This is a super late response, but reasons why ML took LX (protag) as disciple are various and all stemming from his guilt from perving on his own disciple. Master-disciple relationship aside (it's considered kinda incestual, since it's kind of father-child in tone), ML raised MC from a tiny baby to his current age. MC is no longer a baby, but ML thinks of himself as this huge sinful pervert MC needs protecting from and that's why he distances himself. He takes on LX sorta to distract himself, I think (and LX also has plot armor, so).