"Has Layman Gu ever heard a certain saying?"
"What saying?"
"'In the unseen, there is predetermined fate, yet within Karma lies the Anomaly.'"
"Anomaly?"
Gu Qingfeng closed his eyes slightly, pondering. "Are you saying my existence is an Anomaly within Karma?"
"Precisely."
"I don't feel that way at all. How do you know?"
"The reason is simple. Because that drop of Blood of Original Sin is itself an Anomaly. Layman Gu exists because of that drop of Blood of Original Sin and has fused with it. Naturally, you are also an Anomaly, and likely an Anomaly among Anomalies."
What is an Anomaly?
Gu Qingfeng had heard of it to some extent. The so-called heavenly cycles and karmic retribution—an Anomaly is a karmic error, a mistaken Karma. In other words, it is Karma that should not have appeared.
A mistaken Karma gives rise to a series of Karma that are all mistaken. This error, though within Karma, does not abide by the Karma Law, nor is it subject to heavenly cycles. Therefore, the series of mistaken Karma it produces are all unknown.
And this is the so-called Anomaly.
"Since it is an Anomaly, it naturally does not abide by the Karma Law. Therefore, what Layman Gu said earlier—that you might be a pawn in Fate's hands—is not accurate. All things between Heaven and Earth, the myriad living beings, are indeed pawns. The one presiding over the game board may truly be Fate. But if Layman Gu is truly within this game board as well, in this old monk's view, you definitely do not belong to Fate, nor to Karma, but to yourself."
"The reason this old monk said earlier that he does not know what kind of existence Layman Gu is, or what Karma is entangled behind you, is also due to this principle."
"How Layman Gu's path will proceed, and how you will walk it, no one knows. This old monk does not know, the Three Thousand Great Daos do not know, the Immortals, Demons, Gods, and Buddhas of Heaven and Earth do not know, and even Karma and Fate do not know."
"If there is anyone between Heaven and Earth who knows how Layman Gu's path will proceed, that person must be you yourself."
"This old monk repeats: Karma may govern the Fate of all things between Heaven and Earth and the myriad living beings, but it alone cannot govern your Fate, Layman Gu. All things and beings between Heaven and Earth may serve as pawns in the game board presided over by Fate. Layman Gu may also be among them. The difference is, what governs our Fate is Karma, while what governs your Fate is not Karma, but yourself."
The old monk's words struck Gu Qingfeng deeply, plunging him into profound contemplation. He thought for a long time, seeming to understand, yet becoming even more confused.
"If what governs my Fate is not Karma, but myself, why don't I feel that way? At the very least, I feel I've been led by the nose by Karma all along. Some Karma may have been caused by me in the past, but some Karma came inexplicably."
"Layman Gu, there is one point you must understand. An Anomaly is merely a mistaken Karma. Though it is not subject to the Karma Law or heavenly cycles, it remains within Karma. As you said, some Karma was caused by you in the past. And those so-called inexplicable Karma you speak of may be related to the Blood of Original Sin. Regardless of whether it is Karma caused by yourself or Karma related to the Blood of Original Sin, it is all mistaken Karma."
"If all the Karma on me is mistaken Karma, and mistaken Karma gives rise to more mistaken Karma, continuing to be wrong like this... then wouldn't..." Gu Qingfeng asked, "There shouldn't have been only one Anomaly like me in history, right?"
"Indeed not."
"What were their outcomes?"
"Since it is mistaken Karma, what outcome does Layman Gu think it would be?"
Gu Qingfeng gave a wry smile and asked again, "If this mistaken Karma of mine continues like this, what would the consequences be? Could it cause many chaotic Karma..." This time, for some reason, the old monk did not answer.
As for Gu Qingfeng, he could more or less guess.
Since his existence is a mistaken Karma, and if the mistaken Karma it produces continues, it would likely affect the heavenly cycles. Then the Heavens definitely would not allow this mistaken Karma of his to continue. They would surely spare no effort to erase this mistaken Karma of his to avoid Karmic chaos.
Going round and round, it still leads to a dead end!
And there's no escaping it.
That wasn't too concerning; Gu Qingfeng didn't mind much.
The key was that this so-called mistaken Karma suddenly reminded Gu Qingfeng of something.
He had heard people mention the Karmic Black Hole more than once, saying it had already begun to revive in the current era. The existence of this thing was like a Karmic vortex, drawing many unrelated Karma into it, leading to many chaotic Karma occurring, with harm even causing the Karma Law to collapse.
In legends, the Karmic Black Hole was related to that Venerable Wu Dao from the Daoless Age. Some even said the Karmic Black Hole was the Original Sin incarnation of Venerable Wu Dao.
Now, Gu Qingfeng had fused with a drop of Venerable Wu Dao's Blood of Original Sin, causing his existence to become a mistaken Karma. If this mistaken Karma continued, many chaotic Karma might appear, also harming the Karma Law.
Gu Qingfeng thought it over and over, and the more he thought, the more something felt off.
Damn it, could it be that I am that so-called Karmic Black Hole?
No!
That shouldn't be possible!
Absolutely impossible!
Gu Qingfeng originally wanted to ask, but the words reached his lips and ultimately did not come out. This matter was too bizarre, too terrifying. Bizarre enough to give him the creeps, terrifying enough that he temporarily did not want to know the answer to this question.
Just as he was about to leave, the old monk's voice came again.
"Layman Gu, remember this old monk's words. Everything about you is unknown. Karma cannot govern your Fate, no one can govern it. Only you yourself can govern your own Fate. How this path proceeds, how you walk it, everything is entirely in Layman Gu's hands."
"If you wish for nothing, Heaven cannot have; if you wish for something, Earth cannot lack. If you wish for this Karma not to be mistaken, then it is not mistaken. If you wish to govern Fate, it will surely bow to you!"
The old monk's voice came again, sounding like an ancient Buddha chanting scriptures, like a voice of enlightenment pouring over him.
At this moment, the world within the Bone Jade of Annihilation was no longer ethereal but became clear. Like flowers, plants, and trees blooming, like mountains, rivers, and streams changing, like all things renewing, like time passing, like life and death cycling.
Seeing a mountain is a mountain, seeing water is water.
Seeing a mountain is not a mountain, seeing water is not water.
Seeing a mountain is still a mountain, seeing water is still water.
Like an Immortal, like a Demon. Immortal is Immortal, Immortal is Demon, Demon is also Immortal.
Good is evil, evil is also good.
Light is darkness, darkness is also light.
Yin is yang, yang resembles yin.
Everything in the world seemed to become blurry in Gu Qingfeng's eyes, yet in his heart, it became even clearer.
He understood.
Finally understood.