CG C97: Well Played (Patreon)

Author's Note

This takes place whilst Kai is with Elder Xiao making the Thundercore Elixir

***

Su Fang approached the area demarcating the Legacy Disciple quarters, his steps slowing as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. He had never ventured this far into the sect's inner sanctum before, a plain Core Disciple like himself had never been important enough to garner Wang Lin’s attention.

As he drew near, his eyes widened in surprise. An invisible barrier shimmered into existence, halting his progress. The air in front of him rippled like water, a translucent wall of energy barring his path.

"So the rumors are true," Su Fang murmured to himself, reaching out a hand to touch the barrier. He felt a gentle resistance, like pressing against a cushion of air. "The Legacy Disciples really do have their own protective wards."

He took a step back, scanning the area with newfound respect. The pavilions beyond the barrier seemed to shimmer slightly, as if viewed through heat haze. Su Fang had always known the Legacy Disciples were afforded special privileges, but seeing it firsthand was another matter entirely.

How am I supposed to get through? he wondered, frowning slightly. Surely there must be a way for other disciples to visit, or at least leave messages.

Su Fang cleared his throat. "Legacy Disciple Kai? It's Su Fang, a Core Disciple. I was hoping we could talk."

Silence greeted his words. He frowned, straining his ears for any sign of movement within. Nothing.

Is he ignoring me? Or perhaps he's not home?

Su Fang's frown deepened. He hadn't come all this way to be thwarted by an empty house. With a resigned sigh, he settled himself on a nearby rock, closing his eyes in meditation.

I can be patient. He'll have to return eventually.

Time passed, the sun inching across the sky. Su Fang remained motionless, his breathing slow and even. To any passerby, he might have appeared to be a statue, were it not for the occasional twitch of his eyebrow.

The sound of approaching footsteps roused him from his trance. Su Fang's eyes snapped open, a smile curving his lips. But it wasn't Kai who rounded the corner.

Instead, a young man came into view, accompanied by... was that a tortoise? Su Fang blinked, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. But no, there was indeed a spirit beast waddling alongside the boy.

Ah, this must be Kai's servant. Chen Wei, and that tortoise must be Cang Long’s disciple, if I recall correctly.

Su Fang stood, brushing off his robes. "Greetings, young Chen Wei. I don't suppose your master is at home?"

Chen Wei froze, his eyes widening as he recognized Su Fang. The tortoise at his side bumped into his leg, letting out a squawk.

"S-Senior Brother Su Fang," Chen Wei stammered. "I... I'm afraid Senior Brother Kai isn't here at the moment."

Su Fang's smile didn't waver, but his eyes narrowed slightly. "I see. That's unfortunate. I was hoping to discuss some business with him."

Chen Wei shifted uncomfortably. "Business? What kind of business?"

"Oh, nothing too serious," Su Fang said, waving a hand dismissively. "I just heard some interesting rumors about your master selling Low-Grade Qi Gathering pills. I thought we might have a little chat.”

Chen Wei's posture stiffened. "I'm not sure what you mean, Senior Brother. The Low-Grade Qi Gathering pill business isn't exclusive to anyone. Anyone can sell them if they have the means to produce them."

Su Fang chuckled. "Of course, of course. I'm not here to cause any trouble. Quite the opposite, in fact. I see this as a potential business opportunity. Your master clearly has talent as an alchemist. I thought perhaps we could combine our resources, expand our reach."

Chen Wei's eyes narrowed. He'd seen tactics like this before, back when he worked in the family business. Competitors would come in, all smiles and promises of cooperation, only to try and squeeze them out of business later.

"That's very kind of you to offer, Senior Brother," Chen Wei said carefully. "But I'm afraid I can't speak for Senior Brother Kai on such matters. You'll have to discuss it with him directly."

Su Fang's smile widened. "Of course, I understand completely. I wouldn't expect you to make such decisions. When do you think your master will return? I'd be happy to wait."

Chen Wei's mind raced. He needed to warn Kai about this unexpected development. "I'm not sure, Senior Brother. He didn't say when he'd be back. It could be quite a while."

"That's no problem," Su Fang said, settling back onto his rock. "I can be very patient."

Chen Wei hesitated, then bowed slightly. "If you'll excuse me, Senior Brother, I have some errands to run for Senior Brother Kai. I should get going."

"Of course, of course," Su Fang said, waving him off. "Don't let me keep you."

Chen Wei hurried away, the spirit tortoise scrambling to keep up. As soon as they were out of earshot, the tortoise spoke up.

"I don't trust that guy," Zhi-Zhi said, his tiny eyes narrowed. "He smells like trouble."

Chen Wei nodded. "I agree. We need to warn Senior Brother Kai as soon as possible."

Back at the pavilion, Su Fang remained in his meditative pose, unmoving. Hours passed, the sun slowly sinking towards the horizon.

As night fell, lanterns flickered to life along the paths. Still, Su Fang waited.

One day turned into two, then three. Su Fang maintained the meditative pose, only occasionally shifting his position or taking small sips of water from a flask at his side.

On the third day, as the sun began to set once more, Su Fang finally opened his eyes. His face was a mask of frustration and weariness.

Three days, he thought bitterly. Three days, and still no sign of Kai.

Su Fang stood up, stretching his stiff muscles. He glared at the still-empty pavilion, his patience finally wearing thin.

That Outer Disciple must have warned him, Su Fang realized. That's why he hasn't returned. He's avoiding me.

For a moment, anger flared in Su Fang's chest. Was Kai testing him? Trying to see how long he would wait? The thought of being toyed with by some upstart Legacy Disciple made Su Fang's blood boil.

But then, as quickly as it had come, the anger faded. Su Fang took a deep breath, forcing himself to think rationally.

Calm down, he told himself. Think about this logically. If a higher-level cultivator was waiting outside your home for days, how would you feel?

The answer came to him immediately: cautious. Wary. Perhaps even a little afraid.

Su Fang took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. He looked at the pavilion with new eyes, a grudging respect growing within him.

Kai is being careful, he realized. He's not avoiding me out of cowardice, but out of prudence. He's assessing the situation before making a move.

A slow smile spread across Su Fang's face. I can respect that. Caution is a valuable trait in both cultivation and business.

Decision made, Su Fang straightened his robes and gave a respectful nod towards the pavilion. "Well played, Legacy Disciple Kai," he murmured. "Well played indeed."

As he turned to leave, Su Fang's mind was already formulating a new plan. I'll do this the right way, he thought. Send a formal request for a meeting through proper channels. Show him the respect his position deserves.

Su Fang walked away from the pavilion, his steps lighter than they had been in days.

This new Legacy Disciple is a cautious man. And I like working with cautious men. This could be the start of a very interesting partnership.

As Su Fang disappeared down the path, the sect grounds fell quiet. The last rays of sunlight faded, leaving the area bathed in the soft glow of lanterns.

For several minutes, all was still. Then, suddenly a black-robed figure appeared on the path. Without hesitation, the figure approached the barrier. There was no utterance of a pass phrase, no gesture to dispel the protective force. The barrier simply... parted, as if recognizing its master's touch.

The black-robed figure slipped inside, the door to the pavilion opening and closing in one smooth motion.

And just like that, Kai was home.