- Location
- Staring into the void
Might be able to introduce her to our family now, without them fainting/dying.
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.
Considering his clan (Weilu leaning) it is probably not blood element. A guess would be that he is leaning towards the Bloody Moon as a patron.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
Moonless night... so wouldn't that be the Hidden rather than the Bloody? I suppose it could be both.
A single Strike
- Location
- United States of America
A Single Strike
Sweat beaded on Sai Chen's eyebrows as he slowly moved from stance to stance under the noon-day sun. Each step sent needles of pain through his legs, each gesture was vehemently protested by his arms, and each twist made his torso beg for relief. Soon enough he stopped and gently fell down to the ground to look at the sky. The skies dome was a flat sullen grey, a fitting backdrop for the aftermath of the raging storm that had come days before. Birds flew without care from branch to branch, chirping and singing their songs in defiance of the somber, oppressive atmosphere created by the sky. It was calming, knowing that even with the destruction wrought by a maelstrom normalcy would return soon enough.
Sai Chen stood and walked to the edges of the training ground where his equipment lay. Pulling out a jar of water, he chugged it before pouring the rest over his head. It was… exhausting, doing this physical cultivation. But it was needed to break into the yellow realm. Sighing, Sai Chen sat down under the shade of a tree and drew his sword out of its sheath. It was the first significant purchase he made when he came to the outer sect, and so far it had yet to prove to be worth the investment. Made of refined steel with the edges tinged in blue. Etched in the sides of the blade was a scene of cascading water engulfing a village. The hilt was tightly wrapped in black leather with a single light blue tassel hanging from the pommel. Supposedly it was constructed to help with the potency of water arts, but that had yet to make a difference. At least it hadn't broken under the constant strain he placed it under. However, even with this new sword, he seemed no closer to slicing the boulder than when he began.
He withdrew a jade tablet from his bag and began to meditate on the instructions hidden in the jade. The art, "Cascading Water Channel," seemed to be slightly misnamed. It was not purely a water art, but indeed a water and wind art. While Sai Chen had seen some water and wind arts mingle the qi to create ice, this art seemed to keep them wholly separate. One technique had the water qi flow through his arm meridians and into a sword blade while the second technique had the wind qi flow from his head and connect the tip of the sword to the target of the strike. The art seemed to promote a single slash, bringing the full force of water on the target's defenses and carving a channel through them, seeking weakness and breaking through it.
The art worked well with his basic strength enhancing art. Allowing him to hit harder and faster than his peers, but only for a single strike. Hopefully, he could develop the two arts so that a single strike would be all he needed to finish off all but the most troublesome opponents. But for now, he was content to simply channel the qi and drill their flows into his memory until they became second nature. He could not fumble the execution of the art when everything depended on a single perfect strike.
Time seemed to pass slowly while he meditated on the meanings and flows of qi in the jade tablet. Progress crawled at the pace of a snail, but Sai Chen eventually made a breakthrough in his understanding. He could hold the water in place, within the blade, and let the pressure build up. The longer the wait, the more power was unleashed when the strike finally did fall. It was a double edged sword though and would require using the ability carefully. If one waited too long, then the opponent would get a free attack against you, but launch the attack too soon and the blade would bounce off the opponent's defenses. Like everything in this art, the timing required would need to be perfect to get the best result. Now, however, was the time to practice and implement what he had learned. Standing up and sheathing the sword, he walked towards the stubborn boulder in the middle of the training ground and stood before it.
With a deep breath, Sai Chen calmed his nerves and blocked out the sounds of the forest. It was merely him and the boulder in front of him. Drawing his sword he entered a high stance, prepared to strike down against the stone in front of him. Then, he began cultivating, letting his qi flow from his dantian to his arms and head in controlled patterns. Qi of air, and qi of water. The qi flowed up his arms, through his hands, and coated his blade, ready for the command to leap forth. From the tip of the sword, however, extended one single line. A string of air that only he could see. The string connected his sword to the boulder, the single spot he wished to slice, and it pulled at his sword. Insistently it pulled, trying to bring the sword and the boulder together, but Sai Chen resisted the force and simply breathed. And with each breath, he pulsed more qi through the meridians lining his spine, fortifying his muscles for a single explosive moment.
He could feel the pressure in his muscles as the qi built up, like water striving to burst a levy. And then, a moment of silence. Nothing moved, nothing breathed, not even his heart beat. All that existed was the boulder, the string, and the sword. With a sound of breaking dams and whirling winds the moment ended and Sai Chen moved. Water roared from his sword and the wind screeched as it pulled the blade even faster then he could swing it. Before an eye could blink, his sword had descended and sliced the boulder in two.
It was a smooth cut, creating a glossy finish on the inside of the boulder. He carefully inspected his sword for knicks and cracks, but there was none. A more thorough check, probably by a blacksmith, would be needed to ensure that the sword had not suffered undue stress. But now was not the time for that, now was the time for satisfaction. He had done it! He had struck through a boulder with a single strike!
A/N: It's been a while since my last omake, so here's one! @yrsillar another omake for the omake throne!
As always, I hope you read and enjoy. Critiques and criticisms welcomed.
Sweat beaded on Sai Chen's eyebrows as he slowly moved from stance to stance under the noon-day sun. Each step sent needles of pain through his legs, each gesture was vehemently protested by his arms, and each twist made his torso beg for relief. Soon enough he stopped and gently fell down to the ground to look at the sky. The skies dome was a flat sullen grey, a fitting backdrop for the aftermath of the raging storm that had come days before. Birds flew without care from branch to branch, chirping and singing their songs in defiance of the somber, oppressive atmosphere created by the sky. It was calming, knowing that even with the destruction wrought by a maelstrom normalcy would return soon enough.
Sai Chen stood and walked to the edges of the training ground where his equipment lay. Pulling out a jar of water, he chugged it before pouring the rest over his head. It was… exhausting, doing this physical cultivation. But it was needed to break into the yellow realm. Sighing, Sai Chen sat down under the shade of a tree and drew his sword out of its sheath. It was the first significant purchase he made when he came to the outer sect, and so far it had yet to prove to be worth the investment. Made of refined steel with the edges tinged in blue. Etched in the sides of the blade was a scene of cascading water engulfing a village. The hilt was tightly wrapped in black leather with a single light blue tassel hanging from the pommel. Supposedly it was constructed to help with the potency of water arts, but that had yet to make a difference. At least it hadn't broken under the constant strain he placed it under. However, even with this new sword, he seemed no closer to slicing the boulder than when he began.
He withdrew a jade tablet from his bag and began to meditate on the instructions hidden in the jade. The art, "Cascading Water Channel," seemed to be slightly misnamed. It was not purely a water art, but indeed a water and wind art. While Sai Chen had seen some water and wind arts mingle the qi to create ice, this art seemed to keep them wholly separate. One technique had the water qi flow through his arm meridians and into a sword blade while the second technique had the wind qi flow from his head and connect the tip of the sword to the target of the strike. The art seemed to promote a single slash, bringing the full force of water on the target's defenses and carving a channel through them, seeking weakness and breaking through it.
The art worked well with his basic strength enhancing art. Allowing him to hit harder and faster than his peers, but only for a single strike. Hopefully, he could develop the two arts so that a single strike would be all he needed to finish off all but the most troublesome opponents. But for now, he was content to simply channel the qi and drill their flows into his memory until they became second nature. He could not fumble the execution of the art when everything depended on a single perfect strike.
Time seemed to pass slowly while he meditated on the meanings and flows of qi in the jade tablet. Progress crawled at the pace of a snail, but Sai Chen eventually made a breakthrough in his understanding. He could hold the water in place, within the blade, and let the pressure build up. The longer the wait, the more power was unleashed when the strike finally did fall. It was a double edged sword though and would require using the ability carefully. If one waited too long, then the opponent would get a free attack against you, but launch the attack too soon and the blade would bounce off the opponent's defenses. Like everything in this art, the timing required would need to be perfect to get the best result. Now, however, was the time to practice and implement what he had learned. Standing up and sheathing the sword, he walked towards the stubborn boulder in the middle of the training ground and stood before it.
With a deep breath, Sai Chen calmed his nerves and blocked out the sounds of the forest. It was merely him and the boulder in front of him. Drawing his sword he entered a high stance, prepared to strike down against the stone in front of him. Then, he began cultivating, letting his qi flow from his dantian to his arms and head in controlled patterns. Qi of air, and qi of water. The qi flowed up his arms, through his hands, and coated his blade, ready for the command to leap forth. From the tip of the sword, however, extended one single line. A string of air that only he could see. The string connected his sword to the boulder, the single spot he wished to slice, and it pulled at his sword. Insistently it pulled, trying to bring the sword and the boulder together, but Sai Chen resisted the force and simply breathed. And with each breath, he pulsed more qi through the meridians lining his spine, fortifying his muscles for a single explosive moment.
He could feel the pressure in his muscles as the qi built up, like water striving to burst a levy. And then, a moment of silence. Nothing moved, nothing breathed, not even his heart beat. All that existed was the boulder, the string, and the sword. With a sound of breaking dams and whirling winds the moment ended and Sai Chen moved. Water roared from his sword and the wind screeched as it pulled the blade even faster then he could swing it. Before an eye could blink, his sword had descended and sliced the boulder in two.
It was a smooth cut, creating a glossy finish on the inside of the boulder. He carefully inspected his sword for knicks and cracks, but there was none. A more thorough check, probably by a blacksmith, would be needed to ensure that the sword had not suffered undue stress. But now was not the time for that, now was the time for satisfaction. He had done it! He had struck through a boulder with a single strike!
A/N: It's been a while since my last omake, so here's one! @yrsillar another omake for the omake throne!
As always, I hope you read and enjoy. Critiques and criticisms welcomed.
- Location
- US
I find it incredibly amusing that Ling Qi only bothers to think of him as "that Wen fellow" in the middle of a comment about how she's able to remember his name. More seriously, Wen Cao clearly has plans for Ling Qi. We'll need to keep an eye on him.
There's already been some speculation about their respective elements, but I find it interesting that their aura's remind me strongly of the two factions from the Bloody Moon nightmare. I get the sense that the rivalry between the Luo and Meng is essentially the latest iteration of that same feud. Notably, it's implied that the Meng may be literal descendants of the prince's faction.
Wang's aura being compared to a rolling boulder is interesting, and I get the sense he approaches socializing in a similar way. He tries to find opportunities, give them a shove, and build on them until he's unstoppable. His problem is that he keeps getting cut off before he can properly build up momentum.
The Wang clan's situation in general is a rough one. They're a small clan on the southern border that only came to prominence recently due to Shenua's intervention. They are the one's who are most impacted by southern barbarian raids. However, as comparative newcomers, the older clans look down on them, and since the southern boarder is currently considered a low priority as well the clans small size, their peers largely consider them irrelevant. No wonder Wang is pushing so hard for expansion. In fact, he seems to be looking for anything that might give him a bit of an edge with the others. Thats likely why he's approaching Meizhen right now. She has a reputation as being unapproachable, but she's a key player as Renxiang's chief ally. If he can make a connection there, that gives him an advantage none of the other Count scions have.
Telling that while the others compliment Ling Qi's first performance, Luo found it concerning, and was reassured by the second challenge. During the Luo meeting at the tournament, it was hinted that the Luo way of doing things isn't entirely compatible with the Cai's vision, and a big reason Ling Qi is such a useful potential ally is because she tends to use Luo methodology, but still has close ties to Renxiang. However, Ling Qi's challenge song was about how wonderful Cai is for providing safety and security to enable growth. This probably has Luo worried that Ling Qi has sold out and let Cai
"de-claw" her. The second challenge showed that loyalty to Renxiang's ideal aside, Ling Qi could still be undeerhanded an brutal when she need to.
This made me happy. I've always liked Bian Ya, even though she hasn't had much screen time, so I'm glad to hear that she'll continue to be relevant, despite not being from a count clan.
Arc 3-3
Ling Qi considered her liege's words as she let her point of view rove about the room, carried on the notes of her melody. She was glad that she had picked up the Harmony of Dancing Wind art, even if she could not quite see through the obfuscation of every social art. Merely listening in without an art of technique was an inexact effort at the best of times. Now though she could much more easily match rumors to the lips that spoke them, and see the reactions of the ones being spoken too directly.
It would make the list of information she handed over to Cai Renxiang at the end of the night much more detailed and useful. Still, general eavesdropping aside, her encounter with some of the scions of Emerald Seas highest families had been… enlightening. Cai Renxiang was right though, she wasn't quite ready to go diving in the deep waters, so to speak. So as her second piece wound down, she already knew where she was going to go. She needed to build up a friendly foundation before attempting the higher echelons again.
So, after taking her bows to the audience's polite applause, she stepped down from the stage, and crossed the floor, to where two familiar faces were engaged in a chat. Bian Ya she had spoken too just earlier, but her partner in conversation was one that Ling Qi had not spoken too in many months. Ruan Shen had been her first Inner Sect Tutor, back when she had been a mere second realm cultivator. He had given her lessons on the foundations of musical arts which had proven useful throughout the previous year, even as she had moved into learning full time from Zeqing.
Ruan Shen had not changed much from the last time she had seen him. He still wore an open fronted, baggy robe with flowery designs embroidered into the silk. His hair was a bit longer perhaps, and faint streaks of dark blue wove through the black now, but his handsome face and easy going smile were much the same.
"Oh that ones a bit different from your usual tastes," Sixiang mused. "Want me to do a quality check under the curtain?"
Ling Qi kept her expression straight and serene as she gave the spirit a mental swat, to which they responded by retreating, laughing deeper into her thoughts. She could feel that both of the senior inner disciples had noticed her approach as she neared, so she was unsurprised when their conversation tapered off and Ruan Shen turned to look her way.
"Junior Sister Ling," he greeted warmly, offering a shallow bow. "That was a wonderful piece. You're going to make your poor Senior Brother feel inadequate if you keep improving so quickly."
"You are too kind Senior Brother Shen," she replied returning his bow. "I still have much to learn in the art of music."
"Oh, so the two of you know one another then?" Bian Ya asked lightly, looking between the two of them.
"This one only offered a few small lessons to his Junior Sister, which she happened to take quite far. Ah, is this the pride of the mentor?" Ruan Shen sighed airily.
"I am thankful for your lessons of course," Ling Qi replied with amusement. "I have already learned of how much fun it is to tease one's juniors."
"Oh how fast they grow," Ruan Shen said with a prideful grin. "You have truly bloomed beautifully, Junior Sister Ling."
Ling Qi glanced to the side at his words, forcing down the blush that wanted to rise on her cheeks. Bian Ya thankfully covered for her, raising a hand to cover her mouth as she laughed daintily. "My it seems there are more sides to you than I had believed, Miss Ling."
Ling Qi caughed into her hand. "Ling Qi is fine, if it pleases you. In any case, I just wanted to thank you for your kind words earlier Senior Sister Bian."
"My name will do," the older girl replied smoothly. "Please think nothing of it. It does one well to be kind to new players in the game I think, and you were a dutiful student."
"You are braver than I, Junior Sister if that kind of fencing is to your fancy," Ruan Shen said gravely, raising the cup in his hand like a toast. "This one chooses the path of the humble musician."
"Is your grandfather not recently broken through to the Indigo realm?" Bian Ya said, amused. "It may behoove you to begin sharpening your blade yourself."
"Ah, but this one has many older brothers, sisters, and cousins, who have the matter well in hand," Ruan Shen replied. "I shall keep to my areas of talent."
"I wonder how many of them were halfway through the third realm at his age though," Sixiang mused. "I don't blame the poor guy, but I think he might be in denial."
Perhaps, but Ling Qi thought him lucky just for having others to cover for him. "If it would not be rude," she said instead. "Might I know something of your families? I am still coming to terms with the connections in Emerald Seas."
"Do not let our peers fool you, those connections are as tangled as the branches of the oldest growth, the Hui and their predecessors were lacking administrators," Bian Ya replied kindly. "The Bian family oversees some of the more profitable tea farming in Emerald Seas, and we hold the rank of Viscount serving beneath the honored Cai themselves."
"Though your esteemed patriarch's solid foundation in the violet realm has set things abroil again. I believe your grandfather was nearing that realm as well, Miss Bian?" Ruan Shen said lightly. "Alas that lands cannot be conjured whole from the aether."
"Quite so," Bian Ya said, amused. "We cannot all be so lucky as the Ruan, bordering wilderness that has lain fallow for centuries."
"I suppose so," Ruan Shen sighed, looking as if he wished he could strum on his instrument. "We are but humble barons, serving under the Bao, Miss Ling, overseeing groves of valuable spirit trees. The cuttings turn quite a profit, as well as being perfect for use in crafting instruments, hence our name."
Ling Qi narrowed her eyes, she didn't need Sixiang's help to read between the lines of the conversation. It made sense then that Bian Ya would be friendly toward people like herself or Ruan Shen. Since her family was a budding power, the older clans would be largely hostile by default. Friends and allies then, would have to come from outside that circle.
"It's a wonder you guys ever get anything creative done at all," Sixiang mused sadly.
"And what of you then Miss Ling?" Bian Ya then asked. "Do you know what you will be doing in the future?"
Ling Qi considered her answer for a moment, but then nodded. "My primary duty will be to attend Lady Cai of course, but I believe once her time in the Sect is over, there is a fief on the southern border waiting for us. I'm afraid the exact details have not been settled for me yet."
"Hm, that is a posting with much opportunity I think," Bian Ya said thoughtfully. "I can think of only a few locations which might be fit for a young heiress to oversee, and they are all choice locations, ignoring the barbarians."
"That is quite a thing to ignore Sect Sister," Ruan Shen said dryly.
Bian Ya smiled in amusement. "One must endure risk and hardship to achieve success, that is only good sense."
"I will keep that in mind," Ling Qi said. "I hope I can count on you for advice in the future, Bian Ya."
"Naturally," the girl said with a smile. "One can never have enough friends after all."
"Perhaps I should make my exit," Ruan Shen mused. "It is said that when the ladies conspire, a sensible man should flee."
"What kind of cowardly saying is that?" Ling Qi asked with a raised eyebrow.
He replied with an easy grin. "One made by men of little actual sense I should think. But too be serious, if you wish to discuss matters of politic, I am not the most useful Junior Sister."
"You undersell yourself, sir Ruan" Bian Ya said slyly, her long eyelashes flutterng. "Else I would not have sought you out."
Ling Qi glanced between them, and suddenly became uncomfortably aware of the look and tone with which the older girl spoke to her former teacher. Some part of her felt a certain sullen envy at the way the older boy suddenly found the need to clear his throat. She quashed the silly feeling immediately.
"You really give up too easily on some things," Sixiang muttered. Ling Qi ignored that too.
"I am sure Senior Brother Shen has a great deal of good advice still," she said instead. "Though it has been quite a long time since I have heard Senior Brother play? I am surprised that you have never taken a performance slot."
"Sir Ruan can be surprisingly shy," Bian Ya said with a laugh.
"Hah, perhaps those words held some truth," Ruan Shen lamented. "Already the two of you have joined forces."
If she ignored the uncomfortable feeling that Bian Ya's flirtations gave her, Ling Qi would say that the few minutes of chatting that followed were actually a little fun. With the subject changed from politics, their conversation drifted to music and poetry which was much easier fare. Still, she left the conversation with somewhat mixed feelings. She was glad that she had secured a friendly relationship with two of her seniors, but…
Ling Qi shook her head as she approached the stage for her final piece, she was being silly. Ling Qi turned her attention toward her destination but before she could reach the stage, she found her way blocked by a mildly irate looking Bao Qingling.
"Here," the girl said bluntly, thrusting a hand toward Ling Qi. It held an expensive envelope sealed with golden wax. "My brother wanted me to give you this."
Ling Qi blinked, nonplussed and accepted the envelope. "Uh… thank you?" She said, feeling a little unsure.
"Your welcome," the older girl said dully, brushing past her. "Send your response soon."
Ling Qi looked at the girl's retreating back, and then to the envelope in mild trepidation. What was that about? She shook her head, she would have to read it later. The stage was empty and she couldn't leave her liege's guests without entertainment. It would make them look bad.
Somehow, Ling Qi thought, this night was more tiring than the last few. She couldn't say she wouldn't be glad to see the end of it.
She even had a spar to look forward too.
Ling Qi will be joining Cai Renxiang in what counts as a bit of relaxation for them. In this spar, Ling Qi would…
[] Focus on defending herself, and make Cai Renxiang really work for victory
[] Focus on the offense. If she could land even a couple of solid, meaningful hits it would do wonders for her confidence.
It would make the list of information she handed over to Cai Renxiang at the end of the night much more detailed and useful. Still, general eavesdropping aside, her encounter with some of the scions of Emerald Seas highest families had been… enlightening. Cai Renxiang was right though, she wasn't quite ready to go diving in the deep waters, so to speak. So as her second piece wound down, she already knew where she was going to go. She needed to build up a friendly foundation before attempting the higher echelons again.
So, after taking her bows to the audience's polite applause, she stepped down from the stage, and crossed the floor, to where two familiar faces were engaged in a chat. Bian Ya she had spoken too just earlier, but her partner in conversation was one that Ling Qi had not spoken too in many months. Ruan Shen had been her first Inner Sect Tutor, back when she had been a mere second realm cultivator. He had given her lessons on the foundations of musical arts which had proven useful throughout the previous year, even as she had moved into learning full time from Zeqing.
Ruan Shen had not changed much from the last time she had seen him. He still wore an open fronted, baggy robe with flowery designs embroidered into the silk. His hair was a bit longer perhaps, and faint streaks of dark blue wove through the black now, but his handsome face and easy going smile were much the same.
"Oh that ones a bit different from your usual tastes," Sixiang mused. "Want me to do a quality check under the curtain?"
Ling Qi kept her expression straight and serene as she gave the spirit a mental swat, to which they responded by retreating, laughing deeper into her thoughts. She could feel that both of the senior inner disciples had noticed her approach as she neared, so she was unsurprised when their conversation tapered off and Ruan Shen turned to look her way.
"Junior Sister Ling," he greeted warmly, offering a shallow bow. "That was a wonderful piece. You're going to make your poor Senior Brother feel inadequate if you keep improving so quickly."
"You are too kind Senior Brother Shen," she replied returning his bow. "I still have much to learn in the art of music."
"Oh, so the two of you know one another then?" Bian Ya asked lightly, looking between the two of them.
"This one only offered a few small lessons to his Junior Sister, which she happened to take quite far. Ah, is this the pride of the mentor?" Ruan Shen sighed airily.
"I am thankful for your lessons of course," Ling Qi replied with amusement. "I have already learned of how much fun it is to tease one's juniors."
"Oh how fast they grow," Ruan Shen said with a prideful grin. "You have truly bloomed beautifully, Junior Sister Ling."
Ling Qi glanced to the side at his words, forcing down the blush that wanted to rise on her cheeks. Bian Ya thankfully covered for her, raising a hand to cover her mouth as she laughed daintily. "My it seems there are more sides to you than I had believed, Miss Ling."
Ling Qi caughed into her hand. "Ling Qi is fine, if it pleases you. In any case, I just wanted to thank you for your kind words earlier Senior Sister Bian."
"My name will do," the older girl replied smoothly. "Please think nothing of it. It does one well to be kind to new players in the game I think, and you were a dutiful student."
"You are braver than I, Junior Sister if that kind of fencing is to your fancy," Ruan Shen said gravely, raising the cup in his hand like a toast. "This one chooses the path of the humble musician."
"Is your grandfather not recently broken through to the Indigo realm?" Bian Ya said, amused. "It may behoove you to begin sharpening your blade yourself."
"Ah, but this one has many older brothers, sisters, and cousins, who have the matter well in hand," Ruan Shen replied. "I shall keep to my areas of talent."
"I wonder how many of them were halfway through the third realm at his age though," Sixiang mused. "I don't blame the poor guy, but I think he might be in denial."
Perhaps, but Ling Qi thought him lucky just for having others to cover for him. "If it would not be rude," she said instead. "Might I know something of your families? I am still coming to terms with the connections in Emerald Seas."
"Do not let our peers fool you, those connections are as tangled as the branches of the oldest growth, the Hui and their predecessors were lacking administrators," Bian Ya replied kindly. "The Bian family oversees some of the more profitable tea farming in Emerald Seas, and we hold the rank of Viscount serving beneath the honored Cai themselves."
"Though your esteemed patriarch's solid foundation in the violet realm has set things abroil again. I believe your grandfather was nearing that realm as well, Miss Bian?" Ruan Shen said lightly. "Alas that lands cannot be conjured whole from the aether."
"Quite so," Bian Ya said, amused. "We cannot all be so lucky as the Ruan, bordering wilderness that has lain fallow for centuries."
"I suppose so," Ruan Shen sighed, looking as if he wished he could strum on his instrument. "We are but humble barons, serving under the Bao, Miss Ling, overseeing groves of valuable spirit trees. The cuttings turn quite a profit, as well as being perfect for use in crafting instruments, hence our name."
Ling Qi narrowed her eyes, she didn't need Sixiang's help to read between the lines of the conversation. It made sense then that Bian Ya would be friendly toward people like herself or Ruan Shen. Since her family was a budding power, the older clans would be largely hostile by default. Friends and allies then, would have to come from outside that circle.
"It's a wonder you guys ever get anything creative done at all," Sixiang mused sadly.
"And what of you then Miss Ling?" Bian Ya then asked. "Do you know what you will be doing in the future?"
Ling Qi considered her answer for a moment, but then nodded. "My primary duty will be to attend Lady Cai of course, but I believe once her time in the Sect is over, there is a fief on the southern border waiting for us. I'm afraid the exact details have not been settled for me yet."
"Hm, that is a posting with much opportunity I think," Bian Ya said thoughtfully. "I can think of only a few locations which might be fit for a young heiress to oversee, and they are all choice locations, ignoring the barbarians."
"That is quite a thing to ignore Sect Sister," Ruan Shen said dryly.
Bian Ya smiled in amusement. "One must endure risk and hardship to achieve success, that is only good sense."
"I will keep that in mind," Ling Qi said. "I hope I can count on you for advice in the future, Bian Ya."
"Naturally," the girl said with a smile. "One can never have enough friends after all."
"Perhaps I should make my exit," Ruan Shen mused. "It is said that when the ladies conspire, a sensible man should flee."
"What kind of cowardly saying is that?" Ling Qi asked with a raised eyebrow.
He replied with an easy grin. "One made by men of little actual sense I should think. But too be serious, if you wish to discuss matters of politic, I am not the most useful Junior Sister."
"You undersell yourself, sir Ruan" Bian Ya said slyly, her long eyelashes flutterng. "Else I would not have sought you out."
Ling Qi glanced between them, and suddenly became uncomfortably aware of the look and tone with which the older girl spoke to her former teacher. Some part of her felt a certain sullen envy at the way the older boy suddenly found the need to clear his throat. She quashed the silly feeling immediately.
"You really give up too easily on some things," Sixiang muttered. Ling Qi ignored that too.
"I am sure Senior Brother Shen has a great deal of good advice still," she said instead. "Though it has been quite a long time since I have heard Senior Brother play? I am surprised that you have never taken a performance slot."
"Sir Ruan can be surprisingly shy," Bian Ya said with a laugh.
"Hah, perhaps those words held some truth," Ruan Shen lamented. "Already the two of you have joined forces."
Bian Ya, Ruan Shen bonds activated at Rank 1
If she ignored the uncomfortable feeling that Bian Ya's flirtations gave her, Ling Qi would say that the few minutes of chatting that followed were actually a little fun. With the subject changed from politics, their conversation drifted to music and poetry which was much easier fare. Still, she left the conversation with somewhat mixed feelings. She was glad that she had secured a friendly relationship with two of her seniors, but…
Ling Qi shook her head as she approached the stage for her final piece, she was being silly. Ling Qi turned her attention toward her destination but before she could reach the stage, she found her way blocked by a mildly irate looking Bao Qingling.
"Here," the girl said bluntly, thrusting a hand toward Ling Qi. It held an expensive envelope sealed with golden wax. "My brother wanted me to give you this."
Ling Qi blinked, nonplussed and accepted the envelope. "Uh… thank you?" She said, feeling a little unsure.
"Your welcome," the older girl said dully, brushing past her. "Send your response soon."
Ling Qi looked at the girl's retreating back, and then to the envelope in mild trepidation. What was that about? She shook her head, she would have to read it later. The stage was empty and she couldn't leave her liege's guests without entertainment. It would make them look bad.
Somehow, Ling Qi thought, this night was more tiring than the last few. She couldn't say she wouldn't be glad to see the end of it.
She even had a spar to look forward too.
Ling Qi will be joining Cai Renxiang in what counts as a bit of relaxation for them. In this spar, Ling Qi would…
[] Focus on defending herself, and make Cai Renxiang really work for victory
[] Focus on the offense. If she could land even a couple of solid, meaningful hits it would do wonders for her confidence.
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fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
[X] Focus on defending herself, and make Cai Renxiang really work for victory
Quite simply we are better at that. Also we now how some dispel resistance. Really our perfect fight outlasting all our opponent's qi.
Quite simply we are better at that. Also we now how some dispel resistance. Really our perfect fight outlasting all our opponent's qi.
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[X] Focus on the offense. If she could land even a couple of solid, meaningful hits it would do wonders for her confidence.
We tried this with Meizhen way back, so I am curious how well it works against CRX.
We tried this with Meizhen way back, so I am curious how well it works against CRX.
- Location
- PA
Bao's prolly peeved we never made time for her and instead flounced about in Cai's shark pool instead...
TBH I'm kind of thinking we're generally being somewhat more reckless then we should be?
Like we're good but we're...I'd say less that we're not Cai-rank but not Cai-specced, while I imagine she appreciated our presence we mostly didn't have the social to hang out with her noble pals and mostly I think just strained her, which might have prevented her from getting to say, make agreeable deals she had to burn some authority covering us.
This thing with Ruan and Bian was better, but we didn't get around to Bao, who I think we missed a chance at increasing our bonds with judging by her huffy mood when she found us.
Might have also been that she told us to talk to her earlier and we missed our cue, which... Eh, I imagine long-term that's going to be filed under 'Ling Qi is an airhead sometimes!'
[X] Focus on defending herself, and make Cai Renxiang really work for victory
I have a feeling this 'spar' might be less about 'sparring' and more about 'you done messed up and made me lose face!', but that might be my read into things.
TBH I'm kind of thinking we're generally being somewhat more reckless then we should be?
Like we're good but we're...I'd say less that we're not Cai-rank but not Cai-specced, while I imagine she appreciated our presence we mostly didn't have the social to hang out with her noble pals and mostly I think just strained her, which might have prevented her from getting to say, make agreeable deals she had to burn some authority covering us.
This thing with Ruan and Bian was better, but we didn't get around to Bao, who I think we missed a chance at increasing our bonds with judging by her huffy mood when she found us.
Might have also been that she told us to talk to her earlier and we missed our cue, which... Eh, I imagine long-term that's going to be filed under 'Ling Qi is an airhead sometimes!'
[X] Focus on defending herself, and make Cai Renxiang really work for victory
I have a feeling this 'spar' might be less about 'sparring' and more about 'you done messed up and made me lose face!', but that might be my read into things.
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[X] Focus on the offense. If she could land even a couple of solid, meaningful hits it would do wonders for her confidence.
Hm, Six has met Ruan before.
Did they forget?
Heavenly Body
In the Stars
- Location
- Out there
[X] Focus on the offense. If she could land even a couple of solid, meaningful hits it would do wonders for her confidence.
Have we ever seen Ling Qi be this jealous before?
Have we ever seen Ling Qi be this jealous before?
- Location
- The Maple Syrup Mountains
[X] Focus on the offense. If she could land even a couple of solid, meaningful hits it would do wonders for her confidence.
