"Tang Hengxi, that little lady, is too formidable. Not only does she know your attitude toward fate, she also knows about the return of your fighting spirit, the revival of your physical body, the awakening of your Id... and now, damn it, she even knows exactly what's on your mind and what you intend to do. It's just...
Just too terrifying!"
On the Solitary Peak.
Da Xing the Mad Monk grew more and more horrified the more he listened. He knew that since Empress Wuyue could graft her karma onto Gu Qingfeng, her existence must be beyond imagination. Only now did he realize that Empress Wuyue's existence wasn't merely beyond imagination—it was utterly unimaginable.
Watching Empress Wuyue approach the Li Palace Vortex step by step, Da Xing the Mad Monk said, "That little lady Tang Hengxi suddenly appears and publicly broadcasts all your secrets to the world. What scheme is she really plotting?"
"Could it be to warn the Great Dao side, to make them tread carefully?"
After thinking it over, Da Xing felt this was unlikely. Even if Empress Wuyue truly wanted to warn the Great Dao and make them cautious, there was no need to announce it publicly like this. More importantly, the Li Palace's primordial source could surface at any moment. Warning them at this critical juncture was meaningless.
Whether Gu Qingfeng accepted fate or not, whether his fighting spirit had returned, whether his physical body had revived, whether his Id had awakened, or even whether Gu Qingfeng would seek revenge on them—once it was confirmed that Gu Qingfeng was the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, both the Great Dao and Original Sin would spare no effort to eradicate him.
If Empress Wuyue's action wasn't to warn the Great Dao, then what was it for?
Could it be to warn Gu Qingfeng?
To make Gu Qingfeng understand that she knew exactly what was on his mind?
To tell Gu Qingfeng not to struggle pointlessly?
However.
Da Xing felt that since Empress Wuyue knew Gu Qingfeng's thoughts, she must also know that no matter how she warned him, Gu Qingfeng would not give up.
Just as Empress Wuyue had said earlier, Gu Qingfeng, having awakened his Id, no longer cared whether he was the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, nor did he care whether this calamity of Original Sin would end. He only wanted to seek justice for himself, for his illusory life.
After pondering back and forth, Da Xing couldn't figure out what scheme Empress Wuyue was plotting. He said, "Kid Gu, you must be careful. That woman Tang Hengxi is playing some game, and we don't know what it is."
Beside him.
Gu Qingfeng had been staring intently at Empress Wuyue within the scene. His brows furrowed deeper and deeper, his expression grew increasingly solemn, and his eyes held a trace of helplessness. Beyond helplessness, there was more bewilderment, more confusion.
Slowly closing his eyes, Gu Qingfeng took a deep breath and said, "Too late..."
"What's too late?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk was startled and confused. "What do you mean? What exactly is too late?"
"I, your lord, have still fallen into her trap after all. Karma is truly terrifying..."
"Fallen into her trap? You mean Tang Hengxi?"
Da Xing was shocked. "What trap of hers have you fallen into? Could it be that the karmic seed Tang Hengxi planted on you has started to take effect?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head and did not respond.
To be honest.
He didn't know whether the karmic seed Tang Hengxi had planted on him had started to take effect.
Perhaps it had. Perhaps it hadn't.
Gu Qingfeng didn't know.
He didn't even know for sure if he had fallen into Tang Hengxi's trap.
The only thing he knew was that he was now lost and bewildered.
Earlier.
He had indeed been prepared to seek justice for his illusory life, regardless of whether he was the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate.
That was what he thought, and what he intended to do.
But after Tang Hengxi appeared, this resolve inexplicably began to waver.
The reason for the wavering wasn't that Tang Hengxi had made his secrets public to the world—he didn't care about that at all.
It was because, in a sudden moment, he seemed to understand something.
Namely, was seeking justice for his illusory life truly his own idea, or was it an idea influenced by some karmic seed?
Gu Qingfeng felt it seemed like his own idea, yet also felt it might be an idea influenced by some karmic seed.
In the depths of his soul, he had a feeling.
A feeling that if he sought justice for his illusory life, it would be part of someone else's scheme.
At the same time, he had another feeling—a feeling that if he didn't seek justice, that would also be part of someone else's scheme.
Gu Qingfeng's heart was in chaos now.
A complete mess.
He didn't know whether the thoughts emerging in his heart were truly his own or influenced by karmic seeds.
He even began to doubt whether the self that had awakened its Id was still himself.
Truly.
He truly harbored this doubt.
Before, he didn't understand.
He didn't understand why Jun Xuanji, Yun Nishang, and the others had lost themselves.
Now he understood.
Not only did he understand, but he also deeply felt it.
Because at this very moment, he himself was beginning to lose himself.
Think about it: if you can't even be sure whether the thoughts in your heart are your own, how can you not be lost?
What is the Id?
The original self?
What does 'original self' mean?
Is the original self still the true self?
If not, then where is the true self?
Gu Qingfeng had always thought he understood. Only now did he realize that he had never understood from the very beginning.
He finally understood why countless great beings throughout history would stop at nothing to seek the True Self.
"Illusion...
All is illusion...
Everything is illusion."
"All phenomena are illusory..."
For no reason.
Gu Qingfeng remembered the shouts transmitted from the Dao-less Mountain within the Primordial Ancient Black Hole.
"As long as Karma does not die, Original Sin will not cease!
As long as Fate does not rest, Original Sin will not perish; as long as the Great Dao does not fall, the Dao-less will not open!
As long as Heaven and Earth do not die, the Universe will not emerge; as long as Illusion is not broken, Truth and Falsehood will not be clear!"
"What is true?"
"What is false?"
"Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth..."
"Sigh!"
Gu Qingfeng couldn't help but heave a sigh.
Beside him, Da Xing the Mad Monk was burning with anxiety, vaguely sensing that Gu Qingfeng seemed to have been influenced by Tang Hengxi. "Kid Gu, what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing much."
Gu Qingfeng opened his eyes, tilted his head back, and took a swig of wine, replying nonchalantly, "Just suddenly lost myself, that's all."
Hearing this.
Da Xing the Mad Monk froze on the spot. It took him a long while to come back to his senses. He asked in disbelief, "You said you're lost? How is that possible? How could you suddenly be lost when everything was fine? Is that woman Tang Hengxi really that formidable? Did a few words from her make you lose yourself?"
"So you see, there are some things you just have to admit defeat."
Gu Qingfeng said with a smile, "This fate... sometimes you just have to accept it."
"You've accepted fate again? Damn it...
What the hell is going on? Why do you keep changing your mind?"
"Keep changing my mind? Well said. Very well said. I just don't know if the mind that keeps changing is my own mind, or not my own mind."