10 Sora Su
Lucas sighed as he looked at the guards for the second time, but they still seemed tense. He wondered if it was because of his aura or the mysterious light ball that had killed nine bandits earlier.
He raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture and said, "I assure you, I'm not a dangerous person."
The guards were already on edge, their weapons pointed at Lucas, who seemed suspicious to them. He had appeared out of nowhere and killed the bandits, leaving the guards unsure of who he was or who had sent him.
"Who are you and what is your business here?" one of the guards demanded, trying to hide the fear in his voice.
Lucas raised an eyebrow, understanding why the guards were wary of him. His attire was different from his abilities, making him appear more mysterious.
"I am a rogue cultivator, as I said before. My name is Claus, and I am just passing through on my way to the nearest city. Have a good day," Lucas said with a smile, trying to continue on his way.
But before he could take another step, a young lady's voice came from inside a nearby carriage.
"Wait! Can I speak with you?" the young woman asked, her voice high with excitement.
Lucas turned to see the beautiful lady peeking out of the carriage window, her expression hopeful. He smiled and said, "Of course, I don't mind."
The guards were taken aback and whispered among themselves, worried about their lady's safety.
"Young Lady Sora, we can't let a suspicious person be near you!" one guard said quietly.
The young lady rolled her eyes and called out to Lucas, her hands beckoning him over.
"I am on a journey to find a potential partner. This is my chance to get to know him. It doesn't matter about his background; we can find that out later. What's important is his talent." She scolded the guards.
"But... what if he's an assassin sent by one of our enemies?" the guard countered.
"I have a life-saving treasure; I will use it if I need to. I won't let this opportunity slip away," she replied determinedly.
Lucas couldn't help but inwardly snicker at the situation. In his previous world, they would have thanked him and offered compensation, but this was a dangerous world and they had to protect themselves first.
"This is how dangerous the cultivation world is," Lucas thought to himself.
The guards didn't argue any further with their young mistress. They simply surrendered and called out for Lucas to come forward.
Lucas approached them, despite the fact that the guards were glaring at him with suspicion.
"Greetings, I am Claus," Lucas said, concealing his true identity.
The young lady, who had been captivated by Lucas, snapped out of her trance and smiled at him. "Hello, I am Sora Su, daughter of the Su family. I assume you're familiar with my family?" she said, introducing herself confidently.
Lucas was taken aback by her boldness. He had only been in this world for three days and had no knowledge of any famous families.
He forced a smile and replied, "I'm sorry, I haven't heard of your family. In fact, I'm not familiar with any famous families here."
Sora's cheeks flushed with embarrassment at his response. She had been trying to boast about her family, but it seemed to have backfired.
"I apologize, I didn't mean to brag," she said, her lips twitching with discomfort.
Lucas simply chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
"So, where are you headed?" she asked.
"I'm on my way to the next city to cultivate and sell some of my cores so I can have time at a cultivator's place," he answered.
"So you're a powerful person in reality. Can I ask what you used earlier?"
Lucas was ready with an answer. He smiled, "It's just a treasure, but I can't show it to you since it's a secret."
"Oh, I see. Can I ask another question? Despite your clothes, I can sense a noble aura coming from you. I can't help but wonder if you're hiding your identity?" Sora probed.
Lucas was quiet for a moment, and the guards outside stiffened at her observation. They were afraid that they might have offended someone from a prestigious family and were more worried about the consequences of their recklessness than for their own safety.
Lucas thought about her speculation before giving a nonchalant shrug. "Guess if you want to. But even if you're right, I won't confirm or deny it," he said with a smirk.
Sora inwardly rolled her eyes before speaking again. "I understand. If you don't mind, would you like to join us to the nearest city? We're making a stop there, and I'd be happy to escort you if you'd like."
"Sure, that would be great. Thank you," Lucas replied with a nod.
"Guards, let's get moving," Sora ordered.
The guards bowed, rode on the coachman's seat, and swung the reins.
"So, Sir Claus, what do you do for a living?" Sora asked, tilting her head to get a better look at Lucas's face.
"I'm a rogue cultivator," Lucas replied, keeping his answers brief.
"But, how do you gather resources as a rogue cultivator?" Sora asked, impressed by Lucas's cultivation level.
"I cultivate normally," Lucas said with a small smile.
"And how old are you?"
"I'm 18," Lucas said with a grin.
Sora's eyes widened in surprise. "At 18 years old, and already at the peak of the Apprentice Spirit Realm? You must have a natural talent for cultivation. You must have started years ago, huh."
Lucas couldn't help but ponder her words. Perhaps he was more talented than he initially thought. He decided to enjoy this world and see where his cultivation would take him.
"Am I really that talented? By the way, I only started... a month ago." Lucas said, seeking confirmation if he really had progressed well.
"What? Yes, you are!" Sora exclaimed. "It usually takes years to fully grasp a cultivation technique, but you're already at the peak after only starting last month. What are you waiting for before you breakthrough?"
Lucas couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. "Thank you for the compliment."
Outside the carriage, the guards were talking amongst themselves, trying to figure out why their young lady was acting so strangely. They ultimately shrugged it off, deciding that it was good for her to not be too arrogant.
