Crimson Heir: Shadows in Academia

7

Then Alex Qi stopped his heartfelt screams about the unfair treatment and joined the army of people protesting against the food.

After eating, the group sat down on the sofa. After Linda's patient explanations and repeated demonstrations, Alex Qi began his first cultivation session. As the explanations deepened, Alex Qi gained a further understanding of vampires.

In fact, the energy absorbed by vampires during cultivation is called dark energy, and dark energy is composed of two types of energy: shadow energy and the power of death. Generally, these two energies exist in a balanced ratio in nature, and direct absorption is sufficient. However, in certain specific locations, the ratio of the two energies may be imbalanced, requiring caution or cessation of energy absorption. This is because excessive absorption of either shadow energy or death energy will harm the vampire's body.

The vampire's energy absorption and circulation center is the heart. After absorption, most of the energy is stored here, forming a remarkably hard crystal within the heart. Blood is also rich in dark energy, which, through blood circulation, is carried throughout the body, bringing newly absorbed dark energy back to the heart. A small portion of dark energy also seeps into the muscles and bones through blood circulation, greatly enhancing the vampire's physique.

Besides absorbing dark energy from the air, vampires can also replenish energy through food. This food is absorbed and converted into dark energy, but the efficiency is relatively low. Some also replenish energy by drinking blood, which is more efficient than eating, but still far slower than absorbing free energy from nature through cultivation. Within the vampire race, very few actually drink blood. This is not only addictive, like drug addiction, but also leads to rejection from their own kind who consider themselves nobles.

Physiologically, vampires are not significantly different from humans; they do marry. However, the chances of conceiving are extremely low. Even with remarkably long lifespans, some couples are unable to produce offspring. This is the so-called "Embrace," a method of procreation that not only fails to fully inherit the bloodline power of the previous generation but also cannot guarantee loyalty to the family. This leads to a decline in the overall strength of vampires as their bloodline weakens.

However, as long as both partners have pure blood, having one or two children is not a major problem. Intermarriage between different vampire clans is relatively common, but bloodlines are highly valued. This represents not only power and growth but also directly affects the family's inheritance. Therefore, bloodlines are now largely monopolized by the core families of major clans.

Dark energy exists attached to the earth; at night, in addition to the dense dark energy on the ground, the air is also filled with dark energy. During the day, the light energy in the air repels and compresses the dark energy, causing it to remain trapped beneath the surface and underground.

Once a vampire reaches the Count level, their absorption and utilization of dark energy reach a new level. By stepping on the earth, they can continuously absorb dark energy and then use its emission to resist the harmful effects of light energy. This allows them to walk fearlessly in the sunlight.

Alex Qi, however, walks in the sunlight by passively absorbing dark energy and instinctively repelling light energy. In other words, Alex Qi's body, after the Embrace and blood inheritance, has been transformed into a vampire Count level, but his understanding and application of dark energy, resulting in combat power, is still far from that of a Count. However, with a Count-level body, his training speed will be exceptionally fast! After all, understanding dark energy becomes much easier with a physical reference point.

Linda, however, is a Gangel.

The Gangel clan, the clan closest to the heart of nature among all vampire races, walks among nature and forests, sensing its essence. The light energy circulating in nature has no effect on their bodies.

Jack, however, is a werewolf. They also absorb dark energy, but during the day, they absorb it by utilizing the compression and repulsion of light energy. A strange balance is formed between the dark energy within their bodies and the light energy outside, preventing excessive dissipation of dark energy while resisting the infiltration of light energy that could damage their bodies. This application is instinctive for every werewolf. Werewolves don't understand the use of dark energy; the dark energy they absorb directly seeps into their muscles, bones, and blood, greatly enhancing their physical attributes, without any concept of storage.

Alex Qi closed his eyes, quietly sensing his heart. Because the dark energy is most abundant there, it's easiest to feel. Sure enough, he saw his heart, enveloped in a faint purple halo, likely the accumulation of his dark energy within his body. Through the halo, a spindle-shaped, hazy purple crystal could be seen inside the heart. The crystal constantly absorbed and released energy through the blood, with only a small portion remaining.

The cultivation method was actually quite simple: the heart, which normally beat only once per minute, was made to beat faster, accelerating the flow of blood throughout the body. This increased the energy entering and leaving the crystal, resulting in more energy being retained. Vampires typically regulated their heart rate during cultivation until it reached a level their bodies could tolerate, then fell asleep, allowing their bodies to automatically absorb and store dark energy based on memory.

"Alright, Xiang, I'll take you to Mike's room. That will be your room from now on. Lie down in the coffin and start cultivating. The first cultivation session is very important; make sure you regulate your heart rate before falling asleep," Linda said, feeling her explanation of dark energy was clear enough.

Upon entering the room, a coffin stood in the center, replacing the bed. According to Mike's instructions to Linda, coffins made of American nanmu or cypress are highly effective at preventing the release of dark energy. Actually, the coffins used for vampire training don't have wooden planks at the bottom; the walls are simply laid directly on the ground. However, those training as evil spirits usually line them with blankets, quilts, or soft fur.