"If you truly are the legendary Pathless Venerable...
Then...
Take this blade of mine!"
Demon Emperor Blood River's voice echoed through the void and darkness.
It was as cold and ruthless as ever, as solitary, arrogant, and domineering as ever.
He raised his right hand, and the Dark Night Demon Blade seemed to answer his call, appearing in his grasp.
Demon Emperor Blood River took a step forward, leaped into the air, gripped the Dark Night Demon Blade with both hands, and swung it toward the Original Sin vortex devouring the void opposite him.
This blade strike was like severing the great sun, extinguishing all light, plunging the entire void of the Kan Palace into darkness in an instant.
Darkness upon darkness.
This darkness was neither a cold, gloomy darkness nor a violent, savage darkness, but an absolute darkness, a domineering darkness.
This blade.
Beneath the heavens, between heaven and earth, there was no longer any light—not a single shred or trace—only darkness, absolute darkness.
This blade.
It was as if space itself disintegrated and time stood still.
The cold, gloomy darkness made one's heart tremble with fear.
The violent, savage darkness made one's heart quake with terror.
But this absolute darkness... it extinguished all thoughts.
Yes.
All thoughts extinguished.
There was no fear, no terror, no awareness of life or death, no sense of hope or despair. All thoughts seemed to have been severed by this blade of darkness, utterly annihilated.
Even an existence as powerful as Da Xing the Mad Monk was no exception.
When Demon Emperor Blood River swung the Dark Night Demon Blade toward the Original Sin vortex devouring half the void, Da Xing the Mad Monk didn't know what was happening. He only felt his vision go black, his spirit grow numb, his mind scatter, his will vanish, and his consciousness turn blank. In that instant, it felt as if he had been scared witless, completely unaware of anything.
What had happened?
He didn't know.
How much time had passed?
He didn't know that either.
By the time he regained his senses, the absolute darkness had already begun to dissipate.
Da Xing the Mad Monk's face was deathly pale, his eyes somewhat hollow and vacant. He instinctively looked around and, in the gradually fading darkness, seemed to see a figure.
It was a man.
A man dressed in black.
The man stood in the void, his presence like a solitary peak supporting heaven and earth, his aura like a sharp sword piercing through the cosmos.
It was him!
Demon Emperor Blood River!
Seeing Demon Emperor Blood River, Da Xing the Mad Monk's heart couldn't help but tremble slightly. Looking closer, he noticed Demon Emperor Blood River had his hands clasped behind his back, and the Dark Night Demon Blade—the blade that had extinguished all light and filled him with deep dread—was nowhere to be seen. Only then did Da Xing slowly let out a sigh of relief.
This wasn't the first time he had witnessed Demon Emperor Blood River summon the Dark Night Demon Blade.
He had seen it once before; this was the second time. Precisely because he had seen it before, the moment he realized Demon Emperor Blood River was summoning it this time, he had fled as far away as possible.
The first time, he hadn't been able to see the Dark Night Demon Blade clearly—whether it was long or short, round or flat, he had no idea.
Unfortunately, this time he still hadn't gotten a clear look at the Dark Night Demon Blade.
The first time Demon Emperor Blood River summoned the Dark Night Demon Blade and swung it, it severed all light, plunging everything into absolute darkness and extinguishing all his thoughts.
This time was exactly the same.
After witnessing it twice, Da Xing the Mad Monk's heart had developed a deep shadow regarding the Dark Night Demon Blade in Demon Emperor Blood River's hand. He didn't know if it was because this Dark Night Demon Blade had once severed the Buddhist Dao and slain Buddhist Patriarchs in the Desolate Ancient Era, or perhaps because it had severed the great sun and extinguished all light. Whatever the reason, Da Xing harbored an innate, deep-seated fear of the Dark Night Demon Blade, a fear imprinted upon his very soul.
Wait.
What about that Original Sin vortex devouring the void?
Da Xing the Mad Monk looked up and scanned the area but saw no sign of the Original Sin vortex.
It was gone.
Vanished without a trace.
He searched the entire void but couldn't find it. Even the residual Original Sin in the void had long since dissipated.
Da Xing the Mad Monk knew.
The Original Sin vortex hadn't simply disappeared; it had likely been severed by Demon Emperor Blood River's blade.
Demon Emperor Blood River had left.
He was gone.
In the void.
Miao Rulai stood alone. The great sun was gone, the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata had vanished, and even the sacred great Buddha that Miao Rulai had transformed into to avoid the sharp edge of Demon Emperor Blood River's Dark Night Demon Blade had disappeared. Only Miao Rulai remained standing there.
He still wore the Five Great Ming King's True Buddha Crown, draped in the Amitabha Kasaya, with a Vajra Sarira necklace around his neck. One hand was held vertically before him, the other turning the Bodhi Nine-Bead Mala.
His handsome face no longer held the previous composure and calmness; it was now grave. Even his wise eyes, which resembled the Yin-Yang Taiji, seemed clouded with doubt and contemplation.
He gazed at Demon Emperor Blood River disappearing into the void's darkness, watching until Demon Emperor Blood River had completely vanished. Then, he turned to look at the void—the spot where Demon Emperor Blood River's blade had severed the Original Sin vortex. He stared for a long, long time before his figure flickered and faded until it, too, completely disappeared.
The Primordial Nine Palaces were vast and boundless, each palace endlessly changing, without limit or boundary.
Ever since Demon Emperor Blood River departed, Da Xing the Mad Monk had been in pursuit.
With each step Demon Emperor Blood River took, as his foot lifted, the void beneath him rushed past like fleeting clouds and mist. When his foot landed, the void beneath shattered and disintegrated.
This was the ability to tread and shatter the void.
Across the myriad realms of the heavens, Da Xing the Mad Monk had only seen two people capable of this feat: one was Demon Emperor Blood River, the other was Gu Qingfeng.
Da Xing had long yearned for this ability to tread and shatter the void. Unfortunately, it could only be comprehended by reaching a certain level of insight into the Dao of Space. Although Da Xing believed his own understanding of the Dao of Space was profound enough, he had yet to grasp the mystery of treading and shattering the void.
Fortunately, he had found an alternative path. Based on the characteristics of his Indestructible Golden Body, he had comprehended another ability for traversing the void. It was more like sprinting through the void than divine traversal.
Of course.
Running through the void wasn't much of an ability.
Anyone could do it.
But to run like Da Xing the Mad Monk—swift as a divine messenger, covering vast distances with each step, treading as if on flat ground even amidst the spatial chaotic currents of the Primordial Black Hole, traversing through the void—looking across past and present, heaven and earth, he was likely the only one.
Now.
He summoned his Immovable Golden Body, pressed his palms together, craned his neck, and madly gave chase, his two short legs pumping with incredible speed.
Yet even so, facing Demon Emperor Blood River who tread and shattered the void, Da Xing the Mad Monk couldn't catch up.
"Xuehe!
Xuehe!
Wait for this old monk, you brat!"
"This old monk has important business with you!"
"Can't you stop for a moment!"
Da Xing shouted as he chased, calling out the entire way.
Finally.
Demon Emperor Blood River ahead came to a halt, turned, and looked at the pursuing Da Xing the Mad Monk, asking indifferently, "What do you want?"
"This old monk...
This old monk..." Da Xing panted heavily. After all, this was only one of his External Incarnations, not comparable to his true body. After chasing for so long, he was nearly exhausted.
"Xuehe...
Just now, that... that thing...
Did you sever it with your blade?"
After catching his breath for a moment, Da Xing hurriedly pressed.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
Da Xing said irritably, "You were the one who struck. If even you don't know, then who does?"
"I only severed the Original Sin vortex devouring the void."
"What do you mean by that?"
Da Xing raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying the Original Sin vortex devouring the void wasn't that thing's true form, but something it transformed into?"
"Perhaps."
"Incredible!"
Da Xing took off the tattered gray monk's cap on his head and wiped the sweat from his face. "If that thing really was a transformation of that... that being, then how terrifying must its true form be?"
Da Xing truly couldn't imagine. To what extent must one be immersed in Original Sin, how deep must one's sin be, to transform into the all-pervading Original Sin, to become an Original Sin vortex devouring the void?
"By the way, Xuehe, do you know who that... that being is?"
"I don't know."
Before Da Xing could speak further, Demon Emperor Blood River added indifferently, "And I don't wish to know."
Da Xing had originally intended to pique Demon Emperor Blood River's curiosity and maybe play a little game, but hearing this, he could only feel helpless.
"Did you chase after me just for this?"
Da Xing shook his head like a rattle-drum. "Of course not."
"Then what for?"
"It's a long story. Let's find a place to talk over some drinks. As it happens, this old monk still has a little wine here."
As he spoke, Da Xing tried to pull Demon Emperor Blood River toward a nearby Desolate Ancient ruin, but Demon Emperor Blood River didn't follow. "Just say what you have to say directly."
"I say, Xuehe, is this really necessary?
Just because this old monk stepped forward once for the Mysterious Profound Grotto-Heaven earlier, do you have to treat this old monk with such an attitude?
Besides, didn't this old monk explain? This old monk was forced, had no choice but to grit my teeth and step forward. If there had been any other way, this old monk wouldn't have interfered in your affairs."
Without waiting for Demon Emperor Blood River to respond, Da Xing continued, "Moreover, it's true this old monk stepped forward for the Mysterious Profound Grotto-Heaven, but I didn't force you to do anything, did I? As for you saying you'd repay that favor... to be honest, that matter back then, this old monk never took it to heart. If you hadn't mentioned it, this old monk would have long forgotten it completely."
"Da Xing."
Demon Emperor Blood River looked at him, his expression indifferent. "You should know what kind of person I am. I also have some understanding of what kind of person you are. There's no need for nonsense in front of me. I didn't take what happened earlier to heart. As for the favor I owed you from back then, whether you remember it or not is unimportant. What matters is that I remember."
Indeed.
Da Xing the Mad Monk knew what kind of person Demon Emperor Blood River was.
Although he had just complained verbally that Demon Emperor Blood River might hold a grudge over the earlier incident.
In truth, Da Xing knew Demon Emperor Blood River would absolutely not bear a grudge over such a trivial matter. He had only said it to find an opening for conversation.
This was Da Xing's habitual trick. Whether he had business or not, he would first turn the tables and blame the other party.
Unfortunately.
This trick didn't work on Gu Qingfeng, and it was equally ineffective on Demon Emperor Blood River.
Because whether it was Gu Qingfeng or Demon Emperor Blood River, although neither could fully see through what kind of existence Da Xing the Mad Monk truly was, they both knew exactly what kind of character he was.