Although Cang Yan had placed her bet on Gu Qingfeng, hoping he would ascend as the True Lord of Original Sin and usher in the Daoless Age—and was even prepared, if necessary, to join Demon Emperor Xue He in assisting him to achieve that goal—even so, Cang Yan still did not hold high hopes for Gu Qingfeng. She felt the chance of the Daoless Age beginning was exceedingly slim.
This wasn't because there were too many figures scheming for the position of True Lord of Original Sin.
Nor was it because the heroes of the Great Dao would spare no cost to stop it.
These were external factors, tangible resistance one could see and touch. Though troublesome, they were ultimately just that.
Since ancient times, any problem that could be solved with strength was not truly a problem.
The real problems were those that could not be solved by strength alone.
Gu Qingfeng's enemies were not these external factors, but the internal ones.
Master schemers could lay out plots stretching from the Desolate Ancient Era all the way to the present, their designs interlocking link by link, layer upon layer, like a celestial net.
For example, Black Mountain Old Monster, Green Lantern Ghost Emperor, Old Monster Liao'e, and even Old Ancestor Green Robe were all masters of this art.
They each operated independently, crafting their own schemes, which were undoubtedly interwoven and layered.
However.
To someone like Cang Yan, the direct approach of scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin, as employed by Black Mountain Old Monster and others, might seem exceptionally clever—so clever as to inspire awe in others—but it wasn't necessarily that brilliant.
There were far too many experts plotting for the True Lord of Original Sin, and far too many schemes laid. All these various plots would ultimately become entangled and chaotic. When that happened, everyone's schemes would turn into a chaotic mess. The variables would become too great; one wrong step would lead to another, and the entire game would be lost.
A true master schemer would not directly plot for the True Lord of Original Sin. Instead, they would focus their schemes on a key point that influences the True Lord.
All signs indicated that Gu Qingfeng was precisely that key point influencing the True Lord of Original Sin.
Because of this, there were many who had laid schemes upon him.
For instance, the Avici Endless Evil Asura, the Boundless Azure Descent Yellow Springs, the Devour-Heaven-Earth Blood Glutton—their dormancy within Gu Qingfeng was no accident. They had undoubtedly placed their schemes upon him.
External factors could be resolved if one possessed sufficient strength. But these internal factors were useless no matter how powerful one was; moreover, outsiders couldn't intervene even if they wanted to help.
However.
There were also masters among masters whose schemes were even more brilliant than those of Avici Endless Asura and the others.
They would not lay schemes directly upon Gu Qingfeng himself, but upon his Karma.
For example, Yun Nishang, Mantufan, Su Hua, and Jun Xuanji—they had all laid schemes upon Gu Qingfeng's Karma.
The power of Karma was terrifying, more so than anyone could imagine.
It could alter a person's state of mind, change their attitude, even shift their thoughts. It was no exaggeration to say that even if Gu Qingfeng ultimately ascended as the True Lord of Original Sin, he might abandon it all for the sake of a certain Karma.
Masters laid schemes directly upon Gu Qingfeng.
Masters among masters laid schemes upon Gu Qingfeng's Karma.
And then there was a type of existence that could be called supreme masters. The schemes they laid were neither upon Gu Qingfeng himself, nor upon his Karma, because from the very beginning, Gu Qingfeng's existence might have been nothing more than a chess piece in their grand design.
For example, Genggu Wuming.
Cang Yan had long suspected that Gu Qingfeng's existence might be an Incarnation of Causality of Genggu Wuming.
Although Genggu Wuming had never admitted it, she had also never denied it.
Of course.
This was merely Cang Yan's suspicion. Perhaps Gu Qingfeng was not Genggu Wuming's Incarnation of Causality, but Venerable Wu Dao's. Or perhaps Gu Qingfeng was both Genggu Wuming's Incarnation of Causality and Venerable Wu Dao's.
Perhaps this was precisely the reason Genggu Wuming had decided to place a bet.
If Gu Qingfeng were solely Genggu Wuming's Incarnation of Causality, then she wouldn't need to bet at all. In a game where she was the only player, she had already won from the start.
If Gu Qingfeng were solely Venerable Wu Dao's Incarnation of Causality, Genggu Wuming wouldn't need to bet either, because she hadn't entered the game in the first place, so there was nothing to wager.
If Gu Qingfeng were both Genggu Wuming's Incarnation of Causality and Venerable Wu Dao's, then that would mean both Genggu Wuming and Venerable Wu Dao had entered the game, playing against each other from behind the scenes. That would constitute a true wager.
Moreover, in this gamble surrounding Gu Qingfeng, the players behind the scenes might not be limited to just Genggu Wuming and Venerable Wu Dao. Perhaps there were others, such as the divine sense demonic thought of that Maha Ancient clansman within Gu Qingfeng, as well as the master who taught Gu Qingfeng about human nature in the past, the Great Master who taught him Buddhist teachings, and the Elder Master who taught him principles. After planting their Karma upon Gu Qingfeng, all these existences had vanished without a trace, never to appear again.
Cang Yan clearly remembered Genggu Wuming saying that whether it was the master who taught Gu Qingfeng human nature, the Great Master who taught him Buddhist teachings, or the Elder Master who taught him principles, their existences were all among the greatest in heaven and earth across all ages.
Some laid schemes upon Gu Qingfeng for the sake of the Daoless Age.
Others laid schemes upon Gu Qingfeng for the sake of the Great Dao and the world.
And still others laid schemes perhaps for neither the Daoless Age nor the Great Dao world.
This was the fundamental reason Cang Yan did not hold high hopes for Gu Qingfeng.
Because far too many terrifying existences had laid their schemes upon him.
Right now, these so-called schemes hadn't yet affected Gu Qingfeng because the time was not ripe. Once the moment arrived, all the schemes and hidden dangers would surface. By then, even if Gu Qingfeng were a God, he would likely be at the mercy of others.
Behind this chess piece were far too many players, each of whose existence could be called the greatest in heaven and earth across all ages.
Cang Yan had not spoken these words to Demon Emperor Xue He. It wasn't because she feared dampening his confidence, but because she knew even if she said them, Demon Emperor Xue He would not change his mind. He would still spare no cost to assist Gu Qingfeng in ushering in the Daoless Age.
That was Demon Emperor Xue He. Once he set his mind on something, no difficulty could make him change course. It didn't matter if the chance of victory was exceedingly slim; even if there were no hope of winning at all, Demon Emperor Xue He would still take that gamble.
Gazing at Gu Qingfeng chatting and drinking wine atop the Solitary Peak, Cang Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Sometimes, she truly admired Gu Qingfeng.
She felt that perhaps Gu Qingfeng hadn't known in the past that many of the most terrifying, supreme existences of heaven and earth had laid schemes upon him, but he must know now. Even if he didn't, he must have sensed it.
Yet despite this, this fellow still acted as if nothing was wrong, eating and drinking as usual, laughing when he wanted, doing whatever he pleased, as if everything happening now had nothing to do with him. He was like an outsider, enjoying fine wine and watching the spectacle.
This left Cang Yan, who already didn't hold high hopes for him, feeling utterly helpless.
If she could, she really wanted to rush over and give this fellow a good lesson, to make him adopt a more serious and earnest attitude, to not be so indifferent and nonchalant. Even putting on a show of being serious would be better; at least then, those who had pinned their hopes on him wouldn't feel so utterly despairing.