>>36582855
no worries.

>>36582855
Sage, why do you use a phone anyways? Are you posting from work or something?

>>36582855
We love you!
Yeaah Wulin Sage!

You rock!

I'm seriously considering starting up a Legends of the Wulin game again because of these threads.

Thanks, Sage.

>>36582996
Pretty much. Other places too. That would be why there's a delay on posting so often.
>>36582855

You sit with your Sworn Brother, drinking wine discussing something that eludes you still, but you suspect you are going to need to learn about soon; women.

"I'm just saying Bro, women aren't the cause of life's BIGGEST problems, but...actually, you know what? They are," he says, changing his mind and drinking from his cup.

"Zhu'er seems to cause her share. Ao Zhuzheng too," you admit.

"No Bro, they don't CAUSE problems more then anyone else, they just ARE the cause of them!"

"How do?"

"I mean, take when I fought those three swordsman at the same time, right? Those guys were badasses, from three different cliques, and yet they could STILL agree they wanted me dead! And then, and THEN after I fight for like, an hour and a half, getting cut up like sarimi and finally triumph, all without killing them in the fight, ALL to prove to her how much I loved her? She suddenly decides she DOESN'T LOVE ME ANYMORE! I mean what the fuck!"

"Jeez."

"And I'm standing there bleeding all over her fancy-ass house and I'm just thinking 'what the hell was I doing all this for then?"

"So, what'd you do?"

"Hah! Whattdya think I did Bro, I went and had a drink!"

"So why she decide she didn't love you?"

"Probably her elder sister. She never liked me."

"So what business is it of hers?" you say, curious and perhaps offended.

"That's what I said, but nope, she was all 'get the gone and ne'er return'!"

>>36583277
Fucking hoes man.

>>36583319
COURTESANS AND MINISTERS

>>36583277
FUCK WOMEN!

>>36583224
Glad to help.
>>36583277

"Ah well. Wasn't a total loss. I was pretty well-known before but that whole incident made me famous, even if everyone gets the details wrong. That's the Jianghu for ya I suppose," he says, wincing slightly.

>WDYS?

>"Something wrong?"

>"Did you ever see her again?"

>>36583277
I wonder if this was one of those "I don't want him to get hurt over me anymore" type things?

>>36583277
99 problems but a bitch ain't one

Having too much women or unwanted female attention is pretty much the cause of all the problems in Demi Gods and Semi Devils.

>>36583354
>"Did you ever see her again?"

>>36583354
>"Something wrong?"

>>36583354
>>"Did you ever see her again?"
Both
This one first tho

>>36583354
>>"Did you ever see her again?"

>>36583348
By not doing so. How?

Step 1: Acquire Sunflower Manual
Step 2: ???
Step 3: FABULOUS SECRET POWERS
Step 4: As the Sun rises, become UNDEFEATED OF THE EAST.

>>36583354
> Tell him about the monkbro. Enough women talk.

>>36583354
>>"Something wrong?"

>>36583354
>"Sum Ting Wong?"

>>36583354
>>"Something wrong?"

>>36583224
I'm actually thinking about running as well, but when I tried to ask Sage for advice he just teased me about quest spoilers... Guess I'll just have to dig through novels and movies for the concept I need.

>>36583636
I guess he didn't want to spoil it.
Though players gave a lot of ideas.

>>36583636
Want to join forces? Maybe a roll20 game?

>>36583636
The pbworks wiki for LotW has a list of useful material for inspiration. Also a lot of loresheets with plot hooks built in, if you decide you want to use one of those. Even if none of it proves useful, it at least has a lot of good mechanical stuff. Give it a look: http://wulinlegends.pbworks.com/w/page/48630360/Portal

>>36583636
It was my answers to that SPECIFIC question that were spoilers. Not the General advice thing.
>>36583402, >>36583404, >>36583406, >>36583414, >>36583444, >>36583614

"Did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Ever return?"

He's silent a second before answering. He looks straight ahead, unblinking and downs another cup.

"Once, about a year ago. I heard she was engaged. I went to the villa where it was happening, snuck past the guards into her room. She was wearing her wedding dress, all red and shiny," he begins, pouring himself another cup. "I told her I still loved her, that he could leave together. She told me she never wanted to see me again, called the guards on me. So I left."

"Hey, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...,"

"Hey, don't worry about it Bro. We're brothers, no reason to hide this stuff from you. It's all in the past anyway!" he says, slapping your back and wincing again.

>>36583715
Just pickin' on you, Sage. I certainly understand the idea.

>>36583670
Could work. I have one interested player so far.

>>36583715
This man deserves more booze, buy him more.

A minute of silence for our bro

>>36583715

"Hey, are you okay? Physically I mean? You've seemed kind of out of it since yesterday."

"Yeah, that. It was that duel I had, I still have injuries from it. Gonna take me awhile to recover."

"Seriously? Who was that fight with anyway?"

"Shi Hualong," he answers simply.

It takes a second, but you remember the name.

"You mean the Beggar Fraternity's Top Ten candidate?" you say, surprised.

"That's him!" he responds with a smile

"Why BEFORE the tournament?"

"I met Shi Hualong a year ago, and we became rivals. I mostly came here to fight him again, and he found out I was here and we decided to finish our duel before the tournament, since that was all we were really here for anyway."

"You WEREN'T going to enter the tournament then?"

"No, we were. We just mostly did so to fight each other, so we wanted to settle it beforehand. Like I said, I lost; he got me pretty good with some stuff he didn't have up his sleeves last time, banged me up."

"Seem a kinda excessive, isn't it?"

"Hell no! It was a great fight! He even gave me some ointments and stuff to help them heal faster. I'm not gonna be able to participate in the tourney though, otherwise I won't heal properly."

>>36584041
How about he helps us prepare for it instead then?

BRO TRAINING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVY8SbQGW-Y

>>36584041
And now we can mention our own pre tourney match.

I hope we can spar Lei sometime in the near future. I want to see if we can learn anything from him.

Phone's at 10%, I'll be back ASAP.

>>36584041
>"Aww that sucks, bro! I'm sorry to hear that. Guess I'll just have to fight worth the two of us then, won't I?"

Also: Eeeee! Wulin quest! Yay!

If I'm not back before this thread dies..well, just don't let it die I guess?
I dunno where I was going with that.

>>36584207
>Eeeee!
I'll take the fact that my quest elicits responses in the vein of a 16 year old girl at a Justin Bieber concert as a compliment.

>>36584239
'Get to ze Chargaaa'

File: lold.png (448 KB, 590x455)

448 KB PNG

>>36584276

Here appropriate music for the setting of us drinking with our sworn brother

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t62e4RqCnHM&index=6&list=PLB686B6E1D614D2FE

So for you Legends of the Wulin folks out there:

In character creation, the book says my Chi is increased by Cultivation I receive from my Internal Styles.

Does that increase happen before or after I spend my starting Destiny?

>>36584681
Both. The book actually covers this to an extent - the first Internal Style you get either gives you one normal Chi (if it's a non-elemental style) or two points of the appropriate Elemental Chi (which will also create a Chi Deviation).

If you spend more Destiny towards your Internal Kung Fu, that Destiny DOES count towards Cultivation.

And I'm back. Posting shortly!

>>36584847
Welcome!

>>36584847
i have i told you i love you because i do

>>36584744
Oh, ok. It was worded vaguely to me.

>>36584744
So if I learn an Internal Style with the (earth) value, I start with 10 normal Chi and 2 Earth Chi?

>>36584959
It says you get 10 Cultivation from your free Internal Style.

So you can choose either 11 Chi or 2 Elemental Chi.

>>36585009
Yep. Since the internal style is elemental, it cultivates elemental chi, so you'd get 2 Earth chi in that instance.

>>36583423
Fuck no. No MAN in their right mind would learn that shit. No amount of powers and undefeatedness is worth it.

>>36585081
Chi Conditions make my head hurt. Any advice?

>>36585244
Can you be more specific, please? What about them confuses you?

>>36584041

"That's pretty nice of him," you say, surprised.

"Yeah, Shi Hualong's an alright guy. They say nobody knows you like your rival, and that unlike a friend they can never betray you!"

"That...kinda makes sense I guess," you admit, thinking on it. "I actually fought Shaolin's Brother Genshu this morning."

He gulps down his wine in surprise. "What? How was that? Did you win?"

"No," you admit, being honest with yourself. "In fact I'm pretty sure he could've beaten me at any time. It wasn't like a serious fight though, friendly sparring basically. Even before he just instantly turned the fight around I STILL couldn't find any hole in his defenses, he just knew too many styles and forms."

>>36585272
So, using cultivation as an example.

Do I need to know a Secret Art to create a Hyperactivity in order to cultivate new Chi?

The "Creating your own Condition" idea is really cool, but I've never played Wulin before so I'm not sure how it would come into practice.

>>36585318
You don't need a Hyperactivity to cultivate Chi, that happens any time you learn new Kung Fu or the Secret Art favored by your archetype. Hyperactivities speed up the process, but you can do it without them.

>>36585359
Ok. That makes a bit more sense.

It seems that the Conditions rules are more of a framework for players to invent their own.

>>36585291

"What styles did he use? Did he say?"

"No, but I saw at least seven, and he said he new something like seventy-two."

"Seventy-two? You're SURE he said seventy two?"

"Pretty sure."

"Bro, there are only 72 Styles in the Shaolin Sect's martial arts cirriculum PERIOD. Most monks know the basic forms, then one, maybe two or three other styles! Nobody's known all 72 since the founding of the Shaolin Sect centuries ago!"

"I don't think he was lying. Like I said, he seemed like he could've beaten me at any time, but that wasn't his objective, just to learn. Which I did."

"Shit...Shi Hualong's good, but not THAT good. I doubt any of the Top Ten Young Heroes are! Speaking of which, since I can't fight but I still want to enter you have to enter for me."

"I was gonna enter anyway," you admit.

"No, I mean you have to stand-in for me. I wasn't one of the direct invitees, but I still want to have a showing in this. So I'm teaching you my Carefree Saber Style, just enough of the basics so you can use it and show off how strong it is for me!"

>WDYS?

>"Seriously? Isn't that against the rules or something?"

>"Really? Thanks Lei!"

>>36585449
>"Really? Thanks Lei!"

Rules? What rules?

>>36585397
Pretty much. They get fairly intuitive once you're used to them, though. It helps to refer to the chart on page 225 that shows the elemental relationships. The only ones that remain difficult are Daoist magic conditions, because those require a pre-existing condition to build off on. I tend not to play Priests, as a result.

>>36585449
>"Really? Thanks Lei!"
Oh yeah but we should ask about rules, we don't know shit about this tournament to be honest.
Not even how to join, hah!

>>36585449
>>"Really? Thanks Lei!"

>>36585449
>>"Really? Thanks Lei!"
this guy just is more bro then any other bro was

>>36585449
>>"Really? Thanks Lei!"
Time for a... TRAINING MONTAGE!

>>36585449
>"Really? Thanks Lei!"

"Aren't you worried if I mess something up with hastily learned saber skills though?"

>>36585449
>"Really? Thanks Lei!"
We get to learn Carefree Saber? Nice. Let's just hope we don't run into Bramble Thorn.

>>36585449
>"Really? Thanks Lei!"

>>36585449
>"Seriously? Isn't that against the rules or something?"

>>36585471, >>36585484, >>36585491, >>36585493, >>36585510, >>36585528, >>36585560, >>36585625

"Are you serious? What about keeping your martial secrets, that sort of thing?"

"You're my Sworn Brother, it's cool," he says waving it off.

"What if I mess it up in a fight though?"

"Doesn't matter, you don't need to WIN with it, just use it, show off how awesome we are with it, you know? Let's head outside!"


A minute later you're in the alley behind the inn, going through the forms Lei showed to you, as Lei explains the theories.

"Carefree Saber is based on the concept of speed. It's got the name because it's not actually very complicated or regimented; it's moves are simple, direct, and effective. The difference is the emphasis on quick action of them rather then proper form and stance, because the Swiftest Saber is the one that wins, right?"

"Makes sense!" you say as you move through another form with blurring speed, trying to keep up with Lei.

"Your internal energy is good (probably better then mine actually), and you seem to already have a grasp of basic saber maneuvers, so these routines should come to you pretty quickly. You won't master them until later, but all you'll need to do is practice and improve for that."

>NEW EXTERNAL ART GAINED!
>Carefree Saber Style (C-)
>Carefree Saber was developed by Duan Lei himself to suit his free spirit and belief that simplicity is reliability and that speed is the best weapon of all. While the movements themselves are uncomplicated, few warriors can easily match the aclaricity of it's maneuvers, forcing them on the defensive!

>>36585510
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtKX1PUGSdw

Hell yeah!
I know this is wuxia but Rocky is the king of montages.

n-no, I'm not being biased because I'm a boxer

>>36585480
Well, ok. Still kind of sketchy to me. It would be easier to see it in action, you know?

Say I take Fire Sutra at character creation. What do I do to cultivate more Fire Chi? Is there an associated condition with Fire Sutra, or do I have to make one up?

File: 1280px-China_Qing_Dynasty(...).png (288 KB, 1280x853)

288 KB PNG

>>36585700
you have a lot of nerve revealing youself here rebel scum

>>36585695

After learning the basics, you head back in just as Zhu'er heads down, positively glowing with happiness.

"Okay, I'm ready to take you shopping!" she says. Her clothes are the same, but she's washed and cleaned up.

"....you've been up there for thirty minutes," you say dryly.

"So? I had to get ready, it takes time!"

"It takes half an hour to get ready to go SHOPPING?"

"Shut up, you don't know! Let's go already, we can check out the tournament afterwords!"

Lei smirks at you. "I'll see you there Bro. They'll be announcing how non-invitees can participate today after the opening ceremony. Man, this one's gonna be weird, usually this isn't done as formally."

>>36585707
Okay, give me a second and I'll write something up. For right now, though, you don't need to get a condition, you can just buy more Fire kung fu. There's only one in the book, but plenty of fan material has been made for LotW, so check out this link: http://wulinlegends.pbworks.com/w/page/48630520/Internal%20Styles They're all fairly balanced, so a reasonable GM should let you buy them.

Conditions post incoming.

File: kek pot.jpg (134 KB, 500x500)

134 KB JPG

>>36585838
pls don't judge

down with the foreign pigs!

>>36585878
you would dare to challenge the rule of the Son of Heaven, you deserve an honorless death

>>36585847

You head out with Zhu'er, looking at a bewildering array of clothes, candies, jewelry, and pretty much everything else in between.

She doesn't buy much, but she tries a lot on and asks you about it all. It's not actually half bad spending time with her, though something in the back of your head tells you it would be better spent training.

"So, how do you know that bi...the Dragon Princess, Ao Zhengzhu?" she inquires sweetly.

Maybe a little TOO sweetly.

>WDYS?

>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

>"Why do you want to know? Could she figure out who you are and send assassins after you or something?" [Inquisitive]

>>36586055
>>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

>>36586055
>"Why do you want to know? Could she figure out who you are and send assassins after you or something?" [Inquisitive]

>>36586055
>>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

>>36586055
>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

>>36586055
>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

She thought Zhu'er was a serving girl so she probably doesn't know her actual identity.

>>36586055
>>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

>>36586055
>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

>>36586055
>>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

>>36586055
>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

Have we ever done anything but telling the truth?

>>36586112
Teasing her and then telling the truth

>>36586055
>"I don't really. I only met her yesterday." [Truth]

>>36586112
Truth is the path of virtu3

>>36586112
Of course we haven't! We might tease and be an insufferable smart-ass at times, but we have never spoken a word of a lie.

That's actually really quite something... When was the last time any of us played a character who NEVER lied, or twisted the truth?

>>36586154
Virtue*

>>36586165
its kinda refreshing really

>>36586165
I know, it was sort of why i brought it up. This is a really likeable character.

>>36586112
We've occluded the truth through silence but that's about it, and that's more not correcting assumptions than anything else.

>>36586165
I don't know if we've /never/ lied in quest but any lies we've made have been minor or to strangers since I can't recall us lying to anyone we spend any length of time with.

Sky's personality being honest and uncaring about the petty things people usually lie about is great though yeah. He matches his name well.

I find it hilarious that she goes from "Not my boyfriend" to this in the span of a few days.

>>36585874
Alright, say I'm the Rank 4 doctor Chi Li, and I want to help my friend Nan with his Fire chi cultivation. Now, Nan's got a tendency to obsess over things, a classic symptom of Fire organ system hyperactivity, so I've got a place to start with to "coincidentally" discover he has a condition already and inflame it into something strong enough to help him. The GM decides that the difficulty to discover such a condition is Moderate (20). Sadly, I don't roll very well, but together with skill and loresheet bonuses I manage to get a 35. As detailed in the sidebar "A Doctor's Work" on page 236, that's a critical success and I can choose to give Nan a Minor Fire condition. I choose for this to manifest as a Hyperactivity that, so long as Nan is careful to maintain a steady and controlled heart rate, he gains a point of cultivation to his Fire chi per session. He has to emphasize this, though, he doesn't get it without work. I give it a Recovery of 30, a Duration of 1, and an interval of 1 Story. That is to say, until Nan makes a Difficulty 30 Hardiness check to recover, he'll be suffering from a Fire chi condition, and he can only make one roll to do so per session. he doesn't get a say in whether he does or not, though, it's automatic. I can choose, as a Secret Artist, to use one of my bonus slots to make that condition permanent, so he doesn't have to worry about it at all.

Now, say I want Nan to get stronger faster. Well, that's not too difficult. I can Inflame his condition to Major by making another Medicine check at the difficulty of the original roll to create it. Since I got a critical success, that means this the difficulty is actually 30, not 20. But now there is no limit to the Fire cultivation he can get per session, so long as he keeps playing up how he's keeping his heart rate under control in stressful situations. And, as a plus, the Recovery difficulty goes up to the next step, so his automatic Hardiness roll now has to be a 40 to remove it.

>>36586377
Sorry that took me so long to write, I got a call I had to deal with. Does that make it any clearer?

>>36586400
Not really, no.

Is there a way for someone to cultivate elemental Chi without all that? Say you're meditating on a mountain for the purpose of cultivating Water Chi or something. Can you inflict Conditions on yourself?

You explained the first component I think - having an elemental Internal Style just lets you use Chi of that nature. It doesn't let you Cultivate it. Am I close?

>>36586165
>>36586207
Sky is a lot of things, but he is in truth not a very good liar, much like his father; he'd imaginative, but he was raised so strongly on his father's principles that lying is difficult for him.
On the other hand, UNLIKE his father he RECOGNIZES he's a poor liar, thus has a tendency to deflect or tease to change the subject or irritate people enough so that they forget about the question.
>>36586366
He's handsome, funny (even if it's acerbic), a good fighter, risked his life to save her from infamous assassins, including a strategy that had a fairly high percentage of ending in his death, all without any hesitation.
And truthfully she's even newer to men then Sky is with woman, thanks to her unique upbringing; she was SERIOUS when she asked if Sky was gonna molest her when they first met.
>>36586072, >>36586082, >>36586085, >>36586090, >>36586091, >>36586104, >>36586110, >>36586112, >>36586152

"If by 'know her' you mean having met before, I guess that's true, but she's not a childhood friend or anything," you say with a shrug. "I met her yesterday at the docks. One of her guards started a fight with me, and I finished it, so she came up demanding why I did it. I told her then she got all weird and left."

"Then...what's with the 'Lord Sky' thing?"

"No idea. I think it's your stupid clothes, she thought I was wealthy or something."

"You ARE wealthy, Sky...," she points out.

"Not like that though, no titles. I'm surprised she even recognized me a second time."

"But...she showed so much deference to you, I thought....,"

"Thought what? I don't even really get who she is, she's just a pirate, right?"

"Sky....she's the daughter of the Emperor's former SWORN BROTHER."

>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]

>"So what? Let's go to the tourney grounds! [Head to the Tourney Now]

>>36586484
>>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]
while going to the tourney

>>36586484
>>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]
History lesson time!

>>36586484
>>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]
>>"So what? Let's go to the tourney grounds! [Head to the Tourney Now]
walk and talk damn it

>>36586484
>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]

>>36586484
>>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]

>>36586484
>>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]
[Roaring Blue Dragon Intensifies]

>>36586484
>>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]

>>36586484
I wonder how many men other than her father refuse to take any guff from her? Not bowing our head (partly out of ignorance, mostly out of not giving a fuck) and acting bossy like she was just anyone else is probably why she thought Sky was a noble, I wonder if he's playing dumb again or honestly doesn't realize that.

>>36586484
>>"Yeah, so?" [Inquire Ao Guang]

>>36586471
Sort of. Undergoing a training plan involving meditation actually would count as being under a condition (either an Inspiration or an Influence, depending on how you phrased it). There's no way to spend Destiny directly on specialized chi, only normal chi. You don't need to use the Secret Arts to get the condition, though, they can come from purchasing Loresheets, too. And you can just make up Loresheets, so there's nothing to keep you from saying that your new training plan counts for producing Fire chi if you want to spend the points. I'd say, based on the examples in the book, that a Major condition should cost you 5 Destiny to purchase as a Loresheet. And Loresheet conditions don't fade over time unless you keep acting against them, so you don't have to worry about those mechanics. So just write up your training plan, spend 5 Destiny on it, and every time you act in accordance with it you'll gain a point of Fire cultivation. No cheating, though, it has to be something that actually requires effort so you don't just get cultivation every turn.

>>36586484
Walk and Talk

>>36586718
Ok, that makes more sense. Thanks, I appreciate it.

File: image.jpg (186 KB, 680x984)

186 KB JPG

"....still not following?"

"Okay, you know who the EMPEROR at least is, right?" she says, sighing in exasperation as you walk towards the tournament.

"Yeah, the August Son of Heaven, Ruler of the Land, All Under Heaven and all that stuff," you say, rolling your eyes.

You omit the fact that you do not know his name or anything else about him though.

"Okay, so around twenty, twenty-five years ago the Emperor got died. Nobody knows why because the palace hushed it up, though there's tons of theories that he was poisoned or lost the Mandate of Heaven somehow. Anyway, he had a lot of children like most people with harems end up doing, and so it looked like there was going to be a civil war. There WAS but it was brief; the current Emperor was considered unlikely to inherit since he wasn't first in line or anything, so he spent a lot of time in the Jianghu, doing martial arts, and he was pretty well-regarded even if he wasn't very good. However, he had these two guys who became his Sworn Brothers, Lu Bohai and Ao Guang, and THEY were great xia, as well as being high-ranking military officers, and they convinced the Emperor to take the throne. With their help and his popularity he overwhelmed the other successors and claimed the Capitol, but not before Lu Bohai died in battle. Afterwards Lu Kang No Mortal Kombat jokes please, Bohai's brother and a higher-ranked general joined them to avenge his brother, even though he was rumored to hate Ao Guang for having such fame in the Wulin and the navy. They obvioisky succeeded, but around fifteen years ago the Emperor and Ao Guang had a falling out; nobody knows why THAT happened either. Most likely it's because of Ao Guang's immense popularity with the people, so he felt his Sworn Brother was a threat to his rule and tried to assassinate him. It's publicly known that Ao Guang's palace burned the night he left the Capitol and that Admiral Hammerhead his two sons somehow, so assassination seems most likely."

>>36586904
I'm sorry, Admiral Hammerhead? Who?

>>36586904
>Lu Bohai

This world Liu Bei.muat feel glad knowing Lu Bu died before betraying him

>>36586904
>got died.
Hahaha! Not nitpicking, this was just funny.

File: worry.jpg (12 KB, 200x255)

12 KB JPG

>>36586904
>Admiral Hammerhead

>>36586904
That the beard you've been talking about?

>>36586904
>that Admiral Hammerhead his two sons somehow
somehow what?

>>36587056
Guan Yu's beard has no equal in Heaven or on Earth.

so much wulin this week im growing a foo-man-chu

>>36587080
If we court his daughter, do you think he'll share some beard secrets with us?

>>36587118
not until we are properly married

>>36587118
Implying his daughter doesn't have a beard.

>>36587137
Worth it.
>>36587140
Wait. That explains her hair perfectly. It's merely a beard on top of her head.

File: image.jpg (18 KB, 240x240)

18 KB JPG

>>36587069
LOST two of his sons somehow, excuse my stupid phone.
>>36586904

"So Ao Guang, his wife Ao Liling (she's called Lady Stingray in the Jianghu), his five-year-old daughter (you met her), his second in command Admiral Hammerhead, and something like one third of the ENTIRE Imperial Navy fought their way out of the Capitol and escaped, sailing east. I guess the Emperor was right about his Sworn Brother being more popular then he was. He swore vengeance against his former Sworn Brother and avowed to destroy the empire he helped claim for the betrayal. He sailed until he reached Tungning, this huge island to the south east, where he's established his own nation and began controlling all the pirates in the region, even the Woku pirates. There's even rumors he's made an alliance with the Ryukyu Kingdom since they stopped sending tribute recently and maybe some of the states in Wa."

"What the hell is the Ryukyu Kingdom? And what's Wa?"

"The Ryukyu Kingdom is a bunch of islands far to the south, they control a lot of sea trade with foreign lands so they're pretty wealthy. Wa is a bigger island farther east then Tungning that is ruled by these constantly feuding warlords."

"Okay, gotcha."

"So after Ao Guang left people started calling him the Eastern Dragon King, and some people even pledged alliance to him. Like I said, he was pretty popular. The Jinyiwei killed them all of course, but it still shows how shaky the Emperor's footing is in regards to his ex-Brother."

>>36587140
>>36587166
That's the joke.

>>36587178
so how likely do you guys think it is sky will somehow get drawn in to this brewing war between notguan yu and the emperor

>>36587242
Who knows? For all we know Sky could found his own school/empire.

>>36587242
Short term, not likely at all. It is not a concern for Jianghu.

>>36587242
The likelihood of Ba's captors having ties to the government seems pretty high to me so I'd be unsurprised if he was already an unwitting part of it.

>>36587284
Whatif Jinyiwei is planning to capture his daughter??

>>36587334
I wouldn't be surprised. The hosts would probably be against it since they are providing hospitality, but its a golden opportunity to get leverage on Ao Guang. The Jinyiwei could probably strong arm their cooperation if needed.

>>36587334
Didn't our Bro mention that there possibly might be a Jinyiwei xia participating?

>>36587178

"So THAT'S why she talks like that. She was raised in the Imperial Palace, and is some kind of rebel pirate princess?"

"Pretty much."

"Explains her looks too."

"I guess. She...wait, what do you MEAN it explains her looks?!" she says, suddenly indignant.

"She's...pretty, you know? She looks like a princess, all high and mighty and stuff. And she dresses like one too, and has that huge sword and the boat. I thought she WAS some kinda Imperial Official at first," you say shrugging.

"Humph. She's not all that great. I bet I could beat her in a fight. AND I bet I'd look prettier then her in her clothes too!" she says, unwilling to admit to her having any virtues.

"I wouldn't know, women's fashion's kinda outside my area of experience. I think you look great in what you wear anyway, it's a lot easier to clean and let's you fight better!" you honestly.

You expect her to say something as you hear the crowd's roar over at the huge lei tai platform in the square.

She doesn't and you look over to discover she's blushing at something again.

Clueless ladies man is so hilarious.

Okay, so the Ryukyu Kingdom exists and hasn't lost its hold on foreign trade yet. So that puts this quest around...1570 or so at latest? Then again, the Kingdom of Tungning wouldn't exist until the 1660s, so I guess that doesn't work. Maybe I shouldn't try to apply real-world history to this alternate universe where chi martial arts exist.

>>36587504
Oh Sky

this is too fucking cute

>>36587704
And Guan Yu died 1300 years before either, so yeah; this is not a proper historical setting. Whenever the Emperor shows up in Wuxia personally and is important it's generally a nonspecific Emperor and everything about him and his history is fabricated. History-wise this takes place roughly in the Ming Dynasty of the late 15th Century, but consider it a VERY alternate history.
>>36587504

The roaring crowd surrounds you both as you reach the square. Hawkers are selling food and xia are closest to the stage.

It feels like half of Chengdu is here, and it's more people in one place then you've seen in your life.

"Bro!" Lei called from near the stage, and you both meet him.

A series of drums begins to play and everyone looks at the stage next to the arena, where a man in ornate gold and tanned robes comes out and waves to the crowd, who cheers him.

Lei shouts to be heard over the crowd; "That's Yuan Shan Li. He's the chief of the Yuan Clan who controls most of the Jianghu in Chengdu, and in Sichuan too. His clan set this up with the support of the Tang Clan, the other big power in Chengdu."

File: image.jpg (1.17 MB, 2456x3337)

1.17 MB JPG

>>36587818

"Who's that standing behind Yuan Shanli?" you shout back, pointing at a tall man in black and blue and a hugely muscled beast of a man who looks like he's seven feet tall, maybe bigger.

"That's Ironheart and Tang Shinjing."

>WDYS? There is only time to ask about one before Yuan Shanli giveshis speech.

>Ironheart

>Tang Shijing

>>36587818
Hey Sage, are you going to introduce some kind of combat mechanic later on?

>>36587978
>Tang Shijing
I'm betting we'll run into Ironheart soon.

>>36587978
>Tang Shijing

>>36587978
>>Ironheart

>>36587978
>Tang Shijing
It's never the huge one to ask about. The slight one is always the more dangerous, in the long-term.

>>36587981
Afraid not.

>>36587978
>>Ironheart
>>36588001
All the better to ask about him before stuck in then.

>>36587978
>>Tang Shijing
the cunning one are dangerous

>>36588031
Just be careful alright? Some master-strategist anons get mad when their masterful plans aren't considered as masterful by the QMs. Though you've been pretty tight on write-ins so that cares for - most - of that.

Not that with a mechanic anons wouldn't get mad either.

Hopefully nothing of this happens, this quest is good and doesn't deserve to be plagued.

File: image.jpg (128 KB, 1024x1024)

128 KB JPG

>>36588001, >>36588019, >>36588027, >>36588042

"A Tang Clan guy I'm guessing?"

"Yes and no," Lei says, wavering his hand back and forth. "Before he was Tang Shijing he was Xi Shijing, then Lu Shijing, then Huang Shijing and so on. They call him 'The Scholar With Nine Lives'."

"Why?"

"Because he's accomplished more in one life then most could in nine. He sells his services to differen Jianghu factions as a strategist, bringing them from almost nothing to be formidable Wulin powers using his political strategies and stuff like that. If he were the head of any of these clans he'd be considered a famous leader, but every time be finishes improving the prospects of a clan he leaves for another. Him joining the Tang Clan was kind of a surprise; he usually helps out minor factions and the Tang is already established. He's married into it; the Tang doesn't really deal with anyone other then family members. Ironheart is his bodyguard."

As he speaks you see the truth of it; Tang Shijing watchd Yuan Shanli and seems to spend his time smiling, but Ironheart's eyes roam the crowd, looking for threats to his charge.

Then his eyes meet yours.

Not looking NEAR you.
Not looking NEXT to you.
Right at you. Eyes-meet-eyes.

You feel something...almost like fear run through you. You remember as a boy when a wild tiger attacked the house during your training, nearly killing you. Before your father rescued you from it you stared into it's eyes, and it stared back with this cold, unwavering glare that perfectly showed what you are to it; food.

That's what it's like locking gazes with this man.

>>36588388
Don't back down.

>>36588388
The first to blink loses.

>>36588388
can ironheart sense our ki?

>>36585695
>pure speed
>saber form
>fast but pure and straightforward
So it's Shadow Catching-esque?

>>36587178
...You made Guan Yu the pirate king from LotW and I can't not love it.

>>36588519
Very much so. Name's different, function is the same.
>>36588606
I've taken inspiration from dozens of sources, and when looking for a visual inspiration for Ao Guang and his daughter I just ran with it after picking Guan Yu, and turned his daughter into a teenage girl genderswapped version of him.
>>36588388

You can't think of a reason why he'd be looking at you; there must be dozens and dozens of xia in the crowd. It's impossible for him to have recognized you either; you've never even HEARD of anyone seven feet tall, much less seen someone that large.

You glare back, meeting his gaze with an unflinching one of your own. The reaction isn't what you expected.

He smiles.
Just a little, and it's next to impossible to see, but you catch it.

He tape Tang Shijing on the shoulder, and suddenly you have a bad feeling.

"Hey, Zhu'er, want some sweets?"

"Yeah, sure!" she says happily, having been quiet before then and almost skipping with joy as you walk over to one of the food hawker, using the trick Zhu'er taught you to hide your presence while the pair of you blend into teaming crowds.

Your suspicion is correct; as you move through the crowds, your presence hidden from anyone looking for it, BOTH Tang Shijing and Ironheart's eyes scan over the place were you were just standing, as you order Zhu'er some sweets, and she beams up at you happily.

"What the fuck was that about?" you mutter. You can't think of a logical answer.

>WDYS?

>Head back to Lei.

>Find a new spot and wave him over.

>>36588703
>Head back to Lei.
Isn't it obvious, Sky? You wanted to draw attention in hopes the people who went after your father will come after you, too. You're succeeding.

>>36588703
>>Head back to Lei.
why leave out bro alone

>>36588703
>>Find a new spot and wave him over.
i doubt he would attack us in public

>>36588703
>>Head back to Lei.
Dude, there's a man smiling at me, what should I do?

>>36588703
> Find a new shoot

>>36588703
Sorry, just to clarify: you are NOT waving Ironheart over, you are waving Lei over to a new spot.

>>36588703
>>36588807
changing to Head back to Lei.

File: wutangtime.jpg (13 KB, 500x271)

13 KB JPG

>>36588703
Tang Clan a shit

>>36588886
Wrong Tang Clan. You're thinking of the Wu-Tang Clan, which is an earlier incorrect pronounciation of the Wudang Sect's name. RZA REALLY loves his classic kungfu films.

>>36588937
You mean wong tang clan?

>>36588937
I know about the Wu-Tang Clan.

>>36589107
Ah.
A few folks I know got that confused.

>>36589159
Bump as I get home and switch to laptop.

File: flying guillotine.jpg (48 KB, 337x475)

48 KB JPG

>>36589159
Most folks don't like old kung-fu movies.

look a bump in the night

>>36589159
Eh, all I know is they ain't nothin' to fuck with.

It never gets old.

>>36588703
It would be unmanly to run away. So, head back over.

>>36589204
You know, for someone who says that the old Shaw Bros movies are his favorite movies ever, "The Man With the Iron Fist" sucked

>>36589508
Immensely.

They were infatuated with that old gonzo kung fu but they decided to take the whole thing way too seriously. They incorporated elements of the Shaw Brothers (and others) but they just couldn't figure out how to tie them into one another in a way that was meaningful.

>>36589556
The more important part

The Kung Fu sucked.
Besides some neat visual effects(Golden Batista was greaet) the fight scenes just sucked

>>36589587
Gold Batista was literally the only part that approached a real fight scene.

Lucy Liu was criminally underused, and Russel Crowe trying to Devil May Cry everyone was painful.

>>36589204
I love how even the DUB says "gil-O-teen". Such a ridiculous film. Even referenced in the LotW rulebook.
>>36588732, >>36588760, >>36588824, >>36588876

You take your time heading back to Lei, hiding your presence and making your way back to him using an indirect route as their gaze wanders elsewhere, and you see Tang Shijing shake his head and say something to Ironheart before looking back to Yuan Shanlin.

"Oh, hey bro, where'd you go?" Lei asks.

"Zhu'er wanted some sweets, so I went with her," you explain.

"Nice moves man," he says, smiling and nodding, and suddenly you think Lei might not actually be thinking of the same thing.

"Hey, who's Ironheart? you ask, nodding at the giant.

"Oh, he's-" he begins, but is interrupted when Yuan Shanlin begins to speak in an epic booming voice that somehow is heard over the entire crowd.

>"PEOPLE OF CHENDGU! HEROES OF THE JIANGHU! I AM GLAD TODAY WE COULD BE GATHERED TO CELEBRATE
OUR YOUNGEST AND MOST PROMSING XIA IN THIS TOURNAMENT!"

The crowd cheers louder, including the xia this time.

>"I AM GLAD THE MIGHTY FACTIONS IN OUR MARTIAL BROTHERHOOD COULD ATTEND TODAY, AND I AM EVEN GLADDER OTHERS HAVE DECIDED TO COME AND PARTICIPATE AND OBSERVE!"

>"TODAY WE'LL BEGIN THE QUALIFYING ENTRIES FOR THE TOURNAMENT! ALL XIA WHO WISH TO ENTER MAY DO SO, FOR IN CHENGDU ALL ARE EQUAL, REGARDLESS OF SECT OR STATUS! THE LARGER SECTS NEED NOT PARTICIPATE, FOR THIS DAY OF GLORY IS NOT OURS, BUT BELONGS TO THE LITTLE BROTHERS OF THE MARTIAL BROTHERHOOD, THAT THEY MAY SHOW THEIR STRENGTH AND VALOR!

"What? That means-"

"Yeah," Zhu'er says, rolling her eyes. "The major sects with invited heroes don't even need to get through the qualifying rounds, but only one winner from the minor factions here will. He's giving everyone a chance to compete but still technically showing favored status to the main sects while making it look like he's doing them a favor."

"That's a shitty thing to do...," you say.

>>36589708
TIME TO
SHOCK THE AUDIENCE

>>36589823
>Lightning powers

Are you saying we're the most electrifying man in Wuxia entertainment?

>>36589823

Yeah, we've just lost the spark in this thread.

>>36589708
Anyone gets in our way beatdown, free of charge!

>>36589858
Can you smelalalalala what Sky is cooking?

>>36589708
Welp.
THE SKY IS ABOVE ALL. THEREFORE EVERYONE SHALL FALL BEFORE US.

>>36589823
We will leave them thunderstruck.

>>36589708

>"YOUNG XIA! HEAD TO THE BOOTHS ON THE FAR SIDE TO SIGN UP! YOUR NAMES WILL BE CALLED ONCE ALL CONTESTANTS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR! LUCK BE WITH YOU ALL!"

Yuan Shanlin then sits back down on the throne, leaning over to say something to Tang Shijing, who laughs at it.

You nod to both Lei and Zhu'er, who both wish you luck as you head over to the signing booths.

"Lord Sky?" a familiar voice says to you, and you turn to see Ao Zhengzhu standing in front of you. No foreign guy this time. You can never remember his name anyway.

"Zhengzhu?" you say, surprised. "I thought the major sects don't need to sign up for the qualifying rounds?"

"We do not, and the Yuan Clan treated the Eastern Dragon Clan as equals though we are considered 'unorthodox'. That is not why I am here," she says.

>WDYS?

>"Why then?"

>"Wait, should I be calling you 'Princess' or something?"

>>36590006
>>"Why then?"

>>36590006
>"Why then?"
We don't care for titles

>>36590006
>"Why then?"

>>36590006
>Why, then?

She's pirate royalty. Questioning her status or our relationship to it is just going to get weird.

>>36590006
>>"Why then?"

>>36590006
>>"Why then?"

>>36590006
>>"Why then?"
i feel a win for me lord sky moment coming

>>36590006
>why

>>36590006
+1 why

We're not bound by any titles, just honor. And hot women. And people who can beat our face in. And maybe the sifu title, because they can beat our face in.

But that's all! Really!

>>36590022, >>36590026, >>36590027, >>36590028, >>36590035, >>36590043, >>36590048, >>36590142, >>36590233

"I have come to wish you luck, though you will almost certainly fall," she says sadly.

The automatic assumption that you'll loose before the finals irritates you, but you let it pass. She's obviously not used to talking to people who don't obey her instinctively.

"Instead, I have come to give you a token of my favor, that you might remember me," she says.

"No offense Princess, but you're pretty hard to forget," you add dryly

"L...Lord Sky flatters me!"

"Actually I was-" you begin to explain and you realize she isn't listening as she takes out an incredibly ornate pearl-and-silver hairpin in the shape of a flower.

"Take this as a token of my favor. You complimented my hair, and this has been worn in it many times. Perhaps with this Lord Sky's luck and chances will improve!" she says, blushing but smiling softly

"Uh...thanks, but I don't know when I'll be able to return it?"

"You'll just have to ensure you live and see me again, will you not Lord Sky?"

"Yeah, that makes sense too I guess?" you agree (kind of), and she twirls off (wow her hair is long) and practically skips away.

You shake your head with a "whatever" expression on your face and then head over to the signing booth.

>>36590298
lel

How many hardcore motherfuckers could there be in the minor fact-
forget I asked

>>36590298
D'aaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwww.
That's it, when we find Ba we are so asking if we can keep her.

>>36590298
We're going to have to win the whole thing now just because, or at least beat her (or beat the guy who beats her).

>>36590298
no faith in sky what so ever

she lost points with me

>>36590298
Sky, you forgot to turn off your swag when you entered the tournament.

>>36590379
I too wish to keep her, and long hair is awesome.

In before she uses it to like, blind us in a match and defeat us.

>>36590396
Sky's the master of Swag In No Swag, don't you know?

>>36590391
Eh, she's just being realistic. I kind of like that. "Yes, you're very new to this, and not likely to win, but I still think you're cool. Get as far in the tournament as you can."

File: Demolition of White Devil.webm (2.8 MB, 800x340)

2.8 MB WEBM

>>36590377
We impressed Brother Genshu, i'm sure we will be able to pass through this

>>36590441
You make a solid point

>>36590391
I don't hold it against her, she's never seen us fight.

Even better, she's clearly not just a gold digger because she is a) already rich and powerful and b) likes us even when she thinks we are going to lose.

If anything, that makes my estimation of her rise, since she's not a flake who would throw someone away over superficial things.

Wear the pin visible on our clothes somewhere during the fights. She went out of her way to give us a token, we should honor it.

>>36590441
>>36590495
she could have just said i hope you do well, not you wont win

>>36590298

The signing process is long and boring (lines suck), but you eventually get it done and wait through the other opening matches. All seem pretty tough, and a lot use interesting fighting styles, but they also seem a little slow and unpolished to you. You assume everyone's holding back so they they don't reveal their better moves so early on. Tricky.

"Next is.... Li Shenshu, Wolf Manor, and Tiankong, No Faction!" the announcer says, and you leap up to the stage, waving to your friends and putting the pearl flower hairpin in your belt where it's out of the way.

You begin going through a simple workout routine, as the other man waves to his sect and elicits cheers.

Eventually you turn towards each other as the referee says "BEGIN!" and you both take stances.

>WDYD?

>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

>Take the initiative and attack first! [Offense!]

>>36590522
Eh, that's one of her quirks. She's already been shown to be naive when it comes to talking with people who don't obey her implicitly.

Plus, I think the honesty she showed by coming out and saying it rather than beating around the bush was nice.

>>36590577
>>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

>>36590577
>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]
The sensible thing to do.

>>36590577
>>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

>>36590577
>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

The more styles we encounter the strong we shall become!

>>36590577
>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

We need to measure our oponents, unless we're desperate.

>>36590577
>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

>>36590577
>>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

>>36590577
>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

Our style only has the advantage after we've seen our opponent's tactics. Play defensively, plan accordingly.

>>36590577
>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

>>36590577
Can we go balanced? Completely defensive seems unmanly, but we also don't want to go balls-to-the-wall in our very first match.

>>36590635
>Our style only has the advantage after we've seen our opponent's tactics.

As a tangent unrelated to the post itself, this seems wrong IMO. If we have no form, then wouldn't we be just as strong offensively because we couldn't be predicted?

>>36590652
It's waiting for an opening, so essentially it's seeing what the other guy can do and then kicking his balls up once it's clear we can exploit his style somehow.

>>36590577
> Other
We should instant step up, try for an instant knockout. Be safer than drawing this or.

>>36590577
>>Play it cautious, you don't know what he can do! [Fight Defensively and wait for and opening!]

>>36590652
>>36590577
Might be nice, dude probably isn't going to go batshit crazy either.
Soo...
>Second

>>36590690
>Kicking his balls up

Monkey Steals the Peach!

>>36590681
No, precisely because we have no style.

Leading with some throwaway moves to tempt our opponent is still a viable tactic, but we lack a strong foundation. If we were trained in a style that's focused on attack, then attacking makes sense. We're not.

>>36590613
I like this.
While not showing our cards. And learning best thing we can do.
Between matches we should be getting in practice with our sworn brother, and the girl.
Or Focus on learning heavens blessing.
Focusing on learning other = getting better at fighting people in general.
Focusing on Learning heavens blessing we could likely destroy stronger enemies

>>36590681
That works too, it'd be mechanically different though.
Start up in one style of offensive, test the effectiveness, and then switch up to another one probably more effective, or equal to if just to throw him off.

>>36590681
Right our strength in external arts is our adaptability and flexibility. Understanding how an opponent fights will help us but we have an advantage over anyone who can't adapt to our constant changes whether we're on offense or defense.

Anyway if possible we want to show off a little of our Sabre techiniques to promote our Bro style

>>36590721
It's also possible focusing on Heaven's Blessing would get us focusing on Ba a bit more, thinking that over some. It's -possible- there's some tiny thing he said somewhen ago that might actually, you know, be a bit of a clue.

But for now, hot women and no shadow kicks.

>>36590778
That's true.

>>36590778
True. We've got to show the merit of Carefree Saber style. I guess we'll use it for our counterattack.

>>36590718
I am under the exact opposite impression: that a rock-solid foundation is all we have right now, and we will just get stronger as we build upon it.

Attack and defense would both flow naturally for us if we lack a set style.

>>36590718
Actually our foundation is remarkably strong. All sifu built was our foundation. He left building up from that to real world experiences and Sky's own judgement. It was good enough for Sky to come up with another Xia's signature move [Deity of Wind Kick] on the fly, which is quite the formidable technique.

>>36590595, >>36590597, >>36590605, >>36590613, >>36590618, >>36590623, >>36590634, >>36590635, >>36590638,
>>36590708

You approach slowly, and he moves forward, using a finger-claw form, striking at you first, taking the offensive!

You see his right-high coming and block it with a left, and then his left-low coming and block it with a right, his left leg moving up to kick you and you kick it back into place, seeing an opening you can exploit!

After kicking his leg back into place, you swing a right punch into his diaphragm, causing him to fall forward slightly into a left hook to the jaw and then a right jab to his solar plexus, knocking him over, causing him to fall!

And....he...doesn't get up?

You stand there, bouncing on the balls of your feet, waiting for him to stand and stop writhing in pain.

He doesn't.

The crowd is silent in shock.

"WOO! KICKED HIS ASS BRO!" Lei says.

You stop, look over to the ref and shrug.

"And....the...winner is Sky, of....Somewhere!" he announces, and you shake your head as yo go to get off the platform.

"The hell was that?"

>>36590820
I was never taught that a fluid foundation was a strong one. The less you know what you're going to do, the more likely it is you're going to make a mistake.

Guess we'll just have to see.

>>36590845
PUSSY

>>36590845
Dude didn't lift

THE AUDIENCE IS EC-STATIC!

>>36590845
Did we just kick the crap out of notYamcha?

File: approved.jpg (20 KB, 573x445)

20 KB JPG

>>36590845
>The crowd is silent in shock.

>>36590845
Huh.

Well, they can't all be as weak as that, but I think we could stand to be at least somewhat confident next time.

>>36590845
Aaand he's down like a felled tree.

I know it's polite to be respectful to opponents (and we really should be; go see that he's okay, Sky), but either we're hella strong, or that guy was weaker than Yamcha's home-made weaksauce

>>36590902
fuck man my sides

File: Yamcha[1].jpg (49 KB, 500x333)

49 KB JPG

>>36590902

>>36590845
Continue like this and we'll BOLT right to the first place of prelims.

>>36590902
That's the joke, yes.
I was wondering if "Wolf Clan" was too subtle.
>>36590845

You head over to the edge the stage and get off, utterly confused.

"What the hell was that?" you repeating, ask Lei this time.

The crowd....is keeping a fair distance from you now.

"You kicked his ass Bro," Lei says, patting you on the back.

"But I only hit him three times, that's barely anything!" you protest. You wonder if this is all some kind of practical joke on you.

"Oh gods," Zhu'er says, facepalming.

"What?!" you ask a little irritated now.

"Sky, how many people have you fought before?"

"My Sifu, a bunch of bandits who mostly weren't xia and the Five Deadly Venoms. And Genshu yesterday, but that wasn't a real fight."

"Lei, he literally doesn't know his own strength," she explains, rolling her eyes as another match goes off with hesitation on the part of the announcer.

"Huh?" Lei says, not getting it.

"Sky," Zhu'er explains, ignoring him "The only people you've fought up until now have been either weaker then you or immensely skilled compared to the average xia. You told me you basically spent all your time training on a mountain since you were, what, fifteen?"

"More like twelve. And I wasn't ALWAYS on the mountain...," you protest.

"Sky, almost NONE of these xia have put in a full decade of constant work like that. They do other things, have hobbies, have girlfriends, that sort of thing. MASTERS seclude themselves on mountains for a decade to improve their strength, and you've been doing it since you were a child."

>>36590921
>(and we really should be; go see that he's okay, Sky),
At some point you have to be like "Eh, that guy's too far down the totem pole to bother with right now."

Otherwise you would have grand martial arts masters running around training or checking on everyone. Being a LITTLE arrogant is generally not frowned on, it's just when it either gets to be a massive ego or is unjustified that you're a shit.

>>36590902
considering he went down faster than a freshman on prom night, probably.

>>36590921
Sky is strong enough that Bothersome Monk decided to cut the sparing short instead of going through more styles. Every time he switched to a style that didn't immediately overwhelm Sky, Sky prodded it, came to grasp it and countered it. Genshu doesn't seem petty or prideful but he probably decided that going any further than that would be troublesome if Sky kept quickly developing counters to the different styles of his sect, if not for himself then his brothers. That's just my guess though, I could be full of shit.

>>36591100
oh god we just went full tard-stronk on him didn't we?
Fats McGee, we are thee.

>>36591100
Yay to mountain lightning hermit hobo style

>>36591100
I had a hunch but the Wolf Fang Fist simultaneous attack from above and below is what seemed the most obvious.

>>36591105
We DID just hit him like that. I kinda feel sorry for the poor guy; he never stood a chance.

That said, I am also laughing my ass off inside. Go Sky, go!

I think Zhengzhu might just look at us and feel a sudden need for a fan...

>>36590845
Zhengzhu's reaction is going to be great.

>>36591100
Damn!
Guys we need to follow the shaolin's teachings.
We need to ease up our fighting so we actually learn something.
And not just shit on the competition.
We've never fought much in our life. We're fighting people we could learn something from.

>>36591236
We should scan the crowd and wave at her.

>>36591100
I'm sure we have some hobbies too!

>>36591262
Oh Christ no.

We don't need two psycho bitches tailing us.

>>36591245
It seems we... overestimated our opposition.

File: 1378092064340.jpg (45 KB, 594x383)

45 KB JPG

>>36591262
I'm up for it.

>>36591273
Pic related

Seriously though, she doesn't exactly strike me as psycho, just inexperienced at normal social interactions.

>>36591245
>Play with opponents before defeating them.

We drunken fist now.

Oh heaven, is Sky's skill rating based on how HE percieves himself how skilled in it? The only one he had to really compare himself to for pretty much 90% of is life is his Sifu/dad...

>>36591343
I'm thinking more like normal people are F and normal fighters are from D to E
C is like skilled fighter
B is a master
A is for really good masters

>>36591343
...who repeatedly insulted his skills, and was such a badass it took four other hard asses to subdue him. Yeah, you might be onto something.

So anybody else thinking we should try to solve the next fight with bro's saber techniques to mix things up a bit?

Might make it more fun for Sky.
of course we'll probably blend in a few touches of our own.

>>36591360
I imagine the tiers as:
>F
>E
>D
>C
>B
>A
>AA
>AAA
>S
>SS
>SSS
>EX
>Dugu

>>36591245
I'm sorry, I don't understand. Isn't fighting pretty much 'try as hard as possible to NOT get your ass kicked?'

Why would you try anything less?

File: carlos.png (66 KB, 205x205)

66 KB PNG

>>36591396
I guess that would make not!Yamcha a Z fighter, then?

>>36591360
S rank
SS rank
SSS rank when you transcend reality and become a living concept of your style...

>>36591430
XXX when you learn to use your style for porn fu

>>36591343
Not exactly, but most fighters are ranked WAY lower then Sky, especially at internal energy reserves. Consider; if B is a basic Master-class fighter in terms of rank, and MOST of his skills are ranked at C+, which means what, logically?
>>36591360
This is mostly correct. I was wondering if anyone would figure out "C does not suck" from the hints I've been giving before now.
>>36591100

"Oh...well, I was looking at them earlier and-" you begin before she interrupts you.

"Look AGAIN. Harder this time. And think about it."

You do so, staring at the next fight, you concentrate.

"They...aren't holding back, are they?" you realize, sighing at having made such a basic mistake.

"No Bro," Lei says, putting a hand on your shoulder. "They just suck."

>>36591404
I really agree with this TBH.

If they are strong enough to compete with us, THEN we want to learn from them.

But why would we want to learn things that are super inferior?

>>36591460
>"They just suck."
Trust our Bro to tell it like it is.

>>36591460
Top fucking kek

>>36591460
Brofist time. I feel it.

>>36591396
No no no. I think this was established in an early thread. It goes
>F - Incapable of fighting
>E - Average non-Xia
>D
>C
>B
>A - Your 'average' master
>S
>SS
>SSS
>Legendary
>Transcendent
>Divine

Now consider the difference between us, a C+ rank... And an E, or how easily we whupped D-rank back there.

Beyond A, there's no longer + or - modifiers though

>>36591460
OH WELL. We should still watch closely to see if there really ARE any people hiding their skills though. We're going to be here anyway.

>>36591460
Lei, you're good people.

>>36591615
Except he just said that B rank is average master.

>>36591615
Read what Wulin said
>B = basic master class
So:

>F- = Weaker than normal person
>F = Average person
>F+ = Very little training, or some very small bit of talent
>E - = Shitty, but trained
>E = Trained, but novice
>E + = Starting to get there
>D - = Slightly weaker than average xia
>D = Average xia
>D + = A slightly good xia
>C - = Pretty good xia
>C = Good Xia
>C + = Adept Xia, first phase complete
>B - = Entering mastery
>B = Average starter master
>B + = Slightly good master
>A - = Good master
>A = Advanced Master
>A+ = Superb Master
>ABOVE A: FUCK YEAH LEGENDARY/EPIC XIA
>E

I'm also for waving if she is still around, by the way.

Really, though, she probably snuck away from some hoity-toity event to give us that considering her lack of bodyguard. She's probably not even here.

>>36591404
>>36591505
Because we've close to NO experience with fighting.
And the more we see/counter. The more experience we have.
If we're going to win by sheer force, then we're going to win anyway.
But learning something new is ow you improve.

File: 26841.jpg (153 KB, 760x596)

153 KB JPG

>>36591731
I am pretty sure we're overthinking this.

He is probably just using them as guidelines.

File: 3f911fe2e5408fc2ae0eff6f1(...).jpg (228 KB, 500x714)

228 KB JPG

>>36591460

The tournament continues, and you begin fighting more carefully, trying to learn from the fighters you encounter, using saber, fist, palm, and foot, only to discover most have absolutely nothing worth teaching you.

You begin, slowly with each foe that falls (they begin cheering now, eager to see you tear apart your competition) realize something that is almost an alien concept to you; that you are STRONG.

You hold back on examining the consequences of this; as it to you it just detracts from your focus, as the matches come faster and faster, and begin to loose patience with them.

>Speed things up.

>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.

>>36591758
Actually, learning something new that doesn't suck is how you improve.

You can learn all the shitty moves in the world, but they won't make you good.

>>36591814
>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.
Patience is a virtue, my jolly good friend!

>>36591814
Wait it out.

>Patience, grasshopper.

>>36591814
>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.
Like with AB all good things to those with patience

>>36591814
>>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.

>>36591814
>Speed things up.

>>36591814
>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.

>>36591814
>>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.

>>36591814
>>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.
Patience, young grasshopper.

>>36591814
>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.
Be cautious. Being strong doesn't mean no one else is as well. Better to expect and be disappointed than assume and be surprised.

>>36591814
>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.
Let's save the flashy stuff for when we need it.

Besides, cocky as we are, there is no need not to treat every enemy as a potential defeat. That way lies arrogance and arrogance has been the destruction of many a fine Xia.

Bow to every opponent before the match and if they teach you the least thing, bow after as well!

>>36591814
>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.
Come on, don't tip our hand yet. Save it for later. Besides, we just look cooler for it. Oh, sure, we could smash through all comers. But instead we're being polite and treating them as worthy foes. We're calm and in control, not hasty and impatient.

>>36591814
On the one hand I'm sure Ba would want us to learn to be at least somewhat patient, and has probably admonished us about this rather a lot.

On the other hand, our largest pool of spectators/folks that might know something is probably opening day and the finals. And we won't get -anywhere- in the search for Ba if we don't make a public display of our more esoteric skills.

I say we Traverse the Instant Path.

>>36591814
Just saying, you know that posing a question like this on /tg/ is pretty much useless right? The answer is defaulted to be patient. /tg/ is utterly risk adverse unless a waifu is involved, nobody will EVER vote to do something slightly risky if a less risky way is available -- even if the more risky way brings more benefit.

>>36591814
>>Just wait it out. It'll be over eventually.

>>36591938
That's an excellent point.

If Wulin Sage really wanted to test our devotion to being good Xia, he'd say something about Zhengzhu watching us and looking impressed. THAT would have people wanting to show something off!

>>36582855
Yo sage, you forgot to announce this thread on twitter. I just noticed it on the front page, and I double checked, last thread you announced on twitter was #7

>>36591839
Yet learning something > than nothing.
We take in what we see and improve on it.
that's our whole focus with
>External Arts: Endless Sky Forms (C+)
We take in what we see and improve on it.
Death by a thousand cuts still a thing.

>>36591938
You ah... you don't follow banished quest do you? /tg/ can do risky things with alarming regularity with the right character and players.So it's not exactly an iron clad rule /tg/ will be risk adverse.

>>36591980
Well, we do know for sure that she is watching us. And I'm willing to be that she is, if not impressed, at least surprised.

>>36591980
That might do it, but it might not. I have seen almost every quest on /tg/ at some point have the MC actively harm himself by being too conservative. There are a couple that ended because of it, and the players bitched endlessly.

The fact is, /tg/ is a hivemind coward.

>>36591932
Dude.
We are in the preliminaries. Just wait until we get to the real tournament at least, chill out.

Using our skills on shitty opponents instead of saving them for the real shit?
Really?

>>36592053
I was thinking my main point was "largest pool of spectators that might know something" that we could 'I want no trabbu' our way through after the fact.

I mean I'm sure whoever took Ba would be the kind of jackass who would show up to chuckle at the shitty minor xia right?

>>36592042
And then in other quests we have them do stupidly suicidal things and get offed, just depends on character, the players and the setting.

>>36592099
Sure, but while it could help on that, you realize you're just setting up at a disadvantage for the actual tournament, right?
You do realize people will see this, and they will realize what we can -actually- do.

And then we lose both surprise effect and give them more time to come up with counters.

We don't want to waste the ace up our sleeve while fighting on the kindergarten level.

>>36592114
Almost as a rule, stupid suicidal things are literally caused by anons being stupid and not understanding the consequences rather than being bold and adventurous.

>>36592148
True mostly, but not always. For example Scyther hunting in PSSQ

>>36592148
I remember that saiyan quest, was it?
>if you do this your body will probably not take it well
>fuck it we'll do it
>it doesn't work
>we'll try it again, we need more power
>It DOESN'T work
>TRY AGAIN
>you're dead

>>36592099
But no one watches the noobs league. The opening day of the actual tournament, sure, but not now. Besides, we'll probably actually need to use our real skills once we're fighting people with actual training worth a damn anyway.

Also, I doubt we'll be able to NO TRABBU our way through Ba's past. People will come looking for us once the cat's out of the bag.

>>36592169
I'm not arguing that it NEVER happens.

I am just pointing out to Sage that 90% of the time, that's how it is; whatever he might think, he is basically phrasing the options so that there is only one choice in the mind of /tg/. And it is not a bold one, it's one where we hold back forever and don't do cool things. Which sucks, IMO.

>>36592145
Given how little we know about them at this particular moment in time, our only particular method of getting to them in the first place is by drawing them out through some fashion or other. This seems to be the most direct method.
And sure, it -could- set us up for trouble at the tournament, but somehow I didn't think winning was our main priority. Admittedly, not dying could be an issue. I thought we knew that though.

>>36592219
Just figured we were going to hold back til near the end, don't want to kill someone on accident and haste and arrogance are traditional xia flaws.