The Blood of the Ancestor

Central Seraris Continent, Tianqi Academy.

As the continent’s most renowned and formidable institution, Tianqi Academy produced luminaries like Master Newton, the pioneer of gravitational magic theory, and its first headmaster, Hermes, who ascended to godhood in a mortal human body millennia ago.

Its unparalleled academic and martial prowess granted this mere academy the influence of a nation. Elite faculty, master mages, and seasoned retired generals gathered here. Yet, what truly inspired awe and caution among other powers was the academy’s supreme authority.

Though unwritten, every Tianqi headmaster possessed demigod-level strength.

The current headmaster, Melianne, was once known as the “Forbidden Curse Calamity,” a fearsome figure.

With a true god founder watching over and a demigod headmaster guarding it, coupled with an open academic culture and generous faculty benefits, Tianqi attracted elites from all corners. This convergence of strength made the academy a match for top-tier factions.

Two key reasons drove major powers to send their prodigies here. First, Tianqi’s longstanding rule of absolute neutrality allowed rival factions to safely send their heirs to train and grow without fear of conflict.

Second, rumors of the Creator God’s legacy within the Babel God Tower fueled ambition.

If such a claim came from a lesser institution, it might be dismissed with laughter.

But Tianqi, having birthed a mortal-turned-god, lent the rumor credibility.

Humans were frail, their magical aptitude paling against god-blooded races.

Yet, they produced a true god. Skeptics suspected the Creator’s legacy was involved.

The rumor’s truth was unverified, but the reality was clear: every major faction sent their prodigies here.

Even if the legacy was false, Tianqi was a crucible for talent, a proving ground where only those who triumphed returned home laden with glory.

Inside Tianqi Academy’s female dormitory, a luxurious double room signaled its occupants’ wealth and status.

A silver-haired girl with blood-red eyes sat quietly at a vanity, staring at her reflection.

Her ethereal beauty, with vivid features and an icy aura, was striking yet chilling, her pale, bloodless face evoking a shiver in the shadows.

Even among Tianqi’s beauties, she was among the finest. Yet, her crimson eyes held not pride but a faint disgust for her own appearance.

She touched her tender, cold cheek, her fingers tensing as if to tear the reflection apart.

A flicker of madness surged, but before it could erupt, a maid in uniform appeared silently behind her.

“Your Highness, please don’t attempt self-harm again.”

The maid’s words halted the girl’s actions. Without turning, she glared at the respectful figure in the mirror, her eyes brimming with mockery.

“What, pained to see this beautiful shell torn apart? Feeling pity?”

Her cold aura filled the room, but the maid, bowing slightly, remained unmoved.

“Your Highness, your appearance is a gift from Her Majesty the Empress. Your body carries the divine blood of the Ancestor God. As a princess of the pure-blooded Vampire Clan, you must cherish your priceless form.”

The maid’s boldness in admonishing her mistress was rare but fitting in this moment.

“Heh, no need to fret, Heros…” the silver-haired girl sneered, tilting her head to reveal sharp fangs and pointed ears beneath her flowing hair. “Even if I tore this face apart, it’d heal perfectly, wouldn’t it?”

Silver hair, blood-red eyes, pointed ears, and fangs—hallmarks of the Vampire Empire’s royal family. She was a pureblood vampire princess.

The maid, bowing silently, didn’t respond.

Perhaps bored or accustomed to such scenes, the girl scoffed and shifted topics.

“Any interesting news? And what about the matter I asked you to investigate?”

Closing her eyes, she resumed her regal poise, the earlier madness gone.

“Princess Felicia of the Elven Kingdom returned yesterday after attending her sister’s birthday, now handling student council duties. The duel letter Your Highness asked me to deliver—she’s likely seen it,” the maid reported.

“Hm, go on…” the vampire girl murmured, eyes still closed.

“Shared intelligence from the Empire’s capital: the Dragon God Clan’s Saintess, Aurelia, has been mobilizing forces to search for a human, identified as Kant, the Thief Saint who died five years ago in the Elven Forest. Despite confirmed reports of his death, Aurelia persists.”

“Ha, a Dragon God Saintess wasting time on a human thief? Aurelia’s regressing,” the girl mocked coldly, dismissing the topic.

“As for the final matter, Third Princess, I’ve found the diviner capable of detecting the Ancestor’s Blood.”

Her words snapped the vampire girl’s eyes open, crimson pupils shimmering with flowing light.

“Where?”

Her voice, heavy and commanding, seemed to choke the room’s air.

No longer aloof, her innate dominance surged.

The maid silently handed over a note.

Eviea Aemiya took it, scrutinizing its contents. In the darkness, her lips curled into a dangerous smile.

“Finally… found it.”

Could the bloodline issue that plagued her for years soon be resolved?