Question: your favourite Sky Pillar/Energy Seal worldbuilding?

[china_shop]

I haven't come across a lot of worldbuilding for this, but I've written stories where Da Qing got trapped in a) the Sky Pillar and became Ye Zun's friend, and b) the energy seal (as backstory) and stayed with Shen Wei. And I remember going to an exhibition of representations of science data in April 2019 and thinking that some of the data visualisations might be what Ye Zun is seeing when he's trapped in the Pillar for 10k years. Here's a video I took at the exhibition, with that in mind.

1. Do you have any favourite Sky Pillar or Energy Seal worldbuilding, theories or speculation, based on canon, fanon, fanworks or just generally?


2. Do you think Ye Zun and/or Shen Wei were conscious for any of the time they were trapped? Dreaming? Aware of each other?


3. Both pillars we know about imprisoned enslaved people who rose up against their captors and took their place. Do you think that's just coincidence, or something in the Hallows' programming? Have there been other pillars over the last 10k years?


4. What's with the field of ruins surrounding the Pillar? The dark-energy-reinforced chains? (Were the chains created by the Hallows, or were they installed by the Dixing administration?)


5. What's your favourite scene at the Sky Pillar? For me, it has to be Shen Wei & Da Qing's pinky swear, with honorable mentions for Zhao Yunlan rescuing Shen Wei from being chained up, the sting where Zhao Yunlan's disguised as An Bai to catch the Deacon, and Ye Zun taunting Chu Shuzhi with an image of Nianzhi. :-)


6. Please link to any fanworks (your own or other people's) about the energy seal or the Sky Pillar.

Comments

[autodach]

Do you think Ye Zun and/or Shen Wei were conscious for any of the time they were trapped?

The intended reading is probably ‘no’ at least for Shen Wei, but I am so, so fond of torturing my favourite characters. I like the idea that they were both awake the whole time.

Both pillars we know about imprisoned enslaved people who rose up against their captors and took their place.

Ooh, great observation! Pillars that keep people in their place? Interesting.
It’s a parallel, but it would take more than two pillars to make a pattern in my opinion.

The dark-energy-reinforced chains?

Chains are sexy, duh.
In-universe, I think the chains are supposed to contain the pillar or its inhabitant somehow. Restrict the energy or something.

What's your favourite scene at the Sky Pillar?

Nothing beats Shen Wei chained up ;)
Best scene is when Zhao Yunlan comes to save him *swoon*.

For me, it has to be Shen Wei & Da Qing's pinky swear

A worthy choice! ❤

[trobadora]

It’s a parallel, but it would take more than two pillars to make a pattern in my opinion.

Yeah, agreed, that's how I see it too.

[china_shop]

but I am so, so fond of torturing my favourite characters

Heeee! I am lacking that fannish gene, personally, but Guardian as a whole and the energy seal in particular are so generous in terms of opportunities for torturing characters, aren't they? :D :D :D

It’s a parallel, but it would take more than two pillars to make a pattern in my opinion.

Fair enough! It's interesting that Ye Zun's pillar was made by the complete set of Hallows, but Sang Zan's seems to have just been formed by the Mountain-River Awl. Imagine if someone at the SID had misused/triggered the Awl, and [random SID member] ended up encased in quartz!! *g*

In-universe, I think the chains are supposed to contain the pillar or its inhabitant somehow. Restrict the energy or something.

Oh, that's clever. And then Ye Zun co-opts them to contain Shen Wei's energy! Cool!

Best scene is when Zhao Yunlan comes to save him *swoon*.

It is a VERY good scene! I felt compelled to screencap it (again). :D :D :D

[amedia]

That is a VERY interesting plot bunny!!!

[china_shop]

It's free to a good home! (And I'd love to read it! :D)

[autodach]

Guardian as a whole and the energy seal in particular are so generous in terms of opportunities for torturing characters

It’s a buffet for tropey whump ❤

Imagine if someone at the SID had misused/triggered the Awl

We all know who that would be, as he can’t stop fondling the hallows for one minute XD

I felt compelled to screencap it (again)

Thank you for your service ❤❤❤

[china_shop]

We all know who that would be, as he can’t stop fondling the hallows for one minute XD

LOLOL!

Otoh, Zhu Hong got very drunk that time... And Lin Jing sleeps in the lab and could have stumbled into the Hallows cases in the middle of the night... etc. :D

♥ ♥ ♥

[trobadora]

Oooh, great topic! :D

2) My headcanon is that Ye Zun was periodically awake and made trouble - the way the Regent talks about him stirring in the scene just before they find Shen Wei waking up sounds like that to me - and that Shen Wei, while never actually awake, had some of what happened in the world around him filter through to him in the form of dreams while he slept. So when he wakes up after 10,000 years, it feels to him like a lot of time passed, not like the ancient war was just yesterday.

3) I think that's neither coincidence nor something in the Hallows' programming; it's a narrative parallel. *g*

4a) My headcanon is that the field of ruins is like ancient Roman ruins in Europe - 10,000 years are a long time, and a lot of history has happened in Dixing since Dixingren went back there after the war and rebuilt. There's a continuity of history, but civilisations and governments have come and gone in the mean time. Dixingren lifespans may mean slower changes, but I don't like the idea of Dixing being entirely static, and I like to look at those ruins as evidence. *g*are wmy evidence. *g*

4b) I think the chains might have been installed by the Dixing government at some point, knowing there's something/someone dangerous in there and trying to add additional security. If it were the Hallows' doing, I'd expect Sang Zan's pillar to also have some.

5) PINKY SWEAR!!!!!!! :D :D :D

and the energy seal (as backstory) and stayed with Shen Wei

I think you missed a few words there?

[china_shop]

My headcanon is that Ye Zun was periodically awake and made trouble - the way the Regent talks about him stirring in the scene just before they find Shen Wei waking up sounds like that to me

*nodnod* That makes sense!

So when he wakes up after 10,000 years, it feels to him like a lot of time passed, not like the ancient war was just yesterday.

Aha, nice work-around. It would be a bit disappointing having a 10k-year-old character who only felt like he'd had a normal lifespan, wouldn't it?

I think that's neither coincidence nor something in the Hallows' programming; it's a narrative parallel. *g*

*nodnod*

My headcanon is that the field of ruins is like ancient Roman ruins in Europe - 10,000 years are a long time, and a lot of history has happened in Dixing since Dixingren went back there after the war and rebuilt.

True! Even with the seeming lack of weather, things have to wear down eventually. (Or maybe, when the Hallows are there, there's more weather variation, too?)

I think the chains might have been installed by the Dixing government at some point, knowing there's something/someone dangerous in there and trying to add additional security.

Ooh, good thought. Installing those would be a dangerous job! I wonder what happened to the workers (if anything).

If it were the Hallows' doing, I'd expect Sang Zan's pillar to also have some.

Except Sang Zan's pillar was only made by the Awl, right? Maybe it takes a different Hallow to add the chains?

5) PINKY SWEAR!!!!!!! :D :D :D

Yesssssss! *high fives you*

(I didn't, but you're right, it doesn't read very clearly. I'll fix it. Thanks. :-)

[trobadora]

Aha, nice work-around. It would be a bit disappointing having a 10k-year-old character who only felt like he'd had a normal lifespan, wouldn't it?

Yeah, it really would! But I don't think he lied about being asleep, so, yeah, workaround.

True! Even with the seeming lack of weather, things have to wear down eventually. (Or maybe, when the Hallows are there, there's more weather variation, too?)

I mean, they have clouds and lightning, so presumably wind, and that's plenty enough for erosion. Also a volcano, which may periodically do more than just provide lava for aesthetic channels in the palace. *g*

Installing those would be a dangerous job! I wonder what happened to the workers (if anything).

Yeah, those chains are probably dangerous enough by themselves if you're not careful, and then there's also Ye Zun! Because I bet they installed them while Ye Zun was awake - while he wasn't, there wouldn't have been the motivation for it, right?

Except Sang Zan's pillar was only made by the Awl, right? Maybe it takes a different Hallow to add the chains?

LOL, which Hallow is into chains, do you think? *g*

[china_shop]

I mean, they have clouds and lightning, so presumably wind, and that's plenty enough for erosion. Also a volcano, which may periodically do more than just provide lava for aesthetic channels in the palace. *g*

All true. I guess I assumed with the way people keep all their baskets and stuff in the street that the weather situation is pretty static. But of course, that could just be since the Hallows were lost, anyway.

Because I bet they installed them while Ye Zun was awake - while he wasn't, there wouldn't have been the motivation for it, right?

True!

LOL, which Hallow is into chains, do you think? *g*

Well, the Sundial does like to connect people. ;-) But for some reason, I feel like it could be a combo of the Merit Brush and the Lantern. I can't explain why, though.

[tinypinkmouse]

I don't have the energy to contemplate all the questions but as far as theories about the Sky Pillar goes... At one point I was really into the idea that once the Hallows were gone Dixing started using Ye Zun for energy, either as a knowing decision by someone or just some kind of automatic backup that just happened and no one was even aware of it. I didn't really think about how much sense it made beyond not being entirely unbelievable. It added some extra angst into a few fics.

[china_shop]

Ooh, yes, I too have considered the possibility of battery!Ye Zun -- but I'd only thought of the Hallows using him (which is horrible, and makes me wonder if, in that scenario, Ma Gui would know it was a possibility when he designed and made the Hallows). The idea that Dixing might automatically draw on Ye Zun's power in the absence of the Hallows is new to me and super intriguing! And, as you say, it adds some delightful angst to the situation. :D

Would you mind leaving links to those fics?

[tinypinkmouse]

Unfortunately , after I post a fic it more or less vanishes from my mind. I honestly can't remember what specific fics I might have used that idea in, or how heavily it featured in them.

[china_shop]

That's probably very healthy (and wow, you do have a lot of fic! \o/). :-)

[amedia]

I wrote a short-ish fic (814 words) for Ye Zun Week about the scene where Ye Zun creates an illusion of Chu Nianzhi just to be super cruel to Chu Shuzhi. It's set in my Time Engraver crossover series, but it should (mostly) make sense as a standalone:

Clearing the Air

[china_shop]

Awesome!! Thanks for linking. <3