masterash

[masterash]

[masterash]

And chapter 11 is out :] excited for this one

The surrounding buildings are illuminated by the scarlet glow of lamps strung above, hazed by a soft mist. Both ends of the street are consumed by the fog, giving the illusion that it goes on for infinity. Lines of shops sit on the edge, and Wei Wuxian makes out odd trinkets being sold. A thought slams into him, threatening to topple him over again once he’s on his feet. Nothing hurts, the pain is gone. The injuries he’d had just seemed to vanish. When he looks up he’s taken aback by the startling sight of a boar glowering over him. No, not a boar he realizes on second glance, but a large muscular man with a boar head. He makes a sound like a low pig snort, “Puh- damn new ghosts.” - The Yiling Patriarch has died, and the cultivation world rejoices in it, but what of his soul? Surely, a man with so much grief, rage, and regret would not simply pass on, would he? No, he wouldn't.

New chapter of my TGCF x MDZS crossover :] I think it's one of the best chapters

[masterash]

The surrounding buildings are illuminated by the scarlet glow of lamps strung above, hazed by a soft mist. Both ends of the street are consumed by the fog, giving the illusion that it goes on for infinity. Lines of shops sit on the edge, and Wei Wuxian makes out odd trinkets being sold. A thought slams into him, threatening to topple him over again once he’s on his feet. Nothing hurts, the pain is gone. The injuries he’d had just seemed to vanish. When he looks up he’s taken aback by the startling sight of a boar glowering over him. No, not a boar he realizes on second glance, but a large muscular man with a boar head. He makes a sound like a low pig snort, “Puh- damn new ghosts.” - The Yiling Patriarch has died, and the cultivation world rejoices in it, but what of his soul? Surely, a man with so much grief, rage, and regret would not simply pass on, would he? No, he wouldn't.

New chapter of my TGCF x MDZS crossover :] I think it's one of the best chapters

#tgcf #mxtx #heaven official's blessing #mdzs #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #tian guan ci fu #mo dao zu shi #hua cheng #xie lian #hualian #wei wuxian

[masterash]

i think it’s interesting how people often characterize lan wangji’s perspective of wei wuxian during and after the yiling laozi arc like “free my man, he did nothing wrong.” but to me, i feel like this is just selling short his character and his devotion to wwx. the way i see it, when wei wuxian is at his worst and in the years after when wwx comes back, lan wangji isn’t condoning his actions of that era. it’s more like, “i know you were trying to do the right thing, and things spiraled out of control, and i failed to help you back then, and i won’t fail you again.” it’s not wei wuxian’s actions that lan wangji is so defensive of but his intentions. even if lwj didn’t know at the time (and even when he comes back, at first) why wwx chose the ghostly path and gave up righteous cultivation, he has an unshakeable faith in wwx’s moral code, that wwx will do what he feels is right. or at least, doing what he thinks he needs to do to survive. this doesn’t necessarily mean that lan zhan thinks what wwx did as his mental state eroded WAS right. we see this so many times when lan zhan tries to help him, hoping that wwx will return to gusu with him. it’s not until it’s too late, when wwx is truly breaking down, that he understands that that wasn’t the right way to help wwx. the right way is to just be there for him, which is what he does when wwx returns. letting wwx make his own decisions while showing him that there is still someone who believes in him. imo this is much more meaningful than the other interpretation that i see a lot that i mentioned above. it’s about being there for wei wuxian even if he does make the wrong decisions because at the end of the day he knows that wwx, at his core, has good intentions.

#thissssss #this completely

[masterash]

i think it’s interesting how people often characterize lan wangji’s perspective of wei wuxian during and after the yiling laozi arc like “free my man, he did nothing wrong.” but to me, i feel like this is just selling short his character and his devotion to wwx. the way i see it, when wei wuxian is at his worst and in the years after when wwx comes back, lan wangji isn’t condoning his actions of that era. it’s more like, “i know you were trying to do the right thing, and things spiraled out of control, and i failed to help you back then, and i won’t fail you again.” it’s not wei wuxian’s actions that lan wangji is so defensive of but his intentions. even if lwj didn’t know at the time (and even when he comes back, at first) why wwx chose the ghostly path and gave up righteous cultivation, he has an unshakeable faith in wwx’s moral code, that wwx will do what he feels is right. this doesn’t necessarily mean that lan zhan thinks what wwx did as his mental state eroded WAS right. we see this so many times when lan zhan tries to help him, hoping that wwx will return to gusu with him. it’s not until it’s too late, when wwx is truly breaking down, that he understands that that wasn’t the right way to help wwx. the right way is to just be there for him, which is what he does when wwx returns. letting wwx make his own decisions while showing him that there is still someone who believes in him. imo this is much more meaningful than the other interpretation that i see a lot that i mentioned above. it’s about being there for wei wuxian even if he does make the wrong decisions because at the end of the day he knows that wwx, at his core, has good intentions.

#thissssss #this completely

[masterash]

Not to start DRAMA but sometimes the internet says that Lan Zhan wanting to hide Wei Wuxian in Gusu is toxic behavior AND THAT IS SUCH A NO NUANCE TAKE because in ACTUALITY its phenomenal writing.

Not only does it tie into the novel's theme of morality being a consequence of perspective and context, but it's a perfect example of how the people you exalt are just as wounded and traumatized as those you shun. Lan Zhan never saw an example of loving another OTHER than hiding them away (RE: his mother). So don't sit here and tell me that Lan Zhan wanting to protect his Wei Ying from injustice and himself isn't him trying his hardest to love when he doesn't fucking know how (yet). The ENTIRE present timeline arc is Lan Zhan learning that love isn't something you shelter, but something you profess and exude every day no matter what anyone says.

MXTX is a master in literary contrast. Without past Lan Zhan fighting to bubble wrap Wei Wuxian, the final notes showing Wangxian's public affection means nothing. I argue its not toxic behavior. It's a masterclass in character development and a faithfulness to reality.

[masterash]

I feel there should be more post Bingge vs. Bingmei fanfics from Bingmei’s point of view.

He came upon another version of himself that, apparently, Shizun has met before???

The same Shizun who inexplicably threw Binghe into the Abyss only to mourn him immediately afterwards. Who was absolutely terrified of him in Jinlan City, and kept blaming him for everything. Who died for him only to pop up later in a replacement body Shang QingHua helped him make. Who just so happened to know a great deal of things he really shouldn’t about the Holy Mausoleum.

I’m not sure what Binghe would conclude from all this (I doubt he’d come up with transmigration exactly) but you can’t tell me his Protagonist IQ didn’t come up with some very interesting, and fairly plausible, scenarios.

[masterash]

some danmei blorbos

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Sometimes i just cant handle mxtx crossover fanfiction. Theres nothing wrong with it!! Im sure they are very fun!! But I just know in my heart of hearts if any of the main protags meet each other they would all collectively think:

"man all of these people are so weird, unlike me, the only normal person here"

And I just can't withstand the second hand embarrassment from this group of weirdo hypocrites!!! *head in hands*

[masterash]

And chapter 8!

Summary: The surrounding buildings are illuminated by the scarlet glow of lamps strung above, hazed by a soft mist. Both ends of the street are consumed by the fog, giving the illusion that it goes on for infinity. Lines of shops sit on the edge, and Wei Wuxian makes out odd trinkets being sold. A thought slams into him, threatening to topple him over again once he’s on his feet. Nothing hurts, the pain is gone. The injuries he’d had just seemed to vanish. When he looks up he’s taken aback by the startling sight of a boar glowering over him. No, not a boar he realizes on second glance, but a large muscular man with a boar head. He makes a sound like a low pig snort, “Puh- damn new ghosts.”

If you haven't seen this yet, its a great time to take a look at it! My latest fic, a crossover between TGCF and MDZS. Just posted chapter 5 today!

[masterash]

Here comes chapter 7!!!!!!

Summary: The surrounding buildings are illuminated by the scarlet glow of lamps strung above, hazed by a soft mist. Both ends of the street are consumed by the fog, giving the illusion that it goes on for infinity. Lines of shops sit on the edge, and Wei Wuxian makes out odd trinkets being sold. A thought slams into him, threatening to topple him over again once he’s on his feet. Nothing hurts, the pain is gone. The injuries he’d had just seemed to vanish. When he looks up he’s taken aback by the startling sight of a boar glowering over him. No, not a boar he realizes on second glance, but a large muscular man with a boar head. He makes a sound like a low pig snort, “Puh- damn new ghosts.”

If you haven't seen this yet, its a great time to take a look at it! My latest fic, a crossover between TGCF and MDZS. Just posted chapter 5 today!

[masterash]

(minor TMA spoilers and general TMAGP spoilers) Having so much time to think about incidents in TMAGP due to hiatus made me realize that all of them, to some degree, contain the theme of "sealing your own fate" or "consequences of greed/hubris".

You see, while I do not believe that TMA had a consistent theme every statement was based on, the overall messege seemed to be that horrors are inevitable. Once you've been marked you cannot escape, no amount of therapy or running can release you from it. I think Michael Crew is the best example of that:

"The thing that chased me, you see, it was an arcing branch of the Twisting Deceit, taken shape to follow me. (...) And I knew within that book was something that could not only release me from my pursuer, but chain my being to that rush of wind and vertigo forever." Michael Crew in "The Coming Storm"

You cannot escape it once you've been marked, only bind yourself to different one and this marking is, most often than not, nonconsensual. Jane Prentiss would run around and infect random people, Not!Them didn't need anybody to come to them before it was sealed and Peter Lukas also tended to just disappear random people just to feed. The fears were very predatorial and active and the victims were selected based on their own fears and anxieties. This is not to say there weren't victims who failed due to their own curiosity/hubris/greed, but I think it's telling that few of the most greedy/curious people in the series, Mikaele Salesa and Jurgen Leitner, stayed largely uncorrupted by the fears not cause they avoided interacting with them, but simply avoided getting marked by them.

Now we come to protocol and every incident so far has the main subject of that incident actively engage with the horror and have one or multiple points at which they could stop and leave, but they do not. Daria went to the tattoo shop on her own accord, Harriet wanted her husband back no matter what and even Dr Webber was described to be able to leave the garden whenever he wanted, but, due to hiding from authorities, chose to stay until it was too late for him. Every incident so far seems to have this theme of consent, characters detailing very clearly that consent was given to engage with the abnormality:

"Ah well that’s a tricky one. Sort of? In many ways he stabbed himself on me. By the time he saw the needles we were already very close. Close enough to smell his sweat and cheap aftershave. In fact, he barely had time to be afraid before we embraced. He’s terrified now of course…" Needles in "Introductions"

"The young man's interview was not exceptional as he had no experience in charity work, no driving license nor any demonstrable experience in retail. He claimed however, to know the Hilltop Centre better than anyone and as he was the only applicant in the role I elected to give him a try." Dianne Margolis in "Give and Take"

"I hesitated a moment but before I could consider her strangeness a particularly high tide of color swept down the corridor toward me. I panicked, and before I realized what I was doing I had darted inside the lift and slammed the close-door button." Terrance Stevens in "Running on Empty"

It does not matter some of these are under duress or deception, all of them contain some type of action "confirming" consent. Mind you I do not believe all the victims of of these horrors confirm consent in some way, like people who get killed by Bonzo probably didn't agree to it (though considering he's most likely a hitman, some degree of "you agreed to this by overstepping your boundaries" philosophy could be applied), but subjects of the incident very much pay for consequences of their own actions.

That brings us to OIRA itself, and how every character so far seems to actively dig themselves deeper by their own accord, Gwen wants position of power, Colin wants to figure out the system, Sam wants to know why he wasn't chosen and Alice is in it for the money (for her brother which still counts as consent). This is literally said directly to us in episode 1:

"If you hate working here so completely, you are perfectly within your rights to resign. No one is forcing you to stay here." Lena to Gwen in "First Shift"

All of this, all this horror is happening due to their own accord, curiosity, obligation, greed for knowledge or just for the money, it does not matter, the choice is there, but they delve deeper anyway. We will see how long it holds up, but I will be on the look out for this theme in the future.

[masterash]

Chapter 6 has been released!

Summary: The surrounding buildings are illuminated by the scarlet glow of lamps strung above, hazed by a soft mist. Both ends of the street are consumed by the fog, giving the illusion that it goes on for infinity. Lines of shops sit on the edge, and Wei Wuxian makes out odd trinkets being sold. A thought slams into him, threatening to topple him over again once he’s on his feet. Nothing hurts, the pain is gone. The injuries he’d had just seemed to vanish. When he looks up he’s taken aback by the startling sight of a boar glowering over him. No, not a boar he realizes on second glance, but a large muscular man with a boar head. He makes a sound like a low pig snort, “Puh- damn new ghosts.”

If you haven't seen this yet, its a great time to take a look at it! My latest fic, a crossover between TGCF and MDZS. Just posted chapter 5 today!

[masterash]

Summary: The surrounding buildings are illuminated by the scarlet glow of lamps strung above, hazed by a soft mist. Both ends of the street are consumed by the fog, giving the illusion that it goes on for infinity. Lines of shops sit on the edge, and Wei Wuxian makes out odd trinkets being sold. A thought slams into him, threatening to topple him over again once he’s on his feet. Nothing hurts, the pain is gone. The injuries he’d had just seemed to vanish. When he looks up he’s taken aback by the startling sight of a boar glowering over him. No, not a boar he realizes on second glance, but a large muscular man with a boar head. He makes a sound like a low pig snort, “Puh- damn new ghosts.”

If you haven't seen this yet, its a great time to take a look at it! My latest fic, a crossover between TGCF and MDZS. Just posted chapter 5 today!

#morning after reblog :]

[masterash]

Summary: The surrounding buildings are illuminated by the scarlet glow of lamps strung above, hazed by a soft mist. Both ends of the street are consumed by the fog, giving the illusion that it goes on for infinity. Lines of shops sit on the edge, and Wei Wuxian makes out odd trinkets being sold. A thought slams into him, threatening to topple him over again once he’s on his feet. Nothing hurts, the pain is gone. The injuries he’d had just seemed to vanish. When he looks up he’s taken aback by the startling sight of a boar glowering over him. No, not a boar he realizes on second glance, but a large muscular man with a boar head. He makes a sound like a low pig snort, “Puh- damn new ghosts.”

If you haven't seen this yet, its a great time to take a look at it! My latest fic, a crossover between TGCF and MDZS. Just posted chapter 5 today!

#mxtx #tgcf #mdzs #hua cheng #xie lian #wei wuxian #hualian #heaven official's blessing #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #tian guan ci fu #mo dao zu shi #mo xiang tong xiu #the untamed #untamed fanfiction #mdzs fanfiction #tgcf fanfic

[masterash]

young me especially would have hated hearing this but networking is literally the most important thing you can do to improve your situation like forget economic barriers to education etc just keep making friends with different people and eventually someone will offer you a hand up just because they dig your vibe and that is exactly all that's happening when undeserving people surpass you anyway

[masterash]

so close to writing about mdzs for my greek tragedy class—wwx as a tragic figure who does everything “right” according to his moral sense but suffers anyways, the jianghu as the chorus switching allegiances at the drop of a hat, nhs as a sort of deus ex machina righting wrongs at the cost of the stability of the ruling class