“Francis uncle.” The boy called out, and Francis smoothed his blond hair, looking helplessly at the little boy with a bitter smile: “Gaia, if I get the chance in the future, I’ll definitely come visit you.” He sighed deeply and casually tossed a money pouch to his loyal old servant: “Take him away, to Greenland.”

“Yes.” The old servant gratefully accepted the money pouch.

“Francis uncle.” A clear voice stopped Francis just as he was about to leave. He turned around, and the fourteen-year-old Gaia gave him a smile: “Francis uncle, whether it’s a favor or a debt, Gaia will definitely repay it.” Francis was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly gave a strange smile: “You little rascal, I know you’ve already awakened your clan’s ability, so why don’t you show it to your father?”

“Vampirism?” Gaia curled his lip. “He’s still a human after all. I don’t like drinking human blood.”

Francis gave a wry smile: “Are you really not afraid of dying? Just now you almost…” He saw the calmness in the boy’s eyes and stopped himself, giving him a deep look: “Little Gaia, take care!”

……

Damn it, that big guy may be covered in scales and a member of the Asura clan, but he’s still a human. How could I drink human blood? Gaia recalled the scene just now and sighed inwardly. His mind was far more mature than that of an ordinary youth. In his previous life, he had suffered terribly, experiencing all the warmth and coldness of the world, only to die suddenly in a car accident just when he thought his hardships were over. His soul drifted aimlessly, and for some unknown reason, he crossed through space and arrived in this completely different world, inhabiting the body of an infant.

Although his body in this life was still small, he could feel the indifference of this body’s father—the family head—toward him. Fourteen years had passed, and in all that time, he had only seen his father thirteen times. Since he was two, every year his father would bring a powerful captive before him to test whether he had awakened his clan’s ability.

In fact, Gaia had awakened his clan’s ability long ago, but the education he received in the civilized world of his previous life made it impossible for him to bring himself to drink human blood, even though, for someone of his mixed vampire and fallen angel heritage, the blood of a strong person would make him powerful. And strength was of utmost importance to Gaia, whose frail body could not practice any magic or martial arts inheritance.

I will become strong, but I absolutely cannot become strong through such disgusting means.

……

A tiny courtyard, a few thatched huts, shivering in the cold wind blowing from the north of Dragon Fury City—this was where Gaia and his old servant lived. Compared to the luxurious estate of his “father,” the family head Sean·冈格罗, this place wasn’t even as good as a stable. Even the family head Sean’s prized horse, Southern Rose, ate better than his own son.

Above the small courtyard, two voices suddenly sounded in the dark night sky.

“Master…”

“Victor, you don’t need to say it. I know what you’re thinking.”

But the previous voice still spoke.

“Master, please help him.”

“Victor, are you reminded of your own fate?”

“Master, Victor is reminded of his own fate. Haven’t you thought of your own childhood?”

“The Infinite Devourer is the supreme shortcut achieved through postnatal reverse cultivation, able to transcend the ninth-level inheritance of the apocalypse. If it is passed on to a non-human, it will surely cause endless slaughter. How can we make such a rash decision just because of our compassion?”

“Yes.”

……

The loyal old servant Anderson sat on the carriage, whipping the reins. The shabby carriage and the old horse had been rented for fifty silver coins, an expense naturally covered by the money pouch from Uncle Francis, which contained twenty gold coins—equivalent to two thousand silver coins, or two hundred thousand copper coins. It sounded like a lot, but for a soon-to-be lord, having only twenty gold coins to his name was truly a tight squeeze.

He had lost count of how many cold waves had swept through Dragon Fury City this winter. The cold wind howled, dead grass swirled, the streets were deserted, and thick cotton curtains hung over the shop doors. Lord of Greenland, Gaia, left through the north gate of Dragon Fury City to take up his post in his territory, accompanied only by an elderly servant. This lord was less well-off than the children of commoners.

Along the way, they scrimped and saved. Gaia was not an ignorant boy; he had some understanding of the finances of this world, Abyss of Magic, and knew that twenty gold coins might sound like a lot, but to use it to restore a territory was a mere drop in the ocean.

Yet he had no other savings. With the family head’s attitude toward him, there was no way he would be given any extra allowance. As for other relatives, even if they wanted to help, seeing his father’s cold face, they wouldn’t dare offer assistance.

Uncle Francis was a playboy who spent all his money on women in the imperial capital, Dragon Fury City. Giving Gaia these twenty gold coins probably meant he’d have to stay home for the rest of the month and could no longer spend time with noble ladies. Giving Gaia twenty gold coins was already the limit of his ability.