Then let them offer their loyalty!

If Qiu Tu is killed in front of Zhiyan without any reason, causing problems with the cooperation between the Second Shelter and the "Mist Shadow Society," then it would truly be a case of losing more than one gains by losing something small.

Thinking this, Jin Ni couldn't help but look at Zhi Yan, trying to figure out what this one of the three strongest humans was thinking.

Before he could even understand Zhiyan's attitude, Qiu Tu's voice rang in his ears again, "Heavenly King Zhiyan, seeing is believing. Li Feng has mentioned you to me many times. She even said that you are her mother."

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Zhi Yan's gaze fell upon Qiu Tu, and then she smiled calmly and readily admitted, "That's right. Li Feng is my daughter."

Upon hearing Zhiyan's words, Qiu Tu was immediately filled with surprise and doubt. He said, "It's actually true?"

His gaze lingered on Zhiyan's face for a moment, then he exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty, if you hadn't admitted it, I would have thought Li Feng was joking with me."

“You don’t look like her mother at all. Instead, you look like….”

At this point, Qiu Tu suddenly stopped.

No one can tolerate a half-finished story, especially one about themselves. So Zhiyan couldn't help but ask, "Like what?"

Qiu Tu grinned, looking incredibly sunny and handsome. "She looks like her sister."

"Moreover... perhaps because you don't wear makeup, you look even younger than her, almost like her younger sister."

"Hahaha." No woman can resist such a compliment about age. Even an eighth-order deity.

So, for a moment, even the usually composed and elegant Zhiyan was amused.

Seeing her smile, Qiu Tu couldn't help but smile too.

Of the three, only Jin Ni couldn't laugh. He looked at Qiu Tu expressionlessly, but his eyes held shock.

Does this man have no shame?

Despite her beauty, good figure, and youthful appearance, Zhiyan is old enough to be his mother.

Why are the compliments so cheesy?

Jin Ni had long heard that Qiu Tu disliked taking detours. Now it seemed he didn't want to take even the slightest detour...

Thinking this, his heart sank slightly. He realized something was amiss...

He and Zhiyan are clearly hunters, so how come the conversation is now completely in Qiu Tu's hands?

What exactly is going on?

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Chapter 634 Qiu Tu: Zhao Ji is lusting after my beauty (Double votes requested!)

Just then, as Jin Ni was thinking this, the Heavenly King Zhiyan also spoke.

Women of all ages may enjoy praise, or perhaps she was deliberately trying to protect Qiu Tu.

Her beautiful eyes fell on Qiu Tu, and she chuckled softly, then followed up on Qiu Tu's words, saying, "I've long heard Li Feng say that Speaker Qiu has a sweet tongue, and seeing it today, I can confirm that the reputation is well-deserved."

Upon hearing the words of the Heavenly King Zhiyan, Qiu Tu quickly waved his hand and said, feigning nervousness, "Your Majesty, please don't misunderstand. Commander Li Feng and I are innocent. She has never tasted my lips."

"Hehehe." This time, Zhiyan's laughter was noticeably more genuine, her eyes crinkling into crescents.

She looked at Qiu Tu with gentle eyes and said with a smile, "It's no wonder Xiao Feng likes you. If I were 20 years younger, I would like you too."

Hearing Zhiyan's words, Qiu Tu's smile deepened. He replied with a smile, "Your Majesty is joking. It's not that you are 20 years younger, it's that I am 20 years late."

Upon hearing this, Zhiyan smiled even more broadly.

Meanwhile, looking at Zhiyan's smile, Qiu Tu continued to flatter her while his mind raced, reviewing his plan...

In fact, Qiu Tu had been carefully studying the "crisis intelligence" while formulating the plan. This allowed him to keenly perceive a key piece of information hidden within the "crisis intelligence."

The crisis intelligence reports on Jinni and Zhiyan differently. It uses the phrases "Jinni with an old grudge" and "Zhiyan".

This is the very first sentence of the "crisis intelligence" report. However, it highlights the key to breaking the deadlock: the two men's drastically different attitudes towards Qiu Tu.

Jin Ni, who has a past grudge, is clearly the one more likely to harm Qiu Tu, while Zhi Yan is someone who can be won over.

Therefore, when formulating the plan, Qiu Tu determined his core idea: to divide the two people, so that they would check and balance each other and be unable to take action against him.

The key is to proceed step by step, accumulating advantages to gain the upper hand!

Therefore... Qiu Tu exposed himself directly at the beginning, shouted their names, and took the initiative to find them: this was to reduce his hostile stance with the two of them and make himself appear to be on their side;

Immediately afterwards, Qiu Tu took the initiative again, saying that he was saving the two people, but without explaining why. This was to keep them on their toes and prevent them from ignoring what he said next and attacking them directly.

After that, Qiu Tu directly swore an oath using the "Origin of the World" to prove that he did not kill the Nine-Headed Lion. This was to shut Jin Ni up, so that when he had to be careful of Zhi Yan, he would have no legitimate reason to attack him directly.

Finally, it was about winning over and currying favor with Zhiyan, so that Zhiyan could act as a check on Jinni.

This plan is tightly linked, and none of the links can be missing.

The most crucial elements are "swearing an oath" and "pleasing Zhiyan".

In the former case, Qiu Tu truly wasn't lying. The Nine-Headed Lion could have easily fought him head-on, but instead, it ambushed him from the sidelines. Ultimately, it was killed by Zhao Ji with a single sword strike. (Chapter 589)

So, despite Qiu Tu's constant boasting that he and Zhao Ji killed the Nine-Headed Lion, he actually never actually fought the Nine-Headed Lion.

As for the latter... Qiu Tu admitted that there was an element of gambling involved. But it was indeed his judgment based on his analysis of Zhiyan and Jinni's communication habits, as well as the Second Shelter's modus operandi over the years.

He believes that there are likely some deeper reasons why the Second Shelter cooperated with the "Mist Shadow Society".

It must be true that "Second Sanctuary" had a falling out with "Mist Shadow Society" and defected from the area controlled by "Mist Shadow Society".

It is true that "Second Shelter" has been supporting various shelters over the years, providing them with valuable resources such as "sound roots"—there may have been calculations and transactions involved, but there is clearly also a sense of kinship among fellow countrymen.

As humanity's most outstanding genius in the past two years, and without knowing his stance on the Second Sanctuary, Zhiyan would prioritize protecting him to safeguard the overall interests of the human camp.

Judging from the cooperation between Zhiyan and himself, Qiu Tu's guess was correct.

After all, while Qiu Tu possessed the "Emotional Handbook" and was somewhat eloquent, he absolutely couldn't possibly have managed to make a mature woman swoon with just a few words!

This can only mean that Zhiyan was deliberately cooperating, sending a friendly signal to Qiu Tu, and showing Jin Ni his attitude of protecting people!

Sure enough, Qiu Tu noticed this. Jin Ni also noticed it.

He narrowed his eyes and glanced at Zhiyan with a hint of hesitation.

In his heart, Zhiyan had always been a very composed woman.

Even if Qiu Tu in front of him was indeed handsome, talented, capable, eloquent, and witty, he was still... just an ordinary man like himself!

It shouldn't have moved Zhiyan so much. In a scene where three people are supposed to be together, she's just a background character.

So... this only proves one thing: Zhiyan wants to protect Qiutu.

Thinking of this, Jin Ni's gaze darkened slightly.

Although the "Hidden Mist Society" and the Second Sanctuary are currently cooperating, it must be said that their positions are still different.

The Second Sanctuary may hope that a super-strong individual will emerge to lead humanity to truly establish itself in the Cataclysmic Era, but the "Hidden Mist Society" does not want a powerful force to emerge around them.

With that in mind, Jin Ni's mind raced as he began searching for loopholes and flaws in Qiu Tu's words.

After a moment, a thought struck him, and he interrupted the two who were exchanging glances and talking, asking in a low voice, "You just said you knew why there was a problem with this 'Trial of the Gods'?"

Upon hearing Jin Ni's words, Qiu Tu stopped interacting with Zhi Yan and nodded to Jin Ni, "Yes."

Jin Ni gave Qiu Tu a deep look. "Let's put aside whether you really know or not. Even if you do know, I'm very curious why you would tell us?"

At this point, Jin Ni looked Qiu Tu up and down, and then bluntly found Qiu Tu's weakness, "Moreover... you know, when we passed by you just now, you hid."

"Why are you out again now?"

Qiu Tu dared to take the gamble, so of course he had already prepared a plan for these issues.

He looked at Jin Ni and said sincerely, "Lord Jin Ni, I did hide when you passed by me just now. But the reason is very simple."

"Because although I sensed your powerful aura from afar, I didn't know who it was."

"Now, in the four 'peripheral regions,' eighth-tier individuals are everywhere, and seventh-tier individuals are practically worthless. Given my weakness, I need to be extra careful."

"After I found out that you were passing by, that was the first thing that came to my mind."

"But I'm always careful in my actions. I'm worried that if I come out when you're passing by, you might misunderstand that I'm trying to ambush you, causing some unnecessary misunderstandings. That's why I'm hesitant."

"As for why I chased after you immediately after you left, it's because I've figured it out. This is the most important opportunity I've had in a long time. I can't miss it!"

"Otherwise, I might have been controlled by that woman for the rest of my life."

Qiu Tu's answer, while not perfectly flawless, was still acceptable. Therefore, although Jin Ni's expression remained unchanged, he didn't press further. His attention was completely drawn to the key words in Qiu Tu's words.

He asked, "That woman? Who?"

Qiu Tu gave Jin Ni a deep look, then asked, "Have I... had close contact with other women during this time?"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Jin Ni was stunned for a moment, and then a fierce flame suddenly ignited in his eyes.

His voice sounded as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth, "Zhao Ji?!"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu nodded quickly.

He glanced sadly at Chi Yan, then at Jin Ni, before saying sorrowfully, "My lords, don't be fooled by my glamorous appearance... I have long been controlled by Zhao Ji."

“As early as my first encounter with Zhao Ji, she took a liking to me and then forced me to become her slave.”

"She said that I'm so handsome and talented, and if I were with her, my life would be perfect."

“I didn’t want to, but she… she forced me to pass through.”

"I tried to resist at first, but she was too strong, and I couldn't resist at all."

"And so... we gradually succumbed."

Jin Ni: ....

Zhiyan: .....

To be honest, Qiu Tu's reason is a bit too fantastical, but... it seems somewhat reasonable when applied to Qiu Tu.

After all, the two of them knew Qiu Tu to some extent. Qiu Tu did indeed possess a special charm for women!

Thinking this, Jin Ni couldn't help but glance at Zhi Yan. Then... he became even more certain of his thoughts.

At this moment, Qiu Tu continued with a sorrowful expression, "If things had come to this point, I could actually accept it."

"After all, whether I sleep with one woman or ten, it's all the same. At worst, I'll just have to work a little harder."

"But... what Zehime did next was a bit hard for me to accept."

At this point, Qiu Tu's expression turned serious, his eyes filled with determination. He said, "Zhao Ji is a 'reincarnation of a god,' and she needs a large amount of 'catastrophic materials' to regain her power."

"So she encouraged me to get promoted, encouraged me to get involved in the internal affairs of other shelters, and encouraged me to attack other shelters."

"They even... used me as bait to assassinate various evil gods."

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, both Jin Ni and Zhi Yan frowned.

These things do indeed align with what Qiu Tu has been doing over the past two years, but... the perspective is truly novel and unprecedented.

I don't quite understand, let me listen again.

Thinking this, they continued listening to Qiu Tu, "And this 'Trial of the Gods' is the same. She discovered that this 'Trial of the Gods' would be held in the 'Edge Area,' so she disregarded my wishes and forcibly brought me back to the 'Edge Area'!"

At this point, Qiu Tu's acting skills exploded, and he said with an angry expression, "But I just went to the 'core area'!"

"I was only gone for a little over ten days!"

"I just experienced the exotic atmosphere of the 'core area,' and I got to experience what it means to have a beautiful landscape, to thread a needle, and to see things through a fog!"

"And then they were brought back!"

At this point, Qiu Tu pointed to himself, "I just advanced to the seventh rank. I desperately need the abundant cataclysmic power of the 'core area' to stabilize my realm."

"Moreover, as a seventh-tier Cataclysm user, I have absolutely no hope of obtaining the 'Godhood,' and in such a great war, I would be nothing more than cannon fodder."

"How could I possibly want to return to the 'Fringe Zone' and participate in such a dangerous trial!"

If Qiu Tu's self-praise earlier made Jin Ni and Zhi Yan not quite believe him, then his reasonable and well-founded explanation now has indeed made them believe him to some extent.

After all... just like Qiu Tu said. He was only a lowly early-stage seventh-tier cultivator; if he hadn't been forcibly dragged here, he would never have been able to participate in such a dangerous trial.

'Could it be... that Qiu Tu was really coerced by Zhao Ji?'

Thinking this, Jin Ni glanced at Zhi Yan and then said, "Since you've already been manipulated by Zhao Ji, what do you want from us?"

Hearing Jin Ni's words, Qiu Tu looked serious. He said, "Before catching up, I thought everything through very clearly."

"Although I have some misunderstandings with the 'Hidden Mist Society,' I... have faith in the Second Sanctuary, and I have faith in the Flame Weaver King."

"Since they have chosen to cooperate with the 'Hidden Mist Society,' I am willing to join the 'Hidden Mist Society's' camp."