Test

"Who are those girls that are talking to Aether?" Amber asked jealously. She and the five other girls were hiding in the bush looking at Aether. They were looking at Aether talking to Shenhe and Ganyu.

"Those two are the adopted daughters of the adeptus Cloud Retainer. I think. I only know the one with the blue hair. " Venti said. Eula glared at them.

" I swear if you don't shut your mouth I will strike vengeance upon you. I want to listen." Eula threatened. They shut their mouths.

" Did my mother do anything to you? Is there anything broken? " Ganyu asked with a worried expression while walking around Aether.

"Nothing is broken Ganyu. Everything is fine. You don't have to worry about me that much." Aether ruffled Ganyu's hair gently and smiled at her. Ganyu blushed in embarrassment and smiled back. Shenhe clenched her fist.

"Let her go. You're making her uncomfortable." Shenhe told him.

"No no it's fine! I needed this. It's relaxing. So relaxing...." Ganyu muttered softly. She yawned and closed her eyes.

"Ganyu? Ganyu? Oh, she's fallen asleep. It's best we lay her under a tree." Shenhe said. Aether carried the sleeping Ganyu and did exactly so.

" When are they arriving?" Shenhe muttered in annoyance. She blinked and there were two people in front of here.

"Yo, old man. What's up? Bring it in." Aether greeted and walked over to Zhongli who smiled.

"Aether. It's nice to see you again." Zhongli said and they hugged for a few seconds and released it.

" Xiao! You're still beautiful as ever. I missed you! " Aether greeted and tried to hug her but she pushed him away.

"I didn't. Get your hands away from me." Xiao's growled. Zhongli chuckled and looked at Shenhe.

"Hello Shenhe. Where is Ganyu and the others?" He asked her. Shenhe shrugged.

" Ganyu is sleeping over here. The others are taking their damn time arriving here." Shenhe said. Just as she finished her sentence, The Adepti from Jueyun Karst appeared beside her.

" We shall begin now." Mountain Shaper declared. He looked at Aether.

"You have trained with us for a month and a half, the three of us wanted to see if you have improved with our teachings. So we've discussed and made a test for you. Sister, would you like to explain? It was your idea after all. "Mountain Shaper called his sister. Cloud Retainer nodded her head and looked at Aether.

" You get to choose to fight one of us. But you have to choose from the people that are around you. However I must remind you, you cannot choose Rex Lapis as your—

"Hey old man. I wanna fight you." Aether looked at Zhongli and grinned.

"What did I just say!" Cloud Retainer scolded him. Zhongli chuckled.

"No need to be angry, Cloud Retainer. This will be interesting." Zhongli stepped in front of Aether.

" This will be just plain bullying to be honest." Xiao told Shenhe. Shenhe nodded in agreement.

"Well, if Rex Lapis agrees with the challenge then let the fight begin!" Both of the fighters blinked-stepped and appeared far away from each other.

Aether unsheathed Enma and The Guardians Spear appeared from nowhere and Aether grabbed it. His eyes turned gold and a golden aura was glowing around his whole body.

"Using your adeptal energy already? You're not holding back." Zhongli commented. Aether snorted.

"I'm fighting you after all." Aether replied and disappeared and reappeared in front of Zhongli in a blink.

Aether swiped down at him and Zhongli dodged easily. Aether followed up with a combination of strikes which the retired God dodged easily.

Meanwhile back in the bushes.

"I feel like I want to puke." Amber muttered clenching her stomach.

"Don't worry. I'm here." Venti said and a light green aura surrounded all of them.

"Who is cutie fighting with?" Lisa asked her.

"Morax, the now retired God of Contracts." Venti answered and Jean coughed.

" Ufufu~ He's insane as always. But we like him that way don't we?" Lisa asked everyone. They smiled.

"You better use all you got if you want to at least make me move faster." Zhongli smiled and taunted. Aether smiled and his attacks with his sword and spear got faster.

"Ha!" Aether grunted while slashing horizontally at Zhongli He dodged out of the way easily and the trees and rocks behind him were cut in half.

"Holy crap." Jean muttered looking at the damage dealt by Aether's attack.

"Wow. He definitely has improved." Venti muttered impressed at Aether's improvement.

Four clones appeared and surrounded Zhongli in all sides. Zhongli looked at all of them. He then noticed something was wrong. They weren't attacking him. He widened his eyes and jumped up in the air immediately.

*Bang!*

Two hands shot out of the ground where Zhongli stood. They were attempting to grab him but Zhongli realized it in time. Zhongli raised his head and looked uo only to see a fist coming his way.

*Bam!*

Zhongli shot down and crashed to the ground.

*BOOOMM!!!!*

Aether landed far away from the crater. He smiled but winced in pain. He looked at his hand

"Ah shit I dislocated my shoulder." Aether grumbled. He knelt down and a clone appeared behind him.

"Aether! He's hurt! I should go—

" No! We stay here. The test is still going on. Besides he just got it fixed. "Jean smiled and Barbara looked back at Aether.

*Crack!*

" Wow that stings." Aether muttered and got up. Zhongli stood up after he got up.

" Clever. But clever won't beat me. "Zhongli muttered as eight spikes shot from the ground from all directions in the compass.

Aether immediately disappeared and appeared beside Zhongli with Enma sheathed. He unsheathed it while immediately slashed at Zhongli. Zhongli moved his head and dodged the attack.

*Shing!*

*CRACK!*

Zhongli looked behind him. The ground was sliced open and a lot of trees were cut in half by Aether's attack.

"Not bad." Zhongli muttered. He jumped away and dodged a slash that was from Aether when he noticed he was distracted.

"How about this?" Aether muttered.

"Homura Saki." Aether muttered as a blue fire beam shot out of Enma and was spinning towards Zhongli.

*FSHIIIUUUU BOOOOOMMM!!!!*

Trees and chunks of dirt were blasted away. Venti created an Anemo shield and shielded the five others. The adepti remained unmoved.

Aether swiped his hands and the smoke cleared. Zhongli was nowhere to be found. Aether was on guard now, wherever the retired God was. What comes next isn't good for him.

"Golden Fist.....

To be continued...