Leopard gave Lu a cup of warm water before taking his seat again. Lu had waited patiently for a while already. So, when his Master got up and prepared something to drink instead of talking at once, he wasn't sure whether to continue waiting or express his impatience again. But Leopard's atmosphere had turned a little more somber. Maybe he was going to stop playing around.
Leopard held his own cup of warm water in his hand as he looked at Lu.
"What caught my interest was your world essence. That's not the only reason why you became my disciple. But without that, I wouldn't have bothered talking to you."
"My world essence?"
'What am I supposed to do about that?'
Lu knew he had world essence. That was how Blessings and stuff worked. But he didn't know what set him apart from every other twerp with a half-decent Blessing. Moonlight Stroll was good, but it wasn't that good.
Leopard nodded.
"I don't know how since you're new to this world. But your world essence, even without any aid, is impressively rich, pure, and dense. If you continue like this before practicing essence condensation, your path of cultivation will be very easy, I guess is the best way to put it. You will be stronger than others at the same level, you won't have the same trouble with breakthroughs, and you will advance quicker."
Lu furrowed his brow. He wasn't sure what even half of all that meant. But being better than others sounded good.
Leopard continued talking after a brief water-sipping pause.
"After discovering that you achieved that without any help or backing, I couldn't help but be curious to see what would happen if you had the guidance of a master practitioner such as myself."
Leopard had a smug expression as he puffed out his chest slightly.
"Don't you agree?"
Lu didn't answer at once as he was busy thinking about what Leopard had said.
"So you're saying I'm a rare seed that managed to grow an impressive sprout in the wild. You're wondering how great the plant I will grow will be if cared for by an experienced farmer?"
Leopard nodded.
"That's an interesting metaphor, my bright disciple, but it's accurate."
Lu looked at his Master, still not convinced.
"...So, you didn't kidnap because you like little boys?"
Leopard splashed Lu with his water.
"Get your head out of the fucking gutter, you horrible brat. I like women, women my age!"
Lu chuckled and wiped the water with his sleeve.
"I was just making sure."
Lu shrugged.
"But what now?"
Lu found out why Leopard wanted him as a disciple. He couldn't do anything about it for now since he wasn't sure what to do. But he had a Master with ulterior motives already laid bare. It was just that his Master was postponing the necessary gifts.
And Lu had a feeling that an appropriate condensation art would be among those delayed gifts. He also had a feeling that learning how to condense his world essence would make it more difficult for others to notice his apparently exceptional world essence.
Leopard crossed his arms, or what remained of them, at least, and nodded. He spoke up after a while.
"You're going to continue what you're doing, sharpening your world essence, and I'll go look for a suitable condensation art for you. It would be a shame to make you practice something shitty and waste your potential."
Lu nodded. It was as he had expected.
"Before that, can you help me with something?"
Leopard raised an eyebrow.
"Depends. What is it?"
"I lost a precious necklace a while ago, but the person who picked it up is coming here pretty soon."
"So?"
"It's just that he doesn't like me and won't hand over the necklace."
"Bah!"
Leopard scoffed and waved his hand.
"Deal with bullshit like that on your own, you ungrateful disciple. I have important stuff to do."
Leopard stood up and began to leave the house.
Lu could only watch him walk out. He sighed. It looked like his Master was useless.
'Ah!'
Lu realized something.
"Wait a minute!"
Lu stopped Leopard before he could close the door behind him.
"Yes…?"
Leopard popped his head back in and looked at Lu with a raised eyebrow.
"What happens if someone tries to make me their disciple like you did?"
Leopard furrowed his brow.
"Good point. Don't tell anyone my name. Just refuse."
"Cause that worked so well this time."
"Hmm…"
"Well?"
"Just say you've received some of the Eccentric Wanderer's teachings. That should get most people off your back."
"And who's…"
'Who's that?'
Lu couldn't even finish his question before the door slammed shut behind Leopard. Lu rushed to it and opened it. But the alley was empty. His Master had abandoned him.
"Fucking bastard."
"I heard that."
Lu looked up. He saw his Master's rag-like coat flutter as he ran away on the roof.
'Fucking bastard.'
Lu scowled. But only for a moment before his face lit up. The old goat was gone. It was most likely temporary, but it was better than nothing. Lu didn't have to worry about being kidnapped by a strangely powerful old man.
He was free to do what he wanted now.
Lu had gotten side-tracked, but he could focus on what he had come for. He also didn't have to look for a better condensation art. Hopefully, Leopard would solve that for him. So, he just had to gather intel about the city and the young heir of Count Lito.
Lu left the building, still mulling over the mystery of that golden statuette. He couldn't even make the golden turtle budge, but the old man picked it up like it was a feather along with the rest of his trinkets. The simple answer was that the old man was strong, which Lu knew he was.
But that was another mystery in its own right. How was an old man so strong?
The only answer Lu could think of was the essence condensation cultivation Leopard had talked about. Just thinking about it, Lu had to admit that he understood what Leopard had talked about. He wanted to get strong.
Being strong would make it a whole lot easier to bring other people's stuff to their rightful owner, him.