The Dao of the Awakened, a Xianxia/Cultivation Quest

[WhoTheHeckity]

[X] Plan Auction - Bidding for Bead

[X] Plan Party - Daiyu and also Sword

 

[ArcanaVitae]

Spoiler: A Conversation with A Brother

As he walked Gao Jin knew that he would need to think about how to have this conversation with Hua Yin. He wanted to help his friend and needed to more wordy than he usually was. Hua Yin lived a life where he never expected that he would need to kill a man and see a someone's lifeblood pour out of them. So with that in mind Gao Jin passed the jug of alcohol to his friend and had a moment of combinable silence at the top of the cliff, sometimes silence was needed.

Hua Yin had shared the story of his first kill with his friends, so it was only fitting that Gao Jin would do the same. So digging up old memories Gao Jin spoke breaking the silence and decided to tell Hua Yin how he saw things. "I was twelve when I killed a guy. Was a gang fight with the Ghost Hawks, I'd found myself free after I knocked out the guy I had been fighting. I smashed another guy in the back of the head with a rock. Caved his head in. He was clueless." Gao Jin shrugged and took another long pull from the jug. "Shit happens in the heat of battle. Don't feel bad about it. If the fuck you fought could've ended you, he would've."

Hua Yin mulled that over and considered it with his monstrous intellect and said, "That's easier said than done," then mused "Maybe it's my upbringing. I know you had a much rougher time of it than I did, but I never expected to kill a man, watch as the lights in his eyes faded out." It was times like these that for all of his of his will, Hua Yin was not used to a life of death and danger.

Gao Jin shrugged. "Just because I was a rascal doesn't mean I was destined to kill. But I did what I hadta do. If I hadn't the pidgeon fuck would've done the same to one of the brothers. That's life. Even though you didn't want this life, it's what you have, so make do." That was the honest truth Gao Jin could have chosen numerous ways of life and not all the ways to contribute to the family had to put you near violence, Gao Jin choose the circumstances that ended up with him killing a man.

Hua Yin looked down to the forest below. "But what if I can't, what if this is what breaks me?"

Hua Yin had a tendency to underestimate himself and he forgot something important so Gao Jin told him, "You can, and it won't. None of us'll let that happen to you. I'll goddamn drag you 'cross the finish line just like me and Zhi had to do when you first started training."

"We've come far from then. Sometimes, I think it's too far, that I've changed too much."

"So what if you have? You've become strong. You backed up those brains of yours with fighting skills. That's to the good. It's a dangerous world Yin, 'specially for cultivators."

"I never wanted to be in this world."

"But you're here anyways. Just gotta make do. When the hunger pains hit, you eat what's in front of you."

Hua Yin's voice became slower and started to slur a bit as he said, "Gratitude. Gratitude. I know I shouldn't be this upset. I know I might well need to kill again someday. But sometimes it's overwhelming, how bad I feel, how guilty."

"You're softy. That's not a bad thing, so longs you can put it away when you haveta. Like I said, I got your back, the Brothers and the Ducklings got your back. But you gotta wake up. Stop feeling sorry for yourself."

"I don't feel sorry for myself! I killed a man! Shouldn't I suffer?"

"No. 'Cuz it's not like you murdered some kid. You cut up a raider. He would've done the same to you."

"So what? Does that make killing justified?!"

"Yeah. It damned well does."

Hua Yin swallowed another slug of brandy to give himself time before saying, "Maybe you're right. But how do I get rid of this feeling I have at the pit of my stomach?"

"You don't. You acknowledge it and move on." Gao Jin looked skyward as he said, "Life, even our lives, are too damned short to get caught in the mud."

That was Hua Yin's problem he expected, wanted and strived for the life of a bureaucrat. He spent years and years learning and bettering himself to become the best bureaucrat he could, and then had it all ripped away from him by circumstance. He hadn't yet fully accepted what being a cultivator would mean for him, and even more than that he didn't acknowledge the reality of the world was that people where carrion things feeding off of each other in order to survive and thrive.

But with that thought Hua Yin nodded and passed the jug to Gao Jin. But with that he decided there was enough talking and decided some silence was in order after all the emotional bullshit. But when he and Hua Yin were stumbling home he knew that he was happy to have a brother.

@warumono

 

[Hex]

[X] Plan Auction - Bidding for Bead

[X] Plan Party - Daiyu and also Sword

 

[veekie]

[X] Plan Auction - Bidding for Bead

[X] Plan Party - Daiyu and also Sword


Not keen on going around unarmed after the last few times

 

[Drieder]

[X] Plan Party - Daiyu broke a tree without swords
-[X] His gray silk robes. Not as nearly as formal as his Arbiter outfit or as handsome, the biggest selling point of this outfit is that it actually fit Hua Yin perfectly.
-[X] Stick with Ling Daiyu. She invited Hua Yin and likely knew the faces in the crowd. More importantly, Ling Daiyu obviously wanted to publicly associate with Hua Yin for whatever reason. Leaving her side might offend Ling Daiyu, while sticking by her might raise her estimation of Hua Yin.
-[X] The Broken Tree. Hua Yin will attempt to make connections with whichever Elders or Core Disciples that are invited to the event.
-[X] No. Carrying a sword along would make Hua Yin look uncouth and could be considered an insult to the Provident Heart Trading Company.

 

[Tarumath]

[X] Plan Auction - Bidding for Bead

[X] Plan Party - Daiyu and also Sword

 

[TimEd]

[X] Plan Papercut Party
-[X] His gray silk robes. Not as nearly as formal as his Arbiter outfit or as handsome, the biggest selling point of this outfit is that it actually fit Hua Yin perfectly.
-[X] Stick with Ling Daiyu. She invited Hua Yin and likely knew the faces in the crowd. More importantly, Ling Daiyu obviously wanted to publicly associate with Hua Yin for whatever reason. Leaving her side might offend Ling Daiyu, while sticking by her might raise her estimation of Hua Yin.
-[x] The bureaucracy. Bureaucrats always get invited to these events. Hua Yin knows just how important functionaries can be. Hua Yin will focus on making connections with the local and regional bureaucracy.
-[X] No. Carrying a sword along would make Hua Yin look uncouth and could be considered an insult to the Provident Heart Trading Company.

[X] Plan Auction - Bidding for Bead

Looks like we're set to be invaded/infiltrated by frost zombies.

 

[Depio]

[X] Plan Party - Daiyu broke a tree without swords

[X] Plan Auction - Bidding for Bead

Bringing along a sword would be insulting ppl without anything to gain from it. There'll be elders and seniors at the party to take care of any funny business anyway.

 

[DeadmanwalkingXI]

[X] Plan Party - Daiyu broke a tree without swords

[X] Plan Auction - Bidding for Bead

 

[warumono]

Spoiler: Previous Choices

[X] Plan Auction - Bidding for Bead
-[X] 2 on the Prayer Bead
-[X] 0 on the Coat

[X] Plan Party - Daiyu broke a tree without swords
-[X] His gray silk robes. Not as nearly as formal as his Arbiter outfit or as handsome, the biggest selling point of this outfit is that it actually fit Hua Yin perfectly.
-[X] Stick with Ling Daiyu. She invited Hua Yin and likely knew the faces in the crowd. More importantly, Ling Daiyu obviously wanted to publicly associate with Hua Yin for whatever reason. Leaving her side might offend Ling Daiyu, while sticking by her might raise her estimation of Hua Yin.
-[X] The Broken Tree. Hua Yin will attempt to make connections with whichever Elders or Core Disciples that are invited to the event.
-[X] No. Carrying a sword along would make Hua Yin look uncouth and could be considered an insult to the Provident Heart Trading Company.

Thanks to @DangerKitty for beta'ing.

-----

The Loose Cultivator's Auction was held under the auspices of the Hop Association, one of the other merchant houses in Arbor's Rest. They had been running the Auction for centuries. In that time, the Auction had become one of the great attractions of the town. It had become so big that every year a massive pavilion was set up to accommodate all of the bidders and gawkers.

Hua Yin made his way to the Auction with the other Brothers. As usual, they were all armed. Guan Zhi had also come up with a jug of wine from somewhere, so the boys passed it between themselves, drinking to keep away the winter's cold. They had decided to come early, as the cheaper items were auctioned off earlier in the day.

Outside the pavilion, some of the items that were going up for bidding were displayed behind glass cases. Each was meant to draw the eye, and each had a little placard describing where the item had originated from, each more eye-catching than the last. There were pills that enhanced cultivation, weapons that hit with elemental fury, jewelry with all sorts of hidden uses. Each item that was displayed was meant to show off just how rich and powerful the auction could be.

The crowd milled about while they waited for the Auction to begin. The Brothers had managed to snag seats towards the middle back, where the Awakened could just see with their cultivation enhanced eyes. Apparently, Li Gai's spirit bond gave him more powerful sight than most, so he wasn't left completely in the dark. The boys had arrived early, as they had wanted to get a good view and because the only items that they could afford were bid for during the day.

Eventually the crowd settled down, and the Auction started, lead by a pudgy auctioneer with a domineering voice. Hua Yin looked around and saw that there were still empty seats, many of which had been claimed and saved by what looked to be servants or guards. Apparently, the high rollers did not appear until the big-ticket items were up.

There were not too many interesting things in the beginning of the day. It seemed almost as if this were a cultivation junk sale at first. But these were the only items that Hua Yin could afford so he paid close attention before deciding to bid on a few items himself.

Hua Yin only saw one thing he was interested in, an iridescent prayer bead that glowed when viewed with the Clear-Eyed Glass. It was dainty and attractive and Hua Yin was curious as to what it did. However, he also only had a little money. The opening bid was 1 silver. He raised to 2, hoping that no one would top it for such a simple item. However, a man in the crowd wearing Daoist robes bid 10. Hua Yin lost the auction.

Neither Li Gai nor Guan Zhi made any bids. Gao Jin, however, did. He won set of wooden playing cards for 50 silver. The cards were Qi reactive, lighting up when Qi was channeled through them. Their main selling point was that they had intricate rune work done on the back of each card, but no one seemed to know what the runes actually did. When asked why he had spent so much money on it, the gambler just gave a small, sly grin and said that he had a lucky feeling about it.

Much later, the real bidding started. The most coveted (and identifiable) items were put up for auction. Almost every item glowed almost blindingly powerfully when viewed with the Clear-Eyed Glass. Some of the highlights included:

A Pill of the Ethereal Spring, which promised to massively boost cultivation up to the Earth Realm. Made from extremely rare ingredients, the Pill had been the crowning treasure of a minor sect that was down on its luck. It went for a hundred thousand silver. Li Gai had gawked at the price, but he had looked at the Pill with deep, deep hunger in his eyes.

A spirit sword from the Warring States Era in the Heaven Realm went for a 10,000 Immortal-grade spirit stones. It promised to cut through all by the strongest materials and to even disrupt Qi attacks. To demonstrate, a block of solid steel almost half a meter thick had been brought to the stage and cut through. The bidding had been fierce and had only ended when the winning bidder, a Core Disciple from the School on the Lonely Mountain demanded to be given face. He was rightfully booed by members of the Broken Tree and the other major sects, but no one had decided to outbid him for the sword. Gao Jin had been mesmerized with the blade. Rightfully so. It was gaudy and ostentatious and looked like it belonged on the cover of a cultivation novel.

The final item was special. A spatial necklace that opened access to pocket dimension large enough to fit a large house, it went for 50,000 Immortal-grade spirit stones. Apparently, the pocket dimension was itself a low-grade Font. The item was different from storage rings in that one could not enter even the most powerful storage ring, no matter how large the capacity, and in that living things could not go into a storage ring while they could go into the pocket dimension. Guan Zhi had looked wistfully at the necklace, muttering something about always having a home. Hua Yin did not say anything about that, leaving Guan Zhi to his introspective thoughts.

The Brothers mused about how they could one day be the one who could afford such items, win such bids. Hua Yin thought that day was far away, but it was coming closer with every advancement. He resolved to work even harder.

There was much excitement in the air, and though long stretches were boring with not much back-and-forth, the bidding for the most coveted items did not disappoint. However, most interesting of all to Hua Yin was the auctioneer for the most expensive items. She was an older woman with a ready smile, a quick wit, and an amazing command of language. Hua Yin could tell that she managed to extract every last bit of lucre for every item. It was actually a master class in public speaking and mass persuasion. She played off and with the crowd and seemed able to effortlessly draw upon others' greed. He paid careful attention to extract every bit of skill he could get from her.

+1 Success to Persuasion Progression.

----

Party

Ling Daiyu's father had sent a carriage to pick her and her companions up. It was a beautiful vehicle, made of some type of ebony and filigreed with gold. The driver and the footman were both dressed in resplendent red and dark blue.

Ling Daiyu was also dressed in those colors, wearing an elegant qipao that perfectly matched her darker make-up. As usual, charms hung in her perfectly coiffed hair. And as usual, Hua Yin had to tear his eyes away from her. Ling Daiyu gave Hua Yin a small grin in acknowledgement as she waited for the footman to open the door for her.

Lao Ai was also in a qipao, though hers was in yellow and white. She blinked once on seeing Hua Yin, but quickly schooled her face into an almost featureless mien. She did deign to give Hua Yin a nod.

Ming Xue was dressed in robes of a more masculine, almost martial cut in sky-blue and white. She held her back ramrod straight and walked somewhat stiffly. She gave Hua Yin a martial salute and a small, quick smile as her greetings. Hua Yin noticed that this was the first time that he had ever seen her without her meteor hammer. Her hair was done up, similarly to Ling Daiyu's. Hua Yin was almost surprised at seeing her mop of red hair tamed.

All three girls wore necklaces with the Broken Tree symbol hanging off them to proclaim their allegiance to the Broken Tree.

Once Hua Yin got into the opulent carriage with its plush seats and golden adornments, but not before letting the three girls enter first. Once they sat down, Ling Daiyu gave Hua Yin a gin and held out a necklace matching those of the girls, a little Broken Tree charm in gold hanging from a golden necklace. "I brought this just in case. After all, we want everyone to know we're part of the Broken Tree." Hua Yin thanked her and put the necklace on.

The rest of the ride was quiet, each of the occupants in their own little world. Ling Daiyu looked out the window. Lao Ai looked everywhere but at Hua Yin. And Ming Xue stared straight ahead, her hands folded in her lap.

----

By the time they arrived at the local headquarters of the Provident Heart, a party was in full swing in the street. The Provident Heart had paid for wine and food for the masses, and they partook. However, guards in Provident Heart colors kept a passageway open for carriages.

Hua Yin, as he was trained to do, exited the carriage first. He offered his hand to each of the girls as they exited, Ling Daiyu last. Lao Ai blushed when Hua Yin supported her down to the ground. Ming Xue had taken it, but her strident step made it clear that she had no need for such a thing.

The party was on the roof of an imposing five-story building. There was an elevator, powered somehow by a cultivator that took them directly to the fifth floor. The elevator opened onto an open-air space that was dotted with elegant statuary made of previous metals and stone. Hua Yin felt a tingle of Qi in the air. Somehow, the roof was much warmer than it had been on the street. Where the outside had been somewhat frigid, there was a pleasant heat in the air here.

The four had arrived a little bit early, but there were already people mingling. Everyone seemed to be dressed to impress. Dresses, suits, robes, jewelry, all sought to draw the eye. There was less the staid formality of an actual banquet or official gathering, but the casualness was relative. Hua Yin thought that at least some of these outfits would have cost as much as his family's compound. A small knot of Broken Tree disciples in the corner stood out as rather bland looking.

After entering, Ling Daiyu made her meandering way through the crowd. She beamed a smile here and there, gave nods and short greetings as she proceeded to her target, a middle-aged man wearing a tangzhuang in red and dark blue. The man had to be related to Ling Daiyu as he was probably one of the most handsome men Hua Yin had ever seen. The man was conversing with a small group, but his face lit up and he made his excuses after spotting Ling Daiyu.

Ling Daiyu bowed to the man with an exact angle and an exact tilt to her eyes, communicating filial devotion to the Patriarch. Lao Ai and Ming Xue bowed as well, though theirs was slightly shallower and looked to the knees rather than to the floor, showing respect for an older man of higher status. A beat behind the girls, Hua Yin made the same gesture.

The man did not stand on formalities. Rather, he got right up to Ling Daiyu and hugged her in contravention to the dictates of polite society. A small look of embarrassment and reluctant tolerance graced Ling Daiyu's face. His voice was silky smooth as he said, "Ling Daiyu, I have missed my youngest daughter so, yet she is cold to her loving father?"

Ling Daiyu replied, "Father, we are in polite society."

"Bah, feh to any who dare to look down on me for greeting my youngest daughter."

Hua Yin thought that being a Director on the Board of the Provident Heart Trading Company had its perks, including the ability to ignore some of the niceties of polite society. If anything, the admiring glances from many a woman in the crowd (and the occasional man) seemed to look on approval at the doting father.

The man turned his attention from Ling Daiyu to her companions, giving each a cursory look and a small smile. There was just something trustworthy about this man. Even with just a quick expression change, he seemed to light up the room and gave Hua Yin a trill of joy at his approval.

"Introduce me to your friends, little Daiyu." His commands left no room for deviation. He turned to Lao Ai, "This one looks familiar."

With a slightly exasperated look, Ling Daiyu motioned first to Lao Ai. "This is Lao Ai of the Laos of Bage. I believe she was also at uncle Ling Gan's party a few years ago. I wrote about her to you; she's the best talismonger of our class and a great friend. Lao Ai, this is my father, Ling Fuyou."

Lao Ai bowed again. Ling Fuyou smiled. "I believe I know one of your uncles, Lao Ai. He is a shrewd businessman and a kind man."

"This Lao Ai greets the beneficent Patriarch," Lao Ai said in a small voice.

Ling Daiyu turned to Ming Xue. "Ming Xue, formerly of the Ardent Shrine. I wrote of her to you. She is one of the martial prodigies of the first-year class. She was my second during my duel." She winced on the last few words.

Her father gave Ming Xue a look of sympathy. "It is nice to meet you Ming Xue. I am glad to see that you have reached out to my daughter. Further, thank you for all your support of her during that unpleasantness."

"This Ming Xue greets the beneficent Patriarch. Great gratitude. It was my pleasure to serve" Ming Xue replied, her words were more clipped than usual, as if she wanted to get the formalities over with. She did not look happy at the last words.

Finally, Ling Daiyu turned to Hua Yin. "And this Hua Yin of Xiaoming. I believe his father is the Vice Imperial Custodial Magistrate for Xiaoming. He is Awakened and a cultivation prodigy. He had no cultivation when he came to the Broken Tree and is now already in the Spirit Realm."

Ling Fuyou gave Hua Yin an assessing look before breaking out a grin and addressing his daughter, "A boy, Daiyu? None of your letters said anything about a boy."

Ling Daiyu blushed in embarrassment. "Father, he is just a friend."

"A handsome friend who is hanging about my daughter. Be sure he remains just a friend." Ling Fuyou gave his daughter a mock stern look before turning to Hua Yin. "Congratulations my boy. Spirit so early is a big achievement. I had only just broke through to the Mid Initiate Realm when I finished my first-year, and I thought I was good." He smiled kindly.

Hua Yin bowed in turn and said, "This Hua Yin greets the beneficent Patriarch."

Ling Fuyou replied, "Hmmm, I recall that Ling Bo is currently running our outpost in Xiaoming. Please, give my regard to your father and through him to Ling Bo. The Provident Heart always has a need for promising young cultivators, think of us should you leave the Sect. We treat the Awakened very well."

He turned to address all three of Ling Daiyu's companions. "From now on, all three of you will refer to me to me as Ling Fuyou. Any friends of my daughter are friends of the Ling family. Come, come have a drink with an old man." Ling Fuyou waved down a server who appeared as in a moment as if he had not even crossed the intervening space, though Hua Yin had not felt an Qi worked. "Four glasses of rice wine for my daughter and her friends."

Ling Fuyou made small talk with his daughter, asking her about life at the Sect. Occasionally, he would include Ling Daiyu's companions, but the questions and answers were short. However, whenever he turned to Hua Yin, Hua Yin felt like he was truly the center of attention, as if he were the only person in the room. Ling Fuyou was a very, very charismatic man.

"Here, come with me to meet the Lord Mayor." Ling Fuyou brought the group to meet a rather chubby man who nevertheless managed to stand with a quiet dignity. He was running a hand through his salt-and-pepper goatee as he discussed something with a few courtiers. However, when he saw Ling Fuyou, he immediately welcomed the Board member. Soon, Ling Fuyou and the Lord Mayor were talking like old friends. Ling Fuyou introduced Ling Daiyu and then the rest of the group as her friends. The Lord Mayor was somewhat dismissive of the youngsters, but at least he knew their names and faces.

Hua Yin tried to impress with his etiquette skills when it was his turn to speak, contorting his body in court language and using the poetical phrasing of the bureaucracy to indicate his junior status but that he was looking to learn from a wiser superior.

Spoiler: Etiquette vs TN 4

CHA (8) + Etiquette (1) = 9
Hua Yin rolls 9d6e5 = 1 1 5⊕ 4 5⊕ 6⊕ 2 2 6⊕ → 4 successes against 5.

The Lord Mayor raised his eyebrows in surprise at the subtle communication but then smiled at Hua Yin. "I'll remember you youngling," the Mayor told Hua Yin, twisting his head just the tiniest bit to the side and downwards while holding his cupped. The posture said that the superior welcomes the student.

Ling Fuyou spoke with the Lord Mayor for a little bit longer before making his farewells. He gathered the group and said, "Come meet one of your Elders. Elder Bing of the Offered Branch. I met them earlier, and they are quite amicable."

Ling Fuyou introduced the group to Elder Bing. They were dressed in a set of expensive-looking robes in green, with the symbol of the Broken Tree embroidered over the heart. They were accompanied by two Core Disciples, both wearing Sect robes but also wearing matching green necklaces. One of them was familiar to Hua Yin; it was Core Disciple Li Ren.

Ling Fuyou bowed just low enough to communicate greetings between junior and senior. Ling Daiyu and her accompaniment, including Hua Yin, bowed much lower. The Elder gave each of the first years a nod in greeting. Her melodious voice rang out, "It is good to seedlings take to the wind. The Offered Branch appreciates such an outgoing nature." She turned back to Ling Fuyou, "Now let's talk about the situation in the Purple Silk Kingdom and the Sect's needs that the Provident Heart can fulfill."

"Of course, of course." He turned to Ling Daiyu and said, "Go on, have fun," before turning back to the Elder.

The two principles broke off to talk about what seemed to be serious business. One of the Core Disciples broke off to follow a step behind the Elder. The other, Li Ren, remained and smiled kindly at the three juniors. "I recognize two of you from my last time recruiting. It's good to see you both again and to meet your friends. How are you enjoying everything?"

Each of the first years formally greeted their senior with a martial salute and then communicated that everything was great. They made more small talk before the Core Disciple addressed Hua Yin and said, "Don't think I've forgotten about tea. I and my Last Argument will be there."

The Core Disciple looked up and said, "I remember when I first met the Last Argument . . ." The Core Disciple went on to describe the mirror trial to the first years. It was similar to Hua Yin's experience, though there were no giant rats and more automatons. Ling Daiyu soon steered the conversation into stories from the Core Disciple's first year more generally. It was masterfully done, gentle but firm. The Core Disciple was more than willing to oblige and began to reminisce.

Later, the Core Disciple left the little group after seeing someone that he had to talk to.

Afterwards, Ling Daiyu's group was approached by another group of younger people led by a man with a pinched face. Out of the corner of his eye, Hua Yin saw Ling Daiyu twitch for a moment upon realizing who the man. And of course, Hua Yin recognized him as the one who had led the Beis and then subsequently fled the night of the Twins' party.

The man gave Ling Daiyu what he must have thought was a winning smile but which only made his face tighter and meaner. "Ms. Ling Daiyu!" He called out, seeming to not have noticed Hua Yin in favor of the ridiculously attractive disciple.

Ling Daiyu pursed her lips for a split second. Hua Yin would not have noticed it except for his cultivator enhanced senses. Her back stiffened as she turned to the newcomer. She then smiled demurely at the pinched face man and said, blandly, "Mr. Ko Xi, how nice it is to see you."

"Ms. Ling Daiyu, I must say, you look as radiant as ever. Your dress looks wonderful on you."

Hua Yin was trying to look everywhere but at Ko Xi. He had not expected to meet the Beis here, but, in retrospect, he should have. He wished had his sword with him, but he had known that this was not a place for weapons. The fact that no one else was visibly armed had told him that. The young master of the local Bei Consortium paid no attention to those accompanying Ling Daiyu. Ko Xi's companions, on their part, looked bored but dutiful.

Ko Xi asked eagerly, "Have you had a chance to think about going to tea with me? I know you're busy with your studies but surely you can spare an afternoon. I will send a carriage! No expense will be spared!"

Ling Daiyu's smile grew brittle as she replied, "Unfortunately, we are approaching a very sensitive time in our studies. I am only here because my father insisted. I really cannot be away from the Sect. I wish it were otherwise." She actually managed to sound regretful. She took a step aside and gestured to her companions, "Please, meet my friends. Lao Ai, Ming Xue, and Hua Yin."

Ko Xi nodded to the two girls and then focused in on Hua Yin. His eyes narrowed and an ugly sneer contorted his lips as he said, "I know you. You're that thief from the party. The fight."

Ling Daiyu scoffed, but said gently, "You must be mistaken Ko Xi. I know Hua Yin to be a honorable person. I did hear about a fight between some disciples and some thugs. That couldn't've been you, could it?"

Ko Xi twisted into a contorted smile, "Of course not. I must be mistaken. Please excuse me, I forgot I had some business to attend to." He nodded his head and made his escape but not before shooting a glare at Hua Yin. Sensing something going on, Ko Xi's hangers-on also glared at Hua Yin.

Ling Daiyu let out a slight breath of relief. She looked at Hua Yin and said, "I hate that man. If you fight him and his again, give him an extra kick for me."

After leaving Ko Xi, the group walked around the room, lightly sipping from their wine as Ling Daiyu greeted and was greeted by a number of dignitaries. Apparently, she was relatively well-known, having been introduced to many of these people by her father when she had first arrived at the Broken Tree, before the year started. Eventually, Ling Daiyu took a breath and said, to the group, "We should all break off now. We've met the most important people as a group. You should all mingle yourselves. Or at least you should Lao Ai, Hua Yin. Ming Xue, we're going off so that I can try and keep that promise I made you."

Hua Yin broke off with a hint of trepidation. He was nervous. This was the first time that he had been left alone at one of these parties. Usually, his parents would be with him, showing him off and introducing him around. He had met a good portion of the room by this point, but there were ever more people to meet. There were nobles and the literati mingling, merchants milling, and hangers-on hanging on. However, Hua Yin did spot a few disciples in the crowd that he could speak to.

He met:

Core Disciple Lu Mee from the Administration. She wore no jewelry, no necklaces, nor bracelets. She had greeted Hua Yin with a kindly smile when he introduced himself to her. Her dimples lit up, and it made her look very trustworthy. She explained that she was here to maintain relationships with old and new suppliers of sundry goods. The Core Disciple was seemingly not as practiced at being politely reticent, as she let slip that the Administration was buying more dry goods than usual in preparation for something.

Core Disciple Tai Tuyo, also from the Administration. He wore no jewelry either, except a necklace with a black crane hanging off of it. Hua Yin and Tai Tuyo bonded over their bureaucratic roots. Both had come from long lines of literati. The Core Disciple ran the records room and was here networking in advance of an Assessment year. Though the Sect was not being Assessed (it being exempt), its relationships with the various nobles it worked with were under scrutiny. He was stressed and seemed glad to have someone to complain to.

Inner Disciple Jin Wu from the Mustering Grounds. He wore red bracelets that clashed horribly with his gold and green Sect robes. He also wore a necklace with a little dragon made of red stone hanging off of it. Jin Wu was here on behalf of Elder Sho. Usually, an Inner Disciple like him would not be sent to a gathering like this, but because his background (which he did not explain), it fell to him to make Elder Sho's excuses. When Hua Yin mentioned Guan Zhi and Gao Jin, he recognized them. Apparently, they were close to being allowed to go on patrols.

Overall, Hua Yin had a fine time at the party. He got to meet important people both within and without the Sect. Though he'd have to watch out for Ko Xi, the other connections that he made had been worth it. Further, he had gotten a chance to practice his etiquette and his charm.

+1 Success to Etiquette (Bureaucrat) Progression.
+1 Success to Persuade Progression.

----

Upkeep

+1 Silver

Spoiler: Letter from Home

My beloved son,

We too are happy that the dreadful business with Lin Mao is finished. Every time I think about that animal ruining your hands I weep. It made my heart glad to hear that he had perished by his own hand.

We are sad to hear that you were not first place in your final exam. We expect that you will work harder at your studies to correct such an aberration. Is it the Sect that's throwing you off? You can come home you know!

Wherever you end up working in that dreadful sect, we hope that you will approach it with all the grace and dignity that we have taught you. Maybe you will be able to keep your skills sharp? One can only hope.

We are glad that you have found friends at that Sect and found joy in your studies. However, we miss you dearly. Your father may need to travel to the Black Crane to work over some trade deals. If he does so, he will go to visit you. I know he rarely says such things, but he misses you.

Again, stay away from this Mo Xiang. Nobles are trouble. Your father's sources say that this Mo family is facing an Audit. You know how nobles like to blame His Imperial Highness's Most Esteemed Imperial Bureaucracy for their troubles. It is not our faults that they cannot hide their wrong doing and lack of stewardship. However, you must not provoke him. Nobles are the source of endless headaches, and nobles from the Upper Chamber even more so. We expect you will comport yourself well.

If worse comes to worse, know that we love and support you and you will always have our backing.

Your mother.

Rumors

- The West was burning. The tribes and clans of the Gallows Hill Nation was reeling as the demon tribes continued to press them. Bands of loose cultivators were being recruited to help the Nation, even as the Empire looked on with trepidation.

- Lin Li rebounded with Po Shuo, but everyone thought that Po Shuo was just playing with the quieter girl.

- Someone, no one knows who, is spreading rumors that the Ducklings are actually a gang of rascals and ruffians. Nonetheless, that has not stopped a few neutral members of the class to inquire about possibly joining.

----
Pick 5.

[ ] Study group with Tao Yangyuan and Yang Genji.

[ ] Go to town to buy things. Write-in.

[ ] Go to the Exchange to trade money for points and to peruse cultivation aides from the more senior disciples. The exchange rate is two silvers a point. You may also use this action to put an ad on the bulletin board but that will require a write-in.

[ ] Attend duties in the Archives. Hua Yin will be chronicling.

[ ] Go to the Assignment Hall to pick up an assignment for extra points.

[ ] Commune with Jianshu. This will also count as an Edged Weapons training roll. Never Again does not apply to this roll.

[ ] Go to the Technique Repository and try to pick something up. This will cost you 8 points to get into the Repository and 4 points to copy any manuals.

[ ] Help train the Ducklings. This will count as an edged training roll but at a malus, as Hua Yin is not the focus of the lesson.

[ ] Study the Writ of the Broken Tree. Sure, it's mostly koans and philosophical musings, but Hua Yin has received cultivation insights within. He could study the Writ further and see what insights it could give.

[ ] Practice the Coruscant Cut. Hua Yin will practice at the Kiss of Tribulation. This can be taken multiple times with a diminishing returns malus.

[ ] Practice the Earth Defying Path. Hua Yin will practice at the Kiss of Tribulation. This can be taken multiple times with a diminishing returns malus.

[ ] Practice a mind art, write-in. Hua Yin will practice at the Kiss of Tribulation. This can be taken multiple times with a diminishing returns malus.

[ ] Practice the Numberless Stars. Hua Yin will receive a capped automatic +2 successes for taking this action.

[ ] Take extra time to study skills. Write-in skill. This can be taken multiple times with a diminishing returns malus for the same skill.

[ ] Study Core Disciple Chang Minhua's annotated medical texts. These books will inevitably give Hua Yin an advantage when preparing to treat the human body, both mortal and cultivator.

[ ] Cultivate at the Font of the Supplicant's Tears. Hua Yin would go to cultivate at the Font of the Supplicant's Tears. Life/Water/Earth Attuned.

[ ] Cultivate at the Kiss of Tribulation. He might see his friends there, and maybe even get a chance to speak to Tianlang. Lightning/Metal/Celestial Attuned.

[ ] Cultivate at the Fairy Circle. He might see Li Gai there. Wood/Poison Attuned.

[ ] Cultivate at the Drowned Man. He'd likely be the only first year there. Water/Ice Attuned.

[ ] Cultivate Qi capacity. Hua Yin will do so at the Kiss of Tribulation, even though he receives no benefit from the Font.

[ ] Cultivate Phys Health. Hua Yin will do so at the Kiss of Tribulation, even though he receives no benefit from the Font.

[ ] Cultivate Stun Health. Hua Yin will do so at the Kiss of Tribulation, even though he receives no benefit from the Font.

[ ] Find others to get to know. There's a lot of other disciples. It would be good to build Hua Yin's network. This can be taken multiple times without a malus.

[ ] Make a conscious effort to socialize with one person in particular. Write-in. This can be taken multiple times without a malus.

[ ] Explore the Supplicant's Stone and its attendant woods. There are caves, there are woods, there is adventure waiting. Core Disciple Li Ren had mentioned that there are hidden testing sites that may help with cultivation. After the last excursion, Hua Yin thought that maybe a companion would be a good idea, even if it cost some portion of the prize. Write-in companion(s).

[ ] Have tea with Core Disciple Li Ren to discuss spirit weapons.

[ ] Write-in.

2-hour Moratorium

 

[Edkose]

These are things we are close to completing:
The Path, Alight (Qi) (Initiate) (Attunement: Celestial): The Dao is lined with false paths that lead to numberless dead ends. This Qi technique calls on the ability of the far distant stars to divine the true path no matter what is obscuring it. This floods the Qi system with Celestial Qi, driving false images away from the mind.
- At First Stage: Qi 5, Difficulty 3. Cool down 3. Hua Yin receives +2 dice to resisting illusions and attacks on the mind/spirit, as well as to throwing off such an attack.
- Progress to next level (4/8)

Memories Unburied (Qi) (Initiate) (Attunement: Lightning): By directing Lightning Qi into the brain and stimulating certain parts of it, Hua Yin's recall is sharpened.
- At First Stage: Qi 4, Difficulty 3. Hua Yin receives +2 dice to memory tests, including Knowledge tests. Hua Yin will have a headache after use, causing a -1 malus for 1 hour.
- Progress to next level (4/8)

Qi: 22/22 +0 (Progress to next 5/8)

+3 Edged Weapons (Progress to next level: 37/40)

Numberless Stars (Mundane) - Progress to next level: (22/30)

Makes sense to do something like this? We'll get Edge weapons to +4 , finish the first stage of Qi capacity and get closer to completing Numberless Stars.
It's not really necessary with the Path alight or memories unburied yet. We can do that before an exploration action.

[ ] Attend duties in the Archives. Hua Yin will be chronicling.
[ ] Have tea with Core Disciple Li Ren to discuss spirit weapons.
[ ] Commune with Jianshu. This will also count as an Edged Weapons training roll. Never Again does not apply to this roll.
[ ] Practice the Numberless Stars. Hua Yin will receive a capped automatic +2 successes for taking this action.
[ ] Cultivate Qi capacity. Hua Yin will do so at the Kiss of Tribulation, even though he receives no benefit from the Font.

 

[Passiveone]

Even tho I voted against buying in the auction, dammit we're godamm poor, after we cleared up some cultivation we're getting side jobs, real life experience

 

[TimEd]

So disappointing how in this event where we have the chance to meet those outside the sect and we don't even bother interacting with them. Why so many voted to interact with the Broken Tree members is a genuine mystery to me.

 

[CedeTheBees]

How about something like:

[ ] Plan: Preparing For Cultivation Week
-[ ] Attend duties in the Archives. Hua Yin will be chronicling. x2
--[ ] Let Senior Brother Arne Wei know you'd like the next week off to go into closed-door cultivation.
-[ ] Have tea with Core Disciple Li Ren to discuss spirit weapons.
-[ ] Commune with Jianshu. This will also count as an Edged Weapons training roll. Never Again does not apply to this roll.
-[ ] Practice the Numberless Stars. Hua Yin will receive a capped automatic +2 successes for taking this action.

 

[WhoTheHeckity]

Spoiler: A Conversation with A Brother

As he walked Gao Jin knew that he would need to think about how to have this conversation with Hua Yin. He wanted to help his friend and needed to more wordy than he usually was. Hua Yin lived a life where he never expected that he would need to kill a man and see a someone's lifeblood pour out of them. So with that in mind Gao Jin passed the jug of alcohol to his friend and had a moment of combinable silence at the top of the cliff, sometimes silence was needed.

Hua Yin had shared the story of his first kill with his friends, so it was only fitting that Gao Jin would do the same. So digging up old memories Gao Jin spoke breaking the silence and decided to tell Hua Yin how he saw things. "I was twelve when I killed a guy. Was a gang fight with the Ghost Hawks, I'd found myself free after I knocked out the guy I had been fighting. I smashed another guy in the back of the head with a rock. Caved his head in. He was clueless." Gao Jin shrugged and took another long pull from the jug. "Shit happens in the heat of battle. Don't feel bad about it. If the fuck you fought could've ended you, he would've."

Hua Yin mulled that over and considered it with his monstrous intellect and said, "That's easier said than done," then mused "Maybe it's my upbringing. I know you had a much rougher time of it than I did, but I never expected to kill a man, watch as the lights in his eyes faded out." It was times like these that for all of his of his will, Hua Yin was not used to a life of death and danger.

Gao Jin shrugged. "Just because I was a rascal doesn't mean I was destined to kill. But I did what I hadta do. If I hadn't the pidgeon fuck would've done the same to one of the brothers. That's life. Even though you didn't want this life, it's what you have, so make do." That was the honest truth Gao Jin could have chosen numerous ways of life and not all the ways to contribute to the family had to put you near violence, Gao Jin choose the circumstances that ended up with him killing a man.

Hua Yin looked down to the forest below. "But what if I can't, what if this is what breaks me?"

Hua Yin had a tendency to underestimate himself and he forgot something important so Gao Jin told him, "You can, and it won't. None of us'll let that happen to you. I'll goddamn drag you 'cross the finish line just like me and Zhi had to do when you first started training."

"We've come far from then. Sometimes, I think it's too far, that I've changed too much."

"So what if you have? You've become strong. You backed up those brains of yours with fighting skills. That's to the good. It's a dangerous world Yin, 'specially for cultivators."

"I never wanted to be in this world."

"But you're here anyways. Just gotta make do. When the hunger pains hit, you eat what's in front of you."

Hua Yin's voice became slower and started to slur a bit as he said, "Gratitude. Gratitude. I know I shouldn't be this upset. I know I might well need to kill again someday. But sometimes it's overwhelming, how bad I feel, how guilty."

"You're softy. That's not a bad thing, so longs you can put it away when you haveta. Like I said, I got your back, the Brothers and the Ducklings got your back. But you gotta wake up. Stop feeling sorry for yourself."

"I don't feel sorry for myself! I killed a man! Shouldn't I suffer?"

"No. 'Cuz it's not like you murdered some kid. You cut up a raider. He would've done the same to you."

"So what? Does that make killing justified?!"

"Yeah. It damned well does."

Hua Yin swallowed another slug of brandy to give himself time before saying, "Maybe you're right. But how do I get rid of this feeling I have at the pit of my stomach?"

"You don't. You acknowledge it and move on." Gao Jin looked skyward as he said, "Life, even our lives, are too damned short to get caught in the mud."

That was Hua Yin's problem he expected, wanted and strived for the life of a bureaucrat. He spent years and years learning and bettering himself to become the best bureaucrat he could, and then had it all ripped away from him by circumstance. He hadn't yet fully accepted what being a cultivator would mean for him, and even more than that he didn't acknowledge the reality of the world was that people where carrion things feeding off of each other in order to survive and thrive.

But with that thought Hua Yin nodded and passed the jug to Gao Jin. But with that he decided there was enough talking and decided some silence was in order after all the emotional bullshit. But when he and Hua Yin were stumbling home he knew that he was happy to have a brother.

Click to shrink...

@warumono Did you see this one?

 

[Passiveone]

So disappointing how in this event where we have the chance to meet those outside the sect and we don't even bother interacting with them. Why so many voted to interact with the Broken Tree members is a genuine mystery to me.

Click to shrink...

I see it of more immediate gains really, we're still stuck at the sect concentrating on our 'studies' and cultivation, we maybe a prodigy but still a newbie building up in the sect

 

[MoonSerpent]

Ming Xue, we're going off so that I can try and keep that promise I made you."

Click to shrink...

The revengeance continues and we're missing out!

[ ] Plan: The Only Thing I Know For Real: Goodbye Beis Foxy Edition!
-[ ] Make a conscious effort to socialize with one person in particular. Ming Xue X3
--[ ] We're friends, but it's been weeks since we've hang up. A Spar maybe? nothing serious or special techs promise!
--[ ] Look back on your increasingly tense exchanges with the Bei Consortium, offer to form a beneficial working relationship with the Brothers for mutual support and business relations.
--[ ] Gossip on the various factions that make up the Broken Tree to undermine local Bei Consortium, invite the Brothers, and Ling Daiyu into planning the inevitability of the Ko Xi's sudden disappearance and ensuing power vacuum.
-[ ] Assult the local Bei Consortium with your friends, their filth shall no longer stain the Broken Tree! Hire Ming Xue, in exchange for a favour in helping your discrete removal of Ko Xi.
-[ ] Payback Ming Xue favour

 

[Drieder]

[X] Plan: Buying Pills For Cultivation Week
-[X] Attend duties in the Archives. Hua Yin will be chronicling. x2
--[X] Let Senior Brother Arne Wei know you'd like the next week off to go into closed-door cultivation.
-[X] Go to the Exchange to trade money for points and to peruse cultivation aides from the more senior disciples. The exchange rate is two silvers a point. You may also use this action to put an ad on the bulletin board but that will require a write-in.
-[X] Have tea with Core Disciple Li Ren to discuss spirit weapons.
-[X] Practice the Numberless Stars. Hua Yin will receive a capped automatic +2 successes for taking this action.

Fair cop.

 

[MoonSerpent]

[X] Plan: More In the Qi GasTank!
-[X] Attend duties in the Archives. Hua Yin will be chronicling. x2
--[X] Let Senior Brother Arne Wei know you'd like the next week off to go into closed-door cultivation.
-[X] Practice the Numberless Stars. Hua Yin will receive a capped automatic +2 successes for taking this action.
-[X] Commune with Jianshu. This will also count as an Edged Weapons training roll. Never Again does not apply to this roll.
-[X] Cultivate Qi capacity. Hua Yin will do so at the Kiss of Tribulation, even though he receives no benefit from the Font.

On a more serious note, we do need to invest in a bigger qi tank if we want to stay in the fight longer. A lot of our techs involve it afterall.

 

[LordEdric]

[X] Plan: Preparing For Cultivation Week

 

[ClawClawBite]

If we are prepping for closed door cultivation, we should really visit the exchange and try to buy some cultivation aids. Closed door makes them more effective, and we have not even tried once, yet have a lot of sect points compared to our peers l (47 should be able to buy a few good pills). We should maximize our use of potency for the closed door week.

 

[GreenReveal]

Huh. I for sure thought Seekers or Spiritualists would at least want to chat with Hua to gauge his interest. Maybe he's not in the running for those branches after all...

 

[Drieder]

If we are prepping for closed door cultivation, we should really visit the exchange and try to buy some cultivation aids. Closed door makes them more effective, and we have not even tried once, yet have a lot of sect points compared to our peers l (47 should be able to buy a few good pills). We should maximize our use of potency for the closed door week.

Click to shrink...

Thats quite a good idea, maybe someting like this?

[ ] Plan: Preparing For Cultivation Week Even Harder
-[ ] Attend duties in the Archives. Hua Yin will be chronicling. x2
--[ ] Let Senior Brother Arne Wei know you'd like the next week off to go into closed-door cultivation.
-[ ] Go to the Exchange to trade money for points and to peruse cultivation aides from the more senior disciples. The exchange rate is two silvers a point. You may also use this action to put an ad on the bulletin board but that will require a write-in.
-[ ] Commune with Jianshu. This will also count as an Edged Weapons training roll. Never Again does not apply to this roll.
-[ ] Practice the Numberless Stars. Hua Yin will receive a capped automatic +2 successes for taking this action.

 

[CedeTheBees]

Not sure I wanna blow off Li Ren. I think we'd be better off communing with Jianshu after we get his advice.

[X] Plan: Buying Pills For Cultivation Week
-[X] Attend duties in the Archives. Hua Yin will be chronicling. x2
--[X] Let Senior Brother Arne Wei know you'd like the next week off to go into closed-door cultivation.
-[X] Go to the Exchange to trade money for points and to peruse cultivation aides from the more senior disciples. The exchange rate is two silvers a point. You may also use this action to put an ad on the bulletin board but that will require a write-in.
-[X] Have tea with Core Disciple Li Ren to discuss spirit weapons.
-[X] Practice the Numberless Stars. Hua Yin will receive a capped automatic +2 successes for taking this action.

 

[Sir Giraffe]

[X] Plan: Buying Pills For Cultivation Week