[Hurricroak, Razorstella, Frosttusk. Are y’all done with ransacking Jun Yao’s stuff?]
[For...the...most...part...]
[The director will be pleased to say the least,] Razorstella interjected. [Why do traitors always keep proof of their wrongdoing so close at hand? I get that it’s usually for security purposes, but it makes it really easy to oust them too.]
[h. Traitors and fools tend to think with the sa level of extrely close range foresight,] Hurricroak answered before switching the topic of the conversation entirely. [ Hey, do you guys think we should have nicknas?]
[Say what?]
[I an think about it for a second. Frosttusk, Razorstella, Hurricroak. I don’t mind the nas the maestro gave us, but you got to admit that they’re a mouthful and a half to say, especially with all this spy shit we do on the regular. Might help us convey ssages more efficiently if we shortened our nas a bit?]
[...]
[...]
[...]
{What?]
[We...we already speak at the speed of thought,] Spring Brawler clarified. [Nicknas are kind of redundant to us, no?]
[Oh, you just don’t want to be nicknad, "Springy".]
[Partially. Anyways, we have more important things to address. The ringmaster and his family is back.]
[About ti.]
_____________________________________________
The branch clan scions foray into the treasure vault ended with little fanfare or trouble.
As promised, Zhen Liu helped his cousins: Zhen Guo, Zhen Feng, Zhen Tai and Zhen Xing, pick out aether treasures that showed high compatibility with their current cultivation thods. Afterwards, they spent a few monts breaking in their new treasures as it were,
(Un)surprisingly, the treasures he helped to pick out for his cousins, actually went along with their general aesthetics...more or less.
"I’m not sure how to use a three-section staff, but I’m sure as hell going to learn now!"
"A parasol for yours truly...well, it’s not as intimidating as the other treasures but at least I can use it to keep the sun off my skin. Could do without the static..."
"Are you guys sure this knife wasn’t just made for ? The grip on this thing is fantastic, I feel like I can butcher a rhino!"
"Yeah, that’s great, but can sobody set upright? I’m not used to this whole flying thing as is and having a pair of fire spitting magic wheels on my shoes aren’t helping much."
"Hold tight buddy, how did you even to manage to do this?"
Eventually though, the Zhen Clan had to stop ssing around with their new deadly weapons and finally exit the vault so that they could report back to their family and the matriarch about their newly acquired gains.
Especially since one of their newly acquired gains was a cursed aether treasure that was placed under a powerful, multilayered seal that suddenly broke. Whether this treasure was a result of sabotage or neglect was unclear, but the societal consequences associated with the weapon on the other hand, was quite clear.
It was actually so obvious that Zhen Yue decided to pull Zhen Liu off to the side in order to address her concerns in regards to his newly acquired hamr.
"Xiao Liu...are you sure it’s a good idea to bring that hamr out with us? I an, it’s a fairly powerful weapon but you saw what it did to Xiao Guo. Are you sure you dispelled...whatever kind of crazy curse was on this thing?"
"In reverser order of your questions: yes, I was there and almost got brained in the process and again, yes," Zhen Liu answered with a mischievous tone and a countdown of his fingers. "Besides, this hamr here is actually going to help us figure out who freed it in the first place."
"How so?"
"You’ll see," Zhen Liu replied with a knowing(lying) smile.
Before Zhen Liu could confirm anything, he needed whatever information the kaijin had managed to gather while he was digging through his family’s treasure stash. At this point in ti, they should’ve finished randalcong Zhen Jun Yao’s room. Hopefully they find sothing like that ti involving Moka.
"Besides...a part of is kind of...let’s not say excited...curious as to see if our matriarch is as easygoing as she normally acts."
__________________________________________
’Figured, but still.’
"Then again...I think I should be more impressed by the fact that you all managed to acquire Silver grade aether treasures," Zhen Xun Tian observed with smile. ’And all without the help of this identification treasure. Most interesting.’
When Zhen Liu and his cousins returned to their family, they of course decided to show off what kind of treasures they managed to find while inside of the vault.
For the most part, the family was impressed at their selection of treasures, especially since they could feel just how compatible they were with their respective wielders.
It’s actually a fairly common phenonon for aether warriors to pick up aether treasures that they have little to no compatibility with, and are then forced to train themselves to be able to wield such treasures. So the fact that their children managed to forgo this step from the get-go was a boon in it of itself.
Of course, they were a little...fearful...in regards to the aether treasures that Zhen Liu had managed to pick. It’s not every day a warrior picks out a cursed weapon willingly.
"Xiao Liu...are you sure this hamr of yours is safe?," Daria asked her son. "We already had you almost die on us once, we don’t need you to die because of so rusted over hamr."
"I think he’ll be fine, honey," Zhen Yan said while placing a comforting hand on her shoulders. "Our son has proven himself to be a bit of a wildcard anyways and is as strong as . I’m sure he can handle a hamr like that."
"I know, but still..."
Regardless of these feelings though, the branch clan’s business with the treasure vault, and technically any obligations they had with the main clan at this point, had finally co to an end.
For all intents and purposes, they could now make preparations to go back to Stone Claw City without worrying about any other familial obligations they may have had...for now at least.
>
Just as the branch clan was about to leave the estate, with the matriarch of the main clan there to see them off no less, a guardsman of the Zhen Clan ca with a worried look on their face and so rather...unsettling news.
Zhen Xun Tian asked in a surprisingly serious tone.
the guardsman reported as he pulled out a folded handkerchief.
The matriarch gingerly took the offered cloth and unfolded it in a way that only she could see its contents.
A displeased frown appeared on her face as she clicked her tongue on disdain.
It should be noted that while this entire conversation was happening, the branch clan was mostly off to the side being quiet and mildly annoyed at being involved in yet more conspiracies. All except for Zhen Liu that is.
For his part, he was busy consulting the possible reasons for this conspiracy occurring.
__________________________________________
’Is safe to assu the injured traitor and elder had sothing to do with you lot?’
[Surprisingly, no,] Spring Brawler answered. [The bastard knocked himself out like a crazy person.]
’Of course...so what happened while I was in the vault?’
[Well...]
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