Nighttime arrived and darkness wore itself over the land like a cloak. Two carriages were set for the unbeknownst journey to the Mage domain beyond the yellow river in the North and across the gloaming valley.
The voyagers prepared and equipped themselves with their fighting equipments as they set to embark on their journey and they prepared to enter the carriages.
Zhulong caught sight of his stunning harems half running toward him as they emerged out of the palace with their beautiful robes flowing behind them and long distinct hairs swaying behind..
They wound their arms around his waist, clutching on his sleeves as they sulked.
"Be safe Lord Zhulong" "We'll miss you Lord Zhulong, you'll miss us too, won't you?"
The ladies chanted as they stared up at him with doe eyes varying in colours and size.
"Right, I will." He said with a very faint quick voice, aware that Azure was probably watching and his jaws ticked unnervingly.
"Won't you give us a kiss Lord Zhulong?" The golden haired drawled and they all giggled cheesily as they pouted their lips.
"I have to go." He said in a rushed tone as he frantically tugged their hands away from his hold and he moved a good meter away from them, giving them a lopsided smile while a puzzling expression etched on their faces nevertheless, a wide grin kissed their lips as they waved goodbye at him leaning onto each other and they sighed dreamily as they watched his retreating figure occupy the carriage.
His gaze locked with Azure's as she placed one foot on the stair of the carriage before stepping into it. Their gazes lingered for a second more and her jade eyes glimmered before she averted it and stepped into the carriage.
The vampire brothers settled in one carriage while the four guardian clans occupied the other one and the horsemen started off as they pulled on the reins of the horses.
Zhulong gazed out the window as the horses galloped softly away from the palace and into the forest path leading to the yellow river.
The moon softly lit up the dark path of the forest as they galloped through. The broad leaves from the trees fluttered as the midnight breeze skimmed past them.
"I won't consent to your absurd relationship with Azure. It's best if you stop whatever you think you're doing Zhulong or I'll make you stop." Zhulong whipped his head to meet the black eyes of Wenglei peering darkly at him, not that it ever retained a bit of warmth or light in it.
"I never asked for your permission and you have no right to tell me who I should and shouldn't be with." Zhulong snapped with golden eyes retaining his firm gaze on Wenglei.
A sarcastic chuckle resonated from beneath Weng's (Wenglei) breath flowing with the wind.
"What right? You're only the product of a whore, you have no right to go against my words. Every breath you take needs my approval. Defy my words and I'll send her decapitated corpse to you. With or without her, we can vanquish the monsters." Weng stated out, his black eyes glowering darker than midnight as it peered at him with a cold gaze.
Weng's words struck through his skin like a jagged blade as memories fleeted through his eyes in a flash like time was being rewind back to his past and he could reflect on them, remembering his mother who was a concubine of the king.
The King had three wives and numerous concubines, ultimately his three brothers were pure royalty bred from the wives, while he was not, even though his mother was a pure blooded vampire, she was still a concubine so his title was debased to the son of a whore.
"That was low, even from you Weng." Ying remarked with a stoic expression although his brows creased in displeasure when Weng spoke.
"Lay a finger on her and I'll dissect your arms from your body." Zhulong growled in a murky tone beneath his breath.
An amused grin tore through Weng's lips.
"Is that a threat?" Weng queried as he peered his black eyes at him.
"It was only a warning brother." Zhulong drawled with menace coating every word that reverberated from his lips as his golden eyes peered darkly at him.
"Since I'm nothing but a whore's son, you shouldn't care about who I desire to be with." Zhulong remarked although a hint of discomfort retained in his voice knowing he was the bastard son and the brother without true royal blood running in his veins although he was also a pure bred like them.
"I don't give a fuck who you want, just not Azure. She's a descendant of the Azure dragon clan and you're a vampire. It'll disrupt the balance of nature and I'll avert that disruption if I can, so don't even think of harboring feelings for her or you both will be caught up with a fate you're not willing to encounter." Wenglei noted with a nonchalant expression before averting his gaze to stare out of the window in a silent phrase that the discussion was over.
Zhulong gulped softly as his brother's words rang in his head like an echo of menaces.
"What a sad fate but Weng's right. Just let go for now, it'll be easier besides they're a lot of women and you can have whichever one you want. Why prioritize one?" Lei exclaimed with a sheepish grin on his face but he didn't say anymore and instead looked out the window.
He didn't want any other woman, he wanted only her.
The forest was silent with only the croaking of insects heard and the whooshing of the wind against the trees.
His golden gaze averted back into the carriage as he scrutinized his brothers who fell silent. Ying leaned his head back with his eyes closed, concealing the brewing storm in it, while Wenglei and Lei sat still plainly pondering on their thoughts as their gazes wandered aimlessly.
An exasperated sigh left his lips as he averted his gaze back to the window, staring out of it into the dark windy night watching the full moon on the dark grey skies cloaked with a blanket of shimmering stars.
The carriage bumped into small stones on the path making it bounce uncomfortably as they journeyed for what felt like hours towards the mouth of the dark forest which would lead to the yellow river.
The carriage occupying the four clans abruptly halted in front of them and in the flash of a moment, a silver arrow whipped past his face to plunge into the wall of the other side of the carriage where Ying sat but he didn't flinch.
Their carriage also halted abruptly with the horses neighing loudly and before they could process what had occurred, the horses galloped away as they were freed leaving them in the middle of the dark forest.
Zhulong sprouted out of the carriage alongside his brothers in alert with the four clans also clambering out of the carriage with alarming looks on their faces.
All of a sudden, the whole place fell eerily silent with the whispers of menace floating with the wind.
Even with the vampires heightened sense they couldn't sense the movement or catch a glimpse of their attacker which made them even more prudent.
"We were attacked." Phoenix exclaimed as they moved closer to them tactfully with eyes scrutinizing their dak surrounding alerted.
"We can't sense them." Ying said with a flat tone as his brows creased skeptically.
"How is that possible?" Azure queried in a whisper, jade eyes widened in alert and Zhulong could hear her heart pace elevate with adrenaline flowing in her veins.
Whoever wanted to speak was suddenly interrupted when they heard the ruffling of leaves from the thick bush parallel to them making their attention alarmingly focused on it.
He could hear her heart pace pick up when the ruffling sound increased and his feet subconsciously moved to shield her from the unknown attack making her lashes flutter in speechlessness as she stared at his broad back shielding her.
His golden eyes caught the faint and barely detected stealth movement of a figure moving behind a thick tree as it blended with the darkness.
He whipped his head as he caught another figure imitating the other one and more caught his sight.
"Mage bandits." Zhulong heard the irritation coated voice of Ying as he spoke with a menacing hiss.