The Nethermancer's Requiem
With the crisis behind you, Liangyu seems to have something to discuss. Go find out what it is when you have a moment. You may soon be seeing that Nethermancer who worked alongside you at the Manifold Sanctum.
Talk to Liangyu
Liangyu: It's been some time, Rover. I trust you've been well?
Rover:
Liangyu: I have recovered. Yangyang was with me in the last battle, and we made a good team. A few close calls, but we came through unharmed.
Liangyu: But on to pressing matters. Granny Yanshu asked me to pass you a message. She said, "Jing is back. Do you want to see him?"
Rover:
Liangyu: The Paragon's report to the Ministry of War mentioned a Nethermancer who has been a great help... That must've been him, right?
Rover: Do you know him?
Liangyu: Xianling is a small village. The young ones grow up together. You cannot help but know each other.
Head to Yanshu's home and ask after Jingran
Yanshu: Ah, you came. Jing just stopped by to see me.
Yanshu: Hard to say what that boy's been doing all these years. But the Ministry of War sent him an official commendation.
Rover:
Yanshu: Oh... Not the best. But he flashed that sly grin of his when he saw me.
Yanshu: Back when Sandao and I took him in, he was like a stray cat. Just fire in his belly and wild to the bone.
Yanshu: Didn't happen overnight, but he simmered down eventually. No more talk about Mengzhou. No more talk about throwing his life away for his parents.
Rover:
Yanshu: Ah, I've said too much. Happens with age. You'd best ask him yourself. He's out in the field by the woods nearby.
Rover: Perfect. I have something to return to him anyway.
Yanshu: Here, take this to him, please. Before he vanishes again. He's always had a sweet tooth for these.
Rover: (I still have Jingran's Qingfu pendant. It's time to return it.)
Abby: Hey, what's that ya got? Smells kinda scrumptious.
Rover: This is for someone else. Don't you be getting any ideas.
Abby: (Aww—what crummy luck!)
Go meet Jingran
Jingran: ...
Jingran: Hmph. Well, look who's here. Was gonna find you once I wrap things up.
Rover: Jingran, your eye...
Jingran: Huh? Oh, been stayin' up late. Readin' too much. Nothing Huaxu's miracle eyedrops won't fix, though.
Rover:
Jingran: It's nothing, just told "Mimi" to collect a little extra this time. Not the first time, won't be last. It'll pass.
Mimi?: The boy runs his mouth. If I hadn't jumped in, you'd be down there playing cards with your Shifu already.
Jingran: Heh, the old lady must've roped you into this. Thanks.
Jingran: You probably guessed already. This is that old score I told ya 'bout. The one I got with Muyu.
Rover: This is where your...
Jingran: Relax, they're empty.
Jingran: Couple decades back, Mengzhou had a real bad day. Some of the Atelier's Bladepuppets went haywire. Killed a bunch of folks. Two of 'em were Artisans. My parents.
Jingran: After that? No family. Nothin'. Ended up on the street. Then Shifu found me, dragged me back here to Xuanfang.
Jingran: Back then, all I wanted was to sneak into Mengzhou and cut the guts out of whoever did it. But he knocked me around, set me straight. Then he brought me here. Had me build these two graves. Empty ones.
Jingran: Said, "Kid, worry about moving forward first. You can settle scores when you're older." Ever since, whenever I start to lose my cool, I come here. Just... sit.
Jingran: A few years later, I went back to Mengzhou to dig into what happened. The patrol records proved it—those Bladepuppets had Reverberation marks on 'em.
Jingran: So I followed that thread... and it led me right to Muyu.
Jingran: Guess I can finally tell my folks it's settled. Shame I can't give Shifu a proper thank-you. Face-to-face, I mean.
Rover:
Jingran: The old coot made me promise that when he kicks it, no grave, no marker, no nothing. Tch, live clean, die clean. He locked himself away in some Mirage Realm, lamp and all.
Rover: Jingran, I think it's time... to give you this back.
Jingran: Nah, keep it. Call it a souvenir. Thing ain't worth much, and the Resonance Energy stuck to it just burnt out anyway.
Jingran: I mean, I could charge it up for ya. Maybe... three months. Tops.
Rover: Knock off throwing your life away, would you?
Jingran: Ain't many things in this world I give a crap about. But I gotta say, lately... I've finally met someone interesting.
Rover: Looks like the great Nethermancer, the "Cat of the Nether Lamp" himself didn't find any treasure this time. Just ended up losing a trinket.
Jingran: Don't count my losses yet. I never do a bad deal.
Mimi?: Hmph.
Jingran: ...Already down to my last.
Rover: Are those... Reverberations?
Jingran: They used to be people.
???: ...Must survive... The truth is within reach...
???: There is still a chance... My path does not end here...
Jingran: Whoa there. And where d'you think you're slitherin' off to—
Jingran: Former Helmsmaster of the Jianshui Branch, Muyu?
Muyu: Traitor... How did you find me?
Jingran: Think I read about this in some old storybook. The old "sacrifice the body, save the spirit" trick?
Jingran: You let someone cut you loose from your old shell, then slipped away in the chaos. Clever. Real clever.
Jingran: But you went and bent your psyche into a Reverberation. You really think I couldn't track that? 'S kinda what I do.
Muyu: I admit defeat... That core contains data on the Sentinel. Its worth is incalculable...
Muyu: It could be yours... For Nethermancers... No, for Xuanfang, it would mean everything...
Muyu: All I need is time... Just give me a little more time... and the Sentinel's secret will be laid bare...
Jingran: Two things you got wrong. First? You got nothing to bargain with. Second? Yeah, this thing's nice, but it ain't that nice... not to me.
Jingran: Hey, remember that Bladepuppet incident in Mengzhou... what, ten, fifteen years back?
Muyu: Bladepuppet incident... what was that? I... do not recall...
Jingran: Tch. Amazing the things you big shots forget. Or did your "escape by execution" stunt scramble your brains?
Muyu: ...Just who are you?
Jingran: Forget it, then. Don't matter.
Jingran: But you'll remember this. The one who ends you... was just an ordinary peasant from Xuanfang.
Muyu: ...Humanity... could have been... perfect...
Jingran: You stopped being human a long time ago. Where's the perfect in that?
Jingran: ...Why didn't you stop me? Coulda squeezed him for more info, if you'd wanted.
Qiuyuan: Matters of revenge, only the wronged can decide.
Qiuyuan: Besides... his corpse is not without use.
Jingran: Here. You lot'll put it to better use than me.
Suspicious Artisan: What's taking so long... Why isn't the contact here yet? Could the former Helmsmaster's arrangements have gone wrong...?
Calm Artisan: Don't lose your head. If something has changed, we will simply report to headquarters ourselves.
???: Aw, didn't see me here?
Calm Artisan: You're the contact for the Zhijiang Branch?
Yinlin: Spare me the little tricks. You were waiting for the Jianshui Branch. What, do I not look the part?
Suspicious Artisan: Uh... "Windingflow Vessel"?
Yinlin: "Hundredfold Assemblage."
Calm Artisan: Pardon our disrespect. You came at the right time. We have the former Helmsmaster's manuscripts from his time in Xuanfang, and a recent secret letter.
Yinlin: Top-notch work, fellas. The Grand Helm will definitely know your names after this. No time to waste, you'll be coming with me. Except...
Yinlin: I'm afraid I'll have to restrain you. Just a little.
Calm Artisan: Why you—?!
Yinlin: Shh. For your own sake, I recommend you save your breath.
Yinlin: Ah... Lady Suoming. What brings you to Xuanfang?
Suoming: So, you are the Jinzhou Patroller seconded to Mengzhou?
Suoming: Don't misunderstand. I'm not here for the Atelier's affairs.
Yinlin: The Ministry of Sentinel Affairs governs the Sentinel's business. You being here... Could it be—
Suoming: You already know all you need to know. Take care.
Yinlin: See you around, Rover... If we're lucky.