Chapter Twenty-Three: The Progenitor’s Flame — Birth of the Sun and Moon Physique

  His voice echoed through the void—deep, solemn—as though the very cosmos itself leaned closer to listen.

  This flame… is the origin of all cold flames.

  It is the first cold flame ever born in this universe.

  It holds the power to devour all other forms of flame—and with every fire it consumes, it grows stronger… brighter.

  The Vampire Progenitor lifted his hand,and the white flame before him swayed—as if bowing in reverence.

  Its light froze even the air itself,yet within that frost, there was life—a pulse, faint but sentient.

  “This flame is no longer known in this era.

  Its name has been lost for millions of years.

  They call it the Flame of Falling Snow and Polar Ice…but its true name—forgotten through the ages—is ‘The Flame of Sun and Moon.

  Do not fear it. You can refine it.

  It will not conflict with your fire element—rather, it will complete it.

  He extended his hand toward the flame.

  This flame will grant you a new physique—the Physique of Sun and Moon.

  A body capable of embracing both fire and ice…without the slightest conflict between them.

  Refine it swiftly—for through it, you will obtain your true balance.

  Its fire can freeze all forms of energy within your enemy’s body,making it a weapon unlike any other in the battles ahead.

  He raised his hand once more,and a black ring appeared before me—inlaid with a crimson gem of crystallized blood.

  As it drew near,I felt an ancient energy ripple through the air—not evil… but immense.

  Take this—The Ring of Storage.

  Within it lie countless treasures…and a hundred drops of my blood essence.

  When you reach maturity, you may fuse with it.

  It also holds one hundred beads—each crafted from the souls of my defeated enemies.

  He fell silent for a moment,as though the memories of those battles still clung to his very soul.

  Then, with a voice heavy with the weight of ages, he continued:

  Each bead carries the echo of a soul that fell beneath my hand.

  When you consume one, your spirit will surge in strength,

  and your Sea of Spirit will expand.

  These beads can also heal wounded souls,gather the fragments of one torn apart—even restore a portion of a shattered soul to its original state.

  As for the ring itself… it is beyond priceless.

  Indestructible.

  Time within it stands still.

  It is the greatest storage ring in existence—forged in the First Age of Chaos.

  It bears the laws of time and space themselves,preventing anything within it from decay or deterioration.

  And… it possesses other abilities—ones you will uncover when the time is right.

  He smiled faintly—sadly—and his voice grew slower, weaker,as though his very breath were fading with time itself.

  Now… the last thing I can tell you—is about this era.

  It is known as The Era of Emperors.

  But it… is ending.

  No—perhaps it has already ended.

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  The last to be crowned Emperor will inherit the Will of the New Era—granting them the power to control the destiny of cultivation itself…to even reshape the course of the world.

  After that… will begin The Golden Era.

  So I advise you—do not follow the path of emperors,nor tread the road of the new age.

  You are of dragon blood—your lifespan far surpasses that of humans or any other race.

  After merging with my blood,use your lineage to freeze your body,and enter a deep slumber…

  Wait for the Golden Era—or beyond.

  He paused,then lifted his eyes toward the heavens—toward a sky made only of shadows.

  His final words came in a faint whisper—like the sigh of the world itself ending:

  To be honest…I do not know how much time will pass—perhaps thousands of years…perhaps countless epochs.

  But the chance will come.

  That… is all I can do for you.

  Silence filled the void once more—until his last words echoed,carried on a tone of pride and farewell: One final truth…There are no vampires left in this universe.

  At the moment of my death—they all perished with me.

  Their lives were bound to mine.

  Thus, the duty falls to you…to resurrect our lineage.

  Do not… disappoint me.

  After listening to everything he said, I whispered with unwavering resolve: Thank you, ancient progenitor. I will never forget you.

  I promise—I will create a new generation of vampires and spread them across the cosmos.

  But… ancestor, I have one last request.

  The Vampire Progenitor smiled with quiet dignity, his voice carrying the weight of eternity.

  “Very well,” he said solemnly.

  Tell me what you desire. Consider it the last thing you shall receive from me.

  I bowed my head slightly, my voice trembling yet sincere.

  “Thank you, my lord. I will never forget you. I promise to recreate the vampire race and ensure their rise throughout the universe.

  But, my lord… I have one final request.

  The progenitor’s voice remained calm, unwavering—Speak then. Tell me what you wish. Consider it the final gift you’ll have from me.”

  I took a deep breath, then spoke with trembling honesty: Ancestor… I ask your aid in deciphering these inscriptions.

  I wish to obtain the inheritance sealed within them.”

  The Vampire Progenitor suddenly laughed—a deep, powerful laugh, laced with amusement and mischief.

  Hahahahaha! You set your sights on the inheritance of the King of Magical Beasts?

  Very well, very well! You—after all—are now my successor.

  And truly… who better to claim that ancient legacy than you?

  He chuckled again, his tone full of delighted mockery.

  “Hmm… this is interesting indeed.

  Oh, how I wish I could see the face of that so-called King of Magical Beasts when he learns his prophecy has already been broken before it could even begin! Ha! Delightful! Absolutely delightful!

  As his laughter grew louder, his voice began to shift—the deep, majestic timbre suddenly turning high-pitched and light—like a cheerful young girl who couldn’t contain her joy.

  He laughed and twirled, his tone bubbling with giddy excitement.

  I blinked, utterly stunned by the transformation.

  Never, not even in my wildest thoughts, had I imagined that the Progenitor of Vampires could… sound like that.

  Unable to stop myself, I gave an awkward smile.

  Ancestor… are you… female?

  At once, a mechanical-sounding cough echoed through the air—short and awkward.

  “Ahem—what nonsense are you speaking?! he replied hastily, his voice scrambling to regain composure.

  Then, as if trying to justify the absurdity of the moment, he muttered,Ahem… this progenitor is most certainly male!

  I hesitated, unsure whether to laugh or apologize,then said softly,Ancestor… may I ask you something?

  The progenitor chuckled, his tone vibrating faintly—half amused, half nostalgic.

  Of course, my heir,he replied, his voice once more steady and regal.

  Speak your mind.

  I exhaled slowly, then voiced the question that had weighed upon me since the beginning: Ancestor… how did you end up here?

  Why do you seem as though… you’re sealed away?

  The air fell still for a long moment.

  Then his voice returned—deep, distant, heavy with the gravity of old memories that clung to his very existence.

  The voice of the Vampire Progenitor trembled faintly—a whisper carried by winds through the ruins of forgotten ages.

  In truth… this progenitor was deceived by a wicked being.

  All that remains of me… is but a dim spark of soul,a mere fragment of my original memories.

  And yet… I was sealed here,imprisoned in this place for countless eons.

  Ages passed… time itself faded away,until I no longer even remember my true name.

  Now, I am nothing more than a flicker—a spark on the verge of extinguishing.

  At any moment… I may vanish completely.

  So I do not truly know who killed me,nor who sealed this fragment of my soul here.

  In any case… it no longer matters.

  All that I was… has long been buried in the dust of eternity.

  Do not burden your heart with me, my heir…for this progenitor is nothing more than a forgotten shadow

  wandering the winds of forever.

  He fell silent for a long time,and his final words drifted like the sigh of centuries,drawing a curtain over a worn existence.

  I remained quiet,thoughts stirring within me like the shifting of ancient tides.

  Was he manipulated from the very beginning?

  It seemed so.

  Every clue pointed to the same conclusion—this ancestor had been nothing more than a pawn of fate,a resource to empower another hero—the one chosen by the world,the hero who possessed the device of time travel.

  According to the script this world had written,that hero was meant to inherit his legacy…and the inheritance of the King of Magical Beasts as well.

  How familiar it all sounded—those stories where the mighty are sacrificed

  to pave the way for someone else’s rise.

  Everything had been orchestrated perfectly.

  Every thread led to one inevitable end.

  But this time…the story had not gone as intended.

  I had become the deviation—an error in the weave of this world.

  I looked at him—this pitiful, broken progenitor—and something within me stirred…a feeling close to pity.

  I whispered softly, my voice heavy with emotion and sincerity: So, great one… you said you are about to fade away…That means you’ll disappear completely, won’t you?

  How tragic…

  that someone as great as you would vanish like this—unseen,unknown,dying alone after betrayal and death,without your name recorded in any chronicle.

  Truly… that saddens me.

  Then—the world began to change.

  The thick mist that had veiled everything started to fade,as though reality itself wished to reveal the truth it had hidden.

  And there—before me—a form emerged.

  The ethereal spirit of a woman—breathtakingly beautiful.

  A girl with hair white as snow,lips the color of crimson petals,and golden eyes that shimmered like the sun at dusk.

  She stood in solemn silence—yet her cheeks were puffed up like a sulking hamster,her teeth clenched in stubborn defiance,a strangely adorable sight amidst the melancholy.

  And still—it was clear she did not wish to die.

  She took a deep breath,then spoke—her voice soft and brimming with life,yet trembling with a quiet sorrow.

  Well, my heir… you’ve caught my interest.

  Truth be told, I don’t wish to vanish.

  There are so many things I still want to experience…

  Though my memory is incomplete,and I barely remember who I am,I truly… long to live.

  I want to exist—to see, to feel.

  But I know… no matter how hard I try,I will fail.

  Because, simply put…I was never meant to live again.

  She looked at me then—a long, piercing gaze that seemed to tear through the very walls of fate itself.

  Her voice deepened,filled with sincerity… and wonder.

  But you…you are different.

  You are an anomaly—one who exists beyond the will of this world,and even beyond the will of those decrepit old beings who created it.

  That is why…perhaps you are the only hope capable

  of breaking this tragedy.

  I raised an eyebrow, glancing at the girl — bold, reckless, and playfully daring.

  Yet, in her words, one phrase caught my attention: “the will of the ancients.

  There was something deeper behind that…But now wasn’t the time to dig into it.

  What mattered was dealing with the progenitor of vampires standing before me.

  She inhaled sharply, then spoke to me with spirited energy.

  “Hmm, I don’t quite understand what you mean by saying I’ve failed to transform,” she said, her tone light but her golden eyes gleaming with curiosity.

  “But if you truly intend to bless me with life again… then I’ll accept your help, my heir. On one condition—She smiled, a touch of mischief curling her lips.

  You’ll take responsibility for me for a hundred years. After that… I’ll be free.

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