#yeah he is getting treated like wwx did and we know wwx was innocent

[mostlikelytofangirl]

Was JGY supposed to be a villain, a sympathetic character, or both?

Well anon, this is completely my fully personal opinion on the matter, I'm not the writer and only she can tell what her real intensions behind the characterizations were.

To me, he is definitely a tragic character first and foremost, one who had as miserable a life as it gets, and was rarely given a break from misfortune until his very, very bitter end.

Now, that doesn't mean that he hadn't committed crimes, but you know what? For me, a villain is someone who purposedly sets out to cause harm and evil upon the world. You have WRH, for example. The argument can totally be made that what he did to NMJ was as villainous as it gets, and it would be correct! You see, he is someone's villain; he is the villain in NHS' story.

But from a classical narrative pov, with a hero and a villain that have personal stakes in each other's lives and plans... WWX had nothing against JGY. JGY had nothing against WWX. If the revenge plot had never been set in motion, those two could have gone on their entire lives without giving a casual thought to what the other was doing (kindasorta as WWX would still be dead lol).

Also, a villain is someone who throughout the story is shown to be this evil force that is bringing upon the world desolation and chaos. The cultivation world under JGY's administration was the most peaceful it had been in over a decade, he had social projects going on and all! He was doing absolutely nothing nepharious when the entire plot happened.

JGY is a polarizing character, a morally dubious one with heavy allegations weighing on him (the fact that some of those got never fully proven is vital to the parallel with WWX). But if he had been supposed to be seen as a full blown villain that all heroes despised, he wouldn't have been written to be so sympathetic, wouldn't have his good deeds shown as well, and he would have personal beef with WWX and the other protagonists.

So tldr, I personally think he is a both, but with the BIG caviet that the villain part only applies to a specific set of characters that are not even the "heroes" of the story. Ultimately, he is mostly a narrative foil to highlight the dangers and cyclic nature of mob mentality and cancel culture, and I think that's what's we are supposed to focus on more than whether he truly had it coming or not.

[llycaons]

ep44 (2/2): not that I like him but the antagonism towards su she seems a little classist

why did wwx terrify children for fun lol. more importantly, why did wen ning go along with it? he seemed intentionally intimidating. I don't think he wants to be seen that way

anyway wwx bemoaning the fact that he can't strike fear into children's hearts is so funny. like he doesn't want to be blamed for everything going wrong but he DOES want to be seen and respected and maybe even feared for his power. and actually I get that. he is super powerful and he's been disrespected by the kids for weeks

oh yeah, again they have the same skin tone BUT lwj is shinier. must have something to do with the lighting or makeup

omg my favorite minor character, Female Cultivator With Dirt on Her Face. you can tell she's an antagonist because of the. because of the dirt

aww I forgot this. good old ozz, standing up for wwx. jgy's plan was quite bad honestly because if he starts shit and blames wwx then all wwx has to do is show up to prove his innocence by saving the kids. saving children is the number one way to rehabilitate your image. also sect leader ouyang's hanfu is tight as fuck

CLASSIC NHS LINE

who tf is this and why is he named. who cares. would be funnier if we wasn't named

aw sweet we got a visual of lwj standing with wwx against the world. well, another one

SWEET hanfu my leige

wwx shouting and pointing at the jins: THERE CAN'T BE ANYONE ELSE!!! LOOK!!! THEY'RE THE BAD GUYS!!!

this section of the show always felt kind of awkward and pointless to me. just a lot of people yelling and wwx not liking it very much and also lwj is there

uh oh. that wwx expression...oof. when you still really care about someone even though they've hurt you really badly and don't want anything to do with you and you feel guilty for what happened between you but you also can't stand how they treat you. and they're bleeding in front of you. anyway he jumps in to protect him

lqr too! lwj jumps right in as defense. I don't think his relationship with lqr is actually too complex. lwj doesn't deal well in vagueness or uncertainty. he defied his uncle and will do so again, and certainly disagrees with him about things, but he still respects him and cares about him as an elder and as his uncle

and look...a wen saving them. the irony

locked in a room with no spiritual energy and the yiling laozu, who says this to you. everyone's worst nightmare

nhs is bleeding?! I don't know if we've EVER seen that. he keeps out of danger pretty well

also, he's pushing the narrative into wwx's hands.

THIS TO SU SHE 😭 he's so polite too with his 'allow me to ask a question' then so rude even if unintentionally lmao

rly embodying the teacher role here.

lwj's love language is acts of violence, as petty a misuse of power it may be. you know that quote from bottoms? it's so them

lqr either likes ljy or hates ss because ljy did NOT quiet down about criticizing the su sect and he's right next to lqr and only lsz chastised him

okay I do not like su she but the fact that people hate him for 'copying the lans' is so fucking stupid. if he wants to found his own sect, what else is he going to do? he has the skills the lans taught him, of course that's his basis. in criticizing him so harshly, the lans come off as petty and really insecure for a rich and established clan. and this in the screenshot...THEY started in on HIM. the man was just defending himself. as soon as he complains about the disrespect, suddenly they're all 'well we have to be civil!' I swear this series makes really good point about classism with wwx but then it turns around and uncritically reinforces gentry hatred of lower classes by making characters like su she jealous antagonists who just aren't good enough to respect

anywayt. I always liked how wwx turns his back on everyone to ask lwj something. he gets all quiet and intimate

ohhh neat idiom

I love wwx verbally demolishing antagonists so much. he's that bitch

this is smart tho. like this is what I'm saying. granted betraying the sect was bad but he was a teenager and like he's shat on and disrespected for his entire life for not being very talented or original I guess when I KNOW there's gotta be untalented cultivators in other wealthy sects that still have a place in the cultivation world. but like he's SMART he figured that this would work and it DID.

here's nhs pushing the narrative for wwx again, helpfully verbalizing his thought process so everyone else gets it quicker.

personal highlights:

lwj's smiles in the very beginning of this episode were so nice

mm family <3

wwx's radiant gorgeous smile when looking at toys with lwj

wwx's moment remembering the wens, and his decision to let the past go with that beautiful scene of letting the dirt pour out

Lady with Dirt on Her Face my favorite minor antagonist

all the gathered cultivators' sick threads

wwx's 'why don't we have a chat' and his polite rudeness and his teaching voice

nhs nudging things along

everyone like 'noooo don't be divisive' once su she starts insulting the lans after first BEING insulted by them. come on guys

[sasukimimochi]

reply got too long so here we go again (pardon if i'm a bit disjointed, the adhd makes it hard to focus on one thing at a time rn):

I think its a little complex but at the same time pretty simple;

at the end of the day wwx didn't take it as insensitive bc the man was finally treating her right and wwx loved her and wanted to see her happy. I don't think he even thought about it being insensitive- I don't think Yanli did either, because she knows/loves wwx & loves jin zixuan.

We know wwx talked about being involved in yanli's wedding, he was always super excited to see her happy & in love and he shows how upset he is, albeit subtly, while eating with lwj. He starts drinking more, he talks (in lack of better terms) in a depressed manner kind of like how you would expect an alcoholic to (which i won't go too into- but i really do think wwx had a drinking problem and i think even he addresses it after lwj/wwx have a misunderstanding towards the end), revealing how he and jc had always talked about making her wedding the most grand. He was upset that he wasn't involved and thought he wouldn't be at all, having to hear it from lwj that there was a wedding to be had at all. I think if anything, this would have been the moment he would have been hurt by, but instead i believe more in something like this:

In canon further along (after jin zixuan's death) we know wwx has a moment of weakness as he thinks to himself (through the narration) that he wonders if he should have ever took them to the burial mounds- not a perfect quote here just summary, but yeah- we know wwx is capable of doubting his morals at this point despite him so strongly believing in them. So in that moment, he was probably thinking something similar, even if he agreed with himself he did the right thing: if only i hadn't saved the wens. But he knows this is a bad thought, he knows the dafan wen didn't cause the issues ppl kept pushing on them, so he knows he did right despite these thoughts. So in that moment as he drank and ate with lwj, he was upset because of being separated from them. He was close to them for so long, a little over half his life at that point, and now he couldn't have the things he always wanted because he was protecting a group of innocents from the other clans. He was briefly angry at himself. Upset with his own decision but living with it, because it was right. He would still be affected though bc it was another dream he realized he'd have to give up.

The jin family be damned, Yanli loved jin zixuan. I think it went without saying, as she regularly shielded wwx, that she didn't approve of how zixun treated him and if she had been present when jin guangshan acted out towards him, she probably would have married in anyway because she knows jin zixuan could eventually replace jin guangshan and thus make the clan a better one. She even responds to madam jin saying that she took the disrespect towards wwx very seriously: making her opinion of his mistreatment well known. I believe after jzx confessed, she started to spend a lot more time alone with him and thus, the opportunity for the jins to be extra foul just kind of happened. I think a good portion of what happened still came to her from jzx's and jc's perspective, but unfortunately not wwx's. She always seemed just conveniently placed out of the important scenes, (probably bc she was too good at her job and would have ripped into zixun when he dared to disrespect wwx when he was trying to save innocent lives) but thats a writers pov so i'm just going to get to the next bit.

wwx never felt wronged by yanli, so i don't think we should assume those feelings were there. They were all living in a world where everything was a little fucked up and trying to improve things. being able to see her when he was supposed to be kicked out of the clan for protecting the wens was probably one of the lights on his little path on the way to a terrible end, and they were doing their best. I don't think she brought soup just to temper the waters so to speak, she brought it because it was jc's and wwx's favorite comfort food growing up and she knows wwx misses them. I'm sure getting soup and seeing his shijie in her wedding dress was something positive, and they were just doing what they could to bring each other up!

but anyway, my thoughts were that! the two didn't see it as something bad but something of hope and happiness. Not all was bad, and maybe one day things could get better. Of course, we knew something bad was going to happen beyond what was already there. but they didn't know how bad things would get. It was a temporary and welcome balm, when everything felt wrong.

edit: also, don't get me wrong, i do think wwx would be worried about her, but thats about it. She is very good with her words and wwx has a lot of confidence in her, and a lot of people don't dare treat her badly because of her marrying jin zixuan as well as just being a woman, as bad as that sounds. This is not a modern novel so there is some immunity if only with her gender. (and, she is not described as being anything more than a regular girl in the novel, so she is unlikely to be targeted by jin guang-shit)

I've talked about this before but I like polls so:

I'm curious to read your thoughts!

[crossdressingdeath]

It infuriates me when people say that "oh it wasn't their fault JGY manipulated them" for every bad thing happening in MDZS. Especially in defense of JC. Like yes, he manipulated a lot of people and he's a murderous little bastard, but even when JGY put his hand in, the person still made the choice. JC, especially because of the CQL, is treated like a poor little baby due to this. Manipulation to cause harm and actually causing harm are two separate things. Very similar, but still different. And honestly, it wasn't even very hard for JC to go off, he didn't even need manipulation. It's also hypocritical of JC stans to criticize JGY and WWX of being mass murderers and killers when JC is guilty of the same thing and more!

I think the trouble is that people often miss that just because there are situations in the novel where "JGY manipulated them" largely (though never completely) absolves a character of guilt doesn't mean that that applies to every character JGY ever talks to. Like... we know JGY is a master manipulator, but one of the interesting things about him is that if we look at just the main cast he... very rarely does. He manipulates LXC into not seeing him as suspicious (although I'd argue that that's at least partially incidental and related to him genuinely wanting to be LXC's friend), but otherwise he seems to mostly just... occasionally suggest the cast act on their preexisting impulses. Hell, it's usually JGS making the suggestions! For instance, it's JGS who's all "Hey, Sect Leader Jiang, your second in command insulted you one time" and then JC is like "Shit, did he? I'd better kill him". That's the thing with the manipulators in MDZS; all they do is get the ball rolling. They'll make a suggestion, they'll tell a couple lies, and that is all it takes for whoever they're talking to to go full mass murderer. JC is the perfect example, because as far as we know the Jins did practically nothing! JGS said WWX insulted JC (and was immediately shot down by Lan "never ever lies ever" Wangji) and then claimed the Wens JC knew for a fact were civilians were actually an army; there's no mention of them doing anything beyond that. They were at most an excuse for JC to do what he already wanted to, because JC knew from what he'd seen with his own eyes that everything they were saying was bullshit.

And yeah, people act like manipulation completely removes all culpability from the shoulders of the person who actually did whatever deed is being discussed when... that's not how it works. And because it's mostly JC people keep trying to absolve of guilt by claiming he was manipulated: not only was he not manipulated himself on account of being one of the only people who went to the Burial Mounds and saw the Wen remnants (meaning he had all the information that JGY and JGS were hiding from everyone else to manipulate them into killing a bunch of civilians), he actually does a good chunk of the manipulating for the Jins! Remember, he actively hides the fact that the Wens a) are civilians and b) are led by the people who risked their lives protecting him after Lotus Pier fell in favour of telling everyone that WWX is a traitor for... fulfilling JC's life debts for him. This is the sort of manipulation that removes culpability from a person, because the people JC's talking to aren't getting the full story. Because he's hiding it from them. So if people are going to insist that JC shouldn't be held culpable for anything because "JGY manipulated him" (footage not found), then everyone involved in the first siege of the Burial Mounds except JGS, JGY and JC is totally innocent because the three of them are, as far as we know, the only cast members who actually knew what was happening. And yet people keep insisting that everyone is guilty except JC! Very strange, that one of the only people who actually knew what was happening is also the only one who isn't guilty. People should just admit that the "JGY manipulated them" line is just about scrambling for an excuse to insist that JC willingly slaughtering a civilian population out of sheer spite and desire for revenge against people who were already dead isn't a completely morally bankrupt act already.

And yeah, it's incredibly hypocritical that people both in and out of universe freak out over WWX and JGY being mass murderers when a) WWX only acted in self defence and b) JC is also a mass murderer. And a serial killer! Which JGY and WWX are not! Keep that in mind next time you read the bit where the sects all turn on JGY; they are doing this in the presence of a known serial killer who tortures people to death and doesn't even benefit from it (one thing you can say about JGY is that he never kills anyone without some sort of tangible benefit) with no intention of doing anything about him. I'm not suggesting that JGY shouldn't have been dealt with for his crimes, but... just keep in mind that they're doing all this with the support and arguably under the leadership of a guy who has brutally tortured so many people to death that his entire reputation is based around it. And do nothing about that at any point. Classism is alive and well among the sects.

[drwcn]

Not to bring up the distasteful teenager memory of Twilight LMAO, but yall remember that part of the story where it is revealed after Rosalie turns into a vampire she goes and devours every single one of the men who r*ped her.

Fierce Corpse!Qin Su coming for Jin Guangshan’s life.

JIGGY was always looking for ways to make a fierce corpse wasn’t he? Well consider this.

Madam Qin confronts JGY, but it was already too late. Qin Su was already pregnant. JGY, being the dumbest smart person, realized he has fucked up, but what to do? It’s not like he can tell Madam Qin he knocked up his own sister accidentally. Unknowing of this, Madam Qin then went to Qin Su to tell her the truth. Surely even if that degenerate won’t stop this marriage, once Qin Su finds out they are related, she wouldn’t go through with it.

Well, little did Madam Qin expect, once Qin Su finds out, she’s so overcome with disgust she takes her own life (canon compliant, I think? idk what that episode was about to be honest. I always assumed Jiggy drugged her to keep her quiet, but Qin Su was the one to take her own life. Jin Rusong is at best a ball of cells at this stage and abortion is a staple trope of cdrama don’t @ me. I take no criticisms.)

Well shit, now Qin Su is half a step away from death. Jiggy discovers this first, and is like O.O oh feck, but also... opportunity????  He recruits evil gremlin extraordinaire Xue Yang, and beginner’s luck takes them to a successful resurrection.

*cue Mary Shelly shaking her head from beyond the grave or... in the future....technically.*

Qin Su is rightfully like wtf JGY, but Jiggy is like aight sis i know you’re mad, but hey now that everyone knows what’s the deal here, I think we have a common enemy: Jin Guangslut. Should we kill him or should we kill him?

Xue Yang: yo so .... you still gonna get married or what?

Qin Su: if you even think about getting married i swear to god -

JGY: ....okay, how about “fake” marry. Once dear old Dad is dead, we can...idk have an amicable separation. I can even set you up on a date with a guy I know in the fierce corpse community. His sister is still in my basement come to think of it -

QS: what

JGY: what

QS: you are a fucking nutjob, Jiggy, you know that? I can’t believe I was attracted to you.

JGY: first of all that’s hurtful, but... hey at least you didn’t insult my mother.

QS: why would i? our mothers are innocent. *deep sigh* okay fine, how should we kill JGS, I vote for castration. Also *points to the black veins on her paste-y complexion* this is gonna be a problem.

XY: *quirk an eye brow* realllly starting to see the family resemblance now. Don’t worry I got make up to cover that up. Also gotta find you some blush, so you don’t look so ... undead.

~

JGY “so we get prostitutes -”

QS “No. Jiggy, I’m sensing some internalized classism. Let’s just sic Xue Yang on him and be done with it.”

JGY “....you were less bossy before.”

QS “I was also less dead before. Also, Xue Yang doesn’t mind, do you dear?”

XY *eating the candied pastries QS got him* “Nah, not at all, jiejie. I can wear a dress and get dolled up if you want, but I want silk and the dress needs to be tailored. Bespoke. *points to his plate* These are great. Do you have more?”

JGY: *facepalm* what have done.

QS: created a fierce corpse you can’t control. Karma’s a bitch, isn’t it brother?

~

QS “I feel bad for Chifeng-zun. If I had to sit and watch you and Lan Xichen make eyes at each other over the guqin day in and day out....”

JGY “Oi, you’re not even my real wife.”

QS “Doesn’t mean I can’t nag you. Also, you have an issue, you know. You can’t just murder your way to the top.”

JGY “I wasn’t -”

QS “Save it. If you give Xue Yang enough candy, he’ll tell you anything.”

JGY “NMJ is a problem. He disrespects -”

QS “You think maybe the reason he thinks you’re a untrustworthy little shit is because you are...an untrustworthy little shit? Also he’s always violent and aggressive towards you...yeah ‘cause you’ve been playing Terrible Temper Tango on repeat for weeks.”

JGY “.....................” *well sis does have a point, maybe i should re-evaluate my strategy “Then what do you suggest I do?”

QS:  I believe Xue Yang calls it “when it doubt, fuck it out.” 

JGY: ...............................you two need to stop hanging out together. 

~

Jin Guangyao and Qin Su spend many nights in the secret chamber plotting together. Apparently the Jin crazy can both be inherited and developed. Qin Su decides her second life is rather nice, and having power is nice too, but she’d rather have some friends. 

*Jiggy and Qin Su’s Ten Step Plan to Un-Fuck the Cultivation World*

Aka Jiggy’s illegal but necessary emergency U-Turn. 

Step 1: Start playing some nice music ffs, and maybe when NMJ is in a better mood, the venerated Triad can be the venerated Triad. ;) 

Step 2: start treating MXY better. He could be useful as a loyal brother. 

Step 3:  Sic him on Nie Huaisang. They seem like they could do well together. Also, the easiest way to get through to NMJ is through his little brother.  

Step 4:  Make Jin Guangshan disappear.

Step 5: Speaking of little brothers, they’re gonna have to eventually deal with Lan Wangji. Even Qin Su’s 78 year old grandma with cataract can see he’s just a liiiiittle hung up on Wei Wuxian, who is unfortunately....dead. 

”How do you suppose we fix this particular problem?” 

”Isn’t there some cultivator prisoner found guilty punishable by death in your single minded cleansing of your political enemies?” 

"Of course. Go on I’m listening, mei-mei.” 

”So while you were off being shady, I did some research. There is a spell. I think a potential trade off could be made if we bargain right. Their soul, which was forfeit anyway, in exchange for a lifetime of protection and financial stability for their families.” 

“>:) dear sister, where have you been all my life I’ll never know.” 

Qin Sun, “Just make sure they’re not too hard on the eye. Lan Wangji doesn’t seem to be the shallow type but one never knows.” 

Step 5: Jiang Wanyin needs an emotional laxative like... last year. Look into resurrecting Jiang Yanli. Once she’s alive, all that Yunmeng Bullshit will resolve, and you will also have a Lotus Pier forever grateful for Jin Guangyao and Qin Su’s kindness. If that doesn’t work...idk get Jiang Wanyin a dog. 

“Okay, hooow are you going to get a woman to give up her soul to -”

“Can we fierce corpse her? Wei Wuxian had a bunch of undead ladies hanging around right?” 

“........worth looking into.” 

Step 6:  Jin Zixuan. Yikes -

JGY “I didn’t kill Jin Zixuan. Wei Wuxian did.” (note: CQL washed WWX of any responsibility for the deaths of others by making it so that the Song of Turmoil caused him to lose control. This, in fact, is not what is written in book canon. WWX did lose control by himself without external influence. I can cherry pick the plot points I want to keep.) 

QS “..........but you sent him to his death.” 

JGY “..........”

QS *Deep sigh* “Who can we throw under the bus this time for Jin Zixuan’s death, Jigs? Someone that won’t be missed...got it. Su She.” 

JGY “He’s loyal to me, he’s an ally -” 

QS “Listen here, once you resurrect Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian, you will have the eternal gratitude of Yunmeng Jiang and Gusu Lan. Who gives a shit about Su Minshan that simpering turd.” 

JGY: True. *he’s understood by now that he could get rid of those who would talk shit, belittle, and disrespect him...but he could always do more with a couple of important influential people who would spread words of his goodness. Stubborn righteous cultivators like the Jiangs, Nies and Lans.* “Also Jin Zixuan’ll be an undead, not able to inherit. We’re safe.” 

QS: “Exactly.” 

Xue Yang: eating candy......... *eye roll* 

Step 7: Because Step 6 didn’t work out, forget about Jin Zixuan. 

JGY: “you know... maybe Jin Zixuan moved on.” 

QS: “Would explain why we couldn’t call his soul back the way we called back Jiang-gu’niang.” Qin Su glances back at Jiang Yanli’s soul-infused clay body in the process of being reanimated (lifted this idea straight from Inuyasha - ahem- kikyo.) “It’s probably better this way. I don’t like the thought of sharing the control of Lanling Jin with more people.” 

JGY:  “Ah, blood of my blood you are indeed.”

Step 8:  Reveal Jin Guangshan’s evil deeds. Once they kill Dear Ol’ Dad, they can just blame EVERYTHING on him and have him be the disgrace of the entire cultivation world, and them the unfortunate children left to do his bidding and trying the best they could to salvage what they can from his trail of ruins.

Step 9: Reunite Wen Ning and Wen Qing. Lie. Blame it all on Jin Guangshan who is too dead to argue in his own defense. If Jiang Wanyin finds out about Wen Qing...well, information gets around. 

JGY “So about that Date.” 

Qin Su: “Yes I distinctively remember you promising me eligible young men of the Fierce Corpse Community.” 

JGY: >:) I’m here to make good on my words. 

Step 10: Reap the benefits of a world restored. 

[untamedficrecs]

hello! do you know if there are any fic abt jin ling's one month birthday where wwx turns up in koi tower like a fairy godmother or smth instead of being stopped on the way? or any like... politics heavy fic? idk why but I have a craving lol thank you for the hard work!

Hi! Wanna say sorry this took me so long to get too, I was planning on answering this sooner but some things came up. I tried my best to find something close to what you were looking for but I apologize in advance if they are not exactly it! I haven’t read all of these fics personally, so some of them might not have personal comments (and they might not actually be what you’re looking for ;;~;;), but here we go!! (sorry for how long this is gonna be!) 

 cradle by dragonesque

Rating: Teen & up | Canon Divergence | Status: Ongoing | Chapters: 32 | Word Count: 195979 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian

☆ warning: graphic depictions of violence

Author’s Summary: After barely surviving the assassination attempt at QiongQi Path, Wei WuXian and the Wen Sect remnants are left to figure out how to protect themselves and their new lives. Meanwhile, the Jiang siblings and an unharmed Jin ZiXuan try to figure out who's bright idea was that stupid ambush. In Gusu, Lan Wangji panics at the idea of Wei WuXian's near death and tries to figure out whether to insist to stay by the Yiling Patriarch's side or hang back in the Cloud Recesses.

And Wei WuXian struggles with the idea of whether becoming a teacher, teaching demonic cultivation and setting up his own sect might not be a bad idea after all...

☆ personal comments: this is honestly one of my favorite fics...while it doesnt fit exactly the first thing you’re looking for (with him showing up/not being stopped...i mean he does show up...but he’s gotta plan some things out and recover before he shows up at koi tower); anyways there is definitely a lot of politics involved in this fic (from trying to form a new sect and an investigation going on with the wen remnants). i think you would enjoy it (or at least hope you will). I hope the author updates soon cause it has been a while, but its def long and will give you something to work through! 

birthday party by waffles_4_breakfast

Rating: Explicit | Canon Divergence | Status: Ongoing | Chapters: 8 | Word Count: 25857 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian

☆ warning: graphic depictions of violence

Author’s Summary: What if Jin Zixun didn't attack Wei Wuxian at Qiongqi Path and waited until the party to attack?

A fix-it fic where Wei Wuxian gets to attend the party and an entirely different cascade of events follow.

☆ personal comments: I definitely think this fic has a lot of potential with how it’s going. It’s pretty good so far, not really heavy on politics...I would say just a lot of sect drama almost?? (maybe that could still count as politics...but ya know) anyways def would recommend! 

can you read the signs? by quiet_crash

Rating: Teen & up | Canon Divergence | One Shot | Status: Complete | Word Count: 5890 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian

Author’s Summary: At Qiongqi Path, Wei Wuxian loses his patience. What he doesn't lose is Jin Ling's present. After all, he's going to meet his little nephew and no force in the world or beyond is going to stop him.

☆ personal comments: hmmm this one is probably the closest to the first part of your ask!! wwx does in fact show up to koi tower having not been attacked (or well he was attacked but it was de-escalated before bad things could happen!). its set up in kinda like little snapshots of his life almost so yeah, its pretty good! 

after a thousand crisis, you still remain innocent by lil_apple (sugafree_agustd)

Rating: General | Canon Divergence | Status: Complete | Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 10583 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian 

Author’s Summary: Every tale has a start. Whether it was for better or worse. 

Lan WangJi saved Wei WuXian from Qiongqi path, resulting Jin ZiXuan being alive and the cultivation world being aware of Jin Guangshan's lies. Wei WuXian witnessed Lan WangJi's punishment and went into seclusion with him.

This is the start of great redemption.

☆ personal comments: i really enjoy this fic...its more...hurt/comfort almost than anything else with sweet moments doused in there. politics are there but its not super heavy...but i figured i would recommend it just in case. 

confessions of a drunkard by wei_ying

Rating: General | Canon Divergence | One Shot | Status: Complete | Word Count: 736 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian   

Author’s Summary: the yiling laozu is very drunk at a-ling's one month celebration. hilarity ensues.

☆ personal comments: this is just a super short cracky fic i feel like...it’s not really what you’re looking for but I figured I would drop it in here just cause. c: 

twelve moons and a fortnight by stiltonbasket

Rating: General | Post Canon | Status: Ongoing | Chapters: 40 | Word Count:  207079 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian 

Author’s Summary: "Let me get this straight. You really want me to stand in for you while you help Jin Ling settle in at Koi Tower?"

"Who else do I have?" Jiang Cheng snaps, ears turning scarlet as Jin Ling tries to pretend he isn't listening. "Father trained you to serve as my deputy, didn't he? And don't say you don't remember, or I'll break your legs."

"Well, yes," Wei Wuxian manages. "Uh. I'll just let Lan Zhan know I'll be at Lotus Pier until you're back at home, then."

In which Wei Wuxian spends the year before his wedding as Yunmeng Jiang's acting sect leader, and the cultivation world's greatest love story finds its happy ending with the help of three juniors, a teenage romance, and one very involved (and exasperated) younger brother.

☆ comments: i haven’t read this fic yet, but i’m recommending it due to the tags...it’s not going to fit into your first category but i feel like it should fit into the politics heavy category...maybe...anyways this is on my own list to read so yeah 

end of the bridge by shinocchi

Rating: Mature | Canon Divergence | Status: Ongoing | Chapters: 22 | Word Count: 170542 Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian 

Author’s Summary: Wei Wuxian was ready to walk his dark single-planked bridge all by himself until when that very resolution was shattered by Lan Wangji, who found out he'd lost his core, when they were in the midst of Sunshot Campaign.

☆ comments: ^^ same comments as the one above 

magical marriage ribbons by starandrea

Series: 8 works | Word Count: 293,578 | Pairing: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian 

Description: Wei Ying and Lan Zhan somehow find time to be student sweethearts at Cloud Recesses, and it changes the course of the war. Mashup of novel, donghua, and drama, with a little manhua as a treat. Anything that wasn’t AU before Cloud Recesses is certainly AU after.

Happy fix-it with a little plot and a lot of Lan Zhan and Wei Ying being super cute together. Also some babies and animal transformation as the series goes on.

☆ personal comments: i haven’t read all of these works but there are some works in there that have a focus on politics (not heavily focused). they’re really fun to read so i figure i would recommend them anyways. 

aftermath by kouriarashi

Rating: Teen & up | Canon Divergence | Status: Complete | Chapters: 12 | Word Count: 57682 Pairing(s): Jiang Yanli x Jin Zixuan, Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian, Lan Xichen x Meng Yao

Author’s Summary: Jiang Yanli lifted her eyes up to Madam Jin and said, calmly, as if from a hundred miles away, “I am a daughter of the Yu sect. Did he think my mother only taught me how to pour tea?”

Or: the AU in which Jin Guangshan targets Jiang Yanli and she kills him before he can ruin everything.

☆ comments: sooo this is another fic on my list to read...i read the first chapter tho...and it looks pretty good...again like the other 2 fics that i haven’t read personally i’m recommending this purely on the tags and hoping that it will fit what you want! i figured i would throw in something that wasn’t just wangxian focused...i mean a yanli focused fic seems pretty interesting so i’m excited to read it! 

leave no hatred behind by joythea

Rating: Teen & up | Fix-it fic | Status: Complete | Chapters: 23 | Word Count: 121459

Author’s Summary: Jiang Yanli knows she was raised to be a wife and a good mother. But she knew she didn't need her cultivation to find and stop the man responsible for her precious disciple brother’s death and robbing her son of a father.

☆ comments: ^^ same comments as above

[yibo-wang]

Please talk more about yi city. I didn't expect to love xuexian relationship so much. What I mean is it's so not what i love usually? Let's look at it in shipping way. They are opposites. But this is exactly what XY needed: someone who's so kind and giving. And yeah XXC was so lonely that he really lived with two strangers. They lived together THREE YEARS DAMN. What kills me every time: XY can make XXC laugh ;((( and he wanted to forget his past life and get all serotonin he could get poor thing

hey anon!! hello!!

i am loving the collective xuexiao feels today. their story is not talked about enough and I know I already talked about it but I don't wanna stop.

let's start with xue yang and how he parallels wwx and jin guangyao. they're all a victim of society and how it treats people it considers lesser than them. while wwx is adopted early on by the jian fengmian xy and jg have to deal with everything on their own. I talked to @kuraioshiro the other day and we were just joking around imagining if xue yang was adopted like wwx was they'd be the ultimate trouble maker duo out there and lan qiren would probably die of a stroke if they came to cloud recesses together. *sigh*

anyway coming back, xue yang due to being left alone manages to see first hand the worse parts of society.

[reffering to the above two scenes where he says he was beaten as a child and the one where he talks about swearing as kid]

we know he's had a difficult childhood, where he had to fend for himself but the injuries here aren't light which leads me to think how just badly he was beaten as a kid and referring to the swearing just what kind places he was exposed to as a kid and it doesn't excuse his actions in the future but I really do feel sympathy for him

he sees the world filled with lying, cheating hypocrites so when he xiao xingchen comes and helps him so selflessly, he's shocked because how can this man be so naive and innocent and more so be so stupid to trust like this and he is annoyed by that probably till the end but it's also the thing which he grows protective of and thus being protective of xiao xingchen.

in xue yang's twisted world xiao xingchen is a like an innocent child yet to be exposed to the harsh realities.

xue yang and xiao xinchen's relationship starts off from a blank slate and there's no burden from the past weighing on them. they're both free to show themselves as new people with no one to judge them and both of them take advantage of that, especially xue yang.

even though they're living in their own bubble here, it's the first time in a long time when xiao xingchen manages to find happiness and xue yang, someone he can see as a companion.

I wanna add the bit about xue yang being a kid and wanting candy which I rmmbr ready a meta (if I find it I'll link it up) but it was about the sweets being a metaphor for financial stability which he didn't have as a child which I agree but it's also a metaphor for the love he didn't receive until xiao xingchen came along. (hence that ending scene of xx placing sweets on the bed for xy).

which leads to the final thing because I've got to cut this short lol that xue yang believed until the end that whatever he did to the people for revenge is what they deserved. and he thought xiao xingchen would support him considering the look on his face when says hat 'if you dont trust me you can do whatever you want' which means he had hope that xiao xingchen would listen to him and feel sympathy for him the way xue yang does for himself.

he's just so messed up but somehow xiao xingchen did uncover a human part of him and he was the closest thing that xue yang came to love after himself.

[trensu]

Episode 25: The One where They Frolic in the Forest but like, Sad This Time

Okay folks, buckle up bc this one has a lot of Hetero Drama and Stupid Plot Things

But look!! I’ve made it to the halfway point of the show!! I’m so proud of myself

We’re gonna skip as much of that as possible

BUT this one has some EPIC moments to make up for it

We start at Lotus Pier

Stuff’s happening that we’re not interested in 

except for how our resident Disaster Het jzx comes by to invite the jiang clan to the jin clan’s awesome sleepover with sweet sweet party games

Plot plot plot

WE’RE AT AN ARCHERY COMPETITION!!

I guess that’s how they open sleepovers in Ancient Fantasy China?

LWJ AND WWX ARE STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER

OUR BOYS ARE SHARING SCREEN TIME!! WITHOUT HURTING US!!!

Blegh, jgy is talking

And here the jin clan bring out their wen prisoners bc they think it’s fun to place them in front of the targets??? anD THEY GET AWAY WITH IT??

THEY DID THIS IN FRONT OF BASICALLY THE ENTIRE CULTIVATION WORLD AND NOBODY SAID ANYTHING!!

I WILL NEVER BE OVER THIS

WTF IS WRONG WITH THEM

Wwx at least tried to protest but jc shut him down, bc their clan really isn’t strong enough to stir up trouble rn 

BUT THERE WERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN MORE SECURE, POWERFUL POSITIONS THAT COULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING

I’M LOOKING AT YOU, LXC. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE LAN CLAN MOTTO, HUH?? WHAT HAPPENED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS???

*takes a deep breath*

Okay, okay

I’m calm, i’m cool

So that happened

Jzx tries to show off by shooting an arrow and getting a bullseye without hitting any of the prisoners

And wwx sees this and is like, hmmmm, i can humiliate jzx AND discreetly protect the wen prisoners!!! (and give the audience a bite of wangxiantics)

Wwx: lan zhan, do me a favor

Lwj: what’s the matter?

Wwx: can i borrow your forehead ribbon?

CAN I BORROW YOUR FOREHEAD RIBBON

THE SPECIAL ONE THAT NO ONE BUT FAMILY AND SPOUSES CAN TOUCH

I JUST WANT TO BORROW IT IN PUBLIC WHERE EVERYONE CAN SEE. NBD

Lwj just stares at him in response and wwx sulks but doesn’t push it

(lol, jc sees that go down and is just completely exasperated, like, one day, can we get one day when you don’t OVERTLY FLIRT WITH LWJ in front of EVERYONE??)

(the answer is no. no, he cannot do that, jc)

(he’s not allowed to not flirt with lwj)

Since he couldn’t get the super special forehead ribbon, he uses one of his own wrist ribbon things to blindfold himself

Please take a moment to appreciate the fact thAT HE WAS GONNA USE THE SACRED FOREHEAD RIBBON TO BLINDFOLD HIMSELF, THE KINKY BASTARD

Wwx: nbd nbd, imma just shoot 5 arrows whilst blindfolded and hit every bullseye there is WITHOUT harming any of these innocent war victims.

It’s all in the twirl, baby

He does a Dramatic Twirl, Smirks™ and then releases those arrows like nothing

And afterwards he has this proud little grin on his face bc hell yeah, he just owned jzx’s smug ass AND prevented any harm from falling on innocent people

Also, LOL, NMJ’S REACTION TO THIS WAS GREAT

He sees wwx be a badass with a bow and arrow and immediately turns to lxc next to him with an expression like HOLY FUCKING SHIT, DID YOU SEE THAT, THAT WAS AWESOME and starts clapping like a madman

For future reference, this is the correct response to wwx all the time, I’M SO PROUD OF YOU BB

After all that, wwx struts back to stand next to lwj and gives him a proud little smile. It’s so cute, so cute.

Jgy is talking again BLEGH

Now we’re in the forest!! For hunting reasons!!

Wwx makes himself comfy by a tree and plays Magic Music on his demon flute and is all pretty while doing it and supposedly gets all this prey to jump into Jiang nets

we never actually see this happen but everyone says it happened and who am i to argue?

(actually i like to argue one-sidedly at the screen a lot but this was not important enough so whatever)

Also, side note, jc is KILLIN IT with his fashion choices in this ep. LOOKIN GOOD BRO

But we don’t care about any of this 

We care that WWX SUDDENLY SPOTS LWJ WALKING ALL ALONE IN THE FOREST AND HIS WHOLE ENTIRE FACE LIGHTS UP LIKE THE FREAKING SUN BC HE’S SO HAPPY TO SEE HIS SOULMATE

IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL

And then it gets sad. Sad times in the forest :(

Wwx was totally making a move to get lwj’s attention but he stops himself

Bc he remembers the conversation he had with lxc about how the ones he cares about can be hurt by his decisions

Thank goodness lwj notices him back

Wwx looks so surprised but also pleased the lwj sees him

And ofc lwj does not hesitate to go to wwx

BC THEY LOVE EACH OTHER AND ARE SOULMATES

Wwx: hey lan zhan, i heard you got tired of writing out the Lan Fam Rules~!

He’s happily engaging him in conversation!! He’s trying to tease him again!

Too bad lwj does not go along with it

This whole “let’s ruin wwx’s attempts for pleasant conversation by bringing up sad things” is getting really old lwj, stop that

Lwj: i made some progress in composing the music score and i’d like to share it with you to see if it works

eXCuSe mE??

HE’S BEEN WRITING MAGIC MUSIC FOR WWX??

HOW THE HELL DID I MISS THIS BEFORE??

I THOUGHT HE WAS JUST LEARNING FORBIDDEN MAGIC MUSIC, NOT CREATING MAGIC MUSIC FROM SCRATCH SPECIFICALLY FOR WWX

HE LOVES HIM SO MUCHHHH

Wwx: lan wangji, lan wangji

Noooo he’s reverted to calling him formally!!

And his tone went all flat!!

DON’T DO THAT

Wwx: who do you take me for? Why can’t you leave me alone?

DON’T SAY THAT

WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT

YOU DON’T WANT HIM TO LEAVE YOU ALONE

STOP HURTING ME LWJ LIKE THIS

The minute wwx asks him that, lwj lowers his gaze when previously he had his eyes glued to wwx’s face the whole time

Bc WWX JUST STABBED HIM IN THE HEART WITH HIS WORDS

Lwj: who do you take me for?

He says all somberly, STILL NOT LOOKING AT WWX

Oh god, their faces are breaking my heart

After lwj says that, wwx stares at him for a long moment before canting his eyes to the side AND THEY LOOK KIND OF TEARY??

I THINK??

THAT MAY JUST BE MY TEARS

SOMEWHERE, TEARS ARE INVOLVED

Wwx: i once treated you as my lifelong confidant (AKA SOULMATE)

Lwj: i still am

*SOBBING*

~THEIR SONG~ IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND

THEY’RE STARING AT EACH OTHER WITH SO MUCH FEELING

I WANT TO TEAR MY FACE OFF

Aaaaand the moment’s interrupted bc of stupid jzx and his Hetero Drama

Wwx hears someone approaching and he grabs lwj by the arm and drags him to a hiding spot where they can spy on jzx who just appeared with jyl

You know, i love how whenever wwx grabs lwj to drag him somewhere we get a bit of slo-mo stuff to, i guess, emphasize wwx is touching lwj or something

Not that we need the emphasis

It’s not like we’re not already hyper-aware of their EVERY INTERACTION

So now we get to watch wwx and lwj spy jzx and jyl

Lol, i wonder what lwj is thinking

Does he watch this and sympathize? Does he get secondhand embarrassment bc he knows he doesn’t do any better expressing his feelings to his soulmate??

I can’t imagine he has any actual interest in spying on Disaster Het jzx

Lwj is a Disaster Gay 

There can only be so much Disaster at a time, y’know?

or maybe he’s just thinking OMG WWX TOUCHED ME OMG WWX IS SO CLOSE

yeah, that’s probably it

Okay, there’s Hetero Drama going down 

Blah blah blah

BUT WAIT, jzx just made jyl tear up AGAIN

Wwx is all ready to tear jzx a new one but lwj holds him back before he could give away their location

Like, if asked, i’m sure lwj would say “oh, i stopped him to avoid an inter-clan incident” or whatever

But his REAL reason for holding him back was bc he was enjoying have wwx so physically close to him again

While secluded in a hidden spot

I mean, there’s less than a foot of space between them

I wouldn’t be so eager to give that up if i had wwx that close to me either

But lwj can’t hold him back for long bc jzx does another douchebaggy thing and wwx has had Enough

Wwx goes to defend his sister BC NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO MAKE JYL SAD, OKAY?

Wwx and jzx argue and then jzx draws his sword and takes a swing at wwx!!

SO OFC LWJ SWOOPS IN AND PARRIES THE BLOW

Lol jzx is so confused as to why lwj is there suddenly

You just tried attacking his soulmate, bro

what did you think was gonna happen

Ugh more Hetero Drama

Gotta say, i do enjoy watching jzx get scolded by his mother

Asshole cousin starts stirring up trouble and throwing a hissy fit about how wwx used his demon flute to catch 30% of the prey and how it’s Dishonorable and Cheating behavior

Lwj turns to wwx for a moment here and is like “30%??” idk if he’s impressed or concerned here.

Maybe both

Lwj gets a lot of Feelings around wwx, okay?

Lol, while asshole cousin is ranting, wwx turns his back on him to look at lwj

Wwx: oh, lan zhan, i didn’t thank you earlier for blocking that attack for me! Thank you~!

WHAT A POWER MOVE

HE GETS TO INSULT ASSHOLE COUSIN AND STARE AT HIS SOULMATE’S BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL FACE

WIN-WIN

Wwx is holding it together until asshole cousin accuses the jiang clan of having a corrupt or weak family or smth?

Then he starts getting all twitchy the way he does when Resentment kicks in

Asshole cousin continues to goad him and wwx starts to reach for his demon flute

Lwj flies to his side and grabs his arm!

Lwj: wei ying, concentrate. Wei ying, concentrate.

(wwx has a knack for making lwj repeat himself)

Jyl joins him to help wwx calm down

And now we take a break from wangxiantics for BADASS JYL TIME

Jyl goes and apologizes all sweetly to everyone for wwx’s supposedly rude behavior or whatever

And then turns to asshole cousin

Jyl: i might not know much about hunts, but i know there’s never been a rule about catching too much prey

DAAAAMN, GIRL

Jyl: it’s not his fault you can’t hunt prey. He used a different method that he worked hard to learn

Jyl: FURTHERMORE, you called him the son of a servant when he is my dear little brother

Jyl: so i would like for you to apologize to wwx

JYL IS THE GREATEST SISTER IN THE WORLD

Madam jin is like, ah, it’s not that big of a deal, let the boys squabble 

And jyl shuts that down by telling her that wwx is family, an insult to him is not a trivial matter for her

GOD I LOVE HER SO MUCH

Blah blah plot blah blah jzx is a Disaster Het in front of Witnesses blah blah 

Gross, sect leader yao goes off on a rant

We’re gonna ignore him

We cut to wwx downing a jar of wine in the middle of town 

*sigh* i don’t even know why i bother telling him off at this point, he’s obviously not worried at all about alcoholism

Ooooh, and now we’re getting Lan Bro time. Very wangxiantic lan bro time

Lxc: lwj, i can tell you’re worried about something. What is it?

Lwj: …

Lwj: lxc, i..i want to bring a man to Cloud Recesses

(guys, the ellipses here actually happened. We actually hear lwj do a start-stop on his sentence)

(THIS FROM A GUY WHO DOESN’T SPEAK MUCH BUT WHEN HE DOES SPEAK, SOUNDS LIKE A PRINCE)

(Our boy is Overcome with Feeling rn)

Lxc: bring a man back to Cloud Recesses?

Lwj: bring him back…and hide him there.

Lxc: hide him?

Lwj: …

Lxc: he may be unwilling to go, right?

LXC KNOWS WHATS UP BC THERE’S ONLY ONE MAN WHO HAS EVER AFFECTED HIS LITTLE BROTHER THIS WAY

Lwj stays silent here, and the lan bros manfully stare off to the distance

(I like to pretend that here lxc starts coming up with elaborate kidnapping plots bc he wants his lil bro to be happy and that’s only happening if he drags wwx back to their home)

(i mean, locking up your soulmate against their will is a Lan family tradition, isn’t it??)

AND THAT’S WHERE IT ENDS

THIS SHOW DOESN’T PULL ITS PUNCHES, DOES IT?

This forest frolic was not nearly as fun as the last one :(

Return to Masterpost

[wandering-bitch]

Notes for I Have Always Loved The Door (pt 1)

I Have Always Loved The Door is the Wen Qing/Mianmian fic that all the wlw wanted but canon could not in any way make happen 

This is part one of three, i’m sorry, but it is a 30k fic and i’ve never written anything this long. it’s like. six months of my life. annotations are gonna be longer, too.

What is this fic About? Uh. Lots. Mostly your relationship with your past and your future. making choices about what you carry with you into your life.

title is from Charly Bliss’ “Percolator” but like. the rest of the fic is in no way related to the song. Just the lyrics “I have always loved the door/but I will always love you more/I love metaphors” fit well for the wen qing mood

it is a fucking CRIME that wen qing died, and while i’m happy that luo qingyang got a happy ending with a soft man who just wants to make her happy, i think she deserves more. so i gave her a fancy job

i struggled with the outline for this so much until i realized that mianmian’s canon arc is partially about saying goodbye to your home/family because you no longer fit there + it’s not a great place anymore. and that’s so close 2 wen qing’s

so that drove a great part of the plot, and helped shape the youya/tuzai bit

ch 1

the first chapter is so funny and then nothing ever approaches it, i’m so sorry i got ur hopes up with the shennans TTnTT

i hate most of my writing after it’s up but i still like this chapter. wen qing being a doctor, nmj knowing his place, mianmian cursing loudly

“If you’ve been knuckles-deep in me, you can consider yourself a friend” i spend a lot of time in this fic trying to kill wen qing with Lesbianism, but honestly that’s just to make up for mianmian killing herself with lesbianism.

this was b4 i decided to care how i ended chapters haha

ch 2

i’m proud honestly of this fic alternating perspective, bc it forced me to learn to write more distinct voices. 

“are you eating enough red meat?” “in the unclean realm?” 

if i had 2 be in a Great Sect i would 100% want to be in the big sexy sword jock sect but unfortunately i’m a vegetarian

please think of me, an average-sized gay, with noodle arms, pushing away all the giant cooks and self-appointed nie aunties, who are trying to shove meat into my mouth

like you know how cats avoid the bath??? and their people are like “jesus fuck how is this 10 lb animal defeating me, i’m huge and strong and also have thumbs”??? that, except it’s an average sized sword gay fighting ten RIPPED aunties holding out beef

i do love the mianqing dynamic i created here and i’m not sure i kept it up but WHATEVER this is about annotations not about editing

mianmian: god FUCK the jin clan, the jin clan sux. wen qing: hmmmmmmmmmm

i think mianmian’s three older sisters might show up in a future work in the series

yeah, i fell in love with this au, there will be at least one epilogue.

ch 3

oh ho ho!!! it’s the beginning of Sword Content!!!

i watched so many videos of dao work vs jian work and then i ignored all of it!!!

by that i mean “there were only like two decent-quality videos on dao work that i found on youtube and i couldn’t study them hard enough to get what i wanted”

someone trying to correct your practice with boring, irrelevant suggestions??? it’s extremely likely, it’s happened to me multiple times, i straight up stopped practicing outside bc of it

please, men, i’m begging you. if you see me doing martial arts, rather than correcting me, ask “oh cool, what are you doing? ah, i do [this art]” and like. talk with me like i’m a human

not to be A Bitch but there is a 70% chance that i’ve actually studied more marital arts than you, on account of most ppl abandoning within a few years, and me practicing aikido for more than a fucking decade

god swinging a weapon full-speed at someone and stopping inches from their head??? a Fun Time

mianmian’s doing it as a big dick energy move

but in my school we just trusted each other to not fuck up.

im too gay to want any “”””homophobia””” or “””discovering you’re gay”””” or “””coming out”””” plots, i just wanna fast forward to the “”””i wanna kiss a girl””” bit

OH MAN i forgot wwx’s voice in wen qing’s head. 

“even after his death the yiling patriarch managed to annoy her” i love wen qing

ch 4

IT’S THE MEMORIAL DINNER CHAPTER

memorial dinners are an important part of my household’s mourning process sorry

“she waved her hand to indicate the entirety of his use of demonic cultivation, fall from grace, and mass murder” mood wen qing. fucking mood.

oh my god im rereading this and seeing where i misspelled shit ugh. sorry lwj

so sometimes i’m vague about food and that’s because the only food i can think of when i’m writing is pork. i just. can’t remember what other foods u can eat. pork and also buns (but meat buns) soup? never heard of her. chicken? what is that??? piles of vegetables??? no one eats that obviously

please remember that im vegetarian and not only do i not eat pork, what i do eat is piles of vegetables

ah yes!!! time for mianmian to say prisons are for burning!!!!

our girls are both radical leftists sorry not sorry

acab, reproductive rights, prisons are for burning, capitalism is an inherently exploitative system, unionize your workplace

“tip your servers well” -- wen qing

wwx, shouting from beyond the grave: GET SOME, GIRLS!!!

wwx’s ghost: do y’all need anything? snacks? water? a condom? ah, love you kids, you keep me young

oh i forgot “for my local radical,” i should make sure to keep using ‘my radical’ as a cute endearment for the wives

ch 5

awwwww yeahhhhhhh trauma dreamsssss

writing jin guangyao is so fun!! and stressful!!!

fun because he never says anything straight, only through six layers of plausible deniability, and that’s just a fun exercise

fun also because i Love a Bitch. 

stressful because he never says anything straight, only through six layers of plausible deniability. 

the bit where he threatens to expose wen qing and mentions specifically that nmj does not like being lied to??? took me several times to perfect and im still not happy!!! 

but i’m deeply proud of him sending the flame hairpiece, that’s some a+ innocent-looking menace right there, that’s the only thing on this planet i believe in anymore

i loved making up sect politics that weren’t specifically “let’s put up watchtowers” because i don’t think that happened while jgs was still alive

uh @ self why did i capitalize da-ge that’s so uncomfortable.

oh my god i just realized that jin guangyao has to watch his ex boyfriend/nie mingjue treat mianmian the way he used to be treated oh fuck

sorry i was not at all writing 3zun cinderella when i wrote this so i wasn’t in the habit of thinking about jgy being in pain and now???

get fukt jin guangyao

he 100% cries to lxc about this later

what’s that??? you say i keep writing overthinkers who are anxious and terrified of everything??? huh i’m not sure i agree and if even if you were right i’m not sure it means anything

“grumpy frog” mianmian mvp

god the flame hairpiece is one of like two whole good endings i did for this fic haha

next time: ch 6-10!!

[llycaons]

ep20 (2/3): *lwj voice*: something is very wrong

"and others have to suffer because of your debt?" wwx's similarities with wzl are impossible to ignore. but wwx would never hurt innocent people, or allow them to be hurt, because of his gratitude. there are limits to loyalty, and his conscience demands he act even if it's against his obligation. he's still able to make his own decisions, he's still a free agent

I would call that 'horror' or 'alarm'. jc is still like 'hmmm' but lwj is like 'this is fucked this is fucked this is fucked wei ying what are you DOING'

kitty cat moments

HEY WHY DOES WZL JUST STAND THERE AND LET HIM PLAY. if he prevents wwx from making sounds, wwx can't summon spirits. he's less than a foot away and not defending himself at all. eh maybe it's his honor code

by the time he does attack, wlj and jc jump down and jc strangles wzl to death with zidian, no complaints there + good for him and givees wwx back his sword

his little bitter smile. oof.

this hug is one of the best moments in the show it makes me feel so much. and wwx doesn't even list his arms to hug back until it's too late and jc is already stepping away FUCK

good for you, jc! expressing your emotions! telling people who you love that you care about them!

read a really interesting meta ages ago about how wwx deliberately sets jc between himself and lwj, using jc as both a shield and a tool to deflect lwj's inevitable questions and painful condemnation. and it starts here, with moving to sit down. it's also almost a power play

stop hurting me wwx

wwx says don't let outsiders in and jc remembers that lwj is there and goes yeah you got it

another suble manipulation of wwx's, but only to protect himself

where did this boy go....he used to be able to say things like this 😭

and here's jc joining forces with wwx against lwj, who's standing in front of them like a petitioner, and who wwx has barely even looked at

this is exactly how jc is written in a lot of fics that piss me off. this tsundere-esque approach is actually canonical to jc's current relationship dynamics with wwx, it's just not how they interact with each other postres. it annoys me because it's treating jc like an affectionate, if sarcastic and repressed 18 year old who hugged his brother instead of the bitter, deeply wounded man who traumatized him without remorse and tried to kill him multiple times. it's inaccurate, and it's infantalizing, and it lets jc off the hook for the horrific things he does to wwx later in the story by treating him like an awkward kid who can't communicate well instead of an adult who's responsible for the terrible things he's done and the choices he's made

but I like this dynamic. I think it's fun, and sweet, and has personality. i wish we had it back too. I understand the nostalgia

everything about this interaction is so wrong. wwx barely interacting with lwj, being all formal, standing to bow, calling him hgj. the last time they saw each other wwx had asked lwj to sing for him and lwj had given him a song he wrote for them....I'd be freaked out and worried too. but lwj goes about expressing his concern in all the wrong ways

demanding answers. laying down judgement. telling him to return to gusu. of course wwx shies away

he's distancing himself to protect himself. he doesn't want to be the one who lwj leaves, he wants to be in control of how their relationship ends, as he assumes it must end. and he knows nothing good will come to him if he goes to gusu, and that must hurt too because he wants to cultivate the sword again but he never will

this is such a cruel thing to say to lwj...wwx who is the one acting cold suddenly!

and THIS shot. shew. lwj physically trying to get to wwx to demand what's going on, why is he acting like this, why is he not cultivating the sword, why is he using such terrible methods, and jc stepping in as wwx's shield to say this doesn't concern you. the contrast between this scene and postres scenes. wild

[crossdressingdeath]

As much I agree that JZX had the right to want to hate his engagement with JYL I stil don't think WWX was at fault for how he handled the situation. CR is where the cultivation elites get a chance to learn. For JZX to hesitate when asked who he thinks is a beauty/likes when he's engaged is insulting to his fiance in itself. He just stands there uncomfortably until someone else mentions that he's engaged to JYL. So of course WWX is pissed, they're literally surrounded by the other elites of their society and JYL's fiance is showing his displeasure with her. When given a chance to correct himself he doubles down and further insults the Jiang clan. Honestly if they weren't teenagers that could've easily spiraled into a political disaster. Luckily for the characters the adults realize they're hotheaded kids and JFM doesn't want to make another unhappy marriage.

I 100% that people shouldn't be forced into marriage and JYL agrees too. So I don't like the way some of the commenters are framing her. She even mentions that she was in love with the idea of JZX not the real him and hopes to find someone who actually likes her. I think you guys mentioned it before but JZX problem was that he felt his life was being controlled so he showed his anger at the person that was easiest to target---JYL. While it's understandable for him to feel that way he was still an asshole to her in public which is why I don't consider WWX to be the one who escalated anything.

I want to start with the obvious point: WWX by definition escalated the situation when he punched JZX in the face. This isn’t a reasoning thing, he turned it from a verbal confrontation to a physical one, that is escalating it. ...And he also escalated it by challenging JZX on his attempt to sidestep the question, given he for sure already knew why JZX didn’t want to talk about his betrothal; he could’ve just left it, that would’ve been fine.

Alright, with my pedantry out of the way... when is it said that JYL agreed that people shouldn’t be forced into marriage? Yes, she puts on a brave face after the engagement is broken off, but she seems super down for it before then and really broken up about it afterwards even though the evidence suggests you’d have to be living under a rock to miss the fact that JZX really, really didn’t want to marry her. I get that JYL’s great and all, but all evidence suggests that she very much took after her mother in this (thought to a lesser extent) and was perfectly content to marry JZX even knowing that he really, really didn’t want to until she was forced to accept that he Was Not Interested. And she grew out of that! Character development! It’s good! But suggesting she was entirely innocent in the whole affair and did nothing wrong is... inaccurate, I’d say.

And... here’s the thing. Yes, maybe it was a bit of an insult for JZX to stay silent and not immediately start praising JYL because She’s His Fiancée, but... he’s at most sixteen years old and has had this marriage hanging over his head his entire life? And everyone already knew he didn’t want to marry JYL anyway, so it’s not like it would’ve been a big insult? And it’s not like he mentioned someone else or anything like that? I think we can cut the teenager not wanting to lie to preserve the face of the woman he’s being forced to marry against his will and who is openly infatuated with him despite not knowing him (whether she realised her mistake later or not doesn’t change that she was infatuated with a false impression of who JZX was) a little slack, here! Especially given... yeah, if WWX hadn’t challenged him on it despite knowing why he wasn’t saying anything it never would’ve reached the point of JZX being an asshole to her, even if he had been; reminder once again that JYL was not there, as far as we know JZX never insults her to her face aside from maybe telling her off while under the impression she stole credit from a servant (and there’s no proof he insulted her there either, aside from the fact that he assumed she was stealing credit). And note that he doesn’t start passing judgement on JYL until WWX challenges him; he could’ve passed it off as being shy or something, being embarrassed about already being engaged; it was WWX who forced him to explain himself, at which point JZX’s temper was engaged and so he had no interest in lying for JYL’s sake. And when does JZX target JYL? He doesn’t really target anyone! A refusal to pretend to be super impressed with the woman he’s being forced to marry who has (let’s be honest here) nothing going for her in terms of being a sect leader’s wife isn’t him targeting her! WWX asking him what his issue is and him giving a straight (and... painfully blunt) answer isn’t targeting her either!

At the end of the day... could JZX have been nicer? Yeah, sure. But he’s a teenager being treated like he’s an arrogant piece of shit for not being able to lie and claim to be overjoyed about a marriage he doesn’t want! Of course he’s not going to be super nice about it! And honestly? I suspect that if JZX (or even just an outsider in the whole affair instead of JYL’s shidi) was the protagonist and he and JYL were gender-flipped the fandom would praise him for being so furious about being forced into an unwelcome marriage, even with him refusing to praise his unwanted betrothed. Basically JZX gets a lot of shit in this fandom for reacting in a very understandable way; the situation wasn’t great for JYL either, but JZX definitely came off worse due to not wanting to marry her and him reacting accordingly is in fact fair.

[crossdressingdeath]

I know there's a lot of talk abt weather or not the Lans and the Nies knew abt the Wen remnants being civilian.... but tbh, i don't think it matters?

We're talking aht the ppl who saw WRH get to power and stalled till the last possible moment. Abt the ones who saw injustice happen and looked away. It's pretty obvious everyone knows JGS sleeps around, yet i doubt any of the righteous sects would confront him abt it unless he assaulted a woman from their clan/ fam ( IF they did and didn't just silence/ punish her bcs patriarchy)

Not to mention how everyone treated wwx for not being of noble blood. I really don't think the ppl calling him the Son of a servant who aims too high for his station, or LQR who abused his power over him bvs CSSR scolded him when they were teens will do much to stand up for a group of non cultivators who bear the Wen Name.

There's also the thing that killing one's whole fam was a thing ppl did back then. It was seen as righteous to incur revenge over someone who killed a parent by killing their bloodline.

So the question of weather or not they knew is inconsequential, since i seriously doubt they CARED

Okay one, because I must defend the tsundere uncle: LQR did not actually abuse his power over WWX. He was petty and directed a great many questions towards WWX that he could have directed towards someone else, he was a bit of an ass, but that is not abusing his power. What you're forgetting is that WWX was a menace. Breaking the rules was his favourite pastime, and LQR was in charge of discipline. He hated WWX because of CSSR, and that wasn't fair, but WWX never got a punishment in the Cloud Recesses that he hadn't earned. He knew the rules, he broke them, and he kept breaking them knowing what the consequences would be. And... these are LQR's classes. People forget this, but when JFM asked if WWX could accompany JC LQR could've just said no. There is a difference between bias and abuse of power, you know!

Anyway. They absolutely would've cared, are you kidding? We know they would've cared, because if they wouldn't have cared there was zero reason to lie to them and increase the odds of pissing them off if they ever found out the truth. It would've been a lot easier to tell them "Yeah, they're civilians but they're Wens so they deserve to die"! A lot less work, not having to cover that up! The Lans never really treat WWX differently from higher class people as far as I recall, but even if they did there is a big difference between being a bit of a classist dick, taking a "wait and see" approach to a clearly inevitable conflict as long as it didn't impact them too much, and being okay with the slaughter of a civilian population! I'm not denying that the Lans and Nies have some issues with classism, but we're talking about two very different things here! I'm sorry, I find it extremely difficult to accept that the sect that took the last Wen in and protected him for over a decade would've bothered to do that if they thought wiping out the Wens down to the youngest child was righteous enough that they would've willingly supported it! Hell, LXC actively tries to defend the Wens; he stops because... he doesn't have proof they're innocent (because JGS and JC are lying liars who lie). And his argument was that they could easily be innocent. Not exactly the debate tactic of someone who wouldn't care either way, don't you think?

Also... they don't confront JGS. Why the hell would they? As far as I'm aware no one actually knows he's a rapist, just that he sleeps around, and while that's scummy behaviour it's not a crime. He's the ruler of another sect! They didn't have any right to interfere in his personal affairs that had nothing to do with their sects! No one approves of his behaviour, but that's like saying the leader of one country should go give the leader of another country a stern telling-off and refuse to play nice with them because they're having an affair; no one is going to do that because it would be a political nightmare! Someone sleeping around is not going to impact diplomatic relations with other countries (or sects in this case), because the two things are entirely separate! If JGS went after a high-ranking member of one of the great sects that would be the only situation where they could go after him for it, because then it would affect them and they'd have the right to involve themselves! But so long as JGS wasn't sticking his dick in any members of the great sects they could not censure the Chief Cultivator for sleeping around.

Basically... I don't think for a moment that the Nies and Lans wouldn't have cared if they'd known the truth. And I feel like I should come back to this, because it's important: the main reason I think that is that hiding the truth from them, JGS and JC going out of their way to lie and claim that the Wen remnants were WWX's army and a threat, is a move that only makes sense if they know the other sects will stop them otherwise. If no one will care there's no reason to keep the Wens' identities secret. If people will think of it as a righteous act there's a very good reason not to keep it secret. If the Lans and Nies wouldn't care or would agree that the Wens deserved to die either way, all hiding the fact that the Wens are civilians achieves is creating the chance that the Lans and Nies will learn the truth, be royally pissed off about being lied to, and quite possibly never trust the Jins and Jiangs again because they've proved they will hide the truth to get what they want. And while honestly JC might be stupid enough to do that anyway, JGS isn't.

[crossdressingdeath]

On the Lan Sect negativity:

1) The Lan Sect’s involvement was only at Discussion Conferences and the like - events they had to attend. No real choice, they had to go. But WWX mentions only the Jin Sect at Qiongqi path, and only the Jin and Jiang Sects at the siege.

WWX only mentions that WN might have hurt Lan Sect members when he went wild at his execution with WQ - and it should be noted that the Lan Sect let LWJ argue on behalf on the Wens. They had the power to stop him, but they didn’t. At the Nightless City, WWX seemed to attack everyone with no mercy or distinction between friend or foe. Of course they’re worried when LWJ disappears with him. But LXC specifically points out that he wanted to do it secretly, so it wasn’t a Lan Sect siding with the Jin Sect thing.

Yeah, there was the Second Siege... but the Jin Sect had “proof” that WWX had killed innocent people and had kidnapped Sect heirs and junior disciples. Not great proof, but ya know. And the Lan Sect was one of the first ones willing to listen to WWX.

2) We don’t know what went on with LWJ’s mother. We don’t know much about who she killed, why she killed them or anything. The fandom likes to paint her as this helpless victim but we don’t know if she was. We don’t even know if she was in love with her husband or not. You can speculate. You can headcanon. But you can’t know. It sucks, but it is what it is.

3) We see in the extras that it’s perfectly normal for Sect members to interact with someone of the opposite biological sex. WWX sees and talks to a female disciple, who was heading to feed the rabbits. And, actually, it seems that the separation only happened recently, as WWX’s parents met at CR. CSSR met JFM at CR. And it seems like a lot of the parents were there as well. It’s probably a tradition for Sect heirs to go. I wonder what could have happened with the past generation that could have caused the Lan Sect to decide “You know what, let’s seperate them”? That sounds like a great idea for a crack fic, honestly...

Anyway, the gossiping rule is only there to discourage the spread of misinformation. Considering that one of the main themes in the novel is the dangers of taking gossip at face value without looking into it, I don’t think that’s a rule we’re meant to find oppressive.

4) Where does it say that the “no talking to WWX” rule is written on the wall? I’ve only seen it in fics. And rereading the extra it was introduced in... hmm, not there... maybe translation differences? Or maybe it’s an exaggeration? Either way, this rule is clearly not taken seriously as WWX is allowed to teach the junior disciples. Without LWJ present even. This is shown in two seperate extras. So, unless we assume that the Lan Sect is too dumb to realize that WWX and the juniors all disappearing at the same time has a connection, we can assume that he’s probably allowed to teach them. And it’s very hard for a teacher to teach without communication with students.

5) Yeah, the Lan Sect has plenty of rules, but the rules are clearly dealt with differently depending on what they are, and the circumstances they are broken in. Like the rule against fighting - that is clearly fine to break if you’re fighting to defend someone or something. The rules against noise and running? Perfectly fine to break if there is an emergency and you need help instantly (or if you want to scold someone for doing something wrong). Someone being unconscious doesn’t violate the sleeping rules either.

It should also be mentioned that they’re even willing to let things slide not only based on serious (we never see WWX punished for running, or sleeping in, for example) but also on knowledge. They don’t punish him for those first four rules he breaks, they just make sure he can’t use not knowing them as an excuse to break more.

6) Yes, “Do not grieve is excess” sounds messed up on its own. But one, I don’t even remember if that’s a canon rule or a fanon rule (this is not as easy to double check as the rules in the extras), but I don’t remember it in any version I’ve seen. Two, there are certain parts of the grieving process that can actually be detrimental to one’s health if preformed for too long. The rule doesn’t put a time limit on grieving, it just says “excess”.

1) I believe it’s mentioned that they were present at the first siege, but it was the Jin and Jiang sects that were leading it and as I’ve mentioned before the fact that they felt the need to hide the bodies suggests to me that the Lans (and Nies) were far enough away from the actual Wen village that they never saw any of the remnants; it’s not like there wouldn’t be a large number of fierce corpses to keep them busy in the Burial Mounds. I think there may have been some Lan cultivators at the ambush? But that may be CQL-only (if it was a thing at all; I may be misremembering), and either way we never get any evidence to suggest their presence was sanctioned by the sect as a whole. And yeah, the Lans at the very least hid LWJ’s involvement from the rest of the sects; it may have just been an attempt to protect their own, but they were prepared to let a connection to WWX slide, at least. (Not to mention I don’t doubt that at least some of them suspected that A-Yuan was connected to WWX in some way, and no one said anything about that; I’ll be the first to admit that I can’t prove that, but it seems like a reasonable assumption.) And as you say, in the second siege they’re quick to stand down when given reason to believe that WWX isn’t an actual threat, not to mention how their sect leader actively sheltered him from the wrath of the sects not long before that point.

2) Yeah, that’s always the thing with the “the Lans locked up the Twin Jades’ mother and forced her to marry against her will” thing. It’s certainly a possibility, but it’s not a guarantee. The only source we get is getting the story second hand from people with a vested interest in making the whole affair look as bad as possible (to lower the risk of their current sect leader and heir doing something similar, which... fails). And if it did happen it doesn’t guarantee they’ll do it again in a very different situation; in fact we know they don’t, since WWX and LWJ’s marriage is accepted, if only grudgingly, and there’s no sign of them locking WWX up.

3) I imagine male and female disciples were always separated during classes, but it doesn’t follow that they’re separated all the time; clearly there are at least co-ed areas, if a female Lan disciple is going to visit the rabbits. Personally I’m thinking maybe the separation is at least stricter during the lessons to avoid distraction (hence why WWX never saw a female disciple as a kid but ran into one by accident while living in the Cloud Recesses) and it was probably a thing while the previous generation was there (CSSR is the exact sort of person to sneak into areas she’s not supposed to be in; I mean, she breaks into LQR’s room). But yeah, if nothing else there’s no reason to believe the male and female disciples don’t share information and a rule against sharing information that isn’t proven true (in a sect with rules against lying) which is generally rather negative towards the target doesn’t exactly seem unreasonable.

4) I think it’s in the ExR translation; is it not a thing in the original Chinese? But yeah, at worst the entire sect turns a blind eye to this rule being broken constantly, and more likely it was just quietly removed (if it was an official, policed rule to begin with, which is debatable). People seem to take that rule way more seriously than it’s ever taken in canon, honestly.

5) Yeah, the Lans are clearly prepared to make allowances in the rules for various reasons; there’s no reason to believe that mental health stuff wouldn’t be considered worthy of a similar allowance. Note that whenever we see a Lan faced with a clear mental health issue their response is to try to help; somewhat clumsily in LWJ’s case, but they do want to help, not shove the person back into some semblance of normalcy. That suggests to me that someone having genuine issues with following the rules would be treated more gently; note that LJY’s rule-breaking is treated mostly with mild exasperation and the usual punishment (which also grants Lan disciples a pretty useful skill, in this case; incredible arm strength is the Lan Thing, after all) and no one really seems to get fed up with him in any serious way.

6) Honestly, of all the sects I think that the Lans quite possibly have the healthiest grief-management stuff? I mean, we don’t see much of the Jins, but the Nies seem to go for “Channel everything into Rage and Fighting” and (while odds are it’s not indicative of the Jiangs as a whole, at least under JFM) every time we see grief in the Jiang sect it involves JC trying to murder WWX, which... is a whole thing. I’ve always taken “Do not grieve excessively” as “Do not let your grief consume you”, which is in fact a healthy way of looking at it; I don’t know if the Lans have grief counselling, but there is a point where grief just becomes incredibly unhealthy and saying “Hey, don’t do that” is at least... something. I do hope they offer some sort of assistance though, because just banning all-consuming grief and offering no help would be a whole mess. Still, if any sect is going to offer some form of counselling it’s going to be the one with the magic music for calming the mind!

[llycaons]

in talking abt the novel and show differences I don't really see the writing of jc come up which is funny because he plays a similar role but the differences are significant enough that you kind of need to specify which version you're talking about if you're going to discuss him in detail

in the novel - which I'm at this point hazy on, but FUCK novel jc for real - he's unambiguously, cruelly homophobic to his brother (who was already struggling with internalized biphobia), he treats wwx like shit after wwx is the only one to get punished by myu for something everyone was doing, he personally led a seige that slaughtered dozens of innocent farmers, and wwx's reaction to seeing him again was essentially 'oh fuck he's still mad about all that huh I definitely don't want to get involved in this again or return to LP' like he's the worst in every way I despised him and narratively he no longer holds any ties to wwx to keep wwx from progressing with his relationship with lwj and he acted as a threat to wwx postres in a way that would have been a lot more heartbreaking if the flashbacks weren't so choppy and discontinuous

meanwhile in the show - and this is my own interpretation - I found it fairly easy to interpret him as being supportive of his brother and just having sibling jealousy (plus the yuandao/mianmian line lmao), his repsonse to the wen situation was shit but it ended up with an agreement between him and wwx, and after the wens turned themselves in I don't think he could have done anything (and yeah he should have done more! but he looks genuinely miserable about it all which I doubt was the case in the novel) and wwx still remembers LP fondly and he has such kindness and forgiveness in him for jc at that temple. show jc is a mess and he's a dick and he's a failure but he's not....like...evil. and he saved lwj in the temple! I don't remember if that was in the book tho

the finale of the show is fairly bittersweet but the stronger emphasis on the better parts of their relationship and the more emotional performace that we got for jc made him a lot more engaging and compelling as a character and really does make me think they're bound to reconcile at some point which is also a big difference from the novel, like in the novel they're out of each other's lives and that's definitely for the best. and they're essentialy incompatible in a lot of ways but that doesn't mean they can't build something new...not that I want to give drama jc a pass because he did such awful things too (including actually killing wwx and having a crush on wq and still not helping her) but their relationship and the character felt much more real to me and I became rly invested in it idk. maybe jc will fail to do the work he needs to do and they'll never be able to communicate properly about how they care about each other and they never see each other again but that honest to god makes me so sad...

anyway I really don't think anyone likes novel jc but I completely understand why people went wild for drama jc. even if some of them are out of their minds. I think it was a good choice for a character drama to make one of the principle characters more sympathetic (the censorship probably played a role in this too tho given that they had to change how the wens died). so when I talk about jc I always refer to the show because I do not know that other dude

[crossdressingdeath]

I’m tired of takes depicting JFM as a domineering patriarch who lords over his poor, powerless wife and makes her life difficult when he’s actually the one of the sect leaders we know who is treating his wife with the most respect considering he has no concubines, mistresses or didn’t imprison her in a house, and that he listens to her and lets her have her say no matter what hurtful BS she’ll spew. Did we ever see him disrespect her, tell her to shut up even when she was dragging untrue or 1/6

hurtful rumors in his face to hurt him or hurting a child JFM cared about? We never even hear him use misogyny by calling YZY hysterical or unreasonable because she’s a woman to dismiss her which, as we have seen with Mianmian, is common in-universe and additionally in YZY’s case really true since we have seen her contradict herself in the space of a single short discussion (not bc she’s a woman, but bc of her awful temper). I also hate the take the JFM being sentimental about CSSR and2/6

WCZ, which is mostly fanon already, is what broke his family and caused the fall of LP and blablabla while YZY and her emotional outbursts are seen as valid and justified and not destructive at all to her family or LP (lol whut?). Like I’m sorry that JFM has people he cared about in the past and who treated him better than YZY does (and seeing what his home life is like, you'd think that people'd be understanding that he's nostalgic for better times in his youth lol) And seriously, blaming 3/6

JFM for his sentimentally for breaking a marriage between JYL and JZX when JZX expressed contempt multiple times toward JYL when seeing what his marriage is like? It’s not even sentimentality, it’s common sense and a desire to protect his daughter from going through the same hell he’s living in because he knows too well that if both spouses don’t have any respect toward each other, even if one of them loves the other, the marriage won’t work. Plus let’s ignore the reach blaming JFM for the 4/6

fall of LP because he broke the engagement between JYL and JZX as if the Jins would have ever come to their help against the Wens when JGS was well determined to sit out the war and use the vacuum of power afterwards to raise the profile of his sect, but YZY antagonizing WJL can’t be blamed of course, how could YZY bear the indignity of WJL talking to her with disrespect for a couple of minutes for the welfare of her sect, we have to ~understand~ her? Like always, YZY and JC can be 5/6

sentimental and unreasonable about any topic, but other people should always keep their own feelings under a lid and only do what JC or YZY think would please them at any given moment, even though they’ll want something else the minute after like YZY wanting and then not wanting WWX being sent as an hostage, or JC blaming WWX for everything that is wrong in his life and then complaining about WWX going away. People seem to miss that the reason that JC or YZY are so unhappy in their marriage6/6

or in their life more generally is not because their external circumstances are bad or people around them treat them badly but because YZY and JC's personalities makes them wreck their relationships and push away people that would have wanted to care about them. YZY could have had a nice, peaceful marriage with JFM because JFM is a decent enough man, and JC could have the loyalty and love of WWX all his life if they accepted people as they are and didn't ask them for more than they could7/6

give or even just seen JFM or WWX as people with their own wants and needs. JFM not taking in WWX wouldn't have made YZY happy and magically fixed their marriage no more than WWX being less talented than JC would fixed their relationship because the issue was never with those particular issues, but with the fact that neither YZY nor JC has any respect and sometimes not even any love for JFM or WWX, which slowly break their relationships apart.8/6

Wait, people actually blame JFM for the fall of Lotus Pier because he broke off the engagement between JYL and JZX for fear that they’d be miserable? Wow, those people’s arms must be hurting from that reach. The Jins are Entirely Fucking Useless and canonically sat out most of the Sunshot Campaign so that JGS didn’t have to burn his bridges with either side, they would not have helped. Not to mention JGS isn’t all that fond of the engagement and only agreed to it because he’s scared of his wife. Also like in general blaming the destruction of his sect on one thing JFM did years before and not on YZY openly and deliberately antagonizing the Wen envoy is Not Great. And yeah, JFM is insanely indulgent of YZY’s behaviour? She whips WWX on a regular basis for things that clearly aren’t worthy of such a harsh punishment as a general rule even to her (given she doesn’t whip anyone else involved with it), constantly undermines his authority, and emotionally abuses his children and ward right in front of him and at most he’ll tell her to knock it off (but doesn’t do anything when she doesn’t). JFM is way better to YZY than she deserves given the way she treats him and his family! I really don’t get where this image of JFM as some domineering patriarch lording his status over his poor innocent wife comes from given at worst he calls her name sternly when she’s being particularly horrible and never actually stops her. JFM does nothing to hurt YZY ever and arguing that him not being in love with his arranged marriage wife who’s consistently horrible to him and not openly praising her mistreatment of his family and sect is cruel is bullshit. You’re right, it really is just “He doesn’t bow to YZY (and JC)’s every whim so he’s cruel and abusive”, which like... her whims involve whipping a child and emotionally abusing three children? He shouldn’t bow to them?

(Addition because I missed the last two parts at first:)

Yeah, it really is a “like mother like son” situation. YZY expected JFM to do anything she wanted without considering whether his morals or personality would allow for that, and then when he couldn’t (or at least couldn’t without making himself miserable) she chose to see that as a failing on his part and not her asking too much of him. A marriage is a partnership; JFM wasn’t her servant to follow all her orders without question, and it was her inability to realize that that ruined her marriage, not JFM not bowing to her whims or him caring for his old friends who she didn’t like even after their deaths. And now I have the image in my head of her bugging her parents into pushing for the marriage like a spoiled child demanding a puppy, and like that spoiled child then throwing temper tantrums on realizing her new plaything was in fact a living breathing creature who would require love and care. She’s the one who taught JC that he didn’t owe anyone respect and if they refused to bow to his whims they were horrible people, after all.

[crossdressingdeath]

(1/3) It always amuses me how stans try to justify JC actions by his abusive upbringing while there were 3 children in that family and both others turned very kind and/or very moral and not at all like JC (and frankly, he didn't even have the hardest position in the dysfunctional dynamic). Or LXC and LWJ whose upbringing was even more screwed up with a LQ who was certainly playing favorites and wanting perfection, and yet this never draw a wedge between them or created any jealousy.

(2/3)LXC loves for LWJ to excel! Same with "but JC had it so hard rebuilding Lotus Pier, WWX was goofing off with the Wens"...JC was paying people to do that for him, yes, while WWX was trying to start from scratch a settlement over a mountain of corpses with a bunch of weak or old people and not to die of hunger comes winter. While separated from all his friends and hated as a monster by the cultivation world. "But JC was so lonely during the 13/16y, so that justifies him lashing out" And WWX

(3/3) was dead, killed by his brother and thinking that there was not a person left on his side in the end, and yet, that didn't make him act like a dick? Or athg else really, because everything that JC went through in the past, WWX did also, but in a worse way because he lost his parents young, lived in the streets, didn't have JC societal privilege or money and has to harness an unstable necromancy practice on top of that. And yet no one uses it as arguments to explain his actions, only for JC 

Honestly? While none of the Jiang kids were in a good position, out of the three of them... JC did have it the easiest. It was still awful for him, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting his childhood didn’t suck, but given it was made very clear to JYL that her only purpose was to be married off to JZX so her mother could tie her bloodline to her best friend’s and WWX was treated like a servant at best... Yeah. If I had to pick, I’d choose having a distant father and dealing with a mother who’s constantly emotionally abusive over having a distant father and dealing with a mother who’s constantly emotionally abusive and being treated like a bargaining chip/treated like a servant and/or bastard and being whipped for actions that would get the rest of the clan a lecture at worst. Again, I’m not saying JC didn’t have it bad, but his siblings having it worse is... interesting, given neither of them decided to be dicks to Literally Everyone over it.

I do have to say, even though this is about JC, there’s nothing suggesting LQR was playing favourites with LXC and LWJ. He was strict, yes, probably stricter than he should’ve been, and LXC probably did get more one-on-one interaction with him, but given LXC was going to be sect leader/became sect leader at a young age that makes sense. This is not super important to the point of this post, but I do find it odd how often people make LQR out to be this horrible person who’s always awful to his nephews because he’s Strict when we... don’t actually know anything about how he raised them. I don’t like him all that much, and he probably didn’t do a fantastic job of raising them, but the man did try, and he clearly wants his nephews to be safe and happy (even though he has inaccurate views of what that entails...), and given how the parents/parental figures of the cast generally act he deserves some credit for that. Also the Twin Jades ended up considerably better-adjusted than most of their age group, which... isn’t saying much all things considered but it does say something. If nothing else neither of them seem to feel actively unsafe around him, so he’s definitely not the worst parental figure in this novel.

...I had a surprising number of thoughts on LQR there. Whoops, sorry about the tangent. Maybe I’ll make a post about him at some point. Anyway, yeah, LXC and LWJ clearly adore each other! LXC would be delighted if LWJ surpassed him at something! Same with Nie bros; they argue a lot, but there’s no denying that they love each other. That’s what insults and threats out of love look like; NMJ threatens NHS all the time, but NHS clearly isn’t all that bothered by it until JGY starts fucking with NMJ’s mind and the threats become more serious, which really isn’t NMJ’s fault. It’s because in the other sibling relationships both parties are invested in staying close. They love each other and want to be close for the rest of their lives! Meanwhile JC is obsessed with WWX outperforming him at Literally Everything, and WWX genuinely believes that JC is allowed to treat him the way he does and it’s fine and healthy.

And yeah, JC wasn’t exactly rebuilding Lotus Pier all by his lonesome with his own two hands. In fact, going by what we see all the rebuilding was done well before WWX left! And I don’t doubt for a second that WWX was involved in that process; I have very mixed feelings about the scene in CQL where he blows off his duties to go and get drunk, because on the one hand it does do a good job of showing just how bad his mental state is getting (and how JC refuses to acknowledge it despite WWX obviously being Not Okay), but on the other hand... I just can’t see WWX not throwing himself into helping JC with everything he’s got even while his mental state is coming crashing down around him. I mean, this is the guy who created an incredibly powerful weapon that even he couldn’t fully control, not knowing what using it would do to him, to help his brother win a war. I’m pretty much certain that WWX ran himself into the ground helping JC rebuild and run the sect... then when he found himself in charge of a small group of desperate people, scrambling to keep them fed and clothed and healthy, JC just abandoned him to deal with it on his own.

And the whole “Oh, but JC was so lonely, don’t you feel bad for him?” shtick. I hate it so much. If he didn’t want to be lonely, he should’ve considered that before alienating everyone in his age group and leading an army to murder his brother, the only person left who was willing to put up with him! It’s... really hard to feel bad for someone who’s brought most of their suffering on themselves through a series of generally shitty and frequently downright cruel actions with easily foreseeable consequences. If he got sick of being alone, he should’ve apologized to his peers for being a dick to... literally all of them and tried to make amends and strike up some sort of relationship. Or, if that didn’t work, go out! Meet new people! Try not to be as awful to them! Also, he’s a sect leader. If he couldn’t even maintain a positive relationship with other sect leaders, people who, let me remind you, he has to work with on a regular basis and several of whom are actually nice and friendly people, that is on him. If you are awful to people you will end up alone. And then JC decided to respond to learning that the people he was a dick to every time he saw them (and, in LWJ and NHS’s cases, caused the death of someone they cared about) wanted nothing to do with him... by whining about how lonely he was as if that wasn’t largely his fault. Like, he lost his family and that’s awful, but he could have had friends to help him through his grief, and it’s his own damn fault that he doesn’t.

WWX’s life was miserable. He had plenty of friends, yeah, but he spent years on the streets after his parents died brutal deaths; was raised in a family where he was treated like a servant and a scapegoat; lost everything in an event he was blamed for despite having nothing to do with the attack; had to sacrifice his incredibly powerful golden core (thereby losing his primary means of defending himself while on the run and drastically shortening his lifespan) to keep his brother from letting himself die; was thrown into a corpse pit for three months where he had to create an entirely new and experimental (and as such incredibly dangerous) form of cultivation and probably resort to cannibalism just to survive; had to fight a war almost immediately after escaping; spent a... good portion of time (not sure how long exactly because the MDZS timeline is more a suggestion than an actual coherent timeline) being treated alternately as a tame pet or a rabid animal and having to pretend everything was just fine while everyone tried to either control him or remove him and his brother very obviously got increasingly resentful of his skill and power; had to abandon his home, his family, and everything he had left of his old life to save a bunch of innocent people while everyone, including his brother, acted like he’d gone mad for not wanting to let them die horribly; had to go back to the corpse pit he spent three months in because it was the only place where they might be safe; accidentally killed his brother-in-law due to losing control after being ambushed on the way to a celebration for his nephew that he was invited to by people he trusted, almost certainly making him wonder on at least some level if that was why he was invited; lost two members of his new family who he clearly loved because of said accidental murdering; learned their deaths were for nothing and, when he retaliated against the planned attack that shouldn’t have happened because that’s what WQ and WN gave their lives to prevent, saw his beloved sister die to save him; and, after all that, lost the rest of his new family to a siege on a civilian population led by his brother. And after all that, his response was... to destroy the incredibly dangerous weapon he’d made because he didn’t trust the sects to not destroy each other and themselves with it and kill himself rather than risk losing control again and hurting anyone else. In the novel too; I don’t doubt for a second that WWX planned on dying in that siege, even if he didn’t expect destroying the seal to do it.

Take a look at that paragraph. All those things that happened to WWX. And in the end, he was kind. He was so, so kind, and remains kind even after thirteen years of being dead. He would have been well within his rights to go all “Then let me be evil” on the sects, but every time he attacked them they struck first, and most of the serious damage he did happened as a direct result of losing control of his experimental and mostly unknown new cultivation, which is a real risk even with spiritual cultivation; NMJ probably would have happily killed everyone in Qinghe if the qi deviation hadn’t gotten to him first, given how easy it was for him to attack even his beloved little brother. Everything bad that happened to JC is on that list, pretty much. Everything that JC suffered WWX did too, with some variations in the details (and of course dead versus alone for the same period of time). JC had the advantage of a sect at his back and a high rank by virtue of his birth, while WWX’s position was entirely reliant on JFM and, later, JC. And yet some people insist that WWX’s trauma doesn’t excuse his actions but JC’s somehow does. Now, some people argue it’s different because WWX was a mass murderer. Yeah, well, JC’s a fucking serial killer, and he doesn’t have the excuse of losing control due to using resentful energy to cultivate and being attacked by everyone he’d ever known and trusted.

...I’ve kind of lost track of where I’m going with this. Short version: I very strongly disagree with anyone who insists WWX’s trauma doesn’t excuse his actions while bending over backwards to argue that JC’s trauma excuses his.