To take a probably-joke seriously: Sixiang is a cool character, but hopefully any romance arc with Ling Qi will be about her expanding her world rather than circling the wagons. As Meizhen's whole arc demonstrates, part of growing and maturing with respect to interpersonal relationships is realizing that you will hurt and be hurt, and sometimes it won't really be anyone's fault, and finding a way to accept all that. Going with the safest possible choice would feel like a serious failure on her part to grow and develop as a person.
It's not really a joke, Sixiang is legitimately the most interesting male (when they feel like it) character in the quest not least due to actually having fun and amusing interactions with Ling Qi that show off a ton of chemistry between the two and as a bonus Six isn't a boring "generic muscly nice dude" like so many love interests in media because apparently even in 2022 mainstream media still don't understand that femboys (or masculine enbies) are a thing or that some women can find a feminine or gender-nonconforming guy cute or desirable as a partner.
IMO we'll basically never have a relationship as guaranteed "entertaining to read about their interactions" with anyone else and that's really one of the most important things for a (obviously happy and functional) romantic pairing in a story.
Also, Six can and has started appearing more in line with Ling Qi's "tastes" over time when it male form for extra teasing fun soooooooooooo "not muscled enough" for Ling Qi isn't a problem
Sixiang is great, I love'em, and I want to see more of them. Fortunately, they're already our headmate therapist muse bestie, so we already will.
On the other hand, I've enjoyed Ling Qi's interactions with several of her embodied suitors and would like to see more of them, but since they don't live in our head while fulfilling like five narrative roles apiece, I cannot take these interactions for granted. Pursuing a genuine romantic relationship with one of them would not only allow us to explore and expand upon one of these dynamics, it would also come with interesting challenges such as testing Ling Qi's ability to let someone into her Family with romantic intent, as well as added benefits such as not fucking our therapist.
(There are also the practical and political benefits of marrying one of our noble pals rather than our own bound spirit, but while I'm disinclined to ignore practicalities given that we smashed our face into the political hardmode button every chance we got over the entire quest, I recognize that many people find mercenary analysis to be offputting even when a happy relationship is the goal.)
Sixiang is great, I love'em, and I want to see more of them. Fortunately, they're already our headmate therapist muse bestie, so we already will.
On the other hand, I've enjoyed Ling Qi's interactions with several of her embodied suitors and would like to see more of them, but since they don't live in our head while fulfilling like five narrative roles apiece, I cannot take these interactions for granted. Pursuing a genuine romantic relationship with one of them would not only allow us to explore and expand upon one of these dynamics, it would also come with interesting challenges such as testing Ling Qi's ability to let someone into her Family with romantic intent, as well as added benefits such as not fucking our therapist.
(There are also the practical and political benefits of marrying one of our noble pals rather than our own bound spirit, but while I'm disinclined to ignore practicalities given that we smashed our face into the political hardmode button every chance we got over the entire quest, I recognize that many people find mercenary analysis to be offputting even when a happy relationship is the goal.)
I mean, the fact that Sixiang is in LQ's head already precludes the kind of distance required for a patient-therapist relationship. So I personally think that's a terrible characterization of their relationship, and I'm really surprised it seems to have caught on.
I mean, the fact that Sixiang is in LQ's head already precludes the kind of distance required for a patient-therapist relationship. So I personally think that's a terrible characterization of their relationship, and I'm really surprised it seems to have caught on.
Sixiang spent the last update performing an extended one-on-one session during which they poked and prodded LQ through her concerns and traumas with pointed questions and commentary, maintaining control of the conversation themself the whole time, with the goal of coaching LQ through her relationship traumas with the intent of opening her to romantic relationships in the future. LQ has these sorts of conversations with them relatively often; with anyone else, far less so.
I realize their relationship is hardly professional by modern standards, but I don't feel like it's controversial to say that Six fulfils a therapist role for LQ. Similarly, I can understand if someone else doesn't consider that a dealbreaker for romance given the unusual circumstances involved, but personally, given LQ's existing psychological dependence on Six, and the fact that Six is the one trying to make LQ capable of romance in the first place, I find the idea offputting.
"But, to answer your question. I have chosen to make my living on the border, that is not to even mention our hopeful partnership. I can't imagine you would think well of a coward who would flee at the first sign of violence. The Sect is already making use of my services in the tunnels."
He's in a war zone, and spending time working in the tunnels, and at least part of his motivation is that to do otherwise would damage his reputation in her eyes.
Sixiang spent the last update performing an extended one-on-one session during which they poked and prodded LQ through her concerns and traumas with pointed questions and commentary, maintaining control of the conversation themself the whole time, with the goal of coaching LQ through her relationship traumas with the intent of opening her to romantic relationships in the future. LQ has these sorts of conversations with them relatively often; with anyone else, far less so.
I realize their relationship is hardly professional by modern standards, but I don't feel like it's controversial to say that Six fulfils a therapist role for LQ. Similarly, I can understand if someone else doesn't consider that a dealbreaker for romance given the unusual circumstances involved, but personally, given LQ's existing psychological dependence on Six, and the fact that Six is the one trying to make LQ capable of romance in the first place, I find the idea offputting.
My heart remains set on Moon-sempai, with the spirit-arm. Idk why exactly, he's just the one that strikes the right combination of 'awesome' and 'needs to be pursued, won't pursue' that makes him really intriguing to me. Like, he's almost out of our league sort of interest?
Do all snake/serpent spirit beasts speak like Cui/Zhen or is it a Bai specific cultural trait, picked up by Zhen? I'm imagining Zhengui meeting another xuan wu and it being very confused as to why the snake half speaks like a Bai.
Do all snake/serpent spirit beasts speak like Cui/Zhen or is it a Bai specific cultural trait, picked up by Zhen? I'm imagining Zhengui meeting another xuan wu and it being very confused as to why the snake half speaks like a Bai.
Yeah imo, it's almost certainly picked up from Cui that picked it up from the other Bai spirits. Other Xuan Wu would probably be confused in Zhen's manner of speaking. Though snake spirits may be arrogant in general.
Being straight up my fave is Moon Senpai. (BUT WE NEVER SEE HIM...... it's hard to organically fit the dude into the narrative now too, and I weep.)
I also do plain like Sixiang and I think that would be a really interesting thing to happen, if only because I think the dynamics would also need to shift to accommodate it and it seems like it would be extremely fun to read any drama. I'm sorry. I love that shit.
Also my personal requirement where I genuinely just like seeing Ling Qi spend time with Sixiang cause they're different enough but supportive of each other to always have Something Fun going on.
I liked Shen Hu for a time since I think the level of easygoing dynamic had some potential but well. RIP.
Han Jian has...... all that. So I quickly ended my shipping thoughts but I still like him quite a bit as a character since I was here from the beginning. Bias.
I'm actually interested in this random potential Zheng dude but it's the kind of thing where it would ultimately depend on the interactions himself.
I'm not very into Bao Qian or Turtle boy, because they really just don't add anything to Ling Qi's relationships that we haven't seen, and frankly their contribution to the Ling Qi Story is not very interesting to me.
They left the raucous pub behind, the noise of crude merriment vanishing like a single drop of water in a lake as they rejoined the generalized chaos outside. Ling Qi hooked her arm through Sixiang's, and they joined the festival.
It wasn't the same mad scramble at the center, walking the radiating pathways. Processions and parades took the center of the street, dancing spirits in the garb of priests, costumes less gaudy than the inhuman forms beneath them. And there was much laughter. Children, adults, it was a great storm of merriment. They played games, watched processions, ate and drank and laughed, themselves.
Sixiang tugged her along, pointing to new attractions and sights, and Ling Qi let herself be carried along by the muses enthusiasm. It felt strange, and often enough she could feel her attention pulling in different directions, her feet carrying her left and right at once. It was only when she found herself trying to play two festival games on opposite sides of a street at once that the dissonance crashed down and she found herself standing in front of only one, holding her temples from the pounding headache.
"Heh, just showing you how much you can stretch the possibilities of grandmothers techniques," Sixiang chuckled. "You could know the steps to dance in possibility, but you can do more with it."
Ling Qi rubbed her temple one more time, wincing at the subsiding pain. The Lunar Revelry art did have a defensive technique that shrouded you in afterimages generated by your own unchosen actions "That wasn't just an afterimage of potential. I was really going two different ways. That isn't supposed to be possible until fourth realm."
"It isn't, not out there, but you can bend things a little here, though you just felt the limit" Sixiang said. "But I bet you can do some useful tricks with it."
"Show me," Ling Qi replied.
"And this is how you get a workaholic to play," Sixiang said, taking her hand.
Ephemeral Dreamlit Dancer merges with Dreamwalker trait, becoming a passive and always active effect
Ling Qi already had some practice with splitting her perceptions, seeing at multiple angles, it was another thing to take it a step further and walk in opposite directions at the same time. It was invigorating and exciting, a preview of what she would be able to do in the future, constrained to a bare few seconds and meters.
However, seeing more, feeling more, it wasn't always a good thing.
She could not ignore what her eyes were trained to see, shadows that lurked and sprang in the current of the crowd, snatching sweets and coin purses, the clinging tar like darkness in alleys where some shades and spirits would disappear. The webs, barely visible in the corners, even glittering overhead, figures dancing up into the sky not to be seen again.
Xiangmen nor its reflection were paradise, the darkness and danger mingled with the joy. It was not Tonghou, but everything she knew of city life remained true, if reduced. Forced to hide a little further back, to put on a better mask.
"C'mon Ling Qi, I know I call you a gloomy girl, but you gotta at least not actively fight me on this," Sixiang pleaded, and Ling Qi winced, ducking her head.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Sixiang sighed, pulling her along to a stall full of rough hand made jewelry of glass beads and carved. It was manned by a tall spindly spirit bent almost in half to fit, with the head of a horse. "Look, you know you can't judge things accurately when you only look at the bad stuff, you know that, right?"
"Of course I do," Ling Qi replied indignantly.
Sixiang nodded, plucking a necklace made of carved and painted knucklebones. They reached into their pocket and tossed the spirit a glittering coin made of appreciation and memory, which the too tall spirit caught silently and then solemnly stuffed it into his mouth. They moved on, Sixiang spinning the necklace on their finger.
"You don't, or at least, you don't apply them to yourself. You still default to the negative," Sixiang said.
"I can't be the one who connects to everyone, Sixiang," Ling QI said. "That isn't me."
"Yeah I get that, but you're still trying to reach out you know. I don't know what else you want to call this crazy project of yours."
Ling Qi didn't reply for a time as they walked the street, their footsteps carrying them distances wholly unrelated to their stride as they returned to the center, with its feasting table and gathered town.
"People need to be able to talk, but being able to talk doesn't make kin or even friends," Ling Qi replied.
"That's true," Sixiang said, sitting backwards on an empty stretch of bench. They beckoned Ling Qi down to sit beside them. "But it's also kinda disingenuous. How'd you think things like this start?"
Ling Qi frowned, eyeing the festival goers, Families feasting together, neighbors and traders and many more. "What did you mean, when you said I didn't let you indulge often?"
Sixiang waggled their eyebrows. Ling Qi made a face.
"Don't try to deflect by being vulgar," Ling Qi said crossly.
"Hah, sorry," Sixiang said with a grin. "But also not really? Like joking aside, what you call vulgar is a lot of what I am, what grandmother is. The Dreaming Moon is passion, we're the spark of creation that keeps an artist lying awake at night, or yearning to capture the visions they saw on the back of their eyelids. We're spontaneity. If the Dawn is the light that shines down and teaches, the Dream is what bubbles up beneath and inspires."
"Not like you to compliment the sun," Ling Qi said quietly.
"Ugh, I know, it was gross, don't make me do it again," Sixiang replied, sticking out their tongue.
"...Do you think I fit poorly?" Ling Qi said with a frown.
"Never," Sixiang replied, grasping her hand. "I'd be here if you didn't. You-"
"-Are one of mine, you won't escape that so easily."
Ling Qi looked up and up, to the source of the new voice. Sixiang's grandmother, the avatar of the dreaming moon simultaneously towered high above and danced innocuously through the crowd, in a way impossible to describe, her trailing skirts were the spirits of the dance, her voice was the sound of festival, her face the reflection of a thousand revelers. She was a child, a young woman, a mature matron, and a doddering grandmother all at once, and Ling Qi felt her head ache and her ears ring from merely perceiving her existence even in partial fullness.
And then, she was merely Sister Brightsong, the Emerald Dancer, a lithe, lovely but androgynous woman in glittering rainbow silks, perched cross legged before the two of them, hovering in mid air, twirling a pale green parasol over her shoulder.
"Granny, you shouldn't try and stretch her head out like that," Sixiang complained.
"Oh she's fine, child, your girl is tough. Look at her, not even a nosebleed," The Dreaming Avatar said.
"Thank you for your invitation," Ling Qi said, bowing her head.
"You've had it since our walk about, I'm only glad that you took it. Don't be such a stranger," the moon spirit said. "Sixiang is right though. You've rocketed up so fast, tried to escape what you came from so hard."
"I won't apologize for that. I'm happy to leave most of it behind," Ling Qi said firmly.
"But you did come back for part of it," said the avatar, twirling a smoky rainbow curl on their finger. "You faced the form of your nightmare with us before, has its shadow crept back on you?"
Ling Qi glanced nervously about something about the word nightmare reverberated when the moon spirit spoke, turning shadows to oil and tar and sending a chill wind through the square.
Ling Qi took a deep breath, and met the spirit's eyes firmly, the scent of cheap wine and the shadow of squinting eyes vanished like dew on a summer morning, with it went the gnawing hunger the pain of a broken arm, the fear of pounding feet behind her, the shortness of breath in a child's lungs. Ling Qi had left many nightmares behind. "I understand what Sixiang has been trying to say. There is no need for that. I know I'm still unreasonable about some things."
"Please Grandmother, I don't think tribulation is the cure here," Sixiang said. "I've got this."
The Dreaming Moon regarded them both curiously for a moment. "I suppose you do. But tell me Dreamer, what do you see here, the Great Reverie, the Dream of the People?"
They were walking now, walking up the stairs to a temple, though Ling Qi did not recall standing up or moving. Lights burst in the sky overhead, and the noise was lower, less wild abandon and more the low sound of conversation from a thousand lips, the breathing of the creature called civilization.
"It's all so tenuous," Ling Qi said, looking up at the dark sky and the near full moon gleaming overhead. "Families and business and friends, united by the merest thread. It can all fall apart in an instant. It did all fall apart in an instant, not too long ago, didn't it?"
The cracks yawned wide, scabbed over with webs and tarry darkness if you knew how to look.
"It did, does that lessen what it is now," said the Dreaming Moon, sitting upon the arch of the temple as if it were an emperor's throne. From the twisting perspective, they could have been a child or a giant.
"But most things are like that. Connections break, communities split. But you know endings Ling Qi," Sixiang
They stood at the top of the steps of the temple, and Ling Qi looked down on the festival, a reflection of the empty void above, with warm fires in the place of cold, cruel stars. "It can't be a clean divide can it?"
"Nothing involving you wonderful mortals is ever clean," spoke the Dreaming Moon, and Ling Qi felt her mind itch at the pressure of something so much larger than the already tremendous existence of the avatar.
"We hurt and we hurt in turn," Ling Qi said, thinking of what Meizhen had said many months ago, her own insight, bought by the pain Ling Qi had caused her.
"Dreams and Nightmares are but reflections at different angles," Spake the Moon.
"But they're not only tricks of perspective. That is itself a lie," Ling Qi said.
"Is not the greatest artist but the most consummate of liars?"
"No, they are the poorest ones, if you have no truth to convey, your art is empty." Ling Qi said, and turned to face the moon. "If it speaks only to your own self, it is even more worthless still."
Silver light burnt her eyes, made tears trickle down her cheeks.
Family is only a knot of strong bonds, it is the small connections between people which build community. There was no line between love and obligation, not if both were true.
Community advances to IV, further advancement locked until Isolation reaches IV
The light died, and she felt a hand on her cheek, and saw the avatar standing before her with watering eyes. A voice whispered softly in her ear.
"You're close, Dreamer, but you're not quite there. The greatest lies, the greatest art, is that which becomes truth. But your fear remains. Face your nightmare and find your truth."
Ling Qi fell to her knees reaching up to scrub at her eyes. The Moon was gone.
Sixiang was there though, an arm around her shoulder. "Sorry Ling Qi. I should have known Grandmother would be intense. You're getting close to something big after all."
"And the Moons make sure that we're ready for it," Ling Qi said quietly, remembering the shared memories of the muse. "Sixiang, you have a grandfather too, don't you?"
Her friend was silent for a long, long time. Long enough for Ling Qi to blink the remaining stars from her eyes.
"Yeah, I do, how'd you know?"
"Dreams and Nightmares go hand in hand," Ling Qi said. "I'm going to have to meet him aren't I?"
"Yeah," Sixiang said sadly.
Ling Qi looked down at her hand, opening and closing it. She noted the thin red smears there from wiping away her tears. "Okay."
"Okay?"
Ling Qi nodded and stood leaning on Sixiang's shoulder. "Will you show me around the rest of the festival?"
Sixiang smiled, they looked a little sad, but proud. "Sure thing."
Dreamwalker advances to III
Ephemeral Dreamlit Dancer technique becomes permanent part of Dreamwalker trait
You have one more day in Xiangmen, please choose a scene of focus for the final updates.
[ ] Dress shopping for Hanyi, Renxiang has been cajoled into accompanying you
[ ] Visiting the District's shrine of the Tree with Zhengui, Gan Guangli has an interest as well.
Iunno, while I really like Sir Xuan for a lot of reasons, Meng Dan can hold his drink and is quite the center of womanly attention in the ice lands, that's pretty cool. Now I want to see Meng Dan and a Zheng find out if the wine is strong enough.
My shipping order is: Xuan Shi, for his respectfulness, his creativity, and his abilities, though in the back of my head I think Ling Qi might not be a good wife for him and his goals; Meng Dan who has moon sister, is part of the Meng faction that supports us, is also respectful, and likely to bring all sorts of goodies and knowledge since he's a scholar; then probably Bao Qian, he just seems like a good dude in a lot of ways, but I honestly don't have much hope for him.
Unless one of the members of the Qi bowl really starts putting in effort and makes a come from behind effort(like one of the Bai options, the Jia kid or sudden Zheng option) I think those are also the three husbandos with the most objective chance.
Sixiang was there though, an arm around her shoulder. "Sorry Ling Qi. I should have known Grandmother would be intense. You're getting close to something big after all."
"And the Moons make sure that we're ready for it," Ling Qi said quietly, remembering the shared memories of the muse. "Sixiang, you have a grandfather too, don't you?"
Her friend was silent for a long, long time. Long enough for Ling Qi to blink the remaining stars from her eyes.
"Yeah, I do, how'd you know?"
"Dreams and Nightmares go hand in hand," Ling Qi said. "I'm going to have to meet him aren't I?"
[ ] Dress shopping for Hanyi, Renxiang has been cajoled into accompanying you
[ ] Visiting the District's shrine of the Tree with Zhengui, Gan Guangli has an interest as well.
] Dress shopping for Hanyi, Renxiang has been cajoled into accompanying you
[ ] Visiting the District's shrine of the Tree with Zhengui, Gan Guangli has an interest as well.
Ren-Ren cajoled into shopping?
GG and Zhengui in one scene?
How could you be so cruel as to make us chose between these 😭
Fun chapter, we almost got some danger from Granny! I'm pretty sure I want the ZG and GG option here just because we're going to see a lot more of Hanyi narratively just as a matter of fact with FSS+, music tour, and ice diplo coming up. I also feel like we haven't gotten a good ZG chapter in a little bit, it'll be nice to work on our bond with GG some more, and shrine time is good time.
[ ] Visiting the District's shrine of the Tree with Zhengui, Gan Guangli has an interest as well.
