Chapter 2.3 – A Mildly Surprising Revelation
- Location
- United States
[X] Plan Ghost Eyes until completion
-[X][Cultivation] Ghost Eyes x33 actions
-[X][Tutoring] Ghost Eyes x11 actions
-[X][MedBuy] Spirit Herb Pill
--[X] 8
-[X][MedUse] Ghost Eyes
[X] [Letter] Ask the Elder about cultivation sites within our lands and what can be done to use them
Chapter 2.3 – A Mildly Surprising Revelation
Snow 2, 12052
Having finally mastered the ability to use elemental qi, Shaohuo was strongly tempted to start cultivating a new elemental technique. However, he knew that Ghost Eyes would be more useful in the long run and he would need every advantage he could get. So he reluctantly gave that up and spent each day cultivating his qi sense, with occasional help from Father and his medicinal pills. The initial wonder of seeing the world through the new sense had faded somewhat, and it now seemed tedious at times, but he tried to keep in mind the neat arts he would be able to learn once he became good at cultivating. Flying by himself would be amazing.
His friends still visited every now and then, but the weather had become quite cold. There were at least a few inches of snow on the ground at all times, which tended to make travel unappealing. When he wasn't cultivating, Shaohuo spent his free time with either Meiling or his mother.
While Father governed the county as a whole, Mother was in charge of managing the household. Shaohuo could usually find her either in her study checking their finances and approving orders for supplies or around the grounds, supervising the servants as they worked. She would also visit the wives of nearby nobles from time to time. These activities weren't very relevant to Shaohuo's life, and Mother hadn't dedicated enough time to her own cultivation to teach him as Father did, having only reached orange. So he stuck to joining her in her study in the evening, where he would read while Mother played the harp. He didn't know much about music, but to his ears she played very well, and he found her performances of the classics soothing.
One day Shaohuo paused in the middle of reading one of his novels. The protagonist's love interest had just proposed to her after a long series of unfortunate events and misunderstandings, and it occurred to him that he didn't actually know how his parents ended up together. In fact, his mother avoided talking about her family at all.
"Mother, why did you and Father get married?" he asked, looking up from his book. Mother wasn't playing, kneeling as she tuned her harp. Her long, dark hair brushed the ground each time she wound the strings tighter with the tuning fork.
If she was surprised by the question then she didn't show it. "Hmm…that's a long story," Mother said, looking at him briefly before turning back to tune the harp. "But I suppose you should know. Well, it begins like this…"
Shaohuo put his book aside on the table nearby and settled into his chair.
"A long time ago, almost thirty years now, there was a terrible raid by the northern barbarians. They moved like lightning, sweeping past all our defenses. They pillaged the countryside of the north for three months before they were finally expelled. Thousands upon thousands died."
He nodded, "The Massacre of Fuzhou. I read about it."
"Yes," she said, gazing to the side for a few moments. She looked like she was deep in thought, perhaps remembering that time. "After that, the emperor decided that the barbarians couldn't be allowed to live any longer. He sent the imperial army to invade the barbarian lands and put an end to them. Your father and many other noblemen were drafted, which is how he met Ma Wei. Of course, the army was eventually defeated in the Battle of Yuezhi, and the soldiers were scattered to the four winds."
"What about Father?"
"His squadron ended up in my family's lands. He was wounded, and they left him in our care. I was there when he was brought to my home. He was pale and weak, with a poorly bandaged wound on his side. But even then he was quite…rugged." Mother sighed, smiling fondly.
"Then what happened?" Shaohuo said quickly, trying to change the subject.
Finished tuning her harp, she got up and sat on the chair across from him. "Well, that's where the story really begins…"
Xiuying carefully balanced the tray laden with a tea pot and porcelain cups as she walked through the halls of her family home. Father had praised her for being such a good host in taking the tea to their guest in person, but really she just wanted the chance to talk to him. She had never been much good at cultivation, and hadn't even bothered to join a sect. She was content to stay at home and take care of business for her family and the clan, but she couldn't suppress her curiosity about this man, with his mysterious origin and his recent travels to a foreign land. His handsome features didn't hurt either, with his beautiful silver eyes.
Ma Jun was sitting up on his cot now, reading a book on history that she'd loaned him. It would take a long time for wounds as grievous as his to heal, after all, even with the qi of a green cultivator. His eyes lit up as he saw her entering the room, and he lay the book down.
"Ah, Lady Hou. I am glad to see you today."
"I brought you some tea," Xiuying said, somehow managing not to stutter. She poured him a cup, blushing as his hand brushed hers when he took it. "I was hoping you could continue the story you were telling me the other day."
"Of course," he said, smiling mischievously, "Anything for a pretty lady. As I was saying, it took almost six months for the army to reach Xiongnu, and then it was skirmish after skirmish as we chased the barbarians for months after…"
Xiuying listened with rapt attention to his tale of the war. His initially smiling face had grown somber, making the bags under his eyes more obvious as he spoke of how casualties mounted higher and higher from both raids and lack of supplies, while the barbarians flew ahead among the clouds, always just a hair's breadth out of reach.
"Finally, it seems, they thought we were weak enough, and they attacked in force during the night. There was so much confusion and chaos. I woke to the smell of burning, and the screams of men who had been lit on fire, burning alive." He shook his head, forehead lined with sorrow. "I joined my squad, but there were no orders, no one to follow. Everyone just had to run, and somehow survive as we tried to make our way back to the Empire. And now, here I am." He said, shrugging with another smile, though it didn't extend to his eyes.
"I am so sorry," Xiuying said, laying a hand on his shoulder. She wished he could make him feel better. Then she had an idea. "Wait here, I'll be back soon." She said, and rushed out of the room.
She returned a few minutes later with her harp in her arms.
"I didn't know you could play." He said, smiling as she returned.
"Of course not, we've only known each other for a few weeks. We don't really know much about each other, do we?"
"Yes, but I would like to know," Ma Jun said softly.
"Oh, just listen," she said, her face flushing with heat once more.
She lifted her harp and began playing one of the classics, a piece where the artist was inspired by flowers blooming in the springtime. Her hands moved with the speed and precision of years of practice. She closed her eyes, focusing solely on the music, putting her heart into the performance. The peace of falling petals, and the rejuvenation of life in the spring. Those were the feelings she wished to convey, that she hoped would help heal the man's aching heart. She plucked the last few notes of the piece slowly, almost regretting that it had come to an end so soon.
"Thank you," Ma Jun said softly, meeting her eyes. He looked peaceful know, the wrinkles on his forehead gone. "Your music is beautiful."
She beamed, relieved that it had seemed to help. "Then I will come again tomorrow and play something new."
For the next two months, Xiuying spoke to Ma Jun almost every day, and would play the harp too. Over time, he seemed to become more lively, and always seemed to be able to make her laugh. By the time Ma Jun was once again able to walk for short distances, she was sure – she was in love.
"I am almost fully healed now," Ma Jun said to her one day. They were walking on the grounds outside, taking breaks every few minutes as the pain from his injury flared up. "I will have to go back to my family soon."
"That's good," Xiuying said, but she didn't meet his gaze. "I…will miss you."
"What would you say if you didn't have to?" Ma Jun said, stopping all of a sudden.
"What do you mean?" She said, turning to face him. She would have thought he was joking, but his expression was very serious.
"I want you to come with me. I love you, Xiuying. I would like to marry you. But first, I have something to confess," he said, his eyes darting away, looking unusually apprehensive. "My name isn't Ma Jun. My real name…is Li Jun."
She gasped, taking a step back. Her family had always, always told her how terrible the Li clan was. But this was still Jun.
He extended his hand to her. "Will you come with me?" He said, his usual confident tone cracking at end as he spoke. His eyes searched hers, seeming almost desperate.
In the end, her mind had already been made up. She hesitated for only a second before she reached out to take his hand.
"You're from the Hou clan?" Shaohuo said, speaking now that the story was over. He recalled the Honored Elder's cryptic advice about Hou Lian, but still… "But, why did the Hou clan not like us? Why was it such a big deal that Father was from our clan?"
"Well, my old family still doesn't like us, really." Mother said with a sad smile. "I don't know how it started, but our families have been feuding for centuries. When I ran away with your father it didn't take long before they figured out who he really was. That only made the feud worse, in the end. We were fortunate that the Honored Elder approved our marriage. For a time, I thought we might have to abandon our lives as nobles altogether."
"Huh," Shaohuo said, dumbfounded. He hadn't known he was related to another major clan, and one that was his family's enemy to boot. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, it was too much to process at once. "So this means I'm related to Hou Lian too?"
"You've heard about her already?" Mother said, lifting a brow. "But yes, you're related to her, though only distantly. That's why I decided to tell you about my family now. I'm not sure how she will react if you meet her at the sect. You should be careful, little one."
"Right," Shaohuo said absentmindedly, still deep in his thoughts. He had no idea how to deal with this. In the end, he decided he could worry about it later.
He soon had more to think about as the end of Snow approached, and the reply from the Honored Elder arrived.
Dear Shaohuo,
Hello once again. I am unsure what you mean when you ask about cultivation sites. If you mean places where it is easier to cultivate, none exist. However, there are places where rare, highly potent spiritual herbs grow. Unfortunately, many of the most potent spiritual herbs are impossible to grow artificially, and they tend to be found in remote areas in small quantities. It is not uncommon for spirit-beasts to prowl in these areas, drawn by the presence of these herbs.
Our clan knows of several such locations within the province, but I cannot afford to spend all my time guarding them from spirit-beasts. If you are willing to risk your life, I have sent a letter to your father letting him know that I've given you permission to take one of these herbs every other month from one of these sites. Do not take more than that; we cannot risk the extinction of the herbs, and I will notice if you take more. Also, if you do notice the presence of a spirit-beast, you must immediately flee. Your father will give you directions to the location if you wish, but you must go alone.
I will emphasize once again that you would be risking your life, and I would not wish to risk two cultivators' lives. Frankly, it is unlikely that your father would be able to protect you anyway should a spirit-beast find you. It would be best for you to wait until you are at blue before attempting risky adventures like these, but I must admit that I might not have come as far as I have without taking some risks. If you were to do so, it would be slightly less dangerous for you to make such an attempt in the winter since fewer herbs survive the frosts, drawing less spirit-beasts. By the same token, however, it will be more difficult for you to find the herbs. I leave the decision up to you.
Best Regards,
Elder Li Lee
Shaohuo was unsure what the right decision here was. If there was a way to become more powerful, to help him overcome his mediocre talent, he couldn't deny that it was very tempting to him. On the other hand, was becoming a great cultivator truly worth risking the only life he had? Perhaps it would be alright if he was careful, and ran away as soon as he noticed a spirit-beast, as the Honored Elder said. But it would still be a risk with potentially very high costs.
On a more positive note, the New Year's festival was approaching. This year, the holiday happened to coincide with Xiaoli's birthday, so her father was planning to hold a large celebration for the entire clan, beginning a few days before the actual date of the Festival. He could attend early with Father and Mother and spend the whole time there, or he could just arrive on the last day with Meiling to wish Xiaoli a happy birthday. If he did the former then he'd also need to pick out a symbolic gift that he could be seen giving her, rather than just telling her about the sword he'd bought for her like he'd originally planned to do. His usual choice of present wouldn't do either, since he doubted Xiaoli would want to be seen unwrapping a racy novel in front of the entire family. Some jewelry would do nicely, he thought.
Shaohuo's Base Stats:
Talent – 4
Qi: 18/18 > 28/28
HP: base 10/10 * 10 (from physical cultivation) = 100/100
Funds: 1080 > 680 coppers (-1200 from purchases, +800 from allowance)
Spear Mastery: 2/5 (Trained)
Diplomacy – 8/10
Knowledge – 7/10
Deception – 4/10
Intelligence – 9/10
Perception – 6
Martial – 4/10
Strength – 9
Defense – 5
Flexibility – 4
Balance – 3
Speed – 8
Stealth – 4
Stamina – 8
Does Shaohuo ask anything specific of the Honored Elder in his next letter?
[X] [Letter] No, just keeping in touch.
[X] [Letter] Write-in.
Outside of cultivation, what does Shaohuo spend his time on during the next month? Pick three.
[X] [Minor Action] Attend the entire New Years' festival at the main clan compound. (Spends 180 coppers on a suitable present).
[X] [Minor Action] Gather the spiritual herbs that the Honored Elder spoke of.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Father – You do spend quite a bit of time with Father during training and some social events visiting subordinates. But outside of duty, you could still get to know him better as a person.
[X] [Minor Action] Mother – obviously, you know Mother well, and you get along well too, seeing as she dotes on you almost as much as on Meiling. Still, you could always spend more time with her before heading off to the sect.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Meiling – Soon you will be gone and will rarely see your sister for two years. It might be good to spend some time with her now.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Xiaoli – She has become your closest friend, and it is good to maintain that bond.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Suyin – the daughter of one of your father's closest friends and a minor noble in her own right, Suyin is good company and an intelligent conversationalist when you can get her to speak. She beat you quite badly in your spar recently. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from her and her father? Though that would mean putting up with Father's teasing.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Chin, Fang, and Daquan – they are good friends, and you'll be leaving soon. It couldn't hurt to spend time with them.
-[X][Cultivation] Ghost Eyes x33 actions
-[X][Tutoring] Ghost Eyes x11 actions
-[X][MedBuy] Spirit Herb Pill
--[X] 8
-[X][MedUse] Ghost Eyes
[X] [Letter] Ask the Elder about cultivation sites within our lands and what can be done to use them
Chapter 2.3 – A Mildly Surprising Revelation
Having finally mastered the ability to use elemental qi, Shaohuo was strongly tempted to start cultivating a new elemental technique. However, he knew that Ghost Eyes would be more useful in the long run and he would need every advantage he could get. So he reluctantly gave that up and spent each day cultivating his qi sense, with occasional help from Father and his medicinal pills. The initial wonder of seeing the world through the new sense had faded somewhat, and it now seemed tedious at times, but he tried to keep in mind the neat arts he would be able to learn once he became good at cultivating. Flying by himself would be amazing.
(Ghost Eyes Level 1 * 5 + Talent 4 *5 + Spirit Herb Pill 5) * 12 actions + Tutoring 10 * 4 actions = 400d10 = 2,6,6,4,6,7,1,6,5,2,8,5,9,2,6,6,4,1,5, 8,2,4,4,4,3,7,4,3,4,9,5,1,8,1,3, 2,10, 3,5, 5,5,3,8,1,7,10,3,5,4,2,5, 1,4,9,4,9,3,9,9,3,3,10,8,1,3,2,4,2,2,9,9,8,9,3, 4,8,5,9,5, 8,8, 6,4, 10,6, 4, 4,1,5,2,3,3,8, 8,6,3,9,8,5,8,2,5,1,10,5,6,2,7,5, 7,5,1,1,7,8,7,7,7,2,9,5,9,9, 2,10, 9,3, 8,5, 5, 6,4, 5, 8, 3,4,7,3,2,7,7,8,9, 3,1,8,2,7,9,5,3,1,5,7,4,9,5, 5,2,5,1, 4,6,3,7,1,5,9,5,3,3, 8,3,4,9,1, 6,7, 8,6, 7, 5, 2, 6,8,5,5,4,4,7,5,4, 5,3,9,10,9,4,4,8,2,7,2,7,6,8,10,10, 9,9,8,6, 1,9,6,2,4,3,6, 5,8,4,10,8,6, 5,6,3,1,1,2, 9,1,1,4,7,9,5,7,9,3,10,3,5,3,7, 8,8,9,8,3,2,9,8,2,2,10,5,9, 5,2,4,8,7,5,5, 5,8,3, 7,9,6,2,7,3,2, 4,3, 4,6, 6,4, 2,3, 5,2,6,4,3,4,8, 6,8,3,6,4,1,8,8,2,8, 4,3,2,9, 10,2,7,2, 5,5,6, 4,7,6,9,7,3,6,2,4, 5,8,4,9,2,9, 6,9, 6,4, 6,6, 5,7,5, 10,8,10,6, 6,6,3,4,3,10,7, 1,5,1,10,3,9,8,5, 9,2,9,2,4,5,2, 3,4,6,1, 2,5,4,6, 10,3, 9,1, 2, 6,9,9,9, 5,2,5,1,6,4,10,7,5,1, 5,10,6,2,4,2,1,9,4,9,9. Number of successes: 116.
Progress: 213/400.
One third of successes to Qi Cultivation: 38.
Progress 6/3
Qi: 18/18 > 20/20
Progress 32/4
Qi: 20/20 > 28/28
Progress 0/4
Progress: 213/400.
One third of successes to Qi Cultivation: 38.
Progress 6/3
Qi: 18/18 > 20/20
Progress 32/4
Qi: 20/20 > 28/28
Progress 0/4
His friends still visited every now and then, but the weather had become quite cold. There were at least a few inches of snow on the ground at all times, which tended to make travel unappealing. When he wasn't cultivating, Shaohuo spent his free time with either Meiling or his mother.
While Father governed the county as a whole, Mother was in charge of managing the household. Shaohuo could usually find her either in her study checking their finances and approving orders for supplies or around the grounds, supervising the servants as they worked. She would also visit the wives of nearby nobles from time to time. These activities weren't very relevant to Shaohuo's life, and Mother hadn't dedicated enough time to her own cultivation to teach him as Father did, having only reached orange. So he stuck to joining her in her study in the evening, where he would read while Mother played the harp. He didn't know much about music, but to his ears she played very well, and he found her performances of the classics soothing.
One day Shaohuo paused in the middle of reading one of his novels. The protagonist's love interest had just proposed to her after a long series of unfortunate events and misunderstandings, and it occurred to him that he didn't actually know how his parents ended up together. In fact, his mother avoided talking about her family at all.
"Mother, why did you and Father get married?" he asked, looking up from his book. Mother wasn't playing, kneeling as she tuned her harp. Her long, dark hair brushed the ground each time she wound the strings tighter with the tuning fork.
If she was surprised by the question then she didn't show it. "Hmm…that's a long story," Mother said, looking at him briefly before turning back to tune the harp. "But I suppose you should know. Well, it begins like this…"
Shaohuo put his book aside on the table nearby and settled into his chair.
"A long time ago, almost thirty years now, there was a terrible raid by the northern barbarians. They moved like lightning, sweeping past all our defenses. They pillaged the countryside of the north for three months before they were finally expelled. Thousands upon thousands died."
He nodded, "The Massacre of Fuzhou. I read about it."
"Yes," she said, gazing to the side for a few moments. She looked like she was deep in thought, perhaps remembering that time. "After that, the emperor decided that the barbarians couldn't be allowed to live any longer. He sent the imperial army to invade the barbarian lands and put an end to them. Your father and many other noblemen were drafted, which is how he met Ma Wei. Of course, the army was eventually defeated in the Battle of Yuezhi, and the soldiers were scattered to the four winds."
"What about Father?"
"His squadron ended up in my family's lands. He was wounded, and they left him in our care. I was there when he was brought to my home. He was pale and weak, with a poorly bandaged wound on his side. But even then he was quite…rugged." Mother sighed, smiling fondly.
"Then what happened?" Shaohuo said quickly, trying to change the subject.
Finished tuning her harp, she got up and sat on the chair across from him. "Well, that's where the story really begins…"
Xiuying carefully balanced the tray laden with a tea pot and porcelain cups as she walked through the halls of her family home. Father had praised her for being such a good host in taking the tea to their guest in person, but really she just wanted the chance to talk to him. She had never been much good at cultivation, and hadn't even bothered to join a sect. She was content to stay at home and take care of business for her family and the clan, but she couldn't suppress her curiosity about this man, with his mysterious origin and his recent travels to a foreign land. His handsome features didn't hurt either, with his beautiful silver eyes.
Ma Jun was sitting up on his cot now, reading a book on history that she'd loaned him. It would take a long time for wounds as grievous as his to heal, after all, even with the qi of a green cultivator. His eyes lit up as he saw her entering the room, and he lay the book down.
"Ah, Lady Hou. I am glad to see you today."
"I brought you some tea," Xiuying said, somehow managing not to stutter. She poured him a cup, blushing as his hand brushed hers when he took it. "I was hoping you could continue the story you were telling me the other day."
"Of course," he said, smiling mischievously, "Anything for a pretty lady. As I was saying, it took almost six months for the army to reach Xiongnu, and then it was skirmish after skirmish as we chased the barbarians for months after…"
Xiuying listened with rapt attention to his tale of the war. His initially smiling face had grown somber, making the bags under his eyes more obvious as he spoke of how casualties mounted higher and higher from both raids and lack of supplies, while the barbarians flew ahead among the clouds, always just a hair's breadth out of reach.
"Finally, it seems, they thought we were weak enough, and they attacked in force during the night. There was so much confusion and chaos. I woke to the smell of burning, and the screams of men who had been lit on fire, burning alive." He shook his head, forehead lined with sorrow. "I joined my squad, but there were no orders, no one to follow. Everyone just had to run, and somehow survive as we tried to make our way back to the Empire. And now, here I am." He said, shrugging with another smile, though it didn't extend to his eyes.
"I am so sorry," Xiuying said, laying a hand on his shoulder. She wished he could make him feel better. Then she had an idea. "Wait here, I'll be back soon." She said, and rushed out of the room.
She returned a few minutes later with her harp in her arms.
"I didn't know you could play." He said, smiling as she returned.
"Of course not, we've only known each other for a few weeks. We don't really know much about each other, do we?"
"Yes, but I would like to know," Ma Jun said softly.
"Oh, just listen," she said, her face flushing with heat once more.
She lifted her harp and began playing one of the classics, a piece where the artist was inspired by flowers blooming in the springtime. Her hands moved with the speed and precision of years of practice. She closed her eyes, focusing solely on the music, putting her heart into the performance. The peace of falling petals, and the rejuvenation of life in the spring. Those were the feelings she wished to convey, that she hoped would help heal the man's aching heart. She plucked the last few notes of the piece slowly, almost regretting that it had come to an end so soon.
"Thank you," Ma Jun said softly, meeting her eyes. He looked peaceful know, the wrinkles on his forehead gone. "Your music is beautiful."
She beamed, relieved that it had seemed to help. "Then I will come again tomorrow and play something new."
For the next two months, Xiuying spoke to Ma Jun almost every day, and would play the harp too. Over time, he seemed to become more lively, and always seemed to be able to make her laugh. By the time Ma Jun was once again able to walk for short distances, she was sure – she was in love.
"I am almost fully healed now," Ma Jun said to her one day. They were walking on the grounds outside, taking breaks every few minutes as the pain from his injury flared up. "I will have to go back to my family soon."
"That's good," Xiuying said, but she didn't meet his gaze. "I…will miss you."
"What would you say if you didn't have to?" Ma Jun said, stopping all of a sudden.
"What do you mean?" She said, turning to face him. She would have thought he was joking, but his expression was very serious.
"I want you to come with me. I love you, Xiuying. I would like to marry you. But first, I have something to confess," he said, his eyes darting away, looking unusually apprehensive. "My name isn't Ma Jun. My real name…is Li Jun."
She gasped, taking a step back. Her family had always, always told her how terrible the Li clan was. But this was still Jun.
He extended his hand to her. "Will you come with me?" He said, his usual confident tone cracking at end as he spoke. His eyes searched hers, seeming almost desperate.
In the end, her mind had already been made up. She hesitated for only a second before she reached out to take his hand.
"You're from the Hou clan?" Shaohuo said, speaking now that the story was over. He recalled the Honored Elder's cryptic advice about Hou Lian, but still… "But, why did the Hou clan not like us? Why was it such a big deal that Father was from our clan?"
"Well, my old family still doesn't like us, really." Mother said with a sad smile. "I don't know how it started, but our families have been feuding for centuries. When I ran away with your father it didn't take long before they figured out who he really was. That only made the feud worse, in the end. We were fortunate that the Honored Elder approved our marriage. For a time, I thought we might have to abandon our lives as nobles altogether."
"Huh," Shaohuo said, dumbfounded. He hadn't known he was related to another major clan, and one that was his family's enemy to boot. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, it was too much to process at once. "So this means I'm related to Hou Lian too?"
"You've heard about her already?" Mother said, lifting a brow. "But yes, you're related to her, though only distantly. That's why I decided to tell you about my family now. I'm not sure how she will react if you meet her at the sect. You should be careful, little one."
"Right," Shaohuo said absentmindedly, still deep in his thoughts. He had no idea how to deal with this. In the end, he decided he could worry about it later.
He soon had more to think about as the end of Snow approached, and the reply from the Honored Elder arrived.
Dear Shaohuo,
Hello once again. I am unsure what you mean when you ask about cultivation sites. If you mean places where it is easier to cultivate, none exist. However, there are places where rare, highly potent spiritual herbs grow. Unfortunately, many of the most potent spiritual herbs are impossible to grow artificially, and they tend to be found in remote areas in small quantities. It is not uncommon for spirit-beasts to prowl in these areas, drawn by the presence of these herbs.
Our clan knows of several such locations within the province, but I cannot afford to spend all my time guarding them from spirit-beasts. If you are willing to risk your life, I have sent a letter to your father letting him know that I've given you permission to take one of these herbs every other month from one of these sites. Do not take more than that; we cannot risk the extinction of the herbs, and I will notice if you take more. Also, if you do notice the presence of a spirit-beast, you must immediately flee. Your father will give you directions to the location if you wish, but you must go alone.
I will emphasize once again that you would be risking your life, and I would not wish to risk two cultivators' lives. Frankly, it is unlikely that your father would be able to protect you anyway should a spirit-beast find you. It would be best for you to wait until you are at blue before attempting risky adventures like these, but I must admit that I might not have come as far as I have without taking some risks. If you were to do so, it would be slightly less dangerous for you to make such an attempt in the winter since fewer herbs survive the frosts, drawing less spirit-beasts. By the same token, however, it will be more difficult for you to find the herbs. I leave the decision up to you.
Best Regards,
Elder Li Lee
Shaohuo was unsure what the right decision here was. If there was a way to become more powerful, to help him overcome his mediocre talent, he couldn't deny that it was very tempting to him. On the other hand, was becoming a great cultivator truly worth risking the only life he had? Perhaps it would be alright if he was careful, and ran away as soon as he noticed a spirit-beast, as the Honored Elder said. But it would still be a risk with potentially very high costs.
On a more positive note, the New Year's festival was approaching. This year, the holiday happened to coincide with Xiaoli's birthday, so her father was planning to hold a large celebration for the entire clan, beginning a few days before the actual date of the Festival. He could attend early with Father and Mother and spend the whole time there, or he could just arrive on the last day with Meiling to wish Xiaoli a happy birthday. If he did the former then he'd also need to pick out a symbolic gift that he could be seen giving her, rather than just telling her about the sword he'd bought for her like he'd originally planned to do. His usual choice of present wouldn't do either, since he doubted Xiaoli would want to be seen unwrapping a racy novel in front of the entire family. Some jewelry would do nicely, he thought.
Shaohuo's Base Stats:
Talent – 4
Qi: 18/18 > 28/28
HP: base 10/10 * 10 (from physical cultivation) = 100/100
Funds: 1080 > 680 coppers (-1200 from purchases, +800 from allowance)
Spear Mastery: 2/5 (Trained)
Diplomacy – 8/10
Knowledge – 7/10
Deception – 4/10
Intelligence – 9/10
Perception – 6
Martial – 4/10
Strength – 9
Defense – 5
Flexibility – 4
Balance – 3
Speed – 8
Stealth – 4
Stamina – 8
Does Shaohuo ask anything specific of the Honored Elder in his next letter?
[X] [Letter] No, just keeping in touch.
[X] [Letter] Write-in.
Outside of cultivation, what does Shaohuo spend his time on during the next month? Pick three.
[X] [Minor Action] Attend the entire New Years' festival at the main clan compound. (Spends 180 coppers on a suitable present).
[X] [Minor Action] Gather the spiritual herbs that the Honored Elder spoke of.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Father – You do spend quite a bit of time with Father during training and some social events visiting subordinates. But outside of duty, you could still get to know him better as a person.
[X] [Minor Action] Mother – obviously, you know Mother well, and you get along well too, seeing as she dotes on you almost as much as on Meiling. Still, you could always spend more time with her before heading off to the sect.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Meiling – Soon you will be gone and will rarely see your sister for two years. It might be good to spend some time with her now.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Xiaoli – She has become your closest friend, and it is good to maintain that bond.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Suyin – the daughter of one of your father's closest friends and a minor noble in her own right, Suyin is good company and an intelligent conversationalist when you can get her to speak. She beat you quite badly in your spar recently. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from her and her father? Though that would mean putting up with Father's teasing.
[X] [Minor Action] Spend time with Chin, Fang, and Daquan – they are good friends, and you'll be leaving soon. It couldn't hurt to spend time with them.
