#i like the idea of Guanyin being like an older sister or mother figure

[fosermi]

Y'know that drawing I posted yesterday?

Yeah that has a mini story that goes with it! I'm actually really afraid of posting it... but here I am anyway! I hope this can clarify things a bit better! And please do remember that if it makes anyone uncomfortable then please to tell me so I can take this down...

I do hope you can enjoy it, this is in no way meant to be disrespectful or offending, this is just someone I thought of during a very bad day...

===

Fear… 

It's such a powerful thing… 

If one can control many with a single glance, then they have mastered fear. They have made it theirs to command. After all, if one is feared, who was to be so foolish enough to challenge them? 

Redson was no fool, nor a coward. He was not one to feel fear, he was the one to BE feared. Who isn't afraid of getting burned? Of feeling the agonising pain of the heat? An uncontrollable force of nature that stops at nothing until it has devoured everything it can. Until all it touches turns to ash. 

Redson knew this, he knew how powerful his flames could be, how much damage they could potentially cause. The lives he could take was endless. 

And yet… 

A warm crimson trickled down the side of his cheek, his old scars having been reopened thanks to the sharp edges of the blades that struck him down, his raging fire rendering useless against the celestial swords. 

Burns and cuts littered his form as he kneeled down on the ground clutching his injured hand as his eyes fixated on the person that caused him his downfall. Yet he could not blame anyone but himself. He could not blame either Mk or Guanyin.

He knew whatever had provoked such an action was his fault. Why? Why was it his fault in the first place? That's right, he broke a promise. A vow he swore to keep. He had allowed the demon within himself to freely do whatever it wishes to do. And that led him to break his own vow towards Gunayin. A vow, that if broken, would inevitable cost his freedom once again. And once again become a decile of the benevolent goddess of mercy. 

He looked up to his opponent's eyes, in search of some sort of reasoning, for an explanation. Into those golden honey-brown eyes that used to shine so brightly under the sun. Those golden honey-brown orbs that always held a smile that enchanted him so. 

But all he could find was emptiness. 

Anger. 

"Please Mk!" Redson managed out, as the rings started to tighten around his neck, wrists, and ankles "please don't let me go away again!" 

His plea fell on deaf ears as Mk took a step back. That's when he saw it. In the reflection of Mk's eyes, he saw himself. His own eyes reflect fear. Fear.

That wasn't right, he shouldn't be afraid! He can't be! 

But it was true. 

He is afraid. 

But why? Why was he so afraid? 

He was not afraid of whatever the bodhisattva had for him. No, he would gladly take on any punishment given to him. After all, Guanyin is nothing but merciful. 

No, he was afraid of something. Something! And yet he could not tell what. 

"I'm sorry, Redson…" Mk started, his voice a low monotone. "You've crossed the line when you used the true fire of samadhi on Mr. Tang…" 

"It is time to go, Redson." Guanyin's voice rang loudly, her aura enveloping redson in its soft glow. 

Tears started to flow faster from Redson's eyes as he lowered his entire being into the ground with his forehead nearly touching the ground, his only beam of support his shaking and bloodied hands and arms. 

"Please, Bodhisattva Guanyin. Don't take me away again…" Redson started to beg, to apologise, every so often being interrupted by a sob. 

Redson knew full well that he had to repent for his crime. He knew this, he knew it well, and was willing to do anything to repent. 

So why didn't he want to go with Guanyin? 

Redson was afraid. 

The thought hit him like a truck. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want to leave his family, his friends. He had a life on earth, a life that he isn't willing to let go. He was afraid to do so. 

Afraid, so afraid. 

He was afraid of what would happen if he wasn't there. Would his father be locked up again? Would his mother's scroll cries fill his ears again? Would he miss out on all the fun times he could have had with his friends? 

So many things could go wrong once he leaves. He was afraid of not being able to do anything if something were to happen to the people he cared about the most. His mind wandered through all the possibilities, through all his fears, lost in the depths of his mind. 

"Redson?" A familiar voice called out. 

"Redson… open your eyes…" the voice sounded soft and tender, like that of a comforting mother. That was strange, when did he close his eyes? 

Slowly Redson's eyes fluttered open only to be met by a dark and empty room. His room. This was his room, in his apartment. 

Was it all a dream? 

Thunder roared outside his window as the heavy clinking of hair hitting the glass rung in the air. He wiped away the tears that trickled down his cheek as he stood up, his eyes immediately locating the small statue he had of the Bodhisattva Guanyin in his room. 

There was a small pool of water gathered at the base of the small statue as water seemed to be flowing from its eyes in a small stream. Reason's own vision started to blur at the sight as he approached the statue and sat down in front of it, hands held together in a prayer. 

"Bodhisattva Guanyin…" Redson started in a hushed and soft voice. Unable to bring forth any words, all Redson managed to get out was a serious soft and quiet "thank you" with a genuine smile across his face. 

===

END

[kaolinite91]

About Jiang Cheng

Okay I think this rambling gonna be long...

I started watching Untamed because I love seeing hanfu and I just finished playing Mulan VN which was also sets on ancient china.

What fascinating me was, that since the first time I've taken a great note on Jiang Cheng (the first scene when he throws WWX from the cliff). I was like.."wow, his costume looks so good, love the purple colors and details. Also his face is somehow look quite similar to my good-looking friend..hahaha". Maybe this sense of familiarity made me started to taken interest on him.

Then, the flashback on 2nd episode starting...his hair was loosen up a bit with a bang hanging on his right side of his face and I was like~ okay, I've decide. He is indeed my bias for this series..hahah (this is also how I usually choose a bias from boybands).

When I was still on 4th episodes, I was not sure how his character actually is, but I already like him so much. And then we showed on how he needs to make sure everything perfect while wwx just being free and loose and being loved by their sister, Yinli.

As I saw how his parents talks to him, I can definitely understand why he becoming that kind of character..a big Tsundere, always angry, feel great jealousy & inferiority to Wwx. However he is very filial too...which he never want to openly admit it, because he is a very Tsundere person, yet unfortunately this characteristic leading to his downfall too...

Actually if only he did what his mother ask him to do before the lotus pier massacre.. which was to make sure to stop the annoying Wen woman (I forgot her name) to light up the signal...they probably has much better chance to win. But he failed because he was too distracted and wanted to help his mother (although I think everyone there won't blame him too..).

It just revealed that the reason on why he lost his golden core was because he tried to helps WWX who almost get caught during that raining scenes. And this actions later leads to many tragic destinies of Yunmeng bros.

He was being pushed to be a Jiang leader ASAP by Jin leader and the others just some short times after the Lotus Pier massacre. He was also bring pushed to decide his sister wedding asap. He needs to decides on a lot of difficult situation ALONE. He was still young, griefing and inexperienced yet other people in the real live don't care (Basically I hate Jin clan leader as much as I hate Wen clan leaders). He had high hopes that WWX will be what his parents wants him to be, a loyal subordinate that will helps him to overcome all troubles as a clan leader.

But nope..

WWX becoming Yilling Patriarch. Which not only means left him alone on all the stiff and tiring bureaucracy meeting between clan leaders. But also, in a way cornered him. Everytime wwx doing something, Jiang clan was being mentioned and blamed by the other clans. So as a young clan leader who tried to be responsible for LIVES of a lot of people..of course he had no other options other than sever the ties between both of them (and as you can see in EP 28, it was Wwx idea who said if you can't defend me, then leave me...ugh why this bros cannot listen to each other and do a normal talks).

I think you can always see in the drama (which I honestly think has a very good acting and details), on how JC always looks jealous to Lan Zhan. Which is very reasonable. I mean, although both JC and LZ are responsible figures, but the weight of their titles are different. LZ is NOT a clan leader. He is kinda fortunate because it means, if he wanted it, he could become a free person just like WWX. Well his clan maybe gonna brand him as a traitor, but his older brother still there as Lan clan leader. So in term of ancestral legacy, its nothing to lose.

While JC, is not so fortunate, he is the only one who can be a Jiang leader. If he chose Wwx, his clan is either being claimed by other clan...or destroyed. Because when you're not in the same side of the history..then you're the villain of the story and needed to be estinguished. And he knows what Jin clan capable of that's why he's got really torned between responsibility and personal interest.

In the end he repressed his personal interest and fillial loves and chose a cold path of leadership responsibility. Thus why, he always angry to wwx.. he got jealous on wwx free will. and also JC still trying to grasped on the 'unattainable future', from wwx's past promises which was to stays alongside him and becoming a loyal subordinate of Jiang clan.

When he visited Burial Mount to fight and banished wwx, you can saw clearly that his heart was actually shattered. It was really difficult for him to comprehend wwx wish and dream to live selflessly for sake of justice.. to the extreme extend to even abandoned his own family and becoming that one public enemy. As already mentioned above, JC really cornered by the 'old clan members' because of what Wwx did. So when he said that he can't forever defend wwx...and wwx said 'then leaves me'.. it was really difficult for him (thus the tears from both of them).

Even the girl he likes, Wen Qing, choose wwx..lol. On Ep 20, JC want to help Wen Qing but he won't be able to save all of her family. Or else the other clans will brand Jiang clan as a traitor, right? While Wwx can save them all (he can be selfless because...he has nothing to lose except his own live). Since she knows how selfless wwx from what he has done to JC, I think she trust wwx more..-> this leads another blow to JC.

JC didn't know about the Golden core at that time. He only knew that.. he tried to save Wwx, lost his golden core, somehow got his core back then met Wwx again 3 months later with very different attitudes..and he realized the sadness and loneliness in Wwx eyes. He knew something was wrong but somehow cannot get the answer. I think both Yanli and JC really worried on the new Wwx. But because both of brothers just to stubborn on each others..the truth just then being concealed and buried before even appeared? No wonder this lack of information made him (unconsciously) starting to hates himself and blamed wwx for every misery happened in his life... (Although we knows that he was still super worried about him, deep inside his tofu heart).

When he finally got bombed by the 'surprise about his golden core' truth (thanks Wen Ning..lol). He was actually got no reason to hates wwx anymore. Those defense mechanisms finally broken, thus why in Guanyin temple he can finally cries ....ask for forgiveness and forgives him.

Then in the end of episode 50, when JC said 'take cares' to wwx who already gone far away..the background ost is from Yinli theme song 'discontent'. I believe the tunes from parts where it says ' no goodbyes, no separations, no worries and no griefs...can you still hear the call of A-Xian..(this theme song is so sad but also calming). He smiles and finally, let wwx go...

So I think after this, if someday WWX somehow come to visit Lotus Pier, JC would still welcome him as an old friend and family (in his usual tsundere manners) and hopefully this two brothers can finally gives each other warm hugs. They deserved it okay...;A;

Do you think JC would ever told wwx about that 'one raining day'? I don't think so..but I kinda believe this action gives him a good karma...in a way. :)

Btw I think it is also very sad that he named his beautiful purple sword: Sandu. Because it was representing his live episodes and memories?

Ps: I really want to gives ultimate salutation to Wang ZhouCheng because I think he was doing a really good job in bringing JC as a character to real life. It still impressed me on how he could transformed from a young friendly boy to a stern, sassy uncle..hahaha. and also he said that everytime he rolled eyes to wwx, that was natural. And that means he indeed understood a sibling feeling very well (Is he has sibling?). Because that's what every siblings done when not agreeing their other siblings or family members..right? hahaha.

So in conclusion, Jiang Cheng in CQL was a big tsundere who torned between people he loves and responsibility. Needs to blamed others for defense mechanism just to finally let it go and started to move on.

And final thought from me...to be an anti mainstream like WWX is indeed very difficult. You will fight a lot of people when you want to change a system. And in the end you are either ends up as a public enemy or hero.