Suddenly, Chang Yuan spun around... THUD!
He knelt heavily before Lu Chao and Cheng Yunsu, his eyes bloodshot as he pleaded, "Brother Lu Chao, if you can save my wife and son, I’ll spend the rest of my life as your servant..."
A stoic, ruthless man, a former assassin, once the number one genius of the Hundred Countries.
At this moment, his face was streaked with tears!
Seeing this, Lu Chao hurried forward and helped Chang Yuan to his feet.
He took a deep breath and stared at Chang Yuan. "We’re going to risk our lives. We’ll do it together."
As he said this, a violent shudder wracked Lu Chao’s body.
He looked at Cheng Yunsu. He was just as worried about his own wife, hesitating over whether he should bring her along.
Cheng Yunsu, however, gave a small smile, her gaze resolute.
Her eyes said it all: Retreat was not an option. If they were going to risk their lives, they would do it together.
Lu Chao’s gaze instantly softened. He didn’t try to persuade her otherwise, simply clenching his fists. "Let’s go. We’ll take the small path and sneak toward the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land."
There was no time to hesitate. They had to remain hidden and move stealthily, as Chi Ting could return with his experts at any moment.
And so, the three of them set off in secret.
As they moved, Lu Chao quickly asked, "Brother Chang, why did you come to the Azure Flame Sect?"
Chang Yuan looked at Lu Chao and said bitterly, "Because you said that Elder Sun Shijin might be able to solve the problem with my realm. I brought my wife and son to the Beast Flame Academy. I’d heard you were all about to return."
At this, Chang Yuan trailed off...
Lu Chao froze. ’So what happened to Chang Yuan’s family... it’s all because of me.’
After defeating Chang Yuan in the final battle for the Beast Flame Academy spots, Lu Chao had told him that Sun Shijin might be able to figure out why he couldn’t break through to the next realm. But Chang Yuan had been in a rush to get back to his wife and son and hadn’t stayed.
Now, he obviously knew about the competition between the three academies, so he had come to Beast Flame Academy to wait for the return of the people from Dragon Flame Academy.
But instead, he had walked into this senseless disaster.
"I brought my wife and son here and saw the horrific scene inside the Beast Flame Academy. We didn’t want any trouble, so we were about to leave..."
"But Chi Ting and his men spotted us immediately, and... well, you know the rest."
Chang Yuan’s family had arrived only a moment before Lu Chao and Cheng Yunsu.
When they saw the bodies outside, they decided not to enter the Beast Flame Academy to investigate. Unfortunately, by the time they tried to leave, it was already too late.
"Chi Ting said their Young City Lord would definitely be interested in my wife, and that my son’s Heavenly Destiny Bone was also quite good."
"Then, another young man called ’Chi Yuan’ and the Patriarch of the Shen Family seized my wife and son and headed for the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land. I was beaten and tortured... until you arrived."
Lu Chao could guess what happened next.
Because he and Su’er had arrived, Chi Ting had dragged the Shen Family members and Chang Yuan into the small courtyard path.
Then, after realizing it was only him and Cheng Yunsu, they came right back out.
"Then Sister-in-law Chang and your son haven’t been gone long. They should be safe for now," Cheng Yunsu quickly reassured him.
Chang Yuan nodded heavily, but worry was still etched on his face...
They continued to sneak toward the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land.
「A short time later...」
They finally neared the Forbidden Land. Just then, a child’s voice cried out, "Let me go! Give me back my mom! What are you going to do to my mom?"
As the voice hammered into the ears of the three, Chang Yuan’s expression contorted with rage...
The voice clearly belonged to his son.
"Brother Chang, calm down," Lu Chao’s voice immediately rang in Chang Yuan’s ear.
But just as Chang Yuan forced himself to calm down... SLAP!
The sharp crack of a slap echoed, followed by the pained cry of Chang Yuan’s son and a crazed, elderly voice shouting, "You little shit, shut your mouth!"
"Lord Chi Ting, what did you just say? Lu Chao killed my entire family?"
The old voice trembled with fury. It was clearly the Patriarch of the Saint Bone Shen Family, the one Chang Yuan had mentioned.
Under the cover of the Saint Bone Shen Family Patriarch’s shouting, Lu Chao and the others made it to the edge of the Forbidden Land. They hid in a large, dark tree, peering at the entrance.
At the entrance to the Forbidden Land, they saw about a dozen people.
A young boy lay on the ground, clutching his face but not crying. It was, of course, Chang Yuan’s son.
Standing near the boy was an old man seething with rage—undoubtedly the Patriarch of the Saint Bone Shen Family. Chi Ting stood opposite him, and beside him was a second young man in red robes, the one Chang Yuan had identified as Chi Yuan.
Behind them stood a dozen or so guards, each one exuding the aura of the Peak Realm.
After observing for a few moments, Lu Chao spoke in a low voice...
"Brother Chang, Sister-in-law Chang must have already been taken into the Forbidden Land."
"The Young City Lord of Red Sword City and some of his experts must have entered the Forbidden Land about half a day ago."
The old man from the Shen Family had said that dozens of people came from Red Sword City. There are less than twenty here now, and Chang Yuan’s wife is nowhere to be seen. She must have been taken inside the Forbidden Land.
Judging by the time of death of the Dragon Flame soldiers, we can also determine that the group from Red Sword City arrived about half a day ago.
Chi Ting only just returned... He must have just finished telling everyone about his encounter with us at the Beast Flame Academy, which is why the Shen Family Patriarch flew into a rage and hit Chang Yuan’s son.
Just then, Chang Yuan said in a hoarse voice, "Brother Lu Chao, we should be able to take them all out."
There isn’t a single Creation Realm expert outside the Forbidden Land...
If the two of them launched a surprise attack, they might have a chance to kill all of Chi Ting’s men. It was extremely risky, of course, but seeing his son made it impossible for Chang Yuan to remain calm.
Lu Chao nodded deeply, then immediately shook his head.
"No, that won’t work. Both Chi Ting and that Chi Yuan should possess a Moon Mortal Bone."
"I can resist their Destiny Bone’s suppression, but I can’t do it for you. My Dragon General Bone’s level isn’t high enough."
As he spoke, Lu Chao forcibly held back the impulsive Chang Yuan.
He had to factor the "Destiny Bone suppression" into his calculations.
When facing Mo Jing, his opponent’s Star Divine Bone could be countered by his Dragon General Bone of the same rank, allowing him to break the suppression for his troops and allies.
But now...
He was only resisting Chi Ting’s suppression through sheer force of will, an effect he couldn’t extend to Cheng Yunsu or Chang Yuan. The moment they attacked, they would be immobilized by the suppression.
Hearing Lu Chao’s explanation, Cheng Yunsu quickly asked, "Then... what should we do?"
Forget about saving Chang Yuan’s son for a moment...
Just to reach the Barrier of the Forbidden Land’s first level, they would have to get through everyone guarding the entrance.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Chao replied in a low voice, "Wait for me. I’m going to try cultivating for a moment."
As he spoke, his consciousness immediately entered his Bone Inner World...
There was only one way to help his companions overcome the Destiny Bone suppression: he needed to possess the power of a Moon Level Heavenly Destiny Bone.
Others might not be able to, but Lu Chao had a way...
He had already reached the Eighth Layer of the True Fate Realm. Perhaps now he could clearly see the more distant stars within his Bone Inner World.
And when Lu Chao’s consciousness entered his Bone Inner World and he looked up, he saw it.
It was the Star Moon Mortal Bone!