Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest]

[occipitallobe]

Good Seed and Omake Spreadsheet Rules:

Firstly, if you have questions about Good Seeds and the like please read here. If that doesn't answer your question please ping me in thread, or on Discord.

If you write a new Good Seed, or write an omake, please update the spreadsheet if you have access.

If you do not have access, please ping a collaborator (Swordomatic, Alectai, Quest, TehChron, Insane-Not-Crazy, Humbaba, ReaderOfFate, Kaboomatic, no., BungieONI) letting them know what you want and they will update the spreadsheet here. To gain access, you will need a gmail account of some kind. Throwaway emails are fine (I'm using one for the spreadsheet), but to gain access it's as simple as sending me either your email via PM, via DM in Discord, or just in Discord's #spreadsheet-requests channel.

This is mandatory. If a Good Seed does not record their omake by pinging collabs (or just requesting access and editing things themselves - this is the preferred option), I won't give out awards. If a new Good Seed is not recorded here, they won't advance. By doing this it makes the whole thing manageable for me - it's gotten pretty unwieldy!

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Omake Writer Instructions:

There are four fields you need to fill out.

Omake Link, which is just a link to your first omake for the turn. This makes it easier for me to read them as I do the update - without this it's tough to know off the bat which omake were written this turn, and to properly

Requested Bonus, which is your requested bonus for your omake. You can leave it up to me if you like. You can see more info in the Good Seed infopost here.

Cultivation Aims. For those following unorthodox paths - higher than 9th Heavenstage or later than 7th Dao Pillar paths. Please put in what you are aiming for before you break through. I have left it as 'default'. If you do not edit it, I'll go with that.

Turn Notes - Do you want to do something specific? Enter a Secret Realm? Help the Clan out in some way? If you have something specific you want to accomplish on this turn, put it in turn notes so I can adjust your Fate around it.

All other fields are for QM use to record character information to properly run the flow of the game.

 

[occipitallobe]

If it's the same as ISSTH, which is the only Xianxia off the top of my head that has perfecting Qi Condensation go up to 13, 10th is a body refinement stage, 11th refines your Core Sea so you have more Qi in later stages, 12th creates a Sea of Perception so your later spiritual sense will be better than others of the same stage, and the 13th stage literally steals talent from the heavens, and raises your base talent.

Unfortunately, going 10th stage and above is unfeasible for our Clan because we took Dangerous Tribulations, and going to these stages increases the strength of future tribulations since you're actively going against heaven's will.

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It's not exactly the same as ISSTH, but Er Gen's cultivation system is the base for all this (for familiarity's sake), given how popular his novels are. Dao Pillars only go up to 8, and cracks aren't a thing.

The real thing is that we basically cut off one of their sources of internal replenishment in the same turn we fucked up one of their Elders as long as we don't completely fuck up our outreach attempt. Which means they have to come to us and our defenses if they want to replenish that way, or alternately hit Jingshen and thus potentially bring them into the Cannibal Kicking Crew.

Like, I cannot describe enough just how much of an opportunity this gave us.



Huh

Does that mean our intervention during this moment of cresting tensions might derail that usual cycle?

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It really depends on your future actions, to be honest. Rebellions usually fail.

Oh shit
I assume this is a 'road to hell paved with good intentions' type thing?
Where the rebellion intends to stop the oppression of mortals and low level cultivators, before getting into power and realizing that, no, htey actually kinda like the system now that it benefits them?

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Usually it's for a rebellion to succeed, you need to attract Blood Path rebels from the main Sect who are usually rebelling for more resources. The initial rebels are riding a tiger and if they win have no way of getting off.

Unfortunately, this isn't exactly something we can take advantage of since a Good Seed from our Sect that takes the risk would be playing Russian Roulette, but @occipitallobe, does the 13th Heavenstage of Qi Condensation raise your base talent in this world?

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The 13th Heavenstage definitely isn't the same as Er Gen's. The nebulous notion of 'talent' is interesting, but I prefer to see it more as alignment with one's Dao. There are no untalented people, merely those following the wrong path.

It's not relevant right now, but I'll do a writeup on it before any Good Seeds get close to the 9th Heavenstage.

 

[Alectai]

It really depends on your future actions, to be honest. Rebellions usually fail.

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Reasonable enough, just need to keep my game up and collaborate with other masterminds to find a path to victory here.

That being said, one of our Enemies getting fucked up this bad early on is a great opportunity, especially since it's the one who'd be the most persistent problem for us in the early game.

 

[LordEdric]

Guys, while I'm happy a powerhouse got crippled, we don't know what enough about the sect to say just how much damage we did, I think it's time for some spying. I want to know exactly where to break them

 

[Robotninja]

Successful Blood Path rebellions usually just look like new Blood Path sects, ~99% of the time.

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Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Probably. If the rebels turn to the blood path for quick power to kill their oppressors, we can step in, giving them resources and aid instead and establish a new vassal state, if not simply annex their territory. Either way, we get rid of Blood Path which is overall good since it means fewer mortals being killed and thus more mortals for us to draw on for recruits.

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I doubt it is that easy to wipe out a peer level enemy, even if they are having trouble. Expanding will be very difficult and expensive, formations take lots of time and skilled labor to create, and we rely on those for defense. We don't want to get into a slugging war outside of our formations, as they can replace their losses far faster and more easily than we can.

One tactic we could use is salting their fields, so to speak. Intentionally make it even harder for mortals to live and prosper in lands they control. Without a steady supply of mortals to predate on, they wither on the vine.

It really depends on your future actions, to be honest. Rebellions usually fail.

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How easy would it be for us to make and deploy formations that don't really do much to cultivators, but basically wreck/ruin the bulk of mortals in a wide area?

 

[ninjastar]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

I doubt it is that easy to wipe out a peer level enemy, even if they are having trouble. Expanding will be very difficult and expensive, formations take lots of time and skilled labor to create, and we rely on those for defense. We don't want to get into a slugging war outside of our formations, as they can replace their losses far faster and more easily than we can.

One tactic we could use is salting their fields, so to speak. Intentionally make it even harder for mortals to live and prosper in lands they control. Without a steady supply of mortals to predate on, they wither on the vine.

How easy would it be for us to make and deploy formations that don't really do much to cultivators, but basically wreck/ruin the bulk of mortals in a wide area?

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Yes, that is a good idea. We do 'unethical' actions to sabotage their mortals, while also making sure to create ways for them to escape to our lands, both cutting their population and increasing out. Although if we want to keep our good reputation, we keep i a secret and maybe even blame them.

Sabotaging water supplies seem like a great way to do so. In the desert water is hard to come by, so we poison or salt wells and oasis decrease their mortal population and incentive people to escape to our lands. Then, since we are OP at defence and attrition, we simply wait for them to bleed out without having to risk any damage by attacking them.

 

[occipitallobe]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

I doubt it is that easy to wipe out a peer level enemy, even if they are having trouble. Expanding will be very difficult and expensive, formations take lots of time and skilled labor to create, and we rely on those for defense. We don't want to get into a slugging war outside of our formations, as they can replace their losses far faster and more easily than we can.

One tactic we could use is salting their fields, so to speak. Intentionally make it even harder for mortals to live and prosper in lands they control. Without a steady supply of mortals to predate on, they wither on the vine.

How easy would it be for us to make and deploy formations that don't really do much to cultivators, but basically wreck/ruin the bulk of mortals in a wide area?

Click to shrink...

Yes, that is a good idea. We do 'unethical' actions to sabotage their mortals, while also making sure to create ways for them to escape to our lands, both cutting their population and increasing out. Although if we want to keep our good reputation, we keep i a secret and maybe even blame them.

Sabotaging water supplies seem like a great way to do so. In the desert water is hard to come by, so we poison or salt wells and oasis decrease their mortal population and incentive people to escape to our lands. Then, since we are OP at defence and attrition, we simply wait for them to bleed out without having to risk any damage by attacking them.

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For a clan that who's motto basically boils down to 'fuck the Heavens, I'm not being evil just because it's advantageous' I think you'd find it hard to get that strategy taken up.

 

[ninjastar]

For a clan that who's motto basically boils down to 'fuck the Heavens, I'm not being evil just because it's advantageous' I think you'd find it hard to get that strategy taken up.

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I guess your right. We can win based on our own merit without having to resort to typical evil stuff.

 

[Alectai]

Yeah, one can employ skulduggery without playing the same game all of our neighbors are. It just means we can't use atrocities as a matter of seizing advantage.

 

[Kaboomatic]

@occipitallobe
How strong are qi gathering cultivators in comparison to mortals?
I need to know for omake reasons

 

[TehChron]

I doubt it is that easy to wipe out a peer level enemy, even if they are having trouble. Expanding will be very difficult and expensive, formations take lots of time and skilled labor to create, and we rely on those for defense. We don't want to get into a slugging war outside of our formations, as they can replace their losses far faster and more easily than we can.

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Not at all.

That's the whole reason for this encounter in the first place. They genuinely are running out of mortals, so the Cannibals need to reach out to other territories to fuel their cultivation

We're in a good position to cripple the Cannibals so long as we manage to gank their existing Nascent Souls

The Oasis Rebels and our Array/Formations specializations are pretty good for forcing such a thing to come to pass

 

[Alectai]

Not at all.

That's the whole reason for this encounter in the first place. They genuinely are running out of mortals, so the Cannibals need to reach out to other territories to fuel their cultivation

We're in a good position to cripple the Cannibals so long as we manage to gank their existing Nascent Souls

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Well, they have two, its just one of those is missing a leg and two of his "Don't Die" buttons, which means the other one's likely to eat him or he's going to hide, so functionally they only have one left.

 

[occipitallobe]

@occipitallobe
How strong are qi gathering cultivators in comparison to mortals?
I need to know for omake reasons

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1st Heavenstage... maybe 3 times stronger. Assume strength increases by about 25% per Heavenstage, so 9th Heavenstage cultivators are roughly 20 times stronger.

 

[TehChron]

Well, they have two, its just one of those is missing a leg and two of his "Don't Die" buttons, which means the other one's likely to eat him or he's going to hide, so functionally they only have one left.

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Which just means we need to bait him out into a trap where his corpse cant be recycled in dramatic and impressive fashion.

Then we crush their Hall, obliterate the Will Remnant that started them up and hey there we go

 

[Alectai]

Which just means we need to bait him out into a trap where his corpse cant be recycled in dramatic and impressive fashion.

Then we crush their Hall, obliterate the Will Remnant that started them up and hey there we go

Click to shrink...

The real money shot would be if they do come to blows and the one legged guy can't win the ass kicking contest and can't run away.

Because the next thing such a Cultivator does is self destruct in his killer's face in hopes of spiting them.

 

[Mr. Prokosch]

The Lost Girl

5 years ago

"Run! I'll hold them off!"

Her father's last words were a lie. He didn't mean to lie. Maybe he thought, in those last moments, that he'd gain some kind of new strength. Some power to make his courageous sacrifice worthwhile. It mattered more to him. He wanted it. He needed it.

Nature is cruel.

You don't become stronger because you need to. If that were the case, there would be no prey. Her father barely slowed their pursuers, they laughed and joked while they slaughtered their prey.

Her mother ran as fast as she could. She didn't want to waste her husband's sacrifice. She used every technique she had, every bit of Qi she'd condensed. She sacrificed her growth, burned her meridians.

Cultivation is cruel.

Perhaps if she had spent less time on family, less time on joy. If she'd cultivated that extra week, or month, or year. But she had not, and so her efforts were not enough. The hunters ran her down. She collapsed, exhausted, in the broken mountains. Annoyed and bored, they killed her without preamble.

They sat and drank spirit wine while they debated. What to do with the little girl in the woman's arms?

"We can't kill her, right? We're supposed to match cultivation and the kids are mortal."

"Their blood is poison. Their clan is cursed. Heaven has decreed their destruction."

"Heaven demands justice as well. It's unjust to kill a defenseless child. We can't kill her until she's older."

"Then she'll just make more. Like weeds, they'll just come back unless we pull the root."

Heaven is cruelest.

No honorable end for her clan. Only endless struggle, endless slaughter, endless tragedy. Torture beyond even nature's hard truth. Beyond even cultivation's demands.

"I got it! Look where we are. No mortal could make it home from here. Her fool of a mother brought her too far in a panic. We don't have to kill her, but we don't have to save her either. Let's go, let the beasts have their snack."

So her parent's killers finished their drinks and leapt away. Broken and lost, she wandered the mountains and waited for nature, or cultivation, or heaven to take her. In the distance she heard the baying of blood wolves. Nature then. At least she wouldn't be a pill, or a puppet, or a bloodsack. It would dishonor her parents if she didn't at least try to fight, so she sprinted into a cave mouth and readied a stone.

She stared out and waited. Waited. Wait some more. Why did the wolves stay outside? Surely they weren't scared of a little girl?

Then she heard a wet huff from behind her. Oh yes, of course. A cave like this would have an occupant. She turned and saw a great shadow move forward.

A bear, and not a normal one. Its fur was shining metallic silver. The air twisted and spun in its aura. Metal and wind. A great spirit bear of the mountain. The bear sniffed at her curiously.

"Are you going to eat me?" the girl asked. Of course he would. It was only natural.

"Well you smell very good. Like meat, and blood, and metal. But you are very small. Barely worth the eating," the bear replied. He answered not with his mouth, but by twisting the air by her ear, "hmmm… I think I will not eat you."

"Are you sure? I'm lost. My parents are dead. I have nothing left. Not even a bite?"

The bear eyed her, "not even a bite. Do you have no den? I thought your kind live in herds."

She crunched up her face, "The village? The clan? I guess if I got back there, someone would take care of me. Doesn't matter. I can't make it. The wolves would eat me."

The bear nodded, "they would. But I can eat them first. I have decided. I will give you bond strength. I will feed you. I will protect you. I will bring you back to your herd."

The girl was stunned. Baffled. It made no sense.

"Why?"

"Because I am a very kind bear."

Nature is cruel. Cultivation is cruel. Heaven is cruelest. But a bear can be kind, if it wants.

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Present

Peta Condos looked out over the clan home. The broken mountains were not so far for a cultivator, but for a mortal girl with nothing but the clothes on her back, who needed to forage, and fight, and grow, it was a long journey indeed. She would have died a thousand times, if it wasn't for her brother's kindness.

She patted her sworn brother Wajo, the great bear who'd guided and protected her these long five years. "We finally found it. My den. My herd…."

What will he do now? She left the question unspoken. It was too painful to voice aloud.

The bear bobbed its head, "this journey changed me. I can no longer return to the lonely cave. Our fates are bound. I will stay and learn the secrets of human cultivation with you."

She hugged her brother. It'd been so long. She didn't even know if she still had family in the clan. But at least she'd have her brother with her.

Preferred Omake bonus: Upgrade to spirit bond or the beast ally, or a unique cultivation method using the beast bond

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Good Seed!

Name: Peta Condos and Wajo.

Background: Lost and presumed dead during the 100 year trials, she was rescued by a Floating Iron Bear. They became sworn siblings and formed a spirit bond, allowing her to begin cultivation without proper instructions. She has returned to the clan, uncertain of her place, but drawing strength from her brother and constant companion.

1st​ Heavenstage

Bonuses (I had too many, but the bond stuff can be consolidated to one cool thing)
Starting Cool Thing: Spirit Bond to a Floating Iron Bear that will progress with her.
1st Omake Bonus - Cool Thing: extraordinary spirit bond, shared thoughts and limited shared bloodline abilities
2nd Omake Bonuse - Cultivation Speed Boost (expired)
3rd Omake Bonus - Tribulation Reduction
4th Omake Bonus - Lifesaving Treasure
5th Omake Bonus - Lifesaving Treasure 2

Good Fortune Bonuses:
All-Swimming Art
Bee-Slaying Slap

 

[ninjastar]

"Because I am a very kind bear."

Nature is cruel. Cultivation is cruel. Heaven is cruelest. But a bear can be kind, if it wants.

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This bear sounds like a total G

 

[Leon12431]

@occipitallobe Not sure if you have already given me the omake bonus, but if not then I would like to either upgrade Telios' personal skill or have him learn it in the first place. If not then the skill would be a mental art that allows him to comprehend/merge differing skills into a more useful skill that has elements of both base skills.

 

[occipitallobe]

@occipitallobe Not sure if you have already given me the omake bonus, but if not then I would like to either upgrade Telios' personal skill or have him learn it in the first place. If not then the skill would be a mental art that allows him to comprehend/merge differing skills into a more useful skill that has elements of both base skills.

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I haven't assigned bonuses yet.

But sure - that seems reasonable. Also, if you (all Good Seeds) could maintain lists of what cool bonuses and upgrades you've gotten on your first Good Seed post (under the background, maybe?) it'd be a huge help bookkeeping wise.

 

[Alectai]

I haven't assigned bonuses yet.

But sure - that seems reasonable. Also, if you (all Good Seeds) could maintain lists of what cool bonuses and upgrades you've gotten on your first Good Seed post (under the background, maybe?) it'd be a huge help bookkeeping wise.

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Already done!

That being said, the sooner I know what the RNG spits out, the sooner I can start figuring out what comes next

 

[DangerKitty]

Ambrus Nike - Satisfaction and Ambition
​

Today was a good day for Ambrus. How could it not be when a small feast was being held in his honor? Ambrus laughed as he sipped wine far better than he was used too. The guests laughed and joked with one another. Then the conversation was interrupted as one of the guests drunkenly called out, "Tell us your story again." And the crowd drunkenly cheered. Ambrus grinned, his normally somber mood lightened by drink. He had told the tale several times already, but with the help of a blurry mind it had kept its novelty to his audience.

Ambrus grabbed a mug of beer and jumped up on the table as the crowed laughed at his antics. How long had it been since he had held so much attention? His deep and gravely voice slurred throughout the halls as he began his tale. He told them of how Just a scant week ago the guard patrol he had been hunting a criminal with had been attacked by a group of cannibal sect cultivators. They had been easily overwhelmed them and captured several of them. Though a few unlucky had been eaten on the spot. They had spent days in the cages. Every day at noon one of them would be let out of their cages to face "combat" against a cannibal. Those who lost were eaten on the spot and the cannibals never lost at their sick game.

Ambrus's voice laughed as he told them of how he had been quaking in his boots when his time came to face death at the cannibals hands. He told them of how the cannibal who had chosen to face them had strutted and Ambrus exaggerated the cannibals gait as he dramatically strode across the wide dinner table and he guests laughed even as they moved their plates out of the way of his boots.

He told them of how he had mocked the cannibal into fighting him bare handed. Ambrus grabbed a leg of meat off of a platter as he told them of how he had engaged in bitter struggle with the savage and exchanged blow for blow. His audience was enraptured by his performance. Then as the fight in the story began to reach its conclusion he spoke of how as the tables began to turn and the cannibal began to overpower him. Desperate he had thrown himself forward and - Ambrus stopped talking and dug his teeth deep into the leg of meat in front of him and the party paused for a moment, before they realized what he was getting at.

"AND THEN YOU RIPPED HIS THROAT OUT," they screamed in unison as he tore a massive chunk of meat off the leg in front of him and spittle and grease flew everywhere as the crowd cheered.

Ambrus proceeded with the story as he talked around the hunk of meat in his mouth. He told them of how the savages had been shocked at the loss of one of their own, but actually ended up laughing it off as they ridiculed their dead compatriot. Ambrus's audience boo'ed and cursed the cannibals at that. Ambrus agreed with them as he continued his story. He told them of how they had sent another warrior to fight them, but this one was taking no chances. He had to faced an armed savage barehanded. But it had been then, that he had noticed a strange almost formless thing rising from the dead cannibals corpse. He told his audience of the hunger he had felt at that moment, as though he had been starving for a lifetime and had never even known it. Instinctively he had eaten the strange mist and was filled with a great and terrible strength as he tore apart the savages and ripped the bonds that had captured his allies.

The audience cheered as the story ended and smaller conversations continued. Some had doubted what happened, but the very men Ambrus had saved were attending the feast and testified to his words. The night went on and on as they drank and ate and danced and partied until they passed out.
_

Ambrus awoke the next day underneath the table with a splitting headache. He groaned as got out and dusted himself off. gods, his head hurt. He didn't remember too much of the night before, but what he did had been positively wonderful. A wave of satisfaction washed over him. He had done something worthwhile. In his inner eye he could feel his spiritual stomach where he had consumed the savage. It was twisted and it ached, but he knew instinctively that it would heal in time. As Ambrus felt that ache a light sparked in his eyes. He had felt it in those moments before he had burned the soul for power. He could actually feel his cultivation lighten as he was finally able to figure out the way forwards. He could not feel it now. But he would again.

Ambrus smiled as he surveyed the wreckage of the party. Ambition sparked in his eyes. He had finally found his way forward. He would rise. He would eat again. The party had only just begun.

 

[DangerKitty]

The bonus i want for Ambrus is magical treasure.

 

[uri]

I haven't assigned bonuses yet.

But sure - that seems reasonable. Also, if you (all Good Seeds) could maintain lists of what cool bonuses and upgrades you've gotten on your first Good Seed post (under the background, maybe?) it'd be a huge help bookkeeping wise.

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sure, also (becaus I didnt see you replay to my post) did you aprove my reward?

 

[Superdion]

I also made a Seed.

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Zhousi Dun was a villager and orphan in the Rotting Tree village. At his tenth birthday two rogue cultivators invaded the village to loot the Rotting Tree. Unfortunately the bounty was too great for them and they got into a fight. Zhousi Dun witnessed this happening and ran back to the village to report what was happening, but a stray blast took both his arm, the Rotting Tree and over half the village with him.

Zhousi Dun got lucky, while reeling from the pain he crawled towards a small hiding hole and found two bronze skinned children inside. Together they hid, while the rogue cultivators fought, somethimes Zhousi Dun left the hiding place to quickly grab some food for the todlers, risking his life every time.

Fightning was heavy, but in the end it came to a sudden end. A man fully clad in bronze stepped towards the hiding hole. Zhousi Dun, having nothing but a lid of a cooking pot attacked the man in the hope of protecting the little ones.

The man rumbled and the children started screaming. Calling out to their Granpa that Zhousi Dun gave them jummy food. The man told him he was gratefull for the protection of his grandchildren even if it was with a cooking lid.

Then he frowned and placed his shield on the floor and scooped both children into his arms.

"It seems my hands are full holding little Agrios and little Oreios. Be a good man and bring this shield back to the Golden Devil sect."

And then the man left.

Upon touching the shield Zhousi Dun felt a counsciounce brushing his mind. He felt a judgement of the shield and after passing the shield started levitating.

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Zhousi Dun left the remnants of his village and went on his life changing journey. He traveled and traveled. Bonding even more with the unknown named shield of the Bronzen Man. Protecting those who need protection the most.

At age 24 he finished his travels towards the Golden Devil Sect.

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Zhousi Dun kneeled for the Bronzen Man. He asked: "Why did you leave the shield, when it could fly." "It has been a long time since this shield flew. " said the man. " I'd be honored to have you as my third disciple."

That evening Zhousi Dun broke through to the first heavenstage.

 

[occipitallobe]

Already done!

That being said, the sooner I know what the RNG spits out, the sooner I can start figuring out what comes next

Click to shrink...

At this stage I still have the next update part to write - lectures and building bridges.

After that will come the bidecentennial (ok, ok, 20-yearly) report which will start out with Good Seed reports, and then go to regular council member reports and the vote.

@DangerKitty , @uri , both bonuses are fine.

 

[DangerKitty]

At this stage I still have the next update part to write - lectures and building bridges.

After that will come the bidecentennial (ok, ok, 20-yearly) report which will start out with Good Seed reports, and then go to regular council member reports and the vote.

@DangerKitty , @uri , both bonuses are fine.

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Will you inform me of what treasure ambrus got for saving the guards in the 20yrly update or do i need to decide what he got myself? Personally id pref if you randomized it a bit lol.