The bottle of "Stardew" was placed in the corner of the room by Su Nian, like a silent watcher. She didn't drink it immediately. Xie Chen's "gift" and Derrick's veiled warning made her extremely wary of this shimmering starlight liquid. She wouldn't try it lightly until she fully understood its effects and the intentions behind it.
The days passed by seemingly calm on the surface, yet turbulent beneath. Su Nian continued her regular and repressed life as a "blood servant," providing blood periodically while enduring Xie Chen's increasingly profound and unfathomable scrutiny. She could sense his "dependence" on her blood deepening; the brief "quiet" moments after drinking her blood seemed to be prolonged slightly. But along with this came an increasingly undisguised possessiveness and desire for control in his eyes, as if she were a rare treasure that must be locked away in a safe.
She carefully maintained her balance, on one hand, transmitting "true feelings" and a barely perceptible amount of icy power through her blood to solidify this "dependence," and on the other hand, even more secretly communicating with the earth's origin through that resilient link. The fragment of consciousness seemed to also realize the delicate nature of the situation, and the messages it transmitted became more concise and cautious, mostly encouragement and reminders, but the clue about "two moons in the same sky" was never mentioned again.
Su Nian did not give up her search. Within the limited reading access of the library, she began searching for all records about celestial phenomena, especially the "double moon." The process was not smooth; most of the Eternal Night Dynasty's records revolved around vampires and dark forces, and the records about the moon were mostly limited to that eternally crimson moon.
Until one day, she found a vague account in a tattered animal skin book describing ancient legends and classified as absurd myths:
"...During the transition between eras, the laws of spacetime become disordered, and a phantom moon may appear in the sky, shining alongside the crimson moon, a phenomenon known as 'two moons in the sky.' This is an illusion, not a real phenomenon, but a reflection projected from another dimension, lasting only briefly, and often seen at the intersection of ancient energy nodes..."
A phantom moon? A reflection projected from another dimension? An ancient energy node?
Su Nian suddenly understood! The mysterious "two moons in the sky" was not a real celestial phenomenon, but an anomaly caused by a temporary disruption of the laws of spacetime! And the prayer room, as an energy node close to the underground seal, was the place where this anomaly could be observed!
The key lies in the "disruption of the laws of spacetime"! What can cause the disruption of the laws of spacetime? A powerful energy shock? A specific cycle? Or... human intervention?
She thought of the violent impact from the earth's primordial source, and also of the immense and unstable power of Xie Chen's dark side. Perhaps the appearance of "two moons in the same sky" required some kind of trigger.
Opportunity arrived quietly on a seemingly ordinary night of "offering".
That night, Xie Chen's mood was exceptionally gloomy and violent. Su Nian could even feel the dark energy emanating from him, like boiling magma, extremely unstable. According to Derrick's veiled mention, it seemed that a rebellion had broken out among a vassal clan on the border of the Eternal Night Dynasty. Although small in scale, it was quite troublesome to deal with, challenging the prince's authority.
When he drank Su Nian's blood, his yearning for "quiet" was stronger than ever before. The dark red energy almost uncontrollably absorbed the calming qualities within the blood. However, perhaps because his inner turmoil was too intense, this time the "quiet" effect was greatly diminished. The violence in his eyes did not completely subside; instead, it seemed to be forcibly suppressed, brewing an even greater storm.
Su Nian keenly seized this opportunity.
As she bowed and took her leave, she deliberately paused slightly at the entrance of the observatory, letting out a very soft groan, as if from weakness. She swayed and grabbed the doorframe for support. Her face appeared even paler than usual, and a few beads of cold sweat even appeared on her forehead.
This subtle gesture immediately caught Xie Chen's attention.
"What's going on?" His cold voice came from behind, tinged with impatience at being disturbed.
Su Nian turned around, slightly out of breath, and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty... perhaps it's because you haven't been able to replenish your energy in time lately, and you're somewhat... exhausted." She didn't mention "Star Dew," but the implication in her words was very clear—continuously providing high-quality "special" blood was taking a heavy toll on her.
Xie Chen's bloodshot eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her. He could sense that the effects of the blood transfusion tonight were indeed less pronounced than usual. Could it really be related to her condition? This realization stirred a sense of unease within him. He needed her blood to maintain that rare "quiet," and he couldn't let her collapse so easily.
“Derrick!” he called out coldly.
The old butler entered as soon as he was called.
"From today onwards, double the dosage of 'Star Dew' she needs," Xie Chen commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Make sure her condition remains at its peak."
"Yes, Master." Derrick bowed and accepted the order, his gray eyes quickly sweeping over Su Nian, his emotions unreadable.
A double dose of "Star Dew" was delivered to Su Nian.
Looking at the two bottles of swirling starlight, Su Nian knew she had made the right first gamble. She had successfully used Xie Chen's "dependence" and his requirements for blood quality to secure more resources for herself, and indirectly confirmed that "Star Dew" was indeed related to maintaining her condition.
But this is also a more dangerous step. Doubling the dosage means a stronger effect, and it may also mean deeper control.
After much hesitation, she finally decided to take the risk. She needed power, and she needed to repair her soul as soon as possible to cope with the changes to come. She carefully opened a bottle of "Star Dew," but instead of drinking it directly, she first dipped her fingertip in a drop and carefully sensed it with her Ice Soul Power.
A pure and gentle energy, imbued with moonlight and the breath of life, is contained within, which indeed nourishes the soul. However, hidden deep within this energy is an extremely subtle mark that originates from the same source as Xie Chen's dark side! This mark is like a dormant seed, harmless and even beneficial in normal times, but once triggered by a specific force, it may become the most fatal shackle!
Su Nian took a deep breath. Just as she expected.
She did not back down. Instead, she mobilized the icy power at the core of her soul, which was infused with the will of "true heart," and like the most precise filter, carefully peeled away, enveloped, and annihilated that faint trace of darkness. This process was extremely mentally taxing and could not afford the slightest mistake.
Only after doing all this did she consume the purified "star dew".
The pure energy instantly flowed into her limbs and bones, nourishing her parched meridians and the cracks in her soul. The effect was immediate; she felt her mental state and soul power recover and improve at a visible speed, far faster than when she slowly absorbed external energy herself!
However, she also clearly felt that after consuming the "Star Dew," the bond between her and Xie Chen, the blood servant contract, seemed to have become clearer and...stronger. It was as if the "Star Dew" was not only a tonic but also an adhesive that strengthened the contract.
Good fortune may be the harbinger of misfortune.
Just as she consumed the "Stardew" and felt her power increase—
Buzz!
An unusual spatial fluctuation, without warning, suddenly rippled outwards from the west side of the castle! The entire castle seemed to tremble slightly!
Su Nian instantly sensed that her connection with the earth's origin was fluctuating violently, emanating an anxious yet expectant intent!
"Now! The power of the node has been activated! Quick!"
It was the opportunity of "two moons in the same sky"! It happened at this very moment, due to the energy disorder caused by Xie Chen's intense emotional fluctuations, coupled with the subtle resonance caused by the temporary increase in her soul power after consuming "Star Dew", that it arrived ahead of schedule!
Su Nian didn't hesitate at all! She knew this was a fleeting opportunity!
She immediately rushed to the door and used her Ice Soul Power again to simulate the energy lock frequency! Perhaps it was the "Star Dew" that enhanced her power, or perhaps it was the spatial disorder that affected the restriction, but the door lock opened with a click!
The two guards outside the door were clearly startled by the sudden spatial fluctuations and were cautiously looking around. Taking advantage of their distraction, Su Nian concentrated most of her newly recovered Ice Soul Power into her feet, and her figure flashed out from their blind spot like a ghost, rushing towards the west corridor!
The light and shadow in the corridor were distorted, and the eerie blue flames on the walls flickered erratically, as if another illusory scene was about to be superimposed upon it. The air was filled with unstable, turbulent energy currents.
She rushed to the portrait of the Moon Goddess as fast as she could! At that moment, the portrait seemed to come alive; the goddess's outline blurred in the light and shadow, and the wall behind the portrait rippled like water!
Without hesitation, she crashed directly into the rippling waves!
Without any resistance, she entered the prayer room again, as if passing through a curtain of icy water!
The sight before her eyes shocked her!
The prayer room was no longer the dark and lifeless place it once was. In the center of the dried-up pool, the black stone floated in the air, emitting a strong dark golden light. Above it, a clear, illusory moon radiating a soft silver glow was projected! This silver moon, along with the huge crimson moon outside the window, created a brief and eerie spectacle of "two moons in the sky" through the broken dome (perhaps an illusion caused by the phenomenon)!
Silver moonlight intertwined with dark golden light, illuminating the entire prayer room. The massive, complete rune at the bottom of the pool spun wildly, and the phantom chains, illuminated by the silver moonlight, appeared somewhat…faded?
"Touch the stone! Infuse your power... together with mine... into the rune core!" The will of the earth's origin was clearer and more urgent than ever before!
Su Nian rushed towards the pool, jumped in, and slammed her hands down on the violently trembling black stone that seemed ready to shatter at any moment!
Just as she was about to pour all her power into it—
"So you really... came back here again."
A cold, emotionless voice sounded behind her.
Su Nian froze, then slowly turned around.
Xie Chen had silently appeared at the broken entrance, his face devoid of rage, only a deathly coldness. In his blood-red eyes lay an absolute killing intent, a sense of annihilation born from having one's bottom line completely crossed.
His gaze lingered for a moment on the strange phenomenon of "two moons in the same sky," flashing with extreme disgust, before falling on Su Nian like the guillotine of final judgment.
"This time, there will be no room for complacency."
He raised his hand, and the dark energy of the entire prayer room converged on him as if in submission.
"The game is over."
(End of Chapter 60)
---
Next Chapter Preview: Xie Chen's dark side, now determined to kill, leaves no room for retreat! How will Su Nian, trapped in a desperate situation, cope with this inevitable defeat? Can the strange phenomenon of "two moons in the same sky" and the call from the earth's origin bring a reversal at the last moment? Will Derrick's ambiguous stance change at this crucial moment? The final showdown hinges on this!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com