After listening to the Seven Elders, Senior Master Lin gradually fell into silence.
She had always thought it highly unlikely that Warrior Emperor Wuzang and the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor were each other's External Incarnations.
After all, using the ancient forbidden technique of Planting Karmic Seeds to gestate an External Incarnation with an independent destiny required undergoing countless cycles of reincarnation.
Each cycle of reincarnation was fraught with unknowns—whether one could successfully reincarnate, or awaken in the new life—none of this could be guaranteed.
It was even less likely to coincidentally gestate one who bore the True Mandate and possessed the Radiant Bloodline as a Tribulation-Bearer, or one who defied fate and possessed the Dark Bloodline as an Original Sin Anomaly.
Of course.
This wasn't to say that a true body possessing the Radiant Bloodline could absolutely not gestate an External Incarnation with the Dark Bloodline.
If one relied on luck, it might never be gestated.
But if one relied on planting karma, it might not be impossible.
It was just extremely, extremely difficult, with conditions that were exceptionally stringent.
In Senior Master Lin's mind, even if those stringent conditions were met, she doubted any true body would attempt such a thing.
Because the risk was too great.
The Radiant and Dark Bloodlines were like fire and water, fundamentally incompatible. Let alone one being a Tribulation-Bearer bearing the True Mandate, and the other being an Original Sin Anomaly that defied fate—trying to fuse these two existences together would be even more difficult than merging heaven and earth.
If they weren't each other's External Incarnations, but rather External Incarnations of the same Great Dao Overlord...
Then the so-called impossibility might just become possible.
Just as the Seven Elders had said, throughout ancient and modern times, under heaven and earth, there was never anything truly impossible.
Perhaps some Great Dao Overlord had begun laying the groundwork even before the end of the Primordial Age, using their true self to plant the karma for two original selves—one original self as pure yang, the other as pure yin—employing unknown, heaven-defying means to plant karma during each cycle of reincarnation for these two original selves.
For example, karma for the Radiant and Dark Bloodlines, karma for the Dragon Body and Phoenix Body, karma for bearing the True Mandate, and karma for the Original Sin that defies fate, and so on.
In this way, after the two original selves underwent countless cycles of reincarnation, because all the various karmic seeds from their past lives had been planted long ago, they could be born possessing both Dark and Radiant Bloodlines, Dragon-Phoenix Bodies, and even become the Tribulation-Bearer bearing the True Mandate and the Original Sin Anomaly that defies fate.
This wasn't fate's arrangement; it was planting causes to reap fruits.
If Warrior Emperor Wuzang and the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor were each other's External Incarnations, perhaps they would find it difficult to integrate with one another. But if they were both External Incarnations of some Great Dao Overlord, then that Great Dao Overlord would absolutely have the confidence to integrate these two External Incarnations into their true body, thereby achieving the legendary Dual Polarities of Yin and Yang, the Auspicious Dragon and Phoenix, the Interplay of Black and White, the Boundless Tai Chi, the Unpredictability of Fate!
Thinking this, Senior Master Lin couldn't help but close her eyes and take a deep breath. She felt that if the Seven Elders' speculation was correct, and Warrior Emperor Wuzang and the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor were indeed External Incarnations of some Great Dao Overlord, then it would be truly terrifying.
That Great Dao Overlord, capable of planting such diverse karma and gestating the pair of Dual Polarities of Yin and Yang that were Warrior Emperor Wuzang and the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor, was enough to prove their existence was beyond imagination.
If in the end, they truly achieved the legendary Auspicious Dragon-Phoenix, Yin-Yang, Boundless Tai Chi... that would simply be...
In the void.
A golden blazing sun shone brightly, countless Buddhas paid homage, chanting Buddhist scriptures offered salvation. Miao Tathagata still sat cross-legged on the palm of the sacred great Buddha that blocked the sky, his eyes slightly closed, one hand held vertically before him, the other turning prayer beads.
Opposite.
Warrior Emperor Wuzang stood in the void, his person like a blazing sun, his sacred and radiant light purifying the emptiness.
Beside him, the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor's face was twisted with ferocity, his entire body burning with dark flames, emitting billowing black smoke.
Because Miao Tathagata's attitude was particularly abnormal, Warrior Emperor Wuzang had no choice but to be cautious and careful, not daring to act rashly.
He hadn't left, however, choosing instead to stay. He very much wanted to see what trick Miao Tathagata was playing!
Just then.
Miao Tathagata, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.
"It is said that the two of you are twin brothers born in the Present Era, connected by blood, sharing life and death. One possesses the Radiant Bloodline, the other the Dark Bloodline. One has the Heavenly Dragon Overlord Body, the other the Heavenly Dragon Supreme Body. One is the Tribulation-Bearer bearing the True Mandate, the other is the Original Sin Anomaly that defies fate."
Miao Tathagata's voice came as if from all directions between heaven and earth, ethereal and elusive. Like the chanting of all Buddhas, it inspired piety in the heart; like the roars of all demons, it inspired fear; like the warnings of all gods, it inspired awe.
No one knew why the long-silent Miao Tathagata would suddenly speak, nor why he would inexplicably utter such words.
The backgrounds of Warrior Emperor Wuzang and the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor were no secret; almost anyone who paid attention to the Present Era's situation knew of them.
"May I ask what instruction the Tathagata Buddha Emperor has?" Warrior Emperor Wuzang inquired.
"Heh!"
Miao Tathagata laughed. Even though he remained seated cross-legged on the great Buddha's palm, eyes closed, chanting scriptures, his laughter indeed echoed through the void.
"Miao Tathagata, what are you laughing at!"
The Heavenly Dragon True Emperor, true to his nature, remained as arrogant, domineering, and insolent as ever. Pointing at Miao Tathagata, he shouted sharply, "If you're unconvinced, today we brothers will send you to your demise!"
"With just the two of you in these incarnations, you are far from being a match for This Seat."
The Heavenly Dragon True Emperor was greatly unconvinced and was about to retort when Warrior Emperor Wuzang cut in first, saying, "The Tathagata Buddha Emperor's meaning is that you wish to see our true bodies, is that correct?"
"There is no need anymore."
Miao Tathagata's words always gave people a perplexing feeling. Earlier, before Warrior Emperor Wuzang arrived, he had told the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor to summon his true body. Why now, when Warrior Emperor Wuzang asked, did he say it was unnecessary?
"If you had not appeared today, This Seat might still have had interest in seeing his true body. Since you have appeared, This Seat has lost all interest in his true body, including the true bodies of both of you."
"Why?"
Warrior Emperor Wuzang couldn't understand. The Heavenly Dragon True Emperor understood even less. Those experts hiding in the distant Ancient Ruins of the Primordial Age, secretly observing the battle, also wore expressions of confusion.
"The doubt This Seat held in my heart regarding the two of you has already been resolved. Naturally, I have no interest in seeing your true bodies."
Warrior Emperor Wuzang's heart skipped a beat. He asked cautiously, "Might This One inquire what doubt the Tathagata Buddha Emperor refers to?"
Silence.
Miao Tathagata did not respond.
Time passed bit by bit. No one knew how long it was before Miao Tathagata's ethereal voice, resembling Buddhist chants, demonic howls, and divine proclamations, came again.
"Dual Polarities of Yin and Yang, the Auspicious Dragon and Phoenix, the Interplay of Black and White, the Boundless Tai Chi, the Unpredictability of Fate..." As these words came, Warrior Emperor Wuzang's expression changed slightly, and his heart was stirred by towering waves. Even the arrogant and domineering, ferocious-faced Heavenly Dragon True Emperor beside him was momentarily stunned.