Chapter 725: Appointment! Deputy Director of the Mo Ben Branch!

Welcome everyone to the 189th Director's Meeting of Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion.

Over the past year, our Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion has added 35 new branches domestically.

We've added 46 overseas branches, and furthermore, we've welcomed four new Eighth-Stage Grand Masters...

The Director's Meeting began promptly, hosted by Assistant Director Liu Wei.

Like the annual meetings of large corporations, it opened with a review of Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion's achievements over the past year.

Paired with the holographic projections on the podium, all data appeared highly transparent.

"Four new Eighth-Stage Grand Masters added in just one year? So many?"

Xu Jingming was somewhat surprised.

He had just glanced around—the Eighth-Stage Grand Masters wearing Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion uniforms numbered only 23.

If so many Eighth-Stage Grand Masters joined each year, even accounting for those absent, there shouldn't be so few.

"Although we've welcomed many new Grand Masters, we've also lost at least one each year.

Sometimes, three or four Eighth-Stage Grand Masters have perished."

Su Qingli whispered the explanation beside him.

Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion is no charity organization; to obtain combat techniques or resources, you must undertake missions.

Even Eighth-Stage Grand Masters are not exempt.

These missions take place either in the wilderness zones or on the frontlines.

The danger level is never low.

"How many Eighth-Stage Grand Masters do we have now?" Xu Jingming asked curiously.

"Thirty-nine in total—twenty-six domestically, thirteen overseas," Su Qingli replied.

"Thirty-nine..." Xu Jingming silently marveled.

One Eighth-Stage Master Zongshi represents a powerful force.

Thirty-nine combined would be an absolutely terrifying power.

And this is the deep foundation Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion has accumulated over nearly two centuries.

Even now, some of the Ninth-Stage Councilors in Great Xia may have once been from Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion.

Time passed swiftly; Liu Wei spent an hour summarizing Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion's overall situation last year.

Overall, it was a picture of thriving growth and positive momentum.

"Next is the appointment and reassignment of positions across our branches. Let us invite Director Su to preside."

Liu Wei stepped down from the podium, and Su Qingli took her place.

At the mention of appointments, every director and deputy director in the seats perked up.

Thunderous applause erupted; dozens of gazes—respectful, reverent—locked onto Su Qingli on the podium.

"Over the past year, although Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion welcomed many new members,

we also lost many who perished in service, leaving vacancies.

Some of these positions are currently held temporarily by acting appointees; others remain vacant.

These will be formally filled during this Director's Meeting."

Su Qingli's clear voice echoed throughout the hall.

Most Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion positions are filled immediately upon vacancy.

But certain key roles—such as Director or Deputy Director—are usually temporarily filled by acting appointees.

Only after a probationary period are they formally appointed at the Director's Meeting.

"First, domestic Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion branches.

Li Yang, Director of the Beishan City branch in Jiangnan Province, has passed probation and is hereby formally appointed Director.

Director of the Qingjing City branch..."

As each appointment was announced, some faces lit up with joy.

Of course, not everyone passed evaluation.

Those acting Directors or Deputy Directors who failed probation wore expressions of deep disappointment.

"Next, appointments for Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion's overseas branches."

Ten minutes later, all domestic appointments had been finalized; Su Qingli continued:

"Our Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion maintains twenty-one overseas branches, eleven of which require position adjustments.

We begin with the appointment for the Mo Ben branch in Dayangzhou."

The Mo Ben branch in Dayangzhou is the most important of all Lei Ting Martial Arts Pavilion's overseas branches.

Alongside Ling Shuang, it hosts five Eighth-Stage Grand Masters; its Director, Liu Shan, is an Eighth-Stage Peak Master Zongshi.

Su Qingli mentioning Mo Ben first was expected by all.

What surprised them was that Mo Ben appeared to be undergoing a position change.

"Mo Ben? Isn't Liu Shan in charge there?"

"Mo Ben already has two Eighth-Stage Master Zongshi Deputy Directors—could they be adding a third?"

"Likely. Ling Shuang went there; this new appointment must be for her."

"..."

Everyone knew Ling Shuang had been sent to the Mo Ben branch in Dayangzhou.

But Director Liu Shan was under Hu Jinyu's faction—no one expected him to yield authority to Ling Shuang.

"It's coming."

Liu Shan took a deep breath, preparing to recommend Ling Shuang as Deputy Director.

"Here it comes." Xu Jingming revealed a smile as well.

"Regarding the appointment for the Inkwell Branch, it is as follows: the original branch chief Liu Shan's position is revoked, and he is demoted to deputy branch chief.

The branch chief position will be held by Ling Shuang, and the original Heavenly Prodigy Training Camp trainee Xu Jingming will hold the deputy branch chief position."

Su Qingli's crisp voice echoed throughout the entire conference hall, and the conference hall, which had still had some chatter moments ago, instantly fell deathly silent.

However, this silence lasted less than a second before it erupted into an uproar.

"What's going on? Liu Shan was actually removed from his post?"

"Ling Shuang as branch chief, Xu Jingming as deputy branch chief—good lord, this is taking down the entire Inkwell Branch in one fell swoop!"

"Liu Shan hadn't made any mistakes. Stripping him of his position just like that doesn't seem quite appropriate, does it?"

"......"

Just now, after Xu Jingming displayed his astonishing strength outside the conference building,

some people had already guessed that this branch chief conference would include an appointment for him.

Quite a few guessed he might start from a senior supervisor position.

But no one expected that, right off the bat, he was given the deputy branch chief position.

And it was at the Inkwell Branch, which carried significant weight among all the branches of Lei Ting Wu Guan!

"Huh?!"

Liu Shan abruptly raised his head, his expression filled with disbelief.

Hu Jinyu's face was equally grim. At this point, how could he not know that they had all been played by Ling Shuang!

"We got careless. We never expected that the conditions Ling Shuang raised earlier were only meant to mislead us......"

Hu Jinyu's eyes flickered, but he had not yet given up.

It was true that Liu Shan had made mistakes, but using that as a reason to remove him was still far too naive.

"The reason for removing the original branch chief Liu Shan will be revealed in the video below."

Su Qingli's cool voice rang out.

Immediately behind her, countless pale-blue virtual light rays projected out, coalescing into an image, and the video began to play.