Bubu Wang returned. Since he was still in the process of merging with the environment, only Su Xiao, who had just touched him, could see Bubu.
Bubu Wang had brought back one crucial piece of information: they could no longer cooperate with Father. The reason was that the current situation had been planned long ago by Father and Guild Leader Rogsh.
A few hours earlier, when Father had gone to the Warm Forest to gather materials for the solar potion, he had communicated with Guild Leader Rogsh.
Bubu Wang had been near Rogsh at the time and had heard the entire conversation.
The truth was that, before entering the Sun Gate, Father and Guild Leader Rogsh had already formed an alliance and begun searching everywhere for people who might possess the keys.
Although the five keys had different properties, once two key-bearers came within a certain distance of each other, they would sense one another.
Father had originally been unaware that Su Xiao possessed a key. During the World Struggle, after arriving at the sixth floor of the Sun Temple, Father had vaguely sensed the presence of another key nearby through the Sin-Confessing Thorn Whip.
In fact, Su Xiao had been on the seventh floor of the Sun Temple at the time. Although he possessed the Ouroboros Slate, his compatibility with the item was far too low, so he could not truly be considered a key-bearer.
Father's original plan had been to seize the World Core in the Sun Temple and hand it over to Paradise, easing the awkward situation caused by his recent transformation into a Violator.
Father merely wanted to obtain power and accomplish something. Alternating between the sides of Violators and Contractors was something he could accept.
After sensing the Ouroboros Slate, Father had changed his mind.