Waves Sifting the Sand

As the title suggests, this is a thread for discussing the plot. Everyone is welcome to share their guesses and thoughts about the plot here. I'll be chatting with you in the comments section for a long time!

Brother Pingchao, a young gentleman born into such a Jiang family is destined for tragedy. Morality is meaningless, reason and emotion are hard to reconcile; drawing a sword is a crime, remaining silent is even worse—which path to take, which to retreat? The former pride of heaven, his youthful spirit and ambition, all seem to have shattered along with the lies. Only when he uses the most resolute means to burn away the filth, and then sacrifices himself to repay all the difficult debts, does he realize that after being tempered by fate, a pure heart remains a pure heart. He cannot survive without conforming, only seeking to live up to expectations. He never strayed from the path when closest to temptation, he never succumbed to despair despite periods of confusion, and when caught in the vortex, he would rather be torn apart than remain deaf and dumb. He always makes the most foolish yet most correct choices. It's not that there's no way out, but unfortunately, he is Jiang Pingchao, and this is the only path Jiang Pingchao can take.

Xiao Zhao: Master, I met a love interest when I went down the mountain. Lao Bu (with satisfaction): How's that girl? Xiao Zhao: Aside from being the daughter of the fairy who dumped you, she's perfect in every way. Lao Bu: ... It's not impossible, take care. Xiao Zhao: She took advantage of me, touched my chin, and even kissed me— Old Bu (a familiar feeling): Young people, please pay attention. Xiao Zhao: --But we broke up because we couldn't reach an agreement. Lao Bu: … Lao Bu: It's a good thing, so let's part ways amicably. Xiao Zhao: We're on the same pirate ship now. I'm planning to backstab her when things are about to get going, and I guess she's thinking the same thing. Lao Bu: … Lao Bu felt they should burn some paper money for Fan Shuang and reflect on what went wrong with their education.

After watching it, I had mixed feelings about Xiao Zhengze. On one hand, as the head of Tingyu Pavilion, a traitor to the Flying Star Alliance, he was an obstacle for the main characters, but on the other hand, it was hard to dislike him. He exudes the aura of a powerful figure from the moment he appears. He can accept people like Wuxia and Xiaozhao who have ulterior motives, as well as people like Xiao Zhengfeng and A'luo who harbor treacherous intentions. In his eyes, it seems that he only has one thought: to protect the Xiao family and to protect Empress Dowager Xiao. It is also because he is strong enough that he can disregard the various thoughts of his subordinates. He is like a heavy mountain, pressing down on everyone's heart. The part where he prepares to pave the way for Xiao Zhao was both surprising and somewhat expected. He was filled with regret throughout, so he knew that Xiao Zhao's identity was still what kept him alive. Therefore, in the end, he chose to help Xiao Zhao subdue A Luo. However, he had no way out. Being the illegitimate son of Empress Xiao and her half-brother was his helplessness and his tragedy. He was a strong man worthy of respect. What kind of feelings did he have for Empress Dowager Xiao? I know that in the end he must have hated her, but he had been so devoted to her before. She was his own mother, yet she pushed him down a path with no way out. Speaking of Empress Dowager Xiao, it's truly a pity. If she had been bolder, she could have directly overthrown the Yin family and become a figure like Empress Wu. Unfortunately, she only became Empress Lü. When she arranged the marriage between the eldest princess and Xiao Zhengze, did she harbor the idea that their child would become emperor? Unfortunately, the eldest princess died, and her plans ultimately came to nothing.

Taking advantage of Fang Huaiyuan's death, I'd like to write down my thoughts. I've always thought of Fang Huaiyuan as a ruthless guy who strikes hard at his own expense, abandoning his family for the greater good. From Yongyu when he first appeared, to Qinglan when we learned about her later, he was a man who dared to kill his wife and abandon his child. All he cared about was his martial arts alliance. After Qinglan's death, he married Madam Jiang for the greater good, still missing Qinglan. When I watched it, I thought he was the epitome of scum! It's such a pity for two such beautiful women. Later, when Yongyu exposed his Heavenly Martial Arts, he orchestrated a scheme in front of everyone to have Yongyu fake her death and escape, which slightly changed my opinion of this leader. Especially the moment he pointed his sword at Zhou Jiangyun and said, "Release my son," was the moment I had the best impression of him. Immediately following was another murder of his wife. The silence after the sword was drawn filled me with anger, sorrow, confusion, and disbelief. I imagine Fang Huaiyuan was also devastated after learning it was Madam Jiang. "Yongyu, Pingchao, who is this?" My tears instantly fell. The revelation of Qinglan's truth was so heartbreaking. This woman truly loved Fang Huaiyuan and the Fang family to the extreme. She was so ruthless, so decisive, and so tragic. Their family was so pitiful. Just when everything was getting better, another sudden change occurred. Perhaps suicide was the best way out for Huaiyuan, but how did he feel inside when his own child asked for the knife? Was it relief or sorrow? Having murdered his wife twice and broken ties with his father twice, this time, he will never receive Yongyu's forgiveness again. The once-powerful leader of the martial arts world committed suicide in a narrow, dark secret passage. That's all for now. I love rambling on and on. I don't even know what the words I typed mean. Please understand my nonsense. I absolutely love this book! Every main character and supporting character feels like a real person. Each of them has their own path and their own helplessness, and they are not just tools for the main character's advancement.

This is an exceptionally well-written book, easily ranking in the top three of the books I've read this year, after Lord of Mysteries and The Three-Body Problem. It has many strengths, but the absence of filler plots is a major plus. Almost every chapter offers unmissable surprises and a strong driving force for the story. I've read the author's previous two books, and I feel this one shows tremendous improvement. The story maintains its quality while becoming more captivating and allowing readers to truly connect with the characters' inner worlds. The previous two books fell short in these aspects. Of course, this book also has its flaws; while the author excels at plot development, I personally feel this book goes a little too far. Finally, this is just my personal opinion, purely theoretical, so please forgive any shortcomings, author! I hope the author continues to improve and this book becomes increasingly popular! 🔥 (Haha, "Lang Tao Sha" is definitely worth reading!)

I'd actually been meaning to write a long review for a while, but I realized how little I actually knew. I thought it was a really great piece of writing and wanted to praise it, but I didn't know how to put it into words. I wrote a couple hundred words and then decided it wasn't good enough, so I had to delete it... And then it dragged on for ages. Now I feel I can't put it off any longer, or I'll forget what happened at the beginning... The biggest impression this story left on me was the sheer density and consistently spectacular fight scenes I've never seen in a single story. I used to think that too many fight scenes in a story would become tiresome, but this story never did; I was completely immersed in each one. The sheer number of fights, yet none of them were repetitive, meant that I was always unsure of the outcome, often creating a truly thrilling experience. It made me think that if these fight scenes had been filmed over a decade ago when television dramas were so well-made, they would have been incredibly impressive. With my limited imagination, I simply couldn't have conceived of some of the moves! This is probably what I admire most about the swordplay. Another captivating aspect of Dao's writing lies in its characters. From his early work "Sealing the Blade" to "Breaking the Formation Diagram," and now "Waves Washing the Sand," these are all works I recommend first whenever someone asks for a story featuring ensemble casts. I believe the charm of ensemble fiction lies in the fact that, despite the large number of characters, each one is vividly portrayed, fleshed out, and a protagonist in their own story. Even the villains are moving. By now, I find it difficult to truly hate any so-called "villain." I believe their experiences and stances dictate who they are. Therefore, I've always found characters like Fu Yuanting, Ji Fanshuang, and Jiang Yanluo very charismatic, and even Xie Qingtang and Feng Mosheng are hard to truly dislike. Regardless of their past actions or fates, while I might feel a sense of satisfaction at some deaths, I ultimately feel a sense of melancholy. Because each of them, regardless of their stance or morality, is a legendary figure. As the older generation gradually retires, their legendary era comes to an end. Of course, the most heartbreaking characters are Bai Li, Xue Hai, and Bu Hanying. So when I see Xiao Zhao and the younger generation working hard for a common cause, I feel that they are carrying the common wishes of the previous generation, living a difficult but tenacious life together with their share, to accomplish what everyone wanted to accomplish, but the previous generation could not, leaving only regret. The characters in *The Blade* are well-written, but I think what's even more impressive is the brilliance of the female characters. Bai Li, Du Juan, Ji Fanshuang, Yin Mei, Bai Zhiwei, Jiang Yanluo, Yu Wuxia, and so on—each has a legendary story, each is so unique, and every time I think of them, their voices and smiles appear so vividly before my eyes. The character that struck me most deeply was Ji Fanshuang. Her Shattered Star Scheme led to the deaths of Bai Li and Xue Hai, forced Du Juan and her orphaned daughter Xiao Zhao into a life of hardship, and harmed Bai Zhiwei, Bu Hanying, and Fu Yuanting. Yet, I still marvel at her unparalleled wisdom and am utterly captivated by the ingenuity of her scheme. It is these very people who add a touch of unparalleled beauty to this ever-changing world of martial arts. I think the brilliance of a novel lies in two aspects: characters and plot. The plot of *Lang Tao Sha* is undoubtedly captivating. Every twist and turn is intricately linked; one plot twist isn't enough for today's readers, so there are always twists and turns, each ending leaving readers in awe. I've read many other martial arts tournaments, but I never imagined one could proceed in such an unexpected way, with such a surprising ending. It's a truly novel reading experience. These days, I rarely read novels. With other novels, a chapter of four or five thousand words might take me several reading sessions to finish. But once I open *Lang Tao Sha*, I never feel like a chapter is several thousand words long. I'm immediately immersed in the plot, finishing a chapter quickly without having to quit and start over later. (Of course, sometimes I don't read for days and have fallen behind on a few chapters, but I'll definitely keep reading!…) This is a long review I wrote while slacking off, so I'll stop here. I still feel like I'm bad at writing long reviews; I always ramble on and on… Actually, the main thing is to express my love for Dao (I feel like I can't call him Dao anymore, it's obvious this story was very lenient, no one from the younger generation died!…), But after all, he single-handedly raised the level of angst for me, so I'm used to calling him that, hahaha… Another thing I want to say is that Dao really knows how to choose names! The names of the authors and famous figures are all super nice! I'm easily put off by the titles and protagonist names, but I believe Dao will never put me off! I will continue to follow Dao's works. I didn't know about "Feng Dao" when it was being serialized, which is a regret of mine, but thankfully I found out about it with "Po Zhen Tu," and I will continue to follow it. Although I'm surprised that "Feng Dao" is Dao's first work, I believe Dao can continue to improve! I hope Dao writes better and better! (Look how much nonsense I've rambled on again... I'm too lazy to go back and check for typos...) In the end, the most important thing is to have fun writing. I hope Dao continues to write happily. I'm going to catch up now!

The duels in these chapters of the Martial Arts Tournament are of such high quality! Just like the readers have said, Dao Zong's writing is truly magical, incredibly vivid, and every duel is exhilarating to read. I'm so excited and thrilled that I want to go for a run! Xiao Zhao and Shui Mu, these two are like enemies meeting again, their eyes blazing with hatred (Xiao Zhao, you should reflect on how many people you've offended). Shui Mu has always thought Xiao Zhao was immoral, but this time she won people over with virtue, and they were truly convinced. Looking at it this way, only the match between Ping Chao and Jian Hui was relatively peaceful, a normal contest between righteous people. Xie Qingtang really became much stronger after being healed by Gu Shexian. If Miss Li hadn't called for him, Wang Ding would have been dead. It's true that a madman with something to care about becomes even more adorable. Xiao Zhao is truly Xie Qingtang's natural nemesis; mother vs. Son, a complete victory for her. Xie Qingtang's story has finally come to an end. Farewell, Scholar of the Wrong Path. PS: I thought Zhou Jiangyun would interfere and have some ulterior motive, that he could just watch Xie Qingtang die. The battle between the two women surprised me. Mu Qing was stronger than I expected; her use of softness to overcome hardness was truly steady. Even though she couldn't defeat her, she still severely injured Sister Mei. I have to say, this group of juniors is really united. Even if they can't win, they will do everything they can to pave the way for the future. It's a pity that Sister Mei was forced to take drugs by Zhou Jiangyun, and all her previous efforts were in vain. Jiang Pingchao, in my eyes, is truly a pitiful kid. Everyone else is a villain, but he is kept in the dark. The person he likes has someone else in mind, and he is burdened with the life of his future brother-in-law, yet he still loses. He not only loses Yongyu, but also a competition that is of great significance to both the underworld and the legitimate world. At this moment, he must be questioning the meaning of life. Judging from Yongyu's previous attitude, he probably wanted to die regardless of winning or losing. He didn't want to have his martial arts crippled or become Zhou Jiangyun's furnace (Yongyu, you need to stand up straight! *Shakes him frantically. Jpg*). But he probably won't die that easily, right? (What will the story be like if he dies?) Based on previous plot points, we can deduce: a fake death? In full view of everyone? A replica of Xue Hongbi? (The weakest player, spouting nothing but nonsense 🌚)

Let's write a proper review! Congratulations on finally reaching 100 chapters! I still don't know when it will end, so I'll just write down my thoughts on reading *Lang Tao Sha* at this milestone. Oh dear, I suddenly have to express my feelings, but I don't know where to begin... Let's start with the main characters, shall we? Honestly, although this book has two male leads, I might be a bit too particular about "first come, first served," and I also have a tendency to admire the strong. Xiao Zhao is portrayed as too powerful, so I tend to favor her a little more. (After reading chapter 104, I changed my mind; only children make choices!!) Of course, Xiao Fang's character is very appealing. Although he lost his mother at a young age and was looked down upon due to his frail health, he actually possesses hidden martial arts skills—isn't that exactly my favorite kind of beautiful, strong, and tragic character?! Ahem, *Lang Tao Sha* is, after all, a no-romance story, so no matter how beautiful, strong, or tragic Xiao Fang is, he can't be paired with Xiao Zhao. (Xiao Fang: "It's a pity we're not meant to be TT") But there are advantages to no-romance! You can ship anything! Everything is good to ship! No rivals, no drama, ah! This is the victory of the omnivorous party! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)✧ At first, I thought Xiao Zhao's character would become very dark, after all she'd been through—witnessing her adoptive father's murder, being thrown off a cliff by her enemy, and finally having a cold-faced master. (Bu Hanying: ?) Unexpectedly, five years later, she's still a very cute and witty young man. Thank you, Sister Mei! (Me: It's so good that my son has grown into an optimist!) I really love this kind of not-so-aloof academic genius! I love sunny and positive young people! (My fan filter is really strong.) Actually, what attracts me most about Aoyama Abandoned Tomb (I'm suddenly using this pen name seriously, I used to call myself Dao Dao~) is not only the character development, but also the visual appeal of the scenes. Most of the novels I read use a stream-of-consciousness style to create the environment, but Aoyama's writing gives readers (mainly me) a strong sense of déjà vu. Ah, so this part is about fighting, so this part is about falling in love. I get this feeling when I read other novels, and then I close my eyes and imagine how the fights and the romance go. But when you read Aoyama's works, you realize, "Oh, so this is how the protagonist fights, so this is how the protagonist falls in love" (Xiao Zhao: I didn't, I didn't, don't talk nonsense). Damn it! My writing skills are lacking, and after finishing this, I realized I couldn't express the feeling I wanted to convey. In short, I just wanted to say that Aoyama Abandoned Tomb's writing, especially the fight scenes, is truly excellent and makes you feel like you're right there in the action. Especially Chapter 66, the fight between Shen Luoyue and her group against the righteous faction. (Actually, Xiao Zhao's fight with the germaphobe was also well-described, but since she's the main character, she definitely needs more attention.) The fights between Jiang Pingchao and Shen Luoyue, the supporting characters, were also written very seriously and meticulously. From the reader's perspective (mainly mine), it was incredibly enjoyable! I loved it!!! It felt like I could already see them fighting and killing right in front of me! (Sorry, my vocabulary is really limited…) Actually, there are many other exciting fight scenes, such as the one in Chapter 102 and the one between Bu Hanying and her adoptive father, but I'm really bad at expressing myself and don't know how to praise them, so I won't continue. Besides the impressive visuals, there were also various plot twists. (Actually, I'm just praising how well the foreshadowing was done.) I left a comment before saying that when reading Qingshan Huangzhong's works, after a plot point is revealed, my feeling is often "So that's how it is!" At this point, I am already very amazed by the ingenuity of Qingshan Huangzhong's ideas. But she still had a trick up her sleeve. I'll leave it for the next chapter. After I finished reading it, my reaction was, "So that's how it is??" At this moment, the desolate graves on the green hills say: Don't worry, I still have more. So after reading the next chapter, my reaction was, "What the hell?! They can do that???" In summary, there were at least three rounds of this emotional shift. Now, even when I watch the initial revelation, I still feel a sense of "girl, you can't fool me." Sigh... I originally wanted to use some fancy words to rave about "Green Hills and Desolate Tomb"... But unfortunately, my talent is limited, and all I can say is, "Beautiful, beautiful, so beautiful! The author is awesome!" Such simple and direct praise. (It's really perfect for my own language skills!) In the end, I didn't write anything interesting in my review. Looking at it, it seemed to be just rambling on about how much I liked Aoyama Abandoned Tomb and how much I enjoyed reading her writing. (Ugh, so embarrassing!) Actually, I've wanted to write a review for a long time (to be honest, at this point I don't think it can be considered a review anymore...). Because of running a public account, I understand the feeling of not wanting to just talk to myself and wanting to hear other people's thoughts. And then... I really wanted to write when I was about to retire from writing! But I was still in school. I wanted to write about breaking the formation diagram again! But then White Bear went bankrupt again, lol. I'm about to start writing "Lang Tao Sha"! Unfortunately, I've been too busy with graduation to have any time. (On the various reasons for procrastination ∠( ᐛ"∠)_) Thankfully, I still managed to write it in the end! Hehe, I want to tell Qingshan Huangzhong that I really love every story you write, and I especially love the story "Lang Tao Sha"! In short, Aoyama Abandoned Tomb's ensemble piece is truly well-written! Each character is the protagonist of their own story, yet none overshadow the main characters. It's incredibly well-written! I hope everyone will read it! (Actually, I started writing after reading chapter 100, but the plot changed later and there were some differences between my understanding and the actual story. I was too lazy to revise it word by word, so please bear with me!)

Write one for Xiao Zhao too. As the main character, he must be the most miserable one. He hasn't had a few peaceful days in his life. After reading the latest extra chapter, it seems like he doesn't have long to live. Sigh. From Xue Hongbi at the beginning to Zhao Yan later, he has never really changed. Although his actions later were indeed quite villainous, I always remember what he said in Yunling: "If there are wronged souls seeking revenge, look for me. I have done my own evil deeds and I am willing to accept the retribution." He took the lives of everyone in Yunling on his shoulders, making them his irreversible sword. From the moment he descended the mountain, he was constantly racking his brains to bring down Tingyu Pavilion. Every step he took was both steady and cautious. Behind his nonchalant and sarcastic demeanor lay a meticulously careful heart. Moreover, he possessed an extremely strong will. Xiao Zhengze's final temptation was undeniably great, but he never wavered. So resolute, so ruthless, he didn't care about his own life. In the end, he pitifully begged for ** (a euphemism for sexual intercourse), which almost made me cry my eyes out ಠ_ಠ My favorite moments are those between him and A Luo, two people who know each other best testing each other with their hidden cards. They are truly compatible. Miss Jiang at the bottom of the cliff was his only stirring of emotion; everything after that was feigned. His infatuation was so sudden, and his death was so swift. (I'm out of words, I'll stop here ╰(⇀‸↼)╯) Finally, thank you, Professor Qingshan, and thank you, Mr. Dao, for bringing such a wonderful article.