"Cough, cough, shut up."
Yueli Lian glared. "I didn't mean that. It was just an analogy! Besides, what kind of thing are you even focusing on?"
"It's only because Teacher looks too young. In my eyes, you are youthful and radiant..." Li Tianming said.
"Cut it out. Where were we?" Yueli Lian shot him another glare, though she still looked quite beautiful. After all, what woman did not enjoy hearing such words?
"You said that some of the higher-ups hold differing opinions. I understand that. Through hard work and loyalty, I'll repay their faith with gratitude and earn the recognition of those who disagree!" Li Tianming said seriously.
"It's enough that you understand. No need to make any more promises yet." Yueli Lian paused, then looked at Li Tianming. "The main issue is that some higher-ups believe that although you've performed excellently in training, you ranked one thousandth in the talent rankings in both previous practical assessments, showing no progression at all in actual combat. Some will therefore question your ability to convert talent into strength. This doubt is also related to your many Fate Infants—they will lower your ceiling."
"Teacher, I ranked one thousandth last time because..."
Li Tianming had only gotten halfway through when Yueli Lian interrupted him again. "Yes, because of the Five Elements Primordial Chaos Formation. You know it, and I know it, but I can't say it. Every parent and elder of every genius in the Tianyuan Camp cares about their dignity. They cannot accept that their children behaved that way. If I, as an instructor, bring the children's affairs to the higher-ups, it will create unpleasantness and escalate a child's matter into an adult's matter. Children's matters can ultimately be laughed off as little squabbles, but there is no need to take them further