[V7C014 – In Life and In Eternal Rest]
“Path to Heavenly Monarch?” Nighteye clearly had no idea what Li Fengshui was saying.
The man raised his brows. “You don’t know? Oh, right… perhaps you haven’t heard about the Pointer Monarch’s assessment.”
Afterward, Li Fengshui recounted the situation at Indomitable and about the Pointer Monarch’s evaluation.
Then he rubbed his hands and said word by word, “So, what I want is that Path to the Heavenly Monarch realm.”
Nighteye only smiled.
Li Fengshui wasn’t discouraged, however. “Don’t say it’s impossible just yet. You can say that I’ve studied Qianye’s combat records in great detail. That’s definitely not an accomplishment an ordinary human can produce. Moreover, Qianye’s rate of advancement is simply unbelievable, and his combat strength far exceeds his level. In the past, I would’ve believed the empire had produced a true genius, but how can I continue to think so after knowing that the woman beside him is the Monroe Princess?”
“I’m really not clear about Qianye’s matters. He’s never told me about his cultivation matters.”
Li Fengshui stared into Nighteye’s pupils for a while before sighing. “This matter is enough to exchange your freedom. There’s still time, so please take a while to think about it. My patience has a limit, though. Don’t make me do what I don’t want to do. Okay then, we’ll discuss something else now. For instance, why you went to the Twilight Continent, what you did there or retrieve.”
“I only went to take a look.”
“Was it really that simple?”
“Yes.”
Li Fengshui stared into Nighteye’s pupils once more and said after a long while, “Miss Nighteye, I’ve told you before not to test my patience. Perhaps you don’t understand how powerful the Fifth Central Command is or what we really do. Let’s put it like this, central commands one through four added together can’t compare to half of the fifth. Besides, this is where the empire has the greatest number of methods against the dark races, and we specialize in vampires.”
Nighteye’s expression was calm. “Is that so?”
“This, you don’t need to doubt.” With that, Li Fengshui flicked his finger, and a wisp of origin power struck the spike piercing her left wrist.
The nail let out a sudden crackle after being agitated, and its outer layers fell off to reveal a core that resembled red-hot iron. Green smoke emerged from Nighteye’s wrist as the pure daybreak origin power scorched her flesh. The pain induced far surpassed the limit a vampire was capable of enduring. Her body was spasming as her blood core contracted to its limit—she soon released a miserable cry before passing out.
Nighteye woke up again after an unknown length of time and saw that she was no longer in the simple cabin. Instead, she was now in a prison cell built of limestone, a chamber just as cold and damp as before. There was an iron ring nailed onto the wall, stained with rust and black grime. With her vampiric senses, Nighteye knew at a glance that the stains were actually a mixture of blood and flesh fragments.
The iron door creaked open and in walked Li Fengshui.
“Where is this place?” Nighteye inquired. Speaking made her realize how hoarse she was, almost as though scorching hot sand had been stuffed down her throat. It was inexplicably painful.
“We’re on the void continent, at the center of the battlefield, the city of Indomitable. This is a secret stronghold of the military. The word secret doesn’t quite describe this place, though, because everyone knows this is imperial military domain.” At this point, the man said with a smile, “Even if people know you’re here, who would dare enter and bring away a vampire?”
Nighteye’s heart sank somewhat. She had familiarized herself with the empire’s history and gained a basic understanding of its system. This prison was only a half-concealed stronghold, but attacking this place was tantamount to attacking the military, a crime no different from treason. Unless everyone related was silenced, the perpetrator and his entire family would be executed, even if he had support from a major clan.
The disappointment only lasted a mere second, however. “I have no intention of leaving here alive.”
Li Fengshui was momentarily startled. He then said while shaking his head, “It’s too early to think that way. We still have time to discuss many things.”
He drew a chair over and sat down in front of the primo. “Now let’s discuss what you’ll exchange for your freedom?”
“Freedom?” Nighteye smiled mockingly.
“Freedom, true freedom. No hidden injuries, no hunting you down. How you came in is how you’ll leave. That kind of freedom.”
“Fine, then what price must I pay to obtain this ‘freedom’?”
“The path to the heavenly monarch realm, or an object of similar value,” said Li Fengshui.
It was at this time that a knock came from the door. Li Fengshui said with an upset frown, “Who is it? Enter.”
One of his aides walked in. He was somewhat apprehensive after seeing the general’s unhappy expression, but he braced himself and whispered something in the latter’s ear. Li Fengshui’s expression changed somewhat. He glanced over at Nighteye before nodding, and then dismissed the aide with a wave of his hand.
He once again sat down in front of her with a serious expression. Only after a long while did he let out a long sigh. “This isn’t good news. Do you want to know?”
Nighteye said with a smile, “Of course, why wouldn’t I? Can there be anything worse?”
Li Fengshui smiled wryly. “There is indeed and it’s extremely bad. A major character on the Evernight side has asked for you.”
“A major character?”
“A true powerhouse, a great dark monarch. It’s just that I don’t know which one.”
Nighteye stared blankly at the man. She really couldn’t recall which dark monarch would want her so badly. Although she had awakened the Black-Winged Monarch’s primogenitor bloodline, she was only someone with potential after all. She wasn’t that important from the viewpoint of the entire vampire race. At the very least, she was far inferior to Habsburg of the Flaming Crown who had ignited a blood seal on the river of blood.
What surprised Nighteye was that Evernight actually had such deep ties with the imperial military. They could even pull off such a transaction.
Li Fengshui remained silent for a moment before saying, “I thought we still had some time, but now, that seems not to be the case. The one who sent word this time is also a true powerhouse of the military, at least he’s far above me. The person from the Evernight faction has surely paid a price far beyond our imagination. As I see it, this price is enough to trade for a princess and even another holy son. So, let me ask you this; what do you have on you that he’s willing to pay such a price?”
Nighteye smiled wryly. “What makes you think I’ll know?”
Li Fengshui nodded. “I believe you. Whatever the Evernight person wants might not be useful to me anyway. Nonetheless, you should know that your fate won’t be any better after landing in his hands. What he wants is a living Nighteye, in other words, an intact blood core. I’ll give you one more opportunity. As long as you do this, we’ll let you go. Wherever you go after this is your business.”
“Oh? There’s something that good?” Nighteye was skeptical.
Li Fengshui said seriously, “I can swear on my future great dao, this promise shall be delivered.”
“What is this about?”
“Testify that it was Qianye and the Zhao clan who hid you in Evernight Continent.”
“That simple?”
“Just that simple!” Li Fengshui said decisively.
Nighteye contemplated for a moment before saying, “This isn’t enough to topple the Zhao clan.”
Li Fengshui was apparently surprised. “You understand quite a lot about the empire! But no one says we have to topple the Zhao clan. It’s enough as long as we can deal them a heavy blow and remove most of their territories and industries, making it difficult for them to recover within a few decades.”
“What good does it do for you?”
“For me, nothing… but it’s beneficial to that bigshot above me. Your existence proves that many things are beyond my control.” Li Fengshui sighed.
“What about Qianye?”
Li Fengshui replied, “Him? He’ll naturally be put to death for colluding with the vampires. He’s already unconscious and lacking in vitality. Who can even save him? It makes no difference whether or not he’s put to death.”
Nighteye said immediately, “I won’t agree to this.”
Li Fengshui was startled, almost as though he couldn’t believe his ears. “What!? Why? For Qianye?”
Nighteye closed her eyes without replying.
Frowning, Li Fengshui persuaded her, “Why must you do this? Qianye will surely die, and we’re only borrowing him to attack the Zhao clan. Why must you give up your only chance at survival for a dying man? Is it worth it? You’re the vampire princess, you’ll live for a thousand years after you mature.”
Nighteye looked to be asleep and completely unresponsive.
Li Fengshui sighed deeply. “Since that’s the case, then I won’t hold back anymore. The fifth department has a secret guardian art called the Chaos Millstone made specifically for vampires. The thing to be crushed inside the millstone is a vampire’s soul! The pain of having one’s soul crushed is much worse than the two refined silver nails. Moreover, more and more of your soul will shatter with each passing day. In the end, you’ll not only forget about Qianye but even who you yourself are. At that point, no one can save you even if you agree to cooperate. As untalented as I am, I have cultivated this art to the seventh layer and can grind your soul for an entire seven days!”
“Seven days, is it?” Nighteye revealed a smile.
Li Fengshui discovered that things weren’t quite right, almost as though he had overlooked something. However, he could no longer stop halfway at this point, and neither did he have the time to slowly assault her heart.
Li Fengshui’s expression sank as he stretched out his right hand. Soon, a greyish-green mass of lifeless origin power began rotating upon it.
Nighteye closed her eyes and ignored the scene.
The general clenched his teeth and pressed his hand on Nighteye’s forehead!
A mournful wail soon tore through the prison cell, spreading far and wide. Everyone who heard the sound felt their hearts seize for a split second.
Under the night sky, a high-speed airship landed in the City of Indomitable. Song Zining walked out of the vessel, boarded a military vehicle, and made straight for the Zhao clan main camp.
