The Desolate Ancient Black Hole remained as mysterious and vast as ever.
The chaotic currents were still boundless and endless.
The difference was that the previously dense, numerous whirlwinds had gradually vanished, replaced by massive, colossal whirlpools.
These whirlpools rotated slowly within the Desolate Ancient Black Hole like wheels of worlds.
As they spun, they also devoured each other. Each devouring was a fusion, and each fusion formed an even larger whirlpool.
Gu Qingfeng increasingly felt that when all the whirlpools finally fused together, the so-called Desolate Ancient Black Hole would likely cease to be a black hole and become a complete Desolate Ancient Era.
He wandered aimlessly through the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, with Da Xing the Mad Monk following closely behind. The two chatted idly, though it was more accurate to say Da Xing the Mad Monk was talking to himself while Gu Qingfeng pretended not to hear, couldn't be bothered to respond.
Da Xing the Mad Monk had been earnestly advising, urging Gu Qingfeng not to seek Original Sin.
It wasn't that he couldn't seek Original Sin, but that he should preserve his life first and assess the situation later.
This was for Gu Qingfeng's own good, and for Da Xing the Mad Monk's as well.
After all, in a sense, from the moment Da Xing the Mad Monk tricked Gu Qingfeng into entering, his own life had become bound to Gu Qingfeng's.
In Da Xing the Mad Monk's mind, as long as Gu Qingfeng didn't seek Original Sin, there might still be hope of survival. Though that hope was slim and minuscule, it was still hope. As long as there was hope, even a shred counted.
But if Gu Qingfeng insisted on seeking Original Sin, regardless of success or failure, he would undoubtedly die.
Setting aside the possibility that Gu Qingfeng being the destined True Lord of Original Sin might be a conspiracy, even if it wasn't, the powers of heaven and earth would never allow a major variable like him, a great Original Sin anomaly, to ascend as True Lord.
If Gu Qingfeng died, Da Xing the Mad Monk knew he wouldn't survive either.
For his own sake and for Gu Qingfeng's, Da Xing the Mad Monk had been advising him all along.
Alas.
Gu Qingfeng turned a deaf ear, couldn't be bothered with Da Xing the Mad Monk's advice.
Perhaps realizing Gu Qingfeng's mind was made up, Da Xing the Mad Monk could only sigh in resignation.
"Sigh!
Gu kid, oh Gu kid!
I just don't get it. Why must you seek that damned Original Sin? Even if you want to, what's the rush?
Preserve your life first, seek Original Sin later, won't that do?
As the old saying goes, as long as the green hills remain, there'll be no shortage of firewood, right?"
"Some things, if missed once, are missed for a lifetime."
"That's true enough, but the problem is, even if you kid obtain Original Sin and become the True Lord of Original Sin, if you die then, isn't it the same as not obtaining it?"
"If you don't gamble, how do you know if you'll win or lose?"
"If you dare gamble this hand, you'll definitely lose."
"Nothing in this world is absolute."
"Sigh, you kid are truly hopeless. I'm doing this for your own good, but you just won't listen!"
As his words fell, a tremendous rumbling sound erupted, shaking the entire Desolate Ancient Black Hole violently.
Gu Qingfeng stopped, frowning slightly as he scanned his surroundings. This wasn't the first time he'd heard this roar. Since entering, he'd heard it many times. And every time this roar came, it would unsettle his heart-mind. The Avici Uninterrupted Evil Asura, the Yellow Springs, and the Blood Taotie within his body, including that mysterious Omen Object, all seemed stirred by the roar, becoming restless.
He just didn't know if this restlessness was excitement or panic.
"What exactly is this sound?"
Gu Qingfeng had tried to find the source of the roar before, but searched for a long time without success, completely clueless where it came from.
"You ask me, who do I ask?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk curled his lip, rubbing his chest. "Damn it, this roar is really sinister. Every time it shakes my heart-mind, making it thump wildly."
Rumble—Boom!
The roar came again, shaking the Desolate Ancient Black Hole even more violently.
Rumble!
The roars kept coming, growing increasingly frenzied, churning the chaotic currents of the entire Desolate Ancient Black Hole into turbulent waves. The massive whirlpools were also affected, trembling intensely.
At the same time.
Gu Qingfeng's heart-mind grew more and more unsettled. The Asura, Yellow Springs, and Taotie grew increasingly restless.
For some reason, even the blood within Gu Qingfeng's body seemed affected, boiling as if stimulated.
"Damn it!
What's going on?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk wore a look of shock, immediately manifesting his Immovable Golden Body. Even so, his figure still swayed uncontrollably, and his heart-mind trembled violently, as if on the verge of collapse at any moment.
Da Xing the Mad Monk took a deep breath, focusing his essence and guarding his heart-mind. Unfortunately, it was useless; his heart-mind still trembled incessantly from the shaking.
He was like this.
And Gu Qingfeng's situation wasn't much better. His heart-mind was also shaken into trembling, his blood boiling and surging wildly as if stimulated. The Asura, Yellow Springs, and Taotie within him felt like they were bewitched, unsure if they were excited or panicked.
Suddenly!
Gu Qingfeng seemed to hear a voice, as if accompanying the roar.
"Or—igi—nal—Sin—is—not—sin—" "Not—sin!"
Gu Qingfeng asked, "Da Xing, do you hear any voice?"
"What voice?
Besides this damn sinister roar, what other voice is there?"
"Not the roar, but a voice accompanying the roar. It seems to be saying 'Original Sin is not sin.'"
"Original Sin is not sin?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk's heart-mind was shaking uncontrollably, his focus scattered as he struggled to guard it. He hadn't paid attention to listening. Hearing Gu Qingfeng say this, he listened carefully, but aside from the roar, he heard no other sound.
"Has your kid's heart-mind snapped, causing hallucinations?"
Hallucinations?
Gu Qingfeng shook his head, thinking it unlikely. But what puzzled him was that when he listened again, aside from the roar, there seemed to be no other sound either.
Could it really be a hallucination?
That shouldn't be.
What exactly was going on?
Just as he was puzzled, Rumble!
Another roar came.
"Or—igi—nal—Sin—is—not—sin!"
Good heavens!
That voice appeared again. Gu Qingfeng was certain this was no hallucination.
"The voice is back. Listen carefully."
Gu Qingfeng said. Da Xing the Mad Monk pricked up his ears again, listening intently. But this time, he still heard nothing besides the roar.
"I say, Gu kid, are you damn well fooling me?
There's no sound here besides the roar."
Just as Da Xing the Mad Monk was complaining, suddenly, the roar came again. This time, he too heard the voice accompanying the roar.
"I...
I heard it. It really seems like someone is saying 'Original Sin is not sin.'"
PS: The book is in its later stages. Many plot holes need filling, often causing writer's block. Hope everyone can bear with it and understand.