353: Chapter 344 The Sixth Incarnation: Heavenly Venerable (Thirty-Two)

For a fleeting moment, Dao Lord Shang Qing truly believed that this youth was the "Heaven and Earth's Favored One" glimpsed in the future by "destiny," destined to sweep everything aside and ascend to the absolute peak—the unstoppable "great trend" itself!

However, the outcome was unexpected, yet also within a certain cruel "reason."

Though Su Yuan was strong and extraordinary, and though he had gathered a majestic amount of human Qi and Luck, his Foundation was ultimately shallow.

Facing the joint strangulation of several ancient Dao Lords who spared no cost, he finally exhausted his strength in battle, and his Dao body crumbled.

Although his true spirit Origin escaped into the Gui Xu Passage and disappeared without a trace, never to be heard from again.

But with the "Humanity Sovereign Throne" left vacant and its Dao Rhyme gradually dissipating into the world, it seemed to confirm its master's complete fall.

"Su Yuan... is gone."

Dao Lord Shang Qing thought silently.

The reality of the "Humanity Sovereign Throne" remaining masterless for so long meant that the brilliant Lord of the Human Dao had truly perished in the depths of Gui Xu, his true spirit extinguished and his Dao Fruit reduced to nothing.

However, Su Yuan's rise and fall—this brief yet incomparably brilliant "comet legend" that shattered countless common sense—was like a bolt of lightning tearing through Chaos, illuminating a neglected and vital direction for Dao Lord Shang Qing's Dao path, which had nearly reached despair due to six failures!

He no longer mentioned Su Yuan's name; that was already smoke from the past, a "case study" used to verify certain principles.

At this moment, standing in the Xuan Xuan Land and facing the Ancient Venerables who represented the roots of the world, what he wanted to propose was an ultimate solution far more thorough, more insane, and more... drastic than simply "learning from Su Yuan's Dao"!

"Everyone," Dao Lord Shang Qing's voice broke the lingering thoughts of Su Yuan, pulling the Venerables' minds back to the present. His gaze was like a torch, scanning across "death," "life," "Time," "Space," "Destruction," "Order," "Chaos"... ancient beings, one by one. He spoke slowly, his tone calm yet carrying a weight that seemed to contain the creation of heaven and earth:

"We all know that this 'Great Golden Age' and the opportunity for 'Heaven and Earth Completion' is our only chance to break free from the prophecy of 'destiny' and reach the 'Soul Transformation' stage. However, the 'great trend' of heaven and earth is vast. Even if it appears 'weak' due to our eternal weakening, its final 'last radiance' and its internal 'fixed destiny' resilience are still not to be trifled with."

"What we thought before—whether it was joining forces to resist, waiting for an opportunity to intervene, or even the idea of simulating harmony among the various Daos to deceive heaven..." At this point, his words suddenly turned incredibly sharp, like a peerless divine blade drawn from its scabbard, intending to cut through all hesitation and convention, "In the final analysis, we are still acting within the rules and framework of this 'old world' that is already 'predetermined,' glimpsed by 'destiny,' and fragmented by thousands of Dao Realms!"

"What we are fighting for is to play a game on this 'old chessboard' that is destined to be tragic and hopeless!" His voice rose, carrying a realization and determination that pierced through the mist, "However, have you all ever thought—"

He paused slightly, and the Dao Rhyme of the Xuan Xuan Land seemed to freeze along with him. The wills of all the ancient beings subconsciously converged, sensing that earth-shattering words were about to be spoken.

"Since the great trend of this 'old world' is already partially locked by the prophecy of 'destiny,' and its 'completion' process is full of dangerous variables and thorns for us..."

Deep within Dao Lord Shang Qing's eyes, the seven-colored Dao Rhyme swirled wildly, manifesting terrifying scenes of world birth and destruction, and the overturning of heaven and earth. Word by word, he clearly uttered the shocking concept that could make all worlds tremble and the eternal Dao mourn:

"Why must we struggle so hard on this 'old chessboard'?"

"Why can't we—"

—simply flip the board?!"

BOOM—!!!

A silent thunderbolt of thought exploded in the deepest parts of every ancient being's mind!

Even with their ancient Heart-Nature, which had experienced endless eras and witnessed too many rises and falls, they were shocked at this moment by this simple, direct, yet infinitely insane proposal, causing their Dao Rhyme to become disordered and their wills to waver!

"Flip... the board?" The pulsing of the egg of "life" came to a momentary standstill, as if unable to comprehend the meaning.

"You... what do you mean by this?" The flow of the "Time" will showed a rare hesitation.

Dao Lord Shang Qing met the unbelievable "gazes" of the Venerables, which were mixed with shock, confusion, and even a hint of alarm. He no longer held anything back and revealed the subversive plan in its entirety:

"My meaning, in short—" His voice was not loud, but it struck the Dao Heart like a heavy hammer:

"Since the Foundation of the current 'great trend' of heaven and earth is maintained and simultaneously weakened by the various 'Daos' and 'Dao Realms' held, fragmented, and occupied by you Ancient Venerables and the thousands of later Dao Lords..."

"Then, take these 'holders,' these 'fragmenters,' these... 'stumbling blocks' that hinder the true 'Perfection' of heaven and earth and our transcendence—"

—and slay them all!"

BOOM—!!!

The Dao Rhyme of the Venerables shook violently again!

"And then," Dao Lord Shang Qing ignored the shock of the Venerables and continued to describe the even more terrifying blueprint, "gather the various Daos, re-refine the earth, wind, water, and fire, and harmonize Yin and Yang and the Five Elements!"

Behind him, the seven-colored Dao Rhyme soared into the sky, manifesting the terrifying scene of Chaos reopening, the clear and turbid separating, and all things being born anew!

"Using this endless Origin of the Great Dao and the vast legacy of the Dao Lords as fuel!" His voice was like a great bell, vibrating through the Xuan Xuan Land, "We shall join forces,"

—to reopen a world!"

"By borrowing the supreme power of creating heaven and earth, reshaping the universe, and re-establishing the Dao, along with the initial Luck of a new era..."

Dao Lord Shang Qing's eyes were burning bright, as if he had already seen that glorious and bloody future.

"We can then follow the trend, or even dominate the fundamental rules of this new world! At that time, by gathering the merit of creation, accepting the Luck of the new world, and wielding the authority of the new Dao..."

Finally, he uttered the ultimate goal that made the hearts of all ancient beings stop:

—to forcefully attain the Soul Transformation Divine Throne!"

"The position of Soul Transformation requires transcending the old and establishing the source of the Dao." Dao Lord Shang Qing's voice carried a seductive power and was also full of cold logic. "Competing for completion within the old world is like searching for intact beams in a collapsing building. How difficult is that? Why not..."

—tear down the old building, use its bricks and stones as a Foundation, its ruins as soil, and all the Dao Origins it contains as materials," he spread his arms, as if embracing a future forged by both destruction and rebirth, "and personally build one that belongs entirely to us, with rules set by us and Luck enjoyed exclusively by us—"

—a New Heaven!"

"In the supreme opportunity of opening this New Heaven, we shall be the 'Creator Gods' of this new world!"

"Using the status of a Creator God to carry the Divine Throne of Soul Transformation, wouldn't it be... logical and natural?!"