Watching the anxious and earnest expression on Sifuer's face, Gu Shenghui and Pei Yan both understood that this was no act. Seeing this, the gloom on Gu Shenghui's face gradually eased. He picked up the teacup in front of him, took a gentle sip, and said calmly, "But the problem lies with the source fragments you provided. I assume those two dead fools couldn't have tampered with them, could they?"

"Source fragments? Are you referring to the Demon God Core? What's the problem with that?" Sifuer was initially startled upon hearing this, but then understood what Gu Shenghui meant and raised an eyebrow in retort. She had worked hard to gather the Demon God Cores at their request, enduring the criticism; was this now considered a fault?

At this moment, Elder Lin, standing behind Gu Shenghui, interjected, "The source fragments from your clan have been tampered with. They erupted at the critical moment of absorption, nearly costing Shitang his life!"

"What did you say!" Sifuer exclaimed, surprise rippling not only through her but the other two as well. She asked incredulously, "Are you saying the Demon God Core my clan gifted was tampered with?"

"Yes, precisely. The source fragment gifted by Mr. Samikina is the one with the problem," Gu Shenghui replied with conviction.

"Hmph!" Samikina snorted coldly, shaking his head. "Mr. Mu, do you realize how severe this accusation is? Are you certain it's the core that's flawed and not your disciple's fault in the absorption process? From the onset, I was puzzled by the notion of someone of unknown origin absorbing the Demon God Core. Isn't it possible they brought this upon themselves through a spiritual disorder?"

Gu Shenghui responded with a cold laugh, "Mr. Samikina, I and this elder were both present at that time. You should have witnessed his abilities at the conference that day. Are you suggesting we can't discern such a simple matter, that we would shirk responsibility and deliberately stir trouble?"

Hearing this, Samikina glanced at Elder Lin, who had forced Friedrich into a corner with miraculous means on the previous day, then at the expression on Gu Shenghui's face, realizing this person wasn't lying, he lowered his head in contemplation.

"How can this be, this is impossible! No one would dare to tamper with a Demon God Core! Absolutely no one!" Bailang beside Sifuer sat in the chair in a daze, understanding that if this misunderstanding couldn't be resolved, not only would future collaborations be jeopardized, but a bloody conflict might break out today.

Seeing his expression, Gu Shenghui leisurely poured himself another cup of tea, continuing, "In truth, we understand that this situation was not your intent, but surely you owe us an explanation?"

"Uncle Grandpa!" Sifuer turned to Samikina for help upon seeing this.

Samikina did not respond to Sifuer's plea but sat there in silence for a long time. Through his sunglasses, Pei Yan could see the elder appeared even older upon receiving this news. After a while, he turned to Sifuer and spoke slowly, "This fragment was given to me by your grandfather, my own brother!"

Hearing this, Sifuer was struck as if by lightning, immediately understanding the implications as her breathing became frantic. "Uncle Grandpa, my grandfather would never harm you! It's, it's absolutely impossible!"

"Silly child, where is your mind wandering? Of course, my brother would never harm me!" Samikina spoke, a hint of sharpness in his eyes: "The Demon God Core in question was originally given to your grandfather by someone else. I was present at the time, and he was supposed to use it himself. However, due to a series of events, he led most of the clan's forces to retreat with the Demon God's army to the Holy City, while per regulations, each great family must leave seeds for resistance outside the Holy City. I was the one chosen to remain outside for the Samikina Clan. Before leaving, fearing I might meet with an accident in battle, my brother entrusted me with this fragment imbued with the Demon God Law to enhance my strength for self-preservation. But I know my limits have been reached with my age, and this item is of little use to me except to fight desperately in critical moments. Therefore, I decided to offer it as a gesture of goodwill, to solidify alliances, and to see how far an extra-dimensional being could progress upon absorbing it."

Having said this, Samikina picked up the teacup from the table and took a sip, drawn by the novel and astringent taste, he sipped again. While drinking tea, he glanced at Gu Shenghui sitting across from him to gauge his reaction.

Gu Shenghui understood that the elder's words were not meant for his granddaughter, but rather as an explanation for him. He nodded in acknowledgment, satisfied with the explanation.

Samikina, seeing this, reluctantly set down the empty teacup, turned to the dazed Sifuer and said solemnly, "This item was originally intended for your grandfather to use, do you understand now?"

"Uncle Grandpa, you mean to say someone wants to harm my grandfather!" Sifuer panicked upon hearing this, disregarding the bond of blood. Although the Kataraga Autonomous Territory still had its influence and connections within the Holy City, her family had declined, and how much support she could garner was uncertain. Yet, her grandfather held considerable sway within the Holy City, and if something were to happen to him, both her clan and the Samikina Clan would suffer significant losses.

Thinking of this, she paced back and forth, sweating profusely, and said, "Anyone capable of trading with Grandpa must hold a prominent status! Uncle Grandpa, who is he? Grandpa doesn't know this news yet, and if the person is still in the Holy City, they could harm my grandfather at any moment!"

"You need not know who this person is yet; you should be grateful the issue was exposed here, allowing us to seize the initiative." Samikina said, rising slightly to thank Gu Shenghui for refilling his tea, savoring it before speaking calmly as the tea aroma soothed his excitement, "Do not be anxious. Communication between the outside world and the Holy City is challenging. If the opposition truly intends to act, there is nothing we can do for now. Our only option is to play it by ear, aside from secretly passing this crucial intelligence back, we must focus on winning the current battle! The outcome will determine the future status of our two clans in the Holy City, which is the priority at hand, understand?"

Sifuer, upon hearing this, felt her restless anxiety subside somewhat, but then she recalled something, looking with disappointment at Pei Yan lying half-alive on the wheelchair, and said, "But, but, with Mr. Shitang in this state, can the plan proceed smoothly?"

Hearing this, Samikina shook his head helplessly. Though clever, the child lacked experience, so he smiled wryly and said, "Silly child, if Mr. Mu's esteemed disciple were truly seriously injured, he wouldn't be so polite, hosting us here for a banquet! Isn't that right, Mr. Shitang!" He finished, looking at Pei Yan, whose mouth twitched slightly from his wheelchair, and chuckled.