Chapter 125: The Thirteen Clans Join the War

"Le Xiaoyou? Do you really think you can stop me?" Bai Ye looked at Le Xiaoyou, who was standing in his way, and said with disdain, "Or are you hoping to die a second time?"

"The feeling of death is not pleasant, and I have no desire to experience it again," Le Xiaoyou replied calmly.

"Do you honestly believe that you alone can defeat me?" Bai Ye asked with a curious smirk.

"I know the gap between us is something I can never bridge in this lifetime," Le Xiaoyou said to him. "But being the stronger one does not necessarily mean being the winner, does it?"

"How confident," Bai Ye mocked, unfazed by her serene expression. "Then let me see what your bluff is worth." With that, he mercilessly swung his sharp claws toward her.

"Xiaoyou!" Seeing her stand motionless before his strike, I couldn't help but cry out in terror.

"I'm sorry, Nana, I deceived you." Ignoring the claws descending upon her, Le Xiaoyou turned to me with a faint smile. "I'm sorry, Nana. Please tell Xingyu one last thing for me. I have found my peace, so please, stop blaming yourself and stop torturing your soul. He should pursue his own happiness once more. This is my final wish. Nana, tha..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Bai Ye’s glowing claws tore her figure apart. Le Xiaoyou dissolved into specks of starlight, vanishing from the world, and her voice faded into the void beside me.

"Xiaoyou!" My mind went blank as I watched her disappear. Why? It was my fault again. If I hadn't summoned her, she wouldn't have died. If I hadn't held her back, she wouldn't have met this end. Once more, my incompetence had brought harm to a friend.

"Bai Ye!" I glared with fury at him, his momentary shock at her disappearance fueling my hatred. "Bai Ye, I will kill you. I will absolutely kill you!" My figure vanished from where I stood, and I lunged at him, my giant black scythe imbued with endless rage and malice.

"Damn it!" Recovering, Bai Ye hurriedly raised his claws to block my strike, but he was sent flying by the force of my onslaught. Several of his sharp nails were sheared off, and his hands dripped with blood. Before he could even steady himself, I vanished again, appearing right before him to bring my black scythe down once more with unbridled hatred.

"Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!" I swung the scythe again and again, my mind a hollow void, acting with mechanical, murderous repetition, desperate to shred the man before me into pieces.

"Clang!" With a sharp ringing sound, the black scythe, having collided countless times, could no longer endure the pressure and shattered into fragments. In my shock, Bai Ye seized the opening and swung his claws without hesitation. I instinctively raised the hilt to block, but it was sliced through, and his claws tore deep into my chest, sending a spray of blood into the air as I was thrown backward.

"Hah... hah... hah..." I gasped for air, still glaring through the pain at Bai Ye, who stood not far away. The agony in my chest pulled me back from the brink of madness.

"Princess Liliana!" the last remaining soul of the Duke of Wind asked with concern.

"I am fine," I said coldly. "Forgive me for disturbing your rest. You are no match for him. Do not interfere in our battle." I had already watched one friend vanish before my eyes; I would not allow it to happen again.

"I understand, Princess Liliana. Please be careful." The Duke of Wind retreated helplessly.

The pain from the gash on my chest kept me focused. I looked at Bai Ye; he was in a far more wretched state than I. His sharp nails were broken, his hands dripping with gore, and several deep, bone-exposing wounds marred his chest—the marks of my furious assault.

"Liliana, I never expected to see such a crazed side of you," Bai Ye sneered. "What is it? The death of a lowly human has driven you to such madness? This is unlike you. As a noble vampire princess, how could you lose your reason over a mere, base human?"

"Bai Ye!" His words felt like salt in my wounds, threatening to shatter my composure again.

"Liliana, do you know why you will lose to me?" He ignored my rage and continued, "It is because you are too weak, because you lack cold-bloodedness! As a vampire, why concern yourself with the life or death of a pathetic human? Why feel sorrow or rage? Wake up, Liliana! You are of the noble vampire bloodline; stop being so naive. You and the humans are destined to exist in two different worlds!"

"I know that!" I roared back at his condescending lecture. "I know that being with humans only brings pain to both sides! I have always known this; I do not need you to preach to me. But I will never forgive someone who harms my friends! I will never forgive them!" I screamed, my fingernails elongating into lethal claws. "I will kill you, Bai Ye!"

"Then come, let us see who is left standing at the end." With a wicked grin, he lunged at me.

If nothing had intervened, the fight would have continued until one of us was dead. But fate is unpredictable. Just as we were about to clash, I felt a tremor in my domain—someone was attacking from the outside. Bai Ye sensed the anomaly as well, stopping instantly to watch his surroundings with caution.

Finally, the boundary of my domain shattered, and the grey mist that shrouded us began to dissipate rapidly.

"My apologies, Princess Liliana. I fear I must take my leave," the Duke of Wind said helplessly.

"It is fine. I am enough," I replied to his fading phantom. "I am sorry for disturbing your eternal rest."

As the last of the grey mist cleared, Bai Ye and I were revealed.

"Princess Liliana!" The person who had broken the barrier from the outside gasped in shock at the sight of me.

Fifteen figures surrounded us, staring in disbelief.

"Sister Lilith!" Lily-el covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with astonishment.

"Lily-el, long time no see. And to the patriarchs of the Thirteen Clans," I said, greeting them with a faint smile.

"Princess Liliana, were you not killed? Lily-el, what is the meaning of this?" the head of the Brujah clan demanded.

"I don't know. The news of Sister Lilith's death came from Xingyu, who said he received the word from Father," Lily-el replied, equally confused.

"Has Xingyu met with Father already?" I said, looking at the patriarchs. "I did indeed die once. What stands before you now is merely a returned soul. It was Father who summoned me back from the Underworld."

"It is good that you are safe, Princess," another patriarch said. "Is that the base fallen one who once harmed you?"

"That is right. That is Bai Ye, the Vampire King," Lily-el shouted before I could answer. "We must kill him!"

"Lily-el, this is a grudge between Bai Ye and myself. Do not interfere," I commanded.

"My apologies, Princess, but we cannot grant your request," the Brujah patriarch countered. "From the moment this base fallen one dared to harm you, this ceased to be a personal matter. This is an affront to the entire vampire race and a challenge to our honor. We cannot tolerate such insolence!"

"Hmph!" Bai Ye scoffed. "Do you old fools think you are worthy of being my opponents? Only Liliana interests me; the rest of you are nothing but ants."

"Base fallen one, you court death!" Infuriated by his insult, the patriarchs glared at him, desperate to tear him apart.

"Stand down!" I stepped between them and Bai Ye, my voice icy with command. "This is my battlefield! I will not allow anyone to interfere! Bai Ye is my prey!"

"Princess Liliana!" a patriarch groaned in frustration.

"Do not forget, Princess, you are still a wanted fugitive. You have no right to command us," the Brujah patriarch retorted. "We have not seized you only out of respect for your lineage. Do not obstruct the resolution of the Vampire Council. Killing this fallen one is the decree of all thirteen clans—not even the Prince could change it! Now, step aside!"