Chapter 99: Perk Up. Again.
Benton quickly ran to the harvesting site and found a large pile of wood laying on a tarp, including multiple tree trunks exceeding forty feet in length. He stored all of it in his ring and ran to the village.
It was late, and most everyone was asleep. Not knowing where to deposit his load, he ran by Peng Zhen’s house and discovered that the place was dark and silent. He needed to know where to leave the wood, but his tardiness didn’t justify disturbing the family inside. There had to be another source for the necessary information.
Well, if any of his people knew, it would be Zou Tian.
Benton ran to the temporary alchemy lab. Luckily, the boy and Wan Ai hadn’t retired for the evening. Both were still hard at work.
Finding them up was good for multiple reasons. Benton could find out what to do with the wood, get a status report on the baths, and determine what the heck happened to increase his sect members’ loyalty toward him so much.
“Greetings, disciples,” Benton said.
After the two returned his salutations, he got right to his questions. Zou Tian did indeed know where the wood was to be dropped off. Benton got directions and asked how the body cultivation was going.
“Preparations are going well, Master,” Wan Ai said. “This one was able to cut enough herbs for five baths tomorrow as this one anticipated, and all three baths this morning took on the color and smell as described by the cultivation method. Ye Zan and two of his men each completed one session. We won’t know until after they have their third baths if it actually worked, but this one believes the chances are good.”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. Keep up the great work!”
She turned away bashfully, but he suspected she was pleased with the praise.
“I did have another question,” Benton said. “Has something happened today in the village? My … intuition is telling me that my sect members are feeling more loyal toward me?”
“The story is all over town, Master,” Zou Tian said.