THE REAL PROTEGE

The warrior had collapsed in front of them, grasping his throat, eyes wild with horror, as his skin peeled from his bones, and his body began to devour itself, as his immortality twisted into a death sentence.

And the last thing he saw?

The cold stare of Ling Li.

The final command of Otako.

Not a flicker of regret. Not a trace of hesitation.

Only judgment.

Only power.

And so, the seven pillars knelt.

They knelt not because they were commanded to, but because they knew it was the only thing they could do in front of her presence.

Otako's name alone was enough to command their reverence.

Otako was the unseen empire, the unchallenged force — the master of fate itself.

Ling Li sat before them, hands resting lightly on her lap, her expression unreadable, her presence a force that did not belong to this world.

None of them dared to meet her eyes for too long.

Not out of fear.

But because to stare for too long was to feel the abyss staring back at them.

Ling Li did not need to speak for the room to remain motionless.

She did not need to command for silence to reign.

Her Samurai Mask, which represents Otako, lay on a special cushion beside her.

Otako's mask was not ordinary — it was a curse, a warning embedded into its very existence.

Only Butler Oda was permitted to wear a replica of the mask, and only Ling Li knew the difference between the two.

If any outsider attempted to place it upon their face, their skin would burn away, corroding down to the bone, reducing their flesh to ruin and agony.

A fate worse than death; this was also Ling Li's masterpiece.

Ling Li had designed Otako's legend to be untouchable, ensuring her identity remained a mystery, even in the highest circles of power.

Her disciples — her true family — could never know.

To know would be to carry a burden heavier than any of them were prepared for.

Ling Li was never just a chess player.

She was the chess maker.

And all others? Simply pieces in her grand design.

Once everyone had settled, tension thickened in the chamber.

Even these warriors — men who had stood against storms of blood and death — could feel it.

Ling Li's voice sliced through the silence like a blade.

"I'm here to discuss Solaris and his dark arts."

The air in the chamber shifted instantly.

A weight pressed upon them, heavier than before.

The very mention of Solaris sent a ripple of tension through the room — a name none wished to hear. Dark Arts cultivators were taboo, an abomination that violated the sacred laws of cultivation.

And the punishment?

Eradication. Without exception.

This rule was not merely spoken — it was etched into them, woven into their very existence. To tolerate such corruption was to stain one's own honor, to fail in their duty as a warrior.

And yet Solaris lived. Still breathing. Still walking.

Ling Li's gaze swept across her warriors, cold, steady, unshaken.

First Shah and Second Shah exchanged tense glances, the memory of Solaris' actions burning fresh in their minds. Their bodies remained rigid, each breath controlled — but every muscle coiled, prepared for what was coming.

Ling Li turned her sharp focus onto them.

"You both witnessed how he kills — how his methods leave no trace, only suffering."

The Second Shah's fingers curled tightly into fists, his knuckles turning white. His jaw locked in place, barely containing the storm inside him.

The memory still haunted them.

Bodies twisted unnaturally as if bent by some unseen force. No brains. No heart. Their life was stolen, drained, and devoured, as though something had reached into their very souls and ripped them apart.

An unholy destruction, one no mortal should ever wield.

The First Shah finally spoke, his voice lower now, edged with certainty.

"This is not just another enemy."

He exhaled slowly, voice hard as steel.

"Solaris doesn't kill. He eats and erases."

A heavy pause followed.

Ling Li nodded once, slow, deliberate.

Her mind was calculating, far beyond the immediate moment.

Beyond mere vengeance.

Beyond the hunt itself.

"And now, he is hiding."

Silence stretched.

"A predator does not hide unless it is preparing to strike."

Ling Li let that thought settle, let them feel it, let them understand the magnitude of what was coming.

And then, she spoke again.

"There is only one place he can remain unseen — the Hidden Valley."

At the mention of it, several pillars shifted, exchanging cautious glances.

Hidden Valley.

A haven for martial arts families, a sanctuary only for cultivators.

An isolated world, untouched by outsiders.

A place where names ceased to exist.

Where existence bent to those who understood how to wield it.

If Solaris had buried himself there, it meant only one thing.

He wasn't running.

He was planning.

Ling Li's expression did not waver.

Her eyes remained cold, steady.

Unmovable.

"I am the head of the constabulary in Hidden Valley, but I cannot leave because of my upcoming wedding."

The Second Shah exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

"Your absence will create an opening Solaris could exploit."

Ling Li's lips pressed together, unreadable.

A small opening would not matter.

Because Solaris would not live long enough to take advantage of it.

"Which is why it's time for you to visit the place yourselves."

Her voice carried weight — absolute command.

She turned toward Butler Oda.

"Oda will lead the team."

Oda straightened, eyes unblinking, stance unshaken.

Ling Li leaned forward slightly.

"Remember… Solaris can change his face. He can walk among men as someone else. If you are not vigilant, you will overlook him entirely."

Her words settled over them like a decree.

Like an inevitable fate.

Failure was not an option.

Failure meant bringing darkness greater than any of them had ever known.

As the meeting concluded, Ling Li remained seated, watching as each of her warriors prepared for departure.

She did not move.

Her posture was still.

But her mind?

Her mind was far from silent.

Solaris was waiting.

And his return would not be just another hunt.

It was the beginning of something far greater.

She could feel it.

She only hoped her warriors were ready for what was coming.

The moment the distinctive beeping of her phone echoed through the chamber, Ling Li's sharp focus shattered. It was a tone unlike any other — a unique frequency reserved only for her husband. A message.