#wwx will never know peace again

[finally-im-home]

The Wound and the Fire

So, me, who is still trapped in The Untamed, saw a very weird dream recently. I have no idea why.

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian were bickering (as usual) in a place similar to the Guanyin Temple. It was very typical of them, like:

“You left me”,

“You lead a siege against me”,

“You didn’t come to me first”,

“You don’t love me”.

.

.

And then baaanggg, they KISS.

Like full-on making out and hugging each other.

I have no idea why my brain conjured something like that between two characters who are supposedly brothers. But the thing is, the kiss didn’t weird me out; instead, I was thinking, “Oh, good, at least they hugged each other after reuniting”.

Since then, Chengxian has consumed my heart and brain. I’m new to the fandom, so it took me this moment and a considerable amount of research to know that Chengxian is one of the most followed ships after Wangxian.

I'm having second thoughts, to be honest. Not about Wangxian’s love—No. I know it was genuine and pure.

But um—JC and WWX. They are—they do have something beyond familial feeling. When I first sat down to watch this series, I thought it would be mostly about Wangxian. But I was so surprised to see the whole premise revolving around JC and WWX. I even told my mum how these two guys and their brotherhood are what touched me most in this series. JC and WWX made me cry, made me laugh, made me yearn, made me frustrated, and made me want to write a 100 fix-its. And I saw everything like we all are supposed to—brotherhood, siblings, family. I’m still not saying it’s something else.

But there were instances where JC was too possessive, too jealous, and almost angry at himself for wanting WWX. I don't know whether that was an intentional plot choice from the creators, since Wangxian is the main and canon ship. But then every big sacrifice, every hurt, pain, and yearning is happening between Chengxian.

From the first moment at the Lotus pier, they’re more than brothers. They’re each other’s mirrors. They grew up with shared trauma, shared laughter, and shared identity. WWX was JC’s world—his pride, his burden, and his best friend. Even his fury has always been about more than betrayal.

It’s grief.

It’s confusion. It’s, “Why do you still own my heart when I don’t even know how to forgive you?”

I would say LWJ yearned for WWX. We could see that clearly in his eyes and his demeanour when WWX came back after 16 years. I mean, even before, when he went to visit WWX in Yiling, LWJ was yearning left and right for him.

But there's no yearning in WWX. He grows to love LWJ—but he never yearned for him the way LWJ did. Not in the past timeline. He was infatuated—Yes,

And admired him. But ROMANTIC LOVE—? I don't think so.

But WWX ached for JC. His eyes tell a different story whenever JC doesn't look at him, especially when:

-> During the golden core transfer: Once JC’s eyes are blindfolded, WWX looks at him with an intensity, I haven't seen in him for anybody else until then. He looks at LWJ like he's mesmerised by him.

(I couldn't find a GIF without words)

-> When WWX came back from the Burial Mounds after 3 months: Remember when JC hugs him and how WWX tries to stay stoic but just melts in JC’s arms and lets him engulf him. He doesn't even look at LWJ. Even though he doesn't hug JC at the beginning, we can see him raise his arms to touch him, before JC pulls back.

3. The last scene: WWX doesn't talk to JC properly. Not even when JC keeps staring at him for several minutes. I really want to know what was going on in their brains at that time. WWX keeps a steady eye contact but doesn't bring much emotion to his face, but once JC turns away, his face changes and he YEARNS. He fucking yearns. There are a thousand different emotions on his face. He doesn’t look like someone who is finally at peace. He looks like someone who will carry that ache into every lifetime.

And LWJ sees it. Of course he does.

He leaves again without resolving it, and that silence between them is louder than any sword clash. JC is the wound that never healed—unless tended with love, medicine, and attention, it would keep on getting open and bleeding for the rest of his life.

But LWJ is his safe place and comfort. LWJ doesn't expect much from him, and WWX knows that. He can be as ignorant as he wants, and LWJ would still be there. But JC demands his attention. JC makes his blood boil. JC makes him feel things. And that agitates him. I still won't say they desire each other romantically, but I think, if LWJ was never in the scene, WWX would never end up with someone else.

Also, it makes me wonder how similar LWJ and JC are. LWJ is stoic but JC pretends to be one. They both are principled, brave, determined, loyal, and challenges WWX.

I'm sure if WWX ever hears that JC has fallen in love with someone or he's going to get married to someone, WWX would definitely find reasons to hate that person. Not because he is petty. But because JC belongs to him in a way no one else ever will. They’re trauma bond. Soul-bond. Resentment-bound. And that kind of bond is terrifying. It leaves no space for anyone else.

This reminds me of my last Tumblr post, where I said, “JC is the love of my life, but I’d want a partner like LWJ..”

Maybe that was what it is to be WWX. JC is his love—messy, painful, stormy, but all his and unforgettable. And LWJ is that comforting love—patient, unshakeable and calm.

LWJ is his sanctuary after the fire.

But JC? JC is the fire.

In short, I’m not sure what I’m trying to say, but Wangxian is real, yes—but Chengxian is raw.

[greeniegaes]

I’ve been thinking about omegaverse WangXian AU and I’m so not normal about it

Basically, WWX was always known as a beta by people around him, constantly hiding his scent and on such heavy suppressors he’d practically never have a heat. When the Wens take all of the young cultivators/clan heirs or whatever he no longer has access to that kind of stuff and it’s only so long before the medication’s effect goes away.

In the big carnivorous turtle cave he can feel his omega-ness slowly come back so he’s desperate to get out away from all the young alphas and betas he’s surrounded by. Things go as cannon and only him and LWJ are left in the cave and LWJ??? Well he’s not doing too well, neither of them are with their fevers, being stuck in a cave alone and pheromones- oh yea LWJ is in rut too lol

So they do their do in the cave, escaping out and then WWX runs off after making the other man swear he’s not gonna tell anyone that WWX is an omega.

During the attack on Lotus Pier WQ pulls WWX aside asking if he knows about the kit in his womb. WWX, freaking out about it swears her to secrecy. He’s been… kinda aware about it over the month or two that’s past, but just used his high level of cultivation to just keep it in a dormant state.

When he gives JC his core such a thing isn’t an option. He doesn’t want his child to live during a time of war so he promises himself to end the war against the Wens before his birth.

He levels up his demotic cultivation at way faster of a pace, easily out numbering any bad Wen troops, cutting off the supply lines, anything to get an advantage. His tactics are often called brutal, disgusting but most of the Sunshot doesn’t care because whoever is doing it is on their side.

Keeps following cannon but now LWJ has just a totally weird feeling in his gut all the time. He swears he can feel WWX’s emotions, the stress, the fear, the agony all of it. When he finally lays eyes on who he knows is WWX as the man takes down WC and he can’t help but feel relief. Relief that after nine months (WWX froze his pregnancy for like two months so he’s about eight and half along) he’s finally able to see the man he’s fallen in love with, that he spent a rut with while the man was in heat.

WWX doesn’t acknowledge him.

He doesn’t even really acknowledge JC, his little shidi who’s so excited to see him again. WWX remains quiet, a large cloak wrapped over his whole body

Instead of properly interacting with his friends he instead asks when their plan to attack the nightless city is (he has less then two months, and by god he wants peace of mind that his child won’t be born in a war). He lets them take him to the war camp, discussing with the leaders like LXC and NMJ to move the battle forward, saying that he can balance out the sides.

They agree and that’s that.

At the final battle WWX holds up the tiger sigil, controlling more undead then he ever has. He watches as the rest of the tyrannical Wens get torn apart, their army in ruins before NMJ takes their leader’s head. Some of them still fight, and in a blaze of glory WWX destroys the tiger sigil, creating a bright light that takes out more of the Wen’s army, any of the roaming undead and himself.

LWJ feels his blood go cold. He can’t feel WWX suddenly. He canthecanthecant.

Where did his omega go?

Back in Yiling WWX falls to the ground, any last remains of his power, spiritual or demonic finally shredded into pieces. WQ helps him recuperate, Wen Yuan at his bed side as he looks up.

It’s then and there WWX smiles as he promises himself a normal life, patting A-Yuan’s head and scenting him like he’s his own kit.

Two years later.

LWJ feels lost, constantly wandering around for something, any sign of WWX. He’s looking at hair ribbons in a market outside of Yiling, a beautiful red ribbon with lotuses embroidered in it. He jolts as he feels a hold on his leg, looking down curiously.

“Baba?” The little kid asks, no more then two years old. A six year old huffs as he goes over, bowing his head in apology to LWJ.

“Sorry Mister, my brother gets confused.” Wei Yuan huffs, pulling his younger brother away. LWJ sucks a breath in as he looks at the young toddler, tan skin, enchanting yellow eyes, perfectly straight hair except with the tips granted a slight curl.

There’s no denying this is a Lan child, just from looks alone, but the scent surrounding both of the children? That’s something LWJ had smelt once, trapped in the cave in the throes of passion with his mate.

Wei Wuxian. Wei Ying is alive.

A young looking man pulls the children away before LWJ can say anything. The man picks up the two year old and gently holds him in his arms, the six year old grabbing onto the man’s leg, still glaring at the alpha.

“Sorry about that, sir.” A soft voice rumbles with a chuckle, freezing as he looks up at LWJ for the first time.

[runespoor7]

hello!! for the ask game -- any more details about that post where wei wuxian finds out that wen ning and jiang cheng are hooking up post-canon 👀

the background for this is that WWX hears about WN/JC a while after WN/JC has been a thing - they've had time to phase out of the hate-sex phase, the phase where they're surprised that they have a cordial acquaintance interspersed with moment of kinship outside of sex, and are in the phase where they're willing to see where this takes them. it's been a few years since the end of canon, so WWX and JC have crossed paths since then.

WWX goes through some truly embarrassing denial. Because clearly what WN and JC gave been having isn't sex, it's not like, y'know, sex-sex. They must have been cutely holding hands and cuddling.

or, well, actually WWX isn't even thinking about that part too much either because the idea of JC cuddling makes his heart twinge and his throat go tight and actually what matters here is that what WN and JC are doing is fake sex and can't be real or correct or good!! They're probably too embarrassed to even hold hands, WN's too nice to push and JC is awful!!!

for the record LWJ hates this and is glaring at WN whenever they meet because WN is the one who stumblingly and delicately mentioned that he and SLJ are seeing one another, thank you WN.

2. for a while WWX manages to keep his obnoxiousness under enough wraps that WN can ignore it.

then one day WWX makes the mistake of switching targets for his random bout of fretting, and instead of bothering his husband he talks at WN about his ConcernTM regarding JC having sex WN having sex WWX not being there JC not being good at cuddling while WN needs someone who'll be nice to him.

WN awkwardly conveys the information that oh, hm, actually, that is not an issue, JC is a very good cuddler.

and then some demon must have taken over WN's mouth for a moment, probably invited by WWX's moue of disbelief because WN adds, very neatly cutting through WWX's exclamation that ah, that's just like WN to be so nice, but he's just saying that because he doesn't know better, because in fact--, "i just get him tired enough."

3. denial comes crashing down violently around WWX's ears and so does his peace of mind.

(there's a lot WWX hasn't made his peace with. JC never let him cuddle when they swapped handjobs as teens.)

suddenly WWX starts treating WN like a rival. it's unexpectedly thrilling for WN, and the fact that WWX's moods make it clear that in WWX's mind, WN is winning, makes it even sweeter. WN isn't used to winning. (WN wouldn't have thought of JC as a prize, it's complicated, the thing with JC. and yet. WWX thinks of JC as a prize. Even if he's not admitting it to himself.)

(LWJ is hating this even more but if he'd made a habit of trying to enforce his boundaries with WWX he wouldn't be WWX's regular, would he. he does try to distract WWX! with his dick! it has admirable success for the duration of coitus and then WWX starts getting the same look again. Distracting WWX with a mystery and a night-hunt just ends with WWX musing about looking up specific legends in YunmengJiang, at which point LWJ recognizes that they're going to have to go to Lotus Pier and hope for the best.)

4. They go to Lotus Pier, where: JC has so far been blissfully ignorant of this entire farce.

There's some new tension between he and WN because JC misinterpreted some mentions of WWX WN made, and WWX is an extremely fraught topic between them, one that they've avoided since they rolled out of their hate-sex phase. Originally JC doesn't link WWX's visit to WN's presence, he's too busy being taken aback (and distrustful) (and happy) at WWX being there, WWX trying to recall their history, WWX acting almost as close as they did once.

WN - who was already here! funny how these things work out! - is wincing throughout out these proceedings. WN himself isn't invited to stay in Lotus Pier proper, it's one of these things. YMJ doesn't have dogs for SLJ to unleash on WN, but he wouldn't want to take the risk, it seemed like a boundary worth respecting. There's something particularly awful about seeing WWX ingratiate himself - the word that comes to WN's mind is woo, really - with JC with JC unaware of the reason why it's happening.

Telling JC the truth keeps being the role WN stumbles into, time and again. At least this time he isn't trying to hurt JC on purpose. Even though talking about WWX is another of those boundaries of JC, another of those things that WN knows hurts JC, but--

at least this time he didn't wait years before telling JC either.

5. JC reacts by immediately being furious at everyone involved, but mostly at WWX, and there's a HUGE DRAMATIC SHOUTING MATCH.

JC acts like WWX returning like that, because of this, is some horrible betrayal.

WWX is outraged that WN told JC. (WWX's actual problem is that he's atrociously jealous of someone, anyone, getting somewhere with JC that he never got, by which I mean not just sex but also cuddling and a stable relationship that you can tell the people close to you about, and desperately needs to be higher in JC's priorities. he knows better, he really does, but WN's revelations turned his world upside down and.)

JC is also outraged that WN told WWX about-- *angrily cuts himself off* "--about you two fucking," WWX finishes, so incensed he's that close to calling JC by his courtesy name. And how is that any of WWX's concern exactly, to which WWX retorts something along the lines of "making sure they're not hurting one another," or something equally untrue. There's accusations of WWX playing games (JC - about WWX's return; then WN - about WWX trying to seduce JC, which gets JC snapping at WN and LWJ grimly nodding), there's an attempt from LWJ (who is throwing poisonous looks at both JC and WN) to convince boo that they're not worth it, let's just go, and WWX spits out in a fit of atrocious jealousy that it's his business because they're his, WN is his, and WWX had JC first, so why does JC let WN cuddle him--

at which point JC throws everyone out for the night. WWX and LWJ have to find a room at an inn, and WWX feels the disgrace acutely from having a guest room. (LWJ is indispensable in dragging WWX away, for the record. LWJ doesn't drag WWX all the way back to Cloud Recesses, because WWX "needs" to have JC, as he stresses to LWJ. But he thought about it before WWX started tugging on his heartstrings.)

5.5 - that same night

WWX slinks back out of the inn and beelines straight for LP. he needs to talk to JC, to fix things - JC always thinks the worst of things, it all went topsy turvy. There were too many people! This conversation he should have had without WN. (there's another conversation he needs to have with WN, but WWX's been putting that off forever and isn't going to stop now.) Even LWJ, bless him, of course JC would take everything the wrong way, given how he is with LWJ around.

WN intercepts him just as he's about to enter LP. And isn't budging on not letting him in. ("He said no, Wei-gongzi.") there's something very ironic about WN acting like JC's watchdog without being asked but WWX isn't unpacking all that - it feels like if he did he would entirely unravel.

A couple of WWX's arguments erode WN's resolve - "he threw you out too; you know you need to convince him to take you back or he'll keep a grudge and he won't take you back before forever" and "WN, we both care about JC," and "we need to dissipate this misunderstanding" - and if he'd had just a little more time he's sure he could have gotten through to him but JC finds them before that can happen. (people who trust in WWX's ability to take no for an answer: 0) Eyes slit, looking unhappy, all "what are you doing here."

"We came to see you."

Grudgingly, JC takes them in.

(He, too, thinks it's something unfinished. And his weak point was always fear of abandonment. What if he pushes away too much. They returned tonight. It would be foolish to push them away again; what if they change their minds?)

they're more tired than earlier, and quieter, so despite JC taking them to his office and not his bedroom after the confessions of caring and hurt they'll manoeuver themselves into a successful threesome before the night is out. (despite WWX tempting fate or at least JC's temper by asking whether it's truly so bad that WWX didn't say why he was back now? and no, for JC of course it's not, it's about WWX never telling the truth.)

After all, they came back.

[onnahu]

Okay so I can't stop coming back to the idea of mdzs httyd au, so here's what i figured out.

It's the part 1 of deep dive into it.

It's long, I'm warning you.

The sects have their own islands, so Jiangs have the island of Yunmeng (the most to the south, i'm very set about that one), Wen's have Qishan (They're the east. Because the sun. And Japan. Like. It's not for now.)

Actually maybe I'll make up a map. If I could do Gotham I can do a chinese vikings fighting dragons map. But that's for later.

Cultivation is a thing in more of a vague term for warrior that got a bit better reflexes. So they meditade and know their herbs, but don't have magic swords and taliamans. Their strikes have a bit more of strenght in them and they're a bit faster than normal, but nothing really super special.

The chinese dragons are all the super powerful dragons. So, the Red Death from the first movie has it's chinese dragon counterpart in my au, and that's a dragon that lost the heaven's blessing and with itself turned all the dragons around it into resentful beasts. That way dragons that could normally be peaceful, under the influence of a fallen dragon become kinda hazy. Like in the movie but different.

The big dragons from second movie will also be in a form of typical chinese dragon, and once again, the one that Drago control's is fallen from heaven's liking, but by a hand of human that destroyed it's godlyhood. The good one is a divine creature that takes care of other dragons and also the snow and storms, bringing them like heavens want it to.

So, all the dragons that the sects fight are under the undivined dragon's control, and the conflict goes on for ages already.

The sect conferences work as talks about trades, strategies against dragons, hunts for fun, but also initiations for young warriors.

The iniciation happens at 17 and then they kill their first dragon or die trying.

At the age 15 it is a tradition to send the warrior students to Gusu, an island north that is the furthest from the dragon's nest, and where the teenagers spent a few months training to bring honor to their sects during the iniciation.

I'd imagine the training in Gusu happens in winter, when the attacs from dragons are more sporadic, and the sects can let a ship go with people who normally give first aid, kill fires, transport messages and weapons.

So, young Wei Wuxian, the boy that is expected to be one of the gratest dragons slayers in Yunmeng, with his brother Jiang Cheng and few other disciples of their age are sent to partake in Gusu training.

There, Wei Wuxian meets Lan Wangji. It goes as close to canon as I can make it in this world. Lans still have their rules, although now they're more about killing dragons than kindness and things like that. Lacohol is still forbidden, and WWX still tries to get some. They fight, and find out they're equals, WWX takes on a mission of annoying LWJ to death and LWJ gets in his head he have to spoil every of WWX's mischief before they even take place.

When they practice identifying dragons and the best ways to kill them, WWX asked by LQR says something along the lines of 'wouldn't it be easier to just take control over it? Tame it like a wild animal and bring it to our side?'. LQR hates it, as could be expected.

Things go on, WWX promises JC that he would never try to tame a dragon, bc 1 it's suuuper dangerous and stupid and 2 they are enemies and dragons are all the evil in the world.

Then WWX punches JZX, the engagement is broken off, WWX leaves earlier.

LWJ composes WangXian when he's gone.

Next year, they're 16. A year more to the initiation.

The conference is hosted by Wens on the Qishan island. The initiation is happening, but WWX get's bored as soon as everyone he knows is done, so he wanders off.

He meets Wen Ning practising with a bow. He helps him, they talk, WWX has to go back. It doesn't mean that much for him, but Wen Ning will remember that - after all not many are kind to him.

LWJ and WWX briefly interact, but everyone goes home.

Not a month later, Gusu is attacked and burns, and Wens send a word to send all the clan heirs and at least two appreantices to Qishan for 'a study in a Wen way of slaying dragons'.

The indoctrination happens, and the role of Xuanwu of Slaughter takes a legendary sleeping dragon (again, a chinese dragon that's undivine). Wen Chao tries ti kill it, obviously fails, tries to take hostages, fails, WWX takes on things in his own hands, shit happens.

WWX and LWJ somehow kill the sleeping dragon, and are saved by Jiang Cheng.

Jiangs don't take actions, as per canon, and are attacked. Let's say it's early spring, and Wen's attack Yunmeng. Wen Ning saves JC, JYL and WWX, smuggles them to Yiling, an island that is on one side a quite prosperous village, and on the other a dragon hell. Wild dragons plague the island. Wen Qing helps treat their wounds.

JC saves WWX when they're spotted by unfriendly Wen soliders, and when WWX goes save JC in turn, he get's captured.

JC is free and menages to come back to Wen Qing and Wen Ning, but when they try to find WWX, there's no sign of him ever getting even captured.

JC goes to Qinghe and joins the war efforts, still looking for WWX. LWJ joins him. JYL either goes with him to be a medic or to Jins to persuade them to join the war.

WWX was, presumably, thrown into the Burial Mounds, a place that when you once entered you are ment to be eaten by dragons. He somehow befriends one dragon there, kills some that are not friendly, befriends some more. When he gets put it's on a dragon's back with revenge with mind.

JC, WWX and LWJ reunite when WWX kills Wen Chao and Wen Zhuliu with his 'demonic power' of controling dragons. LWJ tries to tell WWX that dragons are dangerous and it is known that some of them can control mind.

The war goes on, WWX changes the ties of it, they win.

The gossip about WWX and his insanity grows, WWX finds out about mistreatment of Dafan Wens, takes them to the Burial Mounds. Sects turn on him, and Wen remnants befriend the dragons.

For some time they're happy. Wen Ning is alive btw, and get's himself a bff dragon, Ghost General.

LWJ visits and tries to understand, and maybe finally starts to get the appeal of dragons, but he's not courageous enought to act.

Shit happens, JZX is killed by Suibian (WWX's bff dragon). It happens bc Jin's get control over a fallen dragon that controls Suibian. They're the Drago here.

The rest goes like canon. WQ and WN with their dragons are killed (or are they?), JYL dies, the siege happens, WWX expects death but is against his will saved by Suibian. He thinks Wen Yuan is dead. He's wrong. Suibian takes him far away, where WWX creates an asylum for dragons. He befriends a Chinese Dragon, the divine creature.

13 years later, unknown to WWX, Lan Sizhui finds a hurt dragon.

[wangxianpromptsgenerator]

Prompt 93: All the Time that we Lost.

Takes place in a Royalty Omegaverse AU, in which an unreciprocated bitting mark fades after 10 years.

Inspired by True Gold Fears no Fire by defractum

__

LWJ wore red at his wedding to Empress Jiang Wuxian. He still allowed himself a breach in tradition, by keeping his ribbon in place instead of handfasting during the ceremony.

(It was bad luck, and rumours flew about how this marriage was doomed from the start. He didn't care.)

His True Love, Wei Ying was dead, it didn't matter who he married. So he did his duty before leaving for War the day after.

(He never unveiled his bride).

Then by a twist of Fate, he was met by the face of his long lost Love upon his return. That successfully managed the state affairs in his absence and bore him a son.

(It sparked unrest, both in his heart and in his court.)

__

WWX didn't know what to think of this marriage.

He expected a lot of things, but perhaps, not being left with a fading bite mark, a pregnancy, and a ruined country to rule in his Husband's stead for 9 years.

And rule, that he did as he cleaned house and the People prospered under his Regency.

Then his Husband came back. It suited him, it left him one year for the transfer of power before he'd be able to annul his marriage and come back to Yunmeng Jiang. Gusu had their heir, so their alliance was cemented anyway.

His only regret was leaving back his little a-Yuan. (His son, his only joy in the Palace, that he raised by himself. It's not as if they'd never be able to visit, though.).

__

Additional Notes:

- LWJ has ONE YEAR to cement his marriage and get bonded back before he'll have to let it go. A faded unreciprocated bond mark is unreversible.

- There may be a couple of assassination attempts on LWJ since both his ministers and the people would rather keep WWX on the Throne. Despite LWJ being a famed General, he was still an unknown ruler, while WWX managed to resolve the food crises in Gusu and get the country out of poverty.

- LWJ fell in love during their teenagehood, when the Jiang siblings studied in the Cloud Recess.

- WWX saw LWJ as an old classmate. He agreed to their union for the Jiang's sake (JWY had no one else to offer, YMJ was in a delicate situation, his family and extended family were slaughtered by the Wens and JYL married into the Jins).

- Yes, JWY adopted WWX into his family before marrying him off. Which is why he is known as Empress JIANG WUXIAN. LWJ had no idea of who he was when they married.

- Some YMJ back story and why WWX is known under another name.

"Wei Ying", JWY's martial brother, beheaded Wen Chao when the Wens led a siege on YMJ. So WRH asked for his life in exchange for a cease-fire, which is why the death of "Wei Ying" was staged.

The reason behind YMJ marriage alliances is that their peace was precarious. Eventually a War broke again, and it lasted 9 years (of which, LWJ was on the front while WWX ruled the country as Regent).

- Lan Yuan is wangxian's biological son. He was conceived on their wedding night, in the dark. LWJ left at sunrise, and he only sees his family for his first time upon his return.

-LQR warmed up to WWX when he realised how diligent he was with his duties as an Empress. Despite his status as an Omega, WWX was initially meant to become JWY's right hand, so he was already familiar with politics. It also helped that a-Yuan was cute.

[wutheringskies]

The Twin Jades

dude sometimes I just come across such bad meta. it's even worse if it starts off good and turns bad.

Good Meta Points:

• The Lans really love younger child Wangji (no pets allowed, but wangji can have them. Wangji wants lotus pod seeds and gets them etc.)

• Instead of giving agency to his actions and thoughts, they think he's being influenced or corrupted by others to act in such ways (especially Lan Qiren.)

Bad Meta Points

• Lan Wangji is spoilt, similar to Nie Huaisang or Jin Zixuan.

• Gets the lowest punishment at all times (pfft.)

• "I get it you waited 13 years but you fucked off into the sunset with your husband leaving your emotionally unstable brother and duties"

• "Good to see people talking about Lan Wangji's flaws" - mentions him being spoilt and demanding instead of his actual flaws.

Like... you cannot seriously point out how he gets to have rabbits as a point of him being spoilt. Lan Wangji has made like one error in his life in his studies. He's assigned himself punishment for stuff that wasn't even done by will (coughs, wwx). He's made his decisions and lived with the consequences.

Despite what you say, Lan Xichen isn't a terrible brother to Wangji. Neither is Lan Wangji a selfish brother.

Sibling relationships are complex, and between two individuals with their own set of values. Lan Wangji is totally righteous, even more than Nie Mingjue. He can't stand exaggerated, political loopholes and unrighteous acts. He does what he can do, working on the ground level.

Lan Xichen isn't Lan Wangji. He knows the world is filled with corrupted people, and challenging each and every one of them would lead to your own devastation (read: Wei Wuxian's biography). Thus, he tries extending his sympathy to all, and draws conclusions that allow the least possible damage. He does think Lan Wangji made a dire mistake with Wei Wuxian, because if not, he will have to face the fact that the world punished his brother for his righteousness and it would shatter his whole foundation (like it does).

But despite that, both of them share similarities. They both want the better of the world. Lan Wangji is brave enough to challenge the whole foundation of the cultivation world. Lan Xichen is brave enough to lay down peace even when it's so painfully obvious there's no option of it.

Lan Wangji trusts his brother enough to bring Wei Wuxian back to Cloud Recesses after getting stabbed at Jin Tower. Lan Xichen lives up to this trust and helps them investigate the matter. Lan Wangji even assures Wei Wuxian that his brother would not stand for Jin Guangyao if his crimes were true.

See, you don't have to completely have the same sort of sets of beliefs to be siblings. Sibling relationships are complex. Both these brothers know each other, their strengths and their weaknesses well. They may be exasperated at each other's insistence, yet they are well aware that they both have to walk their own paths.

Lan Xichen could never take away Lan Wangji's pain or fix him. Neither can Lan Wangji fix Lan Xichen.

But both of them will always have each other's backs. They are each other's families. Each other's brothers for life.

But at the same time, they have each their own paths to walk. People need to understand that it's not about a lack of sense of responsibility on Lan Wangji's side, but the realization that if he went back home, he may lose Wei Wuxian again. His uncle wants to take him back, lecture him and lock him into seclusion. His uncle wouldn't accept his proposal to be married to Wei Wuxian.

He doesn't give his uncle the chance to "accept" or not.

And he literally returns three months later.

I can't help but feel that those who say he was selfish do not have siblings. Or have bad sibling relationships. I'd say Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen have a perfectly good relationship if despite their differences, their terrible parentage, their opposing personalities, the roles they both played in each other's life (with Lan Xichen being sworn brothers to Jin Guangyao who played a major role in Wei Wuxian's fall, and Lan Wangji being Wei Wuxian's husband, who in turn, set the case back onto Jin Guangyao, thus hurting Lan Xichen), the things they couldn't help each other out of, but yet, they do trust each other and love each other.

And I trust that Lan Xichen will one day figure stuff out. There's a lyric in this MDZS song called unfettered. It is like:

The past is akin to dew in the morning. Even if it can be comprehended, it lays under layers and layers of fog.

In the end, hatred, love, resentment, debts and regrets all come to pass.

Just like how Lan Wangji is not his father, Lan Xichen will also not be his father. I don't think both of them had hurtful intentions towards the other at any point.

It's not like "Yunmeng bros" where JC intentionally wishes to cause pain to Wei Wuxian. It's not like the Nie bros, where NMJ has to be super over-protective of Huaisang.

It's just two siblings with their own lives choosing to be with each other, in happiness and in grief (mostly in grief uhm) in a terrible world where the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

[sylviesoothsayer22]

Well Matched - Chapter 2

Hyacinthus orientalis

Summary: Wei Wuxian spent the past year and a half terrorizing the cultivation world. Slowly cracking at the foundations until most of the clans were forced to give up chasing him. Only one person was mad enough to confront the newborn Calamity. Uncaring that Wei Wuxian simply wants to move on with his afterlife and pursue his new purpose in peace.

Link to Chapter One if you haven't read it yet: https://www.tumblr.com/sylviesoothsayer22/767249587576651776/well-matched-chapter-1?source=share

Author's Note: First off, I'd like to preface this chapter by stating that I have absolutely nothing against Jiang Cheng. I actually find him to be one of MXTX's most complex characters and his tragic story was excellently written. I re-read MDZS for this fic and took note of how JC constantly dogs WWX's steps like a man-possessed (after THIRTEEEN YEARS of processing), just so he can make WWX pay for his crimes. In this verse, it's only been around two years since WWX's death. So, it wouldn't make sense for JC to NOT try and confront WWX. Calamity or not. I haven't written a lot of angst in the past and my opinions on both JC and WWX's actions might have bled into this chapter. That being said, if you have a problem with the chapter or how it was written, please let me know in the comments so that I can improve in the future.

Jiang Cheng made another attempt to circulate his spiritual energy through his meridians.

He couldn’t feel the energy flow.

Why?! His meridians weren’t damaged in any way and he knew the bastard didn’t drain him. 

He gritted his teeth and, once more, thrashed against the bindings that secured him to a tree. Uncaring of the thorns digging into his already torn skin.

The sound of a twig snap echoed through the forest clearing. He opened his eyes and glared at the source.

Above him were unconscious Jiang disciples and hunting dogs hanging from the branches of the tree he was tied to. Green tinted mist swirled around the clearing and the figure at the centre of it all was looking back at him with an empty grin. 

“You….” Jiang Cheng breathed out, enraged. 

“Me.” His former martial brother responded. 

He carelessly dropped the immortal binding nets he was holding and set them on fire with a flick of his finger. 

Jiang Cheng gnashed his teeth at the ghost’s casual attitude. 

“Did you think that I was gonna fall for such an obvious trap?” Wei Wuxian tutted. “Haven’t all the other clans given up by now?”

It was true. Any cultivator who came close to the newborn ghost would be met with misfortune. Sometimes he drained their cores and broke their meridians to the point that they’ll never be able to cultivate again. Other times he would simply curse their spiritual weapon or had them outright destroyed. The most gruesome was when the ghost sent hired rogue cultivators back to their clients maimed, disfigured beyond recognition or in pieces.  

It didn’t stop at direct attacks either. Whenever the Calamity got particularly irritated, dizi music would start echoing near sect territories, followed by their properties mysteriously catching fire and an uptick in monster activity within the forests surrounding Golden Carp Tower, Impure Realm, Lotus Pier, and Cloud Recesses.

The minor sects had become reluctant to pursue the matter further, regardless of their superiors’ wishes. It was theorized that Wei Wuxian had also been in contact with many low-ranked cultivators, as talented disciples withdrew from their clans without explanation and there was a great decline in new recruits. No one with an ounce of self-preservation wanted to take up cultivation if it meant that they would come face-to-face with the Yiling Lazou at some point. The ghost had become an even bigger legend than before and people have bestowed him the title “Black Flute Summons Disasters". 

Jin Guangshan, through the urging of Jin Guangyao, withdrew his clan from the manhunt. Their argument? All the sects’ resources were stretched too thin and it’s best that they cut their losses. Also, they reasoned, the Yiling Lazou seems to only act out when provoked. It was next to impossible to track him down and he doesn’t seem to cause harm other than in self-defense. How long will he tolerate their actions before he snaps and goes on another rampage? It had almost been a thousand years since the cultivation world had to worry about a Calamity. This was beyond them. Leave it for the gods to decide. 

No one was brave enough to state the fact that the Jin clan was the one bearing the brunt of Wei Wuxian’s attacks. 

Lan Xichen supported Jin Guangyao’s actions by having the Lan clan withdraw as well, which forced the Nies to follow. Much to Lan Wangjie’s alleged protests and Nie Mingjue’s clear dissatisfaction over having a powerful spirit running amok. The Jiangs were the only clan that refused to drop the matter. 

They chased rumour after rumour. Anything that could give them a clue on the Yiling Lazuo’s whereabouts. Most were farfetched and few were credible. They eventually heard from a reliable source that Wei Wuxian had been prowling up and down a nameless mountain in the far south for nearly a week now. Longer than he would typically stay in one place. Jiang Cheng and his disciples went there and set up traps for the elusive ghost. 

Which is what led to the sect leader’s current predicament. 

“Wei Wuxian!”

“Hmm? Oh, don’t bother reaching for Zidian. The mist is blocking the flow in your meridians. Not to worry. The effects are temporary.” He gracelessly plops himself on a nearby boulder and drops his smile.

“Let’s talk. What do you want from me, Jiang Wanyin?”

Somehow, the way the question was phrased infuriated the sect leader. As if Wei Wuxian was the one who had been wronged! He barked out a harsh laugh and replied:

“I want back the lives you’ve stolen and to end Jin Ling’s torment, but you can’t give me that. I’ll just have to settle for you kneeling at my parents’ altar in penitence before ending you myself!” Wei Wuxian let out a snort at that.

“A ghost asking the dead for forgiveness? That’s a good one.”

Jiang Cheng felt his rage reach a boiling point.

All traces of cruel humour left Wei Wuxian’s face.

“What’s it going to take for you to leave me be? Haven’t I already repented with my death?” He asked, expressionlessly.

“Not even close. I lost everything because of you. One death hardly accounts for all the sins you’ve committed.” Jiang Cheng growled.

Not everything. Wei Ying thought. You still have her boy and yet here you are. Stuck in the past.

“Then what would you have me do? You’ve already denounced me from the Jiang Clan, you led the siege that resulted in my demise, you stabbed me and helped in the slaughter of the people I swore to protect. Is that not enough for you?” He pressed.

Just forget about me, Jiang Cheng. Please….

“You have the nerve to play the victim now?!”

Wei Wuxian felt his own frustrations rise to the surface. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

“The only one playing the victim here is you.” He retorted. “I’m well aware that the real victims are the ones who were forced to bear the consequences of my actions.”

“So, now you choose to acknowledge Jin Ling?”

“I wasn’t talking about Jin Ling. I was talking about the Wens under my protection.” He opened his eyes again, coldly staring at Jiang Chang.

“Remember Wen Qing? The one you owed a life debt to? You could have at least requested the other clans to grant her a more humane execution. And as for the others…. I know I warranted my own death after Nightless City. But why did the Wen Remnants have to die?” He hissed out the last question. Infuriated all over again at the mere thought.

Jiang Cheng could not believe Wei Wuxian’s sheer gall.

“Even in death…. you still have the nerve to defend those dogs?” He breathed out disbelievingly. Wei Wuxian felt himself snap.

Of course, his hatred of the Wens still hasn’t abated! What was I even thinking?!

“Dogs?” Wei Wuxian sneered. “Is it fair of you to call people who had no part in that fucking war, dogs? Is it fair of you to look at the suffering of the elderly, women and children and simply say they deserved it? To this day, the sects keep posturing about how righteous and just they are, but in the end, you’re all just a bunch of hypocrites who didn’t even blink at the death of a child!”

That startled Jiang Cheng.

“A child…?”

“I’m talking about A-Yuan!” Wei Wuxian seethed. He pushed back the images of when he first found the boy’s corpse after the Siege and continued. “Remember him? Oh, right. I forgot. In your eyes, anyone named Wen is less than dirt. My mistake.” He stood up and took several steps back, taking deep breaths. Trying to calm down. Gods, he felt so tired.

“You threw your lot in with them and shacked up at the Burial Mounds. Even if you hadn’t slaughtered everyone in Nightless City, did you honestly think that you would’ve been left alone?! Was there a plan on how to protect the Wens or did you think all your problems would just go away on their own? The only person you have to blame is yourself!” Wei Wuxian tried not to react at his words.

Ah! Jiang Cheng.... You always knew where to hurt.

This ‘discussion’ wasn’t getting them anywhere.

Was he the idiot for hoping that they would find some kind of compromise?

“Is it even possible for you to let me go…?”

“….No.”

Wei Wuxian laughed harshly. He pulled out his flute and started to play a low and melodious tune. Wei Ying watched expressionlessly as Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened in realization before they started bleeding. He struggled even more viciously against his bindings, but eventually his eyes rolled to the back of his skull. His former shidi's head slumped forward as he fell unconscious.

Wei Ying lowered his flute and let out a sigh. He felt a familiar presence hovering next to him.

“What is it, Wen Qing?” He asked without looking at the woman’s direction.

A ghostly green firefly flew into his line of sight. It took on the vague apparition of a woman before solidifying into the doctor he knows. As a ghost, her clothes were dirtied by soot and ash. Her skin took on a greenish-grey hue typically found among average ghosts. The healer sported burn marks and blackened limbs. Most of the burns were on her lower abdomen and legs. She died from smoke inhalation before the fire spread to the rest of her body.

“Are we just going to leave them like this?” She asked softly. He shrugged in response.

“They’ll be knocked out for the next few days. When they wake up, we’ll be long gone.” Depending on their luck, they will have found the fabled Ghost City and will be let in or they’ll be occupying a new haunt. He changed the subject:

“Did you find the entrance?” She shook her head.

“It keeps reappearing and disappearing, but we’re sure it’s there. What do you think it means?”

“Maybe Crimson Rain is picky with his visitors?” Wei Ying mused aloud. “Either way, we still have two more days of the Zhongyuan Festival before Ghost Market closes.” She nodded and then asks the question he’d been dreading.

“What happens if we can’t get in?” Wei Wuxian felt himself tense before relaxing.

“Then…. we go with our second option.”

“But you don’t know if it will work.”

“I’ll make it work! I’ll protect you all this time. I promise.” Wen Qing gave him a look of concern.

“We believe you.” She reassured gently. “Just please.... don’t push yourself.”

Wei Ying offered her a tense smile before turning away.

“I’ll check on the others. Notify me immediately of any changes.” She nodded although he couldn’t see it. Wei Wuxian was about to leave when she said:

“Don’t let Jiang Wanyin’s words get to you. You did your best.”

He didn’t acknowledge her words and continued on his way.

I appreciate your kind words, Wen Qing. I really do. But you’re wrong about that.

It didn’t take long for him to reach his destination. A vast field of red spider lilies spread out before him. Soft and vibrant beneath the moonlight. Above the flora, many fireflies languidly flew around. Dipping and bobbing as they pleased. A few of the smaller fireflies appeared to be chasing each other in the air. Wei Ying felt himself relax at the sight. He sighed and flopped down on the flower field. Uncaring of the petals floating in the air because of his disturbance. He held out a finger and one of the smaller fireflies landed on it.

“Hi, A-Yuan.” He whispered softly. “Did you have fun with your friends while I was away?” The little firefly bobbed its body up and down enthusiastically.

He patiently listened to the ghost-child's chattering, before gently flicking him away and urging the little guy to go play with the others.

Feeling his eyelids becoming heavy, Wei Wuxian closed them. Just for a few minutes, he told himself.

I want my parents back…

Come back to Gusu with me…

A-Li…still waiting for you…

A-Xian, stop…. You have to stop first. Don’t… Don’t…

He could feel a strange light flicking back and forth through his closed lids. Wei Wuxian cracked them open. Vaguely aware that he cried in his sleep. He was met with the sight of a silver butterfly hovering above his face.

The strange creature gently landed on his nose.

Chapter End.

Further Notes:

*Timeline: It's now been two years since the Siege. WWX spent approximately six months reforming as a ghost and gaining followers at the Burial Mounds. He then spent the next year and a half doing what was mentioned in the chapter above.

*Hyacinthus orientalis: better known as purple hyacinth. The flower symbolizes deep sorrow, jealousy, grief and asking for forgiveness. I'd say it sums up the Yúnmèng brothers' relationship perfectly.

*Zhongyuan Festival: Ghost or Spirit Festival. In this verse, there's a myth that Ghost City's entrance only appears to newcomers during the festival and WWX decided to see if it's true for himself.

*WWX wasn't aware that JC DID in fact speak up for WQ.

*WWX decided to use subterfuge and fear tactics in order to buy time as he waits for the Zhongyuan Festival to come around. He didn't want to outright confront the sects, but he's not above messing around with them.

*In this verse, WWX is PISSED at the sects/clans (and himself) for the Wen massacre and how it was pushed under the rug. He vowed to leave that world behind and protect the Wens' spirits with everything that he has. Most of that drive stems from the trauma where he found A-Yuan's body after he became a ghost. I'll delve into that in later chapters. (Yes, I killed A-Yuan in this verse. Really sorry, but I couldn't stand him being separated from WWX).

Also, the Four Calamities are akin to semi-true folktales in this verse. Hence why the characters know some vague information about Ghost City, when did the last Calamity appear, etc.

There was just..... so much yelling in this chapter. Jiang Cheng is such a bitter and angry man. I hope I didn't make him too OOC. Hua Cheng will appear in the next chapter. Promise.

Omake:

HC: *peering down at a wraith-butterfly resting on his finger*

YY: *walks in with a mountain of documents and sees his lord watching some massacre -starring WWX yet again- that the butterfly was displaying on its wings*

YY: uh..Chengzhu? I have this month’s -and the last month’s- paperwork?

HC: *waves him off* Put it on my desk. I’ll look at them later.

YY: *knows that ‘later’ means ‘never’ and resigns himself to pulling another all-nighter*

Hope you enjoyed it!

Many thanks~

[fincalinde]

nice to see you back on here! if you're answering questions again, i've had something i've been meaning to ask, if you don't mind. do you have any thoughts on the things wwx and jc did for each other?

I'm never truly gone. Whenever you see a fox scurrying about its business in the twilight, I am with you in spirit. By which I mean I'm very busy but I do get a notif if someone sends me an ask.

This one has sat in my drafts for a while and it's still quite messy, but I thought I'd better just get it off the to do list and move on. So, the Twin Heroes!

I've seen quite a bit of negativity towards JC in my time, usually accusing him of all manner of iniquities that aren't actually supported by the text. To make my own position clear: I don't think JC did nothing wrong ever in his life. But I do think he's a capable clan leader and an extremely loyal brother who tried very hard to make things work with WWX.

Let's start with the biggie: WWX gives JC his core. It is an incredible act of love to be sure. Functionally it saves JC's life (he's not going to last long in that state) along with preserving the existence of the Jiang Clan itself. I don't have a problem with WWX making a unilateral decision here, because he knows JC won't agree otherwise and the stakes could not be higher. It also makes sense that the Grandmaster of Impulsive Cultivation conceals the entire thing from JC. He knows the effect the truth will have on JC, and he's just trying to get them through the current crisis and worry about the consequences later. So I think his choices are understandable in a desperate situation where there are no good options.

To be honest, what bothers me is WWX's subsequent dumbassery. My god, man, what is the point of making a monumental sacrifice for someone and then proceeding to fuck shit up for him on a regular basis afterwards?

WWX's behaviour is catastrophic for the Jiang. I understand that he's in his emo goth era and I don't expect him to make perfect decisions at all times, but the way he treads on JC's toes makes my teeth hurt. Quite probably WWX himself was never going to end up in a good place, since his demonic cultivation made him too much of a threat for the Jin (or society at large) to leave him in peace. But that's not particularly relevant to the way he undermines JC. On more than one occasion, JC is doing his best to navigate a delicate political situation and WWX clomps in with his size 13s and makes everything worse for everyone. This, as much as popular sentiment turning against WWX, is a huge driver in why they have to fake their falling out and sever ties publicly.

Meanwhile, JC makes an equivalent sacrifice for WWX—he lets himself be captured, even though it results in the loss of his core and, as far as he knows at the time, the functional extinction of his clan. This is revealed right at the end of MDZS, encouraging the reader to look back at the novel and recontextualise JC's actions throughout. JC put WWX above his own life and the continued existence of his clan. There can be no question that he made as enormous a sacrifice for WWX as WWX made for him. Their mutual ignorance of this fact for so many years is the heart of their tragedy.

But crucially, there remains a difference between WWX and JC. Because JC doesn't only come through for WWX when the stakes are high. Right up until the death of JYL, JC is the one trying to balance his responsibility to his clan with his desire to protect WWX. For a start, they fake the cutting of ties between WWX and the Jiang, when it arguably would be much less risky for JC to cut ties in actuality. JC is also the one taking further risks by allowing WWX to see JYL in her wedding clothes. He even suggests WWX gets to pick her child's courtesy name. These things show a pattern of consideration that WWX simply does not match.

Let's not forget, JC does a decent job as clan leader. He's very young, and unlike NMJ or LXC, he has to build his clan again from literally nothing. Disciples need to be recruited and trained from scratch. Lotus Pier needs to be rebuilt—without Jin gold. He's doing what needs to be done to ensure the Jiang Clan continues to exist, yet still attempting to balance that with his loyalty to WWX even as WWX becomes more and more of a liability. Yes, WWX is being affected by the resentful energy he's cultivating, but his arrogance has been present from the start. It's not that the resentful energy is creating new traits in him, but that existing traits are being exaggerated.

WWX does a lot of very admirable and brave things and he is pretty much always trying to do right by the people he cares about i.e. the Jiang and the Wenmants. The trouble is that he's fundamentally not capable of recognising the damage he's also doing. His altercation with JZX over the soup is one thing—though JC (with JGS) has to pull him off JZX and it makes a bad situation worse, it's an understandable impulse reaction to seeing his beloved shijie being mistreated. But despite the negative consequences of his impulsivity, he never learns to stop and gather more information before reacting (unlike JZX!). He continues to undermine JC by letting the whole world see that he doesn't respect his authority. This really is where I as a reader get stuck: what use is the grand gesture of the core swap when the more everyday consideration is so totally lacking?

I also think it's interesting that in the temple JGY points out to JC that if he'd stuck by WWX, no one could have done anything about it and things might have turned out quite differently. I don't think JGY is being truthful here; or at the very least, if he is being truthful then I don't agree with his assessment. It's a remark intended to goad JC and prod him where he's most sensitive, and it's successful in that regard. I'd be willing to bet that deep down JC does fear that if he'd backed up WWX then everything might have been all right and JZX and JYL would still be alive.

But it's simply not true. WWX's affiliation with the Jiang is catastrophic for them. He openly flouts JC's authority—and of course his demonic cultivation taints the Jiang by association, particularly in light of the Jin smear campaign. WWX's intervention to rescue the Wenmants is the last excuse JGS needs to do what he planned from the beginning: put a target on WWX's back. This isn't a post about whether or not WWX's actions to protect the Wenmants are moral; it's merely an observation that they put JC and the Jiang at risk by association, especially when WWX also deliberately insults the Jin in a public forum. The Jin don't exactly need to work hard to sabotage WWX's reputation: they're merely handing him the rope and he's merrily tying the noose. On a pragmatic level, an actual estrangement rather than a fake one would have been the more better option for JC if his sole priority was the wellbeing of his clan and not also his love for WWX.

On the other hand, if WWX had continued with his demonic cultivation but respected the authority of his clan leader and not undermined him in public, JC might have been more able to effectively protect him. I'm not entirely convinced by that argument, but I certainly find it more plausible than the idea that JC backing WWX would have prevented the consequences of the determined Jin smear campaign.

Essentially, my point is that I'm not splitting hairs about the degree to which JC and WWX love each other. Their love for each other is not in question. Nor is it in question that they have made equally huge sacrifices for each other. But there's the rub. What about the small sacrifices? Who is making those? More often than not, it's JC. JC has the weight of his clan's survival on his shoulders and he still does his best to remain privately loyal to WWX despite the risk it poses to his own position. He only turns on WWX when WWX's actions result in the death of JZX and JYL—JYL being arguably the only person they both love even more than they love each other. (Sorry, LWJ. You only make the leaderboard in Life 2.) Meanwhile, WWX is willing to give up his core for JC but not willing to make the effort to present a united front against political foes who are actively trying to destroy them. He loves JC, but I see no evidence that he respects him.

[missholland]

Farewell, a place once called home!

I was homebound this week for an illness recovery, and thought it was the perfect time to rewatch one of my ultimate comfort shows: The Untamed.

Some people watch stuff once. Some people religiously rewatch their favs because they discover something new each time. I'm certainly part of the latter clan, and I cannot believe I never wrote about Wei Wuxian (WWX)'s post-resurrection return to Lotus Pier before.

The second half of episode 45 throughout episode 46 is quite a journey on its own right: the setting, the aesthetics, the dialogue, the emotional weight as one of the biggest secrets finally came to surface.

A very long rambling analysis ahead so bear with me!

Considering the latter half of episode 45 was mostly consumed with Si Si and Bi Cao exposing Jin Guangyao (JGY)'s dark past, there were only a couple of Lotus Pier moments that worth mentioning.

As WWX and Lan Wangji (LWJ) walked through the entrance of Lotus Pier, I was immediately taken back to what WWX said to LWJ in episode 6 when they were healing their injuries in the Cold Spring. WWX asked LWJ to come visit him in Lotus Pier one day, and I bet the circumstance they eventually found themselves in episode 45 was far from what WWX thought the visit would have been like.

Let's also take another step back to episode 34, where Jiang Cheng (JC) interrogated WWX. WWX admitted that he wanted to go back to Lotus Pier even in his dream, but at the time, he had probably given up all hopes of ever making that come true.

What else is there? His master and madam died, his disciple elder sister Yanli died, he got expelled from his own clan. It was virtually impossible to prepare WWX for the event of episode 45 where he actually got to walk into Lotus Pier again.

Let's now cruise into the main event - episode 46! Fed up with how the big clan meeting went following the revelation of JGY's wrongdoings, WWX and LWJ stepped away from the front room and made their way around Lotus Pier. They were likely just wandering around at the time, as their concentration was totally occupied with finding out who might be the mastermind trying to expose JGY. Then again, it might as well be WWX's muscle memory as they somehow ended up right in front of the ancestral hall.

Despite initial hesitation, WWX eventually decided to come in and paid respect to his Master, Madam and Yanli along with LWJ. It's not the first time we saw this incredibly tranquil and beautiful room. It really was WWX's most frequently visited room, whether it was being punished by Madam Yu (story apparently travelled all the way to Gusu) or having heartfelt conversation with Yanli. WWX telling LWJ his childhood stories inside the ancestral hall was probably the most mundane sequence during this whole ordeal, and a small moment of normality for WWX before our resident killjoy JC walked in.

Yes JC, we know it's your house but surely yelling in the middle of the ancestral hall whether your family was resting in peace isn't a very good idea? Our WWX certainly didn't expect any less from all the unpleasantness coming out of JC's mouth, as since forever he only let his anger do the speaking and not the common sense. LWJ was ready to have a showdown, but WWX calmly told him to stand down and let it go.

But did JC let it go too? Of course not. He was irritated by WWX's calmness and tried to spill some more frustration to get the other to react. He clearly picked the right route to go down on by picking on LWJ and Wen Ning (WN). Worse, he proceeded to single out LWJ and insulted his commitment to WWX.

That prompted WWX to yell out JC's courtesy name Jiang Wanyin, a name we didn't hear very often throughout the show but in this instance it was most memorable, especially coming from WWX. That itself drew a clear boundary in their relationship at that moment, from brothers to mere acquaintances in the cultivation world.

WWX wasn't afraid to ask a proud JC to apologise, but all JC was gonna do is pushing the button even more. He took a very personal swipe at their confidant/soulmate-ship that led WWX to, quite uncharacteristically, violently held JC's collar.

Our dearest is giving JC what he wants! Although to be perfect honest, I thought it was quite hilarious that JC for whatever reason was confident he could take on both of them. WWX possibly since he wasn't at his finest during that moment, but prime LWJ though...?

Thankfully, WWX looked up and saw Yanli's name. He knew very well it would break Yanli's heart seeing the two of them like this. He's gotta be the bigger person (and fair enough, he's already knackered from being the lure flag for the puppets). As our beloved couple once again tried to leave in peace, JC decided to make it as hard as possible for them. Here he is, triggering LWJ's angry lover protector mode.

I love the swift but determined arm push LWJ did to JC a second after this to get him off WWX, then right away his expression transitioned back into anxious lover worrier mode. LWJ didn't even give JC a second look. He promptly escorted WWX away but was still super alerted to give JC a good old Piss Off for STILL ONCE AGAIN not letting it go.

Let's take a moment to admire this bittersweet yet romantically charged frame before getting the tearfest started.

Now, our sweet baby WN just flew in with WWX's Suibian sword, got a couple of hits from JC's Zidian but was still determined to stand tall and asked JC to unseathe Suibian. JC was angry and confused, LWJ was probably also angry and confused, WWX has fainted, so now WN is the only sane one and the voice of reason. His cold lack of reaction (because he wasn't surprised at all) placing next to a shocked pikachu LWJ and confusingly mortified JC was the perfect comparison.

LWJ's face tells me that as soon as he saw JC taking out Suibian, he was already somewhat fearing the reason behind it. He hasn't quite reached the destination yet, but he was on the way. After all, he's one of the most intelligent and knowledgeable characters in the story thanks to his sect's education. His eyes made it look like he was holding on a tiny glimpse of hope that maybe it's not true, maybe it's not the worst case scenario, but it was certainly mixed with fear that it might be.

It's very different from JC who's just completely out of the loop, no hint of any possibility that he might be able to work out what happened. If WN wasn't there to SPELL IT OUT, JC would just remain angry and confused for the rest of the episode.

As JC is still in deep denial, and WN precisely recounted the event on the mountain in great details where JC was tricked to go find Baoshan Wanderer who could fix his core, LWJ only had eyes on WWX. His ears were listening to everything WN said too, but his focus was on WWX while he did his own reflection on how he reacted to WWX abandoning swordsmanship in the past (the same way JC did).

All the burning questions LWJ had inside his head - why WWX no longer carried Suibian, why he made all these excuses to not get back into practicing swords, why he took on crafty tricks, why he had a change in personality and demeanour, why he behaved so strangely after getting Suibian back - they are finally answered. But in the most unimaginably painful and heartbreaking way. LWJ's trembling face and tears scream PAIN, the pain you feel when you know someone you love is in pain, but you are also aware that whatever you feel is only 1/10000 of their actual suffering.

Pain and anger come together time to time, and LWJ has heard enough. He just wanted to get WWX out of here, out of this hell of a truth. He made his feeling known by stamping Bichen loudly on the ground and took WWX away, once and all.

Our baby WN really shined here. He wrapped up this dreadful revelation by daring JC to find anyone who can unsheathe Suibian, but not before hitting him with possibly the last thing any human being as competitive and eager to win like JC wanted to hear - did you know you were supposed to beneath your disciple older brother forever?

WN kept his head down and let out a sigh. He knew he shouldn't have done it since he promised WWX, but that was as much as he knew he had to do so. His guilt toward WWX was starting to hit him, but it was also obvious that a huge burden has been lifted off his shoulders.

We're now getting to the end of WWX's unexpectedly eventful return to Lotus Pier. Without JC's unreasonable pot-stirring screaming, we're finally given a lovely shot of Lotus lake at night with LWJ ensuring WWX's body not leaving his caring touch. I don't think we've had a proper conversation between LWJ and WN up to this point, and what makes it so special is that it's a genuine exchange between the only 2 people left who deeply care about WWX - a lonely anti-hero who's been walking alone on his deeply misunderstood journey for so long that it lasted through 2 lives.

Sweet WN also thanked LWJ for taking care of A Yuan and we got to learn about how LWJ managed to save A Yuan back then. It was sad but heartwarming knowing that WN was content with not disclosing A Yuan's past to him, as he's had a happy childhood and blessed life thanks to LWJ. Although, he acknowledges that eventually A Yuan would find out, just like JC did about his golden core.

Now as the conversation circled back to the golden core swap, LWJ asked WN a question that truly, you only ask when it's about someone you love. 'Is it painful?'. Not 'How did Wen Qing do it', but was it painful for WWX. What was the feeling he had, what was the pain he suffered, what was it like. It's not a sympathy question. It's something you want to know and empathise when your loved one goes through hard time. It's such a deeply specific and personal question, because when the person you love is in pain, you are too. You even want to feel it too, and LWJ is no stranger to that if we recall him leaving the same burn mark on his left chest as WWX had. Shame that this detail was never explained in the show.

As WN described:

'He should be sober enough to see the golden score which connects to the spiritual vein be separated from his body and feel the spiritual power die down little by little, until it is motionless and nothing can be felt'.

You can feel LWJ's pain peak as he was told WWX remained awake for 2 nights and 1 day with only 50% chance of success. As someone who deep down admires his soulmate's talent from a young age, what could be worse than having to hear that his other half had accepted to be mediocre for the rest of his life and never ascend to the top as he could have easily done?

Poor WWX regained conscious and realised where he was. Unsurprisingly, all of his Lotus Pier memories were tied with Yanli and he's overwhelmed by the image of her and flashback of their time together. What is home to WWX, the one who was trying his hardest to grow lotus somewhere as deadly as Burial Mounds? JC was his family, but not anymore. Yanli is no longer around, but till her death, she remained his family. She might have had married into Jin clan, but she embodied everything about Lotus Pier. Yanli is home. Yanli is Lotus Pier.

Seeing Yanli die at Nightless City was saying goodbye to the last person on earth who cared about WWX (or so he forgot about LWJ), which pushed him to giving up on his own life. So is Lotus Pier still home without Yanli? Is there even home without Yanli? WWX was barely treated like a proper guest at Lotus Pier. He was just someone who knew the way around, as home no longer hold the same meaning as it once did.

Lovely WWX was finally jolly again at the possibility of snacking on some tasty lotus seeds he must have missed dearly. Yet his little happiness was seemingly switched off by the rigid rule follower LWJ. If anything I was surprised that WWX agreed to give up the lotus seeds that quickly, of course not without sulking in disappointment.

But all of this only make the following moment even more glorious and poignant: the high and mighty LWJ who grew up obeying 3000 rules at Gusu Lan Sect literally picked a lotus with his own hand and give it to his soulmate, much to his shock and confusion.

At first I thought Well that's the least LWJ could do, has WWX not suffered enough, would a few (hundreds) lotus seeds matter that much. He's been in pain, he needs to be coddled and spoiled till the end of the world! So LWJ willing to break one tiny rule (tiny, comparing to all the others he broke because of WWX already) is a well deserved comfort that WWX needs.

But then it also hit me - it is an example of making compromise in a healthy relationship. WWX used to hold on to his wine and was willing to put up a fight for it, most of the time against LWJ himself. So why was it so easy to him to just have an awkward chuckle and drop the lotus seeds as LWJ didn't want to break a rule?

WWX compromised, as you would in a partnership. You don't have it your way all the time, you work together toward the same goal and there are times you're willing to put your partner's values above your own benefit. WWX, despite not fully happy about the decision, still agreed to give us the lotus as LWJ was uncomfortable. And in return, LWJ was okay with putting WWX's needs above his ingrained principle about 'stealing'. At the end of the day, it's not about winning or losing in a relationship. You win together and you lose together.

We really are spoiled with lotus romance in this episode!

But maybe... just maybe... LWJ doesn't know whether WWX would ever get a chance to return to Lotus Pier. Should this be the last ever opportunity, he would probably rather WWX's final memory of the visit not being JC's anger and resentment. In return, it is a rare carefree moment on Lotus lake, one his WWX's favourite places, eating lotus seeds with the only 2 people who still care so much about him and willing to go to the end of the world for him.

If this is meant to be a farewell to a place WWX once called home, while LWJ couldn't change the unfortunate circumstance that led to this challenging visit, he at least has done his best to give it a drama-free peaceful ending for the person he loves dearly.

[berryberrytaeberry]

In the venn diagram that is Taylor Swift Evermore fans and mdzs Jiang Cheng apologists, I am probably the only person in the small overlapping center.

But oh well.

In this essay, I will explain why the bridge to Marjorie is Chengxian & (EDIT: fun fact, apparently Chengxian is a romantic only thing which i did not intend oopsie) Jiang Cheng pov coded because I think about it Every. Waking. Moment. Istfg.

The autumn chill that wakes me up

You loved the amber skies so much

The change of the seasons from summer to fall reminding JC of WWX is a cool motif imo. The leaves changing from green to brown and the skies darkening evokes the feeling of WWX's ghost cultivation tarnishing the cultivation world, but in a way that JC ultimately knows deep down is beautiful in its own way. WWX's birthday is also in October. This is also how we know the song isn't about Yanli--easy mistake, I know.

Long limbs and frozen swims

You'd always go past where our feet could touch

Swimming in lotus pier. JC is remembering WWX in the present (fall), where everything is dying, but summer activities like swimming remind him of his brother too. WWX would drag JC into the freezing water even in October. They were children, long limbed and gangly, and WWX would always swim further than was safe. Always attempting the impossible where JC wouldn't.

And I complained the whole way there

The car ride back and up the stairs

JC, my babygirl, my favorite complainer, my favorite well-meaning, grump you 😘❤️

I should've asked you questions

I should've asked you how to be

Asked you to write it down for me

And then the regret and guilt starts to creep in. JC hasn't acknowledged that he wishes WWX was still here yet, but there's a level of repressed admiration that chokes him. How did WWX do it all? Why isn't JC more like him? What rulebook for success did WWX follow when WWX never followed any rules? Why wasn't JC enough? All these thoughts race through his head.

Should've kept every grocery store receipt

'Cause every scrap of you would be taken from me

Watched as you signed your name Marjorie

Now, JC admits to grieving. He wishes he even had the smallest of scraps of his brother but it was ALL taken away from him. His whole family, his home, his authenticity. His kindness. This is why he holds so tight onto Chenqing for all those years. It's his last scrap of WWX (that he knows of). Unwittingly, the golden core within him, haunts him. His brother's veritable soul is IN him, and yet he's chasing the minutia of the simplicity of WWX writing his name.

All your closets of backlogged dreams

And how you left them all to me

Now, JC admits to the BURDEN of his grief. WWXs hidden dreams: a family, cultivation power, love, are all left to JC, and JC feels inadequate in all of them. But he will do it. He will do it. He will lose himself along the way. And he will never find his old self again. But he will yearn for his brother.

What died didn't stay dead

What died didn't stay dead

You're alive, you're alive in my head

JC will see WWX in Jin Lings face. In the way the water ripples across the pier. Every time he tastes lotus root soup and remembers who he used to share it with. It will drive him mad.

What died didn't stay dead

What died didn't stay dead

You're alive, so alive

WWX is resurrected. He didn't die. Why couldn't he just stay dead? JC had everything under control (lies). WWX is alive SO ALIVE and JC can't bear it. JC gave up on getting his brother back a decade ago

And if I didn't know better

I'd think you were singing to me now

But wasn't life with WWX good, for all the annoyances it brought? Wasn't the sound of his flute peaceful? *clenches fist around chenqing* The goddamned flute *throws flute across room* Thank god it's not broken. MXY is his brother. JC has never been more sure about anything.

If I didn't know better

I'd think you were still around

I know better

But I still feel you all around

I know better

But you're still around

Simultaneously, and paradoxically, JC convinces himself that he knows better, that it couldn't be true, none of these reveries and realizations matter because WWX is dead.

But he's not.

Dead, or alive, WWX is still around. His resurrection changes nothing and never will GAH-- THE ANGST OF IT ALL!!!

[weirdocat83]

Part of me wonders what would have happened had Cangse sanren and Wei changse survived. It’s a rather small thing that would have completely changed the course of the story. Wei wuxian wouldn’t be the same nor would the jiangs. The course of the whole war may change. Maybe wwx would die earlier. Maybe he wouldn’t die at all. Maybe the lans would never know peace again. Idk I like thinking about it and occasionally reading fanfics abt it.

[lostintherealmsofthefandoms]

I read this theory about how sqx and hx reincarnated into wwx and lz, which I liked but made me think and think and come up with my own theory.

Friendly reminder this is only supported by the voices in my head.

Spoilet alert for tgcf and mdzs

Okay so sqx eventually died as human and let's assume he did reincarnated. Now who do we know that loves fan and have a big brother who also ended up dying. That's right, sqx reincarnated as Nie Huaisang. His fascination for fans came from his past life, in which he used to use a fan as weapon and was powerful with it. This type of thing sticks with you.

But in this life time he has karma to clean, this karma is related to his brother, all the confused feelings that he had regarding all he did, how yet he didn't, he couldn't take revenge. This time is different, this time he could take revenge on his brother. He could have a more easy and swiftly closure with his brother, something that in his previous life he could never.

So he clear his karma by taking revenge for his brother this time.

Meanwhile we can assume or not that Nie Mingjue is the reincarnation of Shi wudu, his karma being quite heavy, besides the whole saber thing while alive, war, being betrayed, killed, and finally years as a resentful corpse. Heavy karma for a heavy thing that he did.

Going back to our beloved sqx. So after clear his karma as nhs, after he died he reincarnated in normal and peaceful lives, after all he deserved receive a lot of good karma.

That until he get in modern days, as he reincarnated as this nerd dude obsessed by a novel...

Now there's one thing missing to sqx and this is He xuan. Hx "lived" for years after sqx died, reincarnated and died again. Untill he himself "died" that would be more like his form as hx cease to exist, disappears, but nothing truly disappears, everything is energy and energy is transformed. So he next life form is naturally a bit different, cause is not exactly a reincarnation, cause he was already dead. So he ended up as a character in a novel, a fucked up character with tragic and dark life, he has karma to pay too. Being trapped in a novel is like being trapped in a loop, at least untill external forces interfere. As he was a ghost, yin energy he naturally ended up in a yin body as a half demon.

So yes, He Xuan now is Luo Binghe.

And Shi Qing Xuan is Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan fascination for lbh comes from past lives even though he could never realize that.

Time for they meet. He transmigrates. One again he's is in a body full of magic, all he lost has returned to him. His powers, a brother, he can use his fan without anyone picking on him, as he wishes, and it just misses he xuan, now lbh. Than after the whole thing in svsss they finally are able to be together, with all karmas cleared, they can finally be happy together.

[lgbtlunaverse]

In an echo of sorts on my "I want post canon wwx to have complicated feelings on jgy" post, though in a different way, I would love to see post-canon Jiang Cheng having some seriously complex feelings to unpack about Wen Ning and Sizhui.

Like. The entire cultivation world has to answer for what happened to the Wen Remnants, there is not one person singularly responsible (though things would have been so much easier if we got rid of jin guangshan earlier. alas.) But of all those people in either siege Jiang Cheng is the only one who actually met them before on the burial mounds, at peace. And while the siege was happening he was very much not thinking about the overall ethics, mostly busy with the fact that his brother in law and sister were dead. And after Wei Wuxian's death I have to imagine not much "productively working through feelings surrounding wwx" of any kind was done.

But now he's back. And with it all the other shit that got repressed.

And cql canon very handily present an opportunity for the complicated feelings with the chengqing and all but even in novel canon uh... Wei Wuxian's back. And Wen Ning is back. And Lan Sizhui is the toddler that Jiang Cheng met and thought was dead for 13 years, a death he would have personally been involved in. And he's his nephew's friend. And also the teenager who's been fascilating extremely tilted and antagonistic conversations between him and Lan Wangji for years now. That kid. You could have killed that kid. You almost did.

And Wen Ning strongly dislikes him now, in a way that is deeply painful and interesting for both of them, but any of Sizhui's and Jiang Cheng's interactions have had no reaosn to be anything but polite and cordial. Pretty sure Jiang Cheng as of the end of the story doesn't even KNOW Sizhui is a Wen but a-yuan and wen ning aren't gonna seperate anytime soon and jin ling will know which means eventually he'll probably find out and... I don't know, you look at a kid your nephew's age and realize he is one of a handful of people still alive who knows what your sister's soup tasted like, and that you've personally helped murder his family. Not to even mention him being wangji's ward and wangxian considering him family meaning that... if you look at it from a certain angle (and accepted several truths about wei wuxian and who you are to each other that you are not willing to admit) that's your other nephew.

(And again in cql-verse that's the little cousin and brother of the woman you wanted to marry at one point so haha that's cool another family you never had and lost anyway have fun thinking about that!)

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

WIP Wednesday

As promised, Ghost!WWX this week since it tied for second in the poll! I was going to go back and link the other posts individually but here's the tag for it, I'm pretty sure the three bits in there are all I've posted for it. In case you forgot and/or you don't want to read through the other snippets, WWX is a ghost haunting Cloud Recesses (specifically LWJ) about a year post-cql-canon (so he's been wandering alone) and once they all realize what's going on LWJ is handles it soooooo well. This new bit directly follows the previous snippet from Ch. 2, enjoy! (Next week's post will be the third place winner in the poll, something from 'Technically A Cutsleeve?' 😌)

--//--

“Jingyi, please escort the rest of the disciples inside. Reports on the hunt are due in the morning.”

“Yes Hanguang-Jun,” Lan Jingyi hurries to agree, the junior disciples behind him and Sizhui bowing the same before they troop past him and up the stairs. They’re too well-disciplined to whisper or look back at their seniors over their shoulders, but Lan Wangji is fairly sure that the whispers about his son will begin again soon, if only amongst those who remember the first time they’d made their rounds through the Sect.

“Hanguang-Jun,” Sizhui says, stricken. “It really is Wei-qianbei –”

“I know,” Lan Wangji says, because his son has never once been a liar. No matter how much his entire being wants to scream that he’s wrong, that it’s a mistake, that it’s impossible for Sizhui alone to see Wei Ying standing beside him, he knows that his son does not lie.

Which means that Wei Ying’s spirit is here, and his body is not.

Which means that if he is not already dead, then he is likely in grave danger.

“What is he saying?” he asks, and his naturally level voice is the only reason he can ask it without breaking.

“He’s..he’s been here for a few days —” Lan Wangji swallows hard around a knot in his throat “— and that he’s definitely a spirit, but he doesn’t know how. He also says that the wards around Cloud Recesses only allow him to cross sporadically, he’s experimented very briefly with it this morning. And — Wei-qianbei, slow down please –”

Lan Wangji allows himself two slow breaths to make his very temporary peace with the agony coursing through him. His composure will not last forever, but it must last at least a few more minutes.

“We will discuss it further at home. Sizhui, will you go with Wei Ying first to the library and retrieve anything that will be useful?”

“..Hanguang-Jun?”

“You know the library well, as does Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji manages, though he doesn’t have many words left before his composure slips too far. Already he can tell Sizhui can see that he’s unwell, but his son is too good, too filial to acknowledge it out loud. “I will meet you in the Jingshi in a shichen, I have business to attend to before we may begin researching what has happened.”

Sizhui looks at him far too keenly for a moment before his attention abruptly shifts to Lan Wangji’s left again and he grimaces. “Wei-qianbei, we don’t know for sure that you’re –“

“There are many ways to separate the spirit from the body,” Lan Wangji hurries to cut in despite how rude and uncharacteristic it is of him, because if Sizhui says the words ‘Wei-qianbei’ and ‘dead’ in the same sentence he doesn’t know what he may do. “I will see you in a shichen.”

Without another word, Lan Wangji turns and sweeps back up the path into Cloud Recesses on numb legs, muscle memory the only thing keeping him upright and able to walk through his home as if nothing is wrong. He dimly registers the sound of Sizhui talking quietly to Wei Ying, under his breath so as to not be spotted talking to what looks like empty air, and he’s relieved when they split off from the same path as him to head for the library pavilion, leaving him free to return to the Jingshi in silence.

He makes it three steps beyond the threshold before he collapses into a graceless heap on the floor.

[truly-morgan]

[Transmigrator!JC, no core transfer]

ChangXian | Mo Dao Zu Shi 27-03-2021

[#jiangcheng #chengxian - transmigrator]

A reader transmigrates into jc after they died in an accident. He's in a child version of him and doesn't remember the detail of mdzs, the system won't let him remember yet, but he does know that he's not the original jc. No one noticed because jc doesn't have another choice but to follow jc canon personality, as he cannot be ooc. He does win some ooc pass, but he decides to keep them for more strategic moments of the story. He wants to fix some parts that could have been /so easily/ avoided if everyone had decided that communication was a useful thing to do. 

So, everything goes rather well and follows canon until the dreaded moment of losing his golden core. This is something he knew would happen but still ended up being painful as hell, even seeing his parent dead was seriously upsetting (having gotten attached to them despite himself).  

Yet he his rather calm when wwx and WN saved him from the wens, because jc isn't og!jc, not being able to cultivate anymore (especially since he knew it would happen) is something he had already somewhat made peace with even before it happened. He already knew. 

wwx is really worried, because /how/ can his jc be /this calm/ at the idea of not having a core anymore?!? He still tries to reassure him with false promise, terrified by this calm shidi of his, even more when he has a smile showing he know wwx doesn't know what to do either and that he’s just spilling bullshit to reassure the both of them. 

Jc won't even let the it of transferring golden core bloom in wwx mind and politely thanks wq for hiding them and healing his other wounds. This also surprised wwx, because he would never have expected for his shidi to act like this with a wen after what happened, or maybe was it just because they helped? 

Then they started travelling around, obviously unable to go back to lp. wwx tries to find way to build back a golden core, even though it is impossible. After some time of finding nothing, while jc does know how he could, but still isn’t sure if he wants to try. 

He has to take back lp and rebuilt it, but he cannot do this very well without any way to cultivate it. Then one day when they are staying in a cave far from the town filled with wens, wwx calls out to him. “Do you think using... never mind, you won’t agree” he started, before mumbling the end of it. 

“Were you talking about your idea of using demonic cultivation?” he asks, a little smile on his face at how surprised wwx was. Maybe he had not expected for jc to both remember and even seem alright with using it. 

jc ends up convincing to go to the burial mounds, trying to “just guess” where they could start better. wwx isn’t so sure about it, but with how confident jc seems to be about this, he helps him fly there. 

They are here for months of wwx wrecking his brain to help jc, motivated by the idea that he would be able to cultivate again, in a way. He even creates the Stygian Tiger Seal, although he makes jc promise that he will use it only in desperate times, because he cannot tell how powerful this weapon is exactly. Jc agrees, but mostly because he knows what this can do and doesn’t want to use it carelessly. 

They suddenly make both their appearance, ready to help in the sunshot campaign, in which jc prove himself to be really powerful with his new way of cultivating, wwc close behind to protect him from criticism. They don’t tell anyone about his missing golden core, as this is not something he wants to be known and tries ignoring what people say about his new way of cultivating. 

“Let them talk” had once said jc as wwx was getting worked up about what one of the sect leaders had said about him, “Their words mean nothing, it won’t stop me from rebuilding Lotus Pier and pulling back up the sect”. 

Once the sunshot campaign is won, and his sister married (which jzx better take good care of her, otherwise he better expect one angry sect leader at the step of Koi Tower), he does just that, rebuilding the whole of lp with the help of wwx. 

After the campaign was over jc also slowed down on how much he was using demonic cultivation. One canon dead wwx was enough to know what could happen, he didn’t believe himself to be better. Yet it was still clearly taking a toll on him, wwx starting to regret letting him do this. 

He agreed on letting lwj play Song of Clarity for him, which was something the lan had been insisting on doing for a long time, clearly not approving of the new path he was taking. Lwj visits were frequent, jc looking from the side wwx getting friendlier with him, making him ach a bit despite being happy to see them finally getting closer. 

Yet after sometimes it is a bit hard for lwj to come often, as cr is also being rebuilt, lxc needing his brother’s help. It’s when they are visiting cr to give a hand and talk with the new sect leader that wwx suddenly asked if he can learn song of clarity. Even jc is surprised by the sudden request his shixiong makes, as this wasn’t something one should request, yet he doesn’t look anywhere near teasing, a serious look on his face. 

He wants to help jc and he will find a way to help him not deteriorate with the demonic cultivation he was doing. Lqr clearly wants to refuse directly, yet it’s lwj who asks why he wants to learn it. It takes some time for wwx to explain he wants to be able to play it for jc. They back and forth a lot, mainly because they don’t understand why jc /won’t give up/ using demonic cultivation. 

“It is the only way I can cultivate now, I do not have a golden core anymore” jc finally says as wwx and lqr were getting more heated by the second. This makes a heavy silence fall in the room, every lans looking shocked by the news, while wwx gives him a “is it alright to tell?” look. 

They check to make sure, though they doubt anyone would lie about such a serious matter, and realise that /it is/ the only way he can cultivate. They by no means agree with it, but they can’t find it to force him to not cultivate anymore, especially as a sect leader. They reluctantly agreed, mostly because lwj had decided to side with wwx at some point, on the condition that wwx had to follow cr rules for the time he was here studying song of Clarity.

Jc sometimes barely believed it when he was told that /wwx/ was actually following rules, mostly too occupied with learning and practising. The first times he plays Song of Clarity, lwj is always near, just to make sure he does it right, until it is sure his good the intention wouldn’t cause for jc condition to get worst.

Soon he was able to play it alone for jc, probably more often than needed, but they both enjoyed the alone time it would give them. Something in jc was really happy to have these moments, where wwx thoughts were only on him. Yet when he realised, he had such thoughts, he tried pushing them away. He couldn’t start feeling things for him if it was only to have his heart broken later on. 

The rescue of the wens finally came, something he had been wondering if it would still happen. At this point, he couldn’t tell what should stay canon and what would have been fully altered by him and his choices. He was surprised by the ooc moment he could have, only able to guess the system was allowing for a new type of character growth. After all, it had never /actually/ pushed for following the canon religiously. wwx was the one to be found by wq first, asked if he could help her to get back her family that had been taken captive by the Lanling Jin clan. As the discussion gets a bit more tense, wwx not really wanting to cause trouble by disrupting the llj clan. Jc suddenly appear, wondering what had kept wwx out for so long. 

Wq is quick to ask him, unsure if seeking the sect leader's help would do anything, yet to both their surprise jc accept without much debate. Jc had always had a little soft spot for wn when he was reading and hoped they still had time to save him, as he couldn’t remember exactly how long after the campaign the rescue had been. 

Jc and wwx then ague for a while, wq taking some rest in one of their room. “The other sect leaders are already wary of you because of your cultivation?! Why do you want to give them more reason to distrust you?” wwx ask, something twisting in jc’s guts because of how worried he sounded, as if this action alone was going to cause him to die or something. 

“wq and her brother saved us when they could have simply let the wen find us again” he points out at some point, wwx unable to argue that. “Plus not every wen are horrible monster, do you think the old and the children are the one who burned down lotus pier?” he asked, playing on his knowledge of who exactly was wq family. Not anyone who had done anything wrong, other maybe than her to keep them safe. 

“I will bring them back here and we will deal with the aftermath later”. 

It was extremely reckless of him to do such a thing. Sure, jyl was married to the llj sect, but it didn’t mean he could just take away people they had decided to detain. Just thinking back to how they were most likely being treated was enough to want and help. 

And they did, getting in without much care in the world, jc following wq as she looked around for wn, his guts twisting more and more as time passed and they couldn’t find him. Wwx was close by, glaring back at the cultivator trying to hide what they had done. 

They were digging their hole, yet jc had to stay calm, knowing that killing them would do no good, stealing away prisoners was already too much. He was going to argue back at the bullshit they were saying, clearly not seeing these people as human, when a wail made him freeze. Oh. They were too late. 

Jc was the first one to start running, follow closely behind by wwx, finding quite easily wq who was clutching her brother close to her, the scene making his heart cry. He clenched his fists, his breathing heavy. 

Of course, they would be late. 

He startles a bit when a hand grabbed his, wwx looking back at him worried. He tries to look calmer to reassure him, giving a small pat to his hand before joining wq, asking her if she could find the rest of her family, taking in his arms wn body. 

The rest of their little visit went a bit less smoothly, the guard clearly understanding now what he was trying to do, which was not merely looking around. He /did/ ends up fighting with them, but to be fair, they were the one who started it, and he didn’t kill anyone. 

Soon they were out with everyone and he was taking them back to lp, where he would have full control. He'd be curious to see who was ready to barge into his home to get them back. When they arrived, every disciple in lp was surprised by what their sect leader had just brought back, yet no one really dared to argue against it. If he was doing it there had to be a good reason, he wouldn’t be bringing in people from a clan that had burned down lp and killed many of their disciples if he didn’t have a reason. 

Some of the wens were also clearly on edge, unsure why they were being brought here. Yet, if wq had sought their help, then they could most likely relax. They were led to some of the guest rooms to be able to rest, asking one of the healers to go and check on everyone’s wounds to help wq, she had to be tired too. 

They took wn back to the study, both cultivators looking at him. “What do we do now?” wwx asked him, looking a bit worried at how tired his shidi was from all the travelling and the fight from earlier, not helping that he had to order everyone around to make sure things were going smoothly here too. 

“Tomorrow we will most likely receive news from sect leader jgs” he points out, the idea already tiring him, “but that’s for tomorrow, right now our mind should be put on finding how to settle the wen in and what to do with... wn” he says, hesitating about the last part. 

Could they manage to revive him the same way wwx had done it before? Would it work if it was here at lp and not the burial mounds? Wwx wanted to ask what he wanted to do with wn, but wq joined them before, making her presence known at the door. Jc let her in, making place so she can come and join them. 

Wn looked a bit better, as he had been cleaned up from the mud a little bit, just enough for him not to look impossible to deal with. He could see the tears welling up at the corner of her eyes, making him look back at wn. He had used him as a fierce corps by accident, mostly because only fighting with a sword and no core wouldn't do go against more than one cultivator. 

“I think we can do something for him," e said, hearing his name loudly whispered to his right. He decided to carefully explain is plan, acting as if it was an idea that had just bloomed in his mind and was not something he simply had known since forever that they could do that. 

Then he saw the helpfulness in her eyes, feeling like this was enough for him not to give up. They talk some more before he just told her to go and sleep, he would make sure everyone was alright. 

“jc! How do you plan on doing this?! By controlling him like a puppet" finally asked wwx when wq was gone, making him look back at him. “We will find a way, I just… know we can do it, we already managed to make so much with this, there is surely a way we can do it l". He couldn't tell /how/ they would do it, as the novel had never explicitly said it, but they had been experimenting and this would most likely end up working. 

Wwx got closer to him, reaching for his hand “I don't want you overworking yourself, with your cultivation path it-

could be…” he had said worried, not daring to say what could happen. 

Jc squeezed his hands reassuringly, offering a smile. “I won't overwork myself" he simply promised. 

A promise that was a bit hard to follow when first thing happening the next day was a couple a llj cultivators at the door of lp demanding that he surrender the wens. He stays firm on his position and refuse, saying he will be taking them in due to debt needing to be paid to wq. He doesn't explain more on that,  but it's clearly not pleasing. 

The following days are tiring and messy, jc having to take care of anything coming from the other sect leader, looking over the small house that is being constructed for the wens, which is close enough to the centre of lp to not exclude them. All this while also working with wwx to see what they can do about wn. 

It's not long before it is visibly all affecting him, wwx only growing more concerned about him because he wasn't trying to be more careful. At some point, jc is invited at kt with the other great clan leaders, to discuss the matter and see if they could settle everything with some talking. Jc knows it probably all to try and force him to give back the wens, but he won’t let jgs believe he can just make him do whatever he wants simply because he’s still rebuilding the ymj sect and because he’s young compared to all of them. 

Wwx insists on coming with him, although he said he would prefer for his right-hand man to stay and makes sure everything is alright. “But who will play the song of clarity for you? And what if they are luring you in for a fight? If you use your cultivation, they will only use it against you” 

Jc really wants to refuse, yet upon looking at his shixiong he cannot, the worry in his eyes too much. He has truly fallen too much for him and he doesn’t know what he’ll do about this. So, he accepts to let him come with him, asking some of his older disciples to make sure everything is going alright. Of course, he makes it really clear that the wens have to be treated correctly, just in case anyone was still unsure. 

The first meeting is tense, jc sitting with his back straight, head high, wwx just the same slightly behind him. Nothing in his stance shows he will give even /one/ wen to them. Yet they try, but word will clearly not reach him. “But didn’t the wen destroy lotus pier?” jgs, whispers and nods coming soon after. “So you believe the olds and the sick were the one who burned down lotus pier? As if I haven’t already found back /who/ actually did it and taken care of that?”. 

This statement sent a shiver down some of the leader's back, not sure what to think about the possibility of what jc might have done to these cultivators. “But can they be trusted?”. 

“Are you perhaps implying I cannot make a judgement for myself? I have my reason to take them in and do not need to disclose them” 

The meeting ends up on a rather tense note, everyone going back to their room to calm down a bit as things were clearly not going anywhere. This repeats itself many times, until jc finally suggests that he keeps them under close watch, not allowed to put a foot outside of lp and that they can even send someone to come of to verify that he’s not lying and that none of them are complotting against them. 

“This sounds fair to me” comments lxc who hadn’t said much since this all had started, making wwx and jc a bit surprised, although it was good to have someone else seemingly on their sides. Soon it’s turn for nmj to accept the suggestion, following the step of his sworn brother despite his hatred of the wens., leaving jgs nearly no room to actually refuse. They go back to lp with lwj and jzx so take a first look at how things are doing. A weight does lift from jc shoulders when everything seems to be doing good, everyone working well together. It clearly is still a bit awkward between the jiang and the wens, but it is better than it was at first. 

And this is how thing goes for the following months. Things settle down, the rebuilding of lp is coming to an end and the wens are fully settled in, some even helping around to do task with the disciple. The one to come the most is lwj, which jc doesn’t mind as he can push wwx a bit more towards him, so they can get closer. 

Their friendship does seem to grow, but something seems to simply block at that and jc wonders if the story had changed for that. Was wangxian not the main couple anymore? This couldn’t be possible, could it? 

He tries asking wwx about it, yet his shixiong only seems to get a bit tense at how insistent he had been in the last months to see them growing closer. “Why do you keep asking how things are doing between me and lwj?” he finally asked as he was putting away his guqin. 

“Well, you’re been around him a lot lately, I was simply wondering” 

“But you are the one always asking me to be with him!”. Jc doesn’t argue that, he might have often found reason to let wwx takes care of lwj because he had other things to do. Really lwj didn’t seem bothered by these decisions. “Do you hate being around lwj?” he asked, unsure if he might have read it wrong all this time. 

“Well, no... he’s a good friend and more fun to be with than I thought, but... why does it seem like you are pushing me away?” he ask, something jc couldn’t decipher in his voice. 

“I am not pushing you away” he tries, only to realise he might have been doing it despite himself. He wanted for wwx to be happy and his growing love would only get in the way eventually. “I just thought you might enjoy some time with someone else than me”. 

“But I am good with you! I don’t need you to push me on someone else when I like being with you”. 

Jc is a bit stunned by this, a little something in him swelling with hope he knew he shouldn’t have. Jc then took in a breath, a bit shakier than he wanted it to be, trying to argue that wwx wouldn’t be able to always be by his side one day. 

“Are you planning on throwing me away one day?” he heard ask as he reopened his eyes after rubbing the tiredness out of them, surprised to see wwx so close to him now. He looks so pained at the idea of being pushed away, either now or in the future. 

“of course not, it just... complicated,” he says, a hand suddenly grabbing his gently, something he found wwx had been doing a lot lately. “I can help you if it’s complicated” he hears, a reassuring smile on his shixiong lips, making jc want to be selfish a little bit and /actually/ confess right here and there, despite not being sure wwx would even reciprocate it. 

“I want it to still be only the two of us like this forever” he finally hears whispered, wwx getting dangerously closer to him, “isn’t it what you also want to do?”. 

He can feel wwx breath against his skin, his lips ô so close to his, he would barely need to move to close the gap. “Are you sure this is really what you want” manages to whisper jc, looking back into wwx eyes, feeling unsure if he was understanding it correctly. “As been for a long time” The closeness doesn’t really-

let him see the smile, but he can hear it and see it in his eyes. 

Then jc decide to say ‘fuck it’ and simply closed the gap, receiving a delighted humming as wwx quickly replied. It’s a bit awkward at first, since jc has never done this before, but he quickly finds how it all works and just enjoys the kisses they are sharing. 

“For how long as a-cheng felt like this?” he hears against his ear, his grip on wwx robe tightening a bit. “Sometimes” he answers, unsure exactly when he might have fallen in love with wwx, only to dismiss it as some kind of really close friendship he had with him. He knew he had started to notice around the sunshot campaign, when lwj had started to be a bit more around wwx. 

“I am happy to hear it, I have love a-cheng for some time now” he hears, taking him aback as he had never realised, yet feeling really happy about it. 

Oh well, jc wouldn’t mind if this new version of mdzs had him as the protagonist's new love interest, it could make for something more exciting. 

====

(I think I'll finish it here, it has gotten really long and word is telling me it has already it 4k. At this point I might as well just make a fanfiction of something like that. + I wasn’t sure how I would play the whole jgy plan now, might retouch it later on)

Original

[rayan12sworld]

💙Remember

By:Amona

Summary:

Jiang Cheng was 6 years old when his father got him three puppies for his birthday. His first instinct was to look around cautiously, ready to gather the pups into his arms in case they decided to go towards —

His mind drew blank here.

Angsty AU, mind your brain and heart, but happy ending depending on the person. (before wwx death) WWX sacrifices his soul to give everyone the happy lives they want and need therefore everyone revives into the peaceful world we all loved and forget all about WWX life continues like that until one day JYL pours an extra bowl, JWY bangs on the door of an empty room and LWJ plays a melody he had never heard before and suddenly they remember the cheerful smile of someone they LOVED, but who?"

Chapter:29/32

Words:59,362

Status:ongoing

A few quote

Lan Zhan was only 5 years old when he told his mother about the strange feeling he had for as long as he could remember. "Feels heavy," he said as she gently stroked his hair, "feels empty." Those were the words of a child who felt too much and had too few words to describe it. His mother hummed thoughtfully and rearranged her arms around his little body. "Maybe you just miss your soulmate," she replied Yes, soulmate. The other half of your soul, the one who is destined to hold your heart. You will meet them someday and you will know immediately that it’s them," she explained. So, until then he had to endure this empty feeling? He didn’t know if he wanted that. But he did know one thing... "Want to see," he admitted softly. ’I want to see you, —’ ~~

Lan Wangji felt dread in his heart. ’—, I was too late, wasn’t I? I should have never looked away.’  ~~~

Lan Zhan was 16 years old when his sect accepted guest disciples from other sects for teaching, both to strengthen their ties and to further investigate the matter of Erasement. The usual calm and tranquility of the Cloud Recesses were disturbed by a large crowd of different clothed disciples as they made their way up the stairs. Lan Wangji’s eyes moved to the purple of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect on their own, and he found himself inspecting their faces closely as if he were looking for someone specific. His brows furrowed slightly when he didn’t find what he was looking for. Lan Wangji was too smart to not realize what this meant. His fated person was a Yunmeng Jiang Sect disciple, ~~

"It’s Emperor’s Smile!" He suddenly heard a bright voice in his mind say. His heart skipped a beat as he abruptly turned around, but there was no one who looked like they had tried to talk to him. Still, the voice continued: "I’ll give you a jar if you pretend you didn’t see me!" Lan Wangji’s heart clenched. ’—, I would give anything to see you again.’ In the end, he bought three jars of Emperor’s Smile and hid them in his room. 😭😭