Chapter 337: The Dao's Deception

Qi Xia noticed Qian Wu's enthusiastic hospitality toward Officer Li and Qiao Jiajin and naturally understood the situation.

"Qian Wu, did you really not know us before?" Qi Xia asked.

"There's no need to discuss that now," Qian Wu said to Qi Xia. "You're quite relaxed, aren't you? Your life is in my hands, and you're still only concerned about whether we're old acquaintances?"

Qi Xia nodded upon hearing this and looked at Qian Wu. "You're right—it doesn't matter if we're old acquaintances. You said you want to see my 'attitude.' How exactly do you plan to do that?"

"In ancient times, there was Cao Cao and Liu Bei discussing heroes over wine. Now, there's me, Qian Wu, and you, Qi Xia, in a 'silent determination of the end.'"

Qi Xia tapped his fingers on the table and calmly said, "So... are you Cao Cao or Liu Bei?"

"On this stage, I'm the biggest, so naturally, I'm Cao Cao."

"How interesting." Qi Xia smirked. "Cao Cao and Liu Bei discussed heroes over wine to gauge if Liu Bei had ambitions to dominate the world, but in the end, he was fooled by Liu Bei's clever words."

Qian Wu didn't speak; she just smiled and looked at Qi Xia.

Qi Xia leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as he stared at Qian Wu. "So, do you think... I could be Liu Bei?"

"Qi Xia, you're not Liu Bei," Qian Wu laughed. "I know you don't want to dominate this world."

"Oh?" Qi Xia leaned back and straightened up. "It seems you understand me. So, how do you plan to determine my attitude?"

"Qi Xia." Qian Wu's expression suddenly turned serious. "I want to know what your 'final plan' is."

"My... final plan..." Qi Xia's eyes grew stern as he looked at the other. "What makes you think there's any chance I'll reveal my plan to you?"

"Do you still have anyone you can trust?" Qian Wu asked. "Here... how far can you go on your own?"

Qi Xia subtly glanced at Qiao Jiajin and Li Shangwu beside him, then smiled. "I've never relied on myself alone."

"Even if you bring everyone you trust, you'll still end up falling at the feet of 'Tian Long,'" Qian Wu said with a look of despair. "Haven't there been enough tragedies here...?"

Qi Xia was slightly taken aback and asked, "Have you seen Tian Long?"

"More than just me..." Qian Wu's face gradually fell. "Qi Xia, everyone in the 'Zhong Yan Zhi Di' has seen Tian Long."

"What...?"

"That year, you led all the surviving 'Hui Xiang Zhe' in a decisive battle against Tian Long..." Qian Wu said wistfully. "That was the first time I saw you, and the first time I saw 'Tian Long.' But we lost so badly—we didn't stand a chance at all."

Qi Xia slowly stood up, never imagining that Qian Wu had retained memories for so long.

"A decisive battle against Tian Long...?" Qi Xia's lips moved slightly. "What was the situation back then? What was the content of the battle?"

"It was just an ordinary game," Qian Wu said. "No one expected Tian Long to use the simplest 'Tian Cheng You Xi' to defeat you, us, and all the Hui Xiang Zhe completely."

"What...?"

"We can't provoke that man," Qian Wu said, furrowing her brow. "He's neither human nor a 'Hui Xiang Zhe.' He has magic, like a true god."

"Magic...?" Qi Xia also furrowed his brow. Though he had seen many 'Hui Xiang Zhe' here, hearing that 'Tian Long' possessed magic was still hard to accept.

Qiao Jiajin and Li Shangwu exchanged glances, seemingly trying to gauge how much truth was in Qian Wu's words.

Qian Wu held out both hands, palms up. "Qi Xia, what do you think... in a balance scale, where one side wins by being heavier—one side with ten thousand 'Hui Xiang Zhe,' or the other with 'Tian Long' and 'Qing Long'?"

"Your meaning is..."

Qi Xia pondered for a moment and instantly pictured the scene.

Ten thousand people on the left side of the scale, 'Tian Long' and 'Qing Long' on the right, yet the Hui Xiang Zhe lost.

That simple game left everyone utterly defeated.

"They have the 'Dao' in their hearts, while we're just ordinary people..." Qian Wu said. "With 'Qing Long' protecting him, even if ten thousand people were all 'Hui Xiang Zhe,' we couldn't possibly win against 'Tian Long'—let alone the fact that we can't all be Hui Xiang Zhe."

Qi Xia paused for a long time before asking, "When did that happen?"

"About ten years ago," Qian Wu replied quietly. "Very few people remember it, and anyone who retains their memories gets executed by Qing Long personally."

"What...?"

"Ten years ago?"

"Perhaps only a very few people remember it now, but they've all disguised themselves and are waiting for an opportunity." Qian Wu looked up at Qi Xia. "I think that opportunity is you."

"Is that so?" Qi Xia still regarded Qian Wu with suspicion. If what she said was true, and everyone with memories had to hide them, why was she revealing everything?

"It seems you still don't believe me." Qian Wu shook her head. "Qi Xia, when you and Tian Long made that bet and lost, the 'Hui Xiang Zhe' at the scene used all their abilities to escape. Most didn't survive the massacre, but a few with special powers got away and lived on."

Every word from Qian Wu made Qi Xia's heart tighten. He felt she wasn't lying, but the absurdity of it all was overwhelming.

Tian Long as the leader of all 'Sheng Xiao,' and Qing Long as the chief of the 'Shen Shou,' openly slaughtering Hui Xiang Zhe?

"You want me to believe you... but you need to answer one question," Qi Xia said.

"Go ahead."

"In my bet with Tian Long, what was the 'stake'?"

Qian Wu shook her head silently. "I don't know."

"Then aren't you lying?" Qi Xia said. "You were part of that game, yet you don't know what was being bet?"

"No, I'm not lying," Qian Wu said seriously. "Qi Xia, as I said, that was the first time I saw you, so I wasn't familiar with you. I was just one of many Hui Xiang Zhe, standing behind you while you confronted Tian Long up front. I have no idea what you two discussed."

Qi Xia felt Qian Wu's words had no obvious flaws—at least, the logic held up for now.

"I want to understand Tian Long better," Qi Xia changed the subject. "I need to know my opponent."

"Qi Xia, I know you won't listen to advice, but I have to tell you... we can't fight that man," Qian Wu said with a frown. "Ordinary people can't even see him, so how could they demand anything from him?"

"Seeing him is easy." Qi Xia's lips curved slightly. "I've gathered three thousand six hundred 'Dao,' and soon I can meet Tian Long."

"Wha—"

Qian Wu, Zhou Liu, and Song Qi all looked panicked, while Nineteen nearly lost control and almost dispelled the 'Jian Mo.'

"Qi Xia! You absolutely must not!" Qian Wu shouted urgently. "Whatever you do, don't collect three thousand six hundred 'Dao'! 'Dao' is nothing but a massive deception!"

Qian Wu reached out and grabbed Qi Xia's arm. In the next second, her body changed rapidly—from a woman to a man, with the same build as Qi Xia, except for the unchanged face.

Zheng Yingxiong remained hidden behind Qi Xia, muttering quietly, "I smell the strong scent of 'Shuang Sheng Hua.'"