There was no sky above, no great sun below.
There was neither sun nor moon, nor any stars, only endless chaotic currents flowing and burning like water and fire.
This was the Primordial Black Hole.
Vast and mysterious, unknown and terrifying.
Especially the nine colossal vortices within the Primordial Black Hole, which had never ceased rotating, endlessly devouring all manner of chaotic currents.
The nine colossal vortices looked like nine guardian deities birthed by the Primordial Black Hole, inspiring awe and fear.
They were also like nine gates leading to the past and future, or like the crack-doors of this Primordial Black Hole, seeming to bury the secrets of the Primordial Era and to determine the karma and fate of this Great Dao universe.
"The Primordial Nine Palaces have appeared…" Mo Wentian gazed at the nine colossal vortices, his eyes filled with hesitation and bewilderment as he murmured, "It not only means the gears of fate have begun to turn…
It also means the battle that will decide the future has officially begun…"
Beside him.
Ren Tianxing also looked at the Primordial Nine Palaces. His stern face remained expressionless, yet his eyes seemed to reflect a similar hesitation and bewilderment.
However.
Beyond hesitation and bewilderment, there was more of a firmness.
A firm will.
Though he did not know what the future held, nor whether he could ascend to become the Original Sin True Lord, or even if he could free himself from Original Sin after becoming the True Lord.
He was already prepared.
Gu Qingfeng sat casually. As chaotic currents surged past, his body swayed with them as if riding a boat, appearing utterly carefree and at ease. He held a cup of wine and glanced at the so-called Primordial Nine Palaces.
To be honest.
He did not know what the Primordial Nine Palaces were.
Nor was he particularly interested, so he couldn’t be bothered to ask.
However, he wholeheartedly agreed with Mo Wentian’s words.
He might not know what the Primordial Nine Palaces were, nor what their appearance signified, but looking at those nine colossal vortices, he had a feeling—a feeling that the grand drama within the Primordial Black Hole was about to begin.
In other words, the good days for the three of them were coming to an end. The troubles he would face were about to arrive one after another.
Moreover.
All three knew that the first to trouble them would definitely not be experts representing the Great Dao like Dugu Qizhan, Xuanyuan Wuji, the Great Sun Radiant Emperor, and so on, but other Original Sin bearers.
The reason was simple.
If these experts representing the Great Dao wished to protect the Dao, the most direct method was to prevent the birth of the Original Sin True Lord. And the most direct way to prevent the birth of the Original Sin True Lord was to stop the appearance of Wudao Mountain.
Therefore.
As long as these Great Dao experts could prevent Wudao Mountain from appearing, the Original Sin True Lord would not be born.
Even if they couldn’t stop Wudao Mountain from appearing, guarding that critical pass at Wudao Mountain would also suffice.
In short, one thing:
If the experts representing the Great Dao wished to prevent the birth of the Original Sin True Lord, the key lay with Wudao Mountain!
As for the Original Sin bearers.
They would be ignored for now.
Firstly, there were far, far too many Original Sin bearers. Those who could enter the Primordial Black Hole were, nine times out of ten, no weaklings. Even if they weren’t Original Sin Dharmakayas, they might be Original Sin Response Bodies or Original Sin Retribution Bodies.
They were difficult to kill, and impossible to kill off entirely. Most importantly, acting against Original Sin bearers now held no meaning.
After all, no one knew which Original Sin bearer would ultimately ascend to become the Original Sin True Lord.
Another crucial reason was that with the appearance of the Primordial Nine Palaces, all Original Sin bearers who had entered the Primordial Black Hole would begin to stir restlessly.
Gu Qingfeng might have no interest in becoming the Original Sin True Lord, and Mo Wentian might not either, but that didn’t mean other Original Sin bearers felt the same.
On the contrary.
Nine out of ten Original Sin bearers who entered the Primordial Black Hole were likely here precisely for the Original Sin True Lord.
Ren Tianxing was one of them.
To free himself from Original Sin, he sought to ascend as the Original Sin True Lord. To ascend as the Original Sin True Lord, he needed to deepen his sin. To deepen his sin, he had to devour other Original Sin bearers.
Ren Tianxing was like this, and so was Xuanming Ancestor, who had previously tried to devour Gu Qingfeng.
Previously, these Original Sin bearers might have lain dormant in the shadows, biding their time. But with the appearance of the Primordial Nine Palaces, they would all surface for one final gamble. This was the most critical moment, the last opportunity, perhaps even the moment that decided success or failure. Those Original Sin bearers who wished to ascend as the True Lord would not miss this final chance.
"Are there many Original Sin bearers who entered the Primordial Black Hole this time?"
Gu Qingfeng asked.
Mo Wentian nodded. "Many."
"What about Original Sin Dharmakayas?"
Mo Wentian hesitated for a moment before replying, "Not many, but certainly not few. Possibly more than we imagine."
"You have to say those Original Sin Dharmakayas are really patient. In all my years, the Original Sin bearers I’ve seen are neither few nor many. As for Original Sin Dharmakayas…
They’re even rarer. Aside from you two, I’ve only seen one Xuanming Ancestor."
Gu Qingfeng rubbed his chin, puzzled. "Didn’t they say all the beings suppressed within the Guixu were damn Original Sin Dharmakayas?
How come I haven’t seen a single one? Didn’t the Guixu collapse?
You two are well-traveled and knowledgeable. How many Original Sin Dharmakayas have you seen?"
"I’ve seen a few," Ren Tianxing said.
"I’ve also seen a few," Mo Wentian added. "They’re all cunning old foxes, hiding quite deeply. Unless it’s a critical moment, perhaps not even until the very end, they likely won’t reveal themselves easily."
"What, afraid of being devoured by other Original Sin bearers?"
"That’s only one reason."
Hmm?
Mo Wentian’s words left Gu Qingfeng somewhat confused, as if there was more to it. "What do you mean?"
Ren Tianxing took over. "There’s another reason they won’t reveal themselves easily: they fear exposing their identities."
"Fear exposing their identities?"
Now Gu Qingfeng was even more baffled. "They’re damn Original Sin Dharmakayas already. What identities are they afraid of exposing?
What other identities do they even have to expose?"
Mo Wentian asked curiously, "Brother Gu truly doesn’t know?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head. He really couldn’t understand the meaning behind Mo Wentian and Ren Tianxing’s words.
"Alright."
Mo Wentian sighed helplessly. The more he understood Gu Qingfeng, the more he realized this fellow could be terrifyingly ignorant at times.
Clearly, his Original Sin ran deeper than anyone’s, his variables were greater than anyone’s, and his situation was more dangerous than anyone’s.
Yet this fellow cared less and was more indifferent than anyone else.
This point truly left Mo Wentian in awe.
He didn’t explain directly but instead asked Gu Qingfeng a question: "Brother Gu, do you know of the Western Heaven Buddha Emperor Miao Rulai?"
"I’ve heard of him. Seems quite formidable. Didn’t they say he came this time representing the Western Heaven Buddhist Path?"
"He entered this Primordial Black Hole not to represent the Western Heaven Buddhist Path, nor even to protect their Buddhist Dao."
"Then what did he come for?"
"To ascend as the Original Sin True Lord."