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!
-----------------------
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.
Interesting it looks like the Beautiful sister went into the caves and got pretty far because damn 13 interaction with Ji Shin? That must have been hell.
cloud demons were mentioned so it either the same place or maybe Ji Shin moved/change the entrance? Or who knows maybe Soup Chef has Ji Shin at every legacy he made?
cloud demons were mentioned so it either the same place or maybe Ji Shin moved/change the entrance? Or who knows maybe Soup Chef has Ji Shin at every legacy he made?
Paulus
Fate: Paulus did perhaps the most foolish and dangerous act of any of the men who travelled to the Ice Soul Palace. He gave a heartfelt compliment to one of the fragments of Nascent Will he enacted the ritual with, and in that moment the Will reformed, fragments of one woman coming together in a single spectacularly beautiful and more spectacularly terrifying woman. The ice around her alone froze him to near-death as he stared, caught helplessly within her power. It was then she saw something within him - perhaps a past lover - and kissed him deeply, imparting much of the power of not just her Will, but the immense and unfathomable power of the Ice Soul Palace to him (+120 CY). While this angered many men there, such an act was considered to a marriage into the Tribe, and so Paulus found himself leading much of the diplomatic effort as a newly-inducted member of the Blood Oak Sect.
Impact: 24 (0)
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment 7 Pillar (Great Circle) (0/80 years)
Cultivation Year-Equivalent: 446 (+159)
Health: Healthy --> Healthy
Paulus
Fate: Paulus did perhaps the most foolish and dangerous act of any of the men who travelled to the Ice Soul Palace. He gave a heartfelt compliment to one of the fragments of Nascent Will he enacted the ritual with, and in that moment the Will reformed, fragments of one woman coming together in a single spectacularly beautiful and more spectacularly terrifying woman. The ice around her alone froze him to near-death as he stared, caught helplessly within her power. It was then she saw something within him - perhaps a past lover - and kissed him deeply, imparting much of the power of not just her Will, but the immense and unfathomable power of the Ice Soul Palace to him (+120 CY). While this angered many men there, such an act was considered to a marriage into the Tribe, and so Paulus found himself leading much of the diplomatic effort as a newly-inducted member of the Blood Oak Sect.
Impact: 24 (0)
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment 7 Pillar (Great Circle) (0/80 years)
Cultivation Year-Equivalent: 446 (+159)
Health: Healthy --> Healthy
I just don't see why there's reason to assume that these two are the same, rather than beign two entirely separate inheritances.
- The Blue Caves were in the lands we claimed from the cannibals (they wound up being in Stork lands, initially). That's a pretty big chunk of the map away from the Magic Oak sect.
- The blue caves get weakened once they're run through once... and it looked like when we ran though them they hadn't been plundered in a while.
- If it was some form of constantly-replenishing secret realm, then wouldn't Magic Oak keep it? Wouldn't they be running the thing themselves? Presumably, then, it wouldn't have had time to replenish.
Now yeah, you can come up with justifications for why it's possible anyway. Maybe it's a secret realm where the entrance somehow went from being in a normal-sized soup pot in Magic Oak territory to being in a blue crystal cave much further to the south. Maybe that switchover happened for weird handwavey reasons that the Oaks couldn't stop, and then no one found it and it regrew. I'm not saying that it's absolutely impossible.
It just... doesn't seem likely. Not when the only real points of commonality are "it's an inheritance realm from Soup Chef with a crazy guy in it."
woo, glad that went off without a hitch. sure the magic oak sect are sorta blood path but we need more allies against favoured+the righteous power blocs, plus they feel easier to get along with regardless? now there's one less group to potentially get steamrolled and bolster blood path invasions/wear us down in the long run, and we don't need to worry as much about the yuan clan's safety now there's one less side to defend there too!
as a bonus, maybe now we have another demonic sect in our camp we have more options regarding the attention of heaven?
for example if we select options to lend gravebronze/our expertise, we could weaken heaven's supression of their cultivation methods, which would then make them more relevant (and able to draw heaven's attention away from us) long-term (which blood path suffer from). I don't think we need to worry as much about disloyalty compared to righteous sects? if we lose they lose and all...
something else potentially valuable, the magic oak sect are at the point where the virtuous flipper region meets the mainland, so maybe they'll be able to serve as a buffer between us and that for now? keep any other factions there from noticing our growth as much so we don't have to deal with them for the time being? we're already probably bordering something else in the desert but guess it's far enough away to not be an immediate concern, hopefully heaven doesn't consider them relevant to us and there's no favoured building up there too...
weighing in on the cloud demon conversation, the two soup chef legacies are probably similar but different entities? ours wasn't in a pot so for them to match it would have to had change quite a bunch, and it doesn't make much sense for them to move since presumably either theirs was permanently cleared or they still have it? makes sense for soup chef to make multiple to strengthen different blood sects.
do note though this was ages back when spirit severing cultivators could be sustained, so other things would be different too
something else potentially valuable, the magic oak sect are at the point where the virtuous flipper region meets the mainland, so maybe they'll be able to serve as a buffer between us and that for now?
oh my bad, knew those existed but thought they were inside certain sects/turtlebone mountain or such instead, whoops.
in that case then, I guess the thing to look forward to/be happy about is decreased attention, especially when it comes to what I'm highly suspicious could act as an enforcer of heaven's will (it would definitely advance heaven's goals of maintaining an effective petri-dish to have something strong to keep regions separated and stop one power dominating, so they might be particularly hostile to the golden devils as an unwanted entity). at least we don't need to deal with bordering great circle nascent soul eagles as much?
Well, the eagle's probably not too relevant if it doesn't go near magic oak sect, even so this pact should still mean other powers think we're weaker than we are? it's both harder for righteous sects on the other side of the divide to notice changing geopolitics (since things are relatively the same from what little they'd see), and for the virtuous flipper region we have an allied sect who's not being obviously dominated. being able to pull out an extra nascent that the righteous path isn't expecting should definitely come in handy
I mean, on some level I think everyone left alive on the Third Sea turtle (which is dead) has to know that the world itself (that which sits on the turtle) is dying. The qi levels used to be high enough to support Spirit Severing cultivation; now they're not. It's probably only a matter of time, even if that time is measured in eons, before the qi levels drop further and further, until cultivation and eventually life itself become impossible.
So I think that people on the Third Sea, at least the high-end cultivators, are intellectually aware that the world is dying.
Antonius Emmanuel Eleanora 85
[Turn 16]
[Crimson Sands Part 3]
With the village on high alert, Antonius and Livia stood ready, eyes trained on the distant horizon where the enemy would soon make their appearance. Antonius, his bronze physique gleaming under the setting sun, focused inward, meditating upon his dao. Every breath, every cycle of qi was a preparation for the coming battle. Livia stretched and flexed beside him, pushing her body in a dance against an invisible enemy, her sword flashing with each precise movement.
Livia's attention shifted momentarily from the approaching threat to her brother and nephew, who cautiously approached her, their expressions a mix of fear and uncertainty. "Livia," Marcus began, his voice tinged with worry. "Are you sure we'll be safe here?"
Sheathing her sword, Livia offered her brother a reassuring smile. "Yes, Marcus," she replied, her voice calm yet firm. "We have fortified the village as best we can. Just stay hidden until we've handled the danger."
Pallas shifted nervously, his eyes darting towards the village entrance where the enemy would soon arrive. "But what if they find us?" he asked, his voice filled with fear.
"We will not let that happen," Livia assured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "The Imperial Legion protects you. You will be safe here."
Marcus nodded, though the worry lines etched on his face remained. "Thank you, Livia," he said, his gratitude evident in his voice. "Take care of yourself out there."
As her family disappeared into the safety of the village, Livia turned to Antonius, her expression grave. "We are outnumbered," she admitted. "Even with your strength and mine, I fear we may not be enough to repel Cassias and his forces."
Antonius met her gaze and nodded. "You have just recently ascended." He studied her for a moment, then continued. "Are you still willing to risk your lifespan for this fight? If your conviction falters even a little, then my technique will have no meaning."
Without hesitation, Livia nodded. "Yes," she replied, her determination unwavering. "I will do whatever it takes to protect our people."
Antonius smiled with relief. "Then there is no need to worry." Then he frowned and reached out to her, his touch gentle yet firm. "The seed of my sorcery has been planted within you," he said, his voice tinged with a sense of urgency. "Call upon it at need."
Livia instinctively searched for the source of his worry and almost immediately sensed the bandits' approach, six experts of various levels and a small army of juniors. She still wasn't as used to her new level of power as she wished she was… but she would manage. Nodding to Antonius, she stepped forward while the Bronze King retreated deeper into the village.
"Halt! This village is under the protection of the Golden Devil Clan," she announced, planting her hand upon her sword's hilt. "Who dares approach?"
A man stepped forward, his presence commanding immediate attention. The Peak Expert looked like he was in his mid-thirties, with a lean, muscular build. He wore rugged, dark-colored armor adorned with intricate designs and in his hand, he held a finely crafted sword with a slightly curved blade, which he wielded with a relaxed yet ready stance. His long, dark hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, allowing his sharp, piercing eyes to radiate an unsettling intensity.
The man's lips curled into a mocking smile. "We are only here to enjoy that same protection. We're merely humble travelers seeking refuge from the dangers of the road. " His smile widened. "I hear there are bandits about."
Livia's eyes narrowed at Cassias' mockery. "Enjoy the protection, you say?" she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure bandits like you would love to take shelter under our watchful eyes."
Cassias chuckled, a sound devoid of humor. "Of course. Why don't you let us in?"
Livia rolled her eyes. "As if that would ever work, bandit."
"Are you certain?" Cassias asked, eyeing her critically. "I hear you have a brother and a nephew. I might be willing to let you leave with them if you leave this place now. The Bronze King is injured, he will not be able to defeat us on this day."
Livia smirked back at him. "You think you can scare me? I have faced much worse than you on the front lines of battle, Casias. You'll regret underestimating the Golden Devil clan."
Cassias sighed theatrically. "How disappointing. Here I thought you might be more reasonable." His tone turned sharper. "But it doesn't matter. Antonius, do you plan to hide behind your loyal dogs forever? Or do you intend to face me?"
Antonius's presence, which had been quietly expanding across the village, suddenly became more pronounced, a web of influence spreading through the village. Shadows deepened, and the air grew colder as his power enveloped the area. The air grew colder, and the light became distant, as if filtered through the veil of another reality.
The encroachment of the underworld was a tangible shift, a testament to the power of the single pillar king. She had heard the stories of him turning away even Core formation Elders, but witnessing it now revealed the true folly of challenging him within his own domain. The noise of drawing her sword, caused all the bandits to look at her once more.
Then Livia gave Cassias a mocking smile. "I changed my mind, you can come in now."
Cassius did not move, suddenly not so eager to take up her offer. "Are you not going to face me yourself, oh Single Pillar?" He called out, ignoring her words. "Or will you hide within this fortress of yours while I kill this slip of a girl and then ravage the countryside?"
Livia's stance remained firm. "I'm more than capable of dealing with scum like you."
Cassias' expression hardened. "Brave words. But bravery won't save you. Last chance, girl. Surrender, or my people will deal with you swiftly."
Livia smirked, her confidence unwavering. "I'd like to see them try."
Cassias' eyes flickered with irritation. "Very well. Show her the consequences of defying me." He stepped back, signaling with his hand, as all five of the experts that Livia had sensed save Cassias himself, moved forward, their auras flaring with power. As they approached, she too revealed her full ability. Within her, a knot of foreign power that she had not noticed before this moment suddenly unraveled.
Heat spread through her body, and her perception of the world shifted. There was pain as well but not the pain of cultivation or injury, but the pain of seeing the sun after months of blindness stretched to encompass every sense she had. Her mind too had expanded, so she could easily bear this new burden but it was always there, her heart beating so fast that it burned hours and days of her existence to sustain this state for mere seconds.
Her eyes flickered between her enemies.
Blaze Fang, using an artifact that turns his qi into a blazing whip, attacked first. As his weapon cracked through the air, Livia stepped underneath it and the whip singed the air around her, leaving trails of smoke and sparks. He would try to keep her at a distance, relying on his reach and the danger of his attacks to force her to stay on the defensive.
She stepped forward to strike at Blaze Fang, but suddenly there was a massive shield in front of her. Her mind flickered through the bounties she had studied, and she ducked, dodging a war hammer that struck from behind the full-body shield. As the air above her shuddered from the force, she stabbed with her sword, aiming for Iron Boulder's side, but he moved the shield, deflecting her attack.
He swung his hammer again, forcing Livia to roll away to avoid the crushing blow.
That was Iron Boulder, a powerful bandit known for his shield and hammer. If this was the formation that she expected, then… raising her sword, she barely parried a dagger going for her throat. The dagger's edge gleamed green with poison, and Livia attacked hoping to avoid the second dagger, but winced as it dragged across the back of her sword-hand.
"Feeling a bit slow, aren't we?" Venom Viper sneered, her eyes glinting with malice.
The burning whip cracked again, forcing her to focus on the first member of this group before suddenly smoke began to obscure her vision. Shadow Raven was Blaze Fang's twin brother, but he focused his affinity to fire in a different direction. His smog wouldn't just obscure her vision, but poison and burn, every breath making her weaker.
She closed her eyes and covered her mouth and nose with one hand, gripping her sword tightly with the other, focusing on her hearing to move away from Iron Boulder's relentless charge. Then she felt a fist lodge into her gut, so fast that the sound of his movement came to her ears after he'd hit.
Thunder Fang was the last to join the fray, his fists crackling with electricity. His touch sent a shockwave through her body, her muscles seizing up from the electric shock. Livia ducked under another punch and countered with a swift slash of her sword to his gut, but merely touching him caused her to flinch as a spark ran up her blade.
"Not bad," Thunder Fang acknowledged, a grudging respect in his voice. "But can you keep this up?"
Despite her best efforts, Livia found herself overwhelmed by the combined assault of the five bandits. Blaze Fang's whip cracked through the air again, and Livia barely managed to dodge the fiery tendrils. Then she stumbled to the shockwaves of Iron Boulder's attacks, letting Venom Viper nick her skin and weaken her further. Shadow Raven's laughter echoed through the smog as she endured this assault while locked into a duel with Thunder Fang.
Sweat dripped down her face, mingling with the dirt. Her senses strained, scanning the battlefield for any sign of an advantage. The bandits circled her like vultures and she imagined their expressions as both confident and cruel. Yet the longer they fought, the more she realized the limits of her abilities and the advantage that she already had.
The shocks that should leave her convulsing only made her flinch. The smog that should have weakened her with every moment, barely had an effect. Even with one hand covering her mouth and nostrils, she was still capable of keeping up with these foes. Most of all, she realized that her cuts did not burn in the smog. The poisoned knives had not cut her at all.
Realizing she could not win with pure martial arts alone, Livia took a deep breath and centered herself. She felt the Dao-spell that Antonius had ignited within her core, burning away her lifespan with each passing second, but in return, her blood of bronze had been greatly enhanced, bordering on a level equal to invincibility. The smog had helped her hide this from the bandits, but it was only a matter of time until they figured it out.
The time for relying purely on pure martial arts was over.
Qi surged out of her body, but she forced it to cling to the limits of her skin. The dissonance caused a strange dissonance in her qi and she focused on that, infusing into it the strange split intent that was required to use her Shadow Play Swordsmanship. Simultaneously, she focused on retreating and on giving up her life to injure her enemies.
Then with a single motion of her sword, she split the intent into two.
As she stepped back to retreat, a spectral form moved forward, a perfect replica in every way. Her Shadow slipped past Iron Boulder's defense and Blaze Fang, momentarily distracted by its assault, lashed out with his fiery whip. The shadow darted forward, engaging him with swift strikes and Iron Boulder slammed her shadow with his hammer.
Using this distraction to her advantage, Livia dashed in from the side, her movements a blur. With a pommel strike to his wrist, she disarmed Blaze Fang, grasping his fiery whip with her off-hand before it could fall to the ground. Without his affinity to fire, it was just a piece of smoldering leather but now it was out of the bandit's hand.
Iron Boulder, seeing his comrade disarmed and confused with her shadow gone, now charged at Livia with a roar. His massive shield was raised, and his war hammer poised for a crushing blow. Livia grinned and stepped forward, two shadows echoing her movements. They stepped forward, flanking her attacker and attacked from his sides, their movements synchronized.
Iron Boulder swung his hammer at one of the shadows, but it dissipated upon contact, leaving him open while the other shadow seized the opportunity and delivered a powerful kick to his unprotected back. The force of the blow sent Iron Boulder toppling forward, his massive frame crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact.
Livia herself attacked Venom Viper who sought to attack her from the back but she vaulted over the poisoner, leaving a shadow behind who grasped her sword with both of her hands and swung. As the bandit was forced to defend against that attack with both knives, she landed gracefully behind her opponent and unleashed a spinning kick to Venom Viper's head. The force of the blow sent Venom Viper sprawling to the ground, her daggers clattering away.
Shadow Raven was the only one who had fully understood her assault, his own smog making it harder for his allies to adapt. As he circled around towards Blaze Fang, Livia leapt again but this time three shadows leapt over the smog and then rushed the smoke user from all directions. They each struck through the smoke wildly, but the relentless assault was enough to overwhelm him, until he finally fell, his blood watering the earth.
As the smog cleared, Thunder Fang watched her dismantle his allies, at first in disbelief and then in anticipatory glee. He was a heinous criminal who absolutely deserved to be put into the ground, but Livia couldn't help but respect him at that moment.
She pointed at him with her sword. "Come, Thunder Fang. I, Livia, master of the Shadow Play Sword School, await your challenge."
To her surprise, he didn't attack immediately. "That isn't entirely your power you are wielding, is it?" He asked, his tone wistful.
"No," She agreed, studying him carefully. "Upon ascension, I was only able to summon two shadows consistently. With the Bronze King's blessing, I am certain I could manage four."
His fists crackled with electricity as he grinned at her. "That is a shame, but I suppose I too face you after I have borrowed the power of others."
Livia grit her teeth. "We are nothing alike. The only life I am burning is my own."
The bandit nodded in acknowledgement, and then suddenly he blurred towards her. Livia dodged, leaving a shadow behind to block. He was momentarily halted as his fist met her shadow's blade and under the crack of thunder, she turned back towards him, three shadows emerging from within her, each staggered so that any attempt to dodge would be countered.
There was a flash of light as the sparks on the bandit's body intensified and then he moved thrice, ducking under each of the shadows before they could react and then he was standing in front of her, his fist bearing down on her. She leapt towards him and a shadow stayed behind, kicking the sole of her feet to launch her over him.
Before he could react, another shadow formed overhead and grabbed her hand allowing Livia to instantly maneuver towards him once more. With a single swing of her qi-infused blade, she sent a ripple of blade intent that cut him into two. Cleanly, she sheathed her sword and turned towards Cassius who lounged arrogantly among his remaining bandits.
"Four! You said four!" Thunder Fang's coughing voice interrupted her, his last words addressed to her. "That was six at once! You lied to me!"
She didn't even glance at his bleeding upper body, keeping her eyes on the bandit chief warily. "I have no obligation to tell the truth to my enemy."
He gave a last strained laugh. "Five! I expected five at most! Truly, the Foundation Kings are beyond compare! Tell me! Did I manage to push you to your limits?"
Breathing heavily, her body trembling from the strain of the Dao-spell, Livia still felt like she could continue to give several fights like the last one. How much had it cost her? One month? A year? A decade? Barely that much to cut down five peers in minutes and she still hadn't truly gotten used to this power. Truly, the Foundation Kings were beyond compare.
"No," She answered truthfully. "You didn't."
There was no reply from Thunder Fang.
Cassius, who had been lounging and watching the fight, now stood up, clapping slowly. His eyes gleamed with a predatory light as he sauntered forward. "Impressive, Livia. I must say, you put on quite the show," he drawled, his voice dripping with condescension.
"Is this the best you can do, Cassius?" Livia taunted, her voice steady despite a growing fatigue deep within her bones. "Come face me yourself if you dare!"
Cassius's smirk widened. "You're brave, I'll give you that," he said. He glanced at the village, no, at Antonius, the Bronze King. "But bravery won't save you."
He spread his hands wide and the entire world turned crimson, pulsing according to a heartbeat. It did not pierce the shadows protecting the village, but the other bandits screamed and covered their eyes and ears as they bled. Livia felt her heart beat in rhythm to the pulse and she grit her teeth, shaking her head to remove the strange sensation.
Lives lost, strength gathers,
Hearts entwine, death's pledge is made,
Feast under red skies
Power pulsed from the bodies of the five fallen bandits, and with each pulse they grew weaker while Cassius' strength grew. He swayed drunkenly as he approached, his movements erratic as if he had eaten too much. He drew his sword, its blade gleaming ominously in the dim light.
"Come! Face me if you dare!" Cassius charged at Livia and she dodged, leaving a shadow in her place but almost immediately he swayed and his sword sliced her thigh. His movements were erratic and difficult to predict. Worse still, merely looking at it made her sway as well.
Livia struggled to keep up, using shadows to barely dodge his initial strikes but her own imbalance and injuries weakened her shadows, allowing Cassius to slip through. Out of desperation, she swapped places with a shadow, utilizing a technique that was only theoretical.
She appeared behind him and aimed for a counterattack but Cassius' movements changed at that moment. With a drunken spin, deflected her strike and retaliated with a vicious slash that Livia barely managed to parry. Their blades clashed, sparks flying with each impact. Livia's muscles screamed in protest, her body pushed to its limits.
Despite her best efforts, Cassius' relentless assault began to overwhelm her. It wasn't just his movements which were deceptively erratic, each strike aimed to exploit her defenses. He was too strong, too fast. Using her shadows against him felt like the times when her whole squad faced against their centurion and were slowly, systematically cut down.
"What's the matter, Livia?" Cassius taunted, his voice a mocking sing-song. "Feeling tired? You look like you could use a drink."
Livia gritted her teeth, refusing to give in. She summoned the last of her strength and summoned several shadows around her. Two, four, six… she drew deeper, burning months and years instead of days and her power grew… eight, ten! They charged forward, a shadow attacking Cassius head-on, drawing his attention for a split second.
Livia seized the moment and all of her shadows channeled their powers into her. She shaped it according to a pattern all legionnaires knew. It was supposed to be impossible, but with the way the Bronze King's blessing empowered her bloodline… she swung back her sword and above her, a giant shadow formed wielding a blade of purest bronze.
"Shadow Play Swordsmanship: One-Woman Formation!"
The bastardized hoplite struck at the bandit, but Cassius' reflexes were too quick. He sidestepped and suddenly he was in front of her, delivering a backhanded slash that knocked Livia's sword from her grasp. That was the best move she could come up with! A technique she'd daydreamed about for decades! How could he simply and so easily dodge that? Livia fell to one knee, gasping for breath. Why? What happened to her strength? She looked up to see Cassius standing over her, his sword poised for the final blow.
"It's over," he declared, a cruel smile on his lips. "You've fought well, but this is the end."
He swung his sword.
She closed her eyes.
Wind blew across her face.
She opened her eyes again.
Antonius Emmanuel Eleanora stood there, having caught the blade with a scarred hand. The impact of their clash sent shockwaves through the air, causing the ground to tremble. "Livia, I told you not to let your conviction falter."He said calmly, glancing down at her. "To defy death, you must be willing to do at least that much. It's no matter - live and learn, they say."
Cassius leapt back, his eyes wide with surprise and delight. "Antonius! I was wondering when you'd finally show yourself," he exclaimed. "So, you're going to protect her? How touching."
"Head back," Antonius said to her, his voice darkening as he turned to Cassius. "I'll handle this."
Cassius laughed at that. "Tonight I feast, oh Bronze King! And you are the main dish!"
Antonius regarded Cassius with the same annoyance one might give a bug in their food. "You've bothered me long enough, Cassius," Antonius said and despite his injured body, his presence seemed to wash away any lingering fatigue in Livia's body. "This ends now."
I've been reading and enjoying this quest(only at the start still), but I do have one complaint. The Good Seeds to read chapters are linking to entirely wrong pages right now cuz they are in reader mode, and there seems to be a restructuring of Posts threadmarked, so when I click on links that says it leads to Rina Callista and the Ninth Prince, they lead to different omakes entirely.
I've been reading and enjoying this quest(only at the start still), but I do have one complaint. The Good Seeds to read chapters are linking to entirely wrong pages right now cuz they are in reader mode, and there seems to be a restructuring of Posts threadmarked, so when I click on links that says it leads to Rina Callista and the Ninth Prince, they lead to different omakes entirely.
Antonius Emmanuel Eleanora 86
[Turn 13]
[A Bone To Pick]
Antonius Emmanuel Eleanora paused to catch his breath, the eerie landscape of the Qiguai Realm stretching infinitely around him. He had found a small, temporary refuge—a rocky outcropping that hid him from the strange phenomenon chasing him. Even so, he couldn't relax. It was only a matter of time until it found him again.
"I wish I had someone to talk to," he whispered, leaning against the cold, jagged rock. Something caught his eye—a skeleton half-buried in the ground, its empty eye sockets staring blankly into the void.
"No," he muttered, glancing up at the sky. Instead of clouds, an ocean loomed overhead, with a giant squid peering down, its red-streaked eyes glaring and teeth dripping ink hungrily. "No way that's possible." He looked back at the skeleton. "...right?"
He approached the skeleton cautiously, his mind racing with possibilities. "Fine then. Let's see if you have any stories to tell," Antonius murmured, extending his hand to the skull.
He closed his eyes and focused, channeling a thread of his Qi into the bones. Slowly, the skeleton began to move, joints creaking and bones clicking together. The skull tilted upward, its jaw opening and closing as if testing its newfound mobility.
"Well, well, well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, handsome," the skeleton said, its voice surprisingly smooth. "Is this the afterlife? 'Cause I wouldn't mind if you were an angel."
Antonius chuckled. "Not an angel, and I don't think you're quite the original owner of this body. What's your name, friend?"
"Name? Had a few when I was alive…" the skeleton whispered, its voice echoing slightly. "But you can call me Bones. Seems fitting, doesn't it?"
"Alright, Bones," Antonius said, stepping back. "I'm Antonius. It's nice to meet you, I guess?"
"Oh?" The skeleton seemed amused. "No enemies to vanquish, no secrets to plunder from my mind? Did you really call me up for some company?"
Antonius shrugged and gestured to the world around them. "I really just wanted someone to talk to. This place… it's not exactly welcoming."
Bones laughed, a hollow sound reverberating through the rocky outcropping. "You don't say. Been here long enough to know that. So, what's your story, Antonius? What brings you to this delightful corner of existence?"
"What else but the lure of wealth and power?" Antonius asked, shaking his head. "I came looking for powerful artifacts, things that could help me in the outside world."
"Got more than you bargained for, eh?" The skeleton tried to move, but found itself still stuck in the ground. It let out a sigh that sounded like a whoosh of air. "But then so did I, I suppose."
"Not the first time I've been here." Antonius said, absently patting Bones' skull. "Though I didn't really see the place. Got ripped apart at the Gateway and made it out thanks to some friends."
"Must be some friends." Bones whispered. "Though I don't see them here with you."
Antonius sighed, leaning back against the rock. "We're at different places in our lives right now. They'd come if I asked, but I guess I didn't want them to drop everything for me."
There was a moment of quiet as the skeleton digested that. "Hmmm. So you say you were injured, but you look mighty fine to me. And here I am, no skin, just Bones."
Antonius chuckled and stretched, his bronze skin glistening in the light. "See those scars on my right shoulder like mineral veins? Got nearly ripped apart. Have some on my left hand and toe as well, those I had to integrate completely new prosthetics for."
"Mmmmhmmmm." Bones said, chuckling. "And can you turn around? I want to get a better look at those… scars."
Antonius spent a few seconds posing at the skeleton's directions, but then Bones stopped speaking. "Is there something wrong, Bones?" He asked, concerned.
"Antonius…" Bones said quietly. "By any chance, were you being chased by something?"
The centurion froze. "What do you see, Bones?"
"A slight bending of light, like something vast and invisible, was trying to approach us." Bones answered, his words solemn and tinged with dread. "I call it the eddy. It's what killed me, Antonius. Why didn't you… it's noticed we've noticed. Get ready to dodge when I tell you."
Antonius felt a pull like a current pushing against him, but there was no force against his body but a sense of vertigo as if space itself was being pulled. He heard a sound akin to the breaking of glass and the smell of burning air filled his nostrils. Then that sound turned into a shrill call and then Bones yelled out.
"NOW!"
Antonius leapt to the side, propelling himself with such a burst of water that he turned in mid-air grasping the small crevices of the rock-face, looking at the ground. He saw a black bead race past where he had been, shooting off to the air. However, before it got far, the bead unfurled into the eddy, a vortex of twisting space that had been hunting him.
Then it began to gather itself again.
"Thank you for likely saving my life." Antonius said, nodding at the skeleton. "But now I need to leave, Bones."
"What?" The skull tried to turn around to look at me, but couldn't. "What'll happen to me if it catches me?"
Antonius frowned. "I don't know. This is the first time I've done something like you. I think you will simply fade away once you run out of strength."
Bones' voice took on a panicked edge. "You don't know? I don't want to die a second time to this thing! Please, take me with you!"
Glancing at the buried skeleton, Antonius sighed and reached out. As the reanimated creature felt his hand close around his head, the skeleton suddenly began to plead. "Wait! I changed my mind! AAAAA-" Bones screamed as Antonius grabbed the skull and with an audible click, detached it from the rest of its body. "-AAAAH! Oh, wait. It doesn't actually hurt. DODGE!"
Antonius didn't hesitate. He tied Bones to his belt and leapt away from the rocky outcropping just as the eddy moved. With a shrill screech, the eddy collapsed into a twisting rift that raced towards them. The ground where Bones' body had been was twisted and shattered into a cloud of dust and fragments of bone, before being sucked into the chaotic vortex.
"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god." Ignoring the skeleton's lamentations, Antonius frantically searched the treacherous landscape of the Qiguai Realm for another refuge. Bones interrupted his thoughts with a shout. "It's coming! Why did you stop?"
"I don't know where to go!" Antonius shouted back.
The skull hesitated for a moment. "Head east! There is a waterfall! It's hard to make out against the ocean in the sky, but it's there, I remember this!"
Glancing back, Antonius saw the eddy compress itself into a black dot. "Fine!" he replied, gathering power. "Hold on tight!"
"What are you going to do?" Bones asked, looking fearfully at the eddy.
Antonius didn't reply as the eddy shot towards them like a missile, and space screeched as its vortex expanded into an all-consuming maw. With a twist of his hand, Antonius released his power, and a vortex of water formed. Before the eddy could touch them, it launched them into the sky - right where the skull had said to go.
Propelling himself further with water summoned from the air, he finally noticed what the skeleton had been indicating. There was a waterfall almost hidden against the sky-ocean, but now that he got closer he could see it flowing upward to an island floating far above them in the air.
"That's it! There is a space behind it!"
Antonius glanced in the direction they came from. The eddy however had disappeared from view, and it was only a matter of time before it found them again. Listening to the skull's instructions, he maneuvered himself into a small cave at the source of the waterfall. As he hit the solid stone floor, Antonius collapsed into a seated position, gasping for breath.
"That should buy us a few minutes." He said, before holding up the skull. "Bones, what do you know about this thing?"
Bones' eye sockets seemed to narrow. "Ah, the eddy. Nasty piece of work. Chases anything that moves, tears space apart like wet paper."
"I know all that," Antonius whispered furiously. "What else do you know?"
Bones' jaw clattered as it spoke. "You came in through the Qiguai Clan Gateway, yeah?"
Antonius frowned. "I did. Does it have something to do with the eddy?"
"Well, traveling through them does feel similar," Bones answered, his hollow laugh echoing. "Hard to survive going through the eddy though. I'm guessing your injury last time wasn't some creature ambushing you but space itself ripping you apart."
Antonius nodded. "Last time I came through, that happened to a lot of us. My friends were even transported into a higher level of the realm, while many others were injured as well."
Bones' hollow eyes bored into him. "The eddy must have gotten a taste for flesh back then and has been hunting things ever since. It has your scent, Antonius. You shouldn't have returned."
Antonius sighed. "I suppose it was a bigger risk coming back here than I imagined. It's not going to let me leave me alone so easily."
Bones regarded him silently before speaking again. "You remind me of someone I used to know... myself. Before I ended up like this. Keep your wits about you, Antonius. This realm doesn't forgive mistakes."
Antonius nodded. "I certainly don't intend to make any more, but first I'll need to deal with the eddy."
Bones' voice softened. "I don't know if we have anything that can kill that thing. The eddy's a force to be reckoned with. It's about outsmarting it and outrunning it, not outfighting it. Use the environment, stay calm, and think ahead."
Antonius nodded. "Can you tell me everything you know?"
"Look out for shifts in the environment," Bones explained. "It seems like it just appears, but it actually sneaks up on you all invisible-like. The space-rending twisty thing happens when it's trying to eat you."
"That's what it just did, I suppose," Antonius noted. "It looked a bit like liquid glass, warping light ever so slightly. Anything else?"
Bones thought for a second. "It senses sound and energy somehow, though I don't think it can see very well. It's also very smart. The more you fight it, the more it learns. That's how I died - it pulled that compressed dash trick and I wasn't able to react in time."
Antonius grimaced, taking it all in. As they spoke, he scanned the area, watching for any other threat when his eyes caught sight of an unusual formation inside the cave. It was just another rocky wall, but something about it seemed different—more structured, deliberate.
"Say, Bones." He said, pointing towards the formation. "What's that?"
The skull stilled in his hand. "That's just rocks. Do we need more rocks? Why not continue talking about the ravenous whorl in space?"
"You were hesitant in mentioning this place, weren't you?" Antonius decided, standing up and placing the babbling skull back on his belt. "There must be something there."
"Maybe, maybe not!" Bones shouted. "But why don't you just ignore it? For my sake! Come on, man. Didn't you say I saved your life?"
Antonius rolled his eyes. "That is that and this is this."
Ignoring the skull's protests, Antonius set off towards the formation. As they drew closer, he noticed that it wasn't just rocks but a small, ancient structure partially buried in the ground. Vines and strange, luminescent plants had grown over it, but when Antonius pushed them aside, they revealed two ancient chests.
Their surfaces were intricately carved with symbols that seemed to shimmer and change in response to the ambient qi. Antonius knelt beside the chests, running his fingers over the carvings as he tried to decipher their meaning.
"Something related to the cycle of mortality." He mused, "I can only parse some of the meaning, but I recognise the symbols of immortality and defiance. In some cultures, when put together they often represent the cyclical flow of time."
Bones let out a low chuckle. "Well, aren't you fancy? Why don't you try to open them? See what's there inside."
"Let's take a look," Antonius replied. He examined the locks closely. They were unlike anything he had ever seen, complex mechanisms that would require longer than they had to decipher.
"These locks... they're unbreakable," Antonius muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
Bones' eye sockets seemed to glow with a faint, eerie light. "Unbreakable, you say? Oh, let me tell you, I spent months trying to crack these open when I was alive. Tried everything—brute force, delicate tools, even a few more esoteric tricks. Nothing worked."
Antonius down at Bones. "So this is what you were trying to hide. Why? Forgive me for assuming, but you do not strike me as the type who is overly influenced by greed."
Bones sighed dramatically. "Look, man. I died trying to open these locks, but here you are all fancy with your waking up the dead and things like that. I'd feel embarrassed if you just came and figured this stuff out."
Antonius winced. "Yes, I can see how that would be annoying."
"Judge me if you want," The skull said, cackling. "But I honestly feel better that you're struggling to open it either."
Antonius looked at the chests, intrigued. "Let me try a few things, just to be sure."
"Sure, go ahead. Be my guest." Bones said, clearly looking forward to seeing him fail.
Summoning a small ball of water, he carefully moved it into the key slots shaping them to encompass the entirety of the space inside. Then, he hardened the water and forced it to turn. The water spun and dispersed but the lock remained unmoving.
"Clever trick," The skull said, sarcastically. "Who would have ever thought about picking the lock?"
Frowning, Antonius stepped back and summoned a ball of water. Spinning it into a sharp, flat blade, he sent it towards the chests. However, while his attack gouged the stone around it and sprayed water in the area, the chests remained unharmed.
"I didn't expect that to work." Antonius said, forestalling the skull's comments. "But it would be stupid not to try. What if it worked?"
The skull bobbed once on his belt. "I suppose that's fair. I'm telling you though, I tried most of the obvious solutions. Unless you've gotten something unique, it's better to spend time planning our next moves."
"Just one more thing." Antonius muttered, and then he waved a hand. His shadow extended and from it rose a tattered banner, carried by an ancient legionnaire in full armor.
Bones looked perturbed at that. "Is that… a ghost?"
Antonius chuckled. "Really, Bones?"
"I'm not scared." Bones protested, before sighing. "It's just… that thing is just like me, isn't it?"
"In a way." Antonius admitted. "My ghosts are just Wills created from the memories left behind. That is my memory of an ancient legionnaire. He doesn't represent a person, or rather he represents bits of several people. You are the memory of a person, reborn from their bones. In another way, there is no comparison in terms of knowledge and individuality."
"I see." Bones said, somberly.
Antonius studied him for a moment, but he seemed lost in thought. Deciding to leave him alone, he nodded at the legionnaire. The ghost moved towards the chest and extended a hand, trying to reach through it but his hand couldn't pass through. Whatever the material was, it was as opaque to the spiritual as it was to the physical.
"Oh god." Bones said, giving a short laugh. "I'd be so annoyed if that worked."
Antonius grinned. "Can you imagine, though?"
"I can and it's horrifying." The skull huffed. "I'd rather you toss me to the eddy."
Antonius froze. "Hey, Bones. When you were alive and trying to open these chests, were you being chased by the eddy the whole time?"
Bones' jaw clattered in what might have been an annoyed sigh. "Well, I never stayed here for long. Didn't want to lead the eddy to my prize. If it knew I wanted this, it'd wait here for me."
A smirk played on Antonius's lips. "Then I think I've got an idea."
Bones groaned. "Oh, this should be good," he said, his tone dripping with skepticism.
"Just stay quiet." Antonius answered, before moving to the side of the room. Taking a breath, he suppressed his qi down to the utmost and then nodded at his legionnaire.
At his command, the spirit walked between the chests and began to focus. The qi in the air gathered around it and it gave an echoing screech of power. As it began to bang on its chest, Bones began to grasp his intent and began to shake. Antonius lightly smacked him on the head, causing him to become still.
"Now we wait," Antonius said, readying himself for what was to come.
Worryingly, it didn't take very long. The air around them began to shimmer and distort as the whirling eddy drew closer, attracted by the noise and power of the spirit. Standing deathly still, Antonius watched the translucent visage of the eddy during its stealthy approach. It came through, tasting the air as it went but the spirit noticed its approach.
The spirit jumped behind the chests, making a rude gesture.
The eddy froze and then the ground trembled beneath his feet as it prepared to attack, its ripples tearing through the landscape. With a deafening screech, the eddy collided with the chests. The locks, unbreakable by conventional means, stood no chance against the eddy's reality-breaking rifts. They shattered, and the chests fell open with a resounding crash.
The spirit acted then, leaping into the path of the eddy while tossing the now open chests in the air even as the eddy consumed it. The contents of the chests spilled out and before the eddy could react, Antonius sent out a whip of water, enveloping the items and pulled them to his hand.
"Ha! It worked!" Antonius exclaimed, a triumphant smile spreading across his face.
"You…" Bones seemed to vibrate with emotion. "You can't use an invisible, unbeatable predator as a glorified lockpick! That's not allowed!"
Holding up the items, Antonius frowned. "Wait, are these what we were supposed to get?"
"Let me see!" The skull cried, struggling against his belt.
Antonius held up a talisman and a half-eaten peach. "It feels like someone was here already and decided to mess with whoever came after them."
"Wait, what? No!" The skull howled, somehow seeming to slump even without a body. "I couldn't have given my life for such things!"
Antonius gave him a brief smile, before glancing at the eddy. It had noticed them by now and was beginning to compress upon itself as a prelude to attack. Sealing the items into his storage ring, Antonius patted the skull. "Let's discuss these things later, shall we?"
"No! Just leave me here to diiieeeee!" The skull cried and Antonius sighed. Ignoring the skull's dramatics, Antonius leapt towards the entrance and beneath him, the earth trembled.
What…?
Without warning, the ground exploded in a burst of rock and dust as the eddy slammed into the ground below, its force tearing through the cave floor. Antonius stumbled, barely forming a barrier of water around him that deflected stone shrapnels to the side. Antonius forced himself to his feet, the pain in his body screaming in protest.
He looked back at the cave, now a scene of chaos and destruction, and saw the eddy reforming and then expanding to cover the whole cave. With a surge of determination, he pushed forward, using his water manipulation to propel himself towards the exit. Summoning every ounce of his strength, he dove forward, escaping the cave just as the eddy reached the area he had stood.
"Antonius! It's coming through the walls!" Bones screamed, his voice filled with panic.
"Hold on, Bones!" Antonius shouted, his voice strained, but before he could react, the wall behind him exploded, sending him flying towards the waterfall. Grabbing hold of the current, he slowed himself down before turning to look back.
"Oh no."
The eddy was compressing into a bead, aiming right at him. With no time to find a new hiding place, Antonius made a quick decision and activated one of his treasures.
He had been holding the Sand-spitting Marble in his mouth for days. Now, it was ready. When he blew, his breath unleashed a sandstorm that filled the world around them, obscuring all senses. He still heard the violent screech of the eddy as it began to rip the sand apart. Ignoring its actions, he gathered all the water within the waterfall and pushed himself straight up.
Antonius shot forward through the obscuring sandstorm, water propelling him like a rocket. The sensation of being surrounded by sand while streaking through the air was disorienting, but he focused on his goal—escape. His heart pounded in his chest as he broke free from the storm, only to find himself hurtling towards the ocean above.
The sensation of slamming into the water upside down was jarring. The moment he breached the surface, he found himself surrounded by a strange aquatic landscape, with fish swimming around him and the surface beneath him. Just as he was beginning to get his bearings, something caught his eye—a creature unlike anything he had ever seen.
Galloping through the water towards him was a deer, but not just any deer. Its body shimmered with iridescent scales, and its antlers twisted and branched like coral. Its eyes, glowing a soft blue, were fixed hungrily upon him. Antonius barely had time to react before it lunged at him, its mouth opening to reveal rows of sharp, crystalline teeth.
Antonius twisted the currents around him, narrowly avoiding the creature's jaws. Then he summoned a burst of water to propel himself away, putting distance between him and the strange aquatic deer. As he swam, he noticed more of the creatures emerging from the depths, their eyes locked onto him with predatory intent.
Glancing around, he noticed a landmass on the ocean and with a burst of energy, Antonius broke free from the ocean-sky, launching himself towards it. He looked back just in time to see the deer reach out for him, but with his feet now on solid ground, he outspeed them and they fell short, crashing back into the water with a splash.
Breathing heavily, Antonius scanned his surroundings until he saw the giant tree that made the island home.Sensing his approach, its branches shifted and its leaves turned towards him, each following him with a different colored eye. The roots of the tree were holding on tightly to the ground as if…
"Antonius…" Bones began warily. "Look up."
Antonius did so, his heart pounding as he realized the full scope of the Qiguai Realm was arrayed above him, a world turned upside down. The tree on the island was clinging desperately to the ground, its roots twisted and gnarled, holding on for dear life.
Why was he able to stand here without falling?
He didn't have long to marvel at the view. The eddy was still out there, and the strange aquatic deer were prowling just out of reach, their glowing eyes fixed hungrily on him. The giant tree's branches shifted again, and its leaves turned towards him, each leaf bearing a different colored eye that seemed to see right through him.
With no time to waste, Antonius took a deep breath and summoned his remaining strength. He had to find a way to escape this place and outsmart the relentless eddy. The tree's thousand vines shot towards him, their ends like grasping claws. He quickly summoned a water barrier to deflect the attack, but the tree's tendrils maneuvered around it with unsettling agility.
In response, Antonius reached into his pack and pulled out one of the treasures he had taken from the chests. It was a thick talisman inscribed with the symbol of 'Explosion'. Though he hadn't had time to study it in detail, his knowledge of arrays gave him the confidence to use it.
Channeling his Qi into the talisman, he felt the power build within. With a swift motion, he hurled it at the tree. The moment it made contact, the talisman exploded with a deafening roar. The force of the explosion rocked the air, and the shockwaves almost set him flying. As he regained his balance, he saw the tree recoil, its branches flailing wildly in the aftermath.
He felt his stomach lurch and he almost vomited.
"That… that was something." Bones finally said, "But I don't think that's enough!"
"What's happening to me?" He shouted, looking towards Bones.
The skull gave a hysterical laugh. "It's vertigo! Gravity reversed when you touched the ocean, but now it's slowly turning back! By the way, catch!"
Antonius scowled as he stumbled forwards, holding up a hand just as something slammed into it. Looking at it, he realized the talisman which had returned to him undamaged.
His eyes widened in realization. "The cyclical flow of time."
"Oh thank god." The skull said, sighing. "I feel better knowing that they have some worth."
"It would be funnier if they didn't." Antonius answered, smirking at him.
"No, it wouldn't!" Bones screamed, before continuing more quietly. "What about the other one?"
Antonius held up the half-eaten peach, noticing it reacting to the tree, inching closer to it as if drawn by an invisible force. "I think… this might do something interesting."
"What's interesting?" Bones asked, but Antonius only grinned as he reached out to the tree, which was still trying to reach out toward them. "Wait, no! The point is not to go into danger!"
"Then you are missing the point," Antonius replied immediately. "It's going into danger and making it out because that's where all the best things are kept!"
"No! Wait! Leave me behiiiii-" Bones' protest was cut short as Antonius propelled himself forward with a burst of water.
He tossed the Exploding Talisman ahead of him, sealing it within a ball of water. The tree, wary now, hesitated. As the talisman exploded, Antonius ducked under the vines, not retreating but using his new lightened body to rush in between them. He landed on the ground with a thud, rolling under grasping branches and right into one of the tree's thick, gnarled roots.
It wrapped around him and Antonius grinned, grabbing it in turn, letting it wrap around him to keep himself from falling. Then he held out the half-eaten peach and pressed it against the root. The fruit seemed to meld with the tree, its surface shimmering as it began to drain Qi. The root began to struggle, trying to move away, but Antonius held it in place.
The tree's reaction was swift and violent.
Its branches lashed out like whips, forcing Antonius to match them himself with water whips of his own. The leaves rustled violently, and Antonius could feel the tree's many eyes glaring at him. But the peach worked its magic, slowly restoring itself. Even as it struggled, the tree's energy began to wane, its attacks slowing down.
Then the world seemed to reverse.
Antonius nearly fell, hanging from the roots and it began to loosen. Pieces of loose earth were falling to the Qiguai Realm below. Dangling from roots, Antonius saw a loop of root extending out of the ground, the weakened branches now hacking it apart. The tree had realized his predicament and was determined to rid itself of both Antonius and the parasitic pear.
"Hey, Antonius." Bones said, his voice quiet. "What's that?"
Looking in the direction the skull indicated by jutting out his chin, he saw something extraordinary - there was a single apple, golden and glowing, hanging near the bark of the tree.
"That-" Antonius grinned and held out his hand to catch the talisman. "-looks like dinner."
"Shit, no." Bones' jaw clacked shut. "That's not what I wanted! That object is so clearly a trap! Don't fall for it!"
"But it would have to have some worth, wouldn't it?" Antonius asked, preparing himself.
Bones began to shake. "Please, I don't want to be tree food! Or fish food! Or fall to the ground!"
A branch took an errant swing towards him and instead of blocking it, Antonius seized the opportunity and grabbed it, picking the peach which was now lush with energy. With a swing, he leapt on top of the now recoiling branch. Narrowly avoiding lethal attacks, he leapt from branch to branch running along their 'underside'.
"Holy shit, it's actually working!" Bones shouted as he approached the unprotected bark, jumping past tree roots and vines, the bark split into two, revealing teeth. "Ahhhhhh-"
The whole trunk bent forward to bite him.
Without hesitation, he let go.
He fell off the island, grabbing the apple and pulling it free on his way down. With a surge of water, he rushed through the tree's leaves. The moment he was free, he bit into the apple and an immense surge of energy rushed into him. It settled into his body, and his Single Pillar, the source of his dao, began to strengthen noticeably.
Behind them the tree screamed.
"Antonius! Oh gods, the eye-leaves are in my mouth!"
A familiar screech filled the air.
A shower of wood chips on his back.
As he soared through the sky, Antonius glanced up to see the eddy slamming into the bark of the tree. The collision sent a shockwave through the air, and an explosion erupted, sending splinters of bark flying in all directions. Antonius quickly shielded his face, narrowly avoiding the deadly fragments. One large piece of bark slammed into his shoulder, knocking him off balance.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Antonius grabbed the chunk of bark and, with swift efficiency, placed it along with the peach and the talisman into his storage ring. He barely had a moment to catch his breath before the eddy reformed, its presence distorting the air around it with an ominous hum.
Antonius summoned water, feeling the familiar surge of power coursing through him. He propelled himself upward with a mighty burst, aiming for the sky. The force of his ascent created a trail of mist behind him, and the world below became a blur of colors and shapes.
"Antonius…" Bones said, his voice filled with dread. "Go faster! It's still coming after us!"
Looking back, he saw that the island had shattered into two drifting pieces, the remains of the tree gripping one of them, which was slowly drifting down. Flying between the falling wood and earth, the eddy was coming towards him.
"Why does it look bigger this time?" Bones muttered fearfully. "Please, don't tell me it ate part of the tree and grew stronger."
"It ate part of the tree and grew stronger." Antonius repeated absently, ignoring the skull's hollowed sound of indignation as his eyes focused on the eddy like a matador looking at a bull.
As it shot forward, Antonius was ready.
He could feel the air pressure changing, the telltale sign of the eddy's proximity. As its screech filled his ears, he pushed water from both hands which sent him spinning to the side. As he stabilized his motion, he saw the eddy unfurl itself like a bird opening its wings and with the sound of reality breaking, it came to a screeching halt.
Close enough for him to reach out and touch, the whorl of space spun out.
The eddy's presence was unmistakable as it grew larger and more menacing, tearing through the sky like a vortex of death. Gathering every bit of power he had, even sacrificing the remaining energy from the golden apple, Antonius pushed himself away. He spun upwards like a rocket moving up out of instinct and the eddy compressed again, giving chase to him.
The eddy's sound cut off as he splashed into the ocean.
Coral teeth closed around him as did suckered tentacles, but he didn't spare a glance at the creatures who sought to consume him. As the water spun into a whirlpool from the eddy's presence, he grasped the currents and pulled them around himself. Blood mixed into them as the eddy fed and then Antonius shot past it in a crimson stream.
Glancing back, he saw that the eddy had compressed itself into a disc instead of a ball. It cut through the ocean and rushed right to them. There was no time to turn or escape, as it approached him and without the ocean currents to help him, his speed was slowing. Heart hammering in his chest, Antonius realized he needed something more.
With the golden apple's energy coursing through him, Antonius had felt a surge of power. He bet on that feeling now, as he withdrew the lush peach from his storage ring and bit into it, feeling it's Qi flooding his dantian. With a single twitch of his fingers, a rush of water threw him to the side and the eddy rushed right past him.
"Antonius… oh gods…"
Without needing to compress or change its shape, the eddy came to a halt and then spun like a frisbee towards them at the same speed. Still, Antonius felt no fear as the power of the peach buzzed in his system, begging to be used or lost. He grasped that power with his will and wrestled it into submission, even as he felt the eddy closing in.
"I guess, this is the end…"
As the power flooded into his technique, Antonius shot forward like a comet, weaving through the twisted landscape of the Qiguai Realm. He felt a sting in his neck as he maneuvered through the terrain, dodging the monstrous fauna and flora of the realm. Bones silently clattered against his body, but Antonius barely registered him as he moved.
He glanced back to see the eddy gaining on them, its vortex expanding and contracting with frightening speed. In the distance, he spotted a group of cultivators standing next to a reversed waterfall, using its current to leap into a floating island. As he approached, he saw their distinctive robes, each adorned with symbols of their respective sects.
One of them, stronger than the others, leapt up to meet him with a scowl.
"Golden devil-"
Antonius shot past, moving directly into the waterfall.
"Form a defensive formation!" he heard the man command and the others immediately complied, their swords and talismans at the ready.
Antonius barely slowed down as he passed by them. He grabbed the waterfall, twisting it even as a number of cultivators found themselves floating mid-air and then using its current like a ramp, he shot in the direction the Qiguai Clan Doorway had appeared.
He heard screams behind him, but he couldn't afford to stop, even for a moment. The eddy would have torn through their defenses, leaving devastation in its wake. Any efforts to defend themselves against it would have been futile. Antonius breathed out, steadying himself.
"Don't look back!" Bones shouted. "Keep moving!"
Antonius pushed himself harder, his body straining against the overwhelming power coursing through him. As he sped through the realm, he encountered more bizarre creatures—things out of a nightmare. There were giant serpents with wings, creatures with multiple eyes and limbs, and other monstrosities that seemed to defy the laws of nature.
One particularly grotesque creature, resembling a fusion of a jellyfish and a spider, had tried to lunge at him from the side. Antonius dodged its tentacles with a deft twist, narrowly avoiding its venomous stingers and left it a bloody feast for the eddy. Though every meal that it took gave him breathing room, the eddy also got a little bit stronger.
Its speed and its size, the strength of its pull all grew, but the most frightening was its growing intelligence. It was learning to turn faster, to anticipate his movements. Rather than a spinning disc, it now spread out completely, pulling itself forward by consuming space, leaving a trial of shattered reality behind it. It was growing frighteningly fast as it chased him, leaving hundreds of wounds on his body as a record of its progress.
And worse still, as the Doorway came into view… he would his burst of energy flagging.
"This is bad, really bad!" Bones's voice trembled with genuine fear. "Antonius, I don't think we're gonna make it!"
Antonius could see the entrance to the realm in the distance—a shimmering portal that was terrifyingly similar to the eddy itself and yet seemed impossibly far away. He knew he had to reach it, but the eddy was closing in, its pull intensifying behind him.
"Bones, hold on tight," Antonius said, his voice grim. "I'm going to try something."
Bones didn't respond, his usual words replaced by a tense silence. Antonius summoned every ounce of his remaining strength, pushing himself to the absolute limit. He could feel the eddy's cold, destructive presence right behind him, its tendrils reaching out to consume him. He pushed himself faster, holding out his hand.
He could give it up to slow the eddy down.
Bones spoke up, his voice unexpectedly calm. "Antonius… remember me!"
Antonius's heart skipped a beat. "Bones, what are you—"
Before he could finish, Bones detached himself from Antonius's belt, hurling himself towards the eddy. "Get out of here! Now!" the skull shouted, his voice filled with determination.
"No!" Antonius screamed, but it was too late.
Bones collided with the eddy, his skeletal form disintegrating upon impact. The eddy slowed for just a moment, the vortex of space pausing to digest the small amount of power produced by Bones's sacrifice.
Gritting his teeth, Antonius seized the opportunity.
He summoned a final burst of speed, propelling himself towards the portal. The entrance loomed ahead, tantalizingly close. He could feel the eddy regaining its momentum, its destructive force threatening to engulf him. With a final, desperate push, Antonius dove through the portal, feeling the now familiar pull of spatial distortion.
He tumbled through the swirling void, the eddy's furious roar echoing behind him. Then, with a blinding flash of light, he emerged on the other side, collapsing onto solid ground. As the adrenaline bled out of him, he felt the sting of his many injuries. Holding up his hand, he noticed that it had been cut apart, but nothing his Blood of Bronze couldn't bear.
It was already sealing itself closed.
Breathing heavily, Antonius looked back at the portal, now silent. The swirling void had closed, leaving only a faint shimmer where the entrance once stood. It seemed that the eddy couldn't pass through, but now Bones was gone as well. The companionship of the talking skeleton had been a strange but comforting presence in the chaos of the Qiguai Realm.
Would he have even made it out alive if not for him?
"You weren't even truly alive," Antonius said, shaking his head with a slight smile. "But I guess you managed to live, huh?"
A familiar sense of loss washed over him, mingling with the relief of having escaped. He stood up and held up a hand, feeling the myriad emotions resonate with his dao. As he focused, his qi began to gather into his palm, swirling like mist, luminous and ethereal. The energy danced and coiled around his fingers, shimmering with a soft, otherworldly light.
It felt alive, a manifestation of his inner strength and resolve. Slowly, the mist began to coalesce, taking shape with a fluid grace. The contours of a skull began to form, delicate and translucent at first, then gradually solidifying into a more defined image. His qi gathered into his palm and then it settled into the ghostly image of a grinning skull.
"Thank you, Bones," Antonius whispered, his voice tinged with melancholy. "I will remember you."
Eighty hundred fifty million years ago, a cataclysmic battle took place between the great sage Seven Tails Scorpion Hermit, who had wandered the whole of the Third Turtle Child and done many great deeds in the process, and an otherwise ordinary monkey, who happened to be in the realm of Spirit Severing and so was about as far from ordinary as a monkey could get. Scorpion Hermit was attempting, for reasons not entirely relevant to this story, to find a suitable target upon which to foist a particularly annoying and nearly indestructible talking egg that had begun following him around some centuries ago, and had determined the monkey to be the most suitable target of the spirit beasts in the region (the unfortunately-named Dastardly Flipper) which he had found himself in.
Scorpion Hermit made his way to the monkey's lair, which was an enormous tree five thousand li high in the middle of a jungle that stretched for a similarly ludicrous expanse, and was filled with all manner of horrible poisonous creatures that attempted to ensnare the great sage in their traps and cripple him with their venoms. Somewhat fortunately, Scorpion Hermit had already been inoculated to the essence of the Lemon Belly Widow Goddess, a scorpion ally of his with venom of far greater potency than anything these measly crawlers could possibly secrete, and so he strode through the jungle unharmed. He stood before the monkey's enormous tree and called for it to come forth in the ancient manner of challenge that all monkeys know, and the ape clambered down from its favorite napping branch.
"Why do you disturb me, oh little shiny man?" Boomed the monkey. "I should floss my ass crack with you to clean out my fleas for interrupting my nap." It was quite serious, too - its fleas were many, and each was in Core Formation, their power great despite their diminutive size.
"Take this egg," replied Seven Tails Scorpion Hermit, and held out the ovum in question, which sprouted a mouth and eyes that caused immense disquiet in the spirit to look upon once it realized that it was being observed. "It is an object of great wisdom, and tells the bearer things that only the wisest under Heaven can truly comprehend. I think it only fitting that it is the most cunning of all creatures in the Dastardly Flipper who bears it, rather than this lowly wanderer."
This was, of course, a blatant lie by Scorpion Hermit - the egg was merely incredibly annoying and nigh incapable of shutting up, a trait which had not only nearly cost Scorpion Hermit his life several times over during situations where stealth was necessary, but also made it near impossible for him to actually cultivate without the egg snapping him out of his trance with some inane observation or other.
So powerful was the egg's force of annoyance, in fact, that even mentioning it is cause enough for some of its rambles to carry through into the speaker's verbiage. I will now succumb to the word vomit I can feel arising within the tendons of my wrist, rather than have it spew out at some inconvenient time later. Please don't feel obligated to read whatever cursed text I write in the subsequent paragraph. In fact, I'd actively encourage that you don't, lest you oh god here it comes
The things that the cursed egg said as Scorpion Hermit held it out to the Spirit Severing monkey were as follows, all relayed within approximately two tenths of a second: "Boy howdy, look at what a big gorilla. I'm going to name you Chester! Chester the monkey. Or maybe you're more of a simian? Definitely an ape. Ooga booga! Hahaha, that's what monkeys say. Or rather apes, my apologies. Definitely apes that say that, not gorillas. I know that because I'm an egg, and eggs know all about marsupials! You're a marsupial, right? That's the one where you have blood come out of your nipples every so often, I think. Look, there's a lot of creatures out there, and I've gotta keep track of all of them, and they get mixed up every so often in my little eggy brain. Sue me, what are you gonna do. Look, point being, I'm an egg, you're a baboon, why don't we be friends? We're natural partners! I sit on that gargantuan forehead of yours and tell you what to do, and you do everything I say and also laugh at my jokes. Ooh, I should tell you a joke, that's a perfect way to warm up to a new friend! My mother (who is also an egg) always told me so, she told me when I was young, she told me, "Now egg, if you ever want to make a friend quick, you've gotta tell them a joke!" That's what she said, all right, and I've taken it to heart ever since. Now then, what joke should I tell ya? I can't use any jokes involving monkeys because you probably know all of those, and also I don't want to be slandered for inappropriate cultural appropriation, nothing worse than that for an egg. Hmm, maybe I should tell you the one about the mouse and the desert gopher. Or maybe the Hundred Gem Zucchini and the Foolish Lava Millipede? Ooh, ooh, no, I know the perfect one! Oh man, this joke is gonna be the most gut-bustiest joke of all time, you're gonna laugh so hard you'll break your own jaw and rip your heart out of your chest so you can feast on your own life's blood and rejoice in the exultant moment of pain! I mean, my jokes are the best jokes, everyone says so, they all tell me 'Egg, you're the best joke teller, please tell us another joke' and I go 'Hey, only if you give me a million spirit stones' and then they start laughing anyway and it turns out it was just another joke to them the whole time! I mean, can you even believe it? I tell jokes without even meaning to! That's like a whole other level of joke-itude! I really am just an over the top genius as far as humor, I really should be in charge of your life, I'm just too funny. Oh right, I never told you the actual joke, did I? Okay, here goes. Be prepared for the rest of your life to be an unending torrent of misery, a flat grey landscape of unceasing boredom and unfulfillment once I tell you this joke. The humor you experience is going to be so transcendental that nothing else you'll ever find could ever possibly compare, and you could taste the sweetest fulfillment of your every desire and find it nothing but bitter ashes in your mouth, heart, and soul compared to the joke I'm about to bestow upon you. Do you even realize how lucky you are? I could be telling this joke to anyone in the entirety of all the realms and yet I'm giving it to you, here, right now! Wow, what a moment. Really makes you think, huh? You'd better be ready to give me the entirety of yourself in eternal servitude once this is done, because honestly I really should remember to charge people for the privilege of my company but I never do, so you've got quite a payment backlog that I'm going to dump onto you to equal out the lacking contributions of all the other shmucks I've donated my heavenly presence to. Anyway, I've probably done enough delaying, time for the joke now! The joke to end all jokes. Prepare to be friended harder than you've ever been friended before! Ahem. Glack. Snort. I gotta say all these onomatopoeic words instead of actually clearing my throat because I don't actually have organs like you flesh bags or anything, but having a routine before you tell a joke is important, dammit, and mine is clearing my throat, no matter whether I actually have one or not. Alright, now that that's out of the way with, time for the joke. Are you ready? Get yourself settled down, sit nice and comfortably, alright? I wouldn't want you to have a stiff lower back or anything when you get up, why don't you fix that posture? A healthy back is a healthy mind, and only the healthiest of minds can fully comprehend what I've got to offer! Alright, now then, time for the joke. One, two, three. Why did the chicken cross the road? … Did you guess the answer? It's okay if you take a few guesses. Just don't tell me. Okay okay okay, I'll tell you. Ready? Okay. Why did the chicken cross the road? By taking one step at a time! Ahahahahaha! Do you get it? It's not even an answer to the question! The person telling the joke has forgotten what joke he's telling in the middle of telling it! Oh man, what a knee-slapper. I'd slap my knees if I had any to slap, that's for sure. Why don't you -"
Scorpion Hermit put the egg back into his pocket.
"Yeah, there's no way under all the heavens that I'm taking that cursed thing," the monkey said. "Whatever misbegotten creature spawned it is a horror of the worst sort, and should be punished excruciatingly for the crime of existing."
"Do you have any idea how much cultivation time I've lost because of this thing," Scorpion Hermit snapped, his facade of calmness falling away. "Anytime I try anything, even so much as a basic cycling of my qi, it pipes up with another inane ramble and breaks my concentration! You're a spirit beast, you don't even need to cultivate. You take it."
"No," replied the monkey, displaying a surprising amount of common sense.
Scorpion Hermit, in response, threw the egg at the monkey, the projectile quickly accelerating to the point that it ignited the very air around it, becoming a burning star that rocketed towards the great ape at speeds faster than even a Nascent Soul could possibly perceive. The monkey, thinking quickly, plucked a nearby Iron Paddle Leaf from its tree and batted the egg back towards Scorpion Hermit, rebounding the projectile in a dazzling arc.
Not to be outdone, Scorpion Hermit summoned up his trusty Threefold Contemplative Diamond Nexus Brigade Dazzling Shimmer Shield, a buckler formed of the coalesced thoughts of an elder he'd encountered earlier. Admittedly he hadn't actually had cause to use the thing for about seven hundred years, having amassed thousands of artifacts over the course of his journeys, but it had always been there for him. It was here for him now, as it deflected the accursed egg's trajectory, sending it screaming back towards the Spirit Severing monkey on a trail of broken air.
The two battled for seven consecutive years, trading one continuous volley the entire time, each coming up with more and more acrobatic maneuvers in their attempts to sling the egg at the other. At last, it was not the monkey's titanic strength or Scorpion Hermit's plethora of tricks that won the day, but simple good fortune. The egg, stressed to the breaking point by being battered back and forth thousands of times per second, finally, blessedly, was smashed into pieces and silenced forever. The ground above which it burst was showered with its essence, and it was immediately scoured to the bare rock, such was the potency of its corrosion.
"Huh," said Scorpion Hermit. "I have to admit, this wasn't how I pictured getting rid of the damn thing, but I won't complain about getting results. Nicely done."
The monkey, who may have been selfish and ornery but could appreciate a good bludgeoner, nodded back. "Your skill at catching all my rebounds was quite exemplary," it complimented Scorpion Hermit. "I had to press myself to come up with ways that I might foil your defense."
"I might say the same," the wandering cultivator replied. "You've got quite a strong serving arm, and to keep up a volley like that against someone as fast as I? Not bad."
"We should make this a thing, you and I," the monkey said. "It could be a new form of tournament, a way for creatures of all levels under the heavens to test their skills and might against each other without resorting to the baseless spilling of blood. All would be benefited by the presence of such a tournament - Monkey and the Scorpion Hermit's Bi-Millennial Paddle Slab Rotunda. What do you say?"
"I don't like that you put your name in front of mine," sneered Scorpion Hermit, and he killed the monkey instantaneously with the Heartsblood Ultimate Divine Venom Jian, a sword that called on powers greater than the heavens themselves, which may have never actually been mentioned before but that he'd had since he was a mortal and found it laying in a ditch on the side of a road.
Scorpion Hermit then went on to singlehandedly invent the game of Paddle Slab, and popularized it throughout all the Seas. He was remembered as the ultimate gamesmaster, and in his honor, tournaments that imitate his clash with the monkey are held to this very day, so that all may remember and be inspired by his shining example.
-<<<000>>>-
"Really, that's the story you're going with?" Juen scoffed. "As if anyone's ever going to believe that pile of horse shit."
Hua Ming frowned. "Is it really that far-fetched? Everything actually important happened so unbelievably long ago that no one actually knows jack or shit about whether it happened or not, not even Old Gold. I figured if I just go back far enough, I can just make some random series of events up and tweak them to my benefit, y'know?"
Juen smacked him. "Idiot, you can't just make up history to suit your own needs. This is an actual world we live in, Ming - people really live here, things actually happen. You've got to respect what it looks like or you'll be labeled as an untrustworthy braggart, and then we'll have invested all this effort in this idea for nothing."
Ming frowned, rubbing his cheek. "What effort? You and me came up with the idea of paddle ball a few nights ago while we were drunk and bored, and figured we could make some quick stones off of other drunk and bored legionnares if we held a competition with rules that we made up. It's not like we've spent months promoting it or anything, all we did was make an entry on the Contribution Board inviting anyone who wanted to come tonight."
Juen looked around the room they were in - a wide, low-ceiling basement that was housed under the Farting Cloud Horse tavern, made up of little more than bare stone and a leftover table the two of them had been able to scrounge from the innkeep. "Yeah, well, looks like it's a bust. We've been here for an hour and not a peep."
Thoom
Thoom
Thoom
Juen and Ming looked upwards uneasily as the room shook. Juen wiped a sudden sheen of sweat away from his bald head. "You put out a general invitation?" The thunderous impacts continued to sound out, growing closer to the door at the top of the stairs out of the basement.
"Y-yeah," Ming replied, glancing around the room for a weapon and finding none at hand. "Why do you ask?"
"This isn't like the time you placed a request for basic cycling advice and accidentally set it to alert the entirety of the Clan whenever they next accessed the Board, is it?"
Thoom
Ming suddenly became reluctant to meet Juen's eyes, and the other cultivator clenched his fists. "Ming, if you did that on purpose I swear I'll - "
"Not the whole clan," Ming said, holding out his hands. "Just all the recruits of Foundation Building and lower! I didn't want to offend any of the Legates."
Thoom
Juen slapped him across the face and seized him by the lapels. "Ming, that's still over a million cultivators! You stupid bastard! Who knows who you've pissed off! Why under the heavens would you -"
"Look, I thought it'd be fun!"
"Fun?! We've got who knows what up there about to come down here and rip us to shreds because your fucking ping interrupted their contemplation! You wasted months of their time with that, probably! Forget killing us, we'll be in debt for the rest of our lives!"
"I just wanted to -"
Thoom
The basement door burst open under the force of an arbitrarily high numbered boot, silencing their bickering. Fragments of wood rained down into the room, slowly clearing to reveal a man that looked more like a statue than a human. His energies flooded forth, revealing him to be a cultivator of the Tenth Heavenstage, far above either Juen or Ming. They both immediately knelt, left fist over their breasts. Juen made to speak - to apologize, to explain, anything - but the senior cultivator lifted a hand and both of them immediately clamped their lips shut. Their fate had come, best to meet it with dignity.
The cultivator thumped down the steps, regarding the both of them with steely-eyed intensity. "This was the invitation to paddle balls, yes?"
Ming cleared his throat. "Uh. Paddle ball, senior. It's a game I invented and thought the Clan might find … fun." He winced at how childishly naive that sounded. "I hope I haven't caused any offense."
The golden-skinned man shook his head ponderously. "Fun is my weakness. I must train it. Show me this ball paddling."
Juen and Ming side-eyed each other. They might just live through the night after all, it seemed.
Live they did, though a part of Juen ended up wishing that Ming had accidentally messaged a Core Formation elder and gotten them both crushed in an instant. The colossal cultivator's name was Grizzly - at least as far as could be discerned - and he put the both of them through a grueling circuit of paddleball, relentlessly playing against them for a small eternity without a pause. Food was brought down to them from the tavern at regular intervals, and they would play while they ate, cramming down food with one hand and batting the ball back and forth with the other.
It should be noted that Grizzly never actually gave either of them an order to stay, nor was he a member of their actual legion, so any order he did give wouldn't have been valid to begin with. However, neither of them wished to piss off the taciturn colossus, particularly since he was seven Heavenstages above them, and so they did everything he said without (outward) complaint. The two of them swiftly adapted to a shift-working schedule, one sleeping and cultivating while the other played, switching off every sixteen hours. Grizzly, oddly enough, took no breaks at all, instead serving and rebounding with the implacable tenacity of a machine. He didn't even sleep, though Juen and Ming were at a loss to explain how.
Their play, fumbling and clumsy at first, swiftly improved with the immense amount of practice they were receiving. Soon they were sending volleys dozens of rounds long back and forth at each other, the speed at which they hit the ball increasing until it strained the bounds of Juen and Ming's superhuman perception to react in time. Their breath heaved like bellows, and their muscles ached as though stung by a Million Years Testicle Pain Fire Ant. Grizzly merely nodded and had them eat more when they could no longer stand and their paddles fell from nerveless fingers. "Need to bulk," he commented, and that was that.
Three years from the day he had found them in the basement, Grizzly finally called a halt to their game after the ball had embedded itself too deeply in one of the walls to be readily reached. "Good game," he said. "Fun is good training when done right." He then fell forward onto his face, crushing the table beneath his belly. Juen and Ming rushed towards him, sure his extended period without sleep had done him in, only to hear a faint snore come from underneath the table's wreckage. Grizzly had begun his Post-Workout Recovery Nap technique, and would not wake for six months.
Juen and Ming refused to tell any of their fellow legionnaires where they'd been, letting all sorts of tales of how they'd been lost in a Secret Realm pile up rather than reveal the truth. Despite the monotonous, achy, and thoroughly depleting nature of their ordeal, they had to admit that it had actually yielded them some benefits - their forearm and shoulder muscles had been worked to such a great degree that the Apothekarion said they'd somehow developed a halfway decent variation of the Bullhorn Muscle technique without even meaning to, and their reflexes had sharpened enough that they had little trouble besting the trials their Centurion put forth on them, earning enough contribution points to advance three heavenstages - far more than they would have expected to attain otherwise. They'd also each gained about fifty pounds of weight, though the how of that was somewhat more inexplicable. Some sort of incomplete technique, they were told. You should go back to whoever taught you it and finish their tutelage.
The notion perturbed the both of them greatly, but on the other hand, if they were able to replicate their gains from such a trial … maybe it'd be worth it.
Maybe.
3690 words, including this author note. I wrote this a while back (as in, like almost a year ago) and forgot to post it, so, uh… Grizzly's just been playing ping pong while all the calamitous shit's been going on. Yup.
Antonius Emmanuel Eleanora Extra 3 [Non-canon] [Re:Start]
Read a couple of series of this genre. Decided to write this for fun.
Antonius Emmanuel Eleanora Extra 3
[Non-Canon]
[Re:Start]
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden light over the expansive grounds of the Liang Clan estate. Young Liang Wei, no more than ten years old, sat cross-legged in the courtyard, his eyes closed in deep concentration. His small hands rested on his knees, and his breathing was steady, each breath a testament to the skill of his tutors.
Nearby, in the shade of a pavilion, Liang Wei's parents engaged in a quiet conversation. His mother, Liang Mei, delicately ground herbs with practiced ease, the fragrance of medicinal plants wafting through the air. His father, Liang Ren, paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in thought.
"He's progressing well, isn't he?" Mei said, her voice a blend of pride and concern. "Father is truly investing a lot of time in him."
Ren nodded, pausing to look at his son. "Yes, Father sees great potential in him. It's a rare honor, Mei. Not everyone gets personal guidance from someone who reached the Foundation Building stage at sixty."
Mei's hands stilled for a moment as she looked up at her husband. "Do you think it's too much pressure for him? He's still so young."
Ren sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Father believes in challenging him early. He says it will forge his character and prepare him for the future. He needs this practice, Mei. You are a skilled alchemist, but my brothers have all matched with the daughters of merchants. He needs a strong foundation, if he will deal with what is to come."
A hint of sadness flickered in Mei's eyes. "I know. I wish I could be here more often, but the herbs and ingredients we need for the family's medicinal stores aren't easy to find."
Liang Ren walked over to her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You're doing what's necessary for the family. We all play our parts."
She smiled up at him, grateful for his support. "I just hope Wei'er understands that. He's so eager to please us all."
Before Liang Ren could respond, they heard the sound of the door opening. Having heard no footsteps approaching, this could only be Liang Wenshu. Liang Wei's grandfather, a tall and imposing figure with a long silver beard, entered the courtyard. His presence commanded respect, and even the birds seemed to quiet as he approached.
"Ren, Mei," he greeted them with a nod. "How is Wei'er today?"
Liang Ren straightened, a mixture of pride and nervousness in his stance. "Father, he's doing well. As always, his focus is unwavering."
The old man smiled playfully, eyeing his grandson. "Is that so? I feel as if Wei'er is a little bit distracted by your conversation."
Liang Wei twitched at his grandfather's words and his father placed a palm on his forehead. Before he could say anything, Liang Wenshu began to chuckle. "Ah, youth. Worry not, Ren'er. I'll take over from here."
Mei stood up, bowing respectfully. "Father, thank you for your guidance."
He waved a hand dismissively. "It's my pleasure. The boy has great potential. He just needs the right direction."
As Mei and Liang Ren stepped aside, the old man walked over to Liang Wei, who continued to pretend as if he was deep in meditation. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, and Liang Wei twitched once more. Finally, he allowed himself to open his eyes to his grandfather's knowing look and tried his best not to look sheepish at being caught.
"Grandfather," Liang Wei greeted, his voice rich with affection.
"Rise, Wei'er. It's time for your training," the old man said, helping the boy to his feet. "It is good to take time to relax but remember, patience and perseverance is the key." Glancing at the boy's expression, Liang Wenshu laughed. "Very well, how about I show off my personal technique for you today?"
Liang Wei nodded eagerly, brushing off his embarrassment. He stood tall, ready for whatever lesson his grandfather had prepared. Liang Wenshu's eyes twinkled with a mix of amusement and pride as he led his grandson to the center of the courtyard.
"Today, Wei'er, I will show you the Golden Scale," Liang Wenshu announced, his voice echoing with authority. "I'm sure you have heard of flying swords, but those never suited me very much. Behold my personal treasure! The Golden Scale!"
With a swift motion, Liang Wenshu extended his hand, and a golden light began to form. The light coalesced into the shape of a magnificent scale, shimmering and radiant. The scales balanced perfectly, each side glowing with a soft, ethereal light.
Liang Wei's eyes widened with awe. He had heard of it of course, but had never seen it in action. "Grandfather, it's beautiful," he whispered, mesmerized by its light.
Liang Wenshu smiled. "Indeed, but its beauty is matched by its utility. Watch closely."
He gestured towards a large boulder at the edge of the courtyard. With a thought, the golden scales floated towards the boulder, growing in size until they were large enough to weigh it. As the boulder was lifted onto the scales, the radiant light intensified, and the scales emitted a precise measurement of the boulder's weight.
"See how it measures the boulder with perfect accuracy?" Liang Wenshu said. "But that's not all it can do."
With a flick of his wrist, the scales began to shift and change. The golden light expanded, and suddenly the Golden Scale was above the boulder. In an instant, one of the scales slammed down, causing the entire courtyard to tremble and when it moved away, the entire boulder had been reduced to dust.
Liang Wei gasped. "It can destroy things too?"
Liang Wenshu shook his head. "Yes, the Golden Scale can be a weapon as well. It can change sizes, from weighing the smallest grain of rice to the largest mountain. And when used in battle, it can judge the worth of an opponent's attacks and defenses, allowing the user to counter with precision and power."
He demonstrated further, the scales shrinking down to fit in the palm of his hand, then expanding rapidly to create a protective barrier around him and Liang Wei. The bottom of the scale acted as a shield that deflected the energy of an incoming attack from a hidden training device.
Liang Wei's admiration grew with each demonstration. "Grandfather, this is incredible. Can I learn to use it too?"
Liang Wenshu laughed at that. "Perhaps in time, Wei'er. You have the potential to master this art, but it requires patience, practice, and a deep understanding of balance and worth. For now, continue your training with diligence, and perhaps one day, I will commission a similar item for you as well."
Nearby, under the shade of a large tree, two men sat and watched as the training continued to proceed. They were Liang Wei's uncles. They appeared relaxed, but their bodies carried an undercurrent of tension. One of them, his Uncle Jian, his father's older brother leaned back and chuckled at the sight.
"Brother really dotes on the boy, doesn't he?" Jian said, his tone light but his eyes sharp.
His father's younger brother, his Uncle Ming, nodded. "Yes, it's quite a sight. Our father never had the time to guide us like this."
Though his grandfather did not seem to care for the words, Liang Wei heard it and couldn't help but glance at his father who seemed uncomfortable at those remarks. Though he felt like he shouldn't, he could help but ask "Is that true, grandfather?"
Liang Wenshu rolled his eyes. "You should remember, Wei'er. The early days are ones that are most important for your cultivation. It is important to get set on the right path and put in the work during your youth so that you can relax in your old age."
Liang Wei frowned. "But you don't look old, grandfather."
His grandfather chuckled in response. "But I am, Wei'er. This is the age for me to play with my grandchildren - if only the rest of my children had any."
The end of that sentence was pitched towards his uncles, who shifted uncomfortably at that before getting up to bow. "You are right, father." His Uncle Jian said, "I am working tirelessly to confirm my betrothal to the Ming Clan. Unlike some others, I do not have the luxury to simply fall in love."
"Then do it quickly!" His grandfather answered, turning to his eldest. "I am not getting younger, Jian, Ming."
Liang Wei watched the interaction with a growing sense of curiosity. As he settled down to better understand, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and turned to see his mother. "Wei'er," she said softly, "come with me. Let's leave Grandfather and your uncles to their discussion."
Liang Wei glanced at his father, who gave him a reassuring nod. "Go with your mother, Wei'er. There will be plenty of time for training later," Liang Ren said, his tone gentle but firm.
Liang Wei nodded obediently and followed his mother away from the courtyard. As they walked, he could hear the faint echoes of his uncles' voices rising in argument behind them. "Mother," Liang Wei began hesitantly, "why were Uncle Jian and Uncle Ming arguing with Grandfather?"
Mei sighed, her expression thoughtful. "Wei'er, sometimes adults have disagreements, especially in a family as large as ours. Your uncles and your grandfather have different ideas about many things. It's important to respect their differences and understand that they all want what they believe is best for the family."
Liang Wei nodded slowly, trying to absorb his mother's words. "But why do they always seem so tense when they talk to Grandfather?"
Mei smiled gently. "Your grandfather is a very strong and wise man. He has achieved great things in his life, and sometimes that can create high expectations. Your uncles feel the pressure to live up to those expectations, just as your father does. It's not always easy, but it's part of being in a family."
Liang Wei turned back to the fading voices. "I want to make Grandfather proud too. I want to learn everything he can teach me."
Mei placed a hand on his cheek, turning his face towards her. "And you will, my dear. But remember, it's not just about making others proud. It's about finding your own path and becoming the best version of yourself. Grandfather sees great potential in you because you have a kind heart and a strong spirit. Never lose sight of that."
Liang Wei smiled, feeling a sense of warmth and reassurance from his mother's words. "I understand, Mother. I'll work hard and be patient."
Mei hugged him tightly. "That's my boy. Now, come. Let me teach you some of my own arts. As a cultivator, pills are an important part of your life!"
| | | | | | | | | |
Liang Wei sat cross-legged in his small, sparsely furnished room, the only light coming from a flickering oil lamp on a low table. The shadows danced on the walls, mirroring the turmoil within his young mind. He was determined to make his family proud and live up to the expectations of his grandfather and parents. Each breath he took, every beat of his heart, was dedicated to his cultivation.
His grandfather's words echoed most powerfully in his mind: "Patience and perseverance is the key." Liang Wei's breathing steadied as he entered a deep state of meditation. As the Qi flowed through his meridians, his thoughts turned to his father, Liang Ren, who often wore a furrowed brow, his worries and responsibilities weighing heavily on him.
Liang Wei yearned to see his father free from these burdens, to see him smile without the shadow of concern. Improving his cultivation was not just about personal glory; it was about lifting the burden off his father's shoulders. He visualized himself standing beside his father, their family united and strong, with their business thriving and their reputation untarnished by petty rivalries and disputes.
Every ounce of Qi he gathered, every technique he mastered, would bring him closer to this goal. The image of his father working tirelessly, always striving for the family's success, fueled Liang Wei's determination. He knew that by improving his cultivation, he could help alleviate his father's stress and prove to his uncles that their segment of the family was strong and capable. He could become a pillar of support, someone his father could rely on without hesitation.
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine, and his concentration wavered.
Something was wrong.
The flow of Qi within him stuttered, and he felt an unsettling disturbance in the air around him. Opening his eyes, he scanned the room, half-expecting to see an intruder or some malevolent force. Instead, his gaze fixed on a crack floating harmlessly in mid-air. He looked around it, half-expecting the crack to be on the wall instead but it remained in the air as it was a crack on the surface of reality itself.
The crack widened, like an eye opening, revealing an otherworldly portal. Behind it, he saw his own room but with a man standing there, staring back with an expression that mirrored his own surprise. The man had a striking resemblance to Liang Wei's father, but his skin was tanned like a golden devil. Despite his youthful appearance, his eyes held a deep weariness, etched with lines of sorrow and experience, making him seem much older than he appeared.
Something about the man's appearance looked wrong.
Then, recognition wormed its way into his mind. "Valerius," he said aloud, his voice barely above a whisper. "Valerius," Zhang Wei repeated, his voice trembling with unwilling understanding. The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning, leaving him breathless and shaking.
Valerius looked at Liang Wei with a mixture of sorrow and determination. He stepped closer, the air around him rippling with his presence, an overwhelming force that seemed to fill the room. "Hello, Liang Wei," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "I suppose I am you, many years from now."
Liang Wei's heart pounded in his chest. That was why the man looked so wrong; he was only used to seeing his own appearance through a mirror. Seeing himself through another's eyes, especially one so worn and weary, was jarring. He struggled to find his voice, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and fear. "How... how is this possible?"
Valerius shook his head, his expression intense. "I do not know. I do not understand, but listen! This is a chance to change things for you! Listen and understand! It's not too late for you!"
As their eyes locked, a vision began to unfold in Liang Wei's mind. Liang Wei's surroundings dissolved, replaced by a whirlwind of vivid images. He was suddenly older, more confident, standing at the gates of the Imperial Academy. The imposing structure represented the greatest collection of young talents in Red Iron City, gathered under its peak foundation governor.
His grandfather, Liang Wenshu, stood beside him, a rare smile of approval on his face. His parents gave him gifts to take with him and his uncles watched distantly, his Uncle Ming standing with his firstborn son. Even his maternal uncle had come to wish him well, telling him to seek him out should he need any aid in the academy.
The scene shifted, and Liang Wei saw himself excelling in the academy. Days and nights of work blended together as he focused on his talent in combat and his mastery of techniques outshone those of his peers. He advanced rapidly, each victory bringing him closer to the inner sect. His fellow students admired him, and his instructors praised his dedication and skill. The years flew by, a blur of rigorous training and hard-won achievements.
A beautiful rival who was awarded a scholarship on merit, who fought him for every reward. A success had her doggedly at his heels, a loss had her racing ahead of him. He sought to defend her honor from bitter peers, only to left standing uselessly as she did not need his help. Over the years, rivalry becomes friendship, friendship forming the beginnings of young love. Then everything changes as her talent is revealed and she is accepted by the legion.
Then, the vision darkened. Liang Wei found himself standing in the family courtyard, his heart heavy with grief. His grandfather's lifeless body lay before him, the once-vibrant man reduced to a frail, sickly figure. His father stood there helplessly, unable to meet his accusing eyes. Liang Wenshu, his father explained, had ventured into the Qiguai Secret Realm to push his cultivation to new heights, but he had failed the gamble. A sickness had taken hold of his mind, leaving him unable to interact with others and draining his strength until he died. Liang Wei had not been informed as his father wished him to focus on his cultivation.
As the scene unfolded, Liang Wei watched his father and uncles embroiled in heated arguments, their faces twisted with greed and jealousy. They fought over their inheritance, tearing the family apart. His own talent had turned his uncles against his father, creating a rift that seemed insurmountable. The family that had once stood united was now fractured, each member vying for power and control.
The vision shifted again, showing Liang Wei struggling with his cultivation at the academy. No matter how hard he tried, he could not progress beyond the first heavenstage. All his attempts ended in painful failure and his frustration grew, gnawing at his confidence. Then, by chance, he discovered a jade slip containing the memory of a golden devil cultivating. The knowledge resonated with him, offering a glimmer of hope.
Seeking out his maternal uncle, Liang Wei uncovered the truth: his maternal grandfather had been a golden devil spy when the Jingshen still ruled. This revelation meant that he carried the Blood of Bronze and could not grow without their methods of cultivation. Determined to understand his heritage and harness this newfound power, he realized he needed to seek training at the Dawn Fortress.
However, at forty, he was too old to be selected as an aspirant directly like his friend had been and he was too far from the clan to travel there by himself. His father, recognizing the importance of this opportunity, financed a merchant caravan to the fortress at great personal expense. Leading an enterprise that was certain to fail, Liang Wei made his way to the clan.
The vision continued, showing Liang Wei earning the attention of one of the premier talents of the golden devils. He spent two decades honing his skills, rising to the top of Qi Condensation. His progress surpassed that of his family, coming close to matching his grandfather's achievements. He took the name Valerius in the fashion of the Imperial Optimatoi and he returned home, now a formidable cultivator, only a step away from ascension.
Throughout his journey, he had focused only upon himself. His father had shielded him from the family business, allowing him to do so. In the back of his mind, Liang Wei had always felt that his family was fine. At the very least, they were neutral, able to manage their position amidst the trials. However, upon returning home, he discovered that all was not well.
The memory is stark, as if it has been replayed over and over.
Liang Wei stood at the entrance of the family estate, a sense of foreboding settling over him. The once vibrant grounds were now overgrown and neglected. As he stepped inside, the reality of his family's struggles hit him like a physical blow.
His father, Liang Ren, sat in the study, surrounded by piles of ledgers and documents. His once strong and confident demeanor was replaced with weariness and defeat. His brow was furrowed, the weight of debt evident in his every movement. Funding Liang Wei's expedition to the Dawn Fortress had drained the family's resources, and his uncles had taken advantage of the situation, seizing every opportunity to undermine him.
Liang Wei's heart sank as he saw his father like this. He had hoped his success in cultivation would alleviate his father's burdens, but it seemed to have only exacerbated them. He needed to act quickly to restore balance and support his father.
In the kitchen, Liang Wei's younger sister, Liang Xia, sat despondently, her once bright eyes now dull with worry. She had tried to start her own ventures, but they had been stifled by their uncles' interference. Worse still, a local young master had taken an interest in her, threatening to force her into a marriage she did not want.
Liang Wei's fists clenched in anger as he saw the fear in his sister's eyes. He had been gone too long, focused on his own journey while his family suffered. He vowed to put an end to these injustices and protect his sister's future.
Even more troubling was the news that his father was in trouble with the local golden devil century. His maternal uncle, a known criminal and confidence man, had swayed his parents into a risky venture and then vanished, leaving them to bear the blame. The golden devils did not take kindly to being deceived, and their wrath was now directed at Liang Ren.
Years passed as Liang Wei struggled against the mounting troubles facing his family. He worked tirelessly to restore their business, leveraging his cultivation skills to gain an edge in negotiations and protect their interests. But his efforts were met with resistance from his uncles, who continued to spread rumors and sabotage his work. His cousins began to catch up in their own cultivation, threatening his position within the family.
One night, after another exhausting day of battling these relentless challenges, Liang Wei returned to his childhood room in frustration. The walls that had once offered solace now seemed to close in on him. He felt the weight of his failures pressing down, his cultivation progress slipping away as the pressures mounted.
Sitting on his old bed, he closed his eyes, trying to find a moment of peace. It was then that he felt the disturbance that led to him looking through a crack, staring at his own young self.
"Don't let any of it happen," Valerius begged, his voice filled with desperation. Liang Wei looked up, meeting the eye of his future self, those weary eyes filled with sorrow.
"I will not," Liang Wei responded, his voice trembling with determination. "I will change our fate. But what will you do?"
"I… I don't know," the man that he could be said, looking so utterly lost.
Liang Wei met his battered eyes with unbroken ones. "What would Grandfather say?"
Rage welled within Valerius. "I have persevered, I have been patient! Where is the potential that was promised to me?"
Liang Wei shook his head, the memories he had received fresh in his mind. "You misunderstood the lesson he gave his life to teach you. Patience and perseverance might be the key, but you must open the door yourself. Valerius, you must ascend!"
"That's…" Valerius froze, taken aback. "I am not ready. I could die!"
"Then make the right preparations," Liang Wei answered, scoffing. "You will die anyway. Why not risk it all?"
Valerius' eyes seemed to burn. "Yes… yes… you're right!" He threw back his head and laughed.
Bao'er 2: The Escaped Mad Science Experiment Learns How To Read
Bao'er wasn't quite sure what was going on. She'd been cultivating on the way back from the Colossus Footsteps Path- her new friends watching over her when the little beast-girl attempted to hunt, and 'covertly' assisting her in bringing prey down, as well as making sure there were qi-infused minerals and metals in her meals. Those were so tasty, and from watching Ceri at work she was learning how to make her food tastier! The giant cyclops woman called it 'cooking', and while sometimes it was better to just eat things raw, the little lizard was learning to see the value in it. And it just kind of felt right, the same way wanting to know things did, or the way eating people felt wrong-bad-nope.
She wanted to be strong, like Ceri, or Mister Francio, or Miss Hana. Mister Francio was always nice to her, and even answered her questions when Ceri wasn't around or was busy! So Bao'er needed to train and learn, and her friends had duties to attend to, which meant they couldn't be with her all the time and teach her everything. They'd taught her a lot, though! Like that the Metal People were called the Golden Devil Clan, and that despite people thinking of them as Bad People, they protected people from bad guys! Like the Blood People, who she'd since learned were called Blood Path Cultivators, or the Science People From The Bad Place, the Noble Knowledge Sect. From what she'd heard, even many of the so-called Good Guys, the Righteous Sects, weren't really that great! They treated people poorly just for being weaker than them, which…hm. That appealed to part of her, but it also made her mad!
Her new friends had told her the Golden Devils would accept her, and would treat her like a person, like the kid she was. She believed them, as the whole… group? Ceri had called the group they'd been traveling with and that she seemed to be the leader of a Century. The century had treated her as a person! Sure, a person with a strangely shaped body, endless curiosity, and a prodigious appetite, but none of them had made her feel like the bad people did, like she was an object or something that didn't think and feel. Like she was less than them, or something.
And that led to now, with the little drake in the gentle grip of a man who seemed to be about middle-aged. He was probably way stronger than Bao- she couldn't even feel his Qi, but maybe he was a Mortal? Humans were so weird, with the fact they had a difference between people who could and couldn't cultivate. Any beast could, her instincts told her- even the dumb ones and the Qi-less ones that didn't think very good. They'd probably just have a harder time of it, or something, she thought? Hmm, maybe humans were the same way, somehow, but then why weren't all humans cultivators? Did they just not know how?
"You're telling me Centurion Polya requested that this beast be signed up for the standard preparatory education for Aspirants?" The woman behind the desk asked, looking down her nose at her.
"Yes, Decanus Floriades, I'm saying that the Centurion requested that she be properly educated." The man holding her shook his head, his tone and the look in his eyes carrying a vague disgust for the woman's attitude.
"Centurion Roussos, the fact of the matter is that it's a scientific curiosity. It should be studied and perhaps dissected for the clan's benefit." The woman pointed at the little lizard, her tone hard and cold. "What could we learn from that little Mining Drake?"
Bao'er shivered and began to shake. She knew what duh-sek-shun was, from her time back in the labs of the Noble Knowledge Sect. It was cutting someone or something apart to study how their body worked. She'd seen it happen, to some of the others- whether they were still alive to experience it or not. She thought, from what she'd heard back in the labs, that they'd done it to souls, too. She couldn't go back.
She couldn't let the happy place with the Metal People be another Bad Place for her. She didn't want to go back to Subject 963. She didn't want to go back to the poking and prodding, the invasive tests that made her uncomfortable or hurt her, to bland food that sometimes tasted wrong and smelled of nasty things. She didn't want to go back to being treated like she was just something to observe and study. And even more than that…if she went to a Bad Place, she'd lose tasty food and hugs and the soft pillows and blankets her friends had been letting her nest in.
"963 sowwy, I not need learn." She squeaked in terror, shaking like a leaf in the man's grip. "I just cultiate, be useful."
Her Qi started circulating- not in the way it did for her cultivation technique, but to show the scary lady she had it! That'd convince her to let Bao get taught, or at least keep her safe from the bad place, right? Maybe the nice man would help more, too, if she showed she was strong and useful?
"The fact of the matter, Dorothea, is that she's a child. She's a person, don't act like you can't feel her soul." He growled, slamming the fist of the arm that wasn't supporting Bao onto the desk. He was…distinctly unhappy, that the child had been so previously mistreated that the mere mention of studying her terrified the little lizard to the point she was digging her claws as deep into his arms as she could. And, frankly, she was far too young to know what dissection was.
"She should be treated like any other Clan or Auxiliary child in her situation, body and unique situation be damned."
"Damn you, Nikephoros, don't use my given name when I'm on duty." She hissed, jabbing a finger at him as her own anger slipped into her voice. "And what does it matter if she's a child? If you try to protect her, you could get yourself killed, or worse, get us into politics!"
Nikephoros snorted, shaking his head. That was easy for her to say- Dorothea Floriades had languished in the peak of the Ninth Heavenstage for thirty years now, struggling to find her Dao, her defining purpose as a cultivator. But for him?
He'd known his purpose since he himself was but an Aspirant, even before the Blood Of Bronze had properly woken in his veins. Nikephoros Roussos was, very simply, a protector and a guide. From the least mortal child to the greatest cultivator, such was his most natural instinct. That simple dedication had gotten him into many fights and…other sorts of altercations, in the course of his cultivation. That conviction was only stronger now, that it was the core of his Dao.
"Getting embroiled in Clan Politics is a small sacrifice to protect a child." He shrugged, his mind already made up. "It isn't like I haven't poked my nose where it doesn't belong before."
"Those were different cases! Less unique, even if sometimes more dangerous. Do you want Lady Duca on our asses?" She'd nearly reached the point of yelling, now. "Do you think the clan has even made provisions for such a unique case as this?"
His anger dimmed a little, at that. The child was, indeed, unique, and would have to be handled uniquely. The Clan would insist on studying her, and on observing her development as she grew. He just hoped that, with the right circumstances and backing, they could prevent that study from further traumatizing the precocious girl. He started at his friend and colleague, wondering exactly how the fuck he was going to manage this. "What do you suggest we do, then? She wants to be one of us, the least we can do is make sure she's treated like a child as much as we can manage."
Dorothea Floriades sighed, shaking her head as the anger faded from her tone. "There will be consequences if you want to protect her, you know." She let her shoulders slump. This idiot was going to lead her to both their deaths for a child he'd just met, wasn't he? Ah, well, wouldn't be the first time or the last they'd taken on long odds together.
"I'm well aware. I'll fight the Master Of Disciples herself, if I have to." He said, squaring his shoulders and a stony determination underlying the anger that still edged his words.
"...Right, given that's suicidal and completely insane, how about we try something a little less stupid, like finding tutors willing to teach her and helping out ourselves?" She rubbed her temples, gathering her focus so she could think more clearly. "We can frame it as… a special project, observing her development and cultivation in line with Clan methodology."
Bao kept quiet, still shaking as she stared at the scary lady. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but maybe she was gonna help? She wasn't yelling and calling her a beast anymore, so that was at least a step forward.
"Certainly, but she'll probably still need to do some of the regular courses alongside that, and participate in group activities." Nikephoros nodded, working through various assessments they'd have to put the little one through to ascertain what she already knew and what she'd need to learn. "She needs to be around other children and make friends."
"And for the sake of her future as well. The more connections she makes, the easier things will be for her as she grows. Especially with the kind of talent her…unique nature, will likely give her."
The little lizard's shaking slowed down, and she looked up at Nikephoros. Hmm, those names were hard, she'd have to work on them. She could try, though! "Miss Dora fwen, Mista Nick?"
He chuckled, reaching his free arm to scratch the top of Bao'er's head. She preened, leaning into the touch as the terror that'd gripped her slowly flowed away like water. "Perhaps, little one, perhaps."
~~~~~~~~~~
Dorothea Floriades sat with a scroll and a brush in hand, shaking her head. The little one had defied her expectations, truly. She'd figured, from the girl's broken speech, that her understanding of the language was relatively lacking. She'd failed to account for the fact that the little girl's speaking difficulties stemmed from the anatomy of her mouth and throat as much as they did her relative fluency.
The little one was quickly picking up proficiency with the Three Character Classic at an astounding rate, the little one's eyes lighting up as the strange collections of lines and curves in front of her started to take on meaning. Of course, Dorothea had had to tell her what each of the characters meant, but Bao'Er's determination was quite something. The little lizard would use her claws or a brush held in her mouth to scrawl down one character at a time until the character and the different meanings it could take on were burned into her brain.
"Right, Bao'Er, can you read the first passage out for me?"
The little lizard scrunched up her eyes, looking at the scroll in front of her. 人之初性本善性相近习相远. She cleared her throat, a bit of that morning's breakfast unsticking itself from one of her inner teeth and making its way down towards her stomach.
"Peebo at birf,are nachurally good.Dere natures awe similar;theiw habiss become difwen." She read aloud, her mouth mangling the words.
"Good, good. The next passage, little one?"
苟不教性乃迁教之道贵以专. It was a little dizzying- almost every character in the passage could have multiple meanings, but there were only really one or maybe two distinct ways to read it when they were put together! "If, negwigentwy, no teach,
dere natcha deterryrate.Da right way t' teach,is wif absolute conseentray."
Dorothea scratched her head. "Well, little one, you're certainly learning the characters, but your pronunciation needs work."
The little lizard raised a scaly eyebrow ridge at her. "Miss Dora get what Bao say."
"But not everyone will, little one. Let's try going over your name again, yes?" The cultivator smiled, mildly exasperated but willing to continue. She picked up a scroll from her desk and drew two characters on it. 包儿- the characters that Bao knew made up her name.
"Now, the first character of your name refers to the small steamed buns we call baozi, but it can also refer to things like bags and packages- because the buns are like little packages of bread around the filling, yes?"
The little lizard nodded. "Bao soft n filled with food n uh…othew stuff!"
The woman gave the little girl an indulgent grin. Heavens, even during moments when she's being difficult, she was quite cute.
"What else are you filled with, Bao'er?" She asked.
The youngster considered for a second. "Hm. Bao filled with…food, with minewal, with explodey stuff… and with love for fwens!"
The older woman shook her head, stifling a laugh. "That you are, little one. That you are."
This is kinda mediocre and fought me every step of the way for multiple months because writing a child learning a language you don't speak is hard and not very engaging work.! Now, onto collabs and writing the omake based around her fate roll!
You know I Blazed through this Quest for the second time last Monday and really felt the dearth of good Cultivation Storys/Games and just tried to type in Cultivation Textadventure on Google.
I found a really cool non Idle one that really reminded me more and more of this Quest the further I got. As far as I can see Its pretty underapreciated for how Intresting it is so maybe some of you would like to try it out? You can play it for free on Itch io Called "Path of Martial Arts (IF)"
As someone who just got past the Auction on Mortal Difficulty a bit of advice(especially if you play on Mortal or Trash Difficulty). If you dont want to fall into Xp Drought during or after the Expedition(this game is seriously long) you should definately chose Demonic Overlord or Paragon of Virtue, the Bonus Xp for Attributes is definately worth the late activation of these Traits.
I hope this didnt upset anyone that I talk about this on the Thread I just really like this genre and wanted to share something interesting I found.
Just found this quest. It is good! Still early on. Looks like the Golden Devils have achieved at least one of the important goals I was setting for them mentally. Acquiring the capacity to support raise additional Nascent souls. It is a big step for the security of the clan. The other goal that seems really important goals would be defeating the Battle Blood Cannibals permanently. Anyway. Read the scene where Manuel tours the Golden Devil's Vassals and wounds a Cannibal Nascent Soul. Short and effective.
My one theory is that one a meta level the true villain of the story might be the Great Turtle. Just. It would at least make some sense of the Turtle's Dao pervaded it's world body. Of course the character may never know this but it seems fitting.
