Perhaps it was due to overwhelming loneliness and solitude.
Perhaps it was due to sheer boredom and monotony.
Perhaps it was because he was sinking deeper into Original Sin, straying further and further down this path, growing increasingly lost and uncertain.
When Gu Qingfeng saw this Original Sin Anomaly, he felt no hostility. Even when the other party tested him with an attack, he wasn't angry; instead, he found it understandable.
It was like meeting an old friend in a foreign land or finding a kindred spirit overseas—he actually felt a sense of regret for not having met sooner.
Perhaps it was simply because they were both so-called Original Sin, so-called Anomalies.
"You shouldn't feel regret, and there's nothing to regret," Gu Qingfeng said.
"Oh? Why?"
"You command the Heavenly, Fate, Fortune, and Temporal trends. All signs indicate you are the most likely to ascend to the pinnacle and become the True Lord of Original Sin. Therefore, whether you have any interest in the True Lord of Original Sin is unimportant. What matters is that everyone believes you are the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate. That is enough. You should understand the principle that 'a common man's crime is not his fault, but his possession of a treasure' is his crime."
Gu Qingfeng shrugged, neither affirming nor denying. "Listening to you, it sounds quite reasonable."
"If we're talking about regret, I actually feel regret for you."
"Regret for me about what?"
"You command the Heavenly, Fate, Fortune, and Temporal trends. You have cultivation, you have strength, you have destiny—you could say you have everything. If you were to ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin, no one in all of antiquity or the present Heaven and Earth could stop you. Slaughtering the Three Thousand Great Daos, ascending to become the True Lord of Original Sin, and ushering in the Era of Unrighteousness—none could do it but you. Yet... yet you deliberately go against the grain, actually intending to give up the True Lord of Original Sin. If this isn't regrettable, then what is?"
"Regrettable? I don't find it regrettable at all."
"Why?"
"No particular reason. Each person has their own aspirations. Your interest in the True Lord of Original Sin doesn't mean I share it."
"Don't you wish to become the overlord who dominates Heaven and Earth?"
"I lack such grand ambition."
"Don't you wish to break free from the shackles of the Great Dao?"
"I lack such grand goals."
"Don't you wish to become a god or achieve Sagehood?"
"I lack such grand ideals."
"Do you not even wish to master your own fate?"
"I lack such grand aspirations."
The Original Sin Anomaly standing atop the mountain peak asked a series of questions, as if desperately trying to understand why Gu Qingfeng did not wish to ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin. Yet no matter what he asked or how he phrased it, Gu Qingfeng's replies were always indifferent and understated.
Finally.
The Original Sin Anomaly fell silent.
After a moment, the Anomaly spoke again. "I truly wish to know what you are living for."
"Why must living be for something?" Gu Qingfeng retorted. "Can't I, your lord, live simply to live?"
"Forgive my bluntness, but if you continue resigning yourself to fate like this, I'm afraid you may not survive to the end."
"I'll live one day at a time. If I can't live, then death it is."
Silence.
The Original Sin Anomaly fell silent once more.
Beside them.
Da Xing the Mad Monk had been staring intently at the Original Sin Anomaly standing on the mountain peak. Hearing their conversation, he found it particularly laughable, especially when the Anomaly fell silent—Da Xing found it even more amusing.
To be honest.
He had asked Gu Qingfeng these very same questions, not just once but many times. Each time, by the end, he was left not knowing what else to ask, utterly speechless.
Gu Qingfeng's attitude toward Original Sin had always been like this.
Put nicely, it was 'going with the flow.' Put harshly, it was 'resigning oneself to fate.'
This Original Sin Anomaly felt regret for Gu Qingfeng, but Da Xing felt even more regret for him. He even felt that Gu Qingfeng was simply squandering a heaven-sent opportunity. All those scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin envied the various Heavenly, Fate, and Fortune trends Gu Qingfeng commanded, yet this fellow had no intention of ascending to the pinnacle.
If this wasn't squandering a treasure, then what was?
However.
Compared to this, Da Xing was more curious about the purpose of this Original Sin Anomaly's arrival.
Although the other party claimed it was a chance encounter, in Da Xing's view, this was absolutely not coincidental. In the Primordial Nine Palaces, there could be no such thing as chance.
This Original Sin Anomaly's appearance here must have a purpose.
At first, Da Xing thought the other party intended to kill Gu Qingfeng, to eliminate him and seize the various destinies upon his person.
But later, hearing the content of the Anomaly's questions, it didn't seem like he had come to eliminate Gu Qingfeng.
Could it be that this fellow, like himself, had placed his hopes on Gu Qingfeng? Seeing Gu Qingfeng's resigned attitude, feeling frustrated at his lack of progress, unable to sit idly in the shadows any longer, he came out to confront him?
Da Xing shook his head.
He thought it unlikely.
He could understand some Original Sin experts, even some Original Sin Patriarchs, placing their hopes on Gu Qingfeng. They knew they themselves were not qualified to ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin, so they could only pin their hopes on Gu Qingfeng, the Original Sin Anomaly with the greatest potential.
The reason they felt unqualified.
Was because it wasn't merely high cultivation or great strength that allowed one to ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin.
Rather, it required various trends.
If one asked what qualifications were needed to ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin.
Then being an Original Sin Anomaly was the greatest qualification.
In other words.
The Original Sin Anomaly currently standing atop the mountain peak had absolutely no need to place his hopes on Gu Qingfeng. He himself was qualified to ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin.
Moreover, Da Xing pondered, the fact that this Original Sin Anomaly could remain hidden until now before revealing himself was enough to indicate his unimaginable existence. Coupled with his earlier fight with Gu Qingfeng ending in a draw, it showed that this Anomaly's hope of ascending to become the True Lord of Original Sin, even if not equal to Gu Qingfeng's, was certainly not far behind.
If so, why did he act as if he deeply regretted Gu Qingfeng's choice?
Was he genuinely regretful for Gu Qingfeng, or was he merely pretending?
He didn't seem to be pretending. Besides, what need did he have to pretend regret for Gu Qingfeng?
If that were truly the case.
Why would an Original Sin Anomaly scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin feel regret for Gu Qingfeng?
If Gu Qingfeng had no interest in the True Lord of Original Sin, then those scheming for it would have greater hope. Logically, this fellow should be happy. Why would he feel regret for Gu Qingfeng?
Da Xing thought it over and over but couldn't figure it out.
At that moment, Gu Qingfeng spoke up. "Do you wish to ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin?"
The Original Sin Anomaly standing atop the mountain peak replied directly, "Yes."
"Why? Is it to become the overlord who dominates Heaven and Earth, or to break free from the shackles of the Great Dao, or to become a god or achieve Sagehood, or to master your own fate?"
Gu Qingfeng threw back all the questions the other had just asked him.
"Both to break free from the shackles of the Great Dao and to become a god or achieve Sagehood. Both to become the overlord who dominates Heaven and Earth and to master my own fate."
The other's words were forceful and resolute, arrogant and domineering, and within his speech was a powerful confidence.
Hearing this.
Gu Qingfeng chuckled wryly. "You're quite honest."
"There's nothing to hide about it."
"Well said. Indeed, there's nothing to hide. Who doesn't have grand aspirations? To be honest, I quite envy you."
Gu Qingfeng's words were not empty.
He truly envied the other.
Not for his lack of concealment regarding his ambitions.
But for having ambitions, ideals, and aspirations.
If possible.
Gu Qingfeng also wished to have ambitions and ideals.
Even if those ambitions and ideals were to become a god, achieve Sagehood, or become the overlord of Heaven and Earth.
The problem was.
He had no ambitions, no ideals.
Forget becoming a god or achieving Sagehood, forget becoming the overlord of Heaven and Earth.
Even living—he now felt little interest in it. What ambitions, what ideals could he speak of?
Precisely because he currently had no interest in anything, he envied the other's ambitions and ideals.
Only with ambitions and ideals does living have purpose, have desire.
Now.
Although Gu Qingfeng was still living like a human, he felt he was not much different from those Original Sin Karmic Retribution Bodies who had lost their selves—perhaps even worse. Those Karmic Retribution Bodies who had lost their selves at least knew to go to places with strong Original Sin Breath. And him? He had no idea what to do while living.
He didn't know when it started, but Gu Qingfeng felt he was living more and more without interest, more and more without flavor.
To be honest.
Gu Qingfeng did not wish to live like this.
Yet, living on, he had somehow ended up like this.
He shook his head.
Sighing inwardly, Gu Qingfeng said, "Just because you are an honest man, if the opportunity arises, I, your lord, will definitely lend you a hand, help you ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin."
"Hahaha!"
Suddenly.
The Original Sin Anomaly laughed.
"What are you laughing at? Don't believe me, your lord?"
"If I hadn't met you, I might not have believed. But after meeting you, I do."
"Good that you believe."
"I finally understand why so many existences are willing to stake everything, deciding to gamble on you."
As he spoke, the Original Sin Anomaly gave Da Xing the Mad Monk a meaningful glance, then added, "If I were not an Original Sin Anomaly, I would certainly be like them, staking everything to gamble on you."
"Oh? Why? Do tell."
"You shouldn't ask me that."
"Then who should I ask?"
The other did not speak.
But Gu Qingfeng glanced at Da Xing the Mad Monk beside him.
Da Xing curled his lip, transmitting a secret message. "Don't listen to this fellow's nonsense."
Having said that.
Da Xing pointed at the Original Sin Anomaly and shouted, "Little one, do you recognize this old monk?"
"The Great Sage Monk Da Xing—who in all of antiquity and the present Heaven and Earth does not know of you, does not recognize you?"
"Not bad! You really do recognize this old monk."
Da Xing the Mad Monk took off his monk's hat, stroking his bald head as he stared intently at the Original Sin Anomaly. "But how is it that this old monk doesn't recognize you?"
"The multitude of living beings is endless. How could the Sage Monk recognize them all?"
"There's one question this old monk has never been able to figure out. Could you enlighten me?"
"The Sage Monk wishes to ask how an Original Sin Anomaly like me managed to remain hidden until now, correct?"
Da Xing was immediately greatly startled. He truly hadn't expected the other party to be able to discern what he was thinking.