xie lian, however, is not sure whether to laugh or cry. ]
Ah, no, not quite. Cultivation is a form of martial arts - it is balancing your physical and mental state to a state of perfection through meditation and training.
Martial arts, you say? That is an interesting term for it, but...the cultivation of one's body instead of a field of crops....hm. I suppose the logic is in order.
It is, but - it is very achievable by anyone who works hard and trains hard!
[ xie lian nods, enthusiastic! he's starting to perk up even further, just talking about cultivation. what a fucking nerd. ] That's part of what makes it wonderful.
[ he's never thought of it that way before, but, sholmes has a point. he can't help it... martial arts are cool...
and, to the goal question, he says - ] For some, to cultivate to immortality. For others, to ascend to godhood. For even others, to show devotion to a god of some kind. I suppose it depends on the cultivator.
[He pauses. Irene looks up and her little hare nose twitches as she glances over at Xie Lian.]
That sounds quite dark, my dear fellow. Though...I simply can't help but imagining you grabbing a ghost by the neck and flinging it a hundred meters away! Like....hah! [PUNCHING THE AIR!!]
[ of course sholmes is loving this. xie lian seems surprised by the question, though! ] I'll admit, when they spoke of 'spectres', here, that is what I thought might be the case -that they would be like the ghosts and curses of my land.
...I suppose it depends on the type of curse. Some are very powerful; some are very weak. It depends on the amount of resentful energy that brought them upon the land that they wreak havoc on.
[ xie lian's ferret chitters again, tucking his face against his neck, though xie lian's actual expression doesn't change. ]
[ ... he thinks. the answer is soft, solemn as the grave. at least - ]
...I don't believe it would hide itself from me for long.
[ for a moment, xie lian thinks about the pottery he shattered in the courtyard; he reaches up to scratch san lang behind the ear, as he wriggles closer, under xie lian's hand. ]
But, I do think it is unlikely. Nothing we've seen he so far is close to its style.
[But even he's not dumb enough to tell that this is something that's greatly worrying him.]
[Irene hiccups into a crow - but she recovers well, plucking a small sea shell from the sand before hoping it over to drop it near the Xie Lian on the sand. She squawks. Gift!]
In any case...if you want extra eyes and ears on the lookout for any signs of such a threat, I would be delighted to lend my assistance in any means possible.
he smiles a little at the gift, glancing at sholmes afterwards. goodness, he must look a mess, to be so obvious - xie lian shakes his head as if to clear it, because it isn't so reassuring. the white no face has haunted him every waking and sleeping moment of his life for the past few years; even now, he has nightmares of that half smiling, half crying mask in this strange place. ]
...no, that won't be necessary.
[ as he picks up the little sea shell, he sounds very, very determined, voice low and quiet with a promise. ] If I see that ghost, I'll tear his head asunder from his body before he lays a finger on a single person in this place. Make no mistake.
[ really glad you just walked face first into this trauma button crystal ]
[Look, Sholmes does that. He's a dancing detective. He waltzes into people's hearts.]
I would expect nothing less from your resolve and willpower. I may not know you well, but I can tell these things. Very few things escape the eye of this great detective, and I can cut to the heart of the matter.
[And he smiles, Irene hopping back to alight onto his arm and perch at his shoulder.]
Your grand enemy...well, regardless, we shall hold him in the back of our minds for now. We have a quite new enemy at our shores. We'll need your skills to help face it.
[ that fierceness does fade a bit, at that. sholmes' deduction about a grand enemy (lol) is perfectly correct, and he nods. san lang has depuffed now, though he returns to his curled up noodle spot around xie lian's neck after regarding irene. ]
That's kind of you. [ resolve, willpower... something quiet and shaken in the back of his mind has an entirely different response, but xie lian ignores it, barreling through like always. ] Though, I believe you're correct.
I'd like to return home, but, I want to solve the mysteries of this place and help these children first, too. You as well, detective - though we have no such jobs I've heard of, I think this skill of deduction will certainly be necessary, as well.
Well, you certainly won't see me saying no to applying my skills of deduction anywhere and everywhere, my dear fellow!
[He's practically sparkling as he says that.]
But yes. I shall help where I can. The more the merrier, here, especially when things may come to blows in our near future. I can't say I like the sound of this grand "conflict" those masked figures keep talking about.
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xie lian, however, is not sure whether to laugh or cry. ]
Ah, no, not quite. Cultivation is a form of martial arts - it is balancing your physical and mental state to a state of perfection through meditation and training.
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[He's nodding to himself.]
Is it difficult, this "cultivation"?
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[ xie lian nods, enthusiastic! he's starting to perk up even further, just talking about cultivation. what a fucking nerd. ] That's part of what makes it wonderful.
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[Patting at the tower of sand.]
What's the goal of it all? To be the best "you" you can be?
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[ he's never thought of it that way before, but, sholmes has a point. he can't help it... martial arts are cool...
and, to the goal question, he says - ] For some, to cultivate to immortality. For others, to ascend to godhood. For even others, to show devotion to a god of some kind. I suppose it depends on the cultivator.
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[That sounds fake, but Sholmes will entertain the young man for now.]
And you? What sort of cultivator are you, in that regard?
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[ like this is normal??????? anyway. he pauses where he's stacking up the tower even taller, glancing down at it, his expression softening.]
... I think, now to just put it to good use. And to help people with it, where I can.
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[Is what he assumes, in that descriptor.]
That's very noble of you. Though, martial arts assumes fighting...are you off fighting criminals for the sake of the innocent?
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[ his expression tightens a little. ] Ghosts and curses.
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[He pauses. Irene looks up and her little hare nose twitches as she glances over at Xie Lian.]
That sounds quite dark, my dear fellow. Though...I simply can't help but imagining you grabbing a ghost by the neck and flinging it a hundred meters away! Like....hah! [PUNCHING THE AIR!!]
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[ san lang curls a little closer around xie lian's neck, but, otherwise, just twitches his ears and stays content where he is as xie lian just blasé says he can throw a ghost a mile ] But, yes! Like "hah!"
[ he also punches the air. incredible. ]
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You are a force to be reckoned with, then! Though, I'm surprised ghosts are solid enough to be thrown around.
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[ of course sholmes is loving this. xie lian seems surprised by the question, though! ] I'll admit, when they spoke of 'spectres', here, that is what I thought might be the case -that they would be like the ghosts and curses of my land.
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[He nods.]
Well, tell me. If they are like the ghosts and curses of your land...then how much do we have to worry about?
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...I suppose it depends on the type of curse. Some are very powerful; some are very weak. It depends on the amount of resentful energy that brought them upon the land that they wreak havoc on.
[ xie lian's ferret chitters again, tucking his face against his neck, though xie lian's actual expression doesn't change. ]
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...If I may ask...what's the worst one you've ever encountered?
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san lang stiffens on xie lian's neck, claws curling into the fabric of his coat. ]
...One that we should hope very much would not be involved here.
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[Maybe that's bad! Maybe that's really bad!]
...Would you be able to tell if they were here?
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[ ... he thinks. the answer is soft, solemn as the grave. at least - ]
...I don't believe it would hide itself from me for long.
[ for a moment, xie lian thinks about the pottery he shattered in the courtyard; he reaches up to scratch san lang behind the ear, as he wriggles closer, under xie lian's hand. ]
But, I do think it is unlikely. Nothing we've seen he so far is close to its style.
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[But even he's not dumb enough to tell that this is something that's greatly worrying him.]
[Irene hiccups into a crow - but she recovers well, plucking a small sea shell from the sand before hoping it over to drop it near the Xie Lian on the sand. She squawks. Gift!]
In any case...if you want extra eyes and ears on the lookout for any signs of such a threat, I would be delighted to lend my assistance in any means possible.
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he smiles a little at the gift, glancing at sholmes afterwards. goodness, he must look a mess, to be so obvious - xie lian shakes his head as if to clear it, because it isn't so reassuring. the white no face has haunted him every waking and sleeping moment of his life for the past few years; even now, he has nightmares of that half smiling, half crying mask in this strange place. ]
...no, that won't be necessary.
[ as he picks up the little sea shell, he sounds very, very determined, voice low and quiet with a promise. ] If I see that ghost, I'll tear his head asunder from his body before he lays a finger on a single person in this place. Make no mistake.
[ really glad you just walked face first into this trauma button crystal ]
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[Look, Sholmes does that. He's a dancing detective. He waltzes into people's hearts.]
I would expect nothing less from your resolve and willpower. I may not know you well, but I can tell these things. Very few things escape the eye of this great detective, and I can cut to the heart of the matter.
[And he smiles, Irene hopping back to alight onto his arm and perch at his shoulder.]
Your grand enemy...well, regardless, we shall hold him in the back of our minds for now. We have a quite new enemy at our shores. We'll need your skills to help face it.
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That's kind of you. [ resolve, willpower... something quiet and shaken in the back of his mind has an entirely different response, but xie lian ignores it, barreling through like always. ] Though, I believe you're correct.
I'd like to return home, but, I want to solve the mysteries of this place and help these children first, too. You as well, detective - though we have no such jobs I've heard of, I think this skill of deduction will certainly be necessary, as well.
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[He's practically sparkling as he says that.]
But yes. I shall help where I can. The more the merrier, here, especially when things may come to blows in our near future. I can't say I like the sound of this grand "conflict" those masked figures keep talking about.