Mo Ziyuan (莫子渊, Mò Ziyuān) was Mo Xuanyu's younger cousin. He was the only son of Master and Madam Mo, and the nephew of Second Lady Mo.
Appearance[]
Mo Ziyuan is at least seventeen at the time of his death.[1] He is described as "slant-browed" with a sickly looking constitution, and a duck-like voice. [2] After his death, his corpse appears to have aged twenty years, reduced to a skeleton with sunken-in cheekbones, bulging eyes, and wrinkled skin. His left arm is also removed.[1]
Personality[]
Mo Ziyuan is arrogant, childish, and ill-mannered. It is strongly implied that his mother Madam Mo, the leader of Mo Village, frequently reinforced this behavior.[1][2] He was raised to believe he had the potential and talent to cultivate, but that Mo Xuanyu's disgrace ruined his chances at becoming a cultivator. Resentful and vindictive, he would torment and humiliate his cousin on a regular basis.[2]
He is hot-tempered, as he ignores his mother's warnings to behave in front of the members of the Gusu Lan Clan, choosing instead to react violently to Wei Wuxian's taunts.[3]
Ultimately, his jealousy and sense of entitlement to his cousin's belongings leads to his death when he steals a spirit-attraction flag.[1]
History[]
Mo Ziyuan is the only son of the first-lady of the Mo family, Madam Mo, and her unnamed husband. When Jin Guangshan brought his bastard son Mo Xuanyu to the Lanling Jin Clan's Golden Carp Tower to learn cultivation, Madam Mo hoped Mo Ziyuan would also have the chance to learn cultivation.[2]
After Mo Xuanyu was driven out in disgrace, the Mo family led Mo Ziyuan to believe that he would have been recognized by the clan if he had gone instead of his cousin – in other words, that his cousin had ruined his cultivation prospects. From that point on, Mo Ziyuan resented Mo Xuanyu. He frequently stole Mo Xuanyu's cultivation tools and cursed him for stealing his chance at cultivation.[2]
The day before Mo Xuanyu performed the Sacrificial Ritual to summon Wei Wuxian into his body, Mo Ziyuan once again emptied Mo Xuanyu's room of his belongings, and Mo Xuanyu evidently complained to Madam Mo and her husband. The next day, Mo Ziyuan returned with two servants to yell at Mo Xuanyu and break everything in the room.[2]
As a result, the new inhabitant of Mo Xunyu's body, Wei Wuxian, surmises that Mo Ziyuan is one of the people Mo Xuanyu wished revenge upon in exchange for yielding his body to Wei Wuxian's spirit.
Wei Wuxian antagonizes Mo Ziyuan in the main hall and accuses him of thievery, infuriating Mo Ziyuan. Mo Ziyuan then attempts to kick the man he assumed to be his cousin, only to be thwarted by one of the Lan Clan's disciples.[3]
He becomes more incensed when his mother does not immediately punish Wei Wuxian to avoid causing a scene. Mo Ziyuan eventually swings a chair and chases his "cousin" until the Gusu Lan Clan disciples intervene once again. He swears to make his "cousin" pay for humiliating him.[3]
Mo Ziyuan later steals a spirit-attraction flag from the West Courtyard, despite the Gusu Lan Clan's clear warnings that no one should touch any of their items. This spirit-attraction flag inadvertently lures the Demonic Left Arm, leading to Mo Ziyuan's untimely demise.[1]
After the arm slaughters A-Tong, Mo Ziyuan's father, and Madam Mo, Wei Wuxian's wounds from the ritual heal, indicating that all four victims happen to be the four people Mo Xuanyu had wanted dead in revenge. Wei Wuxian then raises Mo Ziyuan's fierce corpse to attack the left arm before it can kill more villagers or the disciples from the Gusu Lan Clan.[1]
Along with his mother, father, A-Tong, and the left arm, Mo Ziyuan's corpse is subdued by Lan Wangji's guqin Wangji.[4]
Relationships[]
Mo Xuanyu[]
Mo Ziyuan resents his cousin and bullies him every two to three days by stealing and breaking his belongings, alongside physically abusing him. The event that triggered Mo Xuanyu to complete the ritual to sacrifice his soul was Mo Ziyuan emptying Mo Xuanyu's room of nearly all his possessions.[2]
Madam Mo[]
Mo Ziyuan is accustomed to his mother indulging him, especially in his actions against his cousin.[3] She, in turn, views him as an innocent child despite his age, and is devastated upon his death.[1]
Gallery[]
.JPG "Mo Ziyuan Concept Draft (Donghua).JPG (2.12 MB)")