Chapter 1317: Eliminating Obstacles

The two clearly sensed a change in Qinglong’s demeanor, but couldn’t quite pinpoint what exactly had shifted.

“Dang it! You and I each punched him once… seems like we knocked him stupid,” Qiao Jiajin remarked.

“Looks that way to me too.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Qiao Jiajin said, turning to Zhang Shan.

“What?”

“This isn’t working,” Qiao Jiajin said with a grin. “Let’s punch him awake.”

“Great idea. Let’s do it,” Zhang Shan agreed, rolling his shoulders as he stepped forward.

They positioned themselves on either side of Qinglong, who was gradually falling silent, and raised their right fists.

Qinglong slowly lifted his head, his expression blank as he regarded them. “Once I eliminate the obstacles… this battle can be won.”

“Obstacles…?” Zhang Shan frowned, confused by Qinglong’s cryptic words.

But there was no time to waste—this was the best chance to kill Tianlong. The two lunged forward, throwing straight punches aimed at Qinglong’s face and heart.

In the next instant, as expected, Qinglong vanished from sight once again.

Their fists struck the wall instead. They had anticipated this and quickly turned back, ready to defend themselves.

Yet strangely, there was no sign of Qinglong anywhere in the room. Only Tianlong, frowning slightly in the distance, and the scattered, bloody footprints remained.

“What the hell…?” Qiao Jiajin glanced at Zhang Shan, his expression uncertain. “Did Little Green just… talk big and then bail?”

“This…”

Zhang Shan had never considered this scenario—Qinglong abandoning Tianlong and leaving alone?

What were they supposed to do now? Kill Tianlong…?

“Damn it, I don’t think so,” Zhang Shan said. “We still can’t touch Tianlong. Let’s go after him!”

“Got it!”

With their plan set, they dashed to the door and yanked it open without hesitation.

But beyond the doorframe, there was only a bare wall—no passage in sight.

……

Countless “ants” began gathering at the “front of the train.”

Almost no “celestial-level” beings remained on board, yet the presence of “eyeballs” lingered. Their owner seemed to have some means of self-defense, though not as lethal as a “Divine Beast”—clearly, they were still “celestial-level.”

The ants lifted their hollow eyes, staring forward. In their dark vision, three faintly glowing orbs hovered, but when they reached out, they could only feel flesh and bone.

One ant frowned in thought, then decisively thrust its fingers into the flesh. Scalding blood instantly splattered onto its arm.

From the depths of the room, Xiao Ran let out a piercing scream—but the agonized cry reached none of the ants.

The ant that had pierced Xiao Ran’s palm now received a clear message: this thing was alive, and its body was incredibly fragile.

This person, hiding in the room with an “eyeball,” was clearly a “celestial-level” being who feared death. Eliminating them wouldn’t be difficult.

Unsure how to alert the others, the ant continued attacking Xiao Ran’s palm on its own. Unbeknownst to it, many nearby ants, after brief contemplation, began doing the same.

Xiao Ran felt as though countless iron needles were stabbing into her palm—agonizingly sharp—yet she had no idea how to evade with such a massive hand. All she could do was scream.

Her tears smeared her makeup, and her cries echoed endlessly through the room.

The ants sensed the barrier before them weakening, as if it would soon collapse entirely. But in the next moment, five “eyeballs” abruptly materialized before them.

These five “eyeballs” were arranged differently from those inside the room, each seemingly rooted in a person’s heart, liver, spleen, lungs, or kidneys. Their brilliance far outshone the “celestial-level” orbs inside.

More and more ants were drawn to the five new “eyeballs,” their proximity making them irresistible. Gradually, they ceased their assault on the massive flesh and turned toward the fresh targets.

Qinglong’s face darkened as he glared at the swarm of ants gathered at his doorway. “Qi Xia… you sure know how to make an entrance,” he muttered in fury.

With a flick of his hand, several ants were flung back by an unseen force.

“The lowest of the low…” Qinglong snarled. “Once I deal with these nuisances, I’ll make sure you experience eternal damnation.”

He turned his gaze to the enormous hand inside the room, a flicker of confusion crossing his expression.

The furniture inside had been crushed beneath its weight, and a few ants were pinned against the wall by the massive appendage.

But what the hell was going on?

“Qinglong… is that you?!” The screams inside suddenly turned into desperate pleas. “I’m in here!! All the way inside!!”

Qinglong’s expression turned icy. With a swift motion, he slashed a path through the center of Xiao Ran’s giant hand.

“AAAAAHHHH!!”

The pain was unlike anything Xiao Ran had felt from the needles. Her “conviction” shattered instantly, and her right hand deflated like a punctured balloon, shrinking back to normal.

Clutching her palm, she saw it was a mangled mess, with a coin-sized gash in the center.

“Q-Qinglong… what’s wrong…?” Xiao Ran forced a smile through her tears, her hand dripping blood. “Don’t you recognize me…? It’s me…”

Qinglong’s face twisted with fury before settling into a cold smile. “How could I forget you…?”

“Th-thank goodness…” Xiao Ran gasped. “You have no idea what I went through to find you… I didn’t know how to fix my hand, but you… you saved me… I knew if I waited here, I’d see you…”

In a flash, Qinglong appeared before her, gripping her throat and lifting her off the ground. “That voice. You… what exactly are you?”

“Q-Qinglong… don’t you remember…?” Xiao Ran wheezed. “T-Tianshe told me to tell you… ‘The masterpiece is complete’… It’s me!”

Qinglong’s eyes narrowed. Right—without that phrase, he might have forgotten entirely.

“A new ‘Divine Beast’?” he growled, tightening his grip.

“Yes! I’m the new ‘Divine Beast’!” Xiao Ran frantically agreed. “I’m ‘Qiongqi’! Q-Qinglong… if you’re upset… just let me go first…”

Qinglong showed no intention of releasing her, his gaze filled with suspicion. “But a name like ‘Qiongqi’ only brings calamity.”

“N-no, that’s not it… Tianshe gave me the name, not me…” Xiao Ran denied. “And I’ve helped you so much along the way… at least put me down…”

“Unnecessary,” Qinglong said, increasing the pressure. “I can’t stand your grating voice.”

“P-please…” Xiao Ran begged, tears streaming. “Qinglong… I swear my loyalty to you. Even if you kill me here, my ghost will serve you… You’ll see how devoted I am…”