Numerous Evernight powerhouses would not idly watch Qian Ye escape. With a cold hum, the Witch vanished without a trace. Edward and Basil, knowing they were in the wrong, silently chased after Qian Ye’s direction.
An Wen sighed, then turned to the remaining people and said, “Follow me.” He headed off at a steady pace, his direction slightly different from that of Edward and Basil.
The several vampire lords hesitated for a moment, uncertain whether they should follow An Wen. Ai Deng, with a cold tone, spoke, “Are you not going to follow the young master? Do you think Edward can track the movements of Her Excellency the Witch?”
This argument made perfect sense. In the Great Vortex, after a series of blows, Edward’s authority had greatly diminished. Especially since his blood aura failed to suppress Qian Ye, it made the vampires, who highly valued their lineage, question his capabilities.
Several vampire lords decided to follow An Wen, while the others continued with Edward. Mu Se gritted her teeth and followed in the direction Edward had taken.
Ai Deng, seeing he had convinced a few, merely smiled and followed An Wen.
An Wen was not moving very fast, seemingly ensuring the vampire counts did not lose him. These counts were from the latter ancient clans, originally not on good terms with Edward’s Pas clan. Given Edward’s unimpressive performance in battle, where he often used them as pawns, these counts decided to abandon Edward and follow An Wen.
However, with such speed, how could they possibly catch up to Qian Ye?
Despite An Wen’s consideration, the counts couldn’t help but have doubts. At this moment, a distant rumble echoed, and a powerful surge of magic and blood energy rose, like two giant dragons entwined in a deadly struggle.
Such a spectacle, especially the deep, overwhelming pressure in the blood energy, left the vampire counts trembling. Even their blood energy circulation slowed. They felt a mix of relief at finally catching up and dread at facing another life-or-death battle.
The Witch had intercepted Qian Ye and a fierce battle ensued. Edward and Basil, having missed their target, quickly changed course. An Wen’s direction proved correct, leading straight to the battlefield.
Though the vampire counts were shaken, they prepared to accelerate towards the battle. An Wen, however, remained calm, slowing down further. “Why rush? Are you looking to die? Wait until she has weakened Qian Ye. But if you still want to taste the power of the Origin Gun, then…”
Before An Wen could finish, he felt a strong throb and involuntarily looked up. A pillar of light, wrapped in black, shot into the sky, piercing the heavens!
It was an unusual feather, with a deep black edge and shaft, and only the middle part shimmered with a faint golden light.
At the sight of this, An Wen was struck speechless, staring as it shot towards the sky. The extreme danger and raw power made one shiver, yet unable to look away.
High above, a faint figure appeared, almost invisible. Yet the black-edged feather, as if guided by eyes, shot directly at the figure, easily piercing through layers of magical energy like paper.
The Witch grunted, her form hovering, flickering between clarity and obscurity. Her magic energy roiled uncontrollably, clearly out of control.
An Wen, coming to his senses, let out a low cry and leaped, flying towards the Witch in the air.
She turned, fixing him with an icy, invisible gaze, and coldly said, “I’m fine.”
An Wen hesitated. Qian Ye’s Origin Gun was unlike before, forcing the Witch out of her void, even making her magic energy unstable. Yet, her pride meant she would not want An Wen’s interference.
If she was truly fine, why would she remain motionless, letting Qian Ye go?
Seeming to read An Wen’s thoughts, the Witch said coolly, “Rest assured, he is injured. He won’t escape my grasp.”
An Wen looked down, spotting a few embers slowly burning on a rock, nearly extinguished. Intrigued, he landed beside the rock, plucked a bit of flame, and examined it. After it burned out, he said, “Golden Burning Blood?”
Shock was evident in An Wen’s voice. The Witch, now dimmer, seemed to have regained some control over her injury.
With a rare seriousness, she confirmed, “Yes, it is Golden Burning Blood.”
“Besides those old ones, there are others with Golden Burning Blood? Does this mean…?”
“Correct, he must have successfully connected to the Blood River.”
An Wen narrowed his eyes, then said, “This is significant news.”
“You rarely speak such nonsense.”
An Wen sighed, “My meaning is, should we report this to His Majesty the Eternal Flame?”
The Witch, surprised, said, “You mean to inform the other two Emperors? There’s no need to trouble the Emperor with this. And the other, you know his state better than anyone.”
An Wen clarified, “I mean, should we keep this a secret?”
The Witch, surprised, replied, “You intend to eliminate Qian Ye on your own? You’re too busy with trivial matters. Your sword skills are impressive, but what good are they? Even if you hit Qian Ye, you won’t kill him. His gun, however, could take your life.”
An Wen, smiling bitterly, asked, “Don’t you want to kill him yourself?”
The Witch, seriously, said, “Considering your insights, I’ll be honest. As a supreme, I want to defeat him. His strength will push me to new heights. But for our clan, eliminating him early is best. If he matures, he might become another Habsburg, lighting the Blood River. You know the consequences.”
An Wen, silent, sighed, “Setting aside our racial stance, Qian Ye is commendable. He will achieve greatness. When we reach our peaks, he might be our most trusted ally in exploring the void.”
The Witch scoffed, “You may not become a Grand Duke. Isn’t it premature to think of the void?”
An Wen, confident, said, “If you become a Grand Duke, so will I. My knowledge is more useful than any secret or lineage.”
The Witch, disbelieving, listened.
An Wen, undeterred, pointed to the sky, “Have you considered what lies beyond the sky? What’s beyond the horizon? Where is this Great Vortex, and why can’t we find it among the twenty-seven continents of Evernight or the stars above? What is this endless void that traps countless supremes? Is it ancient or a cage set by an unknown, unimaginable power?”
These questions, never pondered by the Witch, shook her deeply.
An Wen concluded, “Doesn’t our tribal enmity seem foolish compared to these vast mysteries? Like caged beasts fighting for supremacy, what’s the point? Even if you conquer all, you’ll only be king of a cage.”
The Witch, sighing, said, “Perhaps you’re right. But first, we must catch Qian Ye. Better to be a king in a cage than to be exterminated and watch another rise.”
An Wen, sighing, agreed, “Short-sightedness prevents us from breaking the cage and finding the boundless world.”
The Witch retorted, “First, improve your combat strength. Otherwise, how will you break the cage?”
An Wen, speechless, watched the Witch vanish, leaving a faint line in the sky to guide him. This was her unique magic, visible only to An Wen.
Edward and Basil, having arrived, waited. The Witch, with her magic, kept others away, and no one noticed the Golden Burning Blood.
An Wen and the Witch conversed using their highest secret arts, their words hidden. Neither Edward nor Basil, nor even Ai Deng, knew what they discussed.
After a moment, the Witch left, and An Wen, bidding farewell, followed the line. Edward and Basil, learning their lesson, followed. Edward, ignoring the counts who chose An Wen, remained stoic.
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