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Right now, you're in the middle of a tournament organized by your sect for various branches. This is a free-for-all teamfight involving five-cultivators team where touching is taking out, and getting the captain means taking the whole team out.
By waiting and acting smartly, you helped the Western branch disciples and took out together the Northern Branch, and pinned the Skyslandia cultivators with the help of the Southern Branch disciples - while getting harassed by the Wilds cultivators on the way

>Rally the Southern and Wilds cultivators against the Imperials.
"Why are we fighting? Look at the Imperials. They have the advantage of wealth. We'll need the advantage of cooperation to defeat them.
- You're clueless, aren't you? It is known the imperials are the weakest branch - better sect poach good disciples first.
We of the wilds, however, are truly one with our bonded spirits!"

You're getting laugh at, as being really tone-death. You don't like it much.
"Change of plans. Southern cultivators, let's ally against those Wilds scavengers. Strongest? Don't get me laugh; they're only good at backstabbing.
- Deal."

You charge before they get away - the Southern's cultivator Desert Snake spirit coils, Sin Din charges with her Horse spirit. Two of them are engaged; one is slipping away.
You curse as your group lacks any kind of ranged weapon. On hindsight though you don't have to manage that unbearable arsehole of Ster Ling.
>Your group get 4 opportunities to hit the Wilds cultivator.
>4 anon roll 1d100

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>5930180

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>5930180
Oh dear.

Rolled 73 (1d100)

>>5930180

Rolled 94, 45, 21, 45 = 205 (4d100)

>>5930180

Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>5930244
Woops, misread.

>>5930180

>>5930244
that 94 would have been nice.

>>5930263
Sorry, anon. Maybe if QM is feeling generous!

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>>5930244
>>5930263
>>5930270
That's not knowing me well
However, let's say that the ennemies roll where less than optimal

>>5930272
8 vs 12. Battle of the spaz

Its fights like these that high level cultivators love to watch and laugh at.

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>>5930189
>>5930211
>>5930215
>>5930260
>>5930272
>>5930447

You rush toward the closer Wilds cultivator, which step forward. A second do the same, while the last one run away.
"Protect the Leader!"
With the dark stare both said Leader and the other cultivator send her, this blunder is not a bait.
You run, and stop dead in your track. As she a secret trick in her sleeve?
While both of you are held by choice paralysis, the Southern cultivator near you strikes. The Wild cultivator summon a bounded spirit to protect herself, but you jump on the opportunity to bash her head.
Your form is poor. Your move is weak. But her whole focus is taken by the soul-summoning. One down.
You hear laughter in the crowd. You hope they were laughing at her and not at you. As the winner, you were right to chose that slow vertical staff attack anyway.
Two - a similar scene happened to your right, but laughter-free.
Yeah, they didn't stand a sliver of a chance.

The Wild cultivator captain is fleeing. You...
>Send Sin Din to rush him with her spirit.
>Summon your horse Spirit to rush him in a X strike with Sin Din
>Do nothing and let the coward flee

Meanwhile, you order Dhundan and Yi...
>To press on against Southern
>To disengage against Southern, hoping they're honorable enough to drop this fight for now.

>>5930451
>Send Sin din to rush them down.

>Disengage from southern, but dont show our backs to them.

>>5930451
>Do nothing and let the coward flee
>To press on against Southern
Keep our momentum rolling! Focus on the bigger threat!

>>5930451

>Do nothing and let the coward flee

>To press on against Southern

>>5930451
>Do nothing and let the coward flee
>To press on against Southern

>>5930463
>>5930465
>>5930466
>>5930877
4 rolls of 1d100

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>5930962
Fight.

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>5930962

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>5930962

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>5930962
Lets gooo.

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>>5930969
>>5931037
>>5931048
>>5931086

You're not worried about the Wild captain. You leave him be for now.
"Push onward! Sorry Southern, this win will be ours.
- Fair."
The Snake-bound cultivator nodded. A much honorable foe for today. Maybe a worthy comrade in arms for the future?
All of you rush forward.
>Your 87 (before unmount malus) + Dhundan 96 (before shitton of revealed trump bonus) + Sin Din 56 (after Spirit + mounted bonus)
Three strikes. Three foes down. They raise in the now-familiar bubbles. You have the feeling the snake-guy was the captain, but it's just a hunch.
That was a good chance to see Dhundan's saber in action. It seemed it dragged the gerbil spirit toward it, opening the flabbergasted cultivator to a nasty chest kick.

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You take a breath, and assert the situation.
3 of the Western cultivator remains. The swordfighter have been taken away.
4 of the Imperial cultivator are still fighting. They have revealed 3 spirit : Ox, Deer and Ape.
2 Seaslandia cultivator remains. They revealed a Shark and a Seaturtle spirit.
The 2 remaining Wilds cultivator keep harassing the group.

You chose to...
>Engage the Imperial, completely circling them
>With a right-crescent shaped trajectory, pin the 2 elusive Wilds cultivator against Seaslandia and Imperial
>With a left-crescent shaped trajectory, engage the Western cultivator from behind

>>5931177
>Pin the Wilds

>>5931177
>With a right-crescent shaped trajectory, pin the 2 elusive Wilds cultivator against Seaslandia and Imperial
Bet everyone is tired of their shit

>>5931177
>With a right-crescent shaped trajectory, pin the 2 elusive Wilds cultivator against Seaslandia and Imperial

>>5931196
>>5931212
>>5931226
I'll take 4d100

Rolled 64, 37, 31, 59 = 191 (4d100)

>>5931249

>>5931269
Discarded.
Every single time. Since 3 years.
>I'll take 4 roll of 1d100

Rolled 3 (1d100)

>>5931272
Hey, I looked back at the last 2 calls and they were both 4 rolls of 1d100, but this time you typed out 4d100, I thought you did it differently for a reason

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>5931249
Numpties.

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hey, i was uh born for this quest ... they call me link and i'm supposed to defeat this guy named gannon and save zelda?

anyways thx 4 reading

>>5931351
Roll 1d100 to save your princess Sel Dan maboi Ling; Gan Ong is at your reach

>>5931359
>>5931351
Junior is courting death, Old Monster Gan Ong is at the peak of his Daos Severed Soul stage.

No mere foundaition establishment novice can save themselves, let alone their formation master dao partner!

>>5931366
As the Daoist Priest Dar Win said, "Let youngsters fight their unsurmountable challenges for a wiser future generation of Cultivators"

Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>5931272

Rolled 30 (1d100)

>>5931272

>>5931289
>>5931328
>>5931378
>>5931766
>these rolls
Eesh.

>3 for you
>19 for Yi

Yeah, both of you have to burn a trump.
What do you use?
>Golden Flame Hawk
>Silver Warrior Horse
>Cosmic Spear Snake
>Scion of the Primordial Wolf

>>5931774
>Horse

Lets get rid of our unmounted

>>5931774
>Silver Warrior Horse

>>5931774

>Cosmic Spear Snake

Scion of the Primordial Wolf as an option is an absolutely terrible idea but I get why its listed. We should endevor to never reveal it to anyone under any circumstances unless its to save our life.

>>5931774
>Silver Warrior Horse

>>5931774
>Silver Warrior Horse

I'll take 2 rolls of 1d100
>First is yours
>Second is Sin Din
It's her only trump. You have other under hand.

And i'm retarded. It's of course Yi and not Sin Din

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>5932029

>>5932057
Fucking, release the hawk.

Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>5932029

>>5932057
>>5932091
Yeah, Yi seems done for.
You too.
>Accept the L
>Reveal Snake Spirit
>Reveal Hawk Spirit
>Reveal Wolf Spirit

>>5932096
>Reveal Hawk Spirit

>>5932096
>Reveal Snake Spirit
Horse-Spear synergy, go!

>>5932096
>Reveal snek

>>5932096
>Reveal Snake Spirit
We've got this

I'll take 1 more d100 for snek reveal

>>5932196
I'm not doing this again.

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>5932196

>>5932228
fucking HELL

>>5932228
>Accept the L
>Reveal Hawk Spirit
>Reveal Wolf Spirit

>>5932238
>Reveal Hawk Spirit
If this fails, we'll call it quits.

>>5932238
>Reveal hawk.

Please stop sucking, Us.

>>5932238
>>Reveal Hawk Spirit

Cosmic Noodle was dissapointing.

>>5932238
>Reveal Hawk Spirit
truly we are destined for mediocrity

>>5932238
>Reveal Hawk Spirit

>>5932256
>>5932259
>>5932469
>>5932626
>>5932640
>1roll of 1d100

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>5932646
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH

>>5932675
Finally a good roll

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With a curved trajectory, you attempt to pin the two Wilds skirmisher against the melee.
You time your approach carefully.
"Wait..."
An imperial girl, wielding a Meteor Hammer, attack the closest wild cultivator, helpless with his whip.
Before the hit register, his bounded Copper-Pawed Bear appears, blocking the steel weight with its palm.
"Now!"
You strike as a group. your target locked in your sight.
His whip crack. You avoid at the last second by Jumping, pushed upward by the Silver Warrior Horse spirit.
The Bear turns around, and tries to pummel you. You throw your halberd at the ennemi, forcing its spirit to deflect the blow, then summon the Cosmic Spear Snake spirit at the last second and push the shaft - the tail? No time to ponder metaphysical questions! - to hold the bear's arm at bay.
A part of you is awestruck. You feel the weight of the strike - the bear spirit, being bonded to a mere child that opened his Heart Aperture, is of course not as strong as a real ordinary bear. Still, it can muster between one third and half the strength of the real deal.
The fact you didn't instantally collapsed under the attack is a testimony of your body cultivation paying of.
The split-second saved by your bending snake is enough. Whip cracked, bear on top of you, the Wild cultivator have no mean to protect against the Hawk spirit catapulted to his face.
"Unfair! Your sect gifted you 3 spirits? How rich is the Eastern Branch exactly?"
You don't dignify the bubbled cultivator a reply. On your right, Yi was taken down by the other Wild cultivator, escaping the pinning motion.
On the other side, however, the Western sabreur stroke true : his opponent, the Ox-spirited Imperial cultivator, have his bounded beast dissipating while a bubble takes him and his 3 teammates away.

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The battlefield is cleaning up.
You...
>Engage a 3-way melee
>Engage Seaslandia cultivators (revealed spirits : Shark, sea turtle) in a pinch with Western
>Engage Western in a pinch with Seaslandia
>Call for a global Wild annihilation move, then sort out things
>Write-in

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A/N : Picrel

>>5932739
>Global wild anihillation

>>5932739
>Call for a global Wild annihilation move, then sort out things

>>5932736
>Call for a global Wild annihilation move, then sort out things
massacre!

>>5932744
>>5932854
>>5932878

I'll take 3 roll of 1d100
(You, Sin Din, Mystery)

Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>5932882

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>5932882

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>5932882

>>5932675
Fuck yeah! I finally rolled well.

>>5932736
>Wildlet assumes we were given three spirits
>we actually earned them ourselves
Feels proud.

>>5932743
Legendary

>>5933081
Well, Ackchually, you were gifted the Horse spirit.

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>>5932891
>>5932913
>>5932940

"Seaslandia, Western. Parley. The Wilds are harassing us, for a cheap win. Let's deal with them first, and fight squarely for the win.
- Works for us
- I want guarantee. Won't you pile up on us upon winning? I want your word you will let the one taking out the Wilds captain in finale, and duel for fighting them.
- You have my word.
- And mine."

You and Sin Din charge south, toward the lone Wilds captain.
Dhundan rushes behind you and the other Wilds cultivator, to avoid a backstab, while the Turtle cultivator and the Shark cultivator charge on the east.
>13
An arrow buzzes while it crosses you, wildly of mark.
>Sin Din : Enough to cross threshold
Your fellow horserider overtake you, thanks to the Unstoppable Mist Stallion she's riding. A cleave, enough to not-behead and take out the Wilds cultivator.
He leaps away, replaced by his Bounded spirit - an anthropomorphic Wolf, wielding a bow.
"Come forth, Spiritual Guardian Wolf Archer!"
>You : Enought to obliterate threshold with various bonuses, despite not proficient in spear wielding
You wind up your arm. You thrust your Cosmic Spear Snake spirit through the Guardian wolf, which dispel, barely slowing your strike.
Your hit reaches the sternum of your target, sending him flying in a bubble with the last Wild cultivator.

You and Sin Din relax. Three teams remain. Two will fight themself out for you.
That's the exact instant the Shark cultivator and the Sea Turtle cultivator rushes Dhundan. Traitors.
"For me, Westbros! Betrayal! For the honour of our word, as our word is our bond!"
Dhundan is holding out nice enough. Western cultivators instantly sides with you and rush onward - unless they're trying to take out Dhundan too?
Well, you're pretty sure everybody must think you're the Western Captain at this point.
Dhundan is luckily holding out so far. However, you don't have a choice : you have to protect him.
>4 roll of 1d100!

>>5933153
number 1

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>5933161
Actual roll

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>5933153
lucky the mystery roll was low

Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>5933153

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>5933103
We were, but everybody was gifted one spirit. There's nothing wrong with that. Our Sect isn't made of paupers, after all.

>>5933153
Come on you bastard!

>>5932743
He's LITERALLY ME well, us

>>5933163
>>5933173
>>5933192
>>5933223
Not great...

Rolled 65, 7 = 72 (2d100)

I'll need that open roll...

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>>5933163
>>5933173
>>5933192
>>5933223

>Dhundan : 34 + enough bonus to reach barely over 50
Your captain is still holding out.
Sin Din circles the traitors, charging the Shark Cultivator.
>17, respective bonus amounting to -1
Said cultivator avoid the cleave, sidesteps and propel the Shark Spirit to your right-wing mounted fighter, taken away in a bubble.
>Archer : 42
An arrow ricochet on the stone slabs between the Shark Cultivator and Dhundan.
>53+10 from Horse, +6 from Hawk, +6 from Snake : 75!
You charge the one with the sea turtle spirit. Flaming Hawk circling on the left, snake spear curving on his right, he have to make a useless choice as he's done for it.
His choice was to duck and cover his head, letting you hit with both the Snake and the Hawk spirit.

And then, the Western cultivator charge reach the melee.
>Shieldbearer : 7 - 14 : -7!
The Obsidian Shark Spirit tail-sweep, taking down the western defensive fighter.
>Axeman : 65 + 9 : 74!
The Seaslandia cultivator couldn't protect from the onslaught forever. The western fighter strikes. The traitor captain fells.
He's copiously insulting you, comparing the Western and Eastern cultivator as weak twigs bundled together in a small amount of firewood.

"That being sorted... Take your breath. we'll be ready whenever you are, gentlemen."

You have time to whisper one thing to Dhundan before the final showdown.
>What's your strategy?

>>5933500
>Get on our horse and charge forward. Throw Dhun at whoever just spoke and we will body soam the archer then come around to help finish the other. Speed and power.

>Dont forget to give a nod or shallow bow to the commencement of the final clash.
Manners cost nothing.

If that can help you, the one talking is the Axeman

>>5933580
Then the plan as advertised.
Trample the archer while Dhun takes a flying keap at axe man. If we finish off the archer, move to help with Axie.

Another viable method is hoth of us dogpiling the axe man if we think he is the captain. But I am spreading our odds

>>5933500
>>5933568 +1

>>5933500
>>5933594
They wouldn't make a frontliner a captain when they have an archer, would they? I'd rather we tangle with Axe guy while Dhundan goes after the archer - he does have experience in those fights after beating Ster Ling.

2 roll of 1d100

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>5933999
Just. . . 28 or higher, please.

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>5933999
I will save us

>>5934047
I have failed and shall pay with my life

Rolled 46 (1d100)

Yeah, this was Dhundan roll.
Is his opponent Axeman faring better? All his trumps have been burned after all...

>>5934052
Nah, Unless Axe man has malnuses, he's fucked.

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>5933999

Still around.
We finished the gauntlet of crunchy arena fight, some more regular long-text updates are coming around. I'm trying to update today, no promises though.

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>>5934046
>>5934047
>>5934052

"Dhundan, on the Axeman. I'll take the archer. I think he's their captain."
The four of you bow, then charge.
Your Horse takes a crescent-shaped trajectory, leap over an arrow. You strike, and see the bubble taking him.
A smug smile plaster on your face. You turn around, as you feel yourself rising.
There's joy, and surprise in the Axeman gaze, mimicking yours. Seems like the fight was over before he expected.

"And the first round of the battle is won by the Western Branch!"
Thunderous applause in the arena.
You were really close to win. Your two bubbles reach your teammate's; at least they had a great vantage point to observe the fight.
The discreet man that led you to the arena pop the five bubbles with a sweeping motion, and he leads you back to your room. The next fight will begin soon, but not immediately.

You take a bit of time to wind down and think while back in your lodgings, before next match starts.
This few minutes in the Arena sure felt like an eternity.
>How much did you enjoy this fighting format?
On one hand, you get farther away than you expected. On the other, you made three strategical mistakes.
First one was letting Dhundan take the captainship. You gave all orders, and he was eliminated before you.
Ok, maybe this was an half-mistake as you captured some of the aggression. Still, it would have been a better call.
Second one was letting the Wilds captain alone, and attacking the two of them in the melee. This cost you Norm Yi.
Third one was not pitting Dhundan against the Archer, and yourself against Axeman. His shield Art would have completely negate the skilled, but lacking Spiritual Arts, Western fighter. You could have taken the captain.

How do you feel about your result?
>Second place is first loser. You're bitter and mad at yourself for your mistakes [bad for your mental health, motivation to push yourself in the near future]
>Could have been better, could have been worst. You don't care much [No effect]
>You almost won. A bit unlucky, still a good showing for the sect. You're proud [good for your mental health, you won't push yourself as hard in the near future]

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Meanwhile, in the lodge of the branch Masters

"My respects for teaching so well your disciple, Western Branch Master. Mine will incur beatings for such a poor performance, to motivate them further.
- Poor performance? You were in first half! Don't be so harsh!"
- Fourth place is abysmally bad, we won last gathering! Seaslandia are strong but not great, so it's expected of them to finish third!
- You're seeking death? I'm pretty sure I can beat you fair in duel!
- Calm down, Southern Master. Master can't interfere in disciple fights after all.
- You look scared. Wuss.
- Anyway, you gave us a good showing, Eastern Master.
- Yeah. This year novices are for the least promising. Two of them are gifted. A third one seems to pull the whole bunch up.
- I assume your two finalists are the gifted ones?
- Only one. The second was the motivator. I actually have two really promising disciples that are not interested in competition : the Novice, and a Second-stage decade-old.
- How much do you want for transferring those disciples?
- Haha, Wild Master, I'm afraid I'm not transferring them.
- Why? You should be done with your duties and move onward, so the disciple's training won't be your problem anymore?
- With such a gifted young generation, I might request to delay my transfer for now..."

>>5934934
>Second place is first loser.

Dhun wasnt a bad call. The rest were. And we should feel bad about it.

>The fight format was fine but new need more experience commanding others. More practice working together. Then this failure will not occur again.

Dont take it out on the others, we are solely responsible. ~~Character time~~

>>5934934
>You almost won. A bit unlucky, still a good showing for the sect. You're proud [good for your mental health, you won't push yourself as hard in the near future]

we tried

>>5934934
>>Could have been better, could have been worst. You don't care much [No effect]
Don't think about. just do your thing. You held back the wolf, played it smart.

>>5934934
>Second place is first loser. You're bitter and mad at yourself for your mistakes [bad for your mental health, motivation to push yourself in the near future]
NEVER ACCEPT FAILURE AAAAAGH
hope we don't give our boy a heart attack at 30

>>5934934
>You almost won. A bit unlucky, still a good showing for the sect. You're proud [good for your mental health, you won't push yourself as hard in the near future]

>>5934934
>Could have been better, could have been worst. You don't care much [No effect]

I'd appreciate a tiebreaker. Else, the Middle Way gang will win this vote.

I would prefer we get ULTRA MOTIVATION but honestly so long as the "mental health" people don't get their way.

Pff, mental health, the only health point that matters is the last.

>>5935671
Should I take it as a tiebreaker toward "Second place is first loser"?

>>5935677
I want to say yes, but that would be dishonest. I am >>5934969

>>5935695
I appreciate the honesty anon.

>>5935699
It's all a man can have on an anonymous website.

>>5935734
To paraphrase Dwight L. Moody, "Character is what you are on 4chan."

>>5934936
>2nd best is 1st worst

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>>5934969
>>5935077
>>5935319
>>5935326
>>5935398
>>5935433
>>5935757

Yeah, you're taking this defeat really hard.
Part of you mulls over the fact you lost. Another mulls about the fact you didn't won both this and last bout without taking a hit yourself.
Will you be known in the future as "Daoist Invincible Loser"?
The rest of the day is spent spectating the various fights. The only thing you can do is grasp as much as you can by watching more advanced cultivator fighting.
The one-year older kids are around your power level. The fight looks very much like yours, except with less bounded spirit beasts.
Why?
The Imperial disciples still possess a full set of bonded spirits, and this is enough to let them win.
The 7-year old kids fight, however, is a bit more interresting. Spirits are still a tad less prevalent than for your own fight, and the Wilds cultivator are left to their shenanigan long enough to take down efficiently pack after pack with their harrasment strategy.
This will be their only win today : despite being probably the strongest in individual fight, the other disciples systematically group up against the harassers in a tacit alliance. You're pretty sure a Wilds cultivator attempted an elemental strike.
Things get really interesting in the next round. The older kids of this age range, the most gifted disciples of the various branches, at 10 year old, have broke through first stage and reached True Master rank.
You're seeing the full display of Spiritual Arts. The most striking aspect is the materialization of elemental forces in the real world using True Qi.
Lightning bolt and fireball crosses the arena, walled by Ice Shield, dodge by turning into a cloud of mist or a whirlwind of leaves.
Well, the one that tried to avoid the fireball by turning into leaves got bubbble'd, so maybe you should take care of that kind of things in the future.
You're pretty sure you've also seen someone Morphing in a beast-human hybrid form.
This bout is won by the Western cultivator. Their spiritual arts are less flashy, but their battle formation is impeccably clean, not influenced the tiniest by the chaos. They make all the right calls, efficiently dispels and play around bounded spirits.
The next fight is as flashy, but one particular cultivator dominate : the kid that won his own bout of the tournament with the Poison Kelp Whale Spirit proved he's worth his title.
All his techniques are based on his bounded spirit. His control over the spirit position and action is admirable and most impressive.
You don't know anything about the kid though.

Next round is won by Northern, and their collection of Ice-based spirits and techniques.
But the round you found the most satisfying to watch was the last. Bathias, the leader of the team, would have seemed disfavored with his Life Hawk Spirit.
That would be a severe underestimation of techniques of the Life element, combined with the Battle King Body, turns him in your eyes into wrath made man.
Skittling, dodging, running, striking with his triple staff all around the battlefield, his efficient movements are too fast for his opponents.
In the end, you feel like you won hindsight from both your fight and the one you watched. Partaking in the event, as well as your good results, will most likely help your cultivation.
There's at least that going on well for you today.

Once the fights over, the quiet man comes back to your lodging, and order you to follow.
There is a big feast, organized for celebrating the end of the first day of the gathering.
The already luxurious, in your opinion, meal you've been offered previously are scraps in regard to the feast offered tonight.
The tables are grouped by age - you will eat with the one you fought earlier.
>Yeah, you don't care.
>Actully, you're interrested in kids coming from... [write-in branch]

>>5935767
>Yeah, you don't care.

>>5935767
>Don't care.
Be polite. Be respectful. Ruminate.

>>5935767
>>Actully, you're interrested in kids coming from Northern. Something about those ice techniques really appeals to you, though you don't think you've been tested for Ice Affinity.

>>5935767
>Interested in Western
They were very honorable and deserved the win.

>>5935960
Supporting.

>>5935767
I'm >>5935741 on mobile.

>>5935767
>Yeah, you don't care.

Lurker, rejoice : a new tie to break!

>>5935960
Supporting
>>5936541
You've summoned me after like 2 years of not posting here

>>5936573
>Broke a vow of silent
Your vote and your trust obliges me.
As a blogpost, it makes me smile my Writing Skills are good enough for that.

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>>5935891
>>5935955
>>5935960
>>5935973
>>5936017
>>5936413
>>5936573

A Feast made by an Immortal Chief. Countless meals are laid in front of you. Of course, you partake.
However, the spiritual energy contained in the banquet is so ample that you fill full while only sampling four dishes.
>Benefit of partaking in the Immortal Feast : A few of your Potential rose!

Instead of mulling, you decide to approach the group of Northern cultivator disciples.
You glance at the group of cultivators. Fur-lined robes, pale of skin and sporting uncommon light hair colors - hazelnut brown, blond and ginger are common among them and their older Branch-siblings.
You approach the captain, with ebony-hair contrasting heavily on his white skin
"Hey. I wanted to apologize. We took you away from the fight first, and didn't won in the end...
You're kidding? We lost against the union of the disciples that won the more rounds today! Our honor couldn't be safer!
- Mine won't be! you took me from behind! By Surprise! You'll have to take responsibility!
Oh. The braided blond Halberdier girl you eliminated after she took out the Western Lancer.
"Please ignore Ing Rid. She's a sore looser. What she thinks is cowardice when done by other is cunning when she acts herself.
- Thank you. How does the North look like?
- Colder. Down here, Autumn is coming. We don't have that kind of things : in a few week, a couple month at best, winter will be laying its siege.
- I've seen some of the disciple's Ice technics. Most impressive.
- I don't know about it myself - this will have to wait when this Bjorn reach True Master realm, but Ice is said to be a versatile tool.
Shaping it as a wall, you have a roof over your head on a night out. Thrown into water, you have a makeshift raft. It can cover the ground in a layer of soft snow will you be hurled toward it.
- Yeah, that seems really convenient!
- However, it is said to be one of the weakest elements in term of raw power : Fire melt it; Earth, Metal and Lightning break through it, when Light and Darkness can directly ignore a Ice Wall.
- I didn't knew elements had affinities!
- Yeah. A strong technique with an elemental and strategical edge is said to be able to take down an opponent a Major Realm stronger!"

Then, the captain asks you about your own sect. He's a bit disappointed when you tell him you don't know much about the sea and try to stay as away as possible.
It turns out your daily life is quite similar. His sect's ressources are sparer, so the gift bag he and his team received are immense boons that will definitely help their cultivation.
Despite possibly bonding over sharing a wolf spirit, you shut up about this exact subject.

Later in the night, Bathias approach you and your group.
"First, congratulations. You fought well and almost won your bout.
- You, congratulations. You fought better and won your bout. The most important one!
- Nice transition, because it wasn't : the most important one is yet to come. Their are two fights in the gathering.
The first day is 5-people squad of similar level. The last day is full disciple delegation. This is to train in conflict against invading forces, where several realms will be present on the battlefield.
We might have a chance to win it. Try to take some time to think; I'll be open to your strategical suggestions."
Pressure. Pressure back on your shoulder.
"But it's still a bit far away. For now you guys have to capitalize on this visit! for the following days, you can have countless opportunities with peerless masters..."


>Because you chose to push yourself despite the toll, and thanks to your performance, you can pick three :
Spend the week cultivating hard exploiting the dense local spiritual energy
>Work on your Foundation with Hawk's Wide Ballet!
>Work on your Martial Art technique : Windy Cavalier's Halberd!
The gathering of so many seniors and masters is a golden opportunity to learn.
>Request a new Body Tempering Technique (Write-in an Animal)
>Request a new Martial Art Technique (Write-in a Weapon)
>You can Write-in to work on a learned technique
This is a rare opportunity to get a pick in the sect's treasury...
>Request a Spirit Beast [You won't be able to bind to more]
>Request a Treasured Weapon [Write-in what kind of Weapon]
>Request a piece of Equipment [Write-in what you have in mind]
>Request Pills. You like pills.
You can also use the opportunity to investigate about your Scion of Primordial Wolf Spirit. For now, it is just a weak wolf spirit. You're 100% certain there's more to it.
>Ask about tales and legends of Beast Tamers!
>Ask directly about Primordial Spirit to someone
>Try to see a high-ranking Master you trust [Who?]. Show him or her the spirit, ask the course of action.
>Try to see the highest level expert you can find. Show him or her the spirit, ask the course of action.

Or you can always...
>Write in!

>>5936651
>Ask directly about Primordial spirits

>Work on your foundation
>Request a spear technique [for our snake spear, maybe poison aspected?]

I still want to put "spear" into our foundational technique but if we can get one here, then we won't be debuffed when on foot anymore.

>>5936684
Support

>>5936651
>Request a new Martial Art Technique (Write-in a Weapon)
Spear
>Request a piece of Equipment [Write-in what you have in mind]
Life Saving Treasure
>Ask directly about Primordial Spirit to someone.
We uh read a note about them in our sect library

>>5936651
>Work on your Foundation with Hawk's Wide Ballet!
>Request a new Body Tempering Technique (Snake)

>Ask directly about what kinds of special spirits there are to ask in a more roundabout way the snake teacher who I think likes us enough to humor our question. Namely our current focused animals.

I find it a bit humorous that we are not a genius but have such high-quality spirits and one that could kill us if ever exposed.


Also for the last slot in Spirits, I say something defensive to round out our battle power. I think bear, but idk how that meshes with us. Or the option is another wolf to train our wolf arts to keep our uber wolf a secret.

If we want a new martial art I suggest a movement type if we don't have one yet.

>>5936803
Other cultivators lack the MOTIVATION to achieve shit. Many cultivators in xianxia stories were just talentless weaklings until they got a lucky break.

>>5936803
I maintain that being genre savvy, or at least being guided by those who are, is underrated and trumps most geniuses.

Both that and genius fall to luck though.

We are like 5 years old. We don't need a powerful weapon yet. We will outgrow it.

>>5936651
>Work on your foundation
>Request a new Body Tempering Technique (Snake)
>Ask for stories of wolves and the moon. Follow that up with questions about the great wolf and moon spirits.

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>>5936684
>>5936716
>>5936730
>>5936791
>>5937080

>Tally status
I let it open to make sure everybody can voice their choices. In particular, choices regarding the wolf spirit and technique might define the next arcs of the quest.

>>5936803
>last slot in Spirits
You don't have a "last slot". You've bonded with 4 spirits, which you only could thanks to the amazing hidden rolls of first thread related to beast taming and those beasts in particular.
Of course, no one knows what's the future is made of, but your soul can't be stretched more than 4 pendants for the foreseeable future.

>>5936651
>Ask about tales and legends of Beast Tamers!
>Request a spear technique [for our snake spear, maybe poison aspected?]
>Ask for stories of wolves and the moon. Follow that up with questions about the great wolf and moon spirits.

>>5936651
>>Work on your Foundation with Hawk's Wide Ballet!
>>Ask about tales and legends of Beast Tamers
>>Request a new Martial Art Technique/Ask for help altering a current technique: Windy Cavalier's Spear

>>5937080
>We will outgrow it
Oh boy, you couldn't have worded this better for one of the reveal.

Sorry folks; my employer actually require me to work for real today. Update postpone'd until I've unfucked the customer's software

Alright. I'm taking 3 roll of 1 d100 for your research effort.
>As you chosed the safest option, your roll will be Bo3
>Thresholds :
less than 5 - Crit fail
5-19 : Dangerous fail
20-49 : Fairytail type stories
50-69 : Fairytail with parts of truth
70-95 : Paraboles
96+ : Good stuff.

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>5939307

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>5939307
Fairytale

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>5939307

>>5939319
>>5939341
>>5939380
With those rolls, let's say it's very good you choose a careful approach.

>>5939424
what a relief

>>5939424
I feel like I shouldn’t have rolled.

>>5939484
But you saved us.

>>5939608
And?

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The most important thing, in your opinion, is to take advantage of the ample spiritual energy from the place and the meals to work hard on your cultivation.
And so you do. Every day, three times a day, you execute the full movement sequence of the Hawk's Wide Ballet, gathering Qi and Blood threads in your body.
You then pull the threads in the hourglass of your Eye Aperture, steadily filling up from the stream of life energy.
You appreciate having enough space to work on your Body Cultivation technique.
You are the first to rise and last to bed among the Eastern disciples group - the champion of laziness being Yi Norm, followed closely by Sin Din.
Man Din is blocked out of cultivating because of a lack of Body Tempering Liquid - you can only wonder why didn't she simply asked for some. Still, there must be a reason - she works more diligently than her twin.
Dhundan, secretive as ever, is vanishing from sunrise to sunset.

That leave you ample time to pursue a couple other things during the week. First, you want to know more about the spirit bounded to you.
However, the Warning of the Primordial Wolf Spirit still echoes in your mind :
"Be wary, as this is not a gift but a curse : most people that can glance at my scion and perceive its worth will try to rip it from you."
Who could perceive the spirit's worth more than a cultivator which style revolves around spiritual beasts?
You think your best bet to not rise suspicion would be finding a book about Primordial spirits, and use that to engage the discussion.
What could be a better place than the sect's great library? You're easily directed toward the building - rows upon rows of scroll and books.
Perfect. Where should you start?
"Looking for something?
- Informations about spirit beasts!" you immediately answer the archivist.
"I can give you the most basic texts to read here. You know how to read, right?"
Your eloquent silence foils your lead.
"Worry not, young Eastern disciple. You're at the right place - Fairy Wise Crane will be there soon."

The man takes you to a separate room where other childs are waiting - hey there is the Seaslandia band among them! You sit down.
Weirdly, you couldn't hear their chatter before stepping in the room.
Soon, an elegant woman wearing a silver-white Kimono enter. You're striken by her emerald green eyes and her piercing gaze. You feel like she knows the answer to all of the questions in the world.
"Alright disciples. What story would you like to hear today?"

Over the course of the week, you hear several stories.
First, the story of Feng Liang, said to have bounded first with a spirit - A Hawk spirit.
The dunce of his martial art style, kept around as the great-grandson of the patriarch but from the lesser of lesser branches, his life was miserable.
Shamed of weighting on the sect and gorging uselessly on resources, he took the decision on his fifteenth birthday to leave and go let himself die on the peak of the nearby Azure Mount.
It is said the man met a Blue Hawk spirit, coming down the mountain six month later, having reached second realm after being stuck on opening his Nose aperture since his 10th year anniversary.
From simpleton to rising star, the boy left his original sect - which didn't withstand the trial of time - and roamed the country. Keeping moving onward, bounding more spirits (dolphin, ox, tiger and marten), the tales end with his first disciple bonding with a crane Spirit.

You make sure to attend the following storytelling sessions over the week. Fairy Wise Crane seems to have countless tales :
The Story of the Spiritual Crucible, an legendary artifact in the shape of a cauldron, able to fuse together spirits.
The Story of a fabled spirit, able to take the shape it liked among those of the 33 beasts.
The Story of Lin Xian, which discovered the secret allowing sect members to cultivate past third realm - secret exclusively taught to Third Realm cultivators that dutifully taught novices.
The Story of the cultivator that found a seemingly useless snake spirit, with no visible attribute. However, his snake grew, grew and grew some more along himself, letting him grow through the Third realm spirit despite not knowing the secret at that point.

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You take your chance near the end of the week.
"Fairy, please, do you have a story of a great wolf and the moon?
- I'm afraid I haven't. Wolf cultivators are not the most open to their life stories, I'm afraid.
- What about a tale of Primordial spirit?
- Primordial? That's not something I expected to hear today. Tell me, young boy, where did you learned of Primordial spirit?
- A man tried to sell me a storybook in my town. Didn't because I can't read.
- Well, you might have wanted to learn specially for this book. If you can still find it, I'll have greater interest in acquiring it - be it several decades in the future if it must be.
Hear my story : maybe it's a tale, maybe it's not."
Her mouth smiles, her eyes don't.
"A young cultivator entered the Great Reef - A Spiritual World which doors open to students diligently cultivating"
A wave of protest rises from students of Seaslandia arguing that it's old man tale to shame them about their non-diligence to keep them in line. Sea Turtle guy is awfully quiet.
"This is a tale I can stop telling if it seems too stretched for your taste."
Everybody instantly shut their meat flappers. She never threatens so even when you were even unrulier.
"In this submarine world, lucky cultivators encounter spirits they can bring back to the main world using spiritual bead.
Our novice encountered the greatest of the spirits, the world itself. This is what the legend call the Primordial Spirit - a spirit made of all the spirits, pulling in its grasp cultivators with an affinity.
It is said the novice merged with the Primordial Shark. Coming back, he boasted to his friends and masters about his lucky encounter.
However, the spirit seems more a dead-weight than an incredible boon. Still, it should have been worth something - on day, the disciple disappeared, never to be seen again.
Later, I met an heretic cultivator. Once a Shark Master, he was bounded to a spirit with an unbelievable strength. A spirit looking much like the one of my friend.
That Primordial Spirit, much like the 33-shape spirit I already told you about, could take several shapes. Always shape of sharks, but with different attributes.
I couldn't avenge my friend that day."

A chill run on your back. You didn't learned everything you needed, but at least you learned it safely.

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There's another thing you did that week : searching for a new technique.
Bathias advised you to directly ask the masters of other branches for a Spear technique.
So you simply ask your fellow disciples at the dinner table if they know about some Masters with spear Knowledge. The wilds disciples do and point the man for you, while snickering among themself.
You humor them, and simply walk to the man.
"Teaching a spear technique to a novice that didn't even lost his baby tooth? Bold. Are you at least compatible with wolf spirits?
- Luckily, I am. I can't show you a bounded wolf spirit though.
- [bi]If that's so... Don't complain if my technique is too hard for you.[/bi]"
And just like that the Senior materialize a spear and displays intricate moves, including scratching the tip of the spear against his arm.
The drops of blood darken and turns into shadows, taking the form of wolves attacking along him while he performs the move.
More and more wolves are summons as he display the spear style.
"[bi]There. Good luck.[/bi]"
Wait, he showed too little, and went full speed!
But being a cultivator is facing the adversity and laugh in the face of the will of Heavens. Of course you'll at least try!
While you try to emulate the moves, the Wilds master turns his back and goes away.
>Best personal roll of turnament : 92 + good performance
The scruffy woodman is stopped by a hand upon his shoulder. Hey, it's Ryota!
"Fellow Daoist Wildstride, I'd appreciate if you helped this young disciple.
- [bi]And why should I do that?[/bi]
- Do you see anyone best suited to receive help right now for the better future of the Sect?"
That settles it. You gratefully nod at the amber-eyed bulky and tanned man.
The time spent with the woodman is hard work under a skilled practitioner but an impatient master.
Of course, you are unable to summon the blood wolves yet. You guess that is because you're not second stage yet - but you're corrected.
"[bi]It's just you are too bad at the technique for now.[/bi]"
This is the hardest technique you've practiced for now. Still, it is extremely well suited for you.
You guys can't keep getting away with this.
When you ask about it, you get the following answer :
"[bi]This technic is made of 6 elements. Wolf intent, spear skill, Spiritual strength, Shadow elemental affinity, Blood material affinity and Pain mental energy.
Your affinity with the first four of these elements isn't half bad. That pulls enough weight to carry your poor Blood and Pain affinities.[/bi]
- So should I amend the technique to write them out?
"[bi]Not necessary. This is the way to circumvent your natural limitation related to those elements and push your global cultivation upward.[/bi]"

>Learned Spear style : Blood-Shadow Wolf Painful Assault


>Any thing you want to ask to someone during that week?

>>5939681
Can't we?! I think we can!
Also, we have shadow affinity? Neat.

>Ask if any of the masters can run a more detailed test for our affinities, we have only had a mild testing at our first sorting.

>Ask why Man Din is not permitted to cultivate?

>>5939708
Support

>>5939708
+1

>>5939681

>>5939708
+1

>>5939708
Support

I made a rough list of our strengths and weaknesses. (prob missed a few)

Strengths
Fire, Gold, Shadow, Spiritual, Beasts, Spear Halbard, Snake, Wolf, Hawk, Horse, Meteor Hammer
??? Bonus (From Horse)
??? Bonus (From Snake + Hawk Wide Ballet Combo)
??? Bonus Wolf(No idea what it does)

Natural - Mental?(From training with bf), Bow, Saber

Weakness
Sword, Water, Darkness, Sun, Swimming, Blood, Pain, Illusion, Plant?

>>5939834
We know what the wolf does now.

It offers EVERY attribute, when it shifts form.

>>5939839
Missed that. So in theory we can train any of the 33 attributes.
Does it also just raise our affinity with all attributes as well?

>>5939842
What are the 33 attributes?

>>5939872
I guess that is something we´ll have to find out

>>5939842
33 is the number of beasts, not attribute. Your character knows that.
The exact number of attribute, however, you don't know.

>>5939834
Let me help you with that. Your character is aware of...
>Genius Tier potential :
Wolf, Horse, Meteor-Hammer
>Greater skills and affinities:
Hawk, Snake, Spiritual Strength, Astral Self, Social, Strategy, Unarmed fighting, Spear, Halberd, Shadow, Gold

>>5940004
And I forgot Mental Resistance amidst the skills.

>>5940006
>>5940004
Cool this helps figure out what techniques benefit us the most.

I have an idea for metro-hammer Martial art.

Snake for flexibility into power, picking some stances from Hawk's Wide Ballet and shadow to draw mystery into the tech.

Something like
Deceitful Shadow Hawk

More of a hidden killing move that's a last resort.

>>5940004
Meteor hammer. . . Damn, That'd be cool.

I do really really like the idea of becoming a weapon specialist as well as a beast tamer.

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>>5939708
>>Ask if any of the masters can run a more detailed test for our affinities, we have only had a mild testing at our first sorting.
>>Ask why Man Din is not permitted to cultivate?
>>5939713
>>5939782
>>5939792
>>5939834

>Ask why Man Din is not permitted to cultivate?

Of course, you asked Man Din the reason why. In a few words :
She chose some private tutelage from the masters to work on controlling her bounded spirit beast.
This takes more of her time, and is already an huge favor - which have been made clear to her. So she didn't also required BTL.
Simply said, she doesn't cultivate because she's lacking BTL. Many such case for beginners.

>Ask if any of the masters can run a more detailed test for our affinities, we have only had a mild testing at our first sorting.
With the weak coming to an end, you muster the courage to capitalize fully on the opportunity of the main compound's visit.
You approach a Senior you identified as a master of the Thousand Beast Tamers really open to teaching newcomers :
"Testing for affinity? Yes, of course I know such a method. It takes a bit of time for each affinity, so I won't test the whole creation on you.
In addition, the process is peculiar : you'll have to circulate your technique and I'll approach captured spiritual beast, checking how your soul would react.
The fluctuations can tell me about your affinity. However, be wary the process can be a bit harsh, as your soul might attempt to bind, and be denied.
This is not dangerous, but really unpleasant. That being known, do you wish to partake?"

You're not concerned about the discomfort. Well, not that concerned - getting your leg bitten was not an amount of pain you'll willingly suffer again.
Still, a prong of instinct warns you about potential danger : you're afraid the master glancing in your soul might spot the wolf spirit.

The risk of getting caught is real. But answering, even partially, that question is tempting...
>Affinity determination minigame!
Each of you can reply this post either by "Don't partake the test" or by rolling 2d100.
With each roll, you got a chance that the Master examining your soul spots the Wolf Spirit (hidden roll on my side)
If (half of the voter rounded up + 1) chose "Don't partake", you won't take any risk and discard what's already rolled.

Rolled 40, 6 = 46 (2d100)

>>5940128
I like to gamble

>>5940128
Welp bad roll so what you're saying is if we want to do the long process ourselves is being able to access a wide range of spirits.

>>5940128
"Don't partake the test"
First roll killed my confiance

Rolled 78 (1d100)

>>5940128

>>5940128
>"Don't partake in the test"

We really can't keep getting away with it so it seems.

>>5940313
If you want to roll you have to roll a second one

Rolled 61, 33 = 94 (2d100)

>>5940128

>>5940227
Support
Guess we'll figure out our other strengths another way. 5 year old would get offed by this elder no doubt. We need a big backer to explore our other options.

>>5940227
>Support

No thanks. Honestly, we can claim that being bitten on our way here is. . more than we're willing to deal with

>>5940128
>"Don't partake the test"
3 scary 5 me

>>5940434
No backsies.

For now we have 3 rolls and 4 "Don't partake"
Based on the rules layed, your character is currently taking the risk.
Will >>5940313 roll his second dice? Will the next anon voting defuse the situation? Find out next update of Normal Cultivator Quest!

>>5940661
>Don't Partake. There will be better opportunities.

>>5940661
Fair

Rolled 49, 72 = 121 (2d100)

>>5940128

Warning notice : busy weekend. Can't update today; can't promise to update tomorrow either

Plenty of time to let all the people express themself on that matter

Rolled 79 (1d100)

Roll for it
>>5940152
>>5940313
>>5940413
>>5941014

4 inputs.

Pussy out
>>5940227
>>5940326
>>5940452
>>5940584
>>5940832
5 inputs.

(Half of the voter rounded up) = 5
So the criterion was 6 out of 9
You're taking the risk.
First, I'll roll the lacking one of >>5940313

Then, the test was split among "Elements" and "Materials".

Vote for the Element you have the highest (78) and lowest (40) affinity with among
>Earth, Thunder, Poison, Mist

Vote for the Material you have the highest (79) and lowest (6) affinity with among
>Liquid, Obsidian, Wood, Jade

High affinity means strength and resistance. Low means hard to master and weakness.

>>5943007
Earth high, thunder low
Jade high, liquid low

>>5943007
A/N : thunder is not dnd thunder-sonic thing. Thunder is about lightning, named like that to not confuse it with the light element

>>5943014
Yeah, figured it was

>>5943007
>>5943012 +1

>>5943007
>Poison high, Thunser low.
Because snake.

>Jade high, Liquid low

Because Jade usually has some purifying qualities.

>>5943006
Rather not be a jade beauty
>Earth high, thunder low
>Obsidian high, liquid low

>>5943014
Wait a second, aren't tribulations usually lightning-based in xianxia? Are we screwing ourselves with a thunder weakness?

>>5943007
>>5943062
+1

>>5943062
+1

>>5943007

>>5943007
>Poison High
>Thunder Low

>Liquid High
>Obsidian low

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Tallying, writing.
I am currently tied between Obsidian and Wood as secondary-best material. It matter as the jump from 33 potential to 72 potential is quite significative.
So people that voted "Liquid low, Jade high", could you tiebreak for me?

>>5943062
Support

>>5943852
Wood, its the more versatile element.

>>5943852
Wood
It's a better material for fire and could allow us to do alchemy maybe

>>5943852
Wood

>>5943852
Obsidian

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Over the course of the next hour, you're slowly introduced to a handful of spirit.
First, the Master ask to see your spirits up close.
"I need to see your spirits to avoid them fighting or absorbing the spirits I have over there...
- Absorbing a spirit?
- Not something for mere Novices to know about."
The man have clearly let something big slept. He's hiding his blunder using his authority, but you won't let that cheap trick fool you.

"C'mon, I've already seen them in the arena after all.
...
So, something like A Silver Fighter Horse, a Galactic Spear Snake and a Gold Flame Hawk? This hawk is strange..."
You don't like the glimpse of greed in the master eye, so you take back your Hawk spirit, letting the old man with a pointy white beard regain his composure.
"Ahem, right, right. I'll show you spirit with a lower affinity. Your soul seems already stretched to the maximum so you won't accidentally bind them.
Still, the soul might try to reach them. I'll slap it back to you to avoid backlashes."

First, a Liquid Earth Hare. Then, the cutest thing you've ever seen in the form of an Obsidian Thunder-Mouse. Next is something that you felt amazing affinity for, a Poison Wood Crab. You wish you could bind with it if it wasn't, well, a Crab.
Meanwhile, cogs of your brain are running. Hare are preys of Hawks. Mouses are preys of Snake. So this relationship is not something that could draw a spirit to fight or to absorb.
Last, the master let out a Vulpine spirit. Your heart skip a bit. Is it the end? How would the Wolf Spirit react to this?
"Are you alright? This will be the last one, I don't want to oppress you after all."
You're shaking in fear. Your Scion of Primordial Wolf spirit hunkers down in the heart aperture, in an hopeless attempt not to be drawn out by the rival intruding your soul's vicinity.

"So the overall affinity of the Jade-Mist Hound is not half bad. You're not clueless with Dogs, it seems. You are quite talented as I can feel your other spirit share an even deeper affinity.
In the end, you can definitely train Poison and Earth techniques as a part of your foundation. Same, you might draw more of treasures made of Jade or Wood.
You won't benefit as much of techniques of Mist and Thunder, but you could do well enough on a given opportunity. However, the Liquid attribute is really ill-suited to you."
Your wolf remained perfectly hidden while the Hound spirit approached your soul. Your secret is safe for now.
Still, the stretching of your soul and the stress wear you down heavily today. You go back to your quarter after partaking parsimoniously to today's feast, and let your mind roam before sleeping.

Your week was quite busy, and all thing considered, you feel like you've greatly profited from the visit to the main branch : your cultivation leaped forward thanks to the ample ambient energy, you get insights about both your affinities and the mysterious bounded spirit, and you have an insanely good fighting technique.
You still have a handful of pills. You didn't even need to take some that week as the meal's spiritual energy provided the same kinds of benefits.
In fact, it's better to not abuse pills as your body can grow habituated to it, diminishing their effects, letting you face unforeseen circumstances such as a spiritual energy backlash or a foundation for an Inner Demon.
However, the ebony lining is your lack of treasures - your friend's Dhundan's saber is impressive to say the least. You cope by telling yourself you would outgrow such a thing anyway - if you can keep your progress speed in the future.

You wake up for the last day before going back. To close the week of gathering, the two branches with best result in the team fight tournament will display their skills to the other sect's member.
This time, you know your opponents - meaning you won't surprise them by hiding your trumps - excluding Man Din, which told you her secret training paid off.
You didn't took much time to discuss Strategy with Bathias. Still, he asked about your preference - didn't he registered you lost against Western already? Your squad will...
>Act as first line canon fodder. Draw mystical fire to your group, let your own team's spiritual art take down the spellslingers. With a bit of luck, you can get revenge against the teamfight winners.
>Split your squad. You and Sin Din will act as fast-moving unit to take down opponents with their guard down, while Dhundan, Yi and Man Din will bulk up the older-kid group and act as supports
>Asked to be kept in backline, and enter the fight once the strongest spiritual arts are exhausted.

>>5944175
>Split the squad

No reason to make a big splash now.

>>5944190
+1

>>5944190
+1

Wonder how we'll deal with wind affinity?
Earth is honestly one of the best affinities. It'll toughen up our body and the poison resistance will be great.
Might have to pester snake master for some methods.

Whenever we snag a private quarter/chamber we should investigate our hawk and wolf on what there hidden affects do.

>>5944175
>Split your squad. You and Sin Din will act as fast-moving unit to take down opponents with their guard down, while Dhundan, Yi and Man Din will bulk up the older-kid group and act as supports

>>5944175
>Split your squad. You and Sin Din will act as fast-moving unit to take down opponents with their guard down, while Dhundan, Yi and Man Din will bulk up the older-kid group and act as supports

>>5944175
>Split your squad. You and Sin Din will act as fast-moving unit to take down opponents with their guard down, while Dhundan, Yi and Man Din will bulk up the older-kid group and act as supports

File: Arena_ArmyBattle.png (1.92 MB, 1024x1024)

1.92 MB PNG

>>5944190
>>5944277
>>5944346
>>5944418
>>5944514
>>5944593

The rules of this battle is simple : the side with at least one member still standing at the end win.
You're also told the enchantment is more refined than the crude touch-to-bubble one - the enchantment will trigger when blood is drawn, making stronger cultivators able to endure hits from weaker cultivators more realistically.
Of course, this is purely negative for you as you're of the younger age group, thus among the weaker fighter present.
Both group have set their battle formations, in layer lines with weaker cultivators on the front and the stronger as deeper and deeper lines.
You are on the left flank, Sin Din on the right one.
As you have not bothered to ask about strategy during the week, you're a bit clueless about what's going to happen or to be expected.
In the end, you start with the Horse Spirit and the Hawk Spirit revealed. You took a Halberd in the armory - you're more proficient with it than with a Spear as you didn't worked on your new technique yet, only learned the basic to train by yourself.

The battle starts. First lines are charging in.
You...
>Go take down some Melee fighters - you recognize the Western kids you fought among their first line.
>Attempt to surprise one of the inner cultivator - those kids are olders - 4 to 10 year more than you.
>Engage the strong-looking, adult one.
>Wait for now.

Also, I'll need 2 roll of 1 d100 to see how your allies are faring. DC is 60/60

>>5945549
>Go take down some Melee fighters - you recognize the Western kids you fought among their first line.

/dice 1d100

Am not mentally capable of rolling a dice, sorry anon

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>5945549
Win boys

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>5945549

Rolled 12 (1d12)

>>5945580
>>5945596
Don't forget to vote about your action
Also,
>Complementary roll due to >>5945596 passing threshold

>>5945549
>Go take down some Melee fighters - you recognize the Western kids you fought among their first line.

>>5945549
>Go take down some Melee fighters - you recognize the Western kids you fought among their first line.

We might serve best to harry and distract the enemy big guns from our big guns, provide a critical distraction at a critical time.

>>5945665
The big gun would definitely be "Strong-looking adult one" instead of 5 year old

>>5945549
>Go take down some Melee fighters - you recognize the Western kids you fought among their first line.

>>5945668
Wanted to let people get settled in with matched opponents first. Let their focus settle onto someone who can match them. We're just a gnat compared to the big guys.

>>5945549
Sorry for not actually voting previously >>5945596.
>Go take down some Melee fighters - you recognize the Western kids you fought among their first line.

I'll take 2 more rolls of 1d100
>First for how you fare
>Second for Sin Din, doing the same as you.

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>5945902

Rolled 48 (1d100)

>>5945902

>Momentarily Enjoy the Beauty of this Existence

>>5945549
>>Go take down some Melee fighters - you recognize the Western kids you fought among their first line.

File: Arena_ArmyBattle_Turn2.png (1.94 MB, 1024x1024)

1.94 MB PNG

>>5945557
>>5945580
>>5945596
>>5945596
>>5945636
>>5945665
>>5945681
>>5945692
>>5945742
>>5945938
>>5945954
>>5945975

>Melee fighters : 20 for DC 60
Yeah, your teammates are way worse than the Western fodder - they were after all one of the most organized force at each fight of the tournament, the close-knit team aspect compensating their lack of bonded spirits or flashy art by sheer efficiency.
Meanwhile, the inner-positioned cultivator unleash their efficient arts over your head, but you feel their energy dissipate behind you.

This is a slaughter. All of the Western younger fighter are still standing, while half of your branch fellows fell to the dreaded bubbles.
You charge, maybe taking one down could show your teammate they're not invulnerable? You charge. Sin Din, on the other side, follows your untold call.
>Your spellslingers : 69 for DC 60 - 12 hits
Until the movement of the other fighter slow downs, and what looks like a mist of pointy rocks invade their position, the mineral piercing and slashing around indiscriminately, taking away those not simply pelted to bubble-death.
>9 :
Wait, you're charging right in the needle wall! Your momentum is too much to stop!
Your horse, being one with you, lashes out, sending you face first on the ground.
This is a fall that could injure an average grown man. But you're better than that : you're a cultivator. Your pride hurted more than your health, you stand up to witness the spiritual art tearing your Silver Warrior Horse to shred
>Lost your mount. It will take one week until you muster enough spiritual energy to summon it again from your Astral Self.
Winded, you stand up.
On your right, the three Western Kids than won last fight - the closer one is the Axeman leader. On your left? Danger. In front of you, the spellcaster are readying a new wave
>Finish off the week melee fighter!
>Attack the spellslingers
>Attempt to distract the strong adults
Also,
>Voice out specific orders loud.

>>5946436
>Finish the melee fighter

We that's gonna be an issue

>>5946436
>Finish off the week melee fighter!

>Have Sin Din cover us

>>5946436
>Finish off the week melee fighter!
Hopefully they won't bombard us in melee

Rolled 54, 76 = 130 (2d100)

>>5946484
>>5946556
>>5946582

4 roll of 1d100
>First for (you) personnally
>2nd for your group
>3rd for your Spellslingers (DC : 40)
>4th for your Elite troups (DC : Opposition)

I'm rolling opponent Spellslingers/opponent Elites
(DC : 50/Opposition)

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>5946594

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>5946594
group roll go

>>5946594
dice+1d100

>>5946627
You have to type this in the "Options" field, under the eventual name.

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>5946594

Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>5946594

File: Arena_ArmyBattle_Turn3.png (1.94 MB, 1024x1024)

1.94 MB PNG

"Sin Din! cover me!"

"Hello fellow Daoist.
- Oh, so you come directly for revenge? You should now I grew up much since last time we fought! Come Forth, Arcanic Shiny Squid!"
>You : 68
Someone might told him to hold up on his trump to save his skin. Oh well. Plus, he's taking way too long to materialize his spirit - maybe you're skilled, most likely you've been training with them since several month where he acquired it a few days ago.
A hawk to the face - and two courteous bows - later, you assert the situation.
Your comrades haven't progressed much - shield guy is holding of, the archer have picked of two of the fodders - that's not a nice way to think of your senpais.
Sin Din have rushed between you and the spellslingers - the frontliner are dropping their ranged spiritual attack, she made one of them looking your way hesitate long enough for you to step back.


>Spellslingers : +6 vs there +4 - nothing much happens
>Elites : 72 +5 vs 76 - nothing much happens either.
On your left, the stronger cultivator fight is drawing the firepower : the Poison Kelp Whale is airdrop'd by Bathias Silk Life Hawk to stall away a wall of elemental blade - mostly Water, you think there's also Fire, Ice and Light.
Your experts are holding the 2-vs-3. After all, they won their round of the squad fight.
Speaking of the squad fight, you feel you made a mistake. The same one as the last second of your lost round.
"Dhundan! press them. Shield on the arrows. Other, with me! We'll..."
>Attack their spellslingers
>Join the fight with the Aces on the left
>Gank the Aces on the right

>>5946749
>Attack their spell slingers
I'd rip through their range it' 's a much bigger problem then the melee. Being constantly pelted while engaged is not fun

>>5946749
>Attack their spellslingers

>>5946749
>Spell slingers

>>5946749
>Attack their spellslingers.

Right?

>>5946749
>Attack their spellslingers

Rolled 73, 88, 20 = 181 (3d100)

>>5946754
>>5946755
>>5946785
>>5946992
>>5947010

Alright, 5 roll of 1d100.

1d100 You
1d100 your group
1d100 your spellslings
1d100 for the left elite fight
1d100 for the right elite fight

Rolling spellsling/Left elite/Right elite.
Their spellsling suffer a malus from your engagement.

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>5947079
I'll roll for the left

>>5947106
Oh no...