Chapter 267 - Determination
As soon as Benton dropped the news about the invitation to the tournament, Yang Xiu’s face lit up like one of his kids back on Earth finding their pile of presents on Christmas morning. The expressions of the other council members definitely showed interest, but none held the sheer joy of hers. He couldn’t help but grin at seeing her so excited.
“You apparently appreciate the news,” Benton said. “Want to explain why?”
“Every cultivation novel I’ve ever read has a tournament arc, Master! The lowly underdog main character is looked down on by all her opponents, but in the end, she beats them all. I love those chapters and can’t wait to live them.”
Benton wanted to shake his head. Books. Of course. On the other hand, he liked that she could be the star of the movie of her life that ran in her head. Given what she’d gone through to get where she was, she deserved that happiness, and the fact that she could shake off the bad times was proof of her resilience.
“Well, Yang Xiu and others who might be excited about the news, too, I hate to disappoint you, but the invite was not all sunshine and roses,” Benton said. “It was arranged to be sent to us through the actions of the Jade Chameleon Sect. I’ve discussed the matter with various Poison Claw Sect elders and with Yuan Yaozu. We don’t know what benefit our enemies hope to gain from our attendance, but we all agree that they seek to gain something.”
Yang Xiu’s expression turned absolutely crestfallen. “We’re not going?”
“There is risk,” Benton said. “We could be attacked. I could be ambushed. You could be targeted to be used against me. Any or all of that is on the table, or it could be something none of us have foreseen.”
“We’re not going,” Yang Xiu said sadly.
“On the other hand, it has been pointed out to me that protecting a cultivator from danger can adversely affect their path,” Benton said, “and the tournament offers a lot of advantages to the participants. It gives you a challenge to shoot for. It will provide a measuring stick against your peers in other sects. You’ll gain experience fighting cultivators with styles and qi aspects that aren’t available in our sect. And there are contests for craftspeople as well. Being able to observe how others prepare pills and forge metals might provide you inspiration to propel you forward. If not for the risk of harm from our enemy attacking, I’d say participation in the tournament is nothing but a positive for each of you that has the opportunity.
“Additionally, this represents a big opportunity for our sect. Even if the intentions are less than honorable, we’re being recognized as a force by the four factions. That recognition, once given, can’t be taken back. As long as we attend, that is. If we refuse the invitation, we’re basically saying, ‘Sorry, but we’re not nearly as strong as you think we are.’
“So lots of positives. A big potential negative. What’s my decision?”
Benton looked out over the faces of the nineteen people staring at him. Not a person in the room wasn’t giving him their rapt attention.