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Archive : https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Normal+Cultivator+Quest

Tamers of Hundred Beasts
(You), Quiet Word, almost 8 year old. Second Stage, working on opening your Dragon Tail Dantian.
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 "lesser genius but still genius" kids - Sin Din, skilled Horse cultivator. Man Din, bounded with a precious spirit. Yi Norm, Monkey Cultivator.
Kyo Ko (nicknamed Kyo Kyo), 13 year old Second-Stage cultivator. Extremely secretive of her techniques.
Gro Ta, 15 year old Second-Stage cultivator. Whale Cultivator.
Bathias, 18 year old Third-Stage cultivator. Current Hawk Master
Ryota. Boar cultivator, Branch Master.
Maya Tao, that you know more as Snake Mistress
Wang Zi, Nu Shou, Tau Ryel, Sheng Seng : High-potential new disciples
Watchful River, Wei Ball, Snowflake, Ji Lu, YiChen, Kui Ting, Feken Doshi, Nettle : average disciples dragged up by the previous one and your efforts

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 : ambitious cousin of YanEr - starting to respect you despite haughtyness.
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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"Last chance for a catch for you three, Wang Zi, Watchful River and Snowflake.
Sin Din, take Wang Zi. Go find a senior, or cover some ground on first danger level...
Watchful River, with me and Man Din - you have Dhundan's trust, meaning you're strong enough to come with me.
- Wait, I'm not coming? But you take the Junior away?
- You're the second branch of the pincer. We'll dive in deep, and pull the beasts to you, Ai, Yi Norm and Snowflake.
Other first stages, you have my bead on lease. One catch, and it's yours. None, I'll take it back. Alright? Go."

The small girl sitting in front of you on the Horse, you dive deep toward the heart of the maelstrom.
Your Nose is almost saturated - beasts are still numerous... But at the same time the smell seems like a dotted line? Something's weird.
"Right here! ...To beat that snake, something small, fast and nimble - Marten Form!"
Man Din prized spirit takes the form of a marten, with the sheen of the liquid metal inspired - stolen? - from Aris.
There : A snake made of dream instead of flesh - with a fair whiff of pain. The nightmarish beast is quickly subdued by the fearless beast spirit, letting Man Din catch the high value target. You freeze on spot. There - another high-value catch... Deer spirit, with the unidentified smell of something strong - as strong as the Lotus, the Sun or your more-familiar Phoenix.
There it is. A white stag spotted of light gray; crescent-shaped antlers poking behind a wooden mask - ornated with glowing circular-based shapes. You take half a step back, lock the beast in your gaze, a...
"Jade-Cat Whip!"
A snap tears the air; Watchful River's whip bite the flesh of the beast. Starttled, it jumps to rotate and face the new menace - and is met with a spiritual bead to te face. You're starting to see the potential in the young girl; potential already perceived by Dhundan.
You pick one last smell. Really? Heavens smile on you today.
"Man Din, protect the kid a couple minute, shall you?"
She accepts without a question or a complaint - the perks of being seen as a genius among genius?
You ride toward the wolf spirit - with an ace up your sleeve, so secret you're hiding it even to your sister-disciple.
There it is : the Wolf spirit you got a whiff of. The beast seems carried by the blowing wind with its green and faintly translucent fur, marked by blood-red lotus symbols.
"Bow for the Scion of your Primordial Spirit."
In front of your secret spirit, the Wolf lower its head in submission. To the bead it goes. Now, time to make ample noise to drive as much as possible back to the second team.
First of course you pick up the two girls you let fend for themselves.

You find a Dhundan fighting some Wind-Marten while Ai and Snowflake wave at you, catch in hand.
"Perfect! Give me a bead.
- Why don't you ask Yi Norm?
- I don't want to owe him shit. You're fair game.
- I have a better idea... Can you keep it occupied without killing it?
- Can Man Din outpiss all of us?"
You spin your Qi and focus on weaving the Beasttamer Restraining Formation - and that's a beadless catch for you.


>Transplanhumance recap :

>Sheng Seng :
Silken-string Crossbowr (Boar Silk Bow)
Elephant, Faith, Light [perfect for herself]
>Tau Ryel :
Cristal Hammer Mouse (Cristal Hammer Mouse)
Ape, Shrewd, Jade (can be fused to Yi Norm)
>Nettle :
Tiger Void Needle
>Watchful River :
Lion Pearl Poison
Deer, Moon, Wood, Mask [Perfect for Tau Ryel]
>Nu Shou :
Ox, Void, Puppet [Perfect for Snowflake]
>Wei Ball :
Cat, Shadow, Mist [Can be fused to Kyo Ko]
>Feken Doshi :
Fire Steel Horse [Perfect for Nu Shou]
>YiChen :
Dolphin, Saphire, Fighter's Eye [Perfect for Wang Zi]
>Ji Lu :
Wind, Fox, Growth, Spiritual Energy [Perfect for her]
>Kui Ting :
Wolf, Smoke, Whip
>Wang Zi :
Snake, Death, Wood
>Snowflake :
Goose, Earth, Shadow

>Yi Norm :
2 Beads [sucks to suck]
>Sin Din :
Rooster Jade Spear
Pangolin Water Ghost
>Man Din :
Hare Dark Blossom
Snake, Pain, Elemental, Dream
>Ai :
Tiger, Blood, Life [Perfect for Feken Doshi]
Bear, Thunder, Gem
>Dhundan :
Goose Silver Fire
Mighty black Lion-maned Snake (Will not agree to give it away)
>Quiet Word :
Wolf, Lotus, Wind, Blood
Marten, Blossom, Wind [Subdued but not bead'd]
1 Bead

You can definitely rub your hands together and call it a day - but Ryota didn't raised no slacker.

>Make the kids trade against each other [give the final repartition]
As a favored disciple you can definitely make promises on the sect behalf - be careful of what can or cannot be done
Try to put aside 3 beasts with weapon keywords for the Military Youth.

>>6159170
>"Perfect! Give me a bead.
>- Why don't you ask Yi Norm?
>- I don't want to owe him shit. You're fair game.
>- I have a better idea... Can you keep it occupied without killing it?
>- Can Man Din outpiss all of us?"
I fucking love Dhundan, this edgy 8 year old chink is such a rival without being a douche

>>6159170
Set aside for millitary kid;
Boar bow. Spear rooster. Wolf Whip. Owes shit to Sheng, sin din and kui ting.

A mouth apature item for Sheng? Same for Kui, since this is for sect buissness. Sin din.
Sin din, We can offer to teach her our horse martial art? Maybe?

Perfect couplings.
River has something for Tau
Nu has something for Snowflake.
Yi has something for Wang
Feken has something for Nu
Ai has something for Feken.

So I say that we have Nu give Snowflake the beast, so she in turn gets her beast from Feken, who has something on promise from Ai, who we can repay with? The beast that Snowflake caught? Which she can sell as she pleases?

Leaves Yichen and River, with shit for Tau and Wang.
Encourage them to trade their beads? These kids don't really have a concept of value for them.

We will throw in an extra mouth item for. . RIVER, because they are tossing a stage 3 beast for a stage 2 one.
Is it a good idea to give the more benefits for half effort items out rather than the pills? Its how we learned.

This is just sorting out our lower years

>>6159170
>>6159199
Have Yi norm.hand over a bead and promise some pills for the spirit suitable to him, and for Kyo kyo's beast. . Offer the power level reader art and some pills.
She will appreciate it.

>>6159199
On second thought, the talented ones don't need the mouth items. They just need pills to put them on par.

Question to my fellow daoists, do we want to absorb the fox ourselves or sell it to Stable Lotus.
It would be really good for our friends if we could find a good price.
But on the same score, we could really use it.

My current plan is organise a tit for tat.
Get them to purchase a shadow blood wolf of third stage, and we will bind it to his heir.
But selling it wholesale, we could probably organise a steady supply of blood or for aid with our sects fiscal issues.

>>6159170
>Sheng Seng have her keep Elephant, Faith, Light [perfect for herself]

Take Silken-string Crossbow (Boar Silk Bow) from her if they want payment consider you gave them protection usually stage 1 cultivators fend for themselves. And they got a perfect spirit. Give them a month under the banner or Acquire a batch of blood and Qi pills.

>Tau Ryel and Watchful River:

Take Cristal Hammer Mouse (Cristal Hammer Mouse) for the military trade
Work something out with Yi Norm, Ryota and Watchful River to get Yi Norm spirit fusion and for Watchful River for such fine catch.

>Wei Ball :
Cat, Shadow, Mist [Can be fused to Kyo Ko]

Introduce with Kyo Ko and hook him up.

>Nu Shou, Feken Doshi, Ai and Snowflake:
Ox, Void, Puppet [Perfect for Snowflake]
Fire Steel Horse [Perfect for Nu Shou]
Tiger, Blood, Life [Perfect for Feken Doshi]
Trade trade, Trade with Snowflake selling her spirit to pay Ai.

>YiChen and Wang Zi:
Dolphin, Saphire, Fighter's Eye [Perfect for Wang Zi]
Trade so Yi chen can pick out a good spirit.

>Ji Lu : Keep

>Kui Ting :
Wolf, Smoke, Whip
Have Ryota save this for military and hook him up with a good spirit.

Talk with Dhundan and Ryota debate about making the alchemist uncle spirit stronger for gains. weigh pros and cons

>>6159207
I'd Like Blood from the Wolf however you make a point if we could get a sable blood supply be nice.

It's a high value trade object I forget what spirit YanEr uses if she could bind a second spirit that would be great. I'd ask if they know of any spiritual body cultivation arts or astral self. Or if she wins the tournament we travel together to the astral plane as payment.

Sell off the Marten, Blossom, Wind in the formation to the sect to acquire blood and Qi pills for the disciples that we're taking spirits from.

>>6159214
The banner is better option than the mouth items. Cheaper too.

I don't think protection is a fair thing to charge them for. But giving them a speech about the value of sect loyalty and the bonds between, maybe get the lesson in young?

The most important thing should be getting everyone a suitable, if not amazing, beast.

I don't think Yaner has a spirit, her cousin has an Eagle though.
So having any bound spirit would do her good.

>>6159239
I can get that. I'd just ask Ryota to exchange Blood and Qi pills for the spirits since the banner was made free to sect members by Ryota's decree. OR we could offer them a boost with a magic elixir(Tea) to boost their cultivation. Which should be ready by next month if all goes well.

>>6159256
Tea is worthless to them, since it gives them true Qi, which they already have by virtue of their age.

I don't want to shortchange the little shits, but I think the hard and important objective is:
Get 3 or so spirits for the millitary.
Lock down the perfect spirits to satisfaction.
Get the other kids beasts.

Everything else is gravy. We already have a functional plan to deal with most of em through interior trading.
Only River really throws a wrench into the works by catching a stage 3 beast.

I've made my opinion on giving the genius potential enhancing items known. They don't need tailored meds yet.
Hmm. Yeah, Just pills I guess serves them best.

. . . We could probably take a few with us to visit places. But do we want to out thst much pressure/stock in them this early?

>>6159269
Could sell tea to snake master or Ryota level 109 friends for goods to get to them.

Should tell Ryota to his friend if we break though teacould be ready for pick up and a few cups to sell for anyone in exchange for pills. I'm also interested in if pill uncle could make pills out of the liquid.

What did the other sect members catch that they are willing to trade. We might be able to trade some of our spirits out for better options from others. The Lion/Pearl/Poison for example, sho doesn't properly fit any of our sect.

>>6159289
Aren't we in tea debt to a certain godzilla puncher?

Good:

Sheng Sen Keeps Elephant
Tau Ryel gives Ape to Yi Norm, who owes us both.
Watchful River gives Deer to Tau Ryel and gives up Lion in exchange for promise of compatible beast. Look for one among the other captures of the sect.
Nu Shou gives ox to Snowflake.
Feken Doshi gives Horse to Nu Shou.
Ai gives Tiger to Feken Doshi. Ai is a sweetheart who's willing to help her juniors. But does she need a Dark Blossom Hare? If it can bind to her Cristil Hare then it would align her soul closer to Dhundan's.

Yi Chen gives Dolphin to Wang Zi. There is only one Pangolin and no Crab to give to Yi Chen from our catch, and the Pangolin isn't compatible. 1 debt to Yi Chen.
Snowflake gives Goose to Ji Lu (she gets two while giving none, which is unfair, but whatever). Snowflake owes a debt because recieved a good beast.
Wei Ball gives cat to Kyo-Kyo. Is owed a beast debt.

Debts:
Yi Chen - 1 (from Wang Zi)
Ai - 1 (from Feken Doshi)

Screwed:
Kui Ting (no crayfish or whale)
Wei Ball (unless he wants a silk bow boar)
Watchful River (no compatible cats or snakes. Man Din's snake is a T3, but River would need to grow into it if Man Din was willing to give it up)
Sin Din (no horse)
Man Din? She's got a shapeshifer. Can she eat her snake?
Ai? Unless she can use the Hare or the Mouse.


Leftover Spirits:

Boar (Sheng Seng) -> good send to martial school. Offer Sheng pills since we don't know an elephant or good light technique.
Mouse (Tau Ryel) -> good send to martial school. Take as a commission because we're trading her two imperfect beasts for a compatible one?
Tiger (Nettle) -> Could sell to the Martials because Needle is a weapon, but void is rare. Try to trade internally first. Tell Nettle that we'll try to find him a good deer or wolf that matches or maybe Kui Ting's wolf if Nettle is in a hurry.
Snake, Death, Wood: Wang Zi's. Wang is getting a better beast, so should owe the sect this snake plus a favor.
Wolf, Smoke Whip (Kui Ting) - Martial. Kui Ting was cursed by the heavens not to get a beast out of this lot. Offer pills. We'll also keep an eye out for a beast for him, but don't promise one.
Rooster (Sin Din) - Martial. Sin Din isn't getting anything here and isn't a child. She can do what she wants with her rooster.
Pangolin (Sin Din) - internal trade. If we can get her an appropriate horse, be a horse trader and offer it to her for both of her non-compatible beasts. She's also going to owe us since Horse is likely to be a higher tier.
Hare (Man Din) - maybe to Ai? Ai is loveable.
Snake, Pain, Element, Dream - Can Man Din use this? High value trade Snake. Can try to 1:1 trade for something useful to him.
Bear (Ai) - Trade. If we get something good for Ai, trade it for both her beasts.
Goose, Silver, Fier (Dhundan) - trade fodder.
Marten, Blossom, Wind - Could give to Tau, but better as trade.

Kept:
Elephant (Sheng Seng)
Fox (Ji Lu)
Lion-Maned Skane (Dhundan)
Wolf, Blood, Lotus, Wind (Quiet Word)

>>6159306
Two cups however we get like. I forgot the number 6?

>>6159148
Don't forget to link to the google docs
>>6159175
>Silken-string Crossbowr (Boar Silk Bow), Tiger Void Needle, Cristal Hammer Mouse (Cristal Hammer Mouse) to military youth
>Elephant, Faith, Light to ShengSheng
>Ape, Shrewd, Jade To Yi Norm trade for Deer, Moon, Wood, Mask
>Lion Pearl Poison to Watchful river
>Deer, Moon, Wood, Mask to Tau Ryell trade for Snake, Death, Wood
>Ox, Void, Puppet to Snowflake trade for Fire Steel Horse
>Cat, Shadow, Mist to Kyo Kyo trade for Windy Cavalier's Halberd
>Fire Steel Horse to Nu shou trade for Tiger, Blood, Life [Perfect for Feken Doshi]
>Dolphin, Saphire, Fighter's Eye to Wang Zi trade for Pangolin Water Ghost
>Wind, Fox, Growth, Spiritual Energy to Ji Lu
>Wolf, Smoke, Whip to Quiet Word trade for more appropriate spirit, pills or 3 weeks training under banner
>Snake, Death, Wood to Quiet Word trade for more appropriate spirit, pills, or 3 weeks training under banner
>Goose, Earth, Shadow to sect more appropriate spirit, pills or 3 weeks training under banner
>Rooster Jade Spear to sect trade for Windy Cavalier's Halberd (Wind + Horse + Halberd), treasure or 6 weeks training under banner
>Pangolin Water Ghost to Yichen trade for Windy Cavalier's Halberd (Wind + Horse + Halberd) pills or 3 weeks training under banner
>Hare Dark Blossom to sect trade for more appropriate spirit, pills or 3 weeks training under banner
>Snake, Pain, Elemental, Dream to Man Din
>Tiger, Blood, Life to Feken Dosh trade for more appropriate spirit, pills or 3 weeks training under banner
>Goose Silver Fire to sect trade for more appropriate spirit, pills or 3 weeks training under banner
>Mighty black Lion-maned Snake to Dhundan
>Wolf, Lotus, Wind, Blood to Quiet Word
Marten, Blossom, Wind to sect trade for pills

>>6159427
Yeah I messed up twice : forgot to update the recap + knew I was forgetting something.

Life is still crazy but I wouldn't let the thread drop.
>>6159306
You indeed owe 2 cups to Aris
>>6159340
You indeed get 6 servings

I was afraid of big flop with that spirit management minigame, but you guys looks like you're enjoying it. FYI : there are no "heart aperture items" beside pills; there are some for Eye aperture.

>>6159454
Figure we trade them pills it's what they need to advance rn. The only remaining order to fill is a horse spirit for our good friend.

The minigame was fun to play, and we won big on this, with the newbies having a great shot at winning in the first-stage competition.

Tell the winner to ask them to pay to send them to the growth realm. Haha. Hahaha

>>6159454
I was recommending eye apature growth things.
Something useless now but still very useful for later.

Amazing depiction of Feken Doshi

Anyway I'm fine with everything that other anons laid out so far not gonna try to schitzo a strat for the minigame since its giving me PTSD flashbacks to this chowder episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBTh3IrPuc8

>>6159655
I mean, Unless we want the spirits, there is no point commenting on them.

The individuals at question can trade them for what they want, and. . Oh, ai guess I should say.

>ADVISE THE LITTLE KIDS THAT THEY REALLY WANT PILLS FOR CULTIVATION AND COMBAT ARTS FOR THE TOURNIMENT.

We will give our little guys a little heads up.

Anyway, We can trade the Martin ourselves for a golden horse/snake for Ping Jun.Remember we have to fuse his spirit as part of repayment.

We shouldn't need too much to cost it out. The other big question is the lotus wolf.

>>6159768
Sure I'm down to trade martin for Ping Jun's Horse upgrade.

Alright I'm trying to figure out the crunch of this trade sequence. Just to be clear :
>If no merge option, I'll try to trade spirits with "compatible spirits" from sect coffers if available.
This will cost unlucky kids 1 favor.
>Three first stage got a spare spirit to trade
You'll advise them to either get pills or combat art to prepare for the tournament.

>>6159655
She was drawn before I ran out of time and the thread dropped.

There's one thing missing : what are you getting out of Yi Norm for him to get a favorable spirit?

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Alright. Two points I'd love some input.

>1 - Despite him being your friend, you won't give Yi Norm shit for free. What do you require against the mergeable spirit?
>2 - To get aforementionned Yi Norm and Kyo Ko to trade things, you'll have to divulgate that you can Fuse spirits. Are you really willing to reveal that?

A third point : you might owe shit to a second stage for Yi Norm's trade if you chose so.
Who do you want to owe a favor? [Without input, it'll be Dhundan]

>>6160223
I want Yi Norms clone army skill. It was noted earlier to combo well with our wolf, possibly allowing us to summon our wolf scion without arousing suspicion by only summoning 2 or 3 clones with a singular aspect type.
Or failing that, it's just a mega trump card.
Can also charge him for his bead. Unlucky sod.

>Reveal the fusion?
Hmm. I assume they aren't going to trust our word when we tell them "do it, It is an opportunity you don't want to miss. Trust us."

If not. . . Fuck it, collectivist mindset, Reveal the fusion info.

I'm fine with kids owing favours. It encourages them to work harder.

>>6160229
Eh? Why would we owe a second stage when it's the first stage who has the item in question?

But of all second stages, I am most comfortable owing Dhundan. Dude only uses it on good shit, and despite being a warmonger and battle junkie, he is a loyal friend and brother.

>>6160291
Also, I really don't want to hear jack and shit from our sibling disciples on if there is a good opportunity or not.

In our whole existence, we fucked up the lotus realm.
The story of the realm wanderer didn't get perceived.

These are the only two opportunities that we ever fucked up to their knowledge. And the second one was due to their own lacking comprehension.
If we say there is a good opportunity here, we have the standing and track record to be believed goddammit!

>>6160293
The best for first stage without a good match would be trading their spirit for the sect's coffer against a favorable spirit. However, arranging trades without going through the sect's coffer is a tad less expensive. Thus using a second stage as a buffer to get Watchful River a spirit to trade while getting enough on your side to settle your debt with the military + Versatile Harmony

>>6160311
I think i get what you mean.
We caught nothing good for river, so using dhun to talk to other second stages can find one to facilitate the trade.

Either way, I remain supportive of our rival. It's nice to have a constructive rivalry.

>>6160311
I don't mind revealing to Kyo lol in the view of she already knows about the tea. Is generally a good Friend and soon to be a stage 3 cultivator. Another powerful friend to have.

>>6160340
Ya know thinkin about this story I think we should get one social action a turn. Just to touch base with everyone. Mainly as it stands to bring some diversity to updates.

>>6160351
You know what?
I'll allow a fourth Social action - at a cost. Being less focus would grant you a small debuff on cultivation practice (no impact on breakthrough probability, would only impact the threshold of success/failure)

I'm hoping for an update tomorrow.
In the meantime, time for Q/A I didn't had time for in last thread.

>I'm trying to lace-in minigames to break the monotony. Do you like it or prefer the normal gameplay loop?
>Does second stage feels different than first?
>Do you enjoy the accrued responsibilities Quiet Word have to manage?

>>6160568
I do quite like figuring out management mini games.
And seeing someone else get incredibly invested, too invested one may say, in making a banner was entertaining.
Still, it was a functional and greatly repayable puzzle, as evidenced by someone coming up with a better answer even after we finalised the vote.

It does give a sense of being an entirely unrelated skill set [managing our juniors or bargaining has a set of information and nothing else beyond our memory and wits, while artifact crafting is a find the most optimal combo and combat/hunting is "hope luck favours you"]

Second stage certainly has less overwhelming sensations of "what the fuck is all this shit" as we enter the level of Town elite guards/minor politicians.
We also, as stated, suck donkey dick with rolls. But thus far we haven't made any career defining acts but we are also. . Ya know, 3 months in or so.
I do think Quiet Word is taking some shit a little too seriously than he ought to, Like again, those monks swapping his places around rather than giving 2 disciples a set benefit of months.

I honestly expected that's how they would use the stuff when we said "two places" rather than disciples. Like. . Come on. Wouldn't you?
But I get he is only 8, and he is a wheeler dealer who doesn't like getting anything less than the most out of a deal, and him taking shit too seriously is a character trait rather than a character inconsistency. But jeeze man, you got 4 good juniors out of the deal, the pills were the bonus not the main prize. It's nice when the MC has defined traits that the players don't have to vote to perpetuate/have their thoughts written into the tale.

Responsibilities? Hawk spirits are little shits.
These juniors are fun little shits.
Making leadership decisions is grand. I look forward to making more, I just have a slight concern that our advancement will stall

>>6160625
Did someone come up with a better answer after the vote was finalized? If you're talking about the icebird/wizard bird path, that was proposed early on.

I liked the banner mini-game. I believe that it happened over a weekend because I don't think that I would have had time for it on a weekday. These highly open-ended votes have the downside of a lack of concensus.

2nd stage has felt different mostly due to the minigames, at least from my point of view.

Responsibilities are good. If QW's going to be a manager though, he needs to learn how to delegate responsibilities. Share his vision with his subordinates and use some of their combined actions to achieve great things.

>>6160625
Hey now I had a lot of time on my hands.
Don't bully me on the mini game I've read through my library and this updates at a decent pace

>>6160568
I like the mini games been fun to think about and plan. Now that we have an optional social slot we can explore the world a bit more. Getting some good scenes with the other characters.

>>6160823
I would never bully my daoist brothers, fellow disciples simply was overflowing with a passion that yeilded us great dividends.

>>6160823
You almost deserve an "Accountant Chessmaster" flair or something if we weren't on an anonymous board

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It's time to wrap up and calling it a day. After an incredibly mind-crushing trade sequence, only a few kids don't have a mergeable spirit : Wei Ball, Watchful River, Nettle, YiChen, Kui Ting.
You expropriated Dhundan of his Goose Spirit, which he gave up way too willingly :
"Good things for you to owe me a favor. Don't worry, I'll cash it in soon.
- That was a bit too easy... Hey Yi Norm! Come here! You need to give me something for that Monkey Spirit.
- What for? It's useless for me.
- I really don't want to hear jack and shit from you about what is or isn't a good opportunity after I drag you through Growth realm, among Giant beasts and improved your monkey spirit into monkey army.
- Wait, it wasn't a breakthrough of my own merit?
- Now, what could you give me for this... I'd love your monkey army skills, but they are useless to me until I got my own armies - which is not the case. I'll have to settle on your two beads.
- No way! I spent the day following your orders and protecting youngsters instead of getting my own gains, and now you want to get my beads with just a 'trust me bro'?
- You thickhead fool! Just... Listen to me! This favorable have been caught using bead and opportunity, I can't just give it to you for free!
- Okay. But for one bead only.
- Just... Fine..."

Oh, here's Kyo Ko and the few kids she's dealing with - less than your own band but all second stage. You even recognize a couple of the advanced first stage now second that you beat up in snake pits, a few of them having suffered nasty hits. You bow respectfully and drag her appart in the biggest, shaddiest show of secrecy you can pull in front of so many people.
"Esteemed sister, this junior have an opportunity for you.
- A cat, shadow and mist spirit? What good would it do to me? I like you but I won't do charity-trade; you'll have to see with the sect.
- I never clearly saw your cat spirit, but I can smell this little one being compatible to the sniff of yours.
- A piece of advice : never tell again to a girl you're sniffing her. Better yet : stop sniffing up girls.
- What I mean : have you heard of spirit fusion?
- The main sect's secret skill allowing to go further than third stage with our training method? Sure. But having "compatible spirit" doesn't mean much when...
- Your junior figured out the secret."
Kyo Ko mouth open wide, and she stutter a bit without making a sound.
"B... b... Alright. What do you want?
- It's simple, really. Do you have anything compatible with the young Wei Ball? He's aligned with Horse and Boar. I've seen him train with Axe and Shield; and I scouted him attuned to Steel and Thunder.
- Your boy is lucky... Give me a couple seconds... CHANGE OF PLANS! TAKING BACK THIS ONE.
- It's unjust! It's unfair!
- And what are you going to do? Fight both of us? You were dead weight all along, and slithered your way to trade for that gem."
That shut up the asshole that punched you in the mouth a while back - already rewarded for that by a roundhouse kick to the face.
"Anyway, here's for your junior."
You gaze in the bead. A boar which face stuck up from a shield, akin from stuffed trophy head hunt. Lightning bolt of a pastel yellow mark the brown fur. That already makes it a perfect match for the boy. However, an unmistakeable fourth element is laced : the subtle, enticing smell of Growth. This will tremendously help your disciple.

And here are the other sect members. A good few of the Gro Ta group, composed of an army of low-skill disciple lead by a handful advanced second stage, are wounded. You strategically go talk to Ryota last, dragging your reticently bounded Marten around.
"... So I've secured those three for our military deal. It will only cost three bottle of first stage generic Qi and Blood pills.
I caught myself this incredible Wolf Spirit.
- You want to keep it? Else, it would be an incredible present for your LienWen YanEr girlfriend
- Wait, she's not my girlfriend!
- Well, she's a girl and she's your friend, right? Unless you prefer her JiaLin cousin?
- Anyway. Got something for the Marten? I'm looking for a golden horse for Ping Jun.
- Sure. Got a Golden Lotus Horse or a Golden Steed of the Swordsman. First is a good bargaining ship with Stable Lotus. Second is amazing for Military.

What do you plan to do with the Wolf Spirit?
>Keep it for yourself
>Trade it for another spirit [can pick Wolf + any "simple" keyword and I'll roll for choices]
>Sell it to Stable Lotus [mystery box]

Which Golden Horse do you want to get for Ping Jun's sake?
>Golden Lotus Horse
>Golden Steed of the Swordsman

There are a few wounded and your Hemomancer Bloodstore is full. You still have a couple of calm days. Do you...
>Attempt breakthrough!
>Delay breakthrough to help heal the wounded

>>6160982
I swear Yi lusts for death. He must do with how often he tries my patience!

>Sell to stable Lotus
It is a great gift to the Heir. Who is not our girlfriend! SHE ISNT!

>Golden Steed of the swordsman
Lotus is a mythic word but what are the odds that he can learn any?
Swordsman fits him best, and of course, fuck the millitary.

>Delay a breakthrough to Heal the wounded.
Easy earning of favour.

>>6160990
+1

>>6160990
+1

>>6160982
>>6160990
+1 except instead of sell
>Keep it for yourself
Cause wolves before pulls.

>>6161045
Thinkin about it we didn't really self profit off this. However our power block increased massively. And our stage one underlings one of them should snatch the tournament. Which we send them all to the growth realm making the bigwigs pay for it. Should tell our Juniors to do so since the profit will be amazing. If any find an astral self body cultivation in that realm. We reward them handsomely. Or any good body cultivation for that matter for realm hopping.

>>6161252
>Threadly reminder you cannot bind to growth beast/learn growth technique/get growth shit in general anymore

>>6161265
A shame about growth techniques. Oh well still send them in to get them more powerful.

>>6160982
>Keep wolf, have our wolf absorb it.
>Golden Steed of the Swordsman
>Heal the wounded

>>6160990
>+1 Very good choices.

I am kind of curious what we missed out on in the Lotus Plane.

>>6160982
>Sell it to Stable Lotus [mystery box]
>Golden Steed of the Swordsman
>Delay breakthrough to help heal the wounded

>>6161252
If they do good in the tourniment, We can read them our storybook.
Make it contingent on winning at least one fight.

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Your minor realm breakthrough a bit more. After all, you're just losing precious time letting your sect-sibling not only catching up but overtaking you. Nothing that matters too much, right?
>Your mental state worsen a bit
But you HAVE to delay it. After all, if one of your mate or disciple was wounded, you'd be worried sick. The infirmary is filled with forgettable face, no-name you don't care for. As if it matters anyhow.
So much pain. So much suffering. Granted, wounds you treat seems minor - burns, slashes, frostbites, perforations. You let your preciously stockpiled blood flow freely from your Hemomancer's Profound Bloodstore, merging with the life-fluid seeping out of the numerous wounds, expanding the sheer minimum to hasten the recovery of the greater amount of disciples.
As expected, this art is best suited to treat external ailments - saving precious time and ressource for Snake-Mistress Maya Tao and Hawk-Master Bathias.
On a deeply personal account, though, you find some new understanding of your Spiritual healing technique.

Breakthrough! Chose among :
>Creation of the Ichor Keyword (Life, blood)
>Bloody Cycle : A healing spiritual Art. Sacrifice a Blood-Shadow Wolf on the battlefield to fuel the Crimson Tide of life Ichor
>Add or Replace a keyword of the technique (Current : Blood, Life, Growth, Spiritual Strength)

But was this deeper understanding worth delaying breaking through? Worse, according to the deal with the monks, you can't seclude immediately, losing one more turn of Foundation accumulation while being contractually obligated to provide your service to the Monks.
At the very least, you feel a bit different since the Transplanhumance. Your reliable Innate Nose Skill improved subtly. Certainly modestly, but still a real progress.
One month and half remains before the yearly tournament.

Combine a Foundation, chose 2, pick (or don't) a social action

Foundation
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]
>Meditation [Phoenix Amethyst Cry]
Social
>Bind the Military Kids
>Bind Ping Jun
>Go offer the Blood-Lotus-Wind wolf to LienWen YanEr
>Hang out with [Write-in]
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]
>Work again on the Horse Realm martial scroll
>Reflect on dueling strategy [Write-in]
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
>Work on your Jade Phoenix's Concealed Meteor Swarm
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts
>Focus on Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Ask the masters for skills allowing survival in extreme environments! [Incure Favor Debt]
>Bind the spirits caught by the young generations
Strengthening the Jar
>Take care of the spiritual Hawks
>Maybe you can Improve your Immortal Cave [write-in how]
>Gardening time : you might search for Spiritual Plants in the wilderness?
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]

>>6161656
>Ichor key word invention
Yes, it was worth it.

>>6161658
>Meditation: Phoenix Amethyst.
>Rising Phoeix ballet.

Nothing worth arguing over. Might crit, but I think the amethyst cry needs bringing to max.

>Bind Ping
>Offer wolf

Since we aren't really going to get much out of rolls this turn, I say we may as well be sociable.

>Ask snake mistress what Love is.
I didn't decide to do this while we are talking to Yan er specifically.

>>6161656
>Creation of the Ichor Keyword (Life, blood)
What does this mean? Like ichor becomes a keyword or what.

Also if I remember right it wasn't the whole month only 14 days so the last two weeks should be free game to breakthrough.

Ping Jun
>Go offer the Blood-Lotus-Wind wolf to LienWen YanEr
>Bind the spirits caught by the young generations
>Tell them if one of them wins ask to go to the growth realm to make the elders sweat also it's a great opportunity.

>>6161696
Ah, that is a better use of our time.
Change offering wolf to >>6161686 Binding the young generation.

Are we contractually obligated to give the millitary kids a beast spirit before the tourniment?
I think it best we delay as much as we can.

>>6161696
+1

>>6161703
Yes :
- Remain on 6, give us 3 quality beast well tuned to our pupil need at least one month before next tournament, and I drop our claims.

>>6161798
We will do it next turn then when we have a single turn left.
Still in bounds of our agreement

>>6161803
You HAVE to do it this turn or next

>>6161812
As I said, next turn.
It was only half a month extra, but half a month for ours and not theirs.

>>6161812
Can't we just pay someone a bead to do bind them for us?

>>6161656
>Creation of the Ichor Keyword (Life, blood)
>>6161658
>Meditation [Phoenix Amethyst Cry]
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Gardening time : you might search for Spiritual Plants in the wilderness?
>Take care of the spiritual Hawks
>Go offer the Blood-Lotus-Wind wolf to LienWen YanEr

Alright, let's evaluate your "Ichor" affinity.
>Bo3 1d100 roll

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>6162087
Big numbers lets go.

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>>6162087
>>6162094
Finally a good fucking roll on this quest.

Rolled 62 (1d100)

Unneccessary die roll here.

>>6162103
>>6162094
I'm still needing an unnecessary die roll.
Who knows, 3% chances to get a better result than the already broken on.
What you're already getting :
>Keyword encompassing Blood and Life
With an affinity so high, this mean you can soft-bypass your Blood and Life channel bottlenecks using the Ichor keyword - which is more than good; fitting the broken status of "Growth" skills.
>Phoenix-adjacent
With a crit-worthy roll, Ichor and Phoenix synergize, meaning spoily things

>>6162119
The bypass on Blood is great since it's pretty bad. I believe Life is average or good.
So the healing skill has become excellent. It should improve Words mood.
I wonder what the last keyword should be.
All I know is we will never be bedridden again as this progresses hazzah!

>>6162127
>I wonder what the last keyword should be.
Did I ever mentionned a limit of the number of Keyword encompassed by a mythical keyword?

>>6162128
I thought the limit to techniques/ spirits were 6.

>>6162131
techniques, yes.
Spirits it's more complicated
Right now, you have :
>Phoenix
encompassing Hawk Fire and Gold
>Ichor
encompassing Blood and Life
Those two keywords synergize (undisclosed effect)

>>6162135
I get what you mean Ichor is a mythical word that combines blood and life. So the technique becomes.

Ichor, Growth, Spiritual Strength

So we could add
Mental Strength, Physical Strength, and something else. For an all around-cure ability. Making the Nat 100 ability even more busted as it will combo with Phoenix.

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>6162087
I love waking upt o this.

I'm trying to tally. I count this >>6161696 as 2 actions
Missing one foundation, allowing this one for free
>Tell them if one of them wins ask to go to the growth realm to make the elders sweat also it's a great opportunity.
is the random Ping Jun a pick of the action to go bind him?

>>6162202
It looks like it is.

>>6162202
The
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Rising Phoenix ballet.
Combination is fine with me.

>>6162096
Our rolls were pretty god tier on average up till around Normal Cultivator Quest 4-5 where our karmic debt caught up to us and we started rolling dogshite if I remember correctly.

We don't need to be foundationing right now. While it gives them a time block to train, I'd like to level up next month instead of running errands:

>1. Bind the spirits to the young (even though really any of us could do that)
>2. Deliver the weapon spirits to the Martial house
>3. Bind the Wolf to LanEr, since that's what people want to do.

These options synergize binding rituals and going into town, so if we get bonus time for that then help our older sectmates with spirit fusion (especially that Yi Norm's ape & KyoKyo's kitty).

>Talk/Diplomacy Bonus Action: Convince the martials and Kyo-Kyo to come over to our compound for the beast binding so we can do all of our beast bindings efficiently and secretly. Offer them non-magic tea while we're there, to work on our courtesy and diplomacy. Let Bathias & Ryota know what we're up to, as is polite and proper.

>>6162325
you HAVE to be foundationing according to the deal;

>>6162202
>>6162345
The Ping Jun was a copy paste mistake so yah foundationing.

I'm afraid I won't be in capacity to update before the 24th - and it won't be guaranteed due to obvious reasons.

>>6162489
Alright see ya on the 26th take care QM

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Just dropping by for an intermediate Tally status.
As stated here >>6161686
"Since we aren't really going to get much out of rolls this turn, I say we may as well be sociable."
so I'd appreciate a tiebreak in the next day or two.
Or don't, if you don't want to pick a "social action for a malus"

Sadly all I could do is sway the vote to support binding the millitary kids. And fuck those kids.

But for anyone who voted to take care of the hawk, >>6162018 like you mister, would support the binding of Ping Jun, it would go through.

>>6162135
Regarding spirits, we know there are 33 animals, and I think an equivalent number of elements and materials. [Pain being one, Jade being 2]
So in theory, a hard maximum would be 67 elements of a spiritual animal, being animal+elements+materials.
But. I have a differing theory.

I think the primordial keyword is what our wolf buddy is working his way towards. And under that organisation progresses towards becoming like their parent, avoiding restrictions.
It then follows, that Man dins shape-shifting creature adopts animals rather than elements.

Though just a thought for everyone present. As far as we know, rank 9 is the max of cultivation. Every rank you can fuse a spirit. Once.
We have a steel pain bound in, so to max out all affinities we need 31 divided by 8 which is roughly 4 unique affinities per binding to manage it.

I still champion giving the wolf to WanEr, but this wolf is one of the most perfect specimens for our needs, as an example.

>>6162957
Forgot it was rank 3.
Add another unique one on and it's perfect.

>>6162811
Is voting against a second social action a option?

>>6162993
Anti votes are generally a bad idea.

But I can also point out that unless we make a crit, our foundation won't give us ANY benefit.
So using the extra turn to bind our friends is a better use of time.

>>6163050
I mean otherwise it only takes one guy voting for a second social option for us to be either deadlocked or forced into taking a second social option so it makes sense for "I dont want a second social option" to be a option in this case since there's a actual downside to taking it.

Regardless fair enough on the second point
>Bind Ping Jun

>>6163140
On the contrary.
If the social option doesn't take a winning majority, it isn't included.

Just like any option, if the votes lime up to allow it, that's roman democracy.
To avoid this, people just need to make the correct number of votes.
[A foundation, then 2]

>>6162993
Yes
>>6162957
There are 33 beast, 12 insects, 20 elements, 20 materials, 20 weapons and 20 artifacts

>>6163143
So intentionally vote for a social option you don't care for just to tie up 2nd place and attempt to prevent a second social option from being chosen in the first place? Am I understanding this right cause im very confused.

>>6163190
coolio

>>6163194
BEEN SPENDING MOST THEIR LIVES, LIVIN IN A CULTIVATORS PARADISE

>>6163190
Really fucking with my numerically significant 99 huh?
125 isn't so bad.

>>6163191
For example, we have 5 voters. QM has tiebreak calls for dead split.

1 2 and 3 all vote for actions A, B and foundation̈ together.
4 and 5 vote for actions A and B and F also, but desire social action S.

The vote thus far then, is 5 for A, 5 for B, 5 for Foundation and 2 for S
The social action, therefore, will not come to pass as it lacks the efforts to get up over the dividing line.

Attempting to vote for a social option to tie up the social vote will still put a social option in the game, since it is a vote.
So simply don't vote for S.
Vote A and B and F. . And let it be.

Of course if a social option is GOING to pass anyway, but there is a better option [in your opinion], vote for the lesser of two evils or try impassionately to convince the rest of the players.
Ya know. Like we already do.

>>6162931
Changing my take care of hawks >>6162018 to bind ping jun

Locking Foundation + Bindmaxing (Ping Jun, new kids, YanEr.
Rollin, Writin.

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You spend the incoming weeks settling your obligations.
First, you keep a focus on your foundation - some kind of waste of time due to how full your dantian is, but at the very least you're getting rid those cunts of monks. Moreover your Mental resistance and Gemstone affinity are, after this training, only halfway
Here's to the hope they won't buy your services again this year - or never. Meanwhile, Dhundan, Ai and Sin Din retire to break through their next Dantian.
You had an headstart thanks to your accumulation speed; is your delaying of break through for the sect's matters the reason you're falling behind? It's not over yet - you will try your own breakthrough at the end of the week.
Most of your spare time is spent binding each and every young ones - twelve rituals, each needing to coordinate with Ryota to get required material, drag the kid in "secrecy", draw the ritual in front of them, and bind them yourself. With that much bounded kids - and to high-worth spirit - you can hope for som good results in next month's tournament. Each of them gets the same few words; praise and incentive.
"Win one fight, and I'll offer you an unique opportunity. Wether you'll reap benefits or not will only depends on your own skills."
"Win all fight, and you'll get an unique reward. Ask for a Growth Realm visit."

Then, there is settling your promise to Ping Jun's master : Binding four of their disciples, and improving Ping Jun's spirit level.
It's the perfect occasion to work on your caligraphy, directly writing a letter to the Sovereign offering your services for the incoming days, asking about the disciples to be bound and the selected spirits to organize. The answer comes back the next day, with the Sovereign answering with the utmost courtesy to your young self, despite the age, position and cultivation gap among you two. In addition to Ping Jun, you will be tasked to bind the Sovereign' own son - "with a spirit I would had deemed worthy for myself; an Astral manifestation of my own Dao I lucked into" as well as two young disciples : one to be binded to a Frost-Mastercrafter Ape, the second one to be binded to an Unlimited blade-blossom fowl.
You share this informations with Ryota, which turns a sour face - the raw materials to bind those will most likely be more expensive than providing three "normals" spiritual beast and their simple material. Once the day and date is settled, you go straight south to circle the town and head toward the Versatile Harmony Quest excentered compounds.
This time, you are accompanied by Ryota and the Cat mistress, a woman on the older side of the scale - even if it's as always hard to say with cultivators.
Welcomed by the Sovereign himself, you follow the man across his compound; slightly bigger than your own sect made of a succession of rooms where disciple practice wildly different skills.
This time you go deeper in the compound - toward the Forbidden City, a compound in the compound where the Sectmaster family live and train. There, the Cat Mistress is charged to "prepare the room" - meaning checking for spying formation and clouding divination of your sect's (and incidentally, your own) secrets.
You start. Ping Jun is brought to the closed room, blindfolded and realm suppressed to ensure he won't get insights. There, you draw the formation. Ping Jun sits in the center, and you place in your charcoal mandala some of the Lotus Golden Horse - luck of getting two possible Ping Jun merge, one can supply the materials for the second one - as well as a Golden Lotus Seed of gold intent and a Talisman of Golden Swordstrike, a parchment holding a one-use spiritual sword attack.
The Golden Talisman Horse spirit is drawn out, and the secret Beast Tamer Merge technique extract the Golden Steed of the Swordsman from its bead, shattering it.
The Horse spirits are dragged by the formation, spinning around in a twirling motion following a Yin-Yang pattern, until both spirits collapse on one point, merging in a burst of energy.
The fusion is a success : Ping Jun is now bounded to the Golden Swordsman's Talismanic Steed spirit.

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As your energy have been depleted by the ritual, you happily let Ryota and the Cat Mistress take over, while you're offered a cup of spiritual tea by the Sovereign's dao partner, Inborn Rui Fei. You behave politely during small talk, and soon enough you're joined by Ping Jun - your friend makes you much more easily feel relaxed and soon the conversation among you flow.
"Thanks for the spirit. It will be a great bound to my fencing abilities.
- Well, we had to strike a deal with your master; the very least I could do was making you benefit somehow of it... Did you broke through Dragon Tail dantian?
- Last month. Mainly due to the Sovereign rewarding me handsomely for showing the cultivation world the skills of our lowly sect. I'll be fully ready for the tournament!"

You definitely will be at a disadvantage if you are overtaken even by a minor realm. Keeping your stress under check by repeating yourself you'll breakthrough at the end of the week, you book yet another afternoon after the daily foundation training to visit your friend LienWen YanEr - well, her father for a diplomatic visit including a gift. This time, Ryota is charged with writing the letter.
"It's a matter of subtle diplomacy indicating we are gifting some precious thing to them - but implying strings are attached.
I'll emphasis your diligence and giving umprompted the only spoils of a fortuitous encounter to the dear LienWen YanEr"

The answer comes back the very next day, inviting you to bring your offering to the Stable Lotus compound the very next day. This time, only you and Ryota go to town; crossing the main square where the Merchant guild is surrounded by expensive, luxury craft shops, the decrepit bookstore of Old Jiang a sore spot among the richly decorated stores. The disciples affected to the boring job of gatekeep warned of your visit drag you in the red-painted bridges over canals filled with Lotus flower, all the way toward the sect's Grand Hall.
There, the Venerable Stable Lotus is waiting for you, sitting in a richly carved lotus-themed (what else, really?) wooden throne; the seat seemingly made of the mystical flower. You and Ryota knee.
"Rise, Beast Tamers. You're bringing gifts to your liege?
- Destined to your prized daughter and precious niece. A strong spiritual beast to bind each."
Wait, if you count right... A horse for you, Sin Din, Man Din (somewhat), Ping Jun and now LienWen JiaLin opens a few interresting strategical possibilities for your squad.
"Not only you let the town shine over the whole country, even overshadowing my precious daughter, you keep exceeding all expectations?
You never heard that "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down" ?"
A shiver down your spine. Did you stole all the face you should have given to the town's owners?
"Anyway, let me show you my appreciation of our town harboring such a promising young man."

>Merry christmas ya all.
>Write-in the reward from the Patriarch.
Suggested :
>Astral Self non-meditation martial/spiritual art
>Some treasured clothing
>Betrothal to LienWen YanEr

>>6164117
Merry Christmas Dragonfag.

Hmm. What to ask. Now while asking to marry best girl is bold, I kinda wanna.
But what else would benefit us significantly?

As a minor thought, that some may take as backchat. "Nails ought be hammered down to work properly. Water in the well benefits all as it rises, the lotus atop it's surface foremost."

Hmm. Where are we weak. We have treasures. But we only have 2 body tempering methods and 4 meditations, possibly something there?

>>6164126
So either we ask for a fiancé or finances to practice our blood skill.

Yeah, that's a plan.
Blood for blood practice or getting best girl engaged. Good thing this is ancient China and we don't have to make sure she is okay with it.

>>6164116
>A horse for you, Sin Din, Man Din (somewhat), Ping Jun and now LienWen JiaLin
The Four Horsemen...!

>>6164161
*Five.

>>6164162
4 Horsemen, and Man Din with her liquid metal ditto as the secret surprise 5th...

>>6164117
>finances to practice blood skill
But secretly, I want QW to talk to YanEr about the betrothal idea. And we finally need to do this:
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
Or maybe wait until our boy is 10?

>>6164117
I thought we were trying to marry the empress or something like that.

Regardless
>finances to practice blood skill
Sounds good.

>>6164173
We are bound by a Unbreakable growing bond to the empress. As liable to be a trusted advisor as battle brother as husband.

>>6164117
>>6164173
Support
However question how about a spiritual body meditation? As we know that spiritual connects to astral self. If we breakthrough we could add the tag astral self.

>>6164281
We have 4 meditations.
We need body arts more than anything.

>>6164283
Why I added body to the meditation it's a body meditation question.

>>6164290
I think meditation techniques are not the foundation techniques, they are specifically for mind tempering in conjunction with the body tempering foundation techniques.

So. . You are proposing a technique wherein you sit down and via meditation improve your body. . .
Actually, I might support this technique existing since it dabs on the weedy bodied scholar. Just think harder to get gains. Hillarious.

>>6164281
>>6164298

I have stated that previously : Astral Self is a tagword linked to meditation; which is near-impossible to put in a body-tempering technique.
A foundation is made of a body-tempering + a meditation

>>6164299
This is vitally important QM.
Did some scholar learn how to cultivate the body via a meditation technique to avoid being bullied?

IS THIS CANON!

>>6164300
Quiet Word doesn't know.
But in the myriad words? More chances it happened somewhere somehow than the opposite

>>6164117
>finances or other assitance to practice blood skill

I like it. We get good at healing then we can benefit the area even more. It'll give us a flow of income if we ever decide to leave too.

>>6164298
>>6164299
Figured we could get spiritual as a body cultivation style a bridge off that for astral self. If we can't do that then the only way is to win the tournament and world hop to the astral self plane.
To try and snag the pokeball recipe. Once in our hands we won't have to worry about funds by next year.

Then its tracking down some body cultivation arts thinking filling out our body cultivation arts and grabbing some spiritual arts from our sect library.

To be fair being betrothed to the future sect head of the lotus sect isn't bad. Since they are the hedge moon of the local area. Tho the possibility of marrying the empress is on the table.
Other then that we make bank of the flag with more strict rules such as you can sell your seat however a fee for changing must still be paid somewhere around 50-80% of the total cost.

We'd take the price of a bottle of custom pills for a month per slot. Or something of equal value. Put out an advertisement with the merchants or when we win the tournament talk about it to all the cultivators there and make it known this a soul bound artifact meaning if you die it disappears forever. You will hold an auction for the slots for up to half a year. With Ryota work shopping the rules so we don't have another monk shananagins.

Where is that man who has courted death (female) and succeeded, and is now Death's husband in some unknown realm out there?

>>6164333
Ya know thinkin' about it this old man might offer his daughter hand in marriage to word if he wins the tournament again this year.

>>6164116
>finances to practice blood skill


Merry Christmas

Is this a polygymous society or a monogomous one?

I believe that Lotus Sect has access to Jade (although we haven't seen an of their children use it yet). If so aJade body foundation would be useful. Alternatively, we are poor, and the lead sect in the village is likely the richest. We could just ask for cash to replenish our Sect's stores, which are getting low due to the trade embargo.

>>6164498
A might makes right one.
So it depends on the power level and the individuals involved

Allright, I think I have a consensus.
I'll lock and try to update tonight.

Also, those playing the other cultivation skirmish :
We had a christmas miracle and looks like QM is back for a new session tomorrow around 9
>>6154698

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"Nails ought be hammered down to work properly. Water in the well benefits all as it rises... The lotus atop it's surface foremost."
You feel Ryota tensing up on your side, while Venerable Stable Lotus stop suppressing his aura. Welp, you fucked up. What is the worth of a second stage's life - no matter how gifted - in front of the town-owning local seventh stage?
The weight coming from the mental pressure of Intent forces you to lower your head - a stern reminder of your place in the local pecking order.
Now is not the time to blurt out something stupidly beneath your position - WHY IS YOUR FIRST IDEA TO ASK TO MARRY HIS GIRL?
Furthermore, why do you feel his gaze pierce right through you and knows every thought of yours? Quick, you have to find something politically correct.
"Blood... I have a couple blood skills, and I lack the ressources to work them properly.
That can be arranged."

Despite bonding in the greatest secrecy your friend LienWen YanEr, you're not allowed to linger in the compounds much more, with just the words of the Venerable as a payment.
At least, Ryota seems more content with the payment he got for the sect. You're thoroughly lectured about your lack of respect due to your retort and how some less caring high-rank could have beaten you somewhere between one half and one-and-a-half to death for your retort, or worse.

Setting aside your frustration, you retire to your Immortal Cave-Tree : it's time to breakthrough. If you take it slow, you won't have to seclude and could deal with all your obligations before the tournament.
The second-stage minor realm breakthrough is not a simple matter of accumulation as it was in the first realm : for now, you'll have to litterally break through an obstacle plugging the circuit between your opened dantian and the next one.
Sitting crossed-leg, you spin your energy, and let it flow.
First step is splitting your energy in four inequal parts, in the proportion 1-2-3-4.
Your Qi Control being quite good, you're confident in your accuracy at the one-over-a-hundred amount (10%-20%-30%-40%)
After all your preparation, your first lot of energy erupt, collapsing against the first steelwall-like layer of the barrier.
Your preciously accumulated Qi scatters as a spell of water greedily suckled up by dry ground.
Your breakthrough is a failure - you quick recall Ryota's advice on the matter - not cancelling immediately, using the second allotment of True Qi to assault the gate...
Just one thought later, a geyser of liquid energy strike the wall - piercing through it easily, with a good few more of your precious energy wasted. You immediately stop the breakthrough process.

This seems quite bad - you've lost three tenth of your energy to broke the first innate bareer. Your breakthrough is a failure, and you'll most likely won't have time to accumulate enough Qi to retry before the Tournament.
Why is that so? You diligently followed your Master's advice. Could it be... That the man was wrong? He mentionned the failure to breakthrough happening "quite often" due to a "too shallow" first tenth of energy.
... There's something more to it. But what exactly?
You shamefully ride back to the sect's compound. There's only one month before the tournament.
Oh, there's a letter for you - apparently Venerable Stable Lotus way of supplying you with blood somehow involve spending time with LienWen YanEr? Weird and heretical sounding, but you won't complain.

>Combine a Foundation
>Pick 2
>You can pick an additional Social action at a cost. Please indicate it with something like [Additional Social Action]
Your choice HAVE to include the binding of military kids.

Foundation
>Body [Rising Phoenix Wide Ballet]
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]
>Meditation [Phoenix Amethyst Cry]
Social
>Bind the Military Kids
>Get some blood from LienWen YanEr [allow to pick working on a Blood Skill]
>Hang out with [Write-in]
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]
>Work again on the Horse Realm martial scroll
>Reflect on dueling strategy [Write-in]
Weapon skills
>Work on your Unarmed Style : Metal-melting Truefire
>Work on your Windy Cavalier's Halberd
>Work on your Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault
>Work on your Mounted Archer’s Wind-Gliding Phoenix's Venom Arrow
>Work on your Meteor Hammer Style : Silk Tiger Sun-Seer [Pills available]
>Work on your Jade Phoenix's Concealed Meteor Swarm
Spiritual Arts Technique
>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor [Require LienWenYanEr social action]
Spiritual Beasts
>Investigate on the talking Spiritual Beasts
>Focus on Body Shifting with your Spiritual Animals
The sect
>Ask the masters for skills allowing survival in extreme environments! [Incure Favor Debt]
Strengthening the Jar
>Take care of the spiritual Hawks
>Maybe you can Improve your Immortal Cave [write-in how]
>Gardening time : you might search for Spiritual Plants in the wilderness?
>Ask Snake Mistress about what is love
>Slack off [It will be bad for your mental health]

>>6164837
>Body [Golden Scales of the Skystone Snake]
>Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]

>Bind the Military Kids (extra social action)
>Get some blood from LienWen YanEr [allow to pick working on a Blood Skill]
>Work on your Crimson tides of life Ichor [Require LienWenYanEr social action]

Definitely want to see how this blood thing works.

>>6164837
I knew backchat might get a backhand for it. But hey.
We can't claim to know better, yet.

>Pheoniex dance
>Spirit bound fighter

We know that the bigger techniques give us more energy and Pheonix is a legendary word, that gives extra potency. If we want to regain our shit, this is how.

>Bind the kids.
>Get blood from YanEr

I will remind people that we also have that heretic technique for turning Blooz into true Qi.
>Practice tides of Ichor.

>>6164866
Too shallow hmm. So you need to make the energy more deep.

Well the first time we had to break through, we spun the qi around rather than just throwing it at the break.

So maybe it's about how it smashes into it?

>>6164871
Compression? Making the energy denser into a block? Or a higher qualitative change.

>>6164860
+1

>>6164837
This old man is a tusndere.
>Cheeky brat how dare you say something so manly. Hmm maybe he's good enough for my daughter. I'll watch in the shadows and see how he develops.

>>6164866
Support

Well I can think of a few ideas. We got any spirit stones to recover qi faster? We shouldn't just throw qi at the wall. That's like throwing an egg at a steel wall. Are we a gorilla?

No. We're a human. We can use the various elements we've learned to weaken the barrier. Melt the door with fire, flash freeze the door with air. Breakthrough by earth energy.

Another is spin the qi and drill through making small holes and weaken the barrier and smash through.

Or sharpen qi into a blade to cut our opening. Should look at our current tools of energy and breakthrough the gate that way. The brute force works for Ryota he's a boar cultivator.

>>6164837
>Meditation [Poem of the Rising Phoenix]
>Meditation [Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer] [Pills available]
>Work again on the Horse Realm martial scroll
>Bind the Military Kids

>>6164910
>Bet that old man is gonna walk in see them getting on. See Word struggling gives advice. Doesn't say anything. Leaves. Word becomes confused.

>>6164866
>Heretical technique
Here's how it is worded :
>Mageblade Bloody Winner's Meditation (Blood, Fighting Intent, Spiritual Strength)
After a won fight, use the spilled blood to strengthen. Extremely quick and efficient method, assuming you have the ressources.

>>6164970
Thinkin that fighting tech would work well in the fighting realm. If we could figure out world hopping consistently

>>6164875
This is a good idea. Give our energy the shape of a meteor hammer and swing throught the barricades like a wrecking ball. Segment our remaining 8%'s and compress them before smashing through using length for leverage.

to this end:

>Medtation Phoenix Amethyst Cry, Body Rising Phoenix Wide Balley.
>Social: Bind the Military Kids
>Weapon Skill: Work on your Jade Phoenix Concealed Meteor Swarm
>Special Technique: Form your realm breaking energy into a meteor hammer to smash through the barriers.

>>6164837

Here's a small word from yours truly :

I'm currently (finally) moving in the house I've been renovating - this Monday.
This keeps me quite busy so expect updates to be sparse for the incoming week.

>>6165703
Gratz qm.

Congratulations.

>>6165703
>Take your time

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>>6165802
>>6165874
>>6166013

Alright. I'm getting closer to have time for an update.

Let's discuss a bit meanwhile
>What do you see for Quiet Word's future in the early-to-mid second stage (current level?)
>What do you see for Quiet Word's future in the mid-to-late second stage (Kyo Ko - Gro Ta's level?)
>What do you see for Quiet Word later?

>>6166868
Well with the van in place(gotta check the notes for how many stages are in stage two think it was 9)
Mainly making money/resources and getting some econ going.
The set is done so he'd max out his skills and pill max. The sheer amount of profit from tea+banner will excel him above his peers.

Tracking down meditation is next one the agenda and figuring ways to tip the scales to world hop more consistently. Thinking we find some treasures using the merchant contacts. Maybe pick up a few spiritual arts.

That's short term of like 6 months to a year.

When we hit mid stage we could get word on some ruins or some sort of event but generally making more profit to fuel progress. If we're rich enough buy some gear and buy any treasures we use to support ourselves/ crew.

For after stage two is a bit difficult stage three isn't strong enough to make a sect. Also without spiritual beads we're on a back petal. The personal is there as I figure Ryota and most of the masters would join the new phoneix sect. However the beast higher tier sects won't like that very much. So we'd need the empress backing+ lotus harbor backing. A marriage no doubt. The cost is iffy since the string will make the empress look more favorable on word. But we'd have a good chance to succeed. We could also promote the branch to 1000 beast level and then 10000 beast level. Also could still be on good terms and become a brother style sect to the million tamers.l if we play our cards right. The cost would be huge tho. We got the personal however lack the powerhouses to make it a reality. No doubt having to pust Ryota, snake mistress and other sect leaders to stage five to have a strong enough backing to succeed. Also a large talent pool. Also we need a consistent fuckin money maker.

Those are my general thoughts short and mid are easy to see long term is iffy and depends on external factors.

>>6167029
Internet out sorry for errors in text. Phone typing is not my thing.

>>6166868

Short term goal: Break through. Then keep foundationing. Find more martial techniques and a revenue stream for the sect.

Mid Term: Develop the children & the team. Might want to develop some IEPs for them. It sounds like standard procedure is to sell us to the higher sects in exchange for materials. We'll have to see if that is still the practice once we're old enough to 'graduate'. We'll want to keep upgrading our spirits as we go too. Might need to multi-fuse lower level beasts to get the ones that we need.

Long Term: Take advantage of opportunities. Learn what is needed to achieve dragon marks. Get that T1 golden core & strive for immortality.

>>6166868
Short Term: Work on Current Skills, investigate creating more Spirit Beads, Network for Healing Jobs to do on the side, work on Spirit Walking

Medium Term: Either get our snake to be a Halberd too or switch our Windy Halberd skill to use a Spear and retrain it, find one additional Mental Defense Skill, investigate body shifting just enough to know what's up with that, investigate talking to Spirit Beasts and maybe pursue it, figure out if we are sticking with the sect or doing Phoenix Sect, work towards acquiring Spirit Beads, stack "cash" via Healing by improving the skill and pay back our big debt to Dragon Puncher

Long Term: explore other realms or exotic locations in this realm, make use of our wolf, be making or gathering Spirit Beads ourselves

Alright I'm tallying, starting to write.
Your various write-in (>>6164875
>>6164910 >>6164999) grant you guys 4 roll of 1d100; each of a DC of 90.

All of that are not the correct answer but we're in wuxia powerfantasy so they can still help and somehow work without anyone thinking about doing it like this previously.

Winning combination :
>Phoenix Wide Ballet
>Meditation of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter

>bind Military
>Work with LienWen YanEr...
>For Crismson Tides of Life Ichor

grant you guys

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>6168193
Tall order. But I feel like my luck is good today.

>>6168221
Grabbed the old text he said.
As you know, you will stockpile more and more energy as you progress through the minor realms of a major realm, with the first third as hard to fill as the two remaining. Every cultivator have barrier in their dantian. You'll have to use your True Qi to ram it and break it. This barrier is made of several layers. The best way to break through is to separate the energy of a full dantian in one tenth, two tenth, three tenth, four tenth and ram it. However, your control have to be exemplar : if you make your first tenth too shallow, the difficultly stockpiled energy will just vanish in thin air, and you will waste energy for a partial breakthrough.
It happens quite often. The usual recommandation is proceed by using the two-tenth to break through the first layer, go back to stockpiler energy, and split the first tenth equitably among the other portions.

So basically Word misremembered that he had to use two tenths for the first barrier. Ok since it's broken through now. He has give or take 1-3 layers remaining. If it's like this and I actually bothered to look I'd form a drill out of 15% energy and feed it 5-10% to drill each wall. Pierce the heavens!

Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>6168193
I don't think my luck is that good.

Rolled 84 (1d100)

Random dice roll go.

Rolled 48 (1d100)

>>6168193

>>6168227
Here's some illustration.
Ryota said :
>one tenth, two tenth, three tenth, four tenth and ram it
You did exactly that. And your first tenth went to waste.
>It happens quite often. The usual recommandation is proceed by using the two-tenth to break through the first layer
That you did
>Then go back to stockpile energy,
That you are doing.
The question was "why"? because Quiet Word is convinced is Qi Control was good enough that his shares where accurate.

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>>6168397

In the picture his Qi is a bit blunted. He didn't hone the spear-point of his Qi to penentrate. His Dantian also wasn't drawn all the way full, but I'm guessing that is just for the artistry.

In a general sense thuogh, the most obvious answer is that Quiet Word is only average, so the advice given to genius level cultivators doesn't perfectly apply to him. He has a smaller overall dantain than they do and needs to put a larger percentage of effort in than they do. Hence the 2/10th recommendation for normals rather than the 1/10th for geniuses. That or find some suitable technique to densify his Qi (which would also allow more Qi in the same space and should be good regardless).

How would one go about densifying their Qi? Fold it in on it's self like a sword? Imbue it with Mercury? "Refine" it?

>>6168412
>artistry
>Qi Blunted
just shitty art.

>Hence the 2/10th recommendation for normals rather than the 1/10th for geniuses.
If 2/10th was supposed to be good for normies, Ryota would have told you so.

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First thing first, you work on your binding of the military youth kids. Word is sent to the Commander, and the very next day, the Lieutenant shows up with a whole squad of younglings - strugglingly dragging along some heavily-tied Spiritual Beast, negociated part of their deal. Among them, a fair amount of lower-level disciples, one 11 year old girl, and two kids your age : Ster Ling, looking kinda gloom, and that purulent asshole of Xiao Niar, looking as smug as the Rooster ready to sing with both feet deeply embedded into manure.
"You're in charge of the two kids your age. I sent someone to fetch the materials. Go."
As usual, the ones receiving the boon of binding are blindfolded and bringed toward the formation-protected secret rooms.
Of course you let Xiao Niar hanging (quite literally, instructing him that waiting while suspended by his feet is an utmost necessary part of the secret ritual) while focusing on Ster Ling.
Hey, it's the Silk Boar you helped Sheng Seng catch! Quite a good match indeed for that guy.
Next is time for Xiao Niar humiliation ritual. That is definitely making your day, your week, your month.
>Write in what kind of bullshit you inflict to Xiao Niar
They somehow got hold on some Ox-Sword of the Magus, a Western-style Sword with a ox-head handle, horn forming the sword's guard. The thing is brimming with Spiritual Energy, without a doubt an insanely strong Spiritual Art Catalyst. In your opinion, a waste to gift this to a first stage untalented swine.
Alas, once the binding is done, they leave almost-immediately. No time to hang out with Ster Ling.

Good thing LienWen YanEr send you a letter inviting you to the Stable Lotus compounds for your "reward".
Long story short : her father instructed her some Blood-Lotus art, similar to her spiritual energy transfering Black-Lotus Art. There, you can channel the energy to turn the blood into the mysterious and potent Ichor
She makes a great deal about "a secret boon" helping her achieve this - that's right : she doesn't know you were the one bounding the spiritual beast, nor that it is your own catch. Is she hoping to keep it as a trump for the tournament? You smile at the thought. Then remember she broke through toward her second dantian : a fight between the both of you might not be as easy as last year's tournament.
Anyway, with a few visit at the infirmary ward of the Stable Lotus' sect, you have plenty of opportunities to work on your healer art.
Of course, healing wounds inflicted by powers on par - or superior to - third stage cultivators are of a greater difficulty : the lingering Qi actively fights to maintain the burn, slash or festering. At the very least, your action can decrease even marginally that amount of hostile Qi; but your talent are better employed to heal first and second stages.
That is by working with your dear rival on real cases that you reach some deeper understanding of your technique.
Crimson tides of Life Ichor : Breakthrough!
>Ichor Improvement - You can add one Keyword to the Ichor Keyword (recommendation : Fire or Poison)
>Ressource creation - Once a year, you can create a drop of Rising Phoenix's Ichor, treasure of your current stage holding each of the Ichor Keywords [Current : Blood, Life]
>Healing Potency Improvement - The healing of the technique can now reattach a freshly cutted limb and regenerate partial chunks lacking in organs
>Bloody Cycle : A healing spiritual Art. Sacrifice a Blood-Shadow Wolf on the battlefield to fuel the Crimson Tide of life Ichor
>Add or Replace a keyword of the technique (Current : Ichor, Growth, Spiritual Strength)

The remaining of your time is focused on your foundation. Nothing much to say about your practice of the Wide Ballet.
However, toward the middle of the second week, you finally reach a state of enlightment; certainly thanks to the pills from your decreasing stockpile. Soon, the familiar doors flashes in front of your eyes...
>A white marble door featuring rich marquetry representing couples dancing in countless different styles
>A blackstone door sparckling with spare white incorporation, giving you a faint sense of vertigo
>A door made of battleworn steel, framed by two fighters staring at each other, radiating an aura of barely contained power
>A door of woven glowing, ethereal True Qi threads, all shifting partially into various element or material - Wait, are the threads actually fighting for dominion?
>The golden door, chiseled finely and including green Jade gemstones. You recognize the recurrent motive of the Qirin on it.
Wait before picking! Your Quiet Banner is on your side while you float in front of the door. You have an idea so stupid it might come close to genius from the other side.
You feel you might open slightly a door, and stuck the banner in the thresh.
>Don't risk it. Just pick a door normally.
>Do it. Just to see what's happening.

>>6168512
>>Tell him he must keep his surrounding very clean for the next week or the spirit may reject him.
>>Healing Potency Improvement - The healing of the technique can now reattach a freshly cutted limb and regenerate partial chunks lacking in organs.
>A door of woven glowing, ethereal True Qi threads, all shifting partially into various element or material - Wait, are the threads actually fighting for dominion?
>Don't risk it. Just pick a door normally.

>>6168512
>Healing Potency Improvement - The healing of the technique can now reattach a freshly cutted limb and regenerate partial chunks lacking in organs

Get another improvement and this will be a real money-maker. How fresh we talking 6h, 12h, 24h?

Also is it easier to break through with less tags or not. Thinkin we grab some pills for the healing skill when we start making money on the banner to fuel the clinic.

Doshi is gonna probably inherit the art when they reach stage 2.
Now door.

>A door made of battle-worn steel, framed by two fighters staring at each other, radiating an aura of barely contained power.

I'm thinking this to get a boost for the tournament. It could help us break through using the art we learned. And our blood supply should be good to go in case we get injured.

>Do it. Just to see what's happening.

>Write in what kind of bullshit you inflict to Xiao Niar
>"He must act like the spirit for it to work (idk what he's getting) making noises of the beast to fully accept it as his own. He's got to chant afterwards I am the beast the beast is me. The beast shits in the woods. I must shit in the woods."

If he argues yell at him it's going to fail. Beat him with words.
"The ritual is failing! if you don't accept the beast in your heart it'll take over(bullshit)! Say it! I am the beast the beast is me. The beast shits in the woods!"

He says it, "Good it's stabilizing! Now a beast pisses on a flower(girl). I must piss on a flower(girl)!"

Keep yelling at him and freaking him out and gaslight him into saying it.

Then he must mantra the sayings together. And finish the binding once he truly believes.

>>6168511
> Have Xiao Niar move on all fours and pretend to be an ox for a few minutes to "better connect with the Ox-sword"
>>6168512
>Ichor Improvement - You can add one Keyword to the Ichor Keyword Fire
>>6168513
>The golden door, chiseled finely and including green Jade gemstones. You recognize the recurrent motive of the Qirin on it.
>Do it. Just to see what's happening.

>>6168512
>>6168513

>Healing Potency Improvement
>A door of woven glowing, ethereal True Qi threads
>Don't risk it. Our banner is already full of keywords.

>>6168641
>Get another improvement and this will be a real money-maker. How fresh we talking 6h, 12h, 24h?
A couple hours - unless some special techniques are applied of course.

>>6168794
>Don't risk it. Our banner is already full of keywords.
Quiet Word doesn't think this have any chance to bring a new Keyword to the banner

>>6168511
I wholeheartedly support the idea of making Xiao nar act like an animal and give him mantric affirmations.
It's hillarious. Best mental health medicine.

>POtency increase
Always nice to get a new breakthrough.

>Ethereal true qi threads.
I'm terribly curious.
>Do it
No balls.

>>6168800
Question is
>A door of woven glowing, ethereal True Qi threads
>Like the space door? I don't wish for Word to be beat up my threads

>>6168511
>Write in what kind of bullshit you inflict to Xiao Niar
What everybody else said
>>6168512
>Healing Potency Improvement
>>6168513
>A door of woven glowing, ethereal True Qi threads, all shifting partially into various element or material - Wait, are the threads actually fighting for dominion?
>Do it. Just to see what's happening.

>>6168513
>Write in what kind of bullshit you inflict to Xiao Niar
Teach him that being bound to a spirit beast involves taking on aspects of the beast. Oxen are very aggressive, so it is important to be as aggressive as possible from now on, lest the spirit decline to lend it's power. (A bit more of a calculating approach, setting up this guy to pick as many fights as possible to hopefully have him crushed by an offended senior).
>Healing Potency Improvement - The healing of the technique can now reattach a freshly cutted limb and regenerate partial chunks lacking in organs
Seems good.
>A door of woven glowing, ethereal True Qi threads, all shifting partially into various element or material - Wait, are the threads actually fighting for dominion?
Must be said I don't really know what this is but the threads appeal to me.
>Do it. Just to see what's happening.
Taking an opportunity creates more.

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Locking Healing Potency + Woven Qi Thread Door + Do It.

This unlock a secondary vote : your "Do It" (which was the correct vote) let you delay slightly your visit to the realm, letting you go in with a squad. There are 9 spots in addition to your own.

>Bring bag the Capital City Tournament squad together!
>Build a team with only your sect disciples [Who?]
>Sell some spots for the masters of your sect's branch
>Sell some spots on the town's market
>Write-in

>>6169859
. . . Holy. Fuck. Amola.

>Sell spots to the Sect branch masters.
>Sell on the open Market.

Sect gets first dibs.
BUT WE MAKING BANK TONIGHT

>>6169859
Gro Ta, 15 year old Second-Stage cultivator. Whale Cultivator. Soild and late 2nd stage him reaching third stage will be nice.
Kyo Ko (nicknamed Kyo Kyo) Make her owe us one.
Bathias, 18 year old Third-Stage cultivator. Current Hawk Master do him a solid for teaching us that one skill.
Ryota. Boar cultivator, Branch Master. Kick back for Ryota also a protector for the group. Pushing him to the fifth stage will be huge.
Maya Tao, whom you know more as Snake Mistress
Simply having Maya Tao Snake Mistress whose close to the fourth stage breaking through will benefit the sect.
That's 5/9
Figure Dhundan since we owe him and this will repay him for the trade. Figure he might use the owe to throw the fight.
6/9
The last three I'm thinking of profiting off I'd ask Ryota if we have time.
Need dem pills for advancement.
Optional Blood Marten Mistress since she taught us something useful.

>>6169872
also
>cough cough Ryota Word needs ways to hop planes more easily. Easy Funds for sect to gain Cough. Also good body cultivation methods cough.

>>6169872
>Supporting >>6169872. Having the sect's masters (and a few friends) owe us a favor is probably the best use of this fortuitous encounter.

>>6169903
I can accept being owed favours, but we must wheel and deal.
It is our dao.

>>6169859
>Sell some spots for the masters of your sect's branch
>Sell some spots on the town's market

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That half a day spent with Xiao Niar was a most-welcome distraction - almost good enough to distract you from the fact you've failed to break through.
The bead holding Ster Ling's spirit sadly broke during the ritual; the one provided by Ryota to held Xiao Niar's Ox spirit didn't. You shamelessly pocket it; customary payment for serving the Biding Ritual.
Maybe this harmless fun (harmless for you anyway) was the key to you breaking through?
Wait, you're letting the breakthrough opportunity slip through your fingers! You hasten and gently push open the Qi-thread door and follow a strange impulse : stuck the Quiet Banner's handle through.
The moment is gone. You still feel your banner, alongside with a certitude. Summoning it again would open the door, letting you drag along some fellow daoists.
You instantly think of bringing along your tournament squad - and instantly forget it : empowering even more your rivals right before the Tournament? Yeah, right.
Wait, you owe one favor to Dhundan. You beeline toward him.
"Dude, I can settle the favor I owe you.
- Who asked?
- I mean, I got a special opportunity lined up I can share with you, and...
- Who asked?
- Want me to break your nose? Just... Take it or something!
- No way.
- Yes way!
- I have something else to ask you. The day before Tournament, so you won't have time to adapt."
Welp, one spot have been freed. A quick discussion with Ryota later, you arranged a lineup comprising Kyo Kyo, Gro Ta, Bathias, Snake Mistress, Marten Mistress and Ryota himself.
Then, you take the afternoon to visit Marketer Golden Eye, Silver Tongue.
"A fair evaluation of the worth of your proposed opportunity is impossible. Plus, you're saying you want this settled today... Best I can do is a retrospective payment."
Two hours later, a delegation come to your sect : the fifth-stage Marketer Golden Eye, Silver Tongue himself; Fourth-stage Medicine Master Soulgaze of Stable Lotus clan, and a fourth-stage daoist priest donning the dark-blue robes of the Temple of Abyssal Waters.
All of you gathered in the courtyard, you focus and extend your hand. Spinning a few drop of True Qi, you let Wind and Flames dance around you - for style and clout : what good is it to rise under the Heavens if one doesn't show up once in a while?
You really hope none of them have some trueview of the Astral World innate skill as you pull as hard as you can to pry the door open, leveraging your treasured banner as a crowbar would be horrible for your image.

The door gives, you and your little group is in.

>Welcome into the realm of Spiritual Strength
This Keyword in a technique means it is belonging to "Spiritual Arts" - meaning holding spell-effect skills, such as your Summon Blood-shadow-wolf or your healing arts.
Each player is entitled a 1d100 roll as well as a small description of what you're looking for. Of course Artifacts have a higher DC than materials.

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>6170489
Aim high huh? 4th realm spell-hunting blood shadow spear wolf.

I even have a method for this one. Try and cycle our technique to see if we can get any resonance or attract it.

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>6170489
>An Astral Self [Body] cultivation technique, to pair with our Way of the Spiritual Beast Boundfighter Wanderer

>>6170534
Just so qm is aware, we know you told us astral body is basically impossible to put into a body tempering technique.

I think he was just fishing for a crit.

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>6170489
I am not too familiar with the quest so I will say:
>Look for something that can reinforce the healing arts Quiet Word has in some way, perhaps to reinforce his mind with spiritual strength against depression/enemy influence

>>6170536
Well, is there no way to directly strengthen our Astral Self, instead of our physical body?

>>6170636
Practice a technique with Astral self keyword.

That's it really unless we can find a beast to bond with or a new word to bind it with.

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>6170489
> Spirit Fruits

Not only will they help our cultivation while being better for us than pill we might even be able to plant the seeds near our hide out

>>6170686
Well damn

Hey QM, want to roll some bones?

>>6170513
that's a narrow, not-quite-what-you-were-going-for, gets
>>6170534
as stated here, this was doomed unless you were critfishing
>>6170547
Another gets that I will rephrase a bit.
>>6170686
Good idea, awful luck.

>>6170720
I'm fine; this will remain open a little bit.
You guys are allowed to repeat a description you liked if you didn't rolled previously.

Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>6170489
Hmm spiritual strength pretty good realm. Now. What would benefit qw sadly body cultivation is out.
Oh I got an idea spiritual arts legacy book of the thread immortal (or whatever works for keywords)which would have various teachings. Failing that a map to such a location for some adventure.

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>6170489
don't really know much about this type of thing
but how about glasses that reveal the spirit and spiritual strength of whatever the wearer looks at.

>>6170489
Hmmmm

>>6170779
Was putting meat away should we go poke out good friends at heretic cultivator for some rolls?

>>6170781
Why not ay?

>>6170766
You're exactly clearing the threshold for a new spiritual art technique. How adapted is it to quiet word, however...
>>6170772
Not enough
>>6170781
>>6170784
Feel free. I don't play that quest though.
However I'd love a crossover event at some point; GrandfatherQM feel free to come by so we can exchange contacts

>>6170785
Seeing quiet word try and match the glorious Huanliexue would be a sight.

He probably couldn't, given she has already passed stage 5 like a leaf spinning up to heaven beyond. But a chance planeswalk to the realm of the Blood red cat. .

>>6170791
She could really help him with his blood techniques

>>6170785
What we lookin at? A three keyword?

>>6170798
You'll see when we'll get there : ^)

>>6170731
Alright, since >>6170534 is doomed, I'll switch to supporting >>6170686, since the only thing that needs is a better roll.

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>6170686
I ain't got any creative ideas right now so i'll just roll for >>6170686
Assuming my roll is above a 70 otherwise can't go wrong with some qi based clothing if that's a possibility.

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>6170489
backing >>6170686
please no YO HO HO HE TOOK A BITE OF GUM GUM here
please I don't want One Piece in my wuxia normie quest

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>6170489
Rollan for
>Spirit Technique that lets us manifest our Astral Self to attack at an enemy.
Or
>Cultivation Technique that lets us summon our Astral Self for combat training. Literally something that lets us fight ourselves, either a simulation in our mind or literally giving it material form to fight

Idk if any of the two are valid but shit, I think they're cool

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>6170489
>A Fist Art that will break mountains, punch down the heavens, but is grueling on the body in exchange.

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>6170489
>A spirit beast suitable to bind to us.

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>6170489
Looking for an art, an ability to inspire and bolster the Spiritual Strength of ourselves or other people temporarily.

Well we sold a good opportunity
Master Soulgaze will prob hook us up a healthy amount of custom pills.
Thinkin
1.Crimson tides of life Ichor as top pick. More breakthrough chances.
2.Meditation [Phoenix Amethyst Cry] - To improve our crystal and Earth channels faster.
3. Meditation [Poisonner's Ultimate Selftrial]: Raise our poison resistance.
4. Any of our weapon arts.

Have Ryota/Masters show us how to survive extreme environments.
For 1 payment.
Another raiding the library/ teaching a body cultivation.
Other favors I figure Snake mistress and Martin mistress give us one on one training/ Body cultivation arts/spritual arts.
Kyo Kyo and Gro Ta Owe us a favor to call in when needed? Idk.

Fleece some treasures from Marketer Golden Eye. Perhaps a treasure aligned with realm hopping, a new bow or treasured earth to plant in our garden.
As for Daoist priest? Idk Waters is a bad affinity for us. Money, treasure, or a body cultivation art can have water but the other tags well suit it.

What ya guys think?

>>6171072
Crimson tides is a good one to get pills for.
The rest I don't really care for. Upgrading our gemstone affinity is so so. Might be worth doing though.

Those survival skills are good actually. Cancel out the favour debt it would incur.

Get the priest to supply us with materials aspected to the beast we want to bind.
Soul gaze however, I want either a defensive/awareness treasure or I want him to send us a supply of astral beads.

>>6170489
Need some good rolls my dudes.

Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>6170489
An art/pill to increase our daintain size. If not then an art to weaponize our spiritual strength like in bleach.

Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>6170489
Legacy of the heavens trampling super immortal

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>>6171423
Wtf

>>6171423
Aw yea
Regret it Dhundan

>>6171423
...
1PBTID but you're still getting a nat 100 GETS.
As usual for character-defining thing we'll put this to vote.

We're starting to get too many gets for what this opportunity was supposed to be. For balance
It's time to vote : chose two among your GETS


> Find some insights about your Spear Style (>>6170513)
>Some healing arts Improvement : Found a way to add "Spiritual Strength" to Ichor Key Word (>>6170547)
>Spiritual Art : Mist of the Wealthy (Pay-To-Win; Mist; Spiritual Strength) >>6170766
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree (>>6170877)
>A spiritual Technique letting you Summon your astral Self to fling spells at enemy! (>>6170883)

And for the DC 100 "Legacy of the heavens trampling super immortal"
>Secret-self of the Herculean Magus
Foundation (body). Keywords : Astral Self, Spiritual Strength, Strength.
>Spellbook of the Jaden Phoenix
An impressive collection of spiritual arts.
>Insight about better Qi use for second-stage breakthrough
Will speed up second stage progress. Useless after.

>>6171439
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree
>Some healing arts Improvement : Found a way to add "Spiritual Strength" to Ichor Key Word

>Secret-self of the Herculean Magus

>>6171439
That wasn't an insight for a spear style.
It was "I want a spirit beast to bind, with those key words and here is a possible way we could raise our chances to find one". To reiterate. A 4th stage beast.

If that's not on the cards
>Add spiritual strength to Ichor
>Spiritual plant.

>Secret Self of the Hurculean Might
This is our chance to go to the astral self realm later.

>>6171439
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree (>>6170877 #)
>A spiritual Technique letting you Summon your astral Self to fling spells at enemy! (>>6170883 #)

>Spellbook of the Jaden Phoenix
The high IQ choice

>>6171439

>Some healing arts Improvement : Found a way to add "Spiritual Strength" to Ichor Key Word Huge to expand it will make our heals heal mental fatigue
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree Simple as starting our plant garden.

>Secret-self of the Herculean Magus
Foundation (body). Keywords : Astral Self, Spiritual Strength, Strength

Fucking pog a way to to the astral self realm. God damn we can't tell anyone but Ryota we'd be killed for it. Worth.

The profit just off this alone is amazing.

>>6171453
Well we don't need to stress winning the tournament now. At best get lots of custom pills.

>>6171439
Uh so about our Crimson tides of life Ichor. If Spiritual Strength fuses with Ichor does that mean the art only has Ichor and Growth?

And another thought I just realized is that mythical words can take on additional keywords after creation as long as it is close to the affinity subject matter.
Now that's very interesting. As we follow along through this thought, we could potentially add the keyword water to Ichor to soft bypass our weak affinity.

Also Feken Doshi will no doubt inherit the art as long as we reach the 2nd stage.

>>6171439
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree
>Some healing arts Improvement : Found a way to add "Spiritual Strength" to Ichor Key Word (>>6170547)
>Spellbook of the Jaden Phoenix

>>6171439
>Some healing arts Improvement : Found a way to add "Spiritual Strength" to Ichor Key Word
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree
>Secret-self of the Herculean Magus

Sweet

>Some healing arts Improvement : Found a way to add "Spiritual Strength" to Ichor Key Word Huge to expand it will make our heals heal mental fatigue
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree Simple as starting our plant garden.
>Secret-self of the Herculean Magus

Badass!

>>6171449
+1

>>6171439 #
>Some healing arts Improvement : Found a way to add "Spiritual Strength" to Ichor Key Word
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree
>Secret-self of the Herculean Magus

The condensing the keywords should make it easier to combat cast. Simple is good. Could we also create and keep as a technique a "longer" version with more keywords to heal more stuff or make it use different energy? We've never "branched" a technique, have we?
I wonder if the breakthrough secret is that each layer needs a different type of energy with some being more qi expensive than others to produce?

>>6171439
>You found better than fruits : a Spiritual Plant! A small Delectable Magus-Yuzu tree (>>6170877 #)
Muh gardening hobby
>A spiritual Technique letting you Summon your astral Self to fling spells at enemy! (>>6170883 #)
Stand power?!
>Secret-self of the Herculean Magus
Too good

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Locked.

tally status.
RIP to the Pay-To-Win mist skill : it was some kind of spiritual art that would had let you do an AOE attack centered on yourself consuming money or treasure to fuel a strong strike.

>>6172034
No! We will never be able to cultivate the Heavenly Burgin' Qi™ and reach the Golden Arches of the Quarter Pounder with Cheese™ realm now!!!

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You are floating in what could only be described as a sea of raw magic.
The world around you is made of the fine Qi thread, always changing. A brush of your hand, the caress of one of them against your cheek, and soon the Qi becomes shadow and poison, or gold and jade. Then, it hurls forward, piercing and damaging other threads. You focus, your inner nose skill greatly overwhelmt by the sheer amount of spiritual energy. Yeah, it'll be useless there.
Already the group you made scatter - Fourth stage and higher riding their weapons, you and the other beastTamers more or less drifting, each looking for their own opportunities. A few breath later, they are all out of sight. Without any ground to support you, it feels like your Unlimited Rising Star Kick won't be of much help - good thing you have your Phoenix's Wings. Although not good enough to hold your plumetting weight in freefall, in that strange liquid-like weightless space, they provide enough lift for mobility.
You start to feel fairly bored after several minutes of advancing in the nothingness - until an obsidian-turned thread bolts toward you; too fast to doge. You twist, avoiding a harsh stab (and creating by that motion a few projectiles of your own, that might hit something or someone at some time in a far future), still suffering from a gash to the cheek.
Instinctly, you pull the few drops of blood you stockpiled in your Hemomancer Profound Bloodstore - turning them into Ichor to circle your Healing technique.
That's exactly when something more than strange appears : your Ichor start pulling the ambient threads, growing brighter and empowered. This clicks fast - and the possibilities unfurl.
>Ichor keyword Synergy : by the addition of the "Spiritual Strength" keyword, your Ichor can know be used as a spiritual art fuel
This is not quite good on its own but might be a first step toward broken combos.
Nothing much keeps happening; less than five minutes are left before you'll be pulled back to the main world.
Wait, what is that just below you? There were no way to discernt it except by brushing close; here the threads are moving in a less eratic way, forming some kind of volumetric loop.
You extand one hand, and feel the structure is hard enough to push you away.
You fly-swim all around the round-edged pyramid until you find some kind of door frame by sheer luck - the opening actually sliding as threads move. You go in.
For the first time in your short life, you stumbled on a Cultivator's Tomb.
You're greeted by a tomb effigy, scuplted in white marble in the domineering shape of a 7-feet tall muscular man sporting some open robe, a pointy hat sprinkled with stars, some robe opened on his chiseled abs. The epitaph reads "Here lies Herculean Magus, the Buff Wizard"

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The big-nose, wide-eyed man head seems grotesque with his rough-hewn features. Was he even from your world?
You lower your head in respect and put your right hand on the abs, no doubt harder than stone while the cultivator was still alive.
"Your potential seems as remarkable as your affinity for my style."
A spectral voice resonnates in your head - imparting knowledge of a long-lost technique. You blink a couple time. In your hands, a few threads of magic are spinned to create a pot, filled with confured earth. A wall opens, reveling a thick-trunked Yuzu-tree. A branch is cleanly cut by a blade-turned thread; another thread turn into a hand delicately picking the falling cutting and gently plucking in your pot. Just in time : you are pulled back toward the Main World.

Back to your dedicated courtyard, Kyo Ko seems delighted while Gro Ta and the high-rank cultivator not so much.
"So, look like you decided the opportunity wasn't worth much?
Marketer : Indeed. I picked up a few materials and a low-level technique. The opportunity seems correct for a second-stage. Not so afterward.
Kyo Ko : This looks like something of your own merit - or lack of thereof. I think what I got is at the very least 4th-stage worth. Maybe 5th.
- And I'm not unhappy with what I got either.
Marketer : Well, two out of ten... For this gamble, I'd say the fair prize would be around one "Dragon Head" by attendant."
This is a more-than-fair price : almost the apex of second stage, this amount of money is more than comfortable. And with three spots from the city... Yeah, you're loaded.
"Uncle Soulgaze, how much for a batch of pills?
Soulgaze : - For you? Around one Dragon Neck by batch, friends and family discount included.""
A dragon head being a dragon neck plus a handful of change, that's good.
>Cash obtained!
Then there's the question of extorting your sect member.
>Do you make Kyo Ko, Gro Ta, Ryota, Snake Mistress, Marten Mistress pay for the opportunity?

Before the next week start, you play a bit with your Qi in the hope to increase somehow its quality.
Your attempts at augmenting its density proves a great way to disperse more of it futily. So is turning it into one element : you have to take True Qi from your "everyday circuit" (the aperture-cycle one); not your stockpiled-energy circuit.
You found another way to fail by turning your Qi into a drill, or a blade. However, your attempt to shape it into your favored weapon, the Meteor-Hammer, fails differently : (You) felt close of finding something that truly worked.