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sid_guardian2025-07-05 08:12 pm
facethestrange) wrote in sid_guardian2025-07-05 08:12 pm
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Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Chapters 17 & 18
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 Q ingxi 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!
no subject
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?)
no subject
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
no subject
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.
no subject
Oh, thank you for pointing it out! (Now I'm even more confused but at least I have more information too, lol. :D)
no subject
Maybe the rushing water is magically occurring as part of the dome?
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(no subject)
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He is indeed. :D These are not Bai Yu's eyes, but hey, from these descriptions I like them a lot regardless. :D (And Shen Wei's eyes are definitely Zhu Yilong's, lol. :D "Shen Wei’s eyelashes were very long. With his head bowed, his features appeared delicate. The shape of his eyelids was so perfectly defined that they might have been drawn on. With every blink, his lashes fluttered ever so slightly, and Zhao Yunlan’s heart fluttered along with them.")
"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?"
Now I'm even more confused, lol, because your explanation sounded perfect, but as
"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"
I love this way of looking at it. :D :D And I'd love to adopt this interpretation, but there are some more lines where the narration seems to say that he's objectively off-putting ("But upon closer inspection, the now-unmasked “Shen-laoshi’s” skin was slightly paler—abnormally pale, in fact. It was a white that bordered on blue, as though he had been soaked in formaldehyde. The skin tone was cold, somehow carrying resentment and yin energy. It made his face, which should have been so handsome, seem like a piece of skin draped over a skull."), and that doesn't really vibe with both Kings of the Gui being described as "ethereally lovely" before? (And it doesn't sound like just his 'evil'/malevolent expression either.) But now that
no subject
Haha, they are! Don't worry Yunlan, we understand how you feel XD
huh?
Yeah that sums it up XD
I need a sketch for that scene...
his face, which should have been so handsome, seem like a piece of skin draped over a skull.
It sounds like he looks like the zombie of a beautiful person. Has he lost weight? I still think you could interpret the uglyness as a sense if wrongness and resentment rather than literal.
The idea that his appearance has changed or is deteriorating also makes sense to me, though.
no subject
I still think you could interpret the uglyness as a sense if wrongness and resentment rather than literal.
Me too, especially since we're in Lin Jing's pov.
*waits to see if there's more explanation later* :-)
no subject
Lol ikr, so relatable. :D :D :D
"I need a sketch for that scene..."
Same, or a diagram would do too. xD
"It sounds like he looks like the zombie of a beautiful person."
This is such a good description, exactly what it feels like to me! And I just put it together with an earlier line where his voice is described as hoarse and broken, which at least to me feels disproportionate to the damage to his neck. All of this makes me feel he is currently ill/weakened/deteriorating.
no subject
Yes! It's kind of amazing how perfect it is.
no subject
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
no subject
Omg, this is amazing, because I was thinking of the Regent. :D :D So both the drama and the novel have two not-quite-hit-by-a-car scenes! (And then there's novel Wang Xiangyang who actually got hit by a car.)
"If that was the case, would he carry it in his pocket, given how nervous he is?"
Hah, true, it probably can't hurt him by design! (Still, accidentally holding it by the wrong end sounds worrying. xD)
"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."
Imo destroying the Soul-Guarding order is framed as the wrong (or at least extremely reckless) thing to do, and it has immediate negative consequences - he can't fight Ghost Face successfully enough. Cutting off Shen Wei's hand wouldn't have been ideal either, of course, but it doesn't make ZYL's decision right.
"Oh no, I just realised: his hand is REALLY DIRTY right now, and he's all "JUST CUT IT OFF!!!!" /o\ /o\ /o\"
This on the other hand, omg YIKES, what a fantastic point!!
"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.
It is definitely a very plausible headcanon, and may as well be proven canon, but for now in my personal headcanon I'm not as quick to give Shennong the benefit of the doubt here. :)
"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."
Oooh, probably! The plant was a good reminder, and there's so much more of it throughout the novel. ♡♡♡ Off the top of my head: healing Zhao Yunlan's palm after the Ghost Army summoning, and Shen Wei's mark on Zhao Yunlan's soul ("Shen Wei extended a finger and gently tapped Zhao Yunlan between the brows. Reflected in Shen Wei’s eyes, Zhao Yunlan saw a golden light flash on his own forehead. “Your soul bears my mark.”")
"And now I'm wondering about drama!SW, who survives a chest icicle for much longer than a human would."
He is stronger than an average person, but it also depends on what exactly got pierced. If it doesn't say it's his heart (? I don't remember) then I'd say it's mundanely plausible. If it is his heart (or lungs), then who knows what kind of relevant power he has. :D
"I think if it was just the same waters as above, it wouldn't be cascading??"
(I'm keeping it in this thread just to keep my confusion mostly in the same place. xD)
What confused me the most is that they're right under the Merit Tree and Lin Jing is sitting against the Sealing Rock, which is exactly where Zhao Yunlan saw his memories, and where Wei and Kunlun were sitting, and probably also exactly where SW was repairing the Seal - there isn't any type water in this place in any of those scenes?
(And then, as you said, in the next chapter it says that it's the Wangchuan waters? /even more confusion)
Waaaaait, is this because Ghost Face is currently messing with the Seal?? Lol, I type out my confusion and suddenly new things occur to me. xD Then it could definitely be a whole new waterfall, or the Wangchuan falling apart, or anything else that just sprung into existence. :D
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Omg, this is amazing, because I was thinking of the Regent.
Oh, ha, I didn't even think of that.
Imo destroying the Soul-Guarding order is framed as the wrong (or at least extremely reckless) thing to do, and it has immediate negative consequences - he can't fight Ghost Face successfully enough. Cutting off Shen Wei's hand wouldn't have been ideal either, of course, but it doesn't make ZYL's decision right.
Maybe I just feel that way because ZYL is acting out of protectiveness rather than anger.
but for now in my personal headcanon I'm not as quick to give Shennong the benefit of the doubt here. :)
Hee! Fair.
He is stronger than an average person
He is, but he's also badly weakened at that point, both from energy corruption and prolonged torture.
What confused me the most is that they're right under the Merit Tree and Lin Jing is sitting against the Sealing Rock, which is exactly where Zhao Yunlan saw his memories, and where Wei and Kunlun were sitting, and probably also exactly where SW was repairing the Seal - there isn't any type water in this place in any of those scenes?
Great point! This makes me assume it's part of the magical imprisonment. But good point that the breaking Seal could have changed how the water is behaving. For sure! (But I don't really get the sense that SW is underwater, though.)
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True!
"This makes me assume it's part of the magical imprisonment."
Oh, that's another good idea! Surround the mortal with water. :P
"But I don't really get the sense that SW is underwater, though."
I think he is (there's another description even later that will make it even more confusing, because more confusion is exactly what this setup needs xD), but also I actually have no idea how any of this works, so I'm curious how you see it? Why is Shen Wei "somewhat obscured by the Wangchuan waters"? (SW being underwater makes nooooo sense tho, no matter how canon it may be. xD For one, as
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Why is Shen Wei "somewhat obscured by the Wangchuan waters"?
Because Lin Jing has to look through a curtain of water/waterfall to see him?
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I didn't feel ZYL was framed as right exactly, but the narrative definitely didn't judge him the way it did SW!
Oh no, I just realised: his hand is REALLY DIRTY right now, and he's all "JUST CUT IT OFF!!!!" /o\ /o\ /o\
OH NO!!!!! OUCH!!!!! /o\
And now I'm wondering about drama!SW, who survives a chest icicle for much longer than a human would.
True ... I'd never really thought about that before! He has so many Dixing powers, and even as weakened as he is, maybe he still has just enough juice for one to keep him alive here.
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He has so many Dixing powers, and even as weakened as he is, maybe he still has just enough juice for one to keep him alive here.
Yeah, that must be it. And maybe Ye Zun deliberately didn't completely kill him because he wanted to absorb his life force, not let it dissipate?
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Though otoh, Ye Zun is not thinking very rationally at that point and could easily have screwed up and killed him by accident. /o\
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Oh, good point, people almost getting run over by cars is a repeated thing in both! I hadn't even noticed.
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, that was my thought too!
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.
Yes! Exactly! :D
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)?
Very good questions! I hadn't thought about them being imprisoned first as an option, but it could have started that way ... maybe we'll find out?
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
Idk if it's specifically to do with the promise, and yeah, that hasn't been explained! Also I have no idea how much ZYL knows about what him being the Guardian actually means - I for sure don't know at all!
I wonder if he realizes that this alone makes him a lot less dark than he thinks. :P
Oof, yeah, very good point!
Also nice foreshadowing with Shen Wei saying that cutting his heart out is not going to kill him!
Oh, that's a great catch, you're right! That comes together so well. :D
He has the power of IDGAF. ♡♡♡
LOL! :D
I know the Lantern/Lamp thing is not even there yet, but this unrelated sentence reads so much like bringing light to Dixing!
You're completely right, I wonder if that's where it comes from?
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?
I'm very glad I'm not the only person confused by the water/not-water scenario! It hadn't occurred to me that it might have something to do with Lin Jing essentially being an ordinary mortal. Maybe that's it? I have no clue, LOL.
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
Yes! It's amazing that they managed to make that happen in such a completely different way, while still the basic elements!
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
THANK YOU! It's so confusing ...
This quote has always been so weird to me because both of the Kings of the Gui are supposed to be incredibly beautiful.
I figured maybe some of what Ghost Face has done to break the seal has hurt him, so he looks unwell?
I genuinely don't understand most of the other explanations (especially the ones about the Soul-Tempering Cauldron)
Again, thank you! I'm always relieved when it's not just me unable to follow, LOL.
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?)
Ooh! I have no idea, but I'll be paying attention to this in case it comes up again!
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Lol yeah, idk about him, but I definitely don't know either. :D
"I figured maybe some of what Ghost Face has done to break the seal has hurt him, so he looks unwell?"
Oh, this is such a good theory! Especially where he says "If I consume you, do you think I could break through the whole Seal?", it sounds like he maybe had to forcefully squeeze through in some way, like the opening in the Seal was not big enough even for him alone? He could be harmed by that.
I also thought later last night that maybe it's caused by him simply being outside the Seal - it may be taking effort to be where he's physically/magically not allowed to be. And maybe that's also why it says that Shen Wei is unaffected by the Seal - he's been officially freed so he doesn't have to feel its pull?
"I'm always relieved when it's not just me unable to follow, LOL."
*HIGH FIVE* :D
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I also thought later last night that maybe it's caused by him simply being outside the Seal - it may be taking effort to be where he's physically/magically not allowed to be.
OHHHH now that you say it, that makes me wonder if his current state outside the Seal is comparable to Ye Zun's energy projection when he partially escapes the Pillar! Ghost Face's skin is even described as "a white that bordered on blue", and Ye Zun is a blue energy projection. :D
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Ohhh, that's a great catch! That has to be it. :D :D :D
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