Kairos enveloped the entire Saint City with his Soul Perception in an instant, but he quickly realised that the emperor and assassins were nowhere to be found.

The city – though in ruins – is safe, now that the battles had subsided.

Kairos turned to those who followed him out and said, “I’ll go ahead and check out what happened. Please restore the shop first. The wounded will need a place to rest.”

After saying so, Kairos rushed towards the castle. Thanks to the holes he blasted across the city with his Lightning Flicker Body, he came face-to-face with the distraught palace guards within a few minutes.

“I am Earl Kairos Astroire, what happened here?” he flashed his family’s signet ring.

The leader of the patrol recognised the token and immediately saluted, with the rest of the guards following suit. She had seen Kairos once when the young lord was called in for an audience with the emperor and had since burned him into her memory.

The youngest, most talented earl in the history of the great empire has unlimited potential, she’ll be a fool to dismiss him as a normal nobleman.

Without masking her feelings, she spoke in an almost idolising tone, despite still shell-shocked, “His Majesty had been attacked, and the palace was destroyed during the fight.”

“Has the emperor fallen?”

“No, Lord Kairos, he went missing.”

“Tell me from the beginning and don’t miss any details.”

“Yes your Lordship, this morning, his majesty was aroused by a great tremor that came from the crystal room. It was so shocking that most of us in slumber was knocked off our beds. Fearing that the barrier crystal which guards our city might be compromised, his majesty charged to the grand protection formation under the entourage of the head royal guards and his men. Upon which, he found our city’s final bulwark infected by an unknown energy parasite.

His majesty attempted to remove it, and in the process found that the leech had been taking the energy outside of the palace.

The head royal guard and twelve of his best men that were sent to investigate were all massacred within minutes; rested be their souls. His Majesty then sent for Lord Yue, but his Majesty took action first along with the rest of the palace guards.

They knowingly stepped into an ambush, and a terrible battle that destroyed half of Saint City ensued because without rooting out the culprits the city is in great danger. Still, I can’t believe our emperor is this valiant. I guess living for thousands of years change a person’s perspective?

I heard that the assassins numbered only four, but all of them at Peak Triple S rank. It was beyond the royal guards, and most of them fell in the battle, that’s how I got promoted. It’s terrible to be benefitting from others’ death but… I r…really needed the money. You know, my family and all…

Oh, but the enemy also underestimated our emperor. There were rumours of his Majesty being a magus, but no one expected a grand magic circle to appear above our heads and rained fire and brimstone down on those heinous villains.

Is his majesty a grand sorcerer? I was astonished! Not many could cast such magicks,” the patrol leader said with a strange expression on her face. Wasn’t the mage circle tightened to ensure their secrets stayed secret?

It would mean that Emperor Galahad Vestimore really had connections with the southern mage countries, and furthermore to use magic in battle against other Triple S rankers, he must’ve considerable skill.

“Please, don’t go off topic,” Kairos asked politely although a vein almost popped out on his forehead as his patience was tested.

The guard stiffened when she realised that she had been babbling to a noble. For a commoner, she could be jailed for the slightest affront, and she started apologising profusely.

Kairos did not actually mind such a minor thing, but he was in a hurry to find out if he was needed.

Just as he was fretting how to make her stop, he suddenly noticed that the person in front of her has changed to Alan.

“I … *pant* I finally caught up,” Alan said wheezing with his hands on his knees.

“You weren’t in the shop helping the others? And, did you just bump into someone? Where did the guard captain go?”

“Guard captain? Who? Also, did you ask me to help others by the shop? I didn’t notice…”

Kairos turned and saw the lady before is now stuck head first, waist deep, in the newly broken palace wall.

The other patrols paled, and quite a few had jittery knees, but none of them broke ranks.

“You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Did what? Who’s that? Is sleeping in walls the new fad nowadays? I saw a few on my way here too.”

A glint of recognition flashed across Kairos’ eyes, and with increasing suspicion, he sent a slight trickle of Soul Perception to search the path between the palace and the Gilded Snow. As he expected, there were ex-passer-bys now planted in various buildings, roads, bushes, and trees.

“You didn’t feel a thing?”

“Feel what?”

“Sigh.”

The two helped the guard captain out of the wall before she suffocated. The previously ditzy now dizzy guard hurriedly continued, “My… my apologies, your Lordship. The assassins, through foul arts, reflected his majesty’s spell towards the city causing the ruins you now see. The barrier crystal was too weakened to receive the magic, and it will be worse if his Majesty did not suffer a great rebound to retract his powers.

The enemy took advantage and attacked in that instant. Fortunately, the duke, Lord Yue, arrived in time.

His Majesty and the duke fought the assassins to a standstill. Then a flash of bright light blinded all the onlookers. After our sight returned, we found his majesty had disappeared, the assassins were all slain, and the old duke was badly wounded. His grace is now resting in the guestroom without any lasting wounds from the battle.”

Kairos and Alan fell silent, then after a while, Kairos haltingly said, “When Lord Yue has awakened, please let me know. I’ll be at the Gilded Snow.”

The two returned quickly. On the way, the cries and wailing were unceasing. Although they had not seen how intense the battle was with their own eyes, the ruins told a horrifying tale.

Now suddenly without the battle, Kairos was anticipating, the broken city suddenly hit close to the heart, and he crashed to the ground, trembling. This time Alan did not miss what happened and stayed silently beside his friend. No matter how slow he catches on and how easy-going he is, he was also feeling greatly depressed seeing this great city in such a state.

A maelstrom of emotions assailed Kairos. The aftermath of this unexpected crisis had thrown his world into chaos.

What happened to Relestia finally seemed real. It was like a part of him was torn away. Without knowing when, she had become his smile. It was an unreasonable, unexplainable feeling that bubbled, and as long as they are together, everything appeared colourful and interesting.

But, he failed to protect her.

All of his training did not prevent the tragedy, and his researches failed to give him any solutions to the devil possession.

As Kairos’ feelings turned despondent, he smashed the ground with his fist.

The moment his knuckle touched the rough gravel, the entire Saint City shook like a minor earthquake had struck. It was fortunate that no one was hurt.

A terrible cry filled the heavens as Kairos roared out all the frustrations in his heart. When he lifted his fist again, a hole as wide as his hand was left, but the depth of the pit was unmeasurable.

Even in his anger, his power was controlled. Otherwise, the already-broken city might really be split into two.

Looking at this, Alan mumbled, “Maybe it’s a good time to eat ice cream to cheer up… Don't worry, I’ll save one for you.”

He bolted right after saying that. Getting someone as unrefined as him to offer words of consolation at this time is like pouring oil on fire, and he wisely escaped.

Underneath the place, however, a long vertical shaft extended over a hundred kilometres and struck a heated underground waterbody.

A geyser rushed forth, and within a few minutes, it drenched Kairos who was directly at the spot. Strangely, the hot stream of underground water cooled him down.

He stepped back and wiped his face with self-mockery, but the look in his eyes was quickly replaced with a sharp glint.

“This waters… Isn't it filled with runic energies? Veritable Sight!”

His eyes glowed instantly. With the mixture of the ocular skills of Static Reading and his original runic deciphering ability, he could now see all forms of energy while using his sight of truth, the Veritable Sight.

Within the hot jet of groundwater, he saw the True Names of Life and Holy.

“What’s this, I struck the ground, and a spring of youth appeared?! Or… maybe… a healing pool?”

Hehe Kairos, silly. It’s the True Lord…! Kairos is here to battle the Wicked Ones, and he was worried you might be too sad to fight because of the little princess… So he sent this!

“What? Are you serious!?” Kairos’ mind reeled from hearing what Aisa told him.

If it’s able to deal with a devil’s possession, it might be a holy spring. This is something that even the celestials would not possess, or at least would not have much of, otherwise they would’ve dealt with the devils’ invasion long ago.

For the True Lord to bring out something of this level for him, just how incredible is such a being?

Looking at Aisa, a primordial dragon who is a follower of the True Lord, he ridiculed himself for becoming amazed.

Kairos~ Hurry! There is a limited amount!

“R…right! What will these waters do? Could it cure her immediately?”

This can only protect her soul from corruption.

“That’s good. That’s enough… Thank you, Aisa.”

Hehe~ It’s all thanks to the True Lord.

“I’m appreciative of what he did too. Let’s head back first. There are lots to do right now.”

Kairos had noticed something strange. The True Lord restrained Aisa from saving Relestia but did not withhold this holy spring from him. Was his training so important? But, what about the other candidates that Aisa mentioned before?

He clearly remembers that if he died, the True Lord would have someone else to pick up his task.

“Aisa, how many are chosen to exterminate devils like me?”

I don’t know~

“As expected.”

I really don’t~ Mou! Believe Aisa!

“Okay, okay~ Let’s return first. I want to take a look at Relestia.”

The boy and his dragon barely returned when a messenger from the palace rushed over with haste, “Lord Kairos! Lord Kairos! The duke has awoken!”

“Please tell him, I’ll be over in a moment. Thank you.”

“Yes, Lord Kairos, I’ll return right away!”

At that time, he did not have any inkling of how titanic the events that already engulfed Saint Empire had become.

When he stepped into his shop, he noticed that Ling’er, Xuan Xian, and the three masters had returned and were busy bringing around water and food. Meanwhile, those that had fought against the assassin are sitting in their meditative state to recover their energies but were otherwise fine.

Of course, the one in the most serious condition of the lot would be Jones, again.

The young swordsman’s snow stoat sat on his shoulders sharing its massive amount of life force with him. It is the reason he could reach in time to help and fight while infected with a strong poison. It is also why he was confident that he could recover even without the help of the Life Giver spirit pill.

Since Jones formed a contract with the ermine, they had taken care of each other without reserve. The beautiful creature, though it has powerful bloodlines, is still very young and unable to fight but it generously shared its vitality whenever the boy was wounded, which is almost every battle recently.

If not because of his beast partner, it would be impossible for him to survive thus far and even make great leaps and bounds in his cultivation that in such a short while, he had surpassed Kairos and the rest.

Kairos couldn’t help but envy his friend’s exceeding talent and luck. It is as though Jones is the protagonist of a story. Ironically the two boys are both fans of heroes in myths and legends themselves.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed that his father and the others did not suffer any lasting damage, and more importantly the darkness from the devil did not manage to defile anything in the short period it broke its seal.

Then Kairos rushed over to the little princess that had gone into unconsciousness. He poured the groundwater he collected into her lips, and immediately the paleness of her skin was replaced by a healthy blush as her spirit was restored.

Within her body, the devil that is like a heavy black cloud released its unholy tendrils from Relestia’s soul as the holy water’s sanctification took effect. The wily evil spirit hid itself in a corner. For now, it will stay quiet, but when an opportunity presents itself, it will strike again like a viper.

Half a day later, after making certain that the shop and staffs were safe, Kairos returned to the palace and sought out Lord Yue.

When he entered the room where the old duke was resting, he found a couple of old guys in the place as well. Everyone had grave expressions on their faces and gave him a bad premonition.

The Duke pushed himself up the moment he arrived and nodded, “Lord Kairos, you are here.”

“Lord Yue,” Kairos greeted in response.

There was a sombre mood in the air that caused him to feel unnaturally cold, but he shook it off and asked the most edging question he has, “Is the emperor alright?”

No matter what, his majesty had been his greatest supporter thus far and the father of Relestia. His concern was real, but the answer he received next sent a chill down his spine.

“We believe his majesty is dead, and the royal family’s control is most probably… uprooted.”