#crown prince of wuyong

[mooncakebun]

Work in progress 🫠

Wuyong 5 💔

[yeonslayjun]

I knew that both the crown princes were the same but the resemblance the events that followed everything is too TOO UNCANNY it's like I'm re-reading book 2 with a few charcters twists

Idk how to feel about this I pity him BUT what he did was NOT OKAY

[c-noveladdict]

Jun Wu? Crown Prince of WuYong ? Bai Wuxiang? what the hell!

👆 that's what I was like after I was done reading the book. Didn't the crown Prince become a mortal? how did he become Jun Wu? Are bai Wuxiang and Jun Wu the same person - like one body? If one is god how the other is a supreme ghost? If Jun Wu and Bai Wuxiang are same how did JW kill BWX? After racking my poor brain this is what I understand.

Jun Wu

After the banishment, the crown Prince cultivate to be a god again. After becoming a god. He killed all the heavenly officials and went to hide in mortal realm. While in mortal realm he was still a god. He wasn't banished.

After some centuries, after new officials are appointed he changed his face, forged an identity and faked an ascension. Slowly he established himself as the leader. After his position was stable he killed all those officials who were even slightly suspicious of him or his abnormal ascension ( must be abnormal since he faked it. And there must be some officials who can tell a real from fake.). And if anyone seemed to be threatening his position he either killed faking an accident or did something to make them go in seclusion ( remember all those immortal who went into seclusion into a mountain or something and never come out.). Which is why not manny gods knew about him anything. Giving him a powerful mysterious persona and cementing his status as the solo master of heaven.

Bai Wuxiang

First thing I would like to explain why Bai Wuxiang was born. Even though Jun Wu established himself as a god, he couldn't let go of his hate, so he went to the Klin to vent. In early the days, due to his deep resentment and all those tormented souls that he sacrificed, the Klin gave birth to many twisted and terrible creatures.

[Guoshi‌ ‌continued,‌ ‌“The‌ ‌him‌ ‌now‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌number‌ ‌one‌ ‌martial‌ ‌god‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌realm,‌ ‌looking‌ ‌glorious‌ ‌and‌ ‌scintillating‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌surface.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌in‌ ‌his‌ ‌heart,‌ ‌an‌ ‌infinite‌ ‌darkness‌ ‌is‌ suppressed‌ ‌deep‌ ‌within.‌ ‌Resentment,‌ ‌pain,‌ ‌anger,‌ ‌hatred...‌ ‌those‌ ‌things‌ ‌needed‌ ‌release.‌ ‌Only‌ ‌then‌ ‌could‌ ‌he‌ ‌maintain‌ ‌balance‌ ‌within‌ ‌himself‌ ‌and‌ ‌continue‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌the‌ ‌number‌ ‌one‌ ‌martial‌ ‌god‌ ‌who‌ ‌ruled‌ ‌all‌ ‌three‌ ‌realms‌ ‌without‌ ‌murdering‌ ‌everything.”‌ ‌ ‌] ch219

[“The‌ ‌once‌ ‌Kingdom‌ ‌of‌ ‌WuYong‌ ‌had‌ ‌been‌ ‌turned‌ ‌into‌ ‌hell,‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌Kiln‌ ‌was‌ ‌fed‌ ‌countless‌ ‌number‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌living‌ ‌and‌ ‌three‌ ‌former‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials,‌ ‌so‌ ‌it‌ ‌already‌ ‌recognized‌ ‌him‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌master.‌ ‌Thus,‌ ‌he‌ ‌would‌ ‌regularly‌ ‌release‌ ‌those‌ ‌dark‌ ‌emotions‌ ‌within‌ ‌the‌ ‌Kiln,‌ ‌using‌ ‌the‌ ‌millions‌ ‌of‌ ‌deceased‌ ‌souls‌ ‌of‌ ‌WuYong‌ ‌as‌ ‌kindle‌ ‌to‌ ‌start‌ ‌the‌ ‌flames‌ ‌of‌ ‌karma,‌ ‌and‌ ‌forged‌ ‌many‌ ‌malicious‌ ‌things.”‌ ‌] ch219

Those creatures weren't a part of Jun Wu's soul. They were the spirits( or mash up of many spirits. eww!) stuck in the Klin, who get their own forms after being fed on Jun Wu's raw emotions and power. Thousand years of burning in The Klin probably robbed them of their own memory or personality. So even if some of those had their own consciousness they could only imitate Jun Wu's most raw emotions at the time of their creation process.

For example Reverend of Empty Word, who was probably born due to Jun Wu's envy and intolerance of other's happiness while he was miserable, could only spent eternity making others miserable - even though he has his own consciousness and already broke away from Jun Wu.

Another such example is the Ghost of Yi Nian Bridge. A mindless clone who appeared covered in blood and fire with hundreds of weapons stabbed in his body, ask only three questions "where is this?" "Who am I?" "What will you do now?". It was probably due to the crown Prince's confusion and despair when he was cursed and stabbed after the fall of heaven crossing bridge.

So Bai Wuxiang, who was created by JW's most violent rage, deepest desire to prove himself right and darkest obsession with Xie Lian, was also completely and totally obsessed with XL and hell bent on turning him into 2nd BWX to validate his own existence .

BWX was created using JW's most darkest and deepest emotions. Hence, without going through the same rituals as Hua Cheng or He Xuan he was born a supreme . He was Jun Wu 's most advanced clone. He was definitely the most powerful and has his own consciousness unlike other clones. He knew he was a part of Jun Wu which is why he always mocked Xie Lian's belief in Jun Wu. But unlike Reverend of Empty Words, Jun Wu has complete control over BWX. Basically Jun Wu in a different body, sort of like a possession without involving soul.

Later when Bai Wuxiang almost killed XL (book4) and Jun Wu defeated him because he really didn't want to kill XL. (Because in his own twisted way he loved Xl. ) it was ok for JW, since they weren't of same soul. But see? defeated , not killed. Jun Wu only destroyed his body. Probably didn't want to destroy such a good piece to control xl through fear. Later Bai Wuxiang tricked Lang Ying and gain another body, but only after xl's ascension. It's clear JW was still controlling BWX and using him to play mind game with XL

Edit:

[“It’s‌ ‌when‌ ‌a‌ ‌person’s‌ ‌soul‌ ‌is‌ ‌split‌ ‌into‌ ‌half,‌ ‌or‌ ‌broken‌ ‌into‌ ‌two‌ ‌sides.‌ ‌Each‌ ‌half‌ ‌has‌ ‌its‌ ‌own‌ ‌memories,‌ ‌and‌ ‌their‌ ‌personalities‌ ‌and‌ ‌skills‌ ‌would‌ ‌be‌ ‌different‌ ‌too.‌ ‌Perhaps‌ ‌even‌ ‌the‌ ‌appearance‌ ‌could‌ ‌be‌ ‌different‌ ‌as‌ ‌well...”‌ ‌] ch208

I was rereading tgcf and discovered this passage in ch 208. I think it seems more plausible that JW and BWX are split souls. That way BWX controls the klin and mount tonglu, and inadvertently the ghost world, while jw controls the heaven and mortal world . So all the realms will be in his grasp.

[shamelesshitposter]

I swear there's nothing Won't grow back again I swear there's nothing Come under my wings

[gug342]

!TGCF SPOILERS!

Stubborn,‌ ‌capricious,‌ ‌disobeying‌ ‌of‌ ‌my‌ ‌every‌ ‌word!‌ You‌ ‌won’t‌ ‌change,‌ ‌will‌ ‌you?‌

WILL‌ ‌YOU‌ ‌CHANGE?‌ ‌WILL‌ ‌YOU‌ ‌CHANGE?‌ ‌WILL‌ ‌YOU‌ ‌CHANGE??

EVEN‌ ‌IF‌ ‌IT’S‌ ‌PAINFUL‌ ‌I‌ ‌WON’T‌ ‌CHANGE,‌ ‌EVEN‌ ‌IF‌ ‌I‌ ‌DIE‌ ‌I‌ ‌WON’T‌ ‌CHANGE,‌ ‌I‌ ‌WILL‌ ‌NEVER‌ ‌CHANGE!!!

[morethanwonderful]

Which MXTX Character do You Most Want to Study Like a Little Bug?

Full Bracket

(Bonus match theme: Somebody put that guy under a mountain)

[jayktoralldaylong]

Bai Wuxiang kins are Xie Lian kins spice. They are the Xie Lian kins that would 100% choose revenge and stick with it.

[diedikind]

the first chapter of TGCF “spoils” the entire novel 

The two stories presented in the first chapter / prologue of tgcf act as miniatures of the larger story/theme.

The first story, “Upon the Grand Avenue of Divine Might, A Fleeting Glimpse of Beauty”:

“At the Heavenly Ceremonial Procession, the God-Pleasing Warrior wore a golden mask. Dressed in glamorous attire and with a sacred sword in hand, he played the role of the subduer of evil, the number one martial god for the past thousand years: the Heavenly Emperor, Jun Wu.”

Here it’s hinted that Jun Wu wears a mask but more importantly Xie Lian was “supposed” to become Jun Wu. In the revised version he has the nickname “Little Jun Wu”. Interpreting the idea of a mask in two ways:

Bai Wuxiang wears a physical mask but 

Jun Wu also wears a metaphorical mask insofar as he hides his true identity under three layers:  A. His literal identity as evidenced by “After blood-washing the heavens, he returned to the mortal realm, patiently waited for a while, crafted a new name, and fabricated a new identity. As a 'human,' he 'ascended' once again. All the former divine priests of the heavens perished, leaving no one to know who he truly was, nor did anyone know what he was like before. Now, the widely circulated tales of the ‘Heavenly Martial Emperor'—his origins, anecdotes, amusing stories, appearance, temperament... all are false, intricately woven lies by him!" B. His hatred / what he truly thinks or feels about the common people and the world as evidenced by: “Now, he is the number one Martial God of the heavens, radiant and glorious on the surface. Yet within his heart, he harbors boundless darkness. Resentment, pain, anger, hatred... these emotions need to be released. Only by doing so can he maintain his equilibrium, continuing as the leading Martial God overseeing the Three Realms, instead of embarking on a massacre.” This layer of his mask only comes off after the final battle: 【As the number one Martial God of the Three Realms, Jun Wu's appearance and demeanor are always impeccable, pristine. However, now, stripped of all his aura, Xie Lian realizes that even without the three faces, his complexion is too pale. His features are too sharp and cold, with slight darkness under his eyes, casting an indescribably gloomy air, far from the gentle demeanor presented under the halo of light. But now, he seems more alive, albeit in a languid state.】 C. His dream/idealism. This is the most important layer in my opinion because it relates to the theme of the novel. Jun Wu was in effect “forced” to give up on his dream/idealism / the third path after hitting the wall that is reality. I mentioned in another meta that the crown prince of Wuyong’s vassals accused him of changing and forgetting his original intentions, suggesting that in the pursuit of his dreams, he had deviated from his path, gradually breaking his principles and the basic decency of being human, losing his humanity in his quest to become a god. This criticism was what executed (Zhu) his heart (Xin) rather than anything that hurt his body physically, which relates to the meaning of 杀人诛心 (sha ren zhu xin). By abandoning his own values he conformed to the expectations of society, becoming the God-Pleasing Warrior.

Xie Lian is different from Jun Wu in all these ways. 

He does not accept Bai Wuxiang’s physical mask and refuses to come to his side

A. After 800s years he still lives as Xie Lian. He tells Yin Yu: "Look at me, I've also managed to live up to now with quite a thick skin." He lives in his own skin and own body and does not hide behind a false identity out of shame. B. He does not construct a grandiose image of holiness.  C. He does not give up on his dream/idealism. 

Xie Lian is unlike Jun Wu in all the ways that matter, and Chapter 1 / the prologue tells us this.

【People only had time to glimpse a bird-like white shadow soaring against the sky, before the Crown Prince, holding the child, safely landed on the ground. The golden mask fell off, revealing the young and handsome face hidden behind it.】

The mask fell off to reveal his true self. He is not Jun Wu. He will not follow in his footsteps. 

Why did the mask fall off? Because he went to save Hua Cheng. In other words, he did not become the second White-Clothed Calamity because: 

Intrinsically, he is the type of person who would save the falling child. He is the type of person who would give the common people one last chance by postponing his revenge for three days. He is the type of person who would wait for someone like the bamboo hat guy, the type of person who would search for a flower in a city of ruin, who would hold on to his idealism despite a world that punishes him so.

Extrinsically, people like Hua Cheng and the bamboo hat guy played an important role 

The second story, “At Yinian Bridge, Demon and Immortal Meet”:

【Legend has it, to the south of the Yellow River, there exists a bridge named “Yinian Bridge,” haunted for years by a ghost.

This ghost is terrifying: clad in tattered armor, stepping on flames of karma, its body covered in fresh blood and pierced by swords and arrows. With each step, it leaves behind a trail of blood and fire. Every few years, it would suddenly appear at night, wandering at the bridge’s end, blocking passersby to ask three questions:

“What place is this?”

“Who am I?”

“What should be done?”】

The ghost at Yinian bridge is a symbolic representation of the crown prince of Wuyong. The bridge, the armour, the flames, having been pierced by swords — everything lines up perfectly. Xie Lian only had a chance to answer the first question before they start fighting, but I think the other two are also important. 

“Who am I?” Again, Jun Wu has lost his sense of self hidden beneath the mask. He does not know what he stands for.

“What should be done?” The dichotomy and cognitive dissonance have driven him crazy. He does not know whether he can still turn back after the choice he’s made. 

That said, Xie Lian defeats the ghost at Yinian Bridge. This foreshadows that he will defeat Jun Wu at the end of the novel. 

If you read this from a succession lens it also works, the good ol’ conflict about boys either having to kill their fathers or vowing to never become their parents; it’s portrayed over and over again in modern media such as Daenerys Targaryen saying “I am not my father” but going mad in the end of Game of Thrones anyway or Siobhan Roy growing into her mother in Succession. The trope usually ends in tragedy but TGCF is a novel about dreams and idealism and defeating your fate. 

Anyhow, this is my two cents — that the first chapter of TGCF sorta-kinda-if-you-squint-hard-enough “spoils” the entire novel. 

[mxtxfanatic]

Hua Cheng and He Xuan: The Would-Be Gods

Jun Wu continued, “To become a ‘Supreme’, one must have experienced an unimaginable suffering and pain. One either ascends from such calamities or are doomed to the depths of hell, never to return. The two Supreme Demon Kings that emerged from Mount TongLu, Black Water and Hua Cheng, are both far more terrifying than you think.”

—Chapt. 56: In Search of the Past; Retracing Steps to Mount TaiCang (Part One)

This quote is interesting in how it links being a Supreme inseparably from being a god, but what I find most fascinating is what Jun Wu doesn’t/can’t mention: that Supremes are a direct result of the corruption of the heavens.

Both Hua Cheng and He Xuan had their path to godhood snatched by the corruption of the heavens, but their trajectory is almost completely oppositional. Both had earned godhood for their actions fighting evil in defense of the weak. Hua Cheng gave up an eye to forge his weapon in order to save a group of stray humans who had wandered into the kiln, whereas He Xuan fought his way into the homes of the corrupt gentry who had terrorized his hometown and died after killing every last evildoer. But instead of ascending, as was their right, He Xuan has his godhood stolen by Shi Wudu under the eyes of the Heavenly Emperor, and Hua Cheng summarily rejects his ascension due to having previously witnessed the mistreatment of Xie Lian by multiple heavenly officials. Because their paths to the heavens were tainted, the two Supremes were “doomed to the depths of hell,” instead, ironically creating domains that ran much more fairly than the heavens they rejected/were rejected from.

At the same time, the crown prince of Wuyong ascends as a powerful god before falling to the machinations of the other gods and descending into White No-Face. However, where the previous two Supremes ultimately rejected the heavens of their own wills and accepted themselves as demon kings, White No-Face still wanted the power and adoration of being a god. Thus, Jun Wu ends up corrupting the heavens into a place that harbors and encourages evil in direct contrast to the domains of the Supremes serving as refuges.

[huaenrose]

⚠️ TGCF SPOILERS, BOOK 5.

to >me<, the main reason jun wu never confronted yushi huang was not a strategy to keep his powers by his side, but fear of her story. just as the story of the prince of wuyong had similarities with the story of the crown prince who pleased the gods, so did the story of the princess who slit her throat, and she could, at any moment, remind xie lian of who he really was, or, worse, remind jun wu himself of who he was. thus, she was really terrifying to be recognize as an opponent, because it would also imply admitting that even if he was successful in projecting himself into xie lian, there would always be someone who would choose differently under his circumstances proving that not everyone is like him — another body in the abyss with heart in paradise.

[rapha-reads]

1/3 of the way through TGCF volume 5, we're exploring Mount Tonglu, a few remarks.

There's something about Xie Lan's cooking. I don't know what, but it's definitely not that he's a bad cook. There's intent behind his dishes potions. In any case, he always knows more than he lets on, even being the narrative voice, he doesn't narrate exactly what he thinks or knows. So his cooking definitely serves a purpose.

E'ming. That scimitar. That's not just a sentient weapon, isn't it? Either it's an actual person. Or, my favourite theory, it's a part of Hua Cheng, some part of himself that he cut out and that's why he's so harsh with it, and that's why it likes Xie Lian so much.

... So odds on Hua Cheng being the lost Eminent Crown Prince of that very ancient Kingdom of Wuyong whose story was the inspiration for young Xie Lian, who in turn saved that same lost prince who in turn got inspired by his savior to become the best of the best...?

Listen, Hua Cheng knows a lot. He knows everything. He's an encyclopedia. That's weird. And these two are just so entangled in each other, who knows if it didn't start before it even started. I understand myself.

No, wait! The Eminent Crown Prince of Wuyong is White-something Calamity, the entity that destroyed Xianle, and that appeared to Xie Lian wearing his own face! That would make so much more narrative sense, given the second mural discovered depicting the Crown Prince dreaming of his kingdom engulfed in flames, the same way Xie Lian saw his own kingdom destroyed (metaphorically, and then literally when they burned his temples). Would explain why White-fella, after turning into a ghost, was so full of resentment and especially hated Xie Lian.

Don't tell if I'm wrong or right, I'll end up discovering what's up as I keep reading.

And I haven't figured out exactly what's up with Jun Wu, but he's weird too. Something fishy there.

Oh, and now there's those two ghosts in black and white who killed thousands of ghosts. This mountain is crowded as hell.

[mooncakebun]

Very quick very self indulgent #junmei sketchy after work cuz lately I’ve been having a lot of feelings for them 🥲

I just wanted to see young Crown Prince of Wuyong getting comforted by MNQ after the fall of the Kingdom… I apologize it truly is self-indulgent but just had this picture in my mind and wanted to get it out… 🥲

[yeonslayjun]

I CALLED IT HAH

[eulaties]

several parallels in tgcf that i think are interesting!

obvious but still worth mentioning: crown prince of wuyong & crown prince of xianle (fall from grace, loss of innocence, and being tormented by the people they failed)

mei nianqing & fangxin guoshi (mentor figures who tried to protect their disciples only for everything to end in tragedy)

feng xin & qi rong (unexpected fatherhood)

hong hong'er, ban yue, & lang qianqiu (greatly impacted by xie lian's presence in their childhood)

mu qing & qi rong (never wanted or trusted by the people around them)

shi wudu & he xuan (chose to swap fates for their own selfish reasons)

wu ming & pei su (forced to see their loved ones experience eternal suffering, which caused them to disguise themselves and forfeit their morals in order to take on their burdens)

xie lian & yin yu (left alone without a purpose after losing their godhood; the appearance of hua cheng at their lowest points unknowingly changed their fates)

quan yizhen & bai jing (eternally devoted to the people they loved to the point where it harmed them)

yushi huang & shi qingxuan (suffered immensely but still maintained their compassionate natures after everything they went through)

[fierrochase-falafel]

A moment later, it was dead silent within the darkness, and Xie Lian repeated with certainty, “You are the Crown Prince of Wuyong.”

Finally, White No-Face was no longer silent.

He lunged towards Xie Lian, his palm blasts sharp and powerful, and this time, it was Xie Lian’s turn to dodge. He leapt up, and asked as he dodged, “Your Highness, I’ve got a question for you. How come you never show your true face to anyone?”

White No-Face said darkly, “Your Highness, I’m warning you not to address me with that title.”

“You call me ‘Your Highness’, so why can’t I address you the same?” Xie Lian rebuked. “You won’t answer, so I’ll have to guess myself. There are only two reasons why you don’t want anyone seeing your true face. Either you are someone I know, or someone I don’t know, but once I see your real face I could easily figure out who you are. Or, your true appearance is exceedingly ugly, so ugly you can’t stand it yourself!”

Warning for major spoilers in this post! We're back with post 10 of Xie Lian being the funniest mf when he confronts White No-Face at the beginning of book 5, and if there's 1 thing I love, it's a good "fun mocking ramble while dodging an angry loser".

I think it's really interesting how book 4 ends after so much pain, so much...eventfulness of Bai Wuxiang. The impression you're left with of him is that he is powerful and dangerous even though Xie Lian rejects his philosophy and shows huge personal growth. We grow to really respect Xie Lian's character development without losing that fearful reverence for Bai Wuxiang. Book 5 though, from the get-go, is set on tearing down Bai Wuxiang's terrifying reputation built up over 4 books. At the end of book 3, Xie Lian is absolutely terrified at the sight of the cry-smiling mask, but the minute we get back to the present-time, Xie Lian gets over his terror pretty fast and just lies on the floor pretending Bai Wuxiang doesn't exist. In the first chapter of book 5 itself, Xie Lian gets to expose his former crown princehood- and when he literally just addresses Bai Wuxiang by the same title as Bai Wuxiang does for him, the guy loses it! Like...for such a powerful man, you can't help but feel how much he's being undermined here. He's always had the upper hand over Xie Lian and here they are, in his territory the Kiln, and his control over Xie Lian has somehow decreased in comparison to all their prior encounters!

It's a culmination of Xie Lian choosing to grow and make peace with his own former insecurities (unlike a certain other white-clothed calamity) and the power of hualian being in gay love that bring this about, I feel. That's what really gets the edge over Bai Wuxiang. Because it was 1 thing when Xie Lian went on with his life still terrified of Bai Wuxiang, having changed and grown and become stronger but scared of what Bai Wuxiang represents as to who he could be- who he WAS. Before he met Hua Cheng, Xie Lian was alone and unlucky and nobody cared for him in any way, and he was cool with assuming he didn't deserve to be cared for because of his actions. Hua Cheng's devotion to him is perhaps the 1 thing that makes him feel that he is worth more, that he doesn't have to atone the way he's been trying to and that he IS better than Bai Wuxiang.

In book 3, Hua Cheng says, "I can swear, you are you. You're not anyone else." Even if Xie Lian may not fully believe Hua Cheng when he reiterates that they are different people, Hua Cheng still goes out of his way to stress that Xie Lian is a person who himself is worth it. If Hua Cheng really sees that in him, maybe he is different to the Crown Prince of Wuyong in the ways that matter after all. So when he's having the same mask pressed onto him by White No-Face, it doesn't make a difference! He doesn't lose his mind in any way, and says all of this to White No-Face WHILE the mask is being forced on him (remember how the mask in book 4 correlated consistently with Xie Lian's worst days, like appearing on him right when he decided to genocide Yong'an? Xie Lian changes this and takes control of the mask!).

He, in the cry-smiling mask, is able to turn the tables on Bai Wuxiang because he is actively different to him, and he KNOWS it. Hua Cheng makes sure he knows it when he doubts himself, giving Xie Lian the confidence he needs to finally emotionally overcome Bai Wuxiang (the same way he gives Xie Lian the spiritual power needed to break his shackles! perfect symbolism). This is the ultimate win I feel Xie Lian gets over him, because of both himself and Hua Cheng! The rest of the book is Xie Lian solidifying this win over a man who keeps being subverted, keeps being confounded ever since book 4 by Xie Lian's refusal to do what he did.

Further point I would like to make about Xie Lian calling Bai Wuxiang potentially really ugly- which, A) Burn?!?!?! And B, got me thinking that him reacting so violently to that is also kind-of a sign of him having not made peace with his former Crown Prince-hood. I'm sure he was praised for being handsome as a Crown Prince the way Xie Lian was, and never got over the fact that he fell so far from his once glorious status. The idea of being ugly under the mask now makes him feel even more defensive of his own failings and the idea that under the mask, internally, he might not be as good/right as he wanted to be and that this is his own fault- because Xie Lian doesn't wear a mask, doesn't care about being called ugly because something so shallow (even though it's perfectly valid to care about your appearance at all) makes no huge difference to his self-perception. He's just doing his best out here no matter what. By choice. Jun Wu could've had that, but he chose not to out of self-pity eclipsing his desire to be, in some sense of the word, a good person, and it kills him to know that.

I think the fact that this 1 funny exchange actually reveals an awful lot about the characters really says something about the quality of MXTX's narrative placement as well as intricacies in dialogue that make reading TGCF so...beautiful.

[morethanwonderful]

Which MXTX Character do You Most Want to Study Like a Little Bug?

Full Bracket

(Bonus match theme: Oooh you wanna be the main character's dad so bad)