......

And besides, the herb garden inside this "protagonist" should be even more extraordinary than what Zhan Tingzhou described.

After all, reincarnators are notorious for having countless tricks up their sleeves.

As a result, Zhan Tingzhou almost got killed.

The current situation was enough proof of just how valuable it was.

If they could secure this herb garden’s cultivation materials, it would not only reduce Lu Ding’s needed contribution points for rare materials, but also allow New City to be self-sufficient—growing and selling its own supplies.

Investigators earn contribution points by taking on missions from the Bureau, while Lu Ding and Zhan Tingzhou could lower the price of the herbs, sell them to investigators to gain contribution points, then buy higher-grade ready-made rare materials from the Director-General.

One stone, many birds!

Lu Ding’s expression gradually turned serious. “Can you get me in there with you?”

He wanted to see how it worked.

If Zhan Tingzhou couldn’t do it, surely he could!?

Whatever divine oddities—Way of the Jinche, Golden Ao Island, Human King's Loose Hands, Heaven-Man Unity, White Snake Shakes Scales—

They would cure any reluctance!

This was exactly the line Zhan Tingzhou had been waiting to hear from Lu Ding.

He had the know-how, the intelligence, the connections; Lu Ding had method and strength. All they needed was cooperation!!!

He tore off his tattered clothing.

Zhan Tingzhou said, “I know your comprehension is off the charts, but this secret technique requires coordinated reverse spiritual energy and is very dangerous. Later you’ll place your hand on my back, feel the flow of my spiritual energy and the call of the secret art. Don’t resist—I'll take you in!”

“Fine, do it.”

Lu Ding’s reply was brief and to the point.

They wasted no time.

Zhan Tingzhou’s steps felt slightly buoyant as he moved, once again deploying that uncanny secret method.

Lu Ding placed his hand on the center of Zhan Tingzhou’s back.

While sensing the spiritual energy’s movement, he fully focused on the summons of the secret art.

In an instant he felt his body writhe, as if boneless, turning liquid and flowing with Zhan Tingzhou’s strides, seeping into Jin Chuan’s body.

Zhan Tingzhou moved like a practiced guide.

Lu Ding followed closely.

They slipped through the tear Zhan Tingzhou had ripped earlier.

The two arrived inside Jin Chuan’s Earth Observation–Heavenly Perception dual-space.

This was the first time Lu Ding had seen someone else’s Earth Observation–Heavenly Perception realm.

Compared to his own Earth Observation–Heavenly Perception...

How to put it?

Lu Ding thought of it like the difference between a humble cottage and a villa.

At best, Jin Chuan’s was an inner elixir core; Lu Ding’s was at least an Inner Landscape.

They weren’t even in the same league.

Zhan Tingzhou’s voice came: “Just ahead.”

He flew forward to lead, and Lu Ding said, “I didn’t realize you knew so much.”

Under his mask, Zhan Tingzhou heard that compliment and his expression—already strained by pain and returning to normal—twitched again.

“Small tricks, nothing worth mentioning, nothing at all.”

In his previous life, while searching for his sister, Zhan Tingzhou had walked thousands of miles and learned countless techniques—anything useful, he learned it.

Whether they were righteous methods, demonic arts, or tricks used by monsters and spirits, if they worked they were good methods!!

Naturally, his store of techniques grew.

The secret art they were using now had been revealed when he killed a core disciple of a demonic Refining Skin sect.

As the two advanced, just as they were about to reach their target,

Zhan Tingzhou slowed his steps and lowered his voice, “Right up ahead.”

He pointed.

Lu Ding followed the motion and cast his gaze.

On the herb garden side, the scene was extraordinary—various rare materials swayed without wind, releasing medicinal mist that nourished the breathing of the young man sitting cross-legged in the garden and helped him mend his injuries.

Although most of the materials were low grade.

After all, considering this person’s identity and cultivation, he couldn’t obtain anything especially high-grade.

But even these materials growing together in the herb garden had a combined value that could casually match the assets of an ordinary God Ascension-stage Qi Refiner.

A Fourth Restriction Qi Refiner possessed so many good things.

He really had hidden them deep. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Lu Ding glanced at Zhan Tingzhou. “You wait here. I’ll deal with this herb garden.”

“Be careful. This thing is alert and domineering. Its defensive attacks are especially fast.”

Lu Ding moved forward. “Don’t worry.”

As he spoke, he proactively ramped White Snake Shakes Scales to maximum output.

Let’s be frank: if this really was a protagonist, then by the usual rules of old-school novels, this herb garden might have an extraordinary origin.

It might even be tied to some karmic fate.

But Lu Ding firmly believed one thing: Heaven’s arrangements were grand.

He possessed Heaven-Man Unity; it was as if he were Heaven’s own child. If Heaven arranged this meeting, then every choice he made was justified!

So just do it!!!

With White Snake Shakes Scales active, Lu Ding strode forward.

Until he reached the spot where Zhan Tingzhou had been ambushed earlier.

The herb garden still showed no reaction.

Zhan Tingzhou finally relaxed, not knowing that Lu Ding’s lack of response was due to White Snake Shakes Scales; otherwise, Lu Ding would have been treated the same as he had been.

As Lu Ding stepped into the herb garden,

In an instant, the swaying plants stopped moving, as if alive, and all turned to look.

Although White Snake Shakes Scales made him non-stick, Lu Ding was hardly invisible.

He was a big man standing right there.

The plants could see him plainly.

In an instant, waves of energy attacks surged from all parts of the herb garden.

Lu Ding’s hands never stopped; he shattered the incoming assaults with the Way of the Jinche.

“No thing is uncut”—four words that summed it all up.

The herb garden’s defensive strikes kept shattering space, energy spiraling out of control, sending the garden into thunderous explosions, tearing apart plant after plant.

But Lu Ding did not feel the slightest regret.

To him, such a golden-finger treasure cultivating only these bland, throwaway materials was a waste.

Even if he didn’t destroy them now, once they were his he would rip them out and sell them cheap, then plant new, higher-grade specimens.

Boom!!!!!!

Another blast rang out.

Lu Ding swept his hand and a fierce wind scattered the dust.

Suddenly,

A sharp dagger slid silently forward, carving through Lu Ding’s flesh and sinking deep.

Lu Ding froze where he stood, looking down at the dagger protruding from his stomach.

And the one who had stabbed him was the young man who had been resting earlier—Jin Chuan.

Although the sneak attack had struck true,

Jin Chuan’s face showed not the slightest joy.

Because at the wound where Lu Ding had been stabbed, not only did no blood spill, the dagger in Jin Chuan’s hand could not be pulled free—held fast by terrifying muscle density.

Lu Ding’s voice sounded: “Your dagger looks... pretty good too.”

After he said that,

Using one hundred percent body control from White Snake Shakes Scales, Lu Ding manipulated his abdominal muscles, tore the dagger from Jin Chuan’s hand, sucked it into his flesh.

Then he opened his mouth.

The dagger’s hilt was slowly spat out from Lu Ding’s mouth.

He reached in, pulled the dagger from his mouth, and clicked his tongue. “It’s poisoned!?”

“Too bad, a little weak.”

Jin Chuan was stunned by the scene: “Are you... a human, or... a monster!?”

Before his words finished,

Pfft!!!!!!!