"Lady Blackwater, why don't you go take a look yourself?"
Waiting idly was torture. The Old Beggar didn't dare go himself, so he could only turn to Lady Blackwater for help.
Lady Blackwater retorted, "Why don't you go?"
"This old man... I'm just too scared!"
Lady Blackwater turned her head and glared at the Old Beggar, her eyes seeming to say, 'If you're scared, do you think I'm not?'
Indeed.
Lady Blackwater was also afraid. Like the Old Beggar, it wasn't that she feared provoking the Demonic Thought Beyond the Great Dao and bringing trouble upon herself, but rather that she was afraid she couldn't accept the cruel reality of Gu Qingfeng being consumed.
Even though waiting like this was also an extremely painful torment for her.
However.
She would rather wait like this than personally uncover a reality that no one wanted and no one could accept.
She was anxious, but there was someone in the area even more anxious than her.
None other than Da Xing the Mad Monk.
At this moment.
Da Xing the Mad Monk had been staring fixedly at Gu Qingfeng here.
Not only was his heart in his throat, his mind was also tightly wound. He didn't even dare breathe, just staring like this.
He also didn't dare go check personally, similarly afraid he couldn't accept the cruel reality of Gu Qingfeng being consumed.
Having just crawled out of the abyss of despair he had fallen into, he really didn't want to tumble back in. He looked up left and right, clearly hoping someone else would step forward to investigate.
Unfortunately.
He waited a long time, but no one came forward.
No one dared.
Everyone was afraid.
They would all rather endure this agonizing wait than personally uncover the answer to this puzzle, because this puzzle's answer carried far, far too much hope.
"Damn it!"
He waited and waited, but neither Gu Qingfeng reacted nor did anyone else step forward.
Da Xing the Mad Monk finally couldn't hold back anymore. He couldn't wait any longer and decided to step forward and investigate himself. The worst outcome would simply be Gu Qingfeng's Ego Consciousness being consumed and all the hopes placed on him being shattered. He had already despaired once just now anyway, so Da Xing the Mad Monk didn't care about falling into the abyss of despair again.
What if Gu Qingfeng's Ego Consciousness hadn't been consumed?
Wouldn't that be like parting the clouds to see the blue sky, a cause for universal celebration?
Da Xing the Mad Monk cautiously flew towards Gu Qingfeng while comforting himself inwardly.
Although he said he didn't care about falling into the abyss of despair again, that was just talk.
After falling into the abyss of despair earlier, his spirit had collapsed, his will had crumbled, his mind had scattered—it had nearly taken half his life. If he fell into the abyss of despair again, Da Xing the Mad Monk reckoned there wouldn't be much point in living.
Moreover.
If Gu Qingfeng really had been consumed by that Demonic Thought Beyond the Great Dao, going over now would undoubtedly be like a lamb entering a tiger's den. Forget about not wanting to live; even if he did want to live, the Demonic Thought Beyond the Great Dao might not let him.
Therefore.
Da Xing the Mad Monk's journey was also a gamble with his own little life.
If Gu Qingfeng was still Gu Qingfeng, then not only would his little life be preserved, but the hopes placed on Gu Qingfeng would also be full of future promise.
If Gu Qingfeng was no longer Gu Qingfeng, he would not only lose his future but also his little life.
Truth be told.
The distance to Gu Qingfeng wasn't far. Under normal circumstances, he could cover it in the blink of an eye. But now, Da Xing the Mad Monk took a very long time, treading on thin ice. With each step, his spirit grew more tense, his mind trembled more.
He was like this.
Lady Blackwater and the Old Beggar on Blackwater Mountain were no exception. With each step Da Xing the Mad Monk took, their spirits also grew more tense, their minds trembled more.
Even Cang Yan hiding in the pavilion, and even Genggu Wuming, were no exception.
No one knew how much time had passed.
Truly no one knew.
Everyone had forgotten time, forgotten everything. Their attention was entirely focused on Da Xing the Mad Monk. Each step he took tugged at their nerves, as if it wasn't Gu Qingfeng carrying their hopes, but Da Xing the Mad Monk.
Closer.
Getting closer and closer.
Da Xing the Mad Monk's face was deathly pale, his eyes wide with fury. Perhaps he was too tense, for as he got closer and closer to Gu Qingfeng, his body began trembling uncontrollably, his legs feeling so heavy they seemed not to belong to him.
Da Xing the Mad Monk took off his monk's cap, wiped his already sweat-covered cheeks, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
Now, he was only a few steps away from Gu Qingfeng, but Da Xing the Mad Monk dared not go any further. Not only that, he even felt some regret in his heart!
Regretting that he shouldn't have been the one to stick his neck out.
He was truly afraid, afraid that Gu Qingfeng was no longer Gu Qingfeng.
However.
Now he was like an arrow on a bowstring that had to be released. He had no way back. Regret and fear were useless now.
This task was destined to fall to him.
The puzzle of whether Gu Qingfeng was still Gu Qingfeng was also destined to be uncovered by him.
Thinking this, Da Xing the Mad Monk fiercely shook his head, no longer dwelling on these messy thoughts.
He stared at Gu Qingfeng, opened his mouth, intending to call out and see if Gu Qingfeng would react. What drove him to despair was that he actually couldn't make a sound.
Da Xing the Mad Monk was simply too tense, so tense that his limbs and internal organs wouldn't obey him, so tense he felt his soul was about to leap out of his body.
Calming his heart, Da Xing the Mad Monk mustered his courage again and stammered, trembling, in a small voice: "Gu... Gu...
Gu kid?"
His voice was hoarse and very faint, as if speaking quietly with a choked throat, as if afraid of disturbing Gu Qingfeng here.
No one responded.
Gu Qingfeng still stood in the void.
Head lowered, eyes closed.
His ink-black hair hung loosely, his snow-white robes fluttering slightly.
Da Xing the Mad Monk looked up at the void, as if asking the opinions of others hidden there. His tense, bewildered expression seemed to say, 'This old monk called out, but he didn't respond. What should I do?
Should this old monk try calling a couple more times?'
So Da Xing the Mad Monk called out twice more.
"Gu kid?"
No one responded.
"Gu...
Gu Qingfeng?"
No one responded.
"Gu...
Tianlang?"
Still no one responded.
"Chixiao Junwang?"
"Nine Nethers Emperor?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk called out all of Gu Qingfeng's names from this lifetime and his previous one, including his Daoist titles from the mortal world and the Great Wilderness.
Alas.
Gu Qingfeng never responded from beginning to end.
Now Da Xing the Mad Monk was completely dumbfounded. Having mustered the courage to come over personally, calling out had not only scared him into a cold sweat but nearly scared his soul out of his body, yet Gu Qingfeng showed no reaction whatsoever.
What should he do now?
How else could he investigate whether Gu Qingfeng's Ego Consciousness had been consumed?
Da Xing the Mad Monk looked at the void again. He truly didn't know what to do.
Hidden on Blackwater Mountain, the Old Beggar wiped the sweat from his forehead and said in a low voice, "Damn it!
Da Xing, you old bald donkey! If calling him doesn't work, can't you try using your hands?!"
Beside him, Lady Blackwater angrily retorted, "Why don't you go?"
"I..." The Old Beggar was left speechless by the rebuke.
Within the area.
Da Xing the Mad Monk seemed to realize that since calling elicited no response, perhaps only a physical test would work.
Regarding this.
Da Xing the Mad Monk didn't particularly care about daring or not.
He was already here, had already called out, so using his hands wasn't much different.
No matter what.
He had to figure out whether Gu Qingfeng was still Gu Qingfeng.
Thinking this.
Da Xing the Mad Monk didn't hesitate. He took a few steps back, had just summoned his Indestructible Golden Body, and hadn't yet had time to act when suddenly, a voice came.
"Heh heh!
Little bald donkey, with your insignificant skills, you actually dare think of fighting this seat? Truly ignorant that there are heavens beyond heavens, and existence beyond the Great Dao!"
The voice was extremely sinister, low and eerie, as if coming from all directions, from heaven and earth, and even from the long-concluded ancient era. It was especially domineering, sweeping over like an overwhelming, crushing force.
Who!
Who was speaking?
Wait!
Could it be...
Da Xing the Mad Monk seemed to realize something, his eyes staring incredulously at Gu Qingfeng opposite him.
Here.
Gu Qingfeng still stood in the void, head lowered, eyes closed.
He still appeared to show no reaction.
However.
Da Xing the Mad Monk dared to swear that this voice definitely came from Gu Qingfeng!
And judging by the tone of the speech, clearly, Gu Qingfeng was no longer Gu Qingfeng!
Heavens!
Could Gu Qingfeng's Ego Consciousness really have been consumed by that Demonic Thought Beyond the Great Dao?
The thing Da Xing the Mad Monk feared most had finally happened.
But he still couldn't believe it was true, or rather, couldn't accept that Gu Qingfeng had been consumed.
"You...
You..." Da Xing the Mad Monk pointed at Gu Qingfeng here, trembling as he shouted, "Have you...
Have you consumed Gu kid's Ego Consciousness...?"
"Heh heh heh heh!"
An eerie, sinister laugh came, saying, "Is this old man's Ego Consciousness so easily consumed?"
What was going on?
What did he mean by 'this old man's Ego Consciousness so easily consumed'?
Hadn't Gu Qingfeng's Ego Consciousness already been consumed by the Demonic Thought Beyond the Great Dao?
That meant the current Gu Qingfeng was no longer Gu Qingfeng, but that Demonic Thought Beyond the Great Dao now controlled Gu Qingfeng's body.
Why would he say 'this old man's Ego Consciousness so easily consumed'?
This answer didn't match the question at all!
Could it be...
Gu Qingfeng's Ego Consciousness hadn't been consumed?
He was still himself?
But if Gu Qingfeng was still Gu Qingfeng, why did he just refer to himself as 'this seat'?
And damn it, what was all that about 'heavens beyond heavens, existence beyond the Great Dao'?
What exactly was going on?
Da Xing the Mad Monk forced down his trembling heart and asked, "You...
Who exactly are you?"
"Little bald donkey, open your dog eyes wide and take a good look at who this old man really is!"
Gu Qingfeng, standing in the void, suddenly moved.
He slowly raised his head, his closed eyes gradually opening, revealing a pair of dark, profound eyes that seemed to hold a teasing smile. He looked at Da Xing the Mad Monk and laughed, "What's the matter?
Little bald donkey, do you really damn well not recognize your Old Man Gu?"
After saying this, Gu Qingfeng couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.