Chapter 82: An Elegant Game

I did not touch the so-called “Blood of the Saint,” merely gazing calmly at Alistair.

“My purpose here—I believe you have already guessed it.”

Alistair took a delicate sip from his glass, releasing a satisfied sigh, as if savoring the finest Burgundy, every movement elegant and poised.

“Let me hazard a guess,” he set down his glass, wisdom flickering in his violet eyes. “You are neither one of the fanatical hounds of the Holy See, nor a mortal sorcerer coveting our wealth. Your power… ancient, vast, as boundless as the night sky. Only something tied to the very source of power itself could draw the attention of a being like you.”

He extended a long, pale finger and tapped lightly on his chest.

“You have come for ‘it,’ haven’t you? The Heart of Cain, first of all our ancestors.”

“You are astute,” I nodded approvingly.

“Thank you for the praise. Longevity gives one ample time to read a few more books,” Alistair replied lightly, as though we were discussing an intriguing antique and not the lifeblood of his entire kind.

“However,” his tone shifted, “the Heart of Cain is the foundation of our existence as vampires—the very source of our strength and immortality. It is to us what the sun is to humanity. We could never hand it over to anyone.”

“Is that so?” I smiled faintly. “A source that grants you eternal life, yet ensures you remain forever in fear of sunlight. A font of power, yet also the origin of your eternal curse of bloodlust. This ‘sun’ of yours—do you not find it… a touch too scorching?”

My words were as precise as a surgeon’s blade, cutting to the pain that had lain hidden beneath his elegance for a thousand years.

For the first time, Alistair’s smile faltered, frozen in place.

He was silent for a moment before speaking softly, “It seems your understanding of us far exceeds my imagination. But what of it? This is our fate—we have long since learned to coexist with this glorious curse.”

“Coexist—or endure?” I shook my head. “I am not here to take by force. I have come to offer a trade.”

“A trade?” Alistair seemed genuinely amused. “Esteemed Mr. Jiang, forgive my bluntness, but what could you possibly offer us? Wealth? Power? We have long since ceased to want for such things. Immortality? We are already dead.”

“What I can offer you,” I met his eyes, speaking each word with deliberate clarity, “is choice.”

I extended my hand, palm up.

A gentle golden light gathered in my palm, coalescing into a small, warm sun. Unlike the domineering holy light of the church, this radiance brimmed with vitality and warmth, carrying no threat or malice.

The moment this light appeared, every vampire in the ancient castle—including Alistair—felt, from the depths of their souls, a primal fear and… longing!

They dreaded the power of this light, yet craved the warmth it promised with desperate hunger.

“This is…” Alistair’s voice trembled uncontrollably for the first time.

“This is the true power of the ‘sun,’” I said calmly. “I can reshape the Heart of Cain—remove the curse, preserve its gift of immortality. I can even grant you the ability to walk beneath the sun.” The vampires’ aversion to sunlight was, after all, a matter of their cultivation. What they lacked was the solar essence described in the Penglai arts. By lifting the curse and restoring the power of the sun, balancing yin and yang, they would naturally fear sunlight no more.

“From now on, you would no longer have to cower in shadows, nor be tormented by endless bloodlust. You could live as true people, blessed with longevity—embracing the daylight, savoring all earthly delights beyond mere blood.”

“I shall take the core energy, and in return, give you a new future.”

I withdrew the light, fixing my eyes on the stunned Alistair.

“So now, do you think we can discuss this transaction?”

My proposal crashed into Alistair Thorn’s heart like a boulder cast into a millennia-stagnant pool, sending waves surging through his soul.

Those violet eyes, brimming with a thousand years of solitude, narrowed sharply, locking onto me as if to pierce my every secret.

To walk beneath the sun.

To taste the flavors of mortal life.

To be free from the eternal hunger for blood.

Each word was like an incantation, striking the deepest, most carefully forgotten longings in the soul of every vampire.

They had always called themselves nobles of the night, dressing up their curse as glory. But only they knew how heavy, how cold, that so-called ‘glory’ truly was.

“Are you… are you serious?” For the first time, Alistair’s voice lost its unflappable grace, turning hoarse and urgent.

“I never speak idly,” I replied, meeting his gaze.

Yi—sensing the shift in atmosphere—put down her juice, sitting quietly to the side, a hint of curiosity in her clear eyes.

Alistair closed his eyes, drawing a long breath as if to steady the storm within. When he opened them again, the excitement had faded, replaced by a measure of composure.

“This matter is too great for me to decide alone,” he said, bowing deeply—far more humbly than before. “Esteemed Mr. Jiang, please allow me to summon my kin. We must convene a family council. This concerns not only the future of House Thorn, but of our entire kind.”

“You may,” I nodded. “I will give you one night.”

“Thank you for your generosity.” Alistair bowed once more, then instructed the pale butler, “Take Mr. Jiang and the young lady to the Hall of the Morning Star. See that they are welcomed with our finest hospitality.”

With that, his figure melted into shadow, vanishing from sight.