#and also he's lived in the human world for thousands of years and watched kunlun's reincarnations for all that time | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

zhuhongs · 3 years

Text

Since rewatching the guardian drama after reading the novel has made me mad about how bad and good both of them are I am Obligated to write out a list of what I think the perfect merger btw both versions of canon are. This will be in list format otherwise I’ll end up writing like 6k words again.

TLDR: the genre stays as supernatural from the novel and not Sci fi, bc that was rlly not fleshed out well. Shen Wei is a ghost king, and all the dixingren are ghosts or demons like originally intended. The ghost race naturally exists and wasn't born from kunluns shoulder fire or anything. They just exist separate from humans. Not all ghosts are former humans, some people are just born as ghosts, like Shen Wei. Zhao Yunlan has the guardian whip and all the cool stuff that comes with the Guardian order. Overall, i’d keep the novel’s plot and relationship progression and ending without the backstory. Instead the backstory is a merger of both canons. From the drama I’d keep the characterization and themes as well as like half the extra cases and omit the other half.

I’ll be elaborating much further on my ideal backstory and other stuff under the cut bc the rest is 1.5k and I don’t wanna clog the dash

Okay SO In my ideal backstory there are two timelines just like the drama but the mythology of the book. The god Kunlun is actually zyl that went back in time and became a god. But the one that went back isn’t the current Zhao Yunlan. There has to be an original timeline where the god Kunlun never existed. Thus the great seal nor the separation of the three realms don’t exist either. Zhao Yunlan must go back in time to become a god, meet Shen Wei in the past, and create the current timeline where the separation exists but isn’t perfect. The current timeline is the one that the majority of the series takes place in.

In the original timeline, Zhao Yunlan is just some dude living in a world where ghosts, fairies, and all other beings just live in a giant free for all and it's kinda just a mess.

Like there’s government in modern context and all and all races live with each other but there's constant tension. ZYL works at some equivalent of the SID (same staff and side characters, but novel vers. Lin Jing is a monk, CSZ a zombie, etc) to protect people and all that and their job is rather hard. One day encounters the thousands year old ghost king Wei (who isnt shen wei yet bc zyl gave him that name in the future) who works alone as like a rouge cultivator of sorts. He lives on the surface undercover as a professor still bc he’s trying to not catch Yezun’s attention but does all the stuff he normally does as Heipaoshi. The two ally together for a case and bc they both have the same goals of getting all races to live in peace. At current, there are forces working together to decimate the human race, all lead by Yezun

As they work together they become closer and all that. Shen Wei tells him about how he was unable to prevent the great war 5 thousand years ago and neither could the gods so he’s spent the past 5 thousand years trying to make up for it. As they search for ways to stop Yezun, they gather the 4 hallows and learn how to use them to manipulate time so ZYL can go into the past and stop the great war and separate the three realms (living, dead, ghost). Shen Wei wants to go back with him but he can’t because he was alive all those years ago so if he goes back it will create a paradox. ZYL promises he’ll find Shen Wei in the past and create a timeline where they could be together in peace (that is the current timeline)

When goes back he becomes the god kunlun because there needed to be a new god born at the time to prevent the war. Also this time traveller looked promising to Nuwa, Fuxi, and Shennong. And I know in the guardian universe gods are usually born and ppl don’t become gods. EXCEPT this can happen when a god passes on smth from their body onto them bc that did happen in the novel with Kunlun making shen wei a demigod. And since fu you and ma gui are supposed to be gods Nu Wa and Fuxi I think that when they die, they should make ZYL a god and that's how this stuff happens.

So like ZYL explains to the gods the time he came from and how he wants to save everything and they make him a god and he works to save everything just like he did in the drama but this time with the novel plotline. During this time he meets young Shen Wei (he’s still like a hundred or so years old) and they get close and all the stuff from the backstory happens. He gives him his name, all that good stuff. The entire time doesn’t let him know that he’s from the future or that his real name is ZYL. He just poses as kunlun.

The two of them alongside the other gods (who still die at the times they do in the novel) work together to end the war and establish the great seal and set up the cycle of reincarnation, per the current timeline. Although the seal and cycle of reincarnation aren’t perfect. Gods can’t reincarnate, and ghosts still don’t have souls. And just like the novel, doing all of this kills ZYL bc it takes a lot of energy to create the seal even though it isn’t perfect.

Shen Wei of course doesn’t want ZYL to die and zyl says it's alright because he fixed the timeline so there must One day they will meet again and ZYL reveals the truth about the timeline to shen wei before he dies. This becomes the promise that Shen Wei mentions to meet again. Before he dies, ZYL gives him the shoulder fire as a memento ( i still like the candy wrapper necklace deal but i’ll take this too. Maybe both.. The pendant is still just rlly cool.. Gay ppl)

Shen Wei knows gods can’t enter the cycle of reincarnation and still makes the deal with Shennong to strip Kunlun of his godhood and let him reincarnate. This sets us into the novel timeline where isn’t allowed to meet any of zyl’s reincarnations before he becomes zyl otherwise he will die and also fuck up the timeline. The same 5 thousand years of pining still ensue bc Gay Ppl and i love making Shen Wei suffer but he doesn’t have the shrine room thing bc i think thats weird and yea.. Bad.

In the meantime Shen Wei does a lot of things mostly just protecting the great seal and working for Hell to keep the peace but still does other stuff. He still watches out for ZYL’s reincarnations but doesn’t do much besides make sure they don’t die a premature death. They meet again finally at the beginning of the series and the timeline resumes like canon. And that's my master plan that merges both drama logic and novel logic while making a much better timeline. (I hope that makes some sense)

Da Qing is still Kunlun’s pet cat and important. Novel backstory applies to him. And I already mentioned him kinda but as for Yezun (Gui Mian in the novel) his deal is similar as in the drama but just a ghost. And he is a big player in the great war, he thought Shen Wei abandoned him as a kid but they were just separated. Shen Wei doesn’t know it's him till the end of the war and couldn’t stop him in the OG timeline and vows to bring him to justice and make amends. Shen Wei continuously tries to explain things to him but he just won’t listen and is imprisoned in hell bc yk… war criminal stuff and yeah he’s the main antagonist trying to break the great seal bc he’s still made about the past. Idk. Yezun wasn’t well written in the novel OR the drama so like… honestly he just needs to be completely rewritten and I don’t care enough about that. He can just be a weak villain idk

the drama characterization stays the same for everyone else bc found family go brr. However for Lao Chu i… hmm… i think he should still be a zombie but the reason he killed someone should be related to his brother. I like that addition and then shen wei realized his sentence was unjust and exempted him. i like that storyline merger. bc the brother thing and him admiring Heipaoshi was drama only. in the novel lao chu just murdered some kid for a rlly whatever reason.

uhhh in terms of the cases… id make adjustments to most of them. i think the li qian case should be like the drama bc the novel just had her as a murderer and it was boring.

For the mountain river awl one was fine… novel version was funnier and more interesting action wise tbh… rip zyl and his exorbitant flirting. uhhh the whole reveal that shen wei was the soul reaper thing was kinda… ehh in the novel but i did love the comedy of afterwards Shen Wei pretending he went into cardiac arrest when he actually just… has no pulse bc he's a ghost.

ID KEEP THE WORTH IT SCENE AND RAIN SCENE… THOSE FUCK SO HARD… I love the drama for adding those every damn day. the novel version of zyl losing his sight sucked and was sooo boring. Keep the drama version on that.

also id keep dr. cheng. i'm very pro dr. cheng and her friendship with shen wei it adds so much to his character imo. keep the fruit seller man and his wife for the merit brush..omg it adds SO MUCH the way the drama did it.. like the drams build up with the novels pace of that arc.. mwah. it felt like it dragged a bit in the drama but if it went faster and without the hospital ep and with sha ya (sorry sha ya) that would've been so good. tho keep novel version of da qings memory loss and lao li. that was rlly impactful.

id say keep some of the cases like the mirror one, the eyes doctor one, etc. just to like.. yk have more to fill in general.. novel pacing but drama characterization without the bs that wasn't fully realized. and novel ending ofc. And that’s it!!

I hope most of this makes some amount of sense but it probably doesn’t. In my head it all tracks but like ik most of u don’t know anything about the novel so this sounds like gibberish. Also I know this would literally never happen but this is MY ideal merger of the two canons that I feel compelled to expand on for some reason. Anyways, as io said,, we need to rebuild guardian. Like literally let me and the mutuals write Guardian and it will be 500 times better.

#🐌.txt #镇魂 guardian #as always... if anyone wants to ask me any questions abt this or guardian in general... pls do.. my mind goes brrrrrr #guardian meta

16 notes · View notes

extraordinarilyextreme · 4 years

Text

finally watched Guardian (2018) and i need to talk

Warning: contains MASSIVE SPOILERS, probably too much music/song analysis, my poor translations from Chinese to English, and some references to the original novel (disclaimer: my novel-reading was mostly jumping around because i have a problem where I’m not fluent enough to read the original Chinese novel and I don’t usually like English translations)

1. the freakin opening theme: We Won’t Be Falling by Chen Xueran... (also I see you Tina Guo on the cello thank you queen)

the amount of chills i get every time an episode starts,,, fantastic! marvelous! the lyrics are very VERY apt to the story of Guardian, esp this drama adaptation

(“We are the one/We will be holding on/For the promise we held for life/For the people we love are leaving” ... “And the story will keep on going”)

1.1. the promise? may i direct you to novel chapter 75?

Shen Wei: “Sometimes I think if one day you can remember everything, then I will be able to say to you: look, I did it, I did all that I had promised you; not one bit did I miss, not one word did I go back on.”

they promise to keep the peace, to protect both Haixing and Dixing; and in the show, it’s a promise they keep with their lives

2. Zhu Yilong plays THREE characters and is able to differentiate them perfectly with particular microexpressions

-Ye Zun (literally, “Respect the Night”; “Lord/Master of the Night” would be a better title) sets off my fight-or-flight instincts even though i think his name tries a little too hard to be edgy; the way he sneers, the smiles that don’t reach his eyes, also that infamous tongue flick when Zhao Yunlan sees through the act... i think it’s both great and sad that Yunlan could differentiate the twins because, why, Shen Wei would never be so openly flirtatious (and wear a deep-cut shirt like that lol)... the delivery of “Xiao Yunlan” disturbed me so much—wonderful, stellar acting

-Black Cloaked Envoy: does his best to bend the rules where he can for the Dixingren because he’s just so fundamentally GOOD; he’s empathetic despite how stern and strict he seems to be, and how much he claims to enforce the clearly-cut laws... he’s an absolute babie ten thousand years ago (Yunlan, doesn’t it hurt your conscience to flirt with such a babie?)

-Shen Wei: in the novel, his name (both surname and first name) are given to him by Kun Lun’s incarnations—there’s a lot of power in naming something, in naming someone; he’s good-natured and gentle, always polite... he pushes up the glasses [that he doesn’t need] a lot, perhaps because he’s used to pushing up his mask as the Envoy

2.1. i find it very striking that Shen Wei dies without his glasses; he doesn’t die as the Envoy, he doesn’t die as the Professor; he dies as a person, as the person who loves Yunlan the most and has loved Yunlan for ten thousand years

2.2. the other notable moments we see Shen Wei without his glasses are where he apologizes to Yunlan [and Yunlan apologizes at the same time because they’re pining idiots] for not noticing the camera in his office, where he sets aside all his pride as Envoy and Professor and kneels in the rain for the man he loves (lwj kneeling after visiting the Burial Mounds, yea?), and of course after he slices up an orange [cuz food = love] only to find Yunlan asleep and drapes his jacket over the silly silly man... anyway, Yunlan is indeed the only person Shen Wei is comfortable enough to reveal everything to, all defenses and masks (literal and figurative) lowered

2.3. that last instance (ep 26) is when Shen Wei pulls out his necklace and reminisces as he gazes fondly at Yunlan; the song that plays during this is 《乱心曲》or “Chaotic Heart Song”... may I direct you to novel chapter 65 where Yunlan finds all the paintings and pictures his Xiao Wei has kept from the centuries?

“邓林之阴初见昆仑君，惊鸿一瞥，乱我心曲。” which translates to “In the shade of the woods I first saw Kunlun-jun; a glimpse of his grace wrought chaos in my heart’s song”

2.4. but also let’s not forget the [in]famous cut wrist scene of ep 23, where our dear Shen Wei, without glasses, as a person who loves Yunlan—not the aloof Envoy or the well-spoken Professor—is reduced to two words: “Worth it.” Yunlan is worth everything to him; this goes without question, without a second thought. Kun Lun (Yunlan) told him not to regret whatever decisions he’ll make, and Ye Zun scolds and laughs at his brother for giving up his life for a human/Haixingren, but of course Shen Wei doesn’t regret dying to protect Yunlan, dying to protect Haixing. (also, peep the behind-the-scenes where Shen Wei grabs Yunlan’s hand for a moment as he blocks the attack from Ye Zun)

2.5. on this same train of thought, Da Qing brings up a line from ten thousand years ago where Shen Wei claimed he would never kill unless it was for the world... and, well, he kills for Yunlan doesn’t he?

3. Bai Yu plays our charismatic Chief Zhao Yunlan/Kun Lun and hoo boy does he do an excellent job; the found family vibes of the SIU are spectacular and the way he flirts with tries to recruit Professor Shen is endearing and touching

3.1. there’s another piece from the OST called 《一点真心》, translated to “A Little Sincerity” though I would use “A Bit of a Sincere Heart” because it too references the novel

Kun Lun’s confession to Xiao Wei: “我富有天下名山大川，想起来也没什么稀奇的，不过就是一堆烂石头野河水，浑身上下，大概也就只有这几分真心能上秤卖上两斤，你要？拿去。” [I’m rich with famed mountains and endless rivers under heaven, but none of it feels rare when I think about it. It’s all just a pile of broken stones and uncultivated streams. From head to toe, there is probably only this bit of my sincere heart that is worth anything weighed on a scale. You want it? Take it.]

Zhao Yunlan’s confession to Shen Wei: “我别的东西也有，只是你可能大多都看不上，只有这一点真心……你要是不接着，那就算了吧。” [I have other things, only you probably would not think much of them. There’s only this bit of my sincere heart... If you don’t want to catch it, then forget it.)

And Shen Wei’s reply to Yunlan’s confession is of course “我接住了。” [I’ve caught it.]

3.2. the novel is a happy ending because Xiao Guo’s important role actually plays a part (i literally don’t understand why the show couldn’t do that after they built up so many expectations about his good character/merit/inability to be corrupted but ANYWAY)... Shen Wei, Xiao Wei, the little Ghost King has a soul and wow isn’t that just beautiful after everything he did to become worthy/deserving of Kun Lun’s attention and love

4. the Zhang Ruonnan and Wang Yike (death-touch Dixingren) case in ep 3 is an obvious parallel to the “brotherly” relationship of WeiLan... Shen Wei’s line of “Many tragedies were destined from the start” references the show of course but also the paradoxical precognition that marks the drama version of WeiLan; in both of their “first meetings”, one of them was always already in love with the other—Yunlan, as Kun Lun, knew he would have to return to his own time at some point and thus doom this impressionable young Envoy to ten thousand years of waiting and Shen Wei (honestly in a Code Geass Lelouch kinda style) knew he would have to die to defeat his brother

4.1. the importance of “touch” in this case alludes to novel WeiLan, where of course Shen Wei watched over all of Kun Lun’s incarnations but wasn’t allowed to get close to him because hungry ghosts would inevitably devour the essence of the people around them; similarly Yike was terrified of touching Ruonnan all this time... but Ruonnan accepted her (just like how novel Kun Lun lets this intriguing little Ghost King trail after him)

4.2. speaking of Shen Wei’s grand plans and the idea of “knowing”, Yunlan reminds him that “You are not a weapon/blade, you are a person.” and wow once again, only Yunlan can pull the humanity from Shen Wei, who has carefully crafted his disguise and personality to fit what people expect of the Envoy and the Professor... but alas, Shen Wei fulfills his promise by in fact making himself a weapon; he poisons himself to become a bomb that will take down his brother

4.3. as many qualms and complaints as I have with Chinese censorship, much in the case of WangXian, i think i prefer the drama version of WeiLan to the novel version; the plot of the Guardian novel is a lot better in my opinion (with references to mythology and legends, as opposed to, what, aliens?? mutants from X-Men? quirks in My Hero Academia??) and yea the relationship of Kun Lun with Xiao Wei is built up a lot better and makes more sense than the time-travel of Yunlan masquerading as Kun Lun with Shen Wei... but there’s an unadulterated, unconditional kind of love that runs through the drama, whereas the novel had some darker (though probably more realistic) vibes of near-possessiveness and ulterior motives... Kun Lun/Yunlan in the novel can be, well, cruel, which is not necessarily out of character; it’s just seems a little wrong to me that you could threaten your partner in a relationship (if you keep things from me again, i really will turn against you + had i known xyz would happen, i really should have killed you)... plus i’m always a sucker for love without an “i love you”, a love that’s conveyed entirely through actions and gazes

5. Yunlan asks Zhou Weiwei (the mirror case) where her jacket was bought because he “wants to get one for [his] girlfriend” and lo and behold, what similarly-styled and colored coat does our Shen Wei show up in a few episodes later? (also the fact that Shen Wei dies wearing this jade-ish-blue-ish coat)

6. boyfriend jacket during the Moutain-River Awl case... boyfriend jacket!!!! Shen Wei claims he doesn’t need it and well he still wears it anyway because Yunlan’s love is unstoppable

6.1. the way Shen Wei grabs Yunlan’s elbow before running down the hill

6.2. Shen Wei being so freaking fine-tuned to Yunlan’s discomfort/pain as always that he drinks wine for him (and passes out immediately—heroics/bde of yllz! wwx and the alcohol tolerance of our dear lwj)

6.2.1. when Minister Gao brings up Yunlan’s dad and the Chief’s hands tighten... and of course nothing can go by Shen Wei, so he changes the topic of the conversation; also the way he leans forward as if to shield Yunlan

6.2.2. Yunlan is similarly Aware of his boyfriend’s boundaries; cue him politely excusing themselves from the dinner with Vice-Minister Guo when Shen Wei (of all people!) fumbles with his chopsticks

6.2.3. Yunlan also blocks Shen Wei from Minister Gao’s sight (subconsciously?) after that wedding showdown... even though he’s unhappy that Shen Wei has kept the identity of the Envoy from him, he trusts the other man enough to recognize there must be a reason; thus he doesn’t want other people to pry into the possibility that Shen Wei is a Dixingren

6.3. also, also that Shen Wei lets Yunlan have his way and use him as a pillow in the car once again (he also adjusts the actual pillow beneath Yunlan’s head to make it more comfortable)

6.3.1 the other Shen-Wei-is-Yunlan’s-pillow scene is when the professor picks up the poor hurting Chief off the road and in the taxi ride home... apparently this was an improvised scene from Bai Yu who just wanted to mess with Long-ge and our great Zhu Yilong just stayed in character and ran with it

6.3.2. the other notable improvised scene is the cute “Black Cloaked gege~ please be careful~ there’s someone is waiting for you at home~” [sorry that i don’t remember the exact line] but once again our great leading actors just stay perfectly in character

6.4. after Shen Wei wakes up from a night of being drunk (lol) Yunlan has left a note for him “I’ve gone back first, stay in touch. -Zhao” and what’s that on the corner of the note? why it’s a winky face

7. when Yunlan grabs the fake Zhang Danni’s wrist to confirm his suspicions, Shen Wei narrows his eyes... (lol is our Black Cloaked gege jealous)

8. when Yunlan claims he can swallow the painkillers dry, Shen Wei clenches his jaw in his anger at this idiot of a man for not taking better care of himself... you’ll find that a lot of Shen Wei’s anger is directed toward his husband being a self-sacrificial fool

8.1. after Yunlan uses the Hallows again and his nose begins to bleed, Zhu Yilong in all his acting glory has Shen Wei furious to the point that his lips tremble (cue Shen Wei angrily shoving a handkerchief into his husband’s face) [i really want to know if they ever broke character during this scene due to their proximity lol]

8.1.1. Shen Wei all but invades Yunlan’s personal space (he really does stand there between Yunlan’s legs guys) and he’s so careful even though he’s angry as he tries to stop the nosebleed; he’s aware the force might tip Yunlan backwards, so he immediately rests his hands on Yunlan’s thighs/knees to steady him

9. Yunlan has claimed that he doesn’t do things for the sake of gaining anything in return and yet every time he’s wanted things from dear Shen Wei... “take off your mask and smile for me”, “join the SID”... the sexual tension is Unreal during these scenes lol, you can see Shen Wei swallow visibly in anticipation + babie Shen Wei of ten thousand years prior all but chokes on his words when he promises to do ANYTHING Kun Lun wants him to do (honey where is your mind GOING???)

9.1. Bai Yu does have a bruise on his knee after the scene where Yunlan asks Shen Wei for something... dunno if it’s the actor’s bruise or the character’s bruise, but if it’s the character’s bruise—how did he get it? what exactly did WeiLan do that evening lol

9.2. also peep the fact that Yunlan almost always has a lollipop in his mouth when talking to Shen Wei... oral fixation much? (also the whole sequence where he tries to explain how to eat a lollipop to babie Shen Wei, wow the amount of homoerotic tension)

9.3. babie Shen Wei’s ears and cheeks are SO RED when Yunlan snatches the mask off his face

10. Yunlan’s hairstyle changes after Shen Wei joins the SIU (joins his family), much like how a bride would change her hairstyle after marriage in China ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (random note but CQL WangXian does this too when lwj puts his hair down/styled over the front of his shoulders when wwx wakes up 16 years later)

11. the first time we see Shen Wei spit up blood, there’s an echo of “Xiao Wei” faintly and Shen Wei mutters to himself “Xiao Lan” before looking up and saying louder “Zhao Yunlan” (nicknames/pet names/names only your family or lover can call you... this trope is good)

11.1. i also think a lot about how in the novel Kun Lun muses before he dies that it’s a shame he won’t see this Little Beauty [Xiao Wei] grow up to be a Great Beauty

12. Shen Wei’s funny little eyebrow raise when Yunlan accidentally reveals he broke into the professor’s apartment once ( “riiiiiiiiight i definitely believe you”)

12.1. though the ep 23 scene is angsty, the fact Yunlan says “It’s the middle of the night, were you hungry?” seems to imply their relationship is a lot closer than just neighbors... they’re probably used to sharing an apartment/room at this point :)

13. when Yunlan is hurt, Zhu Hong looks to him but he only has eyes for Shen Wei

13.1. after Yunlan is blinded, Zhu Hong is the one cradling him but he calls for Shen Wei first and reaches for his hand; Shen Wei of course responds immediately “it’s me”

13.1.1. both times after Yunlan gets his eyesight back, the first thing he sees is the person who loves him the most

14. Shen Wei warms up the congee in the morning with his magic after he watches over Yunlan when his stomach pain acts up (domestic use of magic? yes please)

15. the bomb defusing scene in the hospital (video game -> reality case) really is framed like a wedding proposal... also the way that Shen Wei smirks lol he’s so proud of his husband

16. after his Envoy identity is revealed, Shen Wei all but abuses his Black Cloaked Envoy voice to stop his stupid husband from doing stupid things that will hurt himself and every time Yunlan is properly sh00k by it

16.1. we really go from Chief Zhao remarking in the Mountain-River Awl case that he’s used to ordering people around, not receiving orders to married bickering with Shen Wei to then agreeing to everything Shen Wei tells him to do

17. the fact that “Shen Wei, ah, Shen Wei... You are such a good person, how could I bear to let you go?” is an actual line from the censored DRAMA astounds me, nevermind that Shen Wei just made breakfast for his man and Yunlan is basically pouting up at him from the bed

17.1. the way Yunlan’s dad warns him to stay away from Shen Wei and Yunlan responds with something like “he’s sincerely good to me, I want to be with him”... “be with him”???? [inhales deeply] yea this is definitely a “brotherly relationship”

18. Yunlan’s “WOW” after the Envoy kills the monsters in the cave of the Mountain-River Awl case is hilarious and i dont understand how such a noise is physically possible,,, it sounds like a growl?????

18.1. Zhu Yilong was asked to mimic it during an interview (which he did not do and only half-heartedly gave a “wow”) and then Bai Yu did it again

19. also i inevitably got attached to the side ship of Lao Chu and Xiao Guo... they have so much skinship for a censored “brotherly relationship” lmao

the amount of face-touching and hand-holding that they do is unreal... they’re more canon than WeiLan in the drama adaptation methinks

20. 《时间飞行》or “Flying Across Time” sounds like Yunlan’s reply to Shen Wei’s《只是太在意》or “Just Cared Too Much”

20.1. the lyrics of both these songs really cements this idea that both of WeiLan believe the other to be too good... Kun Lun was a god in the novel, and Xiao Wei was just a soulless little Ghost King... and then we have the incorrigible Chief Zhao pining after the beautiful and kind Professor Shen... i just have a lot of feelings about them becoming better people for each other, that their love really does make each other stronger

21. my favorite two pieces from the OST are Shen Wei’s theme (arranged by Kun Luo) and Kun Lun’s theme (arranged by Chen Xueran)

head’s up: it’s been like four years since i last even glanced at music theory so a lot of this might just make no sense to an actual professional

-Shen Wei: written in 4/4 time, Ab Major, melody is primarily carried by piano + strings; the piano almost sticks exclusively to triplets whereas the strings are in steady whole, quarter, and eighth notes—which creates in interesting impressionistic effect, kind of like hazy smoke or the ripples across the surface of a lake; every single measure uses decrescendo, so the first triplet is always the loudest and the three that follow get progressively softer (mimicking an echo)... the piece ends on the seventh note of the scale, which is usually a pretty awkward place to end and yet it doesn’t feel wrong it all; the piece uses a ritardando in the last three measures, and we simply drift off with that last G... i think it’s a beautifully written piece that perfectly portrays such a complex character as Shen Wei, someone who loved with everything he had, and was just so overwhelmingly good... and then he simply disappears as if the dream has ended. it makes me think of how he guarded over Kun Lun/Zhao Yunlan for thousands of years in the novel, never ever ever daring to meet him... and yet the other man always felt like he was waiting for someone

-Kun Lun: written in 3/4 time, a minor, there’s no real complex shift in the melody although there’s brief modulation into E major (dominant/fifth note); it’s a fairly somber piece, especially when the strings join in... it’s a steady waltz, and it finishes with the scale (second to last major is g, last major is a), like a circle coming back around [like their love story perhaps?]... there’s a finality to it, a completeness, a wholeness, which makes sense in the drama-verse because the moment Yunlan takes up the name of Kun Lun is when his love story with Shen Wei all fits together. the piece feels a little lonely in its minor key and all, a little sad, indeed as if you were standing at the top of a mountain surrounded by clouds and mist... the constant meter also reminds me of like the steady drip of water, the perpetual and inevitable passage of the days and time

-i don’t really understand how because the keys of the two pieces don’t fit together easily, but somehow it doesn’t feel wrong to play the pieces back to back; the melodies of both seem to call upon each other despite the differences in key and time signature, so it actually feels right. a circle without a beginning or an ending, wouldn’t you want your love to be so infinite?

-when yunlan finds shen wei in their bubble outside of time, when shen wei is about to leave him, shen wei is wearing the outfit of their first meeting. and the lyrics go “Across time, I am in the same place”... surely, they will find each other again.

#guardian #cdrama ramblings #zhenhun #镇魂 guardian

60 notes · View notes

lansizhuis · 5 years

Text

WEILAN FIC REC

It's as the title says - the five times Shen Wei did a horny grip™ because let it be known that while Zhao Yunlan is explicitly shamelessly thirsty, Shen Wei is equally as thirsty but in a more lowkey manner. Oh, and of course, WeiLan as lesbians can't be passed up for this.(gift fic for taki who introduced the weilan lesbian agenda to me!)Hello! I finally had some time (spoiler: I actually didn’t but I can always have time for my dads) to properly make a compilation of WeiLan fanfic recommendations. I included some CN ones bc I absolutely love them to bits and pieces and some WeiLan derivatives bc why not.

Please click the kudos and leave a comment on the authors’ works to thank them and show your appreciation! <3 This will be updated periodically.

bc I’m shameless - imma shove my own weilan fics here

Title: Uhaw Summary: Shen Wei felt a smile on his face despite the seriousness of the situation. “Your loyalty will forever remain divided.” // “My loyalty is with you.” Zhao Yunlan declared. “Always has been, always will be.” [WEILAN MAFIA/GANGSTER AU 1/1] Notes: i was horny for weilan being horny for each other and being a power couple with some plot thrown in the mix im not sorry

Title: Devour Your God Summary: "The beast inside him howls and the inhumane thunderous chanting resounds in the beautiful ghost king. You remember don’t you? The more beautiful the ghost...the more terrifying."

[a look through shen wei's eyes as he goes through kunlun's multiple reincarnations until zhao yunlan; novel-compliant and shen san extra hints but should be spoiler free 1/1] Notes: sometimes we’re also sad in our weilan lives but do know they get their happy ending anyway

Title: Earlier On Summary: Zhao Yunlan starts remembering his life as Kunlun months after he first entered the world and his only clue resides on that creature (because his adult brain is now telling his baby brain that that wasn't a human) robed in white with a golden mask peering down on his crib. Notes: [novel-verse gift fic for orro AKA babey zhao yunlan having adult brain/memories who’s everyone’s source of headache]

Title: Five Times Shen Wei Did A Horny Grip Summary: It's as the title says - the five times Shen Wei did a horny grip™ because let it be known that while Zhao Yunlan is explicitly shamelessly thirsty, Shen Wei is equally as thirsty but in a more lowkey manner. Oh, and of course, WeiLan as lesbians can't be passed up for this. Notes: (gift fic for taki who introduced the weilan lesbian agenda to me!)

Title: Some Things Stay The Same and Some Don't Summary: “Xiao Wei,” Zhao Yunlan called in a serious voice making Shen Wei stiffen in attention, “Your boobs are actually big, aren’t they?” Shen Wei almost slipped from her position at the unexpected - or well, this is Zhao Yunlan so perhaps ‘expected’ should be the term - comment. “Yunlan, honestly!” “No really, it’s bigger than mine.” “Everyone’s bigger than your tiny mangoes, stupid owner.” Da Qing laughed from the kitchen. “I think even Lin Jing and Lao Chu have bigger ones compared to you.” Notes: lesbian!weilans part 2 for emmy featuring the primordial gods, shen wei + mama zhao interaction, and kunlun taking in 2 ghost queens instead of just one

Title: Repercussions of Meddling Summary: “You know what the diviner’s instructions were, right? Gather the hallows and let fate run its course or else there can be dire consequences.” Zhao Yunlan clenched his fist as he recalls Shen Wei’s hardships paralleled with Ye Zun’s loss of sanity, the ghost lovers’ fate in an effort to protect him, the brewing war as the vision the hallows have given him on their deaths, and an ever burning flame on his soul as he watched Shen Wei disappear stay clear.“There can’t be anything more dire than that future.” The two leaders looked at each other meaningfully. “And if the bulk of the repercussions on you twisting the timeline falls on you?” Zhao Yunlan huffed in amusement and flipped his long hair to his back. “If I'm the one who has to pay then so be it.” Notes: aka ye zun is a bad influence to shen wei and add that in for 10,000 years where they're both awake, alive, and together waiting for a certain someone's reappearance in their lives --- THIS CAN GET DARK; drama canon divergence au where zhao yunlan as kunlun ends up saving ye zun in the past and meddling with time

Title: A Path Back Home Summary: The Dixing kingdom's delegation set off for a peace treaty with the kingdom of Haixing as new tides of the world was coming. For some, this was a turning point for the three kingdoms. For Ye Zun and his father, this was a chance to bring back their two other family members home with them. The past retains its stories and secrets, the present shakes the foundations of everyone's belief, and the future is a path back home. (read a/n before reading!) Notes: weilan royalty a/b/o au aka the most self-indulgent fic (it wasn’t supposed to be multi-chap but brain said ‘world building’ and now i suffer)

Title: where everything converges Summary: collection for weilan week prompts - day 1: beginnings (SID+SW meets the youngest primordial god) day 3: au (tgcf au of god!ZYL and ghost king!SW) day 7: anniversary (there will come a day where SW wakes up to the 5,000 years and 1 day of being with ZYL)

Title: in all worlds and in all timelines Summary: collection of weilan prompts (do send some and i’ll see if i can write it!)

Title: The Power of Words Summary: “You have lived for as long as I have and so you must know that words have power. The likes of old sayings and proverbs hold a decree to them the longer it’s passed around from one breathing soul to another. They become entities and binding spells on their own through time.”

“What has that got to do with anything right now? Ghost Slayer, you are already treading a dangerous path with the choices you have made the past months. Do I still need to remind you of this?” the spirit asked.

The black robed creature acted as if he didn’t hear his companion and spoke once more. “I suppose it doesn’t matter right as of this moment,” he crossed his legs and continued, “Let me tell you a story; a secret.” Notes: it was supposed to be a oneshot but my need for novel shen wei characterization bled through so now it’s a 3shot *sigh*

***

Title: 狗在江湖 Notes: this is a mix of novel and drama elements AND it’s a/b/o AND it has 30 chapters so obv i cried

Title: Sweet Dreams Summary: 朱白ABO，架空末世微悬疑。 Notes: okay so it was weird for me at first bc they were using zhubai’s names until i realized they were pertaining to weilan derivative in general AND OKAY LISTEN - the plot??? THE PLOT??? GLORIOUS

Title: ��说所有的酒都不如你 Summary: 这大概是一个东江二哈狼和东江气死猫你追我跑你继续追我假装跑你拼命追我跑不动了的爱情故事（。 Notes: 2Luo aka Luo Fusheng x Luo Fei weilan derivative and this is legit my favorite derivative fic!!! they mixed both dramas and fed me sentinel + guide trope AND THEN WOW PLOT

***

Title: Black Cloak Reversed Summary: Chief Zhao is a little too friendly with the Black-Cloaked Envoy. The members of the SID worry that he's being emotionally disloyal to Professor Shen. Notes: drama; zhao yunlan is a filthy, thirsty man and SID mourns over this fact

Title: my heart broke loose on the wind Summary: If Yunlan is going to learn how to make actual food that requires more effort than just boiling water and putting hot water into stuff, he’s going to have to take all the notes. “Right,” he says to himself. “How hard can it be?” He watches all twenty-two minutes and fourteen seconds of Chef Shen's video without fast-forwarding. When it comes to an end, he clicks on the replay button. He ends up taking zero notes, and the only thing he manages to learn from the whole exercise is that Chef Shen -Shen Wei- is really fucking beautiful when he smiles. Notes: au; alternative summary - ye zun: how thirsty are you for my bro zhao yunlan: thirsty? pls im a paragon of all things holy, i am a kind and generous citizen of the world, i am - ye zun: i can help you get in his pants zhao yunlan: - thirsty af; i am very thirsty

Title: when we reunite, the world will tilt on its axis Summary: Zhao Yunlan tries to figure out how he should approach the matter of young Shen Wei. Notes: drama; babey!shen wei who's so earnest and genuinely in-love ahhh im soft

Title: Wild Thing, Stop Your Teasing Summary: Shen Wei’s eyelid twitch as Yunlan unwraps another lollipop, closes his spit-shiny lips around the spherical head while looking at Shen Wei under dark eyes and thick lashes. Fists clenched on his pant leg, Shen Wei swallows and tamps down the urge to grab Yunlan across the table. Notes: drama; when you think zhao yunlan's thirst has a limit - he goes an open his mouth but hey shen wei's head over heels thousands of years ago already anyway

Title: Tease the Wild Thing Summary: Yunlan's POV from shaenanigans' awesome fic ''Wild Thing, Stop your Teasing''. Yeah, it's the one with the lollipops, and the porn with feels. You know. The Good Stuff. Notes: more weilan smut after the one above?? SIGN ME TF UP

Title: without complexities or pride Summary: “Kunlun Hall’s rules do not apply to you,” Yunlan says simply, moving to steep some tea for Shen Wei. “You are the Black Cloak Envoy. Lord Kunlun holds you in high regard.” “And you hold him in high regard,” Shen Wei adds before he’s able to stop himself. Shen Wei can hear the wretched jealousy in his own voice, and no doubt Yunlan can as well, because Yunlan’s smile turns sly, and his eyes are very knowing when he says, “In a way, I suppose I do.” Notes: (Or, the Not-Exactly-A-Courtesan!Yunlan fic.) >> im crying bc YES

Title: Every ridge hand-picked by the late sun’s slant light Summary: Zhao Yunlan gets up to greet this man, his destiny – who is currently scowling behind his fancy embroidered mask – and smiles as filthily as he can make it. Whatever else they might be to each other, Shen Wei has been taunting him for weeks. Zhao Yunlan is going to take him home and fuck him until he cries and he wants Shen Wei to know that. “Long time, no see,” he says. The Black Cloaked Envoy blanches. Notes: when i say i thirst for weilan papapa where shen wei loses his self control - I MEAN IT

Title: that's where you belong Summary: First of all, how dare Shen Wei. Second of all, Zhao Yunlan has been looking forward to this for like, as long as he's been aware that Shen Wei is an alpha. Third of all -- Notes: im crying bc all i ever wanted was for novel weilan's characterization bc i know their papapa would be the hottest with that and i have been fed with this need and even partnered w/ a/b/o trope /SOBS

Title: Just Cared Too Much Summary: Zhao Yun Lan found out his father was dead while he was pouring concrete down the throat of a backstabbing dickbag. “Chief, I'm sorry, the Boss is gone. Shot to the head, on his way to meet the Russians.” Notes: i was dying to have a mafia au and this appeared THANK YOU; and def one of the other things that pushed me to finish my own mafia au for weilan lol

Title: 家教 - or - Domestic Education Summary: Shen Wei is the Ghost King, born out of the unyielding chaos of entropy that had consumed the underworld before the creation of the wheel of reincarnation. He's the cosmic guardian of death and all her darlings, and the universe through the lens of his eye is rife with demons, hungry ghosts, and shadows creeping out of their places. So there is absolutely no way he is getting sick. Notes: im novel verse trash and we get that PLUS mama!zhao uhh hell yes???

Title: Sarva Summary: Or, 一切. At work, in public, Shen Wei is meticulously, seamlessly polite. In bed, he's something else. Notes: this was the first weilan smut i read AND ALL THE YES BC SHEN WEI LOSING IT FOR ZHAO YUNLAN IS MY KINK

Title: Future Forged Summary: Masquerading as Kunlun, Zhao Yunlan sets out on a mission to recover the stolen Hallows alongside the young Shen Wei. Along the way, he discovers new abilities, forges new bonds, unearths old histories, and learns that the universe goes beyond his wildest imagination. Notes: lol way better take on what happened during that time travel thing than what the drama had

Title: who you allow Summary: But then Zhao Yunlan goes and gets a haircut, and Shen Wei. Pouts. For like three days. Notes: for the record - i, too, believe shen wei will pout bc of this

Title: Significant Other Colour Summary: Collars are so old-fashioned and Zhao Yunlan can’t help but feel that there’s an ulterior motive hiding behind Shen Wei’s innocently widened eyes. Notes: tfw i've tried to bury my needs on acknowledging how shen wei canonically wants to lock up zhao yunlan and then this fic hits me - author pls let me love you (for y'all heed the warnings)

Title: Afterimage Summary: Zhu Yi Long is an awkward turtle. Now he has to deal with letting Shen Wei and Ye Zun go. Notes: okay so im not really into fics on real people but this was done so well? it explores the effects of zhu yilong's method acting and sets straight that zhubai and weilan are not one and the same at the end of the day

Title: Twill Seeker Summary: The young master has a thing for the butler. The butler is at the end of his rope. Notes: if anyone comes after me and my apparent need for butler shen wei and young master zhao yunlan, hide me

Title: When You're Old, You Want To Celebrate Birthdays At Home Summary: Shen Wei comes home to a surprise. Notes: me, wiping a tear: oh look, a ye zun characterization i actually like even if he's mentioned only

Title: do nothing day Summary: “The stress of work is exhausting me and my wife is scolding me now,” Zhao Yunlan pretends to whine, hiding his face in the blankets. “You’ve seen who I work with, those stubborn kids who cause me nothing but trouble. You’re supposed to be on my side, meant to pity me when the world turns against me. I deserve this day off and I reserve the right to do as I please. And if I want to be a slug in the bed then that’s what I’m going to do.” Notes: "It’s so gentle that Shen Wei almost can’t stand it, the way Zhao Yunlan lets him do as he likes, just receiving whatever Shen Wei wants to give him. And there’s so much that Shen Wei wants to lavish onto his Zhao Yunlan." -- dont bother for the ambulance i know im DOA

Title: Heat and Desire Summary: Five times Zhao Yunlan had an oral fixation and one time Shen Wei did something about it. Notes: "You tease me, Zhao Yunlan," Shen Wei whispers, his breath tickling against Zhao Yunlan’s ear. "You tease me and you tease me and you seem to think that I won't do anything about it." -- me, choking: IM FINE

Title: Just A Phone Call Away Summary: Chief Zhao gets hurt on a case and nobody wants to be the one to call Professor Shen and tell him.... Notes: SID family + shen wei's first reaction to the call??? sign me up

Title: Never Losing You Summary: Yunlan can't open his eyes, can't shut his mouth. Needy, keening noises pour out of his throat completely out of his control. Shen Wei's closed fist is around him, pumping fast and tight in rhythm to his fucking, making him see stars exploding behind closed eyelids, thoroughly engulfed by the incredible sensations racketing up and down his spine originating from where they're so deliciously joined. Shen Wei's other hand cradles his jaw, careful, reverent, but also serves to ground Yunlan to the bed so Shen Wei can fuck him harder, deeper. Notes: i can never have enough weilan papapa bc if canon doesn't give me the explicit juicy details then im turning to fic writers with metaphorical gold payment

Title: third time's the charm Summary: “I’m what Da Qing likes to describe as ‘especially tenacious’ when I’m in heat, even more so when I have a specific Alpha in mind,” Yunlan tells him, casual. (Or, three times Shen Wei helps Zhao Yunlan through his heat.) Notes: me, looking through the window with a faraway look: a/b/o universe makes me weak even if it's not even explicit

Title: this secret language that we speak Summary: "If you don't want to do this any more," says Shen Wei, "you get off the couch, and we'll do whatever you want. Do you understand?" Zhao Yunlan is so hot he thinks he's going to light the couch on fire. He swallows and nods."I didn't hear you," says Shen Wei, implacable as death. "Do you understand?" Zhao Yunlan has to clear his throat, and when he manages to speak, his voice is gravelled with arousal. "Yeah. I do." "Good," says Shen Wei. Notes: i cried 69 times bc my horny ass is fed and jfc domineering shen wei??? *cries for the 70th time*

Title: Shen Wei Summary: Shen Wei loves Zhao Yunlan, and there is only so long he can feign otherwise. Notes: [Zhao Yunlan gives a small shrug, uninvested in the argument. “All right. And where do you belong?” Shen Wei freezes, flashes of memory assaulting him, of Kunlun’s skin hot against his, of promises moaned against each other’s necks. Inside you is all he can think.] BINCH I DIED AT THIS PART

Title: Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This Summary: Zhao Yunlan jerks back to the waking world gasping and screaming and drowning in the anguish that comes with being lit on eternal consuming fire. The unmistakable rich copper taste of blood fills his mouth and he opens tear-filled bloodshot eyes that he was sure melted a long time ago with the rest of his physical body. He sees faces crowding around him in varying degrees of worry, but the pain blinds him from putting names to the faces. His throat feels raw, as if he'd been screaming for centuries and realizes on the next breath that he's been screaming a name. Shen Wei's name. Notes: drama-verse but a hopeful one TYL im here for the whole the last episode didn’t happen bc we can use the plot that the drama threw away lol

Title: Aftermath Summary: The fallout after the dust has settled. Notes: a look on what happened after the 4th extra in the novel; s o f t

Title: The world that we'll invent Summary: Shen Wei's self-control continues to be tested. Notes: [Nothing in Shen Wei's long existence has prepared him for the problem that is Zhao Yunlan.] >> honestly this is the summary of weilan in general

Title: Quiet Heart, Hollow Body Summary: It has been ten thousand years since Shen Wei met Kunlun, but he could never forget the one who first saw beyond the mask of the Black Cloaked Envoy to the person beneath. Notes: im novel bias for so many reasons but this was absolutely amazing as a drama setting bc it /is/ closer to the novel setting bc shen wei was actually awake those 10,000 years so that desperation and intensity of novel!sw is closer here - really great read

last updated: March 2, 2020

#weilan #shen wei #zhao yunlan #zhenhun #镇魂 #guardian #zhinfo

54 notes · View notes

puppetwritings · 5 years

Text

To Heaven and Back || Pt. 7 || Junhui

Pt. 1 // Pt. 2 // Pt. 3 // Pt. 4 // Pt. 5 // Pt. 6 // Pt. 7 //

➢ Word Count: 3626

➢ Genre: chinese mythology, fantasy, angst, fluff

➢ Summary: You had been a martial god, sitting at the helm of Heaven’s armies, for a very long time. So long, that you had began to forget what your human life was like but for some reason, recently, you were dreaming of past events again.

(A/N: check out the description or the thb ff tag on my blog for new chapters!)

——–

“Wen. Jun. Hui!”

Junhui was rudely pushed forward towards the Glass Lake. Yan An watched in fascination as Junhui lightly pushed off the rowboat, gently tapped the water’s surface, and landed back on the gazebo island. Junhui’s brows were furrowed at Yan An who let out a low whistle and clapped.

“As expected of the Lord of White Foxes! That was beautiful!” Yan An praised, taking a step back into the gazebo and sitting down beside the guqin with gusto.

Junhui walked forward and poured a cup of plum wine for Yan An. “Did you come onto my turf just to bother me, Lord Yan?”

“Lord Wen,” Yan An sighed, shaking his head. “Am I not allowed to do just that?”

“Not allowed.”

“Red foxes and white foxes have always been friendly with one another,” Yan An said. “What right do you have to draw the line now?”

“I’m not drawing the line between red foxes and white foxes,” Junhui said, sitting down behind his guqin. “I’m drawing the line between us.”

The two men stared at each other. Yan An huffed and drained the entire cup. “Cruel.”

“As you think.”

“I liked you much better when you were younger,” Yan An groaned, pouring himself another cup and pouring one for Jun. He leaned forward, pressing his hand on the guqin’s strings. “Hey, remember when we were younger? Even if the sky fell, we’d act like it was just a blanket. Reckless, rowdy—no one believed that we were respectable young masters from the two most powerful spiritual fox clans.”

“And that was a terrible time. You didn’t even like it back then. I just dragged you around,” Junhui said, sipping at the plum wine. “Why is it now that I’ve matured, you’ve become like this?”

Yan An flashed a bright smile. “I’m making up for the fun that was lost between us.”

“Fun,” Junhui scoffed.

Yan An leaned against his palm and reached out. He flicked Junhui’s forehead. “Yes. Fun.”

A soft spring breeze sent over a whiff of plum blossoms. The Glass Lake’s surface stirred. Far away, Junhui and Yan An could hear the low rumble of the horn that signaled it was the start of another hour. A few gong strikes signaled just how much longer it was until dinner time for the young foxes that ran off on daily adventures around the mountains.

“But,” Junhui spoke after a long moment. His slender fingers caressed the guqin. When Yan An looked up, Junhui’s handsome face carried a sorrowful smile. “What was destroyed can never be fully repaired. I don’t think I can ever return to how I was, so it is easier to move on than to dwell on the past.”

Yan An stared at his friend for awhile and then scoffed. “You are telling me not to dwell on the past? But what about you? Every day you’re trapped in the past. Why else did you seal off the Fox Den? Why else do you still refuse to marry? Junhui, you are hurt and scarred, I understand, but you’ve managed to rebuild the Nine-Tail Fox Clan up to this status and given us our own realm and haven. You can rest now. You can treat your wounds now. Don’t ignore them and let them fester.”

Junhui’s eyes stayed concentrated on the dark wood of the guqin. He saw his own reflection on the surface. Although it had been a few thousand years, Junhui still looked the same as he had when he begged for his parents to be spared. Only now, his features were slightly sharper and his eyes no longer glowed. That flippant attitude of his had long diminished and had been replaced by a sour and bitter personality that rivaled his grandfather.

“No.”

“Jun—”

“There aren’t wounds. Whatever wounds I had closed a long time ago. If my parents died, it was because it was in their fates. I may hate gods and deities now but I won’t take the demons’ side. My conscience is clear. As for her…”

“As for her?”

“I will repay her over a thousand times and through a billion lifetimes if I had to,” Junhui whispered.

“What do you even owe her, exactly? She was a mortal when you two met! What could she possibly have done that has made you this crazy for her?” Yan An curiously.

Junhui thought for a long time, his fingers fiddling with the strings of the guqin. “It was when the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan was decimated. You’ll remember this, but it was when the spiritual white foxes and the spiritual red foxes drew a clean line between themselves so the red foxes didn’t have to deal with this. They were also smart enough and were already closed off to the world.

“Your clan remained safe and unbothered, but ours was not as lucky. They nearly succeeded. Our clan became broken and scattered and those captured had their tails were cut off and left to die.

“I was half alive in the middle of the war ridden mortal realm when someone saved me. She took me in as a pet and during a time when she should have worried only for herself, she always looked after me and made sure I wasn’t experiencing any discomfort,” Junhui smiled at the memory. But the smile soon faded. “However, I was not strong enough to protect her.”

Yan An listened intently. Junhui had always refused to talk about those years after his parents’ death. The red coated nine-tailed foxes didn’t even realize the state their sister clan was in until it was too late. It was only when Junhui found his way to their den did they realize the catastrophe that happened.

“So she—” Yan An pursed his lips and reached out and patted Junhui’s shoulder. “But then…this isn’t a debt. You just—”

“Love her.”

Yan An remained silent as Junhui began to play. He stayed silent out of embarrassment. He had thought he knew the extent of how hurt Junhui was, but he didn’t. It was something that ran deep within him and had carved itself into Junhui’s being. It was the kind of injury that would never be repaired.

Just then, a young man appeared in a swirl of mist. He bowed down on one knee and saluted. “Lord Wen, I have something to report.”

The mournful sound of the guqin stopped abruptly.

“Our scouts have discovered irregular fluctuations in Heaven’s borders.”

“How so?” Junhui asked.

“Deities from above are departing in alarming numbers,” the guard continued. “Some seek sanctuary at Kunlun Mountain. Others have disguised themselves as mortals and now live among them. Our scouts aren’t sure what exactly happened, but it seems two martial gods have also been kicked out of Heaven.”

“Two?” Yan An gawked. “Wow, two? What in the world is going on up there—”

“Which two?”

“Um,” the guard glanced at his lord.

“Which two?”

“General Yu and General Y/N.”

Yan An glanced at Junhui and then looked back at the guard. He quickly dismissed the frozen guard and turned back to Junhui. “Jun, this—”

“I’m leaving.”

“Junhui, calm down—”

“I have to find her,” Junhui stood, stumbling over his own feet.

“Junhui,” Yan An grabbed onto him and pulled him back down. “Do you know what bringing her in means?”

“I don’t care what it means.”

“You’ve made enemies with some Demon Clans already but now you’re going to become enemies with the Celestial Clan? Are you trying to die?”

“It’s Y/N,” Junhui said. “I don’t care what happens but she can’t die.”

“What about the foxes? They’ve finally regained their stable life style!”

“If you are worried of getting implicated, the white foxes and the red foxes can become two separate clans again. It’s not as if they ever were truly merged in the first place.”

“What about the white foxes?”

“I will abdicate the throne,” Junhui stood again and resolutely flung Yan An off of him.

“Wen Junhui,” Yan An followed him. His fingers dug into Junhui’s arm. “Think about this clearly.”

Junhui’s amber eyes were narrowed. His own hand came up to grip Yan An’s. “I am thinking clearly.”

“Then speak as if you are!” Yan An bellowed angrily. “You’re going crazy just for someone who doesn’t know you exist!”

Junhui’s grip on Yan An’s hand loosened. He took a shaky breath. “Yan An, I know what I’m doing. I will not implicate the entire Fox Clans. They will not even know where she is. The Fox Den is not tangible, remember? Only those with permission may enter and find it.”

Yan An’s grip also loosened. His amber eyes relaxed to a dark brown again. He held Junhui’s shoulders and shook once. “Alright, I trust you”

“Thank you,” Junhui showed him a relaxed smile. With a swish of his sleeve, Junhui’s loose, regal clothing transformed into more form fitting robes. His sword sat on his belt. He nudged Yan An. “You stay here and watch over the Fox Den, Lord of the Red Fox Clan.”

Yan An looked at Junhui’s sparkling, excited eyes helplessly. He playfully pushed him. “Stay safe out there, Lord of the White Fox Clan.”

Junhui nodded and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Yan An fell back down onto the granite stool and began drinking from the bottle. How could he stop his friend now? How could he stop him, when that idiot looked alive for the first time in thousands of years?!

“Mommy, mommy! There’s a person over there!”

“Well, don’t look, silly,” Wang Yihua, the mother of this five-year-old girl, let out a weary sigh. She felt that it was good for her daughter to be creative, but not too creative. It was never good for a girl to be too outspoken in this society.

“No, Mommy! The person looks like they’re sleeping!” Wang Liyin stomped her little feet. She tugged on her mom’s sleeve and let out a long huff of anger upon realizing her mother would not listen to her.

She turned and ran back towards where she had seen the young man in the river but her steps soon slowed when she saw someone stooping over him. A conscious man was always more intimidating than an unconscious one.

The conscious young man was about as tattered as the one that laid in the river, however his clothes was slightly less torn. He looked up at the light footsteps and his dark eyes landed on the little girl. He blinked sluggishly at her, as if not exactly registering her existence. He swayed and the girl took a decisive step forward, extremely cautiously.

He raised a bloodied hand as if to stop her from moving further. His handsome, jade-like face pulled into a pained smile. “Little sister…it wouldn’t do for you to come closer.”

The little girl shuffled. One the one hand she felt it was true but on the other hand she felt that it would go against her conscience to listen to this man. Her small lips twisted into a grieved frown and began to wobble.

“Really…” another word passed through his lips and disappeared into the soft wind.

The girl watched as the handsome young man fell on top of his friend and she gasped. Tears sprang to her eyes and she ran back to where her mother was washing clothes by the riverbank, shouting up a storm.

——–

Shu Weian’s eyes fluttered open and he found himself staring up at a thatched roof. His lips pursed into a frown and he tried to sit up, only to pathetically collapse again. There was a gasp and a little girl appeared into his view.

“Don’t move! Mommy said not to move!” the girl said, her small hands awkwardly hovering above him. “Um! Your friend is still asleep! Mommy said he should be okay now!”

“Friend…I…where am I?”

“You’re at Qiu Town,” the little girl answered.

Qiu Town? Shu Weian didn’t know where that was. Was that a town in the mortal realm? Or the demon realm? His head swam as the little girl bustled around excitedly and loudly, claiming that her mother was a doctor and the town was calm so whoever was trying to kill them would not think to search here!

“Ah!” Wang Liyin caught herself. “Sorry! Mommy told me not to say something like that.”

She looked guilty, but Shu Weian was too disoriented to react properly. Wang Liyin appeared within his sight again and announced her name before asking for his.

“My name…” Shu Weian grasped his head. “It’s…Shu…Shu Wei…”

“Shu Wei?”

“Shu Wei…An.”

“Weian? Then, it’s big brother Weian!” the girl happily exclaimed. “Big brother Weian, do you have any idea what your friend’s name is?”

Shu Weian could barely grasp his origins, must less know who his friend was. He could only remember he wasn’t human but something greater and he must have had a sister, or something similar. Was it actually a brother? His head throbbed when he thought and eventually Wang Liyin gave it up and skipped off to tend to his friend.

Wang Liyin went to the next bed and propped herself up, staring at the young man. This was the one who had collapsed when she first found that other big brother. He was even better looking. He looked like those…those scholarly youths! Attractive phoenix eyes that add a hint of maturity to that youthful face of his. He was like a prince that walked out of the stories that she always listened to!

As she stared, the young man began to stir. His brows furrowed slightly as if he were having a bad dream and he eventually emerged from it, gasping for air. He turned from one side to the next until his eyes landed on the young girl. He blinked at her in confusion before she gave him the same explanation that she had just given Shu Weian.

“My name is Wang Liyin! What’s yours?”

“I’m,” he paused a moment before smiling. “My name is Yu Lingjin.”

“Yu Lingjin,” the girl twisted shyly before a giggle escaped her. She stood abruptly. “I’m going to tell mommy that you two are awake! I will come back with medicine!”

Yu Lingjin nodded and watched as the girl cheerfully bounded off. His smile disappeared and he kicked the covers off before walking over to where Shu Weian laid, with difficulty breathing. He pulled a stool over and sat down beside him.

“How are you feeling?”

“Could be better,” Shu Weian replied. He frowned at him in distrust. “Who…”

Yu Lingjin’s eyes widened. “You don’t remember me?”

“Not quite.”

“I…it doesn’t matter right now. Just know that I am on your side,” Yu Lingjin said. “On our way down, I’m afraid I’ve lost your sister but I’m sure we’ll find her again.”

“So, I did have a sister!”

“Don’t get so excited,” Yu Lingjin mumbled when Shu Weian began coughing. “Yes, you have a sister. Her name is Shu Ningan. We’ll find her once we’re better, don’t worry.”

“How can I now be worried when you and I are like this?” Shu Weian grumbled.

“I’m glad you still kept your ill temper,” Yu Lingjin scoffed.

Shu Weian raised an eyebrow and slowly sat up, groaning and flinching along the way. He raised an eyebrow at Yu Lingjin. “What about you?”

“Huh?”

“You…lost something too,” Shu Weian said. He was unsure but he had a feeling. “Are you okay?”

Yu Lingjin’s expression changed immediately. His uptight, cold look seemed to melt and revealed a set of broken eyes. His lips were pursed as his eyelids fluttered in order to prevent the onset of tears. Shu Weian might not remember him well, but he knew that this guy was not the type to cry. He was barely even the type to laugh. Seeing him like this made Shu Weian shrink back a little but eventually he reached out a hand and squeezed Yu Lingjin’s shoulder.

“It’ll be okay. Um…” Shu Weian pursed his lips, uncertain of what to really say. “They’re strong.”

“Yeah…” Yu Lingjin’s eyes dropped. “You’re right…he wouldn’t…nothing bad would ever happen to that guy.”

Shu Weian felt a bit panicked as he watched the tears fall out of his friend’s eyes and he stumbled through various phrases and words that were considered “comfort” until Yu Lingjin scoffed, a muted smile on his face as he told Shu Weian to stop. Shu Weian breathed out a sigh of relief.

“So, are we just going to stay here for now?”

“Yeah. We don’t have a choice,” Yu Lingjin stood. “Once you get better, I’ll fill you in. Until then…just rest.”

Shu Weian nodded and watched as Yu Lingjin went back to his own bed and laid down. The young man looked oddly broken as he curled in on himself and quietly cried. Shu Weian suddenly felt that he got the better end of the stick. Perhaps remembering was much, much worse.

It almost felt like you were encased in a thick gel-like substance when you woke. Only when you were near-full conscious did you realize it was worse than that—you were buried in the ground. You began to kick and struggle and slowly you felt the dirt shift away from you. Someone must have thought you were already dead and helpfully buried you. Unfortunately, you were very much alive. You weren’t sure how because you were sure you had been buried for awhile and would have suffocated anyway, but you were alive.

When you emerged from the ground, you looked around in a daze and met the eyes of a young martial artist who stared at you with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. You immediately jumped away from him but he quickly gulped and shouted “it’s okay!”

You felt that you should be the one to say that to him.

“I—uh—I felt some energy around here. It turns out that it was you…in the ground,” the young man continued, staring at you strangely. He quickly bowed. “My name is Wen Junhui.”

“I…um…” you fumbled for words and were unable to come up with anyway. You sheepishly looked down. “I’m not sure what my name is, sorry.”

Junhui looked at you with pity and awkwardly shuffled. He scratched the back of his head. “You are injured. How about you come back to my cabin and you can stay there until you recuperate.”

You nodded slowly and attempted to stand, only to topple back down and flinch horrible. There was something wrong with your legs.

Junhui’s eyes flashed before he knelt and good-naturedly offered to carry you. You shyly accepted his offer and couldn’t help the rush of familiarity as he carried you higher up the hill.

“Mm, for now, can I call you Y/N?” Junhui asked.

“Yes, I suppose,” you mumbled. “Thank you for doing this. You really didn’t have to help a stranger…”

“Martial artists will always help out if we can,” Junhui said, a happy tilt in his voice. “Besides, I couldn’t just leave you out alone. Perhaps you are a flower spirit that was just completely formed. You’d basically be a child.”

“Even more a reason to leave me if I were some demonic creature…”

“Spirits can cultivate the righteous path,” Junhui chuckled.

You nodded. That much you knew and could remember. It seemed that you could remember the basics of the world, but your own memory came up blank.

The cabin that Junhui lived in was homely and had obviously been patched and maybe even rebuilt several times. You were gently placed down on a chair before Junhui left your side to hang up his sword. He came back a moment later and sat beside you.

“I’m actually quite skilled at medicine too. I will take a look at you and see how I can help you,” Junhui said, a gentlemanly smile on his face.

You nodded once and watched him as he checked your pulse. “Young master—”

“Just call me Junhui.”

“Then…Junhui,” you slowly tasted his name on your tongue and found it somewhat familiar, “May I ask where we are?”

“Just outside Changan,” Junhui said with a smile. He took his hand back and hummed. “I will prescribe some medicine of the martial world. You might not know it well, but just trust me, it will help.”

You nodded slightly and continued to look at him imploringly.

“Yes?”

“It feels…almost as if we have met before,” you carefully said.

“But you do not remember me?” Junhui tilted his head. You nodded. He chuckled. “Then that feeling doesn’t matter. All that matters right now is recuperation.”

You stared into Junhui’s eyes and found them somewhat hypnotizing. Suddenly, you felt that he was right. This familiar feeling could be revisited later.

Junhui left momentarily and came back later with the herbs he needed to make the medicine. You had fallen asleep on the bed with the covers neatly covering you, just as he had left you. He walked over and sat beside you. His eyes closed as his hands hovered over your legs, sending a warm energy through them and healing the cracks and fractures. If he hadn’t sensed you earlier and quickly numbed you of the pain before you emerged, he was afraid you would actually die.

Junhui let out a soft sigh of relief and pushed your hair back from your forehead, a small smile on his face. You might be a little broken now and not quite as heroic as you used to be, but he was still content like this. And once you were better…well, Junhiu’s eyes flashed dangerously, once you were better there would be hell to pay.

#thb ff #jun #junhui #seventeen #jun fanfic #jun fanfiction #jun scenarios #jun scenario #junhui scenarios #junhui scenario #junhui fanfic #junhui fanfiction #seventeen fanfic #seventeen scenarios #seventeen scenario #seventeen fanfiction

37 notes · View notes

motleystitches · 6 years

Text

Guardian 鎮魂 translation: Chapter 86 (excerpt), 87 (full)

...featuring a small history between a young Ghoul King and a gentle God of Mountains.

Previous translations (a little revised since posting as I think of better words):

Chapter 10 excerpt: like a peacock with his feathers spread out, using this time to display a pheromonal and patterned tail (all Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan bits)

Chapter 49: with love the living may die and the dead can live. only when love is not enough, the living cannot be with the dead and dead cannot live.

Chapter 66: I’m taking you home

Chapter 86 excerpt and Chapter 87 ghouls are not alive, but in that instant, it was as if he heard his own non-existent heartbeat

In the next moment, time reversed, and a bewildered Zhao Yunlan was returned to a past not from too long ago. In that instant, overwhelmed by the disturbances in the timeline, he couldn’t distinguish whether he was Lord Kunlun or a man from five thousand years later.

He thought he had been guarding the pitch dark Great Seal everyday, sitting with his back against the rock, and when bored, staring dumbly at the Tree of Virtues, oftentimes for an entire day.

Then later, at some unknown point in time, a handsome but odd youth would be next to him all day, like a little tail, following him everywhere.

At first Lord Kunlun ignored him, then finally he couldn’t help asking, “We’re now in your territory, why still follow me?”

The youth said, astonished, “I like you.”

Lord Kunlun had been called absurd and rude, finally he had an opportunity to say it to someone else, so he took the chance and rather ungently “scolded” him. “Rude.”

The young ghoul king looked at him, confused, uncertain how he was rude.

Lord Kunlun had been guarding that seal for innumerable years, he was bored, so he continued to ask. “What do you like about me?”

The young ghoul king was like a blank sheet of paper, unreserved about his own desires. He said plainly, “Good looking. Want to hug you.”

Kunlord couldn’t help taking another look at this bold young ghoul king. He wasn’t offended and thought it interesting. “Not even a bit of pursuit. I despise you,” he teased.

Though the young ghoul king wasn’t sure why he was despised, he thought everything Kunlun said had reason, so he lowered his head in shame.

Lord Kunlun waved him over. “Come, let me get some education into your backward little head.”

Chapter 87:

Once the primordial order had been established, the Elder God Shennong-Shi came to earth, tasted every kind of flora to save humanity, and transformed himself into an old herbalist, proselytizing and enlightening men. Lord Kunlun had heard those lectures a few times as one of the crowd and was basically following the same syllabus for the young ghoul king. He was not thorough about the actual contents but it was a way to pass the time. However, it did confuse the young ghoul king. He didn’t miss a single word and considered whatever rubbish Kunlun spouted some sort of prescription.

With time, even in that land of purgation and in front of the bleak entrance, a kind of affinity grew between them.

The young ghoul king’s feelings toward Lord Kunlun remain unchanged, but he naturally knew shame. He had listened to Kunlun and knew that it wasn’t right to keep insisting on them, so he stopped, and tried a new thing every day to please him.

It was a pity no matter what he thought of, there was a limit to what he could do. There was nothing fun in the Profane Place. No grass grew on the thousand miles of scorched earth. The normal pass time was to take two low level hell-creatures and watch them fight until one eats the other.

But the young ghoul king didn’t like this, and of course Lord Kunlun would like it even less.

So the ghoul king assiduously collected the incisors from thirty-six hell-creatures, thinking they symbolized Mt. Kunlun’s magnificent thirty-six valleys. He twined a few of his hair into a rope, threaded everything together into a challenging but unique necklace, and gave it to Lord Kunlun.

But the expression from Lord Kunlun when he received the thirty-six incisors was strange, stranger than the necklace itself, as if he had a toothache but was forcing his features into bizarre smile, and he said his thanks through gritted teeth.

The young ghoul king came to a conclusion, He thought perhaps Kunlun didn’t like it-- anyways Lord Kunlun never wore it, and every time it was mentioned, he would always go onto another topic.

But he couldn’t think of anything else. One day the youth sat on a raised root of the Tree of Virtues and unwittingly remembered the flash of the world he saw outside and said suddenly, “There’s a kind of flower that’s shaped like a bell, it comes in all colors, when you smell it up close, there’s a very faint scent.”

Lord Kunlun tilted his head to look at him. “And?”

The hesitant youth looked longing. “It’s so pretty. If they are made into a necklace, then you’ll like it, right?”

Lord Kunlun remained silent for a moment, then said, half-smiling, “So that’s why you want to be nice to me. Just so you can get out?”

The young ghoul king seemed surprised and quickly shook his head.

Lord Kunlun teased him on purpose. “They why? I’m guarding this, it’s for not letting you all out. Not even single one.”

for....the young ghoul king looked at him evenly, meeting Lord Kunlun’s amused glance. He wanted to say something but didn’t know what to say, the urge was wrecking havoc in his chest, but he couldn’t find a way to say it.

He thought those honest words would seem too vulgar and even being vulgar wouldn’t necessarily communicate what he felt.

The ghoul king couldn’t speak and couldn’t help extending sharp claws from his nails, anxiously showing an ominous and rather aggressive expression.

Legend has it that for those born in the world, other than destiny being unchangeable, most suffering comes form thinking too much and not reading enough. Saints had left behind those books, but those ancient saints, most of them born in chaos where there were no books to read, no one to solve their perplexities, they could only carry their questions about the earth and sky and walk stumblingly along the road. It must’ve been extremely distressing and painful.....so that even for saying heartfelt sentiment to a beloved, there were no suitable words.

Finally Lord Kunlun laughed. He hooked him gently by the jaw and tenderly kissed the youth’s perfectly smooth forehead before flying on top of a branch.

The young ghoul king sat dumbly for a moment, unaware all the poisonous needles on his body had retracted. He was flushed from cheek to chin. After a moment, he stood up, oblivious to all, as if he was drunk, even his steps were unsteady, and somehow fell off from the giant root of the Tree of Virtues.

The youth belonged to the Tribe of Ghouls-- though somehow he had grown into an oddity of the ghouls-- what he saw around him everyday were only the combinations of low level ghouls driven by desire. He never knew what a kiss was but his first encounter felt like warm steam surrounded him. He felt so light it was like he was flying.

Not even the River Wongchuang could let him feel so relaxed and buoyant.

The young ghoul suddenly turned and ran head-along into the Seal that couldn’t bind him into the Profane Place; he wasn’t seen for an entire decade.

Then next time he appeared in front of Lord Kunlun, he seemed to have grown up some; he had grown taller, almost as tall as Lord Kunlun. The soft lines of youth had hardened but he was still fair as ever.

He carefully presented a ball of gold scintillating fire in front of Kunlun.

“This is...”

“This is the soul-fire from your left shoulder. It was scattered everywhere inside the Seal. It took me fifty years to collect it.” The ghoul king carefully huddled that ball of warm flame and lingeringly rubbed against the side of his face before saying, “Returning it.”

The smile at the corner of Lord Kunlun’s mouth gradually disappeared. After a while, he looked at the other and asked, “And what do you want from me?”

“That...” The ghoul king’s was stuck for a bit, as if he didn’t know what to say. After a long while, he shyly pointed at his own forehead. “That....can you do it again?”

Lord Kunlun considered him a long time. So long that the youth became restless and anxious, but Lord Kunlun suddenly reached out and held his jaw. This time, he tenderly kissed the youth’s lips and gently held the ghoul king’s hand, letting his shapely fingers clench tight that ever shining soul fire.

Lord Kunlun seemed to be distracted, but also deeply contemplative. After a while, he sighed and said, “I have all the great mountains and lakes of the world, but now I think about it, it’s just a bunch of crumbled stones and wild waters. In all I have about me, probably only my heart’s affection is worth something. You want it? Take it.”

The young ghoul king had a revelation. Now he knew what he deeply desired but couldn’t articulate was called “heart’s affection”. Just two words, but they were enough to devastate a life.

Ghouls are not alive, but in that flash of time, it was as if he heard his own non-existent heartbeat.　　

“And this. If you like it, then keep it.” Lord Kunlun patted the back of his hand. “My blood has become its filament, my body its base, only my soul’s spirit remains guard here and there’s no point in having it back. That sinew I gave you last time. Do you still have it?”　

The youth nodded quickly.

“Take it out and let me see,” Kunlun said mildly.

The ghoul king ripped opened his wildman’s clothes and took the sinew out from somewhere close to him.

“I emerged of the Kunlun mountain. And at an earlier age, could be traced to Pangu’s Axe.” Lord Kunlun gently touched the body part he had ripped from himself, as if he had forgotten that kind of excruciating pain. He said evenly, “My body is connected with the earth’s pulse through Heavenly Pillar of Kunlun. A single tremor and the world turns upside down.”

In speaking, he suddenly made a series of complicated signs with his hand and the sinew transformed into a beam of bright light that followed his finger and entered the ghoul king’s forehead. At that moment, the youth felt he heard the sounds of the world transforming as ten thousand mountains rose into the sky.

It was as if he had reached an indescribable summit with a view of everything below. He could clearly see every mountain stream, flowing continuously, glorious and turbulent.

Lord Kunlun’s voice was within them, neither loud nor forceful, but penetrating all. “From now on the ten thousand mountains heed your command. Though you cannot be rift of your ghoulish heritage, you are now at least half divine and half ghoul. From now you are free to travel through all three realms. I no longer care.”

The youth interrupted, “I’m not going!” After a moment, he added, hesitant, “You’re here. I don’t want to go anywhere else.”

“I can’t be here long,” Kunlun said, turning his head, looking up at the endless towering waterfall of Wongchuang. “I’m just one part of the whole being. I can’t leave and I couldn’t have stayed long. Lately, I feel my days are coming to a close.”

The youthful ghoul king asked worriedly, “What days? Where are you going?”

“Not going anywhere. I’m going to die,” Kunlun said peacefully.

“That’s impossible. How can a god die?”

“Even gods die. Pangu, Fushi, Nuwa, Shennong, aren’t they all dead?” Kunlun said. “Now it’s my turn.”

Hearing this, the youthful ghoul king was struck dumb for a moment, then his expression quickly turned terrible. “If there’s no Great Seal, if you hadn’t sealed the Four Hallows for Nuwa, if you hadn’t turned into the Lamp of Souls’ Guard, does that mean you don’t have to die? Then I’ll chop down this tree and break through this damned Seal!”

Sometimes the young king was like a rolly-polly wolf pup with fluffy fur that looked like a puppy and seemed to share the same habits. Pet him and he would obediently roll on the floor and expose his belly, but he still had sharp teeth in his jaws. A bit of carelessness and his bite would draw blood.

Lord Kunlun was already used to it and didn’t mind. He lifted his hand and put it on his head, saying in a low voice, “Not die? To live forever...child, even though a hollow rock will not decay, it’s still a rock. Do you understand? Shennong had said that there’s no divinity without death and destruction. I always thought he was speaking nonsense. It’s not until now I understand a little.”

The ghoul king slapped away his hand, unwilling to understand what he understood. “Don’t you dare!”

Lord Kunlun opened his hand. His hand suddenly seemed a little transparent. Then enraged youth, shocked, grabbed and squeezed that hand, nervously turning it over in his palm as if this was the only way to be sure that he was still here. He insisted, “What if I chopped down the Tree of Virtues?”

Lord Kunlun chuckled. “You’ve inherited the sovereign rights of the god of the mountains, you can even cut down the sacred wood in the Profane Place where the gods avoid, what’s the Tree of Virtues compared to that?”　

The ghoul king continued, “Then I can cleave open the Great Seal, split the rotten rock that woman left behind.”

Kunlun smiled wryly. ”You can, but I will probably die sooner.”

“I can even,” Ghoul King’s paused, then continued malevolently, “I can even kill everyone in the world. I can slaughter every living thing, so the mountains will never turn green, waters never flow, corpses cover the earth, and no man lives for a thousand miles.”

Lord Kunlun lifted an eyebrow, nonplussed. “Oh really, so powerful?”

The ghoul king squeezed his hand. “Don’t you dare die. I can do anything. I will do anything!”

“Shennong-Shi was also right about one thing,” Lord Kunlun became stern, looking at him coldly. ”I should’ve killed you long ago to prevent a catastrophe.”

The youth stubbornly pursed his lips and glared at him.

But suddenly Lord Kunlun smiled, as gentle as the passing of winter, the first breaking of the ice, reflecting green flowing water. “Since Shennong-Shi borrowed the soul fire from my shoulder...No, since the war between Gods and Monsters, Nuwa’s making of man, even since Pangu opened the sky, these things have been destined. It is destined that I, at this moment, in this place, die. Even if you re-close earth and sky, it will just mean my death will be meaningless, but it won’t stop anything.”

“You don’t understand.” The handsome god of the mountains used a rare patient and gentle voice. “What is called fate is not what the gods mutter as the doom of all. Actually there’s nothing secretly binding you. It’s that at a certain moment, though you know there are innumerable choices, the sky and the world before you, you’ll always choose one particular path....I didn’t know these things when I was young either. But perhaps you’ll understand when you grow up more.”

Finally the youthful ghoul king had no answer. For the first time he realised his own helplessness. All his powers are to kill, destroy, and to devour. He could really cut through everything in the world, the living, the dead; his birth had been a miracle, an unleashed terror for both ghouls and gods, but what’s the use？

He still couldn’t make the one he liked most stay. 　

Lord Kunlun saw the murderous youth in front of him become more and more depressed. Since he had not yet learned how to hide or repress his emotions, after a moment appearing dazed, he suddenly wailed aloud and started crying.

Lord Quinlun looked at him almost pityingly and rued he wouldn’t be able to see a young beauty become a great beauty.

Then five thousand years passed in the flash of an eye, seasons turned and things and people changed.

Zhao Yunlan released the rock of the Great Seal as if he had been shocked, suddenly there was someone behind him. That person chuckled. Before Zhao Yunlan turned, he had already the Whip of Souls’ Guard in hand. He took two steps backward. With his back against the rock of the Great Seal he watched warily Ghoulmien ten steps away.

Ghoulmien considered him, shook his head slightly. His fake ghoulish mien showed a smile. “I hear all of Nuwa’s memory is inside. What did you end up seeing?”

Zhao Yunlan laughed coldly, not quite emotionally recovered. “Why the f*ck would I tell you?” he asked harshly.

Ghoulmien sauntered in front of him and mimicked him to reach out and touch the Great Seal Stone. “Five thousand years ago, we were twin-born ghoul-kings, but it was him who earned your liking, Lord Kunlun. Five thousand years later, one of us is inside, one’s outside, one sits in jail, the other is the jailer.”

The corner of Ghoulmien’s uplifted mouth dropped. Then he turned, lowered his voice, and said each word deliberately, “But the Great Seal is no more, that’s why I can enter and leave at will-- at the end, everything dies. You, Lord Kunlun, if not if my foolish brother ambushed you and imprisoned your soul’s spirit and forced you into cycle of reincarnations as a a mere mortal, you would’ve have disappeared like the other elder gods. Was Shennong a fool? Everything that’s forced in the world cannot last. Whatever lasts can only die.”

In saying, he extended a cold finger and lightly touched Zhao Yunlan’s cheek, then sighed as if he was groaning. “But Death itself had been lit by your soul fire and created us..things..neither living nor dead. Isn’t this cosmic irony?”

Zhao Yunlan frowned and bent his head slightly, avoiding the touch. What did happen with his soul fire? So far he had heard quite a number of versions. It’s impossible to know which’s real.

So he asked. “Didn’t Shennong borrow my soul fire? Why would it appear in the Profane Place. And why do you say Death itself was set alight by me?”

Ghoulmien started, his fake mask was momentarily blank, as if he couldn’t understand what Zhao Yunlan was asking. Suddenly, he roared in laughter. “Hahahaha. I thought he was so innocent, acting the saint, and yet...”

His words stopped abruptly because the Wraith-cleaving blade was cutting down, the wind from the motion lethal enough to cut him in half. Ghoulmien flew aside to avoid it and even Zhao Yulan had to take a step back.

Zhao Yunlan: “Shen Wei?”

Shen Wei reached out to catch him. “You must be crazy to come here alone!”

But before he reached Zhao Yunlun, Ghoulmien suddenly appeared and caught Shen Wei’s elbow, transformed into a mass of black smoke, and crashed hard into Zhao Yunlan which immobilized the long whip in his hand.

Then Ghoulmien transformed into countless furls of black smoke, wrapping Zhao Yunlun from head to foot, all the while laughing loudly.

But in the next moment, his laughter suddenly stopped. The black smoke cleared and resolved into Ghoulmien. There was no one else.

Ghoulmien paused, seemingly also confused. He growled, “Who took him?Who?”

-=-=

Notes:

I actually read “No-Place” in my head for literal translation “Land of Disrespect” but thought that was taking too much obscure liberty with the translation, so the Profane Place it is, as an opposition to respect/sacred things. “Land of the Profane” is too much. “Land of Profanity” is too hilarious.

Literal for 真心: “true heart” or “true-hearted” for sincerity of affection. Perhaps “heart’s truth” would work as well....I’m kind of torn. I have “heart’s affection” because it’s usually used directed toward someone else.

It’s Lord Kunlun or Kunlun depending on whether original text kept the honorific. I didn’t capitalize the ghoul king because I want to keep the idea that the text seems to refer to the ghoul king as a “type* rather than an individual, hence all the “young” when he was a child “youthful” when he’s grown up, directly translating from the text.

Lamp of Souls’ Guard and Whip of Souls’ Guard is chosen because of “Guardian” and also because it’s more euphonic than some other choices.

Ghoulmien (Ghoul-mien) actually transliterates almost perfectly into 鬼面 in both sound and meaning. Linguistic coincidences :DDD

That flashback lollipop scene is actually probably more NSFW than this time travel flashback. Kudos to Everyone.

#Guardian 鎮魂 #shen wei #zhao yunlan #translation #i'm going to write a fic soon #ask me anything #this took about as long as writing #will translate specific requests #random edits over the day

49 notes · View notes