"You have good instincts. Respect is the real currency of the cultivator realm - it's why we bother with all the fancy titles and so on. But there are still more important things than it."

"Definitely. It's just so terribly sad to have people... Not cooperate, destroy trust and fuck up the commons. It's called the tragedy of the commons for a reason."

"Is it... Is there, like, that thing in the novels where - coming to a new understanding of yourself helps you cultivate? 'It's all connected... From the roots of the world to the heavens themselves! And with that insight he burst through to qi condensation stage'... I feel like that's just a cliched trope."

"There's artistic and self-expressive components in the higher stages, yes. Drawing the Dragon Patterns on your Gold Core, completing your earthly desires. And if you swear an oath you could be prevented from advancing until it's fulfilled. But all of that is higher-ranked than what you're dealing with right now by a long shot."

Nod.

"I just hope Black Fo- Anna eases up a little if we have to keep interacting with her."

"She probably will once she feels safer. And once Silver Starlight talks to her."

Nod.

"Think I'm going to try training more tonight. I'm badly itching to get stronger so- I don't have to be quite so terrified."

"Don't forget to sleep, but go ahead." 

He pulls out his phone and starts texting.

She sets an alarm reminding herself to return the rental car tomorrow morning.

Then: Gym. Then: Sleep.

The next morning she returns the rental car first thing, and:

Black Fox seems peaceable enough. Hopefully. As for me- Eleven and counting, and hoping to hit five more today.

There's a conversation from last night: 

Got the fox settled in accommodations. She seems... satisfied. Senior Starlight, you'll be in the area, do you mind dropping by to put the fear of god in her? 

That'll be fun. I won't even charge you a seal. 

Thank you Senior.

Things seem reasonably settled. I'll send the seals over by delivery sword; watch for them tomorrow morning, I'll send them to the house's front porch.

Thank you Eight Tails.

And there's a message from Anna in the other chat group:

I can't get used to this human bed. I barely slept. I need a fox one.

I'll sort it out.

Hannah texts back. 

Eleven on day what, three? Nice. Heard about the fox earlier. Good work.

Day four technically I think. 2 + 3 + 4 + 2 (yesterday was sorting out her new stuff)

Black Claw did most of the hard stuff, de-escalating and talking. All for the best that nobody ended up fighting though.

What are you going to do with your armor seals? They're worth a lot in trade since they're rank five. You could get more lower-level ones, some blade talismans, more qi pills, immortal food, some basic artifacts, maybe some cheap techniques...

Dunno really. Still in my foundation establishment so I'm kind of clueless. Seems like a good idea to have trump cards in hand but if Eight Tails's are that amazing maybe I don't need that level of firepower. I think I haven't even gone through one qi pill total so far though. Techniques sound good. What's immortal food good for?

You'll start going through pills faster soon. As for the food, it's extremely delicious and also good for artistic creativity and nourishing the body. It helps at any stage of cultivation.

Not sure that's worth a whole seal to me right now. I'm sure I'll be able to handle more errands once I actually have a foundation established anyway. I'm interested in a movement technique that works in water, or some sort of sensory technique.

You'll get sensory techniques soon from your aperture openings, so it's probably best to wait for that first. The water-movement technique idea sounds interesting but I don't know that we have anyone with one...

I know Turtle Breathing, which is kind of a mobility technique? It lets you breathe where there's no air.

!!! Yes good