Silence hung heavy in the air as Jasmin, William, and Edgar sat around a small table in the hall. The remnants of Vedik's breakfast speaked of his weakened state .

William finally broke the stillness, his voice laced with gratitude and curiosity.

"Uncle Edgar," he began, "although words cannot express how grateful I am for saving us, I must confess I'm filled with questions. How did you find us? And how did you know we were in such dire situation?"

Edgar, his gaze thoughtful, leaned back in his chair. He said "When you left the house , both the previous head and I were worried about your safety. Potential threats lurked everywhere – enemies, demons, you name it. While your progress in Golden Qi cultivation was commendable, it was still in the basic level.

So in a hesitatingly manner, Edgar explained that the previous patriarch, in his foresight, made some alterations to the bracelet.

The patriarch has a artifact linked to the bracelet which allows him to not only track your location but it also sends a distress signal whenever the gem embedded in the bracelet is activated and used .

So, when the tool signaled multiple times in a short span, we knew something was terribly wrong. That's when I received permission to use the teleportation gate – an action usually reserved for emergencies of the highest order."

Edgar after finished explaining about the bracelet, his gaze lingered on Jasmin's face. "Miss Jasmin," he began gently, "the previous head… he asked me to convey his apologies for what happened before."

Jasmin's eyes flickered towards him briefly, then dropped back down to the table. A single, silent nod was her only response.The air hung heavy with unspoken emotions, a past they weren't ready to revisit just yet.

Edgar decided to shift the conversation and said "Speaking of Vedik, who is this young man who has captured your hearts?"

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William, sensing the change in topic, cleared his throat. "Ah, Vedik," he began, a warm smile gracing his features. "He's not really ours by blood, but we consider him our son all the same.

I founded him in a small backward village . He used to help me gather herbs daily, and in return, he'd ask me to teach him some sword techniques."

"He was a hardworking boy," William continued, his voice filled with pride. "He learned everything I taught him with unwavering determination.

Teaching him became a part of my routine, and seeing him grow filled me with happiness. So, naturally, I became his teacher and later, adopted him."

William continued , "If Jasmin and I ever had a child , I imagined he would just be like Vedik . So meeting him was like it was destiny , so I adopted him.

Jasmin, her eyes shining with love, reached out and squeezed William's hand said "Yes, and it's one of the best decision you've ever made,"

Edgar chuckled, a warm sound that filled the room. "I am very happy for you, Young Master William and Miss Jasmin. You've given a young boy a loving home and a chance to thrive."

"But tell me," Edgar asked, "why did that sorcerer, Thalnos, attacked you?"

William exchanged a worried glance with Jasmin before responding. "Thalnos wasn't alone," he explained, his voice low. "He had five warriors with him, all at the Harmonious Qi advanced stage."

Edgar's eyes widened in surprise. "Harmonious Qi? Those are highly skilled fighters. Who were they?"

"I don't know much," William admitted. "They fought with a coordinated ferocity, unlike anything I've encountered before. The only information I could get was they belonged to some church.

Edgar's frowned deeply. "A church, you say? This is concerning. Churches rarely condone such violence."

William continued, his voice laced with urgency. "The mission of those five warriors seemed to be clear – to kill Vedik. Thalnos, however, wanted to take Vedik alive. He mentioned experiments."

So Thalnos fought with two of the five warriors who ran while fighting me and killed them .

Edgar's blood ran cold. Experiments on a young boy. He couldn't fathom the purpose or the cruelty behind it. "But why?" Edgar asked, his voice barely a whisper.

William took a deep breath, his hand tightening around Jasmin's. "Uncle Edgar," he began, his voice filled with a mixture of trust and apprehension, "I'm telling you this because I trust you completely. Vedik… he has both Mana veins and Qi points."

The revelation hung heavy in the air. Shock etched itself onto Edgar's face. "Both?" he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper. "How is that even possible?"

William shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted, frustration creeping into his voice. "But somehow, the church and Thalnos found out."

A heavy silence descended upon them.

The implications of William's words were staggering. Vedik, their adopted son, possessed a power unheard of in their world. A power that could make him a target for those who sought to exploit or even destroy him.

Edgar finally broke the silence, his voice firm. "Young Master William," he said, "you need to return to Verna territory immediately. It's the safest place on the continent. The church's influence doesn't reach there, and the Head will ensure your safety."

Edgar also added , " Young Miss Lily also misses you both very much and if you don't meet her she will come here".

"However," Jasmin interjected, "returning right now isn't an option. Vedik is still weak."

Edgar said with a confident tone, " I have the mission to escort you all safely to Verna territory. In my presence no one can harm you . So let Vedik condition stabilise then we will start our journey".