Turn 7: Arc 2-1 Shoring Up
There were no caskets at the funeral service. Some families had requested the remains sent back to their estates, but those who remained in the Sect's care had been given the usual treatment. Their bodies had been destroyed. The foul things that could be done with a cultivator's corpse were more than enough reason for tradition to reign. For those who could see the spirit, there were no illusions about the value of an empty shell to fallen.
Instead deep in a misty valley of pacified spirits, between the Inner Sect mountains, there was a series of great monoliths of white jade, on which names were carved, each name glittering a color of the rainbow. Elder Guan Zhou's name blazed violet, dark and brooding, but his was not the only name carved during the ceremony. Seventeen names in pale and faded Green marked the monolith, fifty eight in ephemeral yellow, and one hundred and sixty four names in dull and somber red. Ling Qi had not heard anyone count the mortal casualties.
Ling Qi still felt a little awful for the flood of relief that had filled her thoughts when she had seen that there were no names which she recognized on the list of the fallen. Standing here, with the bulk of the Inner Sect gathered, all who could be spared from their duties. The ceremony had blurred in her thoughts. Incense burning, Elders and Core Sect members speaking of the fallen, the sky weeping a fine rain stained with far too much emotive qi to be natural.
However, the end of the ceremony remained clear in her mind.
"My disciples, though this is a time of mourning, it must, by needs also be a time of preparation," Sect Head Yuan stood over them, upon the raised platform of marble and jade which the monolith rested upon. His voice echoed with the thunder of a distant storm, tinged with righteous fury.
...And yet, Ling Qi could not help but notice the differences, between now and when she had last seen him. Sect Head Yuan's white hair seemed thinner and wispier now, his shoulders a little less broad, the lines of his face a little deeper.
"The time for competition and games among yourselves is over," the elder cultivator's voice still cracked through the air like a whip despite that though. "As of today, the challenge system is suspended. Sect services will continue, but your rank will be determined by your contributions to the Sect. There is no need for such proxy conflicts at this time."
It said something about the Sect Head's presence that there was not even a murmur of discontent among the five hundred disciples. Ling Qi glanced ahead looking at the back of her Liege's head. What that meant for them and the Duchess' challenge… She could not imagine that Cai Shenhua would let a little thing like a border war alter the parameters.
"You have time as the Sect prepares and plans for the days ahead disciples. I suggest you use them well. Those of you who were injured, take the time to recover and reflect on your battles. Those of you who were not, gird yourselves for such trials. We must all be ready for the days to come."
"The Sect will not allow this insult to stand."
"Are you sure you want to be doing this now," Yu Nuan said, glancing over at her warily.
"Would you prefer that I forget for a month again?" Ling Qi asked tiredly, as they walked the steep mountain path, ascending toward the peak and the clouds.
"No, just…" the girl began awkwardly before shaking her head, her piercings jingling in the wind. "Y,know, fine. Not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. Not like I can afford to stay without a spirit the way things are."
Ling Qi hummed in agreement. She understood what the girl was getting at. However, Zhengui was still in a restorative sleep. The way he had forcibly broken through to the next stage and forced the evolution of his techniques all at once had exhausted him, her poor little brother had not stayed conscious for much longer than her. The sheer quantity of diseased ichor that had stained him didn't help matters, weakening his regeneration a great deal. The Sect's physicians had assured her he would wake within two days however.
She had already visited her family, hugged her trembling mother and oblivious little sister. It was a bit ironic, no physical danger had come near them, the soldiers assigned to her home had come at her Mother's call to kill the thing that had tried to crawl out of the basement, but with things remaining safe otherwise, Biyu's distress seemed wholly born from sensing their Mother's. Mother on the other hand… being awakened, she had been able to sense just enough to know that something was terribly wrong. Ling Qi would return in the evening, once the chaos in town had subsided and hear their story in full.
Suyin was busy, dragged off to collaborate with several remarkably high realm disciples, including a member of the core, Gu Xiulan was with her sister still, the battle and her extensive use of qi having agitated her injury. Meizhen was dealing with inquiries from her clan, and her liege was corresponding with the capital. The mountain was a hive of activity.
It didn't help that her wound still throbbed even now, even with Gu Yanmei's intervention, a great deal of flesh had been ruined, and the physicians had to cut it away and induce the growth of new flesh to replace it. Her throat had been saved by the sheer concentration of qi which moved through it, thanks to her specialties. Yanmei's healing did have a downside however, the raw solar qi poured into her veins as misaligned her cold and dark meridians, leaving those techniques difficult to use for a time. It would pass in a few days, but it still left her feeling itchy and intemperate.
Ling Qi noticed that her thoughts were wandering off again and they had been walking for several minutes in silence. "You know, I didn't ask, but what is the plan. You said we needed to go up the mountain, but what are we looking for? I thought you were looking for something by the waterfalls."
"I was, but if you're helping…. I might as well get ambitious," Yu Nuan replied, giving her a curious look. Ling Qi noticed then that she had slipped back into more common modes of speech. She really was tired. "I want to bind a Thunder Beast," the other girl said with finality.
"Oh? The thing's that'll nest in your navel if you sleep outside too often?" Ling Qi asked, amused.
"That's just a dumb story," Yu Nuan huffed. "They're powerful, aligned with wind and thunder, can even grow to cyan now and then. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not much of a fighter. I need something that can keep enemies back while I play. It's not like I'm gonna find a qilin or a dragon so a Thunder Beast is my best bet."
"What were you looking for before then?" Ling Qi asked curiously.
"Was trying to attract fairies, wind and sun types," Yu nuan admitted as they reached the top of the path. "Thought I had time to experiment, find something compatible. Your little… Hanyi bumbled right through and broke the attraction formation I'd bought."
Ling Qi grimaced, dipping her head in apology. "Alright, Thunder Beasts then. Do you have a plan?" She asked, eyeing the storm darkened clouds a few hundred meters above.
"I composed a little something yeah," Yu Nuan replied, shading her eyes as she peered up at the roiling storm clouds. "Figured I would find the highest solid perch I could, and then you could fly around uh…" she paused a moment looking unsure.
"You want me to play sheepdog?" Ling Qi asked, amused.
"...That's about right," Yu Nuan replied, chagrined.
Ling Qi hummed, she wished the girl would stop being so leery of her, but…. It was to be expected she supposed. On the other hand was there a better way? 'What do you think Sixiang?'
To her chagrin, silence was her answer. She felt her shoulders droop a little, Sixiang hadn't spoken since she woke up. She could still feel her muse, they were healthy and hale, just…. Turned inward. Ling Qi shook her head. Sixiang would speak when they were done cultivating, she was sure.
Still, she glanced between Yu Nuan and the Clouds. Herding spirits was all well and good, but wouldn't they respect someone who met them in their own element more? Either way, she would get some practice with the arts she had been working on before…. everything.
[] Follow Yu Nuan's plan, circle through the clouds herding Thunder beasts toward her performance. (Guaranteed Normal Success)
[] Suggest your own plan, carrying Yu Nuan up into the Clouds so that she could face her potential spirit in their own realm. (Success not guaranteed, potential Greater Success?)
AN: Doing something a little experimental, separating out the training mechanics stuff and trying to weave it into the arcs. Enjoy!
Instead deep in a misty valley of pacified spirits, between the Inner Sect mountains, there was a series of great monoliths of white jade, on which names were carved, each name glittering a color of the rainbow. Elder Guan Zhou's name blazed violet, dark and brooding, but his was not the only name carved during the ceremony. Seventeen names in pale and faded Green marked the monolith, fifty eight in ephemeral yellow, and one hundred and sixty four names in dull and somber red. Ling Qi had not heard anyone count the mortal casualties.
Ling Qi still felt a little awful for the flood of relief that had filled her thoughts when she had seen that there were no names which she recognized on the list of the fallen. Standing here, with the bulk of the Inner Sect gathered, all who could be spared from their duties. The ceremony had blurred in her thoughts. Incense burning, Elders and Core Sect members speaking of the fallen, the sky weeping a fine rain stained with far too much emotive qi to be natural.
However, the end of the ceremony remained clear in her mind.
"My disciples, though this is a time of mourning, it must, by needs also be a time of preparation," Sect Head Yuan stood over them, upon the raised platform of marble and jade which the monolith rested upon. His voice echoed with the thunder of a distant storm, tinged with righteous fury.
...And yet, Ling Qi could not help but notice the differences, between now and when she had last seen him. Sect Head Yuan's white hair seemed thinner and wispier now, his shoulders a little less broad, the lines of his face a little deeper.
"The time for competition and games among yourselves is over," the elder cultivator's voice still cracked through the air like a whip despite that though. "As of today, the challenge system is suspended. Sect services will continue, but your rank will be determined by your contributions to the Sect. There is no need for such proxy conflicts at this time."
It said something about the Sect Head's presence that there was not even a murmur of discontent among the five hundred disciples. Ling Qi glanced ahead looking at the back of her Liege's head. What that meant for them and the Duchess' challenge… She could not imagine that Cai Shenhua would let a little thing like a border war alter the parameters.
"You have time as the Sect prepares and plans for the days ahead disciples. I suggest you use them well. Those of you who were injured, take the time to recover and reflect on your battles. Those of you who were not, gird yourselves for such trials. We must all be ready for the days to come."
"The Sect will not allow this insult to stand."
***
"Are you sure you want to be doing this now," Yu Nuan said, glancing over at her warily.
"Would you prefer that I forget for a month again?" Ling Qi asked tiredly, as they walked the steep mountain path, ascending toward the peak and the clouds.
"No, just…" the girl began awkwardly before shaking her head, her piercings jingling in the wind. "Y,know, fine. Not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. Not like I can afford to stay without a spirit the way things are."
Ling Qi hummed in agreement. She understood what the girl was getting at. However, Zhengui was still in a restorative sleep. The way he had forcibly broken through to the next stage and forced the evolution of his techniques all at once had exhausted him, her poor little brother had not stayed conscious for much longer than her. The sheer quantity of diseased ichor that had stained him didn't help matters, weakening his regeneration a great deal. The Sect's physicians had assured her he would wake within two days however.
She had already visited her family, hugged her trembling mother and oblivious little sister. It was a bit ironic, no physical danger had come near them, the soldiers assigned to her home had come at her Mother's call to kill the thing that had tried to crawl out of the basement, but with things remaining safe otherwise, Biyu's distress seemed wholly born from sensing their Mother's. Mother on the other hand… being awakened, she had been able to sense just enough to know that something was terribly wrong. Ling Qi would return in the evening, once the chaos in town had subsided and hear their story in full.
Suyin was busy, dragged off to collaborate with several remarkably high realm disciples, including a member of the core, Gu Xiulan was with her sister still, the battle and her extensive use of qi having agitated her injury. Meizhen was dealing with inquiries from her clan, and her liege was corresponding with the capital. The mountain was a hive of activity.
It didn't help that her wound still throbbed even now, even with Gu Yanmei's intervention, a great deal of flesh had been ruined, and the physicians had to cut it away and induce the growth of new flesh to replace it. Her throat had been saved by the sheer concentration of qi which moved through it, thanks to her specialties. Yanmei's healing did have a downside however, the raw solar qi poured into her veins as misaligned her cold and dark meridians, leaving those techniques difficult to use for a time. It would pass in a few days, but it still left her feeling itchy and intemperate.
Ling Qi noticed that her thoughts were wandering off again and they had been walking for several minutes in silence. "You know, I didn't ask, but what is the plan. You said we needed to go up the mountain, but what are we looking for? I thought you were looking for something by the waterfalls."
"I was, but if you're helping…. I might as well get ambitious," Yu Nuan replied, giving her a curious look. Ling Qi noticed then that she had slipped back into more common modes of speech. She really was tired. "I want to bind a Thunder Beast," the other girl said with finality.
"Oh? The thing's that'll nest in your navel if you sleep outside too often?" Ling Qi asked, amused.
"That's just a dumb story," Yu Nuan huffed. "They're powerful, aligned with wind and thunder, can even grow to cyan now and then. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not much of a fighter. I need something that can keep enemies back while I play. It's not like I'm gonna find a qilin or a dragon so a Thunder Beast is my best bet."
"What were you looking for before then?" Ling Qi asked curiously.
"Was trying to attract fairies, wind and sun types," Yu nuan admitted as they reached the top of the path. "Thought I had time to experiment, find something compatible. Your little… Hanyi bumbled right through and broke the attraction formation I'd bought."
Ling Qi grimaced, dipping her head in apology. "Alright, Thunder Beasts then. Do you have a plan?" She asked, eyeing the storm darkened clouds a few hundred meters above.
"I composed a little something yeah," Yu Nuan replied, shading her eyes as she peered up at the roiling storm clouds. "Figured I would find the highest solid perch I could, and then you could fly around uh…" she paused a moment looking unsure.
"You want me to play sheepdog?" Ling Qi asked, amused.
"...That's about right," Yu Nuan replied, chagrined.
Ling Qi hummed, she wished the girl would stop being so leery of her, but…. It was to be expected she supposed. On the other hand was there a better way? 'What do you think Sixiang?'
To her chagrin, silence was her answer. She felt her shoulders droop a little, Sixiang hadn't spoken since she woke up. She could still feel her muse, they were healthy and hale, just…. Turned inward. Ling Qi shook her head. Sixiang would speak when they were done cultivating, she was sure.
Still, she glanced between Yu Nuan and the Clouds. Herding spirits was all well and good, but wouldn't they respect someone who met them in their own element more? Either way, she would get some practice with the arts she had been working on before…. everything.
[] Follow Yu Nuan's plan, circle through the clouds herding Thunder beasts toward her performance. (Guaranteed Normal Success)
[] Suggest your own plan, carrying Yu Nuan up into the Clouds so that she could face her potential spirit in their own realm. (Success not guaranteed, potential Greater Success?)
AN: Doing something a little experimental, separating out the training mechanics stuff and trying to weave it into the arcs. Enjoy!
