Hi! I'm finally catching up! *throws comments everywhere like confetti*
\o/ \o/ \o/!!
I'm right there with you on the mythology storyline and the ZYL battle of wits ("purely a spectator sport" -- hee! YES!!). *high fives*
And ZYL actually asks outright about Ghost Face! But SW won't tell. (Interesting that ZYL hasn't even confided in DQ about any of what he's seen!)
I wonder if he was concerned it would implicate Shen Wei -- like, if he tells about Ghost Face, then he has to explain how they sent him away, and who else could do that but the Emissary?
I feel for Daqing, but I don't like this much. I like him better when he's being all superior!
ME TOO! That part really bothered me, especially that ZYL didn't challenge it.
This made it into the drama, too!
Yes, though with different implications -- it was more about DQ's memory issues than SW's mysterious origins, right?
I really like Sangzan being smart and working with ZYL to figure things out!
That was so good. :D
> > Again, Zhao Yunlan thought of his dream. Who had been talking to him? > > I have entirely forgotten about this already. /o\
I think it's this from the end of chapter 10:
He dreamed that he was in a cloudy, misty place, walking in circles. He was surrounded by ruins and debris, and there were countless people praying toward the sky. He spared them a glance and kept walking, eventually arriving at a place that was utterly dark and desolate.
For some reason, he felt a surge of annoyance. He snapped his fingers to summon fire, but the fire went out before it could catch.
Someone sighed deeply by his ear. “Why did you have to go through all this effort over an offhand comment?”
The voice was difficult to describe. It seemed to bypass his ears entirely and pierce right through his heart. Zhao Yunlan gave a violent shudder, and then he was awake.
It seemed like the sun must already be high in the sky. Shen Wei wasn’t beside him anymore. He’d probably stepped out to buy something.
Zhao Yunlan saw darkness when he opened his eyes, and darkness when he closed them. His heart beat like thunder, cold sweat beading on his back.
Who had been speaking in the dream…?
Why did it sound like his own voice?
I still don't entirely get its significance, though, except that it's his god!self speaking to him.
Ooh, and this made it into the drama too, when CSZ tells the Regent he's wearing the spring and autumn shackles voluntarily! One of those rare instances where they didn't recontextualise things quite enough, IMO, so it doesn't entirely make sense removed from the novel context.
Yes, agreed. It feels more like a novel artefact than a seamless part of the drama.
(I wonder if he has a proper plan before the Magistrate hands him the opportunity?)
Ha, excellent question. I suspect he's relying on his improv skills.
AAARGH, does SW know ZYL at all? That practically guarantees ZYL will agree to something, LOL.
Do you mean in a Murphy's Law kind of way? Because I don't feel like ZYL deliberately defies the Emissary any more than drama!ZYL touches the Hallows in defiance of the Envoy. It's just that he believes he has a job to do, and this is how to do it, you know? He can't let himself be held back. (And that's correct, too, to some extent, given that ZYL works for the human/Haixing government, and SW is a foreign authority.)
And another bit that doesn't quite come together (for me) in the drama!
*nodnodnod* In the drama, it always felt like something that might have made sense millennia ago, but is completely out of context in present day.
ZYL is right about that, and I'm very curious what he's worried SW will do, but I don't have a clue. *g*
That he'll run away again, maybe? Or hurt himself? That self-yeeting at the end of vol 1 must have given ZYL pause for thought.
ZYL playing dumb, the Magistrate knowing but unable to make him stop, this is delightful. :D
Yessss! I loved all of that! Spectator sport indeed!! :DDD
And also that the Magistrate is clearly aware that the Emissary would be jealous of ZYL's lover, but also seems to be utterly incapable of even considering that that lover could possibly be the Emissary. Hee!
It's inconceivable to everyone except ZYL (and SW sometimes)! LOL!
Very good on ZYL for using this to get more than just CSZ's situation sorted out!
Yes, 100% agree!!
and possibly the origin of the swing in ZYL's drama flat?
Ooh, great point. I wonder if they ever tried filming with someone actually on the swing and decided it just didn't work...
LOLOLOL at Daqing asking ZYL how far he's got with SW. :D :D :D :D :D
But I think he is only working with Hell for a mutual partnership, they are not actually related.
Such an interesting distinction. Whereas in the drama SW is so far out of time that he has no experience of 10k years of Dixing civilisation, but he's still very "of Dixing".
Just think, Nuwa repaired the Heavens, she finished her job, why did she have to turn into Houtu and become one with the earth? Was she trying to cover up the true earth? Whatever is down there, it must be somewhat related to the Soul Slayer.
I mean, this feels like pure speculation...
"No, when I say you're too late," Zhao Yunlan interrupts, "I don't mean this past half a year, I mean you're late by a few thousand years."
Hahaha! I can see why they cut this, because they've smoothed out the "ZYL figures out his past-life identity and epic relationship with SW" arc, but this is gold. :D
LOLOL at ZYL messing with the judge and trying to send SW in his place. :D :D :D :D :D
"That foul creature was born beneath Hell in front of the Primeval Tree of Virtue, and is somewhat related to the Soul Slayer, so it might be inconvenient for him."
"Oh," Zhao Yunlan's smirk wears down a little, and nods, "and here I thought the judge would stick by 'not talking about the great saints behind their backs", turns out beating around the bush gets us nowhere, though, wouldn't you agree? You worry about him, I can understand that... this is my being inconsiderate then."
This is so interesting! ZYL using a bluff to get more information about SW, Ghost Face, and the general political situation. Again, I can see why they cut it, but I'm glad to know about it.
It does make me go, so, wait, the Magistrate's plan (in the official version) is to get ZYL up Kunlun Mountain, knowing that Ghost Face is there? Is that right? And the Emissary will come to battle him? I'm so unclear about what he's hoping will happen... *so vague*
Mount Kunlun is a forbidden and sacred place, not a backyard for their freak show.
Aww, I do like ZYL being protective of his mountain. <333)
no subject
\o/ \o/ \o/!!
I'm right there with you on the mythology storyline and the ZYL battle of wits ("purely a spectator sport" -- hee! YES!!). *high fives*
And ZYL actually asks outright about Ghost Face! But SW won't tell. (Interesting that ZYL hasn't even confided in DQ about any of what he's seen!)
I wonder if he was concerned it would implicate Shen Wei -- like, if he tells about Ghost Face, then he has to explain how they sent him away, and who else could do that but the Emissary?
I feel for Daqing, but I don't like this much. I like him better when he's being all superior!
ME TOO! That part really bothered me, especially that ZYL didn't challenge it.
This made it into the drama, too!
Yes, though with different implications -- it was more about DQ's memory issues than SW's mysterious origins, right?
I really like Sangzan being smart and working with ZYL to figure things out!
That was so good. :D
> > Again, Zhao Yunlan thought of his dream. Who had been talking to him?
>
> I have entirely forgotten about this already. /o\
I think it's this from the end of chapter 10:
I still don't entirely get its significance, though, except that it's his god!self speaking to him.
Ooh, and this made it into the drama too, when CSZ tells the Regent he's wearing the spring and autumn shackles voluntarily! One of those rare instances where they didn't recontextualise things quite enough, IMO, so it doesn't entirely make sense removed from the novel context.
Yes, agreed. It feels more like a novel artefact than a seamless part of the drama.
(I wonder if he has a proper plan before the Magistrate hands him the opportunity?)
Ha, excellent question. I suspect he's relying on his improv skills.
AAARGH, does SW know ZYL at all? That practically guarantees ZYL will agree to something, LOL.
Do you mean in a Murphy's Law kind of way? Because I don't feel like ZYL deliberately defies the Emissary any more than drama!ZYL touches the Hallows in defiance of the Envoy. It's just that he believes he has a job to do, and this is how to do it, you know? He can't let himself be held back. (And that's correct, too, to some extent, given that ZYL works for the human/Haixing government, and SW is a foreign authority.)
And another bit that doesn't quite come together (for me) in the drama!
*nodnodnod* In the drama, it always felt like something that might have made sense millennia ago, but is completely out of context in present day.
ZYL is right about that, and I'm very curious what he's worried SW will do, but I don't have a clue. *g*
That he'll run away again, maybe? Or hurt himself? That self-yeeting at the end of vol 1 must have given ZYL pause for thought.
ZYL playing dumb, the Magistrate knowing but unable to make him stop, this is delightful. :D
Yessss! I loved all of that! Spectator sport indeed!! :DDD
And also that the Magistrate is clearly aware that the Emissary would be jealous of ZYL's lover, but also seems to be utterly incapable of even considering that that lover could possibly be the Emissary. Hee!
It's inconceivable to everyone except ZYL (and SW sometimes)! LOL!
Very good on ZYL for using this to get more than just CSZ's situation sorted out!
Yes, 100% agree!!
and possibly the origin of the swing in ZYL's drama flat?
Ooh, great point. I wonder if they ever tried filming with someone actually on the swing and decided it just didn't work...
LOLOLOL at Daqing asking ZYL how far he's got with SW. :D :D :D :D :D
But I think he is only working with Hell for a mutual partnership, they are not actually related.
Such an interesting distinction. Whereas in the drama SW is so far out of time that he has no experience of 10k years of Dixing civilisation, but he's still very "of Dixing".
Just think, Nuwa repaired the Heavens, she finished her job, why did she have to turn into Houtu and become one with the earth? Was she trying to cover up the true earth? Whatever is down there, it must be somewhat related to the Soul Slayer.
I mean, this feels like pure speculation...
"No, when I say you're too late," Zhao Yunlan interrupts, "I don't mean this past half a year, I mean you're late by a few thousand years."
Hahaha! I can see why they cut this, because they've smoothed out the "ZYL figures out his past-life identity and epic relationship with SW" arc, but this is gold. :D
LOLOL at ZYL messing with the judge and trying to send SW in his place. :D :D :D :D :D
"That foul creature was born beneath Hell in front of the Primeval Tree of Virtue, and is somewhat related to the Soul Slayer, so it might be inconvenient for him."
"Oh," Zhao Yunlan's smirk wears down a little, and nods, "and here I thought the judge would stick by 'not talking about the great saints behind their backs", turns out beating around the bush gets us nowhere, though, wouldn't you agree? You worry about him, I can understand that... this is my being inconsiderate then."
This is so interesting! ZYL using a bluff to get more information about SW, Ghost Face, and the general political situation. Again, I can see why they cut it, but I'm glad to know about it.
It does make me go, so, wait, the Magistrate's plan (in the official version) is to get ZYL up Kunlun Mountain, knowing that Ghost Face is there? Is that right? And the Emissary will come to battle him? I'm so unclear about what he's hoping will happen... *so vague*
Mount Kunlun is a forbidden and sacred place, not a backyard for their freak show.
Aww, I do like ZYL being protective of his mountain. <333)