Chapter 1332

Tianlong continued in a deep voice, "Even someone like me, who has been asleep all this time, can guess why you put these people into the Lieche."

"Tianlong... how could you think that... I..."

"You found some way to make us no longer 'share life and death,' didn't you?"

Qinglong paused slightly after hearing this, neither denying nor confirming it.

"Our Shuangsheng Hua only established the most basic connection, which means our injuries aren't shared, but our lives are linked together," Tianlong said. "Yet, it's precisely this basic connection that's caused you endless headaches... isn't it?"

"I..."

"So you set up a scheme to get rid of me, but things started spiraling out of your control." Tianlong sighed. "You realized that under Baiyang's full-force assault, you couldn't hold out, so you had no choice but to wake me to clean up the mess you created... isn't that right?"

"Tianlong..."

Qinglong didn't know how to respond to Tianlong's questions and simply fell silent, his expression complex.

"When you were held back, you couldn't sever our connection, which means your method is only temporary and requires preparation in advance. You wanted to seize that moment to let me die and free yourself completely." Tianlong sighed. "Qinglong... isn't that right?"

After speaking, Tianlong reached up and clutched his chest, his face showing a strange expression.

"You... what's wrong?" Qinglong asked uncertainly.

"Nothing... just suddenly feeling short of breath." Tianlong said, "Qinglong, just because I don't say something doesn't mean I don't know about it."

Qinglong realized there was no point in hiding anything anymore and finally sighed. "Yes, I wanted to kill you. I've had enough."

"Hearing you say that is a bit regrettable," Tianlong said, "but I completely understand you."

"You're the one who's been asleep..." Qinglong said, his voice slightly hoarse, "Yet I'm the one trapped because of you. Every day, I worry that someone might enter that room and kill you... I'm even more afraid I'll die on some unsuspecting night... You're just sleeping, but you've become my biggest weakness in this world."

"Then why am I asleep in the first place?" Tianlong asked.

The question hit the mark, leaving Qinglong speechless.

"Qinglong, I understand you," Tianlong said. "But you know full well that I'm asleep because I exhaust all my Xineng in just half a day, becoming completely deranged. With the Xianfa I carry, if I stayed awake... the entire Taoyuan would be thrown into chaos."

"Yes... I know. Everything you do is to protect the stability of Taoyuan." Qinglong gritted his teeth and said, "But is Wenwen what we really want...? Don't you want to take a chance... to become a true Shen?"

"How could I not want to...?" Tianlong kept his hand on his chest, taking several deep breaths before his breathing eased. "But if I don't Lixi those people... with new lives arriving... and countless of them encountering one another, how can we ensure nothing else goes wrong?"

"It's all Baiyang's fault... Baiyang he..."

Tianlong adjusted his breathing and said gravely, "One Baiyang has already caused this mess. If many Baiyang met in Taoyuan... and they plotted together with flawless coordination, would the scales still tip in our favor? Even Tianyi couldn't help us then."

"Don't mention Tianyi anymore..." Qinglong said. "Your so-called Shier Tianyi has been almost completely destroyed by Baiyang. He schemed to drive a wedge between Tianyang, he refused to become Tianji, his room only has one judge, and he's single-handedly torn a gap in your Shier."

"It's fine," Tianlong said. "You and I both need to use him, and that's why he's managed to survive this long."

As Qinglong remained silent for a long time, Tianlong slowly stood up and glanced at the corridor outside.

"Qinglong, if I really died... what identity would you live on with?"

"Identity?" Qinglong looked up, puzzled.

"The interesting part is, the one who survives won't be you or me," Tianlong said. "You have half of me in you, and you've killed half of yourself. So, which of us is really surviving? And which has died?"

"No..." Qinglong pondered for a few seconds before saying, "No matter what we're made of, we're definitely two separate individuals now. If you really died, I would continue living as Qinglong."

Tianlong kept his back to Qinglong, not revealing his expression.

"We've each taken on part of the other, even our thoughts have started to change," Tianlong said softly, gazing at the corridor. "Both you and I want to become true Shen, but our methods are completely different. Not only have you had enough, but I have too."

"What do you mean?"

"You're burdened by always having a weakness, and I'm tired of only ruling this illusory two-day realm. Neither of us is satisfied with the current state," Tianlong said. "Since we have a method... why not try it?"

"Wh... what?"

"Your method to undo the Shuangsheng Hua," Tianlong said. "Show it to me."

Qinglong frowned slightly and slowly stood up. "Now...?"

"Yes, why make it so complicated?" Tianlong said. "You went around me and set up this huge scheme, but in the end, it won't be as straightforward as me agreeing to it directly."

Hearing Tianlong's suggestion, Qinglong hesitated unusually.

"So you're saying to undo the Shuangsheng Hua right now, and then..."

"Kill me," Tianlong said.

Qinglong was silent for a few seconds before asking, "Tianlong, are you clear-headed right now?"

"I'm clear enough," Tianlong nodded. "There aren't many people to Lixi this time, so I can still think and talk for now. But once I activate Rumeng, it's another story. So, what's your decision?"

Qinglong was still trying to grasp Tianlong's intentions. Although they each held half of the other, it was clear that their halves thought differently.

"Why is that?" Qinglong asked. "Nothing you've said so far makes me think you want to die."

"You said it yourself—if things go on like this, one day we'll both face danger, even if we fully follow the Tianyi," Tianlong said. "So I'm thinking... if only you were left, could you manage this place better?"