Chapter 135: Parting

The domain shattered, and the figures of myself and the Brujah patriarch reappeared before the crowd. I stood there silently, gazing down with haughty indifference at those waiting in anxious suspense.

"Old Brujah!" the patriarchs of the Thirteen Clans cried out in shock as they saw the Brujah patriarch lying motionless on the ground, his fate unknown. Before this, no one had believed I could emerge victorious; after all, the Brujah patriarch was an ancient vampire who had existed for thousands of years, and everyone was well aware of his immense power. Yet now, the outcome was plain to see, and they had never imagined that I would be the one to prevail.

"Rest assured, I have shown mercy; the Brujah patriarch is not dead," I said coldly as the patriarchs of the Thirteen Clans swarmed around me. "After this battle, I shall inherit the position of the Fourth Generation Progenitor. Does anyone among you have any objections?" I scanned the Thirteen Patriarchs with an expressionless gaze, my voice frigid, as if emanating from a specter of the underworld.

Upon hearing my words, the Thirteen Patriarchs glanced at the unconscious Brujah patriarch on the ground, then exchanged wary, cautious looks before kneeling respectfully on one knee in unison. "We have no objections. From this day forward, we proclaim Her Highness Liliana, the First Princess of the Dracula Clan, as our Fourth Generation Progenitor. The Thirteen Patriarchs of the Vampire Clans pay homage to Progenitor Liliana."

"Sister Lilith, you intend to inherit the position of Progenitor?" While the patriarchs had accepted my claim, Liliel was struck with immense shock and moved to stop me. "Do you know what this means? You cannot do this! You must not inherit the Progenitor's throne."

"I have already decided. What is it, Liliel? Do you have some objection to my succession?" Faced with her opposition, I asked calmly, my voice carrying an unquestionable tone.

"I..." Seeing my composed expression and unwavering eyes, Liliel’s face paled, yet she could not bring herself to voice her dissent. Finally, she said with a look of defeat, "I understand."

Watching Liliel’s pale complexion, Ang sighed softly and stepped forward. "My Lady, have you truly decided? Inheriting the position of Progenitor means you must abandon everything you have fought so hard to obtain. My Lady, is it worth it?"

"There is no question of worth; perhaps this is simply my fate," I replied faintly. "In the end, everything was merely a pipe dream. Inheriting the Progenitor's throne is the best choice for me, and my only final destination." I glanced lightly at Xing Yu, who stood to the side, hesitating to approach.

"And what of Xing Yu? You are now the Progenitor; there is no need to care about the attitudes of others," Ang said, glancing at the still-unconscious Brujah patriarch and the kneeling leaders. "Should we bring Xing Yu back to the Vampire Castle? After all, he is now a member of the Dracula bloodline; we cannot have it wandering outside."

At Ang’s words, Xing Yu turned his head toward me, awaiting my answer. I knew what he was hoping for.

"No," I said coldly. "Although we were enemies, the Brujah patriarch was right—he has stained the bloodline of the Dracula family. That he has kept his life is already an act of extraordinary grace. How could I possibly bring him back to the Vampire Castle? The entire vampire race would not permit it. Even as Progenitor, I am no exception."

"Sister Lilith?" "Your Highness Liliana?" Not only Liliel but Xue Lan also looked at me in astonishment, unable to comprehend my decision. They knew of my attachment to Xing Yu—that he was someone I would sacrifice my own life to protect. They could not understand why I would suddenly be so heartless.

"I understand," Ang said after a moment of silence. "I will inform the entire vampire race to cancel the pursuit of Xing Yu, allowing him to live a peaceful life in the human world. No vampires will trouble him again."

"Very well. I leave that to you, Ang," I said softly.

"Lilith, why?" Xing Yu shouted upon hearing his fate. "I want to stay by your side! Even if it means being cast into a dungeon, I would never regret it as long as I could be with you. Why drive me away? Lilith, tell me why you are doing this! I don't believe it!"

"This is my decision, and it requires no reason. Xing Yu, you have no right to object; you need only accept it," I told him. "I am not asking for your opinion; I am informing you of my choice!"

"Lilith!" Xing Yu refused to give up, still trying to argue.

"Take the Brujah patriarch; we are leaving," I said, ignoring his shouts as I turned to the Thirteen Patriarchs. "Depart from the human world and return to the Vampire Castle."

"As you command, Progenitor Liliana!" The Thirteen Patriarchs responded in unison. They took the unconscious patriarch, followed closely behind me, and together we tore through the fabric of space, vanishing instantly.

"Lilith!" Xing Yu chased after us in desperation, only to be blocked by two of the patriarchs. "Get out of my way!" he roared in fury, his sanity slipping away.

"It is Progenitor Liliana’s command that you remain in the human world; we will not let you pass. Given your weakened state, it is a miracle you are still standing—do you truly intend to raise a hand against us? Since you escaped with your life through our mercy, cherish it," one of the patriarchs said. "If you don’t want to die, leave quietly."

"My affairs are none of your concern. I must see Lilith—move aside! Do not force me to be impolite," Xing Yu muttered, his voice heavy with suppressed emotion.

"Hmph, ignorant fool!" The patriarch raised his hand to teach him a lesson, but was stopped by another. "Progenitor Liliana has ordered us to spare him; there is no need to provoke her anger. She would not hesitate to make an example of us."

"Hmph, base degenerate, I shall spare you this once," the first patriarch spat, lowering his hand. "If not for Her Highness’s command, I would have killed you."

"Boy, leave. We will not let you pass. Once Progenitor Liliana makes a decision, it is never changed. Give up," the other patriarch said. "Let us go; we must return. With a new Progenitor ascending, the Vampire Castle will likely seal itself for another hundred years. If we miss the coronation, our fate will not be pleasant." With that, the two patriarchs tore through the void and vanished.

"Wait, come back!" Xing Yu shouted, but there was no response. "Damn it!" He had no idea where the Vampire Castle was hidden in the void; he could not track me. In his despair, he roared at the heavens in fury.

Meanwhile, in the void, Ang and I stood in silence. Ang, thanks to his formidable constitution, was able to linger there briefly.

"My Lady, have you thought this through?" Ang asked. "Once you take the throne, you will never be able to leave the Vampire Castle again. This means abandoning everything you have pursued—both Xing Yu and a peaceful life."

"I know," I replied softly. "But only as Progenitor can I control the vampire race and ensure Xing Yu is never hunted again. For him to live in peace, this is the only way. If he hates me, let him hate me. I was the one who destroyed his peaceful life in the beginning; now, it is time for me to pay the price."

"My Lady, why must you do this? Even without the throne, your victory over the Brujah patriarch is enough to ensure no one dares touch him. If you remained by his side, his safety would be guaranteed," Ang urged helplessly.

"No," I shook my head gently. "I cannot stay by his side anymore. As long as I am with him, all he will think of is Xiao You’s death and the debt he owes me. He will never be able to return to a peaceful life. Only by my leaving can that be achieved. This is my fault, and I must be the one to bear it."

"My Lady," Ang looked at me with heartache. "Why torment yourself? None of this is your fault."

"Let us go." Without answering, I took one last, lingering look at the void behind me, and my figure vanished into the nothingness.

Xing Yu stared blankly at the direction where I had disappeared for a long time. "Lilith, I will not give up. One day, I will see you again," he vowed firmly, before turning to walk away, his silhouette lonely and forlorn.