Chapter 57 - All the World’s a Stage
Benton was both dreading and looking forward to the trip to the alchemy shop. The former emotion was because a single mistake could have grave consequences, not just for himself but for the twins and all the orphans back in the village and the two boys he’d made promises to in the city.
He certainly had picked up a lot of responsibilities in a short time, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Most of his adult life had been spent as a husband and father and grandfather and accomplisher of honey-do lists and provider and a million other titles great and small.
The biggest lesson he’d learned in those sixty years was to find joy and laughter and happiness where he could. Which brought him to the second of those emotions, looking forward to the trip.
In his past life, he’d always laughed easily, but honestly, he’d mostly been kind of boring. Staid. Solid. Dependable. Average.
With the System, he had a chance to stand out, to embrace playing a role he created for himself. Being … theatrical. Yes. Theatrical.
He was going to walk into that shop and put on a show. Before leaving the warehouse, he gave himself a little reminder of the character he was about to play.
“You are a Nihility realm cultivator who has lived thousands of years. You have seen everything, so nothing stresses you out. You are unshakeable. Unflappable. You don’t know everything, but you do know an awful lot. For a while, you lost your way, considering yourself better than everyone else and thinking your cultivation was the only important thing in the universe. Then, you lost your family, and you realized that you better appreciate what you have when you have it because you might find it gone tomorrow. Live in the moment. Enjoy yourself.”
Benton grinned. He had this.
And bonus, the character he was playing would be a lot more casual with Kang Ya-Ting now that the two were acquainted. So long ridiculous speaking in third person nonsense.
Benton walked to Poison Claw Sect with the twins and Zou Tian. The latter was going to stick with him for the morning while the twins used a cultivation room they’d arranged the previous day. They’d all meet up at the arena later for the twins’ spars.
Kang Ya-Ting met Benton and Zou Tian at the alchemy shop.
“Showtime,” Benton thought.