Sowing chaos is also a form of layout.
To disrupt others' schemes is to lay the groundwork for one's own.
What others seek in their layouts is stability; the more stable the situation, the more advantageous it is for them.
What Old Ancestor Green Robe seeks in his layout is chaos; the more chaotic the situation, the more advantageous it is for him.
However.
The chaos ignited by Taiji Boundless was highly likely to disrupt the very chaos Old Ancestor Green Robe had meticulously cultivated after breaking his previous layout, making everything even more tumultuous.
This was the last thing Old Ancestor Green Robe wanted to see.
More importantly.
The emergence of Taiji Boundless would not only plunge the situation into chaos but also render the changes within the Li Palace even more unpredictable.
As was widely known.
The changes occurring within the Li Palace this time would affect the Original Sin Cataclysm.
The problem was, no one knew exactly what these so-called 'changes within the Li Palace' referred to.
Most suspected these changes might be related to Gu Qingfeng, and all their schemes were targeted at him.
Now, with Taiji Boundless appearing abruptly and without warning, many Original Sin Patriarchs felt their confidence shaken. Before this, almost everyone believed Gu Qingfeng was the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, and all signs seemed to point in that direction. But with the emergence of Taiji Boundless, it was no longer certain that Gu Qingfeng was the True Lord of Original Sin foretold in the Book of Fate.
Admittedly.
Gu Qingfeng was hailed as the greatest anomaly of Original Sin in all of history.
Yet, when this so-called greatest anomaly of Original Sin encountered the fate-defying Taiji Boundless, its significance was inevitably somewhat diminished.
It was no exaggeration to say that if the Warrior Emperor Wuzang twins had achieved Taiji Boundless back during the Primordial Nine Palaces era, everyone would likely have believed Taiji Boundless was the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, and many Original Sin Patriarchs might have chosen to support Taiji Boundless instead.
The reason was simple.
The significance represented by the words 'Taiji Boundless' was far too immense.
The fusion of Yin and Yang, the auspicious union of dragon and phoenix, the mutual integration of dark and light—it was both a destined response to the tribulation and an anomaly of Original Sin. One could say Taiji Boundless was the most perfect existence in all of history, bar none!
Yes.
Bar none.
More perfect than any other existence; calling it the pinnacle of all ages would not be an exaggeration.
In everyone's minds, if Original Sin were to choose a True Lord from among the myriad living beings, it would inevitably choose the most perfect one. At the very least, if others were in the position of the Unrighteous Lord, they would do the same.
It was akin to seizing a body for rebirth; everyone wanted to seize a perfect physical vessel.
Gu Qingfeng's existence was undoubtedly formidable. Not to mention his profound Original Sin attainments, his body was considered indestructible, and he dominated various forbidden Great Daos. Beyond that, there was nothing else. Even if one spoke of heaven and earth, he was, at best, merely an anomaly of Original Sin. Even if he was the greatest anomaly of Original Sin, he remained just that—an anomaly. Compared to Taiji Boundless, which represented the fusion of Yin and Yang, the auspicious union of dragon and phoenix, the mutual integration of dark and light, and was both a destined tribulation responder and an anomaly of Original Sin, the difference was vast. One could say there was simply no comparison.
No matter how powerful the attainments, how peerless the innate talent, or how exceptional the comprehension, they would all pale into insignificance before Taiji Boundless, becoming utterly worthless.
Upon Blackwater Mountain.
The old beggar gazed at the hermaphroditic Yin-Yang entity and muttered, "Truly, plans can't keep up with changes, and human calculations are no match for heaven's will. I've calculated and recalculated, but I never could have calculated that at this critical juncture, a damned Taiji Boundless would pop out. It's simply too unbelievable."
"Blackwater Empress, did you manage to deduce the emergence of Taiji Boundless?"
The old beggar's voice carried over. Blackwater Empress was also staring intently at the hermaphroditic Yin-Yang entity. After a moment, she slowly shook her head and said, "Taiji Boundless is inherently unpredictable by fate. How could I have deduced it?"
"Good heavens!
So you didn't expect them to achieve Taiji Boundless either?"
The old beggar swallowed hard, first glancing at Gu Qingfeng atop the solitary peak, then looking back at the hermaphroditic Yin-Yang entity. "This time, we couldn't possibly have backed the wrong horse or bet on the wrong person, could we?
Looking from every angle, no matter how I see it, Taiji Boundless seems to have a far greater hope of ascending as the True Lord of Original Sin than that kid surnamed Gu."
Blackwater Empress responded coldly, "If you believe you've backed the wrong horse and bet on the wrong person, it's not too late to switch sides now."
"That's not what I mean. I just can't wrap my head around why a perfectly good situation would suddenly spawn a damned Taiji Boundless."
Indeed.
The old beggar couldn't understand. More than that, he desperately wanted to figure out what the sudden emergence of Taiji Boundless at this critical moment truly signified, what impact it would have on the Original Sin Cataclysm, or what lay behind Taiji Boundless.
"You can't understand, and neither can I."
Blackwater Empress whispered softly, as if talking to herself. "Who could possibly understand…
I'm afraid no one can."
Meanwhile.
On a solitary peak.
Gu Qingfeng had been watching the hermaphroditic Yin-Yang entity all along.
He had heard Da Xing the Mad Monk mention the Warrior Emperor Wuzang twins before, knowing they were cultivated by those old Immortal Sovereigns of the Xuantian Immortal Path who guarded the source of the Immortal Dao.
As for the legend of Taiji Boundless, he had also heard Da Xing the Mad Monk speak of it more than once. Seeing the twins truly achieve this ancient forbidden legend, Gu Qingfeng's inner surprise was also considerable.
However.
Beyond surprise, there was also an indescribable, complicated train of thought.
At that moment.
Da Xing the Mad Monk said, "Kid Gu, this old monk remembers you once said you suspected you might be a Karma Incarnation of the Unrighteous Lord, and that the purpose of your existence as this Karma Incarnation was not to ascend as the True Lord of Original Sin, but to serve as a decoy, a false front. The aim was to make those Great Daos mistakenly believe you were the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, so they would all come after you, thereby protecting the genuine True Lord of Original Sin."
"When you first said these words, this old monk didn't quite believe them. But now…
With Taiji Boundless popping up like this, this old monk feels it's very likely true. Let me say something you might not like to hear: the existence of Taiji Boundless is far more inconceivable than yours, kid. It is truly deserving of the title 'Pinnacle of Heaven and Earth,' peerless throughout history. If this old monk were the Unrighteous Lord, I would definitely choose Taiji Boundless to become the True Lord of Original Sin."
"The more I think about it now, the more likely it seems."
"Ever since you, kid, appeared, everyone believed you were the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate. The Patriarchs of the Great Daos watched you, and the Patriarchs of Original Sin watched you too. Whether they were guarding the Great Daos of Heaven and Earth or scheming for the True Lord of Original Sin, they all regarded you as their number one enemy. If this old monk's guess is correct, all the schemes they've laid are targeted at you."
"You've borne all the sins, carried all the evils, and shouldered all the blame. Now, everyone knows the changes within the Li Palace will affect the Original Sin Cataclysm. And at this critical juncture, a Taiji Boundless just happens to emerge. This old monk dares say, not only did Black Mountain Old Monster and the others fail to anticipate this, but even Genggu Wuming, hailed as a Karma Incarnation and Fate's Emissary, probably never imagined Taiji Boundless would appear."
"Those Patriarchs of the Great Daos, and the Patriarchs of Original Sin alike, have already laid their schemes. Some have even laid traps on your person, even within your karma. In the end, if the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate turns out not to be you, kid, but Taiji Boundless, then by the time they try to deal with Taiji Boundless, it will be far too late."