We are performing scheduled database maintenance, which may cause temporary downtime. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience.
 AH :
IMO, Tong Hua used Li Jie Chang's comments and XL's comments to foreshadow XL's ending.

I agree that Tong Hua used LJC's comments to foreshadow XL's ending. I just don't agree that LJC knew about FFB's identity as XL. Yes, they are familiar with each other, they run around the same stomping grounds and would probably have partied and whatnot together. To me, his comment about FFB and his uncle being the same was a general comment - neither of them is good stuff. His uncle is damaged, FFB is a playboy drifter who can't give a woman the kind of life that his good buddy Jing could. FFB's life is here one day, gone tomorrow is also about the uncertainty of his existence - the rootless, no-good second son who spends his time pursuing vices and pleasures. I don't see XL carelessly letting his identity slip to someone like LJC. And maybe LJC got the information from his uncle when his uncle was drunk, but that's up to inference. 

For me, this scene is just another example of XY's seeing, hearing and applying what she sees/hears to what is already in her heart and mind. She always fears XL's path with the Resistance Army. For her, this is the biggest obstacle standing in the way of pursuing a relationship with him. It's the fear that she could never let go of.  It's confirmation bias at work. But yes, this scene is open for interpretation and how you interpret it depends on how you see the characters, particularly XY.

 HeadInTheClouds:

Urg! I got excited when I saw the Facebook post. 

Did you see the new Winner is King leaks? Pictures and videos have been leaking for the past couple of months. Some enterprising interns should do us a favour and just "accidentally" post it online. 

Yes!  I don't know how they are keeping that show under wraps.  I mean, clearly, some of the crew has copies of the show.

I know The Spirealm had a surprise air drop and immediate pull, but it is showing up in other countries on IQiYi?

 liddi:
Osmanthus is intrinsically tied to Jing, and the place where the gathering took place was at Osmanthus Court. However, certainly, the moon is often referenced during her times with Xiang Liu,

This appeared to be deliberate on the author's part. Whenever there is XL, there will be Jing. This represents the central conflict for XY - healing vs. fear. True love vs. the need for someone who will never leave her. Towards the end, there are outright attempts by Jing and XY to replace XL with Jing. Jing organises their wedding on the night of the full moon; XY marries Jing by marrying herself to the moon. In the end, though, the moon still stands for XL. I think someone worked out that XL died on the night of a New Moon. Such a depressing thought :-(

 HeadInTheClouds:
I agree that Tong Hua used LJC's comments to foreshadow XL's ending. I just don't agree that LJC knew about FFB's identity as XL.

That's how I see it.  There's a difference between literary foreshadowing, and what the characters actually know.  Like I've said before, these characters aren't seers. 


 HeadInTheClouds:
For me, this scene is just another example of XY's seeing, hearing and applying what she sees/hears to what is already in her heart and mind. She always fears XL's path with the Resistance Army. For her, this is the biggest obstacle standing in the way of pursuing a relationship with him. It's the fear that she could never let go of. It's confirmation bias at work. But yes, this scene is open for interpretation and how you interpret it depends on how you see the characters, particularly XY.

I can see XY using confirmation bias.  For many years she worked hard to find reasons to deny their relationship.

 HeadInTheClouds:
I don't see XL carelessly letting his identity slip to someone like LJC. And maybe LJC got the information from his uncle when his uncle was drunk, but that's up to inference. 

I also don't see XL "carelessly letting his identity slip" to Li Jie Chang.

But I can imagine a scenario where XL would go to the home of his trusted friend Uncle Li Jie so that he could self-heal somewhere safe, as he did when he went to XY in chapter 17. In that scenario, he would be immobilized for days while he self-healed. If Li Jie Chang stumbled upon XL there when he shouldn't have, that would be down to Uncle Li Jie's failure, not down to XL's carelessness. XY took several steps to make sure that no one entered her room for the entire time that XL/FFB was there. In a similar situation, Uncle Li Jie would be responsible for taking similar precautions. 

If Uncle Li Jie revealed that FFB was XL to Li Jie Chang while he was drunk, that would be down to Uncle Li Jie's carelessness, not XL's, which I think you've acknowledged if I'm reading your comment correctly.

And then there was always the possibility that XL might choose to trust his old friend's nephew with his identity. A nephew who seemed to visit Uncle Li Jie often, who knew "FFB" well, and who probably saw how "FFB's" visits prompted his uncle to reminisce about his fallen comrades, to drink, and to sing songs about the Sheng Nong army. And also a nephew who was in a position to potentially provide XL and the Sheng Nong remnant army with assistance from time to time. 

TL;DR I think there are several ways that Li Jie Chang could have come to know that FFB was XL without requiring XL to "carelessly let his identity slip". 


 HeadInTheClouds:
But yes, this scene is open for interpretation and how you interpret it depends on how you see the characters, particularly XY.

Fair.

 Kokuto:

It's when the resurrected Jesus showed doubters his crucifixion wounds, the nail holes in his hands and feet and the spear wound on his side, from the Roman soldier, to prove he had died and wasn't an imposter.

Of course, given South Park, I'm sure it was given a humor, or sacrilegious spin, depending on your religious fervor. :)

Well, that's a cheery act. When you explained it, it sounds like something that I would say about Ascension Day to friends. Friends who I know won't take offence to my phrasing/joking. 

I never watched South Park. Maybe I should start, sounds like something I might like. I would definitely fall into the "humour" group :-).

 HeadInTheClouds:

Well, that's a cheery act. When you explained it, it sounds like something that I would say about Ascension Day to friends. Friends who I know won't take offence to my phrasing/joking. 

I never watched South Park. Maybe I should start, sounds like something I might like. I would definitely fall into the "humour" group :-).

South Park is kind of dark humour. Many eps were very good. 

I embedded the link of eps about “Fantastic Easter” in my previous post. It is also one of the first episodes that i watched South park

 H19279:
The text that @AH hightlighted in chapter 7 just showed that XL surely found many contradiction in XY's shared knowledge about the bug. It could also imply that XY knew the bug but not fully with all the details (its requirement, how to remove etc...)

Yes. XL pretty much called her liar in that conversation. I think he knows that she's hiding things from him, that she knows more about Poison Bugs then she lead on, it's just unclear what it is that she's hiding about. At the very least, he suspect that she's lying about how she know to grow/nurture the bugs. From the conversation, it seems like he asked her the name of the bugs and she claimed not to know. According to SeMai Er and the Voodoo King, Lovers Bugs are difficult to cultivate. The fact that WXL manage to successfully cultivate them using the same method as she would with your garden variety poisonou bugs - lucky indeed. 

The other thing is why would the beggar woman gave WXL this extremely dangerous set of Poisonous Bugs without giving her any details about them? These are not your garden variety posionous bugs, they are rare so there's no way that this woman does not know what they are. So why would she not tell WXL their name and all the requirements and caution in using them? This was a gift of gratitude for her "saviour", it seems odd to give someone who had done you kindness something that could potentially kill them when used improperly.


 H19279:
I think we (from God's view) all agreed that XY did not know that her bug was Lovers's bug. But she had Jiuli Voodoo King's art and manuals on poisons and poison bugs. She noticed that their heart beat were similar after planting the bug.

Did she not know or did she merely doubt that they were Lovers Bugs because they didn't operates the way that she expected them to? Her possession of the Voodoo King's Manual makes her claim of not knowing the name of the bugs suspected. These bugs are myth/legend, but given the Voodoo King's thoroughness - this was his life work - it seems unlikely that he wouldn't have at least mentioned them. 


 H19279:
In chapter 22, XY mentioned about one of the bug's characteristic - life linking. She awared of poison bug technique (蛊术) that one can use his own life to extend other's life (另一人续命). And she told CX that it is likely that thank to the bug connection, his life was the thread to keep her alive. Is there other bug which had such ability?

Yes. And this was before she met Se Mai Er. Are there any other poison bugs out there with some of the same abilities as Lovers Bugs - joining heart and life; able to feel each other? If she didn't know the name of the bugs then how does she knows their function/purpose? Did she simply just want to use her mother bug to control the child bug that she planned on planting in XL? Does every garden variety Mother/Child bugs have the ability where when one hurt the other hurt? Because WXL was very confident about this - that if she hurts CX will hurt. There are just many questions when it comes to this topic. TH didn't give us much about poison bugs - I supposed they were only mean to be a plot device and she didn't expect us to dig as much as we do :-).


 H19279:
I always have the impression the purpose of meeting Voodoo King in chapter 37 is to confirm/clarify the type of the bug and perhaps how to remove the bug.

She definately want to clarify about the bugs, but I don't think this would necessary means that she didn't already knows that they are Lovers Bugs. She might just want to clarify since she's puzzled as to why her and XL's Lovers Bugs operates unlike other Lovers Bugs - why he could sense her, but she couldn't sense him. But of course, Jing tagged along. Good old Jing, probably had already done his research way back when and got some answers and like usual doing his best to make sure that XY won't run off with XL.


 H19279:
What is your interpretation about this matter: "she died" & he has to use his life in exchange to continue her life

Not sure what you mean here.

I think this scene between XY and CX , XY claimed that she was unsure about how XL save her life, but XY is never straight forwards - she's a "sliperry loach" like XL said - there are a lot of hiding with her. She doesn't want CX to know too much about the bugs connection between her and XL so just gave him a vague answer, but I think she knows more about the working of these bugs then she let on.

Do we have a translation of this scene? I think this is one of those scene where you have to pay careful attention to what words get use and how XY say things.

 Kokuto:
That's how I see it. There's a difference between literary foreshadowing, and what the characters actually know. Like I've said before, these characters aren't seers.

The author is omniscient, but the characters are not ;-)


 Kokuto:
I can see XY using confirmation bias. For many years she worked hard to find reasons to deny their relationship.

Yup. She can continue to stick to her choice of Jing by telling herself that XL didn't love her/didn't want to be with her etc. It's easier for her to believe that than to deal with her fear of the consequences in choosing XL. 

We talked about XY having psychological barriers due to childhood trauma and needing therapy, but, you know, XL was her therapist of sorts. A good therapist won't tell you what to do, they merely hold up a metaphorical mirror to reflect your thoughts and feelings to you. What you choose to do is entirely your choice. Unless you're about to harm yourself irrevocably in some way. Kinda like how XL intervened when XY decided to marry FL, but sent him that crystal ball as a confession/cry for help. Most of the time he leave it up to her to interpret and apply his comments as she wishes. Noticed how whenever she asked him something, he would turned it back to her or phrased things as a question - "who do you want me to be?", "haven't you always known that?", "however you want to interpret it".

 HeadInTheClouds:
Yes. XL pretty much called her liar in that conversation. I think he knows that she's hiding things from him, that she knows more about Poison Bugs then she lead on, it's just unclear what it is that she's hiding about. At the very least, he suspect that she's lying about how she know to grow/nurture the bugs. From the conversation, it seems like he asked her the name of the bugs and she claimed not to know.

XL did not ask WXL what the bugs were called, so WXL did not claim (truly or falsely) that she did not know the name of the bugs. XL called her out on her contradictory explanation by pointing out that the old woman clearly didn't tell WXL how to raise the bugs or what the bugs were called, because WXL didn't know what the bugs were called, and WXL's reaction suggests that XL was right.

To me, it seemed like "how she knew how to raise the bugs" was the only thing WXL lied about. She claimed to have learned how to raise the bugs from the old woman, but the truth was that she had learned how to raise them from the former Voodoo King's Jiu Li Poison Voodoo Manual. Presumably she lied because didn't want to tell XL about the manual, which makes sense since the Royal Mother warned her how dangerous the manual was - to the point of forcing XY to memorize and then destroy it. Plus mentioning the manual could raise more questions about her true identity, which she wanted to keep hidden. 

WXL was aware that her words were contradictory. She had just said that the old woman gave her the bugs and then died, and didn't mention anything about the woman providing more details, like what the bugs were called or how to raise them. It was clear to XL that WXL did not know that her bugs were called Lovers' Bugs, so he called bullshit. As he said, how could it be that the old woman would tell XY how to raise them, but not tell her that the bugs were called Lovers' Bugs?

In chapter 22, it seemed like XY thought that XL was able to keep her alive for a while by conveying his "anger" / words to her (and his heartbeat) through the bug connection. Later on, she guessed that XL used a voodoo blood spell to exchange one of his extra lives to extend her life. But at that point it didn't seem like she was aware that her life and XL's life were tied together by Lovers Bugs, so one of them could keep the other alive for a certain amount of time but if one of them died then the other would die. 

Plus XY genuinely seemed completely surprised when Se Mai Er told her that her bugs sounded like they were Lovers' Bugs in chapter 26, and completely unfamiliar with the details of those bugs (e.g., why they were difficult to plant properly). 

So I think it's pretty clear that XY did not know, or even suspect, that her bugs were Lovers' Bugs until chapter 26. 

Note for the Google translation below, I've replaced all translations of "" with "Gu". That term has multiple potential translations in English, including "cultivated poisonous insect", "malevolent sorcery", "bewitch", and "miasma". In most cases below, "cultivated poisonous insect" is probably the best translation, but in some cases "malevolent sorcery" seems to work better. 

2013 Original Text
Koala Translation
Google Translation
相柳问:“在想什么?”

    “究竟怎么样才能解除那个?轩已经派手下来过一次,索取解的方法。”

以轩的身份,不见得会害死轩,却迟早会害死小六。小六不想自己再被他人利用,只能绞尽脑汁地思索如何解除

    “和你说了,再找一个人,把引到他身上。”

    “谁会愿意呢?也许轩的某个手下会乐意。”

    相柳淡淡说:“不是随便一个人都可以。”

    “为什么?”

    “你自己养的
,你不知道?”

    “我……我是不知道。”小六心虚地说。


    “你从哪里来的虫?”

Xiang Liu asked, “What are you thinking?”

“How to remove that voodoo bug. Xuan’s follower came by once to ask.” 

With Xuan’s real identity, that bug might not hurt him, but it was more likely one day it’ll kill Xiao Liu since so many people wanted to kill Xuan. Xiao Liu also didn’t want people to use him anymore against Xuan so was genuinely racking his brains for how to remove it.

Xiang Liu said, “I told you, find another person and plant the bug there.”

‘”Who would be willing? Maybe one of Xuan’s men?”

Xiang Liu very casually said, “It can’t be just any person.”

“Why?”

“You raised the bug, you don’t know?”

“I…..I don’t know.” Xiao Liu confessed.

“Where did you get the bug?”


Xiang Liu asked: "What are you thinking about?"

"How can we get rid of that Gu? Xuan has already sent his men to ask for the method to remove the Gu."

With Xuan's identity, the poisonous cultivated insect may not necessarily kill Xuan, but sooner or later it will kill Xiao Liu. Xiao Liu didn't want to be used by others anymore, so he could only rack his brains to think about how to get rid of the Gu.

    "I told you, find another person and lure the Gu to him."

    "Who would be willing? Maybe one of Xuan's subordinates would be willing."

    Xiang Liu said lightly: "Not just anyone can do it."

    "Why?"

    "You raised the 
Gu yourself, don't you know?"

    "I... I don't know." Xiao Liu said with a guilty conscience.


    "Where did you get the Gu from?"
“很多很多年前,我碰到一个九黎族的老妇人。你应该知道,那个传说中最凶残嗜血的恶魔蚩尤就是九黎族的,自他被黄帝斩杀后,九黎重归贱籍,男子生而为奴,女子生而为婢。那个老妇人是个没人要的奴隶,又脏又臭,奄奄一息地躺在污泥里,我看她实在可怜,就问她临死前还有什么心愿,她说希望能洗个澡,干干净净地去见早死去的情郎。于是我带她到了河边,让她洗了个澡,还帮她梳了个九黎女子的发髻。她给了我一颗黑黢黢的山核桃,说她身无长物,只有这一对,送给我作为报答。她让我离开,然后她就死了,她的尸体招来了很多虫蚁,很快就被吞吃干净。然后,我拿你实在没办法,想起了这颗带在身边多年,却一直没有用到的山核桃。我就按照培养虫的方法,用自己的血肉饲养它们,再让其中一只择我为主。另一只,本来是准备给你的,却种给了轩。”
“Many years ago, I met an old lady from the Jiu Li tribe. You know that the legendary most fearless, vicious, cruel demon of all time Qi Yo was from the Jiu Li tribe. After he was killed by the Yellow Emperor, the entire Jiu Li tribe was demoted to slave status. The men and women were born into slavery. That old woman was a slave that no one wanted anymore. She was smelly and dirty, laying close to death in a pile of dirt. I found her very pitiful so I asked her what her final wish was before she died. She asked for a bath so she could go see her lover clean and pretty. I took her to the river and helped her bathe, then brushed her hair into the hairstyle of a Jiu Li woman. She gave me a blackened shriveled walnut, saying that she had nothing on her except this pair of voodoo bugs. She gave it to me as thanks. She told me to leave and then she died. Her body immediately attracted a lot of insects and was immediately devoured clean. Later on, when I didn’t know how to deal with you, I suddenly remembered this walnut I carried with me for a long time. I used it to raise the two voodoo bugs according to the magic of Jiu Li. I fed it pieces of my own flesh and blood, then one bug chose me, and then the other was meant for you but instead I planted it in Xuan.”
"Many, many years ago, I met an old woman from the Jiuli tribe. You should know that Chi You, the most ferocious and bloodthirsty demon of legend, was from the Jiuli tribe. After he was killed by the Yellow Emperor, Jiuli returned to its humble status. Its men were born to be slaves and its women were born to be slaves. The old woman was an unwanted slave, dirty and smelly, lying dying in the mud. I thought she was really pitiful, so I asked her what she would do before she died. What was her wish? She said she hoped to take a bath and meet her lover who had died long ago. So I took her to the river, let her take a bath, and helped her comb her hair into a Jiuli woman's bun. She gave me a dark black walnut, saying that she had nothing to offer except this pair of Gu, which she gave to me in return. She asked me to leave, and then she died, and her body attracted many insects and ants. It was quickly devoured. Later on, I really couldn’t do anything with you, so I remembered this walnut that I had carried with me for many years but had never used. I followed the Gu method of cultivating insects, feeding  them with my own flesh and blood, and then let one of them choose me as the master. The other one was originally intended for you, but was given to Xuan."
“你怎么知道培养虫的方法?”

    小六眼珠子滴溜溜地转,“那个妇人告诉我的啊!"

相柳冷笑,“胡说八道,她若告诉了你饲养虫的方法,怎么会没告诉你叫什么?”

    小六也知道自己的话前后矛盾,索性摆出无赖的架势,“你管我怎么知道饲养
?反正我就是知道一些。”


    相柳说:“你的这对比较少见,如果你想解除轩的,唯一的方法就是找另一个人,把引到他身上。”

    “那要什么样的人才符合条件?”

    相柳不吭声,一瞬后,才硬邦邦地说:“不知道!”

    小六不相信,却不明白为什么相柳不肯告诉他,只能试探地问:“你合适吗?”

    相柳不说话,小六继续试探地说:“你是九头妖,引个虫,应该没问题吧?”

    相柳没有否认,小六就当作他默认了。

“How did you learn how to raise a voodoo bug?”

Xiao Liu’s eyes twirled. “That old woman told me!” 

Xiang Liu coldly laughed “You’re full of shit. If she told you how to raise the bugs, how could she not have told you what the name of this particular voodoo bug was?”

Xiao Liu knew what he said was contradictory so just went with it. “Why do you care how I know how to raise voodoo bugs? I just do.”

Xiang Liu said, “The pair of voodoo bugs you have is very rare. If you want to remove it, the only way is to find another person and lure the bug into that person.”

“What are the requirements for that person?”

Xiang Liu said nothing, and after a moment, he stiffly barked, “I don’t know!”

Xiao Liu didn’t believe him, yet he didn’t know why Xiang Liu wouldn’t come out and tell him. So he tried asking, “Do you fit the requirement?”

Xiang Liu didn’t answer so Xiao Liu asked more, “You are a nine-headed demon. Luring a voodoo bug into you, that can’t be a problem, right?”

Xiang Liu didn’t deny it so Xiao Liu took that as a tacit confirmation.
"How do you know how to raise Gu?"

     Xiao Liu's eyes rolled, "That woman told me!"

Xiang Liu sneered, "That's nonsense. If she told you how to raise Gu, why didn't she tell you what these Gu are called?"

     Xiao Liu also knew that his words were inconsistent, so he simply put on a scoundrel attitude, "Why do you care how I know how to raise 
Gu? Anyway, I just know a little bit."


     Xiang Liu said: "Your pair of Gu are relatively rare. If you want to remove Xuan's Gu, the only way is to find another person and attract the Gu to him."

     "Then what kind of people are required to meet the conditions?"

     Xiang Liu remained silent. After a moment, he said firmly: "I don't know!"

Xiao Liu didn't believe it, but didn't understand why Xiang Liu refused to tell him. He could only ask tentatively: "Are you suitable?"

     Xiang Liu didn't say anything, and Xiao Liu continued to say tentatively: "You are a nine-headed demon. It should be okay to attract a Gu, right?"

     Xiang Liu didn't deny it, so Xiao Liu took it as his acquiescence.
颛顼询问小夭,相柳如何救活了她了。

    小夭说道:“我一直昏迷着,具体我也不清楚,应该和我种给他的有关,靠着他的生气,维系住了我的一线生机,然后他又施行了某种血咒之术,用他的命替我续命。”

    颛顼沉思地说:“术、血咒之术都是些歪门邪道,你可觉得身体有异?”

    小夭笑起来:“哥哥,你几时变得这么狭隘了?济世救人的医术可用来杀人,歪门邪道的术也可用来救人,何谓正,又何谓邪?”

Zhuan Xu asked Xiao Yao how Xiang Liu saved her.

Xiao Yao answered, “I was unconscious the entire time so I don’t know the specifics. Likely due to the voodoo bug connecting us, so his life was the thread that kept me alive, and then he used a certain type of voodoo blood spell and exchanged his life to continue mine.”

Zhuan Xu thought “Voodoo bugs, voodoo blood spells, those are all unorthodox methods. Does your body feel strange?”

Xiao Yao smiled “Gege, when did you get so narrow-minded? The traditional medicine used to save people can also be used to kill. The unorthodox voodoo can also be used to save people. How do you differentiate traditional good versus unorthodox bad?”

Zhuan Xu asked Xiao Yao how Xiang Liu saved her.

     Xiao Yao said: "I have been unconscious. I don't know the details. It should be related to the Gu I planted on him. Relying on his anger, he maintained a glimmer of my life, and then he performed some kind of blood curse and used his life to renew my life. "

     Zhuan Xu said thoughtfully: "Gu magic and blood curse techniques are all evil ways. Do you feel that there is something wrong with your body?"

     Xiao Yao laughed: "Brother, when did you become so narrow-minded? The medical skills that help the world and save people can be used to kill people, and the crooked Gu skills can also be used to save people. What is good and what is evil?"
蛇莓儿打量了一圈,看四下无人,说道:“之前王姬提过体内的,我思索到如今也没想清楚到底是什么,但我想起九黎传说中的一种。”

    小夭精神一振,仔细聆听:“什么?”

    蛇莓儿说:“一般的都是子母,母可控制子,养蛊、种都容易,但传说中有一种极其难养的分雌雄,养很难,比养更难的是种蛊。若是女子养的,必须找个男子才能种,若是男子养的,必须找个女子才能种,常常养了一辈子都种不了,所以这种只在九黎的传说中。”

    “究竟是什么?”

    “究竟是什么我也不知道,只知道它的名字,叫情人,据说‘情人,心连心’,和王姬说的情形很相似。”

    小夭怔怔发了会儿呆,问道:“女子养的,必须找个男子才能种,这世上不是女人就是男人,听上去不难种啊!怎么可能养一辈子都种不了?”

    蛇莓儿摇头,愧疚地说:“我所学太少,当年听完就听完了,只当是传说,也没寻根究底。但我们的巫王一定知道,王姬若有空时,就来九黎吧!虽然外面人说我们很可怕,可乡亲们真的都是好人!”

    小夭道:“有机会,我一定会去九黎。”
 
。。。

    小夭目送着蛇莓儿的身影消失在苍茫的天地间,转头看向了东边,那里有清水镇,还有辽阔的大海,小夭喃喃说:“情人?”

    小夭脑海里有太多思绪,让珊瑚和苗莆先回去,她独自一人,沿着山径,慢慢地向紫金顶攀爬。

Se Mai Er looked around to make sure they were alone and then said, “The voodoo bug the Princess mentioned before, I thought and thought and still have no idea what it is. But I did remember a legend that circulated in Jiu Li about a very rare voodoo bug.”

Xiao Yao perked up and listened carefully, “What kind of bug?”

Se Mai Er explained, “Most voodoo bugs are parent-child bugs. The parent bug can control the child bug, and this kind of bug is easy to raise and easy to plant. But legend has it there is a rare, extremely difficult-to-raise-and-plant bug. That bug has a gender difference and is split into a male bug and a female bug. It is hard to raise and even harder to plant. If a woman raised the bug, she needs to find a man to plant it. If a man raised the bug, he needs to find a woman to plant it. Almost always this bug is raised but cannot be planted even in a lifetime. So this bug remains just a legend in Jiu Li.”

“What kind of bug is it?”

“I don’t know what kind of bug it is but I do know its name. It’s called a Lover’s Bug and legend says, “Lover’s Bug, Heart to Heart.” It sounds a lot like what Princess described.”

Xiao Yao was stunned and in a daze. She then asked, “If a woman raised the bug, she needs to find a man to plant it in. But this world had plenty of men and women, how hard would it be to plant the bug! How could this bug be so hard to plant, a lifetime could pass and it still wouldn’t be planted?”

Se Mai Er shook her head and said apologetically, “I learned too little back then and listened to this but didn’t ask more questions thinking it just a legend. But our Voodoo King will know. If Princess has time, please visit Jiu Li! Even though the outside considers us scary evil people, but our people are actually quite wonderful!”

Xiao Yao said, “When I have the chance, I will definitely visit Jiu Li.”

...

Xiao Yao watched until Se Mai Er’s figure was gone from sight and she turned to look East where Qing Shui Town was, and beyond that, where the vast ocean lay. Xiao Yao murmured, “Lover’s Bug?”

Xiao Yao had so many thoughts going through her mind so she sent Shan Hu and Miao Pu back first so she could slowly walk up the mountain path back to Zhi Jin Summit.
Se Mai Er looked around and saw that there was no one around, and said: "Princess Ji mentioned the Gu in the body before, and I haven't figured out what the Gu is until now, but I remembered a kind of Gu in the legend of Jiuli. "

     Xiaoyao perked up and listened carefully: "What kind of Gu?"

     Se Mai Er said: "Common Gu are mother Gu. The mother Gu can control the child Gu. It is easy to raise and plant such Gu. However, according to legend, there is a kind of Gu that is extremely difficult to raise. There are male and female Gu. It is difficult to raise such Gu. What is more difficult than raising such Gu is planting such Gu. If a woman raises such Gu, she must find a man in which to plant the Gu. If a man raises such Gu, he must find a woman in which to plant the Gu. Often, after raising the Gu for a lifetime, one will not be able to plant the Gu, so this kind of Gu is only in the legend of Jiuli."

     "What kind of Gu is it?"

     "I don't know what kind of Gu it is. I only know its name, which is Lover Gu. It is said that 'Lover Gu, heart to heart' is very similar to what Princess Ji said."

     Xiao Yao was stunned for a while and asked: "If a woman raises Gu, she must find a man to grow Gu. In this world, it's either a woman or a man. It sounds like it's not difficult to grow Gu! How is it possible that you can't grow Gu for the rest of your life?" "

     Se Mai Er shook her head and said guiltily: "I have learned too little. I just listened to it all at that time. I just regarded it as a legend and did not find out the roots. But our Witch King must know that Princess Ji will come to Jiu Li when she is free. Come on! Although people outside say we are scary, the folks are really good people!"

     Xiao Yao said: "If I have the chance, I will definitely go to Jiu Li."
 
. . .

     Xiao Yao watched Se Mai Er's figure disappear into the vast world, and turned to look to the east, where there was Qing Shui Town and the vast sea. Xiao Yao murmured: "Lover Gu?"

     Xiaoyao had too many thoughts in her mind, so she asked Huan Hu and Miao Pu to go back first. She was alone, along the mountain path, slowly climbing towards the Purple Gold Summit.

@liddi


Reading the text you excerpted, I can really empathize with her happiness. Imagine that your girlhood idol starred in a romance novel you wrote and called you himself! In the next life, I just want to be reincarnated as Tonghua and write five more lives of Xiang Liu. I have no other wishes besides this =_=

I watched two episodes of the Tencent version of The Three-Body Problem. It was indeed a conscientious work. However, because I have already read the original work and known all plots, the Tencent version's plot progress was a bit slow for me, so I did not continue watching it. But for those who have not read the original work, this speed may be just right:-)

Okay I accept your recommendation :-). I will give 步步惊心 a try after I finish writing this fanfic. By the way, the second part has been updated. Welcome to read:-)

@HeadInTheClouds


Yes, different regions in China have different regional cultures. For example, it is generally believed that people in Shanghai are arrogant and pay attention to the quality of life. People in Beijing are talkative and polite. People in the Northeast are humorous. People in the Northwest are forthright and bold. Men in Sichuan listen to their wives and are good at housework. People in the eastern coastal areas are smart and hard-working. Cantonese-speaking people are good at business and have a strong sense of clan. However, these are only facts based on probability. You cannot assume that a Chinese person must be like that just because of where he/she comes from. That could be very wrong. Where is your home country? Can you tell me the regional stereotypes you have? I’m so curious~

To be honest, I don’t have high expectations for Filter. I read the supposedly synopsis and thought it was a bit strange, but I hope I’m wrong. Tonghua really should focus more on ancient romance...

By the way, my fanfic has been updated. Welcome to read :-)

 HeadInTheClouds:

 H19279:
What is your interpretation about this matter: "she died" & he has to use his life in exchange to continue her life

Not sure what you mean here.

I think this scene between XY and CX , XY claimed that she was unsure about how XL save her life, but XY is never straight forwards - she's a "sliperry loach" like XL said - there are a lot of hiding with her. She doesn't want CX to know too much about the bugs connection between her and XL so just gave him a vague answer, but I think she knows more about the working of these bugs then she let on.

Do we have a translation of this scene? I think this is one of those scene where you have to pay careful attention to what words get use and how XY say things.

This is my translation of the scenes when she talks about the poisonous bug in relation to Xiang Liu:

Every twenty to thirty days, Xiang Liu would heal her. During the healing process, they should be very intimate because Xiao Yao could feel him tightly embracing her, and her whole body could feel him. However, on normal days, Xiang Liu would not hold her. At most he would merely caress her forehead and cheeks.

She had no idea how much time had passed but Xiao Yao estimated that it had been at least many years because Xiang Liu had healed her so many times that she had lost count.

Gradually, Xiao Yao’s senses became increasingly clear. When Xiang Liu embraced her, she could even feel his body heat, and began to realise what the warmth flowing into her body was. It should be Xiang Liu’s blood. Unlike normal blood, it was scalding hot, every drop like a small flame. Xiao Yao could only speculate that it was likely Xiang Liu’s essential life blood.

Xiang Liu fed her his essential life blood, but probably since his entire body was poisonous and his blood too was a deadly poison, he had to help her suck out the poison that was in his blood as well.

Xiao Yao was aware of a method in poisonous magic to use one’s own life to extend the life of another person. If Xiang Liu really used his own life to extend hers, she hoped he really had nine lives so that he would not have lost too much by giving her one.

:

Cang Xuan asked Xiao Yao how Xiang Liu managed to save her.

Xiao Yao replied, “I was unconscious the entire time so I do not know the details. It should be related to the poisonous bug that I planted in him, relying on his life force to sustain my only chance of survival. Then he performed a type of blood spell, and used his life in exchange to extend mine.

Cang Xuan mused thoughtfully, “Poisonous bugs, poisonous magic blood spells, these are all corrupted methods. Do you feel anything wrong with your body?”

Xiao Yao laughed. “Gege, when did you become so narrow-minded? The medical skills used to help the world and save people can also be used to kill. The corrupted poisonous magic can also be used to save people. How does one define good and evil?

Cang Xuan laughed self-deprecatingly. “It’s not that I am narrow-minded, but I am afraid you would suffer because of it. I will keep my promise so naturally, I do not want Xiang Liu to play any tricks.”

Xiao Yao immediately asked, “Xiang Liu imposed conditions for saving me?”

:

Xiao Yao remained silent.

Cang Xuan smiled. However, I also told Xiang Liu that he might lose out in this deal. If I could not become the king of Xuan Yuan, he was not allowed to cause trouble for you because of it. Xiang Liu agreed, but I am still worried that he would be up to no good.

Xiao Yao answered, Don't worry! Xiang Liu can kill me easily if he wanted. However, it would not be so simple for him if he wanted to harm me with poisonous magic and spells.

-- Vol 2 Ch5  (Chapter 22)

 AH :
With Xuan’s real identity, that bug might not hurt him, but it was more likely one day it’ll kill Xiao Liu since so many people wanted to kill Xuan. Xiao Liu also didn’t want people to use him anymore against Xuan so was genuinely racking his brains for how to remove it.

Okay, so there it is, for folks who insist that XY knew from 'the day she met him' that XL was doomed and going to die soon with his army.  Yet here, XY wants to get rid of the bug, because she doesn't want to die when CX likely gets assassinated.  So, why in the world would she want it transferred to a guy who was 'doomed' to die with his army?

@AH and liddi

Thank you for the detailed translations. I will go through them.

This is just something that has been nagging at me; just a curiosity/theory, but not concrete. It's probably just one of those gaping plot holes that come with the Lovers Bugs since TH probably didn't think through this plot device thoroughly herself.