"I discovered this phoenix egg in the northern ice fields of Aelras. When I retrieved it from the glacier, I could still sense its life signs. Thus, I decided to hatch it. However, during my journey back to the laboratory near the Qihai Mountains, I clearly felt its vitality waning, especially after leaving the cold northern environment. This phenomenon is markedly different from that of a typical phoenix egg. Yet, the appearance and texture of this egg are undeniably those of a phoenix egg. I cannot ascertain whether this is a variant among phoenixes. The phoenixes discovered so far are usually fire phoenixes, adorned with flames on their feathers. However, there have been claims of sightings of ice phoenixes, and this egg was found in the ice fields. I suspect this may be a variant phoenix egg. Upon returning to the laboratory, I attempted to create an environment suitable for hatching this egg, but whether subjected to absolute cold or the magma heat favored by fire phoenixes, I could not elicit any significant life response. After decades of research, I have yielded no results, which is my great regret.
Unexpectedly, the continent has fallen into turmoil again, and the gods seem to show signs of descending. I received a summons from Nesser XVII and had no choice but to set aside matters concerning this egg. This situation appears quite serious and may spark another divine war. Whether I can return remains uncertain, hence I leave this record. If I cannot return, I hope that a fated individual can inherit my will and hatch it.
—July 16, Year 279 of Nesser XVII"
As Fars strained his mind, flipping through the ancient texts he had on hand for reference, he finally managed to translate this document, which was clearly a will, using his rudimentary knowledge of ancient Nesser. He began to understand why this ancient legendary master had placed the egg on this broken pedestal. However, the notion of a "fated individual" was mere nonsense; if he truly wanted someone to obtain it, why set such restrictions? It was that very spell he had sealed away that had turned the esteemed Lord Fars into an unwelcome vampire. Perhaps this master truly would not return. Historical records of the continent regarding the previous era are often inaccurate, with some circulating rumors suggesting that the downfall of that era was due to the gods descending and waging war against humanity, ultimately leading to the devastation of the entire continent.
Fars had no idea how long ago Nesser XVII had ruled, but it was evident that this legendary figure had coincided with some significant historical events directly related to the gods, resulting in his disappearance. The tone of the document indicated that this master had little confidence in returning; had he been confident, this document would surely have been destroyed.
Yet, why had a legendary master, after decades of studying the egg, achieved no results, while he himself had immediately observed some strange reactions upon acquiring it? So far, these effects had all been beneficial. He had gained much, not only alleviating his concerns about constructing the array as he advanced to a high-level mage but also significantly enhancing his meditation efficiency while holding the mysterious egg. It was indeed perplexing; could it be that he was the so-called fated individual? No! He was a fated vampire.
This was truly too bizarre. After this ancient master indirectly caused his own demise, he had somehow become the fated one? What kind of logic was that? If he had been living well, he would have had no connection to this egg at all.
The concept of fate is indeed strange. Even those fanatical zealots who proclaim that the gods are omnipotent cannot explain the mysteries of fate. Some prophets, said to capture the trajectory of fate from the stars, remain dubious in their authenticity.
The being he could only look up to had no means to deal with this egg, while he, though having some clues, could only hold the phoenix egg while sleeping. If that alone could hatch a phoenix, it might drive the legendary figure, whose soul had perhaps already found peace, to madness.
Fars truly had no means to deal with this egg. He had tried various methods to no avail, and the only time he noticed the runes on the eggshell glowing was during meditation while holding it. This left Fars speechless, and he decided against wasting time on research, opting instead to take things one step at a time. Perhaps he truly had some kind of fate; maybe one day he would wake up to find a phoenix chirping, ready to serve him and wreak havoc across the continent.
That was a bit too far-fetched. As long as there were no adverse effects and it continued to aid his cultivation, Fars was already quite satisfied. He possessed some admirable qualities, one of which was contentment. He could be greedy at times, but he always maintained a sense of moderation. This trait was evident from Fars's experiences in his previous life; although he had indulged in various activities as a young noble, he had never committed any heinous acts that would provoke others to retaliate against him. During this adventure, if he could safely exit this forest, he wouldn't mind if it cost him a bit of effort.
With the matter of the phoenix egg settled for now, Fars returned to his previous tranquil life of training, eating, and training again. His diligence was aimed at gaining enough strength to return to the human realm, rather than being extinguished the moment he stepped outside.
That night, Fars, as usual, spread his wings wide and soared into the sky, dancing under the moonlight. Ever since he had truly learned to fly, he had fallen in love with it. Not only could he roam freely through the skies, but he could also survey the land below. His wings seemed to gather the energy of the moonlight, enhancing their strength while channeling pure energy back into his body. This allowed Fars to accumulate power even while flying.
From his vantage point high above, combined with his ability to pierce through darkness, Fars could easily spot traces of magical beasts. Thus, hunting became a simple task.
In recent days, Fars had tasted the blood of numerous magical beasts and even developed some insights. He knew which magical beast's blood was richer and more fragrant, and which contained more potent energy. He also avoided provoking powerful high-level magical beasts, skillfully steering clear of their territories once he spotted them from the air.
However, he wasn't entirely carefree. On one occasion, Fars unfortunately encountered a flock of monstrous birds. When they crossed paths in the sky, there was no point in engaging; Fars wasn't foolish enough to confront a large number of them and quickly darted into the jungle. Unfortunately, he was pursued by these annoying pack hunters. Fortunately, he was quite familiar with this area and used the terrain to his advantage, leading the flock of monstrous birds around until he intentionally guided them into the territory of several high-level magical beasts. Ultimately, with the "enthusiastic assistance" of those affected high-level beasts, he managed to shake them off.
This experience made Fars more vigilant; he realized that danger lurked not only below but also in the skies.
As Fars expanded his patrol range, he stumbled upon a wonderful place. Here, the trees were dense, yet a clear spring flowed through. The crisp spring water emanated a chill, and following the stream, he eventually found its source. From the air, the thick canopy had obscured his view of the stream.
The spring originated from a cold pool with a diameter of only a few dozen meters. The water was crystal clear, and occasionally, he could catch a glimpse of an unknown fish darting by. Bathed in the bright moonlight, Fars finally saw his reflection for the first time since becoming a vampire. It was strange that he had not paid much attention to his appearance during this time.
His once-envied, light golden hair remained unchanged, though it had become somewhat tangled and unkempt, resembling weeds. When assessing a noble, one often first considered their appearance and demeanor, and the combination of light golden hair and pale skin was something many nobles coveted. Fars's lineage was decent, granting him the honor of possessing hair that others envied. However, his skin was not particularly fair. After years of adventuring, even though he often wore a cloak, his skin had tanned slightly. Now, although his face bore some dirt, it could not conceal the pale, somewhat otherworldly complexion of Fars.
He felt quite dirty, and while he had thought about cleaning up during these days, he had struggled to find a suitable place. There was a large lake nearby, but the number of magical beasts frequenting it was considerable, including high-level beasts that came to drink. Polluting that water source would be a dangerous endeavor, and Fars was not willing to risk his life for a bit of fun.
Finally, he had found a good spot. Although the water temperature at night was a bit too low, Fars's body had become quite robust and was no longer sensitive to it. Moreover, for a cold-blooded creature, a hot bath might not be comfortable either.
He stripped off his clothes and washed them in the water; the garments he hadn't changed in years were truly filthy. The material of these clothes was quite ordinary, lacking any precious dust-repellent properties, and after enduring so much time, they had become tattered. However, due to a lack of supplies, Fars was reluctant to discard them; he certainly couldn't walk around naked, even if it was just in front of a bunch of magical beasts.
To his surprise, there were no spare clothes in his ring, which puzzled Fars. Indeed, adventurers often spent long periods outdoors and typically wouldn't carry many unnecessary items unless they were on a short adventure. Finding a good water source on the road was difficult, so it was impractical to indulge in frequent bathing and changing clothes.
After finishing these tasks, he stored his clothes in the ring and leaped into the water, creating a beautiful splash. The cold seeped through his skin and into his body, but Fars found it bearable. After a moment of acclimatization, he swam as freely as a fish.
This small pool was not large, and it harbored no massive creatures. Diving to the bottom, he encountered a few small fish, none of which posed any danger. Thus, Fars felt at ease and was quite satisfied with this discovery.
After enjoying a refreshing bath, Fars felt a twinge of reluctance to leave; the environment here was truly pleasant. However, it was strange that no magical beasts had passed by during this time. Many powerful magical beasts roamed at night, and while this place was somewhat remote, it shouldn't be devoid of wildlife.
This area might also be a place of conflict or perhaps a forbidden territory of some powerful magical beast. Fars did not intend to linger; he quickly dressed and prepared to take flight. His clothes had just been washed, and he used a faint dark flame to dry them. Although they were somewhat tattered, they were still wearable.
Now clean, Fars appeared even more otherworldly. His originally handsome features had transformed into something that could be described as strikingly beautiful after becoming a vampire. Coupled with an air of mystery that seemed to linger around him, Fars believed that if he were to approach a noblewoman or a lovesick maiden now, a mere glance would suffice.
He committed this location to memory; regardless of its peculiarities, he could occasionally return to bathe and swim for leisure. After all, he had nothing else to do today.
However, one must not be too arrogant, thinking that nothing could go wrong. Trouble was brewing. From a distance, a powerful aura locked onto Fars.