Upon hearing the guard's words, Leohard was taken aback. He turned his head towards Bailang on the podium. Seeing Bailang wave his hand, Leohard understood and said while walking out, "If there's urgent news, you can tell me directly. Don't disturb the atmosphere here! Take him with me!"

The guard had no choice but to comply, and as he was about to escort the person out, this person suddenly found the strength to push away one of the guards beside him. He tremblingly drew out an oval dark purple token from his chest and held it high above his head, while Pei Yan observed through his Mechanical Eye.

He noticed the token was exquisitely crafted, about the size of a palm, inscribed with images of various fierce beasts, and bordered with Demon Race scripts he didn't recognize. More astonishing was that it emitted a hazy black mist under the banquet hall lights, creating an illusion as if one's mind was being captivated. Noticing something unusual, Pei Yan withdrew his gaze, his curiosity piqued.

"Wait a minute!" Upon seeing the token, Sifuer abruptly stood up and ordered the guards dragging the man out, "Bring him up here!"

Seeing their lord giving orders, the guards had no choice but to help the man towards the podium. Pei Yan, sitting beside Sifuer and catching the man's strong bloody scent, could not help but feel a bit nauseous after just enjoying a hearty feast. He shifted back and covered his nose with a napkin.

In contrast, Sifuer didn't seem particularly bothered by these matters, or perhaps she couldn't afford to be. Pei Yan noticed that upon discovering the token, Sifuer's breathing became irregular, and her expression turned grave.

After gesturing for the two guards beside her to step back, the man leaned against the table, barely supporting himself, and whispered something continuously into Sifuer's ear.

In this public setting, Pei Yan couldn't eavesdrop on their conversation. However, he noticed that the more Sifuer heard, the worse her expression became. By the end, she was so shocked that her face turned pale, and she began to tremble.

When the man completed his mission, uttered his last words, and collapsed to the ground, Sifuer too collapsed into her chair, staring blankly into the distance without a word for a long time.

"Sifuer, what on earth happened?" Noticing something amiss, Bailang intervened, first ordering the guards to take the man away for treatment, then walked up to Sifuer and pressed for answers.

"Miss Sifuer?" Pei Yan, beside Sifuer and seeing her unresponsive, couldn't help but call out softly in curiosity.

Sifuer, brought back to her senses by the two calls, shook her head, tried to stand with a hand on the table, but her legs gave way, and she slumped back. Bailang quickly supported his niece, but Sifuer waved him off, took the wine jug from the table, and without caring for decorum or ladylike manners, drank deeply from the jug. After two blushes appeared on her cheeks, her emotions gradually calmed down.

Letting out a long breath of wine, she shouted, "Bailang! Leohard! Res! Kasimai!....." As she named them one by one, people behind the long table stood in response, and including Bailang, they all walked to the center of the hall waiting for the lord's orders: "Follow me to my study, we have an important matter to discuss. Jena! Hel! Take my sister back to her bedroom and take good care of her!"

After saying this, Sifuer turned to Pei Yan with apologetic eyes and said, "Sorry, Mr. Shitang, we need to attend to an urgent matter and must leave first. We hope you understand and continue to enjoy the feast."

"No worries, Miss Sifuer. Is there anything I can help with? If there's anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask. I would be willing to assist to the best of my ability." Pei Yan wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up to reply.

Sifuer hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something, but in the end, she didn't speak it out, just offered a wry smile and said, "Thank you! Hearing those words from Mr. Shitang, I feel more assured! I want to discuss with my aides, and if indeed needed, I hope Mr. Shitang would lend your aid."

"Ahem! Indeed! Indeed!" Pei Yan, seeing Sifuer exhibit a rare show of girlish innocence, felt his heart flutter, realized his lapse, and coughed twice to ease the awkwardness and replied.

In this situation, somehow the tension and fear seemed to dissipate, and Sifuer suddenly felt a surge of confidence. Giggling softly, she turned and led her group out of the banquet hall.

With Sifuer and others' departure, the lack of key figures immediately rendered the banquet hall rather empty. Although maids and servants continued to serve dishes, no one was in the mood anymore, as everyone could see the severity of the report from the unknown person. Those left behind couldn't help but be filled with unease and began to whisper among themselves.

With the exception of Pei Yan's group, only Kodwen was sitting in a corner, quietly drinking by himself. From Sifuer's actions earlier, regardless of whether they were sincere or a show for Pei Yan, he understood he had been completely excluded from the leadership circle of Kataraga.

Without the host, the banquet lost its significance, and Pei Yan was no longer in the mood to eat and drink. Exchanging a glance with his companions, the four of them stood up together and left the banquet hall under the farewell of the present members of the Demon Race.

"What do you think that messenger said?" Back at their lodging, Xia Yu asked while hanging up clothes, curious.

"I don't know, I couldn't eavesdrop at the time!" Manipulating his mechanical doppelganger to massage his aching shoulders, he had been holding his posture perfectly all night to maintain decorum, and now relaxed, he slumped into a chair like a puddle, enjoying the massage while lighting a cigarette, exhaling clouds of smoke as he spoke: "It must be something serious! I saw Sifuer's face change, even her legs went weak!"

"Could it be there's a problem in their Holy City?" Sitting to one side, Ye Ruozai mused with her hand propping her chin.

Hearing this, the other three in the room were taken aback. Realization dawned on Pei Yan, and he leapt up from his chair, cigarette between fingers as he paced the room, nodding incessantly, "Could be! Could very well be the case!"

Contemplating this, he sat back down, "That would be the worst-case scenario! If their Holy City indeed has a major issue, even fallen, then staying here would be meaningless. Without this main force, we'll surely face a large-scale crusade from the Disaster Legion next, and our situation will be extremely perilous!"

"Damn!" Thinking this, Pei Yan stubbed out his cigarette on the table. He now regretted revealing his surveillance techniques too early, as under deliberate caution from the other side, his eavesdropping devices couldn't extract any useful intelligence from high-level meetings anymore.