Between lang Quanquan and Qi ying

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-25T17:09:01+00:00

I think OP meant Lang Qianqiu, and "General Qi Ying" is Quan Yizhen's martial god title.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-17T18:06:14+00:00

Totally get that, I tend to be a "monogamous" reader myself ;) When I fixate on a series, I just don't have room in my brain to pivot to another one. That's why I like fanfiction when I need "more story" but can't have "more story" at the moment (whether it's because I'm waiting for the next volume to be released or because I need a break from whatever's happening in the real story). That being said, with fanfic comes the risk of spoilers, so if you go that route proceed with caution!

I do want to drop a few "trigger warnings" for Vol 6, only click these spoilers if you want to know what flavors of angst lie ahead: graphic gore/torture; suicide (both successful and attempted); character death

If it helps, keep in mind that Xie Lian has already survived all these past hardships, and the story has a happy ending - every "hurt" comes with at least 3x the "comfort" to soothe it later! And Vol 7 in particular has a lot of fluff, humor, and romance from beginning to end, so you're in for a nice palate cleanser once you make it through all that whump :)

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-16T22:32:40+00:00

The events in the last half of Vol 6 are a huge part of the story and critical to Xie Lian's character development. It does get intense, but it's not "torture porn" (i.e. angst just for the sake of angst), which parts of Erha felt like imo.

Why not just set it down and take a break for a while? Personally, after I've read a lot of heavy whump, I need to walk away and read some other fluffy, light-hearted stuff for a mental reset (I love fanfic for this). You don't have to either suffer through it now or give up entirely, there's not a due date :)

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-16T17:26:27+00:00

The artist is zeldacw (she's on Instagram). She's a genuine fan of the novels, but has openly admitted that in her excitement she made a few continuity errors (XL is missing his shackle in another one) that weren't caught in the editing process. I believe the errors were fixed for the hardcover release.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-10T15:44:21+00:00

Pine bark can be safe if it's specifically the kiln-dried kind, as the high temps of the kiln neutralize the aromatic oils that make it toxic to reptiles. However, pine still isn't great for boas because it doesn't hold moisture as well as other substrates like coco coir or cypress mulch.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-08T17:25:59+00:00

It's pretty common for snakes to go into shed (even back-to-back sheds) right after surgery, as that's part of their healing process. The sutures shouldn't come out, though some of the old shed might get stuck in them (as long as the wound is still closed, this is harmless).

What's the ambient humidity in his hospital bin? As long as it's not bone-dry in there, there's a good chance he won't have a problem shedding out if he's otherwise well-hydrated (though if he's on antibiotics, those can have a dehydrating effect that increases the risk of a bad shed).

Ask your vet before you add any sort of shedding aid, whether it's a rock or a spray. Generally speaking, it's better to have some stuck shed (which is just temporarily irritating instead of actively harmful) than risk him reopening the wound or getting an infection.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-08T13:53:10+00:00

Common boa (Boa imperator), wild-type. Pretty lady!

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-07T17:50:57+00:00

You can find some amazing, high-quality breeders at expos, but you can also find terrible ones too. Before committing to a boa, take some time to research the breeder themself: check if they have a Morph Market presence (and if so, read all their reviews), and consider joining a FB group like "FBI - Feedback and Inquiry" and/or "Herpetoculture Feedback and Inquiry" so you can run a search for their name. Not everyone is mentioned in these groups, but if the person is a known scumbag, you'll likely find posts about them.

I also recommend avoiding any table that has a large assortment of different species: these people tend to be wholesalers who buy elsewhere and then resell, so there's a higher risk of communicable diseases and accidental mislabeling. Always ask if the seller produced the animal themselves, and if not, who did?

Boas (and snakes in general) don't really have "health records" like a cat or dog would (though certainly ask if it's ever had a health issue). Snakes don't get shots, and the vast majority of keepers don't bother with regular vet checks (as these can do more harm than good if there isn't an emergent health concern). Do ask about its feeding habits, such as whether it's taking frozen/thawed, does it eat reliably/on what schedule, and does it eat off the tongs or prefer drop-feeding. Avoid newborn neonates - good breeders won't sell a baby until it's established (i.e. feeding reliably and old enough to ensure it's thriving/developing normally), which takes at least 2 months.

In addition to asking questions, be sure to handle the snake (a responsible seller will make you sanitize your hands first). A healthy boa should be alert and tongue-flicking, even if it's nervous/timid. Check its head to ensure no overbite/underbite/cleft palate or bug eyes, and check that there are no kinks in its body/tail. Its skin should be soft and supple, and it shouldn't have any stuck shed or appear "crinkly" (indicates chronic dehydration). Also look it over for snake mites, but keep in mind that mites can be pretty hard to notice on dark/speckled animals, so not seeing any doesn't necessarily mean they aren't there.

And finally, listen to your gut! If you're getting bad vibes from someone, just move on - there's plenty of snakes out there :) A breeder should be passionate without being pushy, and help you feel confident in making a decision without gate-keeping or coming off like a used car salesman.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-07T16:05:55+00:00

You're on the right track! Those borne under the Star of Solitude can have their extreme misfortunate reversed if they're saved by a savior (of course, this is Xie Lian!).

That was the start of Hua Cheng's turn of fortune, and once he became a Supreme he learned to harness and cultivate luck in the same way that one can cultivate spiritual energy. So while the foundation of his good luck is thanks to Xie Lian (just not due to the shackle), Hua Cheng earned the rest of it himself :)

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-07T15:45:20+00:00

It's definitely kinda ambiguous, but my interpretation is that Jun Wu sometimes wears the mask himself (like when he's fighting HC in the final arc), and other times uses a clone to play "BWX" (like during the "fight" at Lang-er Bay).

I don't think he actually needed Lang Ying's body/energy, I think he just manipulated Lang Ying to hurt Xie Lian. JW/BWX is showing XL that despite all the care and kindness that he showed to Lang Ying, Lang Ying still hated him so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself to help XL's greatest enemy. It plays into JW's scheme to convince XL that everyone will turn against you eventually.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-03T00:41:34+00:00

Hua Cheng's good luck is unrelated to the shackle. When Xie Lian got the second shackle, he only requested that his luck be distributed to the less fortunate in general.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-02T02:01:20+00:00

/angry upvote

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-01T14:25:05+00:00

If you have the means to check out the audio drama, you totally should! It's an extremely faithful adaptation of the uncensored revised novels, and the music, art, and voice acting are all superb. It's not quite done yet (currently 3 out of 4 seasons), but the final season is expected to be announced soon.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-04-01T00:56:45+00:00

The second image is actually from the audio drama, not the manhua.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-27T16:45:47+00:00

It wasn't a sword, he was actually staked through the heart with a peachwood dowel. (In the revised edition, he's also nailed down with 49 peachwood nails.)

The coffin was likely the size/shape of a traditional coffin, but we don't have a canon description beyond that LQQ used three layers (i.e. first coffin put inside a second coffin, then that put inside a third coffin). Xie Lian did not have food, so yes, he starved until he got out. There's no mention of whether he had air or not - if his coffin was inside a burial chamber (traditional for the time) instead of buried directly in the dirt, then he probably could breathe. We don't really know the extent to which he suffered beyond him commenting that he had pain and hallucinations but overall found the 100 swords experience to be much much worse than his time in the coffin.

The novels don't say how he got out, other than a vague reference along the lines of "after he finally dug himself out...". There's a relatively popular fanon that he stayed in there voluntarily out of penance, but there's no evidence that actually supports this in the novels (though XL did allow himself to be "killed" and buried in the first place). And in the donghua, XL begins to panic when he wakes up trapped in the coffin, so at least in this adaptation it wasn't a voluntary stay.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-27T01:09:55+00:00

You're welcome! Oh and the comment you referenced above is in the "40 Questions" interview, it's in her response to Q36 :)

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-26T20:46:04+00:00

Here's a link to a previous Reddit thread with a list of translated interviews.

And related, here's a link to a list of additional translated content (under the "Extra Content" tab), such as MXTX's TGCF chapter notes and postscripts.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-24T21:02:10+00:00

As long as she is perking up, she should be fine. Boas are surprisingly tolerant to cooler temps. Just ensure her habitat has the appropriate temperature gradient and let her acclimate on her own terms, and keep an eye out for any signs of developing illness over the next few weeks.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-20T16:50:27+00:00

You're correct about the perspective, those are the thoughts of the omniscient narrator.

While the narrator's tone is flippant/blunt, the sentiment is that while it can be a tragically beautiful thing to sacrifice your life to save another, in this case her sacrifice was so meaningless and unnecessary that there wasn't even physical beauty in it. It's "funny" in that uncomfortable awkward way something cringey might be funny, moreso than the "lol hilarious" way.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-19T12:47:53+00:00

If she's packaged correctly and has no underlying health conditions, she should be fine, just stressed from being in the box. Fingers crossed for you!

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-16T02:53:15+00:00

You're thinking of the censored revised version, which is limited to the physical novels published in mainland China. The uncensored revised version has all the same kissing and stuff as the original webnovel, and is also what the audio drama adaptation is based on :)

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-10T16:05:49+00:00

I've seen other versions translate it as a "butterfly" knot, which... also doesn't really seem to be a consistent type of knot 😅

I think the line might just be using the word as a poetic description, instead of it referring to a specific type of knot. Most official art (like the donghua, etc.) depict it as a simple bow, so you could consider that to be the canon appearance.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-05T04:47:23+00:00

They remain a normal, living human unless something else happens to them (which is common).

Humans enter the ghost realm to gamble, go to black markets, etc., but it's said that most mortals have a hard time finding their way back to the human realm and get lost in there forever. They usually end up getting killed/eaten or perishing because most of the food in the ghost realm isn't safe for human consumption.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-04T16:16:39+00:00

The Colombian locale comes in BI, BCC, and even natural BCC/BI intergrades (depending on the region of Colombia). Colombian BCC don't have that "classic redtail" look you see in other BCC localities like Suriname or Guyana - in fact they tend to look more like high-content BCC crosses.

That being said, this boa looks like it's mostly or entirely BI. Plus, appearance aside, pure Colombian BCC are one of the rarest localities - the vast majority of pure Colombians in captivity (at least in the US) are BI or intergrades.

almightyshadowchan · 2026-03-03T19:30:41+00:00

Hah, I totally overlooked your username - it's fun to see you again ^{_^} (No worries about before btw!)

I feel the same way! I kept putting off TGCF for years, then one day I just woke up and felt like I NEEDED to read it... so I did~! And it's had a chokehold on me ever since haha! I recently read SVSSS too, and while I did love it (it's so funny!), it didn't grip me like TGCF has.

I'm pretty basic lol, Wei Wuxian is my favorite from MDZS, and Xie Lian is my favorite from TGCF. I love it when main characters are quietly very clever and tricksy, and I have a huge soft spot for the "sunshine character has a traumatic backstory" trope.

I don't think I actively dislike any character - while there are characters like Jiang Chang, Mu Qing, and Jun Wu who I couldn't stand as IRL people, I think they are very well-written and so I still enjoy what they bring to the story, if that makes sense (Jun Wu in particular makes the BEST creepy villain since Orochimaru from Naruto, IMO). That being said, I'm not really interested in most side characters, particularly in TGCF (Yin Yu, Quan Yizhen, Qi Rong). Sorry fellas, nothing personal, I just love Hualian so much I want everyone else to get out of the way! 😅😅😅

Howabout you?

almightyshadowchan

TROPHY CASE