717's death is imminent

With the blessing of the Confucian sage's power, his figure seemed to be an ancient sage awakened, surrounded by golden flowers, white phoenixes paying homage, and qilin coming to congratulate him. His figure was like a majestic mountain, with his head reaching the sky and his feet firmly planted on the ground, standing between heaven and earth.

Time seemed to stand still, and even breathing stopped.

The old man behind Emperor Qianwu, whose aura was as imposing as a rainbow, paused at this moment. When he saw the vast and boundless power of the Confucian sage, he felt a sense of apprehension and crisis from the depths of his soul. His expression immediately turned astonished, and his aura weakened involuntarily.

Suppressing her anger and rage, she tried to regain her composure, glared at Sun Daru, and quickly vanished.

As Sun Daru activated the jade ruler in his hand, the cracks spread like a spider web. With each activation, he felt his life slipping away more rapidly.

The secret passage read, 'Insufficient cultivation; forcibly activating it is truly fatal!'

Each time he used his skills, he was consuming his life force. His hair turned white, his life was slipping away, and he only had ten years left to live.

But his thoughts and convictions left him with no choice but to give it his all.

Feeling the life force slipping away, a slight smile appeared, like a Confucian epiphany, as if he had grasped something, but it quickly disappeared, yet there was no regret in his heart.

He thought to himself, 'My talent is indeed lacking by a little bit, otherwise I might have broken through half a step today!'

What a pity, what a pity!

He longed for those with unparalleled talent, thinking, 'It's a pity I haven't encountered one with talent unmatched throughout the ages; otherwise, my Confucian school would surely have produced another sage, or even a half-sage, and could have remained powerful for another five hundred years!'

At this moment, the desire for those with unparalleled talent has become a desire that has never been stronger than before!

Talent, talent, it is truly something to be admired but not attained!

Turning his head, he glanced softly at Emperor Qianwu beside him and whispered, "This is the best outcome."

Emperor Qianwu's eyes remained calm, but his mind was racing. He gave Sun Daru a deep look, then nodded. "Very well, if the Holy Emperor returns, I will explain this matter truthfully."

Emperor Qianwu's eyes appeared very calm, but at this moment his heart was filled with mixed feelings.

The eldest prince lay on the ground, his eyes filled with resentment and bitterness. He seemed to have lost his mind, muttering repeatedly, "Wrong, wrong, I shouldn't have taken such a risk, I shouldn't have..."

How dare you disregard Father's dignity! When Father returns, you will not escape either!

It seemed like rambling nonsense, yet it also seemed like he was speaking of something. At this moment, the eldest prince's five meridians were all destroyed, and he had become a cripple. Only if the Holy Emperor returned and bestowed a divine blessing could he recover.

As for the resurrection of the dead, whether the resurrected person resembles the deceased in spirit or appearance is something we cannot say for sure.

Sun Daru nodded, seemingly agreeing with what Emperor Qianwu said. As for what the eldest prince said, Sun Daru said no more and turned away.

As Emperor Qianwu watched Sun Daru disappear, a heavy feeling settled in his heart. The other old man beside him remained silent, but suddenly sighed, "Sun Daru is indeed decisive. Unless he breaks through or has another opportunity!"

Otherwise, he might only have ten years to live.

Is it worth it?

The relics of the Confucian sage cannot be activated simply. Besides requiring the bloodline of the sage, it also requires a resolute act at the cost of one's life. Is it really worth it for the people of this royal city?

Breakthroughs and opportunities sound simple, but if they were so easy to obtain, they wouldn't be hiding in the palace, nourished by the dragon's energy. Wherever they go, they would be kings, enjoying countless offerings!

Moreover, the two of them had a slight thought: 'Why is it that the First Prince doesn't have any backup plan left by the Holy Emperor? This shouldn't be the case.'

The Third Prince is one thing, but why didn't the First Prince have any backup plans?

Must the danger only manifest when the eldest prince is on the verge of death?

The two remained silent, the silence was eerily quiet.

Emperor Qianwu nodded slightly, a flicker of light flashing in his eyes and a deep voice. Looking at the eldest prince who spoke in a low voice, he felt a sudden, inexplicable disgust. Cutting off their dragon energy would be tantamount to taking their lives.

Previously, due to the changes in the dragon's aura, they left the secret realm to discuss matters concerning the royal city. With the Holy Emperor absent, the royal city was somewhat fragmented, and various forces were slowly making moves.

Behind the prince, various forces are plotting, and they have been frequently harassed recently.

Various forms of contact, gestures of goodwill, and some gifts that are hard not to be tempted by have led to some disagreements among the three!

The three stayed by the Holy Emperor's side for their own reasons, but the fact that the rich dragon energy in the secret realm could nourish life force was an undeniable reason.

As for longevity elixirs, I've heard they exist, but they're extremely difficult to find.

Secretly relieved that the Crown Prince's black dragon had been slain, he murmured softly, "Without the nourishment of dragon energy, we wouldn't have survived for long."

Helplessness and sorrow, grief and fate!

The higher one's cultivation level, the more afraid of death one becomes. It is rare to see a madman like the Red King who is so reckless as to risk his life for an ant.

Like the great Confucian scholar Sun, if it weren't for the fact that demonic energy is the mortal enemy of Confucianism, and if it weren't for the fact that demonic energy is so rampant invading ordinary people's homes today, and if it were to absorb it unrestrainedly, this royal city would probably be half dead in just a few days.

The Crown Prince hadn't even noticed this, and the others were also somewhat hesitant. They hoped to gently persuade the prince to minimize casualties, since too many deaths would make it difficult for the royal city to replenish its ranks quickly.

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes reflecting the same thought: 'The dragon's aura must not be lost, the eldest prince must not die, that's good enough.'

Sensing the near-absence of dragon energy in the palace, another elder sighed, "The demonic energy is truly more terrifying than I imagined. I never expected it to have completely corrupted the dragon energy here in such a short time."

Emperor Qianwu transmitted his voice, saying, "Let the Imperial Clan Court arrange for the Crown Prince's recuperation; after all, this is a matter for the Holy Emperor's family!"

The other old man nodded and transmitted his voice, "I'll follow Brother Qian's arrangements!"

The old man had few worries about his future, and at this moment he appeared calm and serene. It seemed that nothing could shake his resolve except for the desire for longevity.

Just like when the eldest prince was deposed, he only felt that his face was damaged. He acted impulsively and put on a show. The Martial Emperor is not to be trifled with, even if the other side has relics of a sage!

As long as the eldest prince doesn't die, the Holy Emperor will have an explanation. Moreover, if it were an ordinary person or a noble family, they would have killed him long ago. The fact that he is still allowed to live is already a great mercy.

The old man suddenly frowned slightly and asked in a soft, puzzled voice, "Why hasn't the dragon energy recovered?"

Suddenly, four earth-shattering dragon roars came from the four directions in the distance, shaking the entire world.

The dragon's roar was mournful, as if heaven and earth were grieving together, and a sliver of red light illuminated the sky, even the darkest night could not conceal it.

Clearly, these were the four golden dragons that had just been driven away by the black demonic energy. At this moment, their mournful cries rolled in like thunder, shaking the heart of Emperor Qianwu.

The two quickly rose a thousand feet into the air and stood in mid-air. The fierce winds around them were like blades, all of which were blocked three feet away. Looking in the direction from which the dragon roar came, a strong sense of unease surged in their hearts.