After another pleasurable romp, the two lay within the sheets with Melinda tracing patterns on his chest while Hal gave her a rundown of what had happened in his soul world.

She in turn told him she had not spent the whole time he had spent in his soul world looking at him. She had solidified her cultivation base further and steadied her advancement.

He also discovered Melinda was already in the process of discovering what her Dao was. What defined her.

Apparently, she thought he was already in the process himself. After all, Dao discovery was a very personal journey for all cultivators, the sort of thing you simply assume others are also doing but never directly ask the question.

Wishing to change the subject and also because he was indeed curious to know, Hal asked,

"So, what are you going to be doing while I am away? I don't think or expect you to spend the whole time pining after me"

By away, he obviously meant his planned journey to Doxon to see his two ladies as well as his eventual expedition with her father.

Melinda adopted a mockingly thoughtful look,

"Hmmm, well pining after you sounds quite nice if I'm being honest. Also, maybe the thought of my sadness will bring you back much faster" she said.

Hal shrugged,

"With Doxon, it might work, however, I have no say in the expedition length, it all depends on your father and the ones he battles I guess." He decided to play along.

Melinda sighed melancholy that Hal could see was not all fake,

"Oh well, I plan to be productive while you're away... I'll be joining the military"

Hal blinked,

"Come again?"

...

A room in the Dane Residence in the Dane Territory...

A young man was laying on the bed and he could quickly be identified as Cirk Dane who was still unconscious following his fearful experience with Hal.

He twitched in his bed and opened his eyes to view as much of the room as he could with his eyes before opting for his senses by virtue of his cultivation and with it, he ascertained that he was alone in his room.

He sighed heavily,

"How the mighty has fallen" he mumbled.

The memories of the days when he lived with prestige in the Dane household were now foggy in his mind, Not because a lot of time had passed but instead because his experiences since it stopped were much more predominant.

Was it truly a mistake that he had attempted to have his way with Melinda?

No, it was not.

Actually, he believed the mistake was him not taking into account that she would use what he and her father had taught her against him to free herself.

That was where he believed his stupidity came into play.

He was not possessed and lacking the ability for rational thought.

He just really... Really wanted her to be his.

And who could blame him?

Melinda was a very beautiful lady and her beauty seemed to have only been increasing following her exile.

His whole mindset was that as long as he lay with her once, there was no way she would go running to speak of the matter.

He was right about Melinda not going to speak of it to someone of authority, however, as now obvious, he miscalculated and lost his manhood.

It was reattached of course but the humiliation was still there.

Then he remembered his relief after no one spoke of what he had down and was focused on Melinda's actions.

After she was banished was when his life was turned upside down and he was reminded of how much his uncle doted on his daughter when he beat him an inch from death.

However, the fear he had felt on that day while the beatdown was ongoing was nothing compared to what he felt when Hal stood in front of him and smiled callously at him.

Just the thought of it caused Cirk to shiver and he shook his head to chase those disturbing thoughts away.

He considered leaving the Dane family right now and fend for himself away from home but he doubted he could actually do so without joining some other force for protection which would be unwise.

You see, the Dane family took familial loyalty seriously, and to even entertain the thought of allying with another party and work directly or indirectly against the family was an incredibly disgraceful act that would label the one who left a traitor.

Of course, this was only in terms of how he or she would be viewed and they would not actually punish such a person with death.

Then again, this was a world where the rules are only meant to be obeyed when there is someone stronger and of bigger support there to ensure its enforcement.

In the case of that 'Traitor', they would be cut off from the family and be potentially without any support. Ripe for the picking for those who remained legitimately 'Danes'.

So whoever would consider such an act would make sure they have a support to fall back on which would ensure their survival.

And then there was also the fact that since the 'Traitors' were once Danes and had been privy to the family secrets, they would be marked as liabilities and secret assassination ploys would be set in motion to end their life and avoid any potential leakage.

'No', Cirk thought, 'Deserting the family would grant me with a fate no better than death. It is much wiser to lie low in the family. Despite the threat, those two would not dare make any moves against me.

I might now be dishonored and no better than a servant but I am still my father, the Patriarch's son. I should be fine.'

At that time, he heard a soft chuckle,

"Indeed. The 'mighty' has fallen. Of course, I mean 'mighty' in the loosest of forms. However, you have indeed fallen and fallen very hard it would seem" a voice said out of shadows.

Immediately, Cirk was on high alert and adopted a defensive pose but that hurt him more than it threatened the one in the shadows.

This was made clear when the one in the shadows walked out confidently to the side of the bed,

"Will you be calm? I can't hurt you and you can't hurt me."

Now that he was out of the dark and in the light that was coming from a Rune lamp that was close to his bed, Cirk could now observe his features in the entirety.

He was a tall man, about 1.7 meters in height, and was clearly muscular

His hair was a strange mixture of black and blond while his eyes were the darkest shade of green that Cirk could have sworn he saw a slit in for about a secondd.

His smile was predatory like he was examining Cirk and imagining how good he would taste.

Yes, this man, whoever he was, was showing cannibalistic tendencies.

"W-who are you?" Cirk asked.

The man shook his head,

"My name is not important and I do not say that to be mysterious but because it truly is not important. Just know that I serve a wonderful and powerful man who wishes to help you achieve your dreams." He said with the same predatory smile.

"My dreams?" Cirk looked confused.

The man nodded,

"Well of course. You wish to become Patriarch, don't you? Well, he can make that happen."