"Do you know who is representing Shangqing Cave this time?"
Mo Wentian asked.
Gu Qingfeng did not know, nor did Ren Tianxing.
Mo Wentian lowered his head, drank a cup of wine, then looked at the two of them and uttered four words with a serious expression: "Dugu Qizhan!"
Upon hearing this name, Gu Qingfeng looked utterly bewildered, because he had never heard the name Dugu Qizhan before and had no impression of it at all. However, when Ren Tianxing heard the name Dugu Qizhan, his expression involuntarily trembled slightly, as if greatly shocked. He raised his head, stared at Mo Wentian, and asked, "Could it be the legendary Dugu Qizhan who is 'equal to Heaven'?"
"Exactly him!"
"I never expected him to be the one representing Shangqing Cave."
After saying this, Ren Tianxing fell silent.
Clearly.
The name Dugu Qizhan not only shocked Ren Tianxing, but also carried a sense of apprehension.
What kind of existence was Ren Tianxing?
He was the Weiyang Demon Emperor who shook Heaven and Earth.
If even Ren Tianxing was somewhat apprehensive, one could imagine how terrifying Dugu Qizhan must be.
Gu Qingfeng originally knew little about Shangqing Cave, and this was the first time he had heard the name Dugu Qizhan. Seeing that both Mo Wentian and Ren Tianxing seemed quite wary when mentioning this name made Gu Qingfeng very curious, especially Ren Tianxing's phrase, "Dugu Qizhan who is 'equal to Heaven'," which surprised him even more.
To be honest.
He had heard plenty of resounding titles in his lifetime.
For example, Ren Tianxing's title was extremely resounding: "The Greedy Wolf howls at the Purple Moon, demonic might overawes the firmament; Weiyang is the most heartless, the Emperor above is Ren Tianxing."
Mo Wentian's title was also quite resounding: "A hero's name across myriad realms, righteousness known throughout the world; carefree between Heaven and Earth, the hero is Mo Wentian."
Even Gu Qingfeng's own titles were not insignificant: "The Great Sun falls, twilight shrouds, darkness descends, the Nine Nethers Emperor arrives, the dusk of immortals and demons..."
In his view, having a resounding title was fine, even a grand one wasn't something to fear.
But there was a prerequisite.
It could be greater than immortals, greater than demons, but not greater than Buddhas.
It could be greater than all living beings, greater than the Great Dao, but not greater than Fate.
It could be greater than the Nine Heavens, greater than the Nine Nethers, but not greater than Heaven and Earth.
These were the so-called "Three Not-Greater-Thans," also the three great taboos.
In a sense, so-called Buddhas also represented Karma.
Throughout history, there might be countless beings with resounding titles, too many to count. But beings whose titles dared to be greater than Karma, Fate, and Heaven and Earth were absolutely few and far between.
The reason was simple.
Karma cannot be altered; altering it brings chaos.
Fate cannot be changed; changing it brings death.
Heaven and Earth cannot be defied; defying them brings destruction.
Not being greater than Karma, Fate, and Heaven and Earth was, on one hand, an expression of reverence, and on the other, history proved that many beings who were greater than Karma, Fate, and Heaven and Earth met no good ends. To say nothing of others.
Just take the three existences within Gu Qingfeng's body: one that "searches high and low, from the highest heavens to the Yellow Springs," one that is the "Avici Asura of endless suffering," and another that is the "Bloody Glutton that devours Heaven and Earth."
These three titles were not just resounding; one could say they were greater than Karma, greater than Fate, and even greater than Heaven and Earth.
And the result?
Now they had all become fortunes within Gu Qingfeng's body, to say nothing of their flesh, their souls—even their damned consciousnesses were gone.
This was the same principle as not giving oneself too grand a Daoist name—if it's too grand, one simply cannot bear it.
Who would dare take Pan Gu as their Daoist name?
Who would dare take Nü Wa as their Daoist name?
The answer was certain.
No one dared.
If one gave themselves such a grand name, nine times out of ten they would die young.
In Gu Qingfeng's view, the names of Ren Tianxing, Mo Wentian, and even his own past name were not exactly small.
What did Ren Tianxing mean? That you could roam freely between Heaven and Earth?
Wasn't that looking down on Heaven and Earth?
What did Mo Wentian mean?
Don't ask Heaven?
Should we ask you instead?
Did that show any regard for Fate?
Gu Qingfeng's past name went without saying—the two characters "Tianlang" (Heavenly Wolf) were themselves a taboo of Heaven and Earth, representing a calamity, a scourge. Legend said that when the Heavenly Wolf appeared, Heaven and Earth would inevitably suffer great catastrophe.
Although none of the three had died young, barely managing to bear such grand names, their lives had been increasingly miserable.
Mo Wentian had undergone several cycles of reincarnation seeking Karma, seeking to the point where he could no longer distinguish between his present life and past lives, and didn't even know if he was still his original self.
As for Ren Tianxing, in trying to rid himself of Original Sin, he had only sunk deeper. The blood of Original Sin within him was turbid and murky, liable to fall into chaotic frenzy at any moment, at risk of losing himself at any time.
And Gu Qingfeng, along his journey, had experienced life and death, extinction and rebirth. Not only did he carry a mess of Karma on his back, but he had also inexplicably sunk deeper into Original Sin. Even though he neither wanted to seek Karma, nor rid himself of Original Sin, nor change any Fate.
The problem was, the tree may crave calm, but the wind will not cease. Even if he now wanted to resign himself to Fate, there were existences between Heaven and Earth that might not let him resign himself to Fate.
He shook his head.
Not continuing to dwell on it, Gu Qingfeng asked, "What's the deal with this so-called Dugu Qizhan? He sounds quite formidable."
It would have been fine if Gu Qingfeng hadn't said this, but as soon as he spoke, Mo Wentian stared at him with a very strange look.
Gu Qingfeng asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
"Brother Gu doesn't know who Dugu Qizhan is?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head and replied, "To be honest, this is the first time I've heard the name Dugu Qizhan. I've never heard it before."
"This..." Mo Wentian seemed somewhat incredulous, as if utterly speechless.
It was Ren Tianxing beside him who explained, "Brother Mo, don't find it strange. Brother Gu is different from us. He has always lived freely and casually. He only cares about what concerns him and has no interest in other matters, not even bothering to inquire."
"This...
Alright then!"
Mo Wentian shook his head with a bitter smile, but inwardly he admired Gu Qingfeng even more. He sighed, "Old Brother Gu, no wonder whenever Brother Ren mentioned you before, there was always a hint of envy in his words. Now I'm increasingly feeling that way too. You are the one truly living. You not only live with clarity, but you have also grasped the true essence of life. Brother Ren and I grow more confused the longer we live; the two of us can't really be called living—at best, we're barely surviving!"
"Are you done yet...
Here we go again."
Gu Qingfeng was truly exasperated. Mo Wentian would occasionally sigh like this, either envying his state of mind or jealous of his carefree living, which greatly annoyed him.
Yes.
Gu Qingfeng believed he indeed lived quite freely and casually. Over the years, he had truly only cared about what concerned him and rarely inquired into those messy affairs.
The key point was, even if he wanted to inquire, he didn't have the mind or the time for it.
All along his journey, he was either killing or on his way to kill, either being hunted by Great Dao experts or being judged by the Great Dao, either rejected by Heaven and Earth or burdened with a pile of messy Karma. He simply had no leisure to consider other matters.