Lu Ding's smile vanished from his face.

You're quite the imaginative one.

"Don't be ungrateful when given face." The calm tone hinted at the fact Earth Dragon Immortal could only helplessly accept.

His eyes dimmed for a moment. He knew that survival was a hopeless fantasy.

The answer was self-evident.

Although the final outcome was the same as with the Mechanism Master—death in both cases.

However!

Compared to the hollow death offered by the Mechanism Master.

The person before him had at least given him another kind of hope.

If the Mechanism Master was making him accept death.

Then Lu Ding was making Earth Dragon Immortal yearn for death.

Finally, he could reunite with his child...

Between an empty ending and a sublime conclusion, Earth Dragon Immortal yearned for the latter.

Fighting spirit reignited in his eyes—the final blaze began from this moment!

The end of life was the beginning of his reunion with his child.

"I can die, I'll do anything, I only beg to keep my body intact for burial, buried deep underground, undisturbed... is that... acceptable?"

Earth Dragon Immortal asked with extreme caution.

Like an employee asking their boss for a raise, a child asking their parents for a gift—if agreed, it would be wonderful.

Lu Ding was quite satisfied with this idea.

The art of language was displayed to perfection in this moment.

The Mechanism Master's actions were merely superficial exchanges of benefit.

Petty tricks.

But Lu Ding's words could resonate with Earth Dragon Immortal's very soul.

With just a few sentences, he had completely severed Earth Dragon Immortal's attachment to the Mechanism Master's side.

Similarly 'detached' from Lu Ding's side, but with two additional words—wholeheartedly devoted.

His power validated his confidence;

his words gave Earth Dragon Immortal hope.

Intelligence was a good thing—just because Lu Ding didn't use it didn't mean he lacked it.

Power was also a good thing—it could solve all problems in the world, but results achieved solely through power, while simple and direct.

Would not achieve sublimation.

Only a sharp mind could make the same outcome shine with different brilliance.

Even among equally powerful experts, their personal charisma would differ based on intelligence levels.

This was Lu Ding's unique personal charm.

It left Zhan Tingzhou and Fang He utterly stunned.

It truly opened a new world's door for them too.

So... this is the art of language?

Lu Ding slowly crouched down, coming eye-level with the injured Earth Dragon Immortal who leaned against the wall.

"Although I won't spare you, and I will take your life—originally you could have had a dignified death, but unfortunately, because of certain things you've done."

"Whether active or passive, they're all the same to me, so your dignified death has been vetoed by me."

"However, I can promise to leave your body intact and not touch your corpse."

"And as you requested, bury your body deep underground, undisturbed, letting you and your child maintain absolute solitude."

Lu Ding disdained deceiving Earth Dragon Immortal.

Some might say, since he's going to die anyway, what's wrong with deceiving him?

But Lu Ding felt that deceiving someone about to die showed no class at all.

Death was death, life was life.

Unless the person didn't deserve Lu Ding's principled treatment.

Lu Ding's words opened a new world's door for him, bringing a completely fresh perspective, filling him with anticipation for death.

If Earth Dragon Immortal caused problems or tried to renege...

Then...

Lu Ding's power would make him understand what true fear really meant.

Hearing these words, Earth Dragon Immortal.

Dragged his severely injured body, knelt on the spot, and heavily kowtowed with a resounding knock.

"Thank you, Benefactor, for granting this wish!!!"

In this moment, he didn't know how many times he had compared Lu Ding and the Mechanism Master.

One showed courtesy before force, but actually feigned elegance, merely stronger than the weak.

One used force before courtesy, but actually treasured jewels within, stronger than the strong!

The one who reasoned first made him come voluntarily;

the one who acted first delivered it to his doorstep.

This difference was like heaven and earth.

Earth Dragon Immortal had no more doubts in his heart, nor did he wish to ask anything else.

Only one sentence: "What can I do for you?"

Lu Ding's proud brows and eyes curved with dangerous arcs: "Tunnel through Xiankong Town and force out the Rat Demon!"

Earth Dragon Immortal's current strength hadn't recovered yet. If he had been asked to confront the Rat Demon directly before, he definitely wouldn't have agreed.

Because he couldn't win.

But now...

Earth Dragon Immortal's expression turned resolute: "I will spare no effort!"

He had made the determination to burn his bridges. He must complete the task Lu Ding had assigned.

To beg for the chance to be buried deep underground and sleep with his child.

This was his redemption in the darkness.

Lu Ding patted Earth Dragon Immortal's shoulder and stood up.

Turning back, he looked at Zhan Tingzhou and asked for results: "How's the inspection going? Can you confirm it?"

Although Earth Dragon Immortal's account seemed highly credible.

Lu Ding preferred to trust Zhan Tingzhou's judgment. Earth Dragon Immortal could be deceived, but Zhan Tingzhou wouldn't be.

A reincarnator must have been one of the old monsters in his previous life.

Full of experience and discernment.

Only now did Zhan Tingzhou realize he still had work to do.

Not that he could be blamed.

It was just that Lu Ding's display of linguistic artistry was too exaggerated, leaving him utterly shocked.

Just as Earth Dragon Immortal had thought.

He had seen many powerful experts, but ones like Lu Ding with absolute personal charisma—he had seen very few.

If he were facing it himself...

Zhan Tingzhou suddenly paused.

Beneath his mask, a smile appeared.

No need for "if"—he had already experienced it, earlier than Earth Dragon Immortal, on that day of his rebirth, when he saw his sister return safely, when he saw Lu Ding sitting drinking tea in the Zhan Family house.

He had redeemed his regret-filled former self.

That day was the end of regret, and the beginning of new life.

Zhan Tingzhou silently approached the wall and dug out the deeply embedded, immobilized Mineral Node.

Hand seals formed with a pinch.

Following a unique nine-palace sequence, he pressed them onto the Mineral Node's body, finally transforming his hand into a claw, tearing off the Mineral Node's shoulder blade to reveal the core mechanism seal within.

Divine light gathered in his hand.

Sweeping across, the seal remained in Zhan Tingzhou's palm.

Raising it to show Lu Ding, he said simultaneously: "It's him."

"Other than him, no one would deliberately leave a seal behind. This seal serves no other purpose—it's just his personal calling card."

"Ordinary people, even if they killed his mechanism puppet, wouldn't discover this thing."

"Those who can discover this can use the seal to briefly communicate with him."

Truly worthy of being a reincarnator—you know so much, can do so much. Except for your current combat ability being lacking, you're capable in everything else.

Reincarnators—useful, love to use them!!

Lu Ding looked at the seal: "Let me see him."

Zhan Tingzhou closed his five fingers—the seal shattered, transforming into golden light hovering in the air, gradually revealing a blurry human figure with a slow, drawn-out voice.

"I truly never expected that in a small place like Xiankong Town, someone could actually discover my seal. You........"

"Earth Dragon Immortal's life belongs to me now."

Lu Ding's voice suddenly interjected.

The golden light-gathered figure paused.

Earth Dragon Immortal's body was very important to him—this person actually dared to deliberately provoke him using Earth Dragon Immortal!!!

"I advise..."

"Not taking advice."

"You're seeking death!!"

"Then come kill me. Come on, I'm right here in Iron Stone Cave, waiting for you."

Lu Ding remained calm throughout, not particularly excited. If the Mechanism Master could actually come to Iron Stone Cave to find him, then Lu Ding might get excited.

Unfortunately, the Mechanism Master suddenly laughed: "You want to ambush me? You think I'd fall for such a simple provocation?"

Lu Ding didn't answer his question. The simplest way to control a situation was to make others follow your train of thought.

"Then tell me where you are, and I'll come find you. I'll allow you to ambush me."