Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Nodding, Fan Jinhu looked at Lu Chao and began to explain...

”I... I’m not just a tutor at Tiger Flame Academy. I have another identity.”

Here, Fan Jinhu paused. He didn’t reveal his other identity, but instead changed the subject...

”Three years ago, I served as a general under my grandfather, Fan Changcun. I’ve crossed swords with Emperor Star Lu Chao.”

”Before I set out for the Great Wu Empire this time, my grandfather told me to go check the Blood Stele. He said if I had the chance, I should retrieve Emperor Star Lu Chao’s body. He was very clear with me: Emperor Star Lu Chao would never slaughter civilians and prisoners.”

Lu Chao was stunned by Fan Jinhu’s story.

He couldn’t help but ask in astonishment, ”Fan Changcun... Marshal Fan?”

Lu Chao had a vivid memory of Fan Changcun.

Three years ago, Fan Changcun had led the forces of the Six Great Flame Countries, Tiger Flame among them, in a direct confrontation with him.

At the time, Lu Dingtian hadn’t anticipated the sudden attack from the Six Great Flame Countries, so he was still in the Great Wu Imperial City...

Lu Chao had only been sent to the Great Wu Border for a minor trial to temper himself.

Back then, Lu Chao was too young and lacked sufficient prestige within the Great Wu Army when he had to face Fan Changcun’s surprise attack.

That battle was the hardest he had ever fought, the closest he had ever come to death since he first made a name for himself.

It was also the battle that truly made his name and earned him the title of the Great Martial Emperor Star. On the battlefield, he and Fan Changcun had engaged in all manner of tactical formations, duels, and bloody clashes. In the end, just before Lu Dingtian could arrive, Lu Chao achieved a pyrrhic victory.

Though they served different masters, Lu Chao had learned a great, great deal about the battlefield from Fan Changcun.

The two had even spoken directly a few times on the battlefield.

Lu Chao still held Fan Changcun in high regard.

Suddenly, a thought struck Lu Chao. ”Master Fan, you’re Marshal Fan’s grandson? And a descendant of the Azure Flame Sect?”

Fan Jinhu’s other identity was exactly that: grandson of Marshal Fan Changcun and descendant of the Azure Flame Sect.

In truth, Lu Chao’s victory in that war had been somewhat of a fluke...

Fan Changcun’s control over the armies of the Six Great Flame Countries hadn’t been strong enough.

This was because Fan Changcun himself was not a citizen of any of the Six Great Flame Countries; he was a descendant of the Azure Flame Sect.

Fan Jinhu gave a wry smile upon hearing this...

”To be precise, everyone here for the assassination—all of us are descendants of the Azure Flame Sect.”

At these words, Tan An, Yu Xiaoping, and the others unconsciously clenched their fists again.

As his gaze swept over everyone present, Lu Chao was inwardly astounded...

The Azure Flame Sect had originally been a powerful Martial Arts Sect situated in the midst of the Hundred Countries.

For a long time, people from across the Hundred Countries took pride in becoming a disciple of the Azure Flame Sect, but a great calamity struck forty years ago.

Among the Hundred Countries are the Seven Great Flame Countries, known as the Seven Hegemons.

These are the likes of Tiger Flame and Wolf Flame. They were originally under the control of the Azure Flame Sect, but forty years ago, the Seven Great Flame Countries suddenly joined forces, annihilated the Azure Flame Sect, and carved up everything it owned.

They nearly slaughtered every single direct member of the Azure Flame Sect.

Only a single branch was spared, left with a path to survival.

This branch was called the Azure Flame Martial Dao Sect—those who cultivated the Soldier Dao. The leader of the Azure Flame Martial Dao Sect at the time was none other than... Fan Changcun.

His life was spared precisely because his Martial Dao was unremarkable, yet his ability in the Soldier Dao was terrifying.

He was kept alive specifically to be used against the Great Wu Empire, yet for forty years, the Seven Great Flame Countries hardly ever called upon him.

「Until three years ago...」

With the exception of the Dragon Flame Kingdom—the farthest from the Great Wu Empire, which sent no troops—the other Six Great Flame Countries finally summoned Fan Changcun. Holding his entire Azure Flame Martial Dao Sect hostage, they forced him to lead an army to attack the Great Wu Empire.

In the end, he was defeated by the young Lu Chao, solidifying Lu Chao’s reputation as the Great Martial Emperor Star.

At this, an equally astonished Wu Caicai asked, ”Why are all of you, descendants of the Azure Flame Sect, the ones carrying out this assassination? Is there some hidden reason for it?”

Fan Jinhu had originally claimed that experts from several Flame Countries were working together on this assassination to avenge friends who had died at Lu Dingtian’s hands. But clearly, there was more to the story.

Yu Xiaoping and the others lifted their heads to look at Wu Caicai, their fists clenching even tighter.

”As Marshal Fan has grown older, we have gradually lost our safe haven.”

”Not long ago, the Six Great Flame Countries informed us that they were preparing to launch a counteroffensive against Great Wu. They said if we didn’t accomplish something of merit, they would ’cleanse’ us. We had no choice but to come.”

”So we meticulously planned the assassination of Lu Hanyan.”

”As descendants of the Azure Flame Sect, we were never valued. We were scattered across several kingdoms, forced to live as commoners.”

”Because of that, the Great Wu Empire had no intelligence on us. We infiltrated the Great Wu Border with ease.”

”But we still failed!”

It was Tan An who spoke, his teeth grinding so hard it was audible.

He looked at Lu Chao and said with a wretched expression, ”So, Brother Lu, do you now understand why I was so desperate to meet my end? Why Uncle Fan didn’t try harder to stop me?”

Lu Chao fell silent.

’So that’s the hidden story behind it all.’

’To put it bluntly, it’s because Fan Changcun is getting old, so Fan Jinhu and the others have lost their value.’

”Even if we go back now, I don’t know if we’ll have a place to live. We’ll probably have to flee and become wanderers,” Green Robe Luo Wendeng added with a pained smile. The two thousand surviving soldiers hung their heads and trembled.

They had been forced to come, and now they were forced to return, because all of their families were in the hands of the great Flame Countries.

”It’s all Emperor Star Lu Chao’s fault. If he hadn’t defeated Old Fan, none of this would be happening.”

Yu Xiaoping suddenly blurted out resentfully, but then she immediately caught herself and looked at Lu Chao. ”Brother Lu, I’m not talking about you, of course.”

Hearing this, Lu Chao gave a silent, wry smile. ’That’s me, though.’

Fan Jinhu, however, tried to placate everyone...

”My grandfather said we can’t blame Emperor Star Lu Chao. Even if the old marshal had won the war three years ago, we would still have struggled to survive. The great Flame Countries would have found a way to get rid of us regardless.”

”At most, we would have only prolonged our miserable existence for a few more years.”

”My grandfather even hoped that Emperor Star Lu Chao would one day conquer the Hundred Countries. That, he believed, would be our true chance for survival.”

”The old marshal said that Emperor Star Lu Chao would definitely grant us that chance.”

As he said this, a strange light gleamed in Fan Jinhu’s eyes...

Lu Chao stared blankly at Fan Jinhu, once again stunned. ’I never knew Fan Changcun thought so highly of me.’

Then, Fan Jinhu added, ”Unfortunately, Lu Dingtian killed him and stole his Heavenly Destiny Saint Bone.”

Everyone’s fists clenched once more as the conversation returned to its bitter starting point.

”It’s his fault! Even in death, he let Lu Hanyan get his Saint Bone, which led to so many of our people dying!”

”SOB SOB SOB...”

Yu Xiaoping couldn’t help but start crying again. She didn’t truly blame Emperor Star Lu Chao; she was just overwhelmed with grief.

She looked at Fan Jinhu and asked, ”Uncle Fan, what do we do now?”

A chill ran through them all. It seemed that no matter which path they took, it led to a dead end.

Suddenly, Fan Jinhu gave everyone a reassuring look and laughed heartily. ”Actually, I think my grandfather was being a bit of a pessimist. Things won’t be so dire, at least not in Tiger Flame.”

”I’m a Tiger Flame Tutor now. I have my own circle, my own friends. They’ll definitely help me.”