Old Beggar knew that if anyone could understand the chess game of this Original Sin Calamity, then Lady Blackwater was definitely one of them.
This was the fundamental reason why he had been shamelessly following Lady Blackwater all along.
He did not hope to win this chess game by following Lady Blackwater, nor did he even hope that Lady Blackwater would bring him into the game. He only wished that when he was confused, Lady Blackwater could, more or less, clear up a few of his doubts.
Unfortunately, in the face of Old Beggar's doubts, Lady Blackwater had never responded directly, and this time was no exception.
When Old Beggar asked why Lady Blackwater did not take action to stop it, Lady Blackwater acted as if she hadn't heard and paid him no mind.
However.
Old Beggar did not give up. Steeling his heart, he voiced the deepest doubts in his heart: "Empress Wuyue suddenly changing her attitude—there must be something fishy about it, right?"
"The purpose of Empress Wuyue planting a Karmic Seed in You Di back then wasn't to force that kid onto the dead-end path of losing himself, but to force You Di onto the path of no return of Letting Go of Himself, right?"
"Everything she did before was an act, was part of a scheme, right?"
All to step by step force You Di onto the path of no return of Letting Go of Himself, right?"
"Every scheme she laid was to make You Di believe that Letting Go of Himself was his own choice, and not influenced by the Karmic Seed, right?"
"Making You Di Let Go of Himself is not only Empress Wuyue's goal, but also the true goal of many existences...
This includes you, Lady Blackwater, right?"
Old Beggar poured out all the suspicions in his heart in one go. At first, Lady Blackwater paid him no mind, but when Old Beggar said it included Lady Blackwater, she suddenly turned her head to look at him, then inexplicably smiled.
"Heh heh."
Lady Blackwater's smile was complex.
It seemed like a smile of surprise, perhaps not expecting Old Beggar to see so deeply.
Mixed within the surprise was also mockery, as if mocking Old Beggar for being clever but only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Old Beggar couldn't understand Lady Blackwater's smile. "What are you laughing at!"
Lady Blackwater still did not directly answer Old Beggar's question. Instead, she asked in return: "You just asked me why I didn't take action to stop You Di from Letting Go of Himself."
"That's right!"
Lady Blackwater said: "I also asked you why you didn't take action to stop it."
Old Beggar was confused by Lady Blackwater's question. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Actually, my answer is the same as yours. The reason you didn't take action to stop it is the same reason I didn't take action to stop it."
Old Beggar exclaimed in shock: "How is that possible!"
"Nothing is impossible."
Lady Blackwater said softly: "This Original Sin Calamity is both a chess game and a mountain range—a mountain range whose peak cannot be seen. When we stand at the foot of the mountain, looking up at the summit, we think that is the peak. When we step onto that summit, we realize we have only stepped onto what we thought was the peak."
"We continue looking up, thinking that is the peak. When we step onto that summit again, we realize we have still only stepped onto what we thought was the peak."
"Look up at the peak again, step onto the summit again—it is still what we thought was the peak..."
"Just like the chess game of this Original Sin Calamity, we think we have seen through this game, but when you truly see through it, you discover that what you have seen through is merely the tip of the iceberg, a drop in the ocean, or perhaps even just a small layout within the game itself."
"When we break out of one layout, when we again think we have seen through the game, you will find that what you have seen through is still the tip of the iceberg, still a drop in the ocean, still just another layout within this game."
"This Original Sin Calamity is both a mountain range with an unseen peak and a chess game you can never fully decipher. Above one peak is another peak; within one game is another game, as if there are endless peaks, endless games."
"You are like this, and so am I. All existences throughout the ages of heaven and earth are no exception."
"The only difference is, some stand on the first peak, some on the second, some on the third...
You are within his layout, he is within someone else's layout, and that someone else is within yet another's layout..."
Having said this.
Lady Blackwater looked at Empress Wuyue, who had transformed into mysterious starlight enveloping Gu Qingfeng, and said: "As for the true purpose of her planting a Karmic Seed in You Di back then, I do not know. Not only do I not know, I'm afraid even Wuyue herself does not know."
As Lady Blackwater spoke, her expression was filled with bewilderment, her eyes with hesitation. She softly murmured, repeating the words she had just said: "This Original Sin Calamity is both a mountain range with an unseen peak and a chess game you can never fully decipher. Above one peak is another peak; within one game is another game, as if there are endless peaks, as if there are endless games."
She paused, then added: "The higher the peak you stand on, the more lost you become. The deeper the game you decipher, the more hesitant you grow."
"When you begin to feel lost, when you begin to hesitate, it means you have already begun to lose your way."
"The more lost and hesitant you are, the deeper you sink on this path of losing your way. The deeper you sink, the more you..."
For some reason, Lady Blackwater did not continue.
Old Beggar pressed: "The deeper you sink, the more what?"
"The more illusory it becomes."
Lady Blackwater took a deep breath, then closed her eyes, murmuring: "All phenomena are illusory...
This Original Sin Calamity...
is it truly a calamity?"
After hearing Lady Blackwater's words, Old Beggar was utterly dumbfounded. His expression turned vacant, his gaze distant.
Within the scene.
The nine Forbidden Great Daos were still like nine evil dragons churning the seas and raising storms within the pervading black smoke, growing increasingly frenzied.
At the same time.
The three overlords—Avici Uninterrupted Evil Asura within the hellish vision, Reaching Heaven and Descending to Yellow Springs within the purgatorial vision, and Heaven-Devouring Earth-Swallowing Blood Taotie within the abyssal vision—were also growing increasingly ferocious. Their manifestations twisted and blurred, ethereal and flickering.
It was clear that the three overlords were engaged in a tug-of-war with Gu Qingfeng.
Gu Qingfeng was determined to Let Go of them.
And the three overlords were stubbornly clinging to Gu Qingfeng, refusing to let go.
This was a contest of wills.
To be precise, a test of will.
A test of Gu Qingfeng's will.
As long as his will remained firm as a rock, Letting Go of the three overlords was only a matter of time. If his will was not firm enough, the three overlords returning was also only a matter of time.
Right at that moment.
The Li Palace space suddenly underwent an abnormal change.
Billowing Original Sin aura swept in from all directions like raging tidal waves. The Original Sin aura not only contained powerful Original Sin might but also powerful Original Sin spirit.