#like wei wuxian really tried to push him away and save his reputation and lan zhan was like BABY YOU'RE IT

[tenma-udai]

Did you start watching the Untamed recently?? Do you like it? What are your thoughts and whose your favorite character?

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING IT WITH @spookysp-ace AS MY CUTE LIL TOUR GUIDE AND I'M A LIL BIT OBSESSED HOLY CRAP like I really really really love it IT FEELS LIKE POETRY like so much of it comes back into play and is INTERWOVEN I HHHHHHSJHDIEHFKSNDKFJDKWKDO No spoilers I am still on ep 43 BUT I ALREADY WENT BACK TO REWATCH THE FIRST COUPLE EPISODES AND THERE'S???? SOOOOO MANY THINGS THAT ARE LIKE KILLING ME LIKE LITTLE DETAILS I DIDNT NOTICE HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

there's something so epic and tragic about so many elements and yet it never feels hopeless?? hhhhh I love Wen Qing and Wen Ning and I REALLY REALLY ove Wei Wuxian but like idk idk idk ITS LAN ZHAN BY A LONG SHOT he's just LAN ZHAN and he's YEARNING and HIS LIL STOIC FACE KILLS ME, THE WAY HE'S DEVOTED and like ???? Like I just every "Wei Ying" fucking SLAUGHTERS ME how does he say it with so much LOVE and CONCERN and the way he loves Wei Ying is so intimate and soft like he doesn't even have to say anything and I am like fuck oh my God there he is. THERE HE IS. like. the love interest energy is incredible

HHHHHHHHHHH like it's just so beautiful to look at too like I am not finished with the series and I am already like hhhhh more wait more I am like ✨✨✨✨✨ wow it's really good, like the timeline is way confusing at first and sometimes the effects are a lil eh, but the WRITING and the CHARACTER DRAMA and the way all these relationships feel dynamic and real and like ???? idk there's so much feeling behind everything it's perfect for my lil ADHD brain to hyperfixate on I am truly thriving

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

This is now the additional salt post to accompany my CQL one about Jiang Cheng, featuring Lan Wangji (my beloved who can do no wrong but really does, especially in CQL).

And thank you again @narcissismincarnate wanting to read my messy thoughts on all of this.

So, the issue where it first runs aground with the major change in the book is making him so quick to choose to accompany Wei Wuxian during the Sunshot campaign. In the book he did not know what to think of Wei Wuxian until the Xuanwu Cave incident, his jealousy and his turmoil with having a crush on Wei Wuxian while simultaneously thinking he disliked him leads to his own hesitancy and Wei Wuxian's. He was shocked that Wei Wuxian was willing to stay with him with his injury because he had been that kid that harassed him, the removal of the archery competition was a detriment as that solidified Lan Wangji's belief that Wei Wuxian flirted to cause harm.

In CQL they are made to trust each other by that point due to the shoddy addition of the Yin Iron. In CQL Lan Wangji is certain that Wei Wuxian was always in the right and essentially, placed him on a pedestal. In the original he was still coming to terms with how to even speak with Wei Wuxian, there was no fall out like CQL with Wei Wuxian "cultivating a path of evil", his concern originally was misconstrued as judgement, because they both had a barrier of not understanding the other. Both of them believed the other hated them and they did not speak until Wei Wuxian had defected. A larger divide then before because neither understood each other, Wei Wuxian being the aggressor now and Lan Wangji being the one to back off.

The wording of significance used for the in CQL is "Zhi ji" which a lot of the western fandom takes to be romantic in context, but the issue is Wuxia/Xianxia use this word liberally for deep connections when it's supposed to be viewed as nebulous/taboo "friendship" for plausible denial even with platonic relationships that are deep by social intimacy standards. And is a standard Wuxia trope.

CQL relies on Wei Wuxian martyring himself and seeing them as unequal (woobying himself essentially). Where as in the novel his hubris is what is his downfall and believing he can figure everything out with his own arrogance. It's what makes the burial grounds meeting much more pertinent than CQL. It is Lan Wangji finally trying to step up to understand Wei Wuxian and witnessing that he is in fact in a bad position socially while protecting civilians.

It is why he tries to argue along with MianMian for the sects to leave him be. Lan Wangji is physically punished for this meeting strangely in CQL when there was really no reason at all for this. He was within his right to and uses what he learned their to argue for the Sects to leave the remnants be, but the sects ignore their words due to finding them unimportant next to the Jiang Sect and Jin Sect insisting something must be done and he was a danger.

His penultimate punishment in the book is not due to just protecting the most wanted cultivation enemy, but because he dared to go against his own sect. It is unfilial, and a death sentence if the other sects knew of his transgression. He is placing personal love over Sect reputation fully coming into a circle against what his own name sake is, he did involve himself in worldly base matters and calls himself equal to Wei Wuxian and taking punishment in solidarity.

Due to the mashing of Nightless City and the First Siege, it throws out that Lan Wangji was helpless in trying to save Wei Wuxian when he is attacked once more. His hope of Wei Wuxian pulling himself out of death is not avoided. It also is a way to insert Lan Wangji's sole purpose in this endeavor was to feel lifetime guilt. Also HOW he found A-Yuan is a massive hole in logic for CQL since he SAW Wei Wuxian die, the only reason Lan Wangji returned there presumably weeks after attacking his elders was to find Wei Wuxian's body and finding A-Yuan alive instead, the living legacy to what Wei Wuxian sacrifices his position in the cultivation world for.

CQL plays off the guilt of Lan Wangi not being able to be by Wei Wuxian's side and pining for 16 years and looking for Wei Wuxian's soul which was why he took on Nighthunts and small jobs. In the novel it is established he gained his name of "Hanguang-Jun" for helping the common people only during the Sunshot campaign, he was a light and justice for them in contrast to Wei Wuxian's boogyman reputation. It erases Lan Wangji's own growth away from Wei Wuxian and his reasoning for beginning to understand Wei Wuxian's own morals, however late it was in his first life.

It is due to his mistakes with Wei Wuxian that it is hinted at as to why he raised Lan Sizhui to be so morally upright and non-judgmental. He is still alive to give a child a better upbringing than what he and Wei Wuxian were subjected to and taught him to be more forward with his thoughts without major repression.

In the novel he has had his growth over the years to mature into someone who is more open to help Wei Wuxian, listen to him and stand as his equal. In CQL it relies on his past guilt that he has not gotten over to clear Wei Wuxian's name. It's what also what makes it so strange that after all of this, all of his 16 years of pining, to abandon Wei Wuxian at the end once more, to be... A Cultivation Chief when it is established he is not in the realm of politics at all and had been a teacher for children for a reason. He makes the same mistake again, when in the novel he had established he would stay fully by Wei Wuxian's side no matter what at Koi Tower and again with the Second Siege.

There was no more personal growth for Lan Wangji to go through making it very out of place that either of them still had something to learn and needed to be separate for an indefinite amount of time until they could be together once more. Both knew they could not be without the other by the end of the novel and are an equal united front. Something that CQL washes away for extra angst that is not needed since the ending shots are them together seconds after their parting making it null and void, and very out of character for Lan Wangji to ever leave Wei Wuxian again.

CQL contradicts the lessons that Lan Wangji learned essentially keeping him in that young stasis of mind he used to have and never really growing out of it and keeping each of his actions as an atonement of guilt instead of unconditional love that he has a chance to now offer Wei Wuxian with no stipulations. His help to Wei Wuxian is meant to be seen as unselfish as he does not demand for repayment as Jiang Cheng does and it is fully of his own volition to want better for Wei Wuxian.

It's not about atonement for Lan Wangji post-resurrection, it's about fully making it known he chose to he seen as Wei Wuxian's equal without the barrier of secrecy everyone else stuck to in life that CQL pushed over for angst fuel.

[chrisemrysfics]

After my post on Wangxian and unconditional love, among other things, I realized I forgot all about a source of unconditional love for Wei Wuxian: the Wen siblings and remnants.

Here is the thing: first, Wei Wuxian had a few years with his parents, he barely has memories, yet he remember the sense of happiness, joy, and the love of his parents, both for each other, and for him.

Then, he lose them, and faces the streets. And then he’s picked by Jiang Fengmian, and brought “home”... and right away there’s an issue with Jiang Cheng and puppies. Yu Ziyuan also shows displeasure.

Jiang Yanli shows care for him, while Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian make peace, however, from here on, Wei Wuxian is under constant disapproval by Yu Ziyuan.

And I believe Wei Wuxian is not blind to Jiang Cheng being hurt by what his mother says, and the apparent not-care his father shows. But he says it and I believe he’s right: Jiang Fengmian is lenient toward Wei Wuxian because Wei Wuxian is not his son. What appears as indulgence, is simply that he doesn’t care all that much past what Wei Wuxian is bringing to the clan.

He doesn’t seek his safety: he could have chosen to make Wei Wuxian stay to Lotus Pier rather than let him go to Nightless City, but he didn’t. He even said “he can choose”, which make him wash his hands of responsibility and make Wei Wuxian own up to his own fate. And his last words to me nailed the confirmation: he doesn’t give any word of care, he only echo what Yu Ziyuan said: protect my children.

Wei Wuxian grew up knowing he’ll be scorned by Yu Ziyuan regardless of whether or not he’s truly at fault, and knowing Jiang Fengmian doesn’t really care, as long as he’s around, he let him do what we want, knowing Wei Wuxian is loyal to the Jiang and to his children. Jiang Cheng express it awkwardly, but his attempts at “taming” Wei Wuxian “hero complex” is that he recognizes no one else is trying to stop him from harming himself (including his father). However, because Jiang Cheng let himself be influenced, he doesn’t show unconditional love, Wei Wuxian knows he cares, but Wei Wuxian also recognize Jiang Cheng doesn’t understand him.

This leave only Jiang Yanli that he can be himself with. We understand he feels safe with her, to show his true self, that he know he’ll be love without condition, because it is to her, and only her, he asked such a thing as “why does someone like someone else”. And that’s why his hesitancy to tell her anything about the three months disappearance is so heart-breaking, and she can be seen being worried still: for the first time, he doesn’t tell her.

And this shows how he views himself. For the first time, he thinks there is finally something that might be the one think Jiang Yanli won’t accept. That he’s become something that finally is where she draws the line. No one else before her truly showed any unconditional love, and he’s terrified what will happen if he let her see who he has become.

And it explain why he push away Lan Wangji: he knows Lan Wangji values are righteous, to Wei Wuxian, if Lan Wangji disapprove of him, it means he’s something that cannot approved of. Which then reinforce the idea that he cannot show Jiang Yanli what he’s become.

In the end, he’s traumatized, and scared to be rejected by the two people he cared for the most. He knew he felt pulled to Lan Wangji, he cared for him, he knew in his heart he valued him, just like he values Jiang Yanli. If he allowed himself to be vulnerable, and he got rejected, it would break him. So he didn’t take the risk.

All of that to arrive to the Wen siblings.

And the important thing I realized is that it never was a question of owing each other anything.

Wei Wuxian met Wen Ning, and showed kindness to him, which is pretty clear Wen Ning rarely, if ever, received, outside of his sister and the branch of their family. Its enough for Wen Ning to want to come when he hears about Lotus Pier, and willing to help them.

When Wen Qing enters the scene, she knows the risks, but there is a vital factor that made her decide to let them stay hidden and recover: her brother. Yes, she is a healer, however, it was risky to allow this, except, this was someone who inspired loyalty in her brother, someone who treated her brother well. Someone with a brother that was hurt.

Then, Wei Wuxian asks her to do the surgery, and she refuses. She knows what this will mean, and the thing is, I do end up thinking he’s not blind to how he’s been treated. He had to develop his own moral compass because either he’s scorned no matter if he’s at fault or not, or he’s “indulged”, or he’s not understood. He cares, and he sees himself as owing everything to the Jiang, but I feel like he knows how it can sound like. Wen Qing refuses because she isn’t certain he truly realize what he is asking, or she questions how willing he is, past any conditioning. But he insists, and she sees something that let her know that he does know what he is asking for.

Ultimately, Wei Wuxian is still misunderstood when people think his choice is because he’s been conditioned: yes, of course, we can understand someone shouldn’t have to sacrifice himself, that they shouldn’t have to “pay back” in such a manner... except no one asked. No one forced him to do this. He looked at his brother, and decided he didn’t want to see him like this. Wen Qing refusing meant he had the occasion to rethink his choice. He still chose.

That’s why they also speak of not owing anything to each other: Wen Qing chose to help them, and Wei Wuxian chose to go through the transplant. They understand the risks they took for each other, they had each other life in the other hands (if WWX and JC are seen, its death for WQ, if WQ fails, its death for WWX).

And that’s why they don’t seek each other, they owe nothing to each other, understand where they stand in the war, and trust each other has continued to follow the path of their heart. Wen Qing didn’t betray her values as a healer, nor did Wei Wuxian betray his own values.

However, Wen Qing ended up desperate, and there was only one person she knew had values she could trust: Wei Wuxian. She knows what she is asking out of him, but just like she didn’t leave Wei Wuxian and his brother to their own fate, Wei Wuxian would not leave her and her brother to their own fate. Just like he chose for the transplant, she knew Wei Wuxian would choose what is true to his heart.

And so they end up in Burial Mounds, Wei Wuxian once more doing a sacrifice, yet it is done out of his own choice, the refusal to betray his own values (be it that it was the care for his brother back then, or the protection of innocent now). And here is the thing: Wen Qing knows about Wei Wuxian’s core.

And the Wen Remnants are well placed to fear him, distrust him, be unkind to him, but they don’t. More than that, they welcome him as family. He becomes family to them, and they become family to him. No one judges him, they all see him, and none of them disapprove of him, and they care for him.

To me, Wei Wuxian only ever had two things that were truly his: his demonic cultivation, and the Wen Remnants as family.

He says it himself: he owes spiritual cultivation to the Jiang. But demonic cultivation? He chose to not die, to resist, to survive, to return, to continue following his own values, and developed his own tools for it. He saw the scorn of others, but knew his heart, and stayed true to it. Everything “bad” about him was his trauma, not his cultivation (proven as to how he is, after his death and return).

And the Wen Remnants, they became his family. The Jiang siblings are his family of adoption, but the Wens were the family he, himself, adopted. They were to him what the Jiang Clan was to JC: the people he would protect, the one he placed first.

If JC and/or JYL had no one else to turn to, WWX would have protected them too. But JC had a whole sect, and JYL was part of it. More than that, the best protection was to distance himself, the Wens already had a tainted reputation, like his own, but not his siblings (and same for LWJ). He couldn’t take that risk.

And the strength of his heart and values show when everything goes extremely bad: he accidentally kills JZX, he doesn’t manage to protect/save the Wen Siblings, and still he doesn’t outright slaughter everyone, he attacks after being provoked. He also stop when JYL show up, but because someone else tried to kill him, he sees her protect him and die to protect him... just like the Wen Siblings.

And he just effectively lost the last, and first, sibling who has loved him unconditionally. The Wen Siblings knew all about his lost core, while JYL knew about him in many ways. Loosing all three of them, effectively meant he lost the three people who knew him best and loved him without condition.

Is it so surprising that his psyche broke there? He went mad with grief, the trauma catching up to him. Then he finds himself conscious again, away from Nightless City, not knowing there is still one person who loves him.

And what does he decide to do? Break the seal. Now, I realized a thing: he didn’t die from breaking the first half. The accounts are confusing on purpose, but he himself is seen thinking about how he broke half of it, but didn’t have time to break the second before the Siege happened.

This means he knows how to do it without dying... or he was already half dead.

Then he looses the Wen Remnants, he’s Sieged by the whole cultivation world, including his own brother. There’s no Lan Wangji in sight, leaving him uncertain whether he doesn’t deserve to die in Lan Wangji eyes, or if he’s not even worthy of Lan Wangji being present. Or if its a last kindness, to not be part of the people who attack him.

But Wei Wuxian has lost everything, everyone, his own brother is here with hate and grief in his eyes, Wei Wuxian knows there is greed behind the Siege, and so he finishes what he started: he destroys the seal.

And to this day, I am still convinced there was no backlash, but rather, a last command, either conscious, or one he didn’t realize he made but born of how he was feeling.

However, because he never returned as a vengeful ghost, this make me consider that, for all his death was violent, he died with a peaceful heart.

He knew his own heart and values, and he followed them to his last breath. He knew the greed and blindness of the cultivation world, but what would he do? Kill them all? Be what they claimed he was? No. And then, to him, he caused the deaths of people he never wanted to: JZX and JYL. To someone who gave his core because he considered he owed it to the Jiang, what will he give, if he consider he owed to repay the deaths he caused?

He chose, died with peace in his heart because he followed it to his last breath.

And I wonder if the corpses “eating him” weren’t eating the resentment within him. That’s a whole other headcanon to develop.

But yes, all of this to say: the Wen Remnants were WWX family, the Wen Siblings became his siblings, and WWX remained true to his heart up until the end.

That’s why he didn’t return as a vengeful ghost, and why he was calm and level-headed when he returned. It also strongly imply his temper and so-called “lack of control” were due to his trauma. Yet, this just goes to show how strong willed he is, to both survive the Burial Mounds, and never loose himself, and show that he is truly the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, because he never lost himself through it, and still mastered it.

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

A collection of fics I’ve read (/reread) and thoroughly enjoyed in the past week-ish from all kinds of fandoms and genres.

ATLA

✩ a nation, held by snowdarkred

It doesn’t take long for the rumors to start.

The Fire Nation prides itself on its civilization. It isn’t like the other, lesser, nations who throw their children away by sending them into war. Those uncultured and unfeeling savages who are destroying their own future faster than the Fire Nation can save them from themselves.

Every Fire Nation child goes to school. They learn reading and writing, the illustrious history of their country, and what will be expected of them as proper, upstanding Fire Nation citizens. They are to be protected, because children are the future glory of the nation.

The crown prince is thirteen when his father burns his face in front of an audience of hundreds.

Harry Potter

this dark world aches for a splash of the sun by linil

The point is, Harry is having a right old time and he is suddenly, very much not pale. He’s outside as much as is physically possible, which means he soaks up gallons of sunlight a day. It seeps into his skin, into the muscles and bones beneath, probably, staining him a warm mahogany, barely paler than Hermione.

Umbrella Academy

Razor burns and other lingo by TheArchaeologist

In the apocalypse, beards were useful, because they protect the skin from the elements.

At The Commission, beards were deadly, because your target could grab them and overpower you.

When he returned home, Five was thirteen, and did not need to think about shaving his face.

Now, Five is sixteen, and the stubble has returned.

(The Hargreeves men have a moment and Five just wants to be left in peace.)

[discard all feelings, the stars scar my ceiling] by Anonymous

the hargreeves kids were always set to be extraordinary.

oh, they would have developed powers regardless of the exact circumstances of their upbringing, but the specific powers they ended up with are defined by just that–– the ways they tried to protect themselves from reginald's cruelty.

Untamed

​✩ The Absolutely True Story of the Yiling Patriarch: A Manifesto in Many Parts by aubreyli (+ podfic)

Wei Wuxian’s hand jolts, spilling a drop of wine onto the tabletop. “Love?” he croaks, then clears his throat and tries again. “Lan Zh��� uh, Hanguang-jun, in love?”

“Have you not heard the story?” the other young woman asks, looking pitying. “You must, it is a truly heartrending tale of star-crossed romance and mutual pining — go to any storyhouse in town, everyone has been requesting a reading of this book.”

“There’s a book?” Wei Wuxian says blankly.

(In which the junior disciples (namely, Lan Jingyi, Ouyang Zizhen, and a reluctant Lan Sizhui) turn to RPF in an attempt to rehabilitate Wei Wuxian's reputation so that he and Hanguang-jun can get together and get married and live happily ever after. It's... surprisingly effective.)

✩ Something Yet to Learn by Glitterbombshell

Part 1 of Joy In the Midst of These Things

“Wei Wuxian,” the man grits out, and he pauses with one hand reaching for the door handle. The disciple who had come in to speak to Lan Qiren brushes past him and exits the pavilion without a backwards glance. Wei Wuxian turns back to Master Lan, one eyebrow tilting up in question. “An urgent matter has come up,” Lan Qiren says, every word sounding like it’s being forcibly dragged from him. “His Excellency requests my presence. Their current instructor is ill, I was meant to take over classes for today,” he continues, gesturing towards the tiny juniors. He swallows heavily, and the next sentence sounds bitter. Choked. “I cannot leave them unattended.”

Wei Wuxian just blinks at him.

(Wei Wuxian is asked (under duress) to babysit a class of tiny Lan cultivators for just a few minutes. A few minutes turns into an hour, turns into two hours, turns into an impromptu literal field trip and now there's an entire class that is weeks ahead of their curriculum, their most junior disciples have apparently imprinted on Wei Wuxian like baby birds, and Lan Qiren has no one to blame but himself.)

détente by cafecliche (Note: All the Untamed fics by this author are great.)

Part 1 of the yunmeng accords

Wei Wuxian sits up a little further. Then instantly regrets it. “Go to bed, Jiang Cheng,” he groans. “I’ll live.”

“Will you?” Jiang Cheng says. “Because if you die in my guest room, Gusu Lan will have my head.”

He and Jin Ling really are the same person, sometimes. Wei Wuxian considers pointing out, again, that he is nowhere near dying, but he lets it go. He’s tired. And it’s apparently not helping. “Not all of Gusu Lan,” he says mildly. “I think the elders would send gifts.”

(Or: an unexpected stay in Lotus Pier.)

the soft animal by cafecliche

“You don’t think that’s strange?” he says. His voice, his new voice, is familiar now. But sometimes it almost startles him, hearing it come from his mouth. “It’s been nine months. I’ve used them almost every day. I should know how long these legs are.”

(Or: Wei Wuxian has a plan to train Mo Xuanyu's body. The results aren't quite what he expects.)

the price of a home by JemTheKingOfSass

Part 1 of the worth of a whipping boy

Jiang Fengmian places a calming hand on Wei Wuxian’s shoulder, but gives a gentle push towards the ground. Jiang Cheng watches as his brother sinks to his knees without any fuss. Madam Yu stalks over, staring down at him with a blank face and determined eyes.

“You said you understood when we took you in. You’re old enough now to start earning your keep.” Madam Yu reaches down and tugs loose the sash holding Wei Wuxian’s robes together. A few rough pulls of fabric and he is unceremoniously stripped to the waist. Zidian sparks in her hand.

Losing My Mind by pupeez4eva (Note: This author also has a great selection of Untamed fic, but I’m only reccing one fic so this list doesn’t up ridiculously long)

On a drunken dare, Jiang Cheng drinks a potion that allows him to hear other people’s lustful thoughts. It’s just his luck that he’s stuck in close vicinity with the guy who is completely and utterly besotted with his idiot brother.

One thing's for certain - there is no way he's leaving this with his sanity intact.

(Or, where Jiang Cheng has a lot of regrets, Lan Wangji is having an ongoing sexuality crisis, and Wei Wuxian is as oblivious as ever).

[grandmasterofwangxiancultivation]

MDZS ch.106

okay wow

Lan XiChen, “What letter?”

Jin GuangYao, “A letter of threat. The letter said… those things would be publicized for the world to see in seven days. They wanted me to either turn myself in and apologize, or… wait for the day of my death.”

(it’s pulling-the-strings-from-behind-the-scene’s guy merit, right? RIGHT? the letter was from them, i know. who is it? COME OUT AND LET ME HUG YOU

though really... if it’s not lxc, then who? a jin sect’s member? or nhs? i don’t think mxtx would put him in the scene with nothing to do for fun. he has to have a purpose. and it would make sense, since jgy murdered nmj...)

Unfortunately, it was all wrecked by Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi.

(yeah, a true pity... but not a coincidence, maybe? their investigation started with nmj’s arm, after all, and everything is linked to jgy. TOO CASUAL TO BE CASUAL. OMG. O M G. DON’T FREAKING TELL ME-)

EDIT: lxc and jgy’s scene is one of the reason i love this novel. the characterization is so good, it feels right for lxc to be unable to totally let go of his affection for him and wanting to know his reasons. i love this and i hate jgy a bit less than i did, but since the beginning i knew that i wouldn’t be able to totally hate him. he lives for reputation (his mother’s life taught him that) and he doesn’t want his to be stained.

mdzs is about love and family as well as about forgiveness (or lack of it). it makes so much sense for lxc and jgy to be like this, at this point.

I AM IN PAIN

EDIT 2:

With a sigh, Lan XiChen continued, “Third, do not try to avoid it and answer me—did you plan the death of Jin ZiXuan on purpose?!”

Hearing his father’s name, Jin Ling, who’d been holding Jiang Cheng, widened his eyes.

[...] Jin GuangYao knew he wouldn’t be believed if he denied it no matter what. He clenched his teeth, “… I indeed didn’t run into Jin ZiXuan by accident.”

Jin Ling immediately clenched his fists.

my son is hurting. My SoN iS hUrTiNg. *tries to breath deeply* I KNEW IT, BY NOW, BUT I READING IT MAKES ME WANNA CRAWL IN THERE AND HUG JIN LING TO MY CHEST AND SEND MY BEST DEATH-GLARE AT JGY

EDIT 3: yeah, keep hitting me! one moment he insults wwx and jl, the other jgy seems like the victim, STOP TOYING WITH MY HEART, WOULD YOU ALL?

EDIT 4:

Pain flashed before Lan XiChen’s face, “Even if your father… you…” He still couldn’t find an appropriate comment and gave up, sighing instead, “What is the use of saying all this now?”

Jin GuangYao shrugged as he smiled, “I can’t help it. To seek pity even after doing all the bad things—that’s the kind of person I am.”

At the word ‘pity’, he suddenly flipped his wrist. A red guqin string wrapped around Jin Ling’s neck.

Tears still hung at the corners of Jin GuangYao’s eyes as he spoke, voice low, “Don’t move!”

i am crying for jgy but IF I SEE EVEN JUST A DROP OF BLOOD ON JIN LING-

EDIT 5: what a freaking liar, i can’t believe i felt pity toward him -i still do!!!- while he holds my baby hostage and tricks lxc again. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS JGY, UST FUCKING SURRENDER-

EDIT 6:

Just as Jin GuangYao was about to speak, a thunder of unprecedented volume roared. It was far in the distance, but sounded almost as if it was right next to one’s ear. He couldn’t help but shiver and swallow what he was about to say. Immediately after, three strange thumps bellowed outside the temple’s doors.

SOMEONE IS HERE

EDIT 7: WEN NING CAME

The figure didn’t fly in his direction, but instead in Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi’s. Calmly, the two parted for an instant before naturally standing side-by-side again. Turning around, Wei WuXian called, “Wen Ning?”

Wen Ning crashed into the Guanyin statue within the temple. With his feet above his head, he hung for a while before he plopped down and answered, “… Young Master.”

HE IS SO CUTE, HE CRASHED ON THE STATUE UPSIDE-DOWN, AAAAAAH I LOVE HIM

EDIT 8:

Seeing him, both Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling grew darkish in their faces. On the other hand, Nie HuaiSang cried, “Brother!!!”

AND HE FREAKING BROUGHT NIE MINGJUE?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?! ALKEFOJWEHGOIWHJROGIIOR I AM SCREAMING

EDIT 9:

Lan XiChen, “… Brother.”

Jin GuangYao also murmured, “… Brother.”

THIS IS ACTUALLY HEARTBREAKING BYE I WANNA DIE

EDIT 10: LWJ CHOPPED OFF JGY’S HAND AND SAVED JIN LING! THAT’S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT!

EDIT 11:

Lan WangJi peeled open the fingers of the severed palm. The guqin string loosened, and Jin Ling was finally out of danger. Just as Jiang Cheng was about to rush over to see if he was hurt or not, Wei WuXian moved faster than him and grabbed Jin Ling’s shoulders, examining carefully. After he’d determined that the skin on his neck was unscathed, without a single scratch, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

wwx caring for jin ling is what gives me life and wakes me up in the morning and wishes me goodnight when i go to sleep -something i should have definitely been doing by now, it’s 2 a.m. lol

EDIT 12:

Wei WuXian, however, pulled him into a tight hug, “Stand farther away from dangerous people next time, you brat, why did you go so close?!”

If the only son of Jiang YanLi and Jin ZiXuan died in front of his eyes, Wei WuXian would truly be at a loss as to what to do.

Jin Ling wasn’t used to being hugged by someone like this. Blood immediately flushed to his pale face as he pushed away from Wei WuXian’s chest. Grabbing him, Wei WuXian hugged a couple more times, with more force, slapping his shoulder hard before he shoved him towards Jiang Cheng, “Go! Don’t run around anymore. Go to your uncle!”

Jiang Cheng caught Jin Ling, who still felt a bit dizzy. Looking across at Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi standing together, he hesitated for a moment before he turned to Lan WangJi, lowering his voice, “Thank you.” Although his voice was low, there was no vagueness.

wwx being best uncle and jin ling blushing at being hugged by him and jc saying thank you THE WORLD IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE O M G I AM ALIVE AND THIS? THIS IS SO PRECIOUS. THIS IS ALL I NEED. THIS IS ALL I WANT FROM NOW ON.

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

what are your takes on the reconciliation? i personally feel it's imposible, not bc of WWX's ability to forgive but bc i don't think he even needs an apology or to be thanked. i don't think he would resent JC for anything done to him and if he really wanted to apologize WWX would probably tell him to apologize to LSZ and WN not to him but i doubt WWX would ever feel confortable around him again even then, what he did to the wens is not something you can get over even if they forgive him

Funnily enough, I was about to make a silly take on this with a gif lol. So, thank you for asking for my more serious thoughts on reconciliation to save myself from being a clown for the night. (Probably will still post it later though since I have no shame and the night is young)

I think what was shown within the novel, was as true of a "reconciliation" as the two could have gotten between them.

Wei WuXian, “Uh, I think it’s best if you… also stop keeping it on your mind. I know you’ll definitely always keep it on your mind, but, how should I say it…” He held onto Lan WangJi’s hand, saying to Jiang Cheng, “Right now, I do really think… it’s all in the past. It’s been too long. There’s no need to struggle with it any longer.”

This is Wei Wuxian extending the only thing he can do between them, which is letting things settle in peace, move on safely, to start somewhere new in both of their lives without the other. Wei Wuxian had never wanted Jiang Cheng's thanks for what he had chosen to do, he had done it out of love, which for Wei Wuxian can't be measured in debts owed. He is urging Jiang Cheng to let go of a past that will only haunt him unhappily, they can't gain whatever had been lost. And I think Wei Wuxian had long known that before Jiang Cheng given he does not treat Jiang Cheng and he the same as he once did and had drawn a line of boundaries between each other well before Guanyin Temple. Note that he never once calls Jiang Cheng "shidi" after the timeskip as he once affectionately had.

Wei Wuxian does not ask for apologies to himself, he tells Jiang Cheng to apologize for his remarks to Lan Wangji more than once due his own sense of loyalties for those that extend their kindness to him as his own shame doesn't take precedent.

Wei WuXian took the flute. Remembering that Jiang Cheng was the one who brought it, he turned over there and commented casually, “Thanks.” He waved Chenqing, “I’ll… be keeping this?”

Jiang Cheng glanced at him, “It was yours in the first place.”

After a moment of hesitation, his lips moved slightly, as though he wanted to say something else. However, Wei WuXian had already turned to Lan WangJi. Seeing this, Jiang Cheng remained silent.

By this point hours later Wei Wuxian is once again subconsciously showing where he has drawn the line. Taking to heart what he had said they should do, not take what had once happened to heart anymore and stop thinking about it. And once Wei Wuxian has made something clear he follows through with exactly what he had said he would do.

I think Wei Wuxian had made his intentions known, and as he says later he would rather remember the kindness and happiness in his life than the worst of it. He doesn't need a reconciliation, he is with the family he has found and made for himself without being pushed away and takes the unconditional love that is offered to him. I had once likened his inquires in the extras like how someone would about an old past friend, of course you would ask about their well-being and hope the best, but that does not mean you want to ever really see them again in person after that relationship was shut and closed. It is bittersweet, but broken friendships always feel like that, a piece of someone will always care about who they used to be close to and Wei Wuxian was always very caring in his sentimentality even with the bad. But he does not crave for anything else from Jiang Cheng any longer as he has found his happiness with who he wanted.

As for Jiang Cheng, I think he needs to finally learn to ultimately be by himself and learn to be himself without his hold onto past dead hopes. He had built his reputation on that in a world that is ultimately moving on and changing while he stagnated in his unchanging hate for 13 years. But he no longer had that tether to continue it on any longer. His life didn't end with Wei Wuxian's death, and it didn't end when he fully confronted Wei Wuxian with his hate. He's given a chance to be out of what he thought was forever Wei Wuxian's shadow, and personally I think, even if he "loved" Wei Wuxian, he never truly liked him as he never tried to understand Wei Wuxian as a person.

There is a lot of matters that can't be buried between them, as people they are polar opposites in what they want and cherish. They are not what the other needs in their life. I think Jiang Cheng's lesson is to move past a life that he had made a habit of to be selfish and Wei Wuxian was a passive catalyst that had helped him to fester that. Sometimes, it is just simply the better option to leave each other and move on without the possibility of being friend's for ones own peace. And reconciliation isn't always as satisfying as a fairy tale in real life, nor should it be an award for the bare minimum show of humanity to another.