"Nonsense! If I accepted that drop of Blood of Original Sin, I would become an Incarnation of Original Sin. And once I became an Incarnation of Original Sin, it would be hard to say if I would still be myself. That's not the main issue. The key is that after becoming an Incarnation of Original Sin, even if I were still myself, many things would become irrevocably set in stone—like the Karma tied to Original Sin, like the fate tied to Original Sin. By then, turning back would be extremely difficult."
The Mysterious Person said calmly, "But you still haven't shaken off Original Sin in the end, have you?"
These words struck a chord with Gu Qingfeng. After all his struggles, abandoning his Ego, igniting the Karmic Fire of Original Sin, he still hadn't managed to free himself from Original Sin. He sighed. "It's indeed a headache, but there's no help for it. I've only got so much ability. 'Heaven sends rain, a mother remarries'—since I can't shake off Original Sin, I'll just let it be."
"Heh. Your problem probably isn't just being unable to shake off Original Sin. If I guess correctly, you've now completely fused with that drop of Blood of Original Sin, haven't you?"
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng's heart skipped a beat. He said nothing.
Even if the Mysterious Person hadn't mentioned it, he'd had this feeling himself.
Because ten thousand years ago, when Mount Wudao descended, the Blood of Original Sin had basically already eroded his Physical Body and Soul. Just as the Blood of Original Sin was about to erode his last remaining shred of consciousness, he had ignited the Karmic Fire of Original Sin.
In other words, when he ignited the Karmic Fire of Original Sin, the Blood of Original Sin had already completely fused with him, becoming inseparable.
He had been unconscious for ten thousand years, yet he had come back to life in the end.
And he still hadn't shaken off Original Sin. That meant his present self had likely already merged into one with the Blood of Original Sin.
Otherwise, his Soul wouldn't still be impossible to sense.
Thinking about his chaotic and decayed Physical Body, Gu Qingfeng reckoned it was almost certain that he had now completely fused with the Blood of Original Sin.
"You are unfortunate, but also fortunate."
"Fortunate?" Gu Qingfeng scoffed. "How so?"
"Although you have fused with the Blood of Original Sin, at least you are still yourself now, and you haven't become an Incarnation of Original Sin. Isn't that a stroke of luck amidst misfortune?"
"Hearing you put it that way, it does seem that way. However, I'm still myself now, but I can't guarantee the future. As for becoming an Incarnation of Original Sin, that's even harder to predict. Who knows what will happen later."
Some time ago, Gu Qingfeng had discovered that his originally decayed Physical Body seemed to be awakening, his dried-up bloodlines gradually reviving. He didn't know what would happen once his Physical Body fully recovered.
"This doesn't sound like you at all. In my impression, you were a free-spirited, unrestrained person who could pick things up and put them down, a forthright man. More than that, you were someone who believed 'my fate is mine to command, not Heaven's'. Why does your tone sound so dejected, as if you've resigned yourself to fate?"
"You talk as if you know me."
"I know a bit."
"It's not that I want to resign myself to fate, but when saddled with something as clingy as Original Sin, what else can I do but accept it?" Gu Qingfeng asked, "How about you teach me how to shake off Original Sin?"
The Mysterious Person, whose entire body was wrapped in white cloth, revealing only a pair of profound eyes, stared at Gu Qingfeng and said very seriously, "Believe me, if it were possible, I'd want to shake off Original Sin even more than you do."
"So, have you managed to shake it off or not?"
"Do I look like someone who has shaken off Original Sin, in this state that's neither Human nor ghost?"
"Speaking of your appearance, I am quite curious and want to ask you: why do you dress so strangely? Wrapped up so tightly, it looks downright creepy."
Gu Qingfeng eyed the layers of white cloth wrapped around the Mysterious Person. "This white cloth looks pretty strange."
He was about to reach out and touch it when the Mysterious Person suddenly retreated, as if not wanting Gu Qingfeng to make contact.
Gu Qingfeng smiled helplessly. "I just wanted to feel what material this cloth is. Why so wary? It's not like I'm going to eat you."
"Friend, that joke isn't funny at all."
"I'm not joking. I'm genuinely curious what this white cloth is. I'm thinking of getting myself a set too. When we have some free time someday, we can each wear one and go out for a stroll, scare a few people."
As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng couldn't help but laugh himself. He thought it sounded like fun and really did consider getting himself an outfit to play around with.
Across from him, the Mysterious Person just stared at Gu Qingfeng, silent, seeming somewhat angry.
"Alright, just a joke, don't take it seriously. But, speaking of which, why *are* you dressed like this?"
"We are the same kind of people."
Gu Qingfeng nodded. "You already said that earlier."
"The Blood of Original Sin eroded your Physical Body and Soul, trying to turn you into an Incarnation of Original Sin. It also once eroded my Physical Body and Soul to turn me into an Incarnation of Original Sin."
"And then?"
"Like you, although I didn't end up becoming an Incarnation of Original Sin in the end, I also fused with the Blood of Original Sin."
"And then? Did you also ignite the Karmic Fire of Original Sin?"
"No! I'm not as free-spirited as you, nor as willing to risk everything, to let go. I don't have your ability to achieve Nirvana and rebirth. And I couldn't ignite the Karmic Fire of Original Sin either."
"Then what did you do?"
"I..." Although the Mysterious Person only uttered the word "I," and was wrapped up tightly with no visible facial expression, Gu Qingfeng could still see a flicker of painful memory in those profound eyes. Seeing the Mysterious Person close his eyes, Gu Qingfeng said, "If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. Everyone has a past they'd rather not look back on."
After a long while, the Mysterious Person opened his eyes and said gravely, "Do you remember a question you asked me earlier?"
"What question?"
"You asked me why I could find you."
"Right, that's right. I also asked why I couldn't find you. You said it was because I kept resisting the Blood of Original Sin and kept refusing to accept the Karma of Original Sin..." As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng suddenly realized something and said in surprise, "Are you saying that you actively fused with the Blood of Original Sin and also accepted the Karma of Original Sin?"
"No. At first, I was like you, resisting the Blood of Original Sin, refusing to accept the Karma of Original Sin. Until the Blood of Original Sin eroded my Physical Body and Soul bit by bit. At the final moment, I chose to actively fuse with the Blood of Original Sin and accept the Karma of Original Sin."
The Mysterious Person's voice carried a tone of unwilling pain and desolation. "I said I'm not as free-spirited as you, nor as willing to risk everything, nor as able to let go as you are. You could abandon your Ego, give up everything, and ignite the Karmic Fire of Original Sin. I couldn't. Because I still have an unfulfilled wish. So, I could only actively fuse with the Blood of Original Sin, only accept the Karma of Original Sin."