The cleansing wand was already explained, but regarding the studs: that is basically a formality, but i feel that it still matters to have it.
Like, in theory the equipment is supposed to be decided by a vote, but it would be silly for LQ to not wear them for weeks until we have the turn vote so in practice the switch happened when we got the new talisman. Still, i consider it good practice to still vote for it at the next turn plan. It also gives people the opportunity to say that they would rather have switched out the hairpiece instead (obviously the inventory would get edited in that case).
It's an interesting little reminder that Ling Qi always assumes that she simply feels "less" than others in a manner similar to how CRX attempts to be "above" those emotions both of whom are doing so out of some belief that distance from ones own feelings is some measure of impartiality or strength. In Ling Qi's case allowing her to avoid the pain she felt growing up and the psychological issues her Mother accidentally but never the less gave her with regards to emotional and physical intimacy with others. And for CRX it is the idea that emotional responses are vectors of corruption that pervert the ideals of Fairness and Justice which are the foundation of what she believes is the world view that Shenhua intends for her to perpetuate.
Ling Qi has previously always been on the side that she feels more than others, not less. In fact, in this specific instance the running theme isn't that Ling Qi is feeling less than others, but that Sixiang is once again having spirit-colored view of feelings, because for Sixiang as a muse emulation of feelings were all they knew of feelings until they were bound to Ling Qi (and when she got more of that, they almost decided to kill themselves).
The reason that Ling Qi believes she isn't feeling true grief is that she has, previously, felt enormously about things, and that she is capable of great empathy with people who are currently feeling enormously about things. She could literally feel the emotions of people earlier on about what's going on, so she knows that on the scale of grief she is currently not having a breakdown or that she isn't currently heavily impacted.
She's just saying to Sixiang that what she is doing is paying her respects rather than overwhelming grief, and Sixiang is having trouble differentiating the two, that's all.
Ling Qi has previously always been on the side that she feels more than others, not less. In fact, in this specific instance the running theme isn't that Ling Qi is feeling less than others, but that Sixiang is once again having spirit-colored view of feelings, because for Sixiang as a muse emulation of feelings were all they knew of feelings until they were bound to Ling Qi (and when she got more of that, they almost decided to kill themselves).
The reason that Ling Qi believes she isn't feeling true grief is that she has, previously, felt enormously about things, and that she is capable of great empathy with people who are currently feeling enormously about things. She could literally feel the emotions of people earlier on about what's going on, so she knows that on the scale of grief she is currently not having a breakdown or that she isn't currently heavily impacted.
She's just saying to Sixiang that what she is doing is paying her respects rather than overwhelming grief, and Sixiang is having trouble differentiating the two, that's all.
...At the same time, Ling Qi may be grieving. Even if it's subdued. Even if it's not as much raw grief as those that are closer to him would have felt.
Sixiang's ability to model our meridan network seems pretty interesting. I wonder if they would be able to accurately model other aspects of reality? Like if we had snuck through a mansion if they would be able to model the mansion for our soldiers can have a visual picture of where to go and what to do. Or modeling other inanimate objects for scouting purposes, or artistry purposes.
Seems like a cool expression of her inherent moldability and just how little physical reality means to her as a muse.
For someone that grew a third of their life on the streets and developed a sense of paranoia and discomfort with physical closeness. I'm surprised we never got a scene with Ling Qi wrestling with the idea of storing spirits in her dantien.
Not only are they inside her, but they also can intrude and feel her thoughts while usually sitting in the back of her stomach watching everything she does. Unless Ling Qi is routinely kicking everyone out whenever she goes to the bathroom.
Zhengui I can see her being more comfortable because he's an adorable turtle-snek that she's raised but not so much for Sixiang and Hanyi.
Just something I was thinking on during my reread.
For someone that grew a third of their life on the streets and developed a sense of paranoia and discomfort with physical closeness. I'm surprised we never got a scene with Ling Qi wrestling with the idea of storing spirits in her dantien.
Not only are they inside her, but they also can intrude and feel her thoughts while usually sitting in the back of her stomach watching everything she does. Unless Ling Qi is routinely kicking everyone out whenever she goes to the bathroom.
Zhengui I can see her being more comfortable because he's an adorable turtle-snek that she's raised but not so much for Sixiang and Hanyi.
Just something I was thinking on during my reread.
It's a matter of perspectives and what Ling Qi associates things with.
Ling Qi never encountered spirits in her life on the streets, and the idea of having spirits inside of herself is so out there in terms of her personal expectations that she doesn't associate that with physical closeness. However, LQ learned about putting spirits in your dantian in cultivation class.
Thus, the idea of spirits being inside her is mentally filed under "Cultivation Things" rather then "Physical Closeness Things." And Ling Qi loves cultivation, but fears physical closeness. However, a quirk of her mental filing system and experiences results in her spirit bonds not registering as the latter. As such, she loves spirit bonds, and the fact that spirit bonds "should" trigger her intimacy issues under one mental paradigm does not matter, because Ling Qi operates under the Ling Qi mental paradigm, and that one is it's own thing.
The answer to that according to a WoG is rarely and even more rarely as you progress in cultivation. Iicr, by Cyan your body is completely transformed so at that point, its not a thing.
The answer to that according to a WoG is rarely and even more rarely as you progress in cultivation. Iicr, by Cyan your body is completely transformed so at that point, its not a thing.
Huh. Golds obviously still need to execute most mundane bodily functions, and with relatively high frequency in comparison to higher realms, but could it still be necessary at Silver or even Bronze? Pretty sure I haven't seen WoG on that.
166x2.65=439 Successesmean: 507.21 standard deviation: 34.78
637/400 Second Circle Achieved
237/500 Third Circle
Passive Effects:
+20 to Resist
+10 to Spiritual Armor
+15 to Health
+5 to Music
Burning Hearth, Winter Wind: C
Upkeep 3
Through the reverberations of this technique, cultivators' Music arts are altered subtly. Manifesting as a faint background support to a song, melody or composition(or enhancing such an effect if already present) the cultivators' art effects are enhanced. Firstly, arts which do not distinguish between ally and enemy gain this feature. Secondly, arts enhanced by this technique are more difficult to dispel. All activated music arts gain one 'shield' charge, when a technique would be dispelled, this shield charge is removed instead. A technique must be reactivated to regain the shield charge. Dispels of A rank or higher adjusted for potency may ignore this effect.
Allies within the effect of the users Lung or Heart arts also receive a bonus to Resist and Resolve.
Frozen Walls, Homely Keep: C
Duration: Long
Focusing their conception of hearth and home upon a single location or themselves, the cultivator calls forth a potent warmth that enwraps allies and a frozen chill that assaults invaders. Effects radiate from the point of origin out to Far range. Allies receive D rank qi regeneration and significant bonuses to Spiritual Avoid and Armor. Enemies suffer D rank qi drain and penalties to Spiritual Hit and Penetration. If the user is the designated point of origin, they receive D rank qi regeneration and a significant increase to Spiritual Armor and Resist.
On a high mountain peak, a soft wind blew, whispering through glittering teeth of hanging ice. Below slept a valley under cover of snow, blanketed in purest white.
Peace, whispered the wind, stirring snow as light as powder. Crystals of ice danced in the air, tracing fanciful shapes to the tune of the groaning ice that capped the valley stream. On worn and weathered bark glittered frost, and clear ice, gleaming elegantly under the moon.
And lo, there was winter's maiden, dark hair stark among the pale snow. Her voice the tinkling of bells and the song of the winter wind. Amid the swirling snow she danced, her voice raised in song, soft and light as the winter breeze blowing amongst the boughs.
Under the moon, the frozen river was her stage. Delicate feet danced soundlessly upon groaning ice, and the maiden twirled her soft voicing echoing like the ringing of bells from ice laden boughs. Ice clad trunks swayed in the cold winter wind as the maiden danced among phantoms of blowing snow.
Peace, whispered the wind, and all the land was quiet, save the maidens song.
Ling Qi clapped politely as Hanyi's song wound down, and the phantom of a peaceful winter night faded from her thoughts. Of course, with how much time Hanyi had spent practicing in this grove, you could hardly tell that it wasn't the dead of winter in truth. Frost dusted the withered grass, and gleaming icicles hung from branches which still held leaves, glistening and frozen. Hanyi stood atop a crude stage formed of a frozen tree stump, flowers of pale blue ice blooming around her feet.
"So, what do you think?" Hanyi asked brightly, hopping down from her stump. "I don't think the last verse is really ready yet, but the rest was good right?"
"It was beautiful Hanyi," Ling Qi said without condescension. Hanyi was not quite as good as her on pure technical skill, but she could feel that Hanyi had been putting her all into it. "I'm surprised at your theme though."
Something so bright and whimsical seemed an odd thing to make for her main piece.
Hanyi twisted a strand of her hair between her fingers. "Well, there's no point in just copying. You and Momma's songs are always so…"
Ling Qi frowned and Hanyi trailed off uncomfortably.
"It's fine Hanyi. I think Zeqing would be happy that you're branching out. It's just… not the way I'm used to thinking of things," Ling Qi said hastily. "Like I said, your song was very pretty."
"I get it. But, winter is really pretty you know? It's not all gloomy stuff. Its fields of white, glittering as far as you can see, and sledding down the cliffs and listening to the wind and the snow blowing through the ravines," Hanyi said quietly. "It's home, you know? I want people to know how nice it was."
Ling Qi nodded silently, stepping forward to rest her hand on Hanyi's shoulder. "That's fine, great inspiration even," she said encouragingly.
"You miss it though huh?" Sixiang murmured. Their face reflected in the hanging sheets of ice. "Guessing just hopping up to the mountaintops not the same huh?"
"It's not, 'cause Sis' home is down here. Everything is just so noisy, you know, with the bugs and the birds and the people. And it's always so hot. I just miss Momma's peak sometimes," Hanyi huffed. "I just want to make a song about how nice the cold can be."
Ling Qi supposed that perspective could really change even the most fundamental meanings. "So that's what was bothering you," she mused. "And here I was worrying that you were worried about the battle and your wound."
"Huh?" Hanyi asked, blinking. "I mean, it was scary, but it's done now, why would I worry about that?"
Sixiang snickered, and Ling Qi sighed.
Hanyi shifted from foot to foot, not quite meeting her eyes. "I mean, I know I have to help you out Sis, but fighting kinda sucks you know? If your food can fight back, that's no fun at all."
Ling Qi gave Hanyi a searching look, and found that there really was no deception in Hanyi's words. Her thoughts on battle were really that simple. It reminded her that despite her appearance, Hanyi really was a spirit. She really didn't think anything of battle and death, except that she didn't like getting hurt.
"I guess not," Ling Qi said wryly. "You're not much of a hunter huh?"
"Well duh," Hanyi scoffed. " A real lady shouldn't have to traipse around and pick fights like that."
Ling Qi's lips quirked up, and Hanyi's eyes widened.
"Not that Sis isn't a lady!" Hanyi defended quickly. "You're super cool and elegant! It's okay for people to have weird hobbies!"
"I dunno, I think you kind of have a double standard there," Sixiang chuckled. "And elegant? This dork?"
Ling Qi swatted away the wisp of wind that poked her in the side.
"You take that back," Hanyi pouted, glaring up at the ice that reflected Sixiang's visage. "Sis is totally elegant when she tries!"
Somehow, Ling Qi was really feeling attacked here.
"It's fine Hanyi," she said, before Sixiang could goad her again. "Anyway, you were just worried about your song?"
Hanyi nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, it's nothing like what Momma or you perform, so I was kinda nervous. And um…"
"And what?" Ling Qi asked curiously.
"I think I want to try some stuff other than singing," Hanyi said, before waving her hands. "Not now obviously. It's way too late to start something new, but like after this, I want to try out some instruments and stuff."
Ling Qi hummed to herself. "You know that we're going on a journey soon. There probably won't have time to shop around for talismans."
"I know, I'm not dumb." Hanyi said. "But I've been studying! You can get mortal practice stuff super cheap, and I should get at least a little bit of money after this right?"
"I suppose so," Ling Qi allowed. "But when we're traveling we'll have to be careful, alright? No practicing with noisy things if I'm not around to damp the sound."
Sixiang made an extremely fake sounding cough, concealing a word that sounded like it started with an 'M'. Ling Qi ignored them.
"I'll be good," Hanyi said. "But anyway! For the last verse, I wanted your advice Big Sis, I'm stuck on the last verse, and I wanna clean up the rest too, can you and Sixiang help?"
Ling Qi shared a considering look with the muse. While Ling Qi was the better musician, Sixiang was probably better suited to Hanyi's chosen theme.
[] Focus on improving her technical skill with Ling Qi (+Vocals, +Manip for Hanyi, improved reception from Imperial Leaning listeners.)
[] Focus on refining her theme with Sixiang (+Music, +Art, +Presence for Hanyi, improved reception from Weilu leaning listeners.)
Passive Effects:
+25 to Resist
+15 to Spiritual Armor
+15 to Health
+5 to Music
Burning Hearth, Winter Wind: C
Upkeep 3
Through the reverberations of this technique, cultivators' Music arts are altered subtly. Manifesting as a faint background support to a song, melody or composition(or enhancing such an effect if already present) the cultivators' art effects are enhanced. Firstly, arts which do not distinguish between ally and enemy gain this feature. Secondly, arts enhanced by this technique are more difficult to dispel. All activated music arts gain one 'shield' charge, when a technique would be dispelled, this shield charge is removed instead. A technique must be reactivated to regain the shield charge. In addition once per scene the user may use the effect without expending a shield charge to defend any technique. Dispels of A rank or higher adjusted for potency may ignore this effect.
Allies within the effect of the users Lung or Heart arts also receive a bonus to Resist and Resolve.
Frozen Walls, Homely Keep: B
Duration: Long
Focusing their conception of hearth and home upon a single location or themselves, the cultivator calls forth a potent warmth that enwraps allies and a frozen chill that assaults invaders. Effects radiate from the point of origin out to Far range. Allies receive C rank qi regeneration and significant bonuses to Spiritual Avoid and Armor. Enemies suffer D rank qi drain and penalties to Spiritual Hit and Penetration. If the user is the designated point of origin, they receive C rank qi regeneration and a significant increase to Spiritual Armor and Resist.
Hmm. You know, it's a little odd. It feels like a lot of the songs we've seen over the course of the quest tell a sort of story, like what LQ did at that one challenge, with the songbird and the star competition. Sort of like, 'this is our reaction to a scenario', or something like that. Whereas, Hanyi's song seems almost simpler? I guess? I dunno, I'm having a hard time articulating it.
"I suppose so," Ling Qi allowed. "But when we're traveling we'll have to be careful, alright? No practicing with noisy things if I'm not around to damp the sound."
Sixiang made an extremely fake sounding cough, concealing a word that sounded like it started with an 'M'. Ling Qi ignored them.
"I'll be good," Hanyi said. "But anyway! For the last verse, I wanted your advice Big Sis, I'm stuck on the last verse, and I wanna clean up the rest too, can you and Sixiang help?"
I think we should lean into our audience- Weilu are the ones most likely to try a spirit song, and Bao would appreciate being able to target an audience segment better.
I am thinking about going with the imperial listeners for this one. Hanyi singing already is geared towards Weilu listeners, so balancing it out somewhat may be good for Hanyi's singing career. Hanyi seems really invested in this and since there are more imperial than Weilu leaning factions it might be smart to give the imperial's an olive branch.
This was a really nice update. Short, but not, like, uncomfortably so. The word that comes to mind is cozy: it is not long, but it is the correct length for what it is doing, and what it is doing is developing our characters and warming my heart.
This is really good and I am glad you did not shove in more words just to meet some sort of self-imposed requirement of how long a Threads update is "supposed" to be.
This question might be coming a little late, but do we know if Ling Qi binding 3 spirits, and so quickly at that, garnered a particular reaction/made some sort of impression? Judging from her peers it seems somewhat out of the ordinary, but I don't recall this being addressed in the story...
I'd really like us to focus on the main thing here--Hanyi. She's been working so hard for her first performance and some LQ+Hanyi time could do her some good. Actually it could be good for both of them. LQ is more sisterly with Hanyi but as we saw here, the motherly tendencies come out still. Since this is a Hanyi-centric event, why not have our focus be on her and on their relationship??
And as a plus, we may be able to draw in the imperial audience we've been alienating, if only just a bit.
This question might be coming a little late, but do we know if Ling Qi binding 3 spirits, and so quickly at that, garnered a particular reaction/made some sort of impression? Judging from her peers it seems somewhat out of the ordinary, but I don't recall this being addressed in the story...
"You miss it though huh?" Sixiang murmured. Their face reflected in the hanging sheets of ice. "Guessing just hopping up to the mountaintops not the same huh?"
I want to vote for what will make Hanyui's beginning "album" more successfull. She's trying to be a musician who actually earns their money from sharing their music (unlike Ling Qi who guards her song like a dragon). I want her to succeed in this.
So I think this means voting for imperials, since there's more of them and they seem to be richer.
E. Also, that cultivation roll was horrible - almost 70 successes (~13%) less than average.
I am thinking about going with the imperial listeners for this one. Hanyi singing already is geared towards Weilu listeners, so balancing it out somewhat may be good for Hanyi's singing career. Hanyi seems really invested in this and since there are more imperial than Weilu leaning factions it might be smart to give the imperial's an olive branch.
I'm sort of the opposite opinion. Due to being a spirit, Hanyi's music seems to be a dubious sell in the best of cases, so what would be better is to pick the most receptive group and appeal to them as much as possible.
That is to say, the Weilu market is far from cornered, and it'll probably be a difficult uphill slog to get recognition from the Imperials, so our effort is best spent on building up credibility among the Weilu market already most likely to give Hanyi a chance.
