Gu Qingfeng nodded. He believed what the Plum Blossom Old Daoist had said.
Based on his understanding of Original Sin and the Wu Dao Age over these years, it felt like this was roughly the case.
"This old man knows that the Imperial Venerable does not concern himself with worldly affairs, nor does he wish to involve himself in matters of the Wu Dao Age, much less become the key to opening the Wu Dao Age. His heart is set solely on unfettered freedom. However, what this old man wishes to say is that if the Imperial Venerable cannot free himself from Original Sin, then whether it be the Three Thousand Great Daos, the Cave-Heaven Blessed Lands, the Gui Xu, the Forbidden Sacred Lands, or even the ancient clansfolk... you will never be able to shake them off."
Gu Qingfeng asked with a smile, "Senior, what you mean is...
If I cannot free myself from Original Sin, I can only accept my fate and should become the True Lord of Original Sin to open the Wu Dao Age?"
"No!"
The Plum Blossom Old Daoist shook his head. "That is not what this old man means."
"Then what does Senior mean?"
The Plum Blossom Old Daoist did not answer immediately. After a moment, he instead asked, "May this old man ask why the Imperial Venerable is so resistant to Original Sin?"
"I have never resisted Original Sin. If I had, I wouldn't have fallen so deeply into it."
"Although the Imperial Venerable has not resisted it, neither has he accepted Original Sin, has he?"
The Plum Blossom Old Daoist said earnestly, "If one were to describe the Imperial Venerable's attitude towards Original Sin, I'm afraid only four words suffice: let nature take its course."
Hearing this.
Gu Qingfeng was rather surprised. He narrowed his eyes, looking at the Plum Blossom Old Daoist. "Truly worthy of being a senior from the Primordial Age. Your discerning eyes are indeed sharp as torches."
"What discerning eyes? It's merely that I've lived a little longer, that's all. Before the Wu Dao Mountain, the Imperial Venerable was still quite resistant to Original Sin. It was only after igniting the Original Sin Karmic Flames at Wu Dao Mountain and failing to free himself from Original Sin that the Imperial Venerable likely gave up hope—or, more precisely, could no longer be bothered to torment himself further...
Of course, the Imperial Venerable's nature is aloof and proud, wild and untamed. He would never allow his fate to be decided by Heaven. Therefore, while he does not reject Original Sin, neither does he accept it."
"Now this is a rarity. Counting this time, we've only met twice, right? Listening to your tone, I feel as if you seem to understand me quite well."
"The Imperial Venerable and this old man have indeed only met twice in person. However, this old man has seen the Imperial Venerable more than just twice."
Gu Qingfeng's expression froze for a moment. He chuckled derisively, picked up his wine cup, remained silent for a long while, then drained the cup in one gulp. "Back then, whether in the Primordial World or the Great Wastelands, I always felt someone was secretly watching me, and not just one person. Were you among them?"
"Indeed, I was."
"Ha!
So it really was you."
Gu Qingfeng asked, "Did Jun Xuanji order you to monitor me?"
"No!
The Empress was unaware of this old man's surveillance of the Imperial Venerable."
"I say, Senior, what were you doing, watching me for no good reason when you had nothing better to do?"
"Imperial Venerable, please do not misunderstand. This old man had no other intentions. I merely wished to understand what Karma truly existed between the Empress and the Imperial Venerable."
"And did you figure it out?"
"No."
"Since we're on the subject, there's one thing I've never understood. Back in the Primordial Age, when Jun Xuanji buried her Lifebound Soul and reincarnated into the Primordial World, was it truly just to sever Karma, change her fate, and free herself from Original Sin?"
"Ai!"
The Plum Blossom Old Daoist sighed once more. "That is precisely why this old man tracked the Imperial Venerable. I, too, wanted to understand whether the Empress buried her Lifebound Soul and reincarnated into the Primordial World to sever Karma, or to..." The Plum Blossom Old Daoist left the rest unsaid, but Gu Qingfeng finished it for him: "Or to graft Karma, right?
Among the myriad heavens and worlds, there may be many bearers of Original Sin, and quite a few False Selves as well. But those who are both bearers of Original Sin and False Selves, and also variables of the Present-Ancient Era... are probably exceedingly few, right?
Perhaps Jun Xuanji long ago deduced that a variable like me would appear in the Primordial World. So, she laid her plans early, grafting her Karma onto me..." The Plum Blossom Old Daoist lowered his head, remaining silent.
Clearly.
Gu Qingfeng's words had struck upon what was in his heart.
"You said those ancient clansfolk want to kill me to silence me, thereby hiding the secrets of the Wu Dao Age. That should include Jun Xuanji as well, right? She's always been clamoring to erase me, to end all of this."
"No!
The Imperial Venerable misunderstands."
"How so?
Isn't that the case?"
"Those ancient clansfolk wish to erase the Imperial Venerable to hide the secrets of the Wu Dao Age, whereas the Empress wishes to end all of this."
"Is there a difference?"
Gu Qingfeng asked, "And what exactly does Jun Xuanji mean by 'ending all of this' when she keeps clamoring about it?"
"This old man does not know."
The Plum Blossom Old Daoist said with melancholy, "The only thing I know is that if it could end all of this, the Empress would sacrifice anything, even her own life, without hesitation."
"That much is true. Jun Xuanji doesn't just clamor to kill me; she also clamors for me to kill her..." Gu Qingfeng frowned. "Damn it, what secrets are hidden in this Wu Dao Age? How can it be so sinister? Some want to open it, some want to hide it, and others want to end it..."
The Plum Blossom Old Daoist seemed very anxious, with a hint of frustration at Gu Qingfeng's apparent lack of ambition. "Since the Imperial Venerable has so many doubts about the Wu Dao Age, why does he not seek the answers?"
"Heh heh."
Looking at the anxious Plum Blossom Old Daoist, Gu Qingfeng suddenly laughed.
"Why does the Imperial Venerable laugh?"
"I laugh... I laugh because you've gone around in such a big circle and have finally spoken your mind."
The Plum Blossom Old Daoist did not try to conceal anything, stating frankly, "This is indeed what this old man truly thinks."
"Now I find this strange. You don't seem to have any connection to the Wu Dao Age, do you? You're neither a bearer of Original Sin nor a False Self. Why do you want me to open the Wu Dao Age? What, do you seek the true essence of the Great Dao?"
"Among all who cultivate the Dao, who does not wish to seek the true essence of the Great Dao and ascend to divinity? This old man is no exception. However...
the reason this old man hopes the Imperial Venerable will seek the truths of Wu Dao is not for the true essence of the Great Dao, but for the Empress."
"For Jun Xuanji?
What do you mean?"
"Throughout the ages, across the myriad heavens and worlds, the only one who can free the Empress from her sea of suffering is the Imperial Venerable alone. This old man knows he has no right to beg the Imperial Venerable to agree to this matter, nor does he dare hope for the Imperial Venerable's promise. I only hope that if, one day in the future, the Imperial Venerable truly learns the secrets of the Wu Dao Age, he might...
help the Empress free herself from her sea of suffering..."
"If, in the future, I am truly unfortunate enough to become the True Lord of Original Sin, unlock the secrets of the Wu Dao Age, and possess the ability to help Jun Xuanji escape her sea of suffering, then I wouldn't mind lending a hand. It's not a difficult matter. Of course, that's only an 'if'...
I may not necessarily be the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate."
Gu Qingfeng stood up, gazing at the vast plum blossom forest. "Therefore, the one who can free Jun Xuanji is not me, but the True Lord of Original Sin who opens the Wu Dao Age."