The vast sky of Sacredness and the vast sky of Original Sin continued to oppose each other like fire and water, devouring one another.
It would be more accurate to say that it was not Sacredness and Original Sin in opposition, but rather one of the Nine Holy Sons of the Sacred Ground, Xuan Yuan Hao, contending against Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch, who had cultivated Original Sin itself.
Xuan Yuan Hao was like a Sacred Sun, a source of Sacredness, radiating boundless, infinite Sacred Light.
Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch had never revealed himself from the beginning to the end. However, whether he showed himself or not was unimportant; what mattered was that his very existence was equivalent to Original Sin. In other words, the Original Sin filling this space *was* Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch. If not for this, he could not have instantly caused the sky to be shrouded in Original Sin within Li Palace Void.
Just who held the upper hand, Sacredness or Original Sin, could not be determined in a short while.
"As long as Karma lives, Original Sin persists!
As long as Fate endures, Original Sin is immortal!
As long as the Great Dao remains unextinguished, the Daoless Age cannot dawn!
As long as Heaven and Earth do not perish, the Universe will not emerge!
As long as Illusion is not shattered, Truth will not be revealed!"
Patriarch Xunfeng recited the words Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch had just spoken, saying, "If this old man remembers correctly, these should be the last words Venerable Wu Dao spoke in his time."
"Hehehehe!
So what if they are?
Weren't you wondering why I am so obsessed with the Daoless Age?
Hehehehe, this is the reason!"
"Hahahaha!"
Patriarch Xunfeng roared with laughter, his voice loud and clear, ancient and mighty, deafening to the ears. As his laughter echoed, Sacred halos bloomed in circles around his body. He shouted, "Ridiculous! Truly utterly ridiculous!"
"Xunfeng!
You yellow-mouthed whelp! You dare call this Patriarch ridiculous?"
"Back then, when Venerable Wu Dao was young, you treated him as a puppet. Then you colluded with the Three Thousand Great Daos, trying to erase him and take his place. After so many years, who would have thought you would now utter Venerable Wu Dao's own words? Isn't that ridiculous?"
Clearly.
Patriarch Xunfeng was mocking Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch.
He mocked his despicable shamelessness, his wolfish ambition—first using Venerable Wu Dao, then colluding with the Three Thousand Great Daos to erase him, attempting to take his place. And now, he had the gall to invoke Venerable Wu Dao's name, spouting nonsense about 'As long as Karma lives, Original Sin persists; as long as Fate endures, Original Sin is immortal'!
In the dark depths of the Void.
Gu Qingfeng was also reciting these words.
*As long as Karma lives, Original Sin persists; as long as Fate endures, Original Sin is immortal.*
This phrase was familiar to him. He had heard it many times since entering the Primordial Black Hole. As for who was shouting these words, Gu Qingfeng did not know. He had tried to find out, but unfortunately, he had not succeeded. Instead, he had inexplicably found the Daoless Mountain, and the source of the voice seemed to originate from there.
Hearing Patriarch Xunfeng say just now that these were words spoken by Venerable Wu Dao in his time, Gu Qingfeng was quite surprised. He asked, "Did Venerable Wu Dao really say that?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk gave an ambiguous reply: "I heard...
it seems so."
"That Patriarch Xunfeng just said these were Venerable Wu Dao's last words. What does that mean?
Were they spoken before his death?"
"This...
Probably. This Old Monk isn't too clear on the details."
"How did Venerable Wu Dao die?"
"I'm telling you, kid Gu, don't ask this Old Monk that kind of question. It's useless. This Old Monk didn't experience the Primordial Era, so how would I know how Venerable Wu Dao died?"
Gu Qingfeng shot Da Xing the Mad Monk a glance. He knew very well that this old bald donkey, Da Xing, loved to hold back and be cryptic. Even if he knew, he would absolutely not tell him. And if he did tell him, seven-tenths of every sentence would be false.
He couldn't be bothered to continue asking. Glancing at the Void, Da Xing the Mad Monk hurriedly pressed, "Kid Gu, you're not planning to go out and ask Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch, are you?"
"What about it?
Not allowed?"
"This Old Monk advises you to stay right here, nice and obedient. Can't you see, damn it, the waters here run deep?
This is a damn trap!
A trap dug by that old turtle-descendant Green Robe, probably just waiting for a fool like you to jump right in."
"I don't see how this is a trap."
"This Old Monk originally thought Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch was fanning the flames here just to create chaos. But after Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch suddenly made a move just now, This Old Monk immediately understood. That old turtle-descendant's goal isn't just to create chaos."
"Then what else could it be?"
"This Old Monk reckons that old turtle-descendant Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch probably laid out this game long ago. He first forced Qiongqi out into the open for all to see, then seized this opportunity to fan the flames here, shaking the morale of the Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands. His goal might very well be to use this to lure out the Sacred Ground or the Shangqing Grotto-Heaven."
"And then?"
"And then?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk stared at the Original Sin and Sacredness contending in the Void. "If This Old Monk's guess is correct, Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch, nine times out of ten, will try to provoke the Sacred Ground and Qiongqi into taking action against each other!"
"Didn't you say the time wasn't right, that the Sacred Ground wouldn't act?
Besides, judging by Qiongqi's demeanor, he doesn't seem like he'll act either. It's Green Robe Ancestral Patriarch who's been hopping around nonstop."
"Kid Gu, don't underestimate that old turtle-descendant Green Robe. That scoundrel is rotten to the core. Back in the Primordial Era, he incited the Three Thousand Great Daos against Venerable Wu Dao."
Da Xing the Mad Monk said solemnly, "Furthermore, sometimes taking action isn't a matter of whether you want to or not. Qiongqi might not want to act, but he might be forced into a corner by Green Robe."
"And the Sacred Ground, do you think the Sacred Ground wants to show itself?
No!
If possible, the Sacred Ground would absolutely not reveal itself lightly. This time, they had no choice; they had to show up first to stabilize the situation. In other words, Green Robe has not only forced Qiongqi out this time, he's also forced the Sacred Ground out."
"The Sacred Ground descended with two Holy Sons at once, plus a Half-Saint like Patriarch Xunfeng making a personal appearance. This clearly shows they came prepared and with ill intentions. If This Old Monk guesses correctly, stabilizing the situation is only secondary for the Sacred Ground's descent this time. They probably also want to take this opportunity to declare the Sacred Ground's stance."
"Because only by declaring their stance can those wavering Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands be prevented from leaning towards the dawn of the Daoless Age."
"Think about it again. If the Sacred Ground wants to declare their stance at this critical juncture, what will they do?
They will definitely make the various Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands believe that the Sacred Ground is qualified and capable of preventing the dawn of the Daoless Age. And the most direct and effective way to make them believe is to flaunt their power."
"The time may not be right, and the Sacred Ground might not act. But if pushed to the absolute limit, the Sacred Ground will definitely make an example out of an Original Sin Anomaly to stabilize the situation and declare their stance."
Every time Da Xing the Mad Monk got serious and solemn, Gu Qingfeng knew this old bald donkey was starting to brainwash him again.
Yes.
He knew.
But knowing was one thing. Even knowing Da Xing the Mad Monk was brainwashing him, each time he ended up believing it was true. At the very least, he couldn't find a reason to refute it. And the more he thought about it, the more sense Da Xing the Mad Monk's words seemed to make.
This time was no exception. Gu Qingfeng asked, "You mean the Sacred Ground will make an example out of Qiongqi this time?"
"Can't say for sure!
But regardless of whether the Sacred Ground makes an example out of Qiongqi or not, you, kid, must not go out. If you go out, you'll fall right into Green Robe's trap. And it's not impossible that the Sacred Ground might decide to make an example out of you instead."