Genggu Wuming had once buried her Lifebound Soul at the end of the Desolate Ancient Era, losing her Id, and forfeiting her original nature and heart.
Now, although Genggu Wuming was still Genggu Wuming, she was merely a Genggu Wuming with self-awareness—and even that self-awareness was one that had been newly derived.
Cang Yan did not know why Genggu Wuming had buried her Lifebound Soul back then.
She had asked. Genggu Wuming said she did not know either, because burying the Lifebound Soul was equivalent to burying all that had come before.
Even Genggu Wuming herself did not know why she had buried her Lifebound Soul in those days.
However.
Cang Yan knew that if Genggu Wuming were willing, she could completely retrieve her Lifebound Soul—a single thought would suffice.
Alas.
Genggu Wuming would not do this.
Nor was she willing.
As for why she was unwilling...
Cang Yan had asked more than once, but Genggu Wuming had never answered.
This time was no exception.
"You're afraid, aren't you?"
Gazing at the silent Genggu Wuming, Cang Yan asked, "Afraid to face your original self."
Silence.
Still silence.
Genggu Wuming did not speak from beginning to end, not even a single word.
Cang Yan did not press further. Though she did not know why Genggu Wuming had buried her Lifebound Soul back then, one thing she was clear about: the end of the Desolate Ancient Era was related to Fate, and being related to Fate was equivalent to being related to Genggu Wuming. Perhaps it should be said, related to the Genggu Wuming who possessed a Lifebound Soul.
In Cang Yan's thoughts...
Perhaps Genggu Wuming had done many things in the Desolate Ancient Era that she did not wish to do but had no choice but to do. Therefore, when the Desolate Ancient Era ended, she buried her Lifebound Soul, choosing to forget, choosing to start anew.
There was another possibility: the Genggu Wuming of the Desolate Ancient Era might have deduced the future. Burying her Lifebound Soul was merely a move in her game—perhaps this move was precisely to deal with the current Primordial Black Hole.
Or perhaps Genggu Wuming wanted to escape, to escape the Fate that belonged to her.
This was Cang Yan's speculation.
But speculation was, after all, speculation. As for the true nature of the matter, unless Genggu Wuming spoke of it one day, Cang Yan would never know.
"Cang Yan."
The silent Genggu Wuming suddenly spoke, her gaze fixed on Cang Yan. "Do you wish to open the Wu Dao Age?"
Perhaps caught off guard by this question, Cang Yan froze for a moment. She met Genggu Wuming's gaze, then after a pause, nodded and admitted, "I do indeed wish to open the Wu Dao Age."
"May I know the reason?"
"The reason? Simple. I've heard the Wu Dao Age conceals the true essence of the Great Dao and the mysteries of heaven and earth. It seems only by opening the Wu Dao Age can one become a god. After all, if one can become a god, who wouldn't want to?"
Genggu Wuming shook her head. "That is not the reason you wish to open the Wu Dao Age."
Cang Yan retorted, "Is it not?"
"The reason you wish to open the Wu Dao Age is because you want to know the truth."
"Heh."
Cang Yan laughed, raising her cup to drink. "It seems you understand me better than I understand you."
She knew she couldn't hide it from Genggu Wuming. The reason she wanted to open the Wu Dao Age was indeed to know the truth.
The so-called truth was the truth of this Great Dao, the truth of this heaven and earth, and the truth of everything.
She always felt the Wu Dao Age was not as simple as the legends said, merely concealing the true essence of the Great Dao and the mysteries of heaven and earth. She had long harbored a vague sense that the Wu Dao Age concealed an unspeakable truth, and that some existences had been covering up this truth all along.
"You believe it is I who have been covering up the truth of the Wu Dao Age?"
Cang Yan shrugged, smiling as she spoke. "I have never said such a thing."
"You haven't said it, but that doesn't mean you haven't thought it."
Cang Yan made no attempt to conceal anything, speaking frankly. "Think it? Of course I have. Who told you to be the Incarnation of Karma, the Messenger of Fate?"
"Incarnation of Karma... Messenger of Fate..." Genggu Wuming murmured to herself, her tone seeming to carry a hint of self-mockery as she said softly, "Not only have you thought this, I have thought it myself. You wish to know the truth about the Wu Dao Age, but I wish to know this so-called truth even more than you do."
"So then?" Cang Yan asked. "Since that's the case, why don't you retrieve your Id? If you retrieved your Id, wouldn't you know the so-called truth?"
"Cang Yan, have you ever considered a question?"
"What question?"
"You just said you believe it is I who have been covering up the truth of the Wu Dao Age. Actually... I think so too. If... I retrieved my Id, then I might continue to cover up the truth of the Wu Dao Age, even..." A complex glint suddenly flashed in Genggu Wuming's clear, placid eyes. "...even I suspect that covering up the truth of the Wu Dao Age might be the destiny of me, this Incarnation of Karma and Messenger of Fate."
Across from her.
Cang Yan poured herself another drink. "You mean, back in the Desolate Ancient Era, you buried your Lifebound Soul to escape your own destiny?"
"Perhaps. I don't know either."
"Escaping... isn't a solution, is it?"
"What else? Should I continue to face my own Fate?"
"And why not?"
"And then?"
"Find a way to change your Fate, or master your own Fate."
"Heh..." Genggu Wuming suddenly laughed. Her laughter was somewhat abnormal, somewhat inexplicable. It even left Cang Yan somewhat bewildered, feeling that Genggu Wuming was very unfamiliar. Because in all the time she had known Genggu Wuming, she had never seen her laugh like this. This was the first time.
Although discussing changing Fate before someone like Genggu Wuming, hailed as the Incarnation of Karma and Messenger of Fate, was indeed a laughable matter.
Yet this was not the first time the two had discussed this topic. On the contrary, they had discussed it many, many times—so many that Cang Yan had lost count. In the past, when discussing changing Fate, Genggu Wuming had always been very serious. Cang Yan truly could not understand why she was laughing so abruptly, so strangely this time.
"Is it funny?"
"Is it not?"
"You've never laughed like this before."
"You said it yourself—before."
"So then?" Cang Yan said. "Now you've recognized the facts, comprehended that Fate is irreversible, and finally submitted completely to Fate?"
"If Fate could be changed, I think when the Desolate Ancient Era ended, I would not have buried my Lifebound Soul."
Genggu Wuming shook her head, laughing softly as if to herself. "The me of those days perhaps deduced countless futures, deduced countless threads of Karma, only to discover in the end that the result was always the same: Fate cannot be reversed."
"Therefore, I could only choose to bury my Lifebound Soul, choose to forget, choose to lose myself, and choose to escape."