"Is this truly Canyan Valley?"
"You are...
Unable to believe it, or unable to accept it?"
It must be said that Bai Chou's words struck right at the heart of Gu Qingfeng's thoughts. He both found it hard to believe and somewhat unable to accept.
It felt unreal, as if in a dream or an illusion.
He had never imagined that the mysterious Canyan Valley would turn out to be a Primordial Age ruin.
Even more unexpected was that he would come to Canyan Valley again, here inside the Primordial Black Hole.
He had a nagging sense that something was off.
But he couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly felt wrong.
Recalling Bai Chou's earlier words, Gu Qingfeng asked again, "How did you know I would definitely come here?"
"In the unseen workings, there is Heaven's will. Both you and I belong to this place. We were born because of it. Cause and effect were destined long ago... What is meant to come will come.
No one can escape it."
"Cause and effect...
Again with cause and effect."
Gu Qingfeng felt a headache coming on whenever he heard the words 'cause and effect.' The concept was far too abstract and elusive—unseen, untouchable, yet feeling omnipresent. Unbreakable, unavoidable, inescapable.
"I originally thought you were an Anomaly, and the greatest Anomaly at that—the root of all erroneous karma—and could thus escape cause and effect, or at least exist outside of it."
Bai Chou gazed at Canyan Valley and murmured, "But after you arrived here, I finally understood something that had long perplexed me."
"What is it?"
"Erroneous karma is still karma. No matter how great the Anomaly, no matter how deep the Original Sin, one ultimately cannot leap beyond the bounds of cause and effect."
Beside them, Da Xing the Mad Monk's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this, as if he had realized something. He looked up at Gu Qingfeng, opened his mouth as if to speak, then hesitated and remained silent.
As for Gu Qingfeng, he murmured Bai Chou's words to himself, seeming to gain some insight, lost in silent contemplation.
"Kid Gu, don't mind this old monk's nagging, but I think what she says might be true. Even the most erroneous karma is still karma, and ultimately cannot escape the laws of cause and effect."
In the end, Da Xing couldn't restrain himself and said, "In other words, you, kid, most likely really are the fated True Lord of Original Sin. And once you are fated...
Then it means all of this, from the very beginning, has been a conspiracy—a conspiracy to eradicate you and thus completely eliminate Original Sin."
Gu Qingfeng shook his head.
He wasn't refuting Da Xing.
In truth,
Even if Da Xing hadn't said it, Gu Qingfeng could have thought of this himself.
Especially Bai Chou's statement that even erroneous karma is still karma and cannot escape its laws. If all of that were true, then what Da Xing said might become reality—meaning the fated True Lord of Original Sin was, from the start, a conspiracy to eliminate Original Sin.
The question was, who exactly was the fated True Lord of Original Sin?
Was it really him?
To be honest,
Gu Qingfeng didn't think so.
He had always felt, deep down, that Xiao Jin'er was the fated True Lord of Original Sin.
He trusted his intuition, even though all signs pointed to him being the fated True Lord.
He had never doubted his own feelings.
Even now was no exception.
But if Xiao Jin'er was the fated True Lord of Original Sin, why did all signs point to him being the one?
Or was his feeling wrong? Was Xiao Jin'er not the fated True Lord, and was he actually the one?
He didn't know.
The more he experienced, the more confused Gu Qingfeng became.
After a long while.
"If I remember correctly, there seems to be a wellspring inside Canyan Valley."
"You are looking for Empress Wuyou, aren't you?"
Gu Qingfeng nodded.
He still clearly remembered that the drop of Original Sin Blood had surfaced from a wellspring within Canyan Valley back then, and that the slumbering Empress Wuyou had also lain within that wellspring. He just didn't know if this Canyan Valley still contained that wellspring, or if Empress Wuyou was still inside.
Regarding this,
Bai Chou only shook her head slightly without answering, whether because she didn't want to answer or because she didn't know.
Gu Qingfeng didn't linger too long and instead went to search for that wellspring.
Because he had far too many doubts in his heart that needed answers. He might not know if Empress Wuyou could resolve the confusion in his heart, but one thing was certain: all of this was related to that Empress Wuyou.
"Kid Gu, I think we should leave this place."
"What's wrong?"
"You really plan to look for Empress Wuyou?"
Gu Qingfeng could tell Da Xing had more to say and asked, "What do you mean? Just say it directly."
"I just remembered something. Kid, do you remember the Liusha Small Secret Realm?"
Hearing 'Liusha Small Secret Realm,' Gu Qingfeng jolted. Of course he remembered the Liusha Small Secret Realm. Back then, after igniting the Original Sin Karmic Flame at Wudao Mountain and slumbering for ten thousand years, it was in the Liusha Small Secret Realm that he had awakened.
Thinking of this, Gu Qingfeng also remembered something.
He had never been able to understand why he had awakened in the Liusha Small Secret Realm back then. Later, he learned from Da Xing that after he ignited the Original Sin Karmic Flame at Wudao Mountain, Genggu Wuming, Jun Xuanji, and even Empress Wuyou had all visited the Liusha Small Secret Realm. Da Xing said that after he ignited the Original Sin Karmic Flame back then, it seemed another Original Sin Anomaly had been born in the Liusha Small Secret Realm. As for why he had awakened there, Da Xing couldn't explain it clearly, and he himself had even less idea.
"I remember when we met at the Yixiantian forbidden ground, I think I mentioned the Liusha Small Secret Realm to you, didn't I?"
Da Xing said, "I used to think Empress Wuyou was using that drop of Original Sin Blood to nurture an Original Sin Anomaly. Later, I thought it wasn't Empress Wuyou nurturing it, but that the drop of Original Sin Blood was nurturing itself. Later still, I learned it was neither Empress Wuyou nurturing it nor the Original Sin Blood nurturing itself, but rather cause and effect fate nurturing an Original Sin Anomaly like you."
After a pause, Da Xing continued, "The purpose of cause and effect fate nurturing an Original Sin Anomaly like you is simple: to let you ascend as the True Lord of Original Sin, then erase you, thereby completely eliminating Original Sin."
"Back then, after you ignited the Original Sin Karmic Flame at Wudao Mountain, an Original Sin Anomaly immediately appeared in the Liusha Small Secret Realm. I didn't understand what was happening before, but I gradually realized later: it must have been because after you ignited the Original Sin Karmic Flame, cause and effect fate assumed you had died. If you had died, then no one could ascend as the True Lord of Original Sin, and Original Sin could not be eliminated. Therefore, cause and effect fate immediately concocted another Original Sin Anomaly like you to replace you."
"The problem is..." Gu Qingfeng pondered, "I didn't die."
"Why you didn't die, I can't say for sure either. However, it's not impossible. After all, you're an Original Sin Anomaly. Even if you can't leap beyond the laws of cause and effect, cause and effect cannot absolutely dictate your fate. Anomaly means anomaly—it exists outside fixed destiny, unpredictable and ever-changing. That's why, when you ignited the Original Sin Karmic Flame back then, cause and effect assumed you had died."