Thai Edition Cover here
Sworn ties between the great houses were no more than lies and treachery, and yet, strangers who met by chance could survive by leaning on each other.
Tian Ya Ke (天涯客: Tiān Yá Kè), also known as "Faraway Wanderers", is a wuxia danmei novel written by Priest. It serves as a sequel to Qi Ye, however, the two novels are independent.
The novel focuses on Zhou Zishu, who decides to end his service to the emperor to live the rest of his days in peace. However, he soon finds himself drawn in to the troubles of the jianghu, and accompanying him is a mysterious man named Wen Kexing.
The novel was published on October 2010 on JJWXC, with a total of 77 chapters and 5 extras, all available translations are unofficial. As of October 2021, the novel is currently locked for editing. The novel has been officially translated and published in Taiwanese and Vietnamese.
Tian Ya Ke has been adapted into:
- Audio Drama: The audio drama started airing on January 2021 for two seasons and is available on MissEvan (Season 1 here
and Season 2 here). Unlike the live-action adaption, it doesn't derivate from the novel. - Live-Action Adaptation: Renamed Word of Honor (山河令: Shān Hé Líng) and is very loosely based on the novel. The live-action adaption started airing on February 22 2021 for 36 episodes (plus one bonus episode) and is available on YouTube, Viki, and on Netflix with English subtitles. However, the epilogue is only available on Viki and Youtube at the moment behind payment.
Tian Ya Ke contains examples of:
- Action Girl: Multiple women throughout the novel are shown to be capable of martial arts.
- Adaptation Expansion: The audio drama gives a little more expansion by showing the character's voice feelings towards each other by Zhou Zishu's softening tone and the earnestness in Wen Kexing's tone.
- All for Nothing: The key to the Lapis Armour, which was a critical part of it and is basically useless without it, was long ago thrown away by Wen Kexing, making the efforts made to preserve, restore and steal the armour all for nothing.
- All There in the Manual: While it's not a necissty to understand Tian Ya Ke, reading Qi ye gives better insight on some parts of the story, mainly concerning Zhou Zishu.
- Ascended Extra: The novel revolves around Zhou Zishu, a side character from Qi Ye.
- Beneath the Earth: The cavern in chapter 11, where there are rivers and monster-like people residing there, and something else.
- Beta Couple: Cao Weining and Gu Xiang and Jing Beiyuan and Wu Xi.
- Bittersweet Ending: Although Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu get their eventual happy ending, the same cannot be said for Cao Weining and Gu Xiang.
- However, in the third extra, it shows Cao Weining and Gu Xiang reincarnated as destined lovers fiften years later. It's still bittersweet considering that in this lifetime, Gu Xiang is no longer Wen Kexing's family.
- Cerebus Rollercoaster: Zhou Zishu can go from reminiscing about Liang Jiuxiao in Zhang Chengling, to getting annoyed by Wen Kexing within the same chapter.
- Cluster F-Bomb: A few chapters into the novel and there are already three characters yelling fuck, there is also a lot of mother/ancestor fucking.
- Comforting Comforter: Zhou Zishu covers a sleeping Zhang Chengling with his outer robes.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: Played for laughs. Wen Kexing gets immediately jealous if Zhou Zishu as much as looks at someone else or vice versa.
- Deconstructor Fleet: Tian Ya Ke notably avoids most wuxia clichés and play around them.
- The biggest example of this is that Zhang Chengling is a typical wuxia protagonist who gets into the typical plot of jianghu, all of said plot is ignored in favour of the main couple.
- The main couple also avoid cliches, where there is rarely any conflict or misunderstanding even when presented the chance.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: There is typical period sexism/homophobia throughout the story, as it's set in ancient China. The homophobia mainly comes more from degrading feminine men rather than the act itself, and the usage of the term cut-sleeve.
- Depending on the Artist: There is no unified guide for the novel's characters, and since all of the official artwork is drawn by different artists, there are multiple takes on how the characters look with each drawing.
- Fate Drives Us Together: Or so Wen Kexing would claim.
- First-Episode Spoiler: Downplayed. The ultimate reveal of Zhou Zishu being the leader of Tian Chuang and Wen Kexing being the Ghost Valley Master to each other is quite early and funnily anticlimactic.
- Forceful Kiss: A less than ideal first kiss.
- Family of Choice: The premise of the novel is strangers finding solace in each other.
- Go Through Me:
- Multiple instances happen of this with Zhou Zishu protecting Zhang Chengling.
- Upon Ye Baiyi's supposed ambush, Wen Kexing holds Zhou Zishu and shields him this way.
- During the finale, Gu Xiang throws herself to protect Wen Kexing from a devastating attack, sacrificing herself.
- Just when the Scorpians were about to kill Wen Kexing, Zhou Zishu intervened and stood outnumbered, standing in front of Wen Kexing as cover.
- Gray Rain of Depression: Upon Zhou Zishu's death reveal, it starts to rain with Wen Kexing's grief. Zhou Zishu comments that the rain gave the "illusion" of tears on Wen Kexing's face.
- Humans Are Bastards: Almost every person other than the main cast are out for themselves and their own personal gain, let it be the exiled Ghosts, or the so called honourable people of jianghu.
- Hypocritical Heartwarming: While Zhou Zishu hoards this trope, it can be noticed with Wen Kexing towards Zhang Chengling and Gu Xiang
- If It's You, It's Okay: Comically inverted. Zhou Zishu doesn't have any issue with being attracted to men, he has an issue it being Wen Kexing.
- I Regret Nothing: Zhou Zishu doesn't seem to have any remorse over his actins. If anything, any reference to the events of Qi Ye other than reoccuring nightmares, Zhou Zishu is shown to be lamenting over his current state of depression and the loss of Liang Jiuxiao rather than the morality of his actions.
- Let Me Tell You a Story: Most of Wen Kexing's dialogue is this while it's accompanied with poetry.
- Light Equals Hope: Light served as a big symbolism in Tian Ya Ke, especially in the finale where Wen Kexing reaches for the light behind Zhou Zishu, wanting to catch it as shown in the audio drama's artwork.
- Lighter and Softer: Downplayed. Tian Ya Ke isn't family friendly, but it's much more lighter and less serious than it's prequel Qi Ye.
- Like an Old Married Couple: Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing, even if they were not together at that time, they are easily mistaken as a couple because of their bickering.
- Living Emotional Crutch:
- Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu to each other, morose on Wen Kexing's side when he loses his daughter, and when Zhou Zishu asks him if he wants to keep on living, Wen Kexing asks him first if he would stay with him, when Zhou Zishu says yes, Wen Kexing then is determined to live.
- Zhang Chengling to Zhou Zishu, as he reminds him a lot of his shīdì Liang Jiuxiao.
- Gu Xiang to Wen Kexing, as she was his only tie to humanity during his upbringing in the Ghost Valley.
- Lost in Translation: Priest's writing style is filled with philosophy and poetry. Unless the translator makes an effort to explain each reference, many things get lost in the English translation.
- Lotus-Eater Machine: During the cave exploration, Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing hallucinate parts of their past, with Zhou Zishu seeing Liang Jiuxiao and Wen Kexing seeing the "laughing owl'. A fictionalised tale of the day his parents were murdered.
- Masculine–Feminine Gay Couple: To some extent. Zhou Zishu aligns himself with more typical masculine traits and terms, while Wen Kexing has no issues introducing himself as gay, going as far as to call himself Zhou Zishu's wife, in front of others no less.
- Master of Disguise: Zhou Zishu. For a decent portion of the novel, he wears a fake face to hide his true identity that conceals his facial structure, he managed to escape Tian Chuang through this way.
- Men Don't Cry: Everytime at the start Zhang Chengling cries, Zhou Zishu would scold this at him.
- No Punctuation Period: Downplayed. Priest has a tendency to forget commas.
- Not That There's Anything Wrong with That: Cao Weining says this after discovering the true nature of Zhou Zishu's and Wen Kexing's relationship, he even decides to recite poetry for them... wrongly.
- Not What It Looks Like: While Zhou Zishu was talking to Gao Xianlian, Wen Kexing proceeded to sneak up behind him and hug Zhou Zishu. Wen Kexing's visible love marks on his arms alongside his dishevelled hair and clothes gave Gao Xianlian the most logical conclusion even if that was far from the case. Once she left though, Zhou Zishu immediately shrugged him off.
- Normally, I Would Be Dead Now: Wen Kexing drags his half immobile body in order to avenge Gu Xiang.
- Official Couple: Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu, starting directly from chapter two.
- One True Love: Tian Ya Ke's couple theme revolves around the concept of 知己 (Zhījǐ: to know oneself, often translated as soulmate). Where Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing understand each other more than anyone would (including Gu Xiang, the person who Wen Kexing raised fully) despite their contrasting personalities.
- Orphan's Ordeal: One of the first victims to fall into the Lapis Armour plot is the Nanhe Sect, orphaning Zhang Chengling from the start of the novel.
- Rewatch Bonus: On a re-read, one may notice the inconsistencies with Zhou Zishu's narration and feelings, showing that he may have fallen for Wen Kexing much much earlier than presumed.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Cao Weining and Gu Xiang are meant to be lovers. Just not in this life.
- Stealth Insult: Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing keep firing at each other at how the other is quite the gentleman when both of them are anything but. It's almost their means of communication.
- The Dreaded: Wen Kexing as the Master of the Ghost Valley and Zhou Zishu as the former Master of Tian Chuang.
- The Social Darwinist: In order to live in the Ghost Valley, one must kill or they will be killed, it is said that fights happen almost daily. Throughout the novel, all the Ghosts try to up the other, constantly scheming against each other for personal gain.
- There Is Only One Bed: During their stays in various inns, Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing often sleep together in its literal sense.
- Title Drop: Tian Ya Ke is said in both songs of the audio drama.
- Too Good for This Sinful Earth: The only two out of three characters who actually didn't commit any immoral acts (Gu Xiang and Cao Weining) end up getting killed.
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: The gay version of it, to anyone who sees Zhou Zishu in his ugly disguise and his "spouse", Wen Kexing.
- Unreliable Narrator: The novel is primarily told from Zhou Zishu's perspective, both his lack of care for wordly matters and constant misreading of Wen Kexing's actions makes the reader double check some chapters.
- In the audio drama, the reader is spared from this by hearing the tones of the characters, giving a much clearer image for some scenes.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: A lot of background characters receive this treatment.
- "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: The fifth extra of the novel is set five years after the ending, showing an adult Zhang Chengling, whose heart remained unchanged and martial arts greatly improved, and showing Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu together and well.
- Wuxia: Tian Ya Ke solely focuses on martial arts with no mention of supernatural elements.
- You Are Not Alone: Another premise of Family of Choice, where Zhou Zishu, Wen Kexing and Zhang Chengling who were all alone, albeit for differing reasons, will never be alone in their lives again.
- Your Days Are Numbered: By the start of the novel, Zhou Zishu implants six nails in his body in order to leave Tian Chuang. By finalising it with a seventh, the novel's couple conflict revolves is that Zhou Zishu will die in three years.
