Chapter 249 - Barely
The three hundred soon to be new Rising Tide Sect members were already gathering in the amphitheater when Benton summoned Yuan Yaozu, the twins, Zou Tian, Sun Hua, and Kang Lin to his office.
“Thank all of you for coming so quickly,” Benton said once all five of them had gathered. “I have a few announcements. First, Yuan Yaozu has requested that I take him as a disciple, and after giving the matter its due consideration, I accept his request.”
The man cupped his hands. “Gratitude, Master.”
Though he said it with a smile, there was no mocking in his tone. To all appearances, he was taking the situation seriously. Good.
Kang Lin had the biggest reaction. “Elder Yuan? A Nascent Soul? Master’s disciple?”
Her reactions really were the best. Benton really liked the girl, but even if he’d hated her, he probably would have kept her around just for the amusement factor alone.
“I believe you mean Senior Brother Yuan, fellow disciple,” the man said, grinning ear to ear.
Ah, a fellow connoisseur of funny reactions. Benton approved.
“Anyway, on to my second announcement. For reasons that would require way too much backstory to explain, it is greatly beneficial for me to have the sect reach one thousand members as quickly as possible. As you’ve probably noticed, the amphitheater is filling up. The three hundred villagers gathering there along with the one hundred prospects that Fatty Ren is inducting will take us over that number.”
None of the meeting’s attendees reacted strongly at all to his news. Most of them were used to him doing things for inscrutable purposes.
“As my current disciples and sect members know,” Benton continued, “Yuan Yaozu and the inductees here will be indisposed for half a day or so.”
That statement finally got a reaction from the Nascent Soul. He raised his eyebrows in question.