Xuanyuan Wan looked up at the sky, then at Chaoyuan and Danqing, before finally letting her gaze settle on Gu Qingfeng.
For some reason, she felt something was off.
In her mind, the connection between Gu Qingfeng and the Blood of Original Sin wasn't merely one of cause and effect. Gu Qingfeng originated from the Blood of Original Sin, and he belonged to it. In other words, they were originally one entity, fundamentally inseparable.
Though she was reluctant to admit it, she had to acknowledge that if Gu Qingfeng chose to seize the Blood of Original Sin now, even surrounded by the Myriad Great Daos' overwhelming killing intent, his chances of success were extremely high. As long as the Myriad Great Daos couldn't obliterate him instantly, once he obtained the Blood of Original Sin, it would become immensely difficult for them to stop him.
But.
He wasn't doing that. He was simply giving up.
Why?
Had he turned over a new leaf, realizing the immense threat of the Blood of Original Sin and thus choosing not to fuse with it? Was that why he was abandoning it?
What a joke.
This man was inherently arrogant, acting recklessly and lawlessly. Just moments ago, he had slain an envoy of the Immortal Dao Edict right in front of the Myriad Great Daos. How could he possibly have turned over a new leaf? If he truly had, why would he have kidnapped the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata?
Was he afraid?
Afraid that after fusing with the Blood of Original Sin, the Myriad Great Daos would obliterate him?
No!
That was even more impossible.
This man had never known what fear was. How could he be afraid?
If he were afraid, why would he condense countless Taiji Golden Cores to threaten the Three Thousand Great Daos?
Moreover.
Given his current abilities, whether the Myriad Great Daos could even obliterate him was still an unknown. Let alone Gu Qingfeng after fusing with the Blood of Original Sin.
Why, then?
Was it truly as he said—that he was tired?
That he didn't want to struggle anymore?
And that's why he was giving up?
But the Blood of Original Sin was, after all, tied to his very life and death. If he abandoned it, he might very well lose his life.
He said he was willing to gamble?
This...
Setting aside whether the Blood of Original Sin truly concerned his life and death, in Xuanyuan Wan's view, once the Blood of Original Sin fell into the hands of the Myriad Great Daos, Gu Qingfeng would be completely at their mercy. At that point, whether it concerned his life or death would no longer matter, because his fate would be entirely controlled by the Myriad Great Daos.
Even so.
He not only said he would hand over the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata, but he would also destroy his countless Taiji Golden Cores.
What did that mean?
It meant his existence would no longer pose any threat to the Myriad Great Daos. At that point, the Myriad Great Daos could obliterate him with ease.
Although the Myriad Great Daos had just stated that as long as he gave up the Blood of Original Sin, returned the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata, and destroyed his countless Taiji Golden Cores, they would not move against him.
The Demonic Dao, the Monster Dao, and other paths might truly keep their word. As for the Heavenly Dao and the Immortal Dao...
That was harder to say.
The current Gu Qingfeng was like a general holding military power. While he possessed that power, he was a threat to everyone, yet no one dared to touch him. Once he voluntarily surrendered that power, he would be at others' mercy. Would the Heavenly Dao and Immortal Dao really let him go then?
Unclear.
Xuanyuan Wan neither knew whether the Heavenly Dao and Immortal Dao would truly spare him, nor whether Gu Qingfeng would truly abandon everything.
The reason she felt something was off was because Gu Qingfeng's actions today were too abnormal. Clearly in an advantageous position, he chose to give up. Not only did he give up, but he also handed over his own life and death. Even Xuanyuan Wan, who hailed from the Sacred Ground, couldn't be completely certain whether the Myriad Great Daos would spare him. Did he really trust them that much?
Wasn't he worried at all that the Myriad Great Daos might go back on their word?
This didn't resemble the style of the arrogant Lord Chixiao, nor did it match the domineering ways of the Nine Nethers Emperor.
Yet he was doing exactly that.
Why!
What exactly was off?
What puzzled Xuanyuan Wan even more was the statement Gu Qingfeng had made earlier. He said he had already given the Myriad Great Daos enough face today. If the Myriad Great Daos didn't know when to stop, then he would have no choice but to accept it.
Xuanyuan Wan pondered these words repeatedly, feeling more and more that this fellow didn't seem to trust the Myriad Great Daos very much.
But if he didn't trust them, why was he doing this?
Was he playing some trick?
She didn't know.
Xuanyuan Wan racked her brains but couldn't figure it out.
And just then.
The flickering Light of Heavenly Destiny at the well-mouth no longer faded in and out; it grew increasingly faint. Xuanyuan Wan could also see that the Blood of Original Sin inside had long ceased boiling and was almost completely stable.
What Xuanyuan Wan couldn't understand was why Canyang Wuyou, hidden within, remained completely unmoved, as if utterly unaware of what was happening here.
How could this be?
Xuanyuan Wan was somewhat baffled.
At the same time, she had no time to dwell on this question, because at that moment, the Light of Heavenly Destiny vanished completely.
The instant the Light of Heavenly Destiny disappeared—whoosh!
A sacred radiance descended from the sky, enveloping the Blood of Original Sin within. Immediately after, another radiance followed—swish, swish, swish!
In the blink of an eye, countless rays of light descended from the heavens, all enveloping the Blood of Original Sin.
Xuanyuan Wan knew these rays of light were from the Myriad Great Daos, and also from her own Sacred Ground.
Clearly.
The Myriad Great Daos were all worried the Blood of Original Sin might fall into others' hands, so they all enveloped it at the first opportunity.
Was anyone trying to seize it?
No!
Xuanyuan Wan turned to look and found Gu Qingfeng still standing there quietly. He hadn't made a move to seize it. However, the killing intent enveloping him hadn't diminished or weakened; instead, it had grown stronger and more numerous, as if the Myriad Great Daos were all on guard against him.
"No need to be so tense."
Gu Qingfeng lifted his wine gourd and took a deep drink, then looked up at the sky with a laugh. "I keep my word. If I said I'd give up, then I'll give up."
Gu Qingfeng's words were meant for the Myriad Great Daos, but hearing them, Xuanyuan Wan felt a complex emotion stir within her.
If she had still suspected Gu Qingfeng of playing some trick earlier, she no longer doubted it now.
If Gu Qingfeng truly intended to play a trick, he would have acted before the Light of Heavenly Destiny vanished. Only by seizing the initiative would it benefit him.
The moment the Light of Heavenly Destiny disappeared, the Myriad Great Daos had already seized the initiative. Even if Gu Qingfeng were truly playing a trick, it would likely be futile now.
It seemed he had truly given up.
Inside the well.
A Great Cauldron slowly rose.
It was a square Great Cauldron, looking quite worn and devoid of any radiance. The Blood of Original Sin was inside this square Great Cauldron.
The square Great Cauldron rose enveloped in the radiance of the Myriad Great Daos, soon flying upward toward the sky. Chaoyuan, Danqing, and other representatives of the Great Daos closely guarded the square Great Cauldron's side, as did Xuanyuan Wan.
After they left the secret realm, Gu Qingfeng didn't pursue them. Instead, he gazed at Canyang Wuyou within the well.
"Big Brother."
Little Jin'er called out.
Gu Qingfeng turned to look at her and smiled. "Be good, go back and wait for me."
"Mm!
Big Brother, Jin'er will wait for you forever."