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/qst/ - Quests


A world where might makes right. A world of Jade and Gold, of Phoenix and Dragons, of Pills and Talismans, of Martial and Spiritual arts.
A world where diligent training yield strength, meaning freedom. A world where loneliness means death, meaning social chains.
A world still unfair, as the ones reaching the heavens are most likely born rich - be it political riches of the aristocrats, power of secret knowledges and hidden realms of clans, or lucky enough to be born one-in-a-thousand genius.

This was not the case of Quiet Word - that is, (You).
Your current skill level being on par with said genius of your age? Lucky encounters and a knack for navigating social situations.
You know a fair amount of technic for such a young cultivator, but your strength lies in the impressive amount of Bonded Spiritual Beasts - A no-longer Hawk spirit, a Horse spirit, a Snake spirit and a Wolf spirit.
Speaking of that last one, you didn't told a world about him to anybody. As a scion of the Primordial Wolf spirit, its father warned you of its worth and how people could want to rip it away from you.
Said worth comes from its ability to Fuse without restriction - fusion being a secret of the higher ranking of your sect, secret you have almost completely rediscovered on your own. Alright, the Primordial Wolf might have helped you on that point.

Recently, you discovered a dao more than well suited to you : the way of the Rising Phoenix. Your Hawk spirit evolved into titular Rising Phoenix, the Hawk's Wide Ballet turned into the Rising Phoenix's Wide ballet and you discovered a new mind tempering technique in the Poem of the Rising Phoenix. You are half a step away from opening the Mouth Aperture, the latest small realm before 2nd stage. This is mainly thanks to insane gain reached while you were in your first ever seclusion. Right now, you are getting ready for the Yearly Tournament.
Said Yearly Tournament you fully expect to win brightly : one of your trump is strong enough to take down anyone barring Dhundan.
>>
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Tamers of Hundred Beasts
(You), Quiet Word, almost 7 year old. First Stage, working on opening your Ear Aperture.
Dhundan Kepa, peerless genius. You've witnessed him yell a tiger, a shot arrow, and even the sun to compliance. Although this Never worked on Ai.
Ai, peerless genius. Can speak and calm all thing (except Dhundan)
Three "gifted but not great" kids : Sin Din, skilled Horse cultivator. Man Din, bounded with a precious spirit but lagging a little bit behind. Yi Norm, Monkey Cultivator.
Kyo Ko (nicknamed Kyo Kyo), 11 year old Second-Stage cultivator. Extremely secretive of her techniques.
Gro Ta, 13 year old Second-Stage cultivator. Whale Cultivator.
Bathias, 16 year old Third-Stage cultivator. Current Hawk Master
Ryota. Boar cultivator, Branch Master.
Maya Tao, that you know more as Snake Mistress, back from Golden Skystone Village

Other Stable Lotus cultivators
Venerable Stable Lotus, local's bigwig.
Young Mistress LienWen YanEr, his sole daughter, your age. And she is a good friend.
Young Mistress LienWen JiaLin : unpleasantly ambitious cousin of YanEr.
Medicine Master Soulgaze : Uncle of YanEr. Pill crafter expert.
Sovereign All Learner's Teacher, Master of Versatile Harmony Quest.
Ping Jun, student of Versatile Harmony Quest, bounded with Golden Talismanic Horse Spirit. And he's a good friend.
Meiying Youling - Ant-burning mentally unstable young mistress of Death Harvester Cult
Ster Ling, unsuferable Genius boy of the Stable Harbor Military Youth
Xiao Niar, Death-seeking unskilled boy of the Stable Harbor Military Youth
Inborn Tanuki's Lantern; Loose cultivator that saved Bathias life.
Marketer Golden Eye, Silver Tongue - All-selling Merchant Alliance highest rank cultivator.
Old Jiang - Owner of the town's spiritual technique bookstore.

Golden Skystone Village
Daoist Golden Skystone Patriarch, Village leader. After plotting with Gilded Waters, seems loyal.
Man Cong, eldest son, 18. Bounded with Golden-scale Stellar Snake. Second stage.
Dan Rol, second son, 14. Bounded with Golden-scale Stellar Snake. Last step of First stage, studied in the main sect for a few months.
Daughter (unnamed), 7. Bounded with Golden-scale Stellar Snake. A bit haughty. Working on opening her Heart Aperture.
A harem of domestics, probably still jealous of Maya Tao and the Patriarch's... closeness.
Luo Bin, the nicest highwayman you know of.
>>
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The new turnament is on the verge of starting. Instead of watching the youngsters (a waste of time, you sieved through them and are definitely not impressed), better go talk to your friends - and avoid the displeasant Military Youth cultivators.
First is Ping Jun.
"Hey dude. Your cultivation seems to be going great
- Yeah. I really wanted to break to second stage before the tournament. Turns out wanting is not enough.
- Don't be too hard on yourself. The Horse spirit you gifted me helped so, so much. I might break through second stage before the end of the year too."
You can't believe your eyes : his cultivation is indeed the second or third more developped among you youngster; on par with the one of...
"Hello Quiet Word. This time, I'll use my sheer progress to win you off legitimately."
Win... you... off? You gulp. The damn prophecy is stretching the shadow of its clawed hands over your head.
"Is something wrong? You know you can tell me everything. You will always be able to."
Did she winked at you? Alas, you can't tell her. That would be akin to revealing one of your trumps

Soon, the younger children finish while you're awkwardly shuffling around in place, finding deeper meaning in each of LienWen YanEr sentences.

Your age group is coming next.
Your first fight is among the end of the bracket. Your opponent is one of the Stable Lotus cultivator - more on the strong side than the weak one, with an almost-opened ear Aperture.
Not your match. Your superior speed and strength let you rush him and take him down cleanly, progressing as well as every other Named Kids.
The second round is similarly one-sided for all of the relevant ones. Barring you and your opponent Ster Ling. Though match. You're eager to let him eat dirt.

"Ready? Fight!"

>1 anon roll 1d100, DC 60

Available trumps :
- Spirits (Horse, Phoenix, Snake, Wolf)
- Unlimited Rising Star Kick
- 2 Blood Charges
- Summon Blood Shadow Wolf
- Blood Burst (can one shot without a roll anyone barring Dhundan)

The kids should remember both the Summon Blood Shadow Wolf and Horse Spirit from last year.
You don't benefit as much from the Mounted fighting style as you will use a spear.
>>
Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>6081109
>>
As expected, you'll have to burn a trump.

>Use your mighty autowin Blood Burst
>Use something else (will prompt a roll)
>>
>>6081115
>Blood burst

We are at 3rd round out of 5?
>>
>>6081118
2nd round out of 6th
>>
>>6081118
I support my argument with "knock Sterling out of the running immediately with minimising the resources and thus time spent to knock him out of it, causing him to lose face"

Fuck ster ling.

At least Qian Narr ain't shown up yet, stupid shrimp bitch
>>
>>6081115
Blood Burst
Get Ster Ling outta here
>>
>>6081109
- Blood Burst
>>
"Ready to bite the dust?
- Really should have betted with you Ster Ling. Because this year, I'm winning the tournament.
-Oh yeah? Dodge this."
A volley of arrows. Sent by an opened-ear-aperture level cultivator. You duck, dash, jump, your hand over the bead, in a pocket you sew near your heart. You spin half the blood inside into spikes. Hurls it toward Ster Ling.
"Touch! Victory of Quiet Word of the Tamers of Hundred Beasts! "

Hey, your empowered Ear Aperture picks up chatters of the representative of several sects, observing and discussing the fight.
That can't be... a spiritual art master Ryota?
- You're right, that isnt. The boy is still first stage. But he found by himself that Blood techniques are accessible to first stage if he let a Qi and Blood thread inside
- You must be proud. Such a strong blood affinity at a young age!
- The funniest thing is that kid sucks at blood, and he stumbled by luck on that technique yesterday!
- I get it. You're bragging your student won by chance and not by hard work.
- We get it. You're a sore loser commander."

One last match of interest before the end of the second round : Ping Jun against Meying Youling.
"Kekekekekeke this Meying Youling will get her revengeance from last year!
- I already know of your ghost trick, Meying"
She strikes. Ping Jun steps back. It looks a lot like last year's fight.
"Taste that! Come Forth, Ghost Spirit!"
A flickering form extand from the girl's shadow. The fight suddenly turned into a 2 versus 1.
"Mighty Mistress Meying Youling have won th....ACCCK"
Ping Jun rushed, and shield-bashed the little miss, shrouded in a golden shine.

"Touch! Victory of Ping Jun of the Versatile Harmony Quest"
>>
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Third round start with Dhundan against Man Din.
In your eyes, the fight looks really close. Dhundan makes the mistake to underestimate the girl, resulting in her Bear form overpowering him for a split second.
However, Dhundan's raw cultivation is enough for him to avoid defeat, slowly regain his footing, and methodically overpowering the young girl.
"Touch! Victory of Dhundan of the Tamers of Hundred Beasts!"

Then, Sin Din triumphs over a Stable lotus boy. Jia Lin dispatch as easily a Versatile Harmony Quest disciple.
A close match let Xiao Niar and his long, two-handed sword take down a Hammer-wielding Military Youth brethren.
Followed by one interesting fight : Yi Norm, facing Lienwen YanEr.
"I watched closely last year's fight against Quiet Word! I'll take you easily"
You're not so sure. Plus, Yi Norm seems dead focused on keeping his trumps for later. That will cost him the match.
His growth-realm staff bounded in cloth, his spirit kept in his soul, LienWen YanEr is Better. Faster. Stronger She finally clubs him in the jaw.
Well, at least your maybe-wife is strong, move in an aesthetic way, and can hold her ground perfectly fine.

Your turns come next. A plain girl wearing the white and blue robes of the Versatile Harmony Quest, holding a whip.
"Ready? Fight!... Touch! Victory of Quiet Word of the Tamers of Hundred Beasts!
- Your disciple seems strolling on the competition. Three rounds without breaking a sweat!
- I hope he won't surrender in the final"
>>
Fourth round starts with Dhundan against Sin Din. She puts less of a fight than her twin, leading to a quick victory for the domineering boy.
JiaLin moves on, after a fourth easy fight. So do her cousin YanEr - her own variation of the easy fight concluding with a kick in Xiao Niar's unnamables.

It is now time for your own quarter-finals - facing Ping Jun
"I still don't know how my lucky self reached so far in the competition. Like first year's turnament.
- This time, I know for me. And I can extrapolate for you : work, work and work.
- ... Dear friend, I think you might be right
- Ready? FIGHT!

1 anon roll 1d100, DC 40
>>
Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>6081379
>>
Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>6081379
>>6081380
I HATE BEST OF 1
I HATE BEST OF 1
>>
>>6081380
>>6081383
Good thing I haven't prompted a second roll yet.

===================

Available trumps :
- Spirits (Horse, Phoenix, Snake, Wolf)
- Unlimited Rising Star Kick
- 1 Blood Charge
- Summon Blood Shadow Wolf
- Blood Burst (Now disclosed, will let you reroll and won't one-shot)
>>
I let y'all agree on a trump before prompting the next test.
>>
>>6081385
Fuck the gamble in me is saying blood burst. I REALLY want to do blood burst, but this is so early into the tournament that I don't want to risk losing so early here.

>Blood Charge
>>
>>6081388
The blood charge can either be used for summon blood shadow wolf or Blood burst. Formatiing messed up.
>>
>>6081391
>Summon Blood Shadow Wolf
>>
>>6081385
>Unlimited Rising Star Kick
>>
>>6081391
>Summon Blood Shadow Wolf
I want to pass and keep fighting, but not win and overpower just yet. This way I want to have Ping Jun get to show off too.
>>
>>6081385
>summon blood wolf
If it dies, we can just turn it into a blood blast.

And if we win, it carries through to the next fight.
Also reinforces that this is our blood spirit.
>>
>>6081385
>Unlimited Rising Star Kick
>>
I think I'll lock the Blood Wolf
Come on. 1 more 1d100.
>>
Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>6081451
I rolled that 19, so I'm scared to roll again... but it's just as likely some other anon can roll shit like I did. So fuck it. GO BLOOD SHADOW WOLF!
>>
You both rush forward. Your spear meets his shield, you quickly meet his sword with your shaft. You kick, he leaps away
"You have the upper hand. That mean I'll have to give my all. Come forth, Golden Talisman Horse!"
The spirit you bounded to him. The one letting him step up. A part of your mind can't help and whisper to you that he would also greatly benefit from the Cosmic Golden Snake if you could catch more of them in the future.
He is really a sight to behold, mounted with his sword and shield, shrouded in a faint golden light.
Between the mount and the strange enchantment, you can't match him only with your raw talent.
"I need to send my treasured spirit... Come Forth, Blood Shadow Wolf!"
Note to self : find a real Blood Shadow wolf to merge with your Scion of the Primordial Wolf spirit. You have 3 or 4 ideas of techniques this would enable.
Second note to self : find out what the Monkey Army of Yi Norm exactly do - you have a hunched it would empower the Primordial spirit further

You and the summon circle Ping Jun. You order it to leap at your kindred spirit, sending a sweeping motion when he sidesteps his horse spirit.
Said horse spirit vanishes. Ping Jun falls - he nails the landing, readying a strike...
"Touch! Victory of Quiet Word of the Tamers of Hundred Beasts!"
Your summon clawed at his back.
"I'll try harder in the future... Didn't had any illusion for this year. But please, don't surrender this year.
- Dear Ping Jun, I'll swear I'll do my very best to win this edition."

You step out of the Arena. First half-final is Dhundan against LienWen JiaLin - an interesting fight among a supple and vicious fighter, and an unstopably scary saber wielder.
The results are not so surprising. You mentally thank Dhundan for his quick dispatch of his opponent - letting you easily keep your focus on your summon
"Don't overestimate yourself... Next year... Next year, I'll... I'll be second stage! and you'll have to suffer a thousand cuts from the Stable Lotus Spiritual Arts.
- Lots of words for a loser. Do like Quiet Word : when you lose, shut up and train for real."

It's time for your half-final - against the other Stable Lotus Heir. Your match. Your... match?
"You still seem weird. Are you alright?
- ...I'm getting ready to win this tournament, that's all.
- Ready? Fight!

>1 anon roll 1d100+5 (from the lingering wolf) DC 40
>>
Rolled 42 + 5 (1d100 + 5)

>>6081477
>>
Rolled 76 + 5 (1d100 + 5)

>>6081477
Don't drop your spaghetti
>>
>>6081480
CURSE YOU FAILING WIFI.
>>
>>6081477
Also. Heh.
Dhundan is a real one.
And given Ping's status and speed of cultivation, I think we could reasonably start thinking of a request from his sect and offer to soup him up again, in exchange.

Might be useful having a reputation as a man who helps his friends out.
>>
>>6081482
Rejecting this good roll

Shame. It would had helped you tremendously against Dhundan.
Joy. I hope it'll make the finals more epic;
>>
>>6081486
Don't rub it in, I'm already subjecting my phone to flagellation for the cockup.

Anyway, Let's put everything we can against Dhundan.
Everything except our wolf spirit.
>>
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>>6081479

"Here's some pointer and guidance, Quiet Word! You'll need them to stop being weird!
- What a coincidence! I have tremendously grown from last year's correction! Let me repay the favour!"
She rushes you head-on. Her fighting style offers little room for subtelty - she uses her excellent foundation to overcome her foes.
Smart move against everyone present - even Dhundan. Not so against you. Confident in your own progress, you kick onward. Roll under her nasty left hook.
Stab her lower back from behind - a bit like how you defeated the Giant Goose Spirit. You hope very much you won't become known as the Rump Piercer or something.

"Touch! Victory of Quiet Word of the Tamers of Hundred Beasts!"

A thunder of applause cover the stadium. A high risk, high stake, extremly short fight. You even have your Blood Shadow Wolf still summoned.
"... Was it even close?
- I'm afraid not. I'll try to win this for your reputation sake - so you could rub in JiaLin's face she lost against the first loser.
- Yes; let the whole Stable Lotus Harbor town know you're more than a fair match for this Young Mistress."
That fluster you some more.

"And nowwww... A match against the twice-champion, Dhundan Kepa! Against him, his friend, his brother who surrendered for Dhundan's sake two years ago.
Who just overcame finalist that made him taste the bitter defeat last year... Quieeeeet Wooooorrrrd!
Are you two ready? FIGHT!
"

>1 anon roll 1d100+5 DC 70
>>
Rolled 10 + 5 (1d100 + 5)

>>6081494
EPIC CLASH BETWEEN RIVALS!!
>>
>>6081495
pop goes the wolf spirit.

You have 1 free roll of 1d100 for Blood Burst - DC 80 because of Dhundan's barrier technique
>>
>>6081495
Right so we are swapping out for our snake first, right?

In order of trumps to burn.
>Blood blast from defeated wolf.
>Snake
>Horse
>Hawk
>RISING kick.

In that order. In my suggestion.
>>
>>6081495
No... the dice bring dishonor!

>>6081498
I refuse to roll again
>>
Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>6081498
Sneaky blood burst.
>>
Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>6081498
Check this nat 100
>>
>>6081502
Taking this
>>6081503
Discarding that

List of available trumps :
Spirits
Horse
Phoenix
Snake
Wolf
- Unlimited Rising Star Kick
>>
>>6081505
>Spear
We are going all put bar our wolf.
>>
>>6081505
>Snake

After the confusion of the burst, make a thrust on the other said that he was blocking the Blood Burst
>>
>>6081519
+1
>>
>>6081519
And if that fails, we can summon the horse to distract him, before collapsing space to put us on a third angle and hit em.
>>
Burning Golden Cosmic Spear Snake
>1 Anon roll 1d100; DC : 70
>>
Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>6081537
Poggers roll incoming
>>
>>6081540
FUCK MEEEEEEEEEE.

SERIOUSLY?!!?

>HORSE. HORSE. BURN THE HORSE.
This is really tense.
>>
>>6081541
Backing horse burn
Damn, 1 off really
>>
Brun horse.
>>
>>6081537
+1 to Horse

if suggesting tactics helps with the DC, then I say after being blocked with our spear attack, we use the unexpected height advantage of the horse to give a love tap into Dundan's dome
>>
Burning Shieldmaster Silver Horse
>Revealed trump effect : +10 to fight rolls

>1 anon roll 1d100 DC 60
>>
Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>6081550
>>
Rolled 57 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>6081550
Big money
>>
Rolled 30 (1d100)

>>6081550
CRITICAL SUCCESS, GO
>>
>>6081551
Thank god......
>>
Locked.

Too late to write; busy tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'll let you guys discuss about the potential Tournament Reward that would interest you.
>>
>>6081555
Body strengthening or regeneration technique or growth realm visit v2 to find it.
Basically something to top off this realm.
Maybe an affinity increasing treasure.
>>
>>6081550
FINALLY!

It took. . . Everything but our true secret trumps. But we GOTTEM!

FUCK YEAH!

>>6081555
I dunno about you guys, but 2nd stage stealth technics.
A polearm/halberd golden snake. [To turn our spear snake into a polearm snake, so it applies to more techniques]
I'd like a quality of life treasure to improve our shit in the 2nd realm.
Maybe. . . Yeah, 2nd realm regen/body toughening/sense improving.
Phoenix related scriptures and treasures.
A kiss from our beloved, perchance a hand in marriage?
Kidding, kidding. Unless?
>>
>>6081555
Oh damn we won just like that? I figured Dhundan would have a trump or two of his own to burn.
>>
>>6081555
As much as I like shapeshifting, it works best as a secret trump. Therefore:

>Something to increase our Potential stat. To bring us closer to natural genius.

>Failing that, training from Versatile Harmony in how they keep their souls flexible to incorporate so many disparate techniques.

>Failing that, first draft of the new talent for our Sect.
>>
>>6081561
Ennemy's trump are included in their DC. This is the Protagonist ultimate trump : unbalanced maths
>>
>>6081555
>Body strengthening or regeneration technique or growth realm visit v2 to find it.
>Maybe an affinity increasing treasure.
>A polearm/halberd golden snake. [To turn our spear snake into a polearm snake, so it applies to more techniques]
>Phoenix related scriptures and treasures.

>Something to increase our Potential stat. To bring us closer to natural genius.
>Failing that, training from Versatile Harmony in how they keep their souls flexible to incorporate so many disparate techniques.
>>
>>6081555

>A map

Once we pick a destination, gear nuances will become clearer.
>>
QM, I need an update... I need to know the reactions of the people that we finally showed our true talent and see what we get... I'm not addicted, I can leave it whenever I want
>>
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>Her fighting style offers little room for subtelty - she uses her excellent foundation to overcome her foes
This got me thinking, QM, is little Yan'Er just being a gorilla while she can use her spiritual arts in the second realm or does her spiritual art/cultivation method enable her being a gorilla?

>>6082239
Yep anytime
>>
>>6082239
I agree with this guy. Reactions are important
>>
>>6082239
Sincere apologise. Didn't pulled of the update yesterday; will try this evening
>>
You know I think we can take this chance to test how many aspects we need.

Get a Polearm Gold Earth snake, key words the same? SNAKE and GOLD. 2 unfamiliar elements. If we cannot fuse it, then we can sell it for another beast.
It's worth a test.
>>
>>6082535
Polarm not a bad idea it'll solve it but I had an idea that we at the keywords formless weapon since our guy is a genius at weapons. Or maybe transforming and switch spear with battle could ask an bro Ryota for thoughts.
>>
>>6082424
No worries.

>>6082535
Polearm/Spear Snake? Wow, that WOULD save all the work we put in on our polearm techniques plus throw people off more, huh?
>>
I want a SENTIENT plant. I want a guy we can plant in our cave and he'll spread his roots around and grow strong. Then one day a young master COURTING DEATH will come in our cave and be eaten by it. Basically a sentient home security system.
>>
>>6082625
We have shieldmaster horse. That's a better bet for turning into "battle/formless weapon" horse.

Our snake should be our melee weapon. We can try binding a bow to our phoenix if we like.
>>
>>6082654
You have a Warrior + Shield Horse - he's buffing all weapon in general, with an accrued effect on shield.
>>
>>6082648
Is there any wuxia madman that defied all the YOU ARE COURTING DEATH thrown everywhere and succeded in making Death itself his waifu?
>>
>>6082659
Yeah. See.

Now we just need to up the "warrior" into something like "weapon specialist"
>>
With all this discussion, I'll just say, THE BO/W IS RIGHT THERE, if we really want to get some weird shapeshifting weapon, we're already lacking with the one we have.

Or hell, maybe find some Divine Weapon Sheath that let us pull out of it any of the weapon we seal to the object. Imagine fighting some weird kid that SOMEHOW has a Phoenix spirit, you have the perfect weapon to counter his spear, and out of nowhere POW he summoned some meteor hammer and he keeps switching again and again and again.

I feel that maybe, just MAYBE we should either make a friend with someone of the warrior's sect or make the same offer we did with Ping, that is, offering to merge some spirit with one of their young talents in exchange for some shifting weapon they have, or something that would let us delve into it.
>>
>>6082677
Please stop ripping fo the power of Aris. I'll need it later.
>>
>>6082677
You misunderstand me.

I want a bonded spirit. Which has several more advantages than a treasure.
Like boosting our affinity. And improving our technical practice.
>>
>>6082686
>Like boosting our affinity.
So do a treasure
>And improving our technical practice.
So do a treasure

A spirit have other advantages - such as being able to grow among realm thanks to the secret of fusion.
A spirit have a major drawback - being dispelled far more easily than a weapon can be broken;
>>
>>6082685
I don't understand what you said anon so I can't promise anything

>>6082686
I mean... I get it but I feel we're really leaning a lot in our spirits and neglecting other stuff, like the other treasures or techniques we already know but we haven't practiced at all.
>>
>>6082690
And carry weight.
And ease of drawing.
And concealme-

A bag of holding.
A bag of holding solves all these issues. Just get a bag of holding.

>>6082699
We have a lot of plates to juggle, some of them are bound to fall behind.
But yeah, next up we can focus on getting bow technique up to par and meteor hammer.
If but only we had more time! But ah. Such as it is.
>>
>>6082699
Aris is an already-planned character which thing is close to what you described. I'm teasing you
>>
So just we can all get somewhat on the same page.

Regardless of what we can ask for, for winning, I think our next actions should be
>Ask Yi Nom for his monkey army move.
>Train our Meteor hammer style.
Since training our archer style has a risk of critting and we can't fully use that crit till 2nd realm.

And getting started with it would do us some good.
>>
>>6082727
You forgot to add practicing our Strut Of The Peacock technique around Dhundan.
>>
>>6082729
You know, this kind of Kek makes it harder for me to focus on your due update.
>>
>>6082739
Damnit, that was supposed to get other players only
>>
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At the call of the announcer, Dhundan's pressure rise, rise again, rise some more.
"I bet you'd wish having trained for that, Quiet Word!
- Oh, but so did I, Dhundan."
In turn, you focus your Fighting Intent, shaping it as a spearhead, piercing through the wave of oppression.
Giving your all, you push further, letting the Intent reach your rival. It doesn't last long. You're not sure spectators have seen it.
But you felt it : Dhundan flinched.
" So did you indeed... I can't afford to underestimate you! "
In one smooth motion, he unbound the fabric layered around his treasured Saber, reward of winning the first Stable Lotus Harbour tournament.
Sleek, obsidian-black blade that seems to absorb all surrounding light. Some twirling spirals are sculpted in the blade.
Your accrued perception gives you more information than last time : three energies mingle together. Two of them unfamiliar, one extremely so : this is a Growth-aligned weapon.
One that can pull spirit beast toward itself, as Dhundan did to that poor Southern branch kid during Stable Lotus gathering.

That mean the time of your summoned Blood Shadow Wolf is ticking of. Both of you rush Dhundan.
He retaliates with a wide cleaving motion, diverting your spear and deviating the summoned spirit in the same breath.
"Are you even trying?"
You don't answer, spinning the dispelled summon into your second and last Blood Burst.
Dhundan have a perfect half turn, sending a slash to your throat while summoning his Pangolin Scale Shield to block your attack.
"Materializing energy? I thought it was impossible before second stage! Unfair!
- It's the pot calling the kettle black with your Cheater's Shield!"
The trade starts again. A trade in your favor : you have more technique, more raw power. You send a bunch of fast thrust, block a vertical slash, strike at his leg with the staff end, avoided by a small jump backward from Dhundan. He immediately leaps back at you like a spring coiled then release, you block his thrust with your staff's shaft and push him on your left. Using the push, he turns into a spinning cleave, that you block by holding your spear vertically on your right

Crack
>>
"You fought well, Quiet Word. The most interresting fight since the main sect's event. However, now you're disarmed... Victory is mine!
- You're forgetting a little point of detail."

His dash on is opened wide. You extand your hand - letting the Golden Cosmic Spear Snake expand from your palm toward his throat.
Dhundan's charge turns into a sharp slide aiming your ankles. A few steps get you out of the assault.

"Doesn't change anything. One good hit you have to block instead of dodge, and you'll be helpless again"
You don't deign to give him any answer. One one hand, he's right. On the other, he won't have it so easy.

You take an hesitant step back. A second. He fell for the bait, and rush onward.
"Come Forth, Supreme Shieldmaster Silver Horse!"
You feel your meridians expanding with and in the Spirit, sharpening your fighting spirit; synergizing with your intent.
You were close to get him at least twice. This bolstered state of yours is the edge you needed to overcome this fight.
You lay the Snake Spirit at an impossible angle : dangling low, with the head oriented toward Dhundan's heart. Something stupidly hard to train against thanks to the weapon's autonomy.
Your Horse Leap; your aim was a bait. You pull the snake up, then slam him down while Dhundan is mowing down your Horse Spirit.
The snake struggles against Dhundan's saber attraction. But you two are strong enough to overtake it. Let the sharp edges of the snake's cobra-like hood acting as the weapon's tip slash through the protective enchantment. You stumble down, rolling.

"Touch! Victory of Quiet Word of the Tamers of Hundred Beasts!"

The arena erupts into thunderous applause.

"I... did it! I DID IT!"
>>
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>Your sect's mates reaction :
"Sister, we can't cope anymore by saying we were defeated by the champion.
-I thought I had a shot for the finale... I have to train harder.
- My cute junior brother is growing all nice and handsome...
- ... The kid is getting damn impressive. I'm glad I came back and witnessed that."
>Live Military Youth Reaction :
"Guys... We let Smelly Shrimp wins. None of us in finale. None of us in half-finale. None of you barring me in quarter-finale.
Thus I conclude you all suck harder than Ster Ling's sister and all of you shall call me Genius Brother Xiao Niar starting now.
- Eat shit. You had an easy ladder
- So did Quiet Word, facing you so early!
- Said the ugly wench who lost to someone who lost to someone who lost."
>Live Stable Lotus Reaction :
"Grmmbl.
-What is it, cousin? you realize the world among us? You were shred by the second while I had one of the closest match of the tournament against the winner?
Said winner which I epically won against last year? Ah, the subtile taste of victory is definitely enhanced by the salt of your tears.
"
>Live Ping Jun Reaction :
"So you upholded this promise too... You're really reliable."
>Live Sun Adorator, Temple of Abyssal Waters, Death Harvester reaction :
"Once I reach second stage...I'll definitely be the one...Standing at his place..."
>Live Prolific Valley Reaction :
"Welp. As expected. Anyway, I hope the BlackQiBerries I've been growing will be tasty."
>Live Expert Reaction
"This batch of disciple is overall very good. Congratulation to you all. Ryota, I counted at least 3 of your disciples worthy of a normal batch's champion title. Coupled with Sovereign Versatile Harmony golden boy, the commander's archer, my daughter and my niece...
- Count five for the beast tamers. In addition to our two finalist and Man Din, her twin Sin Din and the Yi Norm boy. With my recent windfall... Well, let's say I'm pushing them toward second stage before the end of the year.
- [bi]We can add in the balance Meying Youling. Rounding them up to a nice ten.[/bi]
Good. Now, regarding the fitting reward. Ryota?
- He'll ask for something unexpected which will be as good as an idea as it is expansive, but reasonable enough to be at the uppermost limit of the allocated budget.
I swear this is a part of his dao. So I'll do as much and send the town's concil the bill?


>free-form vote :
You will spend the rest of the day at the stadium, not watching the other fights (except maybe the ones of Gro Ta) but instead discussing with the other childs.

>What will you ask to who?
>>
>>6082777

>Talk with Inborn Tanuki's Lantern, if he is there and ask for advice on being a free cultivator and catch up with what he's been up to.
>>
>>6082782
+1
Also ask him why he decided to help Ryota assault Frost Copper Turtle sect. He could have bowed out after saving and escorting Bathias back
>>
>>6082777
Ha, the Live Military Youth may not have done well in the tournament but they win the comedy cup.

>What to ask
Bathias about talking spiritual beasts and how they're different from silent ones
>>
>>6082782
>>6082777
Support
Also how much did our mental health increase?
>>
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>>6082795
You're on the top of the world.
>>
>>6082782
Also, this is a freeform vote - most of your writes-in will be included.
There is an important choice I thought you would be discussing.

>What about LienWen YanEr (and maybe JiaLin) ? Do you tell about the prophecy?
Please tell what you plan to say.
>>
WAIT HOLD ON PEOPLE

Listen, the Scion Wolf already told us in our second visit that the spirit he gave us was lacking. What if we ask for some powerful body tempering technique for Wolf? Or something we can use that would help growing our wolf spirit in power.
>>
>>6082812
We can just say nothing I mean...
We haven't seen the other wife choices.
Can't have first girl syndrome
>>
>>6082777
>Talk to Ping, Maybe recommend he ask his master to talk to ours about a gold space animal.

>Talk to yan er, make a congratulatory statement and just. . Well vibe.

>True inborn guy. Bout stuff.

>Dhun and our friends. We won! And the sweet taste of victory. And console Dhun that he's the only guy we had to make serious prep for.
>>
>>6082825
Talking to Dhundan alone outside the afterparty would be cool. He never predicted Quiet Word developing Mental Pressure. I wonder if this will give Dhundan the idea to copy something from Quiet Word in turn?
>>
>>6082812
I am. . . Gonna say we tell her. But the framing has to be right.
Ask her how much she believes in prophecy. Then just lay out the poem, which we can consider a solidification of ties.

Then. . Ya know. If she still doesn't get it, just drop the bomb and ask thst she doesn't think us weird when we say so.
>>
>>6082817
Of course.
And what you'll say won't be binding or something. But it's been bothering Quiet Word
>>
>>6082812
I'd like to chat with them but not about the prophecy, that would be cringe.
>>
>>6082854
She did say we could tell her anything.

And it's really bothering us. Though by saying it, we could make it real.
>>
>>6082777
>Playfully do a peacock trot and gloat a little over Dhudan and make him call us "Senior Brother"
>>
>>6082710
You're giving us a cuhrayzee style switcher?

Anways, was the reward vote locked in yet? If not I suggest a chance to get into the growth realm again or any treasured material that can help Quiet Word prepare for the breakthrough to second stage.

>What will you ask to who?
Backing the Ping idea from >>6082825, we might be able to reap in even more rewards that way.

>What about LienWen YanEr (and maybe JiaLin) ? Do you tell about the prophecy?
It would be better to first consult this in a sensible way with a grown up like the snake or marten mistresses (and get teased for it)

Quiet Word might be a cultivator but he's still a kid, let's avoid directly messing with a girl's feelings for now.

Maybe ask a bit about her fighting style, most of the other kids we know use weapons so how come she doesn't?
>>
>>6083043
Yeah +1 this guy too
No going to YanEr with this stuff, go to adults instead. And the thing to talk to YanEr about is the fighting style, not the poem match stuff
>>
>>6083043
We know why.

Stable lotus arts use true Qi and spell slinging as their main gimmick.
>>
>>6083043
Snake mistress will probably help.
Avoid asking creepy sexy blood mistress
>>
>>6082782
>>6082825
these r good
>>
The rest of the day is spent in a chilling calm.
First, you spend a bit of quality time with Ping Jun
"So... What was that golden shine of yours?
- It's still quite weak, but it's the technique I'm good at. That, and now Talismans...
It basically makes me a bit better at everything that matter for me and my style. Empowers my sword strikes, reinforced my shield.
I feel it makes me faster but I was not able to measure how much with how little this is.

- Don't you feel you're giving away your trumps
- What kind of relationship do you think we have?
You gave me the tool I needed to turn into a Genius which reaches second stage before 8. I think you're my best friend, despite how sparsely we see each other.
I don't have any secret for you.
"
Your heart swells, then ache. You wish you could tell him so much.
But your Unlimited Rising Star Kick is a precious Growth technique. Your Rising Phoenix spirit might draw as much covetousness as your Wolf Spirit.
"I'm lucky to have such a great friend. Oh, and maybe... Say to your Master to ask my Master for a Gold and Space animal on your behalf; something nimble.
- You are lining up a second opportunity for me? Thanks! What is it?
- Can't tell.
- Come on! Don't act like it's a secret!
- I'm a man with many secrets.
- Oh yeah? How much are you holding from me?
- Let's see" - you count mentally : the Rising Phoenix Spirit, the Rising Phoenix Poem and your marital destiny, the Scion of the Primordial Wolf Spirit, the Unlimited Rising Star Kick, the Snake spirit you're currently pulling strings for him to get - "... At least 5" - you missed the Teapot at your belt and the Hemomancer's Pearl in your inner Pocket - "forgot two. Make it 7"
- Wait, you're serious? What could have went so different in our lives for you to become a man shrouded in so many mysteries?
- I'm not called "Quiet Word" for nothing".
- What are you two talking about?
- Hey, YanEr. Quiet word's secrets
- For you it's Young mistress LienWen YanEr. Seven secrets? I think I know one of them."
Your gut clutches. Shit, she knows for the poem! Wait... could it be last year's throw? Oh, not at all : she's eyeballing the teapot.
"Oxshit.
- Nah. YanEr really have one you don't. Maybe even two. But that would bring the count to 8. Be assured, she doesn't know what I've done for you, so not counting this one.
- Stop grinning stupidly. And you let him call you so casually?
- Well, winner's privilege.
- Nice to hear that, cute little YanEr.
- Don't push it. The bitter tea of defeat will be served to you again next year.
- Oh yeah, when you'll finally be able to do more than gorilla-punch weaker cultivators into submission?
- The Stable Lotus school of martial art is of the utmost efficiency! And it lays a perfect foundation for building our Spiritual Arts upon it!"
>>
"I'm still sore... With an easier matchup, I could have gone further while keeping my trumps!
- The only easy matchup at the round after the one you lost was Xiao Niar. I have a simple answer for you : get better, Yi.
- You're harsh.
- Yeah. You were already not the funniest guy to have around, so please don't let your victory go to your head
- Stop brooding Man Din. You were unlucky to face Dhundan. Against any other than him and maybe me I think you were on the track for Finale.
Speaking of, Dhundan you're aware I went all the way to modify my Meditation style to include Mental Training for facing you?
Maybe you can spin the lose into something productive like that. Ah, and don't forget to call me Senior Brother for now on.
- Maybe I can take something regarding work ethics... And go shovel dung.
- Not interresting without you, Junior Brother. And you're training as much as me!
- I will cut on my hour-long walk to go train secretly. 55... No, 50 minutes will do for now on."

"Hey Bathias, there is something I want to ask... Do you know about talking spiritual beasts and how they're different from silent ones?
- Where did you heard of such a thing?
- Storybook.
- Well, they exist. Take care if you stumble upon one - it means they're working on their Monster Core, so at least 4th stage.
The Monster Core then turn into a Golden Core - 5th stage Spiritual Beast can take an humanoid form if they wish so.
"

Lone in the stands, you see a familiar figure.
"Hello, Inborn Tanuki's Lantern.
- Do I happen to know you? If so, I fail to recall. You won your age's bout, right?
- Quiet Word. Beast Tamer. You saved my Big Brother Bathias, so thanks for that.
- It was good Karma - really profitable in the end.
- I wanted to ask... How's the Loose Cultivator life?
- A lot of freedom. Including the one of starving and lacking pills or medecine.
- So you don't advise it?
- Depends of your situation. Being part of a sect is making a deal. You'll get smaller rewards than alone. But you'll get more opportunities for said rewards.
In the end, it is more ressource-efficient for a vast majority of people. My circumstance are so that no one barring myself can give me the things I need for my cultivation. Thus my choice of loneliness and autonomy. I'm starting to be known as strong and reliable enough for mercernary work type contracts.
So I complain a bit about money, but things are way better than, say, two or three years ago. But not enough for me to support an apprentice if I met a promising young boy with affinity suited to my unique style..."

This put things in perspective. Maybe the Loose cultivator road is not the best one for you to tread on? Or, probably, he's demoralizing a would-be competitor. You can't say, with how long-lived cultivators are.
>>
The day conclude, and you are surprized you're not pulled apart for the reward.
Maybe there isn't this year?
You walk pensively back to the sect.
"So, what do you want for your win?
- Unconditionnal, free reign? Well, I'm on the verge of opening my Mouth Aperture. I know it's a good opportunity to attempt another go for Growth realm.
Can you set up formations or something to help me like you did last time?
- ... something unexpected which will be as good as an idea as it is expansive, but reasonable enough to be at the uppermost limit of the allocated budget.
- What?
- Nothing, nothing; It will be done. You're prohibited to cultivate until then though.
- WHAT? Wait, that make sense, but still... I guess I'll spend time with the other and...
- Nope. They're all going into seclusion. With special attention for the three lagging behind.
- What do you mean, you plan for 6 of us to break through second stage before the end of the year?
- Not quite. I plan for 6 of you to break through second stage at the same day before the end of the year.
Maybe more - we might invite Ping Jun, the LienWen cousins, Ster Ling and Meying Youling


The incoming week is hell. You're alone in the dormitory you usually share with the other disciples - after 2 and a half year, and no memories of a time before, they are siblings to your heart. You are banned from cultivating. The only thing you can do is work hard on the mundane beasts - with some kids that are scared of you after failing to beat you up, and other that are at best mediocre, at worst severely lacking. A constant flow of high-grade expert come and go, inclduding the Marketer Golden Eye, Silver Tongue, as well as the Sovereing Versatile Harmony (twice) and Young Uncle

Until Ryota gives you the go to a seclusion room. Multiple encense burn, a high wave of spiritual energy vibrates due to several formations on the floor, a skewer of fruits and tea leaves somehow vibing with Growth energy, and a couple pills.
They really stacked the deck in your favor.
You bring out your Phoenix spirit, brew a cup of tea. Dance the Rising Phoenix's wide ballet, practice a couple time your Rising Kick. Circulate your Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer

The odds bend the luck. Soon, you feel your Mouth Aperture filling up and time slowing to a crawl while the Doors of Growth realm appear one last time in front of you.
You feel they're smaller than before and you're almost too big to squeeze through.

>Bonus stage : Everybody can roll 1d100 for loot!
You can write what you want, I don't promise I will follow the writes-in for loot distribution.
There might be a few votes.

A/N : is the Yearly Tournament event thing not too boring? I always enjoy writing it, but
>>
Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>6083559
>Stealth technique for 2nd realm

I love this competition! It's a safe place where we can show off.
>>
>>6083586
OH. OH BABY.
SENIORS. JUNIORS. MY GREATEST CONTRIBUTION EVER!
>>
Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>6083559
SENTIENT ALARM PLANT FOR OUR CAVE
>>
Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>6083559
I quite enjoy it it shows off the relationships and each time there was a lot of thought to be had on giving up the win for greater rewards.
Using those opportunities to grow building the MC's mental state and growth as a child.

Also since I got a free day from studying I'm going to go through all the threads and put together a paste bin of all the useful information/ abilites/ training methods.

As for growth realm item?
I want to find a body-building cultivation technique that could increase strength, speed, toughness, and regeneration. (QM Choice)
It could be expensive pills or a training art.
Something to give the edge to Quite Word.
>>
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>>6083586
Pog
>>
Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>6083559
> A compatible Wolf spirit to feed to our Primordial Scion
>>
Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>6083559
A map leading somewhere mysterious...
>>
>>6083594
Oh and yes I like the ancient chinese tournament arcs with all the collective fight autism and factions and reactions to fight outcomes happening
>>
Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>6083559
Goblin
>>
>>6083559
Some interesting manual for either a hand to hand fighting style or for a weapon, something that would be kinda hard for us to find in our world
>>
>>6083586
>Be me
>The thing I didn't wanted to give was a stealth technique
>Looks who rolled a nat 100

Dice giveth, dice taketh. But I'd appreciate if you want something else

>>6083589
Granted

>>6083590
>>6083592
>>6083594
>>6083596
Git gud at rolling.
>>
Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>6083602
Lmao, my goofy ass forgot rolling. Whatever, WATCH THIS SUCCESS CRIT
>>
>>6083604
Granted for Growth Fighting Style
>>
>>6083604
2 90's wew and a nat 100 this growth realm is going well.

Shame on my roll tho oh well :/
>>
>>6083603
Anything, ANYTHING?!

Fine, To grant this senior face, I will turn my desire from a stealth technic to. . .

Bag of holding or evolve our snake to 5 words [as far as we can withn100 anyway]
Dealers choice.
>>
>>6083615
I feel like we can snag a bag of holding eventually. Snake I think we can do it on our effort but is reasonable.

*whisper*
Body cultivation~ Mental cultivation ~
A ring which holds a small realm to farm alch ingredients that grows.
But it's just a suggestion.
>>
>>6083620
Hmm. You raise valid point.

>LAST CALL. NO CHANGES AFTER
Spend the Nat 100 on a sensory/anti-illusionary body art.

I want us to have the keenest fuckin' senses that anybody could claim. Nobody sneaking up on us.
Even if we are cripplingly weak to illusions, this should help mitigate some.
>>
Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>6083559
Damn, I got beaten to a fighting style and other interesting things.

I'm fishing for a flight technique or something that'll be really useful later then, just to force QM to keep track of it (I love you QM).
>>
>>6083615

Bag of holding is a waste of growth keyword because of what I plan for >>6083589
Same goes for giving Growth to a spirit IMO. Waste of a 100


But you do you
>>
>>6083632
Good thing I got beaten, this daoist kneels...
>>
>>6083624
Great idea.
Not really of Growth purview.
I swear we'll make something work.
>>
>>6083636
Prob a mental training art?
Growth of Spiritual energy that can be used to sense things / create mental pressure eventually and sharpen the will. Also Breaking through illusions is my take on it.

On it being a growth-aligned method while also meeting his ask.
>>
>>6083636
Hmm.

I'll thunk on it.

So far we have Growth fighting style, Growth bird, Growth movement, Growth mind tempering, Growth body tempering in the poisoner's self trial.
. . Guys are we just a Growth aspected cultivator?

But that aside.
Hmmm. Could it uhhhhhhhh.
Hmm. So. What if it was just a trick to let our spiritual energy go really really far?
Something to turn our spear thrusts from 3 feet into 12, or our spirit infused arrow shots from 500 feet to 2000.

Generally do for our attacks and qi manifestations in the real world what happens naturally in the real world.

If this idea is still none viable, I found the perfect idea instead.
>Reveal apex technique of rising pheonix waltz
>>
>>6083643
Just know, i considered asking for another pendant on our soul. But decided not too.
>>
Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>6083559
A map to a remnant of some kind. It's high time we mount an expedition with all our friends!
>>
Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>6083559

Something to grow friendships like berween Ai and Dhundan
>>
>>6083654
Granted.
>>
Alright. On second third or fourth, shaddup thought...

I'LL COLLECTIVIZE THE 100

Here below are some things worthy of a 100 roll in Growth realm.

>Spiritual Art : Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
Why it's good : Will let you rise your Blood potential more easily. Insanely strong Healing art

>Evolution of your Feather Twirling Bo(w) : Rising Phoenix's Twirling Bo(w)
Why it's good : Insanely strong versatile bow/staff weapon. Rising + Phoenix Keywords.

>Unbreakable Chuan Fu of the Complete Fighter (Growth, Robe, Shield, Spiritual Resistance, Mental Resistance, Physical Resistance)
A set of martial art clothes finely embroidened with motives including Phoenix, Wolf, a red Bead and a Teapot
Why it's good : stupidly versatile cloth armor that will scale up with you. Comes with an auto-repair feature.
>>
>>6083669
We can get another healing art.
>Chuan fu of the complete fighter.

This is priceless.
>>
>>6083669
>Spiritual Art : Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
Why it's good : Will let you rise your Blood potential more easily. Insanely strong Healing art

Will round us out nicely.
>>
>>6083669
Damn this a tough one.
On one hand never have to worry about armor ever again.

On the other hand insane healing art that'll scale the shit out of our abilities.

How I wish for both now if can consider equipment doesn't usually scale and you need new ones for each realm. That'll save on costs and we look fly as fuck. The Drip acquired.

Yet the art will help us out for (prob will) for any injuries we get when we go solo.

Yah my vote has to be for.

>Spiritual Art : Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)

As we can key in another 2 keywords eventually, Such as Mental strength and Physical Strength.
>>
>>6083679
Thinking about it we could get one next tournament/ sect meet. It won't be as good as what's offered here (I forget when that's happening) Or when Transplan happens and we try getting lucking capturing some beasts for the trade.
>>
We are never beating the allegations that we are Spiritual Growth Human
>>
>>6083669
>As I was compiling the thread into a pastebin I came across something interesting in thread one.

- Treasures. In addition to material, treasure-weapons, insignia, clothes can be found. You can also find secret techniques, as well as spiritual beasts. The luckier cultivator can also find hidden legacies and inheritances."

An interesting thing someone could roll to find an inheritance / legacie I kinda wanna go treasure hunting.
>>
Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>6083669
>Unbreakable Chuan Fu of the Complete Fighter (Growth, Robe, Shield, Spiritual Resistance, Mental Resistance, Physical Resistance)

Also including my original treasure roll for >>6083559
Something snake related
Yearly tournament was great btw, very gripping read
>>
>>6083669
>Unbreakable Chuan Fu of the Complete Fighter (Growth, Robe, Shield, Spiritual Resistance, Mental Resistance, Physical Resistance)
I really love the idea of this

If we really want to go for our Blood affinity, I'm sure we could find out way into the Blood realm. It would be a highly dangerous but really enlightening experience, and would lead to discover the horrors that hide in the more sinister types of following the Dao... Can't wait!
>>
Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>6083559
>Body Size Shapeshifting

>>6083669
>Spiritual Art: Crimson tides of life Ichor
>>
>>6083669
>Unbreakable Chuan Fu of the Complete Fighter (Growth, Robe, Shield, Spiritual Resistance, Mental Resistance, Physical Resistance)
>>
>>6083669
>Unbreakable Chuan Fu of the Complete Fighter (Growth, Robe, Shield, Spiritual Resistance, Mental Resistance, Physical Resistance)
Technically we don't need healing if we never get hurt in the first place.
>>
Rolled 74 (1d100)

Also I'm the anon who rolled for the bow from last thread btw, gonna go ahead and try to roll for a
>growth related hidden legacy
mostly cause I don't know what a legacy is within this quest and I'm curious.
>>
Alright I've compiled Threads 1-3 information we know. The Arcs are summaries below that are questions that were asked and answers given then sect info then known cultivation levels then known affinities(QM can check that overs Think I got most forgot where to put light think it Bad level)
then a paste bin link to beasts and learned techniques with interesting tidbits to remember
now going to pass out. Might do Thread Arc 4 tomorrow or the day after depends on life things. See yall later.

https://pastebin.com/kJnBV30m
>>
>>6083796
Sadly, no legacy in the Growth realm.

So this is a GETS-worthy roll. but for something else.
>>
Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>6083559
A growth aligned spear or halberd

I enjoy the tournament
>>
>>6083669
>Spiritual Art : Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
>>6083899
The pastebin is set to private
>>
>>6083796
We could use a healing art, since we seem to be going for the Chuan Fu
>>
>>6083669
>Unbreakable Chuan Fu of the Complete Fighter
>>
>>6083669
>>Spiritual Art : Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
I just think it's neat
>>
>Tally status

Really close. Still letting everyone a chance to chime in before locking.

Also with no answer yet from >>6083796...

I'll putting a second GETS to vote!
This time, let's build our Growth Weapon instead of me dully rolling for it.
Pick a weapon :
>Bow, Spear, Halberd or Meteor-Hammer?

Pick a Material :
>Smoke, Rock, Obsidian, Wood, Leaf, Blossom, Shadow, Ghost, Silk, Blood, Crystal, Gem, Pearl, Steel, Copper, Silver, Gold, Jade

Pick an element :
Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thundern Darkness, Light, Life, Death, Space, Sound, Soul, Void, Ice, Poison, Time, Dream, Mist, Gravity

I'll roll for additional stuff and mesh the whole thing in a relevant item.
>>
>>6083983
I think we had a decent affinity for jade.

>Meteor hammer
>Jade
>Space

Space jade meteor hammer.
Fuck yeah.

I keep wanting to change my vote, but every time I imagine the drip, I stay my hand.
>>
>>6083983
> Meteor-Hammer
> Gold
> Time
>>
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>>6083997
>>
>>6083983
After checking, jade is our highest affinity, known, followed by wood.

>Gamm8
What's this captcha?
>>
>>6083983
>Blood
>Dream
>Meteor Hammer

Designed to lean into divination, for finding people. That way if someone we care for goes missing, we,lll always find them. If someone messes with us? We always find them. We'll become the implacable man.
>>
>>6083899
>>6083931
https://pastecode.io/s/17n32ub6
Yeah I got some filter words whatever that means found an alt that can post on if they're not gonna give me a list of words I'm not gonna care.
>>
>>6083983
>https://pastecode.io/s/17n32ub6
>>6084059
I have listed known affinities in the paste bin but I'll post here. (I believe) up to the end of thread 3 I got the correct placement of known affinities.

Known Affinites -
Genius Tier: Wolf, Horse, Meteor-Hammer
Greater skills and affinities: Hawk, Snake, Spiritual Strength, Astral Self, Social, Strategy, Unarmed fighting, Spear, Halberd, Shadow, Gold, Beasts, Poison, Earth
Good - Fire, Bow, Saber, Jade, Wood, Mist
Bad - Blood material affinity and Pain mental energy, Water, Darkness, Sun, Swimming, Illusion, Plant, Liquid

Choice
>Meteror Hammer
>Jade
>Space
>>
>>6084061
Why not Jade Illusion for strong + weak together?
>>
>>6084059
Impressive work.
I might add the pastebin in the next thread's header
>>
>>6084070
It's a treasure, not a technique.
It will reinforce the associated keywords.
So I'd advise to only pick "strong" keywords.
>>
>>6084070
I mean are we gonna tip our toes into illusions? I figure for this we just go with our best affinities however if a weapon can raise a person's affinity then sure I can switch my vote over. I believe QM said something along those lines.
>>
>>6084077
Thank you for the clarification

>>6084079
I was wrong
>>
>>6084086
Also, with our teapot and mass amounts of growth aspected techniques. . .

We should be able to just slam on the training like mad men.
Poisoner's self trial + Pheonix poem of asendency + Space collapsing knee + our new unarmed fighting style.

Supported by teapot and pills. We should EXPLODE IN PROFICIENCY over the next few months.
>>
>>6084075
>>6084061
Neat haven't gotten to space affinity when was mentioned but I believe we got some affinity idk if it's greater. No idea how much if not I'll switch my vote to gold or earth.

Also thanks took we like 6+ hours to hash that all out.
>>
>>6084099
Switched ID on phone out and about whenever I get home I'll get thread 4 done.
>>
>>6083983
Sorry I feel asleep shortly after posting
>Meteor-Hammer, Jade, Space
Sounds fine to me.
>>
File: eyecatcher.jpg (197 KB, 1200x800)
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Shameless post to let readers that simply scroll through now were we are
>>
>>6083669
>Spiritual Art : Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
>>6083983
>Bow
>Jade
>Space
>>
>>6083983
>Ghost Soul Spear
>>
Ya know thinking about it. Should we tell our friends about spirit fusion? We got a few months before they breakthrough 2nd stage.
>>
>>6084260
Eh probably for the best to keep it a secret for now its still one of the few leg ups we have on everyone else knowledge wise and I'm afraid telling them could backfire in some way. If we do tell them we should do it for either a huge favor/exchange of knowledge or in a way it cant be linked directly to us like through a vague poem appearing in the dorms or something.
>>
>>6084260
>>6084267
You fused Yi Norm's Monkey Spirit.
Man Din spirit is too strange to be fused
You're not too worried about Dhundan and Ai.
Remains the case of Sin Din.
>>
>>6084316
Hmm.

Qm, exactly how good is insanely good healing art.
Like repair limbs good?
>>
>>6083983
>Meteor Hammer
>Ghost
>Space
>>
>>6084367
Yes. Not immediately though. At high level, it's "patching up a dying ally on spot well enough they can charge back into the fray" good
>>
>>6084375
Oh shit it works on others? That's so damn good
>>
>>6084375
Fuck it, you sold it to me.

STRATEGIST MUST MAKE SACRIFICES.
>>6083673
>Replace Chuan fu with the Spiritual art
>>
Come on guys the clothing has almost every resistance possible and will literally scale with us for the rest of the game there will be another chance for a healing art but I really do not think there's going to be another chance for something like this anytime soon.
>>
Also I will note being able to heal decently matters jack diddly if someone mindfeks us or we get shredded instantly by the 3rd Realm Prince we slighted by glancing in his direction for 0.001 seconds. Being the healer without any defensise to back us up also makes us target numbo uno for anyone that wants to kick our ass and or the ass of people we care about. I genuinely think the healing art isn't as good as it first appears.
>>
I would have picked the chuan fu if it didn't have the sources of our power emblazoned on the front- especially the wolf.
>>
>>6084472
Valid point both have pros and cons however we can profit off the art greatly in our travels which I figured out a middle ground we could achieve. Making a pilgrimage throughout the lands learning many things and making a name for the sect while being independent. In those travels being a healer will earn us coin and friendships that we can call in at a later time in life.

ACTUALLY IF THE EMPEROR IS STILL ALIVE WE COULD HEAL HIM AND GET FUCKING PAID HOLY SHIT ON A STICK. 200 IQ.
>>
Healing is a pretty noble career.
>>
>>6084480
Wouldn't the emperor have his own healers? Like, I know it worked for the heretic in the heretic cultivator quest but the MC in that one is on a wayyy higher power level then us and the emperor had some high level curse thing that normal healing arts couldn't fix.

Regardless the traveling healer idea is pretty nice.

>>6084477
I mean, we could just wear a chest piece over it considering its practically normal clothing, I mean think of the armor stacking potential!
>>
Meteor Hammer
Gold material
Space aspect
>>
>>6084466
I don't think we're going to get to go to the growth realm again.
I might be wrong, but it feels like a "seedling sprout" type journey.

And while I know that we'll probably never get a treasure this good ever again. Ever.
My mind is haunted by those months we spent injured, and unable to cultivate.
>>
>>6084466
>There will be other chances for a healing art, although "as good" won't have the scale-for-free propriety and would require something like a legacy
>There will be other chances for Daoist clothes, although "as good" won't have the scale-for-free propriety and would require something like an inheritance
>>
So here's the tally status.

Not 100% locked but I will write sooner or later.
>>
You got a 99-roll on the additional keyword of that weapon of yours.

I think you know what it means.
>>
>>6084653
It amuses me that we have effectively arranged for a set of techniques to cultivate for our entire life.
>>
>>6084695
Also, that's like. . . the 4th 90+ on this trip?

PROFITS FOR DAYS
>>
>>6084695
What transformation? Fusion? Bro the Weapon fusing would be straight up fire.
>>
>>6084695
Ohhh, Pheonix!

>Nawr4
. . . okay captcha. . meany
>>
>>6084695
I swear our protags luck has been absurd by /qst/ standards even by normal standards its quite insane... not that I'm complaining.
>>
>>6085027
Well, most of that is due to your actions :
On your first visit of Growth Realm, you stockpiled the "Mystery Box/Growth Insight" choice, leading me to allow you coming back into Growth realm.
Second trip was good for improving your 3 friends and your Phoenix aspect.
This one... will lead to interresting things for Quiet Word.
>>
File: JadeRisingStarPhoenix.jpg (47 KB, 800x600)
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You open your eyes with great difficulty. How long have you been away from the room?
The reward you reaped this time is stupidly large. But you can't seem to recall any part of the journey.
A sad half-smile on your face, you came to a realization : while you were in the middle of your breakthrough, you were without a doubt the cultivator with the most understanding of "Growth" that have walked under the Heavens. Alas, this was merely a fleeting moment : the elusive Growth realm only manifest itself to a handful lucky first stage cultivators. Your first trip there main profit was, in fact, insight on Growth itself which let you reach the moving kingdom two more times.

Something's on your thigh : a long chain made of polished green jade linking two decorated and exquisitly carved Jadestones.
The first is scuplted in the likeness of your bounded Phoenix spirit. The second like a shooting star.
Both weights feel denser than one would expect. And something seems off with the chain itself : it flows and flows through your hand, longer than it reasonably should be. You pick both the weights, and it reduces to just a couple feet long. Perfect : it could pass as a rich and ornated bracelet. You tie it on your right forearm.
A fragment of fleeting memory came back : you find this thing back into the place you created by using your insight of growth realm and the hidden map of the poem to attune energies to the Phoenix in Growth realm - collapsing the delicate balance of the place but pulling of another Rising Phoenix related boon.
The Jade Rising Star-Phoenix

And it might not be the most impressive boon you clutched.

Both your hands opens, revealing treasures. First your right hand holds, a seed, brimming with Growth energy.
You resolve to plant it near your Immortal Cave.
Second, your left hand holds a thread. You instinctively know it can tie two persons into an unbreakable, growing bond.
You think of Ai and Dhundan. But you also think of yourself and LienWen YanEr. Yourself and Ping Jun. Yourself and any of your friends.
However, you don't feel the oppressive continuous whispering of time inevitably passing in relation to that thread. Maybe holding on it for now would be best.
>Write-in : what do of Thread?

On the intangible side, you are richer of two new techniques.
First is a Martial art. A style of unarmed fighting - a bit similar to the one letting LienWen YanEr fight weaponless.
Its name is straightforward : the Metal-melting Truefire

Second is yet another unusable technique until you can work with True Qi.
A Spiritual Art named "Crimson Tides of Life Ichor", a healing art revolving on blood - Meaning the healing is conditionned on supplying blood.
This will synergize greatly with your Hemomancer's profound Bloodstore treasure as well as your Summon Blood Shadow Wolf spiritual arts :
A blood-shadow wolf is a walking store of blood, as proved by your Blood Burst attack.
>>
Still a bit dizzy, you take some time to realize what pulled the Growth Realm visit trigger - bolstered with consumed ressources and burnt formations.
Your Mouth Aperture broke open. The last minor realm of First stage.
Disappointment slightly rend your heart : you were, once again, unlucky and didn't obtained Innate Skill.
Well, not like you can complain much about bad luck.
Strangely, your Teapot isn't brimming with its eldritch energy - is it scamming you? Time for an Astral Self Appraisal.
You feel your Qi and Blood threads can now circulate among your opened apertures : from your Heart to your Eye to your Nose to your Ear to your Mouth.
There, it feels like a ridge is blocking your energy stream. Maybe with a push, it will bulge and continue its natural path? You focus...
"Don't.
- Ryota? Haven't seen you...
- Right now, you have one last trial before second stage.
Fish Leaping Through the Dragon Gate. It can be trivial. But if failed, you will lose your carefully stockpiled cultivation.
But fear not, I arranged something for you. A tribulation letting you guys break to second stage for sure. You'd be well advised to work on your group fighting tactics.

- What? It means I'll be delayed and will never break through before I'm 8, and...
- Nonsense. The Frost Copper Turtle... I mean Frost Beasts Town victory gave me enough funds to nurture them and force their rise to genius.
That, and your Growth Gambit paid nicely. Man Din, Sin Din and Yi have broken through Ear Aperture a few days ago. And I'm pumping into each of them five relevant consumable treasure once they finish stabilizing, bringing them to half-full Mouth aperture. The sect experts - including myself - are supervising them a few hours every day. They still think YOU pushed them harder than what we're doing though.


The rest of the week will be spent by yourself near your Immortal Cave, where you planted and cared for the seed.
You won't try breaking through yourself, trusting your master.
>>
Chose 2

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
Friendship [All Locked]
>Keep improving things between Ai and Dhundan [require write-in on how]
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation!
>Help Yi Norm developping his Fighter archetype [Locked until tournament ends]
>Train Squad Tactics [Locked until tournament ends]
Other
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan [Locked]
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire [Locked, require True Qi]
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault [Apex reached]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Arts Technique [Locked, require True Qi]
>Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts[Locked until you have acces to the sect's Spirit Beast Pens]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Take care of the new kids [Locked]
Strengthening the Jar
>Slack off
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love [Locked]
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
>>6085053
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Slack off
Figure we can slack off a bit since we're chilling until the breakthrough. It'll help our breakthrough to the next realm I assume.
I do have a question since we can't focus on our foundation don't we choose 3? Or is it too late in the month?
If not then also
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.

>Write-in: what do of Thread?
Hmmm well, do we want to connect Ai and Dhundan? They are polar opposites on the spectrum. To be honest, we should keep and use together with whoever Word ends up with as a dao companion.
>>
>>6085053
Shouldn't it be 3 things, since we can't practice our foundation stuff without breaking through?

>Meteor hammer style
>Body shifting with our animals.

And if we have an extra action.
>Unlimited rising kick.

We're gonna pop off. Hell yeah.
>>
>>6085053
>Slack off
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals

>>6085065
>Hmmm well, do we want to connect Ai and Dhundan? They are polar opposites on the spectrum. To be honest, we should keep and use together with whoever Word ends up with as a dao companion.
Thread on ourselves and Marten Mistress
>>
>>6085065
>>6085066
The unit of time is 2 weeks.
You already "picked" foundation on this unit (with the breakthrough) thus why chose 2 without Foundation.
>>
>>6085069
I really didn't expected that thread use as a proposition. Macron road for Quiet Word love life?
>>
>>6085070
gotcha, thanks.

>>6085069
. . . Uh. No.

>>6085066
forgot.
>Keep the thread for our own use.
This kind of thing is. . mmm.
>>
>>6085072
Wait. Group fighting?

That means we should practice our bow to become medium cavalry
>>6085066
>Change body shifting to Bow style
>>
>>6085078
>That means we should practice our bow to become medium cavalry

In that case, I think you want to take this choice
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in]
>>
>>6085087
I think you are right.

>REFLECT ON ARCHETYPE: BECOME HEAVY CALVERY.

Now hear me out. We are a weapon specialist and becoming a strategist.
But in a team where everyone is expected to work together and know everyone else's accomplishments/abilities as far as they pertain to combat, we should be a mounted archer.

Quick to reposition, attack from far away so we have the time/focus to both contribute and to stratergise
>>
>>6085089
>>6085065
Switch over
But we should slack off eventually to strengthen the jar
>>
Before I dump my ideas, what are we referencing for archetypes, QM?
>>
>>6085050
>Write-in : what do of Thread?
What are the exact implications of the unbreakable, growing bond, QM? Also is the close combat style also a growing one?

>>6085053
>Loose cultivator "eventuality" and archetype as separate activities.
I'll go with eventuality then.

How long are we going to stay in a sect? Are we leaving alone or with someone else? Do we really have to leave or are we expecting the sect to be BY THEIR ROOTS'd soon?

>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick
The better our movement techniques are, the easier it will be to abuse our long mid and close range options.
This is going to turn QW into a pain in the ass for anything that doesn't flat out outspeed/maneuver, overpower/outlast or outluck him, not even accounting for the spirit beasts or the blood technique we got.

I feel like regardless of being a leader or fucking off, we'll benefit greatly from getting really good at swtiching "stances" on the fly so let's try practicing it with this objective in mind.
>>
>>6085053
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation!
>Reflect on

>Thread? Hold onto it. Bonds can be interpreted many ways, this could easily become a curse. Perhaps get it appraised?
>>
>>6085053
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals.
>Write-In: Reflect on Archetype: Become Jump Jet Striker - Rise high, strike fast, and blend with our double-attacks. Best target is the squishier enemy backline.
>>
>>6085178
Lemme try reflecting again. Ah-hem.

>Reflect on becoming a Warband Master focusing on squad tactics and supporting your small warband with leadership, training, and healing.

(Did I do it right)
>>
>>6085050
>Hold on to the thread
>>6085053
>Slack off
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
>>
>>6085053
>Slack off
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Use thread on Ai and Dhundan, they are the least connected, and if we tie them together, all 3 of us will stay friends.
>>
>>6085245
Not quite. Still a passing grade
>>
>>6085133
>What are the exact implications of the unbreakable, growing bond, QM?
You only know it's positive.

>Also is the close combat style also a growing one?
Yes

Also,
>Tally status
Not locked.
>>
>>6085394
I am perturbed by the slackers, we are already on top of the world.

But at least both of my other options is in the lead.
If a slacker shifted one vote to hammer or reflection, it would be set.

Slightly funny if that the only time we slack off is when our siblings/friends aren't around.
Also, we should point man din towards the blessed 33 shape beast. She might find use studying that story. Since. Ya know.
>>
>>6085053
KEEP THREAD
ARCHETYPE REFLECT
SLACK OFF
They said hold off so I say hold off. In the meantime we can attend to other matters that don't involve cultivation. Working around the sect compound, relax outside of that. Chill with the spirit beasts and the other animals. We are on the cusp of second stage, so all we can do is be patient
>>
>>6085418
+1 to telling Man Din about 33 shape beast too
>>
>>6085418
>I am perturbed by the slackers, we are already on top of the world.
We've never slacked and this is the perfect time to do so. I want to see what effects it has. Maybe it gives a bonus to all actions selected next round.
>>
>>6085050
>Keep thread for now
>Slack off
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]

I gotta say something like the thread even existing has some mildly disturbing implications.
>>
>Still tied
>>
>>6085832
Fuck it.

>>6085066
>Change meteor hammer to slack off.

There, tie broken.
>>
File: SeedSprout.png (122 KB, 298x405)
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For the first time, you try to releasing the pressure by taking things slow.
>Consequence of 5 threads where you pushed as strong and hard as possible at the modicum cost of your sanity in case of failure
This was a tremendously bad decision. Not only you're bored, but you can't fight the creeping feeling of falling behind.
It's irrational as you are ahead of the other childs, still stuck in seclusion. At one point, you wonder if you could not simply go and "help" them.
However, when you suggest this to Ryota, he begs you to have mercy on them and not barge in their seclusion to make them cultivate thrice at hard.
Apparently, the intensive program of the sect including monitoring of the teachers is less harsh than what you pulled them through recently.
Slackers. THe whole lot of them. And you too. Why are people slacking to begin with?
A point can be made when hurt - in addition to avoid worsening a wound, it might accelerate recovery. However, it's ill suited for you and your mental wellbeing.
At the very least, it gave you ample time to tend and watch for the seed, which sprouted in one mere week. It's brimming with several energies, still too tangled for you to correctly identify.

You spend a fair bit of your free time reflecting upon your Archetype - and Squad strategy at large.

You mentally chart and categorize your understanding, based on your thought and experience.

Of course, Roles are not set in stone. A cultivator can fit several one. But at a squad level, to rely effectively on other members, a strategy must be decided - and sticked to.
In the end, several roles are closely accessible to you - granted you train them to the Apex of your current cultivation.
To stave off the boredom of past week, you think it would be great to open yourself to as many options as possible in the following weeks.

First, what's available to you as is.
Of course, you can be a Fighter. But so can Xiao Niar.
Your Apex spear-style coupled with your numerous spirit opens to you the role of SUMMONER.
Still, you feel you can push your reflection further - your fighting style is both Martial and Spiritual...
Closely available to you are :
* The role of Heavy Cavalry - needing your Halberd Style to reach the Apex.
* The role of Mounted Marksman - needing your Bow Style to reach the Apex.
* The role of JUMP JET STRIKER - needing your Unlimited Rising Star Kick to reach the Apex, as well as either your Bow style or your Meteor Hammer Style.
>>
Squad tactics notes :

=================================================================
ROLES
=================================================================
Basic role :
Fighter - dull and simple. Available to all

Martial roles : Really primarilly on Martial Styles
Frontliner - A sturdy and menacing melee fighter. Point toward ennemy and let him carve his path toward the high-value targets.
Protector - an heavily armored Shieldbearer able
Marksman - A skilled, ranged fighter
Mounted Marksman - a more mobile Marksman with a vantage point.
Heavy Cavalry : Human Wrecking ball with charges as devastating as predictible.

Spiritual roles :
Spellslinger - An offensive spiritual art expert
Arcane Guardian - A defensive spiritual art expert
Healer - A recovery spiritual art expert
Summoner - A spiritual art expert able to bring more forces on the battlefield


Specialist :
Scout - a highly mobile unit harassing and capitalizing positionning errors of foes to pick up valuable targets, or harass from dead angles colossal opponent
Assassin - a discrete unit able to launch devastating strikes on unaware units
JUMP JET STRIKER - Who care for discretion when you can jump hard, and hit even harder?
Wildcard - A versatile unit able to fill multiple roles on the spot. Won't perform as well as a dedicated unit in each role.


=================================================================
TRAITS
=================================================================
Menacing - User of Pain/Intimidation mental energy
Duelist - specialized in 1v1
GiantSlayer - specialized in dealing ample amount of damages to a single target
Battledancer - specialized in 1vsMany in melee
>>
Either Combine a Foundation and chose 2, or chose 3
You can pick a foundation without risking breaking through.

Combine your Foundation work (pick 1 body and 1 meditation):
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet] [Apex reached]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial] [Locked, requires true Qi]

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
Friendship [All Locked]
>Keep improving things between Ai and Dhundan [require write-in on how]
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation!
>Help Yi Norm developping his Fighter archetype [Locked until tournament ends]
>Train Squad Tactics [Locked until tournament ends]
Other
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan [Locked]
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire [Locked, require True Qi]
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault [Apex reached]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Arts Technique [Locked, require True Qi]
>Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts[Locked until you have acces to the sect's Spirit Beast Pens]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Take care of the new kids [Locked]
Strengthening the Jar
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
>Don't wait the other kids, attempt to break through on your own
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
>>6086127
I fucking knew it. Slacking never helps. NEVER

>>6086129
>Train Silk tiger sun seer
>Train Unlimited rising kick
>Ask snake mistress about love.

When the Others break through we will be ready. For now lets round out our skills.
Jump jet striker can also serve as a mounted marksman, both of which are greatly useful. So lets focus down on that one.
>>
>>6086129
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]

>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
>>
>>6086129
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>>
>>6086191
That's unvalid.
Either you pick you Meditation + a body-tempering and 2 skills or you pick 3
>>
>>6086127
>when the head of the entire sect tells his 8 year old protege to go easy on the other kids
>two of said kids being natural-born genius cultivators
>gets told the most intense training and monitoring of the sect is nowhere as harsh as said 8 year old's
I don't wanna turn Quiet Word into Ender Wiggin, but he might get that way eventually. At least the slacking put his efforts towards the seed and thinking on strategy, right? That's still non-cultivation progress, isn't it? I didn't think it'd negatively impact his mental like this

>>6086129
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>>
>>6086227
No, it isn't.

It is not progress. It is slacking off. Like the option said.
Taking it easy. Benefitting nothing. Resting. MAKING US WORTHLESS AS WE WASTE OUR TIME! QE COULD VE TRAINING INSTEAD!

in earlier threads there was the warning that slacking off was bad for our mental health. Because we made him a stupidly dedicated, failure fearing workaholic.
And the kids we did make train were training at our pace, while the have worse talent than us. The geniuses didn't go to the growth realm.
The thinking on strategy was our other choice, if you want better mentality have us help out the snake pits or hawk room, where we can play with the animals and earn some merit for our efforts.
>>
>>6086129
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer
>>
>>6086129
>Write-in allowed!
How about we take a mission? I mean we got like 5-6 months till breakthrough so why not make some money?
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
>>
>>6086237
>If you want better mental health

I stated here >>6082795 >>6082807 that was not currently an issue.

You guys are adamant on "Strengthening the Jar" but tried "Slack off" which you should know by now is not a good thing - mainly because you spent 2 and a half years pushing the boy (and all his friends) as hard as possible.
I'm sure If I gave you the option to pick cultivate Moar at the cost of not eating OR not sleeping OR not washing all players would have spammed "Write-in : All of the above"

I'm not salty or anything. Merely entertained.


>>6086248
Good write-in. Will add in the choice list.
However, be aware this will prevent you from practice as much.
>>
>>6086252
I know it's not an issue. However, consider previous justification for trying slacking off
>>6085628
>I wanna see what it does. Maybe it will give us bonuses to next turn

Though, if you did offer "don't shower, it's more time to cultivate" you are GOD DAMNED RIGHT I WOULD!
Still needs to eat and sleep though. Maybe once in a 2 hour period every 2 days!

Though as a request, so this stupid, foolish, moronic decision is never repeated, I do request it be removed from the listed options.
If some idiot wants it again, they can use the write in function.

We have six months or so to train our skills to prepare for a tribulation!
We shouldn't be wasting that! Fuck!
>>
>>6086277
>We have six months or so to train our skills to prepare for a tribulation!
Two. And Less than that, and less than that.
>>
>>6086283
>Two.

YOU KIDS BETTER REACH OPEN MOUTH LIKE YESTERDAY OR I SWEAR TO THE DAO RYOTA WILL NEED TO WRESTLE ME OUT OF THE ROOM TO WHIP YOU INTO SHAPE!
>>
Hmm.

So firstly.
>>6086149
>Change snake mistress to Body shifting.
Body shifting might help in the trial.
A specific thing to test is does a Body part have to properly come out of the counterpart? Can we have a snake head only or can we turn our hands into snake bites? Full or partial transformation. Just ideas really.

Second, Once we break through it might be an idea to go and train our body over in the Golden stone village.
Solidify the ties there, make an active attempt to socialise and work with the kids. Maybe bring a few resources with us to help em out.

Just a thought for our more politically minded routes forwards.
Strengthening the jar is making us more confident and have a higher tolerance for failure. Things that make us feel comfortable. A practical trade maybe?
Maybe writing letters to people? It should be something with a tangible benefit to sate our autism.
>>
>>6086128
>>6086248
If we only have two months switch mission to
>Investigate body shifting with your spiritual animals.
>>
>>6086129
Quiet Word is a Normal cultivator (allegedly), early stages will always be easy so even as a normie you can see the progress, but we're setting him up for despair once he's able to grasp the difference between heaven and earth, assuming he still is a normie, that is.

If we don't find ways to strengthen the Jar he'll just be a GAINSMAXXING freak and a stick in the mud for anything not cultivation related, which would be irrelevant for a Loose cultivator but we seemed to be raising him for leadership?

Potential
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals

Strengthening the Jar
>Write-in: Look into a hobby or something to do during this kind of downtime in the future. Start with gardening, and maybe lotuses in specific
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love, maybe her experience over the years as a cultivator too and if she has had any hardships
>>
>>6086127
>The role of JUMP JET STRIKER - needing your Unlimited Rising Star Kick to reach the Apex, as well as either your Bow style or your Meteor Hammer Style.
Sounds badass!

>>6086129
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
Poemmaxxing

>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
Lmao

>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>>
>>6086301
A hobby is not a bad idea to take care of his plant it shouldn't lower his mental health. Hmm however QM can we go the pilgrimage route? The problem I'd see is we wouldn't be able to garden on the move unless we had an artifact to hold all our plants.
>>
>>6086129
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>>
>>6086301
I think having a lotus garden would be adorable, since one can spin it Ad preparing for his true love.

May also raise stress.
>>
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>>6086333
I'm just giving QM more material to write with
>>
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>>6086317
>Not ready for what's incoming
>>
>>6086463
Ya know guys it occurs to me
How big did that tree get in our first meeting?

>Nervous giggles.
More seriously he already said that a bag of holding was redundant to ask for on account of the plant.

Anyway, To follow my earlier thought of comforts.
Maybe send a message to our future fiance and ask her what aspects a bounded spirit would most helpful for her. Like Ping Jun.

And maybe we can get Quiet word to spend some time shopping for a fashionable coat? Ya know, get him out of the sect and enjoy the day with his friends, while still getting sturdy, many hidden pocketed and fashionable duds? That should form memories he can call back on in the future.

Also, the others deserve a reward after breakthrough. And us doing the leading in rewarding should surprise then enough.
>>
>>6086463
I mean he's reached alot of of stuff at apex. I mean we pick out striker or wild as roll and study some martial arts for these two months.
>>
>>6086503
I've already come up with a decent combo that we might not be able to use.

Summon blood wolf to fight. It gets popped, we blast it at an injured ally, use our tides of ichor art to turnnit into a blasting heal on hit or just don't do that if an enemy tries to Body block.
>>
Locked.
Rolling, writing
>>
A bit too late.
Will finish writing tomorrow.
>>
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You resume your training. It feels right. It feels great.
First, some time is devoted to the practice of the Unlimited Rising Star Kick.
You're a bit surprising by feeling that in addition to drinking tea and your Rising Phoenix spirit, your Hemomancer Profound Bloodstore bolster your understanding of that unique skill of yours.
This skill in particular is exhilarating to use and train - propelling you in a diagonal motion. It's not much - two and a half meters up and forward - but enough for an extremly quick repositioning. You're barely a step away from reaching the apex of this specific technique.
Keeping training said technique at its Apex while Looking for a Breakthrough or Investigating Body Shifting (or even both) could be a nice idea : you feel the Potential awaiting for you. Sadly, it was not enough to break through here and now. A part of you is concerned about progressing more with that skill.
In the mid-term future, won't you risk self-harm by rising up too much and then crashing down?
Speaking of Investigating Body Shifting, you know fully understand this kind of reflexion, coupled with suitable techniques, might grant you the same kind of Insight letting Dhundan display his Scale-Shield.
In gameplay term : this will grant you unique skill choices on Breakthrough.

You also develop your Meteor Hammer practice.
On one hand, it's a success. On the other, you feel that your progress is slow - your mastery of the skill is behind the heart-aperture opening for now.
It's quite simple why : all mystic channels of this style - Meteor Hammer, Silk, Tigger, Divination, and Sun - have never been expanded.
And there's only so much your body can grow on a practice session.

On two unrelated notes : the Growth seed is growing nicely, already reaching to your thighs.
Dhundan and Ai are out of Seclusion. They both broke their Mouth Aperture open.
It's been 2 years and 7 months since you joined the Eastern Province branch of Tamers of Hundred Beasts.
>>
Either Combine a Foundation and chose 2, or chose 3
You can pick a foundation without risking breaking through.

Combine your Foundation work (pick 1 body and 1 meditation):
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet] [Apex reached]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial] [Locked, requires true Qi]

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
Friendship
>Keep improving things between Ai and Dhundan [require write-in on how]
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation! [Locked]
>Help Yi Norm developping his Fighter archetype [Locked]
>Train Squad Tactics [Locked]
Other
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan [Locked]
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire [Locked, require True Qi]
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault [Apex reached]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Arts Technique [Locked, require True Qi]
>Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts[Locked until you have acces to the sect's Spirit Beast Pens]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Take care of the new kids [Locked]
>Ask Ryota for a Mission! [Unadvised]
Strengthening the Jar
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
>Pick up Gardening as an hobby
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
>Don't wait the other kids, attempt to break through on your own
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
pills for both
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>>
>>6086909
>Support

Though I suggest we train body shifting with Dhun, the secretive weirdo, see if we can't both benefit from it.
Disregard me if What I am suggesting involves revealing our movement technique
>>
>>6086899
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? Unlimited Rising Star kick
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>>
>>6086252
In my defense I kinda got it into my head somehow that Ryota wanted us to take a break so I figured slacking would be fine cause why would they give us bad advice? Now granted rereading it I realize now I completely misinterpreted what he said but still!

>>6086909
+1 sounds fine to me.
>>
>>6086899
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough](work on meteor to change it adding jade or a key word to better fit with it)
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
I figure working on cav since once we break through we can work with bow with our other Phoenix skills.
If we're getting thrown in next month right away then change this to.
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in]
JUMP JET STRIKER
>>
>>6086940
While I recognise that this is likely to give us the best results for body shifting, I think that the Bow skill is more important to bring up.

And to confess to you guys, I'm kinda in two minds about the windy cavalier style.
On one hand, I think it served it's purpose when we got our spear style instead, as it's much more useful to us.

On the other, due to training our channels for horse/mounted and the extent we will be trainng our bow, maybe it's a worthwhile and very quick return to raise it to the same level as our spear and bow styles.

Whatcha think?
Though in the future, I heavily suggest any additions we make to the techniques homogonise them around our strong affinities. I can't think of many lower affinities we would want to raise beyond Blood.

Space, time of course but what others?
>>
>>6087115
that's 4 votes.

And I don't really see the value of reflecting on the archetype when we seem to be naturally gravitating towards the striker/mounted archery.

Also, for other peoples note, Sin din is heavy calvery, Dhundan is frontliner. Yi Nom is a fighter but I think he's being developed towards a summoner or protector thing with his Wukong summoning abilities.
Can't remember what Man din was, I think they were a wildcard.

Our traits make us. . . a pretty terrifying melee combatant, but we are pretty focused on nova damage against a single foe I guess.

Future engagements should have us launch Dhundan against ranged HVT and have the rest of us cover for him
>>
>>6087116
I believe Windy Cavalier still has a spot in incase someone wants to get up close while we're on a horse. It's only got three keywords so it can level up nicely still to a five keyword.

Windy Cavalier's Halberd to something like
Blood Wind Cavalier's Halberd Fiery (something)

We have to find a new or modify the Meteor Hammer Style we have to fit word better. Exchanging at least sun with something else. We're decent in fire, earth or poison. Have to check the other channels like silk, trigger, and divination to see if they are good enough.
>>
>>6086899
>>6087115
+1
>>
>>6087115
If we're getting thrown in next month right away then change this to.
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in]
JUMP JET STRIKER

This is wasteful. JUMP JET STRIKER requires Apex Unlimited Rising Star Kick + Apex of one weapon I consider as "Ranged", meaning either Bow or your cheat-growth meteor hammer.
>>
>>6087138
Don't toss out sun. Sun is a MYTHICAL word, it's good to keep that around. Just in case.

Silk and tiger though? They can probably get swapped for wood or Wolf. . or Pheonix, actually. Nah, two MYTHICAL words probably can't coexist.
>>
>>6086899
>Combine your Foundation work [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet] + [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Dao compression and let's get that striker role ready, we have too many tools to simply sit in the back.
>>
>>6087122
>And I don't really see the value of reflecting on the archetype when we seem to be naturally gravitating towards the striker/mounted archery.

For now, you have only one available archetype out of Fighter you can make work with a squad, which is "SUMMONER" and it might require working around. Having several archetypes available would be a net Good Thing™ but I won't elaborate further.

>Also, for other peoples note, Sin din is heavy calvery,
No. She's light cavalry
>Yi Nom is a fighter but I think he's being developed towards a summoner or protector thing with his Wukong summoning abilities.
You'll need to take some time to help him figuring it out.
>Can't remember what Man din was, I think they were a wildcard.
On spot.

>Our traits make us. . . a pretty terrifying melee combatant, but we are pretty focused on nova damage against a single foe I guess.
You have no "traits" selected with your current build though.
>>
>>6087155
We're not there yet but :
Sun is a Mythical keyword indeed. But one you have an horribly low affinity for. It might be more a deadweight than anything else for you.
>Nah, two MYTHICAL words probably can't coexist.
Keyword being probably.
>>
>>6087155
>>6087160
That's what I figured we'll have to change the sun out for something.
>>
>>6087159
thought those were just traits we had.

>>6087160
>Horribly low affinity
Let's toss it then. Do we have to do the whole rigermarole of recreating Pheonix or can we just slap that in a viable technique now that we know it.
>>
>>6087221
>Do we have to do the whole rigermarole of recreating Pheonix or can we just slap that in a viable technique now that we know it.

"Mythical" keywords are easier to discard than to include.
>>
>Tally Status

On one hand, the leading options are not leading by much
On the other, might be hard to write this weekend...

So lurkers, feel free to rise from shadows.
An emerging option in the next hour means I'll brew you one more update.
>>
>>6087237
I don't think anyone would feel short changed with the leading votes.

But God damnit lurkers.

>>6087157
>>6087115
>>6086940
If one of you shifts from another option to Bow training we will have another update.
>>
>>6087115
>>6086899
>>6087248
I'll switch my vote to >>6086909 to push update.
>>
>>6087284
All that I needed.
Locked, writing
>>
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This couple of week are completely dedicated to training alone, once your sect duties are completed.
Back to your Immortal Cave, you oversee the growth of your seed, while working on your weapon skills.

Part of your training is succesful, and not as much as you wish it to be.
Working on your bow style paradoxically developped your Poison affinity channels, never worked on before.
And that's it. No progress in your Bow, Wind and Horse affinity. Silver lining : said poison affinity reached apex of opened Nose Aperture, the same level of those other skills.
You pushed your reflection regarding Body-shifting with Spiritual Beast. And doesn't make further progress.
Once again, this is half your own shortcoming (there's definitely some way to use your bounded spirit with the bow style) and half a bad pick on your side (the Meteor-Hammer skill can't be improved like that.)

Speaking of the Meteor-Hammer skill, your efforts to improve this style went in vain.
Despite the crutch of the pill usage and your wondrous Growth Weapon, the aspects of the technique doesn't beneficiate from as much Spirits or Treasures synergies, turning the practice into an harder struggle than you're used to.

You can't help but feel the tang of worry coming back to bite you : with Yi Norm and the Din sisters still in seclusion, you should still have a bit of time before Ryota's promised tribulation, right?
The dorm is a tad more lively with Dhundan and Ai back. Still, Dhundan trains as much as you do and Ai is more often than note in her own headspace.
At the very least, the sprout is nicely turning in a small tree.
>>
Either Combine a Foundation and chose 2, or chose 3
You can pick a foundation without risking breaking through.

Combine your Foundation work (pick 1 body and 1 meditation):
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet] [Apex reached]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial] [Locked, requires true Qi]

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
Friendship
>Keep improving things between Ai and Dhundan [require write-in on how]
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation! [Locked]
>Help Yi Norm developping his Fighter archetype [Locked]
>Train Squad Tactics [Locked]
Other
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan [Locked]
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire [Locked, require True Qi]
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault [Apex reached]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Arts Technique [Locked, require True Qi]
>Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts[Locked until you have acces to the sect's Spirit Beast Pens]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Take care of the new kids [Locked]
>Ask Ryota for a Mission! [Unadvised]
Strengthening the Jar
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
>Pick up Gardening as an hobby
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
>Don't wait the other kids, attempt to break through on your own
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
A/N : you're purging your karmic debt with purely piss-poor, barely-succeeding-thanks-to-the-treasure-stockpile rolls since the Growth Realm

I hope you find this reassuring.
>>
>>6087344
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
No body since both are apex. But the meditation should increase archery skill and training both mounted skills should well together.

Any tips on changing out sun for meteor hammer skill?
>>
>>6087357
It's 100% a waste not to pick a body in the odd chance you luck into a breakthrough.
>>
>>6087357
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet] [Apex reached]
Add then
>>
>>6087344
What the dice give, the dice take away.

>>6087357
>Meditation Poem/Pheonix body
>Bow style
>Unlimited rising star kick

Push our star kick to apex this turn, so we can put body shifting on next turn.

All these channels should fit together very well and compound. I'm chooseing the Pheonix body because that will help us with training the bow style up faster.
>>
What if we shifted focus away from mounted combat to optimizing horse for travel and focused on dismounted jump jet combat? I'm starting to... feel it. Anyone else feelin it?
>>
>>6087344
>>6087378
+1 but snake body instead
>>
>>6087382
No.

Because Jump jet combat relies on our ability to use a ranged weapon, and the Meteor hammer is giving us issues.
Plus we can still use a bow dismounted.
>>
>Meditation Poem/Pheonix body
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Pick up Gardening as an hobby

I want to start garden maxing, also it may help us cultivate the plant better.

>>6087348
The divine seek to punish us for having the gall to stop grindmaxing for even a second, it's over we have lost the mandate of the heavens.
>>
>>6087344
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available] [Apex reached]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Pick up Gardening as an hobby
>>
>>6087344
>Meditation Poem/Pheonix body
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
with pills
>Pick up Gardening as an hobby

Captcha:8AJAX
>>
Something else to do at second stage is take a look at our friends and see if they have skills we want.

Trade Yi nom power level eyeskill for his Wukong army.

Sin darling could make good use of that horse martial arts. Though might be best to wait till she hits a bottleneck.

And as an aside, I think it would be fairly easy to tie Blood into Phoenix dao. On account of how blood is so heavily life oriented, Yang is to be found in it, and if we can connect the Pheonix turning its blood into flames then flames back to blood as it revives, it should be a done deal.
I think I see the value of Mythic words, if a technique can only hold 6 words, but a mythic can hold 3 or 4 by itself, it is a way of artificially lengthening the combo.
>>
>>6087785
>I think I see the value of Mythic words, if a technique can only hold 6 words, but a mythic can hold 3 or 4 by itself, it is a way of artificially lengthening the combo.
It is indeed. Plus its own worth of being a magnitude superior in raw power.
>Blood into Phoenix
We'll see about that :>)
>>
>Be me
>Reply tally status
>Forgot tally status
MFW >:(

Anyway. Locking. Writing
>>
>>6087952
It does imply two things.

One is that after a certain point a technique must begin with the key word. Which follows with the claim that the sun is a "big word" other things must fall around.

The second implies that a mythic can only hold 6 concepts, as you cannot fit 6 words consecutively into a technique without going overlong. Though this is weaker.
>>
>>6088004

>One is that after a certain point a technique must begin with the key word. Which follows with the claim that the sun is a "big word" other things must fall around.

I don't understand that sentence

>he second implies that a mythic can only hold 6 concepts, as you cannot fit 6 words consecutively into a technique without going overlong. Though this is weaker.
False.
>>
>>6088010
Rephrased.

To our present knowledge, technics go up to 6 words. Not 7.
To our present knowledge, putting in a pheonix/mythic word requires placing in all the elements that make up that word.
Thus If a word holds 6 concepts, or more, then a technic cannot be made to hold a mythic word unless you start from scratch to build around.

This is collaborated by our observation when we first got meteor hammer skill. That said that the sun and our hammer were both difficult words to work with, and couldn't just be applied willy nilly to any technic we wished.
>>
>>6088057
>To our present knowledge, putting in a pheonix/mythic word requires placing in all the elements that make up that word.

This one is a bold stretch. With your current understanding, you know you can turn "Gold, Hawk, Fire" into Phoenix indeed. More than that, especially expanding words in a Mythical concept and its implication is out of your grasp for now.

Your Sun affinity is very low. You dont' have words included in said Sun.
>>
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The month ends in a flash.
First, you're worried about losing too much time. Letting too much oportunities flowing away.
Not working and lying idle in the grass while watching the blue sky was really a dire mistake.
What if it is what costs you the rank of Genius? The small mistake, enough to make you fall behind the natural genius Dhundan and Ai?
You decide to pull away weeds nearby the Growth Seed Tree. This somewhat calms you.

Like if your thoughts were a cluttered sky dispelled by a ray of sun, you get back to your cultivation.
Starting on your Foundation. Maybe working on your Phoenix Skills can grant you insights and faster progress with the Bow skill practice?
Focusing on your channels, turns out the answer is at the same time Yes and No.
The channels are path specific energies take in your body from your Heart Aperture to the tip of your finger.
Those path are of course thinner and smaller than hairs, coexist, merge and form a mesh in a cultivator's body. With your proficiency in smelling and looking at energies coupled to your Astral Self practice, you've self-taught to monitor your own channels quite recently.
On one hand, this skill share the "Phoenix" channel - a deep channel. You feel like it's mirroring the Gold, Fire and Hawk channels of yours and braided them in an agglomerated whole.
On the other hand, having such a mighty channel doesn't mean it pulls more energies from cultivating - merely that it's able to dispatch it wider.
You're quite glad your "Sun" channel is so stunted it doesn't actually do the same with your painfully cultivated Meteor Hammer Skill.
You're not quite sure where does "Growth" fits in all that - for however hard you tried, you haven't found Growth related channels in your body.
That's quite a definitive proof such channels does not exist. But you just feel your growth-techniques are somewhat different, including the Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet.
The good thing is that you reached Apex in your Poem of the Rising Phoenix Meditation. The channel that was still stunted mainly circles around your heart, your skull, your mouth and your writing hand. It also feels closer to your Fighting Intent channel than any other channel. But no hidden skill or breakthrough for now.

Your Bow practice granted its own share of real, tangible reward. With a Bow mastery now at the Opened-Nose Aperture level, midway through the power allowed by your opened-Ear aperture, you feel you might get it to the Apex in less than a month.
Especially if you also work your Wind Cavalier's Halberd in the same time.
>>
Or so you are thinking with your knees in the mud.
A nagging voice in your head tells you that this time spent on meditating on partial materialization of bounded beast would had been a better use.
You nip said voice, and keep digging the future pond for lotus. It will be bordered by a bamboo grove, of course, with a labyrinthic path within protecting your precious Immortal Cave, and the Growth Seed tree (keeping getting bigger, brimming with Latent Potential) as a final layer of defense.
There's the detail on how to get water there, on the top of the hill. You're pretty sure there must be some kind of rock, plant, insect, or treasure that can trickle down an endless stream of water for your amenagement purposes.
Finally. Something outside of cultivation you enjoy doing for the sheer sake of doing.

You ride your Hawk Alacrity-fastened Horse Spirit back to the sect, and have the pleasure to see that Yi Norm, Man Din and Sin Din have broke through.

"Alright childs. I have great news : I arranged for my good friend Aris, of the Fist of the Green Dragon, to personnally oversee your Second-stage tribulation.
Moreover, a few other Stable Lotus Kids will partake in that event. Prepare to it as a team fight.

- A handful kids against a guy of the sect that punch giant crocosaurus monsters in the mouth? Thank you, but I prefer living a life of mediocrity.
- I don't recall asking for your opinion, Yi Norm. Plus, it will be a good training - there's an incoming Town Tournament organized for the Empress' coronation.
The idea is simple : you take the tribulation together, you stabilize, we move to capital city with 10 second-stage, less than 8, cultivators. And then you win.
We don't stand much chances in other categories to be honest. Anyway, Quiet Word, you're in charge of the group training.

- Oh no.
- Oh no.
- Oh no.
- Who's in the squad?
- For now, focus on the sixth of you. Of course, you're all relieved of Sect duties."

Sweet, delicious, cultivation time.

It's been 2 years and 8 months since you've joined the Eastern Province branch of Tamers of Hundred Beasts.

This turn will be splitted in two. First will be "normal", with your private practice.
Second will be Squad-related.
>>
Either Combine a Foundation and chose 2, or chose 3
You can pick a foundation without risking breaking through.

Combine your Foundation work (pick 1 body and 1 meditation):
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet] [Apex reached]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial] [Locked, requires true Qi]

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
Friendship
>Keep improving things between Ai and Dhundan [require write-in on how]
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation!
>Train Squad Tactics [Locked]
Other
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire [Locked, require True Qi]
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault [Apex reached]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Arts Technique [Locked, require True Qi]
>Crimson tides of life Ichor (Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts[Locked until you have acces to the sect's Spirit Beast Pens]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Ask Ryota for a Mission! [Locked]
Strengthening the Jar
>Gardening time! [Unecessary, Mental Health at its brim]
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
>>6088106
>Bow skull
>Halberd skill
>Unlimited rising kick

Get these to apex so our archetype can manifest.

If we break through with cavalier, it might be an idea to add words like jade and wood.
But some of the techniques about moving would be nice.
>>
Support with archery reaching apex it'll be great. If we win the tournament then we can request growth armor or a better meteor skill.
Word is gonna be the carry for this match no doubt.
>>
>>6088134
>>6088143
I meant this one my bad on phone.
>>
>>6088134
Supporting.
>>
>>6088106
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>>
>>6088134
Before I forget!

We need to pry Yi Noms vanguard talent from him for our Primordial wolf.
>>
>>6088134
+1
>>
>>6088104
>your Poem of the Rising Phoenix Meditation. The channel that was still stunted mainly circles around your heart, your skull, your mouth and your writing hand. It also feels closer to your Fighting Intent channel than any other channel
Artistry?

>>6088105
>Something outside of cultivation you enjoy doing for the sheer sake of doing.
Gardening is just good, pure and simple
>Empress' coronation
Oh shit, politics and world state shifting
>Quiet Word, you're in charge
And his first line is asking who else is in. Classic
>>
>>6088106
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals

Also I'm glad garden maxing payed off, now worst case if everything falls apart or we are put in a position where we literally cant train atleast Quiet Word will have a hobby to fall back on instead of going batshite insane.
>>
>>6088106
Seconding >>6088134.
>>
>>6088106
>Investigate Body Shifting
>Train Unlimited Rising Start Kick
>Experiment with the styles available to you. The renowned kick of the horse. The leap of the wolf. The strike of the snake. And once up, the Raptor divebomb of the Hawk.
>If the above is a method rather than a separate act, train with the bow as well, since Quiet Word already feels it tugging at his shifting forms.
>>
>>6088106
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>>
>>6088106
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available
use pills for all
>>
>>6088436
The above would be more "Trying to create a new technique" than anything else.
>>
>>6088226
>And his first line is asking who else is in. Classic
No one commenting on the "normal trio pulled up by the group" sheer horror of undergoing Quiet Word's training
>>
Unanimous voting is unanimous;
>>
>>6088567
It sent me giggling.

Once we have finished though, we can demand RnR for the group. Maybe even in the capital. Being a harsh task master but give good rewards will serve us better than just being a harsh task master.
>>
>>6088576
RnR? I'm afraid I'm too ESL to understand that one.
>>
>>6088588
rest and relaxation
>>
>>6088588
Ŕest and relaxation.

Go out and socialise, as we have on the orders of snake mistress. Eat fruits, wander markets.
Just be kids.

I also feel the need to apologise. Most of my posts seem to be incomprehensible with my usual disregard for English.
I shall work a bit harder on my King's to he more clearly understood
>>
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This week was rich in teachings. On the personnal side, you feel you made great progress.
Indeed, your guess was right and your insight regarding the mounted wind fighting style applied as well for the bow as the halberd.
Thus, you easily pulled your bow style up to mid-mouth aperture opening level and your halberd style to recently opened ear aperture level.
This means you're a step away from reaching the Apex of your Bow Style, and two from reaching the Apex of Halberd Style.
With the amount of progress you pulled this week, this means both might be achievable - at the potential cost of less time to focus on a single skill for greater Breakthrough chance?
Speaking of, your Movement style finally reached the Apex of your current realm.
>1/2 conditions for the JUMP JET STRIKER - Vantage Archer reached

On the daytime, you work hard with your fellow beast-tamers on the Squad Tactics.
"Alright everyone. We'll need to work together on this. So...
- I won't reveal my trumps to you.
- I know you're bluffing. You would have used them during the tournament.
- I might have discovered new ones.
- Keyword is "might". But you don't know how to lie, and you have a permanent frown on your face.
- I won't show mine if you don't show yours"
You have the feeling Kyo Kyo would have laughed hard at Yi Norm. Ai is raising her hand.
"Yes Ai?
- I don't want to fight.
- Ryota told me you won't take part in the tournament, but you have to be one of us for the tribulation.
- Ok. But I slacked off in weapon training. Mainly cause I don't want to fight and I'm bad at it.
- Don't jump on the distraction, Quiet Word. Yi is right : it's unfair to expect us to tell you everything while keeping cards in your hand.
After all you shouldn't have much more than the ones we already knows, right?
"

Part of you smiles at how wrong she is.
The point, however, is fair. And strategical.
You can keep things away from them, but how betrayed will they feel if you reveal a new technique in the heart of the tournament?
>Even if they're your close friends, you can't bear yourself to disclose your trumps. You'll keep your secrets, at the cost of efficiency
>You can trust them. Enough to reveal part of your hand. [Choose what reveal/Hide among Phoenix, Primordial wolf, Fusion, Unlimited Rising Star Kick]
>You can, open-heartly and fully trust them. Sing like a Thousand-steps Songs Canary.

This won't be auto-revealed to the other Stable Lotus city kids.

On the matter of Ai...
>Write-in what you will make of a pacifist amidst the battlefield
>>
>Reveal Unlimited Rising Star Kick.
I don't think that we have a battlefield application of Phoenix yet, and Primordial Wolf is a deep secret that we don't want to reveal to anyone. It will be easier to believe that we developed Phoenix when we broke through as well.

>Have AI take on a support role. Either use her songs to pacify the enemy, or heal us if she is able, or attune to us all before the tribulation and play us a song of unity or strengthening. If she can't do any of those, then tell us what she has been training and we'll find a way to use her skills. Quiet Word is in Management after all.

Probably should form a plan for coordinating the others as well. Dhundan as the warrior taking on the most dangerous enemy. etc. etc.
>>
>>6088690
>6088683
It's the first time i'm seeing the replied post number used as the name.
>>
>>6088690
>Probably should form a plan for coordinating the others as well. Dhundan as the warrior taking on the most dangerous enemy. etc. etc.

It's coming with the rest of the update.
>>
>>6088683
>Reveal Unlimited rising star kick, Phoenix, the wolf spirit you've seen thus far isn't a real wolf spirit. It's just animated blood.
>"Now you know all my combat related trumps. I'll now put my life in your hands, I also know how to fuse spirit beasts together to improve their attributes and thus strength and I think it's the key to moving past stage 3 of cultivation. You understand the danger that presents, I hope."

We'll show them everything that isn't ultimate "Gonna get us jumped". I'm not even concerned about them telling people, not really, I'm concerned about them making an offhand comment or using the information in a way someone else can deduce. No, the best way to keep a secret is to keep it to yourself. The double revelation of Mythic word and Fusion realisation [which we can helpfully point out to Yi Norm has already experienced], Should keep them from asking about the wolf spirit.
I'm alright to tell them we have one, aspected to Pain and Steel, but we won't take it out, no matter what for reasons we won't go into.

For AI >>6088690
Yeah, just tell us what you DID learn, then we'll figure out a way to use it.

And we do have a battlefield application of Phoenix. It can come out and poke people. And amidst the experts of the empire, I imagine they will have spectators who can recognise it.
>>
>>6088683
Seconding >>6088690.
Ai is a genius, but we can't really develop a role for her until we know where her specialties lie. Is she proficient in illusions, maybe? Could she be a buff/debuff/support?

Maybe we could press her a little bit, while we're at it-- it's one thing to avoid conflict, or to have no interest in fighting, but I'm sure that fighting is inevitable (especially in wuxia). Does she have anything she wants to protect? Anything that drives her? I don't know if Quiet Word would understand this concept yet, but... I'm essentially asking about her Three Views and her Dao Heart.
>>
>>6088683
Keep the fact that the wolf spirit is the primordial scion a secret, everything else we can say, it's just up to them to believe our word for it.

We need to know what AI and her beasts can do before doing anything with her, backing >>6088708
>>
>>6088690
>>6088708
You two seriously don't want to cover our bases and reveal the Pheonex, something we're alright to use and have no reason to not use, with the clear and explicit warning that not informing the others would result in a souring of their relationships with us if we use it after.
>>
>>6088715
As an aside, while simply telling the others about the tricks is fine. I really really hope our first revelation about our movement technique is us vanishing behind them.
Just be a bit silly with our movement technique reveal. We are still kids, technically.
>>
>>6088683
>Reveal everything but the Wolf. So reveal Pheonix, Fusion, and Jump. If this doesn't surprise and impress them, nothing will.
>>
>>6088722
You want to reveal your Summon Blood Shadow Wolf is not a spirit?
>>
>>6088737
Yeah.

In the "spirit" of almost full disclosure.
>>
>>6088742
Oops. You weren't talking to me
>>
>>6088742
I can "improve" the full disclosure thing with that option.
>>
As a side note and unrelated to present truthfulness.

Dhundan expressed affinity for tigers and dogs when we first met him.
I'm surprised he hasn't got a beast for either or techniques for it.
A tiger is like. . Prime place for intimidation power. So maybe we can suggest he ask Ryota for one or a technique based on directing that intent he naturally cultivates.
>>
>>6088737
No. That will remain a secret as well.

We must do our best to conceal the wolf.
>>
>>6088683
>>6088690
Support but also Phoenix
>>
>>6088683
Also train Ai in defensive arts like it's a dance and illusions is my bet.
>>
>>6088690
+1 but also reveal Phoenix 100% don't reveal anything that even hints at the Primordial Wolf secret.
>>
>>6088769
Also to note i'm just +1ing the reveal thing we should probably figure out more about what Al is good at before we force them on a support role.
>>
If we have a visible application of Phoenix then I'm fine with revealing that too. I was more trying to protect their egos than hide Phoenix, since we're going to reveal it eventually.

We are probably also going to reveal spirit fusion as well at some point. It might be better to let Ryoga handle that reveal though, and do it in a way that won't allow other sects to easily steal the info. ie. adding a second spirit will make your existing spirit stronger, but don't tell them how to make the formations and such. Ryoga can help them fuse the spirits from the beads into their soul animals.

Honestly, if we have spirits available Ryoga should infuse all the other children in our group before the breakthrough if possible.
>>
>>6088798
>but don't tell them how to make the formations and such
You haven't told Ryota this. So this wasn't on the table outside of "I know of a way to reinforce your spirit. It needs this and that. I actually was the one reinforcing your Monkey Yi"
>>
>>6088683
>You can trust them. Enough to reveal part of your hand. [Choose what reveal/Hide among Phoenix, Primordial wolf, Fusion, Unlimited Rising Star Kick]
Kick, Phoenix
Enough for up to 2 trumps from everyone else, should cover everything

>>6088690
Is good for Ai
>>
>>6088683
>You can trust them. Enough to reveal part of your hand. Reveal among Phoenix, Fusion, and Unlimited Rising Star Kick
>Have AI take on a support role. Either use her songs to pacify the enemy, or heal us if she is able, or attune to us all before the tribulation and play us a song of unity or strengthening. If she can't do any of those, then tell us what she has been training and we'll find a way to use her skills. Quiet Word is in Management after all.
>>
>>6088683
I have a feeling Ai is going to kill it at second level. Illusions, song buffsn song suppressing, cursebreaking, healing, protective fields. We just need to invest a little into techniques for her to exploit.
>>
>>6088690
+1
NO REVEALING WOLF SPIRIT, NO REVEALING FUSION
>>
>>6088683
>You can trust them. Enough to reveal part of your hand.
Kick, Phoenix, and the Blood wolf being a technique and not a bonded spirit are ours. We can share those.

I would also tell them
>”I do have more secrets, but those aren’t only mine to reveal.”
to take the sting out of whenever we do reveal them. The Wolf was entrusted to us, and Fusion is something I’d defer to Ryota on when to reveal. They’re also both hella dangerous to have leaked, but we can leave that part unstated.

>Ai
Buffs, debuffs, protection, and being too aggravating/difficult to take on directly are the main avenues she could focus on. We’ll need to know what she DOES think she’s good at like others have said as well.

If we want to get Ai and Dhundan to cooperate further there’s even a training opportunity for her. Dhundan has his terrifying presence that can buckle and disrupt foes. She could learn how to project a similar one for when she speaks. Something that. an command an enemy to stop fighting because she’s a friend, and they’re wrong to hurt a friend.

Seesawing between their effects should even wear down people with good mental defenses.
>>
>>6088965

If we want to get Ai and Dhundan to cooperate further there’s even a training opportunity for her. Dhundan has his terrifying presence that can buckle and disrupt foes. She could learn how to project a similar one for when she speaks. Something that. an command an enemy to stop fighting because she’s a friend, and they’re wrong to hurt a friend.

Seesawing between their effects should even wear down people with good mental defenses.

That's a great write-in.
>>
>>6088965
>Support the write in then
>>6088700
>>
>>6088965
>>6088986
Yeah that is great, I'll back
It should even motivate her too, with her dislike of fighting of course she'll want a technique that causes an aggressive opponent to just not fight.
>>
>>6088965
>>6088765
>>6088762
Switch to support
>>
>>6088990
And hey, if she does it well enough she can get Dhundan to back down from a fight with her. SHE can make him see HER way for once!

Not that it’ll be that easy, but she’s still a kid. If it’s enough to light a fire under her (and then him when she succeeds for the first time) then so be it.
>>
>>6088965
Sure i'll +1 this plan for Ai
>>
Tally status

I'll go with the "Open the gate a little"
>>
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"Allright. You're right Yi. You're wrong, Man Din.
I have a trove of techniques. Some of which I will of course show you. Some I won't.
Mainly because I stumbled in a couple of secrets that aren't mine to reveal.
First... Well, it's better if I show you."
You leaped on. This startled each and every of them while you ascend in the diagonal motion of the Unlimited Rising Star Kick.
You lend a good meter behind the group.
"This is the Unlimited Rising Star Kick. A movement technique I got from Growth realm in a simpler form, then refined.
However, I'll soon have trouble with that. It lets met rise diagonally and really fast, but the fall is dangerously nearing my limit before becoming an hazard.
- So fast... Let me try... That damn skill is worth nothing!
- What's the matter, Dhundan?
- Opening eye Aperture, I stumbled in a strong skill. The Mirror Pupil, supposedly letting me replicate techniques I'm seeing.
And I don't quite manage to make it work. It's frustrating me a lot.

- I guess I can show you this and that..."
Yi Norm unfurls the layers of fabric hiding the Treasured Staff he got from Growth realm.
"This beauty can do that : "
He takes five steps away from the group, spins and launch a hit at Dhundan's head. The staff grow, leaping through the distance.
Dhundan, drawing is Treasure Saber, reward from the First Tournament where you stepped back, manage to block the attack aimed at him.
"Try that again, and I'll retaliate hard!
- Wanted to see if I had a modicum of a chance at the tournament if I managed to face you...
Anyway Dhundan, care to tell us about that Saber of yours?
"
The sleek obsidian blade is seemingly suckling light toward it.
"Black Hole Saber. I created a skill with it by the way... Get your spirit out Yi."
Yi smiles, and sidestep, leaving a Wise Jade Monkey at his first position. Said Monkey seems suckled by Dhundan's blade
"I call it the spirit magnet, and... What's that!"
Yi kept walking and soon his Monkey spirit is joined by a second, a third... In the end, Yi brought out 5 identical monkeys spirit, all holding the same Red Jade Staff.
The sixth-ape gang immediately thrust as one Monkey toward Dhundan.
The offensive is thwarted by a summoning of the Black Scale shield coupled to a bo-deviating spin, followed by a spirit-blending manoeuver cutting down every Monkey one after the other. Dhundan sheathe his saber and jumps on Yi Norm
"This time you're getting beat up!
- Arrgl I'm getting harrassed! Help me Quiet Word! Ouch! You're my only hope!
- When ones court death, you have to attend the wedding. Anyway... Are you done Dhundan? Not quite? Speed up, we haven't all day."
>>
"So here's a second secret of mine. Remember my Hawk Spirit? This is him now."
You reveal the Shrewd Rising Phoenix.
"He seems brighter
- I can't believe my eyes... a Phoenix?
- So... Pretty...
- Just... How?
- Growth realm. When I brought you along. I had a lucky guess from something I read in a Phoenix poem which turned true.
- Alright. My turn. Ryota gifted me the sect's greatest treasure, the 33-beast Shapeshifter Spirit.
I can flicker among various Beast stances, giving me the nimbless of the snake, the bulk of the elephant, the smell of the dog... Whatever I need at a given point.
It's expensive in energy though. After our visit in Growth realm, it underwhent some kind of change like that hawk of yours.
It's not a visual change, but I feel it's brimming with more potential than before. And it was already the strongest thing I've ever felt - stronger than even Ryota.
Deer sister, your turn.

- So I have a strong movement technique I learned at the Beast Tamers gathering. Ride like Blown Fleeting Mist
It makes me faster and harder to hit, and synergize well with the Windy Cavalier's halberd.
Like you guys, I had a nice boon from Growth realm. A Fighting Style. Thousand Slashes Beheading the Mountain.
Assuming I'm free to hit the same adversary again, again and again, the damages increases slightly with each strike.

- Alright. Almost there. Ai, what are your other skills useful for fighting?
- ... None?
- Nonsense. What are you good at?
- So there's my Bunny Hops movement technique. My Resilient Intent Cristal Hare and my Nimble Mantis Shrimp bounded spirit.
I also have the True Sight thing.

- You're forgetting your soothing singing.
- It's not something I have, merely something I do.
- It's similar to Dhundan and his Mental Pressure. We'll try something... Dhundan, Ai, let's spar. Ai, you don't have to fight. Merely hops closer by singing and wanting us to stop fight; Dhundan you release pressure at this point. Then you go away while you Dhundan flare your Intent up..."
This turns out extremely grating. Dhundan's fear factor, you can contain with your Fighting Spirit. Then, the pressure subsides, replaced by something pulling your Intent away instead of pushing at it. You have to focus bringing it closer to keep the will to fight, which in turn let Dhundan's menace pierce through your intent.
>>
This is quite hard to pull off correctly though - Ai sometime soothe Dhundan too much, Dhundan scares Ai to come closer.
You will make them work exclusively together on the upcoming week. You requisition some poor-talented second stage teens to serve as their training dummies.
Said teens are delighted with an opportunity to spend their sect duties time on cultivation, even if it's for sparring gifted kids.

This union led you to better understand tactics. Ai fits perfectly as a Pacifist Poet, a Mental-energy tide of calm in the middle of the battlefield.
The amount of Monkey summoned by Yi also turns him into some kind of Melee summonner. The One Man Army trait, coupled with either Frontliner if you want him to focus on pushing on, or Protector, if you want him to focus on protecting your backlines. This trait might also apply to you if you pick a frontline role.
Sin Din is cemented in her role of Scout - with the addition of the GiantSlayer trait, she can turn into the perfect harasser.
Good thing you shared with her because if she held back that Unique fighting skill of her, you might had cast her as Heavy Cavalry to capitalize on her Charging Cleave skill - that she used against Yi Norm in last year's turnament.
The question of your own role remains open. You don't want to lock possibilites just now.

You have one last turn before the tribulation is coming up.


You have one last turn before the tribulation is coming up.
First Half will be devoted to your training. Second half will involve incorporating other kids, and fine-tuning composition of the Squad.

Either Combine a Foundation and chose 2, or chose 3

Combine your Foundation work (pick 1 body and 1 meditation):
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet] [Apex reached]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial] [Locked, requires true Qi]

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
Other
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available] [Apex reached]
Weapon skills
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault [Apex reached]
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
Strengthening the Jar
>Gardening time! [Unecessary, Mental Health at its brim]
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
>>6089384
>Beast shifting
>Bow skill
>Unlimited rising kick

Both skills can be improved via an animal.
Phoenix eyesight or perhaps just manifesting wings for a rising shot.

But more over I want the bow skill to reach the Apex so we can finally have an archetype.

We also seem to be forming an assassination squad. Frontliner possibly another with Yi norm, a scout with giant killer spec, our intent to be a rapidly redeploying HVT killer.

Defence seems to be packing, but the best defence is ensuring everyone else is dead.
>>
>>6089384
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Bow skill
>Unlimited rising kick
>>
>>6089384
BEAST SHIFT
BOW SKILL
UNLIMITED KICK
>>
>>6089384
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet] [Apex reached]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix] [Apex reached]

>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Bow skill
>Unlimited rising kick
>>
>>6089409
Support we should reach apex in bow. Let's gamble a bit on beast shifting with unlimited rising kick.
>>
>>6089409
Supoprting
>>
>>6089384
>>6089409
Supporting. Anything other than maximum grind would be bad for our boy right now.

I’m thinking general tactics would go
>Ai to her preferred distance to weaken the enemy front
>Dhundan and Yi to smash the frontline hard after that. Yi will focus on stalling them with his number of summons, Dhundan will focus on destroying someone.
>Since Ai hasn’t trained as a strategist, we’ll retain that role for the frontline and direct them unless we’re out. It’ll fall to Ai followed by Sin then.

In the future, Ai should learn to control the frontline. She’ll be less entangled compared to the other two to see the situation, and the pressure trick will work best if either Ai or Dhundan has control so one can always focus first if the targets switch.

If she needs help mentally for it, she can think of it as finding ways to minimize time spent in combat for the whole and not just herself. She’ll likely need coaching from Yi and Dhundan (and eventually Sin) on what they look for when attacking and defending to better understand the flow of the battles she’ll be directing, but once she has that it’s just a puzzle on the quickest path to get her way of “stop fighting”.

Sin is the third commander since she has more mobility. Dhundan and Yi will probably figure out the front themselves though.

>If we have Striker, Sin will follow behind the front until she identifies slow, defensive, or isolated targets. This’ll most likely come up once the front lines impact.
>If she doesn’t, she’ll pair with us to harass the backline or flank the front if there is none.
If the frontline has a tough defensive opponent, she can mix it up with Yi and her target so Dhundan can crush someone else. If they’re all about equal it might be better to circle around and find a backline target.

>If we have Striker, we’ll remain backline to survey and snipe.
>If we don’t, we’ll pair up with Sin as a Summoner to attack and delay any reinforcement coming to support the backline.
We do have some flexibility since we can already fill a summoner role to some extent. We have more summons than most even if we only use 3 and Yi has us beat thanks to an ability.

If we’re a striker, we’re a glass cannon to harass the backline as a distraction at worst, an assassin at best. It’s possible we’ll be counter-sniped, but with 4 people up front it WILL fall and let everyone else pile on. If Sin is harassing someone then we’d likely pair with her to score a quicker kill.

If we’re a summoner, our summons should be good for holding up a couple people who fall back to tank so Sin can finish ganking. If no one does then hey, we’re fast too. We can join the fun.

>>6089468
Only 3 actions or 2 with foundation. You’d need to drop either the foundation work or one of the actions to make it work.
>>
>>6089468
I will revise to:
.
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Bow skill
>Unlimited rising kick
>>
>>6089409
+1
>>
>>6089384
>>6089409
+1
>>
For tactics, it might be worthwhile to teach man din the mirror pupil skill. Get dhundan to teach that one.

Yi norm needs a sturdier heart for danger.

Anyone else see obvious clues?
>>
>>6089665
Oh yeah, as well, we need to get a technique breakthrough on unlimited rising to get distance collapsing fall.

That mitigates our issue of falling damage.
>>
>>6089665
>teach man din the mirror pupil skill
Same as her true sight, those are almost impossible to teach - almost because we are in a cultivation world after all.
>>
>>6089671
Huh. So the skills too high tier. Got it.

Another thing to note. We did add light to our movement technique. And we have a really low affinity for it.
Might want to fix that if we don't want to raise it.
>>
Unanimous voters are unanimous.
>>
Lucky roll for your last turn. With 10 turns of nothing much, next "routine" update will be nicer.
>>
>>6089696
Nice place your bets on what broke through.
>>
You have two weeks before the tribulations. Two weeks spent training the day with Stable Lotus finest (below 8), training the night by yourself near your still-growing Growth realm tree. This is a welcome respite after dealing with so many ... interesting... people all day.
You adamantly decided to work on your Bow style, as well as the Unlimited Rising Star Kick, while focusing on your Spiritual animals, in the hope to materialize them as Dhundan does with his scale-shield.

You hope to bridge what miss to complete your understanding of the bow style.
Which, at the low cost of your two last Wind and Horse aligned pills, is a success.
Well, almost. Your Poison channel is since lagging behind a step under the opened mouth aperture level, but for all intents and purpose that won't matter.
The bow style revolves on using the Horse's motion to fasten your arrow and let them glide at an insanely long distance, increasing the range of the highest ranged weapon of them all.
>Apex (almost) reached!
The only thing in the world better than Good - Good enough.

Furthermore, you are in the perfect mental space for a...
>Breakthrough! Chose one among :
>Burst of Feather-Arrow - A multi-hit attack materializing 10 of your phoenix's feather, and project them like they were some arrows.
The Phoenix Feather lose their potency after 7 meters. They dispel in a few seconds, thus can't be used as materials yet
>Bounded Phoenix, Living Arrow - Shoot directly the Bounded Phoenix as a projectile
Basically a really strong arrow attack that also let you to relocate your Bounded Phoenix spirit somewhere on the battlefield (requires it to be available)
>Technique Advancement : create a new technique based on this one. You can remove or replace one keyword in the technique name.
Technique's keywords : Bow, Horse, Phoenix, Poison Space, Wind


That's not your only breakthrough this week.
At the bare limit of your grasp and understanding, you clutched another understanding.
Because of how things work under the hood, you don't get to chose that one with how "low" your crit was
>Breakthrough - Improvement : Rising Star Kick, Ascended Phoenix
You found out a way to materialize your Phoenix Spirit's wings on your back for 5 to 10 seconds, after your movement technique.
This let you slowly come back after your Unlimited Rising Star Kick, alleviating your concern for a slow fall technique (assuming your Phoenix Spirit is available)

You also feel you look extremely impressive in the process.
>>
>>6089735
>Burst of feathers

I feel like we are already pretty good at nova damage. A shotgun blast should suffice
>>
>>6089735
>Burst of Feather-Arrow - A multi-hit attack materializing 10 of your phoenix's feather, and project them like they were some arrows.
The merest hint that we'll be able to use Phoenix feathers as materials (eventually) makes me want this over the other options.
>>
>>6089745
It'd also 10 normal hits, rather than one decent hit and a teleport.
>>
>>6089745
+1
>>
>>6089745
+1
We'll get our single attack from the meteor hammer
>>
>>6089735
>Burst of Feather-Arrow
>>
>>6089765
>>6089755
>>6089754
>>6089745
>>6089741
>Dao of Homogenous confluence
>Manifest swift updates
>>
>>6089735
>Burst of Feather-Arrow - A multi-hit attack materializing 10 of your phoenix's feather, and project them like they were some arrows.
I would love to shoot our phoenix so we could eventually learn how to swap places with it and really open up our gank capability, but it wouldn’t gel well with the movement technique. If we used the bound phoenix, we’d have to take the hard landing.

>>6089665
I mean, I can come up with more focused ideas for training.
>Yi Norm should focus on coordinating with his Monkey summon against multiple attackers.
>Ai should try to either focus her voice for a stronger effect in a smaller area to avoid tagging Dhundan, or have her summons join in “singing” to harmonize with herself.
Summons are expressions of our own souls so I suspect she can project the effect through them for strength or further spread.
>Sin Din should learn how to “charge” with her Thousand Slashes while using her movement skill to “swipe” at opponents while not stopping near them. A glancing blow will still come to hurt with her technique.
>Dhundan should partner with Ai and see if he can manifest his aura through his summons as well. Having his aura surge when his summon shield is struck could knock attackers off-balance.
>Man Din should try experimenting with bound spirits like our Phoenix or Dhundan’s Pangolin to see if she can more closely mirror their special traits using her shapeshifting spirit. Perhaps it has more power to take on traits from higher-realm beasts equivalents?
>>
>>6089735
>Burst of Feather-Arrow - A multi-hit attack materializing 10 of your phoenix's feather, and project them like they were some arrows.

Click-clack "Shame."
>>
>>6089735
>Burst of Feather-Arrow - A multi-hit attack materializing 10 of your phoenix's feather, and project them like they were some arrows.
>>
>>6089774
I'll have to sadly veto that one;
There's a point where I enjoy sleeping and having a life out of the world of Quiet Word
>>
>>6089735
>If we used the bound phoenix, we’d have to take the hard landing.

Complete disclosure of potential synergies (or lack of) :
If you used the Rising Star Kick, Ascended Phoenix, a next-turn Burst of Feather Arrow will make you crash down.

>>6089750
>10 Normal hits rather than one decent hit and a teleport
It's more 10 slingshots vs 1 ballista bolt in terms of damage scale. The feathers are numerous, but weaker than your average arrow (granted, you lucked out and maxed the 1d10 number of hits)
>>
>>6089735
>Bounded Phoenix, Living Arrow - Shoot directly the Bounded Phoenix as a projectile
"I found a lanky and rather weathered peregrine knight who was a master of this style and followed him for several days on his journey. We soon reached a kingdom in terrible repair, passing many burned out houses and hovels. My companion informed me it was ruled by a tyrant, who would levy impossible taxes and often ride out to ravage his own land, preventing the people from leaving by force, and indulging his basest vices upon them. The land was very battered and thick, leather-necked soldiers were everywhere. We could not find lodging and had to camp under some ragged trees. There, the knight informed me he had made many preparations, had spent some time meditating, and decided it was right and proper to slay this man.
...
>>
>>6090233

I asked the knight how he planned to accomplish his quest, seeing that the warlord kept mostly to his very imposing stone keep and was guarded by fifty men, day and night. The knight cautioned me against hasty conclusions and bade me wait. I thought the fool would walk us right up the fortress gates and have us slaughtered, but to my surprise, we instead turned towards a distant mountain path. Three days of mostly silent climbing and very difficult trails, we found ourselves on a high mountain ledge, with a clear view of the poor, destitute kingdom below us, and the keep squatting like a black ogre overlooking mouth of the valley.

At this point I was still quite befuddled, but waited while the knight seemed to pace about and test the weather with his fingers and tongue. Seemingly satisfied, he boiled water, mixed some herbs, and began to pray. He had an enormous silverwood greatbow slung across his back, and only one arrow, almost the size and length of a javelin. Drinking the mixture, which smelled quite dreadful, he strung the bow, which took some effort. When the sun was almost at his zenith, he rose to his feet and bade me stand back, drawing the bow and the single, wicked looking arrow back with all his strength. I should mention here I have never seen a man look so anguished with concentration. He seemed to peer at some distant spot in the valley below, waiting for some ideal moment. I had absolutely no idea what the fool man’s goal was at the time. He stood like that for some four or five minutes, muscles straining, and it was only then that I realized he might be aiming at the keep.

When he loosed, the rush of wind that followed blew my whiskers nearly clean off my face and sent half my pack tumbling down the mountainside. I didn’t see where the shaft disappeared to. The man seemed mightily relieved and seemed to deflate somewhat. He told me the deed was done and that he would be leaving the kingdom soon. Thinking him mad, I was glad to be rid of his company.

When I returned to the valley below a few days later, I was almost immediately set upon by a peasantry almost crazy with mirth. The land was in disarray. The warlord had been slain in his keep, while he ate his luncheon. An enormous arrow had torn his head clear off his shoulders, and carried it out the window. It had traveled through three feet of stone to reach its target, as though a ballista had launched it.

It had been shot about fifteen miles.”
>>
It's funny because your original Hawk spirit was a Peregrine Falcon.

Also, this can be totally pulled of with the following skill combination :
>Some kind of strong hit (like your vote)
+
>Riding Archer's wind-riding bullseye (Need True Qi) : A wind-element ridiculously precise arrow attack
+
>Wind-Gliding Arrow (Need true Qi) : A wind-element ridiculously long-ranged attack
+
Some kind of Eye Skill or Divination Skill to know where to locate target
>>
>>6090239
Divination skill.

Like. . Our silk tiger seer skill?
>>
>>6090246
That's a technique. You'll need a breakthrough for getting a skill, but yes.
>>
>>6090247
Feel like having a shotgun blast at this level is pretty nice. And meteor hammer to strike like a thunderbolt.
Should ask master if you should learn a new technique or refit the meteor hammer skill we have. I think it would be worth to ask after the tournament or when we head there.
>>
>>6090274
I think techniques should be classed by what elements in them should we keep.

Sunseer hammer for example, we don't give a fuck about sun. Or tiger. Or silk. But divination? That's vital to work around. Same with meteor hammer, since it is a pain to put in [needing 2 breakthroughs or so].

Honestly a good prize is getting a comprehensive list of our affintiies and their relative strengths. It would make future planning much easier.
>>
>>6090199
Interesting, so we’ll take a hard landing if we go up regardless. On the other hand, a strong jump coupled with a mid-air Burst isn’t as useful due to the more limited range. It’d make more sense for us to jump towards and up just enough to target the frontline (and possibly backline) effectively and fire, limiting fall damage.

With Bound Phoenix, it’d make more sense to jump high and gank someone in the back, putting us out of reach for most retaliation due to distance. Then the fall would hurt since we jumped higher to get the angle and give the Phoenix time to distract any enemies in the back that could counter-snipe.

Still, good to know. At least it sounds like firing a Burst and THEN jumping around using regular shots is still on the table.
>>
>>6090309
>It’d make more sense for us to jump towards and up just enough to target the frontline (and possibly backline) effectively
I tried to convey it, but the Unlimited Rising Star Kick is a hard jump in a straight, 45° diagonal from the ground. The strength of the technique lies in the speed and virtually no delay before the jump, not its mobility or flexibility. Plus, it's quite rare (that you know of) for movement techniques to give height. Last, coupling this with your Phoenix Wings lets you glide and control a bit the descent instead of the straight pummeling down without inertia at the end of the technique.
>>
>>6090309
Also, you don't HAVE to burst when you jump.
The JUMP JET STRIKER archetype of yours can work with unimproved Unlimited Rising Star Kick (which doesn't put you at risk for now, and won't for quite some time granted your Phoenix spirit is available; thus why the Technique can grant fall-breaking skills)

The idea is Jumping hard to get a line of sight and lay a long-range shot on your target from an advantageous vantage position . If you use the wings, you can lay two such shots.
>>
>>6090312
Ah, the 45 degree is good to know. I’d thought we could angle it lower than that if we wanted to reduce the fall height in exchange for a lesser vantage. As you said, the fall height doesn’t really matter unless we want to use Burst or Bound Phoenix and deplete our wings, but I could see situations where we’d want to do that.

>>6090316
Right. Jumping would give us more visibility to line up the shotgun blast, but we could still do it on the ground. We could move with Ai, who’d weaken the enemy before we unload into the front and let Dhundan and Yi smash completely through before falling back and continuing to fight by jumping and hitting with normal attacks. Alternately, we could simply use our horse to ride around the front and target the back as a mounted archer.

I guess being a mounted archer would give us the height needed to target the frontline/backline over our allies anyway. I should have thought of that earlier…
>>
>>6090373
>As you said, the fall height doesn’t really matter unless we want to use Burst or Bound Phoenix and deplete our wings, but I could see situations where we’d want to do that.
Even like that, you're not going high enough for it to be dangerous so far.

I'll sadly be unable to update tonight
>>
>>6090410
A horse kick can't harm us and our legs got that double reenforcement from both techniques.

Surely a 2 meter drop isn't a burden.
the technqiue being as good as it is, it'll probably continue in that vein multiplicatively.
>>
You start having a rough idea of your ideal lineup.
Some things are clear. Some, less so.

Dhundan as a Menacing Frontliner
Ai as a Pacifist Poet
|This two have a Synergy, the Intent Saw
Man Din as a Wildcard
Yourself? Well, you humbly label yourself as a JUMP JET STRIKER.
This mean you'll fight as a bowman. Jumping, striking from above toward high-value target, rinse and repeat.
However, this is merely a possibility. Maybe the Mounted Archer, Summoner or Fighter archetype would be somehow better?

Two of your friends have several archetypes available.
Sin Din can either fill the role of Wandering Heavy Cavalry and Giant-slaying Scout
Yi Norm, you basically create the One Man Army trait for. But do you want to field him as a Frontliner (offensive), a Protector (defensive), or even a Fighter (Neutral)?

This week, you have guests everyday : five of Stable Lotus Harbor finest.
Two you're really glad to see. One you don't know that much. Two you're not so happy to work with.

First is Ping Jun. Your Versatile harmony friend is a board-and-sword mounted fighter.
You already knows of his golden glow aura, a versatile tool although a bit weak.
He can easily fit 3 martial roles : Frontliner, Protector and Heavy Cavalry
Second and third are LienWen YanEr and Meiying Youling. You're a bit conflicted for the two of them.
Your heart screams to already field them on Spiritual Artist position, to prepare from trials to come later on - at the cost of their immediate efficiency.
Your mind retort that those trials would only come if you overcome the tribulation, and you'll need them to act as Fighter for that intent and purpose.

Then, there's the unpleasant LienWen JiaLin. A proficient swordfighter, still very pissed of being suclassed by you, Dhundan, her cousin.
You suspect her case to be slightly different from the two formers - that is, her best archetype does not fit any of the box you've thought out so far.
>[This is a mystery box with one "true" good solution.]

Last, there's the unsufferable Ster Ling. Always challenging your authority (and helped in that endeavor by JiaLin attempts to undermine you), broadly uncooperative.
He's basically a walking superiority complex soured by his lack of title in the Stable Lotus Harbor yearly tournament.
At the very least, he's the textbook Marksman, so he won't create headache over his role.
>[This is a mystery box with open solutions.]
>>
Regarding the Chain of command, you ponders making Ai second-in-command and Sin-Din third-in-command.
However, you know for sure that Ai won't partake in the upcoming tournament. Thus, you make Sin Din your Lieutenant.
You have an hidden strength as a strategist : your Bounded-Phoenix skill Eyes From Above - requiring, once again, the Bounded Spirit but that could let you see some hidden shenanigans.
You have a glaring weakness : Communication. The lack of Innate Mouth Skill might hurt a bit. It's too late for that one though.

You are aware few battle plans resist engagement. At any point, you might Break Formation, getting out of your designated roles.
However, you're not sure yet how it will play out for your cohesion.

You devote this week at working on your squad coordination. Your first step is assert dominance, that you do by...
>Write-in how to assert your authority as the Squad Leader!

All that said and done, you have a bit of free time. That you will use :
>In a who-piss-farthest contest of marksmanship with Ster Ling
>In a lot of 2v2 spars : You and Ping Jun against Dhundan and Ai!
>Binding two present people with the Growth-Realm thread! [Write-in person1 and person2, will consume the single-use mystery item]
>Write-in any idea you have involving you and another kid in a relevant battle-training thing!

Also,

>Create the team Comp! I'm expecting a wall of text looking like
Yourself as a ...
Dhundan as a ...
Ai as a ...
Man Din as a ...
Sin Din as a ...
Yi Norm as a ...
Ping Jun as a ...
LienWen YanEr as a ...
LienWen JiaLin as a [Mystery-box write-in advised]
Meiying Youling as a ...
Ster Ling as a ...
>>
>>6091123
>Establish dominance through simple argumentative fashion.
"I am the captain, and there is no question. I have dedicated my time, efforts and focus towards this end, and with my seniority I command 6 of our 11 numbers. Factor my friendships and I can sway 8 of them.

So most qualified, Most sway over the group, and inarguably the most driven.
Ster Ling. You might have some qualifications, but you are Like Dhundan, you wish to Win not to let others take the shot. I will give you your shots, and you will take them, and in this way prove yourself the genius lf archery you must be to get here. And if you won't, I'll do it myself.

LienWan JiaLin, you don't like me. That's fine, I don't need you to. What I need you to understand is that the next two engagements we are undergoing is of vital importance to our personal development and the towns standing. Failure to break through will set our hard work to nothing and rob us of genius stature, I will climb back up, but I don't know if you will. Success in the empire capital will skyrocket our township in importance and support, and our own status respectively. Perhaps enough to put you back on equal footing with your cousin.

But both of you, understand me clearly. I don't hate either of you, nor are you my enemies. Fellow members of Stable Lotus harbour and tentative allies of the future. Helping you here helps me, and to help me here helps you. But."

>Flare our battle intent like knives

"If it is either of your faults that we are impeded or, heavens help you, fail then we shall be enemies. And I will have no interest in anything but your ruination. Am I clear?"

Repay kindness two fold, Repay emnity 10 fold.

>Spend free time seeing who can piss farthest with Ster Ling.
It's good to get an idea of ranges.

Now my present plan is that we know we are facing a single devastating foe this time.
So stick two groups there, ranged dps and some supports [the spiritual art guys who will be fighters pre-breakthrough] and the offensive team, Namely Dhun and the others to Harry and harass them straightway.
>>
>>6091162
For my line up

Yourself as a ... JumpJet
Dhundan as a ... Menacing frontliner
Ai as a ... Pacifist Poet
Man Din as a ... Wildcard.
Sin Din as a ... Giant slaying scout.
Yi Norm as a ... Protector [For Dhundan and Ai, if that means he needs to be a frontliner, so be it]
Ping Jun as a ... Heavy Cavalry
LienWen YanEr as a ... Spiritual art position
LienWen JiaLin as a [UNSURE]
Meiying Youling as a ...Spiritual art position
Ster Ling as a ... Machine gun emplacement. Put out a lot of attacks as best he can, clear our the chaff and pelt the bigger guys.


JiaLin has a Jade Lotus Hawk, is a pretty damn good swordswoman, and her stable lotus arts are big on spiritual arts things.
hmmm. I'm not sure what to do with her.
>>
>>6091162
Anon do remember everyone is literally a child.
>>
>>6091162
Suppoty the write-in to establish dominance

For Ster Ling
Pull him aside and tell him we're giving him an important place in the battle formation. And that you are counting on him to shine. Be the star he wants to be he only needs to take it. (Basically, make it hard for him to refuse and stroke his ego that's been damaged so hard)

We'll try to keep the formation simple

Fountline
Dhundan as a Menacing Frontliner draws main aggro and wears down the opponent's mental strength.
LienWen YanEr frontliner simply since they can't use arts yet.
Meiying Youling frontliner simply since they can't use arts yet.
LienWen JiaLin Sword Dancer - Was tough but it seems she isn't tanky but from the faint info got supple she's very bendy.
It's that or a Sword Acrobat. I assume her roll would be to slide into battle with the distractions happen and move into weakpoints almost like an assassin, however, doing it from the front.
She can disrupt the frontline of the enemeies ahead well.

Backline
Yi Norm One Man Army Protector (Defensive) allowing him to fill in gaps of the frontline.
Word - Jump Jet striker to fill in the gaps to attack weakened areas to dash in finish do damage.
Then retreat. We can also use Eyes From Above to scout dangers and negate shenanigans
Ster Ling - Marksman opening volley of arrows, watches flank and deals good damage.
Man Din as a Wildcard - Have him act as he sees fit. A true wildcard

Support
Ai as a Pacifist Poet wears down mental strength.
Ster Ling - Marksman opening volley of arrows, watches flank and deals good damage.

Flanking
Sin Din Wandering Heavy Cavalry and Giant-slaying Scout both of these rolls go great for a flanker.
Ping Jun Heavy Cavalry to Join Sin Din on attacking the Flank.

Lastly for the free time ask -
Those in the same position mingle together and get a fell for one another. (Except Word he helps Dhundan not be a retard)
>>
>>6091239
When they become spirit slingers i'd move them to backline and switch them out for Yi Norm and Man Din as Frontline people
>>
>>6091123
>Write-in how to assert your authority as the Squad Leader!
The only two giving us problems are Ster Ling and JiaLin, right? Just call them out. Ask what right they think they have to play leader over us, given the results of the most recent tournament.
Maybe even spar with JiaLin to get a better idea of her capabilities

>In a lot of 2v2 spars : You and Ping Jun against Dhundan and Ai!
Intent Saw practice.

Yourself as a ... Leap Rocket Hitter
Dhundan as a ... Menacing frontliner
Ai as a ... Pacifist Poet
Man Din as a ... Wildcard.
Sin Din as a ... Giant slaying scout.
Yi Norm as a ... Fighter
Ping Jun as a ... Heavy Cavalry
LienWen JiaLin as a Sword Dancer
Meiying Youling as a ...Spiritual art position
Ster Ling as a ... Marksman
>>
>>6091238
We have killed people, I'll fucking ruin this little shitfuckcunt if they fuck us over on these very important events.

>>6091239
To clarify things, my idea is to offer the carrot that Sterling will shine and Jia will get back in her families graces, that this harbour prospering is her family prospering.

And the stick is that we'll ruin them if they mess up because they thought to cause issues out of petty dislike.
We saw what appealing to people got us with the snake pit. Now we threaten AND appeal
>>
>>6091123
>Write-in how to assert your authority as the Squad Leader!
A quiet word, of course. How else could we? Make sure to keep our voice level through this.
>”I am considered the captain of our group until the end of this tribulation. I know some of you would prefer otherwise.”
>”I will skip the part where our sect outnumbers at this moment. It is not the real reason I am in charge. I can also say it is not because I am the greatest talent in this group. Dhundan and Ai are certainly greater in that regard, and it is arguable that I am one of the least among us in that regard.”
>”The real reason is that our sect and my friends here know that I will only hold to all to the same standards I have set for myself. While that may mean nothing to you, I ask that you speak with my sectmates. When you do, ask them what training under is like her. Under our masters first, but eventually under me. Dhundan and Ai haven’t needed it, but the others did recently.”
>”Their words are unimportant. What is meaningful is the fear you will see in their eyes and which question you saw it from.”
>”Hold on to that memory as we train. You will understand, and I hope you will also understand why they still listen to me. I accept that making people as good as me is insufficient when most of you already have more talent. That means making you better than yourselves. A responsibility few at our age will accept, let alone train for. I have, for all that implies.”
Let our results (and the PTSD of several child in our sect) speak for themselves in the coming days.

>Free time
Lies and slander. The concept is free time is an affront to our dao. There is only the grind, and they will accept this world view!

>In a lot of 2v2 spars : You and Ping Jun against Dhundan and Ai!

>>6091169
Supporting this as our formation for now. I would peg Meiying as Spellslinger giver her ghostly attacks and ask YanEr for more details on her current skills to know whether she’d be healer/guardian/spellslinger long-term. She’ll give us the deets.

For NiaLin, she has a bounded spirit and wanted to make good use of it in battle. With her martial skill and reflexes I’d peg her roughly as “Spiritual Dancer”, using her summon as the dance partner. An eventual focus on spiritual arts to buff herself and her summon to be nigh-untouchable and beat down single targets by ensuring no opponent can block both strikes at the same time. Her spiritual focus will make her appear a tempting target to attack by martial cultivators, but that can be her trap.

This will mean more focused instruction from our sect since we’re the summoning experts, but that’s fine.

Alternately, if she’s willing to show other techniques we could refine further. I doubt she will though.

>Battle training ideas
Oh boy! I’ll think on this while working.
>>
>>6091310
Your humility is commendable but these idiots will take it as weakness.
>>
>>6091310
Isn't Spirit dancer just front liner with extra steps?

But we should consider her sect yeah, so I don't recommend going with Spirit dancer.
I don't think her speciality is assassin either. Her bladework is meant to be flawless, and a perfect jumping off point for Spirit arts.

Hmm, she called her sword strikes blossoms. Maybe her spiritual arts involve summoning lotus plants, making her an AOE denial type/summoner
>>
>>6091343
We’ve never had a positive interaction with Ster Ling and JiaLin so I don’t know if humility or hubris is a greater danger. I’m wrote that with my own personal interpretation on why we’re leading the training in mind. Best I can do until we’ve had some successes with them.

I can back humblebrags like
>”I will skip the part where our sect outnumbers at this moment or that I won the last tournament. It is not the real reason I am in charge.”
to remind that while we downplay things, we did prove we were better than them when it mattered. I’m even indirectly admitting we’ll show them the real secret we have over everyone else (our training regimen) because I laugh at the idea they’ll stick with it after they leave. I’ll applaud them if they do though.

>>6091364
Thing is, we know her sect does spiritual arts. It’s like saying that someone knows martial arts though. Does that make them a tank? A warrior? An archer? A rogue? I don’t have a good idea on where to slot her. Maybe YanEr can tell us more generally what she or her cousin would be pushed towards if we word it right.

Still, we’ve been told we don’t have her role figured out among our options. A frontliner is a martial class, but there is no equivalent for a spiritual role. They have offensive and defensive options, but not one expected to do both. The last spellslingers we fought were ranged fighters as well, so I think close combat-focused spirit art fighter role is the “gap” she’d fill that isn’t covered anywhere.

Now, she could still do area denial if you’re right. Something to zone other combatants so she can fight who she wants herself or with a small group. She’d still learn how to hold her own then since area denial can’t win her fights directly.

Alternate matchups
>Meiying and Dhundan vs [close-ranged fighters] See if Meiying can time her strikes to go through Dhundan’s shield. If the backline gets pushed back we can have him defend for both of them while striking freely. Someone extended in an attack can’t easily defend after all, and a few blows from her may be enough for him to finish ripping and tearing.

>Sin and Ping vs Yi Norm
Ping will focus on charging Yi to separate him from his summons so Sin can dive in and attack the most important target. This principle should hold in larger combats as well, where Ping should pick targets based on who he can isolate for our giant-slaying scout and our backline.

>Man Din and us - can she take attributes from our beasts in particular?
I’m interested in seeing what that “potential” boost is for the 33-beast shapeshifter spirit does. We have a variety of high-level summons, and maybe she can mirror attributes from them if she can see them in action more. It should be better than mirroring the attributes of “normal” beasts that she and her spirit are more familiar with. A Martial horse should have a stronger kick than a normal one for example. Is that something
>>
>>6091364
I think that just means she is extremely precise and accurate with her sword swings like she could cut cherry blossoms out of thin air perfectly in half levels of precise.
>>
>>6091504
Aka you know those samara clips where the guy cuts through the air and suddenly after they sheathe the sword a bajillion things just fall apart or they just cut some guy in half? I think she is like that.
>>
>>6091507
>samara
Meant to say samurai not samara that city fuckin sucks
>>
>>6091239
But yeah i'll +1 this since it's closest to what i'm thinking maybe Mystic or Spiritual Sword Dancer instead of just Sword Dancer if this is something we gotta be specific on but this probably matches up the closest from my POV.
>>
>>6091274
>>6091442
Ran out of space, had to cut some thoughts. Came up with with a couple better ones.
>Ai with [everyone] - Bodyguard testing
Ai has no real combat skills so anything that can cut through her aura is a threat to her. We should run everyone through her aura to see who resists it the best. Anyone that does it particularly well can have an unofficial role as her defender if something is persistently attacking her. We can have that role if needed since we can strike from just about anywhere, but I’d prefer someone to block for her.

>Formation break defense
We won’t have the time to train everyone on all the possible alternate roles when our formation breaks, so I’ll ascribe to a partner principle. If things fall apart, everyone knows one person they can work with. They stick to and support them.

It’d be something like
>Yi supports Dhundan - The frontline is where Yi demands it, and Dhundan should always be on the frontline.
>JiaLin/YanEr supports Yi - If Yi is taken out, the frontline goes with it. Engage anyone that tries to get to him.
>Dhundan defends JiaLin/YanEr - He’s got an excellent shield so he can defend one other person at least.
and so on.

It circles around so the last person in a chain supports the first person in a chain and some cohesion is kept. Dhundan, Yi, and probably a Lienwen as one group with the possible addition of Meiying if she partners well with Dhundan. Ai and hopefully the other Lienwen (maybe Meiying if she isn’t frontline with Dhundan) as another. Ping, Sin Din, Ster Ling, and us as the last. Man Din is a wildcard, so they can float to cover anyone they wish, but I’d suggest focusing on plugging gaps with Ai or Yi. They’re the core of their respective groups as far as I’m concerned because of their unique utilities (Army of One and Pacifist Poet), but I think ours can survive fine without the extra help.

We’ll see who holds up best around Ai and make our final decisions for her group then.

If a “chain” is broken, the person missing their preferred partner sticks with the person defending them instead. If we have multiple people down it’ll at least give a chance for everyone to keep fighting with one other person at their back.

No one faces a trial alone. We should be clear on that in our training.
>>
>Around 4 people expressed themself

I know it's a complex vote and way harder than just prompting a 1d100 roll for gets, but will still let it open a bit more.
Mainly because I love the discussion and will steal some ideas to implement in your future strategies options.
>>
>>6091522
Partner principle is a great idea.

I maintain the groups ought be spirit casters and archers together, and the rest formed into a moving wrecking ball.
Should ask for a mouth skill to learn while we travel.
>>
>>6091239
+1
>>
>>6091522
The partner idea sounds good
>>
>>6091522
>>6091748
>>6091824
>>6091989
Haven't started working on the update.

The partner chain can't realistically be done so fast.
So I'm proposing an intermediate step : Pairings!
Feel free to assign people a buddy while I keep procrastinating on that quest
>>
>>6091996
Us and Wan
Sterling and jia
Ai and dhun and Yi norm. Ai will depart.
Ping and sin
Man and ghost girl.
>>
>>6092122
Idea is that we should fit people together by position first then alliance second.

Cavalry together, archer with a spiritual arts user [who will be fighters for the tribulation] sp they can cover one another, front liners together and so on.

But I want Jia and Ling together to foster an alliance of convenience between them that might develop into a connection of friendship.

Tying lotus harbour and The millitary group geniuses together creates a solid connection that's good for the town.
And for YanEr if she becomes the leader of the town.
>>
>>6092122
Support +1
>>
>>6091748
I’m in broad agreement. I gave Ai some groupies since she’s going to be a notably weaker fighter than the rest, but the other groups boil down to “frontline” and “backline”. Anything more complex would have been impossible to train for now.

>>6091996
Not that even this simplified version was simple enough for them. Oh well. We have to accept not everyone can train at our level for a whole week without some consequences.

>>6092122
>>6092144
I’m in agreement with the general philosophy and pairings here. First one is us and YanEr, right?

If the Lienwen sisters had their spiritual arts we could probably finagle this better, but we don’t know the exact roles they’ll grow into so their positions may change in the future. It is what it is.

If Meiying can hit through a defender like Dhundan, Man Din can drag her up closer to the frontline for a partial synergy boost.

Partner training ideas… well, I already had the one for Sin Din and Ping Jun. Dhundan and Ai already have the intent saw. For the others:
>Ling and Jia can fight a mix of opponents without additional support. Both should focus on staying mobile. Jia will need to draw enough aggro to give Ling time to line up strong kill shots before falling back to him to move, Ling will need to keep ranged attackers off Jia’s back. Their focus is survivability though.
>Same for us and YanEr. We have our horse though, and we may be able to carry her while jumping in a pinch. She can practice a quick mount/dismount so we can move and deploy her faster.
>It seems unlikely that Meiying would have the range of a bow, so Man Din and Meiying would need to get comfortable fighting in situations they can’t escape. Have Man Din act as either Guardian or Frontliner while Meiying attacks from behind. She should move as needed to keep the Man Din between her and the greatest threats.
>Dhundan should focus on being a secondary protector to Yi himself. The number of summons he puts out will tie up far more of the enemy than anyone else can, and we have a lot of glass cannons. We need that front to hold as long as possible.

Much of this is meant for a situation where coordination is lost, but it should provide some synergies even in normal play.
>>
>>6092220
Meiying seems to summon spiritual imitations like our blood wolf to kill.
And has some pseudo true qi bullshit for mid ranged slashes.

So close range for our first fight is probably a go, then have em fall back to turn man din into protector when we get spiritual arts up and running
>>
Alright I'm working on the update.
I'll require a roll for the work on pairings.

Meaning...
>5 anons roll 1d100!
DC : 20/70/60/40/80
>>
Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>6092690
>>
Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>6092690
That's one fail for us I think
>>
>>6092737
Fail for our antagonists too.
>>
Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>6092737
Given delay of an hour, I will take a second roll and no more.

Others, Appear.
>>
Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>6092690
>>
Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>6092690
We are not very coordinated.
>>
>>6092735
>>6092737
>>6092766
>>6092786
>>6092813
A resounding failure on every single count.
>>
Good. Let the failure out of the system before the really important rolls.
>>
>>6092829
Damn that's bad like holy fuck they are all autistic.
>>
>>6092858
Almost a dozen 8 year old chink prodigies put into the same room for days
>>
Ya know all the rolls being terrible may actually be better then some of the rolls being terrible in this situation.
>>
So on one hand the multiple failure makes the incoming turn shorter.
On the other, I'm also writing up the Tribulation bit. I'm far from done, and this weekend is on the busier side
So no idea when the update is coming.
>>
>>6092953
Could do a multi parter release.
>>
>>6092957
Might do.
>>
First thing first, you have to nip in the bud the mutinous behavior of the problematic elements.
"JiaLin. SterLing. Let's have a quick talk.
- What, you require marksmanship pointers, Junior?"
- If I were you, I wouldn't try it arrow-boy
- Yeah. Piece of advice : shut down the banter, put your serious face on, and nod along.
- Looks like you're scared of the plainest dude ever?"
- Be as foolish as you want. I'll watch.
- Wait, what's happening?"
- Oh, you're just in for what we call a "Quiet Word". Never wondered why we call him like that?"
Great prep talk from the trio. Not even prompted. You reassert how hard you've been to them in the past...
Yeah, they're definitely overreacting, you've been nothing than exceedingly nice to them and indulge in their "15-minutes-break-amidst-halfday-training" fantasy!
(You gave them a 10-minute break).

You walk a few step, and grab both of them over their shoulder, lowering your voice, forcing their full attention.
"I find you two are not as involved as I would like in the preparations. So I'll skip the part about how this is for your own good, and...
- Say as you want, you're not my senior Brother.
- No, I'm something not as nice : I'm your captain. And your better. Also, I don't remind granting you speaking rights.
- Careful, you might fall from that ego of..."
You flash-flare your intent to shut him up, while your fingers digs in his shoulder as claws.
"Don't make me raise my voice. Granted, I might not be as talented. You know how I climbed all the way to the top of our agespan pecking order?
Discipline. You two had it so easy for so long, you'll need to learn what hard work is. And, Oh boy, I'll make sure you will.
If you two stop being complete retards for just five minute, think hard about what is coming next.
Ster Ling, you want to be the best. Under my lead, I'll give you your shots. Take them, and prove you're not all bark. Don't, and I'll do it myself.
JiaLin, I think you might not like me. - a sassy retort die on the way to her lips as she recall her lack of speaking rights
I don't need you to. I just need you two to cooperate. First we break through. Second we show the Empire our town is not a backwater hillbilly place.
I'm sure you are smart enough to catch why this might be good for you for us to overcome this two trials.

You slowly release your anger, progressively letting your Fighting Intent cover the three of you.
"If it is either of your faults that we are impeded or, heavens help you, fail then we shall be enemies. And I will have no interest in anything but your ruination. Am I clear? Good."
You drop both of them as well as your intent. JiaLin, less trained in the Mental fortitude than Dhundan, falls down while you simply walk away.
>>
"You seriously mess up. He doesn't talk that long usually.
- Maybe cause he likes us to begin with?
- LESS SLACKING MORE TRAINING!
- Y... Yes, boss!"

With that sorted out, you resume your training. The first few days are devoted on training and shifting the lineup around, until you're happy with what you've got.

You elected to make Jia Lin an Acrobat. This role opens up a brand new category in your mental space, the Hybrids.
The Acrobat is an hybrid between a Frontliner and an Assassin. This archetype needs to be good with a Weapon, Nimble, and able to Dance around the battlefield to navigate the lines to their more favorable targets.
The two formers are a given. The later, not so much. You feel like you could have made a better choice, but it eluded you and, frankly, this might not be so far behind.
In other words, you feel the role is suitable for her, although not the one that will let her shine the brightest. You don't feel too bad about it - but you will certainly blame yourself if you lose one of the incoming fight by a ropetight margin.
She would benefit from a Beast Tamer helping her develop her use of the bounded Jade Lotus Hawk spirit. She didn't acted like she deserved it though.

Yi Norm will be fielded as a One-Man-Army Protector. A step behind Dhundan, he'll take care, alongside his ost of summons, no one slip through.
Because of the obvious antagonistic role, you make him (and Dhundan) spar a lot against JiaLin supported by Ster Ling, Meying Youling and Man Din.
On your side, you team up with YanEr against Ping Jun and Sin Din.

Overall, it is a mess. You all fail to make things click together. Your time devoted to "monitor" the other pairs makes your own attempt to find out how to best fight alongside the Young Mistress futile.
Your group is still good enough to put the second-stage untalented dummy acting as your full-group sparring on their toes - admittedly, because they hold back due to the level difference. You're not quite sure what to think of the efficiency of your squad.


Current Squad Lineup :

Leader : Quiet Word
Lieutenant : Sin Din

Yourself as a JUMP JET STRIKER
Dhundan as a Menacing Frontliner
Ai as a Pacifist Poet
Man Din as a Wildcard
Sin Din as a GiantSlayer Scout
Yi Norm as a One-man-army protector
Ping Jun as an Heavy Cavalry
LienWen YanEr as a Frontliner
LienWen JiaLin as an Acrobat
Meiying Youling as a Frontliner
Ster Ling as a Marksman

Meying Dhundan YanEr
JiaLin Yi Norm Ai
Ping Jun Man Din Sin Din
Quiet Word
Ster Ling
>>
Always forgetting tab and space are too much for the chan.

>To be continued
>>
>>6092982
Jia Kin is hard to pin down with the lack of information maybe trickster or controller.

The trickster is using her spirit and throws flints to get under people's skin. Or Tempo Controller to set the pace in her area of fighting using her spirit as a second pair of eyes.

Also thanks for update.
>>
>>6092982
Thanks for the update Hoss.

Also, useful information to use against Jialin.
>AND SOMETHING FOR THE TRIO TO TRAIN!
>>
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Today, like all days, you wake up in the dormitory shared with the other young Beast Tamer prodigies.
After a breakfast made of gruel, the gears of your mind shift.
How to work better with LienWen YanEr? Could you say anything to Sin Din and Ping Jun? You have absolutely no clue (nor will) for helping JiaLin and SterLing
Not that you have much more insight to help the other kids. But at least you feel more inclinated to.

You head toward the training grounds, where you meet eye-rubbing YanEr and JiaLin trying her hardest not to immitate her cousin, and the other kids coming from the city.
"It's too early in the morning to start training...
- What kind of nonsense is that? We are all woke up and clothed!"

Something is wrong. Two things, actually. First, a lack of the walking second-stage human dummies generously provided from the sect.
Second, what is waiting in their place.

The man looks strong. Taller than Ryota, a head covered in a wild, voluminous hazelnut mane of curly hair, holding on without any concern to gravity.
Muscles evident beneath is black gi tied with a grass green sash. A quick look with your mystical sight - Apertures, dimmer than Dantians, dimmer than Meridians, dimmer than Bones, which in turn are pale in comparison to a golden sphere. A Spirit Sovereign, as known as fifth-stage or Golden Core cultivator it is.

"Hello fishes. I'm the dragon."

So the way Ryota arranged for your Fish Leaping Through the Dragon Gate was for you to fight with his Fist of the Green Dragon friend? You thought he was supervising a trial, not you had to face him directly!

Your group tenses up as the man's energy visually flares up - but the Golden Core, the Bones and the Meridians actually disappear from your vision, while the Dantians flare up, an energy reaching the Apex of Second Stage.
"In formation!"
Immediately, Ping Jun and Sin Din deploy their spiritual beasts, taking upon the wings. Dhundan, Meying and YanEr stepped forward, followed by JiaLin, Yi Norm and Ai.
You step back while Man Din take your place, and hear Ster Ling notching an arrow and drawing his bow behind you. You elect to observe before letting destruction rain from above.

A roundhouse kick sent both YanEr and Meying flying a few meters around - dispelling a couple of Yi's Monkey attempting to catch them back, which are immediately remplaced by JiaLin and Ai, starting up the Intent Saw with Dhundan.
The impressive man you're facing just caught JiaLin's sword strike between two fingers. Ai's soothing aura seems effective enough to prevent the young Lotus girl to take a bad pounding.
JiaLin uses the respite to disengage, letting room for Ping Jun and Sin Din to attempt a charge from opposite angle.
That's when Ster Ling unleash his Volley skills of him. The timing is perfect. You JUMP and join the attack, unleashing a shot.
You think your attack is slightly mightier than Ster Ling, but he clearly makes up with his rate of fire.
>>
Your opponent grasps Sin Din halberd, use the polearm to divert Ping Jun's strike - letting the two horse-rider strike divert each other and cross him, while he launches on the ground, in a spinning kick-dancing motion that divert Dhundan's saber with a heel, followed by a powerful kick delivered from the side of the feet in the boy's stomach, then a third hit at a close-by monkey.
All that while dodging by an hair's width Ster Ling Arrows. That's when your shot fall, in the perfect angle to pin him down.
You feel his gaze locking down on you as you launch your perfectly-lined hit, while using your Rising Kick, Ascended Phoenix, holding up in the sky with your materialized bounded beast wings.
Did the man just... Somersaulted away from your attack? This will be a hard fight - you're giving all of what your group can, and never touched him once!
Wait. Man Din had circled around the guy, and his dodge sent him right down to her and her long, needle-like beack Crane Spirit found her way to the martial artist's back, tearing a hole through his black gi.

"Oh? So soon? Well, it means I'll have to go seriously."
One smooth motion, and the man sent away his shirt, revealing a smooth and muscular skin. More concernly are the energy-dense armbraces of metal bubbling like boiling water.
"Let me introduce myself. QuickSteel Aris. The Metallic Dragon. Weapon-master of the Fist of the Green Dragon sect.
- Wait, something's strange!"

Man Din's energy seems to be surging too, after that succesful hit. Her Qi and Blood in her Mouth Aperture connect back to the heart aperture, refined after their full cycle from thread-like to a blue-white glowing liquid. Her power surges, and you can witness her Spirit growing alongside her - shifting and taking the same liquid-metal hue than your adversary's armbrace.

The fight resume. Of course, Man Din breaking through does not make her a match to the man toying with you. But it requires a greater deal of attention - especially since her Bounded Spirit seems immune to his strikes, strike you perceive poorly because of the angle. Said angle exploited by YanEr. She avoid an elbow by dropping on her left knee, right leg extanded, and uppercuts up the man in a blinding flurry of teal lotus petals. The Green Dragon fighter turns his head to assert the new threat - before getting hit upon the head by a Yi, instantly able to pull a few Monkeys out of his sleeve - said monkey with a power level relevantly second stage now.
"Alright, I can stomach Quiet Word overtaking me. Lotus Princess, I don't like it... but it makes sense. But Man Din? YI NORM?!?
The scream of Dhundan barely distract Aris, which glance over his shoulder, punch strongly at Man Din - sending her less far than you would have expected - and prepare to face Dhundan.
This is the perfect opportunity for you to take your Second shot, at the same split-second Dhundan sent a vicious slash.
>>
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Something strange happen, as you feel your own Qi completing the cycle as your arrow depart, in perfect synchronization with the dark tide emanating from Dhundan.
You can distinctively hear a Phoenix shriek, and swear you can see a teapot, a small phoenix and a blood-shadow wolf dancing around your arrow piercing through Dhundan's darkness.
A dull twin thud, both of your move hit the target. Back on the ground, you JUMP again and notch a new arrow, drawing your bow... Which cracks. The mundane training weapon seemingly can't withstand your newfound might.

"I almost felt those one. Nice."

Your fighting resume, less one-sided right now. The man's armbrace are starting to shift forms : a Saber to meet Dhundan's attack before extending in a Monkey-dispelling pike, turning into a glaive for a mighty cleave, sending everyone around him ducking - but Man Din spirit, shifted as a mouse, slide behind the attack before morphing into an elephant, dragging enough attention to open up an oppotunity for Meying Youling, clawing at your adversary with her ghostly energies. Empowered, the Death Harvester girl leaps back, and starts hurling pellets of eldritch energy from further away, requiring a greater deal of attention from the man's shifting sphere of liquid metal than Ster Ling's arrow, still raining on your target.
A golden sword slams behind the mighty cultivator's head. Ping Jun had time to stop, turn back, and charge again. His golden Aura turns brighter with his breakthrough, letting him disengage twice as fast as previously. Aris, quite busy with the onslaught of attacks of Dhundan, Meying and the nimble YanEr, gets ready to avoid Sin Din's attack.
That was the opening Ster Ling was needing. One of his arrow, flying at an angle, just bends mid-flight turning into a pure-white and bright line. In turn, the hit distract Aris enough to let Sin Din cleave connect, in a cloud of mist with wind rising around the girl.
Last, Jia Lin sword finds a way in with the man busy enough with the 9 other second-level cultivator. Akin to her cousin, her strikes seems to generate some lotus petals, although her own are seemingly sculpted in Jade.

"And that concludes it.
- No it doesn't! We still have some fight left in us!
- No you don't. But if that's help you sleep at night, know that if my body resistance was truly at the second stage, I might had a couple cuts and bruises from this little spar."
>>
Indeed, you're all falling to your knees. The power surge was as exhilarating as exhausting.
You're counting up in your head, and something doesn't add up.
"Wait! Ai haven't broke through!
- Ten out of eleven ain't so bad a success rate. Despite, I doubt this method could work on her - she haven't even attempted to punch me.
- Does that mean the fighting is over? I hated every second of it, so cool beans.
- But you're getting set back a lot! You have to reaccumulate energy, and you might not cross the second stage before eight, and...
- All those matter for you but I personnally don't care. See ya."

It's been 2 years and 9 months since you've joined the Eastern Province branch of Tamers of Hundred Beasts, and today Stable Lotus Harbor counts 10 genius-potential kids.
Everybody's getting back to their own sect for stabilizing your new realm - which goes surprisingly fast in your case. It means it's time for resuming your training.

Either Combine a Foundation and chose 2, or chose 3

Combine your Foundation work (pick 1 body and 1 meditation):
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
Friendship [Locked]
>Keep improving things between Ai and Dhundan [require write-in on how]
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation!
>Train Squad Tactics
Other
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in] [Locked]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Arts Technique
>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Go discuss with your guest Aris - he stared at you hard during the fight!
>Ask Ryota for a Mission! [Locked]
Strengthening the Jar
>Gardening time! [Unecessary, Mental Health at its brim]
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
>>6094353
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]
Foundation Gang, always be foundation-ing.
>Train Squad tactics
Ryota wanted to prep us for another tournament, so we need to keep up.
>Go discuss with your guest Aris - he stared at you hard during the fight!
This seems the most time-sensitive of all the options, so... color me intrigued.
>>
>>6094360
+1
Funny moment where edgy rival shocked at 4 other people in a row upstaging him. Man Din getting Liquid Metal or something for her spirit is also extremely powerful with it already being a Ditto. Seems Ster Ling has more dps compared to Quiet Word with how much he spams shots as his style
>>
>>6094360
>Train Squad tactics
Locked. You and the other kids needs to get a better grasp at True Qi.
>>
>>6094372
Glad you liked it. This update took me quite a while to write-up
>>
>>6094353
>Snake body
>Poisoner's ultimate self trial

>Mounted archers style
>Go discuss with our guest.

FUCK YEAH!
I don't know why it worked. BUT IT WORKED!
>>
>>6094379
It was awesome.

Otherwise, Everyone else, if we go to see the Martin master she is going to give us a body tempering technique for blood aspect.
We don't need it with our spiritual art healing method but it's nice to know.
>>
>>6094353
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]
I respect the grind.

>Go discuss with your guest Aris - he stared at you hard during the fight!
Since he could leave at any moment.

> Work on your Mental Energy with Ai
I’ll avoid training a weapon skill while we’re still stabilizing, and this has two purposes. We normally do this with Dhundan, but we can train with Ai for the same general benefit. I’d also like to ask her
>What does she want out of cultivating, and how will she get it?
since she’s not motivated to fight. I can’t imagine she’ll be able to get what she wants without people standing in her way. If I’m right about that, then I want to push her skills to eventually bring even the most hostile people to peace with her. That’ll take persistence to bring her around, and we can show the truth of her current weakness by cutting through her aura until she can MAKE us stop.

Our sect-mates deserve better than to have their goals trampled on by others more ruthless and uncaring about the ways of others. It requires strength to defend that though, if not in direct combat then in other ways.

Does Quiet Word have a goal in all this cultivation himself? Something besides getting strong for the sake of being strong? Might not be bad for Ai to coax it out of him when she gives her own reasons.
>>
>>6094456
>Does Quiet Word have a goal in all this cultivation himself? Something besides getting strong for the sake of being strong? Might not be bad for Ai to coax it out of him when she gives her own reasons.

This question is interesting.
As the players, you are entitled your own answer. Why is Quiet Word grinding for? Relevance in the world as a whole? A feel of Control? Just because it feels right ?
>>
>>6094481
I figured we’d have to answer that. Hopefully he doesn’t have a huge panic attack like when he realized he had no name since knowing what he wants is a pretty big thing to overlook for so long. Hell, he’s considered some benefits and drawbacks to being a loose cultivator before he settled on what he’s seeking with cultivation in the first place!

I’ll suggest
>To be relevant
as my reason. Ai and Dhundan are the true talents. There’s certainly more out there we haven’t met yet, not to mention powerful figures who may be more or less talented but have had far more time to be better cultivators. I want our advice and decisions to still matter to people like them, even when hard work alone will no longer be enough to close the gap in skill and power. Especially then, because when we no longer grow meaningfully is when we’ll struggle the most. We’ll need the help of others to get through those times.
>>
>>6094353
>>6094360
>Since we can't train squad tactics, ask Ryoga for a bow that we can use. Our last one broke.
>>
>>6094507
This was asked once before. My answer is Immortality. Basic.
>>
>>6094378
Alright, changing my vote from
>Train Squad Tactics
to
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan
>>
>>6094353
Ya know if quicksteel is a bro if he is in a minor realm we could trade his a cup of tea in exchange for points to change/ exchange for a meteor hammer skills.
Ryota could oversee the trade

Also update was amazing

>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire
>Go discuss with your guest Aris - he stared at you hard during the fight!
>>
>>6094481
We felt like shit when we fell behind.

So that's the impetus to run through the stages.
>My answer is to be relevant and Immortality

We hate falling behind the others, becoming irrelevant.
>>
>>6094579
>Ya know if quicksteel is a bro if he is in a minor realm we could trade his a cup of tea in exchange for points to change/ exchange for a meteor hammer skills.
It's been the second time in this thread someone partially exposed an Aris incoming plot point. I don't know if I foreshadow too much, if it's the luck of the greater number, if yall are too trop savvy or anything else.
>>
>>6094629
I did wonder how he brought a spirit sovereign to us.
>>
>>6094481
He has no real big ideas or morals mainly he wants to shine. Straight from the beginning he was told he'd never be a genius that he was just talented.

And to shine he had to give up repeatedly until it all paid off last tournament. All his effort to shine showed that his effort mattered. The risks he took paid off. He walks a tight rope of failure is not an option. Like in the branch sect fight where he didn't get first. His biggest weakness right now is mental. Which will be constant challenges he overcomes to sharpen his resolve.

For his goal? Burn brightly.
>>
>>6094629
Oh fuck he has a daughter.
>>
>>6094640>>6094629

Wait, what was the first?!
>>
>>6094629
Well, Ryota did mention that our tea could serve as Breakthrough material. It IS something that would be of great interest to others, most notably people much older than us.
>>
>>6094640
Does he? A dragon-aligned young girl your age? Perhaps matching the prophecy?
Quiet Word doesn't know.
>>
>>6094645
this post >>6082677 basically IS the liquid metal sphere Aris got his Quicksteel namesake from;
You briefly faced it in the fight, it was his armbrace able to no-action shift in the most suitable weapon for every situation.

>>6094635
A good friend of his. Basically invited his bro, didn't even had to bribe him. Plus, it's adequate with Aris personnality + his own goals + Ryota's goals.
>>
>>6094653
He has a changing weapon? Oh snap if we could add that to our growth weapon. Quick jade would solve all our weapon problems.
>>
>>6094661
You had your shifting weapon chance already with the Bo(w) and its Growth version.
>>
>>6094663
We can find another later. They exist, obviously.

>>6094653
Pretty cool.

>Dragon.
Wait. . Oh.
>>
>>6094353
Thinking about it we could run a trick on Ai. Depending on her strength of illusions to see all her friends hurt begging her to help them. For her to understand sometimes you must fight to protect what you want.

Cause at this point the sect will no doubt cast her aside eventually because she's well. Going to become a leech who can't win any glory for the sect.
>>
>>6094791
Our own illusion ability is laughable, but we could be meaner with the same general trick. I’d want to speak with Ryota on it first though since it would involve him.

Tell her we’ve asked Ryota to kick her out of the sect. She may be a talent, but she’s using resources that could go to others like Dhundan, Man Din, or even lesser cultivators. Power and prestige come as part of a struggle with other clans. Even for a clan with as many good relations as ours, there are others that care nothing for us and would take what we have so they would have it instead.

Someone who can’t even defend herself properly has no right to take away from those who will. It’s a well-reasoned argument.

We can even tell her Ryota may not follow through with it. But we are nothing if not persistent. A quiet word can wear down any resolve when spoken enough times.

The only way to dissuade us of this would be to convince us she should stay. We can give her an hour each day, or something similar, to do what she needs to convince us. Longer is she argues for it. If she can’t beat our resolve, we go to Ryota and let him know Ai failed that day. We outclass her by far in combat, and our mental resistance should be enough to bear what she can throw at us. Not that it would matter if we lost a single exchange anyway! A battle is but a single thrust in the context of a war, and that’s how we can view this. A war between dedication and laziness. She’ll need to grind out her breakthrough before we submit, to show she can push through something that she doesn’t like to seize something she wants.

We’ll be a far more terrifying Gate to Ai than Ryota’s friend was to us. All he’d do is hurt her physically. We can do so, so much worse to her.
That said, I propose we wait before we set ourselves up as her final boss for this stage. I’d like to hear her reason for cultivating first to see if there’s a better tack for us to take. We can cause a little girl to cry as a last resort.
>>
>>6094353
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]
>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor
>Go discuss with your guest Aris - he stared at you hard during the fight!

Why is Quiet Word grinding for? Relevance in the world as a whole? A feel of Control? Just because it feels right?
>He began grinding to justify he ego through substance. He now grinding because it what is satisfying to him and would feel foolish living any other way.
>>
>>6094353
Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poisoner's Ultimate Selftrial]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
>Go discuss with your guest Aris - he stared at you hard during the fight!
>>
>>6094791
>>6094833
She doesn't care about potential, she said so.
So if she isn't of any use whatsoever to battles, encourage her to take up other useful tasks.
Healers or beast carer/catcher/trainer is an acceptable path
>>
Funniest Tally Status.

If I can advise :
What are you going to need the most in the upcoming fight?
>>
>>6095074
Simply a single trained power as we don't have alot of time for the fight. So training Mounted archery is the best aling with movement tech.

Second would be a weapon for the comp which would be a bow.
I'll switch my vote >>6094579
For Unarmed to mounted archer's tech. that also means that using the poem and rising phoenix wide ballet would've been the best choice.
>>
>>6095093
I think the Golden scales is a perfectly good method. But it is most optimal combined with movement technic.
>>
>>6095074
I'll also switch vote from >>6094563 to
>Work on Mounted Archer's Wind-gliding Phoenix Venom arrow
>>
>>6095067
Well yeah, it’s part of why I wanted to ask her what her plans really are. I’m struggling to think of something she’d enjoy/be better suited for than stopping conflicts before they start though. In a might-makes-right world, it seems reckless to not learn how to defend yourself, but it’s fine if those defenses are a pacifist aura, forging friendships, and serving as a mediator when trouble bubbles up.

Maybe it’ll be enough to put this idea in her head if she doesn’t have a set plan. I can’t see Quiet Word accepting a talent greater than him settling for less than he could achieve though. At least not this early, while he’s still a kid. It feels like an insult to his own dedication to have the people he should be looking up to stay behind him instead.

But this is why the “Oh no.” triplicate response earlier is both funny and not funny. Quiet Word seems like he’s at his scariest when he’s a friend who wants you to do better. Even being his enemy doesn’t seem THAT bad in comparison.

>>6095074
I’ll switch to the bow technique as well. Can we still find time to ask Ai what her plan’s are and put the idea in her head of being a mediator? She can’t get involved in a fight if she stops it from happening in the first place.
>>
>>6094353
>>6094549
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Meditation [Poison]
>Discuss with Aris
>Mounted Archer's Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow (poison works with it directly.)

This is the bow-aligned jump-jet Foundation+Weapon training regimen.
>>
>>6095107
>>6095351
Can we flip enough before the vote locks? Let’s find out. I’ll switch to support this. I assume the meditation aspect will help our stabilization since it requires True Qi as well?
>>
Oh rereading lack of mouth skill for communication.
>>
>>6095398
Probably not but i'll

>>6095351
Give this a +1, mostly stayed out this one cause I didn't think Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet had a shot.
>>
>>6095074
>>6095093
>>6095351
Since this has a shot last change I'll do no more. After this.
>>
>>6095409
That is a thing to ask for. But we can ask for it next turn.

>>6094398
Put snake body to Pheonix waltz.
>>
File: PSA.jpg (13 KB, 226x223)
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Our resident critic Archivebro made a review of the Normal Cultivator Quest recently.

He might even be hiding around that thread! so shout out to him, and if you are not following /qtg/, here's the review

https://pastebin.com/Es9KmW3C
>>
Also,
>You did it, reddit!

Alright I'm taking it back, don't want any of you to feel offended by that one.

Locking, writing;
>>
>>6095905
>Neat am worried about Word however eventually our strength will grow by relying on others and building them up for Word to grow.

After tomorrow gonna try to finish up that paste bin link and switch up he order where more important information is at the top and the summaries will be moved to the bottom.
>>
File: IMG_20221015_201859.jpg (4.38 MB, 4000x3000)
4.38 MB
4.38 MB JPG
True Qi changes everything.
Over the course of the next weeks, you stabilize your new realm. And feel extremely well.
Your channels, painfully developped during the first realm, are now able to channel your refined True Qi.
It's strange : the threads are less and less blood-string like and more and more pure energy as they cycle through your aperture before pooling in your lower Dantian.
That mythical "Dantian" is a mystical energy receptacle, akin to Aperture - not present in the physical world, but shining brightly for your Astral Self.
You are currently working on filling the energy of the First Dantian, known as the Origin Dantian. In this realm, Ryota told you you have to accumulate energy and use your raw true Qi to shatter the bareers among the dantian along a cycle. Once the cycle completed, your energy will qualitatively improve once more.
Said Dantian is localized in the lower section of your midriff, connected to most channels - not like the aperture.
True Qi is liquid, shapeless. Your developped Elemental channels, by an alchemical process you don't understand, change it while still in your body and let you materialize it under the new elemental form.
You're especially impressed by the result of your Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet practice.
The body-tempering dance covers you in golden flames, shaped like burning feathers. No doubt your Phoenix Fire is purer and mighter than the mundane version.
However, without a profound comprehension and a few breakthrough, you won't capitalize easily on those changes.
That, and your meditation turns out more than you can stomach.
Maybe it was plain bad luck - but you despise shifting the blame away from yourself : this is an unbearable mark of weakness and avoiding the consequences of your action.
No, the truth is simpler : bad control of your Qi. You should had taken into account your Poison channels are already well developped. That your channel able to reduce Qi potency were narrower. Whatever it is, you pushed yourself half a step too far and get too poisonned for comfort. Granted, it was not so bad - but enough to make you puke and shiver for three days and three night, taking away precious practice time.
You think you'll really need to work on that Selftrial of yours for the technique to include more favorable aspect - Growth has no dedicated channels in one's body, after all.

It doesn't prevent you to practice your bow style, though. Merely delay the speed which you create the precious True Qi for your first dantian.
>>
Your bow style practice however went more than well. True Qi, as stated previously, changes everything.
Your arrows are shrouded by a small whirlwind which improves their penetration on target. They glide as the namesake technique indicates on an insane distance, doubling their reach.
And a drop of Poison made from your Qi awaits a poor target with each shot - terrific combination with the greater penetration granted by the wind aspect of the technique.
Granted, you still lack insight regarding the Phoenix part of the technique. That doesn't really matter.

Clarity stroke, and you're pretty sure the most beneficial thing for you in your current state is cycling through your techniques to improve your True Qi use.
What you trained to the Apex previously should only require less than one month of focus to reap the True Qi empowerement benefits.

But this is far from the most important thing to tell about the week.

"Hello Rising Phoenix.
- My name is Quiet Word.
And nobody that will know you from your martial prowess will know that. So get ready to recognize this as one of your name.
Having several name is really a boon : keep one for your loved ones, an other for those you don't trust. That will let you enter the right mindspace for your confrontations.
Anyway, did the scroll helped you.

- Wait, what scroll?
-Nice try. I think I drank from what you're hiding at your belt. I paid Ryota a useless rag with Phoenix nonsense itched to it lying in our sect's coffers only because the word "Dragon" was inscribed among the firebird rant. So... Did it help you in the end?
- Actually? You wouldn't believe how much.
- Good, good. One man's trash truly is another's treasure. Anyway. Are you able to redo what you did? I notice a strong weapon around your arm.
- The ornament?
- Second time you're taking me for a foul. Won't accept a third. You didn't used the Meteor-Hammer during our fight. This is a complex weapon with too few masters.
I happen to master a couple of its style. One of which I created on my own

- Not saying that I have what you seek. But I'm interested in what reward this could possibly entail?"

You indeed have the empowered Teapot. Would you sell a cup to Aris?
>Yes, for the Scheming Silver Mouse Chainstrikes
>Yes, for the Quicksteel's Indomitable Thunder
>Yes, but you want him to help you tailor-make a Meteor Hammer Style [Write-in what it will entail. Might not work, might put you into tea debt]
>No
>>
Either Combine a Foundation and chose 2, or chose 3

Picking the tailor-making of Meteor Hammer Style cost one action.

Combine your Foundation work (pick 1 body and 1 meditation):
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
>Investigate Phoenix Dao using legends.
Friendship [Locked]
>Keep improving things between Ai and Dhundan [require write-in on how]
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation!
>Train Squad Tactics
Other
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in] [Locked]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Arts Technique
>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Go discuss with your guest Aris - he stared at you hard during the fight!
>Ask Ryota for a Mission! [Locked]
Strengthening the Jar
>Gardening time! [Unecessary, Mental Health at its brim]
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
>>6096437
>Yes, But require him to make a custom meteor hammer style. [MUst include flames and Gold]
I don't think that's too hard an ask. Fire has to be one of the most common elements in the world and this guys name is literally quick steel.
If this puts us into debt, then I don't really want it. The reason I want it is so we can turn it into a Pheonix really quickly with 2 breakthroughs.

>Oh, and Absolutely must keep your mouth shut about my 'merchandise'.

>>6096438
>Goldem snake body
>Spirit bound fighter

>Rising star kick
>Archer style.
>>
>>6096447
Wait no.

>Swap Archer style for "Get a mouth skill for communicating to our team from Ryota"
>>
>>6096438
Foundation work
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]

>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style: Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
But with write-in
>Yes, but you want him to help you tailor-make a Meteor Hammer Style [Write-in what it will entail. Might not work, might put you into tea debt]
Say you wanna drop Tiger for Wolf and Sun for one of your current known affinities. Thinking Jade to go with the weapon or something else (Tell about affinities currently known)

>Write-in
Talk with the Blood master (I forgot her name) and enhance your blood affinity, then work on your Crimson Tides of Life ichor.

Is this alright QM also how much time till we're shipped out if we only got a month or so then Mouth Skill swap from Blood master Visit
>>
>>6096468
That's actually a great idea.

Asking quickstep to help change our Sun seer over two key words. . If he can do that? That'd be pretty great.
I can support that.
>>
>>6096469
Other then that ask Snake Master for pointers for meditation and how to handle poison. whenever we get around to it.
>>
>>6096438
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]

>Yes, but you want him to help you tailor-make a Meteor Hammer Style [Write-in what it will entail. Might not work, might put you into tea debt]
I’ll support >>6096468 followed by >>6096447 for this.

>Ask Ryota about mouth skills, and see who you can train with on it.
Like >>6096455 said. We didn’t succeed at building cooperation amongst our team so staying in contact with them is pretty important.
>>
>>6096437
>Yes, for the Scheming Silver Mouse Chainstrikes

>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]

>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love

>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor
>>
>>6096468
That's a nice idea, but Aris will tell you it will take him less work to start from scratch than changing so much an existing technique.

The idea with that vote is to "pick" key words like >>6096447 said. Aris is really good at what it does, so Phoenix can be a valid word - although harder work for him. Regarding "Tea Debt", that mean he will ask for one more cup on a set amount of condition, linked to the technique's difficulty But it will be fair and, honestly, worth it
>>
>>6096437
>Yes, but you want him to help you tailor-make a Meteor Hammer Style. Something that combines our Wolf spirit with a Jade affinity
>>6096438
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts
>>
>>6096742
Alright then kinda tough.

>>6096468

Meteor-Hammer Style (Shadow, Phoenix, Jade, (something) maybe chainstrikes or scheming

I'd call it Meteor-hammer Style Jade Shadow Phoenix (something) or
Meteor-Hammer Style Jade-chain Shadow Phoenix

How I envision it is that our real meteor hammer and arms are covered in shadows, and we can control a number of fake shadow meteor hammers to hide the real one. Eventually, with enough progress, the real shadows can strike in various directions or combine with the weapon and increase its attack power.
>>
>>6096771
so Meteor-Hammer, Shadow, Phoenix, Jade...

Axing the techniques of the skill with your write in...

I'll pitch it as "Jade Phoenix's Concealed Meteor Swarm"
>>
>>6096781
I like it.
>>
>>6096742
With this knowledge. Let's go full on.

>Meteorhammer skill, Pheonix Space, Jade.

That should be 4 words.
Maybe. . Jade Pheonix expanding Hammers

I am >>6096447
>>
Tally status

I know this one is a complex vote, with the "create your desired technique" thing included, but it looks like it's going this way.

So all feel free to write the keywords and what you envision the sytle to do like >>6096771 >>6096858
I'll average the number of keywords + said keywords among voters.
>>
>>6096438
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
I'm for meteor-hammer, phoenix, jade, space
>Ask Ryota about mouth skills, and see who you can train with on it.
>>
>>6096871
You are missing an option for training.

>>6096867
So long as the key words for our hammer are involved, it's A okay for me.

As for possible techniques.
Toss a hammer at a bitch, Make it explode with Qi as we teleport from one end to the other as a set up for our next blow. Space word dependent.

Create afterimage of the Pheonix by swirling the end of the hammer, so one hit is followed by 2 or 4 smaller hitts on the same point.

Meteor hammer growing wings and curving at strange angles to get around a guard.

Smash the ground to create an expanding wave of Jade spikes, Possibly deceptively fast moving while they seem slow due to perspective.

Tell me if I'm just being greedy.
>>
>>6096873
No he's not.
The custom technique takes 1 of your action.

>Teleport
Out of the grasp of true Qi. this kind of technique is, barring amazing innate spatial skills, of the 9th realm level.
>>
>>6096885
Hmm.

Transfiguration into a flare of flame, leaning on our pheonix word. Something to speed us to the other end, rather than just ignoring the distance.

Also. . Huh, that makes the space collapsing kick an amazing technicality.
>>
>>6096895
>Also. . Huh, that makes the space collapsing kick an amazing technicality
I'm not flying I just jump good moment.
>>
>>6097028
This isn't teleporting, I am just compressing space to move across it faster. Near instantaneously infact.
>>
>>6097031
A worm beast with Earth and Space affinities that creates literal wormholes must exist out there in an obscure corner of the ancient chinese spirit realms, and just like regular earthworms it does it to improve energy flow throughout locations
>>
>>6097028
>>6097031
unironically, yes.
One of the big difference is taking damage along the way or not if there's a sharp rope extended
>>
>>6096771
>>6096858
>>6096871

So I have only 3 input for the custom technique.
Other, please take a bit of time to voice it.
>>
>>6096437
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts

>Yes, for the Quicksteel's Indomitable Thunder
Thunder attunement could help us through future realm trials and our current attunement is low. This shores up a critical weakness.
>>
>>6097700
>I'm fine with meteor-hammer, phoenix, jade, space, and shadow if possible.
>>
Locking
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]


>Asking Ryota for a Mouth Skill
>Custom meteor-hammer skill including phoenix, jade, space, and shadow

Starting working on the update.
>>
Is it just me or am I greedy in filling out the machine with loadstones? Figure whenever we get a hit of funds to fully upgrade it. Then we could loan it out whenever new batches of kids come in. I know we sold the idea to the sect but the other schools could benefit and we'd get a nice kickback.
>>
Sorry; didnt' finished writing yesterday.

And i'll have a busy weekend
>>
"Alrigth. You're a weaponmaster, so let's make the best Weapon skill I could ever get...
- State what you want, then we'll settle on a price."
In the end, you ask to create a Meteor Hammer technique including Phoenix, Shadow, Jade and Space.
The Jade Phoenix's Concealed Meteor Swarm.
It will cost you a bit more than you initially wanted - you settled on 3 cups - meaning 2 other time.
As soon as the agreement is reached, you both go to Ryota to arrange the payment.
All of three sit in Ryota's office, where he supervise and manage the branch's business, you unfurl the cloth binding your wondrous teapot.
It does not display the characters of aperture - which have shrinked as a single line down - but now the following words are etched :
Origin, Tail, Claw, Foot, Palm, Neck, Head, Horn. The first glow of a golden hue with blue highlight, the other are dull.

Ryota prepare two cups - one for your guest and one for you : despite its uselesness for you, the Teapot's power won't work else - as you brew the tea.
While the leaves infuse, you ponder - you feel a bit unsafe showing it to Aris, but after all he already knows about the teapot as well as the tea's power.
Maybe it's the last time the teapot will be ineffective for you - your inborn mouthful of True Qi is dwindling away and will soon be completely gone.
The tea is ready; you start pooring it in the cups. One serving. Two servings - and the teapot is still two-third full.
"Ryota! More cups! Else we'll waste!
- We didn't arranged anything for someone else! Who will they be for?"
>Write-in : Quiet Word, being a dutiful disciple, will gift one serving to Ryota. Who will you gift the 3 other? [They must be present sect members]

You beneficiate from Aris'mentoring from the first days after your breakthrough to the end of the month.
This meant not only did you two created the technique, but you even got pointers while training.
You brought your non-developped Jade channel halfway to second realm - as well as your Meteor Hammer mastery.
You lack a bit of practice to effectively use the style in upcoming fights, but the skill tailor-made to suit your unique bounded weapon makes the training laughably easy.
You haven't felt that gifted since practicing the Hawk Wide Ballet once you bounded the Hawk and Snake spirits.

Of course, you also trained your Foundation.
Your body and mind are now truly worthy of the second realm - depite nothing flashy or new happening to you or your techniques with True Qi.

Last, there is the matter of the Mouth Skill
Ryota is afraid no one in the branch knows a teachable Mouth skill.
You ponder a bit, and have a shrewd insight - your "Eyes from Above" skill might be applicable to your bounded spirits - but with other senses.
You start thinking and tinkering at the mystic formations you've learned for your teached Eye skill - to no result for now.
>>
And this is it. You will depart tomorrow for the Capital for the tournament...

>Any last thing to do before going?
>>
A/N : short update tonight. 'tis the best I could do.
>>
>>6099476
Ask snake master for pointers to stop poisoning yourself.

Man Din and Sin Din and Yi Norm
Figure duan will try harder not to be passed. With this it'll bring up our group power by a level.
>>
>>6099499
+1
Gotta help the ones behind to get stringer to strengthen the binding ties
>>
>>6099475
>Man din, sin din, and Yi norm
Fuck yeah.

>>6099476
>Ask the snake mistress for some pointers about using poison with our arrows [like good parts of the body to hit] and the self poisoners trial

Hmm about eyes from above. . . what of our animals has a good communication method? Wolves can howl for miles, it is said.
>>
>>6099475
>Yi Norm
>Dhundan
>Snake Master

>Ask Snake Master for tips to not poison ourselves.
>>
>>6099475
>Man din, sin din, and Yi norm
>>6099522
Wolf howling could also be used for intimidation, even though communication is probably more useful
>>
Going over the threads to paste bin I forgot the Snake Master Maya Tao. She is also the healer of the sect and we should learn the healing arts and poison from her.
>>
>Reminder that it won't do anything to help the other kids
>>
>>6099788
Alright then I guess
Snake Master, Deer master, and what about AI? If not, have Ryota recommend someone to help her break through the second stage.
>>
>>6099790
Misspoke I mean have Ryota choose someone drink maybe bro Bathias.
>>
>>6099788
Gotcha.

>>6099747
Fix this to
>Bathias, Snake mistress and Kyoko
>>
>>6099799
Correct myself.
The linked post is not me, I am >>6099522
>>
>>6099798
I don't wish to spam however I think we should actually give a cup to the Wolf Mistress instead of Bathias this time. Frankly we owe her karma still for hooking us up with Body tempering liquid. And we should reply the kindness.
I am switching over and this my final vote.
>>
>>6099807
So you are saying wolf mistress, Snake mistress and deer master?

I cannot say why deer master deserves a cup over Bathias.
And I don't really trust wolf mistress with our secret. But I agree it is good karma, even though we did have to beg ourselves and pull on Dhundans friendship.

On the flip side.
Kyo ko and Bathiad are young and also in really good standing. Going forwards, it would do us really well to have good relationships with the future Snake mistress [and sect healer] and current Hawk master when we intend to succeed Ryota.
>>
>>6099836
>My bad looking over the threads I mixed Dear Mistress with Marten Mistress(the blood user) Marten Mistress instead of deer(Sorry for mix up)

ALSO FINALLY I HAVE FINISHED THE PASTE-BIN TO THREAD FIVE. I've moved the thread breakdown below and all useful information above it going over all questions, affinities, and tidbits on training(Which I'm too lazy to order someone else can)
Been working to finish this for 5 hours or so.

https://pastecode.io/s/cx0nzywv

No sleep yet I've finished what I've started long ago. gah.
>>
>>6099842
Marten mistress isn't someone I trust, and she has done us barely any favours. Maybe when we spend more time with her, if we spend more time with her, she might qualify.

As of now she has helped us with some blood techniques, assisted us with a temporary treasure for the tourniment, and offered us a blood based body cultivation technique.

Two of these things are compelled by ryota. The technique is the only bit worth rewarding.

I dunno man, I still side with boosting the rising stars rather than the other masters who qe barely know.
>>
>>6099788
Changing my vote from >>6099513 to
>deer master, snake mistress, wolf mistress
Future cups should be shared with Bathias and Kyo Ko
>>
>>6099475

>>6099799
Since the tea won't do anything for the kids I will take you advice and change >>6099747 to
>Bathias, Snake mistress and Kyoko
>>
>>6099475
I’ll support
>Bathias, Snake mistress and Kyoko
as well.

Shame about the mouth skill. Wolf is probably the best bet for communication among our familiars since they’re pack fighters. If Man Din can take the attributes of any animal then perhaps they can figure take the coordination/communication abilities of a wolf to help us figure it out with our own? We’d have to ask them to keep any insights about our wolf secret if the 33-shapeshifter beast resonates weird with it.

For other senses (not that they matter now) I’d bet wolf and snake would give scent tracking, snake give thermal vision and likely enhanced “taste” (their tongue is used to boost their sense of smell, and taste/smell are often used together anyway), and horse… I got nothing. I associate horses with endurance more than sensory organs.
>>
>>6099842
Great job.
>>
>>6099475
>Who will you gift the 3 other?
Bathias, Snake Mistress, Wolf Mistress
>>
>>6099475
>Bathias, Snake mistress and Kyoko
>>
I'll try to update in a couple hours.
No promise.
>>
So I won't make it tonight.
Sorry. And the week will be... tensed.
>>
>>6100888
All good, life happens as a fellow writer I get that you have to be in a mental state and have free time to write good stuff. Take care and we'll wait patiently don't feel rushed that just leads to burn out.
>>
>>6101275
>Mental state and free time
Mental state is willing. Free time is lacking.
>>
Still cursed with home renovations 12 hour days and 2 hours commute
Trying to find the time and energy to update; sadly I think it will have to wait Saturday/Sunday
>>
>>6102340
I do not miss those days myself. Hopefully you don’t have to deal with the latter two for months, that shit grinds you down.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

Tiebreaking among Kyo Ko (1) and Wolf Mistress (2)
>>
>>6103224
WOLF MISTRESS WILL HAVE HER REVENGE! WE ARE COURTING DEATH!
>>
>>6103250
We can always get her a cup in the future?
>>
Your choice was not simple.
Your first thought was giving the tea to Man Din, Sin Din and Yi Norm - but it will be useless to them.
Then, your spirit drift to your various master. Not even lingering on the mostly-absent Horse master - what did the man even did for you except getting you the insanely strong Silver Warrior Horse Spirit? - you hesitate among them and your dear senpai Kyo Ko and senpai-turned-master Bathias.
In the end you settled for Bathias, Kyo Ko and the Snake mistress. The mood was strange around the table - Snake Mistress, Kyo Ko and Bathias figuring easily that the teapot brewing the energy-brimming tea is the mysterious ball usually bundled at your belt.
You make a mental note for the next time you break through a major realm - how much cup will your teapot make?
Sadly, the Snake mistress didn't had time for you in the past month - the insights from the brewed tea let her broke through another minor realm - and, according to Ryota, making her one step away from 4th realm. Most certainly, disclosing the secret of fusion would ensure a smooth breakthrough to your teacher. But this is another concern for a latter time : after all, you and all the other "genius" of stable city are leaving for the capital.
The Stable Lotus delegation is big - bigger than the time you and your sectmate went to the Thousand of Beast Tamers gathering.
Speaking of Beast Tamers, delegation is made of Ryota, your friends, Gro Ta the whale boy and Bathias.
"Do I REALLY have to go?
- Yes. You're among Stable Lotus Harbor strongest young adults
- I know. That's not the matter - although we will most likely get wrecked by the Capital's finest in the tournament...
- So Bathias... Why don't you want to go to the Capital City? Sounds interesting to me...
- Well you'll have to know that Bathias is not a pretty boy only by Stable Lotus Harbor city standard.
- Capital city girls. Sending flowers, pills, and for some reason, shoes. So many shoes. I was thirteen and there was so, so, so many unwanted attention...
I fear it will start again.
"

Your group takes of. Venerable Stable Lotus brought an impressive treasure, a crystal lotus which he sits in the core, each petal big enough to hold three disciples - a necessary treasure for how his sect forms the bulk of the envoy.
Sovereign All Learner's Teacher have a small flying immortal boat, a junk big enough to hold himself and his handful of disciples. Military's ship is bulkier, full of Artist Port - letting Artillerymen send devastating volleys upon foes.
>>
The trip will take a while... Surely you can cultivate during the long, long hours of flight?

Choose wisely - Some of this options will be Auto-Failure - but won't said which.

Either Combine a Foundation and chose 2, or chose 3

Combine your Foundation work (pick 1 body and 1 meditation):
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]

Potential
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough]
Friendship
>Help the trio of gifted Cultivator with their cultivation!
>Train Squad Tactics
Other
>Reflect on your archetype [Write-in] [Locked]
>Work on your Unlimited Rising Star Kick [Pills available]
>Work on your Mental Energy with Dhundan
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd [Pills available]
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow [Pills available]
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
Spiritual Arts Technique
>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
Strengthening the Jar
*>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]
Road of independence
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
And, as always...
>Write-in allowed!
>>
First of all WB
>>6103260

>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]

Write-in
> Try to create a mouth skill using one of your spirit senses if nothing else to pass the time.
>Maybe one specific technique of yours should be improved? [Choose in addition to said technique. More chances of breakthrough] (Try to make a mouth skill)

Figure just trying to make a mouth skill is a better invested since all weapon and spiritual arts are locked. (I assume) and the only things to do would be to train squad tactics (if we had time to stop and rest on the trip there or investigate body shifting as we could explore that.

I'd love to train a weapon skill yet I assume we won't have the time.
>>
>>6103260
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Help the Gifted Trio with their cultivation
>Train Squad tactics
I want to save developing out poison skills until after the Snake Mistress has helped us figure out how to stop hurting ourselves so bad. The last time we tried it, we fucked up and were sidelined for *days*, so it's not worth tempting fate before a big event. A little last-minute practice, on the other hand, is very on-brand for QW.
>>
>>6103260
We can't cultivate flying. We were told this, repeatedly. There's not enough room or space.

>Develop a mouth skill from eye from above. Specifically the wolf spirit, Try and push our voice through it's powerful lungs.
>Practice specifically one technique [forming a mouth skill]

And now the coup de grass

>Practice with our body shifting.
Turn our head into a wolf's and don't alter our teeth or tongue. Just the lungs and mouth structure.

Beast shifting to assist here, so we don't have to unveiled our wolf.
>>
>>6103331
>We can't cultivate flying. We were told this, repeatedly. There's not enough room or space.

You can't practice the Wide Ballet for lack of room or space indeed, which in turn prevented in first thread the use of meditation. The intent is there : the flying cart was not spacious enough for dancing the ballet.
Now, you can cultivate while flying
>>
>>6103371
So which transport did we go on.

We got three descriptions but not which oʻne we joined.
>>
>>6103398
None of the three : a wooden cart, pulled by Ryota's bounded flying flame boar
>>
>>6103431
So the ballet is still a damned No go.

Snake if you want any shot. >6103289

But I don't think this is the best use of our time. The mouth skill is.
>>
>>6103260
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]

>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.

Chill out. Harden ourselves. Poison ourselves. Heal ourselves. Do some thinkin' about travelling while in the presence of travelling travellers.

Its good I think.
>>
>>6103260
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuality.
>>
>>6103260
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
These are both doable with minimal room, especially the poem
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.
Easily done while relaxing
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
We can do this controlled and see how things go
>>
>>6103260
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Continue working on your mouth skill via your wolf
>Think of what you might need in the Loose Cultivator eventuallity.

Though just to be cheeky, I’d approach the other three gifted disciples with a grin on our face, sit next to them, and grin wider and wider as they panic over what we have planned.

Eventually tell them we planned to let them relax if they want. Man Din may be able to help us with our mouth skill formation indirectly, but they’re all welcome to do their own thing to prepare for the tournament since we know not everyone is as hardcore as us on working our foundation.

It’ll be a small weight off their shoulders, and I’m uncertain how receptive they’ll be to more training when they’ve already been working with us pretty regularly anyway.
>>
>>6103799
>QW having a little trolling moment
He needs to do this. He's an 8 year old and he probably picked it up from Ryota. Bonus if the Phoenix also grins like Pet Shop
>>
>>6103799
Do the trolling moment. Make our day
>>
>Tally status
>>
>>6103950
Irritating. Our mouth skill is immediately relevant and needed IMMINENTLY.

Why do we need to reflect on the loose cultivator life again?
And can that not be done with some player planning. Come on guys.
>>
>>6104005
Not a lock yet someone might come around and vote for the skill. We chillin
>>
Yes, nothing is locked.
I will have a night of sleep too in the meantime
>>
>>6104005
There could be IC knowledge we can gather to make the transition easier. I doubt a loose cultivator is truly “loose” for one thing. There’s likely some process or paperwork that can be filed to ensure we’re treated with respect by law-abiding sects. We can’t know that (and other things I’m NOT thinking of) without having QW ask around though, so better to bite the bullet when our options are more limited anyway.

That said, I did vote for the mouth skill already so I did my part.
>>
>>
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Develop Mouth Skill
>Foundation Golden Scales & Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial.
>>
>>6103518
>>6103652
>>6103649
Will one of you brothers please turn your loose intentions towards the aim of a mouth skill? It is for the good of our immediate intentions.
>>
>>6104538
Okay

>>6103260
Changing my vote from >>6103652 to
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake][Pills Available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Investigate Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
>Mouth skill
>>
It's locked and I started writing.
No promise on when it's going out though.
>>
>>6105089
More long drives?
>>
>>6105234
A cold today; don't know what the week will be made of - and still working on the upcoming tournament to make it good
>>
>>6105323
Oof colds suck make sure to get some rays to help out. Hope it's not a nasty one.
>>
File: OldTimeSake.jpg (310 KB, 1024x1024)
310 KB
310 KB JPG
There is not much to do on the travel time : the novelty of seeing the wondrous flying contraptions wear off quite fast.
No, there's really only one thing you can do.
"Look at that cloud! he looks like Gro Ta!
- Well, it's almost as big, as Gro Ta so fat if he jumped he would eclipse the sun!
- I can hear you, you little... I'll show you the rift between a recently ascended second stage and this gifted one soon to ascend to the third!
- Wait, no, I didn't meant that - I'm not stupid, I thought you were away, else this Yi Norm would never had courted death!
- Gro Ta? Do my men need discipline? Good. I'll make you ready for what's incoming...
- Gro Ta, come back! I prefer taking your beating than going under Quiet Word training!"
It's good to taunt your friend in the boring time of the flight. You make sure to turn it in a daily occurence - resulting in them actually working one hour or two more (of the zero they would had done) during the trip.
Granted, you picked a combination of foundation technique suited to the flight - tripling your stockpiled True Qi in your Origin Dantian. That is despite having to write outside amidst shakes and unstability of the carriage.
However, your twin endeavor of research on both Body Shiftin and crafting a new Mouth Skill based on your Eye from Above are a complete and utter failure.
No inspiration struck, no inch of progress in the way you wrap your new energy - which is denser and mightier than it used to be.
It's truly miraculous how your techniques learned before your breakthrough keeps working as well after it.
>>
You are close to the end of the journey - this time, no Shark Sky Sovereign interrupted; probably repelled by Venerable Stable Lotus aura, when you notice something strange.
"Ryota, the other Stable Lotus Master are getting farther and faster than us, don't they?
- That's because we're stopping to the mother sect's compound. I negociated for the promising disciples to be given extra care.
Did I ever told you how the sect gathered funds and money? There's selling spiritual beasts of course, bounded or not. There's also the care of said spiritual beasts.
But as all low level sect, the high-level ones use us as a sieve, picking the brighter disciples once they're no longer kids.
And Aris expressed direct interest in buying both Dhundan and you in several years.

- Buying? But... What if I don't want to?
- There's most certainly a point to be made to keep you in the Beast Tamer rank - with your propension to simply walk of to beast realms as if you were shopping for milk and that teapot of yours, not even speaking of your multiple encounter with the Growth Realm. Or another sect might get interrested in you.
- But what if... I wanted to walk my own path?
- I'm afraid you proved your potential too great for the mighty to let you go with a blind eye, boy."

This definitely soured your mood. Not that your life goal was to turn in a loose cultivator, but you feel robbed of a choice that belonged to you.

"Cheer up! We are making a quick stop at the world's largest collection of experts, treasures and techniques related to the heart of your techniques.
Don't brag on how you discovered fusion, but think about what you'll pick!
"

>A spirit beast in its bead [with the size of the treasury, you might even pick the keywords of your liking]
>The skill you're trying to recreate from scratch - letting your voice from a bounded beast
>A treasure! [Write-in what]
>A Beast-related Technique (go wild, with the sect's library this can be your build-your-dream-beast technique opportunity; won't allow mythical or exotic keywords though)
>Maybe they have Phoenix related things?
>>
>>6106411
If I could be greedy growth clothing how to figure if we win the tournament we'd snag that. For beasts we just broke through however we can just realm hop for some and trade them as needed.

So the question is if we could take on another technique or getting the mouth skill or lastly learning about the Phoenix.

I say wet good with techniques. Range close range melee, movement, healing and the only thing really missing is defense.

Actually if we could I'd like body building foundation tech if that's allowed. If not mouth skill.
>>
>>6106427
>Growth Clothing
You can try to get something similar. It will probably not be as strong though (unless you fuckers roll a 100)
>>
>>6106431
I think tournament would get us a decent growth robe. If we had a bo3 here I'd gamble it.
Also how goes the cold?
>>
>>6106435
It's a minor one, really. Just in right timing for the holidays I took for home renovations; almost gone.
>>
>>6106451
Good to hear it wasn't bad.
>>
>>6106411
>Beast, [silver gold fire Martial-prowess, hawk]

I want to test a 2 word difference.
though I can be convinced to exchange martial prowess for meteor hammer.

Now then. I think we can turn any hawk to bond with our Pheonix. QM weigh in here if I misunderstood that. so the hawk key word should be fine
>>
>>6106411
>Skill: Speak with beasts (and spirit beasts)
>>
>>6106410
>We got them to work just by joking about it
Yeeees, excellent. Our reputation already yields benefits.
>>6106411
>The skill you’re trying to make, but better. Why settle for only sight or speech when you could link any sense of your beasts?
A more focused version of what Man Din has, if you squint hard enough. Limited to the creatures we have and it doesn’t make US stronger, but more powerful as a means to scout, communicate, and strategize.
>>
>>6106411
>A spirit beast in its bead [with the size of the treasury, you might even pick the keywords of your liking]

This is THE place to get a premium beast. I'm thinking a Pheonix for fusion or a super exotic wolf.
>>
>>6106411
>A spirit beast in its bead [with the size of the treasury, you might even pick the keywords of your liking]

Seconding getting a beast. A flying mount would be sick like a Giant Flying Thunder Pheonix or something
>>
Regarding getting a beast :
If you want a Phoenix, I'll condition that to a roll.

>>6106459
I think we can turn any hawk to bond with our Phoenix
QM weighting in : Quiet Word doesn't think you can easily - after all, you had to do something quite unique to turn your bounded hawk into a phoenix.
That's not unreasonable, but it's quite a risk to take in term of Soul Backlash.
>>
>>6106671
I'm happy for a pheonix roll.

But if we fail the roll, should we put in a "second choice" to anticipate failure or is this an opportunity cost.
Cause a 5 keyword wolf as an otherwise would be pretty good.
>>
>>6106726
Blood shadow giant Nose Wolf
For a secondary.

>Unexpected combo effect
Very good at getting a return on its investments.
>>
>>6106671
If we can't get a Pheonix, a Flying Shadow Thunder Blood Wolf would be cool.
>>
>>6106790
I believe that wolf has no fusion restrictions. So it would be better to figure out what key words could fuse into mythical keywords.
>>
>>6106792
So, we don't need blood to fuse?
>>
>>6106793
Yah so maybe like Blood + Bone + Muscle = Body

Also we could go for something like the elemental chart.
Metal > Water > Wood > Fire > Earth and create Elemental Body Wolf

Then like get Wind + Lightning + Thunder = Storm
So something like Storm Elemental Body Wolf
Throw on Space time and gravity for

World Storm Elemental Body Wolf or something fun.
>>
So, there was Warrior Horse. What about Ninja Wolf? Rogue? Cunning, Talking, Wise?Honestly, learning more about keywords could be something we could try on the side here.

So lets go with a Flying Wind Rain Thunder Cunning Wolf if Pheonix doesn't happen
>>
>>6106411
Actually if you think about it has Ryota sold the talent measuring machine yet to the major sect? If not we could milk out an extra reward for it. While profiting using it to get more information on keywords down.
>>
>>6106799
We get a special reward for Blood and shadow being involved in the wolf, because we've been using our spear technique so much.

So Blood and Shadow key words are important to keep included. that still leaves like 3 to use.
>>
>All this talk about buffing wolf boy
>Me thinking back to the tale we were told
I wonder how many keywords we can toss in before it gets to ignore the “Wolf” requirement and consume us instead?

We should probably avoid giving it too many keywords relative to our other beasts in case there’s “anything of x keywords will overpower and destroy beasts of x minus y keywords or below” shenanigans. If we draw too much power solely from the wolf it’ll likely have real bad effects once it’s intelligent enough.
>>
Alright, this one is too hard to tally.

Please cast your vote again, among
>Phoenix stuff (Bo3 roll, lower than 50 is nothing)
>Wolf spirit (will roll on my side for the amount of keywords in addition of Blood and Shadow)

Feel free to re-indicate desired phoenix-related stuff/ Wolf keywords with your post.
>>
>>6106935
question does wolf have fusion restriction.
>>
>>6106935
>Pheonix.

I like them odds.
>silver gold martial-prowess Pheonix
>>
>>6106935
>Phoenix stuff (Bo3 roll, lower than 50 is nothing)

Lets goooooo!
>>
>>6106981
Flying Giant Thunder Gold Pheonix
>>
>>6106935
>Phoenix stuff (Bo3 roll, lower than 50 is nothing)
For the sake of progress let's gamble
>>
>>6106937
Quiet Word doesn't know.
>>
>>6107281
>>6106935

I rechecked it we can go to the wolf realm to snag fusions for wolf.

Known Training Boosting Effects for later use
-Training the Halberd skill after your bow skill yields great results
- Drink tea + Unlimited Rising Star Kick practice increases gains.
- Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet has Space elements

Well also we have 3 keywords for Phoenix - Shrewd Rising Phoenix

Meaning two of three keywords need to match at least
So Space isn't a bad choice for a keyword we want as it benefits Rising phenix Wide Ballet.
Could also grab Divination, as of known affinities I'll repost it below

>So I want space for one slot or time at least

Genius Tier: Wolf, Horse, Meteor-Hammer
Greater skills and affinities: Hawk, Snake, Spiritual Strength, Astral Self, Social, Strategy, Unarmed fighting, Spear, Halberd, Shadow, Gold, Beasts, Poison, Earth
Good - Fire, Bow, Saber, Jade, Wood, Mist (Tiger, Silk, Divination, Wind, Distance, Wide, Fighting Intent will need more information to better place them)
Bad - material affinity and Pain mental energy, Water, Darkness, Sun, Swimming, Illusion, Plant, Liquid
Garbage - Blood will go up with treasure and New Art

We have no need for fire, gold, hawk as they fused to make Pheonix as it was covered. So I suggest skipping those for something more fun.
>>
>>6107481
So... if its another Pheonix(3 elements combined), do we really need to match Shrewd or Rising?

Hmmmm. I mean. Nah. We better Match it up just in case. Less backlash anyways and Shrewd and Rising are both rad elements to reinforce anyways.

>>6106982
Switching from this to: Rising Giant Thunder Pheonix
>>
>>6107495
I forgot Pheonix is multiple words.

>>6106980

>Switch to Pheonix [Martial prowess, giant, rising]
>>
Looks like you guys are settled for "Phoenix Stuff".
I'll take 3d100. DC is 50/60/75/95
>>
Of course by 3d100 i mean 3 roll of 1d100
>>
File: greenchickenlevelup.jpg (1.51 MB, 1500x1159)
1.51 MB
1.51 MB JPG
Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>6107532
Reminds me of the story i made about a caveman and everyone wanted to evo the Chicken(phoenix) into a cocaine phoenix. Good times.
>>
Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>6107529
Oh ho
>>
Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>6107532
100
>>
>>6107533
Link?

>>6107533
>>6107537
>>6107539
I have everything except time for the update. Still starting to work on it.
>>
>>6107595
Sure
https://fiction.live/stories/A-caveman-s-guide-to-becoming-immortal-or-die-trying-/TNt42ds4vB287ywww/Mechanics-Page/PHYDhsWvJRgWTgwdc
>>
>>6107604
I haven't touched it since I'm studying for my builder's license. But it has some good laughs, mainly written as a power fantasy quest about a Caveman Named Rock.
>>
So I write a first part out of at least 3 or 4 where I won't require input.
Will keep working on it and post when it's ready. Sorry for the delay and the slow post lately.
I can't promise things will get better soon.
>>
>>6108070
Woah. Sounds rad. Looking forward to it. Thanks for the update.
>>
The flying cart lands amidst the impressively big compound, which you feel is unchanged since your first visit two years ago. Masters congregate to welcome your group - two of which stands particularly out.
"Hawk Master! This young disciple congratulates you for breaking to fourth realm!
- I am no longer your Hawk Master boy. Call me Jin Wei. You seem to have grown quite a bit. Now, you seem to get on better with the broody boy..."
The lithe and sharp middle-age man, with white hair, striking blue eyes and a prominent hook nose, was the one punishing the two of you to shovel manure for several month, taking away precious cultivation time in the process. There's a second man you know among the Thousand Beast's masters :
"Hello Wolf Master. Congratulation for joining the higher sect... The spear technique you taught me suits me very well, thank you.
- Oh? Have you find some of its secrets?
- Yes, I can summon the Blood Shadow Wolfs...
- Good, good... I wish I had a disciple half talented as you seem. You had a lucky crop, Ryota!
- You don't know how much.
- Anyway... You have a bounded Wolf Spirit? No? Well, I'd advise you to check the treasury for a spirit with Blood and Shadow affinities. I'll teach you a neat trick.
- Thanks a lot for the offer, Master. Sadly I'll have to decline - there is some other thing more attuned to my Dao I have to search for if I have access to the treasurery..."

Indeed, you all split and get to have a pick among the Spirit Beast collection, the sect's treasurery and the sect's library. Rules are simple : you wander in, and pick whatever you like, according to how right it feels.
You close your eyes, focusing on a feint echo resonating with your very soul. The library is where you will find your pick.
You wander around the alleys filled with scrolls, manuals, tablets and even handkerchieves. Using your nose, you smell the techniques are not order in any sane way - some fifth-stage weapon techniques, requiring amount of Qi simply unfathomable for a lowly second stage as you, are just laying side by side with body foundation techniques, without any common keywords.
Is that a way to hide the strongest techniques? Or maybe avoid a young cultivator such as yourself stockpiling similar techniques.
That won't stop you, as you walk the several-floor maze. Following your guts, you Jump to the third floor, take right, then left, then front, then left again. Here, your hand grasp a scroll. A claw-like hand clamp on your shoulder, and a white-mustached elder tells you "Got your pick. Time to get out"

You haven't seen or felt the bald man's presence before. You follow his instruction and get out of the building.
>>
Soon, your friend come out. Dhundan was in the Library too - and good luck getting him to spill what he got.
Man Din is out of the treasurery, walked out by a white-haired woman heavied with the biggest chest you've ever seen on a human - you think you have seen cow with udders smaller than a single tit of her. A part of you wonder what the Elder, frozen in a youthful aspect with a perfectly smooth skin, would look like if she partook in the wrong practice of the adorators of the sun - but those are not-so-pleasant thought so you tune them off while Man Din talk to you.
"So, you will like it Quiet Word. I picked some weapon called "Aspect of the bound partner". I think it's stupidly good with my spirit - even more so with our little trip you-know-where and what I can do since we fought Aris. But I haven't fully got what I can do with it... Have you seen Yi and Sin?
- Not yet... Oh, here they are."
Both of them walk grinning out of the Spirit Beast Bead collection building, supervised by the old man that helped you understand better your own affinities. So you had the guts to ask directly one of the Sect's Elder? How rude were you exactly?

Anyway, you are soon taken away and have the pleasure to rediscover the luxuous guest rooms featuring individual bedrooms including mattress-having beds.
You all settle your things, but no time to experiment with your new Technique scroll - it's already the time for dinner.
Feast would be more appropriate : huge tables are set with an abundance of the like you've never seen.
Of course, you and your friend are sitted with the other child of your age - far from Ryota, sitting with the Tamers of Thousand Beast Elders and Masters like Jin Wei, the previously-Wilds Wolf Master and Fairy Wise Crane. You're not sure to recognize the other important high-rank cultivators, probably other Tamers of Thousand Beast Elders and Branch Leaders.
Then, it seems the Branch Master are sitted close to the head table, according to Bathias' position. Disciples are further classified in term of power, with Gro Ta not far from the Branch Masters.
A handful of younger disciples are also present at the feast, farther than you to the Head Table. Shamefully, none belong to your Eastern Branch.
What interest you the most is the kid you recognize from your age group - and make sure to strike discussion. First, the Northern branch disciples, with the remarkable snow-white skin.
>>
There are two of them. A First stage boy, ebony-haired. You recall being surprised by his hair color as most of the Northern cultivator sported unusually clear hair, shades of blond and ginger. You recognise him as the Axe-wielding, Ice-Wolf bounded Bjorn
The second one is a Second-stage girl : Ing Rid, the blond braided Halberdier, first opponent you personnally took out during the huge brawl.
"Hello Northern Brother Bjorn. Northern Sister Ing Rid.
- You have a lot of guts talking to me after stealing away the victory last time!
- Excuse Ing Rid, she's a sour loser... Bow and appologize! He's the pupil of Master Ryota which we owe so much!
- I'm not sure to quite understand...
- Your Master organised an attack on Frost Copper Turtle clan. Truth is, the relationship between the town's dominant sect and our branch was not quite good.
Master Ryota's operation lead to a change of management of the town under Fairy Wise Crane supervision - we call it Frost Beast Town now.
Both of us benefitted greatly from this state of matter : after all, us disciples are now doused with cultivation ressources instead of having to struggle from scraps.

- That, and Fairy Wise Crane found a special interrest in me. So I'll let you know than next time, I won't let you take me down so easily!
- Ing Rid. Stop. Being. SO DAMN GUNG HO ALL THE TIME! THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE FRIENDS, YOU KEEP ANTAGONIZING EVERYONE AND ANYONE WE MEET!
- WELL BECAUSE THEY ARE THRASH THAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS MISTRESS WORTH AND NOT PAYING APPROPRIATE RESPECTS!
- THIS IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM! HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THE WHOLE REST OF THE WORLD MIGHT BE RIGHT INSTEAD OF YOU ALONE?"
You leave them to their bickering, an amused smile on your lips, and share a few polite words with other present kids.
Two of the Western kids are present - the duo which took Dhundan and you out in the brawl, the still-first stage Axeman and the Shield bearer. No, that's not quite it : you lost against a Bowman and the Axeman. The shield-bearer got took out by the present Seaslandia now second-stage Shark-bound boy - the one copiously calling Dhundan, the two Western Cultivator and you a "bunch of tightly interwoven faggots" and you're still clueless on how being assimilated to firewood was supposed to be insulting. He still seems to resent you guys from stealing the win, so you mostly ignore the guy. Of the one present in the brawl, there is the nimble-looking second stage Sparrow-bounded Skyslandia girl, and finally Desert Snake boy and Gerbil girl from Southern city.
You are all there to compete against each other in the incoming city-brawl. According to the well-informed Western fighters, this is an extremely rare tournament format.
>>
Usually, capital city tournament focus either on individual practice or same-sect squads of 5 cultivator. 10-men teams are an additional layer of oddity.
Overall, the other kids are madly impressed that not only the Beast Tamers of the Eastern branch they faced have all made it to the city's roster but you also all broke through first stage, making the five of you nationwide genius prospects. You, of course, hold the truth that your group might not even be the city's finest : even if You and Dhundan are the clear cream of the crop, you're quite certain you two are half a step above the LienWen cousins and Ster Ling, which are stronger than Ping Jun, Sin Din and Yi Norm. You don't know much where Man Din and Meiying Youling fit on that scale, however.
You take note that the few late-state first stage among you clearly indicate that a complete second-realm team is a pleasant luxury far from each town's capacity.
"Anyway, our age group is one of the most important category. We're at the age Genius prospect are separating from the chaff...
Our esteeemed Sect union have been disregarded for too long - let's us Beast Tamer make an excellent showing for the sake of us all future!
"

The meal was better than good - featuring exquisite courses of anything than walk, swim, fly. You mainly ate delicious brased shrimps, prawn stew, tried roasted lobster before going back to white rice alleviating the heat of what your nose recognized as fire-element Gambas, and concluded it all by Crayfish skewers.
It is with an happy smile and a full belly you go to sleep - without even taking time to examinate the scroll you got this afternoon. Speaking of, there is another scroll requiring your examination - you almost forgot it, but with True Qi, the boon of the Horse Realm is now accessible for you. So much to cultivate, so little time.
You're all woke up earlier than the rising sun, to finish the trip to the Capital City.
Pagodes tall enough to scrape the sky itself, cluttered and busy with Higher-rank cultivator flying around : Most sky-blasting on their weapons, some riding Spirit beast, a few impossibly powerful Elders just threading on the sky itself. Massive building of Great Sect compound. The imperial palace, looking as big as Stable Lotus Harbor, with the Emperor Residence in its heart, big as Stable Lotus sect compound. A town in the town in the town.
>>
The heavens are splitted by a crystal-clear voice.
"My dear Debutants and fine ladies in search for a suitable Dao Companion, I have great news.
Coming right from Stable Lotus Harbor, looks like the Eastern Branch of Beast Tamers are partaking in today's tournament. And as speculated, the one deemed Most eligible Bachelor Rookie is among them - The Hawk That Will Brighten Your Life, Pretty Boy Bathias!

- Oh no. It beginned so fast..."
Hearing the call of the sword-riding Fairy Maiden, a swarm of locust - worst, of fourth-rank and above maiden - cluster around the cart, miring at a very embarassed Bathias. He sits in silence, glaring at his feet while a cacophony of voices attempt to make him know his life will be greatly enhanced by accepting the alliance with that Heir of the Mistriding Raiju Sword or this Young Priestress of the Healing Silver Mirror. Granted, that strikingly beautiful jade-skin, long-flowing silk-like hair shine among the colored crowd thanks to her flying device, a giant silver mirror acting as her seat, throne of the bachelorette's Queen among her court.
"Bathias, my boy, I know how awkward you must feel, but you shall know I desire greatly of one day having a sliver your prospects of a good Dao Partner.
- I won't comment on that as I feel like you're a man dying of thirst while I'm drowning, and I deeply doesn't know which fate is the worst"

Despite the crowd, you land in a great stadium, greater even than your mother's sect impressive compounds.
"Fights won't start before the afternoon. You have time for last-minute meditation. Quiet Word, come here...
Under my guidance, Yi and Sin picked spirit beast. They shall be suitable for that trick of yours. Obviously I didn't asked you to perform it there - but I prepared the necessary materials. Care to give them an upper hand for incoming fight?
"

You don't quite know how to feel about that. Granted, you revealed Ryota you knew the secret of Fusion. He never asked you to share it. But it's the second time he's asking you to fuse some of your friend's spirit - true to his way of focusing efforts on those who would reap the greater rewards with minimal efforts on both side.
This question holds weight. Accepting and devoting the time before the fight begin to fuse spirits for the two of them should, theorically speaking, be a better outcome than only empowering yourself through examination of the Phoenix scroll. But accepting this means Ryota will ask you this service again and again over time, expecting you to comply fully for the branch's greater good, as the diligent disciple he believes you are, thus cementing you harder and harder in your current life.
What will you do?

>Accept to fuse Yi Norm and Sin Din spirit
>Focus on examinating your own scroll

Discussion and debate expected.
>>
>>6109244
>Accept to fuse Yi Norm and Sin Din spirit

I mean they are our friends
>>
>>6109244
>Accept to fuse Yi Norm and Sin Din spirit
Childhood bonds run deep.
Also funny how Bathias is being hit on by all these girls far stronger than him, and he's only 16 and stage 3

>>6109242
Are these two a "how to train your dragon" reference?

>>6109241
>"Aspect of the bound partner"
Is it a morphing weapon to match the Ditto? Man Din is secretly OP and few know it

>>6109243
I love QW's consistent character trait of being drawn to seafood (especially shellfish) but his Water affinity critically sucks ass
>>
>>6109244
>Accept to fuse Yi Norm and Sin Din spirit

We can read the Pheonix and re-read the Horse Scrolls later.
>>
>>6109264
>Also funny how Bathias is being hit on by all these girls far stronger than him, and he's only 16 and stage 3

He is around 18 right now. What makes it "funny" is that he's been noticed at his first visit of the Capital City when he was 14/15 and stroke an impression deep enough for it to start all over again before he even set a feet in town. Now, let's play a mind game and switch genders for a second

>Are these two a "how to train your dragon" reference?
They're not supposed to be - more like white Viking in China is funny in my mind. However, you can picture them as you want and the protag of the good animated dragon movie best being, of course, 2008 Animated Dragons Hunter on the virtue of being made by independent countrymen of mine
>>
>>6109244
>Accept.
We are a dilligent disciple. It sucks to have our choice taken from us, that we are simply too important to let slip free.

But on the same score. . . ya know, We do want to be this disciple. We do want to benefit our friends and master. And we are getting a lot out of it.

>>6109285
playing this mindgame, it remains funny until someone lays a hand on Fem-Bathias. And I would encourage such a beauty to cut off the hand that did.

I shall offer Bathias the same advice. Being stronger will make him even more attractive but he can at least tell them all to fuck off. Or if he is of a manipulative bint, demand an impossible item for him to take notice.

>>6109242
>This is why we can't have friends!
Honestly, Quiet word will like her more if she genuinely keeps improving as fast as she runs her mouth. His is a friendship that mere boasting cannot drive away. Calling us trash is. . not the way to go though.
>>
>>6109244
>Accept
>>
>>6109285
Never saw the movie but they aired the cartoon show here in the Netherlands and I liked that
>>
>>6109244
>Accept to fuse Yi Norm and Sin Din spirit

>Write-in
However, I expect a reward/favor since I'm not studying my scroll which would also help us in the tournament.
Something like second-stage cultivation item to increase progress.
A suitable horse spirit to fuse.
Or making some custom spills for my arts.
Something reasonable as a reward since we're being asked to preform a task.

>Also a mental pill to recover the mental strain of beast fusing. The is different from the reward.

But honestly, the spirits can only merge 1 time a realm so it isn't that demanding. And as long as we ask for payment we'll get something for our time.
>>
>>6109435
I agree with the principle.

It also serves as a soft limit to Ryota asking, since we already charged for Yi Norm.
A suitable horse seems like the best method for us.
>>
>>6109244
>>6109435
>Support. But we can take payment later. We should all be grabbing opportunities now when they are abundant, and digesting them later.
>>
>>6109435
+1
I like it, because we're already setting boundaries. Quiet World already is killing himself with a rigorous training daily to the point where if he takes a brake is detrimental, and we've already got Ryota's friend on our back looking for our tea cups. Ryota has some huge gains with us, but he better stops grinding us for rewards unless we tell other people the fusing secret so he stops annoying us
>>
Despite a tight vote, I think Accepting wins by a narrow margin of 100%

I'll lock and start to write. However, I still cannot make commitments regarding the next update date.
>>
The stadium is simply gargantuan. First thing to behold is the private lodges of the emperor and the most prominent noble families and sects. Then, a whole chunks of the stands are dedicated to the various participating towns, with preparation rooms for last minute practice as well as waiting rooms, cutting the fighters from contact from their sect and the other teams alltogether. Last, the stands themself, allowing the layman to come enjoy his fair share of the entertainment the tournament will surely provide.

It is in one of the privacy-enabling waiting room you voice your answer to Ryota
"Alright. I'll accept. Of course, we can discuss payment later.
I'll do you even better : here's your reward for that task : not giving you anything.
- Wait, what? That's no reward at all!
- Nothing material indeed. But take time to medit on it and reap the wisdom on why it's the best thing I could give out to you."

Feeling more puzzled than scammed, you start performing the ritual for your deep-transed friends with materials (at the very least) supplied by your sect's master.
Sin Din picked some... Mist blown by wind stallion? A great suit to her current spirit, that will compliment her Windy Cavalier Halberd's style as well as her mobility.
Something tingle your nose. The scent... Yes. It smells a bit like Luo Bin's Qi, the Highwayman associated with the Elusive Freemen.
Maybe the girl would benefit from their unique techniques?
Meanwhile, Yi Norm picked some Jade Monkey Bostaff Expert - seems that this single spirit is as strong as your current Horse Spirit, in addition to be an incredible match to him and his style. Truly, they both had outstanding luck in their draw of the sect's bounded beast coffers.
You perform the ritual, which takes you what remains of the morning.

Getting out of the closed room, your citymates are trickling in the stadium. Venerable Stable Lotus even hired a third-stage young Immortal Chief food cart to ensure all of you are well-fed before the incoming fights. The seller even has shrimp-spring rolls - which taste oddly metallic and hard to chew until you get it's not shrimp spring-rolls.
>>
Then start the less interesting categories of barely-qualifying as cultivators.
A glance sent at both group on the field makes it clear that they lack talent, resulting in a shoddy fight.
However, one thing is of note : there's no protective bubbles taking the kids away. No enchantment turning the touches into color splashes.
For the first time, you will see real cultivators fighting truly. You will fight truly.
Of course, there's still a referee, a fast and nimble 6th stage man zooming around the field, patching up a kid taking a sword cleave to the throat, patching a leg suffering a mace blow. The match result in a pyhrric victory, with the "winning" side having seven to eight kids in no position to fight, and the remaining ones already battered. The referee is not acting on them more than saving their life or monthes of recovery, neither are the Skyslandia winner allowed to get healed by their sectmates. A part of you regreat not working on your healing arts. Nothing to be done about it here and now.
It looks clear to you that the first fight might well be the most important of the lot - not only you have to win, but cut losses at all cost.
The other fight seems as boring. No flashy technique, nor bounded beast. Just clumsy fighting. The whole stadium seems bored, only applauding the round's winner by politeness.
The next categories, kid one year younger than you, is as dull. Again, the talent lack seems clear... No. That's not it. You know realize you were born from in a gifted year Your own talent is decent, your not-natural-genius friend talent is at the very least good. But what made the cut for the four of you where a mix of circumstancse and companionship. The amount of genius-born among your age-group and town is significative; and from what you heard at the Tamers of Thousand Beasts from the other kids, it seems the phenomenon is global.
You can't help but wonder why is that so.

In the end, the Capital city squad won the two youngster categories. Probably the fearsomest foes. The other finalists were students of The Great Library, the town North-East of the capital, and Skyslandia. Your own Stable Lotus Harbor, of the East, as well as Frontier's Stand of the West and Frost Beast Town of the North are on the weaker side, eliminated on first round both time. Not the case of Seaslandia nor the southtown Desert's Crystaline Haven, which are middle-of-the-crop.

On the good side, it means you will at most fight three time, you think while answering the call for your age group by going down the flight of stairs under the half-hearted cheers of the crowd.
In the bowels of the stadium, your group is directly sent to the arena - you are the first to fight.
>>
Stepping on the stones of the immense fighting grounds, your eyes are immediately drawn to the Empress sitting above your head.
The fourteen-year old Fourth Stage is gazing down, her red hair held by a gold crown. Sitting on a richly decored throne padded with comfortable-looking velvet, wearing a robe looking like jade ciseled finely enough to be turned into clothing, only one thing is on your mind.

She's by far the most beautiful person you've ever sawn.

You feel tugging on your sleeve.
"As our squad leader, you are supposed to be the first to bow!"
Blushing as if caught doing something despicable by your friend, you follow LienWen YanEr advice and take a deep, respectful salute.

"No, your eye are not decieving you : this first fight of the 8 year old category starts with a full rooster of True Master, coming from Stable Lotus Harbor!
Their Frost Beasts Town opponent better hope they haven't stabilized... Ready? Fight!
"
Your group immediately fell in formation - and a better one that your opponent seems to be taking.
You recognize Bjorn and Ing Rid, one of the very few second stage alongside one of the three Military Youth fighter fielded and a girl wearing flowing white and ice-blue dress. You don't recognize the slightest the rest of the child's affiliations, but they remain low-menace first stage.

OPPONENT LINEUP :

Front : the three Military Youth (girl with a spear, second stage girl with a towershield, boy with a fan)
Wings : Bjorn (sword) and Second-stage Ing Rid (daggers)
The flowing-white dress girl sits in the back, surrounded by mismatch first stage (Flail, Halberd, Axe, Saber)

>Any strategy/words for your teammates before all hell breaks lose?
>>
>>6111995
Hmmm be wary of flowing white dress girl she's the key of there formation. My bet is a damage dealer or buffer. Take her out and the rest of the formation falls.

Tie up there fount and let the flank take out the back. If you see chances take them while supported.

The tower shield girl will defend the spear girl as a combo so it'll be a tough nut to crack with the sword and daggers going for our side flanks the fan guy probably uses wind arts to blow you off your feet or slicing attacks. Be weary of that and we just out last them in true qi. Above all do not get wounded. Or extra training.
>>
>>6111995
>"Melee, focus on fan boy, the rest of us will protect your flanks." Start the fight focusing on using your spear skills and aggressively protecting the others while they focus their attacks.

I think fan boy has an anti-ranged wind ability that will really hamper us.
>>
>>6112078
You have the JUMP JET STRIKER archetype, thus your objective is to take out high value target by jumping and bowshooting. Using your spear and going into contact will instantly break formation.
>>
>>6112078
also, Fan Boy is first stage. This make elemental Qi abilities at the very least strongly improbable.
>>
>>6111995
>Send Dhundan and Yi norm to engage with the frontline, engage and draw the aggro of their front division. JiaLin support them but wait for a moment to take out one of their higher tier guys

Dhundan is a fight autist, but he is at a type disadvantage against spear and shield.
>Sin Din, take out Ingrid with Ping Jun, smash them from the side.
>Ster Ling, Surpress their backline, take out the fodder.

>Man din and Yan Er and meiying stay back to guard the archers [us].
>We target the girl in white when they get used to Ster Ling's quick fire.
>>
>>6111995
I have an idea in case there's a need to either flank or maintain the attention of the frontline with a big attack

>Cut a wound
>Summon several Wolf-Shadow
>Either throw them all to the frontline in a massive attack and make them explode to shake their defense, then let our frontline clash against their thanks to the distraction we made

>Summon Wolf-Shadows
>Make them go around you while we go for a flank
>Either the kid with the fan is going to keep his attention in us because we're constantly shooting arrows, or he focuses on the rest of our team
>Keep harrasing on the sidelines by ourselves, if we suffer some damage we heal with our Shadow-Wolfs, if the enemy team tries to pick on us we either start kiting and joining again with our team, or we go full-blown attack with our wolfs while we disengage with our jump technique

In one of our breakthroughs we decided to take the choice of making the blood explosion that we make with our Wolfs and also our blood to heal instead of making damage. So that means that unless we're one-shotted, we can venture ourselves out of the formation and not get as beaten as we should
>>
>>6111993
>The seller even has shrimp-spring rolls - which taste oddly metallic and hard to chew until you get it's not shrimp spring-rolls.
Oh no our boy got rused

>>6111994
>The amount of genius-born among your age-group and town is significative; and from what you heard at the Tamers of Thousand Beasts from the other kids, it seems the phenomenon is global.
>You can't help but wonder why is that so.
Did the Heavenly Emperor do something funny somewhere behind the scenes? Could this be some greater will's plan at work for something incredibly cool and stupid?
>>
>>6112116
+1
>>
>>6112087
Oh.
>>6112078
Then I change from this to us focusing on Bjorn and olding formation.
>>
>>6111995
We nuke swan girl first with our archery.

Let Yi Norm harass the military youth. Shield and spear are slow. Many nimble monkeys can distract them.

Dhundhan to wear armor and crush Ing Rid. Her needles probably can't pierce that armor.

Don't worry about the 1's in the back. By the time they figure out what to do after Swan is down the real fighting will be over.

That leaves the rest of the team to gang up on Bjorn. Death Girl to harass and slow him down while the others surround him and attack from many angles.

Once Bjorn is down, split the Bjorn team to support Yi and take out Ingrid. Death Harvester to blast the 1's so they don't cause trouble. Once Ingrid is down, surround the survivors and shoot them in the back. Careful not to shoot people on our team though.

Ryota owes us a favor.
>>
To be clear, it's possible that she's bait or a martyr or something, but we're 8, so take the easy road and just shoot her in the heart with an arrow.
>>
...
...
Wait.
Are we 8 year olds participating in blood sports?
>>
>>6112254
ANCIENT CHINESE blood sports. But yes.
>>
>>6111995
>>6112246 +1
>>
Alright, your plan is getting in shape.
I'll try to update in 20-24 hours.
I feel you give less commands to LienWen YanEr (pitched as frontliner) and LienWen JiaLin (pitched as Acrobat) so feel free to expand on the blank.
No roll prompt needed
>>
>>6112087
How I read it was 5 second stage and 5 first stage. So it's a 4/6 split well
>>6112867
>Have LienWen YanEr (pitched as frontliner) cover whose in trouble and LienWen JiaLin (pitched as Acrobat) to aim for weaknesses in the chaos.
>>
>>6112867
>LienWen JiaLin (Acrobat)
Can LienWen outmaneuver the shield-girl (maybe jump over her towershield) and disrupt the enemy's frontline? Because any openings she can create for our other frontliners would be very valuable.

LienWenYanEr can help back her up by applying pressure to the enemy frontline, I guess.
>>
I figured that JiaLin would serve as the threat to keep the shield/spear/fan crew honest after Bjorn is dogpiled.

In my plan YanEr is part of the wrecking ball that dogpiles and defeats the 2's. She's one of the warriors who is to surround Bjorn, then surround Ing Rid. We have numbers on our side (the 1's don't count), and she's part of that.
>>
>>6112874
Not even. 3/7.
>>
>>6113069
Oh. Then it's a beat down.
>>
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You have just the time to slip a few words :

"Yi Norm, engage their frontline. Your goal is not to win, but stall them. Jia Lin, with him. Look for an oppotunity to out-manoeuver the shield-girl.
Dhundan, go and take down Ing Rid. Meanwhile, Sin Din and Ping Jun, go take Bjorn.
Man Din, Yan Er, you're on duty to protect us
Ster Ling, rapid fire to suppress their backline. Aim for the fodder. Meiying Youling, try to help as you can?"
They nod, and you all take place making the minor ajustements regarding your battle plans.
Mental note : you know little-to-nothin about the aptitudes of half of your group regarding their True Qi enabled technique.
It's not a given they all found some new skills, but you had no time to just ask them. You put it aside as you have immediately pressing matters.

Yi Norm rushes to reach the frontline. They seem smug, until the lone boy become immediately surrounded by eight Monkey spirits, freezing in place.
That's when Ster Ling start drawing arrows. Immediately, the Shieldbearer yells "The Wall of the North!"
She rotates her shield as the metal expand and cover in ice, turning in a several meter wide, three meter high circle of arc.
Ster Ling arrows ping helplessly against the wall. Perfect opportunity. You summon your mount, then JUMP.
A clear line of sight to the backline let you witness the priestress summon a powerful-looking technique - something like an ice storm. Not that you want to stay and witness the art.
You feel the complete stadium gaze focusing on you as you unfurl your Phoenix Wings, line your shot, and release an arrow empowered by a complex mix of Wind, Space, Poison and Phoenix Qi.
Ster Ling can certainly draw his bow fast. But you feel your technique, despite taking as much time to launch as 4 of Ster Ling arrows, fly even faster.
Your powerful shot instantly pierce through the chest of your target, erupting in blood. Time seems to freeze as one of the organizer cross the field in a blur, careful to not interract with the fight, and take the girl out for emergency care.
You did it. You inflicted a wound surely lethal, that will leave a scar and a bad memory for the rest of that girl life. Did she chose to partake in the tournament? Did you even chose yourself? You're slowly gliding back to the ground, while witnessing the rest of the bloodbath. But what you heard in your mind shaked you even deeper.
>>
Pitting Dhundan against Ing Rid was a good idea - she attempt to cut down the rushing madman in a panic reflex by throwing him a handful of daggers, which Dhundan answers by pulling out is Dark Scale Shield. His Obsidian Saber strikes, she attempts to counter by summoning her own Beast Spirit, an Ice Crane.
Of course, it is pulled toward Dhundan's saber with his strange spirit-beast countering skill, before he cleaves hard. Another blur, and only a puddle of blood remains as evidence. Ping Jun overtook easily Bjorn. The distraction of you taking down the ennemy leader made the Shieldbearer lose her focus enough for JiaLin to jump, using Yi Norm's head as a step, and launch three sword-strike. The sword remains at the other side of the wall, but somehow the opponent crumbles with her wall.

Ster Ling is now free to lay death on the backline, while Yi Norm cleans by himself the frontline - at the measle, meagre cost of one of his Monkey.

The fight was over less than ten seconds than after it started. A full sweep from your group, crushing unrelentlessly your opponent.
You feel you never lost the attention of the crowd. Especially the Empress, her approving eyes locked on you. Her voice is still resonating silently.
"I dreaded the day was going to be a bore. I'm so happy to be proven wrong. Try to win this, young Rising Phoenix."

You get back to the waiting rooms, your group unscathed while the other kids gleefully clash and gut each other.
You are the only one shaken, the rest of your group praising your wisdom and perfect choices leading to that perfect win, crushing in the same smooth motion.
At least, your group's moral is at the highest.
You have a small bit of time before next fight start.
>Write-in only : anything to say/ask to member of your squad?
>>
>>6113481
>Good job everyone. Yi norm, Jialin, Dhundan especially. We've got through unscathed for now, but keep our focus until the last fight is done.
>Anyone got some new proficiency you wish to share? I've nothing but some more refined Qi control.
>>
>>6113481
Oof poor girl getting shot in the chest with poison. That's a lot of trauma that'll need to be unpacked for her.

>Good job everyone. Yi norm, Jialin, Dhundan especially. We've got through unscathed for now, but keep our focus until the last fight is done.

>Decompress later to Ryota you basically almost killed an ally of your sect must learn healing art after this tournament.
>>
>>6113522
I mean, this isn't the first time we've almost killed someone.
Fuck, it's not even the first time we've seen death.

It might be worth meditating on why this feels different. The bandits on the road weren't as much an issue.
Our sect mates who ambushed us weren't so great an issue, we felt fucking great winning there.
Is this just a subconsious manifestation of our newfound "trapped" feeling, because we are too important for the sect to let fly free? A commodity to be traded between the powerful without a say in our own destiny, only to be expended in a way we don't consent to or wish?
>>
>>6113542
Nope. this isn't certainly the first time Quiet Word saw death, but THIS IS the first time he has "killed" someone. Remember that in his first mission, it was Big Sister Kyoko the one who killed all the bandits while we were playing as bait, she was the silent dagger while Quiet Word was the Royal Peacock, bringing his attention as a son of a high-ranking noble coming to the village. It was now, at this point that Quiet Word is able to see how powerful/devastating/mortal the abilities that he learned truly are, when the past three tournaments have been only "first blood" type of duel, not a full blown one until the enemy is out of combat.

For me it seems normal that he's shaken like he is, seeing how analytical and still innocent he is because damn, he's still a child. Maybe he's really self aware with how much he meditates and how wise he's been shown, and I'm sure he could make a connection of this event with Ai, her pacifist friend. I say maybe, when we have time, Quiet Word should visit the girl and make sure she's okay, and hope she isn't as scarred as he think she is
>>
>>6113488
>+1 to this

>>6113542
I think the nature of the fight itself. I guess the technique for the nonlethal paint fight when we were 1st realm cannot work here?
>>
>>6113549
They have a tier 6 cultivator as a referee. They could absolutely make a better array if they wanted to, so the choice to maim the kids is Deliberate.

Probably to push people to do their best.

>>6113548
still doesn't explain the rush of triumph and power we got from stabbing the ganking motherfuckers.

Though. . . it might be an idea to check on her. She is still allied with the sect but. . what do you even say? "Sorry I shot you?"
>>
>>6113564
There's not much you can do to make up to a person you shot a hole through. Unless they are a battle mantic. Or got a screw loose.
>>
>>6113572
We really need to get our healing ability trained up. I mean, its usefullness is up there with a power-level sensing technique, map with list of training destinations, or a bag of holding.
>>
>>6113564
>still doesn't explain the rush of triumph and power we got from stabbing the ganking motherfuckers.
My take is that it's the same feeling you get when going to the gym and doing a set in bench press with a weight that at the start would be impossible for you. Even if they were really below our level, they were a group, and we still came up top, Quiet Word might have felt amazing because a year or so later he would've either being beaten to a pulp or even killed (After all, that was an option that was presented to us, and apparently no one would bat an eye for it, if I can remember correctly)

In a world where you could freely kill a sectmate for wronging you, and no one would care because they are shit, doesn't mean all the people living there are murderous psychos without empathy (even if we're in ancient Not!China).

>what do you even say? "Sorry I shot you?"
That's a start lmao. If they have the same mentality like our sect-mates and what looks like to be the general crowd of Daoist, maybe she could see it like some "friendly spar" and won't be affected, but we won't know until we go talk to the girl. As I said, if this format was the same as the tournament back home, this would be in character for Quiet Word to do, after all, he went and talk with Ping Jun and Jian after defeating them in combat, the difference is that the training wheels are off and the girl could be Quiet Word if he meets some other genius who could throw a spear to his chest or something and we lose on the roll.
>>
>>6113522
+1

>>6113548
Yeah talking this over with Ai later might be good

>>6113593
I fully agree with seeking that girl out to apologize to them
>>
>>6113481
>Good job everyone. Recover your Qi and prepare for the next round. Better to be prepared than to be defeated.
>Absorb Qi to restore myself as much as possible. If they let us watch the other matches, watch them.
>No time to worry about the Empress or the pierced heart of the ice blaster now. But yes, the ability to heal such wounds would be useful. If we could do so without spending significant sect resources, then we would avoid the down time of broken warriors such as we suffered after our fight in the snake pit. We can check up on her after the fights.
>>
>>6113604
As for another reason to apologise. . . MORE CHANCES TO TALK? MORE CHANCES FOR FRIENDSHIP!

Delicious, scrumptious, politically beneficial friendships.

Also, just of note, emperors and empresses are usually depicted as dragons, for their immense power.
Like being 4th stage ar 14.
>>
>>6113899
I also had that thought after the post that china emperors were considered dragons upon men. So the subplot I thought about Green Dragon having a family member or daughter kinda feels weak.
Word being smitten with her so who the krin?

Wouldn't put it past Doc to introduce here here in the tournament.
>>
>>6113899
>>6113914
You two are almost thinking right.
>>
>>6113922
...Is the empress a actual dragon and the one at a tourni is like a human relations stand in or the dragon shapeshifting into a human or something?
>>
>>6114173
Nah. Dragons are animals and animals get to take human form at 5th stage.

She could be suppressing her cultivation but. . Why do that when you are demonstrating your power for your coronation? And at 14 years old?

It's a really cool idea though
>>
"Good job everyone. Yi norm, Jialin, Dhundan especially. We've got through unscathed for now, but keep our focus until the last fight is done.
Anyone got some new proficiency you wish to share? I've nothing but some more refined Qi control.
- Alright, I'll bite. I can pull a Volley, suspend the arrows and let them rain at the same split-second.
It takes me a bit of time to set up and the attack strike a reduce zone - around 3 meter wide.

- Jade Lotus blade arcana. A few sword strikes, empowered by Lotus Qi, letting the attack reach way over the tip of the blade. It's how I got over the powered shield.
- My aura is stronger now, but nothing more.
- Two spiritual arts. First is a support share of my energy. Second is a shield strong against Spiritual arts.
- The second stage let me tap more into my bounded spirit. In addition to the Intangible Strike, I have a strong hit that, if avoided, reduce the speed and mobility of the target. "
Looks like your flawless victory as well as your incredible shot granted you a better trust from your squadmates. You advise them to gather as much stamina and Qi as they can muster before the second room. Ster Ling can't help but point the other fights doesn't seem to draw as much cheers and applause as your triumph after the so-quick victory.
Jia Lin comes and require your attention.
"I don't feel comfortable with that "Acrobat" role. I mean, we don't need to change that - we probably can't on such a short notice - but just so you know... If I was a natural, I would had found a way to circument the wall instead of finding an opening for my strike. In a pure contest of dexterity, I'll fail against a prodigy. And we are in a prodigy turnament
- Aren't you such a prodigy from the school of Stable Lotus?
- Stability can take many form, such as balance which is mandatory for acrobatic prowesses. But I'm not a prodigy of the Nimble Lotus school. For example, I'm not sure I could outmanoeuver and pin down your horserider girlfriend, while I'm more confident in my ability to maybe strike her with my blade arts.
- I'll keep that in mind."
You don't bother to embarass yourself regarding how sister Sin Din is certainly not your girlfriend, and it's already time to go back to the Arena.
Somehow, the walls moved and you had to take another way to go through the same exit you left several minutes ago.
>>
The crowd erupts in your support when you walk in the arena. You're not sure how much a good thing this is, as said crowd being made of Daoist expert result in a crushing pressure despite them holding their power low. In particular, you swear you can feel the Empress presence almost brushing at your mind, but coming around to avoid being a distraction - and you almost feel you can understand why the Masters warn the older boys about the distraction of pursuing women. They also warn the girls about the distraction of getting boys to pursue them, but this you frankly don't get. You empty your mind of those petty thoughts and focus on what truly matter for your life and future, both of which would be ruined if you don't come of the top of this tournament.

In front of you, 7 Cultivator are standing : 6 second stage, and a lone first stage.
Among the second stages, you recognize your sect-cousins the Desert Snake Boy, in the frontlines, and Gerbil Girl - in the middle of the pack.
Frontline is complemented by some furry mix of a human and some kind of bobcat, looking extremely lithe and nimble, and a Military Youth boy sporting Tiger Claws.
Between the frontline and Gerbil Girl, a guy with some strange wheels floating around him.
Backline is made of a boy wearing a steel mask, and the first stage Military Youth archer girl.

>Quick words/Strategy before the fight starts?
>>
>>6114728
So the Furry [agile and Close combat] and millitary youth with tiger claws and desert snake [don't remember a weapon] is in front.

Gerbil girl [also don'r remeber weapon] is with strange floating wheels guy [Spiritual arts user? Or just a relic?]

then a guy in a mask [Definitely spiritual arts] and an archer.

>Dhundan against Desert snake boy, go through him and aim for gerbil girl. Draw their attention.
>Yi norm, defend Dhundan and pin down the furry with your many monkeys. Agility is fine but numbers overwhelm.
>Ping jun and Sin din smash into the mid line as a true threat to take out the gerbil girl and surround the front.
>Ster Ling, as before take aim for the back and wipe the first stage. then fire at Wheel's dude..
>We target mask man, on fear it might be an anti ranged option.
>Yan er, support Dhun and Yi and keep an eye on that back row and make ready to shield the front with it from a spell.

So the way I see it going. Ranged people engage at range.
our frontliners engage their front liners, but then the horsemen do an encircling charge, we take out their back row from a distance and then the encircling manouver should let us box in and wipe out the enemy team
>>
We out-range them but they are quick. Best to set up a defensive formation and weaken them with range before the melee and minimize the effectiveness of their agility.

I'm thinking that we have Ster Ling quickly take out their archer while we take out maybe Mask or someone. Dhundan vs. tiger claws (I think that he'd also be good against snake or bobcat. Slowing Death Girl to slow Kitty. Yi Norm and LienWen Jia Lin vs. Wheel (Yi distracts, Jia strikes). I guess that leaves Ping in a defensive role (probably against snake boy) and Sin against Gerbil girl (giantslayer vs. big gerbil)?

Thoughts on something better or a known weakness? I'm worried about Wheel, but with 2:1 they should be able to figure something out. It also means that we're going to need to have Stirling shift to pincushioning Bobcat after dealing with the 1st tier.
>>
Death Girl is Meiying Youling. Should be using her name instead of just thinking about her as a death girl.

We won't tell her now, but I think that Jia Lin has the makings of an assassin. She is good with her weapon, fairly nimble, has an unseen strike, and previously seemed a bit cruel. I'm not sure how she'd feel about being called an assassin though. Maybe we call her a surprise striker warrior or something to stoke her pride?
>>
>>6114724
>My aura is stronger now, but nothing more.
I like how even Dhundan got nothing further or special from his other than slight strengthening of something already core to his skillset. Truly he is Quiet Word's best rival

>>6114728
Backing >>6114739
>>
Actually, gerbil appears to not be a giant. Dhundan already beat her by sucking in her hampster, so don't send him against her. She seems to have a weak chest though. Good target for an arrow once we're done with Mask. The girbil spirit is described as nimble, but still probably a good opponent for Jia Lin if I wasn't already using her for something else.

Reminder:

Yi Norm - One Man Army Protector
Sin Din - Scout/Giant Slayer/Harasser (poor choice for gerbil). Also 2nd in command.
Dhundan - Menacing Frontliner (also has a good shield)
Man Din - Wildcard?
Ping Jun - Cavalry
Jia Lin - Acrobat w/good sword skills and hawk. Ideal for Girbil Girl.
Ster Ling - Marksman
Meying Youling - Death blaster (and now slow debuffer). We trained her as a frontliner.
Man Din - Wildcard
YanEr - Frontliner Swordsgirl
>>
>>6114739
What what will Meiying (the creepy girl) and Jia Lin (cousin to Yan Er) and Man Din (the Ditto wildcard) do?
>>
>>6092982
This has the roles and formation shape laid out in case anybody needs to check back and reference for strats.
>>
>>6114759
Thoughts on the techs they told us about? >>6114724
>Ster Ling
This is basically like Piccolo's Hellzone Grenade except with arrows. Great for a target that's set up
>Jia Lin
Extended range can make her fool people into dropping guard outranging her until she pulls this out
>Dhundan
Same as ever
>that green text
Who is that? Ping Jun? The gold talisman horse friend in the Versatile Harmony multiskill sect?
>Meiying
More debuffs, more blasting. Interesting how that debuff hit of hers only works if the opponent dodges it. That has some great potential for mixups
>>
>>6114728
>>6114740
I've changed my mind on matchups after refreshing my memory.

Ster Ling - Start with stage 1 archer, then move on to Bobcat.
Quiet Word - Start with Mask
Jia Lin - Go against Gerbil Girl. Hawk eats Gerbil.
Dhundan vs. Snake Boy. He's seen your technique so don't rely on it too much.
Ping Jun vs. Tiger Claw. Mostly for the melee range.
Meying Youling vs. Bobcat.
YanEr & Man Din vs. Wheel. Wildcard because we don't know what Wheel does, and choppy action to choppa da wheel. Wheels might be used as shields?
>>
>>6114775
Sin Din supporting Meying Youling vs. Bobcat.
>>
>>6114728
Changing my vote from >>6114755 to backing >>6114775 >>6114777
>>
>>6114768
We're facing a fast moving squad now, so I don't think Ster Ling's ability is great here. Maybe would be good against Mask? We don't know Mask or Wheel's abilities at all.

I'm thinking that Jia Lin's move might be good against wheel. But I also think that she's better suited to take down Gerbil. Hawk eats Gerbil, and the girl fell to a surprise kick before (from the Big D when he sucked in her gerbil). It's cool though.

Dhundan's a boss.

I'm not sure on Green Text. Ping's a light paladin, so it would make sense. I think that Ping could handle Mask in a flanking maneuver if we wanted to go that route, but why not just shoot them? Who else is a better target for us? Most of them are dodgey and we're low RoF high damage.

Since there are so many agile opponents, I think that Meying's power is good here. Bobcat seems like the fastest, and also probably a body cultivator, so why not slow him down first? Keep Bobcat from quickly taking out one of our team or rushing down the archers. We're a mobile archer, but Ster Ling isn't really.
>>
Should make a spreadsheet of the characters and their reveals if Dragon's going to keep doing this instead of sanding wallpaper.
>>
>>6114724
Two spiritual arts. First is a support share of my energy. Second is a shield strong against Spiritual arts.

>The second stage let me tap more into my bounded spirit. In addition to the Intangible Strike, I have a strong hit that, if avoided, reduce the speed and mobility of the target. "

Whoever these two are should set up so that they can slow debuff their speed.

And have Yi Norm protect them with one man army.

It's a 10 v 6 so we can have some people pair up and dog pile.
>>
>>6114724
>>6114775 and >>6114777 +1
>>
>>6114755
That was supposed to be Ping Jun talking
>>
>>6114768
Bold text is Ping Jun and not Dhundan. Green text is YanEr
>>
>>6114789
Hey, show some faith : I'll do this AND sand my walls
>>
>>6115013
Favor could you add names to said text. Easier to follow when you got 9 other kids in the mix.
>>
>>6115040
relevant suggestion
>>
>>6114775
>Ster Ling - Start with stage 1 archer, then move on to Bobcat.
Auto-success for the first turn
>Quiet Word - Start with Mask
2 anons roll 1d100 with the mention "Rolling for Quiet Word against Steel Mask" , DC : 40 Some of your choices could had lead to auto success. What you chose grant you advantage though
>Jia Lin - Go against Gerbil Girl. Hawk eats Gerbil.
Correct interpretation. Auto success
>Dhundan vs. Snake Boy. He's seen your technique so don't rely on it too much.
Good matchup for Dhundan. One anon roll 1d100 with the mention "Rolling for Dhundan" DC : 10
>Ping Jun vs. Tiger Claw. Mostly for the melee range.
One anon roll 1d100 with the mention "Rolling for Ping Jun" DC : 35
>Meying Youling + Sin Din vs. Bobcat.
Partial auto-success.
>YanEr & Man Din vs. Wheel.
1 anon roll 1d100 for YanEr. DC : 30/80.
>Wildcard because we don't know what Wheel does,
Good reasoning.
1 anon roll 1d100 for Man Din. DC : 60/40/10 depending on degree of success of YanEr.

Yi is in global defense of the frontline. 1d100 for him.
>>
Don't hog rolls, I won't update tonight anyway.
>>
Rolled 56 (1d100)

Rolling for YanEr because she has the highest possible DC.
>>
Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>6115307
Dhundan
>>
Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>6115307
Rolling for Ping Jun
>>
Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>6115307
1 anon roll 1d100 for Man Din. DC : 60/40/10 depending on degree of success of YanEr.
>>
>>6115340
Oof hope for Yi to save Man Din
>>
Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>6115307
>Quiet word vs mask boy
>>
Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>6115307
Quiet Word vs steel mask
>>
So we are waiting on a d100 for Yi and a D100 to best out our crushing win with mask boy.

>>6115317
Yan er passed the first trick
>>6115340
But man din fell short by 34.

>>6115329
Dhundan wins by 9.

>>6115332
Ping wins by about 31.

I think Man din might get pushed out this round but we are still pretty strong.
>>
Yi Norm is the only one left to go. Wasn't green, but still gets a roll.
>>
>>6115366
How many rounds do you guys reckon?

With 100 towns, 6 rounds is all they can manage before they run out of people to fight in a bracket. But I somehow doubt there are that many towns, least of all that many towns who can cough up so many level 2 cultivators.

So closer to 4 rounds is my guess. Maybe 5.
>>
Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>6115307
Rolling for Yi Norm
>>
>>6115378
Exceedingly average Yi.
>>
>>6115374
Believe we have three rounds with this being the second.
>>6115378
Also looks like Yi Norm saves YanEr and Man Din which leaves it a 10 v 1 for wheel no doubt forfeiting with the rest of there team wiped.
>>
>>6115381
Ah, I found it.

Yeah, at most 3 times.

We are doing okay so far. No reason for arrogence but. . . 2nd place wouldn't be terrible.
>>
I'm thinking that Bobcat is still around, just too slow to fight in the first bout. With 10 v. 2 though we might not fight a part 2 since it would be so one sided.
>>
>>6115385
I mean we're still prob 10 strong here with no injuries (maybe) been crushing it. As long as we make solid plans we should take first.
Thinking that in finals we'll be fighting at most 8 people.
>>
Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>6115307
Rolling for Quiet Word against Steel Mask
>>
>>6115374
You guys know only 8 towns were relevent enough to pull out teams for the 6 and 7 years old. So 3 rounds.
>>
>>6115604
Wonder how strong the final round will be.
>>
>>6114759
Maybe we should swap out Jia's training as an assassin.

She is already front liner, which is a good fit.
But her issue is the agility. She is nimble but not good at moving around. This is still "good enough" but not the best. I'm thinking something like duelist for headtaking but. . . Hnn.

She keeps talking about striking but not pinning a nimble target.
Maybe hybrid her class as a protector? Someone who's role is to cut open a hole in a defensive line and hold it open? Like a breacher?
>>
>>6115710
The idea to shift her role is fine. Hybrid Frontliner/Protector is not the way to go
>>
The fight start signal is given, and already an arrow is embedded in the archer girl's left arm.
Jia Lin breaks out of her designated emplacement, to rush the Gerbil-girl, already lacing sword strikes. The desert girl manage to duck under the teal strikes, and deploy the Gerbil spirit behind Jia Lin - somehow she seems to have a way to deploy a Spirit Beast a few meters away!
The Jade Lotus Hawk spirit is deployed and strike down the beast, while JiaLin fourth and fifth strike lay crimson lines on the right arm and leg of the girl, which is taken out by the referee.

The Steel-mask will be your target. Despite the olfactive cacophony, you identify something special about his mask : the distinctive smell of Growth.
His Intent is sharpening. Not on your watch. Once again, you JUMP, getting the audience to hold its breath as a single man.
Your target noticed, as well as all your allies and foes. He quickly push in your direction, conjuring a strangely targetted thunderbolt.
The attack is weird : it is not made of Qi but of Intent, which is not something you believe should be feasible. But you happen to exactly master the counter for this.
You focus your own Fighting Intent in a point while drawing your bow, projecting your mental energy as a spear or arrow, dispelling the lightning bolt; opening the way for your arrow to strike. The Qi-powered arrow fly while you feel the release of your arrow echoes in a fiery TCHACK, before hitting the Thunder Steel Mask cultivator in a dull sound through the chest.
The referee darts through the field, taking away the wounded boy while you hear the audience chanting "RISING PHOENIX! HEARTPIERCER!"
Quicksteel Aris was right. Nicknames truly come around the corner faster than expected.

Meanwhile, Sin Din circles to engage the Bobcat beastgirl. Hook, line and sinker - on the form of Meying Youling unfurling completely her spirit beast.
Back at first stage, you could only discern a faint shiver in the air ended by claw when she used her Intangible strike.
This time, it feels like she unleashed her full spirit : a three meter tall, Six-headed hydra covered in chains. The heads collapse toward the crouching Bobcat.
She sommersault, dive, handstand, backflip around the attacks.
"Kukukuku... All according to the Keikaku"
The chains whirl and collapse, bounding around the opponent in their ethereal links.
Ping Jun charge on the Tiger Clawed fighter. He seems to have the upper hand, recalling his horse to avoid the spirit a nasty strike in the shank, keeping fighting unmounted. Glazed in his golden glow, he seems to outmatch his opponent in terms of skill, speed and power. He concludes his fight with a shield bash, breaking the military youth boy guard, using the momentum to turn around, following with a spinned side kick - folding the opponent as air is drawn away of him, concluded by a diagonal backhand pummel bash on the hand, knocking the opponent out.
>>
Ster Ling turned the archer girl in a pincushion, avoiding chest, head and right arm until the referee stops the humiliation by dragging her away.
Dhundan seems struggling against the Desert Snake boy : to counter the Spirit Magnet technique, he summoned a second spirit, a mighty elephant.
Somehow, the boy withstand the fear factor of Dhundan while turning the fight in a 3 versus 1, grinning as if the fight was already won.
It is not knowing well Dhundan, which seems extremely frustrated and motivated by the failure to score a quick frag manage to take down the Snake, then the Elephant before sheathing his saber and beating with his bare hands the opponent in a long and painful fight.

The real problem comes from the strange cultivator that use sheets of paper spinned in the shape of wheels - or rings, only the extern part is full after all.
Man Din attempts to probe him with small projectiles - that the sandpaper cultivator grind down to nothing using the wheels as shields, before sending them forward to your wildcard.
Seeing the gruesome attack coming, LienWen summon a teal lotus-flower shield. However the sandpaper, spinning hard and fast, shred said shield.
The opening is too small for Man Din, which brace for impact. That is until Norm Yi attacks.
A first Monkey rushes, which gets dispelled. Yi Norm continue, sacrificing a second, a third and even a fourth Monkey to protect his two girlmates.
Ster Ling start pelting arrows and arrows on the wheel user, which protects by turning them to wooden dust.

Dhundan is still busy beating up the Desert Beast-tamer boy. Ping Jun runs to engage the Bobcat beastgirl, joining Sin Din and Meying Youling.
The three of them are slowly accumulating hits on the surrounded, slowed fearsome acrobat. Situation well in hand, you lay another shot. And dammit, it crosses through his chest despite your best effort to pin a leg, much to the crowd's pleasure.

That is a second flawless win for your team. The only point of concern is that Yi Norm's Monkey reserve is half-depleted.
"You know which heart you pierced the harshest? The crowd. Please don't disappoint us in the final."
>>
The wait is much shorter this time. You walk to the battleground a third time, for the final fight.
You half-expect an easy match, with only a couple cultivators still standing on the other side. Fate is not as merciful.

Their frontline is made of an out of position axe fighter - surprisingly not from military youth.
Speaking of military youth, a second stage Flail user and a first stage Shield user are also on the frontline.
A couple step behind, some girl with a gourd in hand.

Their backline is made of a cross. In the middle, an unarmed, rag and turban wearing cultivator.
He appears to be the obvious center of the formation, but you feel wary about that.
On his right, a green-kasaya guy holding a calligraphy brush. On his left, another boy in yellow tunic and brick-red trousers wielding a longbow.
The front of the cross is occupied by a young buddhist nun-looking girl holding a head-size bell, while the back is held by a golden-and-blue Xifu guqin player

>Quick words/Strategy before the fight starts?
>>
File: polukranos.jpg (125 KB, 1024x768)
125 KB
125 KB JPG
Oh, i forgot to post Meying Youling Ghost Hydra Spirit
>>
>>6115751
>willpower lightning masked boy
>>6115753
>sandpaper wheel boy
These two are so cool in their powers

>>6115778
Hex maniac if she 8 years old and more sadistic and crazy

>>6115755
I am very very paranoid about turban kid and paintbrush kid. Gourd girl might be a healer or battlefield flooding midfielder. Bell nun is also a huge threat
>>
>>6115785
Sandpaper wheel dude is a reference of the wheels of No talent Cultivator associated to my wallsanding. Figured out it would make an interesting combo.
Steel Mask, however, is a result of my random tables. Praise to them.
>>
>>6115755
>Ster Ling, Stop playing with your food. kill shots, not play shots. Take out Longbow on back row. Maybe use your AOE to splash damage the others.

>We will take out Gourd girl. Aim for the throat, she might anticipate a heart shot. Then shift to take out the Axe user.

>Yan er, act as a defence. They have 5 backliners, at least 2 are spell casters. Rag boy and music gal. Prepare to throw the spirit shield.

>Ping Heavy calvery vs shield user. Then push through to help wipe their backrow.
>Dhundan vs Flail, because saber with attraction power can throw it off course.
>Jia take out Axe fighter.

Man din vs Monk, Sin din vs music player.
Yi goes with the girls, maybe hitch a lift to get there.
Dhundan and Jia are there to tie up the front and we are clearing the middle for Ping.

Death blaster help against paper guy. Hydra vs papers many sealing abilities?

My idea is the backline gets zerg rushed by calvery and the front is tied up with our fighters.
>>
>>6115799
"Ster Ling, Stop playing with your food. kill shots, not play shots.
- As a second stage, didn't wanted to severely maim on her main hand or even kill that first-stage sectmate. I know her."

>she might anticipate a heart shot.
As you are not aware of their past fight, they are not aware of yours.
>>
>>6115805
. . . Okay, Immediately shoot Ster Lings imposter. What the fuck, he is showing some consideration for someone other than himself? Mad.

Anyway, good for him.
We shot someone in the heart repeatedly, so I doubt the judges couldn't stop him killing her but. Still, good on him.
>>
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>>6115840
Baka Sussy Ster Ling
>>
>>6115755
Turban kid is gonna either astral project to kick our asses with his spirit, summon some sort of shield/buff for everyone surrounding him, or do a frontflip out of the formation and try to kick our ass in CQC or with some type of summoning weapon I can't really think of many more possibilities considering his current position and lack of equipment other then them being a literal red herring nobody or something.
>>
>>6115956
If he's indeed an Astral Projector, Quiet Word won't be too menaced. After all, your Foundation is based on Astral Self.
You're using the Astral technique to go visit hidden realms, but your training should make you resistant to any technic weaponizing the Astral self.
>>
>>6115987
what are the stages of the rest of them? you didn't say. Also enjoy the shitty ms paint formation picture.
>>
>>6115987
Ah good that just leaves shield/buffer, CQC badass, or red herring then.
>>
Wait hang on is Gourd Girl a Gaara reference? Are we about to be sand blasted?
>>
>>6115755

1. Sin Din and PingJun flank to south and hit there backlines being the Xifu guqin and Longbow unless long bow is taken out that hit Brush.
2. Ster Ling take out the Longbow
3. Dhundan - Go beat up the front line and take out the axe user.
4. Word take out the turban also if we can shed blood and summon wolf to help frontline to take a hit.
5.Yi Norm be on defense.
6. Jia Lin takes out the shield
7. Meyling Youling go take out gourd/debuff.
8. YanEr and Man Din Target the Frail user.

We're leaving the bell open which might use sound arts however I feel if we crush the front and the known danger of long bow we'll do enough damage one one to auto succeed the next.
>>
Enemy Frontline:
Axe Fighter. Since he's out front, probably a berserker using wide swings. We don't know his stage, assuming 2.
Flail user stage 2.
Shield user stage 1.

Mid:
Gourd User - could be a healer, but could also be a water bender or a insect house or something.

Back:
Rags & Turban: ?? Maz, is that you?
Buddhist Brush: ? They support, correct?
Longbow: obvious archer.
Nun Bell: I think that bells typically shield or dispel, so a danger to ranged attacks and spirit beasts. All our team use spirit beasts. Probably a good target for Quite Word since he might be able to pierce her shield with his arrow.
Guqin Player - ?. Not genre savvy enough. This is a chinese opera player. Probably support.


Us:
Quiet Word - Heavy Archer
Stirling - Fast Archer / AOE Archer (I'd like to use the AOE here)
Yi Norm - Many Monkeys
Sin Din - Giant Slayer, Harasser. Good against mad axeman?
Dhundan - Probably need to send him against flail and shield. I'm getting a strong emotion manipulation vibe from the band in the back. Turban might be a singer. If anyone has a silence technique, we should use that on the enemy cross.
Man Din - Wildcard - Put on the band clearing squad.
Ping Jun - Cavalry - Assault the band.
Jia Lin - Sword Girl - Probably send her against flail and shield. She seems weak willed.
Meying Youling - Hydra & Ants. Use her against the Band.
YanEr - Sword - Use her against the Band.

Will think on this. Silence would be very useful. Need to distract the Band while Stirling charges up his AoE. Don't want to lose all our spirits to a bell nuke. It would be poetic if we pierced the heart of the nun.
>>
>>6115755

1. Quiet Word – Gourd Girl. Easy win. Clears the way for the assault. Piercing another girl's heart.
2. Meyling Youling – Harass Axe. Hydra don't fear the blade.
3. Jia Lin – Quickly have Hawk harass Bell girl while you sword T1 shield.
4. Yi Norm – Many monkeys to disrupt the music. Start by stealing the clappers from the bell, monkey style.
5. Ster Ling – AoE on the cross.
6. Dhundan – Scare the opera player (and everyone else I guess since the fear is an aura). Need to concentrate to run that zither.
7. Sin Din – Harass the band. Focus on Paintbrush.
8.YanEr – Attack the archer. Sword is good vs. bow?
9. Man Din - Help take down the Flail.
0. Ping Jun – Lance the slowed Ax on the way to attack the band.
>>
>>6116029
This was just brainstorming, not a vote. I'm assuming everyone except Shield is a T2. Hopefully harassing the backline until we nuke them with arrows is enough.
>>
>>6116012
All second barring shield and gourd
>>
>>6116028
>also if we can shed blood and summon wolf to help frontline to take a hit.
This is a spear style technique, not a bow one.
>>
>>6116046
disregard it then
>>
I'm also leaving Turban without a dedicated counter. I'm guessing he's a singer, but hard to say. Lots of options.
>>
YanEr is unarmed fighter.
>>
That's a silly thing to be.
>>
>>6116053
Her school style is a spell slinger.

She is meant to be a mage but learned to punch before she can cast spells

>>6116029
She is weak willed. Our intent made her crack.
>>
They have a weak frontline. the danger signals are Red and long Bow. I bet there plan is to slow us down and let Red get buffed and Long bow to stop anyone coming near.
>>
>>6116041
Since Gourd is a T1 and YanEr fights unarmed, have YanEr take down gourd instead. Ping to ignore Ax and lance the archer (I'm assuming that Horse is back). Quiet Word to shoot Turban? It's not great, but I think that it will work well enough.

The alternative would be to have Ster Ling shoot the enemy archer first to disrupt, and abandon the idea of AoE archery.
>>
>>6116057
Do we want to break our Invisible Blade girl?

I don't like the idea of sniping Turban, since Quiet Word's intuition is that he's not the dangerous part of the formation, but that's just how things shook out.
>>
>>6116059
>>6116028
Yah we can switch Meyling and YanER that makes more sense.
>>
I put Meyling on Ax because she's got a hydra that slows people down. I'm expecting Ax to be some sort of berserker and thus a bad match for Dhundan. If he just angrily chops the head off the hydra though, no big deal. It grows more. I think that Ax is one of the heavy hitters here and would be a tough match for YanEr. Does she have a weapon type that she's shown herself to be especially good against?
>>
YanEr could buff or play defense against the spirit folk in the Cross. The only good buff I see is to buff Ster Ling's AoE. Active defense wouldn't be bad, but is it better than just dropping the T1 gourd?
>>
We have two buffers ( Paladin Ping and Lotus YanEr), so another option would be to double-buff Sterling while sending hydra against axe, invisible sword against shield, and someone against mace and gourd. Probably Man Din on flail and kind of waste Quiet Word on the T1 Gourd? I think that either option could work.

Do we think that opera players are weak to fear or strong against it? Can't paint with a shaky hand, but also hard to play an instrument well.
>>
>>6116099
Waste of Word on Gourd since they are T1 He's better sniping someone in the back. Even against Axe Dhundan would use his saber to mess with him. I guess we can swap Crazy girl to face off against Ax and have Dhundan use mental pressure to stun the backline.

I'd say Word could have an archery off or snipe the brush person. I assume summoner, or bell person.
>>
>>6116099
I'd say Snipe long bow and go with a double buff on sterling to aoe the back. Hydra on axe for debuff / stall. Send horsemen to flank those that remain in the back and rest clear front.
>>
>>6116060
Didn't realise gourd was tier 1.

>>6115799
Swap our focus from gourd girl to musician.

Put yan er on gourd girl.
>>
>>6116110
Also a good option.

I think that Guqin is an emotional manipulator and buff/debuff. If we nuke them from range I don't think he's a big deal. Hard to hear the subtle tones of a Guqin over the drums of war and the cheering of the crowd. If we want to get close I think Dhundan is the best option because of his willpower.

I think that Longbow is straight forward and that we could archer duel him if we want. If we are going with buffed AoE then it's a reasonable play.

I think that Bell is defensive and will either mess with our spirits or our arrows. I also think that distracting her with a hawk spirit and a few staggered monkeys will neutralize her.

I'm very confident with
- Hydra vs. Axe (may or may not autowin, but I don't see a better counter)
- Hawk & Monkey vs. Bells
- YanEr invisible sword vs. T1 shield.
- Dhundan vs. Guqin

I am less confident in the others. The enemy formation is probably set to either buff Longbow, Turbin, or Axe. If it's Axe I think that we just win.

Poetically I want to have Quiet Word shoot the nun in the heart, but it just isn't efficient to do so.
>>
>>6116116
I like your confidence and back these choices.
>>
>>6116116
i'll support
>>
>>6116116
+1
>>
>>6115755
Meyling Youling vs axe
Ster Ling – AoE on the cross
Dhundan vs Flail
Quiet word vs Bell Girl
YanEr vs. shield.
>>
Alright I'll mash a bit what all of you said.
Some of the most optimal play are actually mentionned only once, but I'll still lock them as Quiet Word is supposedly very good at strategy
>>
>>6116099
This double buff strategy for example can't work.
Ping Jun buff himself, YanEr can restore Mana.
>>
>YanEr, spirtual defense duty, I want to see what they're up to.
No roll required
>Meying Youling, you take on Axe dude. I believe he's some kind of Berserker
1d100 for Meying DC 15/45
>Dhundan, carve a way to the backline. Start with the Flail dude.
>JiaLin, you take down their protector. Send your Hawk on the Bell Nun in the meantime
1d100. DC : 25/75
Special case. No roll required.
>Man Din, follow. Try to find the best opportunities.
1d100 for such opportunities
>Sin Din, Ping Jun, flank. Ping Jun, take Yi to bring the Monkey Party to the rear.
Ping Jun will need one turn of movement.
1d100 for Sin Din, DC : ???
>Ster Ling, try to mess up with their archer
1d100, DC 45
>I'll try to hit on that backline Guqin player
1d100, DC 55

As last time, indicate who you're rolling for.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>6116481
>Meying against the axe man

I'll take first.
>>
>>6116487
Fuck.

Sorry bros.
>>
Rolled 66 (1d100)

rollan for opportunities
>>
Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>6116481
Ster Ling, come on!
>>
>>6116508
>natural critfail
Okay THIS I gotta see how it plays out
>>
No no no no, Not like this. Not like this!

2 autosuccesses and a good opportunity roll vs 2 fails. Massive fails.

We have 3 rolls left to turn this around, if the beast tamers all win theirs, then honour to our sect.
>>
Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>6116481
>I'll try to hit on that backline Guqin player

Come on, Quiet Word. Save the day.
>>
>>6116542
So an unknown dc and a 25/75 variable dc left.

Heart piercer scores another.victim.
>>
Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>6116481
Unknown dc. Damn those bad rolls
>>
>>6116600
Someone just beat 25. That's all we need.

All we need and we will have. .
3 wins
2 fails
2 auto successes.

That's not bad, eh?
>>
>>6116604
5 wins mean 4 remaining two of ours are knocked out.
So 8 v 4 and if we win the last one 8 v 3. Leaving Ace bow and to lazy to see last one which if I remember right is in backline.
Ster about to get fucked up
>>
>>6116604
It's going to be a close win. And I mean, I suppose that as this round won't be a oneshot like the last two, we're going to roll for the ones who stays up, which one would be Quiet Word, so I don't worry much about it
>>
Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>6116481
>25/75 variable dc

This is it.
>>
>>6116628
Pog
>>
>>6116628
DHUN YOU BEAST!
>>
>>6116628
Saved
>>
>>6116628
That's a mid-fight breakthrough for our dear JiaLin.

I think I have everything. Will write when I have time.
>>
>>6116651
You know. She might be a bitch, but. . That's okay. Good for us.
>>
>>6116682
Might even get a glimpse of her true roll still have no idea what it could be.
>>
>>6116730
Having thought about it I believe that she is a dirty fighter/trickster. She tried to trick us in our fight against her, and here she is using an invisible blade to bypass the enemy shield. I'm not sure what the title is for that in this world, but someone who uses deception, surprise, and dirty tricks to win the day.
>>
>>6116820
Rogue?
Ninja?
>>
>>6116820
it's that or someone who does surprise attacks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGuPpY4D5OY&ab_channel=IamMoBo
>>
>>6116820
Claarification :
She does not have an invisible blade. Just the angle didn't let you see her technique well.
Her technique is actually the 2nd stage level of her Jade Lotus Blade Arcana : X petals which create a lotus-energy curve blade in the shape of a lotus petal at a couple meter range
>>
So if we win this as it's looking like so. What should we ask for? Was thinking some growth robes and money. Tho the empress could open the royal treasurey and we have our pick. It's that or maybe getting access to a secret realm.
>>
>>6117104
Horse spirit to bond with?

An actual Pheonix to bond with?

Drugs feels like a bad/suboptimal option, but it might be an idea.

This is presuming that our wish cannot be dictated for our sect/township.
I don't think it can, we probably earn something else for being first place.
>>
>>6117104
A new bow. Our old one cracked didn't it? Would hate not to have a good backup if it broke.
>>
>>6117130
A training bow cracked.
Our bo[w] is still fine.

Hmm. An innate mouth skill? Tutoring for something like polearm mastery but a bit better. Alternative styles of archery? Hell, just assistance in getting guidance for how best to prepare for golden core or unlocking our special moves in the technics?
>>
>>6117138
Oh ok.

How about a book? An atlas of the known world with information about different locations could prepare us for missions, or an eventual escape from our ninternship. It'd also inprove our literacy.

Or an eye skill to read power levels?

A protective robe does sound nice.
>>
>>6117145
We have an eye skill to read power levels.

We can read up to golden core, thus far.
>>
>>6117149
I remember something being mentioned once, but I thought we were using our Nose skill to smell people's power levels. I din't realize we had that Eye skill. Rad.
>>
>>6117120
I figure we can trade for a quality one at the next spirit event where they flood the world. Also, we're not in a rush as we have many minor realms to go through.

Scroll will upgrade Phoenix.
Drugs are not a bad idea actually as those get expensive.

If we look at our arts we can see we have movement, healing, melee, ranged, mounted, the only one really missing is defensive. But kind of covered by body tempering.
Our mental is pretty good with various things building it.

Thinking about it our only real lacking tech is aoe at the moment but I assume the feather shotgun art will eventually cover that aspect.

Drugs and Growth Gear are what's really on the table to maintain progress. We could also acquire pills that enhance enlightenment to unlock more moves from our body and spiritual meditation(If they exist). I think a nice body cultivation tech would also work well to round out our techniques. It's probably aspected to blood or space with wolf as a keyword.

TLDR -
List of things to hunt for
Drugs
Growth Gear maybe reforging bow, or robes
Suitable Body Cultivation method.

Also, information to remember.
Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial. Using True Qi to generate Poison in your own body, and countering it, tempering both the potency of poison and your ability to fight intruding techniques. But this will have to wait your breakthrough to the second stage.
Was something I combed through the threads so we don't have to ask Snake Mistress. But it would help prob.

Other things to train but not in any order

Move all Apex techs learned to the next level.
Move Meteor Hammer to the next level.
Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial to stop poisoning ourselves.
Healing Tech.
Hand to Hand combat Tech.
Check out the scroll from the Horse Realm.
(Debatable) Upgrade Windy Cavalier's Halberd to allow for spears. Mainly this skill helps train our bow skill after using it.
Mouth Skill
Any growth skill we drink from tea pot.
>>
>>6117477
I'd say yes to Upgrade Windy Cavalier's Halberd to allow for spears.
Our talent may be with halberds but unless we can find a halberd snake I just don't see it as worthwhile. Being able to smoothly translate between mounted and unmounted combat is priceless.

We have that Snake Body technique to increase our durability but some armor/growth clothing sounds smart.
>>
So I tried to update yesterday : drew battlemap, generated AI art for the heartpierced girl...

But didn't finished. Sorry, your update will be delayed.
>>
Immediately, the Guqin girl starts playing. Golden notes start flying around, assaulting all of your group at once.
Not strong enough to down one of you, but clearly enough an hindrance to be a crucial difference at a key point of the fight. Not that you will let her a chance to do that, mind you.
Behind you, Ster Ling attempts a quickshot to show the opponent who the better archer is.
It goes horribly wrong : the opposing archer summon a spirit beast - some bird bigger than anything you've ever seen. The mythical Rok bird.
Ster Ling shoot. But the Paintbrush user draw one word : 盾 , breaking the arrow mid-flight.
The now-high Rok riding archer line his own shot, which flow over your head - before piercing through Ster Ling left eye.
The 6-th stage referee dashes through, taking away the Military Youth archer. You felt his energy dimming, almost disappearing.
You'll have time to worry later. Your target acquired, you JUMP and aim.
"RISING PHOENIX! HEARTPIERCER!
The crowd roar and cheer as your arrow fly above everyone barring the Rok user. The paintbrush Protector attempt to break your arrow.
But his keyword is not strong enough. Your shot go through the materialized word, dispelling the energy, before meeting its target.
The Guqin player is a girl with long, silky black hair over a porcelain-white face. Her loose braid includes golden strings weaved inside.
Her Blue-grey eyes stares at you with something unexpected : not surprise, or fear, but hatred. Said hatred seems aggravated by your shot triggering the crowd's chant.
The crowd erupt in joy, as the referee takes away the downed music player.
You are pretty sure at this point this was the best choice. The turban-wearing boy is a decoy, clearly frustrating and doing nothing, while the girl you just downed was their strategist - as the shaken state of the group attests.
JiaLin rushes toward the shield user, while deploying her Hawk spirit toward the Bell Nun, which in turn launches a Spiritual Attack - an attack smelling like nothing being there.
This seems dangerous - but YanEr is ready. Mounting the Lotus Shield, the Void attack is captured by the petals, closing over it.
JiaLin strikes, 3 time, each empowered by her True Qi in a teal petal curve. But what is really weird : the same strikes are launced from the Hawk, taking down both the Shield user and the Bell Girl.
Meying Youling engaged the Axe user. But while she was laughing maniacally and releasing her Ghost Hydra, the Axe boy unleashed a primal scream, grew twice as big, getting bulky muscles, black skin and horns in the process. It proceeds to maim brutally your Death Harvester teammate. You can feel her vital energy, deeply weakened, when she's taken out by the referee - increasing your worry for Ster Ling.
Sin Din progressed enough to engage the paint brush user, in her hit-and-run style, while Ping Jun and Yi Norm make slower progress.
>>
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Another surprise comes from the Flail user : he simply walks past Dhundan, which simply watch, choking in impotent rage.
A strong Pacifist aura letting him walk to a priority target in the backlines and engage it in duel. And he chose you.
"You, the archer. Time to meet your downfall
- You committed a dire mistake. You angered Dhundan.
- Oh, speaking of you at the third person? How self-important are you?
- Can't you hear the crowd? I'm Heartpiercer, not Dhundan of course."
Dhundan is running toward the Demon-form guy.
>2 anon roll 1d100 for raging Dhundan, DC : 30
>2 anon roll 1d100 for Quiet Word which will surprise greatly the Flail user. DC : 20
>>
Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>6117659
Oof hope Ster Ling isn't dead have to do him a solid and heal his eye later.
Dhuundan I choose you!
>>
Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>6117658
>before piercing through Ster Ling left eye.
I get that reference. ;)

>>6117659
Rolling for Dhundan.
>>
Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>6117659
Rolling for quiet word
>>
>>6117659
So they have axe, flail, archer and turban left.

After Dhun and we are done, they will have turban and archer left. We are not flawless, having lost 2 of our allies. But making it to the end with 80% force disposition is pretty good.
>>
Somebody else roll the bones, or come an hour past, I will do so.
>>
>>6117739
Hope someone rolls
>>
Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>6117659
I threatened! [Then forgot]
QUIET WORD
>>
Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>6117658
>Ster Ling shot in the eye
For an archer to do that to another that's fucking evil. If it isn't permanent eye loss, I think Ster Ling might be at least severely humbled by this outcome even if we win
>Meying destroyed when the axe guy bulks up and gets horny
Part of me wonders if she'll be into this in the future?

>>6117659
Rolling QW
>>
>>6117755
I didn't refresh the page KEK
Thanks for that 90, I love reminding people QW is not simply a one-shotter, that's just his role in teams
>>
>>6117659
I wonder if we can ask this flail guy pointers about Ai, who is also max Pacifist? He might have some insight on how to help her
>>
>>6117761
It is very funny when the backing squishy suddenly turns into a blistering wall of bloody claws dps.
>>
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>>6117755
Utterly destroyed he'll never mentally recover from this.
>>
>>6117768
Where a novice flails, a master stabs.
>>
Idle thoughts.

Ear skill can govern balance.
Nose skills could expell aerosolised venom or impurities in our body. Or perhaps even an anti-illusion skill for getting 'spirit scent' of an individual.
Mouth skills maybe an enhanced consumption ability or eat and spit back? Maybe combo with expell idea from above?

Combo skills perhaps? Nose/ear for blind movement.
>>
So the only remaining threat is the archer. Is it more funny to try to shoot the archer first, or to pierce the heart of the Roc and watch the archer fall? Dhundan can come shield us from the arrows of the falling archer if we go that route.
>>
If we start with the Roc we might be able to get 2 hearts instead of 1 by hitting the archer before he hits the ground.
>>
>>6117851
If we kill the roc, then the others can get him.

I don't know how many ranged attacks they have without us.
>>
Won't update tonight. But the 90 is enough for you guys to tell how you want to down the Flail dude.
I was thinking snake spear to the Heart. Open to suggestions
>>
>>6118041
Could pincusion him with feather shotgun. Blasting him across the arena
>>
>>6118041
Slip under one flail swing, spin during the motion throw our hand back and summon the snake spear from kneeling position, impale him through the heart from the back in an overly edgy and dramatic "nothing personal".

Desummon our spirit and draw the next arrow to continue fighting.
>>
>>6118069
I like this. Just blast him with a combo of our Fighting Intent followed up with the Feather Shotgun just as he thinks he has us.
>>
>>6118069
>support
>>
>>6118069
>>6118151
>>6118302
Anons... Idk you but I don't think that Quiet Word would do something like that. In the first round he was shocked that basically he killed someone, I don't think he would at this point rip someone to shred just to show other cool Phoenix power by blasting it at close range.
>>
>>6118688
More of a desperation move that turns out surprisingly well. One of those split second calls where you trust your gut. That's what I had in mind.
>>
>>6118728
Might be, but we rolled high enough that our skill is of such quality and counter his attacks. not sure if desperation is the right emotion here, when we have an 80% chance to whoop his ass.
>>
>>6118772
For real

>>6118041
I say dodging his attacks, then leaping off of him with our movement technique with a backflip and shot to the heart with our bow. Add flipping our Phoenix wings like a cape before dissipating upon landing
>>
Really wanted to write tonight. Failed.
Excuse me dear players.
>>
>>6119219
No worries.
>>
>>6119219
It's alright.

All things come in time.
>>
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Seemed appropriate.
>>
>>6119245
I think throwing Flail guy into the Pheonix Realm is a little overkill but lol.
>>
>>6119245
Pogger.
>>
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You let yourself glide down. That guy wants a duel? You'll oblige him.
"This is it! My great moment, turning me in the key of the win!
- Well, I'd let you know I'm pretty sure your caligrapher friend couldn't do anything if I shot you point-blank.
I could also... Let's see... Offensive movement, concealed melee weapon number one and two... Bash your head with the handled weight at my belt is also an option...
- You're bluffing! Take that!"
As a reflex, you launch forward your right arm in a sweeping motion, performing a half turn. Feathers follow in your wake, deeply embedding into the unsuspecting braggard.
On your left, a sight you didn't believe was possible : the demonic-form fighter seems to outperform the raging Dhundan in terms of raw strength.
>Dhundan Bullshit Eyeskill, Go!
Keyword being "seems". The pissed-of Dhundan swells, covered in black scales ending in a flat tail, a hunched back, a bulk rivaling the demons and nasty claws.
Your maddened friend, in that half-beast werepangolin form he definitely achieved on the spot when you tried to do exactly that for the last year with no success, can now overtake his foe without trouble.
A glance at the heart of the fray...
Sin Din is still engaging the caligrapher. The Rok bound archer, far far up in the sky, is letting arrows rain down, on Man Din which dodges them for now. And the Turban Guy as somehow taken down both Yi Norm and JiaLin. It will be problematic - even more as you haven't seen how he did that. You notch an arrow while resummoning your mount, despawned when you JUMP but necessary for your powerful longshot style.

>Who will you shoot?
>>
>>6119533
Phoenix Vs. Roc

The best target and most reasonable one as the others can fight them but your the only one with range.
>>
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Also, current Dhundan appearance
>>
>>6119537
>Roc man

How the fuck did you both get taken out. Fuck. Shit!
>>
>>6119549
I miss linked. Thus post was for >>6119533
>>
>>6119533
>Roc man
>>
You know guys.

This turban kid fucked up our front liner and our protector.
At once.

The archer is currently being dodged.

I vote to take out the unknown threat now.

>>6119549
To
>Turban
>>
>>6119689
Wait hang on what if Turban kid is one of those "does nothing but reflects your own damage back at you" type of enemies? Would explain how he managed to take out both Yi Norm and JiaLin without us knowing, they may of literally took themselves out trying to attack him.
>>
>>6119533
also
>Roc man
>>
I'll need :
1 roll of 1d100 for Quiet Word vs Roc user, DC : 30
1 roll of d100 for Man Din against Roc user, DC : 20/50
>>
>>6119537
>>6119549
>>6119595
>>6119816
All four of you seem asleep? Come on, I'll need the rolls to write
>>
Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>6120026
I was asleep! Sorry!

QW
>>
>>6120065
Fuck!

Are we burning trumps or is this it?
>>
>>6120066
Well, Teammates are kindy flamable.
>>
Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>6120026
>>
>>6120056
yah was passed out for 12 hours tired after doing a roof job.

Man DIn for the Save
>>
>>6120070
>Roof job
Can't picture exactly what it is, but sounds Kinky
>>
>>6120071
you know the roof of a house the shingles that on top. remove and replace.
>>
>>6120074
I'm trolling because it can sound like hand or blow job
>>
>>6120075
reeeeee
>>
You draw your bow, gather your Qi. Release the long shot
>14
That is deviated by an Ink word - 偏
A last stand from the caligrapher - soon shut down by the mobile, harassing Sin Din.
The Rok Rider have noticed you. He'll return fire any second now...
Wait, he won't. Man Din managed to reach him with a Quicksteel-made Qi arrow, turning from a aerodynamic, air-splitting shape to a whirling blade of fury as Man Din shift from the Deer form to the Shark one, quickly dispelling the spirit.
The six of you (5 allies and turban guy) simply watch the kid believing himself untouchable screaming and plummeting to his demise.
His falling speed is cut just so slightly to not be lethal by the referee, which proceed to take his broken self away, leaving the puddle of gore at the point of impact.
"Situation?
Sin Din : The towelhead is some strange fighter : he never acts first. However, when he takes damage his Qi flares up and the striker gets downed.
- I can smell the Pain energy surrounding him... He's some kind of Martyr. Well, good thing I exactly know how to end this. YanEr, I'd appreciate if you could provide me with Qi"
Your reserves are starting to dry out, which is expected with how much you've fought.
>2 anons roll 1d100. DC : 60
>>
Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>6120081
If it doesn't work Dhundan throw him out of the ring. That counts right?
>>
Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>6120081
I kinda suspected that.

Also please Quiet word,
>>
>>6120085
VICTORYYYYYYYYYYY!
>>
>>6120085
Boom lets fucking go.
Taking out 3 of the nine opponents.
REWARD TIME LOOT(Goblin Dance)
>>
>>6120087
HEART PEIRCER!

HEART PEIRCER!

HEART PEIRCER!

HEART PEIRCER!

WOOOOOOOO! FIRST AMONG THE 8 YEAR OLD TOWNS
>>
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You step on, facing the turban-wearing kid - more exactly, gazing down while you gather your remaining Qi for a shot to conclude the fight.
"Oh, so you're the one that chose death?
- Nice try. But can't you see I've clearly understood you and your style? Why do you think I eliminated your leader first?
Because I already knew you would amount to nothing.
- Your two wounded friends beg to differ
- I know you can inflict great pain to the one that hurt you. But you have to be standing for that.
And can you withstand what is coming? Listen to the crowd."
https://suno.com/song/18f62c64-7ac6-402f-b6f2-30158f9a51dd
You gather your Qi...
>11
And find your reserves half-empty. Not enough to fully power your shot - which will most likely turn disastrous if you attempt that.
Turban boy raise his chin, looking at you with contempt, smirking.
You'll make him regret that. You release the arrow...
>68
Brutally empowered by a Black Lotus flower, blooming into Phoenix, Wind and Poison. The audacity and certainty in the eyes of the last one standing between you and the win shatters just before his ribcage.
That's it. You won. The crowd erupts in cheers - well louder than for the non-interesting fights of before.
And it seems you have a theme song
>>
"The Empress commands the winners of this category to approach her so she may offer them her personal congratulations."
The referee extends a hand, letting stone steps rise from the Arena to the Empress herself. Those of your group still standing walk in your wake, while the crowd immediately stop their song. You think they all are using various skills to listen closely what's going to happen, as your squad bow in front of the redhead young woman. On her side stands a bulky, tall man which energy looks like an endless well of light in your Eyeskilled sight - you turn it of as a glance alredy made you dizzy, and keep your face down as a mark of respect.
You can't help but notice the engraving on her throne : scale-covered horses with a wise, lion-like face and deer antlers. You hazard a gaze, and notice the Qirin pattern on her diadem too.
"Steward, a bit of privacy.
- The Empress mandates, the lowly people obey"
With just a nod, a wind curtain completely isolates you from the outside sounds and smells. The wind carries a faint amount of dust, or is it mist? that blurs so slightly the outside world : this will prevent anyone outside to discern clearly what's happening inside.
A reckless idea whispers to your ear. You tune it down.

"Rise, children of the Empire. Step forward, Rising Phoenix - or should I call you Heartpiercer?"
She have a slightly mysterious smile. Your friends, behind you, seems glued to gazing at the ground under some kind of pressure. But you feel fine - better than that, comfortable enough to answer her
>"I'd prefer Rising Phoenix."
>"Heartpiercer it is."
>"Actually, my name is Quiet Word - but that's a private one."

"Very well. What do you desire for your victory? A go at the Imperial Treasurery? Or Library?
- What about my friends?
- They didn't impressed me enough. Rest assured, they're granted the honor to ear my voice and approach me. Many would kill for that chance."
You feel it. An aura strong with Growth. No doubt she's not bragging and all of you will be Enlightened by that small conversation.
Plus, even Dhundan is cowering with some kind of fear so you drop the matter.

>Imperial Treasurery it is.
>Imperial Library is the place to go.
>Actually, I'd like to... [write-in]

The nagging thought haven't left you : you still have that piece of thread from Growth realm. You can just gift it to her.
>Gift the treasure thread to the Empress
>DO NOT gift the treasure thread to the Empress
>>
>>6120157
>My name is Quiet word, but that is a private one. Rising Pheonix is fine for the public.

>Imperial Treasury.

Hmm. That is really rally reckless. Really. REALLY reckless.
Fuck it, sworn brother to the empress or lover to her, either way it's a big fucking ask.

>Gift her the thread.
>>
>>6120163
Now I'm really after a Pheonix to bond.

But what else can you guys think?

Soul oriented cultivation method, to strengthen how many bonds we can have?

A body strengthening method to reduce the need to sleep?
An array of some kind to be laid down in the sect, benefitting us and the sect?

A qi gathering array is probably not out of their reach
>>
>>6120157
>My name is Quiet word, but that is a private one. Rising Phoenix is fine for the public.
>Imperial Treasurery it is.
>DO NOT gift the treasure thread to the Empress
>>
>>6120174
Enlighten me fellow.
Why not do the incredibly reckless move?
Doesn't it sound fun?
>>
>>6120157
>"Actually, my name is Quiet Word - but that's a private one."
>Actually, I'd like to know the family I came from.
A big win for us. Something you can't buy. My only other thought was a promise for our freedom in the future if we desire it.
>DO NOT gift her the thread.
Its not our place.
>>
>>6120204
I am in opposition to finding out our family.

They do not matter. There is no Karma to resolve there.
Plus you can just check the records for which villages feed the town, then go through one by one and check if they fit our looks.
Cheaper and easier than wasting an imperial favour.
>>
>>6120157
>>6120163
Support I want to find some growth robes. Why not get the empress favor.
>>
>>6120228
Also dang no big prize? Figured there would be one for such injuries that could happen.
>>
>>6120228
I doubt we'll get Growth robes so temper your expectations.

But hey. We can always roll a 100.
>>
>>6120229
Big prize seems to be talking to the empress, who can bestow some wack ass Growth elemented energy.

Which for stage 4 is wild.
>>
>>6120231
Heck even some growth cloth to craft would be nice.
>>
>>6120229
The day is not over. And your victory will bring another kind of reward
>>
>>6120237
Sect payout? Pog. Also she was a the other myth Qirin so dragons daughter or cousin is still on the table
>>
>>6120243
>Sect payout?
Depends of your definition of "Payout"
>>
>>6120246
Money and drugs
>>
>>6120227
It saves us a great deal of time, which is quite valuable, and displays our character. Think of this meeting as a job interview, what does our request say about us?
>>
>>6120246
Pur last sect payout was "nothing" so ya know.

Anyone figure out why that was?
I think it had something to do with the best value for aids being when you hit a bottleneck.

>>6120249
Such thoughts did sway me to say "something for the sect". But I don't think our parents matter to us. As Quiet word.
Our siblings are our family. Ryota is our master.
>>
>>6120250
(did you vote on the current thing with another ID? If not, feel free to do it by directly responding the the prompt for my beancounting sake)
>>
>>6120250
I believe our last payout was "nothing" to pay for medical care in case we got hurt.
>>
>>6120163
I am this man.

>>6120252
For your bean counting ways
>>
>>6119814
>>6120081
Sweet I was right this time.

Anyway,
>My name is Quiet word, but that is a private one. Rising Phoenix is fine for the public.

>Imperial Library is the place to go.
Knowledge is power and all that.

>DO NOT gift the treasure thread to the Empress
I don't know if giving the empress who seems to have interest in us what is effectively a mind control thread is a good idea.
>>
>>6120260
>Imperial Library is the place to go.
To be 100% clear : this is a kind of technique hall.
>what is effectively a mind control thread
It's not
>>
>>6120227
What if we are secretly a noble bastard or something?
>>
>>6120260
Look it's just a string of fate, binding two individuals to have a stronger and growing positive relationship.

Do you *not* want a good and strong relationship with the fucking empress?
>>
>>6120263
Normal cultivator.
We have no clan to rely on. If we did we wouldn't have been taken by the sect.

Just one of those things.
>>
>>6120272
I agree getting an in with the empress sounds good. we gotta use the string
>>
>>6120163
support +1
>>
File: eyecatcher.jpg (19 KB, 474x474)
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Vote is still open.
But as you're most likely getting a dive into the deepest reserve ever, and I'd like to update in around 12 hours...

>All anon are entitled a 1d100 loot roll.
Best roll will determine loot quality. You can write-in what you're trying to loot. Growth stuff is 90+ realm. Last chance ever to grab the Chuan Fu (on a 100)
>>
Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>6120302
Yeah. I want that fucking Chuan Fu.

Raid the general!
>>
Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>6120302
I was called here to roll. I live to roll. Roll.
>>
Rolled 7 (1d100)

>>6120302
Here's the 1d100 you requested...
>>
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>>6120314
My roll was neither amusingly low nor outrageously high. I have failed.
>>
>>6120314
>>6120317
Welcome guys. May I interrest you in that quest? Wants a TLDR?
>>
>>6120303
Since I cannot have Chuan fu.

I recommend communication device. Like. One way telephone.
>>
Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>6120302
Growth Robe or failing that bolt of growth cloth to make them later.
>>
>>6120302
Rolls be blessed
>>
>>6120325
Not so blessed in your case.

But damn.
67 so far on top.
>>
>>6120157
>"Actually, my name is Quiet Word - but that's a private one. But Heartpiercer sounds nice"

Because I DONT KNOW WHICH ONE OF THE TWO OPTIONS I LIKE MORE, my vote for the prize is going to be neutral. If one of the option is winning over to other, count my vote supporting the winning option. And if there's a tie then I'll come back and finally choose.

BUT I will say what I hope to find in both options
>Treasury: Phoenix spirit or in case that's impossible, then a substitute would be another changing weapon like our Bo(w)
>Library: Some technique that's good for our Horse or Snake spirit. I feel that both compared to the Wolf these two are lacking some training or aren't at the level of our other proficiencies

>DO NOT gift the treasure thread to the Empress
I still feel that we should give this to Dhudan and Ai once they became friends and their relationship looks really good. Or if not, then keep it for later. I have the feeling that after our display, maybe we're going to have our own can club like Bathias and there's going to be other good suitors for us. Tho, I also have the feeling that maybe this gift is going to boost us like crazy once we get to her realm, so idk really
>>
Rolled 6, 64 = 70 (2d100)

>>6120332
Forgot the roll
>>
>>6120333
>.
nice try with the 2d100 roll. Keeping the first only.
>>
>>6120332
Again. Why.
We can have an in with the empress. Why do that for our friends, when we can do good work for them
>>
>>6120334
Oww...

>>6120342
I feel this is going to be like a monkey paw situation. Like "You became good friends with the Empress, but because you chose your friends over her in some no so important situation she's going to treat us like a pet to keep around and fuck us over if she gets mad at us again"
>>
Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>6120302
>Pill of Eternal Young Soul, to allow us to access growth realm in the future. Dragon Empress appears to have it. Why not us?

(better than asking her for a kiss or her hand in marriage. That would be above 100 I think).
>>
Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>6120302
Here from QeeTeeGee

>>6120320
>Wants a TLDR
I would.
>>
>>6120344
It's an "unbreakable growing bond", so good becomes great, and great becomes amazing, with the inverse being true.

And we are on a really good footing here thus far.
Also, what do you mean again?
>>
>>6120349
I don't think she has Growth realm, but same difference.

Also good job.
>>
Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>6120302
I have a bit to catch up on, but take my roll in the meantime!

I’ll ask for a reusable teaching aide. Something to make it easier for someone to teach someone else a skill or work together in fighting, cultivating, strategizing etc. etc. If it rolls well then it’d be nice if it could work with large groups and not just between two people.
>>
>>6120157
>Names are like clothes. Friends whisper Quiet Word. The crowd screams Heartpiercer. Intoxicating Empress uses whatever name most pleases her.

>Actually, I'd like to learn from your great sages how to maintain an eternal connection to the realm of Growth.

>Gift the treasure thread to the Empress
You have many treasures. What is this tiny thread compared to them? But like many in this realm it longs to be with you.
>>
Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>6120302
>>
>>6120351
>Also, what do you mean again?
I just feel that this is going to be a situation that looks good but could fuck us over really hard, directly or indirectly. Like, this is putting Quiet Word into not only politics, but DAOIST POLITICS, there's surely some old fart and his young son who's going to see Quiet Word being friends with her a menace for them to marry into the Empress family or whatever and he's going to either send assassin's, block us from our allies or some shit like that. Yeah, there's Ryota and our whole branch backing us because is beneficial to them, but I feel this is a huge, HUGE scope out of Quiet Word hands. Our guy is going to train himself to death unless he's incapacitated for good, enough for him to get out his mental chip of "always train", because now we know is detrimental to him. So unless we're sure we can handle the problems Quiet Word has now for himself, I don't feel like putting politics on top of all
>>
>>6120157
My roll wasn’t good, so I may as well vote to drown my sorrows.

>"Actually, my name is Quiet Word - but that's a private one. Heartpiercer is fine for the public.”
If she requests elaboration, I’d say if names hold power then we know our real one works better when overshadowed by others we own or are owned by those around us.

>DO NOT gift the treasure thread to the Empress
I don’t want to reshape the world like that. Just our own corner. If people hold that against us later because of the missed opportunity, I’d tell them to just do better and make a new opportunity. Simple enough, no?
>>
>>6120355
So fucking close.
Gah.

>>6120356
Daoist politics? We are being groomed to be sect master.

There are risks, now consider the rewards.
Imperial protections.
Imperial weight.
Massively raised importance to sect and town.
Access to this massive fucking vault again for good service.

One of our cornerstones to success is Connections and this is the BIGGEST connection of them all bar a fucking God of cultivation.

>>6120360
The idea of multiple names for multiple purposes is already well known. We forgot our birth name already.
We were told keep one name for friends, one for your enemies, and your mentality will shape accordingly.
>>
>>6120302
Rolling for growthshit
>>
>>6120366
Wanna try again?
>>
Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>6120366
Whoops.
>>
>>6120350
(You) play as Quiet Word. A normal kid in a powerfantasy cultivation setting. Cultivation here means channeling ambient energy into Qi and stockpile it to improve your power.
Cultivation works with 9 ranks. You started rank 0 and reached rank 2 while still under 8. As a matter of scale, your master is rank 4, the town leader is rank 7, the Emperor (which died, very sad) was rank 9.
You play the walking allegory of "hard work beats talent" as the players chose to maniacally devote every waking second into grinding.
Coupled with the fact that although not gifted there are shenanigans somehow empowering all kids your age, your master granting you great support, a old town bookseller handing you 2 broken skill books, and a bit of luck brought you here and there, in front of the Empress (the daughter of the unseen dead guy) after proving you can definitely Kick Ass. How?
First of broken skill book let you just walk into hidden opportunity realms a bit more easily. Said opportunity realm are usually death traps as can attest a thigh-through scar gotten into Snakeworld. But you made Growth World, the elusivest of said realm, your hometurf. Growth World is home of broken techniques and materials, but you think it can only be reached by First Stage.

Your sect revolves on beast taming, a way to take spiritual beast and mash them with your soul to have your own Pokemons at hands anytime anyplace. Quiet Word have currently bounded with :
A Shrewd Rising Phoenix
A Supreme Shieldmaster Silver Horse
A Golden Cosmic Spear Snake
The Scion of the Primordial Wolf

So life is good - as long as you keep winning. Else, it's mental breakdown time. But don't worry, that won't happen, you are the strongest among the 8 year old.
Just, don't provoke or pick a fight with anyone stronger than you for some action you did for your sect. Or a friend. Or someone that want to kill you to loot your spirit. Or someone you offended by looking at them wrong. We're still in an hyperviolent bloodcrazy chinese world.
>>
Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>6120302
>>
>>6120371
>didn't bond with a stone monkey
He'll never be a heaven overturning great master. Alas!
>>
Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>6120302
Rollan'
>>
Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>6120302
Growth Shit
>>
>>6120250
Just caught up from where I was and I get the “nothing” reward.

As a leader, you don’t get rewarded directly for assisting the people under you. Ryota gets nothing for growing us as a strategist. We get nothing for helping our friends.

If we’re constantly seeking a reward for helping others over ourself, we’re not cut out to be a mentor, much less a leader.

Our “reward” comes from the people who we help, at times that of their choosing, assuming it ever happens at all. After all, how long have our masters overseen “talentless” classes that are unlikely to ever find a way to return the effort that has been put into them? Society as a whole may benefit from them, but the individual masters are sacrificing their own time and aspirations to build the younger generation.

Props to Ryota for not whoring us out to literally everyone he can for his own power. He feels responsible for our growth along with the others, and wants to be sure we’re still of the right mindset to follow in his footsteps.
>>
>>6120365
Ugh, FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE, i'l choose the stupid option of giving the stupid thread to the stupid Empress. Is not like you make good points or anything like that!!

>>6120371
I'll change >>6120332 to add
>Gift thread to the empress
BUT i wanna make sure this won't end on semantics so LET'S BE CLEAR THAT WE'RE OFFERING/ASKING IF SHE WANTS TO BOND TOGETHER WITH US USING THE THREAD, I don't want something like "Thanks for the gift I'll keep it on my imperial vault thanks bye", and no I'm not paranoid
>>
>>6120371
Also Qm, I wanted to ask

>>6120156
>Brutally empowered by a Black Lotus flower, blooming into Phoenix, Wind and Poison. The audacity and certainty in the eyes of the last one standing between you and the win shatters just before his ribcage.
What's up with the Black Lotus flower? Is that some "secret" element in our Shrewd Rising Pheonix? Is it the Qi of the Turban Kid that tried to reflect our damage to ourselves but that Black Lotus Qi was transformed/absorbed into our own Qi and let us shoot him? Or we got aided by one of our teammates who gave us some of their Qi and that's why the Black Lotus appeared???

Or is it just some poetic and aesthetic visual think that you thought it looked good????? Please, don't tell me it's this one
>>
>>6120425
It would be okay to accept that as crazy as QW is with training, he’s not crazy enough to seek a connection to an Empress.

He was disquieted with the sheer efficient brutality of his own technique, after all. What will it mean if his “quiet word” brings such fates to thousands? Hundreds of thousands? It wouldn’t do so if he’s merely a sect leader. But connected to the Empress? He won’t have a choice anymore. To influence her is to influence the fate of a nation.

Is it ever truly wise to seek such power? We have the means, and the moment. But there’s always the choice to let it pass, continue with other opportunities, and let it find us again if so writ in the heavens. We will have a better understanding of who we are and what we wish our role to be when we aren’t a fucking 8-year old.
>>
>>6120424
That is. . . Apt.
>>6120425
Yeah, we should offer to bind her, not just hand it over.

>>6120431
Our friend the heir of stable lotus can refill other people's qi reserves with her own. Hence we lacked energy then she empowered us.

>>6120432
Fear is not an emotion to cultivate.
Caution is. But never fear.

Without being disrespectful, this just sounds like fear. Of responsibility mostly.
Our sect master, at rank 4, wiped out an entire town. One of the 8 most important places in the empire.

We intend to replace him, in the same role and responsibilities.
It's just our current goals but bigger.
>>
>>6120431
We were fed mana by a girl from the Lotus clan. We also have a dao synergy with Lotus (and also with Dragon and Qirin). Not sure if the synergy was factored in or not.
>>
>>6120440
Also, while I know it is ungrateful.

WE STOPPED 1 SHY OF GROWTH!?!

GAAAAAAH!

If we don't get the Chuan Fu, maybe get a pheonix
>>
>>6120443
Maybe ask for a good luck token which can retroactively boost a roll? Like a go token that we can flip once a year for a +x to the roll?

As for me, I'm sticking with young soul as my request.
>>
Rolled 22 (1d100)

>>6120157
>"Actually, my name is Quiet Word - but that's a private one."

>Imperial Treasurery it is.

>Gift the treasure thread to the Empress

>>6120302
Chuan Fu here I come
What's the Chuan Fu again
>>
>>6120460
Ultimate armour, that grows with us.
As seen here>>6083669

Our precious.
>>
Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>6120302
Treasury: Gourd of Planeswalking - alcoholic beverages drunken from this gourd increase the likelyhood of the user planeswalking when using meditation techniques but also increase the difficulty of the techniques.

Library: Whispers on the Wind - A Mouth Technique that allows you to whisper into someone's Ear even from far away. Easy enough to block with Willpower but great for battlefield command or sending messages from afar.
>>
>>6120439
>Fear
For me, it’s more the sticky situation of knowing that those who don’t actively seek power are better stewards of it. I’ve colored the argument due to a recent circumstance, but it’s a reason to see the oversight in QW’s “always be training” mentality and make him reflect on the voice in his head pushing him forward even now. To wit, in all the time he spent honing these techniques he apparently never considered what the end result would look like.

It doesn’t need to be fear, or even caution, to decide that we don’t want to claim that level of power and bask in the successes, much less the failures along the way. To quietly shift the scales of power across a nation. In-character, it’s fine to take this moment to decide that our goals will be to look after ourselves and a smaller group we care about. To allow others to shape the world as a whole while we work on those personal goals since the bigger picture would be a distraction.

Out-of-character, I’d still be willing to support the Empress at that level if we hold her interest, or step up if opportunities arise again. Goals change, and one moment of disquiet isn’t a character-defining moment. But I believe it can be enough to break QW’s worship of the grind and the power it brings enough to ignore that voice in his head for one meeting.

If it weren’t for being the Heartpiercer, I don’t think I’d have a leg to stand on in fighting the growth thread vote. QW’s never considered that a success won’t give him a result he feels good about until now. Why would this have been any different?
>>
This is a flawed understanding. There are many people who do not seek power because they are lazy but who would abuse power terribly if they were granted it. There are also many people who seek power to establish order, security, or to correct some wrong. These people may wield power well. It is the fearful and insecure, or the arbitrary and unjust who use their power to keep others down or for personal amusement.

Power permits liberty. There are many forms of power. Physical strength. Wealth. Allies. Tools. Knowledge. Political authority. In my previous paragraph I focused on political authority.

Developing a solid power base gives you options. You can use that power to protect your friends or enforce your chosen morality. You can use it to deter or defeat enemies.

Tying Quiet Word to the Empress does have implications (assuming that the thread doesn't just go on the pile of treasures in the dragon's horde). It does close off some opportunities as it opens others. It makes the loose cultivator or the rebel paths less likely for example. Would we be willing to betray a soul bond? Also, it's possible that a better dao partner for us will come along, or that we won't be able to take advantage of our soul bond because she is far away from us. Hard to predict all the consequences.
>>
>>6120485
I read this in Jocko Willink's voice.
>>
Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>6120302
rolling...
>>
Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>6120157
>Heartpiercer it is."
>Imperial Treasury it is.
>Gift the treasure thread to the Empress
>>6120302
>>
>>6120402
Well, there's always Yi Norm, which by powerlevel is the 4th or 5th of the 5 Beast Tamer of your small group, which bounded to the Wise Jade Monkey Bomaster Army and snatched out of Growth Realm the The Red-Jade Expanding Mystical Staff

>>6120424
Winning answer regarding "Nothing".

>>6120425
>>6120432
>>6120439
>>6120474
>>6120485
Loving that discussion guys.
>>
Tally status
Highest roll seems 90
Not quite locked yet, especially for rolls.
>>
>>6120625
We did reach a Growth item. Which is nice.
>>
>>6120631
. . . Hey QM, you fancy rolling a bone?

It was for the anons, not just the players
>>
Rolled 7 (1d100)

>>6120634
You are technically correct.
Which is the best kind of correct.
>>
Sorry everyone. Update is at the very least challenged for today. Can't say much about incoming weekend.
Good thing : Sanding my wall is almost over. Still have to grout the tiles, including cleaning up what yours truly might have messed up at the tile-laying step, painting the living room ceiling, undercoat the to-be bedroom, then paint the bedroom ceiling, before taking care of wallpaper...
>>
>>6120666
>paint
Yah sounds like a week/ week in a half worth of work
>>
Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>6120302
For grand loot let's gooooo
>>
>>6120694
Drying is a bitch and I have a job...
>>
Rolled 65 (1d100)

Gib Chuan fu!
>>
>>6120262
How is it not? Obviously when I say it's effectively a mind control thread I don't mean it literally mind controls them into our thrall or something silly like that but as a simple concept the thread literally cannot work without some degree of mind control/mental feckery. Making someone like you and you liking someone more than they/you would if not under the Influence of the thread is mental fekery! I simply just can not agree to using it despite the potential benefits because I just do not see it as a morally right thing to use. (Also what ever happened to just building a relationship naturally?)
>>
>>6120748
Besides we aren't even doing this cause we genuinely care for her as a person but because of her position as the empress and the doors that could be opened in the process. If she was anybody but the empress we would frankly not give a single hoot about her.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
>>
>>6120748
Lack of time mostly, for the natural bond.

And inability to get close to them to build said relationship.
We are a nobody who has a moment of spotlight.

As for mental fuckery. . Some is involved. But it's barely indistinguishable from a rivers influence on stone.
A constant nudge, as near I can tell it.

But I can't tell shit. So take thst how you will.

Anyway then your only moral use of this thing is to destroy it?
>>
>>6120749
Also, the absolute truth, literally her position and the relation as a quilin. That's it.
>>
>>6120748
So what you're saying is there should be mutual consent on using such an item. Your concern is that the connection could go from BFFs to stumbling over each other or even rivals or enemies?
>>
>>6120750
Potential faggotry of rolling again with a new tag. . . Grrrrrrr
I already did so. I cannot roll again.
>>
>>6120748
>>6120749
I was arguing against the thread earlier, but I have no problem playing devil’s advocate to my own position.

The exact nature of the thread is unknown. Is it simply altering our natures to better align, or can it also alter outside events to provide the conditions necessary for a deepening bond?

The bond also cuts both ways by design. We do get closer to the Empress, but she gets counsel she can rely on to have her interests at heart. There may be more important people she could use it on if she demanded it, but she’d have to consider that many of her older, more-connected subjects would already have several bonds that could overshadow the use of this thread. We’re far younger and have fewer bonds as a result, so the impact will be greater on us. We’d also be a secret for her to use, the eponymous quiet word only noticed by the people she intends to hear us. We’re far too small to be noticed easily by outsiders.

With that in mind, if anons are willing to consent to using the thread, knowing that we’ll likely be affected more by its power than she will, then I’d say mutual consent is sufficient for allaying the moral concerns.

I also fail to see how this could remain “normal” cultivator quest if we end up as a royal consort or otherwise attached too strongly to the Empress, so I personally suspect its influence to be more limited than we think.

I had expected to give Ai this thread at some point as a surprise ”reward” for breaking through to second stage. The challenge related to it is to use it in a way that helps both sides be better, and I expected she’s take that seriously. But if anons want to vote differently then so be it.
>>
>>6120750
>Anyway then your only moral use of this thing is to destroy it?
Effectively yes obviously I don't ever expect any anons to agree to doing such a thing but from my POV it's not possible to use this item without it being morally grey at best and straight up fucked up at worst.

>>6120753
Even mutual consent is a bit iffy since you won't realistically be able to change your mind afterwards if you end up in a relationship that in normal circumstances you would come to regret but if we are to use it that would be the most preferred type of way to with both parties knowing 100% what they are getting into before hand.
>>
Almost to 1k thread post bois
>>
Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>6120302
>>6120273
>>
>>6120796
I’m sure there are techniques or artifacts that can reverse the effects, but you’d run into the same moral problem in the reverse as well. Once applied, there’s not many moral arguments to suggest removing it is better than leaving it in. This does assume both parties still agree to leaving it in place, which may not be true if one or both parties believe the bond is interfering with other priorities.

I can think of one if you start from the perspective that forming relationships while under the influence of an external factor is inherently lesser or destructive. There can be negative consequences, similar to alcohol, but it’d also drag in people who require medications to form healthy relationships as a casualty to that stance, and we know that shouldn’t be the case. Whatever stance we take has to be less absolutist than that, at least.

In a particularly just world, consent would be enough to initiate it and an external support network would help affected parties understand if what was done is a net negative for one or both of them and help us come to the decision to undo the thread. I know this world isn’t that just, but it’s probably seen enough artifacts and techniques like this to at least give options for undoing it if needed.
>>
>>6120881
Well the empress will consent to it.

If she doesn't uhhh how many rank 6's, nevermind rank 8's are around to stop us.
>>
WHERE IS HE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3KPzWJbWVk
WHERE IS HE
>>
>>6121185
More chances for a passing anon to roll 100
>>
File: fate.png (961 KB, 4000x2000)
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"It will be the Imperial Treasurery, respected Empress. But first... Let me gift you this.
- The growth energy seems strong in that piece of string. And seemingly unbinded to one's innerborn True Qi...
- Wait, do you mean a second stage can still bind to growth object if young enough? Nevermind... This lowly Quiet Word never dared to directly interrogate the Empress. I found this thread in the Growth Realm. It is said to create a Karmic bond among two persons.
- You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention, Young Quiet Word."
The woman grasp the thread, which coils around both of your wrist, and disappear. Nothing else seems to have changed.
The empress claps twice, and the bubble around you pop - just in time for the next category to start. Somehow, they seem to field less second stages than your agegroup did.
>>
File: treasureHall.jpg (51 KB, 858x630)
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One of the Empress' helper which width you can't discern - more than a golden core, deeply less than the Empress' Steward - takes you on his flying sword toward your reward.
The treasury is a building that is somehow in the town and not in the town : a hidden realm, but very close to the main world in your Wanderer mind : where you usually need to leap, the feeling to reach the flying palace was more a small, tiptoed, sidestep. Your guardian just drop you at the entrance.
"You know how this work, right? Get in, follow your gut, take one thing out."

And so you do. Inside is a shifting maze of weapon racks and shelves overfull with curios.
This round jade shield catch your eye, but you're served in term of weapons.
Maybe they have Phoenix-related things? There, a feather. Worthless - you feel sooner or later - admittedly, later - you'll just have to harvest the byproduct of your Burst of Feather-Arrows.
Here's a plate and leather armor supple and hard - but it doesn't fit your young frame, and you have no guarantee it will for grown-up you.
What about this thing? It looks like an Alchemist' cauldron, but got an insanely strong Spiritual Beast affinity - is that a treasure seized from your sect? Maybe; it is sitting next to an immense jar full to the brim with Spiritual beads, and the jar would count only as one - if you could carry it.
Wait, maybe it's the opportunity to get some storage ring or sleeve. with how rare those things are, even a pink-with-orange-strips-bunny-shaped bag would be ok.

But you found something even better. When you noticed it, you had already it well in hands when a shift in the maze, coupled with a gust of wind, brings you back at the entrance.
A roll of Growth-aligned Fabric : it appears white, but is instead made of all colors of the rainbow, meshing together under the subtle movement of the wind.
The fabric flows - no doubt any Daoist Robe made of it should allow free movements quite easily. Now, you'll have to find a tailor - maybe even one of the capital City?
You'd just have to find one amidst the crowd of Bathias admirer, and leverage your position as his clueless and esteemed little brother to get some free labour...

Back in the stadium, the almost-9 year old fight boringly, to the crowd's apathic displeasure. Your prize given to Ryota, you elect to take this unique opportunity to
>Make new friends! [chose kids faced in the tournament]
>Check out on one wounded teammate [who?]
>Hang out with one of the still standing kid [who?]

You can match and mix however you like (like 3 unknown kids, or full standing by the bedside allowed), I'll write the 3 most-voten options
>>
>>6121585
>New friend [Girl in white we just shot through the heart]
>Check on Ster Ling.
>Check on our acquaintances from the icy north the barbarian guy who's name escapes me.

Also, fabric is slightly disappointing.
BUT IT IS ONE STEP TO CHUAN FU!
>>
>>6121585
>Check out on one wounded teammate [who?]
Ster Ling
>Hang out with one of the still standing kid [who?]
That one flail guy with the Pacifist aura
>Make new friends! [chose kids faced in the tournament]
That iron mask kid with the lightning intent power, very unique and interesting
>>
File: YesNoMaybeIDontKnow.jpg (215 KB, 2000x1680)
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>>6121600
>Also, fabric is slightly disappointing.
>BUT IT IS ONE STEP TO CHUAN FU!
Something similar, sure. But i'm afraid Chuan Fu is out as a possibility forever.
>>
>>6121607
Who needs Chaun Fu when you have KUNG FU?
>>
>>6121585
>Make new friends!
Pacifist aura flail chad
>Check out on one wounded teammate [who?]
Ster Ling
>Hang out with one of the still standing kid
Dhundan, what a champion!
>>
>>6121585
>Check on the girl you shot through the heart
Anons wanted it earlier and I think it’ll help QW.

>Check on the strategist from your last match
The hatred she displayed at the end has me a bit curious. Is she equivalent to us, in the sense of taking losses hard due to insane standards? Might be nice to talk with another strategist anyway.

>Check on Jia Lin
She didn’t think the acrobat role suited her, so may as well take a little time to spitball alternatives with her while she’s feeling cooperative. There’s no more fights to test our suggestion with, but she can try working with others later to validate it.

I’m willing to switch my “enemy strategist” vote to visiting YanEr or Ster Ling in the event of a tie.
>>
Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>6121607
. . . Because of inborn true qi. . .

It's okay.
I'm not crying.

>Bawling into the dice
>>
>>6121585
>Check out on one wounded teammate [who?]
Ster Ling got pretty fucked up
Meying Youling as well

>Make new friends!
Pacifist aura flail chad

>>6121643
>The hatred she displayed at the end has me a bit curious. Is she equivalent to us, in the sense of taking losses hard due to insane standards? Might be nice to talk with another strategist anyway.
I think she was jealous of the crowd attention we got
>>
>>6121607
If we can at least grow with us then that would be fine. Infuse our Phoenix feathers by breaking down the feathers and make thread. Then find a formation master and have him sow in formations that will grow with the robes. Auto repair feature and resize feature.

Should at least get growth and phoenix in it.
>>
>>6121668
Hatred’s a bit strong for that, but tbf I’m not an 8-year old cultivator in a might-makes-right world. Maybe it’s more expected here.
>>
>>6121745
Maybe she follows the attention whore dao and we stole a huge cultivation opportunity from her.
>>
File: 1728590466397303.jpg (33 KB, 1024x567)
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When will a character do this?
>>
A bolt of growth fabric could be used to make a set of clothes. It could also be used to make anything else of fabric. Something like a silk bowstring or a rope or a haversack or bandage for some examples.

>>6121585
>Hook up with Ryota or someone from the Town to hire a healer for our wounded companions.
>Check in on Ster Ling. Kid lost an eye. Presumably the two who got qi blasted just need some time to rest, but I'm not sure how it works in this setting. Meying's a crazy death worshipper. She'll be ok. On the other hand, if they're all in the same medical facility, it doesn't hurt to check on all of them.
>Discuss philosophy and tactics with the strategy girl. Maybe offer to play her in a game of go and bring her some hospital sushi and tea or something while we play and talk. If she is her team's strategist, she will know about her teammates and could be a key to understanding the whole team. Plus it's good to have smart friends rather than smart enemies dedicated to defeating us for their personal pride. Flail chad might be cool, but strategy girl should be able to tell us why he fights and maybe how we could get our pacifist to fight.
>>
>>6121884

I was thinking... just use it as a blanket. More rapid recovery and better gains from exercise, maybe reduce sleep time. No tailoring required. If we find a good tailor later, then use it to make something, maybe even combine it with other materials.
>>
>>6121901
Underwear. Don't ask why. Just go with it.
>>
>>6121923
>Pantsu of the "Rising Phoenix' Rising Phoenix"
>>
we are on page 10
archive this please
>>
>>6121923
May not do much at first but the long term benefits would be HUGE.
>>
>>6122134
Would love to. Archive site is down however :/
>>
>>6121585
>New friend [Girl in white we just shot through the heart]
>Check on Ster Ling.
>Check on the strategist from your last match
>>
File: panik.png (48 KB, 399x339)
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>Be me
>haven't started to write the FINAL UPDATE of the thread
>Thread is looming closer and closer to fall of board
>Archive is still down
>>
>>6122841
You can still archive threads that have fallen off as long as they are still in the chan archive section AFAIK. Someone should correct me on that if they know better. My knowledge is always outdated anyway.

If absolutely necessary you can copy the entire page and save it as a document. Somehow. I'm not tech savvy. Best I could do is ctrl+a, copy paste into notepad or word or a text application of choice.
>>
>>6122848
You can use a second archive link like 4 plebs I'm the header of the next thread.
>>
I didn't found a working alternate way to save the thread as archive is still down.
If anyone can step up and do it, I'd greatly appreciate anons.
>>
archived.moe is autoarchiving qst. It has the downsides of being non-user friendly, throwing up popup ads, and spooking my anti-virus software, but it's there.

Which archive were you using before?
>>
>>6123023
notatrueending. 4Plebs doesn't seem to support /QST
>>
>>6123027
Yeah, archived.moe is the final fallback option in this case since it automatically happens. I didn’t know of any other archive sites beyond thisisnotatrueending until anon mentioned 4plebs, but if it doesn’t work then it doesn’t work.
>>
Good news, everybody.
An anon reached out and provided a pdf backup in case of need.
I'll start working on next thread's opening post
>>
So with the archive down thing, I just figured out White Priestress, Flail Chad and Guqin Strategist are tied.
Ster Ling will be checked. Buyer remorse is now or never;
>>
I would swap, but I did Sterling, priestess and my last one was barbarian.

So to change my vote would make my favorite lose. My apologies tie breaker desires.
>>
>>6122802
support
>>
>>6123184
Shame nobody wants to visit Mei, she got it as bad as Ster

Oh well, I'll switch from flail to priestess for >>6123184
>>
>>6123211
No she didn't. Sterling got it twice as bad. Us seeing how mei got fucked made us more worried about sterling.

She did get messed up though. We just don't have much connection to her.
>>
>>6123223
>Us seeing how mei got fucked made us more worried about sterling.
I thought that was more because the guy who had just carted off Ster was back out almost immediately to retrieve her, meaning Ster was potentially unattended.
>>
>Still no progress on new thread
Sorry lads. Hard week with work and life.
>>
>>6124228
Such is life. Rest well, DrDragonfag!
>>
>>6124228
Rest well
>>
Goodbye, cruel thread!



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