Chương 2: Bai Clan (Part I)

As a former Outer Disciple of a minor righteous sect, Xin Fang instinctively cupped his fists and bowed, burying his anger, grief, and terror deep within himself.

"Junior Xin Fang greets Senior," he said.

"We are in the Azure Magpie Forest." Lucian frowned, attempting to recall where that might be within the Human Sage Domain. After failing to do so, he said, "Continue." Xin Fang suppressed his doubts, though he had already begun forming guesses about the Demonic Cultivator's origins. Nonetheless, he understood that Lucian sought a broader understanding of their location.

"We are near Three Feathers City, the primary merchant city in the south." Lucian frowned.

"Tell me about the current lords of these lands," he said, wanting to know more about how much he'd been sleeping.

"It's been a long time since I came to the human domain." Xin Fang nodded inwardly, confirming some of his inner guesses.

"The Azure Forest has no lord, as far as this little one knows. And the current ruler of the Golden Peng Empire is Emperor Kun Wu. About Three Feathers City, well, the City Lord is the same as always, but I don't know his name. I beg your pardon!" Inwardly, Xing Fang was complaining about how unfair life was. His Second Brothers didn't need to die if all Lucian wanted to know was this much!

Unlike Pan Xunmeng, Xin Fang had once studied under a proper master within his sect and gained a broader understanding of the world. Meanwhile, Pan Xunmeng had been nothing more than a farmer conscripted into the army, later discovered to possess a minuscule yet existing talent for cultivation, and trained accordingly. In short, a simple brawler. Xin Fang's heart ached as he begged his deceased Second Brother to forgive him for never teaching common knowledge!.

He already understood that revenge was nothing more than a distant dream. In his view, merely stalling this Grand Elder was already an achievement beyond measure. Meanwhile, Lucian's thoughts raced. I do not believe this kid is lying, he analyzed. Yet I know nothing of this forest, that city, or Kun Wu. I do not remember any Archmage with such a name. Forgetting the name of a forest or a merchant city might have been acceptable.

His memory was as good as the amount of Blood Essence within him, which at the moment made it unreliable and fleeting at best. But he couldn't forget about an Empire. The name of a major territory within the Human Sage Domain, vast enough to house hundreds of millions or billions of people, while ruled by an Archmage, was bound to be etched in his mind. There was no possibility he would forget such things. I must have slept far too long. Long enough for some names to change, he concluded, scratching his head.

Silence stretched between them. On one side was a kowtowing Xin Fang, who had resigned himself to death and merely hoped his brothers could escape. On the other side, Lucian was organizing his thoughts and planning his next move. Who plotted against me? I should be sleeping in my Castle, safe and sealed, not in some forest. I'll gather more information about this place and that mysterious energy after situating myself. This story has been stolen from Royal Road.

If you read it on Amazon, please report it Glancing at the surrounding azure leaves, he said sharply, "Tell me which year we are." Pressing his forehead closer to the ground, Xing Fang answered, "It is the year 501 of the Golden Peng Empire."

"Tell me the day and month," Lucian said, narrowing his eyes.

"It is the sixteenth day of the snake month." Lucian's gaze drilled into Xin Fang's bowed head. The customs of this land are too different from what I remember. He is telling me it's the fourth month, but he's calling it by a different name. Then, Lucian pressed, "If I were to ask this question in another Empire, I suppose they would have a different calendar from your Golden Peng Empire." Xin Fang paled after hearing Lucian's statement. With caution, he replied, "Senior must be joking."

Xin Fang forced a weak chuckle and raised his head slightly to glance at Lucian.

"Beyond the Great Sea, the Endless Desert, and the Forbidden Lands, there is no other Empire. The Golden Peng Empire is absolute." Lucian massaged his temples, his eyes lifting to the dark azure canopy and the cloud-covered night sky above. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke in a cold tone.

"Tell me what you know about the Human Sage and this Vampire Ancestor." When Xin Fang heard those titles, the intent behind the words forced their meaning directly into his mind, translating them into the closest equivalents he knew. Lucian had used titles rather than specific names because they were interpreted according to the listener's understanding of the world and would be easier to associate with the title holder. He wasn't concerned about being misunderstood or about the title pointing to someone else.

Unless a new race of blood-drinking mutants or magical beasts had emerged, Lucian believed there could only be one meaning behind the word vampire. And there was only one Vampire Ancestor. While Lucian waited for a response, Xin Fang struggled to process the first half of the question, but the latter nearly made him shout 'bullshit'. Taking a steadying breath, Xin Fang glanced at his fallen brother to remind himself of his place and answered.

"The Human Emperor founded the Golden Dynasty and later ascended to a higher realm, as we are told in the myths. That was a long, long time ago. He is remembered as powerful, just, and honorable," he paused, organizing his next words.

"As for the Blood Devil Ancestor, it is said he was sealed within the Forbidden Lands by the Wing Calamity Cult. I don't know more than that, Senior!" Xing Fang wasn't telling the whole truth, however. In his sect, he also had learned that the Blood Devil Ancestor was a lecherous and hated being. Nonetheless, he wouldn't dare say so even if he had ten times more guts! Hearing him, Lucian nodded slowly. I cannot trust mere rumors, he thought. Calling the Human Sage just and honorable is nonsense at best.

Still, I must learn more about these Forbidden Lands. My Castle could be there.

"Very well, mortal," Lucian said, gesturing for Xin Fang to rise.

"Guide me to the Forbidden Lands. In the meantime, you will procure healthy living mortals for me." While Xin Fang was still processing the demand, Lucian added, pointing at Pan Xunmeng's mummified corpse, "And do not give me another mutant tainted by foreign energy. I would rather eat commoners' blood." Xin Fang's eyes turned bloodshot. Before he could restrain himself, his Qi surged in fury, as the meaning behind Lucian's sentences was translated to another set of words.

"How dare you call my Second Brother a monster, you demonic scoundrel?!" Then he realized his mistake. He had just screamed at a Demonic Cultivator!

"Who cares?" he muttered, his eyes shaking for a moment. Then, he shouted, "I'm already dead! I would rather be left without a corpse here than aid a Demonic Cultivator in a senseless slaughter!" Mildly surprised by the sudden outburst, Lucian corked an eyebrow.

"I thought you didn't care about other lives. After all, you and your companions slaughtered more than a person or two," he said with a curious gaze. Xin Fang shouted back, "Those were mere mortals! Greedy merchants who profited from war while we bled and lost companions!" Lucian did not grasp every nuance, but he understood enough to chuckle.

"Do not be mistaken. You didn't kill for survival, food, or shelter." Lucian's eyes narrowed.

"No, you and those so-called merchants are the same." Xin Fang despised being compared to merchants and, even more, receiving moral judgment from a Demonic Cultivator. So he did what he believed was right. Unleashing his Qi Gathering cultivation, he commanded Qi to surge through his four open meridians and kicked off the ground, launching himself toward Lucian.

"Shut up, demonic scum," he roared.

"Today, I'll die as a righteous hero after making you bleed!"