"And you're mistaken. They don't want that fellow surnamed Gu to gamble with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, with Karma and Fate. They themselves want to gamble with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, with Karma and Fate!"
Lady Blackwater's expression was solemn as she stared at the Old Beggar. "Otherwise, why do you think so many existences throughout the ages, across heaven and earth, have sought to ascend as the True Lord of Original Sin?"
"Do you think the Avici Uninterrupted Evil Asura, the Yellow Springs that reach from the highest heavens to the deepest earth, and the Heaven-Devouring, Earth-Swallowing Blood Taotie don't know that being destined is a conspiracy?
No!
They know. Precisely because they know, they want to gamble. They're not gambling on Gu Qingfeng's Karma and Fate, but on their own Karma and Fate."
The Old Beggar frowned. "You mean the three great Original Sin True Children—Asura, Yellow Springs, and Taotie—fusing with that kid surnamed Gu isn't about placing their bets on him, but on themselves? They're not gambling on whether he can ascend as the True Lord of Original Sin, but on whether they themselves can ascend?"
"Exactly!"
"That makes even less sense to me. If they clearly know being the destined True Lord of Original Sin is a conspiracy laid by the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, why would they still do this?
What's the difference between that and seeking death?
What, do they think if they ascend as the True Lord of Original Sin, it wouldn't be 'destined,' and the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth wouldn't obliterate them?
That doesn't add up. No matter who ascends as the True Lord of Original Sin, whether destined or not, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth will inevitably act to erase them."
The Old Beggar scratched his head. "And then there's the Three Thousand Great Daos, the Nine Heavens and Nine Nethers, the Sacred Lands and Forbidden Grounds, the Thirty-Six Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands, and those great Desolate Era giants. They should all know that whoever ascends as the True Lord of Original Sin is doomed. So why are they still cultivating so many sin disciples?
Isn't that just being bored out of their minds and looking for trouble?"
Though the Old Beggar said this, he knew that so many existences across heaven and earth were coveting the position of the True Lord of Original Sin definitely wasn't about being bored and looking for trouble. There must be something he didn't know about.
Lady Blackwater said, "That's why I said everything, everyone, is gambling."
"The question is, what exactly are they gambling on?
Or rather, what are they really after by doing this?"
Lady Blackwater fell silent for a moment, closed her eyes, and only after a long while did she slowly speak. "Old Beggar, have you ever heard a legend from the Daoless Era?"
"What legend from the Daoless Era?"
"A legend about a certain Venerable of the Daoless Era."
Hearing the words 'Venerable of the Daoless Era,' the Old Beggar's heart gave a violent jolt. He had heard that name and the legends about the Venerable of the Daoless Era.
Who the Venerable of the Daoless Era was, no one knew.
It was only known that this Venerable of the Daoless Era had annihilated the Three Thousand Great Daos and founded the most mysterious era in history—the Daoless Era.
There were three legends about the Venerable of the Daoless Era.
One was the legend of attaining godhood.
It was said the Venerable of the Daoless Era severed Karma, transcended Fate, and ascended to become a god.
The second was the legend of Original Sin.
It was said the Venerable of the Daoless Era was the creator of Original Sin.
The third was the legend of illusion.
It was said that after attaining godhood, the Venerable of the Daoless Era perceived that the mysteries of Heaven and Earth were but an illusion, and thus destroyed Heaven and Earth.
Whether these three legends were true or false, likewise no one knew. Not even whether the Venerable of the Daoless Era truly existed could be confirmed by anyone.
However.
When Lady Blackwater mentioned the words 'Venerable of the Daoless Era,' the Old Beggar seemed to understand. "You mean all the existences across heaven and earth coveting the True Lord of Original Sin are doing it for those elusive legends left behind by the Venerable of the Daoless Era?"
Lady Blackwater did not directly answer this question. Instead, she murmured, "It is said that only by severing Karma can one ascend to godhood. Yet throughout the ages, how many have been able to sever Karma?
None. Not a single one. All who attempted to sever Karma fell into the sea of suffering and lost themselves..." As she spoke these words, Lady Blackwater's tone was complex, as if narrating her own past. After another moment, she shook her head slightly and continued, "Later, some gradually came to understand...
As long as one is within the laws of Karma, Karma can never be severed. Only by leaping out of the laws of Karma can one sever it. And the only way to leap out of the laws of Karma is to become erroneous Karma, meaning Original Sin. Only by becoming the True Lord of Original Sin, becoming the source of erroneous Karma, might one transcend Karma and Fate, transcend the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, and thereby ascend to godhood..."
The Old Beggar was speechless for a moment. "But this thing is, after all, just an elusive legend. To stake one's own life on gambling for an elusive legend... have they all lost their damn minds?"
"If the current era were not destined to give birth to a True Lord of Original Sin, I think no one would stake everything they have to gamble on this elusive legend. But it just so happens that the current era is destined to give birth to a True Lord of Original Sin."
Lady Blackwater said, "This is an opportunity. The only opportunity to verify the legends of the Daoless Era. No one wants to miss this chance. Regardless of whether the legends are true or false, everyone wants to take that gamble."
The Old Beggar did not agree with Lady Blackwater's words. Sitting on the stone of Blackwater Mountain, he took a swig of wine and curled his lip. "Well, I don't want to gamble!"
"It's right that you don't want to gamble."
The Old Beggar said somewhat displeased, "What do you mean by that?
What's this 'it's right that you don't want to gamble'? Why does that sound so uncomfortable?
Feels like I have no ambition or something."
"Heh."
Lady Blackwater chuckled softly. "Old Beggar, let me ask you a question. Do you know why the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth and this Karma and Fate so enjoy casting people into Gui Xu?"
"Because they cannot obliterate them, they can only cast them into Gui Xu to suppress them."
"You're correct, but that's only half the truth."
The Old Beggar asked curiously, "What's the other half?"
"For those existences they cannot obliterate, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth casts them into Gui Xu. Suppressing their physical bodies and sealing their souls is secondary. What's truly important is grinding down their will, blurring their consciousness, and numbing their intent. Old Beggar, haven't you noticed that since emerging from Gui Xu, you've become increasingly desireless and ambitionless?
Heh, don't think it's because your mental state has improved. Actually...
It's just that your will, consciousness, and intent have all been numbed."
"I...
You!
Damn it, I..." Lady Blackwater's words caused the Old Beggar's expression to change drastically, turning ashen. His eyes widened as he stood there dumbfounded.
His mind trembled violently at this moment, showing signs of imminent collapse.
Lady Blackwater's words were an absolutely devastating blow to him. Ever since emerging from Gui Xu, he had indeed been desireless and ambitionless, not very interested in anything. He had also thought that perhaps his mental state had changed after being suppressed in Gui Xu for so many years, and had even felt somewhat smug about it. Only now, hearing Lady Blackwater say this, did the Old Beggar realize the severity of the problem.