With just a single statement revealing her identity, An Ning, who was still flipping through the materials Fu Xinghe had given her because Luan Ji looked familiar, stopped her movements the moment she heard that name.

No need to search anymore.

Lu Ding's eyes gradually changed.

He absolutely never expected that Yan Yage would actually be walking together with a core member of the Feihuang Group, a splinter faction of the Profound Nether Cult.

This was a natural opposition.

Even if you set aside the fact that very few people knew the Feihuang Group was a splinter faction of the Profound Nether Cult.

Just talking about the Feihuang Group as an individual entity, it wasn't anything good either.

What on earth was Yan Yage thinking?

With a serious gaze, Lu Ding watched Luan Ji, who was currently responding to Yan Yage.

"I'm just having a chat with Grand Duke Lu, aren't I?"

Lu Ding asked, "You're Luan Ji? That Luan Ji from the Feihuang Group?"

Only then did Luan Ji realize that Lu Ding hadn't even recognized her earlier.

Fine.

It's not too late to get acquainted now.

Faced with the direct call of her famous name.

Luan Ji admitted without hesitation, "That's right, it's me. So Grand Duke Lu has heard of my name before."

Lu Ding smiled, "Heard of it? I've even looked for you before."

Luan Ji felt something was off, "Looked for me? Looking for me to do..."

Before she could finish her sentence.

The hand that was originally holding out the chain was instantly grabbed by Lu Ding.

He violently pulled it toward himself, the terrifying force instantly destroying her balance while she was completely unprepared.

Lu Ding's questioning.

Was to avoid making a mistake, mainly because a 749 Bureau investigator mixing with the Feihuang Group was truly somewhat outrageous.

But since everything matched up now.

There was nothing more to say.

Direct action!!!

Lu Ding's aura exploded violently, his apertures opened, black smoke spewing as red light bloomed in his eyes!!!

A horizontal elbow strike to the head, the elbow passing through like a blade.

With immense force, it smashed into Luan Ji's temple. With a bang, Luan Ji's head instantly deformed, directly caving in, the skin and flesh on her face rippling wildly. Before the shape could even stabilize, it exploded with a thunderous crash, instantly as if something had shattered.

It turned out that the small jacket Luan Ji was originally wearing was actually a life-preserving magical garment.

As the magical garment shattered, Luan Ji, whose head had just exploded, actually returned to her original appearance. Her face was now deathly pale.

If it weren't for the magical garment taking her place in death, she would have likely died on the spot right then and there.

One strike didn't kill, but Lu Ding didn't stop.

In how he conducted himself and handled matters, as long as he had the initiative, he would absolutely never do something like launch only one attack and then confidently turn around.

It was normal for him, Lu Ding, to not have artifacts, since most artifacts in his hands were worse than fire pokers, unable to withstand his power.

But for others to not have artifacts or methods, especially someone like Luan Ji from a major faction, to not have some life-preserving means—Lu Ding didn't believe that for a second.

After the horizontal elbow strike to the head.

He switched to a hook punch smashing at the head!!!

Bang bang bang...

Each strike contained enough force to directly blow up Luan Ji's head.

But after each strike.

Something on Luan Ji's body would always shatter—earrings, necklaces...

This scene gave people the impression of a sect's proud genius encountering a rogue cultivator genius who had fought their way out of the blood-soaked hell realms during a training journey.

Although the sect's proud genius was like a flower raised in a greenhouse, damn, this bitch had a lot of treasures!!!

Although the first sudden attack caught everyone off guard.

But with the second, the third.

Yan Yage instantly reacted.

A greatsword was drawn from her back!!!

"Lu Ding, stop!!!"

A thing as big as a damn door panel was directly slammed toward the back of Lu Ding's head.

Lu Ding turned his head, not dodging.

Instead, he tilted his head back and directly rammed it forward.

Bang!!!!

The collision between his head and the greatsword actually produced a metallic clanging sound.

The impact shook Yan Yage's hands numb.

She staggered back several steps.

Seizing this opportunity, Luan Ji, who was being restrained by Lu Ding, gritted her teeth, raised her hand like a blade, directly severed the arm Lu Ding was holding, then, wearing only a pink camisole, did a backflip to retreat.

Spiritual energy surged.

She conjured a lotus pond, with lotuses blooming within and immortal mist swirling.

Luan Ji reached out to pluck, taking a section of lotus root and inserting it into the wound of her severed arm.

In just an instant.

The lost arm immediately grew back.

Her face was somewhat pale.

Just now, she had come so close, truly so close to dying!

If it weren't for the fact that she knew Lu Ding was powerful and had a fierce reputation before coming here this time, and thus spent a huge amount of resources to prepare in advance, she might have actually died at Lu Ding's hands just now.

This man was too terrifying.

At the slightest disagreement, he directly went for the kill!!!

Luan Ji's expression turned ugly.

Those life-preserving artifacts of hers had cost a fortune.

Now they were all shattered!

But fortunately.

What she brought were good items—not ones that resisted attacks through confrontation, but ones where the body endured the attack and the artifact died in her place!!

There were indeed protective artifacts that relied on blocking and hard clashes.

But who in the entire New City didn't know that Corpse-Shattering Taishui's Slash Attack was peerlessly sharp?

It was precisely because of his appearance that the entire New City's artifact market experienced violent fluctuations, with life-substitution artifacts continuously rising in price, while protective artifacts kept dropping in value.

The more she thought about it, the angrier Luan Ji became, and she directly shouted, "Lu Ding!!!!"

"Where exactly have I offended you? Not only did you ambush me, but you actually went for such a lethal strike!!!!?"

As Luan Ji questioned from the front, Yan Yage, whose hands holding the greatsword were still slightly numb, stared at Lu Ding's head, somewhat dazed.

How could a human head be this hard!?

But the doubt only lasted for a moment.

The horizontally held greatsword was directly raised level, pointing straight at Lu Ding.

"I respected you as a fellow special envoy, so I showed you some courtesy, but you don't know what's good for you! First you attacked my subordinate investigator, then you attacked my close friend, and even intended to take her life!!"

"Lu Ding!!! Today you must give me an explanation!!!"

Lu Ding stood in the center of the field, looking around at the two women before and behind him.

His gaze fell on Yan Yage, "Your close friend? Fine, just don't you dare deny it later."

Then he looked at Luan Ji, "Let me see just how many more life-substitution artifacts you have!"

He spread his hands open, then suddenly clenched them into fists, gripping so hard the air crackled.

"Anyone else want to join in!"

The Asura Street investigators on the scene and the Tianwu investigators who came with Yan Yage immediately exchanged glances.

The Asura Street investigators collectively stepped back; they couldn't get involved in this kind of fight.

However, among the accompanying investigators from Tianwu Province, there were some God Ascension investigators who leaped into the field, joining Luan Ji and Yan Yage to form an encirclement around Lu Ding.

A great battle was about to erupt.

Lu Ding stood in the center of the field. Having just spread his hands open, he now assumed a stance—Bajiquan·Erlang Carries the Mountain.

"Then bring it on!!!!!"

The more enemies, the more excited he became.

Lu Ding just happened to dislike negotiations as a waste of time; direct action was more straightforward.

But the higher-ups had issued documents calling for healthy competition!

So this current situation perfectly suited his intentions.

Fight, then directly seize the territory!!!

Wandering Dragon Step under his feet, his footwork moving like a ghost, he suddenly attacked Luan Ji.

Next, she would receive special attention!!!

Luan Ji yanked the chain, the other end connected to darkness.

With her movement, the darkness churned, and a youth with dark patterns on his face charged out from within.

"Dare to touch my master, seeking death!!!!"