It was too late when they noticed something was wrong.

The few Elementals protecting the place were the first and only ones to act. They were unable to join the battle before, but the presence of the Wicked One caused these nature spirits to appear instinctively like altruistic guardians. They rushed out from the ground trying to protect the princess as Triteia shielded her owner with a giant bubble.

Blessed by the Greater Water Spirit, it was anything but flimsy, but the spawn of darkness approached fleetingly, and one by one, those that barred its way they were destroyed and disappeared into nothingness.

Triteia screamed in agony and faded into vapours. A single water crystal fell to the ground.

The devil was hardly slowed down as it slithered into her body attracted by the brightness of her innocence.

The speed of the evil spirit was far too quick for anyone to stop it. In fact, after casting off its shell, it became even swifter than before. They could only helplessly watch as it happened.

A gaggling erupted from her throat as if there’s something that is trying to choke her and the girl started having painful spasms.

The group watched in aghast as a lump appeared on their beloved princess and started pushing down towards her heart.

What they are seeing was an invasion.

Even though not many devils were seen throughout the years, what was happening was obvious. Even if they don’t understand, they could feel its disturbing abnormality; A presence full of rage and destruction.

The Wicked Ones were infamous for the unbelievable catastrophe they bring whenever one appears.

A single devil of the lowest class could destroy empires, leaving behind carnage and despair in its warpath. One can hardly imagine the overwhelming feeling of aberration at seeing a being of such unnatural might and wickedness trying to possess a young girl.

A fraction of a second later, Aisa appeared beside the princess. Even the divine dragon did not expect such a turnabout at the last moment. She had chased after it at full speed, but it was physically impossible to outpace a spirit’s acceleration – not unless she wants to blast everyone around her into smithereens by breaking through the sound barrier and the light wall at the same time.

However, as the only sacred dragon, and controller of the holy element, Aisa was a natural antithesis to the devils.

She placed a claw on top of the lump that has almost reached Relestia’s heart. Then, the entire place turned dark.

With the broken roof, the light should be pouring in, yet darkness engulfed them.

A high-pitched, disgusting, gut-wrenching cry escaped from the lump, sounding like the portal to hell had been torn open and thousands of the tormented dead screaming in anguish.

Two bright lights shone in the darkness.

The first was Aisa, who glowed like a warm torch that no matter how large the shadows are, they couldn’t stop her light.

The second appeared a moment later. Kairos’ eyes shone brightly, like blazing suns that struck fear into all evils.

His light spread luminously across his skin until his entire body was suffused with the sacred radiance. Those that placed their eyes on him instinctively acknowledged his power to eradicate anything impure.

He sparkled with awe and majesty and demanded reverence with an aura that makes kings bow their knees.

Then floating, rather than walking, he approached Relestia.

The devil underneath Aisa’s claw, begged immediately, “Lord! Have mercy!”

But Kairos shook his head, his eyes were filled with coldness, “I did not come to save, but to destroy.”

“Lord… You mustn’t vanquish me yet! I have entangled with my host. If I am removed, she will perish!”

“Young master! He is lying, don’t believe in him!” one of the guards suddenly cried out.

“Silence you deceitful one. Spirits cannot lie, they may only hide the truth to lead us astray,” he glared at the aged practitioner fiercely, and the latter found his voice taken away.

Just as Kairos said, only mankind was given the gift of freedom. They may attempt to deceive but to lie is a right that spirits, even the evil ones do not have.

The man had been influenced by a greater evil, something that could hide its presence completely, and manipulate people secretly.

It wished to tempt Kairos to destroy the evil spirit, and in the process cause Relestia to die.

Should he kills the one he loves, then wickedness shall prevail, and Kairos would lose the right to vanquish evil.

Ignoring the guard, Kairos commanded, “Seal it, Aisa.”

Kairos, it’s impossible to shackle the Wicked One forever, and the little princess does not have enough strength to sustain the binds.

Kairos nodded, knowing that even the celestials had difficulty with the power is needed to hold back the forces of darkness.

The dragon immediately touched Relestia with her snout, causing the princess to freeze up as colours lefts her skin.

At the same time, the lump started shrinking, and within the princess, two immaterial astral forms coexisted.

One was Relestia’s soul glowing in soft light, and the other was dark with an unnatural presence that screams in fear and wanting. The lesser devil wrapped itself around the faintly glowing light, shrouding it like a heavy mist. It probed for openings, but because of the dragon’s seal, the wisps of black smoke could not find an entry.

At the same time, those in the broken shop saw that the darkness faded away as natural light returned. No longer did Aisa and Kairos shine resplendently and the supernatural coldness and fear that everyone felt, disappeared, along with their bodies regaining mobility.

The guard who spoke earlier rushed towards the young master and bowed lowly, “Young master…! I … I don’t know what came over me earlier, forgive me!”

But the replied he heard, caused him to stiffen.

“As I’ve said, I am not here to save, but to destroy. You’ve allowed darkness into your heart and are no longer welcomed in the Snowdrifts.

Goodbye Isacarrot.

Remember, humans are given the power to choose, and only you can decide to step away from evil. If the light is more alluring to you than the dark, then we will cross paths again.”

Although the guard had not spoken with the young master before this day, Kairos had known his name. Isacarrot hung his head and went dejectedly towards the ruined city. Along his way out, Kairos instructed Xuan Xian to pay him for his rightly earned salary.

The man once lured astray by darkness, couldn’t help but gave the young master a last glance — a smile filled with self-condemnation on his face.

However, after this, they never crossed path again. The name Isacarrot continued to become mentioned in history as a lesson, but not for the reasons the man had hoped.

Unrepentant, the guard had sworn before the public, towards the heavens, that he will cleanse his folly. He gave away all his possessions to the poor, including his pay. After which, he travelled deep into a forest and fed himself to hungry wolves to save their prey.

As he laid mangled and dying, with his final breath, he asked, “Had I repaid my evil?”

Somehow, his weakly voiced words resounded throughout the woods where he breathed his last. Nearby, a hunter heard a reply from the heavens, “No. You’ve done the ultimate self-satisfaction, and did not possess a single strand of love in your heart. Your past cannot be washed away with hypocrisy.”

The hunter reported to the scribes that when death claimed Isacarrot, the guard’s eyes forever stayed open with regret.

Meanwhile, in the tattered Glided Snow, Kairos summoned Tempest urgently, and the Greater Spirit trembled as it came near the foul presence of the sealed devil.

“Summon your king. I need to ask him for a favour.”

“Yes, Great One.”

It disappeared right after obeying the young master’s request as though fleeing from the twisted wickedness. A portal to the spirit realm opened and immediately the Spirit King revealed himself.

A majestic being with inhuman beauty formed from all kinds of elements sat upon a grand throne made of flashing lightning and raging infernos.

The king of the Elementals bowed deeply towards Kairos, then spoke with veneration, “Great One, how mayst I assist thee?”

Those around him had never seen such a sight before. The monarch of the Elementals! The one that commands those wild nature spirits are now paying respect to a young thirteen-year-old boy.

But specifically, because it is happening to Kairos, none of them felt anything out of place. In fact, it would be stranger if it didn’t happen. After all, he is the only one that could destroy these evils.

“My companion here was attacked by a lesser devil, though we managed to seal it, she went into unconsciousness. I hope you can help me take care of her until she awakens.”

He had checked with Aisa on the princess’ condition. At their current stage, it is impossible to save Relestia. It’s not because they lacked the strength, or that Aisa could not interfere, but merely his understanding of devils and the technique to free the princess is both insufficient. The problem is a medical one, and it complicates the intricacies of souls.

It wouldn’t help even if Aisa have the power to lift mountains and fill seas when what they need now is delicate handling. Just like a cleaver could not sew back a torn piece of clothing.

After thinking a long while and going through all kinds of techniques he has, Kairos couldn’t come up with a solution right now and hoped that they could leave her with the Elementals.

At that place, there are Heavenly Energies far more abundant than Gaia and could use to power the seal on the lesser devil for a while longer.

Unfortunately, the Spirit King immediately rejected it with fear clearly on his voice, “Great One, pardon my insolence, but thine request art impossible. The spawn of darkness within thine young missus is restless and unrelenting and the spirit realm art vulnerable to the Wicked Ones’ defiling nature.”

Kairos took a look at Relestia and sighed. He noticed that despite the seal, thin miasma is still rolling off the princess. If she is left alone for too long, even the spirit realm will turn into blight land.

Left without a choice, Kairos bade the Spirit King farewell, then turned back to Aisa again.

“Could we put her in stop time as Enki did before?”

Back at the Ghost Maw forest, they found the God of mischief dying fast with his divine core destroyed and his body shattered.

To save him, they had to find a way to stop his deterioration, and the only solution Aisa came up with was to keep him within a High-grade Time-Space ring where time is frozen.

Technically the Time-Space containers cannot contain living beings because a dimensional shift will halt a living being’s body functions, and after a while, it could no longer be restarted.

Kairos can draw the formation that could put a person in stasis to survive the ordeal; however, Aisa rejected this idea. Relestia is only a mortal, and the state of time-space stagnation is too harsh for her, stasis or not.

He breathed a long defeated sigh.

Kairos considered the options he has, including the Thunder God’s Ring that was a divine artefact used for sealing devils. Unfortunately, the treasure is running low on energy, and he doesn’t know the sealing technique.

“Looks like we have to use a crude method.”

He put a Life Giver Spirit pill into her mouth and placed the tip of his finger on her forehead and directed the Origin Energy into her.

The drug immediately melted, and seeped into her body, suffusing her with life energy. Improving her vitality will grant her the strength to keep the seal intact for a longer time as he finds another way to save her.

Afterwards, Kairos turned and offered Jones the same pill.

“What’s this?”

“Something to give you a boost in life energy. By the way, how’s your condition?”

“The poison? Nah, I’m fine, given enough time I will be able to deal with it, and with this pill I should be back to normal much quicker. I tested the Origin Energy around, and as expected it could neutralise weak poisons and remove some of the stronger ones.”

“E… expected?!”

“Of course, it’s made up of our life force, so I thought it would drive out harmful things, right?”

Kairos was stunned from hearing it, but realisation quickly flints across his eyes.

As recorded in the Origin Manuscript, life energy can be used to help one recover from grievous wounds, improve one’s body, and be a source of energy.

With their improved vitality, it is true that they have excellent resistance towards all harmful things. It is only that Life Taker was too potent that Alan and Jim went down so quickly. For lesser poisons, it is possible for them to neutralise it given enough time.

The most urgent problems had been resolved, but one more still lingered in the air.

After checking that everyone was alright, the group left to aid the Emperor.

Despite the ferocity of their battle, it only lasted a quarter of an hour. With luck, Galahad Vestimore would still be fighting against the assassins, after all, he is the number one practitioner of Saint Empire.

They went hastily, but unfortunately when there was no longer anyone fighting in the airspace above the palace.

A deep frown etched on their eyebrows.

The emperor who is the pillar of their country has disappeared.