Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Lu Chao’s voice emerged from beneath his mask with a terrifying, mechanical quality.

Before anyone could react, the aura of his Dragon General Bone erupted from his body. He spoke again, enunciating each word, ”I, this Fake Lu Chao, won’t just command my own warhorses. I will also make your warhorses... obey!”

The moment he finished speaking, the entire arena was stunned...

In the next instant, Lu Chao pointed his long spear, and the aura of his Dragon General Bone surged toward the opposing side like a raging torrent.

”Retreat!”

A single, heavy word, ”Retreat,” boomed from Lu Chao’s mouth, blasting toward the thousand students and their thousand warhorses.

Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded. The thousand warhorses suddenly revealed looks of terror, just like the ten warhorses of Lu Chao’s group had moments before. Then... THUD!

The thousand warhorses retreated a single step in unison, the shock causing the students on their backs to sway wildly.

”Warhorses have spirit. They’re certainly not stupid.”

”They know full well that you’re just a foul-smelling mob. There’s no way you can defeat me.”

”Retreat!”

Another ”Retreat!” blasted from Lu Chao’s mouth, and the thousand warhorses actually took another step back.

At that moment, the gazes of everyone present, regardless of who they were, froze solid.

They gaped, one by one, in disbelief. It was unclear who spoke first, but someone shouted, ”That’s presence—an invincible battlefield aura and a general’s might! But the Fake Lu Chao shouldn’t possess something like that.”

The image of the true Great Wu Lu Chao immediately surfaced in everyone’s mind.

This was something that only the true Lu Chao should possess, yet the Fake Lu Chao had just displayed it.

In the air...

Unconsciously, Marquis Longyin had clenched his fists.

Atop a mountain peak, a sharp glint flashed in Dongfang Ren’s eyes.

General Dean Zeng Quan, however, subconsciously took a step forward, his eyes locked on Lu Chao, radiating killing intent...

Meanwhile, Guan Zanyi, who had appeared from some unknown corner, began to tremble uncontrollably.

He muttered in a low voice, ’He’s too damn similar. He’s just like the true Great Wu Lu Chao! Dammit... my legs, stop shaking!’

「In Battle Valley...」

Lu Chao continued, ”Guan Zanyi should know full well what I did before Sword Tooth City. A single mask was enough to make the entire army of the Great Wu Empire retreat. Why would I fear a mere thousand warhorses?”

As he spoke, Lu Chao pointed his long spear again, his general’s might erupting toward the sky. ”Warhorses, break!”

This time it wasn’t ”Retreat,” but a single, heavy word: ”Break!” The sound seemed to carry the cold glint of his spear tip as it blasted the opposition.

In an instant... AWOOO!

It was as if the spirits of all thousand warhorses shattered at once. Scared witless by Lu Chao’s single word, ”Break!,” their legs gave out. The horses reared up, screaming at the sky, and violently threw the students from their backs.

”AHHHHHHH...”

Caught completely off guard, the students were viciously thrown from their saddles. The thousand warhorses then wheeled around and bolted, stampeding chaotically toward the forest and trampling the students in their path.

The battle had yet to truly begin, but screams of agony were already echoing from among the thousand students.

Fortunately, they were all in the Innate Realm. Their True Qi just barely managed to fend off the trampling hooves.

But Lu Chao’s voice rang out again, ”Everyone from Dragon Flame Academy, with me... Kill!”

With the command given...

Lu Chao spurred his horse into a charge, with Luo Wendeng and the others drawing their weapons and following close behind.

Brimming with fighting spirit, they roared in unison, ”Kill!”

In an instant, the ten riders charged into the chaotic mass of students from the twenty University Institutes, aiming to pierce straight through the thousand-strong crowd.

Instantly... SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!

Wherever they passed, blood sprayed and screams never ceased.

To say nothing of Lu Chao, Luo Wendeng and his four companions were all too familiar with this kind of battle. Working in concert, they cut down countless opponents.

While they didn’t land any fatal blows, every opposing student they struck was left bleeding.

They were immediately rendered unable to fight.

As for the Jiang Family Siblings and the other veteran Dragon Flame student, their longswords danced wildly as they followed Lu Chao. They didn’t have much experience with mounted combat, but under the leadership of Lu Chao and the others, all they had to do was follow along and pick off the stragglers.

As for Iron Shield...

He wasn’t familiar with this style of combat at first, but he quickly adapted.

He was a hired hand, so he remained stoic and silent, simply doing whatever Lu Chao commanded. But the look he now gave Lu Chao contained a glimmer of adoration.

”Fight back! Fight back!”

Someone among the thousand chaotic students screamed hysterically, but it was completely useless.

On horseback, Lu Chao’s charge was even more terrifying. Even an Innate Ninth Layer expert was useless against him. Just like that tall man from Weihu Academy, who was sent flying by a single thrust of the spear, coughing up blood nonstop.

In the blink of an eye...

The ten pathetic figures from before had transformed into killing machines, rampaging through the crowd of a thousand students.

The ten warhorses beneath them showed no trace of fear, only excited neighs.

”Dammit, this is unfair! This was supposed to be a cavalry battle, but they scared away the warhorses first!”

”Cheating! This definitely counts as cheating.”

”General Dean Zeng, say something! The Fake Lu Chao must have used some method outside the Martial Dao to frighten the horses.”

”That’s right, he must have used poison.”

These voices came from the higher-ups of the twenty University Institutes. Their earlier excitement had morphed into pure rage.

After their rage, they began to odiously cry that Lu Chao had cheated.

They screamed that Lu Chao had poisoned their students’ warhorses.

Zeng Quan and the other Beast Flame higher-ups snapped to attention, all staring intently at Battle Valley. Li Wumian had already begun to speak, ”I smell poison. That’s right... the Fake Lu Chao poisoned the warhorses.”

As a Medical Dao Master, his words carried weight. He seized the opportunity to frame Lu Chao for using poison.

But just then, Marquis Longyin’s cold voice suddenly rang out...

”I don’t smell any poison. If anyone dares to interrupt this duel now, don’t blame me for what happens next.”

As he spoke, Marquis Longyin descended swiftly on his Flying Bird Demon Beast.

He hovered before the highest cliff, staring at Zeng Quan...

”General Dean Zeng Quan, Beast Flame Academy is supposed to be a place of fairness. There are some things you have the final say on, and some rules you can set. But if you dare to cross certain lines, the Dragon Flame Kingdom will have no place for you.”

The heavy warning reverberated among all the higher-ups of Beast Flame Academy.

Marquis Longyin was absolutely resolute!

’My royal brother’s reply has not yet arrived, but with the Fake Lu Chao proving to be such a fierce general, I can guess what his decision will be.’

He could, of course, invoke the name of the Dragon Flame Kingdom now to deter the blatant favoritism and targeting from the Beast Flame higher-ups.

”I didn’t argue with you about the ridiculous rules for the second round.”

”But since the rules are already so skewed, if you dare to continue abusing your authority for personal grudges, don’t blame me for tearing away all pretense of courtesy.”

The threatening words slammed into Zeng Quan and the others. True Qi billowed from Marquis Longyin’s body.

For a moment, Li Wumian’s face went pale, and he didn’t dare to retort. Zheng Liyuan clenched his fists, also not daring to speak out of turn.

Zeng Quan’s face turned livid, but he slowly forced his expression back to neutral.

He spoke lightly, ”Of course, I will listen to the Marquis. But... there are still the six deans.”

After speaking, Zeng Quan took a slow step back, gesturing to the deans of the Inner Courtyards from the Six Great Flame Countries. His meaning was clear: as a citizen of the Dragon Flame Kingdom, he couldn’t easily refute the Marquis. But what about the deans from the other Great Flame Countries? Could a mere Marquis Longyin make them listen?