Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Of course, this would have to be a gradual process. It couldn’t be achieved so quickly.

「In the blink of an eye, the night wore on...」

The Divine Bone Nine Sons Array shut down. Luo Wendeng and the others, exhausted, had gone to rest. Their rooms were naturally located at the foot of the rear mountain.

In the past, Dragon Flame Academy was also divided into an Inner Courtyard and an Outer Courtyard.

The residences for the Inner Courtyard students were in the courtyards below the mountain.

When Lu Chao arrived, these courtyards had all been empty, as no one had been able to qualify as an Inner Courtyard student. Now, however, any student who reached the Innate Realm could move in.

At that moment, Sun Shijin and Lu Chao were still standing by the Demon Beast Divine Bone.

They stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing down at the courtyards one by one.

Sun Shijin suddenly turned to Lu Chao, his voice trembling with emotion. ”Thank you, Lu Chao. I never thought I’d live to see the day so many courtyards in the Dragon Flame Inner Courtyard were lit up again. Thank you...”

If not for Lu Chao, this scene before them would have been utterly impossible.

As he spoke, he couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down his aged face...

Lu Chao gently shook his head. ”I am a student of Dragon Flame Academy, and I’m also its Senior Brother. If it weren’t for Elder Sun, a person like me with a Life-taking Bone would probably still be holed up in the shadows. This is all just what I ought to do.”

In truth, after all they had been through during the battle for the Beast Flame spots, such pleasantries were no longer necessary between them.

Suddenly, Lu Chao changed the subject. ”Elder Sun, how did your trip to the Dragon Flame Palace go?”

Sun Shijin had previously gone with the heads of the various Small Institutes to meet the Dragon Flame King, and he had now returned.

Taking a deep breath, Sun Shijin began to speak softly...

”The Dragon Flame King is determined to forge a true Beast Flame Academy. He has also promised to protect all the Small Institutes that join the Outer Courtyard, but for now, he is still in negotiations with the Six Great Flame Countries.”

”At the same time, the Saint Bone Zheng Family and the Celestial King Academy are mustering all their forces to oppose the Dragon Flame King.”

”As for the specifics, we’ll have to wait and see until after the negotiations are concluded.”

From Sun Shijin’s words, Lu Chao understood that the Dragon Flame King couldn’t make any definite promises until the negotiations were finished.

However, with Dongfang Ren on their side, the various Small Institutes were still quite at ease.

But just as they were speaking, a familiar voice suddenly rang out...

”In truth, the outcome of the negotiations is more or less predictable. The Six Great Flame Kings will surely feign compromise while secretly sabotaging things.”

”Just as you said, Lu Chao, they need... to be beaten into submission, or perhaps even crippled.”

As the voice faded, Lu Chao and Sun Shijin immediately turned toward its source.

In fact, they knew who it was without even looking.

It was, of course, Marquis Jilong, Yin Ye.

But beside Yin Ye was a figure clad entirely in a black robe. The person’s head was covered by a black hood, obscuring their face... This attire immediately put a wary look in Sun Shijin’s eyes.

Although it was impossible that Yin Ye would harm them, the sudden appearance of such a mysterious, black-robed figure still made Sun Shijin uneasy.

He even subconsciously unleashed his True Qi, directing its pressure toward the black-robed individual.

However, the moment Sun Shijin’s True Qi touched the black-robed person, their own True Qi erupted in response.

BOOM...

An incredibly violent wave of True Qi surged toward Sun Shijin, and a look of horror instantly crossed his face.

Sun Shijin then instinctively bolstered his own True Qi, blasting it toward the robed figure with nearly his full strength... The other party likewise continued to amplify their True Qi, meeting Sun Shijin’s in a direct confrontation of pressure.

After only a few breaths... STOMP, STOMP, STOMP.

Sun Shijin stumbled backward, step after step. He was actually being suppressed by this black-robed person.

And it was a complete and utter suppression, without any doubt.

This horrified him to the core. ”You... who are you? Junior Brother Yin Ye, who is this you’ve brought here?”

He was direct, on the verge of flying into a rage right then and there.

’How could Yin Ye so casually bring such a terrifying individual to the rear mountain of Dragon Flame Academy?’

’He had to know that the great secret of the Divine Bone Nine Sons Array was on this mountain!’

What shocked Sun Shijin even more was that this mysterious, black-robed person was likely no weaker than Dongfang Ren.

Just then, the black-robed figure slowly retracted their True Qi.

They also slowly released their pressure on Sun Shijin. A wizened voice spoke from beneath the hood, ”Rest assured, Elder Sun. I am an old disciple of the Azure Flame Sect. I’ve come to see the descendant and heir of the Azure Flame Sect’s Soldier Dao Sect.”

At these words, Sun Shijin froze, his eyes filled with disbelief.

’There’s still such a powerful old disciple of the Azure Flame Sect left in this world? Why has he never shown himself before? Why has he never made any contribution or offered any help to the descendants of the Azure Flame Sect?’

”PFFT—”

Just as Sun Shijin’s mind reeled with questions and he turned to look at Yin Ye, the black-robed figure suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Yin Ye hastily turned to the robed figure and asked nervously, ”Are you alright?”

The robed figure waved a hand and replied in a hoarse voice, ”It’s nothing. I just had a bout with Dongfang Ren and suffered some minor internal injuries.”

Sun Shijin was stunned once more. ’This black-robed man who claims to be an old disciple of the Azure Flame Sect actually fought Dongfang Ren?’

’When did that happen? What is all this nonsense?’

And just as Sun Shijin stood there completely bewildered, Lu Chao, who had been observing coolly from the side, suddenly stepped forward and cupped his fist. ”Lu Chao of Dragon Flame Academy pays his respects to the Dragon Flame King.”

The moment he said this... BUZZ!

Sun Shijin’s mind instantly went blank, buzzing loudly. He looked at Lu Chao in disbelief, then snapped his gaze back to the black-robed figure.

The black-robed figure reached up and slowly pulled back his hood...

He was none other than the king of the Dragon Flame Kingdom.

At this, Yin Ye couldn’t help but smile at Sun Shijin. ”Senior Brother Sun, you’ve lived all these years and you’re still not as sharp as Lu Chao. He guessed the Dragon Flame King’s identity immediately, while you were still standing there completely clueless.”

Sun Shijin’s mouth fell open. Of course he recognized the Dragon Flame King; he had just seen him that very day.

He just never, ever expected that the king would come to Dragon Flame Academy dressed in a black robe and following Yin Ye. Even more shocking was that his Martial Arts Realm was so terrifying—no one had ever said the Dragon Flame King was a powerful warrior!

In any case, he also hurriedly paid his respects...

But in the next instant, Sun Shijin’s head shot up as he asked, ”You are... an old disciple of the Azure Flame Sect?”

This was another thing he had never heard before.

Their Dragon Flame King was not only a Martial Arts Powerhouse on par with Dongfang Ren, but also an old disciple of the Azure Flame Sect?

Suddenly, Lu Chao cupped his fist again. ”Lu Chao of the Azure Flame Martial Dao Sect pays his respects to Martial Uncle.”

Lu Chao had been designated by Fan Changcun as the Sect Leader of the Azure Flame Martial Dao Sect, so an old disciple of the Azure Flame Sect was naturally his Martial Uncle.

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Flame King chuckled and looked Lu Chao up and down. ”As expected of the heir to the Soldier Dao Sect chosen by Senior Brother Fan. You’re quite impressive, Nephew Lu. How did you deduce that I was the Dragon Flame King?”

Lu Chao slowly lowered his cupped fist and spoke softly...

”It was just a guess.”

”Marquis Yin would not casually bring a stranger to the rear mountain of Dragon Flame Academy. Even if he had to, he would have informed Elder Sun beforehand. You, Martial Uncle, deliberately concealed your face and had also just fought a bout with Elder Dongfang...”

”You also claimed to be an old disciple of the Azure Flame Sect. Other than the Dragon Flame King, I could not think of anyone else who would fit.”