233. Lady Taurymne
Vampire combat is the most savage—relying on brute force and powerful bodies clashing directly, with only their blood gifts offering variation. The strong prevail, the weak succumb, with no room for debate. Now, in this desolate land, I stood on Blood Moon, delivering punch after punch, showing my opponent what life-or-death combat truly meant.
"Awoooo!"
The Blood Moon Vampire King's counterattacks gradually weakened. Initially able to tear my flesh, he later could only feebly swat at my arms, until his wolf vampire head was pounded to pulp.
A renowned and mighty Vampire King, in this remote, nameless place, was humiliatingly trampled underfoot and beaten to death with bare fists by a nameless opponent. All his schemes had failed because, from beginning to end, his adversary hadn't uttered a single word.
I grabbed the fur on its neck and pulled it upward. Crimson light flashed in my eyes as I slightly opened my mouth. The thin body slowly withered while exactly forty-six drops of sangrith blood gathered and flowed into my mouth.
I wiped my lips, casually picked up its vampire Infant, and used the peacock's crimson light to heal my wounds before sitting cross-legged on the ground. My consciousness then returned to my original body.
My Infant of Love quickly shrank, returning to its previous form, quietly sitting in the sea of essence. Its consciousness had merged with mine, leaving behind merely an empty shell. The vampiric energy that had overflowed from its body during battle was now completely spent.
"Huff."
I opened my eyes, the red mist in them dissipated, and I returned to normal. This illustrated the difference between Ward of Nature and Seeker of Redeemer. Both methods involve placing consciousness in a container—either controlling the Redeemed Spirit to leave the body or transforming into a spiritual Infant to enhance the physical form. Neither approach is superior or inferior—they are simply different paths.
[Slain a Fourth Realm Blood Moon Wolf Vampire, total lifespan 14,700 years, remaining lifespan 5840 years, absorption complete.]
[Remaining absorbed lifespan: 19,820 years]
The three vampires from earlier had yielded 7,657 years of gains, and with this old wolf added, my absorbed lifespan nearly reached the 20,000-year mark.
With my bare hands, I tore apart the Blood Moon Vampire King's Wolf Infant and placed pieces of meat into my mouth. The essence-enriched meat was tender and juicy—delicious even without cooking.
I channeled the absorbed lifespan into the Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection. This body tempering technique—originally designed for the Crystal Realm—was now being forcibly practiced at the Fourth Realm. With a Ward of Nature's power plus a body tempered to match this Realm, I was becoming truly formidable.
"..."
Killing intent surged in my eyes as I looked toward Seattle. Even with the protection of a certain power, safety wasn't guaranteed. There were too many unexpected events in this world. To weather storms, one must first become the mountain.
As the absorbed lifespan diminished, the Blood Moon Vampire King's immense demonic power gradually materialized within my body. I studied the panel prompt intently. Enhanced by the previous eight transformations, capturing a Vampire King by force now seemed within my reach.
My skin continuously split open, only to be rapidly repaired by red light. A similar situation had occurred only when capturing the Moonfeather, indicating I had reached my limit. Unlike last time when my body wasn't strong enough, this time I had clearly exceeded the scope of the Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection.
[Year 6,700, your practiced method appears to have lost its effectiveness. Your life force is too limited compared to the Vampire King's centuries of cultivation. Excessive violent resentment within the vampiric power instinctively attacks your physical body...]
I sank my consciousness into the sea of essence. Transformed into a spiritual Infant, I slowly stood up and gazed indifferently at the rampaging vampiric power. "Where would you go if you escaped?"
The Redeemed Spirit hiding in the corner of the sea of essence nodded in agreement. It was merely a question of who would devour whom—why struggle against the inevitable?
[Year 9,600, the vampiric power within you has become more docile after subjugation, its violent resentment gradually fading. After years of persistent effort, you've successfully tamed it and captured a true Vampire King within your body.]
[Your body tempering has entered an entirely new Realm.]
[Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection: Grandmaster]
As the two lines of prompts flashed, all the vampire markings appeared in sequence on my body—the Leviasaur, Mountain Lord, Toad Lord, Peacock, Golden Eagle, Moonfeather, Nemean Lions, Blood Transforming Bull... and finally, the Blood Moon Vampire King!
My torn flesh rapidly healed, becoming increasingly solid and tough under the tempering of vampiric power. Not a single flaw remained on my skin, achieving perfect naturalness. With a mere mortal body, I now rivaled those Wards of Nature!
Even without mobilizing the Redeemed Spirit, I felt an immense power coursing through my physical body, giving me unprecedented confidence. Both my body and my core had broken through to a new Realm.
Crimson clouds gathered beneath my feet, carrying me as I vanished into the horizon.
...
H.A.R.M. headquarters, Seattle.
A woman walked straight in, and under the cover of her black cloak, no one could sense her presence. Her steps were steady, yet with each stride, her figure swept dozens of yards forward.
Several passing agents rubbed their eyes, believing they had glimpsed a black shadow flash by, but when they looked again, not a single trace remained.
"..."
She closed her eyes and sensed something, apparently finding what she sought. She turned toward a secluded courtyard.
The woman glided silently into the courtyard, approaching the two figures from behind. Despite her close proximity, Alex Bai remained completely unaware of her presence.
The woman's gaze fell on the figure sitting on the stone bench. From beneath the cloak, a fair arm extended, slender fingers reaching slowly toward the figure's shoulder.
Just as her fingers were about to make contact—
ROAAAAR—
From a house in the courtyard, a Profound Ice Dragon roared, blanketing the entire yard with frost.
The woman casually raised her extended hand and grasped the dragon's head—formed from profound ice swords—then violently clenched, instantly shattering the dense will-embodied sword. The dragon could only use its tail to swat Alex Bai and Theodore Montgomery away.
Her hood fell back, revealing an incomparably noble face filled with disdain. She glanced sideways at Theodore Montgomery suspended in mid-air, her crimson lips parting slightly.
In an instant, the Admiral's body withered, transforming into droplets of blood that flowed into her mouth.
"..."
Aisha Patani stood at the doorway, surveying the scene. Her hands hung at her sides as she slowly clenched both fists.
Alex Bai was hurled outside the courtyard by the Profound Ice Dragon. As he scrambled to his feet, his face etched with terror, he heard his senior sister's voice.
"Leave first."
"Leave?" Alex Bai gasped for breath, turning to run for help, yet uncertain where to go. His senior sister and master were already the strongest in Cascadia—who else could possibly help them?
"Your training is not bad. You must have played a part in my son's death," said Lady Taurymne, glancing sideways at the young woman.
Aisha calmly closed her eyes, blood seeping from the corner of her lips.
CRACK! CRACK!
Violent impacts echoed through the air as something repeatedly struck against a hard surface.
Lady Taurymne raised an eyebrow slightly, then instantly appeared before Aisha, grabbing her neck. Yet she couldn't break the girl's neck as expected. The touch was so cold that her strength seemed frozen inside her. A wave of freezing sensation swept through her, as if all her surging vampiric power had been suddenly suspended in place.
Aisha opened her eyes, cold white mist surging through her clear black pupils.
"I presume you didn't just break through?" Lady Taurymne asked calmly.
"I've been trying for a while."
Cold light rippled across Aisha's skin. After John Kane and Theodore Montgomery had left, she'd attempted to force a breakthrough, but arrived just a moment too late.
"You think you can stop me?" Lady Taurymne slowly released her hand, her fingertips covered in frost.
"I'll try."
Aisha raised her hand, her slender fingertips transforming into profound ice swords that emanated endless killing intent.