MySiFeng:
i just can't with this drama. Left such a bitter taste.
Crying hard when during Xiangliu dying, his narration..then pans over to XY, Then when she teared up, i stopped crying. That was one underwhelming response I've ever seen.
XY is def love brain by end of the show.
The only one time I truly love, was the scene she reminisce Qingshui Town, and her memories with XL, and he felt her emotions. That was really heartfelt.
today in XHS, i saw some videos where they pieced up Bai Lu's One and Only crying scene with Xiangliu's death scene and said ppl commented this was what they expected. If anyone yet to see her crying scene, please do so as it was devastatingly beautiful.
I know right, they downplayed XY’s breakdown like XL didn’t mean anything to her. Sad to see YZ not able to portray how XY would have cried over XL. It would have been amazing. Her acting was top notch in this drama!
These are my calculations:liddi:
Siege of Ze Province12th month of A Heng's pregnancyChi Chen wounded, sent to Northern Depths to heal3 years later - Cang Xuan is born
4th month of the 2nd year - Xiao Yao is bornA Heng falls into a coma, wakes up a year laterXiao Yao's 3yo birthday celebrationChi Chen returnsEminent Emperor kills himself in summerYun Sang and Qing Yang's wedding conducted in autumnXiao Yao visits Zhao Yun peak for the first time, is kidnapped by the Nine-tailed fox and saved by Chi ChenA Heng and Xiao Yao return to Gao Xin
liddi can I ask for clarification about what "4th month of the 2nd year" means?
but at least they still able to add some other parts which in general tells audience who XY really love and who is actually the perfect match/ soulmate which she has lost. The drama also show the bad side of Jing too. Though i prefer the story from the novel especially the part where XY mourns XL, the novel was way better. I cant feel that much pain from the mourn in the drama, i however cried a bucket with XL’s death. Also in the novel XY was very happy when she receives the doll as wedding gift, the drama version does not show that much happiness on her face urgg! And the explore island part, replaced with Qingshui or some other place? Gosh, what a waste of XL’s effort . Also the novel version gave me feeling XY love XL one sided, the drama version turn XY to look like arg you know what i mean, i feel so pity for XL. Not sure if anyone thinks the same as me.LilMoussySnow:
Though l wondered if anyone know where Hongjiang went? Lucky TJC gave answers to Chubby’s fate or else i dont know where the poor baby went. Hope they have a drama with chubby being main ?
I was happy with the additions that showed clearly that XY and XL were in love, though it boggles my mind that people STILL don't get it. Needless to say, the less of Jing I saw, the better.
I think you'll find plenty of folks here who preferred the novel and found drama XL ... overly emotional and pitiful. But I'm still a drama XL lover. ;p Are you saying you thought XY's love for XL was one sided in the novel?
I'm not sure, but I got the feeling that Hong Jiang died in the drama. I don't think they made it clear in the novel either. The videos and posts of Chubby have been heartbreaking enough. I don't think we'll be getting more, however.
The development cycle for young deities is a bit hard to understand.AH :
It seems like deity pregnancies are much longer than mortal pregnancies (even when they are not artifically extended, as Ah Heng's was). If I remember correctly, FFYY's pregnancy lasted two years?
From my understanding, the gestation period for deities is roughly 2 years. However, A Heng kept Xiao Yao in her womb for 4 years before giving birth to her:
Siege of Ze Province (4th month)
- A Heng is already pregnant for 12 months from their last rendezvous in Bai Li a year ago
- At the time, A Heng has been in Xuan Yuan for a year
- Returns to Gao Xin. Shao Hao agrees to give the unborn child his name
- 6 months later - Chang Pu is pregnant
- 6 months after that - Shao Hao announces A Heng's pregnancy
- More than 2 years later - Cang Xuan is born
- 4th month of the following year - Xiao Yao is born
And when a deity baby is born, it is like a mortal baby that needs to be fed and tended to night and day.
And, also like a mortal child, sometime before they reach 3.5 years old a deity child can already speak in sentences, run and swim.
But by the time they are ~79, they are still only as tall as an eight year-old human child. So their rate of development is clearly no longer similar to the rate of development for a mortal.
Yes. It would appear that deity children's physical development differed markedly from that of a human. The following are descriptions of Xiao Yao and Cang Xuan at different ages, leading up to after her escape from Jade Mountain. I love these anecdotes of them as children - guffawing over their antics, but teared up when she was about to be sent to Jade Mountain.
Birth to 1 year old
Shao Hao named the child Xiao Yao. From birth, her mother had been in a coma. Shao Hao showed her the utmost care, and took her everywhere with him daily, until everyone within and without the palace knew how much Shao Hao loved the oldest princess. After more than a year had passed, Xiao Yao started to learn how to talk, and A Heng gradually regained consciousness.
When Shao Hao entered the bedroom, A Heng was leaning on the pallet and playing with Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao was playing with a silver bell in her hand. As soon as she saw Shao Hao, she smiled and opened her arms to be held, excitedly waving her chubby, lotus-root-like white arms, making the bell chime with a crisp, tinkling sound. Shao Hao picked her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling delightedly. Her laughter was pleasing to the ear, making one forget one's worries.
-- Once Promised Vol 2 Ch7 (originally Chapter 10)
3 years 2-4months - death of the previous Eminent Emperor
The summer heat in Gao Xin was unbearable. Xiao Yao was active and afraid of the heat, so A Heng often took her to Yi Qing Garden to escape the heat and cool down.
The garden was home to many waterfowl which had become very wild due to neglect in recent years. Xiao Yao was naturally brave. While not as tall as a crane, she dared to catch them. When the crane pecked at her, she would cry but stubbornly hold on to the crane's neck without letting go.
A Heng often sat by the side with a book in hand, reading, and paid Xiao Yao no mind. Whether she fell or was chased and pecked by birds, A Heng simply watched, to the extent where though Xiao Yao still could not speak clearly, she already understood that: if she fell, she must pick herself up; if she dared to provoke the birds of prey, she must bear their attacks; she had to face everything on her own.
After being covered with scars from peck wounds all over her arms, Xiao Yao intuitively learnt various coping methods and became the little bully of Yi Qing Garden. Cranes, mandarin ducks and egrets fled the moment they saw her, while birds of prey such as ospreys, sparrowhawks, kites and vultures regarded her as a friend and played with her.
-- Once Promised Vol 2 Ch8 (originally Chapter 11)
Cang Xuan grew up with Xie Zu, who doted on him excessively, and was both spoilt to the point of lawlessness, and overbearing. Although this was Xiao Yao's first visit to Zhao Yun Peak, she showed no sign of being a guest. When the two little ones met, there was no sibling affection at all, rather they regarded each other as enemies, competing fiercely over everything, even Xie Zu.
Because this was Xiao Yao's first visit, Xie Zu naturally favoured her a bit more, which made Cang Xuan resentful. Although still a child, he was clever and cunning. When the elders were not around, he told Xiao Yao viciously, “Grandma is mine.”
“She’s mine too.”
“She’s not yours. You belong to someone else’s family. I’m the one who’s truly in the same family with Grandma.”
“That’s not true!”
“Then why do I call her Grandma, and you call her Maternal Grandma? A maternal grandmother is an outsider!”
Unable to win the argument, Xiao Yao decided to act and slapped him. “You’re the outsider!”
By the time Xie Zu and the others arrived, drawn by the loud cries and shouts, the two little ones had already gotten into a scuffle. One had a black eye and the other had five finger marks on their face. They did not feel the pain themselves, but Xie Zu was so distressed and did not have the heart to scold them. Instead, she kept reprimanding the maids.
Zhong Yi sighed, “How did you raise your daughter? How come she is nothing like you?”
A Heng did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Cang Xuan is the one who’s nothing like you! When we were young, you let me have my way in everything. Before we came here, I even told Xiao Yao about the benefits of having an older brother.”
Xiao Yao wiped her tears and yelled, “I don’t want a brother!”
Cang Xuan shoved Xiao Yao roughly, “Who wants you?”
Xiao Yao was not one to lose out, so she immediately fought back with all her strength. Xie Zu held one child in each hand but could not pull them apart, and the two little ones fought again.
“Stop it, all of you!” Chang Pu’s shout carried the authority of a clan leader, and she separated the two troublemakers, giving each a smack on the backside. “Whoever fights again won't be allowed to attend Eldest Uncle’s wedding.” Cang Xuan had no fear for his grandmother or his father but he was a little afraid of his mother. Xiao Yao also found this aunt’s domineering authority without anger even more terrifying than her mother.
Both Cang Xuan and Xiao Yao no longer dared to fight but still glared at each other with hostility. Suddenly, they had an epiphany and rushed to Xie Zu, one hugging her leg and the other pulling at her hand. “Grandma, Grandma!” “Maternal Grandma, Maternal Grandma!” vying for her affection, fearful that Xie Zu might love the other more.
Zhong Yi and A Heng exchanged glances and then burst into laughter.
-- Once Promised Vol 2 Ch9 (originally Chapter 12)
5-6 years old (before the Yellow Emperor departed for the war against Chi Chen)
On a tree hung a swing frame, and Jiu Yao stood on it, swinging back and forth while calling out, “Maternal Grandma, look at me, Maternal Grandma, look at me, I’m swinging higher than the leaves on the tree!”
Under the eaves was a mulberry wood pallet. The white haired, haggard Xie Zu laid on the pallet as if she was sleeping, but each time Jiu Yao called out to her, she would smile faintly.
Cang Xuan sat cross-legged, leaning against the end of the pallet, reading a book.
Zhu Yu and Yun Sang each held a bamboo basket, sitting on the stone steps. They were sorting tender shoots while discussing what to prepare for dinner that evening.
“Look at me, Eldest Aunt.”
“I saw, I saw. You’re swinging higher than the trees,” Yun Sang replied with a smile.
“Gege…”
Cang Xuan blocked his ears with his hands to show that he could not hear anything.
At the highest point of the swing, Jiu Yao suddenly leaped off, plucked a poinciana flower from the top of the tree, and threw it with all her might as she floated down, smashing the flower on Cang Xuan’s head with a triumphant tilt of her chin.
Cang Xuan gave Jiu Yao a disdainful glance, then swiftly leaped into the air and soared directly to the top of the tree. He picked a poinciana flower then calmly turned around and stood on the ground.
Jiu Yao, full of discontent, was about to speak when A Heng said, “Don't quarrel! Since both of you are so capable, go collect some dry leaves from the mulberry grove. Grandma likes fish soup smoked with mulberry leaves.”
Jiu Yao sulkily glared at Cang Xuan and muttered, “It’s all your fault.”
Cang Xuan was very obedient, immediately picking up a basket and ran into the mulberry grove. Jiu Yao, however, went to Xie Zu’s side and sweetly said, “Maternal Grandma, tonight’s fish soup is made by me, so you have to drink more of it.”
Yun Sang and Zhu Yu burst out laughing, and even the Yellow Emperor could not help but shake his head and laugh. This child certainly had the makings of a cunning minister—flattering the master, making empty promises, and taking all the credit.
-- Once Promised Vol 2 Ch12 (originally Chapter 15)
8-9 years old (Xiao Yao) / 9-10 years old (Cang Xuan) - before A Heng goes to war against Chi Chen
A Heng pulled Xiao Yao into her embrace and said, “Xiao Yao, tomorrow I’m going to take you to a place.”
“Where?”
“A place where I once lived. It’s very beautiful, full of peach trees that blossom all year round.”
“Will Gege come too?”
“Your Gege has his own things to do and can’t go with you.”
“Oh, then how long will we be gone?”
A Heng did not answer but smiled, saying, “You guys go and play. I want to stay here with Grandma and your uncles for a while.”
Xiao Yao made a face at Cang Xuan and skipped away to pick wildflowers but Cang Xuan did not move. “Aunt, are you really going to war?”
“Yes.”
“Will it be very dangerous?”
“I don’t know.”
“Can’t you not go?”
A Heng shook her head. Cang Xuan had tears in his eyes. “Why do you have to send Xiao Yao away? Can’t you leave her here? I will take care of her.”
A Heng placed her hands on Cang Xuan’s shoulders. “I know you’re a good brother! But you’re still young, and your primary task is to study. Your grandfather swore on his kingdom to take good care of you, so I’m not worried about your safety. Xiao Yao’s background is different from yours. There may be many people who would want to kill her in the future, and I'm afraid you will be implicated as well. So I must send her to a place that is absolutely safe.”
“I’m not afraid of being implicated.”
A Heng smiled and said, “But you lack the ability to protect yourself now, let alone protect her. Just being unafraid is not enough.”
Cang Xuan clenched his hands tightly, his small chest heaving with emotion. After a long while, he hoarsely asked, “When will Meimei come back?”
“Perhaps very soon.” A Heng hesitated, then forced a smile and said, “Maybe when you’re able to protect Meimei.”
Cang Xuan lowered his head and said gloomily, “I understand.” He quickly wiped away his tears and turned to run off.
Xiao Yao stood amidst the blooming mountain flowers, waving at Cang Xuan. “Gege, over here.”
Cang Xuan ran to her side. “What flowers do you want? I’ll pick them for you.”
Xiao Yao tilted her head and looked at him strangely. Cang Xuan was always very diligent and usually refused to play with her. Yet today, he was offering to pick flowers for her?
Cang Xuan fiercely asked, “Do you want them or not?”
“Yes, yes!” Xiao Yao grabbed Cang Xuan’s hand. “I like these red flowers. I want to make a flower crown.”
Cang Xuan picked many flowers and made a flower crown for Xiao Yao, placing it on her head.
Xiao Yao giggled. “Are you reluctant to see me go?”
Cang Xuan rolled his eyes at Xiao Yao. “I wish you would leave sooner!”
Xiao Yao took off a fox fur ornament from her waist, which was the fox tail chopped off by the villainous Chi Chen. Her mother had noticed her playing with it all the time so she found a jade ring to make it into a pendant for her to wear.
“This is for you.”
Cang Xuan accepted it silently, running his fingers over the soft fox fur. Knowing how much Xiao Yao liked it, he was about to return it to her. Xiao Yao thought it over, reluctant to part with it, and reminded him, “When I come back, you have to give it back to me. I’m just lending it to you to play with, so be sure not to damage it.”
Cang Xuan burst out laughing and decided not to return it after all. He tied the ornament to his waist and turned back to look for his aunt. Xiao Yao followed him, mumbling, “Don’t lose it, don’t damage it. My father said it’s the tail of a nine-tailed fox, which is very rare.”
Cang Xuan stopped in his tracks and Xiao Yao asked, “Why aren’t we moving?” Following Cang Xuan’s gaze, she saw her mother alone, sitting quietly among several graves.
The graves were covered with colourful flowers, bright and vibrant, yet infinitely desolate. Her mother’s figure appeared very thin and pitiful. Xiao Yao felt a knot in her heart and could not quite describe the feeling.
She wanted to call Cang Xuan but saw the look in his eyes, making her feel even more distressed, and dared not speak, afraid that if she spoke, her tears would fall. She gently tugged on Cang Xuan’s sleeve.
Cang Xuan bit his lower lip hard and said, “It’s okay, let’s go over.” He led Xiao Yao there and Xiao Yao placed the flower crown on A Heng’s head. “Mother, this is for you. It’s something I made with Gege.” A Heng smiled and embraced them.
-- Once Promised Vol 2 Ch14 (originally Chapter 17)
78-79 years old or more (after Xiao Yao ran away from Jade Mountain)
"...An uncle invited me to ride in his carriage, saying that he would take me to Ji Province, so I took the ride. He took me to his villa and always treated me very well, telling me stories and was very patient in making me laugh. At the time I thought that since Royal Father no longer wanted me, having him as my father was also really good. One day, he touched me and even took off my clothes. Although I did not understand what was happening, the Royal Mother once said that a girl should not take off her clothes casually. I was not willing and tried to push him away but he hit me and I accidentally killed him. At the time I was just..." Xiao Liu raised her hand to indicate the height of an eight-year-old human girl, "about this tall. Who knew a person could have so much blood. My clothes were soaked through in his blood."
-- Lost You Forever Vol 1 Ch9
80 years old or more (after Xiao Yao ran away from Jade Mountain)
Luo Jia opened his eyes and sat up. Just as he was about to get up to greet them, Xuan Ting and a boy with elegant, refined features swiftly walked in. Xuan Ting kept bowing, very deferential, and even the corners of his mouth which had always been downturned, were now turned up.
The boy looked to be about ten years old, but carried himself with great maturity and composure. His face was dusty and bore signs of weariness. Jiang Li guessed he was probably Prince Cang Xuan. Even Xuan Ting was so respectful, which indicated that his status was extraordinary. She discreetly retreated to the corner and knelt down.
-- Once Promised: Side Story
FS22:
I enjoy those times they spent together in the ocean, just the two of them in their own world. The part where XL picked sleeping XY and put her in the enormous shell and when XY woke up after a sweet dream, all XL said was “I know” was my favourite. It oozed a lot of love from XL.
The ocean and their own sea shell home were the best!
Crying hard when during Xiangliu dying, his narration..then pans over to XY, Then when she teared up, i stopped crying. That was one underwhelming response I've ever seen.
I know right, they downplayed XY’s breakdown like XL didn’t mean anything to her. Sad to see YZ not able to portray how XY would have cried over XL. It would have been amazing. Her acting was top notch in this drama!
As I said elsewhere, I felt XY's reaction and crying over Jing's death was over the top and felt like XY acting like she thought she was supposed ... at least the Jing marriage bit. Except the pancake eating scene, which I related to on a personal level. But I feel that way about most of XY and Jing's interactions, as if XY is acting like she thinks a girl should.
Her reaction to XY's death seems less compared to the operatic madness of her previous grief, but her pain came across as a deep heartache that will always remain. But they didn't carry that through with her being unhappy, until she saw the wooden doll. Definitely a timing issue, as well as the wedding situation. Regardless, I think that was more the reaction that XL would have wanted, and worked so hard to get, because he didn't want her to hurt or feel abandoned when he died.
Wow, 600 pages talking about XL.
Yes, we've been a chatty bunch over the last year. :)
Deep down XY only wanted a nobody, that’s why she fell for YSQ.
Interesting observation. I'll have to think on that. I've always contended that Jing was a doormat, so the shoe fits. XL, OTOH, is not a nobody. In fact, it's that he's a particular somebody, her enemy, that makes him unsuitable.
There's a lot to unpack here, and I think we've talked about some of these things. I'll have to get back to it later.
But with TSJ’s assassination before the wedding, it makes me wonder if XL ever regretted his decision by not keeping XY. He was a step closer to death with the war, XY would be all alone when he was gone and all he did would be in vain. She’d feel abandoned once more, lost hope and would rather die than keep hurting. She had already committed suicide once because her closest hurt her. It made me wonder if he would have the courage to make a different choice.
In the drama, we have XL utter that line, when he feels XY's pain at learning of Jing's 'death.' "Tushan Jing ... If I had known, I'd have ...."
Which certainly sounds like regret to me. Regret that he invested in YaoJing as someone for XY to rely on. ;p
I don't think it was XL who lacked courage in this relationship. He accepted the Lovers Bug freely. He wanted a life with WXL. We've argued this before here, but I still maintain, it was XY who set the terms of the relationship, and she rejected XL on the beach, and she never could over come her fears to embrace in reality, the lover in her dreams.
7 minutes agoKokuto:
FS22:
Wow, 600 pages talking about XL.
Yes, we've been a chatty bunch over the last year. :)
Actually, there are some discussion about related characters and story too, for example some about Jing, FFYY or history back ground. Indeed the major content of this topic is about XY-XL relationship and themselves
Shao Hao's father? Didn't Shao Hao kill him?
Shao Hao continued to poison his father after forcing him to abdicate. He initially had meant to let his father live the rest of his life in peace, but decided that his father had to die when he met with continued opposition and attempts to bring his father back. So after initially weakening him with A Heng's poison (which should have worn off in a few years), he continued to administer a far more lethal poison that had no antidote. The previous Eminent Emperor was dying but because Shao Hao did not show his face, he summoned A Heng, and forced her to watch as he dispersed his own spiritual powers:
The Eminent Emperor said, "Tell Shao Hao he was not a good son nor a good older brother, but I hope he could be a good king."
The Eminent Emperor's breathing suddenly grew rapid. A Heng noticed that the Eminent Emperor was actually dispersing his spiritual power on his own and cried out urgently, “Royal Father, don’t do this!”
The Eminent Emperor grasped her hand tightly. “Shao Hao had the audacity to kill me but did not have the courage to see me one last time. Since you are his wife, you should share in his sins. So, I will trouble you to send me off on my final journey.”
His spiritual form began to disintegrate, and his body trembled in agony. A Heng’s body shook along with his, feeling all his pain as if it were her own. She tried to pull her hand away, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not free herself. “Royal Father, please don’t do this. I beg you!”
The Eminent Emperor’s pupils widened, and his face contorted and terrifying. He grasped Ah Heng’s hand tighter and tighter, as if trying to dig his fingers into her flesh, making sure she would never forget how painfully he died.
A Heng watched helplessly as he died in torment, unable to do anything but cry out, “Royal Father.”
-- Once Promised Vol 2 Ch8 (originally Chapter 11)
I have mixed feelings about Ah Lei choosing to have CX sit in on this conversation. On the one hand, he was so young and the details that Ah Heng described were so brutal. On the other hand, it was important for someone, and in some cases specifically CX, to know some of those details, and (as proved to be the case) there was no gurantee that Ah Lei, Ah Heng or anyone else with that information would survive in order to give that information to CX when he was older and better positioned to hear it.
Yes. It was exactly as you said, so brutal, but in the end I believe Xie Zu made the right decision. Cang Xuan could not have depended on hearing the truth from anyone else at a time when situations could change just like that, and those who were here today, could be gone tomorrow. He was already described to be exceptionally mature even at a young age - he lost both parents at the tender age of 4-5 years old, and the Yellow Emperor saw in him the mettle to be a potential successor.
Did the Yellow Emperor ever find out that Qing Yang couldn't go through with his plan to poison the Yellow Emperor?
It seemed like maybe Shao Hao thought that the Yellow Emperor might regret setting up Qing Yang to die (while protecting the Yellow Emperor's life I think you said?) due to his suspicion that Qing Yang wanted to kill him, and the Yellow Emperor did end up treating CX very differently from how he treated Qing Yang.
The Yellow Emperor found out on the battlefield of Ban Quan when Qing Yang took the blow for him, realising Yi Peng's treachery in keeping him in the dark about Qing Yang's change of mind, which resulted in him wrongfully killing his son. It was this reminder that Shao Hao sent to the Yellow Emperor when dealing with suspicions of Cang Xuan's treachery:
Qing Yang’s gaze slowly shifted to the Yellow Emperor. “Royal Father, did you already know that I wanted to harm you?”
The Yellow Emperor took a few steps closer, looking down from his elevated position with a cold expression, and said sarcastically, “Congratulations. You managed to save me in front of thousands of soldiers. It will surely make your future usurpation and ascension to the throne smoother.”
Qing Yang’s expression was one of sorrow as he quietly said, “Royal Father, I admit that I wanted to harm you. I didn’t want Zhong Yi and A Heng to become another Yun Ze. I even put poison in your water. But, at the last moment, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. That night, I sneaked back into the palace and replaced the poisoned water. The poisoned water had already been disposed of by me.”
The Yellow Emperor’s body trembled suddenly and his sharp gaze swept over to Yi Peng in the distance. When he looked at Qing Yang again, his eyes were no longer cold but filled with a complex array of emotions that outsiders could not discern. He said in a flat voice, “In fact, the water you replaced was harmless. I had already changed the water earlier.”
Qing Yang smiled. “I understand now. It turns out that I drank the poisoned water myself. You made me taste the consequences of my actions and decide my own fate.”
A Heng seemed to partially understand, but Shao Hao fully grasped the situation. Qing Yang had ingested the poison that A Heng had prepared, which was why he could not withstand Chi Chen’s full-strength attack.
Yi Peng spoke up loudly, “Royal Father, the Shen Nong army is in turmoil. It’s the best time to attack. Should we proceed?”
The Yellow Emperor gazed at the land beneath him. This was the opportunity he had waited for thousands of years, the dream he had fought for his entire life! But Qing Yang…
Qing Yang said, “Father, I’m fine. The poison is not fatal.” Ever since the day he could understand, the Yellow Emperor had held him on his lap, telling him about his own childhood sufferings and grand ambitions. Perhaps no one in the world understood the Yellow Emperor’s dreams better than he did. It was the pursuit that consumed a great man’s entire life.
The word “Father” made the Yellow Emperor’s heart ache sharply. Faint, distant memories flashed through his mind. Among all his sons, only Qing Yang and Yun Ze called him “Father.” Those tender and clear calls of “Father” were the purest love between father and son he had ever received. The Yellow Emperor’s temples throbbed violently inside his helmet as he said heavily, “Son, live!”
Qing Yang smiled through his tears. With one word “son”, both father and son reconciled, as if they had returned to when he was a child.
-- Once Promised Vol 2 Ch3 (originally Chapter 6)
Shao Hao could not meet Ah Heng’s gaze and instead looked down at Qing Yang, speaking with difficulty, “In order to protect himself, Qing Yang planned to force the Yellow Emperor to abdicate. The Yellow Emperor detected Qing Yang’s intention and made Qing Yang drink the poisoned water Qing Yang had prepared for him. But actually, Qing Yang soon regretted his decision and secretly replaced the poisoned water he had intended for the Yellow Emperor, not knowing that the Yellow Emperor had already anticipated everything and had replaced the water before him and poisoned Qing Yang instead. When Qing Yang took the full-force attack from Chi Chen for the Yellow Emperor, the poison suddenly took effect, and his spiritual powers failed…” Shao Hao’s voice choked up and he could not say anymore. He took a deep breath before continuing, “After discovering Qing Yang’s treacherous intent, the Yellow Emperor had Yi Peng monitor Qing Yang day and night. That night, Yi Peng was in charge of guarding the main hall and should have known everything. He clearly could have reported to the Yellow Emperor in time, but he said nothing to the Yellow Emperor. He wanted to use the Yellow Emperor to kill Qing Yang. Thus, the true culprit behind Qing Yang’s death was not Chi Chen but Yi Peng.”
-- Once Promised Vol 2 Ch4 (originally Chapter 7)
I enjoy those times they spent together in the ocean, just the two of them in their own world. The part where XL picked sleeping XY and put her in the enormous shell and when XY woke up after a sweet dream, all XL said was “I know” was my favourite. It oozed a lot of love from XL.
XY dreams were a testament to her love for XL, and we'll.as her fear of that love. It is unfortunate they couldn't add it to the drama. (ಥ﹏ಥ)
liddi this is making me curious. Gong Gong is a relative of the Shengnong royal family. He existed near the top of the deity heirarchy in Shengnong. And yet he saved the life of a severely injured XL, even after XL injured him. He taught XL his healing technique and even wanted to take XL to see the eigth Flame Emperor (the world's greatest physician) to help heal his wounds.
If most noble dieties in Shengnong (and Gao Xing) should have reviled XL, why did Gong Gong treat him so well the first time they ever met? I know, on a meta level, the historical characters have their mythological connection. But I'm looking for an in-universe reason. Could it just have been that Gong Gong was a water deity and XL was a son of the sea, so there was a natural affiinity between them? But XL clearly didn't trust Gong Gong at that point... so if Gong Gong felt a natural affinity for XL it must have been one-sided?
We know that even a half-deity/half-demon like Luo Jia (Hou Tu) who himself was descended from the royal family, was bullied as a child because his mother was a lowly demon. Xiang Liu himself was also aware of how the Shen Nong resistance army under Hong Jiang also held him in contempt because of his origins. To be honest, out of the three kingdoms, Xuan Yuan was the one that allowed those who were of "lowly" origins, demon or not, to have an avenue to excel. This was what Chi Chen strove to implement in Shen Nong, which won him the animosity of the vassal states and the nobility.
I am more of the opinion that any kindness on Hong Jiang's part had more to do with his own nature than anything else, and he very likely felt compassion for the young demon who had suffered so much, seeing beyond the boy's animosity, distrust and kneejerk self-preservation instincts. I doubt he ever expected the young demon to repay his kindness with his whole life. When you think about it, I imagine Hong Jiang's powers to be constrained somewhat, since they were holed up in the mountains, and not necessarily near a ready source of water. Xiang Liu too. We once discussed whether even in his true form, would his powers be less effective on land as opposed to the ocean. Did we ever get a consensus? I can't remember suddenly...
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