#yunmeng jiang sect

[mediocretosubpar-soup]

Fun idea:

Wei Wuxian gets his own Yunmeng Jiang disciples in disguise squads. This is because one time Jin Ling mentioned that Wei Wuxian was hurt on a night hunt and Jiang Cheng's anxiety levels hit a new peak, so he, in the fashion of people who take their hot iron on vacation, put assigned a squad of Yunmeng Jiang disciples as a protection detail.

YMJ disciple: So you want us to observe Wei Wuxian to study demonic cultivation?

JC (dead serious but also lying through his teeth): Absolutely, WWX is the foremost expert but he'll never tell us his secrets. It is of utmost important that he remain alive and well, so we can study him to ensure we are prepared for new demonic cultivation inventions.

YMJ disciple (not buying this for a second but willing to give the SL some face: Sounds legit.

-

A few months into the assignment.

YMJ disciple A (distressed) about WWX: He totally knows!

YMJ disciple B: He knows nothing.

YMJ disciple C: I've been a random rogue cultivator, a helpful villager and then a conveniently wandering on the same night hunt. That man can't remember faces for shit.

#mdzs #jiang cheng #ideas that i like to rotate in my head #yunmeng jiang sect #in the spirit of that post comparing jiang cheng to a herding dog #jiang cheng and his herding tendencies #wei wuxian #how long until ymj disciples run a challenge #on how dumb their disguises can get before wwx notices? #lwj is a whole 'nother game #jc can and will assign them #remedial lessons on diplomacy #he will not have a repeat of ... #still if lwj ever crosses the line by insulting jc #all bets are off

[pastelcheckereddreams]

我做梦都想回去... Even in my dreams, I want to go back… The Untamed locations: Lotus Pier 莲花坞/Liánhuā Wù

It’s finally here! The third installment in my ongoing Chén Qíng Lìng drafting saga, Lotus Pier! As the residence of the Yúnmèng Jiāng Sect, Lotus Pier (莲花坞/Liánhuā Wù) is arguably one of the most important locations in the narrative of Mó Dào Zǔ Shī. Built among sprawling lotus ponds in the lazy shallows of a vast, meandering river, Lotus Pier shapes the halcyon days of the Jiāng siblings’ youth. It is a warm and lively place, its people welcoming and carefree. 

The complete diagram:

(Full set details/meta below.)

Part 1: The Jingshi Part 2: The Hanshi

Prints now available at ✨ INPRNT! ✨ You can also support me on Ko-fi ☕

Honestly, the few gifs I have used do not come close to showing you the huge scale, or the level of detail and care that has evidently been put into this set by the CQL production team.

Before I attempt to describe the place that shaped much of our main characters’ lives, let me first share with you the set layout with reference to some aspects of traditional Chinese architecture (and please bear in mind, I’m not an authority on the subject. Links to sources/appropriate references are provided).

Understanding the set layout:

The main compound of Lotus Pier is set out loosely following the typical, traditional layout for residences containing a courtyard.* Rooms are placed at the four cardinal points, creating a central axis and a secondary horizontal axis. With the courtyard facing south, the most important buildings are placed to the rear (north), such as the parents and grandparents’ bedrooms and the ancestral hall, while the siderooms (typically for the sons’ families) are placed to the east and west according to auspicious philosophies (like fēng shuǐ) and social hierarchy:

* At least, in the northern regions of China. Although Héngdiàn World Studios, where most historical and xiānxiá dramas are filmed, is located in Zhèjiāng, it seems a lot of the sets at Hengdian are based on northern designs.

In true “courtyard houses” (sìhéyuàn or sānhéyuàn, depending on whether the courtyard is fully enclosed), this quadrangle layout would then repeat along the central (N-S) axis if the residence contains one or more ‘inner courtyards’ (Fig.3 below):

However, I would not call Lotus Pier a true “courtyard house” as it is freer and more spacious in form than, say, the Hanshi’s courtyard design** and both sets are part of a larger compound anyway, rather than a standalone residence for a single family - so the comparison may be redundant. For instance, Lotus Pier’s stilt foundation and large, sloping roofs also bear an interesting resemblence to the wooden storied houses of Yúnnán, which is a completely different type of vernacular architecture.

** That being said, there is a wealth of research on the different variations in this type of vernacular architecture [x] [x], which does include differences in siheyuan design based on climate (wherein the buildings are quite generously spaced apart, and the courtyard much larger, to deal with the warmer climate in southern regions of China). 

Nevertheless, we can see the cultural and cosmic philosophies which influence these courtyard homes used at times in the design of Lotus Pier.

For instance, we see in episodes 14 and 18 that first Jiāng Chéng, and then Wèi Wúxiàn lived in the eastern room - both seperately and together - in their childhoods. (We can assume that Yànlí would have lived in a room nearer her parents, located in the back of the residence so as to lessen her appearance in public as an unwed daughter.)

(Although the two rooms have been dressed differently, the raised platform, reused props, and WWX’s running shot from the inside to the outside in episode 14 show that it is the same building. Additionally, you can head here for some ramblings on the interior of WWX’s room and some analysis on camera angles.)

You may also be able to see from these gifs that these siderooms are divided into three sections, which relates to the construction of traditional buildings in three or five ‘bay’ structures:

A ‘bay’ is the space between columns of a building. An even number of bays, or jiān/間, was thought to be unlucky, therefore the three bay structure was the basic layout of a commoner’s home, with additional bays added based on the need for space or the wealth of a family.

Interestingly, the room on the west side of the courtyard is shown to be Jiāng Fēngmián’s study, rather than another bedroom as I originally assumed - one that may have been for an older Jiang Cheng, although as the son and heir of the Jiang famly, his room would traditionally remain on the eastern side of the house (where WWX’s is). Then again, the main courtyard is an odd place for a bedroom in the first place, so perhaps we might be looking at a conflation of public and private spaces due to constraints on the set designers.

As a sidenote, JFM’s study appears to back onto a private lake, seen through the rear viewing window. I think this must be CGI, however, as I can find no angle of the set that shows this exists as part of the structure.

With all this said, let’s not forget that this is a xiānxiá drama: historical accuracy is not the goal. Instead, the producers took their time finding a ‘cultural location’ for each Sect, through which they could develop a more artistic aesthetic by drawing on the atmosphere and charm of their desired location. This brings us to the set’s design, and what it may represent about the people of MDZS’s Yunmeng.

The set’s design:

For the Yunmeng Jiang, producer Yáng Xià states in the link above that the showrunners drew inspiration from Húběi province, particularly the Jiānghàn plain that now lies in the heart of Wǔhàn. It is here the Hàn river joins the vast flow of the Yangtze as it meanders its way through the eastern provinces of Central China.

Just as Wuhan has been a major port city since the earliest dynasties of Imperial China, it’s fair to assume that the river that flows through MDZS’s Yunmeng has likewise influenced those living on its banks:

One of our first, and repeated, impressions of Lotus Pier and Yunmeng is how lively and welcoming this busy harbor and its people are. A major transport hub in its own right, with links to Lánlíng, Yumeng people are at home on the water.

The Jiang are unrestrained and easy-going, open-minded and generous. To reflect this, Lotus Pier was likewise built to be “broad and open”, the easy curves of the roofs and the wide, open walkways creating a sense of transparency and openness; the fluttering gauze curtains soften and compliment what otherwise might be an imposingly broad structure of warm-coloured wood:

The marketplace that sprawls from the main landing likewise tells us that Lotus Pier and the wider Yunmeng area is a place of trade and craftsmanship.

We see lotus seeds and pods harvested frequently, and as strong swimmers and talented fishermen, we might assume that the Yunmeng people are also skilled at weaving fishing nets and other such tools from the abundance of natural materials the fertile floodplains afford them.

As an aside, I do wonder why JFM decided to decorate his seat of power with rolls of reed matting/blinds.

I like to think they’re wares from the market, to display his peoples’ craftsmanship. You have to admit, the effect is impressive, immitating an unfurling lotus:

The one area that intrigues me the most in this main courtyard, however, is the kitchen. The private dock in the kitchen really exemplifies how the river has had such a huge influence on the design of Lotus Pier, by virtue of the waterborne livelihood it has curated among the Yunmeng people: 

I like to imagine that fresh produce from the market would arrive by boat early in the morning, and Yanli would be there to help unload the goods while she prepares breakfast for her family...

What struck me most, though, during the course of this whole study was the dreamy, almost fantastical quality to the set. As I said above, the xianxia genre allows much more creative license with the aesthetic of the Sects and their domains, as the genre does not need to replicate a time or place with rigid historical accuracy. As such, much care and ingenuinty has been taken by the show’s designers to merge the Pier with the river, giving the impression that, like the lotus flowers that give it its name, the Pier also floats on the water itself.

To that end, let’s lastly think about the lotus imagery we see around the set, and how it applies to the role of Lotus Pier as a place in the narrative.

The symbolism of the lotus

Revered for its beauty and much loved for its versitility in Asian cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine, the lotus holds significance in Chinese culture for many reasons. As one of the 'Flowers of the Four Seaons' (四季名花, Sìjì Mínghuā), the lotus flower represents summer, blooming through the season in the shallows of slow-moving rivers and river deltas. 

「出淤泥而不染 / chū yūní ér bù rǎn」, an idiom meaning “growing out of mud, but remaining untainted”, is often attributed to a poem by controversial Confucian and Neo-Confucian scholar Zhōu Dūnyí called 'On the Love of the Lotus' ( 爱莲说, Ài Lián Shuō). Zhou calls the lotus flower a "gentleman among flowers" (not to be confused with the Four Gentlemen) as, rising dignified from the mud, it exemplifies the cosmic and spiritual harmony all humans should aspire to achieve. As such, it represents a moral ideal of dignity and integrity for a Confucian gentleman. As Zhou writes, “I love only the lotus, for rising from the mud yet remaining unstained; bathed by pure currents and yet not seductive.”

We cannot wholly attribute this idiom to Zhou, however, as this metaphor of the lotus flower, symbollic of purity of mind and body as it rises out of the muddy waters of worldly affairs, actually has its roots in the religious teachings of Buddhism and the Lotus Sutra. In it, the sacred lotus symbolises spiritual enlightenment and self-actualisation, where one is able to detach themselves from worldly affairs and overcome personal sufferings.

N.B. 18/04/2023 Edits have been made to reflect more accurate context regarding the prevailance of Buddhist thought in China since its introduction in the Han dynasty, and how Zhou’s ‘On the Love of the Lotus’ drew upon its teachings. See here for the original text and a review of its inaccuracies, as well as further resources.

How can we relate this back to the setting, Lotus Pier, and the Yunmeng Jiang? I think the most obvious parallel has to be the burning of Lotus Pier.

The event is the catalyst for a number of tragedies that occur throughout the narrative, and the Jiang siblings' attempts to reconcile the many layers of guilt, blame and grief they each feel with the enormity of losing their entire Sect, their home, their bonds with each other - the lotus emblem of their Sect is perhaps a reminder that there is no happiness without hardship.

Of course, more important than its cosmic symbolism, for these siblings lotus ponds represent home, and are a way the three siblings can remain connected as they travel seperate paths in life, forming new families after the tragedy of their own:

In the scene pictured above - where WWX, after many months in self-imposed exile, succeeds in cultivating his lotus pond in the Burial Mounds - the pond represents his longing for Lotus Pier while also bringing him some comfort and connection to what he has lost. Just as Jīn Zixuān seeks to bring comfort to Yanli by planting a lotus pond for her, too:

(Bonus gif of a different type of "gentlemen rising from the mud”):

But as an aside, it's also interesting to note that WWX tells A-Yuan in that above scene, that the lotus seeds are not to be eaten because they are grown in the soil of the Burial Mounds. Instead, they are 'the perfect thing to protect from evil spirits'. This may be a simple child’s tale for WWX to discourage A-Yuan from eating the tainted seeds, or it may refer to the spiritual purity the lotus symbolises. But as an interesting coincidence, lotus plants actually have the potential to filter nitrogen, phosphorous, and heavy metals from watersources, so it’s possible they taste bad because they are literally cleansing the soil of the Burial Mounds.

It seems appropriate, then, that WWX is tied closely to this lotus motif, perhaps even moreso than Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng. This is especially poignant when we consider that the lotus is also symbollic of resurrection and rebirth: the blooms, closing and opening with the sun in a daily cycle, can be compared to the cycle of reincarnation.

A great deal of the narrative focuses upon WWX’s decision to forge his own path through life, a ‘single-log bridge’ that sweeps him away from convention and propriety that governs the rest of the cultivation world as he struggles to maintain his own integrity and compassion. He suffers for this choice, especially once he gives up his golden core and is thought to be actively choosing an ‘evil’ path. Yanli even dreams of him floating away from Lotus Pier, carried on the rapid current of the river:

After his resurrection, however, it seems WWX has been able to finally rise above the Sects’ biases and political machinations. Once the Yin Iron has finally been sealed away, and the mystery of the Fierce Corpse solved, he no longer has any obligation to stay in those muddy waters of the cultivation world. He is free to wander, as his parents did - the single log bride widening to encompass the whole world.

Although still tied to the world by his love for his family and friends, we could say that WWX is close to that enlightenment the lotus represents. He has risen from the mud and, despite all his suffering, has remained untainted.  

Bonus details!

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! This got... so long... But of course, I had to do Lotus Pier justice as such a beautiful and thematic set. As a final point, here are some small details you may have missed or that I couldn’t fit in the main analysis!

Here is a cute interior shot of WWX’s room, and a view of the rear courtyard that shows the moon gate entrance, which presumably provides access for boats to dock in the kitchen:

Also join me in appreciating how detailed the design on the door panels is! So much so that I couldn’t do the finer details justice in my sketch:

Special mention to the fish doorhandles on the main hall, as well. As a Pisces, this brings me joy.

And finally, some reference shots for the gate:

As always, thank you everyone for your continued support and encouragement - and your patience! Lotus Pier was a massive project, that has taken me over a year to complete. I am so proud to finally present it to you, and bring you the news that I have finally opened a print shop! As always, you can also buy me a coffee on kofi to show you support.

#nikkidraws #lotus pier #set design saga #cql set design #the untamed set design #lianhua wu #yunmeng jiang sect #yunmeng jiang #jiang cheng #jiang yanli #wei wuxian #yunmeng siblings #yunmeng brothers #twin prides #twin prides of yunmeng #set design #cql fanart #cql fan art #the untamed fanart #the untamed fan art #cql meta #the untamed meta #set analysis #character analysis #wwx analysis #cql wwx #chinese architecture #fantasy architecture #fantasy map #fantasy set design

[wei-meddling-wuxian]

[ Third-In-Command finding Jiang Cheng leaning over papers and files. ]

Third-in-Command: How long has he been stuck?

Second-In-Command: Intellectually, about 15 hours. Emotionally, about 13 years

#mdzs #mdzs incorrect quotes #jiang cheng #sect leader jiang cheng #lotus pods #yunmeng jiang #yunmeng jiang sect

[least-carpet]

"You seen him?" Chen Wei asks without introduction.

"I don't want to talk about it," says Zhang Haoran.

Without hesitation, Yang Qiang jumps on the opportunity to annoy Zhang-xiong. "What aren't we talking about?"

"He's--his back," Chen Wei explains.

"His fucking waist," Zhang Haoran hisses.

"Zidian!"

"Zidian."

"What!" Yang Qiang looks between them. "You mean Sandu Shengshou?"

Zhang Haoran's gaze would slice through a lesser man, but Yang Qiang stands firm. "Is that meant to be dismissive?"

"The way he just," Chen Wei starts, and then pauses as a glazed look overtakes his face. "Yeah."

"Oh? Does he truly look like his mother?" Yang Qiang teases.

"If he does," Zhang Haoran says grimly, "Jiang Fengmian was a dog. A dog."

Chen Wei blinks. "If he put up his hair like a girl. With the dangly things."

"Fuck."

Yang Qiang smirked. "Going to sign up, then? Settle down? Give up the freedom of a rogue cultivator for the chance of seeing a little more?"

"It's the responsible thing to do, isn't it?" Zhang Haoran says. "Aren't we getting a little old to not know where our next meal is coming from? Shouldn't we support little sect leader Jiang?"

"Little sect leader!"

"Why does Zidian even have sexy chains on it?" Chen Wei demands. "Who decided that?"

omg this is delightful!! tagging @sheepandpencils because this is fic for your Jiang Cheng wearing bodyjewelry!zidian art.

it inspired fic 🥲 just like Jiang Cheng inspired all those rogue cultivators to join the Jiang Sect with his righteous cause... and his body jewelry... and his sexy recruitment posters. listen. a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

#surprise fanfiction!! in the ask!! I love it!! #jiang cheng #yunmeng jiang sect #jiang sect ocs #fanfic #mdzs +

[difeisheng]

My admiration of the Yunmeng Jiang in CQL for forging a close relationship with the people they protect through building their stronghold in an inviting, accessible location as opposed to the other major sects who situate themselves physically and socially above the non-cultivators, versus my frustration at how irresponsibly shitty that makes Lotus Pier to defend and how it was apparently given no further reinforcement when it should have had stronger precautions in place to compensate for the sect's vulnerable place. Fight

#cannot remember if I've ranted about this before but. i have OPINIONS on it #someone tell me to elaborate and i will #mdzs #cql #yunmeng jiang sect #ashton originals

[talesfromnatea]

Head Disciple Jiang Wei Wuxian is ready to absolutely destroy you at the discussion conference

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wei wuxian #wei ying #yunmeng jiang sect #jiang sect #art

[kdram-chjh]

Cdrama: The Untamed (2019)

Jiang Cheng (Gifs part 03)

Watch this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWosM63rIU8

#The Untamed #陈情令 #Chen Qing Ling #2019 #QQLive #youtube #cdrama #chinese drama #Wang Zhuo Cheng #Marius Wang #Jiang Cheng #Jiāng Chéng #Jiang Wan Yin #Jiang WanYin #江澄 #Sandu Shengshou #Lotus Pier #Sect Leader #Yunmeng Jiang Sect #Cultivator #Mo Dao Zu Shi

[not-rude-ginger]

You’ve filled out the Jiang Sect so well in your fic! What are all the group designations (ex: herons, pandas, etc) and what do they all mean?

So far I have the Herons, the Pandas, the Plum Blossoms, the Orchids and the Hive- there are other teams but I haven't needed to make them yet. The naming is usually me thinking what the softest, sweetest names would be.

Herons: Yunmeng Jiang's best fliers, usually an important part of search and rescue missions, especially during floods. They also tend to do acrobatic aerial shows during festivals.

Pandas: Akin to child services, these are cultivators who roam the territory looking out for orphaned children, neglected ones, any kid that needs help, they will step in. They might reunite a kid with extended family, or bring them into the orphan system, which Jiang Cheng maintains personally. They also look after LGBTQ kids and adults, but that's not mentioned aloud. (yes I may have named them the Pandas because Bears).

Plum Blossoms: The mad scientists of the sect! Haha, nah, they're the scholars, they research new methods of cultivation and technology that will benefit the sect. They do tend to be eccentric. Jiang Cheng would have made Wei Wuxian the leader if things had gone differently.

Orchids: Mostly made up of former sex workers who escaped and came to Yunmeng Jiang for a better life. This group is the most mixed with cultivators and non-cultivators, and they focus on helping women. They're very good at dealing kindly with female ghosts that died through sexual violence, or marriage abuse, or childbirth. Jiang Cheng allows them a high degree of autonomy, so long as they don't tarnish the sect's reputation, he lets them do as they like.

The Hive: Jiang Cheng's spy network headed by his Queen Bee, who calls her people Workers. It's useful code because running a honey business is a very important source of income, so it's safe enough to use.

#asked and answered #yunmeng jiang sect #headcanon #my writing #jiang cheng

[lanzhansbunny]

#jiang clan #jiang sect #Yunmeng Jiang Sect #Jin Ling #Baby Jin Ling #A- Ling #Jiu jiu #Mo Dao Zu Shi #Family

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Lan Wangji Goes To Lotus Pier AU: Part 1: Dread on Arrival

(Part 2)

#poorly drawn mdzs #mdzs #lan wangji #jiang fengmian #jiang cheng #wei wuxian #Yungmeng Jiang Training Arc AU #MDZS AU #The AU name for this idea is something I am 100% willing to change if someone has a better one. #There will be at least 2-3 more comics so *please*. Ideas and feedback welcome. #The core idea behind this AU is that LWJ goes to study with the Yunmeng Jiang sect instead of JC and WWX going to Cloud Recess #But why? Well I imagine Lan Xichen set it up to give LWJ a challenge (more social than skill based) and LWJ rose to it (begrudgingly) #Sort of a 'You've mastered so many Lan techniques but Other Sects have styles that are worth learning.' set up. #Lan Qiren agrees mostly on the basis that...well it's LWJ. Yunmeng Jiang is unruly but LWJ is beyond that riff-raff. He'll rise above it. #This is the story of a boy who thrives on routine and rules spending time in a place that is his apparent antithesis. #Also it is so warm there. He is used to it being cold and what do you MEAN just take off some of my layers? #I just want to see him struggle and flail in many situations. And get him in Jiang Purple. Is that so wrong of me? #(Soaking wet JC is part of my 'JC was born to swim; forced to hold a sword' agenda. Do not remove him from the water) #((Politeness notes: JFM would *not* call LWJ 'lan wangji' nor would LWJ be vocally impolite to a sect leader.))

[wangxianficrecs]

Inter-Sect Politics for the Absolute Beginner by Elpie (Horribibble)

Inter-Sect Politics for the Absolute Beginner

by Elpie (Horribibble) (@elpiething)

M, 3k, Wangxian

Summary: Today, with a formal missive from Koi Tower in hand and Zonghui staring at him with open concern, Nie Mingjue throws his head back and laughs and knows that no request will ever bring him such joy: Sect Leader Jin Guangshan has been brutally assaulted and, due to a conflict of interest, the Jin sect begs the assistance of the Honorable Sect Leader Nie Mingjue in the search for justice. - Wei Ying was raised in a brothel in Yunping, and Sect Leader Jin is having a very bad day. Kay's comments: Incredibly funny! Had me grinning the entire time. AU where Meng Shi was the one who found Wei Ying and took him in, offering him a home in the brothel. So, he grew up alongside Meng Yao and one day, when Jin Guangshan visits the brothel, Wei Ying is not going to stand by and look as his adopted family gets mistreated. Rest in pieces, Jin Guangshan's nuts. Excerpt: Without missing a beat, the young man laden in silks and ornaments and the almost tangible love of every courtesan in the room laden upon him like so much armor looks Sect Leader Jin dead in the eye and says, “A shitty lover, an angry drunk, but most of all an asshole.” Personally, Mingjue could not have asked for more. Except, perhaps, to borrow one of Huaisang’s fans to hide his face. “Young master,” Lan Xichen speaks up, ever the voice of gentle reason. “This is perhaps not the best defense…” For a moment, the youth stills, blinking at the elder jade, surprised by the sound of genuine concern. But then he takes a deep breath and plants his hands on his hips, clearly not having any of it. “It’s the truth.” He levels his gaze, once more, upon the gilded pervert. “You’ve got twenty kids at least, including A-Yao, so I know you know how a brothel works. You’re not new. If you’re coming into our houses to be a rotten bastard, you should just leave.” The only other man among the courtesans glaring death upon Jin Guangshan, has the spine to call, “Ying’er.” But Nie Mingjue suspects very little has ever deterred this man, least of all being called little baby.

pov wei wuxian, pov nie mingjue, canon divergence, canon era, wei wuxian isn't adopted by the jiangs, non-yunmeng wei wuxian, courtesan wei wuxian, brothels, bamf wei wuxian, jin guangshan being an asshole, justice, families of choice, crack treated seriously, humor, different first meeting

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

#Wangxian Fic Rec #The Untamed #Wangxian #MDZS #Kay's Rec #January 2023 #short fic <15k #Mature #Inter-Sect Politics for the Absolute Beginner #Elpie (Horribibble) #pov wei wuxian #pov nie mingjue #canon divergence #canon era #wei wuxian isn't adopted by the jiangs #non-yunmeng wei wuxian #courtesan wei wuxian #brothels #bamf wei wuxian #jin guangshan being an asshole #justice #families of choice #crack treated seriously #humor #different first meeting

[frankencanon]

Absolutely obsessed with the idea of Jiang Cheng, in the wake of the Jiang Sect's massacre, just massively overdoing it with the defensive measures in Lotus Pier:

It was bad enough when they were first rebuilding, but in the nearly two decades that followed every single time Jiang Cheng had a nightmare about his family dying and/or Lotus Pier burning down, he would immediately get up and start working on the defensive arrays, or the evacuation plans, or so on...

People think of the Impure Realm as an impenetrable fortress, but after Lotus Pier burnt down and was rebuilt? No other sect could stand a chance against Jiang Cheng's obsessive paranoia.

Lotus Pier has everything from defensive arrays, to evacuation plans and saferooms, to secret codes and signals known only to the disciples, to hidden underground and underwater tunnels, to booby traps, barriers, poison gas, etc etc etc...

Never again will Lotus Pier be sieged—not if Jiang Cheng has anything to say about it.

#lotus pier #jiang clan #jiang sect #yunmeng jiang #jiang cheng #the untamed #headcanons #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #cql #chen qing ling #mdzs headcanons #cql headcanons #the untamed headcanons #jiang fengmian #jiang family #jiang yanli #yu ziyuan #madame yu #wei wuxian #twin heroes of yunmeng #yunmeng shuangjie #yunmeng duo #yunmeng bros #twin prides of yunmeng #yunmeng trio #yunmeng siblings #yunmeng #yunmeng prides

[lazycranberrydoodles]

wei wuxian really put his whole pussy into the donghua yiling patriarch reveal huh

#the huge flock of crows and the green fire and the dark aura and the resentment spikes(??) #[megamind voice] PRESENTATION!!!!!! #not art #mdzs #currently looking for backgrounds for the mdzs aa au. involves rewatching parts of the animation and WOAH #sorry he killed and maimed and cannibalized and tortured all those people :/ he looked sexy doing it #the gender stored in the yiling laozu cannot be understated. GOD i wish i could cosplay him #i wish. they couldve put in the wwx/jc reunion in s1e15 :( #jiang cheng my (indecipherable noises) #hes so relieved and happy!!!!!! the reunion scene URGHRGRHRG. genuinely torturing wen chao IS a bonding moment #adn it speaks to the whole horrors of war thing.. when you have nothing left to bond over (because yunmeng burned) you bond over violence #and the fact that it is in THIS scene that its very emphasized how close they are/how much they trust each other/how they grew up together #. ouhhghhhh. #wwx is quipping at him about being a sect leader and jc is complaining about how long he was gone. they are so incredibly severely #traumabonded guys. ugh. also honorable mention to the cql after-lotus-pier-burning scene for being fucking heartbreaking. love you mwah #mdzs spoilers #at this point in time lan “cannot talk about his emotions” wangji and jiang “bitches and complains as affection” cheng and wei “arrogance #and self destructiveness" wuxian are not communicating very well. shocker #to delete l8er

[mispronouncing-michaelangelo]

yunmech jiang or whatever

#mdzs #yunmeng siblings #yunmeng trio #wei wuxian #jiang cheng #jiang yanli #mo dao zu shi #the untamed #pacrim au #look there is a lot to unpack in this au #but basically they are a 3 man drift #but it cannn run on 2 and it does for a while but the toll is really severe cause its not made for that #and eventually wwx loses his ability to go into the drift (golden core thing) #(i mean he sorta can but its wayyy more harmful and well get into that when i finally buckle in and draw wen ning and his ability to drift) #(cause his driftability is a fucking messssssss) #anyway their mech looks like a lotus and they love it and clean it and repair it and love it and love it and ya know love it #but every sect has different ways of interacting with mechs and going into the drift and the gear they wear #and yunmeng wear little patches that scar into their skin over time so they need to change the location every once in a while #or else the scar fucks with the ability to do it #so they all have these gnarly scars #they also dont wear their robes because their mech is always getting fucking wet and getting them wet cause ya know its a pier and all #anyway click for quality t-t

[fistfuloflightning]

“You look better without the hat.”

XianYao prompt from the lovely @limitbreaker23 (you’re enabling me so badly, I swear)

#mdzs #xianyao #wei wuxian #jin guangyao #meng yao #art prompt #mdzs art #my art #tol and smol #it’s all about the ✨height difference✨ #im already getting fic ideas that would unfortunately require me to actually reread the book (specifically the sunshot campaign) #something something after the war jgs still doesn’t acknowledge meng yao and he somehow ends up in lotus pier or somewhere adjacent #peaceful living doesn’t suit his tastes and he starts picking up dirty work from local sect leaders #assassinations—information theft—spying #he pretty much starts building a jianghu-wide spy network and hiring himself out to the highest bidder #not sure where I’m going with this #but either wwx is hunting him down on behalf of yunmeng jiang #or he becomes his information dealer #fic ideas

[scrivenger-grimgar]

West Continent (North to South)

Pale pink - Tian Yi Overlook territory

Pale green - Cang Qiong territory

Mid yellow - Huanhua Palace

Orange - Banyue desert

Purple - Zhao Hua Temple

Brown - West Demon Alliance

Dark Blue - East Demons Land

Bright blue - Northern Desert Kingdom

Beige - Southern Demon Tribes

East Continent (North to South)

Pale blue - Gusu Lan

Orange - Qishan Wen

Dark green - Qinghe Nie

Purple - Yunmeng Jiang

Yellow - Lanling Jin

Pale Red - Ghost City

Pink - Xian Le/Yong An Kingdoms

Red - Yiling/Tonglu (formerly Wu Yong Kingdom)

Central - Black Water’s Archipelago

#mxtx #mxtx tgcf #mxtx mdzs #mxtx svsss #mxtx fanart #svsss #tgcf #mdzs #wip #ghost city #yunmeng jiang #gusu lan #cang qiong mountain sect #lanling jin #qinghe nie #yiling burial mounds #yiling wei #burial mounds #ban yue #mount tonglu #maps #mo dao zu shi #the untamed #the grandmaster of demonic cultivation #the grandmaster of diabolism #heaven official's blessing #scum villian self saving system #tian guan ci fu