The Demon Emperor let out a chuckle, “Betrayal? Betray whom? The Crimson River, the Blood Mark, or the Night Queen? The state of the Crimson River is not normal. Though the blood descendants below the rank of Great Lord may not dare to speak openly, your progenitors should be well aware. If our Demon Clan’s research and deductions over the past millennium are incorrect, then where does the truth lie?”
“As for the Blood Marks, failing to remove those that have been tainted will only lead to the disaster spreading further. A mark that has dimmed for too long cannot be rekindled, and in the end, it will become like the thirteen clans, nothing but memories left. Habs, I merely confiscated the blood pools of those few clans, cutting off their influence on the Crimson River. If I truly wished to exterminate all vampires, this war would not need to be fought in such a manner.”
“Regarding the Night Queen, according to your vampiric beliefs, a progenitor is more important than the entire clan, and the Night Queen is more important than the entire race. So why do you stand before me now? Even if contact is temporarily impossible, the Night Queen will eventually awaken by herself. You needn’t do anything, just wait for her to regain consciousness.”
Habs’ tone was cold and hard, “I said, only a portion of people think this way!”
“My dear old friend, even you cannot convince yourself. A thousand years ago, your stubbornness could not ease Samael’s worries. He, as a progenitor, did not even live longer than a Grand Duke. And you never liked how the lower-ranking vampires devour flesh like mindless beasts, nor did you approve of the path of power through consuming one’s kin. But what is it that you fear?”
The voice of the Demon Emperor was like a sigh that pierced through the wall of time, stirring countless memories buried deep within the ages. Habs was drenched in cold sweat, taking a step back, leaning against the stone wall of the terrace to steady himself, yet still straightening his spine.
“Is it because of the lie that only pure bloodlines can ignite the Blood Mark? I heard that even now, there are dukes in the Speck Clan who disobey you, thinking that your bloodline is impure. Oh, perhaps it shouldn’t be called a lie, but no one told them that purity isn’t entirely innate, and the path to purity doesn’t solely involve devouring.”
“That’s enough, Cain, Your Majesty.”
The gaze of the Demon Emperor was piercing, “A thousand years ago, I could refrain from arguing with you, but things are different now. Besides, do you have no doubts in your heart? The Night Queen claimed she needed to rest due to excessive exhaustion, but in reality, you cannot confirm her true intentions, can you?”
Habs wearily said, “Your Majesty, you’ve never spoken so much before. You know you cannot persuade me.”
The Demon Emperor shook his head, “How about this, let’s make a deal. You don’t have to do anything, just observe, and see if the outcome is as I say. In return, the Speck Clan will remain intact, and I will not personally take action. I will also bring the war back to the scale of the previous Holy Wars. What do you say?”
What the Demon Emperor discussed with Habs today would certainly not be known to many. Regardless of what pretext the Demon Clan used to mobilize the Parliament Allied Forces, even after announcing the end of the mission, the local conflicts would be unavoidable. Opportunists always exist, especially among the werewolves, several of whose ancient tribes were wiped out in the previous Holy Wars.
If the Demon Emperor was willing to control the scale of the war, it would mean that many ordinary vampires would survive, and it would also confirm the Demon Emperor’s previous claims that he had completed the purification of those few clans.
Habs closed his eyes, then gazed deeply at the Demon Emperor, “Why now?”
“The arrival of the new world is our only chance to purify the dark essence. Otherwise, the next time might not come for another millennium. In a few days, the Black Flame will burn out, and you will see the evidence you desire.”
Habs smiled bitterly, “I no longer know if the new world is a conspiracy or a hope.”
“We shall wait and see.”
“I thought you would declare war on humanity next.”
“If everything goes smoothly, and the new world can completely purify the dark essence, humanity will not be an issue. As long as the dawn is not entirely eradicated, new dawn creatures will emerge. When glory returns to the darkness, it will expel all original sins from the world.”
“What if I refuse?”
The Demon Emperor’s voice softened, “Many will die along with you, many, and not just on the Twilight Continent.” He paused, his voice becoming even softer, like a whisper, “I’ve already made a decision without a choice once, Habs. Don’t make me do it again.”
Habs’ breath momentarily halted, and when he regained his composure, he said, “Your regard is truly surprising, I am very curious, why exactly?”
“Simple, the newborn vampires need a leader. In the distant future, when Lilith returns to the Crimson River, her position on the Sacred Mountain will need an heir. No one is more suitable for this role than you.”
Habs was completely taken aback, “What is the glory of the ancient era that you envision?”
“In the ancient era, the seven races stood together on the Sacred Mountain. Warfare and reproduction were part of the fate’s wheel, and the fall and rise of the races made the darkness flourish.”
Habs’ blood core trembled, and the Demon Emperor’s description reminded him of an illusion he saw in a small world long ago, strikingly similar. “Your expectations are too heavy. I am not a Great Lord.”
“Becoming a Great Lord is not as difficult as you imagine.”
“Why must it be me? I think you have better candidates.”
“Metatron? He is not suited to be a leader, never will be.”
“What should a leader be like?”
“To set the rules, to uphold the rules, to make choices.” The Demon Emperor suddenly paused, filled with regret, “Sometimes, even the Sacred Mountain has no choice, perhaps because we are not strong enough. Habs, the sacrifices you wish to make have never had any meaning, and there is no need for you to sacrifice now. Witness the future with me, and see if my choices are right or wrong.”
Habs was silent for a long time, finally saying reluctantly, “Very… well.”
At that moment, the Demon Emperor suddenly looked up, gazing into the void. Habs also sensed the surging of the Crimson River, and in that tiny ripple, he recognized the aura of the Mowei Clan.
The Demon Emperor, lost in thought, said, “This reminds me of a human saying: in times of crisis, the pillars of the community emerge. Perhaps this war will be a good thing for the newborn vampires.”
Habs looked into the distance. Apart from the previous unexplained surges of the Crimson River, this was the first time he clearly felt the calling of the river and the information of the clan. Could returning to the ancient era truly free them from the fate of being lost?
The battle outside the Dark Eye Pass was over.
The battlefield was easier to clean up than ever before. The sand soldiers left no physical traces, and even the thick layer of sand on the ground was visibly eroding away.
However, the battle was no less grueling than any other. On the scorched gaps of the city walls, engineers were busy installing temporary armor plating, with full repairs to be carried out only after the fighting was confirmed to be over.
The Radiant Emperor appeared in the air above the watchtower, “Duke Rong, I have something to discuss with you.”
After Jun Du followed the Radiant Emperor into the sky, Wu Lin suddenly turned to Jun Hong, “Please remind Duke Rong of the matter we discussed earlier. I must take my leave now.”
Jun Hong called out to him, “Admiral Lin, why not be clear about it?”
Wu Lin gave a gloomy smile, “Be clear? Would you believe me? Even with Father Lin’s reputation, you distrust him. I’m just a small man, what gives me the right? Besides, such matters cannot be accomplished by one or two people alone.”
Jun Hong frowned, “Not one or two people? Admiral Lin, with your experience in oversight, you should know that the more complex and intricate a matter, the harder it is to root out the accomplices. Why not join forces with us?”
Wu Lin was indifferent, “With your Zhao Clan’s protective nature, join forces to investigate your internal affairs? Ha! How did you handle the incident with Zhao Guanwei during the early stages of the floating land battles? He was just a military officer.”
Jun Hong, despite his restraint, couldn’t help but show his displeasure.
Wu Lin said, “Don’t test my limits, Commander Zhao. If I am not satisfied, I will come and collect the price myself.”
This was an open threat, and Jun Hong, no matter how patient, could not endure it. Before he could respond, Wu Lin suddenly retreated into the shadows, disappearing right before his eyes.
Now, Jun Hong was both shocked and angry. Wu Lin, being a death soldier, was already skilled in covert assassinations, and now having surpassed the Divine General’s threshold, no one knew what his Divine General skill was. If it involved concealment or sudden bursts of power, a Divine General-level assassin was a terrifying prospect.
Before Jun Hong could make sense of it, he felt a familiar surge in the air. It was Jun Du summoning him.
So quickly? There hadn’t even been a few words exchanged.
Jun Hong felt a stir and ascended, finding Jun Du standing with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance towards the southern Yulian and northern Wuyang provinces. Southern Yulian was beyond saving, but northern Wuyang might still have some survivors. The Zhao Clan and the war zone had dispatched search and rescue teams, though it was unclear how effective they would be.
Jun Du turned and called out, “Second Brother.”
Jun Hong was taken aback. Even when Qian Ye was found and Jun Du suffered a severe injury, he had never seen such a complex, unreadable expression on his face.
Jun Hong composed himself, recounted Wu Lin’s message, and asked, “What troubles you, regarding the Emperor?”
Jun Du gave a wry smile, “His Majesty asked me if I intend to separate the family branch.”
Jun Hong was truly shocked, nearly falling from the air. Fortunately, Jun Du reacted quickly, gently supporting him with his primal force.
Composing himself, Jun Hong, having been so startled, now had a crystal-clear mind. “Does Brother think that the Emperor and Wu Lin are referring to the same thing?”
Jun Du pondered, “It’s the same attitude, but likely not the same thing. The worst part is, it’s probably more than one thing.”
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