“This is pretty interesting to read…”
Nangong Li took the book from Li Ruoxi and flipped through it.
“It seems like whenever a current lord’s spouse dies, their power increases.”
Nangong Li pointed at a passage and narrated, “Phillip was forced by a powerful exorcist to have Holy Water—condensed from countless exorcist beliefs—poured into his nostrils after he had already lost his Blood Energy…”
Her finger briefly skipped over the detailed descriptions of Phillip’s agony, then landed on the last paragraph: “His wife ran out from the darkness and tightly hugged Phillip. His sharp fangs sank deep into her flesh, frantically draining the Blood Energy from her body. It surged into him, completely driving out the Holy Water’s influence until…”
Li Ruoxi followed Nangong Li’s finger to the very end.
“His wife died.”
Flipping through the book, she saw there was also an epitaph Phillip left for his wife later on.
But most of it didn’t seem like real content.
“Miss, just take this as entertainment.”
Nangong Li casually turned a few more pages.
“The contents before and after don’t even match…”
She had already reached the missing pages in the book.
“Huh? Most of the books here are single editions.”
Nangong Li was puzzled herself.
The missing few pages contained extremely critical information—the prologue’s table of contents marked them as the reason for the Capadocia Clan’s disappearance.
But the book’s narrative simply ceased there.
Li Ruoxi took the book.
The entire ancient parchment volume had a faint, pleasant fragrance.
“Eat first. If you keep reading, you won’t even have lunch.”
The book in Li Ruoxi’s hands was roughly taken away by Nangong Li, who pushed the breakfast container over.
“Oh… okay…”
Li Ruoxi shrank her neck.
Nangong Li looked like a strict older sister right now.
“Mm… it’s good…”
She took a bite, then put it back.
“Oh? It’s good, and that’s all you eat?”
Nangong Li’s face showed a half-smile.
“Are you trying to amuse me?”
Seeing that Nangong Li was about to go berserk, Li Ruoxi quickly explained.
“…No… it’s not that… I already ate a little before coming down…”
“That sounds like a lie. Eat up.”
Given Li Ruoxi’s frail constitution, Nangong Li urgently needed to change it.
“Swallow this.”
Her expression left no room for negotiation.
Li Ruoxi saw Nangong Li’s cold face and put on a weak smile, but it didn’t affect her.
“…Okay.”
She picked up the orange-yellow pill, complaining internally.
‘This is supposed to be a world centered on vampires, so why am I running into this kind of thing?’
Nangong Li’s identity was almost certainly from an Ancient Martial Arts Family.
But it made sense—Li Wentian’s wealth level could probably influence the entire country’s economy.
“Mm…”
Li Ruoxi’s face scrunched up bitterly, expecting the pill to be very bitter.
Instead…
“Ugh…”
The moment she placed the pill in her mouth, her saliva melted the tasteless outer layer, and a surge of extreme bitterness burst forth—so bitter that Li Ruoxi instinctively gagged, wanting to spit it out.
Seeing the opportunity, Nangong Li directly pinched Li Ruoxi’s throat.
When her mouth opened slightly, she slowly pushed upward along the throat with her thumb.
Gulp…
Mixed with the bitter saliva, the pill slid down surprisingly smoothly, radiating slight warmth as Li Ruoxi swallowed it.
“Cough! Cough, cough… Sister Li, what… cough… was that?”
Li Ruoxi’s mouth was full of bitterness.
The taste hit her nose from her mouth, forcing her to close her eyes and purse her lips.
“A good thing.”
Li Ruoxi’s expression—like she’d eaten shit—made Nangong Li feel it was terribly unfair.
This had cost her half a month’s allowance to trade from her family.
Nangong Li’s face was calm, but Li Ruoxi caught a hint of reluctance in her eyes.
“Xiao Xi isn’t blaming anyone… and… and after eating it, I feel so much lighter! And all the morning fatigue is gone…”
“Are you sure?”
Nangong Li stared at Li Ruoxi with a strange expression.
Li Ruoxi felt a chill in her heart.
“Um… I suddenly remembered I have something to take care of…”
“Take care of…”
Thump… thump… thump-thump…
‘Why can I hear my own heartbeat so clearly?’
‘Why does my own voice sound like it’s behind glass?’
Li Ruoxi’s ears buzzed.
Nangong Li’s gaze seemed blurry.
She couldn’t focus her vision.
Nangong Li’s figure multiplied into afterimages…
Li Ruoxi’s vision went black, and her body went limp.
Nangong Li caught her frail body just in time.
“Too light…”
Carrying Li Ruoxi in a princess hold, she felt as light as nothing.
“This pill will make you run a fever for two days. I didn’t even get to tell you that.”
Li Ruoxi had just stood up to show off, patting her chest as if the pill’s effects were amazing and she felt great.
Nangong Li’s cold face suddenly broke into a smile.
For a moment, it was like ice melting and everything reviving.
Too bad the only witness, Li Ruoxi, had already fainted.
…
Late night. All was silent.
A sickle-shaped moon hung high in the sky, appearing and disappearing among the clouds.
A black shadow flapped its wings, streaked across the sky, and landed on the balcony a moment later.
The black flames behind it formed wings that crumbled into countless ashes, naturally gathering back into the black figure’s body.
She landed softly, climbed through the window, and walked to the bedside.
“Heh…”
Her hand gently touched the cool skin of the girl in bed.
Even in the sweltering summer, there was no air conditioning in the room.
Only the cool natural breeze and the faint fragrance in the air.
“What a foolish woman.”
It sounded like a reproach—that the girl had fallen so easily into her hands.
Whenever she wanted, she could send her back to that cage.
“I’m tired of playing with you.”
The figure’s voice was clear, with a hint of casual dominance, as if everything should be under her control.
She lifted the girl’s blanket and lay down beside her.
The weariness in the air rushed over her like a tide.
She simply slept beside Li Ruoxi, doing nothing.
Not like the usual times, when she’d mess with Li Ruoxi as soon as she saw her.
She breathed evenly and fell asleep.
Beside her, Li Ruoxi suddenly felt something cool. In her sleep, she instinctively spread her legs, turned sideways, and tightly hugged the cold thing.
‘So smooth, so comfortable…’
A look of comfort appeared on sleeping Li Ruoxi’s face.
Nothing felt better than coolness right now.
Vivian instantly opened her eyes, a flash of anger in them.
Black flames suddenly erupted from her body, but she willed them away.
This was the first time Li Ruoxi had taken the initiative to tease her.
Without courtesy, she moved Li Ruoxi’s hand away and pressed her back onto the bed.
Then she propped herself up and gently turned over, hovering above Li Ruoxi.
Li Ruoxi, who had been turned over, smacked her lips and muttered something in her sleep.
Vivian suddenly became interested.
She pressed her smooth forehead against Li Ruoxi’s.
Slowly, their noses touched too.
In her dream, Li Ruoxi felt her nose very itchy and wanted to scratch it.
Half-asleep, half-awake, Li Ruoxi smelled a faint, pleasant scent—like a light sweet fragrance of oranges and tangerines mixed together.
Or maybe another scent.
It was so familiar.
Li Ruoxi opened her drowsy eyes.
She wanted to see what was pressing her hand down.
Her nose was still itchy.
‘Huh? Why is it so dark?’
Vivian’s hair blocked the surrounding light.
‘What’s this, why is it so bright… how can I see my own eyes…?’
In those bright eyes, there seemed to be a faint smile.
So close…
Li Ruoxi thought this person must be crazy—getting so close while she was sleeping…
So close…
Close…
“Ah—”
Li Ruoxi’s mouth was tightly covered.
“If you dare make a sound, I’ll kill you.”
Li Ruoxi nodded in terror.
Vivian pulled her forehead away.
‘Big sister, why are you coming to me again… no, wasn’t I supposed to make things clear? Now that she’s appeared before me, I have to make it clear!’
“I… I have something… something to… to tell… you…”
Li Ruoxi’s breathing was erratic as she stammered out her meaning.
“What do you want to tell me?”
A sly glint flashed in Vivian’s eyes.
“And…”
She pressed Li Ruoxi’s arms down, slowly lowered herself, and brought her mouth to Li Ruoxi’s neck.
“Don’t… don’t do this!!! I’ll… I’ll—”
This was a brand new experience.
A warm electric current shot from her neck through her entire body.
She felt completely limp, as if drunk.
Her face instantly flushed red, with no resistance left.
“No…”
A sound that mixed moan and pain.
Slurp…
Vivian felt a surge of new power within her.
A slight change occurred inside her, and an unnatural wine-red flush appeared on her face.
“My little lamb.”
She licked her small fangs; the bloodstains on them slid down her throat.
“Your taste is still my favorite.”
Vivian looked at Li Ruoxi, who was panting and utterly unable to speak, and her smile deepened.
She’d been busy all day, listening to those old geezers at the Round Table Meeting.
Now she felt that being with Li Ruoxi was far more interesting.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you recognize me?”
“Or do you hate me?”
Li Ruoxi had no idea what drug Vivian had taken to become so erratic.
She couldn’t even muster the strength to speak, and the other was still pressing her.
‘I hate you… I really hate you!!!! I’m a man!!!!’
Li Ruoxi’s inner roar was completely lost on Vivian.
But Vivian loved the look in Li Ruoxi’s eyes.
“Do you know what I like most to see you like?”
Vivian pulled Li Ruoxi’s clothes up from the bottom.
Li Ruoxi felt her body temperature drop slightly from the cool air, and fine hairs stood on end.
Vivian’s fingers, like spider legs, slowly crept upward from both sides of her waist.
Li Ruoxi’s face turned anxious and red. She panted but couldn’t resist.
The sensation was both numbing and ticklish, making her want to scratch immediately.
But Vivian, that demon…
Her chest felt empty.
‘That’s… my… chest…’
Snap…
Vivian unfastened that annoying thing.
“You used to like this too.”
On the wall, Vivian’s shadow moved very, very slowly, lips slowly meeting…
Li Ruoxi’s eyes went wide.
‘Am I losing my virginity?’