Creak~~
The dull, grating sound of the door opening startled everyone awake.
It also caused You’er to open his eyes.
Through the dim light, You’er looked at the figure stepping in from outside—a vampire?
A hunched figure, ashen skin, a mottled and terrifying face, blood-red vertical pupils that seemed to devour their prey, and a pair of large, sharp bat wings sprouting from their back.
Weren’t vampires in legends supposed to be transformed from elegant noble gentlemen?
How could this one look like this?
You’er grumbled inwardly, already harboring a strong dislike for creatures that dwelled in the shadows.
“Hehehe, my lovely, charming young ladies, it’s time to wake up.”
The vampire seemed immensely pleased by the girls’ terrified expressions.
He spoke, his voice chillingly sinister.
His smile was grotesque, like that of an utterly depraved old ghoul.
The vampire’s gaze swept around.
Confronted by those blood-red vertical pupils, every girl felt an inescapable chill and tremor.
They curled their bodies as tightly as possible, yet even this offered them not an ounce of warmth.
The vampire moved.
His nails, sharp as daggers, elongated instantly.
With effortless ease, he snapped the iron bars of the cage before him.
He seized one of the caged girls by the neck, lifting her.
Extending a forefinger, he carved a stark red line across her pale little face.
“Tsk, tsk, the taste is delightful.
I truly wish I could indulge immediately… but no, not yet.
All of you are precious sacrifices for tonight, hehehe.”
The vampire chuckled sinisterly.
He licked his bloodied forefinger, savoring the taste.
His face was alight with lingering pleasure.
He seemed to desperately want to gorge himself on the ‘delicacy’ before him, yet some unknown reason held him back.
With a loosening of his grip, the girl was released.
“Cough, cough… cough, cough…”
Half of the girl’s face was stained with blood, her skin growing even paler.
She sat frozen at the vampire’s feet, her limbs stiff with terror, unable to move.
Though she could breathe again, she dared not take deep gasps.
Her chest heaved, her body trembled, and her eyes were utterly consumed by fear.
“Big bad guy, what kind of skill is it to bully girls?
When my dad arrives, he’ll definitely sort you out!”
The boy’s childish voice instantly froze the air in the ancient castle.
It also caused the vampire’s eyes to narrow.
Following the sound, he looked at Timobi.
Surprisingly, he didn’t immediately lash out at him.
Instead, he bared his fangs and let out a grotesque chuckle.
“Don’t worry, by the time he arrives, you’ll already be a bloodless corpse.”
‘Phew~~’
Seeing this, You’er, who was in the cage opposite Timobi, sighed with relief inwardly.
His strength hadn’t fully recovered, and it wasn’t the right moment to act.
If the vampire had truly moved against Timobi, things would have become dire.
Calming himself, You’er began to recall the vampire’s earlier words.
He had said everyone present would be sacrifices tonight.
Was he planning some kind of ritual?
If that were the case, the situation for everyone captured tonight would be truly grim.
“I had thought I would need to travel for days, months, across several cities.
I never imagined tonight would deliver two bloodline bodies of exquisite quality directly to me!
Great Blood God of the Abyss, you truly have not abandoned your devout servant, Antos Bernard.
I offer you my most sincere gratitude…”
The vampire, Antos Bernard, spread his arms and the bat wings on his back.
His face was a mask of fervent devotion, making him resemble a fanatic.
He walked between the cages where You’er and Timobi were held.
His gaze upon them was as if he had discovered priceless treasures.
“The Eternal Dark Source Blood of the Western Kingdom, the Purest Royal Blood of the Ice Elves… As long as tonight’s ritual succeeds, it won’t be long before my name, Antos, echoes throughout the entire Eastern Imperial Domain.
Sword Emperors, Archmages, Sword Saints, Arch-Sages—they’ll be nothing but farts! Hehehehe…”
Antos’s laughter made You’er’s expression darken.
Regardless of what the Eternal Dark Source Blood within Timobi truly was, had even the Ice Elf bloodline bestowed upon him by Noelle been seen through?!
‘Tonight, things were truly perilous.’
Only now, with the vampire so close, did You’er realize with a start.
Antos’s aura undoubtedly surpassed the fifth tier.
This meant he was at least a terrifying existence capable of rivaling a Sword Sect Archmage!
“Congratulations, everyone!
The gates to the Abyssal Demonic Prison have been opened for you!”
Antos spread his bat wings, his face alight with endless fanaticism.
****
“My little darlings, follow along yourselves, or I can’t guarantee my pets will keep their claws and teeth to themselves.”
Antos opened the cages for the girls.
His primary ‘attention’ was reserved only for You’er and Timobi.
Yet, none of the other girls dared to seize the opportunity to escape.
This was not merely due to their fear of Antos, but also because of the monsters prowling around the ancient castle, even scaling its high walls and glaring menacingly through the skylights.
These were carrion demons, their bodies rotten and utterly grotesque, also known as ghouls—the vampires’ pets and servants.
Just as Antos had stated, anyone who left the safe zone he designated would be swarmed by the ghouls and torn to shreds.
The girls huddled, following behind Antos.
They moved their feet, trembling with fear.
Step by agonizing step, they ventured deeper into the unknown depths of the ancient castle.
An iron collar was clasped around You’er’s neck, the chain held firmly in Antos’s hand.
Beside him, Timobi held You’er’s hand.
Their steps were cautious.
The dark castle brewed an utterly oppressive atmosphere.
It was as though they were truly stepping through the threshold to the abyss.
“Ah!”
As they descended the steps, one of the girls at the back stumbled, scraping her knee.
The ghouls surrounding them, catching the scent of fresh blood, immediately let out excited roars.
The poor girl’s legs turned to jelly from fright, and she found herself unable to stand.
“Save me… save me… please…”
The pungent stench of urine was quite acrid in the confined stairwell.
The girl, overwhelmed by extreme terror, had soiled herself.
This further sapped her strength to stand.
She could only stretch out a pleading hand towards the girls further down the stairs.
However, amidst the menacing howls of the ghouls steadily closing in from behind, no one dared to approach her.
This continued until the girl’s figure was completely swallowed by the wave of ghouls.
“Sister You’er…”
From below the stairs, the girl’s heart-wrenching screams echoed far and wide.
Timobi squeezed You’er’s hand tightly.
He wanted to turn back, his eyes filled with more struggle and anger than fear.
“Don’t listen, don’t look.
Cover your ears, close your eyes, and just follow my steps.”
Patting Timobi’s head, You’er let out a sigh of sorrow inwardly.
This scene, for such an innocent boy, was undeniably too cruel.
Lifting his gaze to the vampire ahead, the chill in You’er’s eyes grew even colder…
Antos led them to an underground plaza.
In the center of the plaza, a tall stone platform had been erected.
Beneath the platform, a vast, surging army of ghouls awaited!
In the center of the plaza, there was another group of girls.
After merging with their group, the total number exceeded a hundred.
‘Just how many people did this damned vampire intend to harm?!’
You’er suppressed the anger and impulse raging within him.
He directed his gaze to observe the stone platform in the center of the plaza.
In this underground space, the only thing truly worth noting was this towering, massive stone platform.
Eight stone pillars stood around the platform.
These pillars formed a circle twenty meters in diameter.
Enclosed within this circle was an even higher altar.
Upon the altar, a vast octagrammatic magic array was etched.
This array was extraordinarily eerie.
You’er merely glanced at it, and felt his mind reel, as if his very soul was being drawn away.
His gaze shifted again.
At the very center of the altar, a blood-ink colored pillar of light shot straight upwards.
Within the light, something seemed to be concealed.
It was a blood-ink colored orb.
You’er didn’t know its name.
However, the moment his eyes fell upon the orb, he felt something within his body give a sudden ‘thump’.
‘That feeling was familiar…’
‘Was it the stirring of the Dark Seed?!’
Furthermore, even the Divine Soul Tree within his Divine Tree Space had suddenly awakened from its slumber.
It sent a clear message to You’er: he had to acquire that orb.
‘What exactly was the origin of that blood-ink colored orb, to elicit a reaction from both the Dark Seed and the Divine Soul Tree simultaneously?’
You’er was desperate to know the answer to this question.
He also yearned to seize the orb for himself.
However, it was clearly impossible right now.
For a terrifying figure lurked menacingly ahead.
Having reached this point, You’er had a clearer understanding of the ritual Antos intended to perform.
It was likely inextricably linked to that orb.