The explosion tore through the courtyard like a raging beast unleashed from its cage.
When the Blood Bolt struck, it did not simply collide with Cain’s figure and vanish. It pierced the space around him and continued forward, ripping through the grassy field behind him with terrifying force.
The ground erupted in a violent spray of dirt and shattered stone, chunks of earth flying high into the air before crashing down in all directions. The carefully trimd grass that once covered the courtyard was obliterated in an instant, replaced by a gaping trench carved deep into the earth.
The shockwave rolled outward, knocking several nearby vampires off their feet. Dust billowed upward in thick clouds, swallowing Cain’s figure completely. The scent of scorched soil and burnt mana filled the air, stinging their noses and throats.
The once elegant courtyard now looked like a battlefield.
For several long breaths, no one spoke.
They stared into the swirling dust, their eyes wide and unblinking.
"He... he’s done," soone whispered.
"There is no way he survived that."
"He did not even move."
A young vampire swallowed hard. "He should have listened to Madam Faith."
Another shook his head slowly. "Arrogance always leads to ruin."
Faith stood frozen where she had stepped back earlier. Her heart pounded so violently that she could barely hear anything else. Her hands trembled at her sides, fingers curling into fists.
No.
He said he would be fine.
He said not to worry.
But that attack...
She had felt its power in her bones. It was not sothing a Blood Infusion cultivator could endure. It was not sothing even a lower stage Blood Foundation expert could shrug off so easily.
Her gaze snapped toward Elder Fang.
She glared at him, fury rising in her chest.
Before she could speak, Elder Fang raised a hand calmly.
"Do not worry," he said in a asured tone, brushing invisible dust from his sleeve. "I do not plan on killing him."
He looked at the cloud of dust with a composed expression.
"I only wanted to punish him for his arrogance."
Faith’s eyes burned. "Punish him? With that?"
Elder Fang did not lose his calm. In fact, his posture grew more upright, more dignified.
"You underestimate my control," he replied. "The Blood Bolt Spell is not a crude technique thrown wildly at an opponent."
He turned slightly, addressing the entire Moonshade family.
"You all know of Blood Bolt," he began, his voice steady and confident. "But few of you understand what it takes to master it."
The surrounding vampires leaned in, their shock slowly transforming into attention.
Elder Fang clasped his hands behind his back.
"When I first attempted to learn Blood Bolt, I was already at the peak of Blood Foundation. Even then, I failed repeatedly. The spell requires precise control of blood mana, down to the smallest flow within your veins."
He lifted one hand, letting faint crimson light gather around his fingers.
"It is not enough to pour power into it. You must refine the mana layer by layer. Compress it until it becos sharp enough to pierce through reinforced defenses. If you compress too little, it disperses before reaching the target. If you compress too much, it explodes in your own hand."
Several younger vampires listened with awe.
Elder Fang continued, his voice carrying a hint of pride.
"I trained for years. I secluded myself for months at a ti, circulating blood mana until my veins felt as though they would tear apart. There were nights when my body trembled from overexertion. There were tis when the spell backfired, leaving my arms numb and bleeding."
He extended his palm, revealing faint scars along his forearm.
"These are not from enemies. They are from my own attempts to master Blood Bolt."
The crowd inhaled softly.
"I studied ancient scrolls left behind by our ancestors. I refined the casting formation. I practiced aiming at distant targets until I could strike a leaf from a tree without harming the branch."
His gaze hardened slightly.
"Only recently did I perfect it."
He looked back toward the lingering dust cloud.
"I adjusted the trajectory. I aid for his arms. I reduced the killing intent at the final mont. His life is not in danger."
He paused, then added coldly, "But his condition will not be good."
Murmurs spread again.
"Blood Bolt is extrely hard to master."
"I heard even so elders failed to learn it."
"He truly perfected it?"
"I cannot believe it."
The admiration in their voices was genuine now.
One middle aged vampire shook his head in amazent. "Blood Bolt is one of the most lethal spells in our family. It pierces through defenses as if they are paper."
Another nodded fervently. "Yes. Its penetration is terrifying. Even reinforced blood armor cannot block it fully."
"To think Elder Fang mastered it..."
They began praising him openly.
"Elder Fang’s talent is truly extraordinary."
"Our Moonshade family is fortunate."
"With such strength, no outsider would dare challenge us."
Elder Fang lifted his chin slightly higher, accepting the admiration without false modesty.
A younger vampire hesitated before speaking. "But Elder Fang... Blood Bolt is known for being lethal. Are you certain he will not die?"
Elder Fang gave a short, confident laugh.
"Of course he will not die. I told you, I aid for his arms and nothing more."
His eyes darkened faintly.
"But as for his situation, I am certain it will not be pleasant. His left arm is likely gone."
A few vampires winced.
"That is still rciful," one said quietly.
"Yes. Considering his insults, that is already lenient."
"Elder Fang could have ended him entirely."
Elder Fang stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"If he had conducted himself properly, perhaps I would not have needed to demonstrate this spell."
He sighed as though disappointed.
"But it is a pity. He needed to be punished with the spell I newly mastered. Pride must be corrected."
Faith clenched her jaw.
She could not accept this calm explanation. Her eyes remained fixed on the dust cloud.
Please.
Please be alive.
The dust swirled slowly, thinning at the edges.
Then—
A laugh.
It was not loud at first. It was soft, almost amused.
Yet in the silent courtyard, it rang clear as a bell.
Every vampire froze.
The sound ca from within the smoke.
Faith’s breath caught.
Elder Fang’s confident expression faltered.
The laugh grew louder.
"Is that...?" soone whispered.
"No. It cannot be."
"That was from inside."
The dust cloud trembled faintly as if stirred by sothing at its center.
Elder Fang stared, eyes wide.
Impossible.
The Blood Bolt had struck directly. He had felt the impact. He had seen the explosion.
"How?" a vampire breathed out shakily. "That was Blood Bolt. One of the most lethal blood spells of our Moonshade family."
"It pierced through reinforced gates during the last territory war."
"It should have torn his arms off instantly."
The disbelief in their voices was raw.
The dust began to settle fully now, falling gently back to the ruined earth.
A silhouette beca visible within the fading haze.
Standing upright.
Unmoved.
As the final veil of smoke cleared, Cain’s figure was revealed completely.
He stood exactly where he had been before the attack.
His clothes were slightly dusty from the blast behind him, but there was no blood.
No missing limbs.
No injury.
His arms hung naturally at his sides.
Not even a scratch marked his skin.
He looked at Elder Fang with calm, almost bored eyes.
The courtyard fell into absolute silence.
Not a single vampire dared to breathe too loudly.
Cain, or rather Cage as they knew him, stood there perfectly fine, as though the most lethal Blood Bolt of the Moonshade family had been nothing more than a passing breeze.
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