#good parent lan wangji | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wangxianficrecs · 11 days

Text

Now it's just too late to turn around by kokozy

Now it's just too late to turn around

by kokozy

G, 1k, Wangxian

Summary: Cloud Recesses had never truly felt like home to him; Lan Yuan's home was wherever Hanguang-Jun was and sadly, Cloud Recesses was not Hanguang-Jun's home either. Kay's comments: I may be biased, because this work was written for me and is a remix of my own story Justice, but, I really enjoyed this one! This is based on the idea that Lan Wangji was supossed to die from his punishment, but lived, and now the Lan Sect has to deal with it and it makes them bitter and also showcases their own hypocrizy. This story is from Sizhui's POV and tells the story of how he grew up in the Lan Sect and how he realized that something was very off, but the puzzle pieces only started connecting when Mo Xuanyu turned up. I loved this focus on Sizhui and the general vibes, it's really sad with a happy ending done right. Excerpt: Out of all of them, Zewu-Jun was the strangest. From the stories he had heard, the Twin Jades of Lan had once been inseparable, two identical drops of water, yet Sizhui had never seen them interact any more intimately than he would do with any of his peers. It was like there was a barrier between them, not allowing them to act like the brothers they were supposed to be. Zewu-Jun questioned Mo Xuanyu’s presence in the Cloud Recesses the hardest yet he had not openly opposed it. The Lan Seniors had all been too eager to let Hanguang-Jun take care of the demonic arm case, taking Mo Xuanyu with him if that meant not having any of them anywhere near Gusu for the time it took to figure out the whole demonic arm ordeal. As Hanguang-Jun wasn’t present in the Cloud Recesses, the whispers became normal conversation instead. Rumours of the return of the Yiling Laozu arose; someone had controlled the Ghost General that day with the Dancing Goddess, and someone had used the Yin Tiger Tally on the demonic arm somehow. As Hanguang-Jun left, Lan Sizhui could experience for the first time just how deep the whole thing really went. Voices and pointing fingers became the norm. Hanguang-Jun should have died, they said.

pov lan sizhui, canon divergence, parent-child relationship, good parent lan wangji, post-canon, gusu lan sect rules, gusu lan sect bashing, sad with a happy ending, identity reveal, adoption, remix

~*~

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

56 notes · View notes

poorly-drawn-mdzs · 11 months

Text

Remembrance and Forgetfulness

[First] Prev <–-> Next

#poorly drawn mdzs #mdzs #wei wuxian #lan wangji #I originally debated whether or not to have lwj in the first panel because the implications #that wwx spawned a bunch of kids and lwj assumes its from whatever the hell happened last night #is a bit buckwild. but the more I think about it that actually one of the funniest jokes I could accidently make. So it stays #I don't think wwx and lwj would thrive with their own children but they would be very good mentors #The cool uncles if you will. They let you have some fun. Unlike JC who is the uncle that thinks your parenting is too soft.#Speaking of chilren...my *god* the extra with wwx playing with the kids is *so good*#probably my favourite so far. I keep going back to relisten to it #The kids!!! The mini versions of conflicts between them that mirror the truth yet are distorted by rumours!!#Mwah - Chef's kiss. Go listen to S1 Extra ''Director''.#“op what about the second panel?” Fine. WWX is alternating between noodling around and remixing wangxian.#lwj is experiencing the non-flutist jealousy of having an instrument that is not easily played as you walk. The most painful jealousy.

939 notes · View notes

ookamikabu · 8 months

Text

I'm going to come out and say that the more I re-read MDZS the more I actually HATE WWX.

I know he's a protag so everything is supposed to be about "poor me I've done nothing wrong" but I can't stand those types of people. He would be a person where if he existed in real life I would not be able to be around him.

I've actually become more of a Jiang Cheng apologist (actually, no, because that implies that he's ever done anything wrong).

I read through all the main points and here are a few things that piss me off. Please add on if I missed something:

WWX is obviously favored by JFM and if JC brings up this concern, all WWX says is: "no he doesn't lol you're so silly I'm not his son" TBH WWX wasn't his child but JFM had a son and it wasn't JC

Golden Core transfer. Need I say less (and fuck you Wen Ning for saying JC didn't deserve the core and the power he had wasnt actually his. He cultivated it for YEARS to get it to where it is today. It is NOT WWXs core anymore. Fuck all yall)

WWX defecting from YMJ and going with the Wens when JC had NOTHING. No sect, no support, no family. He's a new sect leader and has no resources or money to do anything or go against anyone. And thanks WWX for defending the people that, you know, massacred his family but whatever. (I understand they were innocent but still, I can tell it would really hurt JC)

Along with the defecting, WWX and LWJ broke into Lotus Pier and BOWED TO MADAM YU AND JFM WITHOUT JCs APPROVAL. DISRESPECTFUL AS HELL I KNOW WHY JC WAS PISSED. WWX had NO RIGHT to be there after everything he had done.

WWX tells JC to leave everything in the past. As usual, he is running away and not accepting any consequences for the many, many, things he's done wrong. If I were JC, I would permanently ban him from Lotus Pier and kill on sight because if he wants to leave things in the past, then that includes WWX.

Lastly, WWX never once defends JC. Whether it be against LWJ, Wen Ning, or other people that say terrible shit to him because they're being petty. Not once does he come to his defense.

To end my rant, WWX is actually a very terrible person (and so is Lan Wangji. Fight me) with no sense and I finally realized it after re reading the book multiple times. Come at me if you want but this is my honest opinion and I get why JC is such an ass because BITCH ME TOO GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.

Hopefully I have some support here but I also know I'm going to get some hate.

#jiang cheng #wei wuxian #mdzs #lan wangji #anti wei wuxian #anti lan wangji #anti wen ning #jiang cheng is a good boy #i kin him #thanks for coming to my ted talk #bad parent jiang fengmian #jiang cheng support #jiang wanyin #jiang cheng did nothing wrong

200 notes · View notes

nixster627 · 1 year

Text

144 notes · View notes

luobingmeis · 2 years

Text

how’s everyone’s night going i’m thinking so hard about how two of the rawest moments we have with each individual jade (xuanwu cave + the mama lan sequence) happen in the sole presence of wei wuxian, and wei wuxian not only let’s each of them just be but does not judge either of them. other than that my night’s going great.

(contenders for second rawest moment is when jiang cheng hurts lan wangji’s feelings so badly and lan xichen has to beg to be able to have his own judgement)

#thinking abt wwx learning lwj’s boundaries and the lines he cannot cross #thinking abt lxc’s embarrassment in front of wwx and wwx assuring him that this moment will not leave the two of them #anyways unexplored dynamic lxc and wwx #i still firmly believe that wwx is a good bridge between the jades like. he doesn’t hold them to /being/ the jades #like. 1) that’s lan zhan!#from the very start wwx has greeted lwj with familiarity and just. just!#2) obviously the use of lxc’s titles out of respect but that does not stop wwx from being honest with lxc-#and seeing that lxc wants evidence of everything and working with that instead of against him #insert my thesis abt how i think if lxc wants to get out of seclusion lwj will have to be there to help him #but it’s through wwx that the two realize that they don’t always have to be the twin jades #and in fact only maintaining those specific roles would just be harmful to them and their brotherhood #like. let lan xichen and lan wangji be brothers and most of all be human not figureheads #anyways ch14 is hitting me with a fucking bus abt how much the jades were not allowed to be kids #and how they suffered the consequences of the actions of their parents #‘but the two children had clearly done nothing wrong’ is my new discord status #also i should state that like. the post is just my opinion bc xuanwu cave and the mama lan sequence both took me out back and killed me

13 notes · View notes

bnnywngs · 1 year

Text

a day with you

couple: wei wuxian/lan wangji rated: G

words: 1,181

tags: modern au, married wangxian, madam lan lives, wwx's parents lives, fluff, lan yuan | lan sizhui is wangxian's son, implied mpreg

ao3 link

The sun was shining rather brightly far away in the sky, and the somewhat cold wind was good on their skin as they walked through the park watching the green coming back after the winter. It was spring and both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji loved this season, but neither were really happy to be strolling on a date today.

You see, they are parents, and it’s quite recently. To be honest, today is their little A-Yuan’s 100th day and they have a small party organized by their parents, the same ones that urged them (read: kick them out of the apartment) to go out alone, just the two of them for the first time since the birth.

And although they do need this time alone, all they could talk about is their little one, missing him after so many days together.

“Do you think he’s ok? Is he crying? Feeling alone?” Wei Wuxian asked, almost whining, hugging his husband’s arm.

“Mother and mother-in-law are taking care of him.” Lan Wangji said “And father-in-law and uncle. I trust them.”

Wei Wuxian looked at him “You don’t sound very optimistic.”

Lan Wangji sighed “I also miss A-Yuan.”

Kissing his husband's cheek just because he can, Wei Wuxian sighed too and laid his head on Lan Wangji’s shoulder.

“Where should we go, though? I’m feeling hungry.”

“It’s noon.” Lan Wangji nodded “Where do Wei Ying want to go?”

“To be honest? Home.” he chuckled “Should we go to our favorite restaurant?”

Lan Wangji said the name outloud to be sure and Wei Wuxian confirmed it was the one, so they went to take the subway.

“Do you think I can drink again?” Wei Wuxian asked when they sat down inside the subway car.

“Mn.”

“But maybe I’ll choose tea.” Wei Wuxian hummed “I kinda want orange juice, though.”

“Then Wei Ying can drink orange juice.”

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian laughed.

They went out at the right station walking hand in hand, talking, again, about little Lan Yuan and his needs.

The walk to the restaurant wasn't long and soon they were already sitting down, luckily, on the last available table, thanking their host. And although they looked through the menu, both decided to ask for the same thing they almost always choose when they come to this specific restaurant.

“You know…” Wei Wuxian began, taking a sip of his orange juice “I’m feeling so tired.”

“Mn. A-Yuan… We haven’t slept much.”

“How can someone so cute be so troublesome?” Wei Wuxian laughed, “I love him so much.”

Lan Wangji smiled softly at his husband “We both love him.”

“Of course, of course. Even when he stinks so much we need to cover our noses.”

“Or when he pees on us.”

Wei Wuxian laughed again, “Or when he throws up on our shoulder.”

“Specially when he pulls our hair.” Lan Wangji let out a small huff that was definitely a laugh.

Their food soon came out and they ate in silence, Wei Wuxian feeling too hungry to keep talking. A slice of red velvet cake was shared between them after the meal with two cups of the same jasmine tea, and they smiled as they fed each other. They definitely looked like a young couple on a date, and not at all a married one with a baby back home. Wei Wuxian it was fun, this image of how much in love they still are with each other, it makes him feel things like warmth and the need to squeal with his head underwater.

“Lan Zhan?”

“Mn?”

“I love you.” he said, trying to ease the feelings inside his chest.

Lan Wangji only looked soft and smiled, holding his hand across the table and said: “I love you, too.”

Damn him. Now Wei Wuxian is feeling more like he is going to explode.

They paid for their meal and went out of the restaurant hand in hand and smiling - more like grinning in Wei Wuxian’s case.

“Do you think it’s ok to go back home now?” Wei Wuxian asks.

“No.” Lan Wangji answered with a head shake “Mother in law said she would call.”

“Ah. Ok…”

It’s not that Wei Wuxian didn’t want to be with his husband, actually, he really missed being alone with Lan Wangji, to just being with him, just the two of them. But A-Yuan is their first son, their first baby, and this is the first time they spent away from him. Wei Wuxian has fears, and he’s sure Lan Wangji also has his own, after all, they never experienced this before today.

Taking a deep breath to calm his heart and mind, Wei Wuxian tightened his hold on Lan Wangji’s hand and pulled him to another direction.

“Where?” his husband asked.

“Call a didi and then we’ll go to a spa to relax.” Wei Wuxian grinned, taking his phone out “Ah?! It’s not even 1pm?!”

Lan Wangji shook his head fondly, and let himself be pulled.

Neither of the two wanted to say out loud that they fell asleep while in session, the massage was too good, as expected from a luxurious and expensive place, and they had been sleeping very little since Wei Wuxian’s last month of pregnancy, and babies are not good for sleep routine to be very honest. It makes Lan Wangji remember the night of their wedding, how they were both so tired that any kind of intimacy beyond sleeping in the same bed never happened.

It’s almost dusk now and they have been given the ok from Wei Wuxian’s father to go back home, so now they were trying not to look as if they were rushing.

“Hundred days, huh…” Wei Wuxian sighed, head on his husband’s shoulder while the car stopped at a red light.

“Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded “Growing up.”

“We knew that. Our A-Yuan is going to grow up fast. But to experience…”

“To know and to see are two different things.” Lan Wangji nodded and kissed his husband’s head just because.

“Soon enough he's going to be talking.”

“And walking.”

“Oh no! Walking!” Wei Wuxian made an over dramatic gasp, making Lan Wangji smile “And then soon he’s going to be a kindergarten! And, what?! A teenager after that? No~ Let me have A-Yuan as a baby forever.”

“Not so fast.” Lan Wangji said “We have time.”

“Hmm… We have.” Wei Wuxian nodded.

Soon, but somehow not soon enough, they reached their apartment complex and thanked their driver before rushing out and passing through security as quickly as possible.

“Ready for your son's hundred day party?” Wei Wuxian asked with an amused smile as they waited for the lift.

“Waited for too long.” was the serene answer.

Wei Wuxian giggled and they stepped inside the lift “Do you think mom just ignored the baby sized tuxedo and put A-Yun into a baby sized hanfu?”

“She’s your mother.” Lan Wangji nodded rather seriously while clicking on their floor number, making his husband laugh.

“I love you so much, let’s go be parents!”

Lan Wangji could only smile fondly at him.

4 notes · View notes

sennextheassasinkingoflight · 2 years

Text

How badly do we want to dislike Lan Qiren in this fic?

I need an antagonist and he is very quickly shaping up to be the "evil stepmother" of the story. Between that and Jiang Cheng just being himself we should have good angst?

Right?

Not really sure what's Going to happen with Jiang Cheng though... Either he gets laid and gets over himself or he's getting his legs broken.

#The Untamed #mo doa zu shi #MDZS #fanfiction #writing #wangxian #Modern AU #maybe?#slowburn #Evil Step Uncle Lan Qiren?#Gardener Wei Wuxian #Concert Musician Lan Wangji #Yanli and Zixuan get to be parents #Jin GuangYao is putting his scheming to good work for Lan Xichen and Nie Mengju #i dont think theres much spoilers in there

3 notes · View notes

marzaid · 2 months

Text

Time travel AU where post canon Lan Qiren travels back in time to when Wei Wuxian is 4 and has just lost his parents. Lan Qiren may hate the man (now boy), but he still follows the rules strictly and will not kill. Instead, Lan Qiren finds a 4 year old Wei Wuxian cowering in an alley hiding from dogs. He protects the boy because the rules tell him that it is his duty to do so.

There is a spiteful part of him that wants to send this boy far away. However, he reconsiders when he thinks of how the Wei Wuxian in his previous life created Demonic Cultivation when left unattended. The best way to keep the boy in line, Lan Qiren figures, is to raise him himself as a ward. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer, they say.

So that is exactly what Lan Qiren does.

Wei Wuxian is brought back to the Cloud Recesses and raised as a ward alongside Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji. Lan Qiren would prefer otherwise, but he doesn't trust anyone else but himself to control Wei Wuxian.

As time goes by, Wei Wuxian proves to be the same and different to the one that Lan Qiren knew previously. He's energetic and mischievous, carefree, with a love for teasing others. Every bit as genius and inventive as Lan Qiren knew of the boy in his previous life. However, there was a strong sense of justice that he didn't notice the last time (or refused to see, but it would take years for him to admit to himself).

And Wei Wuxian thrives in a way that Lan Qiren didn't expect. He knew that Wei Wuxian was powerful and intelligent, yet he did not realize just how so. As much as the boy loved to tease and joke around, he could also be found in the Library Pavilion studying whatever random topic caught his interest. Talking everyone's ears off on what he learned or ways that certain things can be improved upon.

It infuriates Lan Qiren to no end because many times, Wei Wuxian is right. Many times, Wei Wuxian just needs guidance to find the right direction or a different perspective. Since Lan Qiren was raising him alongside his own nephews, the people that Wei Wuxian goes to the most are them: Lan Qiren, Lan Xichen, and Lan Wangji. The latter two always happy and excited to discuss the myriad topics, while the former confused as to the feelings he's having for the boy.

Lan Qiren's sister-in-law passes, and Wei Wuxian kneels next to Lan Wangji in the snow for hours silently in comfort. It's the first indication that the boy is secretly kind and compassionate (not so much if had he paid attention the last time and rid himself of clouded judgments). It's the event that causes the two boys to be inseparable. Of course Lan Qiren is worried but, he tells himself that he will not let them marry. He will not let Wei Wuxian turn into that evil man he ended up being.

Years keep going by, and Lan Qiren finds himself slowly warming up to Wei Wuxian. He's there for many important firsts (losing his teeth, golden core formation, getting his sword, etc). He will never admit that his heart squeezed when the boy accidentally calls him A-die without thinking because he's so excited about something he's learned.

Jiang Fengmian comes to the Cloud Recesses when he finds out that Weo Wuxian is there. Desperately, he tried to convince Lan Qiren to let the boy become a part of Yunmeng Jiang. But Lan Qiren is adamant in his refusal. The boy was raised there the last time and look at how he ended up! He doesn't know that this fundamentally changed Wei Wuxian's destiny. From a tragic hero given a second chance to a free boy allowed to be happy.

The Jiang sect leader mentions during this visit that Wei Wuxian owes Lan Qiren a life debt. It's something that hadn't crossed Lan Qiren's mind. Not really. He had been raising the boy selfishly to change a horrible future. Sure. However, it was against the rules and his own morals to demand a child pay reparations to be allowed to live. He has felt the same way when Lan Sizhui, his good perfect Lan Sizhui, had been adopted into the family. To Lan Qiren, it was unfathomable to demand payment from a child in such ways.

And anyway, Wei Wuxian's genius was already making itself known. If the boy invented even half of what he came up with in his previous life (Lan Qiren crossed his fingers for no Demonic Cultivation), then the Lan Sect would be paid in full from the proceeds.

Still, years continued to creep by, and Lan Qiren began to feel pride in Wei Wuxian. He followed the rules decently well, received his punishment with little protest, and had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. The boy could be seen at any given moment debating an array of topics with seniors, elders, and peers.

When Wei Wuxian started going on night hunts with Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji, the three became known as the Three Jades of Lan. Pride bloomed even more in Lan Qiren's heart. He had successfully turned Wei Wuxian into a good and polished man. What he didn't realize was that he gave structure to a boy who needed it and didn't make him feel guilty for existing.

The Wens came and tried to burn the Cloud Recesses down but didn't succeed. Between Lan Qiren, Wei Wuxian, Lan Xichen, and Lan Wangji, the wards were strengthened, and the books copied and protected. The Sunshot campaign took longer to fight because Wei Wuxian had learned long ago of the dangers to the mind and body that it caused. He had also learned that he shouldn't rip himself apart to help others. Lan Qiren had implored the boy to never try and had used the boy's love and adoration for Lan Xichen and especially Lan Wangji to convince him.

After the Sunshot campaign, Wei Wuxian comes to Lan Qiren about the innocent Wens cultivator and noncultivator alike. By this point, Lan Qiren can agree that innocent people should not die because of selfish greed and blind prejudice. There are years of trials completed by a multisect jury. The Wen sect survives but becomes a minor sect by the time the trials and reparations are completed. Under Wen Qionglin, they focus on medicine and archery.

Wen Qionglin swears brotherhood with Wei Wuxian. It doesn't surprise Lan Qiren in the least bit. Had it been a lifetime ago, it would've infuriated him yet with all these years and direct dealings with Wen Qionglin, he respects the boy. Admires the gentleness that hides a fierce strength and sense of justice. Especially admires Wen Qing, who Lan Xichen ends up falling for and marrying. Again, had it been a lifetime ago, he would've lost his mind. Now, Lan Qiren can see Wen Qing for her genius, her directness, strictness, and her advancements in medicine.

After Lan Xichen and Wen Qing marry, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian approach Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen to ask about marriage. There is no denying them at this point because he knows that the Wei Wuxian of his previous life is nothing like this current Wei Wuxian (he is but Lan Qiren has no one to admit it to). And anyway, he knows the two will simply elope if denied.

It's several years later, when Lan Qiren finally sits Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and Lan Xichen down and tells them a story from a lifetime ago in a forgotten timeliness that may exist somewhere out there if you believe in multiple universes (not surprisingly Wei Wuxian does). They patiently listen as Lan Qiren details everything. There is silence for a long, unbearable moment when he's finished speaking.

Eventually, it's broken by a hug from Wei Wuxian, "Thank you, A-die, for giving me another chance in this life."

"I should be the one thanking you, A-Ying," Lan Qiren says softly, himself grateful for his second life.

#mdzs #the untamed #Lan Qiren #Wei Wuxian #Wei Ying #mdzs fic #the untamed fic #Lan Wangji #Lan Zhan #Wangxian #Lan Xichen #me writing a fic in 2024?!#holy shit more likely than you think #this is good uncle Lan Qiren though he probably selfishly wants to be bad uncle #he just adopted a child amd thought he wouldnt grow to love the boy as his own son #what a moron

350 notes · View notes

user-needs-new-hyperfixation · 1 year

Text

Wei Wuxian might actually be my favourite depiction of an adult interacting with unrelated kids that I’ve ever seen in fiction. He reminds me of the adults I look back on fondly from when I was growing up, and of the adult I want to be when interacting with teens through work etc.

He’s fun and silly and teases them, but knows when to step up as the adult in the situation and be responsible.

His degrees of closeness to them are appropriate; closer to the ones who are “his kids” (ie Jin Ling as his nephew and Sizhui eventually as his son), and friendly but not excessively so with the others.

He actively watches out for the kids and protects them from danger, but also gives them practical advice and opportunities to spread their own wings and exercise their own abilities.

He impresses upon them that they don’t need to achieve the things their fathers and uncles had by their age: he was there, he knows those tales of glory are rooted in blood and suffering, and he works to free the juniors from the pressure to hold themselves up to that shallow veneer of triumph as a standard.

He even occasionally drops good relationship advice even before he and Lan Wangji get their shit together: the bit in Yi City where he refuses to waste time on the whole “I won’t leave without you!” thing and instead tells the kids essentially, “No. I trust him, and I have to do what I need to do, and leave him to do what he needs to do,” really sticks with me.

Anyway...rambling, but yeah. I love him, and I love that he’s sometimes a disaster but he is so good at switching to Adulting Mode as needed. Also there’s definitely some very bittersweet thoughts to be had about the fact that, aside from his brief sweet memories of his parents, Yanli was definitely the one who taught him how to be a caretaker. And now, he gets to use what she taught him to watch over her son.

#mdzs #wei wuxian #wei ying #blorbo posting #i feel like there's something SO real about him having all his own issues but being able to kind of switch them off when An Adult is needed #been there

3K notes · View notes

esoteric-oracle · 8 months

Text

//long rambles ahead!

I think what really lingers with me about MDZS is that it's not a novel with a cathartic ending at all. It's a bittersweet story that leaves you slightly hollow. Yes, it's a beautiful and epic romance. It's a piece of social commentary interwoven with a love story and murder mystery. It's a cautionary tale. But it is also very much a tragedy. It's a story about being too late, second chances, and moving on.

By the time the truth of everything JGY and JGS did comes to light, it's 13 years too late. Everything that mattered has already happened. Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan are long dead. Jin Ling is still an orphan. Wen Ning is dead, and sometime in the future, his death will be permanent. Wen Qing was burned to death at the stake for no fault of her own. Nie Mingjue has already spent ten years in a no-doubt agonizing state of un-death, and Lan Xichen will have to bear the guilt of loving both Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao, and by doing so, forsaking them both. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng's once-close bond is irrevocably broken, and the woman who sowed the seeds of resentment when they were still children will never face the consequences of her vitriol.

People sometimes say MXTX was too hard on the side characters, and only gave the Wangxian a happy ending, but what stuck with me after finishing the story is how… sad things are. Yes, Wangxian finally get the happy ending they've deserved for nearly 20 years - but at the same time, it's not a happy ending where the people who've wronged them get the consequences they deserve.

Wei Wuxian will spend the rest of his life haunted by guilt and loss, over what happened to Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan, over the loss of the Wen remnants. The rest of his years won't even be lived in the body his parents gave him.

Lan Wangji will spend the rest of his years wondering if he'd chosen to stand with Wei Wuxian when it mattered - would his son have had to grow up without his birth family?

Nie Huaisang is left wondering if his brother had been a little less trusting and had never taken Meng Yao in as a Nie deputy, would his brother have died a less wretched death? Would he have been forced to stoop to ruthless machinations and manipulations to seek some semblance of justice?

Wen Ning will have to live with the knowledge that if he'd been a little less kind, if he'd let Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng die that fateful day - his family would still be alive. The Wens would've won the war; Wen Qing might've even succeeded Wen Ruohan.

No one really gets the ending they deserve. MDZS isn't a story where good people get happy endings, and bad people get their dues. Sure, Jin Guangyao's crimes are revealed and he faces the consequences of his actions. But what about the people who stood by and made him into a monster? If anything, the side characters and antagonists who survive get better than they deserve. The real villain of MDZS - society - will never face retribution. Those cultivators who always believed in their own bigotry and righteousness over and over again, will never face justice.

Do you think those cultivators and the public will ever feel any regret for the innocent people they condemned to death in their own prejudice and blind self-righteousness? Do you think the people who gathered at Nightless City to call for Wei Wuxian's death considered for one second that he was the biggest reason they won the war? When the cultivators who sacked the Wen settlement at the Burial Mounds threw the bodies of the Wens into the blood pool, do you think that was a sign of shame?

Do you think Jiang Cheng will ever regret leading a siege on a small settlement of innocent farmers? Do you think he's haunted by condemning to death the same people whom he owes his life to?

Do you think those people like Yao-zongzhu will ever feel an ounce of remorse for so easily believing rumours and hearsay, and spreading speculation and vitriol about innocent people?

Do you think that unnamed cultivator out there will ever lose a single minute of sleep over smashing in Wen Popo's head?

In the years that follow, Wen Ning will have apologized a hundred times for lives he did not take, crimes he did not commit, because of the name he bears. People, both in-universe, and even readers, will condemn him for actions he could not help, for doing the right thing. But did Jiang Cheng ever apologize for killing his family? Did the Jins ever apologize for their horrific treatment of people in the labour camps?

People will continue to demand that Wei Wuxian apologize for causing the deaths of their friends and family. But how is Wei Wuxian meant to do that? No one ever apologized to him for taking his family away. No one ever apologized for condemning the Wen Remnants to death for crimes they took no part in. The Wens were his family too.

There's so much potential for bitterness and corruption in MDZS. Instead of saving everyone, Wei Wuxian could've stood aside and let the people who tried to kill him die. MDZS could've been a story of succumbing to hatred and grief, but it wasn't. MXTX could've gone on and on about how society wronged the protagonist, but she didn't. The narrative is one of forgiveness and moving beyond past grievances. The story chose to close the story on a positive note. I truly love that aspect of MDZS, where MXTX leaves just enough room for hope and love at the end.

A-Yuan will finally get his closure about the family he lost as a toddler. Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian get their happy ending together after being separated by nearly two decades by war, miscommunication, cruelty, and death.

Wei Wuxian will never regret protecting survivors of an attempted genocide, because it was the right thing to do.

And Wen Ning will still stand in the way and take a fatal blow meant for Jin Ling, despite everything the Jins and Jiang Cheng did to the people he loved.

Because they chose love. Characters like Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning and Lan Wangji have the chance to move on and live a happier life because when they could've succumbed to hurt and fury and resentment, they chose to be kind and do the right thing. Wangxian get their happy ending because they learn to recognize the toxicity of the cultivation society's self-cannibalizing prejudice, and chose to pursue righteousness above personal benefit.

MDZS isn't a story about good people getting good things. Just look at what happened to Xiao Xingchen. There's really nothing satisfying or cathartic about everyone's fates at all. There's no promise about society facing the consequences of their mob mentality or Wangxian actually changing the world together. Even in TGCF, for all its makings of a love story, we get the promise of societal change once Jun Wu is deposed.

It has all the makings to be a tragedy or tale of vengeance of epic proportions - but instead, it's a love story. It's a story about making the best of what you've got, and staying true to yourself and your morals, even if that's sometimes a bitter pill to swallow. It's a story where everything that could go wrong went wrong, but the characters still managed to fight their way to a better ending by choosing kindness. At its core, MDZS is a testament to choosing compassion over cruelty no matter how tragic and hopeless life gets, no matter how long the journey gets. Even though the happy ending is more personal and only applies to the specific characters, even though we don't actually get the promise of their society becoming a better place - we still have the hope that Wei Wuxian's second chance brings. The hope that sometimes, no matter how cruel the world is, some people who deserve it still get their happy endings. That's what makes MDZS such a memorable work of art. That's why it stays with you.

#mdzs #wei wuxian #lan wangji #nie huaisang #jiang cheng #wen ning #musings #Can you tell I really love the narratives MDZS took?#tragedies #mdzs thoughts

578 notes · View notes

mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess · 2 months

Text

Love and marriage

"I will never get married." Seven year old Lan Wangji proclaims to his uncle as he practices calligraphy under the senior's guidance one evening. It had been about six months after his mother's passing, and only two days ago that little Wangji waited dutifully in the harsh winter storm for the door to the gentian house to open.

It did not. It never will again. But Wangji's resolve seemed iron-clad, and he did not leave until curfew that day.

It had been a miracle how he did not become ill - or worse! - spending time outside in such conditions. But though his body seemed surprisingly unaffected, his mind had not, falling into a deep, pensive state, even more quiet than before.

It had been for this reason that Lan Qiren brought the boy in to spend time with him and observe him - all under the guise of teaching. Despite his young age, Wangji had already mastered calligraphy.

The boy's statement made his uncle's eyes lift from the book he had been reading, an eyebrow raised. Part of him wished to say "you better not!", as any other paternal figure would tell their child at this age. But Lan Qiren had a feeling there was more to those words than it appeared on the surface, so he asked:

"What brought this on?"

"I have been thinking." Little Wangji says, a long pause following as he places his brushes neatly to the side of his parchment paper. "It is because mother married father that she is...gone."

Lan Qiren stared, stunned, at the little boy before him. He seemed confident in his assessment, though nevertheless saddened about it, like a man that had found a treasure that brought him no joy.

"It is also because their marriage that you and your brother have been born." Lan Qiren countered, in a way that was almost gentle, if slightly chiding. "Life is not as simple as it appears to be. And not all marriages are the same."

Not all marriages are like your parents' - but Lan Qiren could not have said that without sounding bitter and resentful, which was unadvisable in dealing with a grieving child that was not an orphan only if by virtue of his father still being alive and nothing more.

"How do you know?" Wangji asked, earnest though disbelieving, "How can one be sure their marriage will not be... lonely?"

Lan Qiren stared at the boy again, seeing so much of his father in his honeyed eyes. How could he respond to that? Lan Qiren had never been particularly romantically inclined. If anything, he preferred the company of books and studies more than people, and he had never found himself yearning for even the concept of a romantic relationship. He had received numerous requests for courtship or marriage - some even for mere physical encounters - but he had never felt the need or the desire to pursue anything of that nature with anyone. What would he know about marriages, let alone happy ones?

"It is never guaranteed how such things may turn out." Lan Qiren replied, after a while.

Wangji did not seem to react to that answer. His uncle sighed quietly - what had he been doing, working himself up over the words of a seven year old? Kids his age are fickle, as it is expected. Why had he been treating the boy's words as final? For all he knew, Wangji may change his mind by supper or by next morning - after all, children his age do not have the conviction of adults, nor do they even remember their promises by the time they may have to make good on them.

"Regardless, if you do not wish to marry, then you may not if it is not necessary" Lan Qiren added, and little nodded slightly, satisfied with the answer. He picked his brush back up and continued to write.

After a while, he spoke: "I will neber keep anybody against their will."

Lan Wangji was 15 years old when he first met Wei Wuxian and it became apparent to all their peers and the rest of the Lan sect that they did not get along. With Wei Wuxian boisterous and relentless pursuit of friendship and Lan Wangji's ice-cold refusal of it, it appeared that whatever cordiality one might expect between young masters of their standing was lost forever.

However, Lan Qiren had raised the famed Second Jade of Lan and he could easily see it was not disgust or anger that he expressed over Yunmeng Jiang's head disciple, but rather an annoyed, relentless denial of his otherwise normal desire for human connection.

It did not bring Lan Qiren any ease though - Cangse Sanren's son was so visibly her own that the man sometimes felt like he interacted with her ghost - and he did not believe that to be a good thing for Lan Wangji. Despite his indifferent exterior, his heart was fragile, and Lan Qiren worried for him in the presence of Wei Wuxian.

It had been this very topic that had come up as Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen shared tea one day, enjoying the fresh magnolia blooms.

"It appears Wangji may not keep to his childhood promise." Xichen smiled, "I believe you have noticed it as well."

Lan Qiren sighed deeply as he took a sip of herbal tea. "You appear unnecessarily happy about this development."

Xichen smiled again, fox-like, and for a moment Lan Qiren saw his brother, young and mischevous, concocting plans over tea.

"Does he know?" Lan Qiren found himself asking.

"He seems to be struggling with it." Xichen replied, looking into the distance towards the training grounds, wherefrom a lot of otherwise unusual noise was echoing.

"As expected."

Silence befalls the two. Xichen smiles meaningfully into his tea.

"Would it be wrong of me to assume this is one of the reasons you have entrusted young master Wei's punishment to Wangji?"

Lan Qiren's eyes narrow, but he does not reply. Xichen's smile widens, but conversation lulls.

---

Lan Wangji had so desperately hoped Wei Wuxian would listen. He had hoped Wei Wuxian would be able to understand all the things Lan Wangji could not say, all his intentions, all his worries and all his feelings - and he would have listened, and agreed.

But he had not.

And for a moment, a traitorous few seconds, it had crossed Lan Wangji's mind. It had, despite how much he had tried to convince himself it never would, that such a thing would never even occur to him.

But it did.

He had thought of trying to do what his father had done in his pursuit of protecting his mother - he had thought of taking Wei Ying with him to the Cloud Recesses whether he opposed it or not, and keeping him there, safely, for the rest of forever.

He had refused even the thought of it, dismissing it as quickly as it had appeared, and it disgusted him to know his mind had been able to conjure it in the first place - the very thing he had sworn he would never wish for let alone ever do, had presented itself as an option in his mind.

And Lan Wangji hated it.

He had visited the gentian house that day, and stayed there until curfew.

"I wish to bring someone back to the Cloud Recesses... take him back and hide him away... but he is not willing."

---

For all the agony Lan Wangji suffered, he felt no remorse at all, as if he had fulfilled his fate in a way he had not even known had been intended for him. He had accepted his punishment with placid resignation, not even once declaring himself regretful of his actions. It was difficult for him to assess whether he had failed or not, but at least he had tried to protect the man he could have finally allpwed himself to accept he loved.

But, almost as though fate was keen on fulfilling the promise he made at seven years old, that very man had just been pronounced dead, the news delievered by celebratory letters and festivals that bore more evil than Wei Wuxian had ever done.

Lan Xichen carefully assisted the healers cleaning and bandaging Lan Wangji's wounds, a process he had grown to despise as much as he looked forward to it. It was only with this pretext that he could visit his little brother now, as he had been sent into seclusion, and it worried Xichen not to know how he was dealing not only with the new knowledge, but his own state as well.

As the healers left the room, Xichen stood by his brother's bed for a few minutes, in silence. He had hoped some words would be coming to him at some point, but he could not find anything appropriate to say at the moment, stroking Wangji's hair off his face instead.

"Were you there?" Wangji asked after a few moments, voice hoarse and empty, as if he had screamed it raw.

"I was not."

"Who was?"

"I do not know."

Lan Xichen had chosen to lie that day, and did not regret it. As much as he valied honesty, he knew it was not the truth Wangji needed then.

What was Xichen supposed to even say? That their uncle had watched the last few moments of Wei Wuxian's life alongside the other sect leaders? That the besiegers cheered on his death as his body disintegrated into nothingness under the force of the Burial Mounds?

That they slaughtered innocent people like cattle?

"Did they find him?"

"No."

That had not been a lie. Many had believed Wei Wuxian had not died, even if they saw him enveloped in resentful energy as he screamed in pain until all that was left was silence. They wanted proof of it, a body, a shred of anything - perhaps to only defile him more.

But they had not found anything.

Wangji sighed, the breath heavy from his lungs.

"I dreamt I married him."

Xichen's eyes turned soft, pitiful, "Perhaps in another life."

"Perhaps."

---

Thirteen years later, the Cloud Recesses murmur with excitement as groups of disciples move to and fro, carrying decorations and supplies like tireless ants of a busy hive.

The wedding is in a couple of weeks, but sect leader Lan as well as master Lan Qiren had ordered the preparations start early in order to ensure all is ready for the great celebration.

"For how much your uncle disapproves of me, he sure is invested in our wedding." Wei Wuxian laughs as he and his soon-to-be-official husband inspect the ancestral hall, the designated venue for the event.

"Uncle is very thorough." Lan Wangji replies, "And his distrust of you has lessened over the past years."

"I would hope so." A laugh, "Though he is probably more concerned in doing right by you."

"Nevertheless, I believe it is for both of us."

Wei Wuxian laughs again, squeezing his beloved's hand. "Say, I heard something from a very, very reliable source..."

"What did my brother tell you again?"

"I heard you said you'd never marry anyone when you were a kid. I bet seven year old Lan Zhan would be disappointed!" Wei Wuxian jokes, a teasing smile on his lips that Lan Wangji cannot be blamed for kissing right now.

"Seven year old me had not met you yet." He replied, softly, "He would've known better."

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wangxian #writing attempts

245 notes · View notes

wangxianficrecs · 1 month

Text

They Say by ChilianXianzi

They Say

by ChilianXianzi

T, 3k, Wangxian

Summary: "If anyone were to finish off the Yiling Patriarch once and for all, of course it would be Hanguang-Jun!" Lan Wangji's step stutters, halts. Perhaps on any other day, he would have ignored the stray jibe, when Wei Ying's presence is not so keenly missed after weeks of separation. On any other day, when it's not so close to the anniversary of Wei Ying's death, perhaps Lan Wangji would simply walk away. Brush off the outlandish hearsay like water off a duck's feather coat. But not today. Kay's comments: OK. So. Rumours and how they can lead to destruction are a core theme of MDZS, however, I never really thought about how rumours and their continued existence can be almost traumatic for certain characters? So this story really gave me something to think about, with Chief Cultivator Lan Wangji really suffering due to people still whispering about how he will conquer the Yiling Laozu. At the end of the days, Wangxian have each other, but even they cannot ignore the rest of the world completely. Great story, absolutely loved it! Excerpt: There were all manner or rumors as Lan Wangji weaved through the jianghu and the land, of the Yiling Patriarch's evil deeds, of his betrayal to his Sect, of the curse he left on the world upon his much-deserved death. Already, the memory of Wei Ying's voice was blurred in his mind, the curve of his smile smudged with time and Lan Wangji's own pain. He wanted to lash out, wanted to scream at the people who handled Wei Ying's name so callously, so cruelly, staining the last of his memories with careless hate. To be free from worldly matters. Perhaps it had been a prayer, his mother's fervent hope for her son's life to not be dictated so by the words and made-up stories of others. But in his avoidance of worldly opinions and the judgement of others, Lan Wangji thought that perhaps he had lived no life at all. Had circled neatly around the things that would have made him himself, until Wei Ying had challenged all of his caution and distance. And so Lan Wangji endured. Broke more of the rules etched in his heart by his Sect as he tried to do what he could for the people the Cultivation world ignored and neglected. He spoke his mind, showed his distaste of the corruption and greed of the Sects, stopped going to the lavish conferences his fellow Cultivators were so fond of. He tried to listen more to ones who were often unheard, to understand more why people did the things they did. Raised A-Yuan with the freedom and abundance of visible love he was denied in his own childhood.

pov lan wangji, post-canon, canon modao zu shi & the untamed combination, chief cultivator lan wangji, established relationship, married lan wangji/wei wuxian, rumours, implied/referenced character death, grief/mourning, fluff and angst, good parent lan wangji, lan family feels

~*~

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

59 notes · View notes

canary3d-obsessed · 4 months

Text

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed, Episode 40 part one

(Masterpost) (Pinboard) (whole thing on AO3)

Warning! Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Agree to Disagree

The juniors are arguing because Sizhui said that some demonic cultivators might have good intentions. According to Jin Ling that means that Sizhui is celebrating the murders of Jin Ling's parents, or something.

(Actor) Peixin Qi uses forehead-squinching as a primary acting tool, which would be perfectly fine if he wasn't playing a character with a red dot between his eyebrows.

He goes on to say that Wei Wuxian is the evillest of them all, way eviller than Xue Yang. Which in sheer numbers of victims, is probably a fair point. But Xue Yang was way more of a dick.

Ouyang Zichen is all of us when he asks Jin Ling to chill the fuck out.

Sizhui apologizes even though Jingyi is ready to throw down on his behalf. It's unclear if this helps, because Hanguang-Jun chooses this moment to arrive. He immediately defuses the situation with the power of stinkeye.

(more after the cut!)

More Than Meets the Eye

Many differences between CQL and the novel are adaptational choices - Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's deep, early friendship; the yin iron plot, Jiang Cheng being loveable, etc. Changes like that, I normally don't point out, because adaptations are AUs, in my view, and can be enjoyed separately from their sources.

Other changes are driven by censorship, however, and in those cases I think it's fair to look to the novel and its less-censored adaptations for a peek at what's happening off camera. Particularly when there are scenes and interactions in The Untamed where the show seems to be deliberately pointing to the novel to fill in the blanks.

This moment on the stairs is one such scene. In the show, Lan Wangji carries liquor upstairs to Wei Wuxian, and the juniors react with shock; Jingyi drops his chicken out of his mouth and Sizhui stuffs it back in there.

They are shocked because he bought liquor, and that's the extent of their reaction.

In the Donghua, Manhua, and Novel, Lan Wangji is dragging Wei Wuxian up those stairs, having drunkenly tied him up with his headband.

First he stops to show his prize to the juniors, who have basically the same reaction in every version of the story, including Jinygi dropping his chicken and Sizhui stuffing it back in his mouth. In the novel, however, Sizhui does that to stop Jingyi from saying anything to Lan Wangji & his captive.

The liquor, in all versions, is a clear sign of how much Lan Wangji has mellowed since his youth. In case we need another reminder, we learn here that he let Sizhui get a tattoo on his finger.

Every parent will tell you, you gotta pick your battles.

Returning to to the timeline in which no visible bondage is occurring, Wei Wuxian is sitting around in the room upstairs waiting for Lan Wangji. Wasn't he busy talking to Lan Xichen when Lan Wangji went into the inn to shut the kids up? How did he get upstairs before Lan Wangji? Never mind, never mind.

Wei Wuxian goes to look out the window and Wen Ning appears, hanging off the roof like a dork, or like someone who has seen that one Spider-Man movie and is hoping for some upside-down kissing.

Wen Ning asks if Jin Ling is the kid he halfway orphaned, and Wei Wuxian says yes.

Then he hears Lan Wangji coming, and Wen Ning falls to the ground for no reason.

Wei Wuxian urgently shoos Wen Ning away, trying to hide him from Lan Wangji.

Wen Ning acts way too clueless for someone who spends so much time third-wheeling.

There's no in-world reason for Wei Wuxian to hide Wen Ning; They fought side-by side in Yi City, and they were all together for A-Qing's burial. There's not a problem between him and Lan Wangji.

Once again, the novel provides the missing information. Wei Wuxian is hiding Wen Ning because Lan Wangji is hella jealous even when he's sober. Wen Ning fell to the ground because drunk Lan Wangji leapt through the window and kicked him.

In the novel, Wei Wuxian & Lan Wangji's evening ends with a game of tag that's loaded with sexual tension, followed by a kiss...followed by Lan Wangji literally knocking himself out to avoid taking advantage of Wei Wuxian.

Lan Wangji does everything in the most extreme way possible.

In the live action, the most sexually charged part of their interaction is this positively sinful hip thrust that Wei Wuxian gives when he turns around at the window.

If you've seen Xiao Zhan dancing, you know this is not an accident.

Unlike the novel's perpetually clueless protagonist, live-action Wei Wuxian clearly knows he's on a date right now.

...and he's enjoying every minute of it. He's delighted that Lan Wangji has provided *good* liquor, rather than the rotgut he's able to afford himself.

As he pours for Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji points out that both of their brothers know who WWX is at this point. Wei Wuxian isn't happy about it but he says they can't do anything. Which is...not correct.

He tries once again to get Lan Wangji to tell him how he recognized him, and Lan Wangji responds by asking him why his memory sucks so much.

Wei Wuxian says "you try dying by falling from a great height TWICE and see how your brain likes it." That's what he should have said, anyway.

This whole thing about his memory isn't actually important in the live action, even though it keeps being mentioned. He's forgotten the name of their song because he was delirious when he heard it; otherwise his memory seems perfectly fine.

I think this might be another instance of the live action giving a wink to novel readers in the audience, because in the novel Wei Wuxian forgot Lan Wangji's confession of love. Which, like WangXian, was presented in a cave while WWX was delirious; Lan Wangji is not great at choosing his moment.

Anyway, this may be why Lan Wangji seems to take Wei Wuxian's memory problems personally, despite having very little in-show reason to be upset.

Lan Wangji changes the subject by asking Wei Wuxian to go to Jinlintai with him, to search for Nie Mingjue's head. Sounds like a perfect romantic getaway for a boy and his favorite necromancer.

Just as Wei Wuxian starts to ask what Zewu-Jun will think, Zewu-Jun and his cheekbones come into the room.

He's taken time to think things over--a concept the rest of the cultivation world could stand to learn about, incidentally--and he agrees that they should investigate.

Note: the non-CQL illustrations come from the MDZS manhua, which is complete online (mangadex.org includes the uncensored extra bits), and is about halfway through being published in English by Seven Seas. It's delightful and I highly recommend it.

Bonus: Lan Wangji and Sizhui enjoying some tie-in cup noodles. (A few in-character ads are included in the Viki version of the show.)

#the untamed #wei wuxian cup noodles #the manhua fills in the blanks like a champ #jingyi's chicken #wei wuxian's tiny waist #wangxian date night #the untamed gifs #the untamed meta #restless rewatch the untamed #canary3d-original #ep40

170 notes · View notes

greenandhazy · 17 days

Text

okay but it's the fact that CQL is in large part about what you would sacrifice for the people you love, and in almost every other instance in the show, that sacrifice is portrayed as, if not necessarily the Right decision, at the very least evidence of fundamental goodness. the Yunmeng trio, Wen Qing for her brother and Nie Mingjue for his (Fatal Journey counts 100%), Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen, they make difficult choices for love and that makes them Good even if it doesn't make them happy.

and then there's Jin Guangyao and Nie Huaisang. whose identities are so fundamentally wrapped up in being His Mother's Son and The Little Brother, respectively, and they are so singularly devoted to the legacy of their relative that they will continue to fight for it long after death. they will sacrifice others in a heartbeat. they will lie, they will scheme, they will cause others pain. they will endure humiliation after humiliation. they will put on a persona that makes their true selves unrecognizable even to the people who know them best. ultimately they will sacrifice their own morality, their own goodness, in a way that would probably horrify the people in whose names they make this sacrifice.

I am falling asleep and these are random disjointed thoughts but other things that drive me feral about them is:

the backstory CQL gives, Meng Yao being at the Unclean Realm for (?) a length of time, and allll the visual signifiers of a close, basically familial relationship between them

(I know fanon likes to talk about "the Nie braids" as a sect-wide thing but they ARE NOT. they are a HUAISANG AND MINGJUE AND MENG YAO THING. litcherally no other Nie disciple wears them, not even Nie Zonghui! that's so significant!)

CQL/FJ leaning hard into the suggestion of the brothers being more or less on their own, very little discussion of their parents, leaving room to lean into the idea of NMJ fulfilling a parental role as well as a brotherly one, and the parallel between him and Meng Shi being even stronger

the final flashback to Meng Yao and Meng Shi, and how it's framed to suggest that as coming from Huiasang--a cherished memory Meng Yao passed on to him?

I've seen this floated around on tumblr before, about how it's very likely that Jin Guangyao underestimated the depth of Huaisang's love for his brother, based on how his love manifests as overachieving. so that moment of revelation in the temple being not just "oh, you're the one who was behind this the whole time" but "oh, you and I have this same sickness, this same depth of feeling."

the character songs. I'm obsessed with them. the fact that Jin Guangyao's is a constant litany of questions, uncertainty, revolving around "How many people are willing to know your true face?", while the Nie brothers' song has their relationship as this unshakeable foundation, to the point that they're the only two characters represented by one vocalist. the Unclean Realm being unquestionably "a place of deep love" and the only uncertainty being "when will we see each other again?"

(...and that being answered in part by the title, the repeated use of farewell with connotations of permanence. Huaisang defying death, wanting his brother back in any form possible, while Jin Guangyao literally meets his doom because he is so concerned about earning his mother an easier time in her next life.)

mutual obsession over Nie Mingjue. Meng Yao keeping his head in his treasure room. there are lots of jokes about how LXC is left out of the get-along coffin, but can we talk about the fact that Huaisang sacrificed his moral compass, the reputation of his sect, the life of a troubled teenager, and 10+ years of his life all so he could free his brother's mutilated body from Jin Guangyao's clutches... and at the end of it all, Jin Guangyao is the one who will be with him for eternity?

in conclusion: I love them, your honor.

#nie huaisang #jin guangyao #the untamed

85 notes · View notes

shanastoryteller · 1 year

Note

💕Happy Valentines Day! Heaven Officials Blessing or MDZS? 💕

Jin Ling has had it.

He loves his parents. He loves Uncle Wanyin. But they're all busy training for their own competitions and they've stuck him the Nie Huaisang as his coach, which he really thought was a joke up until the first practice. This is his first year competing as a senior skater and this is the best they can do? Come on.

"This is shit. Why did my old coach have to retire? I hate this," he complains to Jingyi.

"At least Lan Qiren isn't your coach," he points out.

He pauses, considering. "I guess it could be worse."

Poor Sizhui, honestly. Jingyi at least gives as good as he gets.

It's not like anyone can say anything about his effectiveness, with Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen fighting each other for the top spot every year. He's glad that Uncle Wanyin pair skates with his mom because he feels like the two of them on the ice would end in bloodshed. They hate each other for some reason that no one has ever bothered to explain to him.

"Why are you mad about Nie Huaisang anyway?" Jingyi asks. "He placed really well until he retired, and his footwork is great, unlike yours."

"Shut up about my footwork," he says automatically. "He's annoying, and I hate his choreography, it doesn't work for me at all. Screw this. I'm going to go to my uncle's and make him train me. It's not like he's doing anything anyway."

"Um, Jiang Wanyin is very busy practicing which is why you're with Nie Huaisang in the first place," Jingyi points out.

Jin Ling rolls his eyes. "Obviously I'm not talking about him."

"Mo Xuanyu doesn't even skate? And Meng Yao never even placed, which is why he's a manager," he continues.

"Uncle Yao had his own reasons for not placing," he says defensively, "but no, obviously not them either, are you being deliberately obtuse?"

"Are you?" Jingyi pokes him in the side. "Do you have another uncle?"

He has to be joking. "Yes? Obviously? I'm going to fly to Uncle Wuxian's and make him do it instead."

"Who?" he blinks.

Unbelievable. "My uncle? My mother's brother? Wei Wuxian?"

Jingyi's jaw drops before it snaps shut and then he's screeching, "YOUR UNCLE IS WEI WUXIAN? Like, the only person to ever beat out the Lan brothers Wei Wuxian, the one who won gold in the Grand Prix Final three years in a row and then disappeared into smoke Wei Wuxian?"

This is ridiculous. "He didn't disappear into smoke, he just moved to the coast. I don't know why you're acting surprised by this, I visit him every summer."

"You said you were going to visit your uncle in the summer!" Jingyi says accusingly.

Jin Ling blinks. "Yeah? I was."

Jingyi mimes strangling him then says, "Okay, you know what, we'll put that aside for right now. I fully support your decision to go and harass Wei Wuxian, who is apparently your uncle, and I'm coming with you."

"You are not, Lan Qiren would kill me," Jin Ling says, but Jingyi clearly isn't listening to him.

#prompt answers #prompts are closed #asks #anon #untamed #shout out to that figure skating untamed art i reblogged #it's been living in my head rent free

594 notes · View notes