When the body is weary, the old doctor offers solace.

Pain. Pain was everywhere.

His Meridians felt as if they had been crushed inch by inch. His Dantian and Qi Sea were in a state of deathly silence, dim and devoid of light. The cracked patterns were shocking to behold, as if they would shatter completely at the slightest touch. His Divine Soul was like a mirror covered in cracks; every weak thought brought a stinging pain akin to needle pricks.

Nightmare lay on the cold rock, sensing this nearly ruined shell of a body, his heart turning icy cold. Since his Rebirth, he had never felt as weak and powerless as he did at this moment.

His cultivation of Late Stage Hedao, his powers of deduction, the destructive might of his nirvana dao seed... all his reliance had vanished into thin air amidst the impact of the silver-white creation's Laws and the final chaotic teleportation.

He was now no better than a Mortal, perhaps even worse, because this body had once borne power far too great, and the backlash now was even more severe.

The cave was silent, save for the faint blue light cast by the glowing moss on the ceiling and the sound of his own heavy, painful breathing. He attempted to circulate the most basic Qi-gathering technique, but the Spiritual Qi outside was not only pitifully thin, it also carried a stubborn 'inertia' that made it impossible to stir even a fraction. Instead, his forced attempt caused the injuries within his body to churn, nearly causing him to lose consciousness again.

'This world... the Laws are indeed vastly different,' Nightmare sighed inwardly.

His residual instinctual analysis indicated that the underlying rules of this world seemed to reject active intervention from 'high energy levels.' Spiritual Qi seemed more like it was locked within all things, difficult to absorb and utilize directly. For someone accustomed to devouring Spiritual Qi and refining Laws, this was no different from a Dragon trapped in shallow water.

Rustling sounds came from the cave entrance, and that familiar figure appeared once more. The Medicine Old Man had returned, carrying some wild fruits wrapped in broad leaves and a prepared pheasant in one hand, while the other hand held a crude stone pot filled with clear water.

Seeing that Nightmare had awakened and was attempting to move, a gentle smile appeared in the old man's cloudy yet clear eyes: 'Awake? How do you feel? Do not move around; your injuries are too severe, you need quiet rest.'

He set the items down, first picked up the stone pot, carefully lifted Nightmare's head, and fed the clear water bit by bit into his cracked lips. The cool liquid slid down his throat, temporarily alleviating the heat and thirst in his body.

'Tha... thank you, Old Man,' Nightmare's voice was still hoarse, but it was smoother this time. His residual abilities allowed him to quickly master the pronunciation rules of this language.

'A mere trifle,' the old man waved his hand and began to build a fire, his movements skillful and natural. He used flint to ignite dry moss, then added small, withered twigs. Soon, a small bonfire was burning in the cave, bringing a touch of warmth and dispelling some of the dampness.

He wrapped the pheasant in mud, buried it in the hot ashes beneath the fire, and handed a few wild fruits to Nightmare.

'Eat something, you need strength to recover,' the old man sat by the fire, picking up a wild fruit and chewing slowly. His gaze landed on Nightmare, carrying inquiry, but mostly peace. 'Looking at your attire, and this... unusual injury, you don't seem to be from the nearby villages. You came from very far away, didn't you?'

Nightmare nodded silently, slowly chewing the slightly tart wild fruit. He could not explain his Origins; that would be too shocking.

'Where... is this place?' he asked tentatively.

'This is the outer perimeter of the Cangwu Mountain Range, and the cave we are in is considered a relatively hidden spot,' the old man replied, then added with a tone of calm resignation, 'As for the larger area... we all call it the Land of Absolute Spirit.'

Land of Absolute Spirit! The name was straightforward and cruel, confirming Nightmare's perception.

'Land... of Absolute Spirit?' Nightmare repeated, silently recording this information.

'Yes,' the old man sighed, the wrinkles on his face seeming to deepen. 'Legend has it that a very long time ago, this world was once abundant with Spiritual Qi, and there were great beings who could move mountains and fill seas, summoning wind and rain. But I do not know since when, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gradually withered, the Laws shifted, and the path of cultivation was severed. Nowadays, let alone flying through the sky or escaping into the earth, even wanting to strengthen the body or prolong life is extremely difficult.'

He pointed outside the cave: 'In this world today, the Human Race lives in clustered villages and towns, barely surviving by farming, hunting, and some crude Body Refining and Qi-nourishing techniques passed down by ancestors. Fierce beasts occupy the mountains and forests, and in some deep mountains and great marshes, it is said that there are still ferocious creatures left over from ancient times, which people dare not approach lightly.'

The path of cultivation was severed... Nightmare's heart sank. This meant that it was almost impossible for him to recover his cultivation using traditional methods.

'Then, Old Man, you...' Nightmare looked at the stable and precise movements of the old man as he pounded and applied medicine, as well as the faint aura of the Dao he exuded that seemed to merge with nature; this was certainly not something an ordinary old man from the mountains could possess.

The old man smiled, a smile that was somewhat bitter yet transcendent: 'When I was young, I was also unwilling to accept this. I traveled to famous mountains and great rivers, searching for ancient ruins, attempting to find even a sliver of possibility to restart the path of cultivation. Unfortunately... after wasting decades, I found nothing. In the end, disheartened, I returned to this Cangwu Mountain, relying on a bit of ancestral medical knowledge and herb-gathering skills to spend the rest of my life.'

He looked at Nightmare, his gaze profound: 'The injuries on your body are extraordinary. Broken bones are a small matter; the most troublesome thing is... your "Spirit" is severely damaged. My medicinal stones can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. That you were able to survive is a miracle in itself.'

Nightmare was silent. He knew that the "Spirit" the old man spoke of referred to his Divine Soul. The damage was, in essence, a wound to the Origin of his Divine Soul.

'Is there... really no way at all?' Nightmare asked, unwilling to give up. It was his greatest reliance; if it could not be repaired, he might never be able to leave this Land of Absolute Spirit, let alone pursue the Dao and save Wan Qing.

The old man pondered for a moment and slowly said: 'According to some extremely ancient and incomplete records, before the era of the Land of Absolute Spirit descended, Cultivators in this world did not completely rely on external Spiritual Qi for cultivation. They focused more on developing their own potential, condensing "Innate Qi," or observing the nature of Heaven and Earth to comprehend the true meaning of the Laws. It is just that these techniques have long since been lost...'

Own potential? Innate Qi? Observing nature?

Nightmare's residual analytical ability began to operate. This world rejected the absorption of external Spiritual Qi, but it did not negate power itself. Perhaps... there was not only one path?

He recalled the incredible Fusion of the powers of the primal cube and the void lotus seed when he had previously forcibly unleashed the "Dimensional Return to Ruins Singularity." That kind of power seemed to lean more towards the understanding and application of the essence of the Laws, rather than simple energy accumulation.

Could it be... that in this Land of Absolute Spirit, he was instead destined to embark on a path of cultivation that returned to the Origin and focused more on "Dao" and "Reason"?

Just as Nightmare was lost in thought, within his space, the silent primal cube seemed to sense his intense desire for knowledge and his confusion about the path ahead. It vibrated slightly, and a faint stream of information, like a trickling brook, slowly merged into his nearly dried-up Sea of Consciousness.

That was not a specific Cultivation Technique, but rather a more fundamental and essential cognitive framework regarding the "essence of energy," "material composition," and "underlying logic of the Laws."

Nightmare was suddenly startled, as if he had seen a glimmer of light in the endless darkness.