Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

On the wall of Cheng Yunsu’s room... THUD!

A dart was now embedded in the wall. Lu Chao’s eyes snapped open and he was beside it in a flash. He quickly pulled the attached letter from the dart, a puzzled look on his face. It was addressed: *To Lu Chao, Personal.*

’Who would secretly throw a letter to me?’

Without hesitation, Lu Chao quickly opened the letter.

The next moment, his eyes widened. After reading only the first line, Lu Chao knew who had written this letter...

”Lu Chao, it is I, your father-in-law, Cheng Chuming.”

”I am entrusting Yunsu to your care. She lost her mother when she was young and was disliked by her family. Things only improved after she awakened her Heavenly Fire Sparrow Bone, but recent events have become her nightmare once again.”

”She may seem strong, but she is very fragile on the inside. I hope you can take good care of her and not let her suffer any more grievances.”

Lu Chao found this baffling. He frowned, staring at the lines he had just read.

He sensed that something terrible must have happened and quickly read on...

”You and Yunsu should not be constrained by me. You should be living freely, repaying favors and avenging wrongs, roaming the world with your swords.”

”If it weren’t for me, you would have left the Cheng Mansion and Yangzhou City long ago for a much wider world. I am just a useless person, a weak-willed piece of trash holding you back.”

”So, I have left.”

”From now on, do whatever you must to the people of the Cheng Mansion. Do what you believe is right.”

”As for Yunxiang... never mind. I know Yunsu.”

”No matter how many wrongs Yunxiang has done, Yunsu will, for my sake as her father, spare his life.”

”Other than Yunxiang, I have no other requests.”

”Please tell Yunsu I’m sorry. I have been a derelict father. After losing her mother, she now has to lose me, her father, as well. I am so, so sorry...”

”Take care of her. Thank you, my son-in-law.”

The letter ended there, but a chill ran through Lu Chao’s entire body.

He could read the utter despair between the lines. ’This isn’t someone just leaving; this is someone heading for a dead end.’

WHOOSH...

In a flash, Lu Chao shot off in the direction the dart had come from, clearing the walls of the Cheng Mansion.

But as far as he could see, there was no sign of Cheng Chuming.

In another flash, Lu Chao was back inside Cheng Yunsu’s room. He quickly woke her up and handed her the letter. ”Xiao Su’er, go search for Father-in-law on the streets immediately. I’m going to... the Cheng Mansion’s main hall!”

With that, Lu Chao vanished in a flash, heading for the Cheng Mansion’s main hall.

’He knew something must have happened when his father-in-law was negotiating with Cheng Weishan and the others. Perhaps they knew where his father-in-law had gone and what he planned to do. He was going to force the truth out of them.’

Cheng Yunsu took the letter and watched Lu Chao’s rapidly departing figure, her face still clouded with a sleepy haze.

She glanced at the letter instinctively. It was like a splash of ice-cold water to the head, and all traces of grogginess vanished.

She scrambled out of the room, dashed to the nearest surrounding wall, and screamed, ”Father! Father...!”

After leaping down to the street, Cheng Yunsu grabbed the first person she saw and asked, ”Have you seen my father? He’s Cheng Chuming of the Cheng Mansion.”

...

In the main hall of the Cheng Mansion, the family was still waiting for good news from Cheng Chuming.

Cheng Chuyan chuckled sinisterly. ”Father, do you think Eldest Brother has made his move yet?”

Before anyone could answer, Cheng Yunxiang piped up, ”Not that fast. My father is a coward. He’ll probably hesitate for a long time. But we can’t let him hesitate for too long, or it’ll be trouble if that Life-taking Bone Calamity Star sees through our plan.”

”Grandfather, why don’t you send someone to check? If he’s still hesitating, I can go put on another performance.”

Hearing Cheng Yunxiang’s words, the others frowned with a hint of worry.

They were afraid Cheng Chuming would hesitate too much and the plot would be exposed.

Bai Xin stepped forward heavily. ”I’ll go cry near Cheng Yunsu’s room right now. I’ll make a show of crying for my father, and my wails will be a good reminder for Cheng Chuming to poison them quickly. Otherwise, Yunxiang will be killed...”

Everyone’s eyes lit up. It was another great idea.

Bai Wenrong was gravely injured and not yet out of danger. It would be perfectly normal for Bai Xin to be wailing and cursing.

After everyone agreed, Bai Xin immediately turned to leave.

Suddenly... BOOM!

The main doors were suddenly blown to splinters. Bai Xin, who was closest to the entrance, cried out ”WAAH!” as she was sent flying backward.

Everyone in the Cheng Mansion was stunned!

Cheng Weishan and the others instinctively roared, ”Who dares to cause trouble at our Cheng Mansion?”

As their voices fell, everyone saw a dark figure radiating killing intent standing where the dust and debris-filled doorway had been.

Bai Xin, who had been knocked to the ground and was covered in debris, frantically lifted her head.

She froze when she got a clear look at the newcomer. Bai Xin couldn’t help but roar, ”Life-taking Bone Calamity Star, what are you doing here all of a sudden? We were just discussing whether or not to accept your terms!”

Lu Chao gazed grimly at everyone from the Cheng family...

”Discuss all you want. And while you’re at it, wash your necks.” With that, Lu Chao turned and vanished.

He had been outside just now and had overheard their conversation.

He knew they had forced his father-in-law to choose between his son and daughter, and that Cheng Yunxiang had even put on an act to help them...

But they didn’t know his father-in-law’s current whereabouts.

Therefore, Lu Chao had no time to waste on them. Finding the man was the most urgent task.

Watching Lu Chao come and go so abruptly, the members of the Cheng Mansion stared at each other. Cheng Chuyan yelled, ”What the hell was that?”

Cheng Chugong’s face changed drastically. ”Don’t tell me... he already knows?”

Instantly, a chill spread through everyone present.

Bai Xin couldn’t help but scream, ”That Cheng Chuming! That useless, trash bastard is more of a hindrance than a help! We have to run!”

The others looked at each other in dismay. If their poisoning plot was exposed, they wouldn’t even be able to go to Tiger Flame.

If they tried to poison Cheng Yunsu, the Life-taking Bone Calamity Star would go on a murderous rampage.

However, Cheng Weishan remained surprisingly calm. ”What’s there to panic about? If the plot was really exposed, would Lu Chao have spared us? He would have started killing already. Let’s go ask the household servants if they know anything...”

While everyone was panicking, they quickly got their answers.

A few household servants said that Cheng Chuming had first returned to his own room, and then left without going into Cheng Yunsu’s room.

In other words, he hadn’t come into contact with Cheng Yunsu and Lu Chao, so the poisoning plot couldn’t have been exposed.

”See? I told you there was nothing to be afraid of.”

Cheng Weishan, feeling quite brilliant, added coldly, ”The Life-taking Bone Calamity Star just came to threaten us on purpose. I’ve seen plenty of petty people like him who get a little power and start throwing their weight around.”

Everyone immediately relaxed, though they started cursing, wondering where Cheng Chuming had run off to and why he hadn’t acted yet.

Just then, Bai Xin said in a cold voice, ”I’ll go find him and pressure him again.”

...

On the streets of Yangzhou City, a frantic Cheng Yunsu suddenly fell to the ground with a THUMP.

A few passersby quickly ran over. ”Miss, are you all right?”

Cheng Yunsu looked up, her face pale and her eyes filled with tears. ”Have any of you seen my father? He’s Cheng Chuming of the Cheng Mansion.”