Law Enforcement Team's Wu Tian

The elders of the Jia Nan Academy gathered around a heavy oak table. The setting sun shone through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, casting flickering light and shadow on their solemn or contemplative faces.

Vice Dean Hu Gan cleared his throat, his chubby face bearing its usual amiable expression. "I propose a change to this year's Inner Academy assessment. This arena competition is probably unsuitable this year."

He looked around and asked, "What do you all think?"

"Why change it this year when it has been used so many times in previous years?" an elder asked.

"There are some oddballs this year!" Hu Gan glanced at Huo Yuhao sitting at the end of the table and sighed.

Following Hu Gan's gaze, the elders saw Huo Yuhao and nodded in agreement. They exchanged opinions in hushed tones, and after a moment, most of them voted in favor.

An elderly man with white hair and beard, his voice slightly weak, suddenly spoke up, "Changing the model is irrelevant! What's important is the spirit field. I still believe the spirit field must be under the jurisdiction of my Alchemy Department! That batch of medicinal herbs from last time—"

Before he could finish speaking, the elder in charge of medicinal resources interrupted him, "Old Man Huo, shut up! You Alchemy Department— "

The scene became somewhat chaotic. The two elders glared at each other, and after a cordial and friendly conversation, Elder Huo's proposal was once again ruthlessly shelved.

Hu Gan rubbed his temples and turned his gaze to Huo Yuhao, who was sitting quietly at the end of the table. "Elder Huo, do you have any topics to raise?"

Huo Yuhao stood up, bowed to the elders, and said, "Vice Dean, I would like to request the use of the Magic Core seized during the last beast tide."

"Oh? That batch of stuff?" Hu Gan waved his hand dismissively, "It's your spoils anyway, take it and use it, no need to report it."

Just then, a loud, metallic voice rang out. "Is this Elder Huo, who resolved the beast tide?"

Huo Yuhao looked over and saw a middle-aged, burly man sitting below Hu Gan speaking.

This man had a cold, stern face, with short, red hair standing on end like burning flames. His eyes were sharp as a hawk's, and he was openly scrutinizing Huo Yuhao, exuding an aura of blood.

Huo Yuhao remained calm and composed, neither humble nor arrogant. "I dare not accept such praise. The crisis of the beast tide was entirely due to the Vice Dean and all the elders. I only contributed my meager strength. Even without me, the elders would have been able to easily resolve it."

Hu Gan smiled and introduced, "This is Elder Wu Tian of the Law Enforcement Team, the Law Enforcement Team leader. He has the most fiery and direct temper. He was on a mission out there a few days ago, so you haven't met him yet."

Huo Yuhao stood up and bowed in Wu Tian's direction. "Student Huo Yuhao greets Elder Wu Tian."

"Haha! Truly a formidable young man!" Wu Tian slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup jump. His eyes flashed with intense fighting spirit. "To have ascended to the position of elder at such a young age, you must possess some skill! If you have some free time another day, let's have a proper spar! Let me witness your ability to freeze the beast tide in an instant!"

Huo Yuhao said calmly, "It's all thanks to the Vice Dean's promotion; it's not worth Elder Wu mentioning."

Hu Gan and tried to smooth things over. "Elder Huo, you don't need to mind him. Old Wu is just like that; he gets itchy when he sees a master. He's been quite restrained today, not dragging you to the back mountain for a match right there."

Hu Gan his hand, signaling the meeting to continue. "The next topic is that things are very tense in the Black-Corner Region lately, with constant friction. I propose that all Outer Academy students' training trips Black-Corner Region be temporarily cancelled."

"Cancel? I disagree!" Wu Tian's thick eyebrows shot up, and his voice suddenly rose, "How can one become useful without shedding blood!"

When has the Black-Corner Region ever been peaceful? Didn't all the students go through this before? Instead of worrying about danger, you should teach students more self-defense techniques!

Hu Gan frowned slightly. "Elder Wu, the Inner Academy's Fire Energy Hunting Competition and similar programs are what truly let them experience the cruelty of the continent. Sending students to the Black-Corner Region during the Outer Academy stage is risky with limited improvement; it's completely unnecessary!"

"Dispensable?!" Wu Tian abruptly stood up, his voice shaking the rooftops. His sharp aura made even some of the weaker elders breathless. "The Black-Corner Region training is all about developing their reactions and ruthlessness under pressure! If we don't push them now, what will they do when they graduate and leave the academy, facing real danger? Are they just waiting to die? Jia Nan Academy is not a nursery!"

He pointed out the window. "Look at those Inner Academy students, which one of them didn't roll around in blood several times before standing up?"

The two were at loggerheads, with completely different philosophies. The elders were also divided into two factions. The elders who supported Wu Tian emphasized the importance of practical combat training, while the elders who supported Hu Gan valued the safety of the trainees and the gradual training process.

The council chamber was instantly filled with tension, with arguments rising and falling, and neither side able to convince the other. In the end, the issue ended with Hu Gan giving in.

"This training can continue! But the time must be reduced, and each team of students must have at least one Dou Wang elder accompanying them! Wu Tian, you must go with us every time!" Hu Gan's voice was unusually stern, as if he was prepared to overturn the table if this condition was not agreed to.

"Okay!" Wu Tian nodded, a smile appearing on his cold face.

"Next topic! From now on, the cafeteria will serve medicinal cuisine every day—" Hu Gan impatiently, continuing to chair the meeting.

The meeting proceeded smoothly, and the following topics were largely uncontroversial, with the elders reaching a consensus after brief discussions.

Sitting at the end of the table, Huo Yuhao looked around but didn't participate much in the discussion. Hu Gan also tacitly refrained from asking for his opinion.

In reality, Huo Yuhao, as an elder, appeared to be attending a meeting. However, his true purpose was to continue his observation of the Jia Nan Academy; he was merely there to listen in.

At this moment, Huo Yuhao took out his notebook and began recording the proceedings of the Jia Nan Academy Elders' Meeting, noting how the elders handled important matters of the academy.

It was still that unknown, dark place.

The air was cold and viscous, like solidified ink. Two figures dressed in black robes, surrounded by black smoke, sat at the head of a long table.

A meeting is being held here too!

The only light source in the entire space was the flickering, ghastly green soul flame, illuminating the black-clad figures seated around the long table. The atmosphere was oppressively suffocating.

The man in black robes on the left tapped the table, his voice as sharp as sandpaper. "How is your injury?"

His gaze fell on the black-robed man beside him.

The black-robed figure on the right was surrounded by swirling black smoke, and a slightly hoarse voice came from under the hood. "It's alright, the slight backlash has been suppressed."

He slightly moved his fingers, a faint, almost imperceptible aura of decay swirling between them.

"Why provoke Jia Nan Academy?" The voice of the man in black robes on the left was unreadable, yet carried a heavy pressure. "We have no conflict with them, and they won't affect our plans!"