[ ] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
I think we have no reason to disbelieve Shu Yue that we, as a mere Third Realm, are not ready to face the deeper secrets of the god-tree. That's just common sense. There's probably things there that make Madam Gray look like a Teletubby.
I literally don't even remember what we're getting from that Weilu anyways lol.
[ ] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
"Change is violence, that the young Miss wishes to be a kinder cut is pleasing," Shu Yue replied, high, narrow shoulders rising and falling in a shrug. "The swords that split the throats of the old dead world would always need to be buried, one way or another, any other resolution is failure."
"So you expect me to kill you in the end?" Ling Qi said, grimacing as the words spilled out.
Shu Yue's fingers stopped tapping, and their thin lips curved into a smile. "I am not one of those swords, but perhaps, if you come to the conclusion that I am unjust, that your world cannot tolerate my existence."
Ling Qi closed her eyes for a moment. "...Who would I be to judge that?"
"Who are any of us?" Shu Yue said blandly. "Justice lives in the mind alone, it has no existence but what we give it. But, I do not think you came to me for early lessons."
Yue arose from the spirits of the Hui dead beneath the city, and it was the Tree of Xiamen itself that ultimately allowed their rebellion to prosper. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a Deep Danger Liminal realm tied to a Sublime within the tree roots. Ancestors dream as a matter of habit remember.
There's plenty of danger to be found elsewhere at the moment.
First Cai Renxiang and even now Shu Yue wants to lock it in with a vote. Ling Qi gonna enter the Dream and the Dream gonna be like, "Oh, hi. You're new. And you're touched by a Weilu! Would you like to see where they went? Or a hint as to where the Horned Lord went?"
Hyperbole aside, it's such a reasonable request, especially after the last arc. The alternative has to be incredible.
First Cai Renxiang and even now Shu Yue wants to lock it in with a vote. Ling Qi gonna enter the Dream and the Dream gonna be like, "Oh, hi. You're new. And you're touched by a Weilu! Would you like to see where they went? Or a hint as to where the Horned Lord went?"
Hyperbole aside, it's such a reasonable request, especially after the last arc. The alternative has to be incredible.
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
Are we just going to go on a people pleasing spree this arc? Be nice to Diao Hualing, make a promise to Shu Yue, keep a promise to CRX, bring Uncle Skelly a nice story.
Though Shu Yue does bring up a good point about Uncle Skelly. Is what he offering worth it and do we even really want it? Antler memes aside that is.
Not quite being nice to Diao Hualing, so much as being realistic.
Theres a few layers of threat that I'm not sure Qi even realizes she's used, just by stating the facts.
[ ] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
I think we have no reason to disbelieve Shu Yue that we, as a mere Third Realm, are not ready to face the deeper secrets of the god-tree. That's just common sense. There's probably things there that make Madam Gray look like a Teletubby.
I literally don't even remember what we're getting from that Weilu anyways lol.
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
Not listening to an expert who has lived in the area (and out of character knowledge-- likely was shaped there) is exceptionally dangerous and dumb. We just learned that we aren't as safe in the Dream from what goes bump in the night; let's not be stupid.
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
I don't think we were planning on going to the roots of Xiangmen anyways. While I guess something might come up once we're there that would make us want to go, that's speculative. There's no particular reason to conduct ourselves as if expecting that to happen.
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Refuse, you can't give a promise without seeing things yourself (All options remain open)
Eh, we can always just choose not to pick the stupidly dangerous option later, but I don't value a small bit of rep with Shu Yue enough to want to lock us out of certain plot options sight unseen. yrs did say "Removes certain decisions from consideration", not "removes exploration locations," so I don't like the possibilities.
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
Eh, feels worthwhile to keep building relations at the moment.
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
Ling Qi inclined her head. "Well, I have access to some methods of liminal divination, which allowed us to explore her past and heritage somewhat, and during these meditations we discovered something unfortunate."
"I see, something of the present and material I assume, if you bring this to the Ministry of Law," Diao Hualing said shrewdly. "I hope you are aware that such divinations require more concrete proof to make a suit from."
"I don't believe this needs to rise to that level, if you do not wish it too, Lady Diao," Ling Qi said evenly.
Subtext: Hualing here is being very slightly defensive. She has an idea of what might be found down the rabbit hole, and opens with suggesting that such a thing does not merit Ministry action, and should instead be handled through lesser investigators.
Makes you think about Madame Grey not being caught yet.
Just need to be repeatedly filed Not For Action.
"The issue we found is that Su Ling is not unique. It seems that Madam Grey leaves a great many 'gifts' in her range."
The older woman turned to look at her, frowning, and a made 'go on' gesture.
"It is my belief that the creature uses the abandonment and death of these children as a method of sacrificial cultivation," Ling Qi said. It was her strongest card really, the use of humans as reagents for cultivation was utterly proscribed in the Empire, ever since the days of the Twilight King and the Cataclysm, and Emperor An's reforms had seen it cracked down on even more heavily. "I believe, from my divination, that it is some broken, twisted form of the pre-imperial worship in the region."
"That is a very serious accusation, Lady Ling," Diao Hualing said softly. "That something of that sort would be occurring in the lands of the Diao unnoticed."
Qi opens big.
She thinks she's not, but what she said was:
-Pre-imperial cultivation in Diao territory may have links to human sacrifice.
-That human sacrifice cultivation has been ongoing in Diao territory for at least centuries.
-That Qi is aware that the ministry feels strongly enough about such things that they may take action even if evidence standards are not met.
"It is certainly a subtle thing, and public accusations would not solve the problem," Ling Qi said blandly. "It is my hope that by bringing this to you, the problem may be solved without any trouble or censure."
Here, she did not bow her head, but instead looked the older cultivator straight in the eye.
Target number 11+
Roll 66
Five degree success
Diao Hualing looked back, stone faced several long seconds and a soft breeze blew through, scattering petals around them.
Then, very slowly, the woman cracked a smile. "I see, that is generous."
"It is my hope that our relations can be good in the future, and if I may do an ally a favor, while forestalling further tragedy, that can only be good," Ling Qi replied, it was easier than ever to allow her own thoughts and Sixiang to operate in parallel, shaping her words for maximum effect. Diao Hualing was, in her estimation, a mostly mercenary figure, couching things in terms of favors given and owed was best.
"It is a little reaching to ask another party to do your work and call it a favor," Diao Hualing said lightly.
"Lady Diao, my friends are candid with me, I know what you offered to Su Ling. If you have an interest in that bloodline, I have very much given you an excuse to get it, and one your opponents might be hard pressed to fight. As long as the children are well cared for, and not dying in the cold, I am pleased enough," Ling Qi said, holding her gaze. "Though, I will admit ignorance to what your goals are."
You can see her unclench here.
The subtext is that Qi knows the relation between Diao and Foxes, but that she does not care and will be discreet about it.
"You'll have to remember them all," She said, squeezing her eyes shut. After a moment, she straightened. "Okay. Okay. Everything went well, we have until sundown now. So let's find Shu Yue, and…"
Ling Qi felt the hairs on her neck rise, a crawling sensation skittering up her spine.
She kept her gaze straight ahead for a few long seconds and then turned around and bowed to the looming figure standing behind. Shu Yue looked much as they had last time. Their androgynous face gazing impassively down from the shadows that gathered about them like a cloak. They were deeply unsettling still, limbs too long, fingers too long, posture subtly wrong, like the bones were not all in the right places.
"I am here to assist you," they said with a shrug. "My Master knows everything you spoke of, does it matter that I do?"
"It's hard for me to wrap my head around," Ling Qi said.
"Change is violence, that the young Miss wishes to be a kinder cut is pleasing," Shu Yue replied, high, narrow shoulders rising and falling in a shrug. "The swords that split the throats of the old dead world would always need to be buried, one way or another, any other resolution is failure."
Ling Qi closed her eyes for a moment. "...Who would I be to judge that?"
"Who are any of us?" Shu Yue said blandly. "Justice lives in the mind alone, it has no existence but what we give it. But, I do not think you came to me for early lessons."
"...No, I recently encountered some dangerous spirits. I just wanted to ask you to check my cultivation for signs of deviation or possession," Ling Qi said, not quite able to hold Shu Yue's dark gaze.
"Understandable," said Shu Yue. "That would explain what I see."
"There is something then?" Ling Qi asked.
"Not… possession, but there is a touch of something, beyond the ice you welcomed in," Shu Yue said simply. "It does not command, but it may change you. Is what you look to gain worth the risk?"
Ling Qi didn't reply right away, she didn't want to give herself away too much. The old thief wasn't making any direct moves yet, but she did know that sometimes you had to spend more time putting a mark at ease.
An important part of being a high level cultivator seems to be the ability to cultivate some degree of wilful ignorance, lest they be dragged into every possible matter.
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
I'm pretty sure we'd find danger in the leaves just fine, not just the roots.
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
[X] Give the promise, there is surely enough to explore among the eaves (Removes certain decisions from consideration in the upcoming arc, pleases Shu Yue)
