Divine Emperor of Heavenly Destiny

Lu Chao didn’t answer, instead flashing quickly toward the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land.

But after just a few breaths, the seven Red Sword Guards were already about to catch up to Chang Yuan, who was behind Lu Chao.

When Lu Chao made his sudden series of moves, the seven Red Sword Guards intent on killing him immediately gave chase. Chang Yuan was only at the True Fate Sixth Layer and already injured, so naturally, he was no match for the speed of the Red Sword Guards.

Therefore, Lu Chao said helplessly, ”Xiao Su’er, I’ll deal with the people behind us first.”

With that, he immediately tossed Cheng Yunsu, who was in his arms, toward the Forbidden Land. At the same time, he spun around, rushed behind Chang Yuan, and unleashed a barrage of Soldier-Breaking Fists at the seven Red Sword Guards...

GAK! GAK! GAK!

The seven Red Sword Guards let out muffled grunts and were forced to retreat continuously.

Ordinarily, the captain of the Red Sword Guards wouldn’t have been pushed back so easily, but Lu Chao had already injured his fist earlier.

In an instant, the scene shifted to Lu Chao holding Chang Duan with one arm, shielding Chang Yuan.

He stared at the retreating Red Sword Guards, then tossed Chang Duan to Chang Yuan and said, ”Xiao Su’er, you and Brother Chang go wait for me outside the first floor of the Forbidden Land. If anyone comes out, enter the first floor’s Illusion Realm immediately to hide. Don’t hesitate.”

After landing, Cheng Yunsu nodded firmly and darted away.

Chang Yuan, holding his son Chang Duan, gave Lu Chao a deep look before immediately flashing toward the Forbidden Land as well.

Meanwhile, Lu Chao stood like a one-man army, blocking the path of everyone from Red Sword City.

He looked toward Chi Yuan...

”When we were negotiating the hostage, your eyes kept glancing toward the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land. You were waiting for someone.”

”From the first five floors of the Forbidden Land, you can see what’s happening outside. If I’m not mistaken, someone must not have followed your Young City Lord into the 6th Floor. That’s how they saw the situation outside the Forbidden Land.”

”When they saw you enter the forest and didn’t see you return to your original position for a long time, they would naturally come out to investigate.”

”Your negotiations with me were just a way to stall for time.”

At this moment, Lu Chao finally answered Chi Yuan’s earlier question.

Chi Yuan’s pupils constricted violently. His silence was an admission that Lu Chao was right.

When Chi Ting had fallen into Lu Chao’s hands, he was indeed stalling for time...

Everything he said was just a ploy to lure out the people from inside the Forbidden Land. Chi Yuan just never imagined that his own glances and movements would be seen through so completely by Lu Chao.

This had prompted Lu Chao to act decisively and cripple Chi Ting.

What Chi Yuan didn’t know was that Lu Chao had not only dug out Chi Ting’s Heavenly Destiny Bone but was also planning to devour it to raise his own cultivation realm.

Since the possibility of exchanging Chi Ting for Chang Yuan’s wife was low, and since a huge threat still loomed, Lu Chao naturally chose to first raise his realm to the True Fate Ninth Layer to deal with the even more terrifying enemies to come.

At this thought, Chi Yuan suddenly roared, ”What are you standing around for? Get him!”

Hearing this, the seven Red Sword Guards immediately charged at Lu Chao again...

Lu Chao drew his Sword on the spot and lunged. He was much faster than Chang Yuan and Cheng Yunsu, so he needed to hold the enemy off for a while.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG...

These seven Red Sword Guards were clearly much stronger than the previous six. Although Lu Chao had broken through, he couldn’t kill them all instantly.

However, just holding them off for a moment would be enough.

But suddenly... WHOOSH!

Shen Ji, who had just been kicked away by Lu Chao, suddenly shot past them, chasing after Chang Yuan.

A cold glint flashed in Lu Chao’s eyes. He threw a heavy Soldier-Breaking Fist, then spun around and gave chase...

...aiming a sword strike right at Shen Ji’s back.

Shen Ji immediately sensed the attack and turned, blocking with his own sword...

Another loud CLANG! rang out. The already heavily injured Shen Ji was completely unable to block the blow. He was sent flying by Lu Chao once again, rolling heavily on the ground and letting out an old man’s wretched scream.

Without a second glance at him, Lu Chao pushed off the ground and continued his pursuit of Chang Yuan.

”Shen Ji, you’re utterly useless... Quickly, keep chasing them!” Chi Yuan’s voice still roared from behind.

The seven Red Sword Guards resumed their frantic pursuit...

A few breaths later, Lu Chao had caught up to Chang Yuan.

By this time, Cheng Yunsu was already nearing the Barrier of the Forbidden Land’s first floor. Suddenly, Lu Chao’s eyes shot wide open. He saw the Barrier ripple—someone was about to come out.

Not daring to delay, Lu Chao shouted, ”Xiao Su’er, come back!”

Cheng Yunsu’s whole body jolted. Without a second thought, she spun around and headed back... Just as she turned to face Lu Chao, two figures burst out from behind the Barrier, also dressed as Red Sword Guards.

One of them said coldly, ”She actually noticed we were coming out and ran... Kill her.”

With that, the two newly emerged Red Sword Guards charged out without hesitation, chasing after Cheng Yunsu.

The scene now became...

Before the Barrier to the first floor of the Forbidden Land, Lu Chao and Chang Yuan were side by side. Cheng Yunsu was flying back toward Lu Chao, pursued by two Red Sword Guards, while Lu Chao and Chang Yuan were being chased by seven other Red Sword Guards from behind.

They were caught in a pincer attack.

But a cold glint flashed in Lu Chao’s eyes as he said quickly, ”Xiao Su’er, the Bow and Arrow...”

Cheng Yunsu was still holding the Bow and Arrow she had just used to cover Chang Yuan. Hearing him, she tossed it to Lu Chao without hesitation.

After catching it, Lu Chao immediately drew two arrows, nocked them, and shouted, ”Soldier-Breaking... Arrows!”

VWOOM...

The two arrows shot from Lu Chao’s bow at the same time, instantly flashing past both sides of the approaching Cheng Yunsu.

They struck true, hitting the two Red Sword Guards who had emerged from the Forbidden Land...

THWIP! THWIP!

The foreheads of the two Red Sword Guards were instantly pierced by Lu Chao’s arrows, and they were sent flying to the ground.

As they hit the ground, they mumbled in their final thoughts: ’He’s True Fate Ninth Layer... how could he break our True Qi Shield?’

These were the dying thoughts of the two Red Sword Guards. They had clearly formed a True Qi Shield to block the arrows, but they were still pierced straight through.

They were also at the Peak Realm. They couldn’t understand how they were killed in an instant...

But Lu Chao, of course, paid them no mind.

Instead, he once again caught the approaching Cheng Yunsu in his arms and rushed with Chang Yuan and his son to the Barrier of the first floor.

At this moment, the Barrier pulsed intensely again.

Someone else was about to come out!

Lu Chao’s fists clenched tightly. He said, ”Brother Chang, enter the Barrier Illusion Realm with me now!”

As soon as he spoke, Lu Chao wrapped one arm around Cheng Yunsu and placed his other hand on the first floor’s Barrier. Chang Yuan quickly pressed his own hand to Lu Chao’s back, and in an instant, the four of them entered the Barrier Illusion Realm and vanished.

And the instant they disappeared... SWOOSH!

A full fifteen Red Sword Guards rushed out. However, when they saw that Lu Chao and his group had already entered the Barrier, it was too late to pursue them. To chase them, they would have to break through the first floor’s Barrier all over again.

At the same time, the seven pursuing Red Sword Guards also reached the Barrier, and Chi Yuan arrived as well.

Staring daggers at the first floor’s Barrier, Chi Yuan said hatefully, ”Damn it all. They still managed to get inside.”