“The Xiao Clan is brave and good at fighting. They are at their strongest when they awaken their bloodline power. Unfortunately, the Xiao Clan inter-married with the mortal inhabitants of the Original World. After many generations, the unique bloodline of the Xiao Clan was diminished significantly, and as a result, it made you so fragile.”

  The King of War remarked as he looked at the wounded Xiao Luo in an unhurried manner, and added, “Therefore, for you to attain this level of power as a descendent of the Xiao Clan is rare. I’d go as far as to say it is commendable.”

  “I… have not… lost yet…” Xiao Luo moaned as he opened his eyes and glared at King of War.

  “So, you think you have not lost yet?”

  The corner of the King of War’s lips lifted as he burst into mocking laughter. “I doubt you can even stand up, let alone continue the fight!”

  As soon as he finished speaking, he pierced the notched long blade he was holding into Xiao Luo’s left shoulder.

  PLUNGE!

  The long blade pierced through Xiao Luo’s left shoulder with ease, and it caused blood to ooze out. The sword became like a long nail, pinning Xiao Luo firmly to the ground.

  “Arrgh!”

  As the pain intensified, Xiao Luo could take no more and let out a tormented shriek. The pain showed in his desperate face.

  “At present, you are just like a worm on the ground. With a gentle swing of my foot, I can kick you to death. And you are still saying you have not lost yet? Huh, you are hilarious!” The King of War mocked as he pulled out the long blade with a deep frown.

  SWOOSH!

  At that moment, a piercing wind came whistling through the air. A purple energy cannonball streaked hundreds of meters across the void like a comet. It was fired right at the King of War.

  Hmm?

  The King of War raised his head slightly and with a gentle wave of his right hand, he slapped the purple energy cannonball away, like light reflected off a mirror’s surface. The cannonball shot off diagonally and exploded tens of meters up in the air. The sound of the explosion was deafening, and it distorted the surrounding space.

  \r \r \r

  Tracking the trajectory of the purple energy cannonball, they spotted Ghost.

  Ghost’s eyes turned blue. Two fangs protruded from her alveolar, revealing the wild nature of the girl.

  “Sucking Blood Clan?” the King of War mumbled to himself.

  Meanwhile, the King of Blades, King of Thunder, and the others turned and stared at an assistant swathed in black robes.

  “Ferrad, if I remember correctly, members of the Sucking Blood Clan are to remain in the Dark Forest,” the King of Blades remarked. There was a hint of sternness in the manner in which he spoke.

  Ferrad shuddered all over and immediately kneeled on the ground. While his body trembled, he said nervously, “My King, I… I do not know what is going on as well…”

  “Is that so?”

  The King of Blades stroked his chin as if he was pondering about something. But anyone who understood him knew he was angry.

  When the Sucking Blood Clan caused trouble in the past, it was the King of Blades who handled the mess. He was also the one who confined all members of the Sucking Blood Clan in the Dark Forest, never to leave and kill humans ever again. It was their punishment and also an opportunity for them to mend their ways and start anew. But now, it looked like the Sucking Blood Clan had blatantly violated the rules he had put in place. It challenged his authority as a King and no matter how calm his temperament was, he would never endure such an insult.

  When Ghost saw Xiao Luo seriously injured and the King of War reluctant to let him go, she lost her temper. With the help of Duck Emperor, she wielded the Phantom Dancer in both hands and launched a violent attack on the King of War.

  Ghost shouted, “Bastard, I will kill you. I will kill you…”

  WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

  She fired countless shots of purple energy cannonballs at the King of War like a heavy rain pour. The King of War did not move. Despite her barrage of shots, he was unscathed. and no matter how hard she tried to hurt the King, he remained unscathed. His bronze body was impenetrable.

  “Young Lady, are you trying to tickle me?” asked the King of War with a disdainful smile.

  Ghost gritted her teeth in anger. Amassing all her strength, she funneled all the Spirit in her body into the Phantom Dancer. She only stopped when Phantom Dancer could accommodate any more of it. Then, she unleashed a brilliant purple energy cannonball at the King of War that streaked over tens of meters and made a terrifying howling sound.

  Space, where the energy cannonball passed through, was shattered. A powerful charge of electric current enveloped the cannonball, and its crackle was enough to make one weak in the knees.

  “Holy mother of duck! A giant energy cannonball?” exclaimed Duck Emperor.

  It dumbfounded him. It may be the maximum power Ghost could ever unleash. She was going all out with the King of War.

  Faced with the oncoming purple energy cannonball, the King of War chose not to underestimate its force and did not let his guard down. His True Inner Force activated by itself and formed a defensive barrier around his body. The King of War did not take the attack straight on with his pure physical prowess as he had done so earlier on.

  Just as the giant energy cannonball was about to hit the King of War, Ferrad, who was in the black robe, rushed forward. He moved swiftly and used his own body to take on the energy cannonball for the King of War.

  BOOM!

  A mushroom cloud, resembling an atomic bomb explosion, rose into the sky. The massive blast sent shock waves in all directions, hurling tons of rock and sand through the air and kicking up a terrifying sandstorm. and visibility instantly dropped to a low.

  Ferrad spurted blood from his mouth as he fell from the air and crashed hard into the ground. His black robe was scorched and tattered as a result of the explosion, and burns covered his body.

  “Ferrad?” The King of War glanced at him calmly and called out.

  Ferrad paid no attention to the pain he felt all over his body and got up to give salutation to the King of War. He said, “The Sucking Blood Clan under my command has offended you, my King. Please forgive us!” Then he stood up and yelled at Ghost, who was in the air. “Get down here at once!”

  “Who… who are you?”

  Somehow, Ghost felt a growing feeling of doubt in her heart. She could not put a finger on it but sensed that the man in black robes shared a bond with her.

  “My name is Ferrad!”

  Ferrad removed the black fabric covering his face, revealing his worn-out countenance. His pupils had also turned blue and two blood-sucking fangs protruded from his upper lip.

  “The name of your father is Ferrad.”

  Ghost trembled when she heard the man say his name. She recalled the name often mentioned by her clan people.t Ferrad was the name of her father—this man was her father!

  “F-father?”

  Her voice quivered. Ghost never expected that her father, whom she longed to meet even in her dreams, would be standing right there before her very eyes. She had imagined countless scenarios of how she would meet her father. But not this one.

  “It turns out that they did not lock your father up after all. He has become the King of Blades’ assistant,” Duck Emperor said in surprise.

  Ghost was no longer hearing what Duck Emperor was saying. She broke away from Duck Emperor’s web-feet and immediately dropped back down to the ground. Then Ghost ran toward Ferrad like a lost child who found her parent. Her eyes were red with tears as she finally found her long-lost father whom she had never seen.

  Since the passing of her mother, Ghost’s desire to meet her father became an obsession. Her deep-seated desire became the source of her strength. It was this desire along with spiritual support that gave her the fortitude to deal with her affinity for blood. She had so often dreamed of meeting her father. It was a wish that came from deep within her soul.

  #