To this day, Gu Qingfeng was no longer the Gu Qingfeng of the past. After experiencing so much, he understood well in his heart that the Old Monk did not reside here by chance, nor did he fuse with the Nirvana Silence Space by chance. All of this was perhaps also a meticulously designed causal game.
However.
Gu Qingfeng did not resent the Old Monk for this.
Just as he did not resent Yun Nichang, Feng Zhuyue, or Tang Hengheng, who had similarly laid causal games upon him.
To Gu Qingfeng, they were at best mere passersby in his life, nothing more.
Moreover, along this journey, whenever Gu Qingfeng fell into confusion, he would seek answers from the Old Monk. Although the Old Monk's words were always cryptic and profound, cloaked in mystery, and never truly illuminated Gu Qingfeng's path, they at least provided him with many inspirations.
Even if these so-called inspirations were perhaps causes deliberately planted by the Old Monk, aiming to reap a certain fruit from Gu Qingfeng.
As for what fruit.
Gu Qingfeng did not know, nor was he interested.
Because he simply did not care what causes the Old Monk planted on him, or what fruit he sought to obtain.
As long as it did not touch his bottom line, Gu Qingfeng generally couldn't be bothered.
After a moment, the Old Monk's deep, drawn-out voice, as if weathered by endless ages, sounded again.
"Layman Gu, it has been a long time."
"Long?"
Gu Qingfeng laughed. "I don't think so."
Ever since entering the Ancient Desolation Vortex, Gu Qingfeng had completely lost his sense of time. He had no idea how long had passed. It was even unknown whether time truly flowed within this Ancient Desolation Vortex. Perhaps ten years, a hundred years, millennia, or tens of thousands of years had passed in the Great Wasteland. Or perhaps only an instant had passed in the Great Wasteland. It was even possible that upon returning to the Great Wasteland, time would have reversed, and the Primordial Era might have just begun.
Gazing at the Primordial Chaos-like Nirvana Silence Space, Gu Qingfeng asked curiously, "Old Monk, there's something I'm puzzled about. Why was I able to see the contours of this place when I first entered, and even sense the Nirvana Silence Mountain and the temple upon it, yet this time I can sense nothing? The Nirvana Silence Space is like a formless chaos."
"Amitabha."
The Old Monk chanted a Buddhist phrase. "Congratulations, Layman Gu. Congratulations."
Hmm?
Gu Qingfeng was puzzled. "Congratulations for what? And congratulations for what? What is there to congratulate? I am unaware."
"Congratulations, Layman Gu, for your Mental State transcending the Ego. Congratulations, Layman Gu, for finding your Id."
Hearing this.
Gu Qingfeng grew even more bewildered. "This thing is related to Mental State? And what do you mean by 'transcending the Ego'? What does 'finding the Id' mean? How would I know if I've transcended my Ego or found my Id?"
"Amitabha. The three barriers of the Mental State."
"The first barrier: seeing a mountain as a mountain, seeing water as water."
"The second barrier: seeing a mountain not as a mountain, seeing water not as water."
"The third barrier: seeing a mountain still as a mountain, seeing water still as water."
"This Nirvana Silence Space was originally a Primordial Chaos. In your youth, Layman Gu, your Mental State was pure. Upon first entering, what you saw was a Primordial Chaos. As you experienced trials and tribulations, your Mental State was no longer pure but grew complex. What you saw was no longer a Primordial Chaos. What your heart thought, your eyes saw."
"Now, Layman Gu, your Mental State has transcended your Ego, returned to its origin, and found your Id. Naturally, you now see the Nirvana Silence Space in its original state."
"You mean... this change in my Mental State is a form of transcendence? And not only a transcendence of the Ego, but also finding the Id?"
"Precisely."
Gu Qingfeng was astonished and fell into contemplation.
This change in Mental State was accidental, completely unexpected. He had always believed it was the various conjectures that had stirred the deepest bottom line within him, causing his lost fighting spirit, beliefs, and even his drive to return. He had never considered it to be a transcendence of Mental State, much less a transcendence of the Ego and the finding of the Id.
What was the Id?
If Gu Qingfeng were to understand it, it was his original self, his true self, his primordial self—a pure self.
This purity was not innocence, nor was it purity of spirit, but rather a purity of nature or inherent character.
This purity was also different from the innate purity of youth.
Innate purity was an untainted purity untouched by worldly affairs. Rather than calling it purity, it was more like innocence.
But the current purity was more like a purity forged through the trials and tribulations of experience.
"So this is the so-called Id."
Gu Qingfeng murmured to himself. In an instant, it seemed as if he understood many, many things. The numerous doubts in his heart blossomed layer by layer like flowers.
His comprehension of the so-called Great Dao and the so-called Original Sin also deepened.
After an unknowable length of time.
Gu Qingfeng awoke from his epiphany and said sincerely, "Thank you, Old Monk, for guiding me out of my confusion."
"This old monk has never guided Layman Gu. Never."
"Ha! If you say you haven't, then you haven't."
Gu Qingfeng was overjoyed and couldn't help but laugh heartily.
Indeed.
The return of his fighting spirit, the revival of his Physical Body, and the awakening of Original Sin had already filled him with pleasant surprise. He never expected to have also transcended his Ego and found his Id. This delighted Gu Qingfeng even more.
If the earlier return of his fighting spirit had given him the confidence to suppress the consciousnesses of the three Original Sin Sons—the Avici Uninterrupted Evil Asura and the others—then now, having transcended his Ego and found his Id, his confidence was even more resolute.
No!
It was no longer just a matter of suppression.
He even had the confidence to dominate the consciousnesses of the three Original Sin Sons: the Avici Uninterrupted Evil Asura.
Previously.
When facing that nonsense Maha from Beyond the Great Dao, he felt neither weak nor afraid. Now, he already had the confidence to suppress Maha from Beyond the Great Dao.
Let alone Maha from Beyond the Great Dao, even if Genggu Wuming came now to devour his consciousness, he would feel neither weak nor afraid.
This was not arrogance, nor pride, nor conceit.
It was confidence.
A confidence belonging to the Id.
A belief as firm as bedrock.
"This old man's life has been one step into a pit, one foot into a scheme. Everywhere I went was a causal game. My entire life has been an illusion. Not only might I have to carry someone else's blame for a lifetime, but I might also have lived my whole life for someone else. Never did I think that at the end, I'd actually transcend my damn Ego and find my Id."
"Hahaha! How does that old saying go? A second bloom? Getting old and welcoming a second spring? Hahahaha!"
Gu Qingfeng was simply too happy.
Before.
Although he had laughed and talked, his spirit was incredibly empty, and he felt that living was meaningless. That feeling was very, very weary—an indescribable, inexplicable weariness. It was precisely because of this that he wanted to end it all as soon as possible.
But now, that indescribable, inexplicable feeling of weariness had inexplicably disappeared at some point. His empty spirit had become incredibly fulfilled, and living seemed full of challenges again.
One word.
Satisfying!
Two words.
Exhilarating!