At the foot of Cangshan Mountain, Edward Lewis turned to look back at the place he had lived for five years: the main sect’s mountain peak had long since disappeared from view, and only the endless, verdant peaks of Cangshan stretched on. He turned his gaze forward, looking at the countless high-rises ahead, and quietly said, “Dad, Mom, I’m home.” But as the descendant of a vampire who had never returned home, was he still the same person as before?

Chapter Four

It had been over a month since he returned to Xi’an. Edward Lewis didn’t go back to the apartment he used to rent; after five years away, the landlord had probably reclaimed it anyway, and there wasn’t anything important left inside. He wondered if the landlord, seeing a coffin instead of a bed in the bedroom, would have nightmares at night? His parents felt deep pity for their son who had suffered “in the wild” for five years. Every day, his mother cooked for him, and Edward Lewis, using the excuse that he needed rest, didn’t go out to work. His parents didn’t say anything—after all, after five years of fieldwork, he deserved a break. Edward Lewis practiced his skills daily, occasionally dabbled in some investments—the things he had extorted from Brian Lane over the past five years were enough to last him several lifetimes—and in his free time, he took his hardworking parents on trips, living a leisurely and carefree life. Suddenly, Edward Lewis felt a sense of contentment: every morning, he could eat the tofu pudding his mother made by hand, do whatever he wanted, with no one to bother him, no troubles to worry about, and every day he could see the smiles of those he cared about. If life could go on like this, what more could he want?

In his leisure time, Edward Lewis carefully organized everything he had learned at Cangshan, and diligently practiced some spells he hadn’t cultivated before. He wasn’t pursuing anything in particular; it was simply instinct. The long lives of the blood clan gave them plenty of time to do whatever they wished. With longing and nostalgia for his loved ones on Cangshan, Edward Lewis continued his cultivation. This kind of cultivation required no motivation, and perfectly matched his current need for a state of effortless action and non-attachment.

After reaching minor mastery of the Blood Refining Technique, there would be a long period of energy accumulation. For those who only sought power, seeing their progress stagnate at this stage would make them desperately strive forward. But this long accumulation process couldn’t be easily shortened by effort alone; remaining stuck would make one restless and irritable, eventually leading to inner demons. Edward Lewis’s leisurely and comfortable life had washed away all his competitiveness. The energy of the moon and the blood energy of the blood clan flowed gently within him, like a mountain stream. The slowly accumulating energy was waiting to erupt.

Since returning, Edward Lewis hadn’t gone to see the old count. Strangely enough, the old blood clan had never branded Edward Lewis with the family’s mark, nor even told Edward Lewis his name—not that Edward Lewis didn’t want to ask, but he never had the chance. When he was first embraced, he felt terrible, stumbled home, and fell asleep immediately. By the time the symptoms passed and he wanted to find the old count, Brian Lane had already taken him up Cangshan. After coming down from the mountain, Edward Lewis didn’t want to go, because he knew that once he did, this peaceful life would be gone.

But in the end, he still went—he couldn’t escape his identity.

Following the aura left by the old gentleman, he arrived at a villa in the mountains. Edward Lewis was puzzled that the old blood clan had stayed in China for five years: this shouldn’t have been their usual territory.

The count already knew he had arrived. As Edward Lewis stood at the door and raised his hand, the door opened. Edward Lewis walked in. The old count sat elegantly on the sofa, holding a glass of red wine, with another glass placed on the coffee table in front of him—prepared for Edward Lewis. Edward Lewis sat down, swirled the wine in his glass, watching intently as the red wine slowly slid down the side, then took a sip and savored it in his mouth for a while. The old count watched him quietly, waiting until he swallowed the wine before speaking: “You’ve grown so fast. In just five years, you’re almost surpassing me. Can you tell me about your experiences over these five years?” Edward Lewis smiled, “These five years, I’ve been very happy. It seems like everything I ever wanted suddenly became mine.” “Oh,” the old count nodded, “You left this city, didn’t you? I couldn’t sense your presence.” “Yes.”

Edward Lewis was silent for a moment, then finally asked, “You still haven’t told me your name.” “Anthony, Anthony Hopkinson. You don’t need to worry about which family I’m from. I didn’t brand you with a family mark, because I don’t belong to any family. I gave you eternal life simply so you’d have time to enjoy the beauty of life. Don’t get involved in those disputes. I came to China because I wanted to live happily.” Hopkinson walked to the window, spread his arms, and continued in a chant-like tone, “This great nation is beautiful and rich. Here, I can live the life I want—far from family strife, far from the struggle between light and darkness, and I can fully enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the East and its delicious food.”