After that, Fars began to search the area near the cold pool every night. He discovered traces of a campsite in an open area, but these signs were old—at least half a month had passed since anyone had been there.
Fars also investigated the small valley where the pair of monsters resided. Each night, the female beast would venture out to hunt and quickly return, likely fearing that someone might take advantage of her injured mate while she was away.
This was a relief for Fars, as it meant the two magical beasts would not interfere with his visits to the cold pool. A few times, he had made a considerable racket to provoke the male beast, but all he received in return were the furious roars of the two beasts, which did not pursue him. This emboldened Fars further; the male beast limped, and while magical beasts had strong recovery abilities, it would take months for it to heal completely, limiting its speed. Occasionally, the female would attempt to chase Fars, but the male could only join in a futile protest against Fars's audacity.
Fars had grown fond of these two neighbors (he thought of them as such, appreciating how they tolerated his frequent disturbances). He especially felt more at ease after confirming that one of the male's eyes was indeed blind, rendering it unable to exert the full power expected of a high-tier magical beast. However, he was frustrated by the continued absence of the group of humans he sought.
Despite his frustration, Fars continued to spend countless hours circling the skies each night, searching within a hundred miles of the ruins. He had taken it upon himself to claim this area and its airspace as his hunting ground. Although there were no fewer than ten high-tier magical beasts in this vast region, Fars was unafraid. He would take advantage of any opportunity, sneaking in a few arrows or casting a blood control spell during their hunts to disrupt their actions, allowing their prey to escape.
Since there were no flying beasts among these high-tier creatures, and only groups of mid-tier magical birds that Fars did not provoke (as they could not catch him), the high-tier beasts eventually accepted him as a neighbor after several failed attempts to hunt him down.
However, Fars had overstepped by claiming too much territory, leading to deep resentment from the other beasts. On one occasion, two high-tier beasts fought over territory, and when Fars inadvertently passed by, they ceased their battle to pursue him instead. Fars barely escaped that encounter, having initially intended to take advantage of the situation. To his dismay, they chose to bully the unsuspecting Fars instead.
In light of this, Fars made it a point to harass these two beasts, causing them to refrain from venturing out at night. The nearby magical beasts seemed to have noticed this pattern, as many began to alter their hunting habits to avoid encountering Fars, who only emerged at night.
The largest body of water in the area was a great lake where many magical beasts came to drink. Fars avoided this place, as the density of beasts made it too risky for someone as cautious as him.
Fars's presence as a predator did not significantly alter the dynamics of the area. He would only feed on one magical beast's blood each night, occasionally indulging in the blood of lower-tier beasts for variety. Some herbivorous magical beasts had blood that tasted far superior to that of carnivores, akin to the difference between strong liquor and fresh fruit wine. While strong liquor was exhilarating, a change to refreshing fruit wine was also delightful.
After months of adaptation and acclimatization, the food chain within a hundred miles of the ruins had acknowledged Fars as a new top predator. Though his aura was not particularly powerful, he was cunning enough to outsmart even high-tier magical beasts.
Having once been an adventurer, Fars understood where human adventurers preferred to operate and set up camp. First, they needed open visibility; complex terrain made them vulnerable to magical beast attacks. Second, they required a water source—after all, cooking and drinking necessitated water. A group of people would find it troublesome to fetch water from far away, while a lone individual risked being ambushed by other humans. They also dared not camp near large bodies of water, knowing that magical beasts also needed to drink. A lake often served as the only water source for miles, making it a conspicuous target.
Thus, Fars focused his search on such areas. It was best if no one came here, allowing him to enjoy a peaceful existence. If humans did arrive, they should not blame the vampire for disregarding their former humanity if they were weak.
Tonight, Fars continued his routine, soaring high in the sky, surveying the situation below.
The moon shone brightly in the cloudless sky, creating perfect conditions for hunting. Fars felt relaxed, almost lethargic. His presence was no longer just on the outskirts of the Qiqihar Mountains; this comfort was becoming a liability.
With the moonlight, Fars could clearly see below—a wolf was chasing a small rabbit. However, the clever rabbit executed a feint, evading the hungry wolf and escaping. Such pursuits were a vital part of the jungle's laws. Compared to them, Fars was merely a more advanced predator.
Despite his leisurely demeanor, Fars remained diligent in his patrols, scrutinizing any irregularities with meticulous attention. His caution finally paid off when he noticed a particularly chaotic area, with clear signs of human activity. While magical beasts might break a few slender trees during a scuffle, this battlefield's trees appeared to have been severed cleanly, as if struck by sharp weapons rather than merely bumped into.
Finally, he had found signs of humanity, alleviating a weight from his mind.
However, the traces suggested that the activity had occurred during the day. The ground bore remnants of magical beasts, their bones left behind—clearly, the valuable pelts and claws had been greedily collected by humans. Nearby, numerous scavengers had long since cleaned up the blood and flesh, leaving only the bones.
Fars determined that this small group had not traveled far. In a day, they could cover only a few dozen miles, and they would not choose to travel at night when dangers were heightened. He flew higher to search for their campsite. As for their purpose, Fars was uninterested; it was likely just exploration or hunting magical beasts. His relationship with them was that of mortal enemies; they possessed the human blood he craved and would have supplies—clothing, utensils, books, and more—that Fars desperately needed.
If he could find a way to eliminate them, that would be ideal. If they proved too strong, he would have to avoid confrontation and lay low. However, if he decided to act, he would do so decisively; if even one person escaped, news of a vampire in the area would spread, attracting vampire hunters who would not be easy prey.
Sure enough, not far from his location, he spotted a flicker of firelight. Fars dared not approach; humans were notoriously vigilant. However, he could not venture out during the day to gauge their strength. This was a perfect opportunity.
Fars did not plan to strike directly but could instead drive a few mid- to low-tier magical beasts to harass them. The sentry was a male, likely a swordsman, sitting by the campfire, polishing his sword. Due to the distance and the cover of trees, Fars could not see more clearly. To avoid detection, he stayed above a hundred meters in the air.
Driving the magical beasts was simple; after a few intimidating gestures, Fars chased them in the direction of the camp.
The first magical beast made too much noise, prompting the swordsman to react, gripping his sword tightly and watching the shadows for any approaching creatures. It was still early, not yet midnight, and the people inside the tent likely hadn't fallen asleep. Two more emerged, and to Fars's surprise, one was dressed like a mage. The other appeared quite ordinary, likely another melee fighter, who also drew his sword.
At that moment, the magical beast Fars had driven toward them arrived, and the outcome was swift. The two newly emerged individuals did not even need to intervene; the sentry swordsman dispatched the unfortunate beast with a few quick strikes. It was clear that this swordsman was at least level six, if not seven.
Fars wondered about the strength of the other companions. Most importantly, there was a mage among them, which made Fars wary. Mages could not be easily classified by the standard levels used across the continent. The key was that a skilled mage fought with intelligence. Their spells were varied and often unpredictable, making it difficult for anyone to combat them. Even in duels between mages, predicting the next spell was nearly impossible. Less experienced mages often could not even assess the effects of their own spells once cast.
Fars felt a twinge of hesitation. Based on his earlier observations, this small group's strength was more than sufficient to handle a high-tier magical beast. Could it be that this group had injured the two beasts in the small valley?
That was quite possible, but why had they returned to this area? If they were the ones who had injured the two beasts, they likely intended to regroup and return to finish the job. High-tier magical beasts were valuable; every part could fetch hundreds or even thousands of gold coins. Most importantly, high-tier beasts would yield magic cores, akin to how high-level mages constructed magic arrays in their minds. Other professions experienced significant leaps in power upon reaching high levels, whether through enhanced fighting spirit or other forms of reinforcement.
If Fars's guess was correct, it would be advantageous for him.
This could even provide Fars with an opportunity to reap the benefits.
Typically, small groups could not afford high-tier mages, so Fars estimated that the mage in this group was likely of mid-tier strength. With the formation of a high-tier magic array, Fars would have a significant advantage over opponents of the same level.
This team surely had one or two high-tier professionals. The swordsman from earlier could be counted among them. Fars wondered how many others were in the tent; judging by its size, there were likely two or three more.
Fars did not dare to use magical beasts to probe further; if there were too many unwitting magical beasts, they would surely reveal his presence.
Instead, Fars found another unfortunate low-tier magical beast for dinner, preparing to observe their movements again tomorrow night.