It's a little late to hide anything. She already qualifies for a jade script, which means someone in record keeping had to sign off on giving her a noble title.
Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
- Original Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
It's a little late to hide anything. She already qualifies for a jade script, which means someone in record keeping had to sign off on giving her a noble title.
- Location
- Greece
Exactly. Despite what it wants you to think, the system is not omniscient. Su Ling seems civilized enough, as long as she doesn't just refuse every posting and getting a barony.
ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
This. At the current point, Su Ling is a contributing member of a Great Sect, and has social ties to Li Suyin, a respectable up-and-coming production student deep into the Sect System, the Ma sisters, who are both Imperial loyalists with ties to the greater mortal society, and Ling Qi, who is a retainer to a ducal heir. Su Ling is already part of the Imperial system, she just makes some pointless tsundere noises about not being so.
Her role in the coming underworld raids is likely to further cement her status.
- Location
- Earth
And it's not like the Empire would be against her killing a 4-th realm malevolent spirit.
As long as she makes sure there isn't collateral.
- Location
- ?
And she won' t because she carries about the little people
- Location
- Greece
Heck, if she is strong enough to kill a malevolent 4th realm spirit she may have the clout to get away with a certain amount of collateral too.
Of course, it depends on whether she is willing to do at least some politiking, and on other political factors (like the lockal viscount and/or Count clan's stances), but overall, being strong enough to kill an old 4th realm spirit automatically gives you a certain amount of clout to escape some consequences.
Of course, if there is collateral and it is her fault, she may become too depressed to actually defend herself from political enemies she may have made with her brusqueness, so I guess it evens out.
- Location
- ?
No update?
- Location
- United States of America
It'll come when it comes. But so far it hasn't dropped yet.
Ling Qingge is in her early 30s, wile at least some of the servants are 20 or a bit under. If there's lesser talents than her, they can't afford to wait. If there's talents of equal potential as she had... they can't afford to wait longer. My point is if screening the servants for talent and starting cultivation is something we want done, it's something Ling Qingge will have to do in Red, or with tutors we hire or something. Waiting years and years defeats the point of the exercise.
As a side note, Qingge seems like she had above average talent, but it was likely not at Ling Qi levels, what with her not being picked up by the MoI. It's not like they would care about the small time political mess Qingge was caught up in- they recruited Ji Rong after all.
Tunr 8: Arc 2-2
It was not a matter of figuring out what exercises her mother could physically handle, Ling Qi mused, but also in figuring out what they could do that Mother could repeat on her own and not end up getting discouraged. It made her look back on her time training under Elder Zhou with new eyes. How much thought had he given to their lessons she wondered. Although some had dropped out, quite a few even, she didn't think he was quite as callous toward that result as he had appeared. His lessons seem to have been carefully calibrated from the beginning to instill good habits in both health and cultivation. Then again, Elder Zhou's lessons were still the bedrock of her physical regime, even now.
Unfortunately she was not nearly as good a teacher as the Elder.
"Give yourself a little credit. She was able to follow along," Sixiang whispered. "She's made some progress too."
Ling Qi looked over out of the corner of her eye and held back a grimace. Mother was red faced, her breath coming hard as she recovered from the exertion of the last hour. Sixiang was right though. Ling Qi had found a lot of inefficiencies in her breathing and qi condensation routines. She was still losing a great deal of the qi she attempted to cultivate, but Ling Qi had a feeling that this was unavoidable, given the state of her mother's dantian.
"It gets easier as you go on," Ling Qi said encouragingly, reaching over to pat her Mother on the back. It was only a little awkward. "You did well though."
"Is that so?" Ling Qingge replied, her usual composure lost thanks to her heavy breathing. Sitting on the bench beside her, Ling Qingge's hair was in disarray and her forehead was marked by sweat, despite the cool fall weather. "I cannot see it."
"The exercises will strengthen your limbs but more importantly your heart and lungs. Even if you never broke through, maintaining them would leave you in better health," Ling Qi parroted from a lesson long past. "With cultivation it will do much more."
"Mm, maybe not the best use of the teacher talk," Sixiang muttered.
Ling Qi sighed internally, Sixiang was right. Ling Qi thought back to the miserty that had followed her lessons the first week she was here. Would she really have been able to push through that without the desperation driving her? "I know it doesn't feel like it now, but I promise you'll feel better if you keep at it. You've already made some progress, but if you just do a little more each day, I think you'll break through by the end of the year."
She wasn't lying having observed her mother's rate of progress and the improvements she had made through some better practices, she was sure Ling Qingge could do it. So she spoke with confidence, willing her Mother to take belief from her.
Ling Qingge's breathing was easing up, and the older woman soon straightened her shoulders. "I suppose I should work to be a good example," she said quietly.
"Do it for yourself too," Ling Qi replied, looking out over the pond. "Mother, I really can't put into words how even the most meagre cultivation improves your life."
"Very well," her Mother said with a huff of quiet laughter. "I will see how my schedule might be rearranged. But first, a bath I think."
Ling Qi wrinkled her nose and glanced at the patches of sweat on her Mothers exercising gown. That was another problem cultivation would take care of. "Fair enough. Why don't I go see Biyu while you do that."
"Please do," her Mother said, standing and grimacing. "She behaves much better at meals with family about."
Ling Qi laughed herself, resting a steadying hand on her Mother's shoulder. She could do that much.
To their credit, their household did their best, but Biyu was a very restless young girl. It was also probably at least a little bit Ling Qi's fault, she admitted to herself. Her domain even in it's dormant state kind of spread all around. It had been helpful for getting mother through her exercises, but it was also probably contributing to Biyu's energy.
"Listen to Nanny and eat your breakfast. Then you can go play," Ling Qi explained calmly crouching in the doorway Biyu had been making an escape for when she had entered.
"Already did," Biyu huffed unhappily, scuffing her foot against the floor. "Not hungry."
Ling Qi glanced up at the frustrated older woman standing by the table and the bowl of rice porridge still sitting mostly untouched on the table. "You didn't eat it all. You'll just complain about being hungry later if you don't finish now." Biyu's Nanny was doing a good job of concealing her frustration and tension, Ling Qi had a feeling that Biyu had woken up buzzing with energy.
"Sis-y doesn't eat," Biyu retorted.
"That's because Sis-y is magic," Ling Qi replied dryly, poking her little sister playfully. "Biyu has to eat and grow up before she can be magic too."
The little girl giggled and swatted her hand away. However, there was still a mutinous gleam in her eyes. So Ling Qi played her trump card.
"If you go back and eat, I'll stay and eat too," she was going to do the first part anyway, but she didn't need to say that.
Biyu's resistance crumbled. "Kay!" she said brightly, toddling back to the table.
She stood up and Biyu's Nanny bowed her head. "Thank you lady Ling. What should I get you from the kitchens?"
"Just some sliced fruit," Ling Qi replied. She didn't actually need it, she had eaten a good meal last week, but it was nice to eat just for the flavor. "And… thank you for your work. I know Biyu can be a handful."
The older woman bowed even lower. "Lady Ling's praise is unnecessary, but I am honored all the same." She was better at hiding her nerves than the younger girls. She seemed a little more trained in etiquette than they did too. Briefly, Ling Qi wondered what her story was. She supposed she could ask mother later, when she got the names.
For now, she glided over to the table and took a seat beside Biyu with a smile. Listening to the young girl babble happily about what she had been up to for the past few days. It was a little melancholic, she had to admit. Biyu was three years old and would be four this winter, and she was just… carefree and happy. Perhaps even more than Mother's recovering health, it reminded Ling Qi that she had accomplished something beside her own empowerment.
As Biyu described to her with childish awe a big fuzzy dog she had seen at the market the other day, Ling Qi let her senses expand a little. She sensed Biyu's Nanny, emerging from the kitchen with a plate of freshly cut apple slices, and the girl in the kitchen doing the dishes. She sensed her Mother upstairs in the bath, letting the hot water soak away the pain of sore muscles. She sensed the girl sweeping the front path and the girls now filtering out to care for the garden, and the ones upstairs, seeing to the cleaning.
Some were stressed or tired.some were bored and lost in thought. None of them were starving though, none of them were miserable or afraid. She couldn't take all the credit of course but, this was something that was only possible because of her growth and cultivation. It was only possible thanks to the path she had chosen to walk.
"Sis-y?" her attention snapped back fully to Biyu, and she reviewed the last thing her little sister had said.
"Some of the disciples do have dogs too. I've even seen one big enough for a grown up to ride. He was really fluffy too," Ling Qi explained with a smile. While Zhengui was infinitely better, she could understand the appeal.
Biyu's eyes were wide and she didn't even notice the smear of rice porridge on cheek where the spoon had missed. "I wanna see!"
"Maybe someday," Ling Qi hedged. She wasn't intending to bring her sister to a Luo gathering anytime soon. "Do you really like dogs Biyu?"
"Mmhmm," her little sister confirmed through a mouthful of porridge. "Puppies are nice!"
That wasn't exactly Ling Qi's experience with dogs, considering their prevalence as house guards, but Biyu obviously had a different experience. There was the seed of an idea there she supposed. The Luo bred dogs aside from their family line. Perhaps a puppy would make a nice present for a future birthday. She'd have to run it by her Mother first.
Absently, she accepted the plate of fruit slices from Biyu's Nanny and took a bite, enjoying the crisp flavor. She nodded a thanks to the woman, who returned it with a bow and retreated to the wall of the room, leaving Biyu to her.
On the matter of birthdays, Biyu's was coming up soon and while five wasn't an important birthday it still warranted a present. It was too soon for a puppy, but surely there was something…
Biyu is still very young and her preferences mostly unformed. Please vote on a present for Biyu's next birthday, this will inform the direction of her character in the future. At the moment, she likes physical activity and the outdoors as well as fuzzy animals. Presents will be simple item with at most minor formation effects, so there's no significant cost involved. This is a Write In vote. Please treat it responsibly. I reserve the right to veto something that is too silly or out of character.
[] Present?
Unfortunately she was not nearly as good a teacher as the Elder.
"Give yourself a little credit. She was able to follow along," Sixiang whispered. "She's made some progress too."
Ling Qi looked over out of the corner of her eye and held back a grimace. Mother was red faced, her breath coming hard as she recovered from the exertion of the last hour. Sixiang was right though. Ling Qi had found a lot of inefficiencies in her breathing and qi condensation routines. She was still losing a great deal of the qi she attempted to cultivate, but Ling Qi had a feeling that this was unavoidable, given the state of her mother's dantian.
"It gets easier as you go on," Ling Qi said encouragingly, reaching over to pat her Mother on the back. It was only a little awkward. "You did well though."
"Is that so?" Ling Qingge replied, her usual composure lost thanks to her heavy breathing. Sitting on the bench beside her, Ling Qingge's hair was in disarray and her forehead was marked by sweat, despite the cool fall weather. "I cannot see it."
"The exercises will strengthen your limbs but more importantly your heart and lungs. Even if you never broke through, maintaining them would leave you in better health," Ling Qi parroted from a lesson long past. "With cultivation it will do much more."
"Mm, maybe not the best use of the teacher talk," Sixiang muttered.
Ling Qi sighed internally, Sixiang was right. Ling Qi thought back to the miserty that had followed her lessons the first week she was here. Would she really have been able to push through that without the desperation driving her? "I know it doesn't feel like it now, but I promise you'll feel better if you keep at it. You've already made some progress, but if you just do a little more each day, I think you'll break through by the end of the year."
She wasn't lying having observed her mother's rate of progress and the improvements she had made through some better practices, she was sure Ling Qingge could do it. So she spoke with confidence, willing her Mother to take belief from her.
Ling Qingge's breathing was easing up, and the older woman soon straightened her shoulders. "I suppose I should work to be a good example," she said quietly.
"Do it for yourself too," Ling Qi replied, looking out over the pond. "Mother, I really can't put into words how even the most meagre cultivation improves your life."
"Very well," her Mother said with a huff of quiet laughter. "I will see how my schedule might be rearranged. But first, a bath I think."
Ling Qi wrinkled her nose and glanced at the patches of sweat on her Mothers exercising gown. That was another problem cultivation would take care of. "Fair enough. Why don't I go see Biyu while you do that."
"Please do," her Mother said, standing and grimacing. "She behaves much better at meals with family about."
Ling Qi laughed herself, resting a steadying hand on her Mother's shoulder. She could do that much.
***
To their credit, their household did their best, but Biyu was a very restless young girl. It was also probably at least a little bit Ling Qi's fault, she admitted to herself. Her domain even in it's dormant state kind of spread all around. It had been helpful for getting mother through her exercises, but it was also probably contributing to Biyu's energy.
"Listen to Nanny and eat your breakfast. Then you can go play," Ling Qi explained calmly crouching in the doorway Biyu had been making an escape for when she had entered.
"Already did," Biyu huffed unhappily, scuffing her foot against the floor. "Not hungry."
Ling Qi glanced up at the frustrated older woman standing by the table and the bowl of rice porridge still sitting mostly untouched on the table. "You didn't eat it all. You'll just complain about being hungry later if you don't finish now." Biyu's Nanny was doing a good job of concealing her frustration and tension, Ling Qi had a feeling that Biyu had woken up buzzing with energy.
"Sis-y doesn't eat," Biyu retorted.
"That's because Sis-y is magic," Ling Qi replied dryly, poking her little sister playfully. "Biyu has to eat and grow up before she can be magic too."
The little girl giggled and swatted her hand away. However, there was still a mutinous gleam in her eyes. So Ling Qi played her trump card.
"If you go back and eat, I'll stay and eat too," she was going to do the first part anyway, but she didn't need to say that.
Biyu's resistance crumbled. "Kay!" she said brightly, toddling back to the table.
She stood up and Biyu's Nanny bowed her head. "Thank you lady Ling. What should I get you from the kitchens?"
"Just some sliced fruit," Ling Qi replied. She didn't actually need it, she had eaten a good meal last week, but it was nice to eat just for the flavor. "And… thank you for your work. I know Biyu can be a handful."
The older woman bowed even lower. "Lady Ling's praise is unnecessary, but I am honored all the same." She was better at hiding her nerves than the younger girls. She seemed a little more trained in etiquette than they did too. Briefly, Ling Qi wondered what her story was. She supposed she could ask mother later, when she got the names.
For now, she glided over to the table and took a seat beside Biyu with a smile. Listening to the young girl babble happily about what she had been up to for the past few days. It was a little melancholic, she had to admit. Biyu was three years old and would be four this winter, and she was just… carefree and happy. Perhaps even more than Mother's recovering health, it reminded Ling Qi that she had accomplished something beside her own empowerment.
As Biyu described to her with childish awe a big fuzzy dog she had seen at the market the other day, Ling Qi let her senses expand a little. She sensed Biyu's Nanny, emerging from the kitchen with a plate of freshly cut apple slices, and the girl in the kitchen doing the dishes. She sensed her Mother upstairs in the bath, letting the hot water soak away the pain of sore muscles. She sensed the girl sweeping the front path and the girls now filtering out to care for the garden, and the ones upstairs, seeing to the cleaning.
Some were stressed or tired.some were bored and lost in thought. None of them were starving though, none of them were miserable or afraid. She couldn't take all the credit of course but, this was something that was only possible because of her growth and cultivation. It was only possible thanks to the path she had chosen to walk.
"Sis-y?" her attention snapped back fully to Biyu, and she reviewed the last thing her little sister had said.
"Some of the disciples do have dogs too. I've even seen one big enough for a grown up to ride. He was really fluffy too," Ling Qi explained with a smile. While Zhengui was infinitely better, she could understand the appeal.
Biyu's eyes were wide and she didn't even notice the smear of rice porridge on cheek where the spoon had missed. "I wanna see!"
"Maybe someday," Ling Qi hedged. She wasn't intending to bring her sister to a Luo gathering anytime soon. "Do you really like dogs Biyu?"
"Mmhmm," her little sister confirmed through a mouthful of porridge. "Puppies are nice!"
That wasn't exactly Ling Qi's experience with dogs, considering their prevalence as house guards, but Biyu obviously had a different experience. There was the seed of an idea there she supposed. The Luo bred dogs aside from their family line. Perhaps a puppy would make a nice present for a future birthday. She'd have to run it by her Mother first.
Absently, she accepted the plate of fruit slices from Biyu's Nanny and took a bite, enjoying the crisp flavor. She nodded a thanks to the woman, who returned it with a bow and retreated to the wall of the room, leaving Biyu to her.
On the matter of birthdays, Biyu's was coming up soon and while five wasn't an important birthday it still warranted a present. It was too soon for a puppy, but surely there was something…
Biyu is still very young and her preferences mostly unformed. Please vote on a present for Biyu's next birthday, this will inform the direction of her character in the future. At the moment, she likes physical activity and the outdoors as well as fuzzy animals. Presents will be simple item with at most minor formation effects, so there's no significant cost involved. This is a Write In vote. Please treat it responsibly. I reserve the right to veto something that is too silly or out of character.
[] Present?
Last edited:
- Location
- The Space Between
What I'm hearing is that we need to spend some of our AP with family pushing Mom on cultivation til she's red, and then assisting her in talent scouting, and then cultivating that talent. Might end up being a 2 AP action every month towards the end. duno how much that eats our free AP in the turns beyond the next two
Khona Moshr
Pink Flamingo Cabal Healer(they/them)
- Location
- Alabama
- Pronouns
- They/Them
we should get Biyu something like a Kite since its outdoorsy and she likes the outdoors.
boo, its never too soon for puppies
boo, its never too soon for puppies
Mom is red. She does not got gold yet.
- Location
- France
Why not some puzzles? Or simple music instruments?
- Location
- New Brunswick, NJ
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Oh man. Gifts for a five year old who likes exercise, the outdoors, and fuzzy animals, with the caveat that this is a deathworld and she cannot do any sort of independent nature hikes or the like until she becomes a cultivator. I was considering play clothes, but she'll outgrow that real soon. A plushie would be cute, but doesn't contribute to her love of the outdoors.
But also, this is our opportunity to not just validate her current preferences, but influence the way her interests will develop. So what do we want our little sister to be? We could give her an instrument, so that she can learn music like Mom and Big Sis. Or we could give her something intellectually stimulating and let her grow up to be a nerd for Xin to spoil rotten when Biyu reaches the sect.
...maybe an animal-themed backpack, so she can take after Big Sis in terms of grabbing everything that isn't nailed down?
But also, this is our opportunity to not just validate her current preferences, but influence the way her interests will develop. So what do we want our little sister to be? We could give her an instrument, so that she can learn music like Mom and Big Sis. Or we could give her something intellectually stimulating and let her grow up to be a nerd for Xin to spoil rotten when Biyu reaches the sect.
...maybe an animal-themed backpack, so she can take after Big Sis in terms of grabbing everything that isn't nailed down?
Or we get Biyu a puppy. Maybe the nice, gentle, cute pup of a 5th Realm Tiger-Wolf
If Qingge has to chase around an energetic 5-year old and her puppy around all day, then that counts as exercise, right?
Khona Moshr
Pink Flamingo Cabal Healer(they/them)
- Location
- Alabama
- Pronouns
- They/Them
main reason I can see is puzzles and maybe even instruments outside of stuff like durms is that they will probably bore her since she prefers physical play to mental play at this point since she's only 5
- Location
- Leeds
We need to teach Biyu the family gift of music.
What do you call one of these?
What do you call one of these?
- Location
- Finland
And a crowbar so she can grab the nails as well.Oh man. Gifts for a five year old who likes exercise, the outdoors, and fuzzy animals, with the caveat that this is a deathworld and she cannot do any sort of independent nature hikes or the like until she becomes a cultivator. I was considering play clothes, but she'll outgrow that real soon. A plushie would be cute, but doesn't contribute to her love of the outdoors.
But also, this is our opportunity to not just validate her current preferences, but influence the way her interests will develop. So what do we want our little sister to be? We could give her an instrument, so that she can learn music like Mom and Big Sis. Or we could give her something intellectually stimulating and let her grow up to be a nerd for Xin to spoil rotten when Biyu reaches the sect.
...maybe an animal-themed backpack, so she can take after Big Sis in terms of grabbing everything that isn't nailed down?
We already discarded the intellectual route way back when we picked going outside to play in that brook rather then start learning stuff.
She is five. She can be interested in both books and the outdoors.