Chapter 845: Dealing with Weird Developments
{Well, that was the most human interaction I had in centuries…again. Felt kind of nice speaking with fleshy lips despite not really having any.}
=Thank you, Anton, your service is greatly appreciated.=
{Ain’t no thing, as the kids say, but don’t expect me to do this again despite the novelty of it all. I’d rather spend my eternity damnation in peace, quiet and drunkenness.}
{I ain’t admitting shit.}
=Anyways, Pathos, have you finished modifying the illusion array into a mirage one?=
=Excellent.=
________________________________________
Actually, it was just one thing. An important thing that the Zhen Clan scions kind of neglected.
Transportation.
“Wait, I just realized something,” Zhen Xing brought up as he placed his newly acquired comic books back down into the pile of books he was borrowing. “How are we getting home?”
“That…uh…”
The Zhen Clan scions had technically been shanghaied to the Nowhere Sect’s location via a teleportation array gone haywire, so they weren’t exactly sure where they were. They knew they were on the Stampeding continent, but that could’ve meant anywhere between the Golden Horns Confederacy or the Adamantine Empire.
Perhaps they could ask their new acquaintances?
Luckily for them though, they had someone who had just bailed them out of a shitty situation all ready to bail them out again.
“With me of course, who else?”
“Bah!”
“Oh hello, Seventh Mother.”
“Hello, children.”
Appearing behind Zhen Xing like a manifesting shadow creature, Daria Nerissa-Zhen made her presence known to the group by simply speaking.
It should be noted that only one out of six of the Zhen Clan scions present actually managed to detect her before she spoke up. That said, it did not stop the others in the slightest from giving Zhen Xing shit about not being able to detect her either.
“Xiao Xing, you really need to improve your ability to detect people.”
“First off, fuck you Zhen Guo. Second of all, you and I both know Seventh Mother has the uncanny ability to be basically undetectable to everyone except Seventh Uncle and grandfather.”
“True, but still”
In all the excitement and insanity in the past few hours, the Zhen Clan scions had honestly forgot that they were originally bailed out by none other than the first Non-Roaring Tide woman to ever marry into the Zhen Clan.
Then again, it probably didn’t help that she mysteriously disappeared before they had all met with Zhen Liu’s master, but that was besides the point.
Right now, they were more curious as to how and why Seventh Mother would be able to get them all back home.
Thankfully, she didn’t leave them hanging for long.
“While all of you were out and browsing the Library’s shelves, I had gotten in contact with Aranea and Lucille back home. The two of them will be on their way shortly with aether beast mounts shortly, so please decide who will be riding on the back of a giant tarantula and who will be riding on the back of a giant lacewing.”
“S-seriously?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.”
As the Zhen Clan scions began to decide amongst themselves about who was going to be riding with whom, Zhen Yue and Zhen Hai decided to use this time to ask some questions that were relevant with the current situation.
“Is Xiao Liu alright? I figured he’d be here with us by now, or at least, accompanying you, Seventh Mother,” Zhen Yue politely asked. “Now that I think about it, shouldn’t Jin Fang, Jinju Ren and Rianna be with you as well?”
“Speaking of this place though, I know we got these nifty library cards but…how are we gonna find this place? We kind of got summoned here by wormhole and I’d rather not go through the defenses again by accident…,” Zhen asked while gesturing to his wheelchair.
In response to these queries, Daria gave the two scions a simple smile.
“Don’t worry about Xiao Liu. The sect master wanted to keep an eye on him for a little while longer. I’m not all too familiar with the situation, but they mentioned that the sudden teleporting may or may not have jossled his already weird physiology and cultivation. If it helps, he mentioned it might’ve been more of a positive change than a negative change.”
“Oh. That’s good to hear.”
“Also, the girls insisted on staying behind to make sure he’s cared for. Love being the best medicine and all that.”
“That’s…fair.”
It should be noted here that Daria had actually lied through her teeth about the reason why Zhen Liu was staying behind at the library, but she wasn’t about to let her niece and nephews know that her baby boy was an up and coming master interrogator.
Yet.
She was, however, honest about the girls wanting to stay behind to keep an eye on Zhen Liu.
“As for accessing this place in the future…I was told that if any of you wish to access this place in the future, you’ll need to ask Lucille, Aranea or any of the other hidden disciples they have placed throughout the entirety of Stone Claw City like that recently hired maid, Simone.”
“Fucking what now?”
“Also, they also warned against us being, to quote, ‘clever little shits’ in trying to relocate this place via the local geography. They’re going to be throwing up several illusionary arrays to cover up everything as we leave.”
As soon as Daria made that little announcement, two out of four of the scions not asking questions let out clicking noises with their tongues. Evidently, they had thought that they could be clever little shits and try to come here on unsanctioned outings.
Even Zhen Hai lightly clicked his tongue, causing Zhen Yue to shoot her cousin a rather withering gaze.
Daria for her part, was just amused.
Shortly after this question and answer session though, the aforementioned Aranea and Lucille made their entrance via the same double doors that Daria had entered.
“Greetings, young masters and mistress.”
“Sorry for the wait, your carriages await.”
And so, with only the smallest amount of fanfare, the Zhen Clan scions concluded a weird day on a high note.
Unaware that things were going to get weirder, and more dangerous, from here on out.
Thankfully though, they had a rather paranoid cousin that would help them out with that shit…as soon as he got his own shit together.
________________________________________
In a quiet room of the [Library of Nowhere], Zhen Liu watched through a holographic display as his cousins were escorted out of the Jade Lake area with Archanidame and Lacerage leading the way.
A part of him was worried that his cousins would be able to glean some form of locational data based on the notable ass landmarks that made up the Jade Lake, but that turned out to be unwarranted.
Logos and Pathos had apparently set up some sort of illusion array that covered the whole area in a thick fog up until a certain point. Once his cousins got pass that point, all they could see was empty desert behind them.
Zhen Liu let out a massive sigh of relief once he saw them disappear from the Library’s monitors completely.
This would normally be the part where Zhen Liu would ask Logos and Pathos what they just did, but…he was still muted on all connections.
…
For about ten seconds.
…
‘Okay, cool, my family is now out of my hair for the time being…has my soul finally fully processed the fact that I have new passenger in there yet, or-‘
|Spirit Body Kaijin has finished formation but is now in suspended animation. Please designate a name for the new kaijin before full function of [Chaos Body Forge] can be restored. To help facilitate the naming process, the kaijin’s innate abilities will be shown.|
‘FUCKING FINALLY! Alright, so what the fuck kind of shenanigans am I dealing with here…’
Zhen Liu began to inspect the inner parts of formula, more specifically, the part that was now hosting what he could only describe as a spiritually parasitic kaijin.
This new kaijin, as far as he could tell was some weird evolution to Paralust after she had somehow absorb the fused [Ghost Flame] and the [Violet Berserker Spring Flame].
However, that wasn’t exactly the end of it.
Throughout the entire time his cousins were poking around the library, Zhen Liu could hear this weird voice informing him that the kaijin developing inside of him had been absorbing things such as [Envy], [Patience], [Pride], etcetera, etcetera.
As far as he could tell, this new kaijin was absorbing desires related to the Seven Deadly Sins and their counterparts, the Seven Heavenly Virtues.
Did he have an idea as to why this was the case?
No.
Was he starting to get an idea as he read through his new kaijin’s ability list, causing him to develop a weird eye twitch and smile?
Abso-fucking-lutely.
‘Okay…this is cool as shit…’
There was just one massive problem.
‘What the fuck do I name them?!’
