Know what you all mean about this story having great potential. The way the story was first setup really drew a lot of interest. But somehow too many of the central characters perished in the climatic battle with that stone chest made me lose my way.
About the yellow silk that Qin Nam had wrapped around his hand... my idea had been to connect it to the government somehow... a lost piece of a wardrobe worn by a kidnapped/lost prince that Qin Nam was able to retrieve... Sam Siu was meant to be a high court official exiled from the Imperial Palace (or even part of the royal clan) who's planning to rescue the prince in order to install a new regime in government.
I know. I know. Very unoriginal ideas. Sounds like the recent Andy Lau & Cecilia Ceung movie, "Cat and Mouse" I just saw that was about Qin Chiew "Royal Cat" and the Silver Mouse.
So I'm actually glad for the changes in this story. The quick switch from one setting to the next gives it a very Gulong mysterious flavor that is very different from the "Legend of the Kilin" which is more linear Jinyong based.
As for Em's idea to incorporate "aliens" into this story, you are not the first one to have that idea. My overlong, overwrought fanfic "Gatekeepers" that's taking forever to get down on paper touches on this...
I'm really sorry that I haven't been able to contribute much to this story though. It would be great if more people could join in.