Chapter 456: Breakthrough to Purple Crystal Tier!

Hell's Demon Capital, Higher Demon Academy, Practical Assessment Arena.

Hard obsidian formed the floor of the arena, and the surrounding spectator stands were packed with young demons of various forms.

They were the future elite of Hell, yet at this moment, they all cast gazes mixed with jealousy and awe toward the center of the arena.

As the pride of everyone's eyes, Vivian Prince Prince Kelin was eagerly preparing for her Higher Division final assessment.

Starting next semester, she would be a third-year student in the Higher Division!

That vixen succubus who always offended her big brother with lecherous eyes would never again be able to mock her as a brat who hadn't even grown her fur!

She had grown it all!

"Ooh ooh ooh!"

Vivian raised her fair, tender fist high, letting out a loud, sharp battle cry. The group of second-generation demon lackeys who had been beaten into submission by her cheered and rooted for her excitedly.

"Long live Prince Prince Kelin!"

"Take down that examiner!"

"Twist that guy's head off, haha!"

"Ooh ooh ooh, big sister! Go for it!!"

In the spectator stands, Nan Fu pressed his hands to his mouth, leaning forward and shouting loudly toward the arena, his face flushed red with excitement.

He belonged to the more reserved type of shouter; he didn't dare suggest his big sister twist the examiner's head off to use as a ball.

Haini Weite sat beside him, smiling and waving toward Vivian, sending reserved blessings to her friend.

Vivian's lips curled slightly upward, giving her best friend a "just watch" look, then she refocused her attention on the arena.

As for the weak Nan Fu, she ignored him directly.

Cheering so listlessly—it was just too unmanly!

Although the examinees present were all descendants of High-Tier demons, this was, after all, only the Higher Division. The strength of the vast majority of students hovered at the Refined Steel level; being able to reach the Bai Yin Tier was already a sign of innate talent.

And Vivian—

Two years ago, she had already been at the Gold Tier above Bai Yin, to the point that many teachers at the Higher Demon Academy were discussing that her strength had likely already reached the peak of the Gold Tier!

"Silence!"

At the judges' table, an elderly lich tapped his staff, his majestic voice suppressing all whispers in the stands.

At the other end of the arena, heavy iron bars slowly rose, and a monster three meters tall with the body of a minotaur walked out. Its entire body was covered in a black horny layer, and scorching breath sprayed from its thick nostrils.

That was Vivian's examiner, a battle-hardened Fear Demon.

Its strength was also Gold Tier, and it was at the peak of the Gold Tier!

Not only that, it had once braved life and death on the front lines; its rich practical combat experience was enough to make up for the negligible potential gap between it and Vivian.

The lich's voice sounded again, announcing the content of the assessment: "Vivian Prince Prince Kelin, hold out for five minutes under the Fear Demon examiner, and you pass!"

"Now! The assessment begins!"

"Roar—!"

The Fear Demon did not hold back in the slightest, letting out a soul-shaking roar. Its massive body carried unparalleled pressure as it launched a charge toward Vivian.

Although the person in front of it was the granddaughter of its superior's superior's superior, it knew Caesar Prince Prince Kelin's character; going all out was the only respect for the Prince Prince Kelin family!

The battle was on the verge of breaking out!

Vivian's figure turned into a blood-colored afterimage, nimbly dodging the opponent's charge while her fingertips transformed into blade-like blood shadows to counterattack!

Her fighting style was elegant yet lethal. Every attack landed precisely on the Fear Demon's joints and vital points, yet due to the gap in strength, it was difficult to cause substantial damage.

The Fear Demon's attacks were wide and open, every punch carrying a whistle that tore through the air, while simultaneously relying on mental shocks and fear roars to interfere with Vivian's judgment!

Although these moves had limited effect on strong-willed human knights, they were extremely effective against vampires, whose minds were already not quite normal!

For a moment, Vivian was truly caught off guard.

"This guy has some tricks."

Vivian bit her fangs, feeling a hint of trouble.

However, burdened with the expectations of her friends and family, she did not allow herself to retreat, especially not letting that brat Nan Fu look down on her. Therefore, she stubbornly rushed up, launching a counterattack with the fiercest offensive against the battle-hardened examiner!

Actually, if she had been a little more cautious, passing this five-minute exam would have been very easy. With the Prince Prince Kelin family's influence in the War Department, no matter how stubborn a mere examiner was, it was impossible for them to not hold back at all.

However, it was just her bad luck that the hot-blooded Vivian placed her center of gravity on the offensive.

So much so that even if the Fear Demon examiner wanted to hold back, it didn't dare to do so easily, and could only be forced to bring out 120% of its strength to fight.

After all, this little girl didn't know her own strength, aiming every move at vital points. Losing was a minor embarrassment, but if she lost her life, that would be a huge loss.

Although the Prince Prince Kelin family had excellent bloodlines, flowers in a greenhouse were still lacking compared to powerhouses forged in battlefield slaughter.

And a Fear Demon capable of reaching the Gold Tier was no nobody. This experienced Fear Demon warrior's punch-to-flesh style soon forced the genius girl into a disadvantage.

Time passed second by second.

Just as the assessment reached the third minute, Vivian made a mistake and was swept by a heavy punch!

Although she braced her arms to block, she still received a significant impact, and her whole body flew backward. A gasp erupted from the spectator stands.

"Sister—!"

Watching the dust kicked up in the corner of the arena, Nan Fu widened his eyes and stood up with a "thump," wishing he could immediately rush up to save her.

Haini Weite hurriedly pinched the boy's scruff, pressing him back into his seat, signaling with her eyes not to be impulsive. She knew very well that Vivian wasn't that weak; she could even withstand the bombardment of a magic crystal cannon.

Vampires and little demons were the exact opposite; the latter were mentally sensitive and physically fragile, while the former, although lacking a few brain cells, were quite durable.

Their recovery ability was also top-notch!

Watching the dust rolling at the edge of the arena, the Fear Demon examiner felt a bit worried, wondering if it had been too ruthless.

It had indeed gotten a bit carried away just now.

Not being able to control one's temper was one of the problems of Fear Demons; it swore it had definitely thought about holding back!

However, just when everyone was sweating for Vivian, an aura far greater than the Gold Tier suddenly erupted from the clamorous dust!

Immediately following, a dark red halo emerged, expanding with a boom centered on her, dyeing her already scarlet pupils even redder.

That pure and turbid bright red was just like the blood of a Demon God!

"This is—?!"

The lich at the judges' table stood up abruptly, its turbid soul fire jumping violently. All the students in the stands were also stunned.

A breakthrough!

Vivian Prince Prince Kelin—

Had actually broken through from the Gold Tier to the Platinum Tier during the battle!

The Fear Demon was also shocked by this sudden power; its legs felt like they were filled with lead for a moment, and it froze in place.

Vivian didn't give it any time to react, catapulting like a cannonball from the deep pit at the edge of the arena, her body obeying the instinct of battle as she swung a claw!

"Go to hell—!"

She didn't actually intend to kill the examiner.

However, the examiner could feel that if it didn't bring out some real skills, it would probably be killed in one claw by this purple-haired girl.

The blood handprint collided with the Fear Demon's chest like a whistling dragon's tooth. It raised its arms and roared, using all its strength to block!

However, Vivian's punch technique was excellent, and she still sent it flying, smashing it hard into the wall at the edge of the arena!

"Boom—!"

The obsidian wall shattered at the sound!

Even the defensive magic array was shaken!

Only to see that three-meter-tall Fear Demon like a ragdoll, embedded into a deeper pit, clearly unable to get up again.

"I surrender!"

Losing to Platinum as a Gold was not shameful.

The Fear Demon announced Vivian's victory with its dying breath, then passed out.

The whole arena was dead silent.

Everyone was so shocked by this scene that overturned their cognition that they couldn't speak.

This was likely the first time since the establishment of the Higher Division of the Higher Demon Academy that an examiner had been beaten unconscious by a student.

In every sense, Vivian had made history, although she was likely even more confused about her current changes than the audience in the stands.

She remembered clearly that she was still a distance away from the Platinum Tier.

How did she suddenly break through?!

It was unknown how much time had passed before the lich at the judges' table, under the gaze of Professor Aiwen, announced the result that would be recorded in history with a trembling voice.

"As—Assessment passed!"

After a pause, it continued in an excited and high-pitched tone.

"Let us congratulate Vivian Prince Prince Kelin! She will become the first vampire in our academy in nearly a hundred years to be promoted to the Platinum Tier while in the Higher Division!"

"Her achievement has even surpassed her grandfather—Prince Caesar Prince Prince Kelin!"

Since Vice Headmaster Aiwen let it say so, it must be fine to say so. After all, the relationship between this Epic Slime and Minister Prince Prince Kelin was not a secret; the upper class knew a little bit, only Caesar Prince Prince Kelin himself thought everyone didn't know.

Tidal cheers and applause erupted, and the second-generation demons let out excited screams!

"Well done!!!"

"Ooh ooh ooh! As expected of our Vivian!"

The examiner was beaten down; this was just too hellish!

Especially that claw that shook the protective shield of the entire arena; all exams for the rest of the day would have to be postponed!

Standing in the center of the arena, Vivian stared blankly at her own fist, then looked at the examiner who had collapsed in the distance; her pretty face, which usually wore a confident smile, was now filled with utter bewilderment.

What on earth...

Happened?

After the practical assessment ended, the entire Higher Demon Academy was discussing the century-defining battle that had shocked everyone's eyes!

And the name Vivian Prince Prince Kelin swept through the entire Higher Division like magma erupting from an underground volcano!

The cafeteria of the Higher Demon Academy.

Vivian, who was at the center of the magma, was sitting at a corner table with a heavy heart, unconsciously poking the bloody raw meat on her plate with a silver fork.

This kind of food was a bit heavy for humans, but it was just right for vampires.

It was a pity there was no chili.

That would have been even better.

". —I still don't understand."

Vivian's delicate brows were tightly locked as she shared her confusion with her best friend Haini Weite beside her. "That power—

It wasn't mine at all. It was as if it appeared out of thin air; I couldn't even fully control it—"

This was certainly a good thing, no doubt. Her grandfather even sent a letter to the Higher Demon Academy in the name of the Minister of War to express his congratulations!

As everyone knew, human nobles were a bunch of useless trash, and the decline of the Empire was only a matter of time!

The world would one day belong to the demons of the Underworld!

The succubus Haini Weite put down the goblet in her hand, her quiet face also showing a thoughtful expression. A moment later, she lowered her voice and spoke.

"Could it be—related to your brother?"

The fact that Councilor Luo Yan was an illegitimate child was a secret in Hell. However, because the two had a good relationship, Vivian had long ago told Haini Weite this secret.

"Bro, brother?!"

The moment she heard this, a blush flew onto Vivian's cheeks, and she retorted somewhat flusteredly, "What does it have to do with him! He doesn't even know where he is now!"

She had asked her grandfather about this more than once, but the respected Prince Caesar Prince Prince Kelin didn't know where Councilor Luo Yan had gone either.

Last time it was said he was in the distant Northern Border of the Empire, having completely left the sight of the Hell Intelligence Department. Now he was likely back in the South in his own Demon King territory.

Looking at Vivian, who was explaining in a flustered and inexplicable way, Haini Weite reminded her in a low voice.

"But Vivian, I remember, didn't you give your baby tooth to him?"

That was one of the most important mediums for the vampire "Embrace" ritual.

Although it didn't necessarily have to use a baby tooth, one could also bite directly, but Vivian was embarrassed to preside over the ritual herself, and she also had to consider Luo Yan's own thoughts, so she gave the choice to him.

In Vivian's view, this was compensation for her dear brother.

It was just that her brother loved her too much; to prevent the Prince Prince Kelin Principality from falling into turmoil due to succession disputes, he voluntarily gave up the opportunity to activate the Prince Prince Kelin bloodline.

So until today, Councilor Luo Yan was still a human, and also the only person with a pure bloodline in the Demon Capital Council.

"But—he didn't use it." Vivian's eyes were filled with confusion as she looked at Haini Weite. "When he came back last time, he clearly refused me, saying he wouldn't use it, and didn't need it—"

To be honest, Vivian actually hoped he would use it.

If a vampire bestowed an Embrace upon someone, while granting the other party a complete bloodline, it would make the other party their dependent. In other words, she could "control" him slightly to a certain extent, for example, making him fulfill some of her small wishes or something.

Thinking about it this way, it was actually a pity.

Haini Weite looked at Vivian, whose eyes were dodging, but didn't let her imagination run wild like her. Instead, she tentatively put forward a bold guess.

"If—he used that tooth on someone else?"

Used it on...

Someone else?

Vivian was stunned.

Haini Weite gestured with her index finger, guiding her train of thought as she continued: "For example—a God-Chosen who has a considerable status in the surface pseudo-god pantheon."

When she said this, she looked at Vivian with burning eyes, and her originally sleepy eyes became spirited.

"I remember the book said that among the vampire promotion methods, there is a legendary shortcut—that is to corrupt the powerhouses of the surface human world!"

"As long as a powerful Saint Xisi believer is converted into a vampire, their massive power can flow backward through the bloodline contract, bringing unimaginable improvement to the 'Progenitor' who bestowed them with new life! And in this process, the vampire who has been given a brand-new mission will also become stronger!"

"It's equivalent to achieving each other!"

That was a secret recorded in ancient historical classics.

Because since the maps of Hell and the Empire stabilized, the "illustrious people" of both sides rarely ventured deep into the other's territory, so even the Prince Prince Kelin family, the royal family among vampires, might not remember this rumor.

Mainly because there was no need.

Anyway, they would eventually give birth to demigods, so why take the risk of not coming back to be a mosquito in the Holy City, biting some high-status unlucky guy.

Haini Weite only learned this piece of trivia from the library's collection because of her own interests.

In short, this was a good thing!

It could be said that there were only benefits and not a single side effect!

However, what she didn't expect was that Vivian was completely stunned. Her small, crimson mouth opened wide, and the fork in her hand fell onto the plate with a "clatter."

"Ah?!"

Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng, in a cave at the edge of the Ten Thousand Swords Mountain Range, the campfire burned quietly, the orange firelight outlining a handsome profile.

Rolandar was dead.

Just half an hour ago, the "Shadow Demon General" Tanos personally confirmed his death and disposed of the corpse at the very center of the explosion scene.

After killing that wicked Chaos God-Chosen, Luo Yan's own strength finally broke through the bottleneck of Diamond, officially crossing the threshold of the Purple Crystal Tier.

Through the Godhead floating in his sea of consciousness, Luo Yan confirmed his updated attribute panel.

【

ID: Luo Yan Race: Human Soul Level: Grandmaster (Level Cap LV170)

Level: LV. 131 (+1)

Constitution: 187 (+66)

Strength: 134 (+67)

Agility: 141 (+67)

Intelligence: 941 (+400)

Spirit: 921 (+400)

】

The promotion from Diamond Tier to Purple Crystal Tier rewarded 1000 attribute points, which, as before, were mainly distributed in Intelligence and Spirit.

Surging power poured out from his sea of consciousness, flowing through every inch of his blood vessels, while also constantly refreshing his understanding of transcendent power.

Although the first three attributes were still his shortcomings, for a mage, attribute concentration was never a bad thing. As long as he had the need, he could gain a boost to the three attributes through buff magic, making up for the lack of speed and strength.

And even without considering these, it didn't matter. With the existence of the "Butterfly of Myriad Phenomena," even a Sword Saint wouldn't dare to easily approach within five steps of him.

Others might be bragging, but Luo Yan now truly dared to clash with a demigod, and had more than 30% certainty of not falling behind.

As for Rolandar, or the likes of Elder Zake Luo who once forced him into a desperate situation—now he had ten thousand ways to pinch them to death... just as easily as pinching an ant.

This should have been a happy moment.

However, at this moment, there was not a hint of joy in Luo Yan's heart, and he couldn't even calm down to meditate and condense that surging power into his body.

As for the reason...

Naturally, it was because of Princess Ailin.

After the previous battle ended, Luo Yan took the unconscious her away from the center of the explosion and came here, far from the sounds of slaughter.

The light of the campfire reflected on her pale face.

Her long golden hair, which was originally as shining as sunlight, had now faded into a silvery gray. And those clear, pretty brows and eyes, which were always full of determination, were now tightly locked in pain, making one's heart ache.

With Platinum Tier strength, challenging the Purple Crystal Tier across two levels, even with the protection of artifacts and Saint Xisi, was indeed too much of a stretch.

To protect her subordinates, she overused the power of the "Light of Praise," completely overdrawing her vitality and falling into a near-death state.

This kind of near-death was different from ordinary injuries; it was a loss at the soul level, or rather, the burning of lifespan, which couldn't be cured by a few healing spells.

It was like healing magic couldn't cure a congenital disability.

The name Princess Ailin Campbell had already become history the moment she decided to kill Rolandar at all costs.

She had completed the sacrifice of calling for miracles using herself as the offering.

Looking at that heartbreaking profile, Luo Yan felt a complex emotion he hadn't had before for the first time.

This smart, brave, and kind-hearted girl always became incredibly "reckless" when the people around her were in danger.

She would rather sacrifice herself than use the lives of her subordinates as a gamble to exchange for a victory that might be won if she just persisted a little longer.

People always have beautiful longings for things they don't have.

Luo Yan felt that he was probably this kind of emotion; she did things he would absolutely not do—at least not do in this way.

Actually, standing from the Demon King's position, he knew that leaving her alone was the best choice—the descendants of the Campbell family were the Demon King's mortal enemies.

The fall of a hero was undoubtedly a great thing for the Demon King, and being able to use the hand of Chaos to eliminate this future trouble was even better.

The royal family of the Campbell Principality would fall into turmoil because of this, and would have to end the expedition to the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng, leaving the long table of sharing spoils before dawn arrived.

And Princess Ailin's brother, Edward, would also rely more urgently on himself, this "external force," to check and balance the internal opposition.

Many feudal nobles had long been displeased with this Grand Duke; no matter how wealthy the Campbells were, they wouldn't share money with them, but would instead take away the power that was originally monopolized in their hands.

Perhaps Princess Ailin's death was the opportunity for them to take action.

They could even use her death to weave a conspiracy and incite the already torn public opinion in Lei Ming City...

It wasn't just the feudal nobles who wanted to go back to the past; the serfs who had just gained freedom wanted to go back even more than the nobles.

Luo Yan thought for a long time and couldn't think of any bad points about watching Princess Ailin die, but looking at that heartbreaking face, he finally softened his heart.

He admitted that his initial contact with Princess Ailin was not with the beautiful original intention she imagined.

However, in life, it is inevitable that a fake act becomes true.

At least she was a friend worthy of respect.

Perhaps this was also one of the "karmas" produced by everyone's thoughts.

Luo Yan could clearly feel that, besides the quiet evening breeze, the gale of karma was also blowing over his head...

Including that version of himself standing in the holy light, still watching himself from the dark.

"My game of chess hasn't finished yet, you retiring from the stage now—is a bit unromantic."

Luo Yan said softly, finding an excuse for his soft heart.

He reached out his hand, placed his palm on that gradually cooling forehead, and wiped away the cold sweat with his warm palm.

There were two ways to save her now.

However, the most decent one seemed to be only the first.

Luo Yan took out the baby tooth Vivian had given him from his space ring.

Under the reflection of the firelight, that small fang emitted a pearl-like luster, seemingly surprised by this script that had never been imagined.

The Prince Prince Kelin family had never turned such a powerful God-Chosen into a vampire; after all, Prince Prince Prince Kelin's own title was only Duke.

Luo Yan untied Princess Ailin's collar, gently pressed it against that gradually cooling chest, close to the heartbeat that had already weakened.

"I will bestow upon you, a new life." ===== CHAPTER 457 =====