"First, don't panic, and don't be afraid. Although all this evidence suggests that the Great Lord might be You Di, it's still only a possibility. We cannot be one hundred percent certain that he definitely is You Di."
Sitting dazedly on the bed, Immortal Lixin murmured to herself. It sounded like she was comforting Qingqing, but it seemed more like she was comforting herself.
"Senior Aunt, what if... I mean, what if he really is You Di?"
Immortal Lixin stared at the panicked Qingqing before her, watching her intently. After a long moment, she finally said, "If he really is You Di... then that would be too terrifying..." As disciples of the Everlasting Pavilion, one of the Seventy-Two Blessed Lands, both Immortal Lixin and Qingqing knew some secrets that others did not.
Others only knew that You Di was the incarnation of Original Sin, but they knew that the fact You Di could ignite the Karmic Flames of Original Sin meant his existence was not merely that of an incarnation. Moreover, after You Di ignited those flames, Original Sin gradually awakened. Some said You Di had roused Original Sin. Therefore, there had always been suspicions that You Di's existence was very likely the Dharma Body of Original Sin.
The existence of the Dharma Body of Original Sin was the source of all incarnations of Original Sin. In other words, if You Di truly was the Dharma Body of Original Sin, then at this moment, he had already completely fused with Original Sin, becoming inseparable. He was Original Sin, and Original Sin was him. It was even possible he might ultimately become the True Lord that Original Sin had been seeking all along.
It was said that the Book of Fate recorded that when Original Sin finds its True Lord, the Great Dao will fall, the Present Era will end, Heaven and Earth will be reborn, and the Wu Dao Age will begin...
They knew even more that the Present Era, which appeared calm on the surface, was actually already roiling with undercurrents. And these undercurrents had been accumulating since the Wu Dao Age, through the Primeval, Ancient, and Archaic Eras.
However, whether it was the Three Thousand Great Daos, those ancient mighty ones who had awakened and returned, those destined individuals born of fortune or calamity, or those bound by the karma and fate of Original Sin, none had broken the superficial tranquility of the Present Era.
To be precise, none dared.
Because no one knew what terrifying events would occur once these undercurrents that had rolled all the way from the Wu Dao Age finally erupted.
If You Di had truly died and returned to life...
Then the superficial calm of the Present Era could no longer be maintained. The undercurrents accumulated since the Wu Dao Age would erupt completely.
The reason was simple.
He was You Di, the You Di who ended the Archaic Era.
He was also the You Di who ignited the Karmic Flames of Original Sin and awakened Original Sin.
He was the greatest variable of the Present Era, and in the future, he might very well become the True Lord that Original Sin had been seeking.
With such an identity...
He was practically equivalent to one who bore the fate of Original Sin, returning to slaughter the Great Dao, end this Present Era, and open the Wu Dao Age...
Even if You Di did not do this, or had no intention of doing so.
The Three Thousand Great Daos, the Myriad Heavens and Worlds, and all living beings could never tolerate such a terrifying existence.
Therefore.
What You Di intended to do after his return, whether he was the True Lord sought by Original Sin, or even if he was the Dharma Body of Original Sin—none of that mattered.
What mattered was that he had returned.
The Three Thousand Great Daos could never tolerate such an existence, a dire threat to the Great Dao and all living beings.
"Senior Aunt, if that... Great Lord really is You Di, what should we do..." Qingqing said with a tearful, anxious face.
She was not a person without her own ideas. On the contrary, she had always been very decisive. If not, as a disciple of the Everlasting Pavilion and the direct disciple of Floating Life Emperor Lord, she would not have stubbornly chosen to nurture a Profound-rank immortal weapon that had never accepted her for hundreds of years.
However.
This matter was too frightening, too terrifying, far beyond her capacity to bear. She dared not act rashly. Even thinking about it in detail felt utterly terrifying.
"What should we do?
You ask me, but who should I ask? How would I know what to do..." Immortal Lixin shook her head.
This matter not only exceeded Qingqing's capacity to bear, but also Immortal Lixin's. Regarding this, she too dared not act rashly. Taking one wrong step might lead not just them, but all living beings of the Great Dao across the Myriad Heavens and Worlds into eternal damnation.
Such a great responsibility, Qingqing could not shoulder it, Lixin could not shoulder it, no one could.
Qingqing sat on the bed, simply sprawled there in a daze. Her appearance, overwhelmed by shock and exhaustion, was like someone who had just returned from the gates of hell, looking utterly despondent.
Meanwhile, Immortal Lixin sat on the bed, holding a wine pot, pouring cup after cup of wine down her throat. Only, the hand holding the cup trembled uncontrollably, spilling wine all over her clothes. At this moment, Immortal Lixin had no mind to care about such things. All she wanted now was to drink.
It would be best to get drunk. After getting drunk and waking from sleep, she hoped this was all just a dream.
Even if she couldn't get drunk, at least it could bolster her courage.
However.
The more she drank, not only did she not feel any drunkenness, but she became more and more clear-headed.
Her courage did not grow much either. Instead, the more she drank, the more afraid she became, and the more afraid she was, the more fiercely her heart pounded.
"Don't panic, don't be afraid...
Whether that... that Great Lord is You Di himself, we still cannot be one hundred percent certain. We...
First, let's not scare ourselves. Don't be afraid..." Even as she spoke these words, Immortal Lixin's hands still trembled uncontrollably. She put down the wine cup, clasped her hands together before her chest, and took several deep breaths in succession.
Unfortunately.
It was useless.
The fear remained just the same.
Time passed bit by bit. Immortal Lixin spoke up, "Qingqing, you must absolutely not mention this matter to anyone. Remember!
Absolutely not!
And don't ask him whether he is You Di or not. Don't even bring it up. It's better to believe it possible than to dismiss it. For now, we'll treat him as if he is You Di himself."
She paused, then continued, "Now we must clarify one question: if he really is You Di, why did he appear on our Xuantian Vessel? Was it pure coincidence, or was there some other reason?"
"Senior Aunt...
It seems...
It was you...
It was you who insisted on inviting him onto the vessel for wine..."
"Was it me?
Was it really me?"
Immortal Lixin thought carefully and realized it truly was she who had invited him. Then another thought occurred to her, and she said, "You wretched girl, what do you mean by that? Are you blaming me?
If it weren't for the Cloud-Water Sword, why would I, perfectly fine, invite him onto the vessel?
Oh!
Now that something has happened, you start blaming me."
"Senior Aunt, I'm not blaming you. I just..."
"Just what?
If anyone is to blame, it's you, you wretched girl!
Tell me, why did you have to pick up a broken sword from the ruins back then? If you hadn't picked it up, wouldn't there be no trouble today?"
"Senior Aunt."
Qingqing felt like dying. She said, "How was I to know that the broken sword I picked up back then was one of the Five Elements Swords forged by You Di?"
Mentioning that incident from back then, Qingqing also regretted it to death. She too was baffled. Why on earth did she have to pick up an already broken sword from the ruins back then?