Da Xing the Mad Monk's sigh was a sigh of reluctant parting for Gu Qingfeng, a sigh of pity for him.
It was a sigh of powerlessness, a sigh of the helplessness in his heart.
A sigh of the injustice of the Heavenly Dao, a sigh of the unfairness of fate.
A sigh of how Heaven and Earth are unkind, treating all beings as straw dogs; a sigh of how the multitudes are all mere chess pieces and ants.
He opened another jar of fine wine, raised it, and drank it down in one go.
"I say, Da Xing, isn't this a bit much?"
Gu Qingfeng felt torn between laughter and tears. "Damn it, the way you're drinking makes it seem like you're seeing me off."
"Consider it this old monk seeing you off, then. Come, have another jar."
"Go to hell!"
Gu Qingfeng waved a hand dismissively. "You're deliberately cursing me, aren't you?"
"Whether it's a curse or not, the result is the same anyway."
Da Xing the Mad Monk looked somewhat despondent, his face expressionless as he said, "However, this outcome isn't too bad for you, kid. It might even be a form of liberation. After all, you've always wanted to end all this. Now, it would fulfill your wish, leaving no regrets."
Da Xing the Mad Monk drank on his own, saying, "If you have any last wishes or any instructions, now's the time to tell this old monk. As long as I can do it, I'll definitely help you fulfill them. If I can't, I'll still try every possible means to do so."
"Last wishes and instructions? Damn it! You old bald donkey, you're really thinking of me, aren't you?"
Gu Qingfeng sneered. "If you want to die, I won't stop you. But I certainly don't want to die, nor do I plan on dying."
Hearing this, Da Xing the Mad Monk was first stunned, as if he hadn't expected Gu Qingfeng to say this, and exclaimed in surprise, "You don't want to die? If I heard correctly, haven't you always wanted to end all this as soon as possible? As long as it ends, you didn't care whether you lived or died. What, have you had a change of heart now?"
"That's right. I have indeed had a change of heart. Although it's a bit late, I've changed my mind after all. I don't want to die now, and I'm not in a hurry to end all this anymore."
Da Xing the Mad Monk was somewhat incredulous and asked, "Are you serious?"
"Of course."
"This…" Da Xing the Mad Monk frowned deeply, staring at Gu Qingfeng with incomprehension. He understood better than anyone that Gu Qingfeng's previous decision to end everything as soon as possible, regardless of life or death, wasn't just empty talk. That was truly what he felt in his heart and what he intended. How could this fellow suddenly change his mind for no reason?
Had this guy realized he was doomed this time and started to fear death?
Was that possible?
Obviously not.
This fellow Gu Qingfeng had not only transcended life and death but had also seen through the mundane world of red dust; he was empty of all four elements. Moreover, the word 'fear' had never existed in his personal dictionary. He simply wouldn't fear death.
If that was the case, then what exactly had made him change his mind?
He didn't know.
Da Xing the Mad Monk couldn't figure it out for the moment.
If it were before, learning that Gu Qingfeng had changed his mind would have excited and thrilled Da Xing the Mad Monk. But this time, he was neither excited nor thrilled. At most, he was just surprised. And after the surprise, he simply accepted it.
He said, "It's too late. Everything is too late. If you had made plans earlier, kid, there might have been hope. Even if you had made plans the moment before you were dragged in, as long as you hadn't been pulled into the space of this Ancient Wasteland Li Palace, there might still have been hope. But now… everything is too late."
"Too late?"
The corner of Gu Qingfeng's mouth curved into a faint smile. This smile wasn't one of leisurely ease, nor one of casual freedom. It was a smile of arrogance, of wickedness, of confidence, of absolute dominance. He said, "I don't think it's late at all. Not only is it not late, but it's actually just right."
"No! Kid Gu, you don't understand what this old monk means."
Da Xing the Mad Monk said, "The problem you're facing now isn't whether it's late or not, nor is it whether you want to die or not. It's…"
"It's what?"
"It's…" Da Xing the Mad Monk gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and said, "Alright, this old monk might as well tell you directly."
"What is it?"
"This old monk has divined that the changes in this Li Palace will affect the Original Sin Cataclysm. If this old monk can divine this, then those Original Sin Patriarchs and Great Dao Patriarchs must have divined it as well. Precisely because they have all divined this, they have all gathered here this time."
"Both the Original Sin faction and the Great Dao faction have been waiting. Waiting for celestial timing, waiting for terrestrial advantage, waiting for human harmony. And now, celestial timing, terrestrial advantage, and human harmony have all appeared. If they were waiting for fate, fate has now appeared. If they were waiting for the situation, the situation has appeared. If they were waiting for an omen, then the omen has appeared. Everything has appeared. All the signs indicate that you are doomed this time."
"Don't expect those Original Sin Patriarchs who secretly support you to take action. Once the tide of events turns, none of them will stand up for you, kid. They don't care whether you can ascend to become the True Lord of Original Sin. They only care about whether the Wu Dao Era can be opened. Who opens it is unimportant to them."
"Don't expect help from Genggu Wuming either. Even if you truly are her Incarnation of Causality, even if she steps forward to protect you, she won't be able to protect you this time. Moreover, judging from various circumstances, you might not be her Incarnation of Causality; you might be the Incarnation of Causality of Venerable Wu Dao."
"Don't expect Venerable Wu Dao to help you either. If you truly are his Incarnation of Causality, then all this might be a trap carefully laid by Genggu Wuming, with the goal of erasing you, this Incarnation of Causality of Venerable Wu Dao."
"This old monk has thought of many, many possibilities. No matter which possibility, you, kid, are doomed to die."
"Perhaps… this is your fate."
As soon as Da Xing the Mad Monk finished speaking, Gu Qingfeng laughed. "Sorry, but I've never believed in fate. I didn't believe in it before, I don't believe in it now, and I won't believe in it in the future."
"Kid Gu!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk shouted, "This old monk advises you to see things clearly. This isn't a matter of whether you believe it or not, nor whether you accept it or not. Even if you don't believe in fate and don't accept fate, you still can't change fate. If fate could be changed, it wouldn't be fate."
"Who says fate can't be changed? If you don't try, how would you know?"
Gu Qingfeng said with a light, dismissive laugh, "In my view, fate exists to be changed. What cannot be changed is called a law; what is changed is called fate. I was young before and didn't understand this principle. Now, I understand a little more."
Squinting his eyes, a smile playing on his lips, Gu Qingfeng looked at Da Xing the Mad Monk and said, "Da Xing, I don't know if you've ever seen someone change fate before. If you haven't, I'll let you broaden your horizons this time and gain some new insight."
With that,
Gu Qingfeng laughed heartily.