I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

If the previous monster attacks only instilled fear in the world, then the appearance of the "Kunlun Palace" today has completely ignited the human gene's greed for "evolution".

The global internet was down for a full half hour.

After the server restarted, the trending topics lists on major social media platforms were completely wiped out.

There are no celebrity gossips or political news.

The top ten only have two keywords: "Kunlun" and "cultivation".

A "celestial palace image" that was screenshotted by countless people in that instant was wildly forwarded.

The towering, cloud-piercing staircase and the phrase "Those who are destined may try" are etched into everyone's minds like a magic spell.

A programmer's work group at a major company:

Lead Designer: @Everyone, today's update is delayed. Please fix the servers first.

"Technical team leader: Fix my ass. I'm quitting."

Lead planner: ? Are you crazy? You're not going to pay your mortgage?!

"Tech Team Leader: Forget about it. I got a standing ticket to Golmud. I'm going to Kunlun! I'm going to climb the ladder! If I succeed, I'll be an immortal; if I die, I'll be fertilizer for the heavens and earth! Who the hell still writes code?!"

Back-end system of an airline:

"Warning! Tickets to all airports in western China sold out in three seconds!"

"Even cargo planes flying to neighboring cities are fully booked with prices ten times higher!"

Wall Street:

Pharmaceutical stocks plummeted.

Technology stocks plummeted.

Only outdoor equipment, mountaineering supplies, and tourism-related stocks in western China saw their prices instantly surge to the daily limit.

The whole world was like a pot of boiling water, and all reason evaporated before that floating celestial palace. People no longer cared about savings, no longer cared about KPIs; they only wanted to do one thing—go there and try their luck.

……

【Kunlun Mountain - Summit】

[Time: 08:30 AM]

Gu Qing sat on the jade platform, watching the number on the system panel, which had originally been zero, now jump wildly at a terrifying speed.

[Faithfulness score +128...]

[Faithfulness score +560...]

[Faithfulness score +1024...]

It was a torrent formed by the attention, desire, and greed of billions of people around the world.

"Sure enough, only by making the pie big enough will the chives grow fast enough."

Gu Qing took a deep breath, suppressing her inner excitement.

Although this number is still far from building a real "Kunlun", it is enough for him to take the most important first step.

"system."

Gu Qing stood up and looked at the staircase of light at the foot of the mountain, which was originally just a "holographic projection".

That's fake.

If someone were to walk up now, they would pass right through the light and shadow, then slip and fall to their death in the pile of rocks.

It must be made real.

And it must be genuine and have a "filtering function".

"Exchange building component: [Nine-Bend Ladder of Inquiry (Beginner Version)]".

[Price: 150,000 Credit Points.]

[Special Effects: Gravity pressure, mental illusions. Those with weak wills or those who are extremely wicked cannot reach the summit.]

"Confirm redemption".

Gu Qing did not hesitate.

"Exchange again for: [Basic Mountain Protection Formation (Mist Formation)]".

[Price: 50,000 Credit Points.]

[Special Effects: Obscures the true appearance of the mountain; unless one uses the "Ladder of the Heart," even a nuclear bomb would only create a cloud of mist.]

"confirm."

Gu Qing pointed her finger in the air.

……

[At the foot of Kunlun Mountain - Entrance to Death Valley]

Li Guozhong has just assembled the first batch of "suicide squads" composed of special forces soldiers and agents from Bureau 749.

Two hundred fully armed elite soldiers stood solemnly before the dazzling "ladder to heaven".

"remember."

Li Guozhong said in a deep voice, "We're not here to become immortals, we're here to scout the way! Once we're up there, whatever we see, record it first, then report it! If we encounter danger..."

He paused, then said, "Retreat is permitted."

Just then.

The originally illusory staircase, which seemed to be made of pure light particles, suddenly underwent a strange distortion.

hum-

The light did not disappear, but beneath this sacred light, a kind of heavy, ancient substance, bearing the marks of time, was rapidly condensing.

The "light staircase," which was originally visible but intangible, materialized into bluish-gray stone steps right before everyone's eyes.

The stone steps are ancient and rough, even covered with moss, as if they have existed here for tens of thousands of years, only just now revealing their true appearance.

An indescribable sense of oppression emanated from the stone steps.

The special forces soldiers standing at the very front felt their knees buckle and almost knelt down.

"It has been materialized..."

Professor Wang's hands trembled as he held the detector. "Matter recombination! It really is matter recombination! Just a moment ago it was photons, now it's silicates! This isn't scientific... but it's like cultivating immortality!"

Gu Qing's voice rang out at just the right moment, this time not as a general broadcast, but only for those standing in front of the ladder:

"The path to immortality is arduous, with each step revealing a new realm."

"This is the 'Ladder of Inquiry'."

"Those who are not sincere will find their legs like lead; those whose hearts are filled with demons will fall into an abyss."

"Dispose of your technological weapons and come up with your bodies and souls."

"I'll be waiting for you up there."

The sound dissipated.

The layer of thunderstorm clouds that had been shrouding the main peak of Kunlun suddenly sank, turning into a thick, impenetrable white fog that completely swallowed the 8800-meter-high mountain, leaving only this long blue stone staircase leading to the clouds.

Now, even with satellites, it's impossible to capture the true view of the mountaintop.

Want to see?

The only way is to climb up.

Li Guozhong stared at the stone steps leading into the depths of the mist and remained silent for a moment.

Then he turned around and looked at the soldiers who had been carrying heavy assault rifles and exoskeleton armor.

"Did you all hear that?"

Li Guozhong began to unbuckle his belt and threw his pistol to his adjutant.

"Remove your armor."

"Director! You can't..." Zhao Feng exclaimed in shock.

"I'm going to pay homage to the mountain, not to attack it."

Li Guozhong straightened his military uniform, his eyes resolute.

"Since this is a question of the heart, then my heart, which is devoted to the country and its people, should be more effective than this gun."

He turned his head and looked at Zhao Feng and the young soldiers behind him.

"Zhao Feng, you lead the team. Everyone, unload your weapons, only take your communication devices."

"We...climb the ladder."

This day marks the beginning of what later became known as the "Great Migration."

At 9:00 a.m. on that day, the first charge against the gods, undertaken by mortals, began at the foot of Mount Kunlun.