Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

The deathly tense silence shattered with Wu Wei’s command. Several Innate Masters appeared in a flash before Wu Xin, and one of them reached out to grab her.

The other three moved to block the path of Lu Chao’s arrow.

Seeing everything going according to plan, Wu Wei was about to order a volley at Lu Chao...

Suddenly... WHIZ!

The three Innate Masters blocking the arrow’s path suddenly heard something slice through the air beside them. Their eyes widened as they saw an impossibly sharp glint of light—an arrow—shoot past, right between the three of them.

They tried to catch it, but just as they raised their hands, the arrow was already gone.

The next instant... AHHH!

A bloodcurdling scream erupted from behind the three Innate Masters.

They spun around, their eyes wide with shock.

An arrow was embedded in the back of Wu Xin’s head.

Blood trickled down from the arrowhead. Slowly, Wu Xin turned her head toward Lu Chao. ”You... you... you...”

Before she could finish, her head tilted to the side, and she died on the spot.

The four Innate Masters were completely stunned, especially the one who had reached for Wu Xin. His face was as pale as if it had been coated in white paint.

With stiff necks, they turned to look at Lu Chao, only to see that the arrow on his bow was gone.

His arrow was lodged in the skull of their Young Miss, Wu Xin.

THUD...

At that moment, Lu Chao casually tossed his bow aside. Gazing toward the top of the city wall, he said, ”Wu Wei, you were too hasty.”

Inside and outside Yangzhou City, a dead silence fell, broken only by Lu Chao’s voice.

Lu Chao continued, ”Wu Wei, why didn’t you wait for me to be out of your archers’ range before making your move? The moment you acted, your daughter died. All your prior efforts were for nothing.”

”And you underestimated me far too much.”

”Did you think you were far enough away? Did you think four Innate Masters could stop my arrow?”

His voice was calm and forceful, yet each word struck Wu Wei’s heart like a sledgehammer, making him tremble uncontrollably.

”Xin’er! Xin’er!”

Finally, Wu Wei let out a sky-shattering roar of anguish.

He’d thought that since Lu Chao had retreated so far, his arrow would lack the accuracy and speed to kill Wu Xin in time. He’d thought it impossible for an arrow to get past three Innate Masters and kill his daughter.

’Why was an arrow from a Postnatal Eighth Layer cultivator so fast? How could it be so accurate?’

”AHHHHHHH! Archers, volley! Kill him!”

Wu Wei roared at the sky, drawing his own bow as he bellowed at the Government Soldiers.

WHIIIRRRR...

A sky full of arrows, like a sudden squall, rained down from the walls of Yangzhou City toward Lu Chao, each one carrying a chaotic pulse of True Qi.

In the distance, Fan Jinhua came to his senses. ”Lu Chao...”

As he spoke, he prepared to charge out and shield Lu Chao from the volley with his own body, to save his life.

Even if it meant death!

But a figure moved to block his path.

Unexpectedly, it was Cheng Yunsu.

”Young Madam Lu, what are you doing?” Fan Jinhua asked, stunned and confused.

Cheng Yunsu said firmly, ”None of you are to do anything reckless. Lu Chao will be fine. Please, trust him.”

’Everyone just barely made it out of range. Charging back in would be suicide. I won’t let Lu Chao’s efforts go to waste like Wu Wei’s did. I have absolute faith in him.’

’If Lu Chao dared to kill Wu Xin while still within range, he must be confident he can get back alive.’

’He’s not just Lu Chao of the Life-taking Bone. He’s also *that person*.’

Before Fan Jinhua could say anything more, that brief delay was all it took. The deluge of arrows completely engulfed Lu Chao and his warhorse. Even Nephew Tan and the others, who barely knew Lu Chao, couldn’t help but tremble.

The more soft-hearted among them already had red-rimmed eyes.

Wu Caicai clamped a hand tightly over her mouth. Cheng Chuming nearly fell from his horse, his world collapsing around him.

Meanwhile, atop the wall, Wu Wei was firing arrows like a madman, loosing one after another without pause.

”Die! Die! Die!”

”Fire toward Fan Jinhua’s group! Don’t let that goddamned Life-taking Bone trash have any chance of being rescued!”

The massive volley of arrows now fell crazily onto the stretch of land between Lu Chao and Fan Jinhua’s group...

It was a clear attempt to block Fan Jinhua from rescuing Lu Chao.

If Cheng Yunsu hadn’t stopped him, Fan Jinhua would now be caught in that storm of arrows as well.

All Cheng Yunsu and the others could see was a raging tempest of arrows.

Just as everyone stood frozen in shock, Lu Chao’s voice suddenly echoed from within the downpour of arrows. ”Wu Wei, you’re wasting an awful lot of arrows. I never intended to regroup with Master Fan and the others in the first place.”

At the sound of his voice, everyone inside and outside the city froze. ’Lu Chao is unharmed?’

He had charged out from under the blanket of arrows. Where was he now?

Nephew Tan scanned the area, then suddenly cried out, ”He... he’s gone the other way! He’s charging toward Yangzhou City!”

Through the thinning volley...

Fan Jinhua and all the others saw him too. Lu Chao, still a lone rider, was galloping toward the gates of Yangzhou City.

Wu Wei had expected Lu Chao to flee toward Fan Jinhua...

...so the vast majority of arrows were aimed at that distant spot. But Lu Chao had done the exact opposite. Instead of retreating, he charged forward.

Everyone was shocked, but Uncle Leng murmured, ”This is bad. There are still four Innate Masters in front of him.”

Hearing this, everyone shuddered.

’That’s right! The four Innate Masters who tried to save Wu Xin are right in his path! How will he deal with them?’

Uncle Leng had barely spoken when the four Innate Masters spotted Lu Chao charging toward them. They exploded with rage, ”Life-taking Bone trash! You killed Young Miss Wu Xin right in front of our eyes! We’ll tear you to shreds!”

The four Innate Masters were both furious and terrified. They had failed to protect Wu Xin; the City Lord would surely have them killed.

Lu Chao said nothing, only urging his horse to charge faster.

The True Qi of the Postnatal Eighth Layer erupted from him. Harnessing the momentum of his warhorse, he charged straight at the first Innate Master. A glint from the Bright Eyes and Clear Wind Guide flashed in Lu Chao’s eyes as the sword in his hand blazed with the Primordial Yang Fire Sparrow’s Fire, slicing through everything in its path.

SPURT...

A head flew high into the air. The first Innate Master had been decapitated.

In the instant he passed the corpse, Lu Chao snatched the man’s long spear and faced the three remaining Innate Masters. With a single sweeping motion, he swung the spear.

The force of the warhorse’s charge, combined with his Postnatal Eighth Layer True Qi, sent the three charging Innate Masters flying.

These four were only at the First and Second Layers of the Innate realm.

To Lu Chao, a Postnatal Eighth Layer cultivator on a charging warhorse, they posed no threat at all.

Spurring his horse onward, he ran the spear through the second Innate Master.

He wrenched the spear free, spun, and swept it out again. The flashing spearhead sliced through the third Innate Master, cutting him in half at the waist.

The blood-soaked spear shot toward the fourth and final Innate Master as he charged forward.

The man was stupefied. He retracted his True Qi and turned to flee. ’Three of them are dead already! If I don’t run now, am I just supposed to wait here to die?’

But Lu Chao, still on his horse, just gave a cold smile. He threw the spear like a javelin.

THUMP...

The spear pierced the fourth Innate Master’s head, pinning him to the ground.

Four Innate Masters. One slash of a sword, three moves with a spear. All dead.