And thus Siyu settled in Starr. He had saved 25 gold to spend, and made it his duty to find a place for the rest of gold in the city and on the days he chose to rest, he volunteered as a waiter at the Turtle Shell Inn.
As Siyu had invested in the needs of the people, his understanding of relationships grew, so did his ability to knit stories together. The more he invested, the easier it was for him to know the best way to influence the city’s story. The amount of money invested and the way it was invested became an art, and before he knew it, what he wished to flee from in the city of Sevan, happened here, in Starr. His reputation grew, and his story spread. Through the four years he's settled here and in the words of the common folk, he became known as the Don of Turtle Shell Inn.
With his reputation, people gained knowledge of the services he provided. And thus, life moved forward and his work continued.
Siyu did odd jobs, sometimes participating in investigations of murderers, thieves, or unfaithful spouses and searches for children, items, or pets. There were jobs he accepted and there were jobs he refused. As to what end he did these jobs, he wasn’t entirely sure; all he knew was that the city’s story was progressing. He could see it and he could feel it; it was thriving. And the more the city grew, the more money he received, which would be invested back into the city.
Eventually, many residents of the city came to know Siyu's name, and a request being approved by the Don of Turtle Shell Inn became a mark of respect and good fortune. Being denied a request, was perceived as bad luck, which would steer away support.
As such, Siyu suddenly found himself with enemies...
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…
…
“We can’t let this continue! His words are treated like gold and his influence is spread throughout the city. His very existence is a danger to the peace of the city.” Councilperson Rodric exclaims before calmly explaining the threat.
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“His influence merely reaches the common people and a few well-known merchants. You are overestimating the power he wields.” Councilperson Faliza says dismissively.
“If anything, Miss Faliza, he is underestimating it.” Councilperson Celine responds with a chuckle. “He has done favors for people throughout all levels of Starr’s power structure. I’m not sure if he realizes it but he wields more power than he knows. But I doubt he has any ill intentions. If we gather what we know of his actions, and the state of the city after his arrival, he can only be a force of good for this city.”
“But in the end, we do not know. We don’t know why he started to spread his influence within the city or if his intention are good or bad. All that we know is that he is an orphan! He lived in an orphanage until adulthood, before working at the restaurant next door for four years, after which Councilperson Articus brought him to the city.” Councilperson Rodric states while giving a stern glare to Councilperson Articus.
“Haha! Easy Councilperson Rodric. You are worried about a kid. I know the child well, and believe me when I say that he is a child. You know how kids are; always talking about making the world a better place or whatever. Unless you antagonize him, he is no threat, and he does not wish to be a threat. If anything, we should be using him for his influence.” Councilperson Articus responds with a laugh.
“Before we go any further, everyone please vote on the direction of this conversation. If you say, ignore it, raise your hand, and if you want to move the conversation towards either suppressing him or using him, palm on the table please.” Councilperson Celine instructs.
Eight hands went up and five palms were on the table.
“Ignore it, then. I love democracy.” Councilperson Articus says with a laugh.
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…
“Good morning, Don.”
“Good morning to you.”
“Morning, Don.”
“To you, as well.”
Siyu was walking the streets watching the story flow, but he kept getting distracted by morning greetings. Why do so many people know me? He wonders to himself.
As for Siyu's situation, he had finally accepted that he was a cultivator. He followed the Earth Path, with the subtype of By Offering. He's finally realized that it wasn't not normal to see, hear, or feel the way that he did. It was not normal for anyone following a Cultivation Path to be able to do the things they do. There is one cultivation path specific to every cultivator, and a different deity for each path. What they knew as the Heaven Path, Earth Path, and Hell Path, are simply Path Archetypes, and the furthest we can categorize them is with each path’s subtype which are the subtypes of By Blood, By Fire, or By Steel for the Heaven Path, By Offering, By Teaching, or By Leading for the Earth Path, and By Love, By Contract or By Passion for the Hell Path. Past that, each cultivator followed a completely different path depending on their deity.
The strange thing was, Siyu didn't remember anything like an Awakening Ceremony, nor do he remember ever receiving a deity’s name to guide his Cultivation Path. Unknowingly, though, he's been cultivating this path since around the time he met Articus, and he's been progressing each day. He wasn't entirely sure what this path was moving towards, but as he's always done, he could only move forward.