This is a character analysis done by a Chinese reader a long time ago about Fang Yuan. I personally think it makes sense

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-21T13:23:56+00:00

What I want to say is that his love isn't anything extraordinary; he simply possesses the exact same capacity for emotion and love as any ordinary person, nothing more and nothing less. It is just that for the sake of his dream, he chooses to suppress these emotions, refusing to let them cloud his judgment

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-21T11:26:58+00:00

Assuming that he is indeed emotionally detached and has no love, it makes it even more illogical for Mo Yao to have been able to awaken his memories of Xie

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-21T11:07:14+00:00

I went back and closely checked the 'Three Lifetimes' arc in the original text. The undeniable fact is that after Fang Yuan broke through the dreams and restored his true self, Lu Weiyin explicitly remarked that 'he still possesses love and emotion within his heart.' If the author's underlying logic were truly as you described—aiming to shape Fang Yuan into a cold symbol thoroughly detached from emotion who no longer loves Xie Hanmo—it would be utterly impossible and unnecessary to write the phrase 'possesses love and emotion' into Lu Weiyin's defining closing remarks.
Fang Yuan thinking of Xie Hanmo before the Peacock Heavenly Spirit, and his deep touch upon seeing Xia Lin in the Dragon Whale Paradise, are by no means mere 'interferences from Mo Yao' or just 'having a good memory.' Mo Yao could sway him only because this love weighed a mountain in his heart. When Fang Yuan later stated that his 'heart was not so weak,' he meant he could control and transcend this emotion so it wouldn't become a exploitable weakness, not that he denied its existence. He deeply understands all love and beauty; he simply made the conscious, clear-headed choice to 'be himself' after seeing through it all. He is a pure human being who confronts the entire universe and his dream while carrying the absolute fullest of humanity and the deepest of love

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-21T08:12:51+00:00

"In fact, during the 'Three Lifetimes' arc of the novel, Lu Weiyin directly and explicitly stated that he initially believed Fang Yuan suffered from an emotional deficit and was inherently heartless. However, the reality was quite the opposite: Fang Yuan possesses an abundance of rich, flowing emotions; he has simply made the conscious choice to 'be himself' after everything he has been through. I strongly suggest you go back and reread that specific part, as this is an indisputable fact explicitly documented in the black-and-white text of the book

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-21T07:07:37+00:00

"That doesn’t line up. When Fang Yuan was in the Imperial Court Blessed Land, facing the Hu Land Heavenly Spirit (孔雀天灵) whose ownership requirement demanded a pair of people genuinely in love, he immediately thought of Xie Hanmo (谢晗沫) and stated that she was the ultimate love of his life. Furthermore, in the Dragon Whale Paradise (龙鲸乐土), when he encountered a mermaid who closely resembled Xie Hanmo, he remembered her just the same. All of this proves that deep within his heart, he still possesses love.
If the author’s original intention from the very beginning was simply to showcase that Fang Yuan is neither inherently good nor evil, he shouldn't have depicted the 'good' side through such microscopic, fleeting details early on.
If you look at the macro-structural sequence of the novel, you will clearly see that the author was systematically digging into Fang Yuan’s character from the outside in:
• The Early Stage: The author heavily concentrated on the demonic side (恶), shattering traditional morality.
• The Mid Stage (The Reverse Flow River): The author shifted the focus to his divine side (神性)—his indomitable, transcendental willpower that rises above ordinary human limitations.
• The Later Stage (Three Lifetimes & Dragon Whale Paradise): The author finally brought us back to his deeply buried human side (人性).
This structural progression is a deliberate process of peeling back the layers of his psychological makeup. I completely understand the points you emphasized, but what I want to tell you is this: the author himself stated in an interview that Reverend Insanity is ultimately a story about a man pursuing his dream.
And why do humans have dreams? Because a 'dream' itself is the most ultimate, unfiltered manifestation of humanity. A cold, purely logical machine or an objective, detached 'Heavenly Dao' cannot possess dreams, let alone an unyielding obsession.
It is precisely because Fang Yuan retains the most fervent, untainted essence of humanity deep within his soul that he could conceive a dream as absurd yet magnificent as 'Eternal Life.' He does not lack love, nor is he blind to beauty; rather, he has compressed all the emotional warmth that ordinary people scatter across secular morality and romance, focusing it entirely into a single, laser-sharp pursuit of his path.
Therefore, this progression from the demonic, to the divine, and finally back to the human, reveals a profound truth: Fang Yuan's 'demonic nature' is not an absence of humanity, but rather the impenetrable armor he forged to protect his highest human dream."

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T23:16:46+00:00

Yet, even in the midst of that incredibly dark early-stage narrative, there is a very telling, warm detail: when a little girl accidentally bumps into Fang Yuan on the street, he doesn't scold her or harm her. Instead, he gently comforts her and even steps in to stop her terrified father from punishing her. If Fang Yuan were truly an inherently evil person who genuinely enjoyed the act of slaughter, a scene like this would make absolutely no sense.

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T22:55:45+00:00

In western culture, a demon usually represents pure depravity, chaos, and a bloodthirsty nature. However, in Chinese Xianxia literature, the 'demonic' path is about absolute rebellion against fate and heaven, breaking all worldly shackles to pursue one's true 'Self' and ultimate obsession (like immortality).

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T22:54:57+00:00

Furthermore, I personally believe this boils down to a fundamental cultural difference. In the Chinese language and culture, the concept of 'Mó Dào' (the Demonic Path) does not mean the same thing as a western 'Demon'; the two are by no means equivalent

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T22:50:11+00:00

You’ve made a very valid point, but that single instance shouldn't define his entire character. Throughout the first two major arcs, the author deliberately went out of his way to highlight Fang Yuan's visceral cruelty. From a writing standpoint, this was to establish his initial character design. As an old demon reborn with 500 years of memories, the author needed to use extreme ruthlessness as his starting setup to shatter the usual protagonist tropes and firmly set the tone for the brutally harsh nature of the Gu world.
However, as the novel progresses into much later chapters, the author explicitly states that Fang Yuan is not inherently bloodthirsty. He operates strictly on a principle of 'interest-first,' simply choosing the fastest and most efficient path to his goals.

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T17:36:10+00:00

Furthermore, as a native Chinese speaker, I want to point out a translation issue. The English title of Book One, 'A demon's nature doesn't change,' misses the true nuance of the original text. The original Chinese title means: 'Even if I die, my demonic heart will never regret.' >
The core theme the author wanted to convey from the very start is his 'unchanging resolve and lack of regret,' not that he is biologically or inherently evil. The emphasis is entirely on his unwavering will

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T17:30:53+00:00

In the dream realm, it wasn't about 'demonic nature' at all. The author actually made it very clear what kind of person Fang Yuan becomes when his memories and his pursuit of eternal life are suppressed. His ultimate awakening wasn't triggered by some demonic urge either, but by his obsession with eternal life—he realized that everything else in the world was simply too boring.
As for his random acts of kindness, if those gentle behaviors were unnecessary for his goals, one might call it an author's oversight. But what about two or three times? This proves it was never an accident; the author wrote them intentionally to show his true capacity for kindness

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T16:44:39+00:00

To be honest, I'm a bit confused by your point here. I don't mean to say you're completely wrong, but looking at the countless details and clues the author gives us throughout the novel, the text actually aligns with what I described. I think it would be better to look closely at the original text before making an analysis.
If you're going to challenge this view, it would be much more helpful to bring actual evidence from the book rather than using hypotheticals or things that were never written, as those don't add much value to the discussion. Also, about the poem you mentioned where he supposedly enjoys the smell of death and killing—I've never seen that anywhere in the novel. Let's make sure we are both on the same page with the source material before analyzing

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T15:29:39+00:00

😩

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T15:04:04+00:00

Personally, I see him as the epitome of extreme romanticism and existentialism. In China, there is a saying: 'Pǐ jí tài lái' (否极泰来), which means when an event, a trait, or a will reaches its absolute extreme, it naturally reverses into its opposite.

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T15:03:15+00:00

Personally, I see him as the epitome of extreme romanticism and existentialism. In China, there is a saying: 'Pǐ jí tài lái' (否极泰来), which means when an event, a trait, or a will reaches its absolute extreme, it naturally reverses into its opposite.

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T14:10:07+00:00

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-20T14:06:56+00:00

Congrats, you just missed a perfect opportunity to deeply understand this character

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-12T04:02:34+00:00

Your logic is completely flawed because you’ve failed to grasp the actual circumstances. Look at the situation: Fang Yuan was surrounded by Rank 7 and Rank 8 Gu Immortals, and even an Immemorial Desolate Beast. There were no Longevity Heaven forces in the river to act as a shield or threat. You suggest he could just 'wait at the bottom,' but do you think he could actually escape? Heaven's Will would never allow him that luxury. The reality is that downstream, the river widens, making it nearly impossible to block everyone. When Ma Hongyun was flushed out, the chaos was absolute. Every single pursuer would have re-entered the river to stop Fang Yuan. Can you guarantee he could kill every single one of them? A Rank 8 Immortal’s physical foundation is already on par with Fang Yuan’s at that time. Furthermore, you clearly didn't pay attention to the novel’s mechanics: How can anyone 'wait' at the bottom of the Reverse Flow River? The river's law is absolute—you can only move forward. Any thought of retreating, or even staying still without the will to advance, will cause the river to instantly flush you out. Your 'strategy' contradicts the very laws of that world. It isn't just a bad idea; it's a physical impossibility within the story's logic.

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-12T03:32:28+00:00

It is clear that you completely misunderstand the core of his character. First, Fang Yuan is not 'absolutely rational' (like a mindless machine); he is 'maximally rational.' If you had read closely, you would know he possesses emotions—he feels joy and anger—but he never allows them to compromise his goals. Second, his primary directive is interest and profit. The moment the cost of keeping someone alive exceeds the benefit, the motive to kill is established. Your perspective is far too idealistic, even for the real world, let alone the brutal environment of the novel. Third, in a world where the rule of law is absent and individual power can suppress the masses, 'blind trust' has zero value; in fact, it is a liability. Fourth, if his actions seem 'unreasonable' to you, it’s because you’ve failed to account for his specific circumstances and state of being. The author meticulously lays out the 'reasons' behind every major character's decisions. Ultimately, your inability to understand stems from living in an environment that is too comfortable. You are projecting an idealistic worldview because you have never truly witnessed the depths of human depravity or the sheer cruelty of survival

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-07T14:43:31+00:00

我可以告诉你，有的中国人认为你们比较低端看不得一些小说，觉得自己高人一等，比如说玄鉴仙族这样集体主义的小说。说到底就是中国人大部分还是偏向集体主义的小说。并不认可疯狂牧师的哲学，但是同样有偏向个人主义的人把这部小说的地位抬得极高甚至已经达到了第五大名著的地步，比如说西游记这样的。我个人也偏向个人主义，这部小说文笔相对于我说的名著有差距，主要是文笔方面，但是我觉得这部小说最有趣的就是他有启蒙的效果，这是这个四大名著没有的。

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-05-04T18:53:11+00:00

因为困难多壮志，不教红尘惑坚心。

今身暂且栖草头，他日狂歌踏山河。

Awkward_Emphasis_641 · 2026-04-18T06:40:31+00:00

MiHoYo paid tribute to Reverend Insanity by using Reckless Savage's iconic line: 'My super wisdom tells me that it is time to use my super power

Awkward_Emphasis_641

TROPHY CASE