With Gu Qingfeng's departure, everything within the Lingluo Heavenly Domain returned to its former tranquility.
The shattered Void, nurtured by the workings of nature, healed once more as if it had never fractured, leaving behind no trace.
Even the Heavenly Gang clouds that had descended earlier had dissipated at some unknown time, and the sound of heavenly thunder from the firmament above ceased its reverberations.
The vast Void was desolate and uninhabited, appearing particularly bleak. Those people who had earlier fled in fear from within their World Paradises returned to their worlds after Gu Qingfeng left.
Though Gu Qingfeng had departed, and the Void no longer exploded, and the heavenly might had vanished, many fragments of space still floated within the Void. These fragments were none other than the remnants left behind by those previously shattered World Paradises. Looking out, they were scattered everywhere across the entire Void, floating like snowflakes.
Suddenly.
A burst of laughter echoed through the Void.
The laughter was eerie, its origin unknown, sounding like mockery—deeply ironic. Moreover, hearing this laughter felt profoundly uncomfortable, even sending shivers down one's spine.
Outside the Heavenly Domain, atop Blackwater Mountain, the Old Beggar, hearing the laughter, rubbed his chin and said, "This jeering laughter sounds very familiar. Why does it sound so much like that old hag's laugh?"
Blackwater Lady responded indifferently, "Who else could it be but her?"
"That old hag has always thrived on chaos. Who knows what mischief she's scheming this time, popping out like this."
"Hehehehe—" The eerie laughter continued to resound through the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, lasting for a long while before finally ceasing. Then, the voice spoke again.
"Today's show was truly spectacular, absolutely magnificent. This old crone hasn't seen such a thrilling spectacle in ages—who would have thought that the Thirty-Six Grotto Heavens and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands, mighty and awe-inspiring throughout the Great Desolate since ancient times, could have such a pathetic moment! Ahahahaha!"
"You Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands secretly colluded with the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao, united with the Great Desolate Magnates, and under the guise of upholding the Great Dao and protecting all living beings, acted on behalf of heaven, attempting to annihilate that man and seize his destiny! Hahaha!"
"The plan was excellent, the calculations were sound, but alas...
Your methods were simply too unsightly! Not only did we old-timers find it disgraceful, even the reclusive Tianji Old Man, Genggu Wuming, who never interferes in worldly affairs, couldn't stand by and watch. That's why he stepped forward to dissuade the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao."
"You clearly knew Genggu Wuming had already intervened, yet you hypocritical scoundrels still tried to use ten measly Fate Hearts to pressure the Immortal Dao, even more delusionally attempting to pressure the Heavenly Dao...
Hahaha!"
"Pity, oh pity. Pity that you self-righteous fools were played—played by the Immortal Dao and played by the Heavenly Dao. You wanted to pressure the Immortal Dao and the Heavenly Dao to test that fellow surnamed Gu, but didn't the Immortal Dao and the Heavenly Dao also want to use you to test him? Otherwise, why do you think the Heavenly Dao sent down the sound of heavenly thunder?
It was precisely to create an illusion to lure you into action!
Ahahahaha!"
This laughter was borderline maniacal, filled with mockery—mocking the Great Desolate Magnates and mocking the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands.
"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. In today's affair, there was only one cicada, yet no one wanted to be the mantis; everyone wanted to be the oriole. The Great Desolate Magnates were, the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands were, the Sacred Grounds, Forbidden Lands, and Guixu were, even the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao, the Vast Heaven Great Dao, and the Three Thousand Great Daos all wanted to be the oriole... Hahaha!
Especially you Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands—you wanted most to be the oriole, yet you ended up being the mantis!
And what's more, a mantis devoured by the cicada! Hahahaha!"
At that moment.
Another voice echoed through the Void, though this one sounded strangely bewitching. It laughed lightly, "They had no choice but to be the mantis; they were in too deep. First, there were the ten Fate Hearts, then came a host of Patriarch Incarnations. It can be said they were stealthily dragged into the quagmire by that young fellow surnamed Gu. To avoid losing all their previous efforts, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and play the mantis..." Though this bewitching voice laughed lightly, its words clearly carried mockery toward the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands. "They thought that by joining forces with the Great Desolate Magnates and sending out all the Patriarchs from the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands, they should be able to gauge the depths of that fellow surnamed Gu. But what was the result? Not only did they fail to gauge his depths, instead...
They were utterly annihilated by that fellow alone! Hehe!
It's truly both laughable and pitiful."
"Ahahahaha!"
The eerie laughter sounded again, growing increasingly taunting. "That's precisely why this old crone says today's show was truly magnificent! However, the most brilliant part undoubtedly belongs to that little fellow surnamed Gu. I must say, he really opened this old crone's eyes and broadened my horizons..."
"Indeed."
The bewitching voice praised, "This show should have ended when the Nine Heavens gave up...
Yet he unhurriedly, calmly dragged those Great Desolate Magnates and Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands into the quagmire. His methods were truly exquisite. It truly echoed his own words: 'You set up the stage, you raised the curtain. Today's show, whether you sing it or not, you will sing it.' Truly formidable!
Admirable!
Most admirable."
"No!
You are mistaken. What this old crone admires most about that fellow surnamed Gu is not that."
"Oh?
Then what is it?"
"Ahahahaha!"
For some reason, the eerie voice burst into inexplicable laughter again, growing increasingly maniacal, as if recalling some hilarious joke. "This old crone only realized it afterward."
The bewitching voice asked, "Realized what?"
"Did you hear Jun Xuanji's words just now?"
"Of course."
"Jun Xuanji said that fellow surnamed Gu was not only forcing himself into madness but also forcing the Great Desolate Magnates and Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands, including the Three Thousand Great Daos, and even forcing us to take action. Do you know what Jun Xuanji meant by that?"
"I am all ears."
"That fellow ignited the Original Sin Karmic Flames on the Dao-Less Mountain back then, slumbered for ten thousand years, then perished and was reborn."
"I have heard a little about that. So?"
"That blaze of Original Sin Karmic Flames back then not only burned his flesh into chaotic decay but also caused all his destinies to fall into chaotic slumber. Not only do we not know his depths—I'm afraid even he himself doesn't know his own depths. If this old crone's guess is correct, all these years, he has also wanted to know his own depths. Unfortunately, he never encountered a suitable opportunity."
"So, you mean to say that today, these Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands created a rare opportunity for him?"
"Ahahahaha!
Exactly! And what's even funnier is that these Great Desolate Magnates and Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands thought they were testing his depths, unaware that he was using them all along to test his own depths!
Every step he took, every word he spoke, was forcing the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands to act! No!
To be precise, he was not only forcing the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands to act but also luring the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao and the Vast Heaven Great Dao, as well as the Sacred Grounds and Forbidden Lands, including us old-timers, to take action!
Ahahahaha!"
"Hmm..." The bewitching voice said, "So, his hands have been itching all along, always wanting to find someone to fight, but never finding suitable opponents. And then...
Precisely at this moment, the Great Desolate Magnates and Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands delivered themselves to his doorstep, first offering him ten Fate Hearts to warm up, then sending him a bunch of Patriarch Incarnations to stretch his limbs, and finally pouring out all their own incarnations to let him satisfy his craving for a good fight..."