The Nine Palaces of the Desolate Ancient Era.
Each palace was boundless and vast beyond measure.
Each palace was ever-changing, and every transformation seemed to contain endless mysteries.
Each palace held the mysterious and eerie Breath of Original Sin, each one resembling a rotating abyss of sin.
Each palace had countless ruins of the Desolate Ancient Era floating in the void, each appearing utterly lifeless and stagnant, like painted mountains.
Each palace contained innumerable masters of the Great Dao from heaven and earth. Some lurked in the shadows, some cautiously ventured deeper in small groups, some sought to seize the initiative of Original Sin and scheme to become the True Lord of Original Sin, while others aimed to obstruct that initiative and protect the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.
Of course.
That being said.
Those who entered the Nine Palaces of the Desolate Ancient Era were not necessarily all scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin or protecting the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.
Some came seeking karma, searching for their true selves.
And some came purely to join the spectacle.
Gu Qingfeng was one such example.
He had entered the Nine Palaces of the Desolate Ancient Era entirely because Da Xing the Mad Monk had tricked him into it. He neither schemed for the True Lord of Original Sin nor bothered to protect the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.
Since he was already here, if he could seek karma and find his true self, that would naturally be for the best.
If he could neither seek karma nor find his true self, he wouldn't force it.
He would simply treat it as coming to watch the spectacle and find some amusement.
As he put it, he was idle anyway.
Ever since entering Li Palace, Gu Qingfeng had been heading straight deeper.
Li Palace truly felt like a boundless, abyssal vortex to him. As he gradually went deeper, the changes within Li Palace grew increasingly bizarre, and the speed at which the void rotated also accelerated.
Although the void appeared static, Gu Qingfeng could clearly sense that it was indeed rotating, and this rotation seemed to follow the changes of Li Palace.
What was even more peculiar was that as he went deeper, the Breath of Original Sin grew increasingly intense, and so did the sensations within Gu Qingfeng's heart.
When he first entered Li Palace, he had felt as if something was calling to him. Now, that feeling was even stronger.
Strictly speaking, this feeling couldn't be described as being summoned.
At least, Gu Qingfeng didn't think so.
This feeling was more like a psychic resonance between blood relatives.
He was no stranger to this sensation.
Nor was it his first time experiencing it.
Back in the Great Northwest of the mortal world, when a drop of Original Sin True Blood emerged, he had felt this.
Later, when Mount Wudao emerged, he had felt it again.
After entering the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, he still felt it.
When the faint, ethereal roar came from the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, along with that cry of 'Original Sin is not a sin,' Gu Qingfeng had felt it yet again.
Now, entering Li Palace, this sensation had reappeared.
Although he didn't know why he had this feeling, one thing he was absolutely certain of was that every time this feeling arose, it was related to Original Sin.
Presumably.
Li Palace was no exception.
Another point worth pondering was that as he ventured deeper into Li Palace, as the Breath of Original Sin grew stronger, and as that indescribable, inexplicable feeling intensified, the reactions of the three divine sense demonic thoughts within him—Avici Evil Asura, Ascending to the Azure and Descending to the Yellow Springs, and the Heaven-Devouring, Earth-Swallowing Blood Taotie—were also growing increasingly intense.
In their lifetimes during the Desolate Ancient Era, these three divine sense demonic thoughts had been overlords of the Great Dao, and they were also Original Sin overlords who had merged with Original Sin True Blood.
It was said.
They had even entered when the Daoless Era began back then.
The old monk residing within the Nirvana Bone Jade said that all those of Original Sin, whether born with it or tainted later, whether Original Sin bodies, Original Sin Incarnations, Original Sin Response Bodies, or Original Sin Retribution Bodies, were all disciples of Original Sin.
In fact, those who had not merged with Original Sin, had not gestated a new self within Original Sin, and had not cultivated an Original Sin Dharma Body couldn't even be considered disciples of Original Sin. At best, they were slaves of Original Sin, puppets of sin.
Thinking about it, that was indeed the case.
Since entering Li Palace, Gu Qingfeng had encountered many Original Sin individuals who had lost their consciousness. These people had no sense of self, acting like mad demons, rushing wherever the Breath of Original Sin was.
What were they if not slaves of Original Sin? What were they if not puppets of sin?
The Nirvana Old Monk said.
Only those who had merged with Original Sin True Blood could be called Children of Original Sin.
In other words.
Gu Qingfeng's body housed three Children of Original Sin who had merged with Original Sin True Blood.
As for why these three Children of Original Sin insisted on stubbornly clinging to him.
That was unknown.
However.
Thinking about it, there was likely only one possibility.
These three Children of Original Sin, with their unrepentant ambitions, all wanted to seize his physical body to scheme for the True Lord of Original Sin.
Yet, for so long.
Although Gu Qingfeng could do nothing about them, unable to drive them away or shake them off, these three Children of Original Sin didn't seem to have any intention of devouring him and seizing his body. After merging, each was more well-behaved and low-key than the last. Not to mention devouring Gu Qingfeng's consciousness, sometimes when Gu Qingfeng tried to force them out, these three lords wouldn't even emerge.
If they had no intention of devouring him, then what was their purpose?
Could it be that they had no way out and came to take refuge in his little plot of land?
Or did they think he was truly the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, hoping to hitch a ride?
He didn't know.
Gu Qingfeng couldn't be bothered to think about this issue.
Compared to the three Children of Original Sin within him, Gu Qingfeng was more curious about what was happening to his current self.
Because it wasn't just the three Children of Original Sin that were growing restless; the Original Sin blood within him also seemed to be stirring as he went deeper.
Previously, the Original Sin blood within him had been as stagnant as his physical body.
But at some unknown points, his body had gradually begun to feel like it was reviving, and it seemed the Original Sin blood was also beginning to awaken.
Speaking of Original Sin blood.
Even now, he hadn't figured out whether that drop of Original Sin blood he merged with back in the Great Northwest of the mortal world was the so-called Original Sin True Blood.
He had asked the Nirvana Old Monk, but the old monk's answer was vague, neither confirming nor denying. Gu Qingfeng guessed it was most likely Original Sin True Blood.
In other words.
He might also be a Child of Original Sin.
To be honest.
Whether it was Original Sin True Blood or whether he was a Child of Original Sin.
Gu Qingfeng didn't care, nor did he mind.
His current situation was already like this. Whether it was Original Sin True Blood or whether he was a Child of Original Sin no longer mattered.
After all, he was already an existence intolerable to heaven and earth. Everyone under heaven, whether scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin or protecting the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, saw him as a thorn in their side. Who cared if he had Original Sin True Blood or was a Child of Original Sin?
What truly intrigued Gu Qingfeng was his own physical body.
Ever since he ignited the Original Sin Karmic Flames at Mount Wudao back then and awoke from a ten-thousand-year slumber, his physical body had been in a state of chaos, chaotic like a piece of indestructible, impervious rock.
He didn't know when, but his body had gradually begun to change.
Really.
Gu Qingfeng didn't know exactly when it started. It seemed after entering the Desolate Ancient Black Hole, his decaying body gradually revived. Especially as the Original Sin blood within him grew more active, darting wildly inside, the feeling was truly indescribably wonderful.
Previously, when his body was in chaos, Gu Qingfeng lived in a daze every day, unable to muster any enthusiasm for anything.
That kind of fatigue was a weariness of body and mind, as if carrying a mountain all day. Although it didn't hinder him from doing anything, he just felt tired.
Now.
As his body revived, Gu Qingfeng felt filled with strength. His back didn't ache, his legs didn't hurt, his spirit was full, his mood was at ease, and everything looked pleasing to the eye.
Not bad!
Not bad!
This trip into the Desolate Ancient Black Hole—forget about seeking karma or finding his true self—even if he couldn't seek karma or find his true self, just for the revival of his physical body, this trip wasn't in vain.
"I say, Da Xing, let me tell you something happy..." Gu Qingfeng intended to tell Da Xing about this, but as he turned halfway through his sentence, he noticed something was off about Da Xing the Mad Monk, who had been following beside him.
Along the way, Da Xing the Mad Monk had been chatting and laughing with him, all smiles and cheer. But now, he had suddenly turned ashen-faced, deeply frowning, looking absent-minded as if he had lost his soul.
"I say, Da Xing, I just spaced out for a bit, thinking about my own matters. How did you, old bald donkey, turn into this state? What's wrong?"
Gu Qingfeng's voice came.
Da Xing the Mad Monk raised his head and stared at him, his eyes bulging like goose eggs, his mouth agape, his fists clenched tightly. He looked utterly furious, as if he wanted to swallow Gu Qingfeng alive.
"I say, Da Xing, I didn't provoke you, did I?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk didn't speak, just glared furiously at Gu Qingfeng, his eyes filled with rage, gnashing his teeth in anger, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Gu Qingfeng didn't know what had happened or why Da Xing the Mad Monk had suddenly become like this for no reason. Just as he was about to ask, suddenly, Da Xing the Mad Monk threw back his head, raised his voice, and roared hoarsely: "Cang Yan!
You crazy woman!
This old monk isn't finished with you!
And Genggu Wuming!
You wretched woman!
You wait for this old monk!
Don't think this old monk is easy to bully! If you really piss me off, I'll make you cry without even finding your graves!
!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk's sudden shout was so abrupt that it gave Gu Qingfeng a real fright, startling him so much he nearly slapped him on instinct!
"Damn it!"
Gu Qingfeng cursed loudly, scolding, "What's wrong with you, old bald donkey, suddenly going crazy? You almost scared me to death!"
"Genggu Wuming!
It must be that wretched woman Genggu Wuming, yes!
It must be her!
Cang Yan doesn't have that ability, it must be Genggu Wuming, only that woman is this terrifying!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk was filled with anger and rage, frustration and humiliation, fear and terror!
Back in Kan Palace, he had originally prepared to fight to the death with his external Incarnation rather than bow his head and admit defeat, and certainly not let Cang Yan and Genggu Wuming look down on him.
But what he never expected was that when he prepared to unleash the full power and destiny of that external Incarnation to fight Cang Yan to the death, then...
there was no 'then'.
What happened, Da Xing the Mad Monk had no idea.
His memory of that external Incarnation ended right there.
Whether that external Incarnation was still in Kan Palace, dead or turned to ashes, Da Xing the Mad Monk had no clue.
In that instant, his true body completely lost contact with that external Incarnation, without any warning, especially abrupt. The consciousness controlling the external Incarnation was severed from his true body's mind and heart.