Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Lu Chao’s words caused everyone’s expressions to turn grave, and the atmosphere instantly became suffocatingly tense.

That’s right. Whether it was letting Yan Mu go before or using his life to lure away Mo Jing now, these were all temporary fixes, not a real solution. They were only meant to buy time.

They were desperate attempts to find a path to survival for the Azure Flame Domain.

Even if they took out Lu Dingtian and Nan Zhuiming and unified the Azure Flame Domain, they would still be helpless against the Cyan Sword Great Empire.

Defeating Yan Mu might be simple, but there would be even more powerful Cyan Sword Powerhouses to take his place...

”That Mo Jing is clearly just a servant of Yan Mu’s family.”

Cheng Yunsu stepped forward to add, ”A mere servant is already this terrifying. If Yan Mu’s entire family were to mobilize, or if the Cyan Sword Great Empire dispatched its main army, the Azure Flame Domain would be conquered sooner or later.”

Everyone held their breath, nodding solemnly...

In terms of the strength of their powerhouses, the size of their armies, and even the expanse of their lands, they were inferior to the Cyan Sword Great Empire in every way. This wasn’t a situation one person could change.

”It’s not impossible for one person to change things. This is the Heavenly Destiny World.”

Lu Chao continued, ”This is a world where the strong reign supreme, a world of Martial Arts Powerhouses. If one person could reach a realm that transcends all else, the Cyan Sword Great Empire wouldn’t dare to act rashly—just like with the Azure Flame Sect of the past.”

Two hundred years ago, the overall quality of the Azure Flame Sect’s powerhouses surpassed that of the Cyan Sword Great Empire.

That’s why the latter could only resort to sneak attacks; they didn’t dare take a single step into our territory.

Just look at the Green Bone Palace, which is above them both. A single decree from them was enough to keep the Cyan Sword Great Empire from setting foot in the Azure Flame Domain for two hundred years.

”If we really can’t contact the Green Bone Palace...”

”Or, even if we do contact them, the Green Bone Palace might ignore the Azure Flame Domain’s plight. In that case, there is still one other path.”

”That path is for one person from our Azure Flame Domain to achieve an absolute Martial Arts Realm, one powerful enough to deter the Cyan Sword Great Empire from making any rash moves.”

”To clear this second path quickly, our only hope is the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land.”

By breaching the first six floors of the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land, they had found many treasures in the space behind the 6th Floor. These treasures allowed the Dragon Flame King to reach the Peak of the Peak Realm and helped Luo Wendeng, Wu Caicai, and others advance to the Star Saint Bone level.

There must be even more treasures on the seventh floor and beyond...

Everyone nodded solemnly, their gazes all fixed on Lu Chao. The only person capable of reaching a realm powerful enough to suppress the Cyan Sword Great Empire in such a short time was, without a doubt, Lu Chao.

Yin Ye said gravely, ”Lu Chao, I will leave Lu Dingtian for you...”

He accepted Lu Chao’s plan.

Afterward, Lu Chao began making more detailed arrangements, accounting for possibilities such as Zheng Liling having his realm boosted by Mo Jing and, in his desperation, returning to the Dragon Flame Kingdom to wreak havoc.

Once all the arrangements were settled, the group prepared to part ways.

Suddenly... COO.

A carrier pigeon landed on Yin Ye’s hand.

Yin Ye immediately unfolded the attached letter and announced, ”Lu Chao, the Dragon Flame King has broken through again and reached the Creation Realm! Marshal Fan also sent more of his insights on the Soldier Dao related to the Forbidden Land’s seventh floor...”

As he spoke, Yin Ye immediately took a small booklet from the carrier pigeon and handed it to Lu Chao.

Inside the booklet...

It contained Fan Changcun’s insights into the Forbidden Land’s seventh floor, along with new interpretations of the Soldier Dao Fragment collected from the skeletal remains on the sixth floor. All of it was meant for Lu Chao, to help him quickly unravel the secrets of the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Chao put the booklet away and said firmly, ”Let’s move out!”

And so, Lu Chao and Cheng Yunsu mounted a Flying Bird Demon Beast and set off first, heading for the Azure Flame Sect.

The Dragon Flame Academy, led by Sun Shijin, set out with Luo Wendeng and all the other Dragon Flame Tutors and students to return to the Dragon Flame Kingdom.

As for Yin Ye...

He remained with Elder Dongfang and the Hundred Countries’ Armies to wait for definitive intelligence from the Great Wu Empire—specifically, for confirmation that Mo Jing had departed. At the same time, they would send men to try and contact Wu Zhiqiu, the Second Prince of Great Wu.

They planned to coordinate an attack from both inside and out to crush Lu Dingtian.

Watching everyone leave, Yin Ye looked at Dongfang Ren and said, ”Elder Dongfang, please don’t refuse the Azure Flame Bone-Refining Pills any longer. Take them and cultivate immediately. We need stronger powerhouses to hold the line now.”

When Lu Chao had confirmed the Azure Flame Bone-Refining Pills were a type of superior elixir pill, he had wanted to give them to Elder Dongfang for his cultivation.

But Dongfang Ren felt he already had one foot in the grave and shouldn’t waste the elixir pills, which ought to be saved for the younger generation. However, Lu Chao had just left all the remaining Azure Flame Bone-Refining Pills for Sun Shijin, Yin Ye, and Dongfang Ren.

This meant Elder Dongfang could no longer refuse, because Lu Dingtian and his cronies might have their realms boosted yet again.

No matter how old he was, Elder Dongfang had to risk it all to grow stronger.

Likewise, Yin Ye and Sun Shijin also had to use the Azure Flame Bone-Refining Pills to push for the Peak Realm.

In particular, Elder Dongfang had to consume the pills until he reached his absolute limit, becoming as powerful as he possibly could. They couldn’t afford to be without a top-tier fighter.

”These old bones of mine...”

”I haven’t had this much excitement in my entire life.”

Elder Dongfang suddenly gave a wry smile. He had always been a total recluse, someone who enjoyed helping the Small Kingdoms of the Hundred Countries but would always leave immediately after, living like a carefree wanderer. Now, he suddenly had to fight for his life.

To him, it was a magnificent and thrilling prospect.

With that said, Elder Dongfang hesitated no more. He swallowed an Azure Flame Bone-Refining Pill, and its surging power coursed through his body, tempering his Heavenly Destiny Bone and causing the strength he had accumulated over a lifetime to erupt violently.

...

A Flying Bird Demon Beast soared swiftly toward the Azure Flame Sect.

Atop it, Lu Chao stood facing the wind...

Cheng Yunsu sat quietly behind him and spoke softly. ”Lu Chao, perhaps there’s one more path. The bracelet my mother left me... maybe we can use it to sneak into the Cyan Sword Great Empire and search for clues about her.”

Hearing this, Lu Chao turned to look at Cheng Yunsu.

Her face held a faint look of longing; she was thinking of her mother again.

Ever since learning of the Cyan Sword Great Empire and the Green Bone Palace, Cheng Yunsu had been suppressing her feelings. She couldn’t stop wondering if her mother might have been from the Cyan Sword Great Empire.

She couldn’t go before, but now she had a chance.

Lu Chao smiled gently. ”If the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land doesn’t hold the key to saving the Azure Flame Domain, then we’ll infiltrate the Cyan Sword Great Empire. We’ll find your mother, or we’ll find the path to the Green Bone Palace directly.”

With tears welling in her eyes, Cheng Yunsu bit her lip and nodded...

The young couple snuggled closely together on the back of the Flying Bird Demon Beast.

Just then, Lu Chao suddenly... SPURT!

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from his lips. Cheng Yunsu paled in shock, frantically asking what was wrong.

”It’s nothing. Just some lingering injuries from my clash with Mo Jing.”

Lu Chao smiled and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, yet he thought to himself, ’So, even now, trying to touch my shattered memories is this terrifying. It was enough to detonate my lingering injuries.’

Xiao Su’er was thinking of her mother, but wasn’t there someone Lu Chao missed just as much?