Benton wanted to get as far from the town as they could in the remaining daylight. With friendly relations established between him and Fatty Ren, there was no real fear of cultivators interfering with the caravan, but they were transporting lots of vulnerable kids and valuable goods.
It was best to get the wagons away from where they might prove to be a temptation to the town’s many mortal gangs. If nothing else, he didn’t want the orphans first experience with his sect to be the violent slaughter of would-be bandits.
Benton waited until nearly sunset to call for a stop, and while his experienced disciples made camp and put water on to boil, he followed the tradition he’d established and asked the nineteen new people to follow him into the woods.
While Peng Zhen had a suspicion about what was about to happen, the orphans and the gang had been told little except that they were moving with Benton to a new ho.
Once everyone was seated in a circle lit by qi orbs, Benton said, “I am Chao Su, and I assu all of you understand that I am a cultivator of so power.”
There were nods all around.
He fingered the pin on his left breast. “This token nas as a friend of the Poison Claw Sect, one of the three most prestigious sects in this part of the continent. Town Lord Ren also counts as a friend and has asked my advice on how to handle certain issues.”
The last large group he had inducted had been told by Kang Ya-Ting how important Benton was. The group before him mostly didn’t know him from Adam. Even though talking himself up felt a bit awkward for him, he thought it best to explain to the newcors that he wasn’t a jumped-up wandering cultivator.
“I am forming a sect near the Prosperous Gray Forest Village, and all of you are to be mbers of this new sect. Give your honest effort at work and cultivation, and I will give you a place to belong and a longer, healthier, richer life.”
The orphans and gangs were all visibly shocked by the announcent, so Benton gave them a mont to calm down. Eventually, he pulled out the orb and told each of them their talents and qi aspects. He explained that they were not talented enough to join any other sect, but that was okay. His sect was different. However, it was unlikely any of them would get past the Foundation Establishnt realm, but if they were diligent, he promised to do everything in his power to get them at least that far.
“What I require from you differs depending on your group.” He turned to Peng Zhen. “You and your family are to run the contribution point shop. As the sect grows, this task may beco unmanageable without more people. If that ti cos, I’ll get you help. Any questions?”
“No, Esteed Master Cultivator.”
Benton scanned the boy who led the gang to refresh his mories.
Affiliation:NoneAge:16Cultivation:NoneTechniques:NoneSpiritual Roots:F Qi Aspect:Unrefined iron ore lying beneath the dirt
tal aspects tended to like blades and earth aspects were good in defense. The combination suited the role Benton had planned.
He t the boy’s eyes. “What’s your na?”
“Zi Delan, Esteed Master Cultivator.”
“In terms of martial inclined mbers, the sect has the twins, who are the two most powerful cultivators besides in the sect, and Ye Zan and his sixteen guards, who are being trained to patrol and defend the sect grounds and other places that I tell them to. The sect needs a strike force that I can send out to capture or kill enemies. You will be that force. Do you agree?”
Zi Delan swallowed hard. He turned and got a nod from each of his crew before answering. “Yes, Esteed Master Cultivator.”
“Good.” Benton softened his tone greatly before turning to the orphans. “Is there one of you who speaks for the others?”
A little guy cupped his hands and bowed. “This lowly one does, Esteed Master Cultivator. This lowly one is Hao Cheng.”
So cute!
Benton scanned him again, too.
Na:Hao ChengAffiliation:NoneAge:13Cultivation:NoneTechniques:NoneSpiritual Roots:FQi Aspect:A willow bending in defiance of the forces assailing it
The wood aspect would make him a perfect fit to harvest or work with the Orange Vigor Spirit Wood, if that was what he wanted.
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“Nice to et you, Hao Cheng. It was brave of you to speak up. What I require of you ten is a lot different than of others seated around you. You will be outer sect mbers along with so other younger mbers who were in a similar situation to yours but in the village. Mistress Zhong will look after you.”
So of them looked relieved to hear that.
“Gratitude for taking care of us, Esteed Master Cultivator, but what can these lowly ones do to repay the sect?” Hao Cheng said.
“I’m glad you asked and that you’re thinking of it in those terms,” Benton said. “To begin with, I simply want you to cultivate and be attentive to what anyone is teaching you. The sect has many, many positions that will need to be filled. We need blacksmiths and fletchers and alchemists and growers of spirit herbs and woodworkers and wood harvesters and, yes, fighters. And many, many other things besides. I want each of you to take a year or two and try out different things until you find sothing that both helps the sect and makes you happy. Then, I want you to do that thing to the best of your ability. Can you do that?”
The little fellow nodded vigorously. “Yes, Esteed Master Cultivator!”
So, so cute!
“Okay,” Benton said, returning to addressing the group at large, “the first step in the process is for each of you to beco my disciples. From the ti the ceremony is complete until the sect is officially ford, you shall call Master.”
“What should these lowly ones call the Esteed Master Cultivator after that?” Hao Cheng said.
“Either Sect Leader or Master, depending on the circumstances.”
The little boy nodded.
Benton pulled a table, a couple of teapots, tea, and nineteen cups from his ring and directed Zi Delan to get everything set up for the ceremony, including getting the boiling water from the camp. anwhile, Benton called Peng Zhen, his wife, and Peng Hanying off to the side.
Benton was having a hard ti deciding what to do with Peng Hanying. On one hand, he had a powerful and, to this point, unique, qi aspect. Using resources from the Shop, if any were available, to nurture such a disciple made a lot of sense. On the other, he literally was on the lowest rung of talent, just a small step above those who couldn’t cultivate at all. The boy as he was would never reach even Golden Core, aning that qi aspect would go to waste and that pouring more resources into him was stupid.
The only thing stopping Benton from just giving the boy the standard cultivation thod and treating him like all the other orphans was that Benton didn’t know what the Shop had available and for what price.
“Is there a problem, Esteed Master Cultivator?” Peng Zhen said sowhat nervously.
“Not so much a problem as a potential opportunity. After the disciple ceremony, I’m going to give almost everyone a cultivation thod and teach them how to get started.” Benton turned to Peng Hanying. “Your qi aspect is quite rare, and I find it very interesting. Instead of having you start cultivating imdiately, I’d prefer to do so research first. I just wanted to explain that I’m not punishing you or your family or anything like that by not giving you the thod yet. In fact, I’m doing the sa thing with another one of my disciples, literally the third most talented one after the twins. Do you understand?”
“This lowly one is disappointed not to start with everyone else, but this lowly one would rather start correctly than start fast, Esteed Master Cultivator.”
“Excellent response. Let’s get started then.”
Benton was becoming quite the expert both at performing the bai-si tea ceremony and leading beginners through sensing qi for the first ti. Accomplishing both still took quite so ti, but by the ti everyone turned in for the night, Benton had gained another nineteen disciples, eighteen Sect Points, and nineteen Shop Points.
Sect Na:Not ChosenSect mbers:0Disciples:55Sect Points:68Shop Points:59Host Cultivation:Foundation Establishnt - Minor Realm OneQi Available:1,110Host Body Cultivation:Bronze - Minor Realm TwoHost Techniques:Analysis - Large Success Basic Archery - Large Success Basic Spear Combat - Large Success Pill Basics - Large Successnus:[Cultivation thod][Technique][Quest][Perk][Advancent][Shop - LOCKED]
Nice. Benton’s future sect was growing by leaps and bounds. In fact, he finally felt satisfied that, for the mont, recruitnt was where it needed to be.
He was also happy with his Sect Points. Even if he had to use ten points for a new individual cultivation thod or for a technique, he’d still have all the points he needed to start body cultivation. In fact, he made a vow to himself not to let his point total fall below fifty-five before he got that particular ball rolling.
Even better, he’d just gained two more points for his personal growth, and since he was out of hock, he could actually use them. He had a lot of choices, though, so he decided to spend the travel ti tomorrow really mulling over his options before choosing one.
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