......The group of God Ascension cultivators was full of fighting spirit, their layout so exquisite that not even a fly could slip through, covering both heaven and earth. It had to be said, every one of them had actually used their brains this time.
Their intelligence gathering was also excellent.
Although they didn't know Gongyang Qingrou's background, they had learned that Lu Ding had a terrifyingly powerful Deification Ninth Level expert by his side.
To avoid being the one to stick their neck out first.
Everyone just waited like this, watched, crouched in ambush, continuously reinforcing their various measures.
As long as Lu Ding and his group, or any suspicious existence, showed their faces, they would immediately strike with thunderous force.
But then.
Lu Ding's [Celestial Shift] was just too overpowered.
The Great Han, which had originally just wanted to buy time, was now laughing so hard tears were about to come out.
Others had directly handed them an excuse.
Anyway, they'd just stick to saying Lu Ding hadn't returned yet.
The longer they dragged things out, the more beneficial it was for the Great Han.
Lu Ding was still sleeping soundly.
Meanwhile.
Outside, as a few days passed.
The war against the Baoji Kingdom had grown increasingly fierce.
Although the Empress of Baoji had been silently captured by Lu Ding, resistance forces and armies still remained throughout the Baoji Kingdom.
However, news that multiple nations' experts intended to hunt Lu Ding within the Baoji Kingdom had also spread along with reports of Lu Ding's large-scale destructive battles there.
This wind had blown all the way to the new city.
While it didn't cause panic throughout the western region.
It did make the investigators in the western region very worried about Lu Ding's safety.
Now, with no news about Lu Ding for a day or two.
The special envoys from the northern, southern, and eastern parts of the new city were growing restless.
Although kicking someone while they're down wasn't a good thing.
Not everyone abided by such principles.
The western region's current development was too dazzling, practically every inch of land worth its weight in gold. Now that Lu Ding was absent and there was no leader, and he was going to face a military tribunal afterward.
To put it bluntly.
Once he went up there, even if he didn't die, he'd be skinned alive.
Under normal circumstances, even if Lu Ding managed to get out, whether he could continue as a special envoy afterward was highly doubtful.
After all, he'd killed so many people in the Baoji Kingdom.
And there were still multiple nations' experts waiting for him there.
So under normal circumstances, the western region might become ownerless territory.
That big a piece of cake would naturally be divided among the other local regional special envoys.
Although everyone was colleagues.
They still had their mouths wide open, waiting for the chance to feast on the western region's division.
This news also reached Ying Gou's ears.
It made him furious.
"Immediately, immediately spread the word—whoever dares to touch Lu Ding's territory, whoever dares to covet the western region, is opposing me!!!!"
"Let's get the ugly truth out first—if anything happens, say you brought it on yourselves!!!!"
Lu Ding had made a name for himself, but Ying Gou wasn't some pushover either.
During this time, although there was plenty of work in his jurisdiction, his cultivation had also made great progress.
Ninety-nine percent of the special envoys in the new city couldn't afford to mess with him.
Lu Ding had looked out for him before, and now with Lu Ding's situation uncertain, if he didn't do something, it would seem like Ying Gou wasn't loyal.
Western region.
White Ridge.
In front of Bai Hemen's house.
Huangfu Lingyun's voice was so loud it could be heard throughout nearly the entire building.
"Now that Lu Ding's situation is unclear and the western region is in imminent danger, we must carry the banner of the west! Bai Hemen, come with me to execute missions, come with me to fight, come with me to grow!!!"
"Even if Lu Ding never returns, we can still hold up the western region, living up to his previous efforts and current expectations!!!!"
Bai Hemen, with his hair loose and wearing pure black pajamas, coldly stared at Huangfu Lingyun.
"Mhm. Get lost."
Bang!
The door slammed shut.
Leaving Huangfu Lingyun alone in front of the tightly closed door, dumbfounded.
Meanwhile.
In Hanjing.
Lu Ding woke up.
He rolled out of bed.
Pulling open the bedroom door, he walked out while scratching his back.
In the living room.
Gongyang Qingrou was spraying setting spray on Wang Qingge.
The two of them had gotten along quite well during this time, spending the whole day together, studying makeup and what clothes looked good.
Both of them turned their heads simultaneously, silently watching as Lu Ding walked to the fridge, pulled it open, took out a bottle of chilled mineral water, twisted off the cap, and chugged it down...
He turned back and asked, "Who changed my clothes for me?"
Wang Qingge raised her wooden sign:
[We both did]
She'd been too embarrassed at first, but thinking that sleeping in outer clothes was uncomfortable, and not trusting Gongyang Qingrou to change Lu Ding alone.
So she'd had to cover her eyes with her hands while peeking through the gaps to supervise.
Don't worry.
Lu Ding set down the empty bottle.
"Where's the Empress of Baoji?"
Gongyang Qingrou continued putting makeup on Wang Qingge while replying, "Temporarily detained. Are you going to find her to fulfill the bet?"
Lu Ding waved his palm.
Swinging it through the air, creating explosive cracking sounds.
A smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Of course. I've always kept my word. I just don't know if she's prepared for it."
Lu Ding raised his hand.
The scholar-warrior sleeves flew over and settled onto his body.
Seeing Lu Ding about to leave.
Gongyang Qingrou called out, "Wait a moment, wait a moment. We'll be quick."
Lu Ding: "You two want to come too?"
Wang Qingge raised her sign:
[Want to go]
"Alright, I'll wait for you."
As Gongyang Qingrou sped up her movements, finishing the last touches on the hairstyle and putting a cute little dress on Wang Qingge.
Ahhh...
Grabbing Wang Qingge and pulling her into a hug, taking a sniff, Gongyang Qingrou said, "You smell so good, darling."
Although Wang Qingge didn't quite understand—she was hard of hearing.
She could read lips.
Instantly.
Wang Qingge's face turned bright red.
Seeing them getting along like sisters.
Lu Ding could fully understand; sometimes, this was how girls' friendships worked.
After the two of them finished dressing.
The three of them headed out.
They went all the way to the Director-General's deep prison.
Because higher-ups had issued a gag order, everyone acted as if they hadn't seen Lu Ding and his group at all.
They ignored them.
No one greeted them.
All the way to the prison, deep inside.
Before they even reached the cell holding the Empress of Baoji.
They could hear her roaring.
"Get out!!!"
"Get out now!!!"
"Tell Lu Ding to come see me!!!"
"You're not worthy to speak with me!!!"
"Tell Lu Ding to come!!!"
Listening to this, Lu Ding thought, a deposed monarch, and you're still throwing your weight around.
He quickened his pace from three steps into two, then from two steps into one bound.
He dashed straight to the prison cell door.
Snatching the meal tray from the investigator's hands, he tossed it into the trash can in the hallway corridor.
The Empress of Baoji saw Lu Ding.
Her expression shifted, and she was about to say something.
Lu Ding didn't waste a single moment with her.
He stepped forward.
Swung his arm in a full arc.
Like a whip, it cracked through the air, shattering patches of space with the explosive force.
SMACK!!!!!!!!!!
Precisely hitting the Empress of Baoji's cheek.
The impact sent her flipping through the air an unknown number of times before she crashed heavily against the wall, then slowly slid down.
Half her face was a bloody mess while swelling up grotesquely at the same time.
Chapter 1092: Lu Ding Wakes Up, the Roaring Empress of Baoji, a Hard Slap to the Face!
7 min read