Shadow Six, Vampire?

Tian Cai was fully demonstrating the best skill from his past life. The walls shuddered under the strain of his snoring.

After such a great battle, he was of course exhausted. In his dreams, he was happily frolicking about endless rows of coffee trees.

In the chamber next door, Mu Huizhong was pacing back and forth, trying to determine how to beg Tian Cai for forgiveness.

Even though Gray and Small Shadows rooms were the farthest away from Tian Cai, they stared at the ceiling bleary eyed. They both gritted their teeth. Both were determine to shed all sense of honor and beg Mu Psycho to setup sound silencing formations in their chambers at the first sign of dawn.

While all this was occurring, a billowy smoke was rolling into the manor like a stream of black fog. Mu Huizhong's defense formations, those known to even detect Zhu Shensheng, failed to notify anyone of the encroachment.

Silently it made its way towards Tian Cai's chamber.

Meanwhile in his dream, Tian Cai had an unlimited Coffee Card. Before him was Lucy, the hottest barista he ever met in his two lives. She just agreed to quit her job and become his personal barista. Turning about, he caught sight of a mirror and in it, he knew it wasn't Earth. Somehow he was able to step threw it like it was a door and he found himself in an alley.

A little girl was crying. With mangled hair and sooty face, she was having a hard time swallowing a moldy loaf of bread.

"Reina....eat it..you'll find something better tomorrow...chew...chew...chew." she sobbed.

Tian Cai hunched beside her. "Little girl, is Reina your name? It means Queen, did you know that?"

The girl froze, looking frantically about. "Who-Who is it? Who's talking?"

Tian Cai was about to respond when his other instinct kicked in. This was the ability to detect people in his room while sleeping. Many a time, it allowed the infamous Couch Emperor to stop people from stealing his snacks.

Tian Cai abruptly sat up, roaring "Who dares!"

From the corner of his eye, he saw smoke escaping from his room. Jumping up, he chased after. Mu Huizhong shot out of her room. She yelped seeing a half naked Tian Cai.

"Hubby, cover yourself!!"

Gray and Small Shadows also jumped out, each brandishing their weapons. After not sleeping all night, they were desperate to kill anything walking.

Tian Cai yelled, "It's escaping to the courtyard!"

First out the door was Tian Cai. Abruptly he came to a stop. Before him, the smoke coalesced and formed into a shadowy man. A deathly pale head stuck out just as the first light of dawn cracked the sky.

Snarling, the head said, "Time is up for this King."

With a swoosh, the head fleeted away at an unfathomable speed.

The others caught up to Tian Cai.

"Brother-in-law, where is it? Huiqing will crush the enemy into meat paste for you."

"Little Brother, what was it?" asked Gray Shadow. Before her stood Small Shadow. Should the enemy pop out, she was fully prepared to use her brother as a meat shield.

Small Shadow, on the other head was actively scanning the area. Should their be an attack, he would simply dodge to the side and let his sister take the hit.

Upon not hearing a response, they all looked to his face.

Not caring that he was a 48 year old man-child, Tian Cai's face was distorted in complete fear. Trying to control his shaking hand, he pointed and hissed, "VAMPIRE!!"

About an hour later, Fat Shadow burst into Zhao Wen's courtyard.

"Aunt, you must come. There is a problem with Youngest Master."

"What is it?" asked Zhao Wen.

"He's being having abnormally?"

"EH!"

With a swoosh, she zipped out. Fat Shadow quickly trailed after her.

Zhao Wen arrived to Tian Cai's courtyard and found it packed with guards and servants. Tian Cai was standing half naked and barking orders.

"Chief Lu, send a dozen people to the temple. You tell them you need the holiest of waters they have. This Young Master will take it all."

Pointing to a row of people, "You'll go find every single mallet we have. We must have enough to arm everyone. If need be, go to the market and buy more."

Turning to another group, he said, "You all, gather a thousand saplings. This master needs you to produce as many sharp stakes as you can."

Clapping he yelled, "Go! Go! Go! We need to hunt the bastard no later than noon!"

"Cai'er, what's all this?" asked Zhao Wen.

"Ah Mom, it's good that you're here. The situation's bad. This could well be the most horrible of calamities Savant City will face. If we don't destroy the monster now...we-we could all die!"

"Son, slow down. Slowly tell Mother everything."

"Vampire! It's a bloodsucking vampire! It must be a vampire lord as well. It was strong enough to openly defy the approaching dawn."

Zhao Wen hissed. "What kind of monster is this?"

Tian Cai nodded furiously. "Mom, indeed you should be worried. On Earth, they are the mortal enemies to all humans. With their fangs, they'll suck your blood dry. If you're bitten and you don't kill them in time you-you will turn into one of the un-dead."

"Such foul hell spawn exists?"

Zhao Wen drew her sword, her Empyrean aura extending in all directions. "Humph! Mother will use her Super Heavenly Sun Slicer...never will she allow some hell spawn to suck your blood dry. Now describe it and tell Mother the direction it last fled to."

"It has a deathly pale head that sticks out of the blackest of hell spawn shadowy smoke. Hurry we must destroy it as soon as possible."

"Eh!!"

Suddenly, Zhao Wen chortled. Putting away her sword, she patted Tian Cai's head.

He stiffened, feeling he just might have made a mistake.

"Mother doesn't know how to say this. That so called vampire is your Great Uncle, Shadow Six. He recently woke up and has been wanting to meet you."

Still chuckling, Zhao Wen said, "Everyone heed my command. This was all amisunderstanding. You may return to your normal duties."

Sheepishly, scratching his head, Tian Cai said, "Mom, Son should probably go back and rest."

"Mhm."

After returning to his chamber. Tian Cai was still greatly relieved there was no vampire. However, he was still pondering a lingering question.

"Just who was that little girl? Her name was Reina?"

Zhao Jia appeared before Zhao Wen who was still in Tian Cai's courtyard.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"Tian Cai, he mistook Lord Uncle as a monster from his old home."

"Is his brain still addled from yesterday's battle? Grandmother wants to see this Godkiller. Just now, she came back from seeing the prison. Humph, with such a Guardian Beast, no one would dare attack our Zhao Clan."

Zhao Wen stiffened.

"What is it?"

"Grandmother, it's like this...."

Zhao Wen proceeded to explain everything about Fei Hung and the cost of calling forth Godkiller.

"This? Fei-Hung...Are we not lucky to have him in our clan," said Zhao Jia, after fully understanding the situation. "Wen'er we must do everything we can to help heal him."

A guard came running up. "Reporting! Matriarch, City Lord just sent a message. They want to open negotiations. Apparently, they need assistance in capturing the escapees."

Zhao Wen sighed, "Negotiations. The situation must be bad if he wants to talk so soon. Very well, I'll visit later."

"Matriarch he asks to meet in the Heavenly Tea Pavilion?"

"Why there?"

"Just now, the messenger said City Lord's Manor was attacked last night by a Supreme Flying Beast. It released an untold amount of innards on the property. The smell is unbearable. They estimate, the clean up may well be more than a week."

"Eh!!"

Over in Ling Fan's courtyard, The Divine Pig's ears tingled. Snorting, she said, "Is someone talking about me?"

Beside her, Junjie who was sporting his new acorn-like helmet and lime-green cape, grunted.*1

"You too felt it? You'll get used it. This Queen is often the subject of conversation. As my mount and a future Heavenly Lord, you too will be the center of attention."

Junjie nodded with satisfaction.

Later in the morning, Tian Cai had just run up to his Uncle.

Nervously, he pushed him into the manor, trying to silence him from exposing his identity as Zhao Ding. Not even a breath earlier, he was having a small chat with Ling Hua. Surprisingly, she was easy to talk to. Even more so, he felt slightly better than last night.

"Uncle, you said we have to go pick up Grandfather?"

"Mhm. Father didn't return immediately after the battle. Earlier, Lord Uncle sent word he found Father still at the Five Tiger Mercenary headquarter....sigh...your Uncle forgot that his Father likes to drink heavily after a battle. He probably got distracted by some special wine and thus, never made it back home. Let's go pick him up and make sure he's safe."

Tian Cai scratched his head. "Uncle, if Nephew is correct, Grandfather already returned and he's with Alchemist Liu in the research area."

"Are you sure?"

"Unless it's someone else that wears the same mask and cloak...Nephew is sure."

Zhao Qiang sighed. "Then it must be that. His drunken instinct must've kicked in and he felt the instinctive need to come home. Uncle better take some extra robes and make sure he doesn't have any wounds."

"Extra robes?"

Zhao Qiang looked about before leaning over whisper. "Sometimes, Father is so drunk, he can't find a latrine fast enough."

"OH!! Than by all means, don't let Nephew stop you from checking on Grandfather."

Zhao Qiang nodded furiously as he rushed off.

"Noble Brother-in-law, Huiqing has prepared some Midnight Bliss blend for you."

Tian Cai bit his gait upon hearing Mu Huizhong's voice.

Not one to ever refuse a cup of coffee, he accepted it quietly.

"Well, you need to explain yourself...Think carefully on how you answer. Knowing there was going to be a battle, why did you leave me?"

Mu Huizhong winced at the steeliness of his voice. Last night, she had finally deduced a way out. However, it would cost her dearly.

Gritting her teeth, she said, "Huiqing sensed Miss Ling Fan battling nearby and was in dire straights. For some unknown reason, she was facing eight Martial Kings. Remembering she was Noble Brother-in-law's martial sister, Huiqing left to assist. Arriving on-time, Huiqing directly turned four of the martial kings to meat paste. Then she sensed Zhang An's Empyrean aura and immediately left to assist you."

Tian Cai stared blankly at her for several breaths. Finally, he asked, "Can Sister Ling attest to this?"

"Mhm."

Tian Cai snorted. "In-law will ask her later. Her response, it will directly determine your fate."