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

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yrsillar said:
There was a rasping sound, like a jagged edge being dragged over rock, and so bitter it was that she tasted the salt of tears in her mouth. It took her too long to realize that it had been laughter.
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Love the imagery being brought to life here.

yrsillar said:
"Xuan Shi, that thing is a nightmare spirit," Ling Qi hissed.

He blinked at her. "This one knows that."
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Well, Xuan Shi is a lot wiser than we expected. Especially with the sword challenging his thoughts like so. Kudos to him for standing his ground and being firm in his convictions

[] Don't let the nightmare bait you into conversation. Shush both Sixiang and Kongyou, and refuse to engage. Xuan Shi needs to focus on his conversation.

This is a big moment. Maybe even Advanced Insight big for Xuan Shi. At this point we should shut up and let him talk.
 
I wonder if ducal scions, products of epoch old families whom dealt with some really gnarly stuff on the reg, are more blase about shit like woogy spirits like nightmare ones. Though even Meizhen was like wtf you went to a dream moon rave you gonna die idiot friend.
 
[] Interrogate the spirit. Quietly so as not to interrupt Xuan Shi's conversation. Kongyou is obviously up to no good, you need to figure out what they're up to.


We might have time to talk to Xuan Shi later, but we might not have time slash opportunity to talk to Kongyou while it is separated from Xuan Shi and alone.

Right now, we can talk to just Kongyou, without it being able to manipulate Xuan Shi as a go-between.

So, I want to take its measure, now that we have an opportunity.

... Plus. It is saying that it's going to be "talking quietly so as not to interrupt." So it should be fine, right. And if Kongyou does interrupt by being louder, well, that'd be way too blatant an act for it, no?
 
yrsillar said:
"The Sect is in peril, if He's attention has wandered so much."
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So the protection around this grave is maintained by Sect Head Yuan He? Probably done in memory of the person himself, as well as the good memories generated by his works -- that romance site Ling Qi and Xuan Shi explored was implied to have been used by the Sect Head and his wife in pre-Odogei days.

I wonder what will happen when Yuan He is dead? No one else remembers Elder Lang in life, I think. Will the site become defunct, as Xuan Shi does his thing and the sword spirit dies completely? The Moon guided Ling Qi here, and the Guiding Moon had some interest in Xuan Shi, judging by the quest provided back in Forge.

yrsillar said:
"Stories are stories," grunted the sword. "He was wrong. You are a fool. You cannot change your nature once your path has begun."
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For humans, maybe, and for spirits also to an extant. Even if she died in doing so, Zeqing still managed to completely invert her nature by birthing Hanyi as her own person; Sixiang even managed a lesser thing when they became an solid cocoon around Ling Qi instead of an amorphous lake. As the Dreaming Moon said, even if things die, ideas and dreams can always be reborn.

(That is to say, Xuan Shi nascent sword-descended spirit get?)
 
FusRoDah said:
Love the imagery being brought to life here.



Well, Xuan Shi is a lot wiser than we expected. Especially with the sword challenging his thoughts like so. Kudos to him for standing his ground and being firm in his convictions

[] Don't let the nightmare bait you into conversation. Shush both Sixiang and Kongyou, and refuse to engage. Xuan Shi needs to focus on his conversation.

This is a big moment. Maybe even Advanced Insight big for Xuan Shi. At this point we should shut up and let him talk.
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Agreed! I don't think we should let LQ's and Six's prejudice against other types of dream spirits interrupt our boy.

JohnnieBoy123 said:
Its a reference to Yuan He
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Ah, of course, I should've caught that.
 
We are happy to wander and talk to a cyan spirit of endings when yellow, i think we can trust Xuan Shi to talk to a green nightmare spirit, that he also already knew is a nightmare spirit, when he is at green.
I think trying to interrogate Kongyou away from Xuan Shi is disrespectful to Xuan Shi.
Also potentially distracting, and i don't care if it somehow gets blamed on Kongyou, this is not an opportunity that comes often, let Xuan Shi have his talk in peace.
 
Orkus Majorkus said:
I wonder if ducal scions, products of epoch old families whom dealt with some really gnarly stuff on the reg, are more blase about shit like woogy spirits like nightmare ones. Though even Meizhen was like wtf you went to a dream moon rave you gonna die idiot friend.
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Well the difference between Meizhen and Xuan Shi is that Meizhen firmly controls her horrible shadow spirit, rather than treating it as her best friend and taking its advice. We've certainly never seen it interrupt a conversation.

Anyhow, interrogating this thing now is pointless, it is a trickster specialized in befriending and then leading people to their doom so it will win the social contest trivially. But we do need to have a serious talk about how Xuan Shi is never to go anywhere dangerous alone with it.
 
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yrsillar said:
"Fool child, your soul is not made for cutting, You have not even tried to sharpen it. Do not dash such wisdom now. That staff in thy hand is a superior thing," the blade scoffed, sending a ripple of contempt through the air that saw Xuan Shi sway backward as if struck.
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yrsillar said:
Cai Renxiang, who had observed the proceedings in impassive silence until then, frowned, her fingers brushing the hilt of her saber. "It is one tool among many, no more," she said crisply.

The mist churned, but whether in approval or disapproval she could not say. "Go," rumbled the sword.
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I suppose the answer was probably yes the answer Renxiang gave the sword.
 
Am i the only one who instantly thought of the joke Xin made about Jiao turning her into his perfect wife back in Forge when Xuan Shi said he knows what Kongyou is ?
jiao's probably not the first imperial to do the turn an immaterial spirit into my dream partner thing on accident or on pupose.
 
Garlak said:
[] Interrogate the spirit. Quietly so as not to interrupt Xuan Shi's conversation. Kongyou is obviously up to no good, you need to figure out what they're up to.


We might have time to talk to Xuan Shi later, but we might not have time slash opportunity to talk to Kongyou while it is separated from Xuan Shi and alone.

Right now, we can talk to just Kongyou, without it being able to manipulate Xuan Shi as a go-between.

So, I want to take its measure, now that we have an opportunity.

... Plus. It is saying that it's going to be "talking quietly so as not to interrupt." So it should be fine, right. And if Kongyou does interrupt by being louder, well, that'd be way too blatant an act for it, no?
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This line of thought captured my attention, but on further reflection I'm not so sure it'll work out.

Now may indeed be our only time to talk to Kongyou without Xuan Shi interference, but at the same time we don't have much to work with in our interrogation. All we can really levy against it is what it did to LQ in the past and what we know of its nature - both of which it's had ample time to plan around. If we had a smoking gun of its malign intentions, that would be different, but unless we think we can pressure Kongyou hard enough to slip up that badly, we'll just be feeding Kongyou evidence for a 'Ling Qi is paranoid and untrusting, and doesn't think people can change' narrative.

Right now the deck's stacked in Kongyou's favour and unless we absolutely dominate in the interrogation we come out with a loss, potentially even driving a wedge between us and Xuan Shi if Kongyou portrays us badly and Xuan Shi buys it. Much better to sit back and wait for Kongyou to try and pull something, and then we can corner him with concrete evidence.
 
This feels like a way/insight defining moment for Xuan Shi, I prefer to shut up and deny the nightmare any opportunity here.

flogoyog said:
Am i the only one who instantly thought of the joke Xin made about Jiao turning her into his perfect wife back in Forge when Xuan Shi said he knows what Kongyou is ?
jiao's probably not the first imperial to do the turn an immaterial spirit into my dream partner thing on accident or on purpose.
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Turning the Archivist of Vice into your wife is quite the pro gamer move, doing the same to a nightmare... I dunno man. Sound like a bad idea.^^
 
[] Don't let the nightmare bait you into conversation. Shush both Sixiang and Kongyou, and refuse to engage. Xuan Shi needs to focus on his conversation.

I mean. Xuan Shi thinks a path, once started down, still has room to change? That endings are not predetermined?

Su Ling and Ling Qi are good friends to have then. Literally both of us have done major overhauls of self towards what WE want rather than the path that was laid before us to tread. Both of us are also doing some Predetermination Screwing. Su Ling is altering the future path by speaking to flames that know where it's going, and Ling Qi just picked up "screw your precognition I'm straight up dancing on your timeline"

If Kongyou thinks it can emulate Sixiang even as a jab to try to provoke us then good luck lmao
remember how much Sixiang has changed in their increasing understanding of Humanity? How much that process has hurt and been very difficult?

If Kongyou wants to do that, well, they're gonna end up quite different than they started. Ji Rong is different than he started. Lord above, all of cultivation is about changing who you are.

So alright. Good luck with your human, Kongyou xP
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Also. Hell Yeah Xuan Shi! Stand Up! Be Xuan! Assert Yourself! Embrace Yourself! Embrace the Power of Fiction!

Can't make a better reality without dreaming of one in the first place. You go Xuan Shi! Hell Yeah! <3 <3 <3 <3
 
Like, what did Kongyou do?
They found a bunch of rando's wandering in a dream, and then tried to do their job.
Personally i don't hold a grudge anymore than i would hold one for burning my hand on a candle.
 
Valmond said:
Like, what did Kongyou do?
They found a bunch of rando's wandering in a dream, and then tried to do their job.
Personally i don't hold a grudge anymore than i would hold one for burning my hand on a candle.
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The parable about the frog and the scorpion comes to mind. Don't hate the thing for acting in its nature. I think Shi has a good head on his shoulders so if he's accepted the risks of harboring a nightmare spirit then I say we trust him to know what he's doing.
 
[X] Don't let the nightmare bait you into conversation. Shush both Sixiang and Kongyou, and refuse to engage. Xuan Shi needs to focus on his conversation.
 
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Audacious said:
The parable about the frog and the scorpion comes to mind. Don't hate the thing for acting in its nature. I think Shi has a good head on his shoulders so if he's accepted the risks of harboring a nightmare spirit then I say we trust him to know what he's doing.
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It's not even frog and a scorpion, more like yelling at a clerk.
We have an issue with Kongyou, we should take it to the manager, aka the Dreaming Moon.
 
Valmond said:
Like, what did Kongyou do?
They found a bunch of rando's wandering in a dream, and then tried to do their job.
Personally i don't hold a grudge anymore than i would hold one for burning my hand on a candle.
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wellll I wouldn't go that far buddy.
Nightmare spirit is still a spirit of nightmares.

there is some level of sapience and self-determination there. Given how Sixiang has repeatedly stated the lines between spirits, spirit beasts, and cultivators is a lot thinner than we'd expect, I would think that depersoning Kongyou to the point of likening them to an inanimate object would uh. Not be the best interpretation

a Clerk is better, but Kongyou wasn't doing a job. Kongyou was making a personal choice. Would I hold a grudge, well. I'd be annoyed and suspicious. But if a friend wants to try and appeal to someone's better self and pull that out of someone who's hurt me. Well. That's good on them.

I'll be wary, but I'll wish them the best in the attempt
so long as the friend knows I don't want to see any more of that person's worst self while they're changing themselves for the better
 
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JowKeen said:
wellll I wouldn't go that far buddy.
Nightmare spirit is still a spirit of nightmares.

there is some level of sapience and self-determination there. Given how Sixiang has repeatedly stated the lines between spirits, spirit beasts, and cultivators is a lot thinner than we'd expect, I would think that depersoning Kongyou to the point of likening them to an inanimate object would uh. Not be the best interpretation

a Clerk is better, but Kongyou wasn't doing a job. Kongyou was making a personal choice. Would I hold a grudge, well. I'd be annoyed and suspicious. But if a friend wants to try and appeal to someone's better self and pull that out of someone who's hurt me. Well. That's good on them.

I'll be wary, but I'll wish them the best in the attempt
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Kongyou was doing what they were created to do, and had no reason not to do (remember how Six was when they arived?), because why wouldn't they?
 
yrsillar said:
"Fool child, your soul is not made for cutting, You have not even tried to sharpen it. Do not dash such wisdom now. That staff in thy hand is a superior thing," the blade scoffed
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Huh, the sword spirit considers its own path unwise. I wonder if this is something common or if it is having a crisis similar to Zeqing. The melancholy field would imply crisis but we can see similar levels of self awareness from the Bloody Moon, a Great Spirit, back in the dream, so who knows.

yrsillar said:
"This one is no swordsman, nor does this one seek such mastery," Xuan Shi said, his head remaining bowed as a student who was facing a master. "Please, this one wishes to know what inspired the tales thy Master wrote."

There was a deep silence in the wake of his words as the thrumming of blade planted in the graveyard ceased. Ling Qi remained still, holding her breath.

"...Eh?"
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And Xuan Shi leaves the sword gobsmacked lmao. That wasn't how I was expecting the conversation to go, this is great.

yrsillar said:
"Do not whisper and sneak near me, night thing," again the sound of grinding metal, like an imperious snort ground through the air, and Ling Qi's eyes flew open wide as she felt a change in the air.

She clutched her stomach, letting out a wheeze as it rippled through her like a hard strike to the gut. Behind her she heard a yelp and a thump. Through watering eyes, she looked back to Sixiang blinking up at the dark canopy as they lay in the grass.
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Oh my god the sword didn't. Please tell me the sword just-

yrsillar said:
She heard a pained hiss and turned back toward Xuan Shi to see a crouching figure rising from the grass beside him. It was tall and gangly, long and thin limbs sticking out in its crouched pose. Around its shoulders were what she took at first for a cloak but swiftly realized were pale wings spotted with eyelike marks, a ruff of white fur concealed the figure's neck. Their face resembled Sixiang's, with glittering black eyes but with shifting hair of white and black.

She heard an intake of breath from her side and Sixiang spoke. "Oh, you asshole."
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That's incredible haha! Also a weight off our shoulders now that Ling Qi in context knows about Kongyou.

yrsillar said:
"Xuan Shi, that thing is a nightmare spirit," Ling Qi hissed.

He blinked at her. "This one knows that."
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...Huh. I'm suddenly much less concerned about the situation. Thinking on it, so long as Xuan Shi knows what he's dealing with it would be kinda hypocritical of us to go super critical on Xuan Shi speaking with a nightmare spirit just for what it is considering Zeqing and Hanyi being entropy spirits and all that. Kongyou did endanger Ling Qi which it shouldn't get a pass for, but even Zeqing did that early in their relationship.

[] Don't let the nightmare bait you into conversation. Shush both Sixiang and Kongyou, and refuse to engage. Xuan Shi needs to focus on his conversation.

Honestly I'm feeling like it might be good to extend some trust to Xuan Shi here. Give him some extra warnings just in case and let him know we have his back but for now it doesn't look like he needs babying, and don't really think it's Ling Qi's place to try doing so. If things look like they start getting bad maybe we can see about staging an intervention then, but trust first, he deserves that much.
 
[] Don't let the nightmare bait you into conversation. Shush both Sixiang and Kongyou, and refuse to engage. Xuan Shi needs to focus on his conversation.

A matter of trust and respect. We don't necessarily know better than Xuan Shi, and he seems to be doing this with his eyes open. It'd be one thing if he were mistakenly partnered with a nightmare spirit, but if it's a conscious choice? You do you, friend.
 
[] Don't let the nightmare bait you into conversation. Shush both Sixiang and Kongyou, and refuse to engage. Xuan Shi needs to focus on his conversation.

later, our boy is having a moment here
 
[] Don't let the nightmare bait you into conversation. Shush both Sixiang and Kongyou, and refuse to engage. Xuan Shi needs to focus on his conversation.
We don't know enough right now to judge..... IT is a spirit and not human.... we can't think it is malicious...... Also Xuan She needs this conversation more now.. We can destroy or tame Kong you later
 
Mmm, firstly I'd question whether or not interrogating Kongyou is actually going to accomplish anything. Do we think it's suddenly going to reveal that it's actually super evil and Xuan Shi will realise that he should leave it?

Secondly, from a narrative standpoint - important since we're dealing with a muse fight here - when does this kind of relationship drama ever go well? Like, if we were to try to push Kongyou away, what I would expect in most stories would be that Xuan Shi blows us off, and it drives a wedge in our relationship. If anything, it's likely to play into Kongyou's hands if they're trying to produce a tale of drama and tragedy.

I don't object to trying to get to know them - but I'd be leery of interrogating them with the mindset of trying to uncover their evil intentions. I think it's likely to backfire.
 
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