"Even the gods of that era could not erase the Wu Dao Daozun, and this old monk could never understand why he chose to vanish back then, nor why he gave birth to the Three Thousand Illusory Selves before disappearing. It was only after Layman Gu ignited the Original Sin Karmic Fire that this old monk gained some insight. Perhaps the Wu Dao Daozun gave birth to the Three Thousand Illusory Selves precisely to escape Original Sin, or even transcend it."
"If the Wu Dao Daozun, who was so formidable back then, could not escape Original Sin, how could he know that giving birth to the Three Thousand Illusory Selves would allow him to escape it?" Gu Qingfeng asked with an expressionless face. "The Three Thousand Illusory Selves he gave birth to are not even one ten-thousandth of what he was in his prime. Even if, as you say, one of these Illusory Selves eventually becomes the Wu Dao Daozun again, so what? He couldn't escape Original Sin back then. Could becoming the Wu Dao Daozun again through an Illusory Self allow him to escape it? Isn't that just taking off your pants to fart—a completely unnecessary extra step?"
"No! It's different."
"How is it different?"
"Because among the Three Thousand Illusory Selves given birth to by the Wu Dao Daozun, there exists a Variable. Since there is a Variable, anything is possible. Perhaps the Wu Dao Daozun gave birth to the Three Thousand Illusory Selves precisely to achieve this Variable." The old monk sighed with emotion. "The root of Original Sin is Karma; Original Sin is also formed from Karma. Although the Variable is also formed from Karma, it is born from countless chaotic and erroneous causes and effects. Perhaps within Heaven and Earth, only a Variable can restrain, escape, and transcend Original Sin."
"Between the Wu Dao Daozun and Original Sin, although they are not the same existence, the two are likely already inseparable. Otherwise, a single drop of the Wu Dao Daozun's blood would not have given birth to someone like me—a person of Original Sin." Gu Qingfeng lowered his head in contemplation, murmuring to himself. "In other words, if I contend for the position of True Lord of Original Sin, I would simultaneously be contending for the Illusory True Self. By winning the position of True Lord of Original Sin, I would also become the Illusory True Self of the Wu Dao Daozun. Is that correct?"
"Perhaps." The old monk once again used the word 'perhaps'.
"Heh!" Gu Qingfeng suddenly let out a derisive laugh.
"Why does Layman Gu laugh?"
"It's nothing."
Although Gu Qingfeng said nothing, the old monk seemed to have already guessed his inner thoughts. He sighed and said, "Layman Gu's heart not only resists the body of Original Sin but also resists the Illusory Self. Is that correct?"
"Should I not resist it?"
"This is destined. Layman Gu has no choice in the matter."
"What is fated, I indeed have no choice in, but that does not mean I will accept it." Gu Qingfeng declared with solitary pride. "I believe in fate, but I do not submit to it, nor will I ever bow my head to destiny. I never have, I do not now, and I never will."
"This old monk can understand Layman Gu resisting Original Sin, and I know of your resistance to fate. But as for why Layman Gu resists the Illusory Self, this old monk truly cannot comprehend it. I hope Layman Gu will enlighten me."
"I've said it before. I only wish to be myself."
"Layman Gu is originally the Illusory Self of the Wu Dao Daozun. Even if you become the Illusory True Self of the Wu Dao Daozun, you would still be yourself. If Layman Gu resists the Illusory Self, how is that any different from resisting yourself, from not accepting yourself?"
"It's not the same!"
"Why is it not the same?"
"If, as you say, I am an Illusory Self, then resisting the Illusory Self would be resisting myself. But the problem now is, I am not only an Illusory Self, I am also a body of Original Sin. If I resist Original Sin, wouldn't that also mean resisting myself?"
"That is precisely why this old monk urges Layman Gu to accept Original Sin and also accept Illusion. Only by accepting Original Sin and Illusion can you contend for the position of True Lord of Original Sin and contend for the Illusory True Self. And only after Layman Gu becomes the True Lord of Original Sin and the Illusory True Self can you transcend Original Sin. By transcending Original Sin, you will also transcend Illusion. By transcending Illusion, you will find the True Self."
"Transcend Original Sin...
and you transcend Illusion...
Transcend Illusion, and you find the True Self."
Gu Qingfeng murmured these words, as if gaining some insight. The feeling was like seeing a glimmer of light in endless darkness. But this glimmer was very faint, very faint, as if it might vanish at any moment. Gu Qingfeng tried to seek it, to chase it, to touch this single glimmer of light in the boundless dark.
Yet no matter how he chased, he could never reach that sole glimmer of light.
Suddenly.
In the endless darkness, that glimmer of light vanished.
Gu Qingfeng also awoke as if from a dream.
Only.
When he regained his senses, the originally ethereal and elusive Jiemie Mountain had disappeared at some unknown time, as if it had never existed.
Gu Qingfeng looked around.
He found that the Illusory Land was still shrouded in layers of mist.
He was still within the Original Sin Nightmare.
This couldn't help but make Gu Qingfeng doubt—doubt whether Jiemie Mountain had truly appeared, or whether all of this was just a dream he had.
Immediately after.
He laughed again.
He laughed at himself for becoming dull-witted and foolish after falling into confusion.
This place was originally the Illusory Land.
The layers of mist in the Illusory Land were originally the Original Sin Nightmare.
Since it was originally a nightmare, did it really matter whether Jiemie Mountain had truly appeared?
The answer was certain.
It didn't matter in the slightest.
What mattered were the words spoken by the old monk.
Especially the last sentence: Transcend Original Sin...
and you transcend Illusion...
Transcend Illusion, and you find the True Self.
It gave Gu Qingfeng, who had been lost in confusion, some enlightenment and a renewed understanding of the self.
"All phenomena are Illusion. If you see all phenomena as non-phenomena, then you see the Tathagata."
Gu Qingfeng closed his eyes, murmuring to himself, then added, "All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows; like dew and like lightning. They should be viewed as such."
"All phenomena are born and perish, impermanent and illusory, arising and ceasing with conditions, rooted in Karma. This Heaven and Earth is a phenomenon, the Great Dao is a phenomenon, and all living beings are phenomena."
Thus, amidst the mist-shrouded Illusory Land, Gu Qingfeng closed his eyes and murmured, "The body of Original Sin is a phenomenon, the incarnation of Original Sin is a phenomenon, the retribution body of Original Sin is a phenomenon, the Dharmakaya of Original Sin is a phenomenon, and the True Body of Original Sin is also a phenomenon."
"The selfless 'I' is a phenomenon, the ego is a phenomenon, the fundamental 'I' is a phenomenon, and the True Self is also a phenomenon."
"All phenomena are Illusion."
"Since they are all Illusion, why should I cling to the ego?"
After shaking his head with a bitter smile, Gu Qingfeng sighed again. "So this is the so-called Illusory Self...
So that's how it is. The Wu Dao Daozun is truly worthy of being the Wu Dao Daozun. How profoundly clever."
When Gu Qingfeng opened his eyes again, his once gloomy eyes were no longer gloomy. Instead, they seemed like chaos itself, as if containing endless Dao and principle.
At this moment, he attained enlightenment.
He gradually awakened from his confusion...
His heart no longer resisted the body of Original Sin, nor did it resist the Illusory Self. Not only did it not resist, his heart even began to accept the body of Original Sin and to accept the Illusory Self.