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Chapter 208 – A Points Sink
🕑 Added 2025-03-02 16:36:57 +0000 UTCAs an extrovert, Benton had always liked people, and he’d had a variety of relationships throughout his life on Earth. He’d been married, raised children, spoiled grandchildren, been taught and taught others in turn, mentored proteges, and so on. All in all, he felt he had a pretty good handle on human nature.
Sometimes, though, someone managed to truly surprise him.
When he’d first met Pan Jiang, Benton had pegged him pretty quickly as a standard arrogant young master, and every memory he’d gained from Su agreed with that assessment. By not taking the kid’s sword and gifting him a technique, Benton had hoped, at best, to keep the boy from becoming a potential enemy.
It wasn’t like Benton had held any real animosity toward the kid. Take a young man, raise him in an environment where everyone literally bowed down to him, give him everything he could ever possibly want, and oh yeah, grant him superpowers. Benton himself would have probably turned out pretty darn arrogant under those circumstances.
Benton’s kind gestures had done a lot more than he’d expected. The scion had actually turned into someone who was actually a rather decent kid. His actions during the beast tide had proved him to be both capable and dependable. He’d not shirked a single duty, been brave in the face of danger, and listened to those placed in authority over him.
Benton couldn’t have asked for a better ally.
Thus, he had no qualms about putting Li’er’s sword training in the boy’s capable hands. Benton had, however, grown a bit curious over how that would go. After all, questions abounded. Would Li’er, not the most patient of kids, remember her manners? She’d been instructed over and over again prior to the session about how important being polite to her trainer was, but well, it was Li’er.
The other side of the trainer/trainee relationship was in doubt as well. Pan Jiang had picked up the sword technique quite well, but aptitude in doing something didn’t always equate to the ability to teach others that thing. And the boy did have a reputation for being prickly. While Benton didn’t think for a second that Pan Jiang would hurt the child, the whole session devolving into a shouting match remained a real possibility.
Benton couldn’t help but do a bit of eavesdropping when the two of them met.
Things had gone well. Really well. Pan Jiang was a demanding but fair instructor, exactly what the little girl needed. Benton couldn’t have been more pleased.
At least, that was what he thought until he heard Pan Jiang, of all people, the former arrogant young master, espousing the virtues of empathy to the cool, no-nonsense Jin LiJuan.
The whole situation blew Benton’s mind, and his first thought was that it was a good effort on the boy’s part even though it wasn’t likely to produce any results at all. Except that it did.
Like the Grinch, Li’er’s heart grew three sizes that day.
By the time she left the Martial Pavilion, she was showing actual kindness toward the wolf cub. She’d actually petted it a few times. Those occasions had been at Pan Jiang’s explicit instruction but still!
Obviously, she still had a long way to go, but she’d taken a step. And while that single step might not seem like much, progress was progress.
Unfortunately, Benton didn’t have time to devote all his attention to one single disciple. Others needed his guidance, starting with Xun Wu.
The previous day, Benton had a Qi Condensing Pill sent to the expert blacksmith, and he’d advanced to Qi Gathering minor realm eight. It was now time for him to enter the Trials Pagoda, but instead of heading to the Contribution Points Shop, Benton sensed the man entering the Administration Hall.
Soon, there was a knock on Benton’s door.
“Come,” he said.
Xun Wu entered. “Master.”
“Xun Wu,” Benton said, giving the blacksmith time to gather himself for whatever he had to say.
“Master, I don’t think that advancing either of my techniques would make good use of the Trials Pagoda. I’m at least three months away from advancing to Foundation Establishment, and I will easily master both by that time.”
“I see.”
“Speeding my cultivation doesn’t seem like a valid use, either, Master.”
“Makes sense. What did you have in mind?”
“My aspect, Master. You said it was Fiery coal in the middle of a forge. Which will be great for controlling temperature, but that’s only one aspect of blacksmithing. If I could add a fundamental understanding of metal to my aspect, that change would have the potential to truly transform my abilities, a worthy use of the Trials Pagoda.”
“What specific change do you want to make?”
“Master, the addition that resonates with me is Fiery coal in the middle of a forge heating metal.”
“Good. I like your reasoning, The language is simple and very straightforward. You fully understand how important that resonance is, correct?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Then I approve.”
Xun Wu looked confused.
“Is there something wrong?” Benton said.
“From the way Yang Xiu talked, I thought convincing you would be more difficult.”
Benton chuckled. “Xun Wu, you’re forty-one years old, married, and a father. Moreover, you’re an expert in your profession. Yang Xiu, though I love her to death, is a teenager. You came to me with a clear understanding of exactly what you wanted to change your aspect to and a good reason for doing it. She came to me with a vague thought that it might be nice to change her aspect. Do you see where I’m coming from?”
The blacksmith grinned. “I do, Master. It’s good to understand your reasoning.”
They talked for a while longer as the two of them hadn’t had many opportunities to interact one-on-one. Xun Wu gave a very informal report on how the Blacksmithing Pavilion was coming along.
They all really liked the new digs, but the array powered forges were taking some getting used to. When they learned all the ins and outs, Xun Wu was positive that everything they made would be of even better quality, and he personally couldn’t wait until he reached Foundation Establishment in order to take his forging to a whole new level.
Between him, Shi Long, two other competent blacksmiths from the village, and a handful of apprentices at various stages of development, Xun Wu felt that they would eventually be able to be a good source of weapons and shields for the sect. Of course, that competency was a long-term goal. First, they all had to reach high enough levels of cultivation and learn techniques to externally manipulate qi.
That caveat applied to all the pavilions, though, and overall, the blacksmith pavilion was probably in the best shape of all the professions.
Just like with eavesdropping on Jin LiJuan and Pan Jiang, Benton couldn’t afford to spend his entire afternoon talking with Xun Wu. A popup made it clear that other duties beckoned.
Outfitting the Town Lord with a cultivation method and two techniques had required a relatively large outlay of fifty-six points, but the big guy had already returned six of those, reaching minor realm one in Golden Core and Small Success with the flying sword technique. Still, considering how long the major realms took to cultivate, it would be a long time before Benton saw a profit.
That was okay, though. Fatty Ren brought a lot more value to the sect than just Sect Points. Just having another Golden Core cultivator in the sect made Benton feel a huge sense of relief.
He dismissed Xun Wu and sent of message to Fatty Ren to come to the Administration Hall. The big guy arrived after a very short time.
“Greetings, Friend Su.”
“Congratulations on advancing your technique! I thought it would take you another few days.”
Fatty Ren smiled. “This lowly one is diligent, Friend Su.”
“That you are, and I bet you’re eager to get back to Vermilion Incomparable Rain Town.”
“That I am, Friend Su. Ever since the old Town Manager was replaced, I’ve been taking a more active role in running things. It feels awkward leaving them on their own like this.”
Shoot. That statement made Benton feel bad about the favor he was about to ask, but he didn’t really have a choice.
“Could I maybe impose upon your kindness once more?” Benton said.
“Of course, Friend Su. What is it?”
“Could you stick around for another couple of days?”
The big guy’s eyebrows went up, clearly asking why such a request was necessary.
“You see,” Benton said, “I kind of forgot to get furniture the last time I was in Sixth Flawless Flowing City, and now my sect members are moving into basically empty houses and pavilions. I figure I could quickly run over there and, between tonight and tomorrow morning, get everything I need. If you stay here, I’ll feel a lot better about the safety of my sect members while I’m gone.”
Fatty Ren’s eyes went wide. “No, Friend Su. That is a horrible idea.”
“What? Why?”
“Don’t poke the bear, Friend Su. You personally going to the city so soon after destroying the Jade Chameleon’s sect branch will seem like a deliberate affront to them. Whatever response they have in mind will be hastened. Please consider giving them some face and send someone else. Like me. I can go!” Fatty Ren hesitated, considering. “In fact, I’m the perfect person. With the flying sword, I can get there and back quickly, and I’m not yet publicly associated with your sect. If I get in and out relatively quietly, the will no further loss of face to anyone.”
The Town Lord had apparently picked up some knowledge of sect politics over the years, and Benton found the suggestion to be a good one.
“You don’t mind?” Benton said.
“Of course not, Friend Su. I, a Golden Core cultivator, will fly there on my sword. Neither of those two things would be possible without you. Running an errand for you is literally the least I could do to begin repayment of my debt.”
“There are no debts between friends, Fatty Ren, but I’ll definitely accept your favor. Truthfully, that works well for me, too, as I’d prefer not to be away from the sect right now.”
With that detail taken care of, Benton had Sun Hua prepare a list of furniture, weapons, and other items that the sect needed from the city. For payment, he created a stack of one-thousand-qi spirit coins using various elements, which Fatty Ren assured him was more than enough to pay furnish an entire sect much larger than Rising Tide.
Benton felt good about giving Fatty Ren the mission. It allowed the Town Lord to perform a necessary function for the sect, letting the members see his contribution. It gave face to the various factions, keeping the sect a little safer for longer. And it allowed Benton to remain at the main grounds, overseeing the little things that kept creeping up and making sure that everyone was safe from a surprise attack.
What Benton didn’t feel nearly as good about was another popup notification that he received.
Fifty Sect Points. Fifty! Benton knew that stupid Trials Pagoda was going to be a points sink. With a frown, he chose yes.
