Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

One day passed, then two...

Finally, on the third day, Lu Chao and Fan Jinhu were brought back to the gatehouse of Sword Tooth City.

At this moment, Sword Tooth City was nothing like it had been two days prior. It was a scene of devastation. The city walls were covered in corpses, and a pall of gloom seemed to hang over the Hundred Countries’ Armies.

Guan Zanyi had lost his previous temper. He was even wounded, and looked completely disheveled and worn down.

The other commanders were in the same sorry state, all of them exhausted.

Outside the walls, the Great Wu soldiers were clamoring relentlessly, their assault ongoing. It looked as if the city was about to fall at any moment.

Seeing the two step into the gatehouse hall, the Fox Flame Female General said hoarsely, ”The Flame Kings are all in the Tiger Flame Royal City. They’ve agreed.”

Fan Jinhu was instantly overjoyed upon hearing this.

Lu Chao, however, calmly replied, ”A verbal agreement is worthless. We must have a joint Royal Decree from the Six Great Flame Kings.”

The moment he spoke... CLANG!

All the generals in the gatehouse hall shot to their feet, every one of them glaring at Lu Chao and Fan Jinhu with murderous intent.

Guan Zanyi roared, ”Have you seen the time? How are we supposed to get a decree now? Doesn’t a round trip take time?”

Getting a joint decree from all the Flame Kings isn’t something that can be done in a flash!

Sword Tooth City is about to fucking fall! By their estimates, they can’t even hold out for another half a day.

In response, Lu Chao just gave a cold smile...

”That’s your problem. Our plan will work even if Sword Tooth City falls. So let it fall.”

”At worst, the Hundred Countries will lose more soldiers and troops. At worst, some of you here will die.”

”We... don’t care.”

CRACK...

They all stared at Lu Chao, grinding their teeth and cracking their knuckles. His plan would still be effective even if the city fell, but its fall meant people would die—and to him, a few deaths were of no consequence.

But they, the commanders, would very likely be among the dead.

Meanwhile, Fan Jinhu looked at Lu Chao, wondering, ’Isn’t this going a bit too far?’

But Lu Chao was unmoved, simply holding his ground against everyone in the room.

Everyone present was a major figure from the Six Great Flame Countries and the Hundred Countries, yet Lu Chao showed no fear.

A joke! How could he possibly be timid or nervous?

’It’s not asking too much to want a joint decree from the Six Flame Kings. Only with the decrees in hand can the safety of the Descendants of Azure Flame be truly guaranteed.’

’Otherwise, what’s to stop them from going back on their word, regardless of what oaths they swear?’

’Even with the decrees, their safety might not be guaranteed, but at least the Six Great Flame Countries couldn’t openly move to eliminate the Descendants of Azure Flame.’

’It would at least buy time to make arrangements for the Descendants of Azure Flame, time for them to flee if it came to that.’

Finally, as a dead silence filled the gatehouse hall...

The Lion Flame Commander slowly sat back down. He then pulled out a Royal Decree and said, ”This is what you want. Take a look.”

After speaking, he casually tossed it to Lu Chao.

Fan Jinhu was dumbfounded. The Lion Flame Commander had been carrying the Lion Flame King’s Royal Decree with him all this time! That son of a bitch, just moments ago he was pretending there wasn’t enough time to send a messenger. It was infuriating.

Lu Chao, however, was not surprised at all as he casually caught it.

’Of course,’ he thought, ’the Flame Kings would have given their commanders these Royal Decrees. They just wouldn’t produce them unless absolutely necessary.’

’If Master Fan and I had acted the moment we got their verbal agreement...’

’...they certainly would never have shown them.’

’To put it bluntly, they would avoid giving them if they could. That way, the various Flame Countries’ cleanup operations wouldn’t be so restricted later on.’

He unfolded the Lion Flame King’s Royal Decree...

Written inside were the exact terms Lu Chao had demanded two days ago: the Descendants of the Azure Flame Sect within the Lion Flame Kingdom were to be set free. The matter of a fiefdom would be discussed later. For now, the Descendants of Azure Flame would be sent to the ruins of the old Azure Flame Sect headquarters.

He passed the Lion Flame Royal Decree to Fan Jinhu, who was standing beside him.

Then, Lu Chao looked at the other commanders...

The corners of the commanders’ mouths twitched, but one by one, they threw out their own Royal Decrees. The contents were the same as the Lion Flame King’s.

Finally, Lu Chao turned to Guan Zanyi. ”Grand General Guan, where’s yours?”

Guan Zanyi’s face was livid. He slowly pulled out the Tiger Flame Royal Decree and tossed it to Lu Chao as well. Naturally, its contents were the same.

There was no specific mention of how to handle Fan Changcun...

Once that was done, Guan Zanyi demanded, ”Kid, you have the Royal Decrees from the Six Great Flame Kings. Can we start now?”

Lu Chao passed the Tiger Flame Royal Decree to Fan Jinhu, then smiled faintly. ”Still... no!”

BOOM!

Everyone in the gatehouse hall erupted. Even the Fox Flame Female General unleashed her True Qi. They all looked like they wanted to swallow Lu Chao whole, each and every one of them driven mad with rage.

The Wolf Flame Commander went berserk. ”Kid, believe it or not, I’ll tear you limb from limb right now!”

They had already been forced to give Lu Chao what he wanted, and now he was saying it still wasn’t enough. Was he toying with them?

Ignoring the murderous intent filling the room, Lu Chao slowly replied, ”I have one more condition. Send Master Fan away from Sword Tooth City.”

At these words, everyone immediately looked at the six Royal Decrees in Fan Jinhu’s hands.

They realized at once: the kid was afraid that after they successfully defended Sword Tooth City, they would renege on the deal and tear up the Royal Decrees.

But Guan Zanyi shook his head firmly. ”Impossible,” he said in a low voice. ”What if your plan fails?”

If the plan failed after Fan Jinhu had run off with the Royal Decrees, they’d be in an indefensible position.

Lu Chao shrugged. ”If it fails, won’t you hunt him down? If it fails, the decrees have no power anyway. It’s written clearly inside: they only take effect if we save Sword Tooth City. What are you worried about?”

The commanders’ mouths twitched. They exchanged glances, then looked away.

In truth, the various Flame Kings had indeed given them a secret order: as soon as Fan Jinhu and Lu Chao succeeded, they were to tear up the Royal Decrees.

Another dead silent standoff...

Finally, listening to the terrifying sounds of the assault from outside, the commanders gritted their teeth and agreed.

If they didn’t agree soon, the city would fall.

And so, Fan Jinhu was sent away.

Before he left, the two exchanged a few words in low voices.

Fan Jinhu said, his voice full of emotion, ”Lu Chao, you’re not one of the Descendants of the Azure Flame Sect, yet for our sake...”

Shaking his head, Lu Chao gently cut him off. ”I have my own objectives. I don’t want Lu Hanyan or Lu Dingtian to reap the Hundred Countries, and I especially don’t want the legends of Great Wu Lu Chao to disappear.”

As he spoke, Lu Chao looked out coldly beyond Sword Tooth City’s walls and added, ”I want Lu Dingtian to live in my shadow.”

Staring blankly at Lu Chao, Fan Jinhu heard the hatred in his words...

Reining in his murderous aura and hatred, Lu Chao continued, ”Master Fan, the Six Great Flame Countries won’t let you leave with the Royal Decrees that easily. They will definitely send experts to follow you. After you leave the city... wait to blend in with the Great Wu forces when they fall into chaos.”

Fan Jinhu’s expression turned serious. He immediately showed that he understood, no longer dwelling on the matter of Lu Chao’s hatred.

And with that, Fan Jinhu clutched the six Royal Decrees in his hand and left through a gate on the other side of Sword Tooth City.

After seeing Fan Jinhu off, Lu Chao returned to the gatehouse hall.

He looked at everyone present. ”We can begin now. Follow me outside.”

With that, Lu Chao turned and strode through the gatehouse hall, walking step by step to the edge of the city wall. He slowly took the intimidating mask from his robes and placed it over his face.