welcome to Silently Into The Night
Hello and welcome! We are a modern-day reincarnation AU of the novel/donghua/drama Mó Dào Zǔ Shī, also known as Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Chén Qíng Lìng, or The Untamed. The characters have been reincarnated into modern day, where some have regained their memories of their cultivation days, while others have not yet. Original characters are accepted, but please have a good story for them if they were a cultivator in their past life. The RP takes place in Palo Alto, California, and is set in the current year.
Modern Reincarnation AU
silently into the night redeim
Blueprint is a premade Proboards v5 theme designed and built by punki of Adoxography and Pixel Perfect. SILENTLY INTO THE NIGHT is the work of REDEIM. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Mó Dào Zǔ Shī is copyright Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. All images belong to their original owners.
updates
JULY 07, 2020
And we're officially open! Feel free to leave questions or chat with us in the cbox. :)
JULY 06, 2020
Soft opening of the site!
Family Dinner (A-Yuan) [COMPLETED]
Lan Jingyi
MDZS Character
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Jul 21, 2020 21:33:09 GMT -8
Post by Lan Jingyi on Jul 21, 2020 21:33:09 GMT -8
Jingyi cradled A-Yuan's hand in his and carefully looped the ribbon around his wrist, letting the metal clouds rest gently against A-Yuan's inner wrist and tied a bow in it again. He contemplated A-Yuan's question, letting his hands linger even after he was done tying the ribbon.
He said, "Um, I've seen someone wear one as a belt before, and one distant cousin wore his around his ankle with his summer school uniform for a while. I've also seen plenty of people tie them around their upper arm, just above the elbow, so that it's easier to cover with sleeves. Would one of those work?"
He reluctantly dropped one of his hands from A-Yuan's and pulled him back towards the bedroom, saying, "I need to brush my teeth and take my own shower, but I'll be really quick. Let me think about it in the shower and maybe something will occur to me."
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A-Yuan
MDZS Character
Yes
Questioning
Single
Velexa
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Jul 21, 2020 21:49:35 GMT -8
Post by A-Yuan on Jul 21, 2020 21:49:35 GMT -8
A-Yuan let himself be dragged from the bathroom, "I'll think about it too," he said as he sat down on the futon.
He plopped down on the futon, staring up at the ceiling. The ribbon was too long to put on his ankle or upper arm. He could do it, but he'd have to wrap it around several times and the sisters would think it perverse. He never understood why layers of ribbons were perverse, but trusted the sisters on this.
He sat up and scooted towards the bookshelf, hoping to entertain himself with something to read. He grabbed a book with Chinese on the spine and opened it to a random page. All the color drained from his face and he threw the book away from himself.
He drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, staring at the book from his spot. It had landed open faced, still on the same image that had elicited his reaction.
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Lan Jingyi
MDZS Character
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Jul 21, 2020 22:08:48 GMT -8
Post by Lan Jingyi on Jul 21, 2020 22:08:48 GMT -8
Jingyi returned quickly from his shower, hair ruffled from toweling it off, ribbon retied neatly around his wrist, wearing pale blue pajamas that were covered in a pattern of black and white rabbits, also hand me downs from Wangji-ge. There was a part of him that took pleasure in wearing something sort of matching with A-Yuan.
A-Yuan looked upset when he returned though. He came over and asked, "What's wrong? What are you looking at?"
He looked over A-Yuan's shoulder to see one of his classical Chinese literature texts from Uncle flipped open to a brush painting of Mizi Xia feeding a bitten into peach to the Duke Ling of Wei. It was part of a collection of poetry and stories, several of which extolled Mizi Xia's virtues. He wondered what had spooked A-Yuan so much about it.
He said, "That's a Chinese poetry collection. The people in the painting are supposed to be Mizi Xia and Duke Ling of Wei. There's a story about how Mizi Xia took a bite of peach so delicious that he fed the rest of it to his lover. I'm not telling it well, but it's a pretty story, and there's a bunch of poetry about it. It's part of what helped me figure out that I'm not straight because Mizi Xia was interesting and apparently really really pretty. But it's where one of the pieces of slang for being a man into men comes from in Chinese, having the 'passion of the bitten peach' which is a very fanciful way of saying it."
He looked at A-Yuan, slightly concerned and said, "What did you think it was?"
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A-Yuan
MDZS Character
Yes
Questioning
Single
Velexa
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Jul 21, 2020 22:19:52 GMT -8
Post by A-Yuan on Jul 21, 2020 22:19:52 GMT -8
A-Yuan just turned red and buried his face in his knees, "could you put it away?"
He didn't want to tell his friend that he was pretty sure he'd just found his collection of pornography. "Why would your uncle give you that?" he muttered to his knees, ears turning red at this point.
He felt like he needed to splash cold water on his face, but instead just tried to change the topic, "what'd you do today before I came over and rui-" he cut himself off, trying not to be as self deprecating out loud to others anymore.
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Lan Jingyi
MDZS Character
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Jul 21, 2020 22:50:59 GMT -8
Post by Lan Jingyi on Jul 21, 2020 22:50:59 GMT -8
Jingyi was utterly baffled at this point, but he replied readily enough as he put away the book carefully on its spot on the shelf next to several other volumes of classical Chinese poetry, "Uncle gave it to me along with several other copies of classical Chinese poetry volumes because I kept borrowing his because they're my favorites. They're some of the ones that he thinks have hidden cultivator stories in them, but also, I think that however much he'd shy away from it, he likes the romance poems on some level. But like the entire shelf is full of Chinese literature."
He was distracted from his confusion by the sound of A-Yuan being miserable. He sat down on his own futon, right next to A-Yuan's and said, "Hey, you didn't ruin anything. I am happy to have you here, and I'd rather that I be able to help you with the hard stuff than you having to face it alone."
He tried to make his voice calm and normal and steady, though he only halfway succeeded as he said, "I hung out with Zizhen this morning. He's excited about meeting you, and I'm pretty sure that the two of you will end up being able to talk about kittens for hours, and it will be the sweetest. Then I did some homework at the dorm, and then I came over here around the middle of the day. Wangji-ge practiced guqin for a while and I listened, and Uncle showed me some interesting historical texts that he got recently, Wangji-ge and I did forms and sparred a little in the backyard which was cool because I've not gotten the chance to practice sword sparring in a while, and then I sat out on the porch to wait for you to get here."
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A-Yuan
MDZS Character
Yes
Questioning
Single
Velexa
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Jul 21, 2020 22:57:16 GMT -8
Post by A-Yuan on Jul 21, 2020 22:57:16 GMT -8
A-Yuan's eyes widened and he whispered, "that entire shelf is full of pornography?" He had translated Chinese literature to pornography.
He ignored Jingyi's attempt to comfort him, not particularly interested in comfort that told him his feelings and opinions were valid and instead focused on his day.
"Talking about kittens for hours sounds delightful. I've got a mama stray at the church right now who will probably give birth next week, so I'll be full up on kittens." A-Yuan stifled another yawn, he refused to go to bed so early.
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Lan Jingyi
MDZS Character
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Jul 21, 2020 23:36:42 GMT -8
Post by Lan Jingyi on Jul 21, 2020 23:36:42 GMT -8
Jingyi made a face and said, blush starting to spread across his face, "What? No! Ew! Why would I have something like that? And if I did, why would I just have it on a shelf in my room? Ew! A-Yuan! Where do you get these ideas?"
He managed to regain his composure a little bit and said, "It's like poems, stories, stuff like that. In classical Chinese. I'm taking a class on this stuff at Stanford too."
Trying to rescue the conversation, at least slightly, he said, "I bet that Zizhen would want to see the kittens. He's been sad that I can't bring them to the dorms so he has to go visit his parents to see kittens, and that's a ways away. Maybe you can solve his kitten deficiency for him."
He was starting to yawn though, and he flopped back on his futon, wiggling his way under the covers, and watched A-Yuan, wondering if his friend was about ready to go to bed. He only had to lean up a little bit to hit the light switch, so lying down without turning them off wasn't a horrible idea, though maybe A-Yuan would do it if he was staying up much longer.
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A-Yuan
MDZS Character
Yes
Questioning
Single
Velexa
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Jul 22, 2020 7:59:37 GMT -8
Post by A-Yuan on Jul 22, 2020 7:59:37 GMT -8
"Where would I get that idea?" A-Yuan furiously gestured to the bookshelf, "there were obscene things in that book and you said the whole shelf was like that," he was blushing again.
He took a deep breath and wriggled under the covers, following Jingyi's lead. "I live a sheltered life at the church, I'm scandalized by some things people wear when walking on the streets.... So I guess it could not be pornography...."
He turned to his side so he could look at Jingyi, "I don't know if your roommate coming to the church to see the kittens would be such a good idea. You don't even really like it there..." he chewed on his bottom lip, "besides the sisters tolerate the animals because I kept sneaking them in, they don't really care for actual guests."
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Lan Jingyi
MDZS Character
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Jul 22, 2020 12:45:40 GMT -8
Post by Lan Jingyi on Jul 22, 2020 12:45:40 GMT -8
Jingyi was still utterly baffled. He said, "They were wearing hanfu? And one of them was feeding the other a peach? Like they're normal clothes, just historical. I've got at least six hanfu here, and I had more before I moved, but they didn't all come with me. And like, that's more than normal, but that's just because the family is super traditional about certain things. Hanfu are pretty comfortable honestly. And like feeding each other isn't that weird."
He didn't comment that he and A-Yuan had fed each other froyo just the other day. That was probably too close to whatever was making A-Yuan nervous.
He sighed about the kittens and said, "Maybe when the kittens are old enough you can bring them outside to show us. I'm sorry that they're weird about you having friends over."
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A-Yuan
MDZS Character
Yes
Questioning
Single
Velexa
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Jul 22, 2020 17:32:30 GMT -8
Post by A-Yuan on Jul 22, 2020 17:32:30 GMT -8
A-Yuan covered his face as he listened to Jingyi's explanation. He had just shared froyo the other day with his friend, had he been scandalized? Was he a pervert?
"We didn't..." he trailed off, not wanting to sound stupid but feeling that way anyways. "When we had froyo, we.. did we.. do anything that could be..." he buried himself in the blankets more, unable to finish his question.
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Lan Jingyi
MDZS Character
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Jul 22, 2020 18:24:29 GMT -8
Post by Lan Jingyi on Jul 22, 2020 18:24:29 GMT -8
Jingyi sighed, feeling like his friend wasn't entirely hearing what he was saying. He tried again, trying to show calm and reassurance through the tone of his voice. He said, "The story that the illustration you saw is from, it's a sweet, romantic story about someone thinking of a person they cared for above themselves. In the story, it's part history and part myth at this point, Mizi Xia was walking with the Duke Ling of Wei in the gardens, and he picked a peach to eat it. He took one bite and realized that it was one of the best peaches he'd ever tasted, and so instead of keeping it for himself and finishing it, he gave it to his love so that his love could experience the delicious peach. There's nothing gross or nasty or scandalous or sexual even about the story."
He took a deep breath and said, "It became a reference though, referring to the bitten peach was an allegorical way of talking about romance between men. There are other historical and legendary stories like that that have similar allegorical references that ended up in Chinese. Not everyone who knows those references even knows the story that they're from anymore. And I like that one in particular because it's just really sweet, liking something so much that you want to share it with someone you love or care about."
Jingyi hoped that this time A-Yuan would actually really listen. He said, "And like, wanting to share things with someone doesn't have to be about romantic love. It was in that story, but sharing the peach isn't the thing that makes it romantic love, that's what made it obvious that Mizi Xia was kind and thoughtful."
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A-Yuan
MDZS Character
Yes
Questioning
Single
Velexa
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Jul 22, 2020 18:30:46 GMT -8
Post by A-Yuan on Jul 22, 2020 18:30:46 GMT -8
A-Yuan slowly resurfaced from beneath the blankets as Jingyi explained. "Is that why that mean lady called us gay? Because I fed you my froyo?"
He understood what Jingyi was saying at this point but couldn't help but hear the sisters scolding him in his head. He sighed, "confession is not going to be fun tomorrow..." he muttered.
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Lan Jingyi
MDZS Character
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Jul 22, 2020 18:55:06 GMT -8
Post by Lan Jingyi on Jul 22, 2020 18:55:06 GMT -8
Jingyi shook his head and stretched up to turn out the light, knowing that if he waited much longer, he'd forget to do it before he fell asleep, and Uncle hated when that happened. He said, "Nah, she was just mean, and thought that it was a good insult. Mean and bigoted, not a winning combination."
He bit his lip at A-Yuan's muttered comment, fighting with himself about saying anything or not. Finally, he murmured, "You don't have to tell them things if you don't want to. You're allowed to have private thoughts that are yours, and to make your own choices. Even if they tell you that you aren't, that's not fair, or even something that agrees with their own religious text. I mean, I know that my understanding is totally academic, not religious, but like, it's not OK for them to force you to do or say things that hurt you."
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A-Yuan
MDZS Character
Yes
Questioning
Single
Velexa
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Jul 22, 2020 19:07:04 GMT -8
Post by A-Yuan on Jul 22, 2020 19:07:04 GMT -8
A-Yuan settled more in his spot, getting ready to sleep. "I don't have to tell the sisters, no, but I have to tell at confession. They're not my own private thoughts, God knows all of them. Like the whole if you think about committing adultery, you've already committed it. If I think it, I have to own up to it."
He breathed out slowly, softening a sigh. "The things I do are for penance. They don't really hurt me. They might hurt my body, but not me. That's the price I have to pay for my soul."
He knew Jingyi wouldn't understand. He'd already been upset by the cuts on his hands and that wasn't even for penance, it had just been something A-Yuan had done to ground himself.
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Lan Jingyi
MDZS Character
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Jul 22, 2020 19:39:02 GMT -8
Post by Lan Jingyi on Jul 22, 2020 19:39:02 GMT -8
Jingyi stared at the ceiling in the dark and said, "The ribbon, it's about restraint, learning to know what is right to do and what isn't. Sometimes thoughts happen whether we want them to or not, but what makes someone a good person is how they choose to act on those thoughts. Everyone thinks nasty things sometimes, has an impulse that isn't good or kind or the right thing to do. There's a huge difference between thoughts that someone has and what they choose to do with those thoughts."
He tried to search his thoughts for a good example of what he meant. He tried, "Like someone that gets mad easily, but they are good at controlling that feeling, at letting it out in a healthy way and not doing something in the heat of the feeling. They might think about doing something that would hurt another person, but if they have self restraint, if they don't hurt another person, they are being a better person than the person who has those same thoughts and feelings and use them as a reason to hurt someone."
He bit his lip on the comment about hurting A-Yuan's body not being OK. He didn't want to scare his friend into not telling him things, but he was livid. A-Yuan clearly believed at least in part that it was OK though, and Jingyi didn't know how to say that it wasn't without it being something that would drive his friend away, and he wanted A-Yuan to know that he was a safe person. He bit his lips on the words of that being abusive. He reached out and touched A-Yuan's shoulder lightly and said softly, "I don't like seeing you get hurt in any way. I want to keep you safe from getting hurt."
He really wished that he could just keep A-Yuan here, at the Lan household, where people weren't going to try to hurt him.
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