"All forces on high alert?"
"What's happening?"
"Was that an explosion?"
A commotion erupted within the palace, voices overlapping in confusion and urgency. The air was thick with tension as armored figures rushed toward the source of the disturbance.
"Princess? What just happened?" Knight Commander Alex demanded, his gaze locking onto Princess Celestia.
"There was a demon infiltration just now," she responded solemnly.
A wave of shock swept through the assembled knights. Murmurs filled the air as they exchanged uneasy glances, struggling to process the gravity of the revelation.
"Everyone, gather all knights and servants residing in the palace immediately!"
The firm command caught everyone's attention. Celestia, along with the knights, turned toward the source—Chen Fan, who stood unwavering amidst the rising tension.
"There's no guarantee that this was the only demon lurking within these walls," Chen Fan stated, his sharp gaze scanning the area. "There could be more hiding among us."
His words carried a weight of certainty, yet some knights hesitated, uncertain about following his lead. Sensing their reluctance, Chen Fan continued, his tone steady and resolute.
"As you all know, my role is that of an observer. I can see the mana in the air, allowing me to identify demons instantly."
With those words, he chose to reveal his ability. It was a necessary risk—if demons had truly infiltrated the palace, eliminating them swiftly was the only course of action. His primary concern lay elsewhere, however. Wang Yue, still at the beginning of her cultivation journey, would be especially vulnerable to such threats. The faster they were dealt with, the safer she would be.
Gasps rippled through the gathered knights as they processed the significance of Chen Fan's revelation. Their eyes widened in astonishment, murmurs growing louder.
"For now, seal off all information about this incident," Chen Fan continued without hesitation. "We have no way of knowing how many demons are hiding within the empire. Tighten the entry and exit points of the castle immediately."
His commands were issued swiftly and without room for dispute.
Celestia, still slightly stunned by how quickly Chen Fan had assessed the situation, soon snapped back to reality. Now was not the time to dwell on her thoughts—if the demons had a larger plan in motion, they needed to act before it was too late.
"Do as Sir Chen Fan says," she ordered, her voice firm.
Just as the knights began moving, Chen Fan's sharp gaze landed on one particular figure. A knight standing among the others, seemingly ordinary—except for the dark aura surrounding his body, identical to that of the demon he had just slain.
"You. Stay where you are," Chen Fan ordered.
"M-Me?" The knight pointed at himself, his expression filled with confusion. The attention suddenly directed at him caused those nearby to instinctively grow wary.
"What do you mean, Sir Chen? I am not a demon!"
Chen Fan didn't respond directly. Instead, he turned to the princess.
"Summon a priest," he instructed. "That's the only way to confirm his true nature—and a good opportunity to prove my ability."
Celestia gave a brief nod, signaling for someone to retrieve a priest. Meanwhile, Chen Fan addressed the rest of the knights.
"The rest of you, spread out and gather everyone in the palace. Once that's done, make sure no one leaves the premises."
Though some knights remained hesitant, Celestia had already placed her trust in Chen Fan's judgment. One by one, they moved with urgency, leaving only a few behind—Celestia, Chen Fan, Alex, and the knight under suspicion. Gradually, others began returning as they carried out their orders.
The accused knight lowered his head, his expression unreadable. Yet, beneath his outward composure, his mind raced, desperately searching for a way out.
At that moment, Alex stepped forward, his gaze steady.
"Sir Chen, thank you for protecting the princess."
Celestia, too, took a moment to express her gratitude. The series of events had unfolded at a dizzying pace—from the demon's sudden appearance to its swift defeat, and now, Chen Fan's calculated response. His decisiveness left a deep impression on her.
Chen Fan merely nodded, offering a small smile.
"Well, their target is me, so it's not entirely unrelated," he said casually. Then, shifting his attention back to the knight, he narrowed his eyes.
"Hm? How did you infiltrate the palace? Is it shapeshifting? No… when I killed your companion earlier, they remained in human form. Could it be… parasitic possession?"
His words made the knight flinch. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, his expression turning solemn.
"Parasitic possession, huh? Then the next question is—how do you take control of a host?"
A chuckle escaped the knight's lips. Then, in a voice laced with malice, he sneered,
"I admit… we severely underestimated you. But in the end, you and the other so-called 'heroes' will still meet your deaths. You will come to regret being summoned to this world. And when that day comes, you will curse this kingdom for bringing you here. We will make sure of it."
Chen Fan smiled—not in amusement, but in quiet certainty.
"You won't be part of that future," he replied. "Because you're going to die here."
The knight smirked in return, but Chen Fan only watched him with a calm, almost mocking expression.
"Hm… interesting," Chen Fan mused. "Can you share memories? Or are all parasitic demons linked as one?"
The knight's smirk faltered ever so slightly.
"So what if you know?" he spat. "It won't change anything."
"I see," Chen Fan sighed, shaking his head as if in disappointment. "The fact that you can't grasp the significance of this information already tells me your limitations. Hm… how disappointing. Seems I overestimated you."
"You—!" The demon's eyes flared with anger.
Chen Fan tilted his head slightly. "So demons still have emotions, after all? For a moment, I thought you were nothing more than instinct-driven beasts. But… it seems we're more alike than I initially thought."
The demon's eyes widened as he studied Chen Fan carefully. This man was dangerous. There was no arrogance in his words, no pride in having bested him—every sentence was simply a calculated attempt to extract information. He had deliberately provoked him, testing his reactions, seeking out weaknesses.
"I will see you soon," the demon finally hissed, attempting to detonate his host's body.
But then, he froze. Horror filled his gaze as he realized—his mana was gone. He could feel his connection to the host crumbling.
His eyes snapped back to Chen Fan, who simply watched him in quiet amusement.
Panic set in. The parasite needed mana to maintain control over its host, yet now, something had severed that link entirely. A shiver ran through him. He had underestimated this man far too much.
And worst of all—he still had no idea what Chen Fan's true power or ultimate goal was.
As his consciousness faded, the last thing he saw was Chen Fan's unwavering gaze, filled with an unreadable depth.
Chen Fan watched as the knight's body suddenly went limp, collapsing to the ground. Stepping forward, he knelt beside the fallen man and placed his fingers against his neck. A moment later, he sighed—there was no pulse. The knight was dead.
"Secure his body and summon the best doctor and alchemists available. We will conduct a thorough examination tomorrow," he ordered, his tone calm but firm.
Then, shifting his gaze to Princess Celestia, he continued, "Send word to all the nobles across the empire immediately. The fact that the demons can transfer information between hosts means they were aware they would be exposed sooner or later. If that's the case, they may attempt a desperate last move—one that could throw the entire kingdom into chaos."
Celestia and Alex exchanged stunned glances before their expressions turned solemn. What Chen Fan said was not only plausible but highly likely. If the demons had already realized their infiltration had been discovered, they wouldn't sit idly by. A large-scale riot, or even an uprising, could be imminent.
Without wasting another second, Celestia turned on her heels and sprinted toward the palace to alert her father, the emperor. Alex followed closely behind, intending to mobilize the army as swiftly as possible.
Chen Fan remained where he was, scanning the surroundings carefully. Even after the princess and the knight commander left, he continued his inspection, making sure nothing had been overlooked.
Some time passed before a distant explosion echoed through the air. His sharp senses immediately identified the location—it came from the far side of the palace.
He exhaled softly.
"So, they've decided to abandon their infiltration mission after all."
This was within his expectations. Once their presence had been exposed, the demons would have no reason to continue hiding. Instead, they would attempt to cause as much destruction as possible before withdrawing.
Rather than rushing toward the explosion, Chen Fan extended his spiritual sense, focusing on one particular location—Wang Yue's chambers. His awareness swept over the area, searching for any disturbances.
A moment later, he relaxed slightly. No one had approached her room.
Good.
He remained in place for a while, waiting as the commotion within the palace gradually died down. The knights and soldiers had done their job well, ensuring that no more demons lurked within the castle walls. Satisfied that the immediate threat had been neutralized, Chen Fan finally turned away and began making his way back to his own chambers.
For now, this should be enough.
The others would handle the aftermath—the investigation, the identification of any remaining parasites within the empire, and the restoration of order. As for anything beyond that… he would think about it tomorrow.
Stepping into his room, Chen Fan sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, immersing himself in cultivation.
The night passed in silent meditation, his focus unwavering. As his internal energy circulated, he could feel it—the faint but undeniable sensation of nearing a breakthrough. The Foundation Building stage was reaching its limit.
Soon… very soon, he would take his next step forward.