Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Cheng Yunsu looked up at Lu Chao, then spoke softly, ”This is my biggest secret. If you hadn’t seen everything at the Blood Stele, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to tell you.”

She began to recount the story of the Fire Phoenix Divine Emperor...

”When I was little, I searched desperately for my mother.”

”I would clutch this bracelet and cry my eyes out. I don’t know how many tears fell onto it, but then, it suddenly lit up, and the voice of the Fire Phoenix Divine Emperor appeared.”

”She told me I have the Heavenly Fire Sparrow Bone, and that its grade is a level of existence that surpasses what ordinary people consider a ’Divine Bone’.”

Lu Chao’s entire body shuddered. ’Xiao Su’er’s Fire Sparrow Bone... is an existence that surpasses a Divine Bone?’

”Yes, that’s what the Fire Phoenix Divine Emperor said.”

”She also said my Fire Sparrow Bone was too powerful, and in a place like this, it would be very dangerous and I could easily die young. So, she temporarily suppressed it to the level of an Earth Bone. Finally, she said she could grant me one wish.”

”At the time, my wish was, of course, to find my mother.”

”But she said no, that this was a trial I had to endure. So I never used that wish, until...”

At this point, Cheng Yunsu paused, gazing deeply at Lu Chao.

Lu Chao pulled Cheng Yunsu into a tight embrace.

Until he had been shattered to pieces by Lu Dingtian, until she had resurrected him through her tears, she had unhesitatingly shattered her Heavenly Fire Sparrow Bone—a bone that surpassed even a Divine Bone—to trade for his rebirth.

After a long while, Lu Chao asked in a hoarse voice, ”Then this bracelet now...”

”After that, the Fire Phoenix Divine Emperor’s consciousness was no longer inside the bracelet. It seems to have become an ordinary bracelet.”

As she spoke, Cheng Yunsu took out the bracelet and handed it to Lu Chao.

Lu Chao held it in his hand, examining it meticulously. He tried to sense something from it using his True Qi and other methods, but he felt nothing. Even when he tried to communicate with it using the power of the Fire Sparrow Map, the bracelet remained completely still.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Chao said, ”Xiao Su’er, even though I can’t sense anything, this is definitely no ordinary object.”

’How could something that once contained a sliver of the Fire Phoenix Divine Emperor’s spiritual consciousness be an ordinary object?’

’Mother-in-law Xue Hongying must have had a profound reason for leaving this behind.’

”Perhaps when you truly restore your Fire Sparrow Bone and become stronger, you’ll be able to sense the new secrets within it. Maybe the whereabouts of your mother are right here,” Lu Chao said profoundly.

Cheng Yunsu understood, of course. She nodded firmly.

Just then, Lu Chao added with extreme solemnity, ”This is the only clue to your mother’s whereabouts. From now on, no matter what happens, you are forbidden from using it for anything else. That includes me...”

The first time, Cheng Yunsu used it to resurrect Lu Chao.

The second time, she had even been about to give it to Bai Xin, almost deceived by Bai Xin’s false affection, also to save Lu Chao.

How could she not have known it might contain clues about her mother? Yet she had still been willing to part with it.

Cheng Yunsu lowered her head as if she had done something wrong.

But deep in her eyes, a strong-willed stubbornness remained, as if to say: ’The clues to my mother are important, but how could I stand by and do nothing while you suffered right before my eyes?’

After a while, Cheng Yunsu fell asleep in Lu Chao’s arms...

She was exhausted. Although the Beast Bone substitute had restored her True Qi, it had also consumed a great deal of her Spiritual Power.

Lu Chao held her without moving, but his consciousness had already entered his Bone Inner World. He gazed at the Star Fire Sparrow Bone—the only star he could now see clearly amidst the vast expanse—and murmured, ”How can I retrieve this without devouring it?”

...

Cheng Chuming strode into the main hall of the Cheng Mansion.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Cheng Chuming said with unwavering determination, ”Father, Lu Chao’s intentions are also my intentions... This son is unfilial, but I can only do what I believe is right.”

He wasn’t afraid of being taken down now. Fan Jinhua was still in the Cheng Mansion, and Lu Chao himself could demolish the entire estate.

Therefore, Cheng Weishan would never dare to touch him.

However, upon hearing his words, everyone sneered.

Cheng Chugong said, ”What an unfilial son. The Life-taking Bone’s condition is for you to become the Patriarch. You want to seize Father’s position as Patriarch.”

Cheng Chuyan added in a chilling tone, ”And you want to depose me and Second Brother. Eldest Brother, you truly are ruthless.”

In response, Cheng Chuming’s expression remained resolute.

’Compared to how cruelly they treated my daughter, what did this amount to?’

’This is the best plan right now, and the condition that can best preserve the entire Cheng Mansion. If I were to soften my heart and beg Lu Chao, maybe he would agree to take the Cheng Mansion with us to the Tiger Flame Kingdom...’

’But given what scoundrels these people are, there would definitely be huge problems later on.’

’If anything went wrong, they would try to harm my daughter again.’

Cheng Chuming didn’t want to see the ruin of his father and the entire Cheng Mansion, but he especially didn’t want his daughter to be harmed by them again. This was the only way.

”Cheng Chuming, you’re an animal.”

”That Life-taking Bone Calamity Star wants me to get lost, and now you’re divorcing me? After all these years I’ve devoted myself to you, you’re so heartless!”

Just then, Bai Xin’s shrill voice cried out from outside the door...

But Cheng Chuming remained indifferent. Just as he had said, he had never had feelings for Bai Xin before, and now, he felt only hatred.

He could find it in himself to be merciful toward his father and the rest of the Cheng Mansion, but not toward Bai Xin.

THUD...

Cheng Yunxiang suddenly dropped to his knees before Cheng Chuming, crying out, ”Father, I’m begging you, please don’t divorce my mother! She’s my mother!”

At this cry, Cheng Chuming’s heart trembled violently, his firm resolve on the verge of shattering.

This was his son. His very own son.

But Cheng Chuming still clenched his jaw, his expression firm. ”I cannot... make the same mistake again.”

Back then, he should have fought tooth and nail to refuse the marriage his father arranged. It was because he hadn’t been firm enough that his daughter had nearly died outside the Great Wu Imperial City...

Because he hadn’t been firm enough, he had brought this venomous woman into their lives.

This time, he absolutely could not compromise. Otherwise, what would his daughter and son-in-law’s desperate efforts have been for?

Facing everyone’s stares, Cheng Chuming stood his ground, never having felt so fearless in his life.

But in the very next moment, Cheng Weishan suddenly gave a savage grin and shouted, ”Men, seize Cheng Yunxiang!”

At these words, Cheng Chuming froze.

The next moment, Cheng Yunxiang was being bound by household servants, crying and shouting.

Before Cheng Chuming could ask what was happening, Cheng Weishan spoke again, his voice cold. ”Cheng Chuming, oh, Cheng Chuming, my dear eldest son. Since you’re so heartless, don’t blame me, your father, for being cruel as well.”

At this, Cheng Weishan shouted again, ”Men, bring the poisoned wine.”

Immediately, someone carried a pot of poisoned wine and walked up to Cheng Chuming, leaving him even more bewildered.

”Cheng Chuming, I’m giving you two choices now.”

”First, we do everything the Life-taking Bone demands. But before that... I will kill Cheng Yunxiang first.”

Cheng Chuming’s face contorted in horror.

”Father, Yunxiang is your grandson!” he roared, his face a mask of disbelief.

Shrugging, Cheng Weishan said with cold indifference, ”So what? Cheng Yunsu is my granddaughter, too. For the future of the Cheng Mansion, there’s nothing I won’t do... Enough nonsense. The second choice!”

”You take this pot of poisoned wine and trick the Life-taking Bone Calamity Star and Cheng Yunsu into drinking it.”