Fantasy World: I Can Travel To Cultivation World

Luis stepped onto the thick carpet. The soft, comfortable texture gave him the illusion of walking on clouds. After settling into his seat, he squinted at the grand crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The chandelier, composed of eight magical crystal lamps with a diameter of three meters, illuminated the entire banquet hall as if it were daylight. The magical energy radiating from it filled every corner with a warm, steady glow.

His gaze dropped to the long banquet table. A dazzling array of exquisite dishes and expensive wines had been laid out in front of him. Even the tableware was crafted from pure gold, engraved with the emblem of the Modiwen family.

Too damn rich and wasteful!

Luis couldn't help but reflect on the half-elves, recalling what he knew from memory.

The half-elves and goblins were famed as the two best business-oriented races in the world. If goblins earned their reputation through their sharp, shrewd business tactics, then half-elves relied on a different strength—women's politics.

That's right. Half-elf beauties were renowned throughout the world. By sending these women to influential powers, half-elf merchants established vast networks of connections, covering every corner of the continent and amassing immense wealth for Silvermoon City.

Naturally, such riches attracted envy and greed.

To protect themselves, the half-elves willingly submitted to the Azov Kingdom, paying substantial annual tributes in exchange for the empire's protection.

With the kingdom as their benefactor, the half-elves took a complacent stance. Their military was woefully lax, boasting only 50,000 regular troops, with rumors of their combat effectiveness being dismal.

And why wouldn't it be? Luis thought. When you're this wealthy, who'd want to risk it all on a battlefield?

While these thoughts swirled in his mind, the banquet officially began.

The old king raised his glass and delivered a faint, unclear toast in his feeble voice. It was so monotonous that Luis felt his eyelids grow heavy.

The entire dinner was unbearably dull.

Vera, sitting nearby, maintained a stoic demeanor, adhering strictly to the principle that "silence is golden." She responded with curt phrases like "okay," "yes," or "right," only speaking when absolutely necessary.

Her detached attitude was far from what one might expect from a woman about to marry into the half-elf royal family. Yet, none of the Modiwen royals dared to complain. Instead, they worked diligently to serve her and scrambled to find topics of conversation, desperate to prevent the atmosphere from becoming unbearable.

Luis felt secondhand exhaustion watching their efforts.

At the other tables, the half-elf nobles barely dared to make a sound. The only noise in the grand banquet hall was the soft clinking of knives and forks on plates.

At last, the meal concluded, and the maids quickly cleared the long table.

Soft, melodious music filled the room, signaling the start of the dance.

Yet, the awkward tension persisted.

Vera stood stiffly, like a wooden doll, ignoring everyone around her.

Next to her, Prince Tupe's face turned green with suppressed anger, but he forced himself to keep smiling.

At this moment, Tupe didn't dare to ask Vera to dance, fearing her rejection.

Elsewhere, Arthur danced with Li Xuan, while Xiao Wei swirled gracefully with Sophia. Luis, however, stayed seated, observing the scene with a calm expression.

A group of half-elf noble girls gathered around him, their intentions clear. Word had spread that the Future Baron of the North was still unmarried, and each hoped to try her luck.

As the beautiful faces flitted past him, Luis smiled politely but declined each approach.

To be honest, he wasn't interested in any of the half-elf noble girls.

Sure, they were beautiful, but none could surpass Luo Li.

And when it came to status, they were leagues below her.

Half-elf women were famously considered the "best lovers" in society, but the title itself came with a stark limitation.

Lover—not wife.

Any rational human noble understood this distinction. Half-elf beauties might dazzle as lovers, but marrying one into a noble house was unthinkable.

The reason was straightforward: in the Azov Kingdom, only purebloods could inherit titles. Whether human or goblin—like Mufasa—purity was paramount.

With both Vera and Luis showing such disinterest, the banquet's atmosphere grew stiflingly awkward.

To make matters worse, the elderly half-elf king fell asleep right in his chair.

By eight o'clock, the queen announced the banquet's early conclusion.

"I'm terribly sorry that you didn't enjoy the banquet," the queen said apologetically, approaching Luis and Vera personally.

Luis offered her a polite smile. "Your Highness, you're too kind. In truth, we're quite tired from the long journey and were planning to rest early."

The queen nodded, her expression turning cryptic. "Are they well?"

Luis responded with a simple nod. "Yes."

They were, of course, referring to the fairies secretly traded between the two factions—an arrangement neither could openly discuss.

"Good," the queen said with a slight smile. She turned to Prince Tupe. "Tupe, escort our esteemed guests to their quarters."

"Yes, Mother," Tupe replied through gritted teeth, visibly forcing his composure.

After bidding farewell to Luis and Vera, the queen approached the slumbering king.

"Let me help," she said, but Prince William stepped forward first.

"Mother, allow me," he offered.

"Very well. Take His Majesty back to his chambers. I'll oversee the guests' departure."

"As you wish."

Prince William guided the sleeping king to his bedroom, dismissing the servants as they arrived.

"You may all leave," he instructed firmly.

"Yes, Your Highness," the servants replied before retreating.

The moment the doors closed, the king, who had appeared weak and frail moments before, opened his eyes.

He sat up swiftly, his movements agile and deliberate, shedding his feeble facade.

Gone was the image of an old and dying monarch; now, his eyes sparkled with vitality, and his tone was firm.

"What do you think of your brother marrying the adopted daughter of the Duke of the North?" the king asked sharply, his commanding presence filling the room.

Prince William, keeping his gaze lowered, replied calmly, "I will follow your arrangements, Father."

Tupe, the second son, had married the adopted daughter of the Duke of the North. This development clearly made Prince William, the eldest son, uncomfortable.

However, Prince William didn't dare to express his dissatisfaction.

"I'm asking what you think!" the half-elf king pressed, his tone sharp and unrelenting.

"I... I have no idea..."

"Bang!"

The old king swung his scepter with surprising speed, striking Prince William hard on the knee.

William cried out in pain, falling to his knees before his father. "Father, I truly don't dare have any complaints!" he pleaded.

"Fool!" the king roared. "Do you honestly believe it was my decision to send Tupe to the North to marry Vera?"

"I... I…"

"Explain!"

"I really don't know…"

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

The king lashed out repeatedly, his scepter raining blows on William's back like a storm.

Poor William didn't dare resist. He endured the strikes in silence, letting out occasional screams as if to evoke sympathy from his father.

After what felt like an eternity, the old king finally grew weary and stopped.

He sank back onto the bed, breathing heavily, and spat out his fury.

"You don't know? You are the crown prince of this kingdom, the future leader of the half-elf clan, and you don't know?

What will you do when the enemy stands at our gates, the half-elves face extinction, and your courtiers ask for guidance?

Will you tell them you have no ideas? That you don't know? You're a disgrace! If you weren't my only blood relative, I would've destroyed you long ago!"

Prince William, trembling and prostrate on the ground, dared not move.

Yet, his submissive demeanor only served to anger the king further.

The old king stared at his son, sighed deeply, and remained silent for a long moment.

William, still lying flat, hesitated before cautiously raising his head.

What he saw sent a chill down his spine. His father's eyes were cold and unfathomably deep—a look William had never seen before.

A sudden sense of panic gripped him. It felt as though something vital in his life had slipped irretrievably from his grasp.

Before he could voice his thoughts, the king broke the silence.

"William, tell me: what is the key to the survival of our Modiwen family?"

"To hold on tight!" William replied hastily, like a student finally recognizing a test question he could answer.

"Then explain what that means," the king demanded, his expression unreadable. Experience more tales on empire

William racked his brain, struggling to respond. After a long pause, he cautiously answered, "It means we should hold onto our resources and avoid taking reckless risks."

"Why should we avoid taking reckless risks?" the king asked, his tone still devoid of emotion.

William froze. Why was there another question?

The words "I don't know" nearly escaped his lips, but he swallowed them back, knowing it would only invite further punishment.

"I... I think... we should be cautious... because... betting recklessly is dangerous," he stammered, unable to come up with a more coherent answer.

The light in the old king's eyes dimmed even further.

With a resigned sigh, he explained patiently, "Giants are fighting, and if you, a frail dwarf, dare to join the fray without understanding your own strength, you will only end up crushed to pieces.

Your best option is to stay on the sidelines and observe.

No matter how much the giants threaten or tempt you, do not act until the situation becomes clear.

The few chips you hold may seem insignificant, but they are critical.

As long as you don't gamble recklessly, those chips will grow in value.

By refusing to side with either giant, you ensure that both will seek your favor.

This creates an opportunity to benefit from both sides and gives you more room to maneuver strategically.

Do you understand?"