Within the Human Race First City, the Heavenly Palace stood towering and resplendent. An incomparable grandeur filled the air, while auspicious energy drifted through hundreds of millions of miles of starry sky, radiating an awe-inspiring might.
From afar, the palace complex bathed in light looked like a vast immortal paradise, a place of eternal life.
Auspicious signs took the form of soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes, circling above the ancient city. These true miracles left everyone marveling and displayed the might of the Human Race.
The Central Immortal Palace in the heart of the ancient city bustled with noise and excitement. Beings of every race had gathered, all in human form. None were below the Saint Realm, and they raised their cups and talked merrily over wine.
Nor was the Central Immortal Palace the only lively place in the First City. Elsewhere in the ancient city lingered many Saint Spirits below the Saint Realm, along with beings from cosmic races that struggled to shed their true forms.
It seemed lively there, too.
But today was different. Races from across the universe had arrived, and most powers had already sensed the turbulent undercurrents beneath this gathering that resembled an Assembly of Immortals.
As mighty races appeared one after another, so did many proud, unruly figures. Convinced of their own greatness, they sneered at the proceedings.
Their words already betrayed how eager they were to see the Human Race made a laughingstock.
"Watch the Human Race raise its lofty towers. Watch it feast its guests. Then watch the day those towers fall!"
"The Source Ring is of great use to our races. The Emperor's Tower within it is wondrous beyond compare. If everyone in our race is to grow mighty as a dragon, we all need it to hone our fighting strength.