The Cauldron of Qiongqi had suddenly manifested in the Void of the Li Palace.
It attracted not just the hundreds of Original Sin Dharmakayas, nor merely Huli Great Immortal and Old Immortal Qingmu, but many existences from both the heavens above and the earth below.
The difference was, some revealed themselves, while more remained hidden in the shadows.
Perhaps the Handsome Youth had noticed something, for he raised his eyes and continuously scanned his surroundings.
"You little brat! Those hiding in the shadows are nothing but a bunch of cowardly rats who dare not show their faces! What are you looking at them for? They wouldn't dare show themselves even if you did! Hahaha!"
Huli Great Immortal, one hand on his hip and the other gripping his great blade, also surveyed the Void in all directions, his gaze filled with contempt as he roared disdainfully, "They're all a bunch of spineless cowards!"
With that, Huli Great Immortal's gaze fell upon the Handsome Youth again. "Listen here, you little brat, if I recall correctly, didn't you just say you were also from the Desolate Ancient Era?"
The Handsome Youth did not look at Huli Great Immortal, still scanning the Void as he replied, "I never said I was from the Desolate Ancient Era."
"Bullshit!" Huli Great Immortal instantly flew into a rage, shouting sharply, "I heard it clearly just now! You said you could be considered part of the Desolate Ancient Era too!"
"'Could be considered' does not mean 'is'."
"Then explain to me, what does 'could be considered' mean? Are you from the Desolate Ancient Era or not?"
"Hmm... How should I put it? One could say yes, and one could say no."
The Handsome Youth said, "For example, if someone is born in the Present Era, but their previous life belonged to the Desolate Ancient Era, would you say that person belongs to the Present Era or the Desolate Ancient Era?"
"You mean your previous life belonged to the Desolate Ancient Era?"
"I was merely giving an analogy."
"You little brat! Stop playing these twisted word games with me!"
This Huli Great Immortal was truly tyrannical, arrogant, and overbearing. Even knowing the Handsome Youth's existence was extraordinary and having just suffered a setback by charging into the Cauldron of Qiongqi, he showed not a trace of fear. Not only was he unafraid, he kept calling him 'little brat' and now even referred to himself as 'your elder'. It seemed he did not take the Handsome Youth seriously at all.
"Tell me, elder, who exactly are you!"
"This question..." For some reason, when Huli Great Immortal asked this, the Handsome Youth looked visibly troubled, as if unsure how to answer.
"What? Don't you even know who you are?"
"You're right. I truly don't know who I am... It's just..."
"Just what?"
The youth fell silent for a moment. After a while, he raised his head and looked earnestly at Huli Great Immortal, who stood imposingly in the Void. "Forget it. You can just call me Qiongqi."
A single stone stirred up a thousand waves. The moment the name 'Qiongqi' was uttered, Huli Great Immortal felt as if struck by lightning, his mind going blank as he stood there frozen, like a statue.
It wasn't just him. Not far away, when Old Immortal Qingmu heard the Handsome Youth actually call himself Qiongqi, he was also badly frightened, his face changing color repeatedly. His originally grave expression instantly turned to one of terror.
As for the hundreds of Original Sin Dharmakayas present, upon hearing the name Qiongqi, they immediately erupted into chaos. Some retreated, some fled, some scattered in panic, their terrified reactions as if they had heard the name of the God of Death.
A person's reputation is like the shadow of a tree. The name Qiongqi was likely known to all.
The Four Fierce Beasts of the Desolate Ancient Era—whether Taotie, Hundun, Qiongqi, or Taowu—had all once stirred up storms of bloodshed in that era.
For example, Taotie, according to myth, was born from the demonic thoughts of the Demon Ancestor Chiyou, a being that devoured all things between heaven and earth. It was said to have devoured half of the Desolate Ancient Era, leaving mountains and plains littered with bones and the blood of countless Desolate Ancient people, giving rise to the term 'Taotie's feast'.
For example, Qiongqi, according to myth, was born from the demonic thoughts of the Demon God Gonggong, a creature that thrived on chaos and was hailed as the embodiment of evil. With a single glance, it could lure out the deepest desires of all living beings. It was said that the great Dao conflicts of the Desolate Ancient Era were secretly instigated by Qiongqi.
Many legends existed about the Four Fierce Beasts of the Desolate Ancient Era. Whether they were true or false, no one knew.
However, the fame of the Four Fierce Beasts of the Desolate Ancient Era was no mere legend.
To have been able to stir up such bloodshed in the Desolate Ancient Era, one only needed to think with their toes to understand how terrifying their existence must have been.
"Damn it all!"
In the dark recesses of the Void, when Da Xing the Mad Monk heard the two words 'Qiongqi', he felt a chill run down his spine and a wave of dizziness.
As the saying goes, what you fear most is what comes. Just moments ago, he had been speculating whether Qiongqi's divine sense and demonic thoughts had merged with the Handsome Youth, or if the youth was Qiongqi's reincarnation.
He never expected the Handsome Youth would actually claim to be Qiongqi.
The identity of an Original Sin Anomaly.
Plus being an Original Sin Child who had integrated the True Blood of Original Sin.
And now the Handsome Youth calling himself Qiongqi.
All signs indicated that this Handsome Youth was very likely, eight or nine times out of ten, Qiongqi himself.
Heavens above!
Earth below!
Buddha! Qiongqi has actually been reincarnated!
If this Handsome Youth were merely an Original Sin Anomaly, Gu Qingfeng's chances would shrink.
If the Handsome Youth were also an Original Sin Child who had integrated the True Blood of Original Sin, Gu Qingfeng's chances would only grow smaller.
But if the Handsome Youth were Qiongqi reincarnated... then Gu Qingfeng probably had no chance left to speak of.
It wasn't because Qiongqi's reincarnation would possess greater Heavenly Momentum, Fate, or Fortune than Gu Qingfeng.
What truly worried Da Xing the Mad Monk was the meaning represented by Qiongqi's reincarnation.
In his view, the Four Fierce Beasts of the Desolate Ancient Era had all once followed Wu Dao Zun Shang in slaughtering the Three Thousand Great Daos and opening the Era of No Dao. Their sins were monstrous.
Not to mention reincarnation, they shouldn't even have had the chance to be suppressed in the Ruins of Return.
If... Qiongqi had truly been reincarnated, then it could only mean a conspiracy lay behind him, and it was absolutely an earth-shattering one.
This was what Da Xing the Mad Monk feared most.
"Is this guy really Qiongqi?"
Beside him, Gu Qingfeng asked.
No matter how he looked, this Handsome Youth did not resemble the legendary Qiongqi, one of the Four Fierce Beasts of the Desolate Ancient Era.
The youth was too handsome, too pure—pure to the point of being spotless. Yet the legendary Qiongqi was the embodiment of evil, capable of stirring the deepest desires of all living beings with a single glance, and the instigator of the great Dao conflicts in the Desolate Ancient Era.
Looking at this Handsome Youth from top to bottom, sideways or straight on, no matter how he looked, he didn't seem like Qiongqi.
"Whether this guy is Qiongqi or not, old monk doesn't know."
Da Xing the Mad Monk looked as if he had lost his soul, appearing utterly dejected. He glanced at the Void, but not at the Handsome Youth who called himself Qiongqi. Instead, he looked at those existences hidden in the dark recesses of the Void, just like himself.
"Old monk only knows that everything is in chaos now, a complete mess. Those existences from the heavens above and the earth below can't sit still anymore."
As he spoke, Da Xing the Mad Monk laughed bitterly again. "And rightly so. If Qiongqi has been reincarnated, and he's also an anomaly who has integrated the True Blood of Original Sin, how could things not be in chaos? Hahaha! Chaos is good! Chaos is wonderful! Let it all be chaos!"