The excitement over the Gilded Hollow had not even cooled down, and now Harriot was offering even more rewards. Coming to this tea party was simply the best decision they had made in the last billion years!

Countless Dao Lords could not help but look at the Innkeeper and Hiran Kokan with immense amounts of gratitude in their eyes. Many of them had been invited by Hiran, and the rest had been invited by the Innkeeper. They would remember this kind favor for a long time!

Who in the universe could claim to throw a party like the Innkeeper? Could they get a better venue? A better co-host? Could they have better activities? Or better tea? Or perhaps a more prestigious guest list? The answer was simply no one!

Even though they couldn't share these secrets openly, they would be sure to go back and rub this experience in the faces of all their friends, and especially their enemies. It was not easy to make other Dao Lords jealous, but this would certainly do the trick.

"It seems everyone is eager to learn the secrets of the Primordial Queen," Ventura said, with a smile. "I am quite curious as well about what the Queen has collected all these years. For it to be a single secret, equal to all that has been revealed before it, it must be something incredible."

Eclipse snorted, as if she heard an accusation in Ventura's voice.

"What? You think there's only one secret in there? Little Ventura, you can act tough in your own academy, but in my garden you're not a big deal. I'll have you know, you're not even close to the highest level of activation of the pillar. Merely at level eight, and you're acting so excited. Little Veeny, I am disappointed in you."

Silence. Dead silence. Even the wind stopped blowing inside the garden as all the Dao Lords immediately erased their own memories, lest they become targets for Ventura's wrath. If word ever spread that the Primordial Queen had called him Little Veeny... sounding like a little weenie...

They all shuddered in fear, and were reminded that it was not so easy to enjoy the benefits of this tea party. The Primordial Queen's casual attitude, and the Innkeeper's hospitality had caused them to inadvertently lower their guard, but that was not a mistake they could make! Not here!

Ventura did not reply, and his smile remained frozen on his face. After a few seconds, though, he coughed. Well, it was true. Within Eclipse's Seat of Power, he could do nothing to her, so might as well have some thick skin.

"Harriot, if you will," Ventura said, acting as if nothing had happened.

The poodle nodded, and after looking at the rest of the Dao Lords to make sure no one had any objections, he placed a hand on the pillar, causing all the light to travel down its length through the portal from which it was coming out.

Lex was kind of curious about what the rest of the pillar looked like, but it seemed that was also a secret.

After a few moments, the pillar also retreated back into the portal, leaving once and for all. Yet no one complained, for the pillar had left behind a projection. Instead of revealing the secret verbally, it was showing them something.

Lex felt something connected to his spirit, and suddenly it was as if he were transported elsewhere, and the vision in the projection was playing out in front of him.

There were two shadowy figures conversing, clearly doing their best to hide their identities. Yet a moment later, all forms of protection disappeared, revealing their figures, as if the original spectator could see through their disguises.

One of them was from the Karmari race - a Sage race, and the same one as Grimshaw, the first Sage Jack had ever encountered. The other was from a race Lex was not familiar with, yet the moment he thought that, a stream of knowledge entered his mind, not only identifying the race, but also the individuals in the vision.

The second race was known as the Penance race, also a Sage race, and a particularly mysterious one who were known as the foremost masters of curses in the universe.

The one from the Penance race was called Hidemar, while the Karmari was Castoril. Both of them had particularly noble identities, even amongst their races. Hidemar, according to the knowledge of whoever was observing, was directly responsible for the extinction of the entire Indila race during the Primordial Age, while Castoril was the King of the Karmari race.

"This is not a deal you can make lightly, Castoril," said Hidemar. "Think twice, even thrice before you proceed, for no one will be able to save you once the deed is done."

Hidemar looked prideful, as if disdained to tempt Castoril, while Castoril seemed almost like he was fawning over the former.

"Lord Hidemar, you do not need to test my resolve. I have worked hard to subdue my race, and now I can decide their fate at my own discretion," Castoril said, before kneeling and looking down at the ground. "Lord Hidemar, I, Castoril Vel'Disdole, King of the Karmari, will pledge my eternal loyalty to you as your vassal and subject, as long as you can help my race ascend to the status of Sage, replacing the Formorains."

Hidemar smiled, and placed a hand on Castoril's head.

"Very well. I admire your decisiveness. I shall accept you as my vassal, and the Karmari as my property. The Formorains will fall before the Age is over!"

The vision ended, and yet no one spoke. No one expressed joy, or excitement, or any enthusiasm. This silence was far more deafening than any before it. Even Ventura did not pass any snarky remarks, as he processed the scene he had just witnessed.

One second, then two, then three went by before Ballom suddenly moved, forcibly grasping Bridget and purging the memory of what she had witnessed, inadvertently displaying far more power than he had ever shown before, revealing that his true strength was not what it seemed.

Yet no one could care about that right now. They were all too busy wiping their own memories. What they had received from the pillar wasn't knowledge, it was a death sentence!