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

[yrsillar]

Seven days and seven nights.

That was the length of time that Ling Qi spent atop the outer sect mountain, cultivating with Zeqing. She rested in the muses home, played with her daughter, and drank only the sweet chilled wine. All the while she immersed herself in Darkness and Music. She might have resolved to pay the other parts of her nature more mind, but right now, with the medicines she had, it was time to master the element at the core of her combat ability.

Cultivating on a mountaintop above the clouds, the lunar qi she drank in each night was clearer and purer than ever, and soon she felt another layer settle into place around her dantian, another phase complete. It was not wholly complete yet, she would need to seek out an understanding with her lunar patrons to finish things, but it was enough for now. In playing with Hanyi, she improved her body, and in practicing with Zeqing, she came to master her songs.

On the eighth morning, Ling Qi opened her eyes and looked out over the flat mountaintop. She was seated beneath the odd fruit tree that stood in Zeqing's yard, and she was surrounded by flowers of ice.

"Big Sister is such a show off," her gaze was drawn to her right as Hanyi spoke. The spirit had changed since that day last year, when she had met the little brat in the middle of a blizzard. It had begun recently, and only accelerated with each passing day, but Hanyi was older in appearance now.

She had the same corpse-like pallor, and wore the same threadbare childs dress, but she resembled a young girl of ten or eleven now. Her dark hair was still worn in a child's pig-tails, but it was longer now as well. Yet that stance, with her hands on her hips and her cheeks puffed out in frustration, was still purely Hanyi.

"Is it really showing off if I can still do more?" Ling Qi teased back with a smile, gesturing to the field of flowers. "I'm only meditating after all."

The 'younger' girl glowered at her. "Big Sister is getting to cocky."

"And you've been slacking," Ling Qi replied pointedly. "Just like someone else."

"Oh don't you start, how I am supposed to cultivate in a place like this," Sixiang grumbled. "What kind of atmosphere is this for a poet?"

"Our house is great and pretty!" Hanyi retorted. "Your just a dummy!"

Ling Qi sighed. Sixiang and Hanyi kind of got on like a house on fire. Not the least because Hanyi really didn't like being teased and Sixiang was… Sixiang.

The wind was stirring as Sixiang formed a retort, but it suddenly fell still and silent as a cold shadow fell over them. Ling Qi looked up to find her teacher looking down at her with blank white eyes. "No squabbling in the yard children," The elder spirit replied tonelessly. "You are finished Ling Qi?"

Ling Qi smoothly stood as hanyi scuffed her foot in the snow, and bowed low to her teacher. "I have mastered both arts teacher," she replied. "Thank you very much for your instruction."

Ling Qi felt the brush of translucent fingers of ice against her cheek, and a faint cold pressure on her meridians. "You have, haven't you?" Zeqing said, a touch of fondness and something else hard to identify in her voice. "What a gifted student."

Ling Qi felt herself flush with pride even as she glanced over to see Hanyi looking down, her bangs shadowing her eyes. "Teacher is too kind. I am not the only one who has been working hard though."

"...Indeed not," Zeqing replied, an uneasy edge to her voice. Ling Qi knew without looking that Zeqing was not looking at Hanyi, she had noticed over the last week that the spirit had seemed to almost be avoiding her daughter, it worried her. "You as well, Hanyi," she said nonetheless.

Even that much brightened the younger spirit up, and for a moment, it looked as if she was going to rush forward to hug her Mother, but Ling Qi saw her look up and hesitate. "...Can I consider this months lessons complete, teacher?" Ling Qi said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Yes," Zeqing replied after a moment, and with the appropriate time lapsed, Ling Qi raised her head to meet the spirits eyes. "Your lessons are in fact wholly complete, for the moment."

Ling Qi almost frowned, but restrained herself. "What do you mean?"

Zeqing met her gaze steadily and her face was without expression. "I have taught you all that I can as you are, to go further… there would be tribulation. You asked that I warn you, did you not?"

Ling Qi's eyes widened, but she nodded hastily. Zeqing did not need to spell it out. A tribulation from the icy spirit would be a deadly thing.

"Hmph, Big Sister can do it," Hanyi huffed, not quite looking at her.

Ling Qi gave the younger spirit a sidelong look. "Would I need to make any preparations, teacher?"

"You are as prepared as you can be. It is only your choice that remains," Zeqing replied simply. "But… not this day. I tire, and you should spend time with your kin."

Ling Qi nodded, not willing to gainsay her. "Thank you again," she said instead.

Zeqing let out a small hmm in reply, but instead of responding directly, the spirit asked. "Might I ask if you found any insights in your time here Ling Qi?"

Ling Qi blinked at the sudden change of subject, but quickly answered…

[][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)

[][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)

Splitting this up a bit due to sheer quantity, even if it is short. Hopefully the low turnover makes up for it a bit.

Spoiler: Cultivation

Physical Cultivation: 384 dice
9 2 7 3 8 3 7 2 4 8 1 8 7 5 3 6 7 7 9 10 3 8 3 2 5 4 6 5 5 6 6 5 9 4 7 9 6 3 2 1 2 2 1 8 8 3 6 5 1 4 6 5 3 10 7 10 3 4 4 9 9 2 5 10 5 1 10 3 5 1 3 6 5 3 6 2 8 1 8 10 6 3 5 10 2 3 9 7 6 5 7 5 6 2 6 2 2 5 6 7 5 9 4 9 3 9 3 2 1 10 2 8 3 6 8 6 8 6 2 3 10 9 9 7 10 6 1 3 10 6 1 7 6 5 7 9 5 9 10 8 1 3 5 3 8 2 10 7 10 4 10 1 4 10 10 5 6 10 7 7 7 10 3 3 6 10 3 10 10 2 7 10 7 4 4 4 7 4 3 6 7 4 9 10 3 8 4 10 9 2 7 5 1 9 7 6 10 9 8 10 3 4 9 9 9 3 4 6 8 6 3 6 9 1 5 4 10 10 3 8 3 1 5 4 2 1 9 1 2 6 2 6 2 3 4 2 7 9 7 4 5 10 9 5 2 5 8 4 6 3 3 8 5 7 3 6 10 4 9 1 1 10 6 2 4 1 6 10 9 2 3 5 3 3 10 7 9 9 10 4 3 2 4 8 9 6 3 8 9 3 10 10 3 5 3 6 7 8 8 5 2 2 10 6 5 1 2 5 1 1 1 4 3 4 3 3 1 7 2 2 10 1 1 4 7 5 1 3 5 8 7 8 10 8 3 6 10 5 10 1 5 10 6 9 5 10 3 6 6 4 7 5 6 9 8 2 5 1 4 9 8 3 6 9 2 9 4 2 5 4 4 9 5 1 10 10 10 2 7 5 8 5 2 3. 196 successes

Rerolling 31
10 4 2 4 4 5 6 4 10 4 9 7 9 10 1 9 2 1 10 5 8 8 9 4 7 3 6 7 10 4 2. 15 successes,

211 x 1.1= 232

772/1200

Eight Phase Ceremony 808 dice
4 7 1 10 7 5 6 5 8 4 1 7 4 1 6 8 2 9 2 1 3 3 9 10 9 7 5 3 7 6 10 3 2 2 2 1 9 9 5 6 5 8 5 10 8 2 7 1 10 10 3 4 4 3 5 3 9 9 7 8 4 6 2 8 10 5 8 8 4 2 5 10 9 1 9 8 2 7 1 2 8 5 5 2 8 10 6 8 10 2 5 4 10 8 1 9 3 10 8 6 3 2 7 4 3 5 3 6 1 3 7 8 8 4 1 7 5 6 4 4 8 1 9 9 8 1 7 10 10 6 7 3 7 3 8 1 9 10 7 9 3 5 9 2 8 9 8 4 7 1 8 4 1 6 4 1 7 2 10 6 7 9 10 5 1 7 8 10 7 4 10 1 10 8 4 10 9 1 3 5 3 10 10 6 6 3 6 4 4 7 9 10 5 1 6 8 9 3 9 5 6 8 7 8 8 10 7 6 2 9 10 5 9 9 2 6 3 9 9 6 5 9 7 2 1 2 9 10 5 7 6 2 6 3 9 3 4 7 10 6 6 1 2 6 1 3 3 3 1 3 10 5 1 6 6 4 10 6 3 6 4 8 9 10 2 10 4 6 6 6 1 3 6 4 8 7 6 2 1 6 4 1 2 7 8 10 10 7 5 2 4 1 1 3 2 5 2 5 10 7 10 2 2 8 5 9 6 2 3 6 7 6 6 10 2 4 1 3 2 8 6 8 8 7 10 9 1 3 5 2 1 7 5 2 4 9 3 9 2 5 4 10 10 2 9 4 7 10 6 8 7 2 7 6 10 6 4 2 8 8 3 1 4 7 2 7 7 4 7 8 8 3 7 10 4 7 3 10 8 10 9 6 3 6 1 2 3 4 3 3 4 7 3 7 5 4 6 1 10 4 10 7 6 8 8 9 5 2 10 2 4 1 10 6 8 10 10 10 6 4 4 9 1 6 7 5 2 4 8 1 8 7 9 5 7 9 6 1 10 5 4 3 7 3 9 4 5 10 4 10 3 7 10 3 5 8 10 8 2 7 8 1 5 8 5 3 6 2 3 8 9 9 10 5 3 10 9 9 9 4 10 2 2 9 6 6 9 7 5 10 5 2 2 2 2 8 4 9 10 7 6 8 7 8 2 1 9 2 10 8 5 9 1 9 8 8 4 6 5 1 7 9 2 10 10 5 7 6 6 6 2 1 5 10 10 9 10 9 2 9 8 7 8 10 7 7 7 2 4 3 2 2 4 6 1 5 10 9 10 5 7 3 8 1 2 9 1 2 7 3 2 4 1 1 3 7 9 2 8 4 4 10 5 9 5 7 4 6 6 3 3 2 6 2 4 7 10 7 10 7 9 4 2 1 4 7 7 3 8 6 8 3 7 3 2 1 1 5 9 6 9 1 9 4 2 5 3 1 1 4 9 1 7 1 1 1 9 9 5 8 4 2 10 1 6 3 3 7 9 1 4 10 1 5 3 4 9 7 5 9 1 3 1 7 5 1 9 3 9 5 10 4 7 2 6 4 6 9 2 7 1 6 6 4 10 10 7 8 7 1 8 7 6 10 5 2 10 4 7 10 8 8 5 6 1 1 10 7 1 1 5 1 8 10 4 7 9 3 6 7 5 5 3 10 4 8 4 5 1 10 6 10 7 3 6 8 5 7 6 5 9 10 7 9 1 3 7 1 5 3 8 9 9 2 1 5 9 4 1 1 5 7 3 3 1 10 2 5 6 7 9 6 8 7 4 10 9 1 1 3 5 10 4 5 1 4 9 10 9 2 2 3 10 4 5 10 3 7 4 10 5 4 8 5 10 1 4 9. 385 successes

Rerolling 85
1 10 10 3 2 5 3 2 7 4 6 6 6 6 9 3 5 8 7 3 4 5 8 9 2 8 5 8 3 1 6 3 10 5 7 3 1 1 7 7 4 2 2 10 9 10 4 4 9 2 8 3 7 5 1 8 4 7 8 6 7 5 1 9 2 9 1 2 10 7 9 3 10 2 4 1 2 9 4 2 1 1 4 9 7. 46 successes

431x1.7=732
732/650 Seventh Phase reached

Overflow 82x.25=20 to Physical

792/1200

Forgotten Vale Melody 524 Dice
3 5 5 10 9 3 2 1 10 5 10 4 6 5 9 8 8 10 5 2 1 1 4 4 3 1 6 3 7 3 4 9 7 8 8 5 10 1 7 9 8 6 4 3 2 5 2 9 4 6 1 7 8 6 10 10 8 5 2 4 9 8 5 7 5 4 1 5 5 9 5 2 6 1 6 7 5 9 5 10 6 7 6 3 4 5 2 1 1 5 7 9 2 3 5 7 6 7 3 2 7 9 5 2 9 2 10 3 10 7 3 5 3 10 7 7 5 10 9 7 5 7 8 6 9 4 2 5 1 6 8 9 5 3 3 3 4 2 8 4 8 2 10 3 1 9 1 7 8 1 4 2 8 1 8 6 4 1 2 6 7 2 7 3 4 9 7 9 10 4 4 10 7 4 4 8 2 6 6 1 6 9 3 5 1 2 3 7 4 6 4 10 7 10 4 10 8 1 9 10 4 2 1 1 7 6 10 10 1 5 1 8 6 5 3 8 8 5 4 1 10 8 3 7 9 6 8 7 6 8 8 10 2 8 2 8 3 3 8 5 9 10 2 4 6 6 2 3 10 7 3 2 6 5 10 5 1 9 3 6 7 10 7 8 9 10 5 3 4 4 7 3 5 10 8 10 6 9 2 7 8 7 10 3 1 9 9 3 10 1 9 6 10 7 5 10 9 1 2 2 5 10 4 1 2 2 1 7 2 4 5 1 10 5 4 3 5 2 5 4 5 5 1 6 2 5 6 10 6 9 3 2 9 7 2 10 10 4 8 3 8 2 4 9 8 9 1 3 2 6 6 6 10 7 2 3 3 9 2 8 7 5 9 5 3 3 6 4 6 5 6 3 9 1 4 6 9 4 8 3 9 6 10 1 4 1 3 6 9 7 6 8 3 4 2 5 8 10 8 4 6 5 8 4 6 1 10 6 5 9 10 5 4 10 5 9 2 10 5 3 6 2 10 8 7 3 2 5 4 1 8 10 7 7 5 4 8 4 2 4 5 1 8 10 2 5 9 4 4 5 6 1 6 7 8 2 9 1 6 3 3 5 2 9 2 6 5 9 2 6 4 6 8 3 7 10 9 5 3 2 9 10 2 4 6 1 6 6 1 3 8 3 8 1 4 9 9 8 9 2 3 4 9 10 6 5 1 5 10 3 8 8 4 2 4 1 2 1 7 5 3 6 9 2. 270 successes

Rerolling 47
3 5 2 5 3 5 10 7 8 2 4 4 8 5 4 6 2 2 6 7 1 1 6 8 5 4 5 3 3 8 9 5 2 2 9 6 7 8 2 4 2 5 7 1 1 2 6. 30 successes

300x2.2
660.

660/650 Final Measure Achieved

Overflow 10 to Physical 3

795/1200

Omake Points refunded due to overflow

Domain XP +65

259/600

Frozen Soul Serenade
5 2 6 9 10 10 1 5 5 7 10 5 4 7 1 6 3 8 3 8 6 9 8 5 6 3 2 6 6 7 4 2 8 10 10 9 1 2 3 7 9 4 1 2 10 3 10 3 1 2 2 8 10 9 2 5 4 3 3 9 1 6 3 8 7 4 6 9 6 1 6 4 4 8 7 4 1 8 8 1 2 9 8 1 8 1 8 1 5 2 1 6 9 5 5 6 9 3 6 6 3 1 1 6 9 7 1 9 7 8 1 8 7 10 10 4 10 7 6 4 10 8 1 9 3 6 6 1 8 1 6 10 4 8 7 2 4 8 2 2 7 4 9 3 5 9 8 4 7 5 9 9 3 10 7 5 7 4 7 4 6 4 5 9 1 1 10 6 10 3 8 9 6 8 3 10 8 1 5 7 7 6 5 9 7 3 5 3 6 3 6 1 8 10 10 8 2 1 6 4 6 5 2 1 2 4 3 2 6 9 8 3 6 2 3 2 4 10 6 1 2 1 3 10 2 2 9 6 5 6 9 10 10 2 2 4 5 6 5 3 5 4 5 10 7 9 4 2 8 9 2 2 2 4 3 3 8 3 10 4 9 10 3 10 1 6 5 8 2 1 10 6 4 6 7 10 6 10 3 6 1 4 7 2 10 1 6 7 3 6 2 3 5 4 5 8 9 9 7 2 10 6 9 5 3 6 7 8 7 9 3 7 5 1 8 4 1 6 2 6 1 3 10 7 8 4 6 8 5 2 10 6 9 8 10 3 5 8 1 4 9 5 10 3 8 10 8 10 5 1 5 7 5 5 5 2 10 1 1 4 4 2 9 3 2 1 5 6 8 7 9 8 4 1 2 1 2 9 2 8 1 7 4 5 3 10 8 4 10 9 8 4 2 6 8 3 8 4 1 8 3 1 5 6 3 7 8 4 7 9 1 8 7 6 4 1 6 2 5 7 2 2 10 3 9 9 8 7 3 8 4 5 8 10 2 3 6 1 6 3 9 9 2 8 4 5 8 9 8 2 6 9 5 7 4 4 8 1 2 2 10 7 8 9 6 9 1 4 9 7 6 9 7 9 6 10 3 4 1 1 7 8 1 2 6 6 7 3 6 8 4 7 6 1 6 1 1 8 6 1 6 3 10 2 1 5 4 6 10 4 8 7 3 8 10 8 4 6 3 1 5 6 10 10 9 7 2 1 4 10 2 2 2 3 3 3 9 6 8 9 1 7 7 3 4 8 1 9 5 3 2 9 10 3 10 10 9 3 3 2 2 6 3 4 8 8 8 6 5 5 6 6 3 4 8 8 1 10 9 5 4 10 5 4 2 4 5 2 9 7 3 10 2 8 3 1 7 10 7 1 6 4 6 10 8 6 8 10 7 6 5 1 5 9 6 8 5 10 9 3 9 3 4 2 2 7 3 8 8 1 1 6 4 8 5 3 5 4 3 2 9 7 2 5 7 7 4 3 8 2 7 8 7 1 2 8 9 6 8 8 8 10 3 3 7 10 6 2 3 8 3 4 6 6 8 2 4 2 7 3 5 3 3 3 3 4 3 1 1 10 9 8 9 3 10 7 4 7 10 9 4 2 2 9 9 9 3 2 2 9 7 9 1 9 1 4 4 3 6 6 4 4 5 4 7 4 1 10 3 10 8 6 4 1 5 2 2 9 6 3 7 4 3 9 2 4 2 7 6 10 2 10 3 6 3 1 1 5 3 3 5 2 9 10 3 5 1 4 3 8 8 1 1 1 9 4 6 3 10 1 2 1 2 4 8 5 7 9 9 9 1 5 10 1 4 4 5 7 9 9 6 9 9 7 1 8 2 6 10 2 8 1 4 10 6 2 6 2 10 6 10 2 1 2 3 4 7 9 2 6 8 8 4 6 6 4 5 7 1 4 10 8 6 6 7 2 7 4 3 8 10 5 1 10 8 3 5 4 4 7 9 1 6 4 8 1 9 5 9 9 10 1 9 6 6 5 9 4 9 1 1 8 7 1 9 6 6 3 10 1 1 10 3 8 6 10 10 4 6 9 5 6 1 3 1 6 9 9 9 9 1 1 8 10 3 6 5 10 1 6 10 1 6 2 9 1 4 8 4 9 8 10 4 8 2 6 5 1 6 3 9 7 5 7 8 8 4 2 7 4 8 9 7 5 2 7 5 5 6 10 6 6 10 9 5 3 7 10 3 2 4 4 10 9 2 7 8 7 1 6 3 8 4 9 4 6 7 8 2 4 9 7 9 10 8 6 3 4 5 7 5 10 2 7 10 5 3 7 2 3 5 4 2 10 4 5 5 2 4 9 7 3 5 8 4 4 3 8 7 9 5 4 8 8 10 10 3 4 6 6 7 2 1 10 2 6 5 8. 516 Successes


Rerolling 108
8 1 9 3 3 9 3 2 4 3 5 1 5 6 9 9 7 1 2 3 9 1 2 6 8 8 8 6 6 9 9 5 10 10 9 4 10 3 5 3 5 1 4 1 6 4 1 3 6 2 7 4 3 10 10 2 8 9 8 5 7 8 1 8 7 1 2 7 3 8 1 9 9 6 1 6 2 1 10 7 2 6 3 6 8 2 10 5 2 9 1 8 6 3 8 5 3 9 3 5 8 5 5 8 1 5 6 2. 56 Successes

572x2.5=1430

1430/200

1230/400
830/600

Overflow 230x .25=57
852/1200

Domain XP +143
402/600

EPC Domain XP +73
475/600

Spoiler: EPC7

+40 dice to Spiritual Cultivation until Green 4
+30 dice to Physical cultivation up until Bronze 4
+35 dice to the cultivation of all Yin Arts
+30 dice to the cultivation of Moon Arts
-Grants the user a 1 'virtual' stone of to Green grade per week(4 per turn)
-Allows the user to bind spirits of up to Grade three
+4 free qi cultivation dice per turn up to S rank
-Gain a +30 bonus on a single Stealth or stealth derived skill challenge per turn
-Gain a +30 bonus on a single Combat or Social Perception test per turn
-Gain a 10 point bonus on Combat and Social perception
-User receives between 5 and 50 successes toward spiritual, physical, Moon, or Yin aligned arts when discovering unknown information or hidden treasure, depending on value. -permanent
-- Capstone Moon Ability. Quest dependent

Spoiler: FVM 8

Passive Effects

+5 bonus to all music based expression
+15 bonus Resist on water and darkness techniques
+10 bonus Armor against sound and music based techniques
E rank Qi expenditure may prevent interruption of s melody-permanent


Mist of the Vale: C
Duration: Persistent/Short
Playing the first notes of the melancholy melody, the musician causes a dark mist to roll forth from their instrument. The mist is filled with deceptive shadows and sounds, casting darkness over all within. The mist spreads to cover the range Close to the musician and may be extended out to Very Far, at the cost increasing the cost to the technique by 10 for each increment. The user may extend immunity too and benefits from the mist to up to ten allies, increasing cost by 2 for each one.

Within the mist, foes find their senses confused, attacks against the musician or their allies often strike at phantoms, and seeking to escape the mist or advance upon the musician often result in meandering travelers reminiscent of the composers own wandering. In their confused state, they become vulnerable to the terrors which can reside in Vales far from civilization.


Dissonance of Night's Terror: C
Duration: Special
Damage: E
May only be used within Mist of the Vale. The melody grows low and eerie, punctuated by high, sharp notes, while the mists darken with indistinct and predatory shapes. Claws and fangs of mist and shadow tear at the musician's foes, rending armor and leaving wounds that bleed freely to feed the hunger of the mist. This technique counts as one combatant on the musicians side for multiattack bonuses.


Starlight Elegy: C
Duration: Persistent
The mournful and despairing tune saps the energy of those not insulated from the mist, making their limbs heavy and their thoughts clouded with exhaustion and longing for home. The cloying mist drags at their limbs like the weight of a life spent alone and drains away their qi rapidly, making it difficult to move, let alone attack. --Despair of the Lost
Alternatively, the power of the Elegy may be focused on a single target, drowning them in the endless mist, leaving them to wander as if alone and far from from home. So long as they remain lost, their allies aid cannot reach them, and they will wander alone in their perception, aware only of the haunting notes of the melody and its musician.

Travelers End: B
Duration: Scene
Damage: B
In a distant, misty valley, far from the works of mankind, a traveler completed a melody and offered it to the moon, the final notes echoing long after his last breath. This melody is but a shadow of that… but even shadows hold power. Only usable if all other Forgotten Vale Melody techniques are active.

The mist grows darker and more cloying still, blotting out almost all external light, and draining the warmth from those trapped within. The mist grows potent with dark qi, fogging the senses still further to bring them the lonely despair of the travelers final days. While active all other Forgotten Vale techniques are considered one rank higher, and attempts to dispel them must first dispel Travelers End.

The user may choose to end the melody at any time after Travelers End has been used. If they do so, the song reaches its finale, and all other techniques of the Forgotten Vale are ended as well. All who were still lost within the mist suffer an immediate spiritual attack of great magnitude, an echo of the travelers death in that far away vale. Those damaged by this attack may be paralyzed utterly by the assault, if their composure is too weak.

Spoiler: FSS6

Potency: Green 2
Keywords:
Cold, Dark, Endings, Water, Yin
Presence, Resolve, Music
Current Meridians: Lungx3(water), Arm 2(dark)
Max Level 6

Passive Effects

+15 to Penetration of Cold effects
F damage reduction vs. cold-Permanent
Base damage of any weapon may be changed to Cold-Permanent
+5 bonus to Penetration of Music arts
+5 Speech(+10 Intimidate Advanced)
+10 to Spiritual Armor

Springs End Aria: D
Duration: Long
The first notes of the users song herald the end of warmth, draining the heat from the area and around them and crystalizing the moisture in the air into snow and ice. Enemies Close to the user find their qi growing sluggish, sapping their spiritual defenses and bolstering the singers own. Qi expended in failed assault of the singer drains away, flowing into the singularity of cold created by the singers voice. Those whose dantians have been fully drained find their flesh frosting over and their blood running cold as they are lulled into the final sleep.

Hoarfrost Refrain: C
Duration: Immediate
Damage: C
The user's song rises into the howl of of a blizzard in the depths of winter as they focus the expression of their will upon a single enemy. Mastery of the art shows that the second and third techniques of the Serenade are one whole. The song tears and freezes the flesh of the singers enemy, and spreads through their blood and meridians, carrying the chill deeper still, like a frigid poison seeking the heart of its victims warmth. The chill clings long after the technique ends, the insidious cold crawling ever closer to the victim's heart until at last it stills or the technique is dispelled.

The mere echoes of the Refrain lash all foes within Close range, though the damage is reduced by one rank, draining away qi and slowing flesh and spirit alike, though the echoes lack the persistent damage of the which the main target suffers.


Echoes of Absolute Winter: B
Duration: Special
Damage: F
A technique used in tandem with Aria of Springs End, if activated at the same time, the Aria carries an echo of true winter, stilling the very air around the singer with its freezing chill until blood grows sluggish and flesh cracks. Attacks targeting the user, or which have an area of effect overlapping with Aria's have their penetration reduced by one rank as the cold devours the energy of the technique or attack. Similarly, Cold or Dark techniques used by the singer against those in range of Aria have their Hit or Penetration enhanced by one rank, as chosen by the user.

Call to Ending: B
Duration: Immediate
Damage: B(Special)
The final verse of the Serenade is a quiet, sad thing, lacking the furor of earlier verses. Upon Singing it, a single target which suffers from Hoarfrost Refrains cold feels a terrible pain as the chill infecting them grows to a terrible potency, and every last shred of heat flees their body. This effect ignores armor, and the damage dealt changes based on the distance between the singer and the target. At Close distance it deals the baseline damage, with each range increment out to very Far reducing it, and each increment closer increasing it. However, should the singer lay hands upon the target when activating the technique, damage is increased by a full letter rank.

Two hour moratorium

 

[yrsillar]

Could simple words express the insights she had found in her arts, Ling Qi wondered. Mastering music as she was, it was becoming ever more clear how limited and prone to distortion language could be.However, meeting Zeqing's featureless eyes, she knew that the ice spirit would understand the meaning beneath her words.

"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," she spoke the lesson of the Forgotten Vale Melody first, feeling the words resonate with her spirit. It was the beginning of an ethos for action, the acknowledgement of the purpose toward which power was to be bent..

"I see," Zeqing replied without emotion. "A worthy lesson, but not the only one."

Ling Qi just nodded fractionally, before silently closing her eyes, she had to wonder what Zeqing would think of her other insight. "There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings," it sounded trite said aloud, but the meaning rang clear to Ling Qi. To her, it was the absolute conviction that failures and losses could not and would not end her path.

When she opened her eyes though, she beheld her tutors face, looking even more like a blank and lifeless mask than usual. The spirit stared at her with empty white eyes, and in that moment Ling Qi, who stood atop a mountain peak above the clouds ankle deep in snow, felt for the first time a chill.

"Acceptable," her mentor said, Zeqing did not even pretend that the words came from her lips, which remained as still and unmoving as a corpse. "You should be on your way then. These days have tired me."

Before Ling Qi could respond to those terse words, Zeqing dissolved into a flurry of ice and snow, and a howling wind carried her presence away, leaving Ling Qi alone with her muse and Hanyi.

"...And you wonder why I'm on edge up here," Sixiang whispered in her thoughts.

Ling Qi didn't respond, instead turning her eyes to Hanyi who stood there with her head down. Could she…?

"I'm making Momma sick," Hanyi said quietly. "Everytime I get bigger, or learn a new song, Momma gets sicker. You're doing it too."

Ling Qi grimaced, looking away from the ice child. "I know… but she doesn't want to stop teaching us either."

"...I liked how things were. I could always play and Momma would always wait for me. It was like that forever, you know?" Hanyi said instead of replying, looking up at Ling Qi with sad eyes. "...I liked learning Mommas songs more though."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Ling Qi replied. "Hanyi…" she wanted to say that things would get better, but she couldn't bring herself to lie. She didn't know what was going to happen.

Hanyi scuffed her bare foot in the snow, looking back down. "You should go Big Sister. Momma will get better soon if we go."

She could feel Sixiang's own discomfort pressing against her thoughts and magnifying her own. "Hanyi, just… don't do anything hasty okay? Big Sister will figure something out," she said with confidence she didn't feel. "Besides, Zhengui will be awake soon, you know? He'd be sad if you weren't around to tease him."

Hanyi puffed out her cheeks. "I don't care about that big dumb sled, disappearing for so long just to take a nap," she muttered under her breath, looking away. She didn't refute Ling Qi though.

Hesitating for a moment, Ling Qi reached out and placed a hand on the little spirits head, ruffling her hair in way she had seen Zeqing do once or twice. "I'll see you soon Hanyi."

Somehow, flying away from the mountain peak Ling Qi felt guilty for not doing more than stopping by to say hello to her own Mother recently.

...She had a cultivation schedule to keep though, and the medicinal energies of the pills she had taken wouldn't sing in her veins forever, still, perhaps she should make some time soon. For now though, she could only cultivate. In the days that followed her return to her little stone home on the mountain, Ling Qi focused her energies on learning two new arts, procured from the Sects archive. Both of them were music, and both of them were outside her usual fare.

Harmony of the Dancing Wind was a bright song with a strong spring and summer theme, expressing the complex feelings of connection in a small community. After her recent lessons, Ling Qi felt that her rendition of the song was colored somewhat. The image that formed in her mind's eye was of people pulling together, surviving a harsh winter, and celebrating the warm winds that followed.

The other art, Storm Enduring Seedling, was rather different. The arrangement used alternating verses, one harsh and dissonant, and the other light and hopeful, bridged by more somber measures to grant them continuity. It was a song of enduring adversity in the face of impossible odds, and the courage to cling to life and live regardless of the trial.

They were both, Ling Qi felt rather simple arts, in comparison to what she had learned thus far, and she found herself progressing rapidly with them, stymied from full mastery only by the current limitations of her spirit.

However, as Ling Qi meditated and played in solitude, in her home and at various cultivation sites, that was not the only progress she made. It came back to the pills she had purchased with her hard earned Sect Points. The Melodic Elixir was responsible for the ease with which she had progressed her musical arts, it's humming energy opening her mind and soul in ways that she had not thought possible, but the other, the Unwavering Discipline pill, took the elemental energies she was cultivating, and drew threads of them into her body. Notes of music flowed through her veins, ital wood qi fortified her flesh and muscles, and wind carried away impurity like smoke. As a result, Ling Qi found her physical cultivation soaring, breaching the line between early and appraisal bronze by the end of her meditations.

All the while, she could feel her domain changing as well, it had been an ephemeral thing, but it was gradually gaining substance. The faint music that followed her when emotions ran high was growing less phantasmal, and she sometimes tracked glittering frost across the grass in moments of inattention.

Spoiler: Domain Rank F

Domain Effect: Allies in a scene with whom Ling Qi has at least four ranks of positive relation receive a one rank bonus to Spiritual Avoid, Armor and Combat Perception(Boosted Rank cannot exceed Ling Qi's), So long as at least one such ally is in the scene with Ling Qi she receives a half rank bonus to resisting or avoiding effects which would induce immobility or helplessness. In addition, when within a space Ling Qi considers to be 'hers' she receives a half rank bonus to Social Perception.

Insights
-Sincerity is the measure by which the worthiness of the self and ones guests should be measured.
-There are endings and Endings, only the very last one is final. Just as winter ends in spring, small endings are new beginnings.
-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.
-Empty
-Empty
-Empty

As her domain grew in strength so too did Ling Qi find her flying sword to begin functioning differently, it…

[] Began to sing a more coherent song that echoed her own
Singing Mist Blade
Dexterity+Woodwind. Darkness. Spiritual. +15 to Penetration. Damage D. Health D

When a target struck by the singing mist blade is assailed by a damaging technique from its user, the swords song echoes, enhancing the damage and penetration of the technique.

[] It's cry grew ever more eerie
Singing Mist Blade
Dexterity+Woodwind. Darkness. Spiritual. +15 to Penetration. Damage D. Health D

The singing Mist blade's song grates on an enemies spirit, wearing them down as it circles and swipes at their defenses. With each passing moment, the blade wears away at an enemies spiritual armor and drains away threads of qi

Spoiler: Cultivation

Harmony of the Dancing Wind 711 dice
10 5 5 2 2 2 9 1 5 1 2 1 1 5 8 9 7 9 5 1 7 4 2 1 9 7 4 5 4 1 4 6 8 1 7 9 2 5 1 6 7 2 6 8 9 5 8 5 4 3 7 10 6 8 10 4 7 5 10 2 8 3 7 5 5 3 3 6 9 5 3 6 6 9 5 6 5 2 10 8 4 8 8 1 8 9 4 4 4 5 5 1 10 4 7 4 8 9 10 9 3 4 4 10 4 10 6 9 1 7 6 7 5 3 7 2 4 3 7 7 9 3 9 8 8 5 4 6 5 5 4 9 8 9 10 2 8 7 10 10 4 7 6 10 10 5 3 5 9 9 3 9 3 1 7 1 7 2 8 3 6 1 1 3 9 2 6 8 9 5 7 2 2 5 3 3 1 5 9 1 5 1 9 7 3 5 9 1 8 6 3 3 6 5 6 6 6 1 3 4 8 2 7 1 8 9 5 8 3 3 8 7 3 6 6 5 3 6 5 10 2 9 3 9 3 10 5 10 2 9 4 9 2 2 1 9 1 5 6 5 7 5 4 1 1 1 7 5 6 3 4 7 1 8 8 5 7 4 5 1 4 10 1 6 1 2 6 3 6 4 8 5 8 3 7 10 3 4 4 10 6 8 9 9 7 6 3 4 9 9 4 2 8 6 9 1 7 5 3 5 10 2 1 7 4 7 7 8 10 2 10 8 1 8 8 8 3 2 3 3 1 8 6 8 3 5 10 10 1 3 6 10 4 6 8 10 2 6 9 4 8 10 3 8 7 10 7 1 3 9 3 3 8 1 3 1 7 2 2 7 6 7 8 2 4 7 3 7 3 3 10 2 3 4 1 9 5 8 2 8 8 4 2 6 6 4 6 2 8 7 10 3 5 9 6 8 6 8 4 8 1 6 1 3 9 1 3 6 8 4 3 6 10 6 1 5 2 8 7 9 6 8 3 10 7 9 7 2 6 2 1 8 7 1 10 8 1 5 3 9 8 7 6 7 2 8 2 3 5 10 3 10 7 8 9 5 6 7 6 3 8 6 3 7 8 4 6 9 8 8 9 6 6 6 2 9 3 5 4 7 6 6 8 5 3 8 9 10 4 5 5 3 2 7 1 2 10 6 10 8 5 10 3 10 5 6 9 9 3 4 7 8 9 4 4 4 1 3 3 6 9 7 10 10 5 3 1 5 8 2 2 5 3 6 6 7 3 4 7 5 7 3 5 8 6 8 3 8 2 5 5 10 4 7 10 8 9 2 4 8 6 5 4 8 2 10 5 5 5 1 1 4 6 7 1 3 7 3 1 8 9 7 10 4 5 1 4 5 2 7 5 7 4 8 7 5 7 3 1 4 3 2 7 10 10 9 3 6 3 5 6 1 1 5 7 6 5 10 2 8 6 6 7 9 4 3 6 2 5 6 5 9 9 3 9 9 1 1 6 3 5 1 6 7 5 2 4 1 3 6 9 10 1 5 1 6 7 6 10 3 3 4 1 2 9 9 10 9 1 5 2 5 8 9 4 2 10 7 5 4 4 5 3 7 9 3 4 7 10 3 9 3 9 1 4 7 10 3 5 10 9 8 7 6 6 10 10 7 8 4 10. 353 successes

Reroll 67
9 3 10 7 10 3 2 10 10 9 6 6 1 3 10 10 2 2 1 6 7 5 5 7 7 6 3 1 2 1 10 2 3 1 10 2 3 1 4 2 2 9 9 2 3 8 1 5 1 2 2 7 8 7 3 4 4 7 6 7 7 5 10 1 5 10 3. 37 successes

390x2.3=897 successes

897/100

797/150

647/200

447/300 Fourth Measure Achieved

147x.25=36 overflow to physical

888/1200

Storm Enduring Seedling 948 dice
5 9 7 1 4 10 4 8 7 6 3 6 9 10 5 7 4 6 10 4 2 3 10 7 4 10 8 9 10 4 7 4 4 6 6 8 7 9 7 3 6 2 8 5 3 5 1 7 10 3 2 1 5 3 9 10 3 7 8 2 2 7 7 5 2 4 4 8 2 1 2 10 4 2 4 6 6 6 4 5 10 6 7 4 8 7 3 10 3 3 3 6 9 1 3 2 4 6 9 8 8 2 7 1 3 2 7 10 9 10 6 9 7 2 4 7 1 9 8 5 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 7 8 2 4 8 5 10 8 8 3 6 9 1 6 5 9 2 8 5 10 8 3 8 3 5 8 3 5 10 7 8 6 6 9 1 3 5 10 1 2 2 6 3 5 3 7 3 7 6 7 6 4 1 3 8 5 2 2 9 2 8 8 9 3 8 10 8 3 1 10 6 5 7 8 9 10 4 3 8 10 2 3 5 2 8 2 7 9 3 7 2 2 5 3 6 2 2 3 4 4 4 10 8 1 9 8 2 3 1 9 4 2 1 10 5 10 3 1 9 7 10 10 8 6 4 5 7 5 10 3 9 3 4 8 3 2 6 4 6 6 4 1 9 5 10 3 6 4 6 4 10 7 6 9 2 9 4 8 6 3 2 6 7 5 3 10 9 10 5 4 7 9 7 7 5 6 2 10 10 7 6 1 3 1 10 6 1 3 5 6 7 7 3 3 3 8 4 1 7 1 7 6 1 3 2 5 10 3 6 1 1 1 2 5 3 1 10 6 5 5 3 1 3 6 3 5 5 9 6 1 9 4 8 9 6 10 5 7 4 2 8 5 5 9 1 9 1 1 4 5 7 9 5 9 4 9 3 10 7 10 10 7 5 10 7 2 9 1 9 4 3 6 8 7 6 9 5 6 1 1 2 7 9 8 7 4 6 9 3 5 1 4 3 5 3 10 7 3 2 5 7 4 2 6 2 9 6 9 6 6 9 7 4 9 4 10 2 1 1 6 7 3 1 2 7 6 1 5 8 2 1 6 8 4 2 9 2 7 9 7 5 7 5 8 7 10 10 10 3 10 5 1 2 6 2 10 3 4 5 10 8 7 6 5 1 9 5 2 7 4 1 1 2 7 9 9 7 10 8 1 9 5 1 2 2 5 1 4 8 7 3 5 4 10 1 4 10 6 7 7 1 9 7 2 6 7 2 4 6 10 6 6 6 6 7 7 2 8 10 10 4 4 6 9 6 9 4 5 4 1 3 6 1 2 7 8 8 9 3 6 10 8 1 5 4 10 1 5 7 2 6 2 7 4 1 2 2 4 9 7 6 3 2 9 4 10 6 4 10 9 9 1 6 1 5 1 2 7 8 10 10 5 2 7 10 4 10 3 9 10 9 7 3 2 5 6 4 2 9 5 2 9 6 8 10 2 10 3 9 7 3 10 4 4 8 3 9 8 6 9 7 6 7 1 10 1 7 3 5 7 9 6 6 4 5 7 6 5 9 6 3 1 7 6 6 5 1 4 2 8 5 10 3 1 1 2 4 9 6 8 5 5 5 10 10 10 8 5 4 7 2 8 7 9 6 5 3 6 10 6 3 4 7 7 7 9 1 10 9 8 9 4 4 3 5 4 2 3 10 7 1 2 7 9 2 2 3 6 7 3 3 1 6 9 7 2 10 9 3 8 7 1 1 10 6 8 3 9 2 3 8 2 6 4 10 9 5 5 4 3 7 6 3 4 6 1 6 5 10 10 3 6 1 5 7 8 4 10 6 5 4 3 8 1 6 10 9 10 4 4 2 10 9 6 3 6 7 10 1 8 10 5 5 2 9 1 1 5 2 6 9 5 9 9 7 6 8 5 8 1 10 1 2 10 7 6 6 5 8 8 4 9 2 8 2 2 8 2 6 2 7 5 6 7 3 5 5 2 1 2 4 1 4 5 10 10 2 7 6 1 4 9 9 5 8 10 7 8 1 2 9 10 8 6 8 2 10 2 3 1 5 8 1 9 4 2 10 6 1 8 6 4 6 7 1 6 6 7 3 9 10 3 10 10 8 7 1 10 1 6 10 5 3 2 5 7 5 5 4 5 2 1 9 9 7 9 4 5 7 8 5 8 10 4 7 10 2 10 9 2 7. 462

Rerolling 93
8 3 2 2 5 4 7 10 10 3 3 2 6 9 8 2 7 10 4 9 6 8 10 6 1 4 5 4 6 3 10 5 7 2 6 1 7 4 2 7 6 7 8 1 5 7 4 1 6 9 1 4 8 10 9 8 6 5 4 1 7 3 7 5 6 4 5 3 7 6 1 4 4 8 4 9 6 9 1 2 7 2 5 7 1 5 4 6 1 7 8 9 2. 47 successes

509x1.95=992 successes

992/100

892/150

742/250

492/350
Fourth Storm Achieved

142x.25=35 Overflow

923/1200

Domain XP +188

663/600 Domain Rank F Achieved
63/900

See below

Pill Bonus Cultivation
Unwavering Discipline Pill: 17x25=425 successes to Physical
1348/1200 Bronze Appraisal reached

148/2400

Melodic Elixir: 994 successes to Spiritual
1032/2400


Stat Improvements

Free Qi - (4 3 3 2) + 8 = 20
A (33/80) --> A(53/80)

Presence* - (3 2 3) + 3 = 11
E (7/30) --> E (18/30)

Manipulation* - (4 5 4) + 3 = 16
C (42/50) --> B (8/60) Rank up!

Composure* - (1 2) + 2 = 5
E (15/30) --> E (20/30)

War - (1 5 2) = 8
War: G (0/5) --> War: F (3/10) Rank up!

Perceptiveness** - (6 5 5) + 6 = 22
C (2/25) --> C (24/25)

Resilience* - (2 5 1) + 3 = 11
C (8/25) --> C (19/25)

Empathy* - (5 4 2) + 3 = 14
D (7/20) --> C (1/25) Rank up!

Speech - (3 4 1) = 8
E (12/15) --> D (5/20) Rank up!

Fade - (1 3) = 4
D (4/20) --> D (8/20)

Fortitude - (5)
D (1/20) --> D (6/20)

Woodwind* - (5 1 1) + 3 = 10
A (14/40) --> A (24/40)

Spoiler: Storm Enduring Seedling

A song written by a musician of the capital, chronicling his observance of a seedling growing from a storm wracked cliff. Its struggling roots clung to weak soil, and though it teetered many times, it never fell, growing tall and strong until its roots could burrow into the very mountain rock itself.

Potency: Green 2
Potency Growth: Green 3(5)
Max Level: 5
Needed Meridians: Spine(5)
Current Meridians: Spine(Woodx2, Musicx2)
Keywords: Composure, Music, Perseverance, Resist, Resilience, Resolve, Wood, Yang
Experience: 500

Passives:
+15 to Resist
+10 to Spiritual Armor
+10 to Composure
+10 Health

Intractable Roots: D
Duration: Short
A short piece full of stubborn obstinance, this technique significantly bolsters the users Resist against dispels. Even if a dispel succeeds, unless it exceeds the users resist by at least a full rank, the technique(s) dispelled persists until the users next action.

Heaven Scarred Trunk: C
Duration: Long
Extending the short piece into a full stanza, the musician refuses to be moved. The user gains G rank Damage Reduction against purely Spiritual Arts, and greatly reduces the effects of any spiritual debuffs targeting them for the duration.

Bark Worn Rough: C
Duration: Immediate
Damage: D
While Heaven Scarred Trunk is active, the user may activate this technique whenever targeted by a spiritual attack or dispel. Sharpening their own spirit into rough edges, the user damages the spirit of the enemy who targeted her.

Spoiler: Harmony of the Dancing Wind

Potency: Green 2
Potency Growth: Green 3(5)
Max Level 5
Needed Meridians: Head(5)
Current Meridians: Head(Windx2), Heart (Musicx2)
Keywords: Connections, Empathy, Presence, Perceptiveness, Manipulation, Music, Wind, Yang
Experience: 400

There lies a beauty in patterns, of spirits and men alike. This melody exults in the complex dance of winds which brings us weather and the seasons, and in doing, teaches the musician to see and pluck at the lesser patterns and connections in the world around. The harmony reveals the web which connects all things, if the players eyes are but sharp enough to see.

Passives
+10 to Social Perception
+10 to Combat Perception
+10 to Spiritual Hit
+10 to Spiritual Avoid

Spring Breeze Canto: D
Duration: Persistent
This ephemeral melody rings out with the vital curiosity of youth, The melody carries the musician's perception among her listeners, allowing her to clearly hear and see any one of them, regardless of distractions, so long as the songs echoes last In addition so long as the echoes remain the musician receives a small bonus to spiritual and combat perception as well as spiritual Hit.

Summer's Day Rising: D
Duration: Long
This piece, embodying optimism and hope, speaks to the musician's bond with her listeners. Even the tenuous bond of casual acquaintance thrums with new vitality, bolstering allies significantly against spiritual attacks and deceptions. Those of stronger bond are bolstered still further, buoyed by their connection with the musician.

Industrious Labors of Fall: C
Duration: Short
The third piece, which speaks of the labors made in preparation for the long winter, steadies the musicians audience and fills them with determination for the trials ahead. Bolsters the armor, health and Resist of listeners, with greater effects on targets of higher bond.

AN: Alrighty, crunch time is done... though front page updates remain. I admit, I'm probably gonna need help getting the derived attributes set up right after all these changes, so please give me some time.

 

[yrsillar]

Ling Qi eyed the stand she had purchased, and reached up to adjust the her bow so that it hung properly on the hook.

"It is unusual for you to engage in vanity," Meizhen said from behind her, sounding faintly amused.

"I'm not so poor that I have to recycle anything that isn't immediately useful," Ling Qi pointed out wryly. She still felt a faint wonder at that if she was honest. She turned away from the stand to look at her friend. They were in Ling Qi's bedroom, and Meizhen was seated on her bed, watching her work. Earlier, they had been in town along with Xiulan browsing the Inner Sect's craft's market, where the Sect sold the disciple's more mundane work. "I still enjoy archery, but I'm not exactly going to be pulling it out in a fight or a duel any time soon, so it can sit here, in case I get invited onto some fancy hunt or something."

"I suppose your usual methods would rather defeat the point of such games," Meizhen replied serenely, glancing across the still near empty room. "Have you done any practice with more traditional weapons?"

Ling Qi sighed, looking away. "...Not really," she admitted somewhat sheepishly. "I had intended to work with Lady Cai on that but…"

"She is rather busy," Meizhen replied with a frown. "The tasks and pace of cultivation she has set for herself are…"

"Pretty strenuous," Ling Qi admitted. She had started to become slightly concerned when her liege had actually been a full minute late to their first spar after her recent spate of cultivation. Cai Renxiang was usually frighteningly punctual. She knew the girl was spending a great deal of time arranging and holding meetings with a wide array of Inner Disciples, on top of keeping a cultivation schedule that had even raised Ling Qi's eyebrows a little, due to its strictness. "Of course, I don't really have much room to talk."

"Right, you spent a whole morning engaging in nonessential social activity, you lay about," Sixiang teased, their voice emanating from inside Ling Qi's wardrobe. "I still can't believe you still only have two gowns."

Meizhen glanced toward the sound of the muses voice, and the shadow around her feet stirred, churning silently like a pool of ink. "...I can hardly speak against such practices myself," Meizhen admitted.

"At least we're all making good progress," Ling Qi said with somewhat forced cheer. Meizhen had reached the Foundation level of Green, even if her physical cultivation wasn't there yet. From the little she had seen of her liege the other girl would likely be finishing her own rise by the end of the month. The gap between them was narrowing, but it was still there.

"Quite," Bai Meizhen replied. "That aside, might I ask about the purchases you made at the end of our trip?"

"Ling Qi had an attack of the sentiments, it was good to see!" Sixiang replied for her, now seemingly speaking from just above her shoulder.

Ling Qi shot the empty air a sour look. "...I had been thinking of my family. I thought my Mother might like some of the poetry collections the stall was selling… the storybook was for my little sister," she had purchased it more for the beautiful watercolor illustrations than the story itself. Biyu was too young to really start on reading yet, maybe in another couple of years.

Meizhen looked chagrined. "...Of course, my apologies. I sometimes forget your familial situation."

"No troubles. We should get going though, the party is starting soon," Ling Qi said, gesturing toward the door. "Wouldn't due for me to be late."

"No," Meizhen replied, standing up smoothly to follow her out. "Nor can I afford such."

Ling Qi shot her friend a concerned look as they made their way out of her house. Meizhen sounded oddly sour. "Is something troubling you? I thought you were enjoying Lady Cai's get togethers well enough."

"They are an inoffensive enough way to pass the time," Meizhen replied stiffly. "There is an individual I would rather not engage with, however."

Ling Qi raised an eyebrow, someone who Meizhen couldn't just blow off with her status? "Just who is this?"

"Tao Gong," Meizhen grumbled. "Not of the traitor branch that followed the Sun of course," she added quickly, her expression briefly twisting into a sneer. "Shameful that they had the audacity to take the main branch's name in the aftermath."

Ling Qi let the vitriol against the western territories pass without comment. "So the real Tao family is…?" She asked leadingly.

"One of my clan's two count level subordinates, who have significant ties in Celestial Peaks," Meizhen answered as they stepped outside. She glanced around, and Ling Qi felt a ripple of qi as the girl cast her senses about. "He imagines himself to be charming."

"Ah, why don't you just…" she gestured vaguely.

"Give him the old death stare?" Sixiang suggested.

Meizhen gave her, or rather, the air just above her head a flat look. "...I am attempting to learn from my aunt. Aunt Suzhen wishes to strengthen our bonds with other clans. Tao Gong reaches above his station, but it is likely that in a few years things might be arranged that he marry into one of the lesser branches in exchange for other considerations. His overtures remain in the realm of politeness, and so my own behavior must remain in the same."

Ling Qi grimaced, already she had begun to field leading questions regarding her own status in such matters, and she was very much not looking forward to when she would have to start giving such things serious consideration. Still, a question lingered in her thoughts. "You know, how are things likely to work out for you regarding engagement?" She asked quietly. Sixiang remained thankfully silent.

Given her knowledge of Meizhen's preferences, she was unsurprised at the unhappy look which crossed Meizhen's face. "It will be one of my cousins in the first branch I suppose, once the clans elder's have decided which pairings will not result in bloodline sickness. The Imperial Family is unlikely to offer invitation, the Cai have no candidates, the Jin have placed their fortunes in the Sun's camp, negotiations with the Xuan have fallen through, the Guo are too far for useful alliance, and the Zheng regard the entire concept as a farce. It is the only reasonable choice."

In the awkward silence that followed, Ling Qi looked down at the path descending the mountain and leaving Meizhen to her thoughts. "...Well that's something to worry about in the future," she said, determinedly forging on. "Have you picked out who you intend to challenge this month?"

Meizhen shot her a look of fond amusement, masking her previous thoughts. "So certain that I will challenge immediately?"

"Well sure, I've been doing my research. Foundation cultivators mostly start appearing around the Seven Hundred Seventies."

"I am hardly a wholly foundation level cultivator yet, and mere cultivation level is not everything," Meizhen pointed out.

Ling Qi gave her a silent look. The wind stirred, a lone breeze enhancing the moment. Internally she thanked Sixiang.

"Disciple Seven Hundred Seventy two," Meizhen sighed. "You?"

"I think I've narrowed it down to two, I'm still a bit unsure of who to challenge though…"

[] Liang He, Disciple 790

Spoiler: Intelligence

Seventeen years old. First third realm cultivator from a soldier's family in emerald seas. Primarily a swordsman. Humble and dutiful in most respects, he is known for taking a great deal of pride in his dueling ability.

Cultivation Green2/Bronze2

Qi: B15
Initiative: B5
Phys Hit: B35
Phys. Avoid: B25 Phys. Armor C2
Sp Avoid: B10 Sp. Armor: C12

Primary Elements: Wind, Fire, Heaven

Spirit Beast: Azure Inferno Falcon
Green1/Bronze 1
Primary Elements: Wind, Fire

[] Yu Jiu, Disciple 794

Spoiler: Intelligence

Eighteen years old, daughter of a minor family from the imperial capital. Seems to have stagnated somewhat in the last year, her cultivation not advancing much. Known to heavily favor illusions and emotion manipulating arts.

Green2/Bronze 2
Health C25
Speed: C10
Spiritual Hit: B30
Phys Avoid: C10
Sp. Avoid: B5 Sp Armor: B30

Primary Elements: Lake, Heaven, Water

Spirit Beast: Unknown Species/ Incorporeal
Green 1/Bronze 1

Primary elements: Lake

Two hour moratorium like usual

 

[yrsillar]

"We begin now the challenge between between Disciple Eight Hundred and Twelve, Ling Qi, and Disciple Seven Hundred Ninety, Liang He," the presiding Elders was a short, rotund man with a wide friendly face and a faint golden sheen to his skin, and drowsy half lidded eyes. He spoke in a cheerful drawl.

"In accordance with Sect rules, Disciple Liang He has chosen a challenge of direct combat. Let both competitors be at ease that this humble Elder shall not allow either of you to come to permanent harm," the Elder continued baring his teeth in a smile that stretched just a touch too wide. "This one hopes to see both of your youthful spirits released to their fullest extent."

Ling Qi offered a respectful bow to the Elder, just as her opponent did across the field from her. Liang He was a young man seemingly cut from the same mold as Kang Zihao. Well, that was unfair, Ling Qi supposed as she straightened back up and met her opponents steady gaze. She would compare him to Han Jian instead. He was tall and handsome with aquiline features and a serious baring. He had short cropped dark hair, and grey eyes, though they were hardly visible at the moment.

Aside from his flowing silver robes, he wore a featureless jade mask with dark smoked lenses that prevented her from seeing his eyes, and a loose hood attached to the rest of his robes that concealed the rest of his head. He certainly hadn't been wearing that yesterday when she had met him and made her challenge, nor had she heard anything about him wearing such a thing in past. It was a talisman, that much was certain, but she couldn't be sure of its function without a closer examination.

Despite the unwelcome surprise, Ling Qi could not help but feel a thrill of excitement. She was glad that she had made this choice. The urge to test how much she had grown in battle was strong. It would be nice, she thought to engage in a match where there was no previous enmity or resentment coloring things. Again, she thought back to the previous day, when she had met the boy to make her challenge.

Ling Qi straightened up, having politely delivered her challenge to the young man as he exited the sealed training field she had tracked him too. Letting out a breath she prepared herself for his response. When she met his grey eyes however, she did not find what she expected there.

He smiled earnestly as he bowed in return, clasping his hands in front of his chest. "It would be my honor to test my blade against you Lady Ling. I am certain you have only grown stronger since your display of prowess in the tournament. I only hope that this humble swordsman does not disappoint."

Ling Qi tried to ignore the way her cheeks heated at the praise…

Stop embellishing Sixiang, Ling Qi thought sternly, keeping her expression even as she scolded the muse.

"Oh c'mon, he's cute, and shaped just the way you like too," Sixiang complained.

How do you even know that, he was wearing those billowy robes yesterday too, Ling Qi thought in exasperation.

Sixiang scoffed silently. "Like that'll stop me. The wind gets everywhere you know?"

Through a great effort of will Ling Qi prevented her eyebrow from twitching. She almost felt her cheeks catch on fire as the Elder shot her a knowing look out of the corner of his eye. Thankfully her opponent was oblivious to her inner turmoil, merely sliding into a strong advancing stance as he drew the long straight sword from his storage ring in a flash of light. There was yet no sign of his spirit beast.

"The rules of this duel shall be simple," The Elder announced, no longer paying Ling Qi any mind. "As requested by the Challenged, there shall be no restriction on weapons, techniques or spirit beasts. However, the duel shall be limited to this field, and the space fifty meters above and below. This Elder shall enforce the boundary fairly, in a manner that shall prevent disruption of the duel. Are both duelists prepared?"

Ling Qi glanced around the wide grassy field, and the stone boundary markers which marked its edge. The Space was one hundred fifty meters long and one hundred wide. Plenty of space to work with, even if she couldn't just soar up out of range with her gown, but she had expected that. Their starting positions were eighty meters apart, giving them plenty of room to fall back if they desired. It was as fair a field as one could hope for.

..Which wasn't great for her, but she had gone into this expecting a fair duel. With a flick of her wrist, Ling Qi drew her flute from storage. "I am ready Honored Elder," echoing her opponent from across the field.

She put Sixiang's teasing out of wind, and recognizing that the time for it was over, the muse desisted. This would be her first duel with her completed arts and new arts alike, with old techniques set aside. She needed to test her abilities and see how far she could now go. Many challenges lay in the coming days, not the least of which was the situation with her mentor, and the need to keep rising rapidly up the ranks. Though failure would not be the end, she had too much to lose to stop striving with all her determination toward victory.

As the Elder raised his hand, in preparation to begin the duel, all that remained was to decide how she would approach the fight.

[] Fight aggressively, using her arts to defeat him proactively with her more direct arts.
-[] Tactics?(Write in)
[] Fight defensively, in her more usual style, relying on her arts wearing him down
-[] Tactics? (Write in)

Two hour moratorium

AN: So this is a shorty, and I'm prob gonna only leave the vote open till around this time tomorrow to keep the update pace up. Next one will be a fair bit longer what with the combat and the aftermath 'n all.

 

[yrsillar]

"Begin!"

As the Elder's voice rang out and his hand chopped down, the field exploded into motion.

Ling Qi raised her flute to her lips, and the first notes began to ring out, releasing the first strands of thick and cloying mist, but not fast enough. Her opponent, Liang He, took a single step and blurred. There was a sharp crack as, in a straight line, the field split open like it had been carved through by a giant's knife, sending an explosion of dirt and rock outward.

Feeling a thrill of alarm and excitement, Ling Qi flooded her limbs with vital qi, activating her Deepwood Vitality technique just in time for the gleaming emerald light to intercept the diagonal slash that would have taken her full across the chest. Even through her defensive qi she felt the impact, and used it's momentum to push her leap backward, sparing herself a wound as her technique shattered. A fraction of an instant later, a streak of rainbow light caught her eye and she twisted to the side, mostly avoiding the hiltless blade that carved through the air, glancing off the dark silk of her gown in a shower of sparking qi.

Yet, though she could feel a spirit of burning skies resolving already, thrumming with a heated joy for battle, he had failed to stop her. Even as she dodged, she had never stopped playing. Her mist spread hungrily drinking in the warm afternoon sunlight and casting the field in shadow, swiftly engulfing her opponent in the time it took him to bring his sword back up into a guard position. Her own sword shot out in a spiralling flight, singing a ghostly echo of her melody, and he batted it aside as it's blade reached for his heart. Ling Qi could feel the wispy strands of qi that clung to his sword and his hands though, ready to be strummed when the time was right.

Then a shrieking cry rang in her ears, echoing and reverberating as if to shake apart her skull until Sixiang's comforting qi flooded out to wash it away. A fraction of an instant later, a burning white shape carved through her neck and she burst into shadows, reforming a half meter to her right with no more than a few blisters marking where one of the spirit beasts wings had brushed her neck.

She caught a brief glimpse of the falcon then, it was tiny for a spirit beast, only a half meter from wing tip to wing tip, but the plumes of its wings burned with blue fire even as its technique faded and it beat its wings to regain height. Liang He did not waste his opening either, she felt his qi, sharp and brilliant flare outward, and where he moved, her mist parted. It was a bizarre sensation, to feel someone cut her mist, not with wind pressure or physical force, but on a deeper level. For an instant in a line between where he had stood and her current position, the sun shown into the depths of the mist.

It wasn't enough, the bare moment of breathing room she had gained from her dodge was enough to weave another technique into existence, and Ling Qi's limbs faded her form growing wispy and insubstantial, little more than another wraith in the mist. Yet her instincts screamed for her to move as that gleaming sword of his, it's edge blaze white hot in an almost invisible line cut through qi and air alike. One strike, then a second she flowed around, saved by a hair as her gown once again deflected a cut, the sharpened blade rebounding from the silk with a hiss of heat.

Above their heads, his domain weapon struck hers with a scream of steel on steel, knocking it from it's trajectory toward his back, but Ling Qi was hardly done, The air around them went cold and still as her melody changed, first the soft Aria of Spring's End came, spreading frost across the earth, and sending wispy flakes of snow drifting through the mist, and then came the howl of the blizzard as she launched into her improved technique, the Hoarfrost Refrain. Like an avalanche the wave of dark qi released from her flute fell upon her foe.

Only for his blade to move, rising in a sharp flicking motion. For an instant, Ling Qi felt nothing but confusion as the power of her melody slammed into the earth behind him, freezing a wide circle of the earth solid. She felt the edges of the technique tear at him still, freezing and shattering the trailing edges of his robe and hood. Yet still, for an instant, all she could do was stare. Had he just parried her song!? That instant was all the opportunity Liang He needed however as,with speed like lightning, his blade came back. Even in her surprise, Ling Qi still flung up an arm to block, and she felt the hot sting of pain as his sword carved a painful red across her forearm.

Then that bird of his screeched again, and with a flare of irritation, mostly directed at herself, her entire form flickered, vanishing into the mist as it's burning charge shot through where she had been a moment again. She felt it's qi burning brighter and hotter, as it wheeled as if to charge immediately again… but then Sixiang's qi rippled out, a haze of song, merriment and strong drink, it washed over both Liang He and his beast, and the falcon's flight stuttered, and it's wings dimmed. Liang He himself took a step back, his now tattered hood falling down around his shoulders as he flared his qi and a storm of invisible blades tore apart the encroaching qi.

She had been a little cocky, too conservative with her qi, Ling Qi lamented even as he blurred toward her again and their swords screamed overhead. It was a little unfair to him that she hadn't treated the opening moments seriously enough. So even as she hardened her flesh with the Hundred Ring Armament and wove through his strikes, only a fraction of the blindingly flash slashes hitting, and only one carving through emerald qi to draw blood as the thrust scored across her lower ribs.

The still ringing notes of the Aria redoubled in strength as she resumed the melody, and this time the sad notes held a terrible echo, the Echo of Absolute Winter. Grass died, the earth froze and from the cloying mist fell a thick and freezing snow. This time, even as he parried the bulk of Hoarfrost Refrain's power, ice clung to his sword and hung heavy from his robe, and she felt the cold poison take root. With a ringing cry, her flying sword disentangled itself from his and shot down toward Liang He, forcing him to raise his sword to deflect the spiralling missile even as it renewed its echo on him.

This time the falcon's charge was guttering before it ever reached her, frost forming on burning wings as she slid out of the way with a single graceful step. Behind his mask, she could almost sense her opponent's concerned frown. Freed, his flying sword shot toward her, and it's bright rainbow blur dimmed, as the sheer cold sucked the energy from the blade's movement, leaving it to bounce harmlessly from her gown.

He met her eyes then, and she felt from him a certain strange satisfaction. His stance once again shifted to aggressive, sword raised high. She felt Sixiang startle in alarm as the wind was ripped from her grasp, and the sky screamed. Though it was invisible to the eye, Ling Qi felt the screaming winds gathering into numberless blades, all around her, and the storm that gathered on the single blade in his hands, the fury of it sending his robes snapping and snow flying.

Yet the gathering had happened in a bare instant. There was no time for thought as the storm of blades fell upon her, she had no doubt that a lower realm cultivator would have been reduced to little more than a bloody mist by the scores of invisible blades that she danced through in the next few seconds. It took all of her concentration to flow into the spaces between them, to force her limbs to go immaterial at the right moment, and yet at the end, she stood unharmed, in time to flare her qi and weave a blazing emerald defense as Liang He's storm cloaked blade impacted her chest.

Deepwood Vitality shattered in an instant, and the cutting wind slammed into her. Her gown held it back, silken threads holding many times the strength of steel, yet they were still cut. Her flesh, imbued with the strength of a primeval tree, was cut, and she was blown backward in a howling storm like a leaf in a hurricane.

...Yet the cut was not deep, it burned painfully, even as the cut in her gown rapidly sealed. She could feel blood trickling sluggishly from the wound. It hurt a great deal. However, as she landed lightly on her feet and once again met her opponents resigned gaze, she knew one thing. It wasn't enough.

In a flicker of shadow, she appeared before Liang He before he could pull his sword back into a guard, and played the last notes of the Frozen Soul Serenade. The Call to Ending rang out, not as any audible sound, but instead a silence so deep that all other sound perished in its embrace.

Liang He staggered back as the power of the technique crashed into him, his half formed guard insufficient to parry this. Yet he held his sword, grasping it tightly even as his fingers turned black from the cold. Despite that, the wordless, soundless melody sent him to his knees.

"I declare the match finished," the moment was broken as a pudgy golden hand chopped her lightly on the head.

Her mist was blown away, the snow melted, sound and warmth returned to the world. The jolly Elder gave her a small nod as he stepped past her, and waved a hand, and a golden mist settled over Liang He's kneeling form. "The Winner is Disciple Ling Qi."

Liang He forced himself to stand, and offered a stiff bow. "A good match, Sect Sister," he said in a strained voice. Ling Qi felt a little bad for the clear pain he was in. He still clutched his sword in his blackened fingers, and she had a feeling he couldn't have let it go even if he wanted too.

"It was a good match Sect Brother," Ling Qi agreed, hastily bowing back, feeling incredibly awkward as she began to recall the audience their duel had..

"It pleases me to see such good humor in the wake of a duel," the Elder said with a wide smile. "But I will have to interrupt. My technique may keep anything important from falling off, but the young man does need to see a Healer."

Then he laid a hand on her opponent's shoulder and vanished. Leaving Ling Qi alone on the field under the stare's of the audience.

She stared at the silent stands, and offered another hasty bow to the stands, before exiting with full dignity and speed.

"Or so she told herself," Sixiang whispered silently, laughing in her head.

Ling Qi sighed, she supposed this was the first time she had displayed such a heavily damaging ability. Her previous victories had all been more drawn out and less… brutal. Still her opponent didn't seem to hold any ill will, so she doubted the audience would be able to successfully spin it in the negative.

More importantly, she could be sure of it. The Frozen Soul was mastered wholly.

Would that be enough to face her mentor though?

Ling Qi winced as she felt a twinge from the cut on her chest...she could think about that later. Right now she should probably go to the medical pavilion too.

AN: Alrighty, we're moving to the second social slot vote.

[] The situation between Zeqing and Hanyi is deteriorating. You have mastered her lessons and her art. The time for a tribulation is here, and perhaps it can solve the terrible situation forming before your eyes.
[] You have not spent enough time with your family. The new help should be settled in, so spend some time with your mother and sister. In the wake of your growing insights, you need to think about what family truly means.

 

[yrsillar]

Zeqing's home had never seemed so dark, Ling Qi thought nervously.

For once, no one had come to greet her when she arrived on the mountaintop. There was only the wind and the dancing snowflakes. Her mentors home huddled darkly on its foundations, like an image from an old tale. It's shutters were closed and shadow lay deeply under its eaves, despite the bright noonday sun shining overhead.

...And it was so very cold. Ling Qi shivered, rubbing her arms as she approached, footsteps light atop the snowy field.

"Are you sure about this?" Sixiang asked, their voice drifting on the wind. "I know she's your teacher and all but you're...no one is welcome here right now, can't you feel it?"

"I can feel it," Ling Qi replied quietly, approaching the door. "But I know my lessons aren't complete either."

"Ling Qi… this isn't like that dream, or messing around in the forest you know?" Sixiang said, the wind falling silent as their voice returned to her thoughts. "I know I joke a lot… but you could die here. Did you even tell anyone what you were doing?"

Ling Qi opened her mouth, but ended up looking at the ground rather than replying. She had told Cai Renxiang That she would be secluding herself in cultivation for a day or two, but there was no reason to worry or frighten everyone else. She had already chosen to approach Zeqing again, even knowing the spirit was dangerous right now. "The way things are right now is partially my fault," she finally said. "It's only right that I help resolve it. I don't want to…"

Sixiang didn't answer with words, but memories of her childhood drifted up, of stolen blankets, too slow allies. "No, that's not right," Ling Qi shook her head. "I'm still that person. I'm still selfish and afraid," the dream had proven that. The old her remained, just under the skin.

"But Zeqing is my teacher. I couldn't have gotten to where I am without her. I won't leave her, or her daughter like this," she finished, determination filling her voice. "...There have to be things more valuable than safety."

She felt Sixiang's mental sigh, followed by the assurance of support, settling like a warm blanket around her shoulders. With that, Ling Qi hesitate no more as she took the last steps toward the darkened doorway, and rapped her knuckles on the frame.

For a moment, there was no reply, but then, ever so slowly the door opened, the drawn out creak as it drifted ajar raising the hairs on her neck. There was no more invitation than that, but Ling Qi knew that if Zeqing did not want her here, then she could not have forced the door even with all her strength. Taking a deep breath she stepped inside, squinting into the unnatural darkness that shrouded even her vision. It was unsettling. How long had it been since she had last stood in the dark like this?

The door snapped shut behind her, cutting off the last rectangle of light, but Ling Qi remained composed. "Master Zeqing, your student has come to greet you," she said, speaking formally, unable to see, she simply made the appropriate bow without turning. A cold breeze was her only answer, but as she straightened up, the darkness lightened a fraction, and she saw ahead of her a sitting room, where her mentor waited before a hearth that guttered with heatless green flame.

Zeqing floated before the heart, the empty lower half of her gown folded as if she were seated, meditating upon an invisible seat. The spirit's head was lowered her silver hair hiding her face. Ling Qi approached cautiously, until she stood within the circle of firelight, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling that she stood in an empty void, from which there was no escape or exit. "Master…"

"I am surprised to see you so soon, are you really so eager?" Zeqing asked, her voice cold and distant. She still did not look up.

"I do not want to leave my mentor in pain," Ling Qi replied honestly. "...Where is Hanyi?"

Zeqing let out a small huff of amusement at her hesitant words. "Safe, I left her with her Father, while I centered myself." Zeqing paused then, finally raising her head to look at Ling Qi. She almost flinched at the sight of the hairline fracture running from Zeqing's chin all the way up to her temple. It was as if her face was a porcelain mask, and Ling Qi could not quite find the courage to look into the darkness that lay behind it. "You have never met my husband, have you?"

"No," Ling Qi answered reluctantly, a sinking feeling telling her that she was not going to like this.

Zeqing gestured with an empty sleeve, and to their right a patch of darkness grew light. Through it, Ling Qi saw into a room, it's shadowed walls stacked with toys, shaped from ice and snow and rock. In the center, she saw Hanyi seated at a table, face screwed up in concentration as she copied messily the characters from a second sheet. As she finished the last brushstroke, she looked up, an excited gleam in her eyes and said something Ling Qi could not hear to the larger figure beside her.

Though her instincts screamed at her not to do it, Ling Qi could not help but follow the young spirits gaze. Though her eyes saw a handsome man with ice pale skin and a bookish air smiling softly at his daughter, her other senses saw beneath the facade. It was a hideous mannequin of ice, blood and bone. A single terrified eye stared out at her from an iced over socket, pleading for escape and release. Ling Qi shuddered, her stomach churning as she felt the reality of the… thing that Zeqing called her husband, the bones of it were made wholly of the spirit's power, but there were enough pieces, crudely stitched into its frame that she could feel the shape of the man it had been.

The worst of it was, there was still a spark of life and awareness in those broken fragments of a soul.

"Even her time with him has turned to lessons," Zeqing sighed, resting her chin in a hand of clear ice. She glanced briefly at Ling Qi. "Hanyi sees only her father as he should have been, but I felt that you could handle the truth."

"...Why," Ling Qi asked, swallowing the bile that wanted to rise in her throat, dragging her eyes away from the horrible thing.

"Would any answer satisfy you?" Zeqing asked absently. "Would spinning a tale of his perfidy give you satisfaction?"

Ling Qi grimaced. "...Maybe," she admitted. "People can be terrible."

Zeqing let out a small laugh. "Such honesty," she mused. "Very well. Once, a small clan ruled this patch of land, though I and my predecessors had been here far longer. My husband was one of three brothers, in contention for the seat of the clan's heir. My husband was a scholar and a wanderer at heart, and so he discovered me."

Ling Qi studiously avoided looking at the subject of their conversation, but nodded anyway. She already had a feeling where this is going.

Zeqing turned her empty white eyes upon Ling Qi with a knowing look. "Indeed, be aware that I had long been alone, Imperial claims in this region are recent, and I, we were subjects of reverence and placation. The Imperial… method of interacting with spirits was quite new to me," she said with a sigh. "...and he did have such a skilled tongue."

Zeqing shook her head and after a beat of silence, she continued. "He sought to bind me of course, power such as mine would have been a boon to his claim. He returned to this mountain again and again to woo me, and in the end, even convinced me to bear his child, as proof of our love, and so that I would never be lonely again."

Ling Qi's eyes shifted to Hanyi, and she thought of what she knew of history…"She isn't that old is she?"

"I kept her within me for the longest time. I was bitter, yet not willing to destroy a part of myself. We get ahead of ourselves however. For the better part of a decade did he continue to visit me, and in doing so changed me," Zeqing explained wistfully, gazing at the broken, spiritually bleeding thing in the other room. "I am a spirit of darkness, of desire and covetousness. I am the cold that saps the life from a man's bones, yet allows him to drift into his final sleep feeling naught but pleasant warmth. Yet for the first time, I came to feel more than a base desire and hunger for warmth, and from the qi I took from him were born the emotions that come so easily to your kind. I fell in love, and agreed to join my essence to his, and create new life."

"It was a transgressive thing, not done in all of the memories of my past selves. I am a creature of endings, not beginnings after all," her mentor finished with a bitter laugh.

"What happened, in the end?" Ling Qi asked, looking down. She already knew the answer, at least in the broad strokes.

"It was a ploy, and his ability to avoid my sight was not as good as he believed," Zeqing replied clinically. "A life that bound us together would have made for an unbreakable binding even for me, with his techniques. He would then have been free to take a human wife as well, as is your people's custom." She gave a faint shrug. "Instead, when he returned the next time, I devoured him, body and soul, and refused to allow him his End."

Ling Qi finally looked back up, meeting the things single staring eye that plead for the mercy of release into death and shuddered. She...could she say that he had deserved that?

[] She could, the man had made his choices and here they led. She only worried that holding on to him like this hurt Zeqing and Hanyi.
[] It is justified, but hasn't it gone on long enough? It could not be helpful to Zeqing or her daughter
[] No, a death could be deserved, but not this torment. This shouldn't go on, it was harmful to Zeqing and Hanyi as well.

Two hour moratorium

 

[yrsillar]

Ling Qi grimaced, glancing briefly at the thing they were discussing. She thought of the past, and the things she had seen on the streets and in her Mother's home. Leering faces and her mothers limping steps and bruised limbs rose all too clear in her memory. She recalled well those less cunning and lucky than her, who had fallen into servitude, legal and otherwise in the slums.

If she met those people now, could she say that she would be inclined to treat them any better? For a moment, she brought herself to imagine that long ago night, the last one she had spent in her mothers home. She remembered the stink of alcohol on rich robes, and the feeling of a fat sweaty hand on her shoulder, before mother had distracted him and shooed her off to her room. She imagined that hated face paling in terror as ice crept up his robes, and his choked scream as winter stole the breath from his lungs.

It was one of the most satisfying things she could remember imagining, made all the more so by the simple fact that if she truly wanted too, she had no doubt that she could make it reality. She had left old grudges behind these days, too busy to waste time contemplating them, but in her heart, some still simmered, she knew that. She was a practical person, but she was not forgiving. Yet, the thought of taking that man, and binding his frozen soul to her like a spirit was repugnant. To keep a source of hate and pain chained to herself, she couldn't imagine the satisfaction lasting long at all. It was pointless and wasteful. Though she knew it was not the same, she couldn't see stretching out the punishment so as a good thing.

Sixiang laughed weakly in her thoughts. "I guess I see why my aunt wanted to show you that dream, don't forget now."

Ling Qi paused. Could she square that, the satisfaction at personal retribution and the horror at the slaughter of that civil war. Was it a contradiction in terms? She didn't think so, but then she doubted that those two long dead Weilu leaders thought any different. She opened her eyes then, to find her mentor still staring at her, despite Ling Qi's minutes long silence. The fire was gone, the image of Hanyi and her… Father was gone. There was only Ling Qi and Zeqing facing one another in the endless dark. "You should end him Master Zeqing," she said quietly, meeting her mentors empty white gaze. "Things shouldn't persist past their endings."

"Of course you would have me give up what is mine," Zeqing said softly, tendrils of hungry darkness writhing out through the crack in her visage. "That is what you are here for is it not, my dear student."

"...I am," Ling Qi admitted. "Master Zeqing, you taught me to keep what I love close, but if I break those things in doing so, is there really any meaning?"

"There is," the spirit replied. "Even broken shards can be held close, to warm you in the night. Once a thing has ended, once it has left you, it is gone."

"I don't agree," Ling Qi replied with determination. "I abandoned my mother long ago, but we're together again. She's still my mother, even if things are different now. Our relationship didn't end."

"Can you truly say that?" Zeqing asked, a cold wind beginning to blow through the darkness. "When I have seen and felt the way that you regard her? It hurts my heart to imagine my Hanyi seeing me in such a pitable light."

Ling Qi winced, shivering as the icy breeze cut through her gown and flesh alike, chilling her to the core. Yet she could only look down. It was true that she didn't tell her mother many things. She held her separate from most of her life, but for good reason. She knew well how far below consideration mortals were for most cultivators. "And yet I love my mother still, even if she cannot do anything for me. That…" she hesitated, unsure of how to articulate her thoughts.

Zeqing slowly rose, her empty gown shifting as she seemed to stand. The frozen spirit seemed so terribly tall in the dark. "A Mother protects her children. She keeps them safe, she teaches and nurtures. If a child leaves her, how is she to do these things?"

Ling Qi looked up at the looming figure of her mentor, her pale face seeming to almost glow in the absolute darkness. "Childhood has to end, sometimes sooner than it should," she replied quietly. "I have finished my lessons, Hanyi is growing up, even if you stop that end from coming...would it satisfy you?"

For the first time since they had begun speaking Zeqing's mask like visage twisted into an expression. She flinched, and the wind stopped dead as her features twisted in pain, like a woman who had been stabbed. Ling Qi startled as a sharp report, like a tree shattering from the winters cold echoed through the void. A new crack now spiderwebbed across her mentors face, stark and jagged. It cut through her nose and right eye, disappearing under her hairline.

"Master Zeqing?" Ling Qi asked, her resolve shaking as she felt the deathly cold beginning to creep up through the soles of her shoes, stabbing into her feet like a forest of pins and needles.

"Go to my daughter Ling Qi," her mentor replied dully. "Your final lesson is upon you. As your teacher… all I may do is ensure that your success is possible." The spirit turned away, dress billowing the howling wind that was beginning to build. "Take her and leave the mountain."

To her side, pale ghost lights arose, marking out a hall that no doubt lead to Hanyi's room, but Ling Qi hesitated moving to step forward and follow Zeqing as she drifted into darkness, only to be driven back by shrieking winds and blowing ice that left shallow cuts across her face and hands.

"I think you should listen to her. You knew what you were kicking off, didn't you?" Sixiang asked, their normally joyful voice somber.

"...I did," Ling Qi replied, straightening her shoulders as she turned on her heel to march down the hall. The time for hesitation was long past. She swiftly reached the end of the hall, flitting from shadow to shadow as she raced for the door that lay at its end. The handle turned easily under her hand, and the door flew open, leaving her face to face with a confused looking Hanyi.

"Ling Qi? What's wrong?" the little spirit asked, her face screwed up in concern. "Papa said that Mama needed to talk to him. Mama never talks to Papa," she babbled, her words coming out in a rush. "And… and the house is shaking and Mama is angry and hurting, it's like the whole past month but way worse and…"

Ling Qi crouched and rested her hands on Hanyi's shoulders. She tried her best to keep her voice calm, but she couldn't help the note of urgency that crept into her voice. "Hanyi, your mom is just...having some problems right now. She's not angry at you or me, I promise," Ling Qi tried to reassure her.

"But, why then…" Hanyi asked, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Why has she been so…"

Ling Qi winced as the room shook violently and an icy wind ripped through the doorway sending their hair and gowns fluttering. "She's just very stressed. Your Mama just… needs a break. That's why she asked me to take you for awhile," Ling Qi replied, knowing she needed to hurry. "Zhengui will be waking up soon, I'm sure. Won't it be fun to visit him?"

Hanyi eyed her suspiciously and sniffed, still keeping her tears back. "I wanna, but Mama…"

GO HANYI

Ling Qi flinched as the entire room shuddered under the force of Zeqing's voice reverberating through the house, and the sharp crack that followed the pronouncement. Hanyi jumped as well, her eyes wide with alarm.

"...Your sure she's not mad?" Hanyi asked in a trembling voice.

"Not at us," Ling Qi assured her, holding out a hand as she stood up. "Come on, lets go Hanyi."

"Okay," the young spirit mumbled, taking her hand. "Are… are Mama and Papa fighting? Did I mess up?"

...That was one way to put it, Ling Qi thought, given the conflict in Zeqings nature that she had seen. "You didn't do anything wrong Hanyi," she assured her absently as they reached the end of the hall, the wind blowing against them growing stronger by the moment.

"Do you know how to get to the door?" She asked as they reached the end of the hall, worry creeping into her thoughts as Sixiang offered the mental equivalent of an apologetic shrug, there was nothing for her wind to trace the layout of.

Hanyi peered out into the empty darkness. "...Kinda, I can't control the house like Mama but… the door is really far away right now," still sounding like she was holding back tears.

Ling Qi restrained a grimace. Her instincts were screaming at her to get moving as quickly as she could, but she also couldn't afford to panic Hanyi. They needed to move quickly though….

[] Let Hanyi ride on your back and give directions, though Ling Qi remembered the ice child's weight well, they would still move faster this way… probably. You'll have to waste precious seconds convincing her without alarming her though.

[] Just keep her hand and get her walking as quickly as you can. It would be better not to alarm her further and she doubted she could rely on Zeqing to give further direction to her daughter

Two hour moratorium

 

[yrsillar]

"It looks like I'll need your help then," Ling Qi said with false cheer, glancing at the empty dark around them, she looked down at Hanyi, unsure how how best to handle this. After a moment's hesitation, she crouched, bringing herself down to the young spirits level. "Hey since I'll get lost, why don't you let Big Sister give you a ride. That way we won't lose each other by accident."

She didn't know what to expect, but driving winds and white-ed out vistas seemed likely. A connection as tenuous as held hands was unreliable.

Hanyi gave her a confused and suspicious look. "Your acting really weird Big Sister. So is everyone else. What's going on?"

Ling Qi shivered as she felt, deep in her bones the faint beat of a melody building in the darkness around them. For a moment her thoughts spun in circles as she tried to come up with another excuse, but...would that really help? "Hanyi…" she began, trying to find the words. "Your Mama needs to be alone for awhile. You've seen how she's been acting right?"

Hanyi frowned, scuffing her bare foot against the ground. "Yeah, but… being lonely hurts. How will hurting Mama more help?"

"Because she's afraid that she'll hurt us by accident," Ling Qi replied, finally dispensing with excuses. "Hanyi, being lonely hurts, but don't you think it would hurt her more if one us got hurt?"

Hanyi's lips trembled and for a moment Ling Qi thought she was going to cry. "I don't understand. Why would Mama be afraid of that? She loves me. She loves you, she wouldn't hurt us."

"Sometimes you can hurt people you love without meaning to," Ling Qi said quietly. "Hanyi, please, your mama wants me to take care of you while she's away. I don't want you to get hurt either."

For a moment she thought Hanyi was going to argue further, but the young girl hung her head, silver bangs shadowing her eyes. "...Kay," she sniffled. "I know Mama wants me to go. I felt it, but…"

"I understand," Ling Qi said, patting Hanyi's shoulder. "We need to go though."

Hanyi gave a shallow nod, and finally did as she asked. Soon, Hanyi was perched on her back, legs tucked under her arms and arms around Ling Qi's neck. Taking a deep breath, Ling Qi stood, and the moment she did, she nearly staggered. Hanyi's weight, which had been like a feather a moment ago seemed to redouble again and again, until it felt as if Ling Qi had a boulder tied to her back.

"It's gonna get worse," Sixiang warned. "The weight… it's connected to this place."

"Big Sister?" Hanyi asked.

"I'm fine Hanyi," Ling Qi replied. "Which way do we go?"

With another sniffle of held back tears, Hanyi began to direct her. With Hanyi on her back, she couldn't flicker from place to place, not that she thought such techniques would avail her in the not-space that Zeqing's temple had become. Even so, she moved as quickly as her legs and the weight she bore would allow. Only Hanyi's direction allowed her to avoid crashing headlong into barriers she could not see nor sense. No matter how hard she concentrated there was no direction in this place, save for up and down, and even that twisted oddly at times, leaving Ling Qi to quickly find her balance as her floor became a wall, or worse a ceiling from time to time.

Then the wind began to blow.

She felt Sixiang shiver in her mind, tendrils of awareness withdrawing back into her meridians with a snap. She felt the same cold in her extremities as the blackness began to grow gray, and then white, and she felt the first pelting daggers of ice. With a single breath, she activated the Hundred Ring Armament, cloaking herself and Hanyi alike in it's viridian glow. It proved prescient as, a moment later the whiteness howled and a gust of wind struck her like a blow from a giant.

Though her technique cushioned the blow, still she spun dizzily as the force of the wind flung her through the air. Hanyi cried out something in her ear, clinging tightly to her neck, and Ling Qi kept her grip even as she managed to land on her feet in the knee deep snow. That itself was a surprise, she had grown used to being able to walk lightly across snow and ice, but now she sunk into the cold, wet morass like a stone. The cloak of her gown flared and she began to rise, only for the wind to howl, slamming her back to the 'ground' with a painful crack. She bent her knees to absorb the impact, but it still sent a tingle of pain through her joints.

"...Everything alright Hanyi?" She asked through gritted teeth as she straightened up.

"I'm okay," Hanyi said, her voice trembling. "But Big Sister, the door is moving."

Ling Qi restrained the urge to curse. "It'll be fine Hanyi, just keep me going in the right direction."

The going proved difficult though, the blizzard blew endlessly in her face, until her cloak hung heavy encrusted with ice, and the rest of her was not much better. The cold stung her eyes and froze her fingers, and slashing fragments of frozen rain pattered against her armored form like a rain of daggers. It was only in the constant renewal of her Armament and Defense techniques that she was not cut to ribbons.

...Yet all along, the quiet beat that she felt remained subdued, a faint vibration felt in the depths of her soul. She kept herself alert, having no doubt that there would be worse trials than this.

"Well, your probably not wrong" Sixiang muttered. "Something bigger is…"

….

…….

………..

Ling Qi sniffled as she dropped to the ground, casting one last glance up at the dark window she had climbed out of. She rubbed the back of her hand against her eyes, wiping away her tears. Mama had been right to yell at her. It was her fault that Mama had gotten hurt last night. She was a bad girl. Lots of the other ladies said so when they thought nobody was listening. They were right.
...And she didn't want to be like Mama, or the other ladies. Most of the men that came to them were gross and mean, even when they weren't they were never nice. Even ladies from other places didn't like them or her. Grannies who would give out sweets to other little girls would turn their noses up at her and say mean things about Mama when her back was turned.

She didn't want that, she didn't want to hurt Mama, and she didn't want to get hurt by the mean men who paid for time with Mama. Ling Qi hunched her shoulders, pulling the bag she had stuffed with her clothes and some food she had snuck higher. Ling Qi took her first step away from home, where she could be free at last.

She shivered then as a cold gust blew, and the world seemed to swim. Ling Qi stopped in confusion, and fell to her knees gasping for breath. It felt like the sky had fallen on her shoulders. Grief welled her mind, overwriting her thoughts. She felt the mounting panic of a woman who woke to find her daughter gone, and the increasing desperation as her search turned up nothing, as pleas for aid in that search fell on indifferent ears. The collapse that followed as hours turned into days and hope guttered out and died.

Ling Qi sobbed, curling up on the ground as the storm of emotions assailed her. Could anything be worth that? She was going to hurt her Mama so much, and she was going to hurt so much. Memories of cold, empty bellies and broken bones assailed her. Memories of fear and brushes with death crushed her. Why was she doing this? Why was she leaving? Mama wasn't perfect, but she loved Ling Qi, even if she got mad, she would get hurt if it kept Ling Qi safe.

"No," Ling Qi muttered into the dirty street, pushing herself back up to her knees. The world flickered dizzyingly, and she felt her limbs stretch and grow. Was she a child or an Immortal? In that moment she couldn't say. "I can't go back."

Why not? Her own voice seemed to echo back.

Ling Qi struggled for a moment to answer, clenching her hands in the dirt/snow. "Because I don't want that," she hissed. "And Mom didn't want that. Even if it hurt, even if I hated it, didn't it come to a good end?"

The world shuddered violently and Ling Qi's vision went black.

….

……..

………..

…………..

…………

"Exhausting yourself again I see. Will you never consider your own health?"

Ling Qi's eyes fluttered open at the sound of Meizhen's voice and she sat up in her chair, sending the blanket that had been laid over her fell into her lap.A fire burned merrily in the hearth in front of her, and she sighed in comfort at the slow creeping warmth that she could feel sapping the stress from her tired limbs. Still as she blinked, looking around at the snug wood paneled room, she couldn't help but think that something was off.

"Where are we?" Ling Qi asked, looking to her friend, who kneeled gracefully before the fire, warming her hands.

Meizhen arched an eyebrow at her. "Did you strike your head? We are at home. You spent so long out hunting that Xiulan had to bring you back."

Ling Qi furrowed her brow, rubbing her temples to ease the persistent ache there, it was like someone was shouting inside of her skull. Right, she remembered now. She and her friends had left. The sect, the empire, and all of its baggage was behind them. There was no pursuit, none of them were important enough for that. The house rocked under her feet, and she knew it to be Zhengui's stride, taking them on a slow route through the far flung boreal valleys deep in the Wall.

"Where is everyone?" Ling Qi asked absently, rubbing her head still. Maybe she had hit her head on something, this ache wouldn't go away.

"Your hangers on are tinkering with the formations arrays outside, and your mother and sister are resting," Meizhen replied smoothly. "Xiulan is warming herself in the bath after retrieving you, and Han Jian is in the mapping chamber."

"Sorry," Ling Qi apologized sheepishly. "What about Renxiang though?"

"In the office, you know how she is," Meizhen replied, turning back to the fire.

"Right," Ling Qi replied, grimacing. She didn't feel a bruise. Still something was bothering her. Had they really just left? Sure Renxiang's little sister had ended up becoming heir, and Jian and Xiulan had broken from their families for each other, but… would they really get to leave so easily? And why had they all come to her? She closed her eyes as the headache redoubled.

"Are you alright, Qi?" Meizhen asked, concern clear in her voice. Ling Qi heard the rustling of cloth, and then a cool hand pressing against her forehead. "I did not detect any odd fluctuations in your qi, but…"

Ling Qi opened her eyes, looking up to see Meizhen leaning in uncomfortably close, her lips pursed. Her eyes traced the curve of the girls throat, and Ling Qi felt strange. "Meizhen...why...why are you here. Don't you have...responsibilities…" her words came out with difficulty, and her thoughts felt fuzzy and muddled.

She simply gave Ling Qi a patient look, as she straightened up. Meizhen let her hand drift down to rest atop Ling Qi's." Qi, my clan can do without me. That aside, I love you, of course I would follow."

Ling Qi felt her vision blur. Of course, Meizhen was her first and best friend, the hand that had given her the first and most important boost into the world of Immortals. What sort of terrible world would it be where Ling Qi couldn't return her feelings? Yet…. it felt wrong. Meizhen, who idolized her aunt and who was working hard to be useful to her clan, would just drop everything for her? Meizhen who had herself firmly rejected the idea of being closer than friends, that last night in the inner sect?

Would Cai Renxiang really so easily abandon the things she talked about? Would Suyin abandon her place in the Sect, her mentor, her projects, or Su Ling her revenge? Xiulan and Han Jian were both dutiful children to their clans, why would they...

No this was wrong. This fantastical scenario, this...

"I need to go," Ling Qi breathed. She stood up, and Meizhen stepped back, her eyebrows raised in alarm.

"Qi? What is the meaning of this, you just returned," Meizhen replied, laying hands on her shoulders. The shorter girl looked up at her with confusion and alarm on her stoic features. "Is something wrong? Please tell me."

The things at the edges of her vision began to warp. "This isn't right," she replied, pushing Meizhen's hands away. "This… this whole thing."

Her friend looked hurt, as if Ling Qi had struck her, and in that moment, Ling Qi's resolve wavered. "Why? We are together. Everyone is together, and there is no reason for us to ever part. What could be wrong with that?"

"Life doesn't work like that," Ling Qi hissed, the pain in her head redoubling.

When next she looked up, Ling Qi froze as she found herself staring into Meizhen's eyes. Her empty white eyes.

Ling Qi reeled as the world shattered.


…
…..

………

"...Ister, Big Sister!"

"C'mon Qi don't do this to me, wake up, wake up, this isn't your dreams," Sixiang begged her.

Ling Qi shook her head violently, and the blizzard resolved itself again before her eyes. She felt so tired and cold. "...Hanyi, Sixiang…?"

"I thought I saw mama and she looked scary, and then you stopped moving," Hanyi babbled, clutching her neck tightly.

"I dunno about Zeqing, but you just froze up, it was like there was a cage of ice keeping me out of your thoughts," Sixiang muttered fearfully. "Please get moving."

Ling Qi shivered, recalling the visions she had apparently experienced. Even as she did though she bounded forward, forcing herself through the wind and snow despite the fatigue dragging at her limbs. She had forgotten exactly what Zeqing was, not just a creature of brute force and snow storms, but a winter siren, who could bring those fell under her spell to death of their own will. She just had to hope that whatever Zeqing was doing to restrain herself to did not slip again.

...And yet, as she ran through the snow, banking and turning on the command of her charge, her thoughts kept returning to those visions and why she had rejected them. Her heart ached at the memory of it...and yet, she could not help but feel that there was a truth there.

Spoiler: Advanced Insights

Advanced Insights, unlike regular ones do not arise from arts. Instead when undergoing a tribulation or trial, a chance may come to gain an advanced insight. These insight's result from mixing the ideas of previous insights and the domain baseline, and creating from them a more cohesive whole. Advanced insights do not take domain slots. Insights mixed this way are not used up, or otherwise lost.

[] Face the world as it is. While idle dreams can inspire, only toil and sweat can create beauty.
[] One person's desires cannot, alone make a home nor a family.
[] A harsh ending is sometimes necessary, for a beautiful lie is poor foundation for a new beginning.

Two hour moratorium

 

[yrsillar]

She could not let herself forget that the important people in her life had thoughts and feelings as important as hers. That just because something would make her happy, did not mean it would make them happy. It seemed like such an obvious thing, but Ling Qi wondered just how many people there were that did not truly internalize that.

Spoiler: Domain Modification

One person's desires cannot, alone make a home nor a family.

Ling Qi and allies within close range receive a free dispel attempt against effects which would force them to act directly against someone with whom they have at least 2 ranks of positive relation

Yet she had little time to muse further on that thought. Not when the storm was picking up, and the soft mournful melody that underlaid the winds was growing stronger. The music struck deep, ringing like the miserable sobs of a loved one in deep in her soul, and it took every scrap of will that Ling Qi had to keep running. She knew it was only Sixiang's effort that allowed that much. She could feel the insubstantial spirits strain, their qi diffused through her every meridian as it pushed back against the cloying despair that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Why is Momma crying?" Hanyi whispered, her voice trembling. "I-if she really wants us to leave, why is she crying?"

Despite her resistance to the song woven into the storm, Ling Qi felt the tears that welled up in the corners of her eyes, only to freeze solid still clinging to her cheeks. Despite that she never allowed her legs to stop moving. "It hurts when someone you love leaves, but sometimes things have to hurt before they can get better. Hanyi please, tell me where I need to go next," she said, struggling to keep her voice from wavering.

"...Through that drift," Hanyi muttered, pointing out a high rampart of snow. "...If Momma really wanted me to stay, Big Sister would have never even made it this far huh?"

"You get it, Hanyi," Ling Qi replied shakily, veering toward the sheer wall of tight packed snow. Her instincts told her to veer away or jump over, but Hanyi had said 'through'. Ling Qi just had to trust that her mentors daughter knew what she was saying. So, gritting her teeth, Ling Qi charged headlong into the snow. For an instant, she felt like she had run into a wall. Cold, wet weight crushed against her face and chest, even as struggled forward, pushing through.

Then, in the next it was gone, and Ling Qi rocked on her feet nearly stumbling as she found herself once again standing in an empty void.

"Left!" Hanyi cried out, her voice echoing in the dark. Ling Qi didn't even think, she sprang to the left as if her life depended on it. Wind screamed past her ears as she shot down what seemed to be an open corridor. Though her eyes saw only a uniform darkness Ling Qi could feel the churning, hungry nothing that had consumed the space behind her, and even now roiled outward like an invisible mist, devouring everything it touched. Zeqings house groaned and shook, like a cottage in the middle of a violent storm.

"Oh to nightmare with that, run faster please!" Sixiang shouted in her head, and Ling Qi obliged as as she darted around a corner at Hanyi's direction. Ling Qi heard a crack and a crash, like a heavy beam or rafter falling and crashing to the ground, and launched herself upward at Hanyi's shout to clamber up the invisible and glasslike surface that presented itself.

Yet, with each centimeter she climbed, Hanyi's weight grew ever greater, until her limbs trembled with the effort of holding them both up. For the first time, the mad dash she had been making felt like it was catching up with her. Fatigue dragged at her limbs and dulled her senses, and below the nothing churned, growing with every moment. Could she really do this? Zeqings resistance was growing stronger with each passing moment, and she knew that once it passed a certain point, there was no hope of success.

The darkness yawned nfinitely overhead and all around. Ling Qi knew somewhere in her mind that her fatigue wasn't natural, that the creeping despair that she felt rising wasn't her own, but it was so hard just to hold on. Even Sixiang's urgent fear was fading, growing dull under the weight that seemed to suffuse her entire being.

She stiffened as she felt Hanyi's arms tighten around her, and felt the young spirits face pressing against the back of her neck. "It hurts," she whispered, and Ling Qi felt the cold pinprick of tears against her skin. "It'd be better if I stayed, wouldn't it? You could get away, and I could be part of Mama again, wouldn't that be okay?"

"It wouldn't," LIng Qi grit out through clenched teeth, digging her fingers into semi solid darkness and dragging herself up another handspan. She hated this, for so long night and darkness had been safety for her, and no it rejected her, repelling her qi and pressing down like a smothering blanket.

"Why? It's my fault Mama is like this," Hanyi whimpered. "Before I started bothering her for lessons, everyone was happy."

Ling Qi Squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back the growing instinct to agree, to release her charge. She knew there was a reason, but it seemed so very hard to grasp at the moment. "She enjoyed it though," Ling Qi rasped, finding it difficult to push out words. "It was the same for me. She liked seeing us grow. Didn't it make you happy too?"

"Obviously not. If this is the result." All of the noise and motion and stress seemed to cease and time slowed. She was still moving, still scrambling upward, but it was if everything had slowed down a thousandfold except for her thoughts. "Why are you so determined to take my daughter from me? Put her down and live child." Zeqing's voice resounded from all around her. The weight of it was cold and crushing, almost suffocating in its intensity. Yet… there was something lacking to it, something hollow and almost mechanical.

It wasn't her teacher, or at least not all of her, not the part that had taught her, the part that had sympathized with her, that had done something as silly as participating in a birthday party for her sake. Yet, it still had power, enough to crush her in an instant, if it were unleashed. Ling Qi remembered the last time she had felt crushed by a superior power. Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared upward. "No."

"Uh, Ling Qi?" Sixiang whispered weakly, their voice barely audible or present. The cloying despair that threatened to devour her was having a much worse effect on her wholly spiritual companion

"No?" The not-Zeqing said, the faintest hint of bemusement entering its voice. "Do you…"

"Shut up," Ling Qi hissed, dragging herself upward another centimeter. "I'm not like I was. I'm not," she bit out. "Zeqing is my teacher, and that makes Hanyi my junior sister. I'm not going to betray that duty because of a… a, damn muscle spasm like you!" Because that's all this voice was in the end. She had spoken to the real, conscious Zeqing, the power trying to stop her was just an involuntary reaction. It was Zeqing's spiritual nature recoiling and reacting against her will.

Snarling, Ling Qi pushed qi outward from her dantian. Zeqing had taught her so much, given her so much, and she wouldn't fail to repay her, wouldn't fail her daughter like that. Darkness beat in her heart and cycled in her lungs. It crackled and flowed through her limbs and spine, and in the next moment, she seized the not-space around her and soared.

Yet, even as she rocketed upward and the darkness outside of her reached shrieked, even as she hardened her body with the Thousand Rings Unbreaking against the hail of razor ice that pounded down on her, she instinctively knew it wasn't going to be enough. Her energy was already starting to ebb, and the weight on her back was still too much. "Hanyi! Do you really want things to go back to the way they were? Do you really want to forget the things your mother taught you? To stay the same forever?!" she shouted over the sleet storm that engulfed them.

"I," the little girl murmured, shaking like a leaf. "I… I want to be like Mama!" She cried out, and immediately Ling Qi felt the weight on her back grow lighter. "I want to be strong, and smart and pretty and..." her voice choked off in a sob. "I wanna be able to go and come back!"

Their surroundings went mad. Ling Qi felt herself crash through something, splinters of the barrier leaving deep cuts on her skin even through her Thousand Rings. For the next several moments, the world was naught but a chaos of light and sound and auras.

...And then she crashed into a snowbank, and went rolling wildly across the field. Ling Qi pushed herself up off the snowy ground, but she was still dizzy and groggy. Her vision swam and she staggered as she got back to her feet. There was something missing, but…

Then she looked ahead, and saw where was. Ling Qi stood on the mountaintop, and ahead of her lay the ruins of Zeqing's home, wood and glass and straw lay strewn across the snow, and even now it was fading, losing its color and melting like frost on a spring morning. Yet her eyes were drawn up, to where a silent figure floated above the rubble. She saw Zeqing floating there, gown rippling in a phantom breeze, and face upraised toward the stars. They were at the center of a great storm. Great dark clouds rumbled and churned below their feet, masking the world below the peak from sight.

"...Mama?" Ling Qi startled as she heard Hanyi, only now noticing that the spirit's weight was missing from her back. She glanced to her side, and saw what she thought was Hanyi struggling to her feet, looking up at Zeqing. The spirit had changed, grown taller and more slender, though she was still clearly a child, seeming no more than eleven or twelve. Her silver hair hung loose down to her shoulders, and rippled in a phantom wind like her Mother's. Her childish dress was gone as well, replaced with a garment of pale blue silk that with billowing sleeves and a hem that dragged against the snow. Unlike her mother though, she had solid form, pale blue hands reached up toward Zeqing, and hanyi left faint tracks in the snow.

Zeqing looked down, and Ling Qi winced at the cracks crisscrossing her face, the gaping hole here her left eye its matching brow should have been. She felt the disorder and damage to her master's aura and could only swallow, and offer a last bow.

Zeqing gave her a shallow nod, and turned her gaze to Hanyi. Her cracked lips moved, and though Ling Qi heard nothing, Hanyi let out a quiet sob.

Then Zeqing turned her eyes back upward, and the wind rose once again, a mournful howl that echoed from the mountaintop. When the flurry of kicked up snowflakes settled to the ground, Zeqing was gone, and all that remained on the mountaintop was the odd little fruit tree and the two of them.

Ling Qi hunched her shoulders and held in the tears that wanted to well up. She had thought this might happen but… she couldn't regret it. This was what Zeqing had wanted.

"She's not totally gone," Sixiang murmured quietly even as Hanyi fell to her knees atop the snow, crying openly. "Though I can't say whether the spirit that reforms in this place will be her or how long it will be."

Ling Qi gave a faint nod of acknowledgement to the muse's words and moved over to Hanyi, kneeling in the snow herself to wrap the young girl in a hug. "I'm sorry junior sister," she said quietly. "But… she was happy at the end, wasn't she?"

"She was," Hanyi sniffled. "She said she was proud of me, and...and she was glad she got to see me grown up."

Ling Qi closed her eyes and let the younger girl get her tears out. She had done her duty to her teacher, and now she had another little sister to take care of.
It would only become more important that she kept growing.

Spoiler: Event Gains

Cultivation penalty removed.
Origin Temple of Winter's Muse lost.
1.3 multiplier to darkness arts gained

In appropriate arts Water Element becomes 'Cold'

Athletics +1
Perceptiveness +1 Skill Capped
Empathy +3
Spirit Ken +5 Skill increased!

Sable Grace +1

Resolve +3
Composure +3

+30 successes to Physical Cultivation(turn total)

Monthly Gains

+2 Speech
+2 Government
+1 Art
+1 Music
+1 War


Zeqing Bond raised to 4 Terminated
Hanyi Bond gained, raised to 2

Spirit(Hanyi) acquired

Upkeep 15

Bonuses
.2 Multiplier to Cold and Music Arts
.1 Multiplier to darkness arts
+10 to Penetration of Cold Arts
+5 to Hit of music Arts

Spoiler: Hanyi

Cultivation:
Early Green(7)
Early Bronze (7)

Physical
Strength: F
Dexterity: C
Stamina: E

Mental
Intelligence: D
Wits: E
Resolve: C

Social
Presence: B
Manipulation: D
Composure: C

Base Health: D16 (Stamina E, Qi C10) LWM 10

Available Qi: C10

Base Speed: C10 (Dex C, Athletics C), FSS 10

Base Initiative: E10 (Wits E, Manipulation D)

Derived Attributes

Physical Defense
Avoid C10 (Dex C, Dodge C) FSS 10
Armor E5-E15 (Stamina E, Fortitude: F) Equip 10

Spiritual Defense
Avoid: D (Wits D, Fade E) FSS 10
Armor: C20 (Resolve C, Resilience C) Equip 10, LWM 10

Physical Offense
Hit: E10 (Dex C, Unarmed G), Equip 10
Penetration: G5 (Str F, Unarmed G)

Spiritual Offense
Hit: B (Manipulation D, Vocals B) Base 20, Equip 10
Penetration: B (Presence B, Vocals B)

Perception
Combat Perception: E10 (Wits D, Perceptiveness D)
Social Perception: E10(Wits D, Empathy E)

Technique
Dispel: - (Presence B+Tech Rank)
Resist: - (Composure C+Tech Rank)


Skills
Academics: F
Art: F
Athletics: C
Dance: E
Perceptiveness: D
Spirit Ken: E
Empathy: E
Music: C(Max)
-Vocals: B
Speech: F
Stealth: E

Dodge: C
Fortitude: F
Fade: E
Resilience: C
Unarmed: G

Abilities
Lonely Winter Maiden
+10 to Spiritual Hit
+10 to Health
+10 to Spiritual Armor
+10 to Speech(conditional)

Enrapturing Silhouette: D
Using this technique Hanyi draws the attention of a target at Far range to herself. On success the target must move toward Hanyi at full base speed and cannot attack her until after her next action. The target receives a large penalty to their avoid while under this effect, which last for a Short time.

Mournful Lullaby: D
Usable only against those caught in the effects of Enrapturing Silhouette, this technique receives a significant bonus to hit against such targets. if successful, it extends the effect for an additional Short period, as well as extending the period in which they cannot attack Hanyi for another action. Targets of this effect receive small penalties to All Hit, Avoid, and Initiative, which stack with each application.

Snow Maiden's Embrace: C
With either full embrace or a clasping of hands, Hanyi draws a beguiled foe to their doom. As long as Hanyi maintains physical contact with the target, their qi and health will be sapped, a fraction of which is restored to Hanyi, who can receive temporary qi or health exceeding hr maximum by up to one letter grade.

Frozen Peak Serenade
+10 To Spiritual Hit
+10 to Speed
+10 to Physical Avoid
+10 to Spiritual Avoid
E rank damage reduction against Cold

Springs End Aria: D
Duration: Short
The first notes of the users song herald the end of warmth, draining the heat from the area and around them and crystalizing the moisture in the air into snow and ice. Enemies Very Close to the user find their qi growing sluggish, sapping their spiritual defenses and bolstering the singers own. Qi expended in failed assault of the singer drains away, flowing into the singularity of cold created by the singer's voice. Those whose dantians have been fully drained find their flesh frosting over and their blood running cold as they are lulled into the final sleep.


Hoarfrost Caress: C
Duration: Immediate
Damage: C
The user's song rises into the howl of of a blizzard in the depths of winter as they focus the expression of their will upon a single enemy. The song tears and freezes the flesh of the singers enemy, and spreads through their blood and meridians, carrying the chill deeper still, like a frigid poison seeking the heart of its victims warmth.

Equipment:
Flurry Gown: +10 Physical and Spiritual Armor. Provides an additional +10 to spiritual Hit of Cold Arts

New Disciple Rank Gains: Second floor access reduced to 20 points.

Argent Vent(Standard): Grants 35 resource dice to spiritual and Physical Cultivation. Grants a 2.2 multiplier to cultivation of Argent Arts. Grants 4 virtual Yellow stones per week to cultivation(16 total)

AN: alright, this is the end of turn, I'll be editing in the plan vote in a little while after I've had a moment to get some lunch. Until then enjoy

Funds

Income:
Sect: 2 Green Stones 40 yellow
Liege: 3 Green Stones

Expenses:
Household: 6 red stones

263 Red Stones
376 Yellow Stones
28 Green Stone
7 Sect Points

How many stones will you use?
16 Free Yellow stones automatically used due to cultivation arts and sites
[] Additional Stones

How much will you invest in pills and medicine this month?
Low-5 dice for 5 red stones per action
[] Medium- 10 dice for 15 red stones per action Provided freely from Cai Renxiang
[] High- 20 dice for 25 (40-15) red stones per action
[] Very High- 30 dice for 60(75-15) red stones per action

What would you like to cultivate this month? (Select 1 subvote per category)
[] Physical Cultivation
[] Spiritual Cultivation
[] Meridian
-[] Head, Heart, Spine, Arm, Lung, Leg
[] Argent Genesis
[]Sable Crescent Step
[] Argent Current
[] Argent Storm
[] Curious Diviner's Eye
[] Unlearned Art (replace with desired art
[] Take Sect Jobs(Earns Sect Points 11-20 per AP, provides penalized exploration roll)
[] Perform Sect Duties (Earns Contribution Points 1-4 per AP, provides a penalized exploration roll)
[] Exploration Via New Moon Sect Map (MAX 2 AP)
[] Research Arts in Sect archive (Max 1 AP)
[] Research Formations in the Archive(Max 1 AP)
[/] Xiao Fen Tutoring (1AP, Locked)
[/] Moon Quest (1AP, Locked)

[] Skill training


-Example
[] Skill plan 1
-Dex 3, Manip 3, Presence 1, Stamina 1(16 dice)
-Spirit Ken 3, Athletics 2, Dance 1, Empathy 2, Fade 2, fortitude 2, Speech 1, Perceptiveness 2, Stealth 3(18 dice)
-Woodwind 3(6 dice)

AN: We will be eliminating challenge research as a basic action, minor challenges will be background events, while larger jumps will be kept in the narrative, I do need to actually work on pacing and get the main plot threads churning after all.

 

[yrsillar]

"Well, you've had quite an ordeal haven't you," Xin said with a sigh, withdrawing her faintly glowing hand from Ling Qi's forehead. "The entropic qi still left in your channels is assimilating nicely."

Ling Qi wasn't entirely sure what 'entropic' was, though it seemed to resonate oddly in her ears. Given context it was some form of toxic qi, she was just glad for the examination to be over. Xin stood over Ling Qi, who sat upon a treatment table in one of the medicine hall's many room. Xin wore the same oddly patterned red and blue gown she had been been wearing when they met long ago in Elder Zhou's test. The spirit's silver hair hung loose at her shoulders this time though giving a slight impression of dishevelment.

Ling Qi nodded shallowly, glancing down at Hanyi, who had fallen asleep half lying across her lap. She supposed that given everything she couldn't blame the girl. It made her wonder just how many human-like quirks the young spirit might have though. "I hope I didn't cause the Sect too much trouble," Ling Qi said in a small voice.

It was only after she had descended that she had seen the effects of her tribulation on the surroundings. The mountain was buried in snow, and even with the storm dying down, trees had been torn from the earth by howling winds, and things were in general a bit of a mess. She had not missed the vein pulsing in Elder Jiao's temple when he had appeared to whisk her and Hanyi off to the medicine hall.

"We had expected something of the sort to be occurring soon," Xin replied soothingly, glancing down at the tablet of jade in her hands. The recording device vanished with a flick of her wrist. "Elder Ying made preparations, so the damage was limited to the mountain."

Ling Qi let out a sigh of relief, she had worried that she might have endangered the mortals in the town at the base of the mountain and by extension her mother. "Will the Outer Sect be…?"

"We are treating it as a bit of an impromptu trial, and have rewarded a few disciples for their decisive actions during the storm," Xin replied with a thread of amusement, turning to pace away..

Ling Qi felt her fists clench, her knuckles growing white. "...How can you be cheerful, wasn't Zeqing your friend too?"

Silence answered her, and Ling Qi swallowed faintly as she raised her eyes. She really needed to stop forgetting herself in front of Elders and powerful spirits.

Xin's expression was not angry though, there was only a touch of sorrow in her red eyes."This was the best path available for my friend, why should I not be cheerful?" She asked, crossing her arms under chest as she met Ling Qi's gaze challengingly.

"I'm sorry. I just, you can read the future right? I've been studying some divination, so I know that's the new moon's purview, and…" Ling Qi hunched her shoulders. "Was there really no better way to do this?"

Xin sighed, leaning back against one of the cupboards full of medicinal supplies that lined the room. "There is divination, and there is divination Ling Qi. Clairvoyance and its related disciplines are both the simplest and most reliable. Object reading and postcognition are relatively simple as well, given a reasonable proximity to the present. Future sight or even prediction is not so easy, nor so simple."

Ling Qi nodded, taking the gentle rebuke for what it was. "...But you did say this was the best outcome."

Xin cracked a wan smile. "Peering into the future stretches a human compatible mind to it's limits. It's true enough that battle precognition can be reliable, presuming the enemy does not counter or obfuscate your sight. Peering forward a second or two into your immediate surroundings involves a mere few million relevant factors after all. I might manage as much as a minute, barring interference. Beyond that however… well that is the realm of my greater self. For those of us in the material realm, we must be content with clearsightedly seeking our objectives."

"There wasn't any way for Zeqing and Hanyi to continue the way they had forever, then," Ling Qi replied, brushing her fingers through Hanyi's hair.

"Yes," Xin replied sadly. "Your appearance is what gave me the opportunity to help my friend, it worked as well as could be expected, for everyone involved."

Ling Qi wondered if she should feel resentful at the manipulation, but quickly dismissed the notion. That Xin could more clearly see the outcomes of her actions did not change their character.

"If it makes you feel any better, predicting the future is just a matter of gambling with the odds visible, as I understand," Sixiang murmured.

"As my niece said. Though a wise diviner knows how to weight the die, as it were," she said with a slight smile. "But in the end the world is not a Xianqqi board. The pieces move themselves and there are no players. No diviner can have full certainty in their predictions, and the belief that one can has lead many to ruin..."

…

……

………

Ling Qi had thought of those words many times in the days that followed. The implications of divination were not something she had thought deeply on before, but with her plans to cultivate the Curious Diviner's Eye, it seemed relevant.

She had found herself thinking about these kind of things much more often of late, hadn't she?

"Big Sister, that scary girl is still following us, are you sure we shouldn't try to get rid of her?" Hanyi asked in her head.

"I gotta agree with the squirt," Sixiang added. "...Uh, if we mean losing her anyway. I don't think we wanna pick that fight yet."

Ling Qi grimaced, ever since she had departed Elder Heng's lessons, Sun Liling had been trailing along at the edges of her senses. The hostility and bloodlust leaking from the girl was just enough to put her on edge and keep her there. Something she couldn't help but feel the girl was doing on purpose. It confused her though, they had not interacted since the tournament. She had barely seen hide nor hair of the girl in months, so why start stalking her now?

Ling Qi strongly considered taking her spirit's advice and simple flying off the path and vanishing from the Sect's beaten paths. However, something in her rebelled at that. She had every right to walk the Sect's paths. She could go and visit her friends without having to duck and hide and skulk.

With that thought in mind, Ling Qi turned on her heel, and put on a perfectly polite smile as she began to walk toward the place she could feel the other girl lurking. For a moment, the faint feeling of Sun Liling's qi wavered, but it rapidly stilled. The other girl would hardly give the impression of running away, would she?

Very soon, she turned down the mountain path, and brought the other girl into sight. Sun Liling sat cross legged atop one of the trail markers, looking out over the sheer cliff below, looking for all the world like she wasn't paying any attention at all.

"Princess Sun," Ling Qi greeted nicely, coming to a stop a polite distance away. "I couldn't help but notice that you seemed to be seeking me, can I help you with something?"

Sun Liling looked at her without bothering to turn her head, but only briefly. "Hmm, paranoia's not a good look you know. No reason to get worked up about someone walkin the same direction as you. I was just lookin for a good meditation spot."

Ling Qi scowled internally, but there was no point in arguing with the other girl.

"How come, she's obviously lying." Hanyi said guilelessly in her thoughts. "Does she think you're dumb? Big Sister should beat her up."

Ling Qi sent a silent thanks to Sixiang as the spirit pulled hanyi deeper into her dantian to explain. "Well my apologies then," she replied sweetly. "If I might be so a little rude princess, you might wish to talk to someone about your troubles, if they've affected your restraint so badly."

Sun Liling shot her a withering look. "Well thanks much," she said in a voice as dry as a desert. "Let me give ya a little advice in return little doggie. Your mistress is gonna have some real trouble in the future. You both made some real bad choices last year."

"Is that so," Ling Qi replied blandly. "I'm sorry princess Sun, I must be misunderstanding, because that almost sounded like a threat."

"Your forgiven," the redhead replied with a smirk. "Just informing ya, opening borders with the Bai… it's just asking for trouble you know? They're pretty bad at policing their domain. It just hurts my poor heart to think of those emerald seas folks living near the border."

Ling Qi narrowed her eyes. "Are you certain you weren't seeking me out, Princess Sun? That seems oddly specific."

"Hm, maybe I was? Well you know how it is, little stuff can slip the mind," she shrugged. "Go ahead and run along then."

Ling Qi restrained the urge to grind her teeth at the flippant dismissal, but instead simply turned away. If Sun Liling had so openly stated something then the information wasn't valuable. She supposed it wasn't exactly a secret that the Sun family would not be taking their humiliation lying down.

Aside from informing Cai Renxiang, there was nothing to do about it for the moment. While things remained peaceful, she could only keep pursuing her goals.

AN: Alright let's get turn 4 started to begin with, we'll just be choosing the order in which certain 'locked' events proceed in. They will both happen, but the order may cause some changes in how events proceed

[] The time has come for you to fulfill your promise to Bai Meizhen, and begin 'tutoring' her cousin Bai Xiao Fen. Though you will mostly be acting to gather intelligence on the Outer Sect, you will also be legitimately be tutoring her, and hopefully learning more of the Bai than your reticent friend will say.

[] While you have provided for them, and you visit from time to time, you cannot help but feel that you have neglected your family. Your mother in particular deserves to be respected enough to know more of the goings on your life. You need to take a day and really talk to her.