>>5409033

And as arrows flew and men died, you grew curious about the loyalty of men and its ideal as held and understood by humans, and realized amidst the crying of your maids and the frantic shouting of Weixiao and Yongzheng as they rallied the men to guard your carriage against the predations of the forest brigands, that this most insolent attack presented the perfect opportunity for you to learn more of humanity! And thus bring you closer to your goal of truly understanding them and realizing what it meant to be and feel human and thus at last attain the human form taken by the long dead magical and demonic beasts who proceeded you and whose legacy you have inherited.

However, as Yuyi wasn't exactly the fighting type and certainly did not have a warrior's body or will, and was already to the point of tears she was so terrified by what was transpiring around her this formerly peaceful and worriless day, that you chose, mercifully, to leave her in the safety of the carriage and relinquish your hold on her body. To instead move through the air as a wandering spirit, to observe the battle and watch the soldiers and bandits fight in the hopes that it would reveal to you the truth of the loyalty held by men.

And so, Yuyi, with a pleasant and serene smile upon her red painted lips, fainted after being informed by the brave Mao Weixiao that they were underattack. She collapsed with her eyes still open, her peaceful expression umoving and unchanging as her panicked and frightened maids caught her and held onto her tightly as they wept and cried out to be saved and protected by the men just beyond the wooden walls of their carriage.

And while Yuyi slept from the shock of your sudden departure, the humble you slipped through the carriage, passing through it like mist through a grate as you turned your ghost flame into a copy of your magnificent true form, a crimson furred, ox sized house cat.

And no sooner than you did, did you meet the gaze of Yongzheng, still dressed in his Buddhist attire, eyes wide with shock and terror upon seeing your spectral form. Even though he had locked his staff with the saber of one of the attackers, he was more concerned by your sudden, ghostly appearance and shaken to behold your actual self unshrouded by Yuyi's own body and soul. A spiritual man like him must be more affected by your Imperial Aura of a thousand graves more than the others around him, and surely he alone can sense and see it in its complete majesty.

You smile and floated over his head like a leaf, pressing a paw down on the brute he was locked in a desperate struggle with, the sudden chill of your Ghostly Yin Essence sending a deathly chill by the man's spine. Which gave him enough pause for Yongzheng to knock him senseless with one, well placed blow of his stick.
Cont

>>5409034

He tipped his straw hat to you, and returned to the fray as you lazily meandered up into the trees and turned once more into a ball of smokeless fire and ethereal gloom, wisps of blood red flame flickering in a ball of pure black shadow and a halo of white light.

And it was here you watched the battle from above, bobbing and swaying in the wind as you curiously studied the movements of both soldier and bandit, observing how they fought and died, and studying their minute and easily overlooked shows of loyalty. One bandit threw himself in the way of a spear thrusted by a soldier, who was guarding the injured and prone body of one of his own comrades. And as you watched, it dawned on you, actually you noticed it immediately once you paid any attention to the trash and scum fighting, that these were no bandits.

They were trained soldiers. They fought with the same skill as their counterparts, and showed the same loyalty and pluck as they did. They had the morale and nerve of career warriors and battle with an iron determination and unshakeable resolve. They were no peasants in armor, or wealthy or lucky brigands. They were elites. The kind of soldiers that would only find themselves in the service of the armies or guard forces of the nobility, even though they were disguised as common thugs and thieves. Beneath their green cloaks and the mud on their faces, you could see they wore fine armor and the colors of...some noble clan or another. They weren't the Chuan or the Ling, so you didn't know them nor care if they lived or died beyond ensuring the safety of your precious disciple, friend and "robe". But, this did make you ask a question you would not ask if you had not realized these were the men of a rebellious lord.

And that was, "How exactly did humans decide which side to serve, when their loyalties between two masters or groups conflicted with one another? How did they decide which to stand by and which to betray?". For Beasts such as yourself, in the natural and wild world, the question was easy to answer. It had become more complicated as you grew more aware and gained great intelligence, but presently, you only had one loyalty and that was to your young sect and the world you wished to create with it. They were both your only comrades and your only family. But what of these men? Soldiers sworn to prop up the rule of their betters and service the realm, even giving their lives to either duty if they were asked. How did they choose to serve the lords whom commanded them, over the boss those lords had themselves betrayed, the emperor himself. The divinely appointed and approved, er, formerly divinely appointed and approved monarch.
Cont

>>5409035

Wouldn't it make just as much sense as to turn their blades on their direct employer as it would be to remain in their service, when they rebelled against the man whom all citizens of the Celestial Empire obeyed and served, at least before he pissed off those with enough power to challenge his rule and declare him unfit. How would the gods in the nine heavens and those unseen deities of Buddhism judge both sides of this brawl? Which would they deem righteous? Which would the laws of men consider to be in the right? Which would you call just? Which would be in the natural world, removed from the intricacies of human life.

You lowered yourself down closer to the scuffle, as you pondered these questions deeply, and in the din of battle and the clashing of blades and breaking of armor, meditated on them as blood was spilt and the final breaths of life filled the air, as men became corpses and ghosts. It was clear, the imperial soldiers, officers, Weixiao and Yongzheng were going to emerge victorious, as despite being out-numbered, and fighting against other, properly trained and equipped soldiers, the armor they wore and weapons they wielded were simply of a higher quality, which turned the surprise attack in their favor. And doubtlessly, their loyalty to their cause and their duty to protect you and the women with you also boosted their prowess beyond that of the rebels they fought.

And as the rebels began to rout, you reached a realization and found the answers you sought concerning the loyalty of men.

"Loyalty is an attribute, and it is also a choice, as well as a principle. Some men have more loyalty than others, some men's loyalty is stronger than others, some have less, some have none. It is their three views that determine how strong their loyalty is, and who they give it to, and when they uphold or break from it" You whisper as the insight illuminates your mind "Some will betray their belief of justice and righteousness to keep their loyalty to a cause or master they'd deem unworthy or even evil, others will forsake their loyalty to do what they believe to be good and morale, even if it risks their own life or condemns them to be remembered as villains themselves."

You sigh, filling the air with the chill of the grave and the smoldering embers of the many grudges you carry.

"The loyalty of men, doesn't take one shape and cannot be truly defined, because it is just as varied as human's themselves. Loyalty to family, Loyalty to a cause, loyalty to a master, loyalty to a belief, loyalty to oneself, it has many, many forms, and none take the same shape as another" You say outloud, for only the ghosts of the corpses beneath you to hear. One of them nods to show his agreement with or approval of your understanding of loyalty

"it is, by nature transient and ever changing, like life itself, but it can also can outlast one's own life and become as steady and enduring as the stones of a mountain!" You say happily.
Cont

>>5409037

And the moment you do, you feel the puzzle of human wisdom and understanding in your mind come a little closer to being completed and solved, as a bit of you becomes a little more human than before at this realization and advent of comprehension of the common sense of civilization and humanity as you learn another instinct of the beasts who separate themselves from the rest of the animals and take it to heart.

"And all humans understand this, as they grow into strong men and graceful women. That Loyalty can change as easily as one turns over their hand, and it can also be steadfast and dependable, it can fade in a blink of an eye and outlast even the lives of mountains" You say, feeling a bit embarrassed and foolish it took you any thought at all to realize something now so obvious "It all just depends on whose loyalty it is, their character and their circumstances"

And not long after you come to this conclusion, the battle ends and the danger abates. Mao Weixiao and his men have captured one of the rebels, and Yongzheng is praying for their souls, and you can hear the maidens who had taken to pampering you weeping and sobbing openly as Yuyi begins to wake up, confused as to why she's being held and coddled by half a dozen, beautiful girls.

What do you do now, Huanliuxue?

>Whenever you have the chance to during the journey to the Palace, question the men and women around you about their concept of loyalties and which of those they hold they consider most important, so you can expand your knowledge and understanding of humanity.

>Possess Yuyi and intervene on the rebels behalf, partially out of a whimsical benevolence and partially as an experiment to see if he'll hold loyalty to Yuyi for saving his life, and if it will be stronger than the loyalty to his lord [Good Karma]

>Allow Yuyi some time in her body, and repossess your own for awhile, watching the convoy from afar alongside Fu and Qiang. Also, when they make camp, sneak up on Yongzheng and scare him by dragging him out of his bed and granting him the honor of seeing you in all your glory

>Silently celebrate how much you've learned about humans and how well you know how it is to be one and how much you know of their thoughts and feelings, while comforting the still shaken attendants

>Write in

>>5409038
>>Possess Yuyi and intervene on the rebels behalf, partially out of a whimsical benevolence and partially as an experiment to see if he'll hold loyalty to Yuyi for saving his life, and if it will be stronger than the loyalty to his lord [Good Karma]
Yes Huan, it's totally an experiment

>>5409038
>Possess Yuyi and intervene on the rebels behalf
We certainly should show Yongzheng our true form, as it would be an eternal shame for him to hold so much fear without seeing the full breadth of majesty. But I can't help but think there will be a more dramatic opportunity to do so, within how the Emperor may attempt to deal with Yuyi.

>>5409038
>Whenever you have the chance to during the journey to the Palace, question the men and women around you about their concept of loyalties and which of those they hold they consider most important, so you can expand your knowledge and understanding of humanity.

>>5409038
>Possess Yuyi and intervene on the rebels behalf
I love an easy opportunity for Good Karma, plus we might be able to get some decent followers out of it if all goes well. Even if none of them have any cultivation potential, Fu's town can use more experienced guards.

>>5409038
>Possess Yuyi and intervene on the rebels behalf, partially out of a whimsical benevolence and partially as an experiment to see if he'll hold loyalty to Yuyi for saving his life, and if it will be stronger than the loyalty to his lord [Good Karma]
>Check if any of the others still breathe and see if you can save them as well. You can command the guards to assist as needed.
Having them check the bodies is probably a bad idea since they may finish the job instead, but if we see them alive then they’d risk the wrath of an esteemed guest of the Emperor.

>>5409038
>Possess Yuyi and intervene on the rebels behalf, partially out of a whimsical benevolence and partially as an experiment to see if he'll hold loyalty to Yuyi for saving his life, and if it will be stronger than the loyalty to his lord [Good Karma]

You know.
I'm starting to get a feeling going for the [Good Karma] options every time, is gonna lead Huan into a trap sooner than later.
Or at the very least, keep us from something that's more interesting.

I don't know, I feel as if there has to be something more to this system beyond what we're seeing, and it's making me anxious.

>>5409717
It makes us predictable, and will have some effect upon our super-tier cultivation when inevitably they have checks against people with certain evil karma/good karma.

But honestly, that's on them.

Doing good and treating others well, contrary to popular belief, is almost always the best path forwards since humans are social creatures and in the world of cultivation, reciprocation is usually quite important.

Strength is THE most important value in a world of cultivators, ironically making them operate under animal rules, but good reputation and having friends you can truly rely on is a powerful form of strength.

>>5409158
I will support.

>>5409717
Quite often there are cultivation methods, medicine, talisman, etc that counters or become stronger or weaker depending on the karma, so it ca be both a blessing or a curse.
But I don't care, I'm choosing the [good karma] options because they make me feel happy, not for mechanical benefits.
I think I only voted against one or two of them when it was objectively a dumb option.

>>5409717
We have skipped a few good Karma options since other options seemed better or were a higher priority. It makes me hopeful that if we fall into a trap then it’ll be one we knowingly spring.

>>5409722
>>5409733
>>5409752
Fair enough!
And honestly, despite my worries, it's a fun look for Huānliúxuè. That despite her name, and how she follows the rules of nature and her own whims, these same whims incline her to be genuinely good, while still embracing the darker urges and instincts of living beings.
After all, if being good, benevolent, and charitable are privileges of the powerful, then why not embrace this privilege and flex on all the weaklings that can't and have to be nasty to obtain and maintain power?
It's Huānliúxuè's right as the one true peerless royal being beneath the heavens to be able to be and share goodness with the world as she wants, whenever she wants.

Goodness as a whimsical royal indulgence rather than a moral pillar or obligation.
Goodness because being nice and spreading happiness is a good time actually, rather than a burden that chains one's actions.
Goodness for goodness sake, effortless, pure, and simple.
It's a good time and I love our dear Huānliúxuè for it, even as I worry for her safety or us missing out on fun plot stuff otherwise.

>>5409756
A good kingdom is a strong one, and a land reflects it's ruler.
Since Huan is majesty incarnate, her realm and subjects must be without peer, to outshine even Mount Penglai itself.
I think this may be Confucian philosophy and the explanation behind the Mandate of Heaven

>>5409756
Yeah, it's one of those things that makes her fun to me.
That she, being a cultivator and a beastly cultivator at that, is compelled by her own sense of morality to be more upright and just than near any other human presently living.

though what you say IS true, we really shouldn't fall back into that way of thinking, that we are only good as a flex or because of noble obliqueness.
She's recognised that she is a benevolent individual at heart and follows through with that.

As for missing out of fun things, not much fun comes out of bad karma options. I guess blackmail and dark powers but daemonic cultivaion usually has more downsides than up.

>>5409717
>>5409756
It is a danger, you're right. Good Karma/Bad are generally not simple moral lenses, but a system of consequentially potent feedback. The spectrum of Karma doesn't mean good acts put out come back to you as is, or are even directly beneficial to ourselves. Good performed by a strong soul can spiral out of control or intent greatly. For example, healing a mandateless Emperor during an ongoing rebellion in a region (Chuan) which largely despises him. It is good in itself, it's also an act which will be infamous among those who hate the Emperor, which is the majority of people in our home region.

Objectively, we've been pushed by the stream of good-leaning karma since we began, likely even before.
It's hard to tell exactly which kind this world uses, but it appears straightforward only in this worlds stories. Outside of the stories, children get burned alive by an army trying to meet a dipshittery quota and the act creates a demon whom corrects that path. We know there's more to it, a justification that rests within our lineage. Taking a step back to see the big picture, to put intent upon karma, the world effectively created a greater potential evil to snuff out the certain ruin that would be brought by a successful Ling campaign. Karma for this world appears to be a mix of taoistic karma. If so, that means it doesn't actually take sides.

Good and evil are not divisible conceits from the Dao. When it comes to overwhelming good, an opportunity to balance that act will present itself in the shape of the world or in the acts of souls. Whether a great evil takes root or not is still up to those who have agency within that situation. Pointed example, Monu considering us her end-of-life redemption rather than a tool to be trained for revenge. Framed to the above, Huanlixue healing the Emperor through Yuyi to gain her clout, to feel good, and in order to better understand Humanity. There is a huge difference, and that's the danger.

The thing about Karmas is that the path of cultivation will find oddly fated ways to test a persons perceived limits. A fun thing to do is reread the entire quest and see which good karma options Ping tries to take. I'll save ya the trip and tell you he really tried to pick too many.

The most telling thing about the scenario we're currently in, is that Cat Viper said he knows of Daoistic hermits, of the cultivation sects, and none of them have gone out of their way to aid the Emperor and fix his illness. Based on his word.

The Emperor spurned Heaven, troubled his lands with infidelity, and measured some unknown insult against the cultivation sects which has ensured they won't help him. Thusly, healing him will have Yuyi being sought out by those sects. For good and ill. Reputation attracts, and good karma isn't a two way reward street.

>>5409769
Really out there idea. What if we could be bestowed or restore the Emperor's Mandate of Heaven? Ya know, by mind controlling him into being a better human.

>>5410029
I get a distinct feeling that the Orthodox sects stopped giving any fucks about mortals a long time ago.

>>5410108
I've got a similar feeling. They've been reserved with recent events to our knowledge, and the long decline historically reinforces that. I'm hoping they don't care one way or another, their apathy will enable us great success.

Ending the vote, tallying the result now. Love the discussion btw

Possess Yuyi and intervene on the rebels behalf, partially out of a whimsical benevolence and partially as an experiment to see if he'll hold loyalty to Yuyi for saving his life, and if it will be stronger than the loyalty to his lord:6

Whenever you have the chance to during the journey to the Palace, question the men and women around you about their concept of loyalties and which of those they hold they consider most important, so you can expand your knowledge and understanding of humanity.:1

Check if any of the others still breathe and see if you can save them as well. You can command the guards to assist as needed.:2

So You will Possess Yuyi and intervene on the behalf of the rebels that still live, protecting them against the fury of Weixiao and his men.

Update will arrive shortly

However, as you pass over the site of the struggle, watching the ghosts of the dead linger and argue and a scarce few of them pass on and fade as motes of light like dust drifting on the wind, you cannot help but to feel pity for the survivors of the so called "bandits". They had fought nobly for their beliefs and ideals, and fought bitterly to the last handful of men, who have been so wounded their legs can no longer support them and their arms hang limp, the blood oozing from their limbs flowing in deep scarlet streams to soak into the brilliant green blue sashes and sleeves, before it pools and soaks into the earth beneath them. Grudges fill the air, burning as hot as freshly fried fish, the astringent aroma of spite and impotent fury filling the air like a spraying plume of a lady's perfume. And you can sense, surrounding the imperial soldiers and their commander, Weixiao, a deeper and black grudge, fermented like wine and allowed to sink its roots deeply into both heart and mind surrounds them all, almost so powerful as to be an existence of its own, shaped into stygian, tar black clouds of hatred.

You feel hesitation and concern. These men might have threatened Yuyi and innocents, but you respect their fierceness and their conviction. Few men can claim to be so steadfast in their beliefs to, without a moment's thought, give their lives for what they believe to be a moral and just cause. It would befit these lions among dogs to die in such a manner, tortured at the hands of men whose hatred goes beyond the realms of sanity, for you have only seen grudges so potent and refined as those held by ghosts long dead and maddened. In truth, seeing such resentment produced by living soul's is rather unsettling, you're surprised they could survive playing host to such amounts of spite so dense and pure. These brave men, who did not hesitate to gamble their lives, not for their master or out of obligation to their duties but rather their own personal ideals, will not die quickly if they are left to the care of Mao Weixiao or worse yet, the Emperor himself.

Rulers as a rule, view rebels with scorn akin to that of a swan looking upon a toad, or that you feel when faced with a slayer of children or wearer of Ling yellow. It would be undeserved for these plucky fellows to be condemned to such an unpleasant and gruesome fate. Cat's may play with their prey, but humans can achieve a cruelty beyond the whimsical sadism of any feline. You know this well.

So, without delay, you hastily flit back into the carriage as Yuyi tries her best to soothe and calm your shared attendants, and possess her without warning or pause. Blinking and adjusting back to the mousey frame of your student, you look upon the tear stained faces of the maids surround her and smile gently, patting the nearest one to comfort her as you stand.
Cont

>>5410921

With a single flick of your hand, you comb the stray locks of hair back over your forehead and adjust the hem of your dress with a second waving motion of the same hand, before retrieving your fan. Taking a long step forward, you unfurl it, revealing a painting of cats at the play by the riverside, hunting ducks and other fowl. Fluttering the accessory as you plant your other foot against the locked door, and flick it open with a dexterous manuver of Yuyi's shoed foot, you march outside, hopping down to the ground.

A gust of wind pushes up your dress and the dirt surrounding the carriages wields, Yuyi's Chestnut hair taking a moment to fall through the air after you've landed. The sound alerts Weixiao, who turns to face you with a truly demonic look snarl on his lips, but only for a moment. Soon his "Cat smile" Returns, and he is slithering towards you, Gentle and courteous again, though you can still see clearly the grudge oozing from his every pour.

You hold your fan in front of your face as you glide around him, trying to circle around you, while he tries to block your sight of the men already being beaten by his soldiers. He bows low, locks his hands together, and looks up to you submissively, though you've spent enough time around Monu to see clearly still the venom lurking behind the placating look in his eyes.

"Lady Yuyi, I know you to be of fierce spirit and willful mind, but this is no matter for you to soil your hands and no business you must observe. I know, that a woman as strong willed as you and used to making her own way through life, would want to smack sense into these brats and force them to tell her why they'd dare to even think of harming her but, I assure you" He says, slithering around in front of you, with remarkable swiftness considering how low he's bowed and the awkward position of his neck craned up to look at you and his feet shuffling while maintaining such an unsteady stance "Me and my men can handle the punishment of these wretches, though you may not have the blood of nobility, you certainly have the demeanor, but there is no need for you to dirty your hands with the blood of such trash"

"Eh?" You groan, in a very delinquent and childish manner, as you snap your fan close and swing it through the air just above the "Envoy"'s head "What are you talking about? A doctor never blemishes their hands with violence. I have no intent to scold or punish these men. Has the rush of battle addled your wits, Sir Mao?"

"Huh?" He says without thinking, his face faulting and looking to you with confusion "Then why have you left your maids and stepped from the carriage, if not to personally exact a pound of flesh from those who threatened your life?"

"To save them from the brutes surrounding them, it is a doctors duty to save lives, how could one as great as I ignore the plight of these men?" You ask sweetly as you can see frustration and anger boiling just behind Weixiao's pleasant and handsome smile
Cont

>>5410925

"Because they were trying to rob, kill or kidnap us? It isn't pleasant, but surely Yuyi the Jade doctor can turn away from such awfulness, just this once, and ignore the plight of these bandits who are soon to die at the hands of the people protecting her, just this once" Yuyi squeaks into your ears as you tap your foot and shake your closed fan just above Mao's head a few times as his lips purse and tighten together in a gross looking way, making him look more like a fish than a cat.

"Do you think the lives of these dogs are of equal value to the emperor's own?" Weixiao questions sharply. Well, you know each life is precious, but you've never thought about how much each is worth. Certainly, you care more about these rebels than you do some failure of an emperor, and your heart is telling you to save them. You might have let them die, if you hadn't decide they needed saving and were worthy of your intervention. Another whimsical act of a cat's benevolence, though you wonder if it can truly be called an act of whimsy, considering how much thought you've put into it. Though, it certainly is a self-serving good deed, at least at some level as you are curious if the debt these men will owe you will outweigh their loyalties to the cause, mission or master

You touch your fan to Weixiao's head, and look down into his eyes with all your fierceness and pride, wearing an expression of irritation and smoldering vexation. The air arounds you, already reeking of death and blood, grows denser with these invigorating scents as the winds traveling down from the mountains grows colder.

"who am I to choose who to grant treatment to and who to save from the cold embrace of death?" You answer coldly and sharply, speaking down to your lesser with all your natural majesty, trying to crush him like a bug beneath its weight "I have not insulted the son of heaven, nor have I compared him to these scoundrels, I am merely doing my duty as a doctor. So do not wag your tongue at me"

"And do not speak again to my master in such a manner" Yongzheng says, voice low and rumbling "Or think to threaten her beneath your simpering pleasantries, when you have hired her to perform a miracle against a man many will curse her for saving"

Mao Weixiao turns nearly as pale as a ghost, and swallows hard, adjusting his posture and stepping away, a single bead of sweat falling down his brow as you, without waiting for him to reply, step past him and flick open your fan, waving it as you lift your head up high and push out your chest.

"Move!" You bark to the soldiers "And cease your assault. I will treat these men and close their wounds. If one more blow falls upon their heads, I shall become cross"
Cont

"And if single finger brushes against Lady Yuyi, the offending hand shall be broken to splinters and dusts" Yongzheng barks a moment later, and you have expect to see a tail wagging behind him as you glance back. One of the larger, more "intimidating" soliders, steps up to you with a drawling grunt like a pig eating shit.

He backs down the moment you affix him with your coldly piercing eyes, and glare at him like a hungry ghost cursing its victim. With him cowed, his cronies sulk away, retreating beneath their master's cloak.

Three of the soldiers remain amongst the living, and two are too weak to speak or do much else besides lift their spiteful eyes up to you. The one who has the strength to still grip his sword and kneel upon one knee, with a fresh bruise and lumps around his face, is clearly more wounded than his companions. Yet he's still trying to fight on and kill his enemy, even as the shadow of death closes around him.

"Impressive" You purr out loud as he snarls and spits at you.

"I shall not be saved by the same hands that will touch the false emperor" He growls, trying to threaten you away with a wide, clumsy swing of his blade. He keeps the flat of it directed at you, rather than its blade, clearly not intending or wishing to hurt a girl like you, especially one trying to save his life

"Let me die standing, against these dogs of that philandering beast, who has turned our great kingdom and lead it from the graces of heaven" He spits as you elegantly stride to him and kneel before him to look over his injuries "to die an honorable death is a fate I embrace, especially if it spits in the eye of that pig who forced my liege to wear a green hat"

You blink eyes wide, recognizing the term and remembering that the war that has splintered the entirety of the human's prized empire was caused by the young emperor cucking one of his subordinate lords. A cause for war so bewildering it is almost ridiculous. However, it is much more tragic than amusing as that single act of cucking ended up spelling the deaths of hundreds of thousands, including the nice children who took care of and played with you and all their families, so your frown remains stuck to your face.

"There is no honor in dying a dog's death, when one is a lion. Brave men are worth more than the corpses they leave behind, you shame your mother and father for being so willing to throw away the life they gave you" You scold, smacking him with your fan "And while I'm sure your lord will honor your sacrifice, I am also certain he'd prefer you to stay by his side. A corpse, no matter who left it behind, is worthless except for feeding maggots and crows or fertilizing the soil. You're far too heroic and skilled to be wasted upon a scuffle beneath the trees, besides, men loyal enough to be so willing to die are a commodity rarer than any jade"

You smile as the man look at you in awe, and then you prick him with a needle, to begin stitching his most grievous wounds shut
Cont

>>5410929

"So sit still and shit up, this is no act of mercy and generosity but simple common curtesy. However, I expect you not to waste your lives so freely after I have saved them" You say kindly as the man bites down on the hilt of his sword and begins to cry from the pain of your treatment "And so obedient! truly, you are a rare kind of man. It'd be a waste of potential to leave you to die at the hands of my escorts, an utter waste of potential Mhm! And there's nothing more I hate in the world than throwing away talent without reason"

"NNnnrrgh" The man groans, as Weixiao and his men stand, stewing in their now toothless fury as Yonzheng stands behind you, staff planted in the ground. A cat's smile paints your lips as you continue your care, pleased to be saving a life and curious how this man and his comrades will react. Whether they will honor their pledges and oaths to their master, or if they will seek to repay a debt that can only be repaid by saving your life in turn. It certainly will be entertaining to see how this plays out! And on a trip as boring as this, a cat must find entertainment wherever it can!

What do you do after you have saved the lives of these men, Huanliuxue?

>Tell them they'll find safety in the forest, and direct them to where Fu and Qiang are right now.

>Remind Mao Weixiao that you are no puppet nor anyone to be trifled with by remarking a doctor can end lives as easily as they save them

>Just enjoy being pampered for the rest of the journey to the imperial palace, completely ignoring the cold treatment of Weixiao and the soldiers

>Check on the soldiers, and follow them as a ghost every night, so you actually know what they choose to do.

>write in

>>5410930
>Check on the soldiers, and follow them as a ghost every night, so you actually know what they choose to do.
I'm worried that telling them to hide in the forest risks Fu and Qiang being discovered by the escorts, since I doubt they wouldn't be on the lookout or scout after them.
Also in no circumstances threaten Mao. Not because we I'm afraid, but because we just said a doctor does not sully their hands.

>>5410930
>Just enjoy being pampered for the rest of the journey to the imperial palace, completely ignoring the cold treatment of Weixiao and the soldiers

>Check on the soldiers, and follow them as a ghost every night, so you actually know what they choose to do.

>>5410930
>Check on the soldiers, and follow them as a ghost every night, so you actually know what they choose to do.

>>5410937
+1

>>5410930

>Just enjoy being pampered for the rest of the journey to the imperial palace, completely ignoring the cold treatment of Weixiao and the soldiers

>Check on the soldiers, and follow them as a ghost every night, so you actually know what they choose to do.

>>5410930
>Suggesting this as an add-on to whatever action is voted for if we want to play around with Mao. Playful, coy prompt is below as well.
>Ask Mao Weixiao what his deal is.
>”When I stepped down from the carriage, I saw for a moment a look I recognize from many a man. A festering grudge that leads men to either despair or great action.”
>”I take an interest in what leads men to the rash actions that place them in my care. I have seen them sated, and those who would pass with the blackest of stains that will no doubt hold them in this life. But I have never seen such an intense look in a man who is not already embracing death and requires my intervention to save them.”
>”I would like to hear the story of your grudges one day, Mao Weixiao. I don’t believe you’ll tell me the truth. But that said, even a lie worthy enough to explain such hatred would be interesting to hear.”

>>5410930
>Remind Mao Weixiao that you are no puppet nor anyone to be trifled with by remarking a doctor can end lives as easily as they save them
>Check on the soldiers, and follow them as a ghost every night, so you actually know what they choose to do.

>>5410930
>>Check on the soldiers, and follow them as a ghost every night, so you actually know what they choose to do.

>>5410930
>Check on the soldiers every night
>Enjoy our pampering

These grudges are. . . delectable. I simply must know more.

>>5411402
Support. Why is their potency so powerful?

>>5411402
We understand grudges but this is a good opportunity to comprehend human malice from Maos perspective. +1

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Ending the vote now, Tallying the result. Sorry to make you wait, got distracted by the tribulations of Real life.

Check on the soldiers, and follow them as a ghost every night, so you actually know what they choose to do:8

Just enjoy being pampered for the rest of the journey to the imperial palace, completely ignoring the cold treatment of Weixiao and the soldiers:3

Ask Mao Weixiao what his deal is...etc:3

Remind Mao Weixiao that you are no puppet nor anyone to be trifled with by remarking a doctor can end lives as easily as they save them:

So you will check on the soldiers and follow them as a ghost every night, so you'll actually know what they choose to do

>>5411402
Liked this write in btw, shame it didn't get enough support

>>5415562
Can’t win them all. Hopefully I get in a little earlier next time.

Big ass update in coming!

And so, seeing as your now being treated rather coldly rather unfairly in your opinion by Mao Weixiao and his men, and knowing that there's little point in pestering or irritating them until the react in a suitably amusing or entertaining manner and not wanting to risk Yuyi's health just so you can play with Mao and his soldiers like cattails or mice, you decide it would be best to leave them be to simmer and stew in their resentment and those grudges they were prevented from quieting with bloodshed and murder and hopefully calm down and see that sweet Yuyi isn't to blame for their impotence and inability to see their vengeance through. Besides, with them as grumpy and glowering as they've become, they'd make for rather dull conversation partners anyways and even if they did open their eyes beneath their brows furrowed with anger long enough to see you aren't to blame for their troubles and shouldn't be the target of their outrage, they still wouldn't have much to say besides praising your expertise and talent as a doctor and simpering at your heels in an attempt to curry your favor for their failure of a lord.

So, you decide, as you sit yourself back down on the comfortable cushions of the carriage, and are immediately surrounded by your adoring maids, who immediately return to to work brushing and preening your hair, painting your nails and powdering your face, that you'll just leave Cat Smile and his goons to their business unless they suddenly become more interesting and less grouchy and upset with you for something that was in no way your fault. If one cannot end their grudges or bury them deep in their hearts, they deserve to fester in their own enmity until they can clean it away. It would be interesting to find out how such a potent grudge could settle and grow its roots so deeply into and tightly around the hearts of so many, but asking Mao or his thugs why it is they possess a hatred you believed to only be able to be held by the dead and insane would prove rather annoying and extracting the truth from them while they're still smoldering with anger directed towards yourself would surely prove to be more difficult than its worth. Perhaps when they're no longer ready to slap you for the pettiest of reasons, you'll approach the supposed envoy and raise the question, to learn a little more about the grudges that have stained your path of cultivation blacker than most nights!

You frown, as a thought comes to the front of your mind, and you realize that you won't learn anything if you don't know what the soldiers do after they've been let go. And you can't really have Yuyi faint throughout the day or leave her around Mao Weixiao, who might prove perceptive enough to realize the differences in demeanor and personality between you and the meek village doctor.
Cont

But, checking in on the soldiers at night, as unseen spirit, would be much easier to explain away, since Yuyi will just seem to have fallen asleep and no one besides her attendants will be around to notice the differences in how she usually acts and speaks!

And so, that is what you decided to do, since it is a rather shrewd plan and will certainly be more fun that starring at the stars or gossiping with your maids. And its not like you have anything better to do, unless Mao and his cronies suddenly forgive the slight against them and forget about the vengeance you denied them. If they aren't as stubborn as old oxen, they should forgive the adorable you before too long, at least before you're presented to the emperor, at least enough to be cordial and polite enough to entertain your bothersome and "pointless" questioning instead of snapping at you and scolding you for being naïve or some such nonsense.

So, smiling now, pleased with your genius and cunning, you relax and practice your Guqin playing with Ghost Empress Melody, waiting for the day to end and the moon to rise so you can spy on the rebels without arousing suspicion among your currently sour faced guardians and escorts

It doesn't take long at all for night to arrive, and you easily track down the soldiers, with a little help from Qiang and Fu, who point you in their general direction after you come across their ramshackle camp and spend awhile admiring your body and watching them care for it. Then, you shoot through the woods, dimming your ghost fire's carmine radiance as you search for the three men whose lives you had saved early that day.

You soon find them, traveling through the underbrush, slowly following after the convoy transporting you to the new imperial capital. And they're setting an impressive pace for three men covered in bandages, raw stitches and fresh bruises. They either had to train their bodies to endure that much strain, or they were blessed to be born with a strong physique, the kind that would be useful in the hands of low level cultivators or mundane martial artists. So, you creep up through the air, unseen and unheard, and listen in on their conversation as they limp through the bushes and brambles in their way.

"We should turn back!" One of the two who were beaten senseless wails "We're only alive because of the mercy of a servant of that randy dog, we've been shamed, we've already failed before we reached our target. There's nothing to do but turn back and beg forgiveness from lord Bǎo and hope he is just as merciful as the Jade Doctor! What hope do we have to reach the throat of the emperor if we cannot even best his servants?"

"Bo is right, we're finished, we'll be lucky to recover from our wounds. We should gather what those beasts left of our brothers in arms, and take them back home to be buried and honored. There's no shame in admitting you've lost, there's nothing to be done but turn back and run away" the other senseless one cries out.

Cont

>>5415712

Their leader, stops, and turns on his heels to face them, his one eye exposed beneath his bandages burning with the fires of conviction and an unshakeable resolve.

"Cowards! Dogs! We would fail not only our lord were we to return without wetting our blades with the black blood of that wife stealing wretch, but if we were leave Merciful Yuyi to his clutches we would be no better than the scum we cut down this morning" He snarled, hand flat on the pommel of his blade "We would not only disgrace ourselves, but fail as men if we were to allow a young girl like her to walk blindly into that starving Lion's den. You shame our comrades who died this day by even speaking of retreating and forsaking not only our mission but our savior!"

"But big brother Gang! What can we do to help her! She's an innocent, pure maiden, in the clutches of devils, and we're but three brothers, weak and wounded! If we want to save her, we'd need all the Bao army" Bo cried out, covering his face with his hands in shame "Even though we've fought the imperials for years, and other factions have as well, they're still too powerful for three men to take down alone"

"Bo is right, the three brothers Dian would come to ruin if we were to continue on this task given to us! We're the last of our line! Our father would rather us grow old and grey than die in prison or for the satisfaction of that dog" The other one whines "Please, see reason! There's no honor to dying like dogs! Its as Maiden Yuyi said, men as brave as us have no place dying so pitifully"

"Silence your whimpering, Bo!" Gang bellowed, slapping his first younger brother, who reeled and fell to the earth, before turning and striking his other brother "And don't soil her compliments with your whimpering, Bao. We three brothers will be remembered, and not as failures, remember the oath we swore. Our lord commanded us to take that pig's bloated head, so we shall! Lady Yuyi risked her life to save ours, so we shall give our lives to protect her and free her from whatever cruel pact the dog shit emperor has forced her in! I will hear no more bellyaching from either of you! Either follow your big brother, or return home in disgrace and shame!"

"But Big brother! We should honor her choice to save us by living our lives!" Bo cried "She'd be sad if we gave our lives to rescue her! What can the three of us alone can do besides die against the might of the imperial family?"

"He's right, we can save her by telling our beneficent lord Bao about her kindness and mercy, he'd be sure to lead an assault to save such a woman! He's chivalrous and big hearted! He'd be sure to head our please!" Bao cried out, whimpering as he wiped tears from his eyes, as their words of care and gratitude towards you touched your heart deeply and brought you as much warmth as a wandering soul could feel. And here you thought two of the men you had called Lions were worthless, good for nothing cowards and cry babies.

Cont

>>5415714

"Bah! Three men can accomplish much, when they're the three Dian Brothers!" Gang bellowed, rattling his sword in its scabbard and puffing out his chest "Yuyi will only shed tears of joy when she sees us again, cause we aren't gonna die! Not until we finish our mission and get her out of that hell! If we returned to our master, to beg despite abandoning the duty he has given to us and our fallen comrades, even a man of such a noble character as himself would laugh in our faces! And even if he was generous enough to rally the army at the request of three soldiers, the only way we'd return soon enough to save that kindly lady doctor from whatever machinations of the scum emperor she has fallen prey to is if the heavens themselves intercede on both our behalf!"

"Big brother" Bo and Bao cried, throwing themselves down at their elder brother's feet "Forgive us for our cowardice! Forgive us for doubting our cause"

You waited for Gang to hit them again, but were surprised when his expression softened and he flashed a bright, cocksure smile.

"There's nothing to be forgiven, its understandable for men to grow fearful after nearly dying, but I won't let my little brothers become cowards or forsake their manhood by abandoning their honor or the debts they owe!" Gang said proudly, lifting up his chin as he turned back on his heels and started marching again "We've wasted enough time, so lets sally forth and hope we haven't lost their trail"

You smile, as you follow after them. How curious, how curious! They were able to balance, or at least, the elder brother Dian was able to balance the loyalty he held to this Lord Bao fellow with the debt of loyalty he owed you for saving his and his brothers' lives. And, the familial and brotherly loyalty of the younger brothers to their elder, was enough for them to over come their own fears and in turn strength their waxing loyalty to their master and the gratitude they of course felt to their savior. You'd have to see if this continued and how and if these brothers would keep their three way loyalties to eachother, their lord and the woman who saved their lives without one overcoming and eclipsing the others. This was really interesting! You were right to guess they'd feel a sense of loyalty and gratitude to Yuyi as their savior, but you didn't know if it'd be equal to or even stronger than their oaths to their lord.

You had to see if it would be stronger yet! So, each night, you returned to watch these three brothers as they traveled and endured the hardships of the wilderness and robe. And each night you were impressed and very much pleased to see, that their loyalty didn't grow weaker and in fact grew stronger each passing day, as did their spirits! Their hearts burned with courage and bravery, as through Gang's own valor, Bo and Bao were able to conquer the universal fear of death and become as devoted as he was to accomplishing the mission given to them by their Lord.
Cont

>>5415716

And not only that, they also grew more loyal and enamored with the idea of you that took shape in their minds, as some saintly, pious and incorruptible maiden of peerless virtue and mercy, which was not only delightful to you and appealing your pride, but also fascinating, as it was the reverse of watching a grudge form! The birth of gratitude and amity, as one sided as it may be. And it taught you much of not only the loyalty of men, but also their masculinity and brotherhood, which you had seen before between Feiqing, Ping and Lei. But to watch it from a distant perspective, to see two cowardly mutts be beaten into shape by their elder, to become the very image of fairy tale heroes, was entirely different from three men growing closer and stronger together as they stood by your side. And seeing the image they painted of you, in their collective belief, was as enlightening as it was amusing. You found that you understood humans and their ways a lot more than you did when you began your journey, but you knew you were still lacking vital parts of human wisdom and common sense. You still didn't quite understand what civilization truly was, but you felt that your audience with the emperor and your time in his court, would provide one of the last pieces of that puzzle.

After all, one saw all the world when they looked down upon it from high atop a mountain, so it only made sense you'd make sense of human society when you stood at its pinnacle and looked back down at all the rungs you had already come to understand and pass by , and saw the various and many ways of life humanity lead and all its countless aspects from both your memories of living amongst them and from your position above them! And surely, then, you'd at last understand what separated men from other beasts and reach the final insight of human nature seen from they eyes of a beast, that would allow you to step back, and see it instead as common sense and innate thought, from the eyes of a human!

Though you intend to always be the beast you are, even after you achieve human form, since you are a cat by heart, mind, soul and belief! And it'd be pointless to try to become human, fully, since you were born a demonic beast and would die as one!

"What's gotten you looking so smug all of a sudden?" Yongzheng asks, as he peeks inside the tent you were resting in, before the final leg of your journey to the imperial capital "you look like you just won a game of dice with buddha himself"

"Oh its nothing, I'm just excited for tomorrow" You purr, as two of your maids try to chase the bold monk out from the tent with brooms, puffing out their cheeks as they turn as pink of cherry blossoms "its not every day a girl gets to meet with the emperor, why would I be smug the night before my audience with royalty"
Cont

"Ow, stop it! I'm her assistant and a chaste monk besides! There's no reason for you to, Ow!" Yongzheng protests as he is beaten by now four of your maids "And the way you said that was rather scary, Lady Yuyi! Ow! Stop! Not so hard! I just came to remind you to be war..OW! Fine! I'm leaving! I will speak with her before she's brought before the emperor! Just put the wok down!"

You laugh as Yongzheng retreats before the face of your maid's fury.
_

"Rejungui (忍俊鬼, Smiling Ghost), we're in the presence of pure evil" Qinxin (昑心, Bright Heart) hissed, clapping his hand to the hilt of his sword as he turned to Ping, eyes narrowed and wary of the forest around them, with danced with shadows that could not be made by the swaying branches of trees and the setting sun. And judging from how he reacted now, wincing and whipping around, chasing disembodied whispers and directionless giggling that echoed out from the shadowed depths of the woodland around him, sensed the Ghostly Yin Qi of the ghosts that gathered here, even if if he could not see them. Ping could, and the man who had stared down a demonic beast that he now called master, and had looked death itself in the eyes as he meditated amongst the bones and wrathful souls of the dead, was terrified of them. They were, cut apart, split open, torn asunder, lifted in the air like animal's hooked above a butcher's table. They were missing limbs, bones, organs and even skin. And each missing part of them had been precisely, and cleanly severed.

Not only from body, but soul. Ping beheld monstrosity, horror beyond his imagining, and at last faced with the "Demonic Cultivation" he had so feared once, before he had chosen the path of the heretic and outcast, to serve Lady Huanliuxue and her dream.

"I know" Ping replied, sensing Qi, living Qi, in the air, which his companion from that Ogress' sect looked up, reacting to the sudden arrival of others, as Ping tried to keep from looking in the faces of the spirits gathered around him, trembling as his thoughts began to name them, one by one. His once beloved and treasured elder brothers and sisters, his comrades in the Winter Blossoming Wisdom Sect, whom he had abandoned when he had received his ghoul arm. Whom he had already chosen to lie to, to protect the young prodigy and incredible beast they would name demon.

Elder sister Tung-Mei! Ping bit his tongue to stop himself from crying out as he saw the mangled form of that inner disciple who had been so kind as to treat even talentless trash like him with kindness and respect. Tears burned in his eyes, as he lifted up his ghoul arm, and began to unwind his prayer beads. His back was to Qinxin, who had unsheathed his own weapon, sensing as Ping had that they were soon to be dragged into a fight against either members of Winter Blossoming Wisdom Sect (冬䓵智, Dōngfūzhì) or the great darkness they both sensed, lurking in the dense forest around them, sapping it of all warmth, joy and life.
Cont

>>5415721

Ping could feel Jingyu approaching, he could practically smell him, taste his filth. This place was heavy with enmity and spite, gathered and condensed by the ghosts of his victims, who whispered dire warnings and desperate please for both men to run away and leave this accursed ground. They floated, as pale blue ghost lights, like stars trapped in lights, bobbing and swaying around them and casting the clearing where he and his unexpected companion made their stand together.

Whether it be against an abomination of a demonic cultivator or his own former brothers.

"PING! IS THAT YOU!?" A voice bellowed from above. Ping swallowed hard, and frozen, lifting his eyes, wondering if he'd see one of his former elders astride a flying sword, or find himself gazing in the eyes of a patchwork horror born from beyond the realms of sanity...
_

"You must follow these rules of protocol and etiquette, adhering to them without fault or mistake, the moment you pass into the walls of the palace" Some withered old and overtly proud hag lectured you as you idly batted a ball of yarn with your feet, as the two of you and an contingent of royal guards were parade in the gardens of statues and flowers placed before the imperial palace, which rose from the ground as a tower of red wood, polished gold and tiles of black jade and red agate of the highest clarity.

"When you enter their housing, you must then follow the guidelines of imperial curtesy established in the shadow dusk era, twelve generations prior" She rambled on "The Imperial customs established by the first emperor of the current dynasty at the beginning of the radiant dawn era, at the establishment of the Celestial empire, after the meeting between the gods and the emperor himself, and you must also observe the edicts of politeness and civility as well as the..."

You begin to tune out the old crone then, growing tired with her blabbering and rather bored with your tour through the strangely humble and scarcely decorated and barely cared for gardens, looking at the vines of roses and ivy that have been allowed to grow up walls and across the path. Some, skittish, mouse like servants scurry away from your sight as you look upon them, and Yongzheng walks besides you as stiff as a pole.

"There's no reason for you to listen to this old bag of wind" Mao Weixiao says sweetly, having grown genial with you again two days before you reached the new capital city's outskirts "The emperor will forgive any slight faux paus or breech of conduct you may preform, after all, you are soon to save his life. Just remember, a woman of your station and beauty would best keep her head bowed in his presence"
Cont

>>5415723

You smile and nod along, feeling rather unimpressed by what you have seen of the courtyard outside the palace and the walls of the palace itself. This was no place for royalty to live, but that was to be expected, as you had heard, the previous capital that had served for ten generations of emperors, give or take, had been burned to the ground while you had been in deep grave side meditation. This wasn't a proper palace and it showed.

Some one came and whispered to your crone of a guide

"Ah, your audience with the son of heaven has been unfortunately delayed by matters within the imperial household that he must see to personally, despite his ailing health" The old woman said dully "I have been commanded to escort you to the guest wing of the palace, where housing has already been prepared for you, with amenities and comforts expected by honored visitors to the imperial palace"

Mao Weixiao narrowed his eyes, his lip lifting

"Could he not have restrained himself, for once in his life" He growled, low and venomous. And you only heard, because Yuyi ears had strangely grown sharper the longer you had spent inside her

"And my hunger for mice has only deepened, please hurry and find human wisdom already, before I sprout a tail!" Yuyi whimpered "And, please don't poke your nose into whatever is going on right now. I'm stressed enough just being here, I don't think my poor heart could take intruding in on the devil emperor's private affairs, just leave well enough alone, cure him and get out of here before I lose my poor head!"

'Oh! You've must have absorbed some beastly essence due to how long I've inhabited your body! Maybe even some Primordial beastly essence! You should be honored to receive such a gift' You think happily as Yuyi groans 'No wonder you aren't as weak as I remember you being! Maybe you will sprout a tail half as beautiful as mine!'

"Noooooo! My boy friend likes me the way I am! I don't want to become part cat!" Yuyi cries out, much to your amusement, which makes you giggle cutely as you skip after your guide as Yongzheng and Mao Weixiao follow after you.
Cont

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>>5415724

What do you do after being shown your quarters and wait for your audience with the emperor, Huanliuxue? two actions can be taken

>De-possess Yuyi, to allow her some time to herself to prepare herself to meet the emperor and steel her heart, and wander the palace as a ghost to spy and investigate the goings on and day to to day life of the imperial court and family. (Perception trial. DC 40)

>Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!

>Ask Yongzheng what his thoughts of the palace are, and if its anything like he expected it to be.

>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"

>Escape your quarters, and interview the staff of the palace, from the maids and cooks, to the guards and weary eyed officials (Stealth trial. DC 60)

>Meditate on the insights of humanity you've already gathered, in preparation to attain human form (Lowers DC of the trial to come)

>write in

>>5415725
>>De-possess Yuyi, to allow her some time to herself to prepare herself to meet the emperor and steel her heart, and wander the palace as a ghost to spy and investigate the goings on and day to to day life of the imperial court and family. (Perception trial. DC 40)
>Meditate on the insights of humanity you've already gathered, in preparation to attain human form (Lowers DC of the trial to come)
Some snooping, some consideration, and some foresight.

>>5415725
>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"
May as well recycle the write-in. I’m guessing the emperor’s concerns are carnal in nature.
>Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!
I’m also curious if this means we can channel more of our ghostly qi through her.
>Ask Yongzheng to interview the staff of the palace, from the maids and cooks, to the guards and weary eyed officials.
Delegate! Increase the action economy! I’m sure he won’t be as good as us, but he’s fairly handsome, intelligent, and a fellow doctor to boot. He ought to be able to get some information from the maids at the minimum.

>>5415725
>>Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!
>>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"

>>5415725
>>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"
Make that anon happy
>Meditate on the insights of humanity you've already gathered, in preparation to attain human form (Lowers DC of the trial to come)

>>5415725
>Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!
>Ask Yongzheng what his thoughts of the palace are, and if its anything like he expected it to be.
>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"

>>5415721
Rejungui is such a better name for Ping than Ping. I hope he keeps it. But we'll still call him Ping.

>>5415724
I've been wondering about this for a while, what with the dual memory access Yuyi managed to get before. As expected, when a strong or influential soul inhabits a body for long enough the body will take after it, just as it is for ghostly possession. Doubtlessly our level of cultivation is playing a big part in its result. I'll bet if we had used some of our powers through Yuyi earlier we would be seeing more potent changes than just good hearing.

Transforming people from within is already something violent ghosts do, but making it helpful would be a big new chapter in our Law. With some experimentation, perhaps not with Yuyi, we could operate this as its own skill in a more controlled and practical direction to help out our students. Or curse humans into cats. No, not cat-mutants, just cats. Much easier to deal with.

In its current state it is an interesting limitation. Months of possession can't be without consequence, perhaps even mutual. As a certain fox likely knows well.

>>5415725
>Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!
>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"
>Meditate on the insights of humanity you've already gathered, in preparation to attain human form (Lowers DC of the trial to come)

These seem like they could work together.

>>5415725
>Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!
>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"

>>5415725
>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"
>Escape your quarters, and interview the staff of the palace, from the maids and cooks, to the guards and weary eyed officials (Stealth trial. DC 60)

>>5415725
>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"
>De-possess Yuyi, to allow her some time to herself to prepare herself to meet the emperor and steel her heart, and wander the palace as a ghost to spy and investigate the goings on and day to to day life of the imperial court and family. (Perception trial. DC 40)

>>5415725
>Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!
>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"
Yuyi's interactions with Huan are the best

>>5415725
De-possess Yuyi, to allow her some time to herself to prepare herself to meet the emperor and steel her heart, and wander the palace as a ghost to spy and investigate the goings on and day to to day life of the imperial court and family. (Perception trial. DC 40)

>Meditate on the insights of humanity you've already gathered, in preparation to attain human form (Lowers DC of the trial to come)

>>5415725
>>>De-possess Yuyi, to allow her some time to herself to prepare herself to meet the emperor and steel her heart, and wander the palace as a ghost to spy and investigate the goings on and day to to day life of the imperial court and family. (Perception trial. DC 40)
>>Meditate on the insights of humanity you've already gathered, in preparation to attain human form (Lowers DC of the trial to come)

>>5415725

>Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!

>Meditate on the insights of humanity you've already gathered, in preparation to attain human form (Lowers DC of the trial to come)

>>5415725
>Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"

>De-possess Yuyi, to allow her some time to herself to prepare herself to meet the emperor and steel her heart, and wander the palace as a ghost to spy and investigate the goings on and day to to day life of the imperial court and family. (Perception trial. DC 40)

>>5415725
>Meditate on our insights
First rule of cultivation! Always consolidate your gains in preparation for a breakthrough

>Grill Mao Weixiao
Grudge insights.

Ending the vote now, tallying the result

De-possess Yuyi, to allow her some time to herself to prepare herself to meet the emperor and steel her heart, and wander the palace as a ghost to spy and investigate the goings on and day to to day life of the imperial court and family: 5

Meditate on the insights of humanity you've already gathered, in preparation to attain human form:7

Take the chance to grill Mao Weixiao about his unusually potent grudge, and the thing he said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life":11

Sit on the bed provided to you, and study the effects of your soul's presence on Yuyi's body! Maybe she actually is sprouting a tail! You need to check! You need to check!:7

Ask Yongzheng to interview the staff of the palace, from the maids and cooks, to the guards and weary eyed officials.:1

Ask Yongzheng what his thoughts of the palace are, and if its anything like he expected it to be.:1

Escape your quarters, and interview the staff of the palace, from the maids and cooks, to the guards and weary eyed officials:1

So You'll study Yuyi's body, to see if your possession has affected in any visible way, such as sprouting a tail

Grill Mao Weixiao about his grudge and the thing he said about the emperor never restraining himself

And then meditate on the insights of humanity you have gathered across your journey, in preparation to attain human form, until you are summoned to the emperor's side

Update will arrive shortly

This is the biggest update yet, had a real fun time writing it, cause Huanliuxue meets the son of heaven

There is a pleasing silence, not unlike that of the grave or abandoned battlefield, that seems to have settled like dust and cobwebs over the halls and corridors of this newly built and decently well appointed palace. The scent of smoke and blood clings to the carpets, and you can feel ash settling on your toes as you walk across them, which has distorted the colors of the silks and cottons, the discoloring clearly trying to be hidden through constant brushing and washing, which has frayed the fabric and warped the scenes placed upon it. Yongzheng has his guard raised, and you can see the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as he winds and wraps his prayer beads around his fingers in an effort to calm himself. Mao Weixiao however, is as much in his element in this shadowy manor lit only by a handful of hanging lamps as a trout in a stream or viper in the grass. You can sense the radiant heat of enmity soaked into the artifacts clearly smuggled from the ruins of the prior imperial palace, and can feel the gentle guiding cold produced by Ghostly Yin Qi, meaning that some of these fire and war touched treasures harbor the apparitions of fallen imperial servants or perhaps the remnants of failed traitors and assassins.

The gloomy, crypt like atmosphere within the walls of the emperor home relaxes you, tenderly draining your overflowing enthusiasm and reducing your spritely demeanor to quiet tactfulness. Though, you do not, however, embrace the etiquette lessons drilled into you by the old hag who has thankfully removed herself from your sight, and remained upbeat with a merry smirk on your lips and a sway to your step as you swaggered through the apartments and past the meek, weary eyed servant like a grey whiskered mouser marching through their territory.

"Lady Huanliuxue? Are the grounds of this palace haunted or cursed? I thought it only felt creepy because of the people who live here, but, with how lively and comfortable you have become, I started to wonder if maybe its because it has unseen residents as well" Yuyi asks frightfully, breaking the silence, though only between you and her, as you follow Mao Weixiao and Yongzheng up the stairs to the second floor of the uninhabited wing of apartments you had arrived to moments before

'it probably is, spirits and ghosts often cling to relics from their lives, binding themselves to the mortal realm' You say playfully, as goosebumps rise along your arms as Yuyi shudders 'and that's without taking into account anyone who the emperor has had executed here already, or his guards had cut down, or have committed suicide out of despair or'

"Please stop!" Yuyi yelps, as you sneer and cackle as you are led to the last room in the wing and Mao opens the door for you.
Cont

>>5418353

"Your quarters, Lady Yuyi. There are five silver bells upon the dresser, that you can ring to summon the servants, there is a note there as well, that details the precise order they need to be rung to request specific services or assistance" He says, as you step past him, and take in the surroundings of your temporary dwellings "If Assistant Yongzheng would follow me to his apartment, we shall leave the emperor's guest to her privacy"

Yongzheng lifts his head, as if he was going to argue, but said nothing. Probably because it'd be rather unbecoming for a monk to share a private room with a girl. You smirk in amusement, as the two men meet the other's glare, and depart together, leaving you to the empty and quite room. A fresh pot of orchids sits below the iron barred window, and the walls are decorated with images of cranes in flight, painted with gold leaf. There is a sandalwood dresser in the corner, a silk couch and cushion stool dyed mandarin and pale yellow, not Ling yellow, thankfully, as well as a chest of Fragrant rosewood, freshly cut judging from its sour scent. But it is not the darker Hei suanzhi that your treasured Ghost Empress Melody was carved from, but rather Hong suanzhi judging by its more vividly red coloration.

"There's gold and green jade hammered into it!" Yuyi gasps in awe as you throw open the chest, and find a mirror made out of pure white jade, with glass of such clarity and purity that you expect it was made by an alchemist of some talent "Oh that's a relief, I was worried I'd see a furry face looking back at us...wait, why are you undressing"

"Eh? We're both girls, and I've seen your naked body plenty of times, there's nothing to balk at about me examining it now" You explain kindly as Yuyi stammers

"Examine!?" She shrieks as you smile and nod

"Yes! Your remark about furry faces reminded me about how your senses have sharpened in our time spent as one, and how your body has strengthened the longer I've spent inside of you!" You say excitedly "I wasn't joking when I said you might sprout a tail!"

"Nooooo!" Yuyi cries out "I thought you were trying to cheer me up then! That you said that in jest!"

"I wouldn't joke about something so interesting!" You exclaim with a shining grin and a twinkle in your eyes, as you, now nude sit yourself down on the gold silk sheets of the bed, in the center of two woven cranes circling one another, and with the jade mirror you had found, begin to closely and intimately inspect every inch of Yuyi's body

"I don't find it interesting! I find it terrifying! I've only just found a man who loved me both for my looks and personality!" Yuyi hisses, very cat like, so much so you had thought for a moment you had sat upon some fattened palace brat's tail "How will he react if I return home from my long journey with whiskers and fuzzy ears?"
Cont

>>5418354

"With great delight if he has any taste, us cats are born with natural beauty and grace after all" You proclaim smugly, wagging your head back and forth as you find out that Yuyi is much more flexible before as you grab hold of one of her feet and roll over as you try and check if any claws are hiding in your toes.

Yuyi groans in discomfort as you remain in that position, curled into a circle as you prod and jab her feet, and rub her nails to see if their surface feels more like your own claws than the useless and dull nails of human hands. Unfortunately, your choice to cut her fingernails into mock claws, makes it so you can't tell if they've changed. Her feet haven't, beyond a slight increase in dexterity, but you don't find any paw pads on either her palms or soles. To Yuyi's great relief.

Then, rolling back upright, you lift up her lips and find that her canine teeth have lengthed, the sight of which causes her to whimper

"How monstrous!" She cries, as you smile, eyes sparkling with curiousity as you test their sharpness and draw blood from your finger with just a tap "How did you not notice that earlier?!"

"I was having fun playing with Buddhist monks" You blithely exclaim as you lift up your chestnut hued hair to see if any fur is sprouting from Yuyi's ears, or if they've tapered to points. You've never paid much attention to her ears, considering them useless due to their dullness of hearing, so you can't tell if they've become more catlike in more than their sharpness.

So, then, you begin pinching and prodding her arms and legs, confirming that her muscles have grown more taught and tightly bound, growing stronger but not bulkier, attaining a sort of feline svelteness. Indeed, Yuyi's frame has lost much of the chub and softness it had before, becoming lean and refined.

"Stop pocking my stomach" Yuyi grumbles in embarrassment as you move your legs to the side of the bed and leap off, striding to the nearest lamp, and prying open one of your eye's while holding up the jade mirror so you can see the shape of Yuyi's pupil.

Your train of thought it thoroughly trashed as Yuyi screams as the usually round dot in the center of her eye thins into a vertical sliver, like a cats.

"Cool! Cool! Cool! You've become more cat like than I thought you had! I never though my soul's essence would begin to bleed into your own, let alone begin to physically alter and transform your flesh! I thought it would have stopped at improving your senses and seeding feline instincts into your subconscious!" You exclaim excitedly as Yuyi herself continues to scream "Though I suppose, for your ears to sharpen, and for your weakness to vanish, your body would have to change as well. If it wouldn't kill you, I'd check and see how your insides might have changed! Your spiritual roots must've been completely reworked!"
cont

"I wouldn't call this minor! My eyes! Mama! Papa! The eyes you gave me are gone" Yuyi whines and whimpers "At least I don't have a tail...Lady Huanliuxue! Tell me why I'm becoming a cat person!"

"Well" You say, wagging your hips, and tapping your nail on her chin, pausing to roll her tongue to see if it's become rough "If a powerful soul or particularly willful spirit or ghost inhabits a body for a long enough time, the vessel they inhabit begins to match its contents, like the stains left behind by tea. That's why victims of ghostly possession are often hidden from public view, you know"

You frown and tilt your head

"Of course, my level of cultivation probably had a part to play as well, both in the suddenness of the transformation of your body and that it began at all to begin with. I wondered if something like this would happen, when we began to share memories" You say quietly as Yuyi continues pouting and blubbering

"You owe me for this, Huanliuxue!" She growls "I'm happy to act as your robes, but not become your mirror! The moment you can depart from me, please endeavor to do so, before I start growing fur!"

"My my, have you taken on my sassiness as well" You tease, as you stretched back and guide your hands down her spine and freeze as you reach just above her buttocks

"I'm not being sassy!" Yuyi barks "Defending the body your mother and father gave you is not being sassy! It's just common dignity! I may not be very proud or brave, but I have to put my foot down here"

You had felt her tailbone poking out further than it should. She was growing a tail. But why a tail first, before claws, whiskers, or ears? This demanded further study, but Yuyi was your dear friend, and she had just made it clear she wanted to not be blessed with feline good looks for whatever reason. You decided to keep this a secret from her, since telling her would only further her mental strain and stress her out further. Which might make her ill, which would weaken her body to the Yin energy of your soul.

And your soul was already far more potent than the common hungry ghost. Hopefully the Ghostly Qi and Beastly essence wouldn't linger inside Yuyi and further the changes of her body

"I understand, I understand. Besides, I won't need to use you as a mask for much longer" You say appealingly, tenderly trying to soothe Yuyi and coax her back into a state of calm

"That is all I ask, Lady Huanliuxue" She says meekly, as you dress yourself and stride over to the dresser and after a quick glance at the not tucked beside them, ring the bells to summon Mao Weixiao to your quarters

Then, sitting on the edge of your bed, one leg crossed over the other, you begin to come your hair. Only half a minute has passed before their is a loud rapping on your door

"Do come in" You say happily, as the door creaks open, to reveal the smiling face of Cat Smile

"What service may I provide to our honored guest?" He purrs as you purse your lips, and tap a finger on Yuyi's painted lips

"Satiating her curiosity, for I have two questions I've been dying to ask of you" You giggle as you throw up to fingers "Please step inside my quarters, so we may have some privacy"

Mao Weixiao's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but his smile remained on his face even when it fled his eyes. He slithered into your room, hands clasped together beneath the sleeves of his robes

"And what, may I ask, do you wish to ask me?" He asks curiously as he stalks closer to you, eyes so squinted they're nearly closed

"When I stepped down from the carriage, after the attack" You say slowly, as you unbind Yuyi's hair and allow it to fall so you can brush out its tangle and curls properly "I saw for a moment a look I recognize from many a man."

Mao becomes as still as a rigid corpse.

"A festering grudge that leads men to either despair or great action.” You coo as you lift up a long strand of Yuyi's hair and run your comb down its length

"And why does it concern you, that I, a faithful servant of the rightful emperor, hold traitors to his crown and throne with utmost contempt and abhorrence?" He asked sharply, a distant light smoldering in his squinting eyes "it is only natural to hate your enemies"

You snicker and turn to him, tilting your head and flashing a playful, placating smile at the "envoy"

”I take an interest in what leads men to the rash actions that place them in my care" You explain respectfully, which causes Mao to lower his guard somewhat, but does not do away with his wariness, at least not entirely "I have seen them sated, and those who would pass with the blackest of stains that will no doubt hold them in this life"

"What a macabre interest for a clever young woman to have, though, I suppose working with the dead and dying would inspire such a curiosity, even in one as lovely as you" Mao responds, speaking smoothly and politely as he moved to the corner of your bed, resting against its poster "Grudges are terrible things, even when they are righteous. So, what has made my justified spite and hatred so fascinating to you, Doctor"

"I have never seen such an intense look in a man who is not already embracing death and requires my intervention to save them" You purr, narrowing your eyes as you sharpen your tone to make your words into a dagger to strike at Mao's heart

"Truly?" he laughed "Then you are ignorant of how deep resentment can sink its roots. It can drive men to madness, after all"

"Mmm, nope. as I said, it is strange only that you weren't dying and I am well aware of the lunacy hatred can birth. I know grudges as well as the air I breath" You snap, causing him to jump "Grudges are treacherous and can be a poison, but most poisons, in the right does, can become medicine. Yours however, the enmity shared between you and the men under your command, in this metaphor, would be a venom so virulent it could kill stone!"

"Hmm, you truly are blessed with sharp eyes and divine perception" He said with a fake smile as he studied you

"So, you simply wished to share your hobby with me? Do you research resentment? I know emotions can cause mortal afflictions on the body, is that why you called me, to diagnose me with a malady caused by my enmity" He then questioned, moving closer to where you sat

"No" You chirp cheerfully, shaking your head "I would like to hear the story of your grudges one day, Mao Weixiao. I don’t believe you’ll tell me the truth, of course"

"Perhaps I will, one day. Who can tell what the future will bring. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to satisfying your curiosity" He answered with a hollow laugh

"But that said, even a lie worthy enough to explain such hatred would be interesting to hear" You say politely, as you return to brushing your hair "Such a potent grudge is unusual, even among the de...ying"

"I must admit, most women who are more interested by my charm and good looks than the secrets I keep" He said teasingly "What an interesting girl you are. You'll have more luck than most would, but, you are here for a reason. Do your duty, and I shall reveal the cause for this "Unusual grudge" of mine, yes?"

"A fair trade" You hum "Though I did say I have two questions"

"What is the second?" Mao asked, genuinely curious

"What did you mean when you said about the emperor "not restraining himself for once in his life"" You ask innocently, and to your shock, he did not glare, glower, snarl or spit, or threaten to strike you. He just lowered his head and gave a resigned, and tired sigh.

"The emperor is a man of many vices, it is to be expected of a man of his position and power" He said somberly "We cannot judge him, for he is an existence beyond us, blessed and adored by the heavens and respected as equal by the gods within. At least, he was before this trouble started, because one man did not see the honor in the son of heaven taking an...interest in his wife"

The pitch black grudge Mao held, began to flow from his heart and fill the room

"And even more generously, took her, his three daughters with her and the man's own aged aunt as his concubines" Mao said with a forced smile "He should've been proud my brother in law was so taken by his family. But no. That dog Bao put daggers in the hands of cultists, and all the other dogs began barking, breaking their leashes and pouncing upon their master"

Oh. The grudge wasn't directed only towards those who had betrayed imperial rule.

"Luckily, many of those still loyal to him, including my brother, gave their lives to protect him, and we were able to whisk his imperial majesty away from the jaws of those slavering beasts, and bring him to safety" Mao sighed wistfully, one hand trembling behind his back "Oh, the law and ordered crumbled, as men sought their ambitions and took advantage of the attempt on the emperor's life and warred amongst themselves and the crown. But, the dynasty survived, it endured"

He paced towards the door, the room blanketed with the roiling clouds of his resentment.
cont

>>5418360

"It lost its empress, its heirs. But that didn't matter. The emperor raised his favored concubine to his side as his new bride. That bitch of Bao" Mao said, as you can almost see his loyalty and hatred pulling him apart at the seams "I cannot forgive the traitors, for all the lives they have cost the realm and all the blood they had shed in their arrogance and short sightedness. I cannot forgive them, for fighting and extending the conflict as our empires rots and falls to anarchy. They who have taken all I had, deserve my malice. I might damn myself to hell, but, I can exact my vengeance while I draw breath. Every dog who stands against the emperor, is guilty of the crime of continuing the chaos that has consumed the world"

"You don't just hate them" You whisper, knowing he is not lying by the grudge energy bursting from him

"I cannot hate the man I named brother, nor can I forgive him for forgetting so quickly the sister my father gave to him or the brother who died for him" He said sternly and resolutely "But, a Mao's loyalty is deeper than words. Unlike the rest of the nobility, it seems. I am disgusted by both emperor and rebel, but, he is my brother and our fates are tied. Even if the heavens have abandoned him, I shall stay by his side until the end. He is the son of heaven, and can do no wrong. That is the providence he was born with"

He stood still, eyes transfixed on your own.

"I despise the traitor factions, because they have proven themselves without honor or loyalty, because they spit on the sacrifices of my family, generations of work, toil and humiliation. I hold such black malice for them, Yuyi, because they have ruined my life" He says with a voice frigidly cold it sounds as if it was spoken by a hungry ghost or Jiangshi "The emperor disgusts me, but I cannot hate him, for he has not ruined my life. Bao did. If he could have only swallowed his pride and smiled and thanked the emperor for cucking him, I'd have been the uncle to the next emperor, countless lives would have been spared, and the world would be at peace"

"Well that does satisfy my curiosity concerning you and your malice, Mao, it doesn't answer my question about" You say, wagging a finger before Mao chuckles and interrupts you.

"Oh, yes, sorry, your initial question roused my heart and made me reveal my true face, forgive me, Lady Yuyi. Do not speak a word of this outside this room" he purred "But, the reason for that shameful remark I made, was because the Emperor had taken another lover, abandoning the Bao bitch who caused all of my woes to begin with"

"Ah" You say as he nods and smiles manically

"Yes" He says, bowing his head "But, I must depart from your interesting company, Doctor, as if we remain together, troublesome rumors are sure to abound, and I would not shoulder you with such troubles"
Cont

You frown and watch him leave, feeling a chill as you contemplate the outburst of his true feelings and come to understand human grudges. You knew Monu's well, of course. But, Mao's was different very different and showed you that men could redirect their feelings, when they could not satisfy their desires or their enmity on the actual target of their feelings. You knew that, this was something about Humans, that they could delude and trick themselves in a way no beast could, but you hadn't seen or understood it before now.

"How frightening" You whisper as you adopt the Lotus position and breath out, to begin to meditate on the many and varied insights you had gleamed of human wisdom and civilization

"I kind of feel bad for Sir Mao now" Yuyi sighs sadly "He won't meet a happy end will he?"

"How shall I know?" You ask as you begin your meditation and reflect on all you have learned while in Yuyi's skin, and all that you now understand about humans and even feel and see within yourself. This journey had changed you, and you would change further when it came to an end.

Thus, you must prepare and ready yourself, for that final hurdle to attaining human form.

You are interrupted, hours later, as the sun began to set, by a knocking on the door. Outside your room, two masked men stood, and bid you to follow them. You obeyed, and found Yongzheng already taken from his room. As the sun set and night approached, and the palace was swallowed by shadows, you were lead to a room deep in its heart

Lit and warmed by a fire, you were direct to kneel before a screen placed behind it, shrouded by smoke. Yongzheng sat beside you, sweat beading on his brow, as the shadows behind the paper screen shifted, and a figure formed of a fat bellied man sitting up on a bed

You winced, assaulted by the sickly scent of decaying flesh, the burning smell of Kaoliang wine that you so hate, and aromas you knew but refused to give names to. The room was rancid with the stench that rose from the emperor's lifted sheets, and immediately both you and your assistant realized how far gone the emperor was.

"Why are there two?" A croaking voice asked "I asked only for the pretty lady doctor to treat me, not her and some plain faced baldly"

"Lord Tiāntūnrì [天焞日, Heaven's Radiant Su] Please forgive us for our impudence, but The jade doctor refused to travel without her assistant, We assure you, he is just as skilled a doctor and knowledgeable of medicine as she is!" One of the soldiers shouts, fearfully

"Hnnnr, fine, you are forgiven for your arrogance, all who took part in bringing The Miracle worker Yuyi to me!" The emperor barked "Prostrate yourself, extra, and be honored to enter into the presence of the son of the nine heavens! The great emperor Lóng, grants you audience alongside your mistress! However, you may not approach me, monk, nor soil the air I breath, hold your breath!"

How pretentious! As if he himself was not already fouling the air with his stench

>>5418363

"Saint Yuyi! Step forward, you are allowed to gaze upon my divine form!" He bellows, and you, after a moments hesitation and preparation of covering your nose with your sleeves, step past the screens hiding the emperor. And stare at him for a several, thoughtless moments, as you struggle to see him as anything besides a pig or disgusting goblin of some kind.

He was round, covered in a dense mat of black hair from his chest to his thighs. He sat, propped up against a pile of soiled silk pillows, decorated with images of dragons and rimmed with peacock feathers. His lap was covered with a tiger's hide, and his beady eyes stared from his heavy, shaggy brow. He had several chins, and his ear lobes droop to the end of his neck. His hair was greasy and black, and he kept a wispy and pathetic mustache and beard that struggled to wrap around his bloated face. He was pale, and turning green and purple in some places, where corruption had already set in. His blubbery arms sat on his lap, reddened and covered in rashes.

"Gout" Yuyi murmured reflexively "Diabetes, obesity, over abundance of Yin energies with acute deficiencies of Yang affecting several internal organs, in a clearly Yang aligned constitution. Master, I don't think poison is what's killing him. His lifestyle is"

'No, he's been poisoned' You correct, gazing at the wheezing and panting form of the...the man who was chosen by heaven to rule the mortal realm and

You feel tears welling in your eyes, as jealousy bubbles up within you. This, is what they chose to give their blessing to? Some bloated, horny pig in heat whose so self centered he can't see how disgusting he is, who has so little empathy or sense he does not care his actions have wrought calamity and tragedy upon his subjects! This is the ruler, the emperor they back! This absolute failure of a human being, who betrays his family and loyal subjects to satiate his own wild desires and hungers, who sneers down at a world suffering from the throne he was unjustly given. Only to beg and plead to be saved when his crimes come back to haunt him.

Visions of Siwang and Fu butchering this pig flashed before your eyes... could you even call him a pig! You might not have a high opinion of that greedy pig Yi Zhu, but calling this...thing a pig was insulting to him!

How...how dare the gods name this man their mortal agent, their chosen son and emperor when they name one as glorious and noble as yourself a demon! A mistake! And declare your mere existence and life as unlawful and heinous. Tears flow down your cheeks, as you clench your jaw and begin to shake with a rage you haven't felt since you first awoke as Huanliuxue. Insulted and outraged, cannot describe what you are feeling now, faced with the embodiment of the unjustness of the heavens and the world.
Cont

>>5418364

That one as worthless as this scumbag was raised up, while you would be squashed down! Where your people were hunted for merely existing, this animal enjoyed a life of luxury and privilege so grand, he was able to get away with any crime no matter how vile. That a villain held the mandate of heaven, while you..you who despite being named demon, hunted like rabid dog and feared by all except your fellow outcasts, chose to be benevolent and good to the world that hated you!

You tasted blood, you felt faint, you wanted to cry. This wasn't fair! This wasn't fair!

"I know, it must be upsetting to see your emperor brought so low and in such a sorry state! but tears do not fit your pretty face, my dear servant" The fucking fucker cooed, thinking he was somehow charming or attractive to you rather than sickening. Gross! Gross! "But you must endure, I have faith you shall succeed, and preserve my noble life"

Noble? What is noble about this pile of lard and twisted hairs?! Aren't you a thousand times more noble than him! Why isn't he hunted for sport huh!? Baoli-Wuyawang was more noble than he was! And more pleasant to look at to! How could this be the emperor! The ruler ordained by heavenly mandate!

The world was spiraling as you stood, a fake smile stuck on your lips as you struggled to make sense of how you could be reviled for being born and this man could, until recently, have been accepted and permitted to act as he will by the heavens.

You wanted to kill him. To spite the unjust world. To free the kingdom from this boil that had poisoned it. To avenge the children of the village and all others who suffer because he was allowed to indulge himself in every vice and depravity! Cause the heavens loved him!

And hated you!

What do you do Huanliuxue?

>Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings [Extreme good karma] [Crafting: Alchemy/ Knowledge: Alchemy trial. DC 30)

>"You had children, heirs. Do you shed tears for them, son of heaven?" [Composure trial. DC 80. Due to what the answer will be]

>Laugh and cry and rage.

>You have poisons that'll cause him a more painful death, administer them in a fit of pique.

>write in

>>5418367
I am deeply torn. The karma doesn't interest me. But getting Yuyi out alive, unspoiled and above reproach is paramount. On the other hand I really want this guy to die. I'd even be willing to prolong his life solely so that we'll get the chance to personally bring him to ruin later, entirely selfish in the face of the fact that curing him will bring misery to more people. If only Yuyi weren't lending us her meat suit.

Though I suppose it is a bit meta of me to impose knowing that he doesn't give a fuck about his kids when Huan doesn't have definitive proof from his own mouth.

Well played, Grandfather.

>>5418360
>>5418362
How very interesting. Mao, brother to the Emperor. Perhaps we will cultivate his grudge one day. He clearly just wants a divine heir to manage, though he'd not say it. And-

>>5418367
Can't blame him.

Fucking, what. My god. We have soul sealing pearls. That'll cure him. There's a lake nearby, right? Do we know teleportation spells? Let's see, can we get Yuyi to stall so our real body can get in range enough to use Spiteful Blood Legacy?

OKAY
WAIT
I've figured it out.

We heal him as Yiyu and leave. Days later
WE STRIKE HIM DOWN AS HUĀNLIÚXUÈ.

On top of the healing, can we attempt some deep Blood Refinement on the Emperor while within Yuyi? To transform into something more human and less like an insult to pigs and mankind. Like a true divinely inspired miracle worker. Good experiment too.

I had some other idea that involved trying to use our mastery of Blood Qi to literally reconfigure his passions or something to "fix" this thing, but I don't really want that. Not anymore. We don't need this.

>>5418367
>Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings [Extreme good karma] [Crafting: Alchemy/ Knowledge: Alchemy trial. DC 30)
We came here to learn, and learn we shall.
Let us engrave the image of this "emperor" into our mind, and learn what to never become.
While also learning how to do things we despise, something humans do quite often, I believe.

>Composure trial. DC 80. Due to what the answer will be
that's... ominous

>>5418367
Heal him as Yuyi. Tell Mao something about the Emperor barely hanging on karmically. Then a bit later strike him down in a way that will make people think the heavens punished him.

>>5418367
Of course this would be the hardest choice of the quest so far.
>Heal him now, but return later in your true body
I want to ask his about his heirs, but Huan’s rage would be courting death at this moment. It’ll probably be our first bad karma action, but 1000% worth it

File: 1644129679252.jpg (47 KB, 564x400)

47 KB JPG

>>5418367
>Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings [Extreme good karma] [Crafting: Alchemy/ Knowledge: Alchemy trial. DC 30)
Ok, I hate this fucker, but I don't want Yuyi to het hurt.
So let's heal him, get out, go to our students and depossess her. Then we can either use our ghost form to tormemt him or our body to just kill him.
Either way, he will face judgement.

>>5418367
Based on what everyone else is saying, how does this sound?
>Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings.
>State that you will beseech Huanliuxue to visit and give the additional blessings of health as she is a divine beast that has stood against Heaven’s enemies and has power over life herself.
>Return as Huanliuxue and speak with the Emperor. Ask about his heirs and if they should be blessed as well so we can get even angrier.
>Judge the Emperor as unfit of the mandate of Heaven in your capacity as a “divine” beast, and kill him.
Yuyi is from the area Huanliuxue is from, so her knowledge wouldn’t be unusual. We could even claim to have a favor from her, for saving people she thought beyond rescue. What better use to spend it than sending the divine beast to assist the Son of Heaven himself?
The only reason we’ll be able to say this with a straight face is because we’ll be pouncing later. And burning most of this good karma since we’re only temporarily saving him, but who else outside the heavens has the authority to bring justice to the So. of Heaven beyond the Princess, Queen, and Empress of the Wilds?

>>5418482
Sounds good, but doesn't state Huan is divine "beast", but the guardian spirit of Chuan region and the ruling family, since that's what we are being worshiped as.
The fact that our worship is associated with nobility, right to rule and wellbeing is a good explanation why Yuyi would call on Huan specifically, since the emperor is a noble of nobles, right?

>>5418482
I'd rather avoid implicating Yuyi in any way.

>>5418509
Thanks, I was trying to think of a better way to put that but couldn’t quite complete it. “Divine spirit” would work.
>>5418513
I’m worried about needing to fight our way in and killing innocents. I’m thinking being famous in one region of the empire isn’t enough to get us into the capital unless the Emperor can approve it.

Would it be acceptable to simply bless the Emperor’s health in Huanliuxue‘s name, and when he asks about who that is we just say she’s a divine spirit from our region that fights his enemies and wards off death? No indication that Yuyi is involved with us then, but it gives us the option of announcing ourselves to the city and requesting an audience with the Emperor to better aid in enacting justice on those who would defy heaven. We might sneak in anyway, but it depends on the defenses and if we want to openly spin our assassination as a blow from heaven itself.

>>5418559
I think we should sneak in, a god doesn't request an audience.
Put not directly saying Yuyi is involved with Huan should be for the best, although a passing mention could work.

At least we are all in agreement of healing him and coming back to give this NTR fat ugly bastard a painful death, even if we can't agree on the method.

>>5418559
We can sneak in (we've consistently had low DCs or even auto successes on it). We can come in as a ghost, possess him and do whatever we want. We do not need to ask for an audience.

>>5418367
>You had chidren, Heirs, where are they now son of heaven?

If he killed children, he dies. No exceptions. No compromise, he dies.
If he just doesn't give a shit, heal him.

I wonder, if we only just healed him despite our immense disdain for him, how would Huanliuxue's self-hatred from such an act develop her understanding of grudges? Would it push her to understand humanity in ways she'd never even considered before despite her wisdom? Doing things they hate because of their position and nothing else, how human-like is that?

>>5418367
>>5418482
Updated write-in:
>Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings.
>Give a blessing to the Emperor in the name of Huanliuxue, the Happy Bloodshed that wards off death for those blessed by Heaven and brings it to those who are not.
>Promise yourself to return and deal with the Emperor as Huanliuxue.
Reeling it back some since it’s admittedly early to vote on how to infiltrate. We don’t know what the DC is for anything, and sneaking in is the safer option in terms of reputation.
>>5418563
Yeah, definitely no doubt about circling back. It should reduce the good karma reward significantly, but I don’t think Huan can be true to herself by letting this go unanswered.
>>5418589
I’ve been thinking about it since it’d be public. Claiming to be associated with the heavens to the people of the capital, then striking him down, would imply he lost the mandate of heaven rather than being assassinated by wicked men. We may even have the excuse to appoint a replacement.
Is it actually worth it? Eh. Unless the DC were ridiculous, I think I’d still vote to sneak in. It’s a lot of heat attached to Huan. But I like laying groundwork where I can so other anons can come up with better reasons for/against something like that.
Besides, if we get caught maybe we just spin it as visiting the Emperor as a cat would. I’d hope we don’t need it, but better to have backups than not.
>>5418613
This is likely true! At the very least, it’ll help cultivate her core grudge. That ought to be worth a little bit of power.

>>5418688
>Huanliuxue, the Happy Bloodshed that wards off death for those blessed by Heaven and brings it to those who are not.
If I know my Chinese mythology, there is a hierarchy in the heavens, and a guardian spirit of a province is NOT one who is allowed to punish the Emperor. We're NOT the one who can revoke the mandate of heaven. We'll only raise doubts about our status and likely bring cultivators after us.

>>5418367

> Write in

Cure him, and lace him with poison and medicine make food to ash and perverse pleasure to pain. Send his body on a crash course toward purification that will either kill him or make him something worthy of the mandate of heaven.

Trial by fire, then observe the results.

>>5418613
It indeed ought be great fuel, it is at least something that hasn't happened to anywhere near this extent before.
This is overlapping every measure of our hatred towards the heavens with the reality of the "royalty" that is supposed to embody their virtues.

To look at this Emperor and be disgusted with the Gods is truly human. To help this creature while still holding onto that is genuinely divine. This son of heaven is the physical embodiment of the spirit of our grudge, if that 80 dc is anything to go by. Props to Huan for not screaming out 'oh god it's all pointless, you're all fucking pointless!'.

In that, I believe killing him will also further our grudge against the heavens, rather than ameliorate it. We may be correcting a problem, but the heart of our resentment isn't naive and has already recognized that it's too late; this Emperor is proof we are right to hate, to be scornful, to build anger. If I'm thinking accurately, then to our grudge his death is just a muddy ripple upon the universal fabric of enmity, returning back to him from hitting the "bounds" of our formation and birth, which he'd greatly contributed to.

I'm beginning to wonder how many in our village were cursing the heavens with their last dying breaths. As people dying unjustly often will. Perhaps even cursing the son of heaven. All right before we were born.

But hey geeze, the world has placed our hard ideoethical counter in front of us. An enemy who actually deserves us, and they're helpless. The Gods themselves should only be grateful if we force them to choose a new son of heaven. Do we even have enough Qi to kill them hard enough in fair proportion to what is deserved? Guess we'll need to get creative.

>>5418688
I also worry about the backlash. If we're cunning we can force the perception of the situation any number of ways. Most people despise the Emperor, including an apparent many of those loyal to him. If we succeed in a sneaking mission they'll believe one of their many enemies succeeded. Of course, we can't use our Guqin for anything in the assault if we want to be secret, since we've carried the instrument with Yuyi while practicing.

But If we want to send a message, or gain popular notoriety, or kill him in a super special way, I can see some potential in those. Though any gain will be tied to danger. And although the immortals are busy being clans doing stupid clan stuff, anything along the lines of a magical beast making proclamations to people is something they've sent people to investigate, like with the Ogress and our ghostly serpent student.

All it takes is one smart Daoist to look at the areas Qi after any of our destructive acts and think of places that match it best, and there are few. I got no dice on how many smart cultivators exist tho. So far, at least two sects we know of have no problem sacrificing outer disciples for marginal to none intel gains. We got lucky they've blamed each other.

Tricking the people here that we're a divine stand in would require at the least an appearance of humanity, if not human form. We can't fully expect they'd solidly believe their gods sent a ghost beast, even to "correct" the actions of a saintly doctor in our greater context. Not even a powerful dragon has the right to replace an Emperor, even if they're a crazed lech. The Gods changing their minds requires the Gods saying so. We haven't even got a list of Gods to pretend to be!

A crazy cultivator claiming to represent the gods is just a lying immortal on a power trip, though the sects might find such negative attention being brought to them by a rogue cultivator a concern. Doable, but I'll question the wisdom of any attention vs. leaving it a mystery.
If there is something to be gained through the acts' infamy it must be solid.

>>5418730
Making it look like an assassination might work, could even make it so it looks like the brothers did it, so they can return to their home victorious. Might make the war even harder, and their lord could throw them to the wolves instead of rewarding them.
Mysterious spooky death is also possible, but there is a risk someone comes to investigate, or people think Yuyi poisoned him.
We can also try to possess him, haunt him and have him kill himself. Maybe even drag his soul to hell ourselves. Someone might notice and get an exorcist though.

>>5418721
Fair enough! I didn’t know how valid that idea was. That’s a solid knock against going public even if the sneak DC is high since I can’t see any advantage to it now and the negatives are severe.
>>5418725
Thoughts from others? I’m hesitant to vote for it since it puts Yuyi in even more danger. He could fail, die, and then Yuyi gets the blame for killing the Emperor.

>>5418733
Oh, the brothers! They're still here!

That's actually brilliant.

They've basically said they're going to try to strike the Emperor themselves, to save Yuyi. Even after we cure him, the leading brother may be emboldened rather than back down.

It would probably be ridiculously hard, but we might even covertly assist them to the point they succeed in killing the Emperor. Our hands, clean, and everyone gets what they want! Except him.

>>5418734
Maybe only if Yuyi tell him that it's going to be the side effects.
But after seeing Mao, the coperial court would probably blame her anyway after he fucks himself to death because her solution wasn't good enough.

>>5418734
I doubt we'd even need to sneak. It seems like all the cultivators have abandoned the false emperor as well. Unless there's a master skulking around in the wings partying there may not be anyone here who can stop Huan from literally just trotting in and stomping on his skull.

>>5418725
I so badly want to torture him, but I also want to keep our promise to Yuyi.

>>5418740
As well this. He's a selfish spoiled brat. If he doesn't get what he wants, somebody has to be blamed for it.

>>5418737
You know, maybe if we send one of our students to heal their wounds, give them with some spiritual medicine and buffing pills, they could be strong enough to overcome some of the guards. It could cause a distraction, and make it believable they could have been the ones to do the deed. But this risks revealing more of ourselves.
>>5418742
We can always try to steal his soul when we kill him, so we can give him the proper punishment later.

>>5418747
>We can steal his soul
Genius. The ghost of an Emperor; a doorstop for the ages.

You know what? Let's formalize this thoughts, since everyone that voted to heal him wanted to come back and finish the job
>>5418367
>>5418453
Changing to
>Calm yourself and heal the pig, but begin planning a way to bring him to justice without implicating sweet Yuyi. Perhaps the Dian brothers and a sealing soul jar could be of use? [No karma gain?] [Same trial and DC?]

>>5418725
>>5418740
How about we state that we need to gather some materials and we’ll return shortly? In the meantime he can be brought to a sturdy flat bench as I’m sure acupuncture will be part of the treatment.

We can bring Mao with us to get the materials we need and tell him that he is poisoned, but his health is terrible (list everything Yuyi saw) so he may not survive the side effects afterward. Food will taste like ash, pleasure will be pain etc. Then we can seriously ask him if we should expect to be executed as a scapegoat if the Emperor doesn’t survive the cure.

We’ll do it either way on our oath as a doctor, but we’d like to know if we should also pass him some arrangements regarding our friends and kin.

I’m hoping that gets him largely in our corner if things go wrong. Curbing Emp’s hedonism through pain oughta make him happy to support us.

Then we give the Emperor a shortened version of that rundown (we’ll fix you, but it’ll suck) and do the deed.

Later on, leave a regimen of medicine for Emp to take that continue the terrible side effects regarding his hedonism but promote good health. Recommend he take it for 3 months.

>>5418754
All good ideas all around for plans, this is why I want Huan to begin planning, so we can know in character what could be valid, and how hard it would be.

>>5418754
>>5418758
Actually, It might still be too risky, I'm sure Mao would say to do it, and later on would let the emperor demand Yuyi's death anyway.
Or even worse, demand her to be his new concubine once he heals, so she can "pay back" the pleasure she "stole".
And that is if he doesn't skip out on the medicine one day and notices that he is better without the side effect and we were actually poisoning him.

>>5418367
>>5418758
Agreed, though the poisoning plan is a little hard to square with the planning as we need to starting working on it almost immediately.
I think it’s between
>Calm yourself and heal the pig, but begin planning a way to bring him to justice without implicating sweet Yuyi. Perhaps the Dian brothers and a sealing soul jar could be of use? [No karma gain?] [Same trial and DC?]
and
>>Decide to heal the Emperor, but lace his treatment with poisons that will punish his hedonism with misery, depression, or pain. Your vengeance can’t wait until you are outside of Yuyi, though it can be tempered with a lesser punishment.

I’ll back the former. I’m not sure about what we’d do with an Emperor’s soul, but using the brothers is a neat way to bring everything full circle.

Very caught between giving the Emperor one last opportunity to face themselves via medicinal cunning, or daring to possess his gross soul and force him to, or simply granting unto him the justice that is most appropriate.
What a test.

>>5418753
+1.

If only Siweng was around. If we manage to snatch it, I wonder what he'd say about the Emperor's soul and our actions.

>>5418765
You can remove the part about using the brothers, maybe make it
>Calm yourself and begin his treatment, but plan a way to bring him to justice without implicating sweet Yuyi. You have plenty of ideas to chose from.
So that way Grandfather can say if we even can make a pleasure into pain medicine to begin with, and how hard would be to make it work, through the power of DCs

>>5418404
>>5418768
Also, to be clear this +1 is a replacement of the first vote.

>>5418765
>I’m not sure about what we’d do with an Emperor’s soul
Oh, I was trade for something nice in hell. I'm sure the man that broke the mandate of heavens would fetch a nice price, specially since there must be a lot of souls interested in him.
Or just torture him ourselves, if we are feeling petty enough.

>>5418367
>"You had children, heirs. Do you shed tears for them, son of heaven?" [Composure trial. DC 80. Due to what the answer will be]
>Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings [Extreme good karma] [Crafting: Alchemy/ Knowledge: Alchemy trial. DC 30)

I'm leaning towards abandoning the idea of correcting the Emperor forcefully our self, and leaving it in the hands of fate. Will the brothers bring about their promised retribution and rescue? Or will the Emperor be allowed to continue his reign? ...Or will Huanliuxue be unable to compose herself enough after learning of the Emperor's lack of empathy towards his own offspring. I understand if this doesn't get support though.

>>5418776
You see, the problem is if Huan kill him we are breaking our promise to Yuyi to not put her in harm's way.
She is what stopping us from acting like the powerhouse we are.

>>5418770
I don’t think it matters. The real issue is that any degree of poison implicates Yuyi. As you pointed out, the Emperor could decide to punish/execute her even if we’re successful. Saving him means execution is probably off the table, but he could still make us a concubine or otherwise imprison us if we refuse.
Though now that’s making me think we have to poison him so he doesn’t want to keep us as a trophy. Damn.
I guess I’ll correct to
>Calm yourself and agree to his treatment, but gather materials and plan a way to bring him to justice without implicating sweet Yuyi. You have plenty of ideas to chose from.
so we can step away long enough to speak with Mao and Yongzheng and determine if we’d really need to poison him to get Yuyi out of the capital unmolested. Dong brothers should help if she’s captured, but I don’t want to make them the primary plan.

Wait, I just realized that the gather materials excuse might not fly, since it's the one we gave Mao to retrieve our body.
So we would need to we lie really well to explain why we would need to do it twice.

>>5418779
Hehe dong brothers

>>5418753
support

>>5418778
And thus an element of leaving it up to fate. Will the dice be generous or spiteful? Only they themselves know.

>>5418808
I think it's best not to complicate it. Simple plan. Save him, come back later, much later if need be and ice the fatso. No need for poisons or curses.

>>5418826
I feel my plan was pretty simple, see if Huanliuxue can stomach the Emperor's feelings towards his offspring, and if so then heal him. If not, then whatever happens, happens.

>>5418753
Supporting

This has been a very big mess, but I’m happy with all the banter!

>>5418367
>Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings [Extreme good karma] [Crafting: Alchemy/ Knowledge: Alchemy trial. DC 30)
I want to heal him.
Let Yuyi get the recognition, praise, and any other boons that come her way.
But then
>Plot this man's death without implicating Yuyi.

>>5418367
>Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings [Extreme good karma] [Crafting: Alchemy/ Knowledge: Alchemy trial. DC 30)
Then
>"You had children, heirs. Do you shed tears for them, son of heaven?" [Composure trial. DC 80. Due to what the answer will be]

File: unknown.png (1.2 MB, 1380x1600)

1.2 MB PNG

Don't worry, I am not dead. I'll tally the result of the vote in a few hours from now. Sorry for vanishing for five days, without any warning, I was very busy last week and had absolutely no free time. Forgive me, I shall kowtow and give you face if you so desire.

>>5423031
It's ok Gramps, we forgive you.
And sorry for the mess we made with the votes.

>>5423031
The holiday-family season approaches fast, eh?

>I'll tally the result
...好运!

File: d6i9wvo9m1091.jpg (291 KB, 2800x1218)

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Ending the votes now, tallying the results. This will be quite the tribulation.

Compose yourself, force yourself to get close to and touch the wretched thing, and cure him, despite your personal feelings: 12
- begin planning a way to bring him to justice without implicating sweet Yuyi:9
- lace him with poison and medicine make food to ash and perverse pleasure to pain. Send his body on a crash course toward purification that will either kill him or make him something worthy of the mandate of heaven.:1

Give a blessing to the Emperor in the name of Huanliuxue, the Happy Bloodshed that wards off death for those blessed by Heaven and brings it to those who are not.:1

"You had children, heirs. Do you shed tears for them, son of heaven?":3

So You will Compose yourself, force yourself closer to the wretched thing calling itself Emperor and cure him despite your personal feelings
BUT
Will begin plotting Long Tiāntūnrì's death/ punishment, without implicating Yuyi

Which well negate the [Extreme Good Karma], since you're planning on killing the guy even if you're saving him now. But since you are doing it to protect Yuyi and keep your promise, you will be performing a [Good Karma] Action

brining Huanliuxue to a total of 7 good karma points and 0 bad karma.

Update will arrive shortly, gonna be the first time in awhile where dice were rolled. Lets hope they haven't taken offense, lol

>>5423038
I enjoyed it actually, the intense discussion and decision making pleased me greatly

>>5423042
Yep!
And thanks, I will need all the luck I can

>>5418563
>give this NTR fat ugly bastard a painful death
Lol

>>5418728
>then to our grudge his death is just a muddy ripple upon the universal fabric of enmity, returning back to him from hitting the "bounds" of our formation and birth, which he'd greatly contributed to.

well put

>>5418770
Oh you could, especially if you had Monu help/ make it herself.
She does kind of specialize into poisons, and Huan is her daughter and student.

But, like so many others, you swallowed the resentment rushing out of your heart to darken your expression and held back the furious and sorrowful tears that flowed freely from your eyes upon being met with the earthly incarnation of all of your woes and hatred. You composed yourself, as a lady of noble birth should, and taking a note from the stinking pile of garbage before you's own servant, hid the enmity and spite you held for the mortal son of the nine heavens behind a cat like smile, a pleasant smirk meant to set others at ease and comfort them with false niceties and mock warmth, to wear a façade of quiet concern and solemn reverence, all to hide the fire of hatred smoldering in your eyes. You adopted the coolness of the grave and death, and feeling as if you were once more in your own skin, you, with elegance and dignity undeserved of your patient, strutted to his bed side. Chin lifted and eyes averted from the mess of disease, sin and poisoned flesh mere feet away from you, the disgust welling up quickly inside you was swiftly suppressed before it could show itself upon your face.

"I am undeserving of such praise, given by a man of your pedigree and authority this humble doctor would prefer to not be spoken to at all. So vast is the difference between us, in both status and splendor, I am hesitant to speak to you at all" You say meekly, mimicking Yuyi's own manner of speech and demure nature, speaking an insult that sounds like awed admiration spoken by a respectful servant. When in actuality, you were talking down to Emperor Long, telling him without specifying, that HE was unworthy to even open his mouth to praise you in your regal presence.

The blubberous fool fell for the flattery, his ego as vast as his belly blinding him to the true intentions or the chill in your tone beneath the reserved and chastely hesitance you imitated to appease his misplaced sense of grandeur and delusions of charisma. Beneath the curling brambles of his thin black beard, and beneath the sheen and drops of sweat and further yet beneath the wine staining his cheeks, the pale skin of his face turned flush. It would seem this man is one who is charmed by being insulted, even if he is unaware the sweet words spoken to him were instead filled with the venom of contemp. How gross! Even his drooping ear lobes were blushing now.

Keeping from looking directly at him was the only way to keep the illusion of care and veneration from slipping from your face to expose your true feelings to this failure of an emperor and human being.

With a pompous expression and great show of needless pomp and dramatics, with great effort, Long Tiantunri lifted his arm, afflicted with poison, poxes and scabs and rashes of all sorts from the silk sheets of his sweat and wine clogged bed.
Cont

>>5423176

Doubtlessly, there were other, unmentionable fluids and filth also soaked into the sorry piece of befouled furniture, you could smell them even through the appalling stench of the bloated creature sitting atop it, but you refused to consider what they were or acknowledge that they were there

You repressed a shudder of revulsion, and swallowed hard to keep down the bile rising in your throat, tasting it on the back of your tongue as daintily, as if beckoning to a lover, the emperor lifted his pudgy hand. It was nearly entirely violent, with internal bleeding caused by the poisons surging through his veins, bursting blood vessels and corroding muscles. The parts of it that were not, were dried, shriveled and bloodless or else bloated further and turned a pungent hue of green, gangrenous and rotting. Open wounds wept yellow fluid, scabbing grey and white where he had been cut on his fingers to gather his poisoned blood. Rings, bracelets and bangles, stuck fast to his bloated limb, shone with sweat even though they were caked with the filth oozing out of him. Rotten blood, drops of dried poison and flakes of dead skin.

"I have never cared much for social status, preferring to measure people by their qualities and ability, rather than their birth or supposed worth" He bleated drolly "a girl of a historied and wealthy family with a freckled and plain face has less value than a peasant woman who is beautiful and without flaw. A general who will listen, is worth more than one who will refuse your commanded, no matter the difference in their skill. There is no reason to be so uptight and aloof, Lady Yuyi, at least in my company. I care not about the breeding of my favorites! Only their looks and use to me! And as you are both pleasant to look at, and the key to my survival, you could spit on my face and I would only have one of your fingers broken for such a slight! Hahhahaha!"

How can he say that so cheerfully? His idea of worth and value is entirely twisted around his own pleasure and entitlement! You choose servants by ability and talent, not if they are subservient or loyal to you! And his metaphor about the two girls is just gross, so gross it makes your skin crawl more than having to touch his corrupted flesh and foul body.

"That may be your view, but you and I are still of different worlds, this is the meeting of a dragon and a dog" You say, never specifying which of you is the dragon and which of you is the dog "It is only sensible that I remain formal and cold, when the distance between us is so vast and in any other circumstances, a slip of the tongue would be a condemnation"

Just not for you.

"For me it would be" Yuyi groaned, sounding like she just vomited, and she had a point
Cont

>>5423177

"A reserved beauty is more desirable, as a high growing peach must taste sweeter than a lower hanging one" The emperor said with a booming laugh "Though, it is stifling, I do enjoy a woman who knows her place! I've given too much freedom and allowances to the other women in my life! And what have they given me but treason and apathy!?"

He snorted, blinking and watching you intently as you began to poke and prod his hand, struggling not to quake with disgust with every contact between your fingers and his wretched body.

You really don't want to cure him, but you must for Yuyi's sake. And you realize as you begin to diagnose the lower than a Pig Emperor's condition, to identify the poisons and how far they've progressed, as well as the damages already done to his already unhealthy sack of flesh called a body, that doing something you hate is something you'd have never done before you deepened your understanding of humans and civilization. Doing things they abhor, because of their responsibility and position, is something only humans do, which you had not understood why until this very moment, but now you did and you were doing so.

And the revulsion you felt towards yourself, the self loathing of saving such a revolting and wicked man and hatred you harbored for your hands prodding and poking him, proves to you that you are right to harbor the grudges you do against the heavens, to be scornful and angry at them, not only for their hypocrisy and cruelty, but their apathy as well.

You hate having to touch and cure this sorry excuse for royalty, who is everything a ruler shouldn't be and is an afront to your own beliefs of morality, justice, and nobility. And for once, your bestial, natural laws align with the laws of heaven and men. This man, should not be allowed to rule or live any longer! He ruins everything he touches! From the silk beneath his wide ass, to the kingdom he was born to inherit!

Oh you'll cure him, but you shall also punish him, once Yuyi is no longer in danger. And so you began planning the down fall of the disgraceful son of heaven

"That's a relief! Almost makes it worth feeling his skin slough beneath my fingers as I smell all of his filth" Yuyi cheerfully remarks

"What are you doing with that needle?" The emperor asked, paling

"Acupuncture, to check which of your organs still function" You say soothingly, as you place a needle in the tip of his finger. He does not react or jolt with pain, merely watching as the sliver of metal slips through his skin, into his flesh and...and past his bone.

"Hmm, that's bad!" You announce, causing the emperor's piggish eyes to bulge open "the bones in your hand have the consistency of sponge! I only know a few poisons that affect bone in such a manner, and the cure for all of them are as painful as the poison itself!"
Cont

>>5423178

"Will it be quick at least?" He asks weakly as you grab one of the veins visible through his violet skin

"Hmm, your veins are petrified, hardened, enough that I can grab hold of them beneath your skin and crumble them with my finger" You mutter, as the emperor starts to hyperventilate and whine, panicked by your observations and the hidden injuries they reveal "Very few poisons petrify veins and turn bones into jelly, I'll have to examine your belly to be certain, but I think I can narrow it down to four poisons of which I am acquainted to...Actually, open your mouth! The coloration of your teeth and tongue will help me identify what you've been poisoned with!"

roll 1d100. Best out of three. DC 30

Things are going to get very exciting very soon.

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>5423180
We can't possibly critical fail this thing that we are so well educated upon. Attempt to smite me, oh weakened dice gods.

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>5423180

Rolled 73 (1d100)

>>5423180

>>5423188
Incredible Success, 40 over Dc, nearly 50!

Update will arrive shortly

I forgot that this is roll over and panicked for a second, lol

Big update!

Your disgust and discomfort only grows as you continue your diagnosis of Emperor Long Tiantunri and the poison crawling through his veins, ruining his already polluted and weakened flesh and organs. This man wouldn't have lived long even if he had not been poisoned and had earned the ire and hatred of what seems like the majority of humanity! You remain silent, as you continue the slow process of identifying the source of the man's fast approaching death by examining the signs it has left behind on and beneath his skin, signs easily missed by even the most knowledgeable and trained physicians, doctors and alchemists...at least among the mortal realm. This poison, is amongst the deadliest amongst those that can be produced outside of the world of cultivation, though it is not known by even the most successful of the world's poisoners. To know this poison, let alone acquire it, one would need knowledge kept by hermits in the mountains, "Wicked" martial art schools, and withered old alchemists struggling to surmount the hurdle of being born without the spark of potential that allows one to become a cultivator to begin with.

In the world of cultivation, while this poison remains deadly, it would be much more common. And that is because its creation requires spirit grasses and herbs that can only be grown in specific conditions and in few parts of the world, in soil soaked with an extraction of eleven lethally venomous insects and the guts of five toxic fish beneath the shade of an ancient tree in a location overflowing with spiritual energy. Preferably Wood Aligned Qi, enough to at least render the soil saturated with spiritual energy.

Then these spirit herbs must be crushed in a cold, steel pot, made out of Qi Rich Ores, and left to ferment beneath the light of a fool moon for four years, four months, four days and four hours exactly before being at last boiled. Usually, it is cut with putrid, grey water at this stage, so more than a few drops will be produced at the cost of weakening the poison. However, you can tell that whoever delivered this poison, beggared themselves to procure an undiluted batch of the virulent mixture. Or else had contacts in the hidden worlds beyond the mundane one experienced by most people who live and have lived. In fact, it could be that a cultivator had supplied the poison directly, rather than one of those mewling whelps who claw at the fence between the mortal realms and the world of cultivation, pathetically dreaming that can overcome being born without potential or any measure of spiritual power.

The emperor begins to grow panicked, the longer you are quiet, fidgeting and grinding his teeth as you prod his vast stomach with a long stick and run your fingers over his purple, nearly black gums to gaze at his yellow and brown teeth and pull at his tongue, which is covered with an unpleasant, stinking white film.
Cont

>>5423243

He winces as you run your fang cut nails over his scabs, rashes and bruises, testing the consistency of his skin and the flexibility of his joints and tendons. Most of his organs are close to failing, his upper and lower bowels are weakened and will soon fall apart, his blood flows slower than mud and his heart struggles to beat, but that is because he is fat, not because of his poisoned blood. He also struggles to breath in and out, but again, that is because he is disgustingly obese. He, thankfully, does not speak or leer at you as you jab, prod, poke and lift his legs, and only squirms as you splay out the toes of his feet and stick needles into his heel and sole to keep his organs. He keeps squirming as you apply more pins and needles across the rest of him, charting the accupoints above his lifeless meridians, to strengthen his ailing body and its organs so he'll survive the cure you'll administor.

"Have...have you found what is killing me, lady Yuyi?" Emperor long hisses through his tightly clenched teeth, sweat beading down his brow and dripping down his ladder of chins "I do not think I can cling onto life much longer, nor endure the acupuncture in silence and stillness! Please, hurry!"

"Please hurry! He's losing his patience!" Yuyi cries out, as if you did not realize the obvious

"Of course, I just did not reveal its name, out of fear the shock would stop your heart! These needles are just to reinforce your body and strengthen it for the trial that is to come" You say, as you jab a needle just beneath his neck, just above the carotid artery "Otherwise, the treatment will kill you, swifter than the poison, but just as torturously!"

"Tell me! Tell me! I can not bare not knowing what it is!" The emperor barks, eyes closed tightly as he begins sweating faster and faster.

Which is not a trait of the Dreadful Putrefying and Petrifying Purple Mist Poison, One of the thousand fold terrible deaths and one of the twelve torturous venoms. There are two poisons inside of him!

"Hold still" You command, placing a hand on his forehead and clambering without hesitation onto his bed and atop his massive stomach. Yuyi's screams of disgust and panic fill your head, as you methodically move your head down from his neck, to his chest and down to his greasy, hair covered stomach and...near his heart, as it beats, you can hear the muscles spasms against something hard.

"THERE!" You shout, grinning ear to ear triumphantly "How cunning! They had a second plan to kill you, should you survive the poison and recover! Yongzheng! Bring me a long, thin knife...and cover your eyes and hold your breath, so as not to look upon to emperor or breath his air!"

"What!?" The emperor and Yuyi roar together as you sit up on your knees, hearing Yongzheng rush behind you, throwing you arm out to grab the knife he offers
Cont

>>5423244

"I'm guessing its a long, thin needle, containing a poison that will only release upon sustained pressure to its tip. How clever, to place it just beyond where your weakened heart expands, but exactly where it will reach in its beating should your strength return!" You exclaim, amazed by the ingenuity of the poisoner "Forgive me for marring your imperial hide, your highness, but it must be done!"

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" he screams, bellowing so much you almost bounce off of his stomach "I can feel it stabbing my noble, benevolent heart! Bleeding me of my life!"

You split open his flesh, just below his rib cage, and nearly faint from the odor that rises from inside of him. Yongzheng does faint, and collapses as he retreats from the emperor's palor. A guard peeks his head around the screen and falls atop the poor monk, fainting as well. The flames lighting the chamber sputter, as a dense miasma of rot and decay erupts from the emperor's stomach. You wince, and harden your resolve and empty your mind of all the thoughts of how disgusting it will be to slip your fingers inside of him and all the thoughts screaming at you to stop and run away, both instinctual and born from vanity and sheer disgust for the work that must be done.

Your fingers warm as they slip inside his skin, under his muscles and past his wobbly, jellified bones. Blindly, you reach, shoving your arm inside him up to your elbow, soiling the dress you ware as you get far closer to Long Tiantunri than you had any desire to be. Getting fainter and fainter, you feel around to find his heart, and stretch out your fingers. And brush against metal. Catching it on your nail, you pull it from his heart, and wrap it in your finger, and rip your arm out of the emperor's body, spraying blood and a grey liquid that you do not know what it is or where it came from, all over yourself, the emperor, the bed and the stunned doctor who had rushed to his side and was readying to pull you from his lord before seeing you weren't trying to disembowel him

"HAH! Knew it was there!" You boast, grinning as you turn to look at the guard, a man with five scars on his face and the rugged look of a cold hearted veteran, but the eyes of a terrified boy as he looks at you, soaked in blood and grinning manically, arm held high in the air, holding a glittering golden needle between an arm painted red with blood and shimmering with grease.

"Hah...hah...hah" The emperor pants, snorting and wheeze as he stares at you in adoration and amazement, awed by your expertise and...Yuyi's beauty? Wait, being covered in blood makes him see you as more attractive!? The hell is wrong with this guy's head!?
Cont

>>5423245

You scurry and scramble off of him quickly, and grab the motionless guard's hand and open it to place the deadly needle in it. And only realize then he has fainted from the stench roiling off of the emperor. Shrugging, you stick the needle in the screen behind you, and quickly stick the hole you made in the emperor back up

"So..so I'm cured now?" The emperor asks drunkenly, from both pain and relief

"No, you still need to take the antidote for the first poison they put inside you" You say as you look for something to wash your hand and arm covered in warm, sticky blood

"But didn't you..didn't you say?" He mutters senselessly as you give up cleaning yourself and instead get to work making the antidote. There is a clamor past the screens, and it seems an audience has gathered and is now gossiping amongst itself, you ignore them and the emperor's winging to light a fire to cook up a pill to cleanse the emperor's body of the impurities and toxins within it

For, the Dreadful Putrefying and Petrifying Purple Mist Poison can be cured with two relatively simple pills, one that any sect could make. A pill that would be treasured by most physicians of the world. A Body Purifying pill and a toxin neutralizing pill! Which, actually, would deal with most poisons found in the mortal realm. It wouldn't be able to overcome the poisons made by cultivators, sages or alchemists, but, it was enough to stop the Dreadful Putrefying and Petrifying Purple Mist Poison, at least when used together with acupuncture used to activate the patient's internal energy and empower it enough to nullify the poison and heal the body.

Unfortunately, this brute force method did require a lot of energy, and could kill anyone without enough fortitude...or fat.

You handed the pills to the emperor, who swallowed them down greedily, and then began to turn bright red and steam, as his body began to cleanse itself of all impurity and poison the moment the two pills fell into his stomach.

You smiled pleasantly, hands held politely together, as the emperor's round belly began to shrink in on itself, and his skin loosened and gained new color as a drops of black filth and oil pushed through his skin.

"Do not worry, your body is merely expelling its impurities and emptying itself of waste, the poison is inside the impurities leaking out of you" You say as the emperor look as you, pleading for an end of the pain of feeling most of his body boil and burn itself away "You should take a bath the moment it is done, unless you wish to be poisoned again afterwards"

You walk past the screen, and see every servant, official, and noble in the palace staring back at you, covered in blood, soot and the residue of alchemy as you step out, messy and filthy.
Cont

>>5423246

You smile, and see Mao Wēixiào at the front of the crowd, with his mouth open and jaw hanging and eyes bulging as he sees the wall of steam flowing out and over the screen and the screaming of his emperor. No one speaks, only stares as you strut to them, chin lifted.

You can hear a few whisper, wondering if the emperor will survive his trial, and some even conspiring to grab ahold of you just in case he does die, so you cannot run away and escape "Justice" You simply stand beside the awestruck Mao and try to ignore how dirty the treatment has made you.

Slowly, the stream of steam slowed and grew thinner, and the emperor's cries and thrashing grew weaker and quieter. Until, at last, there was nothing but silence and a horrid stench in the air, after near half a day of waiting. Then, just as Mao and a few other men made to surround you, a shadow rose from the bed, much thinner than before. And a soft panting could be heard.

You smirked and looked Mao in the eye as he began to tremble, watching his once brother in law stand as a different man, a man he perhaps knew before his gluttony and indolence reduced him to that obese cretin he was at the start of this day. The shadow moved past the screen, and the crowd gasped in astonishment, as a man, very unlike the ugly and fat beast you found on the bed emerged.

Muscled and broad shouldered, his hair was no longer greasy and he had a single chin. His earlobes still dangled, but his face was sharp and handsome, almost draconic in appearance. His beard was still wispy, but he looked like a man who could be called human and at least clearly stood above pigs in the hierarchy of life and standards. All that was covering him, was the sad tiger hide he wore to cover his shame. He felt his chin, rubbing it as he looked around at the shocked audience and smirked wryly. A few more people fainted at the mere sight of him, restored to health and having been reduced to about fifth of his prior weight and thus returning to the beauty he gave up with his lavicous and thoughtless lifestyle

"Eh!? What are you all staring at!" he barked, smacking his stomach as he moved as if trundling atop two tiny legs beneath a mountain of fat and blubber "Your emperor is hale and hearty once more! You should be cheering! Crying! Falling to your knees and prostrating yourselves! Not gawking like you've seen some kind of mysterious creature in a cage! And who summoned you to my side"

"You did my lord" Mao purred, slithering to his master's side and whispering his ear "Do you not recall? The moment you were given the life saving elixir by Saint Yuyi, you ordered all of the palace be brought to witness your rebirth"

The emperor picked his nose

"Hrrrn, I do remember that, yes" He said, looking away, clearly trying to save face, believing that he did order such a thing "Well! No reason to stand in shock! Here I am! Back to my old jolly self!"

The crowd exchanged glances.

Cont

>>5423247

No one wanted to be the first to point out how he had changed, and how much weight he had lost as it seemed like the emperor himself had not noticed he had been made pretty and handsome once more.

He scratched his belly, grinning. Then he threw his arms up into the air, dropping the tiger skin. You looked quickly away, and noticed several other women doing the same, as, from the sound of it, he began hopping up and down.

"My god" An old, grey bearded man whispered "She even managed to cure him of THAT! I spent years trying to do away with those warts!"

You nearly fainted upon hearing those words.

"See! Its me! Its me! I'm not dead! The heavens sent a miracle girl to save me! Lets celebrate!" he says like an excited puppy "A feast, a feast in Lady Yuyi's honor! To Celebrate my miraculous recovery!"

You manage to slip through the crowd and escape into the hallway outside of the chamber, and find Mao behind you, and Yongzheng, who had stumbled after him, half conscious but seemingly sensing that Mao was in pursuit of you. Yongzheng, stumbled, trying to put himself between you and Weixiao, only for the man himself to fall to his knees and slam his forehead into the ground.

"I do not know what magic you used to renew my brother in law, but I am...the whole of the celestial empire is indebted to you. Do not worry about the feast. I will protect you from Tiantunri's...thoughtless behavior and whimsical desires as long as you remain in the palace. Doubtlessly, he'll think to take you as his new plaything, if he hasn't already and I can see that...no longer fat fool declaring you his latest concubine just as the feast begins"

You nearly vomit just hearing those words. Mao groaned on the ground

"And knowing him, it will last a week. Which should be long enough to forget about taking you as his woman, after he's distracted by some other fancy or sudden urge" Mao muttered "I'll have men loyal to me stationed outside of your room, where you should remain until his majesty's whims shift focus to another"

"So you're actually a gentlemen, after all?" Yongzheng gasps, after he recovered enough to hear and understand what was being said "I thought you were coming to catch her for him"

"I am many things" Mao said simply as he stood and dusted the front of his robes "and my family needs no new obstacles to stand in its way. A new paramour would merely...Hmph, I have no reason to explain myself"

He left, but as he did, you saw a genuine smile on his lips and true relief in his eyes as he allowed his shoulders to sag. He said he was protecting Yuyi merely out of self interest, but that smile told another story

"Haah" Yuyi sighed "That was much too stressful! Could you check my head for grey hairs? I don't think I can stand behind here for much longer! The stress will kill me!"

Cont

>>5423248

How do you plan to bring the emperor to justice, Huanliuxue?

>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target

>Decide that such a blackened soul would be worth a fortune in the underworld, and kidnap him with one of your nine sealing pearls, and take him to hell to see what he's worth

>There's no reason to be fancy. Escape the palace, reunite with Fu and Qiang, and leave Yuyi in their care as You, in your real body, return to the palace and have some fun!

>Delay his punishment for now, as you feel you are half a step to attaining your human form and need to find a suitable location to undergo the trial.

>write in

>>5423249
>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target

>>5423249
>Decide that such a blackened soul would be worth a fortune in the underworld, and kidnap him with one of your nine sealing pearls, and take him to hell to see what he's worth

I don't want to put the Dian brothers into danger either. Also, underworld torture!

I also must say, for such an intricate composition, that poison was quite weak. The Emperor was still alive and even in the presence of mind to thing about earthly delights.

>>5423249
>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target

I like this one for its cleverness so I'll vote. But it contains some holes.
I would initially think it'd be a tad remiss of us to throw Fu and Qiang in with the Dian brothers. Fu's name and fighting style are well known. But having an assassin, Qiang, go with them may greatly mollify their risk of discovery in the first place, having experience they clearly lack. And I sincerely doubt anyone here would survive after engaging Fu. But even with backup, we already know those brothers make poor choices of engagement.

At the same time it feels awfully poor to command our students to execute our desire while taking little to no risk ourselves. Despite that being what, assuming they are undiscovered, will be what protects them most. Thankfully, we can move pretty fast in our body or as a soul, so there's still stuff we can do.

>write in
The Dian's are brave, but not exactly proven reliable. We should enhance their bodies with Blood Qi's natural boosting effects just before their assault, effects which have proven mostly temporary. We'll just need to be in our body at that time to do it.
Depending on how much time we have we could even prepare simpler pills to enhance them further, which can then be given through our students. It's just a logistical matter of knowing when they want to strike, which ought to be possible through our students. I'd assume they'll disguise to some degree and then try to convince the brothers to allow them on their mission. If not, then that's what they should do, because helping them "at a distance" would endanger our students being discovered in more ways.

Might seem elaborate, but simply summed we should empower the brothers in one or two ways to ensure that Fu and Qiang don't get endangered by the Dian's weaknesses. And we can accomplish that without personal discovery.

>>5423264
To be fair to the poison, I don't think he's capable of any other kind of thinking.

>>5423265
Easy plan, put the pills in a bag on their path, when they investigate we possess them one by one and force them to eat a pill. Or just whisper to them that it's a boon for those on the side of justice or retribution or something equally melodramatic. Then we don't even need to implicate Fu or Qiang.

>>5423249
>>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target
Oh, I would LOVE to bring the emperor to hell, I'm sure we could have an exciting auction among the demon nobility for his soul, but the above is just too fitting.
If anyone should end the emperor's life, it is those he wronged.

>>5423249
>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target

>>5423272
pretty sure he'll go to hell anyway.

>>5423249
>There's no reason to be fancy. Escape the palace, reunite with Fu and Qiang, and leave Yuyi in their care as You, in your real body, return to the palace and have some fun!
I still want to ask him about his children and if he mourned then, and I feel like leaving it up to the Dians will take away the opportunity

>>5423270
That'll work excellently for the pills.
But I do think that they'll fail without greater outside experience, someone to temper their newfound strength. If not through Qiang and Fu, I can only think possession of the lead brother would suffice.

>>5423249
>Help the Dian brothers
>Find out from Mao what happened to the kids.

I want to *SEE* what happens when someone this hated dies. Like. . . every grudge in the mortal world seems to be connected to him, so lets see what happens.

>>5423249
>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target
>Order Fu and Qiang to change their styles and wear disguises, they are famous heroes and you don not want more attention brought to the city beneath you sect.
>Have a few pills sent to the brothers, so they to will be stronger than the average man.
Ok, Yuyi's safety has been secured, now time for justice.

>>5423265
>>5423270
I kinda want Qiang to hand them the pills with a story so they’ll take them of their own free will when they’re closer. I also want to hitch a ride in the lead Dong without actively controlling him so we get front-row seats on the valor of humanity. I have no idea if it’s even possible to be a passenger instead of the driver yet, but it’d be good to know.

It should be easy to get them to accept the pills. Have Qiang say that Lady Yuyi has saved many lives, even those who had been spurned by others for their “unsavory” reputation. While Yuyi would never accept it, Qiang’s master owes a life debt. A life for a life, Qiang is a shadow that now protects Lady Yuyi until she can repay her master’s debt. Qiang is certain she entered the palace to heal the Emperor and knows of his reputation, but is unsure how to proceed. With their help though, they can serve as a distraction by striking at the Emperor while Qiang assures Lady Yuyi’s escape.

The blood pills are an offering to the Dongs so they can fight longer and harder. Have them take weak ones so they test the effects. If they take to it well, they may feel as though another presence has entered them…

They’ll eat all that shit up since it plays to the virtuousness of Lady Yuyi and having an assassin master looking out for her secretly is a mirror of their own story. The deceit is also amusing, which is important as Huan is a cat and whimsical anyway.

If I can’t sell anyone on that, I’ll back the “roadside pill” plan since they deserve some assistance for wanting to do a virtuous deed.

>>5423245
>Wait, being covered in blood makes him see you as more attractive!? The hell is wrong with this guy's head!?
For a rotten pig and a horrible excuse for a human, he has amazing taste.
There are very few things more attractive than a woman that's willing to get her hand dirty to the point where she's covered in it.
Very few things, indeed.

>>5423249
>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target
I don't want Yuyi to be implicated, but I don't wanna cause trouble for Fu and his village or Qiang either.
Best to just help the Three Dian Brothers do what they came to do.

>>5423368
I don't want any implication to Yuyi, so using Qiang to open the way through sneak kills, popping pills for them is fine, but lets not tell them anything.

>>5423368
No need to reveal too much, Qiang is an ex-assassin, she should know how to convince people to serve as distractions without spilling the beans.

>>5423368
No need to even mention Yuyi. Just say something suitably goofy like "The pig on the throne has many enemies and the empire few heroes. With this gift there will be three more to add to its storied history. So long as you have the mettle and skill to see his end.". Very witch in the woods mysterious.

>>5423249
>Decide that such a blackened soul would be worth a fortune in the underworld, and kidnap him with one of your nine sealing pearls, and take him to hell to see what he's worth

>>5423368
I'll +1 getting the pills to them through Qiang, it's wholly easier and uses less force. I think we can trust Qiang to concoct a fitting story herself without a connection to Yuyi.

Having it either a mystery or a dramatic lie is good. The context of her actions are expansive enough they can naturally be spun to have them take on many simple misdirections. We only need ask her not to implicate Yuyi, she'll understand.

We should try to find the poisoner, actually. They seem quite skilled and interesting. They put in a lot of effort and almost succeeded, that's worthy of some praise.

>>5423431
Y’know, I’d been ad-libbing the assassin stuff to explain why she had the pills, but I forgot that was basically Qiang’s background anyway. Didn’t mean to be that on-the-nose.
>>5423568
I’m okay with that caveat.

>>5423249
To formalize my vote:
>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target

I think the clarification of how and what we do will be a different vote. We’ll want to be sure Yuyi is protected from others if we’re going to leave her alone for any length of time too.

>>5423249
>Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target

I feel like we can stealthily return to our body, shadow them on their mission and yoink the pig's soul when he dies so that we get both the heroic tale and to play the reaper.

>>5423824
We should be capable of that. Yuyi being without us when the Emperor dies and us being seen at any point (lol, unlikely), would be the only risks.

Bit late to say it, but I'm concerned the Gods might know who kills him. The degree to which they care to interfere in the world will logically depend upon who that is. Basically I'm wondering if stealing his soul an acting as the agent of karma rather than allowing his karma to catch up with him past death is a trap option.

>>5424556
Well, that is also a point in favor of having our three heroes do the deed and brag about it.

Besides the gods never cared what he did in life, why should they care what he'll do in death.
And it's not like we're denying him his just retribution, we're just going to profit from it! Win win!

>>5424680
> why should they care what he'll do in death.
That's a good question. The answer is two posts of autistic speculation.
tldr; I'll support taking the Emperors soul. And getting some of his blood. We have a dimensional gourd so if we snag some random pot we can manage it.

It's a wariness that we don't comprehend their true moral compass and internal politics and possibility that the true breadth of their apparent disconnection with the mortal realm isn't just as it looks.
And meta. And that despite it all, they didn't go back on their choice no matter what he did. It's not necessarily about him the individual, but us and the Gods' ideals, and how we are considered an enemy by default that is a greater risk to their concerns than any form of lecherous empire destroying son of heaven.

Like uh, a bureaucratical indifference to mortals being flawed and not caring about that. It doesn't warrant action for an Emperor to be scum because they'll still want an Emperor and popping down to punish their chosen one is beneath them, but that apathy (I believe) only extends to mortal matters. Much like how the sects have their own concerns, so do the gods.

But in the context that we're about to create, we'd be a cultivating beast interfering in their matters directly via soul snatching. Mandate or not, his soul literally belongs to them in the grand scheme of things.

Speculating deeper, I can't believe they'd be intentionally unaware of him, so I have to believe their apathy is one of several forms of moralistic choices. They factually may be unable to take their choice back, which seems likely given his natural good looks. Then it's figuring out the degree of formality to it; an informal apathy wouldn't fit for a son of heaven throwing the entire mortal realm into chaos with their personal choices. If your distant grandchild is this fucky but you don't believe you should interfere, or you yourself made a law against doing so, that means it's entirely a mortal matter and its their trouble they earned, and theirs to solve. So long as that's as far as it goes.

If he's blessed he'll rebuild the Empire. If he isn't, the secret heir of an unknown lady that was taken to a far away village begins his legend. If the Emperor himself is not following a demonic path and sacrificing thousands for blood rituals or directly attempting to interfere with matters of immortals, the Gods' choices make sense.

The chaos the mortal realm is currently experiencing can be justly (by them) seen as "earned" or "warranted", and it's therefore beyond them, not merely beneath. They declared whole ranges of the Dao to be forbidden, they almost certainly have laws on how and when to interfere in mortal realms. Of course we don't truly know the extent, and we can't, this is just speculation on their intents. It's that a total lack of intent doesn't line up with how this situation has unfolded. True concern and taking no action at all is still valid.

>>5424680
>>5424748
Deep speculation, there's potentially politics in why they're not helping him. Perhaps there is still an heir and they may be more fitting, and that they wouldn't choose to kill the Emperor but they can easily choose not to save him. Though that's neither here nor there for the moment.

The danger I'm wondering about is if the being that steals his soul is a demonic beast cultivator, and that soul has any remnant divinity in it (and it will, going by his looks) they get a casus belli to begin treating that enemy seriously.

In essence, they don't need to favor a repugnant mortal descendant but he is still theirs and they do not believe a beast cultivator should exist at all. The "fairness" they extend to him meeting a just end does not necessarily extend to their "true foe" stealing his soul. If it sounds weird, that's because it's Chinese.

On the other hand, I SUPER want his blood and soul so we can experiment with looking into his heritage with Blood Qi. And because it's like the best trophy we could ever possibly have, to bat around his soul pearl like a megalomaniacal royal cat. It's so fitting.
We'll get fun answers from such experiments, so if we get another vote to do that I'll support it despite the risks because he clearly has some inherited divinity (that he's wasted) and we've never held anything quite like it in our paws before.

>>5424748
>>5424750
Huan did say he had a bit of dragonic features.
Maybe he has a dragon or cultivator ancestor, or it's part of the divine mandate blessing like what we are doing to Yuyi.

>>5424757
Which brings us to
>heal the emperor
>now he'll drop better loot
Is this bad karma? Naaah.

>>5424759
Alright so helping people is a good thing, right? So healing him is good. And then if we kill him and take his stuff it helps us, right? So since we're helping someone (us) it's a good deed too. The Karma companies don't want you to know this.

>>5424763
No no, it's good because justice is good, and he committed a lot of sins.
We need the soul to bring to our little owl, going down the list of his crimes should be enough cultivation material for atleast two breakthroughs for him.

>>5424763
>heal villains
>keel villains
Infinite Karma Exploit

>>5424769
ultraperfect

>>5424769
Hmm. This isn’t enough to tempt me away from the brothers, but it’s enough that I’ll support having Huan or Qiang try to seal his soul on top of their efforts. You’ll have my write-ins on how to make it work when the time comes.

>>5424781
The pearl is a secret weapon that they need to throw at the emperor or something? Actually, can a non-cultivator even use the thing? We can always try to use one of ours ghost sealing jars to just take his soul instead of kidnapping him wholesale.
And I'm glad I didn't convince you away from the brothers, since I voted for that option.

>>5424788
If they can use it, it can be explained as something to strip away part of his divine protection. The gods haven’t killed him yet, so per>>5424748 they’re still protecting him since they picked him and can’t be bothered to un-pick him and strip away his protections.

Jar is the safer idea though.

>>5424788
I am opposed to giving a monkey a nuke.Mortals cannot handle that shit, in fact we don't even know if they can stomach our pills without their puny hearts exploding or something. Might have to give them some watered down version, and shadow them for the eventual soul-snatching.

>>5424794
>>5424998
Them soul jar nearby for when they cut down the emperor instead?
We can ask Qiang to do the ghost busting instead if we can't do it while faking being a damsel in distress, she follows out cultivation method and went to hell too.

I hope Grandfather isn't dying again...

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Forgive me for disappearing for most of the week again, I've been occupied by RL. Also, happy to see Jade Sworn Quest is back and its second thread is up, and I'd suggest checking it out, if you haven't already

Anyways, without further delay, Ending the vote and tallying the result now.

Help the Three Dian Brothers' names enter into myth and legend, by playing the part of the damsel in distress...and having Fu and Qiang help them reach their target:8
-The Dian's are brave, but not exactly proven reliable. enhance their bodies with Blood Qi's natural boosting effects just before their assault:1
-Have a few pills sent to the brothers, so they will be stronger than the average man:4

There's no reason to be fancy. Escape the palace, reunite with Fu and Qiang, and leave Yuyi in their care as You, in your real body, return to the palace and have some fun!:q

Find out from Mao what happened to the kids.:1
Decide that such a blackened soul would be worth a fortune in the underworld, and kidnap him with one of your nine sealing pearls, and take him to hell to see what he's worth:2

So You'll use the Three Dian Brothers as a sword to bring down upon the Emperor's neck, and ensure they reach the throne room, by having Fu and Qiang help them along the way and supplying them with Pills to make them stronger than the average man

Update will arrive shortly

>>5427924
Not dying, just been busy and stressed, unfortunately. Hoping I won't be any longer, but who can tell what the future may hold

>>5428038
Jade sworn quest is back up? Thanks for telling me

As you are escorted back to Yours and Yuyi's room, along with the slowly waking Yongzheng, the beginnings of a plan start to take root in your head, between the whimpered pleas and worried questioning of your companion and host, who would like nothing more than for you to take her body and sprint towards the nearest exit to put as much distance between her body and the recently renewed emperor as is physically possible. And as she makes it known just how much she would give to be allowed to take a hot both to wash away the filth of operating on and just standing near the formerly fat monarch, the escort of men loyal to Mao, who the man himself has given to you and your assistant strike a very imposing presence, dressed in their black and pink dyed silks and armor and wearing their snarling tiger masks to hide their human faces, which is part of the inspiration behind the scheme brewing in the iron cauldron of your mind. The uniform is designed to make them an intimidating, inhuman presence, making them seem more like tigers who learned to walk on two legs than any man, especially considering the claw like protrusions on their gauntlets and the furs strapped to their wrists, shoulders and hips.

They look almost as bestial as your true, beautiful form, yet even more terrifying in ways, due to the mingling of the feral snarl of the tiger and the standing posture of men. Whoever designed their outfit understood terror down to an instinctual level. However, while that is good for cowing officials or common born yokels, the image of having half demonic, bestial seeming warriors as your servants produces, from you understanding, quiet the opposite effect in the hearts of brave and chivalrous men or those who have nothing left to loose.

Rather than fear, apathy is born, as those snarling masks make it easy to recognize your opponent as "Not human", which makes it easier to cut them down without thought or remorse. Even their scent is muddled by the tiger pelts they wear, and while humans don't realize it due to their weak noses, they like all creatures judge others by their scent. Whether it be a thick cloud of perfume, a musky air of sweat, or the stench of blood or alcohol, one's aroma gives an impression.

Of course, for a cat, that impression is much deeper and experienced consciously. But men still look down upon those who reek of liquor and are more amiable to those who smell pleasant, instinctively.

Yes, while men stand apart from most beast, they are still animals and the more you learn about them, the more you realize just how short the gap between them and the other creatures of the world truly is, once one comes to understand their queerer behavior and the strangeness of civilization and ordered society compared to the natural world and its unspoken, instinctual laws.
Cont

>>5428116

And that realization, is what gives you the inspiration that forms your budding plan. The guards, employed by the emperor or his toadies, are made to dress themselves to appear less human and more monstrous, and even the emperor's own (former) brother in law realizes the danger a young girl like Yuyi is in by just stepping into the palace's grounds. It doesn't help that the palace itself is imposing, and dressed on every outer wall with black jade and blood red agate, which, while you quite enjoy both the colors of freshly spilt blood and moonless night, humans are naturally adverse to both and find them foreboding, especially when placed beside one another.

Even if you are a honored guest here, your circumstances appear dire and are rather volatile, due to the whims of the childly indulgent Tiantunri. and the Three Dian brothers, already think you were being taken against your will, to be imprisoned by a man who they imagine to be a demon born anew in the realm of mortal men. Even though you've been given a lavish apartment, and a squad of servants and handmaidens waiting on your every desire and whim, the men guarding you appear to be faceless monsters, and your room, as well appointed as it may be, must appear to be a prison.

Rumors surely are already spreading to the city outside of the palace's towering, black walls, and servants do gossip. If Saintess Yuyi is not seen wandering the halls, exploring the gardens, or partaking in the feasts and celebrations thrown in her honor for the miracle she performed to save the lecher emperor, they'll begin to whisper and prattle that she has been caged or worse by the emperor, who must be so greedy as to deny the rest of the world her talents, hoarding her gifts as if she were a preserved root of ten thousand year old giseng!

And these rumors will spread further, out of the city, where they shall be heard by the three Dian brothers!

"Does your master usually smile so brightly and cheerfully while covered in blood and filth?" One of the guards whispers to Yongzheng

"She has...peculiar habits, some may call them eccentric, but they are the mark of a truly peerless physician, I assure you" Yonzheng mutters back angrily

"She's a daoist, isn't she? My brother went a daoist doctor once, but ran from their shop when he tried to cut his youknowwhat out to cure his near sightedness" Another guard whispers back "Do you think she'll use that blood in alchemy or some kind of folk ritual?"

"I thought they were mute!" Yuyi exclaims as you walk up the stairs to your shared room "I certainly didn't expect them to gossip, though I suppose even those men who guard the worst kind of villains are human to"

And that reminds you, the three brother's dian are not cultivators or even trained martial artists. And that three men cannot stand against the forces of even a fallen emperor. At least they couldn't by their own strength.
Cont

>>5428118

Yongzheng and the guards continue their conversation, laughing together as you pace around your apartment, after checking Yuyi's hair from greying at her irritating insistence.

Fu and Qiang however, are just outside of the city, and surely could meet the Three brothers Dian if you commanded them to, and, while Fu and Qiang are still only in the Qi condensation stage of their cultivation, they are nearing the foundation establishment stage, and you are confident both they and Ping and Feqing will soon enter it, once they've all surpassed their respective bottlenecks keeping them from the later half of the initial stage. But even so, both of them were already more than a match for a dozen men when they were just martial artists and wandering Xia, now that they've cultivated both their bodies and spiritual energy, they could easily overcome the men guarding the emperor. Though, they wouldn't have to cut down all of them, or even involve themselves at all or dirty their hands

Just their assistance in reaching the palace would be enough for the Dian brothers to reach their target, though they still might have to occupy most of the imperial soldiers present at the time of the assassination attempt. You grumble, pouting and furrowing your brow as you throw yourself atop the the bed, frustrated by the weakness of the three dian brothers. You want to immortalize those three brave men into myth and legend, making their names storied and respected. But, you cannot imagine them accomplishing the feat of taking the demon emperor's head on their own, but you also don't want to endanger Fu or Qiang or ruin their own reputations, or expose yourself and your sect to the world.

"I could have them disguises themselves, but Fu's Scars and his incredibly muscular body, and Qiang's demeanor and vividly red hair would make that difficult" You complain outloud

"She could always dye it, or cut it? And Fu could hide his bandages, maybe dressing up as a veiled monk, like Yongzheng!" Yuyi helpfully suggests

"No, no. Fu is well known for his two axe style, and hasn't trained to fight with any other kind of weapon. And Qiang is well known in the world of thieves and assassin, and like Fu, her quick-draw style is recognized even by simpletons. The two of them are simply too famous to not be recognized" You sigh, kicking your legs angrily as you struggle to find an answer that'll satisfy both your desire for a dramatic end to Tiantunri's reign and your almost maternal desire to protect Fu, Qiang and your other disciples from the backlash of the reckoning that will surely be unleashed by the emperor's justified execution.

"Well, don't they know martial arts? Can't they like, use the Qi in their bodies to strengthen their blows?" Yuyi asks
Cont

>>5428119

"They could!" You admit happily, before sighing and collapsing back to the bed "However, while punching and kicking their way through the palace would hide their identities, the spiritual energy they cultivate is, like the Qi I've cultivated within myself, forbidden and considered a sign of demonic cultivation due to its source and potential uses"

"So, the other immortal would take notice, and thus your school would be exposed and wrongfully hunter, just like yourself" Yuyi says quietly

"Precisely! When one is branded a heretic, they can't easily show themselves or reveal their powers or techniques" You groan, before, like a flash fire, you realize the answer to this difficult question "Medicinal pills"

"What?" Yuyi says, almost like she were yawning as you stretched out under the little sunlight seeping into the room

"I could have Fu or Qiang deliver them body strengthening pills, the sort often used by cultivators to help refine and fortify their bodies" You explain excitedly, whispering like a gossiping girl so no one besides Yuyi may hear you "Even the cheapest and weakest of the pills, would make them stronger than the average man, tougher, faster and more agile as well. I might be an outcast in the world of cultivation, but my teacher is a brilliant alchemist. I could supply them with Pills that could make them strong enough to fight a low level cultivator on equal footing, at least for a time its just that"

"It'd be dangerous to them?" Yuyi asks

"Yes, pills, even expertly made, can have disastrous side-effects on those who aren't blessed with sturdy constitutions or strong bodies through training" You say darkly "And my best pills can even harm the bodies of Cultivators as strong as myself, if used carelessly"

"Oh I thought it would drive them mad! Not just damage their body, I was worried they'd turn into demons or something" Yuyi says "But that is still bad, those brothers are noble, it'd be rather wicked to use them in such a manner"

You are already planning on using them as your personal sword. It'd be logical to make sure they were as powerful as possible, to ensure their success. But, if you gave them the Divine Blood Honey Medicines, they would as surely be crippled or even die as they would succeed in their endeavor to end the emperor's empty existence. And you are fond of them, and know how rare men of such benevolent natures are in the world. If you watered down the more basic pills, their bodies should be able to endure the strain of suddenly being so empowered. The tireless stamina drug, you knew could be taken by normal humans, since you fed it to the talentless companions of Fu, the martial artists who made up most of the ranks of your small ring of outer disciples, as well as Lei, whose parasitic devil kept him from cultivating despite his talent.
Cont

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>>5428121

So you could give them that, and some trash pills you kept around to refine at a later date or use as a component in a more complex drug or poison. They'd be safe from medicinal backlash then, though weaker than they would be if they were strengthened by the even the diluted Divine Blood Honey medicines

Though, the strain their bodies would take from the Divine Blood Honey Medicines, could be reduced in theory, if you gave them the medicines that strengthened their organs and body parts first. Though those were also not without their drawbacks, such as the temporary blindness inflicted by the Imperial Cat's eye Pill after its work was done

"Too strong of medicine is just poison" You hiss, grinding Yuyi's teeth over one of her claw cut nails

"I was worried you were going to send those heroic men to their deaths for a second" Yuyi says with a nervous laugh, as you stare blankly ahead.

Double vote!

What pills do you deliver to the Dian brothers

>Cheaply made ones, that will give them a slight advantage, without risking their bodies or lives. And the tireless stamina drug

>Diluted and weakened Divine Blood Honey Medicine, The Ox's strength Drug, Hare's fleetness drug, and other similar medicines, to significantly strengthen their bodies but also increase the strain upon them. And the tireless stamina drug

>Unweakened Divine blood Honey medicines and the Flickering Wind Pellet , to not only vastly increase their power but also give them the ability to mimic the speed of the phantom cast step, at the cost of great strain on their bodies and the chance the Ghost Princess' heart poison inside the wind pellet being too strong or weak...and the tireless stamina drug

>Sacrifice the Dian brothers's lives, after-all dead heroes are remembered more than living ones, and ensure the emperor dies, by giving them a regimen of Divine blood honey medicine, lesser pills and both the Flickering Wind pellet and the Raging Devil Stampede Elixir. [bad Karma]

>Write in

And what assistance do you command Fu and Qiang to give them, Huanliuxue?

>Just have them deliver the pills, and return to watching your body

>Have Fu accompany them to the palace, and use his axes to break open the gate and cleave a path to the emperor

>Have Qiang shadow them and lend her skills as assassin to clear their way, as well as protect Yuyi and Yongzheng

>Allow the two to do as they please. If they wish to massacre the imperial palace's garrison and guardforce, allow them to, if they only wish to lead the Dian brothers to their destiny, allow them to

>write in

>>5428124
>Diluted and weakened Divine Blood Honey Medicine, The Ox's strength Drug, Hare's fleetness drug, and other similar medicines, to significantly strengthen their bodies but also increase the strain upon them. And the tireless stamina drug
>Have Qiang shadow them and lend her skills as assassin to clear their way, as well as protect Yuyi and Yongzheng

>>5428124
>>Diluted and weakened Divine Blood Honey Medicine, The Ox's strength Drug, Hare's fleetness drug, and other similar medicines, to significantly strengthen their bodies but also increase the strain upon them. And the tireless stamina drug
Could we also give them one set of the stronger stuff to use if and only if they feel the need to use it? A fall back plan for their discretion. Inform them of the risks of using it but not force it upon them. If they don't use it Fu and Qiang can always retrieve it afterwards so no one can steal it and examine it.

>Have Qiang shadow them and lend her skills as assassin to clear their way, as well as protect Yuyi and Yongzheng
Just enough to get them inside. Getting over the walls and gates should be the hardest part for the brothers. Since they can't fly and climbing a sheer wall whilst being shot at is kind of difficult. If all goes well she shouldn't even need to protect Yuyi and Yong or intervene further in the brothers' story.

>>5428124
>Diluted and weakened

>Have Qiand shadow them

>>5428124
>Diluted and weakened Divine Blood Honey Medicine, The Ox's strength Drug, Hare's fleetness drug, and other similar medicines, to significantly strengthen their bodies but also increase the strain upon them. And the tireless stamina drug

>Have Qiang shadow them and lend her skills as assassin to clear their way, as well as protect Yuyi and Yongzheng

this should suffice. And Qiang should be able to pull this off while remaining unseen or at least leaving no witnesses which is the same thing.

>>5428159
Also supporting this anons write-in of giving them some stronger stuff while warning them to only take it if there is no other way as it will probably kill them.

>>5428159
+1

>>5428124
>Cheaply made ones, that will give them a slight advantage, without risking their bodies or lives. And the tireless stamina drug
>Have Qiang shadow them and lend her skills as assassin to clear their way, as well as protect Yuyi and Yongzheng
>Shadow them ourselves as a ghost and orchestrate lucky coincidences to help them.

>>5428124
>Cheaply made ones, that will give them a slight advantage, without risking their bodies or lives. And the tireless stamina drug
>Diluted and weakened Divine Blood Honey Medicine, The Ox's strength Drug, Hare's fleetness drug, and other similar medicines, to significantly strengthen their bodies but also increase the strain upon them. And the tireless stamina drug.
>Provide them with one Flickering Wind pellet.
The cheap medicines may be taken whenever. The diluted medicines may be taken if they need an edge and are willing to suffer damage to their bodies long-term. The Flickering Wind is to be taken as a last-resort, to save their brothers in a likely exchange of their own life.

>Allow the two to do as they please. If they wish to massacre the imperial palace's garrison and guardforce, allow them to, if they only wish to lead the Dian brothers to their destiny, allow them to
>Tell them you would prefer if they stayed safe, but won’t stop them.
Mother cat!

>>5428124
>Cheaply made ones, that will give them a slight advantage, without risking their bodies or lives. And the tireless stamina drug
>Have Qiang shadow them and lend her skills as assassin to clear their way, as well as protect Yuyi and Yongzheng

>>5428124
>>5428347


I'm ok with letting the brothers choose their poison, so i'll support this choice

But i would rather our proteges remain in the shadows

>>5428124
>>5428347
This seems like a good choice.
Could lead to another valuable lesson about mankind.

>>5428347
That's pretty clever, giving them a choice is smart. They'll more easily accept the medicine in the first place if one is presented as a lesser risk than the other. A helpful manipulation, though hopefully they can be made to understand the risk.

>>5428124
> have them choose their pills so that they can make an informed decision
> take possession of one of them so that we ourselves undertake the killing
The Emperor's blood and the fullfilled grudges to be expected around him when he dies should be ours. The Dian brothers can keep the fame. We should not reveal too many things, not even our name. Maybe we play a hungry ghost?

>>5428124

Assistance Write in:

Use the power of Empress Ghost Melody to give rise to an army of vengeful ghosts that assault the walls and provide a distraction for the three brothers.

Let us see how many of the dead will take arms against the emperor.

>>5430982
I think this is a great idea.

>>5428124
>>5428347
>>5430982
Adding this to my vote since people wouldn’t expect us to be responsible for it. Makes for a better story too.

>>5430982
+1

>>5430982
We've been playing EGM with Yuyi throughout our journey. Can we really expect a certain keen somebody to not recognize it? And wouldn't the act itself draw attention as an act of a cultivator?

...+1. Sounds cool.

Gonna let the vote run a little bit longer.

>>5428124
>>5428347
Support.

Here's an attempt to count everything.

>Diluted + Qiang
rZ/mmCpF
QjUTD0KK

>Diluted + Qiang + Give them some stronger and warn them
v3SSFpNy
YR0jZ/4J
0NqT3NKb

>Cheap + Qiang + Shadow as ghost
QjUTD0KK

>Cheap + Diluted + 1 flicker + Allow + Safe
MpRmDQQF
A38+MSPk
Jia/y6S+
0NqT3NKb (?)
gLbK6SYF

>Cheap + Qiang
5e7gN/Wv

>Choose + Possession
kzpPmmTB

>Ghosts
ONjr7rAl
A2lHq5EY
MpRmDQQF (?)
AJ0WPUeJ
0NqT3NKb (?)

0NqT3NKb said that giving them a choice was smart, but never directly supported the write-in
>>5429254
and since his previous support also gave the brothers a choice, and involved sending Qiang instead of letting our students choose what to do, I put a question mark.

Also some anons are voting for the ghosts, but also mention that they want to give the pills as well, so I don't know if it's meant to replace or be an extra third actions

>>5428124
New reader here, I've seen these threads pop up on the catalog but never gave them a second thought. Saw it again last week then thought "Sure, why not?" and it was totally worth it. Especially that fight with the Crow King, that was fucking awesome.

I'll back >>5428347 btw.

>>5430982
>>5431073
>>5431099
>>5431266
>>5431276
It's cool but is it worth the heat it will attract? Saintess Yuyi shows up to heal the emperor and the very next day the city gets stormed by ghosts... doesn't take much for any perceptive cultivators to put two and two together and start sniffing places they shouldn't.

>>5431570
You could have just linked them and saved yourself some typing y'know?

>>5431570
I missed one anon for Diluted + Qiang
>>5428158
Which I think might actually be me before my ID changed
>>5431574
And with this vote it's now 17 total votes

>>5431575
I find that copying and pasting out the IDs actually makes it easier and faster to count in case there are vote changes, since I can quickly check instead of having to continuously scroll up and down

>>5431574
Mm, yes. It may violate our promise. I'll retract that >>5431276 vote.
I've also recalled that we don't control the ghosts our Guqin calls, we only direct them musically and must do so ourselves. After that their own grudges take their direction. Getting a crit and having the Rooster General rampage is the very opposite of a discreet plan, and not a helpful complication if we need to jump in more directly, as we may need to due to unforeseen rolls or other parties, should we want to ensure we get the Emperor's soul and blood.

>>5431580
Fair enough

>>5431570

I'd intended it as a supplement to other actions, ensure that as few guards were around the emperor as possible.

I was thinking we launch our spectral assault in our own body after we get Yuyi out of there. Ideally no one would have any idea where the ghosts came from, I'd suspect that rumors of a rogue demon cultivator allied with the rebels might start, but it's hard to say. Mao's forces are most likely to take the blame...after all what strange doctor would heal their patient, then try to kill them?

>>5431651
>after all what strange doctor would heal their patient, then try to kill them?
Maybe the one who is oddly okay and upbeat about death. Y'know like Mao has Yuyi and us pinged as?

I don't quite see the need for it. This is hardly an impregnable fortress.

>>5431651
One small complication is the nature of this false palace itself. It is saturated in ghostly & grudge energy, as we pointed out when we entered, containing so many items suffused with death and resentment from what happened at the old capital.

I'm not sure we can control what happens when this many resentful people clash with grudge infused ghosts on grounds that are themselves recently cursed. To grade it, our catacomb kingdom would rank #1 in deathly yin. It's lethal for humans to tread there. This "new capital" is full of fresh resentment, active grudges, and the people who carry them.

We aren't mind controlling the ghosts we summon, we're aiding their access.

>>5431591
I agree with this opinion
Calling an army of vengeful ghosts would diminish the heroism and heaven forbid if they possess innocent servants or get to kill the emperor themselves.
Other than that beyond the karmic value it would be a sure sign that heretic cultivators did this instead of mortals who suspiciously got their hands on enhancement drugs

>>5431777
...wait won't that put suspicion back on Yuyi? We cured an ailment that's seldom known in the mortal realm, that's not a feat just any doctor can accomplish, is it unreasonable to think maybe a doctor that could do that could also create such enhancements?

>>5431791
Pills making and doctoring are two very different branches of sciences

While yuyi is an incredible doctor she seems to not be a daoist nor have the equipment for pillmaking

It's like asking your doctor to make you a new drug on the spot

If anything they might think she has higher connections that want her freed

>>5431796
A good way to explain it is like the difference between a general practitioner and a pharmacist.

Going to update my count

17 total votes

>Diluted + Qiang
I5PZ+A+r (Yes, it was me)
rZ/mmCpF
QjUTD0KK

>Diluted + Qiang + Give them some stronger and warn them
v3SSFpNy
YR0jZ/4J
0NqT3NKb

>Cheap + Qiang + Shadow as ghost
QjUTD0KK

>Cheap + Diluted + 1 flicker + Allow + Safe
MpRmDQQF
A38+MSPk
Jia/y6S+
0NqT3NKb (?)
gLbK6SYF
ld10Lg1f

>Cheap + Qiang
5e7gN/Wv

>Choose + Possession
kzpPmmTB

>Ghosts
ONjr7rAl
A2lHq5EY
MpRmDQQF
AJ0WPUeJ

I think that the option for giving them cheap pills, some diluted with a warning and one flickering in case of a hail mary winds wins the assistance.

Letting our students do as they wish, but telling them we would rather then be safe is one vote ahead of asking Qiang to be a shadow.
Honestly, I don't know why we are saying to them be safe, they are cultivators against normal men, the risk is if they are recognized and our sect found out, not their safety. But I suppose that the mother cat comment is supposed to be overly worried even if they are at no danger.
I hope atleast one of them stay back to protect our body.

>>5431879
You’re right, mother cat comment was meant as being overly worried. Though there is a chance of actual cultivators being here. I assume the capital is big enough that we may have avoided meeting them, but they may not have the same luck once the fighting starts.

>>5431968
Well, this is the new capital, the old one got burned, and the emperor lost the mandate of heaven and cultivators seen to not meddle with mortals anymore.
But there is always the chance there is a cultivator hanging around watching things, even if it's a heretic. Someone did give him chi poisons and Yuyi just healed him, so it might have attracted attention already.

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Ending the vote now. Tallying the results\

Diluted and weakened Divine Blood Honey Medicine:5

-Give them a set of unweakened divine blood honey, along with a warning: 3

Cheaply made ones:2

Cheap pills, Diluted Divine blood honey medicines, and one flickering wind pellet:6

have them choose their pills so that they can make an informed decision: 1

_

Have Qiang shadow them and lend her skills as assassin to clear their way, as well as protect Yuyi and Yongzheng:7

Shadow them ourselves as a ghost and orchestrate lucky coincidences to help them.:1

Allow the two to do as they please:6
-Tell them you would prefer if they stayed safe, but won’t stop them:6

take possession of one of them so that we ourselves undertake the killing: 1

Use the power of Empress Ghost Melody to give rise to an army of vengeful ghosts that assault the walls and provide a distraction for the three brothers.:4

So You'll give them both Cheap pills, and weakened Divine blood honey medicines (including the Ox's strength and hare's fleetness drug" and undiluted Tireless stamina drug, and one flickering wind pellet, so they can choose how much they're willing to risk, but withhold the Raging devil stampede elixr, so they won't go berserk/ mad.

And will have Qiang Shadow them and lend her assassin skills to clear their way, and to protect Yuyi and Yongzheng once the fighting starts an earnest, though you'll tell her and Fu (who'll stay to guard your real body) they're free to do as they please beyond these orders, but that you'd prefer if they didn't go wild and at least tried to stay safe.

Update will arrive shortly

>>5431570
>>5431879
Thanks for the assist, helped me make sure my tally was accurate.

I included the "Do what you will but stay safe" vote cause I wasn't sure if 0NqT3NKb had switched votes or just included it into his prior vote, so I decided to play it safe and combine the two anyways, since I thought that was the fairest way to handle the issue.

>>5431574
Glad you've enjoyed it and thanks for the compliments!

Gonna be a bit longer with the update. Taking a food break.
Currently writing a cutaway to Ping, whose been fighting for days since we last saw him!

>>5432428
oh he's actually in trouble
uhh, lol. guess we should investigate soon

>>5432430
Nah, he’s good. Dude’s built to last since he’s made of iron. Or copper. Or whatever other ore he got his hands on.

>>5432460
That's Feiqing. Ping is the one with the ghost arm.

>>5432463
Even better! We know ghosts that have been fighting for probably centuries, and he’s something like 1/16th ghost. He can totally fight for a few years, that’s basic math.

>>5432481
Truly, your wisdom is unmatched beneath the heavens

Also, HUGE update coming in

Your eyes open wide, as like being struck by a stray bolt of lightning the solution comes to you just as suddenly and electrifyingly! Snapping your fingers with a triumphant grin and cackle, you sit down on the bed, and pull Ghost Empress Melody onto your lap. Reaching inside the Guqin, you pull out three concealed silk pouches, containing medicinal pills and spirit medicines you had prepared for Yuyi's journey just in case the two of you ran into trouble that couldn't be dealt with with sweet words, the enchanted instruments own power, or by simply running away as fast as Yuyi's legs could carry her. Most of them are the cheap, easy to make pills that novice alchemists would be drilled and forced to concoct for the first couple of years of their practice and training. Not effective for any cultivator of particular talent or whose more than an outright novice and beginner, however they would be invaluable to any person, beast or man, who did not possess the innate gift to cultivate Qi to begin with.

However, because they were made with scraps and poor quality materials, even these cheap pills made by your own two paws, (since it'd be unseemly and shameful to take pills made by your students or mother, not to mention totally unbecoming of a cat of your status and prowess) would only provide a slight advantage over the natural limits of humans who are lacking in spiritual and internal energies. But, a little boost can go a long way.

You frown, as you pour out the bag and count the pills, all of them dull shades of red, orange or brown, flaky and dry. Except for the surplus of Bright blue and green Tireless Stamina pills, sleek and silky, that you stuffed in all three of the pouches, mostly for Yuyi's benefit since she very lacked in stamina at least before your feline essence began to strengthen her body.

"A little help goes far, but more can be done" You mutter to yourself as you roll the flacking pills around in your palm "Don't worry Yuyi, my late sister may have been a fox, but I am not so sly as to lead good men to a pointless and painful death for my own benefit, such things are unbefitting of a true ruler after all...however"

"However" Yuyi repeats heavily "You're planning something that will still be dangerous to those three brother's health, aren't you?"

"Only if they think they need a further push past their disappointing human limits" You sigh, as you open up the second bag, and pull from it a few pills you made by breaking up and diluting the much more valuable and potent divine blood honey medicine "Ox's strength...hare's fleetness, a few slightly better quality tireless stamina drugs I refined, but will that be enough for them to survive the heroics they're soon to carry out? Hmm...Hmm"

"It brings me much joy to see you so concerned with the safety of others, but...those pills feel heavier in my hand, won't they be dangerous to swallow?" Yuyi asks
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>>5432484

"But they might be necessary for them to live past killing the emperor" You answer with a long, drawn out side as you pull open the third and final bag and wince. The Qi inside these pills is so intense you can feel it through Yuyi's finger tips and palm, like a sphere of heat and electricity. Curious, so that is what those who cannot cultivate feel when in the presence of rich and dense Qi? Interesting

"What are those?" Yuyi squeaks, unsettled by the mandarin sized pills in the last pouch

"Pills that would kill them, rather than give them a better chance of living with a few drawbacks" You say, clicking your tongue as you reach in and pull out a small, pearl sized pill, colored silver grey and polished to a shine "Except this, Flickering Wind Pellet (闪烁风 丹, Shǎnshuòfēng Dān), at least, so long as I've neutralized the heart petrifying poison enough to keep it from stopping the heart...but not enough to that it won't slow its beating"

"What will happen if you haven't? And what's that slimy black and red pill there?" Yuyi asks, as you briefly mistake the other pearl sized pill for that pearl of condensed grudge energy and blood qi you made by accident, before remebering you keep that with your other, pearl like treasures and recognize the pill as the treacherous but potent Raging Devil Stampede Elixir (熊熊獝挤踏-仙丹, xióngxióngyùjǐtà-xiāndān), which could probably kill weaker cultivators or those who had neglected refining their body

"Their hearts will burst" You answer bluntly as you close the pouch "and that, is a drug that can greatly increase ones strenght, but drives them into a murderous and hunger induced frenzy. It can tear one's body apart, crushing it with its own new found strength, and even if it doesn't if one hasn't trained their body right, the growth it encourages will be anything but temporary"

"I can see why you wouldn't give it away without good reason, that'd be a cruel gift to give" Yuyi mutters warily before, as you collect the pills in a forth, much smaller pouch, she thinks to ask "How will you get these to the three dian brothers"

"Fu and Qiang have been following us, carrying my real body in case its needed. They'll find the brothers after I give them this pouch of medicine, and give them over...Uh, I'm sure they'll come up with a story to convince the Dian brothers to take the pills, even if Qiang isn't exactly the best actor" You say, as memories of the time you asked Qiang to pretend to be a wandering exorcist repeat themselves in your mind's eye "No, she's actually a terrible one! I won't mince words just because she's my treasured student! I'm not even certain she can lie! Despite her prior profession"
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>>5432485

"And, how will you get the pills to them?" Yuyi asks playfully, pocking holes into your plan. Just then, a fat, grey furred, squished face cat who had made it a habit to follow you and "Protect" you by batting at the feet of anyone who walked too close to you, particularly Yongzheng, whom they did not like for a perfectly reasonable reason. Cause he stared at them for too long and walked too fast and too close by them while they were resting beneath the window in his quarters.

"I'll simply possess this old guard of mine, and walk to them, if that is alright with you, old timer" You say with a energetic smile as you pet the tired old lap warmer who considered you for a moment and meowed, saying "Anything for my monarch"

"And what will I do while you're gone?" Yuyi asked frightfully, her voice high pitched like a distressed meow would be

"Practice the Guqin?" You ask'

"Can't yours wake the dead?!" She shouts back, before fainting as you left her body and entered the body of your dutiful body guard and found yourself just as comfortable in it, as you were in Yuyi's human...well mostly human body! Though not as comfortable as you were in your own flesh and blood, bone and marrow. Probably because this cat was male and old.

At least you wouldn't be in it for long, and could return to your own sleeping body for a little while before returning to wear Yuyi like a nice, warm robe. Biting the strings of the pouch just above the beads keeping it closed, you lift it up, and hop down from the bed, to trot out the door and head towards the hidden place Fu and Qiang have put your beautiful self.
_
[Meanwhile, in a snow blanketed forest torn asunder by combat] < https://youtu.be/KOrXKiSy8ZY >

Ping's entire body ached, and felt weak. His lung's burned, screaming for rest and air, and his hearted pounded without rest as if it was trying to rip its way out of his chest. Blood soaked his white, hanging hair, and one of his eyes was closed and stung from either the brow dripping down his scalp or poison. He had been fighting for days, against his former brothers and sister, alongside the cultivator from the sect whom his master despised, whom he had actually grown closed to, even if he did not know his true name.

Qinxin stood at his back, as exhausted and wounded as Ping himself was. Ping winced, as clouds of powdery snow filled the air and the screams of flying swords and spears filled his ears. His normal arm hung limp, wrapped in part of his outer robe, bleeding from a deep gash that ran from its shoulder near to its wrist. Qinxin's golden robes were powdered with red snow, and had been torn open. A ghastly, red wound ran from his stomach, up his chest, which he had sealed with a gout of glittering flames.
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>>5432486

"My teacher made combat between daoist sages seem easy!" Ping snarled, trying to open up his sealed eye as he held out his now revealed ghoul arm "How troublesome this is! Are you alright, brother? That last barrage nearly brought me to my knees"

"What life have you lived, to be experienced in such things before the conflict between the east and west?" Qinxin asked with the manic laugh of a man drunk with adrenaline "And I am as well as I can be! To think our luck would be so rotten we would meet our monsterous prey, just as we were ambushed by the sect you abandoned, and wisely so, smiling ghost!"

"Tch, I was only ever part of the outer most ring of the winter blossoming wisdom sect to begin with!" Ping proclaimed, feeling the need to defend himself "And yes, it is as if the heavens themselves wished to punish me for daring to seek my own path!"

"Hah! Then all of the nine heavens can rot! You may be a heretic, but you're a better man than these dogs! Who dare to attack the men doing the duties they have forsaken! And continue to do so when the beast they've come to subjugate is rampaging carelessly" the other cultivate spat, and Ping felt his heart warm, despite the corpse like chill radiating from his unsealed ghost arm. He didn't trust Qinxin at first, and had tried to keep him at an arm's length, but he had proven a trustworthy ally. Not as much as Feiqing and Lei, or Lady Huanliuxue, but he chose Ping's side over his fellow Orthodox cultivators and seemed to consider him a true friend, despite his cursed limb.

And then, ghastly laughter echoed through the woods, as Jingyǔ, or rather, the abomination that used to be Jingyǔ , effortlessly repelled the attack of the four cultivators that had ambushed Him and Qinxin when they were busy fighting for their lives against the practitioner of some kind of horrid Patchwork, organ and limb stealing demonic cultivation. A clouds of snow settled, and Ping caught a glimpse of the multi limbed, stitched and grossly mismatched body of his branded and outcast former martial brother. He didn't look human, besides his head. And Ping could see the spirits of his victims, chained to each patch of stolen muscle and bone or thieved organ.

And he saw something Qinxin could not, fox tails, pale blue and cracking like ice, spewing out Cold Yin Energy and frozen water Qi. Not only had Jingyu turned himself into a bulging, ungainly monster but he was also possessed! Truly Possessed! He knew a fox spirit had beguiled him, but he didn't expect him to allow it to take up residence in his distended and ogreish body!

"He's coming back, be ready Qinxin! He's tossed aside the cowards!"Ping roared. as Jingyu, silent as a grave, surged forward, dragging four massive slabs of blood soaked iron hammered into the vague shape of meat cleavers
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>>5432488

"Ah! Brother Ping! lil brother ping! Stop looking so scared! Your elder just wants to take a look at that arm of yours!" The lunatic monster giggled, as icy blue fox eyes glowed over his own

"Rejungui!" Qinxin shouted "The other two have picked themselves back up! We'll have to leave our backs exposed if we're to survive that boar's next charge!"

"PIGFUCKERS! Can't you see we're not the threat here" Ping roared back, as he lifted his arm and adopted a defensive stance "Haaah, you're about as strong as she is... that isn't good"

"Oh?" Jingyu asked the fox on his back, who had said something Ping did not understand to him, turning his head around, which gave Ping and his unlikly comrade a chance to strike. Ping summoned all of the Ghostly Qi his arm could endure, causing the teeth and bone beads he wrapped around it to lift and turn black a pitch as four rings of energy glowed down his corpse pale arm, forming a black sphere of destruction in his palm

"The sun is in the sky! And my fiery blood reflects it light!" Qinxin bellows "Feel the heat of righteous, and taste its burn"

"VANISH FROM THE LIVING WORLD!" Ping screamed "BEGONE FROM THE LIGHT AND LIFE !

Jingyu moved like a whirled wind, sacrificing one of the arms he attached beneath the patchwork limbs he had made around his original arms, the sphere of destruction in Ping's arm tearing it apart down to its bones, which twisted and cracked and then was reduced to splinters

"Tch, how rude" The monster cooed, as he slapped Ping away. His head swam, as he saw Qinxin flying backwards from a solid kick of the Monsterous Monk's bear like feet, Ping's heart skipped several beats as he watched his new friend fly backwards, past the two veil wearing members of his former sect, who rushed forward to meet with Jingyu, ignoring both him and his ally for the time being

"I just want to ask you a few questions now! and How rude of you to interrupt! I was saving you four for later!" Jingyu snarled, lifting up two of his cleaver swords, and crossing the other two over his chest. Ping didn't watch those idiots fight with the beast, and took the time their distraction bought to pick himself up and rush to Qinxin's side, expending what little internal energy he was able to compose within himself to heal what wounds he could, as his only ally in this brawl did the same, wincing as he stood

"The Heavenly Stance of the First Gate" He spat, as Ping reached his side, to help lift himself from the ground and in turn share his energy to help him repair the intense internal damage he had just taken "He's stolen that from my sect! How unpleasant! Not only does he rob corpses! He also steals techniques!"
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>>5432489

Ping looked at him for a long moment, stunned into silence by his unexpected companions priorities, before the most terrible yell of pain he had ever heard pulled him from his mundane reverie.

Half of a cultivator, blue tinted robes sprayed red, fell beside him, her eyes wide with horror.

"Three" Ping whispered, as he lifted his head and raised his ghost arm, gritting his teeth as he saw that Jingyu held one of the now three ambushers by the head, lifting it up high as he slowly compressed his monsterously large fist around it and

Crack
Splurt

"Two" Ping said, almost sighing in relief as Qixin threw the silk sash he wore around his waste in the air, catching one end ablaze and the other crackling with brilliant gold electricity

"Less distractions for him, my unlikely brother" He said quietly "We need to put all we have left, if we'll have even the hope of surviving this encounter. Now that the beast has stopped playing with its food"

"Or winning" Ping remarked as Jingyu tossed the headless corpse their way, the burning and electrified sash held by Qixin cutting it in twain as the behemoth abomination threw itself forward

Four black spheres burrowed out of Ping's ghost arm as he raised it up to rain destruction down on the charging monster

"Haha! Yes! Lets dance, little brother! I'll only break most of your bones" Was said monsters reply
_

You yawned, stretching out as you settled into your body after far too long away from it. The cat you used to carry the pills lay purring in Qiang's lap, as Fu sat beside her, honing the edge of his axe

"So we'll deliver these pills to these Dian brothers you mentioned, telling them the risk of taking the higher quality ones" Fu Recounts, tossing and catching the pouch of cheap pills "And leave it to them to decide how many they take before they storm the palace to "Save" Yuyi from the emperor, who is no longer a bloated pig, so you can presumably reap the rewards from his blood and wretched soul"

"Yeah, that's about the gist of it" You say happily as Qiang smiles gently "Though I trust you, Qiang, as my sole disciple of the Ruler of the Great Wheel's law, to assist these brothers in entering into legend, by clearing the steps into story for them"

Immediately her expression hardened and all warmth fled her eyes

"I understand, I'll become their shadow and cut down any who'll stand in their way. Do you have any other orders for me, teacher?" She asked plainly as Fu frowned and returned to his work after catching the pouch one last time

"Protect Yuyi's body and the monk she's with" You say chipperly as you lay one paw over the other and look cute

"I don't have to act like a monk myself this time, do I? Playing pretend is so exhausting" She said dully, sighing as she slumped forward "But I'll do what ever you ask of me, Lady Huanliuxue"
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