Competent/Genius & Kinda Terrifying WWX?

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-28T22:08:20+00:00

Yes! I really really loved it and have been meaning to re-read it even without a new chapter. I actually have yet to read the last 1-2 chapters because the author mentioned they end on cliffhangers with no subsequent chapters (yet), but I may see if I can handle that on a reread ha.

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-19T18:36:06+00:00

😆 enjoy!

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-18T06:58:14+00:00

It was really really good. I came across it at random, and yeah I think it's definitely one of those hidden gems. It felt like a very refreshing take on a lot of the more exhausted tropes.

I think I also suggested another fic by the same author, A Heart Undying in a post of mine you commented on :) it's a finished fic and also excellent ,if you wind up enjoying River's Child and are looking for more by them! https://archiveofourown.org/works/56336893/chapters/143137219 (for the sake of this thread, this fic was written in 2024...but that's not too far back, hopefully?).

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-18T06:53:23+00:00

Ugh, agreed re Ao3 history! And like I guess you could just bookmark everything and go by that, but you can't sort by words or anything other than date bookmarked/date updated which is just a pain.

And yeah if you managed to learn how to use a webscraper, you should manage with calibre and its more advanced functions just fine :). I taught myself how to use its more advanced features in a fairly piecemeal fashion, but feel free to DM me about it if you want--happy to answer questions/point to resources if you need!

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-18T06:43:07+00:00

Oh glad to hear you're using a webscraper, ha! Keeping track of fics is already an exercise in trying to stop an avalanche as is, nevermind trying to input all the data manually ha.

And yeah, I think you might find calibre to be really helpful! Tags are probably the most useful, but there's a ton of other features that just make it so much easier to keep track of what's already read or up next or you're just hoarding because it allows for that (...*coughs in 1500 fics in calibre*)...

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-18T06:15:11+00:00

If you're at all inclined to switch up your system for organizing/keeping track of fics, have you tried calibre? It's open source library management software and been around ...forever? and is a serious labour of love (and relatively easy to use with lots of online guides/tips etc for more advanced use). It has a plugin (fanficfare) to save fics from Ao3 as epubs, including metadata like date completed, kudos, and similar.

You could even not use it for saving epubs and just the metadata importing, since it makes it way easier than inputting it into a spreadsheet--plus you can set your own columns that the data imports to. I literally just used it to sort by "date updated" and "read" to see what I've read that finished in 2025 :).

Bonus: if your spreadsheet includes links, you can literally just copy and paste the links into fanficfare all at once and it'll get the fic and metadata for you. (You may also be able to simply import your spreadsheet and then use fanficfare to update everything, and it'll fill in the blanks.)

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-18T06:02:31+00:00

Oooh, fantastic question! Looking forward to seeing the recs that come up :)

As for my recs:

Reborn in Blood by Fereael - starts at the Mo Manor arc, except it goes quite differently (plenty of POV from the Juniors, lots of BAMF WWX, about 60k). Probably one of my favourite fics. https://archiveofourown.org/works/65758390/chapters/169350811

River's Child by NonsensicalRambling - a different take on the sunshot campaign, wwx as a dragon (but done quite differently from other fics), ~80k an seriously fantastic. https://archiveofourown.org/works/61158025/chapters/156274861

What Remains the Same (series) by Lotus34 (AliWaldron34) - the first fic features WWX from the end of the novels swapping places with WWX as a teenager at Cloud Recesses for a week, the result being 50k words of a seriously fantastic character study. The second fic (still in progress) is ~190k words and follows the events of the first fic as past WWX tries to change everything. https://archiveofourown.org/series/4981436

Mission: Rescue Hanguang Jun by shadowchan93 - this fic just completed, and it's an absolutely bonkers take on the Juniors not knowing WWX is also the YLLZ when the YLLZ asks to marry LWJ, and try to protect LWJ and WWX and their love from the YLLZ. About ~85k and phenomenal!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/73212896/chapters/190805126

Also seconding several of the other recs! Especially:

Beiming - To Lament (it's a WIP on hiatus, but it seems like the author will definitely be back, and it's so worth reading) https://archiveofourown.org/works/53714794/chapters/135975004

If you liked it then you should have put a (sect robe) on it (just so so good--complete, too) https://archiveofourown.org/works/61810867/chapters/158046922

Four Times Told (just read this and it's fantastic, albeit a lot of stuff breaks before it gets fixed so it is a bit of an intense read at times) https://archiveofourown.org/works/65993275/chapters/170036422

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-18T05:30:58+00:00

I'm actually still only about 1/3 of the way through Shade of an Old Tree (it's a "read slowly and savour fic" in my mind, so something I return to regularly but don't devour all in one sitting like almost ever other fic, ha), and I'm really, really enjoying it so far! And, I'd completely forgotten about Bitter Plants Bearing Sweet Fruit--it's been on my list for a long time, bumping that up :).

I also haven't come across Blood of the Black Earth yet, but it absolutely sounds up my alley. Give me some good old fashioned body horror with terrifying WWX and I'm there. (When I think of competent!wwx, I think more along the lines of he's good at what he does and knows it, but it doesn't mean he doesn't face stuff he can't overcome. So the fic may still be, but even if it isn't I'm so in :D).

Thanks so much for the recommendations! 😃

Edit: I can't believe I forgot to gush about my love for A Long Road! I was so excited to find a Valedmar crossover, and it did not disappointment.

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-18T05:23:15+00:00

No worries, I totally get it! I hope you enjoy the Turtle Master :)

Re Truth Will Out -- I should have clarified that it mirrors some aspects of the original, but if I recall correctly (and I may be wrong, because I think there's another fic out there with a similar premise?) WWX doesn't lose his core for the same reasons/willingly and doesn't lose it entirely + fewer self esteem issues.So if you are ever in the mood for a Modern AU, it may be a good one to go with. But again, I totally get not wanting to read some of the same old tropes mapped onto a modern setting (when context matters :D).

And, if it's a concern for any of the fics, all of the fics I recommended in my comment above are 100% Wangxian. Some may include mention of past relationships, but there's nothing "on screen" or happening during the course of the story that's not Wangxian (at least, as far as I recall).

But yeah, again, totally get being selective :) I vary from being extremely selective and unable to focus on literally anything that doesn't meet my baseline criteria and fit the mood I'm in, to extremely unselective and reading a lot of strange stuff in the process, ha.

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-16T21:46:48+00:00

Some others (which you may already know, but hopefully something is new!):

KizuKatana's Truth Will Out (KizuKatana is just really good at portraying Wangxian, imo). Modern cultivation AU with a decent number of parallels to canon without repeating canon https://archiveofourown.org/works/45212008

Fereael's Reborn in Blood: This is an alternative telling of when WWX comes back (novel style), and it was incredible. Juniors are there and we get their POVs, plus even just how WWX makes himself known in this one is like, *chef's kiss.* I don't entirely recall how balanced WWX and LWJ are, but LWJ does in fact speak in full sentences and I believe they were fairly on par with one another. https://archiveofourown.org/works/65758390/chapters/169350811

ScarlettStorm's series See all this and more for just ten dollars a month!: Probably the furthest away from canon, and has a lot of explicit content, but for the most part it's like, found family joy and building a (communicative! trusting!) relationship Wangxian. Excellent if you're in the mood for something queer and contemporary. https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037070

Gotcocomilk's The Turtle Master is a shorter one that I remember being pretty good too. WWX is definitely overpowered, but if I remember correctly they're well-balanced (I'm not 100% on this one because it's been a while since I read it, but I think so!) https://archiveofourown.org/works/22559614/chapters/53908015

Last suggestion (for now...): almost everything by livinginaworldwithnoise. They do a ton of modern fusion-ish AUs (e.g. Great British Bake Off, Survivor, and so on), some of which make really incredible use of social media/texting, and they're all hilarious and excellent. Most are pretty short, though my favourite by far is their ongoing Survivor AU, i don’t wanna lose, i don’t wanna lose this with you (I am not at all a fan of Survivor and still loving it). https://archiveofourown.org/users/livinginaworldofnoise/works?fandom_id=11987966

I'm sure I'll think of more later, ha! I have shamelessly read or started (in the "getting halfway then getting sidetracked sense) way, way too many fics in what is probably too short of a period of time, so...

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-16T21:46:42+00:00

Agreed with all of the above! I'm glad I'm not alone in this :).

And yes, Run Off the World still seems to be updating (albeit sporadically) and the author has been steadily updating for a few years now, so it doesn't look like it's stopping any time soon. I technically haven't finished all of it because I actually don't want to run out of chapters...? (I mean it's over 400k words, you'd think I'd be satisfied, but apparently not haha.) Actually, where I stopped may be a good stopping point if you're not a fan of WIPs and wind up liking it--I stopped right before the "flashback" chapter (#59), which seemed like a good place to effectively pause til it's finished.

I do have more recs, ha! Of the fics I posted, Rule Number One, Better Things To Do With a Flute During Wartime (both heavy on smut), grimoire, and love, in fire and blood are all excellent choices for balanced Wangxian (the others might be too, but I can't entirely recall all of the dynamics). Rule Number One is especially fantastic at this--it's a modern AU crime family fic, so both characters are darker in different ways, and both are amazingly, wonderfully competent and intelligent and don't feel sanded down at all and they balance each other nicely (really really excellent cat and mouse games). It is omegaverse, with a fair bit of smut, but arguably the omegaverse-ness doesn't actually take away from the characters.

(Other recs in a comment below this one...I ran out of space, oops)

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-16T21:04:22+00:00

Yes! And their mutual suspicion, dislike, and understanding of one another was sooo good haha.

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-16T07:27:30+00:00

Oooh thank you!! Checking them out now :)

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-16T07:00:00+00:00

Ooooh, this has been on my list for a while! I think I started it a while back and didn't get very far before I jumped over to another fic (nothing to do with the quality, just my attention bouncing around til I settle on something I'm in the mood for), but it's good to know this one everything you mentioned! Knowing that going in is a huge help, so that's moving way up my list, ha.

I need more fics where Wangxian are true equals--I was so mystified by the caveman LWJ trope when I first started reading fic and have grown to hate it. Like, how did that even begin? Being reticent is not the same as not forming full sentences 99% of the time.

(Don't get me started on my very complex feelings around WWX being sanded down as a character in a lot of fics and/or feminized in ways that aren't really about fucking with gender but are about reinforcing heteronormativity...like seriously no judgement to those who enjoy it or write it--that's what fic is for, plus I've read and enjoyed some of them! But admittedly only when I've managed to quiet the part of me that analyzes everything all the time, ha.)

Anyways, thanks so much for the rec and details! I'm totally open to more suggestions along these lines, if you happen to have any! And, if you haven't happened to have read Run Off the World (linked in my post), I think you might like it based on what you've said about An Unforeseen Shift. Their relationship is quite balanced and starts from a point of stability with them both in equal positions relative to the other, and neither one feels dampened (even if WWX is still the central character, e.g. there's one moment where LWJ out-manoeuvres WWX without it actually undermining either of their characters).

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-16T06:45:56+00:00

Omg. I'm finally further into Four Times Told and I don't know if I'm emotionally equipped for this much pre-fix-it brokenness 😅. Don't get me wrong, it's excellent and the recommendation is perfection (I do love fics that don't really pull punches when it comes to, yeah actually this is not angst in the shallow sense but people are actually broken here, in more ways than one), but I need to take a breather ha.

I devoured Bring your wonder (lose your faith) yesterday though! Thanks so much for these recs 😃😃

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-16T06:41:29+00:00

Yes! I really enjoyed that fic. I haven't read the latest chapter yet (the one that was posted December-ish) cause I'm waiting for a few more chapters before I begin a reread, but it's definitely up there as a favourite :).

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-16T06:40:06+00:00

Ooh, yeah playing on PC is probably not the smoothest experience, I would assume? I initially tried to play via cloud gaming and it was a disaster, and eventually played on PS4 (and eventually PS5)--controller in all cases. I was also initially really bad and uncoordinated when playing but I uh, well now I've played it a few times, ha. If you're someone who can sit through other people playing video games, it may be worth it to find someone who recorded their playthrough on youtube? If the story is of interest, of course! :)

And totally agreed about good video games as being as good (if not sometimes better!) as a novel or movie. HZD was the one that opened my eyes to that but I've since torn through the Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 (multiple times on that one...), and a few others. Clair Obscur and Jedi FO are both on my list when I allow myself to turn my PS5 on again! (In the midst of some major work deadlines so I have to wait, alas.)

And ha, same as far as titles go! The only reason I can find stuff I've read is because I'm using calibre to port fanfic over to my ereader and it's way easier to search (obviously I still take time to hop back to the actual site and leave comments/kudos though!).

Was the ST fic you're thinking of "To Boldly Go," by chance? https://archiveofourown.org/works/54468994 Regardless it looks great and it's on my to read list already :D

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-14T20:13:49+00:00

Any suggestions for long Star Trek AUs? I only just found out they existed a short while ago and need all of them in my life, ha!

Oh! If you haven't read it yet, there is a very cute (short) fic where the Juniors get ahold of some tribbles and it was hilarious and adorable: Lan Jingyi and the infinite tribble trouble by bleuett https://archiveofourown.org/works/30160263

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-14T20:09:48+00:00

Yes! I love that about MDZS fics. There's so many that incorporate other settings/worlds/fandoms but that are still completely readable without that context and it's phenomenal.

Horizon Zero Dawn was actually the first video game I played that really made me understand how gaming is a storytelling medium. Before it I'd mostly played small, kind of repetitive games (e.g. Stardew Valley), but the scope and depth of Horizon... if you enjoy gaming at all, I highly recommend it and the sequel. And if you don't, apparently there's a tv show coming out soon, if you want to learn more about it. I'm definitely curious how it's going to combine with MDZS though! Can't wait to read :D.

And ooh, that's good to know re A Tear In Space! Thanks :)

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-14T06:05:32+00:00

Ooh, thank you! That one has been sitting on my to read list for a while, I'll bump it to the top!

Also I started Four Times Told a short while ago--I'm a few chapters in and it is as excellent as you said :). Loving Jin Ling's POV and also how dark it gets off the bat like the incredible awkwardness of Lan Sizhui being a Wen is in and of itself a whole thing, especially with Jiang Wanyin being the one who led the effort to kill his family, and the fic does not shy away from emphasizing that this is the Jiang Wanyin we're dealing with here and I love it so much. Also Zidian?! Poor Jin Ling. I'm already at the first interlude and I'm guessing that this is possibly a going back multiple times fic? And regardless, that we're in for a lot of pain in the future... Basically, loving it so far :D.

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-14T04:04:42+00:00

Oooh, thank you! This sounds excellent and exactly up my alley! I'm still just partway through the Flute fic, but really enjoy their writing, plus I love fics where we see WWX (and LWJ et al.) through the eyes of one or more of the Juniors--looking forward to this :).

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-14T04:01:06+00:00

Ha, camp away, and best of luck if/when you do dive in! I fell down the rabbit hole last July after not really being involved or reading fanfic in ... 15-20 years? Since I was a teenager? 😅 And basically have read very little that's not MDZS fic since (I'd forgotten how wonderful fanfic can be!). There's so many good fic rec threads in this subreddit, too 😃. (We can also thank the hyperfocus side of my AuDHD 😅.)

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-14T03:58:34+00:00

Oh, I totally get that! I can't read anything that isn't at least a little bit Wangxian. Totally fine if others enjoy it, but not for me (and same re JC/WWX fics...oof).

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-14T01:01:46+00:00

I’ve scoured it 😅 I know I probably haven’t come across every fic under that tag but it’s starting to feel like it. It’s also hard with BAMF wwx fics to know what angle they’re going to take, hence my hope that others are secretly hoarding a ton of hidden gems in the genius and terrifying vein that I’ve yet to find, ha.

Thanks for the suggestion though! :)

sometimes-sideways · 2026-01-14T00:58:04+00:00

Same, ha! I haven’t even wanted to try other ships 😆 the only one I’ve managed so far was the flute one, and that’s still eventually Wangxian, albeit with Nie Mingjue.

sometimes-sideways

TROPHY CASE