This final volume of SVSSS is all bonus chapters and swag and highly questionable fan service in the best way. I particularly appreciated the Shang Qinghua & Mobei-Jun backstory.

I'm going to have to go start Heaven Official's Blessing now, aren't I? ( )

At long last, I'm finally able to read all of these and absolutely loved them. It's been a long time since I first read this story and the conclusion of the publication of the official English translation. I'm so happy to finally be here. A truly wonderful story to the end. And Xiao Tong Kong's art, as ever, is an absolutely wonderful addition.

All in all, this volume of Extras is hilarious, wonderfully written, and has some beautiful world-building information on a number of side characters. The Extras for Zhuzhi-Lang and Shang Qinghua are my favorites. I adore them. I also loved learning more about Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan. It's really a work that benefits from rereads, as you see subtle call-outs to little things that oblivious characters are totally missing, and it's funny to laugh at them in hindsight. I also really loved all the Liu Qingge/Shen Qingqiu. It's adorable.

My primary issues with the text are few, though there is one with a bit of transphobia that's the biggest problem: At one point Shen Yuan says a transphobic word, which makes sense for his character, as he's a very homophobic character, mostly internally. The transphobia was a bit of an extra step, but thankfully it's only brief. Shen Yuan's homophobia is honestly the worst of the novel, but he's also meant to satirize a homophobic society, government, and homophobic fan culture, and certain attitudes created out of society in those conditions. You can see how both he and Luo Binghe suffer from this, and how only when they step past that stuff and learn and are open to each other and others that they're really happy. But that word in particular is a difficult thing to read. The Puritan mindset at one point that Shen Yuan has is also a struggle (but not as much), but it's when he realizes that rather than being reproving but talking to Binghe and experimenting, and even being open to new ideas himself that he's truly happy. Shen Yuan has his limits, but it's when he stops letting his bigotry get in the way of his life that he's happiest.

The second issue is there is a pair of sentences in a conversation where it seems like the editor or proofreader didn't realize that the translation didn't align properly. I have no idea what the original says, but the two lines are meant to be A talking and then B responding, but it sounds like two different conversations, likely due to translation issues because of framing.

My third issue is that the pronunciation guide still doesn't use IPA. I don't know why this is still a problem. It's been an issue in all 11 Seven Seas danmei volumes published so far, and it's really concerning that they still haven't fixed it. While their website has someone read out the names of the leads, that's hardly the same as just adding an IPA guide to the large glossary of terms, especially because I know people are using this to learn how to pronounce things.

Generally speaking though, it is a great volume. Also, the sex scenes are good :D

I'm so happy to finally have this. Please don't skip this volume, since it does continue from volume 3 in many ways, and fills in a lot of things. Absolutely loved it. ( )

The Scum Villain storyline really concluded in Volume 3. The villain was “defeated’ and Binghe and Qingqiu finally came together as a couple. However, their first sexual encounter was more akin to rape because Binghe was literally out of his mind from his demon sword and mostly unaware of Qingqiu during the final confrontation/battle/climax. Volume 4 makes up for that, giving the romance more space.

Volume 4 is a collection of eleven follow-up stories: 1) Qingqiu’s encounter with the original novel’s version of Luo Binghe, 2) a quick adventure with Qingqiu and his sect brother Qingge, 3) the backstory of Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu, 4) the backstory of Binghe’s father and mother and Zhuzhi-Lang, 5) how the stallion novel’s author transmigrated, 6) the sad story of Luo Binghe’s time in Huan Hua Palace while Qingqiu was dead, 7) a weird little story of Luo Binghe transformed into a child’s body due to a Qi deviation, 8) a thoroughly erotic story of Binghe and Qingqiu trying some of the scenes from the bawdy poems circulating about the two of them, 9) a chance encounter with the succubus from the Qingge-Qingqiu adventure, 10) Binghe and Qingqiu sit for an interview with Airplane, who is on a system quest, and 11) Wedding gives readers a final romantic and erotic interlude with our couple

Most of the stories were very entertaining, with only a couple of duds (I could have done without the trapped in a child’s body one). What makes this volume pop is lots of explicit sex between Qingqiu and Binghe, particularly in the first, eighth and last stories. The first has Qingqiu’s encounter with the original novel’s Luo Binghe – the one who literally ripped the Scum Villain limb from limb. At first, Qingqiu doesn’t realize this isn’t his Binghe, and the doppelganger is confused and angry by this caring Shizun. Qingqiu is horrified to discover the truth while wrapped in an intimate embrace. Fortunately, his Binghe arrives just in time and they fight off the mirror Binghe. After a satisfying fight, where Qingqiu actually showed off his skills helping Binghe, the two decide to explore how to satisfy each other. The volume closes with Binghe working up the courage to ask Qingqiu to marry him and the subsequent wedding night.

What I liked most was that the sex was not immediately epic and mindblowing. The sex is more awkward than erotic for both of them at first. Qingqiu struggles with embarrassment over his newly awakened desire for another man, with Binghe expecting him to be “in charge” despite having no experience either and the fact that it’s painful when they first get going. Binghe is enthusiastic, but insecure, and afraid to hurt Qingqiu. It made them both more endearing. Overall, it was a very satisfying read. ( )