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.
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
I would like to thank the fine people of this quest for helping me to discover Beware of Chicken.
After trying out and being disappointed by a horde of (non-Forge or Cradle) xianxia stories this speaks to my very soul.
Yeah, actually-good Xianxia are dreadfully rare. The only other one I'd recommend without qualification is When Immortal Ascension Fails, Time Travel to Try Again.
Unfortunately,
I suck at making haikus,
so settle for this.
Unfortunately,
I suck at making haikus,
so settle for this.
Lady_Story
Humble Teller of Stories, Villainess of Legend
- Pronouns
- She/Her/They/Them
You might enjoy Fates Parallel and Crystal Constellations too.
- Location
- the internet
I didn't really like Fates Parallel personally...
But Beware of Chicken is fantastic!!
Lady_Story
Humble Teller of Stories, Villainess of Legend
- Pronouns
- She/Her/They/Them
Let me guess, Book 2?
Turn 17: Arc 4-4
Jaromila bond increases to 2
Refinement. She'd been trying to do too much at once with the technique, Ling Qi thought. It had left it sloppy and unfinished. She didn't think she would call it complete now, but it was certainly closer, the intent behind her technique, to gift the energy stolen from the targets to her allies and empower them as she stepped back from the stage, it was clearer now. And she would have to step back after using it she thought, the cost of striking so powerfully would be immense, even for her rather impressive reserves.
"You are done bellowing at each other then?"
Ling Qi looked up as the contemplative silence was broken by Ilsur's dry voice. The Cloud Tribesman sat in the same place where he had been when they'd begun, unlike the rest of the room there was no frost or ice on his bench, the man radiated a crackling heat, the empty plate in his lap shows the time that had passed in their… debate.
Ling Qi considered the rest of the room, the icicles hanging fanglike from the rafters, the tapestries frozen under slabs of clear ice, the ankle deep soft white snow on the floor and under her feet.
"Yes, I think so," Jaromila said, looking around herself. She smiled wryly. "We usually prepare spaces for this."
"So do we," Ling Qi sighed. "Thank you for indulging my impulse. Please rest a moment while I clean this up."
"As you like," Jaromila said, glancing at her husband. "...Ilsur, did you honestly not save me anything?"
"You did not ask," Ilsur said, picking at his teeth with the tip of a skewer.
"I shouldn't need too," she complained mildly, sitting down beside him. "Give me that, I'm parched now."
Ilsur grunted as she took his pitcher away. Ling Qi observed them out of the corner of her eye as she turned to the ruined room. Ruined was probably too strong, it wasn't that bad she thought?
Silence. She fought a frown as she began to hum under her breath, stretching out her hands as she pulled at the lingering icy qi. The snow on the ground began to kick up and disperse, the fangs of ice ran like wax, the frozen walls began to thaw. Moisture returned to the air, in some part, dissolving away ice, what could not rejoin the air gathered in a glittering coil of icy cold water around Ling Qi, which she guided into an emptied pitcher, and under the door to the well hidden storage closet, filling the cleaners buckets there.
…There was still some water damage, but it was fine? It was probably fine.
She was sure she could justify it as an expense to Renxiang anyway. Deepening her understanding of her foreign counterpart was vital. Ling Qi looked at her handiwork for a moment longer. She… was probably going to have to fill out all the work orders, huh?
"May I ask what your own plans are going to be, for the month of preparation remaining?" Ling Qi said, turning on her heel, petty concerns hidden away for now.
"Ensuring that all parties on my side of negotiations are as united as possible. Overlooking the construction project that you have all agreed upon," Jaromila said.
"Soothing ruffled feathers and displaying our wares like an over eager trader," Ilsur said blandly.
She gave him a look. He shrugged.
"Something like that, yes," Jaromila sighed.
"Well, I suspect you'll have an easier time of it than I," Ling Qi groused. Getting her side united was a pipe dream. She would settle for everyone mostly coming to be faced in the same direction.
Truly, her ambitions were as high as the heavens.
"Let us both work hard then," Jaromila said kindly
"We will have too, but success will be worth it. Emissary Jaromila, I look forward to arranging peace with you," Ling Qi said.
"Well said," Jaromila agreed, raising a newly poured cup. "Shall we discuss how we will keep in contact during the rest of the preparations then?"
"Yes, lets," Ling Qi agreed. She perused the drinks, moving the cold, turning solid glimmering ice to pleasantly cool lush in one particular pitcher as she poured herself a cup. She sat down, and together with Jaromila, they began to discuss their plans.
By the end of the meeting, they'd decided that they would meet in person once a week, to discuss any issues that had come up, put forward concerns from the other party, and just generally talk. Ling Qi didn't think she'd have to push particularly hard to get Renxiang to approve the time spent. It was a fairly obvious bit of diplomacy. And since she'd not taken on any particularly time consuming duties in previous meetings, she would have time for it easily.
They also decided, for the sake of not raising tensions any further that Ilsur and his fellow tribesman would stick to acting as an honorguard for their 'Sun-Sledge', which would remain parked by the base of their Sovereign Cultivator, the weeping tree for the duration of the meeting. There was some talk of inviting select envoys aboard at some point but that was more summit business, it would probably end up tied to access to the observatory. The White Sky were apparently quite impressed with that, and Ling Qi was careful not to let on that she was surprised at all about that.
She made a mental note to speak with Meng Dan and maybe that astronomer fellow again soon.
But soon, it was growing late. Ling Qi could feel it in the slowly chilling air. The sun was descending toward the horizon, and they needed to part ways for now.
Ling Qi stopped with Jaromila and Ilsur outside of the embassy building, to extend a hand and clasp arms with the older woman while their respective guards hung back and gave them space. "Thank you for meeting me this day, Emissary. It was my pleasure to receive you," she said, fully formal, now that they were out here in public.
"It was our pleasure to be hosted, and your hospitality was without flaw," Jaromila replied, just as formally. She clasped Ling Qi's arm, and then, releasing it, offered a proper imperial bow.
To which Ling Qi responded with a proper inclination of her head as well. "I only hope it is the first of many meetings. Farewell, and good fortune."
"Good fortune to you as well," Jaromila said. "I will be in contact soon."
Ling Qi watched the two of them go, standing straight and still, her hands clasped under her sleeves. Only when they were out of sight did she turn around. She eyed the Ministry provided guards.
…It would not hurt to play the right role.
"Were there any troubles, anything you noticed?" She said crisply.
"The foreign warriors were deeply tense after Lady Ling's suggestion. The emanations of your contest with their emissary discomitted them," The one she had spoken too before said.
"They have an external power source," the other said quietly. "Something in that device of theirs I think. It is likely that the house guard at least may enjoy significantly greater strength than they appear too from cursory examination."
Ling Qi nodded once. "Thank you, I will be meeting Lady Cai now, you may return to your normal posting."
The two of them clapped their fists together, bowed and left. Ling Qi considered them as she watched them leave.
…The ministry was fully sincere in their devotion to the Empire's security. It would be best to remember that. They were only opposed as they were because their definitions of security and the best path to it differed.
She didn't know if she could change their definition, not in the time, or with the influence she had, but in the end, she would have to bend it enough to fit.
Anything else was failure.
"Thank you, Lady Renxiang. You will not regret it."
"I won't," her liege said, looking thoughtful, the brush in her hand tapped thoughtfully against the ink pot. "...It is your ability to form unlikely connections which has made this possible at all."
"I accept your compliment," Ling Qi said, dipping her head and smiling.
Renxiang considered her from behind the desk. "I do not fully understand your ease, but in this moment, I will be glad for it. The trials of this month have gone as well as could have been expected. I have been able to avoid the upset of the Ministry. The General has been… calmed."
"A good position," Ling Qi said.
"We will need some focus on the counts of the Emerald Seas, and our provincial guests, to ensure there are no misunderstandings, but I am pleased. Will you be ready for the journey back?"
Ling Qi closed her eyes for a moment. "It… feels a little painful, doesn't it?"
Cai Renxiang looked at her curiously. Ling Qi smiled wryly. "I suppose not, you don't get attached to places, do you, Lady Ren?"
"No."
"Lady Renxiang," Ling Qi corrected herself.
Her liege silently slid a completed form away, and silently pulled a new one from her stack. "I am not heartless. I have some attachment to the Sect, but the elements I most value are largely following us."
Ling Qi grinned. Renxiang met her gaze with a narrowed look. She raised her hands in surrender. "I do have more I will miss. But, this moment was coming from the day I gave you my oath," Ling Qi said.
"Life does not wait," Renxiang said after a moment.
"It doesn't," Ling Qi said. "What will you be doing?"
"Reviewing our lands supply contracts, meeting with the Sect Head to offer our formal withdrawal and thanks for the hospitality of the Sect. I have also scheduled tea with both Bai Meizhen and the Bai Ambassador," Renxiang said. "Yourself? Personal meetings, like Gan Guangli?"
"Mostly," Ling Qi said, considering her friends. She'd still be traveling back and forth a little… her family would remain in White Cloud Town for some time yet, but this would be her last visit as a member of the Sect rather than a visiting noble. "I think the first thing is…"
[ ] Visiting Li Suyin and Su Ling, to say her goodbyes to some of her oldest friends
[ ] Visiting the musician disciples, the little troupe she had helped to bring together.
AN: There is a fair amount of room in this arc, as the first vote, there will still be chances to see the other, though screen space will still be limited, in the end, and there are more options and groups to be seen as we go.
Refinement. She'd been trying to do too much at once with the technique, Ling Qi thought. It had left it sloppy and unfinished. She didn't think she would call it complete now, but it was certainly closer, the intent behind her technique, to gift the energy stolen from the targets to her allies and empower them as she stepped back from the stage, it was clearer now. And she would have to step back after using it she thought, the cost of striking so powerfully would be immense, even for her rather impressive reserves.
"You are done bellowing at each other then?"
Ling Qi looked up as the contemplative silence was broken by Ilsur's dry voice. The Cloud Tribesman sat in the same place where he had been when they'd begun, unlike the rest of the room there was no frost or ice on his bench, the man radiated a crackling heat, the empty plate in his lap shows the time that had passed in their… debate.
Ling Qi considered the rest of the room, the icicles hanging fanglike from the rafters, the tapestries frozen under slabs of clear ice, the ankle deep soft white snow on the floor and under her feet.
"Yes, I think so," Jaromila said, looking around herself. She smiled wryly. "We usually prepare spaces for this."
"So do we," Ling Qi sighed. "Thank you for indulging my impulse. Please rest a moment while I clean this up."
"As you like," Jaromila said, glancing at her husband. "...Ilsur, did you honestly not save me anything?"
"You did not ask," Ilsur said, picking at his teeth with the tip of a skewer.
"I shouldn't need too," she complained mildly, sitting down beside him. "Give me that, I'm parched now."
Ilsur grunted as she took his pitcher away. Ling Qi observed them out of the corner of her eye as she turned to the ruined room. Ruined was probably too strong, it wasn't that bad she thought?
Silence. She fought a frown as she began to hum under her breath, stretching out her hands as she pulled at the lingering icy qi. The snow on the ground began to kick up and disperse, the fangs of ice ran like wax, the frozen walls began to thaw. Moisture returned to the air, in some part, dissolving away ice, what could not rejoin the air gathered in a glittering coil of icy cold water around Ling Qi, which she guided into an emptied pitcher, and under the door to the well hidden storage closet, filling the cleaners buckets there.
…There was still some water damage, but it was fine? It was probably fine.
She was sure she could justify it as an expense to Renxiang anyway. Deepening her understanding of her foreign counterpart was vital. Ling Qi looked at her handiwork for a moment longer. She… was probably going to have to fill out all the work orders, huh?
"May I ask what your own plans are going to be, for the month of preparation remaining?" Ling Qi said, turning on her heel, petty concerns hidden away for now.
"Ensuring that all parties on my side of negotiations are as united as possible. Overlooking the construction project that you have all agreed upon," Jaromila said.
"Soothing ruffled feathers and displaying our wares like an over eager trader," Ilsur said blandly.
She gave him a look. He shrugged.
"Something like that, yes," Jaromila sighed.
"Well, I suspect you'll have an easier time of it than I," Ling Qi groused. Getting her side united was a pipe dream. She would settle for everyone mostly coming to be faced in the same direction.
Truly, her ambitions were as high as the heavens.
"Let us both work hard then," Jaromila said kindly
"We will have too, but success will be worth it. Emissary Jaromila, I look forward to arranging peace with you," Ling Qi said.
"Well said," Jaromila agreed, raising a newly poured cup. "Shall we discuss how we will keep in contact during the rest of the preparations then?"
"Yes, lets," Ling Qi agreed. She perused the drinks, moving the cold, turning solid glimmering ice to pleasantly cool lush in one particular pitcher as she poured herself a cup. She sat down, and together with Jaromila, they began to discuss their plans.
By the end of the meeting, they'd decided that they would meet in person once a week, to discuss any issues that had come up, put forward concerns from the other party, and just generally talk. Ling Qi didn't think she'd have to push particularly hard to get Renxiang to approve the time spent. It was a fairly obvious bit of diplomacy. And since she'd not taken on any particularly time consuming duties in previous meetings, she would have time for it easily.
They also decided, for the sake of not raising tensions any further that Ilsur and his fellow tribesman would stick to acting as an honorguard for their 'Sun-Sledge', which would remain parked by the base of their Sovereign Cultivator, the weeping tree for the duration of the meeting. There was some talk of inviting select envoys aboard at some point but that was more summit business, it would probably end up tied to access to the observatory. The White Sky were apparently quite impressed with that, and Ling Qi was careful not to let on that she was surprised at all about that.
She made a mental note to speak with Meng Dan and maybe that astronomer fellow again soon.
But soon, it was growing late. Ling Qi could feel it in the slowly chilling air. The sun was descending toward the horizon, and they needed to part ways for now.
Ling Qi stopped with Jaromila and Ilsur outside of the embassy building, to extend a hand and clasp arms with the older woman while their respective guards hung back and gave them space. "Thank you for meeting me this day, Emissary. It was my pleasure to receive you," she said, fully formal, now that they were out here in public.
"It was our pleasure to be hosted, and your hospitality was without flaw," Jaromila replied, just as formally. She clasped Ling Qi's arm, and then, releasing it, offered a proper imperial bow.
To which Ling Qi responded with a proper inclination of her head as well. "I only hope it is the first of many meetings. Farewell, and good fortune."
"Good fortune to you as well," Jaromila said. "I will be in contact soon."
Ling Qi watched the two of them go, standing straight and still, her hands clasped under her sleeves. Only when they were out of sight did she turn around. She eyed the Ministry provided guards.
…It would not hurt to play the right role.
"Were there any troubles, anything you noticed?" She said crisply.
"The foreign warriors were deeply tense after Lady Ling's suggestion. The emanations of your contest with their emissary discomitted them," The one she had spoken too before said.
"They have an external power source," the other said quietly. "Something in that device of theirs I think. It is likely that the house guard at least may enjoy significantly greater strength than they appear too from cursory examination."
Ling Qi nodded once. "Thank you, I will be meeting Lady Cai now, you may return to your normal posting."
The two of them clapped their fists together, bowed and left. Ling Qi considered them as she watched them leave.
…The ministry was fully sincere in their devotion to the Empire's security. It would be best to remember that. They were only opposed as they were because their definitions of security and the best path to it differed.
She didn't know if she could change their definition, not in the time, or with the influence she had, but in the end, she would have to bend it enough to fit.
Anything else was failure.
***
"You have my approval to focus your efforts there," Cai Renxiang said."Thank you, Lady Renxiang. You will not regret it."
"I won't," her liege said, looking thoughtful, the brush in her hand tapped thoughtfully against the ink pot. "...It is your ability to form unlikely connections which has made this possible at all."
"I accept your compliment," Ling Qi said, dipping her head and smiling.
Renxiang considered her from behind the desk. "I do not fully understand your ease, but in this moment, I will be glad for it. The trials of this month have gone as well as could have been expected. I have been able to avoid the upset of the Ministry. The General has been… calmed."
"A good position," Ling Qi said.
"We will need some focus on the counts of the Emerald Seas, and our provincial guests, to ensure there are no misunderstandings, but I am pleased. Will you be ready for the journey back?"
Ling Qi closed her eyes for a moment. "It… feels a little painful, doesn't it?"
Cai Renxiang looked at her curiously. Ling Qi smiled wryly. "I suppose not, you don't get attached to places, do you, Lady Ren?"
"No."
"Lady Renxiang," Ling Qi corrected herself.
Her liege silently slid a completed form away, and silently pulled a new one from her stack. "I am not heartless. I have some attachment to the Sect, but the elements I most value are largely following us."
Ling Qi grinned. Renxiang met her gaze with a narrowed look. She raised her hands in surrender. "I do have more I will miss. But, this moment was coming from the day I gave you my oath," Ling Qi said.
"Life does not wait," Renxiang said after a moment.
"It doesn't," Ling Qi said. "What will you be doing?"
"Reviewing our lands supply contracts, meeting with the Sect Head to offer our formal withdrawal and thanks for the hospitality of the Sect. I have also scheduled tea with both Bai Meizhen and the Bai Ambassador," Renxiang said. "Yourself? Personal meetings, like Gan Guangli?"
"Mostly," Ling Qi said, considering her friends. She'd still be traveling back and forth a little… her family would remain in White Cloud Town for some time yet, but this would be her last visit as a member of the Sect rather than a visiting noble. "I think the first thing is…"
[ ] Visiting Li Suyin and Su Ling, to say her goodbyes to some of her oldest friends
[ ] Visiting the musician disciples, the little troupe she had helped to bring together.
AN: There is a fair amount of room in this arc, as the first vote, there will still be chances to see the other, though screen space will still be limited, in the end, and there are more options and groups to be seen as we go.
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[ ] Visiting Li Suyin and Su Ling, to say her goodbyes to some of her oldest friends
Sorry musicians, but y'all ain't shit compared to the other option.
Sorry musicians, but y'all ain't shit compared to the other option.
[X] Visiting the musician disciples, the little troupe she had helped to bring together.
It feel appropriate to save the more important visits for the end.
Also, I want to make sure that we shore up connections that might fade away entirely.
It feel appropriate to save the more important visits for the end.
Also, I want to make sure that we shore up connections that might fade away entirely.
Last edited:
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[ ] Visiting the musician disciples, the little troupe she had helped to bring together.
Also, I'm like the latter option. We'll be visiting Su Ling and Li Suyin even if we leave. We even have narrative threads with them. Suyin with her detectors and the Ith-ai war, and Su Ling with her fox siblings and her mom.
We don't have any thing with our music group that can connect us to them after we leave, so now would be the best time to end the group on a good note. Plus, I want to see if we can maybe pass on our group to help future music cultivators. We can also hopefully get information for Roots Inroads so that we don't have to pick it. We already have some Xia information from Concordance of Steel. We can get some Ruan/Bian information here.
And lastly, this whole action is called Paying Respects. It feels more appropriate to say goodbye to thr seniors who helped us, because the Bian Ya and Ruan Shen have helped Ling Qi extensively, especially when she started out.
Edit: Plus I kinda want an invitation to the wedding
Also, I'm like the latter option. We'll be visiting Su Ling and Li Suyin even if we leave. We even have narrative threads with them. Suyin with her detectors and the Ith-ai war, and Su Ling with her fox siblings and her mom.
We don't have any thing with our music group that can connect us to them after we leave, so now would be the best time to end the group on a good note. Plus, I want to see if we can maybe pass on our group to help future music cultivators. We can also hopefully get information for Roots Inroads so that we don't have to pick it. We already have some Xia information from Concordance of Steel. We can get some Ruan/Bian information here.
And lastly, this whole action is called Paying Respects. It feels more appropriate to say goodbye to thr seniors who helped us, because the Bian Ya and Ruan Shen have helped Ling Qi extensively, especially when she started out.
Edit: Plus I kinda want an invitation to the wedding
Last edited:
[] Visiting Li Suyin and Su Ling, to say her goodbyes to some of her oldest friends
Point conceded.
[ ] Visiting the musician disciples, the little troupe she had helped to bring together.
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Ma Jun too. Plus like, I'm not sure if we'll see Yu Nuan a lot, with her military service and the upcoming war arc in mind. We won't be working with the Sect for that since we're leaving.
We should really get started on that replacement flute sometime, the music visit seems a little superfluous without a chance for a jam session.
- Location
- Spain
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Visiting the musician disciples, the little troupe she had helped to bring together.
Last edited:
I'm leaning pretty strongly towards the music group for now, for a few reasons.
[ ] Visiting Li Suyin and Su Ling, to say her goodbyes to some of her oldest friends
We've got some plotlines with this already set up. Li Suyin's going to be involved in ith-ia/fief surveying that we'll be getting to sometime soonish, probably right after the summit, and as a way to start introducing things for the ith-ia war arc that will be picking up also sometime after the summit. Su Ling has Gan Guangli and Diao plot hooks, though they're a bit more fluid. But there's there there.
[ ] Visiting the musician disciples, the little troupe she had helped to bring together.
This group is mostly not following us out of the sect, so it feels right to put it to rest in a retrospective action like Paying Respects. Ruan Shen and Bian Ya are people Ling Qi initially met as tutors from the Inner Sect. There's a resonance to that root of the relationship with the tone and purpose of the narrative arc. It'd be neat seeing Ma Jun(?) again, too, even if our connection there is rather more superficial.
And if Yu Nuan features, that's great. She's fun and we really need to integrate the whole adoption thing into the story a bit more than we have. Some of that could happen in the House of Ling action we're almost certain to pick next month, but she's not actually explicitly named in the character list provided for the action. Touching base with her here would take some pressure off of that action if she was intended to be part of it. And if she wasn't, we absolutely have to touch base with her here.
Either now's the slot we got for it or we can give yrs an opportunity to get some stuff out of the way now. Sink the roots of narrative to bloom tomorrow. Yadda yadda.
[ ] Visiting Li Suyin and Su Ling, to say her goodbyes to some of her oldest friends
We've got some plotlines with this already set up. Li Suyin's going to be involved in ith-ia/fief surveying that we'll be getting to sometime soonish, probably right after the summit, and as a way to start introducing things for the ith-ia war arc that will be picking up also sometime after the summit. Su Ling has Gan Guangli and Diao plot hooks, though they're a bit more fluid. But there's there there.
[ ] Visiting the musician disciples, the little troupe she had helped to bring together.
This group is mostly not following us out of the sect, so it feels right to put it to rest in a retrospective action like Paying Respects. Ruan Shen and Bian Ya are people Ling Qi initially met as tutors from the Inner Sect. There's a resonance to that root of the relationship with the tone and purpose of the narrative arc. It'd be neat seeing Ma Jun(?) again, too, even if our connection there is rather more superficial.
And if Yu Nuan features, that's great. She's fun and we really need to integrate the whole adoption thing into the story a bit more than we have. Some of that could happen in the House of Ling action we're almost certain to pick next month, but she's not actually explicitly named in the character list provided for the action. Touching base with her here would take some pressure off of that action if she was intended to be part of it. And if she wasn't, we absolutely have to touch base with her here.
Either now's the slot we got for it or we can give yrs an opportunity to get some stuff out of the way now. Sink the roots of narrative to bloom tomorrow. Yadda yadda.
This basically confirms that Ling Qi doesn't count among "allies" for the purpose of her finisher's support effects. Which means that chain-battle-refreshes wasn't actually something in the cards, with either choice. Ling Qi would empty her tank. 2, maybe 3 fights is what I'd expect her limit to be.
Oliver_Twister
Idea-Man, He Who Shits Ideas
- Location
- West Africa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I wouldn't say so. From a political perspective, we're shoring up contacts with noble clans who are likely to be promoted to Count (the Bian) and Viscounts (the Ruan) in the near future (by cultivator standards, anyway)
Plus, if we can talk to them so that they'll continue the music club in our stead, it could be another way to leave our mark on the sect while spreading our ideology and support, like with the Wang Chao party. We ended on a good note with him, and now he'll hold parties that spread both our agenda with the summit and our Weilu reformist ideology.
I also like the idea of like, picking up all the Sect's music cultivators abd making them follow our style. Ma Jun is meret the first disciple of the musical school of Ling!!