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

Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
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Also while we don't know for sure, it sounds like it's a resource, so that even those 4th Realm and up might have to at least spend some sort of resource to leave Ling Qi on Read.

E: Ninja'd.
 
yrsillar said:
Bond Sister,

It is good to hear that your time spent with those silkpants in the Peaks have not gone to waste entirely! While it has been good to return home after my travels, having spent so long away. I find many things to mislike. Having sailed the worlds seas, the empire seems small indeed, and its scholars minds smaller still. Enough whining though! You had a question in your letter, regarding your paper on Qi theory, and I do have some insights. I do not think your 'peers' are going to care much for them and nor will the simpering fops in court, if my impression is correct.

The trouble with the imperial schools of theory is the assumption of natural supremacy. They acknowledge the impact of ascension on natural law, but I think few enough have really internalized it. The laws of this world are mostly impermanent. The rules of nature which our most venerable ancestors lived under are not the same as those which we today labor beneath. To the layman, even one of great cultivation, this is not immediately obvious, but for one studied in history this becomes clear. The world is a mutable, and cultivation is no different. Conservative thinkers, those promoted by the court in the Celestial Peaks posit that foreign cultivation is merely a debased form, operating under the same principals but through lesser means.

This is patently untrue, though if one has never left their perfumed halls it may be compelling. Travel beyond the empire's borders and your own eyes will give you the lie. Travel west, beyond the bloodthirsty jungles, and you will find a land of a thousand princes, who claim descent from a single god with a thousand faces, of which the Red Jungle is merely one. They know nothing of meridians or dantians, and instead invest their understanding in seven chakras, spiritual organs with only the most passing similarity to the three dantians. Travel further still and the methods grow more alien. In the land of Kem across the northern sea are a people with five souls, of which the body is the highest and most supreme. I have had the honor of speaking with one of their sleeping Priest Kings, and it more closely resembled an audience with our Great Sire than any Immortal patriarch.

I will give Imperial scholars some face however, it is true that there are certain unifying rules to the operation of the world. It's just that they blind themselves to most of them in their arrogance. It is true that the energy we call qi is the fundamental building block of our world. In the first realm, we learn to feel and manipulate it, in the second, we learn to begin empowering our flesh and spirits with the energies of the world. In the third, we begin to wield it in truth, gaining a grasp for the manipulation of the world around us through the alteration of energy and material. I would quibble on some details, but the foundational theory is mostly correct.

No, where I find myself in disagreement is their theories on the middle dantian and shen energy. As I have heard it, the leading position is that Shen is an energy wholly derived from potent cultivators and spirit beasts, through which their will is imprinted upon the world, which is composed of lesser energy, qi. This is why those conflict between those of the fourth realm and above so easily alter or scar their surroundings, Shen is a semi divine energy, existing above the base mortal world, the first step toward wielding the power of the great spirits. This is why it allows us to escape the shackles of the world and fly, or alter the workings of the systems around is in ways beyond the brute force of the third realm.

This is wrong. Shen exists in the world around us, not merely as a side effect of potent spirits, but as another fundamental aspect of the material world. All forms of material and energy are qi, when broken down to their fundamental state, but my time under Guru Abhinavagupta, a man of great renown in the west, I have come to understand this. Men, beasts and spirits change the world by exerting their will, their shen upon it, this is true, but the world changes itself. We are not not as separate from material cycles as many would like to think. Shen is the energy of laws and reactions. When you strike flint to make fire, this is a miniscule application of shen. The patterns of winds which derive the weather is an application of shen. Not the winds and rains themselves of course, but the fundamental logic which drives them.

This is the source of it's potency and power when used in mortal hands. It overrides qi because qi operates as it does thanks to the laws and reactions imposed upon it by Shen. Now you may argue, is what I just described not the provenance of the third dantian? Sovereignty, Law, Truth; whatever you wish to call it?

I would answer that it is, and that imagining those things to be a third source of energy rather than a refinement of Shen is the greatest failing of Imperial Qi Theory. Of course, the truth is that it is really just a difference of power at that point. If it is said that a fourth realm wields Law as a mortal would a sharp rock, then it may be said that an Eight Realm wields it as a shaped cudgel. It is only ascension that allows true mastery. It is only our pride and insistence on supremacy which deludes us otherwise.

Having read this, you will now understand my earlier words. The insights I have to give are not one your peers will receive in good humor, and that is assuming you yourself do not think me a soft headed fool who has spent too much time at sea and among barbarians Bond Sister! Regardless, it has been good to hear from you again. I plan to remain in Shuilian City for some ten years. Once I have put my affairs in order, I intend to sail north again. I intend to travel beyond Kem and the isles of Pyrrhos and seek the legendary Emerald Isle, called the Conqueror's Graveyard by the men of the continent. I am sure you can see why I would be interested! But these old bones are not quite what they used to be. I am not certain I will return this time, Bond Sister, so I hope you will find time to visit.

Your Bond Brother, Zheng Lu, King of Explorers

AN: Just droppin another commission work up in here, main updoot will be tomorrow.
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Here's an official omake about Shen and Law
 
Yun said:
Renxiang from the nature of cultivation will become incapable of putting a number to it one day.
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Sounds to me like it would be even more tragic if, from the nature of cultivation, Renxiang is eventually able to put a number to the worth of one Ling Qi.

yrsillar said:
You may be heard and understood by any being you are aware of, regardless of language, cultivation, obstacles or techniques. You hear and understand any being attempting to consciously communicate with you, if you so choose. This ability may be bypassed by effects which use Shen.
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To me, this sounds like Ling Qi needs eyes on someone to be able to communicate with them, so even visual scrying would work. But on the other hand, if she chooses to accept all incoming messages, anyone would be able to talk to Ling Qi just by consciously intending to communicate with her.

Goddess Ling Qi when? She hears your prayers, no matter where you are!

Really enhancing that Emissary (Guardian Angel) vibe.
 
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Just noticed... Ling Qi is aware of Sixiang's Grandmother, right? So... rather than taking a trip or whatever, she could just ask.

But yeah... it sounds like she might have just gotten that tier 0 goddess omniscience "You hear all prayers directed towards you, and can respond if you like" schtick.

Beyond that...? Look. I am absolutely in the tank for Bao Qian, and have been pretty much since that was even a thing, but Turtle Boy gave us some profound and vitally necessary support on this last op at significant personal cost, and we really need to do something nice for him in return. I don't even know what, but we can't just take and not give on this one. It's too big.
 
Kai Merah said:
Sounds to me like it would be even more tragic if, from the nature of cultivation, Renxiang is eventually able to put a number to the worth of one Ling Qi.
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More that it wouldn't really make sense, imo. Value is multi-dimensional and situational, shifting with the circumstances. Ling Qi is both retainer and confidant, after all, subordinate and friend, and the value she provides to CRX in terms of material advantage is very different from the value she provides in terms of emotional support. Would it make sense to boil all that down into one number, when CRX needs both kinds of value in her life?

It's plainly obvious that Ling Qi is not all-important, it would be easy to construct a cruel hypothetical where Ling Qi's sacrifice would become necessary to save the world or somesuch, but even if you parsed out all the thought experiments and found the exact lines in the sand, you wouldn't have a single number. Our strength, our values, our friendship, and things yet more ephemeral than that, our value is tied up in all of that. You can compare one value against another, find the exchange rate of your tradeoffs, whatever you like, but one number is fundamentally insufficient to describe the value of a friend, and I think CRX already knows this.
 
Inferno Vulpix said:
More that it wouldn't really make sense, imo. Value is multi-dimensional and situational, shifting with the circumstances. Ling Qi is both retainer and confidant, after all, subordinate and friend, and the value she provides to CRX in terms of material advantage is very different from the value she provides in terms of emotional support. Would it make sense to boil all that down into one number, when CRX needs both kinds of value in her life?

It's plainly obvious that Ling Qi is not all-important, it would be easy to construct a cruel hypothetical where Ling Qi's sacrifice would become necessary to save the world or somesuch, but even if you parsed out all the thought experiments and found the exact lines in the sand, you wouldn't have a single number. Our strength, our values, our friendship, and things yet more ephemeral than that, our value is tied up in all of that. You can compare one value against another, find the exchange rate of your tradeoffs, whatever you like, but one number is fundamentally insufficient to describe the value of a friend, and I think CRX already knows this.
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Yeah, my point is that Renxiang realises it'd be tragic and terrifying if she cultivated herself into Maximum Paperclip and was able to pin down Ling Qi's worth to an exact number of lives or whatever, rather than her current evaluation of Ling Qi's worth being 'incalculable'.
 
Snow said:
Consider the fact that, if Suyin were the one to make it, it'd most likely be made from bone and chitin and look like some sort of undead monstrosity. Whether or not that's a good thing, you decide. :p
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I dunno, that'd probably impress WT contingent,

"Look at how sensible she's being, not letting the materials from her kills go to waste."
 
Hold that thought we're forgetting someone. Is Dress-chan okay? Has she been stress eating for the last ten days?
 
It was a great closure for the fight Yrs!
Can't wait to learn if the aftermath firsthand.
angelofwhim said:
I am so curious what lingqi looks like right now.

a bald spooky burnt undead ghost in a wheelchair?
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Azudora from Helck or 621 from armored core, I think. Both sounds about right...
Karthak Urzak said:
The wifely gloating is going to be off the charts after this.
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Was pointed out already, but we are developing a settlement in the fringes of the empire....
Doramas said:
I don't think the new ability can be used offensively like that.
It seems like a pure Communication skill.
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Banter/shit talking can be vicious, just ask Spiderman :V
o11c said:
Ling Qi: hello
Everyone Else: wait, how did you connect to this?
Xiangmen: 🌳👍
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You know, with the new addition to the domain....
Will LQ's ascension bring introduce the internet to the cultivation world?
Vanguard_D said:
Yay LQ lived with a new ability.
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Lol.
Lmao even.
That is pretty much the summary of the whole quest, haha...
query said:
Bald? B-bald! That's like the opposite of horns!
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weeblypanda said:
Worry not fellow Horn/Antler-stan! This is the opportunity for them to develop!
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If only one can be chosen, which will you take, sparkling hair or cute horns? :V

You know, I always get kinda sad after big fights that not the scar insight won in the TRF insight vote....
Hm... Wasn't there an omake with that though? Or anyone feel they can whip one up?
Just imagine, another great summit, another foreign contact.... And the best diplomat is more a walking pile of scars than anything else resembling a human.... But her voice is so nice and calm and makes you feel safe for some reason....
 
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Post Summit Ling Qi
  • Media
    • angelofwhim said:
    I am so curious what lingqi looks like right now.

    a bald spooky burnt undead ghost in a wheelchair?
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    COULDNT HELP MYSELF

    been a while since Ive done a doodley!

    Also, forgive me for adding turtleboi I love him and I pray for gauntlets ver 2 to be even more badass


    EDIT:
    FUCK FORGOT HER LEFT LEG I SWEAR IT WAS IN THE LINE SKETCH ohwell maybe that is undeadghostly part. who needs legs when you traverse the liminal while yoinking a living nuclear bomb
     
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  • Media
    • There is no need to turn the new Domain Ability into something is not.

    It's an ability born from Ling Qi's Want to understand and be understood, of reaching out to others through Communication.
    Turning that into a means of harm, even with the rhetoric that Communication can still be cold and harmful, is anathema to the spirit of the ability.
    So I don't think we can, or should, Communicate "End" to enemies with this ability. That's what FFS is for.

    Likewise, the abilty doesn't seem usable for spying or bypassing screening skills. After all, as Ling Qi realized in the nightmare tribulation, Communication must be a Choice. If a loved one wants to keep a secret for themselves, that's perfectly fine and LQ has to respect that decision.
    That doesn't mean she can't ever eavesdrop or spy on people, but not with her Communication Domain ability. She just needs to use her Thief abilities, as she did with Xia Anxi.

    The same with super-long comms, or understanding formations or anything like that. Communcating over long distances, or coordinating troops, or deciphering texts are all tangential applications, some of them based on dubious or strecthed interpratations of the text.

    The core of this ability, imo, is to enable mutual understanding as long as there is a will. The "will" there being the key part.
    If someone or something actively tries to communicate with LQ, she will understand. Up to where her limited understanding allows her to in the case of cultivating differences. Here is where written text or formations may be included. As long as there is an intent to communicate through them (or from them in the case of artificial spirits).
    Likewise, if LQ wants to communicate with someone, she has the chance to be listened to, though it depends on the other side deciding to listen to her or not.

    That's the core of the ability, to ensure there is always a chance of Communication and mutual understanding. That conflict won't happen due to misunderstandings or the impossibility of properly exchanging our intentions.
     
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    acidified said:
    COULDNT HELP MYSELF

    been a while since Ive done a doodley!

    Also, forgive me for adding turtleboi I love him and I pray for gauntlets ver 2 to be even more badass


    EDIT:
    FUCK FORGOT HER LEFT LEG I SWEAR IT WAS IN THE LINE SKETCH ohwell maybe that is undeadghostly part. who needs legs when you traverse the liminal while yoinking a living nuclear bomb
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    Dammit acidified. This is gonna be meme'd even more now :(
     
    acidified said:
    COULDNT HELP MYSELF

    been a while since Ive done a doodley!

    Also, forgive me for adding turtleboi I love him and I pray for gauntlets ver 2 to be even more badass


    EDIT:
    FUCK FORGOT HER LEFT LEG I SWEAR IT WAS IN THE LINE SKETCH ohwell maybe that is undeadghostly part. who needs legs when you traverse the liminal while yoinking a living nuclear bomb
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    Oh my god that Sixiang. Ahhhhhh
     
    Doramas said:
    There is no need to turn the new Domain Ability into something is not.

    It's an ability born from Ling Qi's Want to understand and be understood, of reaching out to others through Communication.
    Turning that into a means of harm, even with the rhetoric that Communication can still be cold and harmful, is anathema to the spirit of the ability.
    So I don't think we can, or should, Communicate "End" to enemies with this ability. That's what FFS is for.

    Likewise, the abilty doesn't seem usable for spying or bypassing screening skills. After all, as Ling Qi realized in the nightmare tribulation, Communication must be a Choice. If a loved one wants to keep a secret for themselves, that's perfectly fine and LQ has to respect that decision.
    That doesn't mean she can't ever eavesdrop or spy one people, but not with her Communication Domain ability. She just needs to use her Thief abilities, as she did with Xia Anxi.

    The same with super-long comms, or understanding formations or anything like that. Communcating over long distances, or coordinating troops, or deciphering texts are all tangential applications, some of them based on dubious or strecthed interpratations of the text.

    The core of this ability, imo, is to enable mutual understanding as long as there is a will. The "will" there being the key part.
    If someone or something actively tries to communicate with LQ, she will understand. Up to where her limited understanding allows her to in the case of cultivating differences. Here is where writen text or formations may be included. As long as there is an intent to communicate through them (or from them in the case of artificial spirits).
    Likewise, if LQ wants to communicate with someone, she has the chance to be listened to, though it depends on the other side deciding to listen to her or not.

    That's the core of the ability, to ensure there is always a chance of Communication and mutual understanding. That conflict won't happen due to misunderstandings or the impossibility of properly exchanging our intentions.
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    While I agree that mutual understanding is the core of the ability, and where it will be most powerful, that doesn't mean it doesn't have nastier applications. Even if you don't turn it into damage delivery directly (and y'know, LQ sings at people to hurt them), understanding someone better also means you know how to hurt them. We got this ability in a fight that ended with someone taking a diss (or burn, you might say) so bad they died, because that final strike hit all their concerns and insecurities they couldn't defend themselves. And for all that the recent diplomacy is about understanding each other, a very present aspect was that by understanding more you can get more for your side.

    Maybe LQ will form her way such that she'll reject those aspects. But she isn't there, and by my reconning she's altogether too much of a pragmatist and realist to go there. She'd prefer to gain mutual prosperity and mutual understanding. But in the process of making the world a little better in general, she's absolutely willing to make select portions worse. Some people just need to be talked to death.

    So, I think the ability having nasty applications is totally in theme. But is it overpowered? In the most loose reading, probably. I doubt we can currently make a phone call to the other side of the Empire. Maybe across town. But that's baby third realm LQ, who's only just started to matter in the affairs of the real powers. And a communication focused immortal being able to hear across the province/empire is totally fitting. It's not like others don't have their own versions of bullshit.

    Also, talking about absurd applications is just fun.
     
    Everyone else: *talking about ways to weaponize Ling Qi's new ability, have her chat with Xiangmen, etc*

    Meanwhile, me:
    "Magic hair?" *check*
    "Magic hands?" *check*
    "Poisoned?" *multiple checks*
    "Kidnapped or enslaved?" *sort-of-check*
    "People assume her problems are solved because a big strong man showed up?" *check*
    "Can talk with animals?" *looks at new ability and adds check*

    ...

    "Everyone, may I have your attention, please? According to THE LIST, Ling Qi is now a full-blown Disney Princess. That is all."
     
    Kelenas said:
    Everyone else: *talking about ways to weaponize Ling Qi's new ability, have her chat with Xiangmen, etc*

    Meanwhile, me:
    "Magic hair?" *check*
    "Magic hands?" *check*
    "Poisoned?" *multiple checks*
    "Kidnapped or enslaved?" *sort-of-check*
    "People assume her problems are solved because a big strong man showed up?" *check*
    "Can talk with animals?" *looks at new ability and adds check*

    ...

    "Everyone, may I have your attention, please? According to THE LIST, Ling Qi is now a full-blown Disney Princess. That is all."
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    Also a fairy godmother giving her magical gifts.
     
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