the only one on this earth who believed in him.

He asked the teenager so many times for his name, but the silly boy refused to say his name until one day he would make a name for himself and would be worthy of standing in front of his prince. Xie Lian could all but laugh while shedding tears.

This is part 1/?

I don't know when I'll be writing the next part but I will 'cause it's all I'm thinking about. There will be no separation ಥ_ಥ

[queensconquest]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐓 ――  

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒 ――

full name.  Feng Xin nicknames / aliases.  General Nan Yang ,  General Ju Yang  ,  Nan  Feng   size.  6′2 age.  over 800+ years zodiac.  [tbd] spoken languages.  Chinese

𝐏𝐇𝐘𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒 ――

hair color.  a  medium  brown eye color.  warm  amber  eyes skin tone.  golden like  the  color  of  wheat body type.  mesomorph  ,  aka  athletic  ,  broad  ,  well-define  muscles  ,  etc. dominant hand.  selectively  ambidextrous  -   left  handed  with  bow  ,  right  handed  with  sword  (  listen  different  panels  show  different  things  idk  ) posture.  tall  ,  upright.  Very  stiff  and  proper  and  stern.  He  very  rarely  breaks  this  form  in  front  of  others  outside  of  exhaustion  or  sleep. scars.  various  ones  on  his  chest  ,  back  ,  and  upper  arms  ,  as  well  as  one  on  his  left  shin. tattoos. none birthmarks. none most noticeable features.  ...i  mean  probably  his  body  but  also  his  eyebrows  bc  they’re  often  furrowed  in  a  way  that  people  thin  means  he’s  mad  but  he  isn’t.

𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃 ――

place of birth.  Royal  Capital  of  Xianle  Kingdom hometown.   Royal  Capital  of  Xianle  Kingdom siblings.  none parents.  deceased

𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 ――

occupation.  God  of  the  Southeast  ,  God  of  Lust  &  Fertility  /  before  ascending  ,  was  Xie  Lian’s  personal  bodyguard. current residence(s).  His  palace  in  the  Heavenly  Realm  ,  but  he  mostly  stays  in  the  mortal  realm close friends.  ....ha...ha...[pained noises]  (  depends  on  the  time  period  🙃  ) relationship status. verse  dependent financial status. wealthy driver’s license.  No criminal record.  None vices.  getting  into  fights

𝐒𝐄𝐗 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 ――

sexual orientation.  listen  this  is  complicated  for  him  -  he’s  open  to  exploring  but  given  his  fear  of  women  ,  there’s  an  EXTREME  ,  EXTREME  preference  for  men  preferred sexual role.  dominant  top  ,  but  can  switch  or  bottom  as  well. turn-ons.  praise  ,  biting  ,  clawing  ,  neck  kisses  ,  eye  contact  ,  surprising  him  ,  saying  his  name  ,  noise  ,  affection  ,  begging  ,  teasing  /  teased  ,  giving  oral  ,  light  bondage   turn-offs.  excessive  degradation  ,  silence  /  motionless  ,  crying  (  bc  he  will  panic  unless  he  very  clearly  knows  its  a  good  cry  )   love language.  physical  touch  &   words  of  affirmation relationship tendencies.  lots  of  contact  like  hand  holding  ,  temple  kisses  ,  often  smiling  ,  loves  to  cuddle  ,  increased  protectiveness  ,  gift  giving  ,  very  romantic  &  sentimental  ,  wanting  to  spend  time  (  but  respecting  time  apart  as  well  )  ,  verbal  reminders  of  how  much  he  loves  them  ,  eating  meals  together  

𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐎𝐔𝐒 ――

character’s theme song.  Protector - City Wolves OOOOR With You Till the End - Tommee hobbies to pass time.  archery  ,  horseback  riding  ,  sparring  ,  hunting  ,  training  dogs  mental illnesses....does  extreme  self-sacrifice  count...extreme  loyalty... left or right brained.  right  brained phobias.   gynophobia  (  fear  of  women  ) confidence.  usually  fairly  high  ,  but  can  easily  be  crippled  if  you  hit  a  nerve

[hualianff]

Untethered III 《II》

Hold On – Park Yun Seo

White noise rings through Xie Lian’s ears, replacing the brutal assaults of battle until they fade away into the background. Beads of rain make contact with Xie Lian’s face, soaking his hairline and his clothes. But nothing else matters in this moment besides the ring Crimson Rain holds hostage, away from Xie Lian’s heart.

“It’s common courtesy to answer when someone asks a question, little Prince,” the pirate captain sings, pulling tighter on the ring until the chain feels like it’s going to snap.

“No!” Xie Lian gasps worriedly. His hands fly to grasp the ring, effectively unhooking it from Crimson Rain’s sword, but cutting his right hand in the process. Blood immediately oozes from the small wound, cleansed by the rain and sliding down to splash onto the deck.

Xie Lian grimaces while inspecting his hand. His other palm closes around the ring protectively, pressing the cool surface to his lips. The prince unconsciously closes his eyes, memories flooding his mind, letting through five year’s worth of forbidden euphoria.

He envisions the grungy tavern on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Xianle, where Shi Qingxuan had convinced him to sneak out to explore outside the palace walls. He can taste the muskiness in the air, hear the drunken pandemonium. Shi Qingxuan had eventually gone off to gamble–particularly well-versed in wagering despite being of nobility status–leaving Xie Lian sitting at the bar alone, unsure of what to order.

Xie Lian remembers a mysterious figure taking the seat to his left, draped in a red overcoat with an eyepatch covering his right eye. The stranger did not hesitate to call the bartender over, ordering two beverages with a slight lilt in his baritone voice. Xie Lian awkwardly fixed his gaze onto his glass of iced tap water, hoping his common robes, untied hair, and makeup-less face would go unrecognized.

That, and the fact that he had no experience ordering or drinking alcohol, even at twenty-years-old.

The bartender brought over the eye-patched man’s drinks, setting them down with a thunk! Xie Lian was content to watch for the stranger’s drinking partner from his peripheral vision, perhaps even pick up on how to drink in the proper manner. He would be damned if he didn’t learn one useful thing during this night of freedom.

However, Xie Lian was not prepared for the man to grab one glass and slide it in his direction. Xie Lian froze in his seat, sitting with his back ram-rod straight, hands neatly placed in his lap. Should he kindly refuse the offer? Unsupervised drinking was certainly risky. Or should he take a cautious sip? He would think that was the polite thing to do.

But before Xie Lian could react, the man casually angled his body towards him, leaning his elbow on the bar and propping his face with his palm.

His next words made Xie Lian’s heart come to a complete halt.

“Good evening, Your Highness.”

Xie Lian’s memories abruptly shift, and he is transported to the day when he first saw Ghost Ship. It appeared out of nowhere, easily twice the size of the traveling ship Xie Lian had taken to a neighboring kingdom. When the royal guards jumped to attack, Xie Lian simply held a hand up, stopping them in their tracks.

The prince walked to the side of his ship, assessing the Ghost Ship with keen eyes. Ghost Ship was traveling at a faster speed, quickly passing the royal ship by with no intention of initiating battle. When the better half of its length sailed beyond Xie Lian’s sight, the man steering the wheel came into view. As if in slow motion, Xie Lian locked eyes with the man, who donned familiar red and an eyepatch, and also wore a signature captain’s hat.

A captain. A pirate captain, Xie Lian remembers thinking, captivated by those broad shoulders, tattooed skin, and eccentric clothes. The same pirate captain circles in on him like a hungry shark, scimitar scraping along his arms and back, tearing the drenched fabric of his robes.

“Who knew the Prince of Xianle cares so much for a plain piece of metal?” Crimson Rain continues spitting his words like poison.

Xie Lian curls in on himself, trembling.

When pirates began uncharacteristically wreaking havoc on the docks of Xianle’s ports, Xie Lian often rushed to the scene to fend them off himself. Specifically, a pirate who could give Xie Lian a run for his money when it came to sword fighting, but always escaping with an evil smirk painted across his lips.

When Xie Lian had nearly drowned, those same lips had pressed against his own to breathe air into his lungs.

That had been his first kiss.

A few months later, Xie Lian had snuck out of the palace once again to the very same dock at the end of the port, where a certain pirate awaited him.

The images flitting through his mind now blur together, becoming unrecognizable except for the sensations imprinted on his body.

A warm body claiming him in a king-sized bed, among silken sheets and the pale glow of the moonlight streaming through the window. It was almost too dark to make out the man on top.

Almost.

One lust-filled eye bore down at Xie Lian.

“You like that, Your Highness?” the baritone voice growled into his ear.

Xie Lian hears his answering moan play inside his head and inhales sharply.

Between the secret meetings came secret letters specially addressed to the prince. They appeared with the changing winds, anonymously delivered under the pretense of confidential mail sent from other royalty. But no one could imitate that atrocious handwriting, nor invoke the same joy from Xie Lian when seeing his favorite red, butterfly seal.

Isabella’s Lullaby – Takahiro Obata

“It’s from someone special,” Xie Lian grits out, hanging his head low. The ring–presented to him with the most tender gaze and gentle hands–symbolizes hope. A promise of unconditional love.

“Trust me,” a low whisper ghosted against Xie Lian’s temple. “I’ll come back for you.”

And Xie Lian believed him.

That was one year ago. The spontaneous visits stopped, and so did the carefully crafted letters. With no one to confide in, Xie Lian spiraled down underneath everyone’s expectations and his own realized failure. He had been foolish. Blind. Naive.

Within that one-year period, Xie Lian lost faith.

Not in his love. Never in his love.

But in destiny. In free will. In god.

The one thing, one person, he needed most in this lifetime, was no longer within his reach.

Until now.

“Where will you run now, dear Prince?” Crimson Rain’s voice brings Xie Lian back to the present. His eye holds none of the familiar warmth it once did when he slipped the very same silver ring onto Xie Lian’s finger.

The rumbling and squeaking of footsteps make their way towards the pair, Xie Lian’s royal guards abandoning the protection of the ship to come to their prince’s aid instead. But even as Xie Lian gazes up at Crimson Rain’s, brandishing that strong jaw and classy smirk, the prominent eye patch, and the shimmering eye that radiates insanity, Xie Lian feels a certain sense of peace wash over him.

It’s finally time.

Xie Lian gives the pirate captain a hostile smirk of his own, taking out the white ribbon holding up his hair and letting the rain weigh down his brunet locks.

“Hua Cheng,” Xie Lian croons knowingly, widening his eyes in faux innocence. The instant look of surprise on Crimson Rain’s face is all Xie Lian needs before kicking the pirate’s sword to the side, scattering it a few meters away. Xie Lian dives for the exact sword, adjusting to the new weight and shape of the weapon. His palm throbs where the cut splits further open, blood staining the hilt.

Xie Lian swiftly points the sword at Hua Cheng’s jugular, their positions now switched.

Now, it is the pirates who are yelling chaotically, demanding their captain not let a rotten prince get the best of him. Hua Cheng simply clicks his tongue, signaling his men to retreat.

“Your Highness...” the pirate captain murmurs. Xie Lian digs the sword more insistently into Hua Cheng’s skin, forcing the pirate back. Xie Lian herds him onto the official plank, where traitors are typically executed, sentenced by the prince himself.

“Back. Up,” is all Xie Lian offers bitterly, his long hair curtaining his face, body still tense even though he has the upper hand. Hua Cheng holds his hands up in surrender, his hair drenched with rain, the long braid crooked where it cascades down his right shoulder.

“Xie Lian,” Hua Cheng addresses in a sweeter tone. “My dear Prince, if you could see yourself now.”

Xie Lian swallows thickly.

“You are a beautiful sight,” Hua Cheng rasps out, no more than a whisper. Yet, Xie Lian catches every word, and his heart clenches painfully.

Of course, Hua Cheng would think that.

Xie Lian’s sword wavers, but only because the pouring rain has stolen every bit of warmth as it washes down his body, making him shiver. The prince knows everyone’s attention is on them, the royal guards cheering their prince on in hopes that this conflict will end in their victory.

But they remain unaware of their biggest defeat.

The Prince of Xianle had fallen in love with a pirate.

With an unbearably heavy heart, Xie Lian draws his sword back. Tears leak out of his eyes and stream down his face, mixing in with the rain. In this very moment, Xie Lian feels the most suffocated he’s ever been, and wonders if this is truly what it feels like to be on the brink of death.

As if it happens in slow motion, Xie swings the sword with all the power he possesses. Hua Cheng’s arms stretch open in vulnerability, lips forming into a small, understanding smile.

“Gege.”

Something inside Xie Lian shatters. The familiar term of endearment is for Xie Lian’s ears only. His heart pounds against his rib cage with the ferocity of an imprisoned soul, screaming at Xie Lian to ask not what he would wish for in death, but what is he willing to live for?

The answer is right in front of him.

“I’m back.”

《Bonus I》