Path of Cultivator. A path to immortality. It's a long and difficult path... but also rewarding. One that promises power, immortality... and so much more. Only a few ever manage to reach its end. Those who are strong, garner the attention of the weak, who hope to attach themselves to the strong person and take part in some of their good fortunes. But to advance, to move forward, violence was not avoided. To advance their power, gain riches, prove their superiority or establish their domination, the Cultivators duelled each other. Sometimes, entire sects went to war – those battles could reshape entire lands... change mountains into lakes, lakes into plains, plains into volcano pits. The Violet Cloud Sect was based on The Towering Peaks and ruled in the lands of Misty Valley. For decades, their rule was uncontested... but under the rule of the fourth sect leader, Cao Hui, the sect became complacent... weak. The sect made hardly any advances and did not produce any skilled Cultivator in the last decades. The level of corruption came to the level, that stealing from the sect's treasury became common... and ignored. Using the state of decay the Violet Cloud's Sect, one of their opponents the Evil Bloody Fang Sect, gathered their forces and attacked them on one night. The surprise was almost total, yet despite this, the Boody Fang Sect attack was not unopposed. As her disciples thought of the attackers, Cao Hui challenged the Bloody Sect's leader to a fight. Their battle was terrible and destructive, as they clashed in the skies. Yet, Cao Hui was eventually overpowered and killed. From then on, the battle changed into a slaughter. The Bloody Fang's disciples raped, killed and pillaged to their heart's content. Barely a few Outer Disciples managed to escape – mostly because they were considered so insignificant, that the attackers did not bother with them. That night, the Violet Cloud Sect's base was burned, their Disciples slaughtered or enslaved and their treasury pillaged... Those few who have escaped, started paths, to forge their own stories... their own destinies... They started to walk, on the path of Cultivators...
@Regin34 Mulan sat with her legs crossed, her eyes closed and her body relaxed in the meditative position. She did not know how long she had been meditating - that was not important. What was, was that she was finally reaching a breakthrough. She threw away all her thoughts, concentrating her mind on the task in front of her. Slowly, she felt the last limit break... and suddenly - there it was. She felt a power, immense, unlimited power... She opened her eyes and looked at her hand with wonder. She changed. The energies in her body were released... so, that's what it was to feel to be a cultivator. "Congratulations, student. It seems that you finally passed over your limit. You now have entered a new world." Her ring became warm, as a spirit of her Mistress appeared in front of her. For the last few days, the former sect leader was training her, guiding her... and now, finally, she was on the level of inner disciple.
@Auraicide Torii Koyomi sighted, as she and her companions sat in the inn... the inn that did not serve alcohol. They've been running for days and this was a place they ended up... the question was, what now? "Elder sister?" She turned to look at Xing Jin, her fellow disciple. He looked uncertain. He hesitated before her second companion continued. "What will we do now?" Li Zexi asked.
@unisol_gr44 Cao looked through the 'window' of an abandoned hut as it rained. True, they managed to escape, but not far. Not when the person he was rescuing, needed to rest. So they spent a few days, hiding in this... ruin while waiting for the attack of the Evil Sect... attack that never came. He looked at the place, the Inner Disciple he saved was sleeping. He was sleeping most of the time. In rare times, when he was conscious, he instructed Cao on how to break through his limit, how to become a cultivator. His tips were really useful, and he was sure he could bake through the limit next time... soon. "Uh~" His head snapped to Ye Chao. The man was waking up.
@asddas193 Luo Fei stopped as she saw a village. She's been escaping for the day, running for her life. It was now safe to say, that she was safe. Her hand unconsciously travelled to her pouch. She could feel a pill of a breakthrough with her fingers. Something, that would allow her to finally pass that unreachable limit - to become a cultivator. The excitement at the prospect filled her... now, should she seek safety in the village, despite the change of rulership in the land? Should she announce her allegiance to the Violet Cloud Sect? Were the villagers loyal... or have they already accepted new masters?
Mulan take a few slow breath, coming back to her sences. Few moments take her to realised, that she reach new step in her training and she smile to her Mistress. "Thank you teacher, I'm welcomen for your knowlege what you share with me." Girl put her fist in close hand and bow to her sensei. "What we are going to do now?"
"Haah. Haah... I've... escaped." Luo Fei said through deep breathes, as she ran away from the bloodbath than befell her sect. I don't think I was followed. But for now, I need to find a place to rest. She thought to herself, looking around the village. Trying to determine whether or not they would pose a threat, or attempt to call for the Bloody Fang. Right, I need to regain my energy... and then the pill... it should allow be to finally become a cultivator! She smiles as she pats her pouch, Then there's these earrings... I wonder what's so special about them? Luo Fei hummed, deciding to keep her allegiance secret for now as she enters the village, looking for an inn.
@merkros Yu Yujin pushed her back against the tree as she sighed, her breath making a mist in the cool night. Normally, she would be tired after hours of travel... First, the mad flight for her life, through the burning Sect's complex, dodging for her life... Then travel Ghost forest... she did not remember much of the experience, but somehow, she broke her limit while there. She was a cultivator - that was still so... random. What happened in that forest? ... She could not remember... Her head snapped to the side, as she heard a sound. She slowly sneaked forward - and there she found a source of the noise. Tents. As she looked around closer, she noticed a couple of people bound. A curse escaped her as she realised - of all the people, she had to walk onto the bandits...
@NOTHING HERE Wang Dang sighted as he sat and relaxed. Who would have thought that he would find a cave in this place? A perfect place to hide... and since he was to breaking through his limit, it was here, he could do so. Finally, due to all of his hard work, he could become a cultivator... if not for the destruction of the sect a few days ago, he would have done so earlier... The only problem was... Wen Qing fidgeted under his gaze. he moved his eyes to the other woman. Yan Li did not meet his eyes. Ever since he rescued the duo who made his life hell... they have been strangely subdued. He would have thought them already be loud and obnoxious by now...
'You're coming to more frequently now. How are you feeling?' Cao asked the inner disciple, before he looked back outside. He honestly didn't know why he had rescued the man, he must've acted on instinct during that chaotic night. Without Ye Chao he could be far away from here by now, but something told him he couldn't just leave him to die after dragging him away from the battlefield. He continued to look out in the wilderness, watching for anyone approaching their hideout. Cao was used to surviving out in the wild and had managed to catch a rabbit earlier, also laying out some cooked rabbit meat and some water for the wounded man.
@Tjf The city of Suncho was breaming with life. People were yet to hear about the fall of the Violet Cloud Sect, but Hayami Kosaka doubted that it would make any difference for the townsfolk... as long as taxes would stay the same. "Here, Elder Brother." Lain Kai said gaily and with a respect, as she purred him more alcohol into his coup. They were rich and they were celebrating. Such easy money and... His hand moved to the last gift he received from the Evil Sect - a breakthrough pill. Such an easy power. Such an easy path to become a cultivator. "What shall we do now, elder Brother?" His other companion, Geng Xinya asked.
"Oh, I don't think it's all so bad, now is it?" Having been mostly quiet so far, mostly just taking in the sights, she had been trying to collect her thoughts. "On the one hand, no more chores at the crack of dawn or old men complaining about the right way to use a broom." Truth was, she had been quiet because she bad been engrossed in her sights outside of the sect. She had always ran the occasional errand before, but...her options felt a lot more open now. Her smile didn't totally last, however, as she recalled the names of a lot of the members. "Still....a lot of those recruits were barely adults. Most of them barely had a life of their own until now. Can't say I'm entirely happy about how it happened. " At the very least, even the elders didn't deserve the utterly graphic and horrific deaths they got. Cranky old men or not, it seemed just unnecessary. At least her friends specifically made it out alive, which was a small amount of comfort. It left her in a somewhat unusual position though. She had somehow been put in the position of giving them direction. Why did they assume she knew what she was doing? Jin had always seemed to think because Torri was older, she must be wiser. Zexi was pretty dependent on the opinions of others to make any decisions, as usual. Both of them seemed to forget she was the one who encouraged them to make excuses to get out of training and she was the one who did introduce them to gambling. Why exactly they figured she'd be the responsible one was....odd. Internally, on some level, she felt like she didn't completely mind. But it still left something of a problem. For all those lessons those rigid old men wanted to impose on you, they never really bothered with anything to train people how to think for themselves, let alone, how exactly to survive without them. She didn't doubt that was the intentional. They can call it discipline, but isn't that really just a glorified means of control to ensure the members can't leave because they don't have any choice? "Eventually the day comes where the lock on the bird's cage is open. But only the bird can choose to take flight." Trying to emulate the vague proverbs of the elders to at least pretend she was somehow more knowledgeable like they expected, her sultry smile returned. "Why don't we just do things our way? That's always what we wanted to do, seems like we just have an actual opportunity to make some kind of life for ourselves."
A shadow ran over Cao Hui's face. "The Boody Fang Sect has burned down our home and slaughtered my disciples. They will have to pay for their transgressions." She said with fire. "Student, You will need to get stronger. You will need to train your mind and body, progress your cultivation. Eventually, you will be in a position to resurrect me... then, student, we shall embark on the path of Justice..." She paused, as her eyes drilled into Mulan's. "Are you prepared to walk that way, student?" She asked, her voice grave.
Mulan heart beating faster on Mistress words. It was great task, dangrous mission for her... But it was also big oputunity for Mulan to prove herself in eyes of Mistress, to gain higher rank, ewen if sect is ruin, she will be able to gain power. "Yes, my mistress. I'm ready for my quest, I won't fail you." She said bowing her head before spirit and stand up in oposite direction from she come. "Do you have any advice where I could find alliance or help to rebuild the sect?"
As she walked to the inn through the village - Ikju, the village was called Ikju - she could not help but to notice how peaceful it was... Despite the chaos of the fall that she was in but a few days ago, this place seemed to be unaffected. Eventually, she found an inn. As she entered, she came face to face with the owner. "Yes?" The woman asked as she turned to her.
The man slowly sat up. He tried to move his hand, which he managed with some pain. "Better..." He said with a hoarse voice. "As in no longer on the border of death." He added, some mirth in his tone. He then turned to Cao, and bowed - as much as his wounds allowed him to. "Thank you for your rescue, Elder Brother." He said with sincerity... And what he said, made Cao recoil. To call someone Elder sibling, was to accept his superiority. Yet, Ye Chao, an inner disciple - was accepting the leadership of Outerdisciple? And a beast-kin?
Hmm, it seems that the battle between the cultivator sects wasn't as big as I thought it was. Judging from how peaceful this place is, I doubt any battle has been fought here recently. Luo Fei thought to herself as she enters the inn, "Ah, greetings. I would like to rent a room for a night, along with a meal. Do you have any available?" She asked with a smile.
"Elder sister..." Xing Jin started with respect. "If not for you, we would be dead." He said, his voice filled with gratitude. "For that, we are grateful. We shall surely repay your kindness." He said as he knelt and put his hands together, in salute. "Ah! Me too!" Li Zexi knelt next to Xing Jin and also bowed her head, putting her hands in salute. It seems, that Torii Koyomi's bad habits were disregarded, in picture of her saving lives of her followers.
A small smile appeared on Cao Hui's face. "It fills my heart with joy, to see your conviction, Mulan." The spirit shook her head. "At this moment, you are no one." She said with blunt honesty. "For now, you need to gather experience, gain reputation and gather resources. Bandit's impression, bounty Hunting, and much works would allow you to gain some cash and improve yourself. It would also allow you to gather information." She pointed in the direction of the forest. "There, you will find a small city in that direction. There, you can start."
The woman smiled and nodded. "Yes, stay for the night with a meal will cost a spirit stone." She said as she nodded as she answered.
