Ohhhh, didn't know Release That Witch is completed, nice! Just checked and I left at chapter 1329/1498, so ~170 chapters left, yay. I agree, it is extremely, extremely good.
I think in my personal "favorite chinese novel rankings" (which I just came up with
) it's on the top alongside Way of Choices.Then it's followed by Er Gen novels and while I haven't read a completed novel of him yet, I think right now I'd also rank Misty Rain's novels here.
I've read 400-something chapters of Warlock, but it wasn't really my cup of tea, I think. Leylin's cold and calculating personality was interesting though.
For real tho, I love Way of Choices' prose so much. It's so flowery, yet sharp (does that make sense?).
And I really like this scene, which is even better with context, but it should be interesting without as well (spoilerd because it's a bit longer):
After some time, Luo Bu turned to Chen Changsheng and asked, "Do you also have a girl that you like?"
Chen Changsheng nodded and said, "I do, but I haven't met her in a while."
Luo Bu appeared very interested, asking, "She likes you?"
Chen Changsheng felt rather embarrassed as he softly grunted in affirmation.
Luo Bu slightly arched his brow and asked, "If you have a lover, why aren't you seeing her?"
It was clear that he did not approve of Chen Changsheng's way of doing things.
To him, the most difficult part was developing affection, but since they were already lovers, they had to always stay together. It was not allowed for them to separate.
Chen Changsheng thought this question over, then said, "It's not convenient to meet, and also…she has a few rather important things to do."
Luo Bu said no more. Taking a large gulp from the wine pot held in his fingers, he muttered, "Mutual affection…just what sort of feeling is that?"
Chen Changsheng did not hear this clearly and asked, "What?"
"Nothing, just drunken ramblings."
Luo Bu gazed towards the plains at the end of the stream, seemingly seeing that peak which was shrouded in clouds throughout the year, and a faint sadness tinged his face.
From his first glance upon waking, the Luo Bu in Chen Changsheng's eyes had always been elegant and yet indifferent, downtrodden but not unruly. However, he had never once seen Luo Bu like this.
This was a very faint sadness, yet his lush beard was unable to conceal it. Why did his young face appear so ravaged by time?
He truly wished to know Luo Bu's story, to know just what he had experienced.
"I'm a person without a story." Luo Bu very quickly broke out of this mood and offered the wine pot to Chen Changsheng as he indifferently continued, "Because I've lived too smooth a life. Other than a small trouble when I was small, I received everything that I wished for."
Chen Changsheng thought inwardly, then why are you so sad?
"But there are many things in this world that have no relation to your own efforts, like the love between man and woman, or great matters that decide life or death. No matter how much you struggle or grow, you can never be sure of victory, as these two relationships require a response."
Luo Bu pointed at the numberless stars above and said, "You can say to the starry sky that you don't want to go back, but the starry sky won't answer you. You will grow old, and then die. You can say to a girl 'I love you', but even if you're the best of the best, she just doesn't like you, but what can you do?"
The starry sky and girls would only quietly look back at the viewer, perhaps with pity or sympathy, but when would they ever change their mind?
A starry sky that could randomly change its hue, shape, and rules only existed in the oil paintings of Xuelao City.
Those girls who would implore or strive to be the girl that one loved might also be good girls, but regretfully, they were not the girl that he loved.
'But what can you do?'
This flatly-said question filled Chen Changsheng with a deep anguish.
Perhaps it was because he had once prayed to those infinite stars above to pardon his life.
He somewhat clumsily patted Luo Bu on the shoulder. He wanted to comfort him, but didn't know what to say.
The countless stars twinkled above.
The girl was in the distant south.
Thankfully, he said nothing.
Chen Changsheng nodded and said, "I do, but I haven't met her in a while."
Luo Bu appeared very interested, asking, "She likes you?"
Chen Changsheng felt rather embarrassed as he softly grunted in affirmation.
Luo Bu slightly arched his brow and asked, "If you have a lover, why aren't you seeing her?"
It was clear that he did not approve of Chen Changsheng's way of doing things.
To him, the most difficult part was developing affection, but since they were already lovers, they had to always stay together. It was not allowed for them to separate.
Chen Changsheng thought this question over, then said, "It's not convenient to meet, and also…she has a few rather important things to do."
Luo Bu said no more. Taking a large gulp from the wine pot held in his fingers, he muttered, "Mutual affection…just what sort of feeling is that?"
Chen Changsheng did not hear this clearly and asked, "What?"
"Nothing, just drunken ramblings."
Luo Bu gazed towards the plains at the end of the stream, seemingly seeing that peak which was shrouded in clouds throughout the year, and a faint sadness tinged his face.
From his first glance upon waking, the Luo Bu in Chen Changsheng's eyes had always been elegant and yet indifferent, downtrodden but not unruly. However, he had never once seen Luo Bu like this.
This was a very faint sadness, yet his lush beard was unable to conceal it. Why did his young face appear so ravaged by time?
He truly wished to know Luo Bu's story, to know just what he had experienced.
"I'm a person without a story." Luo Bu very quickly broke out of this mood and offered the wine pot to Chen Changsheng as he indifferently continued, "Because I've lived too smooth a life. Other than a small trouble when I was small, I received everything that I wished for."
Chen Changsheng thought inwardly, then why are you so sad?
"But there are many things in this world that have no relation to your own efforts, like the love between man and woman, or great matters that decide life or death. No matter how much you struggle or grow, you can never be sure of victory, as these two relationships require a response."
Luo Bu pointed at the numberless stars above and said, "You can say to the starry sky that you don't want to go back, but the starry sky won't answer you. You will grow old, and then die. You can say to a girl 'I love you', but even if you're the best of the best, she just doesn't like you, but what can you do?"
The starry sky and girls would only quietly look back at the viewer, perhaps with pity or sympathy, but when would they ever change their mind?
A starry sky that could randomly change its hue, shape, and rules only existed in the oil paintings of Xuelao City.
Those girls who would implore or strive to be the girl that one loved might also be good girls, but regretfully, they were not the girl that he loved.
'But what can you do?'
This flatly-said question filled Chen Changsheng with a deep anguish.
Perhaps it was because he had once prayed to those infinite stars above to pardon his life.
He somewhat clumsily patted Luo Bu on the shoulder. He wanted to comfort him, but didn't know what to say.
The countless stars twinkled above.
The girl was in the distant south.
Thankfully, he said nothing.
