Then — two figures materialized out of thin air.

The Celestial Masters had arrived.

"!!!!"

The sheer force of their arrival sent a tremor through the ground, and for a fleeting moment, Shi Min swore his heart stalled.

Teleportation talismans.

Their efficiency was beyond comprehension.

It wasn't just the ability to move across distances — it was the way they did it. Effortless. Silent. Precise.

Had any of them been weaker in spirit, their hearts might have given out from sheer shock.

"….."

'Can they at least give them a heads up.' Both Goldie and Rockie aggrievely thought as they held their chest, and their lost ego.

But Shi Min's gaze locked onto the two celestial masters with sharp precision. Despite their Samurai masks, despite the veiled mystery of their aura, he knew.

His blood ran cold.

One of them — the leader of the Seven Samurai.

Shi Min had seen him before. The warrior had stood by Ling Li's side, guarding her without faltering while she had been inside the alchemy.

The power radiating from his very being was undeniable.

This person was the First Shah.

The strongest of the Seven.

And now, he stood before them with the Second Shah.

A force unlike any other.

The Seven Samurai of Otako were more than mere warriors — they were legends. Known as the Seven Pillars, they stood as the unshakable foundation of Otako's domain, each possessing strength and mastery beyond mortal comprehension.

Their ranks were defined by an unbreakable hierarchy, with the First Shah reigning as the strongest among them — a force so unmatched that even celestial beings regarded his presence with reverence. His power was absolute, his command unquestionable.

Descending in rank, the Second Shah through the Seventh Shah carried their own unique strengths, each wielding abilities that set them apart, yet collectively making them an unstoppable force. Their roles weren't dictated by mere physical prowess alone. Each Samurai possessed talents honed through centuries of battle, disciplines that transcended time itself.

But what truly made them terrifying was not their skill alone—it was their immortality. Bound by fate, duty, and their sworn allegiance to Otako, these warriors had long forsaken the limitations of human existence. Their lifespans stretched into eternity, their spirits burned with undying resolve, and their knowledge of celestial and martial arts made them entities feared across realms.

To challenge the Seven Samurai of Otako was to stand against the very laws of existence.

Few dared.

Even fewer lived to tell the tale.

The two samurai warriors wasted no time, moving swiftly to dismantle the restraining array. One samurai examined the surroundings while the other swiftly began drawing intricate patterns into the air, his fingers leaving trails of glowing energy.

The air pulsed with sudden force.

Then — a deafening 'CLAP' sounded.

The shroud blanketing Solaris' house shattered.

Shi Min took a sharp breath.

"I'm afraid everyone inside is dead. The death aura and the smell of blood are too strong. Let's move in." The First Shah's words barely left his lips before everyone surged toward the house.

The moment they crossed the threshold, an unnatural chill clawed at their skin. The temperature had plummeted to the lowest degree, and their bodies instinctively stiffened.

The First Shah abruptly raised a hand. "Stop."

Shi Min and his men halted in place.

"Solaris is gone. Everyone inside is dead. We cannot waste time. Second Shah," the celestial master gestured toward his companion, "go with Shi Min and hunt him down. I will handle what remains here — the spirits are restless. They demand retribution." He also wants to check the place to understand Solaris more. If he could find information the better.

Shi Min clenched his fists but nodded. "Understood."

The Second Shah nodded in return before they propelled themselves forward, moving swiftly across the grounds.

When they regrouped with Mushu, El Padre, and El Capitan, the air was thick with tension — an unspoken weight pressing down on them like an unseen force. The moment Mushu set eyes on Shi Min, he didn't hesitate.

He dropped to his knees. Hard.

The force of his descent was enough to send dust scattering around him, but Mushu didn't care.

His breath was sharp and ragged — his normally unwavering composure shattered.

"Young Master, I failed to capture Solaris. I deserve punishment."

His voice was not just remorseful… it was anguished.

Mushu, the man who stood closest to Ling Li, the one who never faltered, who never allowed mistakes — was now forced to confront his failure.

For him, perfection wasn't just a trait — it was an expectation.

Yet here he was. Defeated. Overcome.

And this loss, this single flaw in execution, was a devastating blow to the very identity he had built.

Mushu's fingers curled against the ground, digging into the earth as his jaw clenched. His breathing was sharp and controlled, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed just how deeply this failure tore at him.

El Padre and El Capitan stood nearby, silent witnesses to the unraveling of a warrior's pride.

Shi Min observed him carefully, his gaze unreadable.

But deep inside, he understood.

Mushu wasn't asking for forgiveness.

He was demanding atonement.

Shi Min's gaze flickered sharply, his expression unreadable as he looked down at Mushu. His mother's trusted right hand — a man who never faltered, who held precision as his creed — was kneeling and head bowed in quiet devastation.

"It's not your fault. Get up." His voice was calm, but there was an undeniable edge to it — a weight behind the words.

Mushu hesitated for only a fraction of a second before rising to his feet, but the tension in his body remained. The failure gnawed at him. It was not something he could simply dismiss.

Then, their attention shifted.

The truth lay before them.

The household driver and maid — were brutally slaughtered.

Their skulls were nothing but hollowed remains. Their stomachs had been turned inside out, ravaged by something far beyond human cruelty. Their hearts and brains — gone.

Shi Min felt his pulse hammer violently against his ribs.

This slaying wasn't a simple murder.

It was consumption.

Solaris hadn't just killed them — he had fed on them.

The realization settled like lead in his chest.

The Second Shah stepped forward, his gaze grave and piercing. His presence alone was enough to command silence.

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