Chapter 768: Merits and Rewards (1/2)
After all those fierce battles, the situation in this war was close to an all-out collapse. Flames were raging in every part of the city, and many experts had taken to the air while ordinary soldiers fought to their deaths on the ground. The two warbeasts had reached the walls and were promptly held up by Liu Daoming—but anyone could see that the man wasn’t going to last long against these giant creatures.
Having killed the three-man team and eradicated puppet warriors in the hundreds, it could be said that Qianye’s contributions made up the most important segment of the battle. Otherwise, this group could’ve easily fought against a marquis-level expert. Yet, he could not reverse the flow of the entire battle or fight against the dense, locust-like tide of soldiers.
Qianye decisively changed directions and ran toward the noble district. With Su Dingqian overseeing that place, the flames of war hadn’t yet spread here. It was only a matter of time, though, judging from the situation of the battle. Su Dingqian couldn’t actually attack due to the threat of the other party’s divine champion. Under such circumstances, Qianye had to return to Nighteye and Zhuji—he couldn’t put their safety in the hands of another.
Arriving outside of the small courtyard, Qianye could sense an unfamiliar aura inside. Who would come to visit at such a time? Could something unexpected have happened?
“Bang!” Qianye crashed right through the gates and rushed into the courtyard.
In the compound, Nighteye was quietly reading a book. One had to wonder how tough a job it was to stay calm and read amidst the continuous rumble of cannons and guns.
Relieved after seeing Nighteye unharmed, Qianye glanced about in search of this unfamiliar aura. It wasn’t him being paranoid—this faintly discernible aura filled his heart with apprehension and even his blood core was trembling slightly. It was as if he had encountered a powerful enemy.
“What are you looking for?” Nighteye asked, putting down her book.
“I can sense another aura here. Did someone come here just now?”
“No, it’s only me and Zhuji here, the little girl is sleeping inside.”
Qianye was speechless; Zhuji was actually still sleeping under such circumstances. The flames of war had almost burned the skies, yet the two here were either reading or sleeping. What a tranquil and relaxed life!
Despite Nighteye saying there was no one here, Qianye still searched through every corner of the courtyard, but in the end, his efforts were in vain. That aura had vanished completely without leaving a single trace behind.
“Afraid of me hiding a man?” Nighteye smiled spuriously.
“Of course not.” Qianye quickly described the unfamiliar aura to her.
After pondering for a while, Nighteye said, “According to ancient records, every vampire bloodline has a position in the River of Blood. The closer one is to the first drop of blood, the greater his power and suppression on the lower bloodlines. Your bloodline isn’t below mine and is probably at the primogenitor level, so theoretically, only those of primogenitor blood can make you feel a sense of danger. But there are only a handful of primos in the entire race. Discounting the useless ones with insufficient bloodline awakening, there’s only me and Edward.”
“Perhaps there are other primos?”
Nighteye shook her head. “Impossible. The appearance of a primo is an important matter for the vampire race as a whole. There are numerous ceremonies required to stabilize the primo bloodline, and one of them is calling out to the River of Blood. Whenever this rite is performed, all primos and characters above the duke level will sense it. So, it’s impossible for there to be an unknown primo.”
The explanation was fairly reasonable, but as nothing in the world was absolute, Qianye couldn’t quite dispel his concern about this aura. Nonetheless, this wasn’t the time to linger on this matter. “Collect your things and wake Zhuji up, prepare to retreat.”
“The battle hasn’t ended, has it?”
“It won’t be long now. The outcome cannot be changed, Su Dingqian will issue the order very soon.”
His words hadn’t even trailed off when the City Lord’s voice echoed over Port City. “The enemy momentum is too strong. Today, we shall retreat temporarily. The city guard will open up a path, and all guest experts will follow. This seat will personally serve as the rearguard! Brother Liu, leave those two beasts to me.”
Liu Daoming was mired in an arduous battle. After hearing the call, he launched a series of attacks before flying back into Port City. The enemies in the city were instantly routed with his assistance, and the city guard came together for a westward breakthrough.
The independent experts grouped up to break the siege, including Qianye and Nighteye. Little Zhuji was on Nighteye’s back with her eyes half-closed and about to fall asleep at any moment.
After a night of arduous battles, the three forces had also suffered grievous losses and had little intention of overrunning the retreating defenders. They quickly recalled their forces after a few kilometers of chase.
Su Dingqian was edging back slowly in the air. One man and one sword—he had remained to guard the army’s rear during its retreat. Seeing that their own divine champion wasn’t making an appearance, none of the enemy soldiers would charge to their deaths.