...
The next day, Shin and Leonard met with Old Man Roger just like they had discussed last night. The pair did not want to, but the old man insisted on accompanying them to the Shrine Temple while they were doing their Rite of Returning.
It was at that moment that Shin understood that this old man wanted to monitor them.
They were still foreigners with unclear backgrounds despite Leonard claiming that they were from a family that used to be a part of the city. They also had considerable attainment in their respective disciplines. Even though they were only at the peak of the Core Formation Stage, the old man could tell that they were at least as strong as some of the Ethereal Opening Stage Experts.
That alone was more than enough for the old man to be wary of them, especially with the current events that were happening within the city perimeter.