Chapter 181 - 155: Ascension to Divinity Through Faith Is Inadvisable, Are the Dragon Race Outsiders?

The Forest Giant Elephant was startled by Lince’s words.

’Is he kidding?’

’Usurp the Deities’ position?’

Although the Forest Giant Elephant knew of the Deities’ current situation, he had never dared to entertain such a thought.

But since Lince had asked, he certainly wouldn’t want a vague answer.

The Forest Giant Elephant contemplated Lince’s motive while carefully considering the question.

In the end, based on the current reality, the Forest Giant Elephant gave a direct and firm answer.

"Your Highness, although I do not know why you ask."

"But I believe that, as far as the Oakland Continent is concerned, mortals can absolutely not usurp the position of the Deities."

Lince was very satisfied with the Forest Giant Elephant’s direct answer, but he pressed on:

"And your reason?"

The Forest Giant Elephant’s expression soured. Behind him was the Demon God Hall, which even housed the statues of seven Demon Gods.

’Is it really okay to be discussing the domain of the Deities like this?’

’If the reviving Demon Gods found out about this, would they get the idea to smash my head in?’

But facing Lince, he had no choice but to continue:

"Your Highness, you should already know this."

"On the Oakland Continent today, no living being can reach the Saint Tier through their own Power. This alone cuts off any blasphemous attempt by mortal beings to usurp the Deities."

Lince naturally knew this as well.

At the same time, he made a connection. Perhaps the disappearance of the Elemental Life from the Oakland Continent was related to the Deities.

’They were the ones who blocked all paths for the mortal life of the Oakland Continent to continue climbing higher on their own.’

Although this directly eliminated the possibility of any mortal life threatening them, from another perspective, it was equivalent to personally cutting short the potential for the Oakland Continent’s magical civilization to continue flourishing.

’However, the Elemental Life is indeed gone, but what about another path?’

So, Lince immediately asked again:

"Indeed, the mortal beings of the Oakland Continent no longer have a way to ascend on their own."

"But what if one were to seize the faith of the Deities? Can the path of faith not lead a mortal to Ascension to Divinity?"

’Seize their faith?’

The Forest Giant Elephant’s eyes widened as he stared at Lince in disbelief.

His gaze seemed to say, ’Your Highness, are you joking? How could a mortal possibly meddle with something like faith?’

’Did the guidance from the Dragon Race behind His Highness never mention this?’

But then he remembered that the Dragon Race didn’t need faith, and he understood.

So, the Forest Giant Elephant said with a pained expression:

"Your Highness, faith is not something mortals can meddle with."

"There is one thing Your Highness must know. In our world, the Deities came first, and only then came faith!"

"There were rumors in ancient times about Deities using faith to resurrect after death, but this old elephant has always been skeptical."

"However, after hearing Your Highness say that the Deities had fallen and were now reviving, I finally believed it."

"Perhaps the greatest characteristic and necessity of faith is that the Deities need it to resurrect themselves should they fall in the future."

"In short, according to ancient records and legends, the world was originally godless. All gods were great heroes and individuals of immense perseverance who forged their own paths, step by step. Faith was a concept established only after their Ascension to Divinity, supposedly to enlighten the mortal races, and they even founded so-called religions based on it."

"A mortal ascending to divinity through faith? Such a thing has never happened before. But I suppose Your Highness’s idea might also be a path to Ascension to Divinity."

"But no one has ever walked this path, so this old elephant doesn’t know for sure. I imagine, however, that the pioneer who successfully embarks on this path would surely face great dangers and crises."

"Otherwise, after so many ages, even with the suppression from the Deities, someone would have already forged this path."

"Since no one has succeeded, it naturally means the path is a dead end."

The Forest Giant Elephant spoke his thoughts, revealing everything he knew.

Lince was stunned.

’Ascending to divinity through faith is a dead end with the conditions reversed?’

’First comes the god, then comes the faith. The path of "first comes faith, then comes the god" is impassable?’

’Damn those web novels...’

’That makes sense. If the path of ascending through faith were viable, the Deities of the Oakland Continent have been absent for three thousand years. The Strong Persons of this world aren’t fools. Wouldn’t they have experimented with it themselves?’

’A whole generation of Saint Tiers is on the verge of dying from old age. If there were a real chance, they would have tried it long ago.’

’No one succeeded, so it was destined to be a dead end.’

’Then how do the Saint Tier beings of the Giant Demon World ascend to godhood?’

’With the help of other Deities? Or purely on their own?’

Thinking of this, Lince grew quite curious.

’The number of unknowns just keeps growing.’

However, setting aside the matter of the Giant Demons for now, Lince suddenly became curious about just how much an old-school Saint Tier Magical Beast like the Forest Giant Elephant knew about the Dragon Race.

Therefore, Lince smiled and said:

"I see. It seems usurping the Deities is not a simple matter. At least, the mortal life of the Oakland Continent cannot walk that path."

"Let’s drop the matter for now. It was just a passing thought that made me ask. It’s not like I actually want to persecute these poor, pitiful native Deities."

’The Deities are pitiful?’

’Well, seeing as they’re all dead, I guess they are a bit pitiful. But only someone like Lince would dare say such a thing.’

The Forest Giant Elephant complained endlessly in his heart.

But on the surface, he still had to say, "Your Highness is merciful."

Lince, however, had no idea what the Forest Giant Elephant was thinking and immediately got to the main topic.

"Merciful? Perhaps."

"Well then, Quentin, since we have some time, I’d like to know."

"You mentioned the ancient era, not the primordial one. So, what was the situation with the Dragon Race during ancient times?"

"For example, their origins and their level of power?"

’You’re asking me about this?’

The Forest Giant Elephant widened his eyes.

But he quickly realized that this Dragon Race Highness’s situation was a bit special.

And when it came to knowledge of the Dragon Race, it seemed that currently in this world, the Saint Tier Magical Beasts and the Elves knew the most.

After all, both Magical Beasts and Elves were long-lived races, and it wasn’t rare for a veteran Saint Tier Magical Beast to live for tens of thousands of years.

Coincidentally, the Giant Elephant Quentin was old enough, similar to the Aurora Bird, at least twenty or thirty thousand years old.

Thus, thinking of this, the Forest Giant Elephant fell into reminiscence, then said hesitantly:

"The situation with the Dragon Race? Your Highness, I don’t know if what I say will be correct. If I say something wrong or offensive, I beg for Your Highness’s forgiveness."

Lince gave a noncommittal nod. Seeing this, the Forest Giant Elephant finally began to speak slowly.

"The Dragon Race, as the strongest Race on the Oakland Continent, was naturally the undisputed Overlord in ancient times."

"But during the ancient era, I heard one of the Majesties mention cryptically that when the Dragon Race appeared on the Oakland Continent, the concept of gods did not yet exist on the entire continent."

"In the world of ancient times, all life had only recently been born from chaos and ignorance. It was the Dragon Race that sowed the light of wisdom, and only after that did the various races and Deities of the continent appear."

At this point, the Forest Giant Elephant added:

"Of course, this was just something one of the Demon God Majesties mentioned casually. It might have just been a joke, but it holds some credibility."

"After all, while the Elf Race doesn’t share this view, they themselves claim that in ancient times, they were the first wise beings of the continent, and its rulers."

"They say the Dragon Race, as latecomers, recklessly enlightened the various creatures of the continent, which caused the Elf Race to gradually lose its status as the continent’s rulers."

"So, one can imagine that in ancient times, the Dragon Race was an existence that the Elf Race dared not offend."

"And, interestingly enough, to this day, the Elf Race believes that the Dragon Race are not native to the Oakland Continent. They see all dragons as outsiders, as destroyers of the rules."

"The Elf Empire even continues to deny the Dragon Race’s status as World Guardians. In any case, it’s no wonder they lost their ancient position. For those arrogant Elves to have offended the Dragon Race and not been annihilated is already a pretty good outcome."

The Forest Giant Elephant’s account left Lince speechless.

’What the hell is all this?’

’The Dragon Race isn’t native to the Oakland Continent? Why does the situation on the Oakland Continent feel so complicated?’