Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

”Of course, that excludes the descendants of the Azure Flame Sect.”

”Everyone else must accompany me to Jizhou City and become soldiers of Jizhou City.”

Yin Qixing’s meaning was clear. The troops brought by the few Azure Flame Sect disciples had to be integrated into Jilong State. Otherwise, ten thousand men were still too many, and he feared they would cause trouble in Azure Flame Town.

Upon hearing this, Fan Jinhua subconsciously looked toward Lu Chao...

Lu Chao, of course, nodded in agreement. They were on someone else’s territory now; naturally, the host called the shots.

If he were in Marquis Jilong’s position, he would do the same.

”Master Fan, Lord Marquis Jilong also wishes to see you. Come with me to Jizhou City,” Yin Qixing added.

And so...

Fan Jinhua led his eight thousand troops, along with several Azure Flame Sect disciples including the Night Wind King, and set off for Jizhou City.

Forty years had passed, and these few Azure Flame Sect disciples were, in fact, over sixty years old. Their cultivation was all at the Transformation Realm, so naturally, they also had to go and meet Marquis Jilong.

The Marquis needed to ask about their situation to see how they could be properly assigned.

Perhaps they would be assigned to Jizhou City as advisors or something of the sort.

As for Lu Chao...

Yin Qixing merely glanced at him a few times before deciding not to summon him after all.

Thus, Lu Chao temporarily remained in Azure Flame Town. The descendants of the Azure Flame Sect then began to rebuild the town.

The moment Yin Qixing and his group departed, a great commotion erupted among the descendants of the Azure Flame Sect.

”Do we finally have a place to live in peace?”

”Forty years! It’s been forty years! I’ve grown from a child to an old man, and I can finally live without being bullied and scorned.”

”Grandpa, can you see this from the heavens? We have a home now.”

Following the uproar, one by one, the descendants and family members of the Azure Flame Sect were moved to tears, unable to contain their excitement. As mentioned before, those in Tiger Flame had lived slightly better thanks to Fan Changcun’s presence.

Everyone else, though they appeared to live ordinary lives, were in fact constantly suppressed and humiliated.

”So, should we start settling in now?”

”How do we settle in? Where should we start? Do we just pick our houses?”

Many people were at a loss, not knowing what to do.

In the end, all eyes turned to Lu Chao...

Lu Chao, however, took off his mask, looked at Luo Wendeng, and smiled. ”Brother Luo, you can make the arrangements. After all, we aren’t members of the Azure Flame Sect. Just save a house for us.”

That’s right, Lu Chao still claimed... to not be a member of the Azure Flame Sect.

He had been designated by Fan Changcun as the Sect Leader of the Azure Flame Martial Dao Sect, and even the Sect Leader of the Azure Flame Sect itself. But it was the same old reason: he possessed the Life-taking Bone and, on the surface, could not have too many ties to the Azure Flame Sect.

Besides Fan Jinhua, only Cheng Yunsu knew about this matter.

Even his father-in-law, Cheng Chuming, did not know.

Similarly, aside from Cheng Yunsu, only Fan Jinhua and Fan Changcun knew that Lu Chao was not an impostor.

”Xiao Su’er, let’s go for a walk.”

Soon, Lu Chao and Cheng Yunsu left the town, making their way step by step to a small hill nearby.

Lu Chao surveyed their surroundings and said, ”As expected of Marquis Jilong. This town’s terrain is difficult to defend and easy to attack. Troops from Jilong Pass could charge over at any time, and the city not far ahead could easily and completely encircle Azure Flame Town.”

Clearly, Marquis Jilong was also wary of the Azure Flame Sect.

”It doesn’t matter. The descendants of the Azure Flame Sect just want to live and work in peace right now.”

Cheng Yunsu replied with a smile, then asked in a low voice, ”Lu Chao, what should we do next?”

Originally, Fan Jinhua had said she could enroll in Tiger Flame Academy, and Wu Caicai had even said she would wait for them there. But things took one unexpected turn after another. In the end, it was all because the Six Great Flame Kings gave them no way out.

Somehow, they had ended up in the Dragon Flame Kingdom of all places.

Lu Chao looked back at Cheng Yunsu and smiled. ”I was just thinking, would Marquis Jilong dare to accept someone with a Life-taking Bone?”

Hearing this, Cheng Yunsu immediately understood her husband’s meaning.

He planned to start with Marquis Jilong, step by step ascending to the grand stage of the Dragon Flame Kingdom, and then take his revenge on Lu Dingtian.

At this very moment...

Cheng Yunsu could almost see a future where Lu Chao, weapon in hand and ready for battle, would lead the armies of the Dragon Flame Kingdom to strike down the Great Wu Empire.

...

「Jizhou City, the capital of Jilong State in the Dragon Flame Kingdom, and the seat of Marquis Jilong.」

Outside the main hall of the Jilong Marquis’s Mansion...

A short, middle-aged man, whose body seemed to brim with explosive power, was seeing Fan Jinhua and the few elderly disciples of the Azure Flame Sect out...

The middle-aged man said with a smile, ”Fan Jinhua, if you still wish to be a master, I can arrange it for you.”

Fan Jinhua nodded emphatically. He really did prefer being a master.

He quickly offered his thanks, ”Thank you, my Lord Marquis.”

This middle-aged man was none other than Marquis Jilong. In truth, he was already in his fifties.

As for Fan Jinhua, despite his thick beard that made him look middle-aged, he was actually only in his thirties.

”As for the rest of you, you may return to Azure Flame Town and rest easy. As long as you follow the rules of the Dragon Flame Kingdom, nothing else matters.”

These were Marquis Jilong’s words to the elderly disciples of the Azure Flame Sect...

Given their age, they would essentially become elders after returning to Azure Flame Town.

And with that, Marquis Jilong finished his discussion with Fan Jinhua and the others. He had Yin Qixing see them out directly. Everything that needed to be discussed had been discussed. The eight thousand troops had been handed over to the Marquis, leaving nothing more for Fan Jinhua’s group to do.

After escorting the group out of the Jilong Marquis’s Mansion, Yin Qixing returned and said, ”My Lord Marquis, when it comes to leading troops, Fan Jinhua is simply... simply...”

”A novice,” Marquis Jilong finished with a smile.

While speaking with Fan Jinhua just now, Marquis Jilong had of course tested him with a few questions about the Soldier Dao. Fan Jinhua’s answers, however, had been completely nonsensical.

And Yin Qixing, naturally, had been watching from the side.

”The other old disciples of the Azure Flame Sect weren’t much better than Fan Jinhua.”

”It seems it could only have been that... Fake Lu Chao.”

At this, Marquis Jilong suddenly looked at Yin Qixing and said, ”Accompany me to Azure Flame Town in secret. I want to meet this Fake Lu Chao.”

His meaning was clear: with the abilities of Fan Jinhua and the others, it was impossible for them to have led the descendants of the Azure Flame Sect to fight their way out.

It could only have been Fake Lu Chao who led them.

Yin Qixing was stunned. He quickly said, ”My Lord Marquis, we could just summon him. Why must you...”

Before he could finish, Marquis Jilong interrupted, ”What if he’s the real Lu Chao? Wouldn’t summoning him be a slight against the Great Martial Emperor Star?”

Stunned again, Yin Qixing was completely bewildered. He shook his head emphatically, about to say more...

But Marquis Jilong spoke again. ”Even if he is the Fake Lu Chao, he is still a genius commander trusted by Marshal Fan. I cannot afford to slight him.”

Thus, Marquis Jilong set out immediately with Yin Qixing...

They arrived at the rebuilding Azure Flame Town ahead of Fan Jinhua.

Everyone recognized Yin Qixing. When he asked where Lu Chao was, the crowd pointed to the top of the small hill not far away.

Without hesitation, the two men strode up the hill...