>>36564439
its great to be part of this quest

>>36564439
Watching the Swordsman movies while waiting.

>>36564439
What a another quest so soon i think i love

Damn OP, you'really on the roll today. Just finished the previous thread, went to sleep, wake up and now the next one is up. This is awesome.

>>36564734
unfortunately it's still early so we're on phone updates :(

>>36564647
I'm watching the 2013 Swordsman series now. Great stuff.

You hold the roughly three-foot lomg stick in your right hand, going through a series of motions for it, mixing thrusts, slashes, and strikes freely as you do your best to memorize and master the fundamentals.

It's Spring, and you train on ground hard-packed from your feet, surrounded be trees and stones, your stance shifting constantly.

"Be lighter on your feet," Sifu says behind you as he sits on a flat rock, observing.

"How can I be lighter only feet when doing sword moves but expect to keep cutting power and strength for saber ones, that doesn't make any sense...," you retort.

"Sounds an awful lot like WHINING to me boy, figure it out," he shoota right back.

"What's the difference between a saber and a sword anyway?" you say, changing the subject as you experiment.

"Swords are straight, have two edges and are usually flexible. Sabers usually have one edge and are most often curved for greater cutting power," he elaborateds. "And try speeding up. I've got a few acorns here if you need more motivation?"

"Yeah, no thanks...," you mutter, obliging him as you accelerate.

"So which is better?"

"Neither. Depends on the skill of the wielder."

"Is that why I'm figuring out how to use both?"

"You're figuring how out to use both because I TOLD you too boy! Gods, you ask more questions then any student I've ever had!"

"You've never HAD another student, Ba."

"Which means the point still stands! Now shut up and-" he says, punctuating his words with a flick of his thumb accelerating the acorns at you, "MOVE!"

You spin, deflecting the acorns as they speed towards you stick moving once, twice, thrice, FOUR times as the large seeds clack off the wood as you choose from saber and sword blocks to deflect them!

"Oh, I see!" you say, figuring it out as you get the last one with a saber stroke.

"Figured it out now?"

"Yeah! Pretty good huh?" you say, stick posed after your swing.

A fifth acorn hits your forehead while your guard is down.

"Keep practicing."

>>36564755
That's ok with me. Gives me some time to go catch a bite to eat.

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>>36564761
Joe Chen a cute.

>>36564439
WulinSage, will there be books about sunflowers and exorcists?

>>36564439
finally, I notice it when it's not almost over!

>>36564811
Oh yeah. The cutest. She's amazing in the role of Dong Fang Bu Bai.

>>36564811
YES.
>>36564765

"Funny," you say, not bothering to hide your sarcasm.

"I liked it," Ba says through his shadow of a beard with a smile.

"So wait, I get swords and sabers now, but you mentioned hidden weapons? What are those?"

He tosses another acorn and you deflect it on reflex in response!

"That," he explains, "is a hidden weapon."

"....acorns?"

"No, boy, THROWN weapons! Usually knives, but flying spears, daggers, needles, stones, discs, blades, all of it falls under the catagory of hidden weapons! To a master of hidden weaponry almost ANYTHING is a deadly weapon waiting to be used!"

"Huh. Sounds useful. You don't teach me much about it though?"

"I'm not really experienced in them myself," he admits with a shrug. "They can be deadly accurate and precise, but unless you hit vitals or use poison they don't have much stopping power. They make great surprise and assassination tools, but I prefer my attacks to KILL my enemy, not INJURE my enemy."

"Alright, that makes sense. Plus they seem....kinda unmanly," you say with a frown.

"Totally," he agrees instantly. "Obviously a man would get up close and personal!"

"Right!" you say with a happy nod, and you both laugh in your assessment of the manliness of phallic-shaped weaponry!

This flashback brought to you by Sage realizing the terms swords, sabers, and hidden weapons in Chinese martial arts might need some explanation.

>>36564993
>almost ANYTHING is a deadly weapon waiting to be used!

Like swordsmanship without swords

>>36564993
>I'm gonna kill you with a phallus and get away with it.

Ah, the martial arts.

>>36565037
Or remove phallus, acquire book about sunflowers, become UNDEFEATED OF THE EAST

>>36564993

"So, what about axes and heavy weapons?" you ask, going through the sword motions again.

"You don't need to do this."

His voice is different. It's Autumn now, and it's windy. Leaves kick up around you and cause your clothes to bellow behind you, the new ones you bought yesterday.

"Yes, I do," you say, stopping without turning around.

"You know what I taught you. You're about to go against that. You're willing to break my own rules just to find me?" he says, his voice questioning and serious.

"'Just to find you'. You say it like it doesn't even...like it doesn't even matter or something." You response is too quiet to be heard, a hairs breadth away from sulking.

He hears you anyway.

"Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it's better that I'm gone."

His voice is full of something you've never heard it it in his life; resignation? Defeat? It sounds...wrong in his voice.

"And so what should I do?! Just...forget you were ever around?!"

"You know the fundamentals. I've taught you all of Heaven's Blessings. You can learn on your own, you don't actually NEED me for it anymore."

"That's NOT what I'm talking about!" you shout, still not turning around. You're angry now. You've never been really angry with your father.

"I know," he says sadly. "You could find a wife in Shuzheng. Lead a simple life. Be HAPPY."

"Right. And just pretend I didn't have a father. Just like I pretended I never had a mother. Because that's a totally healthy way to live my life, right?"

There's a pause, and Autumn winds still pick up leaves around you.

"No. I guess it wouldn't, would it? Not for you. You're too much like your mother I suppose."

>>36565189
this got deep and serious all of a sudden

>>36565189
seems like sky might have some unresolved issues with ba

>>36565260
nothing to do but find him, beat him up, and then give him back to the kidnappers.

>>36565260
Better than 90% of most wuxia MCs, who never know their parents

>>36565282
or rather beat him up while talking about how he migh have screwed us up

>>36565189
Really? We're too much like our mother? You're a dream sequence, how the hell would you know that? We don't remember her, so how do you?

>>36565189

"You never talked about her," you say, barely above a whisper, clenching your sword-stick.

"Your mother...your mother is a complicated subject. Even for me," he said.

Another new sound in his voice. Pain. It's worse then the defeat you heard earlier.

"Complicated enough that you never told me about her?" The question isn't angry, it's genuine. You're not sure.

"I was going to, someday."

"You're an even worse liar then I am," you accuse, shaking your head.

"Okay, you got me; I wasn't going to tell you. I thought...I thought you might be like me. That you could live without knowing," he says apologetically.

"Because I'm too much like her," you say. It's not a question this time.

"Yes...," he responds, the pain in his voice returning.

You hear a sound, like distant thunder. Clouds are overhead, turning the Autumn noon sky as black as night as they Rush with unnatural speed, light flashing between the clouds.

"I'm not going to run and hide," you say firmly, looking up at the storm.

Somehow you sense that it's your fault it's there at all, though it makes no sense to you that you feel that way.

"So be it. On your own head be the consequences, Young Xia."

A tornado, shireking like a dragon descending from Heaven tears out of the clouds and impacts on the mountainside, and you turn just as lightning illuminates the area with a defeating thunderclap.

You only see your father's powerful back as he holds his arms in an open stance, lightning breaking between his grip and his hair flying wild in the wind.

A lightning bolt streaks down and impacts barely eight feet from you, his silhouette, illuminated by his blazing hands.

In front of him on various levels of high elevation you see four more shapes in the dark.

"BA!" you shout, just as the wind picks you up like a ragdoll and you slam into a tree.

>>36565298
"I'm jealous of Yang Kang because I never got to know muh faaaaatheeeerrr!"
Never play a drinking game with "deeye" while watching condor heroes. Your liver would disintegrate.

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>>36565408
"Hey Guo Jing, what hereditary kung fu did your father teach yo--"

"MY FATHER IS DEAAAAAAAD!"

>>36565645
only on ep 5 myself, guo jing doesnt seem that bad about his dead dad so far

>>36565674
No, he actually isn't. He's had his whole life to get over it, really. It's just that one of the many ways in which Yang Kang has had a much better life than him which Prince Dickhead isn't grateful for.

It also is one of the things Yang Kang uses when he's trying to taunt Guo Jing into killing him and thereby corrupting his goodness in the big morality play ending.

>>36565645
Eh, he got the Nine Yin Manual, that's better than anything his father could teach him. I wish we had the Nine Yin Manual. Or the Nine Yang Manual, too. Anything that gives ridiculously developed internal energy as a result of practicing its teachings.

>>36565729
We already have that, it's intrinsic to our style.

>>36565729
Worst hereditary kungfu would be "Exorcist Sword Style", I use "hereditary" loosely.

>>36565729
I think heavens blessing falls under that category.

Maybe my perception was skewed since I marathoned the show right after sage suggested it. It picks up at bit more after Jin ruins things for everyone 2.0 I think.

>>36565780
No, we have chi about 1.5 times what we should. That's nice, sure, but not too exceptional. The Nine Yin and Nine Yang Manuals give chi on the "bullshit anime protagonist" level.

>>36565780
Mountain Hobo Lightning kungfu is not to be underestimated.

>>36565789
never heard of it, but at least the name sounds cool, and that's half the battle

>>36565826
Almost everyone and their brother is scheming against each other in Swordsman over it, except that it's a watered down version of a book about sunflowers.

>>36565399
Sky IS having a dream, but there's been strong subtext to his relationship with his father his whole life. He's smart enough to recognize the ways he IS like his father and the ways is is NOT like him, it just never went mentioned aloud between the two.
>>36565400

"Ba...," you say, starting awake, your eyes opening suddenly.

The sounds of people in Chengdu outside your fourth-floor window still aren't very familiar to you. The mountain wasn't as loud this early.

You've had this dream before, or variations of it since you left the valley.

Which I've been quietly foreshadowing each time Sky has woken up from sleep, he.

You never had a conversation like that of course, but always right at the end you see your father, and FOUR other silhouettes in the storm. That never changes.

You don't remember it, but you think it's POSSIBLE it's something you actually saw just before the bolt of lightning struck you unconscious the night he vanished, mostly because they seem so out of place in your dream; most of it is just baggage you've been carrying, but that last bit doesn'y correlate with anything you can think of.

>WDYD?

>Screw it. Doesn't help worrying about it anyway. You still need eat breakfast.

>You need to get some fresh air, maybe see the fighting platform where the tourney will happen.

>>36565866
>You need to get some fresh air, maybe see the fighting platform where the tourney will happen.
food is for the weak

>>36565866
>>Screw it. Doesn't help worrying about it anyway. You still need eat breakfast.

A well fed xia is a combat effective one

>>36565866
>>Screw it. Doesn't help worrying about it anyway. You still need eat breakfast.

>>36565866
>Screw it. Doesn't help worrying about it anyway. You still need eat breakfast

>>36565866
>You need to get some fresh air, maybe see the fighting platform where the tourney will happen.
Get some street food on the way there.

>>36565814
I would pay good money to see Heavenly Hobo(Ba) fight the four greats like Western Venom and Eastern Heretic.

>>36565866
>>You need to get some fresh air, maybe see the fighting platform where the tourney will happen.

>>36565866
>>You need to get some fresh air, maybe see the fighting platform where the tourney will happen.

>>36565053
>Remove Phallus

You can usually get away with just 'Remove Balls' and still attain ancient eunuch secrets. But generally ancient eunuch secrets are also unmanly and no match for the Phalliforce.

>>36565189
>"You know the fundamentals. I've taught you all of Heaven's Blessings. You can learn on your own, you don't actually NEED me for it anymore."
What are the higher forms of Heaven's Blessing style, anyway? So far it's based off of Heaven's Lightning in Legends of the Wulin. Will that continue? Because I would love for Sky to learn Dragon Chi.

>>36566045
considering our dad was most likely storm Dragon and the probably not so much a coinsidense dragon on our scabard. i would say that is likely

>>36566045
> Dragon Chi

The most overpowered ability in the whole damn game... and Sky is *already* using uber-enhanced Heaven's Lightning. Golly gosh.

Although I would have preferred a Boundless Prosperity Manual protagonist, especially one whose background suggests a certain no-nonsense earthiness.

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>>36565961
I am willing to be slightly spoilery and say that it might not be as interesting to watch as you think.
>>36566045
You'll see. I definitely take a lot of cues from it, but there's lots of new stuff too. And Sky is actually totally familiar with all the martial theories behind Heaven's Blessings, he just lacks the strength and experienced needed to perform them, much like knowing HOW to do a chin-up and actually DOING a chin-up are completely different things.
>>36565885, >>36565894, >>36565903, >>36565903, >>36565935, >>36565942, >>36565961, >>36566005
I can do ties too!

You decide to eat breakfast on the way to look at the tournament grounds, not quite wanting to socialize while shaking off your dream.

You leave by window after getting dressed, leaping out and landing on the roof across the street in the misty morning, moving like a cloud on the river breeze, heading towards the town square where the fights will happen.

You catch breakfast when as one food-cart sets up early for the morning you land out of the fog right in front of him, scaring the shit out of him with your out-of-nowhere order of "Two youtiao please

A minute later you're back to gliding across rooftops while snacking on the fried bread doughnuts.

>>36566426
A one sided curbstomp with Ba victorious is fine too.

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>>36566426

You land on a rooftop overlooking the massive open market square, where workers are busy setting up the tall wooden lei tai platform where the tournament matches will take place.

It's raised on small stilts about four feet above the ground and is an amazing fifty feet wide on either side, much larger then any lei tai you've seen, certainly larger then the one Shuzheng had.

On one end of the square across from it they appear to be building a smaller platform of equal height with something like an ornate throne being placed on it under the shade.

"I wonder who sits there?" you ponder aloud, curious as the structure's presence.

"Likely the Yuan Clan's chief, Yuan Shan-Lin," a voice says RIGHT NEXT to you.

"SHIT!" you say in surprise and promptly loose your footing and slip off the roof.

>>36566697
I wonder if it's that monk again.

>>36566697
The monk again?

>>36564993
>"Right!" you say with a happy nod, and you both laugh in your assessment of the manliness of phallic-shaped weaponry!
hahaha
You got me laughing yet again wulinsage

>>36565866
>Sky IS having a dream, but there's been strong subtext to his relationship with his father his whole life. He's smart enough to recognize the ways he IS like his father and the ways is is NOT like him, it just never went mentioned aloud between the two.
I just assumed he is filling it in with common tropes from the books he read (after, we do know how to read)

>>36566714
I HOPE its that monk again.

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>>36566697

You've manages to catch yourself with one hand and you pull yourself up by both arms, blowing a lock of unruly hair out of your face.

That annoying monk is sitting in the roof cross-legged, tea on his lap, waving to you.

"Ni hao!" he greets politely.

"Ni hao my ASS! Where did you COME from!?"

"Hmm?" he says, sipping his tea, looking perplexed. "I've been sitting here the whole time."

You sit on the roof and blow hair out of your eyes again, annoyed that he snuck up on you the same way TWICE; by doing nothing at all.

"What is it with you and rooftops?"

"I sensed a soul in search of spiritual guidance and came herez Imagine my surprise. You certainly do have a lot of problems don't you? Have you considered perhaps making lifestyle changes?" he says, sipping his tea with a smile.

"I already DID!" you protest.

"Clearly my spiritual guidance wasn't extensive enough then. Perhaps it's time to get to the heart of the matter? Let's begin by centering ourselves and meditating on our wrongdoings, I find that's always quite helpful to improve my mental state," he says, still smiling at you.

This guy is so annoying.

"Why are you even up here?" you ask, turning towards the courtyard. You pause then turn your head towards him.

"Wait, how did you recognize me?"

"All you did was wash your hair and change your clothes. I simply assumed you hadn't done so when we last met?" he says with a shrug, offering you tea, which you decline with a shake of your head.

"And I am up here because I find visual observation of the labors of common folk deeply inspiring and meaningful."

>>36566960
Ah yeah

>>36566960
i love this monk

>>36566960
dis guy

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>>36567078

>>36566999
>>36567019
I admit, he's my favorite character to write so far.
>>36566960

"How is a bunch of hired guys building a stage meaningful OR inspiring?" you ask, not following.

"It's not the action itself, it's the deeper harmony behind it," he explains. "The current that flows between all things that live, be they man, beast, xia, nobleman or peasant." He closes his eyes and breathes deeply in satisfaction.

"You're making this up aren't you. There's a 'Monk's Vocabulary Field Guide' and you're just picking words from it at random that sound good when strung together, aren't you?"

"I'm surprised you know of the Guide!" he says, his eyes open and his palms together as he puts down his tea. "It is full of great wisdom and also generally unhelpful phrases that just SOUND wise!"

>WDYS?

>"....if you aren't a real monk just say so already."

>"You became a monk because your comedy plays failed didn't you?"

>>36567300
>>"You became a monk because your comedy plays failed didn't you?"

>>36567300
>>"You became a monk because your comedy plays failed didn't you?"

verbal sparing is a thing

>>36567300
>>"You became a monk because your comedy plays failed didn't you?"

>>36567300
>"You became a monk because your comedy plays failed didn't you?"

>>36567300
>>"You became a monk because your comedy plays failed didn't you?"

>>36567300
We should ask if he's going to participate. The answer is no but we should ask regardless.

>>36567300
>"You became a monk because your comedy plays failed didn't you?"

>>36567380
you didnt figure out he is the monk sects hopeful winner

>>36567325, >>36567330, >>36567347, >>36567365, >>36567373,>>36567380, >>36567425

"...you became a monk because your comedy plays failed didn't you?"

"Alas, the audience did not take well to being constantly mocked by the actors for their moral and spiritual failings for some reason I cannot fathom," he responds, not missing a beat. "The world is simply not ready for a form of humor as evolved as my own yet."

"Uh-huh. I didn't catch your name earlier?"

"Because I never threw it, obviously. I only threw away a name once, doing so again would just confuse everyone who uses my current one, can you imagine?"

You pause, a careful expression on your face, before slowly clenching your right closed fist in your left hand and bringing it up to your face in the Wulin greeting.

"Tiankong, style name Sky," you say, formally introducing yourself and forcing him to do so if he doesn't want to be rude.

He does the same with a smile, as if he had been waiting for you to figure that out.

"Brother Genshu, Shaolin Sect."

"The Shaolin Temple's hopeful entry for the Top Ten Young Heroes," you say. It's not really a question at this point somehow.

"Not much of a hope I'm afraid, as I am not entering," he admits, unfolding his hands and going back to his tea.

>WDYS?

>"Why?" [Inquisitive]

>"Shaolin Temple's standards drop or something?" [More Verbal Sparring]

>>36567680
>"Why?" [Inquisitive]
Sparring with him is like a fly versus a Buick.

>>36567680
>>"Shaolin Temple's standards drop or something?" [More Verbal Sparring]

>>36567680
>>"Why?" [Inquisitive]
i do enjoy verbal sparring but sky needs to learn

>>36567680
>>"Why?" [Inquisitive]

>>36567680
>>"Why?" [Inquisitive]


Say Sage, whats your nationality man?

>>36567680
>Why?

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>>36567703, >>36567723, >>36567843, >>36567851
I'm from the U.S. Pacific Northwest originally.

"And....that's because...?"

"I'm a pacifist. I thought we went over that once already?" he says with a smile.

"But the Shaolin Sect is the most famous faction in the Jianghu and one of the most powerful in the Wulin. And if you're a hopeful for Top Ten then you must be pretty damn strong unless the Shaolin Sect's standards have slid," you pound out.

"Which doesn't change the pacifist part. The Shaolin Temple may have many famous martial arts, but we try not to remain too attached to worldly concerns, even Jianghu matters. I adhere to this philosophy while training in martial arts as a way to purify myself and focus my mind on my path to enlightenment."

>>36567985
>Pacific Northwest

Muh cold, wet brotha

>>36567985
So then why the hell did they send you..?

>>36568127
Our Bro explained that already. Shaolin is here as a courtesy, as they were invited.

>>36567985
So the Shaolin Sect's standards HAVE fallen, then. Got it.

>>36568169
Acknowledging a courtesy invitation is a worldly concern. Genshu's a hypocrite.

>>36567985
hm well life or death conflicts can certainly be enlightening.

Same with fighting with others to a lesser degree each offer their own insights. If one wishes to seek true enlightenment then one is best off not limiting themselves in the ways they can walk the path to it.

>>36568228
[spoilers]Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons.[/spoiler]
>>36567985

"Yeah, but for people to know that the Sect has powerful martial arts you can't ALL be pacifists," you say, unsure. You know of the sect by reputation, but that's it.

"We aren't. I'm just somewhat more dedicated to the concept of worldly detachment then some of my peers. I don't really like fighting very much quite honestly. Martial arts is an interesting for if physival and spiritual exercise, but violence never solves anything, just like our parents have taught us!" he says, joking a bit yet again.

"You...clearly didn't know my parent very well," you respond dryly.

Pacifism doesn't make that much sense to you honestly.

"So Hero Sky; I can only assume you're here to compete in the Tournament?"

"Yeah, pretty much. There's more to it then that, but that's the gist of it," you admit. You get the feeling he'd see through any lie fairly quickly.

"I wish you luck then as a fellow Xia, as you seem like a decent enough fellow," he says, giving the Wulin Salute again and bowing his head slightly this time.

"Coming from a pacifist who won't be in the tourney despite being personally invited and expresses distaste for fighting, I'm not really sure how to take that?"

"I'm being serious. Just because I don't like fighting myself doesn't mean I can't express luck towards another in his chosen path; being a monk obvioisky isn't for everyone, and even other monks don't always agree with my viewpoints."

"So then why come at all?"

"A courtesy. We were invited and it would be extremely rude to simply not respond at all," he explains happily. "Also, it gets SUPER boring up at the Temple sometimes, might as well take the opportunity to watch complete strangers beat each other senseless in public, am I right?"

You blink, unsure if he's joking.

>WDYS?

>"I should be going, my friends will be wondering where I've gone."

>"So, but how good ARE you anyway?"

>>36568228
I don't think you know how things work

>>36568297
>"I should be going, my friends will be wondering where I've gone."
but thanks for the talk.

>>36568309
Desire to conform to social mores is just as much an obstacle to enlightenment as any other desire.

>>36568297
>"So, but how good ARE you anyway?"

>>36568297
>>"I should be going, my friends will be wondering where I've gone."

I feel we'll find out just how good he is later, anyway.

>>36568385
is it though?
most desires are about you, this one is about others
it's like saying being courteous is an obstacle

>>36568297
>"So, but how good ARE you anyway?"

"Perhaps we may spar sometime in the future. So long as our intent is simply to expand our understanding of martial arts and test ourselves as opposed to trying to best one another or causing harm it shouldn't conflict with your desire for pacifism. The practical application of a study is important to grasping its essence."

>>36568297
>>"So, but how good ARE you anyway?"

>>36568297
>Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons
Doesn't actually matter if he never uses those skills, though, does it? He could be the most technically proficient martial artist in the world and it wouldn't make him fearsome. I have trouble believing that someone who uses his skills in actual combat so infrequently is going to be able to pull through in a serous fight. Case in point, Sky's father is strong enough to harness the storm and lay waste to an entire mountain. But he hadn't used those skills in battle in over two decades, and when he had to fight the men who came for him he was defeated.

>>36568297
>>"So, but how good ARE you anyway?"

>>36568297
>"I should be going, my friends will be wondering where I've gone."
I'm bored now, let's leave.

>>36568297
>>"I should be going, my friends will be wondering where I've gone."

>>36568297
>"I should be going, my friends will be wondering where I've gone."

>>36568297
>"I should be going, my friends will be wondering where I've gone."

He kicks our ass at words, he'll kick our ass at martial arts.

Pretty sure that's a Wulin rule.

>>36568408, >>36568462, >>36568503, >>36568675, >>36568360, >>36568418, >>36568686, >>36568687, >>3656870, >>365686707, >>36568785

You stand up, brushing off your legs as you do so.

"I should probably be going. I've got people who'll want to know where I am. You certainly have interesting views for a xia," you admit to him. About the first non-barbed comment you have him really.

"So I'm told, though I could take that statement a number of ways I suppose."

"Take it however you prefer," you say with a shrug.

"Then I'll consider it a compliment, Hero Sky," he says, also standing up and bowing to you yet again.

"I gotta wonder though...,"

"Hmm?"

"You're a candidate for Top Ten Great Young Heroes. Just how strong ARE you exactly?"

"That's a question with a relative answer, as I'm sure you know."

"Compared to me I guess."

"Would you care to find out?" he asks politely, and he smiles again.

You reach out with your senses; you don't sense his inner energy, even with him standing right next to you. His presence is non-existent, and you feel no hostile intent whatsoever coming from him. He doesn't even carry himself like a martial artist, come to think of it.

It's hard figure ANYTHING about this guy, he's like a stone wall.

>WDYD?

>[Refuse]

>[Accept]

>>36568862
>>[Accept]
Let's get whoop-assed.

>>36568862
>>[Accept]
we asked he offered it would be rude not to

>>36568862
>>[Accept]

>>36568862
>[Refuse]
Nah. Whatever the result is, it's going to be disappointing, so why bother?

>>36568862
>[Accept]

At a later date though. For now as was said others are expecting us and he has people watching cough*stalking*cough to do.

>>36567680
>Tiankong, style name Sky
wait, really? I thought our name was sky and tiankong was our style

>>36568862
>[Refuse]
No. We've seen our father give that smile, you never say yes after someone smiles like that.

>>36568862
>[Accept]

He's not going to hurt us and we might get another bro out of it.

Fight.

>>36568909
Because we can get stronger by facing strong opponents and have very little experience with other sects to help broaden our horizons.

>>36568862
>>[Accept]

>>36568862
>[Refuse]
...No. I don't think so. If it comes to it, we'll find our sooner or later. Pushing the issue just seems tiresome right now.

>>36568862

>[Accept]

A safe opportunity to practice against someone strong? You don't turn that down.

>>36568862
ok so, I have been meaning to ask, but is a FRIENDLY sparring match actually violence?

Christ, you people are dumb. Yeah, we're going to practice against him. Sure. It's definitely not going to be some bullshit where he stops suppressing his presence and it knocks us out from the sheer pressure of his chi or something like that. This experience is totally going to be something more than a dumb humbling moment for Sky where he sees firsthand how powerful the big name xia are. No siree, we're definitely going to get some practice in.

>>36568862
>[Refuse]

>>36568862
>[Accept]
"I think I already know the answer, but I would like to see it firsthand myself."

>>36569010
You can spar without inflicting a single bruise upon your competitor so no it doesn't have to include violence.

>>36569043
Why are you such a pussy? Losing when nothing is on the line isn't that big a deal. We shouldn't fight out in the open though because we don't want to give our style away to quickly yeah, but other than that it's not such a big deal. Lrn 2 Xia.

>>36569043
whats sad is that I can't even tell if you're being sarcastic or not

>>36569043
>baaawwwww

Go away

>>36568862
>>[Accept]

>>36568862
>Accept
Maaaaaaybe find a suitable spot for it though, away from prying eyes.

>>36569280
He'll show you his, if you show him yours.

>>36569043
>Being terrified that a pacifist who offers a friendly spar will ruin you forever
So what? worse case scenario we get our ass handed to us and learn nothing from this.
Best case scenario, we have our ass handed to us and learn something from it.

>>36569366
I'd hope so.

>>36569385
You don't get it. I'm not worried about consequences. I'm worried about boredom. Everyone here knows how it's going to go down. So can't we just skip it and move on with the plot, instead? Having him demonstrate his power is a waste of time.

>>36569417
>Everyone here knows how it's going to go down

We don't, though.

>>36568928
You're misunderstanding the phrase "style name". Basically it's a nickname given after birth or sometimes death that has a specific meaning, since a name can mean both a name AND have a unique separate meaning when it's used differently. Xia tend to be more frequently known by their style names then their real ones, but they still introduce themselves using both.
>>36569010
Not according to Shaolin Temple doctrine, even in real life; sparring is how they get better and both practice and teach their kungfu. What Genshu personally disagrees with is what xia tend to actually fight for; violent competition for it's own sake as well as settling feuds and grudges. MOSTLY settling/starting feuds and grudges really, especially if you watch/read the stories.
>>36568902, >>36568903, >>36568908, >>36568918, >>36568948, >>36568950

"Sure. I'm not actually very experienced in fighting other school's styles though, so sorry if this is kinda sketchy at first," you say.

"I must make the same apologies, as I mostly spar and practice with my schoolbrothers rather then other faction members," he says, seeming a little embarrassed about it.

You both move away from the market square to a secluded back alley near the docks area, littered with junk. Some of the stone pavement here is cracked or broken, or otherwise in need of repair.

You stretch, working the kinks out of your muscles and loosening up while Brother Genshu does the same, with a few slower, limbering exercises rather then your more direct ones.

"Thanks for this. I kinda needed to know where I stood in the rankings of this whole tournament thing," you say, grateful for the chance to practice.

"I feel the need to point out to you that I am not an especially good measuring stick to judge readiness for the Tournament. As I said, strength and skill is something of a relative question, not an absolute scale."

"I'll keep that in mind. Ready?"

"When you are, Hero Sky."

>>36569434
Suuuuure we don't.

>>36569417
I didn't get it because you weren't clear
next time be concise and say something like
>We all know how it is gonna go, lets just skip this and move the plot along

That being said, I think you are the only one here who is finding this boring. the rest of us are having fun. The sidequests and banter is some of the best parts of an RPG, not everyone rushes down the main plot ASAP while ignoring everything else. Stop and smell the roses.

>>36569457
If you're just here to be a shit, please, continue bitching. You're really convincing everyone to agree with you.

>>36569442

"Begin!" he says, taking up a stance.

>WDYD?

>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!

>Surprise him with the Second Form and TRAVERSE THE INSTANT PATH!

>>36569489
>Surprise him with the Second Form and TRAVERSE THE INSTANT PATH!

>>36569489
>>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!
we havent used this in a wile plus his mind is to well trained for TTIP

>>36569489
>Surprise him with the Second Form and TRAVERSE THE INSTANT PATH!

>>36569489
>>Surprise him with the Second Form and TRAVERSE THE INSTANT PATH!

>>36569457
Already proven wrong as >>36569442 clearly shows that your prediction of "he unleashes his ki and we get knocked off the roof and humbled" did not come to pass. Keep in mind that he is a young hopeful, not their grandmaster. this is a competition for youth's under 25, not the strongest xia in the land, but for their children

>>36569489
>Test the waters, move closer but don't spoil our techniques, just try to measure what's his forté before coming up with a plan.

>>36569513
Fist technique is regukar attacks, not Ying-Yang Rotation

>>36569489
move in, go offensive with a fist technique

>>36569489
>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!
Start slow and then ramp up. this IS a friendly spar.

>>36569513
what do you mean his mind is trained?

>>36569489
>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!
We'll just kinda start slow, holding off on crazy yin-yang rotation bullshit until later in the fight.

Sure, the shock factor is cool and all, but we might learn a thing or two from trying to feel this out a little.

>>36569489
>>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!

>>36569544
>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!
Hold on the Heavens Blessings style for a while. We don't want to tire ourselves out too quickly. Let's test the waters, first.

>>36569555
he wont be surprised by it monks do mental training

>>36569489
>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!
Start from the beginning.

>>36569489
>>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!
How about we don't start off at 100 MPH.

I hope you guys don't pull this shit at the tournament.
Hiding your best move till you actually need it is recommended. You lure our your opponent to bring our their best move first.

But especially in a tournament, where you know thousands of people are watching, and likely your next opponent is too.

>>36569551
>>36569544
>>36569489
>>Move in, go offensive with a Fist technique!
Alright then I change to this.

I just feel like we need to test what he's up to before we just go full "I AM THE LIGHTNING ".

what are the odds this little fight makes him decide to join the tournament?

>>36569584
He won't be surprised by near instantaneous movement?

>>36569623
im guessing not monks like to push both their minds and body's to extremes.

>>36569612
Well yeah, but it really depends on the situation I guess.
Due to our lack of knowledge as to who removed our Ba, we may well have to act a little recklessly to get the right (wrong) sort of attention.
Depends on how many competitors there are I guess, a lot more people would probably show up for Semi-Finals than standard elimination rounds.

>>36569758
I with getting in good with the beggars sect would be fine. They should be able to give us information
Hopefully Ba has some old friends that don't want him dead.

>>36569513, >>36569544, >>36569554, >>36569555, >>36569558, >>36569572, >>36569576, >>36569586, >>36569612, >>36569615

You slowly edge forward then leap in close, pulling out your Endless Sky Forms fist techniques!

Using mobility and speed you throw powerful upper-body blows that he puts up his arms to block, before retaliating with fist forms of his own, throwing punches you dodge and block!

His blows are HEAVY, like his limbs are made of iron or something, and you resolve to deflect more then dodge, and you pull back, maneuvering around to his side and altering your strategy with this new information, trying to attack him at angles that make it harder for him to directly counterattack!

His face is calm and concentrating, but there's puzzlement on his face as you change your method, and he does so as well, using a DIFFERENT Fist form, which seems to give him countering priority again!

You frown, switching methods entirely and try to batter through his defense with palm strikes hoping to find gaps, but he takes up a palm form as well, and you find yourself barely holding your offense again!

Finally one of his palms almost gets through and you pull back, leaping five feet away from him and taking a defensive stance!

"That was interesting. What was that?" he asks, taking up a fist form again.

"What was what?"

"....never mind. Continue."

>WDYD?

>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!

>Surprise him with Form Two!

>Bring out the big guns with Form One (and hope he isn't hurt badly if it connects)!

>>36569758
idk.. I just think there are going to be alot of competitors.. and using our ace early one seems reckless.

>>36569898
>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!
Test the waters some more, this is a very interesting fight

>>36569898
>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!
We're not pulling out the Big Guns in a sparring match. He's also holding back so as to not injure us, so we should extend the same courtesy. "Hope he isn't hurt badly" doesn't cut it either.

>>36569898
>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!

>>36569898
>>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!

>>36569898
>>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!

>>36569898
>>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!

>>36569898
>>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!

>>36569898
>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!

>>36569938
this argument is good

>>36569966
>>36569965
>>36569962
>>36569949
>>36569948
>>36569938
>>36569929
We have internal peace

>>36569898
>Let him come to you, defense this time and use your superior mobility using Leg forms to to counter-attack when you see and opening!
Heaven's Blessings isn't for friendly sparring. It's for when you want the other guy DEAD. Ba taught us that much.

Plus, that was an interesting reaction to us switching up our style... I want to see where this goes.

>>36569980
Do we get a harmony bonus for that?

>>36569980
The hivemind is strong

>>36569043
whiny baby got BTFO

>>36570166
>>36570069
Heh, that'd be cool.

>hivemind stronk

>>36570069
>Heaven's Blessings isn't for friendly sparring. It's for when you want the other guy DEAD. Ba taught us that much.
We were able to do friendly sparring with dad for years.
Ba taught us to not hesitate and kill decisively when in true battle, but we are having a friendly spar like we did with ba.

I would say that we shouldn't use our lightening first technique here. if it was the forest we could demonstrate it on a tree and, hypothetically, spar pretending we are actually using it.

some appropriate fight music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-uERPEJSgA&list=PLB686B6E1D614D2FE&index=4

>>36569898

You let him approach, switching to leg forms to keep his distance, trying to find holes in his defense when there seem to BE none!

"Nice form!" you compliment as you try to strike with your fists again!

"I'd like to say the same," he says, matching your offense with another defense, "but you seem to not HAVE one!"

"What?!" you say, your guard dropping in surprise as he approaches, causing him to yell "Focus!" rather then take advantage of your opening!

You manage to block and leap back!

"Okay, new tactic; let's see how fast he is...," you say, drawing a line in the dirt with your foot just at the edge of your leg's reach as he approaches.

As soon as he crosses the line you spin and send out the fastest series of kicks you can possibly throw!

>"DEITY OF WIND!"
>"NO-SHADOW KICK!"

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G_rETHa2Egk At 1:20

Much to your surprise he BLOCKS Deity of Wind Kick, just barely parrying each blow and keeping his defense together from it!

"Okay....so turning full-offense into it's own-defense didn't worth either....," you mutter as he reeks and shakes off the whirlwind flurry of blows!

"Where did THAT come from?" he says surprised.

"I made it up just now," you admit with a smile and a shrug.

>>36570550
Badass.

>>36570550
>"Where did THAT come from?" he says surprised.
>"I made it up just now," you admit with a smile and a shrug.

I am dying imagining the looks on these faces for some reason.

>>36570550
It's nice to see Sky use something other than "Don't Taze me Bro" in a fight.

>>36570550
dat Wong fei Hung skill

>>36570739
For heightened immersion/lulz pause the music the fight is set to everytime they have an exchange like that then start it back up once they reengage.

>>36570775
Music?

>>36570775
I'm imagining them with lip sync terribly off...

>>36570821
You don't play music in the background for fights? Not unlike what >>36570541 posted.

>>36570858
>Horrendous dub lip sync
Now I am too.

if any one didnt like the music here >>36570541
i have a faster one that people my like

>>36570878
I'm deaf

>>36570550

"I....see," he says, nodding. "I've been approaching this fight incorrectly then, haven't I?"

"I'm not following you?" you admit, taking up another Fist stance.

"Never mind. Now...," he says, then he shifts and suddenly ERASES the distance between you like it wasn't even there in the first place!

You step back after reflexively striking back with a wild palm blow he parries easily, but by the time you've landed he's already there in front of you again!

You do a quick series of strikes with your fists, which he parries before with two simple hand motions he breaks your guard and flings a palm strike, stopping the blow directly before your face!

"You are very good, Hero Sky. I can honestly say I've never fought anyone like you before. Or HEARD of anyone that fights like you either," he says, slowly withdrawing his palm and bowing to you, fist in palm again.

You now back after recovering from your shock.

>WDYS?

>"Okay, exactly HOW much were you holding back?" [Inquire Genshu]

>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]

>>36571147
>"Okay, exactly HOW much were you holding back?" [Inquire Genshu]
then
>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]

>>36571147
>>"Okay, exactly HOW much were you holding back?" [Inquire Genshu]

>>36571147
>>36571166
This

>>36571147
>>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]
Interesting how little known our style is.

>>36571147
>"Okay, exactly HOW much were you holding back?" [Inquire Genshu]

>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]

>>36571147
>>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]
well see his true ability eventually

>>36571147
>"Okay, exactly HOW much were you holding back?" [Inquire Genshu]
>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]
I'm honestly curious about both in equal measure.

>>36570992
O-oh. Sorry; I had no idea. From birth, or due to illness/injury?

>>36571147
Okay, WHOA. There goes EVERYTHING we thought we knew! I'm seriously impressed.

>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]

We don't need to know HOW much he was holding back; just that we've got a LONG way to go. I'm excited~!

>>36571147
>>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]
Chance to improve

>>36571147
>"Okay, exactly HOW much were you holding back?" [Inquire Genshu]

>>36571287
Birth.

>>36571147
>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style]

>>36571166
Why can't we ask for both?

>>36571147
>"Okay, exactly HOW much were you holding back?" [Inquire Genshu]

I'd like for both..but learning what he was holding back on helps. Like if he was not going for certain opening he saw in our defense.

>>36571147
If you're up for it, both.
>"Okay, exactly HOW much were you holding back?" [Inquire Genshu]

>"What were you saying about my form?" [Inquire Style
But I did vote >>36571456

>>36571166, >>36571186, >>36571203, >>36571204, >>36571214, >>36571230, >>36571244, >>36571287, >>36571297, >>36571372, >>36571379, >>36571456

"So uh...," you say, wiping your forehead and breathing a bit. You aren't actually very tired (your endurance training is good, especially when not using Heaven's Blessings) but the speed with which he conpletely turned around that fight freaked you you a bit.

"You're going to ask if I was going easy on you," he says. It's not a question. You get the feeling the question comes up a lot.

"Yeah, that."

"Enough so that we both learned something. No one learns anything when a man stands in front of an avalanche, only that there are some forces beyond your ability to defend against," he explains, straightening his robes.

He's not actually being insulting, just giving a little homily you're guessing his Sifu taught him too.

On the other hand, you sure as hell don't feel very much like an avalanche right now.

"O...okay....?" you say, your voice kinda breaking slightly.

"Relax, you actually fight quite well. I had to use seven different styles just keeping up with your adaptiveness. I couldn't figure out why nothing I did seemed to work at first."

"How...how many styles do you know?"

"Seventy-two," he says, without pride or modesty. It's just information to him.

"A...ah. Well, it wasn't easy fighting you. Every time I thought I'd found a defensive hole you took a new style. That's never really been a problem for me before I guess."

"I imagine it will continue to not be one; it's difficult enough keeping up with you using only basic internal energy techniques, let alone trying to match whatever you're doing at any given moment," he notes.

"What was that you were saying earlier about my form?"

"That you have none. Styles are almost always composed of various forms and routines to find optimal methods of defense and offense according to the external style's overall theories. But yours doesn't."

>>36571557
Time to quote what Ba said about Heaven's Blessing being "limitless and formless like the endless sky above"

>>36571557

"I don't get it?" you admit.

"Whoever taught you focused on basic forms of defense and attack, as well as angles and possible vectors. Rather then teach you a series of forms to use to attack and counterattack, you rely on this basic knowledge and then adapt as the fight goes on, even mimicking methods you observe."

"Huh?"

"And from the sound of it, you Sifu didn't even tell you. Which is good, because it might not have worked if he did. Now no matter WHAT kungfu you learn your adaptive ability will allow you to incorporate and improve it, so long as you fully understand the theories and methods used. I can't think of any other fighters who can change like that; chafe strategies and switch forms, but not instinctively alter their entire style based on instinct over time. I surmise that the longer you fight and opponent the less and less likely his external forms are to work at optimal efficiency, as eventually you'll adapt and find a counter-stance, especially if you learn more styles. Everyone else seems bound by the limits of the earth and what they know. Yours is rather like-"

"An Endless Sky," you say, blinking

"Hm. A good metaphor; the sky is nothing, but all under Heaven is underneath it."

>>36571728
All this freedom

>>36571728
We need to give genuine thanks for him helping us get the psychology behind Ba's teachings. Also I'd like to have a race with him later to see if his ability to erase distance can measure up to the second form.

>>36571728
seems like ba knew what he was doing when only focusing on the basics

>>36571728

>NEW STYLE GAINED

>ENDLESS SKY FORMS (C+)

>A formless fighting technique relying on Sky's intelligence and adaptiveness. While it has no direct strength, it has no weaknesses either. As Sky widens the depth of his kungfu knowledge his skill in Endless Sky Forms will improve over time as he continues to incorporate methods from other techniques he learns.

>>36571728
Ha ha we formless form now.

>>36571728
I am seriously starting to get flashbacks to Jade Empire here.

Pity that I have it from an inside source that they'll make a sequel, "When they run out of other ideas."

>>36571805
I KNEW IT.

Badass!

>>36571816
you mean flashbacks like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovu4M_nMcpo&list=PLB686B6E1D614D2FE&index=1

>>36571848
We Kenshiro now.

>>36571728
>>36571805

PLS MONK GUY
Fight in the tournament
We need to see you there
Everybody is cheering for you Genshuuuuu!

>>36571908
I actually had to resist naming it "Fist of the Blue Sky".
>>36571728

"Wow. Okay. That...actually explains a lot about my childhood now that I think about it. He always said I sucked at my External Arts, but...,"

"Simply put, he lied to you. He likely said that to encourage you to improvise rather then rely on just what he taught you," he says.

The mechanical, seemingly dispassionate way he talks about it is curious. You have a hard time figuring out how someone who isn't interested in fighting could learn seventy-two (you're still trying to wrap your head around that number) separate martial arts.

"You sound like you know a lot about this stuff?"

"I'd better. It's all I've ever been good at after all," he says, and there's a strong note of regret in his voice.

You don't say anything, mostly because you aren't sure how to respond to that.

"I thank you for this match, Brother Genshu. I have learned much," you say, as formally as you can manage, clasping your fist in your palm in the Wulin Salute and bowing.

He mirrors it, smiling again.

"As did I, Hero Sky. I should go visit my brothers, this tea time has taken longer then usual."

You nod and watch him walk away, picking up his staff as he passes by it.

>WDYD?

>Stick around the city.

>Go back to the inn and meet the others.

>>36572195
>Go back to the inn and meet the others.

>>36572195
>>Stick around the city.
lets see who else we might run into

>>36572195
>>Go back to the inn and meet the others.
Let's check on our friends.

>>36572195
>Go back to the inn and meet the others.

I'm fine with hijinks but it's best to check in with the others.

>>36572195
>Go back to the inn and meet the others.

>>36572195
Go back to the inn

>>36572195
>>Go back to the inn and meet the others.
back to Zhu'er

>>36572195
He never said he wasn't interested in fighting and martial arts. He said he was a pacifist. And he seemed to enjoy the spar.

Besides which, he had a past before he became a monk. And in Wuxia, monks often have problems with the 'don't partake in the concerns of the outside world' thing anyway.

>>36572195
>Go back to the inn and meet the others.

>>36572195
>Go back to the inn and meet the others.

>>36572354
Zhu'er? I hardly know 'er!

>>36572478
look at this funny mo'fucker over here

>>36572478
Sky needs to stick to his day job...

>>36572365
As with everything in Wuxia, there is of course a very long story behind his reactions and mixed feelings towards martial arts.
>>36572232, >>36572241, >>36572268, >>36572330, >>36572343, >>36572354, >>36572457, >>36572473

You make your way to the inn, a lot happier then you were when you left.

You walk inside, actually in pretty good mood when you dodge a flying plate past your head!

"Come on Greendilocks, let it go, she's not worth the trouble, Bro will be back and we can-" Lei's voice says as his arms are locked around Zhu'er's waist as she screams nonsensically "LET ME AT HER! I'LL TEAR HER EYELASHES OUT AND STUFF THEM RIGHT UP HER-" and so on and so forth.

Across the room is Ao Zhengzhu, being similarly held by her foreign manservant Shu or Enki or whatever his name was.

"THAT BRATTY GREEN-HAIRED LITTLE BITCH, I SWEAR I'M GOING TO-" and so on and so forth as her bodyguard tries to restrain her saying "Princess Ao, you mustn't the treaty, we promised your mother and father we wouldn't-"

>WDYD?

>"What." [Confusion]

>"Uh...I'm...back?" [Defuse Things...or Try]

>>36572785
>Turn 360 degrees and walk away

>>36572785
>"What." [Confusion]
Should have know this morning was going too well.

>>36572785
>"What." [Confusion]
for a few seconds then

>"Uh...I'm...back?" [Defuse Things...or Try]

>>36572785
>>"What." [Confusion]
ohh great a love triangle already

>>36572785

>"Uh...I'm...back?" [Defuse Things...or Try]

>>36572785
>"What." [Confusion]
Someone dropped the noodles.

>>36572785
>>"Uh...I'm...back?" [Defuse Things...or Try]

>>36572785
>attempt to gain understanding of situation
>What
>Try to defuse assuming the "What" isn't too strong.

>>36572785
>"Uh...I'm...back?" [Defuse Things...or Try]

>>36572785
>"Nope." [Turn 540° and walk the fuck out of there.]
A wise man knows not to get between two women.

>>36572785
>"Uh...I'm...back?" [Defuse Things...or Try]
The both of them are of noble(ish) upbringing perhaps they should be reminded of that?

>>36572785
>"What." [Confusion]
>"Uh...I'm...back?" [Defuse Things...or Try]

File: spaghetti.png (767 KB, 469x609)

767 KB PNG

>>36572785
>>"Uh...I'm...back?" [Defuse Things...or Try]
Time to burn spaghetti.

>>36572785
> Walk away
This is the perfect time to just go for a stroll.

>Turn 360 degrees and walk away

Discretion is the better part of valor.

>>36572942
>>36572829
360 is sjut 0 degrees after a full rotation you want 180 or 540 anons

So sage now that we've seen deity of wind kick when do we get to see Fung Wan and Repelling Palms?

>>36572785
>Ladies, please, there's plenty of me to go around!

>>36572999
Sadly, I don't think Sky has enough swag on him to say that.

>>36572999
implying sky realises how attractive he is, or that he knows shuer is even interested

>>36573032
He probably put that together but he's using his misdirection to appear more dense and not commit. He likes to hide the fact he's not dumb don't forget.

>>36572965
------ The joke -----
/ \
Your head >

>>36573051
he still thinks the reason people(women) keep staring at him is because his clothes looks stupid

>>36573095
From the pic we got? He looks
so hot I'd go gay

>>36573108
yeah but he doesnt know that

>>36573147
But he will.
He will.

>>36572838, >>36572848, >>36572868, >>36572880, >>36572882, >>36572912, >>36572861, >>36572921, >>36572922

You think on it for a half second, then decide to just go back outside.

It's Duan Lei who ruins it for you.

"Ah, Bro!"

"Shit," you mutter.

"Sky!" Zhu'er says, looking at you and breaking free of Lei's hold.

Lei: "Bro!"
Zhengzhu: "Lord Sky?"
Eiji: "Who?"
Zhu'er: "Sky!"
You: "Bro....," *as you shake your head at Lei's ruining your escape*
Lei: "Oh, sorry Bro," *realizing what he did*
Zhu'er: "Sky! She was-"
Zhengzhu: "Lord Sky! This woman-"
Eiji: "Knave!" *recognizing you*
Lei: "Bro?" *confused look*
Zhu'er: "LORD Sky? Who's a lord-"
Zhengzhu: "Lord Sky is!"
Lei: "Uh, Bro?"
Sky: "So...,"
Zhu'er: "Do you KNOW-"
Zhengzhu: "Must be a servant girl or some-"
Sky: "Let me-"
Lei: "Bro, better...,"
Zhengzhu: "Needs some manners-"
Sky: "If I could-"
Eiji: "Now your SERVANT has maligned Lady Ao-"
Sky: "Just a sec-!"
Zhu'er: "Am NOT a servant you-!"

"ALL RIIIIIIIIGHT!" you shout, so annoyed you summon your internal energy, causing the plates to rumble and the teacups to shake as everyone in the room except you covers their ears!

>>36572365
See two possibilities.

One, he was raised in the temple, and is troubled that his only major skill is one that goes against the teachings of the temple.

Second is that he was a prodigy before coming to the temple and misused it somehow, and now is trying to leave it behind him at the temple but is troubled by the fact that he can't seem to escape his xia tendencies despite his attempting to embrace pacifism.

>>36573284
Wow, irritation overload into like a boss shout. Go Sky.

>>36573284

Oral pimpslap dem hoes.

>>36573284
fucking sky just being a boss dont mind him

>>36573284
I am suddenly alerted to the fact that I missed a thread somewhere... To the archives!

>>36573479
my you find your answers in the depths that is the archives

>>36573293
Well he said he made a mistake and became a monk to atone IIRC. So most likely it's closer to the second possibility.

>>36573284
I dearly hope there is a Lu Bu expy along with a Guan Yu expy. If only so we can challenge him.

>>36573548
Well we know we have a Guan Yu expy more or less.

We'd probably have to go looking for a Lu Bu expy, and that just doesn't sound like a good plan.

>>36573610
What harm would pursuing Lu Bu do? Sarcasm

>>36573548
>Challenge Lu Bu

You have a freaking death wish?

Because that's one of the finest ways to die I can to think of.

>>36573548
challenging notGuan Yu will probably be difficult enough as it is

>>36573691
I was under the impression he was dead

anyway what a twist to have Guan Yu rebel against notLiu Bei

Hey I know it's poor form to ask this midthread, but this quest kinda got me interested in Legends of the Wulin, does anyone have a pdf?
Should I buy it?
Recommended?

>>36573849
isnt he a pirate king atm or is it one of his decendants?

>>36573505
That is not precisely what he said, actually.
>>36573876
Yes, it's very good. Much of it provided inspiration for this quest, and in fact many of the characters have character sheets in the rules system.
>>36573284

"Okay," you say after silence settles for a moment. "One at a time. Lei, you first."

"I came down for breakfast and they were already fighting," he says simply.

"Thank you. That was easy, wasn't it? Now, Zhu'er?" you say, turning towards your green-haired friend.

"I was down here eating my breakfast and then she came up and demanded I vacate my room! I told her to shove off and she called me an ill-mannered peasant brat and then I said something back and Lei-" she goes on, obviously glad you're here.

"Okay, okay, I get it. You," you say, pointing at the foreign bodyguard, pausing as you do it. He opens his mouth to speak before you turn away to his charge.

"Actually, I don't care what you have to say. You!" you say, pointing at the pirate girl, "What happened?"

"Lord Sky, I came to find lodgings for the night away from my ship, as I have been cooped up there for weeks! They claimed the lodgings were taken by this your servant girl! I had no idea she was yours, elsewise I would not have offended you so!" she says, sounding a mix of irritated at Zhu'er and genuinely apologetic towards you.

"Okay," you say, having a full grasp on the situation finally, taking a breath.

>>36573682
>>36573691
Challenging notLu Bu allows for a serious fight with the possibility of killing our opponent without worry of nasty repercussions besides losing to said scary guy. I'm not saying fight a guy like that right away, but after we're at B+ or A in our External and Internal Arts it's probably be a good fight. No one in the Three Kingdoms had the luxury of zapping the guy with lightning so its not like Sky wouldn't have any advantages.

>>36573849
Him being alive or dead are pretty much left to the continence of sage and the story. The same way that notGuan Yu isn't dead after getting suckered by Wu and is on the outs with a sworn brother. They aren't the exact same people after all.

>>36573921
>"Actually, I don't care what you have to say. You!"

LOL

>>36573928
implying the wulin equivalent of lu bu wouldnt have his own chi powers

>>36573921
I pity the bodyguard guy, I bet he's not that bad.

I kinda wanna power of respeeeect/friendshiiiip him

>>36573928
convenience not continence damn auto correct.

>>36573977
Of course he would. Chi powers don't necessarily mean no selling Heaven's Blessing though. I'm also betting he's not a match for Ba (if Ba is Storm Dragon especially so).

>>36573921
Eiji is going to end up as that rival that hates our guts, but slowly and begrudgingly comes to acknowledge we're worth a damn, just as Sky slowly acknowledges that he's an honorable badass.

So... How will Sky settle this?

My bet is for just deciding they all share lodgings, much to the scandalised reaction of Eiji and probably Zhengzhu.

Oh and we should NOT fight Lu Bu at ANY COST! Seriously, there's fucking LIMITS! Plus, wrong time period!

>>36574027
>he's an honorable badass.
Isn't he a dirty Japanese?
This is Wushu, they're all cowardly, spineless, dishonorable dogs because Asians raceistest

>>36573921
So... I sure as hell hope we are not giving away our rooms to miss princess.

>>36573921
Oh wow, she thinks Sky is a lord?

Wow. Misunderstanding, ho!

>>36574144
or she has the hots for him like have you seen him; he is handsome as fuck

>>36574135
He's shown a bit of balls though, wanting to fight for his men and his lady, I'm betting he's a good guy.

>>36574027
I'm saying WE ALL SHARE LODGINGS
YEAH

>>36574159
No, no, see, titles were pretty important back in the day. Pretending to be a nobleman or priest or whatever? A way to get in BIG trouble.

>>36573921
Offer her a spot
or a position, on your staff which is your penis

>>36574144
It's the stupid clothes.

>>36574144
He might be a lord one day though.

>>36574213
True, he must clear it up he's a simple commoner xia with - loadsamoney!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-7v4qnHP8

No seriously, we're pretty rich.

>>36573921

"I formally apologize to you, Lord Sky. Your servant's behavior does not reflect on yours," she says, bowing in the Wulin Salute.

"Yeah, likewise," you say, and Eiji's mouth opens in protest again before you turn away towards Zhu'er.

"Zhu'er, we can't start fights in places we're not gonna pay damages for," you say, sighing.

"She-"

"Do NOT tell me she started it," you say firmly. She actually looks like she's about to cry, which makes you feel all kinds of awful for some reason. You sigh at that.

"She definitely was pretty rude though. Just challenge her to fight like a regular xia would. And....," you say, searching for something to cheer her up, "I'll go shopping with you later today?"

She brightens almost immediately. "Really?!"

"Yyyyyyeees?" you say, already regretting it a little bit.

"Thanks! I'll head upstairs and get ready!" she says cheerily, running off.

"Hmph. You spoil your servant too much," Zhengzhu says, watching her go.

"She's not my servant."

"Slave."

"Not my slave either."

"Concubine?"

"What? No!"

"....fiancee?"

"Are you done?! She's a friend of mine who's helping me out!" you explain.

"Oh. Just a friend," she says seeming to think about that for some reason that probably only makes sense only to weird pirate noblewomen.
"That's not so bad I suppose...," she mutters to herself.

"So, can you find a different room? We paid for this one. We moved in here because our old ones got trashed by assassins," you say.

"I have had this happen to me before. It's always troublesome," she says, nodding in understanding.

Feels a bit weird having to relate to someone over "assassins ruined by bedroom".

"I shall pay for damages, Lord Sky. It was I who initiated the conflict unknowingly. And I shall purchase a separate room and discuss at length with the innkeeper about selling previously rented rooms."

"No 'Lord'," you explain.

"Huh?"

"I'm not a Lord. Just...Sky."

"I...oh! I just assumed..."

"Because of the clothes, I know."

>>36574178
Whatever you want to say of the Japanese, you really cannot deny that the samurai were loyal to their dying breath and fearless of death (at least in theory).

>>36574213
Luckily, we Xia. It's kind of a different deal with us. We may not have any official title, but anyone badass enough can claim to be, 'Lord Of Thundering Falls' or whathaveyou.

>>36574236
You know, sooner or later, someone is going to need to be blunt as hell with Sky and flat-out tell him he's hotter than the Taklamakan Desert. Bet that crazy flying man has a sister, or daughter, or niece who's going to be just as oblivious as Sky and flat-out say it.

>>36574276
It's important to note that money does NOT equate to respectability or position in Jianghu. If anything, just throwing cash at a problem is a good way to a) lose a lot of money, very fast and b) insult someone by suggesting their honour can be bought.

>>36574305
I'm not suggesting he use it as an excuse.
I'm just saying he should clarify he doesn't have any position, he just has good clothes and some savings.

Also agreed on the japs.

>>36574301
I've said it before and I'll say it again; Sage runs the salvation of quest threads on /tg/. Hardly a post goes by where I don't grin at either something cool, or something funny.

And later, I expect to be smiling at more tender moments and more~

>>36574301
>"Does this mean I have this hots for this really dominant Commoner?"
>"Oh my"
>*arousal for sky intensifies*

>>36574367
this quest has defininately been the most consistently good quest ive read so far

>>36574398
noblewoman romances are the best

She is an extremely hot noble martial artist, so we should ask her out on a refined sparring date by the lake. Or something.

I dunno, I like her.

>>36574433
highborn swordswomen are always so damn alluring

>>36574409
yeah, my one complaint/critique is that there's occasional typos.
which is trite.

>>36574421
Well, at the very least she'll get to be the main wife.

>>36574433
So far all the female martial artists introduced so far are hot.

Just the way it is in a wuxia story

>>36574398
So scandalous! So lascivious! Before you know it, they'll be holding hands!

To be honest, it's more likely she'll kiss Sky just before leaving and leave him going, "What in the name of Buddha was that about?!"

She'll then show up later, having built up this image of Sky, in her absence and be even hotter for him when they run into one another once more!

By that stage, I fully expect a third girl to have entered the game; probably one of the honeys from the tournament (and another one of them will probably go for Lei, too).

>>36574433
So do I, but I like Zhu'er too.

Harem route? Harem route. Sky's already dense enough!

>>36574470
How many wives are we looking at here?

My suanpan can only count so many hot chicks.

>>36574470
Trying to pull a Wei Xiao Bao?

>>36574484
Yeah, but she's the hottest so far. Plus, a refined noble pedigree is hot.

>>36574493
None. The path of the Xia leads only to suffering, and love is the greatest accelerant of said suffering.

>>36574487
>harem route
Harems aren't a common thing for the wuxia genre. Like>>36574515, it'll just lead to pain.

>>36574487
>another one of them will probably go for Lei, too

I'm betting it's SJW girl.

File: 1356218501428.jpg (790 KB, 1600x1200)

790 KB JPG

>>36574493
>>36574502
I mean...

>>36574493
More than one, but probably less than five. I almost feel sorry for Sky... Almost.

Thank goodness that in ancient China, it was acceptable for a man to have a wife and then concubines or secondary wives (if he could survive it).

>>36574515
Enough drama to make a mexican soap novel

>>36574543
Once again the dirty japs doing something dishonorable

Just shameful

>>36574493
>>36574544
Eh, three is a good number.

And if they are all martial artists, I am pretty sure that's all that anyone could handle.

>>36574515
Great sacrifice brings great rewards.

>>36574367
When did you say that?
Also, gorsh, thanks. Invite people on over to the threads I guess!
>>36574467
It's mostly because I'm on my phone and kinda rushing posts sometimes without time to properly spellcheck for grammar and such.
>>36574301

"No, not the clothes. Many xia dress finely and above their stations, it is the way of the Jianghu. It was your...demeanor towards...the people you spoke with," she says grappling for words. "It was...lordly?"

"....okay. Thanks? You're pretty impressive too with the big things I guess," you say, unsure how to compliment her.

"My....big things?" she says flushing hot, her arms edging across her chest for some reason.

"Your sword. Your boats," you explain. "Your...hair? You have big things."

"You like my hair!?" she says, and suddenly her whole attitude changing and her face lighting up like a sun in mid-day, her arms held close to her and her eyes wide with expectation.

"Uh...yes? It's pretty?" you say, alarmed by her sudden mood shift.

She grins and then turns around, and does some kind of....fist-pumping motion? Then she turns to face you again and she's back to what passes for normal with her.

"Thank you Lord Sky. I shall acquire my room and retire to it."

"No, Lord."

"I can fix that," she says by way of perplexing response and then walks away.

The foreign guy gives you the shit-eye for a second.

"Hey, sorry. Was kind of stressed at the moment."

"Don't mention it," he says in a way that suggests he doesn't forgive you, then follows Zhengzhu.