Spoiler The Founder of Diabolism

Discussion in 'Spoilers' started by kiara8, Mar 29, 2017.

  1. Attica

    Attica Well-Known Member

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    I've been rereading the Cloud Recesses flashbacks while working on subtitling the 5th audio drama episode, and I'm finding myself falling in love with the subtleties in Nie HuaiSang's characterization!!! He's quickly growing to be one of my favorite minor side characters.

    As a child, Nie Huaisang already had his own brand of crafty and under-handed behavior. With an ease that seems quite natural and practiced, he borrows other people's strengths when his own does not suffice. He is never directly caught doing anything bad, he always supports the troublemakers from behind the scenes. (He asks Wei WuXian to help him cheat on the test, he says he admires WWX which indirectly eggs him on, he gives WWX porn... yet in every single instance, only WWX takes the fall.)

    His control of the situation is pretty subtle to the point where Wei WuXian doesn't notice and/or care, and I don't think many readers notice his sheer tenacious craftiness either. In some ways, I think his manipulation is even better than JGY's: the manipulated parties may notice there is something going on, but they won't care enough to investigate it because Nie Huaisang is technically helping them fulfill their own goals.

    He is curious towards Wei WuXian's talk about using resentful energy in place of spiritual energy. This shows that he is willing to learn and use unorthodox/questionable strategies to make up for his own lack of innate talent/ability.
    And he clearly fears but also worships his big brother <3

    All in all, baby Nie Huaisang was obviously weak, but he was already coming up with strategies to compensate for that weakness. He most definitely was not clueless (just look at him giving WWX porn LOL).
    And he doesn't show any signs whatsoever of the whole "Answering one question with three 'don't knows'" that he is later mocked for.
    In fact, all of his adult behavior, from the foolishness to the cowardice, appears to be a regression from his childhood peppiness. When you see it like that, it becomes obvious he must have put up that facade on purpose.


    (In one of the epilogue extras, it's mentioned that after JGY's death, Nie Huaisang has already started to show his competence to the public. WWX even estimates that the Qinghe Nie sect will likely become a powerhouse in the next few decades.)

    ...Dammit I wish we could see more of the story from NHS's perspective. But I guess it wouldn't be much fun to spoil the mystery of how much he actually was involved in :p
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2018
  2. Rufi-sidd

    Rufi-sidd When the wolves come out to play!

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    Yup he is the smart that bides his time and is patient when it comes to results and patience is rewarded.... He is also pretty wise to choose to put up a facade of incompetence for the sake of his sect of course if one is a coward and an incompetent good for nothing there is no point for the other person to watch out or keep an eye on that person and neither there is need to keep guard up even if countless secrets are kept from one another...... Naturally if it's a facade and a good one at that the other person is fooled
     
  3. Acsis

    Acsis Well-Known Member

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    If that's true, I wonder how the author was able to built up his character from the get-go like that.:D:D:D
    MXTX is just-WOW!!! She's amazing, putting so many hints, and we didn't even realize it until the end!!! :aww::aww::aww:
     
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  4. kiara8

    kiara8 Lurking

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    Ehh lol. That’s why. I didn’t even know you can log in that website
     
  5. Zhen_Qing

    Zhen_Qing <<Danmei Sect Temp. Summoner>>

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    I think you got correct for all of the cast. It's pretty confusing for me at first, to differentiate Jiang Cheng as he's not holding Zidian, but he's said to be taller than WWX's real body, so... I think this grouping is the male characters from the older generation, thus excluding LSZ, LJY and JL. There are the 3 sworn brothers, NMJ, LXC and JGY; then the trio from Yi City, XXC, SL and XY; the gang from the flashbacks, WWX, LWJ, NHS, JC and JZX, along with WN. The odd duck is MXY~ :blobxd:
     
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  6. Rurella

    Rurella Well-Known Member

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    Totally agree. NHS is such an interesting character with so much hidden depth. The author did amazing stuff with all these subtleties.

    Also, thanks so much for the drama subs! I have passable Chinese skills so if you ever want any help translating or just a second opinion, I'd be more than happy to be able to work on something in this fandom. :oops::X3:
     
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  7. Acsis

    Acsis Well-Known Member

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    Wait, JC's height is 185 cm, while WWX's real body's height is 186 cm, and MXY's height is 180 cm...
     
  8. Attica

    Attica Well-Known Member

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    Ooh, thanks a lot for the kind offer! There are indeed quite a few lines of dialogue I'm not super sure about (as I mentioned before, my Chinese is only ILR level 2 at best lol). Is there any good way I could contact you to look over some of my subs?
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2018
  9. Rurella

    Rurella Well-Known Member

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    Do you have a discord? I'm EllaBells #7471
     
  10. alpacafighterACE

    alpacafighterACE Member

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    The real WWX was 186cm, JC an JZX are both 185cm:blobpopcorn_cool::blobpopcorn_cool:
     
  11. Attica

    Attica Well-Known Member

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    Oh a new audio drama short was released... BUT IT'S LAN QIREN LECTURING FUUUUUUU
    Lan QiRen is legitimately my worst nemesis when subbing this audio drama. He speaks so poetically that I can barely understand his dialogue myself, let alone make proper subs. I feel the same resentment towards him that WWX does LOL

    Can anyone help with any translations? All I can grasp is that LQR is telling LWJ about the progenitor of the Lan sect.

     
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  12. SmallTimes

    SmallTimes Well-Known Member

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    I recognize this from the beginning chapters. Perhaps K-san have translation notes that can help you out? I'm hesitant to do this one for the same reason lol but i'll see what I can do since you're probably busy subbing the fifth episode.
     
  13. Attica

    Attica Well-Known Member

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    Oh yeah, I remember chapter 18 mentioned a bit about Lan An's life and the 4 windows in the Cloud Recesses!

    But my vocabulary is so horrible that unless I have actual text I can MTL, I'm out of luck lol.
     
  14. Yurielle

    Yurielle Well-Known Member

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    hm guodong subs on youtube said they are gonna sub the anime when it comes out
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2018
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  15. cici

    cici Well-Known Member

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    It's not easy to pick the proper word in English... Anyway LWJ is super duper cute! I can provide a rough translation here, but you might need to refer to chapter 18 to get clear idea about it...
    Lan Qiren: Lan Zhan, do you know who was the progenitor of Lan Sect?
    Lan Wangji: He's name was Lan An.
    LQR: What was the meaning of Lan?
    LWJ: En... I do not know.
    LQR: Our progenitor was a monk and came from a temple when he was young. He used to live with the chanting of sutras and was known far and wide as an eminent monk. After he resume secular life, he chose the 'Lan' from 'Qie Lan' (garan in Chinese) as the family name. (Pointed something), this window is one of the four famous scenes in progenitor Lan An's life 'Qie Lan'.
    LWJ: Yes.
    LQR: This window is 'Learning Music' (Xiyue) because after he resume his worldly life, he became a musician.
    LWJ: Yes.
    LQR: After that, Progenitor Lan An met his fated person in Gusu, and became a cultivation partner with her. They founded the Lan Sect together. After she passed away, he returned to the temples again and ended his life as a monk. These are what we see in these two windows: 'Cultivation Partner' and 'Return to silence'.
    LWJ: Em...
    LQR: Do you have any questions?
    LWJ: What is "Cultivation Partner"?
    LQR: Cultivation Partner is the fated person, the person you love.
    LWJ: The fated person, the person you love...
    LQR: Now let me ask you again. Who is the only woman sect leader of Lan Sect?
    LWJ: The third sect leader Lan Yi.
    LQR: Em. Lan Yi is the grandson of the progenitor. One of the GusuLan secret skill was invented by her. She was really strong. However, her original intention for the invention was to kill those who were not her supporters. This was not right. Do not follow her way.
    LWJ: Yes.
    LQR: People in Lan Sect should always be righteous.
    LWJ: I will always remember that. Thanks for your teaching, uncle.
     
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  16. Attica

    Attica Well-Known Member

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    Thank god, I really didn't want to take that burden onto myself on top of my current struggles with the audio drama LOL
     
  17. 11_Olya_11

    11_Olya_11 Member

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    Why did Gin GuanYao kill his son?
    Did he really was married on his step-sister?
     
  18. 11_Olya_11

    11_Olya_11 Member

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    How did Sue Yan know what Sun Lan said to Siao Sin Chen after Yan destroyed temple?
     
  19. Cypress

    Cypress Eh, what's "outside"? /sinks into bed

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    No he married his half sister. His father cheated on his wife countless of times, impregnated a lot of woman during his trips. So he had a lot of illegitimate children, JGY was unfortunate enough to have married one of his many step sisters. He didn't know at the time, but when he found out, he killed their only son because he was the product of an incest relationship.
     
  20. Cypress

    Cypress Eh, what's "outside"? /sinks into bed

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    Is Xue Yang, Song Lan and Xiao XingChen;)
    It's never mention, but my guess is that Xue Yang must have been hidden some place near by and heard their conversation on Song Lans temple before Song Lan passed out and then XingChen took him to the mountain where his master resides.
     
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