The Emperor of Darkness did not press further. He waved a streak of black energy, which coalesced into a dark orb above Nigthtpup’s head. As it rotated, drops of extremely pure and concentrated primal dark force condensed and fell upon her. Each drop that landed caused Nigthtpup’s body to tremble slightly, followed by a wisp of primal dawn force emanating from within her, only to dissipate instantly.
The two Dukes watched from afar, their eyes inadvertently revealing envy. Each drop of the primal dark force was of the utmost purity, almost a manifestation of the origin of darkness. If they could obtain just one drop, their understanding of dark force would surely reach a new realm, potentially breaking through their current bottleneck in power.
After seven consecutive drops of the primal dark force, the dark orb finally dissipated. The Emperor of Darkness’s voice betrayed a hint of weariness, indicating significant expenditure.
“This is all I can do for now. Additionally, I will postpone the opening of the second gate by a month. I hope you will have recovered by then.”
Nigthtpup replied, “A month is sufficient. There is no need to wait any longer.”
“I hope so. During this time, it would be best to address any matters that might place you in danger again. Though I am only a projection, this still consumes a considerable amount of energy.”
“I will consider it,” Nigthtpup responded coldly.
The Emperor of Darkness did not insist, merely reminding her, “Don’t forget what you promised.”
“Of course, I will remember.”
The boundless darkness faded, and the oppressive aura vanished as the Emperor of Darkness’s projection receded. The two Dukes felt a chill break out on their foreheads, as if they had just escaped from the brink of death. Although the Emperor of Darkness had humble origins and was portrayed as gentle and modest in the Holy Mountain of Darkness, the feeling of having their lives completely in his hands was something the two powerful Dukes were unwilling to experience again.
One of the Dukes approached Nigthtpup and asked, “Your Highness, is there anything we can assist you with?”
“Not at the moment. However, some of the warriors here are in dire need of treatment.”
“Very well, I will see to it immediately.” After agreeing, the Duke could not help but add, “Your Highness, every word the Emperor of Darkness utters carries deep meaning. If you still have any ties with the humans, it would be best to sever them now.”
Nigthtpup retorted coldly, “When did you start telling me what to do?”
The Duke did not grow angry, but instead said, “We are, after all, responsible for your protection. But if such an incident occurs again, we truly cannot do much. The opening of the new world’s gates is of utmost importance, yet it is currently halted at the second gate. Sigh, even if I don’t say it, you must know that discontent has already arisen in the council.”
Nigthtpup snapped, “Anyone who is dissatisfied can come and find me!”
The other Duke, who had been listening quietly, couldn’t help but interject, “Your Highness, while you may not fear them, and they are indeed powerless against you, the matter the Emperor of Darkness mentioned is no longer a secret. Many suspect along those lines. For the sake of the new world, many old warhorses have waited for over a thousand years. Now, as their lives draw to a close, they are capable of doing anything. I’ve heard that some are planning to act from the human side, to sever your ties there.”
A glint of cold light flashed in Nigthtpup’s eyes. “What ties do I have there? And how do they plan to sever them?”
The Duke replied diplomatically, “I am not privy to that information. But if the humans can find you here, they can also find their targets among the humans. Whether or not there is a real connection, sometimes actions do not require confirmation. If such an incident were to happen again, they would have more reason to act.”
The killing intent in Nigthtpup’s eyes slowly subsided, but she became even more menacing. She spoke with icy precision, “Tell those old fools that I do not take threats. If they truly feel they have lived too long, I can help them along.”
The Duke sighed softly, “Your Highness, this is futile. They are not targeting you specifically. On the contrary, we genuinely think you should consider the Emperor of Darkness’s advice. The humans are far too cunning. They have tried to eliminate you more than once, and they spare no means. Even the King of the North Star has made a move. You may have avoided it this time, but what about next time?”
Nigthtpup remained expressionless, simply saying, “I understand.”
The two Dukes exchanged a glance, knowing that the conversation had reached its end. They went to attend to the wounded. Throughout the ruins of the ancient Castle Diexius, the elite vampire warriors lay strewn about, unable to rise. Even the noble-ranked were barely clinging to life.
The overwhelming power of the King of the North Star was beyond the capacity of these lower-ranking vampires to withstand, and the appearance of the Emperor of Darkness’s projection was another blow. The Emperor of Darkness was only concerned with Nigthtpup’s injuries and paid no heed to the fate of the lower vampires. He would not even adjust his domain to avoid collateral damage.
With her residence destroyed, Nigthtpup moved into the underground chambers of the castle. In the central hall, a massive iron coffin revolved, immersed in a pool of blood. The blood in the pool was calm and exuded a faint, sweet fragrance. The blood pool of the Castle Diexius was well-known, crucial for supporting the strength of the warriors during battle. When the humans awoke and the founding fathers, led by the First Ancestor, seized the castle, they first destroyed the blood pool. Only after the vampires reclaimed the castle did they rebuild it with great effort.
Entering the hall, Nigthtpup addressed the two viscounts following her, “Leave now and wake me in three days.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The heavy doors of the underground chamber closed behind her. Nigthtpup slowly removed her armor, looking down at her flawless body. The wound on her abdomen had miraculously healed, but the newly formed flesh was almost transparent, revealing several newly regenerated bones that were still only as thick as fingers, far from their proper size. This was just the flesh and bone; the damaged internal organs had not yet had the chance to repair themselves.
On her skin, faint flames flickered, and Nigthtpup frowned slightly, as if in pain from the burning. These were remnants of primal dawn force transformed into flames, like a relentless parasite, persistently burning. Even the Emperor of Darkness’s methods could not completely extinguish them.
Nigthtpup touched the flame with her fingertip, and a tiny spark clung to it, continuously burning, trying to consume her flesh and force.
She held her fingertip before her eyes, watching the leaping spark. After a moment, she murmured with a hint of self-mockery, “They really put a lot into this. Do they want me dead that badly? Hah, I don’t recall ever provoking them.”
This dawn flame was particularly tenacious, not created by ordinary means. To imbue it with the characteristics of a curse, akin to those of the dark races, required not only exceedingly rare materials but also fragments of Nigthtpup’s own soul. When she fell into the military’s hands and was tortured by Lisi Fengshui, he likely collected some of her soul fragments.
Now, with Nigthtpup’s reawakening, the value of these ancient soul fragments had become incalculable. The Empire had clearly invested heavily, using a fragment of her soul and materials equivalent to a super-grade crystal to infuse the curse, indicating their determination.
But what kind of deep-seated grudge would warrant such measures? To prevent the opening of the new world’s gates, there were other targets, and she was certainly not the easiest to deal with. Could the only reason be the past bond, the lingering nostalgia in her heart, and her slight trust and goodwill towards the humans? Was she the easiest target?
Nigthtpup blew out a breath of blood, extinguishing the spark on her fingertip. But the flame in her abdomen was too fierce, and she could not put it out at the moment. Only after three days and nights submerged in the blood pool could it be fully extinguished.
The King of the North Star had made exceptionally thorough preparations for this strike. He may not have anticipated that Nigthtpup had grown strong enough to barely block his attack, but he did not neglect to guard against the unexpected.
This unquenchable dawn flame could burn through her flesh in a short time, annihilating her. Sending her blood relatives, the remaining remnants of her pre-awakening kin, as assassins helped to ease her guard, leading her into the trap and giving the two protective Dukes no time to react.
Perhaps the King of the North Star’s only miscalculation was not expecting the Emperor of Darkness to appear so quickly. The moment the disturbance began, the Emperor’s projection had already descended.
The Emperor of Darkness’s true form was likely in the traditional territory of the demonic lineage, a great distance from the vampire homeland. Projecting himself over such a vast space was a significant drain on his energy. The one-month period he mentioned was not just for Nigthtpup, but also for himself.
Nigthtpup opened the iron coffin and stepped inside, lying down slowly. As the blood covered her face, a soft sigh seemed to echo.
In the Imperial Capital of Qinlu, a tranquil estate in the suburbs, an old man sat by a stream, fishing. The long fishing line swayed with the flow of the water, and the afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the surface of the stream. A few small fish darted around, occasionally bumping into the bait but not biting.
The old man’s eyes were half-closed, seemingly lost in reverie. Suddenly, a snap was heard, and the fishing line broke into two pieces. A wisp of black energy followed the broken line, wrapping around the fishing rod and surging towards the old man.
The old man’s eyes opened, and the rod flickered with flames, engulfing the black energy. The flames were intense, but the black energy was especially tenacious, burning for a long time before finally vanishing.
The old man finally straightened up, his eyes narrowing as he muttered, “To think he would personally intervene. Is that person more important than I thought?”
“Do you have any catch today, old man?”
Without turning his head, the old man replied, “Why are you here, not attending to affairs in the court? There are many important matters, and now is not the time to neglect them.”
Behind the old man stood none other than the White Emperor. He was dressed in simple clothes, his aura subdued, appearing no different from a common farmer, belying his status as the supreme ruler of the Great Qin Empire. He stood casually, not minding that the old man had never looked back at him, nor the stern tone of his words.
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