Let's not discuss for now whether Su Hua truly has karma with him.
Even if she did, it would be karma from a past life.
Gu Qingfeng hadn't even figured out the karma of this life yet, so how could he be in the mood to deal with karma from a past life?
Moreover, Su Hua's existence was particularly complex, connected to the Immortal Dao, the Demonic Dao, the Buddhist Dao, and even the Heavenly Dao. She was likely the true fated person responding to the tribulation. For someone like her, Gu Qingfeng only wanted to stay as far away as possible, not wanting to get involved in the slightest.
However, Su Hua didn't seem to believe his words, or at least had her doubts. She asked, "How do you know Monarch Chixiao is dead?"
"I saw it with my own eyes."
"You saw it with your own eyes? When, and where?"
"If I remember correctly, you were present at the Fengyun Branch Hall at the time. I said that the last remaining wisp of Gu Tianlang's remnant consciousness had also dissipated. He's dead, completely dead. He won't reincarnate, nor will he be reborn. No matter how long you wait, you won't see him."
Su Hua didn't know whether to believe what Gu Qingfeng said. She stared at him intently, pondered for a long time, then asked again, "If Monarch Chixiao is truly dead, then who are you? Didn't you claim to be Monarch Chixiao's successor?"
"Gu Tianlang's successor? Hah, I've never said such a thing myself. Others said it."
"Then what exactly are you?"
"What am I?" Gu Qingfeng stood up, stretching vigorously until his bones cracked. He shook his head and said, "I'm not human."
"Not human? Then what are you?"
Gu Qingfeng walked over, looked at Su Hua, and responded very seriously, "If I said I'm a God, would you believe me?"
God!
Su Hua's expression froze. She opened her mouth, words caught in her throat. A trace of disdain flashed in her beautiful eyes as she snorted coldly, "Do you think I'm a fool, or do you take me for blind?"
"Hahaha! If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do."
The existence of Gods was more legendary than legend itself.
Did this world—no, this universe—have Gods? No one knew.
Su Hua was neither a fool nor blind, so naturally, she didn't believe this fellow before her was a God.
"Tell me, why were you able to play Monarch's 'Youthful Journey' with such artistic conception? And why did the Dragon-Elephant Spirits of those Chixiao people revere you so much?"
"Didn't I say? I fused with a wisp of Gu Tianlang's remnant consciousness. I inherited some of his experiences, memories, spirit, and will. What's so strange about being able to play 'Youthful Journey' with artistic conception? As for why the Dragon-Elephant Spirits revere me, perhaps they sensed Monarch Chixiao's spiritual will on me."
Fusing with a wisp of remnant consciousness could indeed inherit spiritual will.
Su Hua didn't deny this point.
Yet, for some reason, she still didn't believe him. As for why she didn't believe, even she couldn't explain it clearly.
"Miss, anything else you want to ask?"
"Did you come for the Heavenly Mandate?"
"Heavenly Mandate? I'm not interested."
"Then why have you been wandering around the Great Northwest?"
"What kind of question is that? Just because I'm not here for the Heavenly Mandate, I can't wander around the Great Northwest? What? Is the Great Northwest your family's territory?"
"I..." Su Hua was momentarily speechless. After thinking for a moment, she asked again, "You told Jin'er that you came to the Great Northwest to visit some old friends, repay some favors... and also to find Feng Zhuyue..."
"That matter? It's not for me, but for Gu Tianlang. Since I fused with his wisp of remnant consciousness, as repayment, I came on his behalf to visit some of his old friends from back then and incidentally repay the favors he owed. Looking for Feng Zhuyue is for the same reason."
It made sense. At the very least, Su Hua couldn't find any grounds for rebuttal and felt Gu Qingfeng's words were both logical and reasonable.
"One last question."
"Ask."
"Why did you turn to dust at the Taixuan Stele?"
"Miss, I've already said this to Little Jin'er. You were there too."
"You said a Western Heaven Buddha was hiding in the Taixuan Stele trying to kill you. You also said you kidnapped the wrathful incarnation of the Great Sun Tathagata, and that you transcended life and death?"
"What about it? You don't believe me?"
"Such nonsense! Anyone who isn't a fool wouldn't believe it!"
"If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do."
Su Hua originally didn't believe it and wouldn't have had any doubts, but yet Little Jin'er took it as truth. If you said Little Jin'er was pure and innocent, yet her dreams seemed to house a Dream Sister who appeared omniscient. This left Su Hua somewhat uncertain. If she were to believe it... but kidnapping the wrathful incarnation of the Great Sun Tathagata, transcending life and death...
Such utterly impossible things couldn't even fool a three-year-old.
"One more thing. What kind of Golden Core was the one you manifested earlier? Why was it so evil? So violent?"
"Miss, believe me, I want to know the answer to that question even more than you do."
"It's a Golden Core you gestated yourself. How could you not know what kind of Golden Core it is?"
"What's so strange about that? The universe is filled with countless strange, mysterious, and bizarre fortunes. Do you know exactly what every fortune you've achieved is?"
This question from Gu Qingfeng truly stumped Su Hua, because among the fortunes she had achieved, there were indeed one or two mysterious and unknown ones whose nature she still didn't understand.
"Jin'er said you have countless terrifying existences on you, and these calamities will also attract a great tribulation. She also said the heavens won't let you off..." Matters like these involved privacy. Su Hua originally felt it inappropriate to ask, but she was too curious, so she tentatively inquired, "What exactly are those terrifying existences on you? And there are countless of them?"
"You want to know?"
Su Hua nodded emphatically. "Yes."
"Then keep wanting."
"You!" Realizing she had been teased, Su Hua felt such hatred that her teeth itched. She took a deep breath to calm the anger in her heart and said, "The Golden Core you manifested earlier had light and darkness fused within it, with Yin and Yang evolving. It resembled a Taiji Golden Core..."
Gu Qingfeng said with interest, "And then? What do you want to say?"
Su Hua somewhat suspected that Gu Qingfeng, to evade the tribulation source of the Great Dao, might have used a Taiji Golden Core to contaminate some evil spiritual aura. If that were truly the case, then where did this Taiji Golden Core of his come from?
The first Taiji Golden Core should have been personally destroyed during its gestation. The second should have been lost when he turned to dust at the Taixuan Stele. Could it be that he hadn't gestated two Taiji Golden Cores back then, but three?
Suppressing the shock in her heart, Su Hua asked solemnly, "Tell me honestly, how many Taiji Golden Cores did you actually gestate back then?"
"How many? That's really hard to say. I didn't count specifically. If not hundreds of millions, at least tens of thousands upon tens of thousands."
If not hundreds of millions, then tens of thousands upon tens of thousands? What kind of concept was that? An endless number?
Wait.
Could it be that when Little Jin'er said he had countless terrifying existences on him, she was really referring to Taiji Golden Cores?
A body with an endless number of Taiji Golden Cores? Was that possible?
No! Absolutely impossible!
Su Hua wouldn't believe it even if beaten to death.
However, she still asked, "I don't believe you could gestate an endless number of Taiji Golden Cores."
"If you don't believe me, forget it."
Su Hua was almost driven to breaking point. She decided to use a provocation tactic. "I think you're just boasting. No one can gestate an endless number of Taiji Golden Cores. Not even a God could."
Glancing at the sky, which was beginning to brighten with dawn, Gu Qingfeng finished his last pot of wine, put away his cup, and said, "Alright, I've said all that needs to be said. It's getting late. Time to rest."
"Wait."
"What now?"
"You promised earlier that if I told you why I was looking for Monarch Chixiao, you would tell me your identity. You haven't said it yet."
"I did say it, but you didn't believe me. Can you blame me for not saying it?"
"Damn it! You said you're a God? You're trying to fool a three-year-old!"
"My stance remains the same: if you don't believe me, forget it!"
With that, Gu Qingfeng had already vanished, leaving behind only a furious, almost Mad Demon's Su Hua.