Deputy Director Lü wasn't the only one having such thoughts.
So was the Crooked-Mouth Old Man riding his cloud approach.
He had seen everything that just happened clearly.
For a moment, the old man's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
When he first met Lu Ding, he was Heavenly Perception, and Lu Ding was an orphan.
When they met the second time, he was Heavenly Perception, and Lu Ding was Si Ming.
After he got injured and lost his former brilliance, he lost count of how many times they'd met.
Now that he had recovered his cultivation, he thought his appearance as Ninth-Level Heavenly Perception would surely earn Lu Ding's admiration.
He imagined Lu Ding saying: "Old Man, when will you become the First Circle's number one?"
He could respond: "What do you think?"Then Lu Ding would say: "Today!"
What a beautiful scene that would be.
But the result!!!
Lu Ding had also become Heavenly Perception!!!
And some strange, incomprehensible Heavenly Perception he'd never seen before.
What was with this exaggerated display of power?
Could someone please explain this to him?
Instantly, the old man felt as if all strength had been drained from him.
His heart filled with grievance.
If only he had recovered his cultivation earlier, things wouldn't have turned out like this.
He could have earned Lu Ding's admiration and smoothly taken him as his disciple.
Now... now Lu Ding might even be more formidable than him.
How could he possibly take him as a disciple now!!?
The Crooked-Mouth Old Man's emotions surged almost uncontrollably, but not through loud arguments or shameful anger.
Instead, his eyes reddened as tears threatened to fall.
At his advanced age, he had finally found a potential successor, only for that successor to be more powerful than himself.
What kind of succession was this!?
He recalled the short videos he'd watched during his recovery periods.
The old man sniffed himself: "I even have that old person smell now, heavens, why are you treating me like this......."
This exclamation.
Made Lu Ding turn toward the sound.
In a flash, he flew before the old man.
"Old Man, what's wrong......."
Seeing the old man's reddened eyes, Lu Ding quickly asked: "Who bullied you? Tell me, I'll make sure they don't survive!!"
The old man sniffled, his mouth crooked as he said: "It's nothing!!!"
Thinking to himself.
I haven't been working hard enough!!!
Yes! That must be it!
Seven or eight hundred years old is still the age for making one's mark. Although in this Third Circle place, many people have died and been reborn several times over.
But!!
The old man was soon heading to the Second Circle - his life still had purpose, this was just the beginning.
He would go to the Second Circle to carve out his destiny, find his senior brothers, martial uncles, master, and grandmaster who had ascended before!!!
He would gather a massive crowd, form the most imposing, most impressive formation to welcome Lu Ding into Lü Mountain!!!
This thought.
Instantly ignited the old man's passion!!!
He grabbed Lu Ding's hand and placed the Blood Drippers in his palm.
"Child, keep these safe. This is the gift I prepared for you."
In this moment, he appeared extraordinarily solemn. Sensing the change in the old man's emotions,
Lu Ding looked at the Blood Drippers glowing with eerie light in his hand.
He had weapons but no magical artifacts - of course he liked them.
But now there was an emotion more important than liking that took precedence.
"Old Man, you're......"
The Crooked-Mouth Old Man smiled, his white hair falling before his forehead, dancing in the wind.
"Child, I must leave now, but this isn't farewell - it's the beginning of our next meeting."
As he spoke,
The old man reached out, pointing, tapping at Lu Ding's chest: "I am proud of you!"
Then, he tapped heavily on his own chest: "And you will be proud of me too!"
"Wherever life takes us, we'll meet again. Child, we'll see each other in the Second Circle."
The old man's figure gradually blurred, scattered by the wind until he disappeared.
Too many words would make it feel like farewell. Originally, he wanted Lu Ding to see him off as a disciple.
But now, the old man felt embarrassed - he cared about saving face.
Lu Ding stood quietly in the sky, clutching the Blood Drippers.
He thought he wouldn't be moved......
"Turns out, I need recognition too..."
Extremely arrogant, unruly, vengeful, indifferent to all living beings - his existence was an insurmountable mountain all geniuses must cross. This was the consistent evaluation from the outside world.
Only Lu Ding himself knew how difficult these years had been.
In his previous life, he faded into obscurity. In this life, born extraordinary with a golden finger, then fading into obscurity again for eighteen years.
Until now, whether looking back at his journey or at this very moment.
No one had ever told him, "I am proud of you."
Today, he finally heard it.
The evening breeze gently brushed his eyebrows, listening to his scholar-warrior sleeves flapping loudly. Dressed in his most respectable clothes, he counted down to their next meeting across mountains and rivers.
"Old Man, we'll meet in the Second Circle."
Clutching the Blood Drippers tightly,
Lu Ding turned and descended.
Landing before Deputy Director Lü.
"Leader, I request to go to the front lines to fulfill my three-month promise. Please approve my request, Leader."
Deputy Director Lü had been rubbing his gift with some impatience.
But hearing these words, he stopped.
"Goddammit, go, go right now hahahahahaha, can't let that old bastard Kaminoue Kazuo live one more day!"
The same feeling as always.
What changed was strength, what remained unchanged was attitude.
The words "request for approval" touched Deputy Director Lü's heart.
Too many people acted humble first then arrogant, swelling with pride once they gained power.
People like Lu Ding were rare.
If before he appreciated Lu Ding, now he felt genuine fondness for this junior.
"Thank you, Leader."
After speaking, Lu Ding turned and flew into the sky.
Precocious people usually mature late, and proud people are often impatient.
Coincidentally, Lu Ding was both.
Therefore, as long as conditions permitted, he would never allow his enemies to live one minute or one second longer!
Watching him fly away,
Deputy Director Lü returned to his office, searching for something while slamming document paper on his desk.
"You write, I'll look for something."
His assistant picked up a pen: "Write what, Director Lü?"
"Write a recommendation report for Lu Ding!"
"Didn't we write one before? Rewrite it?"
After finding what he was looking for, Deputy Director Lü stood up: "Yes, rewrite it! This time, add this!"
He held one seal in each hand - one black, one white.
The white represented the Third Circle Great Han 749 Bureau Chief Director, the black represented the Third Circle Great Han 749 Deputy Chief Director.
If the previous document would have made Lu Ding a key talent and meritorious contributor regarding the beast heads in the Second Circle,
With these two seals stamped, it would add special-grade talent status, green lights all the way, priority privileges and super benefits, even different shoulder patches than others.
Before, Deputy Director Lü might have hesitated and considered carefully, after all this bet was too big, concerning everything about himself - this was a personal recommendation from both Bureau Chief and Deputy Chief.
If anything went wrong with Lu Ding,
The first to suffer would be Lü Ao.
But now, Lu Ding's attitude made him feel there was no need for hesitation or consideration - Lu Ding was worthy!
He deserved it!!!
Although the Third Circle was Great Han's homeland, in the eyes of those in the Second Circle, the Third Circle was like a greenhouse.
Here, it was too comfortable.
It wasn't exactly severe regional discrimination.
Just that when people from the Third Circle went over, the first impression would be that they were greenhouse-grown, never having experienced storms.
This was like how the older generation often said, "Your generation, ah, is finished."