>>6013373

"And you didn't kill him?! That son of a bitch! We should throw him to the wolves or abandon him in hell!" Monu rages, letting the little moon rabbit down, onto a napping Chuandapo's shell, while Lei, who has for some reason, also put ribbons into his hair, preens his mustache thoughtfully, his eyes more focused and sharp than you have ever seen "How can you be so calm about this! How dare he!"

"Turns out, the legends were a pile of horseshit and the cure is pretty simple. All I have to do to save myself is eat the lifeforce of a dragon or something or someone who is the equal of one" You say with a gloomy frown, pouting as you watch the tongueless Lei's eyes light up even more, looking positively thrilled at something, probably the idea of you fighting and draining the life out of a magnificent dragon/

"Eh?" Monu gasps, falling backwards she's so stunned "That's all?"

"That's all?" Niu gasps, somehow shocked that your mother is confident you could catch a dragon like a pigeon "That's all? You're talking about hunting dragons like they were common lizards!"

"I'm known as the serpent whose venom could slay a dragon for a reason, Miss Niu" You mother cackles, eyes gleaming "We just need to find a dragon or something about as powerful as one right"

"Only if it can't be avoided, and I have another solution in my sleeve that might be more dangerous than the curse itself" You answer sternly, making it clear you don't want to hunt down a dragon, since the only ones you know are youngsters and unborn souls, and fighting someone as strong as a dragon to drain their vitality isn't something you'd be thrilled to do, even if they deserved it or were just someone you despised personally.

"Oh?" She asks as Lei leans in, just as curious as she is as you, to demonstrate, pull out a vial of the guardian deities blood.

"Part of my cultivation requires me to have a deep understanding of blood, both mine and other people's, and I should probably start teaching Qiang it as well, but suffice to say, I'm certain this drop of blood would cure me instantly. It also might injure or even kill me, so it is the last resort, in case we can't find any dragons who wouldn't be missed, Heh-Heh-Heh" You snicker as you flick the drop of blood up, Niu's eyes bulging as she feels the potency of the life and Qi inside of it, and Monu tenses, wincing as it nearly hits the ground. Mao Yue is still too busy dotting on Piao Tuzi to notice anything that's going on.

Lei grunts, groaning, clearly annoyed he can't speak to you in any way you could understand, and runs off, probably in search of ink and a brush.
Cont

>>6013375

"So did you tell your poor mother all this just to toy with her poor heart, or so if I found out on my own, I wouldn't do something as foolish as picking a fight with your pet calamity?" Monu asks with an exaggerated pout "But I am relieved that you're in no real danger, should've known the stories of the curse would be exaggerated. But please, if you ever are cursed again, start with "Oh honored mother, do not fear, I know the curse" instead of just telling me you've become the victim of a surely deadly curse. My heart may be young again, but it can't take that much abuse"

"I just think no one who has been cursed with specter starvation was strong enough to fight dragons?" Niu says bleakly, rubbing her hands nervously

"Sorry, Mom" You sigh, hanging your head as you hide the vial of blood away in your sleeve again "I'll keep that in mind if I make a habit of fighting world calamity ghosts. Speaking of which"

"I was just exploring the temple you built atop my grave" Aodasheng said, as he suddenly appeared at your side, making Mao Yue and Niu both faint, the latter having enough time to yelp in surprise before she did "And gathering my men, to begin sending them back to the cycle of reincarnation"

"Ah, So that's what you were doing, I was wondering were you had wandered off to" You say happily as Monu purses her lips tightly, eyes wide open, a single bead of sweat crawling down her brow "I was just asking my beloved mother if she could search for alternative means of curing the curse YOU placed on me"

"Sorry again about that, I really should've been more discerning of the curses I spoke during the last couple of moves in our spar. But it was so exciting, I mostly abandon discretion and caution to revel in the thrill of a strong opponent" the dethroned ghost king laughs "And if my assistance would be appreciated, I could lend my own expertise on the subject of curses to her search for a cure you can, heh, stomach, besides cutting down a dragon for your own benefit. I've heard from the headless serpent, you make a habit of visiting the yellow springs"

"I wouldn't be opposed to it, so long as you wore perfume. The smell of death around you might be pleasing to my daughter's nose, but it certainly isn't to mine" Monu said sweetly, as Ao just smirked

"I do. Though I haven't gone there in awhile, since demons started drooling when I walk by, speaking of demons, we still need to cut up that one I fought on the road, and organize the medicines you made out of the Crow King" You say as you stand and pick up Piao Tuzi off of Chuandapo's shell "Also, is that piece of shit still alive?"

"I can keep a victim of my torture suffering for years, Heh-Heh" Monu cackled as Aodasheng's smirk turned toothy, remembering what you told him about the hardships you faced in getting the other local sects to have some measure of common sense.
Cont

>>6013376

"Good, I might have use for them later. And my mother can search for a different means of curing me on her own, one of your jobs is to guard me, remember? Ao?" You say while petting the sleeping moon rabbit behind her springy ears

"Ao? My my, are the two of you that close already?" She says, with an arched eyebrow, looking at the former ghost king appraisingly and judgmentally

"For me at least, shortening her name is a sign of respect. It was rare to find like minded daoists who can keep up with me in a fight and who are not so narrow minded or so plain in personality they fade into the background, even in my era. And I owe your daughter a great debt, besides" He answers with a nod as you wonder why you call him Ao sometimes, since you've only recently met him and decide he'd make an interesting friend and subject. But decide it doesn't matter.

"It doesn't matter" You huff, shaking your head "Mother, if you could summon the Geges, Siwang and Yinying here? I have a lesson I want to see if they can grasp. Oh and if you run into Ruolan and Renshu, send them to me as well, after telling them to bring to me some of their stored, refined blood, I wish to check on their progress as cultivators and do some training to take my mind off of"

"Being cursed?" She said right as you were about to say it yourself

"Correct, Mama!" You chirp cheerfully, acting cutesy to make her laugh, since you can tell she is still on edge, either because of your condition or because of Aodasheng hovering around like a herald of unavoidable death.

roll 4d100. First two dice, teaching your fellow beasts partial transformation. Second two dice, Carmine Mysticism training. DC for first roll 165. DC for second 118. Best out of five for both

Rolled 83, 17, 48, 94 = 242 (4d100)

>>6013378

Rolled 95, 58, 12, 84 = 249 (4d100)

>>6013378

>>6013378

Rolled 81, 7, 10, 90 = 188 (4d100)

>>6013378
The time of the legendary quadruple hundo is here

Rolled 44, 51, 21, 92 = 208 (4d100)

>>6013378
Goddamn it, me >>6013387.

Rolled 92, 69, 35, 29 = 225 (4d100)

>>6013378
These rolls do not bode well.

>>6013404
Failure, but by less than 10, but you can use some of your total training/ Cultivation bonus of 1448 to save it if you want.

So, flash vote time!

>Minimum required for success, using 4 bonus, leaving you with a total of 1444

>1 additional DoS, using 14, leaving you with 1434

>2 additional DoS, using 24, leaving you with 1424

>3 additional DoS, using 34, leaving you with 1414

>Custom amount
>Or take the failure

>>6013385
However for the second roll, to refine your carmine mysticism you got a good success, 20 over DC

>>6013404
Damn. So close. Well we got the second set at least.

>>6013414
>>Minimum required for success, using 4 bonus, leaving you with a total of 1444
The triple fours call to me to spend on our next training roll.

>>6013414
>3 additional DoS, using 34, leaving you with 1414

>>6013414
>Minimum required for success, using 4 bonus, leaving you with a total of 1444

Bold of you, Grandfather, to assume that we wouldn't instantly choose the option which let's us put more than a single 4 in our training pool

>>6013414
>3 additional DoS, using 34, leaving you with 1414

>>6013414
>3 additional DoS, using 34, leaving you with 1414

>>6013414
>3 additional Dos

Why not.
But after we can start being more frugal, we should to step through golden core in a single bound again.

Or maybe it is better to get to the cusp of golden core before applying all our strength.

>>6013414
>Minimum required for success, using 4 bonus, leaving you with a total of 1444
Auspicious trips.

>>6013448
This kind of made me have a funny brain wave, what if the reason why there are so few cultivators of worth left isn't because there are no prodigies being born but because no one is actually teaching or learning properly any more. They aren't stacking the buffs. The fools.

My fellow disciples, I have emerged from my training in the wilds with the dao of recording most deeply sharpened and shall begin updating of our illustrious Ladies manuscripts.

>>6013454
That is. . . exactly what's happened. No, that's really what's happened. Knowledge is intentionally destroyed and obscured and kept out of reach, needing to be reinvented [which is illegal] to be good at cultivating.

>>6013461
Thank you junior, I hope the training was not overly harsh.

minimum: 3

34/ 3 extra Degrees of success: 4

So by a narrow margin, spending 34 of your total bonus for a total of 195 and going 30 over DC for a great success, wins

Update will arrive shortly

>>6013448
I say we save until 2k, since 1k was a major factor for us shooting up. Also send some disciples with that old map of Chuan to maybe find some more treasures to boost us and our sect members up.

>>6013469
We'd only need to save up about 1500 training bonus, as our special meditation chamber provides +500 or so.

And it will provide another increase in bonus when we move it to the bottom of the mouintain, where the Qi is purest, rather than level 3-4.
However I do think that spending more time at Golden core, and getting to GC 8 before we do our mega leap is a good call. The energy and effort isn't absorbed in climbing those subordinate ranks, it's used in the much more important transformative step, solidifying our foundations in this new stage.
Otherwise, I utterly agree.

Right, updated the list of stuff we got, updated the character sheet, updated the minor tweaks to the sect document [which will probably need fixing with the students learning chimeric manipulation]

But I'd ask for my juniors to see if I have left anything out or missed any mistakes.

>>6013477
I think maybe adding Ruolan and Renshu would be in order (though it might have to wait until we can gauge if they've made any natural progress down cultivation), and I'd at least count the Temple of Celestial Fire as an ally, even if the terms are in their favor and we currently haven't made moves to honor our end of the deal.

>>6013490
Ah, that does remind me. Need to update the Alliance as Tomb Mountain and Sea Alliance.

I dunno, They do need to have their progress assessed first before I do so.
And they can be allies when we uphold the end of our bargain.

The four other beasts who've attained human forms through their own efforts, reflection and understanding, as well as a few that are striving to become the next ascended beast to comprehend human wisdom, are gathered in one of the forests nearest to the sect's temple. Siwang is sitting in a tree, legs and arms crossed, with a unfurled scroll hanging down off of his legs and a quill made out of one of his own wing feathers stuck behind his ear, smearing wet ink on the side of his cheek. Yinying is also wearing his human face, and armor styled and designed by Feqing's hand, his marsh green hair peeking from beneath the helmet in tufts as he marches around the perimeter of the clearing that has been made in the woodlands by some of the outer disciples or Fu's daily training. The Geges are together, Tiexingege in her ant body and Jionghuagege sitting atop her in her human one, both of them accompanied by a small force of their daughters, with Jiong-Jiong kids happily chatting together and trying to strike up conversation with the one intelligent daughter Tie-Tie brought with her. Three, who is trying her best to stand guard while being pestered by half a dozen giant bees.

Huili and his pack, and thus Chuandapo, are also here, as is the silver furred Youzaiwang, whose wounded pride demanded he be present to try and claim the title of the sixth beast to attain human form in this generation. Baifenchi is also here, being the only other disciple to tag along to listen in on the lesson, even if though the wisdom you're going to impart is worthless in the hands of those who haven't yet attained a human form of their own. That didn't deter them, which is good, since it shows that they're smart enough to know any insight or piece of knowledge could, if it doesn't lead to a breakthrough now, may be useful to them in the future. And Strangely enough, Baifenchi and Youzaiwang seem to get along, even though the arrogant tiger looks down his nose at most of the rest of the world.

"I've summoned you here today, students of mine" You say, pulling back the sleeve of your robe to reveal your bare hand, as Siwang starts to diligently take notes "To see if you could be enlightened as I have been!"

And with a flash of carmine light, you turn that arm and that arm along into a mix of a cat's foreleg and a human arm, your vivid scarlet fur appearing over it as your fingers turn into curved claws and pink paw pads sprout from them and your palm. You stretch out your claws and the fingers they're attached to, showing that the half paw half hand at the end of your now furry arm retains the dexterity and grip of a completely human hand while also having the deadly claws of you were born with.
cont

>>6013529

And that immediately gets the attention of every disciple present, though they remain silent as they observe, but you notice Siwang and Jionghuagege undressing their upper halves to inspect the wing markings on their back, quickly catching on that there ability to sprout wings even while in their human guises, might be connected to the partial transformation you showed them.

"As you can see, I can turn parts or all of my body into a hybrid of my two forms, my beautiful feline and gorgeous human selves" You explain as you open your mouth wide, showing your tongue as you turn it as rough as it would be in your cat mouth and sprout your sharp teeth into real fangs before lifting up your transformed arm higher and putting it through a sequence of changes, shifting it from more human to less, including simply sharpening your nails or making it as large as your paw would be in your magical beast form "There isn't really a secret trick behind it, or a complex sequence of steps to follow, or some profound mystery you must solve to do this, unlike the art of attaining a human form to begin with"

"Then how, my princess, did you realize this ability?" Yinying asks, once he's shaken himself from a stupor as you grin, watching Siwang and Jionghuagege unknowingly race to the conclusion that allowed you to perform the feat yourself, you curl your tongue but hold it behind your teeth as you change your body back to wholly human and just watch for a moment as both the owl and the bee summon and spread their wings, too close together for you to figure out which of them did it first.

But, despite having an advantage, neither of them are the ones who figure it out first. Instead it is Tiexingege, who some have dared to slander as being dull witted. She isn't. Just because she prefers the simplicity of fighting to more refined interests and hobbies and talks curtly, doesn't mean she's dumb. And like her sister, she is a master tactician. She might not prefer her human form and barely use it compared to Jionghuagege, thinking it weak and also probably because hers is oddly short and childlike, but a warrior as experience as her immediately grasped the usefulness in combining her two forms.

Jionghuagege falls flat on her bottom with a yelp, as Tiexingege, in a flash of black sparks and the sound of grinding metal, stands, clad in her carapace and with the serrated metal blades sprouting from it growing on her arms. She's even made herself a bit taller by leaving her legs mostly ant-like

"Hmm, useful, thanks for sharing this trick, Red Fur!" She declares, cupping her iron skinned fist as she bows, twin tails bobbing as they stick out of her "helmet". And while you hear Yinying muttering a quick prayer of gratitude that Siwang wasn't the one to immediately find the solution, you see his handsome, princely face contort with despair as Siwang gasps and snaps his fingers
Cont

>>6013530

"She realized that if she was capable of transforming between two states, she should be able to stop the sudden change before it was complete!" He shouts, as he thrusts his legs out and turns them into talons, after some wincing and squints of frustration and effort

"Precisely" You say as Jionghuagege frowns and rubs her cheeks, looking thoughtful as the beasts without a human form make all sorts of cries and noises of excitement "I realized, why shouldn't I be able to look however I damn well want to! Why should an empress only have two robes"

"Ah!" Jiong-Jiong shouts, snapping her fingers and turning her eyes compound as her antenna sprout from her silver grey hair "That's it! why would we ever be constrained to only having two styles. If we can change our bodies between two states, then surely, as Sir Siwang has said, the in-between is also achievable!"

"Of course! But we never dared to try, the switch between human and magical beast is so quick, seemless and easily performed, we thought it a reflex before our master tried it anyways! And that's a little strange" Siwang raves excitedly, eyes wide with the thrill of a new discovery "Perhaps it is instinctive, and by quieting the voice saying it can't be done, a new gate is opened"

"I hate that you are speaking sensibly!" Yinying roars, turning his teeth into fangs "Hahaha! You didn't leave me behind for long! Once master explained it in a more...conceptual and poetic manner, understanding the trick became leagues more easily accomplished!"

"The head guard is amazing, amazing!" The magical house cats Yinying decided were worthy of being your royal guard cry out with one voice as a deep, threatening growl travels through the forest, loud enough to shake the trees

"Enough! Enough!" Youzaiwang cries out, tantruming around the clearing, clawing trees, creating shock waves of Qi and lightning and roaring his frustration to the sky "This is an outrage! This is a slight against me! Why can't I attain a human form, when they did so so easily and excel at it so readily"

"I know, its maddening isn't it" You say, remembering that jealousy and fear of being surpassed was what made Yinying achieve his second awakening "That others surpass you as easily as stepping up stairs, that you, so mighty a beast, once praised and feared by all, are made a fool of by the kind of creatures no man fears. An ant, a Bee, an Owl, and two housecats, isn't it just shameful, Youzaiwang, that you can't figure it out, that you cannot grasp we all did so easily?"

The tiger glares at you, eyes going through a myriad of emotions as his self preservation instinct battles with his wounded pride and he looks like he's about to explode from the turmoil inside his heart before his face slackens and he falls to his side like a pampered house pet with a whimpered cry. Rather than roar out of outrage, wounded pride, or frustration, the tiger groans pitifully and closes his eyes.
Cont

>>6013531

"Its true. As much as a brag and swagger around, I'm simply less talented than you all. Pride is all I have, besides this strong body, but what use is it if its the only one I have?! Brother Siwang made his own art, while I just adapted the fighting style of an ancient one to be more aggressive! The princesses are worldly and lead armies, while I boast about a harem I no longer have! Even Yinying is better than I! He has purpose and an ambition! What do I have to be proud of, if my only strength is the body I was born into! Tell me, tell me the secret, I beg of you! I must know it, so I can better myself and still be able to call myself the young king without feeling like a imitator!" He wails and pleads, with tears in his eyes "What makes me different than a man!"

"Nothing" You say, purposefully being as vague and mysterious as possible "That should be enough for you to figure it out. If not, maybe you should humble yourself further. Pride was the spark that made you Youzaiwang. Have you ever felt true humility?"

The tiger goes quiet, as Baifenchi spreads her wings, and catches onto the fact you gave him his answer long before he did.

"Master" She says in a quiet voice "I think I understand now, please, give me the honor of the sixth seat. I, and no other moth, have ever felt the fear of death, not even in the face of the Aodasheng. Please, teach me it"

You grin, and bestow it upon her, by releasing your aura and focusing your pressure and killing intent onto her as you move as if you're going to strike her down with a single claw strike. Only swerving your attack away from her head at the last moment, tearing up the forest floor and slicing apart a few trees as she stares directly into your eyes.

And then is encompassed in a pillar of bright emerald light.

Youzaiwang gasps, as Jionghuagege begins clapping her hands, and makes Tiexingege do as well after kicking her in the shin

"Seventh and eighth" Huili mutters, bowing his head as Chuandapo frowns, and squints, staring directly at the pillar of primordial beast essence shooting up into the heavens

"Ours is a strange friendship, isn't it?" She asks the wolf, the revelation Baifenchi reached slowly dawning on her "What did she say, about moths and the fear of death?"

"Want to know the secret?" Tie-Tie snickered, swaggering up to the two of them "Silver Coat is too smug for my liking, so I'll do what I can to kick him while he's down"


You smile as you see Baifenchi's human face. She has round, soft cheeks, making her look younger and more childish than she already does, with dark bags under her eyes and skin so pale it looks like a corpses. Her hair is short and cropped at her neck with bangs hanging over her pale green eyes, perfectly arranged without a hair out of place, with bands of black running through her powdery white hair, and with more black hairs forming a skull atop her scalp. She blinks tiredly, lips seeming to form naturally into a pout.
Cont

>>6013533

She's scrawny, only a little taller than Tiexingege, with visible ribs and barely any muscle or fat to be found on her body. Her eyes are big and round, and what would be called the lychee shape. And just like Siwang and Jionghuagege, she has tattoo like markings on her back in the shape of her moth wings, but stylized

"Aw" She gasped quietly, barely able to be heard, and reaches up to touch and grip her cheeks "it is different. I thought I'd be more accustomed to this body, considering how acquainted I am to the insides of it, Hihihi. It is different, even though it feels natural, breathing is strange, isn't it, master"

"I wouldn't know, I've always needed to breath" You chuckle "And, that thing you said about being acquainted with human insides, Baifenchi, what have you been up to"

"Merely helping prepare the dead for their funerals" She answers "Siwang doesn't care to bury criminals, and my grandfather was interested in the insides of corpses as well, before he, died"

And as two more pillars of emerald light light up the sky, and Youzaiwang looks like he is on the verge of killing himself by chewing out his own tongue, you see that Tie-Tie and Jiong-Jiong had told Huili and Chuandapo the "trick" behind attaining a human form, the missing piece of the puzzle for them to "obtain" human wisdom.

Huili emerges from the light first, cracking his new knuckles, his skin tanned and scorched here and there, his ash grey hair the longest of any man you've seen, hanging down far enough to cover his backside, gray except for its soot black ends. And with a shot beard sprouting from his chin, and hairy eyebrows over his thuggish, triangular eyes. His face was that of a brute, hard and rough, making him look like a barbarian chief or crime lord. Very masculine, handsome but not pretty. And you also notice, his pride as a man was smaller than Siwang's.

Chuandapo just flopped to the ground, with long hair the same shade of violet as her shell, and you thought for a second she failed because of it, with the way it fell over her back. Unlike Huili's mane, which gave him the look of a wild man, Chuandapo's made it clear she didn't care enough to groom it. And she is, well there is no nice way to put it. She's fat. Chubby. In face, body, chest and leg. She's got a round, wobbling gut. Thick legs and thicker thighs, and hefty bosom and heftier pair of buttocks. She isn't unpleasant to look at, and her soft, face certainly isn't ugly, but she'd be much cuter if she shed a few pounds, but you can tell she has muscles underneath her blubber. And she has scars from were she was poked by spears when she used to terrorize the fishing ships of Chuan in search for easy meals

"That was exhausting" She complains, eyes half open, frowning as she laid, naked on the ground, while Huili rubbed his cheeks and admired his muscles "And I only feel a little lighter without that shell on my back. I feel cheated"
Cont

>>6013534

Grumbling, she sat herself up, rubbing her head, not knowing how to make facial expressions as she looked around, and wrinkled her nose, trying to figure out how legs worked as Huili started cackling at her rotund appearance, but she silenced him with a glare and a wave of her hand, which sent a wave of water crashing against him.

And all three of them have pointed ears, just like you do in your human form.

"Hah! Now you'll be the ninth beast to attain a human body, if you'll even be that" Tiexingege mocked, jabbing an armored finger at the nearly comatose Youzaiwang

"Hmm, I've a lot of extra meat around my stomach" Chuandapo said with a pout, before her usual carefree smile overtook it and she sighed a half hearted chuckle "I've been eating well, even with the diet you've put me on, Master"

"That isn't something to be proud of" You growl as Youzaiwang blinks

"Pride" he says wistfully as he stands up "I...I think I know which fault of mine is getting in my way. I, I do not need to be told this secret. I, Youzaiwang, will earn the necessary insight and reach their level of enlightenment by my own effort. Hah, to think I nearly gave up my pride, just because of a minor set back. Huanliuxue. Do I have permission to go traveling"

"Sure" You say with a smirk, knowing how easy it would be for him to attain a human form if he just humbled himself, since you can't imagine a tiger would ever do so in the wild, without dying first "Be sure to write. Though, I have to say, I admire you decision to figure out how to attain a human form, by your own power"

"My very reason for being is at stake. I cannot so easily forsake my proud nature, just because I did not excell as easily as others" He answers, and with that, he's gone.

"Shall I fetch Huili, Chuandapo, and Baifench temporary robes?" Yinying helpfully asks as seeing Chuandapo happily smacking her belly is starting to piss you off, and you can tell she knows it is with how she's smirking at you.

You wave you hand in affirmation.
_

"Ruolan, Renshu, Ruolan's brother" You cheerfully greet your two carmine mystic decendants, as you lounge on a particuarly crooked grave somewhere in the catacombs, as Ruolan's hypnotized brother stares blankly and dumbly ahead "I can see the three of you have made good progress, er, well two of you have as both cultivators and carmine mystics, and so shortly after gaining the ability to cultivate at all. So you've refined your hypnotic eyes, Ruolan"

"And have grasped the basics of blood alchemy" She answers, smacking her dainty fist into her palm

"As have I, master" Renshu adds, smiling proudly "Though Ruolan has learned how to weaponize it, I've learned how to use it for healing purposes"
Cont

>>6013535

"I have mastered both those uses of blood and blood Qi, but for you two, it is an achievement" You praise, nodding your head, very pleased with the progress they've made "And I trust you've been refining the blood donated to you by the other alchemists seeking the same gift I've given the two of you?"

"Of course!" The answer together while Ruolan's traitorous brother groans thoughtlessly, head lolled to the side

"Any other advancements you wish to tell me about?" You ask curiously, leaning closer to them and flashing your fangs, mostly to see if you could make them jump by revealing your new ability and talent at partial transformations, but neither the doll like girl or the flamboyant man so much as start

"I've been studying old texts detailing the reign of terror lead by one of the disgusting original breed of carmine mystics, by the coastline. And the interesting connection between water and blood" Renshu says excitedly "So far, however, I've learned nothing besides that the legendary boogeyman of the Blood Eel Swarm, did in fact once exist and was once a man"

Ruolan answers by playfully flicking out her tongue like a whip of flesh, showing she's learned a few transformation techniques of her own

"Well, I am very pleased with both of your work and your personal refinement, well done, Ruolan, Renshu" You cheer, clapping your hands as you hop onto their feet "And in fact, I'll allow you to share in the spoils you've brought me, and show you how to properly refine your carmine sorcery, and hone yourself as a living Jiangshi!"

"We are humbled, master is most generous and kind!" They shout together, smacking their fist into their open palm, which Ruolan's enchanted brother mimics.

Ruolan has achieved Qi Condensation rank 4 (Focuses. Alchemy and Carmine mysticism), and is practicing an undefined law of alchemy and blood. Renshu has achieved Qi Condensation rank 4 (Focuses. Alchemy and carmine mysticism) and is also practicing and undefined law of alchemy and blood
Cont

>>6013538

Triple vote!

What form does your second evolution as a carmine mystic take

>Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed.

>Attain the Blood Mist Form transformation art (Which can be used as a movement/ avoidance technique)

>Attain the basic Transformation arts of baseline carmine mysticism (Wings, rending claws, lashing tongue, monstrous fangs)

>Open up the verdant path/ school of Carmine mysticism, Unlocking the first stage of Carmine Mysticism: Verdant spells and abilities

>Define the Lunar Path/ School of Carmine mysticism. Creating the first stage of Carmine Mysticism: Lunar spells and abilities (leads to a second vote)

>Unlock a second stage Carmine mystic magical ability (leads to another vote)

>Even Further refined blood control (No longer requiring the blood to be infused with your blood Qi, and increases the intricacy of what you're able to shape out of blood, as well as expanding your blood alchemy tricks)

>Write in

And what evolution do you guide Ruolan and Renshu down, as thanks for their assistance (Choose one for each)

>Acquire the basic mystical abilities of baseline carmine mysticism (Hypnotic eyes (Already attained by Ruolan), paralyzing bite, Healing Blood (Already attained by Renshu), Consumed knowledge)

>Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed. (Already attained by Renshu)

>Attain the basic Transformation arts of baseline carmine mysticism (Wings, rending claws, lashing tongue(already attained by Ruolan), monstrous fangs)

>Attain the Blood Mist Form transformation art (Which can be used as a movement/ avoidance technique)

>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)

>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan)

>Write in

And what do you do, once you've finished refining your carmine mystic abilities and those of Ruolan and Renshu, Huanliuxue?

>Check the costs of stocking the Garden of the Wild Empress Temple, and the tournament preparations, and start organizing and accepting applicants for its first two brackets, to start the tournament officially

>Send Aodasheng out to investigate the beast stampede or search for another cure for the curse he put onto you

>Be the one to teach Piao Tuzi and Yewushi how to speak, since they are capable of it, they just...don't know how to breath air and thus can't speak.

>Reach out to your Buddhist friends, and also invite them to the tournament, just for fun

>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains

>Write in

Poor Youzaiwang...

>>6013539
>Physical improvement.
This is always useful.

>Ruolan and Renshu: Basic mystical abilities.
Again, consumed knowledge is very very useful.

>Oversee the army's release.
>Be the one to teach the rabbits to speak [WE ARE THEIR MOTHERS NOW]
>Check the costs and start the torney.
So the first one is just house keeping, the second is something to do immediately so they can start studying while we do other shit, and last bit is because we've been delaying this for a thread and a half. Lets deal with the strengthening of our sect so we can slap the Ling.

>>6013539
>Even Further refined blood control (No longer requiring the blood to be infused with your blood Qi, and increases the intricacy of what you're able to shape out of blood, as well as expanding your blood alchemy tricks)
This would probably help with assimilating god blood.

>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)

>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan)
Help these two down their own chosen path.

>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains
This is important to him so we should be present.
Monu can dote on the two rabbits for now.

Probably should fulfill the promise first. Also is it possible to just send some disciples to deal with the beast wave?

>>6013599
Of course, you can always send your disciples on missions, that is your privilege as sect head. The outcome will be determined by who you send and if its a group, who is calling the shots.

>>6013539
>Unlock a second stage Carmine mystic magical ability (leads to another vote)
>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan
>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu))
>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains
>>6013606
>Send Baifenchi, the Gege's and Huili to look into a cure with Huili in charge

>>6013539
>Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed.
It's hard to pass up raw stats


>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)
>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan)

>Check the costs of stocking the Garden of the Wild Empress Temple, and the tournament preparations, and start organizing and accepting applicants for its first two brackets, to start the tournament officially

>Send Aodasheng out to investigate the beast stampede

>>6013539
>Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed.

>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan
>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu))

>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains

>>6013539
>Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed.

>Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed. (Already attained by Renshu)

>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)

>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains

>>6013539
>Attain the Blood Mist Form transformation art (Which can be used as a movement/ avoidance technique)

>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)

>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan)

>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains

>>6013539
>>Even Further refined blood control (No longer requiring the blood to be infused with your blood Qi, and increases the intricacy of what you're able to shape out of blood, as well as expanding your blood alchemy tricks)
I hope this would be the most helpful in preventing/reducing the worst side effects of the Divine Blood when we use it to refine our Carmine Mysticism

>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)
Maybe he finds a way to digest sea-life, which would arguably be a socially and morally acceptable way to handle our cursed condition. Also, it is something he himself stumbled upon - we should let him achieve something with it.
>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan)

>Check the costs of stocking the Garden of the Wild Empress Temple, and the tournament preparations, and start organizing and accepting applicants for its first two brackets, to start the tournament officially
We should really become more involved in the upcoming tournament unless we want to risk losing face.

>>6013539
>Attain the Blood Mist Form transformation art (Which can be used as a movement/ avoidance technique)
Let them try to hit us

>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)
>Acquire the basic mystical abilities of baseline carmine mysticism (Consumed knowledge) for Ruolan
>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains

>>6013539
>Open up the verdant path/ school of Carmine mysticism, Unlocking the first stage of Carmine Mysticism: Verdant spells and abilities

>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)
>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan)

>Check the costs of stocking the Garden of the Wild Empress Temple, and the tournament preparations, and start organizing and accepting applicants for its first two brackets, to start the tournament officially
>Send Ping, Quixin, Yinying and Senlin Zheren to investigate the beast stampede
Ping leads the group, Quixin has knowledge of the area as he's from there, Yinying and Senlin can be our beastly representatives.

>>6013539
>Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed.

>Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes (Can only be taken by Ruolan
>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu))

>Send Aodasheng out to investigate the beast stampede or search for another cure for the curse he put onto you

>>6013539
>Attain the Blood Mist Form transformation art (Which can be used as a movement/ avoidance technique)
This can be used without needing a spell, its good for avoiding attacks. It also doesn't require pre placed lights like our ghost ability does.
Transformation we are already getting via beast powers. Physical improvement kinda comes along that line. Spells and abilities is fair game, We already have lunar abilities, its better to have a bit of a broader skill set then going all in on the moon.
Second stage of magical ability is also valid, same with blood control.

>Acquire the basic mystical abilities of baseline carmine mysticism (Hypnotic eyes (Already attained by Ruolan), paralyzing bite, Healing Blood (Already attained by Renshu), Consumed knowledge)
This is something they both benefit from
>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains
We were going to make sure they were of sound mind, and we would bear witness to their decision's first hand.

>>6014574
There is always a benefit to being significantly stronger than other people at the same stage.

I like the refined bloods control. Would be really helpful and as stated might help reduce the DC of godsblood.
But blood mist is a srong third.

The rest are whatever. Lunar magic is cool to be a pioneer of, but the blood magic thing seems like its a secondary tool. A complimentary dao, rather than our focus.

>>6014657
I like lunar magic too, but we already spec'ed our cosmic energy to it.
Making our carmine/blood focus also be on it is a bit much imo.
Technically blood isn't really a secondary given its powered through our life source.
I'd say cosmic(lunar), life -> animal/blood(kinda all overlap desu), and ghost/curse are our main lines of power.

>>6013539
>Even Further refined blood control (No longer requiring the blood to be infused with your blood Qi, and increases the intricacy of what you're able to shape out of blood, as well as expanding your blood alchemy tricks)

>Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed. (Already attained by Renshu)
>Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities (Can only be taken by Renshu)

>Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains

>Send Siwang, Huili and Chuangdapo to investigate the beast stampede, representing the beasts of air, land and sea respectively. No clear leader, they should run this as a proper adventure party and talk things out.

File: 1716510831865084.png (209 KB, 556x726)

209 KB PNG

Ending the vote and tallying its result now. And may my fellow Elder, Levelman, the QM of Chaos the quest for redemption, be welcomed with great applause and praise for the art of Huanliuxue they drew in the Queen tournament!

Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed. 5

Even Further refined blood control:3

Unlock a second stage Carmine mystic magical ability:1

Attain the Blood Mist Form transformation art : 3

Open up the verdant path/ school of Carmine mysticism, Unlocking the first stage of Carmine Mysticism: Verdant spells and abilities:1
___
Ruolan
-Acquire the basic mystical abilities of baseline carmine mysticism:3
-Teach the second stage mystical ability Lunatic Eyes:8
-Physical improvement, strengthening your body and increasing your natural agility and speed.: 2

Renshu
-Acquire the basic mystical abilities of baseline carmine mysticism :2
-Open up the Aquamarine path/ school of carmine mysticism, unlocking its first tier magic and abilities:11
___
Oversee Aodasheng's release of those of his army who wish for peace, so you can know how much of your spectral army remains:9

Be the one to teach Piao Tuzi and Yewushi how to speak, since they are capable of it, they just...don't know how to breath air and thus can't speak.:1

Check the costs of stocking the Garden of the Wild Empress Temple, and the tournament preparations, and start organizing and accepting applicants for its first two brackets, to start the tournament officially:4

Investigate the beast stampede:5
-Send Baifenchi, the Gege's and Huili to look into a cure with Huili in charge:1
-Send Aodasheng out to investigate the beast stampede or find a cure for the curse he put on you:2
-Send Ping, Quixin, Yinying and Senlin Zheren to investigate the beast stampede:1
-Send Siwang, Huili and Chuangdapo to investigate the beast stampede, representing the beasts of air, land and sea respectively. No clear leader, they should run this as a proper adventure party and talk things out.:1

So you will refine and strengthen your body and physique with Carmine mysticism, Help Renshu of the river open up the Aquamarine path of carmine mysticism, and teach Ruolan the mystery of Lunatic eyes.

Before overseeing Aodasheng's freeing those of his army who wish for peace back into the cycle of reincarnation

Update will arrive shortly

The cultivation of carmine mysticism and that of Renshu and Ruolan, is not a feast of blood as the old style of carmine mystics strengthened themselves by glutting themselves with the lifeforce and vitality of others, filling their own veins with stolen blood until their walking corpses were near to bursting at the seems. No, way perfected, pure carmine mystics refine their sorcery and improve themselves, physically or spiritually, is a much more dignified process and elegant affair than the feeding frenzies of the original, misbegotten breed of blood drinking Jiangshi. While the imbibing and swilling of blood is still a part of the practice, it is a vital step of checking the quality of the blood and its stage of refinement and the condensation of the Qi of Life trapped within it, serving a purpose beyond satiating one's appetite. And while that alone would make even demonic cultivators certain you and your two pupils were performing a profane occult ritual, the arrays and tools used in the refining of blood, gathering of life force and extraction of purest blood Qi from both, would certainly be more fodder for your rivals to spread rumors about you being as much of blood sucker as a leech is.

Though, pausing as you dap a swatch of blood across a cotton bandage, watching how it oxidizes and dries to figure out if it has the necessary innate qualities to be refined further and used for the more complex blood alchemy and carmine mystic sorceries you'll be performing to night, and looking away from the bloodstain around the chamber you've taken to serve as a site of blood refinement. With blood splatters on the wall and your own personal taste in decoration, as well as a deep red mist produced from the blood Qi overflowing out of the vessels the expertly refined blood has been placed in, the blood taken from willing alchemist and that gathered from the battle where your school crushed the larger Winter Blossoming Sect, before you took the wisdom part from their name, kept in separate jugs large enough to ferment a couple of human bodies for medicinal purposes. And the odd, cursed bone laying here and their to seal the blood Qi and the overwhelming amount of lifeforce it contains after being refined a dozen times, make the scene look like a ritual, and very bloody, human sacrifice.

Smirking, imagining how Feiqing would react if he stumbled in looking for a spar set of bellows or forger tongs, you take one look over the chamber, admiring the work you, Ruolan and Renshu have done, with alchemical catalysts glowing with an inner carmine light in the gloom, and the candle flames turning scarlet in the clouds of blood qi, and the polished pills that are every shade of blood from freshly spilt to dried and scabbed.

Renshu, is submerged in a large alchemical cauldron, filled with blood polluted miraculous five elements spring water, where he has been meditating on the stories and legends he had heard of aquatic dwelling carmine mystics.

Cont

>>6015650

And while its hard to hear him clearly when his words are muffled beneath water and his lungs are filled with it, you're pretty certain he is reciting a ghost story about a pirate who haunted the Summer Sea, and who made a bargain with something lurking in the sunless waters deep under the waves to survive the sinking of his ship when one of the Xia Clan Ancestors tore through its hull like a shark through the shallows. His fingers are twitching, nails cutting alchemical signs and characters across his chest, writing spells into his skin as the bloodied water soaks into his wounds, the clots and streams of blood almost seem to swim into them like swarms of leeches or schools of fish. His tone changes, and you read his lips as he begins repeating a number of bloodborne diseases that can be born from an overabundance of water essence in one's bodies, all of them unpleasant. Then as he curls the fingers of one hand, he begins listing the life cycles of mosquitos and blood drinking eels, his fangs peeking from behind his lips, looking more delicate and needle like than they did before.

It takes Ruolan gasping in irritation to pry your eyes off of Renshu as he meditates and tries to connect the pathways of his veins and meridians to the "Gate at the bottom of the sea" as the two of you have dubbed the lost art of carmine mysticism performed with blood in sea water and the breath of fish. Motes of Aquamarine colored Qi, drip with the drops of blood floating out of the wounds he's freshly made with his sharpened nails.

Ruolan's eyes are blood shot, streaked with veins, bulging, enflamed and a few broken to bleed into the whites of her eyes. She's clutching the side of her head, the needle she's been using to carefully drip your moondust infused blood into her eyes held in her other hand as she slouches and shudders, trying to force herself not to blink away the moonlight rich blood in her eye as she tries to draw it in through her retina and torn open veins. The red of her eyes flickers pink as she attempts to activate her hypnotic gaze while in intense pain and surrounded by the miasma of spilt life, trying to absorb Qi that was taken from another's body and that is completely foregin to the air she breaths. Silver blue light sparking from behind her hand as she presses it over the eye, tacking deep, ragged breaths, her whole body shuddering from the potency of your blood and the stranger properties of cosmic and lunar Qi. Through the beams of moonlight escaping from her covered eye, flashes of a maddening shade of crimson escape from the space between her fingers.

"Remember Ruolan, the key is beauty so captivating it poisons and maddens the minds of all who are privileged to witness or stand in its presence.
Cont

>>6015651

The moon excites the blood of all beasts, think about how energetic the light of a full one meets you" You coach, walking up to her as you pour the blood you were testing into the cauldron with the rest, performing a series of four hand signs as you inject some of your own spiritual energy into the bubbling mass to begin refining and improving it, watching the blood froth as it is pressed and crushed against itself

"I've never been excited by the moon before" She mumbles weakly, eye weeping blood that is both hers and yours "But, I remember, the village cat's used to yowl at it, when the skies were clear"

Do all cat's dream of catching the moon like you once did? A mystery to be solved later

"Then picture yourself as one of those cats, my blood and lifeforce should make that easier for you" You answer with a smile, as the doll like girl's pupil's sharpen like a cat's, as that simple suggestion becomes an epiphany for her. Her eyes narrow, now out of persistence and a deep focus rather than any irritation, as you turn your back to her and retrieve the pearl of condensed blood and flick it into a bowl of similar pills, medicinal herbs and steroids meant to improve blood flow and health. And as you walk back over to that bowl, you see Renshu holding up his hand, coated in slimy blood, forming webs between his fingers as the swirls of blood in the water around him dances around his finger tips as he begins to command the water itself to flow through the blood spread throughout it. Scales poke from beneath the skin of his hand and wrist, and his painted nails look thicker and tougher as he turns over his hand, examining the changes to it.

A new transformation technique? One intended to allow the user to adapt to surviving under water and to swim as gracefully as if they'd been born a fish. And the ability to control water as if he had followed a Water Aligned Law, through the blood spilt into it. You'll have him tell you the extent of his training and the results of meditating upon the way blood and water mixes, later. Now you need to focus on your own self improvements, since its clear your students have succeeded in their own training.

Grabbing the bowl of condensed blood and medicine, you cut your wrist and pour it over the pills you've spent hours to make, and using blood alchemy, refine all of the expensive medicines and drugs that are very complicated and costly to create, down to a single grape sized pill, that is the color of blood through every stage of drying and decay.

Plucking with two of your fingers, you lift it over your mouth, which you open wide and stick out your tongue, drooling as the dense lifeforce around you makes your cursed hunger deeper as you breath in all the aromas produced from working with and alchemically treating blood.
Cont

>>6015654

And pressing it between your thumb and finger, crumble it to dust that you sprinkle atop your tongue, while circulating your blood manually, redirecting the flow of your Qi all throughout the meridians of your body, through both the eight extraordinary and twelve principle meridians as you wrap your muscles, bones and organs with Blood Qi and through blood control, tighten, stretch and compress every muscles at once, as if they were being strained through intense exercise, body training or monumental effort.

Doing every step flawlessly, when combined with the effects drug you'd just created and swallowed, instantly grants you new wells of strength and stamina, and quickens your movements. A physical improvement art that'd make career physical cultivators weep tears of blood with envy, tears you'd happily lick off their faces while mocking them for getting half the results for twice the effort you just went through, Heh-Heh.

Flexing your arms, you pinch your now tougher muscles, enjoying their firmness. And with the trick you just used to increase the baseline of all of your body's attributes and physical abilities, your muscles haven't grown greatly, the strength and swiftness they now contain being tucked away in the life essence and blood flowing through them, keeping the true extent of your physical power hidden until it is unleashed. Explosively!

"Keep practicing, but take a break if you feel close to passing out from exhaustion" You tell Ruolan and Renshu, neither of who will need to keep practicing much longer, with how quickly they're grasping and comprehending what you're teaching them with your expert guidance as a teacher. Renshu has removed the webbing from his fingers, along with the scales and claws, and is currently running his hand through gills that grow from his sides, while red light issues forth from Ruolan's eyes in an enticing swirl of colors, that could pull in the weak minded like a vortex!

Smirking, proud of your accomplishment as a teacher, you travel into the underworld, after you return to your personal quarters to switch from your usual robes into fashionable mourning attire amongst devils, which is all shades of red, like raw muscle and open wounds, with a veil hiding your face, and a ruffled, long hanging dress with slits along the side all the way up from your heels to your wait, and with similar slits along the sleeves, which are separate and made out of leather you probably should've asked Anjing the source of, tied together by red, sinewy string. And all to be worn on the front is a Dudou, with small, skull beads dangling from it with silver spider demon silk strings, colored just as red as the rest of the garment, but its position making it look like you'd been sinned alive.
Cont

'It is amazing that Anjing was able to get my measurements right before we ever met and became friends' You marvel as you run a thumb under the thin straps keeping the Dudou on your chest as you saunter into the catacombs. And find the first few levels of them quiet and somber.

Almost entirely desolate, until you reach your throne room. Frowning, as you see that Aodasheng has broken the pots, boxes and cages you kept his loyal toadies into to sing and wail for your delight, and that the specters, including the silver taloned governor are nowhere to be seen.

"Ah, you've come to witness our friends be put to rest, at last" Ao himself says, holding up a flickering ghost flame in his hand, while, Xiongji and a few recognizable advisors stand by, with determined looks in their eyes, and while you could claim to not know why it is as if a great weight was lifted from your back when you saw most of the ghosts who've loyally served you, except for the beetle generals, you know you're relieved that they have decided service beneath you is not at all agonizing or a torment. Even the warrioress with axes remains. Shame about the beetle generals, but you can't curse them for wishing to be born again, sane and whole. It actually feels tragic, that so many would choose to suffer just to continue assisting you, even if you are incredible and regal enough to deserve such steadfast loyalty of course.

"The ones standing there, have chosen to remain in our company" Ao explains, motioning with his hand, and as you glance over your loyal subjects, you see a familiar face scowling at you.

"Oh, Pony, I'm shocked you decided to stick around, when your boss must've all but ordered you to pass on" You snicker as she turns away, looking a little pink around her cheeks as you skip up to Ao, who barely reacts to your odd choice of dress, his eyes only briefly popping open when they look over you, before his full attention is drawn back to the soullight in his hand, which he crushes into his fist.

"Those clothes compliment your natural beauty" He says off handedly as you lounge on your throne "And you, may your next life be free of hardship and strife"

"Most of us most ferocious and wild spirits have chosen to stay around, at least a while longer" Xiongji explains, as the nameless old general rubs his hands together nervously, stroking on over the back of the other, as you watch Aodasheng carefully and lovingly send off even the meekest of the ghosts in the catacombs, referring to them by names you've never heard, reminiscing about the time they spent together, before sending them off with well wishes and tears in his eyes "As have most of your court, who have experienced your soothing and salving present"

"Hm, you're more well spoken than usual, did you pick up the dust that used to be your brains or something, Xiongji?" You ask softly, not wanting to interrupt or ruin the mood of Aodasheng bidding goodbye to his followers as he sends them to King Yama's court
cont

>>6015657

"I remembered enough to know that I should be even fucking angrier for what those bastards in the heavens did to me, and my friends" He huffs, crossing his arms churlishly "I can curse up a storm if you want me to, Huanliuxue. I'm just calm for the moment. Strangely so"

"Perhaps a curse has been lifted with Aodasheng's release, or maybe the fighting released most of the enmity keeping you at the height of your madness" You theorize as Aodasheng sends two more souls off with a slap, mentioning something about bullying a princess, so you're guessing Yujijiao was bold enough to mouth off to him when even Xuebai warned her not to.

"I'm sure I'll find something to be pissed off about soon enough" Xiongji chuckles "But its beautiful, isn't it? Seeing these bastards look at peace, even more than they'd have been if they sat down and allowed you to suck a bit of their breath"

Your stomach rumbles. No matter how much food you've eaten today, it hasn't done anything to lessen the feeling or the pangs of hunger, and the bits of vitality you snacked on while refining your carmine mysticism, and your body with it, barely did anything to appear it either. You gnaw at the back of your hand.

"Don't even mention breath" You growl, as you fasten your teeth around your knuckle, and Xiongji rubs his chin thoughtfully

"Fine" He snorts, as you glance past him, and see that few of Aodasheng's The one who also mimicked a dragon isn't around anymore, nor are any of the ones who fought beside him against Xiongji or stood guard of his prison. In fact, besides Pony and Xiongji, none of the ones you saw on the painting in the gallery before the prison are still in the land of the living. They've must've all been sent off to whatever awaits them in their next life. Loyal until death, but will they remain so in their next life?"

You ponder this, as Aodasheng's greetings to the ghosts turn into heartfelt apologies, his proud demeanor cracking as he speaks to the little people. The servants and scholars, the ones who had done nothing but serve him in their lives and really didn't deserve to share the fate of his most loyal warriors, but were entombed all the same. Its hard to watch, and makes your heart ache, but you make sure to watch each departure and brand it into your memories. One day, as a ruler, you might have to do the same, and Aodasheng is giving a good show of authority and composure you could learn from, when and if you ever find yourself in the place he is now.

And it surprises you, that the fearsome ghost king personally knew everyone of his followers, even if he wasn't afraid or ashamed to be a villain when it served his purposes and is the kind of lunatic who delights in life or death battles.
Cont

>>6015660

Though, he also doesn't seem to hold a grudge against the immortal who dropped a mountain onto his head, since you've not seem any grudge miasma rise from him when he spoke of his "Honorable rival". But then again, Lei sealed a demon inside of himself, and while Ao would surely be called a demonic cultivator just like him, both of them are pleasant to be around. Really, the odd one out are the only modern demonic cultivators you've met, the seven slaughtering swords and even those sword maniacs were polite to you. But they also thought you were their kindred spirit.

'I should make an effort to remember the names of all the laborers and workers of the palace of natural laws' You think to yourself, as you place your hands on your knees, and watch Aodasheng's composure gradually chip away as the sheer price of his ambitions comes to face him with every ghost, great or small that comes before him and is offered the choice. But through his tears, you can see that he is happy, happy that he can grant them release or hear that they had found a purpose in unlife besides himself.

And eventually, it is done. Most of the army you had before you invaded the lower catacombs has remained, but most of the souls that remained loyal to Aodasheng or else turned their coats after getting beaten soundly, have left to be reborn, their bright white souls floating up through the mountain in a great cloud like cotton seeds or clouds drifting on a sunny day. It reminds you of the children you loved and who loved you, and just like back then, the sight of it makes you cry.

The most far gone and feral of the ghosts have been sent off to be reborn, as have the "peasantry" who had been put to work gathering coins made out of bones and repairing the crumbling walls and tombs, but your commoners, who've grown comfortable being ghosts, remain though you don't have much use for them besides their breath. And cursed as you are, you wouldn't dare to try and take any of it from them.

While the army of the dead you command is smaller than it was at the height of your assault, it has, in the end, grown, by the additions brought into it by Aodasheng, who have chosen to follow the woman he follows.

And they, including Pony, kneel before you with the man they still call leader and king.

"I owe you two great debts now, Huanliuxue. For freeing me and for allowing me to free my followers from their suffering" He says solemnly, down on knee, fist cupped and head bowed "I thank you for allowing me to grant them release from their earthly tethers. And am happy that you have treated those under your care well and kindly. Though we've only just become friends, you've proven yourself to be a true one. And your style of cultivating intrigues me but...alas, I think it will be sometime before I can witness your process of absorbing Qi from ghostly breath"
Cont

>>6015661

And you can't help but smirk at how lightly Aodasheng is treating your condition, since it makes it feel less severe than it actually is. Even if you know you'll have a much easier time curing yourself of it than most would.

What do you do now that Aodasheng's said goodbye to his old friends, Huanliuxue?

>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave

>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.

>Have Renshu present the results of his research into the Aquamarine path of carmine mysticism, so you can see the potential of that school of mysticism.

>Introduce Lian Luli to Piao Tuzi and Yewushi and have her help you teach them how to live on earth and speak

>Tell Monu, Xuebai and Yujijiao about Red Dust Revival

>Ask Aodasheng what he thinks should be done about the seven slaughtering swords and their attempt to curry your favor

>Write in

>>6015662
>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave
>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.

>>6015683
>Support

Seven swords are small fry. They can wait till ling is dead.

>>6015570
Man that's a sweet pic

>>6015662

>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave.
Probably easiest to send Ao, but maybe recruit some people from the tournament?

>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.

>>6015725
I think we should Ao in reserve for a little while. One to keep him as a trump card in case someone does something stupid while we're away, thinking he's capital D dead now after that whole thing on the moon. And two so that he can have a little bit of time to acclimate to this very different world he finds himself in.

>>6015732
I also don't want to send him to the Ling who have soul killing techniques, even if he would probably end up fine he may be forced to crush them.


>>6015662
>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave.

Send Yinying, Qiang and Siwang, as the most stealthy of our temple they can mre easily discover what is going on without attracting undue attention.


>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.
Before anything else we need to finish this tournament arc, raising rabbits and reviving ghosts can wait for just a little while longer.

>>6015655
I love the fact that Huan can literally make something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeR6fwi328U

>>6015662
>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave
Yinying, Qiang and Siwang, and if we talk with our allies, ask for someone who can keep the pace and either be stealthy or strong enough in case of full confrontation happens. And also tell Siwang to keep an eye out for Youzaiwang, telling him to keep an eye out of he sees something or hear rumors about the stampede, maybe even nudge him a little by saying "If you wanna attain the human form, maybe try and see how strong leaders and royalty people manage their holdings while the stampede is happening/is something wrong is happening". Maybe he can see how some royalty people are cowards even for how much wealthy and powerful they are and find the courage of a lion in a low peasant. Hell, it would be hilarious if Youzaiwang just repeats our story with Fu, helping a little girl avenge her mother by killing a vengeful cat who has gone rogue from Huan divine cat mandate.

>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.
>Introduce Lian Luli to Piao Tuzi and Yewushi and have her help you teach them how to live on earth and speak
And this because I wanna see what Lian Luli has been doing while we've been doing all those stuff

Some things of note we should do: Check out the Aquamarine path, make a little "Blood test" on one of Luli's daughters (The one who made us remember someone when we met her, the one who poke at our eye), check more about Baolin's heart-technique books, and finally giving chase to the Ling whore and have our rematch.

And ALSO Looking into the Red Dust Revival. We literally remade the perfect Carmine Mysticism that the other people failed to do, and were innovating shit like crazy, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME NO ONE THOUGHT OF MAKING OUR OWN VERSION OF RED DUST REVIVAL? We have the principles, the logic behind if, the process, WE HAVE EVERYTHING there's no missing part of the ritual to do so. I'm sure, SURE that if we bring Ao with us to Hell and bring enough "money", we can talk to King Yama himself, and make some kind of court case so we can use Xuebai's corpse remains (The scythe the old bastard used) and maybe even Yujijiao's one (Once we go to the Ling territories and demand it. Maybe they've been made into snake agility boots or her core was used as an object instead of consumed) and canalize their still living souls into new bodies we make. If we can make perfect meat puppets of us, are you telling me we can't take all the texts about magical and non-magical Snakes and Foxes and make perfect bodies?

>>6015662
>Introduce Lian Luli to Piao Tuzi and Yewushi and have her help you teach them how to live on earth and speak
Wholesome and cute

>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave
A mix of our beast disciples and human disciples to look into it

>Write in
>JOURNEY TO THE YELLOW SPRING AND CURE OURSELVES OF THE CURSE, OR SATE IT WITH THE BLOOD OF A 1000 DEMONS.

>>6015662
>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave

>>6015662
>>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.

>>6015662
>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave
I half want Siwang to stay to help with tournament management (though also not married to the idea), as well as adding Quixin since we know the stampede originated on the Ling side of the border thanks to the other sect heads we talked to.
>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.

>>6015662
>Ask Aodasheng what he thinks should be done about the seven slaughtering swords and their attempt to curry your favor

>>6015725
Supporting.

>>6015662
>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.

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Terrible news. I, your grandfather was forced to perform back breaking labor beneath the scorching sun, clearing a garden of its weeds. So I just don't have it in me to tally the vote and write today.

And worse I was taken from my cultivation chamber right as I was about to. So the vote will continue for awhile longer.

But while you wait, my juniors, I have a question to keep things lively.

What sort of outfit/ fashion do you want Huan to wear while overseeing and watching the tournament unfold? And also, to get it out of the way, what is a good term/ name for the core formation and golden core stages of the Ruler of the Great Wheel's law?

>>6017014
Damn those spirit roots and their crawling guardians!

>fashion
Pasties and dental floss.
A voluminous forest green robe with silver highlights. To represent the primordial beast overtaking the moon. The shock of her red hair should also complement it well.

>core formation and stages names
Uh. I can't really help you there. I am bad with names of all sorts.

>>6017033
>That spoiler
I'm in but only in cat form and stars stickers.

By the way looking up on google apparently cats can have between 6 to 8 nipples, some have an uneven number so it falls on me to ask...

How many nipples does Huan have?

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40 KB JPG

>>6017088
>How many nipples does Huan have?
Another thing to keep in mind is that mammals typically have twice the number of nipples compared to the expected number of young they birth at one time.

Quadruplets.

>>6017014
>Dress
Our high quality sect robes, demonstrate that we are who we say we are.

>Core formation
I think, since the previous stage was called "enter the ghostly courtyard", this one should be "Forming the Seat of emphereal Empires" with golden core being "Imperial Mantle stage".

Because golden core is an achievement.
Even making a trash tier 8 core is an achievement.

>>6017014
A long translucent silk sash wrapped tightly around her body.

>>6017014
Our sect's robes, but modified in an unortodox way - maybe sleeveless, or with a midriff? This will show our status and signal our breaking of conventions at the same time.

>>6017306
Prior stage was Severing the eternal soul and mortal vessel according to the pastebin, so the royalty theme isn't baked in persay (though I do love the name for Core Formation). Maybe some more like "Dyeing the faded world in wild hues" for Golden Core since each stage is kind of a synopsis of what we did during that time (Entering the world of cultivation, figuring out how to cross between the worlds of the living and the dead, growing our sect and achieving feats last seen generations ago, forcibly leaving our mark on the worlds we inhabit)

>>6017346
Go crop top? Sure

>>6017372

Perhaps for golden core, which I remind you is an egg for our nacent soul, . . . "Dye the night's eye with life" to reference the founder's feat immedaitely after becoming a GC.

if we were going more feat based descriptions.

>>6017014
Our normal comfy sect robes from our spider friend would probably be pretty chill.

as for names
>>6017372
Given what this anon said about our previous name (where we learned ghost form)
then for core formation: (we become human, enhance our wild nature), I have two possible suggestions. "Unifying the Mortal Mind and Beastly Soul"(preferred) and H"armony of the Human Spirit and Primal Instinct". (another)

For Golden Core, we do be having a lot of fun with the moon and blood.
(at least so far)
Personally I'd wait until AFTER we get out of Golden Core to name it, but for now: Red Moon's Celestial Dominion, but to keep it in line with the trend we have so far "Aligning the Cosmic Moon and Crimson Flow" or "Channeling the Lunar Radiance and Crimson Life"
The reason I suggest we wait is because we dd just get Red Dust Revival, which may impact our abilities, and I believe we have a ways to go before ascending past golden core, which leaves plenty of room for improvement in different categories. that may change these names.

>>6017453
Please remember that these are names for the Cultivation law "Ruler of the Great wheel's law", so we should probably have it relate to. . . the Great wheel of reincarnation, Ghosts, grudges and rulership, like the law is about.
The people that come after us to learn this stuff should have some idea, from the name, what they have to do to progress.

>>6017525
I'd say that that becoming source of primordial life enrgy falls under the great wheel as much as becoming a ghost does. Same with us gaining cosmic powers as the great wheel is universal.
There is no reason the great wheel is stagnant with our standards from before core formation, and has not evolved alongside us, its creator. Especially when we've come so far and learned so much. Most of our arts still fall under the Great Wheel. At least from this Junior's understanding. There may be a better way to word the examples I gave, but I don't think they are too far off.

>>6017539
It does not though.

Our Dao, the thing we will teach, is about Ghosts. And Grudges.
Qiang, when she gets up here, isn't-. . Hmm. didn't she get an infusion of Blood Qi and Primordial essence?

I will willingly conceed the point if, indeed, it becomes the tradition and required part of ascending to have a grasp on Blood Qi and Primordial essence.
If it doesn't. If it is just a thing we do, because we are super and awesome and it was the best thing for US [remember that compatability is king], and the dao remains only of Ghosts and Grudges, then we should reflect this. Every learner, not just the supremely talented Us.

>>6017612
I can only restate my initial point. That the initial step in the Great Wheel is the same as our initial step in it. That being Ghosts, Grudges, and Rulership. It cannot be denied that our mastery of the cosmos and of blood has evolved this art (Red Dust revival connecting our source of life with our arts in death). While one may surmise that because we started this art with ghosts and grudges. The Great Wheel does not only encompass them alone. It is fair to say that our evolution alongside it is equally part of the process of the Great Wheel.
+ you dare +courting death + fail to recognize Mount Tai.

>>6017612
>Part of my cultivation requires me to have a deep understanding of blood, both mine and other people's, and I should probably start teaching Qiang it as well
This line somewhat implies to me that Blood Qi usage is tied to our law, though I could also see this as being a privilege granted to Qiang based on their close bond.

As I understood it, we began a ghostly, nameless Dao and then started using blood Qi. After fully integrating both types of Qi usage with each other, the new Dao with aspects of both Life (blood) and Death (ghosts) was named after the wheel of reincarnation that is common to eastern religions and would most plausably have appeared to us in a Buddhist context. Our other types of cultivation weren't as influential for our foundation which might have some consequences, even if we have the corresponsing spiritual roots.

>>6015662
>>Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.

>>6015662
>>Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave
Fu and Qiang. Qiang for more subtle operations and Fu for the... less subtle parts. He's even popular!

Ending the vote, tallying its result now. Loved all the discussion about fashion and naming stages, also forgot to manage because I was so tired yesterday. But I was attacked by a demonic beast while I was clearing that garden. A turkey. And don't believe what witnesses might've said, it didn't just fly over my head and scare me, it attacked fiercely!

Send someone or a team to investigate the beast stampede, potentially asking your allies if they'd agree to organizing a combined team to look for the source of the beast wave:10
-Aodasheng:2
-Yinying: 2
-Qiang:3
-Siwang:2
-Fu:1
-Qinxin:1
-A mix: 1


Hear how much the tournament has cost you, and decide which, if any, of your students besides Lian Luli will be competing in the various brackets/ rings of the tournament, and check out the list of early applicants for the first contests for any to keep an eye out on.:10

Introduce Lian Luli to Piao Tuzi and Yewushi and have her help you teach them how to live on earth and speak:2

Journey to the yellow spring and cure yourself of the curse or sate it with demon blood: 1

Ask Aodasheng what he thinks should be done about the seven slaughtering swords and their attempt to curry your favor:1

So you'll check the expenses of setting up the Garden of the wild empress temple and the tournament, and decide which of you students will be competing in it, and check out the early list of applicants

and will also choose who to send to investigate the beast stampede, and if you'll ask any of your allied/ friendly sects for assistance for the mission before it begins.

Update will arrive shortly

>>6017033
>>6017312
Juniors have been consumed by their heart demons...

>>6017119
Yuyi had four daughters, remember.

>>6015692
>Sad sword maniac noises

>>6015712
It really is, isn't it?

>>6018043
>And don't believe what witnesses might've said, it didn't just fly over my head and scare me, it attacked fiercely!
Those fools who cannot see Mt. Tai simply could not observe the sheer speed and ferocity by which you and the demonic turkey were fighting at. We must forgive both their ignorance and weakness.

>Juniors have been consumed by their heart demons...
I will always be down to be disemboweled by the greatest of cat kind. In the ancient words of forgotten sages, "a cat is fine, too"!

"Yes, I would be happy to show you the ledge recording the current costs of preparing the new temple of the palace of natural laws for habitation and use, and the tournament that will be hosted there, which will surely be once in a century event, Master" Siwang says joyfully, rolling out scroll after scroll of the costs of purchasing and transporting supplies and raw materials for Feiqing to work into furniture or necessary tools and equipment, and your keen eyes notices the amount of rare and special ores the demon descendant with the unfortunate looking face requested, beside a rolling list of fine and highly sought after clays and bolts of raw silk, swan feathers. It seems the smith approached the challenge you gave him in a very organized and strict manner, going down the list of everything the new temple needed to function smoothly and without outside shipments or other kinds of help.

After unfurling six or so such scrolls, he places record of bamboo plates and opens it up, showing the expenses paid to several Buddhist monasteries, the Five colors and Five Purities sect (五彩和与五純度, Wǔcǎihéyǔwǔchúndù) , the Summer Sea Dawn Sect (夏季海黎明, Xiàjìhǎilímíng), The Thousand Lotus Hall (千莲花殿堂, Qiānliánhuādiàntáng), and a few others who you recognize, including the White Jade Devil Opposing Army (白玉魔鬼抗击军队, Báiyùmóguǐkàngjījūnduì), the Storm Shrine Mountain (风暴圣地山 ,Fēngbàoshèngdìshān), the Innocent Witch Court (清白巫婆宫廷, Qīngbáiwūpó gōngtíng), with only the eight heavenly gates absent from among the Chuan based sects within the neighborhood of your territories. And they're all shockingly cheap for what they purchased, especially from the Summer Sea Dawn and Thousand Lotus Hall.

And you can figure out exactly what deal they struck with your mother Monu when you see that included in the bamboo and jade slips are the names and basic information of the fighting styles and talents of several of the disciples of those sects, as well as other, mundane requests for more underworld grown spirit herbs from Fang Ru, A invitation to the innocent witch court and an introduction written in the flowering script of their matriarch, and a long apology from the white jade devil opposing army for the actions of that piece of shit Shi Shun. And several requests for an explanation of the bright light flying out of the mountain and the strange sights in the night sky the same day.

"Hmm, only eight hundred eighty eight spirit stones? I was expecting, even with Feiqing making most of what we needed by hand, that it would've cost at least two thousand of them" You purr, pleased as you look over the accounts and make not of what cost the most and what was rare but given for a staggering discount, so you can remember what to keep an eye out on when you go on another journey and who to thank for their generosity later
Cont

>>6018087
2506 spirit stones remain in the palace of natural laws and Huanliuxue's personal treasury and wallet


"I have also gathered a list of more ordinary and mundane expenses" Siwang says with a nod, wings folded at his side "The Grand Elder had a number of contacts and old relations in various...organizations throughout Chuan, that she hired covertly to transport this wealth of goods and treasures, which cost a king's ransom in silver and gold taels, and pearls"

Which means it hasn't put a dent in the cash you have to spend in the mortal realm.

"Hmm, I'll have to ask her who these old acquaintances are and ask her to introduce me to them, when she's finished training her toxin resistance" You say, and as if she heard you, you hear your mother wail, a chill going up your spine as you try to tell yourself it is a normal part of her cultivation to condition her body by injecting herself with and drinking enough poisonous substances to kill a small army.

"A wise idea, I didn't like the look most of them had in their eyes, they looked shifty, like natural born villains and career criminals" Siwang says, clicking his beak "Who, who, who they are must be known, to trust them with anything related to our most austere and righteous temple"

"Mhm" You agree, humming as you take another look over a list scrawled in Feiqing's hand writing, that calls for things to subjugate your garden of man eating plants, which includes several specific magic tools and weapons as well as the materials necessary for him to make a imitation of them himself "Could you bring me a list of the applicants who aren't joining the tournament for glory, but the prize of joining our most regal and dignifed sect?"

"Of course master, Monu has been inspecting it daily, I suspect, she intends to figure out who each of the sectless and uninitiated to the world of cultivation applicants are and who amongst them would most benefit the sect, so she could cheat in their favor. And I do not mean to speak ill of her, but the way she cackled as she inspected the list of names..." Siwang mutters, as he hops away to fetch that

"Oh, and I'm going to assist in the effort to investigate the beast stampede, as some of our fellow daoists already are, you are on the list of my students who I may send outside of the borders of the newly formed Chuan Kingdom to check what's actually going on with this beast wave" You raise your voice, calling out to him, making him swivel his head around, with a proud look in his eye.
Cont

>>6018088

"I would be overjoyed to be trusted with so vital a task and selfless a responsibility. The people weep and suffer, their fields and homes stomped flat by hordes of monsters. If I could give this one life of mine to stop their tide, I would in a heart beat, for I know, my soul would reincarnate and seek you out again, good natured master of mine!" He declares tearfully and ceremoniously as he bows, spreading his wings, before hopping away to get you the list of applicants you'd asked for. Monu screams out again, deeper in the mountain, making you shudder.

"Oh? Do you not have a servant to juggle the expenses of your sect and school?" Aodasheng asks, emerging from the wall, wreathed in darkness except his upper chest, the hole in it, and the lower half of its face "Perhaps I could be of assistance?"

"No, I trust my mother and Siwang for handling the numbers and costs of everything, usually. I'm just trying to decide who I'll have join the tournament I'm hosting, who to send to figure out what caused the random beast wave rampaging across the country, and which of these unknown and fameless names are worth keeping an eye on, when the tournament begins" You answer drolly, already feeling like you'd need to find another deadly foe to fight as a form of break from all the boring and monotonous duties of being a sect head

"Well, my job is to advise you, Lady Huan" Aodasheng smiles as he floats up to your desk and looks over the scrolls, ledgers and records scattered over it

"Siwang is bringing the list" you answer him before he can question where the list of the early tournament applicants is

"Ah" He says, giving an understanding nod, as he runs a finger across a particularly dusty portion of your bookshelf, and you start to worry about him judging you for the novels your spider demon friend lent you.
Cont

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>>6018089

QUAD VOTE!!!

Which disciples do you send to investigate the beast wave

>Go with Aodasheng's suggestion (Monu, The geges, Qiang, Huili, Siwang, and Baifenchi)

>Send your inner disciples (Fu, Ping, Feiqing, Lei, Qiang, Chuandapo, Huili, and Siwang)

>Send the ghosts and Ping (Xuebai, Yujijiao, Xiongji, "Pony", Ao, Ping_

>Just send Aodasheng, he'll probably kill a few people, but its unlikely he'll face anything that could pose a threat to him

>Write in

Which sects do you ask to aid you in the mission, and send their own members to assist

>Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang)

>The Summer Sea dawn sect (Master Xia Jinse Shayu, two core formation cultivators, and four foundation establishment cultivators)

>The Dusk Marsh wolves (Will only accept if Fu is on and leading the mission, Four core formation cultivatiors)

>The Thousand Lotus Hall (A supply of spirit medicines, cultivation pills, anti toxins and drugs)

>One of the other sects in Chuan (Write in)

Who besides Lian Luli will be competing in the tournament

>Your best and brightest! Have them serve as obstacles in the brackets of the areas they're talented in

>All of the beasts, to show off their potential to the world

>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once

>No one besides Luli

>Write in

AND which of the early applicants do you keep a close eye on, Huanliuxue

>A young man claiming to be a demon reborn.

>High level cultivators no one has ever heard about before, how strange

>The Ling Ogress herself?!

>Some of Chuan's own noble sons and daughters

>Villagers from Fu's city

>The followers of your cult

>Someone else (Write in)

>>6018084
I am fortunate I had a magic tool on hand or I might've been cut down. ..

Meaning I had a pitchfork I was using to clear the blankets of dead grass that I dropped and tripped over.

>>6018093
>Go with Aodasheng's suggestion (Monu, The geges, Qiang, Huili, Siwang, and Baifenchi)
Lets see if our advisor's advice is truly advisory.

>Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang)
We aren't sending fu, and I don't need summer sea paying blood on our behalf with their foundation establishment cultivators.

>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once
Alright guys, time to see how you measure up against the chaff.

>High level cultivators no one has ever heard about before, how strange
The ogress wants to kill
Tournaments like these arent her style.

>>6018093
>>Send your inner disciples (Fu, Ping, Feiqing, Lei, Qiang, Chuandapo, Huili, and Siwang)
Just so that Fu and Qiang can just kiss already.

>Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang)
The beast wave should be relatively safe and easy. If they are just newly awakened and rampaging beasts at least. Who knows what ling fuckery is hiding within though.

>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once
Even our least members should be above the average from an orthodox sect. This'll be good for them to get stuck in.

>A young man claiming to be a demon reborn.
HHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM? Cawf cough.

>>6018097
I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually someone taking the moniker of Yaonan to look cool because this really doesn't seem like the kind of event she'd go to. She likes to fight, but she -really- likes to fight to the death. But you never know, maybe it really is her, looking for her old "rival" "grandpa".

>>6018093
>Go with Aodasheng's suggestion (Monu, The geges, Qiang, Huili, Siwang, and Baifenchi)
>Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang)
I think it's a good plan to let the students who have achieved human form to scope out the Beast Wave, with Monu and the 5-colors guys as insurance. We want our most loyal people on this.
>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once
Everyone deserves a spot in the sun, especially so while our main squad is away.
This is always something to be concerned about, but...
>A young man claiming to be a demon reborn.
I swear, Baoli's wife is going to be so mad, if it's him. A love story that spans multiple incarnations isn't that uncommon in wuxia, but it's only made funnier by how one-sided it is. Who would we even want to pair Huan up with, if the opportunity presented itself?

>>6018093
>Send our inner disciples

>Request help of the five colours.

>The untested and unproven.

>Demon reborn, High level cultivators (Goooooods!)

>>6018093
>Go with Aodasheng's suggestion (Monu, The geges, Qiang, Huili, Siwang, and Baifenchi)

>Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang)
>The Thousand Lotus Hall (A supply of spirit medicines, cultivation pills, anti toxins and drugs)

>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once

>The Ling Ogress herself?!
>High level cultivators no one has ever heard about before, how strange

>>6018093
>stealth squad for investigation: Siwang, Qiang and Yinying.
I want whoever is responsible for this to not even realize our disciples were there.
Also we need to establish our own assassin squad already.

Support sects?
>The Thousand Lotus Hall (A supply of spirit medicines, cultivation pills, anti toxins and drugs)
Does this mean they won't actually send anybody?

>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once
This is a growing opportunity there's little need to put our brightest in.
Though we should make it clear their position in the sect is not being questioned.


>A young man claiming to be a demon

>High level cultivators no one has ever heard about before, how strange

>Some of Chuan's own noble sons and daughters

These are interesting, but the Ling Ogress would raise the level of the tournament too much I fear.

>>6018093
>Go with Aodasheng's suggestion (Monu, The geges, Qiang, Huili, Siwang, and Baifenchi)

>Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang)

>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once

>A young man claiming to be a demon reborn.

>>6018093
>Send your inner disciples (Fu, Ping, Lei, Qiang, Chuandapo, Huili, and Siwang)
Not Feiqing though, he has to prepare for the tournament
>Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang)
>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once
>High level cultivators no one has ever heard about before, how strange

>>6018093
>Go with Aodasheng's suggestion (Monu, The geges, Qiang, Huili, Siwang, and Baifenchi)
Testing out his ability to advise and gauge talent.
>Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang)
>The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once
We have a lot of students who haven’t made much of a mark, especially the newer human recruits (though we also have a clear bias to our beastly ones)
>A young man claiming to be a demon reborn.
>Some of Chuan's own noble sons and daughters
Though speaking of being reborn, I wonder where that unborn dragon we met ended up.

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Ending the vote and tallying its result now. Sorry to drop a Quad Vote on you juniors. Also, it seems Huan has won four contests in the Queen Tournament, and is in the one going on right now. I'd make your grandfather very happy if you supported her, if you've registered for the tournament, which I uh, kind of forgot to do myself. I was busy reading Cutsleeve literature and missed the window, I have no regrets, even if it made me too ashamed to show my face there.

Go with Aodasheng's suggestion (Monu, The geges, Qiang, Huili, Siwang, and Baifenchi):5

Send your inner disciples (Fu, Ping, Feiqing, Lei, Qiang, Chuandapo, Huili, and Siwang):3

stealth squad for investigation: Siwang, Qiang and Yinying.:1
___

Five Colors and Five purities (Fa Jin and Fa Tang):7

The Thousand Lotus Hall (A supply of spirit medicines, cultivation pills, anti toxins and drugs):2
___
The untalented and unproven, so they have a chance to shine for once:9
___
High level cultivators no one has ever heard about before, how strange:5

A young man claiming to be a demon reborn.:5

The Ling Ogress herself?!:1

Some of Chuan's own noble sons and daughters:2

So You'll listen to Ao's sage advice, and Send Monu, The Geges, Qiang, Huili, Siwang and Baifenchi to investigate the beast stampede, along with Fa Jin and Fa Tang from the 5c5p sect

And will keep a close eye on the unknown high tier cultivators and the young man claiming to be a demon.

AND IT IS A LAND SLIDE VICTORY FOR HAVING THE UNTALENTED MEMBERS OF THE SECT JOIN THE TOURNAMENT, to give them a chance to prove themselves

Update will arrive shortly
>>6018299
Yes, Thousand Lotus Hall raises healers, not fighters.

>>6018405
She's still in the Basin, with her new parents

>>6019194
>even if it made me too ashamed to show my face there.
You can still show up to post if you feel like it.

To prevent the cheeky ghost from noticing or mentioning your "Taste" in reading material, you clap your hands onto your desk and stand up with a smug grin.

"Very well then, Advisor, advise me" You cackle, as you step from behind the table, hands folded dignifiedly in front of yourself, mostly hidden by the sleeves of your sect robes "Which members of our sect should I send into the lawless world who still hates me for being born, to investigate the source of the beast wave"

He rubs his chin, thankfully turning his back to the bookshelf to lean back, floating a foot off the ground as he closes his eyes and almost seems to meditate or return to being a corpse as he begins to contemplate the question. You sigh as well, practically deflating with relief and slumping against your desk, now that there is no longer the risk of your new friend thinking you were some sort of randy beast because of someone else's trashy books!

"Your mother, the one who calls herself witch. She has a distracting appearance, even if she seems confident in her infamy. Pretty faces get you far, and while she isn't conventionally strong, nor equipped for a fair fight, only fools fight fairly. She's a poison master and a blizzard caller, and the third strongest under this mountain" He explains, with a calculating expression and a devious look in his eyes "Then, the two younger beast princesses, they can disguises themselves as humans and can command two armies if the mission goes wrong and they're captured, not to mention, they practice ancient techniques, unhampered by the cowardice and weakness of this age"

He steps down to the floor and walks closer to you, eyes gleaming with a queer thrill as his lips part to reveal the fangs of a dragon, as he gets nearly as excited planning out the job as he was fighting you in a supposedly friendly spar.

"Then, the owl, Wusheng Siwang, the silent death. Also capable of disguising himself, and naturally a stealthy killer. His strong sense of justice will make the less scruple and more suspicious members of this squad formation fall under lesser scrutiny, as they judge them by the quality of their companion" He explains calmly "And he practices a self taught law, yes? Controlling wind? Very few cultivators train themselves to battle the gales, even in my bloody era. And speaking of stealth your...daughter?"

"Disciple" You titter, amused that even one as perceptive and intelligent as Ao mistook Qiang for your kitten

"Disciple" He corrects himself, sounding well and truly surprised "is a trained killer and assassin, and while she is realms beneath you, still practices the same law you created, which makes her a lethal asset in any undertaking "The wolf, Huili? While his army is composed of ordinary wolves, he is a skilled spell caster and moves as swift as wildfire and can as well disguise himself with the skin of a man. And that adorable little moth, Baifenchi I believe was her name..."

Cont

>>6019234

"Can also transform into a human" You guess, still giggling from the mistake he made earlier

"Precisely, you speak my thoughts, master" He says, chuckling himself as he says the word master in a very stilted and unnatural way "And she can raise dead bodies, as puppets or jiangshi. If the beast wave is as dangerous as those frantic messages on your desks would have me believe, she will have no trouble finding herself the fodder to raise an army of corpses"

"Well, then I'll tell them to pack their bags and prepare for a long journey, and have them leave by morning" You say happily, as Ao smiles, probably glad you've taken his advise to heart "You put a lot of thought into who to send, and I agree with your reasons. Now, I'd ask you about which allied sects I should reach out to for assistance but"

"I know them not, and wouldn't have had time to study them enough to give you any advise on that front" He answers flippantly, yawning as he runs a finger down the list of expenses "Why does black bile iron cost so much? All you need to do is chain a forge demon to a wall and force feed them ores"

"Our fellow daoists are too afraid to take day trips to hell" You say with a snicker and a smug smirk, crossing your arms as you spend a moment considering which sects would be willing to help "Well, you'll know of the five colors and five purities, they're a small but diligent sect, and close to ours. Their spring was the seed for the one whose waters flow all throughout this temple, and they've lent aid to us in battle before. They'll probably send both of the Fa twins"

"What realm and rank?" Aodasheng asked sharply, turning to you with fiercely curious eyes

"Somewhere in the middle of the foundation establishment stage, they're nothing special, but they can handle themselves in a fight" You say with a shrug, as the former king of specters frowns, almost like he was disappointed with them despite never having met them

"The grisly ghost of the evil king of centuries ago, Aodasheng!?" Siwang greets your advisor, bodyguard and friend with an owl's shriek, dropping the lists he'd just brought on your request. Aodasheng lifts a finger, and suspends them all in an ethereal teal light

"The very same!" He exclaims, quite pleased to be called such an imposing title "And what's this, Silent death? More tournament expenses"

"The list of early applicants for it" You answer, as you snatch one scroll out of Ao's claws before he can read it before you "The sect nearest to the tournament already has some of their disciples in the tournament proper, as a small favor, and I'm planning on have the...shall we call them, less talented members of the palace join the qualifiers along with the names on this list, and the others like it that are being filled with names"
Cont

>>6019235

"I recognize none of these" Ao proudly answers as Siwang plucks at his chest feathers nervously, shifting from standing on one foot, then the other "So again, I cannot suggest any course of action without acting as a fool, speaking on matters he knows nothing about"

"Most who have signed have declared their membership of notable temples to the divine spirit, Huanliuxue" Siwang says quietly, hopping behind you as he stares at Aodasheng, as if he'll suddenly lash out and rip out his heart "Or else the members of the noble families of the Chuan kingdom, both from the main and branch families of the ruling Clan, and from their vassals, great and small, but one name is"

"Ling Yaonan?" You ask, smirking still, as you've already brushed that particular upsetting entrant off as some one trying to frighten away other martial artists who've heard of how many schools she's massacred and "immortals" she's slaughtered "Probably just someone trying to scare off the competition, or who thinks her name will bring them glory and renown. Besides, the Ogress may be a brute, but she isn't stupid enough to openly join a tournament between orthodox temples and one heretical sect. She'd at least switch the characters of the name or use an alias. Even if my mother befriended her, she isn't so mindless to walk up to me and turn MY event into a blood bath"

"Of course! This disciple was foolish and still has much to learn about the nature of deceit and trickery" Siwang says, sighing in relief and giving a weak laugh

"Ogress? from the Ling Clan? The holder of their blood inheritance? I killed the previous one" Ao remarks, as he looks down the list again "A demon reborn?"

"Could be a demon I know, I've killed a few" You say with a shrug "We're butchering one for its parts and organs right now, Heh-Heh. Or it could be a delusional young man who imagines himself a devil, or again a scare tactic, but considering they're calling themselves Evil Devil Prince ( 邪恶 魔王子, Xié'è Mówángzǐ), and no devil I've known has had a good naming sense, and they've listed a number of techniques and a style I know to be only practiced in the yellow springs"

"He's the real deal!" The ghost king roars in delight

"We should spy on him covertly, to see if his heart remains that of a devil in this new life" Siwang mutters under his breath, clearly already forming ideas of what to do if their heart still is like a demon's. But they could just be a kid living out childish and rebellious fantasies, but the techniques and style make that seem somewhat unlikely
Cont

>>6019236

"I'm much more concerned about these names, who've signed up for the higher realm brackets. I've made sure to learn at least the names of the strongest of the nearby sects, and have heard enough gossip to know which Rogues have managed to claw their way up to prominence without the support of a school or teacher" You say coldly as you point out five names "But I've never heard of any of these names spoken in conversation, and if they're that strong and have lived so long without any face, well, they'd have to be more cautious then I ever was"

"Star Shooter (Xīng Shèshǒu , 星射手), Martial King (Jié Wáng, 偈王 ), God Lance (Shén Máo, 神矛), The Earth Breaker (Dìqiú Làng, 地球浪 ), Immortal Fury (Xiānnù, 仙怒), These sound like art names, think they're enemies hiding their identity, want me to kill them?" Ao asks cheerfully, as he reads the list , by turning his neck into a dragons and reading it from over your head

"I think they're gods. A few of them fell when I attained my gorgeous and flawless human form" You say with a frown that deepens the longer you look at the names that might belong to a god "And when I snuck into the heavens, a divinely empowered arrow pierced through my side. Star Shooter...it might be just a coincidence, but we might need to investigate these five and the Demon kid, and at least keep an eye on them?"

"What contests is the demon brat partaking in?" Ao asked, as you looked back up the list to see and before you could find the answer

"All of them, he hasn't listed his cultivation stage or rank either" Siwang answered diligently, lifting up his head "We will need to get him to narrow down what level of opponents he can fairly face"

"Why? If they have the bad luck to face a higher realm opponent, they aren't worth much" Ao laughed heartlessly, uncaring for the prodgies who might get squashed flat by the devil reborn if he actually is one

"There is already a contest just for testing luck" You say with a glower, shaking your head "We'll get him to back out of the qualifiers for any contest he's too strong for, if he's confident enough to fight higher stage opponents well, he'll remind me of me if he does"

If he does, he might be Baoliwuyawang himself, but it hasn't been so long that he'd be a young man if he was reborn already, right? Maybe demon reincarnates mature quicker? You'd need to read your manual on demons and spirits to know if they do or not

"Oh! I might sign up for that luck contest, make it a real challenge" The former ghost king says cheerfully

"You will not, you're still my secret, Ao" You say, pinching him in the arm and he feigns being in pain

"Your secret hm?, that'd make for a nice title. The Happy Bloodshed's Secret, Heh" He snickers as he slips through the floor and vanishes to do...something? You can't be sure what he gets up to when he isn't at your side, and that does make you a little nervous he might go for a walk and kill some people to stave off boredom

>>6019239

"Siwang, once your heart has stopped pounding, get ready for a trip. You're part of the mission to investigate the beast stampede" You say chipperly, smiling delightedly as you turn to the owl, who clacks his beak excitedly and throws up his wings and scattering a few of the feathers he'd plucked off to keep calm in the face of Aodasheng as he gives a cheer

"This humble judge and daoist shall not let you down, master, I shall fulfill every expectation and with my martial brothers and sisters, find the source of the beast wave plaguing the lands, and return your rightful subjects to their right states of mind!" He shouts loudly and confidently "And, knowing that beyond Chuan, our kind are still abhorred and branded as devils, I shall do so without my wings and talons! They shall be sealed! Until my return. But may I, request to know in advance, who my companions on this journey shall be"

"Monu, Tiexingege, Jionghuagege, Qiang, Huili and Baifenchi. I expect all of the beasts amongst them to also stay human for the entire journey" You answer seriously "Tell them that, and make sure my mother doesn't encourage or indulge them to reveal themselves. Since she is the senior and strongest, she'll take the lead, and I know Qiang doesn't think highly of her or really respect her anymore, but she's a professional, so out of all the people my mother has offended, she's the least likely to cause problems"

"Who is strong enough to trust with such a important duty. Lanfen, Liu and Hong wouldn't, I am certain" He argues "But I understand what you mean, Qiang wouldn't let her feelings get in the way of her responsibility, but the rest of Fu's gang would. She may be a heroic soul, but she was once a career killer, even if she has left behind that bloody past. So she can be trusted to act logically"

"Exactly. And Hong would goof off too much, Lanfen would complain too much, and Liu would listen to Lanfen before Monu" You say, giving your reasons why Qiang, even stronger than the other three, would be the best pick of the five"

What do you do now, Huanliuxue?

>Tell the students you're placing in the tournament, which contests they will be taking part in, and have them train with Lian Luli

>Tell Luli about names to look out for, and suggest she either team up with or take them down in the qualifiers for the Qi Condensation brackets of the tournament, since you expect her to win ALL or at least most of them

>Meet with the disciples you're sending to investigate on the beast wave, and tell them why they're being sent on it and as their teacher, give them some sagely advise.

>Covertly investigate one of the applicants you're keeping an eye on (Which one?)

>Invite Master Su and the Five Colors and Five Purities sect to the tournament, like you did with the eight heavenly gates sect, as thanks for helping on the beast wave investigation

>Write in

>>6019233
>>6019233
I prefer being an observer, and don't know the other characters well enough to write scenes between them and Huanliuxe, like some other QMs have been doing. And even if I did, I'd prefer to use the time I'd spend writing them writing updates for this Quest instead.

>>6019240
>Covertly investigate one of the applicants you're keeping an eye on (Which one?)
The demon. Is he a Chuuni or a Real Ni? Only one way to see.

>Invite Master Su and the Five Colors and Five Purities sect to the tournament, like you did with the eight heavenly gates sect, as thanks for helping on the beast wave investigation
They don't have to come. But it's always nice to be polite.

>>6019242
Fair enough.

>>6019240
>Covertly investigate one of the applicants you're keeping an eye on (Star shooter

>>6019240
>>Covertly investigate one of the applicants you're keeping an eye on (Which one?)
The demon

>>6019240
>Have students train with Luli

>Investigate Devil Boy.

>>6019240
>Invite Master Su and the Five Colors and Five Purities sect to the tournament, like you did with the eight heavenly gates sect, as thanks for helping on the beast wave investigation
>Tell the students you're placing in the tournament, which contests they will be taking part in, and have them train with Lian Luli

>>6019240
>Meet with the disciples you're sending to investigate on the beast wave, and tell them why they're being sent on it and as their teacher, give them some sagely advise.
We can handle things on out end
Its our team im worried about. Lets make sure they are on tip top shape.

>>6019240
>>Tell the students you're placing in the tournament, which contests they will be taking part in, and have them train with Lian Luli

>>6019240
>Tell the students you're placing in the tournament, which contests they will be taking part in, and have them train with Lian Luli
>Invite Master Su and the Five Colors and Five Purities sect to the tournament, like you did with the eight heavenly gates sect, as thanks for helping on the beast wave investigation

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There probably isn't going to be an update today, since I'm really not feeling well (Its probably food poisoning). So the voting is going to continue, even though its slowed down a bit.

Some discussion while I'm gone would be nice, as for a topic...how about plans for once the tournament is finished, and what characters you'd like to make more appearances/ talk more.

Anyways, I'm off to lie down in bed and wish for the merciful release of death to end this suffering

>>6019759
We have so much shit to do, and get more with every post...
Current todo list for after the tournament:
>Induct new people into the sect and design training regiments for them
>Deal with the beast stampede
>Investigate the demons' involvement in our battle with the Winter Blossom sect and the thievery of bodies
>Deal with the demon assassin reportedly gunning for us (unless I'm misremembering?)
>Deal with the Seven Slaughtering Swords sect
>Deal with the Ogress
>Remove our curse
>Resurrect Xuebai and Yujijiao
>Train Lian Luli
>Raise the rabbits
>Cultivate finally!!!!1111!
Of these new member induction, dealing with the stampede, investigating the demons, removing the curse and finding a nanny for the rabbits must be done before we cultivate, IMO, because we don't know how many years it will take.

>>6019765
Train them seems like a good plan. Build up our bonuses more.

Then we deal with the Ling first, so we can kncok out our curse too, because fuck what the rest of you say, eat that bastard's life force, most economical choice. If you are concerned for reputation, do it in secret after we kill him. or shove him in a sack on the edge of death, go to space, and eat him.

then recruit the rest of the Beast waves, and take the lands of the Ling.

Other than that. . eh, the rest is kinda unimportant? We can have people deal with that.

>>6019765
KillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLingKillTheLing

You get the idea.

But I agree, getting some stuff figured out BEFORE going into a strength coma for a while is imperative. We don't need weird misunderstandings kicking in or anything. Getting Luli to a state where all she needs is time rather than instruction would be a good time to do our own thing. And the whole, curse thing. Probably makes it really friggin hard to meditate when your soul is screaming to FEEEEEEEEEED

>>6019759
I would actually like to see more of the demons. But the bottleneck there is obviously we're not in hell all the time. Though I am curious what the crows have been getting up to ever since they slipped the springs.

>>6019759
>how about plans for once the tournament is finished,
As far as plans are concerned, the most immediate is to get rid of this curse we have. Hunting someone strong to devour sounds like fun, but personally I'm partial to going to hell and trying to find something down there, since we've been meaning to take a look around there for a while anyway, and this would kill two birds with one stone. Besides we still have an emperor's soul to barter for something.
Either way, going to back to hell is also on the list, finally see what the crow hag has been up to. That's been a long time coming.
Other than that, we really need to just sit down and train/develop some techniques. We still have not looked into this whole blood plant business very much, and I feel like we have a very cursory understanding of our stellar powers as well. And there is no way reaching golden core hasn't unlocked us some cool new ghost/grudge powers too... if only we trained for a bit. It's just that we have had so much shit to do we have never had the time so far.
Somewhat connected, another thing I want to do is train our disciples a bit more extensively. We are the only member of our sect who has reached golden core, and our next best disciples are all Foundation establishment stage. Other sects all seem to have core formation disciples, and I would like ours to join their ranks. If only because without us, our sect is pretty weak at the moment. Aodasheng's aura was enough to send our best and brightest to their knees, and we won't always have the leeway necessary to protect them. Taking the time to strengthen everyone more seriously would go a long way to ensure that if we fuck off for a year to cultivate again, our sect wont just be wiped out by some random group of orthodox golden cores who decided that enough was enough.
Having Aodasheng on our side helps make scenarios like that unlikely, but still, I think it's worthwhile.
While killing the Ling is a defining objective of ours, I feel it's a little early to do so in earnest. Probably best to cultivate once more first, or at least develop more techniques/train our disciples. Though this depends on whether or not they leave us alone, of course.
>>6019765
I pretty much second this whole list. Some stuff is more urgent than others but that covers most of the stuff I can think of, short of details like "use the god's blood we collected somewhere finally"

>>6019759
>and what characters you'd like to make more appearances/ talk more.
Man, there are a lot.
I feel like it's been a while since the old gang of Ping/Lei/Feiqing has had a real chance to shine. Ping has appeared pretty consistently, but Feiqing and especially Lei have mostly been in the background.
Similarly, I would like to spend some time with the two bug princesses. They are both some of our earliest and most useful disciples, and I feel like they have not had much chance to stand out in a while, on a personal level. Also I just like them both.
It's been a while since we have interacted with demons, which is a shame because it's always fun to see Huan in equally macabre company.
We haven't had much chance to work together with the Five Colors and Five purities sect, despite them being our closes allies, but we are working on that now, I suppose. Might be fun to organise some sect wide interaction though, I'm curious to see how the ex-laggards at the Five Colors are doing.
I could go on but I think I'm gonna leave it at this, I have dumped a large enough brick of text for the moment I think.

>>6019759
I wanna see more intersect stuff
With all the other sects
Maybe some more god fumbles depending how this goes.
Buddhists are cool af especially when dabbing on orthodox cultivators.
Seeing some divine beasts like the dragon and maybe some of the others they might respect (i guess the pheonix) etc.
Lastly, my personal preference, the United States of Dao

>>6019765
So when we do finally sit down to cultivate, where should we do it? Our old cultivation chamber? Ao's thrown room in the lower levels? Our new retreat in the forrest? The moon?

Also thinking about the catacombs made me remember we also need to deal with these pesky golems and finally properly study the forbidden library.

>>6019821
New cultivation chamber, made while we deal with other crap, in the lowest level of the mountain.

Which is the reason to have taken over that level at all.

>>6019821
The moon!

>>6019240
>Tell the students you're placing in the tournament, which contests they will be taking part in, and have them train with Lian Luli
>>6019759
Everyone's made good plans (besides me once again bringing up the map of Chuan that will only grow less valuable if a scramble for territory kicks off), but for characters I'd like to see more, a healthy swath of out students outside of our first few are practically background characters. It's not helped by us being away from home so often because we're either busy or doing the cat thing of vanishing and coming back with new scars and random goodies.Outside of our sect, we still haven't really interacted much with the other members of our alliance, plus the mother and daughter crows have been lurking around for a while and might be up to who knows what.

Maybe invite the Buddhists if we still can.

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Not feeling terribly sick anymore, so, ending the vote, tallying its results. Enjoyed the discussion/ planning. Forgive me for my frailty, juniors.

Covertly investigate one of the applicants you're keeping an eye on:4
-Xie'e Mowangzi:3
-Xing Sheshou:1

Invite Master Su and the Five Colors and Five Purities sect to the tournament, like you did with the eight heavenly gates sect, as thanks for helping on the beast wave investigation:3

Tell the students you're placing in the tournament, which contests they will be taking part in, and have them train with Lian Luli:5

Meet with the disciples you're sending to investigate on the beast wave, and tell them why they're being sent on it and as their teacher, give them some sagely advise.:1

Invite the Buddhists: 1

So You will inform the students you're signing up for the tournament which contests they'll be taking part in, and have them train with Luli

Update will arrive shortly

"Congratulations, I've decided that you will be granted the honor of representing the resplendent Palace of Natural Laws sect in the tournament we will soon be hosting. Be grateful, juniors" You declare to the disciples you've chosen for the honor and privilege of having a chance to rise up to shine and make a name for themselves, transcending the common trash they'll be competing against. Grinning atop the lotus altar, seated on it like it were a throne, Zhurou, Houmogui, Senling Zheren, Canlan Yuanquan, Jiangliehuo, Lanfen, Liu, Hong, Niu, Mao Yue, Bo, and Wang Wencheng all gaze up at you with...mixed reactions. You'd thought to include Qinxin in their number, but decided that he is at least as skilled and respectable as Ping is, while compared to the others of your sect, these disciples are untalented and unproven. Sure they've fought a few life or death battles and all had some role to play in breaking the Winter Blossoming Sect's back, but compared to their seniors or more talented peers, well, they're lacking.

"Eh?" Niu and Wang Wencheng say in sync, neither of them looking thrilled at being granted such an honor, though Niu looks more resigned while Wang looks almost panicked

"Thank you, master!" Bo says blithely, looking to Wang, Niu and Yue with a cheerful smile that doesn't fade when he sees they do not share his enthusiasm.

"I'm Humbled?" Mao Yue says, staring at the grinning Bo, looking like she isn't sure of what she's supposed to do besides show gratitude, and decides to take a note from Bo and be happy she was picked

"Fu would've been a better choice, and would've hurt less feelings than the star pupils of some old fossil getting beaten by a blind man" Hong humble brags, smirking as Lanfen pouts and Liu tugs at the magic collar you gifted him, it wouldn't take a mind reader to guess why Lanfen is sulking

"It is a great honor" Lanfen says, smiling even though her joy doesn't reach her eyes

"A great honor indeed" Liu says a moment later, nodding.

"So we're gonna fight then, like brother no eyes said?" Jiangliehuo asks with a drawl, between chewing and honing his claws as he lays out on his back, long body flailing around

"That depends on the contests our master has placed us in" The monk like Zheren answers with a nod

"Hah! Of course Bastard and I are going to be in the martial one!" Houmogui boasts, spreading her wings and trying to look intimidating

"Oh I wonder what contest I'll be in, ribbit, ribbit" Yuanquan croaks excitedly

"Well I most humbly accept this opportunity and honor, and swear to win many accolades and bring respect to our noble sect, without fail. It is my duty as nobility, after all" Zhurou snorts as he preens himself "And brother frog, you most likely will be placed in the magical trials, or perhaps the scholarly contests"
Cont

>>6020604

"Did I hear you right master? I'm joining the tournament, that every martial artist in Chuan and most of its cultivation schools are partaking in?" Wencheng asks, fretfully wringing his hands as Niu frowns and hangs her head "I'm not much of a fighter, I was worthless when I was employed as a body guard"

"Mr Wang, the Pine Tree Warden Records (青松舍监档案, Qīngsōngshèjiāndàng'àn), are a cultivation method that focuses on improving one's lifespan, Yes, but the martial art for it that we've both learned is...well it means we have no excuse to give for why we can't fight, and neither of us have talents besides what the records taught us" Niu says defeatedly, as if she's already lost even though the tournament hasn't even started. Wencheng looks devestated and winces, as if he's felt all the bruises and broken bones he'll earn in the fighting all at once.

"Correct, Niu, you, Wencheng, Bo, I've signed up for the human and mixed martial tournament" You sneer and snicker, finding Wencheng and Niu's reactions kind of funny "I expect you to put in all of your effort, and not just cry uncle and forfeit when the fighting starts, if you complain, you might also find yourself in the battle royal, Heh-Heh"

"And what about me?" Mao Yue asked sweetly, not seeming to notice her two elders' looks of despair and mountain dread as they both look up to you pleadingly, but not saying a word of complaint

"You still haven't found a law that fits you, so, most of the contests. It might awaken your hidden potential" You say with a smile, before turning to a confused Lanfen, whose furrowing her brow, noticing you didn't list her, Liu or Hong with the other humans present "Lanfen, while you're strong amongst martial artists, amongst cultivators, you aren't a threat, Which is why I've placed you in the magic and alchemy tournaments to start, since your Spring Fairy Blossom Art (泉天仙 花技艺, Quántiānxiān huājìyì), but if I decide doubles battles will be a part of the tournament, you're free to join them. Liu, Hong, you're both in the human and mixed martial contests, though I've also placed Hong in the luck trials, for my own amusement"

"Good choice!" Hong cheers as Lanfen smirks, looking very pleased with the explanation you've given her

"Yuanquan, you are going to be joining Lanfen in the magic and alchemy brackets, since you've a talent for both and practice a magic focused law, like she does" You explain, lifting up and turning over your hand "Houmogui, Jiangliehuo, you're both correct, you're in the beast martial trials and if there's room, the human and mixed brackets, Zheren, you'll be in the beast martial trials, the magic contests and the crafting wings, Zhurou"

"Mmmmyes?" The horned pig asks, smiling with all the arrogance expected of royalty. You grin, and hop down to him "You'll be partaking in the tests for intellectuals, tacticians, and fighters, and like Hong, I think it'd be amusing for you to join the Luck contest"

>>6020607

"Well, I had once studied the writings of that great north eastern general, and the princesses can tell you I lent them advise during the defensive campaign while you meditated on the mysteries of ehem, death and vendettas" He answers and probably lies "And while I was pampered most my life, I have crossed this horn of mine with many a blades, and consider myself something of an erudite hog"

"Which is why you're the only one I'm placing in those brackets, I think you're witty enough to not need a second choice for them" You titter, as Zhurou makes a face that looks like he'd be sweating nervously if pigs like him could sweat "I might change my mind later, maybe, who knows. But those are the rings of the tournament I've placed you all in presently, so, all of you are going to start a harsher training regimen, starting today until the end of the tournament, probably. You're going to be in your best shape and clearest state of mind, and you're going to train with Luli, to help her prepare as well"

"Who?" Jiangliehuo barks
"The green haired brat?" Houmogui drones, trying to sound dismissive
"That poor girl as well..." Niu says sadly and pityingly
"Ain't no one harming a hair on her head" Bo grunts, eyes fierce and brow heavy
"You and her might end up on opposite sides of the contest" Wencheng mutters under his breath
"Oh yes, the little heiress followed by a gaggle of fungoid servants" Zhurou says delightedly
"Is she ready for a contest of this level?" Lanfen questioned worriedly
"I'm sure she is, you've seen the kind of rigorous training Lady Huanliuxue has put her through already" Liu says with a confident nod of his head
"She's got a strong heartbeat, and moves with the grace of willow branches in a storm, she'll be fine" Hong says, unusually perceptive for a blind man
"Oh this is going to be so fun" Mao Yue chirps happily, clapping her hands together
"Ribbit, may the best of us stand triumphant!" Yuanquan declares, trying to sound profound
"I will not question my masters wisdom" Zheren states, bowing his horned head to the floor.

"Little Miss Lian is practicing her movement techniques in the woods near our farmlands, join her now, I trust that none of you will bully her" You command with a flick of your wrist as you swagger away from your gathered students "And that all of you will excel in the tournament"
Cont

>>6020609

What do you do, now that that is taken care of, Huanliuxue? two choices may be taken

>Directly train and coach Luli and the others, putting all of your energy into their lessons to make them ready for the tournament (Training trial. DC 65. DC greatly reduced by your elite teacher trait)

>Leave them to train on their own, and instead, work on teaching Piao Tuzi and Yewushi all kinds of things, and see if Moon Beasts can cultivate like ordinary magical beasts

>Interrupt Renshu and Ruolan's research to tell them you've entered them into the alchemical wing of the tournament

>Covertly investigate one of the applicants you're keeping an eye on (Which one?)

>Check on the Garden of the wild Empress, and see how Far Feiqing has gotten crafting everything needed and why he's treating your gardens there like an invading army.

>Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament

>Visit the Eight Heavenly Gates sect, and meet their beastly students

>write in

>>6020610
>Directly train and coach Luli and the others, putting all of your energy into their lessons to make them ready for the tournament (Training trial. DC 65. DC greatly reduced by your elite teacher trait)
>Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament

>>6020610
>>Leave them to train on their own, and instead, work on teaching Piao Tuzi and Yewushi all kinds of things, and see if Moon Beasts can cultivate like ordinary magical beasts
Guys, we have two little rabbits that got taken from their home and have 0 idea wtf is going on.
How tf yall gonna vote to take a pair of rabbits but leave em alone after.
>Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament
including that one sect that said they wouldn't join our alliance, but they did fight with us. I like and respect those guys. They have principle.

>>6020610
>Directly train and coach Luli and the others, putting all of your energy into their lessons to make them ready for the tournament (Training trial. DC 65. DC greatly reduced by your elite teacher trait)

>Check on the Garden of the wild Empress, and see how Far Feiqing has gotten crafting everything needed and why he's treating your gardens there like an invading army.

Always so much to do. Anyone not competing we could trust with
>Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament
?

>>6020610
>>Leave them to train on their own, and instead, work on teaching Piao Tuzi and Yewushi all kinds of things, and see if Moon Beasts can cultivate like ordinary magical beasts
Do I want to give and received more teacher/student boni? Yes. Do I want to teach the rabbits how to live on an entirely different celestial body? Also yes. And besides, what insights might be gained from studying a non-standard magical beast?

>Covertly investigate one of the applicants you're keeping an eye on (Which one?)
Devil child I have come to harass you. I mean bargain.

>>6020623
I agree.

We need to be a decent mother for crying out loud.

>>6020610
>Teach our adorable rabbits things!

>Directly train the students DC 65
We can train them all together.

>>6020610
>Leave them to train on their own, and instead, work on teaching Piao Tuzi and Yewushi all kinds of things, and see if Moon Beasts can cultivate like ordinary magical beasts
We did kinda kidnap them and then proceed to ignore them. We ARE a busy sect head, but still, they deserve a bit of attention.
>Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament
It's high time we finally get to doing this.

I feel bad not training our students, but this is ultimately their chance to prove themselves, if they feel so inclined. Doing so despite being thrown into the deep end will only make any good showings they put on all the more impressive.
Though it's mostly because it wouldn't feel right to put off the above for any longer.

>>6020610
>Directly train and coach Luli and the others, putting all of your energy into their lessons to make them ready for the tournament (Training trial. DC 65. DC greatly reduced by your elite teacher trait)

>Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament

>>6020610
>Directly train and coach Luli and the others, putting all of your energy into their lessons to make them ready for the tournament (Training trial. DC 65. DC greatly reduced by your elite teacher trait)
I agree on the need to take care of the rabbits but we also need to make sure our representatives don't suck.

>Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament
I'm sure they're waiting for invitations and not sending them out would only sour relations.

>Invite the Eight Heavenly Gates sect, specifically their beastly students so youcan meet them.

>>6020746
We are giving them a chance to show off themselves for once. They won't have much to learn from if we just teach them what they need to do to win. This is to serve as a lesson to them as they are now. Teaching them after will serve better.

Should probably take care of the ghost curse thing before it could potentially blow up at the worst time. Especially with a public event about to happen.

>>6020610
>Directly train and coach Luli and the others, putting all of your energy into their lessons to make them ready for the tournament (Training trial. DC 65. DC greatly reduced by your elite teacher trait)

>Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament

>>6020610
>>Interrupt Renshu and Ruolan's research to tell them you've entered them into the alchemical wing of the tournament
>Visit the Eight Heavenly Gates sect, and meet their beastly students

>>6020610
>Train the rabbits and the competing students
Just knock it out all at once.

>>6020610
>>Directly train and coach Luli and the others, putting all of your energy into their lessons to make them ready for the tournament (Training trial. DC 65. DC greatly reduced by your elite teacher trait)
>>Leave them to train on their own, and instead, work on teaching Piao Tuzi and Yewushi all kinds of things, and see if Moon Beasts can cultivate like ordinary magical beasts

File: 1660180684246541.jpg (62 KB, 500x500)

62 KB JPG

The vote is pretty close right now (Currently sending out invitations and training your students are in the lead, with an equal amount of votes for both), so I'm going to let it continue for a little while. And also because I'm just too tired to write anything tonight, since I once again was sent into the fields to clear weeds beneath a blazing sun and only now got back home. Forgive me juniors.

And while I recover from the exertion of battling against the devilish weeds once again, how about a topic of discussion that's pertinent to current events in the quest.

What brackets/ contests, by their type and the power level of the competitors, do you think should open up the tournament? And if there's anything dramatic or event wise you think would be fun to start the games off with.

>>6021777
Combat or Magic as the opener, both are most likely to have the competitors we're keeping an eye on show up early if we need to squash them. As for how to open the event, maybe use our star bolts to create fireworks

>>6020623
I will drop my vote for inviting if it means that the rabbits can get some damn attention before they get PTSD
im this anon
>>6020623

>>6021777
Coat the area in ghost lights and Yin darkness, have our entrence declared by Yinying, and appear in human form. Give a brief and flashy show of blood control carmine mysticism, then decalre they shall be blessed with our beauty for the tourniment and turn into a cat.

Power demonstrated, pride satisfied, point made.

First brackets, higher end cultuvators, martial or magical. Demonstrate what the younger generation can aspire to, and just exactly what we are willing to throw away for being trash.

>>6021777
I'd say forging first with fighting next. High end first so yah the newbies can aspire 2.

>>6021777
In terms of tournament.
Firs the preliminaries just to get rid of the actual garbage chaff that are there.
Everyone who gets past the initial filtering will get to see us give the signal for the start of the tournament proper (insert flashy display). Showcase primordial energy bc cat, maybe some ethereal ghost stuff as well. Hold back on overdoing blood and don't shoe our cosmic hand.

Opening match should be luck, making it so everyone thinks they have got a shot.
From there, rounds fo fighting/smithing/wisdom should be alternating throughout the day to give them all proper inbetween time and viewability. They all have their own sections, so setting up their own proper schedules should be easy.

Slept all day, but I'm awake now, so I'll end and tally the vote. Liked the discussion as always, juniors. Also apparently Huan has taken the lead in the Queen tournament. An most auspicious sign, if I must say so myself.

Directly train and coach Luli and the others, putting all of your energy into their lessons to make them ready for the tournament :8

Leave them to train on their own, and instead, work on teaching Piao Tuzi and Yewushi all kinds of things, and see if Moon Beasts can cultivate like ordinary magical beasts:6

Officially invite your allied/ friendly sects to the tournament:6
Invite the Eight Heavenly Gates sect, specifically their beastly students so youcan meet them.:1
Dusk Marsh wolves: 1

Check on the Garden of the wild Empress, and see how Far Feiqing has gotten crafting everything needed and why he's treating your gardens there like an invading army.:1

Find a curse for Specter starvation: 1

Covertly investigate one of the applicants you're keeping an eye on:1
-Xie'e Mowangzi:1


Visit the Eight Heavenly Gates sect, and meet their beastly students:1

Interrupt Renshu and Ruolan's research to tell them you've entered them into the alchemical wing of the tournament:1

So you'll directly coach and train Luli and the rest to prepare them for the tournament, and then teach Tuzi and Yewushi all sort of things and see if they can cultivate like terrestrial magical beasts, and officially invite the sects allied/ friendly to the palace of the natural laws, during your free time outside of instructing the competitors.

Update will arrive shortly

>>6022453
>An most auspicious sign
I'm starting to think people are voting explicitly against her just for existing at this point.

The site where you've told Luli to practice by herself, training her technique and refine her movements until they were the vision of grace, and perfect the strikes and dodges she was inspired to make by the dance like swaying of the trees in the mountain breeze, is the same one where you created your feline and ghostly martial arts. Though the wooden practice dummies are new, since you long ago made them break themselves with the torque and momentum of their own spinning. You arrive before any of the students you'd sent to train with her, with Piao Tuzi and Yewushi in tow, both of them sleeping in a basket lined with soft furs and scented with moon grasses to keep the bitey Yewushi calm and the often frightened Tuzi content and happy. Luli is exhausted already, having spent more time that you had told her to repeating her drills and pushing as close to her limits as she could. Her hair matted and dripping with sweat from its dried grass colored crown to the rest of it colored the same bright and fresh green as spring growth grass. She has forgone her usual style of two girlish buns and braids, allowing it to hang limply around her neck and face, obscuring the green lotus blossom marking her as the inheritor of her family's unfinished and defective bloodline. Her eyes, every shade of green found in nature, are half closed, flinching as beads of sweat drip into them as she continuously sways in place, dodging the swinging lumber puppet before counterattacking with a swift chop of her hand or a flick kick that looks like it was inspired by how reeds or young bamboo poles bounces back up after being bent to the ground.

Qi Qi and Sun Cuifen's ghosts are also here. You'd wondered if they'd followed her here or stayed to haunt and harass their teacher who thought it was a good idea to put their corpses on display as a warning to the other meek mice raised by the thousand lotus hall. They and Luli haven't noticed you, since the ghosts of her seniors are busy amping up the difficulty of the spinning wooden dummy, by pushing it or making it move in odd directions

You wince, expecting one of their sudden adjustments to cause the carved wooden arm to slam directly against Luli's head, but she ducks, and plucking a herb cutting dagger from her belt, jabs it under their shoulder, her eyes filling with renewed vigor and a certain, feral desperation. She's pushed herself to the limit of human common sense. How Intriguing~.

But while she's been doing a lot of strength training and is much haler and stronger than most girls her age and height would be, she is still a young girl. So rather than stopping, the dummy continues spinning and tosses her to the ground, which would probably happen if she tried to block a strike by driving a dagger under the armpit of a real assailant.

She huffs and puffs, face red and sweat coating her inner robe as her outer layer flaps in the wind on a branch surprisingly high up in the canopy.

Cont

>>6022463

"Master?" She asks between Pants, pushing herself up off the ground, covered in dust and dirt clinging to her bare skin and clothes

"I was just watching" You say with a dip of your head "Impressive footwork, you're movements become more graceful every day, and you're starting to show some fighting instinct, that's good. Scrubbing off the dullness of being pampered, Hm, hm"

"Are those the moon rabbits!" She gasps excitedly, getting up much quicker and rushing to get a closer look at the peacefully napping children. You stop her, putting two fingers against her brow, just over her bloodline mark and lifting up the basket with your other hand, over your head

"Don't disturb them, they're still getting used to...well everything" You scold, as Luli pouts and has the good grace to look guilty "And you can pamper them, once your training is done. Some of your seniors will be joining you today"

"Is this a test? A trial by fire?" Luli asks plainly with a fiery look of determination in her eye and as much grit a little girl her age can muster

"No, just joint exercises and coaching, since they'll be joining the tournament with you, and they need to be put through the wringer, Heh-Heh" You cackle as you set the basket down, and pull your hand away as Yewushi raises his head, wiggles his nose and then droops over the edge of the basket, sniffing the air and throwing a glare Luli's way until her notices her hair. Then he begins moving his mouth in a chewing motion, which is enough to make the girl back away, hands covering her bangs.

"Master? What are you doing up here?" That oaf Bo gasps in delight as he stomps up to Luli "Did you and Miss Lian start without the rest of us"

You decide to start his training immediately, by testing the keenness of his sense for danger and the speed of reaction time by kicking a rock into the air and then flicking it at him

roll 2d100. Best out of five. DC 65

Rolled 92, 62 = 154 (2d100)

>>6022464

Rolled 81, 80 = 161 (2d100)

>>6022464
I call a 43 and 77.

Rolled 45, 20 = 65 (2d100)

>>6022464

Rolled 26, 54 = 80 (2d100)

>>6022464
Rollin

Rolled 90, 9 = 99 (2d100)

>>6022464
Not bad so far.

Almost ten degrees! These students are about to understand the meaning of Happy Bloodshed.

>>6022478
A Heaven's defying success! 90 over DC! Update will arrive shortly

>>6022495
>>6022512
Wonder what the odds of these results are.

It of course hits its target, the spot directly between Bo's eyes. Which roll back as he teeters backwards, takes a reeling step, as his body tries to stay standing even as he's gone unconscious. Luli blinks, dumbfounded by the sudden arrival and sudden drop of Bo, who hits the ground with a thud that wakes up Tuzi and Yewushi, who both sit up alert in the basket, noses twitching and ears standing high and alert. A rock thrown up by the broad bodied young man is your next dart, and to give credit where credit is due, Luli is quicker to sense the threat behind her head and react, either through spiritual sense or her connection to the trees and grasses surrounding her. She dives and covers her head, a few stray strands of her green hair drifting in the air like dandelion seeds as the rock whistles just past her head, nearly brushing it as it soars and clips a tree branch, leaving a groove in its bark.

"Did a rock fall from the, ow!" Mao Yue is unlucky enough to arrive next, into the clearing after having heard Bo crashing to the earth. She manages to cover her face, before a second rock sent into her stomach sends her teetering to the ground, pale around her face and with watering eyes

"A fight, a fight, a fight?!" Jiangliehuo bellows and brays as he charges up and is sent right back away and into Houmogui who wisely chose to let the actual thug run forward. She managed to avoid the rock you'd intended for both of them, with her keen hearing and mysterious senses unique to bats, but she couldn't avoid a flying Giant river Otter.

Luli scrambles, making for the trees, sprinting and wheezing from being forced to exert herself after just finishing a harsh, half day long training session. She jumps, and is hit in the heel by the next rock you sent flying, but keeps her footing as she stumbles away.

"Are we under attack by banditry?" Zhurou asks, as she runs past him, panting and without the breath to explain what is going on, and he avoids the first stone you flick at him just as gracefully as Luli did, and the braggart hog quickly catches on that here is not where he wants to be, though he is hit in the flank by the second stone when he stops to look back at his fallen and unconscious peers , but like Luli did, redirected most of the impact with a twist of his hind quarters

Niu tries to hide, so you knock a branch ontop of her, flushing out Weng Wancheng, who you knock the wind out of with a handful of gravel. Yewushi sits up, more alert, seeming interested in the game you're playing as Lanfen and Liu approach solemnly, knowing exactly how you intend to train them.

"Expect the unexpected, and don't think anyone you face in the tournament will fight fairly or hesitate to pummel you without mercy!" You declare, finally telling them all the first step of their training "Be like the girl and the pig! Move as graceful as a cat or the next best thing, the wind!"
Cont

>>6022568

Liu goes flying back, his arm limp at his side and steaming. He snarls and bares his teeth, holding up his hand to show he caught the stone while Lanfen stares directly at you and reaches for the sword at her side.

You hit her in the wrist, but she only recoils in pain from the fragments of the stone she cut into twain.

They both turn and run when you grab a handful of rocks,

But you're stopped from peppering them with them, or chasing off the other two still standing, since the later comers receive that privilege instead, Yuanquan leaping over their heads and the rock you tossed at him. Senlin Zheren, side stepping to avoid the next, but losing a branch of his antler to the second and stumbling to the ground.

Hong roars, launching a stone at you with his hammer as large as some of his juniors.

You plant your foot on it, slowing then stopping its spin, and then clear a bit of the trees in your way with him when you kick and launch it back into his gut.

"If any of you can make it back to the temple conscious, I'll consider giving you passing marks for the agility and speed test, lets see if any of you have reactions to match your masters, Heh-Heh!" You cackle loudly, chasing after Lanfen, Liu, Yuanquan, Zhurou and Luli, but stop by Selin Zheren, seeing the Buddhist deer is kneeling but not unconscious "Tell the others when they wake up, to pick partners and begin training their reaction time by dodging arrows or sling flung rocks. And keep an eye on the rabbits!"

"As you wish, wise sage" He says, quietly and respectfully, with his head bowed to the ground as you run past him, hooting and hollering to try and frighten or put your fleeing students of balance or make them make mistakes in the heat of the moment out of panic.

Zhurou lasts the longest, followed by Lanfen, then Liu, you catch Luli quickly, since even though she's been training and building up her stamina, she chose the worst day to push herself and do an extra few hours of rigorous training. The pig even manages to avoid a volley of rocks you scatter through the air, before being thrown to the ground on his side by one you flicked at him with your other hand.

They practice for themselves, and then you subject them to a second round of this amusing game. And they all last much longer than they did the first time, especially Hong, since he doesn't try to throw a rock of his own at you. Which is why you hit him with the biggest rocks you can find, since such arrogance deserves punishment.

And then you have them practice by themselves again, shooting blunted arrows or hurling stones with slings at each, with each successful catch or dodge reducing the distance between thrower and target. And while your battered, brusied and in some cases bleeding students practice with eachother, you teach Piao Tuzi and Yewushi how to breath in and fill their lungs with air, and it doesn't take long until you've got them talking. Only two more rounds of flicking rocks at your student.

>>6022570

"Nwext!" Tuzi chimes, looking up to you with big, hopeful eyes as she mimics what you just said, anticipating praise and a cup of moon dew

"Dwie!" Yewushi barks at Wang Wencheng, who you've just sent rolling across the ground, and then totters over and kicks him a few times as he wheezes and shudders on the ground

And then you teach them how to walk and move around properly under normal gravity and how to say more than one word by breathing in more often than just when they need to speak, bribing them with Moon Dew and play, as they start treating you less like a predator and more like a caretaker or aunt, though it seems it make take awhile for them to grasp that they aren't on the moon anymore, since Tuzi asks and Yewushi demands why the sky is so bright and blue, both of them thinking you had something to do with the sudden change.

While you have your students improve their endurance and ability to hold their breath, by having Chuandapo create rapids in the pond they're swimming to cool off after spending a day or so running away from you and your flying stones. Both of which are just one of many of the exercises you've prepared for them. Though you have to hold Tuzi and Yewushi away from the water, since they're fascinated by it, and try to swim through the air, in both their near human and their natural states, not quite understanding that there are different rules here than there are on the moon.

Luli fastens herself to the stronger Hong and Bo, catching on that playing dirty is a viable tactic it works, while you see Mao Yue get caught in a vortex, laughing until she's dragged under and tossed back onto shore. Along with a few of Luli's mushroom puppets, water logged and "dead". Yuanquan is sitting this exercise out, because it'd be too easy for him, so instead you're having him climb trees while Fu chops them down.

Similar scenes to these two play out for the days you spend personally coaching you're students
Cont

>>6022571

Lian Luli has achieved Qi Condensation Rank 8 and has partially awakened her plant life physique, allowing her to survive off sunlight and water alone, and given her the ability to temporarily take on more plant like attributes, and has greatly refined her self taught martial art and improved her symbiosis with her mushroom minions and has revealed her "Star disciple" Talent and her "Dogged Disciple" Talent (Allowing her to keep fighting or striving to accomplish her goals, no matter the set backs or obstacles in her way. Increases her survivability and reduces her recovery time). Hong has transcended the Qi condensation stage and entered the foundation establishment stage at rank 1, and has gained the "Unavoidable Sentry" Talent (Increases the chance of him finding spies or intruders, and refines his spiritual sense to levels that match a cultivator of a stage higher). Canlan Yuanquan has transcended the Qi Condensation stage and entered the foundation establishment stage at rank 1, and has gained the "White Lotus Halo" Trait (Passively purifies and cleanses their surrounding and others of negative energies and ailments) and has gained the focus: Cleansing rituals. Lanfen has transcended the Qi condensation stage and entered the foundation establishment at rank 1 and has gained the "Miraculous Healer" Talent (Decreases the recovery time of other sect members, and increases their survivability when he joins them on missions) and has gained the Focus: Medicine. Liu has attained Qi condensation rank 9. Senlin Zheren has attained Qi Condensation rank 8 and has refined his self taught law of bones greatly. Houmogui has attained Qi Condensation rank 8 and has refined their self taught law of blood greatly and incorporated "Sonic/ Sound" into the Dao of their technique. Jiangliehuo has attained Qi Condensation rank 8 and has gained the "Calm Hearted Berserker" Talent (Allowing him to harness rage and bloodthirst without losing himself to it, increasing his overall intellect and effectiveness in battle). Niu has attained Qi Condensation Rank 7 and has gained the focus: Composure. Wang Wencheng has attained Qi Condensation rank 7 and has gained the focus: Martial: Drunken boxing and has switched his primary laws from pine warden records to The Intoxicating Lotus Flower. Bo has attained Qi condensation rank 7 and has gained the Martial: Defensive focus. Mao Yue has attained Qi condensation rank 7 created her own law, founded on the Dao of Bliss and Laughter aligned to blood Qi, and has gained the focus: Emotion control!?. Zhurou has attained Qi Condensation rank 8 and attained the "Wild Prince" evolution
Cont

>>6022572

the bonds between all thirteen have strengthened greatly through the hardship they have endured together. And excellence, like a temple, begins with the first stone laid, and as your students grow and improve, so are you rewarded with new found insight and wisdom! +130 to the next training/ cultivation roll. +40 to raising a disciple to foundation establishment stage x 3, total bonus 1664


The hidden potential of your disciples has been revealed/ Beaten into them!

And within a week or two of this special training, all of the participants have improved by leaps and bounds, and revealed hidden potential that had previously been buried inside of them, and many of them improved the self taught cultivation methods they were practicing, to make them as worthy of knowing as Fu's Way of the avenging Warrior and Siwang's mantra of the whirlwind riding judge.

And Piao Tuzi and Yewushi have opened their eyes fully and while they're still pretty strange and often have their heads in the clouds or need something ordinary explained to them, they've become rather fond of you as you continue to play with a teach them, as they live carefree and innocent lives.

"Old mother kept us warm under her fur" Tuzi explains, pulling her legs to her chest in demonstration "Brother Yewushi fought off the...other things, with the big teeth and no faces. Kept me safe

"Except the snake corpse" Yewushi snorts, crossing his arms and pouting "Other people took other brothers and sisters, with mother, but we hid well"

"I like it here much more, all the pretty colors and funny people, and these clothes are warmer than fur" Tuzi says happily as she hugs your leg "Isn't that right, Yewushi?"

"New mother Huanliuxue chases of the snake corpses and is strong, mighty! strongest...er, Doe!" Yewushi exclaims grinning ear to ear as

"Oh they're so cute!" Ju suddenly yells, as you stare at her wondering why she is so far from her village, causing Tuzi to transform back into a rabbit and burrow under your robe and Yewushi to launch himself at her in a flying leap.

She catches him by the leg and holds him up, and you notices her arms is covered in bandages, but beneath that, muscles bulge.

"LET ME GO!" Yewushi wails, trying to bite her wrist as she marvels at him and gently tugs on his rabbit ears

"Ju, what are you doing out here?" You ask sweetly "And hand over the rabbit boy, before he gets violent"

"Save him! He's going to get eaten!" Tuzi squeaks under your robes

"Oh, I was looking for bears. My brother said I couldn't join the tournament unless I can wrestle one" She says with a smirk that looks a little too much like Tie-Tie "But Tie-Tie told me where your holding it, and left her five talking daughters to show me the way"

"Does Fu..." You start
Cont

>>6022573

"Haha! Hell no!" She laughs as she hands over Yewushi into your arms, who grinds his teeth and glares at Ju as he clings to you for protection and safety "Is this the right direction"

For a moment, you're frozen stuff, dumb struck by the sheer audacity of this once sweet and obedient girl

"Tie Tie has been an awful influence on you" You mutter under your breath, shaking your head "Go back home, Ju"

"What are you doing out here anyway?" She asks, following you

"I was traveling to the sea to invite my underling to the tournament" You answer "And I'm serious, go home or I am dragging you back"

"I'm coming along" She says brashly, wagging her head side to side. You groan. How dare she call your bluff!

"Say can those little cuties cultivate, like the rest of you talking animals?" She asks excitedly "And why won't Luli tell me about her training!"

"They can, and that's because she's serious about it and not playing martial artist" You grumble, now actually considering grabbing her by her hair and dragging her all the way back to Fu's home

Double Vote

Besides the Summer Sea Dawn and The five colors and five purities, which sects do you officially invite

>Dusk marsh wolves. A few of them have joined already, and you can't stop them from joining, since they always want to fight the summer sea dawn sect

>Thousand Lotus Hall. They'll be happy to know Luli is doing well and excelling under your tutelage, and have a chance to show off their skills as apothecaries

>The storm Shrine Sect. They are your closest neighbors, and could easily take offense to not being invited personally.

>The Innocent Witch Court, since they have been asking you to visit their temple for sometime now.

> White Jade Devil Opposing Army. So they'll stop apologizing through letters, and because making a show of forgiving them for their students transgressions, would surely make them feel indebted to you!

>the Temple of the Celestial fire. So they don't think you've abandoned them and to renew your promise to fight the ling on their behalf

>Write in

And what do you do with Ju, Huanliuxue?

>Let her follow you, trying to dissuade her from entering the tournament and the world of culitvation

>Drag her back, since she's being annoying and bothersome

>Let her into the tournament, at the lowest level, reserved for the ordinary citizen and martial artists

>Let her join, but in disguise and with a false name, so Fu doesn't get angry with you

>Tell her if she can last longer than four moves in a fight with Luli, you'll let her join

>Write in

Also, been meaning to mention, that Yujijiao's rank is 3 lower than it should be on the sect doc, and she's lacking her ghostly evolutions as well.

>>6022574
>The storm Shrine Sect. They are your closest neighbors, and could easily take offense to not being invited personally.
>the Temple of the Celestial fire. So they don't think you've abandoned them and to renew your promise to fight the ling on their behalf

>Write-in
>Ju, let me ask you a question close to what I asked when I began my path as a cultivatior. Why do you cultivate? What drives you to improve? Is this a trickle fancy? Are you trying to show your brother you're not weak? Those who cultivate seek immortality. A half baked reason won't let you reach it.

>Like Luli I asked her to show me her resolve. Show me and your brother that you have what it takes.

>>6022574
>Dusk marsh wolves. A few of them have joined already, and you can't stop them from joining, since they always want to fight the summer sea dawn sect
>Thousand Lotus Hall. They'll be happy to know Luli is doing well and excelling under your tutelage, and have a chance to show off their skills as apothecaries
>The storm Shrine Sect. They are your closest neighbors, and could easily take offense to not being invited personally.
> White Jade Devil Opposing Army. So they'll stop apologizing through letters, and because making a show of forgiving them for their students transgressions, would surely make them feel indebted to you!
>the Temple of the Celestial fire. So they don't think you've abandoned them and to renew your promise to fight the ling on their

>Tell her if she can last longer than four moves in a fight with Luli, you'll let her join

>>6022574
>Invite all of them

>Support >>6022587
Show us your resolve.

>>6022574
>Invite all 6 sects listed
Some are our friends, others I want to get to know better. I see no real reason not to invite them all, other than that it will take a lot of time, but hey, what doesn't?
>Write in
>Find a bear and make her wrestle it. Make sure to intervene if it looks like she is about to get ripped to shreds.
Fu gave you his terms, you are not getting a convenient shortcut out of us, young lady.
Win and we might let you into the lowest level.

>>6022574
>Invite everyone

>Find a bear and make her wrestle it. Make sure to intervene if it looks like she is about to get ripped to shreds.

>>6022574
>All of them

>Drag her back, since she's being annoying and bothersome

Right. All updated again with our new disciples numbers, Yujijiao has her features ammended [My apologies princess of ghosts] and this all seems to be in order.

As a side point, would allowing the ghost snek to examine/taste the hunger curse we have, be good for her development, perchance?

After the tourniment, we should spend the time before the scouts get back developing Ling-Killer techniques. Stuff to nullify their fire spec and their soul harming spec. Maybe use Bright heart as a training dummy.

I'll also add
>Fight a bear
to my vote here >>6022614

>>6022573
As another notice, we have about 10 students anywhere from 7 to 9 Qi condensation. If we can get another solid training roll in, then that's +400 cultivation bonus, plus whatever we get for good training.
would be minimum 2064, and from there we would be a "mere" 383 bonus from 3000 on our next cultivation roll, outstripping our previous one, without accounting for our improved meditation chambers.

>>6022574
>the Temple of the Celestial fire. So they don't think you've abandoned them and to renew your promise to fight the ling on their behalf
>Dusk marsh wolves. A few of them have joined already, and you can't stop them from joining, since they always want to fight the summer sea dawn sect

>Let her into the tournament, at the lowest level, reserved for the ordinary citizen and martial artists

>>6022574
>Dusk marsh wolves. A few of them have joined already, and you can't stop them from joining, since they always want to fight the summer sea dawn sect
>the Temple of the Celestial fire. So they don't think you've abandoned them and to renew your promise to fight the ling on their behalf
>The storm Shrine Sect. They are your closest neighbors, and could easily take offense to not being invited personally.

No love for the wolves? I have mad respect for these guys.

>Tell her if she can last longer than four moves in a fight with Luli, you'll let her join

If Zhurou is supposed to be a scholar now, how has he still not figured out that his name is a joke?

>>6022778
Why would you concern yourself with your own glorious name. It's Your name, and it is good.
Plus, even if he does realise that, it would be quite face damaging to reveal it aloud.

>>6022777
hell you mean, "no love"? Every vote thus far has included them.

>>6022574
Supporting >>6022614.

>>6022574
>invite everybody, you built big to accomodate as many as possible and it would be a shame to have such abundance of space go to waste.

Hell we could invite all the (orthodox) sects in Chuan except the Ling and Winter idiots sect.
I'm not sure it's the right cup of tea for the buddhists though.

Was Ju Fu's sister? I don't remember.
>Let her into the lowest rung in disguise so she can have her fun.

Yujijiao being weak is actually good since we can test on her the red dust revival.
We could actually sacrifice the guy who offended us and probably not even suffer some karma retribution.

>>6022839
>Yujijiao being weak is actually good since we can test on her the red dust revival.
We'd first need to find her remains. Unless Ling Yaonan took a horn as a trophy, I don't even know where to look for them.

>>6022614
supporting, especially the show of resolve.

>>6022574
>Invite all of the options

>Support >>6022587 and also look out for a bear she can wrestle and interviene if it looks really rough for her.

Maybe we should even look at her and see if she can actually cultivate or stand against a bear before she gets mauled and disfigured like Fu. I have the feeling something like that is going to be really damaging, specially if Fu keeps using his bandages after so many years (insecurity? Or maybe he sees them as a "personal brand"? Something he can be easily recognized)

>>6022847
I think I remember that the Ogress took her head and left the rests for us to find, I don't remember if we put those into the magical gourd we found shortly after but even if we didn't the bones should still be there, hopefully.

>>6022574
>>Dusk marsh wolves. A few of them have joined already, and you can't stop them from joining, since they always want to fight the summer sea dawn sect
>>Thousand Lotus Hall. They'll be happy to know Luli is doing well and excelling under your tutelage, and have a chance to show off their skills as apothecaries
>>The storm Shrine Sect. They are your closest neighbors, and could easily take offense to not being invited personally.
>>The Innocent Witch Court, since they have been asking you to visit their temple for sometime now.
>> White Jade Devil Opposing Army. So they'll stop apologizing through letters, and because making a show of forgiving them for their students transgressions, would surely make them feel indebted to you!
>>the Temple of the Celestial fire. So they don't think you've abandoned them and to renew your promise to fight the ling on their behalf
> write in
Invite any sect that wasnt strongly opposed to normalizing the status of Magical Beasts.
>>6022587
>supporting Write-in
>>6022686
Our error last time was to only look for our bonus. We also need extremely capable persons to guard us while we cultivate. This means helping some of our sect members towards a Golden Core - just so that our sect can survive our next tribulations. We should consider physical cultivation before pushing for Nascent Soul to have at least some growth.

>>6023392
Capable guardians?

Proud sage, Golden Shark can both be called upon as primo golden core tier fighters. One or both of their presence is gonna be enough to deter anyone but mortal enemies of considerable influence like the Ling.

That said, Fu and Feiquing are at FE 4. I'd like em to get to Core formation quickly before we go under the meditation. But hey, they will get their chance when we kill the Ling bastards.

We just need proper scouting. Qiang, perchance.

Rereading when we attained human form, I think I figured out the sect he was from.

Dark green robes mean little to me, but metal qi, and scarring makes me pretty sure he was from the Storm Shrine sect,

Might meet him again at the tourniment. Heh, what a laugh that would be.

>>6023392
I mean with Ao under us and the WBS crippled with heavy losses, the two major headaches from that trial are gone, if we’re at the bottom of the mountain someone would need to assault our base and break through whatever leftover ghosts plus whatever defenses we decide to add there. Conversely the moon meme idea eliminates anyone interrupting but gods, but the only reasonable options for protecting us there are Ao and maybe the rabbits if they get super strong.
In short, our last breakthrough had the stipulation of us announcing our very controversial existence at the time which our eventual once just won’t have.

>>6023518
>Proud sage, Golden Shark can both be called upon
Only as long as they have nothing more important to do, such as protecting their own sect, meditating, or going on wild side quests just for the sake of honor. Our own own sect is lacking in the higher tiers! Even core formation members aren't going to have the necessary survivability. The Geges were rather fast in their progress and Monu is just about to break through as soon as we get her an exquisite poison, we should focus on these three.
Feiqing is helping everyone all the time, we should make more material available for his own cultivation.

>>6023615
Proud sage is our servant.

Golden shark is whipped by his wife but is also our underling. They will do as we tell em.
But we should meet with Sharks wife when we extend the invitation. Having her as an ally wouldnt do us any harm.

I also disagree. We should focus on raising our novices to the foundation. Then we can try and raise Fu to Core formation.

>>6023615
If you want the fastest growth, we need to nurture the necromancer moth and luli. Star disciples both, they get double benefit from training.
And our teaching gives them double benefits to the norm.

Its sad they get to outpace their seniors but oh well.
Agreed with feiquing.

>>6023636
Luli also has the time bomb activate the moment she hits GC, so she'd be a bad choice for a guardian as she'd need to spend more time working to get past that.

>>6023642
Our mother is a CF cultivator rank 3.

Even if Luli made it to CF 8, She still wouldnt become a GC until we woke up.
And students ought not to surpass their master.

Train our stars to the CF, our best students as close as we can, and all our juniors to FE, then we will be comfy to go into seclusion.

>>6023615
>Monu is just about to break through as soon as we get her an exquisite poison
Wait a second, can’t we provide the poison she needs? We can make Sinner Centipede venom and if that somehow isn’t strong enough I’m sure we can mix it with her poisons to make a deadly enough cocktail

>>6023669
Her Dao is about poison and ice, sure as fuck we can do that.

and if not, there's always the demons. There were some spiders who we didn't like, can try and fuck with them.

Ending the vote and tallying the result now. Lovely discussions as per usual, enjoyed reading through it all.

Storm shrine mountain:3
Temple of celestial fire:4
Thousand lotus hall:1
White Jade Devil Opposing army:1
Duskmarsh wolves:3
Innocent witch court:0
All of them:9
Any sect who respects magical beasts:1
__

Ju, let me ask you a question...Like Luli...etc:6

Tell her if she can last longer than four moves in a fight with Luli, you'll let her join:2

Find a bear and make her wrestle it: make sure to intervene if it looks like she is about to get ripped to shreds:4

Drag her back, since she's being annoying and bothersome:1

Let her into the tournament, at the lowest level, reserved for the ordinary citizen and martial artists:1

Let her into the lowest rung in disguise so she can have her fun.:1


So you'll invite all of the sects listed, and test Ju's resolve.

So, you'll visit the Dusk Marsh Wolves before stopping by to invite your underlings at the Summer Sea Dawn, Then the Storm shrine mountain, thousand lotus hall, Innocent witch court, the white jade devil opposing army and then the temple of celestial fire for last.

This is probably gonna take at least a few updates

But the first will arrive shortly

>>6022839
She is. She's taken a shine to Tiexingege recently

"I am not playing!" Ju shouts impudently, balling her hands into a fist and scowling at you, which for all your fondness of the girl, she quickly realizes was a step too far as your annoyed expression hardens and grows cold like a corpse in rigor mortis as Tuzi's ears pop out of the front of your robes and Yewushi glares back at her. She's in her rebellious age quickly, she played soldier when Tiexingege and her sister left the basin, and before then she lead a gang of other rowdy youths in the city Fu built with his blood sweat and tears. She stiffens, face frozen in the intermediary look between her brazen facade of swagger and insolence and the look of a little girl who realizes she's in trouble and about to recieve a scolding she won't forget.

"Are you so sure?" You reply with a voice as somber and severe as lonely gravestone, taking a step closer to her as Tuzi peeks her head out and nuzzles against your neck "The closest to danger and death you've been is when your brother pulled you from the jaws of a tiger too old to hunt anything tougher than a little girl. Sure you've grown, but you cannot imagine the hardships Fu has gone through that have forged him into the cultivator and force of vengeance he is now, you only see the gentle face he makes for your mother, to calm her worries and soothe her fears"

Ju swallows dryly, eyes watering as you stalk closer, shadow growing deeper as the hunger clenches around your gullet and injects its venom into your brain, but your irritation fights it off as easily as batting aside a fly, for the moment at least.

"You are as ignorant as a frog in a well, the truth of the world he and I live in, doesn't so much as escape you, as it is impossible for you to grasp, as you are now" You continue on, harshly, even though it makes your heart ache and your more maternal and protective instincts snarl and bite at your conscience's heels "You simply see the two you admire, your older brother and the fierce warrior princess who acts out without being scolded, and can be a real brat, and want what they have. Have you even considered what would be asked, nay, demanded of you to join the road they've walked? To become a daoist sage, a cultivator of Qi in pursuit of immortality"

She rubs her throat, stepping back, slouching and trying to look small as your shadow stretches taller and transforms as you use a little Yin Qi to manipulate the darkness and spread and deepen it into a writhing mass of feline smiles, fangs and eyes made out of the spaces where the shadows thin.

"Ju" You say, softening your tone and turning your harsh glare gentle and warm once more, allowing her to breath as you lift the pressure you're generating and allow the air around you to lighten and fill with life once again "let me ask you a question close to what I asked when I began my path as a cultivator"

Cont

>>6024507

"Why do you cultivate?" You ask, eyes wide and piercing as you peer into Ju's, seeing just as much of Shu as you do Fu, as the tears she's cried dry upon her cheeks "What drives you to improve? Is this a trickling fancy? Are you trying to show your brother you're not weak?"

You reach forward suddenly and grab her by both of her cheeks and press your forehead against hers, as Yewushi kicks his feet at her chest, trying to wiggle out from between the two of you as Tuzi docilly tilts her head, staring at Ju with a child's silent wonder

"Those who cultivate seek immortality. A half baked reason won't let you reach it!" You bark, as you let go of her and her legs give way under her, splaying out as she collapses to the ground, gasping for breath hoarsely as they shadows you command clear and race back behind you, though some of the false mouths formed in them seem to snap or lash out tongue's towards Ju's own before they're dragged back into place

Sighing, you pull the tantruming Yewushing onto your shoulders, where he grabs handfuls of your shoulders and glares as murderously as he can muster at Ju, while you ruffle the hair between Tuzi's bunny ears as she turns back into a near human and almost bursts out of your robes.

Then with both of the rabbit children calmed, you reach out a hand and pat Ju on her head, kindly and lovingly as you kneel down again and smile tenderly

"Like Luli. I asked her to show me her resolve" You say encouragingly "Show me and your brother that you have what it takes to live the way we do, in the world that we do"

"I" She starts, before nearly choking on her tongue, when she clears her throat, she defiantly and boldly declares "I will! I'll show you I'm not playing around! That I'm serious about this! I'll prove myself worthy!"

"Only time and action will tell. A king may declare himself a man of the people, but if he is idle, his words are as worth as much as pig shit" You chuckle as Tuzi and Yewushi lift their ears up straight, learning a few new words as you help Ju up onto her feet "And don't think it'll be easy even getting to the point of giving me your answer"

"Wait, weren't you just going to the sea? What's so difficult about walking on sunny beaches?" She asks, blinking rapidly as she tries to make sense of your words, before you gesture with your sleeve down in another direction of the woodlands, away from the fields and easy roads on the side Ju had walked from, away from the gentle, easy flowing rivers and streams and towards the hellish mire known as the Dusk Marsh

"We're heading to the Dusk Marsh Wolves school, deep in the marsh of the same name" You answer with a smirk and smug huff as Ju winces

"Where whole villages vanished down the belly of a monster" Ju mutters, grasping one of her bandaged wrists to stop it from trembling, before snorting and loudly shouting "How exciting"
Cont

>>6024508

And if any other cultivator of your level was afflicted by specter starvation traveled into it, that nightmare would have repeated in a few days. Luckily, you're crypt meditations have made you something close to accustomed of starving, but you can feel the weakness of it slowly creeping in, and the growing heaviness of your thoughts to serve as a reminder that you need to cure yourself of this curse before it can worsen.

Despite having the bodies of children younger than Ju or of rabbits to whom any source of heat or moisture is alien, Little Tuzi and Yewushi have a much easier time traveling through the muck and heat than Fu's sister. She doesn't give up, or ask to be taken home, and pulls herself out of the green swamp water or else slogs or crawls. She wraps her arms around herself for comfort when you travel through the abandoned villages the man eating plant cleared, and, doing a favor Baifenchi asked of you, you stop by her uncle's empty home and retrieve a bundle of finished and incomplete poetry, and a few alchemical compositions he had made before being drained and shriveled up like a raisin.

"Awful way to die isn't it?" You titter, floating in the air, covering your mouth like a gossiping noble woman as Ju bites her lip, having just been told the awful fate that many men and beasts had met before her brother and his martial siblings cut down the over ambitious weed "Your life force and blood and everything else being sucked out through roots burrowed into your skin, anchored to your bones. Haaah~, it would be one of the few ways to die that even I couldn't leave behind a beautiful corpse if I suffered it, Heh-Heh. And imagine, being alive, fully aware you were being slowly sucked out of holes in your skin the size of pinpricks, but unaware of what was eating you! Imagine the fear they must've felt! The pure terror! As their thoughts became confused and tangled as their brains were drained out of their ears!"

"Stop, you're going to scare the little kids" Ju balks, blustering to try and end your morbid reverie and musing of the fate of most of the scarce few villages that existed in the dusk marsh

"They're asleep, but you're wide awake" You cackle as you float over her head, holding the napping rabbits in a basket "And so can have these idle ponderings ooze into your own brain, so you can realize exactly the kind of monsters your brother has been fighting, and that you will face if you can give my question a meaningful answer, Heh-Heh-Heh"

"And imagining it is going to give me nightmares for a year at least!' She shouts back, hobbling through the mud and dense algae you're floating over like a fairy "But, I won't even fight that kind of monster, cause Fu killed it!"
Cont

"He wasn't the only one, and I wouldn't be so sure of that. Besides myself, there are few "Monsters" that are truly unique in this world" You sneer, rolling over to to lounge in the muggy, swampy air, swishing a finger in the air and popping a few mosquitoes as you channel metal Qi to your finger tips and create a web of electricity between your fingers

"Who are the other exceptions?" She asks, fear forgotten for curiosity as she looks up at you, and reminds you of how young she is, even though she's grown a lot since you've met her. What is she? A bamboo shoot reincarnated or something?

"Well" You start, not wanting to admit that you used that turn of phrase for dramatic effect, and can only really think about Aodasheng when the idea of "One of a kind monster" is being discussed and you aren't allowed to point at your own chest and give your peerless self as an answer

The swamp water ripples, and Ju shrieks, lifting up her gnarled walking stick with arms dotted with red bug bites and wet with sweat, the dirt and slime of the swamp clinging to her from her toes to her earlobes

"The Heretic, Huanliuxue, has trespassed into the dusk marsh wolves territory, uninvited" The figure dragging themselves out of and rising from the muck gurgles, trying to frighten you even though they presently look like a pile of talking mud and swamp weeds "....With two white rabbits, and a young girl?"

"Oh, trespassing? Its hard to tell what parts of this swamp are considered the Shidi clan's backyard, you really need to build more road markers outhere" You say, ignoring the fact your purposefully avoided the road, as the muck sloughs off the figure, revealing the amber orange, often stained green and brown, robes of the dusk marsh wolves sect beneath the mud and their wearer, who doesn't have any features that stand out as obviously Shidi. They're a foundation establishment expert, and probably were on patrol when they noticed your concealed aura

"A..a man came out of the water!" Ju gasps, pointing at him and turning to you, as if to confirm her eyes and the damp heat aren't playing tricks on her mind "He just rose up from water that only comes up to my hips!"

"Not the water, the decaying muck underneath it" You correct with a smile as you gently float down and stand, toes only not touching the water's surface by a single hair's breadth "He was moving through the soil and filth, like a worm~"

"You are traveling away from the roads, and making an effort to hide your presence' The wolf barks, cheeks flushing red, hand trembling around the grip of his saber "What is your intent and purpose in our swamps, Cat Witch?"

"My my, I see the fights against the winter blossoming idiocy sect has made you swamp yokels rather bold" You tease, snickering as you step closer, daring him to try and swing that dao at you "Why are you being so rude to me? All I'm doing is taking a stroll with some well behaved children"

"Why are you here" He says through clenched and barred teeth

>>6024511

"Why does a cat wander anywhere?" You question instead, shrugging your shoulders before getting serious and explaining "To cordially invite the dusk marsh wolves into the grand tournament of the Wild Empress' Garden Temple!"

"And who is that girl beside you?" He dares to question, thinking he has the right

"Not for you to know, I'll be introducing her to your grandmaster, however" You sneer as you flap your hand "Come on, lead us to your school, I'll personally hand over the invitation to Shidi Xiudao"

He bows reflexively, and with a face as red as the setting sun, turns on his heel and marches through the muck, setting a pace Ju can keep up with.

The temple of the dusk marsh wolves is built on the one piece of dryland in the heart of the dusk marsh, though you wouldn't be able to tell from looking at it. It is built out of stone, held together with vines and mud, disguising it with the mangroves and towering, swaying willow trees growing around it. A lonely stone road leaves out from it, lit with oil burning lanterns hanging from tree branches like fireflies. And most of the stone used to build its walls and pave the stone is amber, dulled through years of acidic swamp water, the passing of thousands of boots, and the brawls between them and the more southernly Summer Sea Dawn Sect, your underlings.

Shidi Xiudao (銹 刀, Rusted Blade), meets you at the gate, made out of rusted and pitted iron, and oxidized copper, with a lone wolf sitting like a sentry hammered into the surface of the great gates. He still looks like a mud covered homeless person, hair and beard tangled and twisted, splattered with mud and probably lice infested. He has recovered from the injuries he received in the battles against the winter blossoming sect and Xue Laohue

"Huanliuxue, the blizzard quelling cat" He greets you with a glower and creased brow "I would be lying if I said it was a pleasure to meet you again, and to welcome you into my house and home, even if you are not my enemy and are righteously minded. Your subjugation of the Summer Sea Dawn Sect, means your the lord of our hated rivals. I'd lose face if I greeted you as a fellow daoist deserves, but I welcome you into my temple, out of respect for your strength and the hardships your people have suffered"

"I don't intend to stay for long, just long enough to give you this" You say, with a roll of your eyes as you flick over a red jade slip at him, and he catches it and then smiles as he absorbs the information you stored in it

"An invitation?" He asks, fury slowly rising to color his face "The same you had Fu of the two axes refuse, to instead force us to join a conflict we had no part in? Is this your idea of a joke"
Cont

>>6024512

"No. A gift. You wanted Fu to humiliate my new subordinates , even if they weren't my underlings at the time, so I'm giving you a chance to compete against and show them up in front of all of Chuan, and a chance to earn honor and respect from the other sects, and show why you're wolves who refuse to bow and kneel like dogs" You answer, knowing exactly how to turn his feelings around and trick him into accepting the invitation.

You know grudges and vendettas better than anyone, and a generational conflict creates a fertile ground for manipulation, Heh-Heh.

"I've been rude, and forgotten my manners. Please, join me and my family for tea" He says with a wolfish grin, eyes agleam with malice as he imagines the fantasy of his total victory over his rivals you planted in his heart with but a few honeyed and careful words "And...I wasn't aware Two axes had siblings, she looks about the age we induct our disciples"

"I am Ju!" Ju says with a hurried bow, cupping her fist "The sister of the legendary hero, two axe Fu! I am traveling with Lady Huanliuxue to...find the right way to phrase my reasons for wanting to enter the world of flying swords and man eating monsters!"

Shidi runs his hand through his mud matted beard, and you can tell what he's plotting. He couldn't have Fu. But his sister could be nearly as valuable a prize and student.

What do you do, Huanliuxue?

>Refuse the offer of tea, and leave the swamps for the sea, and enjoy the hospitality of your underlings, and relish in being in some place besides this swamp

>Accept the invitation, and introduce him and his family to Tuzi and Yewushi and discuss the tournament and

>Decide this could be a chance to reinforce Ju's resolve or else break her flight of fancy, and suggest a bout between her and their freshest disciples!

>Leave, but not before exciting the old man with vague mentions of what he could win in the sect, since those belonging to sects are fighting for a different prize than the ones seeking to join your school

>Try to squeeze out why the wolves and sea sects hate each other so much

>Write in

>>6024466
And the five colors and five purities will be invited before the white jade devil opposing army and after the innocent witch court. Forgot to mention that

>>6024513
>Accept the invitation, and introduce him and his family to Tuzi and Yewushi and discuss the tournament and
>Try to squeeze out why the wolves and sea sects hate each other so much

>>6024513
>Suggest a bout.
>Try and get the source of their generational conflict.

I dont really care, its just good to know.

>>6024513
>Accept the invitation, and introduce him and his family to Tuzi and Yewushi and discuss the tournament and
>Try to squeeze out why the wolves and sea sects hate each other so much
Might as well, I am at least somewhat curious. Depending on the answer we will at least know if their relations can ever be fixed or if they are fucked beyond repair.

>Shidi plotting to take in Ju
I'm... not too sure how to feel about this.
On the one hand, Ju can join whatever sect she wants, and having her there means a firm foot in the door that Shidi won't be able to ignore, firmly setting him as our ally. Besides they are one of the better sects out there in my opinion, she could do worse.
On the other hand, we don't exactly *need* to cement an alliance with him that badly, and loosing a potential student is unlikely to be worth it.
If she even ends up cultivating, of course.
And is willing to consider spending the rest of her days living in Dagobah 2.0

>>6024513
>Accept the invitation, and introduce him and his family to Tuzi and Yewushi and discuss the tournament and
>Decide this could be a chance to reinforce Ju's resolve or else break her flight of fancy, and suggest a bout between her and their freshest disciples!

>>6024513
>Accept the invitation, and introduce him and his family to Tuzi and Yewushi and discuss the tournament
>Try to squeeze out why the wolves and sea sects hate each other so much
I guess this is going to turn into something of a sect tour trip for Ju. I doubt her meathead side will gel with the Thousand Lotus though.

>>6024686
Support

Anyways if we can't come up with a way to cure the curse after the tournament. I'll suggest diluting a drop of god blood by transforming water to blood and using that. With the remainder energy being used so something else like grow a blood tree.

>>6024788
Right, got it, I hear you.

After the tourniment, we immediately go and kill the Ling.
And the problem goes away, we get our knige and dont waste the blood

>>6024513
>Accept the invitation, and introduce him and his family to Tuzi and Yewushi and discuss the tournament and
>Try to squeeze out why the wolves and sea sects hate each other so much

File: 1662716794913100.jpg (329 KB, 1164x1174)

329 KB JPG

Ending the vote and tallying its result now.

Accept the invitation, and introduce him and his family to Tuzi and Yewushi and discuss the tournament:6

Decide this could be a chance to reinforce Ju's resolve or else break her flight of fancy, and suggest a bout between her and their freshest disciples!:2

Try to squeeze out why the wolves and sea sects hate each other so much:6

So you'll accept the invitation, discuss the tournament, introduce the bunnies to the main branch of the Shidi family and try to figure out why the Xia and Shidi clan and the sects they control hold so much enmity for eachother across generations, out of a curiosity and to see if it may provide new insights/ perspectives on grudges.

Update will arrive shortly

Captcha: Part2n.

What could it mean...

"And Judging from that interested look you have, I can assume Young Ju is invited as well?" You say before he can suggest adopting her into his clan or sect or propose training her as a favor to Fu, smirking as you shuffle closer to the Shidi clan Patriarch, turning your eyes more feline to make them seem more piercing "And these little ones are coming as well, they can't be left alone, one will wander off and the other will make a racket crying for me or him"

Shidi Xiudao blinks, frowning and looking kind of annoyed you spoke up before he could even curl his tongue to start talking, but his eyes drift from your own amber hued gaze and blithe smile, down to the basket you're still holding in your hands, and the two, only somewhat unordinary looking rabbits nesting inside of it, staring up at the swamp lord with as much curiosity as they tend to show new people or earthly sights.

"You raise rabbits?" He asks, stiltedly trying to sound casual and almost like he appreciates the hobby judging from his tone "From little I know of you, I'd expect your interests to be far less ordinary and much more eccentric"

"They aren't ordinary rabbits" Ju giggles, already smiling smugly and looking overly proud that she gets to waltz into a real cultivation sect's temple "They're Jade Rabbits, from the moon, and watch this!"

She jolts forward, lifting her arms like she is going to grab them. Piao Tuzi's ears stand up straight and she hops out of the basket, turning into her mostly human form to try and escape as Yewushi hops out of it, and tries to kick the fast approaching girl in the face.

You drop the basket and catch both.

"As Ju so helpfully demonstrated, they're a different breed of magical beasts than most. Very young, even in their bestial state, they can't hope to survive on their own, so I'm taking care of them and teaching them about life down here beneath the sky" You say, as Tuzi clambers up and wraps her arms around your neck, clinging to you as Yewushi struggles in your arms, glaring at the still giggling Ju.

"You did descend from the moon" Xiudao mutters, scratching his beard as he closes his eyes tightly, clearly not enjoying the memory of nearly being crushed by your overwhelming presence beneath the blood moon's gaze "Very well, I can have a maid look after them. My eldest son Chao has a daughter around their age"

"They won't know how to take care of them, or handle them" You smoothly refuse the offer, bouncing after Xiudao and his guards as he leads you into the surprisingly well appointed and clean courtyard of the dusk marsh wolves' temple grounds, the air is hot and thick and reeking of sweat, and the reason is obvious. Dozens of cultivators are training, drilling and sparring all around, most of them fighting with blunted sabers or their bare fists. The courtyard is pretty spartan and bare, but there is a certain austere and humble elegance to the place. It is designed and used for a clear purpose.
Cont