"That's it, it must be that old bastard Blood Raven! Definitely him!" Da Xing the Mad Monk stared at the blood-colored cauldron furnace, speaking with certainty.
"Who is Blood Raven?"
"Within Original Sin, Blood Raven counts as an old-timer! I've heard he's always hidden in the Desolate Ruins, surfacing in the Great Desolation once every ten million years. Every time he shows himself, he uses this cauldron furnace to refine quite a few people of Original Sin!"
So-called Desolate Ruins actually doesn't refer to a specific place; the entire Endless Sea beyond the heavens can be called the Desolate Ruins.
As is widely known, the Endless Sea beyond the heavens is filled with all kinds of spatial turbulence and countless unknowns. Once you enter the Endless Sea, you're either crushed to nothingness by the various turbulent flows, or you become trapped within them.
In short, the Desolate Ruins' Endless Sea is not a place for people to stay.
Usually, only those criminals who have been judged by the Great Dao and are no longer tolerated by heaven and earth, and can no longer remain in the Great Desolation, have no choice but to hide in the Desolate Ruins.
After all, the Desolate Ruins are hailed as being beyond the heavens. Forget the judgments of the Great Dao being ineffective here; even the judgments of heaven and earth are useless.
If anyone can wander the Desolate Ruins for several epochs, they are undoubtedly a powerful existence.
"I've heard that this bastard Blood Raven cultivated an Original Sin Dharma Body as early as the Primordial Era. Over the years, he's been refining and devouring the Original Sin Blood of other people of Original Sin. The number of people of Original Sin who have died by his hand is probably countless. Having devoured so much Original Sin Blood, his Original Sin power now must be absolutely terrifying!"
Gu Qingfeng asked, "How has an old hand at Original Sin like Blood Raven survived all this time?"
He had once heard Mo Wentian mention it.
Since the Primordial Era began, most Original Sin Dharma Bodies had been erased by the Heavenly Dao. Among them, the Heavenly General Dugu Qizhan, representing the Heavenly Dao, was a prime example. Those existences that couldn't be erased were, it seemed, all cast into the Gui Xu by Genggu Wuming.
In Gu Qingfeng's mind, if this so-called Blood Raven had always hidden in the Desolate Ruins without showing his face, that would be one thing. But if he went to the Great Desolation every now and then, even if he could evade the judgment of the Great Dao, he should not have been able to evade Dugu Qizhan's erasure. And even if he could evade Dugu Qizhan's erasure, could he possibly have evaded Genggu Wuming?
"Kid Gu! You've hit the nail on the head with that question." For some reason, Da Xing suddenly grew emotional.
"What's the matter?"
"Since the Primordial Era, the Heavenly Dao has indeed been erasing Original Sin Dharma Bodies, especially those Heavenly Generals led by Dugu Qizhan. Under the banner of acting for Heaven, they have truly erased many Original Sin Dharma Bodies. However..." Da Xing changed tack, "They also carry out this erasure selectively."
"What do you mean by that?"
"There's one thing I don't know if you've heard about."
"What thing?"
"Stealing the sky and changing the sun, deceiving heaven to cross the sea!"
Gu Qingfeng didn't understand. "What does that mean?"
"What this old monk means is... As early as the Desolate Ancient Era, there were great powers who deduced that the True Lord of Original Sin would be born in the Current Era, and would even slaughter the Great Dao and open the Daoless Age... So, some great powers began scheming in the shadows long ago. Some simply directly fused with Original Sin Blood, becoming people of Original Sin. Others hid deeper, choosing reincarnation to seek Original Sin. And some hid even deeper, seeking Original Sin through incarnations..." As he spoke, a trace of mockery crossed Da Xing's lips, as if he held such dealings in utter contempt. "Do you really think those Great Dao powerhouses are any good? They shout about doing things for the Great Dao, for heaven and earth, but who knows how many Original Sin incarnations they have in secret."
"Those old fellows' calculations are each more cunning than the last. On one hand, they guard the Great Dao and heaven and earth; on the other, they scheme for the True Lord of Original Sin. They don't neglect either side, treacherous bastards."
Regarding what Da Xing said, Gu Qingfeng had heard Mo Wentian mention it. He said, "You mean... if the Heavenly Dao knows whose Original Sin incarnation an Original Sin Dharma Body is, they intentionally turn a blind eye and let them slip through the net?"
"How to put it... That's both right and not right. This business of Original Sin incarnations is already an open secret in the eyes of those Great Dao Patriarchs. Everyone knows what's going on. Naturally, Heavenly Generals like Dugu Qizhan also turn a blind eye. Don't even talk about others; it's not impossible that even Dugu Qizhan might have his own Original Sin incarnation."
Gu Qingfeng also sighed emotionally. "The waters run deep."
"The muddy waters of Original Sin are definitely far deeper than we imagine."
Gu Qingfeng glanced at the cauldron furnace that was still glowing with a bloody radiance and said, "Whose Original Sin incarnation is this Blood Raven?"
"You ask me, who should I ask?!" Da Xing said, "Those Great Dao Patriarchs are each hidden deeper than the last. Aside from themselves, I'm afraid no one knows. Including Blood Raven himself, he might not even know he's someone else's Original Sin incarnation. Or perhaps he has some inkling and wants to stage a counterattack to become the master himself; that's also not impossible."
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng couldn't help but think of Ren Tianxing and Mo Wentian. Both Ren Tianxing and Mo Wentian suspected they might be the Original Sin incarnations of others. Especially Mo Wentian, who sought causality precisely to figure out who his true self actually was!
Suddenly.
Gu Qingfeng thought of Genggu Wuming again. "Dugu Qizhan and the others turn a blind eye. Is Genggu Wuming the same?"
"Kid Gu, you shouldn't ask this old monk that question."
"Then who should I ask? Ask Genggu Wuming?"
"No! You should ask yourself."
"Ask myself?"
Da Xing shot Gu Qingfeng a sideways glance. "If Genggu Wuming wanted to cast all Original Sin Dharma Bodies into the Gui Xu, forget this old bastard Blood Raven hiding in the Desolate Ruins; even if he hid on the Daoless Mountain, it would be useless. Aren't you yourself the best example? Didn't Genggu Wuming also fail to cast you into the Gui Xu?"
"So you were waiting to trap me with that here."
Gu Qingfeng laughed lightly, then continued, "So you're saying Genggu Wuming also selectively turns a blind eye?"
Da Xing shrugged his shoulders but didn't answer the question, only sighing emotionally. "Kid Gu, remember this: if heaven and earth are a chessboard, then we are all chess pieces, without exception. That includes the Heavenly Dao's Dugu Qizhan, and even Genggu Wuming. Everyone is laying out schemes, each deeper than the last. Until the final moment, no one knows who is whose chess piece."
Indeed.
Da Xing's words truly struck a chord in Gu Qingfeng's heart.
The more he experienced, the more he felt that almost everyone was laying out schemes. Just as Da Xing said, they were laid out deeper and deeper. Every step you took might have been a causality arranged for you by someone else.
Just as the two were discussing, another two or three people of Original Sin who had lost themselves charged into the blood-colored cauldron furnace. The result was the same as the previous few: after letting out a burst of mournful cries, there was no more movement. In all likelihood, they had been refined by Blood Raven inside the furnace, their Original Sin Blood devoured.