I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

[Beijing - A Top-Secret Underground Command Center]

The air in the meeting room was foul and the ashtrays were overflowing with cigarette butts.

There were no windows, only the cold blue light from the huge electronic screen illuminating the faces of the seven elderly people sitting around the long table. They looked tired, but their eyes held an unprecedented solemnity.

On the screen, a photograph taken from a high-altitude satellite is frozen in time.

The background of the photo is the majestic Kunlun Mountains, and the centerpiece is a winding stone staircase—the "Ladder of Inquiry" that shocked the world yesterday.

At the end of the steps, in the square in front of the Taiqing Hall, nine figures lay scattered about.

"Is that all?"

The elder sitting at the head of the table broke the ten-minute silence with a low voice.

"Yes, sir."

Li Guozhong, the director of Bureau 749, stood up. He hadn't even had time to change out of his dusty field uniform. His eyes were bloodshot, and he pointed his pointer at the nine dots on the screen.

"Yesterday, a total of 3,421 people attempted to break through the Kunlun security line and enter the so-called 'mountain trail.' Among them were billionaires worth billions, and even two unauthorized S-class mercenaries from overseas."

Li Guozhong paused for a moment, then pressed the next slide.

The scene depicted the horrific events of that night: the wealthy foamed at the mouth on the third step, while the mercenaries knelt and wept on the tenth step, their spirits broken.

"Anyone who tries to cheat with perseverance, money, or even performance-enhancing drugs will be completely wiped out."

"Only these nine people made it to the top."

The screen displayed the detailed profiles of these nine individuals.

He was neither a top soldier nor a genius scientist, nor even a healthy person.

File No. 1: Zhang Wei, 28 years old, bankrupt entrepreneur, heavily in debt, was preparing to commit suicide under an overpass yesterday.

File No. 2: Lin Xiaowan, 19 years old, a late-stage leukemia patient, has been issued a critical condition notice by the hospital.

File No. 3: Chen Ping (pseudonym), 14 years old, a homeless child, with a withdrawn personality...

……

"Is this the selection criterion of that 'god'?"

An elderly general, his brow furrowed and knuckles white from clenching his fists, asked in a tone of intense bewilderment, "A group of... marginalized people? The old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled?"

"It's not just about marginalized people."

Zhao Feng, who had been standing in the shadows, stepped out.

At this moment, he was still wearing the special operations uniform he had just been withdrawn from the front lines, which was even covered with the white frost unique to the Kunlun Mountains. As the only "on-site witness" and front-line commander, he was brought back by an emergency special plane.

Zhao Feng gave a standard military salute and said in a deep voice:

"Sir, I've been watching through the binoculars all night."

"The girl with leukemia climbed the last 500 steps, her fingernails were torn off, and she climbed up in a pool of blood. The homeless child broke three teeth trying to climb up."

Zhao Feng took a deep breath and gave his assessment, his voice echoing in the conference room:

"That path doesn't test physical ability, intelligence, or worldly status."

"That person... he's filtering out 'obsessions.' He's looking for people who have an extreme desire to 'live' or 'change their fate.'"

The meeting room fell silent once again.

This conclusion is more disheartening than any weapon.

If cultivation of immortality values ​​"power," the state can negotiate; if it values ​​"money," the state can pay; if it values ​​"talent," the state can screen.

But if what matters is "temperament" and "opportunity"...

This means that the state apparatus has temporarily failed in this area.

"Whether they are marginalized or elites, these nine people are already on the mountain."

The elder spoke slowly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, making a "tap-tap" sound. "Guozhong, what's the report on your end?"

Li Guozhong looked solemn and pulled out the last top-secret document—"The Contact Plan for Code Name 'Kunlun'".

"Sir, according to the think tank's overnight analysis, we face three choices."

"Plan A: A strong offensive. Deploy the Rocket Force and Air Force for a comprehensive attack. However, after the enemy demonstrated the ability to 'rewrite the rules of physics' and 'create things out of thin air,' this plan has a 0% chance of success and could trigger an unbearable and devastating retaliation."

"Plan B: Blockade. Cut off all supplies to Kunlun Mountain, including water and electricity, in an attempt to force the other side to compromise. But... since the other side can cultivate immortality, they have probably already achieved abstinence from grains, so this plan is also ineffective."

"Therefore, we are left with only option C."

Li Guozhong took a deep breath, and two large red characters appeared on the screen:

【touch】

"Since we can't control him, let's acknowledge his existence. Since we can't fight him, let's strive to become his 'preferred partner'."

"Those nine marginalized people were the first batch, but they will certainly not be the last. Since he has set up the 'Ladder of Inquiry' in such a grand manner, it means that he needs people and needs to spread his teachings."

"As long as he needs to preach, he needs people, land, and order... and that provides the basis for negotiation."

The Grand Elder stared at those two words and remained silent for a long time.

Outside the window, the eastern sky was already tinged with the pale light of dawn. A new day had begun, but the world was no longer the same as yesterday.

"Zhao Feng." The Grand Elder suddenly called out his name.

"arrive!"

"You previously reported that you felt an aura locking onto you at the foot of the mountain, but it wasn't hostile, right?"

"Yes! When I tried to approach the cordon, I felt... like I was being watched by some kind of enormous thing. But after I stepped back and expressed goodwill, that feeling disappeared," Zhao Feng answered truthfully.

"very good."

The Grand Elder stood up, scanned the entire room, and made the final decision.

"This shows that this 'god' has no hostility towards secular regimes. He is just... marking out his territory."

"Option C is approved."

"But we must add one condition: 'National Gift Standard'."

"Li Guozhong, Zhao Feng."

"You two, representing the nation, shall immediately depart for the foot of the Kunlun Mountains."

"Don't bring troops, don't bring weapons."

"Take this with you."

The elder took out a sealed red document bag from the safe behind him.

The document bag is printed with the national emblem in gold foil.

That was the highest-level authorization letter from the state.

"Tell that person..."

"We can leave these nine children alone and regard them as his 'disciples'."

"But this land of China cannot have only these nine lucky ones."

"If he wants to cultivate immortality, we support him; if he needs resources, we'll allocate them."

"There is only one condition—please ask the 'National Preceptor' to come out of seclusion and open a path for these 1.4 billion people."

Zhao Feng looked at the red file folder and felt a heavy weight in his hands.

He knew that this was not just a document, but the first diplomatic letter from two eras—the "technological era" to the "mythological era."

"Mission accomplished!"

The two responded in unison, their voices loud and clear.

Just then, the red alarm light in the conference room suddenly started flashing wildly without warning, and a piercing buzzing sound tore through the tense atmosphere.

A communications officer burst through the door in a panic, forgetting to even call out a report, waving a newly printed satellite image in his hand.

"Sir! Emergency!"

"What's going on? The Americans have made their move?" Li Guozhong exclaimed in surprise.

"No...not America!" The communications officer swallowed hard, his face pale as if he had seen a ghost, and trembled as he switched the latest live feed onto the big screen.

"It's Kunlun Mountain... Kunlun Mountain, it..."

Everyone turned to look, and then gasped in shock.

The spot where the main peak once stood was now swirling with clouds and mist.

Above the clouds, accompanied by the dragon's roar that had resounded throughout the land, a massive mountain detached itself from the earth's crust.

It severed its connection with the earth and, defying the law of universal gravitation, slowly floated up into the sky!

Pavilions and towers appear and disappear in the mist, and cranes dance in the clouds.

Where is that mountain that is no longer in the human world?

That was clearly the legendary Heavenly Court, which suppressed the fate of heaven and earth!

The Grand Elder looked at the floating immortal mountain, and the last trace of hesitation in his eyes completely disappeared.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled:

"It seems our plan was too conservative."

"Go quickly. Don't keep the 'immortal' waiting."