Family[]
Wen Qing[]
Wen Qing is extremely protective towards her timid little brother. She often scolds Wen Nimg on issues ranging from his timidity to his reckless saving of Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, explaining that if Wen Chao wanted to kill him, she could not stop him.[1]
Under her harsh exterior, however, Wen Qing deeply loves Wen Ning, After the fall of the Qishan Wen Clan and her little brother's subsequent capture by Jin Zixun, she runs from Qishan to Yunmeng without rest for days. Forsaking her pride, she begs for Wei Wuxian's help on her knees and insists on accompanying him to Qiongqi Path to rescue her family members. The shock that she received after seeing her little brother's corpse made her pass out.[2]
Wen Qing is so devastated by Wen Ning's death that Wei Wuxian promises to find a way to restore his consciousness, even though he has no idea how.[3] Upon his success, she expresses immense gratitude towards Wei Wuxian, to the extent that she and Wen Ning later turn themselves over to the Lanling Jin Clan to take punishment in Wei Wuxian's stead.[4]
Wen Ning is greatly saddened by her death, and at the end of the novel declares his intentions to build a memorial for her.[5]
Wen Yuan[]
Wen Yuan is the son of Wen Ning's cousin, and the only child of the Wen remnants on the Burial Mounds. Wen Yuan clings to Wen Ning's leg soon after the restoration of his consciousness as a Fierce Corpse, and Wen Ning looks after the child along with the rest of their family. He is deeply fond of Wen Yuan.[6]
After his consciousness returns following the removal of the nails in his skull, Wen Ning believes Wen Yuan to have been murdered along with the rest of the Wen survivors.[7] However, he quickly recognizes Lan Sizhui after the Second Siege of the Burial Mounds, due to Lan Sizhui's strong resemblance to his cousin. Lan Sizhui treats him kindly in turn, and Wen Ning tells him stories from the Burial Mounds.[8]
Once Lan Sizhui regains his memories, he and Wen Ning reaffirm their bond as family and journey to Nightless City to build a cenotaph for Wen Qing and their other deceased family members.[5] Upon Lan Sizhui's return to the Cloud Recesses, he continues to organize night-hunts in which the juniors meet up with Wen Ning, to Lan Qiren's consternation.[9]
Granny Wen[]
Wen Ning's grandmother is overjoyed when his consciousness is reawakened, evidence of her affection for him.[6] For his part, he becomes visibly emotional when her blood corpse joins the fight at the Second Siege of the Burial Mounds, and he collects her ashes[10] to lay to rest.[5]
Si-shu[]
Si-shu is an uncle of Wen Ning's, and among the Wen remnants who celebrate the return of his consciousness.[6] When Si-shu's blood corpse also joins the fight at the Second Siege of the Burial Mounds, Wen Ning calls him by name and collects his ashes[10] to lay to rest.[5]
Allies[]
Wei Wuxian[]
Wen Ning meets Wei Wuxian at a Discussion Conference about a year prior to the Sunshot Campaign. Wei Wuxian praises him for his archery and encourages Wen Ning after he fails to perform well due to nerves.[1] After word of the Qishan Wen Clan's massacre of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan, Wen Ning hurries to Lotus Pier to see if he can help. Despite Wei Wuxian's initial distrust, Wen Ning assists Wei Wuxian's efforts to free Jiang Cheng and takes the two fugitives to Yiling, where he requests his sister to heal Jiang Cheng.[1][11]
Wei Wuxian does not forget Wen Ning's kindness, as he is ostracized for rescuing the Wen remnants after the Lanling Jin Clan imprisons them. When he discovers that Wen Ning has already been killed, he raises him as a Fierce Corpse and uses him to kill several of his captors.[2][3] Wei Wuxian promises Wen Qing that he can restore Wen Ning's consciousness, and he eventually succeeds.[6] As a result, Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian become close friends. Wen Ning easily goes along with whatever shenanigans Wei Wuxian wants to do during their time at the Burial Mounds, such as promising not to tell his sister Wei Wuxian had spent most of their money for food on a birthday gift for Jin Ling.[12]
However, Wei Wuxian loses control of his Demonic Cultivation while commanding Wen Ning to fight off an ambush, resulting in the accidental deaths of Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun at Wen Ning's hands.[12] Although Wei Wuxian initially lashes out at Wen Ning after the death of Jin Zixuan, he knows that he himself is the culprit, as Wen Ning had been a tool in his hands at the time. In the end, Wen Ning and Wen Qing then agree to sacrifice themselves by surrendering to the Lanling Jin Clan for punishment, incapacitating Wei Wuxian before he could stop them.[4]
When Wei Wuxian is resurrected into Mo Xuanyu's body 13 years later, Wen Ning immediately recognizes his commands to summon of a powerful creature in Mo Village and escapes his imprisonment, taking his chains with him, to find Wei Wuxian again on Dafan Mountain and defeat the Heavenly Maiden, proving that he has not been burned as Jin Guangshan had claimed. Wei Wuxian eventually frees his chains and removes the nails that control him from his head, enabling his friend to regain his consciousness once more.[7] Wen Ning trails and accompanies Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji for much of their journey. While Wei Wuxian enjoys Wen Ning's company, Wei Wuxian worries for Wen Ning's lack of direction, as he has followed either Wen Qing or Wei Wuxian for his entire life.[7][13][14] At the end of the novel, Wen Ning chooses his own path,[5] though he still stays near the Cloud Recesses and Wei Wuxian.[9] Wei Wuxian feels both sorrow to see his friend leave, and happiness at his independence.[5]
Lan Wangji[]
Lan Wangji speaks in defense of Wen Ning and Wen Qing when they surrender themselves to Golden Carp Tower after the death of Jin Zixuan, for which Wen Ning remains grateful. Wen Ning likewise thanks Lan Wangji for saving Wen Yuan from the Burial Mounds and raising him well.[14]
The drunken Lan Wangji expresses jealousy of Wen Ning's closeness with Wei Wuxian, hitting Wen Ning[15] and blocking him from view.[7] Despite this, Wen Ning holds high respect for Lan Wangji and covers his drunken graffiti.[16] In spite of his initial jealousy, the sober Lan Wangji never expresses a negative opinion towards Wen Ning.[5]
Neutral[]
Jiang Cheng[]
Jiang Cheng originally holds gratitude towards Wen Ning and Wen Qing for saving him from Wen Chao during the Sunshot Campaign. His gratitude did not, however, extend to protecting Wen Ning and his family from the ire of the cultivation world, prioritizing his safety over theirs.[3]
After Wen Ning's role in the death of Jin Zixuan, Jiang Cheng holds pure hatred for Wen Ning. 13 years later, Wen Ning's name is still enough to send Jiang Cheng in a rage.[17] Following the Second Siege of the Burial Mounds, Wen Ning finally confronts Jiang Cheng after seeing him attack Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.[18] Wen Ning uses Suibian to prove that Wei Wuxian had once given up his Golden Core for Jiang Cheng, and chastises Jiang Cheng for his anger over his inability to rival Wei Wuxian.[14] Still, at the Guanyin Temple, Wen Ning readily leaps in between the fierce corpse of Nie Mingjue as he attacked Jiang Cheng and his nephew Jin Ling. Despite his mixed feelings, Jiang Cheng catches the injured Wen Ning when he fell to the floor.[19]
It is implied that Jiang Cheng, much like his nephew Jin Ling, releases his grudge towards Wen Ning.[20] However, he is still angered to discover Wen Ning trailing after the juniors as they night-hunt.
Jin Ling[]
Jin Ling passionately despises Wen Ning for killing his father Jin Zixuan, while Wen Ning is apologetic and regrets leaving Jin Ling an orphan.[7] Jin Ling continues to distrust Wen Ning, even after the latter frees the juniors at the Second Siege of the Burial Mounds.[13]As a result, when Wen Ning attempts to befriend Lan Sizhui, Jin Ling tries to attack him for the sake of his friend.[8]
Jin Ling's feelings change at the Guanyin Temple, when Wen Ning throws himself between Jin Ling, Jiang Cheng, and Nie Mingjue's fierce corpse.[19] Wen Ning's sacrifice prompts Jin Ling to realize that, although he still grieves his parents, he cannot hate Wen Ning anymore.[20] Wen Ning frequently accompanies the juniors, including Jin Ling, when they met up to night-hunt after the main events of the novel, implying that their relationship continues to improve.
References[]
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