Heavenly Officials[]
Shi Wudu[]
Shi Wudu is one of Pei Ming's closest friends. As both are part of the Three Tumors,[1] they both have a terrible reputation in the Heavens, but they get along very well and frequently joke around with Ling Wen. Pei Ming seems to be aware of Shi Wudu's recklessness and is often concerned about him, warning him of possible dangers ahead and telling him to be careful.[2][3] Shi Wudu however usually dismisses his concerns, which causes Pei Ming to immediately try and follow after Shi Wudu when he throws himself into threatening situations.[3]
Their relationship is close enough that Pei Ming is the only one Shi Wudu trusts to take care of Shi Qingxuan in the event of his death.[4] In the end, Pei Ming was the one who brought back Shi Wudu's corpse, his death leaving Pei Ming stunned and quite devastated for a while.[5]
Ling Wen[]
Ling Wen is another one of his close friends and also a member of the Three Tumors.[1] There are frequently rumors about them being lovers or having a romantic past together, but they're both disgusted by that idea.[6] Pei Ming and Ling Wen share an overall good and friendly relationship, Ling Wen often making jokes and cheeky remarks about him.[7] Pei Ming was the one who helped Ling Wen burn down the temples of Jing Wen a very long time ago.[8]
Yushi Huang[]
Despite his usual affectionate nature towards women, he has a troubled relationship with Yushi Huang. This is because the two had history together when they were still mortals.
They first met when Pei Ming, a general of Xuli, visited as a part of a Xuli delegation to Yushi. During this, he visited the royal Yushi cultivation hall where Yushi Huang was training. While she had been scrubbing roof tiles, someone had taken the ladder away, effectively trapping her. People who saw this, including her own siblings, laughed at her. It was only Pei Ming who, after also chuckling, went up to save her. According to Rong Guang, though Pei Ming seduced her more prominent sisters, this rescue from the roof was the extent of their acquaintance before the war.[9]
Soon after, war broke out between Xuli and Yushi. As part of a gambit suggested by Rong Guang, Pei Ming held death row inmates disguised as civilians hostage. He demanded the ruler of Yushi to come out and be executed in order to spare the "citizens". While the royal family was immersed in petty infighting to see who would sacrifice themselves, Yushi Huang volunteered to become the ruler and executed herself on the spot in front of Pei Ming and his soldiers, fulfilling his requirements.[9]
He has since felt uncomfortable in her presence though Yushi Huang herself never bore a grudge. A number of times during the story she saves Pei Ming's life and even offers him her sword to use in battle, something he steadfastly refuses.[9]
Hua Cheng guesses this refusal is because Pei Ming might be embarrassed to be saved by a woman and might not think highly of them, though Pei Ming is also known to enjoy protecting women and being ashamed and uncomfortable when he is the cause of their suffering.
Pei Xiu[]
Pei Xiu is his distant descendant and one of his former deputy generals. Despite Pei Xiu's deeds of luring passengers into the Sinner's Pit to be sacrificed, Pei Ming tried to protect his descendant from punishment, although he ultimately failed. Once in exile and reunited, Pei Ming continues to watch out for his descendant and acts in an almost paternal manner. Pei Xiu demonstrates loyalty and respect to Pei Ming in turn.
Xie Lian[]
Despite being apprehensive of Xie Lian at first due to exposing Pei Xiu's crimes and being involved in Shi Wudu's death, he eventually become friendly towards Xie Lian as a close ally. He even encourages Xie Lian's romantic relationship with Hua Cheng.
Ghosts[]
Rong Guang[]
Rong Guang was Pei Ming's childhood friend. They shared a deep and long-lasting friendship with excellent teamwork, despite having very contrasting personalities. Pei Ming trusted Rong Guang, even choosing him to become his deputy general. In return, Rong Guang stayed very loyal to him, although in secret he betrayed Pei Ming since he planned a revolt to make him king despite Pei Ming not wanting that position. On the day of the riot, Pei Ming most likely killed Rong Guang.[10]
It's unknown how this has impacted Pei Ming, but he is not fond of talking about his past.[11] After Rong Guang came back as a ghost, their relationship took a drastic shift. Rong Guang frequently tries to kill Pei Ming and badmouths him constantly, trying to complete his vengeance.[12][11][13] It's shown that Rong Guang knows Pei Ming's techniques and style of fighting due to their years on the battlefield together, thus he was able to injure him and be a worthy opponent.[12]
In the end, Rong Guang and Pei Ming work together once again after Pei Ming admitted his wrongdoings in the past, although he did so out of necessity. Their cooperation is still formidable and Pei Ming's strength and power increased significantly when he used Ming Guang. Rong Guang even tries to persuade Pei Ming to ally with him anew.[14] After the final battle, Rong Guang's resentment finally dispersed.[15]
Xuan Ji[]
Xuan Ji was the general of a country Pei Ming's army waged war on. After he stopped her from taking her own life in captivity, the two had a short-lived sexual relationship. While originally they agreed that it would only be a fling with no serious attachments, Xuan Ji fell madly in love with Pei Ming to the point of obsession.[7]
Pei Ming never reciprocated her feelings, especially because he did not like hot-headed, fearsome women like her. She went so far as to cripple her own legs and was willing to sell out her country's military secrets, but he still refused her. While Pei Ming never returned her sentiments, he did not abandon her and took care of her after she became disabled. Nonetheless, his unwillingness and inability to reciprocate her feelings caused her to commit suicide and become a resentful ghost.[7]
When meeting once again in the present, Xuan Ji frequently chases and clings onto him while begging for him to stay with her, though Pei Ming is still uninterested. In fact, Pei Ming even expresses pity for the state she's in, telling her to love herself instead of loving him.[16]
Ban Yue[]
Pei Ming and Ban Yue were obliquely at odds at first, as he was hoping she could be a scapegoat for Pei Xiu to avoid exile, but they didn't properly meet until the opening of Tonglu Mountain.[17] During their time in Tonglu, they become fond and protective of one another. He enjoys teasing her but she does not get his jokes.[18]
While she's very self-sufficient and unafraid of most things, Pei Ming still tries to protect and comfort her out of habit.[19] He also affectionately refers to her as "Little Dummy".[20]
Pei Ming is accused several times of having lecherous desires towards Ban Yue, but he repeatedly denies this. Ban Yue, who is normally not aggressive,[17] protects Pei Xiu when Xuan Ji goes for him in the middle of a fight with Pei Ming with an unexpected ferocity. Once she gets Pei Xiu to safety, she tells Xuan Ji to let Pei Ming go. Xuan Ji misunderstands the source of the aggression (attacking Pei Xiu, not Pei Ming) and the meaning of "let go." This, combined with Pei Ming calling her "Little Dummy", a possible term of romantic endearment in Chinese cultural context,[21] and a conversation edited to sound sexual leads Xuan Ji to think she's his lover. As even Xuan Ji says Pei Ming never lies about who he's been in relationships with however, that assumption is fallacious.[20]
Hua Cheng[]
The two do not have much interaction, though Hua Cheng doesn't seem to hold an opinion of Pei Ming as negative as compared to the other Heavenly Officials, describing him to Xie Lian as not a shady person. Pei Ming was at first apprehensive of him due to his fearsome reputation, but he did eventually manage to become allies with Hua Cheng. Pei Ming generally talks to and adresses him in a respectful manner, although insensitive at times like when he asked about his backstory despite it being rude to question a Ghost King such a thing. While Hua Cheng is stuck in the body of a child, Pei Ming is even seen teasing him. He also encourages Hua Cheng's and Xie Lian's romance.
References[]
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