Kang started at Silver- he was one of the advanced students in Zhou's class. By Thunderdome, GG had caught up and stopped Kang's spear attack with his bare hands. Kang spent what seems like months in breakthrough hell, but is now seemingly equivalent cultivation-wise with GG in that they're both yellow/bronze. But as far as I can tell, GG didn't lock himself in a room for months to focus on breakthrough
Forge of Destiny(Xianxia Quest)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
- Location
- United States of America
Well, before a couple weeks ago I would say that your listing of these two was correct, but recent information has, in my opinion, slanted the scales towards Meizhen as being the stronger of the two.
The last we saw of Sun Liling, in actual conflict at least, was when we were running the heck away from her. At that time, it didn't appear all that obvious if she was in possession of a flying weapon. Now, it is highly likely that Sun does have a flying weapon, but given that her arts produce the spear and armor that she wields, I would not be surprised if a flying weapon was a secondary concern for her. Furthermore, it may be possible that it is traditional Imperial Cultivators who need flying swords in order to progress in traditional domain cultivation, but that the Barbarians of the Western Jungle utilize a different method to do the same thing that Flying swords do. Given that Sun Liling is using Western Jungle arts, the flying sword may be even less of a concern for her.
In addition to that, we know that Meizhen flying sword was fashioned from the Scale of her Aunt's spirit companion, the mother of Cui if I'm remembering correctly. More importantly, though, the Aunt which is considered the hope of the Bai clan, indicating an exceptionally powerful cultivator with the high likelihood of an exceptionally powerful spirit beast. This gift was, presumably, given to Meizhen as a sign of affection and as a reward for doing well in cultivation/dealing with Sun Liling. In contrast, while Sun Liling is doing exceptionally well in cultivation, she is not doing so well in demonstrating Sun dominance and superiority to the rest of the cultivators here. She has consistently ended her conflicts with draws or defeats, with the one victory I can remember is that she was able to force some of her supporters free from Cai's clutches. Not exactly a record worth rewarding.
Finally, there is Meizhen second spirit. While Sun may get a second spirit as well, and I would consider it probable if Meizhen is getting one, I do not think that it will be of the same quality as the spirit that Meizhen acquired. The spirit that Meizhen got was a reward for doing well in cultivation, but also probably as a reward for defeating Sun publically. It came from her grandfather and so is most likely potent for the level that it is at. Contrast that to Sun who, while doing well in cultivation, has not done well in the political maneuverings and in winning highly public fights. I don't see Sun's grandfather rewarding Sun for the results that she has so far achieved. Or if he does, not to the extent that Meizhen's Grandfather has rewarded her.
So, due to Meizhen potentially having a better flying weapon, and more likely to have a better 2nd spirit, I would place Meizhen above Sun Liling at the moment.
Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
Liling had a flying weapon, she just wasn't using it because it'd put a bad taste in her mouth to genuinely have to use her full strength to crush someone considerably weaker and less fortunate than her. She'd still do it, but only after we proved that we were "Worth" putting her full strength into it, which we did after enduring her Dance.
She would have used it if she got a third set of attacks though. As well as genuinely putting her back into her next set of attacks. That she didn't get a third set of attacks is a factor of our ability to break contact and move fast.
She would have used it if she got a third set of attacks though. As well as genuinely putting her back into her next set of attacks. That she didn't get a third set of attacks is a factor of our ability to break contact and move fast.
Arkeus
Crazy cat guy
- Location
- France
We know from WoG that if Sun Liling had caught up to us she would have used a flying weapon on us. Basically, first turn is thrown spear, second turn is flurry attack, third turn is flurry attack + spirit beast, fourth turn is flurry attack + spirit beast + flying swords. She was ramping up our threat level as we were running away.
Anyway, while Meizhen comes from a older and much more powerful house, Sun Liling is the favored and oldest grandaughter of the Sun. She is going to have the best of what the Sun can offer. Meizhen, OTOH, only has casual gifts from her aunts and items she has to get as 'rewards'.
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
He could be pissed and decide to test her, but yeah I think the default state is throwing tons of resources at her to ensure a win against the Bai, since the Sun are all about humiliating the Bai.
I disagree with Kang Zihao's ranking, and I partly disagree with Ji Rong's.
Honestly, KZ's breakthrough hell seems to be his bad luck mostly (the kind that HJ had when breaking through to yellow), he has likely excellent arts and decent resources (being from a count house at least from the capital, and the Empress Bodyguard's son) a spirit beast intrinsically linked to his clan (likely well suited for him, synergistic), and will undergo training from hell with Sun Liling (he's her only relevant supporter other than Ji Rong and Lu Feng).
Ji Rong, on the other hand, we have little hard data on, and the voters in general are prone to fearmongering when he is concerned due to his status as the unofficial "true xianxia protagonist".
What we know: he was a late yellow/silver cultivator a couple of weeks ago, has no spirit beast, has little resources of his own, and will also undergo Liling's training from hell.
That being said, I estimate that Liling will finance him at least partly (he's a promising retainer for the kind of hellhole place that western provinces are), his talent and the training will ensure that he is green/bronze, his art suite is largely unknown, his potential spirit beast even more.
He is potentially dangerous, but he doesn't have a lot of time.
Honestly, KZ's breakthrough hell seems to be his bad luck mostly (the kind that HJ had when breaking through to yellow), he has likely excellent arts and decent resources (being from a count house at least from the capital, and the Empress Bodyguard's son) a spirit beast intrinsically linked to his clan (likely well suited for him, synergistic), and will undergo training from hell with Sun Liling (he's her only relevant supporter other than Ji Rong and Lu Feng).
Ji Rong, on the other hand, we have little hard data on, and the voters in general are prone to fearmongering when he is concerned due to his status as the unofficial "true xianxia protagonist".
What we know: he was a late yellow/silver cultivator a couple of weeks ago, has no spirit beast, has little resources of his own, and will also undergo Liling's training from hell.
That being said, I estimate that Liling will finance him at least partly (he's a promising retainer for the kind of hellhole place that western provinces are), his talent and the training will ensure that he is green/bronze, his art suite is largely unknown, his potential spirit beast even more.
He is potentially dangerous, but he doesn't have a lot of time.
I feel you are underestimating KZ. I mean, yeah, he was stuck in Breakthrough Hell for a rather long time, but it should be noted that precisely because of that he probably had plenty of time to grind up his art suite and skills on the side. It is likely that this means he has accumulated some pretty beefy breakthrough boni. And the potency of his art suite shouldn't be underestimated. His father is the primary bodyguard of the Empress, so the sort of arts he gets from home will be second only to the monster trios, if not equivalent to them. The same goes for resources and spirits.
It is also likely that his problems with Breakthrough weren't because of a lack of talent, but rather because of his messed up mentality that caused him to be caught between conflicting directives of duty. He joined a war against a prime political ally of the Imperial Clan, after all. As well as the demands on his time that came with being a major player in Sun Lilings loosing war. If he was untalented he would have never managed to near-equal the Monster Trio at the start of the year.
I suspect that with the conclusion of the war his mindset will be better than it had been at any point prior to his ambush of Meizhen. He's no longer in conflict with CRX. He can pretend to no longer be allied to Sun Liling if he feels her conduct during the war was unbecoming. It will be only him, the tournament, and a second shot to take Meizhen, an enemy of the Empress, down. He will also no longer have the time constraints of the war holding him back. This means his cultivation should significantly speed up again. He might get additional resources from his clan since every other high noble seems to have chipped something in in preperation for the tournament.
I don't think treating him as a non-threat to Ling Qi is a good idea, he will most likely be in her tier.
Han Jian Interlude
It was still a little hard to match the two images in his head. Han Jian thought wryly as he watched her leave, a fading dot of black in the clear blue sky. The awkward, wary mortal who had approached him at orientation, with all the poise of an often kicked cat, was hard to reconcile with the current Ling Qi. She was fully third realm now, and wasn't that a fright. Fighting her had been a nightmare even when she was a second realm. He wasn't confident in his chances now, especially if her absurd good luck had been holding.
'Shameful," Heijin's haughty voice floated in the back of his thoughts. He could practically see the imperious look on the tigers face, despite the fact that he didn't even bother to materialize.
"Don't you start fuzzball," he said with a snort, driving the wooden tip of his practice sword into the ground. "I can be honest in my own thoughts, at least." The best way to deal with the uppity kitten, and he was still that, no matter his growth, was to treat him like the brat he was. That had been his mistake at the beginning of the year, his instinct to be conciliatory betraying him. "Or should I tell her you wanted to have a spar?"
"...The Cold One is formidable," Heijin allowed. "So why do you strengthen her further?"
"Because access to the Mirror benefits me more than the Storm does her, I think," he replied, looking down. "If I can master all three, well, next year should be assured. Taking a step on Sect master Yuan's path will help me forge the ties my Father wants here, won't it?" And because in the end he still felt like she was a friend.
"Hmph, shameful was correct, you have given up," Heijin replied coldly, and Han Jian felt the tigers displeasure as a churning in his dantian. He grimaced at the discomfort. Heijin was at the peak of second realm, and would likely break through in time for the tournament. Luckily, his families Dust King Meditations allowed one to hold a spirit in the third realm, if at inflated costs. It was making him arrogant again though.
"There are only so many places," he said quietly as much to himself as the cub. '...And Xiulan needs it more.' He added, a silent thought that could only be heard by his spirit companion.
He could feel Heijin's discomfort, the cub liked her, but he knew he was betraying his family in a small way, putting her needs over his own. He looked down as the memory of her tears, and then her anger returned to his thoughts. He could at least do this, try to help her one more time. He wouldn't lose anything irretrievable if he held off for one year. Hopefully it could make up for hurting her the way he had.
He was betraying Fan Yu too, even if he was sure that was for the best in the end. There could be no happiness there, or even contentment. If he repeated it to himself often enough, he might even believe that was really his reasoning.
He wished things between the Gu and the Han were simpler, that his silly childish promise wasn't impossible, because his Grandfather would never give the Gu another lever of power, not when they were already testing the limits of a viscount house's power. For once, he was happy for the scrutiny of the Guo, preventing Grandfather from moving to cement his authority further.
He heard the thump of flesh on metal and looked up to meet his cousins eyes, the taller boy grinned at him and motioned with his hands. 'The trade went well?'
"It did," He said, smiling back. It was so easy to put on an expression he wasn't feeling that he didn't even notice doing it anymore, for the most part. "We'll be able to Master the first step of the Argent Way now. You'll definitely get a spot in next years tourney." Between them, they knew that Han Fang would not make the cut this year, the competition was simply too much.
The other boys beamed at him, proud to be praised though. It just made Han Jian feel another twist in his gut. It was all too easy to remember a scrawny servant boy, barely more than a mortal getting his throat cut for trying to 'protect the young master', from an assassin's blade, even after the the actual guards had fallen. It had given him the last crucial seconds needed for his father to arrive and scour the flesh from the villain's bones though.
What a useless thing he had been, just a few years ago. A lazy spoiled child who didn't even bother to understand the mountains of effort that went into maintaining his family's position in the clan. At least he had gotten Fang an adoption into the family for his deed. He knew Fang wouldn't approve of his resolve to not stand in Xiulan's way if it came down to it. His adopted cousin was always a firm proponent of putting himself first. Han Jian could not fault him for that. even now he was being selfish, doing what he wanted rather than what he should.
'You're troubled,' Fang signed, shooting him a shrewd look. 'Was the cost so high?'
"Hardly, Ling Qi isn't the type to bargain hard," he replied, waving dismissively. "No, just contemplating the vagaries of fortune."
His cousin clapped him on the shoulder and grinned, signing with his other hand. 'Considering our poor timing then? That is a fair thing."
"Yeah," Han Jian laughed. "This really is an absurd year. At least father will be happy with all the high profile clan heads at the tournament."
'Lord Jing will make many deals,' Fang agreed with a nod. 'Will we continue practicing our weapon arts then?'
"No, we'll drop the old stuff for now. I want to get started on mastering the Mirror further," Han Jian replied, even if he wasn't going to make it… he refused to give a poor showing. He still had that much pride at least.
'Shameful," Heijin's haughty voice floated in the back of his thoughts. He could practically see the imperious look on the tigers face, despite the fact that he didn't even bother to materialize.
"Don't you start fuzzball," he said with a snort, driving the wooden tip of his practice sword into the ground. "I can be honest in my own thoughts, at least." The best way to deal with the uppity kitten, and he was still that, no matter his growth, was to treat him like the brat he was. That had been his mistake at the beginning of the year, his instinct to be conciliatory betraying him. "Or should I tell her you wanted to have a spar?"
"...The Cold One is formidable," Heijin allowed. "So why do you strengthen her further?"
"Because access to the Mirror benefits me more than the Storm does her, I think," he replied, looking down. "If I can master all three, well, next year should be assured. Taking a step on Sect master Yuan's path will help me forge the ties my Father wants here, won't it?" And because in the end he still felt like she was a friend.
"Hmph, shameful was correct, you have given up," Heijin replied coldly, and Han Jian felt the tigers displeasure as a churning in his dantian. He grimaced at the discomfort. Heijin was at the peak of second realm, and would likely break through in time for the tournament. Luckily, his families Dust King Meditations allowed one to hold a spirit in the third realm, if at inflated costs. It was making him arrogant again though.
"There are only so many places," he said quietly as much to himself as the cub. '...And Xiulan needs it more.' He added, a silent thought that could only be heard by his spirit companion.
He could feel Heijin's discomfort, the cub liked her, but he knew he was betraying his family in a small way, putting her needs over his own. He looked down as the memory of her tears, and then her anger returned to his thoughts. He could at least do this, try to help her one more time. He wouldn't lose anything irretrievable if he held off for one year. Hopefully it could make up for hurting her the way he had.
He was betraying Fan Yu too, even if he was sure that was for the best in the end. There could be no happiness there, or even contentment. If he repeated it to himself often enough, he might even believe that was really his reasoning.
He wished things between the Gu and the Han were simpler, that his silly childish promise wasn't impossible, because his Grandfather would never give the Gu another lever of power, not when they were already testing the limits of a viscount house's power. For once, he was happy for the scrutiny of the Guo, preventing Grandfather from moving to cement his authority further.
He heard the thump of flesh on metal and looked up to meet his cousins eyes, the taller boy grinned at him and motioned with his hands. 'The trade went well?'
"It did," He said, smiling back. It was so easy to put on an expression he wasn't feeling that he didn't even notice doing it anymore, for the most part. "We'll be able to Master the first step of the Argent Way now. You'll definitely get a spot in next years tourney." Between them, they knew that Han Fang would not make the cut this year, the competition was simply too much.
The other boys beamed at him, proud to be praised though. It just made Han Jian feel another twist in his gut. It was all too easy to remember a scrawny servant boy, barely more than a mortal getting his throat cut for trying to 'protect the young master', from an assassin's blade, even after the the actual guards had fallen. It had given him the last crucial seconds needed for his father to arrive and scour the flesh from the villain's bones though.
What a useless thing he had been, just a few years ago. A lazy spoiled child who didn't even bother to understand the mountains of effort that went into maintaining his family's position in the clan. At least he had gotten Fang an adoption into the family for his deed. He knew Fang wouldn't approve of his resolve to not stand in Xiulan's way if it came down to it. His adopted cousin was always a firm proponent of putting himself first. Han Jian could not fault him for that. even now he was being selfish, doing what he wanted rather than what he should.
'You're troubled,' Fang signed, shooting him a shrewd look. 'Was the cost so high?'
"Hardly, Ling Qi isn't the type to bargain hard," he replied, waving dismissively. "No, just contemplating the vagaries of fortune."
His cousin clapped him on the shoulder and grinned, signing with his other hand. 'Considering our poor timing then? That is a fair thing."
"Yeah," Han Jian laughed. "This really is an absurd year. At least father will be happy with all the high profile clan heads at the tournament."
'Lord Jing will make many deals,' Fang agreed with a nod. 'Will we continue practicing our weapon arts then?'
"No, we'll drop the old stuff for now. I want to get started on mastering the Mirror further," Han Jian replied, even if he wasn't going to make it… he refused to give a poor showing. He still had that much pride at least.
- Location
- Who Knows
Anyway as you all know-
MY BOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Dear God am I glad to see him finally realize this. Him being a wet blanket out of desire not to offend kept things peaceful in the short term but let the underlying problems get worse.
Wow I am impressed by Han Fang.
- Location
- United States of America
Well, in light of the previous conversation, this had a lot of important information.
Arkeus
Crazy cat guy
- Location
- France
With Green Heijin, Han Jian actually has a chance as long as he keeps it up... but waiting a year to get in with Han Fang is actually not a bad thing at all for him.
Also, I wonder if getting the first step on the Argent Way gets you in the inner sect by default, or if it's just a matter of "those are good arts".
Also, I wonder if getting the first step on the Argent Way gets you in the inner sect by default, or if it's just a matter of "those are good arts".
TheLastOne
Person of impeccable tastes (for destruction)
That mastering all of argent is inherently useful? Yeah, but we already knew that. It's just low key enough, and not quite the center of our style enough, that we keep putting it off.
Arkeus
Crazy cat guy
- Location
- France
It had been theorised by @FixerUpper that Han Fang got his wound from protecting Han Jian, and got adopted because of it. Also, that this was why he got motivated.
We're also pretty sure he's got talent 7, while Kang has talent 5 or lower.
But you're right that I've probably undersold Kang by at least a bit. I still consider him under Gan Guangli.
I'm not sure how accurate Han Jian's self-assessments are, but he did consider himself capable of going toe to toe with Kang a month or two ago.
- Location
- United States of America
Ahh, Han Jian, what you don't know is that Ling Qi's good luck is actually steadily increasing in small increments. You haven't seen FSS yet, or AE, or PLR (whatever it does). You don't know that she has a high-level Cyan music teacher, or that her cultivation art literally lets her choose patronage options from any of the 8 Great Moon Spirits that are willing to indulge her.
The good luck is only getting better, I'm afraid.
I just did a thing. This is a song from Meizhen's perspective back before the botched birthday celebration.
It is a parody of a thing, though I won't spoil what. Well no; I'm lying - the spoiler is at the end of the post. Feel free to take a look, though I'm hoping people will recognize the referenced song as it is.
~~~~~
"My name is Bei Meizhen"
"Ling Qi"
"Where's you're family from?"
"Unimportant; there's a million things I haven't done
Just you wait - just you wait! "
Distracting, though she can't ever know it,
Nice legs, and there's time that she'll show it,
I want to take her far away from this place,
Then I turn and think about my family's face, and they are...
VICIOUS!
and I know they'll be
VICIOUS!
and their eyes will be
VICIOUS!
And I realize three fundamental truths at the same time:
Number 1:
I'm a girl in a world in which
my foremost job is to marry well.
My family has no Whites so I am one
who has to social climb for one
I'm not the oldest nor the strongest nor the cleverest
And Thousand Lakes Province is insidious
And Ling Qi is statusless
Ha! That doesn't mean I want her any less.
Number 2:
She sticks to me because I'm a Bai scion
Protected by my status;
I'd have to be naive to set that aside.
And she doesn't even
know what she does to me.
Nice going, Bei Meizhen;
as it stands, you will never be satisfied.
Number 3:
I know my family like I know my own mind.
You will never find a family less trusting or less kind
If they know I want to court her, surely one way or another
there'd be nothing left to find
She'll be wreaked.
But when I fantasize at night
It's always Ling Qi's eyes
As I romanticize what might
have been if I hadn't been a Bai...
~~~
Bonus track:
How do you train like you're running out of time,
train day and night like you're running out of time,
every day you fight like you're running out of time,
likely you're running out of time, are you running out of time?
How do you train like tomorrow won't arrive,
how do you train like you need it to survive,
how do you train every second you're alive,
every second you're alive, every second you're alive?
It is a parody of a thing, though I won't spoil what. Well no; I'm lying - the spoiler is at the end of the post. Feel free to take a look, though I'm hoping people will recognize the referenced song as it is.
~~~~~
"My name is Bei Meizhen"
"Ling Qi"
"Where's you're family from?"
"Unimportant; there's a million things I haven't done
Just you wait - just you wait! "
Distracting, though she can't ever know it,
Nice legs, and there's time that she'll show it,
I want to take her far away from this place,
Then I turn and think about my family's face, and they are...
VICIOUS!
and I know they'll be
VICIOUS!
and their eyes will be
VICIOUS!
And I realize three fundamental truths at the same time:
Number 1:
I'm a girl in a world in which
my foremost job is to marry well.
My family has no Whites so I am one
who has to social climb for one
I'm not the oldest nor the strongest nor the cleverest
And Thousand Lakes Province is insidious
And Ling Qi is statusless
Ha! That doesn't mean I want her any less.
Number 2:
She sticks to me because I'm a Bai scion
Protected by my status;
I'd have to be naive to set that aside.
And she doesn't even
know what she does to me.
Nice going, Bei Meizhen;
as it stands, you will never be satisfied.
Number 3:
I know my family like I know my own mind.
You will never find a family less trusting or less kind
If they know I want to court her, surely one way or another
there'd be nothing left to find
She'll be wreaked.
But when I fantasize at night
It's always Ling Qi's eyes
As I romanticize what might
have been if I hadn't been a Bai...
~~~
Bonus track:
How do you train like you're running out of time,
train day and night like you're running out of time,
every day you fight like you're running out of time,
likely you're running out of time, are you running out of time?
How do you train like tomorrow won't arrive,
how do you train like you need it to survive,
how do you train every second you're alive,
every second you're alive, every second you're alive?
Satisfied, from Hamilton
Non-Stop, from Hamilton
Non-Stop, from Hamilton
Last edited:
- Location
- UK
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I predicted he was adopted! Damn Jian for ruining my Jian/Fang ship by reciprocating Xiulan's crush, though...
He was awesome to hear about, happy to get inside his head. Makes the Gu route kinda more interesting. Fleshing out the cast some and, I suppose, crushing Jian's grandfather to prevent interference with the quest's new flagship is a worthy goal.
He was awesome to hear about, happy to get inside his head. Makes the Gu route kinda more interesting. Fleshing out the cast some and, I suppose, crushing Jian's grandfather to prevent interference with the quest's new flagship is a worthy goal.
I thought we were getting Xiulan over Han Jian by setting her up with the dragon?