Facing Da Xing the Mad Monk's inquiry, Gu Qingfeng smiled with an air of nonchalance. He swept his gaze across the assembled crowd and said indifferently, "That's right, I did indeed devour the Blood Taotie. So what? Are you all interested in seeing it? If you are, should I summon the Taotie to give you a look and broaden your horizons?"
"Good heavens!" Da Xing the Mad Monk felt the world spinning around him. "You really did devour the Taotie! You... you little... you're simply... simply..." He stammered for a long time without finishing his sentence, utterly at a loss for words to describe Gu Qingfeng.
"Good grief!" The Old Beggar was clearly deeply shaken as well, his expression shifting repeatedly. "This brat's got nerves of steel! He even dares to devour the damned Taotie?"
"This is truly... truly unbelievable." Lady Blackwater also closed her eyes, unable to suppress a deep breath.
It must be said that Da Xing the Mad Monk was hailed as the Living Buddha of the world, while the Old Beggar and Lady Blackwater were existences belonging to the Guixu. One could say they were individuals who had seen great scenes and weathered great storms, possessing a certain understanding of the Great Dao, the heavens and earth, karma, and fate.
Yet even so, upon hearing that Gu Qingfeng had devoured the Blood Taotie, they still found it somewhat impossible to believe and even harder to accept.
Because they had never imagined that one day someone would devour the Taotie, renowned for devouring heaven and earth. Before this moment, such a concept simply didn't exist. The feeling was akin to someone killing the God of Death.
"Heavens!" Suddenly, Lady Blackwater seemed to realize something, her expression instantly turning suspicious and alarmed.
The Old Beggar asked, "What's wrong?"
"I've suddenly realized something terrifying."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember when the Daoless Era opened during the Desolate Ancient Era, and several existences broke into it and fused with the True Blood of Original Sin?"
Hearing Lady Blackwater's words, the Old Beggar also remembered. Swallowing hard, he said with considerable agitation, "The Taotie! Among those who broke into the Daoless Era back then and fused with the True Blood of Original Sin to become Children of Original Sin was the Taotie!"
"Not just the Taotie! There was also the Evil Asura and the Yellow Spring!"
Yes! Not just the Taotie, but also the Evil Asura and the Yellow Spring.
Lady Blackwater knew, the Old Beggar knew, Da Xing the Mad Monk knew.
Longque Niangniang knew, Water Moon Bodhisattva knew, the Witch Niangniang and many others present knew.
At this very moment, they, like Lady Blackwater, were all pondering a terrifying question.
One Abyssal Asura, one Yellow Spring that reaches the highest heavens and the deepest earth, and now a Blood Taotie that devours heaven and earth. These three were all Children of Original Sin who had fused with the True Blood of Original Sin. And now, all three had fused with Gu Qingfeng.
Was this coincidence or chance?
No! This could be neither coincidence nor chance.
Could it be karma? Or fate?
They didn't know. No one was clear.
They were even less clear about what it meant for the three Children of Original Sin—Asura, Yellow Spring, and Taotie—to fuse with Gu Qingfeng.
Did it mean Gu Qingfeng was the predestined True Lord of Original Sin?
If that were truly the case, after fusing, were Asura, Yellow Spring, and Taotie submitting to Gu Qingfeng as such a True Lord of Original Sin, or were they scheming against his position as True Lord?
Again, they didn't know. Again, they weren't clear.
The only thing known was that Gu Qingfeng's existence had become even more mysterious, more bizarre, more peculiar, and more unknown.
To be precise, it wasn't that Gu Qingfeng's existence had become more mysterious and bizarre, but that the will of heaven and fate had become even more mysterious and inscrutable.
If all existences under heaven and earth had previously dared not act rashly, then after learning Gu Qingfeng had also devoured the Blood Taotie, they became even more hesitant to make a move.
The so-called will of heaven, the so-called fate, the so-called timing, the so-called omens—all would become increasingly murky and elusive because of this.
Previously, when signs of heaven's will and fate appeared, people couldn't distinguish whether they were true or false.
In the future, when signs of heaven's will and fate appeared, people would find it even harder to tell.
Because Gu Qingfeng had fused with three Children of Original Sin. In a sense, the attitudes of these three Children of Original Sin directly influenced the heavenly will and fate belonging to Gu Qingfeng.
If Gu Qingfeng truly was the predestined True Lord of Original Sin...
If Asura, Taotie, and Yellow Spring fused to submit, then the chances for all existences under heaven and earth to obliterate Gu Qingfeng would become even slimmer.
If these three Children of Original Sin fused not to submit, but to scheme against Gu Qingfeng's position as True Lord of Original Sin, then the consequences would likely be even more terrifying. It wasn't impossible that the tragedy of the Desolate Ancient Era might repeat itself.
Thinking of this, everyone present fell silent. Their expressions grew increasingly grave, and their hearts grew increasingly complex.
They were like this. Presumably, the Divine Senses of the Great Dao Patriarchs from the Desolate Ancient Era lurking in the void were no exception.
Looking across the scene, only Gu Qingfeng remained as nonchalant as ever. He looked at Longque Niangniang opposite him and said, "I say, big sister, we don't have any grudge between us, do we?"
"The Nine Nethers Emperor and I had never met before. Counting this time, it's only our second encounter. How could there be any grudge?"
"Since there's no grudge, what are you doing here stirring up trouble?"
"Stirring up trouble?" Longque Niangniang let out a light laugh. "My Nine Nethers Emperor, what kind of existence you are, what situation you're in—I don't need to say it. You yourself understand it better than anyone, don't you? Do you think I need to stir up trouble?"
Though Gu Qingfeng didn't want to admit it, he had to acknowledge that Longque Niangniang spoke the truth.
Given his identity and current predicament, whether outsiders stirred up trouble or not was meaningless. Regardless of provocation, the existences under heaven and earth would not let him go.
"My Nine Nethers Emperor, you've truly misunderstood me. I have no other meaning, nor am I deliberately provoking anything. On the contrary, I'm helping you, and it's for your own good."
"Helping me? For my own good? Heh." Gu Qingfeng laughed. "I don't see how you're helping me. And how exactly is this for my good?"
"It's simple. The fact that you devoured the Taotie cannot be hidden forever. Sooner or later, everyone will know. Today, while everyone is gathered, I speak of this matter on your behalf, which can also save you some unnecessary trouble. You should know that far too many existences under heaven and earth are watching you covetously. Not just these Great Dao Patriarchs from the Desolate Ancient Era, but many existences present here are also eyeing you intently. Among them, there are certainly some who wish to test your depths."
"Now that I've revealed that you destroyed the Consciousness Avatars of the Great Dao Patriarchs and devoured the Taotie, while it may not make those who covet you abandon their thoughts of obliterating you, it can at least make them dare not rashly attempt to test you."
"Nine Nethers Emperor, don't you think what I say is correct?"
Gu Qingfeng rubbed his chin and thought seriously. The more he thought about it, the more sense Longque Niangniang's words made. He nodded. "You know what, that really is the logic of it. In that case, I should properly thank you."