Chapter 619: Loophole

After hearing this, Qi Xia reached out and pinched his own thigh.

It hurt, but there was no sign of waking up.

“It’s useless,” Tianlong said. “You haven’t had proper rest in far too long. How do you expect to wake up this time?”

“I can’t lose to you here,” Qi Xia replied.

“Even if you can resurrect every ten days, the brain can’t deceive the body.” Tianlong slightly turned his face, his featureless skin “looking” at Qi Xia. “You may not need rest, but it does.”

“Tianlong, are you going to kill me here?”

“No, you misunderstand. I’m just worried about your health.” Tianlong replied calmly. “Bai Yang, let’s have a proper talk, shall we?”

Qi Xia frowned, staring at the monstrous figure before him for a long while before finally speaking. “What do you want to talk about?”

“The ‘future,'” Tianlong said. “This is a rare opportunity—just you and me, no one else. Why not envision the ‘future’ together?”

“No, I don’t want to talk about the ‘future.'” Qi Xia slowly walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. “I want to talk about the ‘past.'”

“The past is already gone.” Tianlong wiped his nonexistent mouth. “Bai Yang, you should know… if the two of us keep fighting, neither of us will benefit. Even if you exhaust every scheme and finally manage to kill me, what will *you* do afterward?”

“I’ll return to the past,” Qi Xia answered. “When everything here ends, I’ll naturally go back.”

“And then what? Will you return with your twisted mind, scarred body, painful memories, a terminal illness in your head, and a ‘fake Yu Nian’an’?” Tianlong slowly lowered his head. “How long will you last once you go back?”

“I—”

Tianlong’s questions nearly shattered Qi Xia’s psychological defenses. He felt the walls around him cracking rapidly, dust falling from the ceiling.

“To escape ‘Taoyuan,’ you’ve turned yourself into this wretched state… Was it worth it?” Tianlong shook his head helplessly. “We could have coexisted peacefully. Think about it—what exactly are you fighting me for?”

Qi Xia frowned, studying Tianlong’s grotesque face before slowly narrowing his eyes.

Within seconds, the spreading cracks in the walls recoiled as if frightened, and the dust on the floor began to rise, drifting back toward the ceiling.

The signs of collapse were vanishing—the room seemed to solidify once more.

“Isn’t that backward logic?” Qi Xia sneered. “Shouldn’t the truth be… if we *could* truly ‘coexist peacefully,’ why would I have turned myself into this wretched state?”

“I’m disappointed.” Tianlong shook his head. “Even now, you’re still wary of me. Bai Yang, *you* deceived *me*, and yet here you are, guarding against *me*.”

“And you didn’t deceive me?” Qi Xia felt himself gradually seizing control of the conversation. “You keep calling me ‘Bai Yang,’ but what am I now?”

He realized Tianlong seemed unable to act violently in this room—this truly was an equal conversation.

Something here was restraining Tianlong.

“Are you saying… I call you ‘Bai Yang,’ yet you’ve become a ‘participant’…?” Tianlong’s voice grew hesitant. “How laughable…”

He slowly stood, walked to Qi Xia’s side, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“If you’re willing, come back now as ‘Tian Yang.'” Tianlong said. “With your intellect, combined with ‘immortal arts’ and ‘divine power,’ no one here could defeat you.”

“What…?”

Qi Xia felt Tianlong’s words had gone beyond his expectations.

“What, unwilling to become ‘Tian Yang’?” Tianlong leaned down, his mouth hovering near Qi Xia’s ear. “Bai Yang, have you noticed? Did *I* turn you into a ‘participant,’ or did *you* choose this path?”

As Tianlong spoke, countless thoughts whirled in Qi Xia’s mind—had he *chosen* to become a “participant”?

But why?

“Bai Yang, stop deluding yourself.” Tianlong continued. “Do you know how many chances I’ve had to kill you outright?”

“I—”

“Even now. If I were to unleash destruction within your mental landscape, you’d collapse completely.” Tianlong added. “Do you really think you’ve survived this long just because you’re clever?”

Watching the cracks in the walls widen again, Qi Xia frowned once more. “Then why?”

“Because ‘heroes cherish heroes.'” Tianlong said. “I don’t want talent like yours buried in this ‘Taoyuan.’ I want you to come with me.”

“To where…?”

“The ‘train’ is ready. We can leave anytime.” Tianlong’s expression shifted into something resembling a smile. “Leave this mess behind. Let’s create a new ‘Taoyuan.'”

“Leave this mess…?” Qi Xia turned to look at him. “What do you mean by ‘create a new Taoyuan’?”

“You possess ‘endless regeneration.’ We can go to an uninhabited place and create subjects who will submit to us.”

As Tianlong spoke, the ceiling trembled violently, dust cascading onto their hair.

“Create subjects…?”

“Yes, Bai Yang. Only you and I have the potential to become gods.” Tianlong’s voice grew lower, and Qi Xia felt his own thoughts growing sluggish. “Those mortals are expendable, don’t you think?”

Qi Xia slowly closed his eyes, aware that his mental state was deteriorating.

Every time Tianlong spoke, it felt like his soul and sanity were being pulled away—he couldn’t make judgments, couldn’t even think clearly.

He had to focus harder than ever, shutting out all external stimuli, straining to redirect his thoughts.

“There’s still a flaw…” Qi Xia muttered.

“What?” Tianlong paused.

“There’s still a flaw…” Qi Xia kept his eyes shut, brows furrowed. “The more you talk, the easier it is for me to spot it.”

As he spoke, the cracked walls began rapidly repairing themselves, even the peeling surfaces restoring.

Tianlong fell silent at the sight.

“What… flaw could I have?”

“You’re not acting like you’re recruiting me.” Qi Xia said. “‘Tianma’ went so far as to trigger the ‘Tianma Moment’ to find me—she wouldn’t hesitate to kill me.”

The damaged ceiling was now mending, the furniture shedding dust as if renewed.

“But I still don’t understand… Tianlong.” Qi Xia slowly opened his eyes, his gaze cold as it locked onto Tianlong’s face. “If you knew I was ‘endless regeneration,’ why did you send ‘Celestials’ after me?”