@szymonmolitoris2
@Oseanman
The orphanage is as busy as always. The barony is prosperous, but it isn't safe. May mortals die every year to the depredations of the spirit beasts, and many of them leave behind young children. So there are new faces every time he visits along with old friends. Li and Bái help out around the orphanage. With their cultivated strength they are able to make repairs in a few hours that would take days or weeks for mortal men if the orphanage could even afford to pay for them. Then they play with the children telling stories and demonstrating cool moves. Li leaves with a renewed sense of purpose, and Bai a strengthened heart.
@wrecksalot
There are a lot of rumors in the sect itself for Jian Ke to gather. There is the marriage of course, but there is also whispers of beasts lurking behind the sealed doors at the top of the mountain. Of icy winds only felt when walking alone at night. And the merchants have rumors from outside the province as well. For one it is just about time for the Count's men to show up to collect the yearly taxes. And there are rumors that one of the eastern sects is building up for an attack.
@alexthealright
The ruins are not too terribly far into the forest. So the spirit beasts are likely to be on the more common side. Spirit wolves are a given, as well amber squirrels and glade deer. But if the disciples are unlucky they might run into a shadow panther or blood hawk. If they're really unlucky even a hive a skull ants. Cae finds himself drawn into stories of increasingly grisly ends that await those who venture into the Ancient Devil forest.
@Jaguar2234
Liu Jin talks with the spirit in his sword. Her name is Petals on a Moonlit Lake, and she says that ages ago she was found by a cultivator who coveted her power. She refused to aid them and in fury they imprisoned her in their sword to capture her power. After the cultivator died the sword passed through several other hands before eventually being buried in the cave where Liu Jin found her.
@SootCube
Gu Jin finds little on the coins themselves. Only scattered references to such artifacts being found around the sect ground going back at least five centuries. They seem to be fairly rare, but are found in clusters. With usually a few dozen being reported before the records are empty for decades. About the spirit beasts their care seems to be relatively close to normal animals, at least in the peasant and soldier realm. They are stronger and usually more agressive than a mortal beast, but still respond in the same ways and eat mostly the same things. Though they enjoy food infused with qi.
@Worm_that_Walks
Sum finds that there are a few dozen outer disciples that look up at them. Partially its because Sum always appear confident and collected knowing exactly what they are doing. Partially its because they were specifically selected by Elder Jiugui for a special mission. Others just think Sum is stronger than them and thus worth following. They cannot be called minions yet, but they do seem inclined to follow Sum's lead when selecting missions and comporting themselves. Something that has gotten more than one of them in trouble with the Inner Disciples. Though none have dared emulate Sum enough to try and steal from an elder.
@KreenWarrior
Zise Ren knows exactly where to find a spirit beast to observe. He makes his way back to the nesting grounds of the granite pheasants where he observes them for a while before finding the silver pheasant. It is a majestic creature that stands out from its fellows with its plume and glistening wings. While Zise watches he sees it drive off a wolf that tried to prey on the flock as well as a dozen lesser predators.
@HousePet
@CedeTheBees
Pan Tingfeng and Gna Jia help in the kitchens as much as they are able. They find it a busy place as disciples, including themselves, are constantly running back and forth with stacks of ingredients and finished meals. The central feature of the kitchens are the massive rice pots that take up most of the space. Each one is three stories tall and covered in formations of fire and preservation. They are constantly bubbling preparing spirit grains for the thousands upon thousands of sect members. Elder Zhang is also a common sight as he shouts instructions to the inner disciples chefs and prepares dozens of amazingly delicious meals at once.
@fluxeal
Xīng manages to drum up a little interest for a fighting ring before he is distracted by a shapely merchant's daughter. Unfortunately she just laughs at his confession as she is already seeing the son of an artisan with quite the promising career. Being rejected for a mortal is a devestating blow and Xing spends the next few days writing desolated poetry.
@LordEdric
Ding Dong spends some time working on his forging technique. He studies the armor he got from Elder Cheng and attempts to copy it using the newly established forging hall. Unfortunately he lacks the resources to do more than more a few test plates, but he thinks he's starting to see the shape of how things come together.
@DiscordOxymoron
Changjian Meinu's experiments with water and swordmanship pay off. She is able to coat her blade with water and sharpen it to razor's edge which she can then extend even past her sword's length. She has trouble maintaining it, and she definitely can't send a blade of water through the air with a wave of her sword as she's seen some of the inner disciples do. But it's a start.
+1 Insight Path of the Piercing Blade
@Guest99
Jiang Chen practices with the new sword and armor, but even watching the senior disciples on the training ground he has trouble grasping all the subtleties of the Red Dew School sect. It is a sprawling jumble of different technique that flow into each other into ways that are often oddly unintuitive. He'll have to work at it some more, though what he does know allows him to quickly incorporate the sword into his attacks and become more confident with the armor to protect him.
@Uber_Fail_Dinesh
Hong Xing has much the same problem. The Red Dew School is deceptively complicated. Each technique looks simple of the surface, and indeed he can already grasp many of them, but learning how they transition into each other is an altogether different matter. He watched one senior disciple fight a dozen outer disciple, each one armed with a different weapon, bare handed. The senior disciple flowed from form to form like water and switched between stances as easily as breathing. In the end the outer disciples were not able to leave even a single scratch. A feat that Hong Xing hopes to emulate one day.
@SeptimusMagisto
@Synergy
Jin Mei sits at the bottom of her well peering into the inky depths. From her secluded spot she is able to see dim images in the waters of fields and forests. Ripples pass through the water and when the water is still once more she sees a lonely mountain piercing the sky as a crow cries. She can see image after image, but she does not recognize them. Are they real? The past, the present, or the future? She doesn't know. While Jin Mei is contemplating these matters she is interrupted by a splash as Jang Hui drops into the well. The other girl asks what she is doing and after considering the prospect of divination joins in on peering into the inky waters trying to see something useful.
@LinkOnScepter
Hawk is another of those on the training fields with his new sword. He practices his swings and parries, but unlike some of his fellow disciples he does not practice alone. Instead the young cultivator finds a group of fellow disciples also working on their techniques and sets up an impromptu training session. Together the dozen or disciples spar and exchange pointers. It is a useful way to spend the days and even fun.
@Froggo Fantastic
There are not many that examine the logistics of the sect and more often than not Wanwuyishi finds himself among the mortals who make up most of the sects basic workers. He asks them questions and most are glad to discuss their lives with an interested cultivator. The sect manages multiple mines, dozens of herb gardens, and hundreds of farms. All are worked by mortals who toil to reap the harvest of the land. These reach the sect in great carts guarded by trusted disciples and are sorted into the sects many storehouses. From there they are usually given to the refiners in Roaring Furnace city who create pills and elixirs for the sect in exchange for a cut of the final product. Though Wanwuyishi does note that the refiners do seem to have struck some deal with the sect elders and are moving into the sect itself. The final product of all this are the body tempering elixirs and pure essence pills that are distributed to the disciples of the sect. They sect does not seem to have much trade out of the province as far as Wanwuyishi can tell.
@Shadowolf235
Daiki is another of those who are attempting to consolidate their understanding of the Red Dew School. Unlike the others Daiki does not try to study entirely on his own, but entreats one of his seniors for aid. Amused the senior deigns to give Daiki some training. It is not quite what he expected. Instead of having him run laps, train with weights, or even do sword forms the senior instruct Daiki in a series of stretches to improve the reach and strength of his joints. The senior disciple advises Daiki that the Red Dew School requires abrupt changes in stance and form, and that his body will need to be flexible to change into wildly varying stances in an instant.
@Epic Bygones
Wu Ji Nin is fortunate enough to find one of the couriers that have recently been hired by the sect elders to connect the towns together. The messenger agrees to accept a package and letter from an honorable disciple and promises that it will be delivered to Wu Ji Nin's village. Some time later he receives a letter containing his mother's response thanking him for the silver and filled with gossip on the latest happenings in the village. It seems that life has good for them and with Wu Ji Nin's contribution they are thinking of expanding the fields.
One day he finds a simple note in his room. "You are interested in the workings of the world and devoted to your ancestors even as you shed your mortality. This is pleasing to me. You may ask two questions." It is unsigned, but has a sunflower drawn in the corner.
@LawsOfRobotics
Bai Kouta finds a group of like minded disciples who are eager to begin crafting their own treasured artifacts. They discuss the refurbishment of the refining hall and how they might be able to use the new equipment for their own crafts and what the sect might want in return. They are less certain of how to sell their works to their fellow disciples. Several different ideas are proposed, but there is no obvious best answer. They can only try them all and see which one works best.
@_Plague Doctor_
For Riyadh the next few days pass like weeks as he manages to extend his perception of time to its utmost. The sect seems to move him around him in slow motion. He watches the falling of a drops of dew from blades of grasp and the flight of insects that are usually too fast for him to even perceive. In fact he's fairly certain some of them have some qi.
@Vanestus
The market is bustling. Dozens of merchants have set up their stalls to sell wares to the disciples from furniture to jewelry to books of fiction. Pride of place is given to a trio of grand tents where the merchants of Hai Fong trading company deal in actual cultivator materials. Whereas the rest of the market accepts silver in return for mortal goods in the tents only spirit stones are allowed and in exchange disciples are presented with wondrous natural treasures and rows of precious herbs. There is even a small corral out the back that houses a handful of spirit beasts. Liao Chuanli is only browsing at the moment, but he spots many of his seniors who are actively making trades now that the merchants have become so conveniently located.
@rush99999
Hanyi Huoshui drinks and drinks and drinks. His gourd is unending and he spends his time in a pleasant haze of liquor. Fortunately he is a cultivator so the hangovers are easily cured with a bit of exercise at worst and much more alcohol at best.
@Floom
Once she's at Split Log town Wuyin realizes why the mountain isn't marked on any maps. The entire area is littered with low mountains and hills that blur the lines of topography. The locals are eager enough to share stories though. They call it orange mountain for the color of the rocks and claim it is haunted by winged spirits that visit terrible death on any intruder. It is said that daring souls can find gemstones and gold there that will set them up for life, but any who linger beyond the fall of night forfeit their souls.
+1 Insight Path of Cartography
@Abyssius
There are many charcoal burners in roaring furnace city. They live downwind from the rest of the city nestled right up against the walls. And their entire neighborhood is covered in thick layers of soot and ash. They are surprised to see an outsider interested in their work, but welcome him with what hospitality they can. In return Liang helps bury the bundles of wood and check on the burning charcoal. It is hot brutal work, or at least it would be for a mortal. It's only mildly uncomfortable for Liang. He doesn't learn anything particularly insightful, but he gains a solid understanding of how to make charcoal that can probably be applied to more spiritual woods.
@Bylba
Liquor is easily acquired. Including a number of bottles of the famed Red Dew. It's not quite as effective on him now that he's a cultivator, but drinking it is still a pleasant experience. He's heard rumors of other liquors in the sect though. Bottles of powerful stuff brewed for cultivators with exotic flavors and potency that would kill a mortal.
@SoixanteZio
Most of the plants around the sect are just regular mortal plants. They have their uses, especially in mortal medicine, but they aren't typically potent enough to be useful for a cultivator. Still Kang Shui takes detailed notes. It might after all be possible to infuse even these basic plants with qi. It would be interesting to see if they became more potent as spiritual herbs, or if their uses entirely changed.
@MrRageQuit
The sect has many libraries. Some are carefully managed archives of cultivation knowledge and others are simply cabinets full of mortal texts. These are generally regarded as not very valuable, but knowledge is knowledge. Song Zhili acquires a stack of manuscripts and locks himself in his room to study everything he can get his hands on. The history of the sect, alchemy, even what few texts are available on the wider empire. It is eye opening. To find out how vast the empire is compared to the sect's lands. How much larger the world is than what mortals typically deal with. And how much knowledge is available even here in the Red Dew Sect.
@digital2
Feng Shou trains with the sword to an incessant degree. He runs and jumps. He slashes and thrusts. He drills himself relentlessly with the goal of being the fastest and most deadly swordsman in the sect. It is a daunting prospect as his seniors are by faster than he is, but every path starts somewhere. And Feng Shou knows that his chosen goal will take an exceptional amount of work on his part.
@moon-llama
There aren't a lot of texts on spirit beasts transforming into humans. It isn't the Red Dew sect's specialty and is a fairly rare occurrence. What Luotuo finds is not encouraging. It seems that most spirit beasts gain the ability to transform only after they refine their golden cores, which in human terms would be the realm of Gold Baron. There are only a few texts that record spirit beasts transforming earlier than that and unfortunately they do not come with instructions.
@CoreBrute
Maggot goes searching through the sect and finds and abundant supply of shovels, picks, and sledges with which to go mining. Most of them are only slightly better than mortal equipment with hardened edges to better deal with spiritual ores. Still with the strength of a cultivator's arms behind them they should be able to carve through the earth easily enough.
I think I got everyone, but ping me if I missed you.
