Su Hua had fallen into a nightmare.
Gu Qingfeng had also fallen into a nightmare.
Su Hua's nightmare held no sun, moon, heaven, or earth, nor any light or darkness—only endless Primordial Chaos.
Gu Qingfeng's nightmare was exactly the same.
Su Hua's nightmare was different from before; the endless Primordial Chaos swirled like a vortex. Gu Qingfeng's nightmare, too, was different from before, the endless Primordial Chaos slowly rotating like a vortex.
In Su Hua's nightmare, a woman kept repeating, telling her not to forget, and not to believe in Karma or Fate.
In Gu Qingfeng's nightmare, there was also a woman telling him not to forget, and especially not to believe in Karma or Fate.
The only difference was:
Su Hua's nightmare told her to go find someone.
While Gu Qingfeng's nightmare told him to wait at Wudao Mountain.
"She's right. Do not forget, and do not believe in Karma or Fate."
As the voice faded,
a young girl appeared within Gu Qingfeng's nightmare.
The girl wore white robes, floating barefoot within the Primordial Chaos, ethereal and indistinct, flickering in and out of sight, as if one with the chaos itself.
Gu Qingfeng glanced at the girl and said, "You are the one who calls herself the Messenger of Fate, the Incarnation of Causality—Genggu Wuming?"
Gu Qingfeng had never seen Genggu Wuming before, not even once. However, when Genggu Wuming appeared, he recognized her immediately, for he could sense it, and he could see it.
"In the legends, attaining the Great Illusion allows one to perceive all things under Heaven and Earth."
Genggu Wuming gazed at him and said, "It seems this is indeed true. In your eyes, there are no longer any secrets left in all things under Heaven and Earth. What kind of feeling is that?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
Genggu Wuming seemed somewhat puzzled, but she soon understood. "It seems you have not yet attained the Great Enlightenment."
After saying this, she seemed to realize something else. "No, it's not that you haven't attained the Great Enlightenment, but that you don't want to attain it. May I know why?"
"Aren't you the one who claims to know everything under heaven and above earth?"
"I know astronomy above and geography below, but I alone do not know you."
"Then let me ask you, what kind of feeling is it, to know astronomy above, geography below, and everything in between?"
"A feeling of great helplessness, of wandering uncertainty, and even deeper confusion...
In all the world, there is no true omniscience. There is only endless mystery. I thought that by climbing out of the well, I could see the entire world, but that was merely my own assumption. Who knows if this world is not just another well?"
"If that's the case, why should I bother attaining the Great Enlightenment, trying to see through this world of endless mystery, endless truth and falsehood, endless illusion?"
Genggu Wuming was suddenly stunned, looking at Gu Qingfeng with a gaze of astonishment. "You are truly remarkable!"
"I'm not remarkable. I'm just too lazy to be remarkable."
That's right.
Too lazy. Genggu Wuming had been puzzled earlier, wondering why Gu Qingfeng, who clearly could attain the Great Enlightenment, had deliberately chosen not to. Now she finally understood: this fellow was simply too lazy to attain Great Enlightenment. In other words, he fundamentally did not want, and was too lazy, to see through all things under Heaven and Earth.
"I have to say, you are the laziest person I have ever met. Although I don't wish to, I must also admit that you are the most aloof, the most domineering, the most untrammeled, the most unrestrained, and the most unique person I have ever encountered."
"No wonder Hua'er would throw herself into the flame like a moth. No wonder Jun Xuanji and the others lost themselves... I think...
If I were to meet you, I'm afraid I, too, would lose myself like a moth flying into the flame..."
"Don't worry."
Gu Qingfeng stared at her. "You will never have that day."
"Why?"
"No reason. Because I don't fancy you."
Hearing this,
Genggu Wuming was slightly taken aback, then gave a wry, speechless laugh. "That statement is indeed quite hurtful."
"Not quite right, is it?"
"How so?"
"Do you even count as human?"
"I had long realized you would harbor hostility toward me. However, since I have come, I am mentally prepared."
"I hold no hostility toward you."
Genggu Wuming replied, "But you hold hostility toward Karma, and toward Fate."
"You do not represent Karma. Nor do you represent Fate."
Gu Qingfeng's words once again caused Genggu Wuming to feel astonishment. She gazed deeply at Gu Qingfeng, and after a long while, finally spoke. "You are far, far more formidable than I imagined..."
"So, if you have something to say, say it directly. Don't waste my time with nonsense!"
"Alright..." Genggu Wuming let out a soft sigh, tinged with a hint of helplessness. "Today, I wished to see you only to have a talk."
Perhaps worried about causing misunderstanding, Genggu Wuming hurriedly added, "Do not misunderstand. What I wish to discuss with you is not Wudao Mountain, nor your choice. I wish to discuss Karma, discuss Fate, and discuss this... Original Sin."
Gu Qingfeng said nothing, merely waiting.
Genggu Wuming gazed at the vortex-like Primordial Chaos and said, "Perhaps you were not aware before, but I think you should now feel that the Karma you have been seeking is not actually your own Karma, but the Karma of Original Sin."
"From the day you were born and became a person of Original Sin, you might still have had Karma belonging to yourself alone. However, when you fused with that drop of the Blood of Original Sin, your Karma was no longer your Karma."
"Similarly, when you were merely a person of Original Sin, you might still have been only yourself. But after you fused with that drop of the Blood of Original Sin, you were no longer yourself. You became the incarnation of Original Sin."
"From then on, you are Original Sin, and Original Sin is you. Your Karma is the Karma of Original Sin, and the Karma of Original Sin is also your Karma. Your existence affects the existence of Original Sin, and the existence of Original Sin affects your existence. Your Karma affects the Karma of Original Sin, and the Karma of Original Sin affects your Karma."
"You have probably always wanted to know: what caused all this? Was it Karma at play? The arrangement of Fate? Or did Original Sin choose you? Now, I can tell you: it is both Karma at play, and the arrangement of Fate. It is also Original Sin choosing you. At the same time, it is you yourself who chose this Karma, who chose this Fate, who chose this Original Sin."
Gu Qingfeng remained silent, listening quietly.
"Original Sin has always been seeking an incarnation, throughout the ages, never ceasing. This is its instinct, its Karma, and its Fate. Just as a lion or tiger is born to hunt, or an infant is born needing milk."
"Therefore, many people of Original Sin arose in this world, responding to the Karma of Original Sin, and responding to the Fate of Original Sin. Why, among so many people of Original Sin, were you the only one who ultimately fused with the Blood of Original Sin? That is probably your Fate. Have you ever heard the saying: 'Character determines Fate'?"
"You were born a person of Original Sin; perhaps your Karma was destined long ago, but your Fate was not predetermined. When you were a youth, if you had been cowardly and timid, your Fate would have been different. If you had been honest and dutiful, your Fate would also have been different. If you had been wealthy and noble, your Fate would have been even more different..."
"But even in your youth, you were already this aloof and domineering, already this unrestrained and untrammeled. And it was precisely this character that set you upon this path."
"Therefore, I say: this is both Karma at play, and the arrangement of Fate. It is also Original Sin choosing you. At the same time, it is you yourself who chose this Karma, who chose this Fate, who chose this Original Sin."