Xuanyuan Tong did not know who the mysterious woman was, nor her identity or origins, but she found herself in complete agreement with the woman's words. They were exactly what she had long wanted to say but never dared to voice.
Now that the mysterious woman had spoken them aloud, Xuanyuan Tong felt an indescribable sense of catharsis in her heart, as if a long-suppressed anger had finally been released. It was immensely satisfying. If she could, she would have cheered for the mysterious woman.
Fortunately!
Xuanyuan Tong remained relatively calm and did not lose her composure over this. Although she deeply despised the Sacred Hall in her heart, she was, after all, a disciple of the Sacred Ground. Moreover, her most revered master, Xuanyuan Wuji, had repeatedly warned her before his departure: do not defy the Sacred Hall; obey it as much as possible. The Sacred Hall was forced to take certain actions for the sake of the Sacred Ground and the greater situation.
Xuanyuan Tong respected her master greatly and had always acted according to his words.
Therefore, she held back.
However.
Her respect for Xuanyuan Wuji did not mean other disciples of the Sacred Ground shared that respect.
At that moment, Xuanyuan Hao shouted sternly, "What kind of thing are you, to dare point fingers at my Sacred Ground!"
Xuanyuan Hao stood as always in the void, his figure flickering faintly as he manifested as the Divine Sun of the Sage Path. He stood with arms crossed, his face filled with arrogance. The Divine Judgment Bow floated and rotated slowly around him.
"Heh."
The mysterious woman's laughter came through. "What kind of thing I am, you are not qualified to know. What kind of thing you are, this palace has no interest in knowing either."
"You, like that You Di, are nothing but a petty rodent! If you truly have the courage, show yourself! I, Xuanyuan Hao, can annihilate you with a single arrow!"
"Hehehehehe..." The mysterious woman laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke in heaven and earth, her laughter bordering on madness.
The laughter was ethereal and elusive—like immortal song, like Buddhist chant, like demonic howl, like ghostly wail. It seemed to come from all directions, and also as if from the ancient desolation itself.
"You call You Di a rodent? That is truly a colossal joke. Whether You Di is a rodent or not, you need not say. Everyone present here understands better than you."
Indeed.
To call You Di a rodent was a joke, and it absolutely deserved to be called a colossal joke.
Just as the mysterious woman said, everyone present—whether Ancestral Patriarchs of Original Sin or Ancestral Patriarchs of the Great Dao—might not know exactly how powerful You Di was, but they all knew perfectly well how audacious he was.
He burned the Nine Heavens and slaughtered all celestial beings and buddhas; he tread the Nine Nethers and slew all demons and monsters.
He kidnapped the Wrathful Manifestation of the Great Sun Tathagata; he severed the Nine Heavens Immortal River; with a raised finger, he caused the great sun representing light to fall; he shouldered the Immortal Dao's Judgment to kill immortals; he killed Heavenly Mandates right before the Heavenly Dao; he used the Profound Yellow Bell to shatter the Divine Judgment; he dared to contend with heaven and earth; he dared to debate success or failure with Fate itself.
Throughout ancient and modern times, across heaven and earth, none could surpass him.
In the Great Wilderness, a saying had long circulated:
No one is crazier than Gu Qingfeng!
No one is more arrogant than Gu Tianlang!
No one is more insolent than the Scarlet Dawn King!
No one's might is greater than You Di's dominance!
No one's pride is loftier than You Di's Dao!
This was not just empty talk.
And concerning You Di, there was another, even more terrifying legend:
The great sun falls, twilight descends, darkness strikes, You Di arrives—the twilight of immortals and demons, the end of heaven and earth...
"Hmph! If You Di is truly not a rodent, why does he not dare to show himself?"
Xuanyuan Hao simply did not believe the legends about You Di. Or rather, it wasn't that he didn't believe them; more precisely, he looked down upon those legends about You Di. He shouted, "Since he dares not come out to fight me, Xuanyuan Hao, he is a rodent!"
"He does not come out for only one reason."
The mysterious woman paused before speaking. "That is, he does not wish to come out. That is all."
"Hmph! Not wish to? He simply dares not!"
"Hehehe!" The mysterious woman laughed again. "This palace is quite curious. Who gave you such great courage? Who gave you such intense confidence, making you mistakenly believe you can annihilate You Di?"
"Back then, your Sacred Ground descended the Divine Judgment three times in succession, yet failed to annihilate You Di. The last time the Divine Judgment descended, You Di scattered it to nothingness with a single move. Never mind your Sacred Ground—even when the Heavenly Dao descended the Endless Judgment back then, it failed to completely annihilate You Di. So much so that later, when facing You Di, the Heavenly Dao did not even dare to descend its Judgment."
The Ancestral Patriarchs hidden in the void all knew the mysterious woman spoke the truth.
Let alone the Judgments descended by the Immortal Dao—from the Primordial Age to the Present-Ancient Age, they were too numerous to count, and not a single one succeeded in annihilating You Di.
The three Judgments descended by the Sacred Ground: one during the Primordial Age, one when the Present-Ancient Age began—when You Di fused with the True Blood of Original Sin—which neither annihilated him nor prevented the fusion. The third was when You Di challenged the Three Thousand Great Daos alone for Little Jin'er; the Sacred Ground descended Judgment again, only to have You Di scatter it to nothingness with a single move after invoking 'From the Highest Heavens to the Yellow Springs'.
At the end of the Primordial Age, the Heavenly Dao invoked the Endless Judgment. Although that Judgment reduced You Di to ashes, who could have known that after the Present-Ancient Age began, You Di underwent nirvana and was reborn. Ever since then, whenever the Heavenly Dao encountered You Di, it only showed omens without descending Judgment—all thunder and no rain. Even when You Di annihilated Heavenly Mandates right before the Heavenly Dao in the Great Wilderness, the Heavenly Dao only showed omens without descending Judgment.
It was precisely for this reason that those Ancestral Patriarchs of the Great Dao and Original Sin, when facing You Di, also engaged in 'all thunder and no rain'—only daring to spectate, not daring to act. Even if they acted, they only sent manifestations, not risking their true selves.
Consider this: the Immortal Dao descended so many Judgments yet failed to suppress You Di's growth; the Sage Path's Judgment was shattered by You Di; the Heavenly Dao's Judgment could not completely annihilate You Di.
Taking a step back, even if the Ancestral Patriarchs of the Great Dao and Original Sin joined forces to annihilate You Di, who could guarantee he would not undergo nirvana and be reborn again?
He could undergo nirvana rebirth even under the Heavenly Dao's Judgment; he could die and come back to life even after igniting the Karmic Flames of Original Sin.
Who dared guarantee that if they joined forces to annihilate You Di, he would not undergo nirvana rebirth?
Would not die and come back to life?
The answer was certain.
No one could guarantee it.
This was currently the most headache-inducing issue for those Ancestral Patriarchs of the Great Dao and Original Sin, and the predicament they faced.
If they acted, they had no confidence in annihilating You Di. Even if they annihilated him, no one could guarantee he would not undergo nirvana rebirth.
If they did not act, they would miss opportunity after opportunity. Seeing that this might be the last chance to annihilate You Di, if they missed this final opportunity and You Di truly ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin, annihilating him then would likely be even more difficult.
"Little one, tell this palace, on what basis do you believe you can annihilate You Di? And what makes you think You Di dares not fight you?"
"On what basis?"
Xuanyuan Hao had been arrogant and conceited from start to finish, not placing You Di in his eyes in the slightest. He shouted proudly, "On the basis that I am Xuanyuan Hao, Sacred Son of the Sacred Hall! On the basis of this Divine Judgment Bow and Great Sun Purification Arrow in my hands, Xuanyuan Hao!"