Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

”That’s right. If your army insists on a fight to the death, I’ll simply go and strike a deal with Zheng Liling.”

”Ha, hahaha...”

Having spoken, Nan Zhuiming roared with laughter.

It was as if reaching the Peak Eighth Layer gave him license to do as he pleased. And he wasn’t bluffing. If Lu Chao and his army dared to fight to the death, the Nanye Dynasty would indeed launch a full-scale invasion of the Dragon Flame Kingdom.

The Nanye Dynasty would ally with Zheng Liling, and then negotiate with the Six Great Flame Countries as well.

And the Dragon Flame Kingdom wouldn’t stand a chance against such an assault...

Lu Chao, however, was unfazed.

He gently handed the injured Dongfang Ren to Dean Jiang beside him, then replied coolly, ”Patriarch Nan, if you’re only at the Peak Realm Eighth Layer, then you don’t have the right to be so domineering.”

At these words...

Nan Zhuiming just sneered and retorted, ”Oh? If I don’t have the right to be domineering, then who does?”

With a faint smile, Lu Chao replied, ”Martial Uncle, you just had your breakthrough last night, and today an opponent has delivered himself to your doorstep.”

As his voice fell, Nan Zhuiming froze, his brows knitting together. ’Martial Uncle?’

The next moment... THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

A masked figure slowly emerged from the ranks of the soldiers. It was, of course, the Dragon Flame King.

He walked forward, one step at a time. Each footfall unleashed an incredibly domineering True Qi that seemed to make the very earth tremble. A violent, searing wave of True Qi blasted toward the arrogant Nan Zhuiming.

The latter’s pupils contracted violently as he cried out in disbelief, ”Peak Realm... Ninth Layer?”

The masked Dragon Flame King stopped. He spoke in a cold voice, ”Nan Zhuiming, my martial nephew Lu Chao was right—you don’t have the right to be so domineering. You want to kill my martial nephew? What a joke. Now, face my sword.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Dragon Flame King raised his sword and unleashed the Azure Flame Rising Dragon Sword.

Domineering and powerful, the attack carried a vast sword intent as it shot straight toward Nan Zhuiming. Recovering from his shock, Nan Zhuiming frantically drew his own sword to meet it, but the moment they clashed... SPURT!

He was sent flying by the Azure Flame Rising Dragon Sword. He was now on the receiving end of the same kind of blow he had just dealt to Dongfang Ren.

He was thrown back with such force that he crashed into his Rhino Beast before finally coming to a halt.

Nan Zhuiming’s sword hand trembled, and the True Qi coursing through him was in disarray. His eyes were wide with disbelief. ”Who are you? How can there be someone in this region with a higher cultivation realm than mine?”

His current pathetic state was a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance.

The Dragon Flame King, of course, had no intention of introducing himself. The whole point of the mask was to conceal his identity.

He simply spoke with immense dominance, ”Nan Zhuiming, get to the site of the Three-Academy Tournament now, or I will annihilate all of you.”

However arrogant Nan Zhuiming had been before, the Dragon Flame King was now twice as domineering.

Lu Chao then spoke again, his voice calm. ”All soldiers, on my command! Nock your arrows and take aim at everyone from the Nanye Dynasty...”

At his command, the soldiers drew their powerful bows in unison. The arrowheads glinted with a cold light, all of them aimed at the Rhino Beasts.

In that instant, the scene froze.

Nan Zhuiming glared daggers at the masked Dragon Flame King, then at Lu Chao. His voice was furious. ”Fake Lu Chao, did you not hear me? If you insist on this fight to the death, then the Dragon Flame Kingdom...”

Before he could finish, Lu Chao cut him off sharply. ”We’ll deal with the consequences. But you won’t be around to see them. You’ll all die right here.”

Nan Zhuiming trembled, his eyes blazing with fury...

His earlier confidence had stemmed from the belief that he could kill Lu Chao in an instant.

But that was impossible now. The other side had a supreme expert at the Peak of the Peak Realm. Facing a massive army without the leverage of being able to assassinate Lu Chao, he stood no chance of winning.

At this thought, his gaze shifted back to the masked Dragon Flame King. ”Just who... are you?”

The Dragon Flame King merely offered a cold smile...

”If anyone from Dragon Flame Academy is harmed in any way before the tournament, I’ll hold you, Nan Zhuiming, personally responsible.”

”I will march directly into the Nanye Dynasty and take the Emperor of Nanye’s worthless life.”

He couldn’t accompany Lu Chao to the tournament grounds, so he had to make a serious threat.

To everyone watching, it seemed entirely plausible that an expert at the Peak of the Peak Realm could infiltrate the Nanye Imperial Palace and assassinate the Emperor of Nanye.

With that said, the Dragon Flame King turned and headed back toward the old site of the Azure Flame Sect.

Nan Zhuiming’s fists clenched and unclenched, clenched and unclenched. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, ”We’re... leaving!”

Outmatched in cultivation and outnumbered in troops, he truly had no right to act domineering any longer.

Just as the Rhino Beasts began to turn and leave, and just as the previously smug Guan Zanyi was about to scramble onto one to make his escape, Lu Chao’s cold voice rang out again. ”The people of Nanye may leave, but Guan Zanyi stays!”

At these words, Guan Zanyi’s whole body trembled, and he whipped his head around.

With a THUD, he dropped to his knees. ”Patriarch Nan, you have to save me!”

An endless chill filled his heart, and he was terrified beyond measure. He roared internally, ’Why does this Fake Lu Chao have an expert stronger than Nan Zhuiming with him? Where in the hell did he come from?’

Nan Zhuiming turned back, his gaze cold as he looked at Lu Chao. ”Fake Lu Chao, you’re dreaming...”

He would never hand over Guan Zanyi. It wasn’t that he cared whether Guan Zanyi lived or died—but face was paramount.

Lu Chao’s response, however, was simple: ”All archers, hear my order! At Guan Zanyi... fire!”

The order was given. The archers all took aim at Guan Zanyi, and without a moment’s pause, let loose a sky-filling volley of arrows.

Because Lu Chao’s command had been to fire immediately, not merely to take aim...

”You bastard! How dare you!”

Seeing this, Nan Zhuiming flew into a rage. He instantly appeared in front of Guan Zanyi, unleashing waves of True Qi to bat away the incoming arrows. But there were too many of them, a relentless, frenzied barrage.

Even Nan Zhuiming couldn’t possibly block them all...

Just then, Lu Chao drew his own bow. He aimed in Nan Zhuiming’s direction... TWANG!

An arrow shot forth!

Lu Chao’s arrow weaved through the endless volley.

It reached Nan Zhuiming in the blink of an eye. As he was busy swatting away the other arrows, Lu Chao’s arrow suddenly split in two. Nan Zhuiming batted one half away, but the other shot past under his arm... THWACK!

The sound of an arrow finding its mark came from behind Nan Zhuiming, followed by Guan Zanyi’s pained cry. ”AHH!”

Nan Zhuiming shuddered and glanced back instinctively...

He saw an arrow embedded in Guan Zanyi’s shoulder, blood gushing from the wound. But after just one glance, he was forced to turn back and deal with the relentless assault of arrows... THWIP! THWIP! THWIP!

By now, he could no longer deflect them all. Several arrows sliced through his robes with audible rips.

In the next instant, Lu Chao shouted, ”Halt!”

The archers ceased their fire. Lu Chao looked at the disheveled Nan Zhuiming. ”Patriarch Nan,” he asked, ”shall we continue?”