"Exactly how many Sons of Original Sin, how many Original Sin Anomalies, and how many Original Sin Patriarchs are scheming for the position of True Lord of Original Sin—all of this will be revealed to the world. Even whether they are Incarnations of Causality, and whose Incarnations they are, might all come to light."
"What do you mean by that?"
Gu Qingfeng could understand that if the Primordial Source of the Desolate Ancient Nine Palaces emerged, all those scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin would show themselves. But the part about whether they were Incarnations of Causality and whose they were also surfacing—Gu Qingfeng couldn't quite wrap his head around that for the moment.
"This old monk said earlier that success or failure in scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin hinges on this one move. They will definitely fight for it at all costs, and casualties will be unavoidable."
Da Xing the Mad Monk explained, "This old monk believes that no one will stand by and watch their own planted Incarnation of Causality die just like that. At the critical moment of life and death, they will definitely show themselves. By then, they probably won't hesitate even if it means exposing their identities."
"That does make sense."
As his words fell, Gu Qingfeng seemed to sense something. He stopped in the void and turned to look. At the same time, Da Xing the Mad Monk also sensed someone rushing towards them.
Soon, a figure appeared before the two.
It was a woman.
A woman of peerless beauty.
Her appearance was like standing amidst clouds and mist, giving an ethereal, elusive feeling. The spiritual aura emanating from her was exceptionally powerful, her presence astonishing, like an empress descending in person, imposing an intense sense of pressure.
Both Gu Qingfeng and Da Xing the Mad Monk could clearly sense that this woman was one who had received the Mandate of Heaven—specifically, the Mandate of Imperial Authority. In other words, she was a Great Dao Empress. Both of them recognized her; it was none other than Lady Wuyue, Tang Henghe, who had previously dragged Gu Qingfeng out of the void.
Seeing this woman, Gu Qingfeng actually laughed. "Well, well, if it isn't Lady Wuyue."
Although Gu Qingfeng's impression of Tang Henghe only dated back to his youth in the Ancient Era, he still recognized her at a glance. He chuckled, "Long time no see. You're still so beautiful, and you seem to have even more charm than back then."
Beside him.
Da Xing the Mad Monk shot Gu Qingfeng a look of utter disdain. Grandaunt Wuyue was clearly not someone to be trifled with. Moreover, she had schemed to plant Karma on Gu Qingfeng, playing some unknown game. Just moments ago, she had dragged him out, plunging him into danger. Instead of being on guard, this guy Gu Qingfeng was now staring at her with a lecherous expression, even teasing her with his words. Anyone who didn't know better would think he'd really run into an old flame.
"How about finding a place to have a couple of drinks and catch up?"
"Heh!"
Lady Wuyue let out a derisive laugh. "You're still the same as ever, haven't changed a bit."
"Really? If I remember correctly, we haven't seen each other since I left the mundane world in the Ancient Era. After all these years, haven't I changed at all?"
"We have met in the Present Era as well."
"The Present Era? When? I don't remember."
Gu Qingfeng thought carefully. "Are you talking about that time in the Present Era when I encountered your remnant consciousness?"
"No."
"If not that time with the remnant consciousness, then which time?"
Gu Qingfeng thought very seriously. In the Present Era, after his rebirth in the mundane world, he had passed through Yanluo Kingdom and encountered Tang Henghe's remnant consciousness. Other than that, it seemed he had never seen Tang Henghe again.
"I also underwent Reincarnation once in the Present Era, and it was still in that mundane world, still in Yanluo Kingdom."
Lady Wuyue stared at Gu Qingfeng, her tone flat. "That time I reincarnated, I took the name Tang Manqing."
"Tang Manqing?"
Gu Qingfeng rubbed his chin, murmuring the name. The more he heard it, the more familiar it sounded, as if he'd heard it somewhere, but he just couldn't recall. At that moment, Da Xing the Mad Monk beside him looked utterly surprised and exclaimed, "Tang Manqing is also your reincarnated self?"
Lady Wuyue did not answer that question. Gu Qingfeng looked at Da Xing the Mad Monk and asked, "Who is Tang Manqing? Do you know her?"
"Have you forgotten, kid?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk said with a choked voice, "There was a princess-royal in Yanluo Kingdom named Tang Manqing. Back when the Yanluo royal family was in trouble, you even stepped in to help them resolve the crisis."
Hearing Da Xing the Mad Monk say this, Gu Qingfeng gradually remembered. Back when he was reborn after Nirvana, passing through Yanluo Kingdom, he had indeed met a Yanluo princess-royal, who seemed to be named Tang Manqing. In his memory, he seemed to have had some rather interesting encounters with Tang Manqing.
What utterly shocked Gu Qingfeng was that Tang Manqing was actually Tang Henghe's reincarnated self?
He looked at Lady Wuyue opposite him, somewhatin disbeliefSeeking the Dao: "Tang Manqing is really your reincarnated self?"
Lady Wuyue answered bluntly, "Yes."
"Well, I'll be..." Gu Qingfeng shook his head, giving a helpless, bitter laugh. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. After a pause, he couldn't help but sigh.
Yun Nishang, Hongxiu, Ouyang Ye—they were reincarnated selves.
Lady Wuyou, Feng Zhuyue, Mandala—they were reincarnated selves.
And every one of their reincarnated selves had Karma with Gu Qingfeng.
He never imagined that Tang Henghe was also one.
He asked, "How many times have you reincarnated?"
"Too many. Far too many to count."
"Alright..." Gu Qingfeng sighed again. "You've undergone countless cycles of Reincarnation to scheme and plant Karma, all just to erase me?"
"Yes."
"If that's the case, why haven't I seen you make a move against me?"
"I told you, after Reincarnation, my memories from past lives did not awaken."
"And now? Your past life memories have awakened now, right? Why still not make a move?"
"If I could kill you, how could you have lived until now."
"Is that so."
Gu Qingfeng laughed. "Seems my luck is still pretty good."
Although Lady Wuyue repeatedly stated that she had schemed and planted Karma through countless Reincarnations just to erase Gu Qingfeng, he didn't see it that way. He had discussed this issue with Da Xing the Mad Monk earlier and felt one thing the mad monk said made a lot of sense.
Da Xing the Mad Monk said that since Lady Wuyue could undergo countless Reincarnations to scheme and plant Karma, it meant her ability in divination and deduction was extremely powerful, powerful beyond imagination. She must have deduced that she couldn't kill Gu Qingfeng, which was why she resorted to scheming and planting Karma. If Gu Qingfeng could be erased, Lady Wuyue wouldn't need to go through all the trouble of scheming and planting Karma; she could simply wait for him to appear in the world and then directly erase him. Why bother undergoing the hardships of countless Reincarnations to scheme and plant Karma?
But as for what Lady Wuyue's true purpose in scheming and planting Karma was, he didn't know.
Since Lady Wuyue didn't want to say, he couldn't be bothered to ask about it.
"This time you've shown yourself to find me, surely it's not just to catch up, is it?"