Chapter 630 - 200: Meeting the Dean

"Really?" Shen Bai asked.

Prime Minister Cao nodded. "The tree that stands tallest in the forest is the one the wind will surely destroy. The Celestial Pride Hall has always been coveted by other countries. With His Majesty gravely ill on top of that, disputes are bound to arise in the future."

"Now that the Celestial Pride Hall is gone, it’s a good thing in the long run. We can also avoid a lot of unwanted attention and focus on the future."

Hearing this, Shen Bai still took the bead in his hand.

Since everything was clear, Shen Bai was naturally happy to take something for free.

The bead was crushed by Shen Bai, and another ten wisps of Evil Qi emerged, which he then absorbed.

Now, with a full forty wisps of Evil Qi, Shen Bai felt like he had become rich.

"I’m off."

Prime Minister Cao was very decisive. After giving him the bead, he left directly without a backward glance.

Naturally, Shen Bai couldn’t fathom the thoughts of these powerful figures.

He didn’t linger either. After leaving the Imperial Palace, he thought he would first pay a visit to Zhou Qing.

But unexpectedly, a pretty figure appeared by Shen Bai’s side.

Shen Bai immediately felt someone take his arm.

Turning to look, Shen Bai saw Qin Shuang looking at him with a happy expression.

"You haven’t left yet?" Shen Bai asked.

Qin Shuang nodded emphatically.

Shen Bai said, "Alright, then. We can go find Zhou Qing together and then have a good meal."

First, he would have a meal, then he would go grind his Skill Level—a good balance of work and rest.

But to his surprise, after Shen Bai finished speaking, Qin Shuang shook her head.

"Shen Bai, come with me to the Academy. Teacher said he wants to see you," Qin Shuang said, her bright eyes shimmering like autumn pools.

Shen Bai frowned. "The Dean wants to see me? What for?"

Qin Shuang shook her head. "I don’t know either, but Teacher told me to bring you over."

Shen Bai pondered for a moment, then said, "Alright, we’ll go to the Academy first."

Finding Zhou Qing would have to wait for now.

Shen Bai was also very curious about why the Dean of the Academy wanted to see him.

Before long, Shen Bai and Qin Shuang left the city gates together, heading toward the Academy.

...

The Academy, a unique power within the Great Zhou Country, was also the place every Scholar in Great Zhou dreamed of entering.

There was no backstabbing or power struggles here. Every Scholar who entered the Academy had only one goal: to seek the truth of knowledge in the Academy’s vast ocean.

Ahead, ancient trees reached for the sky, their sturdy, powerful branches seemingly telling tales of the vicissitudes of time.

In front of the Academy’s gate, a pair of stone lions stood guard, their eyes conveying a sense of majesty and solemnity.

On the plaque above the gate, the calligraphy for "Academy" was written in a flamboyant, dragon-and-phoenix-dance style, the sharp strokes looking as if they could pierce the clouds.

The moment Shen Bai stepped into the courtyard, he could hear the clear sound of reading aloud, like a mountain spring, murmuring ceaselessly.

The students were either reciting silently with their heads bowed, or discussing the classics in groups of three or five, their expressions focused and their spirits high.

The occasional chirp of a bird interspersed, adding a touch of vitality to the scholarly atmosphere.

"The atmosphere is nice," Shen Bai said.

In a bizarre, fantastical world like this, the existence of the Academy was, in contrast, like a patch of pure land.

Qin Shuang nodded. "Yes. At first, I was reluctant, but after really becoming Teacher’s disciple, I’ve come to feel that the atmosphere and environment here are truly wonderful."

Shen Bai nodded and walked toward the center of the courtyard.

In the middle of the courtyard stood a simple yet dignified lectern. On the black lacquered wooden table lay an open scroll, like a treasured codex of knowledge waiting for a destined reader to interpret it.

The two of them passed through a long corridor.

Portraits of famous figures from throughout history hung on the walls on both sides. Their gazes seemed to pierce through time and space, watching every passerby and inspiring an involuntary sense of reverence.

At the end of the corridor, a small door was half-open, revealing mottled patterns of light and shadow, as if it were a secret passage to another world.

Shen Bai sized up the Wooden House and asked, "This is it?"

Qin Shuang nodded. "Teacher is waiting for you inside. I won’t go in."

When they were on their way, her teacher had told her that Shen Bai should go in alone.

Although the Academy was a sanctuary for Scholars, it still valued etiquette and rules. Even though Qin Shuang was the Dean’s personal disciple, she still had to observe this etiquette.

After watching Qin Shuang leave, Shen Bai finally stepped inside.

Inside the house, the furnishings were simple but exuded a unique elegance.

The Dean, dressed as a middle-aged Confucian scholar, was writing at a square table.

Shen Bai knew, of course.

’Scholars like him mostly use calligraphy as a way to cultivate their temperament, calling it a matter of elegance.’

Shen Bai mulled it over for a moment, then walked forward. Looking at the characters on the paper, he was completely stunned.

He had assumed that the calligraphy of the top Scholar in the Great Zhou Country would be, at the very least, as flamboyant as a dancing dragon and phoenix.

But...

It was really ugly.

The chicken-scratch-like characters made Shen Bai feel, for the first time, that being able to read was truly a sin.

The Dean looked up, his face full of satisfaction. "You’re here. Perfect. I’ve just finished this piece of calligraphy. I’ll give it to you. In the Great Zhou Country, people have to line up if they want a sample of my ink."

Shen Bai took the calligraphy piece, quite certain that most of the people in that line were probably just trying to curry favor with the Academy.

But he felt that a bit of necessary social grace was required.

He couldn’t come up with any sophisticated praise, so he decided to compliment it in the most down-to-earth way.

"What a fine ’Treasure of Women’!" Shen Bai said with great approval.

The Dean froze, then the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. "Did you misread that?"

Shen Bai studied it carefully for a moment. "Heaven rewards the diligent?"

The Dean’s face darkened. "It’s ’Feel at home as a guest.’ It’s meant to express the hope that your trip to Xuanjing City will be fruitful."

Shen Bai immediately said, "Right, that’s what I meant! This ’Feel at home as a guest’ is written so vividly it’s practically an illusion, which is why it made me mistake it for ’Treasure of Women’."