In the eyes of everyone, the Heavenly Dao, the Immortal Dao, and the Buddhist Dao had already issued their final ultimatums, and the Great Dao's judgment could descend at any moment. If it were anyone else in this situation, no matter how bold, how capable, or how powerful they were, they would inevitably feel reverence, fear, and terror.
What was truly unbelievable, however, was that the man in white robes remained standing quietly in the void, silently holding Xiao Jinr.
Reverence?
Fear?
Terror?
None!
Absolutely none!
Not only was there no reverence, no fear, no terror, but there wasn't even a trace of worry on his cold, stern face. There was only stillness, boundless stillness, endless stillness.
Only his snow-white robes fluttered gently.
Only his demon-like three thousand strands of black hair danced slightly in disarray.
Beyond that, there was nothing.
It was as if, at this very moment, the Heavenly Dao, Immortal Dao, and Buddhist Dao weren't issuing him an ultimatum, and the Great Dao's judgment wasn't descending because of him. He seemed completely like an outsider, as if everything happening here had nothing to do with him.
What gave him the right to be so fearless?
What gave him the right to be so calm and unruffled?
What gave him the right to be so composed and unperturbed?
No one knew.
Boom! Rumble!— In the sky, the Blood Moon trembled more violently, its sinister crimson radiance growing ever stronger, the mysterious power contained within it becoming ever more terrifying. The Buddhist swastika seal that imprisoned it grew increasingly indistinct, blurring like a candle flickering in the wind, like smoke, as if it would shatter and vanish the next moment.
Finally.
Gu Qingfeng raised his head, casting a faint glance at the Blood Moon in the sky that seemed ready to break its seal at any moment, but it was just a glance. Then he spoke, asking, "White-Browed Holy Monk, may I ask you a question?"
No one expected Gu Qingfeng to say such a thing at this moment, including the White-Browed Holy Monk himself. He was momentarily stunned, then replied, "Layman Gu, please ask."
"Regardless of whether I hand over the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship today, you will still take Xiao Jinr back to the Western Heavens, correct?"
Perhaps not expecting Gu Qingfeng to suddenly ask such a question, White Brows responded, "Yes."
"Why?"
"Heaven has a virtue of cherishing life, and our Buddha is compassionate at heart. Xiao Jinr is innocent, at least, she is innocent before she brings disaster. Today, regardless of whether Layman Gu hands over the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship, this old monk will take Xiao Jinr back to the Western Heavens!"
"I believe your words, and I believe you will do so."
Gu Qingfeng spoke, then asked again, "If I do not hand over Xiao Jinr, you will certainly resort to seizing her by force, correct?"
When Gu Qingfeng asked this, White Brows' expression changed slightly, as if somewhat guilty. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded and replied, "Yes."
His response left many people puzzled, unable to comprehend or understand.
If Xiao Jinr was the Calamity Star of the Daoless Age, shouldn't they nip the problem in the bud and slay her on the spot?
Even if the Western Heaven Buddhist Path was compassionate, was it necessary to fight over this compassion?
Moreover, now that the Immortal Dao, Heavenly Dao, and even the Buddhist Dao all knew Gu Qingfeng cared for Xiao Jinr, they were using her life to threaten him into handing over the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship. Why did it sound from White Brows' words that regardless of whether Gu Qingfeng handed over the Myriad Living Stupas, the White-Browed Holy Monk would still take Xiao Jinr to the Western Heavens?
And if Gu Qingfeng refused, he would even resort to seizing her?
Why on earth was that?
Many didn't know why.
Su Hua didn't understand either.
At this moment, Gu Qingfeng also asked, "And why is that?"
Everyone wanted to know why, but for some reason, when Gu Qingfeng inquired, the White-Browed Holy Monk actually lowered his head and chose silence.
This only deepened the confusion in Su Hua's heart.
"You say taking Xiao Jinr to the Western Heavens is an act of compassion. I believe that. You say Xiao Jinr is innocent. I believe that too. You say it's to nip the problem in the bud. I also believe that. But there's another reason you probably haven't mentioned—it's also to threaten me, correct?"
Upon hearing the word "threaten,"
Su Hua finally understood. She finally realized that the Western Heavens' arrival this time was absolutely meticulously planned, having considered every possibility and every consequence.
They knew Gu Qingfeng cared for Xiao Jinr, hence they used her life as leverage.
If Gu Qingfeng handed over the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship, that would be ideal.
If he didn't hand them over,
they would spare no effort to eradicate Gu Qingfeng.
But after all, Gu Qingfeng's existence was unfathomable; none of them had absolute confidence in eradicating him. If they couldn't eradicate Gu Qingfeng, they would resort to seizing the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship by force.
And if they couldn't even seize the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship, they would fall back to the next option: seizing Xiao Jinr.
They might not have absolute confidence in eradicating Gu Qingfeng or seizing the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship, but they were absolutely confident in seizing Xiao Jinr. As long as they seized Xiao Jinr, preventing an unknown disaster was secondary; the most crucial point was that they could use Xiao Jinr to threaten Gu Qingfeng in the future.
How terrifying!
How despicable, how shameless, how sinister!
The Immortal Dao was like this, the Heavenly Dao was like this, and the Buddhist Dao was like this too!
They were all birds of a feather!
This time, they had completely backed Gu Qingfeng into a corner.
What would Gu Qingfeng do?
Would he hand over the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship?
If he handed them over, it would be like surrendering his protective talisman. How could these people possibly let him go?
But if he didn't hand them over, what else could he do?
Facing the encirclement of the Heavenly Dao, Buddhist Dao, and Immortal Dao, Gu Qingfeng's own life and death were uncertain; how could he guarantee Xiao Jinr's life?
This was truly a dead end, a path of no return.
"Amitabha!"
The White-Browed Holy Monk spoke again, "Since Layman Gu has already seen through it, this old monk does not wish to hide anything, nor does he wish to say more. Whether you call this old monk despicable and sinister, or shameless and hypocritical, this old monk accepts it all. For the sake of all living beings under heaven and earth, this old monk is willing to sacrifice everything. I hope Layman Gu will hand over the Myriad Living Stupas and Myriad Phenomena Worship."
Gu Qingfeng stated bluntly, "If I hand it over, I die. If I don't hand it over, I also die. Since that's the case, why should I hand it over?"
The White-Browed Holy Monk was about to speak, but before he could, Gu Qingfeng interrupted him, "If today, you, White Brows, dare to say that if I, Gu Qingfeng, hand over the Myriad Living Stupas, I can live, then I will definitely hand it over. Do you dare say that?"
The White-Browed Holy Monk fell silent. He did not dare say those words, nor did he have the right to say them. For the sake of all living beings, he might be willing to sacrifice everything of himself, but if it meant acting against his conscience, he could not do it.
Yes.
He could not do it.
Not that he didn't want to, but that he couldn't. He cultivated a heart of compassion; he could not betray that compassionate heart.
"This old monk has neither the right nor the qualification to decide Layman Gu's life and death. This old monk does not hope for Layman Gu's understanding, nor does he hope that Layman Gu will consider all living beings with a compassionate heart. He only hopes that Layman Gu, for the sake of the pure and innocent Xiao Jinr, will not persist in delusion and stubbornly go his own way."
"It is precisely for Xiao Jinr's sake that I cannot hand it over."
"Layman Gu does not care about his own life and death, but could it be that he doesn't even care about Xiao Jinr's life and death?"
Gu Qingfeng replied lightly, "Sorry, but that's not a problem you should worry about."
The White-Browed Holy Monk almost shouted, "Why?"
"No particular reason. The reason is simple: you act for all living beings under heaven and earth."
Gu Qingfeng responded, "While I act only for Xiao Jinr."
He didn't understand.
This time, the White-Browed Holy Monk truly did not know what Gu Qingfeng intended to do.
He couldn't understand, and others understood even less.
But there was one person who did understand.
This person was none other than Su Hua.
She rushed forward desperately, rushing to Gu Qingfeng's front, trembling as she asked, "Gu... Gu Qingfeng, what do you... what do you want to do?"
"Sever the Great Dao, destroy the world, annihilate heaven and earth."
Just nine short words.
They carried no imposing manner, no sonic force, but when they entered everyone's ears, they were earth-shattering.
Su Hua was even more panicked and horrified, asking in shock, "Could it be... you want to wage war against the Three Thousand Great Daos?"
Gu Qingfeng, who had kept his head lowered until now, finally raised it. His cold, stern face remained expressionless, his pair of dark eyes still as still as ever. He looked at Su Hua and said faintly, "Why not!"
"Aren't you afraid?"
"What is there to fear!"
"What if you die because of this?"
"Then... so be it if I die!"
Having said that, Gu Qingfeng turned around, holding Xiao Jinr, about to soar into the sky. Su Hua, her eyes brimming with tears, said, "Promise me, you must not die."
Gu Qingfeng stopped but did not turn back. He only replied with one word, "Alright!"
"I'll be waiting for you!"
"Remember to bring fine wine, and wait for me together!"