Chapter 1666 - 857: Birthday Congratulations and the Gift of the Clock

Illusion?

As the laughter echoed, the business agent of the Taiyi Ring at the foremost seat looked slightly grave. His chest warmed, and a pendant shimmered with a red glow.

Instantly, his expression became serious, and he abruptly stood up.

Old Lin, who was dozing beside him, had already snapped his eyes open; his gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping across the entire venue.

There was no anomaly.

Only the lights flickered.

In an instant, and then another, it was as if a mischievous child was playing with the switch, flickering continuously, disrupting the lively atmosphere of the banquet hall.

Just as everyone raised their eyes slightly in confusion, peculiar sounds rang in their ears.

Like the laughter of a child.

Also akin to the chirping of a certain beast, so excited.

In the next instant of flickering lights, coldness spread.

A shrine appeared out of thin air in the center of the stage of the banquet hall, under the gaze of everyone…

The pale shrine seemed made up of piled white bones, strands of crimson seeped from the gaps, dripping.

An unexpected arrival, sudden and swift!

In a fleeting moment, terrified voices had already sounded.

In the banquet hall, the Voodoo people from the Southern Thousand Islands were the first to react, and their pitch-black skin turned ghostly pale.

"Katu Naha!"

He screamed, stumbled backward, "It's Katu Naha!!!"

The shrine slightly trembled, and the two small doors sealed above slowly opened, amidst the endless spread of blood color, a high-pitched bell tolled.

At the highest point of the gift table, a White Bone Bell appeared out of nowhere, ringing continuously, the stench-filled blood water poured down incessantly, darkness spread like a long tail.

And within the opened shrine, an eerie idol formed of skeletal remains and flesh and blood had already appeared before everyone.

Like a fox-like Holy Object woven from pallor and crimson, on its face, though its six eyes were closed, it made one feel as though it was overlooking the entire gathering.

Fox Immortal celebrates longevity, White Bone delivers the bell!

In the midst of sharp fox laughter and cries, fear swept through the entire banquet hall like a wave, plunging everyone into chaos.

Katu Naha, Undead Messenger, Spirit-eating Beast…

Born from the massacre of former festivals, Disaster Beasts spread like pestilence, inflicting terrifying harm across the Thousand Islands!

These are often seen in the many strange legends of the Thousand Islands—the mourners, the celebrators, the longevity honors, and the bloodthirsty demons!

Shattering sounds echoed.

The wine glass in Ling Shuo's hand was crushed to powder; his face turned steel blue as he looked back at the seat of the Desert Market… Now he finally understood what his cheap godfather was planning!

Among the crowd, Ling Liu appeared shocked, dumbstruck, as panic-stricken and bewildered as the others.

"Run quickly, Ah Shuo, run." He was the first to react, shouting loudly, freezing Ling Shuo's movements in place, like ice in everyone's eyes.

Rumors of the White Bone Beast and Katu Naha had reached his ears as well.

Among the countless legends of Disaster Beasts, its unique trait stood out—it is form-less, appearance-less, neither existent nor born, arriving solely on festive and joyful days, randomly appearing in different festivals across various islands, each instance a plague of indiscriminate slaughter, a catastrophe.

Yet apart from the initial years, subsequent deaths occurred sparsely.

Because the Fox Immortal would not pursue.

One merely needs to flee.

Even if not comprehending why it appeared here or why it chose this moment, it doesn't matter; just run, run far enough, and everyone would naturally be safe.

In fact, at the moment the Fox Immortal appeared, numerous guests had instinctively retreated, moving toward the doors and windows.

But can they escape?

Ling Shuo stood there, motionless.

No!

Anyone can escape, except him!

This is the day he personally chose, this is the place he chose, meant for his coronation ceremony. Once he forsakes everyone here and flees…

Everything about himself will be utterly ruined from then on!

"Run, President, quickly!" Someone blurted out instinctively, then realized and shouted to make amends, "I'll hold them off for you."

In the sight of all, Ling Shuo remained unmoved.

Standing still, as if nailed in place.

Gazing fixedly at the opened shrine, behind which, the bizarre beast with its gradually brightening eyes, he could sense that countless darkness and blood mist, like a long tail, were spreading toward him, selecting him as the embryonic vessel for its birth, the basis for embodiment.

He had no choice.

He still had a chance, as long as he held on, until Mr. Ji intervenes…

"Where's Mr. Ji?"

Much earlier, Old Lin had already reacted, looking at Minkler's subordinate, "Quick, notify Mr. Ji…"

Minkler's secretary's expression twitched, face ghastly pale, the phone in his hand was completely out of signal, screen crimson, like blood seeping through.

Among the panicked retreating crowd, a trace of mockery floated in Abadesa's pupils.

Five minutes earlier, he received the news.

Through on-site witness and confirmation, the behind-the-scenes ruler of the Seven Cities, Ji Jue, had already departed from the Seven Cities, officially arriving at Tianshu.

In response to the association's report — due to products sold that violated the association's agreement, containing excessive internal alchemy technology not reported to the Taiyi Ring.

Although it has been proven to be due to the buyer's illegal modifications, to immediately lift the association's ban and restrictions, he must personally go to Tianshu to follow procedures, and use his authority as a master to intercept the process at the earliest moment.

And now, even if he received the message, it would take at least fifteen minutes to return from the Earth Veins of Tianshu.

In other words, during these fifteen minutes, everything happening in the Seven Cities is completely beyond his reach!

The sharp laughter became increasingly piercing under the flashing lights, hiding countless joyous blessings and cheers, yet it was spine-chilling.

The White Bone Fox opened its mouth, letting out a sharp scream.

Keng——!!!

The sound of the sword echoed suddenly, Li Hen was unsheathed, the sword edge as clear as water sped by, tearing through the void, piercing through, yet futilely passing through the illusion, hard to reach.

Before the Fox Immortal descends, it simply does not exist for anyone else except the locked target!

In that instant, the laughing and singing White Bone Fox · Katu Naha had completely opened its eyes, an endless torrent of blood and darkness gathered, sweeping towards Ling Shuo who stood immovably in place.

And at that moment, a loud shout rang out.

Ao Gao.

At some unknown time, the drunk Ao Gao opened his eyes.

There was no time to hesitate, nor time to consider, at this moment, a decision had to be made, to be coaxingly brought onto the same ship, unifying everyone on one front.

Or, to draw a line, proving no involvement, avoiding a true life and death struggle with the Seven Cities!

In the blink of an eye, he moved, without a shred of hesitation.

He did only one thing.

——Lifted up Meng Sang, who was still bewilderedly hesitating whether to continue pretending to be drunk, swinging him, throwing him in front of Ling Shuo!

The sound of breaking through the air resounded, amidst the dizziness and vomiting, Meng Sang was already airborne, screamed in a whirl, blocking between the Fox Immortal and Ling Shuo.

Fast, too fast, so much so that Meng Sang didn't even get a question mark out.

Only managed to cast a desperate glance towards his uncle.

Regrettably, accusations would be useless; even if his father William knew, he would nod: right, right, indeed, this son should be used this damn way!

Ao Gao, damn well done!

Time was too short, opportunities too precious, not enough to consider properly, but some things, regardless of consequences, once done, once shown, can prove one's position,

Even if, it was completely pointless——

The sound of explosions was endless, the pendant on Meng Sang's neck exploded with a white light, then quickly extinguished.

A life-saving item from William to this son, merely briefly halted the howling torrent of black tide and blood for just a tiny bit.

Then immediately, the dark tail like a phantom already passed through the bewildered Meng Sang, flipping him over.

He wasn't even within the Fox Immortal's marked range, at least not now.

After a fleeting pause, the shadows like a long tail, increasingly violent in pitch black and crimson, split into thousands of strands, once again spewing towards Ling Shuo.

In the mid-air, countless shadows intertwined, interweaving, sketching a ferocious and frenzied beast's white bone visage, opening its mouth to devour!

——Boom!!!!

In the blink of an eye, everything ended.

Ling Shuo, who should have been completely torn apart and consumed, still stood there dazedly.

Completely clueless about what happened.

Involuntarily, towards the terrifying power coming at him, he swung... wait, he swung a punch?

A punch!

When he confusedly looked down, he saw the ferocious blood light erupting from his fingertips, swirling like a vortex.

A dark golden ring he carried closely, at some unknown time, appeared on his index finger!

As if holding an entire sun in his hand, infinite light and heat burst from the ring, scorching flesh and soul, the ferocity of the White Deer and the brutality of entropy converged into an invisible flame, burning away the blood water and darkness, further igniting the White Bone Fox's shrine and body, causing them to hiss and tremble in fury.

The sound of roaring erupted, continually swelling, as if the dormant Disaster Beast had been angered, opening its eyes, investing more power in it, an enormous hand pieced together by countless bones and faces extended from the shrine, reaching towards Ling Shuo.

It was unavoidable, inescapable.

But Ling Shuo was no longer panicked.

Because a distant voice arose by his ear, lofty and cold, dispassionately analyzing all that transpired, operating silently.

[Threat Confirmation]

[Assessment — Extermination to Ultimate Level]

[Analysis completed, matching done, Disaster Beast No. A221·Katu Naha (Unnurtured)]

[Internal Cleanup Module Initiated]

[Extinction Mode · Damocles, Lock-on Complete]

Thus, amidst the long night, light flames raged violently.

In the pitch-black night, amidst the turbulent core of the Seven Cities and Seven Islands, a solitary lighthouse erupted with fierce light.

Like a slowly opening pale eye, overlooking from a thousand miles away.

The Spirit of Workshop lowered its eyes, gazing at all that unfolded, with disdain and disgust.

Evil demons, so despicable and lowly.

She spoke:

[——Kneel!]