Chapter 16 - Strength, Weakness, and Technique
Benton’s spiritual senses told him that Yang Ru was close to breaking into the second minor realm. Meanwhile, Yang Xiu had switched from meditation to running around the campsite, trying to get used to her new physical improvements.
It was still short of midday, but with both of them having advanced, Benton needed to sit the kids down to discuss next steps. He figured he might as well get lunch ready even if it was a little early.
Just before the food finished cooking, he got the notification he’d been expecting.
Host’s Disciple, Yang Ru, has reached Qi Gathering: Minor Realm Two
Host is awarded one Sect Point.
Host has 54 Sect Points available.
Curious to see if Yang Ru’s slightly inferior spiritual roots impacted his qi available, Benton scanned him with his senses and found that the boy had five just like his sister.
So far, the minor difference in the siblings’ root quality wasn’t having a huge impact. Without a clock, it was difficult to determine times exactly, but each of the siblings completed a cycle in just under a half hour, though it seemed like Yang Xiu did so slightly quicker. Yang Ru had required a few more cycles than his sister to break through, but Su’s memories said that the exact number needed tended to be variable.
After congratulating the young man on his breakthrough and explaining the consolidation process, Benton called Yang Xiu over, and they all sat down to eat.
“You both breezed through the first minor realm in half the time it would have taken the average sect disciple,” Benton said once they’d finished their meal. “Well done!”
Both siblings looked pleased at the praise, though Yang Xiu’s expression was much more demonstrative than the stoic Yang Ru’s.
“Part of that speed is your heaven defying talent. Not many cultivators have the natural ability that you two possess.” Benton hesitated. He preferred not to toot his own horn, but it was important that the siblings understood the full reason for their success. “As I had told you before, there will be both advantages and disadvantages to having me as a master. We’ll get to one of those drawbacks soon, but quite frankly, the other cause of your rapid advancement is the benefit of the uniquely attuned cultivation method that I provided you, that likely no other sect could have provided you.”