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Virtually no one else out there would have the expertise and knowledge to complete the drug. If they want to use it, they'll try to hire a Wudu cultist unless they fancy themselves powerful enough to attempt attacking the sect and taking over.
I meant more in the sense of noting that the Wudu Cult has an ever expanding list of very interesting chemicals that seem rather useful. I guess I'm asking if this incident does more to help or hurt the Wudu brand? On the one hand it was kind of a fiasco, on the other hand the guy did end up revealing what happened rather faster than torturing him would have taken and the stuff can be refined later.
Absinthe as I understand it the Yuchang Sword is too short to be optimal for the Japanese sword style except for the role it plays as another blade to be put in action. I don't know about the perception stuff but unless we're trying to aim for specific weaknesses on a foe that are tough to make out (not sure what that would be, unless maybe looking for areas to puncture Zhang that aren't covered by his vest under his clothes or something... but then again, we could just aim for his head or limbs for that purpose) I don't see why it would provide a significant effect.
Treave, just wondering but how strong is our Minamoto-ryuu Sword Style? I mean compared to Emei/Qingcheng/Huashan/Yandi. And how much of a difference does Order mode make when using it? Leaf Dance of the Azure Dragon seems like it would benefit from the increased precision (no more chaotic movements) and perception while we still can't leech through our sword.
And would there be any point to using it with the Yuchang Sword or is that simply a subpar type of weapon for our kenjutsu?
It wouldn't make the top five best sword techniques, but it's the sort that scales well with the user; in contrast to techniques that make the user powerful (legendary manuals etc), here it is the user that makes the technique powerful, if that makes sense. The moves in the Minamoto-ryuu style are ones that Central Plains pugilists have few counters for, so it's up to the user to make it count. 'Order' mode will help improve the first and second moves, and with the first part of the fourth move.
As for the Yuchang Sword, it would work best as a side-arm to mix up the attacks, using your sleight-of-hand and its shorter length to launch surprise attacks. If you're using it by itself, Leaf Dance and Fiery Flight will work, but the other two styles will be less efficient.
I meant more in the sense of noting that the Wudu Cult has an ever expanding list of very interesting chemicals that seem rather useful. I guess I'm asking if this incident does more to help or hurt the Wudu brand? On the one hand it was kind of a fiasco, on the other hand the guy did end up revealing what happened rather faster than torturing him would have taken and the stuff can be refined later.
Well, the Wudu Cult already has a reputation for an ever expanding list of very interesting chemicals. It helps the Wudu brand in the sense that people are reminded just why those poison cultists are scary and you just don't know what they'll come up with next, the bastards, I suppose.
He's not exactly brilliant at it, but he had to learn how to cook back during his apprenticeship with Yao. Yifang learnt how to cook while at Emei and while taking care of her grandparents.
Why are we even bothering with the Child Elder if she never found the time into her very long lifespan to find out how to make ice-cream out of yak milk?
On the other hand, if you are a terrible cook, it totally masks any poisons there might be. Because you don't know if it isn't supposed to taste that way with the person in question.
treave, now that the vote for including Yunzi in our party is almost unanimous, I think it would be safe to ask. What do Lingshu and Yifang think about the Holy Maiden of the Fire Cult joining us? Do they bear resentment towards the Fire Cult? Do we still keep our status as the Fire Lord a secret from them?
Oh, and what does Yunzi think about us stealing another bride? Wonder what her reaction was during the reveal in Qingcheng.
It absolutely must include a scene of Armaiti and Qilin planning to get Jing and Yunzi together. Those two will never make any progress with their attitudes. It's been five years, and they still can't spit it out.
“If that is how you want it to be, fine,” you respond coldly, slightly angry at her words. “It’s not like I care.”
“I don’t care either,” she says, her coldness matching your own. She quickly turns away from you. “A-anyway,” she continues, a slight awkwardness in her voice as she struggles to find the words that she wants to say, “the current site of our sacred temple is in the mountains west of Liangshan. If you ever are free, I think you could… right, no…”
“Yes, yes, my darling will accept your invitation to visit, Holy Maiden,” Qilin says annoyedly, interrupting your talk with Yunzi.
“Not a lot, but if you’re looking for the manuals to help us out, then we should…” She falters, unable to continue.
Armaiti sighs loudly, seemingly frustrated at Yunzi’s inability to finish a sentence. “Swallow your pride, Holy Maiden. You want to help with the search, right? Well, uh… Lord?”
Mount Hua is known for its beautiful, towering peaks and some of the most breathtaking, majestic views in the country. At night, however, that only translates to treacherously narrow paths that could lead to deadly drops of a thousand feet, and the darkness would prevent you from even getting to admire the scenery as you fall. With that in mind, the main buildings of the Huashan Sect were built not too far from the main trails leading up the mountain. Though the sect had begun from a small, austere group of Taoist practitioners living on the rather less hospitable peaks of Mount Hua in tiny, threadbare huts, nowadays they would prefer to present a more comfortable image to the people.
After all, would you host personages such as one of the Grand Eunuchs, or the Chief Secretary of the Great Tang Empire, in a small, rickety shack?
You grit your teeth as the cold, biting wind picks up. Your fingers dig into the brick as much as you can – clinging to the side of a wall, precipitious drop below your feet, you peek over the wall and into the compound. You are pleased to find that this side of the walls were more lightly patrolled thanks to the difficulty of the approach. There are a few disciples going about their duty as night guards, their lanterns burning dimly in the dark. You flip your body over the wall with ease. Then, you feel a sneeze coming on. Scrunching your nose up, you resist it with all your might. The urge passes. You wonder if someone is talking about you behind your back, and suddenly remember – with no small amount of dread – that Qilin and the other girls were apparently getting together for a long talk tonight.
You just hope that you will return to an inn that is still standing.
Crawling up onto a roof and laying yourself flat on the tiles, you observe the layout of the Huashan Sect. There is the temple, their practice grounds, the main hall… looking more closely at the people patrolling the living quarters, you manage to identify how the male and female quarters are segregated. Unless Bai Jiutian is indulging in some ungentlemanly activity with the female disciples, you should be able to find him in the male quarters. Well, he could be indulging himself with the male disciples, but you are not one to judge – that only means searching for him in the male section is still your best bet. The lower-ranking disciples would be sleeping in the communal quarters, but as the pride and joy of Huashan, he would likely have a room of his own. All that is left is for you is to find it.
***
The candles are still lighted when you find Bai Jiutian’s room. You push the window open in a slow, controlled manner, and the fire burning atop the wax flickers for just a moment. A pleasant fragrance wafts out towards you: those are probably scented candles that he is using. His room is rather large; the bed is separated from the rest of the room by a folding screen that also hides a bathtub. There are sounds of talking coming from within – murmurs and whispers that you cannot make out clearly. Bai does not seem to have noticed the brief flickering, engrossed as he is in his conversation. Carefully, quietly, you step over the windowsill and into his room.
As there is no place to hide, you lie down in the bathtub, waiting for his conversation to conclude. You focus, trying to pick up as much as you can while suppressing your presence at the same time.
“…is not happy. Manxing has been poorly since Qingcheng, and shows no signs of recovery. Both Manlou and your shidi blames you for it.”
It is a woman speaking. You keep your surprise to yourself for now, and continue listening.
“I did not do anything, shimu!” protests Bai Jiutian.
Shimu? There is only one person who could be called that in Huashan: Nie Wuxing’s wife. Certainly, no married lady would be caught dead in another man’s room at such hours. Or more precisely, should, but you know all too well that has never stopped anyone if the passion is there.
“I know you did not, Tian’er,” says the woman affectionately, “but Manxing is Manlou’s favourite sibling. The Chief Secretary expected you to take care of your shidi.”
“Shimu… you asked me to deal with Manxing if I ever had the chance. I was only-“
“I know what I asked you to do,” she chuckles. “Just be smarter about it next time, Tian’er. Manlou already thinks that we might have been less than honest with him... he still doesn't realize how his deadweight younger brother is only dragging his ambitions down. I will deal with that and convince Manlou that I am still on his side, so you just focus on what you need to do. I have enough to do after that mess in Youxia City without you creating more problems for me.”
“…yes, shimu.”
“Oh, don’t make that face. I still adore you, my dear. I picked you up when no one else would… I won’t abandon you.” The woman lets out a pleasant laugh. “Here, let me adjust this a bit… there.”
Bai Jiutian lets out a stifled moan before saying, awkwardly, “Thank you, shimu.”
“Tian’er, you are still a bit sloppy with your technique at times. Be careful it doesn’t come undone. Anyway, I need to check on little Baojun. That will be all for tonight… I swear, Wuxing dotes on his precious baby male heir more than his wife at times,” she says amusedly.
There is the sound of cloth moving – rustling – and then footsteps. You hear Bai Jiutian bidding the lady of the house goodbye. The door closes and he sighs deeply. Then, you hear him approaching the folding screen. As he rounds the corner, you see him silhouetted in the candle light, his hands undoing his sash. It looks like he is about to take a bath, although you are occupying the tub at the moment.
Bai Jiutian’s eyes widen when he sees you lying back in the tub relaxedly, and the beginnings of a high-pitched shriek are choked and killed in his throat before it gets anywhere. He pulls his clothes back together in a hurry, fingers knotting up the sash as fast as he can.
“You disappoint me,” you grin. “I thought you’d be running me through with your sword about-“ A sudden, screeching noise stops you, and you glance at the bottom of the tub, right below your crotch. A narrow hole has been carved through the metal. When you flick your gaze back towards Bai Jiutian, the sword is already in his hand.
“That is fast,” you murmur. It looks like he already knows how to project sword qi – a couple inches higher and you would be applying for a job with Gao Ying. “Really, there was no need to put your clothes back on that quickly. We are all men here, aren’t we?”
“Of course we are all men! Why do you even need to keep saying such things? What are you doing here anyway?” he snarls, shaken by your sudden appearance although he manages to keep his voice low enough that it will not attract attention.
“Paying my dear friend Bai Jiutian a visit,” you say, as you sprawl back in the tub. “I was surprised at what I discovered, though. Does your master know that his wife visits his best disciple in the middle of the night?”
“Stop your baseless slander. My relationship with shimu is not like that,” he replies. “She is like a mother to me.”
“…you do know that makes it sound even worse, right? Tian'er?” You adopt a sweetly tone, mocking him. He does not respond well.
Laughing, you leap out of the bathtub just in the nick of time, backing up against the window just as a red-faced Bai Jiutian splits the tub apart with a swing of his sword.
“Whoa, careful there,” you grin. “Look, you can’t blame me for wanting some payback, after you sent Zhang Manxing after me, can you?”
“I apologize for that, but I was expecting you to kill him. Isn’t he a thorn in both our sides?” He takes a few deep breaths, slowly regaining his calm. The glare in his eyes, however, tell you just how irritated he still is.
You are not sure if you trust his words entirely just yet. “Perhaps, but next time, do your own dirty work, or let me know personally. I’m not that fond of you that I’d like to play games with you all day.”
"I am not playing games here. What did you hear? How much did you hear?" he asks, his sword still pointed at you.
"You mean, your conversation with your shimu? Don't worry. Nothing incriminating. If you do not believe me, you are free to try and force the truth out of my lips." Smiling, you extend your hand towards him, as if inviting him to a fight.
"No, not here. That would be... troublesome." Bai shakes his head and sheathes his sword. “Very well. In a way, it is a good thing you arrived too. I have some questions for you, Xu Jing. This will save me the time of hunting you down later.”
“Oh, what a coincidence! I have questions for you too.”
With a grim sigh, he continues, “Perfect. I have a place where I train in private, near Huangpu Gorge. It is near the northern peak of Mount Hua. If you want to speak, meet me there tomorrow at wu hour, alone, and we can talk without being disturbed. I do not want to risk talking to you here, in Huashan, for too long. If you tell anyone else about this...” Bai Jiutian ends his sentence on a threatening note; it does not suit his gentlemanly persona well, and you can tell that he is not as composed as he appears to be on the outside.
Still, it looks like if you want to converse with him, you will have to do it at Huangpu Gorge.
***
A. You go to the meeting alone, just as he requested. If anything goes wrong, you do not want anyone else caught up in a fight, and it would be easier for you to take care of yourself if you are alone. Besides, you are confident that he will not try anything stupid.
B. You go to the meeting but call for some of the girls to come along and hide just in the bushes just in case. You want to talk to him, but you are not eager enough that you would go there without being secretly supported by your companions. You are sure they will be in no danger if they are careful.
C. You don’t go to the meeting – you don’t trust him. You will let him know upfront that you are not interested in meeting him elsewhere to talk; you can find out what he knows on your own terms.
D. You tell him that you will go to the meeting, but it is actually a lie on your part. Let him wait at Huangpu Gorge until he realizes that you are really not coming. He deserves no less.
E. You engage in a duel with him on the spot. Sure, it’ll probably wake up the entirety of Huashan, but you’re going to end up fighting him one way or another, and you just want to see what he can do at the moment. Perhaps something interesting will happen.
F. You strip naked and threaten to scream unless he talks to you right here, right now. Something interesting will probably happen.
***
Final tally:
Smashing Axe - B>C
Zero Credibility - C>D
asxetos - F
Kz3r0 - F
profreshinal - A>F
Baltika9 - F>A
Kipeci - A>B
ERYFKRAD - B>E
Ifeex - A
Nevill - F
GreyViper - F
The Brazilian Slaughter - A
Rex Feral - C
Lambchop19 - F>A
XenomorphII - A>F
Fangshi - F>A
Tigranes - A>F
Akkudakku - A>B
Absinthe - A
Elfberserker - A
ScubaV - B>A
Kashmir Slippers - A>B
Tribute - B>C
Grimgravy - A>C
Esquilax - F
Jester - F
A is a bad idea because we cant really trust BJ.
B is maybe a bad idea because he might actually be telling the truth.
C is pointless because there is nothing else to do here except talk with BJ imo.
D is pointless for the same reason as C but has the benefit of extra trolling points.
E is a bad idea because Nie Wuxing’s wife will guess that we know about her and we will make another powerful enemy.
Tentatively voting B for now. BJ is too slippery for me to vote A.
The other option I like is to tell him that we won't meet him on his terms, to which he may offer an alternative, or try to kill us. At least with both of those outcomes we'd know where we stand.
If BJ wants to talk to us, (s)he can talk right here. That plan of his has bullshit written all over it and he would have no problem with betraying us. Again. And if he refuses to talk that would indicate precisely that is what the plan is. Fuck him/her. We already learned something just by showing up here.
Actually i might have misinterpreted C.
Nie Wuxing’s wife thought it was safe enough to risk talking to BJ at this time. There is no reason he cant talk to us right now.
Flopping to C > B.
There is, if he wants to be the only one who knows you have the Wuxiang Qiankun manual.
Also, he said this was not the place to force the truth out of our lips. I'd assume the Huangpu Gorge would be such a place.
Still, even though it has a 'terrible idea' written all over it, I am contemplating A. If he wants the manual, he needs us alive. The greater is the risk, the greater is the reward.
Obviously he doesn't want to take the risk of talking to you for too long here. On the off chance that someone else finds out and he's caught talking to you, he's got some explaining to do as to why he didn't raise the alarm and call everyone down on your head.
Also, you aren't Nie Wuxing's wife and you aren't talking to him at the same time as Nie Wuxing's wife. The comparison doesn't really work.
Well, since it's your story you know best, but I have to admit, it certainly sounds like a good argument to me. The place was secure enough for him to plot with his masters wife, but not secure enough to talk to us? It's only been a minute since then and it didn't look like he was expecting more company. And he would have some explaining to do as to why she is in his room as well, wouldn't he?
