A Desperate Bluff

"What?!"

A low roar came from the side hall. Ying Zheng burst out like a crazed Lion, crossing the distance to Lin Qi in a few great strides. Greed glinted in his eyes, along with wild delight, as he stared feverishly at the ten-meter-tall osmanthus tree before him.

After Lin Qi had replenished it with White Tiger Battle Qi for so long, the green glow upon the osmanthus tree had grown much denser. The overflowing green light had also become threads of extreme fineness, stretching in every direction and enveloping the entire hall. As the green light swept across everyone's bodies, a cool, refreshing current of qi coursed through them, and everyone's spirits were involuntarily lifted.

Hu Xinzhu emerged right behind Ying Zheng. The moment he heard Lin Qi say that this was a sapling of the Tree of Life, something changed in Hu Xinzhu's gaze. He looked at Ying Zheng, then at Eunuch Hai. It was clear that if his strength had been sufficient, and if he had been certain he could deal with Eunuch Hai, Hu Xinzhu would certainly have murdered and robbed them to seize this "Tree of Life."

His hands trembled as he tried to touch the osmanthus tree, but when his palm was still more than a foot away, Ying Zheng swiftly withdrew it. Clearly, Ying Zheng had suffered at this osmanthus tree's hands before. That sudden numbness, followed by the rapid draining of Battle Qi from his body, was not something just anyone could bear.

Lin Qi nodded to Ying Zheng. "Your Majesty, it is indeed the Tree of Life."

Following the explanation the osmanthus tree had given him, Lin Qi added fuel to the flames and boasted to Ying Zheng about his glorious past experiences.

As a qualified secret merchant, Lin Qi had