The drifting snowflakes gradually diminished, and the fierce wind howled.

Old John’s gaze swept over the dignitaries on the high platform, over the onlooking crowd, and finally stopped on the Judgement Bishop who was debating with him.

He sighed softly and said:

"Certainly, order has its hierarchy, but the beings that make up this order should be equal in personality."

"Absolute fairness is indeed difficult, but we should not give up the pursuit of justice just because it is difficult."

"Fairness means opportunity, that every life possesses a bright future, that every life possesses hope."

"No nobility, no privilege, all beings, whether transcendent or ordinary, whether long-lived or short-lived, can respect each other and achieve mutual benefit."

"And this is the true pursuit of our Life Church."

"Sophistry! Absurd! How can transcendent beings be the same as ordinary people? How can long-lived beings coexist with short-lived ones? These words that confuse the masses are merely excuses for you to disrupt the empire and achieve your ambitions!"

The Judgement Bishop scolded.

"But, what if it can be done?"

Old John countered.

"Impossible!"

The Judgement Bishop instinctively denied it.

Old John smiled slightly:

"It seems you have never been to the Fengyue Free Territory."

"Fengyue Free Territory? It’s just a lie fabricated by the Elf Clan, a colony oppressed by the Elf Clan, only those ignorant and bewitched would flock to it."

The Judgement Bishop sneered.

Old John shook his head:

"You haven’t been there, so how do you know everything about it?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

After saying this, his expression suddenly became devout:

"Fengyue Free Territory, it is a true paradise on earth, it is the future of the Human World!"

"Future? Absurd! That is nothing but an illusion created by the Life Church to deceive believers!"

The Judgement Bishop retorted.

Old John let out a long sigh:

"However, even if it is an illusion, compared with the Life Church which created this illusion, what has the Eternal Church, which always describes an illusory future with posthumous bliss, done in reality for the common people?"

The Judgement Bishop was slightly stunned.

He was about to continue refuting, but suddenly did not know where to start.

Speaking of which, as a church highly tied to the ruling class, a church that primarily relies on professionals for faith, a church whose believers are spread across the universe, for the vast majority of ordinary believers without any transcendent power, the Eternal Church indeed has been detached from them for a very long time...

Intelligent beings can provide the power of faith, and the level of faith power is proportional to the strength of the soul. Perhaps the faith power of a hundred mortals is not comparable to that of one devout transcendent.

In a millennium of expansion, the Eternal Church’s interests have long been deeply tied with nobles and professionals.

As Old John said, they... indeed have neglected ordinary people for a long time.

Perhaps in peaceful times, they could rely on the oppression of the ruling class to maintain the unity of faith, but when magic power resurges and the world is in turmoil, such a former ruling method will inevitably be challenged.

Old John’s question left the Judgement Bishop momentarily speechless, and seeing the Judgement Bishop’s flaw, Old John continued:

"Once I was a devout Eternal believer too, until I went to the Fengyue Free Territory and realized what true equality is for the people, what true hope is for the people..."

"I saw with my own eyes the numb refugees finding the meaning of life, regaining hope for the future in the Fengyue Free Territory."

"There, no nobility, no oppression, everyone is equal, and each person can strive for their own future."

"Under the reform of the Life Church, no nobility monopolizes transcendent knowledge, all people share knowledge, and everyone has the opportunity to walk their own path."

"Guided by life believers, different races coexist in harmony, complement each other’s abilities, respect one another, and achieve mutual benefit. The happy smiles of the people are visible on every corner of the Fengyue Free Territory."

"Lies can deceive, but the smile of happiness cannot... Mr. Judgement Bishop."

"While the Life Church is doing these things, what is the Eternal Church doing for the people?"

Old John narrated the wonders of the Fengyue Free Territory, and as the crowd listened, they became increasingly attentive, and many showed a touch of yearning.

Some of the clergy seemed thoughtful, but most of the nobles on the high platform frowned.

Noticing the changes above and below the platform, the Judgement Bishop’s expression subtly shifted.

He snorted, sneering:

"As expected of a preacher of the Life Church, even now, you still wish to incite the people, making them stepping stones for your ambitions!"

"Ambitions? Stepping stones? No, Mr. Judgement Bishop, you are wrong, we merely wish to make this world a better place."

Old John shook his head.

Saying this, his expression turned solemn:

"If we truly have ambitions, then... they are to let everyone have equality in personality and let everyone have a bright future."

"If there are truly stepping stones, then we life believers are willing to be the first stepping stones on this arduous path!"

"Madness, you have gone mad, you’ve been completely bewitched by the hypocritical doctrine of the Life Goddess!"

Looking at the fanatical Old John, the Judgement Bishop incredulously exclaimed.