001. Video. Hi Ghosts, it’s me, ya boi

[inheritedpain]

[ Hi Prisma, have a frowning seventeen year old with way too much gold in his hair show up on your feed.

Now, Jin Ling has never bothered to introduce himself on the network. At first because the tech was completely foreign to him and then because it seemed like a hassle and let’s be real the boy has no manners.

But he’s on a Quest, now, so he’ll deign to speak to the common folk, for once.

.. ... ... it’s not like he’s desperate, or anything. ]

Alright, listen. I’m looking for a ghost. Any ghost. Or general undead, if we have to be picky, here. So if you or someone you know fits this description then you better tell me!! I’m going to help you get rid of some of your resentful energy!!

[ Jin Ling seems to think everything he just said is totally reasonable and makes sense. So he doesn’t even bother to explain before moving on. ]

If you aren’t a ghost but you’re in trouble you can tell me, too!! I need to help someone so that I— Look, it’s not important!! So don’t ask questions just let me help already!!

I’m good at helping, especially if it involves swords, archery, or dogs.

[ A pause, a deeper frown: ]

How do I turn this off any—-

Comments

[Private Video]

[tobrushawaysnow]

[ This boy looks familiar. Not even just because of the Jin Sect robes, and the words spoken.

The signs of his own Fierce Corpse state are small these days, thanks to Xue Yang's use of his returned Amulet just for such a purpose, but still there for those who know what to look for. But Song Lan is also clearly conscious as he bows his head slightly, polite. ]

If I may, what is the urgency of this offer? Are you well?

Video

[noenvy]

No.

Private

[inheritedpain]

[ Jin Ling, on the other hand, knows exactly who this is, having seen him very recently. His face pales a little, and then: ]

Daozhang! I didn’t know you were here!

[ He does a bow but considering that his camera is on his wrist, it mostly just gives a shot of the top of his head. ]

Video

[inheritedpain]

No what!

Since when do you get to tell me what to do!

Private

[tobrushawaysnow]

[ His head tilts just a little, studying and sifting through hazy memories. Something to mention to Xue Yang, later. ]

A few months now.

[ Including a week of unconsciousness, but who's counting? ]

Do you have everything you need here?

Video

[noenvy]

Leave the undead and spirits pulled here alone. There are no ghosts in this place and go train more before you go to confront resentful energy.

I get to tell you what to do because I'm an adult.

[inheritedpain]

I am well provided for, both my clans have a presence here.

What I’m looking for i—

[ Wait a second— ]

You can speak??

[ How rude, Jin Ling!! ]

[inheritedpain]

[ His nose scrunches up, annoyed. ]

I am an adult!! And I have my own elders to heed!

That’s why I’m doing this in the first place!!

What’s so wrong about wanting to help!

[tobrushawaysnow]

[ It clicks just about then. Definitely one of the Juniors he'd attacked while unable to restrain himself. But he hadn't hurt any of them, thankfully. That hadn't been part of his orders.

And this one doesn't seem afraid of him, even with knowing what he is.

The abrupt question actually has his lips twitch in amusement. ]

My tongue was returned when I came here.

[ The fact that it doesn't always work quite right is left unsaid. ]

[inheritedpain]

Ah!

[ All of the juniors had gotten upset over the story of Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen and A-Qing. So the relief on Jin Ling’s face is quite genuine. ]

Good!! Do you— do you need help with anything? I can do anything you need, as long as you’re willing to say that I did it!

You’re not exactly—

I mean—

I can’t find any ghosts but—

Helping you would count, right??

[noenvy]

Oh? So I'm not worth honoring at all?

Does Sizhui live alone with no other family? Only that which falls within your desires is valid to you? Get lost!

You're not helping anyone with half formed understanding.

[inheritedpain]

[ And this is where video betrays him: the embarrassed flush that floods his whole face is unfortunately very visible. ]

That is not what I said or meant! [ He snapped it. ] I may have withdrawn my right to vengeance but that doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do!

I can’t form an understanding without learning and I can’t learn without doing! You can’t just come in and tell me I can’t help anyone!

[noenvy]

I'm your elder no matter how you look at it.

[So yes, he could.]

Learn first, you doing this in the wrong order. If you want to help people first find if there are things out of the ordinary happening.

And take someone with more experience with you. You run all over unsupervised and constantly get yourself in trouble.

[inheritedpain]

I train every day and I’ve been studying my whole life, don’t treat me like a child!

I have to do this by myself or it doesn’t count! And I’m not constantly in trouble!! [ ... look self awareness isn’t one of his greatest abilities... ]

Stop pretending you know me! You don’t know me at all! He and I are not the same!

[tobrushawaysnow]

[ Jin Ling gets an actual smile out of Zichen, if small.

Was he ever this young? He shakes his head slightly. ]

No. I can handle myself. And I live with people who can pull me back as needed.

[ Simply because of what he is, that safe-guard is needed. ]

Helping people is just as valuable as helping ghosts.

[noenvy]

Fine. You're not a child, you are perfectly capable.

Why do you need to do this?

Video;

[firstkissofsteel]

You have a dog?

[Ignoring everything else here to focus on the important thing]

[inheritedpain]

Hanguang-jun assigned me tasks as part of my training.

[ ... sort of. ]

I’m already working on one, and the other two were hunt a ghost and help someone, but there aren’t any normal ghosts here and I can’t help anyone if I don’t know who needs help! So I don’t see why it’s so bad to ask!

[inheritedpain]

[ He deflated a little. ]

I understand.

And I need to help people too, that’s just - a separate thing. I need to do both.

[inheritedpain]

[ He doesn’t recognize her. She’s familiar, and maybe in person he’d pick up on it, but he has no idea who she is at the moment.

So he just puffs up at the question. ]

Yes! Fairy! She’s not just any dog, she’s a spirit dog!

[noenvy]

Hunting a ghost is invalid, go back and request a new one.

As for helping someone, blanketly asking isnt going to do anything. People are either not going to share, can't share, or dont even k ow they have something to share.

Why not simply do something that helps people.

You could help me for example.

[tobrushawaysnow]

[ ...Curse his slowly beating heart. ]

Would you like company while you look for trouble?

[ Because what are cultivators if not people looking for trouble to fix? He might prefer to walk with Xingchen, but his soulmate has his own work to do here. ]

[inheritedpain]

You try arguing with Hanguang-jun when he’s decided something! If he gave me this task it’s for a reason and I’ll find a way to complete it!

And I do things to help people when I see them, and I help my family all the time but it doesn’t count if it’s someone connected to me. I have to help someone where I would gain nothing.

What could you possibly need help with anyway??

[mingyues]

Would you consider helping the Moon Knights out?

[inheritedpain]

Ah! Daozhang Xiao! Of course!

I’d be happy to help. What do I need to do?