Last night I went through and finalized aspects of the game that will appear in chapter 1. Since there were many, I thought I'd recap them here for those who aren't in the discord server.

• Started working on the discord bot. This is something I wanted to add a while back, but I got busy and didn't have time to work on it. Ideally (not sure if it's possible) playing in discord can reward players with in-game rewards. I'm not totally sure how that would work but it *seems* possible. If not, then players will just be able to enjoy a cultivation style adventure in the discord channel as well.
• Started implementing Testament / Chronicle code to the game.
• Added Intent as a third main stat and also started working on some skill revamp.
• Added conditioning mechanics to the game ( it was discussed previously, but it's been included as of now, they are based on your physical condition, your damage output and main stats scale downward). This isn't something that will play a huge role early on, as you'll mostly only deal with it when you suffer a defeat, or face exceptionally tough bosses. Still, it can add a wrinkle to your plans in other ways as well. Attempting to train while having a poor condition may cause you to worsen the effects.
• A doctor and her assistant have been added as characters (working on the models). The doctor will offer services to cure your condition or other problems you may face.  Meanwhile the assistant excels in bone setting and massages - of all types..
• Added Li'an's rival as a character. She's a lavender haired noble with a fierce competitive streak. Although she's a bit unworldly, she's not a bad person.
• Finalized the Foundation aspects of gameplay. Generally in cultivation stories, the path to immortality is broken up into several stages. Qi Gathering stage, where you amass the power of your qi, Foundation (where you build a solid foundation for future cultivation), Core Formation (where you begin the process of strengthening your qi core to reach greater heights, and Nascent Soul (the stage where you can project your soul or impose your will to alter or affect reality).  Why is this relevant? During Foundation (realm 2 and 3), you will have the chance to use the Foundation system. I've touched on this before, but you can consume items to permanently affect your character in various ways. Once you hit realm 4, you'll move out of that phase and all changes will be permanent.
• Inner Arts (and how they work) have been finalized. Inner Arts allow you to apply certain characteristics to your character. For example, "Iron Skin" would decrease all damage sustained by 3% while it's equipped. The Inner Arts are closely tied to your actions while building a Foundation.
• Breath Arts have been finalized. These are breathing or energy manipulation techniques that allow you to improve your rate of growth (generally). If you choose a Breath Art that is compatible with your current dao, you'll grow more quickly. Breath Arts also play a role later on in your cultivation. An example of this is "Sweeping Breath", which boosts the amount of qi you gather while meditating.
• Added a 7th Dao, The Heavenly Way. It's for players who want to build a balanced character. Plans are that this way will be harder to cultivate in the beginning, but once you reach later Realms it will have more advantages.
• Elements and how they work have been sorted out. Once you reach Core formation stages (Realm 4 or higher) you can form Element Cores that negate the need to gather elemental energy for skills. You can also use these cores to upgrade your elements from Normal, Spiritual to Celestial types of element. Each type has an added benefit, for a total of up to 3 effects when you use any given element. There are also the possibilities of acquiring hybrid elements should you choose a secondary element.
• Hidden Weapons have been finalized. Hidden Weapons allow you to use needles or talismans and both types have various benefits. Hidden Weapons are essentially tools that must be restocked each time you visit a hub/base area. They are powerful during a battle and can turn the tide if used wisely.
• Combat Instructor 2 has been added, and she will teach the player how to use Hidden Weapons. Character in progress.

Also mentioned previously:

• New world navigation mechanics.
• Flying Swords as battle additions.
• Chef Character (still  WIP)
• Cultivation Instructor 1 (creating model)
• Flying Swords Instructor (creating model)
• Various other misc things.

Also, here's a visual update I worked on this past week:

Also, apparently, the current update to HPC has been titled "Punching the Sun" update. ^_^

- My Big Little Brother