Feng Bro, Are You a Little Out of It?

Xia Feng was still dressed in black, as taciturn as ever, with Broken Blade strapped to his back. He looked as simple and stark as if he had stepped out of an ink-wash painting.

The only difference from before was the crow perched on his shoulder. Green flames flickered in its eyes.

Compared to before entering the Land of Origin, Xia Feng's aura had become even more elusive and unfathomable, like a free wind.

Looking at the Chosen standing motionlessly among the stars around Central Hub Square, Xia Feng was genuinely startled.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...

More than a dozen Chosen had already arrived, yet not one of them dared set foot on the Square. They seemed to have reached some sort of tacit agreement.

"Big Brother Xia." Bai Xiaowen's voice rang out.

Only then did Xia Feng walk over under everyone's watchful eyes. "Good lord, what's with all these spectators? Are they waiting outside because they're afraid of you and Senior Qiao?"

Qiao Liqun gave a bitter smile. "Not my doing. This kid's growth is just too freakish."

Xia Feng's expression turned strange.

Bai Xiaowen smiled faintly and gestured for Xia Feng to look up at the enormous Pillars before the main entrance of the Central Hub Divine Hall.

There were even more Chosen hanging from them than there were waiting outside.

"You hung all of them up there?" Xia Feng looked somewhat shaken.

Bai Xiaowen said with a smile, "Otherwise, why would the people outside wait so obediently?"

The Demon Fire Crow on Xia Feng's shoulder let out a strange cry. "This kid has grown monstrously strong now! Unless a True God descends, no one can beat him!"

Qiao Liqun had been staring at the Demon Fire Crow. When he heard it speak, his expression grew solemn. "So this crow really has been parasitized. Who are you?"

"His name is Luo Xie Er." Bai Xiaowen had already been put at ease when Xia Feng and Luo Xie Er arrived, and he explained to Qiao Liqun, "He is a Divine Bloodline Grade demon."

"How did you get a Land of Origin Ticket?" Qiao Liqun was even more astonished. "No, even if you got a ticket, you shouldn't have been able to use it!"

Demon Fire Crow Luo Xie Er said unhappily, "What's wrong with that? I was merely going home!"

Bai Xiaowen nodded with a smile.

Luo Xie Er, along with the other two Divine Bloodline Grade demons who had already been slain—Ni Bu Luo Zi and Yi Si Men—all came from the Land of Origin.

The Land of Origin could be considered the "home" of the three Divine Bloodline Grade demons.

However, the Land of Origin was fraught with danger. Even God-Borns had to be wary of perishing beneath World-Ending Grade natural disasters, which was why the three God-Borns had been so desperate to remain in the Dark Ages Plane.

That was why Luo Xie Er had been willing to swallow his pride and negotiate with Bai Xiaowen.

As for the Death God Bones each of the three possessed, they had all originated from the Star of Death Omen. They were the "spoils" the three God-Borns had acquired after inadvertently entering the Star of Death Omen during their long years in the Land of Origin—the Black Coffin in the center of Death God Castle's main hall had actually been opened by the three of them.

After hearing the explanation, Qiao Liqun's eyes widened even further.

"A resident of the Land of Origin... wouldn't that make him a living map? What a pity, what a pity."

If they had had Luo Xie Er's Guidance while exploring the Outer Star Region, they would certainly have saved a great deal of effort.

Now that they had reached the main entrance of the Central Hub Divine Hall, Luo Xie Er's value as a "living map" was nearly zero.

"Have you ever entered the Central Hub Divine Hall?" Qiao Liqun asked.

"Never. I avoided it whenever I could," Luo Xie Er said with a curl of his beak. "There is a strange legend in the Land of Origin. Whenever shadows descend, the living beings of the Land of Origin lose their minds and forget a period of time. They often discover inexplicable signs of battle on their bodies as well..."

"It sounds like someone is controlling them. But what does that have to do with the Central Hub Divine Hall?" Qiao Liqun frowned.

Luo Xie Er said, "Of course it has something to do with it. The closer one gets to the Central Hub Divine Hall, the more widespread this legend becomes. Everyone suspects the manipulators are hiding inside the Central Hub Divine Hall."

After a pause, Luo Xie Er added, "I actually experienced this legend myself, on the Star of Death Omen."

Qiao Liqun's expression changed as he looked toward the main entrance of the Central Hub Divine Hall again. The pitch-black doors resembled the gaping maw of a monster.

Bai Xiaowen interrupted, "All right, there's no need to pay too much attention to it. Those manipulators can only control the native living beings of the Land of Origin. They are powerless against outsiders like us."

"How do you know?" Qiao Liqun countered.

"Do you remember what we encountered after approaching the Core Star Region?" Bai Xiaowen said. "The Native Monsters, which had originally been scattered and disorderly, suddenly became organized. They gathered like an army and obstructed our advance."

"I remember. You mean... those Native Monsters were all being controlled."

"Exactly. If they went to such lengths to control Native Monsters against us, doesn't that prove they cannot control us directly?"

Qiao Liqun and Xia Feng both nodded at those words.

"I'm thinking that the Behind-the-Scenes Manipulators may actually be more afraid than we are right now." Bai Xiaowen looked at the Central Hub Divine Hall and smiled. "They have no other methods left. They can only control Native Monsters. The moment we reach the Central Hub, it will mean their end."

As though confirming Bai Xiaowen's words, the main doors of the Central Hub Divine Hall rumbled open. Light swirled, and a membrane of light rapidly formed.

"Let's get in quickly." Qiao Liqun rubbed his hands together.

"Mm. Senior Qiao, after you." Bai Xiaowen bowed slightly.

Qiao Liqun laughed heartily. "Then I won't stand on ceremony." He leaped forward and became the first to step through the light gate.

Xia Feng was about to enter, but Bai Xiaowen grabbed him.

Xia Feng: ???

Bai Xiaowen said, "Don't rush. This door is fake. It actually leads to a Plane World in the Spirit Realm, not the interior of the Central Hub Divine Hall."

Xia Feng asked, "How do you know?"

Bai Xiaowen smiled and pointed at his Left Eye. The Eye of Evolution had already fully shed its restrictions.

Xia Feng was stunned and confused, but out of trust in Bai Xiaowen, he did not ask further.

"Oh, there's one more thing." Bai Xiaowen spoke as though mentioning something trivial. "I already slaughtered Xia Jinshi."

Xia Feng's expression changed, then changed again. Finally, he let out a long breath.

"Good... though it is a little regrettable that I couldn't kill him myself." Xia Feng spoke slowly. "Thank you."

"Hey, Feng Bro, are you a little out of it? He was the enemy who killed my sister. It was only right for me to take revenge myself." Bai Xiaowen curled his lips. "Speaking of which, what exactly is your relationship with my sister? Did you confess? Get married? Meet the parents? Buy a house... well, forget that last one."

Xia Feng froze, a huge look of awkwardness appearing on his face.

"So, what do we do? Just wait here?" Xia Feng pointed at the light gate, changing the subject. "This should be the work of the Behind-the-Scenes Manipulators hiding inside the Divine Hall, right?"

"It's fine. The Behind-the-Scenes Manipulators can't keep influencing the Central Hub Divine Hall and maintaining this trap forever. Otherwise, they would have done this long ago," Bai Xiaowen said.