[Mainland Chinese Web Drama 2020] Three Lives Three Worlds The Pillow Book 三生三世枕上书

[Pesca]

7 hours ago, Ninky said:

Fixing the timeline in illustrator. I also caught a few more very minor errors that I will be correcting and it will be uploaded to the blog.

Thanks a lot. Just one tiny tiny miss spelling. At the bottom left pink block, bullet point 8 "Zi Heng" should be "Ji Heng".

[UnluckyWhiteCat]

LAST CHAPTER: 

 

https://anunluckywhitecat.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/back-to-chaos-in-a-dream-chapter-09/

 

Phew, well, that's the end! It was a lot of fun for me and I really hope you enjoy this story as much as I do! Obviously, I'm not perfect and I do like to go through and make edits pretty frequently, especially if I catch an error I might have accidentally missed in editing. I've actually been going through it again, so I've made a few minor adjustments and added some footnotes over the last week or so through chapter 4 and I'm working on chapter 5 now. There's also a couple words / lines here and there that I'm still thinking through and continuously trying to find better ways to phrase, so anything could change, but the essence of the story is still all already there. I've also realized there were a couple typos in my digital copy (oopsie ) and updated my work accordingly, so do check back every once in a while! There won't be any major changes, but you know. 

 

Now, a note about footnotes 2 + 3, if you should be so inclined to find out more about that story, it's too abstract and lengthy for me to write about and would probably take an entire essay, so you can just Google something like "mustard seed sumeru" and that'll give you some results to look through. Also Sumeru Mountain (Wikipedia calls it Mount Meru if that helps) is an important mountain in Buddhism. 

 

This was such a lovely end to this story, and I definitely feel that this makes up for the way Tangqi ended Pillow Book with "Gungun, I am your father." Now my very favorite things in this chapter: 

 

Spoiler

Learning the Art of Conversing with High God Zheyan

 

AND

 

"But Dijun didn’t feel that this was meaningless."

 

Zheyan can be so funny. 

 

And that second line says it all about DH's mentality.

[MayanEcho]

Cr: @LOLI_Samurai

 

Very quickly, he felt his shoulder getting wet.

 

“Why are you crying again?” he softly asked.

 

But she only hugged him tightly, pressing her cheek more tightly against his shoulder, sadly and tenderly saying, “I don’t know either. I’m just very happy, but I still want to cry. Dijun, you’re not allowed to look at me!”

 

“Mmm, I won’t look.” He raised his hand and stroked her head, pressing a kiss at the top of her head. (PB Back to Chaos, Ch9)

 

×××××÷÷÷÷÷×××××

 

It's awesome that FJ, and might I say BGG too, had not only coped well living in that era, they are also well-liked apart from being respected by the people closest to DH that time.

 

FJ is the only one who can be Dijun's Dihou, because past or present, she was the most graceful and understanding; the only one whom DH would argue and infinitely tease and even diss for some things, but would clear his preferred forest grove for her "tasteless" garden.

 

BGG, even if he's only a toddler, have not at all given reasons to worry his parents, and Fei Wei. What FJ claimed to Xie Guchou about BGG is true. He is indeed a very calm and responsible child.

 

Though it's a shame the people in the past won't remember after they leave, what matters is that DH, FJ, and BGG have their memories and hearts full of how this little family would always find their way together no matter how far in the past they go.

[Romulan]

2 hours ago, UnluckyWhiteCat said:

LAST CHAPTER: 

 

https://anunluckywhitecat.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/back-to-chaos-in-a-dream-chapter-09/

 

Phew, well, that's the end! It was a lot of fun for me and I really hope you enjoy this story as much as I do! Obviously, I'm not perfect and I do like to go through and make edits pretty frequently, especially if I catch an error I might have accidentally missed in editing. I've actually been going through it again, so I've made a few minor adjustments and added some footnotes over the last week or so through chapter 4 and I'm working on chapter 5 now. There's also a couple words / lines here and there that I'm still thinking through and continuously trying to find better ways to phrase, so anything could change, but the essence of the story is still all already there. I've also realized there were a couple typos in my digital copy (oopsie ) and updated my work accordingly, so do check back every once in a while! There won't be any major changes, but you know. 

 

Now, a note about footnotes 2 + 3, if you should be so inclined to find out more about that story, it's too abstract and lengthy for me to write about and would probably take an entire essay, so you can just Google something like "mustard seed sumeru" and that'll give you some results to look through. Also Sumeru Mountain (Wikipedia calls it Mount Meru if that helps) is an important mountain in Buddhism. 

 

This was such a lovely end to this story, and I definitely feel that this makes up for the way Tangqi ended Pillow Book with "Gungun, I am your father." Now my very favorite things in this chapter: 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Learning the Art of Conversing with High God Zheyan

 

AND

 

"But Dijun didn’t feel that this was meaningless."

 

Zheyan can be so funny. 

 

And that second line says it all about DH's mentality.

Thanks @UnluckyWhiteCat! I enjoyed that.

I need to hunt down those stories to read!

 

I just wish we couldve seen BGG's reaction to returning forward in time. 

I wonder did her crown come forward or is there a way to find it?

 

[Ninky]

Now that I have the whole book separated into the proper 9 chapters, I started work translating some parts of the other chapters when the inspiration striked.

 

So when I was translating parts of this chapter last night, what was sad about the last chapter is Mo Yuan. They met him at Shui Zhao Ze. And incidentally Shao Wan's strategem chart was the only one that can beat Dong Hua's, which was why Dong Hua wanted to retrieve it. And of course they touched Zu Ti's box and got zinged back to their time.

 

But Mo Yuan, he was so broken, and very different from the man who would become her aunt's Master in the future. 

 

So we can conclude that he did eventually pull himself together enough to live on, but decided to teach at Kun Lun while nursing a heart that had turned to ash the day his true love incinerated in Nirvana Fire.

 

Can't wait for Lotus Step!

 

p.s chugging through Chapter Four as we speak! Should be done today!

[MayanEcho]

50 minutes ago, Ninky said:

But Mo Yuan, he was so broken, and very different from the man who would become her aunt's Master in the future. 

 

I rather think our beloved TQ's story for Mo Yuan and Shao Wan will be the most heartbreaking of all the 3L3W books.

 

She has been writing snippets of Shao Wan from Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, a bit about the complicated relationship between of Mo Yuan in the Pillow Book, and again in the extra chapters. No doubt that there'll be much more in Lotus Steps.

 

It's as if she's getting us to be ready with boxes and boxes of tissues. 

 

If there were bucket of tears reading TMOPB, TPB, and the first volume of Lotus Steps...Bodhi Fate just might be opened floodgates of tears.

[Megan]

Dong Hua wanted to go back in time even though Zuti warned him he might not appear in the same time zone...

isn’t that dangerous? Like what if he got stuck in the past for nothing?

[Ninky]

13 minutes ago, Megan said:

Dong Hua wanted to go back in time even though Zuti warned him he might not appear in the same time zone...

isn’t that dangerous? Like what if he got stuck in the past for nothing?

 

It was a risk he was willing to take for his beloved wife and son. I would have done the same.

 

29 minutes ago, MayanEcho said:

 

I rather think our beloved TQ's story for Mo Yuan and Shao Wan will be the most heartbreaking of all the 3L3W books.

 

She has been writing snippets of Shao Wan from Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, a bit about the complicated relationship between of Mo Yuan in the Pillow Book, and again in the extra chapters. No doubt that there'll be much more in Lotus Steps.

 

It's as if she's getting us to be ready with boxes and boxes of tissues. 

 

If there were bucket of tears reading TMOPB, TPB, and the first volume of Lotus Steps...Bodhi Fate just might be opened floodgates of tears.

 

Can you imagine living with that pain for so long? That pain of heartbreak. And the numb feeling where your heart used to be? That it can sometimes feel like it's no longer beating? It was true that their relationship was a love - hate one but he loved her from the deepest recess of his soul. 

 

By the time Pillow Book came along it was already more 260,000 years later. I really have to kowtow to him. That he could let himself live on, and later nurture students at Kun Lun. Mo Yuan is a man with a big heart. That in itself is a feat. I couldn't have done it.

[MayanEcho]

18 minutes ago, Megan said:

Dong Hua wanted to go back in time even though Zuti warned him he might not appear in the same time zone...

isn’t that dangerous? Like what if he got stuck in the past for nothing?

 

Where his wife and son are concerned, he will do anything and face whatever risks to be with them. He loves them that much, and he is that committed to them.

 

He is still that God who uttered this:

 

“So what if Destiny says we have fate, so what if we have no fate? I’ve never feared Destiny, and I certainly don’t need its charity.” (APB2, p255)

 

There are two outcomes: he'll either end in the same time as they are, or not. And though Zu Ti warned him the risks, this is still Zu Ti who was able to send FJ at the same place and time as BGG. It is DH's testament of trust on the power she wields.

[Ninky]

7 minutes ago, MayanEcho said:

 

Where his wife and son are concerned, he will do anything and face whatever risks to be with them. He loves them that much, and he is that committed to them.

 

He is still that God who uttered this:

 

“So what if Destiny says we have fate, so what if we have no fate? I’ve never feared Destiny, and I certainly don’t need its charity.” (APB2, p255)

 

There are two outcomes: he'll either end in the same time as they are, or not. And though Zu Ti warned him the risks, this is still Zu Ti who was able to send FJ at the same place and time as BGG. It is DH's testament of trust on the power she wields.

 

And it's a power he cannot wield. That's why every Ancient is unique in his /her own way. Dong Hua's greatest ability is the ability to create worlds. Zu Ti can manipulate time. Shao Wan has the phoenix nirvana fire. And we don't know what Xie Ming can do but she had transformed her body into what is currently the underworld. But Tang Qi has said she will return as well.

 

And it was implied in the outtake that after Lian Song told him that his wife and son had gone back to the past (Marty McFly I am looking at you), he quickly went to ask for Zu Ti's help (implied that he kinda had to beg ya know because it's something he cannot do)

 

Spoiler

In Lotus Step, we know that Xie Ming created the body for Zu Ti to reincarnate and it was made so perfect that no one will even detect her immortal essence. 

 

Don't forget if Zu Ti had lost her physical body when she sacrificed it for humankind but she was able come back as a human (thanks to Xie MIng) who had been reincarnated for several lifetimes so she could understand the meaning of "love" so that she can fulfil her future destiny with a Water God (Who else can it be, Lian Song the dumb dumb). 

 

So Xie Ming will return in similar ways.

 

[MayanEcho]

5 minutes ago, Ninky said:

Don't forget if Zu Ti had lost her physical body when she sacrificed it for humankind but she was able come back as a human (thanks to Xie MIng) who had been reincarnated for several lifetimes so she could understand the meaning of "love" so that she can fulfil her future destiny with a Water God (Who else can it be, Lian Song the dumb dumb). 

 

Can I just say there are at least 4 Lotus Steps characters now that deserves roasting? And that's only in Vol 1. What would happen to Cheng Yu in Vol 2? 

[Ninky]

1 minute ago, MayanEcho said:

 

Can I just say there are at least 4 Lotus Steps characters now that deserves roasting? And that's only in Vol 1. What would happen to Cheng Yu in Vol 2? 

 

That is correct and they are all mostly men.... sigh. And we need to shoot Lian Song the most. And that stupid envoy of hers. He turned out to be:

 

Spoiler

Young Master Ji

 

 

And Lian Song also did another stupid thing:

 

Spoiler

Took the red flower from Shuang He - The 5 color Lotus Envoy was in his plant form fast asleep. Me and niteplolaris aren't sure if he can wake up now that he lost a flower. Maybe he will come back with a missing limb. Damn Lian Song!

 

[Romulan]

9 minutes ago, Ninky said:

 

And it's a power he cannot wield. That's why every Ancient is unique in his /her own way. Dong Hua's greatest ability is the ability to create worlds. Zu Ti can manipulate time. Shao Wan has the phoenix nirvana fire. And we don't know what Xie Ming can do but she had transformed her body into what is currently the underworld. But Tang Qi has said she will return as well.

What are the Fox King, Fox Queen, and Zhe Lan's greatest abilities? 

I mean I know Zhe Lan had his instrument sealed in Kunlun and is known for his medical knowledge but also his ability to make wine.   

[MayanEcho]

26 minutes ago, Ninky said:

 

That is correct and they are all mostly men.... sigh. And we need to shoot Lian Song the most. And that stupid envoy of hers. He turned out to be:

 

  Hide contents

Young Master Ji

 

 

The last few chapters of Vol 1 felt like this for Cheng Yu:

 

 

And these moronic men plus one woman:

 

 

23 minutes ago, Romulan said:

What are the Fox King, Fox Queen, and Zhe Lan's greatest abilities? 

 

Though not sure if Fox Queen Ning Chan is also a nine-tailed Arctic fox, Bai Zhi should have that special heart blood capable of preserving the body as BQ did. (TTSK, ch6, p156)

[Romulan]

1 hour ago, Ninky said:

Now that I have the whole book separated into the proper 9 chapters, I started work translating some parts of the other chapters when the inspiration striked.

 

So when I was translating parts of this chapter last night, what was sad about the last chapter is Mo Yuan. They met him at Shui Zhao Ze. And incidentally Shao Wan's strategem chart was the only one that can beat Dong Hua's, which was why Dong Hua wanted to retrieve it. And of course they touched Zu Ti's box and got zinged back to their time.

 

But Mo Yuan, he was so broken, and very different from the man who would become her aunt's Master in the future. 

 

So we can conclude that he did eventually pull himself together enough to live on, but decided to teach at Kun Lun while nursing a heart that had turned to ash the day his true love incinerated in Nirvana Fire.

 

Can't wait for Lotus Step!

 

p.s chugging through Chapter Four as we speak! Should be done today!

Cool on Ch. 4.   Im not sure if he was fully pulled back when he started to teach at Kunlun. I mean he was super selective on disciples.  Bai Qian is only the 17th!  I think Bai Qian also helped him heal as her mischievous antics reminded him of Shao Wan, and i think she was in a way foster daughter to him that he could imagine would be similar to if he and Shao Wan had a kid.  Might also explain too why he sacrificed his soul to call the Bell of the Emperor over finding some other way to stop it. (I mean he made the stupid thing!)

[Ninky]

13 minutes ago, Romulan said:

What are the Fox King, Fox Queen, and Zhe Lan's greatest abilities? 

I mean I know Zhe Lan had his instrument sealed in Kunlun and is known for his medical knowledge but also his ability to make wine.   

 

It's Zhe Yan. He is a red phoenix and is the realms greatest healer. Everyone goes to him for every medical condition known LOL. I think he was the one who helped Dong Hua get rid of Qiu Shui poison after they were rescued by Bai Qian, and the twins (Ye Hua/Mo Yuan). And created elixirs that work with Dong Hua's blood to hasten Feng Jiu's recovery after the Miao Luo fight. Zhe Yan can fight using music, his instrument was the Fu Xi Qin. It's currently buried under Kun Lun. 

 

The starlight ward is a magic taught to them by Father God himself. The essence of the magic is technically that of their own Dad, Father God himself. So the fact that his two twin sons, Ye Hua and Mo Yuan can break it is not unusual.

 

If you think about it, if Bai Gun Gun is able to pass freely through all the wards his Father Lord casts, then it is totally plausible that the only people who can break it are those who are the blood relation of the creator. And Bai Qian was Mo Yuan's disciple and was taught by Father's God's eldest son, so now it makes perfect sense to me.

 

Also tells u that somebody (Bai Qian) had spent a lot of time gaining cultivation. She was so lazy before. But to become the Tian Hou, she needs to go through the fires of heaven together with Ye Hua and several divine lightning strikes and you need cultivation for all that.

 

 

7 minutes ago, Romulan said:

Cool on Ch. 4.   Im not sure if he was fully pulled back when he started to teach at Kunlun. I mean he was super selective on disciples.  Bai Qian is only the 17th!  I think Bai Qian also helped him heal as her mischievous antics reminded him of Shao Wan, and i think she was in a way foster daughter to him that he could imagine would be similar to if he and Shao Wan had a kid.  Might also explain too why he sacrificed his soul to call the Bell of the Emperor over finding some other way to stop it. (I mean he made the stupid thing!)

 

When your soul had lost its light, it's so sad. So perhaps he thought nothing to dying to that bell.

29 minutes ago, MayanEcho said:

 

The last few chapters of Vol 1 felt like this for Cheng Yu:

 

 

And these moronic men plus one woman:

 

 

 

Though not sure if Fox Queen Ning Chan is also a nine-tailed Arctic fox, Bai Zhi should have that special heart blood capable of preserving the body as BQ did. (TTSK, ch6, p156)

 

The queen is indeed an arctic nine tailed fox. All nine tailed foxes blood can do everything BQ did. 

[MayanEcho]

2 hours ago, Ninky said:

When your soul had lost its light, it's so sad. So perhaps he thought nothing to dying to that bell.

 

At one point, no matter how capable these Ancients are, that kind of heartache will eventually make them lose the will to go on. MY and DH did. That MY lasted that long until he trained BQ to keep Qing Cang in the Eastern Bell says a lot. 

 

2 hours ago, Ninky said:

Also tells u that somebody (Bai Qian) had spent a lot of time gaining cultivation. She was so lazy before. But to become the Tian Hou, she needs to go through the fires of heaven together with Ye Hua and several divine lightning strikes and you need cultivation for all that.

 

I wish that before Bodhi Fate, YH and BQ would take over. That in Lotus Steps, Hao De would have no choice but to step down. I kinda suspect he will try his Sangji and YH antics to Lian Song.

[Ninky]

 

I don't think Dong Hua ever imagined that 400,000 years down his long life he would actually experience love.

I believe he already resigned himself to a lonely existence. 

 

And suddenly this fox appeared out of nowhere and changed everything. 

It was also her persistence that touched the Heavens and allowed them to meet for the first time by the banks of the Wang Sheng Sea. 

 

It was looking directly into each other's eyes that worked. Because the "young" version of Dong Hua also had direct eye contact with her. And then he noticed that she was very beautiful. He noticed her beauty to the minute detail, I realise while translating that chapter. 

 

And because someone was totally so tired that she forgot all about the fact that this Dong Hua she is accosting is not the same guy (I mean it is because he went back to look for them but he did get 260,000 years younger in his memories). He actually allowed her to sleep in his arms when he usually never would have.

 

Anyway back to translation but I just wanted to share my thoughts on this. I have gone to the minute detail as well as Tang Qi had done. So I hope I will have done her prose some justice.

 

 

[Ninky]

hahahah I took a short break from translating and went to rewatch episode 29 of ELOD while eating.

It was the part when the Master fell into the hole.

 

I realise now that Dong Hua was deliberately riling up Yan Chi Wu so that he would get mad and then the teacher reacted and fell into the hole. When that happened I caught that little smile on Dong Hua's face. He's such a troll as well.

 

He knew and purposely wanted to join in the fun. There was no way he didn't know there was a hole there. He probably also knew who did it - the lass he's trying to rescue.

 

 

[MayanEcho]

13 minutes ago, Ninky said:

I realise now that Dong Hua was deliberately riling up Yan Chi Wu so that he would get mad and then the teacher reacted and fell into the hole. When that happened I caught that little smile on Dong Hua's face. He's such a troll as well.

 

It was his towering height to all others in the classroom that I noticed, that and the way he glanced down when Xiao Meng proposed having class outdoors.