Chapter 820: I Won't Sell Anymore

"A Visiting Elder?" Xue Zhenyang's eyebrows twitched, and his eyes widened.

Though a visiting elder holds less actual power than a regular elder, their status is, in fact, even higher. They are typically powerful figures invited to enhance the academy's reputation and prestige. For example, His Majesty the Emperor of the Hongyuan Empire serves as a visiting elder for the academy, occasionally coming to teach students and impart insights and techniques related to cultivation.

To make a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl a visiting elder... wasn't that a bit too exaggerated?

"Exactly, she has the qualifications and ability!" Xu Changqing nodded, his expression solemn. His idea was not unfounded; it had been carefully considered. The content she taught pointed directly to the Great Dao, was concise, thought-provoking, and very simple and easy to learn for cultivation. If she could become a visiting elder at the Martial Arts Academy, she would certainly attract more students to cultivate, and over time, the entire academy would grow stronger as a result! In the future, it might even surpass the Physician Academy, Beast Taming Academy, Formation Academy, and many other academies to become the top academy among the Master Teacher academies!

For Master Teachers, the most important thing is to impart knowledge and resolve doubts. Many do not value their own martial arts. Furthermore, martial arts cultivation is extremely tedious and complex, requiring arduous practice day and night. Crucially, it's not even considered a supplementary profession and is unrelated to raising one's Master Teacher rank. Therefore, despite being a powerful discipline that increases combat strength, very few people choose it, placing it among the lowest-ranked subjects in the entire Master Teacher Academy. It ranked only above obscure subjects like the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, Calligraphy and Painting Institute, Demonic Sound Institute, and Startling Swan Institute. It was rather disheartening to think about.

Strengthening the academy had always been his dream. Now that the opportunity had arrived, how could he not be excited?

"Alright then, Teacher, please wait in the room. Elder Wang's class will finish soon. I'll bring them over right away. It's better if you discuss this matter personally..." Xue Zhenyang nodded. Teacher Zheng, Elder Wang, and the others were all brought by him. If they could become visiting elders of the academy, it would also reflect well on him. With such backing, his position in the academy would become increasingly stable. Disciplining a new student who had just arrived at the academy would then be effortless, wouldn't it? Effortless and pleasant?

"Hmm!" Xu Changqing stopped speaking, stood up, and entered a nearby room. Not long after, the door opened, and Xue Zhenyang entered with Wang Ying and the others.

"Teacher Zheng, Elder Wang, Elder Liu, this is my cultivation mentor, Dean Xu of the Martial Arts Academy!" Upon entering the room, Xue Zhenyang introduced them: "This is Teacher Zheng Yang, from whom I learn spear techniques. That's Wang Ying, Elder Wang, whom you saw during the lecture just now. And this is Liu Yang, Elder Liu!"

"Dean?" Zheng Yang and the others exchanged glances, their eyes wide. They had heard someone wanted to see them and wondered who it might be. They were startled to find it was none other than the esteemed Dean of the Martial Arts Academy.

"No need to be surprised, everyone. I invited you here because I'd like to ask you to become visiting elders of the academy. What do you say?" Xu Changqing smiled and said.

"Visiting Elders?" Zheng Yang and the others were stunned. A group of people who barely attended school themselves, becoming visiting elders of the esteemed Master Teacher Academy... Was this real? Wasn't this honor a bit too grand?

"Yes!" Xu Changqing nodded. "Are you willing?"

"Of course!" Zheng Yang and the others nodded simultaneously, their faces beaming with excitement.

"Excellent! I'll submit the application right away. The tokens representing your new status will be delivered by this afternoon at the latest!" Seeing their agreement, Xu Changqing couldn't help but nod.

After chatting for a while, Xu Changqing turned and left. Soon, only Zheng Yang and the others remained. The three looked at each other, still seemingly unable to believe what had just happened.

"This... we've become academy elders, but Teacher Zhang is still a student... How should we explain this when we go back?" After an unknown period, Wang Ying couldn't help but ask.

"This..." Zheng Yang and Liu Yang scratched their heads. To be honest, they didn't know what to do. Currently, their teacher, Zhang Xuan, was still an academy student, while they had become elders... The thought alone seemed absurd.

"Well... let's keep it a secret for as long as we can..." After a moment of silence, Zheng Yang said.

"Alright!" Wang Ying and Liu Yang nodded simultaneously. It wasn't that they wanted to hide it, but rather... they truly didn't know how to phrase it. It simply seemed too incredible.

"What did you say? Dean Xu made those youngsters Xue Zhenyang brought to lecture into visiting elders?" Dong Xin and Long Cangyue exchanged a glance, barely keeping themselves from fainting. They had thought Dean Xu would go and discipline Xue Zhenyang for his actions, but unexpectedly... he actually made these few youngsters visiting elders? How was that possible? It must be a joke!

"It's true! Not only that, but I also heard that as soon as Dean Xu returned from the Zhenyang Society, he went into seclusion for cultivation and only emerged when it was almost dark... They say he gained new insights into martial arts and defeated Vice Dean Chen in a single move during a spar..." A student said.

"Defeated Vice Dean Chen in one move?"

"Although Vice Dean Chen's strength isn't as great as Dean Xu's, they're quite comparable. They sparred some time ago, and it took more than ten moves. Now, just one move..." Dong Xin's beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief: "Could it be that the content those people taught was really that profound?"

"Anyway, I heard that everyone who attended the lecture achieved breakthroughs of varying degrees, significantly increasing their strength!" the student replied.

"Such a thing..." Long Cangyue and Dong Xin clenched their fists: "It seems... we'll have to be careful of the Zhenyang Society from now on!"

A similar scene unfolded in other societies, with many teachers even being shocked. Allowing three teenagers under twenty to become visiting elders was something unheard of in the entire Master Teacher Academy. In an instant, it caused a stir across the entire academy, and many new students also became aware of it. However, they only knew about the Martial Arts Academy's visiting elders but not their exact names, and naturally, even less about their origins.

As the academy buzzed with shock over the three visiting elders, Zhang Xuan finally returned to the academy.

"Vice Dean You said to bring the Cloudmist Flower within two days, so there's still time!" Upon entering the academy, Zhang Xuan did not return to his residence in the Elite District but went straight to the Physician Academy. Although Wei Ruyan had been stabilized with soul energy and was temporarily out of critical danger, she wouldn't last long and needed treatment as soon as possible. In other words, he had to obtain the Ten-Leaf Flower, not only to save her but also for... the deceased Wei Changfeng!

Following a familiar path, he quickly arrived at the Physician Tower, found Vice Dean You's residence, and knocked on the door. Teacher Sun Yuan, whom he had met before, came out.

"You..." Seeing it was Zhang Xuan, Sun Yuan was surprised. He knew perfectly well how dangerous Cloudmist Ridge was; how could anyone go there and come back completely unharmed?

"I'm here to see Vice Dean You!" Zhang Xuan said. Knowing the dangers of Cloudmist Ridge, yet this Vice Dean still had Wei Changfeng pick the Cloudmist Flower, likely indicated malicious intent. Although he felt some anger, for Wei Ruyan's sake, he suppressed it. The Ten-Leaf Flower, a sacred medicine capable of restoring souls, was likely only possessed by this Vice Dean in the entire Hongyuan City. Changfeng was already dead; his persistence and hope could not be in vain.

"Please come in..." Sun Yuan was startled for a moment but still nodded, letting him in. Soon, he met Vice Dean You.

"Dean You, here's the Cloudmist Flower. As per our agreement, I obtained it within two days!" Zhang Xuan didn't beat around the bush. With a flick of his wrist, he handed over the flower that Wei Changfeng had risked his life for.

"You got it?" Vice Dean You was surprised, took the jade box, and opened it. A cloudmist aura rose from the box, like smoke, giving off a refreshing sensation. Even unrefined, the Cloudmist Flower offered a unique pleasure; otherwise, it wouldn't be so famous, even prized by the Hongyuan imperial family.

"It is indeed the Cloudmist Flower!" Vice Dean You nodded.

"Then... can I have the Ten-Leaf Flower now?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"No!" Vice Dean You shook his head: "What I wanted was a fresh Cloudmist Flower, for cultivation purposes. How can I give you anything for a flower that's already picked and dead? Here's what we'll do: if you truly want the Ten-Leaf Flower, bring me a living Cloudmist Flower!"

"Living?" Zhang Xuan's face darkened. He had been present when the exchange was discussed, and no mention of a "living" flower was made! Now, using this excuse, it was clear he didn't want to give him the Ten-Leaf Flower!

"Alright, living it is..." Despite his anger, Zhang Xuan nodded, took the jade box in his hand, and with a thought, infused a stream of Heaven's Path zhenqi into it. At the same time, he channeled his power, drew a drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid from his ring, and quietly dripped it onto the roots. Although the medicinal herb had been plucked for almost a day and a night, it remained fresh because it was kept in the jade box. With the addition of Heaven's Path zhenqi and Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, which could nourish all things, it should be possible to revive it.

Sure enough, the somewhat wilted Cloudmist Flower, with the help of the zhenqi and Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, revived, standing proudly and emitting an astonishing fragrance.

"It's alive?" Sun Yuan couldn't help but stare in disbelief. Even Vice Dean You was frozen in place. To be honest, he had never intended to sell the Ten-Leaf Flower; the Cloudmist Flower and such were just excuses. He had thought that demanding a living one would make Zhang Xuan retreat, but unexpectedly, the young man accomplished it in the blink of an eye.

"Alright, the Cloudmist Flower is alive now, Vice Dean You can plant it!" Relieved, Zhang Xuan handed the jade box back.

"Indeed, this thing is alive now, but... the Ten-Leaf Flower isn't fully mature yet, so I can't give it to you!" Vice Dean You shook his head again: "How about this? This medicinal herb will fully mature in about ten years. At that time, I can give you a stalk..."

"Ten years later?" His eyes narrowed, and Zhang Xuan was filled with fury: "You previously said you'd exchange if I brought the Cloudmist Flower within two days. After I brought it, you demanded a living one. Now that the herb is alive, you say I have to wait ten years. What if you make another excuse after ten years?"

"What, are you doubting me now? As a student, doubting your teacher is disrespectful and unbecoming! Hmph, with your character, how can I give you the Ten-Leaf Flower?" Vice Dean You's face darkened, and he flicked his sleeve: "Leave. I'm not selling it anymore!"