The decision to visit the Outer Sect Market hung heavy in the air, a necessary evil that Lin Fan accepted with the enthusiasm of a man volunteering for a root canal.
"Alright," he sighed, rolling up the teleportation array blueprint. "Operation: Market Run is a go. But we do this my way. Maximum preparation, minimum exposure."
For the next two days, Xiao Xiao Peak transformed from a high-tech array workshop into a paranoid prepper's bunker gearing up for a trip to the grocery store during a zombie apocalypse. Lin Fan's focus shifted entirely to mitigating the countless potential disasters he envisioned lurking in the bustling market.
Preparation Phase One: Intelligence Gathering
First, Lin Fan consulted his extensive, self-compiled intelligence reports on the Outer Sect Market. He pulled out detailed maps marking known pickpocket hotspots, stalls run by suspected fraudsters, areas prone to spontaneous brawls between rival outer sect factions, and even the usual patrol routes of the sect enforcers (whom he considered just another unpredictable threat).
"The market is chaos incarnate," he explained to Yue Qingqian, pointing at a densely packed area on the map marked with multiple red danger symbols. "It operates on its own rules, largely ignored by the inner sect elders. Information is currency, and danger is everywhere. Our primary objective is reconnaissance. Find out if Starlight Sand or Deep Ocean Black Iron have appeared recently, or if anyone reliable deals in such rare materials off the books."
Preparation Phase Two: Disguise and Concealment
"Your Quasi-Saintess robes are out of the question," Lin Fan stated firmly. "Too conspicuous. You will wear the plainest outer sect disciple robes we can find. And this," he produced two simple, slightly tarnished copper masks that covered the upper half of the face, "will be worn at all times. Standard Outer Sect anonymity gear."
He then spent hours applying subtle illusion runes to their chosen robes, designed not to make them invisible, but to make them utterly forgettable. The runes subtly altered the way light reflected off the fabric, making the eye naturally slide past them. He also prepared several high-grade 'Presence Dampening' talismans.
"These won't hide our cultivation level entirely," he explained, "but they will muddy the waters, make it harder for anyone to get an accurate read. We will appear as insignificant, low-level outer disciples, hopefully beneath the notice of anyone dangerous."
Preparation Phase Three: Contingency Planning
Lin Fan laid out an arsenal of escape and evasion tools.
"Standard issue 'Escape Talismans' – five each," he said, handing over a stack of yellow paper charms. "These create a burst of smoke and speed for short-distance evasion."
"One 'Lesser Teleportation Glyph' each," he added, presenting two complex jade tokens. "Single use. Extremely unstable. Will teleport you a random distance in a random direction within five li. Only for absolute emergencies when escape is impossible."
"And finally," he held up two small, identical pouches, "Emergency Supply Kits. Contain three high-grade recovery pills, one detoxification pill, three blinding powder pellets, and one 'Fake Death' pill that simulates cessation of vital signs for an hour. Memorize the contents and their use."
The Briefing
On the morning of their departure, Lin Fan gave Yue Qingqian the final briefing, pacing like a general before a major offensive.
"Rule Number One: We do not separate. Under any circumstances."
"Rule Number Two: We do not engage. No arguments, no haggling unless absolutely necessary, and definitely no fights. If someone bumps into you, apologize and walk away. If someone insults you, pretend you didn't hear."
"Rule Number Three: We stick to the pre-planned route, avoiding all known high-risk zones. We gather information from reputable, established stalls first. No back-alley deals."
"Rule Number Four: Maximum time in the market: two hours. In and out. If we find nothing, we retreat and formulate Plan C."
"Rule Number Five: If anything goes wrong—anything at all—abort the mission immediately and return to the peak using the fastest possible route."
He looked at Yue Qingqian, his eyes deadly serious. "The market is a cesspool of unpredictable variables and low-level cultivators desperate to climb the ladder. They are the most dangerous kind because they have nothing to lose. Do you understand?"
Yue Qingqian, now dressed in drab grey robes and holding the copper mask, nodded solemnly. This trip felt more dangerous than infiltrating the Dragon-Locking Pool. At least there, the enemy was known. Here, the enemy could be anyone.
With a final, deep breath, they donned their masks, activated their presence-dampening talismans, and stepped onto their swords, flying low and fast towards the chaotic heart of the Outer Sect – a place Lin Fan had hoped never to set foot in again.