The Second Elder's actions were not a sign of repentance, much less an awakening; he merely continued to follow his inner thoughts, consistently.
Having lost the qualification to lie there early on, he had one less obsession that he couldn't let go of compared to the other four Elders, but he knew what treatment the ancestors' head received there.
Perhaps, at first, the Second Elder was also angry, struggled, and hesitated, but he chose not to rebel and instead sought his own self-consolation.
He believed that what he did, and what the ancestors of the Zhao Family did throughout generations, was all to gather foundations for the everlasting continuation of the Jiujiang Zhao Family.
Having deceived himself for so long, he truly believed it; often the ones who cannot accept their illusions being shattered are the deceived themselves.
The Second Elder's heart could only find solace under such "self-deception."
