Chapter 38 - Leave-Takings
Benton smiled as he looked at Yang Xiu, cultivating blissfully as the harvesters worked. She’d hit Small Success with her perception technique the previous night and was drawing close to minor realm six.
Her brother was not doing as well. He still practiced with one of the mortal spears, and he’d hit a wall at improving his weapon technique. His cultivation seemed to be lagging as well.
Benton sighed. He’d hoped the boy would work through his issues on his own, but it was time to step in.
“Yang Ru, let’s go for a walk.”
Benton scanned the area and located a spirit beast he’d been tracking. It was near. Perfect.
“You’ve been struggling lately,” he said once they’d passed out of the harvesters’ hearing range. “Obviously, we both know the reason for that.”
Benton sighed. “I was probably too harsh on you. Do you know why I was so upset?”
“Because the lowly one disobeyed you, Senior Brother Chao. This lowly one brought dishonor upon this lowly one’s family name. This lowly one’s father would have been furious.”
“Wrong. I don’t care one lick that you disobeyed me… Well, maybe a little. It’s definitely not ideal. But the main issue is that, in disobeying me, you endangered yourself.” Benton paused. “Yang Ru, you are important to me. I don’t want to see you hurt. I definitely don’t want to see you killed.”
“Senior Brother Chao has invested many valuable resources and much time into this lowly one.”
“Wrong again. That’s not what makes you important. Even if you could never contribute anything to our future sect again, I’d still value you. You, Yang Ru, are important. I want you to grow and to flourish and to have a happy, fulfilling life. You can’t do any of that if you get yourself killed.”
Yang Ru didn’t respond.