“Sect Master.” A group of elders turned their eyes to the old Sect Master.
“Sect Master, why have you suddenly entered a state of enlightenment?” Second Elder Yu Xingxue exclaimed in shock.
In Yu Xingxue’s line of sight, the old Sect Master was staring fixedly at the paper before him, his eyes filled with astonishment.
“Could it be because of the contents of that paper?” Yu Xingxue muttered in disbelief.
“Impossible,” the Great Elder said, shaking his head as he also looked toward the paper. “Do not do unto others what you do not wish for yourself.” His expression changed as he recited the line, his face filled with surprise.
He had long delved into the teachings of the Confucian sages, and could instantly perceive the profound moral interpretation this simple line carried. It was nearly equivalent to the words of a true sage.
The old Sect Master and Great Elder’s reactions sparked the curiosity of the other elders, and they all turned to look at the paper.
“This expounds on virtue, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and integrity, and even includes a path of practical application.”
“This is the Sacred Scripture of Confucianism.”
The elders cried out in astonishment. Every one of them widened their eyes, as if unable to believe what they were seeing.
Even the Confucian sages of the Absolute Righteous Sect’s founding generation had never attained such a level of understanding of Confucian principles.
Several elders, after reading the treasured document in their hands, successively fell into enlightenment.
The great hall was soon filled with the aura of the Dao of Confucianism. Its principles were simple and clear, yet the elders’ cultivation in the Confucian path improved greatly.
A collective enlightenment—such an occurrence was exceedingly rare throughout history.
More than 400 disciples stood dumbfounded.
None of them expected to witness the elders of the Absolute Righteous Sect simultaneously entering enlightenment and advancing in cultivation.
And this entire scene had been triggered by a single essay written by Qin Tian on the topic of virtue. Everyone turned to look at Qin Tian, their gazes filled with shock and disbelief.
Qin Tian, however, wore a confused expression. He hadn’t expected that the teachings of Confucius could have such an overwhelming impact on these old men.
“What a loss, what a loss,” Qin Tian thought bitterly. “Had I known it was this powerful, I would’ve written it out piece by piece.”
He could’ve used it to exchange for all sorts of benefits from the sect.
As someone who never liked losing out, Qin Tian realized he had suffered a loss in understanding today. Not knowing the value of the Analects, he’d practically sold a national treasure like cabbage.
The thick Confucian aura filling the great hall instantly resonated with every disciple in the Absolute Righteous Sect, drawing all eyes toward the sect’s grand hall.
“Such a rich Confucian aura. Could it be that an elder has had a breakthrough?”
“I’ve seen elders break through before, but never even one-tenth as intense as this. This kind of aura is so overwhelming, it might even rival our ancestors.”
Many disciples began to speculate, eager to find out who could have released such terrifying Confucian power.
“Could it be the Sect Master?”
At the mountaintop of the Absolute Righteous Sect, in a rustic wooden hut, an elderly man in a gray Confucian robe, elegant and refined, suddenly opened his eyes.
As soon as he arrived, his body trembled violently, and his composed demeanor faltered.
His eyes flew wide open, waves of shock spreading from within. His lips quivered slightly.
This unbelievable scene before him was like a sharp blade that slashed through his entire understanding of the world.
A collective enlightenment—he had never heard of such a thing. Even in ancient texts, there were only a handful of records.
Those rare events had only occurred due to cosmic phenomena.
Enlightenment was a rare opportunity. Each moment of it could greatly elevate one’s cultivation.
The elder remained silent and did not disturb anyone. He simply stood nearby and guarded them quietly.
This was a great fortune for the Absolute Righteous Sect—an extraordinary chance.
“What on earth caused such a phenomenon?” The elder continued probing.
Eventually, he discovered that everyone was holding a few sheets of paper.
“Could it be what’s written on those pages?” The elder’s heart surged with anticipation. He truly wanted to read the contents of the paper, but ultimately restrained himself, unwilling to disturb the elders’ enlightenment.
At that moment, Confucian aura enveloped the sky above the Absolute Righteous Sect, radiating peace and harmony. There was even a faint celestial melody, as if the heavens were chanting.
“This is…” The elder froze, his body beginning to tremble.
It was as if he had been struck by lightning. His whole body shook, then stiffened entirely. His eyes grew wider and wider, as if they might leap from their sockets. In them flickered a mix of disbelief and deep, profound shock.
His mouth hung wide open, but no sound came out. His throat felt stuck, and he could only stare blankly at the unbelievable scene in the sky above.
The Heavenly Dao had sensed it. A Sacred Scripture had emerged. The Sacred Words descended.
This was what the ancestors of the Absolute Righteous Sect had pursued their entire lives, yet it had appeared today.
Their lifelong wish had been to compose a Sacred Scripture that would be acknowledged by the Great Dao and receive the descent of the Sacred Words.
And now… it had happened.
Why?
Where did the Sacred Scripture come from?
The elder was completely at a loss. He’d only been in seclusion for a few years. What on earth had happened while he was gone?
“Who’s that? Just appeared out of nowhere,” Qin Tian muttered as he glanced at the elder beside him.
[Ding! A scholarly old man, slightly stronger than this group of geezers.]
“An elusive powerhouse of the Absolute Righteous Sect?” Qin Tian whispered to himself. This guy popped up suddenly, so he probably wasn’t weak.
Too bad it didn’t trigger a mission. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Just how were missions supposed to be triggered?
Qin Tian still had no clue and could only keep exploring the rules step by step.
No one said a word. At this moment, nobody dared make a sound. If they interrupted the elders’ enlightenment, the consequences would be more than they could bear.
One hour later, everyone began to slowly come out of their enlightenment.
“Greetings, Grand Elder.” Everyone bowed toward the elder standing ahead.
“No need for formalities.”
“You all entered enlightenment together. Was it because of those papers in your hands?” The Grand Elder asked without hiding his eagerness.
Although he’d already guessed it was likely the case, there was still a trace of anticipation in his heart.
“Indeed,” everyone replied.
“Let me take a look.”
The elders didn’t hesitate. This book was worthy of being called the Sacred Scripture of Confucianism. Each of them had only read a part of it and had already fallen into enlightenment.
Boom.
The Grand Elder’s understanding of Confucianism had already reached the pinnacle, far surpassing that of the other elders. Now, upon reading the full text of the Analects, the comprehension he had suppressed for so long erupted like a flood.
Above the Absolute Righteous Sect, the Sacred Melody resounded once more—this time even clearer than before.
The Sacred Melody resonated with the Dao. At that moment, countless experts across the Eastern Wasteland sensed the roar of the Great Dao and the descent of the Sacred Words.
Another Sacred Scripture had emerged?
In the vast mountain ranges of the Eastern Wasteland, mysterious experts looked into the distance.
Beneath an endless desert, in a palace complex, a figure seated high above murmured, “I wonder who has composed this Sacred Scripture.”
At a supreme sect, an elderly figure long thought to have passed away looked far into the horizon.
A Sacred Scripture had appeared.
It didn’t take long for the entire Eastern Wasteland to be shaken.
Meanwhile, the one responsible—Qin Tian—couldn’t help but grumble, “This one’s enlightened, that one too… Do they not value time? I’m still waiting to enter the sect and teach that little blond brat a lesson.” Qin Tian muttered to himself, “I can’t delay this. If I wait overnight, I won’t feel satisfied and I’ll lose sleep.”
Finally, an hour later, the Grand Elder’s enlightenment came to an end as well.
His eyes gleamed with a profound light, his aura growing ever more mysterious.
Just moments ago, he had been a white-haired, wrinkled old man. But now, his hair was like a cascading waterfall of black, and he appeared to be a composed and resolute middle-aged man.
“Haha! After centuries of pursuing the Dao, I finally gained something today. After reading this book, all the questions that once puzzled me have become crystal clear. The Great Dao lies ahead with hope!” The Grand Elder stroked his beard and laughed heartily, then asked, “Where did this Sacred Scripture come from?”