Immortal Lu laughed as he watched Zhao Yao curse back at the Zhao clan members who gathered to mock at him.
'The kid got guts. And it was funny.'
After Zhao Yao left, Immortal Lu noticed something that made him worried among the crowd. His disciple's 'Go get one yourself' speech was quite effective as some of the clansmen's eyes had a special glint when they towards the grazing beasts. A dangerous one.
'May fortune help these poor beasts.' Immortal Lu prayed after realizing the consequences they may suffer due to the Merpf**ker cult his disciple gave rise to.
When he dropped Zhao Yao and Merry on top of the hill, he hid in his Innerspace and used his Immortal Sense to observe the clan.
He could instantly move towards a point his senses locked using his new Space traveling ability. It was a fun experience where he could travel using his Immortal sense without using his body. The Demonic beast that protected the clan and the clan leaders didn't sense his invasion.
Immortal Lu had a rough idea of the clan's strength, and he was confident in breaking into the Ancestral Palace and retrieving his Spirit garment without any trouble.
The power the Immortal Realm presented to him was endless.
Immortal Lu felt that whenever he unleashes his Immortal Qi, it changes him to a new version of himself. Stronger and wiser.
He was the same person in essence, but he became an existence that cannot be fathomable.
Immortal Lu felt like he could do anything as long as he willed it with his Immortal powers. But there was a cost for everything.
He knew that his power didn't adversely affect him, but if he used it unnecessarily without caution, then he will have to see something that he didn't want to see.
So, Immortal Lu sealed 95% of his Immortal Qi in his Inner Dimension as he didn't need to use his Immortal Qi that much. His regular Qi was sufficient for most of his activities. Since he didn't use his Immortal powers, he became more like the mortal he used to be.
His Inner Dimension was an endless space within himself that he attained after Immortality, and he could use it for various purposes, which included storing materials to even hiding parts of himself.
'If I had this Inner Dimension before my breakthrough, I could just store my Spirit garment in it without it getting destroyed.'
He wanted his Spirit garment urgently because it was uncomfortable using a regular cloth, and he had to focus on protecting the clothes whenever he used his Qi.
But, he decided to wait.
The Zhao clan was as large as the royal capitals of his times, but the people have changed. Despite being blood-related, they were disconnected from each other. Their lack of kinship appalled Immortal Lu.
Many young men and women have already broken through Core Establishment at the age where he was still in the early Qi Gathering realm.
Some kids were training in an open field, punching and kicking in a choreographed manner. Immortal Lu didn't have these sorts of activities during his times. He didn't understand why these young kids wasted time in the field instead of cultivating.
This clan abused and shamed Zhao Yao, and Immortal Lu wanted to see what he will do.
He had dedicated his whole life to cultivating, to reach higher realms, and to find the secrets of the world.
He wasn't sure whether Immortal Realm was the end of cultivation, he didn't want to believe it's the end.
Immortal Lu had an idea about a possible higher realm, but he didn't want to start focusing on that immediately.
Now that he was away from the world for over 500,000 years, Immortal Lu got curious about the world and how it changed.
After meeting Zhao Yao, he felt like he should enjoy the mortal life he cast away for cultivation and see how his disciple develops.
'Master...Oooyyy, Master. You said I can talk to you in my mind. Your disciple is going to die soon. Can you locate me and heal me.'
Immortal Lu heard Zhao Yao speak through the Imprint he put on his soul.
'Zhao Yao, what is it now?' Immortal Lu shook his head, and space traveled to his disciple's side.
*********
Zhao Yao told him why he thought Zhao Ping trapped him. Shaming his own brother to get his brother's woman.
"Master, I have a plan that can clear my name as well as enter the Ancestral palace. But I need your aid. You only have to wait 5 days. But first, please guide me in cultivation."
Immortal Lu had already decided to help Zhao Yao, but not actively.
"Yao'er, I will help you, but I will not fight your battles.
I will protect your life, but I will not attack anyone for you.
I will guide you in cultivation, but I will not force you to follow any path."
Zhao Yao looked at him in bewilderment and nodded with a smile.
"As expected of you, Master. I will fight my own battles. I will forge my own destiny and leave my name in the pages of history."
Immortal Lu smiled at his disciple, who again talked strangely.
'Maybe, it's the nature of people from a different world.'
"First, you promised me you will give me new clothes."
"Yes...yes." Zhao Yao rushed towards the box in the corner and picked up two different dresses from the floor. One was white with a silky smooth glow while the other one was more colorful, a mixture of red and yellow.
After he picked them up, Zhao Yao paused for some moments looking at them, and Immortal Lu felt like his disciple's eyes teared up a bit.
"This is what I have." Zhao Yao slowly walked to him and offered.
"You scolded me before for self-injuring, I did it to protect these clothes, or they would have taken these too."
Immortal Lu didn't say anything as he picked up the cloth and inspected it.
"This is made of good material, made especially for cultivators. This can withstand Nascent Soul Realm Qi up to a degree."
"This was my father's, and he was a Martial Lord." Zhao Yao said proudly.
Immortal Lu didn't know which realm Martial Lord was, but he guessed it's another name for the Nascent Soul realm. More than that, he happily observed his disciple becoming one with his other reincarnation.
"Why does it reek of wine? I will cleanse it." Immortal Lu felt the clothes smelled of old wine.
"NO." Zhao Yao reacted suddenly before stopping himself. "It was because the other Zhao's father was an alcoholic. He kept it like that for his father's memories."
'Still using 'Other.' My dear disciple, why are you not accepting yourself.' Immortal Lu shook his head.
"Then it's fine. You keep the cloths, I will wait for my Spirit garment."
"No. Master, please use this. It's better to be for these clothes of use to you than stay inside a box. I want you to use it. It's fine if it's you." As Zhao Yao said this, Immortal Lu saw a myriad of emotions flashing through his disciple.
'Yao'er, you hold me as a father-like figure? huh.' Immortal Lu couldn't help but smile. This was new experience for him. His new pestering disciple had a soft side too.
"Yao'er, I will take the white one. You keep the other one for your own use. It will be of great use to you since you are going to start cultivating."
Immortal Lu didn't waste time and changed into the white dress he gave him. It wasn't of the correct size to him, but he changed his body to fit the dress perfectly.
"Wait. Master, you can change your body?" Zhao asked in surprise.
"Yes. I actually don't have a mortal physical body. So the physical manifestation I use is morphable."
"Wooah. That's cool. Immortal realm makes you a ghost?"
Immortal Lu inspected his new outfit without answering. This cultivator friendly dress was much more comfortable to use.
"Master."
"What is it?"
"I think you should consider changing your appearance a bit."
"Why is that?"
"Master, you look too young for your age." Zhao Yao looked at him seriously.
"Too young? This is the natural appearance I got after I broke through the Rebirth realm."
"Maybe a beard or white hair could do."
"As you wish. But I won't change my hair color, I like my black color." Immortal Lu nodded since his disciple asked for it. He grew a trimmed beard.
"No..." Zhao Yao looked scared. "Nevermind."
Immortal Lu felt curious by his disciple's weird actions. He wanted to know what was going through Zhao Yao's mind. He wanted to read his mind.
'It should be fine. I am his master and have the duty to make sure he doesn't go astray...cough..cough.'
Thus Zhao Yao's inner thoughts were leaked.
'This is not good...This is not good.
My master is more handsome than me. I shouldn't have asked him. Now the beard enhanced his charm.
It should be fine if he was really a ghost. But, if he travels with me, all girls will go after him and will not mind me. This is not ideal for the MC.'
Immortal Lu tried his best to hold his laughter.
His own disciple was jealous of him.