"No.
You have misunderstood my meaning."
Hmm?
Empress Wuyue's words left Gu Qingfeng somewhat puzzled. "Then what exactly are you trying to say?"
"Have you truly never considered that you might be someone's Incarnation of Causality?"
Empress Wuyue pressed again. Gu Qingfeng shook his head. He really hadn't given this question serious thought. He stared at Empress Wuyue, sizing her up from head to toe. "What? From the sound of your voice, could it be that you know whose Incarnation of Causality I am?"
"I do not know."
"Is it that you don't know, or that you don't wish to say?"
Gu Qingfeng was well aware that Empress Wuyue's appearance this time was definitely not to reminisce with him. Moreover, her words repeatedly hinted that he was an Incarnation of Causality, as if implying something.
"If there is one person in all of heaven and earth who knows whose Incarnation of Causality you are, that person can only be you. If even you yourself do not know, then it is even more impossible for anyone else to know."
"But I feel like there's more to your words."
"I just think that if you truly are someone else's Incarnation of Causality, their goal may not necessarily be to covet the position of True Lord of Original Sin."
"If not to covet the True Lord of Original Sin, then what else could it be for?"
Gu Qingfeng laughed. "Surely they wouldn't be expecting someone like me—the greatest variable of Original Sin—to protect the Great Dao of heaven and earth, would they?"
Some plant Incarnations of Causality to covet the True Lord of Original Sin, while others plant them to protect the Great Dao of heaven and earth.
However, for Gu Qingfeng, he felt that regardless of whose Incarnation of Causality he was, it was unlikely to be for the purpose of protecting the Great Dao.
After all, his existence was the greatest variable of Original Sin. Once he truly ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin, he would most likely be devoured by Original Sin, and at that time, he would inevitably slaughter the Three Thousand Great Dao and usher in the Era Without Dao.
It seemed improbable that anyone would be so foolish as to plant an Incarnation of Causality like him to protect the Great Dao, because the hope was truly too slim.
Even if, after he ascended to become the True Lord of Original Sin, the other party devoured the consciousness of this Incarnation of Causality, there would still be Bi Luo Huang Quan, the Evil Asura, the Blood Glutton, and the Demonic Thought from beyond the Great Dao. Could the other party guarantee they could devour them as well?
Not to mention the most terrifying consciousness of Original Sin itself.
Would the other party go to such lengths to plant an Incarnation of Causality like him just to challenge such a minuscule hope?
This was clearly improbable. Anyone with a sound mind wouldn't do such a thing.
It was akin to no one staking their entire fortune on a gamble with a one-percent, one-in-a-thousand, or even one-in-ten-thousand chance.
"If I told you that the other party planted you as this Incarnation of Causality, not to covet the True Lord of Original Sin, nor to protect the Great Dao of heaven and earth, but to destroy Original Sin..."
Empress Wuyue's voice rang out, causing Gu Qingfeng's heart to jolt, especially the four words 'destroy Original Sin,' which echoed in his mind like a thunderclap.
The phrase 'destroy Original Sin' couldn't help but remind Gu Qingfeng of something, something Da Xing the Mad Monk had mentioned.
He still vividly remembered Da Xing the Mad Monk suspecting that the Original Sin Cataclysm of the current era might have been a conspiracy from the very start, a conspiracy orchestrated by Fate to completely erase Original Sin.
Da Xing the Mad Monk said that the reason Original Sin was choosing a True Lord this time wasn't because Original Sin itself wanted to choose one, but because it had no choice but to do so.
He said that back in the Desolate Ancient Era, although Wu Dao Zun Shang perished and the Era Without Dao subsequently collapsed and vanished, it didn't mean the source of Original Sin had dissipated, nor did it mean Original Sin wouldn't rise again, much less that the Era Without Dao wouldn't open once more.
Fortunately, when the Desolate Ancient Era ended, the source of Original Sin also fell into slumber.
Thus, Fate seized this opportunity to lay down numerous threads of Karma, including banishing some Original Sin Ancestors to Guixu during the Desolate Ancient Era and releasing them in the current era. Some Children of Original Sin, and even variables of Original Sin, might all be pawns set up by Fate, with the aim of creating the Original Sin Cataclysm of the current era, forcing the source of Original Sin to choose a True Lord.
Because the source of Original Sin was currently dormant, it could only emerge by selecting a True Lord Incarnation, and only by choosing a True Lord Incarnation could it slaughter the Three Thousand Great Dao and open the Era Without Dao.
At this moment, the source of Original Sin was also at its weakest, and what Fate had its eye on was this opportunity. Only by waiting for Original Sin to choose a True Lord Incarnation could it be completely erased, eliminating the threat for good.
Initially, when Da Xing the Mad Monk spoke of this, Gu Qingfeng didn't quite believe it. But upon later reflection, he felt there was some merit to what the monk said.
Da Xing the Mad Monk asked why Guixu hadn't collapsed earlier or later, but chose to collapse precisely in the current era. This must be Fate building momentum for the Original Sin Cataclysm of the present time. Fate must have known that once those Original Sin Ancestors emerged, they would inevitably stir up trouble and propel the Original Sin Cataclysm forward.
Da Xing the Mad Monk also said that after the Desolate Ancient Era, there were so many Children of Original Sin and so many variables of Original Sin in the ancient and current heavens and earth. Why did Fate pretend not to see them, paying them no heed and allowing them to grow? Even someone like Gu Qingfeng, the greatest variable of Original Sin, was ignored by Fate.
Why?
This must be a deliberate setup by Fate, a move in its game, both to build momentum for the Original Sin Cataclysm of the current era and to create a false front, luring Original Sin into choosing a True Lord.
Empress Wuyue said that if Gu Qingfeng truly was someone's Incarnation of Causality, perhaps it wasn't to covet the True Lord of Original Sin, nor to protect the Great Dao of heaven and earth, but to destroy Original Sin.
Thinking about it now, that wasn't impossible either.
In all of heaven and earth, who wanted to destroy Original Sin the most?
Without a doubt, the Great Dao side wanted to destroy Original Sin. However, they could only think about it; they had no means or ability to actually destroy it.
If the current-era Cataclysm was a conspiracy, the Great Dao couldn't have orchestrated such a vast and intricate one.
Because setting up this conspiracy required arranging far too many, countless threads of Karma.
Looking across the ancient and current heavens and earth, the only one capable of orchestrating this conspiracy was Fate.
Thinking of Fate, the name Genggu Wuming immediately sprang to Gu Qingfeng's mind.
Connecting this with Empress Wuyue's words, Gu Qingfeng suddenly felt his scalp go numb, because he thought of a possibility: he might be Genggu Wuming's Incarnation of Causality.
Good heavens!
As soon as this notion surfaced, it genuinely startled Gu Qingfeng, sending a chill down his spine.
At the same time, Da Xing the Mad Monk beside him also seemed to realize something, exclaiming in shock, "Empress Wuyue...
You...
Could it be that you're saying...
Old Gu might be...
Might be Genggu Wuming's Incarnation of Causality?"
Empress Wuyue did not respond. Just as Da Xing the Mad Monk began to ask his question, Empress Wuyue, who had been as if amidst clouds and mist, began to grow ethereal and elusive, vanishing like dissipating smoke, disappearing without a trace as if she had never appeared at all.
Neither Gu Qingfeng nor Da Xing the Mad Monk gave chase. Both were thoroughly shaken by Empress Wuyue's words.