Free Web NovelChapter 21: The Price of Blood
The Price of Blood
The meeting hall was eerily silent.
The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air.
Magnus Ashthorn’s limbs had already been severed by Victor. He lay motionless on the cold stone floor, blood slowly pooling beneath him. His breathing was so faint that it was impossible to tell whether he was still alive.
Not far away, Harrier Ravencreast remained on his knees.
The proud Patriarch of the Ravencreast Family no longer possessed the dignity of a ruler. His expensive robes were soaked with cold sweat, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.
He slowly lowered his head until it nearly touched the floor.
"Patriarch Victor!"
"My Ravencreast Family is willing to become a vassal family of the Salvatore Family!"
"I only ask that Patriarch Victor spare the lives of the Ravencreast Clan!"
"From this day forward, the Ravencreast Clan is willing to serve as your hounds and hawks. We can even establish a Clan Blood Contract. If we ever betray the Salvatore Family, may our bloodline be extinguished and our descendants forever cut off!"
The words came out in one breath.
There wasn’t the slightest hesitation.
Harrier knew very well that hesitation meant death.
He bit his fingertip without mercy.
Fresh blood flowed freely.
Using his own blood as ink, he rapidly drew ancient symbols in midair.
Scarlet runes floated before him one after another, intertwining into an ancient covenant.
Within moments, countless crimson threads connected together, forming a magnificent blood contract that hovered in the center of the hall.
A solemn aura spread throughout the room.
Victor’s golden eyes calmly observed the contract.
He could clearly sense hundreds of different bloodline auras hidden within it.
Old men.
Women.
Children.
Cultivators.
Mortals.
Every single member of the Ravencreast Clan had been included.
This...
...was the Clan Blood Contract.
Unlike an ordinary oath, this covenant represented the will of an entire family.
Only a clan patriarch possessed the authority to establish such a contract.
The moment it was signed, the Ravencreast Family would forever become a subordinate clan of the Salvatore Family.
Should they betray their masters...
Their bloodline would perish.
Every descendant carrying the Ravencreast bloodline would die without exception.
Even if the Salvatore Family ordered them to march into certain death...
They would have no choice but to obey. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Such was the cruelty of a Clan Blood Contract.
It surrendered not merely one’s freedom...
But the destiny of generations yet unborn.
Harrier had reached this decision within only a few breaths after witnessing Victor’s overwhelming strength.
His judgment was sharp.
His resolve unwavering.
His decisiveness extraordinary.
He understood something with absolute clarity.
With Victor’s current cultivation...
Destroying the Ravencreast Family required no more effort than crushing an ant.
If there remained even the slightest hope of preserving his family’s bloodline...
This was the only road left.
Even if it meant surrendering his dignity.
Even if it meant becoming another family’s servant.
Even if history forever branded him as the patriarch who submitted.
As long as his descendants survived...
He would bear every insult himself.
That... was also the responsibility of a patriarch.
For some reason, at this very moment...
His thoughts drifted toward his rebellious eldest son.
A bitter smile appeared inside his heart.
"Son.. you were right."
"In the end..."
"Strength truly is the foundation of everything."
"A family that survives only through schemes and calculations will eventually either be destroyed..."
"...or kneel before someone stronger."
Unfortunately...
Victor had no interest whatsoever in Harrier’s thoughts.
His expression remained calm.
His voice equally indifferent.
Looking down upon the kneeling patriarch, he slowly spoke.
"In the Thirteenth Year of the Dawn Calendar, during the fifth year of my seclusion..."
"There was an incident at the rear spirit mine belonging to the Salvatore Family."
"The Ravencreast Family conducted a joint investigation with us."
"The Salvatore disciples who entered..."
"...never returned."
Harrier’s face turned pale.
Victor continued.
"In the Fourteenth Year of the Dawn Calendar..."
"Lucas Salvatore."
"Adrian Salvatore."
"They departed to join the Moonstar Academy."
"On the journey, they were attacked by demonic beasts."
"Not even their bones were recovered."
"Our investigation later revealed..."
"...members of the Ravencreast Family happened to be traveling that very road."
Every sentence fell calmly.
Without anger.
Without hatred.
Yet each word weighed like a mountain.
Cold sweat streamed down Harrier’s face.
Victor’s golden eyes never left him.
"In the Fifteenth Year of the Dawn Calendar..."
"A child possessing the Crimson Flame Spirit Physique was born into the Salvatore Family."
"After drinking goat’s milk..."
"The infant died."
"I don’t believe I need to remind you..."
"...who owned that dairy."
Harrier’s breathing became ragged.
His fingers dug deeply into the stone floor.
Victor continued listing event after event.
"The Sixteenth Year..."
"The Seventeenth Year..."
"The Eighteenth Year..."
Every tragedy.
Every disappearance.
Every assassination.
Every poisoned child.
Every ambush.
Every betrayal.
Nothing had escaped Victor’s notice.
By the time he finished...
The entire meeting hall had become utterly silent.
Finally...
Victor looked directly into Harrier’s frightened eyes.
"One hundred and forty-three lives."
"Directly or indirectly..."
"The Ravencreast Family bears responsibility for the deaths of one hundred and forty-three members of the Salvatore Family."
A trace of icy killing intent finally appeared within those calm golden eyes.
Among those one hundred and forty-three...
Were childhood friends.
Brothers.
Sisters.
Talented youths.
Future pillars of the family.
Children who had never even been given the chance to grow.
Every one of them...
Shared the same blood as Victor.
They had already returned to the heavens.
Their blood had long since dried.
But their deaths...
Had never been forgotten.
Victor slowly looked at the floating Clan Blood Contract.
The Ravencreast Family could indeed become useful.
But usefulness...
Could never erase blood debts.
Nor could it comfort the souls of the dead.
He quietly raised his right hand.
"I once said..."
"The lives of Salvatore Family members..."
"...are more precious than the lives of others."
"One hundred and forty-three lives."
"The entire Ravencreast Clan..."
"...shall repay that debt."
With a gentle wave of his hand...
The Clan Blood Contract shattered into countless crimson particles before disappearing into nothingness.
