"Exactly my thoughts."

"We should probably explain about Rising Dragon to our junior."

"Senior Rising Dragon has an interesting relationship with the Shizou sect, primarily regarding the fact that he has six Dao Companions scattered across the globe. In exchange for monthly tributes of valuable materials to his seniors, he's given a free hand to run the overseas organization. His reputation is as a peerless developer of pairwise cultivation techniques, as evidenced by the fact that all his Dao Companions are at least Spirit Sovereign. He's also the source of many recreational techniques, certain arts of Immortal Cuisine among them. That he would take the time to visit in person could be essentially a coincidence, or it could indicate his seniors directed his attention, or it could mean that he's taken a personal interest." 

"We don't want it to be that his seniors are directing his attention. The attention of a Venerable is generally something you want to avoid."

"One in six chance that he'd be here anyway, if this is one in six important places? Or, wait, that doesn't hold up." She gives a frustrated sigh. "You two know more about all of this anyway. It might be better to cut and run if things start getting hairy, than risk dying over a ghost."

Butterfly Dancer gets up and paces. "If one of the parties has brought real firepower, we could be totally outclassed. On the other hand, in general Seniors have more important things to do than run around chasing rumors - note how Silver Starlight isn't here to assist us, that should probably be the same for the other parties as well."

"We need intelligence. Are the other groups out hunting right now? Are any of them available to meet with us? If we can meet with one or two on neutral ground we can take their measure and decide if this is worth pursuing or not."

"Privacy rules mean we'd only be meeting with people who want to meet with us, though." 

"Yes, but look at it from the perspective of the other groups. Nobody wants to get into a costly and potentially deadly fight. The careful strategy is to meet all your rivals beforehand, and if you're at a disadvantage, extract concessions in exchange for bowing out."

"But if you really want the ghost and you're reckless enough to risk your life, you might go for it immediately without doing any negotiation up front, and just hope to be the fastest and vanish afterwards."

"Yes, but if you were doing that strategy you wouldn't check into the local cultivator hotel, you'd want to stay under the radar completely rather than leave a trace of your activity."

"So the question is whether we think there's anyone else going for the reckless strategy."

"The other groups would have moved by now if they had word of that, right? So if we ask for a meeting and don't hear back promptly..."

"Right. You're good at this stuff, Black Claw."

"Comes of experience. Let's ask for those meetings, then."

Butterfly Dancer picks up the room phone and dials. 

"Hello, front desk? On behalf of our group I'd like to extend an invitation to meet in order to discuss the ghost hunt... Oh, I see. Pass that on, then, to both of them. Anything for the last group? Alright. Thank you." 

"News?"

"Two of the three other groups already have open invitations to meet on the table. Do we want to meet the loose cultivator Blossoming Rose first, or the Three Claw Marks Beast Head Medallion sect's party?"

"The sect first. They're likely the more serious competition."

"Alright. It shouldn't take long for them to get back to us."

"Any questions, Trys? Things are moving fast, but that's cultivator life for you."

"Not much, I think. I feel like an accessory, trying to think of something clever and just - observing - but there's nothing for it. Actually, bit of a sidetrack, how much should I be reading into names? I really should change mine... It's increasingly more embarrassing. Edgy secondary school name."

"I wouldn't say they're strongly indicative of anything except personality. Ravenous Blade, for instance, is kind of a braggart. Silver Starlight is calm and gentle. Eight Tails is a kumiho. I like fighting with knives, so "claw." Butterfly Dancer, do you mind if I ask why you picked that name?"

"Butterflies metamorphose, don't they? And I take pride in being graceful and kind."

"Huh. Okay. Abyssal Swimmer, maybe? Other people are doing these names too, I get it, but 'bride' is just..." She shrugs and shakes her head. "I'm ready to go. What do we know about the Three Claw Marks Beast Head Medallion Sect?"