“cultivator in white/cultivator in black” this and “orphans on a morality spectrum” that - you know the real sexiest narrative foils in The Untamed?
Jiang Cheng, constantly defined by/acting according to his desperate need to live up to societal standards, as well as by his older brother and the death thereof; makes a loud and furious show of his own power and authority at all times but is actually in control of maybe…half a scene, once, when he corners Wei Wuxian with Fairy, and then Jin Ling of all people takes it from him
VS
Nie Huaisang, constantly defined by/acting according to an absolute apathy toward what’s socially expected of him, as well as by his older brother and the death thereof; makes a loud show of his own helplessness and uncertainty at all times but is actually in quiet, deft control of every scene he’s in for present-day events
jiang cheng using rage to mask grief vs nie huaisang using grief to mask rage also
It wasn’t just revenge that drove Nie Huaisang. In MDZS the existence of souls is confirmed and his brother’s soul was in pieces and clearly suffering.
He had to set it right.
(Although I’m sure revenge was there as an at least equally important motivator.)
((Also it’s questionable if he succeeded at putting NMJ’s soul at peace, but being whole is probably still better than being in pieces and he and JGY can be released from the coffin after one hundred years.))
…After two days of searching, we found you on Yiling. Wangji hid you in the cave. When we came, you sat on the rock in the cave and Wangji held your hand, gave you spiritual energy and continued to whisper to you.
From the beginning to the end, you repeated the same words to him.
