Chapter 1327: The Ultimate Deception?
Qinglong had already extended his hand, yet he still hadn't activated any "Conviction."
Could their target actually be the *tree*?
This tree was indeed rare, after all, it didn't originate from "Peach Blossom Spring."
It came from an apple brought in from the outside.
The apple had been eaten, and the core was casually tossed into the soil. From a botanical perspective, or even from Peach Blossom Spring's perspective, it theoretically shouldn't have sprouted.
But it grew into a sapling, and even bore misshapen fruit.
Such a rare tree—it would be a pity to destroy it. Yet who, in this life-or-death moment, would waste their dwindling "Conviction" to protect an inanimate object?
So, under the watchful eyes of the others, Qinglong made no move, watching coldly as Qiao Jiajin moved beside the great tree and raised his hand for a horizontal chop.
"Tianxingjian," mixed with Qiao Jiajin's exquisite combat skills, a single hand-chopping strike severed the tree cleanly in half, as if by an axe.
Qiao Jiajin immediately followed up with a palm strike against the trunk. The tree swayed for a moment, then crashed down heavily in one direction.
This tree wasn't extremely large, nor was it small. The sound of its fall was even less than the impact of a few "Tianxingjian" fists colliding.
Qiao Jiajin took a deep breath and observed the changes around him. He had once boldly speculated about what would happen once this tree was cut down.
For instance, maybe this tree was Qinglong's most beloved object. If the tree fell, Qinglong would completely break down.
Or maybe this tree was some kind of vital weakness for Qinglong. If the tree fell, Qinglong would be injured.
Perhaps Qinglong's true body was hidden inside the tree. If the tree died, Qinglong would die with it.
But not only did none of the above happen, nothing else happened at all.
Qinglong's expression remained blank. The entire room was terrifyingly silent. Compared to before, the only difference was that the tree had fallen.
So... what exactly was this supposed to be—this "trump card"?
Qinglong cast a cold glance at Qiao Jiajin. After a few seconds, a mad grin spread across his face. "Can't kill me... so you take it out on a tree?"
Hearing this, Qiao Jiajin felt he might have been played.
This "trump card" he had been holding onto, only forced to use at the critical moment to save his life—it might have been a joke from the very beginning.
If possible... he really wished he had misunderstood.
Even if it had some effect, no matter how small...
Even if the tree made Qinglong sad for just an instant, Qiao Jiajin could have claimed the trump card had done something.
At least then he could have sworn he hadn't been deceived.
But why was it like this...?
He had been deceived after all. Qinglong didn't care about this tree at all.
Just an ordinary tree, completely indistinguishable from those in the real world.
Ordinary leaves, ordinary bark, ordinary roots.
Even the cross-section of the tree didn't reveal a pitch-black color like Xuanwu's body. It simply showed the yellowish-white, ordinary wood.
From every angle, it was nothing more than an utterly common tree.
Zhang Shan and Chu Tianqiu exchanged glances, unsure what Qiao Jiajin's "trump card" actually was.
Had it not started yet... or had it already ended?
"Tattooed kid..." Zhang Shan called out uncertainly. "Is it now..."
"Looks like we're on our own." Qiao Jiajin gave a bitter smile. "Big guy, I once said I'd take you to see the vast landscapes of this world, but I'm afraid today is our last look."
"Is that so?" Zhang Shan laughed along. "No matter. 'Mountain' is here, and 'Sky' is here too. We'll make do with what we have."
The three of them knew there was no retreat left. The outcome was already heading toward its predetermined end.
"Ridiculous..." Qinglong hung his head, as if carrying an entire thundercloud on his back. "Your death throes strike me as particularly absurd..."
Taking advantage of Qinglong's speech, Chu Tianqiu glanced in Tianlong's direction. Tianlong had begun to frown slightly; he would wake up soon.
Was there still one last chance for him to touch Tianlong?
But as he thought about it, a flash of disappointment crossed Chu Tianqiu's eyes.
Even if he could touch Tianlong, that would only be a new beginning. Tianlong's dreamscape would undoubtedly be even more terrifying than "The Land of the End." What would he do then?
Would Qi Xia really be waiting for him there?
Now, everything seemed to point to the opposite answer.
What exactly was Qi Xia...?
As Chu Tianqiu watched Qinglong, he moved gradually toward Tianlong. He didn't know what Qi Xia was planning, but he knew he had to try at least once.
Now, there was no escape route left in this room. Either die at Qinglong's hands, or die at Tianlong's hands.
Since the ending was already set, what harm was there in trying?
Seizing the moment when Qinglong was distracted, Chu Tianqiu gathered all his leg strength and leaped toward Tianlong.
Qinglong sensed trouble and tried to use "Heart Snatcher" to stop Chu Tianqiu's movement, but the "Immortal Art" failed for a split second. So Qinglong too shot forward, flying toward Chu Tianqiu.
Zhang Shan and Qiao Jiajin, playing the role of the mantis stalking the cicada with the oriole behind, also leaped toward Qinglong.
The three forces collided violently in midair. They struck each other, then flew off to different positions before landing.
Qinglong was in noticeably better shape than the other three. He landed beside the fallen tree and watched as the others tumbled to the ground.
"Why struggle..." Qinglong muttered, rolling his neck. "Wouldn't it be better to just wait quietly for the 'Thunder's Fall' to descend..."
Chu Tianqiu clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood, but immediately got to his feet. With "Tianxingjian," this injury was far from fatal. No matter what, he had to try harder.
If he couldn't touch Tianlong, how could he face himself with a clear conscience?
This path hadn't become difficult only now—it had been this hard from the very beginning.
"Chu Tianqiu, you truly disappoint me." Qinglong laughed loudly. "I thought you were also a prime candidate to become a 'God'... yet here you are, kicked to the ground like a dog. Why do you insist on putting the safety of mortals first?"
As Qinglong spoke, all the thunderclouds in the sky had turned a terrifying purplish-red. Countless radiant lightning serpents began to flicker. On the verge of complete madness, Qinglong unleashed the most powerful "Thunder's Fall" in history.
"Now... do you understand the gap between mortals and me?" Qinglong walked forward slowly amid the flashing thunder and lightning, like a true god. "Mortals cannot judge me... and you actually thought to vent your anger on an ordinary fruit tree? Isn't that laughable?"
Qinglong cast a contemptuous glance at the fallen tree, then turned his gaze to Qiao Jiajin, laughing loudly. "You kept calling it your 'trump card,' but in the end, it's—"
Wait.
Hold on.
Qinglong's words stopped abruptly in mid-air.
His expression began to turn strange.
For just a split second, he had seen something odd. Something that seemed rational at first glance but was absolutely impossible upon closer thought.
What was it?
He slowly shifted his gaze back to the fallen tree. What image had flashed by just now... making his back chill for an instant?
This was just... the most ordinary tree... wasn't it?
Ordinary leaves, ordinary bark, ordinary roots.
What exactly was wrong...?
He stared at the broken tree in disbelief.
A few seconds later, he stood frozen, stunned.
The problem lay in the cross-section of the tree...
A tree that had grown for at most seventy-odd years...
Yet its cross-section was densely packed with hundreds of rings of annual growth.