Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Chapters 17 & 18

[facethestrange]

Hi, and welcome to this week's installment of the Guardian novel readalong! ♡

Here are last week's chapters, and you can find all previous discussions in the schedule posts (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5), or via the !readalong tag.

This week's chapters:

• Chapter 17: Guo Changcheng can't get ahold of the rest of the team, and drives alone to the nearest town. An angry crowd is begging the police to find their loved ones who went missing at Spring Harbor Resort. Guo Changcheng manages the crowd and promises them that the SID is already on the case. Zhao Yunlan's sacrifices some of the true Soul-Guarding Order to save Shen Wei. Shen Wei defeats the Chaos shadow that chased them, but Ghost Face stabs him in the heart with an icicle and takes him away, demanding that Zhao Yunlan brings him the Soul-Guarding Lamp in exchange.
  



• Chapter 18: Zhao Yunlan asks the Magistrate to take him to the Reincarnation Cycle in order to awaken Kunlun's spirit. Lin Jing regains the use of his senses and finds himself imprisoned at the Seal, surrounded by youchu. Ghost Face brings Shen Wei there too, and shackles him to the Merit Tree. Shen Wei is in pain, but he mocks Ghost Face and reveals that he's always had the power over the Mountain-River Awl, and that he has tracked Ghost Face and manipulated his actions. Ghost Face attacks him with the icicle again and Shen Wei passes out.
  

The corresponding chapters in the Chinese version on JJWXC/the fan translation are 98-99.


Excerpts:

1) Xiao Guo manages the crowd

If it were Director Zhao, what would he do? If it were Chu-ge, what would he do?

He couldn’t let these people go to the resort. It was too dangerous. Guo Changcheng suddenly took two steps forward and stood on the curb. “Everyone! Everyone!”

The crowd quieted.

He held his work ID up high. “I’m here from the Special Investigations Department in Dragon City. We specialize in very important, serious cases. Our boss has already rushed to the scene with our very best elite personnel, and he sent me here to explain the situation to you all.

“We haven’t found any signs of your loved ones yet, but we also haven’t had terrible news. We are already doing absolutely everything we can to search for them. Right now, the best thing you can all do to help is to cooperate with the comrades here at the police station while they record all the details. Just absolutely do not go anywhere near the resort. If you do, you’ll make things harder for the rescuers, who’ll have more trouble finding the victims.”

He had never spoken so much in a single breath before. In that instant, Guo Changcheng felt like he wasn’t fighting alone.

His heart felt warm and toasty, as if a flame were burning within him. Cupping his hands together, he bowed to everybody around him.



2) Zhao Yunlan's burns the Soul-Guarding Order

“That’s the power of Chaos. It’s the only thing the Soul-Executing Blade can’t cut through. Nothing will work but to cut my arm off. Do it quickly!”

Zhao Yunlan ignored him and carefully sheathed the blade. Then he got out a paper talisman of the Soul-Guarding Order. With a snap of his fingers, a small spark burst forth, and he sent the blazing talisman shooting straight into the mist…

…And the talisman disappeared. Not a speck remained.

“Cut off my arm!” Shen Wei yelled.

Zhao Yunlan acted like he didn’t hear him. Next, he took out the true Soul-Guarding Order, carved from the Great Divine Tree itself, which he had brought along specially.

Alarmed, Shen Wei said, “You can’t—”

But before Shen Wei could finish speaking, Zhao Yunlan proved that actions were faster than words. The Soul-Guarding Order, made from the wood of the Great Divine Tree, began to burn. The flame rose a third of a meter into the air, burning an unnatural red. The black mist ensnaring Shen Wei’s arm finally shrank back in fear.

Regaining the use of his arm, the first thing Shen Wei did was grab the burning Soul-Guarding Order. Still holding Zhao Yunlan close, he dodged around the swamp-like mist. A pool of clear spring water welled up in his palm, extinguishing the fire on the Soul-Guarding Order, but half of the words were already burned off. Only the right half of the characters were still legible. The words on the back—“Guard the souls of the living, bring peace to the hearts of the dead”—were entirely gone.



3) Ghost Face kidnaps Shen Wei

Squeezing the words out from between his teeth, Zhao Yunlan said, “Let. Go. Of. Him.”

“Him? He and I were born as twin Kings of the Gui. You know, even though circumstances left us so incompatible, I still had no desire to hurt him. He was the one who drove me to it, every step of the way.” Pausing between each word, Ghost Face continued. “If you want him, fine. Bring me the Soul-Guarding Lamp in exchange.”

Who the fuck even knew what a Soul-Guarding Lamp was?

Zhao Yunlan’s handsome face clouded over. “If you were smart, you’d jam an icicle in my chest too. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you never have a moment’s peace for all eternity.”

Through broken peals of laughter, Ghost Face replied, “If you were Kunlun-jun, I’d gladly die here today if it meant ending your existence, but…”

He quivered once, violently, and the Soul-Guarding Whip, which no longer had the Great Divine Tree’s protection, shattered into innumerable fragments. The force of it cut Zhao Yunlan’s palm open to the bone. “My dear Guardian, you truly have nothing to fear from me.” Ghost Face sighed. “I’m grateful for your soul fire, and thanks to his influence, I can’t help but…like you a little. There’s no harm in letting you live.”

There came another sharp laugh. Black mist filled the air, and just like that, both Ghost Face and the cocooned Shen Wei were gone.



4) Lin Jing talks to the youchu

With a gulp, Lin Jing forced a sad attempt at a smile. “U-um, I only just got here. I didn’t know we had a rule against reciting scriptures. K-kindly forgive me. I’ll correct my ways at once.”

The youchu nearest to Lin Jing greedily came even closer. It raised its nose and sniffed hungrily at his scent of fresh flesh and blood.

Lin Jing was about to cry. “I haven’t bathed in three days! Comrade, be mindful of your manners!”

The youchu’s mouth gaped open, preparing to bite—only for a more humanlike youchu to suddenly grab the back of that one’s neck, reacting to the gall of it daring to claim food for itself. This higher-ranked youchu twisted its fingers, separating the inferior youchu’s head from its body. The head hung there, dangling like a grotesquely shaped wind chime.

The one that had casually killed its own kin tore an ear from the corpse and gobbled it up without even a splash of soy sauce or vinegar. Then it generously threw the corpse a short distance away. The corpse was immediately swarmed by youchu, which descended on it as if it were a holiday feast. Less than half a minute later, barely even a scrap remained of the dead youchu’s skin or bones.

Gawking, Lin Jing murmured, “My Buddha is merciful. Please reflect on your table manners, benefactors.”



5) Shen Wei mocks Ghost Face

Even nailed to the Ancient Merit Tree, Shen Wei still laughed at him. The laugh was weak but mocking. “What, has your scheme with the Four Hallowed Artifacts failed already? What happened to the Reincarnation Dial? Did it turn into an ordinary rock in your hands?”

Ghost Face’s eyelid twitched violently. He slapped Shen Wei across the face, and his brother’s head snapped to the side with the force of it. The blow broke the skin inside his mouth on his gritted teeth.

Shen Wei spat the blood out, then said, “The Reincarnation Dial was made from the Three-Life Rock, and the Three-Life Rock and the Ancient Merit Tree are each connected to one of every person’s seven corporeal souls. They are connected through the souls of the living. Only the Mountain-River Awl contains both yin and yang within itself as one.

“The Awl can trap anything in the world. I lured you out with it and put a tracking spell on you. Then, exactly as I expected, you brought out the Soul-Tempering Cauldron, and then the Merit Brush, where everyone could see. The most important hearthstone under the Soul-Tempering Cauldron is from the Three-Life Rock. As for where you found such a fragment…I don’t even need to guess. The moment the Merit Brush appeared in the world, I found the Reincarnation Dial and put it in the Mountain-River Awl. How do you suppose that cauldron ended up in your hands so easily? Did you really think yourself so lucky that someone would just give you a pillow the moment you felt sleepy?”

Mountain-River Awl… The Mountain-River Awl was in your hands all along? You were the one who planned for it to appear in Qingxi Village?”

“Can’t you read? ‘Mountain-River.’ ‘Mountain-River.’ The thirty-six mountains begin with Kunlun Mountain. I inherited the Mountain God’s power and an inherent connection to the ten thousand great mountains. Why would I fight you for something…that has always been in my hands?” Cold sweat dripped into Shen Wei’s mouth. Unbothered, he licked his lips. “One more thing you might want to know. Remember the bait you used to lure me here? That wisp of Chaos you took from your own body? Where do you suppose it is now, after I sucked it away?”



Questions:

Are you as surprised by Xiao Guo's bravery and competence as he is? What do you think about Zhao Yunlan's decision to sacrifice the Soul-Guarding Order? What's your favorite comic relief moment? Favorite angsty moment? Any thoughts about the many parallels between these chapters and their drama adaptation?

You can answer as many or as few questions as you like, or just comment without answering any of them at all! And if you see this post and you're not actually reading the novel, I would love to know what you think about any of this with limited context. :D

And here is the schedule, where you can sign up to host a post!

Comments

[facethestrange]

"It was as though everyone else in the world had disappeared, leaving his poor little self behind, helpless and alone and at a complete loss about what to do. Guo Changcheng pulled the car over on the roadside, where he hemmed and hawed for a good, long while before finally gathering enough courage to follow the GPS into the nearest town."

This is honestly pure bravery - feeling like this and doing the the scary thing anyway, all on his own.

"Even with someone holding on to her, she managed to trip and stumble, falling against the hood of Guo Changcheng’s car."

Hah, another person falling against GCC's car (after the 'evil' half-yao) - no wonder the drama had a scene like that too. :D

"Their corpses would be long cold by then!"

Or just straight-up not exist.

"The young officer thought that was all perfectly reasonable and made sense, but the fact remained that this was a small local police station with limited manpower. What was more, rules were rules. No matter how reasonable she thought the crowd’s requests were, she couldn’t just go against regulations. She was overcome with frustration. Tears began to swim in her reddened eyes."

Aw, I adore her, a kid just like GCC (and seemingly with a similar personality), unable to do the right thing no matter how much she wants to.

"He pulled his work ID and keys from his pocket. Flustered, he tossed his ID to the woman’s friends and family. “Take my car and drive her to the hospital!”
The relative who’d caught his badge stared at it. “Huh?”
Guo Changcheng looked at what they were holding. “Oh! Sorry, wrong thing. Take these.”"

Omg I love Xiao Guo so much. :D :D :D So relatable too!

"Guo Changcheng finished speaking and wiped his brow, which had gotten sweaty despite it being the dead of winter."

He's doing SO WELL while being so terrified. ♡♡♡

"He pressed a hand firmly against his pants pocket, afraid that his fear of people would activate the little stun baton in his pocket and accidentally hurt the innocent crowd."

This is so precious, and also wouldn't he get hurt by it if it's in his pocket, and especially if he holds it the wrong way while trying to keep it in check? (Or, since it reacts to his fear, is it designed to never harm him, only other people?) It's a very good thing that he's not as terrified as he thought he would be. :)

"But at a time like this, when he realized that the people in front of him required his help, his words always flowed far more smoothly."

I'm happy that he knows that about himself, and also that CSZ has already noticed the same thing before. :)

"It was as if he’d been born to do this."

HAH. ♡

"A middle-aged man spoke up. “Boss, can I say something?”
“I’m not the boss…” Guo Changcheng sighed. “Never mind that. Please go ahead, sir.”"

Ahhh, this is one of my favorite parts of his crowd management skills (and they're all wonderful! ♡) - if he accepts that he's seen as someone in a position of power, then what the people see is that someone powerful is now going to take care of them, finally. And that does a lot more than trying to be modest.

"We all went out and searched for her in the middle of the night, and we went back and forth along her route to work a bunch of times. And then my dad and cousin disappeared too!"

So the process of whatever-happened-there was gradual? Or were the people at the resort imprisoned before everyone got incinerated (including the people who arrived later)?

"Guo Changcheng, however, stood frozen in place for a long while, unable to believe that he had actually done it."

AW. GOOD JOB. ♡

"Shen Wei, entangled in the black mist, was suffering from a renewed case of bullheadedness and flatly refusing to let go of Zhao Yunlan no matter what. He had the Soul-Executing Blade between his teeth, and the blade’s icy glint made his lips look scarily pale. He angled his head around to turn the blade on the mist.
Zhao Yunlan grabbed the blade from Shen Wei’s mouth. “Give me that.” He took the blade, completely unique in all the world, and slashed at the black mist wrapped around Shen Wei’s arm."

They are both such chaotic, heroic disasters omg. ♡♡♡ (And also this is a very different context for Shen Wei's pale lips! :P)

"But before Shen Wei could finish speaking, Zhao Yunlan proved that actions were faster than words."

Hah, so they both do that - just a moment ago (last chapter) it was Zhao Yunlan who didn't speak fast enough to stop Shen Wei from following a terrible idea. :P

"Don’t you realize that you don’t actually belong in the Reincarnation Cycle? That your status as Guardian essentially grants you protection?"

So the Guardian's duties were part of Shen Wei's promise to Shennong? I don't think Zhao Yunlan can know that if he wasn't told. :P

“You’re the squandering fool here, ready to cut off your arm or dig out your heart at the least provocation. Do you think you’re a gecko?”

♡♡♡! :D :D :D (To be fair, he kinda is. xD)

"Just as the shadow was about to touch the hem of his robes, a piercing white light erupted from the seal in Shen Wei’s hands."

Shen Wei seems to always use light when he does any kind of supernatural thing. I wonder if he realizes that this alone makes him a lot less dark than he thinks. :P

"Ghost Face, who had been lying in wait for some unknown amount of time, thrust an icicle over a meter long through Shen Wei’s back—right into his heart."

The origin of the drama icicle. :D (Also nice foreshadowing with Shen Wei saying that cutting his heart out is not going to kill him! And this is a special icicle, which is why he's even in pain at all - just removing his heart probably actually wouldn't do anything.)

"There was a whoosh as it kicked up a fierce gust of wind, vicious enough to hurt where it touched bare skin. The nearby reapers felt like they’d been collectively slapped in the face, cheeks burning with pain where they were exposed to the air. As one, they turned their faces away and backed up as the whip wrapped precisely around Ghost Face’s neck."

With this much intro about how swift and powerful the whip is, it sure doesn't sound like a fun thing to have around your neck!

"How dare this man, Zhao Yunlan, who was clearly no more than a silver-tongued mortal, not be terror-stricken or panicked?"

He has the power of IDGAF. ♡♡♡

"he had managed to slip his other hand between the whip and his throat before the whip had wrapped around his neck entirely."

Oh, it's Ghost Face's hardened limbs again. :D

"He saw a hard light in Zhao Yunlan’s eyes, burning even brighter than the soul fire that had once brought light to the entire Place of Great Disrespect."

I know the Lantern/Lamp thing is not even there yet, but this unrelated sentence reads so much like bringing light to Dixing!

“My dear Guardian, you truly have nothing to fear from me.” Ghost Face sighed. “I’m grateful for your soul fire, and thanks to his influence, I can’t help but…like you a little. There’s no harm in letting you live.”

My beautiful messed up ship is at it again. :D :D

"His pupils held the terrifying darkness of the abyss, and his thick lashes cast a bottomless shadow over his eyes."

This is dramatic and all, but also I love how much attention is drawn to Zhao Yunlan's eyelashes in the novel. :D (I always think of Shen Wei's eyelashes, rarely Zhao Yunlan's, lol.)

“‘Little snake’? I’m a little snake?! What are you, then? In my tribe, someone your age would still be nibbling their eggshells, you mortal brat!”

This has always been one of my favorite quotes. :D :D :D And it shows how old Zhu Hong is.

"Torrents of water seemed to be cascading all around him, but some sort of invisible dome surrounded him and protected him from drowning…at least for now."

An earlier description said that the water stops once you go down to the Seal, but now there is actually a dome? Maybe the water only stops for people who are supernaturally protected (the Emissary, Zhao Yunlan with the pearl/scale) and normal mortals wouldn't survive there without a dome?

“U-um, I only just got here. I didn’t know we had a rule against reciting scriptures. K-kindly forgive me. I’ll correct my ways at once.”

“I haven’t bathed in three days! Comrade, be mindful of your manners!”

“My Buddha is merciful. Please reflect on your table manners, benefactors.”

Lin Jing is the funniest character honestly, all of these lines are GOLD. :D :D :D I'm so sorry Lin Jing that you're in distress but you're hilarious, k.

And yay, the entire drama sequence with Lin Jing suddenly having a dying Shen Wei thrown at him, while both of them are imprisoned by Shen Wei's brother. :D

"Even with his forehead dripping with cold sweat and constant tremors running through his body, Shen Wei was courteous. He gave Lin Jing a slight nod."

Aw.

"Lin Jing rushed to the edge of the invisible dome. “What’s happening? Shen-laoshi, why are you here? Who hurt you?”"

So Shen Wei is outside the dome? From Ling Jing's POV it sounds like there's only water outside the dome, but Shen Wei is presumably not submerged in water? I was so confused the first time I read these descriptions, and I still am, a re-read clarified nothing. :P

"To Lin Jing, it was as though this other person was some sort of unfortunate imitation. Perhaps this was someone who’d gotten plastic surgery to look like his boss’s so-called wife—surgery by someone rather unskilled, that was. There was no question that this person was the ugly bootleg version."

This quote has always been so weird to me because both of the Kings of the Gui are supposed to be incredibly beautiful. Even if the 'more blood-stained = more beautiful' thing is true, then it should still make Shen Wei the better-looking one of two beautiful people, it shouldn't make Ghost Face ugly.

"As he spoke, his eyes sparkled with a strange light, as though he was both reluctant and yearning at once."

Such a Ye Zun vibe!

"The blow broke the skin inside his mouth on his gritted teeth."

More drama imagery - bloody mouths!

“Can’t you read? ‘Mountain-River.’ ‘Mountain-River.’ The thirty-six mountains begin with Kunlun Mountain. I inherited the Mountain God’s power and an inherent connection to the ten thousand great mountains. Why would I fight you for something…that has always been in my hands?”

I genuinely don't understand most of the other explanations (especially the ones about the Soul-Tempering Cauldron), but this is really cool. :D

“One more thing you might want to know. Remember the bait you used to lure me here? That wisp of Chaos you took from your own body? Where do you suppose it is now, after I sucked it away?”

This is cool too, thought I don't remember what it results in, lol. (Also I'm assuming this is the equivalent of tricking Ye Zun with the dark/light energy thing?)

[autodach]

This is honestly pure bravery - feeling like this and doing the the scary thing anyway, all on his own.

Right?? Go, Xiao-Guo!

Shen Wei seems to always use light when he does any kind of supernatural thing.

Ooh, I didn't even notice!

This is dramatic and all, but also I love how much attention is drawn to Zhao Yunlan's eyelashes in the novel.

Isn't he said to have double lidded eyes, too? A lot of detail and attention for his eyes in the novel ♥️

So Shen Wei is outside the dome?

Is he??? I didn't picture the scene this way either... Maybe Lin Jing is just rushing to the other side of the dome they're both under?

This quote has always been so weird to me

I wouldn't take "ugly" literally here. It could just mean he's obviously not the real Shen Wei, or not quite as beautiful.
The Dollar Store version of Professor Shen XD

[china_shop]

Is he??? I didn't picture the scene this way either... Maybe Lin Jing is just rushing to the other side of the dome they're both under?

The start of chapter 19 makes it clear Shen Wei is outside the dome, I think. (The illustration in ch 18, while pretty, doesn't help much in terms of what's going on with the water/dome situation. ;-p)

I wouldn't take "ugly" literally here. It could just mean he's obviously not the real Shen Wei, or not quite as beautiful.

Yes, agreed. I think Lin Jing is seeing expression and "inner beauty" as much as skin-deep beauty.

[china_shop]

Hah, another person falling against GCC's car (after the 'evil' half-yao) - no wonder the drama had a scene like that too. :D

Oh, true! It's the inspiration for Bai Suxia. Great catch!

Aw, I adore her, a kid just like GCC (and seemingly with a similar personality), unable to do the right thing no matter how much she wants to.

Yes! So conscientious. *hearts*

and also wouldn't he get hurt by it if it's in his pocket, and especially if he holds it the wrong way while trying to keep it in check?

Ooh, great question. I have no idea. (If that was the case, would he carry it in his pocket, given how nervous he is?)

So the process of whatever-happened-there was gradual? Or were the people at the resort imprisoned before everyone got incinerated (including the people who arrived later)?

Great point! It couldn't have just been a single event, could it? /o\

Hah, so they both do that - just a moment ago (last chapter) it was Zhao Yunlan who didn't speak fast enough to stop Shen Wei from following a terrible idea. :P

True! But I feel like both times it's framed at ZYL being right and SW being wrong -- don't you think? ZYL is taking drastic action, but even here, SW seems driven by anger/revulsion. ... Oh no, I just realised: his hand is REALLY DIRTY right now, and he's all "JUST CUT IT OFF!!!!" /o\ /o\ /o\

So the Guardian's duties were part of Shen Wei's promise to Shennong?

I thought this was part of the metaphysical laws, rather than something Shennong was imposing? It feels to me like Shennong had to do some hacking and workarounds to shoehorn Kunlun into the Reincarnation Cycle, and the SGO was part of that.

Shen Wei seems to always use light when he does any kind of supernatural thing.

Ooh, that's a great point. I wonder if that's why they had the plant-healing a few chapters ago -- because otherwise I might just read this as fighting Chaos with light, rather than SW's actual MO.

Also nice foreshadowing with Shen Wei saying that cutting his heart out is not going to kill him!

Oh, yes! True!! :D (And now I'm wondering about drama!SW, who survives a chest icicle for much longer than a human would.)

With this much intro about how swift and powerful the whip is, it sure doesn't sound like a fun thing to have around your neck!

Great point! It's so powerful!!

I know the Lantern/Lamp thing is not even there yet, but this unrelated sentence reads so much like bringing light to Dixing!

Oooh, it really does! *hearts* :D

An earlier description said that the water stops once you go down to the Seal, but now there is actually a dome? Maybe the water only stops for people who are supernaturally protected (the Emissary, Zhao Yunlan with the pearl/scale) and normal mortals wouldn't survive there without a dome?

See my other comment. I think if it was just the same waters as above, it wouldn't be cascading??

And yay, the entire drama sequence with Lin Jing suddenly having a dying Shen Wei thrown at him, while both of them are imprisoned by Shen Wei's brother. :D

Yess!! :D

[autodach]

In that instant, Guo Changcheng felt like he wasn’t fighting alone.

Guo Changcheng is so cool in these chapters. It's very realistic that he struggles to do things for himself, but has an easier time acting for others.
Love how the fire in him is both literal and metaphorical.

Ghost Face kidnaps Shen Wei

Icicle time! I didn't remember how passionately Zhao Yunlan is defending Shen Wei and threatening Gui Mian. Delicious!

Shen Wei mocks Ghost Face

Really fun that the my-plan-all-along Villain Monologue belongs to one of the protagonists :D

[china_shop]

Guo Changcheng is so cool in these chapters. It's very realistic that he struggles to do things for himself, but has an easier time acting for others.

Yes, realistic and so on-brand. I love that so much. :D :D :D

Really fun that the my-plan-all-along Villain Monologue belongs to one of the protagonists :D

Haha, so true! :D

[china_shop]

Yayay, what a great post! I love all your quote choices. :D :D :D

I think I answered most of your questions in my reactions... ;D

Guo Changcheng pulled the car over on the roadside, where he hemmed and hawed for a good, long while before finally gathering enough courage to follow the GPS into the nearest town.

Ha, a lot of people were finding GCC relateable in vol 1 when he showed up maybe 12 hours early rather than make a phone call. Here's where I really connect with him: decision paralysis. ;-p

I love that a) he unhesitatingly gives his car to random strangers in need, and b) manages to overcome his self-doubt to impose order on this chaos. <3 <3 <3

The whole crowd exploded into speech at once; the wall of noise was like five thousand ducks simultaneously yelling at the top of their lungs.

Hee! *hearts*

That was just how Guo Changcheng was. Whenever he wanted to ask others for help, he felt like a tremendously ignorant nuisance. Naturally, that made him afraid of whomever it was, and that grew into a fear of all communication, whether speaking aloud or even just making eye contact. But at a time like this, when he realized that the people in front of him required his help, his words always flowed far more smoothly.

I love him so much.

Wait, "Spring Harbor Resort" -- is there an actual harbour nearby? Or is it "harbor" as in "retreat"?

It's a really cute scene and I love seeing GCC rise to the occasion (and ZH's presence would not have made things better at all ;-p), but wow, all these frantically worried people telling stories of their missing loved ones really drives home the cost of Ghost Face's stunt. D: D: D: D: D:

Shen Wei, entangled in the black mist, was suffering from a renewed case of bullheadedness and flatly refusing to let go of Zhao Yunlan no matter what.

LOL! (Is there an equivalent to this in the drama? I can't think of one.) And ahh, ZYL using SW's blade -- it took me a moment to realise that he does that to break the pillar chains -- also in vain.

I find SW's insistence on having his arm chopped off and ZYL's "you're not a gecko" really funny, and I don't know if I'm meant to.

And then ZYL burns the Guardian Treaty the Soul-Guarding Order (instead of Ye Zun doing it). o.O That has got to have some consequences.

When it says "The black mist ensnaring Shen Wei's arm finally shrank back in fear." it really sounds like the chaos is sentient, huh.

Also, now I'm going wait, is (the spirit of) the Soul-Guarding Order actually made of the parts of Kunlun's soul that were "cleaned away" so he could enter the reincarnation cycle? Is that why the order belongs to ZYL and he belongs to it? I've forgotten everything, lol.

Expression dark, Shen Wei said, “Don’t you realize that you don’t actually belong in the Reincarnation Cycle? That your status as Guardian essentially grants you protection? This was carved from the Great Divine Tree’s bark, and you…you…”

Oof! But burning something so sacred and irreplaceable to save someone (and worrying about the consequences later) is so very ZYL. <3

Behind them, the black shadow kept giving chase. It was as thick as ink that was impossible to dilute, and wherever it passed, nothing remained. The shadow swallowed everything …almost as though it could swallow even emptiness itself. It was true Chaos.

And the gui are literally made of Chaos and Kunlun's soulfire, right? But the youchu don't seem to have any of these characteristics. We've seen them before in the Mortal Realm without any wider ill effects. *so confused*

Did SW diving into the crack in the ground get adapted into SW letting himself be swallowed by the energy seal in YOHE? And him levitating into the air happens in ep 12 when he's intimidating Tan Xiao in the park.

Oof, the icicle. :-(

The Magistrate was so filled with woe, he was on the verge of vomiting. Five hundred years earlier, when the Great Seal had first shown signs of weakening, the Netherworld had taken charge and gathered forces from all over to discuss the matter. Back then, a single call from the Netherworld had been enough to gather hundreds of immortals from all over, each one of them staunchly righteous. Every sentence they uttered was about “the people” and “the world,” so passionate were they about sacrificing everything for the Great Seal. But in the wake of the battle atop the peak of Kunlun Mountain, those people had disappeared en masse, as if by mutual agreement.

Aw, I have sympathy for the Magistrate here. "Politics used to be better." :-p

The Magistrate’s expression was complicated as his gaze landed on Zhao Yunlan. Cowards filled their ranks. Perhaps only those true primordial gods and demons from before Chaos had shattered could have hearts large enough to set aside their own lives for the greater good.

Clearly he has not yet met Guo Changcheng. ;-p (I love how, in the drama, the whole SID is filled with the spirit of sacrifice; I can't remember how much that's true in the rest of the novel.)

How dare this man, Zhao Yunlan, who was clearly no more than a silver-tongued mortal, not be terror-stricken or panicked?

Such indignation, hee!

Black smoke like spider silk suddenly flowed from the icicle buried in his chest, wrapping him within an enormous cocoon.

Did this become the pillar chains? (Oh no, wait, he gets tied up in the next chapter, at the Seal.)

Ghost Face blaming Shen Wei for GF's own actions -- so on-brand.

The force of it cut Zhao Yunlan’s palm open to the bone.

Oww! Srsly, OWWW. I feel like the next three chapters should be ZYL in surgery, having all his ligaments reattached. /o\

The description of Lin Jin's situation is so scary. (Is he, like, in a dome under a waterfall? The fact that the water is cascading suggests it's not a sea.) I love that his coping mechanism is to meditate his way through it and treat the youchu like anyone else. <3

The one that had casually killed its own kin tore an ear from the corpse and gobbled it up without even a splash of soy sauce or vinegar.

Yum? LOL.

And then Shen Wei arrives, and oh, okay, this is the pillar enchainment and the drama ending in one.

The Chaos Kings of the Gui had entered the world as twins, neither superior to the other. But only Shen Wei had received Kunlun-jun’s protection; he alone had attained divinity and now stood unaffected by the Great Seal…

Does that mean Ghost Face is affected? Maybe it's contorting his features.

Shen Wei laughing while held hostage made it into the drama, but here he's mocking Ghost Face and revealing even more machinations; in the drama, he's smiling at the strength and determination of the SID, iirc. <333

OMG THERE ARE TOO MANY MAGICAL ITEMS! I'm so confused. *gives up trying to follow things* ;-p