Torsten Hewson
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v3 c58.4: The Dandelion's Seeds Part 4
🕑 Added 2023-01-27 19:27:39 +0000 UTCBreakfast most days was a calm affair; people chatted in low voices or helped make food, still shaking off sleep.
Even Little D was mostly quiet. My little bean was definitely a morning person, and Big D’s crows always put him in a good mood. It was later in the day when he would get fussy—but he was also easily distracted by one of his family members. Fur and feathers he would grasp at with his chubby fingers, his eyesight improving by the day… along with his desire to put things in his mouth.
Everybody had been slobbered on at least once. Xiulan seemed to find it downright endearing when Little D chewed aggressively on the ends of her hair, giggling as she tickled him.
He was dozing on a pillow in the living room right now, his stomach full of his momma’s milk, with a contented look on his face. The birds were chirping. The sun was shining.
It was a beautiful day.
The sliding door that led to outside was wrenched open with a bang. I turned, just in time to catch an eyeful of a woman strutting through the entryway, her hips rolling from side to side.
“Shifu! Master Jin! Tigu!” the woman sang in a melodious voice as she marched through the entrance.
Buck naked, and with a massive grin on her face.
Long, silky white hair. A heart shaped face. Brilliant blue eyes. Little round eyebrows that reminded me of a certain ass-pull final boss from a show about ninjas who screamed believe it. Smooth, creamy skin and legs that went on forever—what would most assuredly be described as a Jade Beauty in this world.
I took it all in in an instant, then looked pointedly away as the beautiful woman, who definitely rivaled Xiulan in the looks department, made a beeline for Noodle. The snake stared at her with shock.
Gou and Yun also managed to look away— as did Delun, bless the kid’s soul. Gramps, Rags, and Loud Boy had no problems staring, however, as the woman snuggled the shell-shocked snake to her bosom.
“Shifu! You’re so small! Worry not, your disciple will always take care of you!”
I was now two for two on seeing naked Spirit Beasts after their transformation. But while Tigu was… Tigu’er to me, Yin—and this could only be Yin—was definitely a woman.
“You managed it! Haha! As expected of my Junior Sister!” Tigu exclaimed, nodding her head.
“Yes! It did not involve lightning, but it worked!” Yin said, swapping targets. She beamed as she high fived Tigu.
“Excellent job, Junior Sister! But… why did you choose such an uninteresting body?! Where are your muscles?” Tigu’s voice was completely aghast.
“Oh! Right here, just gotta flex a bit—”
‘Yin.’ Noodle managed to get out,staring in shocked wonder at his disciple..
“Yes, Shifu!” Yin shouted, her eyes gleaming.
‘Clothes,’ the snake demanded in a strangled voice.
Yin blinked, looked down at herself… and then at her audience. Her eyes focused on Loud Boy and Rags’s blatant staring.
“The fuck you two assholes lookin’ at?” Yin’s sweet voice inquired.
==================================
The fantastical was rather old hat by now. It had been utterly astonishing when Tigu had transformed. Yin, while a surprise, wasn’t as shocking. It had happened before, but I wish she had given us at least a hint. There had been that conversation, but… never mind. In retrospect, I really should’ve seen this coming.
She had ended up borrowing some clothes from Xianghua, who was the closest in body type, and then she had frowned at her long flowing hair and asked for some help with it.
Biyu had immediately volunteered, gushing about how silky and smooth the strands of hair were. Then, through some cosmic twist of fate, the girl had done two big round buns on either side of Yin’s head.
Nobody knew why I had to excuse myself from laughing so hard. Yin wasn’t sure she would keep the hairstyle either, but it seemed to work for now.
Rizzo had then put her through a battery of tests, but like Tigu, there was nothing wrong with her. She was even better at changing back than the cat. She would just… pop, and then there would be a rabbit again.
That had been a couple of hours ago, and the initial explosion of shock and interest had died down. Now, it was business as usual. Yin was a human now, when she wanted to be—and that was really all there was to it.
I yawned, and walked up a hill in the back, a pot in my hand.
“Tea? I asked Gramps as I settled down beside him.
The old man nodded. “Thank you, my boy.”
There was an explosion of heat and light that blew my hair back a bit, even from far away. A woman, clad in armor of burning gold, clashed with a shorter girl with orange hair.
“Oi, oi, oi! You bastard! Is this it?! Put your damn back into it!” Yin’s beautiful voice spat cusses like water—and I had to admit it was pretty funny the discrepancy between beautiful, demure noble lady… and Yin’s foul mouth.
‘Language!’ Noodle tried in vain.
“Junior Sister, you are getting entirely too cheeky! Allow your Senior to educate you!” Tigu shouted with glee.
While the sun armor on a rabbit had looked just ever so slightly strange, on her human form the massive gauntlets, cloth regalia, and sheer aggression Yin displayed made it downright intimidating. Especially since the main change seemed to be that unlike Tigu, who had simply gained a longer reach, Yin had gotten a lot physically stronger.
Hell, all of the cultivators were going at it. Xiulan and Xianghua were off further, Xiulan with a fan in one hand and her sword in the other while Xianghua battered against her. The sword wielding woman had what looked like horns made of mist growing out of her head, and her gauntleted arm looked… almost alive and covered in draconic scales. Her blade glowed cherry red from the heat of her furnace, which belched out steam, and with a crack of thunder, storm clouds.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” I asked, as Gou Ren clashed against Delun.
“There is one last matter to attend to, before I depart.” The old man’s voice was mild as he spoke. “I have postponed it long enough. You must decide the Fate of the Young Master of the Cloudy Sword Sect.”
“… what? Who?” I asked, confused.
Gramps turned to me, his eyebrow raised. “The one who injured you. As it is, the worm is within the holding cells of the Cloudy Sword Sect; his cultivation has been shattered and sealed for his crimes against you and the other Disciples of the Sect. You shall decide his punishment.”
I paused at the statement, and how he spoke it. Like he was talking about what to eat for dinner that night. It was, well, it sure was something to suddenly spring on somebody this early in the morning. Hey, we have a criminal, decide what to do with him. Especially with how casual Gramp’s voice was.
And I had read enough Xianxia stores to know the sorts of punishments people like that gave. Out by the roots. Families slaughtered. It made my good mood evaporate like the morning fog.
“How would the Cloudy Sword Sect normally punish him?” I asked, stalling a bit.
“According to the will of the Founders, he would be lashed ten times by each of the Sect’s disciples. His head would be shaved bald. He would be stripped of his surname, then be put to death. He will be allowed to take his own life, if he has any honour left… If he failed at that he would be beheaded. All of his wealth would be given to the families he has wronged.”
It was a brutal, cruel punishment. It was standard for these times. “… families?”
Gramps yawned and scratched his ass, leaning over onto his side. “Mm. He killed another disciple, and covered it up,” the old man said, watching me out of the corner of his eye.
A small part of me knee-jerked to “life imprisonment”. It was what we did in the Before. The death penalty had been outlawed for a while. But this wasn’t the Before. I had given over bandits to the authorities, knowing they would be executed or worked to death in the mines. I had killed Zang Li myself, when he went after Xiulan.
I didn’t want to be the person to make these decisions. I did not want to be the steely eyed cultivator putting millions to the sword for the sake of my ego and pride.
“You know, I don’t even know his name,” I said after a moment. “And I have no desire to learn it.”
Gramps kept staring.
The lesser of two evils was still evil… but… what would I have to gain from defending this man? Would he turn over a new leaf because I helped him out, or would he remain with a grudge forever?
He had killed me.
And while I might be the forgiving sort, even I had my limits.
“I will trust the Cloudy Sword Sect to clear this stain upon their honour.” My voice came out cold and hard. “They tried to make amends already. Let this be what convinces me of their sincerity.”
“Oh? Not going to do anything yourself?” Gramps asked curiously.
“Why would I do that? Quite frankly, he isn’t worth any time out of my day coming up with anything to punish him with. Torture him for a thousand years, and let him have a thousand years of my time? Some other, resource intensive method that would prolong his suffering? A waste. I don’t even think he's fit to be fertilizer. I don’t care about his life, and I don’t care about his death. I have things to do—like making a new field, or knitting a hat.”
There was a bit more contempt than I had been expecting in my voice. Sure, there would have been satisfaction in his death. There was a little dark voice inside me telling me to go anyway and watch. I ignored it, though. If he laid down some mystical fate grudge or something in his last breath, I didn’t want to be there, and I wasn’t going to be the one who killed him.
Gramps looked at me, before chuckling. “So worthless you don’t even want his name! It's a good choice. Not the one I would make, but Brother Ge will appreciate the Face you've given him.” The old man got up and stretched. “Well, enough about the nameless brat! Those Juniors over there are having much too much fun, and you said you wanted more training.”
He went from too casual to smiling brightly, after we had just discussed some guy getting executed. I got the distinct feeling I had passed some sort of test, as he clapped me on the back. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the angry thoughts away. In the end… sometimes the world just sucked.
I wasn’t the perfect hero who resolved to fix it. I wouldn’t mourn the man who had killed me… but I wouldn’t celebrate his death either.
“Oh, and right! I have a recipe for some Dandanmian from a noodle shop for you. They offered to host us at any time for a drink. We’ll need to go sometime!”
“Really?” I asked.
My mood was a sour one as we traded blows. But as I looked on, at Big D, at Xiulan, Tigu and the rest… I felt a bit lighter.
I may not be the perfect hero to fix things— but there were some people here who had something to say about the state of the world.
That night we had Dandanmian. It was a really good recipe.
=========================
Its kind of a downer chapter, but it needed to be done.
Jin isn't going to spend his political capital to save the man who killed him. He likes to be a good, nice person... but theres a reason hes scared of losing it and going full cultivator. He doesn't care that the man is going to die. the Rou part of him wants to kick back and have a celebratory drink about it.
Next chapter... people start to set out.
Edited by: Brandon “Philosophysics” Zhang-Leong, Aaron “Pastafarian” Sofaer
Comments
Trasen56
I gotta disagree. Jin was willing to kill to defend his lived ones, and this guy literally murdered him and several others. I honestly think Jin thought a little too much about letting him live.
HawkwardEgal
I'm dying; I'm imaging Yin, looking like Princess Serenity but with Bakugou's personality and hero costume.
Jojiro
Jin feels that it *would* involve an expenditure, in that if he asks for something too novel, it draws the attention of both the Cloudy Sword Sect as well as the wider world. He doesn't want to rock the boat. He also probably feels that if he asked for something too novel, it could potentially put him in their debt. Not a debt they would formally call, but a sort of honor debt that has implications for "face". He doesn't want to create such a situation over the life of someone that he doesn't care about (as the SI) and honestly sort of hates (as the original in-world guy).
Artman
Why should he help someone who apparently enjoyed beating people weak to death. I guess destroying his cultivation and spending his life as a slave in a mine would work.
MrrC
Because Fuck that Kid. A kid who killed him - then killed others.....and was being protected. This is a "cultivation" world....where people do things like 500 years to take revenge on those who "shamed him" by having him tend herbs. Why take the risk only to have the guy come back and hurt others. Jin already tried being peaceful and trusting authorities with the demonic cultivator.....instead the guy was released then almost killed everyone he cared about. Kill the snake - don't let it grow strong to come and kill you
Ish Man
The guy actually killed a couple of people like a bully. I think the xianxia and timeframe aspect wouldn't allow it to give him a lighter punishment. Wouldn't want zang li 2 poppin up. Or worse, ba shi bu shiii
fdsddfsa
This is likely my own brand of pacifism overlapping with Jin's character, but this feels oddly hollow for somebody like Jin. Give this child (because he is a child) 500 years of tending herbs or whatever and he'll either be fine or Jin will be dead/gone. It feels like there was a chance for Jin to save a life with zero expenditure and he just decided eh, fuck this kid, why should I care.
Bob
Pretty sure he already knew. Iirc sometime before jin returned home last time he had a discussion with delun about that
Nick
If gramps and co are going north, are they going to bring Yun Ren and Nezan with them? Would be cool for the gramps to visit the fox
Imspinnennetz
Tomorrow
Nicholas Grey
Hm. Yin was absent for the whole heartfelt speech about "Please tell someone if you're planning to undergo a tribulation, for safety's sake"
Orims
I think you are misremembering, the guy who is fighting is a dude who should have prevented all this bs from happening. He was basically an outer sect manager who shrinked his duties. Aftet that he volunteered to receive that punishment. The guy who killed Jin, another guy and crippled some others was an elders son who got put into jail cell after a huge beating to wait for Shen Yu's decision.
Teo
I think everyone forgets that the guy has already been tried an punished. He volunteered to a specific penance where he loses his name and is to protect the empire by fighting demons every day for like 99 years something like that.
Rene Churchill
Wouldn't this be the appropriate point for Tie Delun to learn that Tigu is a cat?
Nathan Ganesan
Thing is, the penitent treatment can only be voluntarily walked into, and if you don't have the proper resolve and genuine contrition for your actions, the spirits will just kill you.
Anzer'ke
I will laugh very hard if Vajra and Ri Zu both get human forms before Bi De. The star of that harem being the last to get the required form is a damn funny image.
Anzer'ke
Love Yin, love her so much. I do wonder if this will clue Tie Delun in that he and Tigu have such a core aspect of their psyche in common. Both of them hating their natural appearance and working to better themselves in defiance of it.
Orims
I think that you are a bit mistaken, nobody is turning the guy loose. He is getting punished by cloudy sword sect which will probably be a swift execution not allowing a known murderer to go around. The forgetting thing is all about Jin himself not thinking about the asshole anymore and going about his own life.
D J Meigs
Loud boy and rags really should have known better than to stare. I seem to remember at least one of Tigu’s friends figured out she might be a cat during the tournament but I don’t think they all had. I wonder if this will make them realise it.
D J Meigs
I think he gets the worst punishment because he actually killed someone, and used an extremely dangerous sect technique that shreds the soul itself on at least one brother. I seem to recall Jin wasn’t the first one to leave because of that man too.The others bullied and took advantage of weaker members, but didn’t cross the line into permanently ruining anyone’s future, so I don’t think they get an execution for that. Some might get kicked out, but they might get a chance to repent too, at least one of the senior brothers went on a quest to regain their honour so that might be a path as well.
RedFaux
Not blood thirsty, not a pushover. Gramps approves
F0ZYWOLF
I am curious with the one disciple guaranteed to be killed will the others just get off with Ge’s lesson or will they have a similar fate
mallix
Little D is not going to take Big D's leaving the farm well
FlyingEagle
A Good answer overall, though I would definitely have wanted to know the guys name, and maybe make sure there wasn't demonic involvement in the event. Being uninformed about that kind of thing could be a problem.
Jordan Jones
Also, Usagi means rabbit. That reference alone is solid enough evidence to identify someone born in or just before the 90s IMO.
STORRM
man this is fine, not even a buzzkill, the chapter had way way more ups then downs, like comparing it to J. L. Mullins current arc if yin had of died this would still be upbeat compared to the downer that the arc has been.
STORRM
Naruto's final boss battle Kaguya, if you google her she has little roundish eyebrows, i think there mite be some joke about pickled radish eyebrows but that mite of just been a meme
BlueMage_VT
Shen Yu feels the technique the kid used was the Unclouded Fist, a technique for exposing demonic possession. I assume from that revelation that a demon couldn't use it, but I could be wrong.
BlueMage_VT
I expected the young master to be given the penitent treatment. "Let him live in shame as an outer sect disciple and serve those he wronged until they all have declared the debt repaid, and then the family of the one who died." But the response given in this chapter is very Jin.
Demian Buckle
Thank you for the Chapter.
taukid
Though, it would've been funny if he had him made to work as a farm hand, lol
Memememe
The hair buns is a reference to Usagi from Sailor Moon.
KnightRider007
Yup. Never underestimate or forget some humans’ ability to just be assholes. No need for demonic possession, just give them a little power and no accountability.
Gear-2557
I eagerly await Yin's character art.
Alice Healer
Bit sad they never revealed the jin/rou part vut also I would never let the old man know
Brian C
I like this. Not a downer at all. Punishment for nameless jerk.... Forget about him. Tie an irremovable placard on him that simply says "Waiting for judgement," and turn him loose. No name on the placard. No crime mentioned. And no judgement handed down. And if he ever asks, the answer should be "Oh, we forgot about you."
Spade ♠️ Dragon
Years of experience with powerful and easily angered Cultivator Ladies
Zak
Yin probably looks like Kaguya from Naruto probably
Maltec
I like the fact that Gramps apparently knows when to stop looking to avoid getting caught, years of experience im sure
Empty Shelf
Good for Jin, giving face to the Cloudy Sword Sect. As for the "young master", play stupid games, win stupid prizes. It took it's time, but Karma arrived.
Modesty Goose
I think he is just an asshole
V01D
If she’s able to pop back and forth, does transforming cause issues due to clothing?
Daniel
https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Kaguya_%C5%8Ctsutsuki As for the buns... she's a bunny.
Savannah Black
So no one else is wondering if this young master is also a secret demonic cultivator like the young master from the Shrouded Mountain sect? I'm not sure that young punk would be able to hide from Gramps, but he was injured and fighting demon corruption after the big battle and it IS those demons' specialty to hide in plain sight.
Namorat
I am happy with the decision and the reason given.
jeremy south
Kaguya from the anime "Naruto"
BargleNawdleZouss
Pardon my ignorance. Someone please explain what show and which character this line is referencing: "...a certain ass-pull final boss from a show about ninjas who screamed believe it." And then this reference as well, "Then, through some cosmic twist of fate, the girl had done two big round buns on either side of Yin’s head."
Vector
Who is the reference to in Jinstransformation?
Logrus
Solid chapter. Sexy rabbit lady is to be expected at this point. Noodle's reaction was priceless :)
BargleNawdleZouss
I submit that this shows his "Rou" side coming to the fore.
Zebrababies
This chapter feels shorter than usual, maybe it’s the serialesque nature of it feeling like an addition to the previous chapter? Not sure. It just feels like half a chapter to me.
StarBat
Next up The bee queen.
Cody
Thank you for the hard work and enjoyable story
CptJimmy42
I'm proud of Jin's answer. Why dig up a toxic past which could only bring you negativity, when you could move on and use your time to do something worth while, like knitting a hat.
CrimsonEclipse
Honestly, I really like how Jin isn't trying to push his modern sensibilities onto everyone. Other Isekai MCs might have tried to change the system or made the world entirely resembled what used to be, but Jin struck a nice balance of using what he knew in his previous life while still accepting that a lot of things in his new life are just as valid as his old one.
CrazyExplorer
You are thinking about a different person. The guy who bullied and killed Jin is Chen Li, an Inner Disciple (and the son of Elder Chen). He is currently in a cell waiting punishment. The guy who went to war is Tang Shuren (Yun Shu now) a Senior Disciple who was punished because it was his job to stop and discipline Chen Li, but he didn't.
Lawrence Atlas
thank you
Arnon Parenti
If I remember correctly it was the guys who "helped" Jin back to his room and helped themselves to the lowly spiritual herbs he was cultivating.
Tyler smalley
I hope we get to see their pov/reactions. I’ve been waiting on it ever since they started crushing on her
Orims
I am pretty sure that rags put two and two together during the tournament and after this they all should get it.
Robert Mullins
I thought that guy went off to fight in the war in that interlude? Is this after or a different person?
Vorquel
The end of this chapter reminds me of a quote from Doctor Who: "Good men don't need rules. Today is not the day that you learn why I have so many."
Tyler smalley
Do the three boys know that Tigu is a spirit beast cat? If not would they put it together from this? I would have loved to see their reactions.
IG884HIRE
The man who killed him was already a murderer, and therefore any mercy Jin could even attempt to offer up wouldn't really be wholly his to give.
ThatGuy
I think this is more in character for Jin than any other possible choice.
Andrew Denton
I think he handled it the best way possible.
Teatime42
It's not the same world, it doesn't have the same culture. He can only change so much, and in this world where grudges can lead to revenge via demonic cultivators. Sometimes you just have to know when to cut your loses and move on.
Sebastian Rubin
... yeah, that's fair. Besides, it apparently wasn't the first time he killed a junior brother; let the Sect deal with him accordingly, and may the Emperor account in all balance. Not an exterminatus, but a damnatio memoriam - nameless, faceless, forgotten.
Enochi
Me thinks loud boy might have a new waifu.... honestly they do seem like a matched pair in voice.
WarStrider72
Thanks for the chapter Boss!
WarStrider72
1st, exp
