[Chinese BG novel] 酒色撩人[快穿] by 三分流火 / Wine and seduction

Actually the MTL says "Wine and sex", not kidding, but to me it sounds a bit vulgar so I decided to change for 'seduction' instead.

Summary: The story follow Yu Jiu, a demon (red lotus) who because of her origins was repulsed by the Heavenly Dao, she now travels the worlds preparing for her tribulation and tries to make plans how not to disappear, but there is a second news, fairy Lianyan she had a feud with came to mortal worlds. A perfect chance for Yu Jiu. But she was prevented from succeeding again and again, before she finally managed to take away the precious artifact - Kunlun Mirror - and with its' help maybe finally turn the tables.

#QT

That's my personal summary of things.

This is the type of trashy but entertaining type of novel. It's not completely bad, few parts that I liked, but unfortunately suffers from bad writing style overall. Fore example, arcs feel sketched out, they start at random point and may end at random point. Not enough details given to care or build a foreshadowing. If you want to know more you need to reach the last arc. The character growth is zero, this is why it just reads as a "revenge" story that repeats itself. The longer it goes on (316 chapter+extras) the more incoherent it felt. What I mean is:

Aims established:

1. Yu Jiu prepares for her tribulation. How she is going to do that is not explained. The first chapter we read she basically digs out the special artifact - Kunlun Mirror - out of Lianyan's reincarnation. We know from the first chapters that she tried to win Lianyan in this worlds many times, but luck of Heavenly Dao was on Lianyan's side all the time, before she finally succeeded. Kunlun Mirror helps her see the "plot", so she can prepare for it and slowly try to drain Lianyan's luck/halo. Spoilers: of course it is obvious that she succeeded from the first arc, eventually she was even able to infect one of the reincarnations with inner demons (I think it was around Urban Psychic arc, which is ch140). What was weird to me is that, she is is so unscrupulous in her actions, if it was any other cultivation novel with basic established laws, she'd have her karma -10000000, but in few last arcs she "does good deeds", I don't think it would offset anything tbh, in the apocalypse arc one guy was able to see the bloody aura on people and Yu Jiu's was the heaviest that almost "covered the sky", so yeah. This is why it's hard to navigate the story that doesn't establish a thing.
2. Feud between Yu Jiu and Lianyan. For the entirety of this novel we have no idea why the feud happened. Just because Yu Jiu is repulsed but Lianyan is favored by Heavenly Dao? Who knows? This is what I was thinking while I was reading. It was evident that Yu Jiu is connected to being a lotus flower, meaning she is not a human cultivator. We find out she had suffered from inner demons for hundreds of years, somehow it is connected to Lianyan. This info came about only in the arc of "Two beauties of the capital" where she taught the Crown Prince who according to her suffered from something similar and she taught him her technique, since she saw her past self in him. I wish I was kidding when I said that details of the feud are sparse and there is no foreshadowing. I needed the story to elaborate, because otherwise it felt like Yu Jiu was just taking revenge. We know she hates Lianyan, I guess we should have concluded the weight of the feud from that only, but that's not enough for me. And Lianyan is not a good person either, of course we need a foe, but she makes it easy for a reader to dislike her. SPOILERS the truth that is revealed in the last arc is not detailed, but basically when Yu Jiu only gained consciousness Lianyan was born and was praised as a cultivator (she did not ascend yet), she killed Yu Jiu and Yu Jiu was thrown into the river. For some reason this river was filled with desires from women (maybe they offed themselves who knows) and somehow Yu Jiu survived in it and eventually transformed into what later will be called Demon King of Thousand Faces, she is the epitome of the desire she absorbed from the river, she also destroyed a dragon vein for her foudation with beaty this is why she is so perfect and could wreak havoc. tbh details are so disorganized and random. This ability indeed came because of Lianyan. But she could not avenge herself since by that time Lianyan ascended and she came to lower worlds only when she heard that Lianyan followed the Heavenly Prince to reincarnations she decided to go to lower worlds and try her luck.

Path to immortality. Spoiler or not, but the Heavenly Prince came to lower worlds and needed to reincarnate many times for his cultivation. Since Lianyan came after him she basically did the same thing. Yu Jiu interrupted the successful reincarnations of Lianyan. Inadvertantly she did the same to the Heavenly prince.

These are the main points of the story in general. The next section should be dedicated to how flat the characters are:

• Yu Jiu. Was and stays the same. There is no development or change whatsoever. She is rough and unscrupulous in her actions, she does not need help from others. Has a strange taste of choosing men to flirt and have a relationship with but never gives her heart (this is why ML of the story calls her heartless later on). To me her relationships were random and outside of her having fun they held no purpose. It felt like she did not want to give either her heart or be controlled (no explanation on these). Next is her beauty. Tbh if it wasn't for the explanation about her beauty, you'd be tired of her in few sentences, because she's one of those FMCs whose beauty is emphasised a lot and is the type to attract attention wherever she goes. This is why first few arcs felt weird to me before I realized it is her cultivation that helps her achieve this. This is explained by the fact that Yu Jiu cultivated in such a way specifically, which of course causes many people to fall for her and it also causes conflicts wherever she goes. One of the arcs demonstrated it fully, it was a transition type of arc where Yu Jiu was injured and she arrived with her body close to real one, and when people saw her they started to act like crazy, the only person who was unefected was Lianyan at the moment and supposed ML of the story. Outside of her beauty she is also multi-talented, since she brings with herself all of her experiences and this helps her to often steal the limelight in the story (that originally should have belonged to Lianyan).
• Lianyan. Outside that she appears in every arc it's very hard to pinpoint what she actually is, what is her true nature. In general I had the impression that she is not perfect at all, all of her reincarnations thought of harming Yu Jiu even if yu Jiu basically did nothing. Only from this I can conclude that even if favored by Heavenly Dao she may not have had a good personality. Although Yu Jiu does lead Lianyan's reincarnation to the direction that promises demise, but Lianyan herself can't let Yu Jiu go each time and is haunting. In her plans she is sometimes no less insidious or even more. Like her later reincarnations may have been called main characters in her own story, but she had inflated ego as well, she might have received some sort of golden finger which would help her suceed, but because Yu Jiu was always stronger she eventually failed at her initial plans. Example from the top of my head, in Eternal Goddess arc, OG was an e-sports pro who was about to retire, Lianyan's reincarnation had a chance to become pro in PC gaming and emerging holographic gaming thanks to a cheat. She used the final farewell match to defeat OG Yu Jiu and step on her, used it for PR and become famous in holographic games, againd efeating OG Yu Jiu in those too. Also exposed her scarred face to the public eyes as a tactic to compare her beauty. Which led to cyberbullying. Although I describe it like this, but it also reads like this with little details and no depth. So yeah Lianyan's inflated ego and making up her own mind actually felt old too. Like she would have no evidence but accuse Yu Jiu of anything and everything that happened to her, even if Yu Jiu really did nothing,s he would make up her mind on it and not let it go. All her troubles she doesn't change but blames on Yu Jiu too. That's a fairy for you.
• Unknown male character. At first (I forgot the first chapters lol) it was mentioned that Lianyan came to lower worlds for him (she followed him with the Kunlun Mirror and even managed to have a relationship in reincarnations), but later it never appeared again. Speculative to me that she mentioned him, but actually never bothered to find him, since she didn't know how to identify him, in my opinion this person and ML are basically the same person.
• ML. The story does have a male lead, but hoenstly... you can't pinpoint or be sure if it's the same guy before he shows the same type of characteristics and eventually (pretty late in the story) starts telling Yu Jiu that she forgot everything and she is heartless. She flirts and dates men almost in every arc, but outside her "choosing a handsome guy" it's hard to tell her criteria of choosing a person, because we don't know the backstory most of the time, we don't know if these men appeared in original timeline. And if not but it's the same person how do they manage to find each other... Tbh I was puzzled by it, from one point Yu Jiu feels like she remembers everything that happened in past lives, at other times she claims to filter and forget a lot of things. This happens in several last arcs when ML tells her she "forgot". She dismissed it many times as if these men had a beau previously. But did she forget him or the original him (if he is a reincarnation of someone). Only in the last arc she lays out her guess that he is the Crown Prince of Heaven and all those men were his reincarnations and she interrupted his cultivation. While he has feelings for her she is not the same (thus heartless)). All this supports the fact that he was mentioned in the beginning but never again before the reveal.

It's funny that after reading this I don't sympathize or feel for any of these characters. Yu Jiu is simply a revenge machine, Lianyan is often manic psycho and ML is just there tbh.

• Romance. I find that it was weird. Although we have only one designated ML in the story it's one of the few times when FMC has so many previous liasons. But also there is no saying who is ML and who is not in those arcs before later half when it became more apparent through actions. Yet I still found the way they met sometimes pretty weird, since they simply crossed paths out of nowhere, it may seem like a fate to others but I still think it's kinda truly random.

1. Arc 1. I skipped after first few chapters since it's about reorganized family and I hate this type of story. I only know that Lianyan was caught bu Yu Jiu in a scandal.
2. Arc 2. Industry Gemini. Yu Jiu is a singer, Lianyan is an actress who rode on popularity and stepping on Yu Jiu as well. Unknown if ML appears but Yu Jiu had a relationship with CEO of their company, who later used Lianyan to make Yu Jiu jealous and was dumped and Yu Jiu never returned.
3. Arc 3. Dreamer of Deep Palace. Skipped because in the settings the one she had a relationship with is new Emperor and she was made Empress Dowager by previous Emperor despite her young age. Lianyan is one of the concubines.
4. Arc 4. Game Lover. Another arc where Yu Jiu had no relationship. Lianyan used the photo of OG to send to a person she had online relationship. This person recognized the wrong person but Yu Jiu was talented and outstanding. Because the man hesitated back and forth Yu Jiu never considered him. Lianyan here was also involed in a scandal of leaking the game they were developing.
5. Arc 5. Gold-digger. Yu Jiu was openly a gold digger after arriving. Lianyan according to logic was a fiancee of the man she was dating. Again involved in a big scandal because she couldn't get her priorities straight and used the project between the companies to frame Yu Jiu, but failed. Since Yu Jiu is always short-lived she once disappeared. Should I mention that all men stayed calibate for her afterwards and were scarred by love? Honestly girl left so much mess.
6. Arc 6. Deduction Method. Honestly weird arc, since no intro and explanation. She became a school punk and got involved with a good student from her class. Lianyan was a good student classmate who eyed this young man too. One day Yu Jiu changed her tune and started studying putting all pressure on unknowing Lianyan, who eventually failed to get into same uni with her crush, while Yu Jiu joined med school of the same uni. They dated for a bit, the weirdest part is that he asked her to teach him how to fight and agreed to date in exchange. They broke up (just because) and made up in uni. Some possessive tendencies started to appear for the first time.
7. Arc 7. Two beauties of the capital. Yu Jiu is a swapped baby. Empress feared manic Emperor who had attacks, so she sent her own child to her family. Yu Jiu should disappeare under the halo of this girl. Now she is overshadowed by the brilliance of Yu Jiu's beauty and talent. In this arc there is obvious ML but they're not in a relationship, she is Crown Princess and he is a Crown Prince, he had same attacks as Emperor and she saw herself in him so she taught him cultivation. As we know it is the reincarnation of Heavenly Prince and she intervened with his reincarnations causing him to fail in tribulation. She died in an ambush but also because Kunlun Mirror revolted against her. We don't really see the end of Lianyan, but the Empress plotted the ambus but I suppose Yu Jiu framed Lianyan, so all evidence directed at her. Since Yu Jiu is short-lived she may frame Lianyan even by dying, like in the first arc.
8. Arc 8. Flower shop girl. Transition world. ML is a special assistant with revenge against family he works for, Yu Jiu opens a shop nearby and gets into contact. She is injured since last time and appears in mostly her own body, which makes her being rejected b the world, before that everyone who saw her were fascinated to the point of madness. After tribulation she disappeared without a trace. For the first time after she disappeared the timeline corrected and only ML remembered her (my assumption from few final phrases). This is different from previous arcs and won't last long.
9. Arc 9. Urban Psychic. Lianyan is a master who came from the mountains and was blinded by the glitz. Yu Jiu is the eldest granddaughter of a renowned family. Because Lianyan acted outrageously someone gave an order not to let her rent a place. She thought it was Yu Jiu and was always haunting after her. Later Yu Jiu showed her the difference between money and power, but when Lianyan gained some she realized it's incomparable to true power and gave up cultivation. This is the world that planted inner demons in Lianyan's heart. ML was Yu Jiu's fiance. When she disappeared her story was again corrected as if she's never been there.
10. Arc 10. Lady of a Wealthy family. My assumption Lianyan is the best friend of OG who had a relationship with OG's fiance. She plays big breasts small brain here. Yu Jiu used them both as pawns in the bigger scheme of getting the hand of the company she got from her father (honestly, it's one of those moments when you think what is the point of so many actions, but otherwise how she will get her revenge right). ML should be a popular young musician who met her by accident.
11. Arc 11. Eternal Goddes. World that enter holographic gaming. Lianyan used OG to step on her as new goddess of e-sports. With Yu Jiu her momentum wasn't as great. ML was some rando guy who is from another planet and it's from his place Lianyan got a communicator which helped her train and enhance. Yu Jiu might have destroyed Lianyan's reputation in this world, but the one who offed her was ML. I hope it's ML, otherwise a rando.
12. Arc 12. Puppeteer of the Apocalypse. Strangely Lianyan's identity may be good but not entirely great. Here she plays some ruthless woman who will try to reach the top of apocalypse. But she meets Yu Jiu who comes in her real appearance and is a puppeteer suddenly (although like the concept). She treated Lianyan as a free labor, but eventually she was chased out for her offence. Later Lianyan found another backer and thought she had it all figured, but the guy who appeared (who suddenly had a system) was nothing in comparison to Yu Jiu. This is a tactic of few last arcs, Yu Jiu seemingly gives Lianyan direction and Lianyan thinks she will win eventually but all her hopes shatter. ML was quite a random ordinary handsome man in this one.
13. Demon Cult. Weird arc where she is a saintess with unimaginable looks who had previous relationship with several bigshots. ML is probably the leader of their demon cult. Tbh this one was so random. Like she was basically snatched a hundred times since she had no cultivation. Lianyan here is some prominent cultivator lady, beauty is pampered but after Yu Jiu appeared she heard her mother crying and thought Yu Jiu seduced her father. Not true. So she made a big scene. Later they framed Yu Jiu's son (the only child ever), but eventually Yu Jiu turned the tables and made Lianyan's family being hunted.
14. Magician. Weird era with mini skirts but magic  tricks are not developed. Yu Jiu belonged to a theater, Lianyan was a magician's assistant. Lianyan fought for the man as if her life depended on it (in last arcs she always has something like this going on) like she seduced him and even got pregnant made a scene etc, while Yu Jiu just added fuel to the situation. ML is some wealthy guy from abroad whom she met by shere accident. She saved him in in a ship wreak, because author decided to play Titanic. Lianyan died there on the sunk ship.
15. Best ex-wife. Yu Jiu is an ex-wife of a CEO, Lianyan is a mistress/assistant. Yu Jiu became known for her charity foundation after divorce, but prior the scandal of mistress became known, so their dirty underwear appeared from time to time. ML was a young master / hacker type of guy. Honestly, including hacking suddenly felt unexpected. 
16. Vampire Duchess. Apparent which role Yu Jiu played. Lianyan was a commoner girl with sweet blood who got attention from a Vampire Duke. Yu Jiu just added to their turturous love more hurdles and misunderstandings. But Lianyan was devoted no matter what and did many things for him, since in the story he was injured and had a long recovery and was no match for others. Lianyan died at the hands of this man too. ML was their Vampire Emperor who suddenly awakened. He began asking Yu Jiu if she forgot him. Building something for the finale. But also first time Yu Jiu did "good deeds" but honestly what can offset her karma.
17. Holy Maiden of Light. Big nope because the age was weird. Yu Jiu had teh holy body of light, perfect for cultivating. Lianyan one of the candidates for Saint's position, but plotted against everyone to get to the top. Also on the opposite site was the Empire. ML was the young Pope. Yu Jiu's body was needed to be sacrificed to restore the seal on the demon world. She was pushed out by Lianyan and eldest Princess who eyed the Pope, but at the last moment Yu Jiu took them with her and also used them to sacrifice along herself.
18. Inner demon. Final arc where we suddenly concentrate more on ML who happens to be Heavenly Prince. Since Yu Jiu interrupted his cultivation, but he was willing. Now we know the origin of the feud between two women. Lianyan was so insignificant in this one... like you spent the entire time to emphasize it but now this. ML used his body to protect Yu Jiu from Heavenly Punishment. But she finally promised him to be together if they survive. They did. But it's not easy for her to grow a heart and he knows it. They eventually will go together to the lower worlds again since he still need to survive the tribulation.

Things I appreciated. There were some, surprisingly.

• The idea of infecting someone with inner demons when they are in their reincarnation form. This happened when Yu Jiu constantly fucked Lianyan over and made her go down the wrong path. In one of the arcs where Lianyan was a promising master (honestly her character in each arc is baffling) who came down the mountain, Yu Jiu made her feel the disparity between their statuses and eventually made Lianyan care not about the cultivation but status (which somehow indeed was mirrored in later worlds, but not entirely). Thus Lianyan was infected with inner demons in that arc and Lianyan doubled down in every arc.

Yeah this lonely thing is the only thing I truly liked 

Because other things feel like they don't matter. I read this for fun to give me at least something. A bit of something was delivered, but overall not recommended.

Note: forgot to mention one of few reasons I think author overstepped. The settings. Starting from the first arc with reorganized family and non blood related pair. Another arc had Emperor and Empress Dowager. So ew.

RATE: 1.5/5.