Tianming found it rather weird that Po Suo had given up the chase after they left the lower levels of cosmic aether. She remained at the border of the lower levels of cosmic aether and coldly stared at Tianming before turning to return.

"Is she going to let me off just like that?" Even though she might not necessarily have caught up, she could at least have tried. "That means she must have something even more important to do.... More important than killing me."

Things were going more and more beyond his comprehension.

"Should we go back?" Feiling asked.

"What if they've set a trap for me to jump into?"

He didn't dare send anyone else to scout the place out, either. The two ghoul kings were far too strong to risk it. Even Fang Taiqing might not be able to survive an encounter with these two.

"I should head back to Taiji Peak Lake and ask Xuanyuan Dao about this." He returned to Soulburn Hall as quickly as he could.

"Tianming, didn't you head out to Fuling City?" Xuanyuan Dao asked.

"Sect Master, remember the matter with the black hole stars? I wanted to see if I could access the ninth one just now, but do you know what I saw when I got there?"

Xuanyuan Dao shook his head, so Tianming told him what had happened.

"A ritual? And they knelt to that person?"

"That's right."

"What does Her Eminence say?"

"She doesn't know either."

"That doesn't sound right. What kind of person but a god could make those two kneel?"

"What in the world is that five-colored star? Why does it resonate with the Heaven Cauldron? Does the Archaic House of Xuanyuan contain any records of it?"

"There have been a few ages of chaos throughout history, and we were even almost wiped out once. We've basically lost all our records of the past," Xuanyuan Dao said.

"This is something we'll have to learn about as soon as possible then. I believe the enemy will attack Taiji Peak Lake soon."

"Then I shall arrange for a meeting immediately."

"Is the Yinyang Demon Sect still attacking?"

"They are."

"Was Li Caiwei abandoned by the ghoul kings or something? Why is she still attacking even though Hexapath has already ceased their assault?"

"She's really cunning and has her own plans."

"How about this—I'll go to Fuling City now and end the battle there before going back to the five-colored star to see if the two ghoul kings are still there. It'll take some time for them to gather their samsarans here anyway, so I should make it in time."

"Alright."

So much had been lost throughout history that there were countless retellings about what happened to the demon race of old. With so little time to spare, Tianming immediately got on Meow Meow and flew toward Fuling City.

......

The three sect masters summoned all the second- and third-origin tribulation elders for a meeting at Tribulation Peak. There, Xuanyuan Dao shared what Tianming had discovered.

"They knelt?" Everyone was utterly confused.

"The imperial son could’ve been mistaken, right?"

"No, he couldn't have. Everyone, put your minds together and help figure out what could be inside the five-colored star," Xuanyuan Dao said.

"Wasn't there a claim that the treasures Great Emperor Xuanyuan left for us are inside?"

"That's right. The imperial son has gotten quite a few of those already from the Kilostar Domain."

"Why do I get the feeling that whatever's inside won't be good for us, though?"

"Could that figure have been the Nonahall Specter?"

"Their god has been dead since a hundred thousand years back. It can't be."

"Either way, it’s a trump card of sorts for them."

"What's the point in finding out anyway? We still have to defend this place either way."

"With the sheer size of the force of samsarans they showed at Pentaphase, we'll be dead as soon as we leave Taiji Peak Lake."

"That's a good point."

After an hour of deliberating, they still had no clue whatsoever.

"Since it has something to do with our founding ancestor, could it be the demon race from two hundred thousand years ago?"

"Impossible. Legend says that they were completely wiped out by the founding ancestor back then."

"Not to mention, the Nonahall Divine Realm has nothing to do with the demon race. They’re all three meters in height and have green faces and tusks. More importantly, they don't have lifebound beasts."

"Yeah, makes sense."

"That explanation requires too much imagination. Not to mention, I've seen those two old folks' lifebound beasts before."

"Blood pacts don't make for powerful lifebound beasts, after all."

Fang Taiqing asked, "Xuanyuan Dao, do you think the demon race is still around?"

"According to the seniors in our house, they've been completely exterminated," he answered.

"What about you, Jian Wuyi? The Draconis House of Jian also participated in the demon extermination way back."

"It's too far back. Let's focus on realistic possibilities. If the founding ancestor had the ability to seal away a whole race, why wouldn't he just kill them off instead?" Jian Wuyi said.

"Makes sense. The theory is too fantastical," Fang Taiqing said.

"Do you have something in mind?" Xuanyuan Dao asked.

"Say... if we tell Feng Qingyu and Li Caiwei about our theory that the demons are within the five-colored star, do you think they'd believe us?" Fang Taiqing said.

"No way in hell, unless we have evidence for it. If you don't believe it yourself, they'll never believe us and betray their alliance over it. Traitors are dealt with even more harshly than enemies. Without evidence, there's nothing to be discussed," Jian Wuyi said.

"Guess we'll have to wait for the imperial son. He said he'll go back to the star after those two leave. If he manages to enter, the truth will get out," Xuanyuan Dao said.

"I believe they'll only leave when the samsarans of those five divine realms are gathered and ready to attack Taiji Peak Lake." Fang Taiqing stood up and announced, "Everyone, our fight for survival is not far off. Taiji Peak Lake has already taken in a hundred million people who’ll help power the Ninefold Formation. Let our foes send their tribulation elders here to die!"

"Yeah!"

......

A tense siege was taking place at Fuling City. The solar master, Qin Fengyang, personally commanded an army of two million for the siege. In terms of might and number of tribulation elders, the Yinyang Demon Sect and Archaion Sect were close candidates for second place, with the former inching slightly ahead. Even the Hexapath Sword Sect paled slightly in comparison, and the only reason they were treated as equals was their sect master, Feng Qingyu. Qin Fengyang wasn't that powerful personally, being weaker than Li Caiwei, but he was young.

Within the formation of Fuling City, he was currently engaging the divine marshal of the Snowsprite Legion, Wen Renqian. Fuling City was defended by a second-origin tribulation pattern formation called the Trifold Trueflame Formation. Three spirit hazard phoenixes soared within the formation, fighting Qin Fengyang alongside Wen Renqian's lifebound beasts.

By now, many Biritual warriors were scaling the walls of the city, threatening to topple them. Qin Fengyang valiantly charged forward with his flaming warblade; his capabilities as an eleventh-level life phase samsaran gave him an edge over Wen Renqian. Not to mention, the Trifold Trueflame Formation wasn't as powerful as the Sun-Moon-Star Formation to make up for their difference in strength. Wen Renqian would no doubt lose if this went on.

"Solar Master, our imperial son is going to arrive any time now. You'll lose countless men when that happens, so why bother?!" Wen Renqian spat in anger.

"Even if Fang Taiqing comes along with him, I will take Fuling City!" Qin Fengyang roared.