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CG C95: The First Sale
🕑 Added 2024-08-04 14:36:43 +0000 UTCBefore Chen Wei could answer, more disciples began to trickle in. Within minutes, the grove was filled with curious and slightly wary Outer Disciples, their cultivation levels ranging from Qi Refining Stage 4 to Stage 9.
Chen Wei recognized most of them. There was round-faced Liu Qian, only at Stage 4 but with an uncanny talent for pill refinement, a shame he had yet to pass the Novice Alchemy Exams. Lin Hui, Stage 7, whose sword techniques were the talk of the Outer Sect. Broad-shouldered Wu Cheng, Stage 9, rumored to be on the verge of breaking through to Foundation Establishment.
As the group grew, Chen Wei noticed the disciples naturally clustering into their various factions.
The Azure Fang group, known for their brash and confrontational attitudes, gathered near a gnarled tree root. They were the "tough guys" of the Outer Sect, always ready for a fight and quick to assert dominance. Feng Yan was their leader; he was already glaring at the others.
The Misty Palm faction, on the other hand, stood off to one side, eyeing the others warily. They were the intellectuals and strategists, preferring to solve problems with wit rather than brawn. Ling Xiao, their de facto spokesperson, had her arms crossed as she assessed the disciples around her.
Near the center, the Emerald Harmony group chatted animatedly. They were the social butterflies, always organizing events and trying to keep the peace between the other factions. Wu Cheng, ever the mediator, was already moving between groups, trying to ease tensions.
Chen Wei knew that Wu Cheng, with his Peak Qi Refining Stage 9 cultivation, would make sure no conflicts broke out.
Off in a corner, the Shadows of Solitude kept to themselves. These were the loners and outcasts, either by choice or circumstance. Xu Kai, looking nervous as always, kept glancing around as if searching for an escape route.
Once it seemed everyone had arrived, Chen Wei cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him, a mix of curiosity, impatience, and in some cases, barely concealed hostility.
"Thank you all for coming," Chen Wei began. "I've gathered you here because my friend had mentioned that you were interested in some cultivation resources."
He reached into his robes and produced a small pouch, revealing the Low-Grade Qi Gathering pills within.
"As you can see, I have here twenty Low-Grade Qi Gathering pills," Chen Wei announced. "I know many of you have been seeking these to aid in your cultivation."
"Convenient,” Ling Xiao muttered. “How do we know these aren't just sugar pills you've cooked up to scam us?"
"A fair question," Chen Wei acknowledged. "But consider this - would I risk my reputation, not to mention potential retaliation from thirty angry disciples, over fake pills? I assure you, these are the real deal."
Feng Yan stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the pills. "But that Inner Disciple was pretty tight-lipped about where these came from. Care to fill us in on that little detail?"
"Wait a moment," Xu Kai said, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "These pills... they must be connected to your master, the Legacy Disciple. Am I right?"
A hush fell over the gathering as all eyes turned to Chen Wei, waiting for his response.
Chen Wei nodded slowly, "Yes, these pills are indeed connected to Senior Brother Kai."
Excited whispers broke out among the disciples. Chen Wei raised his voice slightly to be heard over the commotion.
"What's more, I can now reveal that Senior Brother Kai has recently attained the rank of Novice Alchemist. These pills are some of his first successful creations."
"Novice Alchemist? “Liu Qian, the pill refiner, exclaimed. "At his age? That's... that's incredible!"
Chen Wei smile widened. "Indeed it is. Which means you can be assured of the quality of these pills. They're not just any Low-Grade Qi Gathering pills - they're crafted by a Legacy Disciple with exceptional talent."
Zhang Liang spoke up. "But if they're made by a Novice Alchemist, how do we know they're safe?"
This is my chance to really sell these pills. I need to make Senior Brother Kai look as impressive as possible.
"An understandable concern," Chen Wei acknowledged. "But remember, this is Senior Brother Kai we're talking about. His talent is unprecedented. Even the Alchemy Master Elder Xiao was impressed by his skills and wanted to take him as a disciple. These pills have been thoroughly tested and verified by the Alchemy Master himself. They're not only safe but potentially more effective than standard Low-Grade Qi Gathering pills."
The atmosphere in the grove shifted once again. The initial suspicion had given way to a palpable sense of eagerness. Disciples who had been hesitant before now looked at the pills with naked want in their eyes.
"So," Chen Wei said, holding up one of the pills. "Now that you know the true value of what's being offered, let's begin the bidding. Who wants to make the first offer for a pill crafted by the Azure Sky Sect's most promising young alchemist?"
"What's your starting price?" Liu Qian asked.
Chen Wei thought for a moment. "Since Senior Brother Kai cares a lot about customer satisfaction, let's start the bidding at 20 spirit stones per pill."
It was a reasonable starting price, considering that they usually sold for 30 per pill.
"I'll give you 21 for one," called out a voice from the back.
"22 here," countered another disciple.
Soon, the grove was filled with a cacophony of bids, each disciple trying to outdo the others. Chen Wei watched with satisfaction as the price climbed steadily upward.
This is going even better than I hoped. Senior Brother Kai will be pleased.
As the bidding hit 25 spirit stones, tensions began to rise. Some disciples dropped out, unable to afford the increasing price. Others grew more aggressive in their bids, determined to secure a pill at any cost.
"26 spirit stones!" shouted Ling Xiao.
"27!" countered Feng Yan, glaring at anyone who dared to challenge him.
"28 spirit stones!" called out Liu Qian, his round face determined. Studying this pill could be what he needed to breakthrough and become a Novice Alchemist himself!
The bidding war ended, no one was willing to spend anymore spirit stones as it was close to the original price.
As the sun began to dip towards the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, the rest of the pills were sold off. Most of the disciples had either secured their pills or dropped out of the running, unable to match the increasingly steep prices.
In the end, Wu Cheng claimed five pills at 28 spirit stones each, his resources as a Stage 9 disciple allowing him to outbid most of the others. Lin Xiao and Feng Yan each secured three, Liu Qian secured two, while the remaining nine were distributed among various other disciples who had managed to scrape together enough spirit stones.
As Chen Wei carefully handed out the pills in exchange for spirit stones, he couldn't help but smile. He had managed the entire transaction smoothly, without any major incidents.
"Thank you all for your participation," Chen Wei said, bowing slightly. "I hope these pills serve you well in your cultivation."
The disciples nodded, some grudgingly, others eagerly clutching their hard-won pills. As they began to disperse, Chen Wei caught snippets of conversation.
"Can't believe I managed to get one..."
"Do you think he'll have more in the future?"
"A Legacy Disciple and an alchemist? No wonder Chen Wei's been moving up so fast..."
“But what do you think Senior Brother Su Fang will do when he hears about this…”
Once the last disciple had left the grove, Chen Wei allowed himself a moment to relax. He slumped against the old willow tree, letting out a long breath.
"You can come out now, Zhi-Zhi," he called softly.
The spirit tortoise emerged from the bushes, leaves stuck to his shell. "That was amazing!" he exclaimed. "The way you handled them all, it was like watching a master merchant at work!"
Chen Wei chuckled, patting Zhi-Zhi's shell. "I had a good teacher. Now, let's head back. We need to report our success to Senior Brother Kai."
