Chapter 618

The meeting was held in the conference hall on the seventh floor of the martial arts academy building.

By the time Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang arrived, many were already present.

All were at least mid-seventh-rank adepts, except Xu Jingming, who alone was sixth-rank.

"Director, General Coach Xu, good day."

"Director, good day."

"General Coach, good day."

"......"

Although most attendees belonged to Director Liu Shan's faction,

formal courtesies were still observed—upon Ling Shuang and Xu Jingming's arrival, several immediately rose to greet them respectfully.

Ling Shuang gave a slight nod and led Xu Jingming to sit on the left side of the conference table.

"Oh? Xu Jingming's back? Good—there's something today concerning you, General Coach."

Not long after, Director Liu Shan entered the conference room with two deputy directors.

Liu Shan was a high-upper-eighth-rank Grand Master; the two deputy directors were mid-upper-eighth-rank.

Both deputy directors were Liu Shan's staunch supporters.

Seeing Xu Jingming in the conference hall, Liu Shan casually mentioned it, then formally began the meeting.

"First matter: the academy needs to procure new resources and allocate them to the resource depot. The finance department will arrange funding."

"Second matter:......"

The martial arts academy's meetings were much like ordinary corporate weekly meetings.

Basically, the director raised an issue, and the relevant senior staff reported on it.

"Our academy meetings are this simple—boring is normal, even at the Great Xia headquarters."

"But pay close attention when we get to matters concerning you."

Seeing Xu Jingming look bored, Ling Shuang transmitted a mental message.

Xu Jingming was now the General Coach of the Elite Training Camp,

and failing to pay attention to relevant matters during the meeting would indeed be inappropriate.

"Understood." Xu Jingming replied mentally.

Having taken Wang Chun's position as General Coach, Liu Shan was surely planning something big to force him to handle.

He wouldn't give the man any opening to seize on trivial matters.

"Next matter: concerning the Elite Training Camp's General Coach, Xu Jingming."

More than half an hour later, Liu Shan finally brought up Xu Jingming:

"In one month, the instructors and students from Sacred Spirit Martial Arts Academy will visit our Thunder Academy for exchange."

"Xu Jingming, as General Coach, you are responsible for hosting them."

"Understood." Xu Jingming nodded.

Mutual exchange between academies was common.

During his time at the Great Xia Thunder Academy's Elite Training Camp, Bearstorm Academy's students frequently visited.

"I must remind you: the lead instructor from Sacred Spirit Martial Arts Academy is Diefu George.

He is an S-class awakened adept, seventh-rank lower."

Liu Shan looked at Xu Jingming and continued: "Their main purpose is sparring and learning.

Several sparring matches will be held, and George, as lead instructor, will compete personally.

I assign him to you to handle. No problem?"

As he finished, the conference hall stirred with murmurs.

Sacred Spirit Martial Arts Academy!

A powerful academy from America, its status in America equivalent to Thunder Academy's in Great Xia.

Its branch in Mocheng was equally formidable; S-class seventh-rank Master George was one of Sacred Spirit's most renowned figures!

At twenty-nine, he was nine years older than Xu Jingming!

His combat strength was formidable, his battlefield experience immense!

If they fought, Xu Jingming might not win.

Yet Xu Jingming's expression didn't change—he replied simply:

"Fine."

"Good! Good! Good! No wonder you're Great Xia's top prodigy—truly confident!

The honor of Thunder Academy rests in your hands! I'll come watch the match myself."

Liu Shan said "good" three times in succession, as if genuinely delighted.

To an outsider, it might seem like encouragement to a junior.

But all could see: Liu Shan was deliberately elevating Xu Jingming!

If Xu Jingming lost the match, Liu Shan wouldn't comfort him—he'd immediately assign blame.

In fact, that was exactly Liu Shan's plan.

Even Sacred Spirit Academy hadn't come voluntarily—he had invited them specifically.

He wanted to use Sacred Spirit's hand to crush Xu Jingming's arrogance.

Everyone else saw it; Xu Jingming saw it too.

But he didn't care.

If George had been a mid-seventh-rank S-class, he might have been cautious.

But a mere lower-seventh-rank? Not worth his attention.

"Assign the Sacred Spirit matter to Xu Jingming."

Liu Shan shifted tone and turned to Ling Shuang beside him: "Ling Director, how is the Butterfly Cult mission you received ten days ago progressing?"

At this, everyone finally realized:

The other matters were trivial—the real focus was on Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang!

Especially Ling Shuang: the Butterfly Cult mission had always been difficult.

It had been pending for over two months on other factions' lists before Director Liu took it and gave it to her.

Yet only ten days had passed—expecting results now was clearly unreasonable.

Everyone thought it, but no one spoke up—it targeted Ling Shuang, not them.

They were happy to watch the show.

"Within five days, I will capture the Butterfly Cult's leader," Ling Shuang said coolly.

"And if you fail within five days, what then?"

Before Liu Shan could speak, the tall, thin deputy director Gan Gui spoke up first.

Hearing this, Ling Shuang's beautiful eyes flashed with anger.

Liu Shan, fine—he was director. But a mere mid-eighth-rank deputy director dared to question her?

Did he think I'm that easy to push around?

Ling Shuang was about to retaliate when a dismissive voice cut in:

"If she can't do it, she can't do it. What? You want my teacher Ling to sign a military guarantee?

Punishment if she fails? Even Director Su never said that—what are you, some nobody? How dare you?"

The entire conference hall fell silent.

No one expected Xu Jingming to be so bold—even to a deputy director, he gave no quarter.

Gan Gui, the one rebuked, was equally stunned.

When he recovered, his face darkened—but he had no reply.

Indeed, even Director Su didn't interfere with Ling Shuang—how could he, unless he claimed greater authority than Director Su?

"Deputy Director Gan didn't mean it that way," Liu Shan quickly interjected, offering Gan Gui a face-saving exit.

"The Butterfly Cult mission is vital—finishing it sooner is best."

"Vice Director Gan certainly didn't mean it that way; it's just that the Mie Die Sect's mission is extremely important, and it would be best to complete it sooner rather than later."

Seeing this, Liu Shan quickly stepped forward to defuse the tension, giving the vice director a face-saving exit.