The imperial city of Da Yan bustled with activity as vendors lined the streets, shouting to attract customers. Lin Fan observed the diverse crowd passing by, his mood lightening considerably.
Compared to life within the sect, Lin Fan much preferred strolling around here, although he only intended to stay temporarily. As for settling down permanently, he hadn’t considered it—he still had goals to achieve. He needed to grow stronger and return to the sect to surprise his senior and junior brothers.
He imagined the scene: himself appearing before them with unmatched cultivation, and wondered what their reactions would be.
Humming happily, Lin Fan walked along the bluestone path. With no particular destination in mind, he decided to first tour the imperial city thoroughly.
“Hey there, are there any noble families in this city?” Lin Fan casually asked while sipping tea at an open-air teahouse.
“Of course! The Yan, Han, Xiao, and Yun families—they’re the four ancient and prestigious clans of Da Yan. Thanks to them, we can live in peace and stability,” replied the young teahouse owner, his expression filled with admiration.
Lin Fan nodded, paid with the silver he had taken from Qu Xiangge, and left, ready to continue exploring the city.
He passed many grand mansions and saw the four great clans the teahouse owner had mentioned. Judging solely from their residences, they truly lived up to their reputations—luxurious and wealthy indeed.
In truth, Lin Fan had ulterior motives. At present, there were only a few ways to increase his cultivation: killing others, slaying fierce beasts, or consuming pills.
Among these, Lin Fan found pill cultivation the most straightforward—fast and without side effects.
However, when Lin Fan arrived at a heavily guarded location, he stood there for a long time.
This was the imperial palace.
The residence of the emperor of Da Yan.
It was a treasure trove…
But also a high-difficulty challenge.
“What do you think you’re doing? Don’t run!”
At that moment, guards at the palace gate noticed him and started approaching. Startled, Lin Fan immediately fled, feeling indignant—was it really necessary to be so unfriendly just because he had stared for a while?
After confirming that the guards were no longer pursuing him, Lin Fan exhaled in relief.
He decided he would need to frequently scout these locations. Once he was familiar with the situation, he could make his move.
At the entrance of Tianfu Academy.
Lin Fan wasn’t sure where his feet had taken him, but upon seeing Tianfu Academy, he stopped. Two notices hung at the gate, causing Lin Fan to fall into thought.
What he lacked most now was an identity. The academy was currently recruiting both teachers and students.
Of course, for Lin Fan, being a student was too beneath him—he would naturally aim for a teacher position. After all, he believed he possessed the dignified aura of a respected educator.
Outside the academy gates, a long line had formed, mostly consisting of youths around thirteen or fourteen years old.
Lin Fan approached another recruitment booth, where there were very few people.
“Hey, I want to apply as a teacher,” Lin Fan said to the desk.
Behind the desk sat a fat man with a mustache. Seeing someone finally applying, he straightened up with renewed energy.
“A teacher, huh?” The fat man eyed Lin Fan carefully, his eyes gleaming.
“Yes,” Lin Fan replied with a nod.
“Excellent! Our Tianfu Academy offers generous benefits for teachers, but first, there’s a ten-tael registration fee,” the fat man said with a smile.
Lin Fan had little concept of money—it was all confiscated anyway, so he didn’t care. He tossed the few taels he had onto the table.
Seeing the silver, the fat man’s heart leaped with joy and he warmly welcomed Lin Fan.
“Follow me. Once you pass the test, you can officially become a teacher at Tianfu Academy,” the man said.
…
Soon, the fat man led Lin Fan to a wooden bamboo house. “Inside, someone will test you. Good luck.”
After Lin Fan entered, the fat man closed the door, weighed the silver in his hand, and smiled. “Good, good. Another ten taels in the bag.”
In the fat man’s opinion, this guy would soon come out bruised and battered.
It was true that the academy was hiring teachers, but the requirements were extremely high. Ever since the recruitment notice had been posted, countless applicants had come, but all had failed.
The fat man happily waited by the door, mentally counting down the time to see how long this one would last.
Then, someone came out.
The fat man was startled. So soon?
“Failed?” Seeing that it was Lin Fan, the fat man said regretfully, feigning sympathy.
Lin Fan twisted his neck and smiled faintly.
“Send him to Class Yi of the Ding level,” came a voice from inside the room. Though calm, it barely concealed a hint of suppressed anger.
The fat man was stunned, clearly unable to believe it. This guy had actually passed? Over a hundred applicants had failed before—how could this be?
But Ding level Class Yi didn’t sound too good. It seemed this guy was just lucky. Though his strength wasn’t particularly high, he might still manage to teach those underachieving disciples.
“Understood,” the fat man respectfully replied to the figure inside before leading Lin Fan away.
Before leaving, Lin Fan glanced back. This time, he had truly tested his strength.
He hadn’t used “Reversing Heaven and Earth” or “Black Tiger Steals the Heart,” but rather the formal techniques “Chasing Wind Sword Method” and “Immovable Emperor Fist.”
At the same time, Lin Fan realized the secret lay in the usage of true energy—enhancing its destructive power.
Currently, his true energy stood at 2200 units, comparable to a fifth-stage innate cultivator. If he fought seriously, even cultivators below the Divine Ascension realm would have to think twice.
Later, the fat man led Lin Fan to his assigned residence at Tianfu Academy.
“If you want to move out in the future, just let us know. I’ll inform you of your assignment as the teacher for Ding Class Yi as soon as possible. You can officially start tomorrow,” the fat man explained everything clearly.
“How is Ding Class Yi?” Lin Fan asked, slightly excited. This was his first time teaching students, and he was curious about what to expect.
The fat man looked at Lin Fan. “Tianfu Academy is divided into four levels: Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding. Ding level is the lowest class, mostly consisting of commoners’ children with mediocre talent and limited future potential.”
Lin Fan rolled his eyes. This guy was too petty—was it really necessary to assign him the worst class just because he had sliced up his robe?
But perhaps this was even better. He wasn’t here to teach—he was here to hide his identity. The four great clans and the imperial palace wouldn’t escape his grasp.
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