You're presenting a wholly false dichotomy, as though there's no middle ground between "the best around, nothing's ever gonna keep me down" and "pure forge-bitch, selling ourselves to keep the nasty men from hurting us."
Moreover, if it was true that a difference in cultivation was wholly insurmountable, then Mei Daiyu would have just given up already rather than fighting a soldier step. The fact that she's going ahead with it despite the discrepancy clearly shows that fighting skills remain relevant and can bridge a powerlevel gap even without being an MC-tier talent.
And yet even she believes she won't win. She believes, actually, just like Jai Fa, that the only chance for their victory is if Xun Yu wins, because Jai Fa will probably win, but Mei Daiyu will loose.
Moreover, dropping fighting despite our talents cuts out worlds of opportunity for us. Wanna gather ingredients? Better hire someone to do it or you'll get mugged by any rando looking to make a quick buck. A secret realm opens up? Hopefully a group is willing to babysit you so you can enter without being murdered. Want to use the basic facilities in your sect? You should find a bodyguard or who knows what your big scary rival will do to you while you wander around.
Being incapable of self-defense leaves you truly helpless, reliant on selling yourself to the people around you to just go about your daily business. Even the members of Reliance Sect know that clinging to the thickest thighs won't do everything for you. Ironically, trying to do things your own way just makes you more dependant on other people; there's a good reason some paths are well trodden. You can find friends and allies (as we've managed to do) but when it comes down to it, whether it's xianxia or xuanhuan or weird pseudo-cultivation novels like Lord of the Mysteries, the only thing you can truly rely on is yourself and your training.
Have you even read what I've been saying? We won't be powerless, but we don't need to double down in combat to be safe. Having a simple combat base, and enough cultivation level, will leave us in the middle ground. Having good charms, a group of them, will put us above the masses. Having good allies and a reputation, will give us higher safety. None of what you said would be a problem in such a situation, and we don't need to wholly focus on combat.
I'd be happy to do that, though if they lose the duel I feel it may come across as slightly mean-spirited. Maybe the next day we can offer our spot for them to cultivate at?
I simply and honestly don't know what you mean here. Do you mean that there is no middle term? Because that is simply false.
And yet even she believes she won't win. She believes, actually, just like Jai Fa, that the only chance for their victory is if Xun Yu wins, because Jai Fa will probably win, but Mei Daiyu will loose.
Have you even read what I've been saying? We won't be powerless, but we don't need to double down in combat to be safe. Having a simple combat base, and enough cultivation level, will leave us in the middle ground. Having good charms, a group of them, will put us above the masses. Having good allies and a reputation, will give us higher safety. None of what you said would be a problem in such a situation, and we don't need to wholly focus on combat.
Mmm. I get what you're saying. The problem is, right now, we don't have all those allies. They're level 1 acquaintances, and building relationships takes time. We don't have combat charms, and building one would take 4-5 turns once we have materials, which take further time to gather.
Hummingbird's step takes like 2 actions to level. It can be done fast. Furthermore, increasing combat competence may impress the sparring group, which is obviously good for us.
Your ideal playstyle for this quest takes a lot of long-term investment, and we have to survive until the long term to pull it off. Combat investment is just the best way to do that right now.
We won't be powerless, but we don't need to double down in combat to be safe. Having a simple combat base, and enough cultivation level, will leave us in the middle ground. Having good charms, a group of them, will put us above the masses. Having good allies and a reputation, will give us higher safety. None of what you said would be a problem in such a situation, and we don't need to wholly focus on combat.
I feel like there's been a drastic miscommunication here because having literally one combat technique that we've developed isn't even a simple combat base, its just not being a literally helpless baby. If you don't even have that much, you're not ready for combat. Nobody is suggesting we fully focus on combat, we're saying that we need actual self defense skills appropriate to our level, which is what developing the Hummingbird Dance means. We're not saying you need an arsenal of abilities for every possible situation.
When Kong Zhi gets into the swing of things, I imagine him having one offensive Technique, one defensive Technique and one movement/escape Technique. Any gaps in the rock/paper/scissors of the system can be filled in with charms. I don't think any of this is all that unreasonable. I'm not exactly asking for us to develop and keep one Technique of each type along with seventy Travelers with different elements.
I just want Kong Zhi to be able to defend himself and, if necessary, escape from rivals like the Jin.
It is also a common theme. "Any fortune can turn to misfortune, any misfortune can be turned fortune." Basically, everything is relative, and you should never take anything for granted, good or bad.
I feel like there's been a drastic miscommunication here because having literally one combat technique that we've developed isn't even a simple combat base, its just not being a literally helpless baby. If you don't even have that much, you're not ready for combat. Nobody is suggesting we fully focus on combat, we're saying that we need actual self defense skills appropriate to our level, which is what developing the Hummingbird Dance means. We're not saying you need an arsenal of abilities for every possible situation.
When Kong Zhi gets into the swing of things, I imagine him having one offensive Technique, one defensive Technique and one movement/escape Technique. Any gaps in the rock/paper/scissors of the system can be filled in with charms. I don't think any of this is all that unreasonable. I'm not exactly asking for us to develop and keep one Technique of each type along with seventy Travelers with different elements.
I just want Kong Zhi to be able to defend himself and, if necessary, escape from rivals like the Jin.
I didn't think you were, but in my view the hummingbird is just not that important. It's not the kind of unique, special or incredibly fitting tech we want to keep with us on the long run, and our time can be better spent on cultivating ourselves, the basis for our strength, instead of this direct combat tech. I do agree we'll need techs later on, but that's not now. Think about it, we've only been here for a week, and we're already way better at fighting, more dice, higher chance of success. But we've advanced little in charm crafting, and even less in our own cultivation. Part of the reason, for the crafting, is that we were already higher on it than the others, thus it makes sense to need more time to improve. The same is not true for our cultivation, though. It simply haven't grown as much as our combat because we haven't given it the time needed. We've focused elsewhere, leaving the cultivation behind. And I, me, this person, feels like it is more important than trying to cycle hummingbird.
I feel like there's been a drastic miscommunication here because having literally one combat technique that we've developed isn't even a simple combat base, its just not being a literally helpless baby. If you don't even have that much, you're not ready for combat. Nobody is suggesting we fully focus on combat, we're saying that we need actual self defense skills appropriate to our level, which is what developing the Hummingbird Dance means. We're not saying you need an arsenal of abilities for every possible situation.
A combat specialized Kong Zhi would have at least a 14 strength combat technique and taken the Soldier's Step by now. That's not going to happen and I don't think anyone wants it. We've invested a lot into charms and will likely continue to do so.
As a crafter we will inevitably have weaker cultivation than our more combat focused peers. Again a charm takes about 3 times as much time as a technique at our stage and we are trying to create our second. Had we not agreed to the commission we would probably be taking the Step in a couple days.
I didn't think you were, but in my view the hummingbird is just not that important. It's not the kind of unique, special or incredibly fitting tech we want to keep with us on the long run, and our time can be better spent on cultivating ourselves, the basis for our strength, instead of this direct combat tech. I do agree we'll need techs later on, but that's not now. Think about it, we've only been here for a week, and we're already way better at fighting, more dice, higher chance of success. But we've advanced little in charm crafting, and even less in our own cultivation. Part of the reason, for the crafting, is that we were already higher on it than the others, thus it makes sense to need more time to improve. The same is not true for our cultivation, though. It simply haven't grown as much as our combat because we haven't given it the time needed. We've focused elsewhere, leaving the cultivation behind. And I, me, this person, feels like it is more important than trying to cycle hummingbird.
You're correct that we haven't spent any time cultivating. We've spent 1 action on actually cultivating, and two actions on cultivation classes, compared to three actions so far on combat/athletics training.
You know why that is? Because we've spent all of our other actions, aside from a few socials and one exploration, on charm crafting. Charm crafting takes up a lot of time.
The problem is, we have a test coming up. People are worried about the test, and Hummingbird provides some short term combat boosts for a very low cost (some actions we were doing anyway for social reasons, and 1-2 actions of cycling).
Let's put it this way: what would you have us do instead of Hummingbird? Cycle towards Soldier's Step? For one, people are hoping the pill will provide a one turn completion on phase 1. And after that we won't have enough time for phase 2. As such, any actions directed towards SS phase 2 are probably not going to have any payoff before day 15. Actions directed toward HM phase 2 will have a payoff before day 15. And if we decide later that we don't want Hummingbird at all - well, that's only two wasted actions. It's not a huge investment.
On the other hand, if we get into a fight anytime in the near future, HD will pay dividends. And most of us expect that there will be a fight sooner or later.
In short, you don't like Hummingbird, but you haven't offered any alternative that gets us guaranteed benefits in time for the day 15 deadline. Cycling Hummingbird costs us very little and provides good benefits. It's a lot of bang for our buck. You can argue that we're "wasting" the actions, but -
A) Some of us like HD
B) Even if you're right, and we are wasting actions, then we paid a small cost in exchange for increased safety in the short term. If it's not needed, then fine. Is it is needed, we will be very glad we had it.
And yes, working on base cultivation is, in fact, important. But the way our choices have played out thus far, working on base cultivation doesn't get us anything fast, and right now we need fast. Because assuming we keep going to sparring group and charm crafting, we will only have 2-4 free actions before the big test, and we want to have something of immediate tangible benefit in those actions. We can do more base cultivation after the deadline passes.
Anyway, I can kinda see where you're coming from. People like me want to find another anam source, and spend actions upgrading a technique you're not fond of. This seems like wasting time and pushing back our cultivation, and you're worried about falling behind because we keep running off to do stuff other then upgrade to the next tier. But we can't afford to sacrifice everything else to just get base cultivation faster. Foundation is important, rushing to go up in cultivation levels as fast as possible will result in a weak foundation and thus a weaker cultivation over all.
Honestly, the real thing to blame for us possibly being behind on cultivation is crafting. It takes 5+ actions for each charm, and more of our actions have gone there then anything else. This is just a drawback of being a crafter, and one we'll need to learn how to deal with. Socials also have a high action cost, but the whole thing were we spent the night at Nokai's was a big wake up call that we need the investment in that category.
Something I would like to point out:
We've been warned of shortcuts, and of attempting to rush things (as opposed to merely being quick).
""Should the title displease you, endeavor to take the next step quickly and become Soldiers. But be cautious; more than one promising artist has attempted to rush the next step and become nothing more than a malevolent vestige."
"Her wooden head falls and she turns, looking out at the rest of the Heart. "When you walk the Path, you may attempt to be quick. You may attempt to cut corners. But know this: there are no shortcuts. Should you attempt to take one, you will only be hurting yourself." "
I fear any plan based on "Let's take a pill, and suddenly completely Soldier's Step in 1-2 days" may be liable to run into what we have been warned about: Do not rush. There are no shortcuts.
I have no doubt the pill will be helpful, but I also doubt the existence of any kind of silver bullet.
Soldier's Step, phase 1, is above all else about knowing oneself through cycling of anam.
Phase 2, has something to do with cycling anam in a way we do not yet know but presumably will have the means to figure out after phase 1, to fill a space within us.
Phase 3, ? Unknown if such a thing exists.
Even with a super helpful pill, it is doubtful we can do all that in just a day or two. And attempting such a thing, may be needlessly hazardous.
EDIT: There is also a limit to how much anam can be taken in at a given time?
"
"It is for that reason that cycling is forbidden without the oversight of a sect. Without learning discipline, a novice Artist will often take too much anam into themselves and pass, leaving behind an angry and hostile vestige that will take dozens with it before it too dies. The prevention of such events is one of the reasons the Emperor in Steel fosters us and our sister sects. His is a sacred trust, and one we shall not falter in upholding."
"
So it might very well be that the completion of Soldier's Step may require by necessity several days to complete succesfully, if one does not wish to die.
My point being: There is a lot of uncertainty here. Making plans based on assumptions of certainty is therefore likely ill advised.
So we should probably trade the location of our Wonder for another which has some other aspects and cycle there at least once.
Fortunately, just filling the charm should be enough to give us some leeway, even if it's not going to give us a strong aspect in those particular elements.
I dunno about this Natural Wonder trading business. We only have one source of Time anam at the moment, and it's only 25 per week. That's enough for us and maybe 1-2 others now, but later on everyone's going to have higher-cost techniques, and then we might run into limited supply issues. Also, locating a new wonder for ourselves is only a single action, which is not much investment. Pooling Wonders only saves us a number of actions equal to the number of Wonder locations we get in exchange, and compromises our own Time source.
Furthermore, getting them to share at all is a tricky proposition. I feel like a lot of cultivators would be reluctant to spread knowledge of their sources of anam, even if they were getting something in return. It might take a social roll to convince them, and that is not our strong point.
However, the idea does have some intriguing possibilities. But it's not something we should run in to blind. If the majority of the thread does want to try it, my recommended course of action would be to first float the possibility with the group without committing to anything. Ask if trading Wonder locations is a thing that people do, and see what their reaction is. If the group seems interested, then we can push for the trade itself.
A/N: A big thanks to the 7 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, (especially if you're interested in an exclusive 10PG short story) you can do so here.
[] You are currently working on a charm for Jai Shouxi. You shall continue your efforts.
[] Jai Fa and her group have a duel two days hence. It would be helpful to both them and you for you to be there and serve as a training partner.
-------------------------------------------
As is quickly becoming standard for you, you wake up in pain.
But unlike the last several days this is a very familiar type of pain. You still feel your soreness from your training exercises of course,but they are buried beneath a far more standard type of discomfort. Your hands are sore from clutching your tools in an iron grip. Your shoulders throb with pain every time you move your arms, a sign that you really put your all into kneading the natural glass. Even your nostrils sting from the fumes that came from the unguent.
In other words, you worked hard at crafting a charm yesterday. It's a pain as familiar as breathing. You cannot count the number of times you've felt pain just like this before. It puts a smile on your face as you get out of bed, even as you fight to put your robes on.
Kong Zhi recovers 2 points of his damage threshold. He currently has three open physical stress boxes.
The smile lasts all the way through breakfast. Jai Fa and Jai Shouxi are both already at the kitchen table when you join them, devouring something leafy and green. To your surprise, there's a bowl there for you as well. You nod a thanks to them as you sit and begin digging in. The three of you eat in silence until Jai Fa looks up from her meal.
"Kong Zhi," she prompts you. "Were you planning on attending sparring today?"
You nod, and she continues. "It shall be happening later than usual. We have business that must be attended to immediately, and so we are delaying our usual habits."
"Thank you for the warning,' you answer. "Is your business anything I need to be aware of?"
Jai Fa shakes her head. "No. It is merely something that must be done quickly."
She's interrupted by Jai Shouxi, who cuts her off with a quick gesture of his sticks. "We need not be coy with Kong Zhi," he chides her. "It is not as if it is some great secret after all." Jai Shouxi turns to you. "Several days ago, I was able to locate the den of a strong Kukuni. My tests have shown that it has aspects that would be most useful in my current refining projects. My dear sister is merely escorting me there and aiding me in hunting it down."
Sense Motive Check! 1d10s8. Dice rolled: 9! One Success! Pass!
Your frequent sparring partner nods her ascent, but there's something in her eyes that tells you she's not entirely happy with this plan. You get the sense that it's less that Jai Fa has been asked to her brother and more that he's simply informed her of what the plan is. It's a trend you've noticed since you moved in with the Jai twins: Jai Shouxi makes the plans, Jai Fa carries them out.
You're not entirely certain what to make of that. It's certainly different than any you've seen between a brother and sister before. Of course, that could just be your own lack of experience. Your only real encounters with pairs of siblings involve your cousins, and you doubt they could be called ordinary.
But whatever your thoughts on it is, it is not your place to comment. So you nod and turn your attention back to Jai Fa. "Of course. I was planning to work on a project here tonight. I shall move that to the morning, and when you return we will go meet with the others?"
Jai Fa considers that and nods. "Acceptable."
Breakfast draws to a close and you stand, moving to wash everyone's dishes. They prepared the food, the least you can do is clean the remnants. Both Jais mumble thanks as they stand and make their preparations to leave. As they turn, a thought occurs to you. "Jai Fa," you call, drawing a look from the roommate in question. "Does everyone know about the change in sparring times?"
Images of Xu Yun being both very late and very early flash before your eyes. From the way Jai Fa's mouth curls into a scowl, she must sense the direction of your thoughts. She gives you a short nod. "All but you were informed at the end of practice yesterday," she answers. "If there is any deviation from the planned schedule, it comes not from a lack of information."
With that she turns and follows Jai Shouxi downstairs. A moment later you hear the heavy door slam shut, leaving you alone in the Spire. You finish the dishes and head downstairs to your workbench.
You survey your half-complete charm with a sense of burgeoning pride and lingering dread. The pride comes from the quick way it's coming together. The dread from how much your shoulders ache, and how much it gets worse just by thinking about picking up your tools again. But like your training pain, you know that the best way to deal with it is to push through and ignore it.
You reach down, grasp your half-finished rod, and begin.
Craft (Jewel Crafting) Check: 6d10s8(1.3) vs. Build Target 6. Dice Rolled: 8, 6, 7, 5, 10, 6, 10, 7. 3 successes x 1.3(Drive+Son of Kong Shuren)=4.2, rounded down. 4 successes!
Craft (Jewel Crafting) Check: 6d10s8(1.3) vs. Build Target 2. Dice Rolled: 7, 3, 8, 4, 8, 3. 2 success x 1.3(Drive+Son of Kong Shuren)=2.6, rounded up. 3 successes!
Build Target met!
Your fingers fly over your materials like a musician's over their flute. First comes the whale teeth. Your smallest chisel finishes the last few runes on their ivory surface, leaving them festooned with symbols of power. With small tongs you pick them up and delicately slide them through the groove you made in the sapphires. The openings you carved yesterday were just the right size, and you feel the teeth slide home as if they were born to be a part of these gems.
Next comes faceting. You drizzle a drop of a three part mixture into the opening- one part Angel's Tears, one part emerald dust, one part crushed beetle husks- to secure the teeth and spin them over so that you're staring right into the deep blue face of the sapphire. It's the work of many small moments and many minuscule cuts from your saw to make the sapphire exactly what it needs to be, but you get it done. The dull hunk of rock becomes a multifaceted thing that traps the gaze and makes you stop to wonder at it's beauty under your care.
With the focusing gems completed you turn your focus onto the rod. The glass has dried overnight and is ready to be worked on without risk of warping it further. You clamp it in a vice and grab another chisel, this one tipped with obsidian, and begin etching the remainder of the runes you need. They spiral up and down the length of the charm, beginning from it's center and ending at each end. The runes terminate in a blob of characters that would look like so much nonsense to the untrained eye, but once you insert the focusing gems the two pieces will mesh together into one complete whole.
And that's what you focus on now. Angel's Tears and emerald dust are your weapons of choice, and you use them to affix the focusing gems in their new home. A bit of amethyst alloyed with silver piped into the minuscule crack between the two later, and your charm nears physical completion.
Now it's time for the beetle husks. With mortar and pestle, you grind the remainder of the husks into a fine, luminous powder, and cut it with more emerald dust. You carefully place drops of pure Angel's Tears into the runes- mindfully wiping away any that spills onto the rest of the glass- and follow each drop with a pinch of the emerald beetle powder. The anam from the beetle joins and synchronizes with the anam from the glass seamlessly, making the whole charm give off a dull glow. All that's left is to wrap the center of the charm with leather so that it can be safely held, and you'll do that once it's fully infused.
You step back from your workbench and stare down at your well-crafted charm. Excellent. That was much easier than it was before. Some of your lessons from crafting A Moment's Respite served you well here- not to mention that you work on that charm meant you didn't have to grind more emerald dust. That stuff takes forever to make.
The Jai twins haven't even returned yet. You have time to put your tools away, clean your workbench, and go outside for a quick dip in the stream to wash away your fatigue before they make their way back to the Spire. Jai Fa's hands are stained with a silvery-blue liquid, and she's carrying something wrapped up tightly in a black cloth. Jai Shouxi's covered in the same liquid but it isn't enough to wipe away his overpowering smile. "Have you had a productive morning?" he greets you.
Your eyes track Jai Fa as she drops the parcel on Jai Shouxi's workstation, but you answer the question. "Indeed," you confirm, and you pull the completed rod out. "All that is left is the infusion and then it shall be complete."
Jai Shouxi's eyes widen as he stares at the rod. "My… impressive," he breathes out. "Your skills only grown more potent with time, Kong Zhi. I shall have to race to complete my own end of our bargain."
You shrug. "Things came together far faster than I expected them too to be quite honest. It likely will not be this fast again."
Jai Fa glances at the rod with mild disinterest in her eyes and then up at you. "I require a wash," she states. "After that, will you be ready to go?" You nod, and she jogs upstairs, taking them two at a time.
Her brother doesn't follow her. Instead he turns to his formation and produces a brush, adding more lines to the elaborate drawing on the courtyard floor. "I take it that your hunting expedition was successful?" you ask.
"Quite!" he chirps. "The Kukuni was asleep in it's den, and Fa was able to deal with it quite handily. It knew not what hit it. The hardest part was butchering the body. It was a messy task, but one quite worth doing." He reaches out with his foot and taps the parcel, as if indicating how marvelous his prize is.
Curiously, you fall into your breathing pattern and reach out. There's no anam emanating from the parcel but then you didn't expect there to be. Materials do not give off anam themselves; they contain anam within which can then be harnessed. You extend your sixth sense and press it against the parcel. Whatever's in there was a complex being in life, and as you study it you detect multiple aspects within.
One of the aspects is almost overpowering, and you recognize it immediately. "Blood," you mutter, groping for the others, "and is that… earth?"
"Close!" Jai Shouxi answers. "Very close, but no. What you're sensing is steel anam, which is an offshoot of metal, which is an offshoot of earth. The Kukuni was a spirit of blood and steel. I suspect that it was formed from some battle or fight eons ago and only recently reached a higher existence. If it had been left to its own devices, it no doubt would have become quite formidable. But it was not, so it was not, and it is now just ingredients and a stain upon my dearest sister's hands."
As if summoned by her brother mentioning her, Jai Fa makes her way down the stairs soon after. Her hands are clean and her robes fresh, but a look of mild disgust is still on her face, like she can still feel the creature's blood on her. She makes no mention of it however. "I am ready," she says instead. "Let us leave."
The two of you bid farewell to Jai Shouxi and head out into the courtyard, taking your customary weaving path through the crowds of Ninth Circle Disciples. It's not as simple a traversal as it normally is though. The usually placid line of disciples is antsy and hostile towards itself. You spot a few disciples going chest to chest, seconds from coming to blows. It's a scene that repeats itself as you make your way through the crowds.
The cause becomes apparent as you pass by the Prospector's Tears. The Wonder is a shell of it's former self. Mud still oozes from the stones, but it is no longer a fountain. Instead it is more a gentle seep of liquid earth, and you suspect that if you reached out with your sixth sense it would be reflected in it's anam.
Jai Fa reflects your thoughts with a snort. "They must have finally over drawn the Tears," she muses to you. "And they have discovered no further Wonders. Now they have no source of power, and the reality of their complacency is upon them. It is almost sad."
You nod your agreement. "It's odd that they did not see this coming."
"They could not see further in front of their face than their nose," Jai Fa replies dismissively. "And now their poor planning has left them in dire straits."
The two of you make your way from the courtyard and towards the training field. Noises of effort greet you as you approach your customary crater. You look over it's lip to find that it's already in use. Mei Daiyu and Xu Yun are hard at work below you. As you watch, Xu Yun lashes out with a heavy kick, but Mei Daiyu dips around it as if she was never it's intended target and steps in close. Her shoulder ends up beneath Xu Yun's knee, trapping him with one leg off the ground. Another kick of her leg later, and the boy is flat on his back.
Mei Daiyu frowns down at him, a look of disappointment clear on her painted features. But all she says is, "Again."
You make your way to the training ground and wordlessly begin warming up. When you're ready, you turn to Jai Fa. "Who will I be working with this time?" you ask.
Jai Fa frowns and looks at Mei Daiyu, who shakes her head. "No one in particular," Mei Daiyu answers. "The time for individual sparring with one partner is over. We shall gain no further benefit before the challenge. Now we must attempt to vary our preparations and hone our minds to prepare them for any possible challenge."
You pause. "Alright. So how will you do that?"
It's Jai Fa that answers. "By rotating sparring partners. We shall each fight someone and then trade. This will prevent our bodies from becoming comfortable and keep them from settling into an unfortunate routine. That was what you were thinking, correct?"
The last is directed at Mei Daiyu, who nods. "Exactly," she replies. "Kong Zhi. You shall begin with me."
Xu Yun draws Jai Fa away, leaving just you and Mei Daiyu. Before you begin, you offer her a slight bow. "I thank you for your instruction, sister."
Mei Daiyu snorts, but to your surprise, returns the bow. "And I thank you for your patience, brother."
And then she moves, flickering towards you like a shadow.
Fighting Mei Daiyu is like attempting to catch smoke in your hands. She's never where you think she should be and the few times you manage to get her measure, you find yourself only striking at robes and hair. Her attacks are knife-edged and piercing as she strikes at you with the flats of her hands and the sides of her feet. Mei Daiyu never attacks you from head on. Indeed, she never stands in front of you whatsoever unless it's to set you up for a throw.
You do your best to match her dodge for dodge and strike for strike, but it's an impossible task. All you know of the Hummingbird's Dance you learned from her and she simply has trained it to a higher form than you do. But the task is not fruitless. Her movements- your movements- begin to make more and more sense to you as you see them in motion. Flourishes you thought pointless are revealed over and over to be key components in the art and tiny changes in footwork make all the difference.
It's this insight that makes you realize something else: Mei Daiyu has gotten better. In between trades, you say as much. "You have improved, Sister."
Mei Daiyu's smile is sudden, blinding, and makes your heart skip a beat. "As have you to notice, Brother. Well done."
And then you're on the ground again.
You take some of your new insights when you move to face Jai Fa. You better than you did previously, but fighting Jai Fa is a completely different beast than fighting Mei Daiyu. Where Mei Daiyu is smoke, Jai Fa is the flame. There is nothing subtle or deceitful in her movements. She simply moves forward relentlessly, wearing you down with sheer endurance and power. Her strikes have none of your last opponent's artistry, and she uses no throws whatsoever, but she more than makes up for it with overwhelming strength.
You find the truth of Jai Fa's power when you close with her on a pass. You duck past a kick, slip your head to the side to avoid a punch, and grasp her arm for one of the Hummingbird's throws. But when you bend and twist, Jai Fa simply refuses to move. She gives a slight grunt but otherwise ignores your attempt, and retaliates with a push kick directly to your spine that sends you sprawling.
So your spar with Jai Fa goes on. You're far more successful at dodging her blows than you are Mei Daiyu's, but all it takes is one shot from her and you're down.
After Jai Fa comes Xu Yun, and frankly, after fighting the last two, fighting Xu Yun is a relief. It's not that he is a bad fighter- to the contrary. Even as a novice in the combat arts, you can tell that Xu Yun has a well honed technique. He strikes out only as often as he needs to, his feet are never in a position where you can trip him, and his style excels in drawing you out and striking you back down with many well timed blows.
However, he lacks the quick mobility of Mei Daiyu and the overwhelming power of Jai Fa. Fighting either of them makes you feel like you're trying to climb a sheer cliff with naught but your fingernails. But fighting with Xu Yun is more akin to climbing a steep hill. It is difficult, it an arduous task, but you can see the summit and it is achievable.
Perhaps Xu Yun can see the same thing. After a pass where you almost avoid one of his fast combination attacks, he grabs a towel and drops down to the mossy floor next to you. "We are taking a short break," he informs you. "So that you may recover."
You're ready to go right now, but you let him tell himself that's why he's called for the recovery period. Instead of arguing, you turn your attention to the other spar. Jai Fa and Mei Daiyu are practically going to war against each other. If either of them were holding back against you- and you have some suspicions- they certainly aren't doing the same against each other. Mei Daiyu slows around Jai Fa's steady advances and counters with lightning blows that do nothing but give your roommate a new angle of attack. A knee from Jai Fa catches Mei Daiyu in the ribs, sending her staggering back. Jai Fa is upon her in moments, raining down blow after blow. But even on the ground, Mei Daiyu dodges, body moving like a snake's to avoid punishment.
A mild sense of longing floods your body. Both of them are above you. Far above you. You know they likely always will be. That simply is not where your focus lies. You can do things with your hands that neither of them would fully be able to comprehend. You have your own skills.
But still. Part of you yearns to stand against them out on the training field and make them fight you as an equal.
A sigh sounds, and for a moment you think it is your own. But no, it's coming from Xu Yun. He's watching both of them with a look on his face that makes your own mild longing look like nothing at all. He glances from them back down to his hands and then back up, something naked and vulnerable in his expression.
It makes you think. Xu Yun… really doesn't fit with the other two. Mei Daiyu and Jai Fa seem to be cut from the same fabric. They are of different shades, clearly, but still the same cloth. Both are determined, both are dedicated to their respective crafts, and both are devoted to their studies of violence. Xu Yun, however, is not. He seems to have other priorities in his life and his own reasons for being here.
Though truly, you're not certain of anyone's reasons for being here. Perhaps you're just missing something. This whole challenge situation is still foreign to you. What set it off? What spurred it? All you know is what Jai Fa told you, and she barely did more than sketch you a quick image of the situation.
If you're ever to gain a full understanding of what's going on, now would be the best time. You clear your throat, drawing Xu Yun's attention. "A thought occurs to me," you begin, muttering softly to keep from drawing Mei Daiyu or Jai Fa's attention. "This duel that is approaching. I know little about it save that the three of you are in it and I find myself curious. Were you there when this challenge was issued?"
Xu Yun nods carefully. "I was," he answers in a matching tone. "It stemmed from an altercation when we were under the training of Elder Fensui, though truly I know little about it. Mei Daiyu could no doubt tell you more than I know."
You shake your head. "I'm certain she would be most informative if I were to be able to ask, but she seems quite occupied." As if to punctuate your words, Mei Daiyu grunts and grabs Jai Fa, throwing her so hard she flies off into the crater wall. Jai Fa is on her feet seconds later and rushes to re-engage. "Any information you can pass on to me will be greatly appreciated."
Xu Yun considers your words. "I suppose there cannot be any harm in sharing what occurred."
"It stemmed from a simple incident in Elder Fensui's training. We were given several moments of respite between drills, and Mei Daiyu decided she did not need them. So she challenged Jai Fa to another spar. The two were frequent sparring partners and always prefered to fight the other."
He coughs and looks towards the still-fighting pair. "Now one thing that I'm sure you've already noticed. Mei Daiyu is…"
Xu Yun pauses and makes a gesture with his hand, as if afraid to say a word out loud. "Talented?" you guess. "Harsh? Skilled?"
He holds up a hand to stop you and coughs again into the other. "Eye-catching," he finally gets out. "She is very… pleasing to the eye. And it's something that did not go unnoticed."
You give Xu Yun a moment to recover, and he drinks greedily from a waterskin as if trying to drown the words he just spoke. When he finishes, he wipes his mouth with the back of his sleeve and continues. "Huo Shi certainly noticed," he finally says. "And it is my understanding that he approached her during that spar between her and Jai Fa with a proposal."
"A proposal?" you echo.
Xu Yun nods. "Please remember that all I have is speculation that I pieced together after the fact. But what I believe happened is that Huo Shi approached Mei Daiyu and offered her a position as his concubine."
You just stare blankly at Xu Yun, who nods. "Exactly. Though I can certainly see Huo Shi's motivations, I must question his sense. But he asked her, and she resoundingly rejected him."
"Okay," you slowly mutter. "So where does the duel come in?"
"That would come from Huo Shi's betrothed, Mo Hanying," Xu Yun continues. "She also took lessons under Eler Fensui and was present for this altercation. After training was done for the day, she approached Mei Daiyu and made clear her feelings on someone treating her future husband so poorly. Mei Daiyu responded as she does, and tensions were heightened."
"The proposal for the duel came then. But Mo Hanying was talked out of facing Mei Daiyu directly, and instead it became a competition between teams. Mo Hanying, of course, called Huo Shi to her side, and furthermore requested that her roommate, some barbarian savage, assist her. In answer, Mei Daiyu requested Jai Fa's aide and was granted it in short order."
Nokai. One of your sparring partner's opponents in the duel is going to be Nokai. You.. aren't entirely certain how to think about that, but you know it's complicated.
The information you've received almost makes you miss something. "And you?" you finally prompt when it looks like Xu Yun isn't going to say another word. "How did you become involved?"
Xu Yun flushes and glances back at the ground. "It's foolish," he finally mutters. It was for a silly reason."
You glance from him to the still-raging spar again. "Ah," you say, connecting several dots. "You wanted to impress Mei Daiyu?"
"No!" he yelps, panic large on his face. The girls stop for a heartbeat and shoot you a look, but you wave for them to continue. They do so, and Xu Yun holds his hands in front of his face to hide a blush. "No," he repeats softly. "At least, not mostly. I would be lying if I said the idea had not occurred to me."
"If not that, then why?" you prompt.
"Because," he says, looking up towards the cavern roof. His words are so soft you can barely hear them. "I wanted… I just.. I wanted to do the right thing."
Words escape you, so you just match his gaze and look straight up. But still, he continues. "I knew what caused the duel, and I knew that they needed a third. No one deserves to lose honor because of one person's foolish ambitions. So I wanted to help. That's all."
The two of you sit in silence as you diest Xu Yun's words. Finally, you stretch and spring to your feet. "Come on," you beckon.
Xu Yun looks up blankly at you. "What?"
"Come," you repeat. "Let's go another pass. You cannot fulfil your desires simply by sitting there, correct? So let us hone your skills so that you are capable of meeting your obligations."
The boy stares at you, eyes confused. You reach down and offer a hand. "Come on," you say again. "I'm not going to punch myself. Though I suppose I could. That seems counter productive though."
That startles a snort of laughter from Xu Yun, and he reaches up to take your hand. "That would be foolish," he agrees. "I shall beat you in your stead!" He takes his feet and the two of you face each other for a brief moment before springing into motion.
There's something different in how Xu Yun fights this time. His technique is still impeccable, his accuracy still impressive, but there's a looseness in his stance that wasn't there before. It makes his punches come from angles you weren't expecting and makes him quicker to dodge your strikes instead of taking them. There's heart in his blows, as if speaking his motivations aloud has caused him to remember them.
The two of you could likely go for another few rounds, but it's time to rotate again. You're back against Mei Daiyu for several passes, then Jai Fa, then Xu Yun once again. When the second rotation is complete, you're exhausted, but it's a good exhaustion, one born from hard work and pressing your limits.
"Shall we do this once more tomorrow?" Mei Daiyu asks.
Jai Fa and Xu Yun both nod, and you shrug. "If I am able," you answer, which draws nods from everyone. "Now shall we return to the courtyard?"
For the first time since you've joined this sparring group, you all leave at the same time and walk together. Xu Yun falls into step with Jai Fa, chattering with her about something that she mostly ignores. That leaves you to walk beside Mei Daiyu behind the other two. Neither of you says a word, but it feels almost peaceful, quite unlike it usually does when you spend much time with the prickly girl.
For once, you're content to just walk slowly and enjoy the trip without running to make sure you reach your next destination. Honestly, the trip feels a little revitalizing. A spark of energy forms in your belly once again. You may be able to do a little more today! If you take the rod out once you get back to the Spire, you feel like you may be able to take a trip to the Second and begin cycling. You'll be able to get a headstart on that, and honestly that feels great.
You're so lost in your mind that you almost miss Jai Fa fall back and tug on your sleeve. "To your right," she mutters breathily, her words not traveling beyond your little group.
You take your cue from her and glance to your right out of the corner of your eye. There are several disciples there, so it takes you a moment to spot who Jai Fa is indicating. But once you see him, your eyes go wide. Jin Yazhu- that heartless dog- is traveling the other way on the path. You're shielded from his view by Mei Daiyu and Xu Yun, but you can see him clearly.
Jin Yazhu looks worn and weary, like he's been burning his life's candle at both ends. He's not so much walking as he is staggering down the path, but that looks like it's more from the heavy load he's carrying than exhaustion. He has a pair of heavy bags thrown over his shoulders, each full of various odds and ends that poke out of every pocket.
Materials. Jin Yazhu is overburdened with materials. From the direction he's headed, he's going towards the Creator's Garden. He is about to work on charm.
"Who is that?" Mei Daiyu asks idly, following your gaze.
You don't get a chance to answer before Jai Fa does. "That is a rival charmcrafter," she says. "Who has made several attempts to inconvenience or harm Kong Zhi."
"Oh?" Mei Daiyu asks, voice lazy but eyes sharp. "That seems… unfortunate."
"Indeed," you mutter. "He has attempted to do me harm before at least once, and I suspect he had at least some hand in a sabotage attempt on a project of mine days ago. I've no proof though."
As you watch Jin Yazhu walk, an idea occurs to you. You may not have the materials free to sabotage him in the same way that he did you, but that's not to say there's nothing you can do to inconvenience him. He has several materials within his bag. If you were to cause him to lose track of some of them, why, it would render at least some of his efforts pointless.
And you will likely never have a better opportunity. Jin Yazhu is alone, and he is clearly weary. Meanwhile you are hitting your second wind. And then there are your companions. Mei Daiyu is watching Jin Yazhu with the grace of a lazy predator. Jai Fa may not be showing any expression, but the fact that she is still watching Jin Yazhu speaks volumes. And Xu Yun looks like he's considering just punching the other crafter out of sheer outrage. Your companions would likely be eager to assist you in balancing the scales.
But do you really want to stoop to his level? And if you were to do so, your second wind would be gone. You could say farewell to any attempts to cycle the rod tonight.
Do you take this opportunity?
[] Yes. You will attempt to sabotage Jin Yazhu immediately. You will never have a better chance.
[] No. You will save your energy and head home, immediately leaving for A Second of Eternity. You're so close to finishing this charm you can taste it.
[] Write-In
Can we call out to him? Inform him that we know he's a sack of shit and we wont be stooping to his level? In a roundabout and polite phrasing of course.
[X] No. You will save your energy and head home, immediately leaving for A Second of Eternity. You're so close to finishing this charm you can taste it.
I'm a compulsively lightside player, though. I may abstain from this one.
Wait, we get a free rod cycle out of not doing this? That's even better than the moral high ground.
[X] No. You will save your energy and head home, immediately leaving for A Second of Eternity. You're so close to finishing this charm you can taste it.
[X] No. You will save your energy and head home, immediately leaving for A Second of Eternity. You're so close to finishing this charm you can taste it.
No. If he wasn't a crafter, I would, but he is. And nothing would rub his mediocrity into his face than overwhelming his skill without falling to his level. He will forever know that even with his foul play, he's still trash compared to us.
We'll best him without his methods, and then we'll call it out. And he'll seeth.
Hmm. Actually, @Vesvius, how badly can disciples hurt each other before the elders intervene? I'm assuming murder is off the table but if we decide to put this guy out of commission for a week or two, would we find a teacher come knocking at our door?
Hmm. Actually, @Vesvius, how badly can disciples hurt each other before the elders intervene? I'm assuming murder is off the table but if we decide to put this guy out of comission for a week or two, would we find a teacher come knocking at our door?
