Alright. I think I've finally got this working. Apologies in advance, everyone -- this is probably the most ridiculously extra CS I've ever made on this site. XD

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[color=#99A9D6][i]“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”[/i][/color]

[sub][b]Dialogue Color[/b] [color=black]||[/color] [color=#99A9D6]#99A9D6[/color][/sub]
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[color=2E2C2C][sup]_______________________________________________[/sup][/color][/center][hider= INFO][indent][sub][b]P E R S O N A L  D E T A I L S[/b][/SUB]


[sup]
[b]Full Name[/b][COLOR=white] - Yuán Xiáyīng [color=#99A9D6]「源 霞櫻」[/color][/COLOR]

[b]Meaning[/b][COLOR=white] - Her surname is written as "Fountainhead" or "Origin", while her given name is written as "Mist + Cherry Blossom"[/COLOR]

[b]Titles[/b][COLOR=white] - Bearer of Jeweled Eyes[/COLOR]

[b]Age[/b][COLOR=white] - 19[/COLOR]

[b]Gender[/b][COLOR=white] - Female[/COLOR]

[b]Rank[/b][COLOR=white] - Third-Class Warrior[/COLOR]

[b]Allegiance[/b][COLOR=white] - Martial Alliance[/COLOR]
[color=#2e2c2c]-[/color][/SUP][/indent][/hider][/cell][cell][indent][sub][b]Appearance[/b][/sub][/indent][color=#2F347C][sup]_______________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/color]
[color=white][indent]Xiáyīng is a tall, slender young woman, most prominently defined by her long, slightly messy tail of greyish hair and her pure azure eyes, which shine with an uncanny luminescence, as though at all times reflecting the fullness of a clear sky. Her build is athletic but wiry, giving her a rather dainty air that seems more befitting of a merchant's daughter or a lady-in-waiting than a martial artist. Her small white hands hide callouses upon their palms, however, and her thin body carries its fair share of scars.

Despite her training, though, she doesn't carry herself with the pride one might expect of a warrior. Her bearing could best be said to be as graceful as a heron... and as bold as a rabbit. She takes small, even steps with her head ever-so-slightly lowered and her eyes held upon the ground in front of her, and keeps her distance from even the slightest sort of contact.

She seems to favor simple attire, making no particular concessions for femininity in the process. More often than not, she can be found clad in a comfortable, boyish blue tunic and pants, over which she wears a looser-fitted white robe. Her wardrobe generally lacks ornamentation, letting the fine quality of the fabric speak for itself. Thanks to her lack of curves, however, her long hair and timid manner are generally the main indicators of her gender. Were it not so, she could likely pass quite convincingly for a young lord; even now, some might mistake her for a man until she opens her mouth.[/indent][/color]
[indent][sub][b]Personality[/b][/sub][/indent][color=#2F347C][sup]_______________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/color]
[color=white][indent]Xiáyīng's nature is one deeply mired in contradiction. Outwardly, she is polite, composed, friendly, and humble. Yet, despite her politeness, she is deeply distrustful of others. Despite her composure, she holds a great deal of fear within her. Despite her friendliness, she retreats into herself the moment others reciprocate, never allowing anyone closer than arms' length. Her humility, perhaps, is the only aspect of her refined facade that is truly real -- and that solely because she is unable to escape her own feelings of inferiority. 

Though blessed with the ability to discern the talents and experience of others, like a koi trapped within its pond, all her eyes have shown her is the vastness of a sky she will never reach. She wants to break out of her shell. She wants to change. If things had turned out differently, then perhaps she'd be happier for it. If only she hadn't failed, and failed, and failed again.

If only.

Xiáyīng doesn't know what she wants anymore. She doesn't know why she was granted the blessing -- or curse -- that she bears, doesn't know why she can't seem to do anything right, and even if she could advance along the path before her, she wouldn't know where to go. Even now, the dream she looks back on is something that was never her own -- a road laid out before her by someone else. But no matter how daunting the heights upon which her peers stand, and no matter how dark the depths of the evil she sees in the shattered world around her, she wants to believe that there is good in others, and that there is value in herself.[/indent][/color][/cell][/row][/table][color=#99A9D6]╚[/color][color=#2e2c2c]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[/color][color=#99A9D6]╝[/color][/COLOR]
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[color=2E2C2C][sup]_______________________________________________[/sup][/color][/center][/cell][cell][indent][sub][b]History[/b][/sub][/indent][color=#2F347C][sup]_______________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/color]
[color=white][indent]When the world was young, two great beasts fought atop the Severed Peak -- a dragon of the heavens, and a dragon of the earth. The reasons for their battle have been lost to time, as has the victor. All that is known is that in the wake of their struggle, the mountaintop was split asunder, and a fountainhead of pure water sprung from the site of the Dragonstear, spreading out through unseen veins beneath the earth and joining with the energies of the land to create new life from death. Great stones erupt from the mountain's steep cliffs, said to be the bones of one or both of the valiant creatures, and atop their silent grave at the foot of heaven, the flowers bloom eternally in tribute.

Regardless of how much of that is true, it was the pride of the Yuán clan to inherit this mystery. Their monastery sat upon the lower half of the Severed Peak, opposite the Dragonspring itself. Their duty since the first days of their establishment was to protect the spring from all those who would dare misuse its power. Said to be blessed by the Dragon of the Heavens, their founders supposedly possessed unique "Jeweled Eyes," which could peer beyond the trappings of the physical world and into the realm of spirit. Of course, no two accounts can agree on what, precisely, this power actually did, as none among the clan inherited it in the last hundred years, and many of the original records were lost during the succession crisis, where two brothers fought to inherit mastery over the clan and its martial arts. The winner of this battle was the clan's most recent head, Yuán Daiyu: a rare genius who would go on to reform the entire Yuán sect, and become one of the greatest warriors in all the Jianghu.

But under his rule, members of the clan began to mysteriously disappear. Soon, none were allowed to scale the Severed Peak, and none atop it were allowed to leave. Rumor had it that his wife had borne him twin prodigies, whom he had taken it upon himself to train personally, but when the doors of the monastery were at last opened, he had but one successor, and one heir -- his son Jingyu, who had not only exceeded his father in the martial arts, but who had, for the first time in a hundred years, manifested jeweled Jade Eyes.

When the Age of War began, the two of them proved themselves mighty warriors for the Alliance. So mighty were they that some began to question the source of their power. Suspicion became doubt, doubt became fear, and fear became horrible reality when the Devil Clans at last revealed themselves, and both father and son, long-since beguiled by the promise of power, heeded the call of their true masters and betrayed their erstwhile allies. Countless heroes were felled by the blade of the young devil Jingyu, who seemed able to master any technique, and see through any deception with his Jade Eyes. But, when all hope seemed lost... his power vanished. The eyes he had so relied on failed him, and his unnatural gift disappeared.

Unable to continue fighting without his power, the father and son both fled, hunted like dogs for their betrayal. But although the traitorous Yuán who had followed them were purged -- though the clan was abolished and its teachings destroyed, the lord and his heir were never found, even after the war's conclusion. No one knows what became of the traitors, or why Jingyu's Jeweled Eyes failed him in the hour of his triumph.

But rumor has it that at the moment when Jingyu's eyes failed, a girl emerged from the shrine at the heart of the Dragonspring -- a princess clad in rags, her pure Sapphire Eyes yet unsullied by the world. Though none could confirm these rumors, that could not stop people from searching for this ghost, this phantom twin, this holy child. Some said she was a savior who would illuminate the path to enlightenment. Some said that if you took her eyes, you, too, could see past the world and reach the truth yourself. Others said that she was a rare genius who would restore the old ways of the Yuán, and bring about justice for the sins of her forebears.[/indent][/color][/cell][/row][/table][indent][color=white]But the truth is none of those things. The truth is that Yuán Xiáyīng, the lost daughter of Yuán Daiyu, is simply an average girl who had the misfortune of being born into a family of geniuses. Sacrificed for a cause she does not know, saved by powers she does not understand, granted a gift she cannot use, and sought for a salvation she cannot provide, the princess at last emerges from the bottom of the well like a koi challenging the Dragon's Gate, leaping towards a sky she dares not reach.[/color][/indent]
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[color=#2e2c2c]-[/color][center][sub][b]Cultivation Base[/b][/sub]
[sup]_________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/center]
[color=white][indent][indent]The Yuán Clan's martial philosophy is rooted in the principles of the Wu Xing, and is referred to as the Fivefold Path. Rather than solely distinguishing between Yin and Yang or any other such binary dichotomy, it instead focuses primarily on the Five Agents -- Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal. It is a philosophy rooted in the concept of mirroring the changing facets of the external world within one's self, and in so doing, gaining mastery over the world by achieving harmony with it.

Xiáyīng currently remains stuck at the first of the five Agents, limiting her to harnessing Qi aspected with the philosophy and properties of Water.

[hider=Detailed Summary: The Fivefold Path]As protectors of the Dragonspring, and bearing the name of the sacred Origin, the Yuán clan venerates Water as the origin of all things -- the source and fountainhead from which life itself flows. As such, the first step upon the path is water. As a neophyte, one must be yielding, tranquil, and serene, like the pure waters of the Dragonspring. Only then will a student be ready to receive the power of the water.

Once that power is received, however, it must be refined. Water's nature is transient and fleeting, and cannot be grasped. So too does the Qi cultivated from the sacred spring slip through the fingers of those who would cling to it. But just as water grants life and nourishment to the trees of the mountain, so too may it nourish a student of the path. As the student's knowledge and skills grow, so too must he step out of the shadow of his mentor, like a sapling raising its own branches to embrace the sunlight. He must become confident, but not arrogant, for a young branch that bends and remains firm does not break.

But just as there is a time for growth, there is also a time for harvest. Just as there is a time for learning, there is a time for trial. This is the third step of the path: the element of Fire, representing passion, transformation, and transcendence. At this stage, the student's abilities are pushed to their limits, and in this crucible they must either break or be forged anew.

Once proven, the student's will must be tempered. Their destructive Qi, cultivated through passion and pride, is yet unstable, and the burning spirit of youth must be quenched at last so that the wisdom of age may take its place. For though the fire shines brightly, it burns for only a moment before its spark dies out -- but the mountain endures a thousand years unchanged. Meditation, asceticism, discipline, and relentless practice make up the backbone of the phase of Earth, until at last the aspirant's body is prepared for the fifth step.

Metal represents the completion of the martial artist's trials -- the synthesis of all that has come before. Drawn from the earth, forged in fire, fueled by wood, and quenched in water, Metal stands as the final step of the cycle. Humility, Courage, Passion, Temperance, and finally, Supremacy. From humble beginnings to the very heights of achievement, the student has witnessed all the phases of the world -- has [i]lived[/i] them. In so doing, he has cultivated a world within himself, balanced in all its facets. He has mastered first his mind, then his body, then his heart, and at last his soul.

And for such a master, there is then but one final step to take -- one which none have yet managed to take before. One must truly realize that he is the world, and the world is him. There is nothing without that is not within. There is nothing within that is not without. And in this state of "nothingness," one achieves the true goal of the Yuán style, and reaches the Void. One does not strike with the intention to do harm -- one simply wills it, and it is so. The sword divides the mountain, because there is no mountain, and there is no sword. It is all one, and the form that oneness takes is entirely arbitrary. It could be a blade. It could be a flower. And it could be a man without limits.

Immeasurable, free of obstacles, formless and infinite. If one could achieve such an existence, they must surely be either a demon or a god.

However, the Fivefold Path requires that the one who walks it understand the course to be taken, and understand themselves. If one is naturally impatient, they cannot achieve stillness, and cannot draw upon the power in the first place. If one lacks resolve, they cannot achieve firmness, and cannot control the power they obtain. When one obtains one thing, one loses another -- and as you walk the path, the steps you've taken disappear like the melting of snow. 

How can one balance five views in one? How can one become a world to themselves? How can one reach the Void that lies beyond the Origin? The only way is to walk the path. When one becomes a master, one must remember their lessons as a student, and see them through once again with a clear mind. Water. Wood. Fire. Earth. Metal. Water. Wood. Fire. Earth. Metal. Repeat them a thousand times, then a thousand more. With each step the path grows shorter. The spiral narrows. A thousand more steps closer, and it narrows still. Where once you walked, now you run, sprinting closer -- ever closer to the end of the spiral. Ever closer to the Truth.

Immeasurable, free of obstacles, formless and infinite. Though none have ever reached it, the Yuán sought this fleeting Truth, no matter how many bodies they had to step over to reach it; even if that body was that of a frail sister, or a weak daughter.

What did the Truth look like through those eyes of Jade? And how could one cast aside by that path ever hope to walk it?

To tread the path, one must understand the course to be taken, and understand themselves. But that path was never hers, and perhaps that is why she could never go beyond the first step. To abandon self, to forsake kindness, to court oblivion -- Xiáyīng was never fit to make such a choice.

And so, she wavers at the foot of the mountain, merely gazing up at the sky she cannot reach, rising and receding with the turning of the tide. But no matter how her feet may falter, and no matter where the flood may bear her, the sky reflected in her eyes remains clear, without horizon.

Whether atop the split peak of a distant mountain, or deep within the darkness of a lonely well, a lone flower blooms in silence.[/hider]
[/indent][/indent][/color]


[center][sub][b]Body Enhancements[/b][/sub]
[sup][color=#2F347C]_________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/color][/sup][/center]
[indent][list][*][b]Jeweled Eyes ~ Sapphire:[/b] [color=white]Thanks to her unnatural eyes, Xiáyīng possesses the unique ability to observe the flow of Qi in the world around her. This is both a blessing and a curse, since it can grant her flashes of insight into her own life, and the lives of those around her -- particularly other cultivators willing to open themselves up to her. Though it's a far cry from the superstitions about her being some kind of enlightened maiden, her eyes [i]can[/i] allow her to potentially provide a level of empathetic support or insight into the burdens of others.

However, she is unable to control what she sees or when these "flashes" occur, potentially overwhelming her with visions she can't necessarily make sense of. With time and training, perhaps this ability could allow her to grasp and unravel the Qi of others as her brother did before her, but as matters stand, it's a power she can't even understand, much less consciously make use of.[/color][/list]
[list][*][b]Life Detection:[/b] [color=white]Thanks to her eyes and their power, Xiáyīng does at least have a somewhat instinctual ability to sense the presences of other people -- particularly those with a great deal of Qi. This comes with the downside, however, that powerful presences tend to overwhelm her, assaulting her eyes and mind with more information than she can manage to process, and weighing down upon her with an almost tangible level of mental pressure.[/color][/list]
[list][*][b]Judgment of Character:[/b] [color=white]Another side effect of her eyes. Xiáyīng can generally tell people who mean harm apart from others based upon her special vision, and as such, has an uncanny instinct that helps her to avoid danger... or to confront it for the sake of those she holds dear. This power doesn't allow her to read minds, tell the truth from lies, or anything beyond sensing a target's immediate hostile or beneficial intentions, however.[/color][/list][/indent]

[center][sub][b]Techniques[/b][/sub]
[sup][color=#2F347C]_________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/color][/sup][/center]
[indent][list][*][b]Art of the Flow - Breath of Life:[/b] [color=white]The basis for all Yuán school martial arts is the ability to pace one's breathing and enter a state of stillness, balancing one's own body and Qi with the ebb and flow of one's surroundings. By doing this, the user becomes a conduit, drawing in power continuously from their surroundings, coursing it through the body, and then expelling it with each breath.

This grants the user tremendous stamina, as even if the overall pool of Qi the cultivator has at their disposal at any given time is small, they replenish it almost as quickly as it is expelled from their body. So long as Xiáyīng paces herself and her breathing rhythm remains unbroken, she can endure fatigue, hunger, illness, and injury without faltering.

The more advanced application of this art integrates principles of Tai Chi with those of Yuán school spiritualism. Enemy strikes become a part of the rhythm -- a coming tide to be moved with rather than resisted directly. Controlling points of leverage and positioning accordingly requires timing one's footwork and defenses in time with one's breathing, moving with the swell of gathering energy and expelling the enemy from one's own space as the user exhales, increasing the force that is applied.

Performed properly, this art is like a dance, deflecting and striking all in one fluid motion, breaking the coming tide with a single gentle palm. Performed poorly, it all falls apart the moment the user's concentration falters and their breathing wavers. Xiáyīng, unfortunately, tends towards the latter end of the spectrum.[/color][/list]
[list][*][b]Art of the Flow - Sword of the Dragon's Eye:[/b] [color=white]The traditional form of swordsmanship taught by the Yuán school to newly-minted initiates to prepare them for learning more advanced forms. It is said to draw its inspiration from a whirlpool that forms under certain conditions above the mouth of the Dragonspring. The ebb and flow of the waters as they descend through the valleys creates a back-and-forth motion that is mimicked by this style's focus on dynamic, circular movements.

The swordsman is expected to outspace the enemy, redirecting the enemy's strikes with the very tip of his or her blade in order to maximize leverage while minimizing the distance moved, then follow up by stepping forward, rotating the wrist, and striking back with the opposite edge of the blade in the very same motion, applying pressure and forcing the enemy back.

If the enemy refuses to back off from this pressure, there are also techniques for running one's sword down the enemy's blade, grappling to pin their weapon arm and remove their ability to defend themselves, or locking weapons in order to wind around their guard and launch a swift thrust at close range. Like the water between the rocks of the valley, the swordsman seeks to slip through any gap, their strikes flowing freely around their opponent rather than confronting them directly.

In light of this, a heavy emphasis is also placed on twitch hits - intentionally pulling a strike as the enemy parries it, and using the momentum they impart to bring the blade around and strike the opposite side of the body with a lightning-fast flick. This hit can also then be pulled, continuing a blindingly-fast rain that will wear the enemy down until they make a mistake, and back them into a corner.

The style is tremendously simple in theory, relying on just a few key principles that can each be applied in a variety of different ways. However, although it is a style based around the idea of "formlessness," it's easy for an amateur in the art to fall into predictable patterns of trying the same trick in the same way over and over again, while a master of the style could be entirely unpredictable to a more orthodox opponent. This style also doesn't fare well against those who use weapons too massive to outspace, or too heavy to redirect, with particularly limited utility against unorthodox weapons such as nunchaku, against which the style's tricks will be at best ineffective, and at worst downright detrimental.

In summary, it is a dexterous and elegant style of fighting that is very good for the purpose of confronting other swordsmen, but suffers poor matchups against large crushing weapons and long spears. Additionally, it has a deceptively high skill ceiling, which Xiáyīng herself has not yet even begun to approach.[/color][/list]
[list][*][b]Art of the Flow - Crashing Wave:[/b] [color=white]Though her swordsmanship is good for drawn-out battles of attrition, where her tremendous stamina and ability to apply constant pressure even when on the defensive can help whittle down an opponent, her inability to advance beyond the philosophy of Water limits her ability to contest an opponent's strength directly.

To address this issue, a technique was created to take advantage of Water's inability to retain the strength it gathers. Like an over-full vessel bursting under pressure, one can draw in external Qi and then release it all at once, creating a powerful shockwave. 

This burst of energy is utterly unrefined, and lacks either focus or direction beyond the part of the body from which it is released. However, it can be used in a variety of different ways, to remarkable effect. 

By releasing the burst from the user's legs, they can leap high in the air, briefly ascending above their enemy and flipping over the target's head in order to attack from behind, like a tidal wave engulfing all in its way.

By releasing the burst from the user's hand, they can deliver a palm strike capable of washing their target away, opening up the distance and potentially taking advantage of nearby terrain.

With a bit of practice, it's even possible to concentrate the burst within the blade of a wielded sword, allowing the user to deliver a vicious thrust or cut with a great deal of extra force behind it, making up for the style's inability to otherwise inflict serious direct damage in a single blow. However, Xiáyīng has yet to reach this level, and as of yet, is mostly limited to the basic rudiments of this ability -- augmenting her own jumping and physical striking power.[/color][/list][/indent]

[center][sub][b]Equipment[/b][/sub]
[sup][color=#2F347C]_________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/color][/sup][/center]
[indent][list][*][b]Nameless Sword:[/b] [color=white]A humble double-edged Jian of dull grey steel. Though the frayed crimson tassel adorning its pommel suggests that it was once the possession of a warrior of some standing, its blade is scratched and worn by a great deal of use, making it little better than any other sword. No doubt, it was scavenged from some battlefield or another, taken from the body of a wielder who no longer needed it. It lacks sentimental value or any sort of remarkable properties, but nevertheless serves as an effective tool of self-defense for a forlorn and outcast little traveler.[/color][/list]
[list][*][b]Young Lord's Vestments:[/b] [color=white]A young man's traveling tunic and robe dyed in the colors of one of the many clans associated with the Martial Alliance, lifted perhaps from the same source as the sword its current wearer now carries with her. Xiáyīng has clearly taken great care to mend the damage to the garments with what meager means she has at her disposal. Though her attire lacks ostentatious ornaments or metal reinforcement, the layered and padded cloth does provide some measure of protection without inhibiting the wearer's freedom of movement.[/color][/list]
[list][*][b]Furred Mantle:[/b] [color=white]A more recent purchase, made with what little coin Xiáyīng was able to scrounge from the battlefields of the war. A fluffy, fur-trimmed hood adorns a loose and flowing capelet, the thick fur helping to weigh the garment down such that its low-hanging brim helps to conceal her Jeweled Eyes while in the presence of others. Also, it's very comfortable and warm -- a rare treasure for one who possesses few luxuries.[/color][/list][/indent]
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