Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Zeng Quan’s voice boomed, directed at Lu Chao and echoing across the entire arena.

Sun Shijin, who had been celebrating just moments before, felt the color drain from his face.

Cheng Yunsu and the five from the Azure Flame Sect felt their hearts plummet. Fan Jinhua trembled slightly, and Wu Caicai’s pupils contracted in shock.

They subconsciously wanted to take a step back but forced themselves to hold their ground.

Zeng Quan was now in the martial arts arena, where the residual aura from Lu Chao and Chang Yuan’s battle still lingered.

The aura of the Life-taking Bone he sensed grew more distinct, and a look of crazed certainty settled on his face. He laughed. ”Fake Lu Chao, now let me inspect the Destiny Bone in your body.”

With that, he blurred into motion, rushing straight for Lu Chao...

But just then, Sun Shijin shot down from the stands, landing directly in front of Lu Chao.

He faced Zeng Quan and declared, ”Zeng Quan, a student of my Dragon Flame Academy is not for you to inspect.”

BOOM—

The two exchanged a blow on the spot. Zeng Quan didn’t budge, but Sun Shijin was driven back several steps. He forcefully planted his feet, once again positioning himself in front of Lu Chao.

Clearly, Sun Shijin was no match for Zeng Quan in terms of raw power...

Sun Shijin’s fist trembled, blood seeping from his scraped knuckles, but the panic in his eyes grew even more intense. As a fellow bearer of a Life-taking Bone, he too had sensed it in the arena—that faint aura of a Life-taking Bone coming from Lu Chao.

’How could Lu Chao’s Life-taking Bone aura have suddenly leaked out?’

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH...

At the same time, Dean Tiger and the other higher-ups of the Beast Flame Group descended, led by a sneering Zeng Quan.

”A student of Dragon Flame Academy?”

”No, that’s a Life-taking Bone Calamity Star, a scourge that anyone can and should eliminate.”

”Sun Shijin, if you keep protecting that Life-taking Bone, you will die with him—just like what happened to the land beneath our feet.”

”Forty years ago, the Azure Flame Sect protected a Life-taking Bone, and it was annihilated all the same.”

With that said, Zeng Quan and the Beast Flame higher-ups began to press forward, their combined presence bearing down on Sun Shijin and Lu Chao.

But in the next instant... WHOOSH!

Dongfang Ren landed and said coldly, ”Zeng Quan, isn’t this disgusting charade of yours over yet? Can’t you just admit you lost?”

By now, the descent of the Beast Flame higher-ups had completely scattered the lingering battle aura from Lu Chao and Chang Yuan. Dongfang Ren had been too far away and too high up to have sensed the presence of the Life-taking Bone’s aura.

Thus, his eyes blazed with killing intent, as he simply assumed Zeng Quan and the others were being sore losers.

”Dongfang Ren, protecting a Life-taking Bone makes you guilty as well,” Zeng Quan shot back with a heavy snort.

The standoff between the two sides resumed in the martial arts arena...

This time, however, representatives from the smaller academies slowly rose to their feet. They were preparing to side with Dongfang Ren. They couldn’t stand it any longer; they were utterly disgusted by Zeng Quan and the other Beast Flame higher-ups.

Cheng Yunsu, Luo Wendeng, and the others quickly ran back to stand behind Lu Chao, their bodies tense.

As for Lu Chao, a cold glint flickered in his eyes...

’My Bone of Myriad Stars has cracked. It leaked its aura during the fight with Chang Yuan, and that means huge trouble for me.’

’This is bad. I have to find a way to repair the Bone of Myriad Stars immediately.’

’Otherwise, if anyone so much as hits me with a wisp of True Qi, my Life-taking Bone will react, and its aura will erupt for all to see.’

’This was something I truly hadn’t anticipated. After all, I’m no expert on Heavenly Destiny Bones. I never imagined that the Life-taking Star-devouring Bone would crack the Bone of Myriad Stars upon evolving into a Heavenly Bone.’

At that moment, Zeng Quan sneered again. ”Let me inspect the Fake Lu Chao at once! All of you, get out of my way! Refusing just proves you have something to hide.”

’I’m more certain than ever,’ Zeng Quan thought. ’The more Sun Shijin tries to stop me, the more it proves I’m right.’

Gritting his teeth, Sun Shijin gave a heavy response...

”You won’t lay a finger on a student of Dragon Flame Academy! Who knows what malicious intentions you’re hiding?”

’My only option is to accuse them of having malicious intentions,’ Sun Shijin thought. ’I have to claim they’re trying to harm Lu Chao, and that’s why I can’t allow an inspection.’

But Zeng Quan continued to press forward, and the Beast Flame higher-ups behind him advanced as well. They were communicating secretly, plotting to lure Dongfang Ren and Sun Shijin away so they could strike Lu Chao directly with their True Qi.

Elsewhere in the stands...

Su Shangmo’s pupils constricted. ’Could the Fake Lu Chao really possess a Life-taking Bone?’

’It was just as the reports said. When we were searching for Cheng Chuming’s illegitimate son in Yangzhou City, our people gathered intelligence on this matter.’

’But nothing was ever confirmed; it could have just been a rumor...’

’What should I do?’

’Even if the Fake Lu Chao does have a Life-taking Bone, we probably have to protect him. Otherwise, Lady Yunsu will lose her mind. She possesses, at minimum, a Top-level Saint Bone, and her father is the future Patriarch.’

’That father and daughter could even represent the next two generations of Patriarchs for our Saint Bone Su Family.’

As he thought it over...

Su Shangmo suddenly turned to the two Su Family Elders and said in a low voice, ”Elders, we should intervene.”

One of the Su Family Elders immediately shot back, ”Why intervene? If it turns out the Fake Lu Chao really does have a Life-taking Bone, isn’t that perfect? He’ll be eliminated, and then Cheng Chuming will have no choice but to return to the Su Family with us.”

The other Su Family Elder added, ”It’s probably a lie. Just an excuse from Zeng Quan and his cronies because they’re sore losers.”

Su Shangmo took a deep breath...

”Elders, have you forgotten what I said last night?”

”This is our chance to provide timely aid! Besides, if Cheng Yunsu has truly awakened a second Heavenly Destiny Bone, she would have done it through the Saint Bone Ceremony. That means her second Heavenly Destiny Bone could also be a Saint Bone!”

At his words, the two Su Family Elders shuddered...

”Even if the Fake Lu Chao truly has a Life-taking Bone, what do you think will happen with that father and daughter if we do nothing?”

”They’ll hate the three of us to their very bones. Then, when they return to the Saint Bone Su Family and take power, our families and our descendants will be tormented to death by them.”

As Su Shangmo spoke, the two Su Family Elders exchanged a subtle glance.

’Our Saint Bone is now Cheng Chuming,’ they realized. ’We have no other choice; he is the definite future Patriarch... If something happens to the Fake Lu Chao, once Cheng Chuming becomes the Patriarch, he will absolutely take revenge on our descendants.’

’We might be fine while we’re alive, but what happens after we’re dead?’

”We have to stop them before Zeng Quan finds anything... or it will be too late.”

With that, Su Shangmo was the first to move, his figure blurring as he shot forward.

At the same time...

In the arena, Zeng Quan yelled his orders, ”Dean Tiger, Dean Lion! The three of us will tie down Dongfang Ren! Dean Wolf, Dean Leopard, and Dean Eagle, the three of you will hold back Sun Shijin and the others! Dean Fox... you inspect the Fake Lu Chao!”

As his words fell, Zeng Quan and his group shot forward in unison.

Dongfang Ren was instantly engaged by the three deans. Sun Shijin, Dean Jiang, Cheng Chuming, and the others were intercepted by the other three.

Dean Fox, a cold smile on her face, headed straight for Lu Chao...

However, at that very moment, Su Shangmo appeared in a flash, blocking her path. ”Thinking of harming our son-in-law? Don’t even think about it.”

In response, Dean Fox merely shot him a cold sneer and, with a single vicious palm strike, sent Su Shangmo flying.

He was no match for her at all.

Having dealt with him, Dean Fox turned to Lu Chao. ”So, do you really have a Life-taking Bone? Let’s test it and see.”

With that, Dean Fox unleashed a blast of True Qi straight at Lu Chao...