On the way back, the reverence in Zong Yan’s gaze toward Yaoguang deepened once more.4

The position of top professor at an imperial academy wasn't one that just anyone was qualified to hold. At the very least, one had to earn a high-level evaluation in a specific sub-profession to be called a professor. Such individuals, even if they chose not to teach, possessed professional skills that allowed them to thrive in any environment. For the vast majority of people, a professor was the highest-level figure they would ever encounter in their lifetime.0

This was especially true for Professor Lin Sen, a high-level professor capable of serving as the principal investigator for a major research project. Further up, the special-level professors were essentially the pillars of an entire discipline within an imperial academy. 0

Beyond that were those graced with the title of master. These included artifact-refinement masters, alchemy masters, and array art masters, among others. The status of such figures was in no way inferior to that of an elder of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. However, they would rarely be found in the imperial academies; they primarily conducted research in those departments and institutes that were directly under the jurisdiction of the Nine Cauldrons Sect.0

"Is something about...0