A man's voice suddenly rang out. "It's all your fault! Everything is because of you!"
The speaker was the leader of the men in black. He glared angrily at Chen Pingchuan, his tirade unending.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"Do you know why I came here?"
"Do you know what terrifying consequences your reckless actions will cause?"
By the end of his tirade, his face was flushed purple, and his eyes had turned bloodshot.
"You don't know!"
"Uh... is it possible that I actually do?"
"What could you possibly know? A reckless person like you with a bit of power... what could you know? I..."
"The Tree of World Destruction!"
When Chen Pingchuan finished speaking the words "Tree of World Destruction," the leader of the men in black froze. His eyes filled with shock and fury as he stared intently at Chen Pingchuan, as if trying to see right through him.
After a long moment, he finally asked in a trembling voice, "How do you know about the Tree of World Destruction? Who exactly are you?"
Chen Pingchuan slapped his forehead. Isn't it obvious? It's because I have cheats.
Of course, the words that came out of his mouth were, "I have my ways of knowing things."
The leader of the men in black was shocked once more. He couldn't understand who this mysterious man who had defeated him truly was. Could he be a god, or perhaps the envoy of another god? If their goals were the same, why did they have to fight to the death, only to let someone else take advantage of the situation? The leader simply couldn't comprehend it.
Seeing the leader's expression, Chen Pingchuan knew he was overthinking again. So, he decided to once again employ his unique talent.
"Since things have already gotten this bad, this Divine Envoy might as well tell you the truth."
Then, Chen Pingchuan concocted a story. He again claimed to be a Divine Envoy, sent here to prevent the world's destruction. The reason he fought the leader, he explained, was because he had sensed a divine presence from him and mistakenly believed he was a puppet of the Tree of World Destruction.
Chen Pingchuan delivered his ruse with a convincing cadence, a mixture of truth and lies.
However, Chen Pingchuan didn't know that what he considered a story riddled with holes was, to the leader, the final straw that broke the camel's back. This was because the leader was, in fact, the Divine Envoy of the Doomsday Holy Sect, sent here to deal with the very same Tree of World Destruction mentioned in the Doomsday Prophecy Book.
"A giant tree that obscures the sky, upholding its canopy."
The leader quietly recited a line from the book. Since it concerns the world-destroying Demon God, it's only fitting to call the giant tree that provides its canopy the Tree of World Destruction.
Although he had already accepted the other's identity in his heart, the leader still snorted coldly, his eyes feigning doubt.
"Hmph. If everything is as you say, then why did you oppose me? Do you realize how much precious time and opportunity we've lost because of your impulsiveness?"
Chen Pingchuan frowned and explained with a hint of exasperation, "I've already explained the reason once, and I don't want to repeat myself. Like you, I came here to stop the world's destruction. Therefore, you have no right to question me."
Although repeating himself wouldn't have been difficult, Chen Pingchuan, now driven by arrogance, refused to yield. He felt he had already put forth his best effort to explain.
The leader laughed out of sheer anger. "No right? Everything I have done has been to stop the world's destruction! And you? You not only ruined our plan but also plunged more people into danger."
Chen Pingchuan looked at the leader and said seriously, "To be honest, even without me, you would have failed."
"Weakness is the original sin."
After saying this, Chen Pingchuan fell silent. He ignored the leader and began circling a small pool that glowed with a silvery light. He discovered that to reach the Divine Tree, he would first have to cross this "little ditch."
But could it really be that simple?
The next moment, Chen Pingchuan froze in place. He had fallen into a magnificent, dreamlike world devoid of disaster and pain. It was filled with green vitality, and people were kind to one another—everything seemed ideal. If his arrogance hadn't been in control, Chen Pingchuan might have become lost within it.
"Heh, to think mortal tricks would dare attempt to bewilder a Divine Spirit!"
As Chen Pingchuan's will reawakened, the illusion before his eyes began to shatter, and fragmented words started to echo in his mind.
"Human... sacrifice... in the water... you... obtain... Divine Fruit... become Holy Envoy..."
「Outside」
The leader of the men in black hesitated for a moment, a hint of struggle flashing in his eyes. "Hey, we can work together."
He called out again and again, his voice growing more frantic. "Hey! Hey! Hey! What's wrong with you? Why aren't you talking? Don't just stand there in silence! As long as we can resolve this world-ending crisis, our own deaths mean nothing! Ahh! Speak!"
When Chen Pingchuan's eyes regained their clarity, he saw that the leader of the men in black was already observing him up close. The sight startled the newly awakened Chen Pingchuan. Even a self-proclaimed Divine Spirit could be taken aback by such a sudden development.
"When did you get over here?"
Chen Pingchuan's brow furrowed. Logically, only a moment should have passed. Considering the leader's previous injuries, this shouldn't be possible. This doesn't make any sense.
In contrast, the leader's expression was one of complete disbelief.
He stared at Chen Pingchuan incredulously. "You've been standing right here for six hours! If you don't believe me, look."
With that, the leader pointed a hand toward the sky.
Sure enough, the sunlight that had previously filtered through the canopy had been replaced by the light of the stars. Somehow, Chen Pingchuan had completely overlooked it.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. This Tree of Destruction was far more terrifying than he had ever imagined. One could slip into its illusion at any moment and become lost, eventually turning into a Divine Tree Puppet. Those who could break free were the chosen ones, granted the privilege of consuming the Divine Fruit.
"Hey, let's work together!"
The leader's words interrupted Chen Pingchuan's thoughts. He looked at the earnest man before him. Without his cloak, the man's true age was revealed; he was an uncle in his forties.
"Cooperate on what?"
"On destroying this Tree of Destruction, of course!"
Perhaps because he was no longer concealed by the cloak, the leader-uncle revealed a side of youthful passion.
However, this only drew a sneer from Chen Pingchuan.
"With just you?"
He shot a provocative glance at the middle-aged uncle. "Forget it. With or without you, it's all the same. We can't even get close to the Tree of Destruction, unless..."
Sensing the hidden meaning in Chen Pingchuan's words, the leader eagerly pressed, "Unless what?"