Chapter 723: Instructor Fang

Senior Brother Li was dumbfounded. "The... the seventh Instructor!? Could it be..."

He quickly turned his head to Fang Chen, looking at him in disbelief.

Era Immortal King suddenly waved his sleeve, and Senior Brother Li's expression instantly turned blank for a few moments.

Soon, he recovered from his stupor, and a bitter smile rose on his lips. "My memory has been erased?"

"Off you go," Era Immortal King said with a cheerful smile.

Senior Brother Li glanced at Fang Chen, then at Era Immortal King, sighed softly, and turned to leave. As he walked, he pondered deeply, trying to figure out what memory had been erased.

Alas, his cultivation level was far below that of the Era Immortal King. If he wanted to undo the Era Immortal King's technique, he'd have to become an Immortal King himself and even surpass the Era Immortal King in terms of strength.

Fang Chen instinctively took a step back, his gaze slightly wary as he stared at Era Immortal King.

Fang Chen's heart raced with alarm. Era Immortal King had erased Senior Brother Li's memory with a wave of his hand.

He couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if his own memories were erased. Would he even notice? Had something like this already happened to him without his awareness?

"What are you afraid of? I wouldn't use this technique on you. In fact, no one would dare use it on you in the future. If that old man found out, there wouldn't be a single bone intact in whoever dared to mess with you," Era Immortal King said with a faint smile.

At that moment, Elder Xu entered the room, hands behind his back as he cast a casual glance at Era Immortal King. "Old man? Is that what you call me now?"

Era Immortal King immediately clasped his hands and bowed. "Headmaster."

Rising, he grinned and said, "Calling you an old man is a sign of respect. To be called that by people like us means you'll live forever, Headmaster."

"Enough with the flattery," Elder Xun scoffed coldly.

He turned to Fang Chen and admiringly smiled at him, as if looking at a piece of treasure.

"Little Fang, you've finished reading all the ancient texts in the chamber, haven't you?" Elder Xun asked with a smile.

"I have," Fang Chen responded respectfully, his demeanor serious.

At that moment, Fang Chen could confirm that Elder Xun was indeed the Headmaster of the Desolate Academy, one of the five First Rate Sect Leaders of the Central Continent Empire.

Someone like that probably isn't connected to the Spirit Blood Sect, right?

Elder Xu's smile widened. "Good. Those texts are all related to the Three Thousand Dao Sect in some way. Over the years, I've invited many individuals whom the Heavenly Cloud Emperor had once favored to look at them, yet none of them could decipher the content. Except you.

"I suspect that you've inherited the true teachings of the Heavenly Cloud Emperor. But you needn't worry; the Desolate Academy has no enmity with the Three Thousand Dao Sect, nor have we ever had any conflict with the Heavenly Cloud Emperor.

"By allowing you to read those texts, you could say I'm merely returning them to your sect through you. However, I hope that you will become the seventh Instructor of the Desolate Academy, responsible for passing on these teachings."

Elder Xun paused momentarily. "Even though these texts may be related to the Three Thousand Dao Sect, after so many years, who can say for sure? What do you think?"

Fang Chen pondered for a long moment, then softly replied, "Elder Xun, Instructor Ji, the Heavenly Cloud Emperor once imparted his teachings to me, and if these texts are indeed legacies of the Three Thousand Dao Sect, I cannot privately pass them on to others."

"What do you mean by passing them privately? If anyone learns your techniques, I'll have them enrolled into the Immortal Registry of the Three Thousand Dao Sect," Elder Xun said with a faint smile. "Now, what do you think?"

Fang Chen was momentarily stunned, looking at Elder Xun in disbelief. Was he implying that if any disciples from the Desolate Academy learned these techniques, they would be considered members of the Three Thousand Dao Sect?

"Don't think we old guys are so hung up on sect boundaries. These divisions are often just circumstances beyond our control," Elder Xun said. "If it can make the cultivators of the Central Continent stronger, why wouldn't we compromise?"

Fang Chen's expression grew peculiar. "Elder Xun, but... there is no more Three Thousand Dao Sect."

"Wasn't the Grand Thousand Dao Sect of Azure Dao Manor formerly known as the Three Thousand Dao Sect? Just change the name back, and I'll have a word with the officials in the immortal court. It's no trouble at all," Elder Xun said with a smile.

Fang Chen no longer hesitated and clasped his hands in salute. "Thank you, Elder Xun. I am willing to become an Instructor of the Desolate Academy!"

"Good. Your identity must remain secret to avoid any dangerous attention. Only the six Instructors and twenty-two Spiritual Teachers will know your true identity. You will lecture here for one month each year, and I'll personally conceal your identity.

"For the rest of the year, you're free to do as you wish. However... since the Desolate Academy is offering you this opportunity, we can't provide too much else. Your annual salary will be based on the standard given by the Void Immortal Sword Sect, 100 mid-grade spirit stones per year," Elder Xun said with a smile, glancing at the Era Immortal King. "What are you standing there for? Did you get that down?"

Era Immortal King nodded lightly. "I got it."

"Elder Xun, may I request an advance of a hundred years' salary?" Fang Chen asked.

"I knew you would bring this up. I'll give you ten years, just like the Void Immortal Sword Sect. No more than that," said Elder Xun, snorting coldly.

He continued, "Don't think that the Desolate Academy stands in a superior position and is brimming with mid-grade spirit stones. The number of cultivators in this world has increased too much, and the gates of the immortal realm have been closed to us for many years. Mid-grade spirit stones, high-grade spirit stones, and even top-grade spirit stones are becoming increasingly rare, almost nonexistent."

"Mid-grade spirit stones can't come from the immortal realm, right?" Fang Chen asked instinctively.

"Where else could they come from? The mortal realm can form only low-grade spirit stones. The mid-grade spirit stones you use now are all remnants from the past, and they are becoming fewer and fewer," Elder Xun said. "If you want to become an Instructor at the Desolate Academy, you need a name. What will they call you from now on?"

"Yun," Fang Chen replied without hesitation. "Since I'll be teaching on my teacher's behalf, I'll use Yun as my name."

"That's not acceptable. If some people think I've invited the Heavenly Cloud Emperor back, won't the Desolate Academy become a target for all the factions in the world?" Elder Xun shook his head in refusal. "Since your last name is Fang, just use Fang as your name. No one will associate you with your true identity."

"Director, does that mean Instructor Fang can start teaching today?" asked the Era Immortal King, glancing at Fang Chen.

"Let him go back and change the name of the Three Thousand Dao Sect first. I also need to inform the Central Continent," Elder Xun said with a faint smile. "We must keep our word to avoid any misunderstandings among the younger generation."

After saying this, Elder Xun turned and left, disappearing as soon as he stepped out the door.

"Instructor Fang, we can be considered colleagues from now," the Era Immortal King remarked, looking at Fang Chen with a sense of wonder.

He never expected that a spur-of-the-moment decision would lead to the addition of a new Instructor in the Desolate Academy.

"Instructor Ji, I'm not worthy of such a title," Fang Chen replied, shaking his head and speaking earnestly.

"Worthy or not, as long as you can teach, you deserve the title of an Instructor," the Era Immortal King said with a gentle smile. "In the outside world, people may only look at cultivation levels, but in the Desolate Academy, the Instructors are respected."

With that, he lightly waved his sleeve, and a surge of powerful energy flowed into Fang Chen, merging with the Desolate Token.

"I have infused some spiritual energy into your Desolate Token. As long as you activate it, you can freely return to the Desolate Academy three times without a time limit," the Era Immortal King said with a smile. "This is also a means of survival. As long as you don't get completely overwhelmed, you'll have a chance to escape to the Academy even when facing a First Rate Sect Leader."

Fang Chen's expression shifted slightly, and he cupped his fists in gratitude. "Thank you, Instructor Ji."

Having a life-preserving mean such as this was truly extraordinary.

After leaving the Era Immortal King, Fang Chen headed straight out of the Desolate Academy, reappearing at the place where the Era Immortal King had once refined pills.