A (hopefully) fast paced xianxia quest. Equipped with all the cliches (old man, school, tournament, auction) etc.
The Ascension of the Immortals (Xianxia, Eastern Fantasy)
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B1 C1 Start
The world is vast and varied. To the north are the cold northern nomadic barbarians, moving with their caravans from place to place across the endless winters. To the south are the land of the free, free for all the sand pirates to plunders and wage wars. To the east is the Infinite Oceans. It has been hundreds of years since the last great explorations. People may think there are no more brave souls to explore the seas, but it is simply because the empire could no longer afford another major loss in both the coins and prestige. The empire is dying a slow death. Which is clear to all, both within and without. The empire's enemies who have been licking their wounds for generations are now restless. Especially the Principality of the Wests and the Scattered Princedoms of Chu.
Why is the thousands year empire finally dying? Is it the rife of corruption of its nobility? Is it the machination of the greedy merchants across the lands? Is it the countless disputes and backstabbing behind the scenes among its major sects? Or is it because the land itself is dying? It has been hundreds of years since Emperor Xian abdicated from the throne. Some whisper that he is merely taking a backseat to isolate and plan for his ascension while others whisper even slower that he ran out of time.
But, this is not yet of concern to you personally. You are now merely a kid about to have his 16th birthday. Your dad will never stop telling the stories on how you were born on the same day as the twin prince and princess of the empire. With the sky lighted by falling stars on the night of your birth. Like other teenagers approaching their 16th birthday, you will be tested upon the moon stones, to see if you have any potential to become a cultivator, to be a soldier for the empire or students at the countless sects across the empire. Well, here in the fringes of the empire, you have only seen the cultivator once a year during the test itself. You will never know why they never give up even though you or your father before you have never heard anybody in your village ever successfully pass the test. There are occasional individuals with very minor sparks, sure, but unless they are able to secure a tremendous amount of resources, everyone will simply be at most the strong men or women of the village. You have heard rumors that a proper cultivator is eating the equivalent of the food price of a whole 100 person village. How anyone could afford that, you will never know. Or will you?
You are
[X][Gender]Male
[] [Gender]Female
[][Family Name] Yang (Sun)
[][Family Name] Shi (Stone)
[][Family Name] Shui (Water)
[][Family Name] Feng (Wind)
[][Family Name] Lin (Forest)
[][Family Name] Wang (King)
[][Family Name] Zhou (Dragon)
Your family has been living here in this village for generations, but your family has a unique surname compared to the rest of the villages. The oral history is that about 200 years ago, one of your ancestors arrived here on his travels and fell in love with the mountain's view, married your great grandmother and then continued on his travels after his wife passed away. He only left behind a pendant to be passed on to the eldest for each new generation. The pendant is now with you.
On the day before your test, you are anxious and afraid that you may not be able to sleep, but when you shut off the oil lamps and rest your head on the bed, you fall into slumber almost immediately. You dream of whispers from:
[][Pendant] An old man, grizzled with years and wisdom
[][Pendant] A ravishing figure, androgynous upon sight, but you know it is a man, with awicked soft smile
[][Pendant] A woman, with a lovely and gentle face, she was sitting with countless books
[][Pendant] A teenage girl, stoic and armed with 2 knifes on her hands
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, I have been reading and partially participating in the quest forum over the years, wanted to try my hand as QM at least once. I am about to start my study again soon after years of corporate work and wanted to do something start this quest.
I am not too sure how frequent and how long I can do this, but the idea was to have a few updates over the weekend every week for at least 3 months. I am hoping to have a fast pace story, so we will not have too much voting on the sub-details, but hopefully bigger control on the strategic level. I have a few background magic rules to be followed and some characters living in the same world, but the rest are pretty open to the discussion. My apologies for any grammar/spelling error as I am not a native english speaker. Target to reserve 5 posts after this for Character Sheet, Relationship, Rules, Lore & Worldbuilding, and lastly misc reserved. Writing from a male perspective since I am not good at writing female character.
Why is the thousands year empire finally dying? Is it the rife of corruption of its nobility? Is it the machination of the greedy merchants across the lands? Is it the countless disputes and backstabbing behind the scenes among its major sects? Or is it because the land itself is dying? It has been hundreds of years since Emperor Xian abdicated from the throne. Some whisper that he is merely taking a backseat to isolate and plan for his ascension while others whisper even slower that he ran out of time.
But, this is not yet of concern to you personally. You are now merely a kid about to have his 16th birthday. Your dad will never stop telling the stories on how you were born on the same day as the twin prince and princess of the empire. With the sky lighted by falling stars on the night of your birth. Like other teenagers approaching their 16th birthday, you will be tested upon the moon stones, to see if you have any potential to become a cultivator, to be a soldier for the empire or students at the countless sects across the empire. Well, here in the fringes of the empire, you have only seen the cultivator once a year during the test itself. You will never know why they never give up even though you or your father before you have never heard anybody in your village ever successfully pass the test. There are occasional individuals with very minor sparks, sure, but unless they are able to secure a tremendous amount of resources, everyone will simply be at most the strong men or women of the village. You have heard rumors that a proper cultivator is eating the equivalent of the food price of a whole 100 person village. How anyone could afford that, you will never know. Or will you?
You are
[X][Gender]Male
[] [Gender]Female
[][Family Name] Yang (Sun)
[][Family Name] Shi (Stone)
[][Family Name] Shui (Water)
[][Family Name] Feng (Wind)
[][Family Name] Lin (Forest)
[][Family Name] Wang (King)
[][Family Name] Zhou (Dragon)
Your family has been living here in this village for generations, but your family has a unique surname compared to the rest of the villages. The oral history is that about 200 years ago, one of your ancestors arrived here on his travels and fell in love with the mountain's view, married your great grandmother and then continued on his travels after his wife passed away. He only left behind a pendant to be passed on to the eldest for each new generation. The pendant is now with you.
On the day before your test, you are anxious and afraid that you may not be able to sleep, but when you shut off the oil lamps and rest your head on the bed, you fall into slumber almost immediately. You dream of whispers from:
[][Pendant] An old man, grizzled with years and wisdom
[][Pendant] A ravishing figure, androgynous upon sight, but you know it is a man, with a
[][Pendant] A woman, with a lovely and gentle face, she was sitting with countless books
[][Pendant] A teenage girl, stoic and armed with 2 knifes on her hands
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, I have been reading and partially participating in the quest forum over the years, wanted to try my hand as QM at least once. I am about to start my study again soon after years of corporate work and wanted to do something start this quest.
I am not too sure how frequent and how long I can do this, but the idea was to have a few updates over the weekend every week for at least 3 months. I am hoping to have a fast pace story, so we will not have too much voting on the sub-details, but hopefully bigger control on the strategic level. I have a few background magic rules to be followed and some characters living in the same world, but the rest are pretty open to the discussion. My apologies for any grammar/spelling error as I am not a native english speaker. Target to reserve 5 posts after this for Character Sheet, Relationship, Rules, Lore & Worldbuilding, and lastly misc reserved. Writing from a male perspective since I am not good at writing female character.
Character Sheet
Relationship
Rules
Lore and World-Building
Miscelaneous
GamingandReading
Browses and Replies With Haste
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X][Gender]Male
[X][Family Name] Yang (Sun)
[X][Pendant] An old man, grizzled with years and wisdom
Cliche a gogo
[X][Family Name] Yang (Sun)
[X][Pendant] An old man, grizzled with years and wisdom
Cliche a gogo
- Location
- Milky Way, Orion Arm, 3rd rock from the sun
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X][Gender]Male
[X][Family Name] Yang (Sun)
[X][Pendant] A ravishing figure, androgynous upon sight, but you know it is a man, with awicked soft smile
I changed the name making it easy so you only need to roll for the Pendant
[X][Family Name] Yang (Sun)
[X][Pendant] A ravishing figure, androgynous upon sight, but you know it is a man, with a
I changed the name making it easy so you only need to roll for the Pendant
B1 C2 Growing Up
Xianxia Quest B1 C2 Growing Up
Yang Da Wa. The big son of Yang. You're the first son in your family with a younger sister of 13 years old, Yang Er Ni. You know it's neither creative nor imaginative to have Big Boy and Second Girl as your and your sister's given name, but it was tradition in your family to be called so. Until you reach adulthood and select your own name. You have one year from now to do so, until then everyone call you Da Wa, well except for your closest family:
[] [Family] Sister Yu who annoyingly calling you Little Wa. Technically she is your aunt, but Grandma Lin gave birth to her later in life. She is only 17 this year and never grow up. You may reluctantly admit that you have a lot of fun playing Cultivators vs Bandits games with her and her friends. You may have been the bandits most of the time, but it was indeed fun.
[] [Family] Boss Bao. Your father's third cousin twice removed is barely family, especially when he had a big fight last 2 years with your grandfather. However he teaches you a lot of nifty tricks with sleight of hands, how to play dice and most importantly how to run from "trouble".
[] [Family] Dad, who called you "Boy". Your dad is a herbalist. He isn't talkative most of the time but he gave you all his herbalist knowledge and more importantly interest in alchemist, especially when dealing with fire and cauldron.
[] [Family] Mama, who called you "My Dear". Some may laugh at you, but you love cooking and have been helping with all meals at your house for a while.
You also spend significant time with your younger sister. This is because :
[] [Sister] Your sense of duty, your parents asked you to take care of her and so you do.
[] [Sister] You enjoy your time with her. You bring her with you wherever you go.
[] [Sister] You felt guilty. You left her alone once and she was injured trying to find you.
Lastly, you also spend some of your personal time to do 2 things :
[] [Hobby] Reading
[] [Hobby] Gardening
[] [Hobby] Singing
[] [Hobby] Dancing
[] [Hobby] Exercising (Physical)
[] [Hobby] Carving
[] [Hobby] Woodworking
[] [Hobby] Cooking
[] [Hobby] Drawing
------------------------------------------------------------
Note; this quest uses approval voting unless stated otherwise, some votes will treat highest votes as dominant rather than winner takes all, like Family vote here. You can vote for more than one choice.
Encounter within the dream will be in the next update after a bit more clarity in MC characteristics.
Yang (Sun), Androgynous win.
Unlocked affinity (Fire).
Unlocked affinity (Fire).
Yang Da Wa. The big son of Yang. You're the first son in your family with a younger sister of 13 years old, Yang Er Ni. You know it's neither creative nor imaginative to have Big Boy and Second Girl as your and your sister's given name, but it was tradition in your family to be called so. Until you reach adulthood and select your own name. You have one year from now to do so, until then everyone call you Da Wa, well except for your closest family:
[] [Family] Sister Yu who annoyingly calling you Little Wa. Technically she is your aunt, but Grandma Lin gave birth to her later in life. She is only 17 this year and never grow up. You may reluctantly admit that you have a lot of fun playing Cultivators vs Bandits games with her and her friends. You may have been the bandits most of the time, but it was indeed fun.
[] [Family] Boss Bao. Your father's third cousin twice removed is barely family, especially when he had a big fight last 2 years with your grandfather. However he teaches you a lot of nifty tricks with sleight of hands, how to play dice and most importantly how to run from "trouble".
[] [Family] Dad, who called you "Boy". Your dad is a herbalist. He isn't talkative most of the time but he gave you all his herbalist knowledge and more importantly interest in alchemist, especially when dealing with fire and cauldron.
[] [Family] Mama, who called you "My Dear". Some may laugh at you, but you love cooking and have been helping with all meals at your house for a while.
You also spend significant time with your younger sister. This is because :
[] [Sister] Your sense of duty, your parents asked you to take care of her and so you do.
[] [Sister] You enjoy your time with her. You bring her with you wherever you go.
[] [Sister] You felt guilty. You left her alone once and she was injured trying to find you.
Lastly, you also spend some of your personal time to do 2 things :
[] [Hobby] Reading
[] [Hobby] Gardening
[] [Hobby] Singing
[] [Hobby] Dancing
[] [Hobby] Exercising (Physical)
[] [Hobby] Carving
[] [Hobby] Woodworking
[] [Hobby] Cooking
[] [Hobby] Drawing
------------------------------------------------------------
Note; this quest uses approval voting unless stated otherwise, some votes will treat highest votes as dominant rather than winner takes all, like Family vote here. You can vote for more than one choice.
Encounter within the dream will be in the next update after a bit more clarity in MC characteristics.
[X] [Family] Sister Yu who annoyingly calling you Little Wa. Technically she is your aunt, but Grandma Lin gave birth to her later in life. She is only 17 this year and never grow up. You may reluctantly admit that you have a lot of fun playing Cultivators vs Bandits games with her and her friends. You may have been the bandits most of the time, but it was indeed fun.
[X] [Sister] You enjoy your time with her. You bring her with you wherever you go.
[X] [Hobby] Gardening
[X] [Hobby] Woodworking
[X] [Sister] You enjoy your time with her. You bring her with you wherever you go.
[X] [Hobby] Gardening
[X] [Hobby] Woodworking
GamingandReading
Browses and Replies With Haste
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] [Family] Boss Bao. Your father's third cousin twice removed is barely family, especially when he had a big fight last 2 years with your grandfather. However he teaches you a lot of nifty tricks with sleight of hands, how to play dice and most importantly how to run from "trouble".
[X] [Sister] Your sense of duty, your parents asked you to take care of her and so you do.
[X] [Hobby] Exercising (Physical)
[X] [Hobby] Carving
I was always a fan of the responsible troublemaker. Also, running away isn't bad unless it involves a loved one. As for exercising and carving. Well, one is for body Cultivation and the other is for rune making if we ever do it. Runes on the body, weapons, etc.
[X] [Sister] Your sense of duty, your parents asked you to take care of her and so you do.
[X] [Hobby] Exercising (Physical)
[X] [Hobby] Carving
I was always a fan of the responsible troublemaker. Also, running away isn't bad unless it involves a loved one. As for exercising and carving. Well, one is for body Cultivation and the other is for rune making if we ever do it. Runes on the body, weapons, etc.
[X] [Family] Boss Bao. Your father's third cousin twice removed is barely family, especially when he had a big fight last 2 years with your grandfather. However he teaches you a lot of nifty tricks with sleight of hands, how to play dice and most importantly how to run from "trouble".
[X] [Hobby] Exercising (Physical)
[X] [Hobby] Drawing
[X] [Hobby] Exercising (Physical)
[X] [Hobby] Drawing
B1 C3 The Meeting Part 1
Xianxia Quest B1 C3 The Meeting Part 1
Time, what is time, especially to an immortal. Who live longer than a maidenhair tree. Some live longer than a mountain even. Then, there were tales of those who were there when the world itself was being remade. An immortal beyond immortal. Those who manage to ascend.
Immortal, one who is not human. An apt description for those like Us. But, are we still immortals? A pale shadow of one, surely.
It is not the first time that we look back on that decision made in the past. Maybe an End is better than being trapped within the confines of this red stone. How long ago was it since we set foot onto the earth proper? Was it a pity when the Sun asked, "The End or Servitude?"
We would accept a mere death, but a final Ending is scary even to one such as us. Thus, here we are.
At least, we could see and hear beyond the confines of the jail. Most of the time at least. There are times when the descendent of the Sun is not powerful enough to help, and those that are even blind and deaf to us.
The latest one was a peculiar specimen. By all accounts, his eyes and ears should be clearest and sharpest, but there seems to be a shroud covering them. His meridians are still solid, blocked from the flow even if the size itself is large enough to be the core disciple of The Sword Mountain. Peculiar indeed.
We wait, for what are, a few cycles of the sun to an immortal? A mere blink of the eyes. So we wait, and wait again. 15 cycles. And the door to the jail crack. Is it a trick left behind by the Sun? Or the time for servitude has finally come.
We promised to guide his progeny with nothing but the truth. But even the truth can hurt. No. Even more accurate, the Truth can hurt the most. For lies can be uncovered and lead to healing. A True pain cut the deepest.
------------------------------------------------------------
A short interlude of sort. Filling up the time between votes. Will wait for an hour or so before finalizing vote for the next chapter.
Time, what is time, especially to an immortal. Who live longer than a maidenhair tree. Some live longer than a mountain even. Then, there were tales of those who were there when the world itself was being remade. An immortal beyond immortal. Those who manage to ascend.
Immortal, one who is not human. An apt description for those like Us. But, are we still immortals? A pale shadow of one, surely.
It is not the first time that we look back on that decision made in the past. Maybe an End is better than being trapped within the confines of this red stone. How long ago was it since we set foot onto the earth proper? Was it a pity when the Sun asked, "The End or Servitude?"
We would accept a mere death, but a final Ending is scary even to one such as us. Thus, here we are.
At least, we could see and hear beyond the confines of the jail. Most of the time at least. There are times when the descendent of the Sun is not powerful enough to help, and those that are even blind and deaf to us.
The latest one was a peculiar specimen. By all accounts, his eyes and ears should be clearest and sharpest, but there seems to be a shroud covering them. His meridians are still solid, blocked from the flow even if the size itself is large enough to be the core disciple of The Sword Mountain. Peculiar indeed.
We wait, for what are, a few cycles of the sun to an immortal? A mere blink of the eyes. So we wait, and wait again. 15 cycles. And the door to the jail crack. Is it a trick left behind by the Sun? Or the time for servitude has finally come.
We promised to guide his progeny with nothing but the truth. But even the truth can hurt. No. Even more accurate, the Truth can hurt the most. For lies can be uncovered and lead to healing. A True pain cut the deepest.
------------------------------------------------------------
A short interlude of sort. Filling up the time between votes. Will wait for an hour or so before finalizing vote for the next chapter.
[X] [Family] Sister Yu who annoyingly calling you Little Wa. Technically she is your aunt, but Grandma Lin gave birth to her later in life. She is only 17 this year and never grow up. You may reluctantly admit that you have a lot of fun playing Cultivators vs Bandits games with her and her friends. You may have been the bandits most of the time, but it was indeed fun.
[X] [Hobby] Exercising (Physical)
[X] [Hobby] Carving
[X] [Hobby] Exercising (Physical)
[X] [Hobby] Carving
B1 C4 The Meeting Part 2
Xianxia Quest B1 C4 The Meeting Part 2
Yang Da Wa, is growing up in a loving family. While everyone will be busy with their own business during the day, the evening meal before sunset must be attended by everyone, as grandma always check before the meal prayer. The big hall was able to accommodate about 30 people, a tight fit with all the young children in the clan. That may sound small for a family of few generations, because the Yang side family tends to migrate after marriage.
Unlike most others in the Stone Village who farms the land for sustenance, Yang family mainly practices medicine. Both Grandpa and Dad, learn and pass down medicinal knowledge from one generation to another. According to what little Da Wa know, the knowledge is inherited from the Great Ancestor Yang. With each new generation adding to the collective knowledge of the family. Increasing in understanding and practices rather than losing things every generation. Some of grand uncles and aunts who move out to the nearby villages and town to further open branch clinics, will be coming back every 8 years for the grand celebration, bringing new knowledge about new plants or treatments with them and also copying from others, further increasing everyone's depth of references. There were even occasional far away travellers who come here to Yang's family Manor to learn, exchange or purely to consult and receive treatments.
The next gathering is coming soon, in but two moon cycles. Some of the extended family members are in fact already here, helping to raise the extended temporary outhouse. From what he cab remember, it would be a great fanfare to meet everyone again. Even though the cheeky and arrogant Little Mao Mao will also be there, he can tolerate it. Hmm… just because she grow up in the city, doesn't make her more knowledgeable. Maybe she isn't as bad now.
Rather than focusing on the far away family, Da Wa reminisces about Sister Yu and Boss Bao. A polar opposite between them two, but he surprisingly enjoys his time with both of them, at different times of course since neither can tolerate each other. Boss Bao seems to be stand-offish and hard to approach at first, with his constant frown and a long diagonal scar across his lips to his chin, but he is surprisingly funny when in small company. Boss Bao, does have about 10 workers or more accurately fighters working with him. He is a mercenary of sort, guarding the caravan that is passing through the Snake Valleys, the Dry Lake, or one of Yang family excursions deep into the Blue Forest. According to him, during his youth, he travelled as far as the Sand Sea, trading blows with the sand bandits. He is not sure if that's the truth though, since the Sand Sea is far, so far that it would take a lifetime to go there even with a panther horse. Maybe Boss Bao went there via the sky boat? But that's the part where Boss Bao always changes the topic or ignores it completely when asked on how he managed to go there and back so fast.
Anyhow, Da Wa enjoys playing dice with Boss Bao. It is of course no longer the kid version of game of chance, but rather of who is able to trick each others first without being discovered. It is however irritating sometimes when Boss Bao seemingly goes easy on him, with his slanted smile. Of course Da Wa would not admit and give up a free win. Coins are coins after all. Luck is a skill, trick is an even greater skill.
Another routine that he enjoys doing with Boss Bao is the marching, trekking and running around the village and sometimes through the nearby hills. He remember some the rare serious conversations with Boss Bao.
----------
"Next week, right?" Boss Bao asked him, as they were running back to the Base.
"Yes" Da Wa answered. When he started hanging out with Boss Bao at the beginning, he needed to be picked up about a quarter of the way through, but now after years of running, with heavy loads, he is able to have a simple conversation. "What was it like during your turn, Boss?" He was curious, how the initiation ritual went. Dad did inform him that it would simply need him to touch a special stone, but he couldn't help but think it couldn't be that simple.
"Nothing much" Boss Bao said simply, with his eye looking far, somewhere south. You both continue jogging for a while, letting the silence go on.
Nearing a big white pine tree, where the path split three ways, one way from the forest path that you're running on, and then either to the village and Yang's Manor or back to the Boss Bao's base, Boss Bao slowed down and looked at you. "You just need to put your hand on the Soul Crystal. Relax and just breathe in and out. The crystal will light up surely for you." He hesitated, but continued on "... On the off chance that yours are showing colors other than white, then come to me. I'll be away for a few days to pick up the Crystal Bearer from the next town over. See you on the day before the test."
-------
"Hey Little Wa! Ready to continue being a bandit?" Sister Yu, putting her grabby hand over your shoulders.
"Hey… Once I pass the test, I will be scouted by the best sect in the empire. Then I will be the best Cultivator in our village ever" You said, dreamily. You couldn't wait for the day.
"Ooo, you wanted to go to the Mount Tian Sect?" Sister Yu asked you.
"Yes. The best of the best!" You answered quickly. You actually didn't know which was the best sect, but you have heard of the local sect, Bamboo Valley Sect and some of the more famous ones like Mount Tian Sect and Golden Sea Sect as well as Sword Peak Sect.
"Hahaha, then you'll forever be an errand boy there. Mount Tian only accepts women as core disciples." Know-it-all YaYa butted in on your conversation. Who named a boy YaYa? You couldn't help but sneered towards him. You could tell that he liked Sister Yu. He often butted in uninvited, like right now.
Other kids joined him laughing together and you couldn't help feeling irritated. "Hmm.. That's only for those without skill and talent. I'm Yang Da Wa, the best talent in the empire. I will definitely become a direct disciples no matter where I go" You continued, trying to project a confident front.
"Yes, Yes. We will see the result soon. Until then, count until 20 and chase us"
You played until late that day. And received an ear pull from Grandma Lin, for being late to the dinner gathering. Thankfully Grandpa Yang was ready for the prayer.
"..... We are thankful to the Great Ancestors for your blessings to us and our family. For the full plates and warehouses, for the sturdy and warmth of our houses… Let's continue be able to observe the sun rising every day…"
"Fire upon Fire. Sun upon Sun" Grandpa Yang started the chorus part and everyone repeat it together. "As the cycle continue and so will the family"
The prayers ended with a moment of silince, followed by a loud shout by Grandpa "Let's eat!"
"LET'S EAT!" You answered together with everyone. Today's meal is the best. You wished you would have learnt more from Mama about cooking but too much time is spent running and playing with Boss Bao and Sister Yu.
-------
It was a hectic day, and you are sleeping soundly. You fall asleep almost as soon as you put your head on the pillow.
You first heard a whisper, from far away, but the sound is growing louder.
"Oooo, Young Master Yang" You are finally able to hear the voice. It is a smooth and enchanting voice.
A shape slowly emerges in front of you. A beautiful woman, or was it a man.
"You may call me Hu, at your service" The androgynous man give you an assuring smile. You don't know why, but you feel that you have known the man for a while now. Maybe since you were born.
"Everyone calls me Da Wa, you can do so as well. At least for this year" You answered. It may be your mind playing a trick on you, but you think you saw the man's smile falter for a brief second. Was your name that weird?
"It's okay, Young Master Yang. Allow me a few more minutes of your time" Hu, the man or woman continues. "You may have heard of the pendant's power. I'm the gift left behind by your ancestor, to give you a guidance in your cultivation"
You are honestly surprised. Dad has at time mentioned how the pendant has been a lucky amulet. There is a story on how the amulet lights up when thieves try to sneak through the house. And another when it creates a protective barrier against a devastating blow. There are a couple of records about it before, but none mentions a talking Avatar.
Maybe sensing your uncertainty, Hu continues "Let me show you how to improve your Qi sense, then you will know for sure that I'm telling the truth" Hu approaches you and circles around your back. Before you could react, you felt one hand on your neck and another on your back, closer to the tailbone. "Relax, Young Master Yang, everything will be clear to you soon"
You relax. Within a moment you are able to feel a small something, warm and gentle flow into your back and gradually cycle in and out from the back of your neck.
"I will move on to the next step" Hu continues.
You could feel something building. Do you trust him or her? You feel that what's going on is good for you, but at the same time you could at times feel something might go amiss.
[] [Sense] Allow Hu to continue unlocking your Qi Sense
[] [Sense] Stop and run away now. You don't know how, but you think you might need to force yourself awake.
[] [Sense] Try to buy some times? Write in any questions here.
-----------------
Note : @Babooie18, since both tie, I write in both, as mentioned sometime it's not winner takes all but priority vote like this one. Will add more later about Sister Er Ni, Mama and Dad Yang interaction or lack of it.
Hu is Fox.
Lastly, sorry, plan to write this last night, but too busy with something else. Target 2 or 3 update today and maybe one update in the middle of the week.
Yang Da Wa, is growing up in a loving family. While everyone will be busy with their own business during the day, the evening meal before sunset must be attended by everyone, as grandma always check before the meal prayer. The big hall was able to accommodate about 30 people, a tight fit with all the young children in the clan. That may sound small for a family of few generations, because the Yang side family tends to migrate after marriage.
Unlike most others in the Stone Village who farms the land for sustenance, Yang family mainly practices medicine. Both Grandpa and Dad, learn and pass down medicinal knowledge from one generation to another. According to what little Da Wa know, the knowledge is inherited from the Great Ancestor Yang. With each new generation adding to the collective knowledge of the family. Increasing in understanding and practices rather than losing things every generation. Some of grand uncles and aunts who move out to the nearby villages and town to further open branch clinics, will be coming back every 8 years for the grand celebration, bringing new knowledge about new plants or treatments with them and also copying from others, further increasing everyone's depth of references. There were even occasional far away travellers who come here to Yang's family Manor to learn, exchange or purely to consult and receive treatments.
The next gathering is coming soon, in but two moon cycles. Some of the extended family members are in fact already here, helping to raise the extended temporary outhouse. From what he cab remember, it would be a great fanfare to meet everyone again. Even though the cheeky and arrogant Little Mao Mao will also be there, he can tolerate it. Hmm… just because she grow up in the city, doesn't make her more knowledgeable. Maybe she isn't as bad now.
Rather than focusing on the far away family, Da Wa reminisces about Sister Yu and Boss Bao. A polar opposite between them two, but he surprisingly enjoys his time with both of them, at different times of course since neither can tolerate each other. Boss Bao seems to be stand-offish and hard to approach at first, with his constant frown and a long diagonal scar across his lips to his chin, but he is surprisingly funny when in small company. Boss Bao, does have about 10 workers or more accurately fighters working with him. He is a mercenary of sort, guarding the caravan that is passing through the Snake Valleys, the Dry Lake, or one of Yang family excursions deep into the Blue Forest. According to him, during his youth, he travelled as far as the Sand Sea, trading blows with the sand bandits. He is not sure if that's the truth though, since the Sand Sea is far, so far that it would take a lifetime to go there even with a panther horse. Maybe Boss Bao went there via the sky boat? But that's the part where Boss Bao always changes the topic or ignores it completely when asked on how he managed to go there and back so fast.
Anyhow, Da Wa enjoys playing dice with Boss Bao. It is of course no longer the kid version of game of chance, but rather of who is able to trick each others first without being discovered. It is however irritating sometimes when Boss Bao seemingly goes easy on him, with his slanted smile. Of course Da Wa would not admit and give up a free win. Coins are coins after all. Luck is a skill, trick is an even greater skill.
Another routine that he enjoys doing with Boss Bao is the marching, trekking and running around the village and sometimes through the nearby hills. He remember some the rare serious conversations with Boss Bao.
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"Next week, right?" Boss Bao asked him, as they were running back to the Base.
"Yes" Da Wa answered. When he started hanging out with Boss Bao at the beginning, he needed to be picked up about a quarter of the way through, but now after years of running, with heavy loads, he is able to have a simple conversation. "What was it like during your turn, Boss?" He was curious, how the initiation ritual went. Dad did inform him that it would simply need him to touch a special stone, but he couldn't help but think it couldn't be that simple.
"Nothing much" Boss Bao said simply, with his eye looking far, somewhere south. You both continue jogging for a while, letting the silence go on.
Nearing a big white pine tree, where the path split three ways, one way from the forest path that you're running on, and then either to the village and Yang's Manor or back to the Boss Bao's base, Boss Bao slowed down and looked at you. "You just need to put your hand on the Soul Crystal. Relax and just breathe in and out. The crystal will light up surely for you." He hesitated, but continued on "... On the off chance that yours are showing colors other than white, then come to me. I'll be away for a few days to pick up the Crystal Bearer from the next town over. See you on the day before the test."
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"Hey Little Wa! Ready to continue being a bandit?" Sister Yu, putting her grabby hand over your shoulders.
"Hey… Once I pass the test, I will be scouted by the best sect in the empire. Then I will be the best Cultivator in our village ever" You said, dreamily. You couldn't wait for the day.
"Ooo, you wanted to go to the Mount Tian Sect?" Sister Yu asked you.
"Yes. The best of the best!" You answered quickly. You actually didn't know which was the best sect, but you have heard of the local sect, Bamboo Valley Sect and some of the more famous ones like Mount Tian Sect and Golden Sea Sect as well as Sword Peak Sect.
"Hahaha, then you'll forever be an errand boy there. Mount Tian only accepts women as core disciples." Know-it-all YaYa butted in on your conversation. Who named a boy YaYa? You couldn't help but sneered towards him. You could tell that he liked Sister Yu. He often butted in uninvited, like right now.
Other kids joined him laughing together and you couldn't help feeling irritated. "Hmm.. That's only for those without skill and talent. I'm Yang Da Wa, the best talent in the empire. I will definitely become a direct disciples no matter where I go" You continued, trying to project a confident front.
"Yes, Yes. We will see the result soon. Until then, count until 20 and chase us"
You played until late that day. And received an ear pull from Grandma Lin, for being late to the dinner gathering. Thankfully Grandpa Yang was ready for the prayer.
"..... We are thankful to the Great Ancestors for your blessings to us and our family. For the full plates and warehouses, for the sturdy and warmth of our houses… Let's continue be able to observe the sun rising every day…"
"Fire upon Fire. Sun upon Sun" Grandpa Yang started the chorus part and everyone repeat it together. "As the cycle continue and so will the family"
The prayers ended with a moment of silince, followed by a loud shout by Grandpa "Let's eat!"
"LET'S EAT!" You answered together with everyone. Today's meal is the best. You wished you would have learnt more from Mama about cooking but too much time is spent running and playing with Boss Bao and Sister Yu.
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It was a hectic day, and you are sleeping soundly. You fall asleep almost as soon as you put your head on the pillow.
You first heard a whisper, from far away, but the sound is growing louder.
"Oooo, Young Master Yang" You are finally able to hear the voice. It is a smooth and enchanting voice.
A shape slowly emerges in front of you. A beautiful woman, or was it a man.
"You may call me Hu, at your service" The androgynous man give you an assuring smile. You don't know why, but you feel that you have known the man for a while now. Maybe since you were born.
"Everyone calls me Da Wa, you can do so as well. At least for this year" You answered. It may be your mind playing a trick on you, but you think you saw the man's smile falter for a brief second. Was your name that weird?
"It's okay, Young Master Yang. Allow me a few more minutes of your time" Hu, the man or woman continues. "You may have heard of the pendant's power. I'm the gift left behind by your ancestor, to give you a guidance in your cultivation"
You are honestly surprised. Dad has at time mentioned how the pendant has been a lucky amulet. There is a story on how the amulet lights up when thieves try to sneak through the house. And another when it creates a protective barrier against a devastating blow. There are a couple of records about it before, but none mentions a talking Avatar.
Maybe sensing your uncertainty, Hu continues "Let me show you how to improve your Qi sense, then you will know for sure that I'm telling the truth" Hu approaches you and circles around your back. Before you could react, you felt one hand on your neck and another on your back, closer to the tailbone. "Relax, Young Master Yang, everything will be clear to you soon"
You relax. Within a moment you are able to feel a small something, warm and gentle flow into your back and gradually cycle in and out from the back of your neck.
"I will move on to the next step" Hu continues.
You could feel something building. Do you trust him or her? You feel that what's going on is good for you, but at the same time you could at times feel something might go amiss.
[] [Sense] Allow Hu to continue unlocking your Qi Sense
[] [Sense] Stop and run away now. You don't know how, but you think you might need to force yourself awake.
[] [Sense] Try to buy some times? Write in any questions here.
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Note : @Babooie18, since both tie, I write in both, as mentioned sometime it's not winner takes all but priority vote like this one. Will add more later about Sister Er Ni, Mama and Dad Yang interaction or lack of it.
Hu is Fox.
Lastly, sorry, plan to write this last night, but too busy with something else. Target 2 or 3 update today and maybe one update in the middle of the week.
