Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

At Zheng Liling’s words, Ming Huawan gave a sinister nod.

”I’ve already been in contact with Grand Marshal Lu. For the time being, he has no desire to start a war with the Six Great Flame Countries. On this trip, I will do my best to negotiate with the Six Great Flame Kings and buy you more time...”

The time Ming Huawan spoke of was, of course, to give Zheng Liling an opportunity to gain control of Dragon Flame.

”Then, we’ll launch a pincer attack and carve up the Hundred Countries,” Zheng Liling added, followed by a sinister laugh.

And so, they parted ways...

As he left, Ming Huawan murmured, ”Yi’er, I swear I will take the Fake Lu Chao’s life for you with my own hands.”

Meanwhile, Zheng Liling watched the Great Wu Envoy Team depart, his expression incredibly dark.

’Things really haven’t been going smoothly lately.’

’I have to make a move against the Saint Bone Su Family. I absolutely can’t let them help the Fake Lu Chao... Old Lady Su, that foolish woman, can be used. Su Jueying isn’t happy with the Fake Lu Chao either. I must use that to my advantage.’

’I’ll keep the Saint Bone Su Family’s internal affairs in turmoil.’

’And the Fake Lu Chao’s father-in-law...’

’Hmph. Once I’ve established contact with more Saint Bone Families, I’ll break that so-called agreement not to kill any newly awakened Saint Bones and just kill the Fake Lu Chao’s father-in-law directly.’

Zheng Liling’s purpose in contacting the Great Wu Empire’s Saint Bone Ming Family wasn’t just to collude with the empire.

He also wanted to break the pact between the Six Great Saint Bone Families. He would eliminate Cheng Chuming and, while he was at it, destroy... the Saint Bone Su Family.

As was the rule, the Six Great Saint Bone Families had a pact not to kill any newly awakened Saint Bone, on pain of being attacked by all the others...

But Zheng Liling was determined to kill. The humiliation the Fake Lu Chao had brought upon him had to be repaid.

He nearly lost his mind just thinking about how he, Zheng Liling, had personally sent Cheng Chuming to the Saint Bone Su Family for his awakening.

Of course, for now, it was enough to simply prevent the Saint Bone Su Family from helping the Fake Lu Chao.

As Zheng Liling stood atop the walls of Saint Zheng City, lost in his wild schemes, a subordinate suddenly ran up to report, ”Patriarch, it’s wonderful news!”

Zheng Liling was stunned for a moment, then quickly asked, ”What wonderful news?”

”Zhuhe... h-h-he... his Saint Bone suddenly awakened!” the messenger exclaimed, overcome with excitement.

Instantly...

Zheng Liling froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. He, the family’s current Saint Bone, was still alive, yet a new one had already awakened.

It wasn’t without historical precedent, but it absolutely required immense good fortune.

”Hahaha! The heavens are on my side!” Zheng Liling couldn’t help but roar with laughter, feeling that his great fortune had finally arrived.

With a glint in his eyes, Zheng Liling chuckled. ”The three-academy tournament is in less than four months. We must provide Zhuhe with every resource to improve. He must make a name for himself in a single battle!”

And so, Zheng Liling began to formulate a rigorous training plan for Zheng Zhuhe. At the very least, he could not be allowed to lose at the hands of the Fake Lu Chao.

...

「Great Wu Imperial City, Grand Marshal’s Mansion.」

The aura of the Water Chant Saint Bone billowed from Lu Hanyan’s entire body. After she finished her cultivation, Lu Hanyang slowly approached. ”Sister, a message just arrived from Ming Huawan. Ming Yi... is dead. Killed by the Fake Lu Chao.”

Instantly, Lu Hanyan snapped her head up, her eyes seething with killing intent... CRACK.

The stone slab beneath her feet spiderwebbed with cracks.

Lu Hanyan spoke with biting venom, ”Ming Yi was my most loyal bootlicker, and the Fake Lu Chao actually killed him! For this new grievance and all our old grudges, I will make him pay for everything.”

Her mind flashed back to the scene before the Tiger Flame and Sword Tooth Cities, where the Fake Lu Chao had scared her entire army into a full retreat.

Even now, months later, countless people still mocked her for it.

The voices within the Great Wu Empire opposing her father, Lu Dingtian, constantly used the incident to attack him. Many still said that without the real Lu Chao, the Marshal’s Mansion was worthless—even a fake could scare them into a rout.

Because of this, her father had recently eliminated many people, both openly and in secret, but such talk persisted.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Hanyan asked, ”Brother, is that Fake Lu Chao really a Life-taking Bone?”

Back in Yangzhou City, the City Lord had claimed that the Fake Lu Chao was a Life-taking Bone, so naturally, they had investigated it.

Lu Hanyang shook his head. ”I don’t think so. He was tested during the Hundred Countries’ Beast Flame competition.”

At this, the stone slab beneath Lu Hanyan’s feet cracked violently once more...

”A mere Yangzhou City Lord... how dare he lie to my face and tell me the Fake Lu Chao was a Life-taking Bone.”

”Brother, send men to wipe out the entire family of the former Yangzhou City Lord, Wu Wei!”

Lu Hanyang was happy to indulge his sister in such a trivial matter. He simply smiled and departed...

After the death of the former Yangzhou City Lord, Wu Wei, Lu Chao had spared his family. Now, however, Lu Hanyan wanted them all annihilated, merely because she had been deceived. Even though Wu Wei and his daughter, Wu Xin, had been dead for months, she still insisted on having the rest of their family killed.

In Yangzhou City, many people had already fled due to the chaos of war...

It was only after the war with the Hundred Countries had subsided somewhat that Lu Hanyan had bothered to investigate whether the Fake Lu Chao was truly a Life-taking Bone.

By then, Wu Caicai had already sent people to spread the rumor that Wu Wei and his people had fabricated the Life-taking Bone story to frame Lu Chao. As a result, Lu Hanyan had been uncertain of the truth.

The battle for a spot in the Beast Flame event a month ago had proven that the Fake Lu Chao possessed the Bone of Myriad Stars...

’The three-academy tournament...’

’This time, it’s the Great Wu Empire’s turn to choose the battlefield. In that case, let’s hold it at the foot of my dear brother Lu Chao’s Blood Stele.’

Suddenly, Lu Hanyan let out a sinister, shrill laugh.

She then went to find her father, Lu Dingtian, to officially set the location for the three-academy tournament.

...

「A few days later, at Dragon Flame Academy...」

Wu Caicai found Lu Chao, a dark look on her face. ”Hero Lu, even though my third uncle tried to persuade him, my father is still unwilling to let me stay at Dragon Flame Academy. He’s insisting that I return home.”

”It must be my second uncle and Wu Yiyi, filling his head with lies...”

”They even said that if I don’t go back, my mother will be punished.”

Even though Wu Caicai had already joined Dragon Flame Academy, she was still in the habit of calling Lu Chao ”Hero Lu.”

Lu Chao frowned. After a moment of contemplation, he chuckled softly...

”Go find your third uncle, Witch Ying. Show him your current strength and bring this Martial Technique with you. Tell him it’s a down payment from me to your father—a down payment for you to join Dragon Flame Academy.”

As he spoke, Lu Chao wrote out the manual for a Martial Technique on the spot and handed it to Wu Caicai...

Wu Caicai accepted the manual and softly read the title: ”Wolf King, Sword Mountain Sword!”

She blinked...

’What kind of Martial Technique is this? The name is so strange. Why have I never heard of it?’

Of course she hadn’t; Lu Chao had created it himself.

It was a Sword Technique he had created by fusing the external Heavenly Bones he had absorbed: the Wolf Fang Bone, the Splitting Wind Wolf King Bone, and the Sword Mountain Bone.

As for the name, Lu Chao had chosen it at random...

”Oh, and given your third uncle’s obsession with money, he won’t necessarily help you for free.”

”So tell him I want to continue hiring Iron Shield...”

”I can help Iron Shield become a Top-level Heavenly Bone and reach the Innate Ninth Layer within three months.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Caicai’s eyes lit up. She took the Martial Technique from Lu Chao and hurried off.

After nearly ten days of cultivation in the Divine Bone Nine Sons Array, Wu Caicai’s progress had been incredibly fast. She would astonish her third uncle. More importantly, she would tempt him into having Iron Shield join Dragon Flame Academy once more.