r/SVSSS

So I was studying about how stallion novels are like. I'm trying to think of characterizing each girl that we saw in LBH's harem. What I roughly could get is this (despite not reading stallion novels, I feel like they're commonly found):

- LMY: main partner (and designated empress), cold beauty (since LMY speaks little, is veiled, appears distant), saintess type of character (in stallion novels, it's the principle of men being unable to have sexual thoughts on women they love and respect, i.e. madonna wh*re complex)

- SHL: other main partner?, seductive demoness, wild one MC would tame? (SHL appears like the type to beat LBH for her own entertainment and being very aggressive while doing so, while also wanting to be dominated by him?)

- NYY: one of the main members of the harem, childhood friend, damsel in distress, sha bai tian (literally: silly white sweet; usually to describe someone innocent and naive, but also oblivious, sometimes a bit child-like)

- LPM: princess syndrome (perfect example)/spoiled princess, yandere-ish? (idk how to describe her... she's under the cute archetype, but is also aggressive, especially towards the other girls LBH looks at)

- QWY: white lotus (very realistically written I'd say; appears like a pick-me and a green tea, but it also felt natural as it looks like her tactic to survive), the MC's first time

- QWR: sha bai tian, princess syndrome (more mildly expressed imo), brain-dead (based on how SQQ's summarizes her), threesome purpose?; N.B. she appears like the type of character readers want written out (which ig is the reason why she died)

- QHT: NTR fetish? (I'm not sure about this one and I honestly don't know what archetype she fits in stallion novels)

- Triplet nuns: I've seriously no idea what trope they fit in.

I feel like I need more information and description on their tropes...

>“Binghe, how’s your cultivation progress?” Shen Qingqiu asked in a deliberately aloof tone as he moved to sit in a sandalwood chair. With that single “Binghe,” he terrified himself to the point that frightened goosebumps rose all down his back.

>Luo Binghe’s back also shook with a clear shudder, but he still managed a smile tinged with shyness. “This disciple is stupid and still… failed to understand.”

>That was about right. With a fake cultivation manual, the fact that he hadn’t yet suffered a qi deviation was all thanks to his incredible protagonist-level durability. If he’d actually understood anything in that manual, it would have been a miracle.

>Volume 1, page 19.

Knowing how dangerous qi deviations can be even for a master, how much worse could they be for a boy who was never taught how to help himself out of one? Who was frequently physical punished and left isolated and away from help?

Shen Jiu couldn't have known that Binghe wouldn't be badly harmed. Shen Yuan even complains later about how little sense it makes for the setting that Binghe almost manages to sort of make it work, even taking into account his heavenly demon blood:

>Inside his heart, Shen Qingqiu released a long sigh.

>In truth, even during the early, misery-ridden part of the storyline, the protagonist’s overpowered nature had already started to emerge. The cultivation manual Ming Fan had given Luo Binghe was a fake. The more he trained by following it, the more his techniques should have degraded until they were absolute rubbish. But with his peerless talent and his body’s half-demon blood, Luo Binghe had managed to eke out a path of his own by complete accident… It was entirely unscientific!

>Volume 1, page 25

Although his beliefs are of course not conclusory in themselves, even when it comes to PIDW matters, Shen Yuan certainly believed that Shen Jiu wasn't just a mean teacher, but outright wanted him dead:

>“Originally, this disciple was under the impression that Shizun didn’t care about him at all. Only after the third match did I understand what painstaking efforts Shizun had put in."
No, no, no, your original master really didn’t care about you, Shen Qingqiu thought desperately. He earnestly wished you dead, really! Although, exactly what painstaking efforts of mine have you noticed? Say it out loud; I’m very curious to know!

>Volume 1, page 108

Tangential but worth noting: I see it often in fanfiction that Ming Fan is treated as the 'true' orchestrator of Binghe's worst suffering, with Shen Jiu unaware of the extent of it.

However, when Shen Qingqiu orders for Binghe to fight against Elder Sky Hammer, Ming Fan is the one who thinks things are being taken too far:

>“Luo Binghe, come here.”

>Qing Jing Peak’s disciples fell into an uproar.

>The disciples from the other branches were calmer, as they weren’t familiar with Qing Jing Peak’s internal politics. They even thought that Shen Qingqiu had certainly selected a disciple he was proud of, an unparalleled talent. That was the only way they could hope to best this demon elder who appeared to be in his hundreds. It was strange that they’d never heard of this person, and he did seem rather young. Was it possible that Qing Jing Peak’s disciples weren’t yet aware of Luo Binghe’s true abilities?

>Ming Fan’s face had gone white. “Shizun…” he stammered. “To send this little demon—to send Luo-shidi, isn’t it...unbefitting?”

>Volume 1, page 91

None of this is to tell people that they aren't allowed to like Shen Jiu or write more sympathetic portrayals of him. But I think it's worth it to keep in mind what is actually canon, and that people who *do* dislike Shen Jiu (such as myself) have coherent reasons for it.

Shen Jiu either intentionally wanted Binghe dead, or was exceedingly flippant as to whether or not his actions resulted in him dying. He himself would know well the danger that qi deviations could cause, and there's no implication that there was anything specific Ming Fan did with the manual that made it so harmful.

I also can't see any good reason for him to send Binghe to face Elder Sky Hammer other than this lack of concern. Binghe mentally justifies it to himself that his Shizun would never so overtly bring shame to Qing Jing and himself - that Shizun must have known that he would win - but would that really happen? The other peaks weren't aware of Binghe's abuse, and would any in Qing Jing truly speak out against Shen Qingqiu? If they did, would Yue Qingyuan really allow Shen Qingqiu to face scrutiny for it? For all outsiders knew, Luo Binghe had been personally trained by Shen Qingqiu and the boy simply whiffed it.

Again: I'm very familiar with having strong emotions about characters and spiralling into purity rumination over whether I'm a Bad Person for liking a Bad Character. That is *not* what I want to happen here. Please do seek out Scrupulosity aka moral OCD if that sounds familiar to you!!

But... as a newcomer to the series, it's just very strange to me how few fans seem to acknowledge these scenes, in fanfiction or in general discussion. I could understand it if people mentioned in notes that they are retconning Shen Qingqiu's abuse because they don't think it fits him, but it seems more like a lot of people have forgotten that this is, in fact, canon...?

Hi! I'm reading svsss for the third time. I think I understand both characters properly only now. I mean I see both points of view quite clearly this time around. When I was reading it at first, I wasn't familiar with a concept of unreliable narrator, so I was that naive reader who believed everything SQQ says (which meant constant cognitive dissonance!). For example, I didn't get he cried in Huayue City or believed he cried out of physical pain in The Holy Mausoleum (I'm so dumb!).

Anyway, even though I was left confused, I couldn't let go of this story so I've looked a lot about the book and finally understood how to read it and some details I've missed.

I remember I've seen on reddit that sqq lies about his pleasure. He complains about lbh's bed skills but is the one who takes initiative in extras and enjoys the process more than he likes to admit.

@faelicy account was really useful (it's an official translator from chinese to eng, that has abandoned tumbler and twt accounts. Her post gives deep insights into main characters' thinking).

Have you had the same experience? Isn't it quite universal in this fandom?

What have you noticed after rereading?