“As a member of the Sucking Blood Clan, you are forbidden to leave the Dark Forest in your entire lifetime. It is a rule enacted by the holy land, and all members of the Sucking Blood Clan must obey. Today, I will have to kill you in the name of the holy land to placate the wrath of the Light Clan and ensure the survival of the Sucking Blood Clan!”

  Ferrad glared at Ghost, who was hurrying over to him. He was in remorse as he felt a strong blood connection with the young lady running toward him. Never did he imagine she would be a member of his clan. To see someone from his tribe gave him indescribable joy. But the meeting should not have occurred in the Holy Land of the Light Clan, and worse, it was in the presence of the four Kings. Hence, to save the Sucking Blood Clan, he had to kill her.

  Ghost was so eager to hold him she could not hear a thing he said. At that joyful moment, the world was silent to her, and all she could focus on was the man standing in front of her. It was her father! He often appeared in her dreams and she felt the compulsion to hug him. Tears of joy were rolling down her face, for it was a moment she had waited for so long—her entire lifetime, to be exact. When Ghost reached Ferrad, she threw herself onto him with unbridled joy.

  STAB!

  But all that greeted her was a cold dagger—pierced into her belly. Bright red blood poured out from her wound and splattered on the ground.

  The smile on her face froze as she lifted her head and looked into her father’s eyes. She was confused and her mind was filled with doubt. And suddenly, all the joy and excitement she felt earlier turned dark and cold.

  “I am sorry… But to save the Sucking Blood Clan, my only option is to sacrifice you!”

  Ferrad’s face was full of remorse. With a heavy sigh, he repeatedly stabbed the dagger into Ghost three consecutive times.

  Ghost staggered back, one step at a time. A trail of blood streamed from the corner of her mouth. She clutched at the wounds on her abdomen, but the blood kept pouring out profusely. She staggered back for another four or five steps before she collapsed on the ground and laid on her back.

  “Little one!”

  Duck Emperor flew to her like a bolt of lightning. He enlarged his body and held Ghost closely. No one had expected something like this to happen. They had all anticipated a joyful father and daughter reunion meeting.

  “Ghost…”

  Xiao Luo was lying in the crater. Though he was in a daze and his vision was a little hazy, he clearly saw what happened. He smiled ruefully. Having traveled across great distances and finally reaching the Light Clan’s holy land, he never expected it would end up this way. Had Su Li regained her memories? Was she the Holy Lord? Didn’t she have any memories of him in their past life? Why would she do this to him?

  Why?

  Why did it have to be so?

  \r \r \r

  In the depths of his heart, he roared and yelled in misery. He began hating himself and Su Li as well.

  “Way to go, King of Blades. Ferrad truly is loyal!” the King of Thunder mocked.

  The King of Blades raised his eyebrows and said, “He did it to protect the Sucking Blood Clan. Frankly, he did not have to do so. I would not have taken out my anger onto the entire Sucking Blood Clan just because one person failed to abide by the rules.”

  “Didn’t you put the fear of God in him when you slaughtered five to six of their Elders in the past? They had lived for thousands of years, yet you cut off their heads and hung them above the Dark Castle. In their eyes, you are nothing but a terrifying demon,” said the King of Thunder.

  The King of Blades took a sip of wine as he spread his hands, and replied, “Well, I cannot do anything about it now. I had little choice then.”

  The King of War was standing next to him, appearing somewhat indifferent. As he was about to turn around to leave when he detected a wave of energy coming up from the massive pit. He immediately stopped in his track.

  …

  Ferrad walked to Ghost. He closed his eyes in pain and said, “To protect the Sucking Blood Clan, I have no choice but to sacrifice you. I am sorry!”

  Blood flowed from the corner of Ghost’s mouth as she gradually turned pale. In an instant, her joy of reunion turned into tears of pain and sadness as they rolled down from the corners of her eyes.

  “You scoundrel—she is your daughter! Your little girl, Ghost! She came all the way here to look for you, and you killed her! Do you even have a soul? You are worse than an animal!” screamed Duck Emperor. His emotions went out of control as he shouted at Ferrad in rage.

  My little girl, Ghost?

  Ferrad froze and his mind went blank—how did he not know the name of his daughter? When the King of Blades took him here as a hostage, his youngest daughter had just been born. Ferrad remembered her in pretty baby clothes, crying and babbling away. And ever since he arrived at the Light Clan’s holy land, there was not a moment that he did not miss his little girl. Secretly, he prayed for her to grow up healthy and happy. He even prayed to the Heavens to bless him with an opportunity to see his daughter.

  “Gh… ghost…”

  Ferrad stared at the girl lying on the ground, and his eyes were wide open in horror. What had he done? Blood was flowing out from her abdomen. His lovely daughter was drenched in blood and her face was as white as a sheet. Finally, he realized why he had felt the strong sensation of blood connection with her earlier on. It was not because she was a member of his clan, but because she was his daughter—his baby girl had already grown up into a lovely young lady!

  “Dad… daddy…”

  Ghost looked at her father through misty eyes as she arduously reached out with her blood-stained, slender hand at him.

  CLINK!

  His dagger fell from his hand. Ferrad felt his soul torn out of his body. He dropped to his knees and held Ghost’s hand tightly. His entire body was shaking uncontrollably. He cried, “You… you are my daughter… Ghost? Oh Heavens, what have I done?”

  Knowing that her father had finally recognized her, Ghost smiled, revealing her two rows of beautifully arranged teeth, which were brimming with blood.

  “Daddy, you… you finally recognized me. I am so… happy.”

  “Why? Why must it be you? Why?” Ferrad cried in anguish. His hands were shaking as remorse filled his heart.

  “Because I… I have always wanted to see you, Daddy. You are just like how I imagined. Kind, caring. I… I think I have your eyes, Daddy,” Ghost raised her hand to touch Ferrad’s rugged face. She wanted to etch the memory of his face in her mind for eternity.

  Ferrad was inconsolable, and he cried in grief, despairing for the daughter he had never seen but always loved.

  Duck Emperor had grown very fond of Ghost. He shared in the sorrow and was continuously wiping his tears away.

  “I… I did not expect that it will end like this. But to see you, Daddy, I… I have no more regrets,” Ghost moaned. She smiled sadly. Then her hand dropped from Ferrad’s face and she laid motionless on the ground.

  Ferrad began laughing hysterically, a maniacal and wild cackle, as he looked up to the sky, and yelled, “Oh Heavens, why must you do this to me? I alone should bear all the pain! Why must you involve my daughter in this? Why?”

  His sorrowful plea to the Heavens was so heart-wrenching, it touched all who heard him.

  “It seems a little cruel,” muttered the King of Thunder as he glanced at the King of Blades.

  The King of Blades recovered from the shock of the incident, and said softly, “Well, I did not think it was any of my business.”

  “I did not say that it is your business,” replied the King of Thunder.

  “It was not earlier on. But now, it is.”

  The King of Blades sped forward like a shadow, took out a pill, and stuffed it into Ghost’s mouth.

  The pill dissolved immediately in her mouth. Despite her inability to swallow, her body still absorbed the dissolved medicine.

  “A Pill of Resurrection?”

  Ferrad looked at the King of Blades in shock and muttered, “Your Majesty, you…”

  “This young lady looks pretty adorable. It will be a waste if she dies just like that. When she wakes up, I am thinking about putting her under my command. Do you have any objections to that?” said the King of Blades.

  Ferrad’s mind froze for a moment. Then joy overwhelmed him. Immediately, he went on his knees and continuously kowtowed the King of Blades. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting me my wish! Thank you!”

  #