Zack lounged in his quarters, savouring the roast duck and crispy pork belly the Fiery Mist Sect had provided. The food here was first-rate, a definite step up from the trail rations he'd been living off recently. He had to hand it to Finick - the young Sect Master knew how to treat an honoured guest.

Not bad, he mused. The quarters are comfy too. That Finick kid sure is trying to butter me up.

The former arrogant young master had practically begged Zack to take over the sect master's chambers, but Zack had politely declined. No need to ruffle the old fogeys' feathers just yet by staging an overt takeover.

Besides, subtlety is key when trying to build your own little empire, he reminded himself with a chuckle.

Zack wasn't entirely certain if this whole "overthrowing the status quo" gig was what the Pseudo-Heavenly Will had in mind, but hey, no harm in consolidating some power in the meantime, right? Play the long game and all that.

He picked at his teeth idly, pondering his next move. If he could just wrangle some top-notch treasures out of the old man, he could turn this backwater sect into a regional powerhouse. Strong enough to make the Moon God Sect think twice about messing with them.

Well, for a little while at least.

Just as he was contemplating the finer points of Cultivator politics, a familiar voice echoed in his soul.

You know how many Credits it takes to send you those 'trinkets'?

Zack smirked. Nothing like a little ribbing from yourself to brighten the day.

Apologies, not all of us have a system to speed things up, Zack sent back, not sounding sorry at all. But hey, you saw the memory, I need the stuff. Gotta put on a good show, ya know?

A disgruntled snort. Yeah, yeah. Quit yer yapping. The stuff's in your ring.

Zack grinned, giving his storage ring a little pat. The ‘old’ man always came through in the end.

With an elegant flick of his wrist, he summoned the treasures, each one hovering in the air before him. Zack let out a low whistle of appreciation. The Main Body sure hadn't skimped this time.

First up was the Aegis Bastion Formation, a handy little setup that could tank an attack from an Ascendant Realm big-shot -- provided you had enough peons fuelling it with their Qi. Good thing minions grew on trees around these parts. Though like most formations, it became a fancy light show if you ran out of fuel.

Next was a Spirit Vein, a rare and precious resource that could speed up cultivation. This particular beauty was only High Earth Rank, because apparently springing for Heaven Rank would've put too much of a dent in the karma credit card. Still, considering the Fiery Mist Sect's current collection topped out at "Low Earth," this was quite the upgrade. Should get the old coots off his back for a bit. Say what you will about cultivators, but nothing says "I come in peace" like cold hard resources.

And last but not least was a snazzy black cloak that would make Harry Potter green with envy. Not only could it hide his stunning features from sight, it also cloaked his aura from anyone under the Ascendant Realm. The perfect accessory for late night strolls and political skullduggery.

Zack admired his new toys, but a sudden thought made him pause and shake his head. Knowing the typical Xianxia plot, there was probably some half-step-Immortal-Realm geezer lurking in the shadows, secretly running the show. The kind of guy who'd burn down a whole realm for a tiny power-up.

I shouldn't laugh, he mused soberly. Knowing my luck, that cliché is spot on.

A soft knock at the door interrupted his musings. "Enter," Zack called out, tucking the cloak away for now.

Finick shuffled in, looking equal parts awed and terrified in Zack's presence. Zack had to suppress a smirk. Kid thought he was some mysterious old monster in disguise. If only he knew...

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"How may I assist you today, Sect Master Finick?" Zack asked in his best "wise senior" voice.

Finick gulped, head bowed. "S-senior, this unworthy one seeks your guidance. Now that we've offended the Moon God Sect, they're sure to send someone even stronger. What... what should we do?"

Zack smiled, holding up a hand. "Peace, young Sect Master. The Moon God Sect is as predictable as they are arrogant. They'll send their attack dog, we'll put it down, and so on until they finally take us seriously."

He gestured to the artifacts. "And with these little beauties, we'll be more than ready for them."

Finick's eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he looked at the legendary treasures up close. "Are...are those...?"

He actually reached up to rub his eyes, as if dispelling an illusion. When the items stubbornly remained, he sank to his knees.

"Senior...I don't...how..."

Zack enjoyed watching the youth grapple with his own cognitive dissonance for a moment longer, than took pity on him. He clapped a hand on Finick's shoulder.

"Rise, sect master. You'll be in no state to oversee implementation of these gifts if you pass out from shock."

Nodding dumbly, Finick clambered to his feet, visibly struggling to compose himself. His impression of Zack's "seniority" clearly rising by the second. He stared at the Spirit Vein in particular, marvelling at the High Earth Rank quality.

Zack could practically see the questions burning on the boy's tongue, but to his credit, Finick kept his mouth shut. Smart lad. Rule one of Cultivator Club: Don't ask where the mysterious experts get their shiny toys.

"The Spirit Vein will help our long game," Zack explained. "Elders will advance, disciples will grow. In time, the Qi here will be worthy of an elite Sect."

He made a show of wrinkling his nose and glancing around disdainfully. Seriously, the ambient energy here was barely a step up from mortal air. How did they cultivate in this?

Finick ducked his head, ears pink with embarrassment. Clearly he'd picked up on Zack's unspoken distaste.

When his gaze fell on the formation disc, he cocked his head quizzically.

Zack grinned, always happy to educate an avid student. "That, my dear Sect Master, is the Aegis Bastion Formation," he declared grandly. "Once properly set up and powered, it can block an attack from an Ascendant Realm expert."

Finick made a strangled noise, eyes practically bulging out of his head. "A-A-Ascendant?!" he stammered. "With that protecting us, the Fiery Mist Sect would be untouchable!"

The young man fell to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly. "Senior is as generous as he is mighty! This Finick can never repay such a debt!"

Zack waved off the flowery praise, secretly preening inside. Oh yes, he could get used to this "wise master" gig. The Main Body had his fair share of it, now it was his turn.

"Think nothing of it. I'm merely fulfilling my duty to set this sect on the right path. Which reminds me--we have preparations to make. Go brief the elders on how to operate the formation. I expect our 'visitors' will arrive within two days."

Finick nodded vigorously, snatching up the formation disc and scurrying away with a chorus of breathless "yes senior"s.

As the door clicked shut, Zack collapsed back into his seat with a smug grin, basking in the sound of Finick barking orders and feet scrabbling to obey in the courtyard.

For all his bravado, he knew the next couple days would make or break his gambit. If he succeeded, he'd have the Fiery Mist Sect in his back pocket, a first step to shaking up the realm's status quo. If he failed…well, there were fates worse than death for an upstart "Protagonist" in a Xianxia world.

On that note, perhaps I should direct some of the sect's resources into establishing a proper intelligence network. One never knew when a choice bit of blackmail or a well-placed spy might come in handy...