The Sect Leader System-Chapter 344 - Avoidance

Benton sensed three cultivators approaching his closed door, one expected and two not. He sighed. When it rained, it poured. Who should get their desired audience first?

The expected one would arrive first, but that conversation would be quite serious and probably more lengthy than not. He wasn’t sure of the topic the other two were bringing to them. From what he sensed, it seemed to be something serious but not urgent. They weren’t worried, but something was definitely on their minds.

Three disciples. Two audiences. One decision.

First come first serve? No. Most important topic? No. Likely easier topic first? Yes.

Benton was no stranger to putting off conversations he’d rather avoid. Quickly, he sent off a message dragon.

Wan Ai and Sun Hua found Kang Lin waiting outside Master’s office. She held a blue paper that obviously had recently been folded into one of the message dragons.

“You two are to go in first,” Kang Lin said.

Sun Hua frowned. “But you were—”

“Master’s instructions.” Kang Lin waved the paper.

“Oh.”

Wan Ai smiled. “We’ll be quick.”

“No hurry.” Kang Lin blew out a breath. “No hurry at all.”

After knocking and being granted entrance, Wan Ai and Sun Hua entered. Master had already prepared three cups of tea, and they sat and grabbed theirs. Usually, they would have sipped quietly, perhaps exchanging small talk until all three cups were empty.

Sun Hua, though, was quite aware that dallying would be somewhat rude under the circumstances. After only a few minutes, she cupped her hands. “Gratitude for seeing this Assistant, Master.”

Wan Ai was surprised by the slight breach in decorum but quickly mirrored the greeting. She was even more taken aback when Sun Hua told Master that Wan Ai had something she wanted to ask.

She glared at the other girl before saying, “Master, how effective are the pills in the manual at helping cultivators to become pregnant and at easing childbirth?”

“Uh,” he inelegantly said, obviously not expecting the topic. “Not very, to be honest. I mean, they’ll help, but…”

That answer was what Wan Ai had expected. A Minor Healing Pill produced miraculous results from one perspective, but when compared to a Major Healing Pill, which was far too advanced for a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator to make, it came up far short of what was needed in a lot of situations.

“Is there something I need to know?” Master said, eyeing both girls.

Sun Hua’s face went scarlet, and Wan Ai felt heat rise in her own. She forged bravely ahead, though.

“Zou Tian and I are to be married when we get back to the village, Master.”

“Ah.” Master sounded relieved. “That makes sense.” He paused. “When did Zou Tian propose?”

“He didn’t, Master.”

Master tilted his head slightly to the side. Normally, Wan Ai would have shrunk away upon being questioned, especially since her answers were sounding strange even to herself.

Instead, she took a deep breath. “Being apart had firmed my resolve, Master. I’m not scared anymore. I’m sure he’ll agree.”

“Well, good I guess. Congratulations.” He paused for a moment before smiling widely. “The sect’s first big wedding! I can’t wait.”

Wan Ai groaned internally but tried to keep her face placid. There was no point arguing with him. She just needed to get to the mayor before Master did.

He turned to Sun Hua. “And you? I wasn’t aware of you being courted by anyone.”

She nervously but resolutely explained the situation with Wu You.

“The main thing that I want is to have children, Master,” she said as the tale wound down, “But I can see how he’d be scared after what happened to his wife.”

“If I’m understanding this correctly,” he said, “you are considering marrying a man you just met who happens to be a member of a sect we’re basically at war with, correct?”

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Sun Hua tensed, but she nodded.

“I didn’t hear anything in all that about any great passion for him over any other guy in existence, right?”

She nodded again.

“It’s all about … having children?”

“Y-yes, Master.”

He frowned. “Wan Ai and Zou Tian met. They got acquainted. Their acquaintanceship deepened into something more until it became love. Now they’re talking about marriage and children. I understand and approve of that progression. Yours is giving me more of an issue.”

Sun Hua tentatively tried to speak, but Master held up a finger.

“Give me a moment to process this,” he said. “Arranged marriages are much more common here than where I’m from, so that part of things is a cultural issue that incumbent on me to overcome. Just because your practices are different than I’m used to doesn’t make them somehow wrong. It’s just that I’m an old dog, and new tricks can be a bit difficult for me to learn.

“My main objection is that I want to make sure you’re not settling for some random guy because you think he’s your only chance to get what you want.”

“He’s the first to express any interest, Master.”

Wan Ai couldn’t help but be impressed by her sect mate. The timid girl was standing up for herself in a very awkward situation.

“He won’t be the last, though,” Master said.

Sun Hua tried to interject, but he spoke over her.

“I know that your experience in the village has shaped your perspective of yourself, but you need to adapt to the changes. Being slightly older than your peers is meaningless when your lifespan expands to centuries. What really matters to your potential suitors is power. Think about what the Rising Tide Sect has shown at this tournament, how we’ve finished so much higher than anyone expected.

“We are a rising power.

“Then, think about your place in the hierarchy. When I’m not available, who is in charge? The twins and you. You are third out of the entire sect, and I don’t see that ever changing much, regardless of how big the sect grows.”

He smiled at her warmly. “I want you to be happy and to get married and to have as many babies as you could possibly want, but I also want you to know your worth. You are valuable. Understand?”

Much like Wan Ai would have been, Sun Hua was obviously uncomfortable with all the praise, but she faced up to it well.

“Yes, Master.”

“Getting to know this guy is fine, and if he’s the one you decide to marry, I will not object,” Master said. “I trust your judgment. Just, please, consider what I’ve told you.”

Sun Hua cupped her hands. “Gratitude, Master. This Assistant will do as you have instructed.”

“Good,” Master said. “Give me a second.”

He disappeared from the room in a blink, an occurrence that didn’t surprise either of the girls. Master’s Teleport ability was well known, and between all his techniques and his superior cultivation realm, he was extremely fast. Less than five seconds later, he popped back into his previous position, seated with a teacup in his hand.

He casually took a sip before placing the cup on the table in front of him. A small wood disk appeared in his hand, which he held out toward Sun Hua. “Obviously, things might get intense between our sect and your suitor’s. I do not plan on purposely attacking Foundation Establishment realm members, but there might be collateral damage. Give him the token, so I’ll know to protect him specifically.”

She swallowed hard and took the device. “Gratitude, Master.”

On an intellectual level, Wan Ai knew there were tensions between the sects, which logically were probably heading toward bloodshed. It was honestly hard for her to get her head around the fact that people were literally going to die, though. She figured that Sun Hua must be feeling the same way.

“Now,” Master said, “on to happier tidings—great grandbabies!”

Wan Ai couldn’t help it. She smiled. Though she didn’t know a lot about other sects, she suspected that not many of them had a sect leader who viewed all of his members like grandchildren.

“Way back before I was an all-powerful cultivator, my wife and I were friends with a couple who had fertility issues. They tried everything, spending all they could on the issue, and still could never get pregnant. I have a lot of sympathy for anyone having that kind of problem. Raising kids can be a challenge, but there is no greater strength on any world than a parent’s love for their child. Everyone willing should be able to experience that joy.”

Wan Ai’s smile grew even wider. She had suspected Master would feel that way. It was very nice that she was correct.

“There are three solutions to most problems facing a cultivator—a technique, a formation, and a pill,” Master said. “I don’t think that a technique, which requires an extreme time commitment, is right for either situation. A formation to aid conception seems … wrong. One would either have to be installed in each home, or the couple would have to travel to the formation.”

Wan Ai shook her head, her face heating at the thought.

Master grinned. “I think I can whip up a pill that will work just fine. Once you get to Golden Core, you can take over production.”

She cupped her hands. “Yes, Master.”

He turned to Sun Hua. “The pills will cost contribution points, but that cost won’t be ruinous. And they’ll work on the first try as long as all the instructions are followed.”

“Gratitude, Master.”

“As for childbirth, I think that a formation in the Healing Pavilion is the right path. Pills will help, but the best methodology is having trained professionals with the right equipment guide the process. That service will again cost contribution points but not much. And no member of my sect will ever be denied lifesaving healthcare just because they don’t have enough points.”

Wan Ai didn’t know much about other sects or about the world outside her village, but she understood that life was often not fair. Until relatively recently, she’d lived in near starvation while waiting for the day spirit beasts burst into the village and kill everyone. The fact that a man’s wife and child died because he couldn’t afford pills to save them did not surprise her.

Hearing her master’s words, she made two vows—one, to remember how fortunate she and her sect mates were and, two, to use what resources she had to help others avoid the fate of that poor woman and her baby.

“Gratitude, Master,” both girls chorused.

Benton had been obliquely aware of issues with cultivators and pregnancy, but it hadn’t been something he’d paid much attention to. Now that his sect members were getting to a stage where it was relevant, it was worth it to him to make sure that those problems went away. Completely.

Though the conversation had touched on awkward subjects, it had been nice to give his sect members exactly what they wanted and needed. But it was that thought that made him sigh as Wan Ai and Sun Hua left the room.

His next conversation would surely not go as easily.