kind of reminds you of the lan clan, which arguably has some cult qualities. and with cql, we see bssr being close to the lans. she might’ve even been one. which would make sense because cult leaders are typically part of a church before they separate into their own entity.

and there’s no denying the similarities in her students’ beliefs (or what we know of it) and the lan principles at their root.

also baoshan sanren isn’t even an actual name. it’s something a leader could call themselves to seem other-worldly

not to mention—how xxc talked about those who left the mountain / cult. he didn’t say anything about bssr or the other disciples, and chose to focus on the fact that the two who had left both died horrific deaths. almost as if implying that they shouldn’t have left.

which makes you wonder, why did xxc leave? my theory is that he didn’t, really. we know bssr took in abandoned children, so maybe xxc went down to recruit. he met sl, and they wanted to form a clan that’s not based on blood ties... bssr’s clan.

xxc’s charisma, the way he framed the idea of this clan as something better, something greater. also highlighting this “us vs them” mindset to isolate sl from “the rest.” these are underhanded manipulative tactics used to recruit potentials members. this is common practice

of course, things happened. maybe shame and guilt kept xxc from returning bc he felt like he was no longer worthy. but because he grew up with the cult, he still firmly held their beliefs and practiced them to an extent