It was still Holy Light.
The vast Holy Light, endless Holy Light, enveloped the entire Li Palace Void like boundless sacred flames, burning away and purifying all evil existences within.
The Holy Light grew ever more dazzling.
The sacred flames intensified.
The hymns rose ever higher.
Within the void, that radiant mass resembling a Divine Sun, like a Sacred Source, bloomed with infinite Holy Light.
No one knew exactly what this thing was, only that after its appearance, vast Holy Light began to blanket the Li Palace Void.
At some unknown moment, this Sacred Source began to rotate, as if gestating something.
Gradually, the Sacred Source formed a silhouette.
It resembled a human figure.
At first, the figure was blurred and distorted, flickering faintly. As the Sacred Source continued its gestation, the figure grew clearer.
It was a man.
A man dressed in white robes.
The man was handsome and upright, transcendent and saintly. One hand was held behind his back, the other gently fanning with a white jade fan before him. His features were exquisite, gentle and refined like jade. His calm eyes seemed to contain infinite wisdom, and the corners of his mouth held a faint, subtle smile—a smile that appeared profound and unfathomable, impossible to decipher.
In the exact center of his brow was a white dot shimmering with Holy Light. This white dot was like a Sacred Sun and also like a Sacred Eye, seeming capable of perceiving all things and purifying all evil.
No one knew who this man was.
Upon his appearance, bathed in divine radiance, he descended like a deity.
"Xuan! Yuan! Hao!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk, hidden in the shadows, stared intently at the man gestated from the Holy Light in the void, his expression rather complex. Clearing his throat, he said, "As expected! Damn it! The Sacred Ground has truly descended, and it's Xuanyuan Hao himself who's come! Now things are getting lively!"
"Xuanyuan Hao?" Gu Qingfeng asked. "What's his background?"
"You're kidding, right? You damn brat, you haven't even heard of Xuanyuan Hao?"
Gu Qingfeng said with annoyance, "Throughout history, the only 'Xuanyuan' I know is Xuanyuan Huangdi, the progenitor of humanity. I know nothing of any others."
Though there was a hint of sarcasm in his words, it wasn't much of an exaggeration.
Regarding the Sacred Ground, Gu Qingfeng didn't know much. Although he had met a few people from the Sacred Ground, his impression of them wasn't that deep. The only one he remembered was someone named Xuanyuan Tong. As for this Xuanyuan Hao, he'd never even heard of him.
"You haven't heard of Xuanyuan Hao, but you must have heard of the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons, right?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head. He truly hadn't heard of any Nine Sacred Sons.
"To think you, damn brat, were once the Nine Nethers Emperor who stirred heaven and earth into chaos! How is it you damn well know nothing!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk was floored. Completely floored.
It wasn't that he didn't know what kind of person Gu Qingfeng was. In short, Gu Qingfeng only cared about the people or matters he cared about. For other irrelevant people, if he had no interest, even the Jade Emperor himself couldn't get his attention.
Da Xing knew this. He had always known. But in his mind, no matter how aloof Gu Qingfeng was from worldly affairs, he shouldn't be ignorant of even the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons.
Unfortunately, Gu Qingfeng really hadn't heard of any damn Nine Sacred Sons of the Sacred Ground.
"You haven't heard of the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons. Then you must have heard of Xuanyuan Wuji, right? Don't you damn well tell me you don't even know Xuanyuan Wuji."
"Is that the legendary Xuanyuan Wuji who attained Sagehood through martial arts, hailed as 'One Hand Covers Heaven'?"
"Yes! That's right, him!"
"If it's Xuanyuan Wuji, then I have indeed heard of him."
Gu Qingfeng had learned of Xuanyuan Wuji not long ago during a casual chat with Mo Wentian and Ren Tianxing. They said Xuanyuan Wuji was absurdly powerful, the only Martial Sage in heaven and earth. Even in the Primordial Era, he was a peerless overlord.
"Let me put it this way: the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons are all disciples of Martial Sage Xuanyuan Wuji."
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng laughed. "Listening to your tone, I thought these so-called Nine Sacred Sons were something amazing. Turns out they're just disciples of Xuanyuan Wuji, and that's it."
"You brat, you really are..." Da Xing the Mad Monk originally wanted to scold Gu Qingfeng head-on for his overly arrogant tone—saying 'just disciples of Xuanyuan Wuji' and 'that's it.' Throughout ancient and modern times, there probably wasn't a single soul who dared to disregard Xuanyuan Wuji and the Nine Sacred Sons.
However, the words died on his lips. For one, he knew Gu Qingfeng had always been audacious. Forget the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons; even Xuanyuan Wuji himself probably wouldn't earn this kid's respect.
More importantly, Da Xing knew Gu Qingfeng had the qualifications for such arrogance and the capability for such audacity.
"Kid, I know there aren't many existences in all of heaven and earth, ancient or modern, that can catch your eye. But I still have to tell you, never underestimate any existence, especially the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons. Do you think just anyone is qualified to be Xuanyuan Wuji's disciple? Let me tell you, each of the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons possesses heaven-defying talent and peerless brilliance."
"Moreover, from what I understand, all nine Sacred Sons have already stepped onto the Saintly Path. By now, even if they haven't fully achieved Sagehood, they must be incredibly close. You saw with your own eyes how formidable the Holy Light was just now. Not only did those Original Sin Retribution Bodies turn to dust, even those Original Sin Dharmakayas couldn't withstand it and had to hide."
"And that was just the Holy Light. Imagine how terrifying the true strength of the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons must be."
This time, Gu Qingfeng did not refute.
Although he didn't know much about the Sacred Ground or the Saintly Path, there was one thing he understood to some extent: the existence of the Saintly Path had always been above the Three Thousand Great Daos, hailed as the Supreme Great Dao, and was the path many great Dao overlords pursued and yearned for.
'If you wish to become a God, you must first enter Sagehood.' Gu Qingfeng had also heard this saying.
Alas, throughout history, few had even stepped onto the Saintly Path, let alone achieved Sagehood.
As Da Xing said, the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons had not only stepped onto the Saintly Path but were also just a step away from achieving Sagehood. Even using one's toes to imagine, one would know their existence was no simple matter.
"Do you know what the most terrifying aspect of the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons is?" Da Xing the Mad Monk looked at Gu Qingfeng again with a very serious and earnest expression.
Every time he saw Da Xing with this expression, Gu Qingfeng knew the old bald donkey was about to start brainwashing him again.
"Let me tell you, the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons are very likely, nine out of ten, all Destined Ones Bearing True Destiny!"
"You're saying all nine Sacred Sons of the Sacred Ground are Destined Ones Bearing True Destiny?"
"Well..." Da Xing the Mad Monk scratched his head, seeming not entirely certain either. "I only suspect it. You heard what that Original Sin Ancestor said earlier. He said there should be quite a few Original Sin Anomalies in heaven and earth, ancient and modern—maybe over a dozen, or even more. If what he said is true, then the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons must all be Destined Ones Bearing True Destiny."
"After all, the number of Original Sin Anomalies equals the number of Destined Ones Bearing True Destiny; the two are equal. If there truly are a dozen or twenty Original Sin Anomalies in heaven and earth, then the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons are likely all Destined Ones Bearing True Destiny."
As he spoke, Da Xing seemed to recall something terrifying again. His expression changed drastically, and he couldn't help but suck in a cold breath. "If the Sacred Ground's Nine Sacred Sons are all Destined Ones Bearing True Destiny... then wouldn't the Shangqing Nine Celestial Sons also likely all be Destined Ones Bearing True Destiny? My heavens!"