Original Sin!
Original Sin was everywhere.
The Original Sin filling the sky was like clouds and mist, blanketing the entire Li Palace.
Massive ruins from the Desolate Ancient Era floated within the Li Palace like mountains, shimmering like stars.
The void appeared to be swirling, just like the chaotic currents of the Desolate Ancient Black Hole from before.
As the aura of Original Sin grew denser, the shimmering of the ruins also grew brighter, more blurred, and more distorted. At the same time, the entire void spun with increasing intensity and madness.
Looking out, the entire void of the Li Palace resembled a boundless, black-hole-like vortex, drawing everything within the Li Palace void into itself. As the ruins distorted and blurred, they also began to merge with one another.
Gu Qingfeng and Da Xing the Mad Monk did not continue their idle chatter. When they realized the entire Li Palace was gradually transforming into a massive vortex, neither of them resisted, allowing the Li Palace Whirlwind to pull them in.
Watching the changes in the Li Palace, they both knew in their hearts that the prelude to this Original Sin Cataclysm was finally about to begin.
The aura of Original Sin grew denser, and the denser it became, the purer it seemed.
The ruins of the Desolate Ancient Era also grew increasingly blurred, and the faster they blurred, the quicker they merged. They no longer looked like individual ruins, but more like a continuous, unbroken mountain range.
Countless Original Sin Retribution Bodies that had lost their self-awareness were swept in. At first, these bodies seemed fine, but as the void vortex spun with ever greater ferocity, each Original Sin Retribution Body began to falter, crushed into nothingness.
"Good heavens! This damn thing is far more terrifying than the chaotic currents and whirlpools of the Desolate Ancient Black Hole!"
Gradually, even Da Xing the Mad Monk began to struggle. Not daring to be overconfident any longer, he immediately manifested his Unshakable Golden Body. He pressed his palms together, his entire body erupting with ten-thousand-zhang golden Buddha-light, making him look like a living Buddha statue.
Even after manifesting his Unshakable Golden Body, Da Xing still felt immense pressure.
Especially as the Li Palace void spun more and more wildly, Da Xing felt as if he had fallen into a sea of fire. He could neither sit nor stand properly, with no way to block or escape—he could only endure.
The golden Buddha-light radiating from his body also wavered unsteadily within the Li Palace Whirlwind, twisting and blurring as if it might dissipate at any moment.
It was called the Unshakable Golden Body, yet at this moment, Da Xing dared not remain truly unmoving. He reckoned that if he actually stood still, nine times out of ten, the Li Palace Whirlwind would tear him to shreds.
Even now, spinning along with the Li Palace Whirlwind, his Unshakable Golden Body was being squeezed unbearably, as if scorched by raging flames, pierced by icy cold, and torn by blades.
Was that all?
Of course not.
Besides the immense pressure on his Unshakable Golden Body, his heart, his spirit, and his will also seemed to be under a kind of strain.
If the pressure on his Unshakable Golden Body came from the Li Palace Whirlwind, then the pressure on his heart, spirit, and will came from the increasingly dense aura of Original Sin.
This aura of Original Sin gave Da Xing an indescribable feeling in his heart, a deep-seated fear.
Yes.
Fear.
As for what he feared, or why he feared it, Da Xing couldn't say. It felt as if he had suddenly fallen into an endless abyss, with no way to seek life or beg for death. Moreover, as the aura of Original Sin grew denser and purer, the fear in Da Xing's heart intensified.
Seizing the moment, Da Xing glanced at Gu Qingfeng beside him. One look was all it took to nearly infuriate Da Xing to death.
Within this terrifying Li Palace Whirlwind, Gu Qingfeng seemed completely unaffected.
He was truly unaffected, not in the slightest.
His form spun along with the vortex, like a lone leaf boat drifting on the ocean. No matter how wildly the ocean's waves raged, they could never capsize this small boat.
It gave the impression that this fellow wasn't being swept into the Li Palace Whirlwind, but rather leisurely sitting on a leaf boat, sipping fine wine and admiring the scenery.
It was exactly so. Gu Qingfeng held a jar of fine wine in his hand, drinking as he spun along with the Li Palace Whirlwind.
This couldn't help but make Da Xing green with envy and resentment!
After being swept into the Li Palace Whirlwind, even manifesting his Unshakable Golden Body seemed useless. Not only was his body being torn apart, but his heart was also terrified to death.
And this guy? He was leisurely drinking fine wine as if nothing was wrong! It was utterly infuriating!
This guy must have comprehended the mysteries of the Li Palace!
He must have!
Da Xing clearly remembered that not long ago, he and Gu Qingfeng had discovered a ruin from the Desolate Ancient Era glowing with Original Sin light. The ruin seemed close at hand, but when Da Xing leaped towards it, he found himself growing farther and farther away.
Gu Qingfeng, on the other hand, didn't move from his spot. He simply took one small step and landed right on that ruin.
At that time, Da Xing knew Gu Qingfeng must have grasped the mysteries of the Li Palace.
Now, seeing Gu Qingfeng completely unaffected by the Li Palace Whirlwind, he was even more certain of his guess. This fellow had definitely comprehended the mysteries of the Li Palace.
"I say, kid Gu, since you've already grasped the mysteries of this Li Palace, can't you damn well give this old monk some pointers!"
Gu Qingfeng furrowed his brow slightly, gazing at the Li Palace Whirlwind, and said indifferently, "If mysteries could be pointed out, would they still be mysteries?"
"You little..." Although Da Xing didn't want to admit it, he had to acknowledge that Gu Qingfeng spoke the truth.
Mysteries were something you could never comprehend through others' pointers.
It was like the mysteries of the Great Dao. If the mysteries of the Dao could be taught, then everyone throughout the ages would have become Dao Ancestors.
"Da Xing, have you noticed something strange?"
Gu Qingfeng's voice came through. Da Xing replied irritably, "What strange thing?"
Gu Qingfeng said lightly, two words: "Space."
"Space?"
Da Xing didn't understand. "What about space?"
"As the Li Palace spins, as the ruins merge, and as the Original Sin grows dense, various spaces are collapsing one after another."
"What!"
Hearing this, Da Xing was so frightened his soul nearly fled his body, his face turning pale. He hurriedly looked around but couldn't see anything. He then released his divine sense to probe, but whether due to overwhelming fear or some other reason, his divine sense probe also revealed nothing.
In this state, Da Xing couldn't concentrate at all. He quickly asked, "Are you sure various spaces are collapsing?"
Gu Qingfeng nodded. "I'm certain."
"Then what the hell are you still standing there for! Hurry up and run! If all the space collapses, we'll all die here!"