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What do you mean you pretended to be married and pregnant?

[Xiao Lanhua, Xiao Lanhua... He can see this too!]

[ Da mutou, da mutou! She pokes his chest and pouts. ]

It was your idea! [ Orchid crosses her arms over her chest and turns away, storming towards the bed to sit down on it in the most dramatic flop ever. ]

You surprised everyone with those lies.

[This legitimately has him stunned and he stares down at her like she's somehow managed to heal her damaged immortal root by... sneezing, perhaps.]

This-

This venerable one-

This venerable one...

[For what possible reason would he lie about something like that?

This venerable one is certain that if he said something like that-

...had Changheng tried to take her back to Shuiyuntian again?

He shut his mouth and took a deep breath, contemplating for a long moment before very tentatively and ~~contritely~~ in a curious manner asked very nonchalantly:]

If this venerable one did say such a thing... then it must have been needed to be said?

[A statement that was definitely a question.]

[[ooc: very late bc life hit me with an oomph. feel free to ignore this if it's too old!]]

[ Seeing him at a loss for words is actually quite cute. He almost always seems to know what to say, usually leaving her the one flustered and trying to say something.

Even if it is her own face and voice. Orchid manages to look huffy for only a few seconds, but there's a smile that can't stop from blooming. ]

It almost ruined everything. Luckily, Jieli managed to fix it.

There must still have been a reason.

[He defended himself, then frowned and narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. Jieli sounded like a woman's name, but he didn't know of anyone in the palace household named that. Nor of sufficient status to 'correct' any potential 'mistake' Daqiang may or may not have had.

And if it wasn't actually a woman, but some sort of man that Orchid had attached herself to after Chenghang...]

Who is this 'Jieli'?

There was, but you said you didn't want to know about your future.

[ So she's not explaining. Daqiang will get angry if he learns that she married Xiao Run to help Chenghang pass his tribulation. He's in her body, who knows what he'll do if he learns it.

Orchid doesn't mind explaining about Jieli, however. ]

Jieli is a close friend. She came to visit me after her business was destroyed in Haishi and helped us out a lot!

[Orchid had a penchant for visiting Haishi before the incident that caused her to nearly get herself killed by the lord of the city. He had not realized when she'd spoken of her visits to buy medicines that she had a friend in the city. But then, Orchid seemed capable of making friends in most places that were not Shuiyuntian.

Just another reason he fairies she was scared of and who treated her poorly were all fools.

But if she was friend, then this Jieli was not someone Daqiang had to worry about stealing Orchid's attention away. Not that he worried about that.]

This venerable one does not wish to know it because we have no way of returning yet. Since you have lived it already, it will likely happen whether this venerable one is aware of the course the future takes or not. When a way to return is found, then we will speak of it. The battle with Shuiyuntian that this venerable one exhausted himself to the point that you had to revive him, which you said was the cause of your self-inflicted injury, will certainly be of importance to prepare for at that time.

[Until then, there was little reason to dwelt on such matters. That was certainly a logical argument. And had nothing to do with the knot in his stomach that formed when he thought too long about what it might mean if he heard her speak of a future where she sided with Cangyanhai and rejected Changheng... only to find another man to gush over that he somehow couldn't match in her eyes.

Keeping his head turned away from her and his tone purposely even, he continued with:]

Forget it. We should discuss how to return to our own bodies. This venerable one knows a person who can control lighting. This venerable one will contact him to meet us in a hidden location and strike us while we kiss.

Edited 2024-05-07 04:32 (UTC)

[ She doesn't say that Jieli was the merchant she bought all of those medicines from - lest Daqiang get angry over the fact that Jieli is responsible for giving her those pills that made her so ill. If her friend ever arrives here, Orchid will explain then, but perhaps it's better to not give him more time to stew over the fact.

Orchid does have a few friends, though Jieli is very much a reluctant one at times.

At times, she won't want to tell him all that happened and potentially change his future and her past - and there will be others when Orchid wants to share everything with him. All the revelations she went through, their ups-and-downs, the misunderstandings and how they cleared the air.

Of course there are parts that would be harder to talk about for one reason or another, but then there are sweet moments that she doesn't want to be the only one who remembers them. Still, Daqiang should grow his emotions tree without her forcing it more than she already does. ]

This venerable one will not speak of your future.

[ Maybe she could write it down and hide it away somewhere. In case something happens. ]

He can help us change back? [ A pause. ] He's going to see us kiss?

[She was back to mocking him. What had he said wrong this time?]

Of course. He has to see us to strike us at the right moment.

[ She was "mocking" him because Daqiang is a man of his word. Plus, Orchid is going to write it down so she won't be breaking her promise because she won't say a single word about his future! ]

You... trust him to tell him the truth?

[ Daqiang doesn't even trust Shangque, who has been at his side and loyal to him for over thirty thousand years. ]

[Well... after they made the switch would be preferable. But Cid would probably want an explanation before agreeing. He was the sort to ask and ask and ask before agreeing to use his power on someone that wasn't his enemy.

But also... Cid had actually seen him at what was almost his weakest moment since his arrival. And he had attempted to take them both somewhere safe. He'd failed. But he had tried. Cid's first instinct was to help, not take advantage of Daqiang's weakness. He was like Orchid in that way.

So...

Yes. Daqiang supposed he did trust Cid enough to tell him the truth about his weakness.]

He can be trusted with this.

[He finally said, broodingly, after a long and thoughtful silence.]

Edited 2024-05-07 05:56 (UTC)

[ Out of the two of them, Daqiang is always the one who's most careful. Both of them are vulnerable at this moment, with very limited access to their usual abilities. Not that Orchid has the kind of power and strength Daqiang does... most of the time.

She supposes that despite their vulnerable state, her body is safe so long as the Bone Orchid is worn. If Daqiang trusts him, then there's absolutely no reason for Orchid not to.

So she nods. ]

How do you contact him? [ Her nose wrinkles. ] Do I have to do it?

[ Orchid can pose as him if necessary, but is it necessary this time? Can they just send a letter? ]

[He shakes his head and holds up the shellphone.]

This can send personal messages to individuals. It is like writing a letter and spelling it to find the one it's to and to only be opened by them. This venerable one can send it from his shellphone in writing. It does not have to be to everyone at once like this game you have had this venerable one play today.

[ A sigh of relief. That sounds much better than pretending to be Daqiang again. It's very much like the first time, in which she doesn't know anyone or his relationships and history with them. She'd have to be schooled all over again. ]

Will you show me how to send personal messages?

[ Orchid crosses her arms over her chest (and it feels weird without her normal curves). ]

You looked like you were having fun.

[Daqiang stilled at that comment and his eyes darted to her.

Fun?

He... supposed some of it was... positive. Was that what fun was? He knew happiness from her. But hers was always so much more intense than what he'd been feeling. It was more pleasant than unpleasant, but was that enough for it to be considered fun? Didn't fun require much more intense happiness? The kind that he could not feel on his own?

His eyes dropped and he shifted his position to hold the shellphone up for her to see what he was doing.]

This is how you find individuals to send them mail. This is where you press to send them a letter - called 'text' - or use the shellphone in the way of a tianji mirror - it is called 'video'. You can also use it like a speaking stone, but without needing a paired set. That is called 'audio'.

[Once he selected the text function, he let her watch while he typed in a few characters to start the message and show her how to use the keyboard to find everything in the menu. Then he switched to the speech-to-text function and started narrating the rest of his message to Cid. When he was finished, he showed her were to press to send it and how to check that it had actually been sent. He would explain, as well, that there was no specific need to address the message or sign it, as it appended their username to indicate who had done so.]

This venerable one finds the speech-to-text function the easiest to use when text is most appropriate, and he uses it the most regularly when responding in text while alone.

[And no one can hear him talking.]

But the video is the easiest of all of them. You can even respond to written messages without having to stop the video to do so. It simply continues showing you to the one you are responding to while showing you their text.

[ Everyone experiences emotions differently, and he is just regaining his - so perhaps it wasn't the same level of fun that he's felt from her. This might have only produced a low-level of fun for him, but someday, something else will be more fun, and he'll experience the same level of happiness she does.

Orchid uses her own shellphone to follow along with his instructions, glancing up to watch his example every so often. She's quiet as he dictates a message to a person named Cid to ask for his help, only speaking when it seems he's done. ]

It can do so much, and is so convenient. You can carry it around with you all the time.

It is very convenient. This world has many convenient things that are sometimes familiar and sometimes strange. But nothing out of place for what this venerable one supposes for a world where mortals and immortals mix so easily. The shortness of mortal lives have proven to encourage a creative effort for learning and inventing that this venerable one was not aware they could be capable of.

[but considering how little he actually knew of mortals, was that really surprising to hear?]

Edited 2024-05-07 18:19 (UTC)

It isn't... forbidden for mortals and immortals to mix so freely here? If we were to do that in our world, there would be serious consequences. I wasn't sure when I arrived here and hid my identity with many people that I met.

[ She isn't surprised at all to hear it. Orchid also knew very little about mortals, despite handling their Destiny Books every day. ]

There have been no consequences that this venerable one has noticed beyond the seal on his power. But all beings of any significant power experience that, including mortals of exceptional ability and skill.

If there are consequences in the Three Realms, perhaps there are none here because this world lies in the Ruins of Ten Thousand Heavens? Just as time means little here, perhaps whatever causes these consequences you speak of means just as little as well.

[He didn't know she meant causing changes to someone's destiny on accident and possibly damaging their primordial spirit in the process. He had yet to be taught any of that by her.]

[ Orchid reaches out to grip his arm, since her body doesn't have as much fabric to grip as Daqiang usually does. ]

It won't harm their primordial spirit if we alter their destiny? Shifu taught me to never intervene in the destiny of a mortal, or there would be terrible consequences.

Even if that is true, this venerable one does not see how anything we do here will intervene more than the rifts bringing them to this world already has.

[He shrugged, not caring. What did destiny matter to him, anyway?]

Some of the mortals brought here are vessels of the gods of their world. They are already mixing with immortality and do not hide this from their fellow mortals. What is difference between those who have been touched by their gods mixing with mortals and those who are as gods mixing with them?

[ It mattered to her! She hasn't spent her whole life fixing and tending to Destiny Books just to toss it away, even if the destiny belonged to a stranger she'd never met. ]

I don't know the difference, only that we are not supposed to interfere in the affairs of mortals. Shifu never talked about mortals that live beyond the Three Realms before. What if we do destroy their primordial spirit?

What if the rift isn't enough to prevent that?

Any who pass across the River of Stars and into the Ruins of Ten Thousand Heavens cannot return to the Three Realms without a guide. It stands to reason that this includes their primordial spirits when they die. Perhaps even destiny cannot find souls once they pass through the River of Stars. If that is the case, then your Shifu may not have a way to know about those that live beyond the Three Realms.

[He answered, trying to use what logic he could to reassure her that it was not her Shifu's fault for not talking about such things. Even if he could not feel her emotions at the moment, she looked sad. Talking about her Shifu often came with tears even when she was happy. And he did not wish to give her reason to shed tears. Especially in his body.]

[ That answer is very logical and Orchid is silent thinking about it. On one hand, it's reassuring to believe that the mortals will be fine if she does something that interferes with their destiny. On the other, it's sad to think that if something happens to her here, then her Shifu won't know about it.

Had she been here alone, that sadness might have been overwhelming, but Daqiang is here with her. Even if he can be overprotective and the cause of so many fights and heartaches, he's also the one person she would have wanted most at her side this far from home. So it's very much a mixed feeling of relief and sadness. ]

Mm, I will hope that anything we do here will not affect their destinies and destroy their primordial spirit. When I do return home, I'll have so many stories to tell Shifu.

[ Think about that, Orchid, and not how long Shifu has been away or how much longer she'll be gone. ]

[The way she said that made it sound like her Shifu had returned. Another thing about the future hinted at that he didn't want to be given reason to dwell on.]

Forget it.

[He said, putting a hand on the side of Orchid's head and pushing her lightly to distract her.]

Go back to playing the game. You were having fun, were you not?

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