Chapter 1434: I Am Master Kong

"Third Elder... just go and see for yourself!"

Elder Wuzhen didn't know how to explain, or perhaps didn't want to. He turned and led the way, with Zhang Wuchen following closely behind. Soon they arrived at the guest quarters.

As the number one family on the continent, the Zhang family received countless visitors and challengers every year. The so-called guest quarters were actually a vast area accommodating guests, extremely wide in scope.

No sooner had they reached the square outside the guest quarters than Zhang Wuchen saw something that made him frown involuntarily. He stopped and pointed ahead.

"This... where are the statues?"

In the square before them stood a row of ancestral statues, each representing a figure with illustrious deeds in life who had made great contributions to humanity. Thus, monuments were erected, holy images carved, and offerings made for future generations to recite their praises.

Placing the statues here also served to better display the Zhang family's merits, letting others know the efforts the Zhang family had made for the peace of the continent.

Becoming the number one family was not just about strength; more importantly, it was about shedding blood and sacrificing countless lives for humanity.

For this reason, countless guests who came to the Zhang family were filled with admiration.

Now, the statues at this必经之地 had all disappeared, leaving large pits in the ground. What had happened?

"The statues... what I want to tell you is this..."

His face twisted like a bitter gourd, Elder Wuzhen wanted to explain but didn't know how to answer. After holding back like someone constipated for a long time, he said, "Third Elder, just see for yourself!"

Seeing that he couldn't speak, Zhang Wuchen grew even more puzzled. He hurried forward, and just as he rounded the square, he heard a harsh, raspy voice.

The voice didn't sound human, but rather like a mechanical spring or something else, very unnatural.

"Storytelling and opera persuade people to be upright; three roads lead to the center. Good and evil will eventually be requited; the righteous way of the world is vicissitude!"

The voice continued dryly: "I am Zhang Lingran, the 157th-generation descendant of the Zhang family, living over twenty thousand years ago. My most glorious deed was venturing alone into the underground cavern, slaying three Spirit Clan emperors, and thwarting their invasion. I once tore apart four Saint Domain ninth-level sacred beasts that plagued the world with a single sword strike, fought the Evil Fiend Venerable for seven days and seven nights, and killed him... Since everyone wants to hear, I'll tell you the details of what happened back then!"

"Zhang Lingran? Ancestor Lingran?"

Hearing this voice, Zhang Wuchen's mouth twitched. He quickly rounded the wall and looked, only to see a crowd of guests gathered around a statue.

The statue seemed alive, its mouth opening and closing as it recounted its life story with vivid detail, captivating the audience. Occasionally, cheers erupted from the crowd.

"This..."

His eyebrows twitched wildly.

Zhang Wuchen nearly fell to the ground.

These ancestral statues, with their glorious deeds inscribed beside them, were meant for observation. Now, how had they... come to life and started storytelling?

Suppressing the urge to go mad, he looked at the stone statue of Ancestor Lingran before him.

It was gesticulating wildly, without any of its former lofty demeanor, instead acting like a storyteller, listing its glorious deeds one by one as if telling a tale.

"I am Zhang Xiaosuo, the 212th-generation descendant of the Zhang family, once acting head of the Zhang family. I created martial techniques that spread across the continent, practiced by countless people..."

"I am Zhang Mofeng, the 225th-generation descendant of the Zhang family, once left a record in the Holy Son Hall... Hey, don't run! Listen to my deeds. If you don't, I'll beat you up..."

Walking forward, he saw two more stone statues nearby. One, like Ancestor Lingran, was explaining to people, while the other was chasing a guest, almost tearing at his ear to make him listen.

"What on earth is going on?"

Continuing on, he saw another ancestral statue sitting on a guest, its face ferocious as it told its story... Zhang Wuchen could no longer hold back and turned to ask.

These ancestral statues represented the Zhang family's merits and dignity. How had they all come to life... grabbing guests and forcing them to listen to stories?

Worst of all... if you didn't listen, you got beaten...

"Earlier, when I was escorting that Zhang Xuan here... I was introducing him to the glorious deeds of these ancestors..."

Elder Wuzhen's face was pale, and he stammered: "And then, and then... this happened!"

"How did introducing the ancestors' glorious deeds lead to this?"

Seeing his expression, Zhang Wuchen snapped: "Tell me everything that happened before, in detail. I want the full process..."

"Yes... While introducing, I recalled something and sighed, saying... 'People nowadays have lost their old ways. No one is willing to carefully understand the deeds left by our ancestors, nor do they have any reverence or worship...'"

His mouth twitching, Elder Wuzhen spoke slowly.

People nowadays were much more frivolous than before. He had brought many guests here, but few stood before the stone statues to carefully observe the Zhang ancestors' achievements... Most felt that since these people had been dead for so long, their deeds didn't amount to much.

That was why he felt angry and mentioned it when introducing Zhang Xuan.

"After I said that... Master Zhang Xuan said he could change this situation, and then... he carefully touched each stone statue and awakened their spirits..."

Elder Wuzhen's face turned red.

To be honest, the main cause of this was him. If he hadn't sighed, the other party wouldn't have acted.

Now, after being awakened, these stone statues blocked guests and started giving speeches. If you didn't listen, it wasn't allowed. The entire guest quarters were now in chaos.

"You..."

Zhang Wuchen nearly spat blood.

The ancestral stone statues were placed here to introduce the Zhang family's merits. Now, grabbing people's ears and telling them—how was that different from bragging?

"Wait... there are so many ancestral statues in the square... Do you mean he awakened all of them at once?"

After his frustration, he found it hard to believe.

There were over a hundred ancestors with recorded names and legends. Even a nine-star spirit awakener couldn't awaken all these statues. How had they all succeeded, and moreover, each one seemed... so opinionated?

"Yes, and not only that..."

Elder Wuzhen recalled something, and his lips trembled again.

"Not only what?"

Zhang Wuchen felt his scalp about to explode and hurriedly looked over.

"This... it's just ahead. I really dare not say..."

As if unsure how to answer, Elder Wuzhen pointed forward again.

Full of doubt, Zhang Wuchen continued forward. He rounded another wall and, before he could turn, heard another voice, deep and steady.

"I am Master Kong..."

Thump!

Zhang Wuchen fell to the ground.