TMWTGD CH30

What a formidable newly turned vampire!

To actually beat a high-ranking pureblood vampire flat to the ground!

The entire hall erupted into an uproar, no one willing to believe their own eyes.

The most shocked was naturally Sears. He could not fathom in the slightest how a common vampire could possess such power. His current strength ranked at least among the top three of the Blood Clan: the second was that mad dog Loren, and the first was His exalted Majesty.

Even Loren could not have crushed him so utterly.

Unless it was His Majesty.

Yet how could this mixed-blood vampire, transformed from a mere mortal, possess power that belonged exclusively to royalty?

Utterly impossible!

Defeating Sears, however, was clearly not Lu Li’s end goal. He showed no intention of pulling back, raising his hand to summon a surging, earth-shaking blast of power.

If this strike landed, Sears was guaranteed to die.

Yet Sears could not be allowed to die.

Although the arena was a place where strength ruled, Sears was still an exceedingly rare pureblood. His death would be a colossal loss to the entire Blood Clan, and even if executed legally, it would inevitably stir public outrage.

Having been steeped in statecraft for years, Xie Jianwei understood these hidden risks all too well, calling out, “A-Li, know when to stop.”

His voice was not loud, likely inaudible to vampires standing further away, yet Lu Li caught it clearly.

Eighty percent of the lethal force dissipated from the spell. Though it still slammed into Sears, it merely crippled him without taking his life.

The battle concluded, the victor decided.

The only applause echoing across the entire venue came from Xie Jianwei alone.

The others were too stunned, too bewildered, and simultaneously somewhat resentful.

At the end of the day, Sears was an influential Earl. Seeing him battered like this by a newcomer left them rather indignant.

Yet Lu Li cared nothing for their reactions. He only needed to see that one person, only wished to hear that one person’s voice; possessing him was more than enough.

As Lu Li stepped down from the arena, Xie Jianwei smiled, “Splendid work.”

Lu Li leaned down and captured his lips.

Xie Jianwei did not pull away, actively arching up to meet him.

After becoming a vampire, Lu Li’s physical frame had transformed considerably. His once-frail body had grown firm and powerful: his arms, shoulders, chest, torso, and long legs had fully restored the formidable build of a battle-hardened general.

Xie Jianwei now had to tilt his head back to kiss him properly.

Few vampires bothered taking offense at such blatant public displays of affection.

Just a kiss. If you have the guts, take it out to an open field for a wild round.

Too cowardly? Then don’t expect us to swallow your couple’s sweetness! Refused!

Loren cleared his throat.

The inseparable pair finally parted slightly.

Pretending not to see the cloying pink bubbles, Loren remarked, “Not bad, kid.”

Lu Li offered him a faint smile.

Loren’s hands were actually itching, quite keen to spar with Lu Li, yet felt awkward bringing it up right now.

Mainly because he felt a bit timid. He knew Sears’s caliber well enough: though far below his own… alright, not actually that far below, but he certainly wouldn’t be reduced to such a wretched state if he stepped in.

Still, if he took the field, he might also end up beaten into a swollen pig’s head by Lu Li.

Two noble pureblood Earls thrashed by a newly turned vampire would give humanity enough material to laugh for a century.

Forget it, better to arrange a private match later when time permitted.

Though Loren’s thoughts wandered, his mouth kept pace, “Having won the challenge, you are entitled to the rank of Earl. However, with His Majesty slumbering, the conferment ceremony must be postponed, though Jianwei and I will handle the remaining formalities for you.”

Lu Li said, “I appreciate the trouble.”

Before Loren could reply, Xie Jianwei chimed in, “We are all on the same side, no need to stand on ceremony.”

Loren: “…” What a shameless fellow.

Yet he had not expected his dear friend could be even more shameless. Xie Jianwei looked toward him, “On such an auspicious day, Loren, treat us to a round. Let’s celebrate properly.”

Loren: “…” Why must it be me!

Still, as a noble pureblood Earl, Loren could not back down, gritting his teeth, “Fine!”

Push me any further, and I’ll drag you both to the Hall of Radiant Blood for an initiation!

Naturally, Earl Loren only voiced this in his head. If he truly dragged them to an orgy, Xie Jianwei… no, Lu Li alone could probably swat him to death with a single palm.

Loren selected the small tavern Xie Jianwei frequented before, the establishment run by that pure, naive vampire couple.

Because the bar was overly tame, patrons were sparse to begin with, and with this hour being peak revelry for the Blood Clan, the venue was practically deserted.

Both proprietors were thoroughly idle, coming over together to blend drinks for them.

Xie Jianwei found them rather intriguing, “How long have you two been together?”

The delicate one replied, “Around fifty years, I think?”

The owner glanced at him, “Fifty-eight years and seven months.”

His lover smiled, his face radiant with sweetness.

Feeling quite envious, Xie Jianwei murmured, “So long already, that is truly wonderful.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Lu Li grasped his hand, whispering softly, “We will also stay together always.”

Xie Jianwei turned to look at him, “Of course.”

Watching the two couples, Loren felt as though he had transformed into an entirely different species: what mortals called a single dog, the kind battered into whimpering barks?

The meal left the guests thoroughly delighted and the host thoroughly depressed.

Lu Li and Xie Jianwei departed hand in hand, while Loren went off to find an alluring beauty for a night of indulgence.

Having defeated Sears, Lu Li secured a firm foothold within the Blood Clan.

Sears had cultivated his network for centuries, and his followers naturally wouldn’t abandon him so easily. An earldom was merely a title; holding genuine authority was what mattered.

Had Lu Li possessed no backing, winning the challenge would have yielded little.

Fortunately, he had backing: one Xie Jianwei and one Loren were plenty to pave a magnificent highway for him.

Xie Jianwei was quite surprised, “Lu Li is remarkably ambitious this time.”

Lu Li still spent plenty of time with him, but Xie Jianwei took note of everything he did.

He was steadily expanding his sphere of influence, infiltrating the core of the Blood Clan’s governing power, accomplishing things no newly turned vampire would dare imagine.

Xie Jianwei did nothing overt, merely offering subtle support from the shadows.

Lu Li possessed the strength and the backing, only lacking noble pedigree. Thus, Xie Jianwei guided public sentiment on his behalf.

This was easy to orchestrate. Common vampires formed the overwhelming majority of the population. The sole reason purebloods had monopolized power for centuries was sheer force, and now Lu Li had shattered the insurmountable barrier dividing common vampires from the elite. This alone was prime material for a grand narrative.

Why must newly turned vampires be treated as inferior?

Why must common vampires be barred from political power?

Why must the entire clan be governed solely by purebloods?

Lu Li’s emergence ignited a revolution from within the Blood Clan.

And revolutions, once successful, secured eternal renown, much like the collapsed Galactic Federation and the awakening Imperial army.

The turning of an era always appeared thoroughly inconceivable in its infancy.

Chatting with Xie Jianwei, Yan Ke remarked, “It feels like witnessing the Lord Marshal realizing his grand ambitions all over again.”

Xie Jianwei said, “Reality was vastly more grueling than this dream.”

Yan Ke agreed, “Naturally, since the circumstances were entirely different.”

Reality had been fraught with internal strife and external perils. Back then, Lu Li’s forces emerged like a dark horse, sweeping across the stars, bringing surprise after surprise to the humans of the Milky Way, eventually becoming legendary.

Yan Ke sighed with emotion, “It truly was all thanks to you.”

Xie Jianwei said, “I could never have achieved anything on my own.”

Yan Ke paused, asking out of nowhere, “My Lord… why did you choose to assist the Lord Marshal in the first place?”

Xie Jianwei smiled, “Love at first sight.”

Yan Ke: “…”

Xie Jianwei said, “I loved Lu Li, so I wanted to grant him a vaster universe.”

Blinking, Yan Ke let out a dry laugh, “Actually, many people back then thought… well… you did it for revenge.”

“Revenge?” Xie Jianwei laughed self-deprecatingly, “Revenge for whom?”

Yan Ke did not dare utter the name of the Xie family.

Sighing softly, Xie Jianwei added, “I suspect Lu Li believed I was seeking revenge as well.”

Yan Ke whispered, “Did you never tell him?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Back then I didn’t want to bring up the past, and by the time I could, so much time had elapsed that bringing it up felt rather meaningless.”

Yan Ke paused, “So you never told him at all?”

Xie Jianwei said, “I told him after the Empire was established.”

Yan Ke froze, understanding immediately, “The Lord Marshal didn’t believe it?”

Lu Li claimed to believe it with his lips, but in his heart? If he truly believed it, why would he harbor such insecurity within his dreams?

Xie Jianwei admitted candidly, “Once the prime moment has passed, speaking of certain things yields little effect.”

Yet that prime moment had been the bloodiest period of his life, a time he had zero desire to revisit.

A span of several years was merely the blink of an eye to a vampire.

During this period, however, the Blood Clan underwent a complete upheaval.

Lu Li’s governance granted common vampires unprecedented opportunities to rise.

Admittedly, their raw power fell short of purebloods, yet in countless other fields, they proved exceptionally capable.

Belonging to the same race, striving for the prosperity of their kind, and sharing concern for their collective future.

Xie Jianwei supported Lu Li wholeheartedly, knowing that the greatest bottleneck in transforming the clan was discovering how to evolve common vampires.

Biological questions like this had always been Xie Jianwei’s forte.

If he pursued it seriously, he could probably engineer a method for vampires to bear offspring.

However, doing so would disrupt this world’s necessary balance, so he refrained.

Still, modest research projects were fair game. Operating under Lu Li’s name, he inadvertently rallied immense popular support for him.

Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. At this rate, the Blood Clan might very well welcome its first common-born sovereign.

After all, the King of the Blood Clan remained in slumber, while Lu Li’s prestige soared. Even if purebloods largely refused to acknowledge him, the base of common vampires was vast, bringing countless loyal supporters to his banner.

Even without a formal coronation, he was the de facto ruler.

Xie Jianwei had assumed there was no rush, possessing nearly a century to communicate with Lu Li, uncover his inner knot, and resolve it.

Yet completely unforeseen, before even five years had elapsed, the slumbering Lord of the Blood Clan—who was supposed to sleep for at least another century—awakened.

Beneath an identical full moon, when crimson stained the stars and the moon turned a vivid scarlet, everyone understood: their King had returned.

Xie Jianwei felt as if shaken from a dream. Before he could process what was happening, Loren had already dragged him forcibly to the grand throne room.

The haughty purebloods all lowered their heads, kneeling along both sides of the blood-crystal hall.

None dared look up, holding their breath in devout, humble reverence.

Then came the sound of slow footsteps, feather-light, yet echoing like drumbeats heralding the overture of a magnificent symphony.

Looking up, Xie Jianwei saw a man cloaked in an obsidian robe.

Silhouetted against the light, his facial features remained obscured, showing only his tall frame, ink-black hair cascading to his waist, and slender, distinct fingers peeking from the cuffs, pale and well-defined.

Seeming to register Xie Jianwei’s gaze, he tilted his head slightly, looking toward him.

Their eyes met, and as if stung, Xie Jianwei lowered his head hurriedly.

The man wore a silver half-mask, his pupils a pure, unadulterated crimson. Yet even so, Xie Jianwei recognized him instantly.

It was Lu Li, without question.

Yet somehow different… likely due to his bearing.

It was an overwhelming aura of sheer majesty that made it impossible to meet his gaze directly.

Yan Ke’s voice chimed in his ear, “Good lord, the Lord Marshal looks devastatingly handsome!”

He was handsome indeed, but that was beside the point. The point was: why wake up so early instead of resting properly in bed!

Ahead of schedule by nearly a century, without anyone casting the awakening ritual, how had he awakened on his own?

Was the newly turned Lu Li causing trouble, or had the pureblood Lu Li chosen to wake up?

The former was unlikely, but if it were the latter, matters would turn catastrophic.

Xie Jianwei felt an uncharacteristic wave of apprehension.

The previous dream was already one plus two; this dream absolutely could not add two more.

The Blood Clan’s leader returned to his throne.

The gathered purebloods chorused in unison, brimming with loyalty and reverence, “Long live Your Majesty!”

The leader’s deep, resonant voice echoed through the hall, “Rise.”

The kneeling vampires stood up, yet remained motionless with lowered hands and bowed heads, profoundly quiet.

The leader spoke no further, his crimson eyes sweeping across the assembly before resting upon Loren.

He questioned Loren on a few matters.

Loren reported with meticulous care on the key events that had transpired over the past century.

A hundred years was enough for multiple human generations, but to vampires, it was remarkably brief.

The changes over the past century were far less dramatic than what had unfolded since Lu Li turned into a vampire. Of course, Lu Li’s situation was ill-suited for an immediate report, requiring careful deliberation on how to broach the topic.

The leader nodded, then turned his gaze toward Xie Jianwei, “A-Wei.”

Xie Jianwei’s spine went rigid.

The leader said, “Come here.”

Xie Jianwei climbed the dais at an unhurried pace, standing before him with bowed head.

Crimson eyes flickering softly, the leader spoke with tender longing, “You appear to be in good health.”

Xie Jianwei could not utter a single syllable.

Beneath the dais, Loren was even tenser than he was. He remembered how wretched Xie Jianwei had looked years ago: refusing to feed on hot blood, starved for a century, utterly listless.

Yet now… nourished day and night by Lu Li, Xie Jianwei naturally looked radiant, blooming like a delicate petal kissed by morning dew, inviting one to pluck it!

Yet who dared speak of this?

While vampires held no concept of infidelity, Xie Jianwei had been His Majesty’s companion previously. Now that His Majesty had returned… to find his partner claimed by an upstart youth.

The mere thought sent chills down Loren’s spine.

While the assembly harbored conflicting thoughts and Xie Jianwei’s mind spun in chaos, the leader pulled him directly into his lap, the gesture familiar and intimate, completely unbothered by onlookers.

Perched upon his lap, Xie Jianwei’s mood grew even more complicated.

What kind of dream was this? His chest was packed to the brim with the guilt of having an affair!

The leader appraised him steadily: from his fair forehead down the bridge of his nose, resting finally upon his rosy lips…

Xie Jianwei unconsciously licked his lips. The leader cupped his chin, capturing those long-yearned-for, tender lips in a kiss.

To Xie Jianwei, the kiss felt both familiar and alien.

Familiar because he knew this was Lu Li: his scent, his habits, his very being. Alien because he had almost never seen this side of Lu Li: mature, restrained, carrying an ocean of shifting epochs within his gaze.

When the leader finally released him, Xie Jianwei barely gathered his wits before a sharp sting struck the side of his neck. The sensation of blood surging outward left his mind teetering on the edge of a blank haze once more.

Having slept for so long, wanting to feed upon waking was entirely natural for King Lu Li.

The onlookers below even prepared to withdraw to grant them privacy, expecting him to continue feeding on hot blood.

Yet right at that moment, King Lu Li released Xie Jianwei abruptly.

Xie Jianwei’s eyes were dazed, his thin lips trembling, his demeanor thoroughly stirred by passion…

Yet King Lu Li did nothing further. A trace of Xie Jianwei’s blood remained at the corner of his lips, but the crimson brilliance in his eyes gradually faded.

Releasing Xie Jianwei, he rose and strode down the dais.

It took Xie Jianwei a long moment to recover, looking up only to see the man’s retreating silhouette.

A sharp pang struck Xie Jianwei’s heart as the faint murmur King Lu Li had whispered in his ear echoed slowly back: “You, really…”

Merely two words, yet laden with profound helplessness and indulgence.

King Lu Li departed, leaving the hall stunned for a long while.

Loren hurried forward, looking at Xie Jianwei, “What happened to His Majesty?”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Loren asked, “Did he notice?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Likely so.”

Blood revealed countless secrets; someone starved for a century was vastly different from someone well-nourished.

King Lu Li needed only a single taste to know Xie Jianwei had taken someone by his side.

Sighing softly, Loren patted his shoulder in comfort, “Do not worry. This is only natural, His Majesty will certainly understand.”

Xie Jianwei would be a fool not to worry.

Had that been an ordinary vampire sovereign, he wouldn’t have cared in the least. But that was Lu Li! Lu Li understanding? If he were capable of understanding, he wouldn’t be paranoid enough to want to destroy his own personalities.

Taking a deep breath, Xie Jianwei felt the situation grow tricky.

King Lu Li had awakened far too early, and uncovering why proved exceedingly difficult.

Could the newly turned Lu Li have learned of his past with the King, deliberately waking him up to put him to the test?

That wasn’t impossible, but Xie Jianwei feared another scenario far more.

What if King Lu Li had awakened on his own, breaking through the dream’s mental constraints ahead of schedule?

If that were the case…

Yan Ke whispered, “That should be impossible, right? A dream can only have one master.”

Xie Jianwei stayed silent. Intuition warned him that matters were far from simple.

Returning to his quarters, Lu Li happened to return as well.

Meeting his gaze, Xie Jianwei’s eyes flickered away slightly.

Lu Li detected it immediately, though keeping his expression placid, “I heard His Majesty has awakened?”

Xie Jianwei answered, “Mm.”

Lu Li approached, kissing his forehead gently, “What is wrong, unhappy?”

Xie Jianwei thought: Happy my foot, my lover is about to split into eighty-one pieces.

Lu Li chuckled softly, asking, “Why are you unhappy? Can you tell me?”

Rallying his spirits, Xie Jianwei said, “I am not unhappy.”

Lu Li looked down at him.

Xie Jianwei felt resigned to his own damnable guilt, continuing, “I am a little tired, let us rest early.”

Lu Li continued appraising him.

Weighing his options, Xie Jianwei threw caution to the wind, capturing his lips in a kiss and initiating an intimate round.

He had to harden his heart. Though both were Lu Li, for the sake of the therapy, he could only cater to one at a time.

He could not let his soft-heartedness worsen Lu Li’s condition any further.

He remained uncertain about King Lu Li’s status, but the newly turned Lu Li undeniably possessed the awareness of God Father, so he could not let him run wild.

Inside the bedchamber was sweet romance; outside, the moon hung cold as frost.

A man wearing a silver half-mask stood in the distance, staring at that thin door throughout the entire night.

The next morning, Xie Jianwei found it difficult to leave bed. Massaging his waist, Lu Li asked casually, “What kind of person is His Majesty?”

Hearing this, though Xie Jianwei strove to appear unruffled, his spine tightened nonetheless.

Lu Li added, “I may undergo the conferment ceremony in a couple of days, so I wanted to learn about him in advance.”

Indeed, Lu Li had inherited Sears’s title, but because the leader was asleep, the formal conferment had been delayed. Now that he had awakened, he would not only preside over the ceremony, but surely examine this remarkable newcomer closely.

Lu Li’s question was entirely reasonable, so Xie Jianwei had to say, “Rest assured, His Majesty is very decent.”

What else could he say? When asked how he was, he could only praise him…

Lu Li let out a soft laugh, shifting the conversation abruptly straight to the core, “I heard His Majesty is very fond of you.”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Lu Li’s hands did not pause their massage, his tone remaining steady, “Do you love His Majesty?”

Xie Jianwei’s heart skipped a beat, but his reactions were remarkably swift. Turning to look at Lu Li, he said with utmost earnestness, “Before meeting you, I was indeed involved with His Majesty.”

These matters were impossible to hide, and rather than letting Lu Li hear distorted gossip from others and let his imagination run wild, it was far better to lay it bare himself.

Pressing his thin lips together, Lu Li repeated, “Involved?”

Bracing himself, Xie Jianwei said, “Just as you imagine.”

A subtle tremor finally crept into Lu Li’s voice, “Like we are now?”

Xie Jianwei said, “We were indeed intimate, and we drank each other’s hot blood, but that was entirely different from what exists between us.”

Hearing that last sentence, Lu Li’s expression softened slightly.

Xie Jianwei had no choice but to shift the blame onto this absurd setting, explaining, “A-Li, you still retain your human memories, so you aren’t accustomed to the ways of the Blood Clan. In reality, exchanging hot blood among vampires is as commonplace as humans treating each other to dinner.”

Lowering his eyelashes slightly, Lu Li murmured in a muffled voice, “I know.”

Not expecting him to sort through it instantly, Xie Jianwei pressed on, “So please don’t overthink it, alright?”

A question lingered on the tip of Lu Li’s tongue, yet he held it back because he dreaded the answer, and dreaded even more seeing Xie Jianwei at a loss for words.

Sighing softly, Xie Jianwei looked at him and said, “Though such are the customs of the Blood Clan, because you still hold mortal memories, I will abide by human standards for your sake.”

Lu Li looked up at him, “You mean, from now on, you will only be intimate with me, and exchange hot blood only with me?”

Xie Jianwei promised, “Yes, only you.”

A faint smile finally touched Lu Li’s lips, “Mm, and I have only you as well.”

The crisis seemed barely smoothed over, yet Xie Jianwei remained far from at ease.

He worried about the newly turned Lu Li, and worried even more about the sovereign Lu Li.

Two days later came Lu Li’s formal conferment ceremony.

It was also the sovereign Lu Li’s very first public appearance since awakening.

He had donned a lavish black and gold robe. His already magnificent physique looked even more elegant and imposing beneath the regal garments, and while the silver half-mask concealed part of his face, it only enhanced his aura of inscrutable mystery. Framed by those striking crimson eyes, anyone would instantly lose the nerve to meet his gaze directly.

Yet that “anyone” did not include the newly minted Earl about to be invested.

Lu Li looked up at him, his gaze brimming with open provocation.

The sovereign Lu Li acted as though blind to it, merely casting a sidelong glance toward Xie Jianwei out of the corner of his eye.

His fair Earl’s eyes were entirely fixed on this man who shared his face and possessed such a similar name.

No one knew the leader’s full name; only Xie Jianwei and Loren had ever been privileged to hear it, and even they knew merely the single character “Li,” unaware of any surname.

And now, this newly turned vampire was named Lu Li.

The sovereign Lu Li withdrew his gaze, completing the investiture with absolute composure.

With the rites concluded, the newly turned Lu Li rose to his feet. He was practically identical to the sovereign in height and stature. Earlier, with one standing and the other kneeling, the resemblance had been subtle.

Yet now, standing face-to-face, that uncanny likeness hit like a physical wave, down to the commanding aura clinging to them both.

Though the vampires below dared not speak, doubt stirred in every heart.

They looked so alike; if His Majesty weren’t masked, the two would seem like twin brothers.

Watching from below, Xie Jianwei’s heart thumped frantically.

Yan Ke was on edge as well, “Please don’t fight, whatever you do, please, please don’t start fighting!”

Whether because Yan Ke’s prayers worked or because both personalities were steady by nature, they did not escalate the tension into an outright brawl.

A grand banquet followed the investiture ceremony.

Because this was the only earldom conferred in centuries, and the very first time in history a newly turned vampire had attained such noble rank, the banquet was boisterous, clearly primed to last several days and nights.

The sovereign Lu Li attended as well, not merely dropping by for appearances, but sitting at the high seat, observing the festivities.

Vampires excelled at song and dance, and after several rounds of seductive performances, the atmosphere peaked.

A flock of men and women swarmed around the star of the night, taking advantage of the revelry to say, “Earl Lu Li, come play with us just once.”

The moment one spoke, another giggled playfully, “Yes, yes, Lord Earl, my hot blood is delicious. Others say it tastes sweet like human cake, with a soft and creamy texture.”

In truth, this was nonsense. Once transformed, mortal memories vanished, so who could remember what cake tasted like?

Yet this trend was wildly popular among vampires, especially common vampires transformed from humans, who loved comparing their blood to various delicacies.

Soon, others began marketing themselves, “Mine tastes like ice cream!”

“Mine tastes like peaches!”

“Mango, mango!” “Pineapple, pineapple!” “Grape, grape!”

The last one delivered a real shocker, “This lady is the king of fruits, durian-flavored!”

Yan Ke burst out laughing on the spot, “Does this young lady even know what a durian tastes like?”

Xie Jianwei chuckled along, “If she knew, she wouldn’t have said that.”

Surrounded by a fruit basket of vampires, breaking free was harder than scaling the heavens.

Xie Jianwei did not push his way over. Their relationship was public knowledge, so interrupting now would only spoil the mood, and in any case, Lu Li would never drink anyone else’s hot blood.

Given Xie Jianwei’s status, his seat was situated just below His Majesty to the right, placing them very close.

The sovereign Lu Li signaled his attendant to pour him a drink.

Unable to decline, Xie Jianwei raised his glass in thanks.

The sovereign Lu Li smiled faintly, asking, “Where did you find him?”

He was referring to Lu Li, and understanding immediately, Xie Jianwei answered softly, “In the Mist Ravine.”

“A hunter?”

Xie Jianwei said, “A hunter who was horribly bullied and nearly slaughtered by his companions.”

The sovereign Lu Li gave a noncommittal smile, asking again, “What made you think to visit the human realm?”

Xie Jianwei paused, remaining silent, while the loose-lipped Loren immediately stepped in to declare loyalty on his behalf, “Jianwei starved himself for a hundred years! I kept pressuring him to drink hot blood, and driven to his wit’s end, he tried to find a way to awaken Your Majesty ahead of schedule. As luck would have it, he actually found a method, only the materials were exceedingly rare…”

Xie Jianwei could hardly stop Loren from talking, though stopping him would be pointless; if the sovereign truly wished to know, plenty of people would tell him.

Loren sighed, “Jianwei picked up… well, Little Lu while attending an auction in the Qinya market for materials.” Mindful of the sovereign’s name, he carefully avoided the character “Li.”

The sovereign Lu Li looked at Xie Jianwei, “Starved for a hundred years?”

Lowering his head, Xie Jianwei said, “Yes.”

The sovereign Lu Li smiled, murmuring softly, “It was my fault for waking too late.”

Who dared respond to that? Loren certainly didn’t, and Xie Jianwei was unable to.

The sovereign Lu Li asked again, “What materials were required for the awakening?”

Loren listed them one by one. The sovereign Lu Li remarked, “All fine treasures. Did you gather them all?”

Xie Jianwei confessed, “They were gathered.”

Growing nervous, Loren shot several darting glances at Xie Jianwei.

With apparent interest, the sovereign Lu Li asked, “Were they gathered recently?”

Bracing himself, Xie Jianwei said, “They were gathered five years ago.”

Hearing this, Loren nearly shoved a goblet into his mouth to shut him up. Why be so honest, laying everything bare like that? Wasn’t that blatantly telling His Majesty that for the sake of that little wolfdog, he hadn’t even wanted him to awaken?

The sovereign Lu Li paused visibly, “Five years ago…”

Desperate to keep the atmosphere from deteriorating, Loren smoothed things over, “Actually, they weren’t entirely complete. A small accident happened five years ago and the crucial Sun-Silk Flower was lost, which was why it dragged on until now.”

Only the two of them knew what the Sun-Silk Flower had been used for. If neither spoke, His Majesty would never find out.

A tactful cover-up was far better than stabbing straight at someone’s heart.

In the end, Xie Jianwei held back from confessing that he had used the Sun-Silk Flower to cure Lu Li’s condition.

The sovereign Lu Li did not pry into the nature of the accident, merely asking, “Who holds the remaining materials?”

Loren said, “They are all kept in Jianwei’s custody.”

The sovereign Lu Li turned his gaze to Xie Jianwei, “When the banquet ends, bring the Ice Silk Heart to me.”

Unaware of what he intended to do with it, Xie Jianwei simply complied, “Understood.”

Those seated below could not hear what was being discussed above, though they could see it clearly.

Someone whispered, “His Majesty truly treats Earl Jianwei wonderfully.”

“Indeed. I heard that before the slumber, Earl Jianwei was the only one by his side.”

“Back then, people even claimed the Blood Clan’s heavens were about to change.”

“Hahaha, how could that be? How could two purebloods ever keep exclusively to each other?”

They chatted casually, yet every word sank deep into Lu Li’s heart.

Having finally broken free of the fruit brigade, Lu Li climbed the dais and bowed in thanks to the sovereign.

From start to finish, the sovereign Lu Li remained composed and impeccably dignified.

Looking at Xie Jianwei, Lu Li asked, “May I sit beside the Earl?”

Pausing briefly, Xie Jianwei replied, “Of course you may.”

Lu Li took his seat beside Xie Jianwei, leaning in to kiss him with absolute naturalness right in plain view of everyone.

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Worse still, onlookers below began egging them on, “Another one, Lord Earl, give us another one!”

Another one, my foot! Do you people have a death wish!

Yet Lu Li cupped the back of his head, deepening the fleeting brush into a passionate, lingering kiss.

Kissed senseless, Xie Jianwei glanced out of the corner of his eye, running straight into the sovereign Lu Li’s crimson gaze and the tense, hardened line of his mouth beneath the mask.

The author has something to say,

Mortal Lu Li: I always feel there’s a green cloud over my head.

Vampire Lu Li: Heh, greener than mine?