Cultivators are just built different... I sit eating my new kinds of pickled veggies, these ones are spicy with Grave Dust which is earthy, sour, sweet and peppery. Little Bitchboy is sitting, pale with his arms wrapped around his raised knees, trying not to get caught up in the blade dance practice of the girls as they dance around putting down Shadow Wolves.
I wondered if my Wolves would attempt to take on hunan forms like the Hungry Dog did, but they don’t. What they do instead is offer me the bit of bone they formed around for storing in my Ghost Pot. Apparently they’re literally just condensed feeling and Resentment and literal shadow. Without the bone they’re nearly impossible for normal cultivators to put down.
The one shots came from us destroying the bones in a lucky hit, and they don’t all store the bone in the same spot. Only reason my pups can remove their bones is because they’re linked to me the same way Ghosts are. Which, according to Silent Howl and the more knowledgeable spirits in my Inner Void, is another one of those things I do which is utter bullshit.
- ? Sounds like there are a lot of jealous people out there who wish they could store their pets and keep them out of harm’s way ? ,- I singsong while enjoying my sweet and sour spicy noodles.
So far I’m liking the new pickle in broth the best. It’s not my favorite, but it is very good.
-Try these!- Silvered Curl says, standing up from infusing a script circle with Qi and casually hopping to the side, nearly kicking herself in the ass with her heels.
So far no one’s properly figured out wards, but we’re getting in good practice. We’d started as a way to kill time while we waited for Little Bitchboy to heal up, he didn’t have any treasures, so he just put himself back together as best he could then cycled Qi while meditating. We’d all taken turns killing Shadows attracted to my drum and his pain. Pretty sure at his level he should be able to heal in minutes with the right treasure. If he’d stayed put we wouldn’t have had to spend so many days waiting for him to heal over a few hours again and again.
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +8,036,120/-462,607]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,852,061/29,934,148]
[Current Qi: 118,800/2,397,478,200]
[Max Will: 23,974,782]
[HP: 23,974,782]
[Current Karma: 119,736,593/234,520,515]
[Resentment Wallet: 260C.St.,113R.Sl.,122R.Sh.,27C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,2A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9557St]
I sigh, check my numbers to see if I’ll need to condense any more money, try to decide if I feel up to Crystallising another weapon, then wonder if I should just do more forging practice before deciding I’ll just eat some mini buns. They’re just poppable mouthfuls of awesome, similar to a dumpling, but more filling.
The tree house took no time at all to carve out once I finished a quick nap. Just one of Little Bitchboy’s healing cycles. Ate a handful of Resentment weapons at one point to finish my study, Forged a few, had the same epiphany that Forging was stupid, then Crystallised a few before passing out again. Did not. Think that through.
Slept through one of Bitchboy’s healing cycles. He’d had his legs broken by my Shadow Pups, but we were already dangerous before then. Just... Not people yet. Not a threat. He fucked around trying to escape into the woods. Little Corpse smashed his ribs in with a swat from the doubled-up chain. Still not a threat. When Bitchboy got hungry from expending all that energy he demanded we give him more buns. Not asked. Demanded. We’d injured him so we should at least give him the fuel he needs to heal.
When the girls came out, my two-fold little knives, he’d tried to steal them again. They hadn’t tried to eat his face like they normally do. They’d broken his arms, first the upper, then the lower, then they’d worked down to smashing his hands with Resentment Stones, careful not to make skin to skin contact or strike in a pattern where he might cycle them.
Little Corpse had figured that was punishment enough. A mistake. When he’d dug through my bank for medicine so that Bitchboy wouldn’t be crippled, Heart’s Disarray had wrongly assumed that we’d forgiven him. Why else would we waste medicine on him? His words. The girls had broken his legs then. Well, they started at his arms so he couldn’t stop them, and then moved on to breaking his toes, then feet, then shins, then thighs. Little Corpse stopped them before they could smash his hips or pelvis.
How are we not a threat? Heart’s Disarray concedes that we’re dangerous, but absolutely does not believe that we’d want to actually kill him. ‘Cause if we had we would have by now. I’m gonna. If only for the information I might gain. But what the fuck?!
Primal Blade, dubbed Quite Blade, and Stone Club, dubbed Brutal Fist, had decided to bathe and figured that if we’re keeping Bitchboy alive, he should be bathed as well. The fact that Heart’s Disarray had no problem being publicly disrobed in front of strangers and bathed out of a basin with no privacy screen was mind boggling.
He just treated it the same way he treated being fed. He couldn’t bathe himself because of us so of course we’d bathe him. When he’d complained that they weren’t setting his bones while they bathed him Primal Blade, who hadn’t even so much as grunted yet, casually clipped his voice box and kept bathing him. Didn’t slit his throat, hadn’t done any real damage at all. Just made him mute. Quick and fast. Quiet.
After Heart’s Disarray had healed up enough to make another escape attempt, helped by Little Corpse giving him more medicines he’d mixed with help from Silent Howl and my extensive bone manipulating poisonous foods supply, Stone Club had stopped him with a quick jab to the back of his head, just at the base of his skull. Hearing the Servant boom and laugh while working with his self-muting companion was startling.
“There are worst things in the forest, but you have to move fast because of the wolf packs,” Heart’s Disarray says, but I’m too busy reviewing the last few days to pay attention. I don’t know if I’m due for a nap or not.
“He’s ready to leave,” Quiet Blade tells me, deep voice right in my facking ears, startling me again. He’s not mute, he just doesn’t talk unless he feels like it which appears only to be when he can scare me, and I don’t know why he thinks its funny. -‘Cause it is.- he snorts.
-‘Cause it’s not!- I snap at him, barely hearing his response under mine. He always says something snarky under his breath while someone else is talking, blatantly disrespectful! -Fack! How is your timing?!-
He walks backwards with one hand raised palm up, sauntering in a cocky challenge. Tch! He’s going to be a nightmare once we get back to the Sect. People were fawning over Little Corpse and his farmer chic, but this dude is lean, cut, mature, cocky AF and refuses to wear a shirt or shoes.
I’m tempted to introduce him to Tits Magee and see how loyal she is to Little Corpse. She might go after Brutal Fist despite his boisterous monk-like attitude.
-We are monks!- “We are monks!” Brutal Fist bellows internally and out loud simultaneously, my brain rioting trying to process how the fuck he double-spoke over himself!
-Why the fuck do I have monks?!- I snap before noticing that Little Corpse hasn’t said shit. -*You knew!- The sad puppy dog eyes he casts me over his shoulder and the guilty slow turn of his head are heartbreaking. -Don’t piddle on the carpet if you don’t want me to be mad at you!- He grimaces as the others laugh, even Heart’s Disarray snorting. -Wait! Don’t change the subject!- I pause as I realize that no one has said anything yet. -Shut up!- I snap while turning to point a leg at the monks. -How are you here?*-
“You caught us in Sorrow’s Roost,” the bulkier Brutal Fist says. “You didn’t come in time to save Winter Hawthorne, but I forgive you.”
-Excuse the fuck outta you?- I say in growing fear. The investigation is over, but what if someone finds out and blames me for Spring Cow’s death?
“Why would you be blamed?” Spring Cow says as everyone else cleans up our makeshift homestead so that we can go out. “You have Records that exonerate you of all wrong doing.”
-Is Quiet Blade Zen Mule?- I ask while giving the faceless servant a horrified look. I swear he just smiles back at me. -Spring Cow!- I turn to him in fear and he just laughs.
-My servants pointed out that we haven’t checked the manor in the Graveyards in a few days,- Little Corpse says as Silvered Curl leaves a trail of glutinous rice with a slice of fruit on top over to the script circles she’s drawn. -They figure if Poor Pretty made us wait a few days, we should do the same to him.-
-That’s actually pretty funny,- I admit while eating the snacks.
[-50 HP]
When I get close to the circle and put my head over it to see if it triggers I get a face full of lightning.
-Fack! What the--?! Bitch!- I thrash scrabbling away from the faceful of lightning and thunder. -What kinda ward was that?!-
-Not a ward,- is all she says before going back to drawing on the ground again.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
I blink as I wait for her to explain WTF but she just keeps drawing. I turn to the others and Little Corpse sighs.
“You who doesn’t fight has created a small group of fast and powerful fighters,” Spring Cow shrugs. “I’m not who I was,” he says, shaking his head and fanning the air before his face. “Brutal Fist is fine.
“She’s learning to wield Essence. What better way to combat shadows than with light?” Spring Cow says and I wonder how I didn’t notice his casual lighthearted dismissal of everything before. “I was quite boisterous when I gained a new body. I’d thought it would have been like wearing cold flesh weighted with stones, but it’s not so unpleasant.”
Fack. Now I wonder what being a corpse is like. A hunan one. Being a rotting insect with my bits falling off was more mentally scarring than physically painful. I just felt weak and empty because I was. Rest of the time I was just tired, hungry, and disoriented.
[-1 HP]
-Fack!- While I was busy with introspection Silvered Curl finished her latest not ward, picked me up, and casually threw me on it to be engulfed in a bizarrely arcing flame. -How’d that hurt me!- I shriek as I race away from her, the fucking psycho. -I’m immune to fire!-
-Practice that script. It might be quite powerful,- Spring Fist says while waving, palm down, to get Silvered Curl’s attention.
-Can’t we take her to the Graveyards and let her practice there?- I whine. Why are they jumpscaring me all of a sudden?! What happened to trying to set up wards? -Why not on the Wolves?-
-Because we don’t want to get caught in them either,- Lupa says while Alpha’s sitting off to the side snickering with Quiet Blade.
-You’re different! Why would I mean you?- I snap at the shifting shadow with flickers of ghostly flame. -Tch! What do you have to fear?-
-What do you have to fear?- Alpha cackles, falling over as Quiet Blade smirks at me through his mask.
-Why aren’t you all working on wards so I can benefit from your hard work!- I grumble, looking around to make sure no one’s about to sneak up and toss me on another pain space.
-At least he admits it,- Lupa rolls her eyes before grooming her leg.
-We’re all packed up,- Little Corpse says, picking me up.
[-10 HP]
-Fuck off!- I screech after Silvered Curl casually steals me then shoots me like a basketball on top of a script circle that erupts into spears of ice and earth, launching me up and away. -How have you figured out so many Essences?!-
-She is an academic genius,- Spring Fist says before huffing at me. -Brutal Fist, not Spring Cow!- he says while making a chopping motion.
-Tch! I’ll call you Fatty Chicken, doesn’t change who you are!- I snap. How’s he gonna care what I call him but be okay with my mistreatment?
-Are you injured? Is she ignoring you or discounting you as a person?- Little Lecturer says, scoffing at me while Silvered Curl stands up, shaking her head and waving her hands back and forth, crossing them as she tries to deny my mistreatment.
-How can you be my Master if you’re not a person?!- she whines at me, stomping her foot. -You are unbeatable! Why wouldn’t I test my knowledge on you?-
-Still hurts...- I grumble, Lupa rolling her eyes before she and Alpha plop down nearby and start grooming me.
-Come on, then!- Spring Chicken claps his hands before glaring at me. -Take us to this graveyard manor!-
I do, dragging Heart’s Disarray with us, and he immediately races towards a stone formation. When he crashes into it headfirst and bounces off stunned I realize that he’d mistaken a black iron sculpture for a crystallised marker. Spring Chicken shakes his head while walking over and scruffing the dazed cultivator.
-Apologies but I dropped that there to promote that response,- Little Corpse admits. -*Well, not that exact response...*-
It’s all hands on deck when Little Corpse’s Servants and the girls come out to join us. First thing the girls do is gild up and start spewing smoke. Heart’s Disarray regains coherence and immediately starts trying to fight free. I flinch, and I’m not the only one, when Spring Chicken casually chops him in the neck to take the fight out of him. The way he turns to stare at me while Heart’s Disarray is choking and clawing at his throat is very disconcerting.
[Heart’s Disarray Defeated]
[+10,000 -Regard]
[+100 +Regard]
[+10 Con. Qi]
[+1000 Qi]
[+10,000 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +8,036,120/-462,607]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,852,061/29,934,148]
[Current Qi: 118,800/2,397,478,200]
[Max Will: 23,974,782]
[HP: 23,974,782]
[Current Karma: 119,736,593/234,520,515]
[Resentment Wallet: 260C.St.,113R.Sl.,122R.Sh.,27C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,2A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9557St]
-Tch! I groan as everyone spreads out and explores. -Now we have to wait for him to heal again.-
[Death Knell]
[+1 Con Qi]
[-30 -Regard]
[+30 +Regard]
[+10 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +8037180/-463023]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1852064/29934153]
[Current Qi: 118780/2397478200]
[Max Will: 23974782]
[HP: 23974782]
[Current Karma: 119736613/234520515]
[Resentment Wallet: 260C.St.,113R.Sl.,122R.Sh.,27C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,2A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9557St]
Heart’s Disarray coughs up blood and collapses.
-Drama Queen,- I roll my eyes before trying to figure out if I want dumplings, then remember that I haven’t eaten dumplings in some time so just pop out a plate of veggie pot stickers.
-Tch! He focuses on Resentment more than Qi. He was already low on Resentment and Qi. Purifying him disrupted his collection and cycling. He might have taken permanent damage. We’ll have to see if we destroyed his ability to cultivate,- Little Corpse sighs.
-Why are you so patient with him?- I ask, truly curious. This is some of that hidden connection bullshit.
-I need him alive,- Little Corpse stammers guiltily. -That attack he used? Chains of Heavens and Hells? He didn’t create it. The person who killed me used that attack on my village before hunting down those of us who survived and practicing their corpse preservation.-
Now I have to figure out if I should feel bad for feeling better that he’s not doing it just because he thinks it’s the right thing to do. I grab myself a cup of tea and sit down for some introspection. Time for some insights.
Sustaining monsters doesn’t make someone a good person, especially if that monster is remorseless and continues to harm people. I’m pretty sure the only reason there aren’t empire-wide quests or events to hunt me down is because I’m helping Purify their hotspots. They were trying to collect me for a minute, but I’m an awful pet...
-I do want to see them live a long life filled with hardships,- Little Corpse admits, making me spit my tea. Now I’m distracted from my introspection.
-I didn’t know I could do that! I guess I should’ve considering I’ve spit silk,- I take more tea and try to spit it out but can’t figure out how. -Wait. How did I do that?-
I swallow the tea, take another mouthful and gargle. I freeze, holding the tea in my mouth, trying to figure out how the hell I gargled. I try to spit as quickly as possible, without thinking too hard and stopping myself, but end up swallowing the tea. When I realize I’m swallowing I try to stop myself, to figure out how to reverse it, but end up panicking when I realize that it’s just trapped somewhere and I can feel it. I cough, no tea comes out, but it does go down.
-Tch!- I take another mouthful of tea, fully intending on figuring out how I did any of that nonsense, and gargle easily. Long and loud without pausing for breath.
Silent Howl:
...
Why?
I keep gargling, head back, and shrug.
Silent Howl:
This is an egregious waste of Air Essence.
I pause, head still back, and blink as I process that I’m not gargling, I’m blowing bubbles in my mouth with Air Essence. What the fack? Why? Brain! Explain.
I bite down closing my mouth and slamming my mouth bits back into place without swallowing, the tea flying out of my mouth in a stream. My head rocks back as Little Corpse releases a very loud and very drawn out sigh. I’m spitting by compressing the liquid in my mouth. Is that all spitting is? Huh... Why’d I think I needed air? Ah! For more pressure. I get it.
I take a calming gulp of my tea, Little Corpse narrowing his eyes at me, rag in hand, so I just wave him on. I just wanted to figure out how to spit. I’m good now.
I start gargling and he stops cleaning so I wave him on again. I’m not going to spit, but now I have to figure out why this nonsense. There’s a quick popup of something that I wave away as I keep focusing, and then Little Corpse sighs again, waving a hand and putting away his rag. The transfer script in the middle of the courtyard lights up briefly, and then Widow’s Sigh is standing there.
“Is that bug gargling?” he asks, pointing at me, and I shift my foreleg into a hand to flip him off for the disrespect. “Ah! ... I didn’t know bugs could do that...”
“My Master is being my Master,” Little Corpse says, waving dismissively. “What is the purpose for this visit?” he asks, raising his voice and making a point to ignore me.
“I--,” Widow’s Sigh stops and looks at me and I wave him on while continuing to gargle my tea mouthwash.
“Ignore them,” Little Corpse shakes his head, fighting another sigh. “Would you like to talk inside?”
Tch! Telling uninvited guests to ignore me in my house? Why do I have such cheeky servants? Tch! Maybe Aunty was right. Ah, well. I swallow my tea, note that the flavor does change, take another mouthful and start gargling it. I don’t know if the change is good or bad but I can test it out.
