Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

”Patriarch, it’s clear that fake Lu Chao won’t let his father-in-law remain in the Su Mansion. Should we... assassinate him on the road?”

Zheng Liyuan’s voice rang out. The death of Zheng Zhuhai and the trumped-up charges from Lu Chao were driving him mad.

Assassinating Cheng Chuming would not only be a form of revenge but would also sever the Saint Bone lineage of the Su Family.

For them, it was all upside and no downside.

However, Zheng Liling grimly shook his head. ”Zhuhe is still in Yin Ye’s hands.”

At these words, Zheng Liyuan gritted his teeth...

Zheng Zhuhe was the strongest genius of their Saint Bone Zheng Family, and they hadn’t brought him along this time. They had never imagined Yin Ye would be audacious enough to storm the Zheng Mansion and kidnap him.

”Besides, we can’t just make a move on that fake Lu Chao’s father-in-law.”

”Otherwise, the Su Family will go berserk. If they then band together with a few other Saint Bone Families and accuse us of sabotaging their Saint Bone Ceremony, we’ll be in deep trouble.”

”Even if we do kill him, it has to be flawless.”

Sabotaging a Saint Bone Ceremony was a major taboo among the Saint Bone Families. Likewise, killing a Saint Bone Awakener before they could mature was also a major taboo.

If Lu Chao’s father-in-law died on the way back to the Dragon Flame Royal Capital, everyone would know they were behind it.

Just then, Zheng Zhugong couldn’t help but say, ”Damn it all. We never should have brought that fake Lu Chao’s father-in-law here in the first place.”

As soon as he spoke, the corners of everyone’s lips in the Zheng Family began to twitch...

The most frustrating part of this whole affair wasn’t Lu Chao showing up with soldiers, nor was it Yin Ye kidnapping their strongest genius. It was the fact that they had personally, fucking delivered the Su Family’s Saint Bone right to their doorstep.

The sheer frustration of it was enough to make them cough up blood. Zheng Zhugong just had to rub salt in the wound.

”Let’s go. We’re heading back to the Dragon Flame Royal Capital to raise hell in the Dragon Flame Hall,” Zheng Liling finally said through gritted teeth.

What happened today had to be brought before the Dragon Flame King himself.

They had to make an issue of Marquis Jilong kidnapping their strongest genius, and, of course, of framing Zheng Liyuan as a traitor.

As for Marquis Jilong’s troops forcing their way into Saint Su City, the Su Family would be the ones to lodge that complaint.

And so, Zheng Liling and his men left Saint Su City with their tails between their legs, having failed to accomplish a single thing.

...

Meanwhile, Lu Chao led Marquis Jilong’s troops out of Saint Su City and began the journey back toward the Dragon Flame Royal Capital.

「Late that night...」

The army made camp.

Yin Qixing stood guard, wary of a surprise attack from the two Saint Bone Families.

Lu Chao, meanwhile, was inside a small, unassuming tent with Cheng Chuming and, of course, Cheng Yunsu.

Right then, Lu Chao was examining Cheng Chuming’s Heavenly Destiny Bone...

Slowly, Lu Chao’s voice broke the silence in the small tent. ”Father-in-law, yours is a Heavenly Destiny Sword Burning Bone—a Saint Bone!”

Because of his Saint Bone Awakening, Cheng Chuming’s Heavenly Destiny Bone had changed.

He originally had a very common Heavenly Destiny Flame Bone, but now it had transformed into the much rarer... Sword Burning Bone.

A Saint Bone Level one, at that.

The Su Family’s bloodline was dominated by Fire Attribute Destiny Bones, so it all made sense.

At Lu Chao’s words, Cheng Chuming could only offer a bitter smile, showing no sign of excitement.

Cheng Yunsu looked just as gloomy and unhappy.

Of course, Lu Chao knew why they were acting this way. It was because of the seal and the messages that his mother-in-law, Xue Hongying—whom he had never met—had left on his father-in-law’s Destiny Bone.

After leaving Saint Su City and having a chance to calm down, both father and daughter were in the same somber mood.

”Hongying, you only married me to absorb the essence of my Destiny Bone, just to heal your wounds.”

”I can accept that. Perhaps I truly wasn’t worthy of you.”

”But Yunsu is the daughter you carried in your womb! How could you call her an accident? How could you just leave like that?”

Cheng Chuming muttered, completely unconcerned about what kind of Saint Bone he possessed.

Beside him, Cheng Yunsu bit her lip and shook her head vigorously...

”I don’t believe it. Right before Mother left, she sat by my bed for a long, long time and told me so many things.”

”And she left me this magical bracelet.”

’This bracelet contains the will of the Fire Phoenix Divine Emperor. It has to be something incredibly precious. If Mother truly left without a shred of affection, why would she leave something like this behind?’

After speaking, the father and daughter fell into a shared silence.

Lu Chao also fell silent for a long while with a wry smile, unsure how to comfort them.

But suddenly, a question occurred to him.

He quickly asked, ”Father-in-law, what kind of Heavenly Destiny Bone did you have before you met Mother-in-law?”

Cheng Chuming looked up and asked in return, ”A Flaming Bone, same as always. It’s been that way since I was a child. It can’t possibly change outside of a Saint Bone Ceremony, can it?”

Lu Chao, however, lowered his head to ponder for a moment, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes...

”A Flaming Bone and a Sword Burning Bone might both seem to be of the Fire Attribute.”

”But even with a Saint Bone Awakening, it should only transform into a Fiery Flame Saint Bone, or some other evolved Destiny Bone with a Flame Attribute. It’s impossible for it to suddenly gain a Sword Attribute. That’s what’s so strange about this.”

Hearing this, Cheng Yunsu quickly asked what was so strange about it...

”I just remembered. The Flaming Bone and the Sword Burning Bone are from two different branches of development.”

”No matter how a Flaming Bone evolves or mutates, it can never become a Sword Burning Bone. This means your Sword Burning Bone, Father-in-law, must have been artificially created. Someone infused... a Sword Attribute into you.”

After listening, Cheng Chuming and Cheng Yunsu exchanged a glance, still somewhat confused.

”This means that even without the Saint Bone Ceremony, you would have eventually awakened a Heavenly Destiny Sword Burning Bone, Father-in-law.”

”You just said you’ve had a Flaming Bone since you were a child, Father-in-law...”

”That proves your innate Destiny Bone Talent wasn’t particularly high. The fact that you could awaken during the Saint Bone Ceremony means an external force must have enhanced your natural Su Family bloodline and then infused the Sword Attribute into your Heavenly Destiny Bone.”

”To put it bluntly, Father-in-law, your entire body has been modified and enhanced by someone.”

This time, the father and daughter understood.

Cheng Yunsu couldn’t help but ask, ”Could Mother have been the one who enhanced it? But then... what about those messages...?”

”She was lying to you...”

Lu Chao finished her sentence, his voice grave. ”Mother-in-law just wanted you to give up any thought of searching for her. She must have her reasons—some hardship that prevents her from seeing you.”

The father and daughter looked at each other, their spirits gradually lifting.

Then, Lu Chao smiled and added, ”Father-in-law, she wasn’t absorbing your essence or trying to heal her wounds. She was enhancing your entire body’s talent and your Destiny Bone. There’s no way she felt nothing for you.”

At these words, Cheng Chuming’s spirits instantly brightened...

Not long after, Marquis Jilong’s troops continued their journey, traveling through the night. They couldn’t rest for too long; the longer they stopped, the greater the danger.

Besides, time was of the essence.

Lu Chao still needed to return to activate the Divine Bone Nine Sons Array and produce ten Innate Realm students for Dragon Flame Academy.

Along the way, Cheng Yunsu and Lu Chao shared a single mount.

She leaned lightly against Lu Chao’s back and asked in a soft voice, ”Lu Chao, were you just saying that to comfort us?”

Lu Chao replied with a smile, ”Of course not. Rest assured.”

As he spoke, Lu Chao gazed into the darkness ahead. ’Everything he’d said was true, of course. There was just one more thing he didn’t know how to say.’

’That he feared they would never see Xiao Su’er’s mother again.’