Chen Wei walked through the bustling grounds of the Outer Sect, his eyes scanning the list of names Liu Wei had given him. As he walked, a few curious glances were cast his way. It had been a while since Chen Wei had ventured into this part of the sect grounds.

"Well, well, look who decided to grace us with his presence!" a voice called out.

Chen Wei turned to see Pan Huo, a fellow Outer Disciple he'd trained with in the past. Pan Huo approached with a grin, slapping Chen Wei on the back.

"We were starting to think you'd forgotten about us little people, now that you're working for a Legacy Disciple," Pan Huo teased.

"How could I forget where I came from?” Chen Wei chuckled, shaking his head. “I've just been busy, that's all."

Another disciple, Li Ling, joined them. "Busy, huh? Must be nice, having important tasks to do. What brings you back to our humble corner of the sect?"

I don’t want to attract the attention of our competitors, the first sale needs to go well.

Chen Wei hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much. "Just some errands. Nothing too exciting."

"Come on, Chen Wei," Pan Huo pressed. "You can tell us. We're all friends here, right?"

I can't let them know about the pills, Chen Wei thought. But I don't want to be rude either.

"It's sect business," he said finally. "I'm afraid I can't say more than that."

Pan Huo whistled. "Look at you, all mysterious now. Well, don't be a stranger, alright? Come train with us sometime, show us what you've learned from that Legacy Disciple of yours."

Chen Wei nodded, "I'll do that. Take care, both of you."

As he continued on his way, his mind was on the pills. How should I approach this? Meeting buyers one at a time would take forever, and it wouldn't create the competition Senior Brother Kai wants.

He considered holding a public auction, but quickly dismissed the idea. That would draw too much attention. We don't want to risk conflicts with other groups selling Low-Grade Qi Gathering pills. Even with Zhi-Zhi as backup, I'd rather avoid any confrontations. He's better as a shield than for offense, anyway.

Lost in thought, Chen Wei almost bumped into a younger disciple hurrying past. As he looked up to apologize, a smile appeared on his face.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

It was Li Jun, a scrappy kid who'd do just about any odd job for a few spirit stones. More importantly, Li Jun owed Chen Wei a favor.

Chen Wei's mind flashed back to Li Jun's first days in the sect. The boy had arrived wide-eyed and overwhelmed, struggling to find his footing in the competitive environment. Chen Wei, remembering his own difficult early days, had taken pity on the newcomer.

He'd shown Li Jun around, explaining the unwritten rules of sect life and helping him avoid the pitfalls that often tripped up new disciples. When Li Jun had accidentally offended an older disciple, it was Chen Wei who smoothed things over, saving the boy from a beating - or worse.

Now, seeing Li Jun, Chen Wei realized he might have found the solution to his current dilemma.

"Li Jun!" he called out. "Do you have a moment?"

The younger boy stopped, turning with a mixture of surprise and wariness on his face. "Senior Brother Chen Wei? What can I do for you?"

Chen Wei smiled. "I was hoping you might be able to help me with a small favor."

Li Jun's expression relaxed slightly, but he still looked cautious. "What kind of favor?"

"Nothing too difficult," Chen Wei said, keeping his voice low. "I just need you to deliver some messages for me. Discreetly."

Li Jun's eyes narrowed. "Messages? To who?"

Chen Wei produced the list of names. "To these disciples. I need you to tell each of them to meet me at the old willow grove near the eastern training fields. Today, two hours before sunset."

Li Jun's eyes widened as he scanned the list. "These are all upper-level Outer Disciples. What's this about?"

Chen Wei shook his head. "They already know. It's better if you don't know the details. Can you do that for me?"

Li Jun hesitated, clearly wanting to ask more questions. But after a moment, he nodded. "Alright. But... you don't owe me for this one, Senior Brother. I haven't forgotten how you helped me when I first got here."

Chen Wei smiled, patting the younger disciple on the shoulder. "I appreciate that, Li Jun. Thank you."

As Li Jun hurried off to complete his task, Chen Wei felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

Now to prepare for the meeting. This could get... interesting.

***

Two hours before sunset, Chen Wei stood in the shade of the ancient willow tree, its long branches swaying gently in the breeze. The grove was secluded enough to offer privacy, but open enough that no one would feel trapped. Perfect for what he had planned.

A rustle from nearby made him tense, but it was just Zhi-Zhi, poking his head out from his hiding spot in a dense patch of undergrowth.

"Are they here yet?" the spirit tortoise asked eagerly. "I want to see the look on their faces when-"

"Shh!" Chen Wei hissed, glancing around nervously. "They'll be here soon. You need to stay hidden, remember?"

Zhi-Zhi deflated slightly. "But I wanted to help with the negotiations. I've been practicing my intimidating glare!"

Chen Wei sighed. "I appreciate the offer, but we need to keep this low-key. Just stay out of sight unless there's real trouble, just like last time, okay?"

The tortoise grumbled but retreated back into the bushes. Chen Wei straightened his robes, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

A few minutes later, the first disciple arrived. It was Feng Yan, a tall, lean young man with sharp features and green eyes. He was at the peak of Qi Refining Stage 8, known for his aggressive demeanour, which probably had something to do with his aggressive cultivation style.

"Chen Wei," Feng Yan said. "Do you have it?"