Excruciating pain assaulted the girl, forcing muffled groans from her lips. She gritted her teeth against the torment and looked at Lu Ding. "I can do this! I CAN!!! I WILL HAVE MY OWN POWER!!! This is the price of gaining strength!!" She didn't know if this truly was the so-called price. But she willingly used this excuse to numb herself. Lu Ding acknowledged her words: "This is your power, and this is indeed the price of obtaining it." A faint smile appeared on the girl's pain-paled face, her blood making her complexion stand out. Until the darkness surging from the formation completely enveloped her. Kim Gyeong-joo felt as if she'd plunged into a dark ocean with unfathomable depths. Yet she felt no fear. Lu Ding's words seemed to echo endlessly in her ears. In this boundless dark sea. Grotesque demons and monsters of all sizes - some humanoid, some bestial - swam toward her, scrambling to invade Kim Gyeong-joo's body. Her innate talent was gradually awakening. An indescribable sensation slowly rose within her. As an ordinary person, she began emitting spiritual energy fluctuations. Lu Ding slightly activated his Sin Dragon Bone Seal, drawing spiritual energy from heaven and earth - but didn't absorb it. Instead, he gathered the energy here for Kim Gyeong-joo to absorb. Time passed minute by minute, the markings on the formation slowly rising. An Wuyang finally spoke: "Twenty already. Not bad talent." Soon, the markings reached fifty. An Wuyang nodded: "Fifty. Impressive." Lu Ding added: "After all, the Tianxing Group's leader is at the Heavenly Perception realm. His bloodline can't be weak." Moreover, Kim Gyeong-joo's mother was also a formidable Qi Refiner. "If she reaches a hundred, plus the Heaven-Plundering Spirit enhancement, her talent might not match yours or... well, not match your friend Bai Hemen... or... Huangfu Lingyun who found the imperial seal..." "But should be somewhat close... haha... our Great Han has so many geniuses." Lu Ding gave him a strange look: "You know Huangfu Lingyun too?" This damn mouth. If you can't speak properly, then shut up. Since Huangfu Lingyun had found the Jing Dynasty's imperial seal, An Wuyang had paid some attention to him. But he had no ulterior motives. The seal was useless now that the Jing Dynasty had fallen. As someone in the Second Circle, he could forge a better one himself anyway. Besides, an old-era imperial seal couldn't bear new-era national fortune. "Well, heard of him. He's quite strong, basically the most talented besides you and Bai Hemen." This statement wasn't wrong. Lu Ding pondered: "Then he must be tough. Rare to see someone so resistant to beatings." An Wuyang suddenly looked ahead. "More visitors." This update is available on novel⦿fire.net Lu Ding followed his gaze. Five figures approached, energy pulsating - four at the Si Ming realm, one at Earth Observation. They were the First City's Central City Special National Defense Department team! Four Si Ming members led by an Earth Observation captain. Lu Ding stepped forward: "When will you learn?" "Keep working. I'll handle these." The five had already closed in. Their pretentious momentum crashed down like a landslide. Gao Zhesheng stood casually on a nearby rooftop, arms crossed, surveying his kneeling colleagues' corpses. He expressionlessly stared at Lu Ding: "What crimes do you plead? Answer me!" As Wei Gao's Earth Observation expert and team captain. A twenty-nine-year-old Earth Observation powerhouse! Namely interrogating enemies about their crimes before execution. The self-proclaimed "Most Ruthless Executioner of Wei Gao." His lackeys chimed in: "How dull. Two ignorant heretics daring to cause trouble in Central City. Don't you know our captain is Wei Gao's Most Ruthless Executioner?" "Confess your crimes! Maybe our captain will grant you a quick death, after all—" Lu Ding suddenly appeared before the chatterbox. Air currents materialized like white ribbons, smoothly following Lu Ding's palm. With overwhelming pressure. Shockwaves rippled outward, gales whipping clothes violently. The talkative figure instantly exploded, shattered, scattering blood across the land like nourishing rain. This shocking instant-kill reflected in the others' pupils, awakening long-dormant fear. Lu Ding turned to Gao Zhesheng. If their aura was like a landslide. Then Lu Ding's was like collapsing heavens, with celestial rivers pouring down to crush all. Darkness churned, blotting out skies as a ferocious grin manifested across the horizon behind Lu Ding. Black smoke billowed from his mouth, creeping toward the mortal world. Gao Zhesheng snapped from the hallucination. Only to see Lu Ding already before him. An unimaginably sinister Sin Dragon coiled around Lu Ding's body, its draconic might pulsing, dark smoke rising. "You interrupted me. What crimes do you plead?" Lu Ding threw his words back at him. Gao Zhesheng opened his mouth— Lu Ding raised his hand, pulling black energy from heaven and earth. The sky cleared for miles, stars seemingly hanging by threads tied to Lu Ding's fingers. Winds howled as Gao Zhesheng instantly detonated, flesh and blood scattering across half the city. Nourishing everything silently. "Hah... Most Ruthless Executioner..." Forget whether he deserved the title. Just the name itself—unrhythmic, incoherent, unimpressive, meaningless. Trashy and unpleasant. Yet someone treasured it. Lu Ding glanced at the remaining two. "You're not even worthy of dying by my hand." Both exploded on the spot. An Wuyang added: "But they can die by mine." His Demon Possession was complete. Having watched Lu Ding have all the fun, he needed to act too. Otherwise, who'd give him leather jackets later? Lu Ding landed beside An Wuyang. Observing the human-sized cocoon in the Demon Possession formation. Before he could speak. The cocoon trembled, cracks spreading across its surface. Qi Refiner energy seeped through the fissures. Breaking through Open Acumen, Zhaoxuan, Linghai realms in moments—still rising past Linghai. Linghai 1st layer, 2nd layer... finally stabilizing at 9th layer. An arm covered in mystical patterns burst forth, violently tearing the cocoon open. Revealing a demonically beautiful face bearing some resemblance to Kim Gyeong-joo. Kim Gyeong-joo raised her hands, examining her transformation. This feeling of power was utterly intoxicating. Almost making her arrogant. Slowly clenching her fists: "I... AM... GOD!!!" Lu Ding raised his hand and slapped her across the face.