Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
Adhoc vote count started by angelofwhim on Sep 7, 2020 at 12:40 PM, finished with 159 posts and 39 votes.


And its a win from behind!
 
Snake and Spider Part 4
This was a highly inefficient study method.

The task at hand would have been completed by now in proper workshop conditions, with full access to tools and reference documents. Yet, Bao Qingling had found that efficiency had found its place on her internal priorities list usurped in recent days.

Under specific circumstances only, naturally.

Said circumstance spoke. "Hm, what do you think? I had thought this design acceptable, but as we saw, the results were not as desired."

The movement of Bai Meizhen's hands caused a shift in the weight on Bao Qingling's lap, and sent a tingle up her spine. They hung together above the workshop, in a hammock of thick webbing. She was not yet wholly certain how she had been convinced of this. She might have suspected some hypnotic Bai art, however she had already thoroughly tested herself for external mental influences. It had been expensive.

This madness was internal.

Bai Meizhen glanced back at her, the dim glow of her eye's standing out from the blurred colors of the dim workshop and her own pale silhouette. Her weight was light on Bao Qingling's legs, and her gown was soft and smooth. The typical heat of contact between human bodies was muted. It seemed that Bai ran several degrees cooler than baseline.

Bao Qingling glanced at Bai Meizhen's hands, and the web of glimmering qi spread between them. In the physical realm, it was a shimmering sheet of pale pink toxin. This mixture was drawn from the Dreamspinner Spider, the Skull Lotus, and Bai Meizhen's internal venom reserve. The purpose of the venom was interrogation, disrupting a captured enemies senses and thoughts such that useful information extraction was possible.

The test subject spirit beasts had suffered severe aneurysms and spiritual hemorrhaging, then death.

"Well?" Bai Meizhen asked.

"It is not a matter of potency or dosage," Bao Qingling replied. For one irritating second, she hesitated before reaching over Bai Meizhen's shoulder to trace the shimmering web of qi that made up the effect in the liquid. "My measurements were correct."

"So it was my error?" Bai Meizhen asked archly. She shifted in her seating, and Bao Qingling had to make an effort for her breath not to hitch.

"Yes," she replied bluntly, jabbing a finger into a glowing crimson strand of toxicity. The pulse of qi sent ripples through the rest of the structure. "The intersection between the Skull Lotus' narcotic effect and the Dreamspinner's spiritual projection effect converged to damage the binding between the subjects spirit and flesh. Total identity degradation was inevitable."

"I had not considered that a point of failure," Bai Meizhen admitted. Bao Qingling held back a twitch as Bai Meizhen leaned back, resting against her chest.

"It isn't necessarily," Bao Qingling grunted, lowering her hand. She paused for a second, and instead of bringing it back to her side, she let her palm rest on Bai Meizhen's leg. "The effect is merely too quick."

Much like what had been happening over the course of the last few weeks.

Bao Qingling had been aware of her own proclivities. She had simply deemed them irrelevant. She was no backwater idiot or hand wringing conservative who imagined that same sex relations were a thing of story and myth. One had to live under a particularly large rock to do so under the court of Duchess Cai.

Which explained some of her kin certainly.

The issue was the girl in her lap. Bao Qingling had never prepared to actually act on her interests. Indeed, she had assumed that she would remove the troublesome things during the course of her cultivation. Bao Qingling regarded her eventual marital relations as a thing to be avoided at best, and tolerated at worst. Maintaining an additional relationship should have been an intolerable interference in her time.

At first, she had tried to convince herself that it was her… companions' status, that rejecting her advance would be dangerous.

However, such a lie could not hold.

For the first time since she had reached the third realm, Bao Qingling wondered what in the world she was doing.


***​



Not for the first time, Bai Meizhen wondered what in the world she was doing.

Somehow, the heat of Bao Qingling's hand on her thigh felt like a brand. Why were outsiders so very overheated!

She knew that her choices were deeply improper. While there was no shortage of stories in which extramarital affairs were alluded to or outright depicted, the fact remained that she was risking significant status, for both herself and her lo-paramour. She was no Cai Shenhua or Bai Guzhen, too mighty by far to be affected by a faux paus such as this.

She shifted again, trying to get comfortable. Bai Meizhen had no idea what had possessed her to make such an embarrassing suggestion. She could only blame the silly storybook scenarios that persisted in the back of her mind. As usual, reality fell short. Bao Qingling's legs were not the most comfortable seat. She had rather bony knees, it turned out.

Although, the softness on which she rested her head was pleasant. Bao Qingling hid a significant endowment beneath her shapeless smocks. Bai Meizhen felt heat rise in her cheeks as she wondered, briefly if she could convince her to wear something more fitting.

Only in private, naturally.

"Yes, the breakdown is far too swift," Bai Meizhen said, valiantly turning her thoughts back to the sheet of venom suspended between her hands. "Interrogation requires time. I am uncertain how to weaken the degrading effect without reducing the actual efficacy of the venom."

"I would suggest testing different ratios of Dreamspinner venom," Bao Qingling said gruffly. It was a consolation that Bao Qingling seemed uncertain as well. It would not do otherwise.

"Ah, it is partially a digestive, isn't it," Bai Meizhen mused. "I desired for their sense of self to be damaged, so that my venom could act as a medium for influence, but if the information sought is damaged as well, it's rather useless."

Bao Qingling gave a grunt of agreement. Bai Meizhen began to draw the water suspended between her fingers back into the container in her sleeve.

"...Why did you suggest this?" Bao Qingling said gruffly, and Bai Meizhen stiffened. "You didn't need my advice for something so simple."

Bai Meizhen was silent, and she felt her cheeks heating further, of course Bao Qingling would not be wholly fooled by such a charade.

"I had thought you would be more amenable if we were to do something productive," Bai Meizhen said softly.

To be able to touch someone for an extended length of time was the height of trust and intimacy. It was something shared only between parents and children and between lovers. She… Bai Meizhen could only remember a bare handful of such instances, after Mother had died.

The kindness of the old servant who had informed her of mothers death, allowing her to weep into his robe.

Aunt Suzhen's hand, ruffling her hair in pride after she had spoken to Cui for the first time.

Grandfather allowing her to hug him after her first kill.

In her heart, she had always wanted more.

"My apologies for the deception," Bai Meizhen said.

There was silence for a moment, and Bai Meizhen squeezed her eyes shut. She was always making mistakes. She began to get up.

She almost started as she felt Bao Qingling arms encircle her waist, halting her movement.

"It's fine, this is fine," Bao Qingling said gruffly. "I don't dislike this."

Bai Meizhen huffed, hiding her smile behind her sleeve. "Truly great praise."

She settled herself. Bony knees weren't really so terrible.
 
The movement of Bai Meizhen's hands caused a shift in the weight on Bao Qingling's lap, and sent a tingle up her spine. They hung together above the workshop, in a hammock of thick webbing. She was not yet wholly certain how she had been convinced of this. She might have suspected some hypnotic Bai art, however she had already thoroughly tested herself for external mental influences. It had been expensive.

This madness was internal.
It is slowly dawning on her.
At first, she had tried to convince herself that it was her… companions' status, that rejecting her advance would be dangerous.

However, such a lie could not hold.

For the first time since she had reached the third realm, Bao Qingling wondered what in the world she was doing.
dun dun duuun. You are in love, Lady. Live it and enjoy while you can!
Not for the first time, Bai Meizhen wondered what in the world she was doing.
So both have no idea what they are doing beyond internally knowing they want this. It`s the usual then.
 
THESE DOOOOOOOOORKS!

TOO ADORABLE.

I am ded.

But no seriously watching them try to work things out is really sweet.
 
God, these two are a disaster. I love it.

The kindness of the old servant who had informed her of mothers death, allowing her to weep into his robe.


In her heart, she had always wanted more.

Meizhen deserves all the hugs. Really happy things have been working out in her favor the past year, even if there was some hurt.

Aunt Suzhen's hand, ruffling her hair in pride after she had spoken to Cui for the first time.

Suzhen continues to be best aunt.
 
The movement of Bai Meizhen's hands caused a shift in the weight on Bao Qingling's lap, and sent a tingle up her spine. They hung together above the workshop, in a hammock of thick webbing. She was not yet wholly certain how she had been convinced of this. She might have suspected some hypnotic Bai art, however she had already thoroughly tested herself for external mental influences. It had been expensive.

I am absolutely here for awkward gay dorks and their nerdy cuddling sessions. I hope that Qi eventually gets a scene with the three of them so she can offer her congratulations and do some obligatory teasing.
 
On one hand, there would be so much murder going on if anyone was witness to this.

But on the other hand I would love to see Lan Lan's reaction to this concentration of hopelessly romatic doofs.

Bao Qingling is big tiddy goth gf.
Now that someone else broached the subject I won't feel so bad for making this crass comment: "World cold and dark, tiddy soft and warm"
 
Bao Qingling had been aware of her own proclivities. She had simply deemed them irrelevant. She was no backwater idiot or hand wringing conservative who imagined that same sex relations were a thing of story and myth. One had to live under a particularly large rock to do so under the court of Duchess Cai.
Shot's fired at the country bumpkin from a sneaky nerdy spider
Love it
Although, the softness on which she rested her head was pleasant. Bao Qingling hid a significant endowment beneath her shapeless smocks. Bai Meizhen felt heat rise in her cheeks as she wondered, briefly if she could convince her to wear something more fitting.

Only in private, naturally.
Hoho we gettin risque in here, that's a spicy hot snek take
The kindness of the old servant who had informed her of mothers death, allowing her to weep into his robe.

Aunt Suzhen's hand, ruffling her hair in pride after she had spoken to Cui for the first time.

Grandfather allowing her to hug him after her first kill.
:cry: We need more headpat's for the girl
And I wanna meet Grandpa even moar
 
It'll be fun to do some missions or sect work with Meizhen. It's been a bit since Ling Qi and Meizhen were on screen being social or working together towards a goal.
 
She was no backwater idiot or hand wringing conservative who imagined that same sex relations were a thing of story and myth.
Literally snorted reading that LQ shade.

These two continue to be so adorable though, glad they have each other. Looking forward to the rivers of poison in store for anyone that screws with their relationship.
 
I'm still salty we didn't get a Ling/Bai ship going. Was that voted for or did the QM decide the MCs orientation before hand?
 
I'm still salty we didn't get a Ling/Bai ship going. Was that voted for or did the QM decide the MCs orientation before hand?
Ling Qi was damaged enough from her past that even if Ling Qi was gay or bi, yrsillar probably wouldn't have allowed the thread to vote for a relationship with Meizhen, because it would have been a very toxic relationship that would certainly be no fun to write.
 
Considering Ling Qi's reaction to someone resting their head on another's shoulder, she's more likely to get a heart attack than tease anyone.

Absolutly true. Though I think she has it in her to be genuinely happy for her friend as well, plus she's shown that around friends she can be quite impish; part mortified, part pleased, and part smugly teasing is the likely outcome, I think.
 
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