Finally.
The thing that Black Pig Monster King most worried about and most feared had still happened.
The reason he wanted to leave Gu Qingfeng's side was, firstly, because Gu Qingfeng's presence gave him an inexplicable sense of dread. Beyond that, there was an even more important reason: he knew that because Gu Qingfeng had once ignited the Original Sin Karmic Fire and awakened Original Sin, he had become a target for all. Many suspected he was the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate. Countless beings across the heavens and the earth had been covetously eyeing his Original Sin.
Black Pig Monster King had always been terrified of inviting disaster upon himself and getting entangled in Gu Qingfeng's troubles, fearing he wouldn't even know how he died when the time came.
Alas, what one fears is precisely what comes to pass.
He had only just encountered Gu Qingfeng not long ago, and already they were being watched by some terrifying existences. Moreover, from Gu Qingfeng's meaning, these existences might have even merged into the Desolate Ancient Black Hole—they could be old-timers from the Desolate Ancient Era!
Heavens above!
During the great calamity of the Desolate Ancient Era, even those immensely powerful Great Dao Progenitors had fallen one after another. Many of those old fellows in the Ruins of Return had also been beaten into them during the Desolate Ancient Era. Black Pig Monster King truly could not imagine, nor could he conceive, what kind of existence could be more powerful than a Great Dao Progenitor and actually survive the calamity of the Desolate Ancient Era?
What to do?
Escape now?
But the key question was: was there still time?
Black Pig Monster King's heart was in turmoil, his mind a chaotic mess. He asked nervously, "Ancient Master Gu, what should we do?"
"Do about what?"
Gu Qingfeng shrugged, saying indifferently, "Let it be. What else can we do?"
"We just let those terrifying existences keep watching us like this?"
"What else?" Gu Qingfeng asked with a smile. "Do you have a good plan?"
"What plan could this lowly one possibly have?"
Black Pig Monster King felt like crying but had no tears. He knew that encountering Gu Qingfeng would definitely bring no good fortune.
If he hadn't run into Gu Qingfeng, although he was severely injured and his life hung in the balance, at least there was still hope of survival.
But now?
After encountering Gu Qingfeng, even though he had gained a body brimming with vigorous life force and scared off the people from Violet Mist Immortal Realm, he was now being watched by who-knows-how-terrifying existences.
Facing Violet Mist Immortal Realm, Black Pig Monster King could still hop around a bit and struggle. But facing mysterious, unknown, terrifying existences, Black Pig Monster King didn't even have the courage to struggle. Having cultivated all the way from the Ancient Era to the present, Black Pig Monster King clearly understood that in the face of absolute power, any schemes or tricks were child's play. When facing terrifying existences, apart from waiting for death, one could only wait for death. There was simply no other path to choose.
"Ancient Master Gu, you... aren't you afraid at all?"
Looking at Gu Qingfeng leisurely enjoying fine wine, anyone who didn't know better would think this fellow was visiting a brothel. Black Pig Monster King simply couldn't comprehend it. Being watched by dozens of terrifying existences within the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, how could this guy look completely unafraid? Not only was he unafraid, he didn't even show a trace of worry, not the slightest bit. It was as if the one being watched by dozens of terrifying existences wasn't him, but someone else.
"It's alright. I've been watched by people all these years, so I've gotten used to it by now. If one day no one's watching me, I might even feel like something's missing."
Hearing Gu Qingfeng say this, Black Pig Monster King couldn't help but roar internally. One could get used to being watched? Was there even such a saying?
"Besides, being afraid or not doesn't really matter. If I'm afraid, they'll keep watching. If I'm not afraid, they'll still keep watching. No choice, let them watch. They'll show themselves when it's time."
Gu Qingfeng patted Black Pig Monster King's shoulder, signaling him to take it easy and not make a big deal of it.
Only...
He was used to it, he could take it easy, and he could certainly not make a big deal of it.
But Black Pig Monster King couldn't get used to it. He couldn't take it easy, and it was impossible for him not to make a big deal of it.
After pondering for a moment, Black Pig Monster King said, "Ancient Master Gu, there's something this lowly one doesn't know if I should say or not."
"Let's hear it."
"If what I say is wrong, just treat it as this lowly one passing gas. Don't take it to heart."
"Fine, speak."
"This lowly one has thought it over and over, and no matter how I think about it, I feel that given your current situation, you really shouldn't have come to this Desolate Ancient Black Hole."
Black Pig Monster King spoke earnestly and seriously. "When that Desolate Ancient ruin manifested in the Great Desolate, many powerhouses from the Great Desolate magnates and the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands came. Although this lowly one didn't see anyone from the Forbidden Lands or Sacred Grounds, I imagine they must have come too. After all, it's a ruin from the Desolate Ancient Era; no one wants to miss it."
"Even if this lowly one doesn't say it, you know those bastards have always been coveting the Original Sin on your person. If they find out you're also in the Desolate Ancient ruin, those bastards will most likely not let the matter rest."
Gu Qingfeng chuckled, tilted his head back to take a swig of fine wine, and laughed, "Black Pig, I understand everything you're saying. If you were in my shoes, what would you do?"
"Run. Run as far away as possible."
"Run?" Gu Qingfeng shook his head with a helpless smile. "Run to where?"
"No matter where, it's still safer than staying here."
"Nonsense. In my view, there's no place safer than here."
Gu Qingfeng said, "This is, after all, the Endless Sea beyond the heavens, and it's the Desolate Ancient Black Hole. You want me to leave here and run back to the Great Desolate? If I stay here, at least the claws of the Three Thousand Great Daos can't reach this place. Running back to the Great Desolate would be like a lamb walking into a tiger's den."
Hearing Gu Qingfeng say this, Black Pig Monster King thought it over carefully and actually found it quite reasonable.
The Great Desolate was the territory of the Three Thousand Great Daos. Once one stepped into it, they entered the laws of the Three Thousand Great Daos, and then various Judgments would be endless.
Inside the Desolate Ancient Black Hole might be a bit more dangerous, but at least the Judgments of the Three Thousand Great Daos couldn't descend here.
Wait.
On second thought, Black Pig Monster King felt this reasoning wasn't quite right. The problem Gu Qingfeng faced now wasn't the Judgment of the Three Thousand Great Daos. The enemies he faced weren't just the Three Thousand Great Daos; besides them, there were also the Ruins of Return, the Desolate Ruins, the Sacred Grounds, the Forbidden Lands, and even more terrifying existences. For instance, those existences currently watching Gu Qingfeng were most likely also after the Original Sin on his person.
Black Pig Monster King said, "Ancient Master Gu, this lowly one figures that given the current situation, it might be better for you to return to the Great Desolate. When it comes to the future general trend of heaven and earth, this lowly one might not know, but as for the manifestation of the Desolate Ancient ruin, this lowly one can more or less understand what it signifies."
"Oh ho, not simple, eh? You even know this? Tell me, what does the manifestation of the Desolate Ancient ruin signify?"
"It signifies that a storm of contention for Original Sin is about to arrive. Legends say that during the Desolate Ancient Era, someone once ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin and even opened the Daoless Age. This time, with the Desolate Ancient ruin manifesting, the True Lord of Original Sin might be born..."