Zhao Yao's grinned from ear to ear.
He could cultivate at last. He wasn't able to control his excitement.
Zhao Yao created all sorts of characters, MCs with genius aptitude who breakthrough levels with less effort than they take to fart and low aptitude MCs who received the aid of a treasure or skill to cheat their way to the top.
Zhao Yao wondered about his aptitude in cultivation. He hoped that he had genius-level talent so that he can gain double with half the effort.
"Master, what do you think of my aptitude for cultivation?"
"Does it matter. If you chose to dedicate your life in pursuit of cultivation, your aptitude shouldn't matter to you." Immortal said casually.
"Just curious. I could mentally prepare if I knew about that beforehand." Zhao Yao gave an excuse, even though he didn't agree with his Master's words.
He believed in the importance of higher aptitude in the usual cultivation world because it differentiated the high achievers from the general cultivators who was going to waste time.
Readers love to read about a low talented teen with the nickname 'trash' achieve the peak of cultivation through their hard work. They see themselves in them and enjoy seeing their success.
But most of these so-called hardworking 'trash' were geniuses in disguise. Typical cliche.
Their lost or unassuming parents will later become Powerful cultivators of a different realm. These so-called weak and hardworking protagonists were never actually weak.
If someone is born weak and talentless, it was extremely hard for them to move or achieve more than a talented one.
Unless it's the MC himself with unbreakable plot armor and God tier cheats.
Zhao Yao personally called this the "NARUTO BULLSHIT." Almost everyone will love this anime initially, and if they think about its theme and MC's abilities, in the end, they will get enlightened to Zhao Yao's opinion above.
'I forgot to add something else...Enormous luck.'
People on Earth could achieve greatness despite their lower status. But 90% of the cultivation novel showed that talent matter unless one was extremely lucky.
Two worlds were different as well. Earth was generally peaceful during his Era, but almost all cultivation worlds run on the philosophy of the survival of fittest and hierarchy.
Zhao Yao looked at his Master with expectation.
"Your aptitude....hmm..should be better than mine." Immortal Lu said after some thinking.
Zhao almost jumped with excitement as those words meant that his aptitude for cultivation was higher than someone who reached the Martial God status.
He could achieve unimaginable heights in cultivation, especially with the tutelage of a powerful Martial God himself.
'I am going to surpass you, my dear Master.'
But, there was something that also confused him. During these kinds of situations, most Senior cultivators will downplay the disciple's aptitude below theirs so that they don't lose face.
Looks like his Master, Immortal Lu, was weird, after all. Why was he acting like a simple person? If not for the unimaginable abilities he displayed, even Zhao Yao wouldn't believe that the person in front of him was an Immortal.
"Yao'er." Immortal Lu called in a worried tone.
"Yes, Master."
"Do people use this cliff for suicide?" Master asked Zhao Yao an unexpected question.
"Suicide?" Zhao Yao tried to remember before answering. "Not really since access to this cliff is only for Zhao clan members, the general public can't use this cliff. But there are rumors about disappeared Zhao clan members to have jumped off the cliff."
"That's good then. It doesn't look like many people use this cliff for what you did," Immortal Lu sighed.
"Master, why did you ask?" Zhao Yao picked up fruit in front of Merry and started eating.
"It's bad to see people use the cliff you created to commit suicide. So it's good to know that not many used it like that." Immortal Lu said without any expression.
"What? You created this cliff?" Zhao Yao spat out the fruit pieces in shock and stared at his Master. "This isn't a naturally formed cliff?"
Immortal Lu shook his head and with a slight smile. "This pasture land used to be part of the forest below. I had to raise this land after you...your Ancestor nagged me for a long time."
"Why?"
"To protect the land and it's people from the Demon beasts."
Zhao Yao didn't say anything else. He was surprised by what he heard. Once again, thoughts that his master was bluffing came to his mind. But he also wanted to believe him, after all his master showed some of his incredible power.
Maybe his Master was someone with incredible capabilities who also bluffs for fun.
'If he is a Martial God, he could do it.' Zhao Yao concluded. He realized that he was too skeptical and thus seeing his Master's words with suspicion.
'I should stop doing this.' Taking a deep breath, Zhao Yao asked something that puzzled him.
"Master, so what made you visit this place?"
"Zhao brat borrowed one of my things. So I came to take it back." Immortal Lu replied.
"A long time ago? Why didn't you get it before?" Zhao Yao felt more suspicious.
"You see, I was cultivating." Immortal Lu didn't answer him properly.
"Master, What is it that you are looking for?"
"A spirit garment that Zhao brat borrowed from me for research. The one I was using got ruined, so I came to get it back." Immortal Lu shook his head as he chuckled, reminiscing the past.
"Where could that be then? With the Patriarch?" Zhao Yao wondered. He never heard anyone from the Zhao clan mention anything about a spirit garment.
"It's below." Master pointed towards earth beneath them. "It's underneath the meadow. Is there an underground building?"
"Underground...then it must be in Ancestral Palace." Zhao Yao looked at his Master in shock.
"Ancestral Palace, huh." Immortal rubbed his jaws. "How do I get inside? I was thinking about talking to your clan leader about getting my thing. Considering my familiarity with the Zhao brat, I thought they will let me inside." Master said seriously like he considered the Spirit garment very important.
"They won't believe you." Zhao Yao fiercely shook his head. "They will attack you when you say you know the Founding Ancestral from 500,000 years ago. Even I still have a hard time believing that you are alive after that much time. No one heard cultivators live that long. But you could..."
"Could?"
"You can overpower the entire clan through force and show your superior standing." Zhao Yao watched his Master's expression carefully.
"Using force, huh? That will be too much hassle." Immortal Lu rejected the idea without much thought. "Then I will just sneak in."
"Aren't you strong enough?" Zhao Yao probed then continued. "You know a way in?"
"Haha." Immortal Lu laughed at his disciple's question.
"No, but since it's underground, I can just dig a tunnel from here and a break-in. After taking my spirit garment, I will just leave then."
"How is it that easy? Are you confident of doing that without alerting the clan?" Zhao Yao was doubtful.
"Pretty much. I think I can do it without anyone noticing, even if there are protective enchantments." Immortal Lu said with a smile and then added. "But nothing is certain, there is always a possibility of not going well as I think."
"Are you going to break in now?" Zhao Yao's heartbeat rose thinking about what he heard. He grew more and more suspicious of his Master.
"Yes, since you recovered, there is no need to delay." Immortal Lu's words confirmed his suspicions.
"No. Please wait, Master." Zhao Yao thought hard before continuing. "Master, I beg you not to break in now."
"Why?"
"Because if somehow your attempt alerted the clan, I may not get a chance to clear my name. I can get revenge by joining you in clearing the Palace, but that type of revenge can be sought anytime for me. Urgently, I somehow have to dismantle the trap Zhao Ping laid for me."
"If not, I will always be marked with the crime I didn't commit."
"I urgently need my Spirit garment."
"If its clothes, I can help you with that."
"You can?" Immortal Lu pondered.
"Yes. So please Master, please be patient for some days. for the sake of this disciple of yours." Zhao Yao bowed and requested. He had to somehow stop his Master from breaking into the Ancestral palace.
"Yes, I wait as you say. So, what are you planning to do?" Immortal Lu nodded much to Zhao Yao's satisfaction.
"I need to go back to the clan first and think." Zhao Yao replied.
"If you can give me a cultivation manual, I can start without wasting any time."
"You need a calm mind when you start. So go back to the clan and rest."
Zhao Yao stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave. The sun started showing it's dominance over the land but it wasn't at its peak yet.
'It's not that anyone will worry for me, but surely Zhao Ping must have noticed that I went missing.'
Zhao Yao looked back and after making sure his Master wasn't looking at him, he thought about the things he heard just now.
It scared him.
He was ready to trust his Master but now he got suspicious of his behavior.
He tried his best not to think in front of his master due to his fear of mind reading.
Zhao Yao feared that he became a disciple to a powerful thief. He had many reasons to believe that.
Zhao Yao's first impression of his savior was that he was a bluffer, especially considering that he claimed to be friends with someone who died 500,000 years ago.
That was the first big red flag. Now thinking back to the conversation, Zhao Yao remembered Immortal Lu asking details about Founder Ancestor before claiming they were friends.
'So, he may be making up things. Why? Is it because he tried to get information from me before robbing the Ancestral Palace?'
He wasn't sure whether he can help or not.
Zhao Yao also noticed that his Master was unusually kind and amiable than a typical robber.
He was thoroughly confused.
'What have I gotten myself into?'
Zhao Yao was worried, but he wasn't scared. He didn't regret his actions because he still believed that Immortal Lu was fated to his Master.
But he knew it was for his best interest to prepare himself for possible betrayal and silencing after the robbery.
Zhao Yao decided to trust in his Master and use him to the fullest until he gets more proof.
'Master, it doesn't matter whether you are a thief, a liar or a murderer. If you show me kindness, I will make your name eternal when I rise to the peak.' Zhao Yao swore.
He still had a little doubt about his own MC status. But, he truly didn't want to be a fodder NPC.
"As for the Zhao clan. F**k them." After resolving Zhao Ping's scheme, he decided to join his Master and clearout the Ancestral Palace.
Zhao Yao remembered Immortal Lu's claim that he was the reincarnated Founder Ancestor of the Zhao clan.
'Haha. Then no one is more eligible to rob the Ancestral Palace than me. I will rob my own grave.'