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

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So far we have seen that Su Ling really cares about the people at a more involved level than most cultivators. We also know that she distrusts and is apprehensive of the nobility and politics.

So, what do we expect to learn here? That Su Ling's mother is also kind of a victim? That the Hui are the worst? That the Diao poisoned the land to force the people to migrate? That they may have blamed the fox spirits for it and use that as an excuse to hunt them down? That everything is just the consequence of broken agreements?
Does any of that justify or excuse Su Ling's mother's murders? Would that change how Su Ling feel about her? Or about her own foxiness? I think it would just reinforce her idea that everyone sucks.

On the other hand, we don't know who or what this kid is. It could be a dream spirit messing around. It could be an unrelated fox spirit. Or it could be Su Ling's half sister (full spirit or not).
In any of the 2 last cases, I think that it could be a great way for Su Ling to confront and challenge her self-loathing in regard to the circumstances of her birth. To realize that she rejects her mother actions, but not her own bloodline, appearance and abilities.

And hey, she could come out of here with a new spirit little sister.
Our Qi Adventures have a reputation to uphold.
 
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Unfortunately we don't have any pokeball slot left right now
[X] Keep teasing memories from the shrine, there's definitely a deeper something here.
 
So, I've thought about this one a bit. I think it's possible that, to some extent, we're influencing the way Su Ling develops her Way here. If that is the case, I think it would be healthier if she focused less on Vengeance and her mother and more on... Anything else really.

[X] Check up on the Kid, if they are up to something, better to know.
 
[X] Keep teasing memories from the shrine, there's definitely a deeper something here.
This for now.
 
[X] Check up on the Kid, if they are up to something, better to know.

Feels like it could give more personal insights than the other option which might lean toward a better overall understanding of the situation :/ will see how it goes.
 
[X] Check up on the Kid, if they are up to something, better to know.

If the Hui want their deep lore known then they should start delivering it via the medium of little sisters.

...possibly after we have a little progress on the whole 'defy Shenhua' thing down so we don't get disintegrated in the process.
 
One of the things I like most about Ling Qi's approach to history so far is that she expands on her knowledge after she connects with individuals in the present who think it matters. It's oriented around the current moment, not a feeling of inherent value of tradition/history.

Su Ling was making noises about removing her own foxblood? Well it seems like the Diao did, and even if we could nudge her to become Diao Ling is that really an outcome we want? If she's on the Pro-Fox Diao, she becomes a political football because of her lineage/blood without her actual individual personage mattering too much. If she's on the Remove-Fox Diao, it's self-hatred and justifies the cycle of perpetual injustice. I can't imagine her enjoying either experience.

No. Su Ling's strength isn't in her blood or her history. She can make use of those things, but her strength is in her empathy and strong sense of Justice. I'm tired of all of our friends finding really cool stuff with us except Su Ling, who only ever finds disgusting sludge and headaches. Let's find a fox-child that's both really cool AND a headache! That'll be our baby-step towards better adventures for Su Ling! Reject the awful slimy sins of the past! Embrace smol fox child!

And I mean, what the heck Su Ling! Your spiritual defense art literally doesn't work in the liminal. That's a surprisingly huge weakness for a cultivator with interest in hunting extremely experienced spiritual specialists on their home turf. Like, jeez Su Ling. Better get a spirit that can help compensate, and maybe help you traverse the realms when we're not around. Perhaps a little sister that can help you blow up your mother later . . .
 
The fact that the Hui apparently forcibly removed the fox spirit blood from the Diao clan adds yet another layer of shittiness to their behaviour. Several layers, in fact.

First had to be the domination, through cheatery and intrigue, that put the Hui in charge. The Diao becoming subordinate and submisive to the Hui in the process.
Then the continuous abuse, vexation, disparagement and insults, installing a sense of shame and self-loathing.
Then, at some point, they started with the bloodline removal. "Voluntary" or otherwise. And I can't imagine they were nice to those that refused.
Finally, the remaining Diao fiercely embraced the "Imperial Pride" because it wss the only thing they had left.
And that leads us to the present, where a faction of the Diao may be planning to bring the fox spirit bloodline back to the clan through Su Ling. Return as how they were before the Hui.

While learning more about that history may be useful, it will certainly be far from pleasant.
 
I do like the idea of a diao civil war being the first proxy conflict between the imperials and the neo-weilu. It's been well set up.
 
Glau said:
I do like the idea of a diao civil war being the first proxy conflict between the imperials and the neo-weilu. It's been well set up.
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I do not think Shenhua would allow an open civil war in her strongest vassal. Now a political conflict with a lot of skullduggery is in the cards I think, but I don't think such a conflict would bleed over into anything martial related. Just a lot of political power plays.
 
Doramas said:
Then, at some point, they started with the bloodline removal. "Voluntary" or otherwise. And I can't imagine they were nice to those that refused.
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More of "If you ruin your weak old pacts and alliances by your own hand, we promise you will be safe from us. And you will only be safe from them with us."

After things like poisoning their land for ten years to demonstrate that their pacts and allies cannot help.
 
Neshuakadal said:
I do not think Shenhua would allow an open civil war in her strongest vassal. Now a political conflict with a lot of skullduggery is in the cards I think, but I don't think such a conflict would bleed over into anything martial related. Just a lot of political power plays.
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Well in the future we need to overthrow Shenhua, and the Diao are her strongest supporters. In a few centuries we might have to start that civil war, whether Shenhua wants us to or not.
 
Adhoc vote count started by CedeTheBees on Feb 2, 2022 at 5:37 PM, finished with 118 posts and 88 votes.
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I have caught up with the last chapter and started to write this about the WORDS when Renxiang saw the REVOLUTION thing, so it probably doesn't fit perfectly, with all this about community matters a bit too instead of just the family/close friends.

I believe that the word at Ling Qi's center will be something like MINE, TREASURE, PRECIOUS or WANT.

MINE because what she cares about are her friends, family, things and power, and also because of that time she went to play with her little sister and stated to the minor spirits around that Biyu was MINE and basically bullied them into not trying to do anything to her.

Also because when you take/steal something, then it is yours if you can keep it.

TREASURE because what she treasures are her family, friends, things that are valuable to her and power, and because she steals treasures.

PRECIOUS because... basically the sane as with TREASURE, but with more emphasis on stealing things people consider precious, like the blanket of an old man in winter, it might not be the most monetarily valuable thing, but what is more precious than what will keep you alive?

She also stole that pill cauldron, which was basically invaluable to the alchemy disciples, Yan Renshu's book and heavily guarded technique, everything that Hui had, the wind from the gods, the projects of those disciples, the reagents and book of that guy.

Also, because Zhengui.

WANT because she wants to be with her friends and family, wants power, and the things she steals.

Also, it is one of the conceptual words.

I know that they don't quite fit with power and some other things, but it is what i came up with.

Well, that was my speculation for something that will take a very long time to happen.

[X] Sneak up on the Kid, show them why you don't try and spook a stealth cultivator.

Interactions are more interesting to me than lore, usually.

Also, the inventory is outdated, the reagents aren't there, the Hui brush is still unidentified and the assasin's dagger is still there, as some examples.

And this quest is somewhat unfriendly to new readers, unless they want to read over a hundred comments to find out the plan or what choice won, in quite a few votes the winners aren't even referenced until a few chapters later, or it is unclear what won.

What some do is editing the chapters and adding an X to the winning choice, or adding it in a spoiler in the next chapter.

It is very understandable if you don't want to do it now that there are over 300 chapters, i am just pointing it out.
 
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