And so, hundreds of Flying Bird Demon Beasts from Lu Chao’s command desperately flew off in the direction of the Great Wu Empire.
Nan Zhuiming and the other two were utterly stunned for a moment when they saw the Sword-Winged Ice Wolf appear, followed by the Cyan Sword Shadow, Lord Mo Jing, landing in a flash.
In that instant, Nan Zhuiming’s eyes reddened. He fell to his knees and kowtowed. "My Lord, you’ve finally come."
At that moment, it was as if Nan Zhuiming had just been reunited with his family.
Mo Jing’s gaze swept lightly over the three miserable figures before getting straight to the point. "Tell me every single detail of what happened after our Young Master arrived. Do not omit anything."
Upon hearing this, Nan Zhuiming quickly recounted everything, making sure to add how he had desperately tried to save Yan Mu.
Meanwhile, after their initial shock and astonishment, Zheng Liling and Zeng Quan exchanged a sharp look.
They immediately understood. This person before them was the one who had helped Nan Zhuiming and Lu Dingtian advance their realms. They had been incredibly lucky to survive, and now, through Nan Zhuiming, they had actually met this great figure from Cyan Sword.
They quickly added, speaking with great earnestness, "Us too! We risked our lives trying to save Young Master Yan."
Hoping to win the favor of the Cyan Sword lord, they began to boast and embellish their roles.
Mo Jing ignored them. After listening to the full account, the chill in his eyes grew even more terrifying...
’Our Young Master Yan took such a devastating blow this time. The young master, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, was almost killed.’
There was not only cold hatred in Mo Jing’s eyes, but also lingering fear.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he demanded harshly, "That country bumpkin, Lu Chao—isn’t he an impostor? Why didn’t Lu Dingtian expose him? Why did he let him stay at the site of the Three Academies’ Tournament? Why?"
’If Lu Dingtian had just exposed and killed that Fake Lu Chao earlier, none of this would have happened.’
From Mo Jing’s perspective, there had been too many surprises in this incident.
Young Master Yan Mu’s willful arrival was one surprise, and Lu Chao’s combat prowess was another. But Lu Dingtian failing to kill him? That was intentional.
Nan Zhuiming stared blankly for a moment before quickly responding...
"My Lord, he isn’t an impostor. He’s the real thing."
"Lu Dingtian’s Face-removing Sand had no effect on him because he *is* the real Lu Chao. He even dug out the Heavenly Destiny Saint Bones from Lu Dingtian’s children and took them back. On top of that, he has almost recovered to his former realm."
At Nan Zhuiming’s words, Mo Jing froze on the spot.
"Impossible," Mo Jing said, clearly in disbelief. "No one in this world can die and be resurrected, nor can a Fierce Ghost possess a body."
Nan Zhuiming and the other two exchanged glances. However impossible it seemed, the facts were the facts.
"Either Lu Dingtian lied to me, and they never actually tore that Lu Chao to shreds..."
Mo Jing’s voice was frigid. He then said to the three, "Come with me. We will find Lu Dingtian and capture that Lu Chao."
Instantly, Zheng Liling and Zeng Quan were overjoyed.
’This is a blessing in disguise! We’ve managed to latch onto a powerhouse from Cyan Sword. Saving Nan Zhuiming really paid off!’
Without any hesitation, Nan Zhuiming, Zheng Liling, and Zeng Quan climbed onto the Little Sword-Winged Ice Wolf and departed with Mo Jing.
...
「On the edge of the Yanwu Battlefield, within the territory of the Great Wu Empire」
The armies of the Great Wu Empire were in a frantic retreat.
Lu Dingkong asked, his entire body trembling...
"Marshal, what should we do? Lu Chao is horrifying... he’s even more horrifying than before he died."
At this moment, Lu Dingkong and the others—all of Lu Dingtian’s subordinates—were utterly terrified.
Two days ago, they had clashed with Lu Chao’s Hundred Countries’ Armies in a makeshift town.
But they had held out for less than four hours before being completely routed.
They could only flee in a mad dash under Lu Dingtian’s leadership.
The soldiers of the Great Wu Empire were beaten so badly they were crying for their mothers. Facing their former General Lu Chao, their will to fight plummeted continuously.
After the rout, they had taken refuge and defended a fortified pass.
They held it for only a single day before Lu Chao broke through their defenses. They were routed once more and forced to flee again. Now, everyone felt as if the sky were falling.
Lu Chao’s military strategy was even more formidable than before, and on the battlefield, he was even more cold and ruthless.
Another general stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Marshal, now that we’ve entered the Great Wu Empire’s territory, we’re on terrain that Lu Chao knows well. How can we possibly face him? What’s worse is, what if the various powers within Great Wu decide to support Lu Chao..."
He didn’t dare to say more, a chill creeping up his spine.
’If the Emperor of Great Wu sides with Lu Chao, and all of Lu Dingtian’s enemies use this chance to attack, we’re all doomed.’
’We’d be trapped in a pincer attack and annihilated.’
’And if this keeps up, our own men might just defect to Lu Chao.’
In response, Lu Dingtian’s gaze turned utterly glacial.
He replied grimly, "What is there to be afraid of? We still have one sure path to victory: the arrival of the Cyan Sword Great Empire. After how Young Master Yan of Cyan Sword was treated, that lord from Cyan Sword is bound to come for revenge."
"As long as we can hold out until then, victory is assured. No matter how large Lu Chao’s army is, he won’t be able to stand against that lord."
At Lu Dingtian’s words, the panicked Lu Dingkong and the others managed to calm down slightly...
However, even Lu Dingtian himself didn’t know if they could truly hold out that long. He cursed inwardly, ’That treacherous son of mine... I should have just burned his bones to ash back then... Dammit, how the hell did he survive?’
Lu Dingtian, too, had personally experienced how terrifying Lu Chao had become. On the battlefield, he was no longer a match for his son at all.
「Time flowed on amid the relentless pursuit.」
During the pursuit, Lu Chao, still wearing his half-mask, spoke softly to Wu Zhiqiu beside him...
"Second Prince, you must immediately send a message to your imperial father and inform him of the current situation."
"At the same time, send messages to all of Lu Dingtian’s enemies. Have them spread the news of his collusion with the Cyan Sword Great Empire throughout all of Great Wu."
Wu Zhiqiu nodded gravely at Lu Chao’s words and immediately did as instructed.
Just then, the grandfather of Little Zhu, a Great Wu cadet, quickly asked, "General Lu Chao, given the current situation, with your abilities, it shouldn’t take you long to eliminate Lu Dingtian, right?"
Hearing this, Wu Zhiqiu also nodded gravely. Lu Dingtian was simply no match for the man Lu Chao had become.
’It seems there’s no need to inform so many people, then.’
Shaking his head, Lu Chao replied with a grave expression, "It’s not that simple. If it were only Lu Dingtian, we could certainly crush him. But our true opponent is the Cyan Sword Great Empire. I’m afraid they will send a terrifyingly powerful expert."
The moment he spoke, it was as if everyone present had stopped breathing.
’Yan Mu was beaten into such a pathetic state. Of course a powerful backer of his would show up to take revenge on Lu Chao.’
Suddenly... ROAR!
Hundreds of Flying Bird Demon Beasts arrived. It was the Hundred Countries’ Flying Knights, the very ones who had just been pursuing Nan Zhuiming and his two companions. Their leader swiftly descended and reported to Lu Chao...
"General Lu Chao, a powerful expert from the Cyan Sword Great Empire has appeared."
Hearing this, Wu Zhiqiu, Yin Ye, and the others all snapped their heads in that direction, their pupils shrinking in shock.