Chapter 3052: Blood‑Stained Addiction 28

The terrifying aura originating from Moxiti's portrait scroll struck the soul bloodline of every vampire present.

The nobles kneeling on the ground had no strength left to tremble; their foreheads pressed to the floor, fingers splayed, the hems of their long robes scattered about, limp and lying flat. The ten elders of the Elder Council were worse off than the nobles—they had lived too long, their bodies unable to withstand any violent turmoil.

Prince Jiaxia, the sole remaining second‑generation pureblood, had long lost the dignity he first showed; his withered face was twisted, his stooped body shaking violently as he tried to activate the mark of a second‑generation prince in his bloodline to resist, only to find it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Nuoya and Fei'erwen went down on one knee, barely maintaining a shred of dignity; under the extreme pressure, their gazes briefly met, revealing overflowing admiration and delight as they quickly glanced toward Jin Chen.

Jin Chen's attention was mostly on Saiyin; he felt Saiyin's fingers in his palm regain some strength, returning his grip, and Saiyin's consciousness finally began to return.

Jin Chen turned his head to scan Saiyin up and down—good, though his long robe was somewhat disheveled from the earlier tug and pressure surge, it was not torn, and no new wounds appeared on the exposed skin.

Jin Chen then spoke up at the right moment: "Perhaps… you should do something to let His Majesty cool down?"

He felt no guilt at all about using the vampire ancestor as an excuse.

To the vampires listening, these words were like a lifeline.

The ancestor must be furious… Exactly! Otherwise how could one explain this terrifying pressure that far exceeds the records, something even Prince Jiaxia cannot withstand?

And yet this pressure deliberately avoided only Count Saiyin!

All vampires still able to think simultaneously linked the same "fact" in their minds.

Today is the Blood Moon Festival, a day to honor His Majesty Moxiti, yet Prince Jiaxia chose this moment to descend in such an overbearing, humiliating manner, even publicly suppressing and forcing Count Saiyin to kneel!

Who is Count Saiyin? He is the sole offspring personally turned by His Majesty Moxiti! He is the bloodline connection and favor that His Majesty left in the world!

In the presence of His Majesty's portrait scroll, to bully the beloved offspring he personally turned…

What else is this if not courting death? What else is this if not provoking the ancestor?

In an instant, countless gazes—bright or dark, filled with fear, dread, and irrepressible resentment—locked onto the still‑struggling, ashen‑faced Prince Jiaxia under the pressure.

Prince Jiaxia naturally heard Jin Chen's words and felt those countless piercing gazes; he had no choice.

He faced the resplendent Moxiti scroll in the heavens, dropped to both knees, and bowed low his stooped frame.

Then, broken, hoarse chants laced with fear spilled from Prince Jiaxia's throat—the most servile words of submission, symbolizing absolute obedience.

Following his action, the Elder Council members behind him, already on the brink of collapse, exerted their last strength, tears and snot streaming as they joined the chant, their voices filled with dying despair.

Saiyin looked somewhat dazedly at the prince kneeling below, his posture the utmost abasement.

Just moments ago, that prince had loomed above, pressing him down like an ant and trampling his authority at will.

And now…

Saiyin involuntarily turned slowly toward the hall's ceiling, where the endless‑glowing portrait scroll of Moxiti hung; in his heart rose not only resentment but also a sour sense of grievance.

Jin Chen looked down leisurely at the scene of kneeling, chanting chaos below the steps; feeling it was enough, he gradually withdrew the mental energy he had poured into the portrait scroll, and the looming Moxiti scroll in the heavens suddenly dimmed its light, returning to its original ancient, dark appearance, silently hovering in midair.

Jin Chen turned his gaze back to Saiyin beside him, only to see him still somewhat dazed, staring at the now‑calm scroll, revealing a fragile, bewildered beauty.

Watching Saiyin still immersed in the ancestor's favor, dazed, Jin Chen: "…" clicked his tongue.

Even though Osdin was not a vampire, merely a former Holy Knight, and knelt at the edge of the hall, he too had been hit by that terrifying pressure, which made him dizzy and nauseous; now that the pressure had lifted, he blankly lifted his head to behold the chaotic, absurd scene before him.

What on earth is going on? How could the vampires' Blood Moon Festival turn out like this!

His mission tonight is completely ruined!

In a daze, it seemed as if a long time had passed.

Saiyin finally came fully out of his daze; beneath the seemingly intangible gaze of the Moxiti scroll, he quietly straightened the somewhat disheveled front and cuffs of his long robe, slightly straightened his back, and reseated himself upon his throne.

He now appeared even more dignified and noble than before, truly like a lord ruling over the vampires.

Only Jin Chen, standing at his side, clicked his tongue softly in his heart.

He's pretending pretty convincingly.

Prince Jiaxia then staggered up, showing a hint of pain.

He had come here hoping to leverage the prince's authority, join forces with the Elder Council in one fell swoop to seize power, suppress Saiyin, and reestablish his supreme authority—yet everything was ruined.

Prince Jiaxia turned silently, his gray robe fluttering and stirring a chilly current.

"Go!" the hoarse word forced out from between his teeth.

Behind him, the Elder Council members, as if pardoned, scrambled after him on hands and knees; at the edge of the hall, a small group dressed in ancient styles—clearly blood of Prince Jiaxia's kin—quickly gathered behind him, turning into dozens of bats of various sizes that flapped up in a frenzy, wildly crashing through the hall's high dome windows and vanishing.

The banquet of the Blood Moon Festival had only just begun.