Central Longevity Mansion.
In a grand mansion located at the roof of a tall building, a man dressed in long robes held a jade bottle, using a special mist to water the Longevity Vine that climbed along the entire structure of the mansion.
A huge Longevity Flower as large as a drum was blooming brilliantly, and the scholarly man in long robes observed it with satisfaction.
Beside him stood five disciples, both male and female, all dressed in similar simple long robes with their hair tied up, exuding the aura of ancient magicians.
Each of these cultivators carefully attended to the scholarly man in long robes, one holding scissors, another with a bowl of clear water, and another cradling a clump of soil.
"Dao Master, there is something the disciple doesn't understand, why make the outer disciples destroy that person's statue? Wouldn't this still cause dissatisfaction among the old faction?" a female magician asked.
"Nowadays, we Longevity Sect have numerous outer disciples, but how to ensure our ideology has deeply rooted in their hearts, how to prove our current supreme status? It's simple, we only need a test," the scholarly man in long robes said calmly.
"So, by shattering the original savior of this world, even having them push it down themselves, our Longevity Sect's outer disciples will have no other faith to rely on, they must unwaveringly follow our Longevity path," said the disciple holding the soil.
"Correct, I don't really care who that person was, be it the old gods of this world, the saviors of the people, or the revered beliefs of humanity. Whether they were called Wu Tian, Wu Ming, or Wu Hen makes no difference. This action marks a symbol for our Longevity Sect, signifying our supreme status in the eyes of people today. Everything else is an obstacle, meaningless. Believe in us, and everyone will achieve longevity!" the scholarly man in long robes said.
"At first, I thought demanding this of them would generate strong resistance here, but in fact, they crave longevity more than we imagined. As for the original devotion and savior belief, it had little weight in their hearts, easily toppled, and even resonated with many people," the female disciple holding the clear water said with a smile.
"Indeed, a small test has elevated the achievements of our years of effort to a supreme level. From now on, no one and no force can shake our Longevity Sect!" the Dao Master in long robes said.
After saying this, the Dao Master in long robes slowly walked to the top observation deck.
The observation deck was filled with various beautiful Longevity Flowers, and the entire modern building was wrapped in Longevity Vine, making the skyscraper exude both modern grandeur and wild flourishing spiritual charm.
From the observation deck, they could see the central square of Silver Dome City.
The square was bustling with people, their devotion to the Longevity Sect had reached an extreme. They trampled the remnants of the statue, venting the years of inculcation on survival and devotion, brimming with excitement and fervor as if heralding the dawn of a great human Ascension era.
"For a group of lower people with a lifespan of merely a hundred years, longevity is the perfect belief. Even the emperors in this world's history wouldn't hesitate to turn their intelligence into a laughingstock to achieve longevity, believing whatever they are told!" the Dao Master in long robes said.
"Indeed, who wouldn't crave longevity? Our arrival grants them a second life, equating to their biological parents…"
"Such words are superficial. People born in their era are incredibly unfortunate, facing the terrifying unknown Otherworldly Dust. Some young people resent their parents for bringing them into such a miserable age, so our status might surpass that of their biological parents. Our selfless gift of longevity and eternity hands them salvation!" the female disciple said with a smile.
"Well said, well said," the Dao Master said with evident joy.
"Dao Master, Dao Master…" At this moment, a disciple ran up in a hurry, seeming to have urgent news to report.
"What is it?" the Dao Master in long robes asked.
"That person seems to have awakened, right when the statue was pushed down. The one who should have been completely lost actually woke up," the running disciple said.
"Oh?" the Dao Master in long robes raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit surprised.
Could such a coincidence occur in the world?
Based on their understanding of this world, there shouldn't be such true deities.
Was this some kind of revelation?
The Dao Master pinched his fingers, seeming to calculate the cause and effect within.
Yet, no matter how much he calculated, nothing significant was revealed.
"No matter, this place once suffered a catastrophic calamity, indeed, a powerful being saved them. But no conclusive evidence shows that the being was one of their own, even top human leaders said they created such a vague image to provide humanity with a driving force, to make them believe they had a powerful protector among them. However, this miracle was most likely a coincidence," the Dao Master said.
"Yes, we also conducted various investigations. A person strong enough to confront the male and female dragons simply does not exist."
"Maybe that person waking up is good news for us. His mediocrity will further destroy the obsession in people's hearts over the years, turning them towards our Longevity Sect."