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

[occipitallobe]

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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

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

 

[TheCount]

If SPS does croack it, but Princess Face Smasher survive, can we adopt her?
Pretty please?

 

[Simon_Jester]

She even has problems broadly comparable to ours involving irreverent juniors!

 

[no.]

I... highly doubt there will be a circumstance where SPS is destroyed, the Wei Princess survives and we become her preferred choice of place to live. There's maybe one timeline where that happens out of a thousand, involving every single Righteous Sect in the region being wiped off the map, without the Golden Devils also being wiped out.

 

[TheCount]

I... highly doubt there will be a circumstance where SPS is destroyed, the Wei Princess survives and we become her preferred choice of place to live. There's maybe one timeline where that happens out of a thousand, involving every single Righteous Sect in the region being wiped off the map, without the Golden Devils also being wiped out.

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No, see, it makes total sense!
She has worked hard for literal millenniums to fulfill her responsibilities her sect demanded. Namely, preserving the RP until the Demonic Altar is destroyed.
Now that that's out of the way, she can go and party hard as well.

As for how or why she should come to the golden devils?
- We are organized from the base up way better than any other power, so she can just push/throw delegate to her future subordinates
- We live in the deser, with plenty of sun to tan
- Why would anyone brother her when she is recuperating at the fearsome devils?
- But the biggest reason is that Manuel is, in truth a Harrm Protagonist!

I mean, he has a yandere, a noble lady and even a trickster going after him (for different reasons, but still)
The Wei Princess would be the transfer student in this group..... Though I'm not sure Kleisthenes is childhood friend or just first girl......

 

[Sirrocco]

So... I see a few things. The first is that we don't need immediate power for ourselves. We've got about as close to an unassailable position as one might wish in the current battlespace, and everyone else has more immediate priorities to deal with. We can afford to go long-term investment because right now, we don't have immediate threats. The Blood of Silver and the completed Technique Palace both look very shiny indeed.

The second is that the SPS and the Righteous types out there are in serious trouble in the short term, and are really going to need some help to keep from collapsing. Having them collapse would be... bad, even without Old Cannibal and his views on us.

The third is that I want the Sorrowful Blacksmith lands, and we're at a point where that possibility actually exists. There are some very real potential problems there, but the possibility exists. In particular, the issues are the existing nascents of the Blacksmiths (one Blood path. How many righteous?), the potential for Old Cannibal to intervene, and the fact that the SPS would likely still object. For that, the best solution as I see it would be to go all in on supporting the SPS (and acquiring further influence there), while letting the blacksmith situation collapse and doing as little as we can to interfere with it. If everything goes right, we could find ourselves claiming the path with SPS support, which would mean that we'd actually have a counterweight against Old Cannibal.

 

[Marlin]

Any plans to take the land of the Sorrowful Blacksmith sect?

They are in a weak position, thier land has a pass the Golden Devils do not control. The land likely has old Golden Devil goodies because it was the land the golden devils lived in for years until they got kicked out. Goodies that can hopefully handle a situation where the plains and battlefield are controlled by people, or one faction, wanting to attack the Golden Devils.

If the Golden Devils don't try to take the land, someone else might try to do that, and the righteous sects have bigger problems to worry about than the Golden Devils taking out the Sorrowful Blacksmiths.

Besides, with the Golden Devils right on the border, that means no tariffs, no middle man. The righteous sects can make deals with the supplier directly for spirit stones. And the war general is an offense specialist, so that's another reason to go after the Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect.

 

[Simon_Jester]

I mean, he has a yandere, a noble lady and even a trickster going after him (for different reasons, but still)
The Wei Princess would be the transfer student in this group..... Though I'm not sure Kleisthenes is childhood friend or just first girl......

Click to shrink...

On the scale of Nascent Soul lifetimes, anyone you met during or before Qi Condensation is a childhood friend. Anyone you met during Foundation Establishment is the equivalent of a college roomie.

 

[Mochinator]

Likewise, the Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect saw their Early Nascent Elder, Hammer The Anvil Ten Thousand Times Righteously consume almost two-thirds of their Core Formation Elders, rise into Mid Nascent Soul, and raise a rebellion against the Blacksmiths. For now, the Blacksmiths hold the pass, but this situation wavers every day.

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"YOINK! Gimme our stuff back!" Legit the first thought that came to me. Because really, if possible i would love for the clan to be the oriole awaiting the golden moment.

[ ] The Underworld Bandit Camp

Lady Yao sought to return to the Great Battlefield and gain vengeance on those who killed her brotherhood. Nonetheless, she could be given lands here - the greater part of them - specifically the Underworld Spirit Palace. Leaving those lands in her hands would allow her to create a new power capable of supporting an entire Nascent herself, though she would be a vassal of the Clan. Much of the wealth would still flow through Clan lands, though less than would otherwise. Still, the Clan would gain a vassal Nascent Soul, though bandits might not be the best neighbour...

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SO MUCH APPEALING. Wash her hands off the colossal douchbaggery that is the Plains and tie the Bandits to our banner! I mean no matter how bad the bandits might get, i doubt they get worse then our vassal who dared to charge us for Vassal Service.

[ ] The Spear and Shield of Bronze (10 Purchases)

An ancient spear and shield sit within Sorrowful Blacksmith territory, locked inside an ancient array that would take impossible power to enter. Yet with things as they are, Kleisthenes believes she can negotiate an entry for a little Nascent aid. These ancient arms are forged from Gravebronze from a Spirit Severing cultivator, and would raise Kleisthenes' strength to the very peak of Early Nascent Soul.

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Molon Labe

Like i really want to do that. Reclaim it from the thieves! Hmmm, i wonder if a NS option to steal it is possible once the Blacksmiths get even weaker..

EDIT: Further musings, i think using Manuel's option to check for the feasibility of taking the pass would be good. Something like

[] Manuel - Scout out the Sorrow Blacksmith conflicts to figure out the strengths of both sides as well as the current scale the war is on. Judge on the feasibility of seizing the pass, making a alliance with the Blacksmiths or get them as vassals etc.

I feel like more info would be good over blanket giving them aid unquestionably to prevent the pass from going bloodpass as a kneejerk reaction. After all the Pass was ours in the first place and getting it back would be great.

 

[TehChron]

We're not making a play at claiming Clay outside the desert while Old Cannibal cant be killed by us.

It just isn't happening. Old Cannibal will totally be wary of us if Manuel makes quick little excursions because he has no earthly clue how we managed to gank the Jingshen in their entirety within two decades and then murdered their Nascents on top of things

But a serious commitment is just asking to be smacked down

@occipitallobe can we take a Clan focus as fulfilling that SPS request for personnel in a manner in which they pay us for that favor?

My thinking is using such a column as cover for another move altogether

 

[TheCount]

Shit it just hit me, the Yu clan NS was killed by Old Fish!!!!
Noooo!!!!
I just hope there are survivors and one of them makes to NS under the RP.
Edit: I can only hope Old Fish is willing to atone and that OC just controlling him somehow, not helping OC on his own will.

 

[Lampshade]

The Doors Between were forged . . . . As it stands, if one does not cross through the doors - which somehow violate the laws of space - one cannot continue through the pass, or for around one thousand li on the southern side (and presumably the north, though there is no way to test that).

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I suspect this piece of lore might suddenly become relevant soon . . .

 

[adamashield]

I did not thought that the princess was that much of a magical girl. And I certainly did not thought she had a 'onicha'.

She should be so weak to NS harem protagonist and other magical girls flaws.

That core lady of ours could have a field day if she was a unmarried NS. I not being serious.

Still wow. Even the bigger eyes, lewding and hilarious punishments?

With a evil mascot/devise that could turn her into a dark magical girl?

Yeah she will be interesting when we interact more with her.

 

[Olivebirdy]

If it were that predictable that Old Cannibal would come attack us if we poked our nose out of the desert, we should set up a decoy as bait.

If we do an Econ action and hold off on other purchases, we should be able to buy both the technique palace and the silver blood.

 

[Mellowfellow]

For the Spoils of War, it honestly seems like a Completed Technique Palace is better than Blood of Silver?

The latter only benefits NEW Core Formation elders, and only 1/4 chance for its hidden potential to triggers. Whereas Technique Palace provides increased boost to ALL FB/Core cultivators without caveat. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Optimal combination seems to be: Technique Palace + Nascent Treasure + Oasis Formation. Immediate Boost to all Cultivators, immediately gain another Nascent, increased Cultivator capacity.

 

[Marlin]

We're not making a play at claiming Clay outside the desert while Old Cannibal cant be killed by us.

It just isn't happening. Old Cannibal will totally be wary of us if Manuel makes quick little excursions because he has no earthly clue how we managed to gank the Jingshen in their entirety within two decades and then murdered their Nascents on top of things

But a serious commitment is just asking to be smacked down

@occipitallobe can we take a Clan focus as fulfilling that SPS request for personnel in a manner in which they pay us for that favor?

My thinking is using such a column as cover for another move altogether

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Can Old Cannibal commit to smacking down Old Gold taking the land of the Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect? And what happens if Old Gold leaves the Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect alone for a decade or so?

 

[Alectai]

Can Old Cannibal commit to smacking down Old Gold taking the land of the Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect? And what happens if Old Gold leaves the Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect alone for a decade or so?

Click to shrink...

He can and he will.

That's the difference between "Enemy" and a normal rival. An Enemy will take actions against their best interests just to fuck you over.

 

[Mellowfellow]

@occipitallobe Do we have 3 or 4 wealth to spend this turn? There's conflicting info where Casia says 3 Purchases but the Purchase List says we have 4 Purchase available.

Also, the Clan sent two Legions to support the Joyful Blacksmith last turn as part of the SPS deal to observe the Righteous Elder Council. What happened to them, since the Joyful Blacksmith lost a ton of territory?

Also, did Manuel give away his iconic Cleaver for Kleisthenes to use now that he mainly wields the Spear?

Also, does the Hong Xuan clan have any plans to use the Nascent Favor that Manuel promised them? Could they have asked for the favor last turn before the Jingshen War, or are they saving it for an emergency?

Can we delegate the Nascent Favor to Kleisthenes or does Manuel need to personally perform the task if the Hong Xuan calls for it?

 

[Alectai]

@occipitallobe Do we have 3 or 4 wealth to spend this turn? There's conflicting info where Casia says 3 Purchases but the Purchase List says we have 4 Purchase available.

Also, the Clan sent two Legions to support the Joyful Blacksmith last turn as part of the SPS deal to observe the Righteous Elder Council. What happened to them, since the Joyful Blacksmith lost a ton of territory?

Also, did Manuel give away his iconic Cleaver for Kleisthenes to use now that he mainly wields the Spear?

Also, does the Hong Xuan clan have any plans to use the Nascent Favor that Manuel promised them? Could they have asked for the favor last turn before the Jingshen War, or are they saving it for an emergency?

Can we delegate the Nascent Favor to Kleisthenes or does Manuel need to personally perform the task if the Hong Xuan calls for it?

Click to shrink...

Occi said we'd find out about that a bit later. He might be hiding it because it would alter our geopolitical ambitions, like he did with the big reveal of OC hitting Late Nascent.

 

[Marlin]

He can and he will.

That's the difference between "Enemy" and a normal rival. An Enemy will take actions against their best interests just to fuck you over.

Click to shrink...

Second question went unanswered.

Fear/expectation of a response does not actually justify refusal.

Old Cannibal can build up, and is building up. Either distract Old Cannibal with something before he manages to steamroll the plains through a growing double prong assualt from the demonic factions. Or build up faster than old Cannibal, which can mean breaking the Heaven's curses as fast as possible. Fast way to break the curses is expansion.

The trials are acoming. The state of the Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect will matter at the Trial. Wether they have become demonic, or are still a faction with power, have become Old Cannibal's territory, or Golden Devil Territory.

Stop expanding entirely is possible to hurt more than it is to help

 

[Alectai]

Second question went unanswered.

Fear/expectation of a response does not actually justify refusal.

Old Cannibal can build up, and is building up. Either distract Old Cannibal with something before he manages to steamroll the plains through a growing double prong assualt from the demonic factions. Or build up faster than old Cannibal, which can mean breaking the Heaven's curses as fast as possible. Fast way to break the curses is expansion.

The trials are acoming. The state of the Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect will matter at the Trial. Wether they have become demonic, or are still a faction with power, have become Old Cannibal's territory, or Golden Devil Territory.

Stop expanding entirely is possible to hurt more than it is to help

Click to shrink...

If we leave the Sorrowful Blacksmiths alone, OC probably eats them when he finishes digesting his current holdings. That's the thing though, literally nobody is advocating leaving them alone when we could be providing aid to punch over their rebel Nascent. Because an intact Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect is a buffer zone between us and the Abyssal Invasion.

But we can't afford to invade them either, because that provides a point of contact that Old Cannibal can impose attrition on from, and while Princess Facesmasher is adorable, she's also apparently hyperfocused on the Altar Sect to the point of madness, which means we can't count on her dropping in to break his spine if he shows up, despite being on her doorstep.

 

[fictionfan]

Painting a statue with the tanning solution she used to colour her skin was a nice gesture to revere the original Wei Princess, but giving it her own eyepieces - the little circles of Seerglass that sat in her eyes and made her iris look larger - was a little too far. This all would've been fine, had they not recarved the statue to be nude afterwards.

So she'd beaten them all and made them serve a random Golden Devil, which seemed fair to her.

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I feel like this serves as an excellent contrast to Manual who hasn't even considered punishing his counselors for all the lewd poetry.

 

[Marlin]

If we leave the Sorrowful Blacksmiths alone, OC probably eats them when he finishes digesting his current holdings. That's the thing though, literally nobody is advocating leaving them alone when we could be providing aid to punch over their rebel Nascent. Because an intact Sorrowful Blacksmith Sect is a buffer zone between us and the Abyssal Invasion.

But we can't afford to invade them either, because that provides a point of contact that Old Cannibal can impose attrition on from.

Click to shrink...

Under, the Golden Devils giving a push of spirit stones to the Sorrowful Blacksmiths, the Golden Devils will be leaving the Sorrowful Blacksmiths alone.

By giving the Sorrowful Blacksmiths aid to deal with the rebeling Nascents. That leaves Old Cannibal freedom to digest his current holdings, or expand for more. We've seen Old Cannibal is far too crafty for the Nascents of the plains. Against Old Gold, Old Cannibal second guesses everything and is constantly taken unawares.

The righteous sects are surrounded from all sides. Given what has been seen, none of the righteous sects are currently able to get their shit together and push back against the demonic sects. Pyrrhic win after pyrhhic win, with the demonic sects getting the upper hand in gains, as the righteous sects bleed for every win they get. The Golden Devils were able to take advantage of how weak the righteous sects truly are for taking the whole desert.

Leaving Old Cannibal more freedom to grow without Old Gold's/somebody competent's, interference is a course of action the majority can take.

Edit: How are the sorrowful blacksmith sect a buffer between the Golden Devils and the Abyssal invasion? The devil bees are right next to Golden Devil territory, and the Golden Devils did get invaded from the devil bees at some point, at least the GD have a fortress.

 

[trent8688]

Hmm do we think raiding the Abyssal Devil Bee Sect is viable? Or is that too much poking the bear?

 

[Alectai]

Hmm do we think raiding the Abyssal Devil Bee Sect is viable? Or is that too much poking the bear?

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"Are you literally asking us to die?"

 

[trent8688]

"Are you literally asking us to die?"

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Haha no was just curious.