jikan_rpg | [Closed to Four Seasons Manor residents + Ye Baiyi]

Entry tags:

[Closed to Four Seasons Manor residents + Ye Baiyi]

⌛ Who: Ye Baiyi and residents of the Four Seasons Manor
⌛ What: Missing arachnida (scorpion)
⌛ When: August 30
⌛ Where: Four Seasons Manor
⌛ Warnings:

He'd woken up to a strange but minor pain he couldn't identify. It lingers and he's not used to feeling something like this, but there are more important things to deal with. Namely, he can't find Xie Wang. It was odd given how the young man had been as glued to his side as a loyal hound the last week or so. It was also annoying, since that meant no breakfast. Fortunately, he knew where he could go that also had good food.

Like he has since he arrived, he shows up at the Four Seasons Manor and walks through the door like he owns the place. "Zhou Zishu? Brat?" He calls, making his way to the kitchen.

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So this one was older than he looked. Perhaps a mortal who became an Immortal? Difficult to tell without further questioning but he was fairly certain that his assumption was a sound one.

Watching him pick up the teapot to look it over, he gave a soft smile and had a sip of his tea before explaining.

"Immortals can use their energies to create magic to pull things to them from other rooms. My tea was in my rooms here so I brought it to me so I could still drink with you in my own way."

"Are Immortals so common and similar where you're from that you can make a blanket statement what all of them are skilled at? How boring." He shakes his head and sets the teapot aside with a mildly insulted huff.

Just because he didn't know this skill yet, didn't mean he wasn't going to start practicing it until he could do it. He may be set in his ways in a lot of aspects, but he was always hungry to learn new techniques. It's all he'd been doing for nearly a century in the mountain alone.

"Boring? Not really. Not when each has their own specialization. But the ones I'm usually surrounded by were born to be Immortals. They're not like you who trained hard until he became one."

A good way to reveal what he'd observed honestly. Just a casual mention really. "That is far more rare and interesting though, it's true."

"If they're so varied, how can you say all Immortals can do something just because you can do it?" Some of his prickliness calms a little at hearing his own 'type' (?) of Immortal status being respected.

Although, he does wonder at hearing this man was 'born to be an Immortal'. What did that mean? The only people who were like that were the gods themselves. If this guy was one of those, that'd be really annoying.

"It is rare. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only one who has achieved this." And that fact is so very painful. The person he could've, should've been with made another choice.

He drains the rest of the alcohol in his bowl and pours another.

"Because we are overall very spoiled and enjoy the convenience of being able to not have to get up to fetch something." Most Immortals wouldn't be pleased with essentially being called lazy and he smiled a little. He wasn't about to deny a simple fact.

"I have known another mortal who became one. So I am not surprised that you have not known of others like you."

Runyu watched him for a moment or so. "Was it through training with the sword you carry?"

Despite how crummy he feels, that answer makes him laugh. It makes sense to him! If he had that power he'd be summoning things all the time too!

"Isn't that what a disciple is for?" He jokes back. He glances toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms, where he assumes Zhou Zishu is. "Or your descendants."

Of course there weren't others, he thinks. The sacrifice it takes to become one made sure of that.

The question about his sword brings him back to the present. He shakes his head. "No, I was already what I am when this sword was brought to me." Dragon's Back was Rong Changqing's blade. "The one Zhou Zishu has is the one I trained with." Now that he says that, he wonders if the younger man has ever made that connection- not that it matters now.

"How is someone born to be an Immortal? Are you one of the gods?"

"My one disciple has taken over my duties as the Night Immortal now that I have other tasks to attend to. And I have no descendants"

He observed the sword with curiosity. It was quite a large one. It would take impressive strength to wield it successfully. Of course he'd never seen the sword that Zishu had now. Perhaps he could ask about it the next time he spoke to him.

"That seems to be the common understanding among mortals for what I am. We are often called gods so I believe that is an accurate assessment of us."

If he'd had any descendants, they likely would've died by now. The martial arts world had been so chaotic these last twenty years. Though has there ever truly been peace?

He seems lost in thought for a few moments, before 'returning' to the present. Noticing belatedly that Runyu was looking at his sword, he draws it closer so it's easier to see. "It's name is Dragon's Back."

"I'm not a common mortal," he counters. Though whether he'd understand a more complicated explanation on what this man was or not is hard to say. He seems to have more power than Ye Baiyi and clearly has lived longer if his comment about the alcohol had been accurate. Speaking of..

"Why can't a god drink?" Was it the same reason he shouldn't be eating or drinking himself?

"A strong name for a sword. Also, you're not mortal at all, remember?"

He lifted his cup to him in amusement. Mortal? No, this man wasn't that at all. He was very much an Immortal now. He'd come to be more like himself even if he hadn't been born that way. Runyu was not about to ignore that fact.

"Others do drink. I have chosen not to. In my long life I've made a lot of very poor choices that led to many being hurt or killed. So I have made the choice to not consume alcohol anymore so I will always have a clear hear while I work to repair the damage that I created.

Baiyi rolls his eyes, but there's no strong emotion behind it. That hadn't been what he meant and of course he remembers he's an immortal! However, it's amusing that Runyu feels the need to point it out- almost like he's trying to lift Baiyi's spirit. It's not necessary, but oddly appreciated. For that alone, he doesn't snap or fuss at the reminder.

"You've made these choices because of alcohol?" He asks, though he isn't doubting him. He's certainly seen his fair share of individuals who can't handle their liquor and end up doing foolish things as a result.

"You're staying with the right people if you need to work on redemption." It's not said unkindly, but probably the words are more rude than most people would be willing to say about the owners of the house they're currently in.

"I was sober when I made my choices. So you could say the two have no tie to each other and you wouldn't really be wrong. But the meaning has significance to me."

That was really what mattered at the end of the day. Not everyone would agree but that was alright. He wasn't asking for their approval in terms of how he found redemption. Even if he still knew that he didn't really deserve it. But his brother had granted it to him and so he had to live with that.

"This place has been very healing for me."

If Runyu is expecting Baiyi to judge his decision, he will be relieved when it doesn't come. It's true, they seem unrelated but choosing to keep a clear mind and possibly using abstinence as part of atonement he can respect.

"The Four Seasons Manor has always been a special place," he remarks. The slightest strain appears on his face and his hand moves to his chest, before he can push the discomfort away. He looks at the liquor and wonders if that is making this worse instead of better.

"Who else lives here? It is much more crowded than I'm used to here." Never mind that the Four Seasons Manor he's visited recently has been the one that only had the two fools and the little fool in it. When the Great Shaman and Jing Beiyuan arrived, plus the girl and her silly betrothed, it had already been getting too crowded for his taste.

This was the second time now that he'd seen the man touch his chest like that. Was he ill? Runyu observed it for a moment in consideration while he answered the next question.

"I do not know everyone who lives here. However I know that the heads of house are here. Kexing's daughter is as well. There is also my two lovers who share my rooms with me. My brother as well is here. I know that there are some who have rooms here but live elsewhere. And I have felt the presence of another one who is strong but I have not met him."

Those were the ones that he knew for sure to be there though.

As Ye Baiyi listens, he keeps sipping the liquor. It is too much effort right now to make tea and it'd be too obvious anyway.

The number of people keep growing as Runyu rattles off people and Baiyi is more and more glad he has been given a house by the government here. It'll be uncomfortable for a while, given who else lived there with him, but he'd much prefer it to this busy place.

"Glad I turned the brats down to live here," he mutters. "What are the names of your lovers and your brother?" He'd like to know at least in the back of his mind who he was dealing with.

"Yu Mingye and Ouyang are my lovers. Xufeng is my brother."

He had no problem giving their names since he sensed no ill intent from this man. If he had then he would have dealt with him. Really though Baiyi just came across like a cute old man who was tired of all the young ones running through his hallways. It was very endearing honestly.

Baiyi would certainly bristle at this very apt description of himself. He isn't 'cute'! However, he is indeed both tired of the melodramatics that seem to follow youth around while also missing real connections to other people. It's a conflicted place to be.

Taking note of the names, he nods quietly to himself. It's annoying this man gets two lovers and a brother and Baiyi has none, but he can't begrudge him too much. Some people are just lucky. Although having descendants here was also valuable (even if they weren't a direct line from him, Zishu was close enough).

"Is your brother also a god like you?"

"He is. Xufeng is a phoenix."

They were so different really. His brother tied to fire and a phoenix. Then there was himself who was tied to water and was a dragon. They'd lived such different lives despite being raised together. Two very complex and different histories. Was that what shaped them to take the paths they took?

Runyu had no way of knowing.

"Was he a phoenix before like you are a dragon or turning into one here?" These bonds are confusing. He hasn't realized it, but the ache within is due to this very thing. While he hadn't gotten so connected with Xie Wang that features of some sort had sprouted, it had been real and now it was pain.

This liquor really wasn't helping anything. He sighs and sets it aside. Pushing to his feet took a little more effort than he would've liked, but he goes over to the tea set in the room- not the fancy one Runyu was drinking from, of course.

"You have the feel of an older brother."

"No. He is a phoenix. Just like his mother before him."

Curious, he watched the man get up. Then go to prepare tea. He would have offered his own tea but it seemed that Ye Baiyi was set in his ways at the moment. Best to leave him be to do what he needed to do.

Softly, he smiled at the comment though and nodded. "Yes. I am the older brother."

If Runyu was anyone lesser, he would've ordered him/ asked him to make the tea. As it was, he didn't want to draw attention to the fact he was self-medicating more than simply thirsty. Since, obviously, he's doing such an excellent job hiding his weakness so far.

As the tea heats- in a traditional way, not using his spiritual force- he turns back to the dragon. "What was your father? Was he a dragon?"

There was something off about the energies of this man. He couldn't put his finger on it without joining their energies together though. But he was noticing the traditional methods. A problem with his energies? He couldn't be sure...

Runyu was at least able to pretend like he wasn't thinking about things like that when the man faced him. "Our father was a dragon, yes."

"Your world seems quite interesting," he admits in a rare pseudo-compliment. "What's it like in this heavenly realm? Do you have any other family members here?"

Again, like he owns the place instead of being a guest, Baiyi takes a look in a few jars and cabinets until he finds the right herbs he wants in his tea cup. "Are you going to find any disciples here?"

"The matter of family is complicated. There is another from my world here but she and my brother are not aware that in their future they will be wed. So in their eyes she is not family yet. But in mine she is."

Was he making a more medicinal tea? Perhaps he was sick in some way. Runyu took note of everything he saw even as he continued to speak.

"I'm not going to take any disciples here. But to answer your other question, the Heavenly Realm is quiet these days. Were someone to visit though they would find it grander than the grandest palace in the Mortal Realm. There is peace there now though. I'm sure there will be for a number of years to come."

"Isn't it always?" He remarks.

As he waits for the water to warm, he turns so his back is to the cabinets. He leans back against them and centers his attention on Runyu. He nods as he listens. He too doubts he'll take on any disciples ever again. He doesn't have the heart after Rong Xu.

He pushes that thought away and works to picture this Heavenly Realm. He wishes he could see it some day. If he continued his isolation in his mountain, perhaps he would've eventually ascended. Now, his hair is turning gray and it'll only be a matter of time.

Forever is too long to be by himself though with only his soulmate's sword to talk to.

"How did you achieve this?"

Runyu's gaze fell then. He wasn't about to hide what he had done but he was also not proud of it.

"Through my own greed and arrogance I gave them someone to hate more than each other," he said simply. It didn't add details but it certainly said a great deal about what he had done to make an entire realm hate him above all else.

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