fengqing + 41 pls
PS you're my favorite fq writer
41. --to pretend.
Last time when they broke up, it was only for a few days, and everyone knew it wasn't official. This time, it's been almost a whole month, and the only reason they haven't told anyone is because of the wedding. Xie Lian made all of the arrangements with the assumption they'd be together, and not wanting to ruin his day is the only thing Feng Xin and Mu Qing still agree on.
Xie Lian finds them at the lantern-lit reception, looking radiant in the scarlet wedding silks that contrast his usual preference for white. "I'm so happy that we can all be here together!" he declares as he sweeps his friends into a three-way hug. "Who knows--maybe there will be another wedding to look forward to in the near future, hmm?"
Feng Xin looks away first, which leaves Mu Qing to be the one to force a smile. Two months ago, the comment would have made him blush... no. Better make it three. Now it only feels like a kick in the gut, except he can't let it show.
"Let's get a picture together," Xie Lian suggests, slipping his phone out of his sleeve. "Here. You two together. Mu Qing, your arm's the longest, so you should take it."
As they jostle into position, Mu Qing finds himself leaning against Feng Xin, a gesture that used to be familiar; he feels Feng Xin's breath near his ear, even catches the faint smell of his favorite shampoo when he turns to give the phone back to Xie Lian. Feng Xin smiled for the picture, so he doesn't want to look at it.
Still, he makes the mistake of checking Feng Xin's expression as he draws back. Feng Xin's eyes drop to his lips, then travel back up to meet Mu Qing's gaze with an obvious question. Mu Qing inclines his head in silent agreement.
The kiss is quick--affectionate, almost. Mu Qing is tempted to twist his fingers into the hem of Feng Xin's suit jacket and pull him back in, to make the most of the few hours they have left before they return to the reality of their breakup.
Xie Lian's cheeks are flushed a happy shade of pink. "You're cute when you get along. Ah, there goes Lang Qianqiu--I've been looking for him all night. Wait right here!"
As he swans off, Mu Qing sighs, stealing another glance towards Feng Xin. They'll have to break the news to Xie Lian eventually. Unless, like last time...
"Don't," Feng Xin warns under his breath as he reaches for his cocktail glass. "I told you it was final."
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My thought after skimming NPAB
“No Paths Are Bounds” by CataclysmicEvent could be the most popular TGCF fanfic right now due it being translated into many language. It basically retelling the story of TGCF with some alteration (most notably is Xie Lian being blinded by curse shackle).
To be honest I'm not really into 'retelling story' because basically we just like re-reading stories that already exist. Total chapters are 152 so the story is quite long and I don't have time to devote my time reading it due to my IRL stuffs (as you can see how rarely I post on tumblr lately, right?).
But I found the author's twitter post about some of the breakdown of the story, summaries that were fully discarded or retained-in-background. Then I was intrigued by the author’s portrayal of Shi Wudu.
I also found that the author's most favorite characters are Shi Wudu and Mu Qing (which turns out that we share the same interest) so yeah...
I ended up skimming their name through those 152 chapters.
And here’s my thought…
First, keep in mind that I didn't read the whole thing and just skimmed it, so my thought will be limited to that. Don’t take my words as reference, it would be better if you judge it by reading it yourself.
Plus, this will be heavily subjective and personal.
At least what I want to say first is that this fanfic is worthy enough of being loved by many.
As for Shi Wudu, there is noncon stuff with Jun Wu.
Yeah, this fic contains #junshui but in unhealthy way.
The premise is interesting because often I also have ideas for angsty #junshui content where Jun Wu blackmailed Shi Wudu for his fate switching deed.
The author further made that it was Jun Wu himself who taught Shi Wudu about switching fate.
Despite #junshui, the actual pairing is obviously #peishui. Yeah, I agree with the author that Shi Wudu deserves a happy ending.
Sometimes later it’s implied via Shi Wudu that Jun Wu is also interested to Mu Qing.
Now, I’ll be honest, I like pairing #junqing more than #junshui because I'm invested in PeacefulDiscord’s fanfic about them (yeah, it’s angsty pairing as well with possibility #fengqing in the end and the fanfic is likely got removed as of now due to the author wants to revise it).
Back to NPAB, i feel this part is a bit nonsensical because Mu Qing is the older god than Shi Wudu, he’s been around in Jun Wu’s court more than Shi Wudu. So why would Jun Wu only interested in Mu Qing now?
Of course there is a term that attraction can come later, but I still find it hard to be logically convinced.
There was a moment when Jun Wu appreciated Mu Qing's beauty, but why wasn't that done a long time ago when the latter first ascended?
I think it would be better that #junqing happened before #junshui, or that it didn't happen at all.
Speaking of Mu Qing, apart from being the martial god of southwest, it is very interesting that NPAB Mu Qing is also the god of medicine (medical master).
Medical masters themselves mentioned a little by MXTX in the novel.
It’s free real estate to me, so I'm often excited to create an OC based on that role.
But in NPAB, that role was taken by Mu Qing.
In canon, Mu Qing is obviously not a medical master, there is absolutely no implication that he is a healer.
But in NPAB, that is his role. To be honest, I'm excited, because Mu Qing’s role becomes even more prominent than his canon counterpart.
I particularly love this part:
NPAB Mu Qing is basically Unohana Retsu Yachiru of TGCF and healer Mu Qing became a quite popular fanon in TGCF fandom.
Back on Shi Wudu, the Black Water arc is more complex in NPAB than in canon. Both Shi Wudu and He Xuan were actually victims of Ju Wu's scheme, with the former even got SA’d by the emperor.
I love the fight between He Xuan and Shi Wudu inside Mount Tonglu, the truth was being revealed there and it eventually ended tragically with Shi Wudu’s death however…
Next chapter feels like a joke, probably a mock up chapter with Shi Wudu being transmigrated to modern world and met Shen Yuan who mistook him for a cosplayer.
This part is so random, after riding the angsty with Shi Wudu, he was suddenly in a supposedly comedic situation, WTF??
I thought that Shi Wudu will be permanently stuck in modern world with Shen Yuan, which will be… cringed imo (his character profile is not suitable for comedic situation atm).
But chapters later, I’m glad that he is back into TGCF world, revived by no other than Mei Nianqing.
Let me just pretend that his moment with Shen Yuan is just a dream… or does not exist.
Then, there is also beefleaf…
Which I think is not great idea to give them a lovechild during the course of NPAB’s TGCF.
I’ll be honest here, I have never been a fan of badass pregnant lady troupe.
I mean, no matter how badass you are, no matter how strong or overpowered, imb4, hax, etc you are... when you’re pregnant, you will be a liability in any dangerous situation! Deal with it!
No matter how capable you are, you and your unborn child will remain a matter of concern for the party.
Which automatically translated “a burden”.
I appreciate pregnant mother more who realize their limitations and choose to support the party in a safe place.
That's why I think that a 9 months pregnant The Boss in the middle of the battlefield is ridiculous (Metal Gear reference).
Reading: <fighting> <badass> <danger> “oh the baby!?” <fighting> <badass> <danger> “oh the baby!?” are getting on my nerves in all my life in enjoying fictions (JUST STAY INSIDE YOUR GODDAMN HOUSE, BITCH!!)
If you really need a representation of badass woman, or badass mother, do it when she's not pregnant.
In fact, badass mother with a child/children (who was already born of course) is still underrepresented than badass preggers.
I prefer beefleaf to have their kid(s) post canon.
Or (tbh), I prefer fengqing who get the children (Nan Feng-Fu Yao twins AU LOL).
Now talking about the OC, NPAB has quite a lot of OC(s) but right now I want to talk about Zhao Beitong first. Evie created her to serve as a mentor figure for Hua Cheng. Her role as the master of mount Tonglu, mother of ghost kings, the genius blacksmith who forged many celestial powerful weapons, the queen of Wuyong & Jun Wu’s wife AND GUOSHI (Tonglu Hudie).
To be honest, as interesting as she is, I’m not a fan of her character.
I found that her role is quite too much, my personal opinion is that she is a bit Sue-ish, despite the author claimed that the OCs are simply meant to be supporting characters to help the plot progression.
I’d rather have her roles get split into two characters. One as Hua Cheng (and He Xuan) mentor and another as queen of Wuyong/Jun Wu’s wife (via flashback/posthumous character).
The mentor could be from one/two of Jun Wu’s deputies who turn into the mountain (make them powerful enough to be able to project human form) while the queen’s story can be told by Mei Nianqing in addition when he told Xie Lian and Hua Cheng about Jun Wu’s past in canon.
Being Jun Wu’s former Guoshi & Hua Cheng’s mentor already put her fighting prowess alone comparable to them.
Which means the like of Pei Ming, fengqing and other martial gods/combatants are apparently inferior to her.
Then I also don’t like the story of her being the executor of the gods in previous heavenly dynasty while Jun Wu orchestrating from behind (as mastermind).
All for the sake of her grief as losing mother.
That is like the effective way to tell the audience how strong & badass your OC by carrying out the massacre while also place her in innocent light (we don’t blame in her, whilst sparing her from responsibility of her action).
You only feel pity to her, regardless what terrible things she is capable to do.
All because of “I’4m A wRoNg3d m0th3r!!!”
Let’s be honest, Zhao Beitong’s motherhood issue got too repetitive in her story to the point where I got (yawn).
Perhaps that’s the problem of story too much tell, another reason where I can appreciate the element of surprise of MXTX's storytelling.
I’m not defending the previous (gen of) gods, as MXTX herself implied that they were corrupt canonically.
But I prefer the canon version where Jun Wu is more barbaric in slaughtering them by his own hand, Jun Wu's narrative as a strong villain is more accomplished well for it demonstrated his strength as well as his cruelty (regardless how corrupt the victims themselves were).
I think it’s fine if you want to put your OC in some light by having her contributed in forging deadly weapons, but I’d rather have Jun Wu did the execution as you already made your OC prominent enough as a blacksmith.
EDIT (27/12/22): Okay, after re-skimming again, the ones who did the heavenly slaughter were both Zhao Beitong and Jun Wu, but still...
I don't know what criteria the author sees of prominent female character, the author created Zhao Beitong as an icon of such.
But personally, characters like Ling Wen and Yushi Huang have been quite woke for me, because even though they are not physically strong as combatants, they are both very competent. MXTX prefers characters who are competent and irreplaceable than just being everything.
At this point, I’d rather have the author to fully utilize Jun Wu’s three other deputies than making over-fully packed OC.
Guru kebanyakan drama, kalo kayak gini kan mending Hua Cheng dikasih guru macam eyang Sinto Gendheng wae -_-
Though, perhaps most of you already think that Zhao Beitong serves her role well as an OC, because her story is in harmony with the narrative written in the NPAB:
The tragic mentor/fallen goddess who aids the protagonists in defeating the villain while also getting her revenge.
But my personal preference is to prefer a character that aren't too excessively tragic/dramatic.
I’m actually aware that NPAB’s elaborated style of narrative is not limited to Zhao Beitong alone, but also to many canon characters.
However, that’s how despite some existing plot holes, I appreciate MXTX’s subtlety in story telling.
At this point, I’ll be more blatantly honest here, I found Zhao Beitong more annoying than NPAB!Shi Qingxuan.
Let’s go back to the positive one, I love how the fic had addressed this mulian’s issue:
And then in NPAB, we have this:
My favorite chapter that moved me was when Mu Qing became MVP in the battle against Bai Wuxiang. Bai Wuxiang then infected Mu Qing with Death Qi, the protagonists’ party almost lost their most reliable healer because of that and then the lake scene with fengqing & hualian.
NPAB have delves into deep emotions with multiple characters even early on than what MXTX had written (particularly, Hua Cheng’s POV).
I like the NPAB version of the final battle more than the canon because the former involves more characters to contribute in fighting Jun Wu and Bai Wuxiang, instead of relying too much on Hua Cheng and Xie Lian alone.
Then, regarding the epilogue (post Jun Wu’s defeat), although it is great to have multiple parties involved in final battle. In the end we will find a typical ending "happily ever after for everyone" yay.
Which is a bit... childish to my taste (sorry).
Especially in the part when it comes time for Shi Wudu to receive a formal punishment for his crime on He Xuan regarding fate switching.
I don't know why I don't like the way it is handled. Like witnessing the court process in our world, but in written form (narration). Shi Wudu’s reciting all his sin verbally, can’t we just skip this part? (yawn)
At least yeah, he doesn’t get away with his crimes on He Xuan.
And the ending has Pei Ming as the new heavenly emperor which is neat.
So… yeah, that’s my impression of a fraction of the NPAB, I wished I have my time to read the entire story but yeah…
Anyway, apart from the things that I’m not a fan of, this fanfic can’t be called a mediocre in quality. The author is really devoted in writing this story as a form of love for TGCF written by MXTX herself.
Ciao.
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