The Training Hall was bustling with activity. The new program had been a hit beyond anybody’s imagination, so much that even now, two weeks after Elder Wei had announced it, there were still lines of sect members standing outside the several improvised administration centers that had been put up in order to somehow deal with the flood of incoming requests. In between them, hastily hired helpers were running around, carrying stacks upon stacks of paper while doing their best not to trip over outer disciples.

While Hu Chen lacked a proper point of reference, not having been to the Training Hall in many years, just like the other elders, he was positive that the hall hadn’t been this lively in centuries. Certainly not during his time as an outer disciple at least, that much he was sure of.

That wasn’t the only thing that had changed compared to his years here. The outer disciples seemed much more upbeat and playful than he had ever seen them and the same could be said about the few instructors he had seen on his stroll. The streets were clean and the buildings properly renovated, leaving little to distinguish them from any of the sect’s settlements. It was like the Training Hall he knew had been replaced by an entirely different one altogether.

Once the first rush was over, he imagined that this place could have quite the nice atmosphere. For all that he had dreaded change and still did, he had to acknowledge that this was probably for the better. If only this wouldn’t lead to further frictions in the council…

He knew better than that though. For all that his information was limited by his lack of connections and subordinates, Hu Chen was no fool. He had served the pillar families for most of his life and he understood how they worked, at least from the outside. They wouldn’t take a shift in the power balance away from them in stride, especially not with how things had been going recently. He had no way of predicting when or how they would respond, but they certainly would. And once they did, he would undoubtedly be caught up in it as well.

What if things were to truly escalate? The pillar families usually didn’t expect him to actually fight any important enemies, as they were well aware of his weakness and didn’t want to lose his vote in the council. But what if internal fights were to break out? He certainly wouldn’t be kept in reserve. He shuddered just thinking about it. To someone like Liu Wei, he was little more than a fly that could be swatted away without a second thought.

“Elder Chen.”

Hu Chen almost jumped in surprise at hearing the voice of the very man he had just been thinking about. Doing his best to reign in his shocked expression in the second it took him to turn around, he faced his fellow elder who had just come out the entrance of a large building.

“Elder Wei!”

He barely managed to get the words out without stuttering but had to pause briefly afterwards to not stumble on his words during the next sentence.

“What a pleasant coincidence.”

“A pleasant coincidence indeed. I just came back from some business I had with a few disciples of the hall. You should know them; they were the ones who fought in competition on day three.”

He didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the fact Hu Chen was walking around on his hall’s premises. That didn’t really mean anything though, Liu Wei was well known for the seasoned politician he was and could easily hide his true emotions if he so chose to.

“Yes, I remember. Truly an impressive bunch, especially considering they are outer disciples, if I may say so.”

Hu Chen could do little but play along. Elder Wei was well known for his temper and not offending him right now was top priority, especially since the man had joined up with the opposing faction. Not that Hu Chen had any say in being with the faction he was…

“Yes… yes, they are. Though outer disciples some of them are no longer, but I digress. May I ask what has led you here?”

“I was just… taking a stroll. I hadn’t been to the Training Hall in a long time and wanted to reminisce on old memories a little while also taking a look at the changes that have been taking place.”

That sounded like terribly like a lie that someone had spontaneously come up with, even though it was nothing but the truth. This didn’t help to make him any less nervous. Liu Wei thoughtfully eyeballed him for several moments, each of them seeming like years.

Then, suddenly, his expression softened into something resembling… amusement? It was hard to tell because it was just a minimal expression, but at least it was clearly not hostile.

“I understand. I hope I didn’t disturb you?”

“No, of course not.”

Hu Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

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“Alright. Would you mind if I joined you on your walk?”

Please no!

“I would be delighted, Elder Wei. I hope this doesn’t interrupt your schedule?”

“Not at all, I can always make some time for a fellow elder of mine.”

By my ancestors.

…

On a divan of red velvet, located in a beautifully decorated room within the Training Hall’s headquarters, Hu Chen sat and wondered, how in the world he got here. Seated opposite of him, a table between the two, was one of the people he feared most in the entire sect and by extension the world. Currently, they were being served tea.

“It has truly been a long time since we have had a proper talk beyond just exchanging pleasantries, Elder Chen. What have recent times brought for you?”

He picked up his freshly filled cup and took a sip.

“Nothing much really. I have been kept busy by my duties to the sect and my cultivation.”

That wasn’t a lie though it also wasn’t the full truth. There were little duties he had towards the sect, mainly just fulfilling minor diplomatic missions that were too unimportant to warrant sending another elder. His cultivation was certainly keeping him busy however, though not in the way one might expect.

“I understand.”

Hu Chen wished he did as well. He had been constantly guessing and theorizing, but he still didn’t have any idea what exactly Liu Wei wanted from him. It wasn’t like he had much of anything to offer to someone like him.

“If you have been wrapped up in cultivation, may I ask if we can expect you to break through soon?”

If only… Hu Chen took a sip of tea to delay having to answer. It had a mild but complex aroma with a note of sweetness and spread out in a wave of invigorating energy. Clearly qi-infused on an expertly level, perhaps brewed with some sort of spirit herb. A luxury that he would never afford himself, the meagre resources he possessed better spent elsewhere.

“I’m afraid not. I have run into some problems due to my earlier cultivation practice.”

Quite the euphemism for the fact that he would almost certainly die of old age before even coming close to fixing his mess of a cultivation. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was better than living in delusions about one’s position.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sour your mood.”

“It is nothing worth apologizing over. I am aware of my position and have come to terms with it.”

Liu Wei’s expression became readable for a moment, showing a solemn respect, but no pity.

“It takes a brave man to do so.”

Hu Chen once again found himself caught by surprise. That was something he had seldomly been called and never by another elder.

“If there is advice I could assist you with, don’t hesitate to seek me out."

Advice, huh? He certainly could use that.

“Thank you for your offer. I will consider it.”

After a long moment of silence, their conversation returned to something more normal. They spoke about the upcoming tournament, the recent developments from the cities and many other matters about the sect, none of them particularly important. After a while, their cups had emptied, their conversation came to an end and Hu Chen left after bidding Liu Wei farewell.

Coming out of the Training Hall, he was still none the wiser about Liu Wei’s intentions about this meeting, but at least he had made it out unscathed. Truthfully speaking, it had been quite the enriching experience, despite his constant nervousness and fear.

He didn’t even quite know what he had been so afraid of all along. Liu Wei had turned out to be a rather reasonable conversational partner, if very mysterious.

For now, Hu Chen was still glad it was over though. He would need some time to calm himself after this encounter.

…

Liu Wei’s eyes followed Elder Chen for a while before he disappeared between the many people walking along the busy street.

He had never held any respect for the man back in the day. Nowadays, just like on so many other matters, his perspective had changed. He could now see beyond the fact that he was a puppet of the pillar families who would never have reached his position without handing them his total subservience in return for their help and see him for what he was: a broken man.

It would be misguided to see him as more a victim of the pillar families than the thousands of sect members whose work they were building their wealth upon and it wasn’t his suppression that Liu Wei was fighting to end. Compared to many others, he was still very fortunate and the only reason he was suffering from his position so much was that he had the privilege of having enough to know the full extend of the imbalance between him and the other elders. His woes stemmed from not having the power that he believed an elder ought to have, yet others could never even dare to dream about becoming one.

Still, the position he was in wasn’t an easy one and if Liu Wei had been dealt the same hand, there was no guarantee he would have taken a different path. As such, there was no need for hostility towards him, even though the two stood on politically opposite sides of another and there was little hope that would change any time soon.

Moving on from this, Liu Wei turned his mind to the events just before his chance encounter. He had gone to meet his trained disciples and inform them of the offers made to them. All eight who had made it to the second round had received offers from at least one hall to be accepted as inner disciples.

Lan Shi had, upon further discussion, extended her offer for Zixin to both Chonglin and Jinghua. The three had jointly entered the Enforcement Hall and would be receiving training to the highest of standards from now on. Lan Shi would even provide them personal attention, though she hadn't taken any of them as a personal disciple.

Of the others, three had been accepted into the Resource Gathering Hall, one into the Alchemy Hall and one into the Outer Relations Hall, meaning he would not continue to live in the Training Hall.

Regarding Chonglin, Liu Wei had decided that it was best to hand his regular training over to the Enforcement Hall but that he would give the boy special training sessions leading up to the tournament. Anyone who had managed to surprise him like that deserved at least this much and the boy’s talent, while not extending to cultivation itself, clearly had the potential to make him a powerful cultivator regardless. The tournament was an opportunity for the boy to set himself up for the future. While it was his to grasp, Liu Wei would happily give him the best chances he could.

Liu Wei let out a satisfied groan and just bathed in the peace and quiet for a time.

With the Training Hall up and running, it was fair to say that the first stage of his plan had been a resounding success. There were lots of things to do but he felt more optimistic now than ever before.