Heaven Official's Blessing//TGCF: Episode 7 FULL LENGTH Reaction!
Added 2022-06-13 13:00:08 +0000 UTC**ROMANTIC DESERT-FILLED HEADPHONE WARNINGS**
Oohhh, y'all, I'm getting sucked into this series! Xie Lian is the MOST precious and MUST be protected -- I'm glad that he pretty much has a squad ready to do so for him, though!(But y'all suck at fending off sandstorm whirlwinds, though)!
San Lang is more suspicious but also more charming, Feng and Yao's bro-protec squad mentality is adorable, and things are getting more intricate, interesting, and the cliffhangers are making me want to binge this series MORE AND MORE...*sigh* I'm SO ready to dive into the book, but we still have plenty of donghua left to go! This episode was SO GOOD!
Thank you for watching with me and the support!
LINK TO REACTION: https://share.vidyard.com/watch/vKT6KVSUxMiKgKexhrrLxt?
Comments
That is interesting that the puppeteer can know when the puppet is exposed, but that makes sense! I love how it’s gotten exposed! That’s really cool! And that’s good to know about Banyue and yeah, clearly Xie Lian has connections to it (as do the other gods), but he’s the only one willing to go in and see what’s up! :) And yessss, Xie Lian clearly took a page from Wei WuXian in the bad-at-concealing-identity tactics, because as adorable, modest, and least princely as he seems, he’s not good at hiding the fact that he’s a god…at least around San Lang, hahaha! And I agree, Feng and Yao seem embarrassed on his behalf – I love the ones close to him are forming this protection squad and have him in high regard…even if Xie Lian does not have himself in high regard. :’) And yeah, Sang Lang doesn’t question Xie Lian – is he just whipped for our cinnamon roll? Part of me says yes, but I’ll be curious as we go to see what else is the reasoning for his behavior. But YES, he just wanted that indirect kiss, hahaha! I hadn’t thought about the idea that he would know Feng and Yao are working for the gods that avoided his challenge…hmmm….interesting indeed! And yes, I remember that’s how Xie Lian ascended for the first time. Thanks for the breakdown of their names for Mu and Fu, hahaha, that will be helpful! :) And that is interesting about what “drives” people to become ghosts or gods…now…what’s the difference? I don’t want to be told, but I’m excited to find out as we go through this story! Thanks so much for the comment!
Romaniablack
2022-06-14 13:00:08 +0000 UTCI absolutely love how much chemistry the two of them have FROM THE START! I love it so much how they are domestic detectives after literally 48 hours together. It’s so cute! And I totally think Xie Lian has a TYPE hahaha – and both Hua Cheng and San Lang are fitting the bill. :) San Lang also looking like an angel in front of Xie Lian and possibly devilish in front of ANYONE else, is hilarious…and not suspicious in any way. ;) Ahh, thank you for not spoiling on the Wind Master! I have a feeling, as long as this story is, there are going to be a lot of characters to explore and I’m excited! I definitely love that Xie Lian is trying to be neutral and wants to make sure that the Mortal Realm is treated fairly in all this; I love he’s this pure ray of light amidst the seeming corruption present in the Heavenly Realm. And YES, Yao and Feng are SUCH tsunderes but Xie Lian has won them over! :) And yesss, they act like SUCH parents to Xie Lian, worrying about him with this “sketchy stranger.” I hate how self-deprecating Xie Lian is – I agree; I just want San Lang or Hua Cheng to show him how great he actually is! Hmmm…I feel San Lang is more of an acquaintance than a pet or kid, but Xie Lian does seem protective of him already! And the Three Men and a Baby reference!! Ahahahahaha, I love it!! :D <3 San Lang is as whipped for Xie Lian as Xie Lian is for him – it’s amazing we spent 100+ chapters getting WangXian to the levels of public adoration that Xie Lian and San Lang have in a few chapters together, hahaha! The moments of them flirting together are *chef’s kiss* indeed! Yao cursed them all in the episode! How dare he! Hahahaa! I do love that San Lang confronts Yao a lot in this series; it’s great. Our sass monster needs to be brought down a notch, sometimes. And yes, San Lang’s love so solid, right?! Yesssss, I managed to hold out to episode 8 next week…but not so sure I can resist watching to Episode 9! Thank you so much for the kind words and comment! I’m so excited to see what’s to come!
Romaniablack
2022-06-14 11:55:24 +0000 UTCA puppet in this case is an actual construction - like a person-shaped skin bag powered by magic. If you listen to it "drinking" the water, you can hear the water splashing and gurgling inside because it's hollow. I thought the donghua did a good job of letting us hear it - not an easy thing to get across without an explanation. Nothing ghostly about a puppet, but it is a magical construct. And I think, "half the people disappear," means that out of all the caravans that go past it, maybe half of them get wiped out. I also think the puppet just broke down because once it was totally exposed as fake it wasn't worth anything anymore to the puppeteer. Ah, Banyue (Half-moon) Pass/Kingdom. If you listen to the Chinese, you're going to hear the word a lot. In the other translations, they kept it as "Banyue", so that's how I always call it. I don't think the puppet meant that place is now literally called "Half-life Pass" but that's more like its nickname or a (not so funny) play on the name because of the reputation. Like, "Make-out Park" because kids in their cars go to a certain spot to make out in their cars or whatever, There is definitely something fishy connected to Banyue and it seems all the other gods know it but aren't willing to get involved. In charges Xie Lian... Yup, here's the Crown Prince of Xianle, eating dusty buns that fell on the floor, putting up a sign begging for donations to help repair his shack/shrine, "that's my only broom!", sleeping on a straw mat (with another guy - eek!) - modest and humble to a fault. Something must have greatly affected him in the last however-many-years it's been since he was a prince and a powerful god. And if Xie Lian was pretending to be just a priest to San Lang before, he lets all kinds of things slip once the bickering boys show up. How would he know what Banyue was like 200 years ago? I don't think Fu Yao and Nan Feng look down on him for it - they seemed outraged on his behalf and embarrassed and a little shocked. Like...it just seems wrong, whatever his current status is. But Xie Lian doesn't make a big deal about it, so they can't really do anything except scold him for not being bothered by it, lol. I love thinking of them as exasperated parents who just don't know what to do with their crazy child who ignores traditions and honor and self-image and seems oblivious to danger/dishonor to himself. Also, "If you can't deal with it, run away," is his advice *to other people*. He's protective of everyone but himself. "I got this" is Xie Lian's motto. San Lang...you mentioned him waiting to see how Xie Lian would handle the puppet and that is important. Keep a mental eye on how he treats Xie Lian. So far - he doesn't argue with Xie Lian, he doesn't question Xie Lian's decisions, he offers up whatever info/help whenever Xie Lian asks or seems to need a nudge, and...that's it. He doesn't push or demand or give orders. The only word I can come up with that really fits his demeanor toward Xie Lian is "deferential". While Fu Yao and Nan Feng feel free to express whatever they want in tones that aren't so respectful, San Lang gives Xie Lian nothing but support. He even picks at Fu Yao for always bringing up a contrary way of dealing with every situation or discussion. He does not like the way those two treat Xie Lian. The testing scene is so fun to watch! San Lang wants his indirect kiss, damn it! Take your nasty water away! Oh, Gege says it's okay? Fine, I'll drink it. What, you want to give me a cool sword? Oops, it broke! He is so playing with them right here, mocking them, and they know it - Fu Yao is about to burst a blood vessel. And IF he is Hua Cheng - he has to know their patron gods (Mu Qing and Feng Xin) are the two who specifically avoided his challenge of the 35 gods. And their names were on his list for SOME reason. Not a Spoiler! Xie Lian ascended the first time for killing a major evil ghost. That is in the flashback section near the end of the first (second on Netflix) episode. At Yinian bridge he defeated the huge ghost and the Emperor saw his potential so he ascended. Oh, and "Taoist" is pronounced "Dow-ist". Keeping track of names is hard but I use FU Yao with MU Qing (FU and MU) and Nan FENG and FENG Xin - to connect them as demigod/boss god. The Imperial Preceptor of Banyue was only a strong cultivator but the Banyue people don't seem to have had any good cultivators of their own so she was elevated to a high station (not a god ascention). The book never really explains the differences in levels of power, so the show doesn't either. But it seems like raw talent, practiced/learned technique, and determination/obsession/sheer stubbornness are what determine how strong a person is or can become - human, god, or ghost. The Preceptor must have been a strong cultivator but in death, she's so focused or obsessed with whatever drove her to become a ghost to begin with - that is what makes her Wrath-level. Just as whatever it is that caused Hua Cheng to become a ghost in the first place is so important to him that he reached Devastation-rank. And Xuan Ji had a strong obsession with Pei Ming but needed some direction on how to put that drive to use, which she got from the Green Ghost. Personal will, focus, ambition, inner strength - all those kinds of things seem to determine how powerful they are as a ghost or a god.
Serralinda
2022-06-14 04:19:25 +0000 UTCNot gonna lie I laughed so hard at you saying Xie Lian might think of Hua Cheng as his treasure whilst the other gods think he's trash. But yes our cinnamon roll could definitely be a god of recycling! The domesticity of Xie Lian and San Lang at Puqi Shrine does make me think a little of Wei Wuxian's dreams (even before he had his big realisation) of retiring from the world and living alongside Lan Wangji. Just unlike with Wei Wuxian's dreams (that Lan Wangji would take care of the home and hearth), Xie Lian is more than happy to get stuck in with the dirtier and more physically-demanding jobs alongside San Lang. To me there isn't as obvious a divide on the things they'd be more suited to (at least currently). Your comment on maybe Xie Lian is in love with both Hua Cheng and San Lang 😂 All I'll say is there's *lots* of fanart around this idea. Previous episode ends on cliffhanger, and then given the option of skipping intro, but you're definitely right that it's impossible to skip this OP. It's just too damn beautiful. But also the music is so wonderful. To me it sounds more romantic than Mo Dao Zu Shi OPs, though does still have that little edgier bit that reminds me of a lot of shounen anime OPs. San Lang to suspicious 'man': 😠 San Lang to Xie Lian: 🥺😇 I do love that San Lang and Xie Lian have known each other for possibly only two days and a night yet they can adequately converse via eyebrow movements. But it also highlights how smart both San Lang and Xie Lian are to have picked up on the big plot hole in the man's story. Then immediately after both are basically just showing off their fighting skills. That disarming move that Xie Lian pulls is so badass, but the way he pulls it off whilst being so blasé about it makes me love him so much more. And San Lang using a wooden chopstick to kill the puppet? Definitely taking the phrase "anything can be a weapon" to a whole new level. Our first time getting a puppet that isn't a puppet just for censorship reasons (looking at you CQL [The Untamed] and all your resentful spirits becoming living puppets). THE WIND MASTER!!! 😍🥰🤐 Xie Lian definitely gives off the vibe that the only merits he wants to collect are those he's earned through his own actions. Whereas the glimpse of the greedy gods vying for the merits the Wind Master is handing out willy-nilly shows the darker side to the Heavenly Realm in that there are gods who are uncaring about doing things for the mortals or are lacking in morals for how they gain merits. It only matters that they get more, which can increase their power. How they come to receive more doesn't matter. Xie Lian's expression is so serious when he asks if the puppet was telling the truth. He definitely didn't appreciate Ling Wen's suggestion of basically ignoring that something like that has been happening. But Xie Lian has a personal connection to Banyue (Half-Moon) Kingdom, which could be why he pushes harder against Ling Wen's words. I also feel it really shows off his neutrality. Even though he is with the Heavenly Realm, Xie Lian isn't swayed to simply do something for the benefit of the Heavenly Realm at the expense of the Mortal Realm. He wormed his way into Fu Yao and Nan Feng's hearts, but both have too much tsundere in them to admit it. Or even come out and say that they want to help him/want to protect him. But actions speak louder than words boys, and going immediately into offensive mode because you see a young stranger hanging about our cinnamon roll is definitely at odds with your attempts at being somewhat aloof and blame everything on your Generals "volunteering" you for this protection duty. San Lang meeting Fu Yao and Nan Feng never fails to make me laugh. He is such a little shit to them. And that's my jam. Love it. This aspect of his character does give me slight Wei Wuxian vibes. Xie Lian's self-worth, or rather lack of, just hurts. Definitely need San Lang or Hua Cheng to just grab hold of him and make him see how worthy he actually is. For all that Xie Lian has a neutral take on others, he is very self-critical 🥺 So Nan Feng and Fu Yao are Xie Lian's assistants. What does that make San Lang? Considering Xie Lian's worried about him getting lost to me it feels like San Lang's either a kiddo or pet right now. Like I said in the discord, pouty San Lang is adorable and such a mood for when it's too hot and you've been walking a lot. I'm definitely Xie Lian in that scenario of wanting to take care of him. They're too pure! Xie Lian proving how sweet he is with that "odd doesn't mean dangerous". He really is all about judging others only on his own experiences with them and not by how they seem or what other people say about them. The quartet, especially when the background music is that twanging sound, are always a hoot. But it also kind of feels like three idiots and a Xie Lian (most definitely not a Three Men and a Baby reference there 😂). And again Xie Lian being such a cutie. The water isn't technically poisonous but it isn't mere water either. And Xie Lian being who he is can't just say that it isn't poisonous. No lies of omission here! San Lang actually saying the water he's sharing with his gege tastes better. Can you be a bigger simp?! Worried!Xie Lian: San Lang! San Lang! San Lang: *nonchalantly appears with hands in his pockets* And for the romantic moments this episode: silent communication, stargazing, Xie Lian putting his hat on San Lang, sharing water, fixing clothes back into place, side glances, catching the hat, that long lingering gaze, and ducking under the brim to fix the hat in place... Those moments are all *chef's kiss* "How bad could it be?" and "Can it now us into the sky?" Fu Yao you scudding scudder! You don't say shit like that without touching wood or your head. Just asking for things to go badly. I love San Lang being confrontational with Fu Yao. Xie Lian has spoken about what they should do. And for Mr Simp here that means doing exactly what his gege thinks it's best. Xie Lian: Ruoye grab something solid. Ruoye: Nothing in this desert is more solid than San Lang and his feelings for Xie Lian! 😂 I told you the urge to binge is strong! Watching weekly and being unable to binge was *painful* Especially because I forced myself to hold off from reading either the manhua or the novel until after the season ended. I won't say the cliffhangers are as bad as how CQL's [The Untamed] were (finishing mid-conversation was just mean) but the little crumbs of information make you want more and want to watch the next episode. Great reaction and discussion as always!
Anime Annie
2022-06-14 01:41:30 +0000 UTC
