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

[yrsillar]

Made an edit, making the no slot options a bit more flavorful

 

[TotallyNotEvil]

@yrsillar Can we immediately end FVM, just after we set up Traveler's End? Or does it take another round?

 

[Cecylene]

I think taking an Insight from FVM would make sense, but FSS while important to us is something that we may want to let slide for now as while we are rather of the "Hungry Winter Wraith" vibe we likely don't want to really add it to our Domain.

FVM has been integral to Ling Qi's development since we got it, it's what really led us to getting in with the Moon and what gave us the potential to come as far as we can go. FSS has given us some distinct offensive ability but rather lacks that self-same narrative intensity as FVM. I'd rather not tie Ling Qi's own domain so closely to "Endings" as I would rather hold out for something potentially more inclined to a Cyclical nature. Gaining a potential Insight through our work with Zhengui and the interplay of TRF and FSS might be more interesting, but nonetheless I'd rather keep something as austere as "Endings" out of our Domain for now at least.

So once the Moratorium ends, I'd be definitely up for either of the FVM insights. Out of the two options:

[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.

Click to shrink...

I think I prefer this one, as it plays well with the idea that whenever Ling Qi has made a decision the Thread, and by proxy Ling Qi herself, has always measured the value of the hardship and difficulty of the decision by what Ling Qi has returned with. Whether that be personal growth, ludicrous amounts of drugs, progress of her friends and family, or anything else of "Beauty". So long as Ling Qi or the people she cares about have gained something wonderful from the journey then it'll be worth.

I rather like how this plays with both Ling Qi's own perception and the general nature of the Thread.

[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.

Click to shrink...

This one works well in ensuring that Ling Qi keeps her Home and Work separated, that the hardships and pain of her adventures do not have an adverse effect or reflection on her "home life". It feels like it has themes of both separation and protection of those places Ling Qi considers "Safe" are interesting and would make for an fascinating development of FVM and how Ling Qi would interact with her mother, sister, and growing household.

Not really a fan of this one since while it is interesting doesn't quite mesh with the Thread's natural inclinations and I would rather double-down on the desire for adventure and exploration rather than the idea of Home with this latest round of Insights.


My vote will be for:
[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.
[][FSS] All things End, but one does not need to think of endings to live(No slot)

 

[TehChron]

Fresh Nightmares​

The sound of a bell ringing echoed through Zhengui's ears once more as he trundled behind his friends, a base noise that merely washed over him, rather than penetrate his very own soul like the music made by his Big Sister. What it was, however, was a signal to the fire sprite and snow girl that were before him. Hanyi and Linhuo seemed to pale, the heavier girl turning all but translucent, and the fire sprite dimming in the morning light in a sign of obvious panic. Two pairs of eyes watched as the girls picked up their pace, before Linhuo turned back even as she fluttered swiftly ahead.

"You're going to be late, dummy!" She cried out, before abruptly flying straight into door that had been carelessly tossed open, a large metal-toned bear standing behind it bashfully. Zhen hissed warningly towards it, for the creature to hastily bow its head and retreat in obvious fear of chastisement. But it was still too late for the forest fire sprite, Linhuo falling to the ground even as Hanyi seemed to be filled with a renewed vigor and energy, the snow girl moving at a speed wholly at odds with her weight.

Something deep within Zhengui told them that she was only acting out the proper survival strategy.

"But aren't bears weak?" Gui said guilelessly as he approached Linhuo, slowing down to a stop at her recovering form.

"Stupid Gui," Zhen chuffed, "Obviously Hannyi is not as strong as we are. She was probably just scared of the weakling!" The dark green scales of their snake half reached down, coiling around their friend to lift her onto their shell.

"Y-you're kidding right?" The dimmed voice of Linhuo asked incredulously from within Zhen's scales, "Our first class is Homeroom, and because of you we're both late!"

Two pairs of eyes gazed inquisitively at one another before speaking as one, ""Homeroom?""

The sound of fire-flesh slamming into fire-face-flesh filled the hallway as Zhengui began trotting once more, "You really don't remember?" Linhuo sighed, "For someone with two brains, you're really slow huh?"

"Blame that on Foolish Gui," Zhen hissed, the serpent affronted at the idea of being held accountable for his other half's decisions.

The fire sprite sighed once more, groaning at her continued misfortune for having to babysit Zhengui, "We're both the same age, so why do I feel like I'm the parent here...?"

"Wouldn't that would make you the Big Sister?" Gui trilled ponderously, "But we only have one Big Sister, sorry."

Linhuo glanced to the side, "Well that's good." She muttered, inspecting the spikes on Zhengui's shell, "I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea or anything."

Uncertain of what idea she could be referring to, Zhengui simply carried their friend on the way to the "homeroom" per Linhuo's directions. As Zhen extended to open the door, a brief chill ran through the rest of his body, and so they paused, unsure what to make of it. But destiny waited for no turtlesnake, and so the door was opened.

Into a blizzard incarnate.

"Student Zhengui. Student Linhuo. Good of you to join us. Finally." Hanyi's mother, the snow spirit Zeqing floated within the room, her white hair tossed about in the indoor storm, and it was with some confusion that Zhengui noticed that she did so behind a desk, "Now take your seat, and we will continue the lesson that you have interrupted with your tardiness."

The wind abates, and Linhuo sighs in relief, wiping at her brow with a dully glowing hand. The danger passed, Zhengui trundles into the room, filled with rows upon rows of cramped looking seats-with-tables, in which were trapped a number of smaller spirits. From one such prison, Hanyi waved at the two, expression sheepish. As the arson fairy moved to fill one such unoccupied seat, Zhengui's wandering eyes drifted over to one more such construct, absurdly larger than the others, almost long enough to take up an entire row on its own. So, quite tentatively, the turtlesnek made its way over, legs bending to fit their lower half beneath it in the way that the other spirits legs were, while Zhen proceeded to lounge his full scaly length upon its flat surface.

"Now that we are all present," Zeqing began the moment that he was seated, "Let us begin discussing the mutability of Spirit Beasts," She pauses, eyes passing over Hanyi and Zhengui before continuing, "Now, as I'm sure we all know already, naturally born spirits have a set 'potential' which is determined by their individual lineage and their place of birth. However swiftly or slowly the Spirit grows in power, they shall, barring death, eventually reach this limit. This is especially pronounced in the existence of Spirit Beasts, which are by their very nature expressions of the Qi of the Land in a manner similar to that of humanity. They take form, feed upon the Qi in their environment, and slowly grow in power. As a result of taking physical form, they are defined, but in so doing so obtain a degree of immutability against the other forces in the world. And upon death, their Qi-flesh remains, having retained it's shape even after the passing of their overall consciousness.

'Pure Spirits, by contrast, are expressions of the Qi as tainted by outside factors. They have no direct need to feed upon other creatures or sources of Qi in order to further their growth, merely assimilating ambient Qi to add on to their greater self. But this ease of sufficiency has it's own costs, in that they are many times more fragile than Spirit Beasts of similar cultivation. Thus, many of the lesser Pure Spirits are easy prey for cunning Spirit Beasts to use as sustenance." Zeqing nods towards a pink spider, "And in their passing they return to the ambient Qi from which they formed, becoming part of a new Spirit in the eternal cycle of the flow of Qi."

The snow-woman pauses, looking over the assembled Spirits, "There are other factors as well, such as the nature of one's own Core, but the answers to those questions are something ill understood by our own Greater Selves. We will discuss the many facets of that singular commonality at a later time, but for now we shall discuss the universal method by which we can exceed our limits." Zeqing glances over the classroom once more, "And that is by our bonds to Cultivators. For it is through the constant changing and evolution of a human partner that we can grow ourselves, much like how we can take in outside sources of Qi to further our growth, so too can we take in the experiences of what our partners do in their lives to serve as an impetus and catalyst for our own growth beyond the basic definitions by which we take shape in the world.

'The Fairy which burns out after it's fuel has run out. The child which does not grow for however many decades. The muse which exists solely as inspiration, and never once has the grounding by which to act on it. The Xuan Wu who knows nothing, and thus possesses infinite potential in it's unending curiosity."

A bell rings once more, and Zeqing's still lips seem to grimace even in their lack of movement, "That is all we have time for today, children. Perhaps if all of you had been on time we would have been able to continue this lecture to it's conclusion. As thanks for denying you the opportunity, Linhuo, Zhengui, Hanyi, you shall have the following homework this evening-"

Zhengui did not even know what homework was, but some primal instinct caused both of him to sigh in regret and frustration.

...​

The rest of the day passed in a confusing blur, filled with intermittent flashes of the strange presence from the morning. Each time, a chill ran down Zhen's sinuous spine and Gui's spiked shell, causing them to shiver. As the school time came to an end, the three friends began heading back home when the sensation struck again, causing Zhengui to noticeably flinch.

Twin pigtails whipped through the air as Hanyi leveled a glare at them, "You've been like this all day, you stupid sled! What has you so scared?" The pallid girl pauses before glancing away, "N-not that I haven't been paying attention to you or anything."

Linhuo glared at the other girl, the small fairy looking as if she had been slapped across the face. "You fatty!"

Zhen hissed nervously, tasting the air in a futile attempt to gauge the danger around him, "Stupid Gui and I have been feeling someone watching us since this morning. They seem to have followed us from home and all day while we were here."

Linhuo turned to give them her full attention, smoldering eyes turning serious, "Did you see what it was?"

Gui pawed at the ground, beaked head shaking back and forth, but he reached out with his senses through the ground all the same. And his ability to sense the vibrancy of Qi told him that there was no one that Zhen and his eyes could not see for themselves. Except...Zhengui's four eyes tracked to a patch of empty air besides Linhuo, one which was very certainly not odd at all.

The two of them gulped simultaneously, and Hanyi shivered as well, "L-let's go then!" The snow girl called out with forced cheer, "Time to head home!"

With nervous nods of ascent, the four of them left the grounds, waved at cheerfully by the great red ape who incidentally taught chemistry.

They did not get far, however, when a great crimson machine, similar in shape to an incredibly sleek carriage drawn by no horses or other beasts, drew up before them in a flash, growling all the while. Seated within, one hand resting upon a great leather wheel, was the well-dressed figure of what Zhengui immediately recognized as Sun Liling, the girl who had hurt his Big Sister, and Zhengui had been unable to do anything about it!

As the two heads hissed in recognition and hostility, a dainty, scarred hand grasped a pair of incredibly dark spectacles that had rested on her face, jade-colored eyes boring into Zhengui's own.

"So yer the kid, huh?" The Princess of Sun seemed to muse, "I swear, I don't see what's so special about you at all." Hair the color of freshly spilt blood fluttered as her head shook, before the young woman raised her free hand to her mouth, "YO DHARITRI! TIME TO GO HOME!" She drawled loudly, and in a scattering of pollen and golden petals, the caramel skinned spirit partner of Sun Liling appeared with a giggle and wave besides the three younger spirits.

"Dharitri-senpai!" Linhuo launched herself back, arms raised in a combat stance, but the larger spirit seemed to only have eyes for Zhengui.

"See you later~" The spirit said with a mysterious grin, ducking and spinning into Sun Liling's vehicle, somehow managing to casually dodge a hissing mass of dark liquid which splattered in the distance.

Emerald coils snaked into the waiting black vehicle in which Bai Cui had arrived that morning, and with a smell of burning rubber and the unholy screams of the damned, the two machines sped off into the distance.

Red eyes met green, and as Linhuo and Hanyi fumed about "stupid old women", neither half of Zhengui found themselves capable of making sense of their current circumstances.

A.N.: Here ya go all, Part 2 of Zhengui: Harem Protagonist. This one's way weaker than the previous installment, I feel, but I needed to set up the rest of the dynamic with the cast before indulging in full on RomCom slice of life silliness.

Oh and here ya go @yrsillar

 

[Thor's Twin]

[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.
[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.
[][FVM] Do not take insight from Forgotten Vale Melody

[][FSS] The end comes for all things, without exception. In accepting this, you are freed.
[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.
[][FSS] Do not take insight from Frozen Soul Serenade

Click to shrink...

Time to break down my feelings for this!

[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.

• An interesting insight. It feels like we have already established those we care for and our journey of hardship and loneliness is to find the inspiration to present them with something of beauty. Not sure if I like it all that much. It presents the struggle not to form connections and establish a family, but as a method of creating something beautiful.

[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.

• This presents struggles and obstacles worth it if you have somewhere to return at the end. This presents a cyclical interpretation of the journey and that as long as you have somewhere to return to, the hardships and tribulations will be worth it. Emphasizes the importance of having that "place" to return to. I like it for Ling Qi given her focus on family and tight ties.

[][FSS] The end comes for all things, without exception. In accepting this, you are freed.

• I actually don't like this insight all that much. What are we free from? We've rejected absolute freedom in our past and this seems to be returning back to that concept. It doesn't particularly resonate with me as something we want in our domain.

[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.

• This insight focuses on the nature of the cycle. The pattern of endings and beginnings. While this might support the idea of home not being a singular place (given that the home can end and begin anew) it would be a pretty far stretch. It seems like it can fit with Zhengui's own cycle of growth and destruction, which is nice, as well as the idea that the ending of a performance can be the beginning of another. I'm not sure what I think about it though, but I certainly like it better than the first one.

[][FVM] Do not take insight from Forgotten Vale Melody
[][FSS] Do not take insight from Frozen Soul Serenade

• These are the choices for those who don't agree with the insights that we got from FVM and FSS. The insights will push Ling Qi in a specific direction, and if you don't like any of the directions that would be pushed by these insights, then these are the choices for you. While it is important to have the ability to reject insights that we don't want, I feel that FSS and FVM will most likely be slotted. That being said, don't be afriad to vote for these if you don't like the choices above!

 

[Sundancer]

A chilling update! (I am not sorry...)

Good scene, seeing the tension and conflict between Hanyi, who is now a big girl and totally doesn't need praise or attention, and her mother, who totally doesn't want to devour her, not at all, is creepy and nice. Also it seems Hanyi pushed her Cultivation and probably needs to leave the nest 'soon'. Considering how several people would like to grab her as a third spirit, that's good news. Still, let's see how she thinks about that and of course Zeqing herself. (Not that I expect serious opposition from either of them...) and Sixiang teasing Hanyi... well, they'll have to deal with that. Both of them. Want to say more, short as it is, there was a lot of material in this update. But oh wells.

Anyway, regarding insights. Now, neither of the Arts are super cuddly and nice (although they are family friendly, just look at that cute mother-daughter pair. They even keep the father around!) but I don't think there are serious plans to not take the insights for two of our core Arts? Again, they aren't nice but they don't singularly define Ling Qi even if she takes insights from them. We just have to keep a balance and keep picking up other Arts that aren't all about frozen death and lonely endings and fun themes like that...

Now, for what Insights to pick though... They all don't sound terrible on first read, but let's see.

[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.
I prefer this one, to be honest. 'Presenting something of beauty' reads to me as if it means producing something of value. And a path being 'of worth', thus being good if at its end you can give something of value to those you care for... Well, I fail to see anything necessarily bad with that. It's a good message, one I can agree with. (Within reason of course, but hey. It's a single sentence message, what else do you expect?)
[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.
Now this one isn't a terrible message either, but it seems more callous or self-sacrificing to me. It doesn't care about the outcome of a path or what it produces/results in, as long as you survive and you have somewhere to return to at the end. A 'home'. That's... again, not a terrible message but not a really useful one. It's a bit of a minimum effort to me. Yes, what you do shouldn't kill you or destroy your home and loved ones. I can agree with that. But I'd like to get a bit more, you know? Like... presenting something of beauty. Call me an overachiever.

[][FSS] The end comes for all things, without exception. In accepting this, you are freed.
Weeeell, this is probably true, and accepting that there is no such thing as eternal life or immortality keeps you from falling down the Stereotypical Villain Path #47 (Sorry, Tom Riddle) and it doesn't even have to be a negative message. A world without death, without end, would be... strange, to say the least. So it's a decent Insight to take, if you view it through appropriate lenses (what isn't...) but let's see what the alternative is.
[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.
Ohhh. Now *this* I like. There are ups and downs, defeats and missed opportunities. But those open up new paths, new chances, new opportunities. An end doesn't have to be final or everything is lost forever. Like, for example, you could lose a vote and instead of summoning a Salt Elemental you'd just go on with life, make the best out of it and fight the next battle... Nah, that sounds crazy. Or after a harsh encounter under a Bloody Moon you can overcome your doubts and move on... It also might tie in with Zhengui's rebirth and destruction aspects, depending on how you count 'endings'. It's a very interesting take for Ling Qi, especially with Zhengui I believe. So, I really like this insight, yeah.

 

[Neshuakadal]

So if we one with shadow an opponent and use call to ending on them while we touch them... is that near S rank damage? That's going to kill a fool.

 

[sophistsDismay]

[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.
[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.

I like the first for FVM because it indicates that FVM is a piece of art, not just a tool for war. The second insight is nice because of the home aspect to it, but I don't really like the idea of reducing FVM to primarily a tool of war. LQ is a musician more than anything else, and I feel like that doesn't really come through with the other insight. I like the cycle interpretation of FSS because of how well it fits with Zhengui's own themes while also being a rather hopeful, positive statement.

 

[DeAnno]

[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.
[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.

I want to just say that Home doesn't have to be a place. I like the emphasis on people in the first one rather than location in the second.

 

[globalwarmth]

[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.


fits nicely with the renewal thing our turtle son has going on

 

[Thor's Twin]

So if we one with shadow an opponent and use call to ending on them while we touch them... is that near S rank damage? That's going to kill a fool.

Click to shrink...

The combo is more degenerate than that.

Joyous Toast --> Call to Ending on someone should, if I understand the rules correctly, get to S rank damage that ignores armor. Joyous Toast upgrades Call to Ending's damage to A, and then that is increased a full letter rank to S should we be touching them.

If that doesn't work, then yeah, One With Shadow --> Call to Ending should get us a boosted A rank damage that ignores armor.

 

[Pipeman]

The third time Liling impales us is promising to be fun now!
You know, provided it doesn't knock us out first.

 

[1986ctcel]

[][FSS] The end comes for all things, without exception. In accepting this, you are freed.

• I actually don't like this insight all that much. What are we free from? We've rejected absolute freedom in our past and this seems to be returning back to that concept. It doesn't particularly resonate with me as something we want in our domain.

Click to shrink...

"I accept the inevitability of my death and in doing so I am free from fear of it"

 

[Killer_Whale]

[][FVM] Though it is beautiful, the travelers song is not Ling Qi's(No slot)
[][FSS] All things End, but one does not need to think of endings to live(No slot)

 

[Thor's Twin]

"I accept the inevitability of my death and in doing so I am free from fear of it"

Click to shrink...

I suppose that's a possible interpretation, but it makes me like the choice even less.

 

[Asael]

[][FSS] The end comes for all things, without exception. In accepting this, you are freed.

• I actually don't like this insight all that much. What are we free from? We've rejected absolute freedom in our past and this seems to be returning back to that concept. It doesn't particularly resonate with me as something we want in our domain.

Click to shrink...

Fear, would be my guess.

Being held back by fear is something of an issue with LQ.

 

[Ayashi]

[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.
[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.
[][FVM] Do not take insight from Forgotten Vale Melody

[][FSS] The end comes for all things, without exception. In accepting this, you are freed.
[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.
[][FSS] Do not take insight from Frozen Soul Serenade

Click to shrink...

Three point of view:

3-What is useful for Ling Qi's "home" domain;

First, what Ling Qi is. What insights best illustrate Ling Qi herself :
I think the first FVM and second FSS insights are the ones that qualify.
FVM: It's literally what she has been so far. From street rate, through hardships and into her current position of power.
FSS: While she has yet to really suffer from a permanent setback in the sect so far, she did have some taste of lesser "defeats" and there's the big one: running away from home, suffering from homelessness, and then the new beginning in the Sect which allowed among other things to re-connect with her mother.

Those are pretty fitting but i do not think this is the point here. A Domain is a goal or concept you want to work towards, not a reading of your life so far.

---

Second, what Ling Qi would benefit the most (in combat) :
The second FVM and first FSS insights both revolve around "the end", they clearly are what we'd want if we wanted that much needed boost in direct 1v1 raw damage dealing abilities. In Suyin cave adventure the fight against the single green ant-lion was almost as hard as fighting the army and three team of green rat-men...
FVM: The ends justify the means. Whatever efforts, setbacks or pain you suffer is (only) worth it if you have something significant to show for it in the end.
FSS:

You hear that Mr. Anderson?... That is the sound of inevitability... It is the sound of your death... Goodbye, Mr. Anderson...

Click to shrink...

While those would add some pretty solid conceptual weight to our actions, mainly those that seek to end things, i do not believe this is the kind of concept we want to add to our domain. It'd make for a pretty cynical and depressing Ling Qi...

---

Last but not the least, what fits best in Ling Qi "home" domain:
Second FVM, clearly is the best fit here. Your efforts are worth it if you have somewhere safe to return to. You can hardly make a better fit for "home".

FSS's second insight is somewhat appropriate.
i'd rather not take either of FSS insight but i doubt the thread could ever resist the shiny appeal, specially since the upcoming tribulation is likely to give FSS+ or an advanced insight, and the regrowth concept of this second insight is, while not appropriate, at least it's less damaging. It might even be useful if we ever suffer actual defeat in allowing us to more easily regrow from the little death it represented.


Insight are more than just random bonuses, they are lego-ideas, building blocks that we need to use and fit together in order to build a solid image.
Simply stacking the most shinny ones together, or the ones with the most useful mechanical boost for a power spike in the short therm is a bad idea in the long therm.



[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.

[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.

 

[fictionfan]

The combo is more degenerate than that.

Joyous Toast --> Call to Ending on someone should, if I understand the rules correctly, get to S rank damage that ignores armor. Joyous Toast upgrades Call to Ending's damage to A, and then that is increased a full letter rank to S should we be touching them.

If that doesn't work, then yeah, One With Shadow --> Call to Ending should get us a boosted A rank damage that ignores armor.

Click to shrink...

We now have a really really potent single target assassin attack. What makes it even more amazing is that we could build it up from the other side of a wall.

 

[lioli]

Hanyi looking down, her bangs shadowing her eyes

Click to shrink...

aaahhh

Zeqing was not looking at Hanyi, she had noticed over the last week that the spirit had seemed to almost be avoiding her daughter

Click to shrink...

aaaaaaahhhhhhhh

it looked as if she was going to rush forward to hug her Mother, but Ling Qi saw her look up and hesitate

Click to shrink...

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.
[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.
[][FSS] The end comes for all things, without exception. In accepting this, you are freed.
[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.
aaaahhhhh

Almost all of these potential insights are worthless for building the Domain I want Ling Qi to have! I want Ling Qi to be a person who defends her family and punishes her enemies, but the only insights that would support that Domain would be the second FVM insight.

The first FVM insight assumes hardship has value, or it's ok to suffer for someone else. I don't want Ling Qi to assume all suffering can gain value if she can use it to give to other people.

The second has Ling Qi make herself a place of respite for her family after they suffered. That's a good thing, since that'll mean Ling Qi would seem to always be there for her family. But it demands a degree of rootedness or omnipresence I'm not sure I want for Ling Qi.

The first FSS insight straight up doesn't have any relevance to the Domain I want. Hard pass. (Though there's a degree of relevancy to Ling Qi's music duel with Yu Nuan: things end, so rejoice in what you have right now.)

The second FSS insight can combo with the FVM insights: after loss and tribulation, there thus are ways to grow. But that's the only relevance to the supportive Domain I want Ling Qi to have. (Though, if we had picked the ally perception assist with the AM insight, there would be some synergy with this [Beginnings after Endings] insight for Xiulan, after her tribulation-induced ruin.)

 

[Arkeus]

OK, so insights should be chosen for the insight themselves. We don't quite 'slot an art' as much as 'slot what we learned from an art'. This is important.

Now, equally important is that we need 3 insights slotted within the next three weeks. We should be finishing FSS/FVM (now)/CDE/SCS/TRF (later). Given we already have an insight pertaining to perception, I am not a fan of getting a second one pertaining to perception right now as it would mean doubling down on a perceptive domain, which is not what I want to be the focus of our domain.

[][FVM] Though a path might be hard and lonely, it has worth if you can present something of beauty to those you care for at the end.
[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.
[][FVM] Though it is beautiful, the travelers song is not Ling Qi's(No slot)

While I said the above, I am still going to be dividing the votes by arts, because I am an idiot. The first FVM option is "You have lessons through your paths, and if you can use those lessons for those you care for the path's harshness is worth it". The second option is "Harshness has worth as long as there is somewhere to return to". No slotting option is basically "please no harshness".

I strongly prefer the first option, here, as I want Ling Qi to be more about the beauty she learns through her path.

[][FSS] The end comes for all things, without exception. In accepting this, you are freed.
[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.
[][FSS] All things End, but one does not need to think of endings to live(No slot)

The first option seems very similar to what we have said to Yu Nuan in our Challenge: End might come in all things, but the Ending itself doesn't invalidate one's life. Because everything end then everything matters, basically. The second option is more inspired by Zhengui and a destruction/rebirth symbolism. It is also one that would shock Zeqing: While a True Ending exists, as long as it's not there you can still build anew. This also reflect how Ling Qi rebuilt herself at the sect, after years of living in the street. The no slotting option is sort of 'Death is not something one needs to focus on in your life', except it's not just death but Ends there.

I actually like both slotting options, but I think I'll choose the first one (though might approval vote for both).

 

[Vanguard_D]

Speaking of Hanyi, things are definitely coming to a head. That cant hold much longer. Either Zeqing rises above her instinct as a spirit or Hanyi gets eaten.

 

[fictionfan]

Qi Ling may not have any good alpha strike, but she has alot of finisher.

 

[archangis]

First of all, thanks @yrsillar both for the chapter and for clarifying domain votes by removing the mechanical part. That's very nice.

Secondly, the FSS finisher combo incredibly well with SCS last tech. TP in, touch the ennemy, insta kill from A rank damage.

For the rest, I prefer this :

[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.
[][FSS] There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.

The first combo well with our home domain and the second fit well with zhengui renewal.

 

[ChronOblivion]

[][FVM] Even if hardship and tribulation litter your path, it has worth if you have somewhere to return at the end.

I am strongly in favor of this one. Really really want to ensure that the concept of Home is a definite aspect of Qi's domain, a safe place amidst all of the terror and darkness. Don't like the thematics of the first option nearly as much.

 

[Ayashi]

We should make a song as a gift to Zeqing.

Something to embody how she nurtured and protected ling qi.

Click to shrink...

Something about how snow, while cold, can protect you when you most need it, or how a cave of ice can be warm enough for you to rest for the night.
Something about how the most frigid sky is usually also be the most beautiful clear blue sky.