Following Master Talia's instructions, Jalen arrived at the brothel at seven p.m.
Before heading out, Jalen created a shadow clone and left Jael behind in the hotel suite they'd rented earlier. The clone pulsed with a fraction of his awareness—enough to protect the boy should anything go wrong. Jalen didn't take risks with Jael's safety. Especially not tonight.
The brothel is tucked discreetly between two merchant halls in Sol Ria's eastern quarter; the establishment appeared modest—but inside, it pulsed with illusion and charm. Lanterns infused with flame essence bathed the halls in a warm, seductive glow. The air was thick with perfume, laughter, and the soft hum of flirtation.
Beautiful women—some recently matured into womanhood, others centuries old, though their youthful appearances betrayed nothing—mingled with men of all ranks and realms. Cultivators, regardless of age, rarely looked old, and tonight they drank and laughed like mortals playing at immortality.
Jalen was greeted by a seemingly young woman with sharp eyes and a playful smile. Her cultivation was masked, but Jalen sensed it—Imperial Realm, at least.
"Welcome, sir," she said, brushing her fingers lightly across his sleeve. "Looking for a little fun tonight?"
Jalen nodded once. "Yes."
Her smile widened. She looped her arm through his. "Then you've come to the right place. Let's find somewhere more... suitable."
They passed through velvet-curtained corridors, past rooms filled with illusion and indulgence. But she didn't stop. Instead, she led him to a quiet chamber at the far end—no windows, a single flickering lantern, and an air of secrecy.
Inside, the room was sparse. A low table, two cushions, and a wall lined with ornamental fans. The woman stepped forward and pressed her palm against one of the fans. It clicked, then slid aside, revealing a hidden compartment.
A narrow staircase spiraled downward, carved into stone and wrapped in runes. Jalen followed without hesitation; Jael nestled quietly in his arms.
The air grew cooler as they descended. The walls shimmered with layered formations—sound barriers, detection dampeners, and concealment glyphs. Whoever built this place had spared no effort.
At the bottom, the passage opened into a chamber lit by flame crystals embedded in the ceiling. And there, waiting in the center, stood a woman in flowing crimson robes, her hair braided with strands of flame essence. Her presence was calm, yet commanding.
Master Talia.
Jalen didn't give her a chance to speak.
"Is it true?" His voice was low and sharp. "The engagement. My child."
Talia exhaled slowly before she began.
She recounted the moment the patriarch was informed of Rana's pregnancy over a month ago. His reaction had surprised her—no outrage, no condemnation. He simply instructed her to keep it secret. "Not everyone will be as accepting as I am," he'd said. Then he gave her a sage-level talisman to mask the child's presence.
For a time, it worked.
But two weeks later, everything changed.
The patriarch—an expert of the Sky Limit Realm, whose vitality was said to be infinite—fell mysteriously ill. It was unheard of. Such cultivators didn't simply get sick. Only powerful substances or catastrophic injuries could affect someone of his level. Talia suspected poison—a slow-acting, cultivation-based toxin—but had no proof.
Within days, the patriarch slipped into a coma. A closed-door meeting was held among the clan's elders, and his younger brother, Veyron Heat—a Mid Sage Realm cultivator known for his ambition and ruthlessness—was installed as acting patriarch.
Many elders demanded to see the patriarch with their own eyes. Veyron refused, claiming the patriarch's condition was too fragile. In the name of unity, the clan relented. No one wanted to spark internal chaos or expose weakness to rival sects.
But that was only the beginning.
That same day, Veyron announced a decree: Rana Flare, the Solar Clan's top disciple and heir, was to be married to Prince Kino Raven of the Raven State. The union, he claimed, would solidify ties with the continent's most powerful royal family and elevate the Solar Clan's influence beyond imagination.
Talia's fury was immediate. She challenged the decision, citing Rana's autonomy and the clan's traditions. Rana herself refused outright, her voice unwavering, her stance defiant.
Which is why Talia made her decision.
She tried to help Rana escape.
Unfortunately, they were caught.
Talia was barred from seeing Rana until the wedding. Rana's movements were restricted, her cultivation sessions monitored, and her status revoked. She was no longer a disciple of the Solar Clan—she was a prisoner.
And the cruelty didn't end there.
Veyron's loyalists went further, threatening Rana's family in the Ruona Continent should she refuse the marriage. It was a brutal tactic, designed to break her spirit and force compliance.
Two days later, a formal letter arrived from the Raven State, requesting Rana's hand in marriage. Veyron accepted without hesitation.
But that same day, everything unraveled.
During a routine meditation session, Rana's aura flickered. The masking talisman failed to suppress the strong pulse of life within her. The watchers—cultivators assigned to monitor her—noticed immediately.
The report reached Veyron within the hour.
He was livid.
As for Elder Talia, this was her chance.
An opportunity to derail the wedding without direct confrontation.
So she set her little birdies loose—whispers of Rana's pregnancy fluttered through the city like wildfire. Rumors reached the Raven State.
And Prince Kino Raven was not pleased.
He had long coveted Rana—not for love, but for prestige. Her beauty, her talent, and her lineage—all made her the perfect trophy bride. But the revelation of her pregnancy shattered that illusion. Just as Talia had hoped.
Only, things didn't go as smoothly.
Enraged, Kino sent word to the Solar Clan: if the marriage was to proceed, the child must be eliminated.
Veyron did not hesitate.
He and those monsters with him orchestrated a cleansing ritual to get rid of the child without Talia's knowledge. She didn't learn of it until it was already completed.
Luckily the ritual failed—but it weakened the child's vitality. And Rana's.
Out of fear that killing Rana would ruin his alliance with the Raven royals, Veyron postponed the ritual. It was rescheduled for tomorrow—just before the prince's arrival.
Talia fears that both mother and child might not survive it this time.
She then told Jalen how she had sent messengers to the Great Wave Continent a week ago, hoping to reach him. But by the time they arrived, Jalen was already gone. Talia doesn't know this—she assumed he came because of her SOS.
Earlier today, she received a report: someone matching Jalen's description, carrying a child, had entered the Solar State under an alias. The border formations confirmed it. She enlisted a trusted ally to track him down. And now, by sheer luck—or fate—she had found him.
Jalen stood in silence as she finished her story. His eyes darkened with each word. Rage simmered beneath his skin, his aura threatening to erupt.
"Where is Rana now?" he asked.
"Last I heard, she was imprisoned on First Hill, where the acting patriarch resides," Talia replied. "Under constant watch."
Jalen nodded slowly. "I'm going to get her."
Talia's eyes widened. "You can't just walk in. Veyron has fortified the compound. There are Sage-level formations on all ten hills, not to mention Sage Realm elders, some peak immortal realm elders, and spirit fusion guards. If you're caught—"
"I won't sit by and let them hurt her. Or kill my child."
Jalen knew better than anyone that emotion clouds judgment.
But right now, he couldn't stay still.
Before Talia could say another word, he was gone.
Not back to where Jael remained, guarded by a shadow clone—but straight to the Solar Clan's main compound.
He moved like a storm barely held together, each step fueled by dread and resolve. Whatever was happening inside those walls, he needed to be there. Now.