To elaborate on my point above - I wanted to mention that I consider this an entirely IC sentiment. It isn't just the players who know such a fight is practically unwinnable - Ling Qi should know that too. But! Despite knowing this, trying her best is still absolutely the right way to go, for a number of reasons.
First, the tournament is not just about victory - it is about prestige. Yes, the most prestigious thing you can do there is win - but it is by no means the only prestigious thing you can do there. There is a reason that there are a bunch of 2nd-realm cultivators competing, even thought they have no chance to win; a great showing is worthwhile in and of itself, even if it doesn't lead to victory. Being able to push the Monsters (and especially Sun Liling) makes us look great, even if we lose.
Second, training to face the Monsters also equips us to face the other contenders. If we had to choose between being better at facing the monsters or being better at facing everyone else, the latter would be more valuable, since a higher chance of getting into the Inner Sect in the first place is more important than trying to do well in the later matches. However, such a conflict is not present. We can use the Monsters as goals and benchmarks in our training, and it will simultaneously push us to be better against Kang Zihao / Chu Song / Ji Rong / etc.
Last but not least, trying is a way of life. Even if defeat is certain, and even if the process of struggle earned you nothing, one should try - because it does not do to cultivate the habit of giving up. Fail to even strive for success, and you will find it easier to dismiss challenges as "impossible" henceforth. Strive to do ones best in all circumstances and you will find that some challenges are easier than they appear.
I don't think its impossible to win against them but we sure as hell can't do it on our current build path.
Not to say said build path is wrong, its just that if we wanted to beat these guys at this point we'd pretty much have to specialize in beating them. Thats not a very wise path for the future, sadly, for reasons im sure others will espouse on.
The clan advantage is difficult to overcome with hard work when said clan members also work hard, etc.
Luckily, we don't have to win the tournament to accomplish the overall goal, and indeed winning at the tournament isn't even that important to us anymore since we already picked a route out of here. As long as we don't fail and don't make Renxiang faction look bad thats it, mission accomplished. Everything else is nice icing.
To elaborate on my point above - I wanted to mention that I consider this an entirely IC sentiment. It isn't just the players who know such a fight is practically unwinnable - Ling Qi should know that too. But! Despite knowing this, trying her best is still absolutely the right way to go, for a number of reasons.
First, the tournament is not just about victory - it is about prestige. Yes, the most prestigious thing you can do there is win - but it is by no means the only prestigious thing you can do there. There is a reason that there are a bunch of 2nd-realm cultivators competing, even thought they have no chance to win; a great showing is worthwhile in and of itself, even if it doesn't lead to victory. Being able to push the Monsters (and especially Sun Liling) makes us look great, even if we lose.
Second, training to face the Monsters also equips us to face the other contenders. If we had to choose between being better at facing the monsters or being better at facing everyone else, the latter would be more valuable, since a higher chance of getting into the Inner Sect in the first place is more important than trying to do well in the later matches. However, such a conflict is not present. We can use the Monsters as goals and benchmarks in our training, and it will simultaneously push us to be better against Kang Zihao / Chu Song / Ji Rong / etc.
Last but not least, trying is a way of life. Even if defeat is certain, and even if the process of struggle earned you nothing, one should try - because it does not do to cultivate the habit of giving up. Fail to even strive for success, and you will find it easier to dismiss challenges as "impossible" henceforth. Strive to do ones best in all circumstances and you will find that some challenges are easier than they appear.
And also the more likely we are to actually giving them a chance of defeat, the less likely we are to face them before the G8 rounds(which for us is just bonus score after we win, but for Bai and Sun are immensely important).
I wonder what the Sect thinks about the fact that several of the top contenders for the eight spots in the Inner Sect aren't going to stick around all that long anyway. More slots open for the year after, or just freeing up more resources for others?
Cai, Bai, and Sun were never going to stick around but having them as Inner Sect alumni adds prestige to the sect, though less for Bai because of rank and because the Bai didn't choose APS.
Even though we're not sticking around, training a direct vassal for a ducal heir adds prestige to the sect.
Edit: Like, if we make Cyan by 20, then that will be 2-5 20 year old Cyans the sect has trained this decade. That's an impressive argument for them in recruiting.
Cai, Bai, and Sun were never going to stick around but having them as Inner Sect alumni adds prestige to the sect, though less for Bai because of rank and because the Bai didn't choose APS.
Even though we're not sticking around, training a direct vassal for a ducal heir adds prestige to the sect.
Edit: Like, if we make Cyan by 20, then that will be 2-5 20 year old Cyans the sect has trained this decade. That's an impressive argument for them in recruiting.
The sudden appearance of parahuman-in-origin beasts (shortened to parabeasts, and then Beasts) all across the globe was filed and labeled under Case-107 by the PRT. Thousands, if not tens of thousands died during the first week - a true accounting of the toll might never be possible, due to the global nature of the invading catastrophe. There was no pattern to their occurrence: it could be as large a city as Shanghai (pop. 18 million+), or as small as Solca, Romania (pop. 1,818) as pointless as Antarctica, or as helpful as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch wherein a flock of silver-gray eels were seen consuming it with gusto.
But come they did: once open, the transdimensional portals that deposited Beasts never fully closed, providing a steady trickle of Parabeasts to menace a world already reeling from daily disaster.
Most saw this as yet another trial to overcome, yet another senseless act of spite from a universe overflowing with them.
These people were normal.
Some saw it not as disaster, but as Rockefeller enthusiasts or high school art teachers might say, opportunity.
These people were dangerous.
One, or two saw it as a source of salvation.
These people were gods.
Fortunately for us, this is not yet a story about gods, which are, in any case, a rather troublesome and tiresome bunch, but those who strive to reach those storied heights. This is a story of cultivators.
Look, here comes one now.
-----
Ling Qi licked her lips.
The metal carriages before her looked, there was no other way to put it, they looked like money. It had thus come as quite a shock when she lifted one up to search for her storage ring and heard a sr-kruh-unch of protest and discovered that the soft metal at its base had crumpled around her fingertips.
Fingers waggling with the effort at keeping them soft and supple she carefully lifted the next one up.
It seemed to hold. Phew.
Quickly, she scanned the ground, hurriedly searching. It was undignified, squatting on the ground, one arm brushing aside various pieces of wet mucky-muck as she looked for her storage ring. It had been been flung hither and thither during the squabble with the self-proclaimed 'Dragon', but, between a moment of indignity and losing the multitude of treasures contained within, Ling Qi would not just pick indignity any day of the week, she would pick indignity for a year.
Well, maybe not a year. Cai would probably disown her or whatever it was Duchesses did to their vassals who acted like common street sweepers.
Admittedly, she could also do without the heckler.
"What a ridiculous pose you find yourself in, Cultivator Ling! Where is your pride?"
Ling Qi glanced backwards. With one forelimb thrust upon and trapping an unconscious 'Lung', Heizui was clearly feeling much like his old self and was currently arranging himself so that he looked to his best advantage in front of the mortals. She couldn't really criticize him for that: at least he was paying them some attention, Ling Qi, meanwhile baldly ignored them and their protests against her vehicular displacements. Still, she had an excuse. Even the bearded one in armor who seemed to speak - with difficulty - a near-comprehensible dialect, was only nearly comprehensible.
Wherever they were, it was unlikely to be the Empire.
"You could help look," she said, after setting the carriage down and patting her robes.
Heizui sniffed. "You must be joking."
She winced as she heard the boom, rattle, crunch as a carriage was tossed to the side. Zhengui was rather more enthusiastic about the game of seek-the-ring than she was. Also rather less cautious.
She was about to chide him when she felt a spike of excitement from him and saw Zhengui toddle triumphantly towards her, something shiny held atop his nose.
"Big Sis~! Look what Gui found!"
"Zhen spotted it!" his snake half snapped, surly.
"But only Gui could pick it up without damaging it!"
She welcomed him with open arms and then patted both of them on the head, before affectionately rubbing her cheeks against theirs. "You're such good little brothers!"
Both rumbled their contentment.
"He really has no pride," Heizui said conversationally, causing Zhengui to stick both his tongues out at the river dragon.
Someone cleared their throat.
Ling Qi turned.
The red armored one, who moved with impressive speed despite his lack of qi was speaking his queer jabber at her again. She did not understand his art in the least, but it appeared amazingly flexible. She'd seen him push Zhengui out of the way of a fireball, without the little Xuanwu being able to offer so much as a hint of resistance. Indeed, Heizui had first assumed him to be an enemy, and before he'd made his allegiances clear, the river dragon's waters had splashed against him without effect.
She gave him a tentative smile, cocking her head curiously. He laughed and gave her a thumbs up.
Well, a nice enough fellow, whoever he was.
The blue armored man who was attempting to speak to Heizui was much his opposite. He was dour looking and sounding, voice harsh and guttural when attempting to speak a proper language. He had arrived, riding upon some form of steel steed. Whatever formations gave it life were about as cunningly hidden as whatever source of qi powered it. To her senses he was as wispy and insubstantial as any mortal, but then, perhaps he was like this 'Lung' fellow, or the red one, possessing a fearsomely effective art of some sort.
It was a pity that he spoke so poorly.
Heizui reared up - Ling Qi had felt the qi too, and was happier for the discovery.
"Li!" she waved. "Li Suyin!"
Then she pursed her lips and beetled her brows. Li was running towards her, face ashen, yet another strangely dressed mortal held in her arms. She was running parallel to the ground, her feet sticking to the walls like a spider's might. "Ling! H-help!"
Of course she was several blocks away, but that hardly meant anything except that Ling had to rely more on her eyes than on the powerful abilities of Argent Mirror. And while in their natural habitat they might have had cover, here, Rimefur Wolves stood out like snow in summer.
Ling Qi expressed her bow, causing both blue and red to whirl towards her.
She clucked her tongue. Slow.
"Don't let him escape," she told Heizui.
"He is my prey," the dragon told her, affronted, dragging Lung a little closer to himself. She was reminded, awkwardly, of a child with a doll.
She shrugged. So long as he didn't kill him, she didn't much care what happened to him.
"Come, Zhengui," she said. "Time to hunt."
"Time to hunt!" he echoed, vanishing into her dantian. Although it was a little flashier than necessary, as her little brother vanished, so did she.
-----
Assault.
"Oh my fucking god - the turtle can teleport too."
Armsmaster.
"Noted."
-----
Li Suyin ran, every step echoing in time to her breaths.
Before all the… thisness had happened, Ling Qi had solemnly informed her that she had been starting to get a little pudgy. Although her friend had quickly backtracked, claiming it to be a joke, Li Suyin now truly understood where Ling had been coming from.
There was nothing like getting chased by a pack of ravenous rimefur wolves to help jog one's 'if I get out of this, I will work on my physical cultivation for ten hours a day' promises that one tended to make in these kinds of situations. If not for Senior Sister Bao's movement art that would have allowed her to scale the sheer walls as easily as the ground, she was sure she'd already have been eaten.
As it was, it was still a close thing. Rimefur wolves might not have been the deadliest of the more common spirit beasts in the Argent Peaks, but their pack instincts were second to none and they were certainly phenomenal hunters. A village whose wards failed and came to the attention of such a pack would be destroyed in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing more than a cairn.
It was horrible to admit, but carrying away the mortal was not mere altruism - in the worst case scenario, she would have to…
Well, it was a good thing it hadn't come to that.
The arrow that sparked and crackled tore through the lead rimefur wolf's flank startled the mortal so badly that Li Suyin was afraid she'd hurt herself trying to escape.
She released her technique, dropping to the ground. Above her, Ling Qi soared into the sky, her bow releasing arrow after arrow, even as her flying sword came from behind, preventing retreat.
"It's okay," she reassured the mortal, legs and arms trembling with exertion. Sweat slicked her hair and ran in icy rivulets down her back despite the relatively short run. "Everything's going to be-"
She shrieked as something long and sinuous wrapped itself around her legs and tugged her backwards into the darkness. A needle appeared in her hand and she stabbed down, hitting-
"Ow?" said a voice.
"...Zhengui?"
"Why'd you do that, Sister… Sister?" Gui asked reproachfully, trying to cover his stumble at her name by continuing on with an accusatory: "Big Sister told me to protect you!"
"She told me to protect her. Slow Gui couldn't protect anyone."
"Hmpf! Lazy Zhen would fall asleep!"
In her dantian, Zhenli hissed and chittered. She sent the young spider some wordless reassurance as she awkwardly explained her surprise to the young Xuan Wu.
"Oh! Like the funny fox girl!"
"...yes," said Li Suyin, vowing never again to dismiss Su Ling's complaints about Zhengui's stealthiness being unnatural.
"Well - oops!"
One of the Rimefur wolves, apparently understanding how futile their fight was, was attempting to flee. Zhengui, who Li Suyin remembered as a tiny thing, barely larger than the palm of her hand, put two of his feet down on the ground, causing roots to grow, twining around the thing's legs.
It howled piteously, cowering before him.
-----
"You have a what now?" asked Ling Qi.
Zhengui, who was busy at work eating one of the rimefur wolves - Ling Qi had saved the carcass of another two for Hezui - pointed to the Rimefur wolf currently cowering on the ground, grinning.
"I have a minion! I'm going to call him Spot. Because he has spots!"
"That's just blood."
"Hrrrm. How about… Wolf?"
The Rimefur Wolf continued to cower. An early second grade beast, Ling Qi doubted it was much older than Zhengui.
"Well, if you're sure," she said doubtfully. "It's a big responsibility."
"I know!" he chirped cheerfully. Gore covered both his mouths, dripping icily as he turned towards 'Wolf.' "You'll be good, right, Wolfy?"
The rimefur wolf vigorously nodded its head, eyes wide, breaths escaping in little clouds of ice.
"Mmm, that's good then." He patted the ground next to him. "Come eat."
Leaving Zhengui to torture the new recruit into line, Ling Qi went to see Li Suyin. The mortal was kind of just... there. Ling Qi wasn't too sure how to treat it. Er, her.
"One of the wolves escaped, do you think you'll be alright-"
Li Suyin turned to her and said, very seriously: "No. I really have to pee."
"Ah," said Ling Qi.
"Do you think you could-"
Ling Qi scratched her cheek, embarrassed, as she dismissed her bow and took out her flute.
"Sure."
As she began to play and mist filled the area, she thought to herself, surely one unaccounted for Rimefur Wolf could only do so much damage, right?
"So, what do you think?" Ling Qi asked as the last notes faded into the evening air. She still hadn't come up with something satisfactory on her own, so she had simply returned to practicing the compositions Mother had sent her.
"I think you have surpassed me by a great deal," her Mother replied wistfully. They were seated on a blanket, laid across the porch overlooking the small garden that lay behind the house. To Ling Qi's eye, her Mother's condition had not improved too much. Some part of her was still expecting a reversal Ling Qi suspected, not for any logical reason, but simply… habit.
"Maybe," Ling Qi allowed, knowing that there was no point in lying about that matter. "But that doesn't change the skillfulness of your composition," she said with an encouraging smile. "I would like to hear your own take on the composition, if you don't mind."
Her Mother looked a bit uncertain as Ling Qi offered her the flute, but after a moment, reached out to take it, though she did so gingerly, as if handling something priceless. It was only after it was in her hands that her Mother's brows furrowed. She traced her fingers over the wood. "This is…"
Ling Qi glanced away, slightly embarrassed. "...It was yours, yes," she admitted. "I… I am sorry. It broke after it was knocked from my hands in a fight, and I wanted to be able to keep using it." She left out the fact that it had taken a spear through the stomach to disarm her.
Ling Qingge, looked down at the polished instrument in her hands, a mix of nostalgia and concern on her face. "It is a small thing," she replied quietly. "Why in the world would you have a flute in your hands during a… fight, though?" Her mother asked uncertain and a bit out of her depth.
Ling Qi grinned cheekily. "My music is one of the most feared weapons on the mountain," she replied lightly. "Men cower and dragons bow before my melodies!"
Ling Qi's not inaccurate boast had the desired effect of making her Mother smile, though she had a feeling her Mother didn't quite believe her. "I see, if this old flute has given you some protection, then I have no complaints," her fingers still lingered on the mouthpiece, the most intact part of the old flute, though.
"It did," Ling Qi agreed quietly, looking out over the little garden, lit by the colors of sunset. "I would really like to hear you play again."
Her Mother only hesitated a moment longer before raising the flute to her lips, and as she began to play the first melancholy notes of her song, Ling Qi closed her eyes and let herself focus on the music. Ling Qingge really was very good, near as good as a mortal could be, even with the little hitches and hesitations born of a skill that had fallen into disuse, she could hear that. It fed another ember to the resentment in her heart that had been born of her Mother's story. She knew in her heart that even without her old family, Mother could have made a living from her skill.
It made her wonder, what things could have been like. Then again, perhaps that was simply the nature of the song she was listening too, that spoke of mistakes made, opportunities lost, and the wish for something better
Eventually, the song came to an end leaving Ling Qi and her Mother to sit in comfortable silence, watching the sun sink beneath the horizon.
"I have lost my touch it seems," Ling Qingge mused, eventually breaking the silence. "Perhaps it is for the best that this is yours now," she continued, slipping the flute back into Ling Qi's hands.
"You have time to practice again, if you would like, though you are better than you give yourself credit for," Ling Qi pointed out, bringing her thoughts back to the present. "Mother, is there something lacking here?" She asked, for all that she had changed, she was still rather blunt.
"How ungrateful would I have to be, to say that there was?" Ling Qingge asked, raising an eyebrow. "I have a home, equal to any in the middle districts of Tonghou. I have everything I need to care for Biyu, coin for luxuries, and even household servants to perform every task."
She shifted uncomfortably, household expenses were only a few red stones shaved from her pill furnace income. She… hadn't really considered how excessive that might seem to her Mother. How quickly she had forgotten the value of a silver coin. "Yet you aren't happy, not really," Ling Qi replied, looking down at the ground. "I try to make as much time to visit as I can, but with the entry tournament approaching…"
"Ling Qi," her Mother began, sounding pained. "Do not ever think that you have done wrong," Ling Qi was surprised to see her Mother reach out and put one of her hands over Ling Qi's. Mother was still reluctant to initiate physical contact most of the time. "I simply… do not know what to do with so much free time. The men and women working in this household hardly need oversight from one such as I, nor do I know them well enough to be comfortable in giving it."
"Even with Biyu running about?" Ling Qi replied with a smile, raising her head.
"Even so," Ling Qingge replied dryly. "That girl is too much akin to her sister. She does not appreciate it when I… hover."
Ling Qi let herself laugh, recalling when she had come by earlier in the week and taken the task of watching her younger sister. Only to be bored silly watching the little girl intently searching through the garden, refusing help as she attempted to hunt down and catch one of the little frogs which lived in the central pond. "I suppose so," she mused. "Should I dismiss some of the servants? They work for the sect, so they would not be losing their livelihoods," perhaps that would prove a solution.
Ling Qingge did not answer at first, gazing out over the garden. "...No. You are a noble lady now, and having a household staff is part of such things. What message would it send to your peers, to have your own Mother doing menial tasks?" There was none of the arrogance that might have accompanied such words from another, simply understanding.
Ling Qi blinked, she hadn't even really considered that when seeing to the household. She had just wanted her family well taken care of. "Well, to be honest. I hadn't thought of that… but if it would make you happy, I wouldn't mind losing a little face," Ling Qi admitted. "In the end… I won't receive much respect until I make some achievements for myself, or so I think," Cai's patronage would prevent her from being openly dismissed… but Clan Ling consisted of one cultivator and two mortals right now. Even she could see how families with dozens or scores of members would regard her as little more than an upstart, even ignoring her own young age
Her Mother pursed her lips and shook her head. "I would not demand such, not merely for my own satisfaction," she answered with a hint of finality. Silence fell between them again after that, Ling Qi and her Mother both falling into their own thoughts.
This time it was Ling Qi who broke the silence. "I mean what I say. Perhaps I am overcompensating, but… Mother, if you want something, please just ask."
Her Mother let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head slightly. "You are too generous Ling Qi. You will have to reign in that impulse, else Biyu will become a spoiled girl."
"Maybe so," Ling Qi replied in an amused tone, letting the deflection and change of subject lie. "You know," Ling Qi began carefully. "If you need something to occupy your time, you could always attempt to cultivate, at least a little."
Ling Qingge frowned, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepening. "I was given to understand that I am too old for such things," and not talented enough to be selected to begin with, was left unsaid.
"I've been doing a little studying on that," Ling Qi replied. "In your situation, it shouldn't be completely impossible," highly unlikely maybe, and a struggle to even awaken, given the dearth of medicines that an adult mortal could safely handle, and the reduction in quality of the medicinal energies from all their impurities, she had come across oblique mention of a few options. "It might take a very long time… but even a little cultivation would…" she trailed off, not quite able to put it into words. It would let her Mother live a little longer, and healthier.
Mother met her eyes for a moment before looking away, expression wistful. "If you believe it possible, it would be rude of me to refuse," she said, looking back over the garden. "What would I need to do?"
"Well, I can show you a couple of breathing exercises to begin with," Ling Qi replied, a hint of excitement entering her voice. "Firstly you should close your eyes, and focus on the feel of the air entering your lungs…"
There was no progress that night of course, but Ling Qi couldn;t quite bring herself to care.
Ling Qi made sure to visit her Mother every evening, whether to chat, or visit Biyu, or simply have a cup of tea or discuss music, or take another try on getting her Mother to feel her dantian. It was a nice way to wind down after a day spent in rigorous cultivation. She found herself reaching new levels of understanding in both of her musical arts, under the tutelage of Zeqing and Senior Brother Shen alike.
Zeqing's proud smile when she managed to properly unleash the power of Forgotten Vale Melody filled her with a paradoxical warmth. The techniques potency had increased greatly, the phantoms of dissonance growing from shadowy flickers to ominous wraiths, while it grew ever easier to be lost in the mist.
Things didn't all go well though. Ling Qi had taken to checking on Xiulan every other day or so to see if she had emerged from seclusion, and what she found one morning turned her stomach a bit. Her friend had succeeded in breaking through… but reaching the Green Soul stage had only exacerbated her wounds. Flames now openly burned on the girls arm, snapping and crackling loudly and carrying the scent of burnt flesh, from a limb that was now nearly skeletal.
It was clear her friend could still feel every inch of the ruined limb though, because in helping her friend from the meditation room to her bedroom, she had actually been able to see the tears of pain in the corners of her friends eyes. Thankfully, the resistance to heat granted by her connection to Zhengui was enough to let her safely help Xiulan rewrap the limb in the flame retardant linen bandages, which she had been covering it with.
She knew her friend though, and so she didn't express a word of pity, only congratulations for her accomplishment. She strongly suspected that the proud girl was thankful for it.
She wondered if it was a good thing that she could now so easily hide her disquiet to have a cheerful little celebration in Xiulan's dining room, having just witnessed what she had. Then again, her composure was hardly something to be considered, compared to Xiulan, who was back to her usual self in barely any time at all.
With some reluctance, she soon left Xiulan to her own devices, to meet up with the tutor she had hired with some of her remaining Sect points. It seemed that the inner sect lacked in prominent darkness cultivators.. Or at least none of them were up for tutoring, but the lesson on domain effects and spiritual matters was helpful anyway, and the heavily veiled and shrouded young lady who had answered her request had a few insights to offer for her arts, even if she only used darkness techniques in a tertiary role.
Attributes: Yin, Water, Dark
Current Meridians: Lungx2(water), Arm 2(dark)
Needed Meridians: Lung(6)
Max Level 6
Passive Effects
Cold effects by the user gain armor piercing 4
User gains armor 5 vs cold effects
Basic unarmed and music attacks by the user gain two bonus cold damage
The user receives a four die bonus to all expression based offensive clashes
The user gains a two die bonus on all intimidate tests
Springs End Aria: oo
Cost 5 qi
Instant
The first notes of the users song herald the end of warmth, draining the heat from the area and around them and crystalizing the moisture in the air into snow and ice. Enemies within fifty meters suffer a four die penalty to spiritual defenses as the song saps their will, and the user gains a three die bonus to their own spiritual defense.The user becomes the nexus of the cold, draining the energy from their opponents attacks. Unsuccessful clashes vs the user allow them to recover one qi per three spent on the clash by their opponent(min. 1). Enemies without qi suffer one cold damage per turn. This effect lasts six turns.
Hoarfrost Caress: ooo
Cost 6 Qi
The user's song becomes the howl of of a blizzard in the depths of winter as they focus the expression of their will upon a single enemy. This triggers a spiritual attack with a bonus of five and an additional armor piercing of two. On a successful clash, the target finds frost spreading across their body as their blood and qi alike runs sluggish. This attack is DV 6, with one bonus damage, with all damage being semi perfect. On damage, the target suffers a four die penalty to all clashes for the next two turns. On hit, Damage is applied again on the following turn.
Winter Eternal Cadenza: ooo
Cost 8 Qi
The completing half of the Spring's End Aria, a song with it's roots in the bleak, frozen lands that lie beyond the Wall. Usable only while Spring's End Aria is active, this technique unleashes if only for a moment, the absolute cold of a winter without end. This technique triggers a spiritual attack against all enemies within fifty meters at a bonus of two. This attack is DV6, and deals semi perfect damage. The user gains one qi for each point of damage dealt to a target which has at least one level of cultivation. On hit, targets have their speed penalized by 5 and their initiative by 2, as well as suffering a two die penalty on all clashes, this effect lasts two turns.
Locked until green Appraisal
Even with all of her progress, Ling Qi was surrounded by reminders of the time passing, with each day of training. Zhengui was growing again, visibly so, as his cultivation rose in potency. When She sparred with Meizhen, further mastering the art Zeqing had given her, she couldn't help but notice the increasingly definition and independence of her friends shadow, and Cui once again vanishing to wherever it was that she went when she was growing and shedding.
Most urgently, she had begun to notice a certain wispiness about Sixiang while trading musical tips. The edges of the spirits body were beginning to grow blurry, trailing away into smoke whenever the spirits attention wandered. It was becoming increasingly obvious that his time was coming to an end.
Knowing this, Ling Qi had thought to ask Sixiang if there was anything he wanted to do before he lost the chance. It was a decision she came to regret almost immediately, when she saw the speculative gleam in the spirits glittering black eyes.
Sixiang wanted to attend a human party. Because apparently that was a thing on the Outer Mountain. Among the older years, there was a little bi-weekly gathering of various semi important disciples. This was the group that she and Fu XIang had helped Lady Cai pacify, in a time that now seemed very long ago indeed. Sixiang had attempted to attend previously, but had been rebuffed at the door.
...Much to her regret, getting an invitation was as simple as speaking with Cai Renxiang. Unsurprisingly, she was on the invite list, but had been too busy to attend for the most part. She strongly suspected that her liege was a little too pleased to pass off the invitation to her.
Which was how she ended up standing at the edge of a little banquet hall, feeling incredibly awkward as she held a conversation with the girl whose bedroom she had broken into during her first mission from Fu Xiang.
"It is regrettable that Lady Cai herself could not afford to attend," the perfumed, impractically dressed girl in front of her said, seeming perfectly sincere and polite. "Not that I am displeased by your presence, Miss Ling. It is a delight to have a rising star such as yourself attend in her place."
Ling Qi kept her expression perfectly pleasant, doing her best to keep her eyes on the girls face and not the ridiculously elaborate arrangement of flowers and ornaments in the girls hair. It was a bit hard to look at Wen Ai and not feel a pang of old jealousy. The girl was more than a head shorter than her, dainty and pale, the very picture of a traditional beauty. "Lady Cai expresses her great regrets in being unable to attend," she replied formally. "And I thank you for accepting my humble presence in her stead," she added with an appropriate bow. Her eyes wandered a bit as she bowed, the little hall was full of a score or so of late second realm disciples. Wen Ai herself was the only one who had pierced the barrier to reach the third realm, and even then her aura had the slightly wobbly feel of a recent breakthrough.
Wen Ai's smile had an indulgent cast, Ling Qi thought, but perhaps she was just being unkind because she didn't want to be here. "I do not mind at all, it is a shame that you have not had a chance to attend more of these little gatherings, given your talent," she continued on, her voice sweet, melodious, and just a touch empty. "And your companion! Where did you find such a rare spirit?"
Sixiang, standing beside her, glanced over, his head cocked slightly in curiosity as he examined the little clumps of people quietly conversing throughout the hall. The currently male spirits expression was bemused, and a bit disbelieving.
"Just a bit of good fortune," Ling Qi replied lightly. "I am afraid I might find myself in a little trouble if I was more exact," she replied, lying through her teeth.
"Of course," Wen Ai replied, seeming to accept her answer. "We all must keep our little secrets," there was definitely an edge there, she wasn;t just imagining it. "In any case, please enjoy Miss Ling, I am afraid I must greet the next guest. I do hope we can speak later though. I am of course honored to finally be receiving some further attention from Lady Cai."
Ling Qi murmured an agreement as they were allowed to get out of the entranceway and proceed into the banquet hall. "Why isn't anyone dancing?" Sixiang asked, nonplussed.
"I do not believe it is that kind of party," Ling Qi replied quietly, tweaking the flows of air around them so that their words remained audible only to them.
"How can you have a party without dancing?" Sixiang asked, sounding scandalized.
"You did say that you wanted to see a human party," Ling Qi shot back, amused. At least she wouldn't suffer alone. "This is how human's do it," she said lightly. "We stand around and talk while pretending we like each other."
She then flushed a bit as a young man nearby shot her an amused look over his cup. Even if people couldn't hear her, they could probably read her lips, or even hear through more esoteric means. Thankfully, he waved off her budding apology with a gesture of his hand. It seemed like she had been lucky there. No one else seemed to be paying attention.
"The wine is even watered," Sixiang muttered, part of the right side of his face briefly dissolving into multihued mist. They came to a stop near the refreshment table.
"I am sure there will be music later," Ling Qi offered in consolation. There was a little stage for that off at the other end of the hall.
"Maybe I should go up there…" the spirit mused, narrowing his eyes.
"Sixiang, no using any weird techniques to liven things up," she said flatly. "You wanted the proper experience after all."
"Hmph, your surprisingly mean spirited," he huffed, giving her a mock glare.
"I don't want to have to explain a sudden riot to Lady Cai," Ling Qi shot back smoothly.
"Fair," Sixiang huffed, crossing his arms as he observed the people around them, frowning slightly. "I wasn't expecting it to be like home, but still…"
"There are parties and there are parties," Ling Qi replied with a shrug. She was going to have to mingle at some point. It would look bad for Lady Cai if she didn't. "It's a context thing."
"Well how was I to know that," Sixiang murmured, a slightly childish pout on his face.
"I'm sure you'll learn," Ling Qi replied. "Well… I don't know how things will be, after you… dissolve?" She wasn't sure of the correct terminology.
"I think I might like a human binder, at least for a time," Sixiang mused. "Of course, I wouldn't really be all that useful, so who knows.
"What do you mean?" Ling Qi asked, Sixiang had the highest cultivation she had seen among disciples and their spirits.
"I am only just third realm myself, the rest was grandmother making sure I could handle trouble on my vacation," Sixiang replied. "Plus, you know, I am a muse. I don't like fighting much."
She supposed he had a point. Many would want a more combat oriented spirit. She glanced at Sixiang, she still wasn't certain herself what she wanted to do about the spirit in that regard. "Well, regardless, wish me luck. I need to go have a chat with some of these fine ladies and gentlemen," she said a touch dryly.
Sixiang chuckled. "I can give you some advice if you like."
She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure that's a good idea.
Sixiang waved a hand dismissively. "No one will hear, besides, even if it's not as much fun, sweet talking is in my realm, gloomy girl."
"Don't call me that," Ling Qi sighed. "I'm not making any promises about following your advice, especially if it's weird."
"Of course," Sixiang replied, lips curling up into a too confident smirk.
She wasn't sure whether to be pleased or disgruntled by the end of the party. Finding out that a literally inhuman fairy was better at small talk with other people than she was stung a little bit.
Attribute: Darkness, Water, Music, Yin
Current Meridians: Heartx2, Lung x2
Needed Meridians: Heart(7)
Max Level: 8
There are many forgotten places in the world where human kind does not tread easily. This technique is a part of the chronicle of a long dead wanderer, composed into music and offered to the smiling moon. It speaks of mist covered valleys hidden deep in the mountains and the mischievous and hungry spirits that wait in the dark, and the loneliness of the wanderer's path.
Passive Effects
-Adds three bonus die to all music based expression rolls
-Adds five bonus dice to all attempts to resist dispels on water and darkness techniques
-User receives no penalties for acting in low light or darkness-Permanent
-User receives three bonus die on defense against sound and music based techniques
-Expression is used as Mastery when using this art(does not receive the previous passive bonus when used this way)
-Instruments wielded by the user may be used to make sound based melee attacks at up to ten meters range. These attacks may be used in conjunction with appropriate arts without interrupting the melody. DV equals manipulation or expression, whichever is higher.
-An additional three qi may be spent to 'hold' the arts effect for one turn as if playing had continued. Cannot be used if art is interrupted by hostile action.
Mist of the Vale: ooo
Cost 5
The users melody causes a light mist to roll forth from their instrument. The mist is filled with deceptive shadows and sounds, and weakens the light within to low light. The mist spreads to cover a sixty meter radius centered the user. An additional ten meters of radius may be added for two qi, up to a maximum radius of one hundred twenty meters. All single target techniques targeted at the user or an included ally suffer a automatic three dice penalty. The user gains a four die bonus at stealth attempts within the mist. The user may waive the negative effect on up to three allies, while paying two qi for each additional ally included. This technique persists as long as the user continues to play and up to four turns afterward, regardless of weather conditions.
--Diapason of the Lost Traveler
The mournful sound of the lost traveler is an integral part of the melody, no longer player separately. The user clashes with all enemies within the mist with a bonus of three dice. On hit the targets perception rolls take a three die penalty, and attempts to leave the mist or move toward the user or an included ally result in the target doubling back unless a 6 success perception test is passed. Enemies within twenty meters of the user or an included ally do not need to make this check. Additionally the target suffers a four die penalty to defense while under this effect. Lasts for as long as the target remains within the mist. Counts as a two die effect for the purpose of dispels.
Dissonance of Night's Terror: ooo
Cost 6
Instant(If used the same turn as Mist of the Vale)
May only be used within Mist of the Vale. The users music grows low and eerie, punctuated by high, sharp notes, while the mists darken with indistinct and predatory shapes. Enemies within the mist suffer from immaterial attacks of phantasmal nightmares every turn. These attacks are DV 4 melee attacks, made with a two die bonus. On hit, targets suffer a three die penalty to their defense dice pools. This penalty stacks up to three times. In addition, on damage targets suffer one additional bleed damage the following turn.This effect activates immediately after the users turn when activated, and immediately before in all proceeding turns.
Starlight Elegy: ooo
Cost 7
The mournful and despairing tune saps the energy of those not insulated from the mist, making their limbs heavy and their thoughts clouded. The user clashes with all enemies in the mist with a bonus of two dice. On Hit, targets suffer a three die penalty on all clashes, and lose three qi per turn spent in the mist. Affected targets must make a four success resolve test or lose their active action the first turn after being affected. This effect persists until a target leaves the mist.
--Despair of the Lost
Alternatively, the power of the Elegy may be focused on a single target, drowning them in the endless mist, leaving them to wander as if alone and far from from home. When used in this manner, the clash receives a three die bonus. On hit, the target receives the normal effects of the starlight Elegy. In addition, the user makes a stealth test roll. The target and their allies must surpass the users stealth in order to perceive one another, which they may attempt each turn. While under this affect, allies cannot target or affect the victim deliberately, nor may the victim target them, although passive effects still reach them if in range. The victim also suffers a three die penalty to all offensive clashes while under this effect.
Seventh Measure 1/500
Strength 2/25
Dexterity 12/45
Stamina 21/35
Intelligence 11/35
Wits 5/35
Resolve 16/35
Manipulation 11/45
Composure 10/35
Occult 8/15
Politics 4/15
Athletics 10/30
Expression 20/42
Socialize 5/9
War 3/6
Dodge 8/30
Heavy Polearms 2/9
Resilience 8/21
+10 successes to Argent Current
+15 successes to qi
+15 successes to PLR
Income: 145 Red Stones
Okay, so, finally got this done. Before we proceed into the weeks advancing we have one last plot thread to tie up. So this vote is going to be about Yan Renshu.
[] It's time to finish this, one way or the other, infiltrate Yan Renshu's base and break the back of his operation for good.
-[] Invite Meizhen along
[] Take the matter of Yan Renshu to Cai Renxiang.
[] Let it go. Remain on guard, but leave it be.
[] Write-In
[] It's time to finish this, one way or the other, infiltrate Yan Renshu's base and break the back of his operation for good.
-[] Invite Meizhen along
[] Take the matter of Yan Renshu to Cai Renxiang.
It's got to be one of these two. We can't just act as if it's the best case scenario and he isn't planning anything malicious.
And even if he isn't, it still benefits us to eliminate some competition for the tournament.
Also, binding Sixiang does seem to be an option, but we'd have to decide whether we want to spend the Qi to bind a third realm, non-combat focused spirit.
Though I'm sure we could find some way to synergize their revelry abilities with FVM, FSS, and PLR
[X] It's time to finish this, one way or the other, infiltrate Yan Renshu's base and break the back of his operation for good.
-[X] Invite Meizhen along
Bai and Ling started this time for them to finish it.
Ling Qi arrives for training. There are multi color lights blinking off and on and a group of moon fairies dance around a scowling Meizhen Cai Renxiang. Cui Gan Guangli is hiding in a plant pot.
[] It's time to finish this, one way or the other, infiltrate Yan Renshu's base and break the back of his operation for good.
-[] Invite Meizhen along
[] Take the matter of Yan Renshu to Cai Renxiang.
It's got to be one of these two. We can't just act as if it's the best case scenario and he isn't planning anything malicious.
And even if he isn't, it still benefits us to eliminate some competition for the tournament.
Also, binding Sixiang does seem to be an option, but we'd have to decide whether we want to spend the Qi to bind a third realm, non-combat focused spirit.
Though I'm sure we could find some way to synergize their revelry abilities with FVM, FSS, and PLR
[X] It's time to finish this, one way or the other, infiltrate Yan Renshu's base and break the back of his operation for good.
-[X] Invite Meizhen along
