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Wei Wuxian, flying high and free like his namesake

“即无羡鱼志，外物非所迁”

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Introducing the 2023 MXTX Food Zine!

The second edition of the MXTX Food Zine is out now in PDF and ready-to-print format! Inside, you'll find 23 delicious recipes and 30 new fanworks across all three MXTX fandoms, including art, fanfiction, and themed recipe cards.

Special thanks to @czeriah for the print tests and design work, to @moonlvster for the cover art, and to all the creators: this project would never have been possible without you.

To the fandom: reblog this post, download the zine, and enjoy! If you can't access the documents, email mxtxfoodzine@gmail.com for help or message the mods here on tumblr.

The mods would like to note that this zine has always been free, in order to make the production period a stress-free experience for creators and allow readers to enjoy the finished product without having to budget for it. However, if you would like to donate something or support us via platforms like Ko-Fi, we ask instead that you donate to organizations providing humanitarian aid in Palestine, linked in this post.

For more fun recipes, check out the 2022 edition of the zine here.

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Happy Halloween and Wei Wuxian day!

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Happy Halloween 🎃

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💀🩸 hualian halloween 🔪💘

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Wen Qing: Why is there a pentagram on the floor?

Wei Wuxian: You told us to satanize the place.

Wen Qing: ...

Wen Qing: I said sanitize.

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Please please please I know we all love Friends and Chandler was our favourite character and Matthew always put a smile on our faces and that’s all amazing but can we please please please talk about this:

“I've had a lot of ups and downs in my life. I'm still working through it personally, but the best thing about me is that if an alcoholic or drug addict comes up to me and says, 'Will you help me?' I will always say, 'Yes, I know how to do that. I will do that for you, even if I can't always do it for myself! So I do that, whenever I can. In groups, or one on one.

And I created the Perry House in Malibu, a sober-living facility for men. I also wrote my play The End of Longing, which is a personal message to the world, an exaggerated form of me as a drunk. I had something important to say to people like me, and to people who love people like me.

When I die, I know people will talk about Friends, Friends, Friends. And I'm glad of that, happy l've done some solid work as an actor, as well as given people multiple chances to make fun of my struggles on the world wide web...

but when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if Friends were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people.

I know it won't happen, but it would be nice.”

- Matthew Langford Perry

(August 19, 1969 - October 28, 2023)

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Just found out it's Shen Zechuan's birthday today. China time, so the 25th of October. Another October birthday.

Happy birthday, Shen Zechuan.

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Steampunk themed NingXian ❤️🖤

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A gentle reminder that the morality of a character isn't just defined by what actions they take (whether good or bad) but also with how they react to the consequences.

A character who does a terrible thing with good intentions and then has regrets about doing it in the first place isn't "morally grey". It's just a morally good character who made a mistake.

If I have to (extremely) simplify it, with mdzs characters as examples:

Morally good characters will regret the bad consequences or strive to do better next time (Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Xiao Xingchen)

A morally grey will accept the consequences as necessary and might have some regrets but will still consider it worth the cost and carry on regardless (Nie Huaisang and his revenge even if it meants hurting innocents, Mo Xuanyu and his summoning of an evil spirit to get revenge on his family)

A morally bad character will not care at all about other's sufferings, think themselves justified or above the rules, or even enjoy the evil they inflict on others (Xue Yang obviously falls into that category but so do Jiang Cheng and Jin Guangyao)

These are very simplified. There are many other ways you can characterise good, grey, and evil characters (I'd suggest looking up dnd alignment chart for other exemples).

Finally: I wish fandoms would stop pretending morally good or evil characters are inherently flat and morally grey characters inherently complex. That's just not true. You can make a morally good / bad character be complex and a grey character flat and boring.

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birds and flowing rivers duet

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It's raining, Lan Zhan!

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Wei Wuxian: The Untamed Hero

Wei Wuxian had to be killed even if:

1. He carried his sword

2. He didn't use gui dao

3. He didn't create Yin HuFu

4. The Wen remnants were not in the plot

Then, why? The reason is here, voiced by Jin Zixun of all people:

Wei WuXian, you are too bold! Did the LanlingJin Sect invite you today? And you dare run wild here. Do you really think that you’re invincible, that nobody has the courage to confront you? Do you want to overturn the Heavens?”

Wei WuXian smiled, “You’re comparing yourself to the Heavens? Excuse my language, but your face is a little too thick, isn’t it?”

So, you see, this untamed heart can only meet with tragedy as the world is unrighteous, as those who are in power think their actions cannot be contested (and they often aren't!), and that their words are like the law. How many times have we seen, a convicted powerful person escape the justice system? Far too many. And how many times innocents or victims were framed for crimes? Also too many. People like Wei Wuxian aren't condemned by fate, but rather, being born into a world where the "heavens" are those who are powerful and corrupted, he very well might be destined to live tragically, along with others of his type.

Returning to the matter of this particular scene: on one hand, the Jins throw private banquets, gilded with gold. The major scandals are: Jin Zixun is forcing the Lans to drink alcohol! You see, Lan Xichen can't outrightly refuse, so he is trying to be polite about his rejection. Jin Guangyao is trying to reason and excuse, and distract. The crowd spurs Jin Zixun on, wanting to see the Lans drink for once and fall to their level.

Everyone is in their own fine little world, doing their niceities in their golden halls drinking expensive wine, admiring pretty women, gasping at scandalous behavior, asking for favour, gossiping etc.

And then Wei Wuxian walks in. Uninvited. He simply drinks the wine himself, before demanding these people to spare him their time for real wordly issues, such as deaths, debts, cruelty, the parts that society wishes to hide. A few scenes later, we are shown with much description, just how terrible Qiongqi Path is. That's the Jin's backyard. You see their achievements that are drawn on those big walls? We see the reality of the people making them.

Now, let us come to another incident. Think of the soup incident. I fully expect before Wei Wuxian came into the scene, people were simply gossiping, uninterested in finding out what was going on, why Lady Jiang is crying. Then, Wei Wuxian comes and realizes Jiang Yanli who never really cries... was crying, and firstly decides to beat the shit out of Jin Zixuan. Secondly, he understands the whole truth, beats Jin Zixuan up for humiliating his Shijie, and also makes the other girl face responsibility.

Although his shijie had an easy temper, except for how they cuddled and cried together the day the three of them reunited after Lotus Pier was destroyed, she hadn’t really shed many tears in front of others, much less cry so loudly, so pitifully in front of so many people. Wei WuXian was filled with panic. As he tried to ask her, Jiang YanLi was crying so badly that she couldn’t even speak properly. Then, when he saw Jin ZiXuan standing on the side, astonished, he fumed with anger, wondering to himself why it was the dog of a person again. With a kick, he pounced on Jin ZiXuan. The fight between the two would have alerted the Heavens. All of the cultivators around the base came to break up their fight. Amid the ruckus, he finally understood what was the cause of all this, and became even more angered. He spread his tough talk, saying that one day he’d definitely make Jin ZiXuan die in his hands, he told people to drag out the cultivator woman.

A round of questions later, the truth emerged, and Jin ZiXuan’s entire body was frozen. No matter how much Wei WuXian continued to curse at him, he returned neither words nor fists, his face dark. If not that Jiang YanLi held up her hand a while later, while Jiang Cheng and Jin GuangShan came to pull Wei WuXian away, it was likely that even now Jin ZiXuan wouldn’t be able to attend the hunt of Phoenix Mountain.

See.

The point is, perhaps, people feel Wei Wuxian's actions are unnecessary. But imagine if he wasn't there! The consequences as I predict them will have been:

1. Jiang Cheng who doesn't want to upset a prominent clan would've grumbled and cursed underneath his breath, but eventually just moved away from the ruckus and taken his sister away.

2. Perhaps the truth would never have been found out, unless Jin Zixuan later searched by himself.

3. Thus, Jiang Yanli's reputation would be stained for the years to come.

It's because Wei Wuxian dared that the truth was revealed. I took this small incidents simply to highlight this, without the addition of more factors. In the book, often, it might seem like people are trying to stop him from creating trouble. You might often wish, ugh, this is going to be so bad... The point is Wei Wuxian knows! He's not stupid, he knows of the consequences of his actions.

But he isn't the one creating trouble. It was already created by the likes of those very people who try to stop him from investigating deeper. The trouble in question is that immoral and unrighteous words and actions and decisions have already been made. Society tries to hide them. If you can't see it, it's not there. Yet, even if it is not visible, a crime has its traces and it will bleed into their world sooner or later.

Wei Wuxian forces people to snap out of their comfort zones. He doesn't care for the barriers they set around themselves. Here are some examples to explain what I mean by these barriers:

Who dares hit Jin Zixuan, who's the only heir of LanlingJin, even when he deserves it? Protected by his status, his birth, his clan who dares? Wei Wuxian does.

Who dares to annoy Lan Wangji, the second jade of Lan, who from birth is considered otherwordly, strict, immovable, rigid, untouchable and protected by his extreme cold aura? Wei Wuxian dares.

Who dares to enter cultivation society without even wielding sword, without even cultivating a core? Wei Wuxian!

Since time unknown, treasures have belonged to the powerful sects: The Lan Clan and their library, their many secret techniques. The Jin clan and their treasures, their gold. The Nie Sabres. The Zidian. Yet, a son of a servant somehow ends up possessing the most powerful treasure all by his own! Everyone goes to this popular refinery, some famed blacksmith, or that popular sect to get specially created spiritual weapons, yet Chenqing, one of the most powerful weapons, was forged alone by Wei Wuxian during his 3 months in the Burial Mound!

Since years, the cultivation world has taken to heart rules of Lans, words of the powerful sects, and their leaders! Then, once again, this orphan child comes and bends the world and changes the cultivation society forever! Yiling Laozu said that... Yiling Laozu created... Yiling Laozu's manuscripts...

His words literally become the law.

Think of how 13 years after Wei Wuxian's death when "all was peaceful" despite us knowing very well, just how much shit happened after his death - slaughter of minor clans, deaths of two prominent sect leaders, xue yang etc (because, you know, most of it was purely accidental, kept hush-hush, or the victims were people who weren't important), he comes back to life and in a matter of a couple of months, upends the cultivation society again.

The "problem" is that this guy simply doesn't conform. The problem is that he is better. The problem is that he is not unnecessarily humble about it, despite his origins. He doesn't seem to treat himself as an outlier, but an equal. (That's why I hate insecure Wei Wuxian, like this guy is righteous enough he won't even treat himself badly.) The problem is that all those barriers - social classes, power, the locked doors - they won't keep him away.

Even if he was only the Jiang Da-shixiong with a bright golden core, he will still not be a conformist. To those who aren't used to having their decisions questioned, he is their worst enemy. To whose who are used to talking in circles, spreading rumors, he is asking them. What source do you have? What is the factual evidence behind what you are saying? Why are you saying this now?

Think of how he cross questioned a petty seller selling Yiling Laozu portraits in Qinghe, and how he questioned the gathered cultivation sects in Lotus Pier during Sisi and Bicao's intervention with the same sort of attitude. Surely, there was a major class difference, power difference between the two. Yet, they don't matter to him. What matters is the truth.

So, no matter what, when the people who are in power, start having too much dirty laundry and corpses in their backyards, he will definitely know. For this guy, knowing isn't enough - he will get to the crux of the issue. The problem is, he even has the skill for it. He has the ability. One also can't distract him with offers, promises, gifts, riches, status, women. He doesn't care for any of that. He perhaps might even hate one's victims. Yet he will stand up for them.

Of course, those who are in power, all smile at each other. They understand things sometimes have to be done. People sometimes have to be silenced. "We know better."

Then, Wei Wuxian comes in and says, actually you don't. He comes in with factual accounts, evidences, forces you to face your misdeeds. Says you're all a bunch of hypocritical people. No, perhaps what is worse is that he will make you realize that's what you are! Because he's got to be good at talking, too! He's not going to act on anger or be stunned in fear.

So, now you have someone who's not only digging into your evil deeds, someone who's capable, who's not easy to persuade, but also someone with high emotional intelligence who can play the same role as you do, of being a noble, accepted gentlemen with immaculate manners, of very high literacy and outdo you. Because this guy knows very well how society works, he can comprehend social cues perhaps better than you can. He can use your own polite words and nature against you.

It's precisely because of this he must be killed. Perhaps, in every world, Wei Wuxian will end up being the victim. It's only that in MDZS, these were the particular circumstances, and those were the particular excuses.

My personal take is: sometimes it is good to be a centrist, and hold everyone's better intentions in mind. most of the times it might not be, as there are many conflicting systems in place that allow for true victims who are stuck. most often, the victims are always the ones who DON'T have a voice, who are brushed over as numbers of corpses, rather than people with stories. most often, kindness is shown in little action that are trampled upon by those who hold true power. most often the people who are good, who are heroes die young, or are hated and ridiculed, for speaking up for the victims. it's not right, and never will be.

if someone like wei wuxian or his presence in the book makes you uncomfortable it might be because you hold the "niceities" and the pleasantries to be of more importance than the issues at hand. just because something is too troublesome doesn't mean it is wrong. if everytime he enters the scene you're scared of what he's going to do next, you should know it's not him who is the problem but the prople who aren't doing anything who are. don't be scared of "trouble-makers." he's not erratic or spontaneous. he has considered society's standards and deemed it useless. why is that that the koi tower scene, where he is in his "yiling laozu, loss of control, threatening" moment is followed immediately by him being extremely kind to Wen qing ? it's not that he's losing control. it's that Jin Zixun wouldn't have acted and told him where the people were without him using intimidation tactics. Wei Wuxian is the one forced into bad corners by the powerful people, where he has to show his edges. Don't end up twisted the narratives. if you bite someone for a while, expect to be hit.

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i really think we should all outgrow once and for all the idea that a character making a dumb decision is a plot hole. sometimes people are dumb. sometimes a character making a smart and informed decision is the real plot hole

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#Xiantober Day 17 ❅ Crow!Xian

Thinking about a little Lan Zhan who lives with his uncle and brother and does not have any friends until he sees a crow in the back yard.

He's heard that if you give things to crows, they become your friend. So he starts leaving small shiny things, like buttons, coins, and shimmery lengths of ribbon. The crow takes them all and they do become friends. Lan Zhan can even feed him out of the palm of his hand.

He decides to give the crow something really special one day, one of his mother's earrings. The crow takes it, but does not come back after. Lan Wangji is devastated. He cannot pay attention in class and his uncle begins to worry.

A week later, he comes home to find a beautiful boy lounging on his front porch. He leaps up and rushes to greet Lan Zhan, a familiar scarlet ribbon dancing in his black hair and his mother's gold earring dangling from one ear.

His crow had cultivates a human form! And from that day he chattered at Lan Zhan incessantly, except now Lan Zhan could understand him. And Lan Zhan continued to give him gifts, like jewelry, knickknacks to tinker with, and eventually a wedding ring.

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#Xiantober Day 16 ❅ Folk hero!Xian

Lan Wangji stood on the wooden platform with his head held high. It smelled of fresh lumber and death. The Wen's built it only says ago in the center of town, just after they stormed Gusu and oppressed it's residents.

Fires poured smoke into the sky in every direction, blurring the horizon and burning one's eyes. Lan Wangji barely blinked as the rope was lowered over his head. The crowd murmured and stared up with wide eyes. They had never seen their Hanguang-jun like this.

He was clothed in a single inner robe. His hair blew loose in the wind. Wen Chao did not grant him the dignity of keeping his forehead ribbon. It was a small price to pay for his brother's escape and the life of his uncle, who's generational knowledge was priceless.

Wen Chao sprawled on across the balcony of a nearby restaurant. With a sneer and flick of his wrist, he ordered the execution to move forward. Lan Wangji steeled himself.

The trapdoor below his feet gave way and his heart leapt into his throat. The crowd screamed.

But his neck did not break. Instead of swinging, he landed on something solid. It was a horse!

Two arms wrapped around him to pulls the reins short. He heard the scrape of a sword leaving it's sheath. Sunlight glinted off the blade as it sliced through the rope.

Wen Chao shot up from his seat and roared over the balcony's railing. The chest behind Lan Wangji shook with laughter.

"It's Huli jing!" Someone shouted. Deafening cheers erupted. People tossed things in the air. They rode out from beneath the platform and the horse reared back.

Huli Jing was a name whispered among those who resisted the Wen's oppression. He defended the people against tyranny and was given his nickname for his delight in humiliating the Wens and his cunning skill in avoiding capture.

He paused to carve the character for fox into the execution platform with the tip of his sword, then tossed a talisman at the it. As the wooden structure burst into flame, he gave Wen Chao a cheeky wave, gathered up the reins, and evaded the guards moving to capture them.

It was a rather dramatic rescue and Lan Wangji was grateful for it, but if this masked vigilante thought he was going to cooperate peacefully he had another thing coming. As soon as they were a good distance away, he jabbed his elbow into the man's abdomen.

The man hissed and recoiled, giving Lan Wangji the opportunity to break free from his arms and toss himself into the bushes along the side of the road.

"Ow!" The man complained, "Is this the thanks I get?"

Lan Wangji got his first look at him. He wore black robes with the narrow sleeves tucked into vambraces and a black mask over half his face. Lan Wangji stood up and brushed off his robe. He adjusted it to cover as much as they could, which was very little. Huli Jing's eyes tracked the motion.

"Thank you for saving me." Lan Wangji bowed politely, then turned and stalked away.

"Wait!" Huli Jing leapt down from his horse and hurried after him. When his hand reached for Lan Wangji's arm, he yanked it away and raised his chin high.

"You have my gratitude, but I do not agree with your methods!" Lan Wangji announced, "You are so clever and one step ahead of the Wens, yet you run around behind a mask rather than helping with the resistance."

Huli Jing's mouth dropped open.

"The resistance?" He asked, "You mean the Sunshot Campaign? It's is down two sects by now. Both Lotus Pier and Cloud Recesses have fallen. Only the Nei Clan still stands, it is doomed to fail."

"And yet, you still stand against the Wens as one lone man." Lan Wangji pointed out. "I imagine the Sunshot Campaign's prospects might not look so bleak if you joined the ranks."

He spun around and continued to march away. This time, Huli Jing let him go.

Further down the road, he heard hooves and looked around for a place to hide, but the grass was not even high enough to cover his figure. He waited with dread that was completely unnecessary because a moment later, Wei Wuxian rode around the bend on his fine black mare.

"Lan Zhan!" He exclaimed, leaping from the saddle before the horse even skittered to a stop. Both of Lan Wangji's hands were clutched between Wei Wuxian's as the man looked him over.

"Are you okay?" His slate gray eyes flicked up to meet Lan Wangji's.

He did not respond, momentarily taken aback by how similar those eyes were to the pair shadowed beneath Huli Jing's mask. He narrowed his own eyes in suspicion.

Wei Wuxian took his lack of response as a sign that he was not okay.

He gently lifted the loop of rope from where it still rested against Lan Wangji's collarbones and helped him climb into Chenqing's saddle. A saddle which also looked suspiciously similar to the one on Huli Jing's black horse, which looked a whole lot like Chenqing.

Wei Wuxian hoisted himself up behind Lan Wangji and reached around for the reins.

"Wei Ying..."

"Yes?"

He did not know how to ask, and Wei Wuxian would deny it. So he simply said, "Thank you."

"Of course " Wei Wuxian flicked the reins and they continued down the road.

Inspired by Zorro who is named after the Spanish word for fox. This was was fun to write and I'd love to expand it someday.

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Also I talk a lot about how embarrassing it is to be in angry love with Wei Wuxian, but when they first have to recite the Wen laws, and he activities little shit mode to be like “I’ll read the Wen laws :)” and then recites the precepts of the Lan Clan—if I was Lan Wangji coming fresh off my clan’s recent massacre, I’d also be so so so in love with him. That’s sexy and deeply romantic on both a personal and a geopolitical level. That’s the best kind of complex and sexy. I’m actually insane about this relationship. We say this a lot on this ole website but biting and biting and ripping and tearing for real, dude, for real.