His speed was rapid within the Blood Castle.
It was evident that he was extremely familiar with all the furnishings and facilities inside.
And if anyone had recognized him, they would have discovered.
This vampire was none other than the new generation leader of the United States, Volihan.
Creak.
At this moment, Volihan opened a door within the Blood Castle and entered a very dark room.
There was nothing remarkable about this room; it appeared exceptionally ordinary.
Inside, there were only a few transparent high-stemmed glasses and a coffin!
The coffin looked entirely unremarkable.
However.
Upon arriving here, the tight knot of anxiety in Volihan's heart suddenly loosened.
"Blood Ancestor!"
Volihan hurried to the front of the coffin and knelt without hesitation.
Bang, bang, bang.
Just like a subject paying respects to their king, he kowtowed several times.
"Blood Ancestor, Blood Ancestor!"
"Your sixth-generation descendant, Volihan, implores you to awaken from your slumber."
...
After repeating it several times, Volihan raised his hand.
A red light flickered, and he directly made a bloody gash on his wrist.
Drip, drip, drip.
His blood dripped onto the coffin from his wrist.
With each drop that fell, Volihan's complexion grew paler.
At the same time.
The once ordinary coffin underwent a tremendous change.
Wisps of red light emanated from within the coffin, and Volihan's dripping blood, as if alive, coiled around the coffin in circles.
After an unknown amount of time.
A voice, hoarse like a malevolent spirit, suddenly echoed in the silent room.
"I... am back!"
...
Meanwhile.
Ao Yuan had not encountered any further obstructions after dealing with the five Blood Guards.
He ascended unimpeded, floor after floor.
Ao Yuan quickly reached his destination, the seventh floor of the Blood Castle!
Ao Yuan surveyed the surroundings, his gaze finally settling on the person beside him.
"Dragon... Dragon God, Your Excellency, I don't know where the Blood Ancestor is either."
Upon seeing this, the person hurriedly explained, "The last time I met with the Blood Ancestor, it was on the seventh floor of the Blood Castle."
"As for his exact location within the castle, I'm also unsure."
Ao Yuan did not reply, merely gazing at him silently.
After a moment, he slowly withdrew his gaze without questioning him.
Because.
Ao Yuan could see the profound fear in the man's eyes as he looked at him.
Expressions could be feigned, but the eyes could not lie.
Ao Yuan knew he was not deceiving him.
"Then let's search around."
Ao Yuan sighed, not bothering him further.
However.
Just as Ao Yuan was about to move towards the surroundings.
"Ao Yuan? The Guardian Beast of Great Xia? The current strongest on Blue Star?"
A sudden, extremely hoarse voice echoed from all directions.
Upon hearing this, Ao Yuan's footsteps stopped. The person beside him tensed up, hiding behind Ao Yuan.
His demeanor was such that he wished he could meld into Ao Yuan.
He recognized the voice as belonging to the so-called Blood Ancestor.
However.
This Blood Ancestor was indeed formidable.
Ao Yuan's senses could not detect his presence.
"Did you come out just to speak harsh words?"
"Afraid to even show your face, a legendary tortoise hiding in its shell?"
Ao Yuan casually scanned his surroundings while speaking coldly.
"This is my territory!"
"Don't worry, I will entertain you properly."
"And then I will savor your blood!"
"Dragon meat has always been incredibly delicious!"
"It's been a long... long time since I've tasted such delicious flesh and blood."
The Blood Ancestor's voice continued to reverberate, his words filled with anticipation for Ao Yuan.
"You want to eat me?"
Ao Yuan let out a scoff and said, "That depends on whether you have the ability."
As he finished speaking, Ao Yuan raised his hand, and a faint wisp of flame appeared.
With a casual wave of his hand, the tiny flame landed on the corridor and surged upwards with a 'whoosh'.
Igniting everything around it.
The temperature of the space rapidly increased, as if intending to incinerate everything within the Blood Castle!
"Using fire?"
As if discovering something, the Blood Ancestor's tone held a hint of surprise. "Hmm, is that Heavenly Fire?"
"But... so what if it's Heavenly Fire?"
As the voice echoed, Ao Yuan suddenly smelled a pungent scent of blood.
Accompanied by the faint, continuous sound of flowing water, 'splash'.
Turning his head, Ao Yuan's heart tightened.
He saw a colossal dragon phantom lunging towards Ao Yuan, its claws extended and its mouth agape.
It was blood-red all over, composed of countless viscous drops of blood.
Wherever it passed, it exuded a nauseating stench of blood, and even the surrounding Heavenly Fire seemed to be suppressed by the giant dragon phantom.
"This... this is a Blood Spirit nurtured in the Blood Ancestor's Sea of Blood!"
"Legend has it that the Blood Ancestor's Blood Spirit has devoured dragons before!"
The person beside Ao Yuan suddenly cried out in alarm, shrinking behind Ao Yuan, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Blood Spirit!
Nurtured and condensed from the blood of living beings, it possessed some characteristics and powers of the creatures it devoured.
The more beings it devoured, the more terrifying it became.
Ao Yuan watched silently, his brow furrowed.
No wonder the Blood Ancestor dared to claim he could devour dragons.
It turned out he had indeed devoured them before, but dragons, too, had different tiers.
This dragon, formed entirely of blood.
Was nothing to fear!
At this moment!
"Roar!"
The blood-red dragon phantom had already reached Ao Yuan.
At such close range, the stench of blood that assailed his nostrils was overwhelmingly thick.
Utterly sickening.
Seeing this, Ao Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly and stomped his foot.
Boom!
The ground suddenly shattered, and an earthen wall rose, blocking Ao Yuan. The blood-red dragon phantom crashed into it, disoriented.
"Hmph!"
Following this, Ao Yuan took another step forward and shouted sternly.
Rumble!
A golden light erupted, striking the blood-red dragon phantom.
It let out a pained cry and hastily retreated.
"Roar!"
Shortly after retreating, the blood-red dragon phantom's blood-red glow intensified, and it charged towards Ao Yuan once more.
Ao Yuan didn't even look. With a shake of his hand, a spear, entirely black with a golden sheen at its tip, appeared before him.
He raised his hand and hurled the spear.
At this moment, the spear seemed to come alive, engaging in a fierce battle with the blood-red dragon phantom.
Back and forth they fought, neither giving way.
Ao Yuan ignored the blood-red dragon phantom and continued to walk forward, coldly shouting, "If you think these meager tricks can stop me, then save your energy!"
As his voice faded, the Heavenly Fire, which had been suppressed, began to burn unhindered once more.
If one were to look from the outside.
They would see.
The Blood Castle had already transformed into an inferno.
If this continued, perhaps not much longer.
The entire Blood Castle would be reduced to ashes under the raging flames.
"Damn it!"
Seeing the blood-red dragon phantom held at bay, the Blood Ancestor, hidden in the darkness, looked at the blood-red, burning Blood Castle.
His heart sank. He knew he could no longer remain hidden.
This Blood Castle was where he had lived for countless years, and he could not bear to watch it be destroyed.
Furthermore, if he didn't emerge soon, he would inevitably be exposed if the castle was ruined.
...