As a group we first got directions to, and headed for, the Violet Abyss association to retrieve the item we were required to carry for the second mission we accepted a few days ago.
The Violet Abyss association building was a large dark building colored with muted grays and blacks which made it stand out among the other buildings in the surroundings. We walked into the standard courtyard for the association building and were stopped by some grizzled looking guards.
“Halt, you three. State your business with the association.” He said brusquely.
I stepped forward from our group and addressed the guard.
“We’re outer disciples from the Blooming Violet sect.” I told him.
The look on his face softened at the name of our sect.
“I see, I see. I will alert the seneschal to your arrival. Follow me.” He said.
He led us into the main compound of the association and to a side room off the main hallway before disappearing. We waited for a few minutes before a well-dressed man in formal robes came into the room.
“Welcome disciples of the glorious Blooming Violet sect!” He greeted us.
“I am seneschal Yang of the Violet Abyss Association. I understand you have taken a mission with us; may I see the mission paperwork for confirmation?” he asked.
I shrugged to Jia and Ji and pulled out the mission paper from the sect. The seneschal looked it over and nodded his head.
“Ah yes, this mission. Thank you so much for taking on this mission, we cannot spare any men to transport this item and with our relationship to the sect it only made sense to ask the sect for assistance.”
“You’re welcome!” I told him cheerily.
“Where’s the item we need to transport and who is it going to in Fuschia village?” I asked.
“I’ll go retrieve the item now and give you the information along with it.” He said before disappearing back into the association building for a few minutes.
When he came back, he was holding a small ornate box with many furnishings and decorations donning it. I oo’d and ah’d at it and fussed over how pretty it looked.
“Now this item is of great import to the association and needs to be delivered to the village elder of Fuschia village, elder Chen Miao. Once you deliver it to him he should have a letter to bring back to us at the association. Please retrieve the letter and bring it to us unopened.” He told us. We all nodded in unison and left the association building, Ji carrying the box carefully in his pack as he was the most physically imposing of the three of us.
We then walked to the Golden Crow merchant association building where the whole compound was in a buzz with activity. We tried to hail multiple guards, but none seemed to be paying any attention to us. I spotted a portly looking administrator and walked the team over to him.
“Hello mister administrator, we’re outer disciples from the Blooming Violet sect and we’ve come to assist in escorting your caravan to Liusha city. Is there anything we can do to help right now?” I asked him.
He looked over to us, seemed to dismiss us for a second until my words dawned on him and he turned back to us.
“Ah yes, yes, the disciples from the sect, of course, of course. Thank you for coming, oh thank you. We’re going to need all the help we can get in these trying times. For now you don’t need to do anything, we will be departing within the hour however.” He said.
“What trying times?” I asked.
“Oh, it’s just terrible. The amount of bandit activity along the road to Liusha city has increased as of late. We’ve found it hard to protect our goods with just our own hired mercenaries which is why we requested some of the venerable disciples of the Blooming Violet sect to accompany us. If I may ask, what are your current ranks in cultivation?”
I looked at the others and shrugged.
“I’m at the middle stage of the foundation establishment realm.” I told him. Ji looked at me weirdly when I told the administrator this.
“I’m at the high stage of the foundation establishment realm” Jia said.
“And I’m eighty percent of the way to the body training stage” Ji said.
The man seemed to deflate at our words, but remembered who he was standing in front of.
“Of course, such strength at such a young age is truly remarkable. I feel safer already just knowing you all are here to help protect our caravan. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some more duties to take care of before we depart.” He said before scurrying away.
“Astra, I thought you were a body cultivator, why did you lie to that man. Being at the body training stage at your age is remarkable after all." Ji said to me. I realized I never told him that I was cultivating in both ways.
I explained to him the broad strokes of what Text had told me but told him that it was my previous master that taught me this instead of the inheritance’s knowledgeable Text that told me.
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“So you think I could also learn spirit cultivation? Would it not be too late for someone at my level to learn traditional cultivation?” He asked.
I took the time to mumble the same question to Text.
“ANSWER: So long as the user has not proceeded into the body training realm yet, it is possible to catch up with traditional spirit cultivation.”
I was about to answer Ji’s question when more text appeared in my vision.
“SUGGESTION: A suitable twin-branch steel spirit root cultivation technique exists in the inheritance and cannot be used to combine techniques for the user. Would you like to extract this cultivation technique?” Text asked.
I blinked at Text a few times. This was the first time it had ever suggested something like this without prompting. I was brought out of my reverie by Jia elbowing me in the side letting me know I had spent too long musing before I mumbled ‘Yes’ to text. A cultivation technique book appeared in my hands, much to the surprise of Jia, Ji, and I, and I handed it over to Ji.
“It’s not too late for you to start cultivating, no. In fact, I happen to have this book that would be perfect for you to start your cultivation journey Ji!” I told him.
He looked like he was going to tear up while looking down at the book in front of him.
“This is truly a wonderful gift. I will make great use of this Perennial cold steel body refinement cultivation technique. Thank you again, Astra.” He said. I smiled warmly at him.
“Of course! What else are friends for. Now get to reading! If you’re going to cultivate, you’re going to need to memorize what this book is telling you.” I told him. He nodded and sat down on the ground, opening the book up and studying it.
Jia motioned for me to come over to her and whispered to me.
“Astra, you must be more careful, only those with spatial storage artifacts can conjure things out of thin air like that. And where did that cultivation technique come from? Was that part of the inheritance?” She asked.
I nodded to her.
“Yep, it was from the inheritance. Apparently, it couldn’t be combined together to make techniques for me so I figured I could give it away. I’ll try to be more careful in the future, but what does it matter if people think I have a spatial storage artifact?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes.
“If people think you have such an expensive artifact on you, they’ll try to kill you to take it! Also… do you happen to have any ice cultivation techniques in there that are better than my Falling Frozen Lilies cultivation technique?
I asked Text who came back with an answer.
“ANSWER: There are three ice cultivation technique manuals in the inheritance including a copy of the Falling Frozen Lilies technique. The other techniques are more powerful than the aforementioned technique. They are the following in order from the weakest to the strongest. The Falling Frozen Lilies technique. The Absolute Bastion of Icy Repose technique, and the Soft Steps of Icy Abjuration technique.
That Bastion technique sounded cool but didn’t seem like it would be up Jia’s alley. I chose the strongest technique and brought it out in the same way I brought out the book for Ji. I handed it to Jia and her eyes lit up with wonder. She read the title and made a big O with her mouth.
“This is amazing, Astra. I can feel how strong this technique is just from its name! I’ll begin studying right now. She hugged me, gave me a peck on the cheek and rushed off next to Ji to begin studying her new cultivation method.
“Since we have some time. Do we have enough treasures to create a new technique for me yet, Text?” I asked.
“ANSWER: The monster cores in the user’s possession are potent enough sources of qi that a new technique can be created by combining techniques within the inheritance. What type of technique would you like to create?” Text asked.
I thought about it but didn’t know much about techniques.
“What types of techniques are there, and can I have more than one type of each technique?” I asked.
“ANSWER: The user can have as many of each type of technique as the user wishes, though the relative strengths of those techniques will be up to how they are used by the user. The types of techniques are as follows.
Conjuration technique: A technique that allows the cultivator to create an object or objects using their qi. The objects can be controlled with the users will for a continuous upkeep of qi.
Example: ‘Swords of the halcyonic sea’
Movement technique: A movement technique assists the user in increasing movement speed or providing a construct upon which the user can ride to assist in movement.
Example: ‘Soft steps on the halcyonic sea’
Projectile Technique: This type of technique allows the cultivator to create a projectile manifestation of qi in a predetermined type of object. Some cultivators create throwing knives, while others, a throwing javelin. The object type is usually random based on the cultivator.
Example: Not applicable.
Qi Spirit technique: This type of technique is rare to be developed by a cultivator without it being a specific part of their cultivation technique’s path. This manifests a spirit animal from the user’s qi that can be used to fight, scout, mount, or a myriad of other options. At its inception, the animal will be at a stage of growth commensurate to the cultivators cultivation level.. As the cultivator grows, and their cultivation improves, the qi spirit will also grow.
Example: Not applicable.
Restriction technique: The restriction technique allows the cultivator to hamper or halt the movements of a target using a manifestation of their qi. The manifestation is determined by the restriction technique created.
Example: Not applicable
Sealing technique: This type of technique has been lost to time. Almost no one learns them as they are not part of any traditional cultivation techniques. These techniques were more popular and useful when demons freely roamed the land causing havoc. Cultivators would be able to seal the demons into objects or formations and hold them prisoner to use their power or keep them from causing more damage to the world.
Example: Not applicable.
Domain technique: Locked.
Sage technique: Locked.
God technique: Locked.
Core technique. Locked.
Soul Technique: Locked.”
I looked over the list but knew in my heart of hearts there was only one option. I’d get a cool qi spirit?! That was too much to pass up.
“I’d like to create a qi spirit technique please, Text!” I said.
“LOADING: Creating suitable qi spirit techniques by combining treasures and techniques.”
A loading bar appeared in my vision and I sat on the ground next to my friends waiting for it to finish. Once it finished The pain of it loading into my brain hurt, but not as much as before. Once I was able to, I thought about the name of my new technique. “The nine-tailed fox of destiny” I read out loud to myself. Wow, now that’s a cool name!.
I was excited to try out my new technique and decided there was no better time than now. I felt within myself and activated the qi spirit technique.