The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)
- Thread starter Vesvius
- Start date
- Original
-
- Tags
- original xianxia cultivation quest
- Location
- Boston
[X] A hound bellowing out a warcry.
[X] A fire burning through the forest.
[X] A hound bellowing out a warcry.
- Location
- England
[X] A bull charging across an open field.
[X] A hound bellowing out a warcry.
Abyssal_light
Lord of the light, within thy abyss
- Location
- Coaltown
[X] A fire burning through the forest.
Apart from anything else given the core of eternal forge this feels appropriate.
Apart from anything else given the core of eternal forge this feels appropriate.
- Location
- US
[X] A fire burning through the forest.
Do you suppose we're also being hit with a Dream technique right now? Do we have an alternate explanation for the dream sequence?
If we take this at face value then there is a dream effect on the villagers that is protecting them somehow.
But I don't think Dream would be naturally protective against Time anam. I think we're dealing with a third unspecified anam, perhaps of a mental or emotional type. There have been guesses about Joy anam, but if the Dreamer is trying to deny the Kukuni resources then I'd guess it was instead some negative emotion. And if the battle is between something with Dream anam and something with a mental type then maybe the Time anam is from the hinted at Natural Wonder effect.
For all we know it's a Horror Kukuni. Removing them might be necessary because fear can be infectious.
If it was a Joy Kukuni and attacking us then the attack shouldn't have immediately felt terrible.
The Cool Heat of the Flame sounds like a dream effect. There's no heat because the flame's not real.
But is the Dreamer speaking in riddles because the other party is watching, because the Dream anam necessitates it, because the Dreamer doesn't think like a human, or just to hide the Dreamer's true intentions?
If we take this at face value then there is a dream effect on the villagers that is protecting them somehow.
But I don't think Dream would be naturally protective against Time anam. I think we're dealing with a third unspecified anam, perhaps of a mental or emotional type. There have been guesses about Joy anam, but if the Dreamer is trying to deny the Kukuni resources then I'd guess it was instead some negative emotion. And if the battle is between something with Dream anam and something with a mental type then maybe the Time anam is from the hinted at Natural Wonder effect.
For all we know it's a Horror Kukuni. Removing them might be necessary because fear can be infectious.
If it was a Joy Kukuni and attacking us then the attack shouldn't have immediately felt terrible.
The Cool Heat of the Flame sounds like a dream effect. There's no heat because the flame's not real.
But is the Dreamer speaking in riddles because the other party is watching, because the Dream anam necessitates it, because the Dreamer doesn't think like a human, or just to hide the Dreamer's true intentions?
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Omegahugger
Inattentive Idiot
While I myself think Dream (or, to name the exact idea I have fallen in love with, Nightmare) is a more likely culprit than Time, there are alternate explanations.
The scene could be taking place outside of time and/or inside a mirrored shard of Zhi's own past. And it almost definitely takes place in between loops, which would be a 'natural' place to find yourself stuck in weird timey-whimey space where linear logic does not apply.
Did Zhi feel Fate anam when he met Sun Yijun? I suppose the worst case is that this anam is the ??? mentioned in the description of the Core of the Eternal Forge.
Chui Dao has been silent whenever there's a powerful kukuni nearby. Though we only have two data points. Meeting one of the technique masters and this situation. So that's atleast something to pay attention to later.
Chui Dao has been silent whenever there's a powerful kukuni nearby. Though we only have two data points. Meeting one of the technique masters and this situation. So that's atleast something to pay attention to later.
Not as such, but Zhi instinctively disliked Yijun after both had formed their cores. It red to me like this was because of their clashing core types partially at least. Both also have very different personalities and didn't get on well with each other too.
[X] A fire burning through the forest.
Deff a Kukni. Not one aligned with time, but more like Fate.
Deff a Kukni. Not one aligned with time, but more like Fate.
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Vesvius
The Wicked God
Yo all! Quick note: you know I love it when you speculate wildly and then comb through every detail of the story searching for hidden meaning. It's one of my favorite things. But sometimes, you take a tact or make an inference I've never even considered. Usually, I'd let it ride and just let the story provide the answers like normal. But considering how bewildering this arc has been to people (this last chapter of it by design), I figured I'd make an edit to at least make one correction and make one thing clear that seems to have been confused due to format and tone.
So, for the record, just wanted to let you know I've made the edit and also state flatly that Not!Zhuan Kun was also the source of the <Emotion>. There aren't two different parties there. Just the one.
Hope that helps, and sorry bout the confusion!
So, for the record, just wanted to let you know I've made the edit and also state flatly that Not!Zhuan Kun was also the source of the <Emotion>. There aren't two different parties there. Just the one.
Hope that helps, and sorry bout the confusion!
- Location
- USA
Here's some thoughts on Not!ZK:
1. Zhi over-committed when capturing the Wavecrown (depleted forces and cost you flexibility)
2. The natural wonders have special abilities -- unclear if this is relevant, it may apply to the specialties of Kun and Daiyu?
3. "You play boldly. If you do not disguise your movements, your intentions become clear." and "If your actions are not properly disguised, then the consequences will find you sooner rather than later."
4. Zhi tried to take the Shivering Rapids, but NotZK countered with the Sunvenom Tribe (NotZK mentions that future games, he will know Zhi values the Rapids, presumably meaning future loops)
5. "You used your Night Lurker to slay a few of my Hatchlings."
6. "I was prepared to lose the Sand Nest." and "It allowed me to gain in power early in the game, certainly. It was… useful. But it could not grow to match my needs. I kept it for as long as I did because moving those Hatchlings would have taken time that was better spent elsewhere. Losing them and the Nest is not ideal, but it is hardly a great loss."
7. "And though [taking the Sand Nest] is inconsequential, it was still unpleasant."
8. "Our game has been enjoyable in its own way," the figure masquerading as my friend states. "I have enjoyed our time. But every piece reaches the end of its usefulness- and some must be cast aside before they can truly be used."
The named entities are the Wavecrown, Shivering Rapids, Sunvenom Tribe, Nightlurker, Hatchlings, and Sand Nest.
The Wavecrown may be the kids in the first loop? As for the Rapids and the Sunvenom Tribe, that might be referring to the kid Zhi was chasing at the end of the first loop, and whatever killed him? (Assuming he died at the end of the first loop.)
The Night Lurker may be Zhi himself, interrogating the weaver? Unclear what the Hatchlings are.
I suspect the Sand Nest is referring to the weaver, since Zhi taking it was "unpleasant" -- possibly referring to the kukui(?) being forced to erase her from the loop?
But it's odd because the kukui seems to view Zhi as having done something to his forces -- not just the weaver herself, but whatever the entity set up to defend her.
So is the Sand Nest the entire village? And the Hatchlings the villagers, or possibly fake entities sprinkled among real villagers?
1. Zhi over-committed when capturing the Wavecrown (depleted forces and cost you flexibility)
2. The natural wonders have special abilities -- unclear if this is relevant, it may apply to the specialties of Kun and Daiyu?
3. "You play boldly. If you do not disguise your movements, your intentions become clear." and "If your actions are not properly disguised, then the consequences will find you sooner rather than later."
4. Zhi tried to take the Shivering Rapids, but NotZK countered with the Sunvenom Tribe (NotZK mentions that future games, he will know Zhi values the Rapids, presumably meaning future loops)
5. "You used your Night Lurker to slay a few of my Hatchlings."
6. "I was prepared to lose the Sand Nest." and "It allowed me to gain in power early in the game, certainly. It was… useful. But it could not grow to match my needs. I kept it for as long as I did because moving those Hatchlings would have taken time that was better spent elsewhere. Losing them and the Nest is not ideal, but it is hardly a great loss."
7. "And though [taking the Sand Nest] is inconsequential, it was still unpleasant."
8. "Our game has been enjoyable in its own way," the figure masquerading as my friend states. "I have enjoyed our time. But every piece reaches the end of its usefulness- and some must be cast aside before they can truly be used."
The named entities are the Wavecrown, Shivering Rapids, Sunvenom Tribe, Nightlurker, Hatchlings, and Sand Nest.
The Wavecrown may be the kids in the first loop? As for the Rapids and the Sunvenom Tribe, that might be referring to the kid Zhi was chasing at the end of the first loop, and whatever killed him? (Assuming he died at the end of the first loop.)
The Night Lurker may be Zhi himself, interrogating the weaver? Unclear what the Hatchlings are.
I suspect the Sand Nest is referring to the weaver, since Zhi taking it was "unpleasant" -- possibly referring to the kukui(?) being forced to erase her from the loop?
But it's odd because the kukui seems to view Zhi as having done something to his forces -- not just the weaver herself, but whatever the entity set up to defend her.
So is the Sand Nest the entire village? And the Hatchlings the villagers, or possibly fake entities sprinkled among real villagers?
- Location
- USA
Hm. Has anyone spotted the edit yet? Let me see...
Nope, the table is still following us. I think we can take this as confirmation that "Zhuan Kunkuni" is a fakeout and we should instead be on the lookout for any mysteriously mobile furniture in the world's most important game of prop hunt.
Obviously it was made from sapient pearwood. We should be careful around it
[X] A fire burning through the forest.
Next loop we should try to be more stealthy
