"You saved us. Why are you apologizing?"
Liu Ru sounded anxious, but the weakness brought on by the Blood Diagram transformation would not allow her to sustain that state. Her support faltered, and she fell back onto the openwork round table.
"Let's stop the bleeding first." Lu Ling took out a long ribbon and wound it around the sisters' slashed wrists.
"You can no longer go back to how you were." Watching their condition improve, Lu Ling spoke in a grave voice.
The Blood Diagram Ritual was almost complete and could not be reversed. They could no longer escape their identities as vampires.
Only two choices lay before them: become vampire monsters without inheritance blood, or become blood servants.
"As long as we're still alive... thank you." Liu Xian smiled in acceptance. "We'll slowly adapt."
Their form of life had already changed. All they could do now was accept this irreversible change.
"Come stay by my side. I'll give you protection."
"Can we?" Liu Ru asked uncertainly.
"I have some connections. Besides, vampires are gray-area creatures that the human world doesn't accept. They can only live in the darkness. You'll be safer under my protection."
There were plenty of vampires in the world, living in the dark side of human society. They were a kind of human themselves, and the Magic Association had not exterminated them, instead tacitly allowing these special life-forms to exist.
As long as they did not take other people's lives, generally no one would be dispatched specifically to capture them. Otherwise, there could not possibly have been vampires in the Magic City.
"Thank you..." they said in unison, instinctively wanting to embrace each other and cry, yet the tears in their eyes simply would not fall.
"Now, drink my blood." Lu Ling pulled back his sleeve.
Both sisters looked at him at once. Their transformation was almost complete, and blood held an extremely powerful attraction for them, a desire born of instinct.
Yet at this moment, neither could quite bear to do it... drink their benefactor's blood?
"Don't worry. This is a necessary step. If you don't drink my blood, you'll become vampire monsters. You won't live long at all."
The sisters immediately understood. As they gazed at the arm the white-haired boy held out before them, desire and confusion began to seep into their eyes.
But Lu Ling's next words forced them to calm down again.
"But once you drink my blood, you'll never be able to disobey me again."
"..."
Liu Xian hesitated as soon as she heard that.
Unable to disobey? Doesn't that mean I'd have to do whatever he wanted me to?
She wanted to see what Liu Ru thought, but when she turned, she found that Liu Ru was no longer looking at her at all.
Who knew where she had found the strength? She had even stood up and plunged straight into Lu Ling's arms.
"I trust you, and I have no other choice."
Before she finished speaking, Liu Ru's cold lips pressed deeply against Lu Ling's neck. Her sharp teeth pierced straight into a blood vessel, and the satisfaction of desire spread across her pale, poignantly beautiful little face.
Blood was like a deadly poison. She went mad for it, became entranced by it. She yearned for frenzied kisses, for contact that crossed the line, for the man's scorching, masculine blood, for everything about this man!
Liu Xian stared blankly at her frenzied younger sister.
In temperament, she was actually far more fragile than her younger sister, Liu Ru. When faced with difficulties, she lacked the courage to resist and was more inclined to beg the other party to compromise.
With her sister already like this, what choice did Liu Xian have left? After a helpless smile, she pulled on Lu Ling's outstretched hand, using it to rise before slipping into his embrace on the other side.
Her fangs pierced a blood vessel on the other side of his neck. Like nursing infants, the sisters sucked at the sweet, delicious blood.
They experienced an unprecedented delight, thick and sweet. All the pain they had accumulated in the past vanished like smoke and clouds under this baptism of blood. So blood was something this entrancing...
The auras of the two beautiful sisters in his arms gradually stabilized. Even the wounds on their wrists were healing at an unbelievable speed.
Master said I was found in the Alps... then my blood shouldn't be all that ordinary, right? At the very least, I'm a being born of heaven and nurtured by earth!
Liu Xian and Liu Ru's auras were growing explosively, and by now they had already surpassed Warrior Level.
Good grief, Commander Level on their very first day as vampires?! My blood is terrifying.
Lu Ling focused on his arm hanging in the air, paying no attention to these two little kittens. Does arterial blood taste better than venous blood? I'd clearly already held out my hand.
The blood-drinking process was long, yet brief.
Lu Ling gently patted their backs, hurrying to rouse them. If they kept drinking, he might pass out.
For a moment, Liu Ru and Liu Xian were both like frightened kittens, looking timidly at Lu Ling.
After drinking his blood, they really did feel an inexplicable closeness to him...
"What, still not full? Keep drinking and I'll be the first to go." The corner of Lu Ling's mouth twitched as he looked at the two flustered women with some displeasure. Even his steps felt a little unsteady because of it.
"No, we've had enough," Liu Xian hurriedly said.
No sooner had she spoken than her gaze began to dart away unnaturally.
She had gotten carried away drinking his blood just now too...
It was her first time drinking blood, and she had not quite known when to stop.
"Forget it." A faint milky-white glow rose from Lu Ling's hand and gently covered his neck. The four puncture wounds left by the two little vampires healed instantly.
"My blood is rather special. It can give you tremendous power, but from now on, you'll only be able to drink my blood. You probably won't have any interest in anyone else's blood even if you want to drink it." As he healed himself, he explained things to the sisters.
This was the best arrangement. To human society, vampires who would not drink blood were no different from ordinary people.
"You're right. I feel so much stronger all over." Liu Ru tentatively clenched her hand. She felt that she could now send the vampire who had captured them flying with a single punch.
Oh, that vampire seemed to still be alive, lying there without the slightest movement or any way to make a sound. They had almost forgotten she existed.
"The blood you drank this time will keep you going for quite a while. Don't think about drinking my blood every single day. I can't take it." As Lu Ling said this, his voice grew a little weaker still.
"Are you all right, Master?" Liu Ru hurried to support Lu Ling, the word "Master" rolling off her tongue with utter ease.
"Master..." Liu Xian also hurried to support him, copying her younger sister's form of address.
"You... what's your name?" Lu Ling looked at Liu Ru and asked. After all, they were supposed to be meeting for the first time, so this step could not be skipped.
"My name is Liu Ru. I'm the younger sister."
Liu Xian had already introduced herself earlier. The one on his right, with the somewhat stronger personality, was the younger sister... she was very close to his impression of her, a kind yet strong person. Liu Xian was comparatively more meek.
Lu Ling made a quick mental note. He was in no mood right now to memorize their appearances, but their personalities and tones of voice were easy enough to distinguish.
"My name is Lu Ling. You can call me by my name."
"Yes, Master."
"Master..."
"..."
"Forget it. Suit yourselves."
Lu Ling gave a light cough and continued:
"You'll need to abandon your old jobs, studies, and so on. For now, take some time to adjust to your new identities."
"Everything will be as you command, Master."
"We'll do whatever you command, Master..."
Lu Ling noticed that the female vampire off to one side still showed signs of life.
"Mind Control."
Deep-silver spatial power enveloped her undamaged Blood Fang and ripped it out violently, sending it flying to Liu Xian's side and signaling for her to take it.
Finally, he cast a Fire Burst onto the vampire. The agony of burning occupied her mind once again, and amid endless regret, her life slowly faded away.