Torsten Hewson
patreon
v4c50.1: The Lost and the Broken Part 1
🕑 Added 2023-10-05 22:18:46 +0000 UTCXiulan’s heart was surprisingly calm as the fifty-seven Sects of the Azure Hills took their seats. Thousands of people looked towards her, all of them cultivators.
The Elders and Sectmasters sat upon the thrones and those thrones lit up with bands of light. These days, most thought the colour indicated the element of their cultivation, and that was true… but it was supposed to display a person’s rank in the court of Xiaoshi. One line for a minor functionary. Two for a higher ranked functionary or a visiting guest. Three for military officers and Magistrates. Four for generals and leaders of people. And five for Xiaoshi and Tianlan.
Most of the chairs lit up with lights denoting that the mountain considered them guests. Some like her own father, lit up with one, denoting a minor functionary.
Only the Patriarch of the Grand Ravine Sect had his chair light with three lines, provoking murmuring.
The dais Xiulan was on, the center of attention, shifted itself as more chairs were added. She couldn’t help but glance down warily at the chair as it pulsed and started to light up. She was a little worried that it would light up like it had for Jin. Tianlan was, after all, watching… and had nearly intervened during their confrontation with the Patriarch of the Grand Ravine Sect.
When the Intent hit her, she had felt the muted outrage coming from her bond with Tianlan and the sensation of approaching power that would cast aside the might of the Grand Ravine Sect. Her eyelids and forehead had begun to tingle, and the beginnings of some form of… transformation began to take hold. It had been heady.
She could accept the power of Tianlan and style herself as a queen, an empress reborn and ready to lead the hills anew. In some ways, it would have been easier to do it like that.
But that was not Xiulan’s goal.
Instead, she had brushed against the little link.
‘Please. Trust me. Trust us. We can do this,’ she had whispered.
The golden power had frozen in its tracks, before warmth and affection had touched her mind. The feeling of change had faded. The power had retreated… and they had withstood the power directed at them on their own two feet.
The chair shuddered underneath Xiulan’s body, and three lines lit up.
Xiulan released the breath she was holding and serenity returned to her heart. She glanced towards the rest of her companions, all of whom were sitting behind her. Xiulan could tell the Torrent Rider was nervous, but his mask hid most of the tells. Yin clapped him on the shoulder. The rest at least looked calm. Tigu had given the banner to Delun, and she had a large cloth covered tray in her hands.
Once everyone was seated, Bai Huizhong stepped forwards.
“On the Seventeenth Day in the Month of the Rooster, this servant of His Imperial Majesty, the Lord Director of Spiritual Ascension Affairs for the Province of the Azure Hills, Bai Huizhong, does formally declare this Conclave of the Sects to be opened.”
Xiulan smiled slightly. The Month of the Rooster, how auspicious.
“As this meeting concerns only the business of cultivators, the records shall be sealed, with only the Provincial Lord Magistrate and the Imperial Household able to access it, as codified by the Clear Sky Decree and the privileges afforded to the Sects by His Imperial Majesty,” the Lord Director continued.
“We give thanks to the Emperor and the Ancestors,” the cultivators rumbled as one.
“Who shall be the first to speak? Cai Xiulan has called this meeting, and yet the Grand Ravine Sect has also put their weight behind it,” Huizhong asked.
“Cai Xiulan shall have the floor,” the Patriarch of the Grand Ravine Sect stated simply.
“The first to speak shall be Cai Xiulan, of the Verdant Blade Sect,” the mortal said before stepping back.
This was it. This was the moment she had been working towards.
Xiulan stood. “This Cai Xiulan gives thanks to the esteemed Elders and her peers for assembling. It is no small thing to march to the peaks.” She bowed to the cultivators before her, her voice carrying so that it sounded like she was beside each and every person. They all eyed her, curious, but not yet incensed enough to start speaking out of turn… though Xiulan knew that probably wouldn’t last. Her father had said the first five minutes were the calmest, before somebody started interrupting.
“I have two orders of business to discuss. I shall get the first and most important part out of the way first. A man who I consider my Senior Brother came across a cache of crystals. Memories containing records of every Sect’s Ancestral Techniques.”
Xiulan modded to Tigu, who stood and stepped forwards. Moving with deliberate, fluid grace, she laid the tray on the table and pulled off the cover.
Row upon row of crystals laid on the silk cloth, each of them carefully labeled for each Sect.
It had been quite a bit of work to get all the crystals. They had started with six from Shen Yu—and then they had asked for five of them to be split into smaller crystals. Shen Yu had asked Biyu for a formation because he was “out of practise.” It had taken the woman 3 days to draw the formation.
It had taken Shen Yu an hour of study, and then with a touch of his fingers, he had split all 5 crystals into four pieces.
Three low-grade crystals they got from Mengde’s—and six from Master Gen when the monkey had thrown open his vaults as promised. Mengde had then used the transmission stone to put in an order from Yellow Rock Plateau, to arrive at Pale Moon Lake City.
Two they got from Xiulan’s own sect, which only barely worked; four from the Misty Lake Sect, in an alcove Xianghua had discovered, and then one was brought from the Hermetic Iron Sect. Xinlai had delivered a promised crystal from the Grey Water Sect.
Furthermore, they had…liberated four more from the salving nobles of grass Sea City. Most hadn’t even known what they were. One was using the crystal as a paperweight. One was a decoration in a vase; the rest had just been family heirlooms of some Ancestor, which showed their birthdays.
Finally, twenty had been purchased from the shipment from Yellow Rock Plateau.The price was… exorbitant, but they were entitled to a percentage of the value of properties seized in the name of Grass Sea City. They had more than they needed… but it was just in case one broke.
There was silence for a brief moment, as the crystals were unveiled. And then the shouting started.
There was silence for a brief moment. And then the shouting started.
“You lie!” the Sectmaster of the Azure Horizon Sect thundered, rising to his feet.
“Impossible!”
“This snake oil seller, she dares?!”
“Silence.” Ulagan Baatar, Patriarch of the Grand Ravine Sect commanded, his Intent filling the Arena. The shouts and accusations seized in the throats of those who were speaking. He stared at Xiulan, his face impassive.
“Tie Delan of the Hermetic Iron Sect stakes his honour—she speaks the truth.” The towering smith’s arms were folded, his voice implacable as he spoke into the resounding silence. “I have seen it.”
“So too has the Misty Lake Sect,” Elder Bingwen agreed, stroking his chin.
“My daughter vouches for the authenticity,” Elder Xinling said, her eyes cold as she stared hungrily at the crystal with her Sect’s symbol upon it.
The entire arena had been reduced to mutterings.
“I shall confirm this,” the Patriarch of the Grand Ravine Sect said after a moment, and then he stood. His steps were unhurried as he strode down the stairs, stopping before her.
Xiulan motioned to the crystal marked with his Sect’s symbol, and the old Expert pressed his finger against it. All of them were a cut down history, omitting most of Tianlan’s story by her request. But even so, they contained revelations fit to shatter any Elder’s worldview.
After a brief second he recoiled as if he was burned, his eyes going wide.
“That is how you know the name,” the Patriarch murmured, his voice an inaudible whisper to all but her. Xiulan nodded her head slightly, and his shoulders firmed. “We will be having words later, Cai Xiulan,” he promised before he raised his voice once more.
“She speaks the truth!”
Once more, there was murmuring. Baatar’s hand tightened on the crystal for a moment, naked greed shining in his eyes. His gaze flicked down to the others, and Xiulan knew he wished to take the crystal and destroy the others.
But the old man put it down and returned to his seat, his back stiff and his eyes forward.
Everyone was silent until the man sat back down.
“This is all well and good for the older Sects… but what is our purpose here?” the Elder of the Ash Fist Sect demanded. They had been created in the last thousand years and were not directly connected to any of the old ways.
“Because all of your Techniques bear similarities to others found within these crystals,” Xiulan replied. “This implies at least some relation to the Honored Ancestors of the Azure Hills, if removed by several generations.”
The newer Sects stiffened as they realised they, too, had much to gain from being here.
“So… how much are you demanding, Cai? Shall you beggar us? Shall you take our lands? Shall we kowtow before you?” On Gang of the Rumbling Earth Sect demanded.
His eyes, too, shone with undisguised greed. Xiulan was sure that, despite his words, he would gladly sell his own sons into slavery for the knowledge of his ancestors; to improve upon the Techniques of the Rumbling Earth Sect.
She saw the same utter obsession in the eyes of all who looked at the crystals. Each and every cultivator there was already plotting to steal the crystals. The only reason a fight hadn’t broken out yet is that they worried that they might damage their crystal as they tried to take it.
It was disgusting… and yet she felt it proved her decision right. A man cannot fall to temptation if there is nothing to tempt him with.
“I do not ask for anything,” Xiulan replied, and On Gang scoffed as the other Sect Elders tensed. The mood of the room plummeted.
“So you brought us out here to gloat!?” the man roared, standing. His Qi wrapped around him, and several other Sect representatives tensed as well.
Xiulan breathed in and out, the murderous Intent pressing down on her. The emotions of her fellow cultivators were at the boiling point, and the entire meeting hung in the balance. Sweat beaded on foreheads. Swords were grasped in white knuckle grips, and Ulagan Baatar’s face turned to grim resolve.
“You misunderstand my intentions, Elder Gang. I do not ask for any compensation because I am not requesting any. I am returning the Ancestors’ knowledge to its rightful place—into the hands of their descendants. That is why I requested your presence.”
Her words were like a hammer-blow throughout the arena; the glares and curled lips were replaced by utterly dumbfounded expressions. Elder Gang looked like he had been hit over the head, his eyes bugging out comically.
“You’re… you’re just… giving it to us?” he managed to get out.
“Yes,” Xiulan stated simply.
Absolute and utter silence greeted her.
“Prove it,” the man demanded.
Xiulan picked up his Sect’s crystal and walked over to On Gang. Holding it carefully in two hands, she bowed politely and handed it over.
The man stared at the crystal like it might bite him. Then, hesitantly, he reached out and took it. His eyes went blank as he accessed the memories within. And then he too jerked as if scalded.
He stared at her, looking utterly lost and confused.
Xiulan started to turn away when the man broke out of his spell. “Wait,” he asked, and Xiulan turned back towards him.
On Gang was known widely as a man who thought little of women. He considered them pretty things to warm his bed, and that was the extent of it. He was a wild brute, a hard drinking, hard fighting bastard who never apologized and never backed down. It was a miracle his own son was as polite as he was.
She was expecting chastisement from him. Perhaps he too would call her stupid, for giving away such a powerful thing.
Instead, On Gang clasped his shaking hands together and bowed. “You humble this On Gang, Cai Xiulan of the Verdant Blade Sect, with your virtue and righteous bearing.”
Unable to hide the flicker of surprise in her eyes, she returned the bow with perfect formality.
“Thank you for your words, Elder,” Xiulan replied before walking back towards her seat.
Every eye was upon her. Nearly every eye was mad with a lust for something they had not known existed until she’d spoken… and yet there was something else in their eyes.
Respect. The other cultivators nodded as she met their eyes.
She had intended to distribute the crystals at the end of the Conclave… but she had a feeling that if she delayed, things would swiftly spiral out of control.
So she nodded to her companions, and they too rose to distribute the crystals. Hopefully they could continue the main conversation topic today… but they might have to wait until tomorrow.
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Part 1 of Xiulan finally getting some social fu action.
Secondly, new Patreon UI sucks.
One mroe chapter until break for this month.
Editors: Massgamer, Aaron “Pastafarian” Sofaer
Comments
WyrdWizard
Just realized Cai calls the crystals the most important part. That seems out of character to me, they would be the easiest part for sure, but I thought that stopping reavers would be more important.
PickledTink
In your newly added text you wrote: "they had…liberated four more from the salving nobles" I think you meant "slaving". Unless there were nobles that were very much aggressively into pushing skincare products that got swept up in the mess, and one would wonder why such people would have those crystals. Perhaps that is where they stored the ancient secrets of Aloe Vera? :p
Michael W
There's a typo in the updated bit about the crystals; salving nobles vs slaving nobles.
H
Probably cause it was a seat of government of sorts so anybody considered a guest was likely of more importance than a minor functionary
matthew gilley
I'm curious why one for minor functionary, and two for guest?
Randall Brynsvold
Yup, everybody's getting something for free, in an open meeting. No one should be able to get butt-hurt over perceived "unfairness".
Randall Brynsvold
I don't think Jin wants that. I can see the Grand Ravine Patriarch pushing to find out more about the province's history (the whole contents of the original crystal) and to be introduced to Master Rou and Tianlan, once he corners Xiulan and gets some answers to his initial questions.
Splutty
The biggest problem I have with this UI update is that it contains some good options for at least the web interface. The really really BAD thing is that there's no configuring of these options....
Randall Norman Pick
I agree on the UI update as a grand mistake
Cory C.
Xiulan modded to Tigu
BigBro Bluesman
Literally EVERY creature has said the same thing "this update sucks" and I can't help but agree 😞
Old Dog
As always, thank you for the chapter. RE Patreon "improvement/update": As I mentioned in a previous post, people don't understand "if it is not broke, don't fix it."
Old Dog
To many people don't seem to understand "if it is not broke, don't fix it."
Dsea
I now use the notification page as my home page, also text to speak functions require manually highlighting in app and safari now tries to constantly redirect me into the app… found semi functional work arounds but all include extra effort or settings changes that negatively affect other websites for minimal gain! I hate the people who think improving or updating a web page or app requires massive overhaul and rebranding as it’s clear so many just want a bigger project to pad the resume or pay day!
Szymon Szczełkun
Forget sprerate reaction chapter from each sect even if author will just be able to name all 57 sect i would be impressed
Michael Jackson
Ui hmmm sucks ass but im known for not liking change much still hey ho it is what it is. As to jin i think some major ass kickery in the future should be in order.
Just A Dude
Oh, damn. That actually made me laugh for real.
STORRM
i agree about the UI, to bad RR doesn't have some way to link to patron or do the same thing as them, its really weird to me that patron is even needed because i feel like RR should be able to fill its role if it just added some type of reasonable paywall system
Kasinki
That is a pretty good straightforward plan, and the chapter seemed all too quick to end since it was such high intensity. Can't wait for more~ Thank you for the chapter CF!
Anzer'ke
I would honestly read 57 individual chapters of each elder reacting to the revelations of their crystals. Obviously that's not practical and we won't get it, but I would read such a thing gleefully.
Jostikas
New (App) UI is better IMO, the newest comments first means that "First" will die the death it deserves, and previous app version autoscrolled to the bottom when comments were opened so it's not any worse when trying to read comments chronologically. Oh, and the app seems much faster. The logo I don't care about, could be a big D for all I care. The Web interface is supposedly worse... I just don't use it, never have.
Kat
Agree, not a huge fan of the Patreon update. This gives her a lot of social clout, giving it away like this was the smart play (even putting said moral questions about it being right)
Jostikas
Probably to get rid of "first"-ers
Sebastian Rubin
The calm before the storm. Thank you for the chapter!
Lanter
Wooooo, flexing gamer chairs for everyone and the reveal! They're too secretive for a group watch party, but this level of transparency is pretty unheard of in a xianxia setting so its going to be pretty exciting afterwards. Getting some definite social cred this way. Nobody can easily argue that she's withholding info if everyone's getting something.
Alex McGregor
Patreon has ben getting worse and worse as time goes by sadly
Thomas Stewart
Thanks for the chapter! And yes, the new UI is crap - it's fairly trivial for the jerks to code a toggle in the account settings to revert back to the old style, but guess we're just not cool enough for the hour or two of dev and qa time to reuse a UI they already had written and tested. Just like it would have been trivial to add a little arrow in the lower right corner of the screen that took you back to the top of the page. I like supporting my favorite creatives, but I *loathe* the patreon web page. It's still not as bad as the old ICQ page (if you're old enough to recognize the reference, you know what I mean) because it's moderately attractive, it's just crap from the standpoint of function.
Gernia
The app is better. Website worse.
Gernia
The app is better, but the experience on the website is exacerbated the more authors you follow. Five authors updated, and there was a lot more scrolling than needed.
Pierre laplant
Woo
Theonewhospeaks (WRC)
Meep
James coe
Good chapter and new UI is okay in some way bad in others and it's obvious that the new logo is just the old one finally being kicked in it's centre like it sometimes needed, not sure why you'd then make a logo from it, but no judgement here
Arnon Parenti
Xiulan modded to tigu, who Should be nodded
Inirlan
What slander! What hubris! Anyone with eyes to see Mount Tai would recognize what it symbolises and shows - an unflushed turd.
Ichypa
The new UI isn’t, like, objectively terrible, but I will say that I’m not enthusiastic about looking at it, and the new logo is actual unrecyclable trash.
Munirah Hutchinson
I usually use the heart to mark chapters I've read and now I can't 😑 I'm still getting used to the new app but I'm not into it so far. I can't just cruise through my latest updates as easily, even with the notifications tab. Also, why are the oldest comments at the bottom!!!!
StarBat
Oh we're back with the flex chairs. Where's Jin?
Twidash
Not sure how I feel about the app ui on android. It's nice how it's grouped everything by creator though.
matthew gilley
I want to binge this as hard as I can.
BlueMage_VT
Still works on mobile.... for now...
Npad11111
I love the new app to be honest. Much more responsive and more organized.
T. Lewison
As to the UI... on Firefox/desktop, it's omitting italics. All italics in the old chapters. It's truly quite annoying. I'm hoping it's just a bug that will be fixed.
Echo Sparksong
Enjoyed the chapter. I am ambivalent about the UI. The website harassed me until I got the app. It's meh--
Eli Pomerantz
I’m not entirely sure why, but I often find your writing scenes like these hits me deeply emotionally, bringing slight tears to my eyes. It feels very cathartic
Loah
I think people are jumping on the bandwagon a bit with the UI. it's not terrible, in fact I'd say the app works better than the website ever did. Good chapter, if a little short
swishmcfish
She probably had the monkeys divide them into smaller pieces?
Moatdog
Yeah it feels like going through iMessage or something
Casualfarmer
A blind child
Johan Timmers
Good story and yes the New UI sucks
Cam
I don’t love change hahaha! It’s so hard to find things right now! But it hasn’t hurt the reading experience!
Armo
I think the new UI is neat, to be honest. It seems like even though things are grouped by author in the patreon tab, they’re sorted by last update, so is all gucci for me.
Bender
Powerful chapter. Xiulan 1 - 0 Sects.
Truedragon5374
Love the chapter. Was expecting more "YOUR DARE!?"s in there but this was great. Personally I'm hoping this ends with Xiulan inviting all the Sect leaders to Jin's farm for a maple sap gathering party.
Red Viking
Thanks for the chapter, and yes this ui is horrendous, and the logo's just an indistinct blob.
Avdrdr
Well, it’s new so it must be good 😱 the change was probably just being done to ensure someone still has a nice cushy job
Dust Russell
I completely agree the new ui is horrible, I was so disgusted i had to backroll my app version the very same day or face deleteing the app forever.
Really_Big
Great chapter! Looking forward to next! Thank you!
Really_Big
Was surprised by the new UI. Feels like I'm in an old group chat app.
Catherine
Thank you for the chapter! I’m looking forward to the next part of the meeting! :) I have one question. Where did she get all the memory crystals from? She got half a dozen or so from Shen Yu but for all the sects to have a crystal she would need over 50
Justin Barnett
Same. UI is awful.
Dwayne Parker
Right, I keep forgetting how normal cultivators act.
Aaron Schwartz
Yeah, I hate the new look. Not only does it make it harder for me to look at my updates, but I don’t think they could’ve designed more cringe logo if they tried. It’s just a glob of paint. And god knows what the 18+ creators are going to do with it. 😬 Oh, and the chapters pretty good.
Demian Buckle
Thank you for the Chapter.
BargleNawdleZouss
Once again, Jin's approach was correct.
Simon Andriessen
hell yes this is awesome
Ibuks5
It's especially terrible on mobile, but I can also see what they were going for. Could be great if they fix a few things
Matt Schmauss
You’re right, not a fan of the new UI.
Desy
New ui sucks so much! This chapter does not. In fact, it is so far from sucking that it’s awesome! Thank you!
TwoRavens
Hard same. It's ugly and cluttered.
Forrest Venable
Elder Gang: "You're just giving it to us?" Xiulan: "Who do you think I am, the British Museum?"
William Johnson
Go Xiulan! Kick their (preconception's) butts!
charliefathead
Agreed. New Patreon UI sucks. Wonderful chapter though
swishmcfish
On Gang probably just found out his sect's Founder was a woman. Lol.
Eli Loeb
3rd
Melody Haren Anderson
Yeah, I do not like the new UI and the font... I support a number of writers and it just doesn't feel as good to my eyes. At least they can't make the stories less fun though.
Peggy Carlile
Thank you!!
David K
> new Patreon UI sucks. agreed
Ragedrop
First!
WarStrider72
Thanks for the chapter!
WarStrider72
1st
