TMWTGD CH33

Being caught in such a scene meant no river on earth could wash him clean of suspicion.

Yet there was no need to clear anything up, because it truly was scandalous and undeniable.

Xie Jianwei had indeed left Lu Li in the dead of night, had indeed come to the royal palace, had indeed seduced the Blood King, and had indeed exchanged hot blood with him.

These were all undeniable facts, impossible to whitewash.

Having starved for so long, Blood King Lu Li had suddenly tasted the delicacy he had craved for an eternity, refusing to let him go.

Tilting his head slightly, Xie Jianwei simply watched Lu Li standing there.

His body was possessed by Blood King Lu Li, his blood drunk greedily, the two locked in the most intimate embrace, even while Lu Li stood right by the doorway.

Lu Li watched helplessly as despair, unwilling bitterness, and profound helplessness surged forward like a tidal wave, choking his breath and clouding his vision. Following that suffocating wave came a searing agony that felt as if raging fire was burning through his flesh.

It felt as though his internal organs were being incinerated into ash.

Yet what could he do? He was utterly powerless.

They had loved each other from the start, they were supposed to be together from the start, and everything he had possessed was merely his own delusional fantasy. Now, he had simply witnessed the truth.

Lu Li realized he did not even have the right to be angry.

What could he do? He had no standing whatsoever.

Watching Lu Li walk away, Xie Jianwei slowly closed his eyes.

After claiming him several times, Blood King Lu Li finally calmed down.

Pressed tightly together, their heartbeats seemed to align in unison, exquisitely intimate yet profoundly tragic.

Blood King Lu Li spoke in a hoarse whisper, “Why bother?”

Leaning against his chest, Xie Jianwei replied, “Then why do you bother either?”

Two identical phrases, yet addressing entirely different matters.

Blood King Lu Li was asking Xie Jianwei why he bothered exchanging hot blood with him, going so far as to be caught red-handed.

Xie Jianwei, on the other hand, was asking him why he refused to drink anyone else’s hot blood when he was on the brink of death. Why bother pushing himself to such an extreme?

In truth, Xie Jianwei’s counter-question was like a knife, a dreadfully blunt blade that brought agonizing torment when twisted into the heart.

Throwing the question back at him was his way of telling Blood King Lu Li that he had done all this solely to save his life. If Lu Li hadn’t been so stubborn, why would he ever have resorted to this?

Blood King Lu Li remained silent for a long while before slowly asking, “You truly fell in love with him.”

It was stated as a matter of fact.

Xie Jianwei suddenly asked in return, “I have always loved him, haven’t I?”

That ambiguous question sent Blood King Lu Li plunging into an icy abyss.

Staring at him, Xie Jianwei murmured softly, “If not for Your Majesty, I would have shared a lifetime of love with him, ordinary perhaps, but sweet. If I had never met you, I wouldn’t have had to endure the agony of betrayal from loved ones, wouldn’t have been turned into a vampire out of despair, wouldn’t have fallen in love with my own enemy, and wouldn’t have suffered centuries of endless torment!”

Blood King Lu Li released him. His eyes flickered, his voice trembling, “What… what are you saying?”

He was still forcing a calm front, but Xie Jianwei resolved to probe to the very end. With a cold expression, he asked, “What am I saying? Doesn’t Your Majesty know best?”

To Blood King Lu Li, this expression was an abyss of nightmares. Though he had witnessed it countless times in midnight visions, seeing the nightmare come true in the flesh was infinitely more despairing than imagined.

“I…” Pursing his thin lips, he forced out with immense difficulty, “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Xie Jianwei cried out hoarsely, “You ruined my life! When you committed those deeds, why didn’t you consider whether I would hate you!”

As he spoke, tears surged forth like a burst dam, yet he continued to stare at him with stubborn defiance, his clear dark eyes fixed on him with bone-deep resentment.

Blood King Lu Li parted his lips, but eventually lowered his gaze, his long eyelashes casting dark shadows. This was not repentance. In fact, he was completely unrepentant to his dying breath.

Those dust-laden memories were fleeting yet dazzling. Even after so many centuries had passed, they remained like flowers sealed in ice, vibrant in color, just as vivid as when they first blossomed.

How could he ever regret it? That was the sole spark of color in his long, desolate existence.

Given another chance, he would still reach out and touch him.

With a few words, Xie Jianwei drew out what had happened all those years ago.

As a mortal human, Xie Jianwei was supposed to have enjoyed an ordinary, peaceful life. Though he had fallen in love with a man, compared to worldly prejudices, their genuine devotion was more than enough to weather anything.

And they had truly loved each other deeply.

From their first meeting to deep intimacy, a decade had brewed a rich, heady vintage of romance.

They were thoroughly intoxicated by it, oblivious to the crimson eyes of a predator gleaming in the distance.

Blood King Lu Li’s descent into the mortal realm was purely accidental. Having no need to feed, he held no interest in humans. He did not crave hot blood, felt no obsession with power, and cared nothing for authority.

Confronting an endless lifespan, his heart was like stagnant water. Even while alive, everything before his eyes was perpetual monochrome.

Until he caught sight of Xie Jianwei by chance.

Just one glance, a single fleeting look, and brilliant colors burst into view.

The entire world was dull gray, yet this youth was radiant with luster. Lovely eyes, a delicate nose, and rosy lips resembling what vampires cherished most, exuding an irresistible scent.

In that instant, a sudden flutter of the heart welcomed a person into his hollow chest.

Just as he wanted to approach Xie Jianwei, Lu Li appeared.

A mortal human man who, by some bizarre twist of fate, looked identical to him, even sharing the exact same name.

He kissed him, caressed him, pinned him beneath his body, and bestowed tremendous ecstasy upon him.

Watching this unfold, Blood King Lu Li actually experienced an eerie thrill, as if he were the one performing those acts, as if Xie Jianwei were weeping with pleasure beneath his own frame.

The moment that thought took root, an overpowering craving seized his heart, making each breath feel laced with raw longing.

He wanted to claim him, wanted to make that illusion a living reality.

Taking advantage of Lu Li’s departure, he appeared before Xie Jianwei.

Xie Jianwei failed completely to notice this was not his Lu Li. In a sense, he was Lu Li after all.

Lu Li disguised himself as Lu Li, and Xie Jianwei kissed him with a smile.

Blood King Lu Li tasted that sweetness, assuming it would douse the fire in his chest. But he was mistaken. The taste was addictive, and once tasted, boundless desire burned across every limb like fire stoked with oil.

He kissed him clumsily, like an inexperienced lad experiencing love for the first time, greedily tangling with those tender lips.

“In broad daylight, why are you hard again?” Xie Jianwei teased with a smile.

He looked enticing beyond measure, and all Blood King Lu Li wanted was to possess him entirely.

And Xie Jianwei’s submissiveness made his heart tremble.

After a wild night of passion, Blood King Lu Li held the sleeping Xie Jianwei and kissed him repeatedly, never feeling satisfied.

A desire dormant for a millennium had awakened, craving endless indulgence.

Yet he had to exercise restraint, because he was merely pretending to be Lu Li.

The word “pretending” sobered Blood King Lu Li slightly, and with sobriety came the hollow emptiness of waking from a dream.

Xie Jianwei’s smiles were not meant for him, Xie Jianwei’s kisses were not intended for him, and Xie Jianwei opening his body without reservation was certainly not because of him.

Sweetness fermented, and foul jealousy began corroding his internal organs.

For a whole year following that, whenever mortal Lu Li left the house, Blood King Lu Li would disguise himself as him, possessing Xie Jianwei and savoring this stolen happiness.

Such possession was like drinking poison to quench a thirst. It solved nothing at its core, serving only to swell his greedy heart while an insatiable longing for genuine happiness grew out of control.

The real turning point came when mortal Lu Li was critically injured by accident.

Believing he was going to die and unwilling to cause Xie Jianwei grief, mortal Lu Li hid outside to nurse his wounds in secret.

This unquestionably handed Blood King Lu Li a golden opportunity.

He spent three entire months living with Xie Jianwei without interruption.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, and the first sight upon dawn was one another. Life was as sweet and airy as cotton candy, filling their days with pure warmth and contentment.

Without comparison, he would never have realized how barren his past existence had been.

Centuries of life seemed trivial compared to those brief few months.

No matter how vast a gray lifespan was, it was only a torment. This fleeting stretch of domestic life was like a night-blooming cereus, brief yet unforgettable to the soul.

Three months later, mortal Lu Li returned. Having to step aside, Blood King Lu Li could bear it no longer.

He wanted to possess Xie Jianwei, wanted him all to himself. He refused to pretend to be someone else any longer. He wanted the Lu Li in Xie Jianwei’s eyes, on his lips, and in his heart to be him and him alone.

From then on, Blood King Lu Li orchestrated everything. He manipulated mortal Lu Li into abandoning Xie Jianwei, and he manipulated Xie Jianwei’s family and friends into turning their backs on him.

Betrayal by his lover, abandonment by his closest kin, to an ordinary mortal, this was a catastrophe beyond imagining.

Xie Jianwei’s entire world collapsed.

Blood King Lu Li felt immense heartache, yet convinced that they would share a far greater future, he pressed forward without hesitation.

Afterward, Xie Jianwei was turned into a vampire. Blood King Lu Li achieved his lifelong wish, truly claiming Xie Jianwei as his very own.

At this present moment, did he regret it?

How could he ever regret it? Blood King Lu Li held not a shred of regret. Even reduced to his current state, having shared those centuries by Xie Jianwei’s side was enough to let him face any ending with calm resolve.

He had no idea why Xie Jianwei had recalled those memories, nor did he understand why that mortal Lu Li reincarnated time and again, remembering Xie Jianwei in every life.

In fact, the current Blood King Lu Li did not mind Xie Jianwei knowing the truth. He was even somewhat relieved.

Xie Jianwei could not let him go, yet he was dying. Remembering this past, Xie Jianwei would surely hate him, and realize that the one he truly loved had always been mortal Lu Li.

If so, once he died, Xie Jianwei could still live well and find happiness, even if it was by another man’s side, in another man’s embrace, surrounded by another man’s love.

That was fine. It was good this way.

Xie Jianwei asked him, “You are dying, aren’t you?”

Blood King Lu Li remained silent.

Cupping his face in his hands, Xie Jianwei said word by word, “I forbid it.”

Blood King Lu Li paused, looking up at him, “Jianwei…”

Xie Jianwei broke down into uncontrollable sobs, his shoulders shaking violently. Seeing him lose all composure threw Blood King Lu Li into flustered disarray. “Don’t cry… please don’t cry. You remember everything now. Lu Li is the very Lu Li you loved, and he has returned. You two can be together now. I won’t disturb you anymore, I…”

Before he could finish, Xie Jianwei kissed him forcefully.

It was a kiss laden with bitter tears and intense passion. He kissed him fiercely, yet as the kiss deepened, his strength seemed to drain away completely. Resting his forehead against his chest, he choked out, “Don’t die. Don’t leave me.”

Blood King Lu Li stayed motionless, not daring to hold him, nor daring to utter a sound. He felt as if everything before him was an ephemeral illusion, a fragile, beautiful bubble that would shatter into nothingness at the slightest touch.

Yet Xie Jianwei continued, “I cannot forgive you, but… I love you too.”

Those final words seemed wrenched from his throat with immense difficulty, yet they were woven with countless emotions, powerful enough to make one’s heart tremble violently.

Centuries of companionship, centuries of shared devotion, and sacrifices spanning life and death; even knowing this man had ruined the first half of his life, love had long taken root. How could feelings that had grown into a towering tree ever be torn out by the roots?

Blood King Lu Li’s fingers twitched slightly. Touching Xie Jianwei gently, he said slowly, “Your Lu Li has already returned.”

Xie Jianwei looked up at him with fierce determination, “You are not allowed to die.”

Blood King Lu Li fell silent.

Xie Jianwei said with solemn gravity, “If you die, I will leave you, and I will leave every single Lu Li forever!”

“Wh… why?” Blood King Lu Li looked at him.

Xie Jianwei said, “When I look at him, I think of you, and when I look at him, I also…”

Blood King Lu Li captured his lips, possessing him with near-frenzied desperation.

Xie Jianwei slept in the palace for three days and three nights. When he awoke, Blood King Lu Li was gone.

Sitting up, he pressed against his temples.

Yan Ke whispered, “My Lord… are you alright?”

Xie Jianwei replied, “I’m fine.”

Although he said so, his emotions had fluctuated violently. While much of it was part of his performance, genuine feeling had inevitably seeped in. After all, this was Lu Li, his Lu Li. Merely watching him suffer made him want to pluck the stars and moon just to comfort him.

Yan Ke asked, “What should we do now?”

By this point, the plot of the dream had fully unraveled.

It was essentially a vicious cycle.

Mortal Lu Li and Xie Jianwei loved each other, Vampire Lu Li stole him away, mortal Lu Li reincarnated to seek vengeance, not only critically wounding Vampire Lu Li, but also making him taste the bitterness of having his lover taken from him.

And naturally, mortal Lu Li had his lover taken from him once again.

All in all, karma circled relentlessly, and an eye for an eye proved an absolute truth.

Yan Ke saw no solution in sight. The two Lord Marshals despised each other to the bone. Once the newborn Marshal learned the full past, he would probably bombard the entire Blood Clan into oblivion.

Xie Jianwei said, “There is a way that ought to work, but it requires some time.”

Hearing his explanation, Yan Ke murmured, “This…”

Pondering for a moment, Yan Ke admitted, “…Perhaps it truly can work.”

Taking a deep breath, Xie Jianwei got out of bed and dressed.

He returned to his quarters, and sure enough, Lu Li was standing right outside the door.

Xie Jianwei had stayed in the palace for three days and three nights, and Lu Li had stood right there for three days and three nights.

It had rained lightly the night before, soaking his clothes completely, yet he remained motionless like a statue, rooted to the spot.

Xie Jianwei felt another pang of heartache. Looking at him, he said, “Come inside.”

Without a word, as Xie Jianwei turned to enter the house, Lu Li seized his hand, pulled him around, and kissed him roughly.

Xie Jianwei did not resist, letting him vent the agony, despair, and humiliation bottled up over three days and nights.

There was no pleasure to be found in this kiss, for the one delivering it was stretched to the absolute limit of sanity, serving no purpose other than raw release.

Yet Xie Jianwei felt no anger at all. He followed him inside and allowed him to do as he pleased in his near-frenzied state.

Afterward, Xie Jianwei caught his breath while Lu Li embraced him from behind, his voice raspy, “A-Wei…”

Xie Jianwei sighed softly, “I’m here.”

Lu Li asked him, “Will you leave me?”

Xie Jianwei turned around to hold him, “If I were going to leave you, why would I have come back?”

Yet…

Lu Li did not dare ask further. Some answers were so painfully obvious that he lacked the courage to question them aloud.

Xie Jianwei had become a true vampire.

He did not refuse Blood King Lu Li, nor did he refuse the newborn Lu Li.

Lu Li still lived with him, but whenever Xie Jianwei did not return at night, he knew where he had gone.

When Xie Jianwei was away, he would not enter the house, waiting outside instead, standing through the night in masochistic vigil.

In truth, what Xie Jianwei was doing was rational, and relatively healthy.

The hot blood Xie Jianwei alone converted was limited, insufficient to sustain Vampire Lu Li completely, but with the newborn Lu Li added to the equation, it was enough.

Both he and the newborn Lu Li could convert consumed cold blood into hot blood, and then exchange it.

This created a delicate balance, a balance that nobody truly wanted.

To Blood King Lu Li, living like this was worse than death.

To mortal Lu Li, jealousy day in and day out was driving him mad.

Xie Jianwei was having a miserable time as well. He had only ever loved one person, yet ended up in such a bizarre mess that he wished he could step outside and beat his lover black and blue.

Naturally, for the sake of therapy, all absurdities had to be endured.

Failure was not an option this time. The priority was ensuring Blood King Lu Li regained enough strength so he wouldn’t be instantly annihilated once the newborn Lu Li uncovered the truth.

Over the span of several months, neither Lu Li spoke a word of the other.

Though silently tolerating the status quo, both were striving to break the deadlock.

Especially the newborn Lu Li.

He pushed forward with internal reforms within the Blood Clan. Backed by Xie Jianwei from the shadows, his faction expanded rapidly. Within a few short years, the Blood Clan territories showed growing signs of schism.

Having obtained the power of evolution, newborn vampires revered Lu Li more and more.

Blood King Lu Li’s inaction was brought into the spotlight. Matters nobody had dared voice in the past were now raised repeatedly due to having a point of comparison.

Yet Blood King Lu Li paid it no mind. He still held sway over the purebloods and commanded the most formidable power of the Blood Clan, perched at the pinnacle of this world.

Yet a day would come when the newborn Lu Li would claim the throne, and the Blood Clan would fracture.

The irreconcilable contradictions would eventually erupt completely.

Xie Jianwei was busy. Over these past few years, he had been exceptionally busy, not merely from dealing with two Lu Lis, but because he was laying the groundwork for what was to come.

Because the span of time across this entire affair was far too vast, much of the historical documentation was extraordinarily hard to find.

Yet being difficult to find had its own distinct advantage, leaving ample room for fabrication.

Yan Ke asked cautiously, “Can this truly work?”

Xie Jianwei replied, “If he believes it, it is real; if he doesn’t, everything is false.”

As Blood King Lu Li’s health gradually improved, Xie Jianwei steadily reduced the frequency of his visits, spending more time keeping company with Lu Li.

Lu Li could sense this quite clearly, yet felt not the slightest shred of joy. How could he be happy? He knew Xie Jianwei treated him merely as a blood bank, an object he was forced to be intimate with solely to save the person he truly loved. Even knowing this, he didn’t dare refuse. At least he still had a use, even if the humiliation behind that usefulness was so piercingly acute.

Now that Blood King Lu Li was steadily recovering, Xie Jianwei began to coax him. After all, if he went on strike, he and his beloved would plunge right back into an intractable deadlock.

Therefore, a measure of comfort was necessary.

Lu Li understood everything, every single bit of it. Yet even so, the moment Xie Jianwei offered him a smile, he fell hopelessly all over again, retaining not an ounce of dignity.

When stirred by intimacy, Xie Jianwei whispered countless sweet words to him.

Promises of staying together forever, declarations of love, ceaselessly murmuring his name.

Everything seemed so wondrous, so sweet. Yet peeling back that sugary wrapper, the poison-laced candy beneath lay bare, giving off a strange, sweet fragrance that lured one to taste the agony of corroding flesh and bone.

Once Blood King Lu Li’s condition had sufficiently recovered, Xie Jianwei arranged for a file of records to be quietly placed before the eyes of Lu Li’s trusted confidant.

It was an ancient, secret chronicle detailing how the present Earl Xie Jianwei had transformed from a newborn common vampire into a pureblood noble.

Reading it, Lu Li’s eyes widened with profound astonishment. He even suspected the record was a total fabrication, devoid of any truth.

Yet without reason, how could such rumors exist at all?

Lu Li began investigating. It was actually quite simple. First, he probed Xie Jianwei’s past. Pureblood nobles were always the center of attention among the Blood Clan, watched by countless eyes, so much of their history was hardly private.

And upon digging deeper, far too many suspicious points emerged.

The timing of Xie Jianwei’s awakening coincided precisely with the death of that newborn vampire exclusively favored by the sovereign. Although the span between the two events was not brief, transforming an ordinary vampire into a pureblood was certainly no simple feat, inevitably demanding a great deal of time.

What bothered Lu Li most was that after the pureblood Xie Jianwei awakened, their king began to fall from his divine pedestal.

Why did a king who had never needed hot blood suddenly require it to survive?

He had even been critically wounded by a vampire hunter a century ago. Had he paid some catastrophic price during the conversion of Xie Jianwei’s bloodline?

Lu Li turned his investigation toward that newborn vampire whom the leader had exclusively cherished.

Upon investigating, his heart pounded violently.

That was unmistakably Xie Jianwei, identical in every respect, right down to the subtlest demeanor and expressions.

Others might not think too much of it, but he knew Xie Jianwei far too well, recognizing him at a single glance.

If Xie Jianwei had been an ordinary vampire, then had he once been human?

And what was Xie Jianwei like as a human?

Cold sweat broke out across Lu Li’s palms. Something deep within his soul trembled violently, carrying suffocating unease and bone-chilling hatred.

He pressed on with his investigation.

In theory, finding records from the era when Xie Jianwei was mortal was nearly impossible.

Yet with Xie Jianwei pulling the strings, everything had long been laid out, merely waiting for him to uncover the truth.

Thus, old matters that should have remained permanently buried were unearthed in one clean sweep.

Reading through them, Lu Li’s heart leaped in terror.

Watching the progress closely, Yan Ke asked Xie Jianwei, “My Lord, will the Lord Marshal truly remember?”

Xie Jianwei replied, “Of course he will.”

Only in a dream could one operate with such audacity. Lu Li was the master here, the supreme authority. If he wanted to live, he lived; if he wanted to die, he died. Who could ever dictate to him?

Under normal circumstances, Lu Li would never recall his past as a human, yet Xie Jianwei was certain he would remember.

There was no need to force anything. Simply laying the events of that year before his eyes would awaken his memories.

Because all of this was extraordinarily advantageous to him. People naturally leaned toward believing whatever worked in their favor, especially something this beneficial.

As long as Lu Li believed it, he would desire to remember. Once that desire grew sufficiently intense, he would genuinely recall it.

It defied all logic, and Xie Jianwei was able to exploit precisely that.

Sure enough, Lu Li remembered everything.

The sweet devotion between himself and Xie Jianwei, his helpless agony when facing death, and the unrecognizable tragedy that met him upon his fortunate return.

Back then, he had not understood why things ended up that way, but now he knew.

It was this leader of the Blood Clan who had meddled from the shadows, using despicable, underhanded means to snatch his Xie Jianwei away!

He had never been a third party. Xie Jianwei had rightfully belonged to him all along, and this whole nightmare had been manufactured by that vile vampire!

The long-suppressed humiliation and resentment finally erupted. Thinking of the torment he had suffered over all these years, old grievances and fresh hatred piled together, leaving him wanting nothing more than to slaughter the Blood King!

No, the urgent priority was to find Xie Jianwei and tell him the entire truth!

Matters were progressing even more smoothly than anticipated, yet Yan Ke was terribly nervous, “Can this truly, truly work?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Rest assured.”

He never fought a battle without certainty, and of all the battles he had fought, he had never lost a single one.

This was a psychological war, and victory was his only option.

Bearing towering fury and a heart full of bitter remorse, Lu Li came to find Xie Jianwei, only to see him standing beside Blood King Lu Li.

The sight of that man made his head roar, the urge to fight him to the death nearly impossible to suppress.

He could not let Xie Jianwei be deceived any longer, nor let him fall into that trap again.

Just as Lu Li was about to step forward, Xie Jianwei’s voice suddenly drifted over.

“Why do you two look so much alike?”

Lu Li knitted his brow tightly. Immediately after, Xie Jianwei’s voice sounded again, “Centuries ago, back when I was still human, you two already looked identical.”

Hearing those words, Lu Li almost thought he was hallucinating. What was Xie Jianwei saying? Back when he was still human, back then…

Blood King Lu Li said, “If not for looking like him, how could I have ever had the chance to approach you?”

Xie Jianwei paused, letting out a self-deprecating scoff, “Indeed. If not for that, how could I have ever parted from him?”

Blood King Lu Li said, “I was in the wrong back then.”

That dialogue sent Lu Li into a bottomless abyss.

Xie Jianwei had known all along? Or had he known from the very beginning? Did he know what the Blood King had done? Did he know that he was the one who tore them apart, that their supposed lifetime of happiness was destroyed entirely by this vampire’s selfish greed? He…

How Lu Li wished Xie Jianwei had been oblivious.

Yet Xie Jianwei had known from very early on, and even knowing, he had still chosen that vampire.

Why? Lu Li turned rigid and cold, feeling as though the strength to breathe had been stripped away.

Right at that moment, Xie Jianwei’s voice rang out again, “So tell me, why do you look so alike?”

Consumed by fury, Lu Li could endure it no longer, stepping out as he declared, “I am nothing like him!”

Xie Jianwei paused in surprise, turning to look at him.

Lu Li fixed his dark, brooding gaze on him, “You knew all along.”

Flustered, Xie Jianwei stammered, “A-Li, you…”

Lu Li hurled the stack of documents before him, “From human to vampire, and from common vampire to pureblood noble, our king truly treated you with boundless devotion!”

Xie Jianwei’s face turned instantly pale, “You… you know everything?”

“What do I know?” Lu Li’s chest heaved violently, “Do I know that you fell in love with our enemy? Do I know that you risked your life to save the man who ruined us? Or do I know that in the end, you chose him and discarded me?”

“That’s not true,” Xie Jianwei stepped toward him in an anxious rush, “it isn’t what you think.”

“Then what is it?” Lu Li sneered with bitter malice, “Did you already fall in love with him back when we were mortals? Was that supposed betrayal of mine something you were hoping for all along? With me gone, you could conveniently be with…”

“Lu Li!” Taking a deep breath, Xie Jianwei cut him off sharply, “Listen to me finish.”

He rarely spoke in such a raised voice, so both the newborn Lu Li and Blood King Lu Li were startled by the outburst.

Aching for him, Blood King Lu Li said softly, “Don’t upset yourself.”

Yet Xie Jianwei kept his eyes locked onto the newborn Lu Li, “I cannot tell you two apart.”

Hearing this, Lu Li pressed his thin lips together tightly.

Xie Jianwei went on, “From the very beginning, I could never distinguish between you.”

Lu Li let out a cynical smirk.

Ignoring the reaction, Xie Jianwei insisted, “I can hardly put the feeling into words, but it is far too strange. Why would two people in this world be so identical? Completely the same in face and build, yet you are not twins. One is human and one is a vampire, belonging to entirely different races, so why are you so alike?”

With a dark scowl, Lu Li said, “I don’t think I am like him at all.”

Xie Jianwei spoke slowly, “Neither of you likes the taste of apples. Both of you hate waking up in the morning to an empty space beside you. Before sleeping, both of you like to hold me from behind. When dressing, you both habitually watch me, and once finished, you lift your chins slightly, waiting for me to say it looks nice. You both prefer walking on the left side of the path, hold a pen by the exact middle, and when reading documents, you always read the end first before flipping back to the front. No matter how many times I say it, neither of you ever dries off properly after bathing.”

He listed off habits so ingrained that they had never even noticed them themselves.

He knew Lu Li far too well, well enough to effortlessly recount every subconscious mannerism.

These details were so specific that, like a key unlocking a chest of memories, they instantly brought everything rushing back to both of them.

It was true, without the slightest discrepancy. His preferences, his quirks, everything was exactly as Xie Jianwei described. But why did the other man share them as well?

Having delivered that long passage, Xie Jianwei looked between them and said, “I am certainly not someone capable of falling in love with two people. But I cannot tell you apart, because to me, the one I love has always been a single person!”

Both Lu Lis froze in shock.

Xie Jianwei said, “I don’t know why I harbor such a thought. Even if appearances, builds, and voices match, why would habits and preferences be so identical as well?”

Who dared offer him an answer to that?

Xie Jianwei voiced it himself, “Could it be that you two are actually the exact same person!”

“Impossible!” both Lu Lis blurted out simultaneously.

Xie Jianwei looked at them, asking earnestly, “Would you like to try an experiment?”

Lu Li looked at him, “What experiment?”

Xie Jianwei drew a blue-green stone from his robes, explaining, “I searched ancient texts and discovered that a splitting malady indeed exists. It can divide a single individual into two people, yet in essence, they remain one soul. Bound together across lifetimes, falling in love with the exact same person, endlessly tormenting one another.”

Without waiting for either Lu Li to reply, he added, “This artifact can merge two separated individuals back into one.”

Lu Li was entirely stunned by his words, “That makes no sense. How could he and I be the same person? He stole everything from me, he…”

Xie Jianwei said gently, “Aside from yourself, who else could ever take everything from you?”

That sentence carried an overwhelmingly potent implication, underscoring an alternate reality.

If they were the same person, then nothing had ever been stolen from him. If they were the same person, then Xie Jianwei had only ever loved him. If they were the same person, then all the agony they had suffered ceased to exist.

No betrayal, no jealousy, no rivalry, only possession.

Xie Jianwei loved him, regardless of what form he took or what identity he carried. As long as he was this person, he loved him.

This beautiful prospect was profoundly tempting.

Xie Jianwei’s voice was gentle, like soothing a sleeping infant, “Try it. Whether it is true or not, we will know once we try.”

Yan Ke’s heart leaped into his throat. Knowing the full truth, he was thoroughly awed by the Military Advisor’s bold cunning and meticulous precision.

That stone was merely an ordinary pebble dyed with color, possessing not a speck of healing power!

Yet as long as he made the master of the dream believe it, it became a divine artifact.

Xie Jianwei had harnessed the will of God, guiding this hopeless deadlock toward an entirely new path.