Torsten Hewson

v5c14.2: Training Montage Part 2

Bi De opened his eyes to the wooden interior of the hut Master Forest Sweeper had loaned them.

It was slightly too small, but it was warm and cozy—and doubly warm, for Bi De was currently being hugged to Yushang’s stomach, the woman using him as a cushion, and Yun Ren’s arm as a pillow.

On the other side of Yun Ren, Han's back was pressed against the man’s side, while Shao Heng slept sitting up. Fenxian was further still on the other side of Shao Heng, and fi...

v5c14: Training Montage

Instead of getting right to work in the clearing, Yun Ren was surprised when they were led deeper into the forest, at first riding on the constructs of Master Forest Sweeper, and then, after about an hour, proceeding on foot.

The chill here was intense, and, as they approached—so was the Qi. it felt like a physical weight on Yun Ren’s shoulders—like the first time he had exited the Azure Hills and gone to the Howling Fang Mountains but amplified. ...

v5c13: The Frozen Forest Part 1

Ri Zu had awoken warm for the first time since they had reached the Sea of Snow. The cabin that Master Forest Sweeper had built for human visitors was surprisingly comfortable, if a bit cramped with the current number of people using it.

It smelled pleasantly of pine, the blankets made of soft down, and it had a blessedly warm fire. 

Now, however, they were back in the freezing cold, and both she and Bi De were in their human forms to more ...

v5c12: As the Bird Flies

“And my boy was useful to you, miss?” Zhang Fei, the Leader of the Eighth Correct Place and father of Zhang Fei the Torrent Rider, asked Xiulan as they sat outside his house. His crutches were beside him, and his face was serious.

After speaking with the Lord Magistrate, Xiulan and Tigu had picked up Yin and left to visit the Torrent Rider, while the others had other business to attend to: Xianghua was hunting with Bowu, Gou Ren and Ten Ren, while Jin and Meiling were spendin...

v5c11: Wu Zeitian

It had been one thing for the Lord Magistrate to hear about a raid on slavers in Grass Sea City. To him it had been a distant problem. He had approved of the actions of the man who had led the charge; slavery was a distasteful practise. But he hadn’t really thought much of what had happened, as Grass Sea City was on the complete opposite end of the province.

It was another thing entirely to hear the first hand account from those who had participated in the raid—and knowin...

Animation Project soon

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u13Wh8Jokd4Gz3ArR3n7uZNCpG4viKXh/view?usp=sharing

Just a little bit of Hype. This project will be complete soon, so have cut 1.

@RealRayjii has been a pleasure to work with for this project, and you can see some more WIP on his twitter.

v5c10: Bureaucratic Nightmare

Sheng Yanjing, the Auditor General of the Azure Hills had his head in his hands as he prepared himself for the sure-to-be-trying day ahead. It had been a week and he was nearly at the end of his rope.

Trying…that was all his days had been ever since he first got told to investigate the Dueling Peaks. The Wu clan had wanted to know what exactly the ‘incident’ a year ago had been, and hadn’t believed the official story about a drunken cultivator brawl. Even asking the P...

Art 5/22/2024

First up is a 3d render of Xiulan by @ISakul3g4nd, sakusculpts on twitter!

Than we have some more art by Tsuu: Angry Yin, Xiulan under the maple tree, more angry Yin, the Xiushi roll, and Exhsperated Meiling.

v5c9: The Plum

Lu Ri, Senior Disciple of the Cloudy Sword Sect, was mildly amused at how quickly Rou Jin, Hong Meiling, Cai Xiulan and Hong Xian prepared a table and tea to better hear what Lu Ri had to say about the audit.

The concern all of them had for the Lord Magistrate warmed his heart; truly, the Patriarch of Verdant Hill’s virtue was rewarded with such a loyal student, and similarly loyal subjects. Even the least of the mortals who lived here were a cut above many Lu Ri had seen.&...

v5c8: The Master of the Azure Hills

While it was nice to relax with everybody, there was at least some work to be done before we went to Hong Yaowu later today… as well as some messages and reports I had to take as “The strongest man in the Province” rather than just Jin.

Normally a guy would probably take correspondence from the leader of a powerful clan in an office as they pondered the political ramifications over some fine wine or something.

I took them in my barn as I performed my mo...

v5c7: A Calm Day of Mist

Liu Xianghua was quite certain she had never been more content in her life as she gripped her Ha Qi stick in her hands. The air was full of the sound of blades sliding along the ice, shouts of exertion, and laughter.

They were taking advantage of the last bits of daylight to engage in this wondrous game, Bi De’s story having taken a few hours to finish. It had been exactly like one of those stories she used to read to her brother; a righteous cultivator exposing a corrupt s...

v5c6: A Sunny Bunny

“How’s it going up there, Yin? Miantiao?” an amused voice asked, and Yin’s eyes fluttered open. She was warm and content as she laid in her hammock. She turned her head slightly and looked down to where Master Jin was smiling up at her. “Should it be higher or lower?”

“This is really fukkin’ great. Perfect height,” she said, giving him a thumbs up.

“Well, here's the five minute warning. We’re all gathering up for Bi De’s letter—and w...

v5c5: Hearth and Home

Meiling smiled at the scene before her as she laid propped up on her arm. The house was quiet and dark, with everybody else still asleep.

Meiling reached down and absently tucked a strand of hair behind Tigu’s ear. The girl stirred at Meiling’s touch, leaning into it slightly before settling again on her pillow—in this case Jin’s arm. Though Tigu was not the only one using that pillow. Xiulan’s forehead was almost touching Tigu’s as they faced each other. Tigu was...

v5c4: An Orchid's Home

Xiulan couldn’t help the smile that overtook her face as Tigu went from slumped in defeat to grappling the laughing Yin. Tigu picked the silver-haired woman up and planted her head first into a snowbank, huffing with mock anger.

“...Zhuye, Red Leaf, is a fine name, suitable for my little brother,” Tigu declared. “It approaches Kai in strength—and is much better than Li. Really now, Ri Zu can come to me to name her children. Her naming sen...

v5c3: A Tiger's Homecoming

The world was covered in a thick white blanket. The trees were bare; their leaves having long since fallen—but the forests were prevented from looking empty and skeletal by enormous conifers, their evergreen boughs laden with snow.

Through this frozen world, a group of women and a monkey traveled along a path cleared of snow. All of them were wearing bright red knitted hats, a splash of color on the monochrome canvas of the snowy forest.

A woman whose dark ...

v5c2: The Strongest Technique

Bi De kept his story simple, short, and to the point. His Great Master had once said a man should be able to explain an important issue in twenty words or less.

They were chasing demons, the demons had collapsed their underground tunnels, and thus they had tracked them overland this way.

One might say telling a random Spirit Beast about their quest was foolish; it could have been in league with the demons after all. However, Bi De doubted that, and they were ...

v5 c1: Winter Tales

The best part about winter was definitely being lazy by the fire. The chores were all done: the animals fed, the barn mucked, and the pathways shoveled after the fresh snowfall yesterday. Which would have been one hell of a job to do by hand… if I wasn’t a cultivator. 

Instead, it just took a while, moving what had to be several tons of snow.

While it couldn’t hurt me, I still felt the cold and the damp, so I was taking a well deserve...

Book 3 Preorder is live+ Chapters resume tomorrow!

https://store.podiumaudio.com/products/beware-of-chicken-3-hardcover

Hey everybody! the book 3 Preorder is live, and chapters resume again tomorrow!

Additionally, have a Sneak peek at some v4 art!

BOC Volume 4 Cover

Art is by Tsuu, as always!

Unbroken Interlude

There is not a soul in the Empire that does not know the name of the Golden Tree Sect; they are spoken of in the same breath as the Cloudy Sword, and Soaring Heaven’s Isle.

The sect has chapter-houses and branches spanning the Empire; they have been at the forefront of every battle fought, and the last to retreat, if they choose to retreat at all, for in this world, the Masters of the Golden Tree have come the closest to Immortality, for at the pinnacle of their art is the ...

AU: Unbroken 2

This one really just kind of got away from me, and kind of didn't develop how I wanted.

Its supposed to be a lot more light hearted, and I couldn't focus on the right stuff.

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And So, I found my way to a piece of land. It was quite overgrown, and clearly untamed.

Just looking at it made something come undone in my chest. I reached into my cart, and scratched Big D under his wattles. My new pet crowed enthusiastically.

Alternate Universe: Unbroken

In which Tianlan and Xiaoshi never fall out.

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I started to feel a bit more relaxed when I reached my destination in the afternoon. Verdant Medicine Hill, the capital of the Northern Azure Hills. This place was also called the Steamlands; on account of the thousands of hot springs that bubbled up from the ground, and the small volcano in its center. The thing hadn’t erupted for thousands of years, and everybody had assured me it wouldn’t ever erupt aga...

Extending haitus

Hey everybody, im goin g to be keeping Patreon on pause for at least a few more weeks. The editing is taking quite a while and I lost some time to ilness. Sorry for the extenstion!

JSYR 3

Huanle was floating over her Jin’s shoulder, looking on as his brush ghosted over paper. After a moment, he paused, and then nodded.

“Perfect score! Great job, Wei Li!” He said, as he graded another test. The coyote preened, her form radiating smugness. She turned to Bi De and a challenging glint passed between them—both had perfect scores.

“Speedy… well, speed isn’t everything. Slow down and take your time, okay bud?” Guanxia, whose nickname ...

Joyous Song of Yellow Rocks 2

And so, I had an earth Spirit attached to my soul. A little weird, not going to lie, and very concerning…. But those concerns were soon laid to rest.

“What? Do I have some kind of world saving quest for you to do? Where’d you get that idea?” Huanle asked, looking amused as she floated on her back. She flipped over in the air to look at me. “Oh! Like one of your stories from the Before place?”

I frowned as I looked over my corn. Big D was on m...

BOC AU: The Joyous Song of Yellow Rocks

Yellow Rock Plateau World Building, and a kind of "what if" if Jin descided to go somewhere else. Also making a contract with a non-shattered earth Spirit who has had a contractor before.

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As I searched the archive in Crimson Crucible City for a place to go to, I pondered. I was looking at the entry for the Azure Hills. It sounded like something I would want; but…. The book spelled out how there was basically no Qi at...

BOC World Building: The Animals of Beware of Chicken, Farm Edition

The Animals of Beware of Chicken:

Big D/Bi De: Common Chicken, Northern subspecies.

Nobody knows how chickens came to be with man, just like nobody knows how dogs came to be dogs; But where men are, the chicken is by their side.

Technically speaking, Big D’s species has been named the Crimson Phoenix Chicken; Characterized by bright red feathers, a jade green tail, and a patch of blue on the wings. They are the most common bird in the entire continent. Despite their use fo...

Epilogue: The North Wind Blows

Now Edited!

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A freezing wind spoke from the north, cutting through the Dueling Peaks in the small hours of the morning. The world outside was hushed, a thin film of snow covering the frozen ground. Xiulan’s office mirrored the bleakness outside.

There was no light nor warmth here. No flame lit the hearth, nor light emanated from candle flame or light stone. Missing too were the voices that would fill her office and...

BOC VOL 4 END

Su Yuanlin’s journey to the Azure Hills hadn’t been what she had been expecting.

Everybody had harped on about the Qi void—and yeah, it had been bad for the first leg of the journey, down the mountains and into the hills. The sucking feeling had lessened the closer she had gotten to her destination, though, to the point where she couldn't feel it at all.

Of course, just as she’d started getting comfortable, somebody came out to meet her. A cultivator. Except instead of bei...

Pausing payment at 6pm today

As it says on the tin. I'm going to be pausing patreon payments at 6pm EST today. The upcoming chapter is probably going to be the last chapter of this volume.

After that, there will likely be some minor sidestory content. The public chapters will go until the end of the volume.

When the next volume starts up, things will wait until we are at elast 3 chapters ahead before resuming on the public sites.

Thank you all for supporting Beware of Chicken!