Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1088 – A Dragon Cry – Preview

The Orthodoxy cavalry preparing to charge inspired no fear in the several hundred teachers and students of the Heavenly Dao Academy. On the contrary, they became even more passionate, their shouts getting louder as their wills became even more united.

Other than the slogan of ‘Protect the Heavenly Dao’, many of the students were cursing at people, the greatest target of their ire naturally being Daoist Shuxin, who they regarded as a traitor who had sold out the academy for glory. Linghai Zhiwang’s name was also a common occurrence, and someone would even disrespect the Pope on occasion.

Linghai Zhiwang’s complexion grew gloomier and gloomier as he listened to those curses, but if one carefully looked, they would realize that the emotions in his eyes never once changed.

In terms of strength, it was naturally the Li Palace that held the absolute advantage.

The Orthodoxy cavalry was an existence of equal renown to the black-armored cavalry, and the black enforcers of the Hall of Heavenly Judgment had once been mentioned alongside the Department for Purging Officials and the assassins of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.

The Heavenly Dao Academy truly had deep foundations and had raised many experts, and many bishops in the Li Palace had come from it, but it was still just a school.

The Heavenly Dao Academy had been able to last so long because Zhuang Zhihuan’s heart was hard enough and the blood of the teachers and students was sufficiently hot.

And if the Li Palace was willing to use force against these teachers and students who were willing to lose their heads and spill their blood, a massacre was bound to ensue. Moreover, the current situation had a different cause from the bloody incident of the Orthodox Academy twenty-some years ago. Linghai Zhiwang, as the one in charge of this matter, was certain to enjoy infamy for a thousand years, while Chen Changsheng would not fare much better.

What the Li Palace had to do was make the teachers and students of the Heavenly Dao Academy give up while spilling as little blood as possible.

Yet Linghai Zhiwang’s eyes remained cold and indifferent, the pleading of Daoist Shuxin failing to make him retract his order.

As he watched the Orthodoxy cavalry ready their charge and those black enforcers raise the scythes of death in their hands, Daoist Shuxin was overcome with sorrow and despair.

He seemed to be seeing the Heavenly Dao Academy awash in a sea of blood and the tender faces of the young students collapsed in pools of blood.

And then he felt like he was going blind. The Heavenly Dao Academy had not turned into a sea of blood, but one of ink.

A shadow dropped down from the sky, falling over the ancient buildings of the Heavenly Dao Academy.

This shadow was so deep that it seemed to have physical form. It seemed like night had descended.

The angry curses stopped as the young students of the Heavenly Dao Academy looked up in confusion toward the sky.

They did not see the bringer of that shadow.

The countless snowflakes dropping from the overcast sky obscured all vision.

“It’s snowing!” a student shouted in excitement.

“How can it be snowing?” another student shouted in surprise.

It was early spring. Even if there was a cold spell in late spring, it didn’t make sense for it to snow.

The students were astonished and began to talk. Some people even forgot about those cavalry brimming with killing intent outside the gate.

But there were still many people who remembered what sort of situation the Heavenly Dao Academy and their schoolmates were in.

As she watched the beautiful snowflakes dropping down from the sky, a beautiful female student began to tear up as she muttered, “The Heavenly Dao above believes that this world is too filthy and so has sent down this sacred snow to purify our eyes and hearts?”

Some students overheard her and felt the same. They prayed toward the sky, somewhat sad, but their resolves even more firm.

Linghai Zhiwang coldly said, “After the snow melts, the ground remains covered in filth. Can a god deceive itself as well as others?”

A low and thunderous boom suddenly exploded in the sky.

It was an incredibly deep boom and not at all weak. It was like thunder hidden deep within the clouds or a river deep within the earth.

The people looked up toward the sky in consternation as they thought, was that the response from the heavens?

Was it a reply to the female student? Or to Linghai Zhiwang?

This voice had an extremely clear will.

It was one of indifference, of looking down upon the world, and of a lack of interest.

Zhuang Zhihuan’s expression had not changed in response to the Orthodoxy cavalry brought by Linghai Zhiwang, or the several teachers Daoist Shuxin had brought with him.

But that thunderous roar made his expression turn rather strange, and a hint of hesitation and intent to retreat appeared in the depths of his eyes.

He had recognized this sound.

It was a dragon cry.

……

……

The amount of snow falling from the sky instantly increased by several dozen times while the wind became cold and biting.

The fierce snowstorm caused the temperature within and without the Heavenly Dao Academy to rapidly drop.

Whether it was the ivy on the stone walls or that ancient thousand-year-old tree in the deepest part of the campus, they all became plants of beautiful white jade.

Several small lakes became covered in thin layers of ice which rapidly began to thicken. In a few seconds, they became lakes of ice, as smooth as mirrors.

In a certain remote courtyard, the water in its deep well completely froze, cracking the surrounding ground.

The entire world became white, a realm of ice and snow.

The majority of the ordinary students became snowmen.

They could still see and think, but not move. A stupefied expression was frozen onto their faces.

Zhuang Zhihuan was a genius in his youth and he was now at a level where the number of experts on par with him could be counted with one’s fingers. He was naturally able to get by without any problem.

Ten-some teachers and students of excellent cultivation were also able to endure.

Their faces were pale, their lips turning blue.

The cold encroaching on the Qi openings and Ethereal Palaces of these teachers and students had dealt them internal injuries.

But Zhuang Zhihuan’s face was pale because he had abruptly realized that he had nothing to rely on.

Where had this snowstorm come from?

Why was it so fierce and terrifying?

This was the question that filled the students and teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy with fear.

At this moment, a figure slowly walked out of the snow.

This figure had a rather strange posture as they walked, seemingly uncoordinated yet also giving off a particularly steady feeling.

Perhaps it was because this person had only one arm?

When they saw that figure, that empty sleeve flapping in the strong winds…

Even the eyes of those young students who could not move or show their emotions on their face filled with joy.

Those teachers and students who could still talk let out cries of delight.

“Senior Guan Bai!”

“Famous Name!”

“Senior Brother!”

……

……

Guan Bai entered the Heavenly Dao Academy along that famous stone avenue, and then he stopped.

He stood between the two stone walls.

There were many names on the stone wall, and a line of words had been carved at the very top: ‘Good wind, let me borrow your strength to soar up to the azure sky.’

This was the Proclamation of Azure Sky.

When he was studying at the Heavenly Dao Academy, his name had once appeared on this stone wall, and it had been at the very top.

For this reason and for many other reasons, he had always been the Heavenly Dao Academy’s greatest pride, then and now.

So even though they clearly knew that his strength was not enough to alter the current situation, the students of the Heavenly Dao Academy still could not help but cry out in delight.

But then, all voices vanished; all delight turned to shock.

Because Guan Bai looked at Zhuang Zhihuan and spoke.

“Teacher, just concede.”