Heaven Official's Blessing//TGCF: Episode 8 FULL LENGTH Reaction!
Added 2022-06-20 13:00:09 +0000 UTC**ROMANTIC VENOM-SUCKING HEADPHONE WARNINGS**
Y'all, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to hold back, now! We have San Lang all but waiving a giant flag that says, "I AM A GHOST KING!" in the air as he annihilates snakes, Xie Lian having the time of his life on this romantic date with San Lang (complete with vampiric rescues), and the mystery deepens as a sketchy guide, Zhao, leads our quartet to the Half-Moon Pass to find a mysterious herb that will apparently cure the venom from the "scorpion snakes" attacking them.
Does that sound like a basket of chaos? Because it IS and I'm HERE FOR IT!
LINK TO REACTION: https://share.vidyard.com/watch/t1vuFGeG4jeqRC8GDgiMEd?
Thank you for watching with me and for the support!
Comments
I appreciate all the translation help with these episodes! It definitely helps the experience and make the scenes make a little more sense! It will be good to know for a future episode about the yao, jing, and guai, so I’ll have to make note of that! I love the discussion with the general and “duty” that happens in the cave! And that “accomplished nothing,” probably hurt Xie Lian, but he’s too much of a cinnamon roll to admit it – it’s an interesting discussion and I like how it’s tied into more modern conversations. And OOOOH, that death makes so much more sense; thank you for correcting that! Yes, that translation was so odd! And YES, that is a good point that Nan Feng and Fu Yao have risked a lot to come and help Xie Lian – our cinnamon bun deity is having such an impression on everyone! :3 I love it! Thank you for the comment and info! :D
Romaniablack
2022-06-23 14:50:11 +0000 UTCOoohhhhhh, spoiler-filled best weapon?! I’m excited!! I do love Ruoye having a “mind of its own;” it’s really cute! It’s interesting that we’re having “territory disputes” but it sort of ties to modern religion in our own world and how various cultures can vary with religion, depending on where you live, so it’s fascinating! I love that Xie Lian and crew are literally the worst at hiding who they are and not seeming suspicious; it’s almost comical at this point, that a child is able to discern something is “off” with our quartet, “in boy band formation” – I DIED at that! XD Xie Lian’s ghost/god radar: Question #1. Is he hot? And we go from there! Yeah, Zhao is suspicious, but I’m excited to figure out more with his character! And yessss, San Lang totally compliments Xie Lian in regards to how they trust others and act. There’s definitely a balance between them and I like it! Maybe how a god…and a ghost…balance one…another? HA HA HA…we’ll see, eh? I love the idea that San Lang puts himself below XL, even though he’s clearly powerful enough (according to my theories) to be on the same level as him. And it’s a little macabre that our once-crown prince is sitting on a tombstone as a throne, but if San Lang is in fact Hua Cheng, that probably fits his aesthetic and makes him love XL even more. :) And of course, we have cutesy romantic gravestone readings and Nan Feng and Fu Yao are literally chaperones on a date at this point. The story itself and the themes it explores were great, too! And San Lang DEFINITELY knows how to push peoples buttons and does not like when his godly bae is possibly insulted. And yesss, the dynamic with San Lang and Xie Lian is wonderful; I’m SO loving it at this point. Can we get a TGCF-Q series? I need it, especially after the snake jump rope scene! HAHAHAHA – Fu Yao and Nan Feng clearly “chose violence” with the snakes! It reminds me of how I’d be the person with the piece of paper trying to quickly haul spiders out of my house without killing them, whereas my friend would want to get a flamethrower and eliminate them. Hmmmmm, that IS a good question of what could be blocking the communication array. Interesting. But I feel you; the reception where I’m at is pretty lousy as well! And thank you! We go from a very romantic moment of San Lang on his knees, sucking the venom out of Xie Lian’s hand so delicately, to him just making the snake blow up because his beloved was injured. Yep. Let’s NOT mess with Xie Lian while San Lang is around. @_@ THANK YOU for not spoiling the women! I feel I’m going to love where the mystery of them goes as we get further into the story and I’m excited for the reveals with them! Oooohhh, that’s a TOUGH question – the cliffhangers of The Untamed would be annoying because they just pause midway (which I luckily didn’t have to experience with the reactions), but at least they were nearly an hour long per episode –these episodes go by so fast, it’s almost worse because you’re so HUNGRY for more! I agree, this arc is hard not to binge! Thank you for the kind words and comment! Fingers crossed with your internet and I’m SO excited for the episodes to come!
Romaniablack
2022-06-23 14:26:30 +0000 UTCYessss, San Lang has all the hallmarks of being “not human,” so if not Hua Cheng, then what? Hahaha, I’m just waiting for the reveal at this point! ^^ Xie Lian, I love him to PIECES, but secret keeper he is NOT. And Nan Feng and Fu Yao are not trying much either, and San Lang is failing too; it’s hilarious how they have managed to fool everyone around them…except themselves, basically. I agree that it’s not weird for them to meet up if they were ghosts, but if they were from opposing kingdoms, I guess that does make sense it would be odd! Hmmm, that’s interesting; I’m excited to see how that plays out as we go! And yes, Zhao is SUSPICIOUS, but I’m curious to see where his storyline goes, too! I love how protective San Lang is – I would be too, knowing how Xie Lian just HURDLES himself into danger without question! And, having watched the next episode, YES, I agree that the next episode was truly the one living up to the “Rule of 8!” :) Thank you for the kind words and comment!
Romaniablack
2022-06-23 13:58:01 +0000 UTCYesss, I mean, there's NO WAY that San Lang doesn't know XL, Nan Feng, and Fu Yao is at this point...Xie Lian has literally blabbed it all, hahaha! Oooh, that's so interesting about Tian Sheng and his name meaning! I'm excited to see how it's different in the novel! :) I do agree the general's fate is tragic. San Lang using the snake as a jump rope is absolutely ridiculous and yet SO perfect for him! And ooooohhhhh, I didn't notice that San Lang swallowed the last time with the blood! OMG...welp....@_@ Tis love, isn't it? Hahahahahahahaha the Philosopher's stone reference with Zhao is hilarious! Yes, he's on my radar! :P That's great, though! And yes, the woman in black appears! I don't expect it to be Ling Wen (our girl is busy ENOUGH) but she does look similar and so pretty! I'm so ready to dive more into the story with these characters! :D
Romaniablack
2022-06-22 12:46:46 +0000 UTCOh my....I forget sometimes how long this story is...and this first SEASON is one of FIVE volumes of story, ha ha ha ha! Hmmm....but that's so interesting; to use the story as just a point in the overall picture. Your comment definitely has me excited! :D :D Thank you for the comment, and not spoiling me! I'm so hyped!!
Romaniablack
2022-06-22 02:31:16 +0000 UTCThis is one of the reason I love San Lang so much. Yes, He is v protective of Xie Lian and even he doesn’t understand why Xie Lian wanna deal with Banyue issue, he will never force him or stop him doing anything, San Lang will just accompany him and protect him😘
Kathy Cheng
2022-06-21 17:02:13 +0000 UTCWhen San Lang said “don’t fly away again”, a more accurate translation is “Here’s your hat, don’t let it be blown away by the wind again.” “People” and “human” are the same word in Chinese. I think here, the meaning “human” fits the context of “Don’t grab humans” when Xie Lian used Ruoye the second time. Then the meaning “people” fits when Xie Lian said “deputy gods are people too”. In real life Chinese history/mythology (not necessarily TGCF world-building), gods don’t have to be human, they can be ghosts (鬼) or spirits (妖 yao, 精jing and 怪guai, these are sometimes translated into “demon” in other donghua). Chinese 妖yao are animals that cultivate. 精jing are plants that cultivate, 怪guai are inanimate objects, such as rocks, that cultivate. Many yao, jing and guai tend to become evil because they take the shortcut to power by eating humans, but there are also good yao (and guai and jing) that cultivate properly and are good. They could become strong by absorbing yin energy from the moon, or collecting worship by becoming the guardian god of a mortal family (not recognized by the heavenly court), or they could become servants/pets to official gods or powerful immortal cultivators. When Fu Yao said “he should carry out his duties”, a better translation would be “If one is at a position, they should (faithfully) carry out the duties that this position requires of them”. This is a very important concept in Chinese culture for people to do what they should for their job and not slack or step over bounds. Historically, this concept is one of the basis for people to insist that officials of the government stay away from corruption and do their job (love, care and protect the people) properly. It is commonly agreed even in modern society that if you want to do something that is against the duties of your job description, then you shouldn’t be in this position wasting time, efficiency, and salary. If what you want to do is legal and ethical, you can find another position that fits you and work there instead. When Fu Yao said “he ended with nothing”, the correct translation is “in the end, he accomplished nothing”. When Xie Lian said “he was slashed to death by crazy soldiers”, the correct translation is “He was trampled to death by the soldiers from both sides of the war who were blinded by bloodlust.” I have no idea how they could’ve got this so wrong. Interesting and kind of touching that Nan Feng and Fu Yao came to help Xie Lian investigate the Half-Moon Pass despite the fact that it was so far away from their turf that their powers are severely limited.
FourSunsets
2022-06-21 09:18:24 +0000 UTCXie Lian: Don't panic San Lang! *uses Ruoye as a bondage tool* Love Ruoye grabbing hold of Nan Feng and Fu Yao after Xie Lian says not to grab people. Ruoye is probably my third favourite weapon/tool in all of MXTX's works. Chenqing is second, but I can't tell you what's first as *spoilers* Nice little bit of worldbuilding/understanding the power structure within Tian Guan Ci Fu. In the Mortal Realm the gods, and subsequently their deputies, will be stronger when one of their temples is nearby. When they're further away from a temple erected for them then they won't have as much power. Means that within the Mortal Realm there could potentially be territory disputes or showboating because of where a god's temples are (and the number of them). Tian Sheng: They're the suspicious ones (pan to our quartet in boy band formation) Xie Lian: Don't act suspicious, we're just normal people right?? Your comment about A-Zhao made me laugh so hard: "He's the hot one with eyeliner. He's probably a god or a ghost." Fair assumption. It's only Episode 8 and you're already suspicious of any and every handsome person Xie Lian comes across. But shows you have either good instincts, or very similar instincts as Xie Lian. Your pointing out that San Lang is like Xie Lian's opposite in regards to trusting others. It's like they're two halves of a whole and their separate parts complement each other. Xie Lian's trusting nature could also be seen as naivety, and San Lang's distrusting nature could be seen as scepticism. They balance one another with these duality traits they have. I love that when Xie Lian sits on the tombstone, San Lang positions himself both below Xie Lian and between him and the merchants that San Lang is wary of. Also Xie Lian sitting on the stone, whilst everyone else sits on the sandy ground (except Nan Feng and Fu Yao who are basically standing ready and at attention). Makes me think of his standing in comparison with everyone else in the cave. Not just because he's a god, but also because he was once the Crown Prince of Xianle who may have had a throne he sat upon. Now his 'throne' is a tombstone in a dark cave. San Lang and Xie Lian reading the tombstone together whilst Nan Feng and Fu Yao stand behind them gives me such supervised-date vibes. The Deputy Gods are watching over their precious child to ensure that the unworthy young man doesn't make any untoward advances! I do love the way the opinions in regards to war were presented. The "General's" story and the merchants' support of him show there can be other ways that don't involve killing each other to work through whatever problems started the war. Whilst Fu Yao presents the ideology that the "General" was a soldier and should have simply obeyed his higher-ups' commands, and killed for the sake of his country. Innocent lives being lost during war is simply a causality of war for the Deputy God. Also gives a bit of an insight potentially into how he views his place within the Heavenly Realm. As a Martial God's Deputy you could liken him to a soldier in some ways. San Lang not appreciating the merchants laughing at the tragedy that befell the "General". I love how much of a little sh*t he is with the way he gets back at them. Shows he really has a great understanding of how people typically act/react to things, and how to push their buttons. I do love the dynamic between Xie Lian and San Lang. Xie Lian doesn't scold San Lang for lying to the merchants. It definitely feels more like a friendly chiding, to which San Lang responds quite playfully by sticking out his tongue. Such a simple action but a great way of showing that there is a difference in their ages. Merchants: SNAKE! San Lang: Snek *shrugs* Not very impressive. And then we get one of my favourite chibi moments from Tian Guan Ci Fu. Chibi!San Lang playing with the snake is just too darn adorable. Makes me want a chibi series for Tian Guan Ci Fu like Mo Dao Zu Shi Q. Romania: Use your bandage to wrap them up. Fu Yao & Nan Feng: Kill it with fire! I feel on a personal level the inability to get reception for the Spiritual Communication Array. Our new house there's no signal anywhere, even though it's just round the corner from our current one. It sucks. Though for the Heavenly Trio they say their access is blocked. Begs the question of who (or what) is blocking the array. Your facial reactions were *the* best for San Lang using Ruoye as a tourniquet and then the venom sucking scene. San Lang on his knees, yes please! He's so caring of Xie Lian. Exactly what our Scrap-Collecting Deity needs! San Lang: Gege got hurt...Murder is the only option! (So snake go splat!) Lips are sealed on these two women. But I love what we get of their dynamic here. One in the white robe has friends she could get help with, but she prefers and only wants help from the one in a black robe? Love it! Now cliffhangers, what's worse: Tian Guan Ci Fu or The Untamed? Banyue Arc is *hard* not to binge watch. Great reaction as always. I know your reaction to the ending of Episode 9 will make me laugh, and I'm really looking forward to next Monday (fingers crossed I can sort out some mobile internet as we won't have proper internet in our new place until 5th July). I need my Danmei Mondays fix!
Anime Annie
2022-06-20 23:17:29 +0000 UTCSo many plot points coming together in these episodes! I haven't seen much authors able to do just what MXTX continuously does: using a plot already rolling as a minor knot in the net of complex multilayered stories intertwined. You think the real story already started? Ohho we're still in the beginning of its exposition! And you may want to revisit some specific points so often in the future...
Anastasia -
2022-06-20 21:22:28 +0000 UTCYeah, San Lang is either a secretly powerful cultivator or he's not what he's pretending to be in some other way. Not just his knowledge, his snake-catching skills, but his snake-blasting skills seem pretty darned high-level. He also didn't hesitate to suck out that poison, which could possibly poison a person - if they were a normal person. He's also a troll - conning those people into praying to the "General's" stone. Xie Lian can't keep a secret at all :) Nan Feng and Fu Yao aren't trying very hard either. And San Lang is barely a little better. It's just too much bother, lol. But they were a little more careful in front of the caravan folks. Kinda. I believe the Yong'an Preceptor existed a hundred years or so before the Banyue Preceptor. I don't think it's impossible for them to have met if they both became ghosts but they were from opposing kingdoms, so them teaming up is a bit weird. Plus, we haven't gotten any stories about the Yong'an Preceptor becoming a ghost, while the Banyue Preceptor is pretty much known to be hanging around this area. But Xie Lian has been everywhere "collecting scraps" and was in both places, so that gives him at least 300 years, I think. The guide, Zhao, is a bit sus, yeah? But it does make sense that not all the caravans who travel this route go missing because no one would use it if it was impossible. And we know that the puppet who led Xie Lian here was full of...sand...so there's no trusting what it said about a whole caravan being wiped out with it the only survivor. San Lang is very protective of Xie Lian and even then he can't stop Xie Lian from blundering into whirlwinds and snake bites. When you love someone who insists on getting into trouble, all you can do is try to keep him alive through it all - and hold onto his hat. The General is definitely someone Xie Lian can relate to, bad luck and trying to help people with poor results and little appreciation. He fell down and got trampled/slashed because none of the other soldiers respected him enough to save him. The commoners were grateful, though. Okay, off to Banyue to find the fern antidote! Pretty ladies of questionable virtue and obvious powers! San Lang and Xie Lian hiding together! I think the next one will be more of a "lucky episode 8" than this one.
Serralinda
2022-06-20 20:05:20 +0000 UTCAt this point everyone in the quartet is at least 95% sure of the true identity of each other and it's a miracle that they all decide to play dumb. "Tian Sheng" literally means “natural born”, hence the boy is naturally kind, has a strong curiosity, and is willing to look on the bright side unlike Fu Yao who seems more realistic. His character setting is slightly different in the novel, it's up to you to find out later. There're actually a few famous ancient Chinese poets/politician who, like the general on the tablet, got demoted again and again because the person has chosen the wrong side on court or has somehow offended the emperor, so this story is not completely unrealistic, but still, the life of this general is quite tragic... others: snakes with stingy tails! help! San Lang: yes, new jumping rope! Did you notice that during the "snake bite treatment session", our boy in red sucked thrice but only spit out twice? He swallowed hard while looking up with those puppy dog eyes! That, everybody, is what we call love. The guide Zhao enters the team! Is he just some rando who's handsome with everlasting eyeliner even in the depth of desert or is he something more than that? Who knows, maybe he hides a nose-less face under that turban and is ready to search for the philosopher's stone! The mysterious girl duo enters the city! Although the one in a black clock seems like Ling Wen, personally I don't want it to be her...she's already so occupied with all those scrolls, can she have a proper vacation? Not the ones where you run inside a desert filled with sandstorms into abandoned cities! that's called more torture!
sqqlbh1314
2022-06-20 17:51:56 +0000 UTCAhhhh, they have such good rapport, that it seems they've known each other longer than that, right?! I'll definitely have to talk about that with a future episode but thanks for reminding me about that! :)
Romaniablack
2022-06-20 17:29:47 +0000 UTCThank you so much!!! This episode definitely sparked some things into motion, didn't it? I'm SO excited for the weeks to come! :D
Romaniablack
2022-06-20 17:26:44 +0000 UTCI will be starting the novel after I finish season one, so I'm excited! :)
Romaniablack
2022-06-20 17:26:15 +0000 UTCHope u can read novel asap to find out how good San Lang treats his Gege😍
Kathy Cheng
2022-06-20 16:13:57 +0000 UTCSeems u have made an assumption that Feng and Yao know Xie Lian very well? Do u rmb they just met in episode 1?
Kathy Cheng
2022-06-20 16:11:31 +0000 UTCI love the utter devotion San Lang has had with him since day one, even as we don't know the full story yet. And poor, sweet Xie Lian is oblivious but whipped already for him, too! :P
Romaniablack
2022-06-20 14:52:55 +0000 UTCAAAAAHHHHH WE’RE HERE I love how you’re so excited about these episodes🥰 I don’t have much to add but in the next few episodes I just might👀
Ivan is Yda
2022-06-20 14:52:16 +0000 UTCSan Lang is protecting his beloved Gege
Kamryn
2022-06-20 14:11:19 +0000 UTC
