Facing Gu Qingfeng's cold indifference and disregard, Pudu showed no sign of discomfort. Instead, he asked with concern, "How is the young girl? Would Layman Gu allow this humble monk to examine her?"
Gu Qingfeng continued as if he hadn't heard, paying no attention. He merely gently uncurled Xiao Jinr's tightly clenched little hand.
"Amitabha."
As the Buddhist sovereign of this world, Pudu was naturally no ordinary figure. His cultivation and realm were beyond what ordinary people could hope to reach. Seeing that Gu Qingfeng still hadn't acknowledged him, he pressed his palms together, recited a Buddhist phrase, and spoke.
"I hope Layman Gu does not misunderstand. This humble monk has no intention of harming the young girl. I believe no one could bear to harm such an obedient, lovely, innocent, pure, and kind-hearted young girl. When the Blood Moon emerged earlier, the young girl struggled desperately, willing to sacrifice herself rather than fuse with it. Such fearless spirit truly fills this humble monk with the utmost admiration."
"Alas, fate plays cruel tricks. No one imagined the young girl would be the Calamity Star of the Daoless Age born in the Present Era. I believe no one wishes for this either."
As he spoke, Pudu sighed deeply and continued, "I believe Layman Gu understands what the Calamity Star of the Daoless Age signifies, even without this humble monk's elaboration. The existence of a single Present Era calamity star is terrifying enough, let alone one from the Daoless Age. What kind of catastrophe it might bring, no one knows. Precisely because it's unknown, everyone fears it more. The unknown always inspires terror; no one can avoid it, no one is exempt."
"Whether they are World Sovereigns, Great Dao Sovereigns, or Heaven and Earth Sovereigns, as sovereigns, they naturally have the duty and responsibility to protect all living beings. Just as Layman Gu wishes to protect the young girl at this moment. Therefore, I hope Layman Gu does not blame this world, this Great Dao, this Heaven and Earth..." Pudu spoke like this, yet from beginning to end, Gu Qingfeng never said a word, not even a single syllable.
Su Hua stood quietly nearby. She could see and understood that Pudu was persuading Gu Qingfeng, appealing to his emotions and reasoning. Presumably, he hoped Gu Qingfeng wouldn't clash with the World Sovereign and Great Dao Sovereign over Xiao Jinr's matter, thus avoiding pushing the situation to an irreparable and uncontrollable point.
Truthfully, if possible, Su Hua also wished this matter could be resolved peacefully.
However.
She knew.
That seemed unlikely.
At the very least, Su Hua knew that whether it was Cloud End, which governed this world, or the Three Thousand Great Daos, neither seemed willing to allow Gu Qingfeng to take Xiao Jinr away. If they were willing, the Three Thousand Great Daos wouldn't have remained dormant in the sky above, watching this place with covetous eyes. Even the Western Heaven Buddhist Path appeared unwilling to let Gu Qingfeng take Xiao Jinr, because Su Hua noticed the Western Heaven Buddhist Path was also lying in wait in the sky above.
Thus, the meaning behind Pudu's words wasn't merely to persuade Gu Qingfeng not to become angry. It was likely he also wished to persuade Gu Qingfeng to hand over Xiao Jinr.
Of course, this was mere conjecture. After all, Pudu hadn't stated it outright, so Su Hua couldn't say anything.
"If Layman Gu must assign blame, then blame this humble monk, blame Western Heaven. We arrived too late, failing to come immediately, causing the young girl to suffer such immense pain. Here, this humble monk ventures to beg Layman Gu for forgiveness. I hope Layman Gu will pardon us!"
With that, Pudu performed an act that left everyone present utterly incredulous: he knelt down in mid-air with a thud. Pressing his palms together, he bowed his head and kowtowed.
Every single person present, from the Grand Luo Golden Immortals of Cloud End above to the sect leaders below, was stunned by this scene, their eyes wide, expressions horrified, more shocked and dumbfounded than if they'd witnessed a divine miracle!
One must know that Pudu was the Buddhist sovereign of this world, and the Buddhist Path had since ancient times been hailed as the leader among the Great Daos.
In other words, Pudu represented the myriad Buddhas of Western Heaven in this world.
For him to proactively salute Gu Qingfeng earlier was already hard to accept. Yet now, to apologize and make amends, he actually...
He actually knelt and kowtowed to Gu Qingfeng, all because everyone had acted earlier to eradicate this calamity star? Merely to obtain Gu Qingfeng's forgiveness?
Without exaggeration, given Pudu's status, even facing a World Venerable, let alone a Great Dao Venerable, he likely wouldn't need to kneel and kowtow like this.
What right did Gu Qingfeng have!
Yes.
What right?
Many couldn't comprehend it.
Including Female Sect Leader Ye Tianlan, Su Hua, and the mysterious Three Great Giants.
They all knew of Gu Qingfeng's existence—mysterious and bizarre, his strength formidable and unknown. So mysteriously bizarre that even the divine Judgment hailed as the Gods' Verdict couldn't completely erase him. So formidably unknown that no one knew the true extent of his power.
But did that mean this world, this Great Dao, this Heaven and Earth were weak?
No.
Absolutely not.
Not only were they not weak, they were extremely powerful, immensely so.
The fact that the divine Judgment couldn't erase him over twenty years ago didn't mean it couldn't erase him today.
The fact that the Great Dao couldn't deal with him over twenty years ago didn't mean it couldn't today.
Both the Heaven and Earth Origin and the Great Dao Origin were restructuring and re-evolving, changing daily, growing stronger by the day. Moreover, the leaders of the various Great Daos had gradually awakened and returned. Naturally, they wouldn't fear an existence like Gu Qingfeng.
So why did Pudu still adopt such a low posture, kneeling to beg for forgiveness?
Perhaps Pudu truly didn't wish for Gu Qingfeng and the Three Thousand Great Daos to clash today.
Setting aside whether the Three Thousand Great Daos could deal with Gu Qingfeng today, even if they could, they would undoubtedly pay a heavy price.
That wasn't the important part. What mattered was that Wudao Mountain was about to appear. If Gu Qingfeng were to wage war against the Three Thousand Great Daos at this time, it would inevitably affect Wudao Mountain. What terrifying events might occur then, no one could predict.
This was likely Pudu's greatest concern.
Furthermore, by kneeling like this, Pudu probably hoped to move Gu Qingfeng with sincerity, wishing him to consider the bigger picture and hand over Xiao Jinr.
Sure enough.
Pudu, kneeling in mid-air, spoke: "Now that the Blood Moon has emerged, the young girl's soul and bloodline have begun to awaken. Although this humble monk used the Buddhist Swastika Seal to temporarily seal the Blood Moon, it is merely temporary. The Buddhist Swastika Seal cannot hold for long. I beseech Layman Gu to entrust the young girl to this humble monk. The myriad Buddhas of my Western Heaven will spare no effort to guide and transform the young girl's soul."
Silence.
It persisted.
Gu Qingfeng never uttered a word, only soothing the unconscious Xiao Jinr in his arms.
Pudu did not give up, speaking earnestly: "This humble monk knows Layman Gu has lived a life of loneliness and hardship, his journey fraught with difficulty. I do not presume Layman Gu possesses a heart of mercy, nor do I presume he cares for the so-called world, the so-called Great Dao, the so-called Heaven and Earth, the so-called multitude of living beings. Because this world, this Great Dao, this Heaven and Earth, this multitude of living beings have never shown mercy to Layman Gu."
"This humble monk only begs Layman Gu to think of the young girl. Once her soul fully awakens, she will no longer be that obedient and lovely girl, no longer that innocent and pure girl, no longer that kind-hearted young girl."