31 No Advantage (1/2)

”My dad doesn't love me anymore,” the boy said.

Shura had been listening attentively. At this moment, His jaw dropped. His mouth was wide open.

”This…”

The problem of the boy was something he could never have imagined. He could never have imagined that it was about a parent-child relationship, he never saw it coming at all.

He didn't know about these things because he was an orphan. He had never known his parents.

His feelings told him that for this boy's trouble to be only this much, everything was fine. It wasn't too much of a trouble. Shura was happy for the boy because his trouble didn't seem too big. It wasn't something as nigh-impossible to accomplish like bringing the dead back to life or becoming the strongest cultivator in all the countless worlds.

Shura then thought back to himself and made a comparison. No matter how large or small, everyone had troubles and worries. If not this, then that.

Now that he thought about it, would he ever find out about his parents one day? Were they alive or not? Who were they? Even if he became the strongest ever if he didn't know his origin, where he came from, then what did strength matter?

The Old Geezer was right, strength for strength sake isn't enough.

”Why does your dad not love you anymore?” Shura asked. The question was an awkward one.

”It's because I don't practice and cultivate as much as he wants me to. Cultivating is so boring, why would I want to do it?” the boy asked.

Shura subconsciously scratched his head. This question was asked at the wrong person. Shura was a cultivating maniac. Cultivating wasn't boring, if there wasn't cultivation, then would there be a Shura?

”I'm going to help you, in a way, I'm also helping myself. I have this Old Geezer in my mind. He's supposedly the soul of a Spirit Saint. Take him as your teacher. He'll teach you to be strong. Maybe he'll give you a trick or two so you don't have to cultivate a lot, but you would still be able to impress your dad. As long as you become strong, there's nothing you can't accomplish. Someone you don't like? Beat them up, something you don't like? Beat them up too.”

”You're telling me to go and beat up my dad?” the boy asked innocently.

”Uh… no, but… if you're strong, you wouldn't need to cultivate and practice, then your dad would love you again? Everyone loves the strong after all,” Shura replied. He found this to be quite awkward.

”This is awkward, are you really sure your dad doesn't love you because you don't like practicing cultivation?” Shura looked at the boy in doubt.

”Mister, beating people won't solve everything, you know?” the boy said.

Maybe the boy was just making a fuss out of nothing? A Spirit Saint watching over your shoulders shouldn't be bad for him anyway, whether he had a problem or not.

”Who taught you this, boy? Is everyone not trying to become stronger than other people so they can beat them up and have the world going the way they want them?” Shura said.

”I don't know,” the boy said.

”Well, you're still young, boy. Don't worry about it. Everything will be fine in time. Take this Old Geezer. If he doesn't teach you to be a peerless expert, at least his wisdom will help you. You have nothing to lose.”

Shura looked at the boy with expectations. The boy looked back at him. They then both burst out laughing.

”Mister, are you dumping someone you don't like on me?” the boy finally asked after quelling his laughter.

”How did you know?” Shura asked. Shura had stopped his laughter with difficulty himself, there were tears in the corner of his eyes.

”I'm smart,” the boy said.

”You know what? If you don't like him, just find someone else to give him to,” Shura said.

”Young man, what do you take me for?” the Old Geezer said with annoyance in his mind.

'An old man that I don't want to live with,' Shura said in his mind resolutely.

”Okay, I'll take your Old Geezer, Mister,” the boy said.

'Yes!' Shura exclaimed in triumph in his mind.

'Old man, how do I send you to him?' Shura asked.

'Touch his forehead with yours and I'll do the rest,' the old man said in his mind.

Shura did as instructed and he touched his forehead with the boy's forehead. And then he could physically feel the old man leaving him and entering the mind of the boy.