Indeed.
Gu Qingfeng had once ascended to the Nine Nethers Emperor's throne, and he clearly understood just how desperately those old demons within the Nine Nethers craved power.
Since they were demons,
it could be said with certainty that they had long since lost their humanity.
If they retained even a shred of humanity, they would not have fallen into demonhood.
Without humanity, they naturally had no concept of benevolence, righteousness, or morality either.
And these were just ordinary demons.
Ordinary demons could only linger in the remote corners of the Great Desolate; they dared not enter the Nine Nethers, for the Nine Nethers were filled with ancient evil spirits and old fiends.
These ancient demons had cultivated for who-knows-how-many years. Devoid of humanity from the start, their demonic nature only grew more intense as they progressed.
What was demonic nature?
Acting on whims, unleashing inner desires, stopping at nothing to achieve their goals.
The so-called karma and fate of Original Sin?
Those old demons wouldn't bother with such questions. As long as they could achieve their aims and satisfy their desires, they wouldn't hesitate to bear the karma and fate of Original Sin. Even if Genggu Wuming, reputed as the incarnation of karma and messenger of fate, were to enter the Nine Nethers, they would dare to violate her.
The fundamental difference between humans and demons lay in this: humans possessed humanity and moral boundaries, while demons did not. Hence, demons also cared nothing for so-called karma and fate.
Gu Qingfeng asked, "Are there many in the Great Desolate who have been tainted by the Breath of Original Sin?"
"Many, many."
"How were they tainted?
What exactly is the Breath of Original Sin?
Why haven't I ever seen it?"
"You have cultivated for a mere five hundred years, and most of that time was spent fighting and killing. Later, you slumbered for ten thousand years. How could you have seen the Breath of Original Sin?"
With that one sentence, Bai Chou left Gu Qingfeng speechless. A mere five hundred years was indeed short in the Great Desolate, where old-timers counted their ages in tens or even hundreds of thousands of years. At best, he was just a kid.
"Original Sin is not limited to the Blood of Original Sin alone. There is also the Breath of Original Sin, the Light of Original Sin, the Crystal of Original Sin, and so on. Anyone whose soul has been infected after contact belongs to the category of Acquired Original Sin individuals."
Bai Chou sighed. "There are truly far too many of them. Some may have been passively infected by Original Sin, but many more actively sought infection in pursuit of Original Sin's power. Alas."
"I'm curious, will these Acquired Original Sin individuals also bear the karma and fate of the Daoless Age?"
"Original Sin itself is a curse. Anyone connected to Original Sin will be cursed. Whether tainted by the Breath of Original Sin, the Light of Original Sin, or tempered by the Crystal of Original Sin, all will be swept into the karmic black hole of the Daoless Age. No one can escape."
"Alright. Then what about Innate Original Sin individuals? What's their deal?"
"So-called Innate Original Sin refers to those born because of Original Sin. For example, your own existence is due to Original Sin."
"Are there many Innate Original Sin individuals as well?"
"That single drop of the Blood of Original Sin in the Great Northwest back then gave birth to many Original Sin individuals, though most were killed by Wu You Niangniang...
But the myriad heavens and worlds do not contain only that single drop. That one in the Great Northwest birthed many; other drops of the Blood of Original Sin would also give birth to many."
"And what about Zhoutian Original Sin?
What does that mean?"
"So-called Zhoutian Original Sin refers to those within whose bodies an Original Sin bloodline has gestated, and the Blood of Original Sin has already begun flowing within them."
"What do you mean?"
Gu Qingfeng asked, "Are you saying that those Innate Original Sin individuals might also gestate an Original Sin bloodline within their bodies?"
"The probability is small, but not impossible. Of course, most Zhoutian Original Sin individuals are those who fused with the Blood of Original Sin."
"Are there many of this kind as well?"
"Not many. I've only seen a little over thirty."
"That's not many?"
Gu Qingfeng was astonished. "Among those you've seen, were they ones who gestated the Original Sin bloodline within themselves, or ones who fused with the Blood of Original Sin?"
"Six of them gestated the Original Sin bloodline within themselves. The rest almost all fused with the Blood of Original Sin."
"That's still quite a few."
Gu Qingfeng raised an eyebrow. "Are those drops of the Blood of Original Sin all from the Daoless Age?"
"Some are. Some have gradually accumulated and gestated over time. Some may have been artificially nurtured."
Gu Qingfeng felt his horizons broadening today. "You mean to tell me this damn thing can actually be nurtured?"
"At first, I didn't believe it either. But facts have proven that there really are people nurturing the Blood of Original Sin, and not just one. Genggu Wuming used a wisp of the Breath of Original Sin to nurture a drop of the Blood of Original Sin over countless ages."
"Truly, with a big enough forest, you'll find all kinds of birds. But...
I can understand if others nurture the Blood of Original Sin, but why would that little lady Genggu Wuming do it too?"
"How can you speak of Genggu Wuming with such disrespect?"
"What, is she your sweetheart?"
"She is my savior."
"Oh, I'd forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it. This white cloth on you was a gift from her, right?"
"Moreover, Genggu Wuming nurtured the Blood of Original Sin only to observe it and gain a deeper understanding of Original Sin. It was precisely because she nurtured the Blood of Original Sin and came to understand it that she could devise a method to restrain it. Otherwise, I might have long since lost my self and become an incarnation of Original Sin."
"Alright!
Then what about Hun Tian Original Sin? What's that about?"
"Hun Tian Original Sin refers to being completely fused with Original Sin, as if formed by nature itself—the so-called Incarnation of Original Sin!"
"Have you seen an Incarnation of Original Sin?"
"No, but I've heard that Incarnations of Original Sin have appeared in history, and more than one."
"They really exist!
Who are they?"
"Chiyou, Xingtian, Shenshu, Houqing, Jiangchen..." As Bai Chou recited name after name, Gu Qingfeng's heart pounded with shock. Chiyou, Xingtian, Houqing—these were all masters of great Daos who once wreaked havoc across the Great Desolate, each guilty of monstrous crimes, legendary figures among the Ten Great Evil Lords.
"Don't tell me these gentlemen are all Incarnations of Original Sin."
"You are correct. They are indeed all Incarnations of Original Sin!"
"Good heavens!"
Gu Qingfeng only knew that Chiyou, Xingtian, and these gentlemen were overlords of great Daos who once dominated the Great Desolate. He truly hadn't known they were all Incarnations of Original Sin. He sighed, "So that's why these gentlemen were eventually cast into the Guixu. Turns out they were all Incarnations of Original Sin."
"I can also tell you a piece of bad news."
"What bad news?"
"The Guixu has collapsed."
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng's heart skipped a beat. "The Guixu has really collapsed?"
"Yes."
Gu Qingfeng had only heard rumors before; he hadn't expected the Guixu to truly collapse. For some reason, he suddenly felt like laughing. "Well, the Great Desolate is about to get lively! Hahahaha!"
"You seem to be taking pleasure in others' misfortune?"
"Shouldn't I be taking pleasure in others' misfortune?"
"What benefit does Chiyou and these Incarnations of Original Sin emerging from the collapsed Guixu hold for you?"
"I don't know Chiyou. Whether he emerges or not has nothing to do with me. What benefit could I possibly gain?"
"Then why are you taking pleasure in it?"
"Maybe it's because I'm someone who enjoys watching the spectacle."