Fridge Brilliance
- There is some convincing proof
that Xie Lian probably knew full well that he was being courted by Hua Cheng since the beginning, but simply couldn't admit it to himself due to his own deep seated insecurities. - Xie Lian's first chronological appearance involves him leading a parade dance, playing Jun Wu, that involves him mock fighting a demon. A child, later revealed to be no other than Hua Cheng, falls from a high location, making Xie Lian break character and save him. This frames how ultimately, Xie Lian will break against the fate that Jun Wu set out for him and that Jun Wu is Bai Wuxiang.
- Xie Lian's first Heavenly Calamity involves him fighting a demon and then immediately coming across Jun Wu. this provides further foreshadowing of Jun Wu's true nature.
- Upon Xie Lian's third ascension, an ancient clock older even than most of the gods falls and breaks. This foreshadows how Xie Lian's third ascension will cause a paradigm shift in Heaven.
- Xie Lian takes visible form in Feng Xin's temple and jumps down to help a person in need, paralleling him doing the same for Hua Cheng in book 2.
- Hua Cheng dissolving into silver butterflies when he and Xie Lian first meet in the novel, when he is guiding Xie Lian from the bridal carriage, is the earliest foreshadowing of his third "death".
- Every single rumor that the Heavenly Officials told Xie Lian about Hua Cheng in Chapter 12 are revealed to be true.
As for his birth, there were even more versions of it. Some said he was a deformed child born without a right eye who had been bullied and humiliated from childhood and thus hated the world. Some said he was a young soldier who had died fighting for his ancient kingdom, and his soul had not been resigned to such a fate. There was also one that said he became a sentimental fool due to the pain of his beloved passing away; yet another which said he was a monster. The oddest version, it was said that—and it really was just a rumor. But it was said that Hua Cheng was actually a Heavenly Official who had ascended. However, after he had ascended, he jumped down himself and degraded to a ghost. But that was just a legend that was not circulated around very much, so whether it was true or not was unknown, and few actually believed it. -Chapter 12, TGCF.
- The concept of an "empty shell" is introduced quite early in the story.
- In chapter 21, a tale is told of two scorpions, illustrating how bad karma propagates, but a simple act of goodwill can act as a balm.
- The eye in E-Ming's hilt is noted to be similar to the eye of a human and not just "a pattern carved on a hilt" by Xie Lian when he first sees it. it is later revealed that the eye of E-Ming was actually Hua Cheng's right eye, which he dug out to craft E-Ming.
- The first hint that Shi Qing Xuan wasn't meant to be a god comes as early as Chapter 44, when Xie Lian reminisces on how powerful the Wind Master seemed when they first came across each other, but that was apparently just an illusion.
- Qi Rong's obsene ranting about some of the gods actually foreshadows quite a lot of later revelations in the novel.
Obviously those things weren’t of consideration to Qi Rong. He swore like there wasn’t a single one in all of the realms he didn’t want cursed to death. He called Pei Ming a man whore, Little Pei a leg-hugging dog, Jun Wu a faker, Ling Wen a bitch, Lang Qian Qiu a moron, Quan Yi Zhen shit, the Water Master black-hearted, the Wind Master a slutty woman. - Chapter 50, TGCF.
- In Chapter 51, the Head Priest prayed that a rebel army would suddenly invade and disrupt the Shang Yuan parade completely. Unfortunately for the Kingdom of Xian Le, his wish actually later on came true...
- The Head Priest talks about a "one-thousand year rule" before Heavenly Officials can show themselves to mortals at will. The Head Priest would know all too well about that rule, since he was Jun Wu's own Head Priest and their relationship was essentially what Mu Qing and Feng Xin are to Xie Lian over a thousand years ago...
- Xie Lian tells Bai Wuxiang he would have no regrets even if he was sealed under a mountain for a hundred years. In the end, it's Jun Wu/Bai Wuxiang who ends up sealed beneath a mountain.
- In chapter 77, Xie Lian, Feng Xin, and Mu Qing observe a commotion outside of Xian Le, in which a girl who had almost been forced into marriage with a Yong An citizen was made into an example before the crowd. When a group of women attempt to attack her, and tells that she refuses to be afraid as she knew she wasn't in the wrong for anything she did to escape her fate. Feng Xin remarks that she's "pretty spunky." Feng Xin later has an affair with that same girl, Cuocuo being the result of said affair.
- In chapter 79, we see Qi Rong being hung upside down from a tree, beaten up, with blood from his nose dripping downward to the ground. Later, Qi Rong enjoys attempting to recreate Hua Cheng's bloody rain by hanging dead people upside down from trees to let their blood drip down.
- In their youth, as he overlooks their training, Xie Lian advises both Hong Hong'er and Mu Qing that they would both be better off using sabres rather than swords. In present day, Mu Qing uses a zanbato and Hua Cheng uses a scimitar. This similar method of training and praise gives us further insight into Mu Qing's jealousy, which lead to him kicking Hua Cheng out of the army, a direct cause of Hua Cheng's first death.
- In Chapter 81, a flower remarks to the young soldier that he wouldn't be able to find another shop that "serves this dish" even if he "dreamt for 800 years." The flower demon had changed into Xie Lian's form to in an attempt seduce the young soldier, who was actually a young Hua Cheng. And 800 years, indeed...
- When he's under the influence of the Flower Demon's aphrosidiac poison, Xie Lian takes some of his own hair and ties it around a "random finger" on his teenage companion's hand. This teenager was later revealed to be Hua Cheng, and a red string tied around the middle finger later becomes a core symbol of their romantic relationship.
- In chapter 68, when the Bai Wuxiang laughs, Xie Lian thinks that the sound of the laughter was somehow familiar, but in his rage couldn't think of who that voice possibly belonged to. The true identity of the Bai Wuxiang is later revealed to be none other than Jun Wu himself, a figure Xie Lian is particularly close to, even seeing him as a substitute father figure.
- The Celestial Pagoda is a monument that symbolizes the power of the Kingdom of Xian Le, which rests in the heart of the city. It is also a parallel to Xie Lian's own power. It comes crashing down, marking the end of Xie Lian's status as a beloved god worshipped by many. The golden divine statue becomes animated as well, by Xie Lian's own spells, in an attempt to help keep the pagoda up and prevent casualties. No matter his efforts, Xie Lian could not make the divine statue stand under the weight, remaining hunched over and bent, paralleling the burden Xie Lian's divinity has become on him. This event also directly parallels Jun Wu's own attempt to save his people when he was a crown prince, by keeping the bridge he had constructed for his people to allow their escape through spells. He couldn't bear the strain, and the bridge came crashing down into the volcano Mount Tonglu, causing the deaths of the thousands of people on the bridge.
- Lang Ying, the child infected with human face disease who Xie Lian brings back to the Heavens temporarily, is gone for a moment. Shi Qing Xuan says that he's just meeting with Jun Wu, no biggie.
- Shi Wu Du remarks during the banquet how next year, he and Shi Qing Xuan would definitely have an better showing in the lantern competition. There is no next year for either of them.
- When Xie Lian unexpectedly beats out even Jun Wu in the lantern competition with a show-stopping number of 3000 lanterns in total being offered to him, Jun Wu claps and says that Xie Lian "always manages to create miracles". This is a fairly innocuous and even friendly remark upon the first reading. After knowing Jun Wu's true identity, however, this statement takes a much darker and jealous turn.
- Qi Rong throws several tantrums and says that he'll stay in the body of the man he's possessed until it dies. He does.
- Unlike his interactions with the other characters, especially the gods, Hua Cheng's interactions with Ming Yi are far more clipped and sarcastic. Turns out, this is just how Supreme Demons interact with each other.
- The Reverend of Empty Words yells to Shi Qing Xuan that his "closest family, and his bestest friend" would all die tragically because of him. They do, and "Ming Yi" turns out to be the very much undead He Xuan.
- In his own interaction with a Reverend of Empty Words, it tells Xie Lian that the "person who seeks you will die right in front of you!". This particular Reverend of Empty Words predicts Hua Cheng's third "death".
- In chapter 132, Ling Wen sarcastically tells Xie Lian that if the person with the easiest access is a person who should be the most likely suspect, then wouldn't Jun Wu robbing himself be more likely? Well, yeah.
- In chapter 135, Ruoye is remarked to look more like a white cloth for hanging than a spiritual tool. Ruoye was the cloth Xie Lian's parents used to hang themselves, and Xie Lian then tried to hang himself using Ruoye as well.
- Hua Cheng is annoyed at Jun Wu for giving Xie Lian another dangerous mission, this time straight into the opening of Mount Tonglu itself, where thousands of demons have gathered to fight to the death for the right to be the next Supreme Demon. Hua Cheng says that whenever Jun Wu comes looking for Xie Lian, it's never for anything good. Given Jun Wu's true identity, he's absolutely correct.
- In his youth, the Head Priest told Xie Lian a story of a young crown prince who was beloved by his people, did many historical feats, and was never forgotten even after his death. The Head Priest says that he hoped Xie Lian would become like him, and Xie Lian replies that he didn't want to become like the crown prince in the story, and become a god instead. In this story, the Head Priest directly reversed the actual events of what happened to the Prince of Wu Yong to what he wished had happened instead.
- Minor case, but when Xie Lian tries his hand at showmanship in modern day, stabbing himself doesn't seem to impress the crowd. A few arcs later we find out that the past few centuries have seen the rise of a kind of festival called a "Blood-Soaked Fire Social." These festivals feature incredibly realistic fake-deaths and gore, so intense that a few visiting gods are temporarily tricked into thinking it's real. If one such festival has passed by the town where Xie Lian tried his act, no wonder the townspeople thought his performance is cheap- they've seen fake violence that's way more exciting!
- Xie Lian's famous phrase is "body in abyss, heart in paradise". Hua Cheng lives in Paradise Manor.
Fridge Horror
- The famous tale about Xie Lian is called "The Prince Who Pleased God". The appendix notes that "God" singular in this setting specifically refers to Jun Wu. You really do not want to make Bai Wuxiang happy.
- When Cuocuo is introduced, Xie Lian notes that he is a specific kind of fetus spirit which is the product of a ritual murder intended to create an undead servant for the murderer. It is eventually revealed that Cuocuo serves Jun Wu aka Bai Wuxiang as a spy.
