"You won't give it? Then die!"
Four elder-level old vampires transformed into four afterimages, launching a frenzied assault on Ning Beichen, accompanied by the emergence of a thick layer of blood mist.
This blood mist not only obscured human vision but also affected their minds. Inhaling too much of it could incite extreme rage, even leading to a complete loss of reason.
However, this blood mist had no effect on Ning Beichen. Possessing the "Crossing the Bitter Sea Shore" technique, he was perfectly equipped to counter such things. Even if he inhaled large quantities of the blood mist, it wouldn't affect him in the slightest.
The four elder-level vampires were unaware of this. To them, the blood mist was merely an aid; their true strength lay in their direct attacks. Unlike the cultivators from the ancient East, who employed numerous techniques and martial arts to enhance their offensive capabilities, vampires drew their power from within. Their fists were their most potent weapons, and their legs their speed.
The difference lay in their rank and bloodline. The stronger the bloodline, the more powerful they became, and bloodline was intrinsically linked to their status. Bloodlines could evolve over extremely long periods, but a faster method existed: using a more potent bloodline to advance one's own. The best source for this was the blood of the first-generation vampires, or alternatively, the blood of powerful individuals.
For instance, the blood of a strong fighter like Ning Beichen could propel a young vampire's evolution at rocket speed, though more likely, they would explode from the strain. The acquisition of a Blood Ancestor's heart would be an irresistible temptation even for the most powerful vampire of the current era.
In a flash, the four elder-level vampires attacked Ning Beichen like missiles.
Ning Beichen didn't dodge. Although their speed was considerable, he was faster.
A series of violent collisions echoed, culminating in a thunderous boom. A small mushroom cloud rose from the center of the clash between Ning Beichen and the four elder vampires.
Ning Beichen stood unmoving. The four elder vampires, their auras depleted, knelt on the ground, heads bowed. Their life force visibly ebbed away at an alarming rate.
Before long, the four elder vampires turned ashen-faced and withered, their skin creased with wrinkles, resembling four decaying pieces of old bark on the verge of departing this beautiful world.
"No!"
The disciples of the Badge Sect and the other vampires watched in disbelief, their eyes bulging. They had never dreamed that the combined might of the four elder vampires would be insufficient to defeat the King of Darkness.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
A series of thuds followed as the four elder vampires collapsed, their bodies curled into balls. Ning Beichen had shown them no mercy, having already decided this place would be their tomb.
"Attack! All of you, attack! Kill him! The treasure is on him!"
The disciples of the Badge Sect and the remaining blood race descended into chaos. They simply couldn't comprehend how the four elder vampires had been defeated by the King of Darkness. Ning Beichen's strength far surpassed their prior estimations. Any trace of arrogance had vanished, replaced by sheer panic.
The Badge Sect disciples and vampires abandoned any pretense of strategy, echoing Ning Beichen's earlier sentiment: all schemes and trickery were dust in the face of absolute power.
"Kill!"
Several disciples of the Badge Sect drew their long sabers and launched a furious assault on Ning Beichen, while a swarm of vampires attacked him en masse. Two vampires even charged towards James.
"You court death!"
Ning Beichen was enraged. He had initially intended to toy with them, but he had lost interest.
*Whoosh!*
The ancient bronze sword was drawn. Ning Beichen unleashed his "Sword Rain Astonishing the Heavens" technique, and sword rain erupted in all directions.
The disciples of the Badge Sect and the vampires had never witnessed such an attack, one that far exceeded their wildest imaginations. Before they could even react, they were impaled by the sword rain. Some vampires, relying on their speed, attempted to evade, but the reality proved otherwise. Within the range of the "Sword Rain Astonishing the Heavens," not a single fly could escape, let alone beings of their size.
In the blink of an eye, all the disciples of the Badge Sect and vampires who had attacked Ning Beichen were decapitated. Only the two vampires who had targeted James remained. These two vampires, their courage shattered, quickly grabbed James, intending to use him as a threat against Ning Beichen.
However, a flash of sword light sent the two vampires screaming as they were flung away. Upon landing, one had lost a leg, and the other an arm.
All the disciples of the Badge Sect and blood race present lay on the ground, though not all were dead; a few still breathed. Ning Beichen approached, grabbed one of them, and interrogated him.
"Speak, where are James's family?"
The one Ning Beichen had seized was the leader of the Badge Sect disciples, a man accustomed to arrogance and who had never taken the King of Darkness seriously. Now, however, it was evident that he had completely broken down, trembling uncontrollably. This was no longer mere fear; his spirit had been utterly crushed.
"I'll tell you, I'll tell you! James's family was rescued. We don't know who they were, but they were very powerful. They killed all our men who were holding James's family, not a single one was left alive." the disciple of the Badge Sect stammered in terror.
From his description, Ning Beichen deduced who had rescued James's family. Without question, it must have been the Fated Ones. However, there was no signal in this location; even satellite phones were unusable, hence the Fated Ones hadn't contacted Ning Beichen.
"How many of you are left?" Ning Beichen asked, his heart now at ease, continuing his interrogation. The leader of the Badge Sect disciples' mental defenses had long since collapsed. He confessed everything Ning Beichen wanted to know, including their remaining numbers and the locations of their strongholds.
After listening, Ning Beichen learned that the Twelve Disciples of the Badge Sect were not the strongest; they also had a King of the Badge Sect. However, the King rarely appeared, and the Twelve Disciples typically handled matters. The Twelve Disciples served as the visible representatives of the Badge Sect in the world, and their King was the most powerful individual.
On the blood race's side, there were also powerful vampires who had not appeared; only the four elder-level vampires had come, as they had estimated that four elders would be sufficient to deal with the King of Darkness.