337: Chapter 328 The Sixth Incarnation: Heavenly Venerable (Sixteen)

"Sigh..."

This sigh was long and heavy, as if it carried the suffering and helplessness of millions of commoners, and was steeped in a desolation that had seen through the cycles of history.

Wei An leaned against the carriage wall. His eyes didn't truly "look" at any physical object; instead, they seemed to pierce through the carriage wall and the superficial flashiness of Yintian City. Using the special perception of "Order" and "Luck" granted by the "Heavenly Mandate of the Human Dao," he observed the "atmosphere" of this core region of the Dynasty.

In his "perception," the once perhaps glorious "National Fortune" of the Great Yin Dynasty was now like a candle in the wind, flickering and on the verge of being extinguished.

The "Dragon Qi" representing imperial power was dim and thin, tightly entwined and eroded by countless "mixed Qi" of greed, laziness, villainy, and resentment, like a terminally ill giant Dragon gasping for its last breath.

Meanwhile, gray, black, and blood-colored currents symbolizing "popular grievances," "military disasters," "external threats," and "natural disasters" were frantically converging from all directions. Like a torrent ready to burst, they could completely wash away and annihilate this teetering Dynasty at any moment.

"The fortune is exhausted... the great building is about to collapse."

Wei An understood clearly in his heart.

There was no need for any profound divination; simply from what he saw and felt before him, he knew that the Great Yin Dynasty had reached the final stage of its waning years.

Perhaps in three to five years, or maybe eight to ten, a world-shaking upheaval would inevitably arrive.

"At that time, a 'hero' will naturally rise with a drawn sword to slay all monsters and demons, cleansing the universe and returning to the world a... temporary period of peace and clarity."

There wasn't much turbulence in Wei An's heart; he even held a hint of cold insight.

"And then? A new Dynasty will be established, a new Emperor will ascend the throne, a general amnesty will be declared, taxes and corvée will be lightened, and a so-called 'era of good governance' will be ushered in."

"But so what?"

This thought was like a cold key, opening a heavier door deep within his mind.

"A wise ruler, through diligent governance, might be able to create several decades of peace. But how long can he live? A hundred years is the limit for a Mortal. Who can ensure that his successor will also be a wise ruler or a virtuous king? Even if several consecutive generations are virtuous masters, how many lifetimes can it last?"

"Human nature is inherently selfish, and power deludes the heart. Born in deep palaces, raised by the hands of women, ignorant of the people's hardships, and surrounded by flatterers... in such an environment, what is the probability of producing a wise ruler? Once absolute power is in hand and checks and balances are lost, greed, laziness, suspicion, and tyranny... all sorts of vices will naturally breed like maggots in the bone."

"A newborn Dynasty might have a better start, but in the end, it will inevitably follow the old path of the Great Yin Dynasty step by step—corrupt officialdom, land annexation, overbearing local magnates, and people living in misery... a cycle that repeats over and over."

"This is... the Law of historical cycles. It is not something easily reversed by human effort. It is a chronic disease that cannot be completely solved just by changing an Emperor or a surname."

Wei An's thoughts did not stop at mundane dynasties.

He thought of existences at a higher level—those Cultivators who stood above the mundane, those said to have long Lifespans and vast Divine Abilities, and even... those Dao Lords who stood at the peak of this world and claimed to be immortal!

"In a great age of cultivation, Lifespans are long. If there are those eternally indestructible or ancient existences who have lived for ten thousand years, sitting back and watching the mundane dynasties change, viewing all living beings as ants..." Wei An's gaze grew deeper, "In their eyes, the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of Mortals might not even count as conversation fodder. They themselves possess nearly absolute power and authority."

"But with absolute power and a nearly eternal life, can one establish an eternal and beautiful Order?"

In the world of cultivation, the weak are prey to the strong, the Law of the jungle prevails, and people do whatever it takes to seize resources, often exterminating entire families... the so-called righteous Sects and the Demonic Path are often just differences in stance and methods; in essence, power is still respected, and interests are paramount.

"Absolute power brings absolute authority. And absolute authority... often brings not absolute justice and benevolence, but... absolute Decay and corruption." Wei An sighed in his heart.

"Even those as strong as Dao Lords, who transcend the mundane and exist alongside the Dao—don't they also have struggles, schemes, disputes over Dao Lineages, and battles for resources? The 'Order' they establish—those Dao Realms, Sects, and Noble Families—are essentially just larger-scale, higher-level 'interest groups' and 'power monopolies.'"

"What they maintain first and foremost is their own Dao Lineage, their own interests, and their own transcendent status. As for the billions of living beings dependent on them, is there any essential difference from how the nobles of Yintian City view the commoners? They are just chess pieces, resources, 'Foundations,' and 'consumables' to maintain their existence."

"The so-called Dao Lords are nothing more than this."

This thought gradually became clear.

"If power is not constrained, the original intention is easily forgotten. If longevity carries no responsibility, indifference becomes the norm. When the power and will of an individual or a small group can easily decide the fate of billions of beings without bearing equivalent responsibility or accepting effective supervision, Decay and distortion are almost inevitable outcomes."

"Is this the root of the problem?"

Wei An saw the collapse of the old Order, the difficulty and cycle of establishing a new Order, and even saw the "curse of power" that might exist at a higher level, which was equally inescapable.

It was so for the mundane, and the same for the immortal path.

Could it be that this is an unsolvable dilemma?

Power breeds authority, authority leads to corruption, corruption triggers collapse, and after collapse, new power establishes new authority, repeating endlessly?

Must all living beings forever struggle in this swamp of cycles, unable to escape these "shackles" that seem branded into the very essence of existence, whether in the mundane or the immortal path?

He felt as if he were standing before a giant tower about to completely crumble, seeing every decayed beam and pillar within, yet not knowing how to rebuild it, or even doubting if rebuilding was possible.

However, in this extreme suppression and confusion, a weak but incredibly clear flash of inspiration, like lightning piercing through thick dark clouds, suddenly split the fog in his heart!

"No... perhaps... it's not unsolvable!"

"The fundamental flaw of the old Order lies in power being excessively concentrated in the hands of one person or a small group!"

"Emperors, generals, ministers, Dao Lords, and Sect Masters—their individual will, character, Lifespan, and even a single thought of joy or anger can determine the fate of billions and the existence or abolition of systems!"

"This is the flaw of the rule of men; its rise is sudden, and its fall is just as swift!"

"So, what if power could be stripped away from specific 'people'?"

"What if there was an Order whose Foundation did not lie in some wise ruler or virtuous master, nor in some supreme Dao Lord, but in a set of rules and systems that do not depend on any individual, are relatively objective and fair, and can self-maintain and slowly evolve?"

Wei An's thoughts were like a runaway horse, galloping toward an unprecedented direction.