Please Feed Him (◞‸◟ )

How Weak is Yiling Laozu in Your Imagination?

A lot of people seem to think that Wei Wuxian in Yiling Laozu era may be a weak and helpless man, because they think without a Golden Core he would be vulnerable.

But let's see the fact written in the novel.

Lan Wangji's hand strength is unquestionable. Bichen seems thin but actually a very heavy sword. Lan Wangji only guessed that WWX's spiritual energy is damaged, yet he thought WWX still has his golden core regardless. Conclusion: whenever Lan Wangji used Bichen to confront Wei Wuxian, it may not be a deadly strike but will never be light either, especially in Nightless City when Lan Wangji looked like he wanted to destroy ChenQing.

With the fact above, Wei Wuxian can actually parry Bichen's strike using one hand with ChenQing during their quarrels. So...if He is a weak and helpless man, his arm would have been dislocated or broken since long ago, unable to receive Bichen's strikes.

Next facts. During the Bloodbath in Nightless City an arrow was shot and embedded in his chest, yet Wei Wuxian shot back the arrow without using any bow, directly hit the culprit's chest and killed him on the spot.

Needless to say, how much the power used to shoot a cultivator on their vital and able to kill them directly. Afterward, Wei Wuxian was still able to play ChenQing, control the fierce corpses, and fought with Lan Wangji like he wasn't hurt in the slightest.

He was able to strangle and broke the neck of that cultivator who killed Jiang Yanli. A cultivator who has golden core and has their body tempered and trained, not just like any other mortal, had their neck broken using only a hand's grip.

In the condition when Wei Wuxian had just been shot by an arrow in his chest, and had just been lifted up from being grounded on the stone bed for 3 days by Wen Qing, probably hadn't eaten anything during those days and directly go to Lanling to see Jiang Yanli and directly go to Nightless City afterward. In that situation, Wei Wuxian still had that much strength.

So, even without a golden core, Yiling Laozu Wei Wuxian was still as strong as a cow, lol.

That's only his physical fitness, not him using his Demonic Cultivation to control ghosts or demons.

Yiling Laozu Wei Wuxian is never a Weak and helpless man.

Xie Lian, age 17, says (paraphrasing): "if heaven needs to sacrifice an innocent little boy to be appeased then heaven is wrong and I will stand against it" and he continues to do that until 800 years later with head being bashed in still screaming he won't do what Jun Wu said. I love him.

Please somebody, get Bichen away from wwx

Au where Wei Wuxian does a blood sacrifice thing as he's dying, so no one he loves can be injured by another person. If someone tries, they are injured instead.

Lan Zhan gets whipped three times before the whole thing is called off. He has to carve the new rules condemning his love instead. His attempts at branding himself fail so he paints the mark on himself every day until he figures out how to make it permanent

Wen Ning can't be controlled, and so he goes to Cloud Recesses to watch over A-Yuan.

A-Yuan excels in long-range combat and music cultivation since it's difficult for others to properly spar with him.

Jin Ling becomes even more cocky. After all, what's going to happen? Is someone going to hurt themselves trying to hit him?

Jiang Cheng has several crying sessions over this because how can Wei Wuxian care for him after everything and how dare he do this

The only time someone has successfully hurt these people is when Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan get tired of the other man's shit during a discussion conference and try to punch each other in the face. The result is that they are both thrown into the air, with Jiang Cheng cutting his head open on a table and Lan Zhan spraining his ankle by landing wrong

I see this a lot in fics, especially ones that use demon cultivation versus ghost cultivation, but Wei Wuxian's cultivation isn't easy. I keep seeing people write it like it is some easy thing that people were doing in droves, but other than certain talismans, we aren't given any indication that anybody else learned how to use Guidao. It takes a certain level of mental fortitude, empathy, respect, humbleness and discipline to achieve to do even a tenth of what Wei Wuxian does.

Continuing on with my Yunmeng Trio Role Swap Au idea, I'll just write down the major changes to each character. This post will be about our beloved hero-complex Shixiong!

(1) Wei Wuxian

Wei Wuxian in this AU takes over Jiang Yanli's role as the family mediator, often serving as the middle ground for every family argument while also trying to make sure the family stays together. He remains quiet and reserved, only showing in extremely private moments to his trusted few his true burning personality.

In Canon MDZS! Wei Wuxian after being rescued from the streets is at first timid and shy, before graining confidence in himself due to Jiang Yanli's influence.

However, in this Swap AU! due to Jiang Yanli's stronger core, Madam Yu pours more attention and pressure onto her, causing Jiang Yanli to not have as much time to care for him, and also being more tired herself.

Wei Wuxian seeing Jiang Yanli's state , realises that Madam Yu increases the Jiang Sibling's training whenever he misbehaves or worsens her anger, so in order to taken some burden off of Jiang Yanli Wei Wuxian becomes quiet and more reserved, hiding away his true personality as he slowly resigns himself himself acting as a "Calm and respectful servant's son that obeys the noble family that took him in" despite protests from Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli who try to stop him.

Of course, he shows his true personality when he's alone with the Jiang Siblings, which leads to many who are not disciples at YunmengJiang to wrongly assume that Wei Wuxian is a mature and calm head disciple.

After Jiang Yanli gets an engagement with Jin Zixuan (That Jiang Cheng loudly detests with Wei Wuxian silently agreeing with him), Jiang Fengmian decides to try and broker a closer relationship with the GusuLan.

Since the Lan don't do Arranged Marriages in respect to their Sect's origin, they decide to try and get Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian to become friends (after Jiang Cheng loudly protested he would never be friends with someone so boring, at least Wei Wuxian is secretly funny behind his quiet facade!)

Even if this arrangement caused Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian to argue yet again for nights ("What? Is my son so much of an embarrassment you have to use that brat as a replacement!?" "San-niang, that's not what's happening–" "THEN WHAT IS HAPPENING!?"), eventually a meet up between the two was set up.

When the two meet, it's immediately clear that the two's (outward) personalities were near identical, which is the only reason Lan Qiren even allows the two boys to hang out alone while he and Jiang Fengmian discuss other import details.

After the two were left alone to hang out, Wei Wuxian felt only awkwardness as while he usually is quiet, usually Jiang Cheng or the other disciples were the ones talking and bantering, with Wei Wuxian being able to add in his perspective here and there (and be allowed to be himself because he was in the safety of people he trusted)

Lan Wangji was not like that.

Unlike Wei Wuxian who forced himself to stop fiddling with his sleeves and resist the urge to kick the stones that litter the paths of the paths, Lan Wangji merely looked off in the distance, every once in a while stopping to glare at nearby misbehaving disciples who immediately apologised and ran in fear of him.

Wei Wuxian wonders if this is some sort of secret test from the Lans. Perhaps he has to survive the battle of acting like a statue and not to saying a single word.

After an eternity (only 5 minutes) Wei Wuxian sighed loudly, indicating his acceptance of his loss to the quiet Jade boy beside him whose only indication he noticed Wei Wuxian's existence was the short nod when they introduced to each other by their respective elders.

"So Uh... Nice weather?"

"Mhm."

"My name's Wei Ying, courtesy name Wei Wuxian." Wei Wuxian curses at himself thinking that Jiang Fengmian already introduced him earlier.

"Mhm."

"So... do you have a favourite colour?"

"No."

Despite attempts at various topics, but Lan Wangji just seemed to get more and more silent.

Wei Wuxian internally is screaming.

'What the– DID I ACCIDENTALLY OFFEND HIM? I JUST BREATHED!? DAMN IT DID I JUST RUIN UNCLE JIANG'S ATTEMPTS AT A FRIENDSHIP WITH THE LANS!?'

Wei Wuxian eventually gives up as Jiang Fengmian and Lan Qiren finally return, the two engrossed in what appears to be a deep conversation about tea of all things.

As Wei Wuxian bows and he and Jiang Fengmian prepare to make their leave, Wei Wuxian can't help but take another glance at the other boy.

As he stares back, he is only met with a bitter, ice cold gaze.

...

When Wei Wuxian returns back to Lotus Pier, he immediately rants about his entire visit to Jiang Yanli, who is more overprotective of Wei Wuxian and thus only tells him to tell her if he ever feels uncommon with Lan Wangji, and Jiang Cheng, who seemingly only grew more and more annoyed at this 'ungrateful' Lan Brat.

Jiang Cheng was annoyed because Jiang Fengmian said that Wei Wuxian wouldn't be able to attend as many classes with Jiang Cheng as before, now instead having to regularly visit the Lan Clan in order to further better relations. Jiang Cheng very much doesn't enjoy this.

"Why does that Lan Statue get to keep Wei Wuxian all to himself!?" Jiang Cheng complained loudly.

Wei Wuxian sighed, "Jiang Cheng, you can't say that about Lan—"

"I DON'T CARE! AREN'T YOU MY SHIXIONG!? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO SPEND TIME WITH THAT PIECE OF STONE—"

"Jiang Cheng, please stop yelling," Jiang Yanli groans, rubbing her head from the pain of hearing his screeching.

Wei Wuxian sighs in relief, "Thank you Shijie. Now can you tell him that he can't say those things about Lan–"

"Oh no. I agree with him."

Wei Wuxian felt his hope for this family die.

Jiang Cheng puffed his chest, seemingly proud seeing even Jiang Yanli agreed with him.

"SEE! EVEN A-JIE AGREES THAT STUPID UGLY STONE FACE–"

"I did not say that."

"–SHOULDN'T GET TO HOG ALL YOUR TIME! HE NOT EVEN FROM HERE AND YET HE INSISTS ON STEALING OUR HEAD DISCIPLE!?"

The door slammed open.

"JIANG CHENG! WHY ARE YOU YELLING!?"

"A-Niang!"

"Madam Yu!"

As Jiang Cheng was promptly pulled by the ear to be scolded by Madam Yu, Wei Wuxian couldn't help but smile happily at being called Shixiong with Jiang Yanli laughing at him too before also being dragged off by Madam Yu.

...

Eventually, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng were sent to the GusuLan for the lectures.

While Jiang Cheng was busy preparing himself to present himself as a dignified heir, Wei Wuxian was silently excited to try and improve his friendship with Lan Wangji.

Yes, he had visited the boy a few times over the years, but many of their conversations would just end with Wei Wuxian talking to himself for an uncomfortable amount of time while Lan Wangji would just nod and 'Mhm' occasionally.

It was okay, Wei Wuxian would gladly continue this routine if it meant that the Jiangs and the Lans would maintain good relations, but he would prefer to actually be friends with the second Jade.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.

"I don't know why you keep trying to talk to him... He clearly isn't worth yours, or anyone’s efforts."

Wei Wuxian just sighed.

"Jiang Cheng, please remember you can't say that when we're so close to the Gusu. What if an elder hears you and reports you to Madam Yu?"

Jiang Cheng flinched.

"Yeah yeah, but still," Jiang Cheng said. "Every time you try to talk to him, it makes me feel like punching him. He doesn't even greet you! The audacity!"

Wei Wuxian tried to stop him, but Jiang Cheng continued.

"First he steals you from helping me train! Then he forces you to come ALL the way to the Gusu every week to talk to him!? Who does he think he is!?"

Wei Wuxian shook his head, "Jiang Cheng, it doesn't matter that muc–"

"But it does!" Jiang Cheng yelled back. "You keep letting people walk all over you! Why don't you at least try to defend yourself!?"

"Jiang Cheng, please..." Wei Wuxian placed his hand on Jiang Cheng's shoulder. "It's not that bad. I can take whatever they say. I don't care about what they say about me."

Wei Wuxian tightened his grip on Jiang Cheng's shoulder.

"So please... Let me try and talk to Lan Wangji. I'm sure he doesn't mean anything bad! Maybe he's just shy?"

"Shy? Of you?"

"Jiang Cheng."

"Alright! Alright!" Jiang Cheng relented. "I wont insult him to his face! But that doesn't mean I have to like him!"

Wei Wuxian let out a sigh of relief, taking this as a rare win for himself.

"Good. Oh, and would you look at that? We're at our destination!"

Jiang Cheng turned and saw he was correct. Their ship was drawing near the ports of the Gusu, a quiet, yet large crowd of merchants and villagers doing their business on the docks.

☀️One morning☀️

i actually admire lan wangji's character development a lot more when i acknowledge that prior to wei wuxian's death, he isn't actually as "righteous".

teenage lan wangji is regarded highly because he is upper class, has strong cultivation, and obeys his family and society's strict expectations. his rigidity and responsibility are more guided by the idea that his duty (the "right thing") is rule-following rather than doing actual good, even against those rules.

he's not a perfect stickler for the rules. he can be stubborn and petty, but even the few times he does transgress (e.x. kneeling before the gentian house) he doesn't get very far.

anyway... even with all his manpain struggling-- maybe even because of it, and because of his own lack of political power compared to people like lan xichen or lan qiren-- young adult lan wangji was honestly pretty entitled, even with his genuinely good intentions towards wei wuxian.

instead of doing the more difficult (yet right) thing of speaking up against those persecuting wei wuxian-- calling out his elders and the other clans as wrong, unjust, unrighteous, and acting against them (see jiang clan motto "do the impossible", which wei wuxian embodied very well)-- lan wangji was constantly trying to get wei wuxian to change himself and fall in line with society's expectations to avoid dying.

true, he eventually fights 33 of his family members... but by the time nightless city even happens, once jiang yanli dies, it's far too late.

yes, resentful energy is dangerous, and yes guidao is deeply misunderstood, and yes lan wangji didn't know about the golden core transfer. but even without knowing wei wuxian has no alternative, lan wangji knew that others were incorrectly labeling wei wuxian as evil. he knew the major clans kept attacking and provoking him, and while harder to realize, he could've reasonably seen how wei wuxian's actions are always twisted to demean him as a servant's son.

lan wangji wanted wei wuxian to come back to gusu so he could keep him safe, lock him up. but what would that have even helped in the end? love is a sympathetic cause, but locking up the one you love and never truly addressing why they're in danger is a selfish sort of love that doesn't reach the heart of the issues at hand.

only after wei wuxian's death is lan wangji able to let go of that. wei wuxian owed him nothing, not even change. lan wangji intentionally, purposefully chose each and every single day for thirteen years to remember wei wuxian by embodying what the man stood for, and acting accordingly. despite his grief and pain, he truly does become a good and righteous person.

contrast that with jiang cheng's reaction after wei wuxian's death. of clinging to everything he felt wei wuxian owed him. of vocally, violently demanding retribution after wei wuxian comes back to life. how dare you, why did you, you should've, you must... cattily justifying his aggression with equal parts resentful indignation and unhealthy "love" of their imbalance, of what they used to be.

lan wangji does none of that. by the time we reach the present day storyline, lan wangji, like wei wuxian, lets the past stay past and chooses to do good. even if that means going against the grain of society and expectations. he's a phenomenal person and character. i love him so much

Whumpee who is recovering after the whumpTM, but it's not going great. They're so frustrated with themselves, with their caretakers, just with everything. Everyone is so soft and understanding and it bothers them and they want to scream, but they know they should be grateful.

Until Caretaker comes along. Caretaker isn't 'nice' like the others, they don't take bullshit. They're good for Whumpee, but they don't baby them. They treat them like an adult with anatomy, and it's so refreshing for Whumpee.

"You want to stay up, fine. But you will tell me when you can't anymore, because if I have to drag you off the floor we're both in trouble. Understand?"

"Stop whining. What do you need?" (And then they get or do whatever it is without issues or judgement.)

"Want to tell me why you're doing worse today?" -- "No..." -- "Okay."

"Where does it hurt?" -- "It doesn-" -- "Don't give me that, I can see it hurts. Now tell me where."

Caretaker trusts Whumpee to know what they need, and lets them know again and again they won't take this nonsense of hiding their pain. They're practical, and kind, and Whumpee needed that.

“Come on, gege,” Hua Cheng whispers. “You’ll feel so much more comfortable in clean clothes.”

“Tired,” Xie Lian mumbles into the pillow.

“Let me do all the work,” Hua Cheng says, rubbing his husband’s back. He scoots closer. “You don’t have to help at all. Just say yes, and then be as floppy as a noodle. Let me help you.”

Xie Lian turns his head into Hua Cheng’s thigh. No answer. Time to bring out the big guns.

“It makes your poor San Lang so sad to not be allowed to help,” Hua Cheng says with an exaggerated pout. “I’ll get bored. I’ll wither away, and then who will bother you for kisses? Don’t you have anything for me to do?”

Xie Lian laughs - a quiet little thing, but still a victory. Almost imperceptibly - but in a way Hua Cheng knows is for him, and oh how he preens at being trusted to watch so closely - Xie Lian nods.

“Thank you,” Hua Cheng whispers, leaning down to drop a kiss on his beloved’s head. He reaches for the new robes he brought, and soon, Xie Lian is just a little more comfortable.

That’s all he wants. Just to be allowed to bring comfort to his god.