The furious snowstorm gradually came to a halt.
Only without the wind could the snow stick.
Thus, more and more names began to appear on the stone wall.
The Heavenly Dao Academy was deathly still.
After some time, Zhuang Zhihuan finally walked out from behind the several hundred snowmen.
This was the first time since the Orthodoxy cavalry had surrounded the Heavenly Dao Academy that he had truly stood in front of the teachers and students.
Because the speaker was the disciple he was most proud of: the famous name Guan Bai.
And because many people had already become snowmen, he had nowhere to hide.
He looked at Guan Bai with very cold eyes.
"Why?"
"Because Your Holiness is wrong."
"According to the news from the Mausoleum of Books, it was probably the Holy Maiden who arranged for your return to the capital."
"His Holiness wrote me a letter ahead of time."
"You were watching this entire time?"
"Yes, I needed confirmation."
"Confirmation that I was wrong?"
Guan Bai looked at his teacher with a rather complex expression. "Correct, because no one has the right to use the lives of others to satisfy their own desires."
Zhuang Zhihuan was quiet for a very long time, then said, "So … it was just confirmation."
Guan Bai's eyes became much calmer as he said, "Because at the very start, I did not believe that Your Holiness was this sort of person."
Zhuang Zhihuan understood everything and softly said, "It seems that His Holiness truly does value you. For the sake of having you watch a show, he actually arranged such a great array of forces."
Guan Bai replied, "His Holiness is benevolent and does not wish to see the Heavenly Dao Academy turn into ashes because of Your Holiness's ambition, so he is so patient with me."
"Ah, ambition …"
Zhuang Zhihuan gazed into the distance, perhaps at Wenshui or at his home that he had not returned to for a very long time. He repeated these two words.
Guan Bai wanted to know why he was sighing.
After some time, Zhuang Zhihuan drew back his gaze and said, "Yes, I have ambition, and it's very grand, because I have the ability to match it. My cultivation is very high, my abilities are very strong, and I'm also very young, so why shouldn't I pursue it?"
Guan Bai sternly said, "Your Holiness once taught me that if the Great Dao can be taken straight, there is no need to seek it through crooked paths."
Zhuang Zhihuan indifferently replied, "Senior Brother Mao treats me extremely well, and I also have a friendship with the main branch of the Tang clan. In the view of many people, if I stand on His Holiness the Pope's side, I will still be able to obtain what I want. I will turn my ambitions into a true wildfire and burn them beautifully."
Guan Bai replied, "This is precisely what I don't understand."
Zhuang Zhihuan asked, "Have even you forgotten how Huanyu died?"
Several years ago, Chen Changsheng had brought Su Li south from the snowy plains, passing through Xunyang City to reach the capital.
That night, under immense mental pressure, Zhuang Huan Yu chose to commit suicide by the side of a well.
The courtyard was still in a remote corner of the academy, and the well was still there. However, no one had entered it for many years.
Many people had already forgotten what had happened in the Garden of Zhou, forgotten that after Guan Bai, the Heavenly Dao Academy had produced another young man of outstanding talent.
Due to the snowstorm today, the ground beside the well was frozen and cracked. It was extremely damaged and could no longer be repaired.
Those memories were also dug out from the cold underground.
Zhuang Zhihuan naturally would not forget this matter, nor would Guan Bai.
During the All-School Martial Exhibition, he had issued a challenge to Chen Changsheng precisely for this matter.
Somewhat sorrowful, he asked, "Is Your Holiness still unable to forget this matter?"
Whether it was on Tang Thirty-Six's side or on Principal Mao's side, Zhuang Zhihuan should have been someone Chen Changsheng trusted.
Yet he had chosen that side. Was it for this reason?
Zhuang Zhihuan shook his head. "Huanyu died because of his own weakness. It has nothing to do with His Holiness."
Guan Bai did not understand. "Then why is it like this?"
Zhuang Zhihuan indifferently replied, "I truly do not hate His Holiness. The problem is, who will believe it?"
Guan Bai was speechless.
Yes, even if His Holiness himself believed it, would Linghai Zhiwang believe it? Would Daoist Siyuan believe it? Would the Holy Maiden believe it?
"Since I cannot walk this path, I can only choose another method to ignite my ambition."
Zhuang Zhihuan's hand fell on his chest as he said, "Otherwise, this place will never be peaceful."
Guan Bai advised, "But now that the matter has failed, why not give up?"
"Because you've recognized my true face, you want me to give up? Who do you think you are?
Zhuang Zhihuan mocked, "You are the student I taught, so what right do you have to judge whether I'm right or wrong, and what right do you have to ask me to give up?"
Guan Bai was quiet for a while, then said, "I am currently speaking to you as the Archbishop of the Hall of Illustrious Persons."
These words caused the Heavenly Dao Academy to burst into an uproar, the teachers and students shocked to the extreme.
The previous Archbishop of the Hall of Illustrious Persons was the old Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, Mao Qiuyu.
They had originally believed that once Principal Mao Qiuyu entered the Divine Realm, Principal Zhuang Zhihuan would assuredly become the Archbishop of the Hall of Illustrious Persons.
They had not expected the Li Palace to send a very accurate report that the Pope had no such intentions.
The teachers and students of the Heavenly Dao Academy were very disappointed, and then angry. Today's situation was largely related to this matter.
But the true situation took everyone by surprise.
The Archbishop of the Hall of Illustrious Persons would be succeeded by Senior Brother Guan Bai?
The Li Palace was not suppressing the Heavenly Dao Academy?
Could it be … that Principal Mao had not been forced away by the Pope?
Then what should be done now?
Zhuang Zhihuan had taught and educated in the Heavenly Dao Academy for many years, and his reputation truly was very high.
But in the hearts of the young students, Senior Brother Guan Bai was their greatest pride, their true role model, both in cultivation and virtue.
The wind and snow had long since stopped, and spring had returned to the earth. The accumulated snow found it difficult to melt, so those students who had become snowmen slowly regained their ability to move.
They didn't know what to do, but they realized that they could no longer raise the weapons in their hands.
… …
… …
A squadron of Orthodoxy cavalry was in front of the Mausoleum of Books.
A squadron of Orthodoxy cavalry was in the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education.
A squadron of Orthodoxy cavalry was in the Heavenly Dao Academy.
The Li Palace's most powerful force was elsewhere.
A light snow drifting over from some place caused the air on the Road of Peace to chill, just like the tense atmosphere.
Daoist Siyuan's left hand was placed in front of his chest, slightly clasped as if he was playing with a walnut.
In his hand was actually a precious treasure of the Orthodoxy: the Universe Seal.
Hu Thirty stood at his side, half a step behind him. His head was slightly lowered, his hands hidden in his sleeves, making him seem like a low-key shopkeeper.
No one knew that his left hand held the Falling Star Stone and his right hand held an ordinary and unremarkable dagger.
Similarly, no one knew whether the divine energy of the Falling Star Stone was stronger or the dagger was more terrifying.
Behind these two Prefects of the Orthodoxy was a dense mass of people.
Occasionally, a few dazzling smears of red would appear in this dense mass of people, adding to the baleful aura.
Two hundred and seventeen Star Condensation bishops and deacons.
Sixteen red-robed bishops with terrifying realms.
On the Road of Peace.
They had surrounded the Prince of Xiang's estate.
The ten-some other princely estates and the Sky Sea Estate were deathly still.
Let alone the former Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, even the Great Zhou Imperial Court would find it very difficult to gather so many cultivators.
This was the power of the Li Palace. It was usually hidden, but when it appeared, all things in the world had to fall silent for a moment as a sign of respect. (To be continued.)
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