"What's the matter?"
Gu Qingfeng said with a playful smile, "You think I'm afraid they'll come looking for trouble with me?"
"You brat might not be afraid, but I am!"
Huode said irritably, "Ever since I ran into you, I haven't had a single good day. I've been on edge all the time, terrified you'd get yourself killed."
"Oh? Sounds like you're trying to kick me out."
"Kick you out my ass! What I mean is you should behave yourself and stir up less trouble. Even when trouble comes knocking, can't you just endure it a bit?
Like this time, you could've just endured it and it would've passed. But no, you had to go out. Fine, you went out, but did you have to find such a huge 'amusement'? This whole mess involves either Great Wasteland magnates or Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands. I hear even ancestral patriarchs from Holy Lands, forbidden realms, Guixu, and Desolate Ruins have come, and even heavenly might has descended. You almost poked a hole in the sky!"
"When looking for amusement, of course you go for the big ones."
Gu Qingfeng said with a teasing laugh, "I originally planned to just have some fun with the Nine Heavens Immortal Path. Who knew they'd gotten smarter this time? No choice, I had to find amusement elsewhere. Since I was already out, I had to find some fun, otherwise it'd be too boring. Makes sense, right?"
"But isn't the 'amusement' you found a bit too big?
Right in front of the Nine Heavens Immortal Path, you killed ten Great Dao Destinies, and then, damn it, right under the nose of Old Heaven, you crushed ten Mandate Hearts. Also, I've noticed your guts have gotten bigger and bigger, utterly boundless."
Huode scolded Gu Qingfeng, took a swig of wine, and said, "People suspect you're the True Lord of Original Sin, and they're not wrong at all. If I were them, I'd suspect you too. Now you're already starting to shit and piss on Old Heaven's neck. If you really become the True Lord of Original Sin, who's to say you won't one day slaughter the Three Thousand Great Daos and destroy this Heaven and Earth."
"Hahaha!"
Gu Qingfeng laughed heartily, raised his cup to drink, then said very seriously, "Huode, to be honest with you, not just you suspect it—even I suspect I might be the True Lord of Original Sin. Maybe one day in a fit of rage, I really will slaughter the Three Thousand Great Daos. And if this Heaven and Earth displeases me, I might just destroy it in passing."
"What! You..." Seeing Huode's stunned expression, Gu Qingfeng laughed uproariously.
"You brat... are you serious, or are you just scaring me?"
"Just joking, what are you afraid of? Even if I really become the True Lord of Original Sin, would I kill you?"
"If you really become the True Lord of Original Sin, would I need you to kill me? If you destroy Heaven and Earth, I'd naturally die too!"
"You know what," Gu Qingfeng said with a laugh, "that really is a problem. But don't worry, if I ever decide to destroy Heaven and Earth, I'll definitely kill you first. I won't leave you alone to grow old in solitude."
"Go to hell! You really have no conscience!"
Huode said angrily, "Thank goodness Heavenly Secrets Lady said the Book of Fate is just a rumor. Otherwise, today I'd risk my old life to kill you first."
"Save your breath, Huode. With your old life, one slap from me would send you spinning through the reincarnation channel a hundred and eight thousand times, at least."
"Don't get cocky, you little bastard!"
Huode gnashed his teeth in rage, pointing at Gu Qingfeng and shouting angrily, "One day, I'll beat you to the ground."
At that moment, Xiao Jinr beside them suddenly called out to Gu Qingfeng, "Big Brother."
"What's wrong?"
Xiao Jinr looked at Gu Qingfeng, her eyes rather complex as she asked, "If... I mean if, if one day in the future, this Heaven and Earth can't tolerate Big Brother, would Big Brother really destroy Heaven and Earth?"
"Why ask such a question out of the blue?"
"No reason. I just heard Big Brother joking with Grandpa Huode and got curious, so I wanted to know."
"Of course not."
"Why not?"
Gu Qingfeng smiled and reached out to tap Xiao Jinr's delicate nose. "Because Jinr is still in this Heaven and Earth. How could Big Brother destroy it then?"
"But... what if Jinr isn't in Heaven and Earth anymore then?"
"Not in Heaven and Earth? Where would you go?"
"Just... not there anymore. Not just Jinr, but Grandpa Huode, Sister Hua, everyone Big Brother cares about—none of them are in Heaven and Earth anymore. Would Big Brother destroy it then?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head without even thinking, replying, "No."
"Why not?"
Xiao Jinr tilted her little head slightly, blinking her lively big eyes. "Since the people Big Brother cares about are all gone, Big Brother would have no attachments left. And if Heaven and Earth can't tolerate Big Brother, why wouldn't Big Brother destroy it?"
"Silly girl."
Gu Qingfeng gazed at Xiao Jinr, then after a moment, smiled faintly. "Big Brother won't let you disappear from Heaven and Earth."
Beside them, Huode and Feiyue both felt it was strange. They didn't understand why Xiao Jinr would suddenly ask such a question out of the blue.
Huode glared at Gu Qingfeng and complained, "You brat, can't you pick a better time for your jokes? Don't you know Xiao Jinr is here?"
Then, Huode comforted Xiao Jinr, saying, "Jinr, your Big Brother was just joking with me. Don't take it seriously. We're all living just fine. No one will disappear. You won't disappear, I won't disappear, and your Big Brother definitely won't disappear either.
Besides, Heavenly Secrets Lady has personally come forward to debunk the rumors. Original Sin isn't a sin, and Gu kid isn't any True Lord of Original Sin. Don't let your imagination run wild."
Both Huode and Feiyue tried to persuade her, but Xiao Jinr seemed not to hear them at all. She kept staring at Gu Qingfeng, her eyes slightly reddening as if about to cry, and continued asking, "What if Big Brother had to choose between Jinr and Heaven and Earth?"
Before Gu Qingfeng could answer, Xiao Jinr added, "In Heaven and Earth, there's still Grandpa Huode, Sister Hua, Sister Ye... all the people Big Brother cares about are in Heaven and Earth. Big Brother... what would you choose?"
"Jinr."
Gu Qingfeng pulled Xiao Jinr over and hugged her. "Do you believe in Big Brother?"
For some reason, Jinr buried her head in Gu Qingfeng's chest and suddenly burst into tears. "Jinr believes in Big Brother! Wuwuwu... I've always believed, no matter what, Jinr always believes in Big Brother."
"Since you believe me, then Big Brother tells you: I won't let you disappear from Heaven and Earth. Ab-so-lute-ly not! Never, at any time. If I had to choose between you and Heaven and Earth, I would definitely choose you. If the Three Thousand Great Daos can't tolerate you, I'll slaughter them all. If Heaven and Earth can't tolerate you, I'll destroy this Heaven and Earth."
"Wuwuwu..." Xiao Jinr sobbed in Gu Qingfeng's embrace.
Xiao Jinr cried for a very long time, until her tears dried and she was utterly exhausted. Perhaps worn out from crying, she simply fell asleep in Gu Qingfeng's arms.