Early morning, Anna Manor.
Study.
The head of the family, Thorne, sat as usual by the French windows, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and engrossed in a book.
When the old butler, Micah, standing behind him, finished speaking his last words, Thorne closed his book, turned around, and silently removed his gold-rimmed glasses.
His slightly trembling hand betrayed his inner turmoil.
“Are you sure Li Xiao advanced to a mid-level vampire overnight after drinking Huang Qiushui’s blood when she was still human?” “I’m very sure, Patriarch.
That aura is unmistakable.” “So, Huang Qiushui’s blood is special?” Micah shook his head slightly, his brow furrowing slightly.
“It shouldn’t be.
I checked with blood magic.
Neither Li Xiao’s nor Huang Qiushui’s blood is special; they’re no different from ordinary humans.” “Could it be…” The old butler, Micah, thought of the most plausible possibility: “Perhaps that night with Miss Anna, Li Xiao drank a lot of the young ladies’ blood.
Maybe at that time, Li Xiao was already close to advancing to a mid-level vampire.” “Last night’s intercourse stimulated him, and Li Xiao broke through that barrier.” “That’s a reasonable guess.” Thorne tapped his fingers lightly on the table, but this reasonable guess did little to ease his furrowed brow.
“Li Xiao only recently started practicing martial arts, so how do you explain that considerable martial arts aura you sensed?” “This…” Micah was momentarily at a loss for words.
Li Xiao’s brief, uncontrolled burst of martial arts aura was at least at the third level.
But that third-level aura shouldn’t exist on someone who had just begun practicing martial arts.
“Micah, are you sure you sensed a third-level martial arts aura?” Faced with the question, Micah began to doubt whether his senses were playing tricks on him.
He first shook his head, then quickly nodded firmly.
“I’m very sure, Patriarch.
Although I’m old, my eyesight isn’t failing.
Although it was a short time, my senses won’t be wrong.” *Knock knock knock* Thorn tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondered for a long time, and then spoke: “Don’t act rashly for now.
Keep a close watch.
Have someone keep an eye on Huang Qiushui.
Observe Li Xiao closely.” The old butler, Micah, nodded in agreement and slowly left the study.
— At the manor, Li Xiao had just returned and changed his clothes when he received news that Anna was about to leave.
He hurried downstairs and, seeing Anna get into the car, Li Xiao jumped in without hesitation.
“Li Xiao, who gave you the guts!” Anna moved aside disdainfully.
“Get out of here!” Li Xiao, without looking at her, patted the driver’s shoulder, his tone calm: “Miss Anna, you should know that I will not leave without the head of the family’s orders.” The car slowly started moving, Anna frowning.
“Is this how you treat your master, Li Xiao?” “I’m sorry, Miss Anna, Master Thorne is my head of the family, and you are my master.
I cannot disobey either of them, but please trust my loyalty.” Knowing she couldn’t shake off Li Xiao, Anna decided to stop arguing and simply turned to him, her tone carrying a warning: “As a member of their family, there are things you should say and things you shouldn’t say.
You should know that.” “Of course.” The car drove quickly, arriving at the other side of Eternal Night City in about half an hour.
The car pulled into a modern-style manor.
From the faint scent of their own kind in the air, Li Xiao knew without a doubt that this was also a vampire manor.
When the car came to a smooth stop, a well-dressed attendant approached and opened Anna’s side door.
“Miss Anna, Young Master Situ and some friends are by the pool.
I’ll take you there now.” Anna nodded slightly, displaying impeccable manners.
Li Xiao quickly got out of the car and followed closely behind.
Upon reaching the poolside, Li Xiao witnessed an absurd scene.
Two male vampires were in the pool, embracing two female attendants, their heads buried in their necks, clearly sucking their blood.
The two male vampires’ hands were groping and seeking.
“Playing around like this in broad daylight.” Li Xiao rolled his eyes inwardly.
By the pool, a black-haired vampire with an Asian face sat on a lounge chair, reading a book.
If it weren’t for the disheveled clothing of the female attendant standing beside him, Li Xiao would almost have been fooled.
But Anna seemed oblivious to all this, or…
selectively ignored it.
She walked briskly forward: “Situ.” Hearing this, Situ Hao put down his book, took off his glasses, and stood up to look at Anna, a smile playing on his lips, appearing every bit the cheerful and sunny young man.
“Anna, my princess, you’ve come.
It’s been several days since I’ve seen you.
Have you forgotten me?” Situ Hao stepped forward, reaching out to help Anna up.
Anna looked down at the hem of her skirt, a shy, acquiescing gesture on her face.
Seeing this, Li Xiao decided to give her a small punishment, having repeatedly spoken disrespectfully to the young lady Anna.
Li Xiao strode forward, shoving Situ Hao aside, his face cold and stern.
“Young Master Situ, please have some self-respect.
Miss Anna is a pure-blooded noble descendant of the thirteen clans, a direct branch of the Toredor lineage.” As he spoke, a hint of disdain appeared on Li Xiao’s lips, his voice lowered to a level only the three of them could hear.
“Lowly half-blood bastard.” As he said this, Li Xiao’s eyes silently glanced at Anna, the meaning of revenge clear, while simultaneously excluding himself from the race.
He never considered himself a member of the vampire race after his transformation; from beginning to end, he only saw it as a means to become stronger, not an end in itself.
Hearing Li Xiao’s insult, Situ Hao’s face turned ashen.
Before he could speak, Anna behind Li Xiao’s face turned cold, and she pushed Li Xiao aside.
“Li Xiao, who told you to say that!
Apologize to Situ right now, or I won’t let you off!” Scolding him by Anna, Li Xiao put on a pitiful look, his eyes filled with a vivid panic.
“Miss Anna, didn’t you say that mixed-race people are all filthy bastards, even I, who served you, am no exception?” Anyway, it’s not like I’m the one who suffered a loss, so I’ll give you a hard time…
Hearing this, Anna raised a trembling hand, pointing at Li Xiao, unable to speak, her expression freezing.
This matter was nothing to her, but she didn’t want Situ Hao to know.
Situ Hao was a vampire, but his family wasn’t a traditional one; the Situ family still followed the traditions of their human ancestors.
Their tradition placed great importance on the chastity of the bride.
Understanding the implication, the anger on Situ Hao’s face turned to shame and indignation.
This damned vampire was humiliating him, saying in front of him that he had slept with Anna, whom he considered his possession.
His gaze grew cold, and he asked, “Anna, who is he?” Anna opened her mouth several times, but couldn’t utter a word.
Li Xiao, standing to the side, was already overjoyed.
He coughed a few times, drawing their attention.
Li Xiao straightened his collar: “Young Master Situ, you don’t know yet, I was bestowed the Blessing of First Embrace by Miss.
The patriarch ordered me to serve Miss at her side, never leaving her side.” Li Xiao’s drawn-out words shattered Situ Hao’s last hope in an instant.
“Situ, let me explain.” Anna reached out to grab him, but Situ Hao above her shoved her away.
He turned and walked away, as if making a decision, never looking back at Anna… Anna, left behind, looked like a abandoned wife, utterly dejected.
Li Xiao approached with a sly grin, his eyes seemingly on Anna, but his peripheral vision was fixed on the two vampires in the pool who had long since abandoned their companions and were now craning their necks to watch the spectacle.
“Miss, that half-blood bastard knew he wasn’t good enough for you, so he left…”