228: Fifth Incarnation: Heavenly Physician (20)

Rise and fall?!

These two weighty words, clearly uttered by Jiang Tingyun, were like giant stones thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand ripples in the hearts of the thirty-three Disciples below!

After a brief, deathly silence, the Disciple area immediately erupted into an uncontrollable commotion and a chorus of whispered discussions!

Everyone's eyes widened, their faces displaying complex expressions of shock, confusion, deep thought, or excitement.

"Rise and fall? What does that mean?" A Disciple from the 'Divination' Lineage frowned, unconsciously making calculations with his fingertips. "Does it refer to the rise and fall of a Dynasty's Luck? Are we supposed to deduce the fate of a nation, support the Dragon Court, or sever the Dragon Vein?"

"Not necessarily!" Another Disciple from the 'Heavenly Secrets' Lineage next to him shook his head, his eyes gleaming with the light of deduction. "The words 'rise and fall' encompass everything. Perhaps it's the rise and fall of a Sect or a Family? Is it testing our strategic planning and choices amidst power struggles and resource competition?"

"It could also be the rise and fall of an individual's destiny!" A female Disciple from the 'Fate Plate' Lineage interjected softly. Her demeanor was gentle, but her eyes were exceptionally bright. "Rising from obscurity, falling from the Peak, and then achieving Nirvana in desperation... Such drastic fluctuations in personal Luck best illustrate the unpredictable changes of the 'I Ching'."

"Or even..." A slightly older Disciple from the 'Orbital Instrument' Lineage, his gaze sweeping over the slowly forming vortex of the Derivation Gate, spoke with a hint of uncertainty. "Could it refer to the 'rise and fall' of this Derivation Small World itself? Our entry isn't just to compete within it; we might also be part of influencing its 'world process' of rise and fall?"

This conjecture caused a small gasp of surprise.

Influencing the 'rise and fall' of a Small World?

The level involved and the methods required would be far more macroscopic and unfathomable!

All sorts of conjectures poured in, with everyone trying to interpret the seemingly simple yet infinitely profound words "rise and fall" from their most proficient angles.

On the Array Cultivation Lineage's side, Zhao Qian, Liu Jiu, and others also had solemn expressions, exchanging views in low voices.

"The rise and fall of a Dynasty is the most likely," Zhao Qian mused. "It best fits the 'Spiritless' and 'Mortal' background, and it tests comprehensive strategic planning and the ability to guide trends.".

Liu Jiu nodded slightly: "Moreover, 'rise and fall' is not static; it's a dynamic process. How to intervene at the 'about to decline but not yet declined' juncture? Is it to accelerate its collapse, establishing a New Order on its ruins; or is it Heaven-Defying to save a crumbling edifice? Different choices lead to different Daos."

Xu Yuan listened quietly to his fellow Disciples' discussions, also paying attention to the snippets of conversation from other lineages, pondering in his heart.

Just as everyone was bewildered and discussing, Jiang Tingyun's voice rang out again, calmly injecting a concrete framework into this abstract theme:

"This Derivation Small World will be set against the backdrop of a mortal Dynasty 'on the verge of great change'. This Dynasty is plagued by internal strife and external threats, with deep-seated corruption, its Luck wavering, standing at a turning point where 'decline' is imminent."

His gaze swept over the thirty-three faces below, some deep in thought, some enlightened, some still confused, and he continued:

"After you enter, you can freely choose which faction to join. You might be a fallen noble, a Commoner Families scholar, a minor border soldier, or a city merchant... Your identities will vary, your circumstances will differ, and the resources, information, and influence you possess will be vastly different."

"Your mission, in this Spiritless World, is to start from your Incarnation's identity, and use your understanding of Kunlun and I Ching Dao to either turn the tide and help the Dynasty revive; or go with the flow and promote its reform; or forge a New Dao, finding new life in its decay; or even... accelerate its collapse and establish a New Dynasty on its ruins!"

"No limits on methods, no single path set." Jiang Tingyun's tone carried a subtle, almost imperceptible profound meaning. "Ultimately, your ranking will be determined by the depth and breadth of your influence on the Dynasty's 'rise and fall Luck'! The criteria for judgment lie in the ingenuity of 'derivation' and the insight and application of the 'principles of rise and fall', not merely the success or failure of the outcome."

"Time limit: thirty years in the Small World, one month in the outside world."

It truly was the rise and fall of a Dynasty! And a Dynasty at the critical point of "decline"!

As Jiang Tingyun's voice faded, the entire scene fell into an even deeper silence.

All the Disciples were processing the mission objective, contemplating their possible strategies.

However, in Xu Yuan's eyes, amidst this silence, an unprecedented, almost burning, scorching light suddenly erupted!

"Dynasty's rise and fall... Spiritless World..."

How could this be just a competition?

This was simply... the most perfect testing ground, tailor-made for him!

In his previous life, he had attained the Overlord Golden Rank and had once been a monarch, governing the world. He had a personal understanding and profound reflection on the governance, chaos, cycles of rise and fall, and the will of the people in a Dynasty. Although not omniscient, he had a few more insights than most of his fellow Disciples present.

And in this life, he had joined the Zhenyan Lineage, meticulously studied the principles of deduction and strategy of Kunlun and I Ching Dao, delved deeply into the mysteries of Dao of Karma and Heavenly Mandate's Luck and destiny, and had frantically absorbed vast knowledge in the Scripture Pavilion.

The experience of "practice" in his previous life and the accumulation of "theory" in this life were, at this moment, just lacking an opportunity for verification!

An excellent opportunity to place his vague vision of a "New Dao of Civilization"—those thoughts on "order construction," "the convergence of collective will," and "cycles of rise and fall"—into a relatively enclosed, clearly defined, and time-dilated "experimental environment" for observation, intervention, and verification!

"No need to directly use extraordinary powers, purely relying on wisdom, strategy, understanding of human nature, comprehension of systems, and judgment of the times..."

Thoughts raced through Xu Yuan's mind.

"This is the best place to test what I've learned and thought, to verify those 'wild' theories! I can even... try to put some conjectures about the 'optimal path of civilizational evolution' into practice!"

Just as Xu Yuan's heart was surging, Jiang Tingyun's grand voice resounded again: "The Dharma Assembly officially begins! The Derivation Gate, open!"

Boom!

At the center of the Derivation Platform, the massive swirling gate surged with light, emitting a powerful suction force and profound spatial fluctuations.

"Disciples of each lineage, step forward in order, enter the gate, and you will be randomly Incarnated and cast into the Small World!"

With Jiang Tingyun's command, thirty-three figures, some steady, some eager, some apprehensive, some confident, transformed into streaks of light and unhesitatingly plunged into the deep, swirling vortex.

Xu Yuan took a deep breath, collecting all his excitement, all his plans, all his calm calculations, deep within his heart, leaving only a clarity as pure as a mirror.

He took a step, neither fast nor slow, following the flow of people, and entered the bizarre and colorful gate.

A sensation of dizziness and spatial disorientation came over him.

It was as if he had traversed endless mists and light and shadow, his perception stripped away and then reassembled. When Xu Yuan's consciousness and perception stabilized again, a heavy, weak feeling, thick with the scent of smoke and dust, instantly enveloped him.