Gu Qingfeng found himself in complete agreement with what Da Xing the Mad Monk had said.
Those capable of entering the Primordial Nine Palaces were either heaven-defying prodigies or Great Dao Patriarchs.
Heaven-defying prodigies went without saying—they possessed countless fortunes and precious constitutions, making them nearly impossible to eradicate.
As for those Great Dao Patriarchs, while they might not have as many fortunes, their cultivation had been painstakingly built step by step. Each was an old fox who had weathered great storms and seen much of the world. Even minor divine abilities could be wielded by them to produce earth-shattering effects. Trying to eradicate these Great Dao Patriarchs was even more difficult.
Most importantly, whether they were heaven-defying prodigies or Great Dao Patriarchs, they all possessed at least one or two external incarnations. Sometimes, you couldn't even tell if the person before you was an external incarnation or their true original body.
Furthermore, once one's cultivation reached a certain realm, they were practically immortal and indestructible.
Even if their physical body disintegrated and vanished, their soul scattered to ashes, their spiritual will, divine consciousness, and demonic thoughts would surely endure in the world.
Exaggerated?
Not in the slightest.
There were living examples right before their eyes: Old Immortal Qingmu and Huli Great Immortal. Back in the Primordial Era, they had been tainted by Original Sin and subsequently banished to the Guixu.
Why were they banished to the Guixu? Precisely because they couldn't be eradicated.
If they could have been eradicated, Huli Great Immortal and Old Immortal Qingmu likely wouldn't be standing here today.
After the Primordial Era,
all Original Sin Dharmakayas that could be eradicated were eradicated; those that couldn't were banished to the Guixu.
From this perspective, Xuan Yuan Hao's claim that he could eradicate Qiongqi whenever he wished seemed somewhat exaggerated.
"I say, Da Xing, I recall you mentioning that the Holy Land came prepared this time, right?"
"That's correct. Why do you ask?"
"Don't you find your own words somewhat contradictory?"
Gu Qingfeng suddenly posed this question, leaving Da Xing the Mad Monk somewhat baffled. "How is it contradictory?"
"Earlier, you said the Holy Land came prepared this time. Now you're saying Xuan Yuan Hao has no confidence in eradicating Qiongqi. Isn't that contradictory?"
"If they don't even have the confidence to eradicate Qiongqi, how can that be called 'coming prepared'?"
"Kid, this old monk only said Xuan Yuan Hao and his group lack the confidence to eradicate Qiongqi. That doesn't mean the Holy Land lacks it."
Da Xing the Mad Monk explained, "It's true the Holy Land only sent three people openly, but who knows how many are lurking in the shadows? Perhaps the Martial Saint Xuan Yuan Wuji, who is said to be able to cover the sky with one hand, is also watching covertly."
"So you mean Qiongqi is doomed this time?"
"This..." Da Xing the Mad Monk rubbed his chin and shook his head. "Hard to say. For the Holy Land, if they can eradicate Qiongqi, naturally that's best. If they cannot, merely suppressing Qiongqi would be enough to demonstrate the Holy Land's stance. The problem is..."
"Qiongqi's existence is, after all, an Anomaly. Since he's an Anomaly, there are far too many possibilities."
Gu Qingfeng and Da Xing the Mad Monk communicated via divine sense, their exchange incredibly fast. Though they had said much, it had all transpired in but an instant.
Within the arena,
Xuan Yuan Hao's figure flickered faintly within that radiant Sacred Sun, like a deity of this sacred world, arrogantly surveying the heavens and earth, looking down upon all living beings.
Below,
Qiongqi, with his white robes and white hair resembling a handsome youth, stood atop the Cauldron of Qiongqi, gazing at Xuan Yuan Hao. His expression was placid, devoid of any emotional hue, showing neither joy nor anger, worry nor fear.
The Ancestral Patriarchs hidden in the void's shadows were all focused on this scene, each more tense than the last. This was true for both the Great Dao Patriarchs from the grotto-heavens and blessed lands and the patriarchs from the Guixu.
Gu Qingfeng and Da Xing the Mad Monk maintained an attitude of pure spectators.
But the Ancestral Patriarchs hidden in the void's shadows were different.
Their attention wasn't for mere spectacle; at this critical juncture, they had no mind for such things.
The reason was simple.
The conflict between Xuan Yuan Hao and Qiongqi held extraordinary significance.
On a smaller scale, it concerned their decisions.
On a larger scale, it could even affect the life and death of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, and the fate of the future.
One was an Original Sin Anomaly, the other a Destined Calamity Fate.
Everyone knew that an Original Sin Anomaly had the qualification to contend for the title of True Lord of Original Sin, and that whoever claimed that title would slaughter the Three Thousand Great Daos. Thus, labeling an Original Sin Anomaly as a calamity was not an exaggeration.
As for the existence of a Destined Calamity Fate, as the name implied, it was meant to respond to calamity—specifically, the great calamity of Original Sin.
Whether the Destined Calamity Fate could truly respond to the calamity of the Original Sin Anomaly, no one had any certainty. Since the end of the Primordial Era and the beginning of the Archaic Era, Original Sin Anomalies and Destined Calamity Fates had grown increasingly mysterious, appearing and vanishing like dragons. No one had ever witnessed an Original Sin Anomaly and a Destined Calamity Fate clash—not even once.
Precisely because of this, everyone eagerly anticipated the battle between Xuan Yuan Hao and Qiongqi.
If Xuan Yuan Hao won this battle—even if he didn't eradicate Qiongqi, merely suppressing him would be enough to prove that the Destined Calamity Fate could respond to the Original Sin calamity of the current era.
At that time, the various major grotto-heavens and blessed lands that had been hesitating would, in all likelihood, abandon the Daoless Age and firmly defend the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.
Conversely,
if Xuan Yuan Hao failed to eradicate Qiongqi, or even lacked the ability to suppress him, then even if the major grotto-heavens and blessed lands didn't all defect to the Daoless Age, few would continue to defend the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth.
This was true for the major grotto-heavens and blessed lands.
The patriarchs from the Guixu were no exception.
They were even more eager than the grotto-heavens and blessed lands to know whether the so-called Destined Calamity Fate could respond to the Original Sin calamity of the current era.
It must be understood that these Original Sin patriarchs had been suppressed in the Guixu for countless eons. Though some no longer schemed for the title of True Lord of Original Sin, that didn't mean they had abandoned the Daoless Age. On the contrary, most Original Sin patriarchs yearned especially for the Daoless Age, with many staking everything, gambling their entire futures on it.
If Qiongqi lost this battle, they truly wouldn't know where to turn.
Although the loss of one Original Sin Anomaly didn't mean other Original Sin Anomalies would also lose, nor did it guarantee the Destined Calamity Fate could respond to the Original Sin calamity of the current era,
it would at least prove there was significant hope that the Destined Calamity Fate could respond to the calamity.
Everyone anticipated the battle between Xuan Yuan Hao and Qiongqi.
Yet, to everyone's puzzlement, as time passed bit by bit, the two did not make a move. Qiongqi remained quietly standing there, and the figure of the originally arrogant Xuan Yuan Hao still flickered faintly within the Sacred Sun.
Everyone looked at Qiongqi, then at Xuan Yuan Hao. Neither seemed inclined to act first. That Qiongqi didn't move was somewhat understandable—after all, he had been forced out by the Green Robe Ancestor and was facing two of the Holy Land's Nine Holy Sons. Qiongqi appeared relatively weaker and more passive.
But what was going on with Xuan Yuan Hao? He had spoken so arrogantly earlier, giving the impression he would act at any moment. Why the hell was there still no movement until now?