But the chaos was only just beginning...
Nan Zhuiming seized the opportunity, his figure flashing as he charged toward the arena. He was going to retrieve Nan Ke and the others.
With a single command, he led the experts from the Nanye Dynasty in a charge on the arena.
Seeing this, Zheng Liling immediately gave a low command, "Follow Nan Zhuiming. Find a chance to rescue Zhuhe."
At the same time, Wu Tong and Wu Ye also gave chase, using the momentum of the Nanye Dynasty’s experts to create an opportunity for their own rescue.
Lu Dingkong tossed Lu Hanyang to one of his subordinates and charged toward the arena as well, looking for a chance to save Lu Hanyan.
The situation had devolved into...
On one side, Lu Dingtian led his men to kill Wu Zhiqiu, but the forces of Dragon Flame and the Hundred Countries constantly intercepted them. Meanwhile, Nan Zhuiming and the others were frantically charging the arena. All the factions had turned on each other, leaving Wu Zhiqiu with only a few of his personal guards.
The ordinary spectators were screaming in terror, scattering like headless chickens...
From his position on the arena, Lu Chao took in the entire chaotic scene. He spoke slowly, "Jiang Yu, finish Lu Hanyan. As for the other hostages, just toss them aside. Don’t kill them. Then, leave the arena immediately and return to our ranks."
At his words, a violent tremor ran through Lu Hanyan, and she let out a miserable cry. "Brother Chao, I’m begging you, don’t kill me."
She was finally afraid now. Her father, Lu Dingtian, had no intention of saving her...
And the Lu Chao before her was a completely different person, no longer the pathetic beggar she could once toy with and manipulate at will.
Faced with death, she lost all her previous defiance and once again tried to play the sympathy card.
However, Lu Chao merely closed his eyes and replied softly, "I’m just giving you a quick end. I’m not going to tear out your bones."
After speaking, Lu Chao gave the situation below the arena a cold glance, and then his figure flickered and vanished from the spot.
He didn’t spare Lu Hanyan another glance. He was now going to save Wu Zhiqiu.
But Lu Hanyan, from who knows where, found a burst of strength and shrieked at Lu Chao’s retreating back...
"Lu Chao, you get back here!"
"It’s true we treated you as a tool to nurture our bones! We didn’t see you as a person, and yes, we were the ones who tore out your bones!"
"But you can’t deny that you grew up in the Grand Marshal’s Mansion!"
"Many of your Martial Techniques and battlefield tactics were taught to you by my father! You can’t be so ungrateful!"
Her shrill voice rang out, striking at Lu Chao...
Lu Chao’s body trembled slightly, but his gaze immediately turned ice-cold again. He continued to move, offering no reply.
"Lu Chao, you ungrateful wolf...!"
Lu Hanyan shrieked again, but just then... SMACK!
Cheng Yunsu suddenly appeared before her and delivered a heavy slap across Lu Hanyan’s face. "It’s useless to say any of that. If Lu Chao were all alone, perhaps he really would have softened and spared your lives."
"But he is not alone."
"He has a real family now. He has Dragon Flame Academy behind him, all the people from the Hundred Countries who are willing to follow him, the full support of the Azure Flame Sect, and many friends who are genuinely loyal to him."
"Sparing your lives would be to plunge everyone else into danger. You must die."
Cheng Yunsu’s voice was chillingly cold. She was the person in this world who understood Lu Chao best.
Her husband was a man of flesh and blood. Although Lu Chao hated Lu Dingtian’s family to the bone, when the time truly came, he might not be able to deliver the killing blow himself because of those few fond memories from his childhood.
But for the sake of the people who were truly good to him, Lu Chao wouldn’t hesitate for a second.
"And as for me, you are the ones who harmed my husband. You are the reason he was forced to suffer such a terrible injustice."
"So... die!"
Cheng Yunsu’s expression turned frigid as she ruthlessly thrust her Sword into Lu Hanyan’s heart, causing the latter’s eyes to fly wide open.
Her head lolled to the side as the life slowly drained from her body...
Cheng Yunsu abruptly pulled out her Sword and said to Luo Wendeng and the others, "Abandon Zheng Zhuhe and the others. Go, now!"
Hearing her command, Luo Wendeng and his group acted... BAM! BAM! BAM!
Without a moment’s hesitation, they struck Zheng Zhuhe, Wu Yiyi, and the other hostages with heavy palm strikes, sending them flying to the other side of the arena. Then, they flashed away, rushing toward the members of Dragon Flame Academy.
The reason they spared the lives of Zheng Zhuhe and the others was, of course, not out of kindness.
It was because Zheng Liling and his people were charging in. If they killed Zheng Zhuhe, Zheng Liling would immediately come after them for revenge.
By retreating without killing Zheng Zhuhe and the others, Zheng Liling’s group would first go to check on their condition.
This created a time delay—a window just large enough for them to escape...
Of course, they could have chosen to keep using Zheng Zhuhe as a hostage, but that would have been too risky. If Zheng Liling decided to disregard the lives of his people, the eleven from Dragon Flame would have been plunged into extreme danger.
"Zhuhe...!"
"Yiyi...!"
Just as they had planned, when Nan Zhuiming, Zheng Liling, and the others stormed the arena, they all first ran to check on the condition of their clans’ geniuses before turning their furious gazes on Cheng Yunsu and the other Dragon Flame Students.
"Leave some men behind to tend to Zhuhe and the others’ injuries! The rest of you, after them! Kill them for me!" Zheng Liling commanded grimly.
Nan Zhuiming did the same. Seeing that Nan Ke and his people were not in critical danger, he immediately ordered his men to give chase.
But it was already too late. They were a step behind...
At the same time, Lu Dingkong cradled Lu Hanyan’s body. He let out a strange cry, "Grand Marshal, Hanyan has been killed!"
Lu Dingtian, who was tied up fighting Dongfang Ren, heard this and roared with surging fury, "Kill! Kill Wu Zhiqiu, the one possessed by a Fierce Ghost, first!"
He had already prepared for this. He was utterly ruthless!
At that moment...
Several of Lu Dingtian’s Death Warriors had already caught up to Wu Zhiqiu and his guards. They unleashed their True Qi, preparing to kill Wu Zhiqiu. To Lu Dingtian, killing the Second Prince who sought to exonerate Lu Chao was the most important thing.
In the blink of an eye, Wu Zhiqiu was intercepted.
He was cut off just before he could reach Dean Jiang and the others from Dragon Flame Academy.
His few expert guards were all at the True Fate Realm...
A grim chill emanated from them as they said to Wu Zhiqiu, "Your Highness, we’ll hold them off! You have to run!"
Wu Zhiqiu’s entire body trembled violently. He was already blocked by several of Lu Dingtian’s elite Death Warriors. ’How can I run?’
The people from Dragon Flame Academy were still far behind him, while a steady stream of Lu Dingtian’s men charged from the front. Other figures from Great Wu were beginning to side with Lu Dingtian, and his own loyal subordinates were still tied up fighting traitors elsewhere.
’Is there really no escape?’ A miserable look filled Wu Zhiqiu’s eyes. ’Is this path to survival a dead end?’
"Kill...!"
Lu Dingtian’s men showed no hesitation. Several engaged Wu Zhiqiu’s guards, while one charged directly at the prince himself. They were decisive and resolute; as Death Warriors trained by Lu Dingtian, they paid no heed to his status as a prince.
And though Wu Zhiqiu himself was at the Transformation Realm, he was no match for a Death Warrior.
The Death Warrior’s voice reached his ears. "Your Highness, possessed by a Fierce Ghost, your life is mine."
WHOOSH! The Death Warrior’s Sword thrust toward Wu Zhiqiu’s heart...
Wu Zhiqiu instinctively closed his eyes, but in the next moment... CLANG!
The sound of metal striking metal erupted next to Wu Zhiqiu’s ear.
It was immediately followed by a cold, male voice. "I’m also possessed by a Fierce Ghost. How about you try to kill me first?"
Hearing this, Wu Zhiqiu’s eyes snapped open. He then cried out in joyous surprise, "General Lu Chao!"