Chapter 482: Above the Clouds

Facing Liu Zheng's flattery, Wang Chao now appeared light and breezy. He laughed, "In the thousands of years of the Academy, those who have led the way are truly countless. Yet looking at it now, they are all passing clouds; only the scholarship left behind by this Academy can be considered long-lasting."

A look of pride slowly emerged on his face: "Scholarship is the foundation of the Academy!"

"Therefore, those who are Transcendent are only those who have already attained absolute power in the secular world and have the ability to give back to the Academy; only then can they be Transcendent."

Liu Zheng nodded.

This was also normal...

Wangbei Academy had no armed forces; it could only continue to survive in this manner...

Wang Chao laughed, "Prefect Liu wants Pei Yanran to be Transcendent, so what can you give my Academy?"

Liu Zheng was just about to speak.

The face of this sixty-something-year-old man suddenly turned icy. He looked at Liu Zheng coldly: "Prefect Liu, not only can you not give my Academy anything, but today, you actually almost bombarded my Academy with cannons!"

"How could my dignified three-thousand-year-old Wangbei Academy suffer such humiliation?"

"How could it suffer such humiliation?"

Wang Chao's sudden change of expression startled Liu Zheng, who cried out that it was a disaster!

He wished he could turn around and run.

However, it was already too late.

Wang Chao gave a cold laugh and waved his large hand. A creaking sound suddenly erupted throughout the entire high tower, deafening to the ears. Once again, the world shifted before Liu Zheng's eyes. This sudden change caused his expression to change drastically, and he hurriedly shouted, "Zhangfeng, save me!"

Yet at this moment, it was already too late.

His entire body suddenly rose rapidly along with the floor. This entire high tower was also a large-scale mechanism! He did not know what Wang Chao had triggered, but the few floorboards around Liu Zheng had actually become four railings, enclosing him within them, and his feet became a small platform. Even if he wanted to jump out, it was already too late.

"Young Master!"

Qin Zhangfeng exclaimed in shock, but he was unable to grab Liu Zheng back, because as Liu Zheng rose, he descended rapidly along with the floor beneath his feet! One rising, one falling!

In the blink of an eye, the two were already hundreds of meters apart.

The mechanism was still rising...

It would be a lie to say Liu Zheng was not afraid.

He had previously thought this high tower was the highest point of Wangbei Academy. Standing by the Counting Rods earlier, he felt like his fear of heights was about to kick in, let alone now... This small platform of his was actually rising continuously, rising and rising, as if it were going to the heavens...

While panicking.

His expression had already changed drastically.

He seemed to have overlooked some issues just now!

That was, those prominent figures on the Counting Rods... they were all famous throughout the Longyan Dynasty, people who could even create a large, powerful clan by their own strength... Liu Zheng had been too busy admiring them just now, yet he had not thought...

Does the Imperial Court know of such existences?

Does the Imperial Court know of the influence of these people?

Does the Imperial Court know where these people came from and who cultivated them?

And now, does Xie Tianyao know of the Wang Chao before him?

Thinking of this, Liu Zheng was instantly horrified.

So...

This Wangbei Academy was not entirely unrelated to the Imperial Court! Just a moment ago, he thought these people were purely "looking north" and revering Longyan. Now it seemed... this Wangbei Academy had long had an unclear entanglement with the Imperial Court.

Thinking this, Liu Zheng grabbed the railing beside him with a deathly pale face, fearing he would fall. His legs were already trembling violently at this moment.

Finally.

After about ten minutes, the swaying little platform finally stopped.

Looking down, Liu Zheng almost fainted.

He actually saw some clouds and mist beside him... Just how high was this!

A moment ago, he had Pei Qianyun, Qin Zhangfeng, and others protecting him, but in the blink of an eye, he was all alone, isolated in the vast, empty air.

How could he not be afraid?

"Wang Chao, you old immortal, what do you want! To actually trick me! What, you couldn't win the debate against me, so you resort to underhanded tactics?"

Even the usually composed Liu Zheng could not help but roar at this moment.

Old thief!

He had been acting like an elder just now, but it turned out he had been holding a grudge all along!

This time, the sound traveled out, and finally, there was no echo...

But there was also no one else to answer him!

He continued to roar and curse.

He was probably using this method to mask his fear. It was too high; when a breeze blew by, his scalp went numb, and he feared this straight, small platform would just be blown over...

"Hahahaha... Prefect Liu, don't you feel ashamed saying that?"

"You were the one who bombarded my Academy first."

"You were the one who refused to reason first!"

"My Wangbei Academy has stood on Liangshan for over three thousand years, and this is the first time someone has dared to humiliate us like this! You want me, a dignified Dean, to just let you bully me? How would I answer to the ancestors of the Academy?"

The voice rang in his ears, yet Wang Chao's figure remained nowhere to be seen.

Liu Zheng shouted angrily: "Wang Chao, stop playing god and acting like a ghost! I am an official of the Imperial Court; what do you intend to do to me?"

Just at this moment, another small platform within the clouds pushed aside a cluster of mist and slowly appeared. The person on it was none other than Wang Chao. At this time, he sat on that platform, smiling leisurely. In front of him was a tea table, with fragrant tea steaming, half the table occupied by a chessboard.

Liu Zheng's eyes were wide with rage, his gaze turning cold.

Wang Chao chuckled, "Prefect Liu, what do you think of the environment here? This is the highest place in the Academy, which we call 'Cloud Peak'! I know you are not only an official of the Imperial Court but also a favorite of the current Emperor. So, I had to invite you to visit the highest point of my Academy, is that not so?"

A visit?

Visit my foot!

He was so scared he was about to wet himself!

Liu Zheng's mouth twitched, but he knew that at a time like this, the more he flew into a rage out of shame, the happier Wang Chao would likely be. He feigned composure and looked over coldly: "Cloud Peak?"

Wang Chao nodded: "The Academy's place of exile. Anyone who has committed boundless sins in this world is exiled here by the Academy. Come to think of it, the Academy hasn't opened Cloud Peak for several hundred years. This is my first time too, Prefect Liu. Do you consider yourself honored or unfortunate?"

His smile already carried a mocking tone.

A place of exile?

Liu Zheng's expression changed instantly: "You mean..."

Wang Chao laughed: "Once Cloud Peak is opened, getting back down is quite difficult."

"That is absolutely out of the question!"

Liu Zheng was furious.

Did he want to lock him up here?

For how long?

Would he still be able to get out?

Suddenly, Liu Zheng's mind was in a complete tangle. This sudden change had caught him off guard.

Calm down!

No!

He had to stay calm!

Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes slightly and looked sharply at Wang Chao: "Is there someone in the capital who doesn't want me to go back?"

Wang Chao looked surprised.

He had not expected this.

That Prefect Liu would guess it so quickly.

Seeing Wang Chao's expression, Liu Zheng's heart sank.

Who could it be?

Xie Tianyao?

That shouldn't be it.

Xie Tianyao should be eager for him to enter the capital as soon as possible, because he wanted to kill him and settle scores with him!

The bigwigs in Jinghua?

The Empress?

He had learned from letters that the current situation in Jinghua was indeed somewhat chaotic.

Every faction had already begun to band together.

The Crown Prince, Xie Ling, the inner court, the maternal relatives, the Noble, the Scholar-official...

The current Jinghua could be described as surging with wind and clouds, treacherous and unpredictable.

As the current favorite of the Longyan Dynasty, Prefect Liu, simply downsizing the military at this time was clearly not enough. Some people simply did not want him to enter the capital and stir up trouble!

He had been careless.

He had truly been careless this time.

He had only thought that this Wangbei Academy was a place that truly stood apart from the world.

He hadn't expected, he hadn't expected...

These people were a bunch of "red-capped intellectuals..."

Liu Zheng gave a bitter smile.

He knew that even if he asked who it was, he feared Wang Chao would not say.

But he could be certain that the Academy still dared not do anything to him. At the very least, his life should be secure.

It was just that...

He looked around and asked helplessly: "How long does the Dean intend to keep me locked up here?"

Wang Chao laughed: "That depends entirely on Prefect Liu yourself..."

"Oh?"

Liu Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly.