Chapter Sixty-Two: Gathering the Blood Clan

As the radiance poured in, several vampires keenly sensed the extraordinary nature of the power entering their bodies. Countless streams of blood energy surged forth, instantly filling every corner of their beings and continuing to intensify. They had already entered the throes of a breakthrough, leveling up their ranks.

An hour later, the Old Prince was the first to open his eyes—though he could hardly be called the Old Prince any longer. He had broken through, becoming the first ever Legendary Emperor-level vampire in history, a force equivalent to a cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage. His appearance had also changed—he now looked no older than forty.

One by one, the other vampires awoke, their surprise immense at having broken through the bottleneck that had held them back for centuries. On average, each had advanced by an entire level. The five Dukes had all become Princes, and not just at the initial stage—they were now at the mid or late Prince level. Their hearts brimmed with joy, and their respect and loyalty to Bingyan deepened.

Turning to look at Lus, who still had not awakened, they glanced anxiously at Bingyan. But Bingyan remained calm. After checking on Lus, she knew he was undergoing a breakthrough—or rather, an evolution. She closed her eyes serenely.

The newly empowered vampires exchanged uncertain glances, at a loss for what to do.

At that moment, Lus, who had been sitting silently, suddenly opened his eyes. His sharp fangs protruded, and after a hoarse howl, his power exploded. All present—save Bingyan—were forced back a step. A pair of enormous golden wings streaked with white unfurled, inscribed with mysterious, indecipherable runes.

"Emperor-level... Golden Emperor-level!" stammered the clan leader who had just broken through to Emperor-level.

The Emperor-level was the highest form a vampire could attain, but until now, it had existed only in legend. With the appearance of Leng Bingyan, that legend had become reality.

And among Emperor-level vampires, there was a unique existence: the Golden Emperor-level. The Golden Emperor was the true sovereign of the vampires. It was said that when one appeared, the entire race would unite under their leadership and be led toward the "light."

To witness the birth of a Golden Emperor with their own eyes was beyond belief for the assembled vampires. That it should happen within the Smith Independent Clan—what did that mean for their family? Power! Status!

Their faces were filled with unconcealed excitement as they gazed at Lus, whose golden-white flesh wings were spread wide. There was envy and jealousy, but above all, wild elation. Turning again to Leng Bingyan, whose expression was utterly placid, they felt a surge of admiration and submission. This was the bearing of a true leader!

When Lus awoke, he respectfully approached Leng Bingyan and bowed. "Thank you, Lady Goddess!"

Bingyan waved her hand dismissively. "No need for thanks. It was a trifle. You should focus on how to deal with the other vampire clans who will soon arrive."

The birth of a Golden Emperor-level vampire would not go unnoticed by the other ancient clans. They were even now racing toward Bingyan and her group.

Leng Bingyan was secretly delighted. She had not expected to create a king among vampires—one who was utterly loyal to her. Did that not mean the entire vampire race would henceforth be under her control? The thought filled her with glee.

Yes, yes... She would mobilize the entire vampire race to search for the Divine Dragon Cauldron of the Nine Provinces! The calculation was clear: the whole race searching together would be far more efficient than her working alone.

Before long, the other twelve vampire clans arrived at the Smith Independent Clan’s estate. Upon entering, they were stunned to find five at Prince-level, one at Emperor-level, and even a Golden Emperor-level present. When they saw the entire clan—including the Golden Emperor—paying the deepest respect to a young girl, they were utterly dumbfounded.

"Old Smith, what in the world is going on? What happened to your clan that your collective strength has soared so dramatically?" demanded an elderly vampire with eyes crackling with formidable power, turning to the Old Prince.

This elder was none other than the current head of the Bruch Clan, ranked first among the thirteen vampire clans, and a close friend of the Old Prince.

Clan Chief Bruch was inwardly alarmed at the sudden appearance of so many powerful vampires. Across the entire vampire race, there were only thirteen Princes—one for each clan leader. Yet here before him were five, all of whom he recognized. He still recalled that not long ago—just fifty years past—these five were merely Dukes, and now they had reached Prince-level!

But what shocked him most was his old friend, the Smith clan leader, who had far outstripped him. What level was that? A legend come to life: Emperor-level! Seeing his friend’s youthful visage, a trace of envy rose in his heart.

Smith laughed heartily, stepping forward to slap Bruch’s shoulder in friendly jest. "Bruch, old fellow, you look like you’ve aged a lot since we last met!" He couldn’t help but laugh, clearly delighted with his own rejuvenation.

Turning, Clan Chief Smith addressed the other clan leaders with gusto. "You all see it, don’t you? This is the power of our Smith Independent Clan now!" As he spoke, a powerful aura surged forth—one only an Emperor-level vampire could emit—leaving the assembled leaders in awe.

"Satan the Dark Lord! Cain the Progenitor!" they exclaimed in unison, marveling at the blessing bestowed upon the Smiths.

"If Cain were alive, he would surely be proud of you, old Smith!" Bruch declared sincerely.

Smith smiled and shook his head. "Bruch, you’re mistaken. It’s not me that would make Cain proud, but Lus Smith—a talent our clan has never seen before! The first Golden Emperor-level in vampire history!"

The entire group—including Bruch—was left speechless. Only now did they recall the presence of the Golden Emperor-level they’d noticed on entering, but had dismissed as impossible. Thinking back, cold sweat broke out on their brows.

They no longer dared harbor the slightest doubt. What was a Golden Emperor-level? The true master of the vampires! There was no room for private speculation.

Sensing their tension, Smith smiled. "Shouldn’t you pay respects to our true leader?"

Jarred by this reminder, Bruch and the others—ancient beings all—knew exactly what the Golden Emperor-level meant. He was the true clan leader of the entire vampire race!

They hurried to Lus and offered the formal salute from junior to superior.

Had this happened before, Lus would never have remained composed in the face of the Princes’ respectful greetings. But times had changed. He was no longer the Viscount of old, but now stood at the exalted height of Golden Emperor-level.

He calmly gestured for them to rise. "There’s no need for such ceremony." Then, turning to Leng Bingyan, he said, "This is the goddess from the East. All my power comes from her favor."

He spoke without guile, but his words caused a storm among the vampires. She? The goddess from the East? Was the birth of the first Golden Emperor-level due to her blessing?

Instantly, the newly arrived vampires looked upon Bingyan with profound awe and respect. They could not doubt Lus, for as the Golden Emperor, he could not deceive them. That status alone was proof enough—he was the one true leader of the vampires.

Under the guidance of the other twelve clan leaders, all the vampires pledged allegiance to Lus, and then, as one, approached Leng Bingyan and saluted her loudly: "Goddess!"

Bingyan had never imagined that wielding power could be so simple. The thirteen clans of the vampires—no, the entire race—had become her followers, all swearing by their ancestor Cain and their dark god Satan.

Bingyan herself found it strange. By rights, neither Satan nor Cain possessed power greater than a Celestial Lord in the Eastern Immortal Realm. In the Immortal Realm, such a being would have no right to control the fate of believers. But in the West, when one swore an oath to a god, it could not be broken.

Especially for a race like the vampires—now that they had sworn allegiance to Bingyan, any act of betrayal would bring a horrible end. Not from Bingyan’s vengeance, but from the corrosive power of faith—a destruction from within.

Since they were now her subordinates, Bingyan was generous. As a result, twelve more Emperor-level vampires were born, along with numerous Princes and Dukes, and those below Duke-level were too numerous to count. The power of the vampires had increased by dozens of times.

To compare with the Eastern cultivators: the vampires now boasted one with late-stage Divine Soul power, thirteen at Nascent Soul-level, and dozens at Golden Core or near-Yuan Ying levels—a formidable force not to be underestimated.

After instructing them to search for the Divine Dragon Cauldron, Leng Bingyan decided to remain at the Smith Independent Clan’s manor. It wasn’t that she was lazy or unwilling to search, but rather that there was no trail to follow. For some reason, the third cauldron could not be contacted by the fourth, and thus all clues had been severed.

Bingyan surmised that the fourth cauldron, the Pulao Cauldron, must be hidden. For now, all she could do was deploy a search party and hope to find the fifth cauldron, the Suanni Cauldron. Popping bright grapes into her mouth, she mused on this.

To be a person of wealth, of power, of immense wealth and power—how utterly delightful!

Hmm... It seems this chapter is already close to four thousand words...