"The Origin Realm... is still at the very bottom of the Frenzied Demon Hole?" For a moment, Fang Yuan's mind was flooded with thoughts.
The Records of the Human Ancestor did indeed document the Origin Realm, but its description was vague and ambiguous, leaving its interpretation up to the reader.
"Even if the Origin Realm possesses such power, does that necessarily mean it is hidden at the very bottom of the Frenzied Demon Hole?" Fang Yuan was not about to take Lu Weiyin's word at face value.
But such a possibility did indeed exist.
Fang Yuan had visited the Frenzied Demon Hole before, and from the various traces he had observed, he had determined that Recluse had not only been there, but had also established a Dao Field.
Fang Yuan had been unable to reach the very bottom, but Recluse was an Immortal Venerable — his capabilities were not easily fathomed.
"If all of this is true... then could Recluse's goal have been the Frenzied Demon Hole itself?"
A storm raged within Fang Yuan's heart, but his expression remained utterly impassive.
Lu Weiyin studied Fang Yuan's expression and inwardly sighed with even greater admiration: "This Gu Yue Fang Yuan truly deserves his reputation as the foremost demonic figure of the age. No wonder he has become the object of contention between Heavenly Will and the Venerables. To make him believe — what I've said so far is nowhere near enough!"
Lu Weiyin had no choice but to continue: "The Frenzied Demon Hole is indeed located at the very bottom. The Origin Realm is extraordinarily special — it is both the beginning and the end, containing the supreme mysteries of the entire universe. Limitless Demon Venerable used it and the Ninth Transformation Derivation Immortal Gu as his core, and only then was he able to deduce the world and generate new Heavenly Dao marks."
"In a certain sense, the Frenzied Demon Hole is even more important than Heavenly Court!"
Lu Weiyin spoke deliberately, revealing more of these closely guarded secrets.
A million years ago, in the ancient era, the first Demon Venerable of the human race — Limitless Demon Venerable — assaulted Heavenly Court, threatening its destruction in order to force Star Constellation's Will into a chessboard wager.
The chessboard was secretly connected to the Frenzied Demon Hole. During the course of their game, the two Venerables' ideas clashed and sparked, continually breaking new ground and opening up new achievements in the Heavenly Dao.
All of these achievements flowed through the chessboard into the Frenzied Demon Hole, boosting Limitless's deductions.
Star Constellation's phantom feigned ignorance, but in truth had long been prepared, turning the scheme against its author.
In the generations that followed, successive Venerables — including Wild Barbarian Demon Venerable, Primordial Lotus Immortal Venerable, and Giant Sun Immortal Venerable — all visited the One Lack Regret Pavilion, learned of the two Venerables' confrontation, and came to understand the vital significance of the Frenzied Demon Hole.
During the Battle of Destiny, the figures of the two Venerables playing against each other faded from the One Lack Regret Pavilion, but this was merely a pause in their wager. The true venue where the final outcome would be decided was still the Frenzied Demon Hole!
Successive Venerables knew of this, and each had taken a hand in the matter. For instance, Primordial Lotus Immortal Venerable established the Green Lotus Dao Field in the void of the Frenzied Demon Hole's eighth layer. Wild Barbarian Demon Venerable created the Barbarian Wasteland Great World, and Lord Recluse Immortal Venerable built the Yellow Earth Great World.
With this, the situation had grown even more complicated.
Fang Yuan's heart jolted: "This is precisely one of the doubts I've harbored for a long time. Why would certain Venerables go to such great lengths to establish Dao Fields and maintain entire great worlds within the eighth layer of the Frenzied Demon Hole? Could it be that they, too, intended to make a move on the Origin Realm?"
"Venerables have already achieved the rank of Venerable. The Origin Realm should not be something they need. Wait — perhaps that's not the case at all!" A flash of lightning seemed to streak through Fang Yuan's mind, piercing through layer upon layer of fog and revealing a corner of the truth.
"Haha." Lu Weiyin laughed twice. "Friend Fang Yuan truly lives up to his reputation — no matter how many Venerables there may be, none can scheme against you successfully. You've already guessed part of the reason."
"That's right." Lu Weiyin continued, "With Destiny Gu destroyed, the rebirth of Venerables has become possible. However, the more powerful the Gu Immortal who is reborn, the more troublesome it becomes, and the greater the price. A single misstep, and even after revival, one would not possess one's former strength. Take Qi Jue Demon Immortal, for example. Due to interference from Fang Yuan, Wu Yong, and others, his strength declined — it was not his peak power."
"The same applies to Venerables. After their rebirth, although there is no longer a Venerable tribulation to overcome and they can ascend back to the Ninth Transformation realm, there is fierce competition among the Venerables. The means they have left for rebirth are ultimately limited. Therefore, every Venerable wants to ensure a smooth rebirth — ideally, possessing their former Peak Stage power from the very moment of revival."
Fang Yuan nodded repeatedly.
He could completely understand the Venerables' thinking.
When Destiny Gu existed, rebirth and resurrection were impossible. But virtually all Venerables had left behind their own means. Once Destiny Gu was destroyed and these means were activated, the Venerable could be reborn.
Yet, the Venerables held different positions, belonged to different camps, and schemed against one another.
Who would not want to be the strongest person between heaven and earth?
Who would wish for other Venerables to exist alongside themselves?
The Venerables were wary of one another and undermined each other. Though they were dead, they had continued their conflict in the shadows.
This kind of contest, because it had spanned such an immense length of time, generally favored Venerables who appeared later. Recluse Immortal Venerable was precisely such a case.
But this was not absolute.
For instance, Primordial Lotus Immortal Venerable preceded Spectral Soul Demon Venerable, yet the Divine Emperor City and Qing Chou that he had set up had trapped Spectral Soul in a trap!
Similarly, when Recluse Immortal Venerable entered the Red Lotus Stone Island and took away the Regret Gu, it had been exceedingly easy.
But on the whole, this remained the general trend.