NOVEL WEB Chapter 248: Exposed! (Seeking Subscription)_2
The strange events at the Heavenly Prison, aside from Zhou Guanwu's awareness, did not attract attention from Kyoto Prefecture, the Imperial City, or the Academy.
The travelers on the streets, gathered in twos and threes, were completely unaware.
Chen Fan, Wang Yanran, and the others had already invited Xie Dongan and Jiang Ye; seven scholars gathered outside the Academy, laughing and talking merrily.
"Did the Third Master really say that?" Xie Dongan asked indifferently, "Tell us to return to the Academy?"
Chen Fan nodded and smiled, "Senior Brother Dong An, if it weren't for the Third Master's request, we wouldn't be able to leave the Academy at this moment."
Wang Yanran echoed, "The Third Master also said, now that the grand event is approaching, it may be improper for the Academy to be without you and Brother Jiang."
"Moreover, Senior Brother Wang Yang was already thrown into the Heavenly Prison by His Majesty. His disrespect towards Lord Heroic in Duke Jingye Mansion is a fact, and many of our classmates at the Academy now hold both of you in high regard."
"Indeed, indeed..."
The other scholars kept chiming in, chattering about the events at the Book Storage Tower.
"Senior Brother Dong An, you wouldn't believe, that day when the Great Master returned to the Academy and found Wang Yang... consorting with those three female scholars, he was almost furious enough to strike them."
"If it hadn't been for the Third Master arriving later to stop the Great Master, they might have been killed with a single palm strike from the Great Master."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Xie Dongan and Jiang Ye exchanged a glance, both sharing a sense of suspicion.
The others were unaware, but the two of them knew that the reason Wang Yang spoke disrespectfully to Chen Yi was because of Hua Xianzi from the Grand Void Sect.
If Wang Yang hadn't been charmed by Hua Xianzi, he wouldn't have provoked Chen Yi's suppression, which led to his punishment to reflect in the Book Storage Tower.
"Brother An, Senior Brother Wang Yang is so passionate, he... how could he have committed such impropriety with those junior sisters?"
Jiang Ye was perplexed and asked through sound transmission, "Even if he was suppressed by Brother Yi, affecting his mind, it couldn't have changed him so drastically and so quickly, right?"
Xie Dongan nodded discreetly, puzzled by Wang Yang's impropriety with the female scholars.
With his understanding of Wang Yang, such an arrogant person wouldn't become so irrational even after a setback.
One must understand, he was at Kyoto Academy, with several masters in the Academy. No matter how struck he was, he couldn't have committed such acts there.
"Something is amiss, afraid we can only discern his thoughts after meeting with Senior Brother Wang Yang."
Jiang Ye parted his lips, avoiding Chen Fan and the others, and asked in sound transmission:
"But now that he has been thrown into the Heavenly Prison by His Majesty, you, Brother An, surely don't plan to visit him there?"
Xie Dongan affirmed, transmitting, "This matter reeks of oddity, not only because of Senior Brother Wang Yang's audacity but also because his situation escalated to the Imperial Court... too quickly!"
"Though there are several masters in the Academy, even if there are ministers displeased with Senior Brother Wang Yang's actions, they couldn't ignore their dignity and directly propose a suggestion."
"What's more peculiar is that the ministers in the Imperial Court not only failed to extend any favor towards the masters but also had Marquis's side speak, leading to His Majesty issuing an edict..."
At this point, Xie Dongan paused, glanced at Chen Fan and the others, and immediately stood up, saying:
"Since the Third Master demands, Jiang Ye and I naturally dare not disobey, let's return to the Academy then."
"Ah?" Jiang Ye was taken aback, "So soon?"
Chen Fan and Wang Yanran exchanged glances, hesitantly said:
"Senior Brother Dong An, it's already nighttime; why not stay outside for the night and return early tomorrow?"
"Yes, Senior Brother, there is no hurry to return."
They had finally gotten the chance to leave the Academy and wanted to enjoy themselves before returning to fulfill duties.
Xie Dongan shook his head, thinking about matters, lost the mood for leisure, and said, "There's no time to lose, let's go."
With that, he gestured to Jiang Ye and headed outside the tavern.
Seeing this, Chen Fan and the others had no choice but to get up and follow.
"Senior Brother, wait for us..."
Before long.
Xie Dongan and others entered the Academy directly, without much delay, heading towards the scholar buildings at the back.
"Junior Brother Chen Fan, you all should first return to the Book Storage Tower; Brother Jiang and I need to visit the Great Master."
"What about the Third Master...?"
"I'll report to him as well."
Chen Fan and his group reluctantly watched Xie Dongan and Jiang Ye leave and had to redirect their path to the Book Storage Tower.
"Let's go, let's return to the Book Storage Tower."
"Ah... I wanted to stay outside a bit longer..." Wang Yanran muttered unhappily.
Chen Fan offered comfort with a few words, smiling as he said, "The grand event is near. Just hold on for a few more days."
A few young scholars, upon hearing this, all seemed dispirited.
Leaving Chen Fan and the others aside, Xie Dongan and Jiang Ye rushed towards the deepest hall of the academy, and as soon as they set foot there, they quickly sensed something was amiss.
He paused, looked around, and showed a doubtful expression.
"Brother An, what's wrong?" Jiang Ye asked, puzzled.
"The Vast Energy here..."
Xie Dongan furrowed his brow, his gaze settled on the academical hall before him, and a faint platinum glow emerged around him, connecting with the Saint Statue within the academy.
In the next moment, he realized that his own Vast Energy seemed unable to detect the presence of those two Saint Statues, as if someone had erased its aura.
"The Vast Energy here is rather peculiar, the killing intent is intense, and both above and below are sealed!"
"Is it the Great Master or the Third Teacher who intervened?"
Jiang Ye, unaware, looked around and said, "Let's just go inquire directly."
He trusted Xie Dongan deeply, but considering they were in the academy grounds, he did not feel it would be dangerous.
Xie Dongan thought for a moment before attempting to step into the academical hall, but his steps halted, and his ear slightly twitched.
"Dongan, quickly take Jiang Ye away from here!"
The Great Master?!
Xie Dongan decided swiftly, grabbed Jiang Ye, and turned to leave, his eyes showing a grave expression.
Something has happened!
What exactly is the incident?!
"What? Brother An, aren't you going to find the Great Master?" Jiang Ye, not understanding, followed him.
Xie Dongan felt somewhat perturbed, and images of several teachers and Wang Yang appeared in his mind.
His intuition told him that the incident within the academy was related to Wang Yang!
"What happened?"
"Shut your mouth!"
As Xie Dongan and Jiang Ye moved farther away from the academical hall, the serene face of Third Teacher Yang Huan in the tea room on the top floor gradually turned solemn.
He looked at Li Qingzhou, whose face remained calm, his gaze fell on the Great Master Lin Zhongke, and he asked with pursed lips:
"Have you found out?"
The Great Master glanced at him, emptied the wine cup in his hand, and put it down, saying:
"Yang Huan, how many years have you apprenticed at the academy?"
Without waiting for him to answer, the Great Master provided the answer: "One hundred and forty-three years, a full one hundred and forty-three years!"
"All these years, and only now does the old man know your true face—it's truly laughable!"
Initially, he didn't believe what Li Qingzhou said, but upon sensing the fluctuation of a certain magic artifact on Third Teacher, and hearing what he had just said, it was now clear to his mind—he had found the "Eagle" he sought for centuries right by his side!
After a moment of silence.
Yang Huan slowly emptied the wine in his cup, silently asking: "Teacher, when did you find out?"
"Mr. Yang," Li Qingzhou frowned, asking, "Are you truly from 'Jijing Tian'?"
His thoughts aligned almost entirely with the Great Master, and having spent extended time on Taizhou Mountain with Third Teacher, the words of Chen Yi also stirred some hesitation in his heart.
"'Jijing Tian'?" Yang Huan chuckled helplessly, shaking his head as he said:
"I didn't anticipate that you already knew so much, even having uncovered the name of 'Jijing Tian'."
"I just don't know... how did you come to know the name of 'Jijing Tian'?"
"If one wishes not to be discovered, unless one ceases to act!" The Great Master instantly emitted a red-gold aura, his face like golden paper, and said:
"After reading Holy Sages' Books for so long, and yet you still don't understand this rationale?"
Li Qingzhou, seeing this, swiftly moved to a corner of the tea room, his hand having already pressed onto the Heavenly Blade at his waist, his eyes complex as he looked at Third Teacher.
Third Teacher ignored him, his gaze fixed firmly on the Great Master, showing a relieved smile after a long while:
"Understand as I may, I have already treaded this path; there is no turning back."
"So be it, since the teacher already knows, then I must... send the teacher to heaven!"
To heaven!