No one knew why Gu Qingfeng suddenly burst into loud laughter. Everyone was on edge, their nerves taut, praying that Gu Qingfeng would not make a move against them.
"Do not panic, everyone. I was merely joking."
Gu Qingfeng's voice came through, causing the patriarchs present to exchange glances, their faces alternating between green and pale, their expressions as complex as could be—filled with anger, frustration, relief, and lingering fear.
They had all thought he would truly act, never imagining it was just a joke?
For a moment, everyone was bewildered.
If Gu Qingfeng had actually made a move, even though none of them knew how to respond, they could have understood it. After all, if any of them were in Gu Qingfeng's place, they would have acted at this moment. As the saying goes, the one who strikes first gains the advantage, while the one who strikes later suffers. If they waited until after the Li Palace's Source emerged to act, it would be too late—they might be instantly obliterated before they could even make a move.
Yet, Gu Qingfeng did not act. He was only joking.
The assembled patriarchs found this incomprehensible and could not guess what scheme Gu Qingfeng was plotting. Or perhaps the appearance of Empress Wuyue, Tang Hengheng, had already caused him to lose himself.
They did not know.
No one knew.
Gu Qingfeng drifted through the void, walking toward the Li Palace's Source, and said, "There is one matter I have never been able to understand. Why are you all so certain that the Li Palace's Source will emerge? Why are you so certain that it contains the Spirit of Original Sin? Why are you so certain that whoever is closely connected to the Spirit of Original Sin must be the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate?
Is it all based on some divination regarding the changes in the Li Palace?"
The facts were exactly as Gu Qingfeng said.
Whether it was the emergence of the Li Palace's Source, the Spirit of Original Sin within it, or the so-called close connection, all of it stemmed from a single divination.
A divination that everyone knew: the changes in the Li Palace would affect this Original Sin Cataclysm.
To be honest.
As for whether the changes in the Li Palace divined referred specifically to the Li Palace's Source, no one could guarantee it.
Many believed that the so-called changes in the Li Palace divined referred to the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate—either being obliterated or changing hands.
Only if the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate was obliterated or changed hands could the so-called changes in the Li Palace affect this Original Sin Cataclysm.
Everyone also believed that Gu Qingfeng might be the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate. Therefore, they all thought that after the Li Palace's Source emerged, the Spirit of Original Sin contained within would inevitably be closely connected to Gu Qingfeng. At that time, the Great Dao and Original Sin would join forces to obliterate him. This was the so-called change in the Li Palace.
Of course.
This was merely the speculation of many. No one knew what exactly the divined changes in the Li Palace referred to.
At that moment.
Suddenly, someone spoke up: "They are all wrong..." Hmm?
The crowd looked over. The speaker was none other than Empress Wuyue, Tang Hengheng.
Gu Qingfeng halted and glanced at her, asking, "Wrong about what?"
"They do not know, but could it be that you do not know either?"
Gu Qingfeng smiled faintly and shook his head. "I truly do not know."
"Heh."
Empress Wuyue let out a derisive laugh, as if mocking Gu Qingfeng. After a moment, she said, "Must I say it outright?"
Gu Qingfeng shrugged. "What harm is there in saying it?"
"As you wish."
Empress Wuyue said, "The Li Palace's Source will indeed emerge, and it does contain the Spirit of Original Sin. However..." She changed her tone and continued, "The Spirit of Original Sin contained within will not be closely connected to anyone, and it certainly cannot prove who the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate is."
Empress Wuyue's words caused a stir of doubt and suspicion among the many patriarchs present.
They were all pondering the truth of Empress Wuyue's statement.
They also pondered: if the emergence of the Li Palace's Source could not prove who the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate was, then was the divined change in the Li Palace that everyone had deduced actually wrong?
Divination could indeed be wrong.
However.
One person might have divined incorrectly, two people might have divined incorrectly, but surely not everyone had divined incorrectly.
Or perhaps the change in the Li Palace that everyone had divined did not refer to the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate.
But if it was not the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, then it could not affect this Original Sin Cataclysm, could it?
Empress Wuyue seemed to know the doubts in the patriarchs' hearts. She said, "The change in the Li Palace that you all divined is not wrong. However, this change does not refer to the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, but to him!"
Although Empress Wuyue did not name names, everyone knew that the "him" she referred to was Gu Qingfeng.
"The Li Palace is merely one of the Nine Palaces of the Ancient Era, no different from the other eight. The reason the Li Palace is so special is solely because he is in the Li Palace, nothing more."
"He is a variable of Original Sin, and the greatest variable of Original Sin at that. His existence is ethereal and elusive, his causality erroneous, his fate indeterminate. It is impossible to divine how his changes will affect the Original Sin Cataclysm."
"However, you can divine the changes in the Li Palace where he resides. In other words, the change in the Li Palace that you divined is his change."
"His changes have always been affecting this Original Sin Cataclysm. The reason you did not divine this is not because he is the greatest variable of Original Sin, but because before this, he had never undergone any change."
"After entering the Li Palace, he awakened his True Self. His state of mind changed, his attitude changed. His changes are now affecting this Original Sin Cataclysm."
"This is the so-called change in the Li Palace that you divined!"
As Empress Wuyue's words fell, the entire Li Palace space fell into dead silence.
It must be said that Empress Wuyue's words shattered the understanding of most patriarchs present.
Previously.
Everyone believed that the change in the Li Palace referred to the emergence of the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate after the Source emerged—either everyone joining forces to obliterate him, or the True Lord of Original Sin changing hands—thereby affecting this Original Sin Cataclysm. This was how everyone had prepared and laid their plans.
Now, Empress Wuyue suddenly said that the change in the Li Palace that everyone had divined actually did not refer to the change in the Li Palace at all, but to Gu Qingfeng's change.
Was this true?
Unclear.
No one knew whether it was true or false.
Upon careful thought, Empress Wuyue's words were not without reason. At the very least, many patriarchs present could not refute them and did not know whether to believe them or not.
"Heh heh! Empress Wuyue."
Old Ancestor Green Robe stepped forward at this moment and asked, "Are you trying to tell us that the Nine Nethers Emperor is the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate?"
"Heh."
Empress Wuyue smiled without answering.
"Heh heh heh heh! If what you say is true, and the Nine Nethers Emperor's changes can affect this Original Sin Cataclysm, then if he is not the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, who could he be? I'm afraid only the True Lord of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate could have changes that affect this cataclysm, right?"