"The people from the Wu Dao Age?"
Gu Qingfeng was puzzled and asked, "Which people? Weren't all the people from the Wu Dao Age lost?"
"They are only lost."
Ye Tianlan said solemnly, "What they lost is merely their ego, and that doesn't mean anything. When you met Jun Xuanji, she was perfectly normal too, wasn't she?"
Hearing Ye Tianlan say this, Gu Qingfeng thought carefully. It was indeed true. Jun Xuanji was from the Wu Dao Age. Although she was now crazy and her mind was unclear, when he first met her, she was completely normal.
"Where are the people from the Wu Dao Age you mentioned?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know? Then how can you say they've already noticed me?"
"Jun Xuanji told me."
"Jun Xuanji?"
Hearing the name Jun Xuanji, Gu Qingfeng's heart stirred slightly. He asked, "You've seen her?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Occasionally, we communicate spiritually."
"Spiritual communication? You two sure have some fancy ways of playing."
Gu Qingfeng asked again, "Why did she tell you this?"
"Just casual conversation."
It was clear Ye Tianlan didn't want to say too much.
"Is that so..." Gu Qingfeng rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, and continued asking, "You just said the people from the Wu Dao Age have started to notice me. Why are they noticing me? What does it mean?"
"I said, your existence is a mistake, an Original Sin mistake, and also a Karma mistake. And now, those who want to correct this mistake are not only the Three Thousand Great Dao, but also the people from the Wu Dao Age."
"So you mean, now not only do the Three Thousand Great Dao want to kill me, but the people from the Wu Dao Age also want to finish me off?"
Ye Tianlan nodded, tacitly agreeing.
"I just don't get it. I've been living honestly and properly. How did I become a mistake in your eyes? Who have I offended?"
"You shouldn't ask me that question. You should go ask that Lady Wuyou. It was she who used the Blood of Original Sin to conceive and nurture you."
"I'd like to ask, but where the hell is that damn Lady Wuyou?"
Ye Tianlan didn't answer this question. Instead, she continued, "Nine years ago, you shouldn't have gone to fuse with the Blood of Original Sin either."
"Nonsense! Do you think I wanted to fuse with that thing? I couldn't avoid it or shake it off. And nine years ago, it wasn't me going to fuse with the Blood of Original Sin; it was the Blood of Original Sin actively fusing with me."
"So, this is Fate. Often, you don't believe in Fate, but that doesn't mean Fate doesn't exist. Since ancient times, how many great powers have had to lower their proud heads before Fate? How many heroes have ultimately had to submit to Fate?"
"Bullshit Fate!"
The two words 'Fate'.
Gu Qingfeng had been very resistant to them since childhood, and he hated them for no reason. Since he was young, whenever he heard the words 'Fate', he felt displeased. Even he himself didn't know why.
With a thought, he took out a jar of wine from his storage ring, tilted his head back, and gulped down half the jar directly. He said, "The Three Thousand Great Dao, the heavens, plus the Wu Dao Age—it's all the same to me. When you owe many debts, you stop worrying; when you have many lice, you stop itching."
"You're quite open-minded."
"What else can I do?"
Gu Qingfeng laughed, "How about you protect me?"
"I don't have that ability. However..."
"However what?"
"If you cooperate with me, I can help you."
"Help me? Help me with what?"
"Help you survive this calamity."
"You?"
Gu Qingfeng looked Ye Tianlan up and down, showing doubt.
"What? Don't believe me?"
"How are you going to help me survive this calamity?"
"Don't worry about how I'll help you. I have my own methods."
"Is that so..."
What kind of existence Ye Tianlan truly was, Gu Qingfeng couldn't tell at all. He could only see that the Ye Tianlan before him was just an incarnation. What her true identity was, who she really was—he truly didn't know.
"Then tell me, how do we cooperate?"
"I said I only want to seek my own Wu Dao Karma."
"Wait, you're not still thinking of becoming Immortal-Fated Dao Companions with me, are you?"
"Don't worry, I won't. Back then, I was too eager for quick success. I only thought of forming a bond with you to seek my Wu Dao Karma, without considering the consequences at all. Now, even if you begged me to form an Immortal-Fated bond with you, I wouldn't."
"Oh? Why?"
"The reason is simple. Although I really want to seek my own Karma, I don't want to risk my life either. Your existence is too dangerous. Back then, your existence was because of the Original Sin, but that was all. Now, you have fused with the Blood of Original Sin, making you a thorough Original Sin person. Wu Dao Karma is already terrifying enough. If I were to form Karma with an Original Sin person like you, I'm afraid I wouldn't even know how I died."
"Alright, alright, just tell me how we cooperate."
"It's simple. Help me find something."
"What thing?"
"Something that belongs to Wu Dao Mountain."
"Didn't you deduce that Wu Dao Mountain will appear in this world soon? When it appears, can't you go find it yourself? Why do you need me?"
"Once Wu Dao Mountain appears, it will surely startle heaven and earth. The great powers lying dormant in this world will surely swarm out. What situations will arise, what people will appear—no one knows."
"I see. You want to use me to snatch something for you, right?"
"What do you mean 'use'? We're discussing cooperation here, okay? If you help me, I will definitely help you too."
"Fine, fine, even if it's cooperation. You also said that once Wu Dao Mountain appears, no one knows what situations will arise. Even if I want to help you snatch something, I might not be able to get it then. Don't forget, you just said the Three Thousand Great Dao are planning to deal with me when Wu Dao Mountain appears. Whether I can even survive then is an unknown."
"I will help you then. And you just need to promise me to do your best. Even if we don't find that thing in the end, I won't blame you."
"That generous?"
Gu Qingfeng narrowed his eyes, looking at Ye Tianlan with great suspicion. "You're not planning to use me again, are you?"
"What do you mean 'use you again'? When have I ever used you? Back then, I did deceive you, but I also paid a great price for it. I never used you, not even once."
"That's true."
Gu Qingfeng drank his wine, considered for a while, then nodded in agreement. "Alright, no problem. I'll do my best then. If I can help you, I definitely will. If I can't, don't complain. As for you helping me survive a calamity, forget it."
"You still don't believe me."
"It's not that I don't believe you. I just don't want to owe you a favor."
"Why!"
"No reason. Of course, I can't help you for free either. You have to do me a favor too."
"What favor?"
"I want to see my master."