Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Instead of directly answering how they would handle the next day, Yu Xiaoping simply pulled Wu Caicai over and began telling her about their time in the Chaotic Hundred Countries.

And so...

Yu Xiaoping, Luo Wendeng, and the others who were close with Wu Caicai all began talking at once, recounting details of their time in the Chaotic Hundred Countries. Through these stories, they assured her that they would have absolutely no problem tomorrow.

Wu Caicai listened, her expression full of longing, and she couldn’t help but sigh wistfully from time to time...

”It’s a pity. I had to part ways with you all before we entered the Tiger Flame Kingdom. I really wish I could have fought alongside you.”

The stories she was hearing were simply too thrilling...

Meanwhile, as the others were talking, Lu Chao had slowly walked out of the courtyard hall.

He looked to the middle-aged man guarding the door and said, ”Uncle Leng, long time no see. Have you and Miss Caicai been well lately?”

Uncle Leng took a deep breath and said in a low voice, ”Hero Lu, after my young miss returned home, she happily presented the Nine Primordial Yang Swords, and for the first time, she received praise from our First Master.”

A sharp glint flashed in Lu Chao’s eyes. ’The first time she’d ever been praised?’

”However, when she excitedly told our First Master that she had fought side-by-side with a descendant of the Azure Flame Sect, what she received was a furious tirade. Just as Wu Yiyi said, the First Master forbids my young miss from having any contact with the Azure Flame Sect’s descendants.”

”He said that you people represent a world of trouble.”

”My young miss and Wu Yiyi are close in age, but Wu Yiyi is the apple of the Second Master’s eye, while my young miss is a thorn in the First Master’s side. That’s because her birth was an accident.”

”She’s the daughter of the First Master and a female guard, from a night when he was drunk.”

”The female guard was promoted to be a concubine—she’s our current mistress... In that family, only the few of us who were on the same squad as Caicai’s mother back then still stand by her and her daughter.”

Uncle Leng had just given a simple summary of Wu Caicai’s situation within the Hundred Flames Trading Company.

”And as the two youngest daughters of the Witch Family, my young miss is constantly compared to Wu Yiyi.”

”Because she often falls short of Wu Yiyi, she’s despised even more by the First Master... He never stops to think: Wu Yiyi is showered with the Second Master’s affection, so whether it’s cultivation or business, how could their resources possibly compare?”

After he finished, a heavy weight of resentment seemed to press on Uncle Leng’s chest, with no outlet for release.

Lu Chao was left speechless by his words.

He was merely an outsider listening in; he couldn’t meddle in the Witch Family’s affairs. Still, he said with conviction, ”If Miss Caicai needs anything from me, she has only to ask.”

Uncle Leng thanked him quietly.

Then, Lu Chao asked again, ”About me... the matter of the Life-taking Bone...”

Before Lu Chao could finish, Uncle Leng immediately took over...

”Hero Lu, rest assured. Neither I nor my young miss have told a soul.”

”In fact, after my young miss found out you had joined Dragon Flame Academy, she even sent people to spread a rumor in Yangzhou City. It claims the whole affair with the Life-taking Bone was a lie deliberately fabricated by Cheng Weishan and City Lord Wu Wei and his daughter to frame you.”

Hearing this, Lu Chao’s expression turned grave, and he offered his solemn thanks.

Many people in Yangzhou City knew he possessed a Life-taking Bone, which was a massive hidden danger that absolutely had to be dealt with.

Wu Caicai’s actions had helped him immensely; he now owed her a tremendous debt.

”By the way, Hero Lu, that Wu Yiyi is no simple woman. For her to seek you out so deliberately... she’s definitely up to no good. You must be careful.” After discussing the Life-taking Bone, Uncle Leng added this quiet reminder.

A cold glint flickered in Lu Chao’s eyes...

”She’s certainly not simple. With just a few sentences, she made Miss Caicai feel guilty, set Dean Jiang and the others’ minds racing, fanned the flames of our Dragon Flame Academy’s fighting spirit, and even incited Zheng Zhuhe to move against your Third Master, Witch Ying...”

”Yes, I’ll be careful.”

He said no more on the matter.

As Lu Chao saw it, Beast Flame Academy was a tangled mess of factions and deeply entrenched powers, with new enemies emerging from the woodwork at every turn.

But to him, it didn’t matter what stood in his way; he would simply smash it all to pieces.

Then again, their situation now was far better than when they had first arrived at Beast Flame Academy.

They had Marquis Longyin...

And Marquis Longyin’s attitude represented the attitude of the Dragon Flame King. It was just as Lu Chao had said to encourage everyone at the beginning: as long as they fought their way through the placement tournament, the Dragon Flame King would undoubtedly step in to support Dragon Flame Academy.

...

While the group from Dragon Flame Academy was speaking with Wu Caicai and Uncle Leng...

Wu Yiyi, having been sent away, was walking back to the Beast Flame Inner Courtyard with several of her guards.

One of the guards said coldly, ”Miss Yiyi, that Fake Lu Chao really doesn’t know what’s good for him. You came to see him personally, and he still dared to put on such airs.”

A second guard chimed in, ”Exactly! What gives him the nerve to refuse your offer?”

The guards all knew that their Miss Yiyi’s objective on this trip was to conquer the Fake Lu Chao.

This was especially true since, in their eyes, the Fake Lu Chao and Dragon Flame Academy were doomed to a crushing defeat tomorrow...

But to their surprise, they had run into Wu Caicai.

And because of Wu Caicai’s obvious dislike for Miss Yiyi, the Fake Lu Chao had immediately sent them away, refusing to even discuss the deal.

This caused all of Miss Yiyi’s carefully laid plans to go up in smoke.

Wu Yiyi still wore a smile, but her eyes were filled with an icy chill.

’The Fake Lu Chao... his performance in the first round was just breathtaking. I adore him... ’

’I will conquer him. The more he resists, the more I want to make him submit.’

’I, Wu Yiyi, love a tough nut to crack...’

’But it’s too early to say for sure. We’ll see if he comes looking for me before the second round begins. If he doesn’t, it might mean he’s accepted help from the Saint Bone Su Family... The Saint Bone Su Family—that must be the source of his confidence.’

The guards finally understood. So, the Fake Lu Chao had the Saint Bone Su Family behind him.

Just as they were exchanging these thoughts...

Suddenly, a man’s voice rang out. ”Yiyi, why are you out here so late?”

Hearing this, a flash of disgust appeared in Wu Yiyi’s eyes, but her face was all smiles as she replied, ”Zhuhe, I feel terrible. I never thought the idea I gave you today would end up causing you so much trouble.”

Indeed, it was Zheng Zhuhe. She knew it without even having to look.

Earlier that day, it had been Wu Yiyi who suggested that Zheng Zhuhe advise Zeng Quan to lead the heads of over a hundred institutes, both large and small, to witness the outcome of the first round. The goal was to win their hearts and minds.

In the end, the plan had backfired, nearly putting Zeng Quan in an impossible position.

Therefore, the moment Wu Yiyi saw Zheng Zhuhe, she immediately offered a guilt-ridden apology.

Zheng Zhuhe hurried forward, shaking his head emphatically. ”It’s not your fault. If anyone’s to blame, it’s that Fake Lu Chao! He’s the one who eliminated nineteen University Institutes! It’s all his fault.”

”Mm-hm, that’s why I just went to find that Fake Lu Chao,” Wu Yiyi said meekly.

Zheng Zhuhe froze, his voice sharp with alarm. ”You went to find him? What for?”

”I wanted to probe the Fake Lu Chao, to see if the Saint Bone Su Family would make a move on his behalf,” Wu Yiyi replied instantly.

At that, Zheng Zhuhe’s smile returned, but he immediately shook his head. ”There’s no need to probe. I already asked Zeng Quan. He said that with Sun Shijin’s stubborn personality, there’s no way he’d ever let the Saint Bone Su Family get a foothold in Dragon Flame Academy.”