Chapter 720: Public Opinion! Old Bideng Hu Jinyu!

"What? You actually want an autograph?"

Seeing no one nearby needed guidance, Lin Hui smiled and teased.

Mu Bing, a woman who passed the assessment a month ago and joined the Thunder Martial Arts Gym's Elite Training Camp.

She possesses a pseudo-S-class lightning ability and, at only 23, is already at the peak of the fourth tier.

Exceptionally gifted, she was also chosen as a volunteer for this director's meeting.

Moreover, this girl is Xu Jingming's die-hard fangirl.

She loves coming here just to ask for news about Xu Jingming.

"Of course!" Mu Bing puffed out her chest, "I even brought a photo."

She pulled a photograph from her space ring.

In the photo, Xu Jingming in Thunderstorm Mode had a phantom image of Lei Shen hovering above his head, with a rotating halo behind him.

A long spear had shattered the skull of Catherine, the twelve-winged angel in Divine Presence state.

Clearly, this photo was taken during the Genius Tournament finals.

In the photo, Xu Jingming's thunderous dragon pupils glowed, his tall, imposing figure radiating dominance.

Even Lin Hui, a man, couldn't help but silently admire: so handsome.

"If you're saying that, Lin Ge, then Lei Di must really be back."

Mu Bing's face glowed with anticipation as she scanned the surroundings:

"I wonder when he'll show up—will he be as handsome in person as in the photo?"

"I didn't expect Xu Jingming's influence to still be this strong after half a year."

Seeing this, Lin Hui couldn't help but feel a quiet pang of reflection.

Since the Genius Tournament ended, Xu Jingming had gone to the distant Dayangzhou.

Dayangzhou was too far from Daxia; over the past half year, almost no news about Xu Jingming had returned.

Add to that the new Peak Rankings in the virtual world, which allowed every person on Blue Planet to rank on the same list.

As a result, geniuses flooded in from across the globe, scrambling to climb the rankings.

Almost every day, a dazzling new genius emerged, leaving people dazzled and unable to keep up.

With no news for so long and Xu Jingming absent from the Peak Rankings, he naturally faded into obscurity.

Thus, most who once idolized Xu Jingming shifted their support to other geniuses.

Only die-hard fans like Mu Bing still remembered Xu Jingming—even carrying his photo everywhere.

"Lei Di! Lei Di's here!"

At that moment, Mu Bing suddenly pointed in one direction, excitedly shouting.

Lin Hui looked up and indeed saw a young man walking toward them from about a hundred meters ahead.

The young man was tall and slender, clad in black, his entire presence like a sharp blade, radiating a faint aura of pressure and danger.

It was Xu Jingming, whom they hadn't seen in over four months.

Beside Xu Jingming, slightly half a head shorter, was Ling Shuang.

She wore a red dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure.

Her face, adorned with a light makeup and a tear mole beneath her eye, exuded even greater maturity and beauty.

"It's Ling Shuang and Xu Jingming! They've returned from Dayangzhou too!"

As the number one genius on Blue Planet and a major figure half a year ago,

Xu Jingming's arrival immediately drew many glances, and several branch directors began whispering among themselves.

"It's been half a year—Xu Jingming seems even stronger."

"Not necessarily. If he really got stronger, why hasn't he climbed the Peak Rankings?"

"True—I heard he's been holed up in a villa in Dayangzhou, rarely training outside, even having a woman assigned to him there!"

"No way! Seriously? Then isn't he wasted?"

"Not completely wasted, but in terms of cultivation progress, he's definitely behind Catherine and Su Yu."

"..."

Since Xu Jingming had always used a disguise when entering the Wild Zones and frontline battlefields,

Rumors had long circulated within the gym that he was indulging in pleasure.

Now that they saw him in person, it was inevitable the topic came up.

Of course, this rumor had inevitably been fueled by Deputy Director Hu Jinyu.

"These guys..."

Mu Bing's face flushed visibly with anger, her teeth clenched tightly on her red lips, purple lightning arcs flickering around her body.

Seeing this, Lin Hui's heart tightened and he quickly said, "You've been wanting an autograph, right? I'll take you over now."

All directors present were at least sixth-tier adepts—he couldn't let Mu Bing act recklessly.

"It seems they have a big misunderstanding about you."

Hearing the faint murmurs around them, Ling Shuang's face grew cold.

She silently noted down the names of the directors who were speaking ill.

"It's not about them—it's about Hu Jinyu."

Xu Jingming had long seen through the truth: "Hu Jinyu's roots in the Thunder Martial Arts Gym run too deep.

As long as he isn't removed, this kind of talk won't disappear."

"You see deeper than I thought." Ling Shuang was surprised.

"Of course."

Xu Jingming's gaze turned icy: "That old Bideng—I'll settle the score with him first once I've grown stronger."

Public opinion attacks aren't lethal, but they're designed to annoy.

Someone like that only learns what pain is when you crush his face under your shoe.

"Old Bideng?"

Ling Shuang blinked, then burst into a tinkling laugh, shaking with mirth for a long moment before catching her breath:

"If Hu Jinyu heard you calling him that, he'd probably be furious enough to drop dead."

"Better if he actually died," Xu Jingming said indifferently.

"Ling Laoshi, Jingming."

At that moment, Lin Hui arrived with Mu Bing, first bowing respectfully to Ling Shuang, then turning to Xu Jingming:

"Welcome back. How was it in Dayangzhou?"

"Not bad," Xu Jingming smiled.

"Good to hear," Lin Hui smiled, then introduced:

"By the way, this is Mu Bing, a new member of our Elite Training Camp."

"L... ei Di, h-hi... c-could you give me an autograph?"

Facing him in person, Mu Bing grew nervous even speaking.

"Autograph? Sure."

For such things, Xu Jingming had long been accustomed to them since his days at Mo University.

He smoothly signed his name on the photo.

After telling Lin Hui they'd have lunch together, he walked toward the conference hall with Ling Shuang.

"Phew—no wonder he's Lei Di. His presence in real life is far stronger than in the virtual world."

Only after Xu Jingming left did Mu Bing finally exhale.

Beside her, Lin Hui scratched his head, looking slightly suspicious.

Why did it feel like Xu Jingming and Ling Laoshi's relationship had grown even closer?

On the other side, just ten meters away, Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang heard a delighted voice ahead:

"Ling Shuang, you've finally arrived."

Ahead, Li Hao strode toward them holding a bouquet of vivid, peacock-tail-like flowers.

"Li Hao?"

Ling Shuang's expression changed slightly, and she mentally warned Xu Jingming:

"I'll handle him—don't confront Li Hao."