Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 chen358:

Isn't Chishui Fenglong and Chenrong Xinyue siblings?

Yes, they are twins. 

 chen358:

Why don't they have the same last name?

Their mother is the daughter of the Chishui clan leader. Feng Long is the older twin and when he was born he became the Chisui heir / person who was next in line to become the Chisui clan leader. So he took his mother's family name while Xing Yue kept her father's family name. 

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Chapter 11:

Ru So explained, “The young lady who got into an altercation with you last night was Sheng Nong Xing Yue, the daughter of Little Zhu Rong. She is the granddaughter of the current head of the Chi Sui clan, and the younger sister of the future head of the clan.”

Ah Nian’s face was furious and she smashed all the plates on the table to the ground.

Ru So and Xiao Liu remained calm and Xiao Liu said quietly, “It sounds so complicated. This Miss Sheng Nong Xing Yue is the direct descendant of the Sheng Nong royal family bloodline, then how come her older brother is the next Chi Sui clan leader?”

Ru So quietly explained, “Little Zhu Rong married the only daughter of the current Chi Sui clan leader. Her name is Chi Sui Xiao Ye. The Chi Sui clan leader is not just Little Zhu Rong’s father-in-law, he’s also his uncle. Little Zhu Rong sees him as a second father and he agreed that if later on he had two kids, a son would be given to the Chi Sui clan and take their name. His wife had a pair of male-female fraternal twins so the older brother was born the future leader of the Chi Sui clan and grew up beside his grandfather the current clan leader. The ship you saw yesterday was designed by Miss Sheng Nong Xing Yue and her brother built it for her.

Xiao Liu softly asked “If that Miss Sheng Nong has such a huge background, and we insulted her, how come Prince Zhuan Xu is staying at the Chi Sui residence.”

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Chapter 12:

Zhuan Xu smiled and said to Xiao Liu and Ah Nian, “This is Chi Sui Feng Long, Xing Yue’s twin older brother.”

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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.

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Chapter 20:

Xing Yue was very gregarious so told Xiao Yao all about her childhood. Little Zhu Rong controlled the Middle Plains, her Gege was in Chi Sui, and she and her mom lived in Xuan Yuan Castle. She grew up in Xuan Yuan Castle so she had close ties with it and even played in Cao Yun Court before.

Xiao Yao listened and realized that Xing Yue and her mom really were hostages back then. The Yellow Emperor didn’t really trust Little Zhu Rong so even though he was given administration of the Middle Plains, the Yellow Emperor held onto his wife and daughter. Xing Yue must know that as well but she never mentioned it and simply shared all her happy memories of Xuan Yuan Castle. She laughed and Xiao Yao joined in.

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Chapter 28:

Xing Yue picked up her cup and stared at her tea. “One time I was talking to my Mom and she said a woman would encounter two types of men in her life. One is like fire and the other is like water. When we are young we want fire to burn us up. But in the end most women choose to live a long time with water, calm and placid, forever flowing. My Gege is not your fire to ignite your heart, but he ought to be able to be your water, calmly accompanying you until you are both old.”

Xiao Yao asked, “Is my Gege your fire or water?”

Xing Yue replied, “Xiao Yao, I’m not like my mother. She was the only daughter of the Chi Sui clan leader, raised in care and protection and she had the luxury of falling in love based on her heart. As for me…..I grew up in Xuan Yuan Castle like a noble but in the eyes of the Xuan Yuan nobles I was the descendant of the losing tribe. I was but a hostage used to keep my dad and grandfather in line. Do you know what it feels like to be a hostage?”

Xiao Yao stared and said nothing.

Xing Yue smiled. “My mom thought I knew nothing and used all sorts of excuses for why we couldn’t live with my dad. But she never knew that the kids never kept secrets and they would repeat all the horrible things the adults said back to me. If the Yellow Emperor gave me an honor at a banquet, they would say afterwards that it was to keep my dad from rebelling. They said that if my dad rebelled, the Yellow Emperor would dice me into a thousand pieces. Do you know what being diced into a thousand pieces is like?”

Xing Yue laughed and shook her head. “Do you know that for a period of time, I would pray for something before I fell asleep? I prayed my dad would never rebel because I didn’t want to be diced into a thousand pieces and have my heart and guts scooped out.”

Xing Yue’s voice was hard and she lowered her head to drink her tea and Xiao Yao followed suit.

After some time, Xing Yue lifted her head. “I know you think I’m very calculating and sometimes even my Gege loses patience with me. But I can’t be like Ah Nian. In Xuan Yuan Castle I already vowed that I would never live like that again. I will stand above all on the highest spot.”

Xiao Yao said, “Xing Yue, you don’t need to explain to me. This is between you and Zhuan Xu and he never blamed you.”

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Chapter 31:

Xing Yue only visited once after Xiao Yao came to Xiao Yue Summit. Due to the Yellow Emperor, everyone avoided Xiao Yue Summit, especially Xing Yue. She was a hostage in Xuan Yuan Castle from birth so the Yellow Emperor represented the spectre of death to her. Her fear of him was ingrained since childhood so even if she was now the Empress of Xuan Yuan and the Yellow Emperor could not harm her anymore, she still felt very awkward whenever she saw him. So she intentionally avoided it and if she had her way she would have sent the Yellow Emperor back to Xuan Yuan Mountain already.

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Chapter 45:

Xiao Yao said, “No! At least I think he’s not. Feng Long and Xing Yue may be siblings but they grew up apart and are vastly different, they even have different last names. Feng Long wouldn’t be so rash…”

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Chapter 46:

Feng Long looked inconsolable and Xiao Yao had never seen the confident, arrogant Feng Long show this side before. Feng Long said, “Xing Yue and I are twins and sometimes I think that if she was born first and taken to Chi Sui, and I stayed at Xuan Yuan Castle, how would she turn out? Perhaps she wouldn’t be as determined or she may not have married His Majesty. Maybe she would be very happy now. Xiao Yao, I beg of you! I beg you please!” Feng Long kept bowing his head repeatedly on the ground to Xiao Yao.

...

Xiao Yao shook her head. “Since childhood you lived carefree, with the only frustration that people around you didn’t understand or accept your grand dreams and ambitions. But Xing Yue grew up in a nightmare childhood, when a girl dreams about getting a new outfit she dreams about not getting killed. Some lines one can’t cross, but once one does it then it must be seen through to the end! At that time you could only choose to help Xing Yue, if you cast her aside for yourself and Chi Sui clan, then I would look down upon you.”

 chen358:

And isn't Chenrong conquered by Xiyan so would that mean that Chenrong Xinyue is a princess of Chenrong; Just like how Xiyan Cangxuan is prince of Xiyan and Haoling Jiuyao is princess of Haoling?

Feng Long and Xing Yue were both descendants of the Shengnong / Chenrong royal family (Gong Gong was too), but they were not in the direct line of succession for the throne. Their grandfather (Zhu Rong) was a great general of Shengnong like Gong Gong. Gong Gong, Zhu Rong, and Zhu Rong's son (Little Zhu Rong) never had the title of "prince" and, like their father and grandfather, Feng Long and Xing Yue would not have had the title of prince or princess even if Shengrong had not fallen. 

Cang Xuan and Xiao Yao are not siblings. In the novel, they are first cousins. Cang Xuan's family name is Xuanyuan (Xiyan) and he is a Xuan Yuan prince because his father was a prince in the Xuan Yuan royal family. 

Xiao Yao / Jiu Yao's mother was a princess in the Xuan Yuan royal familly, but her family name was Gaoxing (Haoling) when she was born and she was the Gao Xing Eldest Princess because she was presented to the world as the daughter of Gaoxing Shao Hao, the Grand Emperor of Gao Xing. When it was revealed that Xiao Yao's father was actually Chi You, Xiao Yao was struck from the Gaoxing family records. The Yellow Emperor wanted her to take her mother's family name (Xuanyuan) but CX wanted her to take her grandmother's family name (Xiling). Xiao Yao chose to take her grandmother's family name, making her Lady Xiling Jiu Yao. 

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Chapter 3:

Xuan Yuan even announced a reward, and Xiang Liu was the number one bounty on the list, even higher than Gong Gong. The reason was very odd – Gong Gong was nobility from the Sheng Nong royal family so if anyone killed him for the bounty that would incur the wrath of the entire world. But Xiang Liu was fine – he was just a demon, and a hideous freakish nine-headed demon at that. So to kill him for the money reward wouldn’t even cause anyone to have a sleepless thought.

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Chapter 11:

Little Zhu Rong was a direct descendant of the Sheng Nong imperial family, born into royalty and his father was the world-renowned big hero Zhu Rong. When Little Zhu Rong surrendered to the Yellow Emperor, he married the only daughter of the Chi Sui clan Chi Sui Xiao Ye. He was greatly utilized by the Yellow Emperor and became one of his top officials. He was given the entire Middle Plains to govern, an area that used to be under the control of the Sheng Nong Kingdom.

Initially people didn’t dare publicly critique the appointment since Little Zhu Rong was royalty, but behind his back people derided him for surrendering since both his parents died for Sheng Nong in the battle with Xuan Yuan. But in the hundred or so years since, his management of the Middle Plains transformed it from a formerly lawless decrepit region into one filled with bustling activity and thriving with life. His rule was just and fair so the people slowly returned to the region and settled there.

Word was Little Zhu Rong never tried to hide his Sheng Nong background and would openly ask the Yellow Emperor for things that would benefit the people of the Middle Plains. He never hid his thoughts before the Yellow Emperor of his intention that the people of the Middle Plains who have suffered through a war could return to a life of prosperous peace. Gradually the people of the Middle Plains no longer were suspicious of Little Zhu Rong and were instead very respectful. Zhu Rong’s death was an imperial courage to his homeland, Little Zhu Rong’s living was a different type of imperial responsibility to his people.

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Chapter 18:

Xiao Yao was taken aback. Yes, he’s right! This was the Middle Plains, Sheng Nong Kingdom’s original territory. Even though the Yellow Emperor took over rule of the Middle Plains, but the people still respected General Gong Gong and his loyalty to Sheng Nong in refusing to surrender to Xuan Yuan. Even Little Zhu Rong, he was a descendant of Sheng Nong royalty and was likely secretly loyal to the resistance army. The Gods of the Middle Plains might not openly support the resistance army against the Yellow Emperor, but they also wouldn’t help the Yellow Emperor to catch the resistance army.

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Chapter 21:

Xing Yue said, “Don’t worry, my Gege arranged everything already. Zhuan Xu is the Prince and he is living all alone on Sheng Nong Mountain for the palace renovations. My dad is not just a Sheng Nong royal descendant, he’s also the ruler of Zhi Yi Castle and administers to the people of the Middle Plains. No matter what identity, he ought to host a thank you gathering for Zhuan Xu. Last year my dad wasn’t at home so nothing was done, it would actually be weird if my dad didn’t do something this year for Zhuan Xu. My Gege asked our dad to invite Zhuan Xu for a short stay in the residence to celebrate the lunar new year and no one will question that.”

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Chapter 46:

Zhuan Xu took into consideration that Gong Gong was a member of the Sheng Nong royal family so he didn’t want to send Ying Long and Li Yuan, those old time Xuan Yuan generals, and risk reanimating the bitter antagonism between Xuan Yuan and Sheng Nong. He also didn’t want to send Feng Long and Xian, the Middle Plains new guards, and have them take on the big challenge at hand. He decided to send Ru So as the Great General with Yu Jiang and Ju Mang as the supporting generals. Even if Gong Gong and Xiang Liu were notoriously stubborn and fierce, with those three leading the charge and endless supplies and support behind them, Zhuan Xu was certain Gong Gong would lose in the end.

Just as Zhuan Xu was about to issue the decree, Feng Long came to personally beg to be allowed to lead the army, or even go and report to Ru So.

Zhuan Xu always treated Feng Long well so explained “Feng Long, it’s not that I think Ru So is better than you, I actually think sending you is even more certain of success. But your identity is special, even with the Chi Sui last name but you also carry the bloodline of the Sheng Nong royal family. If I send you to attack Gong Gong, then it means even the Sheng Nong tribe doesn’t agree with what he is doing. We’re going to win this battle no matter what so there is no need for you to be saddled with the anger of the world. I’m trying to protect you which is why I’m not sending you into battle!”

 liddi:

Lie Yang shook his head and said with a grin, "Feng Bo's strength should not be underestimated. Half a year ago, he even became sworn brothers with someone who is said to be from the Chishui clan of the Four Noble Families. He has incredible rain-controlling abilities, and is called Yu Shi ('Master of Rain'). He is also very skilled in forging weapons. With Feng Bo and Yu Shi, even if Xuan Yuan captures Ze Province, there will be heavy casualties."

 liddi:

As Feng Bo shouted, he glanced towards a corner in the shadows. In the semi darkness, there stood a hunchbacked man. The silver mask on his face which emitted a chilling, sinister aura and his stooped figure created a haunting image that inspired fear and disgust the moment one laid eyes on him, and reluctance to look further.

This hunchbacked masked man was Yu Shi, whom Feng Bo deeply respected. Together, they had repelled Xuan Yuan's attacks time and again, guarding Shen Nong.

Feng Bo and Yu Shi exchanged a glance, both understanding each other's determination to fight to the death.

 liddi:

He looked at Yu Shi uncertainly, but Yu Shi asserted simply but surely, "Yi Peng has gone mad!" His voice was hoarse, as if scorched by smoke and fire.

 liddi:

Feng Bo glanced at Yu Shi and said with a smile, "You cultivate water spiritual powers. No matter how great the flood, you should have no problem protecting yourself."

Yu Shi stared at the floodwaters and said calmly, "If the city of Ze Province falls, Shen Nong Mountain will fall. If the Xuan Yuan army wants to approach Shen Nong Mountain, they will have to step over my dead body."

Feng Bo patted Yu Shi on the shoulder and said to the soldiers urging him to flee, "From the very beginning, I told Chi Chen that I had no interest in fighting for power and gain. I just enjoyed fighting alongside him. Following him is like following the strongest tornado in the world. There are no restrictions, the wind blows wherever it wants. Have you ever seen the wind escape? No matter what it encounters, the wind will only advance!"

Feng Bo laughed heartily, took off his cloak, and stared defiantly at the approaching monstrous waves. Yu Shi also brought out his own magical artifact, the Rain Urn, his mask emitting a cold, eerie light.

 liddi:

Feng Bo pointed at Yu Shi, "Chi Song Zi, also known as Yu Shi, is the sworn brother I pledged with after you disappeared. My brother is also your brother." The trust between men had no need for more words; one sentence covered it all.

Although Yu Shi's appearance was strange and ugly, his manners were polite and courteous as he greeted Chi Chen.

Yu Shi... the person who Cang Xuan said was actually Yihe Nuo Nai, a noble from the Yihe family in Gao Xing who was Shao Hao's close friend from childhood? The man that Yun Sang (one of the princesses of Shengnong / Ah Heng's friend) fell for and who fell for her in return, but unfortunately he thought she was Shao Hao's betrothed and then later she was actually betrothed to Qing Yang?

 liddi:

* "Chi Chen" was the Nine-tailed fox demon who was in league with Yi Peng to flood Ze Province. He would later kidnap Xiao Yao twice - the first time he lost a tail which ended up as Xiao Yao's toy; the second time he imprisoned and tortured her for 30 years before being killed by her in the end.

Thank you for explaining this. Since he was a nine-tailed fox, that would explain why Ah Bi had such a hard time overcoming his instincts when facing him. 

 liddi:

Since no one had ever been there, people of the Great Wilderness seemed to no longer believe in the existence of the Northern and Southern Depths. However, there was a divine beast called Kun that originated from the Northern Depths. It was originally the form of a fish, but could transform into a bird since birth. Its bird form was called roc (da peng). Legend has it that it could travel nine thousand li with one flap of its wings. Kun was a fish that did not submit to the dragon, and a bird that was not subservient to the phoenix. It was born in the Northern Depths, and returned to the Southern Depths upon its death.

This makes me think of Xiao Yao's song. 

        You were like a bird in the sky
        I was like a fish in the water
        Forgetting each other, remembering each other
        Forgetting each other, remembering each other

In theory, a fish and a bird should be two beings that live in separate worlds and cannot be together, like XL and XY. 

But there was a divine beast who could transform from one into the other. 

And that makes me think of XY transforming into WXL, an identity that allowed her to be XL's companion and to live in his world for a while. And demon XL using the deity identity FFB, an identity that allowed him to be XY's companion and to live in her world for while. 

 liddi:

The underwater vortex was like a giant python, dragging A Heng toward the darkest abyss.

A Heng's hands which were tightly protecting her belly, grew weaker and weaker. She had no strength left, and another, larger vortex surged towards her.

She cried in despair, praying angrily, but there was nothing she could do. In the darkness, she could only grieve as she felt the forces that threatened the destruction of the world push her towards the end of her life.

Her body spun rapidly with the vortex, plunging towards the bottom of the water. Her last breath was gradually swallowed by the terrifying current.

 liddi:

Suddenly, a red figure descended into the centre of the vortex like lightning, embracing A Heng. Long black and white hair flew like two barriers, deflecting the water. The towering waves that eclipsed the sun and moon, the floods that raged like an evil demon, actually stopped in fear before Chi Chen, and flowed around him.

I can't help but be reminded of XY facing the whirlpool, and XL arriving to save her at the last moment with his hair fanning out in the water. 

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Chapter 43:

Xiao Yao tried so hard to open the coffin but it wouldn’t budge, until she was all tired out and hungry. She suddenly realized that she might end up dying after all, not of drowning but of hunger. Xiao Yao rested for a bit before continuing to try and open the coffin.

Suddenly her instinct sensed danger. She looked around and there wasn’t a fish in sight, the colorful underwater was now pitch black. Xiao Yao felt the entire ocean shaking and she remembered the seagull demon saying how scary the ocean was under here. She suddenly remembered what Xiang Liu said before, that after he escaped from the slave death match ring, he almost died in an underwater tornado called a whirlpool. Xiang Liu may not have been that powerful then but something that almost killed him must really be super scary.

Xiao Yao had never seen a whirlpool before but if it was like a tornado on land then anything it passed would be obliterated. This really was the perfect way to ensure not a hair of Xiao Yao was left behind.

Xiao Yao tried to bust out of the coffin but it still didn’t move, making her understand why the seagull demon took that extra step of sealing her inside the coffin.

The water churned around her and the coffin was swept up in the waves of the whirlpool, with Xiao Yao getting spun around so hard she was seeing stars.

She could hear the coffin getting crunched and now she prayed for the coffin to stay intact. If the whirlpool was so powerful as to shatter the immovable crystal coffin, then the second the coffin broke Xiao Yao would be crushed to oblivion.

As the water churned faster and faster, the power of the whirlpool increased and in a resounding crack the coffin shattered. Xiao Yao screamed and closed her eyes, but then didn’t experience the pain of being smashed to smithereens.

Xiao Yao slowly opened her eyes and in the whirling inferno she saw Xiang Liu, white hair, white robe, standing right in front of her. His hair was fanned out like the wings of a bird and was protecting Xiao Yao by forming a barrier between her and the whirlpool.

Xiao Yao felt like this was a dream and stared dumbfounded at Xiang Liu.

 liddi:

Soldiers on the city tower said to Feng Bo, "You have the ability to control the wind. You should escape quickly now. No matter how swift the flood is, it cannot catch up to you."

Feng Bo glanced at Yu Shi and said with a smile, "You cultivate water spiritual powers. No matter how great the flood, you should have no problem protecting yourself."

Yu Shi stared at the floodwaters and said calmly, "If the city of Ze Province falls, Shen Nong Mountain will fall. If the Xuan Yuan army wants to approach Shen Nong Mountain, they will have to step over my dead body."

Feng Bo patted Yu Shi on the shoulder and said to the soldiers urging him to flee, "From the very beginning, I told Chi Chen that I had no interest in fighting for power and gain. I just enjoyed fighting alongside him. Following him is like following the strongest tornado in the world. There are no restrictions, the wind blows wherever it wants. Have you ever seen the wind escape? No matter what it encounters, the wind will only advance!"

Feng Bo laughed heartily, took off his cloak, and stared defiantly at the approaching monstrous waves. Yu Shi also brought out his own magical artifact, the Rain Urn, his mask emitting a cold, eerie light.

Behind them, all the soldiers drew their weapons, a group of desperate men joking and asking each other how good they were in swimming, making deals to compete later and see who could ride the waves best.

Even if they were to be buried in floodwaters, they would still ride on the crest of the waves!

</3

Tong Hua seems to like these "I could escape and save myself, but instead I'll face doom and die honourably on the battlefield side-by-side with my fellow doomed comrades" moments. 

They certainly pull on one's heartstrings. 

 liddi:

Chi Chen was momentarily stunned, then smiled broadly and clasped his hands, "Thank you, all three of you."

Yan Zhuan stood proudly on the bifang bird and said with a disdainful expression, "I'm not helping you. I wish you would hurry up and die!"

Zhu Rong really can't help being like this, even for one moment? ^^"

 liddi:

For thousands of years, the four great warriors of the Shen Nong tribe had always acted independently, constantly in conflict with one another. In the face of the calamity of the city's destruction, Chi Chen, Yan Zhuan, Luo Jia and Hong Jiang united for the first time. In this world, what could be more inspiring to morale than seeing heroes of their own people united and working together to fight against the enemy?

Since the death of Yu Xiang, the fading sense of pride once again filled the hearts of the Shen Nong people, and all the soldiers let out a deafening roar.

I can see why you enjoy this scene. 

Was Luo Jia the seventh Flame Emperor's adoptive daughter? What was her story?

 liddi:

This is the start of 4 posts covering my translation of one of my favourite events  in Once Promised, taking place after the Eighth Flame Emperor's death at the hands of the Yellow Emperor and an unanswered proposed marriage alliance between Shen Nong and Xuan Yuan leading up to the siege and flooding of Ze Province.

Thank you so much for translating liddi!

Has anyone read the article analyzing the last letter the four men left for Xiaoyao?

The teasers for the first 4 episodes in S2 are out. Fangfeng Bei makes his appearance in Ep2!

Ep1 - Cang Xuan announces his intention to take another consort

 Ep2 - Lunch (?) at the Lirong old donkey meat seller, talking about them dying sooner or later

Ep3 - A Nian decides to return to Hao Ling with Cang Xuan crowning his queen

Ep4 - Xiao Yao at Ying Province, refuses to answer any of Cang Xuan's letters urging her to return

I'm trying to flit from one site and chat to another.  I will be completely frazzled by morning.

 liddi:

2nd trailer for S2

Scenes include:

- Xiao Yao confronting and poisoning Cang Xuan
- Xiao Yao's desolation (after giving her blood to Xiang Liu for the last time)
- Hou and Jing's battle
- Feng Long poisoned
- Sea of arrows released towards Xiang Liu

Thank you, liddi!

I couldn't figure out why XL was spitting blood in that montage of spitting blood, though.  But now I remember about Feng Long.  I also couldn't see who was leading the arrow storm, but it didn't look like Ru Shou.

Hmmm.  I'll have to check that out again.  Didn't realize that was after she gave blood to XL.

I still can't believe they are going to make all this angst null and void with a 'it's a dream' sequence.  So lame.

 liddi:

2nd trailer for S2

Scenes include:

- Xiao Yao confronting and poisoning Cang Xuan
- Xiao Yao's desolation (after giving her blood to Xiang Liu for the last time)
- Hou and Jing's battle
- Feng Long poisoned
- Sea of arrows released towards Xiang Liu

After the scene of Xiao Yao's wedding and before the scenes of A Nian's wedding and Xin Yue's wedding, there was a scene with two fire birds flying in the sky. What scene was this? Any idea what the birds are/symbolize?

"Xiao Yao's desolation (after giving her blood to Xiang Liu for the last time)"

More snake in the grass in the trailer. You'd think her desolation was for Jing since it immediately flashed to the scene of Jing sinking in a pool of blood in the water, but no, Xiao Yao's desolation was for XL.

 AH :

I am so distracted by the giant wooden toad statue behind XY in her island clinic. ^^"

I don't know if it's meant to be a three-legged toad, but I can't help being reminded of the three-legged toad that prompted Xian to visit XY's island clinic in my fic. 

Good catch! I didn't even notice it - was too busy trying to decipher Cang Xuan's letter lol

I am thinking perhaps it was not a three-legged toad, which usually has a coin in its mouth (I can't see the toad clearly but it doesn't look that way)? Toads are a symbol of prosperity, healing, fertility among others. Was Xiao Yao's clinic at Ying Province a fertility clinic, or just a regular clinic? 

 Kokuto:

I couldn't figure out why XL was spitting blood in that montage of spitting blood, though.

I am thinking this is during the final meeting with Xiao Yao at Gourd lake when she shoots him and he later forces her to give her blood. I can't recall him vomiting blood in this scene based on the script though..

 Kokuto:

I also couldn't see who was leading the arrow storm, but it didn't look like Ru Shou.

Ru Shou ordered him shot on all sides under the command of Gou Mang, Yu Jiang, Li Yuan and Chishui Xian. This is probably any one of the three male generals.

 Kokuto:

Hmmm.  I'll have to check that out again.  Didn't realize that was after she gave blood to XL.

It's my guess based on her reaction at the time. Though in retrospect, perhaps I am mistaken because her outfit and hair do not match. In which case, this is likely the scene when she is frantically searching for Jing after he goes missing following the battle with Hou.

 solarlunareclipse:

After the scene of Xiao Yao's wedding and before the scenes of A Nian's wedding and Xin Yue's wedding, there was a scene with two fire birds flying in the sky. What scene was this? Any idea what the birds are/symbolize?

The scene with the birds take place during A Nian's wedding on Five Deities Mountain. The two birds are phoenixes - a male phoenix 凤 and a female phoenix 凰. (leaked script Ep16 / S02E24 scene 4)