Lucas and Arthur engaged in casual conversation, touching upon various topics such as people, the environment, and other matters. Despite having limited personal experiences to share, Lucas found the conversation to be quite enjoyable and enlightening, as he gained insights into the customs and norms of this world.
He learned that reputation and influence were of utmost importance, and even cultivators at the first stage could display a sense of arrogance. In this world, 40% of the population were cultivators, while the rest were mortals. This was due to the high cost of becoming a cultivator and the requirement of having a certain level of talent.
Cultivators often looked down upon those who were unable to sense aura, which was a result of their superiority complex acquired from having power. It was wise to avoid offending cultivators at the peak of the first, second, or higher stages, as they had the backing and resources to seek retribution. This behavior was unreasonable, but it was a reflection of the nature of the world where power is often corrupted.
During the conversation, Pearl and Felicity remained quiet, with Felicity's disdain toward Arthur likely being the reason for her silence. On the other hand, Pearl remained silent due to her uneasiness around Felicity, who was a stunning beauty despite wearing a plain robe that was unfit for her appearance. She had thought first that Felicity might Lucas's slave. However, seeing how she acts, she knew she misunderstood it.
Lucas noticed Pearl's silence and asked, "Pearl, are you feeling alright?" However, he lacked the social grace to ask in a polite manner, as he had no concept to act in such a way. After all, he was an immortal and the strongest man alive, and he saw no need to bow to anyone. His habits were deeply ingrained and would not change.
Being in a foreign world, Lucas struggled to blend in with the emotional and conversational customs, as they were deeply ingrained in his system.
Pearl was jolted out of her thoughts and gave Lucas a bewildered look. When Lucas noticed, he let out a soft chuckle.
"Don't mind me. I thought you were unwell since you seemed lost in thought," Lucas said, his tone friendly and reassuring.
"Ah, I'm sorry," Pearl replied, her voice tinged with embarrassment. "I was a bit preoccupied, that's all."
In truth, Pearl's mind was fixated on Felicity, who was sitting nearby. Felicity had sensed Pearl's gaze on her, but she didn't acknowledge it, not wanting to be rude while Lucas was talking to Arthur.
Lucas chatted with Arthur for a few more minutes, their conversation casual and without any serious purpose. Lucas wasn't interested in gathering information, as Felicity was more knowledgeable about cultivation than he was.
Finally, Lucas rose from his seat and said his goodbyes.
"Thank you for your time, Arthur, but we must continue our journey," he said, his tone polite but firm.
Arthur stood up and gave a small smile. "It was my pleasure, young master Lucas. Thank you for stopping by," he said, bowing slightly.
"Please, stop calling me young master," Lucas cut in, a hint of humor in his voice. "We're friends now, aren't we?"
"Of course, yes. Thank you for being a friend, Lucas," Arthur said, his face reddening slightly at the informal address.
Lucas chuckled. "Good. I've made a friend in this world. And you're a cultivator too, right?"
"Yes, I am," Arthur replied softly.
Lucas looked over at Pearl, who was quiet and distant, and said, "That's great news, Arthur! That means you'll live longer than 80 years, so we'll be able to see each other in the future." He then turned to Pearl and added, "And as for you, Pearl, make sure you take care of yourself. You're still vulnerable to illness."
Pearl nodded in response, feeling grateful for Lucas's concern. She smiled and said, "Thank you, young master."
But Lucas corrected her, "Please, don't call me 'young master.' Call me Lucas." Despite his immense strength, Lucas remained humble and didn't feel the need to flaunt it.
"Of course, Lucas," Pearl replied, still feeling a bit awkward.
Lucas noticed that Pearl was uncharacteristically quiet and wondered what was on her mind. "Pearl, is there something bothering you? If there is, feel free to ask me and I'll do my best to answer."
Arthur stiffened as he heard his daughter's question. He couldn't believe that his daughter was being so impolite to their guest.
"Excuse me for asking, but what is your relationship with this lovely woman?" she asked, hesitantly.
Arthur's horror returned, and he looked at his daughter in disbelief. Why was she asking that? Wasn't it obvious that they were a couple?
Lucas was at a loss for words. He didn't know how to answer. When he looked at Felicity, hoping she would answer instead, he saw that she had an unperturbed expression.
He didn't know how to describe their relationship in words. Was she his companion? But Lucas wasn't sure what level of relationship they had.
In reality, he considered Felicity a part of his family as they had shared so many life experiences together.
"She's..." Lucas started to say.
But before he could finish, Felicity cut him off with her own words.
"I'm his partner. We'll be entering the 10 Judgement Hell's Path together," she said with a confident voice.
Pearl was stunned. Did she feel jealous of Felicity?
She felt a pang in her heart as she looked at the two of them with a downcast expression. She realized that there was no chance for her, as there was such a gap between them. While Lucas lived at the top, she was just an average woman from a wealthy family.
She wasn't anything special. In fact, she was once confident in her beauty, but that pride crumbled when she saw Felicity's stunning appearance.
Lucas paid no attention to Felicity's words. He knew she was telling the truth – that they were both partners in their journey through the cultivation world and they would ascend together.
Arthur let out an impressed sigh. "That's amazing, Lucas! The 10 Judgement Hell's Path is a trial to ascend to the Upper Heavens, and I have no doubt that you will pass it with flying colors. You're so powerful at such a young age!"
Lucas furrowed his brows, "Young age? Did I mention it? I don't remember."
Felicity glanced at Lucas curiously, she had never had the chance to ask him his age.
Arthur suggested, "You never said, but maybe you're 30 now, right?"
For a moment, Lucas was silent. If he compared himself to his previous world, he was 18 years old, since that was his appearance. He became immortal when he reached the age of 50.
"I'm still 18," Lucas said finally, deciding to start living in this world as an 18-year-old.
But his words elicited unexpected reactions from those around him. Felicity, Pearl, and Arthur all looked at him with surprise and skepticism. Lucas didn't know the average age of cultivators in this world, or what 18 years old meant in terms of cultivation.
Felicity, her expression now composed, thought to herself, 'Good heavens! He's still 18 and yet so powerful?... Wait, I shouldn't believe him, this could just be a lie to appear superior.'
Pearl was in shock, 'Eighteen?! He's younger than I thought! Does this mean he's a prodigy in cultivation?!'
Arthur, trying to hide his disbelief, thought, 'Is this just another facade of Lucas? No one as powerful as him could be 18!'
Pearl, trying to lighten the mood, faked a laugh, "Eighteen?! You're still so young, Lucas. It's making me feel old. Hahaha."
"By the way, how old are you?" Lucas asked.
Felicity and Pearl both responded firmly, "That's rude."
Both Pearl and Felicity were momentarily stunned as they realized their words had jinxed each other. However, this realization also hinted at the similarities they shared.
But, before Felicity could dwell on this further, her expression suddenly darkened. Lucas immediately picked up on her change in demeanor.
"What's the matter?" he asked her, concern etched on his face.
Felicity cast a quick glance around the room before turning back to Lucas. "The city is surrounded by a large group of people," she said, her frown deepening. "They look like bandits."
Lucas was taken aback by her announcement. The city was large enough to accommodate five thousand people, yet Felicity was claiming that it was surrounded.
Despite the sudden shift in mood, Lucas couldn't ignore the gravity of the situation. He needed to know more.
"How many are we talking about here?"
Everyone in the room held their breath, waiting for Felicity's answer. They didn't question her knowledge, trusting that as a person with power, her information was credible. After all, Lucas was a friend of Arthur, and for now, that was enough for them.
Lucas, on the other hand, already knew how Felicity had come by this information.
Felicity was silent for a moment as she calculated the number. Finally, she said, "About ten thousand." The room was filled with stunned expressions as everyone absorbed the news.