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asksythe · 11 months

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Hi! I was looking into some stuff and came across a post talking about WWX’s arrogance. It was about WWX’s character and how the fandom insists that his arrogance was one of his main flaws when that’s not true and so on. Then I saw some people saying that arrogance is not inherently bad in Chinese novels and that I might have to do with the way the novel was translated.

I was just wondering if you had some insight on this. Thanks!

On some level, it can be considered a translation issue. But the real reason why WWX's characters, as well as countless other details in MDZS specifically (and Chinese novels broadly speaking), tend to be misunderstood on such a massive scale is... cross-cultural value mismatch.

Consider this:

1/ There is a tendency in the international fanbase to judge WWX (and other characters) on a modern Western moral standard. I don't have to tell you how illogical this is. Imagine if you come into the world of Game of Thrones and start spouting 21st-century judgment. You are likely to become human shishkebabs in less than five minutes. Most people who watch Game of Thrones or read the book understand that's not something you do unless you are a moron or looking to start shit. But for some reason, this is not the case for the MDZS fandom (and many other Chinese media fandoms out there). I'm not sure why this is the case. It might be because of the cultural distance making people not really realize they are coming into an entirely different world, and then they forget to check their modern expectations at the door. Like how tourists become obnoxious when they come to a foreign country, expecting the foreign country to cater to their whims.

I've once seen someone made an addition on TV Tropes saying WWX is a mass murderer that never got punished for his crime. I... I don't know what to say to that really. My expectation is that the person who wrote that is someone under 30, never left America, and never served in the military. For somebody who has never had this kind of experience, no amount of words will explain to them that for major parts of the world and for the vast majority of mankind's history, you have to be able to kill to survive. In fact, for most of our history, killers are our heroes. War is a reality that we live in. The ones who survive are the ones who win wars, the really accomplished killers.

2/ MDZS was not written for an international audience. That is to say, it's written with the expectation that it doesn't have to explain its intricacies and tropes to its intended readers. Because its readers already know. MDZS is xianxia danmei. Danmei has only had about 2 decades of modern history. But xianxia as a genre has stretched back millennia. Its tropes are very set. Chinese (and Sinosphere) readers don't need an explanation because we grow up consuming this kind of stories.

We don't need to be told in plain words to know WWX's only crime is to be possession of the Yin Tiger Tally, and the Jin's scheme is the real reason behind his tragedy. Because it's such a standard trope in our culture that there are millennia-old proverbs about it.

匹夫无罪，怀璧其罪 - pǐ fū wú zuì，huái bì qí zuì. Lit. The commoner is innocent, but his possession of treasure is a sin.

We don't need to be told that it doesn't matter if WWX goes along with the cultivation world's ceaseless demands (keep Suibian with him, consult more with Jiang Cheng before he does things) to know that none of that matters. Because none of those are actual rules, just trivial bullshit made up and used to socially isolate WWX and manipulate the public opinion against him. WWX's true crime is that he is alone. He is an orphan. No one will stand up for him. And unlike his big mouth, he's a real softie. Because if he wasn't then all of them would be dead ten times over with the kind of martial power WWX possess. Only WWX's good heart holds him back from really using his ability. Therefore, you can spit on him, you can cut him, you can trample on him without fearing retaliations.

Nie Mingjue has no sword. Ain't nobody try to lip him about it. Yu Furen has no sword. She uses a whip. Ain't nobody lip her about it.

WWX's undead cultivation is also not really the problem. That kind of cultivation is vanilla as girl scout's cookies. It's only made out that way because it's a method of cultivation that is very easy to learn and does not require enormous resources (i.e. caste issue, not class, caste) to cultivate. Which means it's a method that can be practiced far and wide by poor commoners. Which means it's an infringement on the cultivator House's power and financial base. That's its real crime. Not all that justice bullshit.

For many international fans out there, MDZS is their introduction to danmei (and xianxia). So they come in not knowing these things. They don't see the caste issues, the tragedy, the difference of philosophies and choices between WWX and JC. Their conclusion is built on ignorance and misunderstanding.

It doesn't help that most know little to nothing about Chinese culture which is a high-context culture, the polar opposite of most Western cultures (low-context culture). Something that may seem small and insignificant for a Western reader base can be a really big deal for the Chinese reader base, because it's inbuilt in five thousand years of history and culture. Like why Jin Guangyao buried his mother's corpse in the Guanyin temple and why he needed to reclaim it and take it with him when he tried to flee to Japan.

So it's no surprise there is such a massive divide in fandom opinion.

#ask sythe #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wei wuxian

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lordhelpme0-0 · 2 years

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Crossover - MDZS + Twisted Wonderland

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Twisted Wonderland Part 2:

Backstory: the MDZS cast was transported to the twisted wonderland world by a talisman or from a gathering nighthunag or with an ancient artifact. Though, when they get back it’s where they started so it’s a pause on their world. This will be taken place after all the overblogs actually. ENJOY!~~

Heartslaybel Dorm:

Riddle:

He ain’t R E A D Y

He facing nobility with powerful mana- wait. Spiritual power.

Able to defeat high grade monsters and all that jazz on fierce corpse.

Lmao!

He will find some solace with Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji

Strict mama? Angry mommy? Comparing and toxic standards on childhood?

Angry grape uncle (Jiang Cheng) got chu covered angry strawberry

They will vibe and Jiang Cheng will see HIMSELF in him

Both are angry and will lock magic or break legs on anyone when forced to

Lan Wangji is calming

Both are rule followers

Well…Wangji mostly when it’s rules cause Wei Wuxian be getting his sugar dadd—

He will seek advice from Lan Xichen and will most likely be raised by Lan Qiren

The Junior quarters will remind him of the first years

He and Jin Ling with Sizhui will click

Jin Ling as both had threatening guardians (Jiang Cheng was only threatening verbally but they both know he is a huge softie for his nephew)

Sizhui as he is a role model for Riddle

Reminds him of Trey lmao—!

Jingyi and Jin Ling can be similar to the adeuce duo so Riddle will have a tantrum at that

He be seeking Lan Xichen for music to soothe his poor UNFORTUNATE souls

Will be curious of their cultures and learn a few tricks and tips

Immediately adopted by Wei Wuxian

No question asked

Cause Wei Wuxian thrives on teaching the younger generation

I mean— look at how many disciples followed him during the first arc and at the Yiling City

Riddle will remind Wei Wuxian of Peacock low key but he acts more like his martial nephew Jin Ling

Riddle will have uncle figures go BRRRRRR

Riddle will be a bit concerned on the huge PDA displayed by the couple (Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji)

He be alright

Hopefully those two won’t do papapa on the school property—

Lots of good role models and will not survive Wei Wuxian spicy foods

May the lord pray that Trey use his special magic to change the hot flavors

Will be aghast on how Lan Wangji eats Wei Wuxian food no question am and a stoic face at that

Jingyi: first time?

Riddle: *dying from the hotness*

This angry strawberry is in for a RIDE!

Trey:

Haha..

Ha…

…

Wei Wuxian cooking: *existed*

Trey: *internally dying*

He is gonna be using his special magic a lot on Wei Wuxian cooking so the students can not suffer

Like Riddle and Ace are dying on the sidelines with the Junior quartet and deuce patting their backs with concerned and neutral faces

Trey will click with Lan Xichen as both knows what it’s like to mediate and deal with arguments

Wei Wuxian adopted Trey

Wei Wuxian gonna adopted the rest of the twst cast no questions asked

Adoption paper go BRRRRRRRR

Trey is quite fine with the rest but Nie Huasiang be sus

Nie Huasiang gives the same vibe of Idia and Jade aura at the same time

Trey will be alright with Lan Qiren as he is similar to Professor Trein and Professor Crewel on a way

Will suffer the shamelessness of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji love for each other

Ouyang Zizhen: first time?

Trey: …

Trey be alright with most, though be concerned with others

RIP kitchen

Cater:

Nie Huasiang and cater will click automatically

Aesthetic? Yes. Appreciating anything trendy? Yes.

Both be gossiping lmao

Cater will definitely Magicam a the chaos that will happen

Likes go BRRRRRRRR

Wei Wuxian shenanigans will most likely be joined with Cater

Cater only their for the context

He is immediately adopted

Ouyang and Cater will be partners cause y’know

Cater will likely record and make a compilation every time Jingyi calls Jin Ling “yOuNg MiStReSs!!”

Poor Jin Ling—

Absolutely intrigue by the spells of the lans and complicated arrays of the Jins

Will most likely be there for every night hunt for the views

He pretty chill with them all

Definitely gets seen through on his problems

He will definitely be like Lan Xichen on supporting the Wangxian couple after hearing their hardships and all

Cater definitely enjoying the ride!

Ace:

HAH! Troublemaker meets master troublemaker?

Chaos ensues.

Meets Jingyi?

Best pals for life!

Definitely teases Jin Ling with Jingyi and clicks with Wei Wuxian

He idolizes Wei Wuxian. Literally.

Will gag at the pda of the wangxian couple

Despises Lan Qiren cause of rules and why so many rules?!

Ace: wait. So you’re telling me. You have 4000+ RULES?!

Jingyi: Yep! And still counting. Wei Wuxian-qianbei (qianbei= senior) is still finding loopholes and all! He even made a book on how to beat the system!!

Ace: *immediately respect Wei Wuxian on a whole notha level*

Ace will get silencing spells and discipline by Lan Wangji 2 or 1 time a day

Sulky and Riddles appreciates Lan Wangji even more

Definitely causes mayhem and scolded

Was terrified when meeting with Jiang Cheng

Zidian literally used when a bunch of bullies was targeting Yuu cause of grim.

The first years and Junior quartet about to throw hands. But a huge whip sliced down.

It’s strike crackle and zipping lightings as the rest of the spectators looked wide eye at a tall sneering man.

His purple fine silk robes and dark aura cackle, as if bearing its fangs to those to bow.

Zidian whip was slithering as Sandu Shengshu was prowling towards the rowdy 2nd year NRC delinquent with a terrifying scowl

Ace had never been terrified before as he did right now.

After that, no one dared to approach until once or twice that Wei Wuxian with his demonic cultivation powers, Wen Ning Ghost general, Lan Wangji guqin and sword skill, and Lan Xichen terrifying smile scared off there troublemakers

Ace now knows not to piss these war veterans off

He still scared of Jiang Cheng but lower down a bit when he knows Jiang Cheng protected him from a monster

All in all, he vibing and enjoying these new people appearance

Will hear the war stories and all the adventures

Deuce:

This sweet child gonna idolize Wei Wuxian and be adopted quick!

He will idolize Lan Xichen for his mannerism and Jiang Cheng for his bada$$ moves

Definitely will know about the chicken story and stay clear of handing chickens to anyone

Will definitely be interested in any night hunt stories

He will sympathize with Jin Ling as both of them are teased.

They be clicking

He will be helping Ace on Wei Wuxian spicy cooking while Sizhui brings sweet milk for everyone

Definitely looks to Lan Xichen advices and learn moves with Lan Wangji

He will be teased by Wei Wuxian in good spirit

Definitely empathizes with Wen Ning

Both be isolated and with bad backstory or history

Both are babies, fight me!

Will blush on the pda displayed cause he is an innocent boi on love

Lan Qiren is intimidating to Deuce, but will learn of Lan Qiren softness later on

This boy will definitely wanna try to ride the flying spiritual swords but is too neevous to ask

Jin Ling takes him on the ride

He enjoys the feeling and will ask lots of questions about it to Lan Wangji who simply replies with patience with bunnies around

Will definitely believe anything Wei Wuxian says which Lan Wangji gently and lovingly stops Wei Wuxian from doing

He gonna be having lots more role models now!

————————————————

Hope y’all enjoyed this! Next one will be Savanaclaw~! Cause I’ll be going by the order of each Overblot. Hopefully this is good and do leave some comments. I’ve experimented with the aesthetic and maybe get better! But hey? Who asking? Adios!!

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liathebookwyrm · 2 years

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"That's no way to talk about sect leader jin"

No, but imagine, it's not Meng Yao that says it. It's Nie Mingjue. Post-breakup and after Meng Yao has joined the Jin sect. In Nie Mingjue's defence, it had been a very long Conference and the Jin were being even more obnoxious than usual.

Imagine Jin Zixun's and Jin Guangsan's outrage. Imagine poor Lan Xichen trying (and only partially succeeding) to hide his laughter. Imagine Jin Guangyao having to rapidly re-evaluate many things because, wow! Da-ge went there and he is not backtracking either. Nie Huaissang is also having a great time because he never thought he'd see the day when da-ge starts a piece of hilarious gossip.

Nie Mingjue is torn between being embarrassed at blurting it out and wanting to stick to his guns because where's the lie?! Also Lan Xichen is doing his secret laughing thing that he's been doing less and less since the Sunshot Campaing and Jin Guangyao is actually sincerely smiling for once and ok, Nie Mingjue is secretly an absolute softy for those he cares about,alright?

Of course the gossip spreads like wildfire. Whether it was Nie Huaissang, Madame Jin someone else entirely that's responsible is anyone's guess. The results are hilarious. Of the most notable examples is Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng putting their tense detente away so that they can (loudly and publically) debate how well Jin Guangshan's clients must pay him, given how rich the Jin sect is.

Even more spectacular is Lan Wangji (who had been initially dragged to the Conference by his brother) strolling by, randomly saying a number and walking away. JC: 🤯 Wwx: 😍

Lan Qiren has to sit down and take a few deep breaths because how on earth would his perfect nephew have any idea how much a prostitute gets paid? He doesn't actually. He just picked a random number. If that number happens to be a multiple of whatever Wei Wuxian quoted last that's no one's business. Not that Lan Qiren needs to know that. Lan Wangji says it with complete certainty so everyone who hears him automatically believes him. There's a lot more gossip after that day.

Wei Wuxian is having Feelings about this new gossip. Lots of them. And none of them are appropriate for civilised society.

As always co-authored with/enabled by @sswangxian

#the untamed #jin guangyao #nie mingjue #jin guangshan #we serve crack here sir #you know #for once sect leader yao might have a use #nhs is living his best life

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leatherbookmark · 1 year

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no, but

seriously WHERE do people get it from that either 1/ nmj cared about meng yao so much, or 2/ they both cared so much about each other. where. was it the (added in cql) scene of banishment? in which nmj cried and didn’t execute my on the spot, so the obvious conclusion is that he’s just the biggest, smooshiest softie with the marshmallowiest heart, said heart softly plopped in the palm of my’s hand?

cql, why.

(my suspicion is that if they made nmj anything like his novel self, people would actually know and understand why jgy shanked him, and the villain wouldn’t be villainous at all lmao.)

no, but really -- “gave him a new life”? “few people cared more about jgy than nmj”? yeah i guess you could say few people cared more about wwx than lqr, going by this standard. i feel like people saw nmj defend my and immediately assumed it was because he deeply cared about his wellbeing and was sensitive to the plights of the underprivileged, which. was obviously not the case? it was IN THE TEXT that he was bein insensitive and only ensuring the soldiers would give meng yao even more shit for that? he didn’t even wait for my to actually tell him about the situation, he just said ‘follow me’! the hell would he have done if the soldiers weren’t shit-talking meng yao?! given them a goddamn stern talking to, thus making meng yao even more obviously look like a snitch!?

and then later during sunshot he once again doesn’t even consider meng yao’s actual wishes, just writes him a letter of recommendation and sends him off to the jin. like, sure, perhaps if he hadn’t done that jgy would’ve never gone off to become a spy, since he says he betrayed wen ruohan for his father, but like. the fact that he meant well doesn’t excuse the disservice! not when he has all the power to tell meng yao what to do, and meng yao has none of the power to tell him no. not to mention that in that moment, nmj is -- and he WILL do that again! -- eavesdropping on a conversation between my and lxc. NOT A GOOD LOOK, BRO

taking these incidents into consideration, imo it’s not that nmj feels particularly strongly about the fate and wellbeing of one meng yao, or even the Underprivileged layer. rather, he’s ~righteous~ -- he does what he thinks is the right thing, the morally correct thing. but he does so blindly; he doesn’t consider that a common soldier, or a poor, weak son of a sex worker might have different principles than he does. he thinks everyone is “equal”, but in a sense that they should all adhere to the same rules, not that they all deserve the same kind treatment and respect.

and then meng yao tricks him, and nmj Instantly enters the kill mode. he says he’s going to kill him the next time they meet, he constantly either finds faults in everything jgy does or tries to kill him -- how is that the behavior of someone who cares about jgy as a person? if i had to compare it to anything, i’d say he’s like a parent who had all those expectations of their child, and when said child turns out not to be daddy/mommy’s perfect little plaything, they turn to mistreatment and abuse. except nmj isn’t even jgy’s dad, he’s his PAST employer and then a sworn brother who’s supposed to help and not terrorize him.

this is not comparable to, say, jiang cheng, who’s an asshole and would rather eat his shoes than say something nice, but sacrifices himself to the wen for wwx, smuggles jyl and suggests she let wwx name her future child and gives wwx his flute back. aside from the aforementioned well-intentioned disservices, nmj doesn’t really do anything that would show that he cares for jgy as a person, that he wants jgy the person to live well rather than meng yao, the vice-envoy he’s put so many hopes in.

and it’s not like jgy was attached to him either and tried with all his might to mend their severed bond. he realized nmj doesn’t like him at best and actively wants him dead at worst, and if lxc didn’t insist on swearing brotherhood he would’ve spent the rest of his days carefully avoiding him. like yes, he felt grateful and indebted for nmj’s clumsy kindness, and because jgy was jgy, he probably didn’t necessarily want him to die even after all the times his da-ge nmj exhibited un-da-ge-like behaviors, but it wasn’t as deeply personal as people think it was. like he didn’t go from “oh, my dearest da-ge, however else can i help you” to “fuck that guy in particular” in the moment when nmj kicked him down the jinlintai stairs. he knew the relationship was unsalvageable before; that incident was just a concrete proof of it as well as proof that nmj was too far gone.

like. ugh

#shrimp thoughts

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featherfur · 3 years

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Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng soulswap but literally no one can tell the difference because NMJ tries his hardest to be a dick but then he sees kids and immediately becomes soft and hears the Jiang disciples snickering about “Sect Leader Jiang is so gentle, I can’t believe he still tries to convince us he’s mean”

Jiang Cheng on the other hand is going on a rampage because ‘what the fuck’ in The Unclean Realms and everyone’s like “Mmm yeah must have talked to JGY recently.” He calms down after NMJ sends him a letter and just starts grumpily doing paperwork and cursing about the Jin Sect and their damn embargo on how much steel the Nie sect is allowed to purchase to drive up prices. The disciples hear the cursing of the Jin sect and just think NMJ’s having a grumpy day

NHS is the only one who figures it out because JL is like 4 and because Jiang Cheng in Mingjue’s body actually managed to tell the different between alpaca wool and sheep wool.

#mdzs #the untamed #Jiang Cheng #Nie Mingjue #nie huaisang #they have a conversation after they’re fixed but it’s just #NMJ: you know your sect thinks you’re a softie and that’s why they like you #JC: and your sect thinks you’re a bitch and that’s why they like you whats your point?#NHS: actually you’re both bitchy softies and that’s why they love you #NMJ and JC: shut up #I really hope embargo is the right word for selling not just purchases

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theuntamedaus · 2 years

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So, today I feel like I want to expand a bit on my "NMJ adopts JC" AU.

Tagging @raging-red-lotus-of-qinghe cos I know she'll appreciate :)

First of, may I present to you JC in Nie grey/green?

Shhhhh, I KNOW these are Jiang Shao pics, they fit, THEY FIT.

Anyway.

I have not talked about this AU after NMJ dies.

And oh boy, both NHS and JC are devastated. JC had JUST gotten over the fact that WWX died in Nightless City - cos yes, by thhis point he IS a Nie de facto, but he grew up with WWX and Dage made sure to let him know that he was allowed to grieve, unlike Yanli, who is now the heir of the Yunmeng Jiang sect and has a whole new range of issues herself.

JC is VERY divided, bc Yanli is his sister by blood, albeit former, as JC has become a Nie.

Dage is a softie and oerlooks JC and NHS sneaking behind his back to help her - just because the Nie have more experience in knowing how much the Jins can be ruthless.

And then Dage dies because of JGY's machinations.

The Jins send JYL to talk to JC and NHS, who are grieving, but alas this marks a rift.

JYL: try to see the truth, Sect Leader Nie was very sick, a-Cheng.

JC, speaking for NHS, because NHS is grieving and he has so far refused sleep and food: I'm sorry, he was getting the help of Zewu-jun and Lianfang-zun, with all the attention given it was very unlikely that it was just his sickness.

The thing is, NHS and JC already know what happened, thanks to NHS figuring it out:

I could not find the exact caption, but it is THIS scene in Fatal Journey.

Anyway, JYL comes back with nothing and THEN NHS comes to him and exposes his plan, which prompts JC being like: I cross the line at demonic cultivation.

NHS sort of guilt-trips him - Dage took you in, I took you in, we value you etc, and JC caves in. So JC holds up with NHS's act.

He NEARLY loses it when he sees that it is ACTUALLY WWX back and not some demonic twisted soul, but he has to remind himself of Dage.

Guanyin Temple goes slightly different, as in JC stepping in cos he heard that NHS was caught and then he has to witness a full family reunion - somehow WWX and LWJ have managed to keep JL out of trouble for once.

And NHS acts once more as per canon, but then JC convinces him to formally apologise to LXC and tell him the truth, the whole truth from the very beginning.

LXC will appreciate the honesty and will help JC and JYL to make peace, somehow.

This is all at the moment, suggestions are welcome.

#the untamed #the untamed au #nmj adopts jc #jiang cheng #nie mingjue #nie huaisang

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fanning-the-flames · 3 years

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A sudden brainworm. At least I get to draw more JiuJiu fluff before we get to the angst.

One day Jin Ling stumbled into the forest hungry and whiny, disturbing the meditation of ancient plum tree Jiang Cheng, who through thousands of years of cultivation gained sentience. Since JC is a softy under all that (tree) bark, he only grumbles “Brat” before giving JL his sweetest plums to stave off his hunger. After that, JC quickly becomes JL’s sanctuary where he goes to play, practice archery, and run from his mean cousins. Soon, JL was calling him JiuJiu (“Hmph. More like great great great grand uncle to you, insolent brat”) or grumpy grape (“PLUMS. Say grape again and I’ll break your legs!”) and JC loved A-Ling more than anything in his long life.

———————

Folks who know Shel Silverstein’s story know this is actually the saddest AU. I might have to deviate from the source material as my heart can’t take it.

——————

Next >

#cql #mdzs au #the untamed #jin ling #jiang cheng #jiang Cheng would let Jin Ling get away with anything #including literally shooting him full of arrows #he lies and tells Jin Ling it doesn’t hurt #and now I’m hurting #tree jiang cheng #giving tree AU #fanart

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plan-d-to-i · 2 years

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Hey, sorry to bother, but with so much content on MDZS + Fanon, i am lost.

Would you be able to confirm that when wwx came back (Dafan arc), he was infact hit by zidian ! Right ? Canon ? So Jiang Wanyin had truly tried to separate his soul from Mo Xuanyu's body, effectively killing him in case the body was stolen ! No questions asked !

Hence any questions about them being Bros n Jiang Cheng being a softie, just unable to express and shows love via abuse is out of the window ! Right, he would have plain murdered wwx at that point if his body was stolen !

Apologies but too many different versions and i am not sure !

I read your post/comment on anon ask about them being brothers n how lwj shouldn't come in between and got curious!

I do like post resurrection lwj and glad he won't hesitate to chop off hands to keep wwx safe .

Re THIS post. No worries! (o^ ^o)

Correct. WWX was hit by Zidian. jc was not looking for a loving reunion. He was not keeping Chenqing as a memento, he's keeping it as bait in case WWX comes back. He had been hunting for WWX for 13 years bc he wanted to kill him again not bc he missed him.

"Zidian had a special ability: if it struck a body snatcher, the body snatcher’s soul would immediately be peeled away from the body they had stolen. Zidian expelled the invader without exception. But this person had been whipped, yet behaved just as he did before, bouncing around as usual. Unless he really hadn’t seized the body, there was no other explanation.

Wei Wuxian thought, How useless. Obviously Zidian can’t whip my soul out. I didn’t steal this body, someone offered it to me. Actually, he practically forced it on me!

Jiang Cheng’s expression was surprised but suspicious, and the intention to whip Wei Wuxian again crossed his eyes.

But Lan Jingyi shouted, “Chief Jiang, isn’t once enough? This is Zidian!”

A cultivation tool the level of Zidian wouldn’t fail on the first try only to succeed on the second. If no soul was expelled, no soul was expelled. If someone hadn’t snatched the body, they hadn’t snatched the body, or else the weapon was undeserving of its reputation. After Lan Jingyi’s shout, Jiang Cheng, a man who cherished reputation and prestige as much as life, was able to act no longer." (Chapter 10)

jc was so determined to wipe any trace of WWX off the face of the earth he would rather torture the wrong person than risk potentially letting WWX get away. Even after he struck him w Zidian, he was still going to kidnap and torture him to be 100% sure it wasn't WWX if LWJ had not interfered.

"Everyone in the cultivation world knew that the young leader of the Jiang Clan watched out for Wei WuXian in an almost crazed manner. He would rather catch the wrong person than let go of any possibility, and took anyone who seemed like they held the soul of Wei WuXian away to the YunmengJiang Sect, inflicting severe torture on his victim. (Chapter 10)"

This is repeated throughout the story, including in jc's own POV here:

"Only moments before, Jiang Cheng had been so certain this person was Wei Wuxian that all the blood in his body had gone cold and then boiled over in rage. But now, his Zidian told him loudly and clearly that he wasn’t. Zidian couldn’t possibly lie to him, and even less could it make an error. The Clan Chief rapidly calmed himself, and silently thought: It isn’t as though I can’t deal with this. Worst comes to worst, I’ll find some excuse to bring him back to Yunmeng, and then use every method I can to beat the truth out. There’s no need to worry about failing to get anything from him. He can hardly keep everything hidden. It’s not as though I haven’t done this type of thing before. Once he had made up his mind, he made a hand signal. His disciples understood and started to surround Wei Wuxian." (10).

Anything else is just fanon.

#mdzs #answers #jiang cheng #Wei Wuxian

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randomprose · 3 years

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jiang cheng with the junior quartet in which they've outgrown their fear of him and they realized sect leader jiang is just a giant grumpy cat with mother-hen tendencies.

when they night hunt with him occasionally he always has snacks and buys them street food if they finish early. he'll scold them for eating unhealthily but buys them the treats anyway. once, ozz said he's never had zongzi so jc bought them all one each from a stall.

he doesn't even say anything to wen ning anymore. when he sees that the juniors are with him, he just gives an acknowledging nod and a gruff reminder directed at the four of them to don't do anything stupid before going on his way. like he trusts them with him.

but anyway, these juniors start to pester jiang cheng whenever they're in yunmeng and they've somewhat learn how to decipher his scowls and screams from normal fond-bordering-on-affectionate ones to actually angry ones—the latter of which is rarely ever directed at them.

they're over at lotus pier whenever JL is. JL doesn't get to go there much now because of his sect leader duties but when he is, he is sure followed by his friends. it's like they've decided lotus pier is their go to headquarters where they can fool around and shit. jiang cheng would pretend he hates it and finds them all a nuisance ("don't you kids have your own sects to go home to?? lotus pier is not your play place! why are you brats always here?!") but he's really glad JL's got friends with him now. he used to be such a lonely child.

overtime, they just randomly pop up even when JL isn't there. jiang cheng is always surprised to see either lsz, ljy, or ozz in the compound saying they were in the area and decided to pop in for a greeting like: hi sect leader jiang! how are you? been to any night hunts lately?

they're over there a lot that they even have their own regular guest quarters by now. ones close to JL's suites in the family compound. they sometimes train with the disciples but otherwise they just mess around lotus pier and swim in the lakes. especially in the summers.

JL is ecstatic! finally! people who understands his jiujiu's weird show of affection other than wwx! JL thinks his jiujiu is just severely misunderstood but he really is just a Big Softie with grumpy tendencies.

oh and he teaches them stuff too obviously, but not in the way that's playful and interactive like wwx or direct like lwj. jiang cheng's wisdom comes in random bouts in the middle of night hunts. small tidbits on fighting born out of experiences from the war and life in general. the profound ones come when he's two bottles deep just before turning in or when they're strolling on busy night markets going home and he doesn't even mean to but the juniors are like 'wow that makes so much fucking sense we never thought of it that way what the fuck.'

when the juniors are night hunting near yunmeng or if lotus pier is their meeting point and jiang cheng doesn't get to come with them, he makes the servants pack them extra snacks or pile them on to JL to share with his friends. the servants are careful not to say anything but they all know it's under sect leader jiang's orders

ohmygod jiang cheng is such an overbearing mother hen. but in a good way! the juniors learned to enjoy it the best they can and needle him into buying them snacks or letting them do stuff they normally wouldn't get away with from wangxian. he's literally the grumpy uncle who's also the most indulgent.

on god can you imagine jiang cheng being THAT UNCLE who lets u get away with small misdemeanors?? ABSOLUTELY INSANE. but he does with the juniors!! like he trusts them to not be so stupid and call for help when need (also they have a fierce corpse as a companion most of the time anyway, so).

some sprinkles of wangxian bc i'm a slut for them:

wangxian notice that they've been talking a lot about sect leader jiang. “oh,” wwx says, “you went night hunting with jiang cheng? when was this how come i’ve never heardof it?” he's clearly itching to ask more he's practically vibrating.

ljy: don’t worry wei-qianbei you're still our favorite! sect leader jiang is our close 3rd wwx: 3rd? who's 1 and 2? ozz: you and hgj are #1 of course! wwx: we tied for #1? ljy: yeah you're practically a package deal. do not separate and all that wwx: who's #2 tho? ozz: wen-qianbei! wwx: huh. valid.

jl: speak for yourselves. jiujiu is my #1. wwx: that's also very valid too a-ling. otherwise i'll have to scold you for being unfilial and jiang cheng will break your legs for breaking his heart.

once while relaying a report, lsz called jiang cheng ‘shūsh��’ and wwx had to do a double take because um what? what did you just call jiang cheng? lsz blushed and stuttered an explanation before jl explained obnoxiously:

jl: jiujiu told him to call him that. told him to go to the ancestral hall to pay respects too. he must really like you sizhui. ljy, #1 sizhui fan: of course he likes sizhui! everyone does! wwx: is it true sizhui? lsz, blushing:...shūshū's nice... wwx:...jiang cheng...shushu...nice..ok....okok...

lmao one of them (either ozz or ljy but i think it will be more hilarious if it's ljy) slipped and called jiang cheng 'jiujiu' once just because he kept hearing jl calling him that. jiang cheng just turns to him with a mild "that's jiang-zongzhu to you, lan jigyi."

and god!!! ljy is so mortified!!! this is worst than that one time he accidentally called hgj 'dad'!! it doesn't help that his friends are assholes (yes even sizhui!!) and never let him live it down. especially JL!! he's all "don't go stealing my jiujiu now" fuck you JL!! as if ljy will!!

also, once when they were sassing jiang cheng, (they get!! to sass sect leader jiang!! and he only threatened to break their legs once!!) and ljy got the last word in, jiang cheng hit him w/ a "is that any way to talk to ur uncle? huh, nephew?" which effectively shut up ljy as his friends roared in laughter propriety be damned!!

((yes i was thinking of that B99 episode where jake peralta called captain holt dad and holt went in for the ride and called jake 'son' lmao))

goodddd!!! i live for the junior quartet discovering that underneath jiang cheng's rough exterior he's a Big Softie who's also hilarious even when he doesn't mean to. JL is very happy with this development and wwx is happy to hear stories about his brother having fun with the kids.

this ran long but i also just wanna says this is because of queen jiang yanli's influence (you guys notice how yunmeng trio are all good with kids?)

ANYWAY! this is me again with my 'Jiang Cheng is Great With Kids So Give Him More Kids To Take Care Of' agenda and you all should jump in on it thank you.

[posted on twitter]

#i just think jc will be so good with kids of all ages #he's got so much love to give #and noone to give it to #so it's just all pent up inside him #so he's all rage-y and shit #jiang cheng #junior quartet #lan sizhui #lan jingyi #jin ling #ouyang zizhen #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #headcanon #mdzs headcanons

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theownerofshuanghua · 4 years

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Physical affection with them (Pt1)

A/N: I really wanted to do this lol. Enjoy

Jiang Cheng:

When it comes to physical affection or any affection at all, you’re in for a ride

This grumpy sect leader is in need of affection but good luck trying to give him some

He will do everything in his power to run away from your love

Not because he doesn't want it, actually because he doesn't know how to react to it

Hes never really been given much love so just doesn't know what to do

But you know very well what he needs

So as much s he likes to escape, you don't let him

When it comes to being in public he “allows” little things like hand holding and maybe small kisses on cheeks

He never knows how to reciprocate, but he turns incredibly red when you show him an ounce of genuine affection

If the two of you are out on a nighthunt or in the market and you go to grab his hand, he will instantly blush and give you a look, but he wont pull his hand away

If anything, he’ll actually hold your hand tightly and won’t let go till the end of said trip

When it comes to being in private, like cuddling in bed, he will never initiate it, although he will show you what he wants

He will “subtly” nudge you while you’re in bed, but will never actually wrap his arms around you

He knows that you’ll always turn over and snuggle into his chest when he nudges you, and he thinks that you don't know how much he likes it

But you do

And it makes you very happy to see him blush

His kisses (those initiated by him) are few and far between generally saved for a special occasion like anniversaries, birthdays and long separations

But when he does initiate it, his kisses are surprisingly passionate

He will always grip your hands of your waist when he kisses you and will always drag it out, acting surprisingly sheepish when its done

He loves when you kiss him

Because of how gentle you are when you do

He loves when you gently gently run your hands up his chest and when you softly cup his face when you lean in to kiss him

It makes him feel so loved and cherished

Something he doesn't feel very often

He also loves it when you hug him

Just the feeling of yours arms wrapped around him and the warmth of your body make him so happy

He will occasionally wrap and arm around your waist

Especially when he’s jealous

Which happens quite often

(Especially around Wei Wuxian)

No matter who you are or where you come from, Jiang Cheng will always be worried that you will fall for his elder brother

Since Wei Wuxian is very flirty, when the two of you meet, he almost immediately starts his teasing

And because of how charismatic he is, the two of you definitely become quick friends

Which pisses off Jiang Cheng to the furthest extreme

And so, whenever the three of you are in the same room, Jiang Cheng is all over you

He goes from 0 affection to 100% love, arm around your waist, practically stuck to you

He would even go to lengths such as hand holding and even the occasional hug

Unfortunately for him however, Wei Wuxian notices this and makes fun of him for becoming soft

Which would promptly make him let go of you entirely

Needless to say, Jiang Cheng is a softie who needs love, but he tries rly hard to hide it

But don't be fooled by this grumpy grape, Jiang Cheng 100% needs love and it must be given to him promptly

#jiang cheng #cql x reader #cql #mdzs #mdsz #mdzs hc #mdzs headcanons #mdzs x reader #zidian #Grandmaster of demonic cultivation #mo dao zu shi #chen qing ling #my work #jiang wanyin #yunmeng jiang #yumeng #jiang cheng x reader

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vespertineflora · 3 years

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Title: as the sun will rise

Rating: Explicit Summary: For centuries, the villagers surrounding the Qianlian Forest have been beholden to a fearsome creature. A once loved Prince was long ago cursed into a monstrous form, and ever since has required the sacrifice of maidens to ensure the safety of the forest and the people living around it. This forlorn tradition might have continued for centuries longer... but when it comes time for Lotus Pier to send a maiden as tribute, Jiang Yanli is chosen, and Wei Wuxian won't stand for it. His plan is simple; he'll send Jiang Yanli off to live the long life she deserves with her fiancé, and offer himself as a sacrifice to the Prince instead. (Ch. 1: 3.2k, minor xuanli, wwx being a shijie-loving softie)

And so it begins! I’m embarking on an ambitious wangxian journey :) It’s a fairy-tale au, with a nice slow romance and lots of sexy vine action (think tentacles, but with plants). Check out the AO3 tags and subscribe if you’re interested!

~~~

Many centuries ago, deep in the Qianlian Forest, there lived a Prince. He was a handsome and noble man, soft-spoken and righteous. He was loved and admired by the people for showing himself wherever there was danger and swiftly thwarting it, his arrival in a troubled town like the first rays of light on the horizon after a long, dark night.

But this Prince was not without his own troubles. Despite being loved by so many, he was very often alone. He traveled without companions, without servants, without friends. He showed no interest in romance, in marriage, or in producing an heir. Suitors came from all over the land, hoping to capture the heart of the beautiful Prince, but none succeeded. Each one would be hosted politely in the castle for several days before they accepted the Prince’s disinterest and returned to their homes.

Continue reading Chapter 1 on AO3 or below the cut

Everything changed for the Prince on the day that a new suitor arrived, presenting herself as a princess from far away in the south. However, it was all a ruse; the princess was actually a huli jing in the form of a beautiful young maiden who had entered the palace in order to seduce the Prince.

That night, the huli jing snuck into the Prince’s bedchambers, and climbed into bed with him, but her advances were swiftly thwarted. With her identity and intentions revealed, guards quickly removed her from his room and returned her to her own, where she remained heavily guarded the rest of the evening. At the sign of the first light the following morning, she was escorted hastily from the palace.

The huli jing was infuriated by the rejection and offended by the withdrawal of hospitality. As she was removed from the grounds, an awful curse spewed from her lips in retaliation: “May the Prince live by the means he’s denied me until he’s unrooted from his frigid ways!”

Nothing happened right away. The palace seemed to remain as it always was, and after the murmurs of gossip passed that morning, everything returned to normal for the day.

And then the sun set.

The Prince was stepping down from his throne and crossing the grand room when... suddenly, his foot caught on something and he stopped in his tracks. A sharp tug removed it from whatever it had been stuck on, only for his other foot to suddenly get caught as well and when he shifted his robes and glanced down, he immediately discovered why; tendrils of roots had sprouted from the the soles of his feet, tearing out through the sides of his boots and burying themselves between the grooves of the stone floor.

He tried to move his other foot, but it was already buried too deep in the stone to lift. Disciples tried to cut the roots away only to find them invulnerable to their swords as the hard, unmoving bark seemed to slowly climb up the Prince’s legs. The best doctor in the palace arrived swiftly, but none of his potions or balms seemed to do any thing to prevent the progression of the curse, and by midnight, the Prince was the Prince no more.

Appeals were made all across the land for the best doctors and apothecaries, for anyone who might have some way to return their Prince to his human form, but not a single attempt was fruitful, and eventually, the Prince and his palace were abandoned.

The Prince, however, in spite of his new form, never slacked in his duties to protect his people. Ever since the curse fell upon him, the forest remained a safe place to travel through, and the soil in the lands surrounding the forest was rich and fertile, perfect for growing, allowing the people living nearby to prosper from the plentiful food and trade they were granted.

The only catch was that, every so often, the Prince would need to feed... and the Prince had a very specific appetite.

~~~~~~~~~~

That was the legend anyway. Wei Wuxian couldn’t say any more than anyone else how much truth there was to it. He only knew what their reality was now.

The abandoned ruins of the palace in the forest contained something; something living, something that seemed to keep people from ever getting lost in the forest, something that seemed to make sure that the crops growing on the lands around the forest were always healthy and robust and only suffered occasionally because of extreme weather.

Something that claimed a young woman from one of their villages every few months.

The tradition itself was one that had been going on for centuries as well, one that the elders of the towns and villages surrounding the forest didn’t question anymore. The ancestors had laid it out clearly; the cursed Prince in the forest was indeed a blessing, until he started getting hungry. And this was a problem because the Prince, or whatever it was in the forest, didn’t eat in the traditional sense, so much as he... absorbed the qi of whatever was around him. According to all the texts, healthy crops would start to wither, the wildlife began to die off, and even foraging in the woods for food would become a more fruitless task, until... a sacrifice was made.

How their ancestors figured this out was unclear, but the instructions were anything but. Once the health of the lands appeared to wane, a young maiden was to be chosen. The two dozen or so towns in and around the Qianlian Forest were to take turns shouldering this burden, and each town could make their own decision on how the maiden was to be selected, but when the time came, the chosen maiden was to be taken to the palace ruins in the forest and left there as a sacrifice to the Prince.

What happened to these maidens? Well, no one exactly knew. None of the women ever returned home, so there were no first hand accounts of what happened once they were left at the palace, though... rumors were rampant about the sort of agonizing qi-draining deaths these maidens would experience.

Wei Wuxian’s eyes swept across the tree line, looking hopefully for any movement, and he held Jiang Yanli’s arm a bit closer to his side. They had left their home in Lotus Pier just before sunrise, and even now the sun was only just over the horizon, the first rays of pinkish golden light were filtering through the dense trees surrounding them on the narrow forest path. It was soon enough in the spring season that the air this early in the morning was damp and chilly and had left a light frost on the grass and trees as they walked slowly towards their destination.

This spring, it had been Lotus Pier’s turn to select a tribute, and Lotus Pier had decided long ago that in order to maximize fairness, each family with an unmarried daughter would draw a lot; whichever family received the marked lot would select one of their daughters to send into the forest.

The Jiang family, the closest thing Wei Wuxian had to his own family since the long ago passing of his parents, had drawn the marked lot this year, and they only had one daughter.

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng had issued their protests, and both Jing Fengmian and Madam Yu looked troubled by the outcome... but there were no arguments to be made. Either their sacrifice was made, or their family would be run from their home and their residence and possessions burned before they were exiled from the town. The decision was final... so Wei Wuxian immediately started putting together a haphazard plan.

When the time came just a couple days later, Wei Wuxian offered to escort Jiang Yanli into the forest, and the town elders agreed.

Now he walked beside her along the forest path in the misty morning. The mood between them was quiet and serious, though from the moment the lot had been drawn, Jiang Yanli had seemed resigned, ready to accept the fate handed down to her. The expression on her face was thoughtful and open and Wei Wuxian had seen the way she was looking around at the early spring foliage, taking everything in as if this would be her last time to do so.

It was enough to break Wei Wuxian’s heart, but he wasn’t sure he could tell her the truth until the right moment came, until...

The rustle of branches in the distance caught his ear and Wei Wuxian immediately perked up, his eyes darting in the direction of the sound, watching carefully until he could spot the movement in the trees. He slowed his pace down just a bit and was ready to reach for his sword if the person ahead of them wasn’t who he expected it to be.

A moment later, a little ways ahead of them, Jin Zixuan and some cousin of his made their way out of the tree line and onto the path.

Wei Wuxian felt a wave of relief (it was the first time that seeing Jin Zixuan had made him feel anything other than annoyance) that lasted for about as long as it took for him to feel the sudden way Jiang Yanli’s feet froze on the path beside him.

“Jin-gongzi, what...” she asked, sounding shocked, “what are you doing here?”

Jin Zixuan, who somehow managed to look both lovestruck and overwhelmed all at once as he slowly approached them, replied, “Wei-gongzi wrote to me. He told me what happened and asked me to meet you here.”

“A-Xian?” Her gaze quickly darted to Wei Wuxian, the most bittersweet smile imaginable flickering onto her lips. She knew as well as anyone did how Wei Wuxian felt about Jin Zixuan; that he’d write to Jin Zixuan, even for her sake, must surely have been a surprise. “Did you do this for me?”

Wei Wuxian nodded stiffly, already knowing the direction her thoughts were heading, knowing that she wouldn’t immediately realize what he intended to do.

“Thank you,” she said sweetly, her warm hand reaching up to cup Wei Wuxian’s cheek. “This was hard enough without being able to say goodbye.” Her thumb stroked his cheek, the look on her face making Wei Wuxian feel soft inside, before she turned and took a step towards Jin Zixuan to close the gap between them. She bowed her head solemnly to him, before saying, “Jin-gongzi, I’m so glad A-Xian wrote to you. I’m... sorry that we won’t have the life we’d planned together, but... I’m happy I get to see you one last time.”

Confusion scrawled itself across Jin Zixuan’s face as Jiang Yanli spoke, his gaze darting between her and Wei Wuxian, full of questions that Wei Wuxian’s mouth felt too dry to answer... but he swallowed hard and pulled in a breath as he gathered his courage.

“Shijie...” he said, finally finding his voice, “it’s not Jin-gongzi you need to say goodbye to.”

She froze for a second, before turning slowly to look back at him, her brow furrowed as she asked cautiously, “A-Xian, what... what are you saying?”

His head fell a little more, trying to think how he could best inform her of what his plan all along had been... but it turned out that he didn’t need to say it himself, as the realization dawned on her just a few seconds later and she asked with abject fear, “You aren’t planning on taking my place, are you?”

He’d say he thought long and hard about this decision, but the truth was that it’d come to him in an instant. Within moments of realizing that she’d be sacrificed and that her parents would do nothing to stop it, he’d already known that he wouldn’t let it happen. Jiang Yanli was the closest thing he had to a sister, her and Jiang Cheng were his family, and Lotus Pier would hardly feel like home without her there... and when it came down to it, he’d had only two choices: he could live on knowing she’d given her life in order for everyone else to continue surviving in comfort, or he could give up his own life knowing that Jiang Yanli could have the happily ever after with her betrothed that she most certainly deserved.

And ultimately, that wasn’t really a choice at all for him. Wei Wuxian would sacrifice himself a thousand times over if it meant saving Jiang Yanli.

Of course, he’d known almost as quickly that he wouldn’t be able to make this plan work on his own. Jiang Yanli wouldn’t willingly accept Wei Wuxian taking her place on the chopping block, she’d fight him tooth and nail to protect someone even as unworthy of it as him, because that was who she was. Wei Wuxian knew that he would need someone else would need to help him, to keep her restrained while he went on without her, someone that could whisk her far away to somewhere safe so that no one would know what he’d done until it was too late to stop him...

Luckily, she had a fiancé who was willing to be just as selfish in their love of Jiang Yanli as he was.

“Jin-gongzi, came here to take you home with him,” he said, putting on a smile because it was what he did best as he avoided her question entirely. “You’ll be able to marry him, just like you’ve wanted.”

“A-Xian,” she said pleadingly as she stepped back towards him. She took his hands into her own and squeezed them tight, looking up at him with worry and desperation, “Please, you can’t do this. This is my duty, you can’t do it for me.”

He knew she might be right. He’d done as much research as he could, and the sacrifices always seemed to be young virgin women, though there never seemed to be any justification for why this was the case--which was enough for him to be willing, despite only filling half of the maiden requirement, to at least make an attempt. He didn’t know if the Prince would even consider him a suitable replacement, but... he wouldn’t know for sure unless he tried, and he was most certainly going to try.

“Well, we don’t technically know whether or not that’s true,” he said in an attempt at a light-hearted tone.

It only made Jiang Yanli frown harder, look even more fretful. “XianXian... you have your whole life ahead of you, you...”

“I could say the same for you, Shijie,” Wei Wuxian countered with a reluctant nod towards Jin Zixuan. “You’re already engaged. You’re going to be a bride and have the family you’ve always dreamed of.”

Wei Wuxian didn’t have that, didn’t have such lofty goals for himself. He’d been sure he was going to die young ever since he’d lost his parents, and the only family he had were the Jiangs. He wasn’t so naïve to think that no one would miss him, but... dying now, dying to save Jiang Yanli... that would probably give his life more meaning than anything he would create for himself anyway.

“But what about A-Cheng? He’ll miss you. Who will look out for him if we’re both gone?” she asked urgently.

Wei Wuxian felt the sting of that, but... there was nothing to be done about it now. Despite fighting all the time, he and Jiang Cheng were close--though there was always part of Wei Wuxian that wondered if Jiang Cheng wouldn’t have been better off if Jiang Fengmian had never brought Wei Wuxian to come live with them. Nothing could undo the past, but Jiang Cheng was an adult now, and Wei Wuxian imagined he would be able to live with Wei Wuxian’s absence, especially once he learned his sister was still alive.

“Jiang Cheng will be fine,” he told her. “In a few weeks, we’ll know whether or not this worked and you’ll be able to tell him you’re safe. That’ll mean the world to him.”

“A-Xian, stop!” she said, the volume of her voice rising, becoming more determined. She was hardly a confrontational person, and Wei Wuxian was almost taken aback by the passion in her tone. “I’m not going to let you do this! I’m your senior, you have to listen to me, don’t you? I’m ordering you to--”

Quite suddenly, Jiang Yanli stopped mid-sentence, a dizzy look falling over her face--a second later, her body started to go limp. Between Wei Wuxian and Jin Zixuan’s quick reflexes, they each managed to reach out for her, catching her before she collapsed to the ground.

Both Jin Zixuan and Wei Wuxian’s eyes snapped to the young man that had arrived with Jin Zixuan, and they shouted, “Zixun!” and “What did you do?” respectively.

Jin Zixun threw his hands up defensively, a talisman in one making it more obvious what he’d done, and he snapped right back, “You heard her, she wasn’t going to just go along with this! I was just trying to make this easier!”

If Wei Wuxian wasn’t supporting some of Jiang Yanli’s weight between them, he almost certainly would have brushed right past Jin Zixuan to punch his oaf of a cousin--but instead, after a sharp glare, he forced himself to huff out a breath, and helped adjust Jiang Yanli more securely into Jin Zixuan’s arms.

His hands held hers for a moment longer though, lingering because he couldn’t help himself. This wasn’t exactly the goodbye he’d wanted, but... it was for the best. Anything that got Jiang Yanli out of here safely was good enough for him, even if this was far from what he’d expected of their last words to each other.

He took a moment more to look down at her now-relaxed face, his expression soft and sad... but there was no denying the inevitable. After pulling her hand to his mouth and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it, her gently lowered them and stepped away.

With a faint sigh, he took hold of Suibian and said a quiet goodbye to it before handing it over reluctantly to Jin Zixuan’s cousin (only because Jin Zixuan’s hands were full). He wouldn’t need it where he was going, after all.

He aimed a sharp and somewhat desperate look at Jin Zixuan and told him, “Take care of her.”

“I will,” Jin Zixuan agreed without hesitation.

The tension between them evaporated for a moment, and... Wei Wuxian found himself trusting Jin Zixuan. For all the trouble between them over the years, for all that Wei Wuxian had hated Jin Zixuan at first... he could see now just how much Jin Zixuan had come to love Jiang Yanli, and on that, if nothing else, they could find some common ground.

“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian replied, tone turning stern, “you better. Because if you don’t, I’m gonna come back and haunt you, you hear me?”

“I hear you,” he said, a weighted smile flickering at the corner of Jin Zixuan’s mouth. Their eyes remained locked for another moment and a hundred unspoken words exchanged between their gazes in the silence, before Jin Zixuan added with almost heart-wrenching sincerity, “Thank you, Wei Wuxian.”

With a final nod, Wei Wuxian forced himself to tear his eyes away from them, from Jiang Yanli, and continued along the forest path.

The Prince was waiting.

#vesper posts #wangxian #mdzs #mdzs fic #cql #cql fic #the untamed #the untamed fanfic #mo dao zu shi #wei wuxian #lan wangji #fairy tale au

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