"So...a quirk of my formula is that I can technically make aether puppets on the fly, but there are some requirements," Zhen Liu shared in his best sheepishly honest sounding voice as possible.
Isekai Rule #3: Learn how to lie, learn how to lie well.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that honesty may not always be policy, it might get you killed. Especially in another world, especially when you're technically stealing someone else's identity.
In this case, when needing to share something intimate like the details of a cultivation formula, acting sheepish make whatever lies about it seem more believable. Additionally, it helps throwing in some small bits of truth to make it more believable.
"Requirements? Like what?," Zhen Shi asked in that way all elderly people do, a mix of disbelief and curiosity. The way he was looking at Zhen Liu made him a tad unnerved, but he kept his cool...mostly.
The fact that Zhen Yue and Zhen Hai decided to stick around to watch this pseudo-interrogation didn't help much either. Apparently they were curious about their cousin's abilities as well.
'Damn you magic isekai shenanigans.'
"Well for the most part, I need large amounts of a certain quality of material in order to give my puppets their power as well as determine what arts they can use. For example, Ne-my first puppet, the warrior woman? My...master made he-it out of Aged Crimson Jade, that's why it can do all of those Terraqi and lava arts," Zhen Liu explained as plainly as possible.
"I see...," Zhen Shi nodded in contemplation, "And this new one, the...elephant man?"
"Mammoth...you made it in the ruins? Out of what exactly? Because, this puppet is surprisingly...cold."
"Oh. Uh..." Zhen Liu proceeded to act as if he was digging into the deepest part of his mind, trying to recall the exact name of the materials he used.
"A lot happened between when I made them and now, but I think the digger who accompanied us called it... Fenririte?"
"Fenririte? Really?," Zhen Shi asked in a surprised tone. Evidently, being a wizened and learned individual, Zhen Shi was familiar with the material.
"Uhh...what's Fenririte?," Zhen Hai asked. l
"Fenririte...if I recall, it's a component used to make Shiva Frost Steel, right?"
"Indeed," Zhen Shi nodded."It's also said to be cold enough to freeze an active volcano solid if thrown inside it. You found enough of this material to make a new puppet?"
"Yes...sorta, and well this helps answers your second question, it was in the same room as that mechanical monstrosity," Zhen Liu said as he pointed at the still frozen metallic head. "I don't recall everything, but I do remember it firing a superheated pillar of flame at me that got promptly absorbed by the room's walls. When I asked Sullivan about it, he told me it was made of Fenririte."
Zhen Yue and Zhen Hai looked at each other, shocked that such a strange and powerful material was also in that weird lava chamber. Perhaps they should've taken a closer look instead of chasing after the Ifrit Fire Heart Crystal they failed to claim.
"So that explains the puppet, and how you used it to freeze that...thing," Zhen Shi stared as he gestured to the frozen head, "so why did you bring it back."
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[Why did you bring it back again?]
[Right, can't say that, so...]
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"I figured it would help me cultivate my formula. Since this thing is similar to other aether puppets, I figured I would study it for inspiration and possible insights," Zhen Liu said with feigned enthusiasm. While he wasn't lying about the insight thing, he was lying about the puppet part...or so he believed. He still wasn't sure if he could use normal aether puppets,and if he could then he had a whole slew questions to deal with later. Regardless, this excuse actually worked.
"Makes sense...ah, speaking of cultivation, I believe I have taken up enough of your time as is. You may take your leave now and go back to your training or whatever you have planned for the day."
"Of course, thank you Patriarch."
[Finally. Frosttusk, let's go.]
The three young Zhen Clan Acolytes proceeded to bow, as a sign of respect, from their seats before getting up and leaving one at a time and going off in different directions.
As soon as they all left, Zhen Shi unfurled the [Echoing Frost] scroll again and began to look over a detail that had caught his attention earlier.
[Echoing Frost is the saga of an army of giants with dominion over ice and snow and how they ravaged countless kingdoms. Declaration: The first part of the saga that calls upon the memory of them declaring their arrival, their war horns akin to a blizzard. All before the declarant shall either heed it or perish in ice, and those who hear it will see the shadow of death before them.]
Zhen Shi thought back to that moment on the platform, and recalled the image of that fierce giant attacking them that came after he had heard that strange trumpeting sound. His mind then wandered to Zhen Liu and his strange new puppet.
'Either my grandson is an unexpected genius, or there's more to his story than what he was letting on...'
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Meanwhile at the aforementioned grandson's training ground away from the clan compound...
"Milord...what...is she...doing?"
"Being amused by your facial features," Jin Fang replied plainly as she poked at Frosttusk's face. She was used to Nepherage's general stoney and somewhat spiky appearance, so Frosttusk being relatively more furry was interesting to her. Especially since the kaijin in question also looked like a mammoth, which she had only read up on a few times.
"You are surprisingly fuzzy."
While all this was happening, Zhen Liu was busy combing over the centisnake head that Frosttusk brought back. (Un)surprisingly it was still frozen.
"Well, I said I would study this thing for insights, so that's what I'm gonna do," Zhen Liu muttered to himself, "course I still have no idea what I'm doing...side note: I swear, gonna make another kaijin and they're gonna bring me another severed head."
Out of a mix of curiosity and minor frustration, Zhen Liu proceeded to lightly kick the severed mechanical head.
Starting from he kicked, a series of cracks began to form and spread all around the frozen centisnake head until it was fully covered. A couple seconds later, the head collapsed into pieces.
Zhen Liu jumped back a bit, surprised at the way the head just fell apart at his kick.
"Oh shit...sorry Frosttusk. I think I broke your trophy."
"No...problem...only...casing...," Frosttusk rumbled in a calm tone. That last word however caused Zhen Liu and Jin Fang to pause.
Zhen Liu's left hand began to act up on his own, thrusting itself forward while the seal on it began to glow.
From the shattered pieces of the centisnake's head, a crystal ball covered in runes and patterns emerged and began floating in the air for a moment before flying towards Zhen Liu's open hand. Once the ball and Zhen Liu's hand made contact, a surge of energy rushed into his brain, causing him to feel rather...floaty.
"God...damn...magic...brain shit...," he mumbled before entering a state between consciousness and unconsciousness.