The Taiji Golden Core.
It was hailed as the sovereign among all cores.
It possessed the qualification to bear the True Mandate, and also the qualification to aspire to the throne of the Human King.
In other words, as long as one condensed and manifested a Taiji Golden Core, there was a chance to become an existence bearing the True Mandate. And once one became a True Mandate bearer, there was a chance to become the Human King, the unrivaled monarch reigning supreme across heaven and earth.
Of course.
It was merely a chance, not an absolute certainty.
This thing required the perfect alignment of heavenly timing, earthly advantage, and human harmony. Moreover, it demanded the pinnacle of destiny and the zenith of fortune. Even so, one still had to pass the scrutiny of the Three Thousand Great Daos. Because the Human Dao was the foundation of the Great Dao; whether it was the Heavenly Dao, the Immortal Dao, the Demonic Dao, or any of the other Three Thousand Great Daos, none could exist apart from the Human Dao.
Therefore, no matter how great your destiny, how high your fortune, or how formidable your strength, if the Three Thousand Great Daos did not nod in approval, it would all be an empty joy.
Nalan Qianqiu, having once been a Lady of the Celestial Court, naturally knew what the Taiji Golden Core signified. Upon learning that Gu Qingfeng had achieved a Taiji Golden Core, although she was somewhat surprised, it was only somewhat. Because she knew the Three Thousand Great Daos would absolutely never permit someone with such heavy sins to achieve a Taiji Golden Core. Most importantly, she was well aware that Gu Qingfeng's existence was far more than just 'heavy with sin'.
Nalan Qianqiu was also deeply convinced that given Gu Qingfeng's past deeds, even if everyone else in the world died out, the Three Thousand Great Daos would never allow him to achieve a Taiji Golden Core.
But.
What she had never imagined in any way was that Gu Qingfeng had actually…
Actually achieved an endless, boundless body of Taiji Golden Cores.
How had that fellow managed it?
Nalan Qianqiu did not know, nor could she imagine. But one thing she was clear about: this was a matter as terrifying as it could possibly be. Its level of terror was no less than that Karmic Black Hole everyone feared, perhaps even no less than the heaven-and-earth cataclysm that ended the Ancient Era.
An exaggeration?
No.
Not at all.
Back then, that fellow, relying on his heaven-defying destiny, had trodden upon the Nine Netherworlds, set the Nine Heavens ablaze, and furiously cleaved the firmament. Even the Three Thousand Great Daos had been unable to do anything about him. If he were to ascend to the Human King throne… Good heavens!
Wouldn't he turn heaven and earth upside down? This was even more terrifying than a world-destroying weapon falling into the hands of a cruel, tyrannical madman!
“That fellow, is he really…
Just threatening the Three Thousand Great Daos?
Could it be he actually intends to seize the Human King throne?”
Perhaps the matter was too shocking, causing Nalan Qianqiu’s voice to tremble slightly.
“Whether he seizes the Human King throne or not depends entirely on the attitude of the Three Thousand Great Daos.”
The black-white interlaced figure also spoke with a touch of helplessness: “From my understanding of him, him condensing an endless body of Taiji Golden Cores is a clear message to the Three Thousand Great Daos: don’t provoke him. Push him too far, and he’ll go seize the Human King throne.”
Sighing, the black-white interlaced figure added with emotion: “You know him, he’s absolutely capable of doing such a thing. Him condensing an endless number of Taiji Golden Cores equals having endless chances. He’ll seize it, refusing to stop until he obtains the True Mandate, refusing to rest until he ascends to the Human King throne. So, who the future True Mandate bearer will be is no longer important… whether the Three Thousand Great Daos nod or not is also no longer important…”
“Madman!
He’s a complete and utter madman!”
Nalan Qianqiu was furious, trembling with anger, yet utterly powerless.
“And that’s not the most terrifying part…” The black-white interlaced figure spoke again: “The terrifying part is that he already has one foot inside the Karmic Black Hole, and his existence might even have some connection to that Karmic Black Hole…
If he truly ends up ascending to the Human King throne, and he is also trapped within the Karmic Black Hole…”
“Stop…
Don’t say anymore…
I… I really can’t bear to listen. It’s making my head feel like it’s splitting.”
Nalan Qianqiu cut her off, covering her forehead as she slowly crouched down. At this moment, she felt the urge to cry, murmuring: “How can he be like this…
How can he do this…
Doesn’t this fellow consider the consequences at all?”
“When has he ever considered consequences?
The concept of ‘consequences’ probably doesn’t even exist in his life’s dictionary.”
“Then does he know he’s already fallen into the Karmic Black Hole?”
“He may not know with absolute clarity, but he has definitely sensed something. That’s not important at all. Whether he knows or not, what difference does it make? He’ll still do what he intends to do.”
“What is the stance of the Three Thousand Great Daos on this?”
“Unclear.”
“And you all?”
After Nalan Qianqiu asked, the black-white interlaced figure did not respond immediately. After a short while, she said: “Nalan, your coming to the Great Northwest of this world wasn’t solely to stop your junior martial sister, was it.”
“Jialuo, what are you trying to say?”
Nalan Qianqiu stood up, staring intently at the black-white interlaced figure.
The woman named Jialuo also gazed at Nalan Qianqiu and said: “If my guess is correct, you came to the Northwest this time also for that ancient secret guarded by the Nine Elders’ Cave Manor of Canyang Mountain, right?”
“You too?”
“It seems we share a common goal.”
“If you’re also here for that matter, then those few representatives of the Heavenly Dao, Demonic Dao, and Immortal Dao lurking in the Great Northwest are probably here for the same reason.”
Jialuo remained silent, as if tacitly agreeing.
“Aside from you few, are there others?”
Jialuo shook her head, though it was unclear whether she didn’t know or didn’t wish to say.
Then.
Nalan Qianqiu asked again: “How much do you know about that ancient secret?”
“And how much do you know?”
“I only know this ancient secret is related to the mysterious Era Without Dao.”
“Is that all?”
Jialuo said: “Since you’ve come, you should also know that the purpose of the Nine Elders’ Cave Manor of Canyang Mountain isn’t merely to guard that ancient secret.”
After a moment of silence, Nalan Qianqiu nodded and replied: “There is a Life Vein in the Northwest region of this world. And this Life Vein is extraordinary. Periodically, a person of the Life Vein is born in the Northwest. This person can affect the Life Vein. What Canyang Mountain needs to do is eradicate this person of the Life Vein to prevent any mishap befalling the vein.”
“Up to now, as far as I know, since the Ancient Era, over seventy people of the Life Vein have been born in the Northwest.”
Jialuo then said: “Over sixty of these Life Vein people were eradicated by the Nine Elders’ Cave Manor of Canyang Mountain. However, nine others, due to various reasons, remain missing to this day.”
“Among those nine missing individuals, one has already returned. But the Nine Elders’ Cave Manor of Canyang Mountain doesn’t know. Not only do they not know he has returned, they don’t even know he’s still alive.”
“He also seems very interested in this ancient secret.”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to say.”
“Are you afraid?”
“I am afraid.”
“I am also afraid.”
“Why are you afraid?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t know either.”
“Then what do you plan to do?”
“Whatever you plan to do, I’ll plan to do the same.”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“Between heaven and earth, we are definitely not the only ones who are afraid. I firmly believe there are others more afraid than us.”
“What if we fail?”
“I haven’t thought about that question. I dare not think about it.”