Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Witch Ying and his daughter said their goodbyes and left their temporary residence at the Beast Flame Outer Courtyard. They exchanged glances of dismay as they walked.

They couldn’t help but shiver violently again.

After walking for a while, Wu Fenyu asked, ”Father, how did Lu Chao come back to life? Don’t tell me he’s really possessed by an Evil Ghost?”

Witch Ying paused at this, then shook his head...

”I once read a certain wondrous ancient text that recorded many legends.”

”Legend says there are unique Heavenly Destiny Bones that can regenerate the flesh. Legend says souls can possess the corpses of others. And legend says terrifyingly powerful experts can allow someone to be reborn from flames.”

”Perhaps Lu Chao is one of these cases.”

”Perhaps he isn’t the real Lu Chao, but one of Lu Chao’s former subordinates who used some method to alter his appearance to match.”

”But real or fake, his abilities are undeniable.”

As Witch Ying spoke, Wu Fenyu nodded gravely, her heart calming considerably.

Lu Chao’s performance during the second Chaotic Hundred Countries period was astonishing. It seemed he was merely causing chaos, but he had actually fought a war of conquest for the Dragon Flame Kingdom, single-handedly shattering all the plans of the Saint Bone Zheng Family.

”Father, First Uncle and Second Uncle probably hate our guts now,” Wu Fenyu said softly.

A cold smile touched the corner of Witch Ying’s mouth. ”Your first uncle is a muddle-headed fool, and your second uncle is truly wicked. But as long as Lu Chao wins the Three Academies’ Tournament, I will become the one in charge of the Hundred Flames Trading Company.”

”And if Lu Chao loses, we will still be in charge, because Yin Ye will not be defeated.”

”The Hundred Countries are now under the Dragon Flame’s rule.”

At this, a brilliant light flashed in Wu Fenyu’s eyes.

Yin Ye and the Dragon Flame Kingdom now had Fan Changcun. The Six Great Flame Kings had all become royal hostages in the Dragon Flame Kingdom. Neither Great Wu nor Nanye could even dream of invading the Hundred Countries, which were now impenetrable.

...

「At the Yanwu Battlefield, in the Great Wu Empire’s military encampment...」

Late at night, Lu Hanyang, Lu Dingkong, and the others hurried back, entering the Grand Marshal’s Soldier Hall.

Just then, Lu Hanyan stretched lazily and walked in. When she saw her brother and her uncle, she quickly asked, ”Brother, why are you all back? Perfect timing, I’ve finally reached the True Fate Realm.”

Just as she had declared outside the old site of the Azure Flame Sect, Lu Hanyan had dedicated herself to cultivation upon her return and had finally achieved the True Fate Realm.

However, Lu Hanyang was in no mood to discuss this. Instead, he asked, ”Hanyan, has Father arrived yet?”

Lu Dingtian was planning to attend the Three Academies’ Tournament as a spectator.

Lu Hanyan was taken aback. ”I don’t think so. Brother, what’s wrong with you?”

Beside them, Lu Dingkong quickly took out a portrait of Lu Chao. ”Hanyan, look... This is a portrait of the Fake Lu Chao, drawn by a student from the Beast Flame Inner Courtyard. I’m afraid the ’Fake’ Lu Chao is the real one.”

BZZZZ...

Lu Hanyan’s mind was instantly buzzing. She snatched the portrait, her entire body trembling violently. ”Impossible! He can’t have come back from the dead! Could he really have become a Fierce Ghost and returned?”

Then, Lu Hanyang and Lu Dingkong recounted what had happened at the Blood Stele.

When she learned that Lu Chao had displayed five of Great Wu’s top ten Martial Techniques, Lu Hanyan’s face grew even paler. She trembled as she said, ”Are you saying that after that wretched cur Lu Chao possessed some corpse, he can also change the corpse’s appearance?”

As she spoke, her eyes remained fixed on the portrait. She could almost confirm that this was the real Lu Chao.

Just as Lu Hanyang, his sister, and the others were reeling in fear and confusion...

A deep, heavy voice suddenly rang out from outside the hall. ”Don’t scare yourselves. That wretched cur, Lu Chao, can’t possibly have come back to life.”

The siblings and Lu Dingkong snapped their heads up to look outside the hall, where they saw a tall, middle-aged man striding toward them.

”Father...”

Lu Hanyang and his sister hurried forward. The tall, middle-aged man who entered was, of course, Lu Dingtian.

He looked at the two siblings and declared adamantly, ”I’ve already received a report about what happened at the Blood Stele. That wretched cur is long dead, dead as can be. The Fake Lu Chao is just that—fake. There’s no possibility he’s real.”

Everyone looked at Lu Dingtian. ’How can he be so certain?’

”You all saw the state of that wretched cur’s corpse. How could he possibly be resurrected? And there’s no such thing as Fierce Ghosts.”

”This is just one of Fan Changcun’s petty, deceptive tricks.”

Lu Hanyang and his sister exchanged glances. Their father’s words instantly calmed their hearts.

Lu Dingkong immediately stepped forward and asked, ”Grand Marshal, what do you mean by that?”

Lu Dingtian swept his gaze over everyone present and began to speak in a grim tone...

”Two hundred years ago, the Azure Flame Sect was like a Holy Land Immortal Land. And regardless of whether it’s Great Wu, Nanye, or the Hundred Countries, almost all Martial Techniques originated from the Azure Flame Sect.”

”As Fan Changcun’s disciple or confidant, it’s perfectly normal for the Fake Lu Chao to know any number of Martial Techniques.”

”Don’t be fooled by the Fake Lu Chao’s skill in warfare. Don’t forget that behind him stands Fan Changcun. All of this is undoubtedly part of Fan Changcun’s scheme...”

Pausing, Lu Dingtian walked to the head of the hall and slowly began to explain...

”From the very first time the Fake Lu Chao scared off our troops, it was all part of Fan Changcun’s plan. He deliberately used the Fake Lu Chao’s name to sow chaos in this region, creating an opportunity for the Azure Flame Sect to be revived.”

Everyone’s gazes froze, their faces still full of confusion.

Lu Dingtian continued...

”First, the Fake Lu Chao appeared. Then, the Fake Lu Chao instigated the first Chaotic Hundred Countries period. After that, the Fake Lu Chao conquered Dragon Flame Academy.”

”And after that... at Beast Flame Academy, the Fake Lu Chao struck down the academies of the Seven Great Flame Countries, led by Zheng Liling. He then flamboyantly initiated the second Chaotic Hundred Countries period and conquered the Hundred Countries. Finally, he has arrived at the Three Academies’ Tournament.”

”As long as he wins the Three Academies’ Tournament, the Fake Lu Chao will be completely famous, and he can then grandly announce the re-establishment of the Azure Flame Sect.”

Lu Hanyang, Lu Hanyan, and the others mulled over their father’s words...

This was exactly the trajectory of the Fake Lu Chao’s rise.

If they thought about it with Fan Changcun as the mastermind, everything did indeed become clear.

Fan Changcun had introduced a Fake Lu Chao and then laid out his plans step by step until now. To put it bluntly, Fan Changcun was manufacturing a hero.

Using this Dragon Flame hero to control the Hundred Countries and then re-establish the Azure Flame Sect.

However, Lu Dingkong asked in confusion, ”But Grand Marshal, if Fan Changcun wanted to create a hero, why bother putting forth a fake Lu Chao?”

A sinister, terrifying light flashed in Lu Dingtian’s eyes...

”What he wants to create is... the *real* Lu Chao.”

”Tell me, if the real Lu Chao came back from the dead and ultimately won the Three Academies’ Tournament, what would happen in the Great Wu Empire? Countless people would surely curse us...”

”A great number of people would emerge, wanting to welcome back the real Lu Chao. And then the Great Wu Empire, too, would gradually fall into the hands of the Azure Flame Sect.”

As soon as these words were spoken, shocked and furious expressions appeared on the faces of Lu Hanyang, Lu Hanyan, and everyone else.

Lu Dingkong muttered to himself...

”I understand. Fan Changcun’s ambition isn’t just to re-establish the Azure Flame Sect. He wants to turn the Azure Flame Sect back into the kind of Holy Land Immortal Land it was two hundred years ago? He wants everyone in this entire region to worship it?”

Instantly, everyone present exchanged glances, murderous intent surging in their eyes.

’Isn’t Fan Changcun’s ambition a bit too grand?’

But then, Lu Hanyang asked again, ”But Father, how do you explain the Fake Lu Chao’s appearance?”