Chapter 632 201: Qualitative Change in Spirit Forging, Qin Shuang's Innate Wisdom

In the quiet and elegant Academy, the Dean held a cup of tea, taking a small sip.

For Scholars, drinking tea was all about refinement.

The Academy's tea was naturally of high quality, but the Dean himself couldn't stand the taste.

It was rather amusing, but to the Dean, all tea tasted the same.

But he was the Dean, a model for all Scholars. Even if he couldn't stand it, he had to pretend he could.

"Qin Shuang?"

When Shen Bai said this, the Dean put down his cup, smoothly setting the tea aside.

'Finally, I don't have to drink it.'

Shen Bai put down the Ten Thousand Ancient Books he was holding and asked, "Qin Shuang has Innate Wisdom from a past life?"

Innate Wisdom from a past life, to put it simply, meant memories from a past life that had not yet awakened.

The Ten Thousand Ancient Books said that a woman named Qin Shuang possessed the wisdom of a Scholar from a past life. She should cultivate the way of the Scholar, for it could benefit all living beings.

But Shen Bai truly hadn't expected that the Prime Minister of the previous dynasty could have seen Qin Shuang's origins.

'How absurd.'

The Dean nodded. "My teacher often told us that what he wanted most in life was to be a Fortune Teller—to divine the heavens, the earth, and the fates of all people. But he became a Scholar, so he could only study the art of fortune-telling in his spare time."

The corner of Shen Bai's mouth twitched. "Is this art of fortune-telling... reliable?"

'He was at the apex of the previous dynasty's Scholars, yet his hobby was fortune-telling. It's truly... abstract.'

'No wonder he taught such prodigies as Oulong Fengchu, who were peerless in both calligraphy and painting.'

'Speaking of which, does the Dean have some strange quirks of his own?'

Shen Bai looked at the teacup the Dean had pushed aside. "Is the tea not to your liking?"

The tea was fragrant; one look told you it was high-quality. Even Shen Bai, who knew nothing about tea, found its aftertaste sweet and pleasant.

The Dean nodded. "Actually, I prefer wine. I often imagine myself as a Jianghu Hero, singing songs of wine and roaming the Jianghu freely."

Shen Bai: "?"

'I was just trying to change the subject to ease the awkward atmosphere, and you're being serious.'

'Are all Scholars this abstract these days?'

The Dean poured out the tea. "My teacher's side-job was fortune-telling, but his art was extremely profound. I believe what he divined. In fact, Qin Shuang's talent as a Scholar is truly formidable."

Shen Bai stroked his chin. "You didn't call me here just for this. There must be something else, and it probably has to do with Qin Shuang."

'If it was just to call me over, tell me this, and let me witness the Dean's abstract nature, I don't think it would have been necessary.'

'There must be something else.'

'And it probably has to do with Qin Shuang.'

When Shen Bai asked this, the Dean nodded decisively.

"That's right."

"I extracted Qin Shuang's Innate Wisdom from her past life, then personally destroyed it, leaving only her innate talent behind."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Good riddance to that past life's Innate Wisdom."

As he spoke, the Dean took out another piece of paper and placed it on the table.

"This is the information I got through... severe interrogation. No, I mean, through the methods of a Scholar."

Shen Bai had been surprised to hear the Dean had extracted the Innate Wisdom, but when he heard about the "methods of a Scholar," his interest was immediately piqued.

"The methods of a Scholar? What kind of methods are those?"

A smug look appeared on the Dean's face. "I made her copy the essays I wrote to enlighten her. But the nerve of that thing! It started dry-heaving while copying and said it had never seen such ugly handwriting in its life! What an insult to scholarly decorum!"

Shen Bai: "..."

'Mental torture is far worse than physical torture.'

'If it were me...'

'I don't think I could handle it.'

Shen Bai shook his head, picked up the paper, and began to read it carefully.

He felt that if they continued on this topic, things might get out of hand.

After Shen Bai finished reading the paper, his expression turned serious.

"The Era of Ten Thousand Cities."

According to what was written, Qin Shuang's past-life Innate Wisdom belonged to a person from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities.

"This isn't Innate Wisdom anymore. This is possession," Shen Bai said.

"Once it awakens, it will subconsciously influence Qin Shuang's consciousness until it completely takes her over."

"By then, Qin Shuang will no longer be Qin Shuang, but a remnant of the Era of Ten Thousand Cities."

The Dean nodded. "Indeed. This is the subversive plot I eventually uncovered."

"The previous dynasty was stable, in the midst of a golden age. How could they have easily planted their agents? But what if some people from the previous dynasty possessed this 'Innate Wisdom' from a past life?"

"When they were influenced by this Innate Wisdom and became remnants of the Era of Ten Thousand Cities, everything became clear."

Shen Bai said gravely, "So, possession is their method."

"Once possession begins to occur, everything they have will be handed over to others on a silver platter."

"If what the Dean says is true, then it's not just the Great Zhou Country. Other nations will also face this potential danger."

"Dean, have you spoken to His Majesty about this?" Shen Bai asked.

The Dean nodded. "Not yet. After I finish speaking with you, I will go explain it to His Majesty in detail. Of course, this matter will probably have to be discussed with the rulers of other nations as well."

"How to handle it specifically will be up to them."

"This is not something you or I can control. I sought you out today for another reason, besides this."

At this, the Dean poured himself a glass of plain water and took a sip.

A matter of this magnitude would naturally be handled by the highest echelons of each country. Even someone of the Dean's status couldn't get involved.

Shen Bai asked, "What is it?"

The Dean paused in thought for a moment. "Do you have Innate Wisdom from a past life?"

As soon as he said this, the room fell silent.

Shen Bai stroked his chin. "That, I do not know."

He understood what the Dean was getting at.

'Based on my performance so far, I really have been a bit over the top.'