Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG...

Lu Chao stabbed at Ming Yi, one strike after another. Ming Yi, who had only just calmed himself, was instantly put on the defensive, able to do nothing but parry.

Mere moments later, Ming Yi’s sword was sent flying, and Lu Chao’s blade was already pressed against his neck.

The scene seemed to freeze in that instant. Ming Yi of the Great Martial Saint Bone Ming Family... was defeated.

Just then, Lu Chao’s voice drifted out from beneath his mask. ”I hear... you want my head?”

The mask gave Lu Chao’s voice a mechanical quality. Imbued with the properties of the Star Slaying Sword Bone, his voice sounded like that of a terrifying Demon, sending a chill down the spines of the countless onlookers...

In that instant, Ming Huawan’s heart pounded and his expression twisted in horror. He suddenly screamed, ”Fake Lu Chao, stop!”

’He’s going to kill him! He’s going to kill Ming Yi!’ The chill in his heart told Ming Huawan exactly what was about to happen.

Without a second thought, Ming Huawan burst from the mission’s carriage... but he was too late. With a casual sweep, Lu Chao drew the sword across Ming Yi’s neck.

With a sickening sound, Ming Yi’s head separated from his body and flew high into the air.

Lu Chao swatted it, sending it flying directly toward Ming Huawan.

The man’s eyes bulged in horror as he subconsciously caught Ming Yi’s head, warm blood gushing over his hands.

Ming Huawan trembled violently, his heart threatening to burst from his chest.

’He’s dead. Ming Yi was actually killed...’

Lu Chao stared down at Ming Yi’s corpse. ”Ming Yi, from now on, you won’t be having any more nightmares.”

With that, Lu Chao turned to Ming Huawan and continued, ”From the moment you proposed to take my head, you should have known to wash your own necks and wait.”

Lu Chao’s voice was cold and imperious.

Ming Huawan’s teeth ground together with an audible crunch as he suddenly roared, ”Fake Lu Chao, I will tear you into ten thousand pieces!”

Tossing Ming Yi’s head back toward his carriage, Ming Huawan charged at Lu Chao...

But... BOOM! BOOM!

Two figures appeared in an instant—none other than Sun Shijin and Marquis Longyin. They immediately intercepted Ming Huawan, and Sun Shijin sent him staggering back with a single punch...

Immediately after, more figures rushed out one after another.

They were the elite guards from the Royal Palace.

Ming Huawan staggered back several steps, glaring daggers at Sun Shijin and Marquis Longyin. His gaze shifted to Lu Chao, now surrounded by guards, before finally settling back on Marquis Longyin. ”How dare you! We are envoys of the Great Wu Empire!”

Hearing this, Lu Chao took a step forward.

”If you’re an envoy, you should act like one.”

”Coming to our turf and acting so arrogantly, spouting such nonsense... You’re just asking to die.”

”Seeking out Zheng Liling first—that was also asking for death.”

”Killing Ming Yi today was just a small warning. If you want to keep this up, we will annihilate your entire mission right here in the Dragon Flame Royal Capital... Now, get the hell out of the Dragon Flame Kingdom. You are not welcome here.”

Lu Chao’s voice thundered across the square, causing countless onlookers to clench their fists in solidarity.

Ming Huawan gritted his teeth. He ignored Lu Chao and turned back to Marquis Longyin. ”We are the Great Wu Empire. I am from a Saint Bone Family.”

Marquis Longyin gave a cold smile. ”The Great Wu Empire? Is that supposed to be frightening? Why don’t you try conquering the Tiger Flame Kingdom first? On the soil of the Dragon Flame Kingdom, you have no right to throw your weight around... Now scram!”

At that, Ming Huawan stumbled back several steps...

His confidence stemmed from the power of the Great Wu Empire and, of course, from the presence of Zheng Liling, the Patriarch of the Saint Bone Zheng Family.

But it seemed neither mattered here.

No...

Ming Huawan couldn’t let it go. He suddenly called out, ”Patriarch Zheng, please speak a word of justice for us!”

’I have to drag Zheng Liling into this. I have to regain some face. I have to avenge Ming Yi!’

Inside his carriage, the corner of Zheng Liling’s mouth twitched. He didn’t want to reveal himself just yet, but now he had to... not only because Ming Huawan had called him out, but also because they had already agreed to cooperate.

Taking a shallow breath, Zheng Liling stepped out of his carriage...

He cast a cold gaze over Lu Chao, Marquis Longyin, and the others. ”Marquis Longyin, you’ve gone too far,” he said coolly. ”If the Great Wu Empire joins forces with the Six Great Flame Countries, our Dragon Flame Kingdom will be in grave danger... Now, you must atone for your mistake.”

A sharp glint flashed in Marquis Longyin’s eyes as he retorted, ”And how do we do that?”

Zheng Liling extended a finger and pointed at Lu Chao. ”Hand the Fake Lu Chao over to Elder Huawan for punishment. That will suffice.”

He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world, completely disregarding his surroundings as he stated his domineering demand.

This just went to show how domineering Zheng Liling was, and how terrifying the power he wielded must be.

To put it bluntly, he wasn’t the least bit afraid of angering the Dragon Flame King and his court. In truth, all pretenses had long been dropped. For days, the factions had been fighting tooth and nail in the shadows; otherwise, the Great Wu Mission would never have come to insult the entire Dragon Flame Kingdom in the first place.

However, Marquis Longyin only sneered...

”Patriarch Zheng, don’t forget you are a man of Dragon Flame. Have you already knelt to the Great Wu Empire?”

”When Ming Yi called our young generation trash, you didn’t lift a finger. Now that Lu Chao has won back our honor, all you can talk about is atonement and fear. I’m starting to think you don’t have a Saint Bone.”

”You must have... no spine at all!”

Those words instantly made Zheng Liling’s expression freeze over. It was a vicious insult, delivered without a single curse.

But a moment later, he adopted a grave and meaningful tone. ”As I said, if the Fake Lu Chao is not dealt with, the Great Wu Empire might just join forces with the Six Great Flame Countries. Are you trying to plunge Dragon Flame into a massive crisis?”

Zheng Zhuhe jumped down from his carriage as well, chiming in, ”Exactly! And don’t forget the Nanye Dynasty is also watching us like a tiger stalking its prey.”

In response, Marquis Longyin’s expression hardened as he continued to verbally tear into Zheng Liling...

At that moment, however, Lu Chao simply shook his head and turned to leave.

’His part in this was over.’

’He had come here to represent the young generation of the Dragon Flame Kingdom, to cut down the insufferably arrogant Ming Yi, to assert Dragon Flame’s might, and to slap the Saint Bone Zheng Family in the face once more... As for the aftermath, Marquis Longyin and the others would handle it.’

But just as he was turning to leave, Ming Huawan shouted again, ”Fake Lu Chao, you stop right there!”

Lu Chao glanced back over his shoulder. ”Ming Huawan, take a message back for me. Tell Lu Dingtian... whether I’m the real Lu Chao or the fake one, it doesn’t matter. Since I go by the name Lu Chao, I’m coming for him.”

With that, Lu Chao strode away, and the others from Dragon Flame Academy quickly followed.

As for Ming Huawan, he was naturally blocked by Marquis Longyin and his men, left with nothing to do but hurl all manner of curses and threats.

But soon, Ming Huawan’s voice was drowned out by the roar of the crowd. They shouted for the mission to get out of Dragon Flame, and many jeered at the man, mocking how arrogant Ming Yi had been just moments before he became a headless corpse.

「And just like that...」

Lu Chao and his group returned to Dragon Flame Academy, where he once again led the new Nine Sons of Dragon Flame in activating the Divine Bone Nine Sons Array.

They ignored everything else, focusing only on their frenzied Cultivation.