The Legend of Immortality

Nia brought out all of the fine wine that Christopher had been keeping, lining up bottle after bottle in the room, and began drinking them one by one. Both Liu Lei and Christopher understood that, having suddenly lost her beloved uncle, though she was stubborn and silent, her heartache was something no one could truly comprehend. Thus, despite knowing that Nia would get drunk after a few drinks, they sighed in unison and decided to stay by her side, drinking with her. 

Nia said nothing, merely drinking the wine, one gulp after another. After downing over a dozen bottles, she began to lose her grip on reality, her movements becoming erratic. Despite often grasping at air instead of the bottle, she continued reaching for it, and after several attempts, her body swayed and collapsed onto the floor, falling into a deep slumber. Christopher finished the last of the bottle with a single gulp and said, "Wait until you've lived a few centuries like I have; you won't care about such things anymore." Shaking his head, he walked off, muttering, "What a waste of good wine..." 

Liu Lei, troubled himself, continued to drink alone. Turning, he noticed a streak of tears on Nia's cheek as she slept. His heart softened, and with a tender gesture, he reached out to wipe away the tear. In his dazed state, an impulse arose within him—to protect her for life, to never let her cry again. Startled by his own thoughts, Liu Lei gave a self-deprecating smile, raised the bottle, and drank. In a matter of moments, he too fell into a stupor.

As the evening light dimmed, two shadowy figures swiftly entered the room, lifting the two intoxicated bodies and gently placing them on the bed. But suddenly, their movement halted as they turned—Christopher stood in the doorway. One of the figures hesitated and said, "Christopher, I'm doing this for their own good. If this continues, who knows how long it will take for them to realize their feelings for each other?" Christopher stood quietly, his gaze unwavering. After a long pause, his voice, heavy with resignation, finally broke the silence, "I know your intentions, but... sigh, never mind." He turned and disappeared. The speaking figure let out a relieved breath, snapping his fingers. Two female vampires flew in through the window, and the figure gestured toward the bed. "Strip them both, tear their clothes, then cover them with a blanket." 

"Yes, Duke," the two female vampires replied, bowing. As they stood and gazed at the two lying on the bed, both of them trembled and paused. The figure scoffed, and the two vampires, frightened, quickly complied. The shadows spread their wings and flew out, leaving behind a moonlit night outside.

The next morning, Liu Lei, still groggy, felt something soft and warm in his arms. Still half asleep, he instinctively pulled it closer, burying his head in the warmth, and drifted back to sleep. As Liu Lei slept, Nia, still in her dazed state, felt something unusually long and pressing against her chin. Slowly, she pushed it down with her chin, pressing the excess into her chest, and shifted a few times before slipping back into slumber.

Liu Lei woke first—his breath stifled. Upon opening his eyes, he froze, realizing where he was. His heart raced, and he immediately understood that waking Nia in this position would be disastrous. Forcing himself to remain still, he resisted the urge to shout. Not long after, Nia awoke as well. Her mouth opened in shock, but she swallowed the scream that almost escaped her lips. If Liu Lei woke up now, she would die of embarrassment. The two remained in this awkward, ambiguous position for half an hour, each waiting for the other to speak first, hoping for a more favorable situation. Eventually, Nia could no longer endure it. This motionless position was more torturous than death. With gritted teeth, she said to Liu Lei, "If you don't want to suffocate, keep pretending to be asleep!" 

Liu Lei, his head emerging from her chest, awkwardly laughed, "It's not bad, actually... quite fragrant..." But when he saw the darkening expression on Nia's face, he wisely shut up.

"What do we do now?" Nia asked him. Liu Lei, pondering her mentality, guessed that she, being so straightforward, probably didn't care much about the situation. She was likely more concerned with him clinging to her now, thinking she might be trapped. Sitting up, he jumped off the bed and declared, "What's the problem? This is all very normal. Before, we both agreed, after, we both go our separate ways. No one needs to take responsibility, and no one carries a burden..." He didn't notice Nia's face growing darker behind him, continuing to speak freely. The more she listened, the angrier she became. This guy was trying to avoid responsibility! The violent woman returned to her true form, throwing him out of the window with a single kick. Liu Lei screamed as he fell, landing bare-bodied on the ground below. 

Nia leaned out the window, yelling at him, "Liu Lei, you'd better remember this, you're responsible for this! If you try to shirk responsibility, I'll kill you!"

This incident later became one of the "Top Ten Scandals" in the *Blood Clan's Top Ten* compiled by Christopher: "The Blood Clan is a noble race. For a vampire to leap from a window, fully naked, is a rarity, and the vote to include this incident had only one dissenting voice—Liu Lei himself."

At the Tremere family's castle, Kude stood before the window, staring down at the courtyard. A young vampire stood behind him and asked, "Lord, is what we're doing to Miss too..." 

Kude turned and looked at him, saying, "Hanf, I don't want to do this either, but with the family's power diminishing and the other twelve families watching like vultures, Moore and Morens are seizing the chance to grab power. We need to bolster our forces for the coming battle." 

"But what can that young man do on his own?" Hanf asked, puzzled. 

"True, one person may not make much of a difference, but what if he's an 'Emperor'?" Kude replied slowly.

"What!" Hanf exclaimed, stunned. "Are you saying he's surpassed the prince's level, reaching the Emperor's rank? How can that be? A bastard vampire with no family mark, and so young, how could he possibly reach that level?"

"If he can effortlessly defeat a templar knight and four golden knights, do you still doubt his 'Emperor' status?" Kude said. "This information comes from Christopher. Do you doubt its reliability?" 

"But what if he doesn't care about this matter?" Hanf asked again. 

"He won't. The Chinese value chastity above all. He's Chinese, and he'll act accordingly," Kude replied, having already made plans. 

"What about Miss? She probably noticed that nothing really happened last night." 

"Nia is still a virgin. She knows nothing about such things," Kude said, unfazed.

Having changed into his clothes, Liu Lei lay on his bed, his mind preoccupied. He had never been in a relationship, and now, feeling lost, he wondered what to do. After much contemplation, he realized something: aside from Nia, he didn't know any other women! It was a surprising revelation, and he couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. *Could I really only marry her?* He raised his hand to knock his head, almost enjoying the motion, only to sigh again in self-mockery.

From that point on, Liu Lei and Nia argued more and more. Nia took on the role of a controlling wife, dictating everything Liu Lei did. Determined to transform him into her ideal, refined husband, she spent the entire night writing a thick book of "rules" outlining everything Liu Lei must and must not do. Early the next morning, with dark circles under her eyes, she began reading the list to him: "No peeking at other women, walk without looking sideways; no late-night bar hopping, return home at a set time; only think of my good qualities, not my faults; no hiding money, all funds must be submitted..." 

"What?" Liu Lei, still groggy from sleep, could hear that part clearly and shouted, "What do you think you are to me? You have no right to control my finances! I tell you, violent woman, even if you were my wife, you wouldn't control my freedom! I do whatever I want! Besides, you're not my wife! I could never like someone like you, a big-breasted, brainless, barbaric, violent, 'six-no' woman!" He thrust his hand in front of her face, fingers spread and thumb extended in a gesture of disdain.

Nia, seemingly unbothered by his words, continued reading, not even glancing at him. Liu Lei, in a mix of frustration and disbelief, stormed out of the room, but Nia's voice changed, chanting something ominous under her breath. Liu Lei, startled, rushed back, covering her mouth, "Fine, fine, you can say whatever you want. I'm listening!" The words she was chanting were those of the "Blood Ritual." If she performed that again, they might all be doomed. 

Nia pulled away from his hand and continued, "No wearing the same pair of underwear two days in a row, brush your teeth without making too much noise in the morning..." Liu Lei, clutching his head in agony, crouched down. 

By noon, Nia's mental torment finally ended. As she closed her notebook, she turned to leave, but just before reaching the door, she casually added, "I don't need you to like me, I just need you to take responsibility." 

Those words pierced Liu Lei's heart, leaving him speechless, unable to respond.