“Why make it difficult for her? They really are short on manpower.” Following this somewhat gentle yet unruly voice, a tall lady appeared in the tavern and took her seat in front of Qianye.

Qianye sized her up, saying, “Not many are qualified to sit with me at this point, but you’re definitely one of them.”

The Spider Queen giggled with her mouth covered. “Your legends never made you out to be so domineering.”

“You’ve even arrived yourself, why did you not bring Nighteye? Is it even more difficult than the trouble of traveling here?”

The Spider Queen smiled. “It’s not that hard, but the Queen of the Night isn’t willing to lose face. She has already released Nighteye, but she won’t admit it. People think Nighteye is still in her hands.”

“She has already released Nighteye?” Qianye shot to his feet but slowly sat down again.

The Spider Queen said, “I have no reason to lie to you. I believe you have your ways of finding her. The most important matter at the moment is how to deal with the new sun that the humans are dragging in. Do you really want the two of you to be the only ones left from the sacred race?”

Qianye narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything.

The Spider Queen raised her voice. “That friend over there, stop hiding. Do you think you can hide from my perception?”

A figure walked out from the shadows. “I never once thought that. Who would’ve thought the Spider Queen herself would come?”

This person was Song Zining. Qianye wasn’t all that surprised; he clearly knew the man was here.

Song Zining dragged a chair over and sat down nearby, producing a triangle between the three parties. Qianye and the Spider Queen were much more powerful, but Song Zining didn’t lose out to them in terms of momentum.

“Just as well. Everyone’s here, so let’s get to talking.”

The Spider Queen said, “No rush, I have someone for you two to meet.”

“Who?”

Song Zining hadn’t finished speaking when a black shadow flickered before his eyes. Someone had just jumped into his arms.

Song Zining fell to the ground with a bang, dazed as he sank into the floorboards. All the stars he had memorized as a diviner flashed before his eyes.

“Mama!” A crisp, delighted voice immediately caused Song Zining’s face to turn dark.

Qianye seemed helpless. He plucked the little girl off of Song Zining, scolding, “You’re always so reckless.”

Little Zhuji was now a young lady, but she still pulled a face at Qianye. “I haven’t seen Mama for a long time!”

Song Zining’s expression was unsightly as Qianye pulled him up.

“How are your bones?” Qianye asked.

Song Zining hissed in pain. “Broke a rib or two.”

Zhuji came over in a hurry. “Where were you hurt? Let me rub it for you!”

“No! Right now, I only have one broken rib, who knows how many more will break if you do!” Song Zining ran behind Qianye.

“Mama never treats me well.” Zhuji snorted. She then jumped onto Qianye and clung on with both arms and legs.

Qianye’s breathing became somewhat irregular.

“Are you alright?” Song Zining glanced worriedly at him.

“It’s fine. Fortunately, my bones are pretty strong. A random duke would’ve been strangled to death.” Qianye sat down calmly and rubbed Zhuji’s head.

The Spider Queen glanced at the two men with an amused, thoughtful expression.

Song Zining restored his fracture while adopting his usual elegant demeanor.

“Are you here to use Zhuji as a bargaining chip to make me help Evernight?” Qianye asked.

The Spider Queen said in a serious tone, “Of course not. I just wanted you to know that you have family in the Evernight Faction as well. I would imagine Nighteye didn’t come to you because she didn’t want to interfere with your judgment. It’s impossible for her to not know where you are now that she’s a great dark monarch. Lilith gave her the blood coffin reserved for her hibernation.”

Qianye was moved. “The Queen of the Night let her use the blood pond?”

Blood ponds were like origin power reserves for a vampire, an extremely important part of their arsenal. This was especially true for the Queen’s blood pond as this was undoubtedly the most valuable ancient blood pond in the race. If she had truly given Nighteye this blood pond, it would do more than just push her to the great dark monarch realm. Her potential would be increased as well, and she would be one step closer to the Sacred Mountain.

But was there any meaning to that in the event of great change?

“Why wasn’t the Queen of the Night willing to admit it?”

“She’s a proud one. If she did, wouldn’t she be admitting that she’s afraid of you?”

Qianye said after a moment of contemplation, “What is the council’s stance?”

“We supremes will invite you to join the council. Your seat will be atop the Sacred Mountain, and we will also leave a seat for Nighteye.”

This meant that there would be three supremes from the vampire race, an unprecedented grand status for Evernight.

The Spider Queen looked deeply into Qianye’s eyes. “Of course, considering your status and strength as the first drop of blood, even Lilith might be inferior to you in the future. It’s just that we have to observe some traditions. Although the strong reign supreme, we cannot do everything we please. All we can promise is that we will treat Nighteye as an early supreme and grant her matching authority. That way, your voice and authority in the council will match your status and strength.”

Qianye recalled the past at this point. He was still a young man when he held Nighteye’s hands and said heroically, “I will take you atop the Sacred Mountain.”

He said those words as a rash and love-smitten youth. Who would’ve thought they would become a reality today?

Qianye sighed inwardly.

He was fully relieved after confirming that Nighteye was fine. The reason she hadn’t revealed herself was probably because she didn’t want to affect Qianye’s judgment, just as the Spider Queen had said. She would rather burn in daybreak origin power than appear before him.

Qianye glanced at the Spider Queen. “The Demon King was trying to kill us just a while ago. I haven’t settled the score with him just yet. What are the odds if I move to kill him right now?”

The Spider Queen sighed. “Since you’re asking about this matter, I will tell you what I know. The Queen actually knew about Kane’s cleansing of the vampire race.”

“Correct.”

“All of this is because of an ancient prophecy. When the River of Blood manifests, Evernight shall face destruction.”

“Will killing off the tainted vampire bloodlines stop the River of Blood from appearing?”

“Yes, we found that these vampires are able to attract the river more than ordinary vampires. Also, you and Nighteye are the only ones who can summon the river.”

Qianye was shaken as he thought of a certain possibility—the notion, however, was so outrageous that even he didn’t want to believe it.

“All of you trust a simple prophecy so much?”

“We do… because this person is the only supreme prophet in the history of Evernight.”

Song Zining was surprised. “A supreme prophet? That’s impossible. Just like diviners, prophets will probably never become great dark monarchs, let alone a supreme.”

“He is perhaps the strongest supreme in the history of Evernight. He switched his path to prophecy because he sensed the incoming calamity. He saw the end of Evernight and made his one and final prophecy, recording it in the Book of Darkness. He then passed away after completing it. Perhaps because the prophecy was too strange and also the Book of Darkness vanished around the same time, this prophecy was gradually forgotten. Only a handful of people remembered its contents after the Lost Season.”

Qianye was stunned. “So that’s why the Demon King wanted the book.”

“Yes.”

“What about Andruil? Was he never affected by the Lost Season?”

The Spider Queen said, “Our opinion is that he was completely lost.”

Qianye nodded. After a long while, he glanced at Song Zining and said, “What are your thoughts?”