Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

The two patriarchs stared intently at Uncle Leng, showing no sign of moving. They were, of course, afraid Lu Chao would simply be taken away.

With a cold expression, Uncle Leng said impatiently, ”Out of the way.”

Cheng Weishan and Bai Wenrong exchanged a glance. It was Cheng Weishan who finally said, ”The Hundred Flames Trading Company... we...”

Before he could finish, Wu Caicai said, ”Uncle Leng, we’re very busy. Don’t waste time.”

”Yes, Miss.”

Uncle Leng responded. Then, with a BOOM, True Qi erupted from his body. It was the power of an Innate Martial Artist, instantly forcing everyone from the Cheng and Bai Mansions to retreat in a chaotic frenzy.

The color drained from Cheng Weishan and Bai Wenrong’s faces. They tried to resist but had no control over their bodies, retreating continuously.

The gap between the Innate and Postnatal realms was immense.

After forcing a path open, Uncle Leng came to stand before Lu Chao and said, ”Here is what you asked for.”

He handed a delicate pouch to Lu Chao.

Lu Chao quickly opened the pouch. Inside was a fiery-red bone.

It was the exact Heavenly Destiny Bone he wanted—one from a Fire Attribute Innate Demon Beast, and an avian one at that.

’This is perfect.’

He closed the pouch, handed it to Cheng Yunsu beside him, and then took a small notebook from his robes, passing it back.

Uncle Leng took it, immediately retreated to Wu Caicai’s side, and handed the notebook to her.

Wu Caicai flipped through it quickly. After confirming that it contained the core secrets and Sword Forms for the middle three swords of the Nine Primordial Yang Swords, she looked up and smiled. ”Hero Lu, the transaction was a pleasure. I’ll be leaving now.”

As she spoke, she stared hard at Lu Chao, still thinking he wanted to use her for leverage.

But Lu Chao was expressionless. ”Please. Don’t forget about tomorrow.”

Stunned, Wu Caicai frowned.

Seeing no sign that Lu Chao was asking for her help, she finally replied, ”I won’t forget. Farewell!”

She turned and walked out the main gate of the Cheng Mansion. Uncle Leng immediately followed.

In the main courtyard of the Cheng Mansion...

The members of the Cheng and Bai Mansions, who had been blasted back by Uncle Leng’s Innate True Qi, watched Wu Caicai and her guard depart.

They let out a subconscious sigh of relief. For them, an Innate Master was simply too powerful.

But in the next moment... SHUFFLE.

Led by the two patriarchs, the crowd once again surrounded Lu Chao, their intentions murderous.

At that moment, Bai Xin let out a wicked laugh. ”And here I thought you’d found a powerful backer in the Hundred Flames Trading Company. Turns out it was just a simple transaction.”

Just a moment ago, she had been genuinely terrified...

If the Hundred Flames Trading Company had insisted on protecting Lu Chao and his companion, she would have died from frustration.

Bai Wenrong also snorted. ”Worthless Life-taking Bone Calamity Star. Of course you’re not that lucky. No one is willing to help you.”

Tied to the pillar, the light in Cheng Chuming’s eyes faded...

He, too, had thought his prospective son-in-law had found a powerful backer in the Hundred Flames Trading Company, but it wasn’t the case at all.

Cheng Chuyan also stomped forward, screaming, ”Let’s get him now! Cripple all four of his limbs, and then we’ll see what treasure he traded for with the Hundred Flames Trading Company...”

The crowd shuddered, their gazes shifting to the pouch in Cheng Yunsu’s hands, every one of them filled with curiosity.

But just then...

Lu Chao slowly released Cheng Yunsu’s hand, his voice carrying through the air. ”Hundred Flames Trading Company! I actually have a bonus for you.”

The moment he spoke... WHOOSH!

A whip on the ground suddenly flew into Lu Chao’s hand—the very same one the Cheng Mansion members had used to flog Cheng Chuming. He then poured his True Qi into the whip, and in an instant, it straightened and stiffened into a straight lash about three meters long.

He had already thought of how to strike without being too bloody. He would use the whip as a sword... and lash out!

The people of the Cheng and Bai Mansions were astonished by Lu Chao’s actions...

Bai Wenrong grinned maliciously. ”Life-taking Bone Calamity Star, you still want to resist? I’ll show you what true despair is.”

With a BOOM, the True Qi of his Postnatal Eighth Layer instantly bore down on Lu Chao.

Yet Lu Chao merely lifted his head, the power of the Bright Eyes and Clear Wind Guide swirling in his eyes. Without any visible eruption of True Qi, he whipped out at the oncoming Bai Wenrong.

At that moment, Bai Wenrong’s weaknesses were completely exposed to Lu Chao’s gaze.

「Outside the Cheng Mansion’s main gate...」

Wu Caicai had just boarded her carriage when she said, ”Strange, why didn’t Lu Chao ask for my help? He had us deliver the Heavenly Destiny Bone of an Innate Demon Beast tonight; he should have planned to use our influence.”

After two days of investigation...

Wu Caicai had a complete grasp of Lu Chao’s situation.

This included his possession of the Life-taking Bone, his theft of an item from the Qianling Trading Company, and the stances of the Cheng Mansion and the City Lord’s Mansion.

Clearly, with his current level of power, it was absolutely impossible for him to break out of this situation.

’So, why did he do it?’

Of course, Uncle Leng couldn’t answer either...

While they were puzzling over this, they suddenly heard the words, ”Hundred Flames Trading Company! I actually have a bonus for you.”

Wu Caicai’s eyes instantly lit up. She chuckled softly. ”Looks like I overestimated him. He’s asking for my help after all.”

Without hesitation, she flashed out of the carriage and stepped back to the gate of the Cheng Mansion.

But the scenes that unfolded next in the Cheng Mansion courtyard made the smug look on Wu Caicai’s face vanish completely, replaced by utter shock. Uncle Leng, who had caught up to her side, also stared wide-eyed.

They saw Lu Chao using the whip as a sword, executing the First Six Primordial Yang Swords.

As Bai Wenrong pounced toward him... AARGH!

With a pained scream, the Postnatal Eighth Layer True Qi protecting Bai Wenrong’s body was inexplicably pierced by Lu Chao’s whip. The long whip-sword sent him flying backward.

In the next instant, Lu Chao moved as if no one was there...

Neither Cheng Weishan nor anyone else from the Cheng and Bai Mansions could withstand a single lash from his whip.

The incredibly profound First Six Primordial Yang Swords seemed to be a living fire serpent in his hands, leaving Wu Caicai completely stunned.

Lu Chao whipped out again and again, each lash followed by a scream of agony.

In the blink of an eye, everyone from the Cheng and Bai Mansions, regardless of age or gender, was down on the ground.

The courtyard was filled with waves of agonized wails.

Once he was finished, Lu Chao returned to Cheng Yunsu’s side.

He threw the whip to the ground and said to Cheng Yunsu, ”Xiao Su’er, let’s take your father back inside.”

With a single palm strike, he shattered the ropes on the pillar. Lu Chao then turned to lift Cheng Chuming onto his back, and, taking Cheng Yunsu’s hand, walked toward her room.

Just then, Cheng Yunsu suddenly noticed something. ”Father, your face...”

Cheng Chuming was still in a state of stunned disbelief; the shock of what Lu Chao had done was simply too great.

So, when he heard her, Cheng Chuming replied subconsciously, ”Your grandfather hit me. It’s nothing serious.”

The Five Finger Mountain on his face was from when he’d been slapped for asking Cheng Weishan why they couldn’t resist the City Lord’s Mansion.

The words had barely left his mouth when Lu Chao suddenly set Cheng Chuming down, saying, ”Xiao Su’er, support your father. I’ll be right back.”

Turning around, Lu Chao appeared before Cheng Weishan in a flash...

Cheng Weishan was still screaming in pain. Seeing Lu Chao return, he was scared witless and stammered in terror, ”What are you going to do?”

SLAP...

Lu Chao slapped him across his old face. Without another word, he turned and left.

He returned to the side of the father and daughter, lifted his father-in-law onto his back again, and then addressed the people of the Cheng and Bai Mansions. ”Tonight was just an appetizer. You can all look forward to the main course tomorrow.”