regarding the entire 'how useful can lower tier cultivators be against higher tiers':
Yrsillar11/29/2018
Yuan He had to pull off some serious shenanigans to isolate ogodei and weaken him enough to make it possible though
Yrsillar11/29/2018
and most of his companions still died
Yrsillar11/29/2018
Elder heng is one of the other survivors 😛
Yrsillar11/29/2018
he was only violet when he killed ogodei
Yrsillar11/29/2018
proving argent sect of 'lets all gang up and hit him really hard...together' can work
But Biyu's life is vastly different to how LQ's was. LQ grew up in a brothel afraid of her possible future, and then on the streets scrabbling for survival.
Biyu is growing up as an incredibly excitable girl in a new cultivator household with servants, a loving and supportive family, and never having to worry about where the next meal is coming from. She's going to be a very different person from LQ, and the things that drew LQ towards certain arts and methods just aren't going to be present in her.
Keep in mind that at that low levels like Red those meridians and arts represent broader themes in regard to their user. And there's something to be said about the nature vs. nurture argument being vastly different here. Ling Qi sees greediness in her darkness meridians, want. And one of the few POV pieces of her mother, she refers to herself as an incredibly greedy woman.
To some extent, she absolutely is going to key off Ling Qi's teachings and the environment she's raised in. There's no reason a girl who's lived a comfortable and happy life can't be possessive or greedy. Why she feels and wants those things could be completely different, and any insight or interpretation might differ from ours, but the fundamental base is likely to be somewhat similar. You are arguing against a pretty major conceit of the setting from a position tenuous to begin with.
Like do you think the Diviner's descendants lived remotely similar lives to him? Do you think that stopped them from inheriting, spreading, and refining his arts? I
Or it could simply be a Want to preserve what she has, or to see Renxiang's ideal she's bought into to fruition. Both Hanyi and Icemom were spirits of or at least heavily associated with stasis and they definitely have some Darkness qi in their techniques.
Something that I don't think was raised, if the Leigong called the Thunder Beasts his herd dogs, what were they actually herding? Clouds? I don't think we saw any other being there except the Thunder Beasts and Leigong himself.
Something that I don't think was raised, if the Leigong called the Thunder Beasts his herd dogs, what were they actually herding? Clouds? I don't think we saw any other being there except the Thunder Beasts and Leigong himself.
With her hands occupied, ling Qi instead channeled the mercurial qi of the moon as she dove in among the masses of little spirits of wind, water and thunder that the beasts circled.
[X] Reunions(Ling Qingge & Biyu, Su Ling, Xiao Fen)
Another really beautifully written update @yrsillar. Your skill just grows and grows and it really is notable the improvements from when you started in Forge of Destiny to now. The portrayal of Yu Nuan was particularly well done - showing us the effect of her way (rebelling against authority) rather than telling us.
How ungrateful Yu Nuan was to Ling Qi at the end - Ling Qi was going to take the adverse consequences from the insult felt by the Leigong, Yu Nuan got a high powered Spirit who willingly bonded with her, AND got an invitation to a spirit court and all that Yu Nuan could offer was sass and a minimal sense of obligation - is a beautifully subtle demonstration of way affecting actions. Sadly for Yu Nuan she is not going to have a pleasant time of things in the future if this is a foretaste of her future behaviour.
Something that I don't think was raised, if the Leigong called the Thunder Beasts his herd dogs, what were they actually herding? Clouds? I don't think we saw any other being there except the Thunder Beasts and Leigong himself.
So, with the revelation that there is at least a Thunder Palace in the area, I have to wonder if there are other Palaces or Courts for other types of spirits or biomes. Something like a Palace of Earth, or the Forest Palace, Or the Palace of Rivers. Depending on how much time we can spare for finding and interacting with spirits and hidden powers of the world, it might be really interesting to locate these places and courts and interact with them.
I mean, we already know of the Moon Revel location for moon spirits, and now we know there is a Thunder Palace somewhere, and so we have at least a start on finding these special loci of power. If we go to the Thunder Palace, we may even be able to ask around and get a head start on finding the other courts based on the information we gather from the Thunder Palace.
So, with the revelation that there is at least a Thunder Palace in the area, I have to wonder if there are other Palaces or Courts for other types of spirits or biomes. Something like a Palace of Earth, or the Forest Palace, Or the Palace of Rivers. Depending on how much time we can spare for finding and interacting with spirits and hidden powers of the world, it might be really interesting to locate these places and courts and interact with them.
I mean, we already know of the Moon Revel location for moon spirits, and now we know there is a Thunder Palace somewhere, and so we have at least a start on finding these special loci of power. If we go to the Thunder Palace, we may even be able to ask around and get a head start on finding the other courts based on the information we gather from the Thunder Palace.
It might be that everywhere has a palace, or more accurately, the palace for any given element/concept is everywhere, but only accessible for the invited, and those powerful enough to force/sneak their way inside.
It might be that everywhere has a palace, or more accurately, the palace for any given element/concept is everywhere, but only accessible for the invited, and those powerful enough to force/sneak their way inside.
I'm guessing that there are multiple Thunder Palaces and the one around the Argent Sect is certainly not going to be the same or have the same court as the one around the Heavenly Peaks. But I don't think that those palaces are accessible anywhere one is as long as one has an invitation or other means of egress. It wouldn't make sense, for instance, to be able to access the Palace for the Earth element when one is floating above the clouds.
Darkness Palace sounds like a bad idea imo, considering Zeqing was struggling with herself to not just snatch us up, those traits then emphasised in similar spirits... it doesn't feel like the kinda place you can leave so easily. We are the adopter of little siblings, not the adoptee.
Let's see if we can find Xin's holiday home or something instead, I get the feeling it would be similar but marginally safer. Marginally.
I'm guessing that there are multiple Thunder Palaces and the one around the Argent Sect is certainly not going to be the same or have the same court as the one around the Heavenly Peaks. But I don't think that those palaces are accessible anywhere one is as long as one has an invitation or other means of egress. It wouldn't make sense, for instance, to be able to access the Palace for the Earth element when one is floating above the clouds.
Well, i did not mean literally everywhere, but everwhere the element or concept is appropriate.
And it would not be the same palace, in the same way that a spirit might be an aspec of a greater spirit.
Like there is the Moon, and the aspects of the moon, who themselves can have lesser spirits as smaller versions of themselves.
Like Xin is not The Great Spirit, but a part/facet/aspect/mask of one. Or maybe i've misunderstood/forgottne how the great spirits worked.
Every place with thunder spirits will have a court of thunder, that is a reflection/aspect/variant of a greater court of thunder, up the chain until you reach The Court of Thunder.
I'm not sure I understand. I was under the impression that the Xiulan interlude was patron only and was already out. Was I wrong about one of those two things?
[X] Reunions(Ling Qingge & Biyu, Su Ling, Xiao Fen)
Another really beautifully written update @yrsillar. Your skill just grows and grows and it really is notable the improvements from when you started in Forge of Destiny to now. The portrayal of Yu Nuan was particularly well done - showing us the effect of her way (rebelling against authority) rather than telling us.
How ungrateful Yu Nuan was to Ling Qi at the end - Ling Qi was going to take the adverse consequences from the insult felt by the Leigong, Yu Nuan got a high powered Spirit who willingly bonded with her, AND got an invitation to a spirit court and all that Yu Nuan could offer was sass and a minimal sense of obligation - is a beautifully subtle demonstration of way affecting actions. Sadly for Yu Nuan she is not going to have a pleasant time of things in the future if this is a foretaste of her future behaviour.
Hmmm, I read it more that Yu Nuan is utterly stunned in such a way that it blows away all other emotions. The only thing she can do is express how surprised she is.
I'm not sure I understand. I was under the impression that the Xiulan interlude was patron only and was already out. Was I wrong about one of those two things?
She began to withdraw only to stop dead as the spirit threw out his empty hand. "Nay, children, I will not end your quest in failure. The drums of war beat in mountain and glen, in the sky and below the earth. Thou desirest a hound, and so thou wilt have one, little storm singer, in the hope that you mightest live and play in happier days."
First Roll - 97, cascade triggered
Second Roll...98
The figure hesitated for a moment, before speaking again "Thine music truly did speak to the truest nature of my realm, no base and simple hound for you I think. He gestured, and as he did so a bank of cloud unfurled and from between the forming Torii bounded a Thunder Beast, larger than any they had yet seen, and clad in a golden shawl decorated with ornate patterns of cloud.
Second Roll - 98, cascade triggered
Third Roll...95
"Hold."
The voice was not loud, but cut through the stormy clamour like a knife through silk.
From above descended Sect Head Yuan, sleeves billowing slightly. He was not resplendent, instead he wore quiet dignity as a robe concealing the great power beneath.
"You dared. And for what is coming we shall have a dear need of those who show such daring. Especially when they throw aside empty competition and work for strength that they know will be needed for the trials ahead. There is a young heavenly dragon nearby, that I know desires to stretch beyond the narrow confines of this mountain. I shall communicate that a suitable partner awaits him, you shall-"
Third Roll - 95, cascade triggered
Fourth Roll...96
"HOLD"
From far father above a great claw parted the clouds like a mountain piercing a doorway. A look of dissapointment and confusion grew on Sect Head Yuan's face.
"But...my partner...you cannot mean that you will? For this child?"
"MINE OLDEST FRIEND. I AM DEARLY SORRY, BUT I CANNOT DO OTHERWISE. HER RIFFS ARE TOO SICK AND I CANNOT RESIST THEM."
As this scene played out in front of them Ling Qi and Yu Nuan had dedicated all of their efforts to ensuring that their internal screaming did not escape their throats and clinging to each other with terror.
First Roll - 96, cascade triggered
Fifth Roll...100
The clouds were not parted, they simply vanished from the sky in an instant revealing a great train of carriages and riders in the sky. At their forefront a man in resplendent white armour strode forth. When he spoke his words flowed forth like thick honeyed wine from a crystal goblet.
"I am come from the Imperial palace..."
From where she was carrying Yu Nuan, Ling Qi stopped listening and resolved to simply hide in her Mother's estate at the first opportunity. For several years, until she stopped panicking. Always moving forwards was good and all, but her Way wouldn't mind if she took a short break from the absurdity reality had become, surely?
From far father above a great claw parted the clouds like a mountain piercing a doorway. A look of dissapointment and confusion grew on Sect Head Yuan's face.
"But...my partner...you cannot mean that you will? For this child?"
"MINE OLDEST FRIEND. I AM DEARLY SORRY, BUT I CANNOT DO OTHERWISE. HER RIFFS ARE TOO SICK AND I CANNOT RESIST THEM."
As this scene played out in front of them Ling Qi and Yu Nuan had dedicated all of their efforts to ensuring that their internal screaming did not escape their throats and clinging to each other with terror.
I apologize for ruining the joke, but getting something above green would be unbindable, and probably more trouble that it was worth. Not really good luck, all said.
