#demonic cultivation took away EVERYTHING he cared about

[greentrickster]

chaoticgoodcryptid (from AO3) binghe getting the love and therapy he deserves is always SO good!!! also, YQY x TLJ? I've never considered it before but yeahhhhboi! this version of events is so beautiful, love to see them healing and also venting!! they usually keep all their trauma and messy feelings inside of them, so it's nice to see them doing the equivalent of yelling cathartically/ going to a pottery-breaking room hahaha wonder how they'd be like when they get into a relationship though haha, how would YQY respond to TLJ's shamelessness?

Oh, good question! Thinking about it... hmmm, I think Yue Qingyuan would actually enjoy how shameless Tianlang-jun is. A very large amount of Yue Qingyuan's large problems come from poor communication (on the part of him and other people) and, while Tianlang-jun might hide some of how he's really feeling under a deluge of 8D 8D 8D!!!! at times, he doesn't ever seem to hide the base emotions very much. Like, he might use a cheerful demeanor to hide how much he's hurting, but if he's angry at you, you know, and you will know why because he'll tell you. Again, maybe in a slightly round-about way, but you'll know.

And I think Yue Qingyuan appreciates that, possibly more than he realizes. He loved Shen Jiu flaws and all, part of him likely always will, but neither of them were willing or felt able to talk to each other about their hurts or why they're angry. So having someone who's so in-your-face about his everything, it can probably be overwhelming at times, but it makes things easier long-run.

As well as this, both of them found that Life-Changing Field Trip they took in the Demon Realm very liberating in a lot of ways. Like you said, both of them finally got to vent and have a proper fight (multiple times), get to know each other as people, and get some time to just... be, away from sects and followers and anyone who would judge them for their behaviour. Or, at least, anyone whose opinions they actually care about (currently). It gave them time and opportunity to bleed a lot of the poison out of their wounds.

And this also means that they were with each other after the fighting and the poison bleeding happened, for that tired, worn stage that comes afterwards and leads to healing. Because they're all each other has to lean on at the moment, they've said all they need to say, and they still need to rely on each other to get back to Cang Qiong (and to their preferred sex). I think this is the part where the bonding really started, because the masks were finally and fully down, and they could properly get to know each other.

I like to think that Yue Qingyuan has a mean streak to him, from the days he had to survive in the street; the 'perfect older brother figure' image he presents does have a lot of truth to it, but he's had a lot of pressure on him to be perfect, with this necessity being enforced when he tried to rush with his sword, so I think there's more under there that he's been keeping to himself for years. And I think Tianlang-jun likes this aspect when he learns of it, due to both his demonic and M tendencies. Which I think would be a relief for Yue Qingyuan to experience, to finally drop that mask and have his full self be accepted out of hand (even if it is only because Tianlang-jun initially is still working through his massive load of justifiable trust issues regarding cultivators).

As for Yue Qingyuan, I think he enjoys parts of Tianlang-jun's shamelessness, especially when it comes to affection. He has some limits to what he's willing to do in public, but this man has been affection-starved for decades, and I think he'd enjoy having a partner as openly and ardently devoted as Tianlang-jun can be, and would be happy to be able to return that affection with just as much openness. I feel like Tianlang-jun's vibe when he's in love is some variation of, "Listen, I know first hand how strong you are, and that's really hot, but also let me spoil you like a pampered little miss sometimes, okay?" Yeah, it's embarrassing sometimes, and they probably have some arguments over how much is too much, but overall I think he enjoys having a partner who's so over the top and overt in his affections.

As for Tianlang-jun, Yue Qingyuan's probably pretty different from Su Xiyan (I tend to see her written as being something of a spitfire who takes no crap from anyone (which, good for her)), much quieter and steadier. Willing to push back or stand his ground (post Life-Changing Field Trip, anyways), but generally still giving off that perfect serene immortal cultivator vibe. Which makes it all the more fun that he's willing to drop the act when they're alone together and be more open with his emotions and frustrations. I imagine the level of trust he's willing to place is Tianlang-jun is also kind of heady, and that our demon emperor enjoys how intense and low-key obsessive Yue Qingyuan can be in his love.

I also like the idea that, once they're married, they take turns playing at trophy husband, depending on whose place they are. Both for fun, and for how they balance being the respective heads of the demon realm and Cang Qiong Sect. They aren't the head of the demon realm or Cang Qiong sect when at their husband's house, just the man who their husband married.

Also, they both have really massive bedrooms. Overtly because they're such important, powerful men. Actually because they both have so much cave-related trauma, including a certain amount of claustrophobia.

Also also, all this means that, at some point, Binghe's going to have to deal with the fact that Sect Boss Yue's his stepdad, and I think that's beautiful.

[bambooswordwielder]

My interpretation of Jiang Cheng || Why I think he mentally separates WWX from the Yiling Patriarch

Jiang Cheng as a character leans on two things:

1) He hates Wei Wuxian with a burning passion to the point that mentioning the man's name causes him to attack anyone who even vaguely resembles him

2) He secretly cares for Wei Wuxian and is depressed.

Jiang Cheng is a character which has experienced deep loss (His Parents, His sect and golden core at one point, and his own sister), most of which he usually connects to Wei Wuxian. Of course, we understand that majority of those things can't to be blamed on Wei Wuxian, but to Jiang Cheng, a teenage boy forced into the role of a Sect Leader and Semi-Parent of Jin Ling, it makes sense for him to blame someone who is connected to all those events, but also has so many things he never explained to Jiang Cheng.

Why does he not use Suibian anymore? Why does he keep pushing us all away? Why does he keep choosing others over his own Sect (Family)? Why did he have to help save Lan Wangji and cause the Wens to target Lotus Pier?

We as the viewers know the answers to these questions, Jiang Cheng does not at first.

To Jiang Cheng who is desperately trying to keep everything together, these just further cause him to wonder if Wei Wuxian even cares for him. Wei Wuxian of course had a lot going on at that point, but we must acknowledge that Jiang Cheng was suffering from the stress of losing his entire family and home and now the stress of being a child Sect Leader in a war where everyone was constantly trying to look down on him.

When Wei Wuxian chooses to side with the remaining Wens, we know it's for a good cause and that Wei Wuxian is in the right, but for Jiang Cheng who only just recently regained stability over his Sect (which was now filled with new untrained disciples that needed to relearn all of what the Sect lost in the Lotus Pier Massacre), this was just another lose.

Jiang Cheng had to effectively make the choice. Either 1) Side with the Wens and have the entire Cultuvation World's ire on the Jiang Sect or 2) Try to reason with Wei Wuxian and tell him this is none of his business. He chose the option which was politically correct, protect his home and Sect and try to remind Wei Wuxian that the Wen's fate weren't his business.

At the point Wei Wuxian defected, slowly from that day on, Wei Wuxian died in Jiang Cheng's mind and his hatred for the Yiling Patriarch grew until that was all he would think of when he imagined the name 'Wei Wuxian'.

This hatred is intensified when Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan both die, leaving Jin Ling an orphan, just like Jiang Cheng was all those years ago. Except Jin Ling was only a month old, never even getting the chance to truly know his parents.

After Wei Wuxian's death, Jiang Cheng is now effectively alone, alone to rule over a Sect and alone to raise his nephew. At this point Wei Wuxian is just another casualty to the war, a man who Jiang Cheng should've realised died during those 3 Months he was missing, should've realised that man who returned with Demonic Cultivation was the disgusting Yiling Patriarch and not the Wei Wuxian who he grew to know as his mischievous brother.

In Jiang Cheng's mind, Wei Wuxian was another victim to the Yiling Patriarch. When he raised Jin Ling, he taught him to hate the Yiling Patriarch, to hate the man who killed his parents and ruined the world, but rarely do I think he got to teach Jin Ling about his Uncle Wei Wuxian, the man who swam in their ponds to fish, the man who hide alcohol under the GusuLan's noses, the man who Jiang Cheng considered his brother.

I personally always interpreted his character as one who alwyas technically did the right thing. He focused on bringing his Sect back to it's former glory and worked hard to protect his remaining family from the things that took away his parents and siblings.

It's a sad conclusion that we never have a full out reconciliation scene between the two, never get them to return back to those good old days, but I always saw it like a former friendship ruined to the point you can't help but hate each other. You miss the old days, and always just wish you could return to them, but to reconcile would mean to confront everything... would mean to have to acknowledge your own wrongs... WWX and JC are slowly growing, perhaps they'll reconcile in the future, but for now Jiang Cheng has to learn to mourn the brother he lost in the war before he can consider talking with the Wei Wuxian of today.

[chouxtranslations]

Shizun 024 - Moon in the water

Wujian peak has a perfect professional record after establishment! 

Sect leader Lu was so happy he almost couldn’t tell left from right. Last time he had this much money in his account it was the reimbursement money and reward money that his grandpa traded for with his life. He didn’t want that kind of unexpected money and donated it all. 

This money was earned with his own skills, he can spend it! 

Lu Yunzhen thought that he could get rich through being a cultivator. Most of the work was by Mo Changkong, so if he split it properly Mo Changkong should get 60% while he and Jin Yunu got 20% each.

However, Jin Yunu said that skin painting demons have nothing to spend money on and turned down the secetleader’s offer. Mo Changkong insisted that everything he owns belonged to Shiziun and refused the money firmly. 

They also didn’t have an ID to open a bank account with. 

Seeing that everyone trusted him, Lu Yunzhen decided to put the money into an account for the household to be used for the sect’s daily expenses, and then sent some pocket money into the mobile wallets on their phones. 

Mo Changkong loved phones, especially the photo and gaming functions. Unfortunately his phone was too old and had lots of problems. 

On the way home, Lu Yunzhen saw an open mall and immediately dragged Mo Changkong in.  Extravagantly, he picked out the same phone as Jin Yunu and topped up the phone plan. Then he remembered that he didn’t have much clothes and needed more for cold weather, so they went into a chain store that he never dared to go into before. 

This store is super expensive, even a t shirt costs over 100 yuan! 

Lu Yunzhen extravagantly picked out a load of checkered button ups, long sleeve tees, jeans, vests, and coats and had Mo Changkong try them on. 

Mo Changkong let Shizun fuss over him without making a sound. He was fine wearing anything, as long as Shizun liked it…

The store was actually about to close. The sales girl saw that they were handsome and wanting to buy quite a bit so she decided to hold off. However, when she saw the clothes that Lu Yunzhen picked out…. She couldn’t hold back anymore. 

Look at this handsome young man, why does he have the fashion sense of a shut in?! Blue red and white checkered button ups, polos, old man vests, potato sack jackets with flower patterns?! 

She accidentally saw Mo Changkong’s figure which was even better than a models as he wasn’t that careful when changing. It was as if her heart had stepped on a marmot’s nest and wanted to screech. Don’t just do whatever you want just because you’re hot! This is a rare treasure and you’re about to be charged with murder! 

She finally walked up to Lu Yunzhen and offered to suggest some outfits. 

She had impeccable taste from her years at the job. WHen Mo Changkong stepped out in a form fitting shirt and joggers, everyone stared at him and couldn’t look away. Lu Yunzhen was shocked, his brain being filled with envy and a small sense of injustice. 

He wanted a body like that. 

Lu Yunzhen had capitulated in the face of the sales girl’s tastes and asked her to pick out 5 or 6 cold weather outfits. He also grabbed 2 androgynous sets for Jin Yunu, and then, remembering, grabbed 2 sets for himself. 

The sales girl was amazing and her clothes made him quite a bit more handsome. He was feeling very satisfied looking at his reflection. Some of the other girls working in the shop were whispering to each other while smiling at him and it made him feel like he was floating on clouds. 

Was he that handsome? 

Lu Yunzhen thanked the sales girl and took the pile of clothes to the cashier. 

The cashier left her chat, jogged over, and sincerely complimented him. “Gege, your boyfriend is so handsome.” 

Lu Yunzhen was dumbfounded. “Wha?” 

She continued with envy. “You two seem so close, coming out here when it’s so late. Your boyfriend seems so cool, but loves you so much and wears whatever you want. I wanted to get couples shirts with my boyfriend but he just complained the design was too childish…” 

After a moment, Lu Yunzhen thought about it from the cashier’s point of view and realized… this scene really seemed off… 

Two young men went to the mall, one picking out the clothes while the other put them on. The former being massively excited and the latter being completely obedient… That seems to be the default setting for girlfriends picking stuff out for their men? 

This misunderstanding is super awkward! 

Lu Yunzhen desperately tried to think up an explanation… 

“Don’t speak nonsense.” Mo Changkong immediately walked over after overhearing and cut in sternly. “I won’t have that kind of dirty thoughts about men, and I definitely won’t do such disobedient things towards Shizun.” 

He has held back very well and would never let his shizun be mocked and hurt by others because of his dirty thoughts again. If anyone has noticed anything, he… has to deny it harshly, push it down, and not show any openings! 

The word “dirty” was said very harshly and with a terrifying expression. The cashier was scared and desperately apologized with red rimmed eyes. “I’m sorry.” 

“What happened?” The salesgirl noticed something was wrong and came over to apologize. “This girl is new and inexperienced. Please forgive her if she made a mistake.” 

“No, no, it’s not her fault, it’s just a small misunderstanding.” Lu Yunzhen shoved Mo Changkong behind him and explained with an apology. “We’re relatives and we’re pretty close. He has a scary face and is bad at talking, but he’s a good guy…” 

The salesgirl immediately understood. “You’re brothers?” 

Lu Yunzhen nodded hard. “Yes, and straight as an arrow!” 

He finally understood why Mo Changkong avoided physical touch and didn’t like men sleeping naked. This guy is even straighter than himself, plus he’s from the past and must be rather conservative towards these things. He is going to be more careful in the future and make sure not to joke around these things. 

Lu Yunzhen was worried that the girl would be scolded by her manager and piled on the compliments until she was laughing, leaving the fear behind. She was very cheerful and made a zipper gesture at him. 

Mo Changkong was beyond impatient with Shizun talking with girls. He walked over, grabbed the big pile of bags, and hurried Lu Yunzhen home. Lu Yunzhen was embarrassed letting him do all the carrying, and tried to grab two for himself. 

“Give them.” 

“No.” 

“Give them.” 

“Absolutely no.” 

“...” 

The store employees were all confused seeing them talking with each other. The tall man looked like a block of ice, only when he was gazing at the young man did he show a different kind of gentleness. 

The customer is king! Everything is as the customer says! 

Don’t over think it! It’s like the TV dramas say. This is bromance! Deep, pure, censored, without an ounce of impurity! 

If you don’t think about it in a straight way then that means something is off with you! 

…

They were amongst the last of the customers in the mall. 

Lu Yunzhen felt conflicted seeing all the men gallantly carrying things for their girlfriends. But Mo Changkong was very stubborn about piety towards his Shizun, and there was nothing he could do. 

This disciple is too serious… 

He has long since believed that they were master and disciple. “How did me in the past get such a good disciple? I feel like we had a great relationship.” 

Mo Changkong looked away. “Yes.” 

“Too bad I can’t remember the past.” Lu Yunzhen was a little disappointed and a little curious. “Did we have fun?” 

Fun? 

Mo Changkong’s mind was immediately filled with images of madness. In the darkness and silence, he indulged himself without limits, taking everything. Shizun finally couldn’t handle it anymore and quietly moaned, begging. 

“Changkong, softer…” 

“Changkong, we can’t keep going.” 

“Changkong, this is an immoral mistake…” 

Even though Shizun was humiliated, was shaking, was begging, he was ecstatic and became even rougher. He wanted to hear more, wanted Shizun to sink with him to the depths of hell, wanted to use the harshest of methods to gain the anwer he wanted. 

…

The moon was very beautiful, high up in the night sky. It looked delicious, like a pastry. 

When he was little, he harassed Shizun to eat the moon. Shizun worried about it for a long time, and finally dug a pond in the yard, wanting to fill it with spring water and catch the moon’s reflection…

Shizun was a liar, he couldn’t eat the moon in the water. 

He was upset for a long time. 

He finally understood, the moon was a massive satellite over 400,000 km away from earth. No matter how powerful he became, he could never have it. 

Flower in the mirror, moon in the water. It is all but the wishful thinking of a fool…

With a cry smile, he replied. “There wasn’t much fun to be had.” 

Lu Yunzhen was shocked. “Was the peak that boring.” 

“En.” Mo Changkong answered quietly. 

“Don’t worry, times are different now.” Lu Yunzhen reached out, wanting to pat him on the shoulder. But he remembered that he didn’t like to be touched and quickly retracted. Rubbing his hair, he smiled. “There’s lots of fun things in this world. I’ll take you, it won’t be boring!” 

Mo Changkong stared at his dimples dumbly. Realizing that his mind was straying he forced himself to look away. He can’t touch. He can’t be too close. He might accidentally crack the ice over his heart, allowing the lava within to burst forth again and ruin the moon. 

“Yes”, he answered.

“Thank you, Changkong.” Lu Yunzhen turned around and walked on cheerfully. “I’m so glad I met you. Every day has been so happy, my luck probably turned good…”

He hated loneliness, hated being alone. 

But he knew that his fortune was awful and didn’t want to involve others, so he turned down a lot of well meaning gestures and chose to live alone. 

Every day, he would turn on the light and say “I’m home” to an empty house. 

He would make food for himself, compliment himself for the food, then wash clothes for himself, study by himself, work by himself, sleep by himself, and say “good night” to his stuffed bear. 

It’s different now… 

He wanted to hurry home to that old but warm house. He wanted to order take out! He wanted to get lots of roast lamb and beer and celebrate with everyone! 

Lu Yunzhen splurged on a taxi. 

As soon as he got off, he saw Jin Yunu wearing a long coat and a sad expression, desperately looking around the intersection. He seemed injured and weak, being barely able to hold his shape. 

“Sect leader, master, where did you go? Why did you only come home now?” Jin Yunu burst into tears upon seeing them. “Yunu is imcompetent and couldn’t watch the house properly, there’s been an incident…” 

[weilongfu]

For the prompt ask.

I often wonder what would have happened if someone - anyone outside the Wen Clan remnants really knew what Wwx did to survive. Bad, good and horrific. The choices (forced and freely made), the sacrifices (necessary and unnecessarily martyring) and the pain (owed and foolishly owned). I keep thinking about Empathy and how if it had been to show someone - anyone what Wwx truly was before everything went to shit after Sun Shot. Not Lwj. That seems too easy. Maybe Lan Qiren or Jiang Cheng. To see them fight their prejudices with Wwx's perspective. To see some things confirmed and some things shattered. Bonus points if Wwx is against it (which he totally would be) or it is necessary for saving his life (which someone needs to do if he can't be bothered).

Even if you don't do this prompt, I am excited to read what you create. Have fun.

I'll be honest and say I wasn't entirely sure I'd be up to the task of filling this prompt. But I decided to try and I hope you enjoy this result.

-----

"Uncle." Lan Qiren did not need to turn around to know Lan Wangji had been the one to enter his room. "Wei Wuxian is awake."

Lan Qiren nodded, but still did not turn to face his nephew. "The treatment worked then. Good." The silence that followed his answer was louder than expected, but Lan Qiren could hear his own thoughts louder still.

"I will go then."

"Wangji." The sound of footsteps stilled. "I... will be along later to make sure there are no ill effects."

"Hn." The footsteps resumed and Lan Qiren was left once more with his thoughts.

-----

Wei Wuxian was no stranger to wounds, pain, curses, or even death. But even he could not foresee or anticipate some of the things demonic cultivation would be used for after his death, especially by those with far fewer scruples than himself.

He would later call it a lucky shot, that his new core, still young in it's cultivation, could not manifest enough power to resist and defend against such a wicked spell which trapped him in a maze of his darkest moments. Lan Wangji had not been nearly as affected, but lacked the focus to free Wei Wuxian until the Night Hunt had ended, and by then Wei Wuxian had sunk too deep into the mire of the spell and his own mind.

It took a joint effort of Lan Wangji, Lan Qiren, and even Lan Xichen, torn away from his solitary meditation, to traverse the branched and forked paths of the maze within Wei Wuxian's mind through the use of Empathy.

Lan Wangji had strode onward, undaunted by the darkness, for he had known it, seen it, accepted it. The deepest darkness did not stain Wei Wuxian in Lan Wangji's eyes. He had seen the truth, he had known what was at stake, what Wei Wuxian had sacrificed and paid, and so the darkness parted ways for his light.

Lan Xichen had been forced to reflect upon the past he saw and the past he had been told before the paths opened before him. And in those truths he found a mirror of the person he had lost. Lan Xichen shed no tears as he walked, but in his wake, newer memories of growth and renewal blossomed, changing the maze.

Lan Qiren had the hardest task, a wall that was nearly impossible for him to scale.

"But, let the self judge the right and the wrong, let others decide to praise or to blame, let gains and losses remain uncommented on. I, too, know what I should and shouldn’t do. I believe that I’ll be able to control it as well."

This memory alone stopped Lan Qiren cold and he could find no other path open to him.

"Right and wrong, praise and blame... What is right and wrong is clearly written." But the wall cared not for Lan Qiren's arguments, instead showing him impossible choices.

"Neither choice is right," Lan Qiren argued. "One should not select either."

This answer was also rejected and Lan Qiren was shown another moment, a price paid.

"A promise given, a promise kept."

Next came the abandonment, the loneliness, the will to protect those who had no power, those who had been forsaken.

"Evil means to a righteous end."

The wall changed again.

"Do you think me fool or simply stubborn?" Lan Qiren scoffed. "There is naught that you can show me to change my mind. I come to do my duty to my nephew. I come to pay respect to one who saved my life. No more."

The wall changed one last time.

This time, Lan Qiren looked away and had no retort. After another beat, the wall opened and allowed Lan Qiren to walk forward and deeper into the maze, but by then, his path was no more than a way out for Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen as they emerged dragging forward the mind of Wei Wuxian until the wall Lan Qiren had labored to open shut behind them.

After that, it was an easy task to revisit Wei Wuxian's most recent memories to find any drugs or poisons he might have been given before his unconscious state and reverse them.

------

Night had fallen and the entirety of the Cloud Recesses was soon to sleep. At such an odd hour, Lan Wangji answered the door to find his uncle. With wordless grace, Lan Wangji motioned for Lan Qiren to enter and directed him to a sitting room where Wei Wuxian, sprawled out across an entire couch by himself, quickly pushed his jar of liquor behind a pillow.

"I would speak with him alone," Lan Qiren said firmly. Lan Wangji said nothing but turned his gaze to Wei Wuxian who simply smiled and waved him off. Lan Wangji nodded to them both and closed the door behind him.

"To what do I owe the honor, Teacher Lan?"

"You know what it is that I saw."

"I do." Wei Wuxian retrieved his jar of liquor and resumed his drinking despite the expression on Lan Qiren's face. "I trust that Teacher Lan has much to say on the subject for there is no other reason why you would come to see me this late." Wei Wuxian took a contemplative sip. "Or rather at all."

"Mind your tongue."

"Death has a way of loosening lips. Please forgive me, Teacher Lan." Wei Wuxian raised his liquor in a toast to Lan Qiren. "And allow me to thank you for your aid."

"Wangji has taught you manners."

"I have always had manners, Teacher Lan." Wei Wuxian's eyes were sharp despite the haze of liquor. "A proper gentleman and cultivator will always have manners. But I am a discerning cultivator. The ones who deserve my respect and manner will always receive it. Those who do not, will not."

"Do you think to look down on me?"

"I dare not." Another sip. "I look down upon the rigidity with which you stand."

"Insolent."

"No, no, irreverent."

"You sit there, learning the error of your ways, learning that you could not then control what you dared to create, that even now you cannot control what others do with it, and you think you can still be irreverent? You think you can still determine right and wrong?"

"When the Wen clan called themselves the leaders of all cultivation, they decided what was right and wrong. When the Jin clan took over, they too, decided whatever they wished was right and wrong." Wei Wuxian set down his liquor. "And for all your morals, for all that was written, you too, chose to follow what they said was right and wrong instead of what you knew was right and wrong." Wei Wuxian adjusted himself and sat properly. "So then why do you have the right to determine what is right and wrong? Why then, when you follow others so readily, do you get to judge the one who does not? My irreverence is not for right or wrong, it is for they who claim to know better, but choose to let others decide for them."

"I decide based on the rules."

"The rules that another person wrote how many years ago, Teacher Lan?"

Lan Qiren could feel his blood pressure rise. "Talking to you was a fool's errand."

"It is not the solitary man who often makes mistakes in judgement," Wei Wuxian said as he picked up his liquor again. "For sometimes he sees with eyes unclouded by the dust the majority kicks up."

"Empty prose is not a defense."

"Submission to another is also not a defense." His face turning red, Lan Qiren could bear it no longer and he turned to leave. "You wavered for a moment at the end," Wei Wuxian called out, causing Lan Qiren to go still. "I saw, as Lan-er-ge pulled me out of the maze, the doubt on your face. Why did you doubt yourself at that moment?"

"I saw your memory," Lan Qiren replied after a moment. "Trying to bring life where there was only death with those, like you, consigned to death alone."

Wei Wuxian nodded. "But was that not what you expected? A deranged man stealing away with prisoners of war to do such unspeakable things? Or was the light of truth too harsh?"

"...it was bright enough."

Wei Wuxian nodded once more. "So, Teacher Lan, who was right and who was wrong in that instance?" Lan Qiren said nothing and resumed his exit. "I thank you, Teacher Lan, for your instruction this evening. I hope that you, too, learned something tonight."

Lan Qiren nodded stiffly as his nephew opened the door and escorted him out.

"Uncle."

"I will be meditating for a while on some matters, Wangji." Lan Qiren, once more, did not meet his nephew's gaze. "I will ask you to handle a few matters in the interim until I am satisfied."

"Yes, uncle."

"And..." Lan Qiren's hands clenched and unclenched within his sleeves. "Tell me where you got the jars of liquor for Wei Wuxian." Lan Wangji's expression did not change, but he produced a slip of paper for his uncle and handed it to him. "Good night, Wangji."

"Good night."

[dreamingsushi]

Till the End of the Moon - Episode 2

Hello friends! Here’s the recap of the second episode of Till the End of the Moon. Upon listening to a second time, I really like the opening OST. It’s nice, I’m going to add this to my playlist. The first episode was basically an introduction to the main story. A demon lord has risen up, destroying the cultivation world and a young girl is sent back to the past to prevent him from ever becoming a demon. I’m not going to go in too much details, I think this summarize the plot line very well.

So Tantai Jin has been kneeling in the yard for three days. At night, even though it’s very windy and cold, Susu decides to let him stay there, as an advance payment on everything bad he ever did... erm will do. She thinks he’s pretending to look pitiful. He’s probably not.

We are introduced to Ye Xiwu’s sister, Ye Bingchang. She seems to be a very nice lady, very generous towards everyone and pretty much in love with the sixth prince who comes to help giving bowls of congee to the people with her. He’s rather unhappy upon hearing Ye Xiwu is letting Tantai Jin kneels in the courtyard like that.

Susu is feeling bad letting him freeze in the storm, but she can’t really decide what to do. Also she’s afraid he’ll really die if it goes on like this. A crow visits Tantai Jin and shows him sights of Ye Xiwu saying she hopes he dies along with her sister so the 6th prince would only see her. Susu comes out to have look on him, but he notices her and tells her to go back in since it’s cold. She pretends that she doesn’t like her cape and throws it at him. However, he refuses it. She decides to leave it there, but then he faints and she remembers how he became a demon. So she decides to take him, in case that was the night the demons took him over. She tries to warm him inside the bed covers and then call Chun Tao to heat a bath for him. While they take care of him, he talks to a weird face that wants something inside of him. But it says that it’s not the right time now to do so and that he has to be patient, to experience all of the pain of the human world before it comes and takes him away. Susu tries to figure out which one is the evil bone inside of him, touching him all over while he’s in the bathtub (dressed). He wakes up and she rushes out. When he’s heading outside, she tells him he doesn’t need to go kneel anymore, then she goes to bed. She learns that Ye Xiwu whipped Tantai Jin every night before going to bed. She feels rather uneasy doing that. I wonder if she’ll do it. And she does, convincing herself that she’s punishing the demon lord. At this rate, you’re going to make him become the demon lord quicker. Anyways. I don’t really like the guy’s acting. I believe his character is emotionless, rather he doesn’t let his emotions show, but he just look like... bored. I don’t know how to describe it. It just doesn’t really fit the vibe in my opinion. Also, I was wondering if it was because of the dubbing, but he’s actually doing his own voice acting... so, we’ll see. Maybe it will make more sense later on. Susu ends scolding herself a little bit, because the one she’s hitting right hasn’t done anything bad, so she stops after a few hits. It gives off a really bad start for me. We know they are going to be a couple, that’s a given, but I’m not sure I can condone a relationship that is starting like that...

She wakes up in the middle of the night and notices that Tantai Jin is having a fever. She calls Chun Tao up and takes care of him until he seems to feel a little better and wakes up. Then she does back to bed. He thinks that’s weird. And so do I, but for different reasons.

The next morning, when she goes to have breakfast with her family, everybody takes super good care of her, they give her food, clothes to wear so she won’t be cold and she gets to sit next to her dad. The general looks rather strict and he criticize his son, while he has only nice things to say about Ye Wuxi. Susu says she should apologize for pushing her sister in the lake, but Ye Bingchang comes right in at that moment and she says there’s no need to since they are sister. When Susu asks why her husband isn’t with them for breakfast, everyone feels uncomfortable. She learns from Chun Tao since she couldn’t eat while seeing him, he was sent to the kitchen. There, the servants treat him as a servant too and he has to wash the dishes in ice cold water. It seems like he can talk to bugs? He sends one in the throat of one of the servants that is making fun of him. It looks like it.

Susu scolds the servants for treating Tantai Jin that way and she won’t let him eat the leftover food they left him. She takes him to eat something else but he won’t touch it. He tells her how she put some drugs inside food to trap her sister so she won’t be able to marry the sixth prince and how she and he ended up eating it, then being together in bed, which led to their wedding. It seems also that Ye Xiwu poisoned his food a few times to torment him in the past. Susu eats a bite of each meal to prove that it’s not poisoned and she orders him to eat there three times a day every day. Chun Tao will bring him the food. She won’t let him starve to death.

The crow comes back to talk with him, with news of the country of Jing where he comes from. But he can’t even leave the estate now, so it has nothing to do with him. So it seems he can talk with animals. I really dislike the voice of the crow. Why do they always to give them robot voices? It’s even more unnatural (because a bird talking really isn’t something that natural). Also crows are able to imitate the human voice if I’m not wrong, so... WHY? They figure out that Ye Wuxi being nice to him is a new way of tormenting him.

Tantai Jin’s father is nearing death. The king of the kingdom the story happens in wants to use Tantai Jin to take over the Jin kingdom. The 6th prince doesn’t seem happy with that idea.

And that’s just how it ends. Tantai Jin is really living a miserable life. No wonder he becomes a demon later on, anyone would in his circumstances, unless they are a bodhisattva. I was afraid that the plot might not be thick enough for it to last 40 episodes, but I guess we are going to be just fine.

[llycaons]

At the end of the second book of the English translation of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Wei Wuxian tells us that his injury is "just hole in his body." He's wrong. This is what it would take to save him.

this fic is pretty fun actually. like genuinely a really good time

a blood pressure somewhere around 60 over zero is really too low for effective standing.

to put it mildly

The only hitch was that the guy didn’t seem to understand how to sign the permit. He looked at the offered pen as though he’d never seen one before. Dr. House merely ordered another dose of morphine, after which they couldn’t get the guy to do anything but moan. “Problem solved,” Dr. House said, “He’s unable to sign and this is an emergency.” At least he was interested now.

yeah. in-character. I fully believe that wwx could figure out what a pen was if he wasn't like, dying of sepsis though

they are putting him in restraints just because the think he'll try to leave after surgery :( that's such a depressing image

he was wearing Lan blue, so Wei Wuxian said, “No running in Cloud Recesses.” But there was no way Cloud Recesses had a room this ugly.

ha

“Do you remember me? I’m Travis, short for Travesty.”

WHAT

“Don’t distract me. Was it a knife fight?” The man—Mr. Wei, assuming he wasn’t lying--stopped smiling. “It was a sword. I will not tell you who wielded it.” “Fair. I don’t actually care.”

yeah wwx would not rat out jin ling

Though Lan Wangji had no desire to change, it was a relief to get away from the confusing crowd. They offered him tea there, too, which he drank gratefully, even though it was terrible. The chairs were uncomfortable, so he sat on the floor and meditated.

yep

she found [wwx] smiling and flirting, too effectively, with the floor nurses. He kept calling Dr. House “the great and powerful Oz,” and within a few hours most of the staff was telling stories about “Dr. Oz” and giggling.

yeah he's so charming and funny...he would

The ride to the hospital with Mitch was one of the most horrifying events of Lan Wangji’s life so far...His mind could not organize the images that flashed by. Everything was too big and too strange and too noisy. He gripped Bichen tightly. It took all his control not to draw the sword every time another “car” came near.

hang in there, lwj!

The hospital was an enormous brown building with no grace to it whatsoever.

judgy!

[House] radiated a dissatisfaction that seemed dangerously close to erupting into violence.

astute

After a while, he remembered the rice. It came with a spoon, so he ate the rice with a spoon like a child.

never thought about it like that

Dr. House turned a furious gaze on Mr. Wei, who shrank away from him. Gloria knew he would never harm a patient, but Mr. Wei would not know that. The musician, still unmoving, said, “It is a real sword.” The tone was mild, a mere statement of fact, but the threat was unmistakable.

house definitely harms patients. anyway I love the mental image of lwj stabbing house

I really want to give WangXian a little house in Princeton, New Jersey, with a white picket fence, a lotus pond in the backyard, and bunnies all over everything. But, sadly, between the two of them, they do not have a single marketable skill.

yes to them not having skills they can sell in 21st century america, no to new jersey. you want to set them up in NEW JERSEY??? honestly they deal with a lot of shit in their canon universe but I still feel like it's better than dealing with late-stage capitalism in the usa. this place? yeah no

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

**Cultivating Love**22**

Pidge was having the time of her life. Sure, the demon realm took a bit of getting used to, but the gambling. Oh how she loved the gambling. Gambling didn’t ignore you. She’d tried talking to the beasts made of metal parts and each one had ignored her. There were lights and strange moving patterns on bright boxes. They intrigued her… and she’d like to say that it was because of her interest they’d found Lance. He’d been on one of those boxes she now were called televisions. He seemed to be what they called a celebrity in the demon realm, famed for fighting.

“Pidge, do you think he’s found Lance yet?”

Putting down the dice she’d been busy “fixing”, Pidge shrugged at Hunk. Keith had left them behind to guard the spot Allura had opened for them. It’d taken six months to get everything prepared for their trip through. Shiro had wanted to come with them, but things between him and Keith were complicated, to put things mildly. Keith couldn’t forgive Shiro, and Shiro was acting too rashly over things to keep a level head. As soon as Allura had confirmed that Lance was indeed alive and she’d felt, from her soul fragments, him passing through the realms they’d begun work.

“If anyone can find Lance, it’s Keith”

Hunk nodded, placing down the grilled fish he’d made them both for lunch. Allura had tried to find them a safe spot to come through, then sent them through to what seemed like a very busy intersection with metal beasts passing over it hourly

“We haven’t heard from him. He said he’d contact us as soon as he could”

That’d been a week ago and now that Keith had left for the city where Lance was supposed to be. Pidge had watched one of Lance’s fights and honestly she wasn’t sure she could watch another. All they could do was wait for Keith

“He’s probably still trying to get close to Lance. Or Tailor, whatever he’s called now”

The television said “Tailor”, and he was a fighter for the emperor of the realm. Tailor looked exactly like Lance, but until they met him, they wouldn’t be able to confirm it. The idea that Lance had forgotten them scared her, almost as much as currently being trapped in the demon realm without a clear way home. It took a lot of magical power to be able to open a portal between realms, and Allura worried opening two too close together could be problematic. There wasn’t a whole lot she could do, other than gamble. The biggest gamble being Keith getting close to Lance, but it was Keith rolling those dice. He’d even tried to drug them so as to come after Lance alone, as if he’d forgotten she was just as mischievous if the moment called for it. Instead, she’d helped him drug Shiro, and Allura had taken care of the rest for them. Pidge suspecting she felt bad when her father wouldn’t hear of them opening the demon realm to save Lance despite what Lance had done for Allura.

Sitting down across from her, Hunk sighed. He didn’t like the demon realm. Everything there seemed to want to kill them and he missed the simple pleasure of laying in the sun eating fruit

“I’m worried about the both of them. The emperor’s supposed to be super scary”

“Of course he is, we are in the demon realm. If Lance isn’t the Lance that left us, then all we can do is kidnap him back to our realm once Keith brings him back. We’ve got food, somewhere dodgy enough that people don’t care we’re divine beasts, and enough money to survive for now. We can only leave things in Keith’s hands, or would you rather Shiro had come too?”

Lowering his gaze, Hunk was still torn about that too. Shiro had given them the hope to believe Lance was alive… but he’d hurt Lance so deeply that his relationship with Shiro was strained. Keith had spent almost all his time in talks with Allura and her advisor over coming to the demon realm. Shiro… he tried, but due to their shared hostility… Shiro spent most of his time reading up on the realm away from them. Whenever he and Keith were in the same room it always seemed to end up with Shiro trying to comfort Keith and Keith losing his temper. Both males were total wrecks without Lance there, so Hunk had kind of wanted Shiro to come so he could apologise to Lance in person… and not come so that Keith could get through to Lance on his own. He knew it was petty to harbour anger this long, yet all Shiro’s actions felt too late. Picking up his chopsticks, Hunk finally nodded

“No, but you know how I feel. I’m worried Lance’s disappearance won’t go unnoticed”

“Hunk, it’s us. Lance will listen to us. We just need to keep believing in him. Now, do you want to come tonight?”

“No. I’ll wait in case Keith contacts us. You go see what you can learn”

“Alright, big guy. We’ve got a month to do this, and if those two haven’t figured it out by then… we’ll just have to go in ourselves”

*

Murder… Lance was thinking murder. He’d clothed Keith, began training with Keith, and had developed a twitch in his right eye from attempting to keep his temper. Knowing that he couldn’t murder Keith, he’d gone and done something dumb. Zarkon saw and heard everything, but with Keith around… Lance’s hand had been forced. Setting the spell in place, his wardrobe was now almost a realm unto itself. Whatever was said in there wouldn’t be heard by the outer world, and whatever was happening in the outer world couldn’t be heard in there. He and Keith were already too deep, and if he had to yell at Keith one more time, he feared he might murder Keith by being unable to control his own power.

It was the night before Keith’s debut. Keith more than ready to face whatever Zarkon threw at them the following day. That’s why their talk had to be today. Taking Keith by the arm, Lance had avoided eye contact as he dragged Keith into his wardrobe, half throwing him in before closing the door behind them. All his clothes were pushed to one end, but due to sponsors he had an annoying amount. None of them thought about giving him anything that he could actually need, no, they pushed their brands on him with the expectation he’d live up to their wishes.

“What are you doing now?”

Lance understood Keith’s confusion, they were in near pitch black, hidden in his wardrobe, after him blowing off Keith since they’d reunited

“Thanks to someone, my hand has been forced. You wanted to talk, so talk. I’ll be killed should Zarkon discover this spell, but it’s better than you continually nearly getting us killed because you fail to understand the threat. So, go on, Keith, explain it all. I won’t even try to stop you”

“You can do that?”

Lance rolled his eyes. He hadn’t spent so long in the demon world and not learned a thing

“Yes, I can do this. I didn’t want to seeing how this place belongs to Zarkon and any use of a spell would leave traces. But if you end up dead tomorrow then I don’t want to die having not done anything. So talk. You’ve shown up after two years, failed to listen to a thing I’ve told you, and now I might have to kill you tomorrow. Why did you bother going out of your way to come here, when you should have been home with Shiro?”

Keith’s shoulders slumped, then the rest of him followed as he let himself slide down the wardrobe floor

“You still hate me”

If Keith intended to wallow in his own sadness then Lance was going to kick him while he was down

“I wonder why? I do believe you said I stink and that I’m useless. I might be pathetic, but I am not pathetic enough to hang around pining for something that’s passed it expiration date. It’s been two years. You’ve had time and opportunity to come sooner, so I can’t possibly fathom a guess as to why you have come now”

“It hasn’t been two years”

Mumbling, Keith buried his face in his hands. Lance wanting to kick him for calling him a liar

“I’ve been in this realm for two years. Don’t you dare say otherwise”

Raising his head, Keith shook it

“It wasn’t two years in our realm. It was six months. We came as soon as we could. Pidge and Hunk are guarding where we came through”

Lance saw red, baring his teeth as he snarled

“You brought them with you?! Are you crazy?! Zarkon will slaughter them if he gets his hands on them!”

“I wanted to come alone, but they’ve been worried about you! If you’ve been here two years, why didn’t you try to come back sooner?!”

“Right, let me just find the closest portal, jump right through, pop out the other side and pretend that life never changed! Two years, Keith!”

“And I told you it wasn’t for me!”

Lance let out a deep sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Keith was an idiot

“Why did you come? Did you return Allura’s soul fragment to her? How did you know I was here?”

“Shiro… He… he senses the dark magic that forced you into this realm. Allura confirmed that you’d passed into the demon realm once she’d recovered from the fragments being reabsorbed”

“So you came because of Shiro… Why am I not surprised?”

Lance felt queasy. He also felt hurt all over again. Keith’s words reminding him that Keith would always love Shiro more

“I came because of you! I cradled you in my arms, thinking those breaths would be your last. Then you vanished in front of me”

“I didn’t ask you to come! You didn’t care for me. You complained about me. Belittled me. Lied about my soul! I mistook your’s, and Shiro’s, actions as love, not a sign of toxicity within the relationship. I held such pride that you were both my mates, only you laughed behind my back at the dumb fox who could only die”

All at once Lance was being slapped across the face. Keith getting to his feet in a blur

“It wasn’t like that! Do not put words into my mouth! I didn’t know about your soul until after you had left! You were the one to leave, Lance! Without a word of goodbye!”

“I might have left physically, but emotionally, you’d both already left me. I didn’t want to be found. I didn’t wish to speak to you until I had figured out my own feelings. Yet you stormed in as you always do with no regard!”

“Because you left! You were upset and I wanted to know what happened between us!”

“You slept with Shiro, that’s what happened! Heavens above forbid that you’d care for mate during his heat. Heavens forbid you take your hands off Shiro for longer than a minute! I will not fall for your lies. I have my own goals here. I’m working for my own future. And you’ve come to ruin it all! Why must you hurt me over and over?!”

Keith growled, Lance thinking he was about to be hit again as the wolf clenched his fist before realising it

“Is Zarkon that important to you? So important that you would not return to our realm?”

“Yes. And he should be to you too. I have warned you over and over and yet you do not heed it”

“He’s just…”

“He’s emperor of the demon realm and on the council of elders for the cultivation realm, Keith. He’s playing both hands with the goal of winning”

Keith’s mouth went slack, as if he’d never considered the thought

“Yes. Exactly. And you went and got yourself caught leaving no means of escape. Obviously Zarkon is powerful enough to move between both realms, suppressing his demonically cultivated chi when he does. How do you not remember him?”

“If it counts the name was familiar… Yet I couldn’t believe it was the same man. I know the elders of the realm converse for the good of the three realms. This is all sounding all the more reason for us to leave faster. Allura said she would open a portal in a month’s time”

“Her time or our time. It seems time moves differently here. For you it was six months, for me it’s been two years. A month in her time makes that four months from now. You never should have come. This isn’t our realm. The peace here isn’t as peaceful as it seems. Zarkon controls every inch of this realm and those who go against him wind up dead very very publicly”

Silence fell between them. A few moments, yet long enough for Lance to grow angrier. Pidge and Hunk were trapped here too. Risking corruption all because they had to come for him. He couldn’t meet them. He couldn’t go find them

“Do you still have Blue?”

“Yes, but I can’t draw Blue anymore. I’ve taken in too much demonic energy to be called divine anymore”

“I’m sorry… if I had acted faster… I thought you’d died. I thought I’d failed you all over again. That I’d never be able to apologise for the hurt I cause to you”

“I hurt you both too. You seemed to love me so much after the incident that I couldn’t bring myself to tell either of you. I’m not without blame. I accept that. Yet… to be belittled and unwanted by your mates and to have no part by their sides any longer. It turned from love to keeping me at the palace. I ignored all the rumours, and I tried, yet neither of you were happy. I do not wish to talk about the past again. I work for Zarkon now and until I reach my goal, I will try to keep you alive. He’s already suspicious”

“He can’t be too suspicious if he’s let me stay”

“No. You should have been sent to Haxus for processing then moved into the gladiator pit cells for slaves. If you caused enough of a fuss in the Cultivation realm, then he knows you know me. You cannot slip, Keith. Find a persona for your Yorak and play that role until you eat and breathe it. Understood?”

Keith sighed softly

“Okay. I still need to find a way to contact the others”

“That’s not possible. Think of each reflecting surface you meet as a way for him to see and hear all. That’s the only way to keep yourself in check”

“And… and you? Do… do you have someone here…”

Lance blinked at Keith’s question. They were being honest with each other… yet Keith having any form of feelings for him would dampen his mind

“I do. I have a few someones. Until I can get you out this realm, I cannot let you interfere or get close. And you are in no position to dictate how I choose to live my life now”

“You say you want to get me out, does that mean you intend to stay?”

Lance had kind of intended on going home at some point. Once he’d figured out how he was going to take down Zarkon, or at least find the portal to the cultivation realm and alert the elders of what was occurring in the demon realm. Yet those plans hadn’t really involved seeing Keith or Shiro again

“I do not know. Tailor remembers none of his past. He’s jokingly known as the crazed fox. But part of that it true due to the trauma of passing into this realm. You’ll see tomorrow. We’ve been in this room too long. There’s nothing left to say. This bracelet provides Zarkon with all the details of my location and wellbeing. I fear it’s failure to continually update will arouse further suspicions”

“Wait, Lance…”

“I’m sorry, but I have nothing left to say, Keith. Try to remember tomorrow you need to keep your powers in line. If you don’t appear to be progressing as a natural fighter, Zarkon will target you. You are Yorak. Use your skills wisely and keep your eyes open. Do not show your enemies mercy, and do what you must to live. That’s all I can tell you”

[demonslayedher]

I'm really so touched that my takes on Shinobu's deceased Tsuguko have been so well received in the fic, especially Kobayashi, who serves as my outsider perspective for exploring Shinobu, Kanao, and Aoi in the pre-canon days. In case people enjoyed "The Wasp's Nest" and want more, I've got some initial character designs and notes on the dead OC Tsuguko trio, I figured other people might enjoy reading a few headcanons without committing to reading a fic (these will totally spoil parts of the fic, though.)

But, for context, the fic description as posted on AO3:

"Sent by her Flower Breath cultivator, a new Tsuguko seeks training under the Insect Pillar, Kochou Shinobu. Her new master speaks in a gentle manner and is a good teacher, and besides performing her Pillar duties and caring for injured Corp members, she even cares for a family of orphans. It's a honor to have the tutelage of such an accomplished and wonderful person, but the air about her seems sharper than her demeanor.

That's her stinger, another Tsuguko warns. Don't get too close to the nest."

These were drawn/written prior to writing, so some edits were made, and some additions were handwritten in before I scanned these. Please note that EVERYTHING HERE IS MADE UP, for all that canon gave us was their silhouettes, the fact that they were Shinobu's previous Tsuguko, and that they were all killed by demons. We don't even know their names or Breaths or when they trained under Shinobu, or what I find more interesting, why they don't seem to have enough lasting impact on the Butterfly Mansion cast to be mentioned much at all. First Tsuguko, Ichijo Tomoe:

Taisho Secret: She was in such shock after losing her parents and little sisters that she went silent for a while as the Kakushi took care of her. It was as she built more resolve to fight that the Kakushi helped introduce her to a Flower Breath cultivator (not Kanae's cultivator).

Taisho Secret: There were a lot of slayers involved in the fight that she died in; Shinobu was busy leading everyone as the only Pillar on site. Ichijo died in Mita's arms; it was one of Mita's first missions with the two of them. Mita misunderstood Ichijo and found her stuck up, but she didn't outright dislike her; she admired her well enough as a senpai.

Taisho Secret: Had they met, Ichijo would had found Kobayashi overwhelming at first, but very slowly would open up enough that they'd become friends.

Second Tsuguko: Mita Akari

Taisho Secret: She couldn't tell at the time since she was busy hiding and having to run for her life, but with what she remembered of the event and what she learned later on about demons, she figured out that the demon who killed her family was her deadbeat uncle who must had just been turned. Mita's immediate family was all a little too open with their criticism and therefore prone to raised voices and arguments, but that's because they were open and frank with each other, so it was usually a warm and close family unit. Mita was the youngest.

Taisho Secret: Mita had one previous close call with demon poison, but she survived. With Shinobu's special attention, she made a swift recovery.

Taisho Secret: Mita didn't hate Kanao beyond having little patience for her. Had she known what Kanao would later on be capable of, Mita would have been embarrassed at herself for the misjudgement.

Third Tsuguko: Kobayashi Suzuno

Taisho Secret: Since her father was always at work and or socializing outside the home, he wasn't as big a presence to Kobayashi as her mother and grandmother were. He was attacked first and died instantly, Kobayashi didn't see much because the other three had already started to run away. Taisho Secret: When Giyuu found her, she was throwing rocks at the demon eating her mother and screaming at it to go away. Giyuu saw potential in her willingness to go up against demons, so when things had settled down, he was the one who asked her if she wanted revenge against demons. He had originally intended to introduce her to Urokodaki if she was inclined. When she asked him to tell her more she stood up to her full height, and that was when Giyuu noticed how much she resembled Kanae and decided to look into Flower Breath for her. Kanae never knew why Giyuu asked her about her cultivator. And no, Giyuu did not recognize her after the Pillar Meeting.

Taisho Secret: Had she lived, Kobayashi probably would had worked a few more years, fallen in love with some regular Corp Member with a short hair cut, and felt self assured in retiring to become a wife and mother. Shinobu would have had mixed feelings, but would give Kobayashi her blessing.

[robininthelabyrinth]

i've been keeping a list of possible prompts for you and there's one i have no memory of adding that just says "courtesan nmj????" so i guess that's the prompt you're getting lmao

What Does the Fox Say - ao3

“Second Madame Nie!” a disciple shouted, rushing into her little garden. She didn’t recognize him, but he was solidly built and well-muscled like most of the others – truly, the Unclean Realm was a rapturous feast for one with eyes to see it. Yum, yum. “Second Madame Nie, I have bad news!”

Boo. She hated bad news: bad news meant she’d have to do something, usually, and right now she was seated very comfortably in a pleasant piece of sun in the garden path that’d been made up just for her and to her preferences, with her feet up on a chair and a full plate of fruit from the kitchen on the table in front of her just begging to be devoured, morsel by delicious morsel.

Her schedule was packed!

“I regret to tell you, but your husband has been killed!”

“Oh,” she said, frowning slightly. “Has he? How obnoxious of him.”

How unreliable. Men.

She sighed.

“Second Madame – Second Madame – you don’t understand!” The disciple was all red-eyed and weepy, which was a look she liked, especially in big, stout men like this. The salt added a bit of spice to the whole thing. “You must flee at once! He was killed by Sect Leader Wen in an act of outright aggression – Sect Leader Wen has declared war – the Wen sect is invading!”

She nodded and picked up another lychee to start peeling it. She’d get around to fleeing in her own time. As long as this Wen sect or whatnot was being led by a man, she wasn’t terribly concerned.

“They intend to wipe out the inheritance of Qinghe Nie! They will rip out the child in your belly!”

She hummed noncommittally. Really, how attached was she to having a child of her own? Really?

“They will slaughter civilians – execute Nie-gongzi –”

Her hands stilled.

“What,” she said, and the disciple took a step back automatically, proving that he, at least, had something more of a survival instinct than her late husband did. “Hurt my little meat bun? My darling rice roll? My savory zongzi?”

She stood up, diminutive height and over-large belly and frilly clothing doing absolutely nothing to diminish the vaguely menacing aura that darkened the sky around her. She bared her teeth.

“Who does this upstart Wen dog think he is?!”

The disciple blinked owlishly, but nodded, seeming relieved that she’d finally accepted his concern, though she could see on his face that he was thinking that her reasoning was – characteristically – a little strange. But then again, and she could see this thought process on his far too honest face, it was well known that the second Madame Nie been quite strange ever since Sect Leader Nie had found her in some lonesome place with no family or background and brought her back to be his new wife nevertheless.

Such a charming man. Pity about his loss, really.

“You have to flee at once, we can’t possibly fight so many people,” the disciple said once more, and this time she nodded in agreement. “We can escort you to a hidden exit –”

“No!” a little voice called. “We can’t go.”

She turned to look, and there was the little pork-and-shrimp dumpling himself, chubby-cheeked and earnest-eyed, looking as delicious as always.

“What do you mean, fish cake?” she asked. “Of course we have to go. Didn’t you hear what this strapping young man said? This Wen person wants to kill you!”

“If Father is dead, then I’m the sect leader,” her stepson said. He was serious and solemn in a way that made her want to pinch his cheeks and bury her face into his belly to blow raspberries, and also possibly to eat him right up, flesh and marrow and gristle and all. “That means it’s my responsibility to preserve the Nie sect.”

“Nie-gongzi, no!” the disciple cried, throwing himself to his knees in a dramatic display of loyalty. “You would only die – far better for you to run, and live!”

“Then isn’t the same true for everyone else?” the tasty little dish asked, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting. Possibly he was trying to put on a fierce expression, maybe, she couldn’t quite tell sometimes. He was so cute. “Why should I live, and them not? I refuse to buy my life with their deaths!”

“But – Nie-gongzi –”

Her charming little honey cake shook his head and held up a hand to stop the disciple, turning to look at her instead.

“Second Mother,” he said, and he had that wholesome trusting expression again that was such a perfect little one-shot-kill to the heart, ugh. “You always said you’re the best at hiding. The best in the world, no one better among all the gods or demons!”

She was, too. She couldn’t help but preen a little, proud.

“– can’t you do something?”

“Oh, darling cabbage bun,” she said, not without fondness. “I can hide myself from even the net of Heaven itself if I so choose, from gods and demons alike, and I can most certainly hide a small group from any mortal eyes that dare to look, if you don’t mind being a little tiny bit dishonorable about the business. But an entire sect? That’s a bit much, even for someone as talented and skilled as me.”

Her stepson looked up at her, all straight-steel sincerity and upright righteousness wrapped into a perfectly edible little snack-sized package. “If we split them up, the sect could be small groups,” he said eagerly. “Couldn’t you do something then?”

He was so cute, and he trusted her. He trusted her, believed in her, felt that she could perform miracles with a wave of her sleeve if only she so wished.

It was awful.

She couldn’t bear it.

“Oh all right, you nummy little slice of roast pork belly,” she said, yielding. “But I’m telling you now, it won’t be the least bit honorable! There’s only so many excuses you can come up with for having a lot of strong men with wide shoulders and women with thick thighs hanging around, and not a single one of them has the slightest bit to do with what you people consider to be appropriate.”

“That’s all right. Preserving human life comes first, always.”

The disciple looked between them, clearly completely confused. Clearly all his effort had been spent on developing the muscles in his arms (quite nice) rather than his brain (quite slow).

“What?” he said. “What’s happening?”

“We’re saving the sect,” Nie Mingjue announced happily, clapping his hands together. Too precious, too precious entirely; she’d have to make sure no one else even thought about going near her darling little snackling. “Tell everyone to prepare to evacuate.”

“That will take too long,” she said, and smiled, with teeth. “Let me call some friends to help.”

-

When the Wen sect arrived at the Unclean Realm, they found the gate open.

That was unexpected enough, but when they entered, they found that the entire place had emptied out – not just of people, but of everything else, too. There wasn’t a single intact chair or table in the entire place, not a scrap of cloth nor a bit of food, like it’d been swept clean by locusts or wild monkeys come to pilfer whatever they could.

Even the paving stones where arrays had been laid out by the Nie sect’s ancestors had been pried up and carted away.

Sect Leader Wen ordered a search, but there wasn’t any trace of it – of the people, of the stuff, anything.

No one ever found out what happened.

-

Jin Guangyao despised social events, he’d found.

It was one thing when it was something he’d planned himself, where the work was interesting enough to distract him, but when he was an honored guest for someone else…miserable. Utterly miserable.

The only thing more miserable was when the host was his erstwhile father, from whom he’d forcefully extracted recognition. With Wen Ruohan as his backer, indulging his favorite torturer as if a beloved pet, there wasn’t much Jin Guangshan could do to refuse, and neither could he force Jin Guangyao to do anything on his behalf, either. And so Jin Guangyao, sitting as always by Wen Ruohan’s side, right beneath his sons, was now an honored guest at his father’s house, getting offered his pick of prostitutes as if the man had no notion of the irony.

Maybe he didn’t. Jin Guangyao couldn’t quite tell if his father had just forgotten his origins, thinking his bastard son too unimportant to remember the details of, or whether it was meant as a deliberate insult – who could tell?

“Oh, right,” the simpering idiot in front of him, a nephew or cousin of some sort to the sect leader, said. “Our dear Jin Guangyao is known not to like the gentle flower queens, even when they come from the finest houses in Lanling. Isn’t that right, cousin?”

Jin Guangyao’s fists clenched. A deliberate insult, then.

Despite that, his face remained neutral. Instead, he chuckled and said, “The appeal is limited. After all, I have seen the best of them.”

Beside him, Wen Ruohan nodded and smirked. He appreciated Jin Guangyao’s devotion to his mother, though Jin Guangyao suspected it was because he thought it funny that Jin Guangyao would bother to honor such a lowly woman – but what he thought didn’t matter, not really. All that mattered was that he let Jin Guangyao pay his respects to her to his heart’s content.

“Well, you’re in luck!” the idiot Jin Zixun said, looking absurdly smug. “We have something of a different flavor than the usual tonight – we’ve invited entertainment from the local branch of Splendid Spring.”

Jin Guangyao barely managed to avoid rolling his eyes.

The Splendid Spring Palace was a series of brothels that had popped up fully formed just about everywhere some years back, with madams and girls and musicians and bodyguards of all sorts. It was so patently a political move that Jin Guangyao had barely bothered to pay attention to it once he’d become actually powerful, and Wen Ruohan hadn’t paid attention to it at all. After all, in the unlikely event that the business really was backed by a cultivation sect that didn’t care about its face any longer, anyone who needed to use such a façade to gather power was clearly beneath notice.

Jin Guangyao had paid only very little attention, but to different and unusual aspects of the place: by all accounts, they were surprisingly decent employers as far as places like that went. They didn’t steal girls or accept unwilling goods – they had some connection with the merchant caravans, or at least one of the companies that helped coordinate routes and provide protection to such things, and they were as meticulous about checking things over as they were about seeking refunds if they were dissatisfied – and they did accept married girls fleeing unhappy marriages, which not everyone did. They did buy up all the girls in the local markets wherever they were, but they swept them away and brought them back transformed, even the ones that wouldn’t sell because they were too ugly; Jin Guangyao assumed that meant they had people who were talented in make-up and clothing, since the usual rumors of the girls being blessed with a yao’s enchantment were obviously ridiculous and nothing more than the usual marketing gimmicks that brothels since time immemorial had tried.

Even once they had the girls in hand, the places were pretty decent: they had physicians on staff to help with the usual side effects of the business, made sure their girls were clean and healthy, and were said to even limit the number of customers a girl would be obliged to take on in a given evening…honestly, knowing as he did the brothel business, Jin Guangyao sometimes wondered how they’d managed to bespell enough people to even make money in the early days. At any rate, whatever they’d done, it’d worked, because by now they had a solid enough reputation to trade on.

In short: a decent enough place, far better than the usual run of the mill. Once he’d had the ability to do so, he’d even pulled a few strings and arranged for the better of his mother’s old compatriots to end up there, since he couldn’t convince them to leave their old professions behind entirely.

Anyway, if they also seemed to have a sideline in information brokering and assassinations, well, let them. In the cultivation world, where the only thing that mattered was strength, real strength.

A little thing like that wouldn’t make any real difference.

Or so Jin Guangyao had thought.

He found himself re-thinking that, though, when the entertainment in question came out. There were the usual set of attractive (albeit in a wider variety of shapes and sizes than usually seen) dancers, dressed up in silks that seemed actually high quality, and plenty of strapping young men carrying sabers – dancers as well, once assumed, to provide some spice to the entertainment, and implicitly on the offer for men who cut their sleeves or women with more flexibility, like widows or ones with especially permissive husbands. Wen Ruohan’s wives were in that latter category, and they were already whispering to each other excitedly, looking at them.

They’d even brought in the local madame, who was…

Well, she was actually breathtaking, even by Jin Guangyao’s extremely jaded standards. She had hair that fell almost all the way to her ankles, shimmering in the light, and dark eyes shining with liveliness, a smooth and ageless face that simultaneously suggested youth and health but also winked at knowable experience, the features characteristic of what his mother’s employers had called the ‘fox-face’. As if to emphasize that, the lady was wrapped in fox-fur and draped in embroidered brocade, with little stylized foxes running up and down the hems of her clothing and along the gazy silk draped on her shoulders.

It ought to have looked absurd, looked gaudy and overwrought and overdone, but it didn’t.

She was a thousand dreams of wealth and beauty and power and sex appeal all wrapped up in one, and even Jin Guangyao – who was in his personal preferences quite firmly a cutsleeve – couldn’t help but intrigued by her, wondering what it might be like to touch the hem of such a glorious creature.

And next to her…

The lady was accompanied by two men that seemed completely different from each other. One was a slender and winsome young man, fluttering his eyelashes from behind a fan with a charming smile, emanating the appeal of softness and weakness, ready to be indulged. While the other…

Jin Guangyao swallowed.

He was the exact opposite of the first man. Clearly strong, muscular and powerful, and tall to the point of towering, with wide shoulders and a narrow waist, a chest that you could lean your head against and an ass that begged to have someone’s hands on it – and there were his hands, big and broad, perfect for holding someone down or up if they so wished and of a size that was very promising as to what was only hinted at under his clothes. His face was hidden behind a veil as if he were a woman, marking him, like his comrade, as one of the available courtesans of the Splendid Spring, but his body was visible under clothing clearly cut to put it to the best advantage.

And oh, what advantages it had…!

“It seems we found something to the tastes of dear cousin Guangyao after all,” the idiot said mockingly, sniggering and snorting like the pig he was, and for once Jin Guangyao didn’t even care.

“Who’s the woman in front?” Wen Ruohan asked, ignoring their interplay. He seemed utterly fascinated, almost spellbound, and Jin Guangyao couldn’t blame him one bit. If this woman had been at the same brothel as his mother, there wouldn’t have even been room for jealousy or shame; his mother would have gone straight up to her to ask for some tips. “She seems…familiar, somehow.”

“That’s the madame of the Splendid Spring,” Jin Zixun said proudly, as if he’d done anything at all in relation to this – nonsense, of course. Everyone know which brothels were backed by the Jin sect, and Splendid Spring wasn’t one of them. He was acting as if he deserve a pat on the back just for the introduction! “That means she’s not for sale.”

His smile faded a little, twisting in a small bit of bitterness. “Or so she told my uncle, anyway…although I’m sure if it were Sect Leader Wen asking, the answer would undoubtedly be different.”

Probably because Jin Guangshan couldn’t slaughter prostitutes with impunity if they said no to him, whereas no one could stop Wen Ruohan from doing any damn thing he pleased.

Wen Ruohan grunted, pleased by the answer – he was a possessive man, in the rare events that he did exert himself in the realm of women, and there had been more than one instance where he’d stolen away some girl his sons had been eyeing first just for the joy of having had her first – and raised a hand, catching the lady’s eye and gesturing for her to come over, which she did.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

She laughed. “You can call me Hu Jiuwei. With the ‘Hu’ being the character for fox.”

Jin Guangyao tried not to choke. There were false names and then there were false names – the lady’s theme was already clearly related to foxes, given her fox-face and fox-fur lining and the foxes embroidered onto her robes. Was the over-the-top name really necessary?

“It’s a fake name,” she added, unnecessarily.

“I see,” Wen Ruohan said, sounding a little choked himself. Possibly it was the woman calling herself ‘Foxy Ninetails’ and then kindly reassuring them all that the name was false as if she thought them too dumb to figure it out that was tripping him up a little. Jin Guangyao couldn’t tell if she was doing it deliberately in order to make her frankly inhuman beauty a little less frightening, or maybe she was blessed with so much beauty that she hadn’t bothered to cultivate her brain at all. “Are you our entertainment for the evening?”

She smiled, and any complaints Jin Guangyao (or indeed Wen Ruohan) might have had about her intelligence faded away at once.

It was that type of smile.

You could wreck nations with that type of smile. Jin Guangyao couldn’t help but wonder: how had a woman this extraordinary ended up in a brothel, of all places? How had no one snatched her up to keep her all for himself before now?

“My sons and I –” she gestured at the two behind her, “– would be more than happy to provide you with all the entertainment you could possibly want.”

Her smile widened.

“We’ve been hoping for an opportunity like this for a long time.”

[wangxianslillotus]

Au where Wei WuXian doesn't go to Nightless city after Wen Qing, Wen Ning and the remaining Wens. Instead he runs away with A-Yuan and the granny. They stay hidden for years in a humble house in between a forest and a river at the border of Qinghe Nie and LanLing, away from Yiling.

Wei Ying tries to stay away from the towns after hearing about the burial mounds being attacked, of course that there would be those who search for the stigean seal, "That Yiling laozu, he disappeared in the night! Who knows when he's going to appear again to cause more trouble!!" He hears, "He's preparing to take revenge, he hasn't learned from the last time!!" . But he doesn't want revenge, he just wants to raise A-Yuan. After that, he knows that he has to hide, and ends up avoiding all contact and interactions with the world, but he remains doing his research in demonic cultivation, enough to train and develope new things that they will need for protection, but never enough for it to attract any attention.

Granny passes away after taking care of her boys, and when they find themselves in the winter out of provisions such as food and others, Wei WuXian makes his trip to the market for the first time in almost seven years. He wears a disguise, but he can never be completely sure that they are safe. Of course, he takes his son along, because he can't leave him alone. He's never sure.

A-Yuan has come with granny before, he knows the people in town, and they pretty much adore him just as the people loved Wei WuXian at the old pier market. Wei WuXian watches him and lets him lead the little trip to town with a bright smile. They buy the necessary things for a couple of cold months, and go back home at night. But as they are leaving, they catch a glimpse of gold robes in one of the streets. Wei WuXian drags A-Yuan to a dark alley to hide, until the cultivators of LanLing pass by without noticing them. After that, they don't go to the town anymore for a while.

A-Yuan doesn't ask, he never does, he respects that his father has a very mysterious past that he wants to hide, to forget if possible, and that if something happens, he will have to run away with the stigean seal. He knows that, but being aware of the pain that crosses his father's eyes is hard. But he doesn't ask even when Wei WuXian starts to train him to be a cultivator, not just for fun anymore.

He developed a golden core very young, but never used it for anything more than some night hunts at the near forest and protection. Now, they are preparing just in case those golden robed people got closer, he knows that much.

He practices archery, calligraphy too ("A-Yuan, even if dad can't write like he draws, you should do it properly. Maybe I can't make it look good, but I know how it should look.") and his father lends him his sword from time to time, for him to learn how to transfer energy on the blade, how to fly, and how to retrieve it if he sent it flying for attack. Suibian accepts him, almost knowing that he's his owner's son. Wei WuXian teaches him everything he knows about cultivation, that is not little knowledge, on the contrary, Wei Yuan ends up learning so many things, even about different sects. His father teaches him about the Lan Sect and Jiang Sect more than any others, he hears about a big library where he used to copy 3000 rules from the Lan Sect, watched closely by the most gracious man that his father has ever seen. Wei Yuan learns that his father often thinks about this Lan man, when the moon rises fully in the night sky, drinking some alcohol if they can allow it.

He learns enough demonic cultivation too, enough to prevent accidents from happening, enough not to panic, and enough to suppress the stigean seal if needed. Of course, he can't do that alone, it's only to help his father. "Never use it, A-Yuan, you know how if feels now, so you can identify it, but never use it. You can think of better ways."

He learns about talismans, more than any other Sect may even know that exist, his father is proud of that. And he is too. His father knows so many things that A-Yuan is enchanted with everything he learns. He is a good boy.

......

When A-yuan is close to become 13, Wei WuXian goes back to the town and orders a sword for him, one similar to suibian in terms of speed and weight, but black. It was going to be ready in a month and a half, the shopkeeper said. And it was going to be expensive. But it was worth it, Wei Ying knew, anything for his little boy. Besides, winter didn't had many hunting opportunities, it was a good timing.

When the time passed, Wei WuXian took A-Yuan with him to the town. They sold some talismans during the day, bought food and some warmer clothes that would be useful since there was starting to snow already in the forest, and then, they stopped by the smithy. Wei WuXian gave his son an excited smile.

When A-Yuan received the sword, he was more than happy. He was jumping like he was five again, hugging his father like he would never let go, so happy that he cried a little. Wei WuXian laughed at him for that, but he was equally happy just by watching his son. He knew it was worth it.

On the following days, Wei WuXian trained him with his sword. He couldn't use Suibian properly since he couldn't transfer it any energy, and using resentful energy didn't work at all on the blade (he had tried, it didn't went well.) But he could use it as a normal sword, and he was good at it. Better than the good ones. They sparred until his father said it was good enough to go for a nighthunt in the following days.

Little did they know that they would split, running from a Yao that had really long claws, just as large as Suibian, and creept at fast speed. It was a dangerous one, climbing the trees and jumping at them from above. The beast followed A-Yuan at first, be could hear it growling right behind him. The boy ran away at his father's order, and the beast got distracted after a while thanks to his father's music. A-Yuan ran until stopping at the entrance of a cave, listening attentively to the dizi in the distance, just in case he heard another order from Wei WuXian.

The snow was freezing his feets, and he was already wet to the knee, some of his back too because he had rolled over avoiding the Yao's claws. The dizi went silent abruptly, but it wasn't always a bad thing. It probably meant his father had killed the beast using resentful energy. He waited for about ten minutes before deciding he would go back, but as he was about to go the way he came from, he heard steps behind.

Too close to avoid to be seen, too close to run away successfully. A-Yuan turned around, ready for a fight when he saw a boy his age, dressed in white, with a headband matching the could embroidery of his robes. A Lan. It was a Lan. They couldn't find his father.

Turns out, it was a friendly Lan, that gave him a look and then proceeded to explain that he was lost. "We were nighthunting, but I got lost following the tracks of a Yao." He had said. "Honestly, I fell into a pit when I was running away, and when I got out, it was gone. Have you seen it, perhaps?" But A-Yuan lied, said that he hadn't. That he was fighting a ghost. The ones that didn't let traces behind. At this, the Lan shivered, murmuring something about hating ghosts, and A-Yuan couldn't help it, he laughed hard. He was absolutely stressed from running, ten minutes more would probably help his limbs, he thought.

The Lan got flustered at his laugh, not used to such displays of emotions from others, but he ended up laughing too. They talked for an hour or so, until A-Yuan realized that his father must have been searching him like a madman. He apologized to the Lan boy, grabbed his sword, and run away in a hurry, leaving a very confused cultivator behind. When he arrived his home, it was almost sunrise already. Wei WuXian was waiting for him in front of the door. When he saw him appear, he run towards him and hugged him hard.

Again, A-Yuan didn't ask. He knew his father's pain without need of explanation. He hugged back, letting the bad feelings go at once. They slept side by side that night, like when A-Yuan was a toddler, holding all their memories together. Keeping them warm.

.......

A couple of months later, the spring came back, and A-Yuan was more than happy to help his father with the orchard. They played in the river too, hunted some pheasants and rabbits that started to reappear from their hibernation, and Wei WuXian allowed A-Yuan to go alone to the town. He knew it was a big thing, because his father thought of his petition for about a week before answering. He had to be careful, "there are really bad people out there, my radish." But if he could nighthunt, he could take some walks around the market and enjoy tasteful food once in a while, he thought.

In one of his expeditions to the town, he met that Lan boy again. "This one is called Lan JingYi, since you ran away last time I couldn't tell you that, but we spoke about good food, and you mentioned this inn." He said. And A-Yuan smiled. He didn't say his name, but it was enough that the owner of the inn saw him, invited them both to take a seat and eat, calling him "A-Yuan". He had to be aware from his last name.

Nonetheless, he shared with Lan JingYi a good meal, happy when his new friend complimented his good taste with food.

It was not the last time they met. Lan JingYi usually appeared at the town from time to time after sending him a letter to that inn, that the owner gave him when he arrived the town. He was happy to have a friend, so Wei WuXian allowed it. It was good that his son had a dependable friend. Even if it was dangerous, he thought that some meals and sporadic letters couldn't do any harm to anyone. As long as A-Yuan was happy, he would comply. He wanted his son to have everything.

Time passed by quickly, they knew. They sold more talismans at the market, nighthunted anything and everything that they could, shared stories about their days when they were apart, ate delicious foods at the inn sometimes, and trained. They trained a lot.

In was when they turned 15 that Lan JingYi gave A-Yuan an invitation to study at Cloud recesses.

And Wei WuXian had to decide new plans.

[fanning-the-flames]

The Witches AU (6/10)

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Part 6: Boy No More

[CW: canon-typical evil to children]

The demonic cultivators stared at the Yiling Patriarch. The Yiling Patriarch stared at them back. Then he heaved a sigh.

"Fine. It is easy to mess this up. I'll tag the peonies after this meeting. Come to room 425 after six to pick them up."

Jiujiu had to hear about this! Him and Shushu and Rusong and everyone else are in grave danger!

I look around the room and spy the door not too far way. It is a bit risky, but if I'm quiet I'm sure I can sneak out the door without anyone seeing me. My heart was really pounding hard now, so a took a few deep breaths, just like Jiujiu taught me.

As quiet as a mouse, I creep over to the door. So far so good! But just as I reach out for the handle, I must have jostled my pet mice which caused them to squeak!

"What was that?" "Another mouse?"

And then terrifyingly "A BOY!"

Despite being across the room the demonic cultivators were FAST and caught me instantly. Up close I could smell the rotting eggs and meat so much it made me gag, which meant I was too distracted to stop them from placing a needle in my acupuncture point. Immediately I flopped like a rag doll, and they hauled me up in time for me to see a paper fly over and settle on my forehead.

NO I screamed in my head, because suddenly everyone turned much bigger, and the floor looked very far away.

I was now a mouse!

I screamed again and this time could hear it. This must have startled the demonic cultivator because he dropped me and I scampered away as fast as I can.

I have to get to Jiujiu! He knows about demonic cultivators so he’ll understand what happened. Even if he wasn't a proper cultivator, I know Jiujiu would recognize me whatever I look like and take care of everything.

Dodging countless shoes and even a chair, I lunged under the stage which I hoped would be too heavy for even cultivators to lift. Judging by all the bad words they shouted that seemed true enough for now. In the darkness, I look around and find an air vent.

Time to find out if the movies are right!

[silverflame2724]

Happy Prompt (if you feel like it): WWX being the genius/ex first disciple of great scet that he is realizes they can't sustain the Burial Mounds. So he comes up with a Plan to make them all dissappear. Knowing how important lineage is so them, he asks them to give up the Wen name and take up Wei. (The wens are mostly common folk who just want to live so they agree). He the proceeds to hide them among other clans. People who have met and remember all the good young master Wie always did. He hides them among the Jiang and Nie. (I always head cannon that part of WWX'S flirty reputation comes from him helping women who are in bad situations/ NHS somehow finds out/knows and begins to help him. I figure theyhad to get several Lan women out. Mama Lans ghost helps?). JC knows but ignores it, they aren't WENS anymore, so his pride can leave it be. I'm not sure if A'yuan would still end up with Lan Zhan? But then WWX, WN, and WQ all fake thier deaths and go travel as rogue cultivators. But now WWX has all these living and dead people praying to/for him as the patron Saint of lost causes? And he accidentally becomes an immortal without realizing it? To the absolute fond disgust of WQ, of course. Anyway, I figure old Jin perv still pulls his bullshit at a discussion conference and between NHS, JYL, and LWJ? They somehow clear everyone's nsme. And then newly immortal WWX rocks up in there (to the horror of the Lan Elders who now have to face thier own bullshit/ hypocrisy) and lives happily ever after.

I think I read a prompt or a fic somewhere with the concept of the Wens hiding in plain sight.

________________________

The thought came to him out of nowhere. 

It had been a peaceful day with the Wens as he farmed, invented and tinkered with various incomplete contraptions when Wei Wuxian was struck with a thought: they could not continue like this.

Wei Wuxian wasn’t an idiot. He knew that they couldn’t sustain themselves in the Burial Mounds. Their crops hardly prospered, one by one the more elderly individuals of the Wens got sick and died, the resentful energy messed with everyone’s temperament, the cultivators never stopped trying to break his wards.....the list went on and on.

He had to come up with a plan. He thought they could live here for a time, but that was just wishful thinking. 

With this in mind, he takes the next few days to come up with a concrete plan.

...............................

The first task, and perhaps the most important one, is to ask the Wens to give up the Wen name. It would be easier from then on.

As he presented this suggestion, he was surprised by how readily they agreed. He knew how important lineage was to them, so the rapidness of them giving up their name was shocking. 

“Would you......take up my name?” Wei Wuxian asked quietly. 

The Wens were silent before cheering. Wei Wuxian didn’t know how to react to this. The Wens told him that they were more than happy to accept his name since they were his family. 

Wei Wuxian held back the tears and laughed happily instead as he went on to tell him the next plan of action: hiding them in plan sight.

Various people from various clans owed him favors and remembered the good in him, as they were more than happy to take on the refugees he hid away now that they were no longer Wens.

They had to do this quietly and slowly though. It would be suspicious if a large group of people suddenly left Yiling all at once. So Wei Wuxian took each of them to different places. Some of them went back to their original homes, some went to the Nie, some to the Yao, some to the Ouyang clan. 

He even sends some to the small village of women who he helped run away from their horrible home situations.

It was a little tricky with Nie, but Nie Huaisang pulls through and Nie Mingjue suspects nothing.

He sends some to the Jiang and Jiang Cheng grudgingly accepts them, knowing that they are no longer Wen. 

And for A’ Yuan.......He sends A’ Yuan to Lan Zhan, who is familiar with A’ Yuan. Wei Wuxian sends a letter to Lan Zhan asking him to meet and instead of appearing, A’ Yuan is there in his stead. The letter to Lan Zhan details what to do with A’ Yuan and to hide his identity.

Wei Wuxian trusts that Lan Zhan would take his suggestion and tell his brother and uncle that A’ Yuan was a child that Lan Zhan was asked to take care of by a dying mother.

Wei Wuxian watches from afar as Lan Zhan takes A’ Yuan away and takes the last step in ensuring that the cultivation world forgets him: He fakes his, Wen Qing’s and Wen Ning’s deaths. There’s enough corpses in the Burial Mounds and ones with their physique to replace the Wens and him. He gossips to the town that he’s going to destroy his weapon, the Seal, and subsequently fakes an explosion of resentment, quickly disappearing with the Wen siblings to a random direction. 

He always thought how nice it would be to be like his parents and be rogue cultivators. He guesses that he’ll find out now.

..................................

Years pass and Wei Wuxian makes decent salary by taking care of monsters in the area. Wen Qing is a doctor, of course, and Wen Ning becomes her assistant.  

They move to a little village near Dongying and settle down there. The people there a little more open to demonic cultivation and dark arts and don’t bat an eye at Wei Wuxian using such means. 

Wei Wuxian invents more contraptions, selling them under a false name in towns far away from Dongying.

One day, on a chance night hunt near Yunmeng, Wei Wuxian hears whispers and gossip about Nie Huaisang, Lan Wangji and Jiang Yanli clearing his name and capturing the actual people responsible. 

He’s happy to hear this. Overjoyed. But that doesn’t mean he’ll gladly return to the cultivation world. He’s had enough of that life. 

He walks around town for a bit longer, catching bits of gossip here and there. As explores the town, wine jug in hand, he nearly chokes around a mouthful of wine as he sees a small shrine encasing a statue of his likeness. What.....the hell??

He quickly asks around and finds out that people are praying to him for protection. Wei Wuxian squirms a little at this, glad he’s wearing a weimao to cover his face. 

All of this...praying makes him uncomfortable. Not long ago, people were spitting on his name and now he’s suddenly become some sort of Patron for protection? The change is remarkable and cements Wei Wuxian’s decision to firmly stay out of the cultivation world. 

People’s opinions change like a tide and Wei Wuxian doesn’t want to stick around long enough for them to switch back. He sighs, disposing of his empty jug, and leaves the town.

.......

Surprisingly, that’s not the end of the changes. 

He got careless on a night hunt and ends up with the claw of a yaoguai piercing him all the way through his stomach. When the yaoguai pulled out its claw, though......Wei Wuxian healed quickly. Too quickly.

He recovers from the shock at this and finishes off the yao.

What just happened?

.

.

A quick trip to Wen Qing answered everything.

“Congratulations.” Wen Qing says dryly. “You’re an immortal.”

“........What.”

Wen Qing sighs, “From what you told me, you healed unnaturally quickly, right?”

Wei Wuxian nods. 

“There have only been records of immortals recovering that quickly. Even Wen Ruohan healed slower than you did.”

“But I don’t have a core???”

“You do. Sort of.” Wen Qing replies. “I’m actually surprised you haven’t you felt it.”

“.....” I mean, I did think it was odd that I didn’t freeze to death in the winter or die of hunger when money became tight over these years, but I thought those were side effects of demonic cultivation! Wei Wuxian quickly goes through the motions of feeling for his core, willing the surge of hope he felt down. 

And he......didn’t feel a core. He felt more of a large mass of energy congregated in his dantian.

Wei Wuxian is glad that he is sitting down right now because he feels very faint.  “But.....this......how?” 

“Hmm. Well, from what I’ve been hearing, you’ve become some sort of Patron Saint?” Wei Wuxian nods. “It’s rare, but cultivators can gain power from prayers. Take Wen Ruohan for example.”

“He became powerful through the same means?”

“Yes. Well, his people believed him to be all powerful, not so much as what people are praying to you. As the Sunshot alliance chipped down on his people, so too did they chip down on Wen Ruohan’s power.”

“So if people stop praying to me, I’ll stop being immortal.”

“Yes and no. Right now, there’s just a mass of energy concentrated there. It’s basically unrefined energy. All you have to do is refine that power into a core and cultivate normally. Otherwise, yes. You will lose this power as soon as people stop praying to you.”

“I see.......”

Wen Qing raises an eyebrow and brandishes her needles. “What are you doing just sitting here? Go and cultivate!”

“Aiya, Qing-jie! I’m in shock here, give me a moment to absorb this all!”

“I have patients to see! Get your ass to your room and cultivate!”

“Are you my mom or something?”

Wen Qing’s expression turns thunderous.

Wei Wuxian didn’t want to provoke her any further despite wanting to banter more and left to his room.

..................................

“You should visit your siblings.” Wen Qing says one day. “And Hanguang-Jun. I want to hear about how A’ Yuan is doing.”

“Where did this come from?”

“Wei Wuxian.” Wen Qing says patiently. “It’s been over a decade. Your name and our name has long since been cleared. People no longer hate you. And.....they miss you. Your siblings have commemorated the day you “died” and go into mourning for that day. Hanguang-Jun is a little subtler but he wears a mourning sash now.”

“They’ll be better off without me.”

“Says who?”

“The rest of the world.” Wei Wuxian says weakly.

“And why should you care for their opinion? You never seemed to mind it.”

“Ummm.....Lan Zhan hates me? Jiang Cheng might resent me? And Shij---Jiang-guniang---the Young Madam Jin has a life already.”

“First, if Hanguang-Jun hates you, why would he frequently glare at people who badmouthed you?”

“Because he’s a good person. How do you know this anyway?”

“I have friends. Try again. Hanguang-Jun is a famously reticent person. Would he do this for every person?”

“.........I don’t know.”

“The answer is no.”

Wei Wuxian pouts.

Wen Qing then begins to tell him how Jiang Cheng frequently takes demonic cultivators back with him in hopes that one of them would be Wei Wuxian and even added Wei Wuxian back to the Jiang sect register. Jiang Yanli smiles while ruthlessly talking people into apologizing every time she hears something bad said about Wei Wuxian.

She even lectures him on his feelings towards Lan Wangji, that he would entrust A’ Yuan to him.

Wen Qing closes off her speech with threats of her needles if Wei Wuxian doesn’t get his ass over there.

“There’s a Discussion Conference at Lotus Pier. Wei Wuxian, wait till they’re done and go meet them.”

Wei Wuxian, sufficiently threatened, hightails it back to what was his home.

.......

Wei Wuxian also decidedly forgets that he was supposed to wait for the Conference to end. Well, he had assumed that they would be done considering the empty state of the area in front of the conference room and stupidly bursts through the door to a room full of people.

Wei Wuxian blinks, “Uhh......”

“Wei Wuxian?!”

“Wei Ying?!”

“A’ Xian?!”

Wei Wuxian tittered from side to side, “Hello, all! I bet you thought I was dead! Well, you guessed wrong! Hahaha......”

..............................

Lan Wangji did not know what this time’s discussion conference would be like. He expected Jin Guangshan to try and subtly slander Wei Ying. He expected Jiang Yanli, Jiang Wanyin and himself to stand up for Wei Ying, as he was unable to do before Wei Ying died.

But he certainly didn’t expect Wei Ying, who he thought was dead, burst into the room.

Everyone was silent as soon as they heard Wei Ying speak, but soon burst into a cacophony of noise.

Continuing the Discussion Conference was futile after that and it was quickly closed. Lan Wangji watched Wei Ying be surrounded by many people, some crying, some happily angry, some exasperated and he couldn’t help his reaction after seeing him once again.

He rushes forward and hugs him.

“Wha--Lan Zhan?”

“You’re alive.” Lan Wangji breathes, voice full of wonder. “You’re alive.”

Wei Ying’s arms come up around him and Lan Wangji feels the strong heart beat through their robes. His elders yell at him for his shamelessness and he comes back to himself, embarrassed at his lack of control.

“Aww, Lan Zhan! I’m so glad you missed me!”

“Mn. Missed Wei Ying a lot.”

A slight blush rose to Wei Ying’s cheeks and he laughed, a little shy. Lan Wangji couldn’t help his response to hearing his laugh again after so, so long. He kissed him.

The crowd gasped around them and Lan Wangji pulled back quickly, wanting the ground to swallow him up. But then......Wei Ying kissed him back.

“Aiya, Lan Zhan. How bold of you! To steal a kiss from me in public!” He giggles, not seeming mad at all and even pressing forward, tangling his fingers in his forehead ribbon.

Lan Wangji’s breath stutters at the gesture.

“You’d better take responsibility!”

Is Wei Ying asking what I think he’s asking? “Responsibility?”

“Yes! You took a kiss from me in public! It looks like I can’t marry anymore.”

“Will marry Wei Ying.” Lan Wangji replies, voice hoarse, ignoring the cries of outrage from his elders, the angry shouts from Jiang Wanyin, and the smirks from Jiang Yanli and his brother. “Will take responsibility.”

“I hope that isn’t the only reason.”

This is his chance to come clean. Lan Wangji already told himself that he wouldn’t hold himself back if he met Wei Ying again. “Like Wei Ying. Love Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying laughs brightly. “I like Lan Zhan too. Now, you’ll finally admit we’re close?”

Lan Wangji ignores everyone, eyes only on Wei Ying as they should have always been, “Mn. Let’s get married.”

___________________________

I feel like Lan Wangji may be a bit OOC......hmm. Well, whatever. I finally got this done and with that, I think I’ve cleared all the prompts I haven’t answered, so asks will open up again!

Hope you all enjoyed this!

[vodkassassin]

Hey hun! Reminding you about that Moshang list like you asked!

Sorry this took so long, I ran out of energy and didn’t get any more until like, yesterday. Okay, so! Moshang fic recs!!

AN IDIOT’S GUIDE TO A HAPPY MARRIAGE by tagteamme. Chapters: 8/8, words:  156,680

Summary:  In order to pay off a debt that's not his, Shang Qinghua agrees to marry a man that's as cold and unyielding as he is stupidly rich.

Vod Notes: I’m not normally one for modern AU’s, but there’s just something about aspiring CEO MBJ and flat out broke SQH somehow wiggling his way into his heart that gets to me. The characterizations in this story are flawless, and the customary Moshang miscommunication/misunderstanding had me tearing out my hair at several points, yelling at these two dumbasses; and that’s how you know it’s a good one. 9/10 because I experienced lots of stress while reading this, which actually is a sign of a fantastic story, I’m just really weak and pathetic and immerse myself in reading way too much, so actually 11/10! Depends on how you look at it I suppose lol

a rose by any other name by sarahyyy. Chapters 1/1, words: 6,795

Summary: The one where Shang Qinghua suddenly becomes Prime Demon Marriage Material™ (bc of the LBH/SQQ marriage).

Vod Notes: somft. MBJ just loves SQH so very much, and SQH is pining ad dense as fuck. The perfect Moshang fic recipe. They are warm, soft, clueless idiots in this while still somehow being entirely competent, and we love to see that. SQH is a man made of contingency plans <3 I love it when authors do my son justice. 10/10

How to Panic Your Demon King by StarlightLion. Chapters: 1/1, words: 7,816

Summary: Mu Qingfang is starting to wonder if this is a requirement to be a demon lord. At least this one isn't kidnapping him.

Vod Notes: A delicious one shot about MBj worrying about the love of his life, who is a strong, dedicated, talented man who has an unfortunate training mishaps and then tries to cover it up bc he’s also dumb and doesn’t want to worry anyone. Stupid man. SQH we love you pls take care of yourself. You’re giving your husband grey hairs. A special treat toward the end with a MQF POV! My sexy doctor man is exasperated and done with everything. 10/10

it must follow, as the night the day by Tossawary. Chapters: 7/7, words: 26,342

Summary: Airplane Bro transmigrates into his own web-novel only to find out that the System messed up his world! Shang Qinghua is a demon in this world! All the characters supposed to be humans are demons in this world! And all the characters supposed to be demons are...?

Vod Notes: You simply cannot go wrong with Tossawary. They have the most scrumptious servings of Moshang in all the land. For this specific one, we’re gifted with a lovely Role Reversal AU! It’s got everything! Demon!SQH who is a absolute mess of a man? Serious cultivator MBJ who is stoic and cold but has the heart of a hero (or just a heart hardwired for SQH specifically)? Espionage? Feed it to me slowly like grapes. 11/10

You Will Never Step Lightly in the Dark by Janusoverlord. Chapters: 11/11, words 57,218

Summary: Shang Qinghua wakes up in the aftermath of Tianlang-Jun's rampage on Cang Qiong Mountain and has to navigate the delicate political situation he now finds himself in. Luo Binghe is building a harem with Shen Qingqiu as his first, and honestly most terrifying, husband. Yet, Luo Binghe seems to be turning his eyes to Shang Qinghua as a possibility as well. Excuse you? What is this? He didn't sign up for this!

Vod Notes: holy fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck this one blew my entire mind! Not only do we have SQH looking out for number one (which is himself, bless you my son) when shit turns strictly bad, but we have a absolutely, one of a kind, PHENOMENAL badass SQQ who is supporting his bro and fucking shit up left and right and everywhere for Airplane’s sake. God. This was like drinking fine wine. Breathtaking, spectacular. My life has been changed. MBJ spends most of this being a big, sulky, upset mess but don’t worry, cucumberplane fixes that up themselves. LBH get’s put in time out by both his husbands (because this is LBH/SQQ/LQG), because he fucks up in this majorly and SQQ isn’t fucking happy and doesn’t let him get away with it just because he gives him the puppy eyes and I AM LIVINGGGGGGGGG!! TLDR: simply superb badass cucumberplane, sad boy MBJ hours, and LQG gets stuck with babysit the naughty demon king duty. VERDICT: umm?! 7000/10

A Queen’s Trials (And How to Speedrun Them) by daddykeehl. Chapters: 1/8(as of 4/17/21), words: 25,000.

Summary: Shang Qinghua is now well on his way to the same happily-ever-after that every protagonist gets, but two things stand in his way. The Queen's Trials, and a council that just won't give up. Too bad for them, they really don't know who they're dealing with.

Vod Notes: Sorry I can’t hear any of your questions over the loud, shrill screams of my absolute LOVE for this story. it’s not finished, no, but it’s set up in arcs per chapter, so I’m fine with waiting for the next one to come along, and so will you if you read this. Because, lemme tell you. Fucking amazing. An SQH who knows everything about the North? He’s God, dammit, why wouldn’t he? Using that to his advantage? Not just to prolong his life, but to legally win the right to marry MBJ. God, this story is just absolutely breathtaking. I was speechless when I got to the end of chapter one. The sheer level of worldbuilding! Catch me with actual hearts in my eyes. The small DETAILS! The magnificently built OCs! The culture, the writing! The character interactions! SQH goes around accidentally winning the lifelong loyalty of every badass, OP demon in the Northern realm. I am still screeching. daddykeehl you’re my number one. fucking 200k/10 heart eyes emoji, heart eyes emoji (also, it’s part of a series! The story before this one, Quick, Easy Steps To Realizing You’re The Queen Consort, is also VERY good.)

[antebunny]

April 29: garden

It’s early morning when the sect delegations arrive at the Yiling Wei sect. The Lans are seated towards the back of the recently constructed pavilion, and Lan Zhan isn’t sure what that says about who was in charge of seat arrangements, or what Sect Leader Wei thinks of the Lans. Nevertheless, he’s close enough to see when the doors embedded in the side of the mountain are thrown open and Sect Leader Wei strides out.

And like clockwork, Lan Zhan’s heart flies to his throat. Wei Ying.

Wei Ying is adorned in impressive black and red robes. A black dizi hangs on one side of his belt, a sword on the other. There’s a gold headpiece atop his hair and an unrecognizable expression on his face. He’s followed by the Wen siblings, Wen Qing and Wen Qionglin. Well, Lan Zhan says follows because that would be proper, but to tell the truth they’re more by his side than anything else.

Lan Zhan knows it’s not proper, but he glances over at the Jiang delegation, seated equally far away from the top of the pavilion. He catches a glimpse of the Jiang siblings, and shares a look of mutual understanding with Jiang Wanyin.

Somehow, being trapped in a cave with the Xuanwu of Slaughter made Lan Zhan friends with Jiang Wanyin and Jin Zixuan. At least, they certainly seem to consider themselves such. Jiang Yanli insists on calling it friendship, and Lan Zhan would not dare contradict her. Though from his perspective, all that happened is that Jiang Wanyin and Jin Zixuan refused to work together until they’d yelled at each other enough, and revealed a few embarrassingly personal details in the process. Lan Zhan had no part in it. All he’d done was start crying when Jiang Wanyin mentioned his brother, and if that caused the other two to feel sorry for him, or believe they understood him or something equally unreasonable, then that was hardly Lan Zhan’s fault. And if Jiang Wanyin saying I’ve never seen him obsess over anyone as much as he obsessed over you to the darkness of the cave helped him stop crying, then it was no one’s business but his own.

The Lan sect doesn't gossip. At all. So everything that happened to Wei Ying in the brief year after he left the Cloud Recesses but before the annual conference where he failed to show up hit Lan Zhan all at once. The Burial Mounds. Surviving the Burial Mounds. Being snatched up by Wen Ruohan and married to Wen Chao in an attempt to possess the arcane powers Wei Ying is said to wield as a consequence of surviving the Burial Mounds. And, after the indoctrination camp, Wen Ruohan dying mysteriously, the Qishan Wen closing their borders, tales of revolution and coups and burning palaces.

The formation of a new sect, equal in size to its Wen predecessor due to the gain of Yiling and the loss of most of the small sects the Qishan Wen had conquered in recent years. Wei Ying as its terrifying, demonic cultivator head.

The conference drags on. Despite the tentative peace established between the major sects and Yiling Wei since Wen Ruohan died, many in the cultivation world are terrified of Wei Ying. The minor sect leaders, the ones whose sects had previously been annexed by Wen Ruohan, have nothing but good things to say about Wei Ying. But there’s no telling if that’s because they’re just grateful to have their sects back or not.

Wei Ying is withdrawn during the entire conference, smiling politely but coldly and choosing his words with the precision of a thousand scholars. He deliberately doesn’t look at the Jiang siblings even once. Nor does he acknowledge his history with Jiang Fengmian, despite the sect leader’s repeated attempts to remind him of it. To his credit, they are subtle. Lan Zhan only notices because he knows what to look for, and knows why, or at least suspects why Wei Ying refuses to acknowledge the Jiangs as his adoptive family.

“It wasn’t an accident that Wei Wuxian fell into the Burial Mounds,” Jiang Wanyin had admitted, when the subject of his brother came up. “My mother…she waited until my father left the sect, and then she threw him there. Said he was worse than useless, for ruining my jiejie’s engagement.”

He’d said it to hurt Jin Zixuan, Lan Zhan thought at the time. But the words that came out were painfully raw, like he’d been dying to tell someone, anyone, for too long.

Jiang Fengmian had all but banished Yu Ziyuan from Lotus Pier ever since. She’d only left Meishan once, for her daughter’s wedding. Then Jiang Fengmian had shut himself up, leaving his two children to run the sect in his absence.

“I’m in over my head!” Jiang Wanyin had cried, and Lan Zhan and Jin Zixuan, both heirs themselves, shared a look of sympathy. “I don’t know what I’m doing!”

At least when the news of Wei Ying’s miraculous survival and subsequent betrothal to Wen Chao reached Lotus Pier, Jiang Fengmian emerged, and, finding himself lacking a wife, took over his children’s education. Lan Zhan could not say the same about his own father.

Notably, Yu Ziyuan isn’t at this conference. Still Wei Ying does not look at the Jiangs, or the Yus, barely glances a look of disdain for the Jins. By the time the conference ends, Lan Zhan isn’t sure who’s been reassured of what.

And then a Wei cultivator approaches the Lan delegation’s table. “Sect Leader Wei wishes you to join him on a personal tour of Yiling,” she says to Lan Zhan, after greeting his brother.

Lan Xichen gives him a look that Lan Zhan knows says I know you’re going to say yes but please be careful. His brother is not one of the many Lans, or the many cultivators in general, who think that Wei Ying has become more evil than a demon of the Burial Mounds and more dangerous and powerful than Wen Ruohan. But he’s still an older brother, and Lan Zhan’s sect leader, so Lan Zhan acknowledges his concern with a look and rises to follow the Wei cultivator. On the way out, he catches Jiang Wanyin and Jiang Yanli’s anxious looks; a reminder that many relationships are riding on whether Lan Zhan can get through to Wei Ying.

Wei Ying is waiting for him on one of the many paths leading up the mountain. He’s still wearing the elaborate sect leader robes, but he’s leaning against a tree, idly spinning his flute with one hand, and when he hears Lan Zhan approach he turns and smiles genuinely for the first time today.

[abraxos-the-phantom]

Scum Disciple Deleted

-scenes. Here you go @vodkassassin. Unformatted and mostly unedited save for some awkward phrasing I fixed as I skimmed through it. I have a habit of merely taking out scenes rather than straight deleting them when I don't think they work out so if you see it on the fic shhh I probably just found a better place for it, but for the most part I think these are unused

TLJ + MF; Flashback/Illusion

[Log: File:Save_??-???.?.????.log]

“You know, for a man so keen on maintaining the preference of a dignified cultivator, you are fairly quick to disband such things as you see fit,” Tianlang-jun mused.

Ming Fan threw a dirty look to the former Overlord of the Demonic Realm over his bowl of beef stir fry lily bulbs. It was a specialty in this region, boasting a sweet lily bulb due to the length of time the farmers around the area spent cultivating the plant. In other words, it was delicious and a welcome change to the guilt trip galore that was eating Lou Binghe’s cooking.

Oh to eat that delicious snow congee without feeling the compulsion to throw it all back up-

Well, no use dwelling on such things.

“Most of anything could be considered vulgar when in close proximity to you,” Ming Fan quipped, taking a generous helping of the stir-fry between his chopsticks. “If you had as much sensibility as you had sensuality, I guarantee that people would be more fond of you. Unfortunately, it is too late for me.”

“Hoh? Is that so?” Tianlang-jun’s lips curled in a smirk in spite of the fact that Ming Fan had no interest looking his way, regardless of the other demon happened to do. Some odd five or so years have taught Ming Fan that there were times when the best move for dealing with the other was simply ignoring him.

Ming Fan maintained his bland tone as he briefly paused to speak, “Yes.”

Tianlang-jun shook his head, “Honestly. Are all disciples of Cang Qiong like you, or are you just the special one.”

Said disciple only gave Tianlang-jun a significant dirty look, “You’d have to actually behave yourself to get to know another disciple of Cang Qiong.”

“Eh,” the Heavenly Demon leaned back against his chair with his hands crossed behind his head. “Too boring.”

Ming Fan made a noncommitting sound as he finally ate the last of his order, letting out a satisfied sigh as he leaned back in his seat.

“Ming Fan, a question if you are so gracious enough to grant me such a thing.”

Ming Fan only raised a brow, “You may ask, whether I answer is not on the table.”

“Why?” Tianlang-jun paused as he attempted to think about his question. “Why do you maintain this relationship of ours? It’s not as if you’re on any obligation to maintain basic relations for a political reason, and you hardly ask me anything so you aren’t after my wisdom. With Lou Binghe going in and out Cang Qiong Sect, it’s not as if I can threaten your Sect any more than I could try and fight with my son.”

Ming Fan crossed his arms, humming for a moment tilting his head just enough to convey thoughtfulness he turned to look the demon lord in the eye, “If you were to be confronted with a former enemy of a war without meaning, what would you do?”

Tianlang-jun hummed, “I wouldn’t care.”

“Exactly,” Ming Fan pointed out. “Now what would you do if you discovered you were on the wrong side of that war?”

“…I still wouldn’t care.”

“Would you?” Ming Fan hummed, “Well, that’s your choice.”

“So is that all? You pity me?”

“Not quite,” Ming Fan shrugged, idly arranging the finish plate on the table. “More like my recompense of sorts.”

Tianlang-jun’s expression was unreadable as he stared, quietly adding, “You realize that I’ve killed hundreds of cultivators like you. Your age, younger- older. It didn’t matter, they were obstacles in my path and I removed them.”

“Of that I do not doubt, but these days- the line between righteous and mad is thin,” Ming Fan snorted. “I stand at the meager in-between myself. But what else can I do? I am but a mere mortal, attempting to right his wrongs.”

Ming Fan took a final sip at his tea, “Sometimes, that is all one can do without going well and truly mad.”

Tianlang-jun chuckled, “I suppose that’s true.”

The hours seemed endless after that, a moment in time felt like hundreds upon billions as the two simply- existed.

“So,” Tianlang-jun said after an eternity’s moment. “What are you doing here Little Cultivator?”

Ming Fan blinked, “Is this not one amongst our many meetings?”

The world seem to blur around him like ink amongst a pool of water. Fading into implied images as the sky and trees distorted. The sounds of the earth quieted to a hushed whisper. Ming Fan’s eyes casted around in confusion as the lively village dulled into a dead silence.

“It isn’t,” Tianlang-jun leaned back, smirking. “You’ve spent so long with me that I am now here with you- in limbo. I’m flattered Fan-er.”

Ming Fan narrowed his eyes, scowling, before looking away, “Definitely. Tianlang-jun never called me that to my face.”

Ming Fan twisted away from the…demon for some time to think.

TLJ + MF - Actual Flashback

“You look like you went a round and three more with a golem,” Tianlang-jun tsked at him.

“Are you going to lecture me about coming out while I look like I lost against said golem or are you going to sit your ass down and have some tea like we agreed?” Ming Fan snapped, wincing as he sat.

Tianlang-jun whistled wolfishly. “Why, I never took that War God to be the kinky type.”

“Don’t be so obscene,” Ming Fan rolled his eyes. “He landed me flat on my ass almost a dozen times. Of course sitting down would be a pain.”

“You know there’s this flower that-“

“No.”

“But I hurt just looking at you,” Tianlang-jun whined like a particularly annoying brat. “One tiny little adventure to look for a flower that heals bruises instantly, it’s a Lotus of a blue hue, I hear those people from the far West have been using it for some time.”

“And then Liu Qingge will have me spar against him, again, and this hellish circle will repeat itself. I am only saved by the fact that my cultivation is not as advanced as one of a Peak Lords, otherwise I would be healed by the end of the week and my pain begins anew,” Ming Fan shook his head. “I appreciate your concern, I really do, but no.”

“Aww, well since you’re being so polite about it…” Tianlang-jun sighed and sipped from the tea. “Mn- this is good. Where did you get it?”

“Shang-shishu taught me how to prepare lemon tea before the fruits go out of season, apparently there is a sweetened-cold version of this as well, but he has yet to refine the technicalities of the ingredients. I worry for him, he always seems so busy.”

“He looks like a rodent who accidentally ate a pepper, though I suppose in this case it would be a block of ice what with Mobei-jun being his lover and all.”

“I did wonder how that happened, and worried a brief time. An Ding Peak’s disciples had said that their master would occasionally come home bruised and barely able to walk, they were rearing to go to war with the Northern Demons far before everything else happened.” Ming Fan sighed, “Well, it isn’t any of my business. I’m sure they’re dealing with the situation in their own way.”

“True that, those An Ding Peak children…physically they are weak, but it is always the weaker ones that surprise you the most. Especially when angry,” Tianlang-jun smiled as he mused. “Afterall, hornets don’t seem like much at first glance. That Mobei-jun has his work cut out for him, ah, speaking of. What of those two? Surely the boy is tip-toeing these days.”

“He tends to keep to the bamboo house, and we tend to stay far away from the bamboo house, especially at night.” Ming Fan raised his hand to drink. “That is all I will say of the matter.”

Ming Fan sighed, rubbing a hand against his eyes, “I am getting far too old for this.”

“Oh please, you’re not even a century old.”

“Hm, and yet somehow I am still significantly more mature than you. Have you reached the regression stage of life Tianlang-jun? I must say, I’m rather peeved that it’s a mental deterioration rather than a physical one for you demons.”

“Hoh?” Tianlang-jun leaned forward, smirking. “Wish to test how youthful I can be Little Cultivator?”

Ming Fan raised a hand idly pointing at the silks of Tianlang-jun’s clothes, startling the heavenly demon as he wondered just what the other had found on his clothes.

Then Ming Fan flicked up, hitting the former Demon Lord up the lip and under the nose, causing Tianlang-jun to recoil, sputtering from the unjust attack. The audacity.

“I’m sure you’d at least warm the bed,” He deadpanned, sipping at his tea without a care as Tianlang-jun sputtered indignantly.

NMJ/MF - Original Re-meeting for ch 52; added here for my convenience (cus i don't wanna make another post)

“Gather everyone who can fight!” One voice called. “Sect Leader Nie is being surrounded by a pack of hell hounds! They need help.”

Ming Fan was out and running before anyone could even blink- with only Liu Qingge and Tianlang-jun holding enough time to react by following him.

-

“Shit-“ Mingjue cursed, swinging around Bàxià to hurl one attacking hound over to the side. “Meng Yao- you alright?!”

“Could use-” Meng Yao grimaced as he had to back off to avoid the snapping jaws of another hound. “Some help.”

“Reinforcements should be on the way!” Mei Lin cursed venomously under her breath. “Just where the hell did all these damned dogs come from?!”

“We’re being overrun!” Lang Fengyi yelped as he narrowly avoided claws.

“Fuck-“ Mingjue gathered his energy, willing it to fill him once more. “Get ready to run! I should be able to distract them long enough to-“

“Don’t worry about that.”

The disciples of Nie turned to find a man arrogantly walking through the field, the hounds yipping in fear and running from him, as well as another man clad in white and silver who eyed the hounds back.

Tianlang-jun stood before the disciples of Qinghe Nie with a bright smile, “Relax now, everything will be fine.”

Liu Qingge huffed, drawing his sword, “Says you. We have to make sure he’s not overworking himself remember?”

There was a distant rumbling- an ominous presence that washed over them to the point where all the hounds began to shudder and shake in fear as they too yipped around fearfully.

Descend with great speed. Swift and merciless. Run my enemies. Leave none left alive. May death greet you well.

Formation formed.

Ming Fan dropped his sword with militaristic precision, tilting all the swords generated by his power towards the ground in varying angles.

Heavenly Wrath Formation.

Tianlang-jun looked up in the surprise, “Don’t tell me that’s-“

“It is,” Liu Qingge scowled.

“Who-“ Nie Mingjue began- before all hell broke loose.

Liu Qingge’s expression was thunderous as he swept past rows of demonic hounds, tilting on hand and waiting-

Another man dropped from the sky not a second later, catching Liu Qingge’s robes and righting him before swinging his legs on the man’s waist to get around and jab another hound in the back- Tianlang-jun was swift to join the fray, allowing the shorter cultivator to move around him to get at all the lucky hounds who managed to move away from Ming Fan’s deadly aim fast enough.

While Tianlang-jun added to the deadly partnership with his own flare, it was the pair of Ming Fan and Liu Qingge that showed the obvious years of partnership between them- for the two had years of spars and night hunts to guide their blades where they need be.

Heads flew, limbs joining them as the immortals of Cang Qiong Sect and Tianlang-jun of the Heavenly Demon Line slaughtered the feared and the rowdy- leaving those of Qinghe Nie in awe.

“..Wei…” Meng Yao said, knees beginning to grow weak. “Wei Fan?!”

The man abruptly froze, glancing towards their direction before seeming to move on instinct- the War God sensing the sudden change and using his arm to propel him outward, allowing the man to fly across the air and land his sword true through the skull of the hell hound that was just about to take a chunk from Nie Mingjue’s side.

Ming Fan, not upset as he was, barked at them venomously, “Just what do you think you’re doing?! Fucking move! You’re in a battle field! Fight damn you! Are you not of Qinghe Nie?!”

“Teacher Wei!” Mei Lin cried- openly actually, crying.

“Oh for the love of-“ Ming Fan cursed. “I’ll take your crying and yelling and cursing later, lift your sabres and fight!”

“Xiao-Fan!”

Ming Fan turned, grunting as he launched his sword in the Heavenly Demon’s direction and skewering the hound. “What?!”

“Lower your blood pressure!”

Ming Fan felt his blood pressure rise out of sheer spite. “Fuck you!”

“A-Fan,” Liu Qingge growled. “You just performed one of the most powerful formations while silent. Calm down.”

“I can’t!” Ming Fan caught himself with a scowl. “But I’m not upset!”

“For the love of-“ Liu Qingge turned to Tianlang-jun. “Can you handle the rest?”

“Yeah I got it,” Tianlang-jun batted away a hound with his bare fist. “Just take care of our pissed off little horse first.”

Liu Qingge wasted no time, grabbing the now fuming Ming Fan, his nose beginning to trickle with a line of blood and generally causing the already shocked disciples of Qinghe Nie to panic.

“Hey,” Liu Qingge’s voice was soft as it was firm. “Calm down. Calm. That’s not a request.”

“I’m trying,” Ming Fan hissed. “You try doing this in the middle of battle.”

“Alright back up plan,” Liu Qingge turned to the still shocked Nie Mingjue. “You. Make yourself useful. He needs a distraction.”

“Wha-“

Liu Qingge shoved Ming Fan into Nie Mingjue, the taller man abruptly catching the man by the waist to steady him before something else caused him to loose balance.

Forgot one: Deleted Extra feat. Yang Yixuan + MF; written with it's og formatting since notes preserved my italics somehow

Cold wind swept past the ravine.

Shaking trees and rustling branches provided the background noise for the twittering creatures who lived in the back mountains. Within this quiet land was a surrounding of high elevation mountains spanning all around the mountain side.

There, Ming Fan sat quietly. Watching the creatures bellow- there were no humans for miles save for those few people within the Ancient Sect, and they were hardly just human anymore.

“So, you’ve finally decided to get off your ass.”

Ming Fan stiffened.

Yang Yixuan’s arms were cross across his breast, idly looking down from the view of Qing JIng Peak.

The landscape had changed much since Ming Fan had last come here, it was greener. With the trees far taller than when Ming Fan had last seen them, the older trees cut down by the ravages of war and time- but new ones taking their place. The silence too, was new. With no disciples Cang Qiong Mountain was a far quieter place than it had been during the height of its Sect Years. Some ascended, some peacefully settling into their next life, and some sticking around. Going to and fro the place carrying out errands and enacting a firm hand where the average Cultivator could not handle. The war had put a damper on such things, what with their stance of neutrality, bu it was no less somewhat of a sobering surprise that those of Cang Qiong Mountain had seen what was happening and judged it would be better to remain quiet.

He knew why of course, it was more practical in the long run for a mythical Sect, they were not here to force the future into their own hands- merely to counter the monsters of the yester years. Still. He wondered.

“You’re thinking so loud I could practically here it,” the former head disciple of Bai Zhan peak, the former Peak Lord himself, continued with a raised brow. “You’re normally quick to empty your mind and dump it onto others.”

Ming Fan scoffed softly, “Normal is a poor basis to use to pass judgement at the moment, even a Bai Zhan Peak buffoon like you should realize such.”

“…”

Ming Fan pursed his lip, anger simmering.

Settle.

Settle.

Settle.

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.” He said softly, allowing his fist to slack from their death-like grip.

“You just lost your brohter,” Yang Yixuan said bluntly. “You were a raving asshole when Liu-shifu dragged you here. Pretty much spat at Luo Binghe’s feet and insulted just about everyone.”

Ming Fan restrained the urge to flinch at every word.

“I’d be more than a little troubled if you didn’t act like that after losing your brother.” Yang Yixuan continued with a shake of his head. “It’s good to know that our illustrous Ming Fan is still a human.”

“Have I not proven that time and time again?”

“Dunno,” Ming Fan turned his head, the Bai Zhan Peak’s former sole disciple’s voice turning uncharacteristically soft. “You were doing a pretty good impression of acting like an immortal before.”

[dreamingsushi]

Till the End of the Moon - Episode 34

The water festival is about to start and we all know that the demons are all in to ruin it as much as possible. We can guess that they want to expose Cang Jiumin as the demon god fetus too. That’s all I can predict for now. So let’s go.

Cang Jiumin thanks Li Susu for changing him and he promises her to never let evil corrupt him. He now knows she didn’t plant the nails inside of him because she hated him, but rather the demon god. She gave him a second chance at life.

Nobody cares about what happened to Gongye Jiwu. He wakes up remembering what happened the previous night. Monü took him in to treat his wound. And kind of seduce him too on the way, since it’s implied that might have slept together. And his first thought is that she’s out to take her life after what happened. But he notices instead that she mended the hole in his cape. She cooks breakfast for him and tells him she has been married before and if he ever needs someone to talk. to, he can always come to see her.

Cang Jiumin and Li Susu are a little scared when a shaman points towards them to pick the one to act as the demon god in the parade, but turns out it’s not him but a guy behind who happily takes the role. Then they get separated and there’s the use of a transportation spell. It was the demons. They try once more to convince Jiumin to accept following them to Huangyuan where he can receive the powers of the demon god and return where he belongs. They threaten to hurt Susu to make him come back to his senses. It awakens the red eyes and the mark on his forehead it seems. He asks them proof of their will to have him as their master and asks them to kneel in front of him. Which they don’t because they’ll pledge their loyalty to him only when he returns to the demon realm. So he tells them to wait patiently for it, meaning it’s not going to happen. The dude that harassed Yue Ya and was humiliated by Cang Jiumin wants to take revenge and sees him in a magic mirror meeting with the demons. The demon lady ends up killing the dude even though Jiumin tried to push him away. Jingmie enchants the rest of the people he brought along with him. He hurts the people too. Cang Jiumin almost killed Jingmie, but gets distracted by Siying killing innocent people from the town. So much for promising Susu he’ll never touch that power again, he decides to use it to save everyone... fighting evil with evil. will never work sweetie... And the little girl he wanted to save is actually afraid of him once he managed to overpower the demons. Once everyone is gone, the demons try to inject him some demon energy, but they can’t feel the evil bone in him. Then Susu comes him to protect him. She pushes the demon away and they flee. But then Susu faints. He notices she sealed the evil bon inside her body. And then he gets pushed away by a cultivator who accuses him of killing the insolent dude. He doesn’t deserve that I try to remember his name.

Chen leader wants to have Jiumin killed for the murder of his son. Susu absorbed a lot of demonic energy and won’t wake up anytime soon. The two leaders have to keep Chen dude on track, they are interrogating the suspect, not punishing yet: they need to establish the truth first. They decide to interrogate the citizens as witnesses. Dimian comes and reveals that Cang Jiumin is the fetus. He finds the evil eye shooting weapon on him. He reveals that everything he went thourhg, even entering a cultivation sect was planned by the demon god. Stupid move Dimian. Or you’re still on the demon god’s side because you just accomplished what was needed for him to take over. Susu please wake up, you’re the only one who can do something about it now. Zhaoyou and Qu leader decide to stop attaking. He still believes in his disciple and tells him to get control back over his mind. This is going to end badly, very bad. He retrieves his senses, but ens up being struck to the pillar destroying demons. A lot of people want to kill him.

And that’s how it ends. I’m seriously questioning Dimian’s motives. I Hope Zhaoyou doesn’t die. I wish Susu saves Cang Jiumin because seriously. The poor thing needs a break. One thing I like about his character is that even though he went through hell, they didn’t make him super resilient. I like how he’s stuck in the middle of being good and evil, always challenged. It’s quite an accurate portrait of human nature. We’re neither good, nor evil. Not completely. I’m going to get some tissues ready for next episode though, I think I might need it.