It had been over a month since Liu Lei returned to Xi'an. He didn't go back to his old rented apartment—after five years away, the landlord had probably reclaimed it. Besides, there wasn't anything important left inside. Though Liu Lei wondered if the landlord ever had nightmares seeing a coffin instead of a bed in the bedroom.
His parents felt deeply for their son who had endured five harsh years "in the wild." His mother cooked for him every day, and Liu Lei, using the excuse that he needed rest, didn't look for work. His parents said nothing; after all, after such a grueling time, a break was deserved. Liu Lei practiced cultivation daily and occasionally managed some investments—the treasures he'd gained from Elder Lian were enough to last several lifetimes. In his free time, he took his hardworking parents on trips, living a carefree, leisurely life.
Suddenly, Liu Lei felt a deep sense of contentment: every morning enjoying his mother's homemade tofu pudding, doing what he wanted, with no one to bother him, no troubles to weigh him down, and every day greeted by the smiles of those he cared about. What more could he ask for?
During his leisure, Liu Lei carefully reviewed everything he'd learned on Mount Dian Cang, practicing the spells he hadn't yet mastered. He wasn't chasing anything—this was simply instinct. The long life of a vampire gave him plenty of time to pursue what he desired. He nurtured his feelings for those on Mount Dian Cang through this cultivation—a process requiring no forceful effort, perfectly fitting his current stage of relaxed and effortless practice.
After the initial success with the Blood Refining Technique came a long period of energy accumulation. Those obsessed with power might grow frustrated by this stagnant stage, pushing themselves harder and risking falling into madness. But Liu Lei's peaceful life had washed away all ambition and competitiveness. The moon's energy and the vampire's blood energy flowed gently inside him, like a mountain stream, slowly building until an eruption awaited.
Since returning, Liu Lei hadn't visited the old count. Strangely, the ancient vampire hadn't branded him with the family's bloodmark, nor told him his name. It wasn't for lack of trying—Liu Lei just never had the chance. When first embraced, he'd felt unwell, stumbling home and collapsing into sleep. After recovering, he was taken by Elder Lian to Mount Dian Cang, and upon return, he avoided seeking the count, knowing that once he did, his peaceful life would vanish.
But eventually, he went—he couldn't deny his true identity.
Following the faint aura left by the old count, Liu Lei arrived at a mountain villa. He wondered why the old vampire had stayed in China so long—this wasn't their usual territory.
The count already knew Liu Lei had come. As he raised his hand at the door, it opened. Inside, the count sat elegantly on the sofa, a glass of red wine in hand, with another glass placed on the coffee table—one for Liu Lei.
Liu Lei sat down, swirling the wine, watching it slowly slide down the glass, then sipped thoughtfully. The count watched quietly, waiting for him to swallow before speaking.
"You've grown fast. In just five years, you're almost surpassing me. Tell me about your journey."
Liu Lei smiled, "I've been happy these five years. It feels like everything I ever wanted came all at once."
The count nodded, "You've left the city, haven't you? I can't sense your presence."
"Yes."
After a pause, Liu Lei finally asked, "You still haven't told me your name."
"Anthony. Anthony Hopkinson. Don't worry about the family I belong to—I didn't brand you because I don't belong to any family. I gave you eternal life so you'd have time to enjoy it. Don't get caught up in disputes. I came to China to live happily."
He turned to the window, arms open wide, his voice almost like a hymn:
"This great nation is beautiful and rich. Here, I live as I wish—far from family conflicts, far from the struggles of light and darkness, freely enjoying the East's beautiful landscapes and delicious food."
Turning back, he beckoned Liu Lei over.
Liu Lei knelt on one knee before him. The count placed his hand on Liu Lei's head and said slowly:
"Liu Lei, my child, I hadn't planned to teach you these, but as a vampire, these are essential lessons."
Liu Lei felt a warm current flow from his head, filling his mind with knowledge. After about five minutes, it faded. Closing his eyes, he quietly absorbed the new wisdom.
The count's voice whispered in his ear:
"My magic is different from other dark magics—like the 'inheritance' just now, it passes on both power and knowledge. As a vampire, you must understand some dark magic. One day, you might need it. No one can say for sure…"
From then on, Liu Lei devoted himself to studying dark magic, asking the count whenever he had questions. He found the old vampire's power immense, though he didn't know its full extent. He suspected Anthony was more than just a count, but the old man never said, and Liu Lei didn't press.
To Liu Lei, Anthony was a proper elder—answering all his magic questions, full of knowledge and experience, offering invaluable advice.
Sitting in darkness, Liu Lei felt the dark energy. After three months of study, every night alone with the shadows, he began to sense faint traces of dark power.
Slowly, his demon wings unfurled—helping him connect with the darkness. Gradually, he gathered dark energy, forming a forcefield that enveloped a nearby building.
"Heavy Break!" he cast his first spell.
A tremendous explosion shattered the building into rubble and dust—it collapsed as if blasted by a bomb. Liu Lei stared dumbfounded at his magical debut: "No way. It's reinforced concrete! How did it just crumble like that?"
Ignoring the destruction, he flapped his bat wings and flew to Anthony's villa.
Compensation? That was the insurance company's problem, not his.
Just as he arrived, he heard the old count's voice inside:
"No need to knock. Come in."
"You knew already?" Liu Lei asked nervously.
"If I couldn't feel such a huge dark energy spike, you might as well call it the end for me!" The count was clearly annoyed by the trouble Liu Lei caused.
"But how could I know it would be so loud? I'm just a fledgling vampire with only five years' experience—a novice magic user!"
The count shook his head, realizing Liu Lei didn't yet understand his own power.
After a moment, he said:
"My current strength is roughly that of a prince-level vampire. Watch this—Heavy Break!"
He cast the spell on Liu Lei, who felt his limbs grow heavy and unable to move. He shouted and struggled to break free.
"Murder! You're trying to kill me!"
The count smiled, "See? My Heavy Break can't bind you anymore. Your power has already surpassed mine."
Then, with a grim expression:
"A prince-level vampire wielding magic openly in the city? What are you planning, Liu Lei? My dear child!"
Liu Lei's mouth dropped open, then he realized:
"I have prince-level power! Haha! Da Sha, wait till I get back—I'll teach you a lesson! You turned me so ruthless—regret it now? Haha! I'll make you pay for trampling on our vampire dignity! Haha!"
Despite his wild joy, Liu Lei kept a bit of self-awareness—he didn't dare say he'd make the demi-god Xuanyuan pay, knowing that was beyond him.
Meanwhile, the old vampire pondered silently:
"'Vampire dignity'? Does this guy even have any? Praise Cain… My lord, did I make a mistake bringing this clueless fool into our clan?"
Oblivious to the elder's doubts, Liu Lei flapped his bat wings, dancing his way back to bed.
Heavy Break can increase an opponent's gravity instantly—how much depends on the caster's strength. Liu Lei could now amplify it up to twenty-seven times. That explained how he brought down a reinforced concrete building in one strike.
Time flew. Liu Lei mastered all the magic the old count had taught him. But soon, it was time to part again.
One day, returning to Anthony's villa, he found the door locked. Flying through a window, he saw a letter and a key on the coffee table.
The old count was gone. Both the elders who had shaped Liu Lei's vampire life—Elder Lian and Anthony Hopkinson—were no longer by his side.
The letter included the password to the old count's bedroom safe. After all, in this modern world, some things must be prepared for—the old vampire had thought of everything.
Liu Lei understood: Anthony came to China alone seeking a life he desired. If not to wait for him, he would have left years ago.
Anthony had left his phone number and email in his contacts, hoping to reach out someday.
With a grasp on both spells and magic, Liu Lei began exploring their connections. His curiosity about magic had surpassed his interest in cultivation.
But recently, a new headache appeared: his parents had started setting him up on blind dates!
"You're almost thirty!" his mother scolded.
Liu Lei was stunned. Counting carefully, it was true—he'd unwittingly reached that milestone. No worries—a thirty-year-old vampire was still just a kid, with a couple more years to play.
But he couldn't say that out loud to his mother.
Since coming down from the mountain, she hadn't stopped nagging him. Luckily, Liu Lei had been in a good mood and just ignored her.
Six months passed with no progress. His mother grew restless and called him the night before, asking him to come home for dinner.
When Liu Lei arrived, he saw his mother cooking, his father watching a ball game, and a young lady sitting quietly in the living room.