Danis's existence as a phantom beast had kept Fars in high spirits for quite some time. However, typically, phantom beasts need to reach maturity before they can truly connect with their masters and transform into special weapons or armor. Ordinary phantom beasts must be nurtured to maturity to awaken their transformative abilities.
Fars's little phoenix, without a doubt, possessed the potential for lord-level growth. Just like dragons, mature dragons and phoenixes are invariably lord-level beings, and only upon reaching maturity can they reproduce. This means that Danis's parents, whether they were phantom beasts or not, were likely lord-level magical beasts or phantom beasts that could rival legendary powers.
The offspring of hybrid phantom beasts and magical beasts do not necessarily exhibit the traits of phantom beasts; it may take generations for such bloodlines to awaken. This makes it difficult to breed non-pure phantom beast eggs obtained in the wild, leading to a significant challenge in acquiring more phantom beasts. A crucial mission for families with phantom beast heritage is to ensure the purity of their phantom beast bloodlines. They would never allow phantom beasts to interbreed with other types of magical beasts, much like how nobles do not marry commoners. Fars did not expect Danis to produce more phoenixes for the family he hoped to establish in the future. The most pressing concern was whether he could survive long enough to see Danis become a lord-level phoenix, let alone find a matching adult phoenix to be her mate. Meeting Danis in this lifetime felt like pure fate, and Fars was already content with that.
However, this period of happiness did not last long. After nearly half a month of traversing westward through the Qihar Mountains, Fars's whereabouts were finally exposed. He found himself targeted by a group of individuals whose presence was overwhelmingly powerful, sending chills down his spine even from a distance. Among them were true strongmen, far beyond the half-baked high-level professionals he had encountered before—those people had barely stepped into level seven. They had spotted Fars from afar, locking onto him like a venomous snake, instilling a deep sense of helplessness within him.
Given the vast disparity in strength, Fars had no intention of fleeing in panic only to be easily dispatched. He decided to stay put, hoping they might simply pass by and spare him. Among them were certainly practitioners above level eight or mages of the sorcerer rank. The sheer level of power present was what made Fars feel such fear.
In truth, Fars's decision to remain was not without reason; the direction they were coming from was the west. The people he had previously killed had all come from the east, from the Macas region. If word had gotten out, those seeking revenge would have pursued him from the east.
In the Qihar Mountains, teeming with magical beasts, strangers were unlikely to be friendly toward humans. As for Fars being a vampire, as long as there were no followers of the God of Light among them, they wouldn't simply attack him on sight. Strong individuals valued their identities; killing a vampire who had shown friendliness and was waiting patiently would be akin to slaughtering civilians. Perhaps Fars might even be fortunate enough to part ways without further incident.
The distance was not far, and soon he arrived at the location. The group that Fars had been cursing in his heart finally revealed themselves.
They were an incredibly extravagant assembly. If Fars was not mistaken, one of the old mages bore a badge on his chest emblazoned with the symbol of the New Moon of Yashia. A sorcerer—indeed, a sorcerer.
It was easy to distinguish the ranks of mages; they were a proud bunch, always wearing badges that showcased their status. Apprentices wore badges featuring a three-leaf clover, celebrating their fortunate entry into the noble mage community and wishing them luck on their journey ahead. Junior mages wore a walnut symbol on their badges. Walnut wood is a common material for crafting staffs, and ancient walnut wood possesses exceptional magical properties, capable of forming complex magical arrays. It was hoped that they would grow strong like walnut wood, enduring the test of time.
Upon becoming a junior mage, one would wear a light yellow star, signifying their emergence as a rising star in the mage community, officially welcomed into the mysterious world of mages. Intermediate mages wore a silver star, the brightest in the dark night sky, representing their status as the foundation and pillars of the mage community, continuously shining their light.
High-level mages also wore stars, but theirs were light blue, symbolizing eternity. They had constructed their magical arrays within their minds and were now qualified to challenge the eternal.
As for the New Moon of Yashia, it illuminated the night sky of Eirras, representing the mysterious moon, its brilliance unmatched by any star. Sorcerers, having taken a step beyond eternity, were like a single step that rendered the stars dim.
Above sorcerers, great sorcerers wore not only the badge of the New Moon of Yashia but also the badge of the Dark Moon of Diana. Diana, too, was a moon goddess from ancient mythology, but she only appeared in Eirras once every hundred years, earning her the title of the Dark Moon. When both moons are present, all magical elements in Eirras become incredibly active, and the rarity of her appearance symbolizes that every great sorcerer is a prodigy.
Legendary beings, on the other hand, would use the runes of the laws they had comprehended as their badges. Typically, unless they belonged to the same family, it was rare for legends to use the same runes as their symbols.
Although Fars currently wore a blue star, compared to a genuine sorcerer, it was merely a dim star; before the New Moon of Yashia, any star's brilliance would be overshadowed.
What a magnificent entourage this was! What kind of important figure could summon a sorcerer? These sorcerers were often revered in major empires or ancient families. The group before him could only be described as extravagant. Besides the sorcerer who made Fars too intimidated to breathe, there was a middle-aged man with a level eight knight badge standing guard beside the old mage. A haughty young lady, her head held high, didn't even spare Fars a glance. Dressed in noble attire and lacking a professional badge, Fars could not discern her exact strength, but her aura suggested she was another "talent." Was being high-level no longer valuable? Two young men stood beside her, resembling flower protectors; one was attentive to her, while the other appeared aloof and dismissive.
"Master Perugino, why not let Uncle Durl directly slay that vampire? He doesn't seem remarkable at all. However, his little pet on his shoulder is quite nice; after dealing with him, please capture it for me," the haughty young lady said, glancing at Fars before turning to the old mage. Although she used respectful terms, her tone was far from polite.
Upon hearing this, Fars felt a chill run down his spine. He had encountered such a spoiled young lady, who merely glanced at him and already wanted him dead. However, he dared not show any dissatisfaction; the lack of respect she showed toward a noble sorcerer indicated her own prestigious status. Moreover, he was currently at their mercy; if he inadvertently offended them, he could lose his head.
In response to the young lady's inquiry, the old mage merely chuckled lightly, "Miss Giovanna, this vampire is no ordinary one."
"Isn't he just a vampire count? What makes him so special?" Giovanna pressed, her curiosity piqued, demanding an explanation.
"Ha, do you really think a mere vampire count could survive deep within the high-level magical beast-infested Qihar Mountains? Don't be fooled by his title; his dark aura is remarkably pure, indicating a noble lineage. He might even hail from a prominent vampire family. And while you may see him as just a vampire at first glance, my initial impression is that he is a mage who has been at the high-level for quite some time. His surging mental energy even surpasses that of an average high-level mage."
Not wanting to dampen the young lady's enthusiasm and risk her ordering the death of the little vampire, the old mage continued to explain.
After this explanation, Miss Giovanna began to regard the vampire before her with more seriousness. It wasn't that she feared Fars, but rather that she was adjusting her perspective. A vampire count with the strength of a high-level mage was indeed an intriguing prospect. However, since they had encountered him, they needed to discuss how to deal with him. Simply killing him, as the old mage suggested, could lead to trouble if he came from a notable vampire family. Killing a few ordinary vampires might be fine, but crossing paths with those protective of their kin could lead to complications. Giovanna decided to leave this matter to the old mage, as he had his reasons for preventing her from killing him.
"Master Perugino, how should we handle him? After all, he knows our whereabouts," the young man beside the young lady, who seemed to admire her, timely expressed her unspoken thoughts.
"Ha, let me ask him a few questions before making a decision," the old mage replied cautiously, avoiding a hasty conclusion. After all, he still needed to understand the young lady's intentions; if he acted against her wishes, it could lead to trouble. Her status was not to be underestimated, even compared to a sorcerer.
"Which family do you hail from?" the old mage asked Fars.
"Respected master, I am but a humble descendant of the Hill family," Fars replied.
"The Hill family, huh? An ancient and prestigious lineage. You don't seem very old; what brings you to the Qihar Mountains instead of staying within your territory?"
At this moment, Fars realized he could no longer pretend to know everything. Given the mention of the Hill family, he had no knowledge of it; if he said something wrong, it could lead to trouble. Moreover, mages were typically well-educated, and his little tricks would likely not escape the old mage's keen eyes. Fars pondered how to respond and ultimately decided to speak the truth.
"Master, I became a vampire by chance. I only learned my surname during the transformation process and know little about my family. Since becoming a vampire, I have remained in the Qihar Mountains, too afraid to venture out. I have never harmed anyone; truly, I have survived by feeding on the blood of magical beasts." Fars spoke with a hint of sorrow, feeling genuinely aggrieved. As a vampire who fed on magical beast blood, he would surely be ridiculed if anyone found out. Fars referred to himself as a junior to appeal to the old mage's past as a mage, hoping for leniency. At just over twenty, he was not like those who appeared young but were actually centuries old; it was reasonable for him to refer to himself as a junior.
"Oh, is that so?" The old mage seemed unfazed by Fars's explanation and turned to Giovanna, saying, "He's just a vampire who became one halfway through. Miss, how do you wish to deal with him? Since he has survived here for a while, he should be familiar with the area. Perhaps we could have him guide us?"
Giovanna fell into thought. Their group had not come here for no reason; they were searching for an ancient relic, which contained items they desperately needed. However, despite having a map, they struggled with the complex terrain of the mountains, compounded by various magical beasts, fog, and miasma. She indeed needed a guide. Unfortunately, most people would not venture deep into the Qihar Mountains, let alone be familiar with it.
Fars decided to part with the recently acquired Thunder Serpent crystal core to appease her, considering it a life-saving offering. If this young lady opened her mouth to demand his death, he would have no chance to regret it.
He quickly retrieved the Thunder Serpent magic core from his ring, and after some thought, he also took out the horn. These items were valuable, but the key was to have a life to enjoy them.
"Esteemed lady, this is the magic core of the recently hunted Thunder Serpent. Please have mercy on me and spare my life. Respected master, this horn was also obtained from the Thunder Serpent; although it is just a small material, I hope you will overlook my past as a fellow mage and grant me mercy." He presented the two items with both hands, though Fars had not yet mustered the courage to kneel and plead. Regardless of whether in life or now, that was not an option. Even before the Emperor of the Osidian Empire, as a noble, he would only need to perform a single-knee bow. This was the extent of Fars's humility; if they insisted on killing him, he would have no choice but to fight back.