However.
The problem currently facing Da Xing the Mad Monk was not merely his worry about Gu Qingfeng ascending to become the True Lord of Original Sin.
Beyond that, he was even more worried that if Gu Qingfeng failed to ascend to the True Lord of Original Sin this time, he would most likely die here.
Yes.
Die here.
When the Witch Matriarch had told him this, Da Xing the Mad Monk hadn't quite believed it. But after wandering around the Primordial Black Hole for a while, he had finally realized the severity of the situation. It could now be said that most existences in the heavens above and the earth below were waiting for the right moment. Once that moment arrived, they would inevitably join forces to annihilate Gu Qingfeng.
Regardless of whether Gu Qingfeng ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin or not—even if Gu Qingfeng did not ascend, or wasn't even an Original Sin person—those existences in the heavens and earth would not let Gu Qingfeng off. To be precise, they would not let him leave the Primordial Black Hole alive.
The reason was simple.
It was precisely because Gu Qingfeng was the greatest variable between heaven and earth.
As long as he lived, those above could not sleep soundly, and those below could not sleep soundly either. No existence could rest easy.
Under such circumstances, how could they possibly let Gu Qingfeng leave alive?
The answer was certain: they would not!
Absolutely not.
If Da Xing the Mad Monk were in their place, he wouldn't either.
Actually.
To be honest.
At best, Da Xing the Mad Monk and Gu Qingfeng could only be considered drinking buddies. If Gu Qingfeng were in trouble, Da Xing would naturally step in to help. The problem was, with the trouble Gu Qingfeng was in now, Da Xing simply couldn't help. He had the heart, but not the capability.
This put Da Xing the Mad Monk in a difficult position.
Moreover, having lived for so long, Da Xing the Mad Monk had never felt as helpless and regretful as he did this time. He regretted it so much he wished he could stab himself to death.
If Gu Qingfeng ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin within the Primordial Black Hole, the consequences would be unimaginable, and Da Xing would bear some of the blame, since he was the one who had lured Gu Qingfeng here.
If Gu Qingfeng failed to ascend and died here, the blame would still fall on Da Xing the Mad Monk, for the same reason—he was the one who had lured Gu Qingfeng here.
Thus.
Whether Gu Qingfeng ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin or died here, Da Xing the Mad Monk could not shake off this blame. The moment he lured Gu Qingfeng here, karma had already formed. This blame he would have to bear, whether he wanted to or not.
If it were ordinary blame, bearing it would be one thing.
The key was that this blame was too heavy, so heavy that Da Xing the Mad Monk simply couldn't bear it.
Just think—the fall of the Great Dao, the end of heaven and earth—what a terrifying burden of blame that was! A hundred Da Xing the Mad Monks couldn't bear it!
And Da Xing the Mad Monk knew that many existences between heaven and earth had placed bets on Gu Qingfeng. Some might have even wagered their entire fortunes, staking all their futures. Besides that, there were many terrifying existences who had unclear, inexplicable karmic ties with Gu Qingfeng. If Gu Qingfeng died here, those 'bankrupt' existences would inevitably come to settle accounts with Da Xing the Mad Monk.
Exactly how many people had placed bets on Gu Qingfeng, and who they were, Da Xing did not know.
Nor did he want to know anymore.
It wasn't important.
To say nothing of the others, just Jun Xuanji alone, who shared a chaotic karma with Gu Qingfeng, was enough to make Da Xing the Mad Monk wish he were dead.
What was it called—trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice!
What was it called—lifting a rock only to drop it on your own foot!
What was it called—digging your own pit and jumping into it.
That was exactly how Da Xing the Mad Monk felt right now.
If Gu Qingfeng ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin, for him, it was a dead end.
If Gu Qingfeng died here, for him, it was also a dead end.
No way forward, no way back.
All that was left for Da Xing the Mad Monk was a dead end.
Although he kept shouting for Gu Qingfeng to leave the Primordial Black Hole, in his heart he knew better than anyone that even if Gu Qingfeng wanted to leave now—which he didn't—those existences in the heavens and earth would absolutely not let him leave.
Da Xing the Mad Monk knew he was done for this time. He just wasn't completely done for yet.
He regretted it.
He regretted it bitterly.
He regretted not listening to the words of the Chan Sect's Patriarch back then.
Back in the day, the Chan Sect's Patriarch had told him that Gu Qingfeng's existence was taboo, and that he should not provoke him.
He regretted not listening to the words of his Senior Brother, White-Browed Holy Monk.
White-Browed Holy Monk had said Gu Qingfeng was a calamity, and to stay as far away from him as possible.
And now, look.
Da Xing the Mad Monk had finally been dragged into the vortex of Gu Qingfeng's calamity, sinking deeper and deeper, unable to escape, without even a damn chance to struggle.
Thinking of this, Da Xing the Mad Monk wanted to stab both himself and Gu Qingfeng.
Stabbing himself—he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Stabbing Gu Qingfeng—he didn't have the ability.
What to do?
Da Xing the Mad Monk didn't know what to do either.
At this point, he could only take one step at a time and then...
Leave it to fate.
If it's fortune, it's not misfortune; if it's misfortune, you can't avoid it.
Da Xing the Mad Monk could only comfort himself like this.
"What is this place?"
At this moment, Gu Qingfeng was staring at this void-like ruin, feeling something was off. He glanced at Da Xing the Mad Monk and found the fellow wearing an expression of utter despair, his eyes filled with complete hopelessness.
"I say, Da Xing."
Gu Qingfeng squatted down, pulled out a jar of fine wine and tossed it over, then opened one for himself, smiling. "Is it really that bad?"
"What do you mean 'that bad'?! You have no idea what the hell I'm thinking!"
"You old bald donkey, I know exactly what you're going to do the moment you stick your ass out. What you're thinking, how could I not know? It's nothing more than regretting tricking me into coming to the Primordial Black Hole, worrying both that I'll ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin and that I'll get killed by someone, right?"
Hearing this, Da Xing the Mad Monk was slightly startled. "You... you actually know?"
"I'm not an idiot. With your little mind, how could I not see through it?"
"So what if you see through it?" Da Xing the Mad Monk was utterly depressed. He opened a jar of wine and gulped it all down in one go, then grumbled with extreme displeasure, "This time, I'm really done for because of you, kid."
"I say, Da Xing, can you have some shame? Who got who killed? If it weren't for you, you old bald donkey, tricking me into coming here, would I be here now?"
"I... I..." Da Xing the Mad Monk was left speechless, because what Gu Qingfeng said was the truth.
"And with that, you still have the nerve to say I got you killed? If anyone got anyone killed between us, it's you, you old bald donkey, who got me killed. Do you know that tricking me in here is like leading a lamb to the slaughter? Do you know how many existences in this Primordial Black Hole want me dead?" Gu Qingfeng said with a calm, indifferent tone. "And there's one more thing you probably don't know, you old bald donkey. Not long ago, about a hundred or so old-timers from the Desolate Ancient Era joined forces trying to kill me."
"What?"
Hearing this, Da Xing the Mad Monk's expression changed drastically in shock. "Impossible! They moved that quickly?"
"What else did you think? If I weren't lucky, I'd probably be meeting King Yama by now."