Jiang Ziya/Stories

General Stories Misc

Quotes

On Sortied

Let me brighten your life!

On Entering a Room

This girl's got your back!

When Quest Begins

Let's get rolling!

All packed and ready?

Response to Beginning of a Quest

I'm right behind you!

You bet! I'm packed to the gills with useful relics!

When Controlling Character in Quest

Let me at 'em!

When Receiving a Heal

H-hey, thanks!

Gosh, you're a real pal!

When Entering a Boss' Room

Here's the big cheese! Check your mercy at the door!

Let's do our business and get home safe!

Response to Entering a Boss' Room

You bet! They're just another domino waiting to fall!

Yup! We'll be home in time for dinner!

Upon Getting to Low Health

I'm frayed at both ends, here...

Gettin' kinda dicey...

Upon Opening a Chest

Any Qilin relics?

Let's share it between us!

Boss on Low Health

One last push!

We're makin' a real dent!

Boss Enters Break State

Bring the pain!

Time to do our thing!

Rare Enemy Spawns

Boy howdy, you don't see 'em like that every day!

Don't let it scurry off!

Upon Death

I still...have things I wanna do...

I'll never live this down...

Upon Revival

I can still make a difference!

When Using Weapon/Shared Skills

Damage: I'll rake them over the coals!

Buff Self: Ooh I'm feeling it now!

Buff Ally: Go get 'em!

Debuff Enemy: Hook, line and sinker!

Heal Ally: Wounds begone!

Heal Self: I found my path again!

Player Uses Damaging Skill

Hoo-whee, now there's some skill!

Remind me to stay on your good side!

When Shape Shifting is Ready

The dragon's chi is quickening!

I feel a roar coming on!

Shape Shifting into Dragon

Here we go!

Idle During Quest

Tired? I've got a relic for that!

Hungry? I've got a relic for that!

Quest Clear

With a smile on your face and a spring in your step you are half way to happiness!

Quest Failure

Oh, gosh! They got me good!

Home Screen Walking

Qilin relics are handy!

Got a problem? Use a relic!

Check out all my cool relics!

I could go for some fishin'!

Let me brighten your life!

I'm gonna live a happy life, no matter what!

Home Screen Inside

Qilin relics make a good life even better! Don't worry, I'll share.

Check it out, I've come up with a new way to use Qilin relics!

Each birthday means a lot when you're a kid, but I stopped counting after 300...

I KNEW the world beyond the village would be interesting! So many sights, so many people...

Most Qilin are stuck in the past. If you've got something useful, why wouldn't you use it?!

Me and cats...don't mix. A cat stole a fish I caught one time, and things got pretty heated.

Home Screen Portrait

I left my village to share the convenience of Qilin relics with the world.

Fishing sure is grand! You just space out for a while and great ideas pop into your mind.

I love compliments! Give me some more!

I keep forgetting things for some reason. Wait, is this an age thing?

Doesn't matter what happens, I'll never be discouraged.

Collection Portrait

Qilin relics get a bad rep, if you ask me. Sure, they can be dangerous, but they can also make life a whole lot better.

I was a sealer way back when. But since stuff went down and... I left that life behind.

People always try to shut down my curiosity. But that just makes me more curious!

Back in my village everyone uses Qilin relics to make their lives easier. Shouldn't the rest of the world enjoy those benefits too?

If the relics we've got aren't cutting it we should just throw together some new ones!

At The Halidom

Got a problem? Bet I have just the relic to help!

This place is ginormous! I wish I had a relic that would let me zip around and see it all...

I feel like I'm forgetting something... Oh, well!

New Mana Circle Unlocked

I can feel some exciting new ideas coming!

On Mana Circle Fully Unbound

Qilin relics have limitless potential just like me!

Adventurer Story Episodes

Episode 1

The Cloth of Reversal

...... Whoa! Water's bubbling up out of the pot! We're saved! The village is saved! Indeed. I was so worried about what we would do with this continual drought! I'll sleep well tonight, that's for sure! Such a relief! Thank you, miss! Don't mention it! We help each other out when times get tough! Sounds like quite the commotion. I wonder what's going on? M-my word! Look, over there— water is flowing from that pot! Yes, thanks to a young stranger from afar! Our village has suffered severe drought, but those days are behind us now. All because of her "Qilin relic" or somesuch! Huh? A Qilin relic, here? Those items are typically stewarded by someone of the Qilin tribe, yes? Right. Which I guess means that this village was saved by them...? Most unusual. Given the considerable power the Qilin tribe possesses, they generally abstain from involvement with the world at large. That's certainly the impression I've gotten from the other Qilin people we've met. I imagine they must have had a reason for helping this village. Nooooope! No real reason! I just saw that people were in trouble, so I used my Qilin relic to help 'em! What the—she's just a little kid! When it comes to us Qilin, you can't judge a book by its cover. We can stop the aging process with our relics, y'know. ...Er, and that juicy little tidbit never leaves this room—er, village. Got it?! If the folks back home heard I was spilling secrets, they'd drag me back kicking and screaming! Well, she certainly makes a rather... different impression from past Qilin we've met. Well, there's all sorts, even among the Qilin. Anyone who helps a person in need is all right in my book. Hee hee! Stop, you're making me blush! ...What's that? I'm a genius, you say? I mean it's true, but still! Y'know, you seem all right! You got some kinda ulterior motive? Does it start with "Qilin" and end with "relic," maybe? Huh? No, we just— Welp, what can I do? If you insist, I'll let ya use 'em! We made no such request. Moreover, should Qilin relics really be used so frivolously? What's the problem? We Qilin have been usin' our relics to live better lives since, like, a gazillion years ago. Who are we to monopolize 'em?! If you ask me, we should be usin' 'em to help everybody lead happy, comfy lives! I see your point, I suppose. Yes! Someone who gets it! I knew I liked you! I'll grant your any wish! Where's your house? Lead the way! Er, well, it's not so much a house as... ...Hee HEE! It's a CASTLE! And it's HUGE! I thought you were pullin' my leg with all this "prince" and "kingdom" stuff, but this thing speaks for itself! The girl's got a point! You don't exactly scream "royal," Euden. Ha ha, maybe not. So, Jiang Ziya— We have many people here, from my allies to people who came to us seeking aid. Do you think you have anything that could help them in their daily lives? I'm sure I can rustle up something! ...... Something wrong, Cleo? No... I'm just somewhat uneasy about these Qilin relics. They sent the ancient Qilin down the path of ruin, after all... Right, and that's why they're so strict about managing them now. But Jiang Ziya is Qilin herself; I think we'll be all right. She just wants everyone to be happy. I don't think someone like her is liable to have her heart corrupted by the relics. ...I suppose not. It seems I've let my anxieties get the better of me. In that case, Jiang Ziya—I know this is sudden, but might I make a request of you? The castle wall in that area over there has fallen into disrepair. Might you be able to restore it with a relic? Easy-peasy! I've got just the ticket— The Cloth of Reversal! If you throw this cloth over an object, it can be returned to its original state! O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Bond of causality, course upstream through the natural order and return worldly vessels to their root! Hee hee ha ha hee! Perfection! Good as new, in the blink of an eye! Wait, what was that? It sounded like... Ah! The castle wall! It's crumbling! Whaaaat?! Oh, nooooo! I tried to return the damaged bricks to their original state, but they're going back to their ORIGINAL original state... As in, clay! What?! Why?! I totally forgot, but this cloth is suuuuuper finicky! Ugh, I am just the WORST with delicate stuff! Everyone, we have to repair the wall together! Gosh, I've really done it now... You have certainly done something! Now hurry up and stop that relic!

Episode 2

The Ring of Disregard

O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Immutable plate, let thy heat accumulate! Strong and swift may you invoke your gift! Now all ya gotta do's leave your food on top of this plate, and it'll stay pipin' hot for as long as you want! Thank you, Jiang Ziya. These Qilin relics certainly do seem useful. I suppose there's no inherent danger in one with so straightforward a function. Yup. The one I used to try and fix the wall can just be a bit tricky to handle, that's all. Wheeee hee hee! So THAT is how brick was rendered back to clay! Fanatic Magical Researcher Kleimann An absolutely fascinating phenomenon, these relics of yours! Truly a marvel! Might I make an inquiry or two as to their nature and function? What the—this guy's, like, the definition of shady! ...But shady or not, if you're interested in Qilin relics, then I'm all too happy to answer! Ask away. Many thanks! Now, are there any Qilin relics that can make an object disappear from view? Hmmm... Well, I've got one that does something kiiind of like that... Thank you, Jiang Ziya, but you've said quite enough. What?! Why did you stop her?! I can see right through you. You're trying to make yourself invisible so you can get close to Midgardsormr, aren't you? Wheeee hee hee! Guilty as charged! The completion of my research calls for a dragon scale, you see. You are incorrigible. Have you forgotten the terrible dangers you faced already? Please, Jiang Ziya, refrain from granting Kleimann access to any of your relics. Aye-aye, Cleo! I read you loud and clear! Wheee hee! So, you've been issued a warning! Ah, but what is a warning but an invitation dressed in reproach? Jeez, you must REALLY want that scale. Oh, I do indeed. But I also have interest in your relics beyond that specific application. They make the impossible possible! How could a researcher like myself resist the pedagogic allure of such arcane objects?! Man, you're relentless. But they really get you goin', huh? But of course! To a researcher, they are fascinating without compare! I am truly grateful that you came to our castle, Jiang Ziya. Hee hee! I AM a genius, aren't I? I'm gonna be soaked head to toe in a shower of compliments at this rate! You're definitely shady, but you're not so bad. ...Ah, what the heck. I'll let ya use my relics! Specifically, the Ring of Disregard! Egads! Tell me, what is the nature of this relic? It'll snuff out any trace of your presence and make everyone ignore you. It technically won't make you disappear, but... Well, I guess the result's the same! Fascinating... Let us hurry and try it out! So, I put this ring on, and...hm? ...... What's this? Jiang Ziya? Helloooo? Ah, yes! It seems the relic is in effect. No one will notice me now! And as such, I shall secure myself a dragon scale without protest! Hmm...? What is this? It's faint, but I sense something nearby... Huh?! You! Still you hound me for my scales?! Do you never learn?! Bwah! How did you notice me...?! Begone, you rogue! Out with you! Eyaaaagh! Hmm, that's curious. Maybe the ring's effect doesn't work on dragons? Ah, but it did, if only slightly. He seemed to notice me only after looking veeery carefully. We should modify the relic to magnify its power! No way! Modifying Qilin relics is a huge taboo! And yet are taboos not made to be broken? Wheeee hee hee ha ha hoo! The reticence of others often leads to the most exciting scientific breakthroughs! And there is nothing quite so thrilling to a researcher as challenging the unknown. I...suppose that's another way of looking at it. You might be shady, but you've got a pretty unique view of the world. All right! Let's modify this sucker and see what it can do! Wheeee hee hee! Now you're talking! Things have taken a turn for the FASCINATING! Now, my hypothesis is that this pattern on the ring controls mana. Oooh, I see! So what if we tried to change it like this? ...... Seems okay so far. The dragon hasn't noticed us yet. Indeed. Now, let us begin the experiment! Jiang Ziya, activate the modified relic! On it! O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Ring of limpidity! Contract of realization! Boundless, unerring indifference! What is this wicked presence?! Who's there?! Show yourself! Wh-what?! He found us immediately! Wheeee hee hee heeeee! What an unexpected result! How are you laughing right no— Hey, hold on. When I look at you, I feel kind of... Annoyed. Interesting... It would seem the result of our tinkering is a change in the ring's effect altogether. The relic which makes everyone ignore you...now makes them HATE you! What?! Oh, nooo! So we failed? What?! This is a rousing success! We were able to change the effect of a Qilin relic through modification! I see. Then the ferocious disgust I feel is the doing of this so-called relic. ...That being the case, I will blow you AND this fiendish relic away together! My patience has reached its limit! Er, we appear to have miscalculated. Jiang Ziya, stop the relic! Quickly! I refuse! Whaaat?! Shut your face! I don't wanna hear it! And come to think of it, your mask is stupid as all get out! I had thought us kindred spirits, and yet now she loathes me so... The effect of this Qilin relic truly is... Deplorable! Whee hee hee ha ha hooo! You rogue! Philistine! Untutored boor! I unleash my most furious tempest upon you! TAKE THIS! Uwaaaaah! Why me?! I've got nothing to do with this! So this is a dragon's true power... What an utterly invaluable experience! Wheeee hee hee heeeee! Peace and quiet at last. Goodness, what a bothersome pair. And yet, when I think upon the fact that there exists an object capable of influencing a dragon's mind so... Hm. Those Qilin relics hold truly awesome power... For better or worse.

Episode 3

The Inversion Rod

I didn't think too much about it when we agreed to transport the repair supplies to the castle, but looking at all this now... Wowser, that's some heavy-lookin' stuff! Lift from the knees, buddy! Sheesh, faeries have it easy. Get to just float there and watch. If all you do is complain, the sun will be set before we finish here. Indeed. We should make haste. I think my back just cried a little... Hey, wait, I got a, er, whatchamacallit... An idea! We should hit up Jiang Ziya! You rang? Hey, perfect timing! We wanna move all this stuff, but it's a handful and a half; how's about ya help us out with one of those fancy relics of yours? Ooo, it would be my pleasure! Now, feast your eyes on this— The Inversion Rod! Give something a little boop with this handy-dandy rod, and it'll invert its nature! Uh... Come again? Basically, super heavy stuff will become super not-heavy stuff! Talk about convenient, right? Wooow! That's one slick relic! We would be in your debt. Please, Jiang Ziya—proceed. Hee hee! Yes, yes, leave it all to me, your resident Qilin genius! O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Inversion Rod. Nature paradoxical. Strong and swift may you invoke your gift! Okay, try picking that stuff up! ...Oh, my! It's light as a feather! Now we're talkin'! All right, let's get movin'! ....Meow? Hm? It seems a cat was hiding amongst the goods. A c-c-c-cat?! Is something amiss, Jiang Ziya? I-I... I don't DO cats. Way back, I had a super awful experience with one... Meow. AAAH! It's coming this way! C-calm down, Jiang Ziya—ACK! Wah! Yikes! Bwuh?! ...?! *pant* I-Is the cat...gone? Beats me, man. Um...Elisanne? Pfft, carryin' a buncha crap? Sounds like a pain in the cheeks. I'll pass. Wh-what the—?! Elisanne, you're acting very...differently! Oh, perfect! Look here, we've got a meathead on hand! Yo, Ranzal, get your rear in gear and start liftin' my share'a that crap already! What are you even saying?! Ranzal's not gonna go along with— Um... C-certainly... Bwuh?! Solid. Get crackin', hamhock. W-wait, Elisanne! Ranzal, what is UP with you?! Eeeeeeeek! S-stoooop! NOW what?! D-don't! Huh? Don't what? Don't yell like that! You're scaring me! My heart can't take it! Wha...? What happened to your nerves of steel...? Okay, I dunno what's up with Elisanne, but it's time to bring her back—even if we have to do it by force! Force?! N-no! I could never— R-Ranzal?! Why are you hiding under that empty box?! I-I'm scared... S-so...scared... Am I in some bizarro world? Elisanne is suddenly saltier than a bucket of seawater, Ranzal probably just ruined his favorite pair of underwear, and... Wait. Don't tell me... Did I accidentally reverse THEIR natures with the Inversion Rod?! My word, this is terrible. Oh, Cleo! I'm so glad you're okay— But this looks like a huge pain in the butt. I can't be bothered to do any work. If you need me...think twice and find someone else, as I'll be getting some shut-eye. ...Or not. Ah, a box. How fortuitous. Right? It's so soothing... Oh no, everyone's all screwy! What the heck am I gonna do?! Uhhh, Jiang Ziya? Why don't you just, I don't know... STOP THE DANG RELIC?! Oh, yeah! Good call, Notte. O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Inversio Ro—wait! No, forget this! Huh? What's wrong? I'm good on the whole Qilin relic thing! Don't wanna look at 'em, don't wanna touch 'em! I mean come on, they're a huge pain! ...Right. You got flipped by the relic too, then. I stopped being a Sealer and left my village so I could help everyone with Qilin relics. But I don't care about that anymore! Ugh. What a mess. But it's all good! I'm the real hero, at the end of the day. I'll sort this out in half a jiffy! Er, how's that? If you invert something and then invert the inverted thing, then it's un-inverted, right...? Y-yeah, it worked! The mere thought of Qilin relics sets my heart aflutter! O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Inversion Rod. Nature paradoxical. Be your exertions henceforth suppressed! What...? For some reason I feel as if I've been shirking my responsibilities. But surely I would never! And I feel like I just finished a stint as a spineless loser... That's enough rest for now, I think. Time to get right to work. What a relief... Everyone's back to normal. "Back to normal"? So we WERE under the influence of a Qilin relic... Yep. I got all inverted too, and it was totally bananas. And we were saved because Notte showed some seriously quick wit! She's a sharp one... Almost as sharp as me! Nice goin', gal! Heh heh! I've been feelin' pretty sharp for a while now. It's weird, but I'm not complaining! Hm? Could it be that Notte was changed by the Qilin relic too? Oh, y'know, maybe so! I do feel like I remember gettin' bonked with that rod. Hey, wait... If I got inverted, and my mind's all sharp now... Does that mean I'm normally DULL?! Oh man, you really saved our bacon! Three cheers for you, ya flyin' box'a rocks! Grrr! Meanie!

Episode 4

Replicator Dew

*sniffle* Mama... I'm hungry... I know, sweetheart... Mama is so sorry she can't get you anything to eat! This town is suffering from terrible famine. I feel awful for them. Indeed. Evidently, their harvest was a poor one. Well, I'd like to do something to help. Surely we can spare some food? We could, but some would still go hungry. We don't have enough on hand. Then we'll just have to make a few trips. But that will take some time... Never fear, for Jiang Ziya is here! When rumblin' stomachs abound, there's a relic to make 'em round! ...Like, because they're full of food. It's Replicator Dew! You just put a drop of it on something, and then suddenly that thing is doubled! You mean if you had one loaf of bread it would become two, then four, then eight, and so forth? My word... With a relic like that, we could utterly transform the Halidom's finances... Why did you not tell us of it sooner?! What?! Wh-why are you mad at me?! I'm not mad—I'm delighted! Incredibly so! You are? Hmm, you're a tricky one to read, Cleo. Ha ha... Well, in any case, please do use your relic to multiply our food supply! Aye-aye, captain! Let's go ahead and just put a drop on this here bread... O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Replicator Dew. Inexhaustible immensity. Strong and swift may you invoke your gift! Goodness! The bread is multiplying! With this, I may finally escape the shackles of food expenses... Um, Cleo? You still with us? Yeah, no. She's gone. Then let's you and I take this bread to the townsfolk! I can really have this bread?! Of course! Eat as much as you like! Thank you so very much! How can I ever repay you? Please! Let me have some bread, too! It's all right, no need to rush. We've got plenty more where this came from. Really?! Oh, thank goodness! Starvation won't take us after all! I'm sooo full. It's been a long time since I ate this much. Heh... Me too, dear. Hee hee! Another good deed done! Classic me—genius all the way! Yeah, but the bread sure did multiply fast. They ate a ton of it, but there's still a mountain left over. It's exponential growth, after all. A hundred becomes two hundred becomes four hundred, and so forth When you stop to consider it, that sort of multiplicative increase is actually rather frightening. For sure. If the bread kept producing at that rate, it would practically flood the village. Yes, but never mind the village—before long, the entire continent would be buried under an ocean of bread loaves. That should be the yeast of your worries! All's I need to do is stop the relic's effect before any untimely bread-burying. O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Replicator Dew. Inexhaustible immensity. Be your exertions henceforth suppressed! That's a relief. Everything should be fine now. Uh, wait... Why is the bread still multiplying? AAACK! Oh, that's right! I forgot! You can't just stop this relic's effect all at once—you have to cancel the effect on every loaf individually! What?! Hurry! Yeah! O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree! O power universal of the— Ack! Please, hurry! They're multiplying faster than we're stopping them! Eek! It's a carb-tastrophe! Aaaaah! M-my house! Th-this is bad! At this rate, the world's gonna be destroyed in a flood of bread! No! I shall not allow it! That voice... Was that...? O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Eternal coffin, the way boundless! Shatter all boundaries and reveal infinity itself! The bread is being swallowed up by a tear into the otherworld! ...I used the Hong Hulu. If the bread is sent to the space between worlds, then it cannot wreak havoc here. Qilin Tribe Sealer Xuan Zang Xuan Zang! I knew it was you! Yes. I sensed Qilin relics in use, and made my way here with haste. I can scarcely believe the scene that awaited me. I shudder to think what could have happened had I been any later. Hey, thanks a million! You've got some pretty amazing Qilin relics on you! ...... Wh-wha's with that face? You are Qilin... Then it was you, yes? You used the relic. Yup. I used the Replicator Dew on the bread to multiply it. Everyone here was starving. I just wanted to do what I could to help them. You used a Qilin relic to...help people? What's with the surprise? I'm a genius, duh! That is a quite a bold claim. In any case, I have a number of things I'd like to ask you, but we shall first help the people here. Right! Everyone! Listen up! We're truly sorry for the trouble! You have my word that any who still require food or have lost their homes will be welcomed with open arms at the Halidom! ...I see. You wish to enable others to live lives of ease and comfort by making common the use of Qilin relics. She can't bear to stand by and watch people suffer. I can understand that. Yes, as can I. After all, I, too, broke the Sealer code to concern myself with the world at large. Then you and I are like two peas in a pod, Xuan Zang! I think not. Bwuh?! I may have broken the Sealer code, but I have no intention of breaking the code of the Qilin tribe as well. However noble your reasons, spreading Qilin relics around the world so lightly is something I have serious reservations about. Thus, I shall accompany you for the time being, so that I may determine the merits of your conduct!

Episode 5

Reductor Dew

So, Xuan Zang, how long were you planning on following me around? Until I have ascertained the merits of your behavior. The prince has asked you to journey to a mountain village and offer them aid. I would see for myself how you carry yourself during this task. But, like...using Qilin relics to help people isn't that bad, is it? ...No, I cannot assert that it is "bad." Yet the power of the relics is too much to wield in the pursuit of simple aid, and thus I find myself of two minds about it. You are aware of what fate befell our Qilin ancestors, yes? Their use of relics saw them fall into decadence, which became the catalyst for a great calamity that could have destroyed the entire world. ...Sure, way back then, that probably DID all go down. But you know, I've got some thoughts on the matter. What happened was the fault of the people themselves. Not the Qilin relics. It's all about how you USE a tool. If we use the relics to help the world—to help other people—surely that can't possibly result in some global catastrophe, right? Plus, I'M the one using the relics, and I'm a total genius! Everything's gonna be just fine. Hee hee! I worry about that prideful nature of yours, too. It's true that tools are only as useful or dangerous as their wielder allows—which is precisely why Qilin practice such strict discipline with them. Ugh! I heard enough of these lectures back in the village! An earthquake?! No, this is...! *gasp* I... I'm sensing a Qilin relic! Perhaps there was one abandoned here? We must investigate! Here! This is it! So it WAS an abandoned Qilin relic. Let us retrieve it, and quickly. Wait...what's up with this flow of mana? It's running from the relic, and the mountain is—AGH! Stop! Don't move it, Xuan Zang! What...? Why? I think it's the only thing keeping the volcano from erupting! If we were to take it away, the whole thing'd blow its top! That would spell disaster for the nearby village...! What a mess... It is the Sealer's mission to retrieve Qilin relics. Once we've found one, we cannot simply leave it be... Surely there's some way to deal with this. A way to retrieve the relic AND prevent the volcano from erupting... How about this: we sub in a different relic to deal with the volcano. We ought to use one that'll hold it back, or one that makes sure it doesn't harm the village even if it DOES erupt! Use a relic to render the eruption impotent? Hmm... Is it that crazy? What if we just repeated what you did with the multiplying bread and sucked up all the lava like that? You mean with the Hong Hulu? Hmm... That would prove a challenge, I think. It is not the relic's originally intended use. Adjusting it to do that would be a gargantuan task. Hmm, true. Bread is one thing, but lava's no joke. I confess, I'm not certain we possess a relic properly suited to this particular situation... "Well-suited..." Wait! That's it! If we don't have a relic that can sort out the volcano, then we should just MAKE one! MAKE a Qilin relic?! You speak of the impossible! Sure, making one from scratch would be tough, but if we were to modify one of the relics we already have, I think we could manage it! MODIFY a Qilin relic?! S-such actions are strictly forbidden! I could never overlook such a transgression! Who knows what manner of calamity we could invite were we to fail! You're not wrong. I messed up this one time and got myself into a reeeal pickle! Do you mean to say you have modified a relic before?! Yep, sure did. And I think I got the hang of it from that, so the next time I do it, it'll be fine! So, if we're not gonna try and STOP the eruption, I could take this one... and that one...and then... Heavens—you've already started! I cannot even fathom what you're thinking, Jiang Ziya... The same thing I'm always thinking, duh! I want to help people with Qilin relics! Hee hee! I'm excited now! This must be how the ancient Qilin craftspeople felt when they made relics. "Excited" seems rather light a word to describe our tribe's exalted craftspeople... Maybe. I know it seems like the relics drove everyone to depravity, but that came at the end—as a result of it all. The people who actually made them couldn't have been TRYING to aim for such a nasty outcome, y'know? They were probably like, "Hey, wouldn't it be nice if I could do this?" Or, "Oh, if I could do that kind of thing, it would be super convenient..." They were building things that could make dreams reality! It's ridiculously, heart-poundingly exciting! Tools to make dreams reality, hm...? And donezo! I've combined the Cloth of Reversal with the Replicator Dew! To make...Reductor Dew! It causes a thing to be reduced by halves, steadily returning it to its original state... In other words, it'll make stuff disappear! If we just add a drop to the lava, it should get rid of it in no time flat—along with the smoke and fumes! That... That's incredible! If such a thing could be done, it truly WOULD be like a dream come true! Ah, I see now. This heart-pounding sensation... I understand at last. It is your heart from whence this passion springs. You are no mere proud fool, Jiang Ziya. Your eyes are ever fixed on what lies ahead. You are a great trailblazer who goes forth into the future... That's just common sense, ain't it? Folks don't have eyes in the back of their head, after all. That is...not quite what I meant. *sigh* I suppose there's a fine line between genius and...well, something else. Did you just call me a genius? Stooop, you're embarrassing me! *sigh* Honestly, I am truly astonished that there could be a person like you among us Qilin, bound as we are to the past... I am actually a bit jealous, in truth. You have the buoyancy of spirit needed to forge onward, rather than getting mired in the muck of overthought... Very well, then! I would take this plunge with you. Let us wager everything on this new Qilin relic of yours! O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree. Glowing embers, coursing amid bedrock. Subdued eruption! Be your exertions henceforth suppressed! Relic retrieved! Your turn, Jiang Ziya! You got it! I'll just put a drop of the Reductor Dew into the volcano's mouth... O power universal of the Qilin, be bound by my solemn decree! Rooted solution! Course upstream against the natural order! Strong and swift may you invoke your gift! Yes! The lava and smoke are disappearing! Hee hee! Perfection! I really AM a total genius! Thank you. Because of you, I was able to safely fulfill my duty as a sealer. And now I understand the way you use the Qilin relics. Truth be told, I am impressed that such multifaceted potential exists within them. Right? Like I said, tools come down to how you use 'em. The Qilin relics are all about helping the world and the people in it! Yes, it is as you say. However... Huh? Is there something else? Please only use Qilin relics to help people while you're within my sight. Wh-what do you mean?! Your behavior will not soon be understood by other Qilin tribespeople. Thus, I'd like to protect you from any such misunderstandings. I see... So that's what you had in mind. In that case, you're more than welcome, as far as I'm concerned! I bet you could help me out if/when I screw up using a relic again, hee hee! Could we perhaps NOT operate under the assumption that another such error is inevitable? Hee hee! You and me are gonna do great things together, Xuan Zang!