My Celestial Ascension

Chapter 917: Vampire King Evander

“Oh, finally someone managed to recognize me… Now that you know who I am, aren’t you going to open the gate for us?” Nerith spoke with a small grin on her face, taking a step forward.

The guards immediately nodded and opened the gate for Yuan and the others. They were so intimidated by Nerith that none of them dared to question or stop her.

The city looked even more beautiful from the inside. Vampires were everywhere, and they looked very similar to humans aside from their slightly pointed ears and very pale skin.

Their eyes were different as well—like rubies, beautiful yet dangerous at the same time.

Many vampires looked at them as they crossed the streets. The king’s castle was built atop a very tall mountain, and the entire city had been constructed around that mountain.

Yuan and the others ignored the curious gazes of the people and continued moving forward. There wasn’t much to see around the city, as there were only a few notable stalls.

Most of the food stalls sold the blood of various powerful beasts, and Yuan and the others had no interest in such things.

“Vampires mainly consume blood—especially human blood, which is considered a delicacy for them. However, ever since the war, the vampires have been forced to survive on the blood of beasts,” Nerith explained while pointing at the shops selling fresh beast blood.

She continued, “They have no choice. Ordinary vampires cannot survive without drinking blood from other creatures—it would drive them mad if they tried to resist.”

“However, vampire nobles are an exception. They can survive by feeding on their partner’s blood. They share blood with one another to endure, and some nobles even enter hibernation for hundreds of years.”

“Hibernation not only helps them survive for long periods, but also increases their strength. Still, it’s not very common—not all vampires choose to undergo it,” Nerith added.

“I see… they match some of the descriptions of demons… but they don’t look like them, nor do they possess the same nature. Aside from their pale appearance and crimson eyes, they seem more human to me,” Long Yuyan spoke with a surprised expression as she observed the vampires.

She continued, “I’m certain they have no relation to the demons I mentioned earlier. However, their bloodline is quite unique—unlike anything I’ve ever seen or heard of.”

“It seems you were thinking about wiping out all the vampires before arriving here… believing they might be related to those demons you spoke of earlier,” Nerith chuckled softly.

“You’re quite perceptive, Princess,” Long Yuyan replied with a smile.

A few moments later, they stood before the castle of the Vampire King, and it was massive.

“This is the castle where the King of the Vampires resides… quite the grand sight, don’t you agree?” Nerith said as she looked at Yuan.

“It is indeed grand… quite a marvel of engineering,” Yuan responded, nodding with a smile.

“It’s not bad. But compared to the palace of the Earth Immortal Sect, it’s rather mediocre,” Long Yuyan added calmly.

“I agree,” Anna Grace nodded, as she had witnessed that palace herself.

“Well then, let’s go inside and meet King Evander. He must already be aware of our presence in his territory by now,” Nerith said before heading toward the entrance.

The two guards standing at the entrance immediately bowed their heads in respect to the Demon Princess as they recognized her.

“Welcome to the Crimson Palace, Princess. His Majesty is waiting for you all inside the throne hall,” one of the guards informed her.

“That old geezer never fails to impress me with his skills… he may be getting old, but he’s still as sharp as ever,” Nerith muttered under her breath with a smirk before stepping inside the castle.

The hallway was decorated with numerous antiques, old paintings, and the mounted heads of many powerful monsters displayed as trophies.

The air inside the castle was cold, and a faint scent of blood lingered throughout. The atmosphere was calm, yet eerily silent.

As Yuan and the others moved forward, the sound of their footsteps echoed through the corridors, giving the place an unsettling aura.

Before long, they arrived at the throne hall, where the Vampire King—Evander—was already waiting, seated upon his throne.

“Welcome, Princess Nerith. You seem to have come here in great haste, not even bothering to send a letter announcing your arrival,” King Evander spoke with a broad smile.

“Oh? You’ve brought some guests with you. And some of them are even humans…” he added, looking at Yuan and his wives with curiosity.

’What is this?! Why can I sense such an immense amount of Qi within their bodies?! Since when were humans able to wield Qi?!’ His eyes widened in disbelief as he sensed the energy within Yuan and the others.

“Strange… Where did you find such extraordinary individuals, Princess Nerith? They are far from ordinary,” King Evander said, his gaze sharpening.

“These are the honored guests of our empire. So I hope you do not harbor any strange thoughts about them, Your Majesty,” Nerith replied, her expression serious.

“I see… So what reason brought you all the way here, Princess? Is your brother well?” he asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.

“The situation forced me to come here, Your Majesty. As for my brother, he is doing well… however, that may only remain true for another week or two,” Nerith said with a heavy sigh.

King Evander noticed the seriousness in her expression and the concern in her eyes, and his demeanor immediately changed.

“Let us move to a different location and discuss this there… This is not an ideal place for such matters,” he said before rising from his throne.

He then led everyone to another room and ordered the maids to leave them alone and not disturb them.

After they had settled down, he looked at Nerith with a grave expression and asked, “What happened? Judging by your face, something terrible is about to occur.”

“This time, I have come to inform you of a great danger approaching us—and also to form an alliance with your kingdom,” Nerith said, her expression firm.

“What kind of danger are we speaking of?” Evander narrowed his eyes, his expression hardening.

Nerith took a deep breath and said, “Undead began appearing near the border. At first, only a few showed up. But recently, their numbers have increased drastically.”

“Not long ago, our scouts discovered that a massive army of undead is marching toward the border, led by the Undead King. They will arrive within a week or two,” she revealed.

The Vampire King was stunned. He stared at Nerith with wide eyes, unable to believe what he had just heard.

“Such a grave matter is unfolding, and I knew nothing about it… How is that even possible?” he muttered, his expression hardening as the weight of the situation finally dawned on him.