I Became The Vampire Progenitor
Chapter 166: Ancient Alchemical Artifact

Li De had no idea who the hidden enemy was or their exact strength.

But he saw hostility in those chilling eyes and felt murderous intent.

Thus, without obtaining more information, he raised his vigilance to the utmost level and summoned Emi, the Level 15 blasphemer.

He never believed in coincidences in this world.

An evil abyssal lifeform, most likely a high-ranking demon of a foreign race.

Appearing out of nowhere at the entrance of the Crimson Mage Tower and showing murderous intent toward him.

Then retreating quickly after Spark arrived.

This series of events might seem coincidental to others, but not to him.

As the Vampire Progenitor hiding among humans, caution was the most basic requirement.

He wouldn’t take any chances. Any abnormality he encountered would be planned for with the worst-case scenario in mind.

Suppose it really was a Level 15 archdemon targeting the Crimson Mage Tower for unknown reasons—what should he do now?

Li De had already responded to this. Sitting idle wasn’t his style.

Emi, having spent so many years in Green City, was undoubtedly a standard local powerbroker. His arrival would undoubtedly make the Crimson Mage Tower much safer.

While Spark could openly protect the Crimson Mage Tower, Li De couldn’t ask him to handle covert matters.

He needed subordinates who would absolutely obey his commands, bloodline descendants who wouldn’t retreat even in the face of dragons.

After all, he was a vampire, an identity that couldn’t see the light of day.

Moreover, the Crimson Mage Tower was too important to him. Any loss would come at an immeasurable cost.

The information Li De could see was very limited and one-sided. This was the most prudent judgment he could make based on the existing information for safety’s sake.

He didn’t care about the enemy’s strength but was wary of them hiding in the shadows.

The unknown was the most formidable enemy.

By dusk, a disgruntled Spark entered the mage tower grumbling.

The first thing Li De noticed upon seeing him in the study confirmed that the Grand Mage’s dream of becoming a demon hunter had been shattered.

It was somewhat amusing.

"I bet you must have gained quite a bit. Can you show me what a legendary abyssal demon looks like?"

Spark’s lips twitched slightly.

This brat.

He glared at him irritably, then plopped down onto the stool in front of the desk. He turned to Isha, who was quietly flipping through books in the corner of the study.

"Isha, fetch your grandpa a bottle of wine, the green leaf wine brewed by elves."

"Yes, Grandpa Spark."

Isha responded crisply, stood up obediently, and flitted between the tall oak bookshelves like a little elf.

Only then did Spark comfortingly stroke his beard, a smile reappearing on his face.

An old man’s resistance to children was almost nonexistent.

Li De shook his head, both amused and exasperated at the sight.

This old man was truly letting himself go.

After Isha left the study, Li De suddenly remembered something and frowned.

"Teacher, I heard the new magic array you built cost the Crimson Mage Tower a full 80,000 Gold Pucks. Are you planning to defend against dragons?"

Upon hearing Li De’s words, Spark immediately glared at him irritably.

"Do you have any idea how much of a bargain you’re getting?!"

"As the only Grand Mage in Green City with deep research into magic arrays, I personally set up a magic array for you, and you’re still dissatisfied??

Do you know how high my appearance fee is??"

Li De’s lips twitched. There was nothing to say about this elder selling his seniority.

Seeing Li De’s skeptical expression, Spark became even more irritated.

"By the Goddess of Magic, if you weren’t my disciple, I swear I’d stuff you under the table as a footstool."

Saying this, he reached into his chest like retrieving a treasure and pulled out a yellowed parchment, which he carefully placed on the natural wood-colored desk, his wrinkled face bearing a hint of pride.

"Look at this!!"

Li De picked up the parchment with a curious gaze and opened it.

The yellowed parchment was ancient, and inside was wrapped a sheet of white paper. Through the paper, one could faintly see it was a colorful painting.

What was this?

Li De casually unfolded it together, and his gaze immediately froze.

On the white paper tucked inside the parchment, vivid pigments perfectly depicted two beautiful maidens bathing in water.

Moreover, there was a strong fluctuation of magical energy. The characters on the painting seemed to be right before his eyes, every detail of their bodies leaping off the page.

Li De’s hand trembled slightly. He raised his head slightly and looked at the smug Spark with a strange expression.

"You’re showing me this?"

Spark raised his head proudly.

"Never seen it before, right? Do you know what this is?"

Li De lowered his head, glanced at it a few times, then shook his head.

"Never seen this type, but I’ve got better ones on my D drive."

Spark was furious. "By the Goddess of Magic, you ignorant brat! This is an ancient alchemical artifact I obtained from an ancient magic ruin when I was young.

How could you possibly possess it?!!"

Li De said disdainfully, "This is just a drawing. It doesn’t move."

Spark frowned. "What are you talking about?"

He leaned forward slightly. Upon seeing the paper in Li De’s hand, his face instantly turned bright red.

He snatched the painting back, glaring at Li De with both anger and embarrassment.

"Damn it, who told you to look at that one!!! Look at the parchment!!

This is a private collection given to me by the owner of the Lark Inn. Don’t even think about coveting it! I’ll never give it to you even if I die!!!"

The old man’s face was filled with stubbornness and defiance, like a warrior charging at a dragon with a knight's lance.

I...

Li De blinked, wanting to say, "Is that all? Believe it or not, if you need it, I can make you go blind."

With an amused mood, he ignored this improper old Grand Mage and shifted his gaze to the parchment.

Ancient, worn.

At first glance, Li De felt a sense of vicissitude spanning the river of time.

The yellowed parchment was covered with traces left by the passage of time.

When fully unfolded, it was about one blade long and half a blade wide, with a hexagram-like pattern on it.

Surrounding this hexagram were thousands of densely packed lines. These lines intersected at various points, each intersection marked with detailed data identifiers.

Extremely complex.

The complexity of the patterns on this parchment could baffle an ordinary person for a lifetime.

Li De, who was completely unfamiliar with magic arrays, wasn’t much better than an ordinary person. After a quick glance, he put it down.

This was far less interesting than the bathing picture.

"And then?"

Spark had just embarrassed himself and was trying to regain face. Irritated by these words, he picked up the parchment Li De had put down and carefully folded it along the original creases.

"And then? Do you know what this magic array is?"

Li De shrugged and frankly said, "No."

Without even finishing looking at it, who knew what kind of terrifying magic array, far worse than a large design blueprint, was supposed to depict.

Spark carefully placed the parchment and his private collection back into his robe before slowly responding.

"Listen well, you ignorant kid from the Kachar family.

Magic is the greatest existence. Over a million years ago, it had already become mainstream in the World of Glory. But what you don’t know is that in even more ancient times, alchemical artifacts were even greater than magic.

Later, the gods, for some unknown reason, joined forces to destroy the alchemical civilization. The remaining alchemical artifacts today possess only a ten-thousandth of the technology from back then.

This parchment was found in the ruins of the ancient alchemical period—a perfectly preserved ancient alchemical artifact.

According to my calculations,

this magic array, which combines magic and alchemy, is comparable to a divine artifact!"

At this point, the previously improper Spark's face turned serious, exuding the imposing air of a Grand Mage.

After pondering for a moment, he spoke a sentence that made Li De’s heart skip a beat.

"If this magic array can be established, forget Level 15 Grand Mages—even Transcendents or legends won’t be able to conquer the Crimson Mage Tower."

"If we can have the protection of this ancient alchemical magic array, the Crimson Mage Tower will become the most dazzling mage tower in the World of Glory."

"No exceptions!"