Before questioning Fusheng Dijun, Elder Tai of Xuantian had not only prepared for the worst outcome but also made the worst possible plans.
The result was much better than he had anticipated. Although he ultimately failed to gain Fusheng Dijun's support, it was a relief that the Great Dao Patriarchs who had been watching from the sidelines chose to step forward and support him. This brought Elder Tai considerable comfort.
He had thought matters would conclude here, but unexpectedly, Fusheng Dijun spoke again.
And he bluntly advised Elder Tai to terminate his plan, stating that Elder Tai's scheme would not only be of no help in protecting the Great Dao but would instead plunge everyone into an inescapable abyss.
These words instantly ignited the long-suppressed fury in Elder Tai's heart.
Fusheng Dijun's refusal to support him had already filled Elder Tai with intense resentment.
Now, Fusheng Dijun was saying his plan would lead everyone to ruin.
This meant Fusheng Dijun was not merely withholding support or opposing Elder Tai—he was outright negating him!
Consumed by rage, Elder Tai's face turned deathly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably. His eyes fixed fiercely on Fusheng Dijun, filled with such extreme anger that he seemed ready to tear Fusheng Dijun to pieces!
Elder Tai took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fury in his heart. Pointing at Fusheng Dijun, he shouted, "How preposterous!
You dare say this old man would lead everyone to ruin?"
"If I have offended in any way, I hope Elder Tai can forgive me."
Fusheng Dijun first bowed slightly, then cupped his hands in a gesture of apology to Elder Tai, adding, "And I ask Elder Tai and all the Patriarchs to grant me a little time to offer an explanation."
Had these words come from anyone else, no one would have paid them any mind or bothered to listen to the rambling.
But precisely because they came from Fusheng Dijun's mouth, they demanded careful consideration.
After all, Fusheng Dijun was Fusheng Dijun.
The hero of the Present-Ancient Era who had saved all living beings from peril, his work "Primordial Unity Great Dao" had brought immense benefit to the masses.
Although Fusheng Dijun's statement that he would only protect the Great Dao as he saw it had deeply disappointed the gathered Great Dao Patriarchs, everyone knew that Fusheng Dijun was not the type to selfishly disregard the safety of the Great Dao for personal gain.
As for what exactly the Great Dao in Fusheng Dijun's heart entailed, no one knew.
Why he did not support Elder Tai remained equally unknown.
And now, his claim that suppressing the Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts on You Di would lead everyone to ruin—this too was a mystery.
With so many doubts and questions, many Patriarchs longed for answers.
"Fusheng Dijun, why do you say suppressing the Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts on You Di will lead everyone to ruin?"
"Elder Tai's plan is clearly correct for the Great Dao. Why do you not support it?"
Before Elder Tai could speak, the various Great Dao Patriarchs stepped forward, voicing all the questions in their hearts.
Fusheng Dijun did not immediately answer their questions. Instead, he looked toward Gu Qingfeng.
At this moment, Gu Qingfeng still stood in the Void, letting himself go.
The Nine Forbidden Great Daos remained faintly visible, as if they might vanish into dust at any moment.
The incarnations of the three overlords—Abyssal Asura Without Interval, Ascending to the Azure and Descending to the Yellow Springs, and Heaven-Devouring, Earth-Swallowing Blood Glutton—were still distorted and blurred, as if they might dissipate like smoke at any time.
The pervading black and white smoke grew increasingly intense, while the mysterious breath of the Ancient Clan appeared and disappeared intermittently.
Nothing had changed much.
It seemed Gu Qingfeng was still struggling with the Ancient Clan member for control of his mind and spirit.
The Original Sin Patriarchs, led by Xuanming and Green Robe, watched with covetous eyes, but they only watched and did not act.
They were all scheming to seize the Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts of the Ancient Clan member. As long as those thoughts had not been released by Gu Qingfeng, none of them would make the first move.
This was true for the Original Sin Patriarchs, and the Great Dao Patriarchs were no exception.
Whether they genuinely wished only to suppress the Ancient Clan member to buy time for You Di to complete his release, or whether they, like the Original Sin Patriarchs, coveted the Ancient Clan member themselves, they all had to wait until the Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts of the Ancient Clan member were released by Gu Qingfeng. Even if their goal was truly just suppression, they still had to wait for those thoughts to emerge.
Unfortunately.
The Ancient Clan member had not appeared to this point; only its breath flickered intermittently.
Precisely because of this, the Original Sin Patriarchs waited, and the Great Dao Patriarchs waited as well.
Finally.
Fusheng Dijun spoke: "I am not acquainted with You Di. Before this, we had met only once."
"Whether You Di is the True Master of Original Sin recorded in the Book of Fate, I do not know."
"What impact his releasing himself will have on this calamity, I also do not know."
Fusheng Dijun did not answer their questions directly. Instead, he first stated what he did not know.
"This is a calamity whose answer no one knows. We are all lost within it, not knowing where the light lies, nor where hope resides. We do not know how to choose or how to protect the Great Dao. This is true for everyone, and I am no exception."
"Regarding the Great Dao, perhaps I do not know which choice is right, but I know which choices are wrong."
Hearing this, the gathered Patriarchs seemed to understand Fusheng Dijun's meaning. Someone asked, "Imperial Lord, are you saying we should not suppress the Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts on You Di? That doing so would lead to ruin?"
Fusheng Dijun nodded. "Indeed, that is so."
"But why would suppression lead to ruin?"
"If You Di has not released the Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts upon himself, and you act to suppress them, you will not be buying time for his release. You will only be preventing him from releasing himself."
"Imperial Lord, I believe you have misunderstood Elder Tai's meaning. Elder Tai said that if You Di can release himself, we absolutely will not intervene. If You Di cannot release himself, we can only forcibly suppress the Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts upon him first. This way, even if You Di awakens, having lost those thoughts, he would be like a tiger without teeth, posing little threat."
"We all believe Elder Tai's plan is entirely correct for the Great Dao—at least, for now."
"No!"
Fusheng Dijun's stern face remained exceptionally calm. "I have not misunderstood Elder Tai's meaning. Rather, all of you have misunderstood mine."
Hmm?
None of the Patriarchs present understood Fusheng Dijun's meaning.
"You simply cannot suppress the Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts upon You Di. The Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts of the three overlords—you cannot suppress them. The Divine Sense and Demonic Thoughts of the Ancient Clan member—you even less can suppress them. Forcible suppression will only prevent You Di from releasing himself. At that point, you will have angered not just You Di alone, but You Di transformed into the Abyssal Asura Without Interval, You Di transformed into the Heaven-Devouring, Earth-Swallowing Blood Glutton, You Di transformed into Ascending to the Azure and Descending to the Yellow Springs, and a You Di transformed into an Ancient Clan member…
You might even face a You Di transformed into the Nine Forbidden Great Daos…"