Where I gush about fandoms and post about things I am writing. At the moments expect a lot of MDZS/The Untamed related stuff because it's been my pandemic obsession and isn't going anywhere any time soon.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
I know I haven’t used this in AGES. But I have started writing fanfic again so here I go posting up my MDZS fanfic up here as well. Going to be paying more attention on here too so I shall be looking for shiny new MDZS content to stuff my face in.
Rating: T
Summary:
He looked over to where the swordswoman was still fighting, but her focus seemed entirely locked onto that fight so it was unlikely that she could have had anything to do with the energy drain. He was still wracking his brain for something else to do to assist, so this thing didn’t kill them both, but now he was feeling weak, dizzy and currently not far from helpless.
~~~~~~~~~~
It has been several months since the events at the Guanyin temple and Wei Wuxian is wandering around on his own. After he helps a stranger kill a very dangerous beast he uncovers what seems to be a conspiracy aimed at ending his life. He heads back to Cloud Recesses with his new companion in tow, looking to get Lan Wanji's help in working out what is involved.
Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling made a surprising discovery under Koi Tower that may well be linked to the threat against Wei Wuxian's life.
Can they all work together to find out what is going on and put a stop to it, before something disastrous occurs?
~~~~~~~~~~
Fic schedule every Sunday/Wednesday. It is finished and is being edited/betad. 165K so far. Mostly CQL canon with some novel stuff too.
We're a little late, but please enjoy! The main zine consisting of four fics and six art pieces along with some extra digital goodies are now available.
They can be downloaded here.
Due to some circumstances, the NSFW zine and website version are being pushed back to next weekend. Thank you for your patience and please look forward to it.
Happy Yuanxiao Jie and Valentine's Day to those who celebrate!
A full explanation of #reviewbombgate, a major scandal that broke on Booktwt this week.
Please support the books and authors impacted the most:
Kamilah Cole - So Let Them Burn
Bethany Baptiste - The Poisons We Drink
Molly X Chang - To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods
Frances White - Voyage of the Damned
KM Enright - Mistress of Lies
RM Virtues - the Gods of Hunger series
(PS. I know people love to jump to "YA authors are always acting up" and assume any author with a femme-sounding name writes YA so lemme say right now that this author writes adult sci-fi.)
Canon Jiang Cheng in his brief appearances: is always following WWX around and cleaning up after his mess (like carrying him on his back after he's beaten by the Lan Sect, sitting in the front of the classroom to appear attentive to LQR after WWX's shenanigans to save face for their sect, to quote WWX himself "you've already saved me so many times. So what's one more?"), warns WWX not to anger WZL since he's known as the core melting hand, then goes to attack WZL with his bare hands when he stands between him & WLJ after WLJ has burned WWX, runs for seven days straight to get help for WWX, begs his mother on his knees to stop hitting WWX in front of the Wens even though he knows if WLJ is not satisfied the Wens would lay waste to their sect and it's either WWX or their sect, uses himself as a bait to draw the Wen soldier away from WWX even though he knows his sect will end with him, his only thought after losing his golden core is that now he can't take revenge for his family and can't rebuild his sect, doesn't stick with his brother even though that's what he's always been doing because he can't risk his newly-built sect's safety, only truly gets mad at WWX when he kills their BIL & indirectly causes their sister's deaths, after 13 years still doesn't have a dog, offers Zidian to JL when he can't protect JL himself, even though he can barely stand and lift his sword still goes back for WWX in the burial mounds, takes a stab to the chest trying to protect WWX, offers to take JL's place as hostage for JGY, stands between JL and an unstoppable fierce corpse, doesn't say anything to WWX about his sacrifice.
Okay, we all think Lan Qiren was very much like a young Lan Wangji when he was a teenager, baby faced, fuddy duddy, stickler for rules. But what if he was more teasing and smiling like Lan Xichen and changed drastically after you-know-what happened?
Young Lan Qiren: Why do you care what X-guiniang does? She's a rogue cultivator anyway.
Qingheng Jun: She's arrogant, impulsive...
Young Lan Qiren: Xiongzhang has a crush! Xiongzhang has a cruush! Xiongzhang, X-guiniang sitting on a tree, K-I-S....
Qingheng Jun: Preposterous!!
Modern day
Lan Wangji: Wei Wuxian is disruptive, impudent...
Lan Xichen: Aww, sounds like you have a little cru...
I'm never getting over the symbolism of Jin Guangyao's coffin being sealed under the weight of Meng Shi's fallen statue! As if His fate had already been sealed by his mother's profession from the beginning and no matter how high he climbed it would always come to this!
And finally, he got crushed and buried under the weight that had been on him all his life. When all he ever wanted to do was to cherish his mother. He built a temple for her and made a statue of her as a god but in the end, he ended up in Meng Shi's coffin sealed by Meng Shi's statue, in what was once the brothel in which they both were abused.
No one asked for this (well, someone did in a discord chat, but no one here on tumblr I mean xD), but I guess I will put it here anyway.
So there's like very little we know about mxy and if the rumours as to why he was kicked out of the Jin are legit or not, therefore, I thought I would share my opinion on the matter of mxy and jgy's whole ordeal.
What we know about how much mxy was or not into jgy is told to us by jl or wwx, I can no longer remember who exactly says it, but the point is that we knew that mxy had been kicked out of the Jin for harassment, and then later we learn that harassment had been towards jgy (allegedly).
What we also know is that he is seen as a lunatic homosexual.
So rumours are terrible things, that being said, a rumour tends to be born out of base layer of truth, and then with years or with how much people want to be mean, it gets distorted or amplified. But the basis for a rumour is that it has to be in a way believable, it's can't just be koo koo bonkers. So I do 100% believe that he was gay, or at least into men, and that he was a little eccentric in personality. If he genuinely falls into the 'lunacy' side of things tho, eh. I am 50/50 on that, maybe after he got kicked out of the Jin and was in ana abusive household, he can lean further into that role.
Mxy gives up his body for wwx, in his letter he says he wants all those who have harmed him or something along those lines (I also can't remember the exact quote for this here) to be killed basically. And then he gets one cut on his arm for every person he has beef with. We learn that wwx's cuts are healed after he killed the entirety of the Mo family, which to me means that even though we know for a fact jgy kicked mxy out of the Jin, mxy hold no resentment against him.
The other important thing we most keep in mind for this is that jgy is a man who holds how people view him in very high regards. The way he acts and how people see him is carefully calculated so that people will like him. He was someone whose worth was always seen as inferior because not only was he one of jgy's bastards, he was also the con of a courtesan (which people then diminish to a whore). So jgy is out here playing life on hard mode, because he needs to make himself likeable enough that people can look past those things.
Another detail to keep in mind is that jgs brings mxy into the Jin mostly as a "fuck you" to jgy. I can't remember if he brings him before or after jzx dies, I will have to double check that, but I think it's after jzx dies.
And one last detail to keep in mind is that when mxy is kicked out of the sect, jgy was already married to qs, and therefore he already lived with the fact that she was his half sister, and the fear of being found out about the incest of their relationship.
There are all important details to keep in mind:
mxy is into men (something the jianghu is not very keen on)
mxy has no ill inted towards jgy (seeing as there was no cut for him)
jgy has will do anything to maintain his image
jgy is already involved in incest||
So you mind wonder, "Jon, why the essay on just if you believe if mxy was into jgy or not?", and to that I answer
"You see my dear fellow, theses are all very important points because I believe the rumour is both truth as well as a lie."
-gasp- I know, how dare I have nuance and be complicated.
So see, I believe that when mxy joined the Jin, stuff was not easy for him. He was one of jgs' bastards, terrible position to be in. I think that based off what I know about jgy, jgy was very nice to him because a) he needs to be, and b) there would be some sympathy towards mxy's situation.
We know that jgy is very nice and polite when interacting with other people, something we can assume is not something mxy experiences often, based off how the Mo family was abusive as well as him being a bastard in the Jin.
So I do believe mxy likes jgy. Jgy is his half brother who ACTUALLY treats him kindly. And also might I remind you, mxy is 14yo when he is brought into the Jin. He is just a kid, and jgy is family and nice. I too would enjoy hanging out with jgy!
The thing is right, I think the rumour started because mxy was also unapologetically into men. He acted as himself, which is a death sentence in the Jin, not even Jin Ling can run away from the bullying, mxy had no chance. So he is already labeled as a bit of a weirdo, and now he is always constantly hanging out with jgy? The son of a whore? Mmmm, me thinks there must be something fishy playing up.
So the rumours get amplified, they get out of control. And by that time, jgy is already actually engaging in incest. The last thing jgy needs right now as a new sect leader, as the chief cultivator, is to have people believe these rumours, believe he was do something that depraved, and then actually find out about the actual relation between him and his wife. Jgy is terrified of the actual thing being found out.
So he needs to put an end to the rumours. Rumours mxy is also aware of, and is aware would put a stain on jgy's image. And by this point mxy is much older, he is like between 16 or 18 yo. And jgy has given him no reasons to ever not like him.
So he leaves the Jin, because these rumours are getting out of control, they would damage jgy's image, as well as mxy's. And at this point mxy is a little bit obsessed with jgy but in that "You actually like me for me, I didn't know family could do that" sort of thing. To mxy jgy was probably the only family, so obvi he is not going to hate him for doing this when he could see how it would/was affecting him as well.
So tl;dr: Rumours need a basis to form, and they spiral out of control. Mxy's rumous of harassing jgy are not nonsensical lies, they were close, but it's not the truth either. They become even more powerful after mxy leaves the Jin, because people need to blame something/someone for something happening, and at this point jgy's rep is good enough, so mxy's is the one to suffer.
Hi! My mum and I had a conversation in the car where I mentioned how funny I found this bit, because I had read it as Anathema thinking that she had, in fact, just been run over by a very campy gay couple, and a campy gay couple wouldn't harm her. But my mum read this as Anathema, who she thought could feel that Crowley was a demon, realizing that she was also in the presence of an angel, and an angel wouldn't harm her. And I guess I just wanted to know which was the intended message?
The version that Terry and I had in mind when we wrote it was the former.
Reading the comments I realize that things that were perfectly obvious to readers in the UK 33 years ago don't land the same way now.
If anyone has been in any doubt about what Anathema was thinking the line that would have made it utterly clear would have been..
...the "two consenting cycle repairmen".
In the UK the 1957 Wolfenden Report recommended that 'homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should be no longer a criminal offence'. And the phrase "consenting adults" became a euphemism for gay men once the recommendations of the report were put into action and male homosexual acts were decriminalized. (It took a decade and happened in 1967.)
So, yes. She thinks they're gay. And she was safe.
Lan Wangi meets Wei Wuxian at university in Gusu and despite a rocky first meeting, they end up falling into a relationship, one that is hidden from the rest of the world due to Lan Wangji’s strict family. When Wei Wuxian breaks things off and disappears entirely, Lan Wangji is left to wonder what happened, never quite getting over his first love.
Thirteen years later and Lan Wangji is about to marry his best friend: Luo Qingyang. It’s not a love match, Lan Wangji is gay, but it helps his friend and gets his uncle off his back. When he wakes to a voicemail from Wei Wuxian, it sets off a chain of events that will bring them back into each other’s orbit and unravel what happened to break them apart all those years ago.
—
Lan Wangji reached over to grab his phone to check the time to find that he appeared to have a missed phone call from an unknown number and also a voicemail. He took a moment to steel himself against the unknown, before he rang his mailbox.
“Um hi Lan Zhan… I guess you weren’t expecting to hear from me…”
A loud ringing filled his ears and for a moment Lan Wangji thought he might faint. That nickname. That voice. It was Wei Ying.
Words: 49582, Chapters: 7/8, Language: English
Series: Part 1 of There’s such a difference between us
Characters: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Niè Huáisāng, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín, Lán Qǐrén, Luó “Mián Mián” Qīngyáng
Relationships: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī & Luó “Mián Mián” Qīngyáng
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University, Friends to Lovers, Exes to Lovers, Getting Together, Getting Back Together, Bottom Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Top Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, the mortifying ordeal of your sexual awakening being due to being annoyed by a gorgeous rule-breaker, Awkward First Times, Blow Jobs, Rimming, Intercrural Sex, Mentions of homophobia, Lan Qiren is not the best in this fic, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī Has Friends, Autistic Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn Has ADHD, Break Up
Sir Patrick Stew going in for the hetro male kiss. This is kinda amazing the fact that it tears down all that macho bullshit and is closer to love and compassion of one’s fellow man.
my hot take of the day is that there are villain fuckers and there are villain apologists, and my goodness do you gotta know which crowd you're in cuz they are not meow-meow-ifying the same way
With the news of Queen Elizabeth’s hospitalisation, it’s now a distinct reality that we could be looking at a change in monarch. And while everyone loves being performative and wants to look cool and join in on the ‘fun’ of celebrating her death, maybe instead you should be looking at doing something that might actually make a difference.
Queen Elizabeth II was an incredibly popular monarch. She was clever and cunning and played her apolitical political role well, taking care to remain in the good graces of the public. It is NOT a coincidence that while monarchies all around Europe toppled, Britain never once seriously looked at getting rid of their Queen.
This is not true of Charles. He is not as well liked. He does not have the benefit of longevity - most people alive have known the Queen as their monarch their whole lives, and have never seen the monarch change. Kicking a little old lady off the throne after what many people have seen as years of service to her country was a relatively unpopular proposition, but the same is not true of of a man who people aren’t all that fond of, and who doesn’t hold the position.
If you’re on tumblr you’re probably very aware of the questionable past and present of the British throne - and if you’re British or a member of a commonwealth state, now is the time to start talking about it. The monarchy is never going to be overthrown while Queen Elizabeth is still alive, but on her death… well, it’s pretty much fair game.
So instead of just celebrating on your blog, go out and talk about the monarchy. Sow seeds of revolution. Talk about the racism of the royal family. Talk about the racism inherent in the system, and the very personal racism that Megan Markle exposed. Talk about how it isn’t fair that in a unilateral society based on principles of equality, we have not just a monarch but an entire class of people who are born into titles. Talk about how the royal family hoard wealth, how their modern wealth has come from their past subjects, as well as the burden on tax payers. Talk about how unfit they each are for their positions. How you don’t like Charles, or don’t want him as king. Talk about how outsiders are treated - Megan, Diana.
Talk about all the downsides of the monarchy, and do it loudly and publicly, especially with people who are on the fence or who don’t think they care. We will only step away from the monarchy when the general public demand it, and for that to happens, people need to be informed. People need to consider what things would be like without the institution they’ve lived with all their lives- and if the figurehead of that institution is changing, now is the perfect time.
MDZS translation by dragongirlG: Taiwan printed extra
Happy weekend, everyone! At last…I can finally present my complete fan translation of the MDZS Taiwan printed extra, featuring wangxian’s post-canon domesticity, kink and all!
As with recent chapters, I included footnotes with my notes and references and a preface with my translation goals.
Reblogs and positive feedback are always appreciated!
Links below:
GDocs
PDF
ePub
Same links available on twitter.
Screenshotted preview below! You can find it in text form under the cut. Hope you enjoy!
Just found out that someone re-uploaded this translation onto a different site. PLEASE don’t do this! You’re welcome to download this for personal use or onto your personal device, but please don’t distribute or re-upload. It’s even in the header of the file.
I don’t want to restrict access to my translations - I share these out of passion for the original work, and because I strongly believe multiple translations should be accessible to all. However, I may take some preventive measures if this happens again. Thank you.
Let the wind carry you home,
Blackbird fly away.
May you never be broken again.
Beyond the suffering you’ve known
I hope you find your way,
May you never be broken again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If “Inquiry” was a modern song, for me it’d definitely be “Blackbird” by Alter Bridge (Listen here)
I wanted to make a piece for it for quite a while because I think the words fit so much? I never thought it’s gonna be this work (I mean here WWX is actually present) but it just felt right lols
I just think that:
Ascend, may you find no resistance
Know that you’ve made such a difference
And all you leave behind
Will live till the end
Is like the legacy and all the inventions Wei Wuxian left behind and the cultivation world still uses them, but also his ideas, his sense of justice that impacted Lan Wangji.
The cycle of suffering goes on
But the memories of you stay strong
Someday I too will fly and find you again
It’s like even that everybody wanted the evil Yiling Laozu gone, the suffering, wars and oppression still continue (Jins?) but Lan Wangji just thinks about him all the time and yearns to see him one day.
And the blackbird is cause all of the black birds LOL. I know it’s ravens? crows? BUT STILL!!
