Chapter 220: The Patriarch’s Return

Chapter 220: Chapter 220: The Patriarch’s Return

"The Dark King and his surviving followers crashed on Earth six hundred years ago," Heket continued, her voice hollow. "Before the Cataclysm. Earth was a Tier 1 planet with no mana back then. The Zetharian Empire’s spatial sensors couldn’t track them here. They were safe."

Clara and Mickey stood frozen. Cosmic wars. Galaxies. Empires spanning star systems. Vampire dynasties that predated human civilization. The scale of what they were hearing defied comprehension.

"The Dark King and House Nox were the original Ancient Vampires of Earth," Heket said. "The True Born vampire families today — the Du Mauriers, the Khamsins, the Apeps, the Crimson Throne, the Eclipse Court — all of them are either descendants of House Nox’s followers or lesser vampires they created over the centuries."

She paused. "The Dark King put himself into a deep slumber to heal from the wounds sustained during the escape from Vespera. They had to awaken him now because vampire bloodlines were declining. Many couldn’t get past the Grand Core or Astral Realm. They needed their king."

Lucian stood silently. His mind raced.

All of this happened before I was even born in my past life.

The timeline clicked into place. House Nox’s arrival on Earth six hundred years ago. The Zetharian Empire still existed then — still powerful, still hunting. The Vampire King Malakor Vyrnn still ruled. And somewhere in that timeline, at least four hundred years later, Lucian Noctis Vael was born in a border city slum on a different world entirely.

Lucian’s eyes narrowed.

He turned to Apophis. "When will Seth be back?"

Apophis’s jaw clenched. His crimson eyes burned. He said nothing.

Lucian raised his hand. A Light Sword materialized. Thrum.

"Wait!" Heket grabbed Lucian’s arm. Her fingers trembled against his skin. "Our father will be back in five days."

Lucian dismissed the Light Sword. Fizzle. He looked down at Heket. His evil smile returned.

"See? That wasn’t so hard, was it, love?"

Heket’s face crumpled. She looked away.

Lucian straightened. "Five days. More than enough time to plan."

He turned and walked toward one of the side chambers. Tap. Tap. Clara followed.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

Lucian sat cross-legged on the stone floor. He opened the system shop, scrolling through cultivation techniques. His crimson eyes scanned entry after entry until one caught his attention.

Lunar Devouring Art — S-Rank Cultivation Technique — 35,000 SC

An ancient technique designed for lunar-attributed cultivators. Absorbs ambient mana at three times the normal rate during daylight hours. At night, absorbs energy directly from moonlight — converting lunar radiation into pure mana. During a full moon, mana absorption increases by 500%. The user’s mana pool expands passively even without active cultivation.

Her Moon Goddess Bloodline and Lunar Authority would amplify the technique’s effects exponentially. He purchased it. Ding. A jade slip materialized in his palm.

Next, Lucian pulled out a recipe scroll — one of many he had received from Allistar before the academy fell. He scrolled through until he found what he wanted.

Grand Core Convergence Pill — Tier 3 Recipe

A pill designed specifically for Grand Core cultivators. Compresses ambient mana into the cultivator’s core, accelerating cultivation progress and expanding mana pathways. Can close the gap between Early and Mid Grand Core by approximately 20-30% per pill. Requires Tier 3 alchemist skill to refine.

He hadn’t had the opportunity to learn swordsmanship or alchemy in his past life. In this life, Allistar had opened doors he never knew existed. He wondered where the old man was now.

Lucian set up his alchemy tools in the corner of the chamber. Mid-grade cauldron. Essence extractors. Purification filters. Clank. Clank. He laid out the ingredients — herbs, minerals, mana crystals — and began.

Over the next four hours, he continued through trials and failures.

Hour five. Lucian’s hands moved carefully. Mental Power guided the flame — Allistar’s teachings echoing in his mind. Thrum. The essence merged. The mixture stabilized.

Ding.

A single pill sat in the cauldron. Deep blue. Glowing faintly. Grand Core Convergence Pill. Success.

Lucian stared at it. A small smile touched his lips. High-tier alchemy was brutal. But he had done it.

He continued refining. FOver an entire day of continuous work — he produced ten pills.

He returned to the throne room. Clara sat watching the prisoners. The Dark Wyvern guarded them with unblinking crimson eyes.

Lucian handed Clara the jade slip and two pills. "Lunar Devouring Art. S-Rank cultivation technique. And Grand Core Convergence Pills. Take two."

Clara’s eyes widened as she scanned the jade slip. "Lucian... this is incredible. The absorption rate alone—"

"Focus on breaking through to Mid Grand Core," Lucian said. He handed two pills to Mickey. "You too."

Mickey took them without question. "Thanks, boss."

Lucian sat cross-legged in the corner of the chamber. He closed his eyes. His consciousness drifted into his Sea of Consciousness — where four Star Palaces floated. Light of Dawn. Crimson Origin. Mind Palace. Devouring Void. He meditated on each one, feeling the mana pathways, the star sockets, the potential locked within.

The Dark Wyvern watched the three prisoners.

Four days passed.

Cultivation. Meditation. Refinement. Lucian barely slept. Clara and Mickey cultivated relentlessly — absorbing the Lunar Devouring Art’s techniques and digesting the pills. Their auras grew steadily stronger. Clara’s mana pool expanded dramatically — the Lunar Devouring Art synergizing with her Moon Goddess Bloodline perfectly. Mickey’s Perfect Copy ability adapted to his growing cultivation, his control sharpening with each session.

Lucian spent the days alternating between cultivation, and meditation on his Star Palaces. His Origin Devouring Art had stabilized the energy absorbed from the battlefield. His meridians had healed.

On the fourth day, a powerful aura arrived over the ruins of the Apep clan.

THRUUM.

The pressure was immense. Peak Grand Core. It descended from the sky like a falling star.

Lucian’s eyes opened. A smirk spread across his face.

He stood. Tap. He walked to the throne room.

A figure descended through the ceiling. A shadow serpent materialized beneath him. The figure stepped off. The serpent dissolved. Fshhhh.

Seth al-Apep stood in the center of his throne room.

His black hair fell past his shoulders. His crimson eyes scanned the room.

He saw the ruins. The bodies of his clansmen.

He saw his wife. Amunet. Dead on the floor.

He saw his children. Chained.

His face contorted in rage. His aura erupted. BOOOOM! Peak Grand Core pressure slammed through the throne room. The Dark Wyvern raised its head, growling. Grrrrl. Seth’s crimson eyes blazed like twin suns.

"WHO DID THIS—"

His eyes swept the room and found three figures standing at the entrance.

Lucian stepped forward. Tap. His silver hair caught the dim light. His crimson eyes met Seth’s. His black coat billowed in the residual pressure.

Clara and Mickey stood beside him.

Lucian smiled coldly.

"Remember me?"