"Why?"
Gu Qingfeng neither knew what the Black-Clothed Figure truly was, nor why it would say such a baffling thing to him. "Why shouldn't I be here?"
"This place is chaotic enough as it is. Your arrival will only make matters more chaotic..."
"And why is that?" Gu Qingfeng thought for a moment, then asked, "What place are you referring to?"
"This Chaotic Current Storm was triggered by the Desolate Ancient Era."
The Black-Clothed Figure remained standing atop the glowing sphere, hands clasped behind its back. Its voice was as ethereal and unreal as its form, like a sound heard in a dream.
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingfeng was inwardly shocked. He recalled Da Xing the Mad Monk saying that the Zen Sect's soon-to-emerge ruins were remnants of the Desolate Ancient Era. Coinciding with the Zen Sect ruins' emergence, this Chaotic Current Storm had also appeared, even destroying the Little Zen Secret Realm.
Thinking of this, Gu Qingfeng pressed further, "Are you saying this Chaotic Current Storm was caused by the Zen Sect ruins?"
"No! This Chaotic Current Storm has never ceased since it first appeared in the Desolate Ancient Era..."
These words sent shockwaves through Gu Qingfeng's heart. He had initially thought the storm was triggered by a single Desolate Ancient Era ruin like the Zen Sect's. He never imagined the Black-Clothed Figure would claim the storm had never stopped since the Desolate Ancient Era. That was simply too exaggerated!
The Desolate Ancient Era was a relatively brief period before the Primordial Era, a mysterious age following the end of the Daoless Age. Historical records of the Great Wasteland began with the Primordial Era; there were no documented accounts of the Desolate Ancient Era, only legends of dubious authenticity.
It was said that the Great Dao of Nature, the Human Dao, and the Heavenly Dao had all perished during the Desolate Ancient Era, along with the progenitors of various Great Daos. For instance, the Three Purities and Four Sovereigns of the Immortal Dao, the Ancient Buddha Patriarch of the Buddhist Dao, the Five Wisdom Kings, and others. This included Gu Qingfeng's own incarnation of "Ascending to the Azure, Descending to the Yellow Springs" and his soul of the Avici Asura—all had perished in that era.
Back in Lingluo Celestial Domain, Gu Qingfeng had also heard from Henggu Wuming that many bearers of Original Sin and many Variables had appeared during the Desolate Ancient Era. As for where these Original Sin bearers came from, Henggu Wuming hadn't elaborated, only mentioning that a catastrophic calamity had occurred in the Desolate Ancient Era. That calamity had not only caused the fall of the Great Dao progenitors but also led to the demise of those Original Sin Variables.
If this Chaotic Current Vortex truly began in the Desolate Ancient Era and had never stopped, then it might be possible to find Desolate Ancient Era ruins within the vortex? Perhaps even unlock the secrets of that era.
The thought excited Gu Qingfeng. It wasn't that he was particularly interested in the mysterious Desolate Ancient Era itself; honestly, he didn't have much curiosity about its secrets. What truly intrigued him was Original Sin.
He had already resolved to rid himself of Original Sin, but a prerequisite for that was understanding it—even becoming it. How could one understand Original Sin? The answer was simple: the Daoless Age.
Unfortunately, the Daoless Age was even more enigmatic than the Desolate Ancient Era. Gu Qingfeng knew very little about it. Therefore, he could only settle for the next best option: seeking understanding through the Desolate Ancient Era, since many bearers of Original Sin and many Variables had appeared during that time.
"Can one enter Desolate Ancient Era ruins from within this Chaotic Current Storm?" Gu Qingfeng asked.
The Black-Clothed Figure responded, "Perhaps."
"Perhaps?"
"Perhaps."
Gu Qingfeng didn't press further. He suddenly recalled the Black-Clothed Figure's earlier words and asked again, "You said earlier that I shouldn't be here. Why?"
"I said this place is chaotic enough as it is. Your arrival will only make matters more chaotic..."
"Is it because I'm an Original Sin Variable?"
"Not only because you are an Original Sin Variable."
"Then what else?"
The Black-Clothed Figure suddenly turned, its gaze fixed on Gu Qingfeng, and said softly, "You carry far too many existences connected to the Desolate Ancient Era."
Gu Qingfeng couldn't discern the mysterious figure's features. Even now, as it stared at him, his vision remained unclear, like trying to see flowers through fog—only a vague outline was perceptible. He pondered the words: he carried too many existences connected to the Desolate Ancient Era?
Aside from his incarnation of "Ascending to the Azure, Descending to the Yellow Springs" and his Avici Asura soul, what else was connected to the Desolate Ancient Era? His Original Sin body? Or his False Self? Those two should be related to the Daoless Age, right? Did they also have ties to the Desolate Ancient Era? He wasn't sure.
If there was a connection between the Daoless Age and the Desolate Ancient Era, then his Original Sin body and False Self were likely also linked to the Desolate Ancient Era, perhaps even including that drop of Original Sin blood he had fused with long ago.
But besides these, what else on him was connected to the Desolate Ancient Era? Could the Myriad Beings' Worship of the Floating Pagoda also be related? Hard to say. Gu Qingfeng couldn't be certain.
Although the Myriad Beings' Worship of the Floating Pagoda was something he had gestated, truth be told, he didn't understand it very well. When he gestated it back then, it wasn't through his own comprehension. Instead, he had relied on a Seed of Nature, a Seed of the Great Dao, and a Taiji Seed he had gestated from countless Taiji Golden Pills to bring forth the Myriad Beings' Worship of the Floating Pagoda.
Moreover, among these three seeds, the Seed of Nature had been forced upon him by Nature itself. The Seed of the Great Dao had fallen during a Great Dao Essence Shower and, as if guided by fate, fused with him. Although the Taiji Seed was something he had gestated himself, even that process had been inexplicable.
Thinking of this, Gu Qingfeng's heart stirred. If the Myriad Beings' Worship of the Floating Pagoda was indeed connected to the Desolate Ancient Era, then he truly did carry quite a few existences intricately linked to that era. The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
According to legend, Nature had perished during the Desolate Ancient Era. The Taiji Seed was related to the Human Dao, which had also fallen during that era. As for what Great Dao that Seed of the Great Dao represented, Gu Qingfeng wasn't sure yet. If that Great Dao had also perished during the Desolate Ancient Era, then there might be an unimaginable conspiracy behind all this.
Consider: three Great Daos that had perished in the Desolate Ancient Era all appearing within him simultaneously. Could that be a coincidence? Absolutely not. It must be either due to karma or arranged by fate.
But if it was neither arranged by fate nor due to karma, then Gu Qingfeng was certain someone had long ago set a scheme upon him, using him as a pawn.
Just as Gu Qingfeng was lost in thought, a surge of chaotic currents swept over, swallowing him. He hurriedly broke free, but when he emerged, the Black-Clothed Figure had already drifted deeper into the vortex.
Gu Qingfeng quickly gave chase, calling out, "Just who are you?"
"I once had a name. They called me the Witch."
The Witch? The name felt unfamiliar to Gu Qingfeng; he had never heard of it. He pursued frantically, but the Black-Clothed Figure drifted farther and farther away, on the verge of disappearing. Gu Qingfeng shouted again, "How do you know me so well?"
"We have met... It's just... you have forgotten."