The Years I Spent Slaying Demons in the Tang Dynasty

The three realms of humans, demons, and immortals are clearly structured, and the power system (martial arts, sorcery, and immortality) is rigorously set, making it very interesting to read.

The seed originated from a "gilt iron core copper dragon" from the Tang Dynasty that I first saw at the Shaanxi History Museum - the dragon's body was wrapped with spell-like patterns, and the commentator mentioned that "alchemists emerged in large numbers during the Xuanzong period." At that moment, I suddenly realized: Under the light of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, there may be another dark side that has been erased from the history books. When I first conceived it, I wanted to write a story that was different from the traditional fairy tale. What if the monsters recorded in "Youyang Zazu" are all true? What if there really is a supernatural force behind "Queen Wei's chaos"? So I spent some time researching historical materials from the Jinglong period, and found that the timeline of events such as Zhongzong's sudden death and Princess Taiping's rebellion actually fit perfectly with the blood moon cycle. This coincidence of history and fantasy convinced me that this subject matter is worthy of further exploration. The portrayal of the protagonist Qin Zhao is full of contradictions. He is not like a typical male protagonist of a cool novel - he constantly doubts himself due to the demon blood in his body, and because of the sacrifice of Fairy Jinghua, he begins to reflect on the prejudice that "those who are not of my race must have different hearts." When writing about the master-servant relationship between him and Feiyan, I often thought of those fox girls in "Liao Zhai" who repaid their kindness, but I deliberately avoided romanticizing it: behind the heroism of the Duotail Savior is the history of blood and tears of the demon clan being enslaved for thousands of years. The most difficult thing is to write the setting of the fairy world. It must not only have the majesty of "the ruthless nature of heaven", but also make Jinghua's behavior of defying heaven's rules reasonable. The work is essentially a love letter and inquiry to the prosperous Tang Dynasty. When you read in the final chapter that thousands of lanterns fly together during the Lantern Festival, and the lamps not only have the names of the monsters who died in vain, but also reflect Li Longji's shadowy plot, you will understand: the so-called demon Tang is just a mirror of the human world.

Li Longji ascended the throne in the afterglow of the blood moon, and the ending of Qin Zhao half-demon hiding in the shadows is meaningful. The historical figures complete their missions, the protagonist's choice to retreat behind the scenes, the balanced treatment of the two-line endings, the open ending leaving room for the reader's imagination, and the dialectics of endings and beginnings.

The ending of Jinghua's attempt to mend the cracks in the demon world and her Qingshuang sword transforming into light rain is poignant. The completion of the fairy's final sacrifice, the strong sense of ritual of the military liberation, the beautiful and sad image of light and rain, the reenactment of the myth of mending the sky and saving the world, and the tragic conclusion of the character's arc

The scene when the jade-faced fox appears with its nine tails complete and a giant fox claw stretches out from the Chang'an underground is magnificent. The visual shock of the ultimate form, the unexpectedness of the underground attack, the full power of the Nine-Tails, the epic scale of the scene, and the enlarged stage of the BOSS battle

The discovery of the jade-faced fox's boudoir containing Qin Zhao's swaddling clothes and his mother's hairpin was shocking. The appearance of personal items creates identity suspense, the sentimental value of swaddling clothes and hairpins, the complex motives behind the collection of fox monsters, and new clues to family mysteries. This discovery overturns many assumptions.

Jinghua loses her mana and has a high fever. Qin Zhao hunts monsters to obtain bile and medicine and takes care of her heart-warmingly. The display of the fairy's fragility, the reversal of the protagonist's caring responsibilities, the practicality of the demon hunting medicine, the interdependence in dilemma, and the deepening of feelings in daily care

When Kyoka was demoted, the image of a tear turning into a seal of demon eyes was beautiful, and the tragedy of the fallen immortal coexisted with the gift. The poetry of the tear-turned-seal, the depth of the protective intention, and the practicality of the parting gift. This detail transforms sadness into protection, and the emotional expression is implicit and powerful.

Feiyan was bloodletted to activate the altar, and Li Longji suddenly appeared and volunteered to be a substitute. The turning point was touching. An alternative to the royal bloodline, Li Longji's sacrificial spirit shows the responsibility of a wise king, the symbolic significance of the substitute sacrifice is strong, and the heroic behavior of historical figures at critical moments is moving.

The detail of discovering that the hair hidden in the broken blade before the Kyoka Soldier was able to restrain the backlash of the demonic energy was touching. The discovery of the function of relics, the symbolic meaning of hair, the practicality of restraining backlash, and the fairy's continued protection, these details make parting less desperate.