# Chapter 4174: Three Things
Zhang Ruochen remained silent, appearing to be swayed.
Corpse Nightmare continued: "Heavenly Venerable, you are Hao Tian's successor, endowed with great prestige. If you command the gods of all realms and heavens in the Heavenly Court Universe to form a great army and jointly attack Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, this old man will be the first to support you. With the two of us taking the lead, as long as we can rescue the Primordial Black Dragon, the next step will be to invade the God Realm."
"As long as everyone sees hope of victory, the Hell Realm, Sword Realm, and even the Dark Sovereign will surely respond one after another."
"No matter how strong that Immortal is, can they be stronger than four Primordial Ancestors? Can they defeat the power of all living beings?"
"When the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold. This is our only chance. If we miss it, we will have no say in this apocalyptic era. As Primordial Ancestors, standing tall between heaven and earth, how can we live under others' thumbs?"
As a Primordial Ancestor, Corpse Nightmare lowered his posture considerably, as if he had already pledged allegiance to Zhang Ruochen.
Four Primordial Ancestors could certainly contend with the Immortal, but the prerequisite was that everyone must be united and possess the determination to face death.
If it were Hao Tian, Heavenly Mother, and Ksitigarbha King at the Primordial Ancestor realm, Zhang Ruochen would be absolutely confident and carefree about going to battle the Immortal with them.
The Dragon Lord did not shrink from this Primordial Ancestor dialogue and asked: "Even if we win this battle, I'm afraid it would be a pyrrhic victory, right? May I ask, Nightmare Ancestor, is our goal to rescue the Primordial Black Dragon, or to declare war on the God Realm?"
"If it is to declare war, Ji Wang does not understand the life level of Primordial Ancestors, but I am very curious—by what means will you seniors suppress the Second Confucian Ancestor and that Immortal?"
"If you cannot suppress them, and we ourselves suffer heavy losses, how will we deal with the Ancestor's retaliation? More importantly, how will we handle the Great Calamity twelve thousand years from now?"
Corpse Nightmare stood at the bow of the ship, looking aged and frail, still maintaining the lean, gaunt appearance of the former Star Sea Fisherman. He said: "Ji Wang, you are the most outstanding cultivator among the younger generation, aided by the Dragon Nest, with hope of becoming a Primordial Ancestor. What, are you also frightened by the Immortal's Nine Great Divine Abilities of Eternity?"
The Dragon Lord met the Primordial Ancestor's gaze, not allowing Corpse Nightmare to change the subject, and continued: "This junior only wishes to know what strategy the Nightmare Ancestor has for defeating the enemy?"
"Could it be that without absolute certainty of victory, we should not fight? Do you think that after the Primordial Black Dragon falls, you can rest easy? Who is behind the Black and White Daoist and Xuan Yuan Second? How did Murong Huan die? How did Long Lin die? Who suppressed the Primordial Ancestor Yaksha King? Isn't the Ancestral Dragon corpse in your hands, Ji Wang?"
Corpse Nightmare spoke word by word, each word like thunder, continuing: "Do you truly believe all this was done flawlessly? Little do you know, after the Primordial Black Dragon dies, the next target won't be this old man, but you all."
The Dragon Lord had to admit that everything Corpse Nightmare said was true—the current situation was extremely unfavorable for them.
It was no longer a question of whether to fight, but how to survive next.
But to consolidate all the power of the Heavenly Court Universe and fight to the death with the Immortal of the God Realm, the best outcome would be mutual destruction. Meanwhile, Corpse Nightmare could wait at leisure, reaping the benefits as a fisherman.
In this dialogue, the Dragon Lord had clearly fallen into a disadvantage, stumped by Corpse Nightmare's questions.
"Nightmare Ancestor cannot frame and slander! The Black and White Daoist and Xuan Yuan Second were definitely not driven by this poor Daoist—they were clearly minions of the Dark Sovereign. At the Heavenly Academy, this poor Daoist merely borrowed their identities for a time."
Regardless of whether Corpse Nightmare had evidence, Zhang Ruochen would absolutely not admit it. Instead, he asked a question that had been troubling him: "Do you think, why did that Immortal wait until almost all the cultivators of Eternal Heavenly Kingdom were dead or dying before making a move?"
Life-Death Old Daoist suddenly asking such a question left the cultivators present momentarily bewildered.
Corpse Nightmare said: "Because this battle exposed the weakness of that Immortal—her weakness is the God Realm."
"Even if the Primordial Black Dragon committed heinous slaughter and devoured all the cultivators of Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, it would be a trivial matter. But when the Primordial Black Dragon attempted to break into the God Realm, that Immortal felt threatened, which is why it brought about its own destruction."
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand and said: "What the Nightmare Ancestor says is reasonable, but this poor Daoist has another thought. Everyone knows that after the Primordial Black Dragon and the Dark Sovereign conquered Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, the next step was to attack the God Realm. If so, why didn't they make a move before Eternal Heavenly Kingdom fell?"
"The answer is actually very simple! The God Realm—whether it be the Eternal True Ruler, the Fourth Confucian Ancestor, or those Divine Martial Envoys—has always acted from a position of moral righteousness. Regardless of their true intentions, at least so far, this is how they have behaved."
"With moral righteousness, one can win people's hearts."
"From the initial doubts of all living beings in the universe toward the Eternal True Ruler, to now countless cultivators joining in, willingly dedicating their life's work to build one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred Altars of Heaven and Earth for the God Realm."
"The Eternal True Ruler has been winning people's hearts step by step!"
"In the last few hundred years, the Doomsday Priests have indeed aroused widespread anger, but this has only remained among divine realm cultivators. The lower-level cultivators actually do not feel the threat of the God Realm and are more willing to support it."
"Those of us who have reached this level deeply understand the power of all living beings. How could the God Realm and the Eternal True Ruler not know?"
"They will not oppose the power of all living beings; instead, they will harness this force."
"After the Primordial Black Dragon and the Dark Sovereign invaded Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, they indiscriminately slaughtered all cultivators. These cultivators came from various great worlds, various races, various factions, with countless relatives and clansmen. It can be said that cultivators throughout the universe, even if they do not hate them, certainly will not admire them, nor will they shed blood and sacrifice for them."
"When that Immortal of the God Realm could no longer tolerate it and suppressed the Primordial Black Dragon, this again stood on the high ground of moral righteousness. Cultivators throughout the universe would only applaud—how could they risk their lives to fight to the death against Him?"
"Let this poor Daoist command the gods of all realms and heavens of the Heavenly Court Universe to form a great army, using the power of all living beings to rescue the Primordial Black Dragon? Nightmare Ancestor, do you think all living beings will truly be united? If not united, how can there be the power of all living beings?"
"If this poor Daoist were Hao Tian himself, perhaps I could rally a hundred responses with the prestige accumulated over a million years. But now, I have not yet become the Lord of the Heavenly Palace, and only a very few cultivators know of this matter. How can I command the Heavenly Court Universe?"
"If I merely rely on my identity as a Primordial Ancestor to forcefully intimidate, I will surely be counterattacked. It might even cause more cultivators to defect to the God Realm's banner."
"In terms of strength, prestige, and reputation, this poor Daoist simply cannot compare to the God Realm at present."
Corpse Nightmare's tone became less polite: "Does the Heavenly Venerable mean we should sit and wait for death? Just watch helplessly as the Primordial Black Dragon is killed? And then be picked off one by one?"
Zhang Ruochen said: "This is not a contest of strength, but a battle of methods. How much do we currently know about the God Realm's power? How can we rashly attack?"
"Has that Immortal who controls the Seventy-Two Layer Tower appeared? Has the Second Confucian Ancestor truly not broken through to the ninety-sixth level? Besides beings like Long Lin and the Primordial Ancestor Yaksha King, could the God Realm be hiding other forces? We know nothing."
"If we jump out now, who is the hunter?"
"Nightmare Ancestor, with your wisdom, how could you not understand this? If we have to spell everything out, it loses its meaning. This poor Daoist still wishes to continue cooperating, not to tear things apart now."
Corpse Nightmare stared at Zhang Ruochen for a long time, then laughed heartily: "The Heavenly Venerable speaks too seriously! In the current situation, we either prosper together or suffer together. We must come up with a strategy to deal with this."
Zhang Ruochen said: "This poor Daoist saw the true body of the Nether Ancestor in the Gray Sea. It was indeed immensely powerful, with an oppressive presence. However, Ksitigarbha King fought desperately, threatening to self-destruct his Divine Source, and could hold Him back for half a day. I think that although the Immortal is powerful, it cannot be completely unconstrained."
"The reason that Immortal of the God Realm could suppress the Primordial Black Dragon in just a few moves is largely because She controls the Seventy-Two Layer Tower, a heavy treasure that elevated Her combat power to an inconceivable height."
"In addition, there are two smaller factors. First, the God Realm is indeed important to that Immortal, because every time She activates the Seventy-Two Layer Tower, She must draw power from the God Realm."
"Second, the Primordial Black Dragon has no Divine Source, so its threat is far less than Ksitigarbha King's. Its Divine Source is the Desolate Moon. You must understand, even without a Divine Source, the Primordial Black Dragon has Primordial Ancestor-level combat power. If it recovers its Divine Source and returns to its height during the Primordial Era, even that Immortal of the God Realm might not be its match."
"So, the urgent matter requires us to do three things."
Zhang Ruochen raised one finger: "First, find the Nine Cauldrons. Only by gathering all nine can we counter the Seventy-Two Layer Tower."
"Second, we must dispatch a group of sufficiently wise and courageous cultivators to infiltrate the God Realm. At critical moments, they may play an invaluable role."
"Third, find the Desolate Moon and seize it. In truth, after the Nether Ancestor's death, the only ones who can truly threaten the God Realm are the Primordial Black Dragon and the Dark Sovereign. But the prerequisite is that they must possess the Desolate Moon."
Corpse Nightmare said: "After Zhang Ruochen died, several of the Nine Cauldrons went missing, likely falling into the hands of the God Realm. As for the Void Cauldron, there is not even a trace of information—it has long disappeared into the river of time. This old man will do his utmost to search!"
"Dispatching cultivators to infiltrate the God Realm is a good idea. But this is a path of certain death. I'm afraid few are willing to go."
The Dragon Lord said: "The Nightmare Ancestor underestimates the heroes of the world too much! If death has value and meaning, there are countless martyrs unafraid of death. Among the three strategies proposed by the Heavenly Venerable, this one is actually the easiest."
Corpse Nightmare did not dwell on this matter: "Then only the third point remains! The Desolate Moon is likely on the Eternal True Ruler. The Eternal True Ruler is a Spiritual Power Primordial Ancestor—finding him alone is as difficult as reaching the heavens. How can we seize it?"
Zhang Ruochen said: "To the Primordial Black Dragon and the Dark Sovereign, the Desolate Moon is like the source of power. No matter how the Eternal True Ruler tries to conceal it, they must have some subtle resonance. Perhaps it was sensing the Desolate Moon in Eternal Heavenly Kingdom that made them risk a large-scale attack."
Corpse Nightmare's eyes lit up: "You mean the Eternal True Ruler was among the cultivators of Eternal Heavenly Kingdom at that time? Or hiding in someone's Divine Realm World?"
"Just a guess! Many things will only have answers when we meet the Dark Sovereign." Zhang Ruochen said.
Corpse Nightmare looked up at the Primordial Black Dragon, chained in the infinitely distant Colorless Realm, and said: "Since the Heavenly Venerable plans to act after careful planning, let us discuss this at length. I wish the Heavenly Venerable success in taking control of the Heavenly Court Universe and extending his might across the cosmos."
The dilapidated wooden boat flickered through space several times before disappearing without a trace.
After Corpse Nightmare left, most of the Primordial Ancestor's oppressive aura dissipated. The Dragon Lord, Lian Xi, and Yin Yuanchen all felt the pressure on them greatly reduced.
The Dragon Lord said: "Corpse Nightmare must have gone to find the Dark Sovereign! They may have also formed a secret alliance."
Zhang Ruochen was very calm, sneering: "After the Nether Ancestor's death, any cultivator who does not want to obey the God Realm's orders can only huddle together for warmth. But such alliances cannot be relied upon in life-or-death moments. Everyone waits for the other to risk their life, creating a better opportunity for themselves."
"Ji Wang, do you resent this seat for cooperating with Corpse Nightmare?"
The Dragon Lord did not expect the Life-Death Heavenly Venerable to ask such a question.
When does a Primordial Ancestor need to explain their actions to others?
Was the Life-Death Heavenly Venerable trying to completely win him over? Starting to open his heart?
This Life-Death Heavenly Venerable was deeply calculating, not inferior to Corpse Nightmare. The Dragon Lord secretly reminded himself to be more vigilant and not to trust him completely.
The Dragon Lord said: "As the Heavenly Venerable said, if we do not want to obey the God Realm's orders, we can only huddle together for warmth."
"How do you view the God Realm?" Zhang Ruochen asked again.
This time, the Dragon Lord did not answer immediately. After careful thought, he said: "The Second Confucian Ancestor once said that the God Realm has no Immortal, taking all the past events upon himself, explaining the Time-Space Human Ancestor as an aid who crossed the river of time. Facts have proven he lied! A lying Confucian Ancestor is even less trustworthy than a lying mortal."
Zhang Ruochen said: "To make a Confucian Ancestor abandon his cultivation and character to weave lies, those lies must hide unspeakable secrets and intentions."
The Dragon Lord said: "That was because the Nether Ancestor was still alive at that time! The Second Confucian Ancestor needed to appear as the weaker side to gain the trust of contemporary cultivators, using them to deal with the Nether Ancestor faction together. After the Nether Ancestor's death, there was no need to continue the act."
"As for the lie that martial authority is divinely bestowed and the Divine Martial Mark has nothing to do with the Immortal, it has been shattered beyond repair."
"Facts have proven that the Divine Martial Mark did not come from heaven and earth but was bestowed by the Immortal—a blade hanging over the heads of all cultivators in the universe."
"It can be said that although the Primordial Black Dragon and the Dark Sovereign failed completely this time, they also tore off the Second Confucian Ancestor's disguise. Unfortunately, only a few cultivators know of this. If the Second Confucian Ancestor does not admit it, we can do nothing about it."
"With Heavenly Venerable-level and Half-Ancestor cultivators in seclusion, after today's battle, I'm afraid more than half of the world's cultivators will lean toward the God Realm. People have always admired the strong."
"In the universe, only Hao Tian, Heavenly Mother, and Fengdu Dadi can be called leaders, true banners with extraordinary influence over contemporary cultivators. What a pity, what a pity—Hao Tian has fallen."
"Heavenly Mother and Fengdu Dadi cannot show their faces before breaking through to the Primordial Ancestor realm. Once they appear, they will surely be killed."
Yin Yuanchen said: "In truth, although Hao Tian, Heavenly Mother, and Fengdu Dadi were heroes who influenced the universe for over a million years, they can only be considered banners of one side of the cosmos. The one who truly possessed unparalleled appeal was the Imperial Dust of that time."
"He activated the Sundial for the world's talents to cultivate, provided all resources to support promising individuals, used the Wuji Divine Dao to help countless cultivators improve their qualifications and break through to the Infinite Realm, and fought countless bloody battles at the universe's most critical moments."
"Scattering wealth to nurture the world, a smile could dissolve grudges."
"Shouldering the sufferings of all directions, his heart embraced all rivers like the sea."
"In terms of breadth of mind, spirit, talent, and aptitude, who could compare? He was the only hero in the hearts of all contemporary gods who could resist the Immortal and the Great Calamity. If he were still alive, he truly could rally a hundred responses, honored by all heavens."
Yin Yuanchen's words were absolutely sincere.
Because he felt that his continued existence was the greatest manifestation of Zhang Ruochen's broad-mindedness. Hearing the name "Imperial Dust," the Dragon Lord's eyes dimmed, and he let out a long sigh: "Heavenly Venerable, you must use your identity as Hao Tian's successor, return to the Heavenly Court as soon as possible, take control of the Heavenly Palace, and stabilize people's hearts."
"What about you?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The Dragon Lord said: "I still have an extremely important matter."
"Zhang Hongchen?" Zhang Ruochen said.
A flicker of surprise passed through the depths of the Dragon Lord's pupils.
Zhang Ruochen said: "Earlier, several talented juniors were sparring, all from the Sword Realm. Ji Wang, you are the cultivator this old man values most at present. I advise you not to wade into muddy waters."
"Zhang Hongchen carries extremely heavy karma. Even if you are only at the Heavenly Venerable level, even if you break through to Half-Ancestor, once you get involved, you may fall."
Yin Yuanchen, thinking of the terror of that unknown force that suppressed the Primordial Black Dragon, also advised: "Lord Dragon Lord, what the Heavenly Venerable says is very true! The one behind Zhang Hongchen is absolutely the number one taboo of this era."
The Dragon Lord had clearly made his decision, unchangeable. He bowed and said: "Please grant this, Heavenly Venerable."
Zhang Ruochen showed a stern expression of frustration, saying: "This seat gives you only one month."
"Thank you, Heavenly Venerable." The Dragon Lord said.
Zhang Ruochen added: "In the battle of Eternal Heavenly Kingdom, the Twelve Ancient Tribes suffered heavy losses. With the Primordial Black Dragon suppressed, I expect the surviving Primordial Beings will be hunted by all sides. Ji Wang, no matter what the result is on your side after one month, you must immediately devote your energy to recruiting and incorporating the Twelve Ancient Tribes. This seat will have Void Heaven, Jing Daoren, and Zhen Yuan come to assist you."
The Dragon Lord's heart stirred: "Can I mobilize the power of the Sword Realm?"
"If you have the ability to use the Sword Realm's power to work for you, this seat naturally welcomes it."
Zhang Ruochen, with a Primordial Ancestor's intimidating gaze, coldly stared at Yin Yuanchen and said: "Let's go!"
Zhang Ruochen and Lian Xi disappeared at the edge of the star sea. Yin Yuanchen could no longer bear it and collapsed to the ground, gasping heavily: "Such terrifying cultivation—it's like having my neck gripped and my soul pinched, life and death in a single thought."
The Dragon Lord said: "He wanted to silence you just now, because you know things you shouldn't."
Yin Yuanchen nodded: "It's because of you, Lord Dragon Lord, that he spared my life."
"The secrets you know aren't fatal enough. Also, because he knows that I will definitely find a way to make you shut your mouth and keep the secrets." The Dragon Lord said.
Yin Yuanchen said: "This shows that what he said earlier was not false—he truly values you greatly, Lord Dragon Lord. Why not ask him to treat Ling Feiyu?"
The Dragon Lord gently shook his head: "The games of Primordial Ancestors are extremely dangerous. Do you think Primordial Ancestors can do whatever they want? The consequence of doing whatever one wants is like the Primordial Black Dragon at this moment."
"Why does this Life-Death Heavenly Venerable value me, making me the head of the Heavenly Palace officials? The fundamental reason is that he dare not show himself openly, constantly hiding his heavenly secrets and aura to avoid that Immortal of the God Realm. Just a mere Heavenly Venerable-level cultivator—do you think it's possible to ask him to do things? The danger involved, he calculates more precisely than anyone."
After a long sigh, the Dragon Lord said: "After I break through to Half-Ancestor and have greater value, I will make the request! Yin Yuanchen, return to the Sword Realm and invite the Totem Old Clan Emperor and Zhen Yi Old Clan Emperor to clean up the mess of the Twelve Ancient Tribes."
After cutting away part of Yin Yuanchen's memories, the Dragon Lord let him leave, not daring to betray the Life-Death Heavenly Venerable's trust.
The aftermath of the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom battle was rapidly fermenting throughout the universe, growing increasingly intense. After the Nether Ancestor's fall, the cosmic landscape had already been shifting from multipolar to unipolar. Now, the unipolar landscape had fully taken shape, and no one dared to challenge the authority of the God Realm.