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Arlen Xuding Si sat elegantly in the VIP section, his demeanor impeccable as he observed the two vampires showcasing their combat skills. However, his thoughts were entirely focused on the figure beside him, Liexiezi.
Every time the vampires engaged in the Hundred Years' War, the Demon Hunting Team would mobilize. Yet, for every enemy they took down, they suffered significant losses themselves. While the vampires sustained heavy damage, the Demon Hunting Team also faced dire consequences. In recent years, the International Yokai Federation had grown immensely powerful, surpassing the Dark Council to become the largest yokai organization in the world. The Demon Hunting Team could no longer afford to deploy all their forces without risking their main strength. Although the team boasted two members from Kyo Kusanagi with unprecedented power, both Arlen Xuding Si and that Mysterious Leader believed it was crucial to conserve their strength at this time. The dark forces in this world were quietly undergoing changes.
The appearance of Liexiezi heightened Arlen Xuding Si's vigilance to an extreme degree. This man, who had no record in the Demon Hunting Team's files, possessed power comparable to that of Kyo Kusanagi. The emergence of such a person was a significant event in the underground Dark World. A slight misstep could trigger an irreparable upheaval.
"Is this person so familiar with Azure Sky Ancestor because he is a reclusive master from Kunlun Celestial Path? Or is he a secret weapon recently cultivated in the Eastern world?"
Arlen Xuding Si's mind conjured several possibilities, yet he could not ascertain any of them.
"Perhaps after our decisive battle, the origins of this person will become clear!"
That was all Arlen Xuding Si could do to reassure himself.
The vampires' Guest Invitation was far from petty. Although the Demon Hunting Team was under Arlen Xuding Si's name, they had also reserved a seat for his protector, Holy Flame Knight. Oren Vikin was temporarily absent due to personal matters but had left his place reserved.
The vampires held immense potential power, and the battlefield of the Hundred Years' War was atop a colossal Eternal Tree. No matter how fierce the battles raged on, this tree from the demon realm would instantly regenerate. Its crown soared over ten kilometers high and had been meticulously leveled to create an excellent arena for combat.
Each elder possessed their own small floating palace, allowing them to observe closely while bringing along family and servants for an enjoyable view.
Azure Sky Ancestor and Liexiezi were accompanied only by Fang Lin Kong; Lin Yu was neither qualified nor permitted to join them. On Arlen Xuding Si's side were his knightly guards, six Holy Flame Knights.
At that moment, Liexiezi remained motionless beside Qingmingzi, sitting cross-legged with closed eyes as he meditated. Having obtained the essence of Ancient God Chaos, he was constantly immersed in cultivation and had no interest in the unfolding events around him. Only Fang Lin Kong was looking around anxiously; he sensed something amiss today as several concealed powerful presences lingered around the Eternal Tree.
After mentioning Fang Lin Kong, the Azure Sky Ancestor merely snorted coldly, indicating that he was aware and told him to wait and enjoy the show.
During each Hundred Years' War, the focus of competition for the Magic Secret Faction does not lie in the struggle for low-level titles but rather in the contest for titles at the Grand Duke and Prince levels. Even a single additional individual at such high ranks can significantly alter the balance of power between the two factions. Only vampires of Prince and Grand Duke status are qualified to control the Elder Council and determine the future political direction of the bloodline.
If such a significant event were to see everyone competing fairly and according to the rules, it would indeed be strange.
Currently, there are eighteen elders in the Elder Council, consisting of seven Grand Dukes and eleven Princes. At present, the Secret Faction holds the advantage.
In this Hundred Years' War, over three thousand young vampires have registered. They are gathered around the Eternal Tree in small groups, eagerly discussing their peers who have recently emerged as contenders in this Hundred Years' War.
The spells of vampires have a long-standing tradition, and as a race endowed with numerous innate abilities, young vampires rarely show willingness to undergo rigorous training to enhance their powers. Due to a lack of innovation, it is generally easy to determine a young vampire's strength level once they reach a certain stage of spellcasting. For instance, being able to transform into a bat marks the minimum strength threshold for a Baron. Mist form is a benchmark for Counts, while resisting sunlight and ignoring holy light's erosion is an ability reserved for Grand Dukes.
Lilith was somewhat distracted as she chatted aimlessly with a few companions. Many were discussing Doreta Man, who had made quite an impression this time; at just one hundred seventy years old, he could already mist his body—truly a super genius.
However, Lilith did not think much of that cold-faced man because she had seen a young human under twenty years old possess such abilities just yesterday.
After several days of selection, the top contenders among the three thousand young vampires had been determined. Of course, many more had been eliminated, with most failing to even qualify to ascend the Eternal Tree.
The battles on the Eternal Tree had already decided winners and losers; those who lost were knocked off the treetop and fell from a height of ten kilometers. Just as they were about to crash down and shatter into pieces, a shadow shot up into the sky and securely caught the falling body.
"Floating!"
"To think someone could master the Floating Technique! Another impressive contender has emerged!"
The bloodline bestowed unique abilities, yet to fly, a certain amount of demonic power was still required. One had to be close to the rank of Count, at the peak strength of a Viscount, to effortlessly utilize the Floating Technique. The vampire who emerged to save others was small in stature and bore a youthful face, appearing no older than twelve or thirteen. Although vampires were not subject to the ravages of aging—essentially freezing their age at the moment of transformation—there were ways among them to discern their true age, known as the Blood Age Wheel.
This young vampire had been transformed for less than a decade, and possessing such strength at such a tender age stirred quite a commotion.
Fang Lin Kong also took notice. He had initially prepared a spiritual talisman to intervene but withdrew it upon seeing another hero appear. His keen Spiritual Awareness sensed the surging energy within the boy who was rescuing others; it was definitely not the power of a vampire.
"Did he turn into a vampire to enhance his strength, or is there another purpose for infiltrating the bloodline? It seems more likely to be the latter," Fang Lin Kong murmured to Azure Sky Ancestor.
Azure Sky Ancestor chuckled and replied approvingly, "You have sharp eyes, Fang. But do you think those old monsters can't see through it? Look at those elders of the bloodline; they are secretly instructing their subordinates to investigate that child's background. I fear we will soon have results."
Thomas Moore had been humiliated and knocked down by someone at the Eternal Tree, believing he was doomed. However, when he felt himself being lifted and floating in the air, he turned in surprise to see his only descendant, Li Kelin.
Thomas Moore discovered this dying child during a trip to China. With his abilities as an eleventh-generation vampire, he could sense the child's powerful aura, albeit tinged with an otherworldly essence that should not belong to a human. Using his initial embrace ability, he revived the Chinese boy.
Becoming a vampire seemed to bring Li Kelin no joy; he showed no signs of discontent either. Throughout the day, he spoke no more than ten words, remaining almost silent like a mute child as he followed Thomas Moore across oceans to settle in the Netherlands. Thomas Moore raised Li Kelin as if he were his own child and never questioned his origins.
Vampires were a race incapable of reproducing; their only means of increasing their kind was through a blood exchange ritual that transformed ordinary humans into members of their lineage. Thus, having descendants was crucial for a vampire. It required sacrificing energy over time and reporting to the elder council to add new members to their genealogy.
At the moment Thomas Moore faced death, witnessing Li Kelin act for his sake filled him with excitement that surpassed even escaping from death itself.
"Child! You must land quickly; otherwise, carrying me will affect your ability to hover!"
Li Kelin focused intently on the ground below, silently searching for a suitable landing spot. Without any hint of emotion, he replied to Thomas Moore's concern, "I have no issues! I will land now."
As the two landed on the ground, a team dressed in black tailcoats, known as the Enforcement Team, appeared before them.
A man at the forefront spoke stiffly, "Mr. Thomas, it seems there is an issue with your descendant. The Council of Elders would like you both to explain."
As a seasoned vampire, Thomas More had no fondness for the Enforcement Team. These members typically held noble titles, but when united, they became a ruthless squad tasked with dealing with traitors within the vampire community. Although Thomas himself was unaware of any issues concerning Li Kelin, he was certainly unwilling to hand over his child to the Enforcement Team.
With a smile plastered on his face, he addressed the leader of the Enforcement Team, "My child has been with me for over ten years, living in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and I have already reported this to the Council. How could there be a problem?"
The leader of the Enforcement Team replied coldly, "You should explain these matters to the Elders. I am only responsible for bringing you before them. Please cooperate with our actions, Mr. Thomas."
Thomas More searched desperately for any possible loophole, but all members of the Enforcement Team were of higher rank and more experienced, effectively blocking any escape routes he might have had. After struggling for a long time, he finally deflated like a punctured balloon and abandoned any thoughts of resistance. He followed the Enforcement Team obediently but kept Li Kelin closely protected behind him.
In light of this unexpected event, all the Elders' flying palaces swiftly moved through the air, forming a long line that clicked together as one unit. They slowly descended to the ground. When the Enforcement Team brought Thomas More and Li Kelin before the Elders, a member of the Secret Faction, Elder Damari, spoke in a low, hoarse voice filled with an alluring softness: "Thomas! You have descendants yet fail to adhere to vampire law. It is against our fourteenth decree to develop non-human entities into vampires; are you not aware of this?"
"Li Kelin is not only not human but is also an Eastern spirit beast. Your blood has yet to suppress his innate spiritual energy. Do you know what this implies?"
Prince Oshir's tone was stern despite his relatively calm demeanor.
Fang Lin Kong listened intently from the side and quickly focused his energy into his eyes to discern Li Kelin's true form.
"Pure white! With wings—no wait! Such a long tail. It's... a White Peacock! The spiritual energy is indeed strong; although it pales in comparison to mine, it surpasses that of most vampires here by many times."
"However, this Spiritual Wave feels strange. Could it be under some kind of restriction? Otherwise, why would the telekinetic fluctuations be so dry?"
Fang Lin Kong watched in dismay as the elders of the Blood Clan condemned Thomas More and his son. Little Li Kelin stood motionless behind Thomas, his expression blank and cold. His helpless gaze was fixed on Thomas, who was desperately trying to defend him. It seemed that most of the Blood Clan elders were inclined to erase Li Kelin from existence.
However, several Princes and Grand Dukes from the Demon Faction immediately opposed this after the elders of the Secret Faction reached a consensus. Their argument was that Li Kelin had already become part of the Blood Clan, and although he was a spirit beast, he had never received any education against the Blood Clan, making him a perfect candidate to be nurtured as a new generation of their kind.
Thus began a heated debate between the Elder Councils of both sides. The Demon Faction expressed their dissatisfaction with the Secret Faction's stubbornly conservative stance, arguing that not only should the Blood Clan maintain its leadership within the Dark Council, but it should also absorb other monster races and actively join the International Demon Alliance to expand its influence further.
Fang Lin Kong listened for a while before feeling dizzy. Although he disliked the attitude of some elders from the Demon Faction, who sounded like second-rate politicians making grand promises, he also found the elders from the Secret Faction too conservative. The unique constitution of the Blood Clan granted them a special status among monsters. Ordinary humans could gain extraordinary power through blood exchange rituals. If a powerful monster underwent such a ritual, their strength could potentially increase even more terrifyingly.
Due to opposition from the Blood Clan and many monsters disliking certain traits of theirs, Gene Serum from Azure Sky Ancestor had never included this race's genes. Fang Lin Kong truly did not understand what benefits the Blood Clan's insistence on bloodlines brought. His living environment and life philosophy were worlds apart from those ancient beings who had lived for thousands of years.
The Azure Sky Ancestor had no intention of intervening in such matters; the life or death of a spirit beast was irrelevant to him. The Demon Hunting Team led by Arlen Xuding Si held even greater disdain for outsiders. With these two major guests remaining silent, the elders of the Demon Faction gradually found themselves at a disadvantage in the debate due to their smaller numbers.
Thomas More was not even a Baron, so he had no right to interject during the elders' argument. He anxiously watched Li Kelin, fearing that the outcome would be the loss of this child's life. At that moment, he deeply regretted bringing Li Kelin to participate in the Hundred Years' War.
"If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn't have applied for nobility. Being an ordinary member of the Blood Clan wouldn't be so bad."
Thomas's emotions were a mix of anxiety and unease. In front of the elders, members of the Enforcement Team stepped back slightly to maintain respect. Thomas More quietly slipped his hand into his pocket. When he pulled it out, a colorful crystal ball slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground, releasing a thick cloud of smoke that quickly enveloped a large area.
"Idiot! Thomas, do you want to die?"
The furious shouts from the Elder Council snapped members of the Enforcement Team back into action as they rushed into the smoke to subdue Thomas and Li Kelin first.
Thomas More had purchased this crystal ball at a Grand Auction with plans to use it as an escape tool during battle. However, due to facing an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, he never got a chance to utilize it before being blasted down from Eternal Tree. The smoke obscured all spiritual detection within it; this latest escape device proved quite effective. Fang Lin Kong hadn’t intended to do anything either, but at that moment, an idea struck him. He spread his fingers wide and unleashed a cyclone of energy.
"Since there's this opportunity, I might as well lend a hand to these poor fellows!"
Fang Lin Kong intended to seal the two individuals, confident that he had nothing to fear from the vampires. However, as soon as his sealing technique was unleashed, he felt a powerful aura that quickly retracted, rendering his efforts futile. The Enforcement Team acted swiftly, launching a spell that collided with Fang Lin Kong's energy vortex. Failing to catch the chickens, Fang Lin Kong found himself in a predicament, unable to withdraw his hands in time. The Enforcement Team consisted of elite members of the blood clan, with their leader being a count-level expert.
This group of the Enforcement Team represented the most elite members of the blood clan, who had always looked down upon foreign monsters and humans. Although they had determined from their position that it was from Azure Sky Ancestor's side, once they spread out their formation and failed to find Thomas More and Li Kelin, they joined forces to attack Fang Lin Kong with their spells.
"How unfortunate!"
Fang Lin Kong pushed his hands forward, forming a wall of true energy. After a series of chaotic sounds, it was unclear who dispersed the thick smoke. The expressions of several blood princes turned grim.
Standing before Fang Lin Kong were over a dozen members of the Enforcement Team, all glaring at him with hostility. He spread his hands and said, "I haven't done anything; you can see for yourselves!"
Prince Oshir shifted his gaze and waved his hand, signaling the Enforcement Team to step back. He looked at Liexiezi, who had somehow regained consciousness, and said, "Mr. Liexiezi, what do you mean by intervening? Do you think our blood clan is easy to bully? To act so brazenly in front of everyone—do you really believe you can do so without anyone noticing?"
Liexiezi extended his fingers, and a transparent bubble appeared in his palm, containing Thomas More and Li Kelin. He smiled and said, "Since I've come to attend the gathering of the blood clan, I certainly wouldn't want anything to happen that would cause trouble for everyone. You elders may not know the origins of this spirit beast."
Liexiezi pointed at Li Kelin, who had been cold-faced; suddenly, he shrank rapidly as wings unfurled and a long beautiful tail spread out behind him. A pure white peacock emerged in its true form.
Liexiezi smiled and said, "This peacock does not originate from Earth; I don't know its exact origins either. However, over a thousand years ago, our Eastern Immortal Path united to hunt down this spirit beast. Although it appears elegant and beautiful, its nature is quite vicious—it feeds on human souls and flesh. At that time, several Daoist Sect colleagues severely injured it, but it managed to escape using its Yuan Shen. I never expected that after a millennium, it would reincarnate as part of the blood clan. However, you elders should understand what would have happened if the Enforcement Team had attacked just now!"
Li Kelin's original form revealed itself under Liexiezi's influence; the suppressed spiritual energy within him surged violently. The expressions of several blood clan elders gradually softened. Regardless of Liexiezi's intentions for intervening, he had indeed prevented a disaster. The spirit peacock's aura soared to over thirty-seven thousand. Had the Enforcement Team acted earlier, few would have survived. Although the blood clan elders were formidable in strength, if things had taken an unexpected turn, none could guarantee they could suppress such chaos immediately. Moreover, having so many blood clan elders present only to be outshone by an outsider left them feeling embarrassed.
Since Prince Oshir had already stepped forward, he could only smile gracefully and say, "So that's how it is; we owe our thanks to Mr. Liexiezi for intervening in time. Otherwise, we old fellows might have faced some embarrassment. Thomas is one of our blood clan members; I kindly ask Mr. Liexiezi to return him. As for this spirit bird, please feel free to handle it as you see fit!"
The abilities of the Blood Clan, while exceptional, lack the specialized cultivation techniques found in the Chinese Taoist Sect that focus on honing specific skills. Thus, while Liexiezi could easily discern Li Kelin's true form, several elders of the Blood Clan had to rely on their intelligence network to investigate Li Kelin's mysterious origins. Yet, they were unable to uncover his true form.
Upon witnessing Li Kelin's true form, the elders of the Blood Clan couldn't help but feel a sense of regret. They all understood that such a powerful spirit bird, once captured, could become a formidable weapon with just a bit of training or magical refinement. With Liexiezi already having taken possession of it, there was no chance he would relinquish it. Earlier, no one had been able to identify Li Kelin's true form; now, none of the elders felt comfortable asking for it back.
Prince Oshir merely requested that Liexiezi return Thomas More, hoping to regain some face in the situation.
Liexiezi was quite generous; with a gentle pinch between his thumb and index finger, he pulled Thomas out from the spatial seal. Without saying a word, he casually stored away the transparent bubble that had sealed Li Kelin.
As both parties exchanged polite pleasantries and lightly resolved this unexpected incident, a chilling voice suddenly rang out.
The leader of the Enforcement Team slightly bowed to the elders' seats and then spoke loudly: "Elders! Just now, Mr. Fang Lin Kong also intended to lend a helping hand. I am very grateful for that. However, Mr. Liexiezi acted promptly due to his immense power and extraordinary insight. I wonder what qualifications Mr. Fang Lin Kong has to demonstrate his abilities before our Blood Clan's Enforcement Team?"
Fang Lin Kong did not expect that matters would come back to him in this way. He awkwardly smiled and stood up to say, "Just now... I acted instinctively without thinking; I ask this gentleman..."
Fang Lin Kong's evasion was immediately interrupted by the leader of the Enforcement Team.
"If Mr. Fang Lin Kong looks down on our Enforcement Team's capabilities, I hope you can demonstrate corresponding strength to prove yourself. I, Zhang Bailun, wish to challenge someone qualified to sit among our Blood Clan's esteemed guests."
Fang Lin Kong's smile instantly froze as he realized that some things were ultimately unavoidable.
(To be continued)
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