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