"I'm not dressing up like some dancer," Ling Qi said bluntly as she walked beside Gu Xiulan down one of the streets in the market. "I just want something practical," she added stubbornly.
Gu Xiulan gave a put upon sigh as she lead them around a corner, she apparently knew where she wanted to go for this, so Ling Qi simply followed her. "You are such a difficult girl," she grumbled. "I do not think I have ever met another young lady so stubbornly opposed to improving her appearance."
"Probably because I'm not a 'lady'," Ling Qi replied a bit waspishly. "There's no point in trying to pretend to be something I'm not."
"Isn't there though?" Gu Xiulan shot back immediately, seeming a bit frustrated. "No one will respect you if you choose to continue behaving and appearing the way you do?"
Ling Qi frowned at the other girl. "If I get strong enough they will. That's the point of cultivation, isn't it?"
"And mastering ones appearance and its effects on others is strength," Gu Xiulan argued. "When a lady can halt aggression or guide those around her with a smile and a few honeyed words, that too is strength. As can the ability for a man such as Han Jian to inspire loyalty and awe with his words and presence," she replied, sounding genuinely passionate.
"I suppose," Ling Qi replied grudgingly. "I don't like it though," she added a bit petulantly. "I'll… I'll just follow your lead. I'm not wearing something that's going to take an hour to put on though." Gu Xiulan smirked at her victory, and Ling Qi hunched her shoulders, irritated. She knew the other girl was right. Choosing to refuse the trappings of wealth wasn't going to do her any favors in the long run. Was that what mother had been trying to do? She had thought she was just grooming her to follow in her footsteps, but… If she was honest with herself, mother had never mentioned anything of the sort. "Gu Xiulan, they said we could communicate now, right? Do you know where I would have to go to send a letter, even if you're... Not sure where the recipient is?"
Her companion blinked at the change in subject, but recovered quickly enough. "I suppose there should be an office of the Ministry of Communication in the town at the base of the mountain, they rarely fail to deliver their messages to the intended recipient," she replied slowly, eyeing Ling Qi curiously.
"And...is there a way to trade a red stone or two for silver?" She asked tentatively. It hurt to spend her scant resources on something that didn't immediately help her, but… she remembered the well. She also remembered how thin and listless her mother had looked the last time she had seen her. There hadn't been that much grey in mothers hair when she had left home. Her profession wasn't exactly one kind to aging, even if, or indeed because, looking back the… establishment mother worked at was pretty high class as those things went.
Gu Xiulan pursed her lips thoughtfully for a moment. "I suppose you would be able to do that in the same place. The Ministry typically handles such things as part of their business dealings... Why in the world would you wish to waste your stones so though?"
Ling Qi gave her an unimpressed look. "Why do you think?" She asked irritably. "You know I was a commoner. I just… I didn't part on great terms with mother, and I thought I could help her out a little," she added trailing off to a mumble at the end. She had to be careful. Too much money at once would just make her a target… maybe she could set up something to mail her a little every month?
Gu Xiulan paused a moment in the street, looking curious. "Ah, that is rather obvious in hindsight, how obtuse of me," she replied, frowning. "Well, I don't see how that should be a problem. Interfering overmuch in mortal affairs is frowned upon, but no one would rebuke you for seeing to the care of family." She furrowed her brows thoughtfully. "Why would you not know the location of your own mother?"
Ling Qi shifted uncomfortably, barely avoiding bumping into one of the passerby. "I… kind of ran away from home when I was… ten," she replied slowly. "Yeah… I had just recently turned ten. I've only seen her once or twice since, so I'm not sure if she still lives in the same place."
For just an instant, Ling Qi saw a flicker of genuine surprise on the other girls face. "I… see, yes, that would be a problem," she replied neutrally giving Ling Qi an appraising look. "No wonder you act like a ruffian," she murmured before frowning at Ling Qi. "You will apologize of course. I know not your circumstances, but to abandon family in such a way is shameful."
Ling Qi scowled defensively, but then looked away, shoulders drooping. "...Yeah, I know. That's the idea," she replied unhappily. How does one go about apologizing for that kind of thing though?
'Hi mother, it's me Ling Qi, the daughter you probably assumed was dead in a gutter years ago! Turns out I'm an immortal now, so you shouldn't worry. Heres some money, since giving it to you hardly costs me a thing. Sorry for being a selfish and disobedient daughter!'
As Ling Qi held back a snort of laughter at her own musings, Gu Xiulan came to a stop. "Well, leaving that aside for now, we are here. I am going to make a lady of you yet," she said with cheerful determination.
Ling Qi felt a spike of regret that had nothing to do with her lack of filial piety.
The next few hours are a drag of poking, prodding, needles and cloth, and more than a couple of fairly heated disagreements with Gu Xiulan over the exact specifications of what Ling Qi wanted. In the end, she managed to avoid all the gauzy scarves Gu Xiulan wanted to dress her in, and come out of the whole mess with something she could actually feel comfortable wearing.
Her new gown was high necked covering everything below her collarbones, with the same long and billowy sleeves she had gotten used too, the outer layer was dark blue, nearly black silk, with embroidered patterns of silver flower petals being blown in the wind across the chest. The hems were silver embroidery as well, but they were arranged in patterns of formation characters rather than flower petals. The sash and underlayer of the gown were a lighter blue. Most importantly it fit her perfectly, which was nice from a comfort perspective, even if Ling Qi felt awkward about the way the cloth tightly hugged her hips.
Soothing Streams Gown: A masterfully crafted silk gown fitted to Ling Qi at the request of Gu Xiulan. Armor 1. Provides a +1 to all defense clashes, and a +1 to relevant socialize rolls. Reduces the cost of water element techniques by 1 to a minimum of one. Self repairs to a minor extent restoring durability and fixing cuts and tears over the course of several hours. Durability 5
-50 Red Stones
There were still a couple of things she wasn't very happy about though. "Was it really necessary to have it slit so high?" Ling Qi said self consciously as they strolled out of the dress shop, clutching the silky cloth closed in her hands.
"Do stop that, you are going to wrinkle it," Gu Xiulan chided, her own gown was all reds and golds, and cut significantly lower than Ling Qi's to boot, on top of having tighter and less open sleeves. "You said you wanted practicality, did you not? It will not hinder your movement in at all."
"Yeah, but I feel like the second I really start moving, or a breeze kicks up I'm going to be flashing my legs like some kind of deviant," Ling Qi grumbled. "...Thank you though,"she added as an afterthought. For all her complaining, this thing was worth it from what the tailor had told her of its abilities.
"Well, it is a good thing you have some command of the wind then," Gu Xiulan replied dryly. "So that you may ensure that you only do so when you wish too," she added with a teasing lilt. "You are welcome, I suppose this is a start. One dress hardly makes a wardrobe though."
Ling Qi blinked, feeling sheepish as she smoothed the wrinkles in her dress and instead took hold of the currents of air around her. "...Right, forgot about that," she mumbled, feeling foolish. She would have to practice that a bit to avoid doing anything embarrassing. "I'm not going to do it in on purpose though," she added in mock irritation, her good mood shown in her lack of genuine temper at the idea.
"If you say so," Gu Xiulan replied dubiously. "Now, shall we go about ridding ourselves of our remaining load?"
"Yeah, lets, I'd rather have some space in my new ring," Ling Qi replied. "I actually want a couple of the talismans though, so I was thinking…"
The two of them chatted about the details as they shopped around for good prices on the talismans Ling Qi wasn't interested in keeping.
Mountainheart Guai, Life Spring Staff, Whirlwind Sabers, Warrior's Sash, White Hart Vest lost
Gained 49 stones from sale
Gained 3 Wellspring Pills, 2 White Peak Salve, Starlight Ribbon
-44 Stones from purchases
Ling Qi avoided spending much of cultivation medicines for the moment, knowing that she would be spending much time breaking through in the near future, despite the more expensive pills and elixirs that caught her eye now that she had more resources. Instead, she stocked herself with recovery items, and in one case, hurriedly bargained for the first talisman she had seen that offered enhancement to darkness techniques.
Equip Starlight Ribbon?
[] Yes
[] No
Still, despite the surprising enjoyment she had in shopping with Gu Xiulan, her other concerns niggled at her mind more and more as the day wore on. Were her friends alright? Had Bai Meizhen won her battle? She began to feel guilty for spending so much time on something like this. Gu Xiulan seemed to pick up on her growing disquiet though and so with the last of the spoils they intended to sell gone and their purchases made, the two of them left the market and began to head back toward the female residences.
The only question was who she should check up on, after she split of with Gu Xiulan, who wanted to go and show off her new dress to Han Jian.
[] Check in on Bai Meizhen
[] Check in on Li Suyin and Su Ling
AN: Alright, sorry for the short one guys, been kinda busy for the past couple of days. Heading into more action now though!
