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sid_guardian2025-07-20 11:58 pm
trobadora) wrote in sid_guardian2025-07-20 11:58 pm
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Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Chapters 21 & 22
Welcome aboard for this week's chapters of our Guardian readalong!
Here are last week's chapters. You can find all previous discussions on the schedule post (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5), or via the !readalong tag.
This week's chapters:
- Chapter 21: The Yanluo Kings want to use Zhao Yunlan's heart's blood as the Guardian Lantern's wick, but the yao storm the Yanluo Courts under the leadership of Fourth Uncle, and likewise the daoists and assorted other immortals who were present at Kunlun Mountain. Ghost Face and various gui break free from the Wangchuan, and Shen Wei's trap is sprung. Zhao Yunlan half learns, half figures out Shen Wei's plan, and Zhu Hong clarifies Zhao Yunlan's feelings for Shen Wei. Ghost Face blows himself up.
- Chapter 22: Guo Changcheng and Chu Shuzhi fight various youchu (including the fake rogue cultivator) with the combined might of fear stick and zombie powers, then escape to the top of the mountain, but end up in trouble there again anyway. Meanwhile, Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan and Lin Jing run into Daqing, escape from the Netherworld, and find SID and other people waiting for them. Shen Wei plans to re-seal the Four Pillars with the Hallows, and Zhao Yunlan tells Shennong's mortar to take his place and take care of his parents. Everyone comes together to help Shen Wei.
Excerpts:
1) Zhu Hong defends Zhao Yunlan against the Yanluo Kings' designs
With only the barest hint of a smile, Zhao Yunlan looked back at them. Zhu Hong, on the other hand, exploded. The lower half of her body transformed into a giant snake's tail, coiling around Zhao Yunlan. The delicate corners of her eyes elongated to reveal a cold-blooded animal's vertical pupils. "Don't you know he's just a mortal?" she demanded.
Unfazed, Zhao Yunlan answered for them. "They're not blind. Of course they know. Besides, would they dare try to force my hand like this if I weren't mortal?"
Zhu Hong's scales were as red as blood; when she hissed in fury, her scarlet forked tongue flickered out. "Why not just say you want to take his life?!"
Zhao Yunlan snorted. "Just think how bad that would sound."
"All mortals age and die," chorused the Ten Kings. "It is a normal part of the Reincarnation Cycle."
That's right. It's nothing but a mortal body! Can't you give it up to save the world?
2) Shen Wei is caught out
A storm cloud descended on Zhao Yunlan's face. "Shen Wei, get the fuck out here!"
In response, Shen Wei slowly slipped out from behind the chamber's massive stone door. He looked far more anxious now than he had a moment ago during all his scheming and plotting.
When Zhao Yunlan's gaze fell on the crusted blood on Shen Wei's chest, his fist clenched hard enough that veins popped out on the back of his hand. He looked like he wanted to hit Shen Wei.
Instantaneously, Lin Jing reacted, grabbing Zhu Hong and covering her mouth as soon as Shen Wei appeared. Despite her confusion, he pulled her off to the side.
Zhao Yunlan stayed silent for a long time, and Shen Wei's anxiety grew by the second. Finally, Zhao Yunlan spoke. "Shen Wei."
Shen Wei was instantly reminded of Zhao Yunlan's exhausted words after he'd seen through Shen Wei's deception in the Great Divine Tree: "If you keep doing this, I'll really be angry with you." Panicked, Shen Wei took a step toward him.
"Stay over there," Zhao Yunlan said, voice very low. "Don't come over here yet. It's not time for you to reveal yourself."
3) Zhu Hong and Shen Wei have a rapprochement
There was an awkward silence between them until, after a while, Shen Wei suddenly spoke again. "You... You care deeply for him, don't you?"
The question made Zhu Hong feel as if something had been stuffed into her heart. "Yeah," she mumbled.
"Then... Then why did you tell me all this?"
Zhu Hong rolled her eyes. "I just want you to stop upsetting him."
Confusion flickered across Shen Wei's face for just a second. He seemed somewhat distracted. His brows knit together, and the glittering water of the pool beneath the Soul-Guarding Lamp reflected in his eyes. Zhu Hong had just about concluded that his soul had drifted away when he finally looked back and nodded at her.
"You're right," he said sincerely. "Many thanks."
4) Speech time for Ghost Face
An instant later, the mask split in two. The halves fell, revealing the face that was a gloomy mirror of Shen Wei's. Ghost Face's robe billowed like a flag in the wind, despite the still air.
"Very well," Lin Jing heard him say hoarsely. "You win. I can't beat you. You don't even deign to fight me... Very well."
Shen Wei stopped.
"You and I were born exactly the same. I don't understand how I was inferior to you. You're the solitary, noble Soul-Executing Emissary, while I'm the King of the Gui everyone wants to kill. That's all fine." Ghost Face gave a guttural laugh. "I merely hate that you're too despicable and cowardly to even fight me, instead choosing to humiliate me with these...these ants. You'll regret this! You think you've won without dirtying your hands? Yes, you'll regret this, my good brother."
5) Chu Shuzhi weaponises Guo Changcheng's fear
"Are you afraid?" Chu Shuzhi asked seriously.
Ever honest, Guo Changcheng nodded so vigorously that he looked like a chicken pecking at rice.
"Scared to death?" Chu Shuzhi continued. Guo Changcheng wiped his tears and kept on pecking. "That's good." There was zero sympathy in Chu Shuzhi's voice. "Keep it up."
That left Guo Changcheng speechless. Chu Shuzhi patted him firmly on the shoulder and adopted a creepy tone, pointing past him. "Look. What's that?"
Guo Changcheng looked where he was pointing and found himself staring straight into the eyes of a few youchu. With his fear primed by Chu Shuzhi, a bloodcurdling, inhuman scream exploded out of him. "Ahhhhhhhhhh-!!!"
6) Shen Wei addresses the crowd
Then Shen Wei addressed the crowd. "All those years ago, Kunlun-jun, the Mountain God of the Great Wild, sealed the Four Pillars. I was heir to the thirty-six mountains and rivers, but I was born in filth. I am unable to establish any connection with the Four Hallowed Artifacts, so I hope you will all lend me a hand. You'll have my deepest gratitude."
Having said that, he resumed his true appearance. He stood before them clad in the Soul-Executing Emissary's midnight robes, the full length of his hair spilling down around him. His innate demonic aura was unmistakable, as was his air of gentlemanly righteousness; a man at war with himself yet possessed of an elegance beyond compare.
No one could reject him.
7) Zhao Yunlan's request for Shennong's mortar
With his back to the pagoda tree, Zhao Yunlan glanced at the ground. All seemed completely peaceful beneath the tree, not at all as though something impossibly vast was being held down. He was out of cigarettes, so he reached into his dad's pocket and claimed the packet he found there.
He lit up, then briefly stood in silence, wreathed in smoke. After a moment, he said, "Actually, I have a favor to ask of you."
"I am at Kunlun-jun's disposal," Shennong's mortar said quietly.
"No, I mean it," said Zhao Yunlan. "I'm my parents' only son. By all rights, I should take care of them in their old age and see them off. I never imagined I'd run out of time, but here we are. White-haired elders shouldn't have to see their black-haired children off. Think of a solution for me."
More moments passed before the mortar said, "I... I confess I don't understand what Kunlun-jun means to say."
Zhao Yunlan snorted. "Don't play dumb. I think you know exactly what I'm getting at."
Shennong's mortar took a long look at him. "So in the end, is the Soul-Executing Emissary only able to uphold his vow because you've agreed to accompany him into death?"
Casually blowing a smoke ring, Zhao Yunlan asked, "Do you think I'm selling my body?"
Questions:
What do you think of Shen Wei's plans? Or of the way he acts towards Zhao Yunlan? Is it satisfying seeing all the different characters coming together again? Are you following everything that's going on? How annoyed are you that we don't learn how Lin Jing made it to the Yanluo Courts in one piece? Any thoughts about Ghost Face exploding himself, and what the drama made out of that? Which of the things that has a direct parallel in the drama is your favourite bit of adaptation?
(As usual, these are just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like!)
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Guo Changcheng’s hands were shaking like he’d suddenly developed Parkinson’s. All he could do was hug the bag tight to his chest."
This sounds like Zhao Yunlan handing him the Hallows in the drama. :D
“Scared to death?” Chu Shuzhi continued. Guo Changcheng wiped his tears and kept on pecking. “That’s good.” There was zero sympathy in Chu Shuzhi’s voice. “Keep it up.”
This is so funny and also noooooo, don't do this to this sweet cinnamon roll. xD But also what else would you do, he does have the best weapon. xD
"He ripped his jacket open, exposing an arm that had turned a weird shade of blue. He wiggled his fingers, making his joints creak stiffly, then got out a piccolo carved from bone and began to play."
I have no idea why his arm turned blue? (And does the stiffness have something to do with Lin Jing's fingers being stiff too? Or just because he's a zombie? xD)
"“I’ve already paid for my crimes,” Chu Shuzhi said. He reflexively glanced at Guo Changcheng and saw that he was too busy trying to deal with the endless swarm of youchu to listen to the conversation. Inexplicably, Chu Shuzhi found himself sighing in relief."
And not that long ago he bragged about cannibalism to scare GCC away - that's a big change!
"As a human, Guo Changcheng’s unique status among his colleagues meant that when he’d started at the SID, he’d only signed a labor contract. Since he wasn’t bound by the Order itself, he only vaguely knew about it and had never actually seen it."
Um, so in vol 1, chapter 3 ZYL says about GCC: “Besides, as soon as he was assigned, his name was on the Soul-Guarding Order. I thought he’d have some special powers!” Contradiction, or did no one tell GCC about this? xD
"Medium well."
*SNORT* What a paragraph. :D :D
"But in the next second, the hand came to rest on his head, as though comforting him. It patted his hair gently.
If a forensic scientist or other expert had been there, they might’ve been able to tell Guo Changcheng that this skeleton had belonged to a very young man, probably just over twenty years old.
The soul of the living, the heart of the dead—perhaps every corpse on the verge of turning to dust still held a fragment of a treasured memory."
At first I thought it was CSZ patting GCC's head using his
puppetskeleton, but the rest seems to imply that the skeleton did it on its own? Is it supposed to Feng Dawei?"The weird youth who’d been troubling them suddenly ripped off his human skin, revealing the huge monster underneath: a high-level youchu."
Soooo high-level youchu are VERY high-level, intelligence-wise.
"Guo Changcheng couldn’t even dial 110."
Yay, the translation kept the emergency number China-specific. :D
"Chu Shuzhi rammed the car right through the barricade, driving desperately for the peak; escaping somewhere higher up seemed to be instinctual.
After managing to calm down slightly, he recalled that, back when Buzhou Mountain had fallen, all the races were said to have climbed a certain primordial mountain in search of protection. The fragments of legend lodged in his memory seemed to be guiding him."
I would say getting the hell out of the area sounds slightly safer than getting stuck on top of a mountain that anything and anyone else can also climb to get them, but who am I to argue with ancient legends. :D
"He peeled off his drenched shirt and took a seat, half-naked."
At least GCC has something to distract him from all the scary stuff. xD xD
"Guo Changcheng got up in the second half of the night and insisted on taking his turn. It seemed unnecessary to Chu Shuzhi, but he looked at the little baton that never left Guo Changcheng’s hand, and then he leaned against the frigid wall of the cave and closed his eyes."
Aw, he has actual faith in GCC (or at least in his baton). ♡ And he does fall asleep!
"Guo Changcheng rubbed his eyes firmly, switched the flashlight on, and dropped a few more cows’ tears into his eyes."
Hah, I was right - it was cows' tears instead of a talisman so that GCC can reapply them himself. :D
"She looked dangerously close to falling off."
What would happen if the ghost fell off of the bridge? It's not like it would kill her? :P (I know they're trying to be kind to her because she's terrified, but it just doesn't sound like she's in any physical danger, is she?)
"The bridge was only meant to hold one person at a time"
That doesn't sound safe for something that is normally a ticketed attraction. D:
"They both stood sideways so Guo Changcheng could squeeze past, albeit with great difficulty."
He was afraid to even imagine the drop below the bridge, but now that there's someone to help, he's doing this. :D
"A small bow made of rainwater materialized in front of him, and he slowly pulled out a yellow talisman for summoning thunder and chasing away evil."
I like CSZ just casually making objects out of rainwater!
"A black shadow flung itself into Zhao Yunlan’s arms."
AW, worried and pissed off Da Qing is adorable?? :D And "Me-fucking-ow", lolol, which somehow sounds plausible when I try to read it as a yowl and not as words, but also I'm wondering what the Chinese version of it was, at least phonetically. :D
"Shen Wei seized both human and cat and threw them up the tree."
Lolol. (This makes it even more impressive that a while back Zhao Yunlan could make his body so floppy that it was hard for Shen Wei to pick him up. xD) Also he doesn't throw Lin Jing, lol! Who is very good at climbing trees, but ZYL and DQ are not bad at it either. xD
"By this point, he had pieced together about half of what was going on."
I love how 'no one fully understand wtf is happening' is being lampshaded so much. xD You and me both, Sangzan (and also Zhu Hong, a chapter ago). xD
"He ducked his head slightly, as if feeling a trace of shame for his sneakiness. “Extreme times call for extreme measures. My apologies.”"
Zhao Yunlan hates the hell out of the Netherworld
literally xD, I don't think he needs an apology for stealing from them. :P"“This will hurt a bit,” he murmured. “Please bear with it.”
Something pricked Zhao Yunlan’s fingertip."
This is SO SOFT omg - pricking a fingertip doesn't generally hurt. xD
"Shen Wei leaned down and sucked Zhao Yunlan’s bleeding finger into his mouth."
♡_____♡ I am nothing if not disturbingly predictable. xD :D
"Wang Zheng and Sangzan exchanged a glance, and together, they walked beneath the Mountain-River Awl."
This is honestly so brave of Sangzan, having been imprisoned in it for so long. D: Especially since they are the first ones to walk up to any of the Hallows.
"Lao-Li, who had tied a string of tiny golden fried fish to the huge bone he carried, followed Daqing."
AW. Mostly because of what happens later, and also in general. ♡
"Should Kunlun-jun no longer be in this world, I will leave your father’s body and live on as ‘Zhao Yunlan’ for you."
I like this plan a lot better when it doesn't end up actually happening. :P
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Lol. Reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean, where multiple characters just quietly switch sides, and noone ever questions it.
She just snuck in along the back lines XD
they still do, it's just that they unite against him this time. :P
Ha, he can suck it!
I'm probably missing something, but why was he trying to disguise his voice? :P
I think he doesn't want to admit he was scared?
In the fan tl, this line is very different - he talks about yelling "quietly". I'll have to bust out the Chinese version again later.
I'd rather they use this entire invisibility thing for something more fun than having a fight
Me too, hehe.
Contradiction, or did no one tell GCC about this? xD
Good catch! I guess they know he would faint if he found out XD
That doesn't sound safe for something that is normally a ticketed attraction. D:
Oh, I have absolutely been on bridges that tell you to cross one at a time. If not save, at least it's realistic.
love how 'no one fully understand wtf is happening' is being lampshaded so much.
Right? At least it's not just us XD
"Shen Wei leaned down and sucked Zhao Yunlan’s bleeding finger into his mouth."
👀♥️♥️♥️
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In the fan tl, this line is very different - he talks about yelling "quietly". I'll have to bust out the Chinese version again later."
Ahh, I didn't get it, that makes sense, thanks! :D (And also for the other versions, if you feel like checking! It's always fun to know the differences. :D)
"I guess they know he would faint if he found out XD"
Lol!! :D He seems to be very into the Soul-Guarding Order, so maybe his reaction would surprise them after all. :D
"Oh, I have absolutely been on bridges that tell you to cross one at a time. If not save, at least it's realistic."
Yikes! But then it's probably just for extra safety - I feel like if you let the general public in somewhere, you have to take into account that not everyone will follow the rules. So the actual limit is probably 3 people or something, but if they ever said it out loud, 5 people would try to cross. xD
"👀♥️♥️♥️"
IKR???? asdghsfgjdkgdjk;; This one sentence just went and hit every single one of my id buttons. ;D :D ♡______♡
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The line is 我已經捏著嗓子叫了, for which google gives me "I've already screamed at the top of my lungs". Which is different from both the fan tl and offcial tl, although imo the official seems closer to the likely actual meaning.
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Would "pinched throat" imply screaming loudly, quietly, or highly pitched?
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(Google Translate is so weird sometimes!)
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I think it's all his zombie nature coming through when he's preparing to use his zombie powers.
Um, so in vol 1, chapter 3 ZYL says about GCC: “Besides, as soon as he was assigned, his name was on the Soul-Guarding Order. I thought he’d have some special powers!” Contradiction, or did no one tell GCC about this? xD
Good point! I'll believe that they just never bothered to tell him, though. Seems like them. *g*
Is it supposed to Feng Dawei?
I have no idea, but it does sound like we're supposed to know it, right?
Soooo high-level youchu are VERY high-level, intelligence-wise.
Yes! And even the ones that don't look human can easily impersonate a human.
Yay, the translation kept the emergency number China-specific. :D
Ha, I didn't even notice because it's the same number in Germany. (I just looked it up - apparently it's only 110 in "Iran, Germany, Estonia, China, Indonesia, and Japan. Also used to reach the fire and rescue services in Norway and Turkey." And here'a a nifty map!)
What would happen if the ghost fell off of the bridge? It's not like it would kill her? :P (I know they're trying to be kind to her because she's terrified, but it just doesn't sound like she's in any physical danger, is she?)
She might just wander around down there as a ghost for ages without finding her way to reincarnation?
He was afraid to even imagine the drop below the bridge, but now that there's someone to help, he's doing this. :D
It's so Xiao-Guo! :D
And "Me-fucking-ow", lolol, which somehow sounds plausible when I try to read it as a yowl and not as words, but also I'm wondering what the Chinese version of it was, at least phonetically. :D
It's 喵了个咪的 (meowed a mi? something like that), which is apparently established net slang for surprise or astonishment.
I love how 'no one fully understand wtf is happening' is being lampshaded so much. xD You and me both, Sangzan (and also Zhu Hong, a chapter ago). xD
I don't love it but I hope it means we will get more explanations ...
This is honestly so brave of Sangzan, having been imprisoned in it for so long. D:
Yeah, that's an excellent point!
I like this plan a lot better when it doesn't end up actually happening. :P
LOL! Can't blame you there. *g*
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Ah, that's probably it, thanks!
"I'll believe that they just never bothered to tell him, though. Seems like them. *g*"
Lol, right? No one ever tells Xiao Guo anything. xD
"And even the ones that don't look human can easily impersonate a human."
And really well too! I think even CSZ didn't suspect him of being anything other than a human cultivator, even if he was super suspicious of him in general.
Thanks for the neat emergency number trivia! :D
"She might just wander around down there as a ghost for ages without finding her way to reincarnation?"
Ah, I didn't think of that - very good point, and a pretty terrible thing to happen! D:
"It's 喵了个咪的 (meowed a mi? something like that), which is apparently established net slang for surprise or astonishment."
Thanks! :D That is so adorable to take a meow-related established saying and apply it to an actual cat! :D
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Yeah, he clearly thought something was up with this guy, but I'm sure he didn't suspect him of being a gui/youchu!
(Which - what exactly is the difference? Youchu are gui, but what differentiates them from non-youchu gui? I think that was mentioned somewhere but I can't find it now. Does anyone remember?)
That is so adorable to take a meow-related established saying and apply it to an actual cat! :D
It's delightful, I love it. :D
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The lowest of them bore no resemblance at all to humans. They were like muck, rolling across the ground and feeding on rotten corpses.
Above those in the hierarchy were gui who had heads and bipedal bodies, giving them the approximate shape of humans. But they were covered from head to toe with pustules, and their features were twisted. Their nature was one of brutality. These were known as “youchu.”
And then higher than them are the Kings of the Gui.
/Good night! :D ♡
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Sleep well! ♥
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And not that long ago he bragged about cannibalism to scare GCC away - that's a big change!
Right? *smishes him*
Soooo high-level youchu are VERY high-level, intelligence-wise.
Right? And CSZ didn't notice anything particularly weird about him, either (merits and so forth). Maybe we've already met other high-level youchu who just didn't get caught!
I would say getting the hell out of the area sounds slightly safer than getting stuck on top of a mountain that anything and anyone else can also climb to get them, but who am I to argue with ancient legends. :D
LOL!!
At least GCC has something to distract him from all the scary stuff. xD xD
LOLOLOL!!! <3 <3 <3 :DDD
He was afraid to even imagine the drop below the bridge, but now that there's someone to help, he's doing this. :D
Yessss! *pets him so much*
I don't think he needs an apology for stealing from them. :P
But maybe for being sneaky in a way that excluded ZYL? Like, they could have pulled this heist together. ;-p
This is honestly so brave of Sangzan, having been imprisoned in it for so long. D: Especially since they are the first ones to walk up to any of the Hallows.
Oh, that's a really great point. Yay Sangzan!
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Oooh, fantastic point about the merits, and also YES - I didn't think of that, but it sounds very possible! Without GCC's ability to see reflections and/or without the youchu revealing themselves willingly, there doesn't seem to be a way to tell.
"But maybe for being sneaky in a way that excluded ZYL? Like, they could have pulled this heist together. ;-p"
LOL! I think ZYL would like that, yep. ;D :D
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LOL! I think ZYL would like that, yep. ;D :D
Me, too!