First-Year Internship—And You Went to Site 749 to Contain Monsters?!
Chapter 288: Third Layer of Si Ming — Manifesting the Big Dipper, But Where’s the North Star?

...

There’s an old folk saying: the Southern Dipper governs life, the Northern Dipper governs death.

For the living who cultivate, the clear direction is to draw near the Southern Dipper.

Of course, that doesn’t mean ghosts or the dead can just head toward the Northern Dipper.

That’s no different from seeking death.

After all, the north is ruled by a great deity who’s famously cranky and hates all demons and spirits.

So why did Lu Ding manifest the Big Dipper?

In his heart, he speculated—it might be because he was a transmigrator, or maybe because he had died once and been reborn into this world?

No clue.

And Lu Ding’s usual approach was—if he couldn’t figure it out, then he just wouldn’t think about it.

As long as there were no downsides for now.

He never wore himself out overthinking.

His realm kept rising steadily.

Reaching the second layer of Si Ming, still climbing.

But Lu Ding’s focus was mostly on the northern sky.

He was looking.

Where did the North Star go?

In Daoist tradition, the Big Dipper represents the Seven Star Lords of Misfortune Dispelling, while the North Star is none other than the Dark Heavenly Emperor, also known as the True Warrior Great Emperor!

His reputation and battle feats were terrifyingly legendary.

Only slays, never redeems—kind of like how Lu Ding rolls.

Now the Big Dipper had shown up, but where was the North Star?

Why hadn’t it appeared yet?

His cultivation inside the tank went on for several days.

Bai Hemen completed his mission perfectly, and Yan Feifan was speeding up operations with the ritual tablet.

Back at the training facility—

Students returned one after another.

Most had advanced to the ninth layer of the Linghai Realm.

Prodigies like Huangfu Lingyun, the blessed Nuomin, and Shangguan Qing—

All of them had reached the Divine Palace Realm.

Among them, Huangfu Lingyun had the most solid cultivation and the strongest combat power.

Lu Ding had just fixed his condition not long ago, and now it was back.

Cocky. Incredibly cocky!

Originally, these geniuses weren’t supposed to progress this fast.

They were like sardines.

Just sitting dumbly in the big ship hull that was the training facility.

But then Lu Ding arrived.

An entity of a completely different level descended—

And completely stirred the atmosphere.

Everyone started giving it their all.

In the past, the Chief Instructor liked to say, “You lot are the worst batch I’ve ever taught.”

But this time—

He only wanted to say, “Barring any surprises, you’ll be the best batch I’ve ever trained.”

Especially since you’ve got Lu Ding!!

Huangfu Lingyun walked up to the Chief Instructor and asked, “May I ask, Chief Instructor—have Lu Ding and Bai Hemen not returned yet?”

The Chief Instructor had a rough idea what he was getting at, but still asked, “What are you trying to do?”

Huangfu Lingyun raised his chin. “I’m here to reclaim the honor that belongs to me!”

Number one in the training facility!

Nuomin walked up behind him with a teasing smile. “You’re not afraid of him anymore?”

Huangfu Lingyun, copying Lu Ding’s signature look, glanced at her sideways.

“Lu Ding’s in the Divine Palace Realm. So am I. And you’re asking if I’m scared of him?”

“Why don’t you ask if he’s scared of me?”

He didn’t have any deep grudge against Lu Ding.

No tricks either—Huangfu Lingyun disdained such things.

He just couldn’t stand losing. A classic case of someone itching to get beaten up.

Hearing this—

The Chief Instructor burst into hearty laughter. He probably knew a bit more than these students did.

Divine Palace?

The smile on his face was uglier than crying.

He patted Huangfu Lingyun on the shoulder. “Good job. Divine Palace, very impressive. I’ll push the rest of the students to catch up.”

Huangfu Lingyun didn’t catch the subtext.

He just thought the Chief Instructor was praising him.

He nodded with a smile. “Thank you, Chief Instructor.”

...

At Yunhai 749—

After receiving the message, Bai Hemen located the underground chamber where the medicinal bath was being conducted.

The moment he walked in, he saw Lu Ding chatting and laughing with a group of researchers.

All casual, all smiles.

The gist of the banter was—those researchers joking that Lu Ding never brought anything back alive.

Lu Ding just kept saying, “Next time, next time.”

Sensing Bai Hemen’s arrival—

Lu Ding turned to look. “They rushing us from the training facility?”

Bai Hemen nodded. “They mentioned it, but they didn’t press too hard. I figured I should let you know.”

“Alright then. Let’s pack up and head back.”

Lu Ding said his goodbyes to the researchers.

While riding the elevator up—

Bai Hemen hesitated for a long time before finally asking, “I’m at the third layer of the Divine Palace Realm now. What realm are you at?”

Lu Ding answered honestly. “Just one layer higher than you.”

Bai Hemen nodded silently.

Fourth layer of Divine Palace, huh?

“Seems like you’ve had too much going on lately, probably set back your cultivation a bit.”

Lu Ding turned to look at him.

Oh boy.

This big-lug idiot thought “one layer higher” meant just a small step above him.

Bai Hemen was just that kind of person.

Every day he cultivated, and when relaxing, he’d practice calligraphy or read a book. Hardly ever touched his phone.

That thing in his pocket might as well have been a brick.

Unless he needed to contact Lu Ding or take a mission, if no one messaged him, he wouldn’t even look at it.

And with that kind of dull intuition, there was no way he’d notice that Yunhai 749 had been absolutely tight-lipped about Lu Ding’s Heaven-Taking, Earth-Manifesting display.

Lu Ding didn’t correct him either.

Heh—just wait till we get to the Monster Room. Gonna scare the h*ll outta you.

He found Yan Feifan to remind him to keep cultivating well.

Once things at the training facility wrapped up, Lu Ding said he’d come back and team up with him to get some work done.

Then he went to visit Uncle Crooked Mouth.

When the old man found out—

That Lu Ding was still planning to go participate in the Monster Room—

Uncle Crooked Mouth’s voice shot up several notches: “The barbarians have all gone mad, haven’t they?!”

Though he spent most of the year sleeping, he always woke up once a year.

So naturally, he knew about the Monster Room.

Every year, it was a huge deal.

Uncle Crooked Mouth vaguely recalled that over the past year—or even the past ten years—Great Han’s top talents had never surpassed the first layer of the Divine Palace Realm.

And those barbarian geniuses? Most were Linghai ninth layer, eighth layer... the kind of people he wouldn’t even bother glancing at.

But now, Lu Ding was already in the Si Ming Realm!!

Unlike others, Uncle Crooked Mouth noticed something different.

He knew that once Lu Ding entered, it would be a slaughter.

And when that happened, those barbarian lands would definitely take notice.

Thinking it over,

He pulled out a pendant and handed it to Lu Ding: “Boy, wear this. It'll protect you.”

Lu Ding hung it around his neck: “Thanks, Uncle. I’ll head out then.”

Just as he was about to leave,

The old man called out, “Hey, boy.”

Lu Ding turned around: “What is it, Uncle?”

He wanted to say something about inheritance and legacy—but when the words reached his mouth, he just couldn’t get them out.

Too d*mn embarrassing!

Once I’m healed—once I’m fully recovered!

This old Daoist will make a grand entrance and showcase the divine might of the Heaven Observer!

Then he’d support his first disciple—his only disciple—give him the courage to face the world and fight for a bright and glorious future.

Yep! That’s the plan!

He changed what he was going to say: “Stay safe.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle. You get plenty of rest and heal up. Once you're better, I’ll tell you a big secret.”

He’d already submitted his report.

Now it was just a matter of waiting for the result.

As Lu Ding soared into the sky—

Uncle Crooked Mouth slowly shuffled his injured body back into his room.

With a flick of his hand, he tossed out a talisman.

A slightly peeling old box appeared in front of him.

Opening it—

Inside were black, red, and headscarves, each embroidered with talismanic symbols, topped with a Purple-Gold Lotus Crown.

The headscarves were his own.

The crown—also his—but with a little something special, something different, something deeper.

Beneath it were dozens of items:

Dragon Horns, Talisman Blades, Command Flags, Golden Bells, Golden Whips... Thunder Orders, Ruler Rods, Celestial Rulers... Ghost-Scourging Staffs and more.

As his fingers brushed over these tools—

Uncle Crooked Mouth’s aura subtly shifted.

“Barbarians best stick to the rules. If they want to bully the weak with strength, then don’t blame this old Daoist for playing dirty too.”

As the saying goes:

In Heaven, the Supreme is the Jade Emperor,

On Earth, the highest is the monarch;

Ghosts and spirits across the world pay their respects—

But only Lüshan gives the commands.

The Lüshan lineage had no other hallmarks—just two traits: tough and overbearing.

Man or monster, spirit or demon—once engaged, it was kill or be killed.

Infamous for being cold-blooded and merciless.

If you asked what Lüshan was best at—

It had to be spell battles.

Forget about exorcising evil or cleansing curses—those are secondary.

Life and death are trivial. Not satisfied? Fight.

Anyway—

He had acknowledged Lu Ding as his legacy disciple, his only one.

If Lu Ding so much as chipped a fingernail—

Didn’t matter if you were good or evil, male or female, living or dead—

He’d crush you to pieces.

“Old brother, Yunhai’s got a Lu Ding now. We care more than you do. You’d better just pack your gear away.”

In the room—

At some unknown point, a figure had appeared, blending into the light.

Uncle Crooked Mouth turned his head to look.

The visitor—

Was none other than the Director of Yunhai 749: Chu Gexiao.

Uncle Crooked Mouth snatched up the golden whip from the box: “Chu Gexiao, this old Daoist’s about to ***********...”