Lingering unease settled over Shi Min as Rockie recounted the details of Solaris and his father. The weight of his words seeped into the very air of the study, thick and suffocating. It was as if the temperature had dropped, leaving an icy layer of tension between them.

"The old monk is not ordinary," Rockie began, his voice low, laced with the cautious edge of someone who knew they were dealing with something sinister. "He sensed our presence immediately the first time we arrived. As for Solaris—he has only his elderly father with him at home. His father always leaves at night and returns at dawn."

Shi Min's gaze remained locked on Rockie, absorbing every word with precision. He remained silent, his eyes slightly narrowed, his fingers tapping idly against the thick wooden desk.

Rockie took a breath before continuing, his voice growing heavier. "But this morning, his father returned—injured. And shortly after, we learned that Solaris was wounded too."

Shi Min straightened slightly, the pieces slowly falling into place in his mind. His jaw tightened.

Rockie leaned forward, lowering his voice into a whisper as if speaking too loudly might give their thoughts away. "Goldie and I believe it's not a coincidence. If one never left the house, how could they both be injured? We suspect they are the same person."

Shi Min felt the weight of the revelation settle in his chest like a stone. He inhaled slowly, controlling his reaction and forcing himself to think rationally. Yet, deep down, a single thought clawed at his subconscious.

'If Solaris and his father were one and the same… then how deep did this deception run?'

His fingers clenched slightly against the desk. He didn't like this. Not one bit.

"What injuries did he sustain?" Shi Min asked, his voice clipped, sharp.

Rockie's eyes hardened. "According to the servant that was bribed by Goldie, it's a deep wound on the right abdomen, right hand, and right knee."

Shi Min stiffened, his muscles tensing instinctively. His heartbeat quickened. A cold realization trickled down his spine.

'Could Solaris be the same evil cultivator from last night?'

Shi Min's thoughts immediately shifted—no, raced—toward Lily. She was involved with Solaris, and if their suspicions were correct, then she was already in danger. Perhaps far deeper danger than any of them had realized.

He wasted no time. His voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Summon Leeroy."

Leeroy who is guarding Lily on the sideline, felt a chill through his spine. When someone informed him that Shi Min was summoning him, he thought, 'No wonder I felt that chill earlier.'

Within minutes, Leeroy arrived. Shi Min briefed him swiftly, laying out every detail with precision and urgency threading through his tone.

Leeroy's jaw nearly dropped, but he quickly composed himself, his frame straightening in alarm. His usual calm demeanor faltered—this was no ordinary matter.

Shi Min's voice was firm, unwavering. "Increase shadow guards around Lily. Twenty-four seven."

Leeroy nodded sharply. "Understood, Young Master."

Shi Min then turned to Rockie, his tone steady but laced with simmering intensity. "Continue tracking Solaris. Follow his 'father' when he leaves at night."

Rockie didn't hesitate—he bowed slightly, his face serious. "Understood."

Shi Min sat back slightly, exhaling. "Dismissed."

Not long after, a messenger arrived from Solaris' estate, shifting uncomfortably under Shi Min's scrutinizing stare.

"Young Master Solaris cannot come for dance practice due to a bad cough and cold with fever," the messenger announced, bowing in apology.

Shi Min didn't even try to mask his reaction—he snorted, his lips curling into a sneer. 'Convenient.' He waved his hand in irritation, dismissing the messenger without another word.

After the training session, Shi Min summoned the group to the study for a meeting. The atmosphere was tense, thick with unspoken concern.

Kim Kim, perched comfortably in Four Eyes' arms, suddenly reached toward Shi Min, her small fingers grasping at the air. "Bro…der, carry…."

Shi Min's hardened expression softened for the briefest moment. Without hesitation, he scooped her up, letting her tiny fingers curl against his collar.

Once everyone was settled, Shi Min recounted Goldie's report, laying out the alarming evidence and their growing suspicions regarding Solaris. He turned toward Lily, eyes sharp but careful. "You need to stay vigilant around him. If he approached you, there's a reason behind it. A motive we haven't uncovered yet."

Kim Kim, who had been unusually silent, suddenly blurted out, "Yes, yes! Evil!"

A suffocating silence fell upon the room.

Four Eyes tensed, his frustration deepening. 'His gifted daughter was precious—but also terrifying in her insight. I must grow stronger. I must protect her.' He silently made a vow.

Lily hesitated for a breath before asking, "Kim Kim, do you mean Solaris is truly an evil cultivator?"

"Um," Kim Kim's little head bobbed vigorously, her movements precise, like a rooster pecking at grain.

Gasps rippled through the group.

A knock at the door cut through the tension. Shi Min's voice was steady and sharp. "Come in."

The door swung open, revealing the Samurai Man. His presence alone commanded the air—powerful, suffocating, radiating strength and authority. The room instinctively stiffened.

He strode forward, stopping before Shi Min, his expression impassive but unmistakably serious. "Young Master," he greeted, cupping his hands.

Shi Min wasted no time. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes," the Samurai Man replied without hesitation. "We investigated several temples. Two of them had underground chambers—with concealed defense arrays and formations. Altars lined with corpses of young women."

The air froze.

"These young women were virgins," the Samurai continued. "Sacrificed to absorb their pure spirit—used to maintain the evil cultivators' youth and power. They specifically target young virgin women from cultivator families—the purer their bloodline, the more valuable they are."

A wave of horror settled over the group.

"I have reported this to our Master and informed the Hidden Valley," he added. "They will not stand idly by."

Shi Min exhaled, nodding once. "Thank you."

The Samurai Man bowed slightly before vanishing into the corridor.

Fatty was the first to break the silence, his voice trembling. "What should we do? What if something happens to Lily?"

Shi Min's mind churned with calculation. "Solaris must be deeply wounded. He won't appear for a while. The Hidden Valley is aware now—and they will make their move."

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