Compared to the master-disciple relationship where one enters a sect and remains a disciple for life, an academy where one can attend classes for money, and the instructors within, were more suitable for Fang Ming.
Since it was a transaction, there was no need for any obligations.
Moreover, the academy's atmosphere could fulfill the "wealth, companions, methods, and location" requirement for cultivation, at least in terms of having companions to communicate with when encountering problems or having questions during cultivation.
After Fang Ming considered it, he presented this request to the Yan family patriarch.
"You want to attend an academy?"
The Yan family patriarch couldn't help but cast a strange glance. According to Yan Che's memories, Fang Ming could instantly kill dozens of people without batting an eye, directly causing the bandit group to collapse.
Such behavior, if one disregarded age and appearance, would undoubtedly mark him as a top-tier assassin.
As far as the Yan family patriarch knew, many noble families secretly trained hidden guards and assassins to protect the family and assassinate rival families.
For the sake of loyalty, these assassins and hidden guards were usually trained from a young age, instilled with loyalty to the family to prevent betrayal, and simultaneously taught basic extraordinary knowledge for their cultivation, enabling them to possess the strength to carry out missions assigned by the main family.
Fang Ming's act of slaughtering bandits, in the eyes of the Yan family patriarch, was already very similar to those hidden guards and assassins. To possess such extensive killing skills at this age, it was likely only possible for assassins trained from a young age by major families.
If one were not specifically trained for killing, who could possess such extensive killing experience at this age?
However, training assassins was not the same as raising descendants; assassins were merely tools for a family. For tools, the extraordinary knowledge taught was usually limited, not comprehensive, and had its flaws.
Techniques that damaged one's foundation and reduced lifespan, leading to rapid advancement, were precisely the best choice for many families to train assassins.
From this perspective, if an assassin wished to break free from the control of their main family and become a normal extraordinary individual, they would indeed need to re-learn the comprehensive education that normal extraordinary individuals received from childhood. Only then could they embark on a normal extraordinary path and compensate for their deficiencies.
So, was this young man a traitorous assassin who wanted to re-enter the right path of extraordinary individuals by attending an academy for education?
The Yan family patriarch speculated in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged. He said directly, "There are three hundred and seventy-six cities in the Tianyuan Kingdom, and many cities have their own extraordinary academies. Jia Mu City has one... However, the instructors in these cities are somewhat insufficient. How about I write a letter and recommend you to the Purple Cloud Academy in the capital?"
"The Tianyuan Kingdom has hundreds of cities, with the capital city being the strongest, and its academy is also the best in the Tianyuan Kingdom."
Fang Ming nodded in agreement.
He knew well that setting aside other continents in the Divine Realm for now, just looking at Jia Mu City, there were too many ordinary civilians without extraordinary power.
Among twenty people on the street, perhaps only one could be found to be an extraordinary individual.
For ordinary cities like this, even if academies existed to cultivate extraordinary individuals, the instructors and cultivation resources would undoubtedly not be strong.
Perhaps for ordinary people and ordinary nobles, it would be enough. But Fang Ming had just saved Yan Che, and if this kindness was only rewarded with a recommendation to an academy in Jia Mu City, the Yan family patriarch would feel embarrassed.
Therefore, he directly recommended attending the academy in the capital.
The Yan family patriarch was merely the head of one of the three major families in Jia Mu City. Being able to recommend attending an academy in the capital was already the best outcome he could achieve.
Purple Cloud Academy was the best academy in the Tianyuan Kingdom. For Fang Ming, who wanted to learn the extraordinary knowledge and cultivation system of the Divine Realm, it was indeed a good place.
After receiving the letter of recommendation from the Yan family patriarch and a pile of divine coins as thanks, Fang Ming felt them. There were about a hundred thousand divine coins, far exceeding the thousand divine coins he had obtained before.
Those thousand divine coins were the sum of the redemption fees for dozens of people.
From this, it could be seen that Fang Ming's choice was correct. If he had chosen to sell Yan Che cheaply back then, he might not have even received three hundred divine coins. Now, he had obtained a hundred thousand.
This demonstrated the correctness of Fang Ming's choice.
Sometimes, being a good person could also yield greater benefits.
Fang Ming mused.
However, this outcome was also part of his prior planning. During casual conversations with Yan Che, Fang Ming had indirectly built a psychological model of Yan Che's parents. He was ninety-nine percent sure that the Yan family patriarch was not an ungrateful person who would betray him after receiving help, which was why he acted this way.
This was also a practical application of Earth's psychology.
After accepting the money, Fang Ming knew that this debt of gratitude was now settled.
Next, Fang Ming inquired about the route.
"Excuse me, how do I get to the capital? Do you have a map?"
Fang Ming did not understand the geography of the Divine Realm. If he were to ask people by the roadside, getting lost would be almost inevitable.
If he didn't know which direction to go, taking a detour would be extremely embarrassing and troublesome.
With a map, the journey would be much easier.
The Yan family patriarch replied with a smile, "You don't need a map to go to the capital. Che'er is also a student at the academy. In a while, he can take you there."
So, Yan Che was also a student at Purple Cloud Academy in the capital?
Fang Ming looked thoughtfully at Yan Che, who was standing in the corner. He wasn't surprised. After all, if the Yan family patriarch could send him to an academy in the capital, his own son could certainly attend one.
With a living map present, it was indeed better than a dead map for finding the way.
Fang Ming nodded.
Since the matter was resolved.
The Yan family patriarch instructed a servant nearby, "It's getting late. Please prepare a guest room in the courtyard for our distinguished guest."
The servant bowed and led Fang Ming to the room.
Fang Ming followed and soon arrived at his destination.
It was an independent courtyard with rockeries and gardens, looking extremely serene. Fang Ming surveyed the surroundings and was satisfied with the courtyard.
It was much better than spending the night in a cave the previous night.
Fang Ming didn't think much of it and stepped into the room, drifting off to sleep.
...
Jia Mu City was actually quite close to the capital.
Despite the obstruction of mountains and plains, the Tianyuan Kingdom had long since built a passage that led directly through the mountains and plains, spanning several cities.
Along this official road, Fang Ming and Yan Che could reach the capital in a few days.
As for safety, firstly, there were many people traveling on this official road, making it difficult to encounter bandits. It wasn't as if someone ran away from home specifically seeking secluded paths, heading further into the wilderness. If something happened, it would be considered self-inflicted.