Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

’He’s alive. Lu Chao came down from the arena to save me.’

At this moment, Wu Zhiqiu felt as if he had just walked the line between life and death. He was overcome with emotion.

But Lu Chao merely gave a slight nod. Without turning his head, he said, ”Your Highness, thank you for clearing my so-called crimes. As long as I live, I will see you safely back to the Great Wu Imperial City.”

After speaking, Lu Chao looked at Lu Dingtian’s men before him. ”I truly don’t want to cross swords with you. After all, we once fought side by side. Now that you know what happened to me, are you still going to follow Lu Dingtian?”

Several of Lu Dingtian’s subordinates exchanged glances, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

A Death Warrior expert stepped forward and replied, ”First Young Master, make your move.”

They dared not disobey Lu Dingtian’s orders. Some had family in Lu Dingtian’s grasp, while others had been sworn to serve him since childhood. Deep in their hearts, they feared Lu Dingtian too much to even think of wavering.

Lu Chao’s ordeal and Lu Dingtian’s heartlessness toward his own eldest son sent a chill through their hearts.

But it wasn’t enough to make them betray Lu Dingtian.

Lu Chao took a deep breath and nodded. ”Fine.”

The word had barely left his lips... VMM!

True Qi erupted from Lu Chao’s entire body. Fire Roaring emanated from one hand, Water Chant from the other, while the aura of his Star Divine Bone pulsed from his chest.

He charged forward with explosive force!

The current Lu Chao was already at the Third Layer of the True Fate Realm. Even he hadn’t expected such a massive breakthrough when the two Saint Bones returned to him; he had thought he would need to continue cultivating from a lower level.

But the two Heavenly Destiny Saint Bones had belonged to Lu Chao from the start.

Even though they had been stolen by Lu Hanyang and Lu Hanyan and fused with their power, the moment they returned to Lu Chao’s body, they still unleashed their original strength.

They were driving Lu Chao to recover his former realm...

When Lu Chao was killed by Lu Dingtian, his cultivation was at the True Fate Sixth Layer. He wasn’t even twenty years old at the time—a terrifying talent in this part of the world. One must not forget that even Sun Shijin was only at the True Fate Ninth Layer.

It was precisely because Lu Chao was improving too quickly that Lu Dingtian had struck so ruthlessly, fearing he would lose control of his son if he waited any longer.

Now, Lu Chao’s two Heavenly Destiny Saint Bones blasted out True Qi of two different attributes. The Star Violent Divine Bone within his Life-taking Star-devouring Bone then ignited the power of the two Saint Bones, making them even stronger and more explosive.

In an instant, Lu Chao was in front of several of Lu Dingtian’s Death Warriors...

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

He took them down one by one with a single punch each. They were sent flying, spitting blood, and crashed directly into the chaotic crowd, letting out miserable screams.

But Lu Chao didn’t press his advantage to land a killing blow. Instead, he looked at Wu Zhiqiu and said, ”Your Highness, go now!”

Wu Zhiqiu immediately snapped to his senses. Hurriedly protected by several guards, he rushed toward Dean Jiang and the others.

But he quickly turned back and shouted, ”General Lu Chao, be careful!”

He noticed that Lu Chao hadn’t left; he remained where he was.

Another expert was charging over. This time, the aura was that of the True Fate Realm Peak—it was Lu Dingtian’s strongest Death Warrior.

Lu Chao’s expression was glacial. He replied without turning his head, ”Go now...”

After those two words, the True Qi in Lu Chao’s body erupted once more.

He then snatched a long spear and, staring at Lu Dingtian’s strongest approaching Death Warrior, said, ”Uncle Mie, take this!”

Lu Chao was all too familiar with Lu Dingtian’s men...

The True Fate Realm Peak expert before him was the Commander of Lu Dingtian’s Death Warrior Camp, named Lu Mei.

Lu Chao had always called him Uncle Mie!

At this moment, Lu Mei stared intently at Lu Chao. A murderous aura exploded from his body as he said, ”First Young Master, the last time we fought, you were at the True Fate Sixth Layer and fought me to a draw. Now, you are only at the True Fate Third Layer...”

The words had barely left his lips... CLANG! CLANG!

The two instantly clashed in mid-air. Spear met sword, sending sparks flying.

Lu Chao was thrown back by the impact, but he replied in a low voice, ”Uncle Mie, last time, I hadn’t died yet. This time, I have.”

As he spoke, he combined the Violent Celestial Soldier Slash with Fire Roaring and Water Chant, unleashing a flurry of devastating slashes.

The Life-taking Star-devouring Bone continuously pulsed with True Qi, flooding his entire body. Lu Chao’s and Lu Mei’s True Qi clashed violently... but Lu Mei was too strong. He wasn’t just any True Fate Peak expert; he was the Commander of the Death Warrior Camp.

The number of experts at the same level who had died at his hands was unknown. As a result, Lu Chao was forced back with every blow.

There was still a gap between their True Qi, a difference of six layers.

「Before he knew it...」

Lu Chao was knocked back, landing in front of Dean Jiang and the people from Dragon Flame and the Beast Flame Outer Courtyard.

By now, Wu Zhiqiu had also been brought into the group by Yu Fei and the others. At the same time, Dean Jiang shouted heavily, ”Draw your bows!”

The moment Lu Chao was knocked back before the Dragon Flame group, everyone had already drawn their bows and aimed their arrows at Lu Mei.

This forced Lu Mei to a halt.

Lu Chao and Lu Mei stood more than ten meters apart, their eyes meeting. At this moment, Lu Chao lightly cupped his fist. ”Uncle Mie, thank you.”

In response, Lu Mei’s body trembled slightly. He replied in a low voice, ”I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

After saying this, Lu Mei turned and retreated.

He called out in Lu Dingtian’s direction, ”Marshal, Wu Zhiqiu is being protected by Dragon Flame Academy! The traitor Lu Chao rescued him.”

Watching Lu Mei retreat into the distance, Lu Chao’s expression flickered with complex emotions...

’Lu Mei just held back against me. He deliberately knocked me back to the Dragon Flame Academy group. Otherwise, with the terrifying assassination techniques of the Death Warrior Camp, he wouldn’t have been so easy to deal with.’

A faint ripple stirred in his heart...

An indescribable bitterness filled Lu Chao’s heart, but he finally shouted loudly, ”Elder Dongfang, Marquis Yin, Elder Sun... fall back and regroup!”

As Lu Chao’s words echoed, Dongfang Ren immediately ceased his engagement with Lu Dingtian, and the others also quickly retreated.

Yin Ye and Witch Ying joined forces, leading their subordinates in a frantic retreat toward Lu Chao...

Seeing this, Lu Chao commanded again, ”Archers, covering fire!”

Everyone from Dragon Flame and the Beast Flame Outer Courtyard, including Sky Cliff Chi Yun and the other geniuses from the Small Kingdoms, immediately let their arrows fly.

They provided cover for Dongfang Ren’s group’s retreat, as well as for the return of the eleven Dragon Flame geniuses, including Cheng Yunsu. That group of eleven was being hunted by Zheng Liling, Nan Zhuiming, and their men.

But with the cover of the arrows, the pursuers, including Lu Dingtian, were immediately forced to a halt.

In that moment, all the experts from Dragon Flame and the Hundred Countries’ side returned to Lu Chao’s side.

In that moment, everyone was gathered together.

Meanwhile, the group from the Southern Dynasty Imperial Court, led by Nan Zhuiming; the group from the Beast Flame Inner Courtyard, led by Zheng Liling; the group from the Hundred Flames Trading Company, led by Wu Tong and Wu Ye; and the group from the Great Wu Empire, led by Lu Dingtian...

...all gathered as well, pressing in toward Lu Chao’s group.

Each faction had its experts, but Lu Chao’s side only had one person at the Peak Realm, Dongfang Ren. On the surface, they seemed much weaker than their opponents.

But fortunately...

All the students of Dragon Flame Academy were present—more than two thousand of them.

Adding Yin Ye’s several hundred elite subordinates, plus the deans and students from the various Small Kingdoms, their numbers and momentum were not to be underestimated. At the very least, the gap between their total strength and that of the opposing factions combined was not that large.

Why had he brought so many people here from the very beginning? It was, of course, Lu Chao’s intention.

At this time, Lu Chao stepped forward and declared, ”Lu Dingtian, by trying to kill the Second Prince, you have committed treason.”