Catherine made her way through one of the branches belonging to the Asura Demon Sect.
They had a total of twenty branches scattered through the whole Monster Realm, of which seven were located in the Qilin Region.
She rampaged her way through, very begrudgingly however as she transformed ghouls.
To transform a ghoul one had to consume their blood as if to transform them into vampires.
To be able to accomplish this, she who loved to 'crush' had to pierce…
*PUCHI!*
Her bloody hand retracted from a woman's neck, she had been a cauldron used by these bastards.
Originally Catherine believed that those, 'Cauldrons' and raped women were innocent. But they weren't… Those very same people had committed worse acts themselves before ending in this situation.
The only ones truly innocent were those that had been in this situation ever since they were born.
But the truth is, most of the inhabitants of the concealed dimension are older than a hundred years of age…. this thoroughly surprised her.
Girls and boys like Lingqi were very scarce, and even she had acted arrogantly towards her fellow cultivators weaker than her in the past, before ending in that situation.
Still, Catherine believed that could have been attributed to a small girl's immature behaviour due to her age.
Lu Lingqi had been innocent just like many.
Her husband didn't seem to care, but she did, however… Most of the 'innocent' people that were used as cauldrons had been so thoroughly abused and tortured, that their bodies were in no condition to even have a normal life anymore.
That's when she had to make a difficult decision.
For the cases that couldn't be salvaged… She ended their lives and didn't consume their souls… For those that could be saved, she let them be... Freedom is enough of a reward.
Using this same procedure she continued for the longest while, trying to attain any information she could about the Qilin, but coming out fruitlessly.
However, there is this feeling that's hitting her for a while. That something's wrong.
But she doesn't know what it is.
Disregarding it as a misconception, The Queen continued her rampage and after finishing, decided to move to the next location by herself.
**
**
Half a day went by just like that without any traces of the Qilin. The Qilin Region is simply too massive to look into and the branches of the sects that they raised hadn't yet shown any news.
In the skies, the count's white robe fluttered with the wind as he maintained his disguise.
Alcina had come back earlier, appearing more dejected than her usual seductive form, looking for some spoiling that he had to give as his Draculine went through this hurdle for the first time.
However, she wouldn't be lacking a good opponent soon.
She then left to search again, swaying her hips slightly despite her dejection trying to be a good wife even if she doesn't feel like it.
His answer was to give her big rump a squeeze that somehow made her feel better as she chirped and disappeared.
…
He stared at Catherine in the distance, she was now slaughtering a branch belonging to the Sacred Sword Sect.
Catherine even made sure they don't contact the sect masters.
Trying to spread the chaos as much as possible, until it can't be contained anymore.
But in the end, she can't prevent the whole region from contacting the sect masters.
However, they don't show up.
…
The vampire king regarded a lot of dots approaching at amazing speeds in the distance.
It's Lu Lingqi.
*SCREECH!!*
The bats screeched acutely and swarmed around him eventually crashing together into the form of a beautiful girl whose slender arms embraced him from behind.
Alucard remained imperturbable, his eyes still flickering slightly as he stared towards the north.
"Father…"
"…?"
"The Qilin hasn't yet been found."
Alucard just nodded, "Just keep searching and transforming ghouls."
...
"… Father." Her hands started getting naughtier and ran over his torso and abs above the robe.
"…?" The count only lifted his eyebrows.
"I created ten thousand ghouls."
"…"
Her right hand started to go to his collar, trying to sneak inside but he took it.
"Doesn't the daughter get a reward?" She asked with a 'pout' if her expressionless face can be called that.
Alucard sighed and moved his collar to the side where Lingqi didn't even waste time and sank her fangs directly in there!
…
*BOOOMMMMM!!!*
With Catherine's onslaught and the cultivator's wails in the background, Lingqi's hands once again started to get naughty.
'Lingqi, don't go overboard~' The girl received a message in her mind as her other hand was once again trying to sneak inside…
'I understand mother…' The daughter could only reluctantly move her hands and focused on sucking his blood.
Her arms however kept wrapping his body.
'Father, Lingqi will work hard.' She sent directly to his mind, only for the two of them to hear as her fangs separated and licked his neck softly.
'…'
'Lingqi doesn't know how long she will last but…'
'She will try to keep pretending… To be father's spoiled daughter.'
'…'
**
**
Another day went by as Alucard's gaze kept more and more focused in the north…
'There is something there, but I don't know what it is.' He thought, his senses reaching up to ninety kilometres.
He has long since entered the 6th Feeble Water Realm, Great Completion.
Within this range of his, he couldn't sense anything apart from the wails of the cultivators being devoured and the scurrying monsters that seemed to enjoy the show.
But his instincts are telling him there is something else.
And if there is something the Nosferatu does, is to follow his instincts.
'Come back you two.' He sent messages to Alcina and Catherine that had been searching fruitlessly.
But no doubt at this point half of the Qilin Region had been immersed in chaos.
'Husband, what's wrong?' Catherine was the first to respond, getting more desperate by the second. Not knowing if she should feel relieved that the Qilin hasn't yet been found. Or feel desperate instead as all this situation seemed fishy.
…
Alcina is the first to appear beside him, "I think we have been swindled master, but I can't tell when or how? Should we go to the Kunlun Mountains directly?"
Alucard frowned, that is another option.
But the Kunlun Mountains are protected by a massive formation that he hasn't yet seen, but according to the information they have. It needs at least a 9th Jade Purity Divine Lightning expert to destroy it.
That's not something he can output without divine energy unless he uses those accursed Asura Demon's arts, but, something's fishy regarding that technique.
As for sneaking into the barrier, anyone coming inside needed the chief's permission.
It's doubtful whether they would be let in even if disguised as sect members at this stage.
Regardless of the method, they would be exposed.
…
Catherine came shortly afterwards, together with Lu Lingqi.
Having his fellow Nosferatus reunited, Alucard began floating towards the north.
"I think we have been swindled, and my instincts are telling me about something happening to the north, but I don't know what it is." He said as the three girls frowned.
So they had been searching for nothing?
…
"Husband, apparently this Qilin is highly sought after due to its <Auspicious Mythical Soul> it's one of the special characteristics that mythical Qilin have aside from their cleansing white flames. Its capacities are mysterious, but it's said that they provide good luck, fortune and 'lucky encounters'. They're beasts whose rarity is even beyond that of dragons." Catherine reported.
"Moreover, this auspicious mythical soul can be plundered from Qilin using pagan array techniques
as long as the breed is young enough… This must be the purpose of this long scale hunt." Alcina added.
"Do you suspect scheming, father? The sect masters are all reunited in the Kunlun Mountains, but Xie Luoshen is currently in 'closed cultivation'. Isn't it suspicious that even with all the chaos going on here, they hadn't yet shown an appearance?" Lingqi added at the end and her words made all of them think deeply as Alucard suddenly stopped.
They stood with him awaiting his next move, but Alucard only stared at the front deeply.
*RUMBLE*
His shadow expanded until it covered the whole thirty kilometres in front of him.
*FIUUSSHH!!!*
*FIUUSSHH!!!*
*FIUUSSHH!!!*
Gargantuan black and reddish spears protruded from the ground at that moment covering the whole thirty kilometres in darkness and reaching up to the sky!
But even then, the only ones that perished were the monsters unlucky enough to be impaled.
Twelve thousand monsters were unlucky enough to be impaled just like that as their bodies were slowly consumed by the dark shadows.
The count, however, knitted his brows further as his Draculines stared at him in bewilderment.
'Am I wrong?'
He sighed the next second, this is a gamble.
…
He will always bet for his instincts!
*RUMBLE!!*
*BOOMMM!!*
To the three Draculines surprise his body exploded in majestic divine energy!!
!!!
"Master!?" Alcina was the first to react, they would be exposed like this!
Alucard's now red eyes shot to the front as he extended his arms and a golden hue started to materialise!
*RUMBLE!*
Once again within seconds a massive red and golden cannon bigger than his own body pointed to the front, charging a gargantuan golden beam!
God of War's Artefact: Infernal Disruptor!
Catherine understood his weird actions at this moment, but if he shot that beam, their lives would get way more complicated from now on.
The three sighed and the same thought passed through their heads.
'Exposition it is…'
*BOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!*
The massive beam shot unhindered as space itself cracked whenever it passed, with the might of hundreds of nukes!
...
*BOOOMMMMM!!!!*
Then, faster than lightning under their awestruck eyes, the beam impacted 'nothing'!
*SPARK!!*
The massive golden beam kept rampaging against the 'nothingness' until cracks started to spread through it little by little as if the glass is breaking slowly!
…
*BAAANNGGG!!!*
It broke!
*FIIIUUUSHHH!!!*
The beam continued its way towards nothingness even as the 'wall' cracked and destroyed further and further!
And from inside that wall, they saw it!
*GROOOOOWWAAAAALLLL!!!*
A painful and hoarse beastly groan resounded and entered their ears, and the ears of everyone within at least two hundred kilometres!
The Qilin!