This cowardice, Da Xing the Mad Monk had no choice but to acknowledge it. After all, Cang Yan had made her stance perfectly clear to him.
He had to accept it, whether he wanted to or not.
As for why Cang Yan was doing this, although Da Xing had been loudly proclaiming he didn't know, deep down his heart was as clear as a mirror.
It was simply because she felt he had gotten too close to Gu Qingfeng, had said things he shouldn't have, and done things he shouldn't have.
Da Xing knew that some people didn't want him to get too close to Gu Qingfeng, and he also knew that certain individuals would definitely cause trouble for him over this.
The first one to give him trouble was Her Majesty the Saintess.
Although Her Majesty the Saintess had never explicitly said anything, she would always watch him from the shadows. Da Xing knew she was warning him, but since she never stated it outright, he continued to play dumb.
What Da Xing hadn't expected was that today, the one causing trouble for him would be a formidable figure like Cang Yan.
And Cang Yan had always been very close to the Heavenly Secrets Lady, Genggu Wuming. Even thinking with his toes, he knew Cang Yan was most likely here on behalf of Genggu Wuming this time.
He had originally planned to keep playing dumb as long as he could, but Cang Yan had made things so explicit, and even specifically showed him the Samsara Life-Death Cauldron. Even if he wanted to pretend, he couldn't anymore.
Da Xing understood that when Cang Yan brought out the Samsara Life-Death Cauldron, although she said she would send him to reincarnation today, it was just talk.
Cang Yan wouldn't truly send him to reincarnation, at least, not today.
If she was determined to send him to reincarnation, she would have acted long ago, not waited until now.
Da Xing could still see this logic.
Of course.
He also understood Cang Yan wasn't merely trying to scare him.
Her real purpose was a warning.
No.
Not a warning.
But a threat.
A naked threat.
Clearly telling Da Xing the Mad Monk to either admit cowardice or face reincarnation.
One of two choices.
Facing a woman like Cang Yan, facing that Samsara Life-Death Cauldron, Da Xing had no choice but to admit cowardice. He could only admit cowardice.
"I submit, This Old Monk submits," Da Xing sighed with a groan and said, "Lady Langya, Your Ladyship's meaning, This Old Monk has understood."
Walking into the pavilion, Da Xing picked up the wine cup placed on the table, tilted his head back, and drained the wine in one gulp. He said, "Since Grandaunt you've spoken so plainly, This Old Monk won't hide or hold back either. How about this: This Old Monk won't wade into the muddy waters of the Desolate Ancient Era anymore, alright?
Later, This Old Monk will roll out of the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, roll as far away as possible. You all can play by yourselves."
"Speaking so absolutely," Cang Yan looked at him with a smiling expression, her voice light and faint as she said, "Can you do it?"
"This Old Monk has always been a man of his word. Once spoken, it's as weighty as nine tripods."
"Da Xing, let me say the unpleasant words upfront. If I see you inside the Desolate Ancient Black Hole again, then even if my fate is cursed, I will send you to reincarnation."
"No!
No need!
Unnecessary, and I can't afford it either!" Da Xing waved his hand and said, "If Grandaunt you see me in the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, you won't need to lift a finger. This Old Monk will send himself to reincarnation, alright!"
"Good!
Those are your words."
Da Xing drank three cups of wine in a row, then turned to leave.
"Wait."
Cang Yan's voice came. Da Xing stopped and turned around, shouting unhappily, "This Old Monk has already spoken to this extent, and it's still not enough?
What now, do I have to kowtow three times with ringing head-touches before you'll let This Old Monk off?"
Cang Yan looked at him and smiled. "You look quite unconvinced?"
"Grandaunt, please don't flatter me. How would This Old Monk dare to be unconvinced."
"Heh." Cang Yan said, "You should understand, even if I didn't come for you today, others would. My visit today is merely a warning. But if others come for you, what awaits you then may not be as simple as a warning."
Da Xing curled his lips but said nothing. Even if he didn't want to admit it, he had to acknowledge that Cang Yan spoke the truth.
"What exactly you want to do, I don't know, nor do I wish to know. But there is one point I must warn you about: you are playing with fire right now, and the way you're playing it has displeased many existences across the heavens and the earth. While you haven't yet made a grave mistake, it's still not too late to withdraw. If you continue playing, what gets burned to death in the end won't be them, but yourself."
Da Xing remained silent.
Cang Yan then continued, "You took the wrong path from the very beginning. You shouldn't have brought him in."
Da Xing cried out in grievance, exclaiming, "My Grandaunt, you can't say such things recklessly."
"Was it not you who brought him into this Desolate Ancient Black Hole?"
"Yes!
That's right!
It was indeed This Old Monk who brought the Gu kid in, but…
But it wasn't This Old Monk's intention. At the time, This Old Monk only wanted to take the Gu kid to the Chan Sect ruins to meet my senior brother. Who knew the Chan Sect ruins would vanish, sucking us into the Desolate Ancient Black Hole? Can This Old Monk be blamed for that?"
Cang Yan smiled without speaking.
Da Xing questioned, "You don't believe what I say?"
"You haven't understood my meaning at all."
"What meaning?"
"Whether I believe your words or not is unimportant. Whether others believe or not is also unimportant. Even the reason why you brought him into this Desolate Ancient Black Hole is fundamentally unimportant."
"Then what is important?"
"What's important is that you brought him into the Desolate Ancient Black Hole. Whether you admit it or not, that is the fact. The situation in the Desolate Ancient Era is extremely chaotic now. In the end, who will be the loser and who the winner is unknown. But one thing is certain: regardless of who wins or loses, Fate, Original Sin, this Heaven and Earth, this Great Dao will all pay a heavy price and cause unimaginable consequences."
"And can you, as the preceding cause, bear the weight of the consequences caused?"
Hearing this, Da Xing became immediately anxious and shouted, "I'm truly wronged to death!
How did This Old Monk become the preceding cause of such grave consequences?
Lady Langya, you can't just pin this hat on me!"
"What kind of existence Gu Qingfeng is, you should know. What his entry into the Desolate Ancient Black Hole signifies, you understand even more clearly. By bringing him into the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, are you not the preceding cause?"
"I…" Da Xing's face flushed red with anger as he argued, "This Old Monk said, I didn't intentionally bring him in. It was purely coincidence, pure chance. How can This Old Monk be blamed for that?
Furthermore, even if This Old Monk didn't bring him in, others would have. Those hoping for chaos in the Desolate Ancient Black Hole aren't limited to This Old Monk alone; there are many, many others. Taking a step back, even if no one brought Gu Qingfeng in, he would have entered on his own…" "That damned Gu kid was destined to enter the Desolate Ancient Black Hole. Ever since he fused with that drop of Original Sin blood back then, his karmic connection to the Desolate Ancient Black Hole was already sealed…" Da Xing still wanted to say more, but Cang Yan had already lost patience listening. She said, "I told you, you bringing him into the Desolate Ancient Black Hole is already a fact, already formed a karmic link…
Anything else you say is utterly useless…
This black pot of the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, you will carry it whether you want to or not!"