The Young Master had stepped away from the Beast.
Surrounded by the three men he thought of as his henchmen, Lei remained mostly silent. He did not need to say much for them to fill the air.
Doing so had allowed him to learn quite a bit.
First of all, their names. Shi, Fui, and Jin. When they didn't refer to one another by name, they used "Brother" or "Disciple". The latter was mostly used when they referred to themselves. "This disciple never doubted..." Was something Zhao Laohu had already grown tired of hearing.
Still, it was good to know. The word "Disciple" made the shadow around the word "Sect" seem not as dark as before.
They also talked about how they needed to train harder than ever to make sure not to disappoint their Young Master.
Their fervor and admiration were inspiring, but also incredibly embarrassing at times.
Overall, they struck Lei as airheads head over heels for their Young Master. They seemed harmless.
He also learned that the "Ravenous One-Eyed Tiger" Sect's competitors were mostly other "Tiger" Sects.
Different names were thrown out, but Lei counted six of them. The "Obsidian Tiger" and the "Ashen one-armed Tiger" were among them.
The three Disciples talked and talked about how they would beat up the Disciples from the other Sects, and how the Young Master had shown them which Tiger was truly stronger.
Additionally, Lei learned that his Pet was a Silver-Grade Beast, which didn't really surprise him. Though he had expected its Grade to be a bit higher. The Bronze-Grade Scorful Wolf seemed like a docile mutt in comparison after all.
The Young Master listened and guided the conversation by repeating certain words and expressions that the Disciples had used. Hearing him repeat the words urged them to talk more about it. Perhaps they simply liked their Young Master and wanted to speak as much as they could about things that could pique his interest. Perhaps it was because he so clearly outranked them that they felt the urge to fill the silence continuously.
Lei thought it was too soon to tell for sure.
'He sure is taking his time...'
The Personal Instructor Ui Feng appeared a minute later. He emerged from the forest that surrounded the mountain.
Lei had seen many fake smiles in the past. None compared to the one shown by Ui Feng, as he, with one hand, held a steaming cup, and with the other, pulled a young woman out of the woods.
Since he had appeared with both at once, the Young Master assumed that the young woman had made whatever filled the cup.
The two didn't seem to get along at all. Her cheek was red. She had, no doubt, been slapped moments earlier.
'Oh. That's what he meant.'
The young woman, pulled by the wrist, followed the Personal Instructor. She stumbled, unable to keep up his pace. Her knee hit the ground, and drops of tea dirtied the instructor's robe.
It was a dark robe, so the stain wasn't visible. Ui Feng didn't care about such details.
"You dare...!"
Whether it was visible or not didn't matter. The Young Master's tea had been spilled. It had been spilled on his robe.
Lei wasn't sure which one it was that angered Ui Feng more. Which one it was that held more value to him? His robe, or the Young Master's tea?
"Ui." The Young Master called out suddenly.
The Personal Instructor, whose palm was just about to reach target, stopped.
"I need it. Now."
"Of course, Young Zhao."
After talking for so long with the three Disciples, Lei felt strange about being called 'Young Zhao' instead of 'Young Master'. Sure, it might just be a way to make calling him more endearing, but there was a certain sense of belittling that came with it. Perhaps that was more because it came from the instructor.
Ui Feng stared dangerously at the young woman who, despite standing back up, didn't dare raise her gaze.
She flinched as the pressure around her wrist increased.
Ui Feng let go, and started walking towards the Young Master.
The latter was a bit too far to notice the flinching or the increase in pressure. But just the fact that Ui Feng had turned towards her before walking,
'It's the robe, huh?'
The thought that the drink might be poisoned suddenly entered the Young Master's mind.
He discarded. The two couldn't be scheming together and acting this way in front of him, could they?
'If he wanted to kill me... If they wanted to kill me, they could have done it earlier. Those three airheads seem completely devoted. Him... I'm not sure. Her... Wait, I'm not doubting him just because he hit her, am I? No... It is still scummy though. Not that I really care.'
The Personal Instructor walked a dozen steps forward before,
"Get to it, girl. We don't have all day." He ordered coldly without turning around.
She flinched, and ran back into the forest.
"What is it?" The Young Master asked as he was handed the steaming cup.
By asking, Lei had the intention of getting two answers at once.
"Jingu Tea, Young Zhao. Its healing properties are extraordinary. It will also aid in your Qi recovery. After so long, you must be depleted."
[Expertly-Made Jingu Tea: Made using the Jingu Medicinal Leaves. Drinking it will greatly aid your Endurance Recovery, Health Points Recovery, and will awaken your digestive system which hasn't been active for so long, allowing you to eat at a later time without encountering any issues.]
'Even the System says -so long- someone tell me how long!!'
"I apologize that it took so long, Young Zhao." The Personal Instructor felt the need due to the Young Master's silence.
The latter nodded, and took a sip. The System answering his question was a nice safety net. However, Lei didn't count on the System always answering such questions.
'Similar to how it was with that Goddess, intent is what dictates whether or not the System will answer.'
He closed his eyes momentarily.
Gulp-
Sigh-
Lei could feel that his body needed this.
"How is it?" Ui Feng asked, disturbing the Young Master's moment of peace.
"It's good."
The three Disciples' eyes widened.
"Huh?"
"Really?
"The Young Master likes tea?"
Lei clicked his tongue internally.
'Of course... It's not tea that this guy likes.'
He stared at the cup's contents for a couple of seconds.
"This one... Isn't bad. Especially after so long." The Young Master muttered, cursing internally for describing it as -So long- just like the others.
"The Young Master likes tea now..."
"This Disciple will start drinking as much tea as possible from now on!"
"This Disciple vows to do the same!"
The three Disciples declared a competition between them.
Which one will drink the most tea once they are back inside the Jade Capital? They have to compete, so as to not let their Young Master down! The one who will surely become the strongest inside the Mortal Realm!
'The Jade Capital... Capital of the Mortal Realm? Then the Realm is like a country-'
The Young Master furrowed his eyebrows for a moment.
'Status Window.'
[Name: Zhao Laohu.
...
Cultivation Realm: Mortal III.
...
]
'As I thought, Realm and Mortal are in the same category. But they talked about the Mortal Realm as a place. Huh. Then would that make the Mortal Realm...'
Unlike the Disciples, the Personal Instructor remained silent. It was strange for the Young Master to remain still and unmoving. For him to enjoy tea. For him to... Had he achieved a breakthrough? The goal of his training?
'The Realm of Mortals? They co-exist with Immortals? Immortals... That doesn't necessarily mean Gods. But it is a possibility. In that case, does that mean I could run into the Goddess who... Tsk. Let's circle back. Different Realms... That could mean different continents, right? One occupied by Mortals and the other by Immortals? And what differentiates Mortals from Immortals would be...'
Ui Feng suddenly turned around.
"I apologize for the delay once again, Young Zhao."
The Young Master stared at his Personal Instructor's back as he walked away. Surely, the other cheek would turn red now. Lei didn't mind. If anything, he thought it beneficial to him.
'What differentiates them is the Cultivation Realm that they... Have? Are in? Are at? Mortal III. Does that mean anyone can be an Immortal? I suppose that depends on whether or not it can be changed or increased. Maybe I'm just a Mortal III for life. A Mortal... Of the third level? Or maybe a third-rate Mortal.' The Young Master shook his head. 'It's-'
A shiver suddenly went down his spine.
It was barely audible, but Lei had noticed it.
The Beast that had remained silent ever since he had walked away from it growled. No, it wasn't loud enough to be described as a growl. The Young Master wasn't even sure if he could hear it.
'I can feel it...'
Killing intent. Rage. Hatred.
It wasn't directed at him though. Directed at him, was only fear. Immobilizing and endless fear.
'Did he try to tame it while Zhao was away? There were no new scars though...?'
The further the Personal Instructor got from the Young Master, the stronger that silent intent got.
The Young Master scratched his head.
It truly felt similar to suddenly acquiring some kind of sixth sense. It was almost disorienting.
Lei didn't hate it. Plus,
'Intent... The Goddess only heard the thoughts directed at her, the one I wanted her to hear. The System only answers when my words are directed at it. I don't need to call out -System- for it to answer. It reads my intent... Is this what's happening with that Beast? In that case...!'
The Young Master's eyes widened. He moved his gaze towards the Disciples suddenly, and they immediately shut their mouths.
"Who is she?"
The three stared silently for a couple of seconds. They seemed confused.
Jin's face lit up. The other two were quick to catch up.
"So she is to your taste, Young Master?"
"Oho!"
"Leave it to our incredible Young Master, having so much energy that even after-"
"Who is she?" The Young Master repeated, his tone colder.
The three Disciples pulled back so fast it was as if they were about to jump away.
They bowed and apologized repeatedly, which the Young Master felt was tedious and unnecessary. He didn't tell them that though.
"She's...?"
"Lyu? Isn't it?"
"Oh! I remember now! She works in the kitchen, doesn't she?"
"Yes! Oh! That explains why Lord Feng brought her to make the Jingu Tea!"
'These dumbasses...'
"I'm pretty sure her family sold her off."
"Lord Feng was kind enough to take her in. Refusing to leave her to the streets."
"Anything else?" The Young Master asked while making mental notes for their answers. What was most important to him though, was how the three Disciples referred to Ui as 'Lord Feng'.
"Nothing that comes to mind, Young Master."
"No woman would be crazy enough to deny you, Young Master! There's no need for..."
The Disciples kept going on and on and on. Lei was barely listening by this point.
"I think she sleeps in the stables though."
"She does? That kind of girl doesn't deserve the honor of..."
From that point on, the Young Master stopped listening.
'Huh.'
His gaze went back to the Silver-Grade Beast.
'Judging by the reins that's on it...'
The Young Master's lips curled upwards slightly.
'I can use that.'