Da Xing the Mad Monk knew that the Wu Dao Age concealed far too many terrifying secrets.
These secrets were called terrifying not only because they concerned the fate of the heavens and earth's Dao, but also because they concerned the life and death of all living beings. There were even rumors that the Wu Dao Age also hid the past, the present, and the future.
If the Wu Dao Age was a treasure trove, then Original Sin was the key to opening this trove, and the existence of the True Lord of Original Sin was the master who held the key.
In other words, whoever became the True Lord of Original Sin would be able to open the door to the Wu Dao Age, even obtain the treasures hidden within that era, and wield control over the past and the future.
It was precisely because of this.
The great powers of the Great Desolation, the blessed lands and cave heavens, the three thousand great Daos, the Guixu and Huangxu, the holy lands and forbidden grounds, the Nine Heavens and Nine Underworlds, and so on and so forth—all the powers across the myriad realms had been secretly nurturing their own Original Sin individuals, all hoping to ascend to the position of True Lord of Original Sin, thereby opening the door to the Wu Dao Age.
"Your ideal is beautiful..." the Witch said faintly. "Unfortunately, it is only an ideal. Reality is cruel. Not only is he not the fated True Lord of Original Sin, but even if he were destined, it would be of no use. The Ancient Clan would never allow someone like him to become the True Lord of Original Sin."
"Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets their mind to it."
Da Xing the Mad Monk declared forcefully: "Everything is possible. Moreover, this old monk firmly believes that man can conquer heaven. As for those Ancient Clan members... hmph! This old monk believes even more that they will one day pay a heavy price."
Mentioning the Ancient Clan, Da Xing the Mad Monk was particularly indignant, shouting: "Good and evil will eventually be repaid. It's not that retribution hasn't come, only that the time has not yet arrived."
"You seem to hate the Ancient Clan very much?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk countered with a question instead of answering: "Are you not the same?"
"According to what I know, you were once a member of the Ancient Clan too."
"That was only in the past."
Da Xing the Mad Monk said: "Weren't you also once a member of the Ancient Clan?"
"You said it yourself—only in the past."
"If so, how are we any different? Since this old monk reincarnated in the Desolate Ancient Era, I have had no further connection with the Ancient Clan."
"If that's the case, then this is your selfish desire."
The Witch said: "You hope that after he becomes the True Lord of Original Sin, he can deal with the Ancient Clan."
"If dealing with the Ancient Clan counts as selfish desire, then yes! This is this old monk's selfish desire!"
"The Ancient Clan is not so easy to deal with. Even if he truly becomes the True Lord of Original Sin, he may not necessarily be able to handle them."
"Success depends on human effort!"
"It seems..."
The Witch paused, then continued: "You have already placed all your bets entirely on him, haven't you?"
"It's not just this old monk. The Buddha's progenitor Ksitigarbha, including the progenitor of Humanity, and even the progenitor of the Great Dao—all have placed their bets on that kid Gu. Even..." He wanted to say something, but the words stopped at his lips. Da Xing the Mad Monk ultimately did not voice them. However, at this moment, the Witch continued his sentence: "Even Genggu Wuming may have placed her bet on him, correct?"
Hearing this, Da Xing the Mad Monk felt quite shocked and asked: "You know?"
"I know Genggu Wuming met him, not long ago."
Da Xing the Mad Monk looked somewhat agitated and asked: "So, does that mean Genggu Wuming really has placed her bet on that kid Gu?"
The Witch asked: "Do you believe it?"
"At first, this old monk did not believe it. But after thinking it over carefully later, it's not impossible."
Da Xing the Mad Monk said: "Compared to the two of us, Genggu Wuming hates those Ancient Clan members even more. According to what I know, during the Desolate Ancient Era, in order to prevent the great calamity from occurring, Genggu Wuming even betrayed the Ancient Clan."
"As long as Genggu Wuming remains the envoy of causality, the embodiment of fate, she can never betray the Ancient Clan."
"But, at the very least, this is Genggu Wuming's attitude, isn't it?"
"The true Genggu Wuming might have such an attitude, but how do you know if the current Genggu Wuming is still the same Genggu Wuming from back then?"
"What do you mean?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk asked in shock and horror: "You mean the real Genggu Wuming died long ago in the Desolate Ancient Era? That the current Genggu Wuming is a replacement found by the Ancient Clan?"
The Witch shook her head slightly and said softly: "I don't know either."
"You experienced the calamity of the Desolate Ancient Era and even survived. Could it be you don't even know whether Genggu Wuming died back then or not?"
"Genggu Wuming died. She died in the calamity of the Desolate Ancient Era."
"What!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk froze in place, unable to regain his senses for a long time.
"It's just that no one knows whether Genggu Wuming died in the Desolate Ancient calamity because she wanted to break free from the control of the Ancient Clan, or because she was completely erased by the Ancient Clan... Even more, no one knows whether the current Genggu Wuming has simply forgotten, or is no longer the Genggu Wuming of old. No one knows... Perhaps not even she herself knows."
"Witch Niangniang, what exactly happened during the Desolate Ancient Era?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk stared wide-eyed and asked in astonishment: "Why did even an existence like Genggu Wuming die?"
"You've been investigating for so many years. Could it be you still haven't figured it out clearly?"
The Witch placed her hands behind her back, standing quietly atop the light sphere like a statue, or even more like a shadow. No matter how frenzied the rolling chaotic currents were, she had not moved from beginning to end, as if completely unaffected. Even the hem of her garments had not fluttered.
"There weren't many existences who survived from the Desolate Ancient calamity to begin with. Those who did either went mad or became fools, or else lost themselves... forgot. Even the few who remained lucid remained tight-lipped about the words 'Desolate Ancient calamity.' Ask anyone and no one would speak. Although this old monk has been investigating the Desolate Ancient calamity, I don't know much. I only know that during the Desolate Ancient Era, those progenitors of the Great Dao all came forward to contend for the True Lord of Original Sin. I heard that in the end, someone really did ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin, and finally truly opened the door to the Wu Dao Age."
"You are mistaken. During the Desolate Ancient Era, no one contended for the True Lord of Original Sin, and no one ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin. What everyone fought over was the blood of Original Sin, the meaning of delusion..."
"Was the door to the Wu Dao Age truly opened at that time?"
"It was indeed opened, but it wasn't opened by anyone. The Wu Dao Age opened by itself..."
"Opened by itself? There's such a thing?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk couldn't make sense of it and asked again: "And then? What happened?"
"And then?"
The Witch's voice seemed somewhat complex as she murmured: "Something very terrible happened..."
"What exactly was it?"
No matter how Da Xing the Mad Monk pressed, the Witch never spoke again. She only said that after the door to the Wu Dao Age opened back then, something very terrible happened. What exactly that thing was, and how terrible it was, the Witch did not mention a single word.