Chapter 468: Autumn Water City

That day, no one rushed to resolve matters concerning the werewolves and vampires. There were thirteen clans of vampires and six clans of werewolves, and not all of them were present, so discussing anything would be pointless. It would take a few more days for everyone to gather, and that time allowed Rod and his group to rest and regroup. Meanwhile, they also needed to head to Autumn Water City, the most important city in the Dark Duchy! All members would converge there to address this issue.

When they first arrived in the Dark Duchy, aside from Rod, Aida, and the members of the Reaper Scythe Squad, almost everyone was visiting the continent for the first time. Thus, they were full of curiosity about it. Since they wouldn’t set off for Autumn Water City until the next day, they made use of their rest time that day. At the request of the female army led by Lilith and Lucy, the group enjoyed the night views of the continent that evening.

Relatively speaking, this town on the edge of Collins Forest was primarily built to defend against magical beast attacks, so its construction was rather simple. Even so, it was on par with the cities within the Source of Darkness. Its main activities were the trade of weapons and daily necessities. Originally, it had been a hub for mercenaries, so such trade was naturally very popular. Even now, it continued unabated. The establishment of the Dark Duchy did not expel these humans; instead, it allowed them to stay and did nothing harmful to them. After all, the Dark Duchy still needed them for logistical support, otherwise, its wars could not continue.

On the other hand, the so-called Dark Duchy was a nation led by dark races, but it was not devoid of humans. Under this system, these humans were allowed to remain. In some ways, this could be seen as a form of appeasement. The werewolves and vampires treated these humans fairly—at least the vampires would not harm those within the Dark Duchy. Otherwise, provoking their anger would lead to internal strife and external threats, resulting in their own destruction.

Under these circumstances, these people led a leisurely life and did not feel inclined to rebel. After all, under the rule of the vampires and werewolves, their lives seemed better than before—most notably, they no longer had to worry about attacks from magical beasts.

The shops and trades on the streets were overwhelming, truly a sight that amazed the Wolf King and the others. What was most lacking in the Source of Darkness? Weapons, wasn’t it? But here, weapons didn’t seem to hold as much value. So these people resorted to extreme measures, purchasing large quantities of weapons, which left Rod with a wry smile. They spent extravagantly, tossing out high-grade Essence Cores without hesitation, a sight that left others in awe and delighted the merchants.

…

The next day, the group finally set off for Autumn Water City to gather the main leaders of the vampires and werewolves for a conference.

The Dark Duchy wasn’t large—indeed, it was quite small. The distances between cities were not as great as those in the Source of Darkness. On the continent, land was the most abundant resource, with plains covering half of the landmass. Thus, unlike the Source of Darkness, where vast mountains dominated and solid land was scarce, building cities became extremely difficult due to the long distances.

Three days later, the group arrived at the core city of the Dark Duchy, also known as Autumn Water City.

It was noon when they arrived. The scorching sun was already baking the land. In the height of summer, the heat was intense, making it feel like being in a steamer. By then, most people were already drenched in sweat.

The chirping of cicadas in the trees created a symphony of summer, while a gentle breeze brought a rare coolness, allowing people to enjoy some relief.

Autumn Water City was the complete opposite of the previous city—it was much livelier, with a constant stream of merchants coming and going.

Although the Dark Duchy and the continent were at war, some profit-driven merchants still took risks, coming here to trade despite the danger of being punished by the continent. After all, with the support of the war advocates, the vampires and werewolves spent lavishly. Those dazzling Essence Cores completely dazzled and captivated them!

There was a saying circulating on the continent: “If you want to get rich, go to the Dark Duchy!” There, if you were lucky enough to obtain a divine-level magical beast Essence Core, you could become wealthy. For these people, even an otherwise unvaluable Essence Core became priceless once in their hands. Even the lowest-grade gold-level magical beast Essence Cores were enough to make them a fortune.

Thus, it attracted many prospectors. Profit always comes with risk, so these people were taking a gamble, and indeed, quite a few of them became wealthy. Coupled with the encouragement from the vampires and werewolves, they became even more unrestrained.

Qiushui City mainly featured clothing, accessories, and hotels, creating an extremely lively atmosphere. The Wolf King and others were completely captivated by this scene. Compared to Water Screen City, it was even more bustling, with endless caravans and various fragrances that left people in awe. The exquisite foods seemed like something they had never seen before.

After resting that afternoon, everyone began their nightlife, which was incredibly luxurious, almost driving them into obsession. The glittering jewelry always piqued the interest of the dragons. Not only Lilith but even the Dragon King couldn’t resist being fascinated. This usually silent man showed an unrestrained smile here, grabbing handfuls of jewelry with a wide grin, which seemed rather unnatural.

For the Dragon King, obtaining a low-grade essence core was the most cost-effective way to get plenty of jewelry that would delight him. As for the women, they bought large quantities of jewelry and clothing, dressing up in dazzling styles that stunned many men.

None of these women were less than stunningly beautiful and graceful. With their elaborate outfits, Qiushui City became almost crazy that day. Countless men were lost in admiration, while others sighed in envy. Rod, who followed those women, became a thorn in the side of many men.

After much persuasion, the women finally stopped their terrifyingly frenzied shopping and returned to the royal palace—a central hub established jointly by the vampires and werewolves, functioning like an imperial palace. The main members of the thirteen vampire clans and six werewolf clans gathered here to handle matters of the Dark Principality.

The discussion meeting would take place the next day, so that night, everyone indulged in wild revelry.

In contrast to their madness, the vampires and werewolves were not as excited, even somewhat gloomy. Having shaken off the control of the war faction and just gained freedom, they hadn’t had time to rejoice before facing even more aggressive newcomers! The thought of being ruled again naturally left them unhappy.

That night, the key figures from the Thirteen Clans and the six clans of the Wolf Clan gathered together for the first time in a long time, their expressions showing concern as they held secret discussions.
…
The frantic shopping throughout the night left them exhausted, and it wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky the next day that they finally recovered, still eager for more, much to the amusement and exasperation of Rod, Nightingale, and the others.
At the agreed time, they arrived at the council hall, where the vampires and werewolves were already present, creating a somewhat somber atmosphere.
At that moment, the Wolf King and the others regained their usual dignity.
“The purpose of our gathering is simple: the war faction has been destroyed, a fact you all must already be aware of! The continental war can no longer continue—you must retreat to the Source of Darkness as soon as possible!” The Wolf King spoke first, getting straight to the point.
The sudden announcement left everyone momentarily stunned. In the next instant, the room erupted into chaos as members of the werewolf and vampire clans began discussing among themselves.
After years of struggle and countless sacrifices, were they to give up now? Of course not. What position would they hold in the Source of Darkness once they returned? That was the real question.
Would they have to go back and become vassal clans, at the mercy of others? For a thousand years, the vampires and werewolves had suffered humiliation since the disappearance of the trolls, eventually leaving the Source of Darkness and coming to Collins Forest out of necessity.
Later, the war faction found them, promising to unite with them in battle and, upon victory, grant them an independent territory with freedom and protection. So they joined them wholeheartedly. Now, returning to the Source of Darkness seemed meaningless.
Everything indicated that returning would bring no benefits to the vampires and werewolves! Look at the people present—could any of them not easily eliminate them? Such strength already demonstrated the power of the Source of Darkness. Without such powerful allies, what could the vampires and werewolves do back there? They would still end up as the lowest-ranking clans.
But it was precisely because of these powerful individuals that the group they had come with was incredibly strong. Not to mention the forces behind them, just these people alone—if they didn’t respond promptly, destruction, immediate destruction, would await them!
For a moment, they were at a loss, looking at each other. Last night’s discussions had yielded no results—how should they respond now? Were they really supposed to agree?