Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

BZZZ... BZZZ... BZZZ...

The ringing in Cheng Chuming’s head was deafening. His legs buckled, and he nearly collapsed. And then...

He violently coughed up a mouthful of blood.

But Cheng Weishan remained completely unmoved, continuing to apply pressure.

”I will kill your son, and I will be completely obedient to your daughter and her Life-taking Bone.”

”Or, you poison Cheng Yunsu and her companion. That will give me something to report to the City Lord’s Mansion, so they’ll stop taking their anger out on our Cheng Mansion.”

”Your son on one side, your daughter on the other. Make your choice.”

His eyes bloodshot, Cheng Chuming glared at Cheng Weishan...

”Father, Yunsu is Master Fan’s student now. Why do you still refuse to see reason?”

’I don’t get it,’ he thought. ’Why is Father still thinking about sucking up to the City Lord’s Mansion? Why does he still want to kill Yunsu?’

’Shouldn’t we be trying to get on Lu Chao’s good side and bury the hatchet?’

Pfft...

Cheng Weishan and the others let out a collective, scornful laugh. ”Cheng Chuming,” Cheng Weishan replied sinisterly, ”did you really think we knew nothing? Cheng Yunsu is just a worthless substitute with a Beast Bone. It would be a miracle if Fan Jinhua actually cared about her.”

Stunned, Cheng Chuming asked numbly, ”How... how do you know?”

Without revealing that Cheng Yunxiang had been the one to eavesdrop, Cheng Weishan continued his assault. ”Two choices. You must pick one.”

Cheng Chuming frantically shook his head.

”Father, even if Yunsu is just a substitute with a Beast Bone, Master Fan is still taking her to Tiger Flame Academy to give her a chance!”

In response, Cheng Weishan merely sneered.

”She’ll never succeed. Fan Jinhua couldn’t care less if Cheng Yunsu lives or dies.”

”He already gave his word, so he has no choice but to follow through on his promise to you.”

”Fan Jinhua must be regretting it now. That piece of trash, Yunsu, is a huge liability. He’s probably hoping she’ll just die.”

At first, Fan Jinhua hadn’t known she was a substitute with a Beast Bone. That was why he’d announced he would protect Lu Chao and her, and even publicly accepted Cheng Yunsu into Tiger Flame Academy.

Now that he knew the truth, he surely regretted it.

This was precisely Cheng Weishan’s assumption about Fan Jinhua. He believed everyone was just like him: ruthless and without a shred of loyalty.

”In any case, I’m making it clear: either Cheng Yunxiang dies, or Cheng Yunsu dies.”

At Cheng Weishan’s cold, merciless words, Cheng Chuming swayed on his feet, completely at a loss.

Just then, the bound Cheng Yunxiang began to struggle frantically. ”Dad, you can’t let me die! I don’t want to die!”

Bai Xin fell to her knees with a THUD.

She scrambled to Cheng Chuming’s feet, clutching his legs and wailing, ”Chuming, if you get Yunxiang killed, I’ll never forgive you, not even in death! *sob sob sob*...”

Cheng Chugong stepped forward with a low chuckle. ”Big Brother, don’t blame me for not sticking up for you. After all, you were the one who was ruthless enough to try and cripple me, weren’t you?”

Cheng Chuyan giggled. ”Big Brother, listen to your little sister for a moment.”

”Cheng Yunsu has no future, and that Life-taking Bone is a curse. For the sake of your son, for the sake of our most respected father, you should do what’s necessary and eliminate your own daughter for the greater good.”

The other members of the Cheng Mansion all started chiming in. The world spun around Cheng Chuming, and he felt so disoriented he couldn’t tell which way was up.

Blood kept welling up in his mouth, but no one paid him any mind.

Blood streamed from the lash wounds from the previous night, turning him into a man of blood, but still, no one cared.

Finally, he rasped, ”Father, you’re using Yunxiang’s life to force me to kill Yunsu. Have you never considered following Lu Chao to Tiger Flame? For the granddaughter who once brought you endless glory, can’t you just take a gamble this one time?”

In response, the entire room just sneered.

Cheng Weishan spoke again, his voice chilling. ”That’s right. I want you to suffer for the rest of your life. This is the price for your disloyalty and lack of filial piety.”

If Cheng Yunxiang died, they would agree to all of Lu Chao’s conditions and head to Tiger Flame.

But Cheng Chuming would suffer for the rest of his life.

If Cheng Yunsu died, they would remain safely in Yangzhou City, and Cheng Chuming would still suffer for the rest of his life.

GRIND...

Cheng Chuming’s teeth ground together. Finally, as if summoning every last ounce of his strength, he picked up the cup of poisoned wine.

Then... THUMP!

He sent Bai Xin flying with a vicious kick and strode toward the bound Cheng Yunxiang.

The boy shook his head frantically. ”Dad, I don’t want to die! I really don’t want to die!”

Cheng Chuming stood before him and said with a desolate expression, ”You won’t die. Be a good person. Don’t be like your grandfather and your mother.”

With that, Cheng Chuming walked past him, heading step by step toward the main gate.

He said nothing more. Looking utterly broken, he carried the poisoned wine away from the Cheng Mansion’s main hall. Only when he was truly a distant figure did waves of sinister, eerie laughter break out from within.

「At that same moment...」

Cheng Yunxiang, who had seemed utterly terrified just moments before, shoved aside the men holding him and grinned. ”Grandpa, how was my performance?”

His previous demeanor was gone completely. He stood tall, chest puffed out, as if waiting for a reward.

Cheng Weishan didn’t hesitate to praise him loudly. ”Haha! That’s my boy! Your acting was superb!”

This had been Bai Xin’s idea, after all. How could she possibly let her own son die?

The entire thing had been an act!

The goal was for Cheng Yunxiang to act until Cheng Chuming’s heart broke for him, forcing him to go and poison Cheng Yunsu and Lu Chao.

His son on one side, his daughter on the other...

And his son had the advantage, crying and shouting right next to him. How could any father possibly stand it?

Bai Xin also stood up, a wide grin on her face.

”It’s settled. Cheng Chuming took the poison. Now we just wait for the good news.”

”Afterward, we’ll take the bodies of the Life-taking Bone Calamity Star and her friend, and run straight to the City Lord’s Mansion to see Young Lady Wu Xin.”

Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter. The Cheng Mansion’s crisis was finally over.

They wouldn’t have to leave their home. They wouldn’t be under the thumb of that Life-taking Bone girl and Cheng Yunsu. They could continue to live large and throw their weight around in Yangzhou City.

As for Fan Jinhua, they stuck to their original assumption: he wouldn’t care about the life or death of a mere Beast Bone substitute. And even if he did, Cheng Chuming was the one who did the poisoning. What did it have to do with them?

Bai Xin’s vicious plan was flawless.

...

Cheng Chuming carried the poisoned wine, walking on and on...

He didn’t go to Cheng Yunsu’s quarters. Instead, he returned to his own room.

He picked up a brush and wrote a letter.

Hiding the letter in his sleeve, he made his way to a spot near Cheng Yunsu’s room. He watched his daughter from a distance through the window. He could see her sleeping in bed, while Lu Chao sat beside it, quietly immersed in his Cultivation.

After only a moment, he saw Lu Chao’s eyes snap open as if he had sensed something. Cheng Chuming didn’t dare to linger.

He turned to leave, and in a flash, leaped up onto the wall surrounding the Cheng Mansion.

He took the letter from his sleeve, along with a dart. Cheng Chuming murmured, ”Yunsu, I have to go now. I’m sorry.”

SWISH...

The dart, carrying the letter, shot toward Cheng Yunsu’s room.

Without a backward glance, Cheng Chuming vaulted over the wall, landed on the street below, and quickly vanished into the crowd.

’I have to be fast. Lu Chao is too powerful. I can’t let him catch me.’