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alias_sqbrGuide and links
Content Notes for the book in general: consent issues, sexualisation of children, gore, mixed treatment of cross-dressing, suicide, child harm, incest subtext, emotional abuse, ANGST
Under the cut: SPOILERS for chapters 221-230.
Guoshi: Wait, that means...HE'S BEEN STALKING YOU FOR EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS?!
Xie Lian, internally: Good thing he doesn't know about the cave full of thousands of statues of me >.>
Guoshi: This level of obsession and calculation...be careful, he could easily take advantage!
Xie Lian: He wouldn't do that.
Hua Cheng: I'd deceive anyone but His Highness.
Guoshi: DON'T THINK YOU CAN FOOL ME WITH YOUR CUNNING, YOUNG MAN. Aren't you taking advantage of His Highness not being very learned in this area? Why don't you tell me right now how many ways spiritual power can be lent, and how you lend it? What did you tell his Highness?
Xie Lian: SO LET'S TALK ABOUT JUN WU
(The translator notes that Hua Cheng uses a polite form of "You" with Guoshi that he only otherwise uses with Xie Lian)
And then they all hear a familiar voice coming towards them, so Hua Cheng and Xie Lian quickly hide.
Green Goblin: LOL HEAVEN'S JUST MUD UNDER THIS ANCESTOR'S FEET. Sup Goushi, remember when you said I wasn't good enough to be your disciple? :D
Guoshi: :/
Green Goblin: Look at how big Heaven is, son! It's all your dad's, now!
Gu Zi: Really? It's so big!
Green Goblin: Watch this! P'TUI. I can spit where I like and noone will dare stop me!
Gu Zi: Dad, it's not good to spit. Everything so pretty here, you'll dirty it.
Guoshi: What kind of role model are you being? Even kids are more mature!
Green Goblin shouts and curses at both of them that he'll SPIT WHERE HE WANTS...then self consciously wipes up the spit with his foot, and storms off after graffiti-ing Ling Wen's Palace with THE NUMBER ONE GHOST KING OF THE THREE REALMS THE GREEN GOBLIN QI RONG WAS HERE
Hua Cheng sees Jun Wu going back to Xie Lian's house, and they rush back, Xie Lian lying in bed and Hua Cheng... hiding behind the curtains? Surely he can do better.
Jun Wu: *sigh* I see you've been sneaking out to play. That robe doesn't suit you.
Green Goblin leaps from house to house writing "QI RONG WAS HERE". He's ignored by his old nemeses Mu Qing and Feng Xin, but Quan Yi Zhen knocks him flat.
Green Goblin: HOW DARE YOU USE AN UNDERHANDED AMBUSH ON ME
Gu Zi: How was that underhanded? He just threw a statue at you?
Green Goblin: It must have been underhanded or he wouldn't have won!
And then he sees Xie Lian and crows smugly about how the tables have turned until Jun Wu tells him to stop talking nonsense, and Green Goblin is torn between swaggering arrogance and cringing terror.
Jun Wu takes Xie Lian to the Palace of Pei Ming where they see Pei Ming, Pei Su, and Ban Yue trying to hold back Xuan Ji, Kei Mo, and Rong Guang.
Xuan Ji: BACK OFF HIS SHIT LIFE IS MINE
Rong Guang: PFFT YOU'RE JUST ONE OF HUNDREDS OF EXES HIS SHIT LIFE IS MINE
The moment Jun Wu walks in everyone attacking Pei Ming falls to the ground, limp.
Pei Ming: Thank you, My Lord.
Jun Wu: No need to thank me yet. I've come to ask for your help with a human array in the capital. Break it, and I'll return your status as Martial God of the North.
Xie Lian: General Pei, if that array breaks the human face disease will break out, and this time it might kill everyone.
Jun Wu, gesturing to the ghosts on the floor: If you don't break it, I'll let them go. Little Pei is here, too, and you seem fond of him, considering how willing you were to cover up his murders.
Pei Ming: Will my lord allow me to think more on this?
Jun Wu: My patience is limited.
And he lets the ghosts go. The air fills with screams as he pulls Xie Lian away, hand hard on Xie Lian's shoulder.
Jun Wu: Next one :)
He leads Xie Lian, Gu Zi, and Green Goblin to the Palace of Lang Qian Qiu, the former prince of YongAn whose parents Green Goblin got killed.
Lang Qian Qiu: YOU!!!! D:<
Gu Zi: scary :(
Green Goblin: Nothing to fear, my good son! That's right IT'S ME. You've been pursuing me all this time only to fall into my hands :D
Jun Wu: Lang Qian Qiu, if you descend and break the human array in the royal capital I'll hand you the Green Goblin.
Green Goblin: HAHAHAHA....wait what D:
Jun Wu: Otherwise I'll hand you to him :)
Xie Lian: Why are you forcing them to make these kinds of choices?!
Jun Wu: If you don't want them to make these decisions, why don't you take their place? This is all a result of your stubborn caprice.
Xie Lian: Are you saying this is my fault?!
Jun Wu: Do you hate me? Hatred alone is pointless. If you've got what it takes then defeat me. But you don't. Maybe after you break the human array, since I'll remove your shackles.
And then Jun Wu's hand on his shoulder loosens, and Jun Wu coldly looks down at the curved silver blade at his throat.
Hua Cheng: Move your hand.
Xie Lian takes advantage of the distraction to free Lang Qian Qiu from his Palace. Naturally Lang Qian Qiu immediately goes to murder Green Goblin.
Gu Zi: DON'T KILL MY DAD
Lang Qian Qiu: YOUR DAD IS POSSESSED HE'S NOT EVEN YOUR DAD
Green Goblin, grabbing Gu Zi: COME ANY CLOSER AND I RIP OPEN THIS KIDS GUTS AND EAT THERM IN FRONT OF YOU
Lang Qian Qiu: WTF ISN'T HE YOUR SON? HE PROTECTED YOU!
Green Goblin: A CHEAP SON I'LL GET ANOTHER ONE
*steels self*
Jun Wu: If that's the case...
And he sets Heaven on fire.
Xie LIAN: WTF EVERYONE IS STILL LOCKED IN THEIR PALACES THEY'LL BURN TO DEATH
(Afaict death by fire is one of the ways gods can permanently die? And of course they all have their spiritual powers locked right now)
Green Goblin takes the chance to run off with Gu Zi. Before Lang Qian Qiu can make chase, Xie Lian shouts GO RELEASE THE OTHER HEAVENLY OFFICIALS FIRST and Lang Qian Qiu answers "YES MASTER" by instinct (because Xie Lian was his old Guoshi :( )
Hua Cheng distracts Jun Wu with a cloud of butterflies and runs off with Xie Lian. The freed heavenly officials run to them...but how can they escape?
And then the ground rumbles, and at the end of a long avenue appears...a head the size of the royal palace, wearing a gentle smile.
It's the statue of Xie Lian, repaired, and rising up to Heaven with the support of millions of glittering butterflies and glowing blessing lanterns.
Xie Lian starts ushering the heavenly officials onto it, including Quan Yi Zhen with Yin Yu's body on his back :( Feng Xin runs off looking for Jian Lan, Mu Qing is missing, and the others are dubious about the presence of Hua Cheng.
And then Jun Wu bursts free of the butterflies. His white clad body is surrounded by a swirling black aura and blinding white light, the two colours ever changing. With every step, the flames of war dance beneath his feet, spreading out to set fire to the heavens.
The heavenly officials crowd onto the statue like ants. Xie Lian grabs a random official as a shield and kisses Hua Cheng, feeling himself fill with power.
Lang Qian Qiu: WHAT ARE YOU DOING BEHIND MY BACK?
Xie Lian thinks "what a sin what a sin this mustn't be seen by the child" and shouts "NOTHING!"
Xie Lian, I know you met Lang Qian Qiu when he was a teenager, but he is several hundred years old now. He can deal with seeing his master kiss a dude.
At last the statue flies into the sky, scattering butterflies and lanterns in it's wake. But after them...comes the Heavenly Capital, now transformed into a flaming fortress.
Just as Xie Lian is running out energy, he hears Guoshi shouting from further down "WHAT ARE YOU ALL STANDING AROUND FOR? A BUNCH OF HEAVENLY OFFICIALS RELYING ON A GHOST KING? Place you delicate golden hands on this statue and give all the spiritual powers you can!!" And so Xie Lian finally gets some help from the other officials.
Hua Cheng directs them to a dark and empty place. They land, and from the dark clouds above comes the red light of the fortress close behind.
Official: Why are we landing? His Highness has gone stupid again! HEY WHY ARE YOU KICKING ME WHO EVEN ARE YOU
Guoshi: I was in the Upper court when you were playing in your sandbox! One more word and I'll push you off!
Xie Lian trusts Hua Cheng and stays put. And then he sees waves at the statue's feet and realises where they are: Black Water's lair.
The four bone dragons they fought before rise out of the water, whipping up the waves in fury and pelting the fortress in water and rocks. But the fire of heaven can't be put out with water, and soon the whole lair is in flames.
Xie Lian: Is it...okay...that we brought such a mess to Black Water's lair?
Hua Cheng: Don't worry about it. He owes me money.
MXTX: Black Water has severely dragged down the income average of the entire Supreme rank (even though there's only three), and it's not all from eating too much.
The fortress starts to break apart. Just as Xie Lian's thinking it can't be that easy....
IT REFORMS
INTO EVIL VOLTRON
The flaming giant is six times the size of Xie Lian's statue. It opens its mouth to spew flames on the now fleeing bone dragons, and walks towards the statue.
Officials: RUN WE CAN'T WIN D:
Xie Lian: Even if we can't win, we can't go anywhere else.
They realise he's right. They can only provide so much power for so long, and at least here there's no civilians to get hurt in the fight.
Xie Lian agilely leaps the statue out of the way of the fortress's attacks as the officials hold on for dear life.
Quan Yi Zhen: You need a weapon!
RuoYe, his little bandage: :D
Xie Lian: Sorry little buddy but no.
Hua Cheng: Use this for now.
And the four bone dragons fly out of the water, circling the statue and biting each other's tails to form...a giant bone dragon whip!
To the officials' surprise ands glee, he manages to wrap the fortress in the whip and drag it down into the sea. Yet looking at the fortress's head, he feels like Jun Wu is in there smiling.
The fortress sinks, the red light made murky by the sea...and then the waters boil, and Xie Lian feels the statue sink as a giant hand grabs it and starts to pull it down into he simmering depths. Jun Wu's laughter echoes through the sea. They're all going to be boiled alive.
Xie Lian hears Gusohi shout "Young man, don't just toss a corpse at me!" and then Quan Yi Zhen leaps down. He manages to dodge the giant hand trying to crush him like a bug, and enters the skull of one of the bone dragons because this is a mecha anime now. It's eyes glow bright and there is the sound of boulders being crushed as it's body tightens around the fortress until it is forced to let go of the statue. In frustration Jun Wu sets the bone dragon on fire.
A bone fish catches the bone dragon as it falls. Luckily the skull protected Quan Yi Zhen from most of the flames, and while he's badly burned right now he will heal up in time.
Xie Lian hears the officials talking about how brave Quan Yi Zhen was for trying to save everyone and quietly thinks they don't understand him very well.
There is a sound of crackling flames...and the flaming giant fortress shoots up into the sky, vanishing into a teleportation array.
Jun Wu has gone to the capital to destroy the human array himself.
As the bone dragons slowly put themselves back together like jigsaw puzzles, another bone fish comes to take Yin Yu's corpse and Quan Yi Zhen's comatose form. And then Hua Cheng open an array to the capital.
People in the human array: AAAHHH A FLAMING GIANT
Shi Qing Xuan: NOBODY PANIC THERE'S GODS UP THERE HELPING US!!
Officials: Lord Wind Master? Why are you like this...
Shi Qing Xuan: LESS QUESTIONS MORE HELPING FIGHT RESENTFUL SPIRITS
And then one of the giant's legs falls off! Xie Lian is horrified, even a leg is large enough to crush whole city blocks...but then the leg EXPLODES
....and out of it leaps
Pei Ming!!
He smooths down his hair, winks at the camera, and then jumps back onto the giant, sword in hand.
Xie Lian sees Pei Su and Ban Yue safely landing on a roof top, and asks "But where's Xuan Ji and the others?"
Pei Ming's sword: I defeated them of course!
Xie Lian: Wait, Pei Ming, you're wielding Rong Guang?!
Pei Ming: ...it's complicated.
Rong Guang: How is it complicated? You just kneeled down and begged my forgiveness :D
Pei Ming: >.>
The fortress re-arranges itself into a slightly smaller voltron just as Pei Ming reaches the head.
Rong Guang: SEE HOW AWESOME WE ARE AS A TEAM? IF YOU'D LISTENED TO ME YOU WOULDN'T STILL BE A MERE GENERAL AFTER SO MANY CENTURIES!!
Pei Ming: Can you stop talking?
Green Goblin: FRIGGIN' MANWHORE, STAY BACK UNLESS YOU WANT TO DIE!
Rong Guang: OUT OF THE WAY GREENIE! *whack*
Gu Zi: Dad, are you...*collapses*
:(
Green Goblin, shaking an unconscious Gu Zi: What are you playing at?
Xie Lian: HUMANS DIE WHEN THEY'RE SET ON FIRE GET OUT OF THERE
Green Goblin: You can't fool me into leaving that easily! You just want to-ouch!
The fire is getting too hot even for a demon like Green Goblin.
Green Goblin: UM, JUN WU, BOSSMAN, CAN YOUR FIRE NOT BURN SO HOT? YOU'VE BURNT THIS...ME!
But Ju Wu is busy fighting Pei Ming, a creepy smile on his face. The fire burns hotter and higher, and Gu Zi screams as the fire burns his shoulder :(
Gu Zi: Dad, it hurts and I'm scared. Are we going to die?
Green Goblin: Um...
Gu Zi: Even though your domain here is very beautiful, the people here aren't very nice. Why don't we live somewhere else...
Green Goblin: UM SO JUN WU...SIR...IT'S FINE IF YOU WANNA KEEP BURNING FIRES, IT'S YOUR STUFF, BUT, UH....
Xie Lian: HE'LL KILL YOU! JUST COME DOWN HERE! I PROMISE NOT TO TOUCH YOU!
Gu Zi: :(
Green Goblin: HEY JUN WU I SAID STOP WITH THE FI-
Jun Wu raises a hand and the Green Goblin is engulfed in a ball of fire.
D: D: D:
(Just imagine me for the rest of this section going BUT WHAT ABOUT GU ZI??)
Pei Ming, still fighting: My lord, that was a child D:
Jun Wu sets him on fire too, and he is thrown from the fortress. A torrential rain comes down and extinguishes the flames on his body, and a black form leaps into the sky to catch him: the Rain Master on her ox.
Rong Guang: Saved by a woman!
Pei Ming, covered in burns and drenched in rain: Shut up >:(
Jun Wu starts to pelt the ground with flaming rocks. Even with the rain, they'll destroy the city.
Hua Cheng: There's no need for gege to worry, just focus on hanging on here.
Xie Lian looks down and sees...Hua Cheng, heading towards the human array on the ground.
The Hua Cheng next to Xia Lian: This one is the real San Lang, no lie, exchange if fake :)
Shi Qing Xuan: CRIMSON RAIN SOUGHT FLOWER WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?? Have you found a way to connect to His Highness? Wait, never mind that, do you see those flaming rocks coming from the sky? Use your butterflies to blow them away or something!
'Hua Cheng': Deal with it yourself.
Shi Qing Xuan: I'm not His Highness, I don't understand your jokes! How do I-
'Hua Cheng' pulls them out of the array. Shi Qing Xuan quickly gets the people on either side to hold hands so the circle isn't broken. And then 'Hua Cheng' slaps them.
Beggars: HEY WHO ARE YOUm HITTING OL' FENG??
Shi Qing Xuan, glowing: It's fine. He was lending me spiritual powers :D Though really, Hua Chengzhu, even if you can't see His Highness there's no need to hit people. You could have just given me some more of those weird candies. Why don't you focus on the rocks-
'Hua Cheng' tosses something at him and Shi Qing automatically catches it, then goes pale.
It's his Wind Master fan.
Xie Lian: Is that...
Hua Cheng: Pay it no mind. I called him over at the last minute to give a hand.
Shi Qing Xuan grips the fan, swings...and knocks the meteors out of the sky with a huge whirlwind.
Beggars: ...ol' Feng are you actually a god?
Shi Qing Xuan, shaking: D-duh! Didn't I tell you?
Beggars: We know a god :D Take us flying some time, hey!
'Hua Cheng' sees all this, 'humph's to himself softly, and then turns to leave. By the time Shi Qing Xuan looks up, a question in their eyes, the man is gone.
(*STILL SHIPS IT*)
But then there is a strange, horrible noise from the center of the human array. It's the squeaking of a swarming tide of corpse eating rats, along with countless empty shelled lava people.
Rain Master: Watch over General Pei, I'll take care of it.
Pei Ming: I'M FINE *cough* I'll protect the- *falls over*
Rain Master: There's no need for the general to push himself :)
I love her.
Xuan Ji: WHY ARE YOU CHASING AFTER HER WHEN YOU HAVE ME??
Pei Ming: Why are you still here D:
Xuan Ji: Aren't you touched to see me like this? Don't you feel guilty?
Pei Ming: Wake up! I'm part of the reason you're like this, but it's mostly your own decisions. You can only move your own heart, I'm a steel hearted man,. Rather than love me, why don't you love yourself?
He yanks himself from her grip, and walks away.
Rain Master and the other gods on the ground are doing their best against the rats, when suddenly there's another even stranger noise.
"Quack, is this the royal capital, quack, such big houses quack!"
"Chengzhu's houses are better!"
From the alleys and eaves come all sorts of strange figures, all the ghosts and monsters of Ghost City swarming towards the human array.
Cultivators: OH NO MONSTERS STAY BACK
Monsters: SHUT UP WE'RE GIVING YOU SOME FACE WHY DON'T YOU KNEEL AND THANK US?!
And then monsters gleefully begin to eat the rats. Two thousand year old corpse rat is a real monster delicacy and they're all grateful to Hua Cheng for the gift.
This is not what the rats signed up for and they all turn tail and flee.
AHH THE TRAILER FOR THE ANIMATED VERSION CAME OUT IT LOOKS GREATand Ling Wen is super hot
Haa I was wondering how they'd cut out the gay and realised....it's just the love of a man for his god! The VERY INTENSE DEVOTED love of a man for his god. Totally fine and normal for that to be an intense life defining obsession that inspires statues and sexy murals etc, ask any gay renaissance artist.
Ok where was I.
Out of nowhere, Jun Wu brings out a sword! (Voltron-ed from more palaces I guess?)
BUT THAT'S OK because Guoshi signals Hua Cheng to open an array to Mount Tonglu from which comes and EVEN BETTER SWORD. Mountain spirits can voltron too!
He finally manages to make a dent on the flaming fortress, and soon it is in pieces.
But Jun Wu himself has fled.
They search the wreckage, and all the find is a burned black ball. From within it they hear the sound of coughing. Peeling away the charred shell they find...Gu Zi, a little burned, but otherwise fine.
(I WAS SO WORRIED)
A green ball of greasy ghost fire floats out of the remains of the Green Goblin.
Xie Lian: He protected Gu Zi.
Hua Cheng: He was going to die anyway, protecting or using a shield didn't make much difference.
Xie Lian: But he protected all the same.
Lan Qian Qiu, catching it: Oh look you're in my hands in the end :D
Gu Zi: Gege don't kill my dad ;_; Scrap gege save him!!
Xie Lian: Gu Zi...that really isn't your dad. Can't you tell by the way he treats you?
Gu Zi: That IS my dad! My dad didn't used to be good to me. But then he started giving me meat, and said he'd take me to live in beautiful mansions...he's really good to me now! Will you please save him?
That's why he was so loyal. It wasn't that he didn't realise his dad had changed, it was that Green Goblin was a genuinely good dad compared to his previous experience ;_;
Green Goblin: Don't bother. This black hearted snow lotus can't wait for your old man to die.
Hua Cheng: Are you worried Lang Qian Qiu can't kill you and want to make sure I finish the job?
Green Goblin shrivels for a moment then clearly decides that since he's going to die anyway he might as well speak his mind.
Green Goblin: HUA CHENG YOU FUCKER I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU. Xie Lian, I took you for a god. But what did you take me for? NOTHING. You always ignored me and looked down on me with contempt. WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK DOWN ON ME WHEN YOU COULDN'T EVEN DESTROY A MERE YONG AN?
(does he mean...the country? I guess he is the one who destroyed it in the end)
Xia Lian: You...*sigh* never mind.
Hua Cheng: So what if he looks down on you? Is anything about you worth holding in high regard?
Green Goblin: I SPIT AT YOU! SPIT! SO, SO WHAT IF YOU ALL LOOK DOWN ON ME? THIS ANCESTOR...THIS ANCESTOR...HAS A SON!!
Dammit Green Goblin who said you could give me feels.
Green Goblin: I may have picked him up cheaply, but at least it's better than you bloodline ending impotent cowards! DON'T EVEN DREAM OF HAVING ONE IN EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS HEHEHEHEHAHAHA
Hua Cheng, to Xie Lian: You never know
Hua Cheng are you going to invent mpreg just to spite Green Goblin.
And then the little ball of green fire in Lan Qian Qiu's hands fizzles out.
Gu Zi: Where's my dad? :(
Lan Qian Qiu: Um :(
Green Goblin is finally gone. Over the centuries Xie Lian had viewed his younger cousin with sympathy, then annoyance, then hatred. And there had always been an element of contempt.
But now all he feels is tired. No joy, no grief.
Shi Qing Xuan: Your Highness, where's Mu Qing and Feng Xin?
Concern Mu Qing and Feng Xin showed for Shi Qing Xuan when they were kidnapped and then exiled: ZERO
Level of Shi Qing Xuan being the best: INFINITY
Xie Lian: I don't know. And we don't know where Jun Wu's gone either :(
Guoshi: The place where he's most powerful, where he wants you to follow him.
Xie Lian: Mount TongLu D:
Shi Qing Xuan: Mount TongLu??? D:
Guoshi: Bring as many uninjured martial gods as you can.
Pei Ming: *cough* I'll come!
Shi Qing Xuan: Lol, you couldn't even kill as many rats as Rain Master, sit down.
I've been reading a bunch of Shi Qing Xuan fic and absolutely none of it writes them as enough of an asshole. They're a sweetie! Most of the time! But they can also be a snarky jerk. (See also, Xie Lian)
Mu Qing: I'll come!
Xie Lian: What? But you were missing!!
Mu Qing: No, I was always here, you just didn't notice me.
Hua Cheng: Really :/
Guoshi: I see :/
Me: HMMMMMMMM
Turns out Guoshi always disliked Mu Qing, and Mu Qing knows it. But he bows politely to his old master, and Guoshi has no reason to reject the help.
All this is making me want to reread Book 2 with a better understanding of the social dynamics, but I'm not sure I'm up for that much pain.
Hua Cheng rolls his dice to open an array to Mount TongLu...and gets snake eyes.
Xie Lian: Well that's a bad omen D:
Guoshi: THIS IS WHAT YOU YOUNG PEOPLE GET FOR GAMBLING
(I know Guoshi looks 25 but it's so hard not imagine him as the old man he is in his soul)
Hua Cheng: It doesn't matter what I roll, I decide my own fate. Come on, gege.
Xie Lian wants to hold him back, but instead just whispers "Don't leave my side. If anything happens I will protect you."
Hua Cheng is stunned for a moment, then smiles and says "Alright."
The air of Mount TongLu is filled with heat and ash. Hua Cheng carefully makes a safe path for Xie Lian to walk. Meanwhile Mu Qing keeps losing his footing.
Xie Lian: San Lang, what did you really hear Mu Qing and Feng Xin talking about on the mountain?
Hua Cheng: Disrespectful things about gege, you don't need to know.
They come to a river of lava, filled with the floating bodies of the hollow dead. Xie Lian feels bad about using them to cross, but they have no other choice. Hua Cheng insists on helping Guoshi, like a son-in-law trying to impress his new father, and Xie Lian is quietly charmed, while Guoshi grumpily refuses to be impressed by how quickly Hua Cheng flashes them across.
Guoshi leads them underground to a huge half buried palace: the childhood home of the Crown Prince of WuYong.
Although Hua Cheng seems calm, Xie Lian notices that the eye on his sword E-Ming is agitated, and Xie Lian pats it to calm it down.
And then they hear the cackling voice of a middle aged man. It's Cuo Cuo, the fetus spirit.
Xie Lian: Um, Cuo Cuo, we've come to find your dad, do you know where he is?
But he just makes a sound of disgust and crawls away.
Mu Qing: I saw it go that way!
Hua Cheng: Did you really? :/
Yeah I'm with you, Hua Cheng he is acting shady as hell. At this point I was thinking doppelganger, but aware I'd been wrong about that before.
They walk down a narrow corridor heavy with a cold murderous aura. Xie Lian insists on going ahead to keep Hua Cheng safe. But when he turns to ask a question, he realises that Hua Cheng and Guoshi have vanished in the dark.
Xie Lian checks the red string on his finger. It's still tied. But his sense of foreboding remains.
He and Mu Qing keep heading up the corridor. At last they reach a chamber, and in it...is the comatose, burned form of Feng Xin.
Xie Lian: Feng Xin, what are you doing here?
Feng Xin: Where is here? And...WAIT. IS THAT MU QING? SEIZE HIM, QUICK!!
DUN DUN DUN
Content Notes for the book in general: consent issues, sexualisation of children, gore, mixed treatment of cross-dressing, suicide, child harm, incest subtext, emotional abuse, ANGST
Under the cut: SPOILERS for chapters 221-230.
Guoshi: Wait, that means...HE'S BEEN STALKING YOU FOR EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS?!
Xie Lian, internally: Good thing he doesn't know about the cave full of thousands of statues of me >.>
Guoshi: This level of obsession and calculation...be careful, he could easily take advantage!
Xie Lian: He wouldn't do that.
Hua Cheng: I'd deceive anyone but His Highness.
Guoshi: DON'T THINK YOU CAN FOOL ME WITH YOUR CUNNING, YOUNG MAN. Aren't you taking advantage of His Highness not being very learned in this area? Why don't you tell me right now how many ways spiritual power can be lent, and how you lend it? What did you tell his Highness?
Xie Lian: SO LET'S TALK ABOUT JUN WU
(The translator notes that Hua Cheng uses a polite form of "You" with Guoshi that he only otherwise uses with Xie Lian)
And then they all hear a familiar voice coming towards them, so Hua Cheng and Xie Lian quickly hide.
Green Goblin: LOL HEAVEN'S JUST MUD UNDER THIS ANCESTOR'S FEET. Sup Goushi, remember when you said I wasn't good enough to be your disciple? :D
Guoshi: :/
Green Goblin: Look at how big Heaven is, son! It's all your dad's, now!
Gu Zi: Really? It's so big!
Green Goblin: Watch this! P'TUI. I can spit where I like and noone will dare stop me!
Gu Zi: Dad, it's not good to spit. Everything so pretty here, you'll dirty it.
Guoshi: What kind of role model are you being? Even kids are more mature!
Green Goblin shouts and curses at both of them that he'll SPIT WHERE HE WANTS...then self consciously wipes up the spit with his foot, and storms off after graffiti-ing Ling Wen's Palace with THE NUMBER ONE GHOST KING OF THE THREE REALMS THE GREEN GOBLIN QI RONG WAS HERE
Hua Cheng sees Jun Wu going back to Xie Lian's house, and they rush back, Xie Lian lying in bed and Hua Cheng... hiding behind the curtains? Surely he can do better.
Jun Wu: *sigh* I see you've been sneaking out to play. That robe doesn't suit you.
Green Goblin leaps from house to house writing "QI RONG WAS HERE". He's ignored by his old nemeses Mu Qing and Feng Xin, but Quan Yi Zhen knocks him flat.
Green Goblin: HOW DARE YOU USE AN UNDERHANDED AMBUSH ON ME
Gu Zi: How was that underhanded? He just threw a statue at you?
Green Goblin: It must have been underhanded or he wouldn't have won!
And then he sees Xie Lian and crows smugly about how the tables have turned until Jun Wu tells him to stop talking nonsense, and Green Goblin is torn between swaggering arrogance and cringing terror.
Jun Wu takes Xie Lian to the Palace of Pei Ming where they see Pei Ming, Pei Su, and Ban Yue trying to hold back Xuan Ji, Kei Mo, and Rong Guang.
Xuan Ji: BACK OFF HIS SHIT LIFE IS MINE
Rong Guang: PFFT YOU'RE JUST ONE OF HUNDREDS OF EXES HIS SHIT LIFE IS MINE
The moment Jun Wu walks in everyone attacking Pei Ming falls to the ground, limp.
Pei Ming: Thank you, My Lord.
Jun Wu: No need to thank me yet. I've come to ask for your help with a human array in the capital. Break it, and I'll return your status as Martial God of the North.
Xie Lian: General Pei, if that array breaks the human face disease will break out, and this time it might kill everyone.
Jun Wu, gesturing to the ghosts on the floor: If you don't break it, I'll let them go. Little Pei is here, too, and you seem fond of him, considering how willing you were to cover up his murders.
Pei Ming: Will my lord allow me to think more on this?
Jun Wu: My patience is limited.
And he lets the ghosts go. The air fills with screams as he pulls Xie Lian away, hand hard on Xie Lian's shoulder.
Jun Wu: Next one :)
He leads Xie Lian, Gu Zi, and Green Goblin to the Palace of Lang Qian Qiu, the former prince of YongAn whose parents Green Goblin got killed.
Lang Qian Qiu: YOU!!!! D:<
Gu Zi: scary :(
Green Goblin: Nothing to fear, my good son! That's right IT'S ME. You've been pursuing me all this time only to fall into my hands :D
Jun Wu: Lang Qian Qiu, if you descend and break the human array in the royal capital I'll hand you the Green Goblin.
Green Goblin: HAHAHAHA....wait what D:
Jun Wu: Otherwise I'll hand you to him :)
Xie Lian: Why are you forcing them to make these kinds of choices?!
Jun Wu: If you don't want them to make these decisions, why don't you take their place? This is all a result of your stubborn caprice.
Xie Lian: Are you saying this is my fault?!
Jun Wu: Do you hate me? Hatred alone is pointless. If you've got what it takes then defeat me. But you don't. Maybe after you break the human array, since I'll remove your shackles.
And then Jun Wu's hand on his shoulder loosens, and Jun Wu coldly looks down at the curved silver blade at his throat.
Hua Cheng: Move your hand.
Xie Lian takes advantage of the distraction to free Lang Qian Qiu from his Palace. Naturally Lang Qian Qiu immediately goes to murder Green Goblin.
Gu Zi: DON'T KILL MY DAD
Lang Qian Qiu: YOUR DAD IS POSSESSED HE'S NOT EVEN YOUR DAD
Green Goblin, grabbing Gu Zi: COME ANY CLOSER AND I RIP OPEN THIS KIDS GUTS AND EAT THERM IN FRONT OF YOU
Lang Qian Qiu: WTF ISN'T HE YOUR SON? HE PROTECTED YOU!
Green Goblin: A CHEAP SON I'LL GET ANOTHER ONE
*steels self*
Jun Wu: If that's the case...
And he sets Heaven on fire.
Xie LIAN: WTF EVERYONE IS STILL LOCKED IN THEIR PALACES THEY'LL BURN TO DEATH
(Afaict death by fire is one of the ways gods can permanently die? And of course they all have their spiritual powers locked right now)
Green Goblin takes the chance to run off with Gu Zi. Before Lang Qian Qiu can make chase, Xie Lian shouts GO RELEASE THE OTHER HEAVENLY OFFICIALS FIRST and Lang Qian Qiu answers "YES MASTER" by instinct (because Xie Lian was his old Guoshi :( )
Hua Cheng distracts Jun Wu with a cloud of butterflies and runs off with Xie Lian. The freed heavenly officials run to them...but how can they escape?
And then the ground rumbles, and at the end of a long avenue appears...a head the size of the royal palace, wearing a gentle smile.
It's the statue of Xie Lian, repaired, and rising up to Heaven with the support of millions of glittering butterflies and glowing blessing lanterns.
Xie Lian starts ushering the heavenly officials onto it, including Quan Yi Zhen with Yin Yu's body on his back :( Feng Xin runs off looking for Jian Lan, Mu Qing is missing, and the others are dubious about the presence of Hua Cheng.
And then Jun Wu bursts free of the butterflies. His white clad body is surrounded by a swirling black aura and blinding white light, the two colours ever changing. With every step, the flames of war dance beneath his feet, spreading out to set fire to the heavens.
The heavenly officials crowd onto the statue like ants. Xie Lian grabs a random official as a shield and kisses Hua Cheng, feeling himself fill with power.
Lang Qian Qiu: WHAT ARE YOU DOING BEHIND MY BACK?
Xie Lian thinks "what a sin what a sin this mustn't be seen by the child" and shouts "NOTHING!"
Xie Lian, I know you met Lang Qian Qiu when he was a teenager, but he is several hundred years old now. He can deal with seeing his master kiss a dude.
At last the statue flies into the sky, scattering butterflies and lanterns in it's wake. But after them...comes the Heavenly Capital, now transformed into a flaming fortress.
Just as Xie Lian is running out energy, he hears Guoshi shouting from further down "WHAT ARE YOU ALL STANDING AROUND FOR? A BUNCH OF HEAVENLY OFFICIALS RELYING ON A GHOST KING? Place you delicate golden hands on this statue and give all the spiritual powers you can!!" And so Xie Lian finally gets some help from the other officials.
Hua Cheng directs them to a dark and empty place. They land, and from the dark clouds above comes the red light of the fortress close behind.
Official: Why are we landing? His Highness has gone stupid again! HEY WHY ARE YOU KICKING ME WHO EVEN ARE YOU
Guoshi: I was in the Upper court when you were playing in your sandbox! One more word and I'll push you off!
Xie Lian trusts Hua Cheng and stays put. And then he sees waves at the statue's feet and realises where they are: Black Water's lair.
The four bone dragons they fought before rise out of the water, whipping up the waves in fury and pelting the fortress in water and rocks. But the fire of heaven can't be put out with water, and soon the whole lair is in flames.
Xie Lian: Is it...okay...that we brought such a mess to Black Water's lair?
Hua Cheng: Don't worry about it. He owes me money.
MXTX: Black Water has severely dragged down the income average of the entire Supreme rank (even though there's only three), and it's not all from eating too much.
The fortress starts to break apart. Just as Xie Lian's thinking it can't be that easy....
IT REFORMS
INTO EVIL VOLTRON
The flaming giant is six times the size of Xie Lian's statue. It opens its mouth to spew flames on the now fleeing bone dragons, and walks towards the statue.
Officials: RUN WE CAN'T WIN D:
Xie Lian: Even if we can't win, we can't go anywhere else.
They realise he's right. They can only provide so much power for so long, and at least here there's no civilians to get hurt in the fight.
Xie Lian agilely leaps the statue out of the way of the fortress's attacks as the officials hold on for dear life.
Quan Yi Zhen: You need a weapon!
RuoYe, his little bandage: :D
Xie Lian: Sorry little buddy but no.
Hua Cheng: Use this for now.
And the four bone dragons fly out of the water, circling the statue and biting each other's tails to form...a giant bone dragon whip!
To the officials' surprise ands glee, he manages to wrap the fortress in the whip and drag it down into the sea. Yet looking at the fortress's head, he feels like Jun Wu is in there smiling.
The fortress sinks, the red light made murky by the sea...and then the waters boil, and Xie Lian feels the statue sink as a giant hand grabs it and starts to pull it down into he simmering depths. Jun Wu's laughter echoes through the sea. They're all going to be boiled alive.
Xie Lian hears Gusohi shout "Young man, don't just toss a corpse at me!" and then Quan Yi Zhen leaps down. He manages to dodge the giant hand trying to crush him like a bug, and enters the skull of one of the bone dragons because this is a mecha anime now. It's eyes glow bright and there is the sound of boulders being crushed as it's body tightens around the fortress until it is forced to let go of the statue. In frustration Jun Wu sets the bone dragon on fire.
A bone fish catches the bone dragon as it falls. Luckily the skull protected Quan Yi Zhen from most of the flames, and while he's badly burned right now he will heal up in time.
Xie Lian hears the officials talking about how brave Quan Yi Zhen was for trying to save everyone and quietly thinks they don't understand him very well.
There is a sound of crackling flames...and the flaming giant fortress shoots up into the sky, vanishing into a teleportation array.
Jun Wu has gone to the capital to destroy the human array himself.
As the bone dragons slowly put themselves back together like jigsaw puzzles, another bone fish comes to take Yin Yu's corpse and Quan Yi Zhen's comatose form. And then Hua Cheng open an array to the capital.
People in the human array: AAAHHH A FLAMING GIANT
Shi Qing Xuan: NOBODY PANIC THERE'S GODS UP THERE HELPING US!!
Officials: Lord Wind Master? Why are you like this...
Shi Qing Xuan: LESS QUESTIONS MORE HELPING FIGHT RESENTFUL SPIRITS
And then one of the giant's legs falls off! Xie Lian is horrified, even a leg is large enough to crush whole city blocks...but then the leg EXPLODES
....and out of it leaps
Pei Ming!!
He smooths down his hair, winks at the camera, and then jumps back onto the giant, sword in hand.
Xie Lian sees Pei Su and Ban Yue safely landing on a roof top, and asks "But where's Xuan Ji and the others?"
Pei Ming's sword: I defeated them of course!
Xie Lian: Wait, Pei Ming, you're wielding Rong Guang?!
Pei Ming: ...it's complicated.
Rong Guang: How is it complicated? You just kneeled down and begged my forgiveness :D
Pei Ming: >.>
The fortress re-arranges itself into a slightly smaller voltron just as Pei Ming reaches the head.
Rong Guang: SEE HOW AWESOME WE ARE AS A TEAM? IF YOU'D LISTENED TO ME YOU WOULDN'T STILL BE A MERE GENERAL AFTER SO MANY CENTURIES!!
Pei Ming: Can you stop talking?
Green Goblin: FRIGGIN' MANWHORE, STAY BACK UNLESS YOU WANT TO DIE!
Rong Guang: OUT OF THE WAY GREENIE! *whack*
Gu Zi: Dad, are you...*collapses*
:(
Green Goblin, shaking an unconscious Gu Zi: What are you playing at?
Xie Lian: HUMANS DIE WHEN THEY'RE SET ON FIRE GET OUT OF THERE
Green Goblin: You can't fool me into leaving that easily! You just want to-ouch!
The fire is getting too hot even for a demon like Green Goblin.
Green Goblin: UM, JUN WU, BOSSMAN, CAN YOUR FIRE NOT BURN SO HOT? YOU'VE BURNT THIS...ME!
But Ju Wu is busy fighting Pei Ming, a creepy smile on his face. The fire burns hotter and higher, and Gu Zi screams as the fire burns his shoulder :(
Gu Zi: Dad, it hurts and I'm scared. Are we going to die?
Green Goblin: Um...
Gu Zi: Even though your domain here is very beautiful, the people here aren't very nice. Why don't we live somewhere else...
Green Goblin: UM SO JUN WU...SIR...IT'S FINE IF YOU WANNA KEEP BURNING FIRES, IT'S YOUR STUFF, BUT, UH....
Xie Lian: HE'LL KILL YOU! JUST COME DOWN HERE! I PROMISE NOT TO TOUCH YOU!
Gu Zi: :(
Green Goblin: HEY JUN WU I SAID STOP WITH THE FI-
Jun Wu raises a hand and the Green Goblin is engulfed in a ball of fire.
D: D: D:
(Just imagine me for the rest of this section going BUT WHAT ABOUT GU ZI??)
Pei Ming, still fighting: My lord, that was a child D:
Jun Wu sets him on fire too, and he is thrown from the fortress. A torrential rain comes down and extinguishes the flames on his body, and a black form leaps into the sky to catch him: the Rain Master on her ox.
Rong Guang: Saved by a woman!
Pei Ming, covered in burns and drenched in rain: Shut up >:(
Jun Wu starts to pelt the ground with flaming rocks. Even with the rain, they'll destroy the city.
Hua Cheng: There's no need for gege to worry, just focus on hanging on here.
Xie Lian looks down and sees...Hua Cheng, heading towards the human array on the ground.
The Hua Cheng next to Xia Lian: This one is the real San Lang, no lie, exchange if fake :)
Shi Qing Xuan: CRIMSON RAIN SOUGHT FLOWER WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?? Have you found a way to connect to His Highness? Wait, never mind that, do you see those flaming rocks coming from the sky? Use your butterflies to blow them away or something!
'Hua Cheng': Deal with it yourself.
Shi Qing Xuan: I'm not His Highness, I don't understand your jokes! How do I-
'Hua Cheng' pulls them out of the array. Shi Qing Xuan quickly gets the people on either side to hold hands so the circle isn't broken. And then 'Hua Cheng' slaps them.
Beggars: HEY WHO ARE YOUm HITTING OL' FENG??
Shi Qing Xuan, glowing: It's fine. He was lending me spiritual powers :D Though really, Hua Chengzhu, even if you can't see His Highness there's no need to hit people. You could have just given me some more of those weird candies. Why don't you focus on the rocks-
'Hua Cheng' tosses something at him and Shi Qing automatically catches it, then goes pale.
It's his Wind Master fan.
Xie Lian: Is that...
Hua Cheng: Pay it no mind. I called him over at the last minute to give a hand.
Shi Qing Xuan grips the fan, swings...and knocks the meteors out of the sky with a huge whirlwind.
Beggars: ...ol' Feng are you actually a god?
Shi Qing Xuan, shaking: D-duh! Didn't I tell you?
Beggars: We know a god :D Take us flying some time, hey!
'Hua Cheng' sees all this, 'humph's to himself softly, and then turns to leave. By the time Shi Qing Xuan looks up, a question in their eyes, the man is gone.
(*STILL SHIPS IT*)
But then there is a strange, horrible noise from the center of the human array. It's the squeaking of a swarming tide of corpse eating rats, along with countless empty shelled lava people.
Rain Master: Watch over General Pei, I'll take care of it.
Pei Ming: I'M FINE *cough* I'll protect the- *falls over*
Rain Master: There's no need for the general to push himself :)
I love her.
Xuan Ji: WHY ARE YOU CHASING AFTER HER WHEN YOU HAVE ME??
Pei Ming: Why are you still here D:
Xuan Ji: Aren't you touched to see me like this? Don't you feel guilty?
Pei Ming: Wake up! I'm part of the reason you're like this, but it's mostly your own decisions. You can only move your own heart, I'm a steel hearted man,. Rather than love me, why don't you love yourself?
He yanks himself from her grip, and walks away.
Rain Master and the other gods on the ground are doing their best against the rats, when suddenly there's another even stranger noise.
"Quack, is this the royal capital, quack, such big houses quack!"
"Chengzhu's houses are better!"
From the alleys and eaves come all sorts of strange figures, all the ghosts and monsters of Ghost City swarming towards the human array.
Cultivators: OH NO MONSTERS STAY BACK
Monsters: SHUT UP WE'RE GIVING YOU SOME FACE WHY DON'T YOU KNEEL AND THANK US?!
And then monsters gleefully begin to eat the rats. Two thousand year old corpse rat is a real monster delicacy and they're all grateful to Hua Cheng for the gift.
This is not what the rats signed up for and they all turn tail and flee.
AHH THE TRAILER FOR THE ANIMATED VERSION CAME OUT IT LOOKS GREAT
Haa I was wondering how they'd cut out the gay and realised....it's just the love of a man for his god! The VERY INTENSE DEVOTED love of a man for his god. Totally fine and normal for that to be an intense life defining obsession that inspires statues and sexy murals etc, ask any gay renaissance artist.
Ok where was I.
Out of nowhere, Jun Wu brings out a sword! (Voltron-ed from more palaces I guess?)
BUT THAT'S OK because Guoshi signals Hua Cheng to open an array to Mount Tonglu from which comes and EVEN BETTER SWORD. Mountain spirits can voltron too!
He finally manages to make a dent on the flaming fortress, and soon it is in pieces.
But Jun Wu himself has fled.
They search the wreckage, and all the find is a burned black ball. From within it they hear the sound of coughing. Peeling away the charred shell they find...Gu Zi, a little burned, but otherwise fine.
(I WAS SO WORRIED)
A green ball of greasy ghost fire floats out of the remains of the Green Goblin.
Xie Lian: He protected Gu Zi.
Hua Cheng: He was going to die anyway, protecting or using a shield didn't make much difference.
Xie Lian: But he protected all the same.
Lan Qian Qiu, catching it: Oh look you're in my hands in the end :D
Gu Zi: Gege don't kill my dad ;_; Scrap gege save him!!
Xie Lian: Gu Zi...that really isn't your dad. Can't you tell by the way he treats you?
Gu Zi: That IS my dad! My dad didn't used to be good to me. But then he started giving me meat, and said he'd take me to live in beautiful mansions...he's really good to me now! Will you please save him?
That's why he was so loyal. It wasn't that he didn't realise his dad had changed, it was that Green Goblin was a genuinely good dad compared to his previous experience ;_;
Green Goblin: Don't bother. This black hearted snow lotus can't wait for your old man to die.
Hua Cheng: Are you worried Lang Qian Qiu can't kill you and want to make sure I finish the job?
Green Goblin shrivels for a moment then clearly decides that since he's going to die anyway he might as well speak his mind.
Green Goblin: HUA CHENG YOU FUCKER I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU. Xie Lian, I took you for a god. But what did you take me for? NOTHING. You always ignored me and looked down on me with contempt. WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK DOWN ON ME WHEN YOU COULDN'T EVEN DESTROY A MERE YONG AN?
(does he mean...the country? I guess he is the one who destroyed it in the end)
Xia Lian: You...*sigh* never mind.
Hua Cheng: So what if he looks down on you? Is anything about you worth holding in high regard?
Green Goblin: I SPIT AT YOU! SPIT! SO, SO WHAT IF YOU ALL LOOK DOWN ON ME? THIS ANCESTOR...THIS ANCESTOR...HAS A SON!!
Dammit Green Goblin who said you could give me feels.
Green Goblin: I may have picked him up cheaply, but at least it's better than you bloodline ending impotent cowards! DON'T EVEN DREAM OF HAVING ONE IN EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS HEHEHEHEHAHAHA
Hua Cheng, to Xie Lian: You never know
Hua Cheng are you going to invent mpreg just to spite Green Goblin.
And then the little ball of green fire in Lan Qian Qiu's hands fizzles out.
Gu Zi: Where's my dad? :(
Lan Qian Qiu: Um :(
Green Goblin is finally gone. Over the centuries Xie Lian had viewed his younger cousin with sympathy, then annoyance, then hatred. And there had always been an element of contempt.
But now all he feels is tired. No joy, no grief.
Shi Qing Xuan: Your Highness, where's Mu Qing and Feng Xin?
Concern Mu Qing and Feng Xin showed for Shi Qing Xuan when they were kidnapped and then exiled: ZERO
Level of Shi Qing Xuan being the best: INFINITY
Xie Lian: I don't know. And we don't know where Jun Wu's gone either :(
Guoshi: The place where he's most powerful, where he wants you to follow him.
Xie Lian: Mount TongLu D:
Shi Qing Xuan: Mount TongLu??? D:
Guoshi: Bring as many uninjured martial gods as you can.
Pei Ming: *cough* I'll come!
Shi Qing Xuan: Lol, you couldn't even kill as many rats as Rain Master, sit down.
I've been reading a bunch of Shi Qing Xuan fic and absolutely none of it writes them as enough of an asshole. They're a sweetie! Most of the time! But they can also be a snarky jerk. (See also, Xie Lian)
Mu Qing: I'll come!
Xie Lian: What? But you were missing!!
Mu Qing: No, I was always here, you just didn't notice me.
Hua Cheng: Really :/
Guoshi: I see :/
Me: HMMMMMMMM
Turns out Guoshi always disliked Mu Qing, and Mu Qing knows it. But he bows politely to his old master, and Guoshi has no reason to reject the help.
All this is making me want to reread Book 2 with a better understanding of the social dynamics, but I'm not sure I'm up for that much pain.
Hua Cheng rolls his dice to open an array to Mount TongLu...and gets snake eyes.
Xie Lian: Well that's a bad omen D:
Guoshi: THIS IS WHAT YOU YOUNG PEOPLE GET FOR GAMBLING
(I know Guoshi looks 25 but it's so hard not imagine him as the old man he is in his soul)
Hua Cheng: It doesn't matter what I roll, I decide my own fate. Come on, gege.
Xie Lian wants to hold him back, but instead just whispers "Don't leave my side. If anything happens I will protect you."
Hua Cheng is stunned for a moment, then smiles and says "Alright."
The air of Mount TongLu is filled with heat and ash. Hua Cheng carefully makes a safe path for Xie Lian to walk. Meanwhile Mu Qing keeps losing his footing.
Xie Lian: San Lang, what did you really hear Mu Qing and Feng Xin talking about on the mountain?
Hua Cheng: Disrespectful things about gege, you don't need to know.
They come to a river of lava, filled with the floating bodies of the hollow dead. Xie Lian feels bad about using them to cross, but they have no other choice. Hua Cheng insists on helping Guoshi, like a son-in-law trying to impress his new father, and Xie Lian is quietly charmed, while Guoshi grumpily refuses to be impressed by how quickly Hua Cheng flashes them across.
Guoshi leads them underground to a huge half buried palace: the childhood home of the Crown Prince of WuYong.
Although Hua Cheng seems calm, Xie Lian notices that the eye on his sword E-Ming is agitated, and Xie Lian pats it to calm it down.
And then they hear the cackling voice of a middle aged man. It's Cuo Cuo, the fetus spirit.
Xie Lian: Um, Cuo Cuo, we've come to find your dad, do you know where he is?
But he just makes a sound of disgust and crawls away.
Mu Qing: I saw it go that way!
Hua Cheng: Did you really? :/
Yeah I'm with you, Hua Cheng he is acting shady as hell. At this point I was thinking doppelganger, but aware I'd been wrong about that before.
They walk down a narrow corridor heavy with a cold murderous aura. Xie Lian insists on going ahead to keep Hua Cheng safe. But when he turns to ask a question, he realises that Hua Cheng and Guoshi have vanished in the dark.
Xie Lian checks the red string on his finger. It's still tied. But his sense of foreboding remains.
He and Mu Qing keep heading up the corridor. At last they reach a chamber, and in it...is the comatose, burned form of Feng Xin.
Xie Lian: Feng Xin, what are you doing here?
Feng Xin: Where is here? And...WAIT. IS THAT MU QING? SEIZE HIM, QUICK!!
DUN DUN DUN
no subject
Date: 2019-11-18 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-11-18 04:53 am (UTC)I'm going to make a full recs post once I'm done with my reactions posts (TWO TO GO!) but here's the relevant recs:
Unfortunately everything smooths down their sharp edges a bit much, which is understandable with He Xuan (who's like 90% sharp edges) but fanon Shi Qing Xuan is bit too much of a soft angsty sweetie for my tastes. I specifically sought out genderfluid Shi Qing Xuan, and the novelty of half decent genderfluid romance added a lot to my enjoyment, so YMMV.
Still Waters is angsty slow-ish burn.
The ghost is silver and the god is gold is a tropey fluffy AU where they get together just before all the shit goes down. It's a WIP which stops just at the point where they start making out and haven't quite worked through their feelings.
there's a hunger under my skin and it's gripping at my bones rushes through the angsty reunion to get to the sex. So read it after the the previous fic, lol.
There's a couple of highly rated f!Shi Qing Xuan fics I didn't read because my brain doesn't want to for some reason, so I have no idea if they're any good. I tried the top rated m!Shi Qing Xuan fics tagged post-canon and didn't like them as much as the fics above but they had some nice moments and ymmv. I didn't LOVE anything I read but my OTP got to be happy and make out so I was happy.
For fics I did love, involving our other mutual fave:
You'd be good if you knew how Basically just some missing scenes but being inside Ling Wen's head is great.
black commands shake the earth Ling Wen becomes a supreme. PERFECT. ALL SHALL BOW BEFORE HER IN DESPAIR :D
a fantastic three tumours comic.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-18 12:21 pm (UTC)(all mzds fandom seems very inclined to smooth over sharp edges in all directions. just let people be assholes! it's part of their charm!)
no subject
Date: 2019-11-21 05:11 am (UTC)thank you especially for intuiting that I was also craving Ling Wen fic because I SUPER AM
It was a pretty sure bet :D
just let people be assholes! it's part of their charm!
I KNOW. (But not too much of an asshole, ymmv but I still want a happy ending. Just, for characters I recognise)