In a room so simple it felt empty, Sean placed his heavy sword into a black wooden box. Samuel didn’t like seeing weapons.
He wiped the sweat from his neck and body. Today’s training had been more intense than usual, leaving him feeling quite exhausted.
It had been five years since he and Samuel arrived in Saro City. From the night Samuel asked him if he wanted to become an exceptional blood hunter, every day since had been spent in grueling, overloaded training.
Sean reached under his pillow and fished out a long, thin black hairband—the one Samuel had worn on his head when they first met.
Five years was enough time to change many things and notice many details.
He gradually realized that Samuel didn’t stay in Saro City without purpose. During these five years, Samuel had traversed every town and village within a hundred-mile radius of Saro City—not just once, but multiple times. It seemed like he was looking for someone.
Someone very important.
Sean tightened his grip on the hairband. His heavy breathing gradually calmed. The superior bloodline he inherited had significantly improved his physique, granting him exceptional endurance and regenerative abilities.
But it still wasn’t enough. He needed to become stronger.
As the sky outside gradually brightened, Sean sprang out of bed. Samuel would be back soon, and he needed to prepare breakfast for him.
He walked over to the cabinet, pulled out a clean glass, and, with a flick of his wrist, produced a sharp knife in his hand. Without hesitation, he made a swift cut. Fresh red blood dripped into the transparent glass.
As Sean’s strength grew, Samuel’s need for his blood had diminished. Now, two cups of fresh blood—one in the morning and one at night—were enough to keep Samuel from feeling hungry.
When the blood in the glass reached the right amount, Sean released the pressure on his wound. The cut on his wrist healed visibly fast, leaving behind only a faint scar.
Sean looked at it with a hint of regret. He knew the faint scar would disappear before Samuel even had a chance to see it.
He picked up the glass and gently kissed the rim. The scent of a pureblood hunter’s blood was irresistible to vampires, which ensured Samuel wouldn’t notice the trace of his lips left behind.
Hearing a faint sound from the adjacent room, Sean walked out holding the glass.
“Samuel.”
Wei Xicheng sat in the room, massaging his temples as he heard the low, deep voice from outside. Two years ago, this kid had stopped calling him “sir.” Maybe Sean had genuinely gotten the wrong impression that he was an easygoing person?
“Come in,” Wei Xicheng said. Even through the door, he could smell the sweet aroma permeating the air.
When Sean stepped in, Wei Xicheng paused, slightly taken aback. At some point, the once-skinny child had grown into a full-grown man. His tall, sturdy frame blocked the faint light streaming through the window, making the already dim room even darker.
“Sean, it seems your recent training has gone well,” Wei Xicheng remarked with a smile as he took the glass from Sean’s hand and dipped his tongue into the enticing liquid.
“It’s going very well,” Sean replied. His eyes were bright, like a nocturnal animal hidden in a dark forest, gleaming as it stalked its prey.
Sean’s progress was indeed remarkable. Even as they stood face to face, Wei Xicheng could faintly feel his body’s natural instinct to resist and be on guard.
Blood hunters and vampires were eternal enemies.
Wei Xicheng set down the glass, narrowing his eyes as he studied Sean. “Sean, your coming-of-age ceremony is approaching, isn’t it?”
“Mm.” Sean stood motionless in front of Wei Xicheng, like a statue. Today, he had lingered in this room longer than usual.
“So, have you chosen me as your first opponent?”
Five years was nothing in the eternal lifespan of a vampire. For Wei Xicheng, who had endured a long and solitary existence, this amount of time also seemed insignificant. But the one difference this time was that Wei Xicheng, after all, was still human at heart—he could never truly achieve the coldness and indifference of the blood clans.
Although they only spent brief moments together each day, it still felt like he had witnessed this child’s growth. Moreover, in the beginning, to improve the boy’s constitution, Wei Xicheng had given him a portion of his own blood. As a result, his body naturally felt a sense of familiarity and kinship with the young hunter.
“I advise you not to do this. You’ll die.” Receiving no response, Wei Xicheng stood up and walked over to Sean, only to realize that he was now shorter than the boy.
Had he raised him too well?
“Before you achieve the name of the future Stretcher, you’d better learn to be humble and properly evaluate your abilities,” Wei Xicheng said as he slowly turned away, putting distance between them. “I wouldn’t want to waste several years raising a fool. Understood?”
“I won’t.” Sean’s eyes followed the vampire’s figure intently. He thought he might be crazy—he kept wondering what the odds were of a hunter taming a vampire bat.
“Get out,” Wei Xicheng said, wrinkling his nose. The scent of blood in the air was fading, and the smell of holy water clinging to Sean made him uncomfortable.
“Samuel,” Sean’s voice, now deep and slightly raspy after his voice change, carried a hint of sultry allure. He swallowed hard. “We haven’t talked much in a long time. Maybe we could share a drink together.”
“You know, after my coming-of-age ceremony, I might not be able to stay with you any longer.” As if afraid of being refused, Sean quickly added this, his bright eyes fixed on Wei Xicheng, reminding the vampire of that night they first met. He had looked at him with the same expression.
“Fine.”
Sean’s lips curled slightly. He had long known that his Duke Samuel wasn’t as cold-hearted as he appeared.
“Then let’s…”
“Let’s go downstairs,” Wei Xicheng interrupted, brushing off his sleeves. “I have no intention of entertaining a drunkard in my room.”
His words clearly brought back memories for Sean. His eyes flickered, and his long lashes lowered, concealing the emotions within.
Wei Xicheng left the room first, with Sean following closely behind. As he turned, his gaze inadvertently landed on an open scroll resting on a cabinet by the door.
The scroll was unfurled, as if the owner hadn’t yet had time to put it away. The edges were frayed, showing its age and frequent handling—evidence of its owner’s deep affection for it. Yet it had been well-preserved overall.
One glance was enough for Sean to sense the artist’s exceptional skill, capturing the subject’s aura and spirit with remarkable precision.
What caught Sean’s attention most, however, was that the person in the painting was a young man of Eastern descent.
So, this was the important person?
Without revealing his thoughts, Sean quietly shut the door to Wei Xicheng’s room and followed him downstairs.
“Samuel, are you in trouble?” Sean asked, pouring a glass of red wine and handing it to Wei Xicheng. “Before my coming-of-age ceremony, you can still trust me. Who knows? I might be able to help.”
“No need, Sean,” Wei Xicheng said, swirling the glass of wine. No matter how exquisite the vintage, he never truly enjoyed it. “I might leave Saro City before your ceremony even arrives.”
“Why?” Sean’s pupils constricted, this was not something he had anticipated.
Wei Xicheng sighed and said no more. To be precise, even he didn’t fully understand himself. He had told himself from the beginning to prepare for the possibility that the person might never appear again. Yet he couldn’t control the persistent urge to keep searching.
After spending five years in Saro City, what had Wei Xicheng accomplished aside from raising a mortal enemy for the blood race? He lifted his gaze to glance at Sean, who was seated across from him, and chuckled softly. It seemed like he hadn’t done much of anything.
He had used the system to search for and link energies similar to those in his energy reserves, but he had found nothing. Over the years, the system’s energy had been nearly depleted.
Wei Xicheng took a deep swig of red wine, forcing himself to swallow despite the discomfort. Once he dealt with Mavis and her lover and earned some energy, it would be time for him to move on.
“Samuel, answer me,” Sean said, his tone heavy with frustration. He was angry.
“Answer what?” Wei Xicheng narrowed his eyes at him. This child seemed to have forgotten who had spared his life and raised him. Then again, it made sense. A rabbit wouldn’t feel grateful to a wolf for temporarily letting it go, nor would it willingly offer itself up in gratitude.
“Samuel, who is the person you’re looking for?” Sean leaned on the table, staring down at the vampire slumped against it.
Wei Xicheng tilted his head slightly, looking up at Sean’s chiseled jawline. He replied, “That has nothing to do with you, my child.”
“Your lover?”
Sean asked tentatively, not expecting the reaction he got. For a fleeting moment, the vampire’s eyes showed a trace of wistfulness. Though it was brief, it was enough to confirm Sean’s suspicion.
“Samuel, I’ve told you before. Maybe I can help you.” By killing that person.
“No. You can’t help, Sean.” Wei Xicheng lifted his face from his arm and moved to curl up on the sofa nearby. His long legs sprawled awkwardly with nowhere to rest. “Just keep your silverware far away from me—that’s the biggest help you can offer.”
With that, he shut his eyes. He disliked such bright light during the day.
“Hunters love to proclaim their allegiance to the light,” Wei Xicheng muttered, “but even in the light, shadows are cast. The irony is that they can’t tolerate the darkness they themselves create.
Sean, I truly hope you grow up quickly. Then you’ll understand—helping a blood clan member is far from an honorable thing for a hunter to do.”
Sean flexed his wrist, still able to feel the lingering sensation of the blade that had just cut it. He looked at the man curled up on the sofa, his lips tightening in silence. Grow up quickly? He would.
—————————————————————————————————-
Author’s Note:
A lot of you have been asking about the main storyline.
Well… the main storyline is to find the gong and then (insert all kinds of ambiguous flirting and tension—crossed out) start a romance…
This world might not be very long… points fingers nervously because I really want to write the next one… I have so many worlds I want to write…
I’ll try to keep the rambling to a minimum in the future, QAQ.
