Chapter 2: The Cheng Mansion of Yangzhou
The Life-taking Bone was, in fact, Lu Chao’s toe bone.
After his body was re-formed, it had mysteriously moved to his chest.
Before, with the three Heavenly Destiny Saint Bones suppressing it, Lu Chao couldn’t access the true secret within the bone. But now that all three Heavenly Destiny Saint Bones had been stolen by Lu Dingtian and his sons, the Life-taking Bone had truly awakened.
It protected Lu Chao’s soul from dissipating and gave the resurrected Lu Chao a chance to cultivate the Martial Dao once more.
The Bone Inner World...
Lu Chao’s Soul Shadow seemed to be standing on a desolate and gloomy land, looking up at a sky full of stars. Suddenly... BOOM!
A vast voice crashed into Lu Chao’s consciousness, making him understand the secrets of the Bone Inner World.
"So, my Life-taking Bone is called the Life-taking Star-devouring Bone," Lu Chao murmured to himself.
He looked up at the star-filled sky again and said, "And every star here is a Heavenly Destiny Bone left behind by a powerful expert. The Life-taking Star-devouring Bone can devour other Heavenly Destiny Bones to advance."
In this Heavenly Destiny World, everyone had at least one Heavenly Destiny Bone in their body.
Legend says that Heavenly Destiny also represents heavenly fate. The Heavenly Destiny Bone is not only the foundational source of a Martial Artist’s power but also a symbol of their destiny.
But some people possessed not a Heavenly Destiny Bone, but a terrifying Life-taking Bone.
Those who bear a Life-taking Bone are cursed with a life of misfortune!
But by the same token, a Life-taking Bone also possessed all sorts of bizarre, unpredictable abilities to defy the heavens and change one’s fate.
Destiny Bones are graded by level. From lowest to highest, they are: Mortal Bone, Profound Bone, Earth Bone, Heavenly Bone, Saint Bone, and Divine Bone.
The level of one’s Destiny Bone determines their cultivation talent and the upper limit of what they can achieve in life.
For example, with a Mortal Bone, cultivation is slow. One can at most cultivate to the Qi Gathering Realm, and it is extremely difficult to break through to the Postnatal Realm in one’s lifetime.
The Life-taking Star-devouring Bone starts at the Mortal Tier.
It is common knowledge that one’s Destiny Bone Level is innate and cannot evolve without a great opportunity.
But this Life-taking Star-devouring Bone could actually devour other Destiny Bones to advance in tier. If word of this got out, it would undoubtedly cause a massive uproar.
’Devour to advance?’
Lu Chao stared wide-eyed at the starry sky. It was as if all the stars were reflected in his eyes, each one transforming into a Destiny Bone before him: a Heavenly Destiny Chaotic Star Bone, a Heavenly Destiny Dragon Might Bone, a Heavenly Destiny Primordial Yang Bone...
Lu Chao subconsciously reached out, grasping for the Heavenly Destiny Primordial Yang Bone... BOOM!
Instantly, the Heavenly Destiny Primordial Yang Bone crashed to the ground like a meteor and slowly merged into the gloomy earth. Lu Chao’s consciousness was also instantly ejected from the Bone Inner World, and he then witnessed an incredibly shocking scene.
He saw the Heavenly Destiny Primordial Yang Bone at his chest being slowly devoured by his Life-taking Star-devouring Bone.
A few breaths later, Lu Chao’s eyes flew wide...
’It advanced! My Life-taking Star-devouring Bone has evolved from a Mortal Bone into a Profound Bone.’
’The Nine Primordial Yang Swords... This is the Martial Technique contained within the Heavenly Destiny Primordial Yang Bone. I’ve devoured and obtained it as well.’
Not only that, Lu Chao also felt True Qi spreading from the Life-taking Star-devouring Bone throughout his body. He didn’t dare delay and immediately entered a state of Meditation to begin his Cultivation.
「Three days later...」
Lu Chao opened his eyes. ’The third layer of the Qi Gathering Realm.’
The Martial Arts Realms are: Qi Gathering, Postnatal, Innate, Transformation Dao...
Using the residual True Qi within the Heavenly Destiny Primordial Yang Bone, he had reached the third layer of the Qi Gathering Realm in just three days. His cultivation speed far surpassed what it had been with his three Heavenly Destiny Saint Bones.
’If I can endlessly devour the Star Heavenly Destiny Bones in the Bone Inner World, doesn’t that mean I can grow infinitely stronger?’
A glint of excitement flashed in Lu Chao’s eyes, and his consciousness re-entered the Bone Inner World. This time, however, no matter how wide he opened his eyes, he could no longer clearly see the Star Destiny Bones in the night sky, which naturally meant he couldn’t perform a second devouring.
His consciousness returned to the cave...
Lu Chao stood up and said thoughtfully, "It seems I need to raise my Martial Arts Realm. I probably need to reach the Postnatal Realm before I can devour a second Star Destiny Bone."
Lu Chao didn’t feel any regret about this...
He just clenched his fists tightly. ’Lu Dingtian, you could never have imagined that I possess such a miraculous Life-taking Bone. And one day, this Life-taking Star-devouring Bone will evolve into a Saint Bone, and then a Divine Bone. That will be the day your nightmare begins.’
With that, Lu Chao walked out of the cave step by step.
Gazing at the bright sunlight outside, Lu Chao said deeply, "Xiao Su’er, wait for me."
Now that he had some power to protect himself, it was time to find Xiao Su’er.
「One month later...」
In Yangzhou City, a border city of the Great Wu Empire, a travel-worn Lu Chao stood before a grand, towering mansion.
’Xiao Su’er, could you be part of the Cheng Mansion of Yangzhou?’
Xiao Su’er possessed the Heavenly Fire Sparrow Bone, so she was likely the daughter of a great family. Thus, Lu Chao had searched every Cheng Family in all the nearby cities.
Gazing at the guards before the gates of the Yangzhou Cheng Mansion, Lu Chao was just about to step forward and ask some questions.
Suddenly... GALLOP GALLOP GALLOP!
The sound of horse hooves echoed from the end of the street in front of the Cheng Mansion.
A troop of riders surrounding a carriage suddenly rushed to the front of the Cheng Mansion and stopped.
One of the riders shouted toward the Cheng Mansion, "Elder Cheng, the Young Miss of the City Lord’s Mansion has arrived! Are you not coming out to greet her?"
As his words fell, the people on the street were stunned and quickly gathered to watch.
A short while later, the gates of the Cheng Mansion swung open, and an old man leading several dozen people hurried out.
The old man cupped his fists towards the carriage and bowed, offering an obsequious smile. "Young Miss, your presence graces us. I, Cheng Weishan, have been remiss in my welcome. Please, alight from your carriage and enter the mansion. I have already ordered a grand banquet to be prepared..."
Before he could finish, a cold, aloof female voice came from within the carriage: "There’s no need."
The carriage curtain was gently lifted, and a tall, noble-looking woman stepped out. She was none other than the Young Miss of the City Lord’s Mansion of Yangzhou City.
Everyone in the city knew her name was Wu Xin.
Wu Xin stood on the carriage, looking down on them as she said, "Elder Cheng Weishan, I have come here to say only one thing. I intend to propose a marriage to your Cheng Mansion."
𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Cheng Weishan was stunned for a moment, then asked, overjoyed, "Miss Wu, I wonder which of my grandsons has caught your eye?"
The corners of her mouth lifted slightly...
Wu Xin sneered, "I, of course, would never be interested in the worthless rejects of your Cheng Family. I am here to seek a marriage for my younger brother. My brother wants to marry your granddaughter... Cheng Yunsu."
When these words were spoken, Lu Chao, who had retreated into the crowd... BUZZ!
It was as if thunder crashed in his mind. His whole body trembled violently. He had finally found Xiao Su’er.
The next moment, the voice of an onlooker suddenly reached Lu Chao’s ears: "Miss Wu’s brother, the City Lord’s son? Isn’t he the one who was born a fool?"