To be fair, that doesn't mean a spirit can't learn to do the same thing, and use it's own codification to imitate other spirits, or humans', abilities.
Zhengui would probably need to hit high Green to be able to make his own Arts, since there's obviously no convenient library of arts made for his use around (though the Xian clan probably has some, getting them would be difficult right now).
Or he needs to get his own Spirit Patron to feed him quests and arts rewards, like the Moon does to Ling Qi.
To be fair, that doesn't mean a spirit can't learn to do the same thing, and use it's own codification to imitate other spirits, or humans', abilities.
No, that's exactly what it means. Spirits aren't humans. They are significantly more limited than even the more spirit-like cultivators. A spirit can't learn outside of its 'Domain', which is defined by the type of spirit it is rather than their individuality (because they don't have human individuality). If they could learn Arts then they wouldn't be spirits, they'd be people. Spirit/human isn't a set of two separate mostly identical tracks. They're plainly different types of creature.
That's the general rule, as taught by Imperial canon. Obviously Imperial canon has holes and deliberate obfuscations (a big thing about cultivation going forward from here is going to be about rule-breaking and redefining lines) but anything that breaks that rule isn't doing it casually like you're suggesting (and mere high Green is pretty casual—young adults). Anything that's outside of that norm is going to be unusual, weird, and narratively significant.
The only time a spirit becomes more human-like is in interacting with humans. That's where Zhengui got his stealth. But that didn't happen because he read a book or jade slip to learn an art, that happened because Ling Qi hatched and raised him, and hiding is a significant part of her character that bled through during his fundamental and literal infancy.
Something that better our mental defence as we learn the secrets of our enemies under the hidden moon.
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle" Sun Tzu, the Art of war (thanks Google ~(˘▾˘~) )
Adhoc vote count started by Arthelys on Jan 12, 2019 at 9:03 PM, finished with 114 posts and 98 votes.
