[Mainland Chinese Drama 2019] Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber 倚天屠龙记

[AppleBanana]

3 minutes ago, LaurenPanna said:

 

Lol lol lol

I edited and added one more

KISSING EXPERTS

 

Very soon within 3 days, we are reaching 120 pages mark from 100

Dang. This is moving faster than when it was airing...

[deminni]

2 minutes ago, LaurenPanna said:

 

Lol lol lol

I edited and added one more

KISSING EXPERTS

 

Very soon within 3 days, we are reaching 120 pages mark from 100

 

I know a thing or two about kissing, and that kiss was definitely clumsy and passionate and adorable because it's both their firsts <3 haha

 

HOLY MOLY. I so wish I found this forum sooner and didn't lurk for so long haha. So crazy that we are growing this thread THIS FAST even after it's over. Still blows my mind.

 

So hey, I know this drama got pretty decent success in China, and from all the fan MVs I found on Youtube, this drama has a really strong Vietnamese fanbase as well. But it's not exactly like a mega stellar hit (which I am totally sad about and have been urging my cousin to watch this), and yet all of us are gathered here and still cannot stop analyzing and re-watching and writing and reading and creating and talking about it. Is it like this for c-fans too? Would you consider this series a Cult Classic then?

[LaurenPanna]

1 hour ago, deminni said:

Chapter 2 as promised

 

So initially, I thought this would be a quick and painless (well, not really for Wu Ji, but you know what I mean) story that was centered around a certain plot point I wanted, but the more I wrote, the more it grew into an introspective Wu Ji that I rather like. Maybe this is my coping mechanism to how angry I was at Wu Ji at the end of HSDS, so I hope those of you who felt the same way as me can seek a little solace through this.

 

Next chapter will be edited and updated tomorrow!  She will come soon. I promise.

 

 

 

Title: Fortunately

 

Chapter 2:

 

Wu Ji’s smile warms. For now, maybe he can push away the veil of haunted dreams and thinks the day might not be so bad after all.

 

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18594964/chapters/44167018

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Wu Ji is still. He can’t move. He doesn’t remember being immobilized by any Persians. But there she is again. Eyes fixated on him as she raises the hilt of Yi Tian Jian 倚天劍 above her head. Her eyes never leave him.

 

Wu Ji can’t move.

 

No.

 

He can’t speak either. He tries, to yell, to scream, to tell her to stop. This is dumbdumbdumb. She is the most intelligent person he knows. She can’t possibly—

 

No.

 

He is trying to activate the movements of nerves and meridians spread throughout his body; they’re on fire, but Wu Ji can’t move can’t think can’t be fast enough.

 

“NO!”

 

In one swift moment, the metal pierces through both women, and red stains Yi Tian JIan.

 

Wu Ji is released from the trappings of his own body and hot blood fills his earseyesveins. He rushes to her, Tu Long Dao 屠龍刀 gripped tightly, but as soon as he reaches out for her, as soon as she falls, all he can see are hurt eyes piercing his and she is gone.

 

No…

 

He blinks and nothing. Everything dissipates. Wu Ji looks around. Everyone is gone. It is so still.

 

A cold chill runs down his spine at the silence.

 

He blinks and a forest surrounds him. He is immobilized again.

 

Wu Ji sees red. Her Hanfu. She is kneeling.

 

He sees Ru Yang Wong, Wang Bao Bao, Xuan Ming Elders.

 

Wu Ji is still. He can’t move. Not again. Please.

 

No.

 

Her father raises his sword above his head.

 

No.

 

In one swift moment, the metal pierces through her.

 

NO!

 

Red stains her hands as she grips tightly to sharpened steel.

 

His eyes sting from tears and fury and hopelessness. He shuts them tight.

 

“NO!”

 

Wu Ji’s eyes fly open as he jolts up from the bed, awakened by a mix of cold sweat and the sound of Ping On neighing.

 

He takes a moment to catch his breath and wipes the perspiration from his face. He collects himself, evening out his inhalation as he tries to slow the rapid beating of his heart.

 

Once his hands stop shaking and he calms to a certain degree, Wu Ji pushes his tired body off the bed and walks outside. He shields his eyes. Judging from the sun’s position, he has probably only slept for a couple hours.

 

Ping On is restless as Wu Ji struggles with his harness and softly tries to calm him. The horse settles after a couple of tries, and suddenly Wu Ji realizes they are not alone. He swiftly turns around and spots the head of a young boy peeking out from behind an old tree about five yards away.

 

The boy’s eyes reflect his fears and curiosity.

 

Wu Ji stops for a second and after perceiving no danger, pets Ping On a couple of times on the nose and engages with the boy.

 

“I am Zhang Wu Ji. What is your name?”

 

The boy pauses, still hiding behind the tree, and softly answers, “I am Lin Shan. You can call me Ah Shan.”

 

“Ah Shan. That is my father’s name.” Wu Ji feels his lips curve upward slightly. “What are you doing out here by yourself, Ah Shan?”

 

“Playing. I wanted to play with your horse. I think I scared it.”

 

Wu Ji chuckles. The boy is hiding behind a tree yards away from his horse, and he thinks the horse is scared. “It’s okay, Ah Shan. It is not scared of you. It’s a really brave horse. Come.” He waves the boy over with a warm grin and continues to pet Ping On. “See? He is calm now.”

 

Ah Shan straightens up and fixes his Mongolian Garb, and Wu Ji can see the exact moment when the young boy musters up his courage, puffs out his chest, and slowly makes his way towards them.

 

“His name is Ping On. Do you want to pet him?”

 

Ah Shan nods. The boy first uses one hand to pat Ping On a couple of times on the nose, then both his hands are stroking Ping On’s face softly. “I really love horses. You have a really good horse. A little skinny, but I can tell it’s a good horse.”

 

Wu Ji feels a slight pang of guilt and jokes, “It is not easy finding food out here in the desert.”

 

This makes Ah Shan’s face light up. “I have food!” He adjusts the bag draped around his body and brings it to the front. Reaching in, the boy pulls out six mantous and offers them up to Wu Ji. “Here. You can have these.”

 

Wu Ji freezes, taken aback by the kind gesture. Wu Ji’s gratitude is probably expressed all over his face as he slowly takes the generous offering from the young boy.

 

“Don’t worry! I have plenty more at home. A hao jie jie made them for me.”

 

“If you call me hao jie jie, I will go save your Chu gu niang for you.”

 

Wu Ji pauses, still shaken, but he puts on a smile for the boy. “Thank you so much, Ah Shan. Wu Ji Ge Ge truly appreciates you.” He saves four of them in his Hanfu for later, not quite hungry yet.

 

The boy continues to pet Ping On as the horse happily eats two back to back. “You’re welcome! Now ge ge and Ping On won’t be hungry anymore.”

 

Wu Ji’s smile warms. For now, maybe he can push away the veil of haunted dreams and thinks the day might not be so bad after all.

 

--

 

After spending most of the morning listening to Ah Shan talk, Wu Ji learns that the boy is eight years old, that his parents work outdoors herding sheep and cattle, and he often gets himself into all kinds of mischief when he is not helping them.

 

It is nice to have some company and conversation again, to get away from the confines of his own mind.

 

Wu Ji listens intently as Ah Shan recounts, in detail, his visit to his dad’s friend’s house. He describes it as an adventure over the desert, past all the sand dunes, and into an oasis of lush green grasslands beside crystal clear lakes. It was the first time they had taken family trip together.

 

The way Ah Shan describes it makes it sound like the most beautiful place in this world. But Wu Ji knows better.

 

Nothing could compare to the majestic serenity of Wu Dang Mountains and the beautifully haunting snowfields of the Northern Islands, but he is happy to oblige and fancy the young boy’s tales. He would like to see what this place is all about. It would be a nice change of scenery, Wu Ji thinks as he continues to listen to Ah Shan.

 

As the day approaches high noon, Ah Shan is finishing up a story about his favorite cow giving birth to his now new favorite calf and how he got to name the calf.

 

Wu Ji chuckles and shakes his head. Ah Shan really does not tire. He looks up and realizes that if he doesn’t leave soon, he might not be able to find another shelter before it gets dark. He sadly tells Ah Shan as much and bids him farewell.

 

Wu Ji and Ah Shan wave goodbye to each other as Wu Ji rides off, feeling especially grateful and more fulfilled than he has in a while.

 

--

 

Ah Shan watches Wu Ji ge ge ride off into the distance and waves and waves until his arm starts burning. As the boy begins to walk back to his yurt, he smiles and is happy to have met Wu Ji. The man really is a nice person. No wonder that hao jie jie gave him extra mantous to give to Wu Ji ge ge.

 

--

 

The days are usually pretty standard for Wu Ji. After resting for a night, he and Ping On will head out and continue either north or west without any real directions to go off of. Wu Ji has learned that trying to find a person in the expanse of a region as large as Mongolia is like fishing a needle from the sea. In the Central Plains, he could essentially find anyone he needed with the network of people surrounding Ming Sect and their Jiang Hu friends.

 

But out here, his Ming Sect’s connections would be rendered useless.

No, not his anymore. He had given that part of his life up. The choice to leave had come rather easily once they had successfully pushed Yuan forces out of China and back to the Eurasian Steppes.

His mind had been made up long before the battle at Shao Lin even began.

 

"Fighting this war and winning as a goal of mine has not changed. Marrying Zhao gu niang as a goal of mine will also not change."

Wu Ji had completed his duties and fulfilled his promise. Now, Ming Sect just needed to keep theirs.

 

For the past couple of years, Wu Ji has gathered information from people along the way that Zhu Yuan Zhang had become the de facto leader of Ming Sect and has collected an impressive résumé of conquests and talents alike. Currently, the power struggle between Zhu Yuan Zhang and Chou You Liang is at its most heated while Wang Bao Bao presides over Northern Yuan.

 

Wu Ji knows it is dangerous for him to have made it into her brother’s territory, but Wu Ji’s ability to evade and hide from anyone possibly out looking for him has only improved with time.

 

He enjoys the anonymity.

 

Out here, there is no Jiao Zhu. No Ming Sect. No Wu Lin. No would-be throne.

 

Out here, Wu Ji is no one.

 

He thinks it is laughable they would want him to be Emperor. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it. Her warnings continued to resonate long after she had left.

 

He had imagined a life of constant scheming and politics. Of struggling to trust even his most loyal friends and family just to secure a throne made of gold and dragons. These thoughts made his stomach churn. To him, an emperor’s throne was just a chair filled with burden. He had a taste as Ming Sect Jiao Zhu, leader of all of Wu Lin. Wu Ji did not care about any of that.

 

If they wanted it, they could have it.

 

All Wu Ji wants is one thing.

 

It is unquestionably worth more than any kingdom and chair and title combined.

 

He just wishes he knows where to find it.

 

 

 

She may not be there yet but i spotted her Invisible Presence through the Mantous (buns) 

 

Smart and creative!!! 

1 minute ago, deminni said:

 

I know a thing or two about kissing, and that kiss was definitely clumsy and passionate and adorable because it's both their firsts <3 haha

 

HOLY MOLY. I so wish I found this forum sooner and didn't lurk for so long haha. So crazy that we are growing this thread THIS FAST even after it's over. Still blows my mind.

 

So hey, I know this drama got pretty decent success in China, and from all the fan MVs I found on Youtube, this drama has a really strong Vietnamese fanbase as well. But it's not exactly like a mega stellar hit (which I am totally sad about and have been urging my cousin to watch this), and yet all of us are gathered here and still cannot stop analyzing and re-watching and writing and reading and creating and talking about it. Is it like this for c-fans too? Would you consider this series a Cult Classic then?

 

Not only 

The Indonesians fans are so crazy about them!! 

[deminni]

33 minutes ago, kur4p1k4 said:

@deminni Lol I have to bring pics since I know lotsa you people didn't watch it when ZR-WJ eps. It is one of the boring episodes until Zhu Er comes out as a surprise and then ZM. ZM really carries the back episodes for me, if there's no her it's so draggy.

Besides I can sneak in YX pics in my analysis I'm always happy with that

 

Agreed. All the scenes with Yukee as Zhao Min was just so fun to watch. I loved when he dared Ming sect to kill her after ZR committed fake-suicide. She’s like “Come here and kill me” and she was soooo cocky. I love her. Girl crush for sure!

 

Ugh I know! There should have been way more YX at the end. HE ACTUALLY KIND OF WARMED UP TO HER AND THEY REMOVED HIM FROM THE PICTURE. I was so upset. And then FY was so disappointing betraying her WJ and ZM like that. I mean, I kind of get it, but still so bitter over here lol

 

 

 

 

 

@LaurenPanna WHOOT! It deserves worldwide recognition haha. (And yay! I’m glad you like my little fic and the mantou part. I was worried it was either going to be too obvious or not obvious enough)

[AppleBanana]

15 minutes ago, deminni said:

 

I know a thing or two about kissing, and that kiss was definitely clumsy and passionate and adorable because it's both their firsts <3 haha

 

HOLY MOLY. I so wish I found this forum sooner and didn't lurk for so long haha. So crazy that we are growing this thread THIS FAST even after it's over. Still blows my mind.

 

So hey, I know this drama got pretty decent success in China, and from all the fan MVs I found on Youtube, this drama has a really strong Vietnamese fanbase as well. But it's not exactly like a mega stellar hit (which I am totally sad about and have been urging my cousin to watch this), and yet all of us are gathered here and still cannot stop analyzing and re-watching and writing and reading and creating and talking about it. Is it like this for c-fans too? Would you consider this series a Cult Classic then?

No complaints about the kissing scene because I was definitely not expecting one, just maybe the cheek kiss, which I find super adorable. So I'm going to count our blessings on that.

 

This is going down as a classic for me. I wish it was more successful in China but at least it wasn't a fail. Really appreciate this series. I would really appreciate it more if they release the cuts .

I know I'm getting a bit ridiculous because I had a dream about this couple last night. I was like, wait. This is crazy. But ehhh. Ill embrace it.  It's probably because I watch the mVs before going to bed.

I'm actually still waiting for Eng subs to complete so I can really watch it.

[bluesky888]

They should add one kissing scene when WJ met MinMin at the Inn and one more at the end when he finally found her. I didn't expect that kissing scene from WJ on esp 44 at lease one kissing better than nothing.

[kur4p1k4]

57 minutes ago, Yitian_fan said:

Eeee!!  Woww... this is amazing!  Now if ONLY she would open her mouth just a little more.... gah Yukee needs practice making a kiss looking convincing!   (Although I'm liking how she uses her eyes- looking at him and then closing her eyes! )

 

[BTW, some c-fans complained about how old-fashioned/stingy this drama is... even the Adam Cheng Version of the drama there's a ZWJ/ZM kiss, although it's short- and now, 40 years later, all we get is the same one kiss just longer!]

Hahaha, maybe the production company is being smart about it. With so many drama with so many kisses and skinship, HSDS with only 1 kiss, lotsa hugs and holding hands can make all of us go nuts. Starve the beast as they say....hahaha

 

I also think Joseph and Yukee totally have good chemistry with each other, I've seen lots of drama with both handsome and beautiful people kissing or whatever but it gives me none of the feeling I feel when I see Joseph and Yukee on screen. So happy they found a good pair and both of them are good with each other even though yes both of them should practice more...give us 2nd kiss damn it!

[Yitian_fan]

10 hours ago, jackieusa said:

I'll never ever get tired of the kissing GIFs

 

https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4364529448398597

These are sweet!

 

I recommend #2 (their noses slide past each others ) and the last few (she does seem to open her mouth a little, so it looks better in slow motion)

 

I read the comment that in AOL she was doing great on the kiss scenes but maybe she's supposed to be sick in this episode, or just really inexperienced so they got them to do an amateur kiss scene?  Cute in some ways, but I wouldn't mind a repeat kiss scene where they make it look... well, like more fun!

 

[LaurenPanna]

17 minutes ago, deminni said:

 

@LaurenPanna WHOOT! It deserves worldwide recognition haha. (And yay! I’m glad you like my little fic and the mantou part. I was worried it was either going to be too obvious or not obvious enough)

 

I love that "hao jiejie" provoke WJ memories about the time they bickered, 

SWEET! 

 

and i like that it is obvious yet not so obvious, you strike a balance there and made us looking forward to her appearance even more! 

 

Like that she is behind the scene, refuse to appear in front of him yet. The disappearance excitement that we readers like. Lol

[bluesky888]

9 minutes ago, Yitian_fan said:

These are sweet!

 

I recommend #2 (their noses slide past each others ) and the last few (she does seem to open her mouth a little, so it looks better in slow motion)

 

I read the comment that in AOL she was doing great on the kiss scenes but maybe she's supposed to be sick in this episode, or just really inexperienced so they got them to do an amateur kiss scene?  Cute in some ways, but I wouldn't mind a repeat kiss scene where they make it look... well, like more fun!

 

I like #8 the most. Hahaha

[jackieusa]

25 minutes ago, AppleBanana said:

No complaints about the kissing scene because I was definitely not expecting one, just maybe the cheek kiss, which I find super adorable. So I'm going to count our blessings on that.

 

This is going down as a classic for me. I wish it was more successful in China but at least it wasn't a fail. Really appreciate this series. I would really appreciate it more if they release the cuts .

I know I'm getting a bit ridiculous because I had a dream about this couple last night. I was like, wait. This is crazy. But ehhh. Ill embrace it.  It's probably because I watch the mVs before going to bed.

I'm actually still waiting for Eng subs to complete so I can really watch it.

Agreed with you on the kissing scene, I wasn't expecting one too so it's a bonus for me.  

 

You're not being ridiculous, I dream about this couple many times already since the series ended.  I'm not kidding at all, re watched too many episodes and MVs side effects.  

 

I also loves to look at ZZR facial expressions every time WJ addressed her as Mrs. Song.

Lol. she asked for it, always trying to bring up her being married to SQS.  Probably testing to see if WJ is jealous or not.  

 

 

[ildiz]

Zhang Jiao Zhu's skills to protect his beloved wife.  I downloaded them from weibo.

(If you can't see the gifs below, click the file name or wait for a while, then they will appear. )

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AppleBanana]

5 minutes ago, bluesky888 said:

I like #8 the most. Hahaha

They probably filmed it more than once for sure for the different angles. right?

[jackieusa]

33 minutes ago, ildiz said:

Zhang Jiao Zhu's skills to protect his beloved wife.  I downloaded them from weibo.

(If you can't see the gifs below, click the file name or wait for a while, then they will appear. )

 

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for posting more GIFs, hehehe.....

[deminni]

20 minutes ago, Yitian_fan said:

These are sweet!

 

I recommend #2 (their noses slide past each others ) and the last few (she does seem to open her mouth a little, so it looks better in slow motion)

 

I read the comment that in AOL she was doing great on the kiss scenes but maybe she's supposed to be sick in this episode, or just really inexperienced so they got them to do an amateur kiss scene?  Cute in some ways, but I wouldn't mind a repeat kiss scene where they make it look... well, like more fun!

 

 

The slow motion really enhances everything. Um. Is it getting hot in here or is it just me? 

 

Love that #2 is so intimate, #3 is HOT (my God Joseph!), and I kind of love that his eyes are opened in #7 like he's checking on her and then resumes the kissing haha. Yes to open mouth kissing, but also did you guys notice how pretty the lighting is? It's that soft touch that makes the scene so sweet and tender.

 

A bit of a side note, but it's so weird for me seeing Joseph like this when he was such an insolent, but adorable child in Take My Brother Away. Like complete 180. Which to me is so commendable on Joseph's part as an actor because I was kind of watching both dramas at the same time, and I was worried his role in TMBA would make me take WJ's character not as serious, but nope. Joseph made WJ exactly as WJ should be and Joseph's Shi Fen was exactly how SF should be. I never mixed the two characters at all or thought Joseph was just acting, but in a different setting. His range is actually quite broad and impressive for a newbie actor.

[AppleBanana]

14 minutes ago, ildiz said:

Zhang Jiao Zhu's skills to protect his beloved wife.  I downloaded them from weibo.

(If you can't see the gifs below, click the file name or wait for a while, then they will appear. )

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can''t get to open. Only 4 showed but the rest keep denying me and it won't load. Do you have a link? TIA!

[jackieusa]

21 minutes ago, Yitian_fan said:

These are sweet!

 

I recommend #2 (their noses slide past each others ) and the last few (she does seem to open her mouth a little, so it looks better in slow motion)

 

I read the comment that in AOL she was doing great on the kiss scenes but maybe she's supposed to be sick in this episode, or just really inexperienced so they got them to do an amateur kiss scene?  Cute in some ways, but I wouldn't mind a repeat kiss scene where they make it look... well, like more fun!

 

Like some of you pointing out if only she open her mouth just a little more then WJ don't have to work so hard on the kiss.   Agreed, the director probably wanted to demonstrated that both WJ and MM are innocent and inexperienced.  Obviously it's their first kiss.

[ildiz]

9 minutes ago, AppleBanana said:

I can''t get to open. Only 4 showed but the rest keep denying me and it won't load. Do you have a link? TIA!

After I downloaded them, I didn't save the link. So I don't remember where I got them from. Sorry. 

I found out that some of gifs take more time to open while others pop up immediately. Then when I come back to the same posting a couple of hours later, miraculously all of the gifs open up. lol I don't know why but they will open up later for sure.  

[LaurenPanna]

7 minutes ago, AppleBanana said:

I can''t get to open. Only 4 showed but the rest keep denying me and it won't load. Do you have a link? TIA!

 

I have the links as I shared before in the past

 

First, his eyes looking at wife

https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4355338659015045

 

Second, his skills at protecting wife

https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4358484139156098

 

[jackieusa]

9 minutes ago, deminni said:

 

The slow motion really enhances everything. Um. Is it getting hot in here or is it just me? 

 

Love that #2 is so intimate, #3 is HOT (my God Joseph!), and I kind of love that his eyes are opened in #7 like he's checking on her and then resumes the kissing haha. Yes to open mouth kissing, but also did you guys notice how pretty the lighting is? It's that soft touch that makes the scene so sweet and tender.

 

A bit of a side note, but it's so weird for me seeing Joseph like this when he was such an insolent, but adorable child in Take My Brother Away. Like complete 180. Which to me is so commendable on Joseph's part as an actor because I was kind of watching both dramas at the same time, and I was worried his role in TMBA would make me take WJ's character not as serious, but nope. Joseph made WJ exactly as WJ should be and Joseph's Shi Fen was exactly how SF should be. I never mixed the two characters at all or thought Joseph was just acting, but in a different setting. His range is actually quite broad and impressive for a newbie actor.

 Do you mind give a little synopsis on Take My Brother Away?  Did you like it?  Do you recommend the series?