Seven days of uninterrupted flight carried Jalen and his son across vast skies, the wind beneath their feet as smooth as silk, the clouds parting as if bowing to his presence. The Great Ling Continent loomed ahead, its borders shimmering with defensive formations and ancient qi signatures.
Perched on Jalen's shoulder was Jael, his two-year-old son, eyes wide with wonder and cheeks flushed with excitement. His tiny hands clung to the folds of Jalen's robe, his spirit pulsing with joy.
"Are we close, Daddy?" he asked for the fifth time that morning.
Jalen gave a faint smile. "Almost."
Jael beamed. He didn't care where they were going—only that he was with his father.
As they neared the Solar State, Jalen slowed his descent. The border walls bristled with defensive formations—arrays designed not just to repel invaders from the earth to the skies, but to record every entry and exit. Even if someone gave a false name, their image would be captured and stored. Only cultivators of immense power or formation grandmasters could bypass these measures undetected, and even then, it was risky.
Jalen had no intention of causing a stir.
The Solar State was unlike any other region in the Great Ling Continent. Where other territories were fractured by rival sects and noble families, the Solar Clan ruled with absolute authority. Every city, every cultivator, and every sect bowed to their command.
Their capital, Sol Ria, was a marvel of flame-forged architecture. Spires etched with radiant glyphs pierced the sky like spears of light. Spirit beasts roamed freely, harmonizing with the city's qi flow. Merchant stalls overflowed with rare herbs, enchanted weapons, and talismans pulsing with elemental energy.
But entry into Sol Ria was even stricter than the state's borders. One needed a city pass—a simple, physical token issued by the Solar Clan. These weren't bound to spiritual signatures or monitored by formations. They didn't need to be. The penalty for stealing one was so severe—public execution or soul banishment—that no ordinary cultivator dared attempt it. But Jalen wasn't ordinary. With a flick of his sleeve and a moment of distraction, he acquired two passes from departing merchants without raising suspicion. No alarms. No witnesses. Just quiet precision. The guards at the city gates barely glanced at him and Jael as they passed through.
Inside, Jalen walked unnoticed. His robes were plain, his aura tightly suppressed since arriving at the border. Jael's aura was also hidden, and Jalen now carried him in his arms like an ordinary child. Jael giggled softly, delighted by the closeness.
"Is this where Mommy lives?" he asked.
Jalen nodded. "Somewhere in this city."
By midday, they reached the Solar Clan's main compound. The gates loomed twenty feet high, carved from obsidian and inlaid with solarite crystal. Guards stood at attention, their cultivation formidable—each one a Peak Spirit Fusion Realm expert.
Jalen stepped forward calmly. "I'm here to see Rana Flare."
The guards didn't move.
"I have urgent business," he added.
One of them scoffed. "You and half the city's young men. Move along, or I'll be forced to remove you."
Jalen didn't argue. He didn't raise his voice or flash his cultivation. He simply turned and walked away.
It was foolish to think he could just show up at a major clan uninvited and be granted an audience with Rana—one of their most important figures.
The thought of bypassing the formation and slipping past the guards crossed his mind. But he dismissed it just as quickly. There was no way to do it without being noticed—and the last thing he needed was to provoke a clan brimming with Sage Realm experts, especially without a compelling reason. He was strong, yes. But not suicidal.
Later that afternoon, Jalen wandered through the city with Jael in his arms. They passed cultivation arenas where disciples sparred with elemental fury, spirit gardens blooming with qi-infused flora, and merchant squares bustling with trade and gossip. The city buzzed with life—but Jalen felt none of it.
His mind was elsewhere. Focused. Searching.
Then, near the eastern plaza, he paused outside a tea house. Two merchants sat at a corner table, sipping from porcelain cups and speaking in hushed tones.
"Did you hear?" one said. "Lady Rana—the Solar Clan's top disciple and chosen heir to the sect—is engaged. She's set to marry Kino Raven, the first prince of the Raven State, in just a few days."
"Really?" the other replied. "I thought that was just a rumor."
"It's not. My source said a formal proposal letter was sent to the Solar Clan two days ago, and it was accepted. The prince is arriving tomorrow at sunset to finalize the engagement."
"But I heard the prince has been after her ever since he laid eyes on her. Didn't the patriarch forbid the union?"
"He did. But something changed. No one knows why."
The first merchant leaned in. "There's another rumor. They say Lady Rana is with child."
The second merchant blinked. "Is it the prince's?"
"No one knows. Some say it's his. Others claim she was secretly involved with someone else when she left the clan a few months ago. A mystery man."
"You're joking."
"I'm serious. The clan hasn't confirmed or denied anything, but the rumors are everywhere—across the Solar State and beyond."
Jalen's heart pounded.
Marriage? Rage flared in his chest. How dare they offer his fiancée to another man?
But the second part—the child—left him stunned. If Rana was truly pregnant… then that child was no doubt his. A life born from love, not legacy.
He needed to see her. To confirm the truth. To understand what was happening.
And if the Solar Clan was insistent on giving her hand to someone else—it would be over his dead body.
He turned away from the teahouse, his expression unreadable. Jael looked up at him, sensing the shift in his father's mood.
"Daddy?" he asked softly.
Jalen didn't answer. He walked faster, his thoughts racing. Every instinct screamed for action—for confrontation. He could already see himself tearing through the guards, demanding answers, dragging the truth into the light.
But then, a voice—familiar, firm, and impossibly calm—slipped into his mind like a whisper through flame.
"Jalen."
It was Master Talia.
The elder who had accompanied Rana during their time in the Great Wave.
She then shared a location where they could meet up and safely chat. Then the communication was shut down.