Every single Ancestral Patriarch present, whether of the Great Dao or Original Sin, was an old fox of the highest order, each boasting extraordinary experience and profound insight.
Though they all coveted the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords of the Deep Abyss upon Gu Qingfeng's person, and desired to claim them for themselves...
Desire was one thing.
None possessed absolute confidence or certainty that they could truly make the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords their own.
If Gu Qingfeng had already released the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords, the matter would be simple—one could just make a move and fight for them. After seizing them, they could be fused into one's own being, transforming into a personal fortune. Many patriarchs present had experience in this regard; quite a few had even fused with other divine sense and demonic thoughts before.
The problem was that the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords remained tenuously connected to Gu Qingfeng's mind and spirit. Under these circumstances, there were only two methods to covet them.
The first: forcibly sever the lingering thread of divine sense connecting the Three Lords and Gu Qingfeng.
The second: take them by brute force—do not sever the thread of divine sense, but forcibly fuse the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords into oneself.
Both methods were exceedingly difficult.
Starting with the first.
Leaving aside whether one could even sever the thread of divine sense between the Three Lords and Gu Qingfeng, even if it were possible, how would one do it? And who would do it?
If one exhausted all strength to go and sever it, they would undoubtedly face the joint assault of Lady Wuyue, Da Xing the Mad Monk, and the others. Furthermore, they might enrage the Three Lords themselves. The dangers were immense. Even worse:
After risking life and limb to sever the thread of divine sense, what if other lurking patriarchs seized the opportunity to snatch away the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords? Wouldn't that be merely preparing the bridal chamber for another?
The second method, taking them by brute force and directly fusing the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords into oneself, was even more difficult. The fusion process required complete concentration; the slightest lapse could trigger a backlash from the Three Lords. At that point, forget about fusing their divine sense and demonic thoughts—one's own consciousness might be directly devoured.
Moreover, during the forced fusion, other patriarchs would definitely not stand idly by, nor would they watch helplessly as anyone fused the Three Lords' divine sense and demonic thoughts into themselves. They would surely intervene. Thus, who could possibly concentrate on fusing the Three Lords while under the siege of all the patriarchs?
It was likely one wouldn't even have a chance to concentrate. The moment one attempted to forcibly fuse the Three Lords, they would become the target of all, annihilated by the combined efforts of every patriarch.
Precisely because of this,
many patriarchs within the scene had not made a move.
Those who had acted were either 'all thunder and no rain,' or engaged in minor skirmishes, creating the illusion of action to trick other patriarchs into making a move, so they could fish in troubled waters.
Everyone wanted to obtain the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords, but no one wanted to toil away only to prepare the bridal chamber for another. Whether Great Dao patriarchs or Original Sin patriarchs, all were calculating their own schemes, simultaneously building momentum, laying out plans, and guarding against other patriarchs.
Of course,
they all shared a very tacit plan.
That was to use minor skirmishes to tie down Lady Wuyue, Da Xing the Mad Monk, and the others guarding Gu Qingfeng.
If possible, they naturally also wished to directly annihilate Lady Wuyue and these existences. However, those guarding Gu Qingfeng were no ordinary beings. No one had confidence they could annihilate them in a short time, nor was anyone willing to devote all their effort to dealing with Gu Qingfeng's guardians.
Every patriarch present understood that only by tying down Lady Wuyue, Da Xing the Mad Monk, and these existences would there be an opportunity to covet the divine sense and demonic thoughts of the Three Lords.
Clearly, their plan had succeeded.
The attacks unleashed and the commotion stirred, while incapable of harming Lady Wuyue and the others, had at least left them with no spare capacity to divide their attention.
For all the patriarchs present, this was absolutely the best opportunity to act.
Especially for those patriarchs who had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance.
Patriarch Green Robe and Patriarch Xuanming were among them.
Earlier,
Patriarch Xuanming had been hiding in the dark void, stirring up commotion both large and small, with the aim of inciting the patriarchs to act, thereby tying down Lady Wuyue and the others.
Now that the preliminary objective had been achieved, Green Robe and Xuanming decided to incite even more patriarchs to act, proceeding to the next phase of their plan.
"Everyone! Lady Wuyue and the others are fully occupied! This is our chance to strike! There's no need to hesitate any longer!"
Patriarch Green Robe shouted fiercely, emerald light blazing like flame around his body. He leaped into the air, intending to lead by example and be the first to act.
However,
at the very moment he leaped, he suddenly sensed something amiss, as if he had plummeted into boundless darkness in an instant. Immediately after, a vast, violent, and overwhelmingly tyrannical demonic aura came crashing down from above.
Patriarch Green Robe looked up and instantly paled in fright.
A man had appeared directly before him at some unknown time.
The man wore black robes, his long hair loose. His figure was tall and straight, his countenance cold and stern like a knife-carved statue, with sharply defined features, a majestic expression, and eyes like abyssal depths.
He stood in the void, neither radiating brilliance nor flowing with power, yet he exuded an utterly terrifying presence. A single glance at him felt like falling into endless darkness. By merely standing there quietly, the entire world seemed to sink into infinite, boundless gloom.
The man was like a monarch of the dark night, looking down upon all living beings, overawing heaven and earth.
Within this boundless darkness, no Buddha dared offer salvation, and light would never shine again!
It was none other than the legendary Demon Emperor Blood River.
Seeing Demon Emperor Blood River, Patriarch Green Robe was greatly alarmed. He had never expected Demon Emperor Blood River would appear to stop him.
Prior to this, Demon Emperor Blood River had already made his stance clear—he stood for the Pathless Era.
Given that, Patriarch Green Robe had assumed he and Demon Emperor Blood River were on the same side. Why was Demon Emperor Blood River now stopping him instead?
"Xuehe!
What do you mean by this?"
"I advise you to give up. The divine sense and demonic thoughts upon the Nether Emperor are not something you can covet. You simply cannot claim them."
"You!"
Patriarch Green Robe was furious.
Right then, the void stirred, and the surging Original Sin began to transform.
Without even looking, Demon Emperor Blood River simply raised a hand, palm facing downward. With a *bang*, the void exploded, forming a black hole from which a pillar of darkness shot forth. The dark pillar, like a savage and cruel dark evil dragon, coiled upwards, instantly scattering the surging Original Sin in the void above into nothingness.
"Xuehe!"
An angry roar echoed from the void—Patriarch Xuanming: "You dare obstruct me?"
"He cannot covet it, and neither can you. As long as I, Xuehe, am here, neither of you will have any opportunity to scheme!"
A man's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.
The might of Demon Emperor Blood River's name was known to all, none ignorant.
In all of history, the number of beings who could turn the Great Desolation into a river of blood could be counted on one hand. First came the Three Lords of the Deep Abyss, and later, Demon Emperor Blood River.
His prestige was such that even a patriarch like Green Robe, who had stirred the Ancient Desolation into upheaval, or Xuanming, who schemed for the True Lord of Original Sin, had to regard him with a measure of fear.