Chapter 506: Subtle Atmosphere

Ti Bao spoke, her voice light, as if stating something ordinary, "If she really wants to use us, there's no need for such elaborate schemes. With Iron Tomb's power, erasing us outright would be easier."

A Ge Lai Ya said nothing, merely turning her gaze toward Na Ke Xia.

Na Ke Xia stared blankly at the pattern on the table.

His expression was very serious, eyebrows slightly furrowed, that gradient eye unblinking fixed on a point before him, exuding an aura of "I'm thinking, don't disturb me."

A Ge Lai Ya waited three seconds.

Na Ke Xia still maintained that posture, motionless.

Another three seconds passed.

Na Ke Xia's brows furrowed deeper, as if confronting an unsolvable problem.

"Na Ke Xia."

A Ge Lai Ya finally spoke, her voice still calm, but the ending slightly rose.

Na Ke Xia slowly lifted his head.

His expression remained serious, those eyes still deep, the whole person still radiating a scholar's wisdom—

Then he spoke.

"Then I ask you."

When those four words left his mouth, everyone present was momentarily stunned.

Na Ke Xia continued, "If Heimu is the embodiment of Iron Tomb, then what is Iron Tomb's motive for embodying Heimu? To conceal Iron Tomb's true nature, or to use Heimu's identity to achieve goals Iron Tomb cannot? If it's to conceal, then her act of saving us is contradictory—because saving us would expose her existence. If it's to exploit, then her purpose in saving us is to later use us—"

He spoke faster and faster, his eyes brighter, the whole person seeming to have a switch pressed, instantly shifting from the solemn scholar to another state.

"So the crux of the issue is: does her act of saving us align with Iron Tomb's core will? If it aligns, her action fits Iron Tomb's logic; if not, her action proves she has already broken free from Iron Tomb's control—"

"Na Ke Xia?"

Ti Bao called softly.

Na Ke Xia ignored him, "—Therefore we need to establish a judgment standard, extract the core logic from her behavior pattern, then compare it with Iron Tomb's historical actions to find similarities and differences—"

"Xiao Xia."

Ti Bao called again, this time using a nickname.

Na Ke Xia's voice paused.

"Your robe's Earth Beasts are rolling their eyes," Ti Bao pointed at his clothing.

Na Ke Xia looked down.

The twenty‑plus Earth Beasts indeed were rolling their eyes, each tilting its head, baring teeth, as if silently mocking him.

Though it was unclear what was happening.

Na Ke Xia was silent for a second.

Then, as if nothing, he lifted his head, adjusted his collar, and restored the previously wise expression.

"My argument is concluded."

His voice was steady, as if the long string of rapid remarks earlier were someone else's, "Everyone, please continue."

The round table fell into a subtle silence.

Wan Di's mouth twitched slightly, then quickly returned to a blank expression.

His gaze fixed on the tabletop, as if something extremely captivating lay in the pattern there.

Ke Lv De La's eyebrows rose slightly, then dropped quickly.

She lifted the tea cup before her, lowered her head to sip, using the rim to hide her expression.

HaiSeYin remained expressionless, only his eyes drifting toward a white cloud in the void.

Feng Jin teased Xiao Yi Ka's hand, speeding up.

Xi Lian lifted her tea cup, masking a smile at the corners of her mouth with the act of drinking.

The corners of her eyes curved, as if she had seen something amusing.

Ti Bao, however, could not conceal her laughter.

The laugh was crisp, with a childlike cheerfulness, standing out clearly on the quiet round table.

"Xiao Xia is still this cute," Ti Bao cradled her cheek, smiling brightly at Na Ke Xia.

Na Ke Xia stared at the tabletop expressionlessly.

In his mind repeatedly echoed Sai Fei Er's words, "Why don't you be a bit more interesting?"

Damn!

Lost control again!

A Ge Lai Ya's mouth corner lifted ever so slightly.

Humanity +1

Then she quickly restored the dignified, solemn expression, lightly coughing.

"Cough."

That cough successfully drew everyone's attention back to her.

"So, regarding Heimu's stance," A Ge Lai Ya looked at Na Ke Xia, her tone calm, "what is your conclusion?"

Na Ke Xia was silent for three seconds.

Then he raised his head, speaking in that "I did nothing just now" tone, "The conclusion is, she is trustworthy."

A Ge Lai Ya nodded, without further questioning.

Wan Di's eyebrows twitched slightly, seeming to have some doubt about the overly brief conclusion, but ultimately he said nothing.

Xi Lian then took the floor: "Actually, besides Heimu's stance issue, there's another matter to tell everyone."

She set down her tea cup, hands folded on her knees, exuding a gentle yet serious aura.

The world we are now in—Weng Fa Luo Si's reconstructed version—is inside Heimu.

The atmosphere at the round table became subtle again.

Wan Di's eyebrows furrowed even deeper.

A Ge Lai Ya's expression didn't change much, only those eyes grew a little deeper.

"Inside."

Wan Di repeated the word, his tone carrying a hint of indescribable complexity.

"To be precise,"

Xi Lian explained, "Weng Fa Luo Si's data is stored in her space. Everything we have now—this round table, the city‑states below, and the conversation between us—are all operating within her core."

Silence fell again over the round table.

This silence was longer than the one after Na Ke Xia's performance "Then I ask you."

Finally, Feng Jin broke the silence.

She set down the Xiao Yi Ka in her hand, cleared her throat, and said in as relaxed a tone as possible:

"Um... according to Little Xi Lian's words, we are all Data Bodies, right?"

Xi Lian nodded.

"Then,"

Feng Jin paused, seeming to choose words, "Can we understand it as... that now we are all inside this Black Curtain Lady's... belly?"

The round table was quiet for a second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Wan Di's expression froze.

Ke Lv De La's teacup hovered in midair.

HaiSeYin's mouth corner twitched slightly.

Ti Bao covered their mouth, shoulders shaking.

Xi Lian was startled for a moment, then burst out laughing with a "pfft" sound.

A Ge Lai Ya slowly raised a hand and pressed the center of their own forehead.

"Feng Jin." Her voice remained Calm, but the ending was a little airy.

"Here." Feng Jin answered promptly.

"This topic... can be skipped."

"Oh." Feng Jin obediently nodded, then muttered softly, "I just think saying it that way is more vivid..."

No one replied.

The topic was indeed successfully skipped.

After a while, Xi Lian spoke again.