"Lord Monster Crane Immortal, has the Monster Crane opened?" someone asked.
"Heh heh, yes, it has opened. I was just joking with everyone earlier. The truth is, it was precisely because the Monster Crane opened that I flew it here."
"After all, I did my calculations and determined that this place holds… some fated individuals." The Monster Crane Immortal's attitude suddenly shifted, and he addressed the crowd with a beaming smile.
"My lord, can we enter now?" The Spirit World Masters present grew excited once more.
The reason they were so eager was that the Monster Crane did indeed contain certain rewards.
"Of course. Now that the Monster Crane has opened, anyone may step inside. There are no restrictions."
The moment the Monster Crane Immortal said this, countless figures shot into the air and surged toward the Monster Crane's gaping maw.
Owww—
But in the next instant, wails rang out in succession. People slammed into something as though they had collided with a wall — those with lighter injuries gritted their teeth in pain, while the worse off came away with blood streaming from their heads.
Yet there was clearly nothing before them, and when they reached out to touch the air, they found themselves blocked.
"An invisible barrier."
The crowd realized — an invisible barrier was stopping them.
But it wasn't stopping everyone, because some had made it inside. The younger generation. The younger generation could enter.
This was… a barrier that targeted those over a hundred years of age.
But in the past, when the Monster Crane opened, no such restriction had ever been imposed.
"My lord, why has a restriction been placed?" the confused crowd asked, looking up at the Monster Crane Immortal.
"Ahem, everyone, I said it before — I performed my calculations and determined that fated individuals would be found here. That is why I flew the Monster Crane to this location."
"And the fated individuals are among the younger generation. That is why I imposed this restriction," the Monster Crane Immortal explained.
"My lord, do you mean this barrier won't be lifted? Does that mean we have no chance of entering this time?" the crowd pressed, one after another.
The Monster Crane Immortal did not answer directly. Instead, he flew down from the Monster Crane to the side of its mouth, touched the invisible barrier with his hand, and then nodded toward the crowd.
"Mm."
Upon hearing this, the Spirit World Masters who had been brimming with excitement moments ago were struck with crushing disappointment.
"This Monster Crane Immortal — something's off about him," the Queen remarked.
"Indeed something's off. I can't tell if he's deliberately playing dumb, or if the Monster Crane has slipped beyond his control," Chu Feng agreed.
The reason he said this was that the Monster Crane Immortal's behavior at this moment seemed very peculiar. It was as though he didn't understand the Monster Crane at all.
He gave the impression that the Monster Crane's activation and the restrictive barrier were things he hadn't known about beforehand — and he was only scrambling to justify them after the fact.
"Father, can we go?" Long Chengyu asked the Totem Dragon Clan's Clan Chief.
The Totem Dragon Clan's Clan Chief first glanced at the Primordial Starsea, then turned to look at his son.
"Judging by the current situation, the stalemate in the Primordial Starsea should persist for some time."
"And the Monster Crane is typically only open for one or two hours, so it shouldn't interfere with anything. If you want to go, then go," the Totem Dragon Clan's Clan Chief said.
Upon hearing the Clan Chief's approval, many of the younger generation present were eager to give it a try.
After all, the Monster Crane was famously renowned. Even those among them who weren't Spirit World Masters wanted to go inside and see it for themselves.
Long Chengyu looked straight at Chu Feng. "Brother Chu Feng, let's go in together and have a look."
"Mm." Chu Feng agreed.
Regardless of whether the Monster Crane Immortal was acting strange, the Monster Crane itself was undeniably a treasure. If everyone else who entered was bound to gain something, then Chu Feng was certain that going inside would not be a wasted trip for him either.
"Father, if the situation calls for it, are we allowed to reveal ourselves?"
Before setting off, Long Chengyu asked his father one more question.
"Of course. The reason we've been hidden is simply because we chose not to reveal ourselves — not because we fear trouble. If you want to show yourselves, you may do so at any time."
The Totem Dragon Clan's Clan Chief's answer was nothing short of domineering, but it was only natural. With the strength and standing the Totem Dragon Clan commanded, he had every right to speak that way.
"I don't want to reveal myself right now either. I prefer keeping a low profile," Long Chengyu said with a grin.