I really enjoyed these chapters. So much cool worldbuilding and cinematic action. A lot of the Netherworld details felt very horror!Miyazaki to me, which was great. And then the ending, aww! <3
Zhao Yunlan picked the book up and brushed his hand over the cover, wiping the cat’s saliva away. “Antiques Street, huh?”
I was pretty judgy about the cat saliva on the ancient text until it became clear the book was from the 1990s, lol. (Do not smear cat saliva on rare manuscripts, people! ;-p)
I love the description of the shop in Antiques St, and the tree being "neither mortal nor ghost." That's so eerie and cool.
A “black-covered book” was one that had been purchased by a book buyer who could work only at night, obtained through certain means from somewhere other than the Mortal Realm.
Kinda love that there's a system for this! I wonder what kind of books they usually are. Posthumous autobiographies?? ;D And what places "other than the Mortal Realm" exist other than the Netherworld??
Given that, how had this book about ancient gods wound up among the books about Nüwa’s creation of humans and how she had repaired the sky? Was it pure coincidence, or had someone predicted that Zhao Yunlan would be looking up that information?
I initially thought this was a counter-action to whoever's been hiding the info about Kunlun. Now I suspect I'm right and I know who it is, but I'm going to wait for chapter 7 to see.
Aww, ZYL staring at his phone while he misses Shen Wei. He doesn't know what to do, but he cannot stand to be apart.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Zhu Hong beat him to it. “Do you think I’m degrading myself, following you around after what happened earlier?”
After a beat, Zhao Yunlan said, “I was just going to remind you to wear your down jacket.”
I feel like he's just helping her save face here, right?
The fact that the lanterns outside the store are labelled "Soul-Guarding" made me ????????. (I got a little confused, because I thought they were going to that store to make enquiries, but they immediately head to the Netherworld. Did they stop in at the store to ask, and the novel just elides that? Or was that never the plan to start with?)
I really like ZYL questioning the "Soul-Guarding Order" that he's just taken for granted all this time. What does it meeeeean?
Little oil lamps stood on either side of the road, similar to streetlights. There was one of these “soul-guarding lamps” every three meters or so, each giving off a tiny glow that cast long shadows. Spider lilies bloomed in vivid red, coloring the path in clusters.
Ohh, I just really love the whole description of the Huangquan Road. It's beautiful! I think this is my favourite imagery in these chapters. <3
And then I hit "Some time back, Zhao Yunlan had read a travel diary", and my head exploded. LOL! Whose travel diary? Why are they writing about the Netherworld? Is it in disguise as SF/F? What is happening?
The glow of those lamps cleansed a soul of everything that connected them to the Mortal Realm.
Oh, that's cool! (Presumably doesn't work on living beings?!)
Zhao Yunlan’s face was deathly pale. He swallowed, choking down the blood welling up in his throat.
Ahh, in the novel it's ZYL who (nearly) coughs blood! (Wait, why am I getting deja-vu writing this? *blinks*)
The Leaves of Illusion seem so ~convenient~. (On my first read of the novel, when I got to this part I noted, "An endless supply of convenient doohickeys.") But at the same time, if he didn't have them, he couldn't go here, and he clearly needs to for work and has before, so. Okay.
Shen Wei’s harsh treatment of himself bordered on abuse. He seemed absolutely unwilling to take his own nature into account.
Yes! ZYL sees it. (And needs to see it, so he can move forward, right?)
Love Zhu Hong calling ZYL racist for trying to send her home (even if I think practicalities aren't the same as bigotry; if her yang energy really is a problem, maybe she shouldn't be there).
Daqing jumped down from Zhao Yunlan’s shoulder and led the way. Black cats and black dogs were all beings of both tremendous yin and tremendous violence. Any little ghouls who laid eyes on one would instinctively give them a wide berth, so having a black cat along was like having a police car to clear the way. It made sneaking into Ghost City easy as pie.
LOLOL! Does it still count as sneaking then?
The crone with the longevity cake is so creepy. shivers
“The book most likely came from this store,” the black cat said, looking back at them. “This family reincarnates once every sixty years, the yin alternating with the yang. The person in the yang realm guards the entrance to the Huangquan by the pagoda tree while the person in the yin realm minds the general store in Ghost City.”
That is such a cool system! But does it mean they don't lose their memories when they reincarnate? Maybe they bribe someone... Anyway, I love everything about the bookshop, and am now so sad we didn't get a Dixing bookshop in the drama, when ZYL was looking for the Dijun's Register.
ZYL is so polite to the proprietor (and has clearly prepared for the eventuality of coming here, unless he's bluffing about the meat) -- is he just treading carefully here so nothing goes wrong? Or is he only careless of spirits who've done something wrong or trespassed where they're not supposed to be? I feel like he's been kind and polite before, but I can't remember when. brainfail
I love the reveal that Zhao Yunlan is leaving mysteries for himself!! :DDD
“I was struggling to stay on top of my secret duties as Guardian and going to class at the same time.”
WAIT. WHAT? bb!ZYL was the slayer doing Guardian stuff as a teen?? (Also, I'm pretty confused now about the SID. Did ZYL's dad found it or revive it for ZYL's benefit? (Or was that Shennong's Bowl who did that?)
the effect was a bit creepy
LOL at the understatement. :D
Zhao Yunlan went very still as he processed what she was hinting at: that the Zhao Yunlan who’d originally bought the book had looked much the same as he looked now.
Mysteries and shenanigans, wheee! :D :D :D
ZYL finally realising sexist is bad and maybe he should have been teaching ZH stuff all long. *facepalm*
OMG, the two-faced ghost is so wonderfully creepy and Miyazaki!! (It took me a little while to realise it had been sent by the Magistrate -- it's all part of the trap, and that's why the gate is shut! Which, wait, ZYL set for himself by leaving the book where he knew he'd find it?? That can't be right, can it? *waits for this to untangle itself*)
“Do you want humanity or inhumanity? You must choose. Do you want to walk the Mortal Realm or tread the paths of ghosts? You must choose. Do you want the world above or the abyss beneath? You must choose.”
False dichotomies! Refuse to choose, ZYL!!
A massive python appeared at his side as Zhu Hong shifted into her true form, lashing out at the swarming ghosts and swallowing four or five in a single bite.
Are they edible? I wonder what they're made of. Hope they don't make her sick!
but wave after wave of little nuisances added up to big trouble.
Truth, lol.
What is a snake's "vulnerable spot"?
Even as the ghost disappeared into the wind, it still craned its neck and stuck out its tongue to try and get a taste of the fresh blood and flesh.
Aww, the little ghouls just want some fresh meat. *pets them* Eww! /conflicted ;-)
Awwww, ZYL protecting SW's coat. He is so far gone, there's srsly no going back. *hearts*
And then ZYL, in his desperation sets the whole place alight, and I go, "Lol. Stealth. A quiet little in-and-out-job."
All the ghouls who had gorged themselves on the fire transformed into wingless bird people. Stomachs distended, they flew into the sky, where they exploded.
Growing wings seems pretty random, but I'm loving the concept anyway. :D
As soon as Zhao Yunlan had the whip in hand, a strange energy gathered there—unfamiliar at first, but less so by the moment. The power felt as though it had always been his, as if it was part of him.
Something deep inside him was stirring, quickly awakening.
Ahh, the Magistrate's plan is working!!
A sudden blow struck the closed gates behind him. A figure clad entirely in black strode through the resulting person-shaped hole without so much as lowering his head.
LOL, it's a cartoon! :D
When Zhu Hong catches the whip in her mouth, do you think that's deliberate or an injury? I'm assuming the former.
A great boom annihilated nearly half the city’s inhabitants.
Oof, the collateral damage! /o\ (Also, is this drama!SW's power surge at the wedding?)
And haha, ZH is so pleased and grateful to see the Emissary. She doesn't know!
Then, with no concern for their surroundings, he wrapped his arms around the black-cloaked figure, who was feared and revered by all, and pulled him into a hug. In a hoarse rasp, he said, “Just come home.”
no subject
I really enjoyed these chapters. So much cool worldbuilding and cinematic action. A lot of the Netherworld details felt very horror!Miyazaki to me, which was great. And then the ending, aww! <3
Zhao Yunlan picked the book up and brushed his hand over the cover, wiping the cat’s saliva away. “Antiques Street, huh?”
I was pretty judgy about the cat saliva on the ancient text until it became clear the book was from the 1990s, lol. (Do not smear cat saliva on rare manuscripts, people! ;-p)
I love the description of the shop in Antiques St, and the tree being "neither mortal nor ghost." That's so eerie and cool.
A “black-covered book” was one that had been purchased by a book buyer who could work only at night, obtained through certain means from somewhere other than the Mortal Realm.
Kinda love that there's a system for this! I wonder what kind of books they usually are. Posthumous autobiographies?? ;D And what places "other than the Mortal Realm" exist other than the Netherworld??
Given that, how had this book about ancient gods wound up among the books about Nüwa’s creation of humans and how she had repaired the sky? Was it pure coincidence, or had someone predicted that Zhao Yunlan would be looking up that information?
I initially thought this was a counter-action to whoever's been hiding the info about Kunlun. Now I suspect I'm right and I know who it is, but I'm going to wait for chapter 7 to see.
Aww, ZYL staring at his phone while he misses Shen Wei. He doesn't know what to do, but he cannot stand to be apart.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Zhu Hong beat him to it. “Do you think I’m degrading myself, following you around after what happened earlier?” After a beat, Zhao Yunlan said, “I was just going to remind you to wear your down jacket.”
I feel like he's just helping her save face here, right?
The fact that the lanterns outside the store are labelled "Soul-Guarding" made me ????????. (I got a little confused, because I thought they were going to that store to make enquiries, but they immediately head to the Netherworld. Did they stop in at the store to ask, and the novel just elides that? Or was that never the plan to start with?)
I really like ZYL questioning the "Soul-Guarding Order" that he's just taken for granted all this time. What does it meeeeean?
Little oil lamps stood on either side of the road, similar to streetlights. There was one of these “soul-guarding lamps” every three meters or so, each giving off a tiny glow that cast long shadows. Spider lilies bloomed in vivid red, coloring the path in clusters.
Ohh, I just really love the whole description of the Huangquan Road. It's beautiful! I think this is my favourite imagery in these chapters. <3
And then I hit "Some time back, Zhao Yunlan had read a travel diary", and my head exploded. LOL! Whose travel diary? Why are they writing about the Netherworld? Is it in disguise as SF/F? What is happening?
The glow of those lamps cleansed a soul of everything that connected them to the Mortal Realm.
Oh, that's cool! (Presumably doesn't work on living beings?!)
Zhao Yunlan’s face was deathly pale. He swallowed, choking down the blood welling up in his throat.
Ahh, in the novel it's ZYL who (nearly) coughs blood! (Wait, why am I getting deja-vu writing this? *blinks*)
The Leaves of Illusion seem so ~convenient~. (On my first read of the novel, when I got to this part I noted, "An endless supply of convenient doohickeys.") But at the same time, if he didn't have them, he couldn't go here, and he clearly needs to for work and has before, so. Okay.
Shen Wei’s harsh treatment of himself bordered on abuse. He seemed absolutely unwilling to take his own nature into account.
Yes! ZYL sees it. (And needs to see it, so he can move forward, right?)
Love Zhu Hong calling ZYL racist for trying to send her home (even if I think practicalities aren't the same as bigotry; if her yang energy really is a problem, maybe she shouldn't be there).
Daqing jumped down from Zhao Yunlan’s shoulder and led the way. Black cats and black dogs were all beings of both tremendous yin and tremendous violence. Any little ghouls who laid eyes on one would instinctively give them a wide berth, so having a black cat along was like having a police car to clear the way. It made sneaking into Ghost City easy as pie.
LOLOL! Does it still count as sneaking then?
The crone with the longevity cake is so creepy. shivers
“The book most likely came from this store,” the black cat said, looking back at them. “This family reincarnates once every sixty years, the yin alternating with the yang. The person in the yang realm guards the entrance to the Huangquan by the pagoda tree while the person in the yin realm minds the general store in Ghost City.”
That is such a cool system! But does it mean they don't lose their memories when they reincarnate? Maybe they bribe someone... Anyway, I love everything about the bookshop, and am now so sad we didn't get a Dixing bookshop in the drama, when ZYL was looking for the Dijun's Register.
ZYL is so polite to the proprietor (and has clearly prepared for the eventuality of coming here, unless he's bluffing about the meat) -- is he just treading carefully here so nothing goes wrong? Or is he only careless of spirits who've done something wrong or trespassed where they're not supposed to be? I feel like he's been kind and polite before, but I can't remember when. brainfail
I love the reveal that Zhao Yunlan is leaving mysteries for himself!! :DDD
“I was struggling to stay on top of my secret duties as Guardian and going to class at the same time.”
WAIT. WHAT? bb!ZYL was
the slayerdoing Guardian stuff as a teen?? (Also, I'm pretty confused now about the SID. Did ZYL's dad found it or revive it for ZYL's benefit? (Or was that Shennong's Bowl who did that?)the effect was a bit creepy
LOL at the understatement. :D
Zhao Yunlan went very still as he processed what she was hinting at: that the Zhao Yunlan who’d originally bought the book had looked much the same as he looked now.
Mysteries and shenanigans, wheee! :D :D :D
ZYL finally realising sexist is bad and maybe he should have been teaching ZH stuff all long. *facepalm*
OMG, the two-faced ghost is so wonderfully creepy and Miyazaki!! (It took me a little while to realise it had been sent by the Magistrate -- it's all part of the trap, and that's why the gate is shut! Which, wait, ZYL set for himself by leaving the book where he knew he'd find it?? That can't be right, can it? *waits for this to untangle itself*)
“Do you want humanity or inhumanity? You must choose. Do you want to walk the Mortal Realm or tread the paths of ghosts? You must choose. Do you want the world above or the abyss beneath? You must choose.”
False dichotomies! Refuse to choose, ZYL!!
A massive python appeared at his side as Zhu Hong shifted into her true form, lashing out at the swarming ghosts and swallowing four or five in a single bite.
Are they edible? I wonder what they're made of. Hope they don't make her sick!
but wave after wave of little nuisances added up to big trouble.
Truth, lol.
What is a snake's "vulnerable spot"?
Even as the ghost disappeared into the wind, it still craned its neck and stuck out its tongue to try and get a taste of the fresh blood and flesh.
Aww, the little ghouls just want some fresh meat. *pets them*Eww! /conflicted ;-)Awwww, ZYL protecting SW's coat. He is so far gone, there's srsly no going back. *hearts*
And then ZYL, in his desperation sets the whole place alight, and I go, "Lol. Stealth. A quiet little in-and-out-job."
All the ghouls who had gorged themselves on the fire transformed into wingless bird people. Stomachs distended, they flew into the sky, where they exploded.
Growing wings seems pretty random, but I'm loving the concept anyway. :D
As soon as Zhao Yunlan had the whip in hand, a strange energy gathered there—unfamiliar at first, but less so by the moment. The power felt as though it had always been his, as if it was part of him. Something deep inside him was stirring, quickly awakening.
Ahh, the Magistrate's plan is working!!
A sudden blow struck the closed gates behind him. A figure clad entirely in black strode through the resulting person-shaped hole without so much as lowering his head.
LOL, it's a cartoon! :D
When Zhu Hong catches the whip in her mouth, do you think that's deliberate or an injury? I'm assuming the former.
A great boom annihilated nearly half the city’s inhabitants.
Oof, the collateral damage! /o\ (Also, is this drama!SW's power surge at the wedding?)
And haha, ZH is so pleased and grateful to see the Emissary. She doesn't know!
Then, with no concern for their surroundings, he wrapped his arms around the black-cloaked figure, who was feared and revered by all, and pulled him into a hug. In a hoarse rasp, he said, “Just come home.”
\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/