300: Fifth Incarnation: Heavenly Physician (Ninety-two)

"Soul Transformation... so this is Soul Transformation!"

Xu Yuan's Divine Soul shook violently, a tidal wave surging in his heart, filled with unspeakable shock and realization!

He saw that bright, grand path leading to the supreme Realm, and the ultimate possibility of the "Human Dao" philosophy coexisting and flourishing with Heaven and Earth.

However, before this shock and yearning could settle in his heart, a bone-chilling, nearly hopeless reality, like ice falling from the Nine Heavens, slammed heavily into his Dao Heart!

"That's it... the key to the path of 'Soul Transformation' lies in 'returning the Dao to Heaven,' promoting the Perfection of Heaven and Earth to receive feedback from the Origin and become an Incarnation of the rules... the principle is so clear, the prospect so enticing..."

"But..."

Xu Yuan's gaze seemed to pierce through the beautiful picture of this deduced dream, seeing the current state of the real world outside—Spiritual Qi declining, Laws stagnating, and thieves of the great dao occupying Dao Realms, knowing only how to take without giving back. The mother of Heaven and Earth was daily being exhausted, sliding step by step into the abyss of the Dharma-Ending Age!

"But this 'returning the Dao to Heaven,' willingly falling... how can it be easy?!"

A deep sense of powerlessness and sorrow welled up in Xu Yuan's heart.

He fully understood where the crux of the problem lay:

"In the current world, it's not that no one knows the principles of the cycle of Heaven and Earth, nor is it that no one has glimpsed the possibility of 'Soul Transformation'."

"Dao Lord Shang Qing, who commands seven Daos and is nearly a Dao Sovereign, likely touched upon this secret long ago with his wisdom and insight! And the other ancient Dao Monarchs who have lived for eons, how could they all be fools?"

"The reason they are unwilling to 'return the Dao,' afraid to 'return the Dao,' and even go further to steal from Heaven and Earth, lies at the root—the cost!"

"Becoming a Dao Monarch requires enduring countless tribulations to achieve longevity, wielding authority, and becoming nearly immortal!"

"This is the crystallization of endless effort, endless Opportunity, and endless years! To ask them to actively give all this up while their consciousness is clear, the Dao is in their hands, and their Lifespan is not yet exhausted—to 'return' their lifelong Dao Fruit to Heaven and Earth while they themselves completely dissipate and return to Chaos... what great compassion, great awakening, and great sacrifice would that require?!"

"The desire for longevity and the thought of control have long since seeped into the very marrow of their Dao Hearts!"

"Having personally witnessed their own great power, enjoyed supreme authority, and looked down upon the ups and downs of all living beings, how many can truly see through it all and be willing to sacrifice themselves for the ethereal 'Perfection of Heaven and Earth' or the 'well-being of future generations' to benefit 'others'?"

"Furthermore, the process of 'returning the Dao' itself is extremely perilous; one mistake leads to complete dao-extinction, perhaps without even a chance for Reincarnation! Who would dare to try easily?"

"Thus, the situation falls into a dead loop: Heaven and Earth decline because Dao Monarchs steal from them, and a declining Heaven and Earth cannot support the birth of 'Soul Transformation'; meanwhile, because Dao Monarchs see no hope of 'Soul Transformation,' they are even less willing to sacrifice themselves to replenish Heaven and Earth. Instead, they intensify their stealing to delay their own dao transformation, leading to further decline..."

"Over time, this vicious cycle continues until... Heaven and Earth completely wither, all things return to the void, and all Dao Monarchs and living beings are buried together!"

This is the most cruel and unsolvable truth!

The ideal path of "Soul Transformation" is indeed beautiful, but in the face of human greed and the obsession with longevity, it is as fragile as bubbles in the sun!

In the current world, those high-and-mighty Dao Monarchs have long since chosen that seemingly "self-serving" dead end over the long years!

It's not that they don't know of another path, it's that... they are unwilling to take it, they don't want to!

"Unless... there is some external, overwhelming force that compels them to 'return the Dao'? Or, is there some method to complete the 'return' without completely sacrificing the Dao Monarch themselves?"

Xu Yuan's thoughts raced, considering possible ways to break the deadlock, but every direction seemed fraught with difficulties and the hope was slim.

"Or perhaps... a pioneer of a 'New Dao' like me, who walks the path of 'symbiosis' from the beginning, could swear to 'return the Dao' upon becoming a Dao Monarch in the future, leading by example to change the atmosphere?"

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan gave a bitter smile.

This was even more unrealistic!

He can barely protect himself now, and with his New Dao not yet stable, he has become a target for everyone. What future is there to speak of?

The ideal is plump, but reality is so skeletal it's suffocating!

Just as Xu Yuan's mood sank to rock bottom, feeling deeply powerless over this seemingly unsolvable deadlock—

The dream scene changed drastically once again!

That chaotic, twisted space symbolizing the process of "dao transformation" suddenly contracted and condensed, finally turning into a singular point of light that was both extremely brilliant and extremely dangerous, floating "before" Xu Yuan!

The voice of the Illusory Dream Dao Lord was no longer ethereal, but carried an unprecedented gravity, heat, and even... a hint of frantic resolve, exploding directly in the deepest part of Xu Yuan's mind:

"What you worry about, young friend, is precisely the key! Asking those old monsters to actively 'return the Dao' is no different from asking a tiger for its skin; it is absolutely impossible!"

The Illusory Dream Dao Lord's voice, carrying a bone-deep mockery and sorrow, continued to echo in Xu Yuan's mind:

"Do you know, young friend, why the Dao Monarchs of the current world all commit such foolish acts of draining the pond to catch the fish and cutting off their own paths?"

Without waiting for Xu Yuan's answer, he continued on his own, his tone filled with reminiscence and regret:

"The 'Three Thousand Dao Provinces' shown in my deduced dream are not an illusion! That was exactly how this world... originally looked: its most complete and vibrant state!"

"In ancient times, when the world first opened, rules manifested, and all things competed for growth, Dao Prefectures were numerous—far more than three thousand! Spiritual Essence was as abundant as the sea, and Dao Rhymes manifested like rain! In those times, Cultivators lived in harmony with Heaven and Earth; though there were conflicts, the cycle of the Great Dao was always smooth. Although becoming a Dao Monarch was difficult, Prodigies frequently emerged, shining across the Three Thousand Great Prefectures."

His voice suddenly turned sharp, filled with endless resentment and mockery:

"However, human hearts are never satisfied, and greed flows unchecked! There are always some Dao Monarchs who covet authority, fear the extinction of their Dao, and are unwilling to 'return the Dao' to Heaven and return to nothingness after reaching their Peak!"

"Using Great Divine Abilities, they forcibly tore and stripped away the parts of the heavenly Laws corresponding to their own Dao Domains, combining them with the vast lands and living beings of the 'Dao Prefectures' to refine them into their own exclusive 'Dao Realms'!"

"Within a Dao Realm, they are the supreme Dominators; the heavenly Laws are modified at their whim, and all living beings are but resources! They use this to delay their own dao transformation, even attempting to extend their lives and increase their strength by continuously devouring the Dao Rhymes of other Dao Prefectures and other Dao Monarchs!"

The dream scene fluctuated violently with his words, revealing terrifying images: ancient Dao Monarchs with overwhelming auras used supreme magic to forcibly tear vast, vibrant Dao Prefectures from the mother of Heaven and Earth!

Heaven and Earth wailed, Laws snapped, and countless living beings suffered!

The torn-away Dao Prefectures were then forcibly tainted and solidified by the Dao Monarchs' Dao Rhymes into "Dao Realms" with distinct styles and unique Laws, like malignant tumors parasitizing the mother of Heaven and Earth!

"From the moment the first Dao Monarch successfully opened a 'Dao Realm,' Pandora's box was opened!"