@AHpeng-peng:
"My interpretation was that XL used the method that would ensure that XY would never be pressured by anyone else, or even herself (as she was given every opportunity to call off the wedding with Feng Long, but still decided to go through with it), to marry someone who she didn't love and who didn't love her (and specifically would only marry if it was someone like TSJ who would love her enough to not care at all about her ruined reputation) while also thoroughly concealing his true feelings and motives from her and pushing her away from himself and towards TSJ (after re-confirming that she was still willing to marry YSQ). That dynamic seemed especially clear on XY's last day in QS town, when XL's drastic push led XY to go and visit TSJ. A visit that marked the beginning of the process of XY and TSJ starting to reconcile for the first time after the FFYY pregnancy / marriage broke them apart. "
When did this happen in the that chapter?
My impression was that all of his cold, harsh behaviour in chapter 32, from the moment he called out to XY at her wedding to the moment he left her behind in QS town, was designed to make her believe that he had no feelings for her and only viewed their relationship as transactional, to put an end to any thoughts she might still have about wanting him to remain FFB forever, to shut down whatever drove XY to send the ice crystal ball to him and to wait for him on the shore of Five Gods Mountain, and to push her towards TSJ eventhough TSJ was still married to FFYY at this point (so they could start working on resolving that problem together).
For XL to push her away from himself and towards Jing alike you said would indicate that XL though he had her and was giving her it to Jing.
By "had" do you mean had her heart?
I don't take the view that XY thought he had XY's heart. But I do take the not-very-popular view that XY had all three of the main male characters in her heart and loved each of them in different ways.
We all know that is not the case. Xl via the bug connection has always knows that XY had deep and strong feelings for Jing. He knew that he never had XY's.
I recognize that this is a YaoJing thread that may have a strong consensus on this interpretation and I respect that. And I agree that XY had strong feelings for TSJ and that XL would have been able to feel some or all of those feelings through the bug connection.
But I personally do not take the view that XL had no place in XY's heart.
XL knew that XY wanted to use him to runaway from the hurtful reality of her life. This does not mean he had her.
I think we also have somewhat different views about why XY sent the ice crystal ball to XL and what it meant, but that's okay.
Which, to me, suggests that XL, or merpeople working under XL's instructions, had already found TSJ's body and taken it to a safe place back sometime before the point when XL commissioned the blue shell and decided that he would create the blood jewel to revive TSJ.AH :
I also thought he did that, but I still don't think he was right to decide that for Xiaoyao. She would have much better chance at reviving Jing with her own methods, and that blood pearl would not have been necessary. Xiangliu had his own plans all along. He really just want to maximize everything in his grasp so the Chenrong army can have a better shot.
After he failed to kill Cangxuan, that was the point he knew the army was really doomed, especially after FL died instead and the families in the Central plains would turn against the Chenrong army. Jing was not back at the time, but I would imagine if he returned he could not bring himself to continue any donation of rations for the army that directly killed someone as close to him as his younger brother.
I don't take the view that XY thought he had XY's heart. But I do take the not-very-popular view that XY had all three of the main male characters in her heart and loved each of them in different ways.
I agree with this. That was what many of us try to communicate, Xiaoyao was ready to spend the rest of her life with the three men in her life, Cangxuan who she loved as her brother ( ranked last because she actually wanted kids ), Jing as her lover ( her first choice haha) , and Xiangliu as a bosom friend ( eating their way through Dahuang).
Unfortunately Cangxuan disqualified himself by having Jing killed towards the end, and Xiangliu disqualified himself on purpose to remove himself from her life, I suppose that is what you are trying to say? Since they are on opposing grounds and could never be on the same side.
Somehow though, I don't feel its quite the same meaning as 'Xiangliu pushed Xiaoyao to Jing' ...which suggested that he 'let him have her', if you get what I mean. Xiangliu did try to let Xiaoyao understand her own heart along the way, so he was actually a more positive influence compared to Cangxuan for me.
FTCU:
CX trying to convince XY to stop getting married to Jing cos he’s dead made me chuckle. XY’s reaction when he said even if it takes a decade or a century,she’ll be able to move on, but XY just pushed his hands away and went ahead to the altar in her wedding dress to say her vows made me smirk for some reason.
I just finished my rewatch of S1. XY then even could not get over her break up with TSJ. Watching ZWY's performance there was great - his face all expectant that she had gotten over him to being disappointed. Cannot wait to see CX's development in S2.
soTreeD:
He probably tried to kill Jing sooner LOOOL
I have kept count of the times big bro Cangxuan was hiding in dark staring at Jing ( weapons optional ) ...
There's so much great foreshadowing in both novel and brought to life in the drama. That "death stare" and dagger scene is a favorite of mine. Another is in Qingshui when the 3 of them play weiqi/chess. From there you can tell a lot about their future dynamic/relationships.
I don't take the view that XY thought he had XY's heart. But I do take the not-very-popular view that XY had all three of the main male characters in her heart and loved each of them in different ways.
XL oh XL, such a great, complex and often frustrating character. He does and says things and at surface level it appears one way but on a deeper level we as the reader/watcher have to interpret it LOL. Can't imagine how confused XY is.
To me, it's quite apparent from both novel and drama that XL has XY in his heart (it certainly develops over time and especially during the time when he is FFB). But whether XY has him in her heart (and to what degree) is always ripe for debate. My memory of novel details isn't great, but just going by the drama, I think there is a case one can make that she does entertain him in her heart as more than just a friend, especially with him as FFB. The scene when she talks to her grandfather about the kind of man she would want to be with, she is clearly referring to both TSJ and FFB. And after Left Ear is freed, she says that if only she were the one to save XL first and not Hong Jiang, things would be so different for XL, he wouldn't be bound to his godfather. XL of course snaps right back at her and she backs away and bumps into Jing. It's one of my favorite scenes in the drama for what how much it tells visually (without words).
By the end of S1, with how heartbroken XY is over Jing, I don't think it's any question about how much she loves Jing (and he her). Looking forward to seeing S2 and how the whole wedding breakup and Qingshui scenes thereafter play out.
@AH
First, the blue shell that the merman brought to keep the blood jewel safe was custom-made by a Middle Plains family (the Jintian family of master forgers that traced their lineage back to the beginning of civilization, along with the Tushan family - they also forged XY's bow and it took them 35 years to do so) specifically for the purpose of housing the blood jewel.
While the life-preserving pill that XY created for TSJ in chapter 33 clearly helped him avoid dying from the injuries that TSH inflicted on him, it couldn't protect him from every danger in the ocean. And unlike XY, TSJ cannot breathe under water.
In the six years between TSJ's disappearance and chapter 46, any number of things could have happened to TSJ's body. He could have simply drowned. He could have been eaten by a sea monster that would've been all too happy to gobble up an unconscious deity. His body could have entered a global current and disappeared to the furthest reaches of the earth. His body could have been sucked into a whirlpool like the one that XY faced in chapter 43 and torn to shreds.
But none of those things happened. Instead, XL knew where TSJ's body was and that it was possible to revive him (as it seems highly implausible that he would have had the blue shell made and made the blood jewel if he wasn't quite confident about both of those things). Which, to me, suggests that XL, or merpeople working under XL's instructions, had already found TSJ's body and taken it to a safe place back sometime before the point when XL commissioned the blue shell and decided that he would create the blood jewel to revive TSJ.
This has a point. It's just that ..things are never explained fully. When I first read it I just thought it's just another good quality piece from Jin Tian to keep the blood jewel still having full quality. Because I could not search information that this thing would take 6/7 years to make. It just seems that we have to imagine the scene just like Jing also had to figure out how the mer couple might had saved him the dangerous sea and brought him to the island.
But at least we got from Jing that how he was saved.
@soTreeD and @AH
It is fine that one don't want to see it as XL keeping Jing as to take advantage that hurt YaoJing..but if we go by the factors given by the novel... I agree with soTreeD that XL keeping Jing so long might be for politics and war purpose. Because we are getting this information through Yellow Emperor (who is the first to won over Da Huang ...through many politics tricks)
I don't think this info would be given if the author did not think of giving factors as what could affect at Jing's death. And as for how everything turned out to be managed well. The characters do the best for it. ZX had exchanged with his working harder and some risks because its going to be real time he was really losing XY to Jing, and not before this . Besides we never get factors that XL could look into the future and see what would exactly know what would happen and to do what. Theres not.
So this is much possible to me this could be the reason XL kept Jing to see how things go. And yes if Da Huang got into Chaos .. there might be some benefits for XL and Gong Gong army because the weaker the enemy might get.
XL oh XL, such a great, complex and often frustrating character. He does and says things and at surface level it appears one way but on a deeper level we as the reader/watcher have to interpret it LOL. Can't imagine how confused XY is.Sunbath12:
To me, it's quite apparent from both novel and drama that XL has XY in his heart (it certainly develops over time and especially during the time when he is FFB). But whether XY has him in her heart (and to what degree) is always ripe for debate. My memory of novel details isn't great, but just going by the drama, I think there is a case one can make that she does entertain him in her heart as more than just a friend, especially with him as FFB. The scene when she talks to her grandfather about the kind of man she would want to be with, she is clearly referring to both TSJ and FFB. And after Left Ear is freed, she says that if only she were the one to save XL first and not Hong Jiang, things would be so different for XL, he wouldn't be bound to his godfather. XL of course snaps right back at her and she backs away and bumps into Jing. It's one of my favorite scenes in the drama for what how much it tells visually (without words).
By the end of S1, with how heartbroken XY is over Jing, I don't think it's any question about how much she loves Jing (and he her). Looking forward to seeing S2 and how the whole wedding breakup and Qingshui scenes thereafter play out.
I agree with this. ^^
This has a point. It's just that ..things are never explained fully.Winny24:
True.
When I first read it I just thought it's just another good quality piece from Jin Tian to keep the blood jewel still having full quality. Because I could not search information that this thing would take 6/7 years to make.
The amount of time it would have taken to forge the shell is never specified, so we can only make an educated guess based on the circumstances.
If the shell was custom made for the jewel, then presumably it must have been commissioned by XL at some point after TSJ disappeared more than six years prior. At the same time, a custom piece forged by the Jintian family likely could not be made in a very short time. XY's bow took them 35 years to make.
It just seems that we have to imagine the scene just like Jing also had to figure out how the mer couple might had saved him the dangerous sea and brought him to the island.
But at least we got from Jing that how he was saved.
Yes after he woke up TSJ had to try to figure out how he was saved. And XL chose to use merpeople that TSJ could not communicate with, except through gestures, to better hide his involvement with the blood jewel.
I wonder if, in the years when they explored the ocean together after leaving Dahuang, XY and TSJ would have ever managed to learn the truth?
I agree with soTreeD that XL keeping Jing so long might be for politics and war purpose. Because we are getting this information through Yellow Emperor (who is the first to won over Da Huang ...through many politics tricks)
I don't think this info would be given if the author did not think of giving factors as what could affect at Jing's death.
Fair point. I thought the Yellow Emperor's warning was more focused on how CX was going to handle things, or potentially mismanage them, after killing TSJ. Like if the truth came out about CX being behind TSJ's death, or even if rumours spread about it, that really would have caused chaos and destablized things.
I do not want to talk too much about him since this is not his thread.
Good point.
We were discussing the Tushan clan's lineage, their part-deity, part not-deity origins, and the Tushan clan leader's status as king of the fox kingdom in another thread. Maybe these excerpts will be of interest here?
-----
Chapter 4:
“That snake, what happened afterwards?”
“Died!”
“You killed it?”
“No, the King of the fox tribe.”
“Nine-tailed fox?”
Xiao Liu shut his eyes. “The Nine-tailed fox wanted to kill me but the snake believed only it could eat me so it blocked the path of that vicious fox…so it ended up dead!”
Xiang Liu softly chuckled. “Interesting. And the fox?”
“I killed it.”
“You’re that powerful?”
-----
Chapter 5:
“Let me test you guys first. Other than Xuan Yuan, Gao Xing, and Sheng Nong, within the great wilderness what are the other powerful and famous clans?”
“Who doesn’t know that? Below the Three Imperial Families, on the top of the pecking order are the Four Great Clans – the Chi Shui family, the Xi Ling family, the Tu Shan family, and the Gui Fang family. Other than the Four Great Clans, in the Middles Plans are the Six Big Families. And below the Six Big Families are various moderately powerful smaller clans such as the Jin Tian family to the South, the Fang Feng family to the North….. But none of them can compare to the Four Great Clans.”
“The Tu Shan clan is based in the city of Qing Qiu. From the dawn of time until now, every generation is in trade. Their businesses blanket every part of the great wilderness. They have so much money it’s not even considered money. I hear even the imperial family of the Xuan Yuan and Sheng Nong kingdoms have borrowed money from the clan. It’s genuinely wealth that can rival a kingdom. What I’m going to say involves the Tu Shan clan.”
...
The appearance of the Tu Shan family Second Lord caused Qing Shui Town to get even more lively as people jostled for opportunities and advancement. Everyone was discussing him. Even Butcher Gao lamented to Lao Mu that all the shops on the street belonged to the Tu Shan family. Chuan Zi and Tian Er didn’t think anything of it since those people were like stars, so far above their reach. Lao Mu had his questions but one look at Xiao Liu’s calm face and it relieved him. It can’t be, it can’t be Shi Qi!
...
“He just went home, he might not be able to utilize the family money and manpower.”
“You underestimate him! Just a pallet of medicine, to him it’s nothing. Tu Shan clan does any type of business. Back then, he sold way more dangerous items to the Sheng Nong army.”
-----
Chapter 7:
“Why do we need to keep talking about him?”
“Because the Tu Shan family’s businesses blanket the entire vast wilderness, and he represents the future of the clan and that will determine whether the Tu Shan clan is my friend or foe.”
“Then you go get chummy with him, why ask me?”
“He listens to you.”
...
“Stop!” Xuan’s voice was filled with scorn, “How do you prove it was them? A lot of people in the vast wilderness can shoot an arrow, and this arrow can be bought anywhere.”
Wu Cheng thought about it and dejectedly lowered his head. If it was the Fang Feng family, then it had to be the best archer Miss Fang Feng. She could be dealt with, but behind her stood the Tu Shan clan, one of the Four Great Clans of the vast wilderness. Even an Emperor had to be wary.
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Chapter 8:
The only one left was Tu Shan Jing. The Tu Shan clan businesses blanketed the vast wilderness, including selling to the Sheng Nong resistance army. They had to have secret passages to move items in and out of town. But right now the Grand Emperor of Gao Xing and the Xuan Yuan Prince both wanted him. If Tu Shan Jing helped him, then he would be making an enemy out of the entire world. Would Tu Shan Jing be willing to make an enemy of both Xuan Yuan and Gao Xing for one little Wen Xiao Liu?
...
Xiao Liu was curious and wanted to touch, but Jing Ye slapped his hand away. “This is a doll made from the fox tail of a ten thousand year old nine-tailed fox. It’s extremely rare. The nine-tailed fox is the best at transformation and the tail is where all the power gathers. These two tails have tens of thousands of years of power. Using it to make fake people, even if the dead former Emperors came back to life with their powers they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”
...
Jing walked up to Xiao Liu. “If you change your looks, can it avoid all detection?” Xiao Liu hesitated and then nodded. Jing smiled. “Then we’ll go with the plan.”
Xiao Liu’s heart was thumping wildly. “You….you always knew I could transform my face?”
The power of transformation wasn’t a very hard power to learn, but only those with great power using it can truly transform and avoid detection. With Xiao Liu’s power, no one would believe him using the skill could avoid detection using a magical object seeker.
Jing said, “The Tu Shan clan aren’t simply from the God tribe. One of our ancestors was the far-reaching original nine-tailed fox. So the bloodline of the Tu Shan family can all transform. I have the spiritual eye and can usually see through all transformation and masking spells and powers. That was how I was able to see Ah Nian’s true face and knew to avoid her. But everything about you seems real even to me, except my instinct tells me your face is fake. So…..that is why I can’t leave you. If I leave and you disappeared, it would be without a trace.”
Xiao Liu was stunned. Jing knew all along that he was fake.
------
Chapter 9:
“One day I met a man and he candidly admitted he was a demon and was gravely injured and was seeking medicines. He talked to me so I talked to you. Initially I was very wary so I sat far from him and ran away after a few words. After a long time and I kept testing him, he never expressed any ulterior motive towards me. So I talked more to him and he wasn’t afraid of my changing face. He changed his face and I changed my face and we had a competition and had a great laugh about it. In front of him I didn’t feel like a monster, I didn’t feel scared so I gradually trusted him. One night he caught me and wanted to take me away. The snake demon got mad and wanted to stop him but he killed it. He took me to a far-off Southern place where the mountains were tall and perilous. He hid me in a remote cave where he built a nest and a cage to raise me in. He said he was the Nine-tailed fox, a hundred years ago my mother’s………friend cut one of his tails off. He was greatly injured and his powers were severely diminished. Because of my special body, he wanted to raise me for tens of years to become the best medicine.”
...
“That bastard fox demon hated my mom, and not just because my mom’s………friend injured him. It was also because my mom killed my ninth uncle and he was best friends with my ninth uncle. Whenever he thought of my ninth uncle, he would curse my mom with the most vicious loathsome insults. But mom was dead so he could only torture me. I was raised by him for 30 years, tortured by him for 30 years. One night he said that in two more full moon nights then he could eat me. He sang a sad song and got drunk and didn’t shut the cage completely. I had been devising how to run away for 30 years so I opened the cage and came out and secretly poisoned his drink then snuck back in the cage. He didn’t sense anything odd and the second day I tried to get him drunk by purposely mentioning my ninth uncle. He beat me up and started drinking again and ingested the poison that I developed from all the weird things he had been feeding me. He collapsed on the floor and returned to his true fox form. I climbed out the cage and he opened his eyes and looked at me. I picked up a knife and cut off each of his tails. After I cut off a tail, I would show it to him. His entire fox mouth was covered in blood but in his eyes was the sense of release. He closed his eyes and I lit a fire and burned the entire cave down.”
...
Xiao Liu handed the tail to Zhuan Xu. “The Nine-tailed fox is as rare a beast as the phoenix. I can transform myself so this tail has no use for me. You keep it, in the future you can use it to help you transform and break through mystic enchantments.”
...
Zhuan Xu was so angry that the anger even rubbed off on Shi Qi who carried the Nine-tailed fox lineage. “They say the Nine-tailed fox is adept at transformation. What problem does Xiao Yao have that she can’t return to her true form?”
-----
Chapter 10:
Shi Qi smiled. “I’ll take this fox tail that Zhuan Xu doesn’t want. After I create a magical spiritual object for you, I’ll give it to you.”
Xiao Liu nodded. If the Nine-tailed fox is the King of the fox tribe, then the leader of the Tu Shan clan would be the King of the fox kings. There was no one else in this world better than Tu Shan Jing who knew how to use the fox tail.
-----
Chapter 11:
Xiao Liu didn’t know how long she sat there until a person walked by and sat down beside her. The faint herbal scent wafted over but Xiao Liu didn’t turn her head because she knew that even if he saw her face, it was not her real face. She smiled at the passing boats and her heart fluttered with a small happiness.
After some moments, Xiao Liu asked “Not afraid of being followed?”
“My ancestor is the fox. There is only my following, few can track me.”
Xiao Liu remembered being captured by Xiang Liu the first time and how he found her. The second time when Zhuan Xu tossed her in prison, he again found her. He really was very adept at tracking.
-----
Chapter 16:
This was Xiao Yao’s solution to deal with Xiang Liu. The entire world was covered with the Tu Shan messenger network so if Xiao Yao had money then she could send it to Qing Shui Town. She had been sending him poisons every 3-4 months, the last time sent from Gao Xing. She wondered if Xiang Liu got it? He ought to, otherwise with his petty personality, no matter how busy he was he would find time to cause her trouble.
...
Xiao Yao didn’t know what to feel. She had been learning archery from Fang Feng Bei for 16 months and with the Tu Shan clan’s information network and her and Fang Feng Bei’s identities, Jing must have heard about it a long time ago.
...
Jing asked, “Have you ever been to Qing Qiu?”
“No, for a while I hated the Nine-tailed fox and legend has it the Nine-tailed fox came from Qing Qiu so I hated Qing Qiu as well. Twice I bypassed it.” Xiao Yao suddenly was very worried. “The Nine-tailed fox I killed, it wasn’t one of your relatives?”
“He probably was.” The Nine-tailed fox was very rare, and the few existing ones really were all relatives of the Tu Shan clan.
“What?” Xiao Yao’s mouth dropped open.
Jing couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Relative or no relative, he had it coming based on what he did to you. Even if someone told my grandmother about it, you’re still in the right.”
Xiao Yao patted her chest. “You scared the daylights out of me!”
-----
Chapter 18:
Zhi Yi was once the capital of the Sheng Nong Kingdom and was severely damaged in the battle between Sheng Nong and Xuan Yuan. The riches faded and the people suffered. A hundred years ago, Sheng Nong tribe’s Little Zhu Rong was tasked with becoming the castle warden of Zhi Yi Castle and running the entire Middle Plains. He convinced the Qing Qiu Tu Shan clan’s Grand Madam to make Zhi Yi the center of the Tu Shan businesses again. Little Zhu Rong’s wife was the daughter of the Chi Sui clan leader, and the Chi Sui clan was the head of the Four Great Clans, so with the support of the Chi Sui and Tu Shan clans within a short time Zhi Yi Castle was once again the most prosperous bustling place in all of the Middle Plains.
...
Xing Yue laughed. “I heard from my grandmother that the Xi Ling clan is also related to the Tu Shan clan through marriage a few generations ago as well. If we go down our relations, not sure if we’re cousins, or aunts, or grand-aunts.”
They had walked into a room by then and everyone laughed to hear that. Xiao Yao sighed and realized why the Yellow Emperor saw the Middle Plains as a challenge. All the bloodlines were connected and even if the clans and families were rivals, when push come to shove they would all unite against an outsider enemy. Even more surprising was to hear how powerful the Xi Ling clan and her maternal grandmother were. Everyone wanted to be related to the Xi Ling clan and Lei Zhu, and in comparison the bloodline of the Xuan Yuan Yellow Emperor was less influential here.
-----
Chapter 19:
Fang Feng Bei took Xiao Yao to a weapons store owned by the Tu Shan clan to select a new bow.
...
Jing didn’t have the heart to get rid of Hou but started clipping his wings.
During the investigation into the assassins, the shop owners of many Tu Shan clan businesses started getting replaced and this went on for three months before it ended.
The Tu Shan clan businesses extended through the vast wilderness and across all industries. Hou supported Cang Lin and Yu Yang so ever since Zhuan Xu arrived in the Middle Plains, the Tu Shan clan businesses kept tabs on Zhuan Xu and would try to undermine him.
This time Jing rearranged the clan businesses, it also took some pressure off Feng Long and Zhuan Xu.
-----
Chapter 21:
At that moment the satchel on Jing’s waist suddenly snapped and fell on the ground. Jing stared and then picked it up and felt a ominous feeling. Xiao Yao gave him this satchel! Jing’s face changed and he rushed out the door with nothing on his mind but one thought: Xiao Yao, he had to find Xiao Yao immediately.
Yi Yang and Lan Mu were both stunned and Yi Yang called out, “Jing, Jing, where are you going?”
The Grand Madam said, “Something must’ve happened. Jing can sense it but doesn’t know exactly what it is.”
Yi Yang and Lan Mu looked at the Grand Madam and she explained, “The true descendants of the Tu Shan clan bloodline possess this power. It cannot be described or explained but is a sensation of something big about to happen. From the ancient times until now, the Tu Shan clan leader may not have the strongest powers but we have become one of the most powerful clans because of this special ability which helps the clan avoid calamity.” The Grand Madam glanced at Hou and then at the Nine-tailed fox drawing on the wall before saying, “Jing is destined to be the next clan leader!”
...
Jing tensed up and brought out the little astral fox and asked it to track Xiao Yao. The Nine-tailed fox was a born tracker and good at concealment, plus Jing kept Xiao Yao on his heart and mind all the time so even if her scent was mixed with many, he could still differentiate if there was even the slightest smell of her.
Jing was born with the spiritual eye that could see through any enchantments and mazes, plus with the help of the little astral fox, he tracked her to another canyon.
-----
Chapter 22:
Jing didn’t care and said, “Xiao Yao, I hoped to be your husband, to openly be able to have you. But you are a Princess and only the identity of Tu Shan Jing can match up to you. So that is why I was reluctant to throw away the only chance I could openly marry you. But I was wrong! I don’t want to be Tu Shan Jing anymore, if I can’t openly have you it doesn’t matter. Even if I have no position in your life, if all I am is your slave, then that is fine with me. I just want to be by your side and look after you.”
...
Jing said, “I once wanted to stand before the Grand Emperor and openly propose to Xiao Yao. So I endured and endured, but after this time almost losing her, I know that nothing else is more important than just being with her. I am willing to give everything up. If my grandmother won’t let Tu Shan Jing end the engagement, then I will give up being Tu Shan Jing.”
What the name Tu Shan Jing represented, Zhuan Xu was fully aware. It wasn’t just wealth that rivaled a kingdom, it was also power that could influence the world. Zhuan Xu met all sorts of men but he had never met a man who was willing to give everything up for a woman. Zhuan Xu was touched and said, “Actually, I can’t decide for Xiao Yao, she decides for herself.”
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Chapter 23:
The Tu Shan clan residence was built on the side of Qing Qiu Mountain, from the dawn of time until now, tens of generations of Tu Shan clan leaders have built and expanded on it. There were tens of courtyards and when the waning sun shone down on it, it illuminated all the bricks and trees that made the entire residence glow with life.
...
That night Jing didn’t go back to Qing Qiu.
That night, Hou also didn’t go back to Qing Qiu. Lan Mu was long used to it and never dared speak a word about it. That night she turned into a fox and snuck to check on Fang Feng Yi Yang and saw that she was also missing. In sixty years, it wasn’t the first time she discovered both Hou and Yi Yang gone at the same time. Lan Mu hid under the blankets and cried all night, not because of Hou not coming home all night, but because she discovered something she shouldn’t know and she was absolutely terrified.
...
Perhaps because all nine-tailed foxes are white so the Tu Shan clan preferred white, the altar was decked out in white and below the altar were jade beams carved in various displays of nine-tailed foxes.
Jing wore the most formal attire and first prayed to the Heavens and the ancestors, before thanking the Grand Madam, and finally ascending to the altar to accept from the clan elder the nine-tailed fox jade emblem which represented all the Tu Shan clan wealth and power. The two elders placed a white nine-tailed fox lined coat around Jing which represented the king of the foxes and the Tu Shan clan being the ruler of the entire fox kingdom.
The ceremonial horns sounded and the elders announced the completion of the ceremony.
Jing turned and walked to the edge of the altar to look down on all the Tu Shan clan members sitting below.
Behind him a huge white spectral nine-tailed fox suddenly appeared, with nine fluffy tails that danced like dragons in the sky, covering almost the entire air above them in a display of the power and magic of the nine-tailed fox tribe.
Such glorious omen did not always appear in every clan leader initiation ceremony so all the clan members kneeled to the ground in supplication and bowed to Jing. Even the Grand Madam kneeled with tears in her eyes and murmured, “May the ancestors continue to watch over the clan in future generations.”
-----
Chapter 24:
The Tu Shan clan was definitely the richest family in the world and their supplies were even more sprawling than even in the Palace.
-----
Chapter 26:
Jing anxiously put one hand on Xiao Yao’s wrist while his other clutched the wine cup and transformed the wine into a fog. Everyone knew the Tu Shan clan had the power to mystify which was very useful for taking away pain. No one thought it weird what Jing was doing.
-----
Chapter 31:
She slowly walked along the Qing Qiu streets. Qing Qiu was close to Zhi Yi but very different since the people of Qing Qiu were very well off thanks to the Tu Shan clan. The people walking on the streets ambled because they could afford to enjoy life.
-----
Chapter 33:
“After my sister-in-law died, I started to really take a look at my situation with Fang Feng Yi Yang. I tried to recollect that night and even used a highly powered fox demon to hypnotize me and bring forth my hidden memories. But I could never remember that night. All my memory was being in a daze and mistaking Yi Yang for you and you took off your clothes and embraced me and wanted to make love, but I tried hard to push you away………and then I remembered nothing.”
When Jing spoke he kept watching Xiao Yao, afraid she would leave in anger but luckily she kept her promise and remained silently listening.
Jing said, “My powers may not be as high as Xiang Liu, Feng Long and those top warriors in the vast wilderness, but I’m still the descendant of the nine-tailed fox. I learned my powers from childhood so it’s not low. A love potion can’t work on people like us, all it does is increase an existing urge but it wouldn’t be able to render me unable to control my urges.”
Xiao Yao nodded, it was true. To the Gods, forget Jing, even giving a love potion to those sleazebags like Cui Liang, they won’t be rendered unable to control themselves. A bucket of water could break the spell, they simply didn’t want to control themselves.
...
Xiao Yao said to Jing, “Another matter, I want to see your closest servants.”
Jing said to Jing Ye, “Bring Hu Ya and Ling here.”
Both were startled and then Jing Ye softly replied, “Yes!”
Xiao Yao had seen Hu Ya before but it was her first time meeting Ling, she was a very ephemeral girl, her visage like a shadow and her face impossible to see clearly.
Jing Ye explained, “Ling is a very powerful fox demon and the head of the clan leader personal guards. She never sees anyone.”
-----
Chapter 34:
The second day, Jing continued to argue with the elders about the method of punishment for Yi Yang. She was kneeling on the ground and suddenly raised her head. “I agree to use my essential soul blood to feed the Tu Shan clan god in worship.”
The elders were stunned into silence and looked positively ecstatic. According to ancient legend, the nine-tailed fox was a godly creature like the phoenix, but it was also a vicious beast that can devour beings. The Tu Shan clan’s god was an ancient ancestor’s spiritual essence keeping watch over its descendants, and since Yi Yang was a goddess, her blood to feed to the clan god would be precious and greatly beneficial to the Tu Shan clan.
Jing objected, but Yi Yang stared at him and said, “Please agree, clan leader!”
Jing said, “You are not a Tu Shan clan member and once the clan god samples your blood, it will greedily drink its fill and not restrain itself. You will suffer unbearable pain…”
Yi Yang bowed her head loudly on the ground. “This is my deserved punishment. Please agree, clan leader!”
...
The Tu Shan clan kept the news on lock down so the rumor was that Fang Feng Yi Yang got a deadly contagious disease that ate away at her spiritual essence and dried up her skin until she resembled a human mummy.
Xiao Yao sighed at the Tu Shan clan purposely spreading that rumor which fit since Yi Yang was using her essential soul blood to feed the clan god and she would wither away and might even go crazy enduring the pain.
-----
Chapter 36:
Jing kneeled down and bowed his head to the floor. “Jing thanks Your majesty for your love and protection of Xiao Yao.” Jing was the Tu Shan clan leader and when he saw the Yellow Emperor or the Grand Emperor he only needed to bow at the waist yet he was giving a full on the floor bow right now to the Grand Emperor.
-----
Chapter 39:
The Wan Xiang play was popular throughout the vast wilderness and tonight’s story was about the opening of the earth to begin civilization. The story included the smart and caring Hua Xu, the loyal and brave Sheng Nong, the dashing and elegant Gao Xing, the well-learned and talented Xi Ling, the sly money loving Tu Shan nine-tailed fox, the physically weak but devious Gui Fang, the water-based power that was Chi Sui, the forger of all metals Jin Tian……all these figures worked with the Great Emperor Pan Gu to slay demons and create the vast wilderness. Back then the vast wilderness was one family, there was no Sheng Nong royal family, no Gao Xing royal family, and especially no Xuan Yuan royal family.
------
Chapter 42:
A fog blanketed out from Jing until the entire field was shrouded in mist. Hou scoffed, “A fox is a fox, never daring for a direct combat, even generations of descendants can’t change this pathetic habit!”
Hou conjured up a water power based tiger who roamed in the mist roaring. It leaped in one direction and a white nine-tailed fox scampered away.
Hou laughed. “Jing, I know your battle strategy is to buy time so that your guards can arrive. Next month is your wedding and you desperately want to go back to be a groom, but let me tell you that's impossible!”
The tiger pounced towards the nine-tailed fox, and with Hou being adept at battling since young, many times the tiger nearly captured the fox who only managed to escape at the last minute thanks to the concealing fog.
Hou laughed. “It’s not only you who is the descendant of the fox.” The tiger changed color to white and disappeared into the fog.
Many little nine-tailed foxes darted around the fog quickly and the tiger tried to capture each but wasn’t as fast, huffing in frustration while shrinking in size.
Hou knew the foxes were an illusion, but if this continued all his power would be depleted with this useless chase. Hou suddenly closed his eyes and the white tiger closed its eyes. Not seeing, everything turned still, so even if a fox was beside the tiger it did nothing, only hiding in the fog with its senses alert.
Hou was relieved that he injured Jing’s hand and throat so long ago, so Jing could never sing or play the melodious tunes again. The world only knew that the Young Master of Qing Qiu’s musical talent was unparalleled. No one knew it was actually an enchanting skill that Jing developed since childhood. If he used the mystifying music now, Hou would need to close off his ears, and a tiger without sight or hearing would find it impossible to kill the fox.
...
Xiao Yao anxiously asked You, “If you smell Hou’s death scent, do you smell anyone else’s?”
Hu Ya said, “Clan Leader is the King of the fox tribe. You has no ability to determine if he’s dead or alive.”
...
The Yellow Emperor wearily said, “As long as you know what you are doing. The Tu Shan clan businesses are throughout the entire vast wilderness. Something happened to its clan leader, that doesn’t just affect all the big families, clans, and tribes of the vast wilderness, if you don’t handle it properly, then it might affect the foundation of the kingdom.”
-----
Chapter 50:
Sir Bi said to Jing, “Please take good care of Xiao Yao.”
Jing bowed low as if to an elder. “I will take good care of Xiao Yao.”
Lie Yang didn’t give a fig so accepted the bow but Sir Bi dodged it. Demon class barriers were strict and the nine-tailed fox was the king of the fox tribe. When Sir Bi was around Jing, he used his strong powers to tamp down the instinct to be subservient to Jing.
We were discussing the Tushan clan's lineage, their part-deity, part not-deity origins, and the Tushan clan leader's status as king of the fox kingdom in another thread. Maybe these excerpts will be of interest here?
While I'm not an expert in Chinese folklore/mythology, I was intrigued by how LYF handles the nine-tailed fox and Tushan clan. I've usually seen the nine-tailed fox depicted as a demon (妖), so it's interesting to see that the Tushan clan is considered deity (神). But I guess after looking through these passages, they are both.
It's nice to see Jing display his fox powers in the show thus far, wonder how much of the fight with Hou will be shown.
I've usually seen the nine-tailed fox depicted as a demon (妖), so it's interesting to see that the Tushan clan is considered deity (神). But I guess after looking through these passages, they are both.
Agreed.
It's nice to see Jing display his fox powers in the show thus far, wonder how much of the fight with Hou will be shown.
I'm curious about the enchantment skill that TSJ had when he was younger before TSH injured his voice and hands. I'd like to see a flashback to that. But I dread the idea of seeing TSJ's tails cut off. Tbh I hope that isn't shown directly.
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