Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Re-entering the Azure Flame Forbidden Land
The Leopard Flame King, equally disheartened, received him. "Marquis Jilong, is what you’re doing really wise? You must realize, the Fake Lu Chao is a member of the Azure Flame Sect. Are you trying to bring the Azure Flame Sect back into the world?"
In response, Yin Ye said calmly, "There are some things our Dragon Flame King will explain to you when he arrives."
After that, Yin Ye didn’t elaborate.
No one would believe him now if he tried to explain that without the Azure Flame Sect, the Cyan Sword Great Empire would pose a massive threat.
He would simply do what was required of him.
...
Lu Chao and all his forces arrived at the ruins of the Azure Flame Sect, weary and dust-covered from their long journey.
He gazed at the still pristine Beast Flame Academy and said quietly, "Master Fan, our intelligence reports that Marshal Fan entered the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land right as we were entering the Hundred Countries. He has yet to emerge."
"Next, all forces will garrison the Beast Flame Academy. I’ll go on ahead into the Forbidden Land to find Marshal Fan."
At Lu Chao’s words, the siblings Fan Jinhu and Fan Jinxiang trembled slightly.
Their eyes were filled with worry.
The Azure Flame Forbidden Land remained a mysterious and unpredictable place. Their grandfather and Lu Chao had only managed to break through to the 6th Floor, while Marquis Jilong, Yin Ye, had only reached the 5th Floor and couldn’t get any further.
’Grandfather has been in the Forbidden Land for over half a month now. He isn’t in some kind of danger, is he?’
"There are three possibilities..."
Seeing the Fan siblings’ immense worry, Lu Chao said quietly, "First, Marshal Fan saw through our plans. He timed his entry into the Azure Flame Forbidden Land and has remained inside to prevent the Six Great Flame Countries from using his life as leverage against us."
This first possibility was the most likely...
Marshal Fan was no ordinary man. If he understood the current situation, he could have predicted Lu Chao’s and the Dragon Flame Kingdom’s next moves—namely, that Lu Chao was preparing to subdue the Six Great Flame Countries.
Therefore, he entered the Azure Flame Forbidden Land on his own accord, giving Lu Chao a free hand to act.
It was particularly telling that Fan Changcun entered the Forbidden Land at the exact same time Lu Chao and his group entered the Hundred Countries.
"But Brother Lu, when Grandfather entered the Forbidden Land, there must have been experts monitoring him."
Fan Jinxiang asked nervously upon hearing this.
"If there were experts monitoring him, they would have forcibly dragged him out if he didn’t emerge on his own."
In the Azure Flame Forbidden Land, as long as you accompanied a Soldier Dao expert, you could advance with them from one floor to the next.
To put it bluntly, a Soldier Dao expert could bring others with them into every floor of the Azure Flame Forbidden Land.
And every time Fan Changcun entered the Forbidden Land, he was followed by personal guards—experts from the Six Great Flame Countries assigned to prevent him from simply staying inside or from clearing the entire Forbidden Land without informing them.
In response, Lu Chao smiled. "The Forbidden Land has floor after floor. It wouldn’t be difficult for Marshal Fan to shake off his monitors."
What he meant was...
For example, if Lu Chao himself brought Fan Jinhu with him to the 5th Floor.
When it was time to break through to the 6th Floor, he could simply ditch Fan Jinhu and enter ahead of him. After that, Fan Jinhu would have no way of ever getting into the 6th Floor.
Of course, the experts the Six Great Flame Countries assigned to Fan Changcun wouldn’t be so easily shaken off.
But then again, as a Soldier Dao expert, it wouldn’t be surprising if Fan Changcun used a stratagem to lose them.
"The second possibility... Marshal Fan is truly trapped inside the Azure Flame Forbidden Land. Perhaps on the seventh or even the eighth floor, something has appeared that is preventing him from getting out."
At Lu Chao’s words, the Fan siblings swallowed hard, their faces filled with immense worry.
"In any case, I’m going in now to find Marshal Fan. Elder Sun, please accompany me."
After speaking, Lu Chao and Sun Shijin bade the others farewell and headed for the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land.
He, of course, had to bring a top-tier expert like Sun Shijin with him.
After all, there were still experts inside monitoring Marshal Fan, and he needed a powerful warrior of his own to deal with them.
As Lu Chao and Sun Shijin departed, Tan An asked blankly, "What about the third possibility? Why didn’t Brother Lu mention it?"
A moment ago, Lu Chao had said there were three possibilities, but he only explained two...
The moment Tan An finished speaking, Luo Wendeng shot him a glare and snapped, "What are you asking for? Don’t ask."
Mouth agape, Tan An gave Luo Wendeng a baffled look. ’Why shouldn’t I ask?’
He looked around at the others, only to find every single one of them glaring at him.
’It’s as if they all know the third possibility. So why don’t I?’
"The third possibility," Fan Jinhu said hoarsely, "is that my grandfather has already collapsed in there and will never come out." His words made Fan Jinxiang tremble violently; their grandfather was far too old.
He had nearly died last time; he could collapse at any moment.
"Grandmaster Fan is incredibly lucky. He’ll definitely be fine," Luo Wendeng quickly reassured them.
Luo Wendeng then took charge of the arrangements. At the Beast Flame Academy, they would likely face an attack from the Three Great Flame Countries, led by Tiger Flame. It was even possible that experts from the Saint Bone Zheng Family would appear.
Lu Chao had said another major battle was likely to take place here.
In terms of top-tier experts, Dongfang Ren had already joined them back in Leopard Flame, along with the deans of numerous Small Institutes. So, when it came to their roster of powerful fighters, they were no longer so short-handed.
In short, the plan was to use the varied terrain of the old Azure Flame Sect site to defend against the assault from Tiger Flame and the other two Great Flame Countries.
If they won, they could cut straight through to the battleground of the Three Academies’ Contest.
...
Meanwhile, Lu Chao and Sun Shijin drew ever closer to the Azure Flame Sect’s Forbidden Land.
The Beast Flame Academy was now completely deserted. Upon receiving intelligence about Lu Chao’s unstoppable advance, Tiger Flame, the other two Great Flame Countries, and the Saint Bone Zheng Family had naturally withdrawn all their personnel.
Aside from those who had followed Fan Changcun into the Azure Flame Forbidden Land and couldn’t be recalled, everyone else was gone.
The Beast Flame Academy was becoming more and more of a joke.
But its name remained. When the time came, before the Three Academies’ Contest, there would surely be another clash between the prodigies of the Inner and Outer Courtyards.
Right now, Lu Chao wasn’t thinking too much about it.
Instead, having arrived outside the Forbidden Land, he stared intently at it...
Before him lay a dark and gloomy forest. Massive black trees lined the path on both sides, looking as if they were ready to swallow anyone who dared to enter.
"Elder Sun, let’s go in..."
Lu Chao didn’t observe for long before stepping right inside.
He was no stranger to the Azure Flame Forbidden Land, having entered it once before during the Chaotic Hundred Countries.
Back then, he had charged all the way to the 6th Floor...
Several months had passed, and his understanding of the Soldier Dao was now much more profound. He also possessed all the Soldier Dao knowledge from the Azure Flame Sect’s Soldier Dao Sect, gifted to him by Fan Changcun, which he had been continuously absorbing over this period.
Lu Chao was eager to see. ’I wonder what floor I can reach this time?’
The two of them stepped into the dark forest and soon saw what looked like a barrier, which emanated a mysterious and unpredictable aura.
"Elder Sun, follow me into this first-floor barrier. But whatever you do, don’t use any True Qi."
"I’ll soon fall into an Illusion Realm..."
"Inside the Illusion Realm is a Soldier Dao Battle Array. Once I break through it, you’ll be able to enter the first floor with me."
"However, if you use even a shred of True Qi, the barrier will repel you."
