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[LP CYOA] 傳
- Thread starter treave
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Elfberserker
Liturgist
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We already have superior twins in our harem already...Unless Bai Jiutian comes with the package.
Baltika9
Arcane
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But wait, didn't Shun declare his presence? So who are we really keeping this a secret from if the Emperor knows the truth?
Elfberserker
Liturgist
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A declaration from obviously dubious evil witch.
Besides it's not like it's a public place compared to Imperial court. I am also pretty sure that Shu can smooth talk rest of orthodox guys to get flavors.
Nevill
Arcane
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Um... Su Liaojing knows the Emperor is here. Not that he is a talkative one.
Elfberserker
Liturgist
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Well they could look that it's only pure speculation from Su Liaojing.
Everything happened so fast and veiled woman might not be most reputable source of identify confirmation to masses.
Tribute
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That does seem pretty great.
I'm not sure if Jing could handle two more additions to his harem, though (let alone having Nie Wuxing as a father-in-law).
Elfberserker
Liturgist
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While Nie Wuxing and his wife are top of our suspect list regarding murder of Frathouse bros, I am still bit dark about the matter.
Was the Nie Wuxing the main plotter behind all of that ( Lets be honest, if any of Nie family is the main plotter then it's the madam nie )?
Was the goal of becoming leader of orthodox world only alone his motivation of murdering highly regarded,respected and just Frathouse boys?
We are still in dark between the relationship between Zhang Clan and Hueshan. Did it all start before we were expelled from palace or after Firecult showdown? Did Zhang clan manage to fool poor Nie to their side, so they could save the empire from incompetent emperor? Was it all for personal glory or patriomism that strove him to trying to gain imperial connection so he could amass more power for himself or trying to make the empire better place for common Han people.
We still know so few things about our supposed main enemy, so getting his "good" side might reveal surprising facts.
Of course all of our speculation might be true that he is just after personal power and sparing him from embrassement might just become our biggest mistake in whole LP, but it could reveal lot of hidden information from shadows of Douchebag generation and Zhang clan scheming.
After all Hueshan still had good relationship with the empire when Shu was rescuing our sorry ass from our punishment due Ashina incident.
Was the Nie Wuxing the main plotter behind all of that ( Lets be honest, if any of Nie family is the main plotter then it's the madam nie )?
Was the goal of becoming leader of orthodox world only alone his motivation of murdering highly regarded,respected and just Frathouse boys?
We are still in dark between the relationship between Zhang Clan and Hueshan. Did it all start before we were expelled from palace or after Firecult showdown? Did Zhang clan manage to fool poor Nie to their side, so they could save the empire from incompetent emperor? Was it all for personal glory or patriomism that strove him to trying to gain imperial connection so he could amass more power for himself or trying to make the empire better place for common Han people.
We still know so few things about our supposed main enemy, so getting his "good" side might reveal surprising facts.
Of course all of our speculation might be true that he is just after personal power and sparing him from embrassement might just become our biggest mistake in whole LP, but it could reveal lot of hidden information from shadows of Douchebag generation and Zhang clan scheming.
After all Hueshan still had good relationship with the empire when Shu was rescuing our sorry ass from our punishment due Ashina incident.
Nevill
Arcane
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Remember the Songfeng incident? Nie family started consolidating power a long time ago.
Now that I think about it, wasn't Chanfeng working for the eunuchs when she was trying to implicate Zhang Jue's disciple during the tournament? Wasn't Bai Jiutian challenging us at the behest of Madam Nie? I do not think these two instances were unrelated.
The cooperation between Madam Nie and some of the eunuchs was ongoing for a while. I am fairly sure it predates the Firecult Challenge.
Now, how deep Wuxing is involved in all of that is a question, but based on his actions during Heihu Valley it is safe to say that he is an accomplice at the very least.
They know whom we serve. They know who our allies and enemies are. I doubt we will ever get on their 'good' side.
Now that I think about it, wasn't Chanfeng working for the eunuchs when she was trying to implicate Zhang Jue's disciple during the tournament? Wasn't Bai Jiutian challenging us at the behest of Madam Nie? I do not think these two instances were unrelated.
The cooperation between Madam Nie and some of the eunuchs was ongoing for a while. I am fairly sure it predates the Firecult Challenge.
Now, how deep Wuxing is involved in all of that is a question, but based on his actions during Heihu Valley it is safe to say that he is an accomplice at the very least.
They know whom we serve. They know who our allies and enemies are. I doubt we will ever get on their 'good' side.
Elfberserker
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We still only have theories about Songfeng school.
The truth is that Song Junior wanted to be head of school at any cost, so he could perhaps managed to get poison during his stay at the Hueshan from other sources than Nie family. Granted Nie family seems strongest candidate and there is long list of clues about it, but what they could have gain from it?
Did they know that Yuchang sword was there or were trying to make closer ally of the school that was already friendly to them? It doesn't make lot of sense to them trying to kill Roben Mugen with the information that we have now, but we know that his son was rotten and he could acquired connections from Hueshan to further his own ambition independently whatever Nie family was planning.
I gave you the tournament and Chanfeng incident, but that was still during the time when Shu was consolidating his power and the current leadership was ruining their country. They could have seen Zhang clan as their best bet to restore empire to its glory days, if we are positive or their best place for shot of power, if we let pessimism take over.
The situation is changed now. The empire is recovering and perhaps they see Zhang clan as falling star, albeit a star that still has lot of power.
I guess they are trying to save their asses to get closer to current rising star the Shu, whatever their motivates are.
This might be just my insane theory, but I think that Nie Wuxing is wavering in his alliances ( same could said about madam Nie, if we want to reach stars)
Nie wuxing just doesn't seem to be good at all of these scheming ways. Infact he seems to be quite clumsy about it compared to Bai Jiutian and Madam Nie. He lets his emotions show far too easily.
He got butthurt during alternative universe when were visiting Wudang that he refused to aid us in search of powerful technique. He also seemed ready to smash whole damn tower during sword conference when Madam Nie suggested about marrying the twins.
Furthermore Nie wuxing got so butthurt about Mao taking over Qincheng that he didn't come to wedding to strengthen to congratulate Mao for his new position and strengthen their ties.
I think Nie Wuxing got too deep into place, where he doesn't want to be (strongly) anymore due either his own foolishness or his wife dragging him to it. I think he has realized just how deep shit he is in and wants to salvage something out of it.
But the man currently has no ray of hope.
Madam Nie holds tight leash.
Zhang Clan are still pretty powerful
We are perhaps his only hope to allying someone more powerful than Zhang clan, even if it means partnering the appearance of man who killed his master.
I do not think he is rotten to the core.
I might grasping straws, but frathouse boys did say something like blood will be flow when idealistic men are trying to make reality to match their ideal. Nie wuxing might have tried to do that, but has realized too late that you can't do that without digging yourself in web of lies and intrigue and now he wants just to salvage Hueshan in any way he can.
Sooooooooooooooo....How crazy idealistic bullshit that sounded on scale 1-10.
1 meaning realistic and 10 meaning batshit insane delusion.
The truth is that Song Junior wanted to be head of school at any cost, so he could perhaps managed to get poison during his stay at the Hueshan from other sources than Nie family. Granted Nie family seems strongest candidate and there is long list of clues about it, but what they could have gain from it?
Did they know that Yuchang sword was there or were trying to make closer ally of the school that was already friendly to them? It doesn't make lot of sense to them trying to kill Roben Mugen with the information that we have now, but we know that his son was rotten and he could acquired connections from Hueshan to further his own ambition independently whatever Nie family was planning.
I gave you the tournament and Chanfeng incident, but that was still during the time when Shu was consolidating his power and the current leadership was ruining their country. They could have seen Zhang clan as their best bet to restore empire to its glory days, if we are positive or their best place for shot of power, if we let pessimism take over.
The situation is changed now. The empire is recovering and perhaps they see Zhang clan as falling star, albeit a star that still has lot of power.
I guess they are trying to save their asses to get closer to current rising star the Shu, whatever their motivates are.
This might be just my insane theory, but I think that Nie Wuxing is wavering in his alliances ( same could said about madam Nie, if we want to reach stars)
Nie wuxing just doesn't seem to be good at all of these scheming ways. Infact he seems to be quite clumsy about it compared to Bai Jiutian and Madam Nie. He lets his emotions show far too easily.
He got butthurt during alternative universe when were visiting Wudang that he refused to aid us in search of powerful technique. He also seemed ready to smash whole damn tower during sword conference when Madam Nie suggested about marrying the twins.
Furthermore Nie wuxing got so butthurt about Mao taking over Qincheng that he didn't come to wedding to strengthen to congratulate Mao for his new position and strengthen their ties.
I think Nie Wuxing got too deep into place, where he doesn't want to be (strongly) anymore due either his own foolishness or his wife dragging him to it. I think he has realized just how deep shit he is in and wants to salvage something out of it.
But the man currently has no ray of hope.
Madam Nie holds tight leash.
Zhang Clan are still pretty powerful
We are perhaps his only hope to allying someone more powerful than Zhang clan, even if it means partnering the appearance of man who killed his master.
I do not think he is rotten to the core.
I might grasping straws, but frathouse boys did say something like blood will be flow when idealistic men are trying to make reality to match their ideal. Nie wuxing might have tried to do that, but has realized too late that you can't do that without digging yourself in web of lies and intrigue and now he wants just to salvage Hueshan in any way he can.
Sooooooooooooooo....How crazy idealistic bullshit that sounded on scale 1-10.
1 meaning realistic and 10 meaning batshit insane delusion.
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Conference Aftermath
“This will be… troublesome to clean up.” Gao Ying makes a quiet appearance, dragging a still unconscious Xiaofang behind him. Turning to you, he casts a penetrating glance over your injuries and Shun’s. “Your Majesty. Are you satisfied yet?” His tone is low, and though from anyone else you would have thought that he was unwisely mocking the Emperor, you get the feeling that Gao Ying is serious.
Shun laughs. “Yes, I am afraid so. We have done what we came here to do, my best friend has gotten crippled on my behalf, and it is time to make sure we do not waste this opportunity.”
“Very well,” murmurs the eunuch. “Still, I must say this, Your Majesty, even if you take my head for it. You are not behaving wisely. You already knew that this was a trap before any of us did. Before Xiahou Yu even reported his findings… before he even came here to scout out the locations for the fire powder. Am I correct? What thoughts lie in your mind, Your Majesty?”
For a moment, it seems as if the grin on Shun’s face is frozen while a dark shadow passes under it, like fish swimming beneath the ice. It melts into an easy-going smile in the next instant, and he says, “You think too much, Gao Ying. But I’ll try and take your advice. I have had enough adventure for a while… perhaps it would be better if I returned to the capital and rested for a year or two. Anyway, it worked out well, did it not?” He pauses for a while, and then adds, apologetically, “Except for your arm, Jing. I’m really sorry about that. I’ll see what I can do to make up for it once we leave the island.”
A loud crack startles you. Gao Ying whirls around, immediately on guard. The rubble that was once the tower you entered from begins moving. A large hand punches its way clear, and Guo Fu’s earnest face appears. “You are okay!” he shouts, but as he runs to you his happy smile inverts itself. “Your arm!”
Behind him, Lingshu, Xuezi, Su Liaojing and Liu Qi too appear, having managed to climb their way to the top. When she sees your injuries, Lingshu lets out a gasp, while Xuezi seems to be extremely dissatisfied. Su Liaojing immediately goes to his knees upon reaching Shun, looking nowhere but at the ground in front of him. “Your Majesty.” Liu Qi seems surprised, but hurriedly follows.
“Ah, we guess the secret is revealed. You are Su Liaojing of Kunlun, are you not?” Shun says, lounging imperiously on a rock despite his wounds.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“We must thank you for introducing fire medicine to my engineers. They will make marvels out of it.”
“The credit is not mine, Your Majesty. It is your foresight that encouraged such development,” demurs Su.
“Do refrain from excessive humility. Kunlun will receive its rewards for advancing the nation.”
“Y-your Majesty?” ventures Liu, who appears to be slightly nervous in the presence of royalty. “Please do not be offended by my worthless question, but just why are you here?”
“Why indeed,” laughs Shun. “That much is a secret. The two of you can keep a secret, right?” It is no surprise that he wants to keep it so: he would have to be truly insane to proclaim that he is fighting the very heavens that grant him the right to rule. The alternative, that he is battling evil demons personally, is no better – coming off his father’s reign, that was a move likely to lose the courtiers’ confidence in him in one bold stroke. Furthermore, if they know that harm has come to his royal body, that was also information that his enemies could exploit.
Su glances warily at Gao Ying before he replies. “Of course. I am ever your humble servant. Your wish is the will of Heaven. This encounter will not be spoken of to anyone, not even my father or my master.”
“Excellent.” Shun nods. “We have our own reasons for being here which have entirely nothing to do with the sword conference, and hope that you will understand that.”
“Of course, Your Majesty!” proclaims Liu fervently.
***
Shun, Gao Ying and Xiaofang leave using a different path: it appears that Xiahou Yu is secretly awaiting them in a boat at the back of the island. You travel back to the pier, where you meet up with Qilin and the rest. Echoing cries of “Your arm!” fills the air for a few seconds, like birds squawking in a great big flock.
“It’s… not so bad. Maybe we can have a fake arm that you can keep a snake in,” suggests Qilin cheerfully. “Or a great big pocket of flammable powder, so that the whole arm is set on flames, and…”
“W-well, you should have taken better care of yourself. What an idiot,” mutters Yunzi, although she sneaks concerned glances at your missing arm once in a while.
Armaiti just stares at your stump, blushing. You wonder what is up with that.
The girls begin telling you their story. It looks like they were delayed by the Masters of Kunlun and Taishan: they had recognized Yunzi, and were kicking up a great fuss. Following that, Madam Nie had made a surprising attempt on her own to take Qilin with her. By the time they reached the pier, Nie Wuxing was already preparing to sail off. Boldly citing the danger on the island as the main reason – the Emperor’s precious sword must be kept safe, after all – and that he will await everyone on the mainland to embark on their journey together, he left. Murong Yandi had chased after Nie Wuxing to keep an eye on him, using a single plank as his raft, while the others remained to await your arrival.
It looks like you would have to hurry back.
***
When you reach Yangzhou, it is unsurprisingly in the process of rebuilding. According to the townsfolk, tens of thousands of beggars had swarmed the streets with their stink and sticks, battling it out for supremacy. The city guards had been unable to do anything in the face of those numbers, retreating behind the gates of the magistrate to wait out the catastrophe.
You find Qi Liuwu relaxing by the stairs of the inn. Despite being outnumbered and outmatched, he had managed to eke out a narrow victory through sheer tactical acumen, directing his beggars as if he would an army. His eyes open wide when he sees you.
“What’s this, kid? I know that my ability to live life unhindered by any arms is worthy of admiration, but that doesn’t mean you should take it as an actual example!”
You laugh, waving away his concerns. “I don’t really plan on losing another one if I can help it. Congratulations on your victory. I heard about it on the streets.”
“I would have hoped to finish him off here, but he managed to flee with the bulk of his loyalists. Well, I’ll see what we can do about that when my nephew arrives. By the way, I think the little physician is waiting for you inside. Go ahead, she seems to be missing you a lot.”
Giving him a quick bow, you move on to your room. Just before you open the door, an indescribable fear suffuses your entire being, warning you not to enter.
But you have to.
***
Cao’er is still glaring at you from her corner of the room, hugging her knees in silence.
It looks like you won’t be able to coax her out of this foul mood any time soon. It is already late in the evening, and Qilin has whispered to you that tonight is Cao’er’s turn. You sigh. Once everyone leaves, you might be in trouble.
“I am sure you will be fine,” chuckles Shangguan Chuji. The Sword Saint had come to pay a visit; he looks the same as ever. You are not sure if he was ever ill, but according to Cao’er, he had been hiding his terminal disease so as to keep Murong Yandi from worrying – when she came to him, he was perhaps a day away from passing the point of no return. He puts down his cup of tea and glances at the space where your limb had been. What he says next shocks you enough that you almost drop the cup.
“Take my arm.”
You stare at him. “Pardon?”
“Master!” shouts Murong Yandi. “What are you talking about?” He had accompanied his master here, after ascertaining that Nie Wuxing was truly waiting for everyone to be ready before he made his trip to Chang’an.
“Well, he is short one arm. He can have mine. I do not use it for much anyway,” says the Sword Saint calmly. “I am sure Yao Shunshi’s successor will be able to patch it together.”
“…yes, would need a powerful arm for Jing… fresh arm. Useless, common meat… is no good… would just rot…” mutters Cao’er from her little corner. “That… could work.”
“There you have it,” he smiles. “The authority has spoken.”
“But-“
“The girl saved me from certain death,” interrupts Shangguan Chuji. “She has taken no payment for it. Why, is my arm not good enough for you? I assure you, it is a fine arm. Rarely used in anger or housework, it is a skilled limb that will aid you plenty in the days to come.”
“Master,” protests Murong Yandi again, “this is crazy!”
“Is it, really?” he laughs. “Our school aims for the pinnacle of having a sword without a sword. What can be more interesting than a swordsman without an arm to swing his sword with? Of course, with that said, I am not too keen to end up like Master Qi. It would trouble me to have to eat with my feet.”
Sighing, his disciple gives in.
“But…” Strangely, it is Armaiti who speaks. She appears to be rather disappointed for some reason. The rest of her sentence is mumbled, unintelligible gibberish as her eyes dart towards your missing limb.
“Did you just say, ‘he looks better like this’?” exclaims Yunzi suddenly, her eyes wide with surprise. Standing besides Armaiti, she must have heard it more clearly.
“Holy Maiden, I did not!” Aghast, Armaiti denies everything and flees from the room.
You shake your head and look away from the table. Would that your master was here – you think he would have been able to give you good advice. After finding out that Shangguan Chuji was actually sick, he had been accosted by parts of Chief You’s beggar army, putting him in a foul mood and them in the afterlife. Master Zhang had then wandered off. You do not know when he will appear before you again.
“Jing…” whispers Cao’er as she creeps up on you. “Let me fix it...”
***
***
The next day, you meet up with Shun again. He tosses you a rolled-up scroll. Opening up the scroll you obtained from Shun, you realize that it is an annotated copy of the Wuxiang Qiankun text that you taught to him, written in Shun's own hand. He seems to have made some suggestions and improvements to the text...
You close the scroll. You will peruse it later.
“I have received news from Chief Jiang back in Chang’an. The trap was successfully sprung,” It looks like his departure from the capital was also meant to lull his enemies into a sense of false security. During the Emperor’s absence, Chief Jiang had faked pushing his luck one step too far, causing those in the court who bore a grudge against the constables to attempt to eliminate them while the Son of Heaven was away. They would just spin a story to tell the Emperor when he returned, or so they thought. The constables had been ready for them, and together with an edict that Shun had left behind in preparation, managed to scoop up a large haul of conspirators.
“Some lowly members of the Zhang clan were targeted in the operation, and we managed to obtain pretext to search their mansion,” reports Gao Ying. The plan was to rescue Zuo Qingfeng and You Lanhai’s twins, and in the process place the blame for kidnapping directly on the Zhangs, but it looks like they had pre-empted that move by just a hair. According to the constables’ sources, the children had been moved to Xiangyang by the Black Dragon Society.
“The Zhang clan has had their political power-base reduced,” says Shun thoughtfully, “but they are not yet destroyed. This will make them desperate. Perhaps desperate enough to use force. I will return to the capital as planned. If I stay away any longer, they might try to use whatever excuse they can get to storm the palace.”
“As you say, Your Majesty,” nods Gao Ying.
“As it turns out, my good beggar friend is also headed towards Xiangyang,” says Qi Liuwu. "I will finish things there."
And it also appears that Nie Wuxing’s journey will take him towards that city, on his way to Chang’an.
It looks like you have your next destination.
***
***
After the meeting, you receive a letter from the Fire Temple. It looks like they have things well under control. The Amesha Spenta are offering to assist you, though not all of them are able to leave. Judging from the distance, they would be able to meet up with you at Xiangyang. Vahista has volunteered to stay behind, running the temple's daily affairs which he is well suited to. To help him out, it would be best if you did not pick more than two of them to come, if you wanted them to at all.
***
The night before you leave Yangzhou, Qilin comes to your side. You have an idea as to why. “Is it about what you wanted to tell me before?”
She nods. Strangely enough, she seems a bit shy tonight. Taking a deep breath, she tells you what she wants to say.
“Can you train me for the Huashan Summit? I mean, really train me. I don’t want to be left behind you and Yunzi anymore, especially after what happened on Taoying Island. I mean, if I was stronger, maybe you would not have lost your arm. Besides, if I don't show what I'm capable of, I can't exactly be a worthy wife, can I?” She laughs awkwardly.
“I’m not too well versed with Wudu techniques,” you say. “I’m not sure what help I can be.”
“It’s not the techniques I need help with, I have those memorized already. It’s for the basics of battle, developing the instincts of combat,” she explains. “I will try my best on my own, but if you could help me out, it would be of great help. B-but if you don’t, I understand. I could always go to the others for help, right?”
You know that spending your time training her extensively will not yield your own martial arts as much benefit compared to rigorously focusing on your own training, and even as she speaks, Qilin looks away, feeling guilty for suggesting such a thing.
You wonder what you should do…
***
***
“This will be… troublesome to clean up.” Gao Ying makes a quiet appearance, dragging a still unconscious Xiaofang behind him. Turning to you, he casts a penetrating glance over your injuries and Shun’s. “Your Majesty. Are you satisfied yet?” His tone is low, and though from anyone else you would have thought that he was unwisely mocking the Emperor, you get the feeling that Gao Ying is serious.
Shun laughs. “Yes, I am afraid so. We have done what we came here to do, my best friend has gotten crippled on my behalf, and it is time to make sure we do not waste this opportunity.”
“Very well,” murmurs the eunuch. “Still, I must say this, Your Majesty, even if you take my head for it. You are not behaving wisely. You already knew that this was a trap before any of us did. Before Xiahou Yu even reported his findings… before he even came here to scout out the locations for the fire powder. Am I correct? What thoughts lie in your mind, Your Majesty?”
For a moment, it seems as if the grin on Shun’s face is frozen while a dark shadow passes under it, like fish swimming beneath the ice. It melts into an easy-going smile in the next instant, and he says, “You think too much, Gao Ying. But I’ll try and take your advice. I have had enough adventure for a while… perhaps it would be better if I returned to the capital and rested for a year or two. Anyway, it worked out well, did it not?” He pauses for a while, and then adds, apologetically, “Except for your arm, Jing. I’m really sorry about that. I’ll see what I can do to make up for it once we leave the island.”
A loud crack startles you. Gao Ying whirls around, immediately on guard. The rubble that was once the tower you entered from begins moving. A large hand punches its way clear, and Guo Fu’s earnest face appears. “You are okay!” he shouts, but as he runs to you his happy smile inverts itself. “Your arm!”
Behind him, Lingshu, Xuezi, Su Liaojing and Liu Qi too appear, having managed to climb their way to the top. When she sees your injuries, Lingshu lets out a gasp, while Xuezi seems to be extremely dissatisfied. Su Liaojing immediately goes to his knees upon reaching Shun, looking nowhere but at the ground in front of him. “Your Majesty.” Liu Qi seems surprised, but hurriedly follows.
“Ah, we guess the secret is revealed. You are Su Liaojing of Kunlun, are you not?” Shun says, lounging imperiously on a rock despite his wounds.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“We must thank you for introducing fire medicine to my engineers. They will make marvels out of it.”
“The credit is not mine, Your Majesty. It is your foresight that encouraged such development,” demurs Su.
“Do refrain from excessive humility. Kunlun will receive its rewards for advancing the nation.”
“Y-your Majesty?” ventures Liu, who appears to be slightly nervous in the presence of royalty. “Please do not be offended by my worthless question, but just why are you here?”
“Why indeed,” laughs Shun. “That much is a secret. The two of you can keep a secret, right?” It is no surprise that he wants to keep it so: he would have to be truly insane to proclaim that he is fighting the very heavens that grant him the right to rule. The alternative, that he is battling evil demons personally, is no better – coming off his father’s reign, that was a move likely to lose the courtiers’ confidence in him in one bold stroke. Furthermore, if they know that harm has come to his royal body, that was also information that his enemies could exploit.
Su glances warily at Gao Ying before he replies. “Of course. I am ever your humble servant. Your wish is the will of Heaven. This encounter will not be spoken of to anyone, not even my father or my master.”
“Excellent.” Shun nods. “We have our own reasons for being here which have entirely nothing to do with the sword conference, and hope that you will understand that.”
“Of course, Your Majesty!” proclaims Liu fervently.
***
Shun, Gao Ying and Xiaofang leave using a different path: it appears that Xiahou Yu is secretly awaiting them in a boat at the back of the island. You travel back to the pier, where you meet up with Qilin and the rest. Echoing cries of “Your arm!” fills the air for a few seconds, like birds squawking in a great big flock.
“It’s… not so bad. Maybe we can have a fake arm that you can keep a snake in,” suggests Qilin cheerfully. “Or a great big pocket of flammable powder, so that the whole arm is set on flames, and…”
“W-well, you should have taken better care of yourself. What an idiot,” mutters Yunzi, although she sneaks concerned glances at your missing arm once in a while.
Armaiti just stares at your stump, blushing. You wonder what is up with that.
The girls begin telling you their story. It looks like they were delayed by the Masters of Kunlun and Taishan: they had recognized Yunzi, and were kicking up a great fuss. Following that, Madam Nie had made a surprising attempt on her own to take Qilin with her. By the time they reached the pier, Nie Wuxing was already preparing to sail off. Boldly citing the danger on the island as the main reason – the Emperor’s precious sword must be kept safe, after all – and that he will await everyone on the mainland to embark on their journey together, he left. Murong Yandi had chased after Nie Wuxing to keep an eye on him, using a single plank as his raft, while the others remained to await your arrival.
It looks like you would have to hurry back.
***
When you reach Yangzhou, it is unsurprisingly in the process of rebuilding. According to the townsfolk, tens of thousands of beggars had swarmed the streets with their stink and sticks, battling it out for supremacy. The city guards had been unable to do anything in the face of those numbers, retreating behind the gates of the magistrate to wait out the catastrophe.
You find Qi Liuwu relaxing by the stairs of the inn. Despite being outnumbered and outmatched, he had managed to eke out a narrow victory through sheer tactical acumen, directing his beggars as if he would an army. His eyes open wide when he sees you.
“What’s this, kid? I know that my ability to live life unhindered by any arms is worthy of admiration, but that doesn’t mean you should take it as an actual example!”
You laugh, waving away his concerns. “I don’t really plan on losing another one if I can help it. Congratulations on your victory. I heard about it on the streets.”
“I would have hoped to finish him off here, but he managed to flee with the bulk of his loyalists. Well, I’ll see what we can do about that when my nephew arrives. By the way, I think the little physician is waiting for you inside. Go ahead, she seems to be missing you a lot.”
Giving him a quick bow, you move on to your room. Just before you open the door, an indescribable fear suffuses your entire being, warning you not to enter.
But you have to.
***
Cao’er is still glaring at you from her corner of the room, hugging her knees in silence.
It looks like you won’t be able to coax her out of this foul mood any time soon. It is already late in the evening, and Qilin has whispered to you that tonight is Cao’er’s turn. You sigh. Once everyone leaves, you might be in trouble.
“I am sure you will be fine,” chuckles Shangguan Chuji. The Sword Saint had come to pay a visit; he looks the same as ever. You are not sure if he was ever ill, but according to Cao’er, he had been hiding his terminal disease so as to keep Murong Yandi from worrying – when she came to him, he was perhaps a day away from passing the point of no return. He puts down his cup of tea and glances at the space where your limb had been. What he says next shocks you enough that you almost drop the cup.
“Take my arm.”
You stare at him. “Pardon?”
“Master!” shouts Murong Yandi. “What are you talking about?” He had accompanied his master here, after ascertaining that Nie Wuxing was truly waiting for everyone to be ready before he made his trip to Chang’an.
“Well, he is short one arm. He can have mine. I do not use it for much anyway,” says the Sword Saint calmly. “I am sure Yao Shunshi’s successor will be able to patch it together.”
“…yes, would need a powerful arm for Jing… fresh arm. Useless, common meat… is no good… would just rot…” mutters Cao’er from her little corner. “That… could work.”
“There you have it,” he smiles. “The authority has spoken.”
“But-“
“The girl saved me from certain death,” interrupts Shangguan Chuji. “She has taken no payment for it. Why, is my arm not good enough for you? I assure you, it is a fine arm. Rarely used in anger or housework, it is a skilled limb that will aid you plenty in the days to come.”
“Master,” protests Murong Yandi again, “this is crazy!”
“Is it, really?” he laughs. “Our school aims for the pinnacle of having a sword without a sword. What can be more interesting than a swordsman without an arm to swing his sword with? Of course, with that said, I am not too keen to end up like Master Qi. It would trouble me to have to eat with my feet.”
Sighing, his disciple gives in.
“But…” Strangely, it is Armaiti who speaks. She appears to be rather disappointed for some reason. The rest of her sentence is mumbled, unintelligible gibberish as her eyes dart towards your missing limb.
“Did you just say, ‘he looks better like this’?” exclaims Yunzi suddenly, her eyes wide with surprise. Standing besides Armaiti, she must have heard it more clearly.
“Holy Maiden, I did not!” Aghast, Armaiti denies everything and flees from the room.
You shake your head and look away from the table. Would that your master was here – you think he would have been able to give you good advice. After finding out that Shangguan Chuji was actually sick, he had been accosted by parts of Chief You’s beggar army, putting him in a foul mood and them in the afterlife. Master Zhang had then wandered off. You do not know when he will appear before you again.
“Jing…” whispers Cao’er as she creeps up on you. “Let me fix it...”
***
A. You take the Sword Saint’s arm. Freely offered, gratefully taken. You will not let his gift go to waste, of course. The arm of a pugilist as powerful as he is will likely grant you a great boost to your martial ability.
B. You do not take the Sword Saint’s arm. You might develop in more interesting ways without it, and certainly, you do not think it is too much of a handicap that you absolutely have to regain an arm.
B. You do not take the Sword Saint’s arm. You might develop in more interesting ways without it, and certainly, you do not think it is too much of a handicap that you absolutely have to regain an arm.
***
The next day, you meet up with Shun again. He tosses you a rolled-up scroll. Opening up the scroll you obtained from Shun, you realize that it is an annotated copy of the Wuxiang Qiankun text that you taught to him, written in Shun's own hand. He seems to have made some suggestions and improvements to the text...
You close the scroll. You will peruse it later.
“I have received news from Chief Jiang back in Chang’an. The trap was successfully sprung,” It looks like his departure from the capital was also meant to lull his enemies into a sense of false security. During the Emperor’s absence, Chief Jiang had faked pushing his luck one step too far, causing those in the court who bore a grudge against the constables to attempt to eliminate them while the Son of Heaven was away. They would just spin a story to tell the Emperor when he returned, or so they thought. The constables had been ready for them, and together with an edict that Shun had left behind in preparation, managed to scoop up a large haul of conspirators.
“Some lowly members of the Zhang clan were targeted in the operation, and we managed to obtain pretext to search their mansion,” reports Gao Ying. The plan was to rescue Zuo Qingfeng and You Lanhai’s twins, and in the process place the blame for kidnapping directly on the Zhangs, but it looks like they had pre-empted that move by just a hair. According to the constables’ sources, the children had been moved to Xiangyang by the Black Dragon Society.
“The Zhang clan has had their political power-base reduced,” says Shun thoughtfully, “but they are not yet destroyed. This will make them desperate. Perhaps desperate enough to use force. I will return to the capital as planned. If I stay away any longer, they might try to use whatever excuse they can get to storm the palace.”
“As you say, Your Majesty,” nods Gao Ying.
“As it turns out, my good beggar friend is also headed towards Xiangyang,” says Qi Liuwu. "I will finish things there."
And it also appears that Nie Wuxing’s journey will take him towards that city, on his way to Chang’an.
It looks like you have your next destination.
***
A. You will travel together with Nie Wuxing, under the excuse of delivering the Xuanyuan Sword together, as promised. Perhaps you can find out more about their plans by being in closer proximity.
B. You will travel separately from Nie Wuxing; you will have Guo Fu and the Wudang contingent accompany them in your stead, while you follow quietly from a short distance behind. You do not want them noticing too many things.
B. You will travel separately from Nie Wuxing; you will have Guo Fu and the Wudang contingent accompany them in your stead, while you follow quietly from a short distance behind. You do not want them noticing too many things.
***
After the meeting, you receive a letter from the Fire Temple. It looks like they have things well under control. The Amesha Spenta are offering to assist you, though not all of them are able to leave. Judging from the distance, they would be able to meet up with you at Xiangyang. Vahista has volunteered to stay behind, running the temple's daily affairs which he is well suited to. To help him out, it would be best if you did not pick more than two of them to come, if you wanted them to at all.
A. You summon two Amesha Spenta. (pick only two)
I. Vairya.
II. Haurvatat.
III. Manah.
IV. Ameretat.
B. You don't. Perhaps later.
I. Vairya.
II. Haurvatat.
III. Manah.
IV. Ameretat.
B. You don't. Perhaps later.
***
The night before you leave Yangzhou, Qilin comes to your side. You have an idea as to why. “Is it about what you wanted to tell me before?”
She nods. Strangely enough, she seems a bit shy tonight. Taking a deep breath, she tells you what she wants to say.
“Can you train me for the Huashan Summit? I mean, really train me. I don’t want to be left behind you and Yunzi anymore, especially after what happened on Taoying Island. I mean, if I was stronger, maybe you would not have lost your arm. Besides, if I don't show what I'm capable of, I can't exactly be a worthy wife, can I?” She laughs awkwardly.
“I’m not too well versed with Wudu techniques,” you say. “I’m not sure what help I can be.”
“It’s not the techniques I need help with, I have those memorized already. It’s for the basics of battle, developing the instincts of combat,” she explains. “I will try my best on my own, but if you could help me out, it would be of great help. B-but if you don’t, I understand. I could always go to the others for help, right?”
You know that spending your time training her extensively will not yield your own martial arts as much benefit compared to rigorously focusing on your own training, and even as she speaks, Qilin looks away, feeling guilty for suggesting such a thing.
You wonder what you should do…
***
A. You train Qilin personally.
B. You don’t train Qilin personally.
B. You don’t train Qilin personally.
***
Last edited:
Elfberserker
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So many choices.
So much to argue.
I have strange feeling that this might top Maniac training part 2 in number of discussed pages.
It makes my head spins
So much to argue.
I have strange feeling that this might top Maniac training part 2 in number of discussed pages.
It makes my head spins
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Voting A for the first choice. Cao'er is the successor to the Killer Physician, and an arm is a fair trade for a life, especially since the Sword Saint suggested it in the first place.
We'd better not be as careless with it as we were with our own, though. That would be disrespectful to our bro.
We'd better not be as careless with it as we were with our own, though. That would be disrespectful to our bro.
Esquilax
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No way, I cannot support the popamole of taking the Sword Saint's arm. We will be stronger than any man, even with only one arm, and we will be more unique in terms of our skill set. I want to see where this goes. This setback has only made us stronger - we're at the threshold of true, ultimate power (which only required the pittance of a single arm) and you fucks are scared?! For shame, Codex.
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Scared? If the Sword Saint thinks it's a good idea, I trust him. He wants to retire, and this is as good a symbolic gesture of him passing the torch as any.
The only objection I'd have to the idea is whether that would be passing over Murong Yandi in favour of Jing.
The only objection I'd have to the idea is whether that would be passing over Murong Yandi in favour of Jing.
Esquilax
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Heh, I'm exaggerating for humor's sake, but you're absolutely right here. I just kinda wanna see what sort of martial artist Xu Jing will develop into without an arm (probably more of a focus on neigong training, for one), and I just think the whole angle of a fighter suffering a grievous injury and coming back stronger than ever is a cool one. A limitation forces you to be more creative and work with what you've got, which is why I find it interesting. With that said, taking the Saint's arm will probably be in the lead.
treave, just curious:
We'd still be able to perform Vairya's ubermove with a single arm, right?
Elfberserker
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I am more interested taking Haurvatit.
It would be hilarious to see her doing protective mama antics with Yunzi when we are around
It would be hilarious to see her doing protective mama antics with Yunzi when we are around
Elfberserker
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Naturally.
We are the Firelord, it's our duty to care about our subordinates
Poor Yunzi, if Haurvatat comes along:D
We are the Firelord, it's our duty to care about our subordinates
Poor Yunzi, if Haurvatat comes along:D
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Because Zhang Zue can fight Xu Jing any time he wants?
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