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jiangwanyinscatmom · 3 years

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Hi! So first of all I want to clarify that I'm not in any way saying jc isn't a homophobe, because I mean, it's pretty obvious. However back when I read the mxtx interview I read her answer as 'wwx acted all of a sudden very different with lwj, to the point where it was jarring for jc who had not seen him act that way before.' I do not think jc understood at all wwx's affections towards lwj, and this did not think it was disgusting because he saw it as flirting. (1/2)

I find it weird that people use it as a 'proof' that jc is homophobic when it's not straightforwardly telling us it's homophobia, and also since you know, the novel is right there and tells us far more clearly that jc is, in fact, a homophobe. (2/2)

So, here, I agree the interview isn't a stated full explanation in itself and not to be used as evidence alone.

I think that at the time it was not fully homophobia on his part when he had first noticed Wei Wuxian's attention for Lan Wangji in Cloud Recesses. Jiang Cheng had never understood Wei Wuxian's penchant for wanting to be around Lan Wangji and I think that his surprise of Wei Wuxian flirting with a man (He himself talks about how he never thought it odd with Wei Wuxian flirting with women all the time) Lan Wangji was always the strange outlier for flirting. It steadily devolves into more overt homophobia as they get older.

Cloud Recesses when they're 15,

Wei WuXian replied, “Yeah, I also thought that he should be praised for having the courage to come see me. He was probably told by his uncle to come check if I was kneeling properly.”

Jiang Cheng instinctively felt a foreboding sensation, “Were you kneeling properly?”

Wei WuXian, “I was kneeling properly. After he was some distance away, I found a stick and started to dig in the dirt. The pile beside your foot. There’s an ant hole there that I went through tons of trouble to find. When he turned his head, he saw that my shoulders were shaking, and he definitely thought that I was crying. He even came back to ask me. You really should have seen his expression as he saw the ant hole.”

“…” Jiang Cheng spoke, “You should get lost and go back to Yunmeng as soon as possible! I don’t think that he wants to see you ever again.”

The part that sticks out here is the fact that Jiang Cheng feels any sense of foreboding at all for a silly situation that Lan Wangji had walked away from seeing Wei Wuxian was actually okay. It's the first seed of him continuing the line of thought that "He hates you". He is already feeling strange about Wei Wuxian's flirting and chooses to sort of project this hate into Lan Wangji for Wei Wuxian.

Lotus Pier summer after Cloud Recesses lessons:

I just thought of someone.”

Jiang Cheng, “Who?”

Wei WuXian, “Lan Zhan.”

Jiang Cheng, “Why would you think of him for no reason? Reminiscing what it felt like to copy sect rules?”

Wei WuXian spat out a seed, “It’s fun to think of him. You don’t even know—he’s just too amusing. I told him, ‘Your sect’s food is disgusting. I’d rather eat stir-fried watermelon peel than eat your food. If you have time, come have fun with us at Lotus Pier…'”

Before he even finished, Jiang Cheng slapped his watermelon off, “Are you mad? Inviting him to Lotus Pier—are you trying to torture yourself?”

Wei WuXian, “Why are you so upset? My watermelon almost flew away! I was just being polite. Of course he wouldn’t come. Have you ever heard of him go anywhere by himself to have fun?”

Jiang Cheng had on a stern expression, “Let’s make this clear. I don’t want him to come, anyhow. Don’t invite him.”

Wei WuXian, “I never knew you hated him so much?”

Jiang YanLi sat down between the two, “Who are you talking about? A friend you made in Gusu?”

Wei WuXian responded happily, “Yeah!”

Jiang Cheng, “What a shameless ‘friend’ you are. Go ask Lan WangJi and see if he wants you as one.”

Wei WuXian, “Fuck off. If he doesn’t want me, I’ll bother him to the point that he does.” He turned to Jiang YanLi, “Shijie, do you know Lan WangJi?”

Jiang YanLi, “I do. He’s that Lan-er-gongzi whom everyone describes as handsome and talented, isn’t he? Is he really that handsome?”

Wei WuXian, “He is!”

Jiang YanLi, “Compared to you?”

Wei WuXian thought about it for a moment, “Maybe just a bit more handsome than me.”

He formed a tiny bit of space between two fingers. Taking the plate away, Jiang YanLi smiled, “He must be truly very handsome, then. It’s a good thing you made a new friend. In the future, you two can visit each other in your free time.”

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng spat out his watermelon. Wei WuXian waved his hands, “Forget it, forget it. All that’s at his place is bad food and a whole lot of rules. I’m not going again.”

Jiang YanLi, “Then you can bring him here. This is a good opportunity. Why not invite your friend to come stay at Lotus Pier for sometime?”

Jiang Cheng, “Don’t listen to his nonsense, Jie. He’s super annoying in Gusu. Lan WangJi would never want to come home with him.”

Wei WuXian, “What do you mean!? He would.”

Jiang Cheng, “Wake up. Lan WangJi told you to get lost, didn’t you hear? You still remember that?”

Wei WuXian, “What do you know!? Even though he told me to get lost on the surface, I know for sure that he secretly wants to come play with me in Yunmeng—in fact, he would love to.”

Wei Wuxian is still in the belief that Lan Wangji does like him. Jiang Cheng of course isn't amused by Jiang Yanli's indulgence in Wei Wuxian's daydreams. Wei Wuxian continues to, well, essentially pine innocently about Lan Wangji, his fellow disciples even encourage it leading to... Jiang Cheng sulking even further over the fact that Wei Wuxian is in fact pining over another boy. He puts two and two together as Wei Wuxian is flirting with the girls on shore later on and he talks of the things he will do with Lan Wangji as he visits. He talked of training with Lan Wangji in the same way he invited the girls to watch him train.

Phoenix Mountain Hunt

Lan WangJi suddenly raised his hand, stopping a flower tossed over from behind him.

He looked back. Over at the side of the YunmengJiang Sect’s riding formation, which hadn’t departed yet, Jiang Cheng clicked his tongue impatiently, seated at the front. However, the person beside him sat on a horse with black, gleaming hair. His elbow was at the head of the horse as he looked to the side as though nothing happened, talking and laughing with two slender-bodied maidens.

Lan XiChen saw that Lan WangJi had drawn the reins and ceased to move forward, “WangJi, what happened?”

Lan WangJi, “Wei Ying.”

Wei WuXian finally turned around, face full of surprise, “What? HanGuang-Jun, did you call me? What’s up?”

Holding the flower, Lan WangJi seemed to be quite cold. His tone seemed cold as well, “Was it you?”

Wei WuXian immediately denied it, “No, it wasn’t.”

The maidens beside him spoke at once, “Don’t believe him. It was him!”

Wei WuXian, “How could you treat a good person like this? I’m getting angry!”

Giggling, the maidens pulled their reins and went to the formations of their own sects. Lan WangJi lowered the hand that he held the flower with and shook his head. Jiang Cheng spoke, “ZeWu-Jun, HanGuang-Jun, apologies. Don’t pay attention to him.”

Lan XiChen smiled, “That is fine. I will thank Young Master Wei’s kindness behind the flower in place of WangJi.”

When they slowly rode into the distance, carrying with them the clouds of petals and fragrance, Jiang Cheng glanced at the colourful sea of handkerchiefs waving on the watching towers before turning to Wei WuXian, “Why are you throwing out flowers along with the girls?”

Wei WuXian, “I think he looks nice. Can’t I throw a few as well?”

Jiang Cheng pointed his nose into the air, “How old are you? Who do you think you are, still playing tricks like that?”

Interestingly enough, this flower scene is similar to what had once occurred during the summer of Lotus Pier. This is after it had been established that Wei Wuxian thinks Lan Wangji now dislikes him morally. Yet he still reaches out to tease and flirt with him, leading Jiang Cheng to continue asking why well into their early 20's is Wei Wuxian still doing this. It was excusable when they were younger but now this is inexcusable and troublesome for someone who is supposed to be his righthand acting on whims still and flirting with a man of reputation. Jiang Cheng actively had encouraged the rift between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji after the return from the Burial Mounds. He agreed very readily that Lan Wangji wanted to imprison Wei Wuxian instead of extending any help in regards to Wei Wuxian's volatile disposition that went on for years after this altercation, convincing himself and Wei Wuxian of Lan Wangji's supposed hate.

Wei WuXian was in such a state of distress that he couldn’t remember whether or not he called someone’s name at all. He only managed to pull himself together after Jiang Cheng commanded the dog to back away. After a moment of hesitation, he abruptly turned his head away. On the other side, Jiang Cheng left his seat. There was a whip attached beside his waist. With one hand on it, he bent down to look at Wei WuXian’s face. After a pause, he straightened up and asked, “Speaking of it, since when have you been so close to Lan WangJi?”

Wei WuXian immediately understood whose name he had unconsciously called out.

Jiang Cheng smiled menacingly, “It really is quite curious how far he went to protect you, back on Dafan Mountain.”

A moment later, he corrected himself, “No. You weren’t necessarily the one whom Lan WangJi was protecting. After all, the GusuLan Sect couldn’t have forgotten what you did with that loyal dog of yours. How could someone so celebrated for his righteousness tolerate the likes of you? Maybe he’s familiar with this body that you stole instead.”

His words were cruel and sinister. Every sentence seemed well-meaning on the surface, but was actually derogatory. Wei WuXian couldn’t bear hearing it any longer, “Watch your language.”

Thirteen years later his taunts have become more refined as he is well off into hating Lan Wangji himself now that Wei Wuxian had been dead. He taunts that Lan Wangji is more promiscuous than presented as well as using Wei Wuxian's old goodwill for Lan Wangji for him to go on the defense. Jiang Cheng however thinks using the fact these men are gay is only a tool, he does not believe they are as his disgust of Mo Xuanyu being gay does disgust him. His suspicions have turned into bigotry instead finally in the years that Wei Wuxian was gone.

When Jiang Cheng accused him, Wei WuXian couldn’t defend himself at all, but he just couldn’t bear it when those words were being directed at Lan WangJi.

Wei WuXian reprimanded, “Jiang Cheng, just listen to yourself. What are you saying? Is it appropriate? Don’t forget who you are. After all, you’re the leader of a sect. Insulting a renowned cultivator in front of Uncle Jiang and Madam Yu’s spirits—where is your discipline?”

His original intention was to remind Jiang Cheng to at least hold some respect for Lan WangJi. However, Jiang Cheng was always sensitive. From those words, he managed to make out the notion that he wasn’t fit to be a sect leader. Immediately, darkness crawled up his face, bearing an eerie similarity to how Madam Yu looked when she was angry. His voice was harsh, “Who is the one insulting my parents in front of their spirits?! Could you two please understand whose sect you’re in? I don’t care if you act so shamelessly outside, but don’t you dare fool around inside our ancestral hall, before my parents’ spirits! After all, they were the ones who brought you up—even I feel ashamed for you!”

Wei WuXian never expected such a huge blow to crash down on him. He was both shocked and furious, blurting, “Shut up!”

Jiang Cheng pointed outside, “Mess around outside however you want, whether under a tree or on a boat, hugging or otherwise! Get out of my sect, get away from anywhere my eyes can see!”

Hearing him mention ‘under a tree’, Wei WuXian felt his heart skip a beat—could Jiang Cheng have seen the moment where he crashed into Lan WangJi’s arms?

His guess was not wrong. Jiang Cheng did indeed go out to find Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi. He chased after them in the direction that the street vendors pointed at. A voice in his heart seemed to tell him which places Wei WuXian would definitely go. He caught up to them in just a while. Yet, he just so happened to see Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi enveloped in a tight embrace under a tree, unwilling to let go of each other even after so long.

Goosebumps immediately ran down Jiang Cheng’s body.

Although he’d made guesses at the relationship between Mo XuanYu and Lan WangJi before, they were only attacks trying to offend Wei WuXian, not that he really suspected anything. He’d never thought that Wei WuXian would have ambiguous ties with a man, because after all, when they grew up together, Wei WuXian had never expressed any such interest. He’d always loved good-looking girls with a passion. On the other hand, it was even more impossible for Lan WangJi. He was famous for his asceticism, seemingly interested in neither men nor women.

But hugging like that seemed intense no matter what. At least, they didn’t seem like normal friends or brothers. He immediately recalled that Wei WuXian had always stuck to Lan WangJi ever since he came back. Lan WangJi’s attitude towards him was also different from what it was before he was reborn. At once, he was almost certain that the two really were in that kind of relationship. He couldn’t turn around and leave, yet he didn’t want to say a single word to the two, so he continued to hide himself as he followed them. Every single look and movement that passed between them seemed different in his eyes. For a while, the shock, absurdity, and slight disgust that he felt combined to overpower his hatred. It was only after Wei WuXian brought Lan WangJi into the ancestral hall that the long-suppressed hatred was awakened again, devouring his courtesy and rationality.

Wei WuXian was holding something back, “Jiang WanYin, you… apologize right now.”

Jiang Cheng mocked, “Apologize? For what? For exposing your thing for each other?”

Wei WuXian raged, “HanGuang-Jun is only my friend—what do you think we are?! I warn you. Apologize right now—don’t make me beat you!”

Hearing this, Lan WangJi’s expression froze for an instant. Jiang Cheng laughed, “Well, then I’ve never seen “friends” like that before? You warn me? Warn me against what? If you two had the slightest trace of integrity left, you wouldn’t have come here and…”

Seeing the change in Lan WangJi’s expression, Wei WuXian thought he must have felt insulted by Jiang Cheng’s words. He was so angry that his entire body was shaking. He didn’t dare think about what Lan WangJi would think after being shamed like this.

Obviously in the penultimate scene Jiang Cheng himself is being "the unreliable narrator" that fans love to accuse Wei Wuxian of. He says he never expected this of the two, but all the years of his behavior shows that he had always gone out of his way to keep the two away from each other and had always been mildly homophobic when the two did express interest in the other however innocent it had been in their youth.

All of this is to say, when it comes to how MXTX worded that interview answer, I think it was meant as a careful nudge for those who had still tried to insist that Jiang Cheng didn't mean to be homophobic, actually wasn't homophobic and was just angry at any other actions of Wei Wuxian and lashing out about that etc, it was her telling people to simply pay attention to the underlying shadowing of Jiang Cheng and how he exasperated his own pre-existing biases that morphed into an uglier hate.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #anti jiang cheng #but not really cause i love him #Jiang Cheng's canon homophobia #so so long I am so sorry this turned into a massive breakdown of your one question #but that's what happens with a day off lol #don't mind me #asks

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faelicy · 4 years

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Miss Faelicy I would love to get your opinion on Bingqiu.

I see people posting things like how they are "problematic" and how they don't really love each other and SQQ only feels sympathy etc. Obviously there were struggles between them as there should be (considering all that happened) and just because sqq wasn't very open and super obvious about his feelings doesn't mean they are not there..this is how I interpreted it. I would love to know your opinion

Hello! This also covers part 2 of the previous ask.

First, massive spoilers for the end of the novel. Second, a disclaimer: I despise shipwars, which I think are behind most of those comments. I hate them because it's usually all in bad faith: everyone's already committed to their interpretation of the ships, and any discussion is just a guise for justifying their preferences.

So to any readers: I don't want anything here to be used as shipwar fuel. This post is about Bingqiu's canon arc and themes. Basically, I don't know or care if Bingqiu is a good ship, but I do think it's a well-written one.

I'll start by saying directly: for most of the novel, Bingqiu is neither healthy nor romantic. And that this is not bad writing, but on purpose.

A relationship that drives one party to mental breakdown isn't healthy. A relationship where that party says it's okay to hurt or kill them can't possibly be healthy. That happened because there was something deeply wrong with their relationship, something that can't be reduced to Xin Mo, miscommunication, or LBH throwing a tropey yandere fit.

And out of all three MXTX novels, only SV lacks a love confession from the MC to the ML. Again, I don't think it's an oversight, or just because SQQ's face is too thin. There are plenty of ways MXTX could have worked a subtle one in if she really wanted to.

In my opinion, Bingqiu's narrative can be split up into four arcs: Qing Jing Peak (ch 1-27), Jin Lan City (28-43), Post-revival (29-55), and Reconciliation (56-81). Other than the first arc, where their relationship is pretty straightforward, Bingqiu spend most of the rest in direct conflict.

I'll give an overview of the arcs here, but what I truly want to say about Bingqiu starts in arc 4, so if you're impatient you can scroll down. But the overview might help add context.

Jin Lan City arc is about LBH's anger at being brutally betrayed by the one person he thought he could trust. Here he tries to force answers out of SQQ, who he believes both hates him and is a hypocrite. He's driven by a desire to return to the past, but his rage and love makes his actions contradictory: on one hand he tries to win SQQ's approval constructively, by climbing to the top of Huan Hua Palace and performing good deeds, on the other hand his belief that SQQ doesn't care about him so it's all futile anyway (reinforced by SQQ's own actions) causes him to lash out destructively, going as far as to hurt and imprison SQQ.

LBH's bitterness is portrayed very negatively, because all it does is instill despair into SQQ, until SQQ ends up believing that he's only been a blight on LBH's life, and that he must make up for it by killing himself. Whereupon LBH breaks down, regressing into a childlike state. Some might ask, why does LBH never bring up the Abyss again afterwards? It's because he gives up here. This entire arc is about getting LBH to let go of past wrongs and to stop seeking answers, whether the reader believes it's fair to him or not. Because SQQ's life is more important.

Post-revival arc then is about SQQ trying to come to terms with a blackened LBH who also loves him. Interestingly, despite SQQ's horror at realizing LBH was romantically interested in him all along, SQQ actually has a very subtle but telling secondary reaction. To explain, let's back up to the first arc.

Starting around ch 9, probably as a sign of his growing affection, SQQ begins addressing LBH as 这孩子, or "this child," in his internal monologue, instead of LBH's name. He does it once each in ch 9, 12, 17, 21, 25. However, once Jin Lan City arc starts, SQQ drops the address entirely. LBH and "child" are never brought up together except for one snarky comment on LBH's tantrum being disgracefully childish in ch 38.

At first glance this doesn't look noteworthy because LBH by this point is no longer a kid. But when LBH kisses him in ch 49, SQQ changes again: right away he returns to using "child" on LBH, and the "this child" address starts popping up at a much higher frequency. By the end of SV SQQ has referred to LBH as a child in some manner at least 35 times (yes I went and counted), with the vast majority after ch 49, and he continues to do so right into the last extra.

Why was SQQ unwilling to use this address of affection for over 20 chapters? Perhaps because he too thought LBH hated him, and couldn't bear to think about him so intimately knowing that. So SQQ immediately falling back into it the moment he learns LBH loves him is a sign of his relief. He's still dismayed at the romantic part, but though SQQ likes to deflect from his real emotions (this is the guy who focused on bad naming sense after being fatally poisoned, who cavalierly commented only after it was all over that he'd expected to die), the fact that LBH loves and doesn't hate him, means a lot.

Here SQQ's feelings towards LBH are at their most complicated. He still assumes the worst of him like in Jin Lan City, but now because of the above, also sees a lonely child whenever LBH is unhappy and lost. It's like he has two filters actively interfering with each other, "crazed criminal" and "pitiful child," and so he flip-flops between pushing LBH away and comforting him. But when LBH drags CQMS into it, and even seemingly takes advantage of SQQ's love for him, SQQ's negative image and frustration with him only grows, until he finally snaps and tells LBH to never come near him again.

At this point SQQ still believes that LBH is the same black-hearted, invincible, devil incarnate that og!LBH was portrayed to be. The Reconciliation arc starts by chipping away at this filter that's been plaguing SQQ for so long. First the revelation that TLJ/ZZL was behind the sowers, thus clearing LBH's name at Jin Lan City. Then we see how unloved he is by his own father; we see him injured and helpless and unconscious. Meng Mo yells at SQQ, reinforcing that image of a vulnerable, terrified child. So by ch 62 SQQ has thrown away the "crazed criminal" filter completely, and in that same chapter they cling to each other and finally make up. Because while it's true that the current LBH is misanthropic, antisocial, and mercurial, SQQ has also finally accepted that he's still the same LBH he'd raised and doted on, back on Qing Jing Peak.

Now I'm going to talk about what I see as the most important part of Bingqiu. Yes, despite the wall of text already.

A common sentiment of Bingqiu shippers about their issues seems to be, "SQQ is dumb and oblivious; he can't figure out what LBH needs even though he loves him because he sees LBH as a novel character," but I think the problem is far more complicated and insidious than that. If that was everything, why give SQQ the epiphany that he misunderstood LBH so early? Why have him think in ch 66 that "truthfully, he'd never really trusted Luo Binghe, and that's why he kept accidentally hurting him?" If he's already realized that he shouldn't treat LBH like og!LBH (he even meets og!LBH in ch 71 to rub it in further), why do we go another 13 chapters believing their relationship is good and well, even giving us a sweet, happy moment in ch 75, only to show LBH having the worst breakdown of the novel just 4 chapters later? Was it all just padding to demonstrate the danger of Xin Mo?

Or is there something else beneath the surface?

In ch 66, the same chapter where SQQ implies he doesn't want to accidentally hurt LBH anymore, he says something telling. When LQG is skeptical that LBH can be trusted, SQQ thinks, 家里孩子不懂事，大人不容易做, or "when your child doesn't know any better, as the adult you don't have it easy." The child here of course refers to LBH, and the adult is SQQ, who's complaining about smoothing over LBH's messes. But what is SQQ implying here?

Doesn't know any better? That's what you say about a toddler who can't think for themselves, not a grown man. LBH is 25 and SQQ thinks he doesn't know better. Doesn't know better about what? LBH's wants, his needs? His feelings? Or even what's good for him?

And then you realize that's exactly how SQQ's always treated him, like a helpless child who can't make his own choices.

It's SQQ who chooses to throw LBH down into the Abyss without trying to talk to him. It's SQQ who decides that keeping silent is the best choice. It's SQQ who believes self-destructing in front of LBH will help, who thinks that breaking off their relationship is for the better. And it's SQQ who scolds LBH into tolerating CQMS, even though they hate each other and CQMS is hostile towards him. Who forces him to leave first at Zhao Hua Temple despite LBH's pleas otherwise, who shoos him out the window when CQMS walks in on them.

Every single one of these decisions, SQQ made believing it was for the best (repair LBH's relationship with his family, help him avoid arrest, not wanting to make excuses, wanting LBH to be free of his hatred), and every single one of them only damaged LBH further. Because SQQ's never listened to him, even once. Never consulted him or considered his feelings.

(And LBH did try to bring up his feelings on one of the matters in ch 75. He insinuates to SQQ that he doesn't like LQG calling him "little beast" or "ingrate." And SQQ's response is to dismiss them entirely, saying that LQG's "not wrong.")

SQQ has always loved LBH, but he's never once respected LBH's agency or personhood. Because LBH doesn't know better and SQQ does, so SQQ must make all his decisions for him.

And this, amplified by Xin Mo, is what finally drives LBH mad in ch 79.

To LBH, the important part isn't whether SQQ loves him, which I think he knew after ch 43 (it's why he can be so daring and pushy with SQQ's boundaries). What's important is that the moment SQQ believes abandoning LBH is justified for whatever reason again, SQQ absolutely will.

Ch 80's two-way noncon (since LBH was basically unconscious and couldn't consent) tends to draw most of the attention, but I actually think that what happens afterwards is one of the most important scenes for Bingqiu. There SQQ tries to sacrifice himself a second time for LBH, drawing Xin Mo's demonic qi into his body. Yet the novel claims that SQQ's actions here are completely different than in ch 43. SQQ himself says that this time he's doing it for LBH, while last time he was doing it for himself. But can the reader see a functional difference?

There is one, in fact: it's SQQ's response to LBH's choice afterwards. LBH decides to follow SQQ in death, even though this would void the point of SQQ's sacrifice. But instead of insisting otherwise, SQQ just accepts it. Because he finally understands that whether LBH's life is worth living, whether LBH will be better off, is for LBH and only LBH to decide.

It's the first time he respects LBH's agency. And this is the only reason why he and LBH can finally begin building a healthy relationship on the mess they've had up to now.

So that's what I see as the true beauty behind Bingqiu. It's about communication and mistaken assumptions, yes, but it's also about the nature of love between parent and child. The romantic developments were left to the extras, I believe, because this was the main story MXTX wanted to tell with them. Their relationship as lovers only starts afterwards, hence why SV ends with, "the story between you and I, has only just begun." It was never meant to be a whirlwind romance where they fall in love cleanly. It might not to be to everyone's tastes, but an incredible amount of thought was put into the narrative, and that's what amazed me when I first finished this novel.

(This post went on way too long and I ended up cutting off a huge chunk of tangential stuff and how SQQ came to his realization in ch 79: he didn't do it alone. It took him seeing the LBH in TLJ and the himself in YQY for him to understand. In fact, YQY and og!SQQ's relationship has a similar parent-and-child dynamic. I've touched on it before on twitter; if there's interest I might try writing that up here too.)

#scum villain #svsss #scum villain's self saving system #sv meta #spoilers #fae's meta #translation notes

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razberryyum · 3 years

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Scumbag System (SVSSS donghua) Episode 10 Thoughts (spoilers)

(covers SVSSS chaps 24 - 26, BC Novels Translations)

And thus the first season of the SVSSS donghua comes to an end...rather weirdly abruptly to be honest, but more on that later. Obviously I love the donghua. It was not perfect, but it still exceeded my expectations. I truly appreciate what they were able to do within their budget constraints and I think they captured the spirit of the source material perfectly, which is really all I hope for when it comes to adaptations. The writing was strong, the humor hit the spot always (for example, when poor Shizun got motion sickness from sword riding, I guffawed), and they also gave us some of the most beautiful characters I’ve ever seen on screen, especially with Shen Qingqiu, Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge. I really, really hope they release official figurines for them. I’m going to start saving my money now just for that possibility.

Even though their time together in this episode was short, the BingQiu love was definitely strong. They gave them a combo move that was not in the source material: for someone like me who grew up watching Cantonese dramas, two characters who have a combo sword move (”雙劍合璧”!) are usually a couple so I was especially tickled by this addition. I am always thankful to the donghua team for the little Easter Eggs they give us for BingQiu, like the way Binghe's eyes lit up when he sees SQQ...

or when SQQ touches him...

Once again, for those not in the know, it can easily be interpreted as a disciple just being devoted and filial to his Shizun. But for those of us who have read the novel, of course we know it’s indication of Bingmei falling in love with SQQ. I love how subtle yet significant these little expressions of Binghe’s are, and I hope they continue on with these little touches even in the next season.

Of course then there are the more obvious gestures, like that HUG:

It lasted for a good 15 seconds and oh my God look at the Binghe’s hand placement! There was totally nipple groppage happening there! This wasn’t in the book by the way...SQQ didn’t get woozy and Binghe most definitely didn’t have to catch him like some fainting damsel, so we have the donghua team to thank for this wonderful moment of (sexy) physical contact between the two of them.

The donghua team was also especially generous in this episode since not only did we get some BingQiu love, but we got a pinch of LiuShen and QiJiu love too.

LQG’s eyes were on SQQ the entire time! And then Yue Qingyuan as usual took any opportunity he got to touch his Qingqiu. So all shippers were fed. Hell, they even threw in some more straight-baiting again so peeps who are watching the show for the “straight” romance between Luo Binghe and his never-to-be-future-wife Qin Wanyue were fed too since the scene where Binghe gives her the handkerchief to wipe away her tears were not in the chapters of the book for this episode, and racking my brain I don’t even think it was in the book, period. I’m trying to remember if that handkerchief even holds any significance but even if it does, it’s all for naught since we know Qin Wanyue is at most just a minor side character. She does pop up again later on but then is mostly forgotten, so...not quite sure what that moment was all about other than to, I don’t know, throw off the censors?

I’m also not sure why we spent so much time with Liu Mingyan and Gongyi Xiao in this episode. Nothing against them personally, I like both characters very much (despite my previous complaints about GYX’s character design), and it’s not that they don’t deserve more screen time, but this was the season finale! Even though the next season has been announced, God knows when we’ll see it next year and how many episodes it would be, so every minute of screen time matters! That’s why I was a bit puzzled that they used up half of the episode showing LMY basically facing the same perils with her group of fellow disciples as before and GYX just running from that huge serpent. Even if that thing DOES turn out to be Zhuzhi-lang, it was still a bit much. They weren’t exactly character building scenes either so...why? Budget reasons? Didn’t have enough money to pay SQQ’s voice actor (Wu Lei-laoshi) so they had to stick in miscellaneous scenes to lessen his screen time?

I’m kidding of course. God I hope that wasn’t the reason because that would just be sad.

Speaking of miscellaneous scenes though, what was going on with these two dudes?

I gotta admit, I’m a bit salty that these two mob characters got to do what our main couple can’t. What’s their story? Why do they get special privileges? Damn these nobodies. XD

All kidding aside, I have to say, of all the episodes this season, this might be the weakest one, not only because of the “filler” scenes, but also, the way the episode ended was so odd, especially for a season finale. The season basically ended on a scene transition. Not a cliffhanger, just a scene transition, and then cut to credits. What?? Why??? It’s almost as if they just ran out of time so had to stop the show all of a sudden. And then as if to make up for it, they added post-credit scenes which, honestly blew me away because it was so unexpected. It was indeed almost enough to make me completely forgive the weakness of the episode as a whole and that weird-ass ending.

I teared up! The scene was kind of chopped up, didn’t even flow that smoothly, but I still got emotional! I’m sure when I see this scene in its entirety next season I am just going to be destroyed. I think they made it even more gut-wrenching than it was in the novel. Looks like the donghua team really aren’t gonna hold back when it comes to delivering the BingQiu knives.

We also got to see Mobei-jun appear in the post-credits scene; I guess they had to stick him in there since he was featured in the poster for this season, so it would have been weird if he didn’t at least make an appearance.

I immediately thought of him as Sephiroth’s younger cousin when I first saw him on the poster and I still feel that way. Anyone related to Sephiroth, I will approve and instantly have affection for. For the MoShang shippers’ sake, I hope the Shang Qinghua they create for him will be just as pretty. I think I can now safely discard my guess from last time and also that moon-faced bearded ojisan others have guessed. We actually got a glimpse of the real deal in this sequence:

They strategically made him blurry so you can’t really make out his features, but what we still can tell from there is that he does not have facial hair (hence, he cannot be the ojisan) and the hair crown he’s wearing is silver and different from the twinky sect leader. So I guess we’ll be getting a fresh out of the microwave Airplane Bro instead of any of the no-name potential cannon fodder we’ve already seen.

We’ll probably get the abyss opening up in maybe even the first episode of next season but that’ll still leave a lot of ground to be covered in just 10 episodes (rumored). There haven’t been any talk about a third season, but I really hope it’ll happen, even though it might take them a while to make it. I know it’s premature to even think of a third season when we haven’t even gotten an actual release date for the second, but I’m greedy because I already miss the donghua. This season was over so quickly, I’m already mourning the lack of new episodes. I hope we get the second season in the first quarter of next year and then by some miracle, a third or even fourth to properly finish out the story. I know we will never get the FULL story, but as long as they keep the spirit of BingQiu’s love and continue to hint at it like they’ve been doing this season, I will be more than satisfied.

And while I’m wishful thinking for new seasons, I hope we also get a BingQiu duet and character songs. I love the opening and ending theme this season, if they want to save money I totally don’t mind if they just use the same OP/ED themes in the next season as well, but I hope they throw in a good BingQiu insert song and then release some individual character songs as well. I’m still not a fan of Binghe’s voice, but maybe they can have someone else do his vocals for the songs. SVSSS is the older son of MXTX’s works, I feel like it already got short-shrifted in terms of adaptation since it got the lesser budget compared to MDZS and TGCF. Hopefully with how popular the donghua is this season, it will be given a bigger budget next season so they can bring to life all the subsequent proceedings from the book properly. And whatever they’re paying Wu Lei-laoshi, SQQ’s voice actor, they should double it because that man is just amazing. I worship his voice and performance. I wish he would read the audiobook version of the the novel. I would listen to the hell out of that. I have always loved SQQ, but if I’m going to be honest, I came into the show just a little more excited about seeing Bingge being brought to life. I still love Binghe of course, in all his phases, however, now, because of Wu Lei-laoshi’s stellar voice performance (and of course SQQ’s beautiful looks), I’m leaving this season absolutely head over heels about SQQ/Shen Yuan. Also thanks to the show, I’m completely obsessed with Liu Qingge as well. So for those two reasons, I will eternally be grateful to the donghua team.

#SVSSS #Scumbag System #Scum Villain donghua #Scum Villain Self-saving System #BingQiu #LiuShen #QiJiu #MoShang

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crossdressingdeath · 3 years

Note

I think that the evidence that jfm favours wwx are small parts of the novel like when wwx arrives to lp jfm takes jc's dogs (of course that was the best action to take but kids are selfish by nature) and later jfm hugs wwx or something that shows affection and that's why jc gets angry and kick wwx out of his room, later we have jc saying that jfm is always harsh with him than wwx bc he has the temper of his mother. the true is that jfm would sacrifice wwx for the sake of his family but jfm is kind to him and treated him well not as a other servants so this kindness is enhance by yzy beliving that wwx is only to be a reminder that another woman was better than her in everything including having a better son and by jc who believes he deserves everything and his father should be do and give everything to him and he shouldn't share anything with wwx.

The thing is... none of those are signs of favouritism. Yes, JFM is kinder to WWX than he would be to servants, but that’s because WWX isn’t a servant. He’s JFM’s ward and head disciple. Of course JFM is going to be kinder to his ward, his best friends’ child, than he would be to a servant. YZY calling WWX a servant doesn’t make him an actual servant! Next, the dog thing. Okay, I don’t know if you’re a younger sibling but it’s like this: there’s a period where your older sibling gets to go to bed later than you and you are convinced that it’s because your parents love them and hate you. That is of course ridiculous, your sibling is older and so doesn’t need as much sleep, so they get a later bedtime. The love your parents have for the two of you and whether or not they love one of you more doesn’t factor into it. It’s about different requirements for different people and being treated differently based on your needs. That’s sort of what’s going on with JC’s puppies, except turned up to twelve or thirteen because one person has to lose in this situation and the needs and wants of the children involved are in direct opposition to each other. WWX needs those puppies gone. He will not be able to function with them around. JC will manage just fine without the puppies. It’s not about favouritism, it’s about JFM weighing the needs of the two people involved and finding that WWX’s simply hold more weight in this situation. JFM doesn’t love JC less because his whims are less important than WWX’s mental stability, any more than a child’s parents love them less because their older sibling gets to go to bed later. And as you get older you realise that love doesn’t factor into bedtimes as a general rule, which, credit to him, JC does seem to figure out. Note that after we move from him and WWX being nine to them being fifteen and older the puppies never come up again. Even JC realised that JFM taking the puppies he wanted away because WWX needed them gone wasn’t favouritism. Hell, even YZY realised it; she never brings them up either. And yes, JFM picks WWX up that one time and JC throws a temper tantrum about it and locks WWX out of his room, but remember: as far as we know JFM picked JC up more often than he picked WWX up. He picks WWX up once, and we know he picked JC up at least a few times. JC is actually in the lead there! And he picks WWX up while WWX is panicking because of the dogs, it’s not like he just scooped the kid up just for the sake of it. Not leaving a kid in easy reach of the animals terrifying him is just basic decency, honestly. So again: not favouritism.

And of course... even if they were signs of favouritism, that doesn’t change the fact that at the end of the day JFM unequivocally chooses JC. When he goes off to die he tells JC to take care of himself like a good father would. What does he tell WWX? To take care of JC. In CQL, to die for him. JC is the one who matters to him. JC is the one he’s thinking about. If he saw them as equal in his eyes he’d tell them to look after each other; if he favoured WWX he’d tell JC to look after WWX (which would actually be a really powerful scene if we were supposed to conclude that he really did prefer WWX all along and is frankly too obvious for a writer like MXTX to miss). JFM’s last scene blows any uncertainty as to who he favours out of the water: JC is his son and heir, WWX is JC’s guard. WWX doesn’t get a proper goodbye from the man who raised him and who he loved and respected above everyone but JYL, and JC does. That kind of makes it pretty obvious that JFM did not favour WWX.

#mdzs #cql #jiang fengmian #anon #asks

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sunmaylight · 3 years

Text

TGCF Book 3 Reaction pt.4 - Wind & Water Master Arc: The Water Master Side & Ghost City pt. 3, Party City in the Crimson Light

Here we are. At the second (?) half of the Wind and Water Master Arc. I don’t know about the rest of the community, but I now consider that the Wind and Water Master Arc to be split on which of the two Elemental Masters are focused. With Wind Masters’s arc first and Water Master’s arc second.

I am excited cause the Water Master side had a going in it. Especially since the Black Water Sinking Ship - He is going to be introduced. I wonder how his lair will be compared to Hua Cheng’s. Can’t wait

Obviously, what I forgot to mention earlier. If you haven’t figured it out already,

SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK

Ch 119: Xie Lian says Four Supremes, but someone corrects him that it’s the Four Calamities.

- Me: lol. He forgot Qi Rong is part of them.

Famous saying in the Underworld: “Crimson Rules the Land; Black Masters the Waters.”

- Me: Wow. What a quote from the book, got to note that down.

Pei Ming: Demon Xuan.

- Me: ...wait. Scholar He. Demon Xuan....SQX has He and Xuan as part of his birth name..... MF!

How to ride a Flying Shovel 101 with Ming Yi and Shi Qingxuan

1) Have the owner step on the handle

2) Have the guest stand on the spade of the shovel

3) Fly

Hua Cheng soaking in Xie Lian protecting him like a cat

- Me: That is one smug cat.

Fangxin is an old blade and has to fly for a long time

- Me: Oh, so it’s grand-sword Fangxin instead of Uncle Fangxin

Hua Cheng is standing on water while holding Xie Lian

- Hehe. Christianity reference could happen. Hua Cheng = J**us

The two get swept up by the waves and land on shore. Xie Lian sees Hua Cheng isn’t breathing. Xie Lian gives him CPR

- Me: Wait, do Ghost need to breath?

Hua Cheng opens his eyes

- Me: Oh! MF

Ch 120: Coffin Boat building

- Me: The ‘wilderness survival episode’

Xie Lian telling Hua Cheng that to him, “...what matters is you, not the state of you.”

- Me: *wipes tear away from eye* I-I’m not crying. Are you crying?

Riding the waves in a closed coffin that is designed to house only one person.

- Me: Well, I can think of a lot of ways where this can go wrong and horny.

The entire coffin scene until they break out to see who/what is whacking their ‘boat’. The are greeted to the sight of Pei Ming and Shi Wudu staring at them

- Me: Well, this is like what, the second time Pei Ming caught Hua Cheng and Xie Lian in a romantic situation?

Pei Ming taking Demon Xuan’s minions and forming them into a basketball

- Me: Hi, I need visual of this entire scene please

Action scene! The invisible water demons.

- Me: oh yay! I was wondering when that would happen.

- Also me: You know, I would love to see a book of spells and hypological structures of how ghost biology is

Lake mirror shows another realm. SQX is trapped in a prison with others. Everyone, except Pei Ming jumps into the Mirror Lake

- Me: Well, what reference can I put for that? Through the Looking Glass? Wonderland? Movie thing?

Xie Lian asks Hua Cheng for Spiritual Power and has to emphasize on the ‘little’

The other side of the mirror lake is a place where spiritual powers fail. Xie Lian is the only fighter of the group now...besides Hua Cheng if he decides to do something

- Me: Xie Lian, I hope you become a great MVP

Ch 122-123: Revealed that the group has ended up at the Nether Water Manor. They go to the manor and have a jump scare from a skeleton that literally jumps at one of them at a certain phrase said.

- Me: Oh, yeah. I think things are being pieced together in my head now...not a pretty picture.

They find a Distance-Shortening array that can only teleport one person at a time. Ming Yi is the only one who can activate it among the group.

- Me: Well, isn’t that the perfect timing to separate the group.

Xie Lian and Hua Cheng end up at the Puqi Shrine with the rest of the group is unknown. Xie Lian understands who the Reverend/Demon Xuan is.

- Me: Called it

Xie Lian learns that Hua Cheng and Demon Xuan had some agreement in the past that makes the two unable to sabotage if it’s something important to the other.

Ha Cheng seeing Xie Lian do a familar hand seal: “...gege?”

- Me: *sob* I can hear so much emotions from Hua Cheng when he said that as the Ghost King realizes what Xie Lian is going to do. Confusion, realization, fear, concern, and so much more

Xie Lian is now with SQX in the horror game: Survive on Nether Manor Island. It is filled with running, hiding your intentions from your ‘best friend’ and trying to find your brother. Try your best to survive, or else your fate will be decided by Black Water.

- Me: Well, that is a horror show that I didn’t put much notes in. Must be because of how absorbed I was in the story at that time.

Xie Lian monologuing about his discoveries of everything so far. How he connects the dots and realizations to everything about Ming Yi’s identity

"Ming Yi” utterly destroys Water Master’s fan attack with a flick of the wrist and takes the fan away from him.

“Ming Yi” dissolves into Demon Xuan like water flowing down paint to reveal the actual picture underneath.

- Me: I need visuals so bad.

He Xuan drags SQX and SWD to some dungeon like place. He Xuan gets his own brand of ‘justice’.

- Me: No comment. Read this for yourself

The horror of the climax of the Wind & Water Master arc ends with Xie Lian ejected from SQX’s body at the most crucial moment. He awakens to the sight of Hua Cheng sucking the spiritual energy out of his body to cancel the spell. Hua Cheng is kissing Xie Lian

- Me: Wow. Efficient. Don’t know how to react to seeing this romantic scene after something horrific though

Ch 125: Qi Rong ruins the moment

- Qi Rong, I would start running now.

The aftermath of the Wind & Water Master Arc ends with them picking up Pei Ming. Also learn a new side to He Xuan, he is a lonely man whose thirst for revenge fed him for so many years.

“No one can know what he’s thinking.”

- Me: Now I feel sad for He Xuan. Even moreso now then before.

It is revealed that the fisherman were dragged into the sea during the Water Master’s Heavenly Trial by a third party.

- We have a possible thi- fourth party. Previous three: XL & HC, Heaven, He Xuan

-----

Ch 126: Xie Lian and Hua Cheng try to learn who is this other mysterious party is for dragging Xie Lian to Banyue pass, and now this.

- Me: Concern. Who is dragging Xie Lian around? Why are they dragging him around?

After the funeral for Water Master, Qi Rong is behaving funny. Hua Cheng barges in and takes the two away to Ghost City.

- Me: Ghost City pt. 3, Party City in the Crimson Light? ((Oh, that should be the other header))

The group is at Ghost City, without someone.

- Me: Wait! They forgot Lang Ying ((MY SON!))

Hua Cheng and Xie Lian are by themselves. Hua Cheng practices calligraphy again at Xie Lian’s encouragement.

Ch 127: Ghost are going out of control, Qi Rong escapes, Hua Cheng is acting clingy to Xie Lian. In the background as Qi Rong escapes, it appears that he has a routine with Ghost City

- Me: lol. Even in this pain, they have a routine that is uninterrupted.

Qiandeng Temple is sealed shut. Hua Cheng and Xie Lian are trapped. THAT ENTIRE SCENE OF XIE LIAN CALMING AN ALMOST BERSERK HUA CHENG

- Me: Wow. What a night that was for Xie Lian and Hua Cheng.

Next day, Hua Cheng doesn’t remember and explains that it was a sign of Mount Tonglu opening.

- Me: Man, Hua Cheng, you missed out big time.

Ghost have escaped from imprisonment in Heaven. Xie Lian is tasked to work with Qi Ying.

- Me: Qi Ying? That one guy that threw a bed at Pei Ming?

Xie Lian goes back to Puqi Shrine all mope. Lang Ying is around, though. He tries to help Xie Lian, but during lunch(?) Xie Lian burnt the food. He is about to throw it away, but Lang Ying eats it instead.

- LANG YING! Ahhh, no! Please be alright soon. Please don’t get food poisoning.

Xie Lian is laying down in bed thinking of Hua Cheng.

- Me: Xie Lian missing Hua Cheng like a wife missing her husband on a business trip

Quan Yizhen is on the floor choking on Xie Lian’s cooking. He is revealed to be the one giving Xie Lian the gold bars

- Me: Xie Lian. What kind of ally did you make? QYZ seems like an instinctive guy.

Lang Ying speaking up and being bolder.

- Me: Did Hua Cheng do something to Lang Ying to make him grow more of a backbone?

Now that QYZ is here, Xie Lian debriefs him on the new mission. Find the Brocade Immortal Robe

Ch 128 author (MXTX) notes: No one can eat Xie Lian’s cooking besides Hua Cheng.

- Me: Wow. Way to give a spoiler. But okay, that makes sense.

-----

Ahh, the Mount Tonglu arc is coming soon. First there has to be the chaos that the opening of Mount Tonglu brought.

#sunmay rambles #sunmay reads tgcf #sunmay reads tian guan cifu #sunmay reads hob #sunmay reads heaven official's blessing #tgcf #hob #heaven official's blessing #tian guan ci fu #tgcf spoilers #hob spoilers #book 3 spoilers #again. Book 3 has a lot of stuff in it #It's almost like book three is the beef of the series #Hualian is strong in book 3

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aprilfayelikes · 4 years

Text

So I’m reading TGCF... (part 2)

Welcome to the second part of my TGCF readthrough. This is my first time reading Heaven Official’s Blessing and since I find MXTX’s storytelling very fascinating, I figured, I might as well blog my way through it. I don’t know if it’s gonna be anything interesting, and I’m not used to composing coherent thoughts in English, so please don’t be mean. If it’s uninteresting, just scroll through. *WARNING: Really spoilery and will definitely be more incoherent than the last one, ‘cause I’m writing this while reading, so these are basically just random thoughts or me trying to guess the plot:)

Stick around if you’ve already read the book from chapter 32 to chapter 42.

Chapter 32

(Xie Lian is called back to the Heavenly Court. We meet the crown prince of Yong’An and the Heavenly Emperor, Jun Wu. They start to discuss what happened at the Banyue Pass, and turns out that they know about Hua Cheng.) - I really like how the word ‘awkward’ is missing from Xie Lian’s dictionary XD - But I still find the heavenly parts quite boring. I’m guessing the info dumps will pay off in the later chapters, but for now... I can’t remember a single name, na-ah.... - ‘The spotlight, it seemed, was on him’. MXTX knows how to end chapters to make you want more, that’s for sure.

Chapter 33

(General Pei tries to blame everything on Hua Cheng then on the Guoshi of Banyue. Literally on anyone. But fortunately, Pei Junior admits his wrongdoings. The crown prince of Yong’An sleeps through the meeting.) - And here comes even more info on General Pei, so I’m thinking he continues to be an important character. I don’t like him. - Xie Lian’s cultivation method demands purity of the body and the mind...? Hm... that’s unfortunate in a danmei. Or so to say, makes things interesting:D - Well, Pei Junior admitting everything was unexpected...

Chapter 34

(Jun Wu talks privately with Xie Lian and sends him on a mission to save a heavenly official the identity of whom they don’t know yet. The mission is to sneak into the Ghost Realm. Lord Wind Master partners up with Xie Lian) - ‘It may no longer be appropriate for you to investigate this case, so come, let me tell you everything about it... Also, it’s okay if you are friends with Hua Cheng, just be careful.’ Jun Wu acts all fatherly, but that’s just strange. Is he a good guy? Or am I just suspicious about anyone and everyone now?? (NHS and JGY ruined me) - Whaaat?! That’s cool~ I think I like the Wind Master! He disguised himself as a woman, because he looked cute:D Well done on representation:D I want to know more about them. - Also Xie Lian cannot get himself to enter his new palace is sad :(

Chapter 35

(The two follows a group of female ghosts to sneak into the Ghost Market, which is a strange and creepy place. They soon get separated, when the Wind Master gets pulled away by the female ghosts and Xie Lian gets assaulted by a very dead prostitute.) - This chapter comments on gender norms and biases and does it so effortlessly that I have to raise my hat to MXTX. So the Wind Master can appear as a woman, because he was often depicted standing next to his brother and somewhere, somehow people started to worship him as a woman, since a woman is looking better next to a man (’handsome and beautiful make a pair’). In the same style, people started to worship Ling Wen as a man, because a lady cannot be a civil god. It is a ridiculous concept, but tells tales about the prejudices in people’s mind. - It’s a shame, she couldn’t convince Xie Lian to cross-dress, tho :P - Ghost market! This is fun~ (That scene of a boar cutting up a wiggling human leg... chef’s kiss. This is exactly the weird and disturbing shit I’m here for. And of course I’m reading this at 10PM) - Pft... can’t get erect X”””DDD I can’t with this guy, really. Xie Lian has no shame at all:D

Chapter 36

(Xie Lian enters the Gambler’s Den, where he meets up with the Wind Master. The Ghost King, Hua Cheng also plays that night. When a father wants to pay with the life of his daughter another person pops up: the crown prince of Yong’An. The naive prince tries to stop the unjust betting, but gets defeated by Hua Cheng. The Ghost King offers him as a prize to anyone, who wins against him. So naturally Xie Lian tries his best...) - Hua Cheng is such a badass! Also that martial god he decorated the ceiling with is kinda cute, as well... but if anyone dies, that would be him. - That reveal made my heart race... We finally got to see him in his true form! - Xie Lian’s legendary bad luck enters the chatXD

Chapter 37

(Hua Cheng says Xia Lian’s dicing form is bad, and he starts tutoring him in front of the whole crowd. He also asks for a prize in case Xie Lian would lose. Our protag offers a half-eaten bun. He tutors him until Xie Lian wins.) - Okay, the flirting is INTENSE! in this one >///< I love them. Also... A half-eaten bun? Xie Lian, save the poor guy some face and at least offer your left hand (or your undying devotionXD) as a bet:D

Chapter 38

(Since Xie Lian lost a bunch before winning, Hua Cheng still asks for the bun, and eats it. Thus the crown prince of Yong’An, Qianqiu gets saved. But as they roam the city, Xie Lian sees a familiar figure) - AND HE ACTUALLY EATS THE BUN! I can’tX”””””DDDD - I like this Qianqiu guy, he’s cute. Not very useful, but adorable. - Oh! Could this be the kid, with the human face disease?! Another one of those cruel chapter endings.

Chapter 39

(Xie Lian notices the boy with the human face disease and starts to chase him, while Qianqiu gets into a fight, so they get separated again. Xie Lian loses the boy, and gets into trouble, but the Waning Moon Officer gets there just in time. This ghost officer works for Hua Cheng. He tells Xie Lian, that the Ghost King wants to see him, then escorts him to the Paradise Manor) - Yes, it’s him! The kid, with the human face disease. - Meet up in three days?? Not one or two hours but THREE DAYS? What are you planning to do for three days in the ghost realm? Also why exactly did we bring the other two along if we’re ditching them all the time, huh?! Well, goodbye cute heavenly officials. We’ll see each other in THREE DAYS. - Now I get it. We needed some space for Hua Cheng and Xie Lian to be able to meet.

Chapter 40

(And they speak and its cute. Hua Cheng offers to help searching for the boy. His officer finds him immediately. They interrogate him then take him in) - Let me note that Hua Cheng is really refreshing as ‘the love interest’ (or very good friend for now). Yes, he’s secretive and mysterious, but he’s willing to talk about himself, not restricting the protagonist, not being violent, helping out but not sheltering him, has a very distinct worldview, and is not scared to be emotional. Also he’s snarky and easily amused and makes fun of people, while being a badass all along. What’s there not to love.

Chapter 41

(Hua Cheng has to leave because his sword warns him of trouble. Meanwhile Xie Lian gets suspicious on the Waning Moon Officer, and on Hua Cheng, as well. He finds a room that only opens if you throw two sixes with dice, so he obviously can’t get into. Then Hua Cheng gets back to the Manor and shows Xie Lian his armory, and I’m in love.) - A bit of sneaking around is fun:) - That’s a very peculiar sword Hua Cheng has. Hm... I have my theories about the sword :) - Also about the Waning Moon Officer and his ‘tatoo’. - What’s with all of these masks, tho. (the officer, the white-clothed calamity, the people on the street....) - Nnnn... I don’t like Xie Lian being mistrustful. I get it, but still. - I’d be just as giddy in an armory as Xie Lian! I want to touch pretty swords, as well~~

Chapter 42

(Hua Cheng introduces his sword, E’Ming to the protag. The sword seems to be alive and is kind of cute. Hua Cheng holds a banquette for Xie Lian and during the banquette he gives him some of his luck. The Wind Master also sneaks into the Ghost Kings Manor, and as the night falls, the two starts to sneak around again.) - What the actual fuck, E’Ming is cute! >///< And we’re patting a sword and the sword likes it... Should that be symbolic, or...? - I want to borrow luck, too! I could really use some! Anyone? Do you have some extra luck which you could transfer? (Not necessary through hand holding) - Hua Cheng gets so irritated by the fact that Xie Lian’s cultuvation method forbids promiscuity. XDDDD Oh, poor you. This is gonna be though XD - And more sneaking around. I would feel bad, too. Xie Lian, that’s not nice.

#tgcf thoughts #tgcf #heaven official's blessing #reading tgcf #saját poszt #so i'm reading tgcf

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grandmasterofwangxiancultivation · 5 years

Text

SV ch.55

Okay I’m nervous.

Looking at the style of murals to the sides of the corridor, there was a strong yin ambiance, and it was clear to see this was Luo Binghe’s headquarters in the Demon Realm.

But I am totally not panicking.

EDIT:

The two both had nothing to say, not giving each other a sideways glance. One in front and one behind, their footsteps made no breath of sound. The atmosphere was stiff and cold.

This is the definition of PAIN. I need some bingqiu communication right now

EDIT 2:

Pushing open the door and entering, the furnishings and arrangement of the room were quite familiar-looking. In fact, it was quite similar to the bamboo house on Qing Jing Peak.

Omg. OMG. So let me get this straight. Lbh spent years mourning his Shizun, keeping the wounds he had left him, keeping sqq's broken sword, keeping his freaking corpse and (now we find out) making a room similar to the one in the bamboo house-

This is borderline obsession and yet my heart aches for lbh so much i just... PLS Shizun. PLS.

EDIT 3:

Now acting like a miserable child and throwing tantrums, making his heart overflow with sympathy. Now again hitting his face and telling him it was all an act. Real or fake, his eyes weren’t sharp enough to clearly see autumn feathers and see through Luo Binghe’s heart to understand what he was really thinking, some parts truth and some parts hypocrisy.

(Guys, sqq is angry because lbh put on a facade in the dreamscape. He is angry and disappointed and wary of lbh possibly using the same "trick" on him again and again just to move sqq's heart. I honestly thought Shizun had understood by now.

Like, okay, lbh tricked him the second time to see if that was really Shizun or just a figment of his imagination, but can you blame him?? You have been dead for years, sqq!! He probably went insane with pain, has always been in love with you when in his eyes you betrayed him by pushing him into the abyss, come on! If you two would just fucking talk-)

While he was still brooding over these thoughts, Luo Binghe walked a step closer to him.

(A n X i E t Y)

EDIT 4: here is an exemplar of Shizun using a series of excuses to keep himself rooted in place and not back down in front of an advancing lbh. Still, he is a mess inside.

BRAVE SHIZUN.

But he was still inevitably tense, his heart stretched taut as a bowstring, his eyelids jumping and fingertips curled.

How was Luo Binghe so perceptive? He advanced another step.

“Shizun, what do you think I’m going to do to you?”

(o m g. Omg o can't feel my legs-) 　

Shen Qingqiu said sincerely, “I cannot guess.”

EDIT 5:

Luo Binghe reached out his right hand. Shen Qingqiu didn’t make a sound or movement, but his gaze couldn’t help but stick to his fingertips, following them as they reached out.

(I AM TOTALLY HYPERVENTILATING RN)

That hand was neat and slender. It didn’t look like the hand of a Demon Race young master who had already taken countless lives, but rather one which was born to pluck strings, a hand to burn incense and bathe in snow. It slid shyly over his cheek, faintly brushing his skin.

(OKAY SOMEONE NEEDS TO CALL AN AMBULANCE R I G H T T H E F U CK N O W 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK MY HEART BEATING OUT OF MY CHEST AND MY LUNGS CONSTRICTING LIKE THIS IS NORMAL?

LBH IS ToUcHiNg Shizun's cheek-)

And then it landed on his throat.

*chokes*

Lbh no- *whispers*

EDIT 6: I died, like, for 5 minutes before gathering the courage to go on. And BLESS GOD I DID BECAUSE

Luo Binghe retracted his hand. The next time he opened his mouth, it was impossible to tell if he was happy, angry, sorrowful, or joyful. “My blood, it’s not responding to my beckoning.”

AAAAHAHSNJXUDKEHXKE DO YOU WANNA KNOW WHY, BINGHE? YOU SEE, IT'S A FUNNY STORY. IT INVOLVES A SNAKE-MAN, MAIDEN SHIZUN AND MANY WOMEN-

EDIT 7:

Luo Binghe said, “It looks like in these short few days, Shizun has had another fortuitous meeting.”　

Shen Qingqiu said, “Well, what can you do about it? Make me drink it again?”　

Luo Binghe said, “You’ll run if you drink it, you’ll run if you don’t, both options are the same. I had better not make Shizun add another layer of loathing for me in his heart.”

(OKAY NO. N O. I'm not good with tension. I can't bear it. So pls stop and no one will get hurt, okay?)

Luo Binghe fixed his gaze on him for a time, then said, “Is there anything you desire?”

Shen Qingqiu said, “Anything is acceptable?”

Luo Binghe nodded. A sudden malicious sentiment arising from his gut, Shen Qingqiu bluntly said, “I want to see you as little as possible. Best if I never see you at all.”

(WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT

THIS IS WRONG, WHAT NOVEL IS THIS, WHAT THE FUCK FUCKITY FUCK

okay it's a joke, right? Ah ah ah ah funny, now stop this. When I said I desperately wanted these two to meet, i meant to pray for FLUFF. NOT THIS. THIS. WHATEVER THE HELL IT IS.

MY HEART IS BREAKING? DO I DESERVE IT, AFTER PATIENTLY WAITING FOR THEM TO MEET? I dOn'T fUcKiNg ThInK sO, so freaking solve this-)

Luo Binghe looked like he never expected Shen Qingqiu to make this sort of request, his face paling.

(SHIZUN YOU WERE MORE CLUER THEN A FREAKING DEMONIC LORD. HUG HIM. HuG hIm Or I sWeAr-)

If you are hearing something, IT'S ME SCREAMING LIKE A MADWOMAN. THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS.

EDIT 8: thank you, system, your presence always makes my anger cool off. I love reading Shizun talk to it, it reminds me this novel is too good to be true, an yet it exists. Bless.

With a ringing notification sound, the System quietly began to download the upgrade package. Shen Qingqiu had a sudden thought and asked, “Right, what is the name of this feature upgrade?”

The System: 【Small Scenario Pusher Luxury Edition.】

SEE SEE I LOVE THE SYSTEM, IT ALWAYS KNOWS WHAT TO DO. NOT ONLY THE SMALL SCENARIO PUSHER IS BACK, IT CAME IN A L U X U R Y EDITION.

Let's go bring down those heartbreak points now

EDIT 9:

With many official duties to attend to, perhaps unable to extricate himself, all along he had not shown his face.

…or maybe that day, his glass heart had been shattered by Shen Qingqiu’s harsh words, and he didn’t dare to appear.　

Shen Qingqiu tore his thoughts away from that latter path with great difficulty.

IS THAT REGRET, SHIZUN? IS IT? I S I T? System, pls summon me and let me go hug lbh or else I'll cry

EDIT 10:

Furthermore, Luo Binghe didn’t act like the characters in the books his younger sister liked to read in his previous life and shackle him with chains, blindfolded and gagged, stripped and beaten. He might as well be content with whatever he has and make himself at home wherever he is.

(SY HAD A YOUNGER SISTER? DO YOU THINK SHE READ HARDCORE BL?)

Bull***t!　

For Shen Qingqiu to attempt to comfort himself with these words, there must be sh*t in his brains! He wasn’t some sort of Stockholm syndrome patient, feeling deep gratitude for being fattened in captivity. Don’t you understand, you need to bring about a fortunate lifestyle yourself, not by relying on others’ charity?!

(You're right, Shizun, of course. That's why there is a pretty simple solution- TALK TO LBH WITHOUT ACCUSING HIM, TRY TO UNDERSTAND. WOULD YOU?)

EDIT 11: this chapter is playing with my patience. Bamboo does not grow in the Demon Realm, but lbh ordered for ppl to find a way. Shizun FLIRTED WITH A MAID ASKING FOR SOMETHING TO EAT BUT THAT BOWL WAS PREPARED BY LBH, BECAUSE IT HAS THE SAME TASTE AND NO ONE EATS HUMAN FOOD THERE AND IT BREAKS MY HEART AND I JUST CAN'T OKAY I AM CRYING STOP THIS SHIT

EDIT 12: sqh is here!

OH. SO HE SOLD SHIZUN OUT. OH, okay. I don't know if I should hate him or congratulate him, I never know if I should consider the events from the point of view of a reader or a writer, me being both (I mean, like, I occasionally write, so I know sometimes one makes characters do strange, despicable things, not like I am a super pro write didn't want to sound pretentious, eh eh), so I'm like "what the fucking hell sqh, what about friendship?" and "omg good job mxtx, this character is so interesting, what even is moral ptf!"

And now

Lbh

Gave Xiu Ya sword back to Shizun. Let's add this to the increasingly long list of "things that show how much lbh cares for Shizun and make my heart crack"

EDIT 13:

On the other side, Shang Qinghua laughed nervously and rubbed his hands, clicking his tongue and saying, “Aiyah, I really, really never thought… the storyline would bend so far out of shape. Remarkable, really remarkable.”

Shen Qingqiu: “The stallion novel protagonist you wrote turned into a cut-sleeve, shouldn’t you be angry?”

Shang Qinghua said sincerely, “It doesn’t matter. Either way, the one he fell for wasn’t me.”

(there, see? I love him.)

Shen Qingqiu gave him a cordial middle finger, lowering his head to polish his sword. Shang Qinghua gave him a thumbs-up. “Really, you don’t need to be so pessimistic. You have good prospects for the future, quite good prospects. These golden thighs, they’re strong, reliable!”

Shen Qingqiu said, “Take your ****ing golden thighs. If I have to hug those thighs, where do you think they’ll take me? Between the legs!”

Shang Qinghua: “Between the legs is even better, ah. Between the legs is a man’s most important place.”

(OMG OMG THIS turning out too good I'm having too much fun!!

Sqh surely is a man of wisdom. BLESS HIM.)

EDIT 14: okay plot, PLOT.

“…” At long last Shen Qingqiu knew the true origin of all those plot holes. “So you just went to write the harem plotline, and might as well leave the more serious Bing-ge’s dad plotline full of holes?”

(So the big final boss should have been lbh's dad? FATHER-IN-LAW IS REALLY GONNA SHOW UP IF SHIZUN FILLS THE HOLES? I AM SO SO S O O O O FREAKING EXCITED.

But I am honestly scared, 'cause this means whatever sqh's previous plan for the novel were, they may still happen. That means everyone is potentially in danger, if the danger is not lbh.)

EDIT 15: SQH WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING USEFUL ABOUT HOW HE WANTED TO BUILD SQQ'S CHARACTER AND THEN WHAT?

Lbh comes.

Like, I love you baby, but-

Luo Binghe’s eyelashes drooped. After standing for a bit, it seemed he had come to a major decision. He said stiffly, “Even though those earlier events happened in a dream realm, I took advantage of Shizun. But the feelings I revealed to you then, those were not false.”

(GOOD BABY. G O O D. Let it sink, let Shizun understand how much you care.l

EDIT 16: lbh is trying to finally, finally let Shizun understand how he felt and why he did what he did and I'm so glad he is trying. I get why these two would need to learn how to trust one another all over again, that is totally okay, it's fine if they need to guard their feelings for a while before settling this problem, so reading about them talking, about lbh trying to reach Shizun fills me with hope.

His face gradually settled into a gloomy expression from his sneer. Drawing closer the distance between the two, he said, “But what if I said, that towards Shizun, I only remember, not hate, most likely I wouldn’t be believed.”

SEE. SEE.

#scum villain’s self saving system #scum villain #the scum villain’s self saving system #svsss #sv #sv novel #sv ch.55 #sv fangirling mode

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