Although the vampires were fanatically devoted to Li De, this devotion was not mindless or mechanical. Each vampire had their own way of thinking.
They would not hesitate to die in battle, but if asked to pick up trash or clean sewers every day, they would comply, though their efficiency would likely not be high.
The sustainable development strategy was something that challenged the vampires' inherent beliefs.
Therefore, changing their mindset was crucial, and to change their mindset, their common knowledge and traditions had to be altered first.
"Father, why are the legends of other vampires not like this?"
Fred stood up. Today, he had been greatly shaken, both physically and mentally, and his usual arrogance had vanished at this moment.
"My child, it is because not all vampires are descendants of the Holy Spirit. Some vampires, as human legends say, were granted eternal life and the gift of magic by the Goddess of Magic.
We are descendants of the Holy Spirit, the direct bloodline of the deity, and we are different from ordinary vampires.
In fact, we possess a more honorable name, one given to us by the Holy Spirit. It is—"
Li De paused, scanning the vampires below who were staring at him with burning eyes, and then spoke word by word.
"Saintlight Vampires."
"Our race is called the Saintlight Vampires, a name personally bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit.
Although it was lost in the dust of time, now, we have reclaimed our glory."
"We are the noble bloodline of the deity, not those evil ordinary vampires."
"From now on, all clan members must remember the true name of our race—the Saintlight Vampires."
Li De's plan was not complicated.
The reputation of vampires among humans had long been tarnished—mysterious, terrifying, and bloody. These were the most direct impressions humans had of vampires.
Changing this would be extremely difficult.
Therefore, it was better to start fresh, to don a new identity.
The name "Saintlight Vampires" sounded lofty and noble, at least in this world.
Just like the gods of the temples—the Goddess of Love and Beauty, the God of Fairness and Justice, the God of Light, the Goddess of Life—these names naturally evoked goodwill from ordinary people.
Vampires could use the same approach, adopting a grand new identity and discarding their old, tarnished one.
In this way, the current vampires could be considered a new race.
A new mythological legend, a new racial name, and a new mindset.
The traditional vampire beliefs that disregarded humans would inevitably undergo drastic changes under these new legends.
By the time the vampires realized it, they would have already become members of this new vampire race.
"Saintlight Vampires..."
"So we are the bloodline of the deity..."
"Goddess above, the knowledge the Progenitor has obtained is too astonishing..."
"We are different from other vampires. We are the Saintlight Vampires..."
After receiving this never-before-heard information, the vampires below transitioned from initial shock to overwhelming joy.
No one would refuse the idea that their ancestors had once possessed a glorious past. Such an honor, spoken by Li De, made them instinctively believe most of it.
As for the rest, it would be filled in over time. Li De was confident that countless vampires would eventually complete the story in their minds.
In the legends of Glory, vampires were created when the Creator's sword accidentally cut his own hand during the act of creation, and his blood dripped down, giving birth to life.
However, it was only after the Age of Gods that the Goddess of Night bestowed upon them magic and eternal life.
In the original legends, vampires were not particularly great or remarkable.
After Li De's adaptation, the origin of vampires became infinitely more noble, especially with the inclusion of humans as their allies. This addition would ensure that vampires had a basic respect and recognition for humans.
Moreover, Li De fabricated this mythological story to distinguish his lineage of vampires from others.
To establish a new sense of identity and pride.
Even if the city were to be built and vampires were discovered coexisting peacefully with humans—a bizarre notion—they could proudly declare, "We do not kill humans because we are different from you flashy pretenders. We are descendants of the Holy Spirit, the bloodline of the deity."
"However, it is a pity that after imparting this lost knowledge to me, the remains of the Holy Spirit turned to dust. This memory was buried in my mind for over a century before it was unlocked."
The vampires below gasped in shock.
"Progenitor, wasn't the Holy Spirit always in the Blood Pool?"
"Could the Holy Spirit in the Blood Pool be an illusion created by magic?"
"Progenitor..."
Li De sighed deeply.
"The Holy Spirit in the Blood Pool now is one I created using magic crystals. The true Holy Spirit turned to dust a century ago."
"Too much time has passed. If not for the last vestiges of the Holy Spirit's power protecting us, we would not have lasted this long."
"Therefore, to preserve the dignity and glory of our ancestors, the topic of the Holy Spirit's remains is forbidden within the clan.
Although the Blood Pool now contains magic crystals, since we know the truth, I will build a separate room to protect the Blood Pool."
Li De also used this opportunity to cover up the matter of the Holy Spirit.
The vampires below fell into silence once more. They had not expected to feel such a profound sense of loss upon learning the truth.
The remains of a deity had turned to dust a century ago.
The air remained heavy for a long time as all the vampires immersed themselves in the mythological tales and the 'truth' that the Holy Spirit was no more.
Fred was the first to regain his composure. His deep blue eyes glimmered as he asked, "Clan Leader, what should we do now?"
The glory of their vampire ancestors had stirred his blood, and the humans, whom they had once regarded as mere food, were now seen as companions who had fought alongside their ancestors.
What a deeply buried history this was. It must have been those hypocritical gods who, after stealing the Creator's divine authority, buried the true history and left behind only laughable lies.
For the Clan Leader to have received the Holy Spirit's knowledge and allowed the true history of our vampire race to shine once more—this was truly the blessing of the Creator.
Li De solemnly scanned the vampires, who were still immersed in the great deeds of their ancient ancestors.
"Since we are a new vampire race, we must change our old ways of thinking.
Humans were once assistants to our ancestors, and in the future, they may yet become our allies.
Think about it—if we possessed a city as vast as Green City, ruling over a million humans, how many vampires could we sustain?
Could we become the greatest vampire clan not just in the southern region, but in the entire Nolan Empire, no, the entire Glory Main Plane?
And each of you will be a witness to the rise of the Saintlight Vampires. You will possess unprecedented power and wealth."
His words were highly persuasive, and Li De had been continuously channeling magic into the Charm spell model without pause.
It had to be said that this vision was too grand. These vampires, who had never experienced modern corporate brainwashing, were instantly captivated by the promise of a glorious future.
Odys stood up, struggling to suppress the boiling excitement in his heart.
"Father, your vision is truly grand, but I must say, given our current strength, it will be quite difficult."
Although he had already accepted Li De's plan in his heart, he still felt it was his duty to remind the others. He did not want the vampires to only see the rewards and ignore the dangers.
Li De was unfazed, his gaze fixed intently on Odys. "You're right, it is difficult, but not impossible.
And that is precisely why I am making these changes. I have a dream." Li De raised his voice. "I dream of a day when vampires can walk freely under the sun,
a day when no human dares to raise a hand against us, and no mage dares to hunt us for alchemical materials."
"I dream of a day when we can truly become the Saintlight Vampires, a race that fears no power, and restore our former glory!"
His highly inspiring words echoed through the hall, and a light unlike anything they had ever known shone in the eyes of all the vampires.
To one day walk freely under the sun, without fear of discovery or any force.
What a magnificent goal.
As they looked at Li De again, their eyes were filled with indescribable admiration.