Is 'Untamed' Based On A True Story Or Historical Event?

Xue Yang is one of those characters that lingers in your mind long after you finish 'The Untamed'. At first glance, yeah, he’s absolutely a villain—ruthless, manipulative, and downright cruel. Remember the way he tortured Xiao Xingchen? That alone cements his status as a monster. But what makes him fascinating is the sliver of humanity that peeks through. His obsession with candy, his twisted loyalty to Jin Guangyao, even his desperation to keep Xiao Xingchen by his side—it all hints at something broken beneath the violence. I’ve rewatched his arc so many times, and each time, I catch another nuance. Was he born evil, or was he shaped by betrayal and abandonment? The show doesn’t excuse his actions, but it complicates them. That duality is what elevates him from a one-dimensional bad guy to someone you love to hate—and maybe, just maybe, hate to love.

I stumbled upon this gem of a trope while diving into 'The Untamed' fanfics last week, and let me tell you, the truth or dare setup is pure gold for peeling back layers between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. There’s one titled 'Spilled Secrets Under Moonlight' where a night hunt gone wrong strands them in an inn with a group of rowdy cultivators who drag them into the game. The author nails Lan Wangji’s stoic facade cracking under Wei Wuxian’s relentless teasing—dare him to share a secret, and bam, you get that quiet confession about stealing glances during lectures. Wei Wuxian’s flustered reaction is chef’s kiss, especially when he deflects with a joke about Lan Wangji’s forehead ribbon, only to later admit he’s dreamed of touching it. The pacing is slow burn perfection, with each round of the game escalating tension until someone (usually Wei Wuxian) chickens out or Lan Wangji drinks himself into boldness. Another standout is 'Dare to Love,' which flips the script by making Wei Wuxian the hesitant one. Here, the game happens during a post-canon reunion at Cloud Recesses, with Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang as chaotic bystanders. Lan Wangji’s dares are deceptively simple—hold hands during a walk, share a meal from the same bowl—but the emotional weight behind them hits hard. The fic cleverly uses the game’s structure to mirror their canon communication issues, with truths like 'I regret not standing by you sooner' slipped between dares that force physical closeness. What I love is how the author weaves in flashbacks to their younger selves, contrasting their past hesitations with present vulnerability. The final scene, where Lan Wangji dares Wei Wuxian to kiss him under the guise of 'losing the game,' is so tender it hurts. Bonus points for Nie Huaisang’s smug narration, which adds just enough humor to balance the angst.

I've always been fascinated by how fanfictions of 'The Untamed' dive into the forbidden love between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. The tension in their rivalry is palpable, and writers often amplify it by adding layers of emotional conflict—societal expectations, familial duties, and personal guilt. The best works don’t just rehash canon but twist it, making their love feel even more impossible yet inevitable. Some fics explore the 'what if' scenarios where one chooses the other over duty, while others linger in the agony of unspoken feelings. The beauty lies in how authors weave their bond through stolen glances, coded language, and moments of vulnerability that canon only hints at. Another angle I adore is when fanfictions recontextualize their rivalry as a form of love language. The sparring, the teasing, the stubbornness—all of it becomes a dance of mutual pining. Writers often use the cultivation world’s rigid rules as a backdrop to highlight their defiance, making their love feel rebellious and electric. The slow burns are my favorite, where every touch or word carries weight because they’re walking a tightrope between love and ruin. It’s not just about romance; it’s about two souls refusing to let go despite the world tearing them apart.

I recently stumbled upon 'The Sound of Snow Falling' on AO3, and it absolutely wrecked me in the best way. The way the author builds Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian's relationship is so achingly slow—every glance, every unspoken word carries weight. It starts with post-canon tension, focusing on Lan Wangji's quiet longing and Wei Wuxian's obliviousness. The emotional layers come from small moments: a shared umbrella in Gusu’s rain, Lan Wangji memorizing Wei Wuxian’s tea preferences. The fic doesn’t rush; it lets their love simmer until it boils over in this raw, vulnerable confession scene that left me breathless. Another gem is 'Threads of Fate,' which weaves in reincarnation themes. Here, their past lives echo in subtle ways—Lan Wangji dreams of memories he shouldn’t have, and Wei Wuxian feels déjà vu when their hands brush. The angst is layered with cultural references, like the symbolism of red thread tying their wrists. What stands out is how the author uses silence as dialogue; Lan Wangji’s restraint speaks volumes, and Wei Wuxian’s jokes mask his fear of abandonment. The slow burn isn’t just about romance—it’s about two souls relearning trust across lifetimes.

I’ve spent countless hours diving into 'The Untamed' fanfics, and the way writers rework WangXian’s tragic past is nothing short of mesmerizing. Some focus on the 'what ifs'—what if Lan Zhan had confessed earlier, or if Wei Ying’s golden core secret came out sooner? These stories often weave in softer moments, like quiet nights in the Cloud Recesses or playful banter that never happened in canon, to soften the blow of their original suffering. Others go darker, amplifying the angst by exploring Wei Ying’s years in the Burial Mounds with even more visceral detail, or Lan Zhan’s isolation during those 16 years. The best ones balance both, letting the pain linger but giving them the emotional payoff they deserved. What fascinates me is how writers use modern AUs to reframe their tragedy. Coffee shop AUs might turn Wei Ying’s downfall into a corporate betrayal, while university settings reimagine the Wen conflict as a campus rivalry. These adaptations keep the core of their bond intact—Lan Zhan’s unwavering loyalty, Wei Ying’s self-sacrificing nature—but strip away the historical weight, making their love story feel both fresh and familiar. It’s a testament to how adaptable their dynamic is, even when the stakes are lower.

I've read countless 'The Untamed' fanfics, but the ones that truly nail the 'you are my desire' theme in Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s reunion always hit different. There’s this one fic, 'Echoes of the Moon', where the reunion isn’t just about physical proximity but an emotional tsunami. Lan Wangji’s restraint shatters when Wei Wuxian returns, and the author paints their longing with such vivid strokes—silent glances, trembling hands, and the way Wei Wuxian’s laughter becomes Lan Wangji’s oxygen. The fic dives deep into Lan Wangji’s internal monologue, revealing years of repressed desire that finally finds voice in whispered confessions under the moonlight. It’s raw, it’s tender, and it’s everything I crave in a reunion arc. Another gem is 'Crimson Threads', where the reunion is framed through Wei Wuxian’s POV. His confusion and guilt melt into desperation when he realizes Lan Wangji never gave up on him. The fic uses tactile imagery—fingers brushing, robes tangled—to show how their bodies remember what their minds hesitate to acknowledge. The climax isn’t a grand confession but a quiet moment where Lan Wangji ties Wei Wuxian’s forehead ribbon around his wrist, symbolizing ownership and surrender. The author weaves in canon elements like the Lan sect rules, twisting them into metaphors for love’s constraints. It’s poetic and painfully intimate, making the 'you are my desire' theme feel earned, not forced.

I stumbled upon 'The Billionaire's Untamed Love' while diving into romance novels last year. The author is Ruby Rivers, a fairly new but rising star in the genre. She published it in 2021, and it quickly became a hit for its blend of fiery passion and unexpected emotional depth. Rivers has a knack for crafting flawed yet magnetic characters—here, a ruthless billionaire and a free-spirited artist clash in ways that feel fresh. The book’s success spawned a sequel, proving readers craved more of her sharp dialogue and steamy slow burns. If you like tension that simmers until it explodes, this one’s worth checking out. What sets Rivers apart is her attention to emotional authenticity. The billionaire’s cold exterior hides childhood trauma, and the artist’s defiance masks vulnerability. Their love story isn’t just about wealth or power but healing. The 2021 release date placed it perfectly in a wave of romances exploring complex power dynamics, and Rivers’ vivid prose—especially her descriptions of the artist’s paintings—elevates it beyond typical tropes.

As someone who fell hard for 'The Untamed', I was equally obsessed with finding out if there were any sequels. The original series is based on the novel 'Mo Dao Zu Shi' by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, and while there isn’t a direct sequel to the live-action drama, there are related works. The donghua 'Mo Dao Zu Shi' has multiple seasons that continue the story beyond where the drama left off. There’s also the manhua adaptation, which follows the novel closely. If you’re craving more content, the audio drama is another fantastic way to dive deeper into the world of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. Each adaptation offers something unique, so even if there isn’t a direct sequel, there’s plenty to explore. For those who love the BL elements, the novel provides the most explicit content, while the drama tones it down due to censorship. The donghua and manhua strike a balance, offering subtle nods to the relationship. It’s worth checking out all versions to get the full experience. The fandom is also incredibly creative, producing tons of fanfiction and art that expand on the story in ways the official adaptations couldn’t.