Vulture Heroes Vol. 2, Celibate Courtesan [Self-Destructive Cultivation/Wuxia]

"The wuxia/xianxia stories on RoyalRoad that can compare to this level of quality can be counted on one hand." - FranNow on Volume 2: Celibate CourtesanA mad hermit finally figured out how to cultivate smoke in the lungs into demonic Qi, took five steps out of the cave where he wrote the scripture upon the walls and instantly died.A beggar transcribed it poorly, giving everyone who practiced it 'as written' heart palpitations and stomach ulcers. He got rich though, selling it on every street corner- there was moveable block type in the Song Dynasty.An illiterate drug dealer asked his drunk friend to read it to him, but the drunk friend slurred and said "Xu Huo" instead of "Xin Huo"- the Fire of Exhaustion, not the Fire of the Heart.And because of that error, within an error, within an error... it worked.WHAT TO EXPECT:A subversive "Wuxia++", not full-on Xianxia cosmic level planet shattering, but power levels that go beyond a straight Wuxia, that builds on the lore of (in a transformative, critical and satirical way so I don't get sued) the most beloved Wuxia series ever written in the entire Chinese speaking world, that is about:The Smoking Swordsman- a drug dealer who transforms herbal smoke in his lungs into demonic Qi for various monstrous buffs.The Celibate Courtesan- a sword cultivator with a haunted flute-blade that can send out sonic wind cutting attacks and play cursed songs.The Demonic Degenerate- a gambler with three dice carved from the bones of demonic cultivator embedded in his knuckles that can unleash 216 different attacks.The Alcoholic Ascetic- a rogue Shaolin Monk who drinks (when he shouldn't, naughty, naughty) to unlock forbidden, apostate drunken boxing.Four vices, four Vulture Heroes.If you prefer less cussing (you're going to get it anyway) don't uncover the spoiler tags in the bottom author's note that re-translates the Chinese dialogue.