CA – Chapter 136
Chapter 136
This werewolf’s mental state was somewhat abnormal.
At the mere mention of Dini’s name, her entire body trembled slightly. The coldness in her eyes vanished, replaced by a frenzied madness. She bit her lip until it bled, and her face was an unnatural shade of pale.
Ophelia’s aura fluctuated wildly. Her emotions were so agitated that she couldn’t even control her own power properly.
The werewolf domain had already spread out, its powerful pressure enveloping Tang Qiu, causing her expression to gradually turn grave. She moved her hand from Lucille’s back, and to prevent Ophelia from attacking Lucille, she took the initiative to stand up and face Ophelia directly, drawing all of her attention onto herself.
Tang Qiu’s action did indeed divert Ophelia’s attention. Ophelia stared at Tang Qiu without blinking. With the moonlight at her back, her expression was hidden in shadow, but the aura around her seemed to have calmed somewhat.
Tang Qiu thought Ophelia might have calmed down, so she tried to speak. “The Dini you’re talking about is Dini Harris…” Before she could finish her sentence, she was sent flying by a blow from Ophelia.
Although Tang Qiu had been wary of Ophelia, Ophelia’s strength was incomparable to that of a vampire like Claire. The impact sent her crashing through a row of trees before she could stabilize herself. A tearing pain shot through her chest. Tang Qiu bent over slightly as the taste of blood spread in her mouth. She raised a hand and wiped the corner of her mouth with her thumb, smearing it with fresh red blood.
“You are not worthy of speaking her name.” Ophelia’s face was grim as she walked toward Tang Qiu step by step. Her hands, hanging at her sides, were clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white, as if she were suppressing something. She spoke through gritted teeth, “You’re the one who killed her, Grace.”
Tang Qiu kept her head down and said nothing. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, then took out a bottle of Holy Water of Light, unstoppered it unhurriedly, and drank it down.
Ophelia’s steps faltered. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and anger flared on her face. “Do you feel no remorse at all?”
Tang Qiu glanced at Ophelia, casually tossed the bottle aside, and muttered to herself, “…Madman.”
She had originally thought this person could be reasoned with, but now it was clear she was just a madman.
There was no way to “reason” with a madman. Once Tang Qiu realized Ophelia was only here to vent her anger, she stopped trying to speak. She flexed her wrists, then lunged toward Ophelia in a flash.
The werewolves were nearby. If this dragged on, the situation could turn against her.
Sharp claws grazed past her throat. Enraged, Ophelia raised a hand to grab Tang Qiu’s shoulder, but Tang Qiu ducked to evade it. At the same time, a sharp pain shot through Ophelia’s arm. Her sleeve was torn by claws, revealing three bleeding, ghastly claw marks on her arm.
In a battle between werewolves, light magic was of little use. Unlike vampires, werewolves were not particularly vulnerable to the power of light. Ordinary light spells had no effect on them, and powerful ones required time to chant.
When fighting a werewolf, there was no time to chant spells.
The strength of the Royal Wolf bloodline was far beyond that of ordinary werewolves. After coming of age, their power would increase dramatically and continue to grow over time.
Ophelia’s talent was not low. Although she couldn’t compare to Faye, she was already on par with Fanny, and in reality, she had only come of age a little over a decade ago.
Although Tang Qiu was also of the Royal Wolf bloodline, the seal within her body had never been completely broken. Moreover, she had just expended too much energy and stamina killing Claire in the castle.
Facing Ophelia, who was in perfect condition and at her peak, Tang Qiu could feel herself being suppressed, a pressure originating from her very bloodline.
The moonlight remained clear and cold, while the two figures standing beneath it were nearly bathed in blood. Their snow-white hair was matted together with blood. Ophelia’s body was covered in wounds, and blood dripped from the hand hanging at her side.
Tang Qiu’s injuries were even more severe; there was even a bloody gash on her face. She knelt on one knee, her breathing heavy, the thick taste of blood filling her mouth. The pain had become numb, but her mind was exceptionally clear.
She could even feel the blood in her body boiling.
The physical and mental exhaustion vanished due to the boiling blood, and the joints throughout her body began to ache and throb again. The sensation was just like her first transformation into a werewolf.
But she was clearly in her werewolf form right now…
As Tang Qiu was staring at her own palm in a daze, a hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder. Ophelia slammed Tang Qiu to the ground, her sharp claws pressing directly against her fragile throat.
Tang Qiu narrowed her eyes, and the hand she had raised slowly lowered.
“I’ve always hated you. First, you took my sister from me, and then you stole Dini.” Ophelia’s eyes were crimson, and the hand gripping Tang Qiu’s shoulder was so strong it felt like it would crush the bone. Her voice trembled, her emotions extremely unstable. “Dini loved you so much, why didn’t you protect her?”
“Her body was so weak, yet she still went to the Holy See to find you. And you? You just let her die at the hands of vampires?”
Ophelia’s emotions were running high, and her claws repeatedly scratched Tang Qiu’s neck. Tang Qiu raised a hand and gripped Ophelia’s wrist, her brow furrowing at the accusations.
Tang Qiu knew that Dini and the original Grace knew each other, but she had never seen any sign that Dini harbored unusual feelings for the original Grace.
They first met atop the lighthouse. At that time, Dini’s eyes held only curiosity, nothing more.
Later, when they met in the temple, she showed no abnormal behavior either. This had led Tang Qiu to believe that Dini and the original Grace were merely acquaintances with no deep connection.
This was a far cry from the “Dini” Ophelia was describing…
The sudden grip on her wrist halted Ophelia’s accusations. She stared blankly at the wounds on Tang Qiu’s neck for a moment, then subconsciously pulled her hand back, muttering, “…I-I can’t kill you.”
She had killed Grace at the Holy See because she had just seen Dini’s corpse and had lost her reason in a fit of grief and rage. But a long time had passed since she learned of Dini’s death.
Ophelia regained some of her senses. She silently let go of Tang Qiu and pressed her palm to the ground. The cold seemed to freeze her heart through her hand. She sat there dazedly, her peripheral vision catching the unconscious Lucille. She suddenly asked, “Is this vampire important to you?”
Tang Qiu, who was using a healing spell to stop the bleeding, watched her warily and said in a cold voice, “Dini Harris isn’t dead. She’s right inside that castle.”
Ophelia let out a cold laugh, not believing Tang Qiu’s words at all. She stood up and walked toward Lucille.
A murderous glint flashed in Tang Qiu’s eyes. She took out her staff of light and began chanting a low spell. A flame of light appeared at Ophelia’s feet, trapping her.
Ophelia’s steps paused for a moment. A cold wind suddenly blew from behind, and she was sent flying by a massive force.
A white figure stood protectively in front of Lucille. Tang Qiu stared coldly at Ophelia and said in a deep voice, “That’s enough, Ophelia. The person you’re looking for is in the castle.”
Ophelia seemed not to hear Tang Qiu’s words, her gaze fixed on Lucille. “…I’ll make you taste the pain of losing a loved one, too.”
As she spoke, a white light flashed around her body, and she transformed into her original form. A white wolf over three meters tall appeared in Tang Qiu’s vision. The white wolf threw its head back and let out a howl, its tail lashing restlessly behind it. At the same time, a wave of pressure spread outwards. Tang Qiu, standing protectively in front of Lucille, clenched her fists at her sides, unmoving as she resisted the white wolf’s oppression.
A wave of pain shot through her body, her bones creaking. The white wolf’s pressure was suppressing her, but it also felt like a provocation. Tang Qiu could feel something struggling within her.
Her boiling blood was clamoring, dissatisfied, as if telling her that the white wolf’s pressure was not enough to make her submit.
The white wolf bared its fangs and advanced on Tang Qiu. Compared to the wolf’s size, Tang Qiu appeared far too small. It casually raised a paw, intending to swat her aside, but just as the paw was about to touch Tang Qiu, she grabbed it. The white wolf swung its paw, trying to shake her off, but surprisingly, Tang Qiu stood her ground, unmoving.
Tang Qiu looked up, meeting the white wolf’s gaze. Her sky-blue eyes were filled with bloodshot veins. She said, word by word, “Get. Out. Of. The. Way.”
A white light swirled around her. A fluffy tail peeked out from under the hem of her clothes. The white light stretched and elongated her body, and a white wolf of equal size suddenly appeared in her place.
Its massive body, sharp fangs, and cold, murderous eyes were fixed on Ophelia. The white wolf threw its head back and let out a howl, a terrifying pressure spreading out in all directions, showing signs of suppressing Ophelia.
Ophelia involuntarily took a step back under the white wolf’s pressure. Realizing her own retreat, she couldn’t believe it. Anger surged in her heart, and she forced her retreating feet to a halt, letting out a threatening growl at the other white wolf.
The two wolf howls came in quick succession. Jemma and the other werewolves, who were fighting vampires near the castle, all stopped in their tracks. Their ears perked up, and they turned to look in the direction of the howls, their eyes filled with confusion and astonishment. Some werewolves couldn't help but start howling in response.
Jillian transformed into her human form and tossed aside the dead vampire in her hand. Eva came up to her side and said with a mix of shock and uncertainty, “Who’s nearby? Is it Clan Leader Faye?”
For werewolves, a howl was a way to identify someone. But these two successive howls, aside from making them feel the pressure of the royal bloodline, were completely unfamiliar.
Jillian’s expression was grave. She glanced at the clan members gathered around her, pondered for a moment, and said in a low voice, “Let’s go see.”
This was a summons from royalty; they could not ignore it.
Jillian and the werewolves quickly found Ophelia and Tang Qiu. Two white wolves were locked in a fierce fight. The dual pressure from the royal bloodline and their powerful auras prevented them from getting too close. Some of the weaker werewolves couldn’t help but lower their bodies, their ears flattened against their heads.
“This… this is…” Eva’s mouth hung open. She turned to Jillian, her face a mask of disbelief.
Two royal werewolves… Why had she never heard Clan Leader Faye mention this?
Jillian didn’t speak. Her gaze swept the surroundings, finally landing on Lucille. The distance was too great for her to see Lucille’s face clearly, but she remembered her scent.
“Huh?” Jemma also spotted Lucille. She skirted the area where the white wolves were fighting and moved toward Lucille. When she was still a dozen steps away, one of the fighting wolves suddenly rushed over and blocked her path. Jemma was startled, her tail dropped instantly, and she lowered her body in a gesture of submission.
The white wolf glanced at her, then turned and pounced on Ophelia again.
Jillian came over and patted Jemma’s back. Jemma transformed into her human form, patted her chest, and whispered, “You scared me to death.” It was the first time she had felt the pressure of the royal bloodline from such a close distance.
Jillian glanced at the unconscious Lucille and said to Jemma in a low voice, “Don’t go near that vampire.”
Jemma pouted. “I know her. She’s Grace’s friend.”
Jillian didn’t reply. She grabbed Jemma’s wrist and led her away from the area protected by the white wolf. The werewolves gathered together, whispering among themselves. Eva stared at the white wolf for a while, then turned to look at Lucille. A guess formed in her mind. She raised a hand to her chin and muttered to herself, “It… couldn’t be, right?”
The commotion from the battle between the two royal werewolves was too great. Not only did it attract Jillian and the others, but even Delia, who was in the castle, came to investigate after hearing the two howls.
She rested a hand on a tree trunk, staring blankly at the two fighting white wolves. The wolves were similar in size, and both had sky-blue eyes. Unless one was of the same clan, it would be difficult to tell them apart by appearance.
But Delia recognized Ophelia. She had spent countless nights sleeping while holding that white wolf. For her, a single glance was all it took to recognize Ophelia’s original form.
Ophelia…
Delia’s hand on the tree trunk slowly tightened. She stared blankly at the fighting wolves, her mind in chaos. Just as she was at a loss, a voice suddenly came from behind her.
“See? Ophelia is fighting her own kind for you.” Faye walked out of the darkness to Delia’s side. She gazed ahead, her tone calm. “I should have killed you when she brought you back to the Wolf Race.”
Delia turned around in a panic. Although Faye’s face was calm, she felt a fear that came from the bottom of her heart. She took a few wary steps back and said in a low voice, “Even if you had killed me back then, Grace would still have had to die.”
It was Grace’s destiny. If the prophesied “savior” was to appear at this time, Grace would have died for some other reason, even without Ophelia.
Faye glanced at Delia. “But my sister wouldn’t have become like this because of a liar.”
Delia’s eyes widened as she retorted, “I’m not a liar.”
“Oh?”
“I just wanted to live.” Delia shouted fiercely at Faye. “If you had been willing to help me achieve eternal life, how could Ophelia and I have ended up like this?”
She didn’t want to die. Even if her illness was cured, she would still grow old slowly, with only a century to live. Delia didn’t want that.
From birth, she had been dominated by the fear of death. She would do anything for eternal life.
She loved Ophelia, but Ophelia only wanted to spend a peaceful century with her. She was unwilling, yet she didn’t dare tell Ophelia of her greedy desires, for fear of destroying the beautiful image she had so carefully maintained in Ophelia’s mind.
“Your intentions were never pure when you approached Ophelia,” Faye said indifferently. “But she liked you. Werewolves have long lifespans. She was unwilling to reproduce, so wasting a hundred years on pleasure was no matter to her.”
“But help you achieve eternal life?” Faye raised a hand and pinched Delia’s chin, her voice cold. “What could you bring to the Wolf Race?”
“Watch you divide the Wolf Race’s power?”
Delia stepped back and subconsciously denied it. “I-I wouldn’t do that.”
Faye snorted, a trace of mockery on her face. A greedy person is never satisfied. Once she had eternal life and freedom, she would set her sights on power.
For Faye, killing Delia was as simple as crushing an ant. But sometimes, death was not the most painful thing.
“Eternal life without freedom, feels pretty good, doesn’t it?” Faye’s lips curved slightly. She raised a hand and patted Delia’s shoulder, her tone gentle. “Cherish it. Maybe one day you won’t even be able to enjoy eternal life.”
After she finished, she turned to leave, but Delia suddenly called out to her. “Ophelia killed your daughter. Have you just forgiven her like that?”
Even if the “savior” had appeared, the original Grace was dead, and at Ophelia’s hands.
Delia had seen it with her own eyes. She was near the Holy See that night. If she hadn’t seen Ophelia attack Grace for her sake, she wouldn’t have been shaken. She wouldn’t have felt regret.
And she wouldn’t have… desired freedom so much.
Faye glanced sideways at Delia, seeing through her intentions. “You hope I’ll banish Ophelia from the Wolf Race, so you can use a new identity to get close to her?”
“Dini, put away those cunning thoughts of yours.”
“You’d best not try to provoke me again.”
After Faye left, Delia leaned against the tree trunk, utterly dejected, until a miserable howl brought her back to her senses. The sound was very familiar to her. She turned around in a hurry and subconsciously took a step forward. “Ophelia…”
After Tang Qiu’s seal was completely broken, her aura was no less powerful than Ophelia’s. Faye was the most talented clan leader the Wolf Race had seen in millennia. As her descendant, Tang Qiu’s talent was naturally superior to Ophelia’s.
Once her aura weakened, defeat was only a matter of time.
In a moment of carelessness, Ophelia allowed the white wolf to bite her neck. A werewolf’s sharp fangs easily pierced her throat, and its excellent bite force made it impossible for her to break free. Ophelia lowered her body and struggled fiercely, but it only caused the wound to tear deeper.
She let out a whimper and collapsed heavily to the ground, her fur almost completely soaked in blood.
A white light flashed around Ophelia; she could no longer maintain her original form. She raised a hand to her neck, curled up on the ground, her breathing ragged. Blood seeped uncontrollably from between her fingers.
The white wolf got off Ophelia. With a flash of white light, it also returned to its human form. Tang Qiu shook her dizzy head. Her consciousness was already fading, but she forced herself not to pass out, because she still remembered she had to take Lucille to a safe place.
Using the last of her strength, Tang Qiu stood up and staggered toward Lucille.
Ophelia had just lost her ability to fight a step ahead of her. Otherwise, it might have been Tang Qiu who fell.
When Jemma and the others saw Ophelia, they were still a bit dazed, but when they saw Tang Qiu, their eyes all widened. Jemma pointed at Tang Qiu and stammered, “G-Grace…”
“Am I seeing things?” She turned her head with a stunned expression, only to find that the others were just as shocked as she was.
Eva, whose hand had been on her chin, silently covered her mouth, her brow furrowed tightly. She took a tentative step toward Tang Qiu, but Tang Qiu’s wary glance made her stop in her tracks.
There were more than a dozen werewolves who had witnessed the battle between Tang Qiu and Ophelia, but the atmosphere was so quiet that only the sound of Ophelia’s breathing could be heard.
Tang Qiu walked over to Lucille, took out two bottles of Holy Water of Light and drank them. Feeling some of her strength return, she bent down and tried to lift Lucille onto her back.
Jemma looked at her with concern and couldn’t help but walk over, saying softly, “You’re injured, Grace.”
Tang Qiu looked up at her and curved her lips into a faint smile. “I’ve rescued her. Thank you and your companions.”
Jemma quickly shook her head. Seeing Tang Qiu covered in wounds, she cautiously suggested, “Where are you going? I can take you.”
Tang Qiu shook her head, politely declining. “Thank you, Jemma.”
“I look forward to our next meeting.”
With that, she lifted Lucille onto her back and left. Their figures soon disappeared into the night.
After Tang Qiu left, the werewolves looked at each other. Jillian walked over to Ophelia, looked her over, then took out some Holy Water of Light from her Space Gem and bent down to pour it on her wounds.
Eva also came over, took out a bottle of Holy Water of Light, and held it to Ophelia’s lips. She frowned and said, “Who is she, really?”
Jillian said in a low voice, “She might be Clan Leader Faye’s younger sister.”
“Huh?”
“I heard Vice-Chief Fanny mention it once. Clan Leader Faye has a younger sister who was too weak at birth, so she was raised in the forbidden area deep in the ice plains.”
The forbidden area deep in the ice plains was off-limits to ordinary werewolves. It was where the elders and the old, injured werewolves of the clan lived.
Eva saw Ophelia’s breathing gradually stabilize. She pulled her hand back and glanced in the direction Tang Qiu had left. “Then Grace…”
Before Jillian could speak, a tall, slender figure walked out of the darkness. Faye answered Eva’s question softly, “She is my daughter, the Young Master of the Wolf Race.”
Upon seeing Faye, Eva and Jillian stood up straight, bowed their heads respectfully, and said, “Clan Leader.”
The other werewolves also called out, “Clan Leader.”
Faye nodded at them. Knowing they were confused about Tang Qiu’s identity, she shook her head slightly, raised a finger to her lips, and said with a smile, “She is currently a bishop in the Holy See, so remember to keep it a secret. Don’t reveal her identity.”
The werewolves were stunned for a moment, then nodded hastily in agreement.
After giving her instructions, Faye waved her hand, signaling them to leave. After Faye appeared, Ophelia’s body had stiffened. She raised a hand to cover her face, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes.
“Not getting up?” Faye looked down at Ophelia and said softly.
Ophelia didn’t move. After a while, her voice came out muffled. “Are you here to kill me?”
“Hmm?”
“Because I had murderous intent toward your daughter.”
Ophelia lowered her hand, her red eyes stubbornly meeting Faye’s gaze, tears welling up. “I’m jealous of her. She took the two most important people from me.”
“She caused Dini’s death. If Dini hadn’t gone to the Holy See to find her, she wouldn’t have died at the hands of vampires.”
“If she didn’t exist, the one you’d always be watching would still be me.”
“I hate her.”
Faye sighed. She reached out a hand to Ophelia, her eyes filled with a hint of helplessness. “I did want to kill you, because you killed one of our own for a human.”
“Have you forgotten everything I taught you?”
Ophelia looked away and didn’t take Faye’s outstretched hand.
Faye bent down and helped her up. She pushed her hair aside to check her injuries and said in a low voice, “Stop running around. Come back to the territory with me.”
Ophelia leaned on Faye’s shoulder and cried, “I hate Grace.”
Faye didn’t speak. She took out Holy Water of Light and cleaned Ophelia’s wounds.
The scent of a vampire appeared nearby. Faye glanced to the side and saw it was Delia. A flash of displeasure crossed her face.
Ophelia noticed Faye’s reaction. She wiped away her tears and followed Faye’s gaze to see a strange vampire. She said coldly, “A vampire?”
Delia met Ophelia’s gaze. Seeing the unfamiliarity and coldness in her eyes, her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a hand. She wanted to say something, but Ophelia had already turned her head away.
Faye’s lips curved slightly, but there was no smile in her eyes. “Lord Delia, is there something you need?”
Delia came back to her senses. She turned and fled as if escaping.
“I hate vampires too,” Ophelia said with disgust, leaning against Faye.
Her Dini had died at the hands of vampires.
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