Ouch! So Ji Rong lost his archive pass and effectively is going to be behind a month when unfrozen. That's going to sting a lot. Also, Xuan is firmly part of Cai's faction and seems to be at least mildly positive towards Ling Qi. Might be an interesting social link to cultivate...
Also, formations? *Very potent*. Granted, Xuan is probably at a level higher than Ling Qi can conveniently reach in a few months... still, something to consider. On the tokens, so they're apparently each containing a goody. The Starlight Elixir seems like a pretty handy item; using it for cultivating two (or three) combat arts is good, and since the physical roll triggers once regardless of how many arts being cultivated, it's still useful even if only one art is being cultivated that week.
Argent Soul is closer and closer... and Forgotten Vale Melody dinged of course. Fourth measure requiring mid-Yellow was half-expected, and leaves Ling Qi with just Sable Crescent Step, Argent Soul, Spirit and Physique to cultivate until she advances; it's time to get a new art.
FVM has a 30-meter range now, closer to that of Zephyr's Breath. Longer lingering after playing stops, the befuddling is a bit stronger (and can combine with the initial playing!), the phantom attacks are unchanged... and the new technique is a drainer! Very expensive though - I'm thinking this should be put in a qi card.
Physical cultivation is advancing quite fast, with 19 successes (almost a sixth of the way); with the Starlight Elixir on, say, a new art and Sable Crescent Step and a physical cultivation action, Ling Qi could hit mid-Silver within three weeks if she needed to.
The letter to mother was... awkward - as it should be. Really, Ling Qi ran away over something of a misunderstanding, and her mother has definitely suffered in the time since because of it.
Bai is preparing to try to break through to Green within a month; I would expect Cai and Sun to probably make their initial attempt in a similar timeline, although perhaps a week or two later. Ling Qi should probably keep an ear out for information on success or failure of such attempts. And Bai's favor... oho, this looks intriguing.
I'm not entirely sold on Ling Qi being up to snuff for the trials beyond the door, if they require two Yellow realm cultivators. But then, she *is* also silver... and Bai is late Yellow. Hmm... supplies... I'd say one more of the +10 qi restoration pills (so there's two for Bai and two for Ling), perhaps another salve (one for each), perhaps.
The discussion topics... gah. Spirits and binding might be valuable, but Bai's thoughts on cultivation goals for the Yellow realm might also be good. The inner sect competition - Ling Qi needs to know more about it, although it's not urgent. And politics and history is something she's definitely lacking in (and should remedy fairly soon).
[X] Imperial politics and recent history in general
When it comes down to it, there'll be information on spirits and binding in the archives, I wager, if Ling Qi can't go to Bai or Han Jian later for it. Ling Qi can guess at cultivation goals herself - acquire more qi, acquire more arts, finish argent soul, start eight phase cycle, cultivate physique and spirit. And the competition is many months out; there's plenty of time to prepare (and, again, preparation can be somewhat guessed-at - "get gud"). Politics, on the other hand... Ling Qi needs to get a more complete picture, I think, before she offends someone or decides to try and approach others of her 'peers' in Yellow.
A thought does come to mind - that if the knowledge about spirits and binding is needed past the bronze door...
