"So the Buddha Emperor Miao Rulai of Western Heaven came to the Primordial Black Hole to vie for the Original Sin True Lord?"
This news came as somewhat of a surprise to Gu Qingfeng.
He had always assumed Miao Rulai was here representing Western Heaven to protect the Buddhist Path. He truly hadn't expected him to be targeting the Original Sin True Lord.
Nor had he ever imagined that a representative figure of the Western Heaven Buddhist Path would openly compete for the Original Sin True Lord!
Suddenly.
Gu Qingfeng thought: if Miao Rulai is truly after the Original Sin True Lord, then that means he is an Original Sin person?
"Miao Rulai is not only an Original Sin person, but also an Original Sin Dharmakaya."
As he spoke, Mo Wentian paused briefly before continuing, "And perhaps he is more than just an Original Sin Dharmakaya."
"Well, I'll be damned!"
Gu Qingfeng exclaimed with feeling, "This Miao Rulai is truly audacious enough! Carrying the grand title of Buddha Emperor of Western Heaven, not only does he not protect the Western Heaven Buddhist Path, but he actually has designs on the Original Sin True Lord! That's just too ridiculous, too ironic, too damn absurd!"
Yes.
Too ridiculous!
Too ironic!
Too absurd!
That was his feeling.
Shaking his head, Gu Qingfeng let out a derisive snort and tilted his head back to down a cup of wine.
Although he didn't believe in fate or karma, he had always held a sense of reverence for the existence of Buddha.
Perhaps influenced by the Great Master Ksitigarbha, or perhaps by the old monk of Nirvana, in his imagination, the existence of Buddha represented great compassion and mercy, rescuing the suffering and aiding the distressed, delivering all sentient beings, healing the world with a hanging gourd...
Despite living to this day without having seen any Buddha of great compassion, any Buddha who delivered all sentient beings, and knowing full well that the current Western Heaven Buddhist Path was already a foul mess—some Buddhas committing evil deeds under the banner of delivering sentient beings, some Buddhas whose evil might surpass even that of demons—this did not hinder his reverence for Buddha.
Upon learning that Miao Rulai, the Buddha Emperor of Western Heaven representing Western Heaven itself, had begun openly competing for the Original Sin True Lord, Gu Qingfeng felt an indescribable sensation in his heart.
Perhaps it was a touch of disappointment, shattering a hope he had placed in Buddha, making him feel it was profoundly lamentable and pitiable!
"Speaking of which...
Throughout the ages, between heaven and earth, many Great Dao Experts have been like Miao Rulai, constantly peering and coveting the Original Sin True Lord. The difference is, Miao Rulai did not hide or conceal it, while the others have hidden themselves very, very deeply—so deep we cannot even imagine."
Gu Qingfeng asked, "How deep?"
Before Mo Wentian could speak, the cold and ruthless Ren Tianxing beside him interjected, "Some Original Sin persons might be the clone or avatar of a certain Great Dao Expert."
Good heavens!
Gu Qingfeng couldn't help but be startled. This news was nothing short of explosive to him.
"The Great Dao Experts long ago deduced that the Original Sin True Lord would be born in this Ancient Era. Hence, they began laying their plans long ago. Perhaps they started as early as the Primordial Era; it's not impossible."
"Some directly fused with Original Sin blood. Some sought innate Original Sin through reincarnation. More still sought Original Sin through the forms of clones, avatars, or even the karma of past and present lives."
Gu Qingfeng listened carefully, remaining silent.
He knew the waters of Original Sin ran deep, but he hadn't expected them to be this deep.
However.
Upon careful thought, it wasn't incomprehensible.
After all, the Book of Fate recorded: when Original Sin finds its True Lord, the Great Dao falls, heaven and earth are reborn, the Ancient Era ends, and the Dao-less Era begins.
This meant that whoever could become the Original Sin True Lord would be the overlord of the Dao-less Era.
Coupled with the legend that the Dao-less Era also concealed the true essence of the Great Dao and the mysteries of heaven and earth.
Tell me.
Who wouldn't want to become the Original Sin True Lord?
Any being with some capability and ambition would want to.
To be honest.
Gu Qingfeng also wanted to.
But it was merely a pure desire.
If fate destined him to be the Original Sin True Lord, he wouldn't refuse. But if he had to spare no cost to fight for it, then he'd have to apologize—he really couldn't be bothered with the hassle.
In his view, if those Great Dao Experts directly fused with Original Sin blood, they were undoubtedly cutting off their own retreat. One could say they were staking everything on this, preparing to gamble everything, succeeding or perishing.
Choosing to seek Original Sin through the form of clones or avatars at least left themselves a way out.
No!
It wasn't just about leaving a way out. One could say they were placing bets on both sides. While not exactly a win-win, at least they wouldn't lose so miserably.
Using their true selves to protect the Great Dao on one side, while using clones to compete for Original Sin on the other.
Or using their true selves to compete for Original Sin on one side, while using clones to protect the Great Dao on the other.
This way, if they could ascend to become the Original Sin True Lord, best. If not, they could protect the Great Dao. Even if in the end they neither ascended to become the Original Sin True Lord nor succeeded in protecting the Great Dao, it wouldn't be too great a loss. If someone else ascended to become the Original Sin True Lord and opened the Dao-less Era, they would at least still have the identity of an Original Sin person.
Thinking of this, Gu Qingfeng was filled with emotion, sighed these Great Dao Experts really knew how to play the game, their schemes deeper than the last.
Suddenly.
Gu Qingfeng remembered Mo Wentian saying earlier that some Great Dao Experts also used the form of the karma of past and present lives to seek karma.
He thought and thought but couldn't figure out how one could use the karma of past and present lives to seek karma.
When he asked, Mo Wentian fell silent.
It was as if Gu Qingfeng's question had touched something within him. Mo Wentian's expression grew complex.
After a moment.
Mo Wentian spoke, "Brother Gu, do you know why, since ancient times, reincarnation has been listed as a taboo?"
As for why reincarnation was listed as a taboo.
Based on Gu Qingfeng's understanding, firstly, because the risks of reincarnation were too great.
The slightest misstep could lead to complete annihilation, utter extinction, reduced to a speck of dust.
Even if reincarnation succeeded, nine times out of ten it would end in premature death, because the soul was too vast, and the physical body after reincarnation simply couldn't bear it.
If the soul was sealed, then after reincarnation it could be borne.
But this way, it was filled with uncertainty.
Because a sealed soul might never awaken. Even if it eventually did awaken, there was danger of mental collapse.
Therefore, throughout the ages, unless absolutely necessary, ordinary people would not choose reincarnation. It was a gamble, unknown and variable. Once you lost, you lost completely.
Additionally, reincarnation violated the laws of the Great Dao and would incur judgment from the Great Dao. This judgment would follow you for a lifetime, for life after life, impossible to shake off.
Yet even so, throughout the ages, some Great Dao Experts would still undergo reincarnation.
The reason was simple.
It was all to seize the initiative.
For example, at the end of the Ancient Era, many great powers underwent reincarnation one after another, precisely to compete for the Heavenly Mandates that descended after the opening of this Ancient Era.
For example, as Mo Wentian said earlier, some Great Dao Experts might have begun their schemes as early as the Primordial Era, undergoing reincarnation and sparing no cost to compete for the Original Sin True Lord.