Have they discovered it?
What have they discovered?
And who are 'they'?
Who are they looking for?
Looking for me?
What kind of existence are the Posa Clan?
And what the hell are the Jiaye Observers?
Gu Qingfeng, who had once been a master capable of reaching the heavens and delving into the earth, who had not only ascended to become the Nine Nethers Emperor but had also contended with the Three Thousand Great Daos, had never heard of any Posa Clan or Jiaye Observers. These two names were utterly unfamiliar to him; he hadn't even seen them in ancient texts, let alone heard them before.
What puzzled him even more was that the faint voice seemed to say something about not trusting any karma, as it might be their trap?
And not to trust his own previous life?
And not to trust himself?
How many karmic ties, how many previous lives?
How many previous lives, how many selves?
Gu Qingfeng had always considered his experience quite extensive, knowing at least a little about even the most profound and mysterious existences.
Even regarding karma, hailed throughout history as the number one mystery, while he dared not recklessly deduce it, he at least understood what it was about.
But now, forget understanding—he couldn't even comprehend what he was hearing.
Not trusting his previous life, he could understand.
But what did 'not trusting himself' mean?
What did it mean that how many karmic ties there were, that's how many previous lives there were, and how many previous lives there were, that's how many selves there were?
What the hell was all this messy nonsense?
Especially that last sentence from the faint voice, telling him to go find her. Go where? It didn't say, only that 'behind you there is you'?
Who is there?
Himself?
What kind of ghost was this again?
Gu Qingfeng drank his wine while frowning in deep thought, but the more he thought, the more confused he became, completely unable to understand what was going on. He didn't even know if the words spoken by that faint voice were meant for him.
Organizing his thoughts, he pondered: that faint voice came from the Lonely Star Tear, and the Lonely Star Tear had inexplicably fused with his body a few years ago during an unprecedented occurrence of Great Dao liquor.
He didn't know if this was coincidence, accident, or so-called karmic fate.
However, he was very clear in his heart and had always warned himself: don't mistake coincidence for karma, and don't mistake accident for fate.
Therefore, he couldn't be sure exactly why the Lonely Star Tear had inexplicably fused with him.
That sense of déjà vu, however, made him feel this matter wasn't so simple and unlikely to be mere coincidence or accident.
If it truly was so-called karmic fate that caused this Lonely Star Tear to fuse with him,
then the words spoken by that wisp of spirit that had always been hidden within it should indeed be meant for him.
But...
What exactly did it mean?
"Posa Clan, Jiaye Observers, and 'they'?
Who exactly are 'they' referring to? And what's with all that messy talk about karma, previous lives, and selves..." He didn't know.
Gu Qingfeng truly couldn't figure it out, nor did he know who that wisp of spirit that had always been hidden within the Lonely Star Tear was.
She said to go find her?
Behind her there is me?
For the first time,
Gu Qingfeng felt for the first time like a complete rookie who knew nothing. No matter how he thought, pondered, or deduced, he simply couldn't understand. The more he thought, the more agitated he became. After finishing another jar of peach blossom wine, Gu Qingfeng was about to just sleep it off.
Just as he stood up, he suddenly remembered someone.
An old monk.
An old monk residing within the Bone Jade of Annihilation.
Thus, Gu Qingfeng lay back in the hammock, his divine sense entering the Bone Jade of Annihilation.
The interior of the Bone Jade of Annihilation was a world unto itself, more like an ethereal, illusory realm.
In this world, there was an ethereal, illusory mountain.
On the mountain stood an ethereal, illusory temple.
Within the temple resided an old monk whom Gu Qingfeng had never met in person.
After his divine sense entered, Gu Qingfeng did not speak, because he knew that every time he entered, the old monk could sense it.
Sure enough.
As soon as his divine sense entered the world of the Bone Jade of Annihilation, the old monk's voice came through.
"Amitabha."
A Buddhist chant sounded. The old monk's voice was as unbearably grating as ever. Each word uttered seemed to have traversed millions of years. Hearing just these four short syllables felt like experiencing the vastness of endless eons—and this wasn't just a sensory impression but a mental ordeal. The sensation was as if millions of years swept past with overwhelming force, feeling particularly real and disorienting.
If it were anyone else, after this one Buddhist chant from the old monk, no matter how high their cultivation, they would instantly become a drooling idiot, because their spiritual consciousness would drift through countless ages following the four words 'Amitabha' uttered by the old monk.
Fortunately,
Gu Qingfeng could withstand it and was long accustomed to it.
"Esteemed Gu, it has been a while."
"Not great, a bit troubled."
To Gu Qingfeng, this old monk was a familiar stranger.
He didn't know who the old monk really was.
He had never asked this question.
Not because he didn't want to, but because he clearly understood that even if he asked, the old monk might not answer.
This had always been a problem that gave Gu Qingfeng both a headache and a sense of helplessness.
He was also absolutely certain that the old monk knew many things—to be precise, there was nothing in this heaven and earth he didn't know.
Although the old monk had never claimed to be omniscient, Gu Qingfeng could sense it, and he trusted his own intuition.
The reason for the headache and helplessness was that every time he encountered a puzzle, he would come in seeking the old monk's guidance. Unfortunately, most of the time the old monk would say he didn't know. Even on the rare occasions he did speak, his words were often cryptic, vague, always holding back and never stating things clearly.
It was no exaggeration to say that the number of times Gu Qingfeng had come in seeking guidance was at least eight hundred if not a thousand, yet the times he had actually received the old monk's guidance were few and far between, amounting to no more than ten at most.
Even so, whenever Gu Qingfeng encountered something he couldn't figure out, he would still come in to request guidance.
Even when he clearly knew the old monk wouldn't speak, he would still come in.
Perhaps it had already become a habit for him.
Or perhaps Gu Qingfeng truly couldn't find anyone else to chat with and relieve his boredom.
"May I ask what troubles Esteemed Gu?"
The old monk's voice came again. Gu Qingfeng did not answer directly but instead asked with a smile, "Old Monk, can I ask you a question?"
"Esteemed Gu, please ask."
"Ever since I've known you, you've always lived here. This broken place has no beautiful women, no fine wine, not even beautiful scenery. In such a godforsaken place, don't you ever get bored?"
"This humble monk's six senses are purified, without desire or want, and thus does not know what boredom is."
"Then are you empty?
Lonely?
Cold?"
"Amitabha..." The old monk uttered another Buddhist chant. Clearly, he couldn't be bothered to answer Gu Qingfeng's frivolous and somewhat insulting questions.