# Chapter 4071: The Second Confucian Ancestor
"Luo Shengtian, you have no right to question Emperor Dust!"
Xiao Hei shouted loudly, releasing his spiritual power outward, displaying the full dignity of a sect master.
The heaven and earth trembled, wind and clouds changed color, and all the cultivators present were completely stunned.
Spiritual power at the eighty-ninth level could be counted on one hand across the entire universe.
Although Luo Shengtian had a special status, in Xiao Hei's view, questioning Zhang Ruochen on such an occasion was intolerable. It not only damaged Zhang Ruochen's reputation but also undermined the authority of the Sword Realm.
The Dragon Lord's cultivation and status were too high, making it inconvenient for him to argue, but someone had to step forward.
Xiao Hei believed he had this qualification.
He walked down the steps one by one, his eyes fixed firmly on Luo Shengtian, stopping before him with five steps separating them vertically, and said: "This Sect Master won't hide it either! At the North Marsh Great Wall, in order to fight against the Nether Ancestor Faction together with your Hell Realm, an Ancestor-level battle erupted. Emperor Dust was severely injured and nearly fell. Surviving was extremely difficult."
"He entered the Fifty-Fourth Layer Tower to go into seclusion precisely to heal his injuries as quickly as possible, in order to face the even more dangerous challenges ahead. Did you know any of this?"
"If you didn't know, then go back and ask Void Heaven and Feng Tian of the Hell Realm. They will tell you how foolish you are."
Luo Shengtian clenched his fists tightly, blood qi surging within his body.
He was not a man without wisdom; it was just that over the years, he had harbored deep resentment toward Zhang Ruochen, feeling that Zhang Ruochen did not care enough for Luo Sha, that they rarely gathered even once in ten thousand years. Coupled with his desire to use provocation to force Zhang Ruochen to appear, he had spoken those words.
Humiliated by Xiao Hei, Luo Shengtian naturally burned with rage, but he quickly calmed down again, dispersing the power he had been gathering.
He bowed toward the Fifty-Fourth Layer Tower, clasping his hands, and said: "Emperor Dust's righteousness is great; I was reckless! But everyone has formed good relations with the Sword Realm because of Emperor Dust. With such a major incident occurring, before going into seclusion, Emperor Dust should at least have informed us and kept us in the loop."
After all, Luo Shengtian was the elder brother of Empress Luo Sha; everyone had to show him some courtesy. Xiao Hei did not continue to press him and was about to speak when—
Xia Yu picked up where Luo Shengtian left off, saying: "That's right. This matter has caused earth-shattering shock in the Undying Blood Clan. All kinds of forces, large and small, are acting openly and covertly. Some are taking advantage to profit, some are stirring up people's hearts, and some are creating slaughter. If we had known the news earlier, we could have made arrangements in advance. How could it have come to this?"
The envoys from various factions present all expressed views similar to Xia Yu's, hoping for an explanation.
"This matter, I do know some inside information."
Over the years, the Dragon Lord's cultivation had grown increasingly profound. Just standing there, he had the aura of one who could swallow the clouds and sky. Therefore, as soon as he spoke, all the cultivators fell silent.
The Dragon Lord stood tall and outstanding, his tone resolute, saying: "In the universe, there is indeed such a painting that has caused multiple Ancestors to search for it. The Lamp Waning Monk investigated this matter at the request of Wen Tianjun. Everyone should already know the results of the investigation! Legend has it that the painting was very likely created by Su Zilian. What kind of painting it actually is, no one knows."
"This matter likely involves the Immortal. Even beings like Emperor Dust and Wen Tianjun dare not touch it and only want to send it away immediately. If I had told you, wouldn't that have harmed you?"
"Ask yourselves honestly—if I had told you in advance, could you have resisted the urge to search for it? Or rather... even now, have you truly not sent people to search for it?"
"This is a great calamity, by no means any kind of opportunity."
The Dragon Lord's expression turned solemn, and he said: "I must warn you—this painting must not be touched. Whoever uncovers the secret behind the painting will die."
"If someone hadn't deliberately spread this matter, making it known throughout the world, I would never have given you these explanations. Explaining is saving you."
Xiao Hei looked meaningfully at the handsome and heroic Dragon Lord above, feeling a bit disgusted inside: "Uncle Dragon, such an upright and elegant cultivator, has actually learned to trick people?"
He knew very well that the more seriously the Dragon Lord spoke, the more severely he warned, the crazier everyone would become.
This was equivalent to indirectly proving the value of that painting!
Many cultivators present might be able to take it to heart.
But what the Dragon Lord had just said would definitely spread. Once it spread, the impact would be uncontrollable.
"It is said that the Eternal True Ruler was born in the Kunlun Realm as the Second Confucian Ancestor. I wonder if the Dragon Lord has heard of this?"
A middle-aged man's voice suddenly rang out, causing the already calmed situation to explode once more.
"What? The Eternal True Ruler is the Second Confucian Ancestor?"
"How is that possible? The Second Confucian Ancestor was a figure from fifty or sixty eons ago, wasn't he? How could he still be alive?"
"What if the Second Confucian Ancestor is the Immortal?"
"The remnant soul of Corpse Nightmare was able to achieve Ancestorhood in this era. Why couldn't the Second Confucian Ancestor achieve it in a second life?"
...
The Dragon Lord looked toward the middle-aged man who had asked the question.
This man had a majestic physique, with bold features and distinct contours, exuding a domineering aura. Even standing in the crowd wearing plain clothes, he was quite conspicuous.
Most importantly, on his forehead, there was actually a pair of dragon horns.
The Dragon Lord could tell that the other party's cultivation realm was extremely high, but among the dragon clan powerhouses across the universe, there was absolutely no such figure. Therefore, he quickly guessed the other's identity.
The Dragon Lord said: "So it is Dragon Emperor of the Dark Abyss who has come to the Sword Realm. I have failed to welcome you properly."
Dragon Emperor's bearing was extraordinary, and he smiled faintly: "If it weren't for the fact that the ancient tribes have old ties with Emperor Dust and share a deep friendship, I truly wouldn't dare to come to the Sword Realm alone. Several old clan emperors of the Dark Abyss owe Emperor Dust a debt of life-saving grace."
The Dragon Lord caught the implication in his words and said: "Toward friends, the Sword Realm has always treated them with courtesy. Just like Old Clan Emperor Zhenyi and Old Clan Emperor Tuteng, who have been recuperating in the Wuding Divine Sea for many years. I often drink and converse with them. When the Jade Desolation Realm opened this time, they took the initiative to go and help, protecting the gods under the Sword Realm's banner. I wonder, is Dragon Emperor a friend of the Sword Realm, or an enemy?"
Dragon Emperor did not directly answer the Dragon Lord's question, saying: "Finally, there is news of the two old clan emperors! I absolutely trust Emperor Dust and the Sword Realm's attitude toward friends. But I still have to ask—has the Sword Realm already defected to the Divine Realm? Defected to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom?"
"Boom!"
The envoys from all sides gathered at the Divine Fall Sect were shaken to their cores.
It was like a thunderclap exploding beside their ears.
Dragon Emperor was clearly representing the Ancestor of the Dark Abyss, so his words were absolutely not baseless.
The fact that the eldest disciple of the Eternal True Ruler was the Fourth Confucian Ancestor already showed some clues.
If the Eternal True Ruler was really the Second Confucian Ancestor, then the entire Sword Realm, including the thousands of great worlds under its banner, defecting to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom would be nothing strange.
First, the Fourth Confucian Ancestor was renowned throughout the world for his virtue and was a longtime friend of the Sword Realm's most influential figures, "Yunshen Daozhu" and "Wen Tianjun." Even the Dragon Lord and Qiangu Nüdi, when they were young, held him in great respect and admiration.
Moreover, there was the Second Confucian Ancestor, an existence of unparalleled influence, known for righteousness. He could definitely be considered a spiritual banner of the Kunlun Realm, influencing cultivators across the universe for millions of years.
If before, everyone harbored hostility toward the Divine Realm and had doubts about the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom.
But with the identities of the Second Confucian Ancestor and the Fourth Confucian Ancestor made public, hostility and doubt would surely vanish like smoke.
Virtue and righteousness—the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom already possessed both.
Strength and reputation coexisted.
It could be imagined that from now on, cultivators from the Heavenly Court, the Sword Realm, and the Hell Realm would flock to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom in an endless stream.
The worse scenario was that the Sword Realm would completely defect to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom. At that point, the Heavenly Court and the Hell Realm would have no choice but to follow.
Once the forces of the entire universe were consolidated, without a doubt, the Dark Abyss would be the first place to be swept clean.
Thus, the purpose of Dragon Emperor's appearance here was self-evident.
Zhao Gongming was very worried, afraid that the reason Zhang Ruochen was avoiding everyone was precisely this, so he immediately asked: "Lord Dragon, please give us a definitive answer. This matter is ten times more serious than that legendary, illusory painting."
Yanshu Chanshi said: "That's right, Lord Dragon, please do not deceive us. Give us a definitive answer! I heard that a few days ago, the Fourth Confucian Ancestor visited the Wuding Divine Sea. Was it to discuss this matter?"
Someone else asked: "Emperor Dust handed that secret scroll about the painting to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom. Does that mean you have already formed an alliance?"
"I heard that in the battle at the North Marsh Great Wall, the Fourth Confucian Ancestor was Emperor Dust's greatest trump card. It was his sudden appearance that suppressed the Nether Sea Spirit."
"How many secrets is the Sword Realm hiding?"
...
At this moment, people were panicked and extremely worried.
Message divine talismans flew out like snowflakes.
The Dragon Lord saw through Dragon Emperor's intention—it was to use the power behind the envoys of the various major forces to force him to speak on behalf of the Sword Realm.
If the Sword Realm had truly defected to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, and the Dragon Lord announced it at this moment, it would inevitably trigger chaos in the universe. Perhaps in the end, the Heavenly Court and the Hell Realm would still be subdued by the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, but at least before that, the Sword Realm would be pushed to the forefront of the storm, becoming the center of conflict.
Thus, the Dark Abyss would have enough buffer time to prepare.
This was the worst-case scenario!
What Dragon Emperor hoped to see more was that the Dragon Lord would deny this matter.
Once the Dragon Lord denied it, it would be equivalent to knocking the Second Confucian Ancestor and the Fourth Confucian Ancestor off their pedestals, and the influence of the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom would plummet to rock bottom.
Because Wen Tianjun and the Dragon Lord, and even Zhang Ruochen, had no reason not to trust the two Confucian Ancestors born in the Kunlun Realm.
Since they didn't trust them, it meant there were huge problems with these two Confucian Ancestors.
Trust was the key to unity.
If even the cultivators of the Kunlun Realm couldn't trust the two Confucian Ancestors, how could they gain the trust of cultivators throughout the world?
The Dragon Lord knew very well what the consequences would be if he didn't take a stand at this moment.
Not taking a stand was equivalent to admitting it.
Just like that day at the Dragon Nest, when Wen Tianjun confronted the Fourth Confucian Ancestor face to face. Although the Fourth Confucian Ancestor chose silence, at that time, the Dragon Lord already knew that the Eternal True Ruler was most likely the Second Confucian Ancestor!
Facing everyone's gaze, the Dragon Lord did not avoid it, saying: "If everyone trusts me, I can very responsibly tell you that, up to now, no one in the Sword Realm can confirm the identity of the Eternal True Ruler."
He neither answered yes nor no.
The Dragon Lord did not want to be used by the Dark Abyss, because whether he answered "yes" or "no," it would put the Sword Realm in danger.
Since it was uncertain whether the Eternal True Ruler was the Second Confucian Ancestor, naturally, the Sword Realm had not defected to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom.
After dealing with the envoys of the various major forces, the Dragon Lord realized that Dragon Emperor had already quietly left the Sword Realm, escaping his divine thought lock.
"The Ancestors' game—the Kunlun Realm still cannot avoid it and has become the center of the storm. Now that the Divine Realm's situation is favorable, with the possibility of unifying the universe, how will the Nether Ancestor and the Dark Abyss counterattack?"
The Dragon Lord felt that a new round of storms was already brewing. He only hoped that Yunshen Daozhu and Wen Tianjun would return soon, and even more so, that Zhang Ruochen would quickly succeed in forging the Seventy-Two Layer Tower.
"If only there were a trustworthy Ancestor born in this era! Hao Tian could be, Heavenly Mother could be, even Fengdu Dadi and Lady Shiji would do. Without an Ancestor to lead, the beings of the universe are just pawns on someone else's sand table, manipulated at will." The Dragon Lord sighed softly, a sense of unprecedented powerlessness rising in his heart.
...
The Xu Family was a first-rate divine spirit family in the Book Realm, with intricate power structures and clan members spread across every corner of three continents. Over more than ten million years, although there had been times of decline, there were always clan members who rose again, restoring the family's divine spirit status.
The Xu Family had hundreds of clan branches, all of which were local powers.
Over endless years, the direct lineage belonging to Xu Zheyuan could not even be accurately traced within the Xu Family itself.
Because each divine spirit had their own direct bloodline, but in the history of the Xu Family, a total of seven divine spirits had been born. Xu Zheyuan was the founding ancestor and also the oldest.
The Book Alliance, established by Nalan Danqing, had spent a massive amount of time to find the descendants of Xu Zheyuan's eldest son, Xu Qing's lineage, and finally obtained that useful piece of information.
Wind Frost City was located in the northern part of Tianzi Continent, bordering Cheng Sea. Over the past two thousand years, it had developed rapidly and had become one of the top ten cities in the Book Realm.
The most important reason was that the Xu Family of Wind Frost City had produced a heaven-defying genius. Now over two thousand years old, his cultivation had reached the Great Saint Supreme Realm, ranking among the top twenty in the Book Realm, with a chance to impact divinity.
"Xu Mingjing!"
"That's right, it's Xu Mingjing. Rest assured, sir, we have two thousand years of friendship. Everything has been arranged. He returned from Qiming Sect yesterday!"
Liao Kuo, the newly ascended divine spirit of the Book Alliance, drove a deer cart, saying this.
The deer cart shot forward like an arrow, racing toward the Xu Family mansion, crushing the snow on the ground, leaving only two black wheel tracks on the street.
On the roof of the cart hung an exquisite ancient lamp. Even during the day, it emitted a faint radiance, enveloping the entire carriage. Its purpose was unknown.
Inside the cart, the low voice of that mysterious figure sounded again: "Xu Mingjing's master is Wen Qingxiu, right?"
Liao Kuo was moved. To dare to directly call the name of Qingxiu Divine Sect, this figure's background was absolutely terrifying.
He carefully replied: "Does sir know Qingxiu Divine Sect?"
"Wen Qingxiu, one of the Four Talents of the Blue Sea in the Book Realm back then. I met him a few times at the Red Dust Assembly an eon ago."
After saying this, there was no more sound from inside the cart, clearly not wanting to say more.
(End of chapter)