"Good heavens! Another of the Nine Holy Sons has arrived!"
Seeing the woman, Da Xing the Mad Monk, hidden in the dark void, choked out the words: "Looks like Old Ancestor Green Robe's goal in stirring up trouble this time has truly been achieved. The various grotto-heavens and blessed lands must have been affected too. The situation is starting to descend into chaos. Otherwise, the Sacred Ground wouldn't likely send down two Holy Sons. Damn it, why does this feel a bit like they're coming with ill intent?"
"She's also one of the Nine Holy Sons?"
Gu Qingfeng asked in surprise and doubt. He recognized the woman birthed from the holy light—though 'recognize' wasn't quite the right word; he had seen her a few times. Back in the mortal realm, when he was fusing with the True Blood of Original Sin, and again when he single-handedly challenged the Immortal and Buddha Daos for Xiao Jin'er's sake, this woman had appeared.
It was none other than Xuan Yuan Tong.
"Of course! What did you think?"
Although Gu Qingfeng had met Xuan Yuan Tong a few times back then, that was the extent of it. At the time, he only knew she came from the Sacred Ground; he had no idea about anything else, nor was he interested. Hearing Da Xing's words, he narrowed his eyes and looked carefully. Sure enough, just like the first arrival Xuan Yuan Hao, she was also a Destined Calamity Fate and possessed Divine Saint bloodline.
"Damn it! Even Xunfeng, that old-timer among old-timers, has shown up personally!"
Within the scene.
Appearing alongside Xuan Yuan Tong was an elderly man.
The elder wore grey robes, his hair and beard entirely white, appearing kind and benevolent. He was precisely the 'old-timer among old-timers' Da Xing referred to, known as Ancestor Xunfeng, also called Half-Saint Ancestor.
In terms of seniority, Ancestor Xunfeng truly deserved the title 'old-timer among old-timers'. Even Huli Great Immortal and Old Immortal Qingmu would have to address him respectfully as 'senior'.
Truth be told.
Ancestor Xunfeng had held great prestige since the Desolate Ancient Era and was a highly respected senior within the Immortal Dao.
Back then.
Before the advent of the Daoless Original Sin, the Three Thousand Great Daos all aspired to the Sage Path.
Although few succeeded in stepping onto the Sage Path, that didn't mean there were none. Ancestor Xunfeng was one of them.
Back then, his transition from Immortal to Saint caused quite a stir.
To this day, although he still hasn't achieved full Sagehood, he has reached the Half-Saint level, hence also called Half-Saint Ancestor.
"Jie jie jie jie!"
Old Ancestor Green Robe's sinister, deep laughter sounded again: "I wondered who it was, so it's the renowned Ancestor Xunfeng! Jie jie jie jie!"
"Green Robe, I never expected you to still remember this old man after all these years. It truly surprises me."
Ancestor Xunfeng had a long white beard. He stood in the void, one hand behind his back, the other stroking his beard, layers of sacred halos radiating from his body.
"Jie jie jie jie! Back in the day, Ancestor Xunfeng's transition from Immortal to Saint shook the Great Wasteland. How could I forget? However..." Changing tone, Old Ancestor Green Robe continued, "Countless ages have passed since the Desolate Ancient Era. How come you still haven't achieved Sagehood? It seems you've truly lived all these years in vain!"
"Hahaha!"
Ancestor Xunfeng threw his head back and laughed heartily, seemingly unoffended. After his laughter subsided, he said, "This old man lacks innate talent and has limited comprehension. I'm afraid there's no hope of achieving Sagehood in this lifetime."
Whether Ancestor Xunfeng said this out of humility or genuine belief was unclear. He then added, "But as for you, after scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin back then and being suppressed by the Gui Xu for countless ages, upon emerging, you show no repentance, still obstinately clinging to your delusions. You failed in your schemes during the Desolate Ancient Era; do you still harbor hope in this current era?"
"Jie jie jie jie!"
Old Ancestor Green Robe laughed, a laugh especially maniacal.
Even more bizarrely, accompanying Old Ancestor Green Robe's maniacal laughter, the entire Li Palace Void began to change.
Originally enveloped in Holy Light, the Li Palace had looked like a sacred world, with Holy Light filling the sky everywhere. The earlier pervasive Breath of Original Sin had been dissipating like smoke and mist.
Yet, with Old Ancestor Green Robe's laughter, Original Sin once again swept across the heavens and earth, and the Breath of Original Sin spread anew like dying embers rekindling.
The Li Palace, originally shrouded in Holy Light, gradually grew dim.
This scene was astonishing.
A testament to Old Ancestor Green Robe's formidable power.
Truly worthy of an existence that was Original Sin itself, able to summon Original Sin to sweep across everything silently and imperceptibly.
"Why should I repent? Why should I abandon my delusions? Jie jie jie jie! I'll tell you why!"
"As long as Karma does not die, Original Sin will not cease!"
"As long as Fate does not rest, Original Sin will not perish!"
"As long as the Great Dao does not vanish, the Daoless will not open!"
"As long as Heaven and Earth do not perish, the Cosmos will not emerge!"
"As long as Falsehood is not broken, Truth will not be revealed!"
Old Ancestor Green Robe laughed and roared, his laughter growing ever more rampant, his roars ever more fierce.
Simultaneously, the Original Sin in the sky grew increasingly intense, devouring the Holy Light.
Within the scene.
Ancestor Xunfeng stood in the void, stroking his white beard, smiling without speaking.
Beside him, Xuan Yuan Tong, since her appearance, wore an expression of grave concern on her stunningly beautiful face, as if preoccupied with something.
Before them, Xuan Yuan Hao, clad in white robes, stood tall and straight, gentle as jade, a smile on his face, a folding fan in hand. Without any visible movement, the white dot between his brows suddenly flashed. Then, one beam of sacred radiance shot toward the sky, then two beams, three beams...
Nine beams, a hundred beams, a thousand beams...
Countless beams of sacred radiance burst forth, instantly riddling the sky-full of Original Sin with holes. At that moment, Xuan Yuan Hao resembled a sacred sun, or a source of divinity, radiating boundless Holy Light. He appeared like a deity cloaked in ten-thousand-zhang sacred brilliance, a sight that inspired awe.
A series of crackling sounds.
The sacred radiance filling the sky began to clash with the pervasive Original Sin, devouring each other like fire and water.
"Damn it! They're fighting already?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk, hidden in the shadows, wore a complex expression, seeming somewhat incredulous and bewildered, but even more so, a kind of excitement and agitation, with a hint of schadenfreude. He said, "Nothing's even happened yet, how the hell are they already coming to blows? Isn't this a bit too early!"
In Da Xing's estimation.
The Sacred Ground's descent this time must be to stabilize the situation, or perhaps to declare the Sacred Ground's stance.
Logically, the Sacred Ground shouldn't take action.
The reason was simple.
The timing wasn't right.
Not to mention the Daoless Mountain hadn't appeared yet; even the essence of the Desolate Ancient Nine Palaces hadn't surfaced. The Sacred Ground absolutely wouldn't act this early.
Firstly.
Who the true True Lord of Original Sin was remained unknown to anyone. Acting now to eradicate the Original Sin anomalies was utterly meaningless.
Secondly.
Taking action at this time would only plunge the situation into greater chaos. The more chaotic the situation, the more unfavorable for the Sacred Ground. Moreover, even if they were to act, they wouldn't likely target Old Ancestor Green Robe.
Although Old Ancestor Green Robe had cultivated Original Sin itself, ultimately, he had neither fused with the True Blood of Original Sin nor was he an Original Sin anomaly. In other words, his influence wasn't significant, and he was unlikely to be the True Lord chosen by Original Sin.