Fang Yun stared intently at Lu Feng, hoping for an explanation that could help him decide—whether to stay and marry Princess Zhao Rui or to leave the palace with Ho Chen.“Calm your thoughts, Fang Yun,” Lu Feng said with a slight smile, carefully choosing his words so that Fang Yun might come to his senses. “I’ve lived in the demon realm for hundreds of years, serving as the royal physician. What Ho Chen told you, and what you saw earlier, is all true. No demon truly takes the form of a human. If they appear human, it is only because they possess the ability to disguise themselves.”“So... that horrifying form of Princess Zhao Rui and the putrid stench I smelled—those were real?” Fang Yun asked, his gaze hollow. His spirit was shaken, and his heart clouded by the harsh truth.Lu Feng nodded. “You have to accept this reality, Fang Yun. You should be grateful to have a friend like Ho Chen, who risked his life to enter the demon realm to save you.”<

The room was soaked in silence, the kind that could crush the chest and still the breath. Fang Yun and Lu Feng stood rooted to the floor, their expressions carved from stone—shocked, horrified, and utterly unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. The lifeless form of Princess Zhao Rui lay sprawled across the marble floor, her once-vibrant eyes now staring into nothingness. Her royal robes, embroidered with phoenix patterns in golden thread, were stained deep crimson. Blood had seeped into the cracks of the floor beneath her. Neither of them could speak. A deathly stillness wrapped itself around the chamber, interrupted only by the faint crackle of torches and the distant sounds of unrest outside. What Ho Chen had done was unthinkable. Killing Zhao Rui had not even been a possibility in their minds—yet it was now an irreversible truth. Beyond the chamber walls, demon soldiers stood frozen not by Fang Yun's icy magic, but by the

Though King Qiang Zu had been pushed back, it didn’t mean he was defeated. On the contrary, the energy erupting from his body surged to a level several times greater than before—greater even than when Ho Chen’s attack had scorched the base of his neck."I don’t know what kind of power you possess, you damned human! But know this—what you’re seeing now is my true strength."Ho Chen, Fang Yun, and all the demon soldiers trembled under the immense pressure radiating from King Qiang Zu. Even the houses around them shook, the vibrations growing stronger by the second.One by one, buildings crumbled under the oppressive energy of the demon king, burying the people inside. Yet King Qiang Zu seemed indifferent to the fate of his own citizens. He stood there, unmoved, even as his power devastated his people."Stop this, you filthy demon! Are you trying to kill all your own people?" shouted Ho Chen.But King Qiang Zu ignored the plea. The only thing in his heart now was vengeance—for the death

Queen Qiang Hui turned her gaze once more to King Qiang Zu. With a soft voice—so that Ho Chen wouldn’t hear her—she spoke again, “If my son wanted you dead, I would have done it. And not just that, I would have flattened your kingdom once more, just as I did in the past. You better hope he doesn’t hold a grudge against you!”King Qiang Zu swallowed hard. He knew full well that Queen Qiang Hui’s words were no idle threats. Now all he could do was hope the young man would forgive him.Clutching his aching chest, Ho Chen stood beside his adoptive mother and looked at King Qiang Zu, who remained kneeling before them. His brow furrowed deeply in confusion at the strange sight.“You know him, Mother?” Ho Chen asked innocently.Before Queen Qiang Hui could answer, King Qiang Zu interrupted, “Forgive me for all I’ve done, Ho Chen. I should have known who you truly were.”“Ho Chen… Ho Chen…! He is my adopted son and also the son of the Sun Go

The Medicine God let out a long sigh. It turned out that his suspicion about the punishment Queen Qiang Hui would face was completely accurate. "I will answer your question, Ho Chen. But I hope you won’t blame yourself—this was all written by fate." Ho Chen furrowed his brow, curiosity growing stronger in his chest. But he didn’t interrupt and allowed the Medicine God to finish his words. "The real reason Her Majesty was punished," he continued, "is because she directly intervened in your affairs. Just like me, she is forbidden from interfering, no matter how severe the problem you face may be. But... I believe she acted because she had other intentions, though I do not know exactly what they were." Ho Chen held his breath for a moment. He now understood why Queen Qiang Hui hadn’t told him—she didn’t want him to feel guilty. But it also became clear to him that his adoptive mother had used the moment to draw him