There are plenty of reasons not to go with C,
Lambchop19. It's important to keep in mind that while you and
Baltika9 find the idea of training under Zhang to be exciting - hell, so do I - our character sees it as near-certain death, so from that standpoint, it doesn't make much sense to go with Zhang. We're rather protective of Cao'er, so leaving with her and looking after her is consistent with that character.
Yao knows that he will die, and he's chosen to lay down his life for us and Cao'er. He knows exactly what awaits him here and I think it's rather telling that he's willing to die for us just so we don't fall into his clutches: Yao truly believes that Jing and Cao'er would be better off if he is dead and his apprentices are roaming the world without a Master and the Southern
Terminator Maniac after them, rather than risk having us with Zhang. He's playing the Obi-Wan card here: "strike me down, Zhang, and I will become more powerful than you can ever imagine". Quite noble, really, and it's why I'm fond of the old coot.
The important thing here is that Yao knows way more about Zhang than we do, and if he says "don't go with Zhang" we ought to fucking listen. Yeah, we'd be going with the intent of saving the lives of both Yao and Cao'er because we drew Zhang's attention in the first place, but remember that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Although, with 5 speech points Jing will be able to negotiate something, I'm sure. A1 sounds like the best alternative and yet it still places Yao in mortal danger. I don't like that one bit. And I really want to learn from Zhang, I think you guys are underestimating Jing's backbone.
You're absolutely right about Jing, the boy has a ton of heart and it won't be so easy for Zhang to mould him despite his youth. The ultimate idea that drives Jing is his loyalty to the Prince, so in that sense he's already been "moulded" to serve as the Prince's hand and to die for him if need be. So in that sense, he's already been "programmed" already. However, there's no doubt going to be some trauma involved - I doubt that the Southern Maniac was always a maniac, he must have been sane at some point before delving into all of these techniques.
I believe that to maintain our sanity in the hellish training we'll receive, we have to place idealism above pragmatism: we have to value our mission and our character's strong sense of loyalty to Shun, and now Yao and Cao'er, above power. I know this sounds counter-intuitive given the danger here, but we need something to cling to so that we can stay on an even keel.
However, there's one aspect here that we've kind of ignored with C:
You reluctantly agree to go with Zhang Jue, attempting to negotiate your release from Master Yao’s service so that he may leave safely with Cao'er. If he agrees, you will swear an oath of personal debt towards the Killer Physician in gratitude.
treave, what would this oath of personal debt involve?