"That was a very, very long time ago, so long that I've forgotten exactly how long. I only vaguely remember that when I awoke, it was already here, never leaving..."
"When I discovered it wasn't merely a drop of pure Blood of Original Sin, but a drop of living Blood of Original Sin, I finally realized that the disappearance of the Daoless Age didn't mean everything would end. The curse continued. I once tried to seal it away."
"I thought I could seal it, but that was only what I thought. I simply couldn't seal it away. No one could."
"Until later, it somehow began nurturing Original Sin individuals in this world..."
"I started eradicating these Original Sin individuals, killing them endlessly..."
"But I could never finish them off, never exterminate them completely. Moreover, the more I killed, the more chaotic my Karma became. The more I killed, the more I had to bear..."
"I don't know exactly how many Original Sin individuals it nurtured, but that's no longer important. What matters is that your existence has already fused with it, and you have awakened it..."
"Today, you have already become its incarnation."
Gu Qingfeng listened silently, then asked, "Since it nurtured so many Original Sin individuals, why was it me?"
"Believe me, I want to know the answer to that question even more than you do."
Canyang Wuyou said, "Was all this arranged by Fate, or compelled by Karma, or did it choose you..."
"Perhaps it was Fate, perhaps Karma, perhaps it itself. Who knows?"
"No one knows."
"What exactly is this curse you mentioned?"
"It is the curse of Karma, and also the curse of Original Sin..."
"This Karma is itself Original Sin, and this Original Sin is itself Karma."
Gu Qingfeng pondered for a moment, then asked again, "You just said this drop of Blood of Original Sin has always been in this world, and that was a very, very long time ago. Wudao Mountain has previously reappeared in this world, and will soon reappear here again. What exactly is the relationship between this world and the Daoless Age?"
"You shouldn't ask me that question..."
"Then who should I ask?"
"Jun Xuanji."
"Why Jun Xuanji?"
"She is the Venerable Lady Shizun of this world, who has always presided over the origin of this world..."
"If anyone knows the relationship between this world and the Daoless Age, that person must be Jun Xuanji."
After saying this, Canyang Wuyou added, "Unfortunately, she is lost..."
"Long lost..."
"We are all lost..."
Gu Qingfeng asked no more, nor did he continue listening. He simply left directly.
He had originally come to find Canyang Wuyou to clarify some matters from the past. But after arriving, not only did he fail to gain clarity, he became even more confused.
To be honest.
For Gu Qingfeng, whether it was the Karma curse or the Original Sin curse, he didn't care. He also didn't care whether all this was caused by Karma, Fate, or the so-called Original Sin.
He had not the slightest interest in any of that.
The only thing he cared about, the only thing he wanted to know, was what all this had to do with him?
Why was it him?
Today's Gu Qingfeng felt as if he had inexplicably been saddled with a black pot. It was truly inexplicable. The key was that now he couldn't even shake off this black pot, which left him quite helpless. He wanted to figure out the origin of this black pot, but alas, no one knew.
After leaving Canyang Valley, Gu Qingfeng wandered idly through the Great Northwest.
Unconsciously, he arrived at the Flaming Sun Domain.
He went to Crimson Flame Ridge.
This was a place from his youth when he wandered.
In his youth, he had no parents, was alone and destitute, relying solely on some wild fruits on Crimson Flame Ridge to stave off hunger.
There were many wild fruits on Crimson Flame Ridge, but the one Gu Qingfeng most coveted was the Red Leaf Monster Fruit.
He casually picked some, drinking a little wine while eating the fruits.
Only when the sun set in the west did Gu Qingfeng leave Crimson Flame Ridge. Remembering Yunxia Sect, he couldn't help but think of Old Man Huode.
In his memory, Yunxia Sect had become a ruin, and Huode had said he wanted to go out and wander.
Thinking carefully, it seemed several decades had passed. He didn't know what Yunxia Sect looked like now, or whether Huode had returned.
Arriving at the location of Yunxia Sect.
Gu Qingfeng looked around. Yunxia Sect was still a ruin. Yunxia Mountain, which had once been considered one of the top mountains in the Flaming Sun Domain, had also become a desolate wilderness.
Gazing at Yunxia Sect, which had long turned into a barren mountain, Gu Qingfeng slightly closed his eyes. Drops of memory surged in his heart, and simultaneously, a woman appeared in his mind.
Yun Nichang.
Yun Nichang could be considered the first person from the Daoless Age he had encountered. When he was born in this world back then, it was her, and later when he returned to this world, it was her again.
The only difference was that the Yun Nichang he met back then was merely the reincarnated Hongxiu, while the Yun Nichang he met upon returning to this world later was Ouyang Ye, reborn through Soul Burial.
To this day, Gu Qingfeng still clearly remembered that after he encountered a remnant wisp of Yun Nichang's consciousness, she told him to kill Ouyang Ye.
She also said she wanted to end all this.
This was really...
Sigh.
Shaking his head, Gu Qingfeng sighed with a heavy heart.
In his impression, it seemed like a very, very long time since he had seen Ouyang Ye. Ever since he left the Great Northwest back then, Ouyang Ye seemed to have vanished from the world. He didn't know where Ouyang Ye was now, nor how she was doing.
Another sigh.
Just as Gu Qingfeng was about to leave, he suddenly noticed a courtyard at the foot of Yunxia Mountain. Looking closely, he saw an old man sitting in a worn-out armchair in the courtyard, eyes closed as if resting, seemingly basking in the sun.
This old man wore a gray robe, had a goatee, and looked somewhat thin. While basking in the sun, he also held a wine gourd in his hand.
Seeing this old man, Gu Qingfeng smiled.
He smiled very happily, and very joyfully.
In a flash, he appeared in the courtyard, laughing, "Well, well, after a few years apart, you've learned to enjoy yourself quite nicely."
Hmm?
The old man frowned, opened his eyes, and upon seeing Gu Qingfeng, was immediately startled, as if unable to believe his eyes. After a long while, the old man choked on his words and said in astonishment, "Gu... Gu kid?"
"Not bad, you still recognize me. I thought you'd forgotten me."
"It really is you, kid! This old man thought he was dreaming!"
The old man was none other than Huode. After recognizing Gu Qingfeng, Huode became as excited as a child, dancing about with uncontainable joy, unable to stop.
"Didn't you, old fellow, say you were planning to wander the world, making the four seas your home? It's only been a few years. Why are you back already?"
Gu Qingfeng didn't stand on ceremony either. He directly sat down in the armchair, crossed his legs, and asked, "Did you get bullied out there? Or what's the story? Tell me, let this lord have a good laugh."