Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Staring fixedly at the spot where Lu Chao had vanished, Lu Hanyan’s chest rose and fell unevenly.

’I can’t believe I failed. I failed to capture the Fake Lu Chao.’

And with twelve Death Warriors at her command, no less. It was a repeat of that scene before Sword Tooth City—the Fake Lu Chao had terrified all twelve of them with just a mask and a few words, right in front of her eyes.

’How can he be so similar? Is he really the true Lu Chao?’

’Impossible. That’s impossible...’

Lu Hanyan violently dismissed the thought. The facts remained: she had watched with her own eyes as her father’s fingers pierced Lu Chao’s skull. It was she and her brother, Lu Hanyang, who had personally torn his bones out, one by one.

The three of them—father, daughter, and son—had personally extracted his three Heavenly Destiny Saint Bones before grinding his bones to ash and crushing his flesh into a pulp.

’Under those circumstances, there was no chance of survival.’

’Could it be... could his soul have truly become a Fierce Ghost and possessed the body of this Fake Lu Chao?’

Suddenly, Lu Hanyan recalled the eerie words Lu Chao had spoken just before he left. An uncontrollable shudder wracked her heart, and a horrifying chill crept over her entire body.

Fear began to crawl out from the deepest depths of Lu Hanyan’s heart...

’Impossible. I’m just scaring myself. There’s no such thing as a Fierce Ghost in this world.’

’This Fake Lu Chao... he must have been one of the real Lu Chao’s minor soldiers or officers. That’s how he can imitate his tone and mannerisms so well. He must worship the real Lu Chao and want to avenge him...’

The more she thought about it, the more Lu Hanyan felt this was the correct explanation. ’Yes, that must be it.’

The Fake Lu Chao came from Yangzhou City in the Great Wu Empire. The likelihood that he was once one of the real Lu Chao’s subordinates was extremely high.

”That’s right, I need to find Zheng Liling and get the portrait of the Fake Lu Chao’s true face,” Lu Hanyan said under her breath.

However, just as Lu Hanyan made her decision...

”Who are you? And why do you want a portrait of Lu Chao?” A cold voice suddenly boomed.

Lu Hanyan and the twelve Death Warriors shuddered violently. They whipped around to face the newcomer—a middle-aged man approaching with a Giant Halberd strapped to his back.

The man’s face was terrifyingly cold, and he radiated an immensely domineering aura.

This image immediately caused Lu Hanyan’s pupils to shrink. ”From the Dragon Flame Kingdom... Marquis Jilong, Yin Ye,” she said, her voice dripping with ice.

Indeed, the newcomer was none other than Yin Ye, acting on the orders of the Dragon Flame King.

The Dragon Flame King had a bad feeling and had sent him to the Azure Flame Forbidden Land to investigate. Now, he had finally arrived, only to find Lu Hanyan and twelve experts with chilling, sinister auras.

CLANG...

Yin Ye suddenly drew his Heavy Halberd, leveling it at Lu Hanyan. ”Answer me,” he demanded. ”Where is Lu Chao?”

’The Flame King was right. Lu Chao is in danger.’ The thought sent a murderous intent surging through Yin Ye.

”Protect the Young Lady.”

The twelve Death Warriors instantly moved to form a protective circle around Lu Hanyan.

Every one of them stared at Yin Ye, tense and vigilant.

Meanwhile, Lu Hanyan backed away step by step. She suddenly called out toward the Forbidden Land, ”Patriarch Ming, you can bring out Fan Changcun now!”

She hadn’t answered Yin Ye. Instead, she was calling for Ming Huasheng...

Of course, her voice couldn’t penetrate the Barrier of the Forbidden Land’s first level, so Lu Hanyan also made a hand signal she had arranged with Ming Huasheng beforehand.

Her words made Yin Ye’s pupils shrink once more...

”The Patriarch of the Saint Bone Ming Family... Ming Huasheng?” Yin Ye muttered to himself.

The Dragon Flame King had said he thought he saw Ming Huawan in Zheng Liling’s carriage. It seemed he hadn’t been mistaken. ’So Ming Huasheng and this woman snuck into the Beast Flame Forbidden Land to ambush Lu Chao and Fan Changcun.’

Suddenly, Yin Ye sensed something else. His pupils contracted again. ”The Water Chant Saint Bone... you’re Lu Hanyan of Great Wu.”

The Hundred Countries separated the Dragon Flame Kingdom and the Great Wu Empire, so Yin Ye didn’t recognize Lu Hanyan on sight. But he knew that this ”Lu Chao” was, in fact, the true Lu Chao. He also knew that Lu Dingtian’s family had stolen his three Heavenly Destiny Saint Bones.

He even knew which three they were, so by sensing her aura, he identified her in an instant.

”Marquis Jilong, Yin Ye. It seems you know a fair bit about me.”

Lu Hanyan put on a calm facade. ”That’s right, I am Lu Hanyan,” she said lightly. ”I hear you’re good friends with Sun Shijin of the Dragon Flame Academy, aren’t you? Right now, he and Fan Changcun have led Patriarch Ming into the Azure Flame Forbidden Land...”

”And the order I gave Patriarch Ming,” she continued, ”was to kill Sun Shijin.”

The moment she spoke... BOOM!

Marquis Jilong’s True Qi erupted from his body as he stared wildly toward the Forbidden Land.

Seeing his reaction, Lu Hanyan shouted a sharp order to her men, ”If Yin Ye dares to pursue me, hold him back!”

With that, Lu Hanyan immediately turned and fled. She darted into the dense woods surrounding the Forbidden Land, her twelve Death Warriors close behind, all of them on high alert for Yin Ye’s pursuit.

Lu Hanyan knew she couldn’t afford to get tangled up with Yin Ye. Since Ming Huasheng hadn’t appeared right away, she had to retreat.

’Now, we’ll see if Yin Ye chooses to hunt me down or save Sun Shijin...’

Before infiltrating the Beast Flame Forbidden Land, she had naturally done her homework on the Dragon Flame Kingdom and Dragon Flame Academy. Lu Hanyan was well aware that Yin Ye and Sun Shijin were good friends.

This was all to force Yin Ye to rescue Sun Shijin and give up the chase.

Seeing them flee, Yin Ye remained where he stood.

He glanced in the direction Lu Hanyan had fled, then toward the Forbidden Land. Ultimately, he shot toward the Forbidden Land. Sun Shijin was no match for the patriarch of a Saint Bone Family; he was surely in grave danger.

Around him, he could smell the lingering aura of Lu Chao’s Starlit Expanse technique, among others, but he saw no bodies.

Lu Chao had either entered the Forbidden Land or already escaped. Saving a life was the priority. As a master of the Soldier Dao himself, Yin Ye entered the Forbidden Land and was immediately enveloped by the Illusion Realm of the first level.

Meanwhile, deep within the forest, Lu Hanyan’s eyes were grim as she let out a long breath.

’Even with twelve Death Warriors, victory against Yin Ye wouldn’t have been certain.’

Taking a deep breath, Lu Hanyan ordered, ”Send a carrier pigeon to Zheng Liling. Tell him our operation failed. The Fake Lu Chao will soon rejoin the Dragon Flame Academy forces, and Yin Ye has appeared...”

”Also, leave a sign for Patriarch Ming. We’re returning to Great Wu immediately.”

As Lu Hanyan finished speaking...

The leader of the Death Warriors quickly asked, ”Young Lady, are we not going to find Zheng Liling for the portrait of the Fake Lu Chao’s true face?”

The twelve men from the Death Warrior Camp were very concerned about this.

Lu Hanyan shot him a cold glance. ”Get what? Yin Ye is obviously keeping a close watch on Zheng Liling. There could be other experts from the Dragon Flame Kingdom with him. Do you want us to walk into our deaths?”

With that, Lu Hanyan urged her Death Warriors to hurry and carry out her orders.

A carrier pigeon was quickly dispatched, and a sign only Ming Huasheng would understand was left behind. Then, Lu Hanyan departed with her Death Warriors.