After bidding farewell to Sister Defulin, Shad prepared to go home with Mia the cat. On the way into the mountain, he was unlucky enough to encounter an evil spirit again, but there was no fog on Mount Sikar in the evening, so this time he must have been really unlucky:
"Silver Moon Slash!"
An arc of light was drawn between the two clasped palms, cutting the evil spirit that seemed to have spatial power and could float everywhere into two pieces.
"The evil spirits in Mount Xikar are not very powerful. Compared to the fishmen in Coldwater Harbor who can quickly resurrect in the water, the evil spirits are really easy to deal with."
At least that's the case for now.
After returning to Saint Teresa's Square, Dorothy and I went to a restaurant on Silver Cross Avenue for dinner. After dinner, Dorothy exchanged places with Resia, who checked Shad's progress in learning and copying stories. Seeing that he was making rapid progress and had a basic understanding of the oldest known version of the story of "The Sleeping Princess" and the modern version of the story, Resia took Shad to the south of the city to watch an opera adapted from this famous fairy tale, just like when she asked Shad to learn "The Kiss of the Tree".
Tobesk had been peaceful recently, and there were no unexpected ring wizards or relics on this night's outing. After the opera ended, Leicia switched back with Dorothy, and Dorothy did not go to Shade's house because she had to prepare for her own promotion ceremony tomorrow night. Instead, she said goodbye to Shade and returned to Quill Pen Street.
After Xia De returned home, he set the alarm and went to bed early. It was a fairly peaceful day.
Before the first ray of sunlight rose from the horizon on Sunday morning, the abrupt sound of a metal alarm clock rang in the bedroom. However, it only rang once and Mia was still not awake. Therefore, she was extremely impatient and stood up from the pillow. She rushed forward and knocked the alarm clock on the bedside table to the floor.
The alarm stopped ticking, but Shad had already woken up.
He quickly changed his clothes, went to the basement to get the three kinds of blood he had prepared, and packed them in a suitcase to take away. After returning upstairs, after saying goodbye to the cat who was very confused about what he was doing so early, Shade held the key of the Fifth Era 3014, which was already full of cracks, and stepped into the white mist door from the bedroom door.
"May the World Tree protect me in time."
"Meow!"
Mia, who was still half asleep, called out in response to Xia De's departure, and had no intention of getting up at all.
Stranger, you have stepped into the "Corridor of Time".
Message from the ancient god "Father of the Infinite Tree":
Spring of the 3014th year of the Fifth Era, Eastern Continent, Night Manor.
Event: The God of Vampires' cocktail party.
Duration: thirty minutes (3/3).
You get additional information.
The figure of the Infinite Tree Father continues to watch over you.
The tests given to you by the Ancient God of Time will continue.
Attend the reception of "Duke of Vampires" with other mortals until the end of the reception.
The Father of the Infinite Tree will give you rewards: Thaumaturgy-Silent Moonlight, a True Message-Elf.
Yawning in the white mist, Shade took a step forward and entered the Night Manor.
Turning his head to look at the window on one side of the corridor, in the strange night, the manor courtyard still seemed to be completely frozen, without any change. But Shade would not think that this was a safe place. Hope Town, Thousand Trees Forest and Terrorburg had all proved their own weirdness. Night Manor looked fine, but it might be the most dangerous place.
Walk forward along the corridor, turn left at the corner and enter the narrow stone path. My peripheral vision swept across the horrific oil painting hanging on the wall, and behind the two doors near the end, the double doors opened automatically.
After Shad left for the second time, everyone at the table continued to play the game with God during his break, but this time it was probably not cards, because Shad did not see anyone put the cards away.
Now the table was filled with various gold and silver utensils, and the red candlelight on the blood-red candlesticks illuminated the sumptuous food arranged on the long table. Roast chicken, fish soup, champagne in an ice bucket, all the food was so bright, and the tempting smell of food even diluted the bloody smell in this reception hall filled with blood-red colors.
There were some yellow beans on the porcelain plates in front of each person. When Xia De walked in from the door, the four people were busy throwing the beans out of the plates. Xia De had heard of cocktail party games related to counting beans or guessing beans, but he didn't know which one they were playing just now.
"God, here I come again."
He bowed slightly at the door.
"Look, here comes another unexpected guest."
God said with a smile, and made a gesture of invitation.
The door closed behind Xia De, and he walked forward step by step. As he walked, it seemed as if the invisible wind left wounds on his body, and among those cracks, the golden light drew a little afterglow behind him.
As Shade sat down and nodded to the smiling old man in armor, the middle-aged witch who was examining him, and the somewhat shy twin sisters, the blood-sucking god in a blood-red cloak took a deep breath:
"I don't smell the scent of blood brew on you, which means you haven't used that power."
"No, I made some fruit wine out of it, and you tasted amazing."
“Not to brag, but you’re right, I’ve always had a pretty good taste for wine.
If you are useless now, then I am looking forward to seeing how long you can endure the temptation before you give in to your inner desires. "
The saint said softly, then signaled to Shad that he could show the blood he brought this time.
"Remember to supervise me and prevent me from using the power of blood brew at will."
Xia De reminded quietly in his heart. After getting a definite answer, he put the suitcase on the table and started to take out the bottle:
"The first type is the blood of an unfortunate person struck by lightning. The blood corresponds to an ordinary person who will be struck by lightning once a year during his lifetime, and all his family and friends will die. After his death, his grave will be struck by lightning more and more frequently, until the cemetery where he is buried becomes a forbidden area with thunderstorms all year round and no one can set foot on it at all."
Shade put the bottle he had taken from Old John on the table:
"I'm very curious, God, who did he offend?"
“It’s very simple.”
The blood-sucking god gave the answer:
"This style of behavior clearly shows that he is the god of storms and thunder, the Raging Storm. Oh, this blood that has been repeatedly struck by thunder may not be very delicious, but I think it is still very interesting as an appetizer."
Shade had heard of the evil god Raging Storm before. This great being was one of the three native beliefs of Coldwater Harbor.
"The second kind of blood is the blood of Sakato the Devourer, the evil demon from the Third Age."
This time he took out the bottle of blood he got from the witch. After thinking it over, Xia De decided to bring the blood.
"I have seen this evil demon in the distant past. He is quite interesting."
The saint commented simply.
"Finally, there is the blood of magma creatures. This blood contains the blood of all the extraordinary creatures in the entire magma community. After being properly mixed, it can maintain just the right temperature."
The god waved his hand, and three bottles of blood automatically floated in front of him. The silver bottle provided by Sister Defulin opened automatically, and the god sniffed it:
"I see. It turns out it's really the entire magma community... Among the six types of blood you brought, this can be said to be the most valuable one."
Xia De frowned suspiciously. After all, this mixed blood was not the most valuable.
"Could it be that Sister Defulin's blood mixing skills are very good?"
After a snap of his fingers, the three types of blood that Xia De brought to the second cocktail party also appeared on the table in front of the saint.
The Abyss Eye Dragon Squid, the Rhine Monster, the Augustus Priest, the Demon, the Mortal Struck by Lightning, and the Lava Community, six bottles with different shapes are arranged in two rows.
"Unexpected guest, you are even better than I thought. I think the third round of the cocktail party can officially begin."
Following the saint's declaration, this hall that seemed to be prepared for giants began to shake again. The walls, which had already turned blood red, gradually became covered with veins that were darker in color, like blood vessels. The slender fangs hanging from the crystal chandelier were replaced by grinning red metal skulls. The rich food on the table was stained with blood, and the flames on the candlesticks between the gold and silver plates, along with the crystal chandelier and the kerosene lamps on the wall, turned to a dim red.
On the blood-colored tapestry behind the saint, the holy emblem of the blood-sucking god was formally formed. The pattern seemed to be embroidered on the tapestry by a skilled embroiderer, but it also seemed to float in front of the tapestry.
The cocktail party became increasingly eerie and strange, and the mental pressure on the people at the table became greater.
"Excuse me, how many times do we each want to drink with you at the third reception?"
Shade asked cautiously.
"No, no, no. If we just drink together, wouldn't that be a bit boring? Since the cocktail party has come to an end, let's play some interesting games."
The saint said with a smile, then looked at Shade and stated the rules for this time:
"There are five of you in total, plus me, there are six tasters in total, and there happen to be six bottles of blood here."
The blood mist spread and covered the entire long table. The strange blood mist was only confined to the tabletop, but under the blood mist, there seemed to be something terrible moving.
It quickly dissipated, and after the blood mist dissipated, the six bottles of blood in front of the saint had disappeared. Instead, many identical dark glass wine bottles appeared in the gaps between the sumptuous meals.
There are no labels or marks on the surface of the wine bottles, and they are all corked.
The god opened his arms, as if inviting mortals to enjoy the last moments of this drinking party:
"Since there are six kinds of blood, then taste one type respectively. The blood brought by the unexpected guests is now hidden in the thirty bottles on the table, and what you have to do is to choose them. This is the last part of the cocktail party. When all the living people have chosen their own wine, the cocktail party will end."