Chapter 771: Pollution and Dao-Pollution

Suming remained silent, offering no reply.

The sense of foreboding in his heart grew heavier and heavier.

This was not only because of Li Heng's words, but also because after re-examining himself, he truly discovered many things that were not quite right.

From the very first time he met this person, he had indeed harbored an indelible sense of malice in his heart, long before he believed this person to be the War Calamity.

By all logic, he had no reason to loathe this person before.

Furthermore, at the beginning, this malice was very faint, and he had thought it was just some complex, stray thoughts. But as time passed, it grew stronger, and the malice seemed to be constantly intensifying, until now it had reached a level that could not be ignored and was affecting his judgment.

Moreover, thinking about it carefully.

His cold, detached observation just now did not seem to stem entirely from his own logical judgment; was there also a part of it driven by some strange, primal instinct compelling him to make such a decision?

Suming's heart grew increasingly heavy.

Could what this person said be true? Starting from this perspective, what this person said indeed possessed a certain logic and rationality.

While he was silent, Li Heng continued to speak.

"I have heard Changqing mention you, Suming."

"He said that you are the trace left behind by that original Freedom Dao Lord, the reverse of that Freedom Dao Lord, which is why you changed from that infinite possibility of freedom into the singular possibility of Suming today."

Upon hearing this, Suming furrowed his brows.

This person even knew Changqing?

But what was he trying to express?

Li Heng continued.

"But as I see it, how could a Dao Lord have a reverse? Dao Lord, Dao Lord—the Lord of the Great Dao—should naturally preside over the Righteous Dao and the reverse of the Dao, over the stillness of the Dao and the movement of the Dao. Even if a Dao Lord were to pass away, it shouldn't result in leaving behind such an extreme reverse."

"You are so extreme that you even want to cut off the possibilities and meanings of all living beings once more, prescribing a fate for them. This completely violates the decisions of all the original Dao Lords; it doesn't look like the work of a trace left by a Dao Lord at all, but rather like a Calamity, a monster."

Hearing these words, Suming became anxious once again.

This was pure slander!

He pushed the Suming Great Array to its ultimate sublimation, and threads of Suming transcending the Infinite surged forth, intending to strangle Li Heng within the array. But the Sun True Fire swept across, and all Suming turned to ashes.

"Fellow Daoist Suming, there is no need to be anxious yet."

"I haven't finished speaking."

Li Heng smiled, the Sun True Fire in his hand burning quietly, like a small flame. If it weren't for what had just happened, who would have thought that this seemingly unremarkable flame could burn everything and incinerate Suming?

Suming looked at Li Heng coldly.

Hmph, I would like to hear what other nonsense you can spout!

I will definitely find the loopholes in it and refute them one by one!

A lie is a lie after all; it cannot replace the truth!

Perhaps out of his own trepidation, or perhaps out of absolute self-confidence, he turned his attention to Li Heng, began to listen to Li Heng's subsequent words, and analyzed them one by one.

"Actually, I don't think you are purely a Calamity or a monster; you are more like a product evolved from the trace left by that Dao Lord being polluted and twisted by Calamity and monsters. Doesn't this explanation feel easier for you to accept?"

Li Heng looked at Suming and smiled.

"Utter nonsense! Are you insulting me? That I was polluted by a Calamity or a monster? It is simply ridiculous to the extreme, making me sound like some kind of mongrel. And what evidence do you have?"

"If I had been polluted by a Calamity or a monster, I should be joining forces with the War Calamity right now to destroy the Great Void, instead of staying here listening to your nonsense!"

"Oh, right, you are the War Calamity!"

Suming emphasized Li Heng's identity to bolster his own confidence.

"There is no formal evidence, perhaps. But you pushing for Suming is in itself harming the Great Void; that should count as evidence. And we must seek truth from facts; after all, being polluted and twisted is a matter of degree. Perhaps you haven't been completely twisted—that is also the reason I said just now that there is still hope for you."

"Of course, if it is the other possibility, then..."

As Li Heng spoke, he suddenly thought of an extreme possibility.

"The other possibility? What are you trying to say!"

The sense of foreboding in Suming's heart grew even more intense.

He only felt that a giant rock on the high cliff of his soul was infinitely close to the edge, ready to fall at any moment, making him extremely uneasy.

After all, if it really fell, that would be that.

Even if the result were bad, the giant rock in his heart would have landed.

But this feeling of being about to fall but not yet falling was truly torturous, like a worker called into the office by their boss, constantly guessing on the way to the office what this is all about, whether they are about to be fired or have their pay docked.

"Fellow Daoist Suming, are you sure you want to know?"

"But this possibility is incomparably cruel. Perhaps not knowing is a good thing for you, saving you from wild guesses. Of course, perhaps you have already guessed it."

Li Heng looked at Suming with a look of pity.

"Speak if you have something to say, spit it out!"

"You, this Calamity, are actually so indecisive!"

Suming was very annoyed and pointed out Li Heng's identity again.

"Since that is the case, I cannot say much more."

"The other extreme possibility is that you are indeed a Calamity and a monster—not that the Freedom Dao Lord was polluted by the Calamity and monsters, but that the Calamity and monsters were polluted by that Freedom Dao Lord. Hmm, perhaps the word 'purify' could be used?"

Li Heng said this possibility with a thoughtful look.

"Do you think that is possible?"

"The so-called Dao Lords had no power to fight back against the Calamity and monsters and fell one after another; who could possibly infect the Calamity and monsters in reverse?"

"It is a blessing enough not to be polluted by the Calamity and monsters."

For some reason, Suming felt unexpectedly calm.

"That is not necessarily true; after all, there are miracles. Perhaps that Freedom Dao Lord truly possessed such talent that he could use a Secret Technique, at the cost of his own life, to Dao-pollute the Calamity and monsters?"

Li Heng shrugged and said indifferently.

"Not necessarily? Possibly? I can't hear a single definitive word from your mouth; in the end, you are still guessing, without any evidence!" Suming said.

"That's just for the sake of rigor. Actually, if you want to obtain evidence, it is very simple, but it requires waiting a little longer..."

"Fine, enough, no need to wait."

Suming had thought he would have to wait a long time, but after only a few seconds, Li Heng said there was no need to wait, which left him extremely stunned and filled with anger; was he just playing him for a fool?

"You don't need to be anxious, I am helping you find the evidence."

Li Heng said nonchalantly, stepping out of the Suming Great Array in one stride.

"Now I have gathered enough, enough power to trace the past for you; let me see what exactly happened, whether it is as I anticipated..."

He arrived before Suming in an instant and waved his large hand.

The light and shadow images of the past appeared...