#wwx did sm better than I would

[dearmyloveleys]

brb moving to cloud recesses just for the aesthetics

[celestialbruise]

Hello! For fanfic club, may I request canonverse no war AU where Wei wuxian doesn't get kicked out of the lectures? Please give me humour, everyone else face palming at oblivious wangxian, fluff, them being adorable and I love and figuring what they wanna be months before the lectures end. Most likely with implied future ending (like it could be lwj planning to propose 2 years later and making mental notes, etc). Thank you!

this is so late!! I am the worst!! hopefully, I did your wonderful prompt justice, enough to make up for my tardiness :') I had such fun writing this, so thank you sm for that<3 I love to be back on the let wangxian be happy agenda

(side note: I read that according to old customs, couples sometimes exchanged their jade pendants at their engagement ceremony, which is why nhs tells wwx to buy it at caiyi town) 

-

So, it’s not weird. It’s very casual, y’know, nothing to write home about. It’s just that Wei Wuxian has found himself going back to the Library Pavilion. Every day. And that’s! Normal!

“But,” Nie Huaisang’s brows scrunched in confusion. “Your punishment ended a week ago…right?”

“Yeah, so?”

“....No reason….” Nie Huaisang flipped open his fan, his tone all-too-casual all he followed his cryptic musings up with an offer, “Wei-xiong, on a completely unrelated note, I’d be happy to lend you some more of my books, if you want any.”

-

“I’ve noticed that Wei-gongzi seems to be visiting the Library Pavillion often these days,” Lan Xichen hedged, sounding far-too curious for his own good. Lan Wangji’s spine felt somehow stiffer as he walked alongside his brother and although he was confident nothing about his expression gave him away, he could feel his traitorous ears burning. 

“He is an avid reader,” Lan Wangji said, straight-faced, like a liar. He was sure Wei Wuxian was well-read so it wasn’t technically a lie, since they were in the Cloud Recesses, where that was strictly forbidden.

It’s only that when Wei Wuxian visited, he didn’t exactly sit quietly and pick up scrolls. He’d pester Lan Wangji, sprawling over his desk, tugging on his sleeve, drawing him frivolous (pretty) things that Lan Wangji would pretend not to look at, and recently, he’d even begun to bring in little violets he picked from the back mountain which - who knows how he’d found his way there.

It was a simple omission of the truth. Nothing more. 

“Well, whatever the case,” Lan Xichen smiled, lashes dipping. “It’s good to see you have a friend.”

“He is not a friend,” Lan Wangji informed his brother curtly, but Lan Xichen’s smile did not waver even a fraction.

“Then it’s good you have a companion.”

Lan Wangji didn’t dignify that with a response, mostly because he didn’t have one. He feared his second denial would fall flatter than the first. 

Because he kept coming back, is the thing. Wei Wuxian always came back. His punishment had ended long ago - he had no reasn to visit the Library Pavilion as frequently, as faithfully as he did. He only came, after all, to find Lan Wangji. And despite Lan Wangji’s attempts to ice him out, Wei Wuxian was a warmth that burned through all of his many layers of frost, settling pleasantly in his chest. It was a warmth Lan Wangji had come to crave. 

If not a companion, then what was Wei Wuxian, to Lan Wangji?

-

“Do you think Lan Zhan would like the purple one or the green one better? Or, should I just stick with blue?”

“Lan Zhan?” Nie Huaisang raised an inquisitive brow. Wei Wuxian blinked, wide grey eyes innocent and sparkling like the river that ran behind them.

“Yes…?”

“You call him by his birth name?”

“I think I just did?”

“To his face?”

“What other body part of his would I be talking to?”

Oh, this was too much fun. Nie Huaisang bit his tongue against all the innuendos poised atop the tip. “And he hasn’t murdered you yet?”

Wei Wuxian huffed, throwing his hands out, all dramatics. “I don’t know, Nie-xiong, are you talking to a ghost right now?”

“....To be determined,” Nie Huaisang decided, nodding towards the money purses clutched in Wei Wuxian’s hands. “If you want my advice, don’t give him that. You should get him a jade pendant.”

This recent entertainment Nie Huaisang had found in watching Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji dance around each other was a double-edged blade, one he could actually wield. For one, it was endlessly amusing that Wei Wuxian thought all that he wanted from Lan Wangji was his friendship. Nie Huaisang wasn’t fluent in spring books and romance novels for nothing - he was practically an expert on these kinds of affairs, and he’d eat his own fan if it really turned out Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were only ‘friends.’ And then, as if that wasn’t enough, on a day free of classes Wei Wuxian had all but dragged Nie Huaisang along with him to Caiyi Town to go shopping, for a ‘friendship gift’ for ‘his Lan Zhan.’ Yes, Wei Wuxian had used those exact words. 

“Why a jade pendant?” Wei Wuxian frowned, but obediently put down the money purse to hold the jade pendant above his head, studying the way it sparkled when the light hit it just right. 

“You want him to know you’re interested in him, don’t you?”

“In his friendship? Duh. I like Lan Zhan. He’s a funny guy.”

“Uh-huh,” Nie Huaisang smiled a fox’s smile behind his fan. “Well, this will make your intentions crystal clear, Wei-xiong, trust me.”

In his defense, Nie Huaisang hadn’t specified the exact intention the jade pendant would bring light to. 

-

“Lan Zhan!”

Lan Wangji freezes in his tracks, tongue caught in between his teeth. It’s enough time for Wei Wuxian to catch up to him, all radiant light and buoyant smiles and laughter that rings out like bells.

“You were walking so fast, er-gege, I had to run to catch up! Where are you off to in such a rush, hm?”

Lan Wangji feels terribly tongue-tied, feels as if he cannot possibly say he is going to feed the bunnies Wei Wuxian gifted him. It feels far too vulnerable to state in the warm light of day. Too much like a confession for something Lan Wangji had only recently put into words. 

Unfortunately, Wei Wuxian eyes aren’t just arresting, crystalline clear and sparkling grey, but keen as well. They dart to the carrots Lan Wangji holds in his hands - and, well, even if Wei Wuxian wasn’t a genius, anyone would be able to put two and two together. 

A steady, burning flush spreads from the tips of his ears down to his throat. Lan Wangji thinks, with no small amount of mortification, that it may have bled to his cheeks as well. 

“Oh! You’re off to feed our children, huh?” Wei Wuxian grins, and before Lan Wangji’s can grow any more flustered, Wei Wuxian asks, “Mind if I tag along?”

Wei Wuxian doesn’t wait for Lan Wangji’s answer - maybe because he fears Lan Wangji will reject his advances yet again - whatever the case, he simply winds his arm around the crook of Lan Wangji’s elbow and begins leading them down the gravel path as if he knows the way. Which, to be fair, he probably does. Lan Wangji doesn’t rebuff Wei Wuxian nor does he try to shake him off, so he supposes that is enough of an answer on its own. 

“I knew you were fond of those bunnies Lan Zhan,” Lan Wangji can hear the grin in Wei Wuxian’s tone, can imagine it curved across his face, his eyes twin crescent-moons of mirth. He keeps his eyes on the path before him. This simple point of contact between them, after all, already feels fit to send him into qi deviation. Lan Wangji doesn’t know how much more his painfully thin face can take. He can barely manage to hum in acknowledgement. 

“Mn.” 

“I’m glad I didn’t roast them then, hahaha! Aiyah, don’t look at me like that - you can call me a lot of things, but I’m not a bunny killer, really Lan Zhan. They’re too fluffy to eat!” Wei Wuxian chattered along, his voice like the babbling of an excitable brook. Lan Wangji found it incomparably soothing, as he always did. “I always kind of wanted a pet, y’know? But not, like, a dog.” Wei Wuxian shuddered and Lan Wangji felt the aftershocks shiver into his arm, melting into his bones. It may have been a bit dramatic, but Lan Wangji thought Wei Wuxian’s eyes grew a bit too wide for him to be exaggerating. “Rabbits are tiny and fluffy and sweet. Dogs are just the worst, don’t you agree Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji had never had much of an opinion on dogs before, but in that instant, he unequivocally decided they were intolerable. “Dogs are forbidden in the Cloud Recesses,” Lan Wangji said - and he realized only after he had said it that yes, he had said it to comfort Wei Wuxian. He wanted to soothe the tightness with which that arm suddenly squeezed around his own. 

“Really?” Wei Wuxian asked, easing up. “How did I miss that rule? That would have been my favorite one!”

“My uncle does not like them,” Lan Wangji responded, which was, technically, not a lie. Of course, his uncle would not like the rabbits Lan Wangji was keeping either - but the bunnies were small, and far out of the way, as much as they possibly could be.

Lan Wangji figured that he could allow himself this small act of rebellion.

For Wei Wuxian, he could. 

He made a mental note to suggest to his uncle that they should specify no dogs were allowed in the Cloud Recesses. 

“Oh!” Lan Wangji’s eyes darted over at Wei Wuxian’s exclamation. “Before I forget, I have a gift for you.”

A gift?

“There is no need,” Lan Wangji said, stilted, mostly because he was confused over why he would be receiving a gift, and because this was breaking yet another rule. Do not overindulge. 

“Of course, there’s a need,” Wei Wuxian laughed, pulling something out of his sleeve. “Everyone likes gifts. Here - you have to take it, I bought it, just for you. Don’t reject me so harshly, okay? It’ll hurt my feelings.”

Lan Wangji bit his tongue, but relented with a small nod. It was also against the rules to be unnecessarily cruel, after all. 

Blood pounded in his ears, almost deafening Wei Wuxian’s explanation of his gift - but even if the wave of sound resounding in his head had somehow swept away Wei Wuxian’s words, Lan Wangji would have known what the gift meant, anyway. Lan Wangji felt useless, he could only stare at the exquisitely carved jade pendant as it soaked up golden sunlight, carefully cradled in Wei Wuxian’s palm. 

The implications sent his mind reeling, and his heart into disarray. Wei Wuxian couldn’t possibly mean-

Lan Wangji couldn’t remember a time his face had felt so hot, besides any other moment he had shared with Wei Wuxian - Wei Ying. Yes, Wei Wuxian had given Lan Wangji permission to call him by his birth name, hadn’t he? He had, and Lan Wangji had long ago forgotten when he’d stopped minding the sound of his own on Wei Wuxian’s tongue. It felt like it belonged there. As if it were meant for Wei Wuxian’s lips and Wei Wuxian’s alone.

“Don’t tease,” Lan Wangji said, his voice coming out somewhat sharper than he meant it. Quieter, too. Because if this was a joke, like he had suspected so many of Wei Wuxian’s flirtations to be-

“I’m not!” Wei Wuxian protested, his free hand thumping atop his heart as he bounced beside Lan Wangji. “Lan Zhan, you wound me. I present you this gift with only the sincerest intentions. Won’t you believe me? I’ll hold onto the tail-end of your forehead ribbon and swear on my parents’ graves if that’ll give it more weight.”

“No need,” Lan Wangji managed through the sudden lump that had appeared in his throat, unswallowable. So, they shared a kinship in this? Unconsciously, he found himself softening. “I believe you.”

“Good,” Wei Wuxian’s tongue teased the sharp tip of his canine. Lan Wangji’s eyes couldn’t help but track the movement. “You have to believe me. Lying is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses, don’t you know?”

Something strange happened, then. A foreign feeling welled up inside of his chest, not unlike a flurry of excited butterflies. Lan Wangji didn’t think he had felt it since he had last seen his mother, ten long years ago.

It was the urge - to smile. To laugh. 

“I do know,” Lan Wangji shot Wei Wuxian a side-long look. “Do you?”

“When it comes to the important stuff, of course,” Wei Wuxian sounded so solemn, and heart-wrenchingly sincere. And under the warm summer sunlight, caught in a fragrant, gentle breeze-

How couldn’t Lan Wangji believe him?

They continued down the path together, arms entwined. 

-

From a bridge not too far away, two figures watched the two dressed in white disappear into the forest, their white, swirling robes lost in the thick swathes of swaying green.

“Romance is in the air, wouldn’t you say, Jin-xiong?” Nie Huaisang sighed, a dreamy smile curving his lips as he idly fanned himself. Jin Zixuan had joined him in watching Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian blush and make eyes at each other - mostly to make disgusted, retching noises, but it hadn’t gone unnoticed by Nie Huaisang, how round his eyes had gotten when Wei Wuxian had presented Lan Wangji with his gift. Clearly, he was taking notes. 

“How is it romantic? It’s hopeless, is what it is,” Jin Zixuan groaned, though Nie Huaisang noticed he hadn’t torn his eyes away, his gaze still settled on where Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s afterimages lingered. “And my cousins tease me for being oblivious.”

“You are,” Nie Huaisang says, because he was present for the mess Jin Zixuan made of himself in front of Jiang Yanli at the last Jiang Clan banquet. 

Jin Zixuan shot Nie Huaisang a horrible glare, but there was really nothing he could say in his defense. 

-

Later, away from the prying eyes of others - how could Lan Wangji, with his sharp senses, be somehow unaware they were being watched? - as Lan Wangji watched Wei Wuxian tumble around in the grass around the rabbits, laughing and calling out the names he had given them, these children of theirs he had claimed them to be, a thought solidified in his mind, sunlight shining through amber, revealing the treasure inside.

I want to spend forever with him.

Lan Wangji had thought he’d think himself in circles trying to come up with the perfect gift to give Wei Wuxian in return. He wasn’t good at expressing himself, the breadth of his emotions - but Lan Wangji had come to realize, as the sun started to slink past the horizon, and the world was enveloped in rosy tones and shades of blue, that maybe it was only he wasn’t the best with words.

Maybe something like this didn’t need words, in the end. 

As they turned to leave, and Wei Wuxian looked at him with those silver, sparkling eyes, pure happiness in his voice as he asked Lan Wangji if they could visit their rabbits every day, Lan Wangji could no longer resist. He took Wei Wuxian around the waist, into his arms, and only shook a little as he pressed their lips together. 

Wei Wuxian tasted like spring. Lush against Lan Wangji’s lips, incomparably soft and impossibly sweet. Lan Wangji pulled away, only because air was a necessity and it was quickly running from his lungs, in the face of what he had just done. 

“Ah?” Wei Wuxian’s fingers trembled as they traced his lips, his cheeks dusting an intoxicating pink. “What was that for?”

Lan Wangji swallowed, and though the kiss had been chaste, his voice came out hoarse. “Your gift.”

“My gift,” Wei Wuxian murmured, lashes fluttering, and before Lan Wangji could worry he’d somehow misread the situation, Wei Wuxian was clinging to his arms, crying out. “Lan Zhan! Now mine looks inadequate! I’m going to have to buy you a thousand more jade pendants! A million! Even that won’t be enough!”

A shadow of a smile tucked itself into the corner of his lips. 

“Or,” Lan Wangji cleared his throat, preserving valiantly through the waves of his own shamelessness. “You could kiss me again.”

Wei Wuxian quieted, a dangerous, beautiful gleam alighting in his star-bright eyes. 

“I could do that,” Wei Wuxian agreed, pulling Lan Wangji down once more.

[runespoor7]

Per the ask game, chengyao?

tl;dr version: it's one of my notps. (welcome to the salt mines -_-)

Don't Ship It

Why don't you ship it?

tl;dr: i am uncomfortable when jc isn't about wwx, and jgy's taste is better than jc

I never read the situation with JL as co-parenting, so that's one basis of the ship right out, and l can't see why JGY would burden himself with JC or what would attract him to JC. Like... JGY likes people who trust him and people who are good people and who think he's a good person and people who aren't the emotional equivalent of a landmine field on fire. JGY can have either LXC or SMS and I'm pretty sure he's been over the "I can change him" stage ever since NMJ. There is absolutely nothing about JC that I think JGY would be remotely interested in. (I also think JGY post incest-reveal is so deeply traumatized that the entire range of romantic and sexual emotions becomes a no-go for him, with no exceptions.)

I also don't see JC as willing or able to extend feelings for people outside his sect post-WWX's death. People betray you and then they die. Outsiders to the sect will demand the most horrific sacrifices. I also think he didn't like JGY giving JL Fairy at all (I think it's completely possible to think he was grateful for it, I just like my JC entirely unable to let go of WWX), because that put him in a position where he must break a resolution or take his nephew's dog away. (I also find it hard to believe that JC doesn't know about the bullying at Jinlintai and hmmm. don't think it makes him think favorably on JGY. Rusong's death can also result in no positive appreciation of JC for the care JGY takes with JL's safety.)

So basically I'm not into JC having positive relationships with people that aren't WWX, I don't see them catching feelings, and I think both of them are wayyyyy too conscious of the power of gossip to consider sex together (if I thought there was an attraction, which I don't. I don't think JGY finds JC's volatilenesse attractive).

Also I'm a huge wimp and I want JC to only get manipulated and fucked over by WWX. (🥺) Together they're not unpleasant in ways I find fun.

What would have made you like it?

I could get behind the version of the ship where JGY gets a hate-crush on JC because 1)he's projecting his negative NMJ feelings after NMJ's death and JC is conveniently irascible and inconvenient, and/or 2)he's convinced that WWX was JC's half-brother and that colors all of his vision of what JC did or didn't do.

Does he think JC was being incestuous about WWX? (and then he wasn't punished for it. how unfair that he got off unscathed when JGY must carry the weight forever!!!)

Does he share LWJ's opinion that JC used WWX and then got rid of him when WWX became more an impediment than a help? (something that JGY when he's honest with himself - rarely - does know he did, but that he tries to pretend he didn't and can easily dislike JC for. this is why he's besties with LXC. LXC thinks he's Good. JGY likes being Good. JC is all kinds of a repulsive mirror.)

A version where it's requited isn't about WWX enough for me on JC's part, though.

Oh, in a version of canon where JGS wasn't Like That and JGY is thus severely less messed-up (and the WWX+Wens situation isn't as dire as in canon) might have had them carry on a casual-ish discreet relationship while JYL is visiting JZX. Or maybe it's a version where JGY never ended up torturing for WRH. Something that would make him a bit softer at that stage, and have JC a bit less single-focused on WWX. It might escalate and the relationship might deepen if something something JGS causes worse problems, against JGY, etc.

Alternatively, this is less straight-up shipping, but I love the idea that JC and JGY had an UnderstandingTM about JL not having accidents in Jinlintai so long as JC didn't do anything stupid, such as marrying, and that JC honestly did think JGY was going to wait until JL was closer to twenty before JGY started making active moves against JL. And it hurt JC's feelings when Guanyin Temple happened.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

Extremely fucked up people and I'm happy that fans of the two characters seem to be having fun with it!

[tanamatron2000]

Wei Ying was brought up to sacrifice himself for the jiangs since he was a kid.

Jiang cheng was brought up associating showing explicit respect or love to wei ying with abuse from his mother.

They were both brought up in specific ways that explain their flawed behaviours towards each other .

Irrespective of the toxic backgrounds they were raised in they still grew up supporting each other bro. like you know if wwx asked even once for jiang cheng’s help for the wen situation, Jiang Cheng would have bitched and cried and STILL HELPED him.

And we know that wwx would have done everything and anything for jiang cheng.

Its that wwx always seemed one foot out of the door- (because jiang parents never made him feel home or family or ENTITLED in yunmeng), is the reason why jiang cheng felt abandoned.

I think its so important to address this because both of their flaws are so intrinsically the way they were both raised that its impossible to say “nah it would be better if jc did this, wwx did that” but nah bro. the story is spun in a way that it would be impossible for them to have done anything other than what they did. Them both being kids who underwent abuse at the hands of the jiang parents (yeah even jfm @ wwx, like the man treated wwx like a guest, not a family member all his life) essentially made it impossible for them to move beyond that point.

Wwx would never be able to ask for help from a family he felt LOVE towards, but not entitled to.

And Jiang Cheng would never be able to offer help to a person he felt LOVE towards, but was taught to associate reaching out to this man with abuse.

I love them both sm. and im sick of fanfics on both sides just destroying their characters, making wwx into smn who doesn’t actually cares- only pretends to care; and jc as someone who basically wants wwx to die a thousand deaths.

[besanii]

More SM for me please 🥰

Shattered Mirrors #68

[follows on from #23]

Every summer, the younger generation of the nobility—the princes, as well as the sons of minor branches of the Imperial Family, higher-ranking officials—are sent to the Cloud Recesses to study with the monks and renowned scholars who reside in the mountains. There, they are exposed to all kinds of subject areas, not only the Six Arts—etiquette, music, archery, charioteering, literacy and mathematics—but also diplomacy and statecraft, swordsmanship and meditation. For that reason, their allies also choose to send their sons to the Cloud Recesses to bolster their education.

Lan Wangji has been attending these annual study retreats for as long as he can remember—both he and his brother had spent the majority of their childhood within the walls of the Cloud Recesses since they were able to hold a brush—and takes great joy in the solitude of the mountains, far removed from the capital and its noise and bluster. Here, he can focus on his lessons rather than on his duties as a prince; here, he can spend his days reading, studying, honing his skills in sword and guqin, instead of engaging others in frivolous conversation. It is his respite, his sanctuary.

His brother meets him on the parapets above the courtyard where this year’s students are assembling, ready to depart for the Cloud Recesses. His arrival reminds Lan Wangji that this is the first year his brother will not be joining them—at nineteen, Lan Xichen has officially taken over as Regent in their father’s seclusion, and will be erstwhile occupied with affairs of state—and the thought brings with it a touch of melancholy.

“Huangxiong.” He greets him with a bow, clasping his fingers before him. Lan Xichen smiles.

“Wangji,” he greets him easily, smiling. “Are all your preparations complete?”

“Yes, Huangxiong,” Lan Wangji replies. “We will be leaving within the hour.”

“That is good to hear.” Lan Xichen looks out over the courtyard to where the other young masters are starting to gather in various stages of alertness. “The Cloud Recesses will be much cooler than the capital. You have always had a preference for colder weather. And the change in scenery will do you well.”

“Yes, Huangxiong.”

A shout of laughter floats up from the group below, loud and familiar, and it sends a thrill of recognition through Lan Wangji to hear it. Even Lan Xichen is drawn towards the sound, peering over the stone parapets at the flash of purple robes below.

“Ah,” he says knowingly. “That would be Yunmeng’s Wei Wuxian, Wei-gongzi. The son of Wei Changze, and Jiang-wang’s ward. He’s here in place of Yunmeng Jiang-shi’s Crown Prince, Jiang Wanyin, who was here last year.”

Yunmeng. That would explain the purple robes and the boisterous laughter—Lan Wangji has never been to Yunmeng personally, but he has heard that they are more…free-spirited as a people. Certainly not as reserved or quiet as Gusu, but with the same affinity for water; where Gusu borders the sea, Yunmeng is home to lakes and rivers, and both nations are well-versed in battle tactics on water.

For Wei Wuxian to be here as a representative on Yunmeng, in place of their own Crown Prince, must mean he is of high birth, or perhaps part of a powerful family. It would certainly explain his cavalier attitude towards trespassing palace grounds in the middle of the night.

“Wangji, is something the matter?” Lan Wangji can hear the amusement in his brother’s voice.

“My apologies, Huangxiong,” he replies with a bow. “I came across an intruder while on patrol a few nights ago, trying to sneak past the guards. I did not think I would find them here.”

“Oh?” Lan Xichen raises an eyebrow, both concerned and intrigued. “Would I be correct in assuming the intruder in question is Wei-gongzi?”

“Yes, Huangxiong.” He exhales through his nose, frowning. “I should report this to Huangshu, so the matter can be dealt with appropriately, given Wei-gongzi’s status—”

Lan Xichen laughs, reaching out to clasp him on the shoulder.

“Perhaps you could let it slide, just this once?” he suggests with a twinkle in his eye. “It is, after all, his first time here in Gusu. I’m not saying not to discipline him,” he adds, when it’s clear Lan Wangji wants to protest. “Just that it would be good to show leniency on a small infraction. After all, if one does not know any better, one cannot be held responsible.”

“Trespassing is not just a crime in Gusu,” Lan Wangji says, annoyed. Below, Wei Wuxian is brushing his horse—a beautiful black mare that nuzzles at his pockets for treats as he croons and laughs, every bit as cheeky as her master—seemingly oblivious to his observers. “He cannot possibly claim ignorance, Huangxiong.”

Lan Xichen smiles and shakes his head fondly.

“Well, if you insist he be punished for his transgressions, I would suggest perhaps introducing yourself before you do.” He steps back, hand falling back to his side. “I’m afraid I cannot see you off. The Qinghe delegation arrived this morning and I must make preparations to receive them. Take care, Wangji. Safe travels.”

Lan Wangji bows at the waist. “Thank you, Huangxiong.”

He stays bowed until Lan Xichen’s footsteps recede, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watches the distance between them grow. It is inevitable, of course. His brother is Crown Prince and Regent, and will one day be Emperor; it is only natural that their paths diverge as they grow older. In a year or two, Lan Wangji will also be expected to take on more and more responsibilities of his own—already now his uncle is has him reviewing past petitions as part of his studies, and debates with him on the best course of action to take in each particular case. It is challenging work, but rewarding, and Lan Wangji finds it almost as tiring as a full day of drills on the training field.

In the courtyard below, Wei Wuxian is talking to another young man dressed in Qinghe green—Nie Huaisang, the younger brother and heir to Nie Mingjue, the young lord of Qinghe—while helping him with his horse. There is no way to tell what they are saying from this distance, but it must be terribly amusing because Wei Wuxian throws his head back with laughter, and their eyes catch. He watches as recognition dawns on his face, replaced then with excitement, followed quickly by mischievous delight.

“Miu-gongzi!” Heat floods Lan Wangji’s neck at the nickname, shouted across the courtyard for everyone to hear. More than a few heads turn in his direction. “Miu-gongzi, are you here for the study retreat too? Come join us!”

He quashes the little flutter in his chest and turns away, ears burning at such a shameless display, already dreading the next few months.

--

master post is here: besanii.tumblr.com/shattered-mirrors-master-post

--

buy me a ko-fi: ko-fi.com/besanii

--

I realised that a lot of what I had planned to write for this verse coming up is set in the WWX era, but then also realised that the WY arc isn’t really developed either. Like, their relationship build up etc. So here is a little something.

Jumping back to the WWX arc in the next bit (probably).

(Also, yes, I have heard your requests for the AU verse. It is...in development.)

[gloriousmonsters]

💣💖💗💔

💣ship that pisses you off

under the cut cause we're starting Spicy

unfortunately xi.yao is currently claiming this spot. it used to be 3/zun but now my feelings are more just a jaded blank, plus I can semi-effectively filter it out of my field of vision on a semi consistent basis. xi.yao is near inescapable if you're a jgy fan, which is the main reason it's reached the level of irritation it has.

it's actually something i still ship, i just feel like i ship it in a very different way than a lot of people do--i think it was always a flawed relationship and always will be and that's what makes it Flavorful for me, but a lot of people tend toward a... Better. and more romantic interpretation than i do. (specifically guanyin temple. other xi.yao shipper's commentary on GT pretty much never fails to make me ??)

this is another certified Feel Kinda Bad About This because I know and like people who ship this and used to ship it a lot more myself but alas, this is how it is

still like it as a leg of sms/jgy/lxc, tho

💖ship that needs more love

well i was JUST mentioning xisuyao, which has like. 1? fic on ao3--and feels like it ought to be appreciated more as a songxuexiao esque throuple (you, me, and the guy you love that i hate but he loves you but we also have a complicated connection) with the added fun of the villains being the ones with a majority vote. get on it, people

--but also shout out to xue yang/jin guangyao/su minshan. where's my Oops! All Villains throuple content. where is it

💓 ship that you didn't expect to ship but now you do

su minshan/lan xichen and su minshan/nie huaisang both qualify, sms/nhs a bit more perhaps because it REALLY came out of nowhere, but when I first got into things I definitely didn't expect to ship sms with people other than jgy; sms/jgy is just SUCH a good ship for so many things i love that i didn't look outside it for a long time. funnily enough now sms is bordering on being my fandom bicycle (i don't ship him with everyone but i've had/considered more ships with him than anyone else except maybe wwx) and jgy i do not ship with anyone unless sms is involved, which... again, not what i would have predicted at all. the heart wants mysterious things

💔 ship that makes you sad

honestly i don't.... usually think much about ships that make me sad at the moment. i need seratonin too much. i mentioned nielan last time I did this, that still stands. all of my ships have shit that could make you extremely sad if you thought about it (it's mdzs) but I mostly Just Don't

[arikeia]

ignore this, just me yelling about JGY being misunderstood/misinterpreted/villanized because I’m a shameless JGY apologist

Today on the menu: 

1. NMJ is a good and righteous man and JGY is a monster! Especially after what he’s done to the Wens (on his father’s orders)! Meanwhile NMJ: KILL ALL THE WEN DOGS, KILL THEM ALL, KILL KILL KILL

2. JGY is a horrible person because he’s manipulative and sneaky and lies to people! JGY: has very weak cultivation due to being brought up in a brothel on fake cultivation books because his mother was tricked into believing they would help him, was not even allowed to attend classes at CR because ?? I guess NMJ decided so, and has literally no choice* but to deal with things through words rather than violence if he wants to have any chance at winning *BUT! WWX’s decision to use demonic cultivation is not at all morally questionable because he no longer had a golden core and had no other choice!

3. JGY is completely self-serving and only cares about himself JGY: spares Bicao and Sisi despite knowing it could come back to bite him in the ass; takes JL as hostage as a last resort and still saves him from danger and releases him; marries his sister (after knowing of their relation!) to protect her family from his father and to spare her the same fate he and his mother had; is literally the only sect leader to do anything for the common people by building thousands of watch towers and even paying the cultivators for their services when the poor couldn’t afford it; is apparently the only one who acknowledges and respects SMS and is clearly shown to care for him (giving him medicine despite being hurt himself, crying when he dies); builds a whole-ass temple for his mother in the hopes that if enough people worshipped her, she’d be reincarnated into a better life; literally only gets caught and killed because instead of running away, he came back to the temple to take his mother’s corpse with him

4. JGY killed LXC’s best friend! JGY: is threatened by said best friend for YEARS, and has all the reason to believe this best friend would act upon his threats (some people say it was purely because of his qi deviation, I strongly disagree), and is the end ORDERED by his father (who kept rejecting him before but is finally giving him a chance now) to kill him Bonus: let’s keep in mind that if JGS wanted NMJ dead and JGY said no, JGS would still find someone to get rid of NMJ. But whoever the designated assassin would be, would face 2 possible outcomes: 1) they fail because it’s Nie 'more badass than you will ever be’ Mingjue 2) they succeed, but because it’s an obvious assassination and it’s not hard to guess where it came from, a war breaks out between the Jins and everybody else (even other characters point out how much JGS is like WRH), resulting in countless deaths

5. LXC trusted JGY blindly because he cared about him, but LWJ trusted WWX because he had solid proof! JGY and LXC are sworn brothers and best friends for DECADES, with JGY saving LXC’s life and helping him win the Sunshot campaign and rebuild CR, did LXC really have no good reason to trust him? Did he not explicitly say that he would no longer trust him if there was solid proof against him? And when said proof is presented to LXC, he not only demands that JGY stop referring to him as his brother, he STABS JGY when he thinks he might backstab him! Would he react in such a way if he really still trusted him? And let’s not forget that while LWJ also had good reason to trust WWX (I’m not going to sit here and say he didn’t), a lot of his trust was based on the fact that he loved and knew WWX was a good person, which is why he believed WWX’s accusations of JGY despite having no actual proof other than WWX’s word. !! Please differentiate between us the audience knowing somebody is right/a good person, and the characters in the story thinking somebody is (or isn’t) a good person (case in point: while we know WWX is not evil because we can see everything he does along with his motivations, but the cultivating society sees it from a very limited perspective and deems him evil)

6. JGY killed his son/arranged his death! Nope, it’s intentionally left vague in the canon. He does say “I killed my son” but he says that along with “I killed my wife” and we all (hopefully) remember that she took her own life. No doubt JGY feels guilty and responsible for his son’s death, but that doesn’t mean he’s actually caused it. I really like madtomedgar’s conspiracy theory about JRS being killed by the Jin elders as a warning to JGY to remember his place (as not the heir of their clan)

So basically the old daily menu, but we added some new side dishes.

[huachengeye]

I was thinking about this earlier after I finished my rewatch of The Untamed, and I actually get a bit mad when people say that women in mxtx's works aren't well developed, or something in this sense. I'll be using The Untamed to try and explain my point.

[SPOILERS FOR THE UNTAMED]

In The Untamed, even the women aren't on the screen as much as men, and die at some point (referring mostly to wei qing and jiang yanli), they are actually really important to the story, I would dare to say they are so important that the story wouldn't work without them. And even thought they aren't not that physically strong, I think people often underestimate their strenght. Their strength isn't on their cultive, but in their hearts and in the way they care. Their strongest features are that they gentle and can empathize with others better than any other character.

Starting with Wen Qing, she is the best doctor in the Wen sect, and since she is the only doctor we get to see, I'd dare to say the best doctor in this universe (my girl did a core transfer in a mountain when no one had done that before). Without her, we probably wouldn't have the Yilling Patriarch or Wei Wuxian as a demonic cultivator. Without her, JC would probably not have a core and wouldn't be a sect leader — hell, he probably wouldn't even be alive since his golden core was his life. And I'd say that even in death she was in control. MXTX didn't gave her a death where death happened to her (like for example, Qin Su, poor girl), Wen Qing took the decision to handle herself (and her brother, the one person she loves the most in the world) over, when she could've use WWX as a shield and just let him continue to take on all the fire. In a way, she died in a more courageous way than any of the other characters (with the exception of Yanli, which I'll be talking about shortly); I can't think about a single men that died like her — sacrificing for the good of others, when they could have another way out.

Now onto Jiang Yanli, which I'll be referring in her both as Yanli and shijie. Without Yanli there wouldn't be the two pride of Yunmeng, is clear that she is what brings JC and WWX together. Without her, is debatable that we would have the Nightless City arc. Without her WWX wouldn't end up being framed of killing Jin Zixuan, in fact I don't even think he would've been killed. And without JZ is hard to tell if the sects would act against WWX (I mean the Jin's wanted that Iron, but the sects were pretty receptive at welcoming WWX since he hadn't kill anyone for a year). So without Jiang Yanli, a lot of The Untamed's plot wouldn't be able to happen — at least not in that particular way.

Jiang Yanli's strengths rely on her gentleness and care for others. She isn't a strong cultivator like her mother, but is through her loveable way that she can affect others around, and that sometimes is better than being physically strong (just look at the way some of the characters went on loyal mode just because they were treated like humans, like su she, wen zhuliu and even jgy). And like Wen Qing, shijie's death didn't just happened to her. She choose to protect her little brother and sacrifice herself. We can debate that she was going to die anyway, but we can never be sure of that. Yanli, like WQ, had a courageous death. And her dying doesn't mean she is gone, even a decade later of her death, she still has a big impact on WWX's world.

Maybe I'm speaking nonsense and trying to find meaning in these characters deaths and lives, but I feel strongly that they were one of the pillars for the plot and for me it didn't feel that they were only used as plot device to further WWX's character. They were well rounded characters that showed that physical strengths isn't everything, and in the end them, the wen-dog (gosh I hate this sm) and the physically weak Jiang had the most noble and brave deaths.

I know many people have already spoken about this, but it always kind of annoys me when people will point to mdzs and say mxtx can't write women well or she hates them or some such thing. While there is always room for criticism and improvement, sweeping statements of this sort do not do mxtx Or the women in mdzs justice.

It really does feel like people just want the same sort of cookie cutter woke rep in all of their media to appease their consciences. When the women aren't easily categorised into girlboss, stoic strongwoman and problem solvers, theyre not only usually mischaracterised but also sort of cast away as not important enough, which really gets to me.

Could she have added more women to the story without changing much, probably. Would it have made it a better or more coherent story, debatable. Does she have strong women characters? Yes! Could they have been given more page time without taking away from the main story, again super debatable.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to, mxtx wrote four memorable, strong, differentiated women in a book about a gay romance. There were many more women tangential to the plot, but four had distinct characterisation and roles that heavily impacted the trajectory of the story. This is already more fleshed out women than i've seen in some hetero romances.

I find it an incredible disservice to the characters of luo qingyang, wen qing, jiang yanli and a-qing to write them off as only existing to move forward the plot. They do so, in the same sense that any bit of a book should move forward the narrative, but each one of them have clear motivations, complex emotions, inner lives and diverse personalities that have nothing to with the protags.

This post really isn't going anywhere. It's just a ramble to say that though the women in mdzs may not be on the page for as long as some of the men, but they sure do pack a punch when they are and I treasure each moment more so for their significance.

[besanii]

So, I'm curious, in SM, when did lwj realize he was in love with wwx? And vice-versa?

“Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan!”

Lan Wangji keeps on his path, determinedly ignoring the familiar voice calling his name across the vast courtyard. The other members of his patrol are not so disciplined, craning their necks around to see who is making such a ruckus in the middle of the day. One of the braver soldiers tries to catch his attention.

“Er-dianxia,” he says, “I think Wei—”

“Ignore him,” Lan Wangji says shortly. “We are on duty. Do not be distracted.”

“Yes, Er-dianxia,” they all chorus, falling obediently in line.

Wei Wuxian, however, is neither obedient nor intimidated by Lan Wangji, and thus undeterred by the thunderclouds that darken his face as he catches up to them and slaps Lan Wangji on the shoulder.

“Lan Zhan! Didn’t you hear me calling?” he says, slightly out of breath. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

Lan Wangji holds up a hand and the entire patrol comes to a halt. The other guards exchange apprehensive glances as Lan Wangji slowly turns towards Wei Wuxian, his knuckles turning white around Bichen’s sheath.

“You must address me by my proper title,” he says stiffly.

Wei Wuxian whistles, low and teasing, his hands clasped behind his head.

“Aiyo, such a scary face, Lan-er-dianxia,” he says, and grins. “I have something to show you. Come on!”

“I am on duty,” Lan Wangji says. “I cannot leave my post.”

“What? But it’s your birthday!” Wei Wuxian protests. He ducks around Lan Wangji to look at the other guards. “It’s Er-dianxia’s birthday! Surely he can be exempt from his duties for one night?”

The guards exchange uncertain glances, before looking to Lan Wangji for guidance. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath to stave off the oncoming headache, a muscle twitching in his jaw from how hard he is clenching his teeth. When he opens his eyes again, Wei Wuxian’s face is much, much closer, his grey eyes blinking innocently from under long lashes. His traitorous ears heat up almost instantly.

“Wei Ying!” he snaps, taking a step back. “Stop that.”

Wei Wuxian grins.

“Not until you come with me!” he says. “Come on! I’ve asked Taizi-dianxia and he says you can have the night off if you wanted to. And since I know you won’t take one unless someone forces you to, I’ve taken it upon myself to make you.”

Experience has taught him that the more he refuses Wei Wuxian’s demands, the louder and more obnoxious he will become, until everyone involved is acutely embarrassed and gives in just to make him go away. The guards in his patrol, who have often been on the receiving end of such brazen displays, catch on immediately.

“Er-dianxia,” one of them says. “If Taizi-dianxia has agreed, then perhaps it would be better to honour his generosity?”

His companions are quick to agree, adding on their own words of encouragement around him. Wei Wuxian’s grin grows wider and wider, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth; Lan Wangji sighs in defeat.

“Just this once,” he says.

Joy lights Wei Wuxian’s entire body, tinging his cheeks a fetching pink; Lan Wangji’s heart thuds heavily in his chest at the sight. He can only follow blindly as Wei Wuxian takes his hand in both of his and leads him away from the rest of the group with a cheeky smile, his gaze never once leaving Wei Wuxian. There’s a glee, a childish delight in the way he’s almost bouncing on his feet in his hurry, the way he glances over his shoulder to wink at Lan Wangji as if hiding the world’s greatest secret.

He leads them to the northern gates, stopping at the bottom of the stairs that leads out onto the top of the watchtower.

“Wait here,” he says, and climbs the stairs two and at time. “Don’t come up until I say so!”

Lan Wangji watches him disappear up the stairs, feeling oddly removed from his own body. Has his heart always echoed so loudly in his ears? Has his skin always tingled and prickled against the fabric of his robes until the hairs on his arms stand alert? His limbs feel weightless, buoyed by the way his heart leaps into his throat at the sound of Wei Wuxian’s voice floating back down the stairs.

“Er-dianxia, come up here!”

He climbs the stairs, each step slow and sluggish as he struggles to regain control over his limbs, until Wei Wuxian takes his hand with a soft smile.

“Happy birthday, Er-dianxia,” he says, and leads him outside.

All at once, dozens and dozens of lanterns rise into the air before them, drifting about in the darkness like fireflies, filling the night sky with their warm glow. He hears Wei Wuxian laugh quietly beside him, feels a tug on his sleeve, and turns to find another lantern being pushed into his hands.

“For you,” Wei Wuxian says, and nods at the sky. “Go on.”

He lights the candle with trembling fingers, a lump forming at the back of his throat when he sees the painting of two small rabbits across its surface. Wei Wuxian cups his hands gently, helping him carry the lantern over to the railing. 

“Ready?” he asks. Lan Wangji nods, not trusting himself to speak. 

They release the lantern together and watch it float into the sky to join the others, bigger and brighter than the rest. His fingers twitch around Wei Wuxian’s and hears his soft inhale as he tightens his grip. His heart feels full—full of warmth, of light, of—

“Wei Ying.” 

“Hmm?” Wei Wuxian murmurs, eyes fixed on the night sky. “What is it?”

Lan Wangji smiles.

“Thank you.” He glances over at Wei Wuxian, at his flushed cheeks and bright eyes, and the moonlight in his hair. “It’s beautiful.”

// buy me a ko-fi //

Master Post is here

[besanii]

SM style -- imagine how much it would have sucked if they actually did find whatever was left of Wen Chao and his gang if WWX presumably got revenge on them and WWX's sword was there but not him... not many conclusions that can be drawn from that oh boy

[set directly after #38]

It takes a month for General Ouyang to arrive in Jiangling with reinforcements, bringing with him three thousand men and much-needed supplies from Baling. Lan Wangji is relieved to see him, in part because the battle on this front has lasted for much longer than anyone had initially expected and their resources were depleting faster than they could get supplies—but no small part of it was the niggling fear that the mysterious message from the Eyes of God had been a ruse to get them to stay put despite his better judgment. He brushes the ribbon tucked into the folds of his robes, wrapped in the yellowed piece of paper that had brought him that first inkling of hope.

Logically, he knows the chances are slim. It’s been nine months since the fall of Yunmeng and no one has seen neither hide nor hair of Wei Wuxian or Jiang Yanli. Even Qishan has been conspicuously silent on that front—and Wen Chao has never been the type to resist the opportunity to boast—which gives Lan Wangji reason to believe that the two of them had escaped Qishan’s clutches. He has faith in Wei Wuxian to be able to protect himself until Lan Wangji can come for him.

General Ouyang drops to one knee as Lan Wangji enters the war tent with Lan Guoyan, his right fist pressed over his heart and his head bowed. The other commanding officers in the tent follow suit.

"Lan-er-dianxia, Jing-junwangye," he says. "Baling pledges allegiance to Gusu Lan."

Lan Wangji motions for him to rise.

"Ouyang-jiangjun, you are most welcome," he says. "How is the situation in Baling?"

General Ouyang inclines his head respectfully.

"Thank you, Er-dianxia, we are managing," he replies. "My eldest daughter has been left in charge in my absence, and she has proven herself most capable in that regard."

"We have heard much about Ouyang-guniang’s capabilities," Lan Wangji says. "When this is over, we will make sure you are all well compensated for your efforts."

General Ouyang bows again.

"Thank you, Er-dianxia." When he next straightens, there is a conflicted expression on his face. "There is one other thing I would like to report, if Er-dianxia will allow it."

"Certainly," Lan Wangji says.

"Er-dianxia, on our way here, we passed by the Jiangling watchtower and found it…quiet," General Ouyang begins hesitantly. "The gates were shut—which in itself should not be strange during the night, but there were no torches either. No guards posted. No sound at all. Just…silence."

General Ouyang is not a small man, but the skittish way in which he shifts and hesitates makes his hulking build almost shrink. His shoulders hunch over, fingers flexing over the hilt of his sword, and a dark, haunted look comes over his face as his complexion grows ashen at the memory. Lan Wangji watches him carefully, his own brow furrowed in concern, but does not press.

"Something wasn’t right," General Ouyang admitted. "We met no resistance when we passed through the nearby valley, even though Qishan Wen forces have occupied Jiangling for months. The gates had not been bolted, and opened easily before us. And what we saw inside—"

Lan Wangji listens intently, his blood running cold as he describes the carnage they had found within the watchtower. Rivers of blood running down the walls and pooling onto the ground; bodies and faces contorted in agony and terror alike, gruesome statues frozen in death.

"Some were poisoned," the general continues, "others were killed by various means: throats cut, severed limbs, skulls crushed, asphyxiation, drowning, poison. Some looked self-inflicted, others…not. The sight of it would have curdled the blood of even the stoutest of men."

The other officers take in the report with horror and the more superstitious of them bring their palms together and murmur quick prayers under their breath. Others look to their comrades for support, clasping shoulders and exchanging stunned looks. Lan Guoyan, silent until now, exhales loud enough to startle a few of them.

"So they’re all dead?" he asks, business-like despite the tense set of his shoulders. "All of them? Without any warning? Surely someone would have heard and reported it!"

"Jing-junwangye," General Ouyang says, bowing to him. "I know it sounds unlikely, but it is true. Even if Baling has not been an active participant in the war since Yunmeng fell, we have been keeping watch on Jiangling as our closest neighbours. There was nothing to indicate an attack had been planned, or even that one had already occurred, until we opened the gates and found everyone inside dead."

"Everyone?" Lan Wangji repeats in a low voice. "No witnesses?"

General Ouyang opens his mouth and stops, his expression troubled; the other officers watch with bated breath as he struggles to put into words whatever thoughts were going through his mind. Given the nature of the report he had just given, Lan Wangji doesn’t blame him. He is also struggling to process the fact that the territory they had been fighting to reclaim for months had fallen overnight, under mysterious circumstances, and in such cruel, cold-blooded fashion.

After a long pause, General Ouyang nods to his men; four of them leave the tent.

"Er-dianxia, Jing-junwangye," he starts, fighting to keep his voice steady. "There was one…survivor—if you can even call him that—we found beneath the tower."

"Where is he?" Lan Guoyan demands.

The tent flap opens again and General Ouyang’s men return, this time carrying a large crate between them. They set it down on the ground a little way from the meeting table, careful not to dislodge the heavy sheet covering it, obscuring the contents from view. A few of the officers gag at the putrid smell emanating from it, backing away with disgust written all over their faces; Lan Guoyan grimaces, but otherwise does not move. Lan Wangji is the only one to move towards it, his fists clenched to stop them from shaking.

"We don’t know how long he’s been down there," General Ouyang says as Lan Wangji draws closer. "Probably several days—maybe a week or more, by the smell of him—but he’s alive. I don’t know if you’d get anything useful out of him though, Er-dianxia. His brain seems to have rotted away like most of his flesh."

Lan Wangji grits his teeth, the blood roaring in his ears, and grabs hold of the sheet, ripping it back with one rough motion. A collective gasp echoes around the room.

There is a man huddled inside the crate, covered from head to toe in open, festering sores and stinking of human filth; he lets out a hair-raising shriek when the light hits his skin, curling in on himself tighter, trying to get away. One of the men who had carried the crate reaches in a grabs a handful of the man’s hair to yank his head back and reveal his face, and the bloody crest carved into his forehead. Lan Wangji’s blood turns to ice.

"Wen Chao."

// buy me a ko-fi //

Master Post is here

[mdzs-is-rotting-my-brain]

I keep seeing this trend with JC and YZY, JGY XY and even SMS. The excuses for their behavior, justifying that they had "the right" to do as they wanted because "the world" hurt them so.

They conveniently forget that "the world" also hurt WWX. The boy spent five years on the streets eating scraps, fighting dogs, and surviving until he was found by JFM and brought back to Lotus Pier. None of the other characters they defend went through anything as harsh, and only to find his new home filled with bitter recriminations, violence, abuse, and slander of both his parents. Parents who he does not know and is not allowed to have memorial tablets of them.

(I feel like if he had memorial tablets of them MXTX would have been sure to mention it. I also find it funny that they always try to soften WWX's trauma to make JC's, XY's, or JGY's trauma worse.)

The only one that can be argued went through something similar was Xue Yang, and it's been awhile since I read the book, but I don't believe he was living on the streets so much as he was just poor.

@the-0th3r-side got it right.

It's their pride.

They cannot, and will not accept that WWX, who has suffered the worst the world has to offer from childhood to first death, is better than them. More forgiving than them. Able to let the past go.

They hold on to their pride with the strength of their justification and so-called righteousness and it brings slaughter to Lotus Pier, the loss of JC's core (I don't want to downplay the boys sacrifice. But what did he think was going to happen?) The deaths of Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli, Nie Mingjue, and so many others.

YZY's pride prevented her from making preparations, for war despite it being obvious.

(I mean two of the four sects had been attacked and she thought they would just ignore Lotus Pier?)

just like JC's pride prevented from taking in the Wens.

JGY's hurt pride let him manslaughter, and manipulate his way right into a position where he could, and did, abuse the power that came with it.

This is why JC's pride is torn from him by

best boy Wen Ning. Who tells him without the man he let die, the man he help lead a siege against those WWX was protecting, JC would be nothing. He did not rebuild his sect with his power. He is not great. He is not a hero.

MXTX tells us very clearly what happens when your pride becomes entitlement and arrogance and all the different ways that can end.

It's just people either lack reading comprehension, or they're drunk with moldy wine that they can't see the abuse through the defense of their trash king.

My friend: so how’s the mdzs fandom

The fandom:

About as pleasant as gazing upon the elephants foot [Chernobyl]

Lmao she lapped up WLJ’s orders and whipped the shit out of WWX. She was chill sacrificing WWX’s hand but she didn’t feel like sacrificing her own pride answering to WLJ in the supervisory office so she sacrificed the whole sect instead hmm… so brave. much leader 🙃🌝🤡 pour one out for WLJ for not knowing to keep her mouth shut a few more seconds.