Archive:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Reborn%20Grandmaster%20Quest

General Info: https://rentry.org/f2ynwfyf

Character Info: (Pending)


Current inventory:

+A high quality storage artifact
+Five thousand spirit stones.
+Various medicinal pills to staunch blood flow, counteract minor poisons and help mitigate heatstroke.
+A metal orchid, its petals can be used as blades/swords
+A wooden pipa.
+A set of talismans rich in fire Qi
+A white coat embroidered with red orchids on its lower hem
+Desert clothes
+A simple, yet elegant hanfu
+A family seal made of black jade
+About three weeks of rations, and multiple gourds with both water and wine.

+Seven Brilliances - Indigo: A Divine Sword that can be used as the central point of sword formations or as a common sword, the limit of starlight that can be imbued in it is that which you can output, any rolls involving it will have a +5 bonus (applied before checks).

+Seven Brilliances - Green: Holds the same properties as Indigo, but it has perfect resonance with wood qi and poor resonance with fire qi, any rolls involving it will have a +5 bonus (applied before checks).

Three Lapis Lazuli swords and Two Emerald swords: While they are not divine weapons and their qualities differ, they can channel and resist a large amount of starlight, the weakest sword will be the limiting factor for some of your techniques. The emerald swords have a very strong resonance with the wood element and poor resonance with fire.

Current Techniques


Cloud Herding Finger: A martial art specialized in footwork and the concentration of power into small areas. It allows the practitioner to easily intercept and stop techniques and mystical arts on contact.


Star Sentinel Armor: An all purifying aura of starlight around the user, allowing them to resist poisons and other eroding substances/energies. The more concentrated, the faster it will drain starlight from the practitioner.


Sevenfold Light Stellar Sword Style: A sword style inspired by the Sword Canon, another immortal’s style.
It consists of seven moves that use different amounts of swords, adding up to seven.

The moves are:

Hunter’s Sword | Devote 3 swords, Melee: The swords combine into a single great sword, it can be wielded like a normal sword or controlled like a flying one.

Summer Bridge | Devote 3 Swords, Ranged: Shoot star qi at the target in a rapid alternating fashion.

Southern Cross | Devote 4 Swords, Defense: Creates a defensive diamond shield, a successful roll will allow for a counterattack by launching one sword.

Water Bearer: Devote 4 Swords, Support: Uses absorbed starlight to replenish the user. Can "flood" the surrounding area in concentrated starlight to poison it.

Pending Fifth Move:

Pending sixth Move:

Big Dipper: Devote all 7 Swords. Ultimate Attack. A single attack using all your pure concentrated starlight.


Annihilation Advancement: A six step blade style of the Immortal stage focused on maximum destructive power. Due to the current cultivation stage, it is not possible to perform any of the moves under normal circumstances.

You turn to Jinwu as you organize your thoughts, adjusting the plan and deciding how to convince the girl. Reaching Golden Core and leaving with Tian Lang, using her as a deterrent against the Liu, then finding Shama… That sounds good enough.


”What language is that?” ‘It’s draconic’, you answer as you nod and look her in the eye.


”There are things I can’t explain yet, they won’t make much sense because of your cultivation stage. The gist of it is that she’s a sort of divine traveler stuck here and assisting her will also help me reach my goal.”


”We’re working together with her then? Okay”


“Right, and I have… a friend who is deeper in the desert, we’ll head there and help him out, after that we can either make our way out of the desert right away or cultivate there for a while, I believe cultivation would be in our best interest, and that friend can also help you as well, but I also want your opinion, we’re in this together after all.”


”Let’s cultivate.” There is almost no hesitation in the girl’s words, so you briefly explain the nature of the desert and its distortions to her ”Time outside will pass at an accelerated rate, if we stay here for a few months, it can very well become a matter of decades or centuries, are you sure?”


Jinwu is silent for a moment, and then answers with a bitter smile after making up her mind. ”Hua… I’m sure you already figured it out… I may not be that smart, I’m learning it just now myself. I want to go home, there are people I want to see again, sure… But I can’t let this opportunity go either, as long as I can cultivate and I’m not a burden, I will follow you anywhere you want.”
”Then we'll settle there for a few months, let me finish making a deal with her and we can leave soon.” You had expected a degree of reluctance or a bit of a tantrum, but it didn’t take much effort to get her on board with the idea, looks like your help so far has paid off.


”Tian Lang, let’s make a deal. I can’t help you refuel immediately, it would take us too much time… But if I return to this city-ship and free the other divine, we can work out a more effective method.” You turn to face the other individual again, who opens her eyes and focuses on you, cross shaped pupils expand and contract as she listens intently and does her own calculations. “There is also another divine being who is more knowledgeable about artifacts and machines than either of us, once we find her, we may also be able to find a way to repair the damage to your body and the ship itself.”

>>6430438
“...What do I need to do for my end of the deal?” Understanding she may be being offered too many benefits up front, she asks for the price of the transaction, to which you answer. “Serve as my escort for a thousand years as I recover my own power and gain allies, then when the time comes, help me stand against the Gatekeeper."


“Searching dictionaries for ‘Gatekeeper’ term… Filtering results… No relevant matches are found. Daddy Bai, what do you refer to as ‘Gatekeeper’?” To your surprise, Tian Lang asks for clarification rather than already having information, maybe that granddaddy Jin isn’t strong enough to perceive it, so you give her a brief explanation.


”It is a being that exists between this world and the outside, it only allows passage of those who reach divinity. My companions and I tried to bring something else outside and were defeated in turn.”


”Thank you, searching dictionaries for matching characteristics… There is no information in the records I can access. Daddy Bai, this ‘Gatekeeper’ may be either an entity that I am not authorized to know about, or an entity unique to this world.” The Gatekeeper may be an issue to just your world? That’s certainly something. ”In regards to our return to the City-Ship, if Daddy can provide a suitable temporary source of energy, I can guide the way back.”


Tian Lang continues, changing the subject away from her part and you quickly bring it up again. ”How about the condition of our deal?”


”...If multiple divines can be defeated in combat, I regret to inform you that a single escort unit may not be enough, even so would my support suffice despite the possibility of defeat?”
Write in an answer for Tian Lang, and start making your way to Agate and the City-Ship
>Having met Agate, you can feel a faint resonance with him… Pinpointing his location is impossible but you have a rough idea of where you’re heading to (Roll a 1d100)
>Tian Lang managed to locate you and forcefully pushed through the spatial distortions, let her lead the way. You can give her one of the two purified gems in your possession (Choose between Agate/Garnet and Roll a 1d20)

I missed the chance to get your feedback since the first thread was archived and I had to disappear for a month.
If you'd like to leave any feedback about the previous thread/session, feel free to do so.

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>6430439
>Your support is what is asked. It will suffice.

>Having met Agate, try to sense him

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>6430439
>>6430443 +1

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>6430439
>>6430443
+1
>>6430441
Great to see you again!

Rolled 10 (1d100)

>>6430439
support >>6430443

Pretty fortunate, update in a bit.

Ahem, I meant in a bit for an old cultivator.

>>6430443
>>6430591
>>6430640
>>6430901

”Your support is what is asked. It will suffice. I can feel a faint resonance to Agate so I will lead the way… In the meantime you take some starlight from me to stay active.” You answer, even if all six former immortals are gathered and she’s added in, you’re still short anyways… Even more hands is a necessity, and she’ll be the first pair you get.


”Understood, in that case I will remain active and assist with navigation.” Tian Lang doesn’t add anything else, and with your body mostly recovered plus the swords holding most of their charge, you decide that it would be better to get going as soon as possible. After all, the city is a far better location than this destroyed building.


“Then let’s get going… Jinwu, are you ready?”


”Yeah… will you be okay?.” Jinwu voices her concern for your condition, and you reassure her.


You hold Tian Lang in your arms and control the swords with divine sense to remain in standby, then turn around one last time to look at the building before leaving. As you do, the mural in what used to be the agate domed room, or at least what remains of it, glows with a mysterious light and a voice rings directly in your mind. The language is unknown, but the mystical art used to record the message is advanced enough to convey “meaning” and concepts.


Falcon Sun Choice
Continuation
Piety Brilliance Descent Pride Radiance Ascension
Continuation
Defiance Transcendence Bridge
Blessing Prosperity Fortune Clarity
Defiance Continuation Plea


These concepts resound in your heart for a short time, and as the message is transmitted, something akin to an internal energy cultivation formula settles in your mind waiting to be studied. More than the message and the formula itself, it is the sense of defiance and unwillingness to the very end in the message leaves a deep impression. When the message ends you turn around to see Jinwu standing in a daze, likely having received the message as well, perhaps it was meant for her and you just perceived it because of your status as an immortal.


“Ah! Sorry, I spaced out… Let’s get going.” She’s out of it for about half an incense stick’s worth of time but is quick to recover, you have her follow to your side and widen the swords’ orbit to include her as well.

>>6430977
Moving about in the desert with her is a little inconvenient, you can carry her, and you do offer her the option… but she insists on moving on her own, as she’s not precisely fit physically you compromise and teach her a basic concept that is applicable in all cultivation stages.


”This goes by many names depending on the book you read, or the teacher you have… but in essence it is an internal energy technique. You start by accelerating the Qi that flows to one part of your body, concentrate it in a specific place and then release it. Try it with your legs starting around the hip and releasing behind the toes.”


Jinwu does as she is told and circulates her qi, resulting in a short hop in place that chars the sand below her feet. ”So that’s how you do it, I believe this is the first step of flame walking in my clan.”


You spend the day hopping about with Jinwu as she adjusts her own output and grows familiar with the process, she enjoys the feeling of rising and dropping down as you go along, laughing at the unexpected changes in height and distance whenever she messes up in her rhythm. Along the road to Agate you encounter interesting creatures like one with the upper body of a scorpion, a muscle packed snake tail and a bee’s stinger, a few bone-faced giant vultures with wingspans as wide as a small house, or a pack of small pink rats.


Wildlife encounters: Rolled 81 (DC 55)


Fortunately, none of the creatures that you cross ways with are much of a threat. Be it the ominous starlight exuded by the sword formation, your own divine sense, or the bizarre vacuum-like pressure coming from Tian Lang as she feeds on your starlight, all these critters can do is stare Jinwu’s way before retreating, they’re almost cute… A feeling that subsides a little when the pink rats quadruple in size and stampede out of the way with bulging muscles and bloodshot eyes that would make a devilish body cultivator blush.


The night is just as uneventful, there is no need to set up a fire because the swords and the firmament with its starry clouds are enough light. You’re treated to the spectacle of a snake-scorpion falling prey to a sixteen legged spider’s trap after having tried to sneak on your party. The spider’s speed in wrapping up prey with its web is astounding, something Jinwu pays a lot of attention to while somewhat creeped out, she mimics some of its movements in slow motion using her own hands.


Tian Lang… is in a meditative state whenever she doesn’t need to add anything to the route, you mostly focus on the surroundings and making sure Jinwu’s condition is good, but there are times where nothing is going on and you find yourself paying more attention to the artificial escort unit in your arms and her designer quirks, like blinking and breathing naturally like any person would despite not really needing to do either.

>>6430978
Traveling speed picks up after the third day, when Jinwu’s control of the internal technique becomes more natural. After a total of five quiet days, where the silence is only broken by creatures signaling your arrival to others for a swift escape, the wind’s howling, or Jinwu’s complaints about the heat, the taste of the rations or her exhaustion, you see a large plume of dust in the distance, and you feel an unpleasant wave of divine sense wash over the three of you. Extending your own divine sense in the direction of this event reveals a group of about fifty people riding on the backs of five giant spiders, two scorpion-snake hybrids and a man standing on the back of a bone-headed vulture.


There are no mortals at a single glance and the weakest member present is at the early stage of qi gathering, of the people riding the hybrid beasts, two are at late foundation establishment and one in the earlier stage of core formation use earth mystic arts to create a better path for the spiders while fire mystical arts are being shot towards the back to create the large dust plumes. This is being done by the man in the sky, who is in the late stage of core formation.


When your divine sense enters his range of perception, he realizes they’re being observed and immediately sends a voice transmission your way. “Fellow daoist! Run before he notices you!!!”


You can’t help but be curious and ask, what could possibly be bullying a relatively large group of organized cultivators?


“Esteemed Jin went out of control during his breakthrough and is now eating anything and everything on his way! It’s too late for us, but you can still escape before he commits your scent to memory!”


There is no need to ask him who this Esteemed Jin is, just the qi being released in the distance and your reaction to its divine sense is enough to tell that this is a dragon. Tian Lang, who is awake and preparing herself for combat confirms your guess as well.


“Energy signature recognized… Daddy Hua, it is Grandaddy Jin approaching at high speed. I have estimated his output to be between the stages of Soul Dividing and Soul Nurturing, but it is also depleting at an accelerated rate. Please give your instruction.”


You’re finally able to see it, a majestic flood dragon with golden scales and incredibly long white whiskers, even for a dragon, rises above the smoke clouds and roars in the distance. It gathers its power in its mouth and fires a beam of concentrated metal qi that brushes past the fleeing cultivators far enough to give them a fright, it is playing with its prey.


The core formation person, who has blood dripping from his nose from the shockwave may not be aware, but before the moment both groups met, this dragon had already taken notice of your group. The cultivators are too weak and you have Jinwu who cannot even fly, you don’t exactly have any useful mystical arts or techniques to facilitate escape.

>>6430979
Tian Lang has only had a few days to absorb starlight from you, and can’t even enter her Main Sequence yet, if she absorbs one of the gemstones she may be able to do it for a fraction of time, maybe long enough to help you deal with the dragon, but it is a gamble.


Choose two techniques and roll a 2d100+10(brilliances bonus) and
>Have Tian Lang fully absorb one of the gemstones and join you in battle (roll becomes a 3d100+10 as she does not have any bonuses herself)
>You’ll face it alone, Tian Lang and the dragon know each other… You’re not sure how that connection could affect either side.
>>You will subjugate the dragon
>>You will kill the dragon


Otherwise
>Write in an idea to escape or buy time for the dragon to tire itself out (2d100 roll will be counted for success. If the brilliances are not used the +10 is not considered)

Rolled 42, 68, 54 + 10 = 174 (3d100 + 10)

>>6430980
>Have Tian Lang fully absorb one of the gemstones and join you in battle (roll becomes a 3d100+10 as she does not have any bonuses herself)
>Sevenfold Light Stellar Sword Style Summer Bridge
>Sevenfold Light Stellar Sword Style Southern Cross

Rolled 21, 98, 46 + 10 = 175 (3d100 + 10)

>>6431003
+1

>>6431009
Wow it really was +1 lol

>>6431003
>>6431009
>Literally +1 heh
Choose which gemstone willbe absorbed between Agate/Garnet.
Same for our third voter, locking and updating when I wake up

Rolled 92, 45, 29 + 10 = 176 (3d100 + 10)

>>6431003
>Support
>Subdue the dragon

There are. . . 3 or 4 cultivation levels between us. Let's fucking gooo

Give her the Garnet.

>>6431113
Lmfao

+1!

>>6431003
>>6431009
>>6431113
What are the fucking odds lmao

>>6431115
Well anyway. Someone rolled a 98.
And someone rolled a 92.

So somebody is gonna give old Jin a little bit of a beating.
I don't think rolling 108 is that important though

Rolled 51, 62, 69 + 10 = 192 (3d100 + 10)

>>6431003
+1
>>6431049
Garnet

Rolled 63, 70, 60 = 193 (3d100)

Locking with garnet and subduing old Jin

>>6431150
that also being just 1 more is crazy
what ARE the odds?

>>6431191
I had my roll rigger turned on, I'll turn it off so you guys can roll a few 1s again.
-----------


You use divine sense to reach into the bag, pull out her split chakram and the chunk of garnet that has been refined by starlight. “We’re subduing him, how long can you sustain Main Sequence if you absorb all the starlight in this stone?” Tian Lang’s Pupils expand and contract at your question, she studies the stone for a moment and her answer comes after. “Sixty seconds.”


“That should be good enough, we’ll do a pincer attack and bring his attention away from the others… I will use the same ranged and defensive techniques from when we clashed, I’ll need you to strike him in the face with that dark sphere once or twice.”


“Understood, may I strike from above to maximize the efficiency of [Shattering Moon]?”


“Go for it, I’ll keep his attention on me while you get in position. Jinwu, go with the cultivators and have them take the direction we’ll leave empty, try to get as far away from us as you can.” You pass her the storage artifact as you begin to fly towards Jin from the middle while Tian Lang crushes the stone with her own power and absorbs the starlight contained within the gem. Jinwu nods and rushes towards the place the cultivators will be at if they keep moving in a straight line, tightly holding the bag with her hands.
When Lang is done with the absorption, she uses the same internal energy method you taught Jinwu and takes a few jumps to position towards the west, once far enough she enters Main Sequence and starts to burn her power, rising into the sky with a burst of speed that tears apart the air around her. The flood dragon’s attention switches to her as soon as he feels the burst of power coming from her direction, he shoots a barrage of golden scales made with pure qi your way and for the first time you hear him speak.


“Isn’t that little Lang? I never thought I would see you again! Come, let this grandaddy give you a munch!” His voice resounds loud like thunder and throughout the desert and he gives chase to Lang, who further speeds her ascent.


You reach a distance where you can analyze Jin and look for the most effective way to fight him, analyzing his flying form, the characteristics of his body, density of Qi, elemental attunement, if it is the whole or a fragment and searching for the place his reverse scale is in with your divine sense.

>>6431334
His body is pretty normal, he has a little more muscle than your average flood dragon, but it is within standard, the qi flowing through his body is attuned to metal and it runs erratically… he is also having issues keeping it within his original soul, and the one in the core is being drained to sustain the former. There are no signs of him being someone’s fragment, and the reverse scale is tucked behind one of his arms which is a little inconvenient. Three swords align in a triangle and the other four in a diamond directly in front of you while you navigate your way around his sloppy attack.


The scales sent your way miss their mark without much effort, and Jin immediately feels your intrusive divine sense, visibly flinching and switching his attention to you with a rain of steel spheres as big as a fist. “Woah! The new snack wants to eat me instead? Let this grandaddy teach you some table manners!”


Summer bridge is your answer to the metal rain, the starlight from each shot scorches the air and easily pierces through the pellets, just as the attacks are about to hit the area near his arm, the light is absorbed and redirected by a lake of liquid gold that boils and evaporates when coming in contact with the starlight, this lake is overwhelmed after a few volleys and your offense is able to hit the dragon’s body, charring the scales and seeping into his flesh. Jin begins to wholeheartedly evade your attacks while closing the distance, and Lang accelerates once more in the sky, weaving her way around a river of metal chunks.


Bang!

The air is torn apart by her, and you speed up as well. Jin’s true form is too large to avoid every attack, so in a few moments most of his side is charred with the exception of the reverse scale. He roars in pain and opens his mouth, gathering qi to use the dragon breath once more. “AAAUGH! WHAT KIND OF POISON IS THIS! I’LL JUST KILL YOU INSTE- MGHHH!?”


Just before he can fire your way, both halves of Lang’s chakram rotate around his maw and exert a large amount of attraction force, sealing it shut and forcing him to swallow his own qi which explodes into a bloody cloud immediately after. The dragon charges through the cloud with blood flowing out of his mouth and swings his head to the side, using one of his abnormally long whiskers like a whip to hit you. The attack is blocked by the four swords of your southern cross, the weakest sword in the formation creaking and straining under the power from his sheer mass, but ultimately persevering and giving you the chance to counter by turning the formation into a triangle and shooting one of the brilliances.


Bang!

>>6431336
Lang reaches the ideal height for her attack and dives in a straight line, creating a dark sphere that accelerates her to the limit. The divine sword pierces the dragon’s whisker and leaves a large hole in it, then continues and lodges itself in the spine bones of his tail before stopping. Jin changes into his transformation form, which is that of a tall, tan young man with a long mane of golden hair with no visible scales, but the characteristic slit pupils in his currently fully dilated, golden eyes would reveal that he is indeed a dragon.


The whiskers combine and become a golden spear with a hole gouged in one of its sides. The man, now bleeding from his mouth, nose, eyes and ears is able to rid himself from the combined suppression of the sword and chakram due to the change in size, and he lunges at you for a downward chop that you stop with the remaining three swords, the brilliance already on its way back to you.


The moment both weapons collide, Lang’s descent is completed and she pushes the dark sphere into Jin’s back, who is immediately pushed down before he can make any other move. His body is crushed against the sand that is being solidified into a giant brick under the compression of the sphere, and he loses consciousness amidst the sound of his bones breaking.


[Target neutralized, exiting Main Sequence mode.]


“Such behavior is not recorded in my memory, what occurred to granddaddy Jin?” Tian Lang looks up to you, who is floating above the sand crater and waves her hand, you descend and check his state with a fraction of divine sense while explaining the basics of qi deviation and heart demons to her.
“I understand, in short, a failure in energy control during training that leads to physical damage and an altered state of mind… Can Grandaddy recover?” Taking note of her capability to express concern for others, you retract the divine sense in his body and answer.


“His body is already starting to heal, the starlight in his flesh was mostly expelled during the transformation, and what remained is being safely assimilated. He should be fine with meditation and rest if his mind is okay.” More importantly he’s still alive, a loss of cultivation can be recovered with enough time, the underworld won’t let you recover the life you lost.


Jinwu arrives with the cultivator group after some time. At first she remains behind the crater and the one to peer in is the strongest of the group, but after he confirms it is safe, she jumps down along with other members.

>>6431337
“Ah… Fellow Daoist, thank you for your assistance.” The man clasps his hands in greeting and quickly signals the other core formation people to take Jin away. “You see, fellow daoist, we’ve known the esteemed Jin since I was a tiny lad, me and the other elders… You could say he’s even part of our tribe, so it is our responsibility to look after him.” The others put Jin in a stretcher, and place a few restrictions with flame mystical arts. The restraints look like the kind that gets tighter and hotter as one struggles.


“We’ll uh… We’ll make sure that esteemed Jin can recover, so he can repay your favor in the future, if there is nothing else we’ll get going!” They move with the speed of someone trying to dine and dash, or in prettier words, a group of enlightened sages eluding karma.


>Advise them to unrestrain Jin before you part ways, waking up in tight restraints isn’t exactly the best for the heart, he may panic and cause them trouble. There is no need for repayment, for lives are things that should not be given a value.
>Offer them to follow you into the city, there’s enough space for everyone to rest and Agate can help Jin if there’s anything wrong with his heart or mind.
>Let them take Jin and leave, each goes on their own and destiny will let you meet again to have this debt repaid.
>You just saved their lives, esteemed Jin included… You want some sort of compensation (write in)
>>If they can’t pay they can scram, you’ll eventually meet again
>>If they can’t pay they can come along or just leave Jin behind, you can find them all some use in the city.

>>6431340
>Advise them to unrestrain Jin before you part ways.
>You can go. We'll get our repayment eventually.

>>6431340
>>6431342 +1

>>6431492
>Wait. I saved your lives, if you cannot pay me in money. I wish to be paid in information. I.e lore drop, maybe about tattoos, what cultivation do they do, and any place for precious stones( to make more swords), and anything of use for our disiple.

I mean guys we saved there lives we should get something out of it. Karma demands.

>>6431340
>>6432638
supporting

Doing some rl stuff, will do a tiebreaker roll in a couple hours if no issues arise and we're still tied.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>6433074
1: part ways
2: we're getting paid somehow

I won't be able to update tonight, so with that in mind.

>>6432918 and >>6432638
Do you want to use those same questions, or do you have others to add/ask instead.

>>6433143
maybe they know something useful about the vermillion bird clan
cant hurt to ask i suppose

Update soon!
(Sounds of QM desperately scrambling to find a single fucking piece of notes his massive mess of xianxiaslop files)

Rolled 3 (1d20)

Rolling for a little someone.

You ponder for a moment, enough to let the foundation establishment people leave earshot distance. Just letting them go and leaving things to karma after giving them some advice crosses your mind, that said, they’re also the first group of people you’ve come across since leaving Guang City, and you’re not sure when you will run into someone else thanks to the desert’s distortions. You’ll seize this chance encounter to either get supplies, resources, or more information in general.


”Wait.”


With just one word the caravan’s breath stops and they freeze in place, a second later, the leader turns to face you, his gaze alternates between you and your flying swords, the red tinted starlight Tian Lang is emitting as she returns to her low power state, and Jinwu who at some point concentrated qi in her palms and looks like she’s about to fight someone but fails to manifest the smallest amount of killing intent for better or worse.


”Ye- Yes fellow daoist?” He answers with a forced smile.


”I saved your lives, esteemed Jin included. Life in the desert is tough, and I would rather not leave things to fate. Why not repay this good karma while we’re here?”


“Ah… Fellow daoist, we’re rather short on valuables you see… If we were to part with what we have here, it pains me to say we won’t be able to make it next month without having to sell off a girl or two to another tribe. Or we could give you ‘em instead, you don’t seem like a bad fellow.” The man extends an offer he assumes you won’t accept, yet his brow is still covered in sweat, something you’re sure didn’t happen even while they were being chased by the dragon.


You look past him and see a few girls ranging from Qi Gathering to middle Foundation Establishment just like Jinwu, white or black hair, some wear it short while others long, sun kissed skin glistening under the sunlight, contrasting the way both Jinwu and Tian Lang practically “reflect” light as if both were pieces of jade. If anything they’re all good looking with lithe builds and little in the way of clothes for the most part. From a cursory glance you can tell most are average in talent like the rest of the tribe members, but you’ve seen worse in the Ming estate.

>>6433638
”If you cannot pay me in currency, I wish to be paid in information instead.” The man, who with a second glance is rather good looking as well, lets out a sigh of relief and agrees to your request for information, doing a headcount and barking a few orders. In a few minutes, everyone is setting up camp for the day and checking on each other’s conditions, and you’re led to a large tent to shield from the sand.


”Please excuse the simple accommodation, we tend to avoid using qi unless it is strictly necessary. We’re the Sand Jade Scarab Tribe, and I am this generation’s patriarch, Sha Shujing.”


Shujing plays his cards well and has the better looking people do everything that must be done within this tent, they lay mats and set up a fireplace, and you introduce yourself and your group, keeping your and Jinwu’s respective statuses a secret to the sound of some desert creature being dismantled and cooked. Jinwu lays down next to you, while Tian Lang rests her head against your back and both quickly drift off.


”Do you know anything about the Vermillion Bird clan in Qian?” Shujing is thrown off by the first question being about a completely different clan, but he puts himself together rather quickly and speaks.


”Well, let me give you the broad strokes since I don’t know much myself. They’re a big clan in Qian with four elders in the heaven axis, though one of them is well in his years already so if he doesn’t break through soon he’s a goner… It was about what, ten? twelve years? There was a disaster in the north where the sky split apart and fire rained from the gap. That clan spared no effort looking for some lady, but they gave up because they could never find her, that your girl there?”


”What cultivation does your tribe practice?”


”Nothing too fancy, daoist. We just check Spiritual Roots at age six and have the kids cultivate the method they’re most compatible with, or we decide based on what the tribe needs most at the time. Then we train the kids to know how to hunt and defend each other with a few books and scrolls that go up to core formation, that’s all.”


”Do you have anything for body refining? Like tattoos or something similar?”


”No way, the tattoo methods we can afford are all devilish arts full of drawbacks, the safer methods out there ain’t something you can buy with currency alone. And anything that goes deeper than skin level is too delicate for us to perform on the go, it just goes against our principles.”

>>6433639
”No way, the tattoo methods we can afford are all devilish arts full of drawbacks, the safer methods out there ain’t something you can buy with currency alone. And anything that goes deeper than skin level is too delicate for us to perform on the go, it just goes against our principles.”


”Have you come across a place with precious stones? I’m talking about a good vein.”


”There’s some tales about a temple somewhere in the depths, the rumors say it was made to worship forgotten gods, things like how the floor is a giant emerald chunk and that there’s rubies or garnets lining up the walls and pillars. Never seen it myself, but as a desert nomad I can’t really ignore the possibility of it being real.


You’d have to get lucky and run into some artifact the desert spat out otherwise.”


”You give a short explanation about Jinwu’s cultivation and her choice to use ribbons and dance, probing around for anything of use the Sand Jade Scarab can provide.”


”Huh, I’m afraid we don’t really have anything similar. If she wants she can look at our books for the fire dao, but I doubt she’ll get anything out of it if she’s that lost miss… Actually let me have some of the more artistic members entertain you for a little, maybe she can get some inspiration for her dance.”


You wake Jinwu and have her check the manual presented by a tribesman, while some of the women change into looser, embroidered garments on Shujin’s instruction. Their movements carry a different elegance and grace to those of a Zhou dancer, as they toss their long hair and gently sway their shoulders and torsos, the hand movements and steps are such that the fabric never stops flowing, akin to the gentle desert winds caressing the endless sand dunes.


Jinwu takes the manual in her hands and… ”Rolled 3 (1d20)” … Gives the foundation establishment formulas a look, has her eyes glaze over and quickly loses interest as soon as the dance picks up. She gives her undivided attention to the performance, nodding along and crossing her arms. ”Thank you mister, I was able to learn some things from this dance! But… If it’s cultivation your way is better, Hua.”


”Just like I said fellow daoist, little geniuses have no business reading mediocre books like these hahaha!”


For a different reason he won’t know, that is. Entertainment is followed by a meal and Jinwu looks like she has come back to life after having real food. She finishes her portion and has seconds, almost going for another serving even, had one of the cooks not asked her opinion about the scorpion meat’s taste, by the time the small display ends, it is the dead of the night and most people have gone to rest.


”You’re an interesting one, daoist. I half expected you to ask me to guide you back outside, but you haven’t mentioned it even once… And your route, it was heading deeper into the desert too, tell me, are you looking for treasure or a legacy?”

>>6433640
>You can tell him, it’s not like it sounds convincing anyways.
>He has fifty people he should be worrying about over your destination.

And

>Part ways in the morning, you’re satisfied with the answers you got for now.
>You didn’t get much out of him, so you’ll have the tribe pay for their lives in labor in the city, they may even benefit from it.


Roll a 1d100 regardless.

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>6433641
so its been over 10 years already...
by the time we get out of this desert we could be looking at 1000+ years
>He has fifty people he should be worrying about over your destination.

>Part ways in the morning, you’re satisfied with the answers you got for now.

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>6433641
>He has fifty people he should be worrying about over your destination.
>Part ways in the morning, you’re satisfied with the answers you got for now.

>>6433641
>You can tell him, it’s not like it sounds convincing anyways.
>Part ways in the morning, you’re satisfied with the answers you got for now.

Jin and Tian know eachother, this tribe may have some info about the city.

>>6433641
>He has 50 people to mind

>Part ways now.

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>6433751>>6433641

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>6433641
>He has fifty people he should be worrying about over your destination.
>Part ways in the morning, you’re satisfied with the answers you got for now.
>>6433678
kind reminder to roll

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>6433911
thanks
>>6433641

”It has been less than a month since we entered the desert, daoist Shujing… If she is the person you think she is, then you have fifty people’s time to worry about, rather than where I will be going.”


The man laughs and answers ”Aaah forget it forget it, those words are too ominous daoist Bai. We’ll make our way back to a less twisted zone with esteemed Jin, we still have a contract to fulfill.” You share a few drinks with him and give some advice to make sure the dragon does not rampage as soon as he wakes up, then Sha Shujing has a couple of patrolling men undo Jin’s restraints. There was something else he wanted to say, you can tell, but he chose to not speak in the end, it may not have been that important.


The two groups part ways a little before the sun rises, the Sand Jade Scarab Tribe members looking a little better after some time to rest and tend to their injuries, they take their places on top of the beasts’ backs and offer their blessing, which are solemn and rather heavy. You and Jinwu return them in full, while Tian Lang simply bows their way.


”We won’t meet some of those people again will we?” Jinwu was given a few things by the tribeswomen to help her in her travels. For the time being she has changed into a yellow robe, the chest embroidery can’t be seen well due to how loosely it fits her, her hands don’t even poke out of the sleeves. She was given a pair of shoes of the right size as opposed to the clothes themselves, which are perhaps one or two sizes too big. A veil to cover her face with and a rather low quality storage artifact, likely all spares.


”Yeah, if we take too long there, or can’t resolve the distortions we won’t be seeing a lot of people again. ” For the time being you pass most of the rations plus the medicinal pills as well as a thousand spirit stones to her just in case.


”...Then I won’t forget their kindness, let’s go, Hua.”


You position the swords again, and start moving in Agate’s direction with Tian Lang in your arms. The creatures in the desert still actively avoid you, and those that do not because of their size or lifestyle remain perfectly still as you pass them by. Some of the smarter ones, like the vultures, quickly pick up on this and follow your path for easy food. Jinwu pays attention to the motion of descent and ascension when they pick snakes and insects, or even other smaller birds up.


[Navigation through the desert: DC 57 - Rolled 62]

Agate’s presence becomes more defined with each passing day, and the spatial distortions start becoming more noticeable, any living being that had been following you stops doing so around certain places by the seventh day. Those who dare try are forcefully pulled back to the “section” of the desert they were in, or are crushed by a strong force.


You find yourself stepping from the middle of the cloudless starry night into the sweltering heat of noon, or seeing the sun set in a jump just to see it set again when you touch the ground, and that same force being applied to the creatures is slowly affecting you as well. Jinwu is the first to show signs of being affected, as the distance between her jumps grows smaller, and you need to take more breaks. Two days later, by the time you can tell the bodhisattva is less than a day’s travel away, you’re carrying Tian Lang on your back, Jinwu on your arms and using your starlight to offset some of the pressure on her..


You jump again and… remain in the same time of the day, but the pressure has intensified twofold from last time. Jinwu can barely stand the pressure even with your help, unable to even speak, and you’re also finding it difficult to move quickly, holding on your own thanks to the body refinement done so far. The city can finally be seen in the distance as you enter a brand new section, and when compared to the rest of the desert so far, there is more than one spatial distortion, in fact, there are so many that you cannot tell what is normal space and what is twisted anymore.


”Daddy Bai, the spatial distortions in this location have been organized to prevent access to the cityship, I was able to use a large amount of energy to forcefully break through the sky while withstanding the damage to my body… I estimate this approach to be unfeasible in our current circumstances.” Tian Lang speaks for the first time in days, as Jinwu circulates her qi and sticks closer to you, trying to ease the pressure of the environment. ”Given the situation we will need to either navigate through this array, find a way to undo the formation as we move in deeper, or locate my point of exit and enter that way. I have to clarify that the zone I was in after I left the array was vastly different to the one we just entered from, so we may find ourselves navigating the outside to find a way in.”

Navigating through the array will consume little to no energy, but you will be at the mercy of the array itself, you can very well run into dead ends that nullify your progress if you’re not lucky.


Finding a way to undo the array is more complicated, as you need to get an idea of how the distortions are placed, and if they are organized into levels or sections by themselves. While it doesn’t need you to be lucky, it will depend on your ability to understand it and the approach you take to break the formation.

Locating her point of exit will need you to move both around the array and outside the zone until you’re able to see it, it will take the longest but it should also be the safest way.


Before you decide how to proceed, you will have a turn to give the array an initial check, and organize your ideas.


>Write in how you want to check the array and
AND
>Look back on your experience with previous arrays (Your experience is me the QM, I will be answering questions you have)

--------
Sorry about the lack of updates and communication, I have been consumed by The Scroll of Taiwu (blatant shilling)

>>6434845
So to get some standard parts out of the way.

Arrays have what standard components?
How much power does It take to organise an array of this scale? Can they be self sufficient?
How are arrays controlled generally?
Notable weaknesses and Drawbacks of the artform? Of the Starlight being used to distort space here? Actually what energy can we sense being used/it's elemental composition?

>>6434877
Huhu, this may need a rentry in the future if we ever delve into array making in detail. Let's get a brief intro of Mystic arts first and then I'll address the questions.

Mystical arts are in principle, the act of transforming the world by imposing one's will while using Qi as a medium, over countless generations "imposing one's will" has been streamlined into formulas that people can use so long as they are able to comprehend them. The bigger the transformation you want to cause, or the more formulas you have to use, the more Qi it takes to achieve it.


An array is the application this process in a way that eliminates the use of the mind by using a medium, or in this case, the person who would use said formulas. You want an array to:

1. Make a mystical art accessible to others without needing them to learn or master said art.
2. To streamline the transformation process or to add an amount of transformations that cannot be done with just the mind at one's stage.
3. To automate a specific process so that a person is not required to keep up the art all the time.

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>>6434877
Now onto the actual questions:


Arrays have what standard components?
Power Core(s)/Input points Where the Qi for the array is taken from
Output points: Where the transformed Qi manifests its final intended effect
Pathways: Where the Qi flows through during the process of transformation
Transformation points: Where the qi is transformed by the formula


A set of "Input point" >"Transformation/core point" > "Output point" and respective "Pathways" required to cause a single phenomena are referred to as a Section, and any combination of Sections for a more complex result are referred to as a Layer. Sections tend to be organized horizontally within the same Layer.


As an example, let's say you're feeling specially devilish today, so you want to put down an array that makes a Yin Corpse Fire barrier, You could do it with a mystical art as well, but for an array you would:
- Have input points/cores that gathers qi
- A transformation point that sets an area of effect as the output through a formula
- A transformation point that "Transforms Qi into Fire" through a formula
- A transformation point that "Imbues Fire with Yin" through a formula
- A transformation point that "Imbues only Yin and Fire with Corpse" through a formula


This makes it so that in the area you choose, any Qi that enters is transformed into fire, then imbued with yin, and then with the properties of Corpse Qi. This also makes it so that any Fire or Yin Qi that comes in contact with the area from other sources transforms into Corpse Qi.


Congratulations, you've made a simple "One Layer" array, with low self sufficient capabilities.
The logic behind determining the area first is that transformations happen as Qi passes by the points, if you fail to specify it, then it will happen in the transformation point alone.
You can specify the same area in all points, but it takes more time to do and it is harder to maintain.

See figure 1 for a horribly bad graphical representation.

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>>6434877
If you want to add another phenomena, like having it open only for sect members with a talisman, and one to transmit profanities into their mind, then you need a new layer for each and for anything else you want to add.
-Most combat arrays tend to fall within the first type (fig 1) as you mostly only need one result and have to be quick on your feet when making them, array masters leaning into the second type if given enough time to prepare.


If you have to put a lot of phenomena together at once, you can organize just the most important transformation for it into the same "Layer" as the others and work your way inwards or outwards (fig 2)
- Sect/City defense arrays tend to be of the second type, you need a set amount of things done and they need to be simple enough to where someone can use and maintain them without much training or mastery.


If you need something even more advanced, then you shove every phenomena you will ever need in a single place, give each of them an unique "Name" and then "Invoke" them whenever and wherever you need.
- Allows for unorthodox arrays , such as but not limited to things like Setting an array within an object smaller than the area it affects or Causing the effects of the array in an area far away from the formation
- Requires really high understanding of the world's phenomena to create
- Understanding of the array's logic for modification and maintenance
- A large amount of time to put together such an archive of "Phenomena"
- A large amount of Qi to give them "Names" and maintain said names for the time it is active
You have only seen this in practical use once at Shama's hands, and at a very low scale. Experts in the Heaven Axis have trouble getting this theory to work at all, but it can be done. No figure, as it entirely depends on the array master's approach.


How much power does It take to organize an array of this scale?
Anything related to space or time requires both an absurd amount of power to both create/upkeep and a very complex array to be made.
Unless the array is using a phenomena that already existed to begin with and transforming it, in which case it needs to be more complex than usual.
For an analogy, it will take you more Qi to start a flame barrier from zero than it would take you to take an existing flame and shaping it into a barrier.


Can they be self sufficient?
It depends, when you're making an array you have to consider the following train of thought:
If I use an array, how long do I need to keep it up for, do I have enough power to do it by myself?
If you need to keep it up for a long time or you want to do something other than maintaining it, you make it self sufficient.
The array here is "self sufficient", it should still be using a power source somewhere.

>>6435015
How much power does It take to organize an array of this scale?
Anything related to space or time requires both an absurd amount of power to both create/upkeep and a very complex array to be made.
Unless the array is using a phenomena that already existed to begin with and transforming it, in which case it needs to be more complex than usual.
For an analogy, it will take you more Qi to start a flame barrier from zero than it would take you to take an existing flame and shaping it into a barrier.
You can't quite estimate how much this array is using, but it must be more than what a large sized sect from your era could provide.


Can they be self sufficient?
It depends, when you're making an array you have to consider the following train of thought:
If I use an array, how long do I need to keep it up for, do I have enough power to do it by myself?
If you need to keep it up for a long time or you want to do something other than maintaining it, you make it self sufficient.
The array here is "self sufficient", it should still be using a power source somewhere.
How are arrays controlled generally?
This depends, but universally you can use the Input Points/Cores.
If we're using the same flame barrier example, you can regulate the amount of Qi it is fed to make it more or less intense, overload beyond capacity so the Qi destroys its parts, or cut its fuel supply and have it deactivate.


A more complex array lets you do things like control sections of the array independently, apply more transformations to the flames as needed, expand or reduce the area, so on and so forth. These are made with at least one "Control Point" that connects through a pathway to the right transformation point(s). Some of them are fancy enough to have an "interface" to simplify the process (such as stone tablets or other objects) or redundant Transformation/Control points to prevent someone from taking over the array through a single point, etc.


The general rules of input and transformation points/cores are:
-You want them in places that don't get in the way of the area of the array effect unless necessary.
-If your effect happens IN the array, you want them outside so they can't be affected. If the effect happens OUT you want them inside.
-If you're doing both at once then you need to ramp up the complexity and work vertically in some way

>>6434877
Notable weaknesses and Drawbacks of the artform?
Not idiot friendly: If you don't fully understand the formulas you can't create an array. If an idiot is strong enough, they can destroy your array with sheer force.
Time dependent: The time to set up an array increases the more complex and the wider it is
Fuel dependent: You can have an array that makes you god within it, if you can't power it up it has less uses than cow dung.
Rigidness: The more complex the array is, the harder it is to modify without it breaking down.
Arrays cannot be modified while being used unless they were explicitly made with such capability in mind, but that adds many layers of complexity that causes the time and fuel requirements to increase exponentially, so it is not done.


Actually what energy can we sense being used/it's elemental composition?
It is using all five elements in both yin and yang, but it is not starlight. In a sense it is using the entire world to power itself up.


I did forget to make clarification:
Array effects are limited to the inside of the array or an outside zone that must be directly in contact with it, people get pretty creative with ways to extend that effective range.

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>>6435019

As a tldr:
Arrays have what standard components?
>places where Qi goes in
>places that transform Qi into the effect
>connecting points that take Qi between the place that goes in and the place where the transformation happens
>maybe a point where it can be controlled


How much power does It take to organise an array of this scale? Can they be self sufficient?
>Depends, but this one should have incredibly high requirements because it controls spacetime
>It is self sufficient
>It is either creating the distortions or "transforming them" into a sort of labyrinth


How are arrays controlled generally?
>Simple ones you use the places where Qi goes in like a faucet
>More complex ones may have certain parts or objects dedicated for control, as well as hijacking prevention measures


Notable weaknesses and Drawbacks of the artform?
>Takes long to set up
>Need to be smart
>Can be smashed if the gorilla on the other side is strong enough
>Needs a lot of power
>Can't be modified while in use for the most part


Of the Starlight being used to distort space here? Actually what energy can we sense being used/it's elemental composition?
It is using all five elements in both yin and yang, but it is not starlight. In a sense it is using the entire world to power itself up.

ok so this array must be pretty crazy if it effects the entire desert
even more so if the desert is part of the array and it actually effects everything outside it
which I think it does because this is the only place the stars are the way we remember so logically we can assume time has passed so much outside that the stars moved noticeably
this would probably take hundreds of thousands of years and I assume immortals usually reincarnate a lot quicker which is why we know time outside the desert is massively sped up
I assume Agate must be the one involuntarily powering it (but he might be too weak to sustain something this large)
now the question is, who would do this and why? surely not to fuck with us specifically?

anyway I say we play it safe and find Tian Langs's exit point (unless some anon has a good write in)

>>6434845
okay. So basics.

Area of effect is about a whole desert with more powerful effects close by. It's power source seems to be using the world itself, we can safely presume that this is some manner of natural Phenomenon being manipulated/Multiplied.

The time dilation works everywhere in the desert but is much more powerful the closer to the ship you get.
The points =/ core nodes are probably inside the ship, so following that line of notion, the ship is using some clever means to extend it's abilities.

>Check if the pressure and flow of Qi is being drawn down or pushed down.

Ley lines or dragon veins might be the means by which the power is extended. We can't fly up, because of pressure so great.

But if we can find the extender effect we can work backwards or force ourselves through.

>>6435265
>Check if the pressure and flow of Qi is being drawn down or pushed down.
The Qi flowing from the dragon lines is drawn up, while that from the air is being pulled into the distortion cluster.
The direction of Qi changes erratically and accelerates/decelerates as it moves between distortions.
There is no apparent pattern that comes to mind.


>We can't fly up, because of pressure so great.
You are able to hover over the ground for short periods of time, however, the top height for this is about 5 Zhang (About 15m, or 49-50 ish jade beauty feet for freedom eagle empire dwellers).

>>6435416
Hmm. Apply some starlight Qi to the formation, maybe try and bond it with some other type of qi?
Anyway, use that as a means to trace and follow the path of the QI.

it might just not accept the QI, but it's being powered by all five elements, this shit isn't exactly picky.

if we can map out the distortions locations we might also be able to just. . walk through it.
But treating with greater respect the nature of the defences it might adapt.

>>6435511
You gather some starlight into the tip of your finger and send it towards the distortion cluster, where it purifies and eventually mixes with the complete Qi that is being drawn and circulated. You follow the changes it experiences for about an incense stick’s worth of time before it is expelled.


It feels like each individual distortion it passes through tries to pull the Qi into itself rather than let it reach the center, the ship or whatever else it may be. The pull from the distortions is also weak individually, but by being placed in very specific locations, an equilibrium is reached.


The Qi is rotated and passed around from one distortion to another, the speed of your Qi increases exponentially until it is sent out at a different “point” within this section of the desert. Most of the Qi you send in ends up finding its way outside, but a fraction of starlight finds its way deeper into the cluster than anything else, where your connection to it is completely cut off, you don’t have a way to tell if it was also expelled or if it is still inside the cluster.
The acceleration is happening when things move between distortions, while the deceleration happens whenever something moves towards the central point, having to go against the combined force of the cluster.


Mapping a route seems possible if you can determine what’s happening in the center and account for it.

>>6435579
I'm sure I can find something but nothing is popping out at me despite hours of pondering my orb.

Most of the energy isn't being absorbed. It's being expelled to maintain an effect or rejected.

If we can use our own control of qi, it should be relatively easy to slow down the acceleration of Qi and use the hold we have on it like a. . . Like a long stick we can use to check for a landmine. Just following the trail, and pulling out energy back when it would start to out pace our ability to keep up.

Might run into an issue of the energy being too slow to reach the next point. But we can probably accelerate it ourself or poison a node so the residue is carried.

>>6436233
So you'd like to carefully control your Qi to explore the formation's insides, and maybe try to take over one of the distortions to help you regulate the speed of your... Borescope, for lack of a more suitable term?
Give me a 2d20, the first roll for what information you can get, second your success at hijacking the node.

Rolled 2, 17 = 19 (2d20)

>>6436290

Rolled 11, 9 = 20 (2d20)

>>6436290
>Not sure if this is a best of 3, but just in case it is

Rolled 5, 2 = 7 (2d20)

>>6436290

Rolled 18, 16 = 34 (2d20)

>>6436290
Woot

>>6436335
Yes it was, locking, update soon.

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You sit down, placing Jinwu on your lap and Tian Lang on hers, the Star Sentinel Armor extends to ease the pressure on the young girl, while the automaton returns to sleep as you close your eyes. You put more divine sense into a larger mass of starlight and send it into the distortion field, resisting the momentum of the Qi that has already been captured earlier and the pull from each node, this time the flow has a hard time redirecting the piece of Qi to the outside, and you’re actually able to do a full cycle within the formation after some time.


You get a rough idea of the structure and purpose, with a second cycle you can see two places of interest, in the third cycle you determine the best way to proceed is to poison or erode one of the nodes and in the fourth you [Array eroding, DC 16 | Rolled 18] successfully erode a smaller node with your starlight and divine sense.


Not needing to actively resist the acceleration, you analyze this node and then organize your findings. Based on the node you’re resting in, and your observations you… Investigation | Rolled 18


Array Structure
You were able to determine the structure of this array, it is a three level formation that you scribble on the sand with your physical body (cross section in attachment).

- There are a total of 217 nodes
-37 do most of the work
- The remaining 180 are small supporting parts, you have taken control of one such small node (purple dot near the bottom, rest not pictured to avoid clutter)
- The first level is formed by Four nodes, each pointing to a cardinal direction, with a fifth larger one located in the sky. (Blue and Indigo)
- The second level is formed by eight nodes, these are set at an angle that covers any gaps the first level leaves. (Teal)
- The third level is made up of 24 nodes that are also doing something different to the first two.


Node functionality
-Every node is a separate array in itself, their sizes vary from house size (your current location) to that of a mountain (the point in the sky)
-The main purpose of each point is to “Compress Space”, ”Expand Space" and “Accelerate Space”. Since “Space” is being acted upon, the complexity, size and energy requirements of every point are beyond that of a common array.


You counted about 17 layers within the node you’re in, the larger ones likely have more to them, changing things inside will be incredibly hard and may compromise the stability of the whole thing.


1st - 2nd layer
- The first two levels serve to capture anything trying to reach the center, create a path by altering space between themselves, and accelerate whatever enters back outside, similar to altering the course of a river.
- This runs indefinitely and there are no pauses in the process.

>>6436706
3rd layer
This level is heavily compressing and anchoring a single point in the center of the array, the skeleton of a mountain sized ape, the smallest bones are the size of a building, and every part of the remains is scarred by starlight. A dark orb, the size of a hill sits in the chest, distorting the surroundings and twisting the ape’s figure, sometimes nothing but the orb is seen, sometimes you’re able to get a glimpse of the ape’s living body as it wears a buddhist priest’s robe.


It is also sending about a thousand cloudy chains towards a point off the center, where the City Ship and Agate are at. The chains pulsate with the rhythm of a heartbeat and seem to be absorbing his soul and the life force left inside the amber.


This array would be a perfect “dead end”, something you can only go in by manipulating it or destroying it as a whole, but that was resolved by Tian Lang rushing out. She has left a gap in the first level by destroying a node, and damaged another in the second, which will allow for navigation inside.


Entering from a different point and navigating to the damaged section will require your group to endure the forces of compression, expansion and acceleration. Starlight can help with this at the cost of a divine sword, or all the non divine ones plus the remaining gemstone and most of the starlight within your body.


Undoing the array will require you to take over at least a third of all nodes, then you can either destroy them or deactivate them, however you’re not sure what will happen with the skeleton.


Locating her point of exit to spend as little time inside the array as possible will need you to move both around the array and outside this specific zone until you’re able to “fly” into it.


>Navigate the inside
>>You will sacrifice one of the two divine blades (Choose between Green and Indigo), no DC.
>>You’d rather let go of the gemstone, the swords and limit your immediate combat power instead. Roll a D100 (DC for safe passage is 45)


>Try messing with the array, Roll 1d200
>>Just create a gap for a moment so you can sneak in (DC 150)
>>Create a temporary gap and undo Agate’s Chains (DC 160)
>>Deactivate the array as a whole (Skeleton DC 190)


>Move around the array and find Tian Lang's point of entry naturally Roll a 2d100. First roll is success, DC is 30. Second roll is the amount of years that will pass outside at a rate of 1:7 in reverse (100 = 7 years, 1 = 700 years)

>>6436709
Write ins and questions are welcome, as always.

>>6436709
>>Just create a gap for a moment so you can sneak in (DC 150)

>>6436717
You forgot your roll, junior.

Rolled 155 (1d200)

>>6436709
>>6436717
whoops
>>6436718
yes i did

Rolled 132 (1d200)

>>6436709
>Just create a gap for a moment so you can sneak in (DC 150)

Rolled 152 (1d200)

>>6436709
>Create a temporary gap and undo Agate’s Chains (DC 160)

if this is somehow a 1 I hope we can ignore it or else I feel really bad

>>6436738
Wouldn't that be funny, what do you think would go wrong? (laugh)

>>6436751
a couple millennia pass

>>6436753
Well that's one part, there's more to it huhuhu.

>>6436759
hmmmmmmmm
the ape wakes up and starts destroying everything while we're stuck
alternatively we all die and that's why a few millenia pass

>>6436760
Since I'm spoiling I won't count 1s for that choice, should we magically get more voters that choose it option AND are also unlucky.

The chains taxidermize Hua in the same way Agate is and it's up to Jinwu to cultivate and free both without support, a PoV change and a side quest at once. Clearing it resets Hua to early core formation too.
The skeleton DC is uh... rather hopeless compared to the above.

Rolled 176 (1d200)

>>6436709
>temporary gap and slip in

>>6436785
Oh yeah, we're sliding in on that shit

also, I appreciate your artistic mspaint demonstrations.

>>6436786
QM will do just about anything to not provide visuals of the quest characters.

Navigating the inside of the array with three people is too risky for your cultivation stage, even then, the situation isn’t dire enough for you to throw away your resources when there are other options available. It will take too much time outside for you to find the section of the desert where the sky is connected to Tian Lang’s point of entry, a good seven hundred years at worst. Enough for the people you know outside to live a full life of cultivation or two, for the fall of a clan like the Vermillion Bird’s or for Zhou’s map to undergo drastic changes.


Messing with the array and undoing it is tempting, but you’re not sure if that is the best idea after seeing that the city-ship is not the actual focus point, without having enough information on that skeleton there’s also the chance the transformations go out of control and the space in the desert is further distorted. These chains don’t seem like something that was meant to be an initial feature either, whoever was able to modify the nodes in the inner level could not go all the way and did a haphazard job.


Just looking at them and knowing their function and how they are binding Agate makes you think twice about messing with them from this side. The most effective way to deal with an engraved immortal is to not let them die, if Agate is left as is then he will remain functionally dead without the ability to naturally recover, disassembled like a toy within that Amber box until something tips the scales… If you mess up this close to the source of such an arrangement, you’ll most likely be getting Jinwu killed again and sentencing yourself and Tian Lang to imprisonment.


Taking over a node was good enough, making a temporary gap for your group to go inside is also good enough. With these thoughts in mind, you fiddle with the hijacked node to adjust the compression caused by it, slightly affecting the nearby nodes as well. You then retrieve most of your divine sense back, leaving just enough to force the node to execute the command when you’re ready and pick both the girl and automaton up, making your way towards the distortion field isn’t even that arduous, the spatial compression naturally pulls you in and you reach your planned entry point a little faster than you expected.

>>6436795
The air is hot, cooking the sand below into a bright red goo as the pressure pushing down on you also intensifies, it is now pushing the starlight flowing from your body to the floor and partially dispelling the Star Sentinel Armor, you take but a moment to execute the command, but this is enough time for Jinwu’s chest to be pushed in. The girl finds herself having trouble breathing at all, looking at you with a panicked expression and mutters your name amidst the pain, pushing more air out of her lungs in a panic.


”Hu..a…”


The space the three of you are in is immediately compressed, and you’re yanked up into the distortion field, its insides are devoid of air and hot enough to ignite the outer layer of starlight and partially melt Lang’s strange armor. She wakes up and attempts to shield Jinwu once she notices her worsening condition. You’re pulled in past the first and second levels by the time one can count to forty, the hijacked points acting as a slingshot that shoots you towards the depths of the formation at a speed that surpasses the repulsion from the third level, a speed and repulsion that further push the air out of Jinwu’s lungs.


The whole ordeal is before one can count to a hundred, and you find yourself flying parallel to a few of the cloudy chains faster than an early heaven axis cultivator, you have to call on the seven swords, placing them ahead of you and using Summer Bridge with six of them to avoid a collision. Landing is a success if one is to ignore the gaping, melted hole the size of a house in the floor of the ship and the damage to nearby structures from the shockwaves of your attack… Shockwaves that give Jinwu’s poor lungs another shaking and cause her to let out a muted groan whenever you fire. Tian Lang confirms the current position and makes a simple request before sleeping again.


”Daddy Bai, please place me down in the recovery vat near the other Divine Entity.”


”Huuu…Hic Ugh… Uguuuhaaaah!!” Jinwu is finally able to breathe again, and the first thing she does is break down in tears, the face that had turned purple inside the formation and was recovering its color finds itself turning blue again, this time because she can’t stop crying as she clings to your clothes.


Agate is pretty close, you can actually get there by just walking if you place Jinwu down, or you could fly and reach him faster.


You might want to write in a way to try to help her calm down a little, or some words and…
>Place Jinwu down and give her some time, you’ll walk there.
>Just fly there, she’ll have all the time she needs when you arrive.

>>6436796
>Place Jinwu down

>Just hug the girl until she feels better, she has to breathe eventually. If she doesn't. . uhhh, Maybe use some robust improvised pressure point therapy [Slap her on the back and reset her brain by saying something so stupid she does a double take]

>>6436796
>Place Jinwu down and give her some time, you’ll walk there.

>>6436796
>>6436798
+1
has some dad energy

>>6436798
sure lets do that

File: 1753558237207558.png (1.74 MB, 1362x1155)

1.74 MB PNG

>>6436798
>[Slap her on the back and reset her brain by saying something so stupid she does a double take]
Locking, update soon.

>>6437102
The girl’s legs give out the moment her feet touch the floor and her petite frame half dangles as she clings to your shirt. You kneel down and give her a hug, it takes some time before she breathes again just to continue crying, you slap her back to get her attention.


”I’ll tell you something interesting. The two types of methods are Sword and Fist. All techniques fall into these two categories.
Guang City’s Orchid Garden? Sword Method.
The Dragon Race’s innate Dragon Breath? Fist Method.
The Underworld’s Book of Judgement and Punishments? All Sword Methods.
Despite needing a sword to be used and having ‘Sword’ in its name, the legendary Sword of Infinite Light is a Fist Method.”


Jinwu’s crying stops for a moment as she tries to process your words with a puzzled look, seizing that chance, you take a water gourd from your artifact and pass it to her. ”Th-that doesn’t make sense?” She protests in a coarse voice while taking a big swig, her breathing relaxing just a little.


You let go of her and sit by her side, massaging her back and tapping two pressure points near her shoulders to help stabilize her blood flow. The two of you spend a long time looking towards the desert in the horizon, the wind running through the ship’s ruins in silence and Jinwu’s sobbing are the only things that break the silence.


”Feeling better now?”


”...a little.”


”That’s good, the place we’re heading to will be cooler, with plenty of shade. You can rest as much as you want there, just know that the friend I’m meeting is more or less dead for now so looking at him may be difficult.” For a child that has yet to witness the uglier side of life, seeing Agate in his current state will no doubt be a negative experience in its own.


”I’ll be fine!” She wipes her tears and washes her face, finishing the gourd’s contents in two gulps before jumping on her feet with a mischievous smile. ”Hehe Even if I’m not fine, I know you can’t just leave me to suffer.”


”Silly girl, let's get going then.” You rise in turn and walk side by side through a large, wide road that parts the ruined buildings in this part of the ship into two major sections. The buildings come in all sizes and widths, however the entire place manages to be quite homogenous when seen from afar. You converge with the chains at the entrance of the building Agate is sealed in, the buddha’s undying remains are exposed for the world to see.


At least that was what you were expecting, the crystal is covered by a thick curtain of a vivid yellow colored mist, just like the color of Agate’s soul. ”Amitabha, Sir Hua leaves and returns within a shichen, bringing with him the owner of this vessel and a most esteemed guest. How unexpected, how fortuitous, what a splendid day!”


”You saw it?” You ask, considering the accommodation he is doing despite being in such a miserable condition.

>>6437239
”This humble student could not help it, for you three arrived within the range of my divine sense. I cannot bear to subject someone innocent to such a horrible sight, and besides, it is not every day that one is able to witness the Crimson War God himself showing piety and love like that.” He did see it, Agate is speaking to both of you through a voice transmission technique.


Were he to have flesh and bones in this moment, you are certain he would be wearing a smile from ear to ear full of delight with a smidge of mockery. Jinwu on the other hand looks confused, having already prepared for a gruesome sight only to be faced by a bunch of smoke.


”Huh, why is he talking about the Crimson War God out of nowhere?”


”Ah… My apologies, Sir Hua, I was not aware. Let us discuss how to resolve this predicament of mine, shall we?” He’s quick on the uptake after realizing Jinwu is unaware of your identity, changing the subject as naturally as he would recite the heart sutra.


”I merged my soul and dao with the world to keep it from collapsing, my physical body destroyed by that entity’s power. After the stabilization was completed, my soul and consciousness should have both naturally dissipated.”


”Fulfilling the requirements to reappear, yet you’re still here.”


”Yes, my remains were recovered and merged with this piece of amber from a celestial lacquer tree, its poison preventing my physical body from regenerating… The chains that bind me are the more troublesome part, they are draining my soul’s vitality just enough to keep me alive and in place, they are something that can only be broken by me too.”


And without a physical body, a strong enough divine sense or anything to rely on, he is unable to break the stalemate.


Tian Lang is placed on the same pool of red fluid she had been slumbering in and her armor quickly melts away, the mixture flows into her body and she remains asleep. ”The array that these chains are connected to is focused on an ominous skeleton a ways away from this location. The chains trapping you were added to it later, I didn’t have the room to mess with things beyond creating a gap to reach this place.”


”A wise choice, Sir Hua’s talents lie in a different field after all, but ominous you say?”


”The array outside is no small matter, it is ominous in our level.”


”That is something we should look into once I have returned. I see these solutions barring the destruction of the array itself.”

Dumbass QM forgets his trip episode.

>>6437240
One is to destroy the amber, this would also kill Agate and allow him to return, but you’re not sure at what point in time it will occur, it is also a waste since you’re going to spend time in the city anyways.


Possession, if Agate’s soul can inhabit someone else’s body, it should be possible for him to break the chains by himself. The issue is, possessing you is suicide because the starlight in your body will sublimate his soul. Jinwu’s cultivation is too shallow to break the chains, and according to him, Tian Lang’s structure does not allow for possession.

A buddhist monk possessing someone else like a devil is also an issue in itself, but ultimately something both of you are willing to overlook because of the situation.


”Lastly would be for Sir Hua to use the Annihilation Advancement on the chains… But the cultivation stage is an issue once again.”


In short: Kill agate, work with Agate to raise Jinwu’s cultivation and allow him to possess her, find a way to use the Annihilation Advancement, or figure out the deal with the skeleton so you can destroy the array.


Well, he’s not accounting for the two divine swords, your recent attainment in the fields of rituals and artifact creation either so it’s not like things are set on stone.


Choose one:
Focus on raising Jinwu’s cultivation. Training subquest, mechanics will be explained if chosen.
>write-in to get her consent, the possession matter shouldn’t take long once it happens.


If your body is strong enough you should be able squeeze a single step of the Annihilation Advancement without instantly dying. It is a more immediate solution.
>You’ll redo the body refining, removing the false guardian constellations and opening the right pressure points.
>>Choose two between: Left Arm (White Tiger), Right Arm (Azure Dragon), Chest (Black Turtle, Back (Vermillion Bird) | Roll 2d20, Vermillion bird is guaranteed success, Azure Dragon will have a -5 to its roll


If it is a stage issue then you’ll break through to golden core
>Explore the city’s surface and look for places to set up | Roll a d20
>>A giant ritual array
>>Multiple small ritual arrays


The real issue is the array
>Study the skeleton from a safe distance and see what you can discern | Roll a d20 (anything you want to check in specific?)

OR
>Write-in

Rolled 13, 4 = 17 (2d20)

>>6437241
Possess her? No, we've already killed her and used her soul for a material binding. We are not doing this crap again. That's right out.

>Correct our Body refining [Vermillion Bird, White tiger]
We should really do this anyway. One is an auto success, the other is closest to our nature.

Rolled 18, 19 = 37 (2d20)

>>6437241
>Correct our Body refining [Vermillion Bird, White tiger]
I would otherwise go with cultivating, but we should be able to do that after Agate is freed too

>>6437320
Cultivating is mostly the issue of time. Once we can leave the time distortion effects, we can cultivate to our hearts content without the whole of the Guang city being wiped out by age.

>look inside
>almost a god roll
>tiger
Huh, do you guys like LEGACIES?

>>6438169
I dont know what you mean by 'legacies' but it sounds good to me
normally I dont roll that high and I am legitimately afraid of a 1 every time since I have a really bad track record of rolling them

>>6438171
I trusted in the votes and rolls and decided not to join in just for such a fear myself.

>>6438171
An inheritance someone leaves behind for others, free shit, etc.
And now for the game of spamming posts.

”Let’s refrain from using possession, Agate. Her being here to begin with is something that happened because I did wrong to her.”


”This humble student must apologize, to consider such methods is certainly a failure to my vows.”


”I have been experimenting with refining my body since returning, I believe I can use the Annihilation Advancement to some extent once I fix a few mistakes.”


”Bearing the backlash with the physical body I can understand. But why not cultivate to Golden Core first? Even with my divine sense limited, I can tell sir is close to breaking through.”


”Once we can do something about the distortions, I have connections outside that are not immortal.”


You take your shirt off and sit a ways away from Tian Lang, Agate and Jinwu, going through the practiced motions. Using some water to wash your arms and torso, shaping starlight into three sets of seven needles. The first step is to clear the points that have already been unlocked from their resonances, that of the Vermillion bird and the White Turtle, to do this is practically re-sealing the pressure points that were used in the first place.


Jinwu and Agate’s gazes pierce through your concentration, but you have enough experience in this process by now to let your mind wander a little so it is not much of an issue. Agate is curious about your refining method no doubt, Buddhist monks being one of the few groups to have their own records and techniques for this process. Jinwu’s gaze on the other hand is, well, filled with a less transcendent kind of curiosity.


The seven needles meant to undo the White Turtle of the East are inserted one by one in your right arm with a little resistance, though there is no pain as the points are already unlocked, you can still feel a prickly sensation and the body itself reacts involuntarily. Tendons tense and muscles twitch, while the blood vessels tighten slightly and qi begins to gather on each needle.


This turns the needles into seven murky white pieces of steel, the color is ugly and evokes a feeling of vexation, not any different to having a freshly washed white robe splattered with mud. Right before you remove the last needle, the mangled cry of a beast is heard as the points are closed. The two observers exchange the simplest self introductions and find a ground for discussion on your refining method.

>>6438216
The second arrangement, formerly Azure and now Vermillion Bird is a completely different experience, the needles slide right in, the qi turns each needle pure vermillion and you only feel the closing of the pressure points, as well as drops of sweat forming in the arm due to the heat of the qi and needles leaving you a little chilly by the end. The qi in these needles creates a link with Jinwu and they inch their way towards her, something that necessitates you to physically stop them by holding them in your left hand.


Once your arms are done twitching and sweating, you move on to unlocking the pressure points in the back by resonating with the vermillion bird, using the infused needles. Since these points were locked, the pain that amplifies with each needle is present, yet it is greatly reduced by the qi’s overflowing vigor and yang energy. While the itching in your back subsides, you catch a little of their conversation.


”Us monks normally begin from the outside, things like repeatedly striking objects against the skin or applying special ointments. Then come things like tattoos, or inserting treasures into the flesh.”


”Isn’t all of that painful though? Why even bother?”


”For us it serves to temper the mind, it helps us better understand physical pain and sympathize with those who suffer it, so we call it the ‘Way of Hardship’. It does have its benefits in combat, but combat should be the last recourse for a monk.”


”Huum, so he’s just doing it for the combat benefits.”


”Most likely, but to think he would use acupuncture was unexpected. If his needles err he will risk damaging the nerves or the blood vessels, even poisoning himself since he’s using starlight… Sir Hua never fails to surprise.”
You feel the starlight circulate through the meridians in your back, whenever it reaches the unlocked points, it is empowered by the Vermillion Bird’s freedom and flows into every part of your body.


It is now time to resonate with another true guardian, of the remaining three, the Azure Dragon will prove difficult because of your dissonance, and the Black Warrior will no doubt bolster your defensive capabilities, however you need as much offensive power as you can get if you are to break agate’s chains, and also to stand against the Liu elders outside.


That leaves the White Tiger of the West, which stands opposite to the Dragon and represents bravery, intuition, vision, focus and Metal. You hold the last set of needles in your right hand, then insert the first needle to unlock the Legs mansion and…

>>6438217
Rolled 19


Rumble rumble rumble rumble
---------------------------------------------

You find your consciousness standing inside a palace on the summit of a mountain. You have never been here before, but you can instinctively tell the name of these locations. Bai Hua (白花) stands in Mount Hua (华山), before the empty throne of the White Sovereign (白帝), who is fighting not too far away.


”Liu Yunqi, have you gone mad!? To fight me or our elders is one thing, but to directly attack the Tranquil Equinox Palace! What the hell are you doing!!” The White Sovereign stands on top of a pile of corpses, the uniforms matching his own and others that you recognize are from the Vermillion Bird clan.


”You dare play dumb, Old Monster Bai? Who else would be brazen enough to kill my little Jinwu, steal the Aspect and hide it for sixty years!?”


”I’ve been telling you that we had nothing to do with that! We’ve even provided you with manpower for the last thirty years to aid the search! And you, Yichen, the moment the dragons in Clear Sky Temple go quiet you Azure children become the loudest in the continent!!”


”Bai Jiyun Bai Jiyun, you only have your White Tiger Clan to blame for this. There is still time to reason with Old Liu here, you hand over the Aspect and we let bygones be bygones. My Sen clan will even pay for the reconstruction of the palace. A middle aged man in disheveled robes stands parallel to the Liu man, his long spear impaling a member of the Bai family with an elegant uniform.


”Haha… And the people you have killed today? Will you let our clan repopulate with your daughters, you bastard? I have two sons so it is only right I get to use your wife as well!” Bai Jiyun answers through clenched teeth, the grip on his sword slowly cracking the handle.


”I try to give you some face and this is how you repay me. Listen, you decrepit old fart, you and I both know what will happen to all of us if the Aspect can’t be found and offered, just hand it over, you want my wife? I’ll have her in your chambers tonight if you return the Aspect to the Liu.”

>>6438218
”I keep telling you, we did not kill the vessel and we do not have the Aspect! You know this much, your men have already taken over the palace and are ransacking it aren’t they!?”


”This isn’t going anywhere, Senior Yunqi. Do you believe Wu's intelligence was off?”


The Vermillion man does not answer, instead speaking to the White ”Then hand over your Aspect, the offering must be made in one way or another. When the Tiger’s time comes, we’ll offer the Bird.”


”Right… Then you younglings will have to experience the punishment.”


”You wouldn’t dare!” The Vermillion elder yells, and the White elder answers ”You were stupid enough to send yours out, why shouldn’t I be smart enough to hide ours outside?”


Liu Yunqi waves his fan and the fire destroying the mountain intensifies, those who were already burning are reduced to bones, while those who were not are slowly converted into burning ashes. Bai Jiyun swings his blade and a gust of metallic wind opposes the conflagration.


”Is riding on her coattails all you can do ever since you got a glimpse of the next level? Very well I too caught a glimpse of that summit, let this old man teach you kids!” The White Sovereign tosses the sword aside and forms a hand sign, all the muscles in his body increase in size, his Qi explodes in power and he coughs up a mouthful of blood.


Sen Yichen, the Azure Dragon person tosses the corpse in his spear aside and prepares his fighting stance, shaking his head like it is a pain to even be here, while the Vermillion Bird rises into the sky and begins to prepare a rain of mystical arts.


When the White Tiger “Unsheathes” his claws, the milky white qi begins to turn red as his Original and Split souls ignite. He alone stands against many of the other two clans.

>>6438220
A low arm thrust followed by a wide upwards slash, his fist runs through two core formation fighters at once and tears them in half. Sundering Claws


All of my life, I have fought the Azure Dragons


The earth in front of him is uplifted with a single kick, and ten foundation establishment warriors are crushed under the piece of the palace that was flung their way. Megalith


Be it with sticks and rocks, be it in our poetry exchanges, be it business, be it love, be it the battlefield.


A golden core elder of the Vermillion Bird clan uses a palm technique on the White warrior, only to be hit with an airborne claw strike, smashing into the floor and being crushed by a heavy stomp. Hunter's Fang


When we destroyed them, and when we were destroyed by them


When he is piled on by a human wave of the Azure Dragon, his body run through and cut apart by a wall of spears, a burst of fiery Qi around him serves as a momentary barrier, and he crushes, tears and splits body after body with a series of sliding kicks that start low and end with a powerful high kick, sending a corpse into a collision course with Liu Yunqi. Towering Flame | Dancing Divine Kick


Every day, for six hundred years I have stood parallel to their blood, parallel to their creed.


Liu Yunqi’s mystical art is at the verge of completion while Sen Yichen, who just pierced Bai’s heart with his spear, has his skull caught in the tiger’s claw. The middle aged spearman’s body is restrained by a violent surge of Qi for an instant, enough for his body to be dragged across the destroyed palace’s floor and then thrust against the mountain with enough force to demolish it. Splintering Thrust


The Azure Dragon prince meets a miserable end as a dark stain in the crushed mountain. The Vermillion Bird completes his mystical art, and a rain of Vermillion Birds falls upon Mount Hua, exterminating all life in it.


Bai, who opposes the dragons. Bai, whose sword grew dull and broke in battle. Bai, who rampaged in an effort to protect. Bai, surrounded by the remains of those he cherished. Bai, standing in the burning ruins of his homeland, unknowingly repeats a series of events as if performing a ritual… And connects to the Crimson War God’s engraving.

>>6438221
To the summit who I have only glimpsed at in the fiercest battles.


He “Unsheathes” his claws once more, performing the first Annihilation Step. His Qi is enhanced by the nature of Destruction to its limit and turns a deep crimson that momentarily defies the pull of the underworld. Until the Islands are Sunk, and the Rakshasas slain, he will not die.


I offer this humble Divine Warrior Style


A flurry of claw swipes, punches and kicks, the Roar of the Mad King meets the rain of mystical arts head on and tears them apart, after an instant that may feel like an eternity, the destruction of Mount Hua is prevented. Liu Yunqi’s robes are torn and bloodied, the man is missing an arm and can only retreat in terror while holding the stump with his hand.


Bai Jiyun falls to his knees, his body devoid of liquid blood and instead surrounded by a cloud of it, vessels torn and meridians shattered, bones ground to dust and organs liquefied; Embraces death, after having put a single foot into the domain of immortals by pure coincidence.


”Sha Mu… My little Lotuses (莲)… Please live on…”
You have learned the Divine Warrior fighting style. An overbearing martial art with explosive offensive power, the moves are simple, primal in nature and fully compatible with the dao of Starlight, you may use this style independently at any time, or in conjunction with the basic moves of the Sevenfold Light Stellar Sword Style, at the cost of a reduction to their overall power.


-------------------------------------------------------

You’re brought back to your physical body in the desert by a sharp pain in your left arm, all mansions of Legs, Bond, Stomach, Head, Net, Turtle Beak and Three Stars have been successfully unlocked, and the White Tiger of the West fully resonates with your body.


”...”


Agate referred to Jinwu as a “Most Esteemed Guest” just now, he must know something
>Write in any other questions you may want to ask Agate


And


You’re ready to break the chains, choose one of the steps of your Annihilation Advancement.
>The first, Slay the Rakshasas and sink the Islands
>The second, Burn the seas and cleave the Seven Ranges
>The third, Sunder the Asura and crush the Great mountain
>The fourth, Exterminate the Four Greats and Conquer the Thirty Three heavens
>The fifth, Execute the King and Gather Mount Meru
>The sixth, Shatter the Heavens and March beyond Nirvana.


For this you will use
>The swords (choose an offensive move) (Roll a 1d100+25)
>You feel like testing the Divine Warrior style (Choose a move) (Roll a 1d100+20)


Or
You can still prepare a little longer
>(Write-in)

>>6438223
Divine Warrior Style Moves
>Sundering Claws
>Megalith
>Hunter's Fang
>Towering Flame
>Dancing Divine Kick
>Splintering Thrust
>Roar of the Mad King

Rolled 7 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>6438215
I was wondering if you were referencing the TV show, lol

>>6438223
>The third, Sunder the Asura and crush the Great mountain
>You feel like testing the Divine Warrior style (Choose a move) (Roll a 1d100+20)
>Sundering Claws
Sundering is breaking things apart, this is perfect.

Rolled 37 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>6438223
>For agate: "What do you know of the aspects of the 4 heavenly guardians? their purpose and point."

>Third step, Sunder Asura and crush the mountain.
>Test divine warrior style, Hunters fang
It's a areal attack and downwards stomp.

Rolled 9 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>6438223
>What do you know about this Aspect business?

>The third, Sunder the Asura and crush the Great mountain
>Sundering Claws

>>6438235
>>6438240
>>6438255
what in the Gosh dang.

Fuck it, I'm calling in the reserves, this shit is unreal

Rolled 22 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>6438223
>The third, Sunder the Asura and crush the Great mountain
>Sundering Claws

Now no one can see Mount Tao

Rolled 3 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>6438223
Agate somehow knows already that she is an Aspect
Lets ask him how he knows that, what an Aspect is and if there are others/how many there are

>The third, Sunder the Asura and crush the Great mountain
>Sundering Claws

Let me show you guys how to roll high which will surely happen

>>6438294
>rolls the lowest
well its back to my old luck I see

Rolled 24 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>6438255
+1
Hope I can roll been trying but ip blocked.
Also thought we could create a talisman and stuff his soul inside like in the first story.

Rolled 13 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

ok

Rolled 45 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

You people are awful at this.

>>6438223
Just take the L.

(Raughs)

>>6438305
>Also thought we could create a talisman and stuff his soul inside like in the first story.
If you mean the silver sword saint putting her soul in a sword then no, the chains will follow and latch onto anything his soul is residing in.

>>6438310
Wtf is this 8 sub 50 rolls?

Rolled 26 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>6438223
>>6438255 +1
This lurker is doing his part

Rolled 88 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>The third, Sunder the Asura and crush the Great mountain
>Sundering Claws
psh, easy

Woah that's a lot of rolls.

>>6438415
funny things happen when you dare the QTG to try their luck.

You’d wash the impurities off, or at least wipe the sweat off your body, but what is the point if you’ll be straining your body right after anyways? You stand up and walk outside the building, following some the chains that are connected to Agate’s prison.


”Is something the matter? We could pool our efforts if you need assistance with body refining.”


”I’m ready to break the chains. Jinwu, get behind Agate” Jinwu follows your instruction and Agate is clearly thrown off, asking you in return. ”Wait, just like that Sir Hua?” You ignore him for now, there are questions that must be asked later.


The Annihilation Advancement is a set of blade techniques, but their principles can be applied without a cutting weapon.


The first step consists of “Unsheathing” the weapon to start a ritual, amplifying one’s destructive nature to its limit. The ritual itself is the act of slaying and destroying the enemy, due to the amplification, one’s connection to the cycle of life is temporarily destroyed.


The second step consists of igniting one’s qi and maximizing cutting power. The third step maximizes breaking and crushing. The fourth step amplifies momentum. The fifth maximizes attraction and forcefully connects to the underworld with their strikes. And the sixth step temporarily destroys the user's connection between Heaven, Earth and Man.


The simplicity is what makes them a set of powerful techniques, but it comes at the cost of requiring a deep understanding of each principle, being somewhat limited in their scope, and requiring a massive amount of vitality and qi. If the fifth step is used in foundation establishment, attraction is pushed to the limit of what that stage can achieve, and the connection to the underworld is also relatively weak, but the backlash is relatively the same across all stages. One just doesn’t have the energy or vitality to endure it early on.
Since Agate is chained up, it’s only logic to break the chains apart. You accelerate your consciousness, ignite all the starlight in your body and circulate that qi at maximum capacity with the intent to “Sunder” and “Crush” the world. As it passes through the left arm, its flow becomes increasingly forceful and begins to damage your tissues, the rate at which your body breaks down is somewhat kept in check by the vitality the Vermillion Bird is granting you.


The section of the city you’re in creaks under the pressure from your crimson qi, and you take off to create some distance between Jinwu and yourself. Once you’re outside the city, you let your body repeat the motions of the style that was offered by Bai Jiyun.

>>6438623
Chain Array Integrity DC 61 | Rolled 108


You thrust your right arm and reach for the thousand-odd chains with your open hand and divine sense, the mist-like substance tries to escape between your fingers, but the maximized power compresses the mist into a single solid object in your grasp. It sports a great density, and you have to put all of your strength to be able to twist the chain, every pulsation saps your energy at an alarming rate. When you manage to swing your arm up to complete the Sundering Claws technique, a section of the fused chain is crushed and it splits into a thousand again.


Every single one of them is broken in the same link, and this damage spreads upwards towards the space twisting array with relative ease. The sound of snapping metal drowns out the howling winds, and thanks to your temporarily amplified senses, you’re able to perceive the destruction. When the chains reach the transformation points the mist they were composed of explodes and damages the array at an unexpected scale.


A loud thundering sound can be heard in the distance beyond the edge of this space, followed by a wall of wind and sand that pushes in the direction of the city. You can see how the wind is devoured by the dark sphere in the giant skeleton’s chest before you’re smacked in the face by the storm, and end up crashing into the building you came from, losing consciousness in the position you landed.


—---------
”Jinwu, are you alive?” Inside the building a dune of sand speaks, you can't get it off you.


”I’ve got sand in my nose and it feels horrible!” Jinwu’s arm pokes out from the sand like a vengeful spirit before she pushes the sand away with her qi. ”It’s in my mouth too!”


With the background noise of a girl spitting at a speed that rivals your Summer Bridge’s firing rate, you extend a question to the other mound of sand in the room through divine sense. ”Agate… What do you know about the aspects of the four guardians?”


”That is a rather obscure topic, Sir Hua. Fortunately I do have some knowledge in this matter.” The sand surrounding Agate’s coffin shapes itself into a cocoon, and earth qi is gathered in large volumes inside.


According to Agate, the aspect of the heavenly guardians is a concept that he and another immortal, Shama, came across in ancient texts during your generation. The records they found explained that when the laws of the world and the balance of Heaven-Man-Earth are disrupted, the four heavenly guardians will physically manifest to address the disruption and restore the natural balance.

>>6438624
”Back then we also reviewed many texts that included more esoteric forms of divination and navigation, so we were unsure if the texts were accurate. After all, the world in our generation was also a mess and they never appeared.” While some claimed the guardians would appear as beasts, others claimed that they would be a person who embodies the guardian’s characteristics and borrows their power and is meant to be sacrificial offerings.


It will take you a turn or two to recover from the backlash, until then you’re unable to cultivate, or move much in general. You may be able to walk and float around a little, but you won’t be able to do much else. Agate is in the middle of regenerating his body but is conscious, Tian Lang’s vat absorbs any sand that settled on it, she remains asleep. And Jinwu is practicing the dances she learned from the Sand Jade Scarab Tribe.


>Spend some time on your own (write in)
>Spend some time with Jinwu (write in)
>Spend some time with Agate (write in)

>>6438625
>Spend time with Jinwu [Help her out with practice by pointing out flaws to correct, Ask her about her ancestor bird and it's relation to her clan, Inquire about her thoughts on body conditioning]

>>6438625
so judging by the core of the ape skeleton behaving like a black hole I would go so far to claim that it must be a star qi cultivator
we noticed that our core is different than it should be and while that may be because of who we are it could also be because thats just how star light cores are
and the last stage of a star core would naturally be a black hole thoughts?
>Spend some time with Agate (tell him what we did/happened to us before our arrival at the desert and ask if anything at all happened while he was trapped here)

>>6438763
You may be onto something

>>6438625
>>6438763 +1

>>6438625
>>6438668
+1

You crazy bastards.

>>6439141
I am fine with a tie breaking roll if it gets us an update sooner

>>6439141
seconding

File: 1760252776537350.png (1.03 MB, 1096x1457)

1.03 MB PNG

My comfort chinese gacha announced it is dying and I need to escape reality, you're getting both choices as I cope with the mortality of live service games.

>>6439162
>and ask if anything at all happened while he was trapped here
In terms of the desert or outside?

>>6439168
anything of note that he was able to pick up on (so both i suppose)

The injuries ache in just the right way to make you seek some company, and there are even people you can bond with as well, something you did not have the privilege of doing in the past era. Seeing both of them you come to the conclusion, why not simply pass the time with both of them?


You wait for the moment Agate is resting and approach him, carefully placing your hand on the cocoon, and strike a conversation. ”How long do you think it will take you?”


”I’ll be able to put together a physical body in about a day or two. For my cultivation… I am not sure myself. If things were like in our era, and I also dedicate myself exclusively to recovering the lost power then reaching the immortality threshold would take at most a century if I follow the same teachings.” The voice pauses for a moment, and while he has no such thing as a “gaze” yet, you’re sure he’s looking towards the horizon.


”It’s just… I cannot bear to sit still and selfishly ignore the world just because I want to be a little stronger again, and Sir Hua’s choice to walk a different path has also given me hope and new inspiration.” If he were to follow another path it may take him a few centuries based on his choice, assuming he also performs the duties of a bodhisattva.


”It is understandable, there are things that must be done even if cultivation is slowed down because of them.” You then spend the rest of the afternoon talking about each other’s experiences in this era, though it is mostly you talking, with Agate musing about things every now and then.


”You want to know if anything happened while I was trapped? My memory is rather faint but I do recall feeling the change in the firmament before the desert was turned into what it is, then the twisting of space from a cultivator somewhat nearby, and then a large-scale distortion followed up by my sealing.” He was able to roughly estimate the revival of other immortals by using his connection to the chains and elevating his consciousness to the immortal domain for an instant, something he won’t be able to do again. After being sealed, he was fully disconnected from the outside of the desert.


The joy of being reborn in a near perfect body with a strong soul to boot when your previous life was rather mediocre. Your gambit on picking the Dao of Starlight and how you convinced and won over the Ming clan’s full support. How you were able to contain yourself when meeting a dragon for the first time. The contact with a representative of the Underworld and the change to the one disciple policy.


”That is interesting, spreading the teachings in such a way. Is the Chief Judge up to something and trying to secure a line of succession if things go awry?”

The changes to the firmament and the heavenly symbols, which he had also confirmed when you first met a few days ago. The lowered threshold for tribulations in your cultivation, and those who benefit from your starlight.


”Heavenly Rejection, it is strange that Sir Hua and his acquaintances experienced it when Starlight practitioners in our era did not.” According to Agate, Heavenly Rejection should only occur when the heavens are being directly opposed, and is something that had not occurred often back then either.


The disappearance of the Crimson Tulip from your memory. ”The few testimonies from starlight cultivators never mentioned such an occurrence being possible. It may be due to Sir Hua’s status as an immortal, but it could also be something completely different.”


That time you almost slept with a dragon, and your teaching of the Sword Canon to the Ming elicits a few chuckles from him. ”I am sure Sir Shuren will be surprised to see people using techniques based on his own, Sir Hua being the one teaching them is quite surprising as well, but not entirely unexpected.”


And lastly your actions outside Guang city, how you found Jinwu and what was done to her, the battle between the cultivators and the miracle that followed when you were able to resurrect her from what should have been a sublimated soul, and the changes to the Vermillion Bird and the girl herself.


”Amitabha… Her possessing the Vermillion Bird’s aspect likely facilitated her revival. Now, whether the person is the aspect as a whole or simply managed to reside within it, how that unknown cultivator affected it, I cannot be sure.” Agate’s response carries the usual enlightened speech at first, when he is done sharing his knowledge it changes to a more personal and harsh tone.


”Bai Hua, the taking of a life and the granting of life, these actions have very heavy karma associated with them. You may not have come to understand the latter, but I am sure you are well versed in the karma one incurs when killing.


In doing both to Miss Jinwu, you have created a deep connection of cause and effect with her, perhaps deeper than anyone else you have known in the past era and will come to know in this one. On a less transcendent level… your actions are both disappointing and reassuring, so I will choose to believe in your integrity moving forward.

The more either side tries to balance this karma, the deeper and more entangled the bond becomes. In ‘making up’ to her, she will come to ‘owe’ you, when she ‘repays’ her ‘debt’, you will also come to ‘owe’ her in turn.“ When words run out for both sides, you watch the cocoon in silence for a while before leaving, Agate speaking one last time as you walk towards Jinwu.


”Karma is something that cannot be truly nullified within samsara. Instead of running away or treating it as a transaction, why not rejoice as we deepen our bonds and share blessings with each other?”

Jinwu resumed her practice a little before you’re done talking with Agate, while she doesn’t say anything, her movements become more serious once she notices you approaching. You let her go through a cycle of all steps, those she already knew from her family as well as the ones learned from the nomad tribe, and take note of the opportunities for improvement.


The girl has enough room to chat with you as she moves about ”What were you two talking about?”


”Catching up after not seeing each other for a while, checking if something happened during the time he’s been locked up.” You answer her while noticing a gap in her third step.


”Huum, sounds boring.”


”He didn’t have much to say, so it was pretty boring. You are from the Vermillion Bird clan, but what is the real relation between the guardian and your lineage?”


”Eh? This is just what the granduncles have told me so it might not be all true? Anyways they say that we have been chosen by the heavenly guardian, and it makes our path in the dao of Fire easier than most other cultivators. Then every three hundred years or so, a member with Divine Blood is born. No matter which family the child comes from, they are acknowledged as a direct successor to the clan when it happens.”


”And the Azure Bird? Do your people have any relation to it?”


”None, you’ll get scolded if you talk about it back home, you’ll also get scolded if you try to correct someone outside the clan talking about it. Not sure why though.” Her arms are somewhat off for the Jade Scarab steps.


”That’s odd. I heard you talking with Agate about my body refining, what do you think about it?” She loses balance for a moment before turning away.


”Y-you noticed? Uh… Well, it looked pretty painful, and I don’t really get why someone would go out of their way to look for “hardship” like mister Agate said either. Rather than looking for suffering, shouldn’t you make a method that prevents it to begin with?” She’s against the idea of pain and hardship, that much you can tell.

>>6439228
”Well? What do you think?” She asks while standing a ways away from you, hands on her hips, chin raised up as she breathes heavily, beads of sweat running down her forehead and neck.


You walk up to her with the idea of pointing out the flaws and mistakes you caught, and she retreats to maintain the same distance between the two. It takes you a moment to register why… Right, she’s a young lady.


Her movements look good for a dance, but not for a fighting style. The steps lack the decisiveness that is only earned through battle, while her arms lack the fluidity needed to pivot in and out of various techniques. You could point out how she needs to move every step of the way, or you could teach her the principles she’s lacking and let her figure out how to apply them.


The former is just a matter of performing the dance steps and having her copy them, while the latter is teaching her a [Fist] method and a [Sword] method. If she can figure things out they may also help with her cultivation as a whole.


>teach her the two methods (you get to name both)
>have her copy your movements

Roll a d20+5 for Jinwu

Rolled 5 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>6439229
>teach her the two methods (you get to name both)
won't write any names now, but I'll do the roll

>>6439229
>Teach her the two methods
>Walking step and fluid arms methods

>If she complains about the names, tell her she can rename them when she's understood them.
Fundemntals fundementals, fundementals!

Rolled 11 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>6439229
>teach her the two methods (you get to name both)
>not creative enough to come up with names
>>6439241
roll please!

Rolled 7 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>6439241
>>6439318
he said A d20, but fine, fine, more fool me

>>6439324
It's a best of 3 so I need at least 3 rolls to continue. If more rolls happen by the time I check the thread, I'll take the highest of all, or a 1 if someone crit failed.

Locking btw

Jinwu sits a ways away from Hua, arms crossed and brow furrowed. She has changed to the outfit that he gave her in that strange temple as she somehow felt too stuffy with the robes the big sisters from the Sand Jade Scarab tribe gave her.


“They can use some work” he says, “it lacks decisiveness ” but it’s also “too rigid”, what is that even supposed to mean? Then when she asked what should be changed, he ignored her question and gave her two qi methods to study.


”The problems with your dance will be naturally solved when you understand these two methods.” Their names “Walking Step” and “Fluid Arms” were obviously made on the spot, and when she complained, his reply was a simple “You can rename them when you’ve understood the fundamentals”, the gall.


She had expected him to give her a demonstration, maybe figure out an easy to understand way for her to overcome the flaws just as he did for the Spiritual Point rituals, not to be given homework like this. Not even grandpa dared to give her homework, the gall.


To begin with “Fluid Arms” is a sword method, even though it doesn’t use a sword at all? While “Walking Step” isn’t a movement technique, and doesn’t even focus on one’s feet! It is somehow a fist method according to Hua. Thinking this is probably a waste of time, and that he’ll probably have to figure a dumber way later, she begrudgingly reviews each method while sitting still.


Fluid Arms: Start from the dantian, circulate qi to one’s hand and finally to the outside. The qi must reach the hand in the same amount that was dedicated, no more no less. And the Qi that leaves the hand must not be thicker than a finger, and it must be able to scratch or slice any surface she hits.


Walking Steps: Starting from the dantian, circulate qi to one’s hand and finally to the outside. At the time of release, it must be more than what was initially dedicated, and the Qi cannot take more than two breaths to leave the body.


The instructions for both methods are vague, there is no mention of which meridians are to be used, or what order, or any physical movements that can facilitate the process.


Rolled 11 + 5


It takes her some time, but once she figures out she just needs to achieve the result, she begins to experiment by herself. She is able to quickly grasp the principle behind the Walking steps, while the Fluid arms takes her two full days of near uninterrupted dancing to roughly understand. When she comes to the realization that the feeling of creating this basic sword qi is somewhat similar to that of using her mind to open her Spiritual Points, her progress makes a jump.

>>6439532
Depending on the technique, you will need to deal with some technicalities, but at their core Fist methods revolve around amassing power and quickly, forcefully pushing it outside. Through this process, the girl is able to make her steps carry the force they were missing. It is easy to understand because she is already familiar with “amassing power” from being in Qi Gathering.


Sword techniques on the other hand require refining and maintaining power. To refine is to purify and sharpen, while maintaining is to adjust, and in order to adjust, one must be able to go with the flow. The reason she had trouble with this is because she’s still getting familiar with “sharpening” and “refining”, concepts one is introduced to during Foundation Establishment.


Jinwu recalls that thing Hua told her when they had just arrived here, and she thinks to herself ”In that case, can cultivation stages also be categorized as sword or fist?


Qi Gathering is a Fist formula
Foundation Establishment a Sword one
Core Formation… Is probably Fist.
Golden Core, should be Sword maybe?
Soul Dividing, definitely Sword, I think. I mean, you have to divide, no?


”The two types of methods are Sword and Fist. All techniques fall into these two categories… What would grandpa think if he heard this?”


Jinwu’s comprehension of these principles has helped advance the opening of her remaining spiritual points; she will be able to naturally open Stainless and Jeweled City by continuing to practice these two methods. She can likely brute force Purity and Self Establishment by using the enlightenment from all other five points, but a correct opening of Purity will require her to exercise creativity consistently, while Self Establishment will need meditation on the subconscious.


Fortunately she has you and Agate close, a man who not only is a master of meditation, but also excels in creating techniques. If you work together with him, Jinwu will be able to quickly reach Core Formation.

……….

>>6439534
Five days pass in this manner, Agate spends more time within the cocoon to refine his ow
n body, while Jinwu integrates the newly named “Golden Flower’s Steps” and “White Crow’s Fluid Wings” to her dance. All she has left to fully bring her desired fighting style into existence is creating the ribbons with her flames.


”Since you taught them to me, I’ll give you half of each name, got it?” She proclaimed confidently as soon as she demonstrated results, which got a laugh out of Agate.


The spatial distortions that were disturbed by the damage to the array appear to be slowly unraveling, at this rate, you may even be able to stay in the city for a while without risking more than two centuries having passed outside, or at least it looks to be that way, you'll have to confirm things with Agate whenever he feels like getting out of that cradle.


It would seem fortune has smiled upon you!


>Explore the city’s surface and look for places to set up | Roll a d20
>>A giant ritual array
>>Multiple small ritual arrays

or
>Study the skeleton from a safe distance and see what you can discern | Roll a d20 (anything you want to check in specific? any specific way you want to try and study it?)

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>6439535
>Study the skeleton from a safe distance and see what you can discern | Roll a d20 (anything you want to check in specific? any specific way you want to try and study it?)
I'm mostly interested in the black hole

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>6439535
>Study the skeleton from a safe distance and see what you can discern | Roll a d20 (anything you want to check in specific? any specific way you want to try and study it?)
focus on its core but also try to get an idea of what kind of ape it once was

my hope is that we can learn how to either form a core like that or to avoid doing so accidentally (it seems to have great destructive potential)
so can someone please roll a 20? we haven't had one in a while

>>6439580
there I go again...
well that's what I get for asking for a 20 I suppose

>>6439580
Holy shit.

>>6439594
how bad is it?
surely nothing bad can come from just observation?
either way I'm glad we at least don't make negative progress in cultivation again

>>6439598
Well I had a "what if written" if something like this happens so you will be getting two updates in a row! That counts as good, right? Heh heh.

>>6439602
let me guess: the skeleton wakes up notices us and then decides it hates us now (which shouldn't be an issue as long as the array holds)
but maybe its even worse somehow
did I mention that I feel very bad for all the other anons that have to suffer because of my bad RNG? I have not kept count exactly but my last 20 (or 100) was about 3-4 1s ago (counting other quests)

>>6439608
You leave the building as everyone is busy with their own matters and fly out into the desert, after a while you reach a distance where the corpse's pull can almost be felt, and begin to study it with your divine sense.
The skeleton is surrounded by nothing, all the sand, the air, the Qi and even the light have been, and keep being absorbed by this sphere. It is similar to Tian Lang’s falling moon technique, but different in principle and a myriad times stronger at the least. You feel the starlight in your physical body resonate with the distortion in the center all at once, and a pull on your consciousness stronger than that of the Underworld, Agate and Clear Sky Temple’s combined.
“Why not see for yourself?” a melodious voice rings in your ears, one you have only heard once before, as you were being torn to shreds in a miserable manner like an old piece of cloth.
You’re ultimately unable to resist the force, even with the consciousness of an Immortal, and get pulled into the dark orb. You reel from the shock of the violent pulling force and find yourself falling down an abyss, the faint traces of worldly Qi and the starlight your divine sense was using as a medium are the only things you can detect as you fall for days, and then years on end. Your astral projection is still being pulled down with infinite force, and you are not quite sure if the you falling right now is the piece of divine sense or the whole of Bai Hua.


It takes seventeen thousand years of travel for you to finally catch a glimpse of other things, such as corpses of people and living beings that you do not fully recognize, fragments of weapons, all manner of life saving artifacts, remnants of mystical arts and techniques still being deployed, manuals, chronicles, logs, dairies and many, many common objects that would have only held meaning to their owners.
Further deep still are many struggling souls, trying their hardest to move upwards and leave the abyss as they cry blood and curse at the heavens. Even deeper are dormant souls, those who have tired themselves and stopped struggling, whimpering or groaning as they suffer under the attraction.


Within the endless abyss is a mostly intact small pavilion, where a tall monk robed figure sits in meditation. The figure is probably taller than the average person, about your own height and fully covered in bronze colored hair, a long prehensile tail is coiled around the figure’s waist, and their face is that of an ape. When you finally reach the pavilion, the monk opens his eyes and greets you.
“It seems that an esteemed senior who is also a junior has just entered, or perhaps I am the one who just arrived, shall we discuss the dao?”


Reborn Grandmaster quest: END
This young master is joking, Bai Hua’s quest continues even now

You may ask this buddhist ape as many questions as you want.

>write in

>>6439610
>That formatting
Mobileposting sucks ass!

>>6439610
ok its definitely worse than i imagined
you outdid yourself QM

now excuse me while I come up with some questions...

>>6439610
>what is this place?
>who are these other souls?
>who/what are you?
>is this your prison?
>who trapped you and why/when?
>can you see/perceive the outside of this place?
>is there a way back out?
>how much time will have passed outside by now?
>do you know who i am?
>what dao did/do you follow
>what cultivation stage did you reach? (maybe also ask if he knows something about the gate guardian)
>are you responsible for the false firmament?
>is that giant skeleton your body and how did it become like that?
>is the black orb in its chest your core and how did it become like that?
>why did you call me to you?
>is there something important you want to inform or teach me about?


hopefully thats not too much
Hua may be in a bad place currently, but at least we can get those juicy answers to the 2nd greatest mystery of this quest now (the 1st being what lies beyond The Gate of course)
you mentioned we heard his voice before QM. was it during our failed lake ritual? I will go to the archive and see if I got it right

>>6439640
This fits though also elaborating on our conflict of dao.

>I suspect both of us are lousy daoists, so allow me to Speak of Starlight. I follow the Way of starlight, for previously I followed the way of Swords and slaughter. The star is balanced, the star is pure, purifying and petrified. Others could use this purity to balance upon other things, the glue to bind ten thousand things but this is not mine. The star is transformative in it's purity, seperating and pairing down, this is it's strength. Old Monk Ey, What do you think?

>>6439611
Hey I really hope 17000 years just past. I really REALLY HOPE. That didn't happen. Like I'd flip out.

>what is this place?
“I believe this would be a well.”


>who are these other souls?
“Others who have fallen into this well of mine, knowingly or not.”


>who/what are you?
“I… Hm, it has been far too long since this disciple last used his dharma name, my apologies. You may refer to me in any way you want.”


>is this your prison?
“Our bodies are always prisons in and of themselves”


>who trapped you and why/when?
“I have, as for those below, they have trapped themselves, but I have also come to trap them in turn.”


>can you see/perceive the outside of this place?
“It is impossible for my perception to escape this well”


>is there a way back out?
“That I do not know, things falling here eventually disappear… Whether it is to a deeper place within the well, or outside, I am not sure.”


>how much time will have passed outside by now?
“I cannot know this, I do however know that time within this well does not hold any meaning. In a sense, there is no such thing as time inside this well.”


>do you know who i am?
“Other than instinctively knowing Senior has higher achievements as a cultivator, but less experience in this dao, no.”


>if he knows something about the gate guardian / are you responsible for the false firmament
“Senior is mentioning concepts I have never heard about or would dare ponder on before, my enlightenment is too shallow to understand their meaning.”


>why did you call me to you
“I really am unable to reach out beyond this well, if Senior was called to from the outside, it must have been someone else.
>is there something important you want to inform or teach me about?
“There is not much I can impart, other than time both existing yet being irrelevant, and the fact that there may be a natural exit, I apologize for my uselessness.”

>>6439732
”I suspect both of us are lousy daoists, I follow the Way of Starlight, for previously I followed the way of Swords and slaughter.
“Ah, a fellow practitioner of the way. To be able to meet a kindred soul is a blessing in and of itself.”
”The star is balanced, the star is pure, purifying and petrified. Others could use this purity to balance upon other things, the glue to bind ten thousand things but this is not mine. The star is transformative in its purity, separating and pairing down, this is its strength. Old Monkey, what do you think?”
”To interpret it through purity, it looks like we have different approaches… This humble apprentice was born with a body that would naturally absorb light around himself. It was not much during youth, but it intensified as time went on, and I was expelled from the pack, having to survive alone in the world, this apprentice was able to awaken consciousness and cultivate in earnest.


As my body naturally absorbed light when I could not eat, I found that the dao of the stars was a perfect match, and I learned from both daoists and buddhist priests. To this apprentice, starlight is ‘fullness’, it is ‘satiation’ and most of all ‘fulfillment’. As the monk speaks, you don’t fail to take notice that despite saying this, he has no cultivation at all.
“This humble apprentice chose to chase the perfection of ‘fulfillment’ through absorption, but the vessel would always eventually fill after a short time, leaving me both sated yet unfulfilled… So the starlight was compressed, time and time again to absorb more and more. Eventually the dantians became a golden core that allowed for stronger and more effective absorption. In my desire to consume more, this apprentice engraved the nature of destruction to his golden core and continued devouring light.”
When it came time to advance to the Heaven Axis, his core collapsed under its own mass and began to absorb everything. The monkey was unable to control the attraction force produced by his core, and was swallowed in along with the temple and his fellow monks.
The space within the well is infinitely dark, making things that hold the slightest hint of life stand out like stars. Within this darkness is a firmament of such lights below you, be it the corpses, be it the bodies and souls of those who cannot fully die. The souls of those who have lost their body, the ones who have lost the will to struggle, the items, the spells, the books and even the seemingly worthless objects hold this light of life, creating a galaxy of hope and despair.


You can feel the scattered Qi, the torn light, even though this is a well of infinite nothingness, the five elements, yin and yang, taiji still exist within it. An equally infinite amount of everything seems to exist inside the endless void.


Puzzle time, how would you, as an immortal, escape a black hole?
>Write in

God dammit, could it be because I was using some app and not the website itself that the formatting got fucked... I can't even delete the post to re format it.


What an embarrassment.

>>6439640
>was it during our failed lake ritual?
No, the voice exists within the events of the story, but not within the events of the quest just yet.

>>6439733
Hmm, If YoungMaster would be willing to post that Bagua file again, it's easier to use for my contemplations.

Wuxing I already have mostly memorised.

>>6439733
So this is obviously the result of a failed breakthrough.

Luckily, the guy was peak earth axis when he crumbled, so the stuff isn't inescapable.
But unorthadox dao gives like a realms bonus so treat it like peak heaven axis.

first is conscripting Old Monkey in the escape.
If he wishes to stay, then. . . well sure, I guess, but he should at least help the rest out of his trap. These souls here are not freed from samsara, they are simply trapped in the same life and unable to pass on.

Satiation. . . Destruction. . . Releasing us from his core, if he could even control his core, would be against the way he walks.
Inquire as to how much effort he can exert over the space.

>>6439780
Two ways I see this going forwards.

One is that we give him some pointers on controlling his own dao and pushing through to the heaven axis, at which point he can just let everybody out.
The Monkey isn't DEAD dead, only MOSTLY dead, which makes an important difference. His breakthrough smashed his core into bits and turned his qi into a blackhole from which his Mind and most of his flesh was drawn in, but not his bones due to natural ability. The bones are maintaining the power, and thus if he can resume control then he could free us and everyone else.

How, I hear you ask, Do we help him do this?
We approach the same way differently. Teach him his Satiation should not be gluttony, taking in everything to form their own firmimant within their core from treasures and corpses and souls.
It must be only what is good and filling and nutritious. Proper lights. Proper formation. Thus evicting us from the Hole as flaws in the foundations.
We have our own insights into Destruction that we can happily share, how an intrinsically destructive action can itself be an act of change or preservation. Yin within Yang, Yang within Yin.

alternatively we can go the other way. And borrow the strength of the Gravity to accumulate power and momentum, and punch right back out the other side. Yin accumulation, Yang explosion. We can buff this with arrays and due positioning.

But I prefer if we let this junior pass his tribulation

>>6439733
>Write in
since time doesnt exist here, but every element + yin and yang exist in abundance, my first idea (as someone who isnt that knowledgeable) is to cultivate until we reach the same power level he had
this may allow us to brute force our way back out
since he turned his core into a black hole we might be able to turn ours into a white hole (this is either really good or really bad)
now listen to this insane idea: what if we form a dual core where one is a black hole and the other a white hole (white holes are the opposite of black holes for those unaware)
>>6439740
interesting. in that case I will assume it is either the gate guardian or someone even more powerful

>>6439796
my dude, He's a buddhist. When he says "time is functionally meaningless" it's because he is trapped in a place he can't get out from, nothing really changes and the sun can't rise or set.

It does not mean that time is literally frozen.
Nor is there "abundant" starlight in here.which is what we need.

>>6439813
QM emphasized how we "as an immortal" would escape, implying we can take as much time as we need
the way it is theorized black holes work is that time doesnt exist inside of them. the closer you are to one however the faster time moves (enabling forward time travel)
since this is literally a star cultivators core I am under the impression we could find a way, after 1000 years of trying, to begin absorbing some of that starlight residue that should still exist
but maybe QM can clarify
other than that your idea might be the better, but if we can cultivate I want to do that first

>>6439824
"An Immortal" also carries the connotation of true persistence, which means we could in theory just eradicate ourselves and reappear outside as the natural processes start the way to revival.

Anyway, you don't need 1000 years, innately, to start collecting the starlight. all you gotta do is take several of these treasures of appropriate elemental attunements and arrange them like so, then find a large core of starlight and begin circulating the QI around.

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For clarification.

Time doesn't exist in this well, if it did then the things that should be affected by the passage of time such as remnants of mystical arts and techniques still being deployed would have already dissipated.

Trying to help the monkey, attempting to punch through the hole, flat out cultivating inside, or suicide are all good ideas on their own.

>>>6439796
>What if we form a dual core where one is a black hole and the other a white hole
Now you're making me think scenarios where someone naturally rolls a 1, interesting concept though.
Also keep in mind that the more "orthodox" approach to golden cores is still available even when doing multiple, and they can also aid in getting out. i.e. I, young master, split my core into three and attune each to a different a nature (1 creation, 1 preservation, 1 destruction)

The biggest factor is how you interpret and put said cores to use moving forward, don't be locked to heterodox or orthodox when tackling this issue.


>>6439768
I suppose you mean this one.

>>6439846
. . . I RECIND ALL MY FUCKING COMPLAINTS!

>>6439796
You were correct, Time ain't here. FUCKIT LETS USE THIS OPPERTUNITY!

Cultivate, manage ourselves, boost our own gains significantly and THEN we can start getting out.

>>6439846
ok great
since we have all the time and qi we need we can progress our cultivation and then regress again to try something else
I want to start with a single core attuned to "creation" which should turn into a white hole
then attempt a dual core with a destruction core
and after that we can see just how many cores we can possibly have
>>6439854
lets cultivate our hearts out then!

If you want to cultivate then you will need a new method to attract starlight, as it is far and few between... Then again everything is far and few between.


You may also use wuxing qi at less efficacy, devour techniques and arrays, try to work or use the souls, treasures books, craft your own treasures/weapons, etc.
Anything within this pit is up to your disposal and everything you do is fair game for you to figure a way out (I may require a dc or 2 depending on what tou come up with)

Also, this is basically the worst outcome that could've happened in the desert amongst all checks heh heh heh.

Failure to ressurect jinwu would have revived the alien cultivator instead.
Tian lang would have kept you trapped until her refueling was partially complete.
Array navigation would have destroyed Jinwu's body and flug you outside. Chains check would have trapped you and forced a puzzle/mission with Jinwu.

>>6439866
>this is basically the worst outcome that could've happened in the desert amongst all checks
no need to thank me. rolling 1s is a passion of mine (kill me)

other anon, please come up with a starlight attraction method
my only idea is to meditate really hard and long and in so doing become able to attract starlight naturally

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>>6439869
Well I am a believer of giving opportunities even in failure, so never lose hope when you roll.

>my only idea is to meditate really hard and long and in so doing become able to attract starlight naturally
What would you hypothetically meditate on? Also picrel.

>>6439873
I've been in the midst of developing a formation, here's the first part:

We're inside a galaxy with its own stars.
What is starlight anyway? Where does it come from? Why is it different from any other light?
The distance it's traveled?
The forces it's met on its journey to reach us from a distant star?
I propose the creation of a formation that converts normal light into pure starlight.
The components:
At the center a formation that emulates the traversal of light from the sky to the earth.
>heaven is the outer layer, the layer of qi holding this formation
>wind is the next layer
>the next layer will be water vapor, as the light reaches closer to the center
>the next layer is more of a grounding-rod, approximating a natural mountain
>and this mountain is connected to an island of earth
at the center of this formation shall be another formation that collects starlight, possibly compressing it, possibly not

outside of this "worldly" formation as I'll call it, shall be another formation, the heavenly formation.
the immediate layer outside the "heaven" layer will be an extremely large formation who's goal is to purify the ambient lighting into starlight.
this large formation will be composed of smaller units, each unit operates by cycling light through the 8 stages of the trigrams, and passing it onto another unit that passes the light through the wuxing, and then back to trigrams, until it reaches the "worldly" formation

Is any of this good? I started the work on the trigram and wuxing units, then realized I needed to rework them to accept and eject any specific qi instead of only heavenly qi ejecting lake qi.

>>6439874
a thing I just realized to improve this:
the "mountain" section can be composed of a crystalline formation (or a singular crystal) to keep the light focused.
By the time it reaches the earth layer it should be pure starlight.

And another thought: what if the earth layer was composed of glass? the light would make the full journey to the earth like starlight normally does, but retain itself. Then this light could be collected/condensed/whatever.

now, to move on to form the units (hopefully this turns out alright...)

By the way, since I saw mention of attuning to another nature, you may want to start thinking about a possible replacement, or a parallel for the Annihilation Advancement as that is rooted purely in the nature of Destruction.


>>6439874
So it would be

A formation that takes light and purifies by cycling it through the trigrams and wuxing > A formation that emulates the travel of starlight down to earth > A formation that collects starlight (compression to be decided) > The cultivator

Correct? If so this too is fire.

>>6439880
So like a crystal mountain/world of sorts?

>>6439873
>What would you hypothetically meditate on?
clearing the mind and only focusing on starlight we can feel around us, trying to harmonize with it (not unlike a jedi) let it flow through us, if you will
>>6439874
I like this idea
"what is starlight really?" is a good question. either it is alien qi (we might call it plasma) or it may just be light that at some point passed through the 5 elements (or similar like you suggested)
for science, lets go with this plan

>>6439881
it would end up that way in the end wouldn't it?
seems fitting for light to end up in a disco

>>6439883
Give me a fancy name for each layer or the whole thing and we can proceed, since THE ONE has agreed as well.

>>6439884
I might just rename myself to The One hehe
actually I had a similar name in a different quest where I managed to pull off two 1s back to back
so would my meditation method work or nah? sure its ineffective, but with no time limit it could bring similar results

>>6439884
The
>Ten Thousand Light-year Heavenly Journey formation
and the
>Heaven Earth Light Matures formation

you don't need specifics about the individual units? or will all be revealed as we continue

>>6439889
oh wait
>Heaven Earth Matures Light Formation
is much better

for the record I also think we should help our ape friend too, so he's not consumed by greed

This may end up leading to the end of the desert chapter, somewhat different to what I had prepared but still very welcome.

>>6439888
Because of harmonization it would eventually evolve into an Immortal Art, basically on par with , but I will lock that enlightenment away for the future.


>>6439889
It would be nice if you can give a rough idea of the units, gives me time to do other things.

>>6439881
+1
>>6439884

Purifies the light - Winnow's Gathering
Gathers as a mountain on earth - Starlight's Grains
Compression of starlight - Pill of Life.
The cultivator - The furnace of swords.

>>6439874
I'm good with it. Though sharing our insights and assitance with the guy to recultivate starlight dao is good in my eyes.

Anyway, >>6439866
>Basically the worst outcome
Time's being mega expanded outside, I assume. Fuck sake.

>>6439899
>Time's being mega expanded outside, I assume. Fuck sake.
No, you "just" fell into a black hole instead, time being mega expanded has no meaning if you can't even get out to begin with.

Cultivation is simply the first hurdle I'll have you go through, and we'll see if you can create a miracle or two again like with Jinwu.