“General Jun Du, no… don’t joke like that,” the brigadier general said, sweating cold sweat.
The young and fiery major scolded, “Zhao Jundu! Don’t think you can do as you please just because the Zhao clan is behind you!”
Before the major could finish, the brigadier general yanked him back, snapping, “Shut up! You have no say here!”
Zhao Jundu, however, was not in a grateful mood. With a sardonic smile, he replied, “When have you ever heard of me, Zhao Jundu, making jokes? Besides, do I need to use the Zhao clan to have my way with little pests like you?”
Even though they were mocked, sensing the atmosphere, the brigadier general did not dare to retort much. After a salute, he dragged the major and hastily left.
After the military personnel left in a daze, the woman, puzzled, asked, “These two are mere pawns. What’s the point of tormenting them?”
“Of course, it serves a purpose. Whatever reply I give implies that I’ve seen the military’s urgent report. As a member of the Empire, I should abide by the military orders, regardless of their content. But now, since I’ve never seen this order, how I act is up to me. Haha, if it weren’t for the need to pass a message, I wouldn’t even acknowledge these people.”
“But you can’t get Qian Ye’s spot back this way, right?”
“No, I can’t. But whoever dares to take Qian Ye’s place, I, Zhao Jundu, will remember it, and one day, I will make them pay tenfold.”
The woman sighed softly, saying, “I wonder if Young Master Qianye will wake up.”
“There’s always hope. Didn’t Song Zining already arrange everything?” At this, Zhao Jundu suddenly frowned, got up, and paced around the hall. He said gravely, “No, the resources he has are limited, and he can’t mobilize any high-ranking experts. Even with the Wei family, it might not be enough. Go and check his final arrangements and stay by his side, ready to lend a hand if necessary. When you act, show no mercy!”
The woman bowed and left.
After she left, the hall grew cold. For some reason, Zhao Jundu suddenly saw Duan Chengpeng’s face before him. When this subordinate was returned, he was already a cold corpse, though his facial expression had been altered, it still showed extreme anger and unwillingness.
Zhao Jundu reached out, instinctively wanting to grab his gun, but grasped at air. He then remembered that the unnamed gun was away being treated. He quietly withdrew his hand, unable to suppress the faint anxiety in his heart.
The Li family had already made it clear that they would provide a satisfactory response and deal with Li Tianquan according to the law. They also sent experts who found that someone else had killed Duan Chengpeng, and Li Tianquan was not the murderer. The explanation was reasonable, and with Li Kuanglan having delivered medicine first, Zhao Jundu had to hold his anger and wait for further results from the Li family.
Master Liao had calculated everything, but he did not expect the Li family to be adept at both heavenly derivation and medical arts, revealing his last trick. And the Li family’s attitude was far beyond his expectations.
In the deepest part of the Twilight Continent, in a vast region where humans had never set foot, stood a towering, cloud-piercing peak. Atop this almost knife-cut straight peak, an impressive castle was built. Even in the land of the Evernight, teeming with strong beings, it was considered a marvel.
The long years had painted the castle a heavy black, and the edges of the building and the steps were shiny golden due to friction, indicating that the ancient castle was made of metal.
Deep within the castle, at the end of a huge hall, there sat a solitary throne. Moonlight shone through the tall, stained-glass windows, illuminating the throne, making it the only brightly lit spot.
On the throne, an ancient, emaciated elder sat, his head adorned with a high crown. His skeletal body was like a living skeleton. His eyes were closed, and his chin rested on his hand, as if dozing. In the isolated, cold hall, there was no one, and the double doors, covered in rusty patches, were tightly locked by thick, animal-leg-like chains.
Time seemed to stand still in the hall, and no force could seem to change anything.
When everything in the hall seemed eternal, a slight tremor occurred. Initially, the vibration was minimal, but it intensified, dust and rust falling from the ceiling, and the chains securing the doors rattled, clashing against the doors, creating thunderous noise.
The ancient king, skeletal on the throne, felt the tremor and slowly opened his eyes. In his sockets, there were no eyeballs, only murky blood. Roused, he slowly lowered his gaze, piercing through layers of obstruction, scanning everything in the mountain castle. One glance, and he was furious, roaring throughout the peak, “The Blood Pool! Who destroyed my Blood Pool!”
He pulled the chain beside the throne, and a grating bell echoed through the castle. On the third pull, with a crack, a finger bone fell. The ancient king turned to look at his hand, noticing that, perhaps due to overexertion, not only his palm but also his arm showed cracks. His skin and flesh were thin, adhered to the bones, and the cracks revealed a grayish-white.
The ancient king had to slow down, lest his dried-up body sustain more damage. He tried to stand, but his leg bones creaked, stopping him. He emitted a continuous, sharp whistle, summoning his kin.
Moments later, the chains entwined around the doors began to slowly retract, following complex, predetermined paths. This process, lengthy and intricate, made the ancient king extremely anxious yet helpless. These precautions were to protect him during his slumber, and couldn’t be shortened.
Finally, the doors opened, and dozens of vampires carried a copper coffin into the hall. Seeing the coffin, the ancient king’s tone changed, “Why only this? It takes seven days to fully recover with source blood of this level!”
The leading marquis knelt on one knee, fearfully, “Your Highness, the ancient Blood Pool was destroyed, and the highest-level source blood is gone. Only these backup stocks remain in the castle.”
“Why are you still here then, and not hunting the culprit?!”
“Your Highness, this matter is very strange. The timing was perfect. I believe my duty is not to chase the infiltrator but to ensure your safety.”
The ancient king’s anger subsided, and he began to ponder, “You mean, the one who destroyed the ancient Blood Pool is not from another race?”
“Yes. When the infiltrator escaped, we wounded him, and he left a bit of blood behind.”
The ancient king extended his withered hand, “Bring it!”
The marquis handed over a piece of black cloth stained with blood. The ancient king took it, smelled it, and his voice grew darker, “This… is Monro’s scent!”
In the hall, the expressions of many vampires changed. Though the Monro clan was suppressed by the Night Queen, they remained a formidable entity for the 12th-ranked Kardon clan. Furthermore, rumors said the Night Queen would soon fall into a deep sleep, and the Monro clan would regain freedom.
The marquis said, “It might not be Monro, but another clan using someone with Monro blood.”
The ancient king’s voice was icy, “A top-tier Monro bloodline infiltrator who silently entered my castle—what level do you think such a person would be, working for another clan?”
The marquis was speechless.
The ancient king said gravely, “The destruction of the ancient Blood Pool cannot be hidden. Since it cannot be hidden, let’s make a big fuss. The Queen hasn’t gone to sleep yet!”
The marquis replied, “Yes, Your Highness. I’ll arrange the hunt immediately and notify the other ancient clans. But, should we delay for a couple of days?”
“Why?!” The ancient king’s tone brimmed with anger.
“Your Highness, your recovery time is longer this time. If someone exploits this, they might strike…”
The ancient king was startled, his eyes narrowing. After a moment, he said, “Send our own people to hunt first. Notify the other clans in three days.”
Three days later, a shocking news spread across the core of the Twilight Continent. The ancient Blood Pool of the Kardon clan, one of the twelve ancient clans, was destroyed, and all the ancient source blood was stolen.
Soon, the other ancient clans reacted, expressing great outrage. The importance of the ancient Blood Pool to those above the rank of marquis was obvious. It was the best means of recovery when severely injured, and the last resort to sustain life when near death.
Powerful clans like Pas and Monro had multiple ancient Blood Pools. For clans like Kardon, rebuilding the pool would take decades, leaving them vulnerable and at a disadvantage compared to other powerful tribes.
Given the significance of the Blood Pool to vampires, all the ancient clans unanimously expressed fury. Even the Monro, denying any involvement, sent core members to join the search.
Thus, a vast net, centered on the darkest region of the Twilight Continent, rapidly expanded, covering half the continent in an instant.
On the vast plains of the Twilight Continent, a faint figure moved swiftly. Ye Ting, hunched, used the undulating grass and scattered lone trees to conceal her movements, running towards the distance.
Her black tights were tattered, some areas showing unharmed skin, others raw, bloody wounds. Days of nonstop running, even for the strongest vampires, was exhausting, especially after several battles during her escape. Ye Ting had no energy to heal, but minor wounds healed on their own, showcasing her strong bloodline.
Ye Ting stumbled, nearly falling. Yet, feeling the searing heat of the ancient source blood in her arms, she found new strength and continued her desperate run.
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