**Headphone Warning Possible**
HOLY COW, we take a DEEP dive into Parts 7 and 8 of the English translation, aka Chapters 17-23 in the web serialization, and there is a LOT of ground to cover!
We get into Xie Lian’s head in this part and see that he’s much sassier, and MUCH more tragic, than the sweet, cinnamon bun exterior would have you believe! Couple that with more lore, the introduction of Zhao and our mysterious ladies, and the entrance into Ban Yue — my favorite arc from Season 1 is underway and I’m so excited to talk with you all about it!
Thank you for watching with me and for all the support!
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Interesting that you thought San Lang was accusing Fu Yao of thinking everyone is evil during the sandstorm conversation. I think the point San Lang is making is that Fu Yao is always "contrary" (rather than the "subversive" translation). We saw it during the Ghost Groom arc as well – if someone suggests an action based on a weird event, Fu Yao will suggest doing the opposite. The creepy child singing to Xie Lian was warning brides not to smile. Fu Yao's interpretation is that the song is a trick, so smiling must be the dangerous option (if you aren't deliberately trying to meet the ghost groom/Xuan Ji). He's like, "You can't trick me with your reverse psychology! I'mma do the opposite!" And here, if the sandstorm is a warning to stop, he thinks they should keep going to spite whoever created the storm as a barrier. He's always questioning Xie Lian's suggestions or theories with the opposite, so San Lang is calling him on it – is he just trying to be contrary to Xie Lian for the sake of contrariness? Like, "Xie Lian is a trusting fool, so we should do the opposite. Because I'm clever like that." But I agree that San Lang hates all the gods aside from Xie Lian.
"Who sent the puppet?" and, "What are San Lang's tattoos about?" join the list of unanswered questions, along with, "What's the deal with the bandaged boy?" and, "Why was Xie Lian the only one who heard the child singing?" and, "Who is the woman in black?"
I thought "A-Zhao" deliberately did NOT mention the snake venom had a cure this time because he did not want Xie Lian to investigate Banyue and everything going on there. San Lang brings it up, making "A-Zhao" look bad for withholding information – San Lang knows Xie Lian is going to go there anyway, so now they have an excuse. I really think Pei Jr. was hoping to keep his secret and solve this issue on his own, without anyone ever discovering the truth. It doesn't work out for him, but it does end up saving Banyue, so he's probably not super-upset about how it all ends – even if it does mean he'll be punished in some way.
Haha, "I'm odd but you don't think I'm dangerous, do you?" How to answer that question? Because I think Xie Lian IS dangerous when he wants to be. Which is the point, really, because if Hua Cheng wanted to be dangerous these suspicious tactics would only irritate him and he'd smash their faces. And as we've seen Xie Lian demonstrate (and heard from his little bit of backstory), he can kick some serious ass even without his full powers. Plus – as subtext – Xie Lian also seems to be a danger to himself and those around him. His bad luck, added to his complete disregard for his own safety (and pain – how sad is it that he's so accustomed to pain that he doesn't notice it?), almost guarantees that he's going to be in trouble/danger. It might not kill him (he may be totally unkillable) but he could suffer a lot.
San Lang…has to be angry for a lot of reasons. Not only is Xie Lian careless about his own feelings or physical self, but he got hurt while San Lang – self-declared protector and worshipper – was standing right there. He couldn't stop it. He couldn't stop the "general" from getting trampled in the war. He couldn't stop Xie Lian from getting poisoned and stung and whatever else has happened to him over the last several hundred years. Couldn't help him when he had to pawn his treasures. So much suffering Xie Lian has been through, and San Lang wasn't able to be there or help. Another question – why have they been separated all this time, if San Lang has loved him since the beginning (or have they)?
I love Qi Rong, the Trash King only added into the "4 Kings" because they needed a fourth. I think you will like Qi Rong by the end – not the kind of person you'd want to hang out with but he's a great character.
Ehehe hold that thought of 'who sent the puppet and why' for later. TGCF is a long game of hints as you already know!
i just finished the second book today!! read it in a day🙊🙊 the second one is so good had me in its clutches I couldn't step away!!
can't wait for the 3rd one to be translated and released here
The character i dislike the most is Qi wrong and I love trash kings too
36:34 "Okay," San Lang responded, looking submissive and breedable.
WOW this is a LOOOOONNNNNGGGG reaction! Thanks for your effort!
The puppet man is one of the only characters that I personally found ugly in the manhua, especially when his eyes went into different directions…nope, I'm out.
Nan Feng and Fu Yao are back and being this couple of worried parents for Xie Lian despite the fact that he's technically superior than both of them and also much older I'd guess. They are going like "I was on a business trip for 3 days and now you're telling me you'll take this infamous town punk to the school prom? Now young lady, you're in some serious trouble… " while Xie Lian's like "but he's cute and calling me a ge-ge! YOU are the ones charging into my room and kicking down the bedroom door! And neither of you is willing to pay for the repairment fee despite the fact that I'm waving that donation sign under your nose!"
The artist really pays attention to details and is stuffing in little hints all over the place, like when they're reading the tomb stone, Xie Lian's reflection on the stone is not him with his bamboo hat, but a silhouette of a military officer in armor. Someone's letting his inner general Hua out, eh?
And really, wind master and her lady friend in black are both so curvy……can someone send me a tutorial for both of their makeups?
The ship name for the wind master and the lady in black is Beefleef 🍖🍃
2:11:00 A thought: it is also possible she ascended after his banishment, so, in theory, there could be many gods XL won't recognize/hasn't met. 🤷♀
It's so interesting how different nan feng and fu yao act towards xie lian like nan feng seems to feel bad about seeing xie lian in this low status on the other hand fu yao kinda looks down & judges xie lian as in ' look how the mighty have fallen ' yet he still shows when for xie lian for some reason… which kinda reflects feng xin & mu qing's relationship with Xie lian since feng xin stayed with him even after he got demoted compared to mu qing who cut ties with him .
My poor Flower Xie lian has gone through so much ;( it sucks to see how much he got used to the pain to the point where it doesn't really affect him anymore 🥲🌸
San lang's tattoo being a source of shame Cough Cough Hummmm!!! Cough Cough
Really enjoying revisiting tgcf with you! Absolutely amused by your theories btw🤭 Can't wait for you to get beyond the Banuye arc !!!
PS : I always thought you reminded me of someone but couldn't figure out who. I figured it out ! You look a lot like Kalki Koechlin. An Indian actress who is absolutely amazing btw !
In chinese mythology (I am summaraising very broadly) ghosts are deceased with strong desires/obsessions/regrets. For them to move on and enter a cycle of reincarnation they must get rid of their desires/obsessions/regrets. There are different ways to achive that. Proper way is self reflection and letting go. Another one – realising/fullfilling these desires/obsessions/regrets (if they are achievable and harmless), often times with help from outside, extreme way is doing it with sacrifice. In novel Banyue could not let her guilt go, so she got stuck in a loop with soldiers (who could not let their rage go). Allowing them to capture and torture her, she was quenching their rage. It might have taken her thousands of years to exhaust that rage. Thats why Pei Jr. started luring people to be recipients of that rage, so Banyue could get free faster. Also about Xuan Ji and ghosts in general. Gods do not interfere with ghost affairs because it is not their place to interfere, they do it only when ghost causes big amount of disturbance. If they intervene then ghost will be most likely destroyed and not resolve their issues. That is the reason why Xuan Ji was ignored untill she started killing people in mass. Staying in mortal realm after death as a ghost she was supposed to reflect on her actions and let her obsession go.
I am ready to live through the school week just for a new reaction on Mondays
I got so excited about all that Quan Yizhen talk…I won't say much, just that…they…are one of the characters I care about the most in tgcf.
Thanks for 2 hours of entertainment for my Monday night:')
Romania,I am impressed that you are always able to raise so many questions and theories at this early stage of the story. Watching your question list getting longer and longer is a fun!😜😜
You may rest assured that you'll find all the answers eventually, only some of them will be given very late, like at nearly the end of the novel, I guess.
MXTX is good at giving subtle and little hint foreshadowings everywhere, then revealing the answers step by step, throughout the novel. You probably have already noticed this from MDZS.
In Chinese we jokingly call foreshadowing of plots "a pit" or "a hole". A good thing is MXTX doesn't forget to fill them in. Some web novel authors just forget to fill in all the pits while writing a long story, which makes novel readers frustrated, hahaha😂😂😂
San Lang seems to hold particular grudge against Fu Yao, poking and pushing his buttons. But not so much towards Nan Feng, who at least offers help when Xie Lian asks, lending him spiritual energy, lighting up palm torch, creating distraction, etc. And he feels somewhat bad for Xie Lian.
drinking game: take a shot each time you get the thought "noo xie lian, that's so sad!"
poor guy, his life has been so unfortunate. good thing sanlang is here to treasure him!
xielian is a sad and complex cinnamon bun
mxtx foreshadowingggg
it would be interesting once you've read through the whole series to go back and reread it, just to see how much was foreshadowed throughout the books!