[open post] NEW USER: Shang Qinghua

[greatmasterairplane]

Look, this clearly isn't Proud Immortal Demon Way. Shang Qinghua might not remember all the details of what he wrote—that's what his most devoted fans are for, to point out inconsistencies in the comments section so Shang Qinghua can bullshit some mystical explanation, hahaha—but he's sure he didn't write this Western-style mansion. The System, when he tries to question it, is silent. So maybe it's some kind of test?

If so, not fair! Arranging the invasion of the Immortal Alliance Conference was supposed to be his last thing. The original Shang Qinghua died shortly after that, so how much plot relevance could he have?? He was meant to be retired, living life in the lap of luxury (or drudgery in the employ of his king, but whatever). Why doesn't the System just reward him for all his many years of loyal service? Can they have a "being hand-fed melon seeds by a group of big scantily-clad men" event, please???

He skims through the welcome table materials. Okay, so a world between dimensions, people pulled in from disparate worlds and trapped for eternity, sure. Classic stuff. His king is bound to show up at some point and drag Shang Qinghua away by his collar like a tiger scruffing a kitten. Until then, he'll just try to stay out of trouble.

Comments

[sagramore]

"Good morning. New here?" Sagramore asks warmly, because, well, new people have a look. He's got coffee that's largely coffee, and he's no longer dressing for his own time at all -- at this point, he's absolutely giving the hot professor look Janet once used to describe him.

[greatmasterairplane]

Okay, hello! Maybe he spoke too soon, and the Western-style mansion also comes with Western-style men to hand-feed him the melon seeds.

Is he meant to be acting like Shang Qinghua still? He's completely out of context, but he's still in the same body, wearing his Shang Qinghua robes—not the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect ones, but the ones he wears around Mobei-jun's palace, dark blue with white fur trim. Well, even the pathetic amount of prestige that Shang Qinghua has is better than the nothing that Airplane had, so he might as well take advantage of it. He gives the hot glasses man a formal bow.

"I am a traveler, blown to this distant land like a flower petal on the wind. My name is Shang Qinghua."

[sagramore]

"A pleasure. I'm Sagramore." Since Shang Qinghua bowed, he does too, pleasantly courtly. "Do you need any help getting settled in?"

[greatmasterairplane]

Time to figure out some parameters. "Your hospitality towards a humble stranger is much appreciated, young master Sagramore. From which land do you hail?"

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan does not like the feeling of the Mansion today. It's not like the truth curse, thank god—it feels more like the moment he'd returned to this body after nearly being exorcised, like the walls are low-key laughing at him. So he's primed for some bullshit the moment he gets up, but he's not primed enough for the figure he spots standing at the welcome table.

He stops dead on the stairs coming down into the lobby. His hands clench at his sides. His sword is in his room—he's in jeans and a sweater today, he wanted to be cozy—so he has to throw himself bodily down the rest of the stairs to storm over to Airplane rather than just skewering him where he stands. "Airplane!!"

[greatmasterairplane]

There's only one person who would call Shang Qinghua that—especially in that tone of voice. He spins around. "Bro, no way! You've been off in this side plot this whole time?"

Shang Qinghua figured Shen Qingqiu was caught up in some System bullshit, even though the System has been irritatingly close-mouthed. It wasn't a huge problem for Shang Qinghua's only fellow transmigrator to disappear. Before Cucumber-bro revealed himself as Cucumber-bro, Shang Qinghua was used to being the only one in the world who knew they were all just killing time before Luo Binghe's inevitable rise. But Shang Qinghua has been trying to cover for him with Cang Qiong Mountain, just to make both their lives easier, and since Cang Qiong Mountain is getting more and more suspicious of him, it's not the most sustainable situation. That's why he was taking a break in the northern demon realm when he got Miyazaki-style spirited away over here.

The only thing is, if Shen Qingqiu is here, it means Mobei-jun is not going to be the one to rescue them. It's going to have to be Luo Binghe. And he's scheduled for, like, four more years in the Abyss! Hopefully, whoever constructed this side plot had the sense to put in a "time moves strangely in that place" clause so they don't have to wait that long.

[peaklordshen]

"Shut the fuck up," snaps Shen Yuan, marching right up into his space and taking him by the collars to shake him. "How dare you show your face around here. When Luo Binghe is finally free of your fucking—endless homophobic Saw-trap of a story, what, did you get a Bat-signal that he was too happy and came to inflict more psychological torture—"

[greatmasterairplane]

Ah, Cucumber-bro. Thank you for blessing this poor transmigrator with such beautiful nostalgia for simpler days, when he could read these screeds from the comfort of his underwear with a Chili Lime Cup Noodles in hand. "Bro, slow down. Where's Luo Binghe?"

[lightbearinglord]

It is, very clearly, one of those days. Lan Wangji has yet to determine the exact nature of the mansion's trickery on this day, but he is developing a fairly detailed suspicion.

This newcomer looks like someone who could feasibly be from Lan Wangji's world, but he has learned his lesson regarding that particular assumption. He watches for a time as the young man pages through the welcome table, but he bows once he sees that he has been noticed. "Young master."

[greatmasterairplane]

Whoa! Too handsome! Way too handsome!! This guy is definitely not from Proud Immortal Demon Way. He's not one of Shang Qinghua's, and he's far too good-looking to be a background character. That resting bitch face could give even Mobei-jun a run for his money.

Shang Qinghua could try to impress him with his Peak Lord credentials, but it's probably safer to grovel. It usually is. He clasps his hands in front of him and bows deeply. "My lord, take pity—I am but a humble traveler. What manner of beings reside in these halls?"

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji had thought this man to be a fellow cultivator, and so the formality of the greeting takes him aback. He hesitates, but only for a short time. "All manner," he advises him. "The people of this place come from a multitude of worlds and circumstances." Recalling his lapse with Gertrude earlier in the day, he remembers to add, "My name is Lan Wangji. I come from Gusu." He doesn't anticipate the name being recognized, but it is worth the try.

[greatmasterairplane]

Just as expected from the welcome sign—wait. Shang Qinghua is sure he's heard the name Lan Wangji before. Not from his life as Shang Qinghua, but from the first one—it has a kind of webnovel-y ring to it, like he's seen it scrawled all over the Zhongdian forums. It's been decades since he died, though, and he can't quite place it. "Ah, hm. It is an honor to meet someone so distinguished." What story are you from? "Might I ask if anyone else has accompanied you to this place?"

[aflashbastard]

A third new person? Where is Tress when you need her??

"Hi," Crowley says, now sounding mildly stressed from meeting too many new people in a row when he hasn't met anyone new in quite a a while, "Er, welcome. There's food. There's rooms." He waves a hand around. "There's alcohol if you need it." He might need it soon.

[greatmasterairplane]

Shang Qinghua gives this guy a once-over. Pretty good-looking, but a little too skinny for Shang Qinghua's tastes. And what's with the sunglasses?

He has nothing but time to kill until Mobei-jun inevitably finds him. "Does that include baijiu?"

[aflashbastard]

Crowley was about to launch into something else about a safe kitchen and a not safe kitchen — but he now pauses, considering.

“I have baijiu,” he offers.

[greatmasterairplane]

Shang Qinghua raises his eyebrows. "Does it come with company? And have you met someone named Shen Qingqiu?" He wants the gossip!

[temnota]

Aleksander had fled his room in a haze, knowing only that he had to get as far away from Baghra as possible. It wasn't until he had entered the foyer and discovered a strange man at the welcome table that he realized he'd walked out of his room in nothing but sleep trousers patterned with moons and stars and his kefta. His hair was a mess and he was in dire need of a shave but he would rather be stabbed in the heart with a dagger then go back to his room now.

With an effort, he forced a polite smile on his face. "Ah. Welcome. Forgive my appearance, it's been a... morning."

[greatmasterairplane]

Shang Qinghua gives him a perfunctory bow. Another obvious major character type, although he can't pin down the genre. Handsome indeed, with that male-model jawline and sleep-rumpled scruff, but a bit too pretty for Shang Qinghua—not that Shang Qinghua would kick him out of bed if he offered. "I am Shang Qinghua, of Cang Qiong Mountain." Don't make him say An Ding Peak! "What troubles you?"

[temnota]

Aleksander tamped down the hysterical laughter that threatened to burst out of him. This was the worst part about dealing with Baghra - how thoroughly she managed to rattle him and leave him unfit for company. There was nothing he could do about it now except try to pull himself together as quickly as possible.

"My name is Aleksander Morozova," he said, belatedly giving the man a bow before lying fluently. "It is nothing to worry about, just a minor issue. Should you see a woman with a cane, I advise you to give her space. She is old and forgetful and has quite lost her touch with reality."

[wickedwit]

Claudius has flowers, the same showy dahlias he never found a use for when Luo Binghe confronted him in the garden, and he still has no idea how to make them blend in with other blooms. They're centerpieces. So be it. Pink and yellow and near-black purple. He'll clear out the last bouquet on the welcome table, a delicate thing of willow-branches and autumn crocuses, and let the dahlias have their time. "Oh, hello," he says. "Welcome. I see you're catching up."

[greatmasterairplane]

Now that Shang Qinghua knows Cucumber-bro is here, apparently acting super fucking OOC with no consequences, he can relax a little. "Are those for me?"

[wickedwit]

"They could be," he says, with a casual, flirtacious smile -- more friendly than a sincere attempt to woo. It's simply too obvious a line. Claudius takes one dahlia from the rest, a pink one, and presents it. "They're for newcomers. To admire, rather than take, but I think it suits you."

[sorrowandsorrow]

Oh, look, another new person. Janet eyes him from a few yards away, trying to see if she can figure out his deal. Seems like a maybe, but assumptions tend to go badly around here.

"Hey," she calls, lifting a hand in a little finger-wave. "If you're going to accuse me of being a yaoi mastermind, try and get it over with fast. I have better things to do."

[greatmasterairplane]

Shang Qinghua—now quite drunk—considers this new arrival. Undoubtedly she's from some other nonsense piece of fiction, but she looks like an average—if uncommonly hot and cool—modern Western woman. "Are you a yaoi mastermind?"

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Nope," Janet says, almost cheerfully. "One of the last times I met a guy dressed like you, he laid into me about that, so I'm just trying to head it off at the pass. I'm too busy for that online bullshit."