Chapter 262: The Blood‑Thirsty Tian Can!

Long Bad Dao barreled forward with brute force, nearly knocking Jiang Feng off balance.

His face was still stained with mud and blood, his eyes blood‑shot, looking like a child who had suffered a great injustice.

"Old Jiang! I finally get to see you!"

Long Bad Dao clutched Jiang Feng tightly, muttering nonstop.

"You have no idea how miserable I've been these past days! The moment I entered, I ran into a beast larger than a small mountain. That thing's hide was thick as leather; one bite almost tore my arm off! I barely escaped with half my life left! By the way, how are you…?"

Jiang Feng was momentarily speechless, but after a glance he saw that although Long Bad Dao looked disheveled, his aura was steady, so he presumed nothing serious had happened.

"I'm fine, just ran into…"

At that instant, an imposing voice suddenly boomed across the vast plaza like a massive bell.

"Everyone…"

It was the voice of Zhan.

All the people in the plaza looked up.

A golden phantom of Zhan hovered in the air above the plaza's center, looking down on the crowd.

There were quite a few people in the plaza, about twenty‑to‑thirty.

Besides Jiang Feng and Long Bad Dao, there were the Daoist Tian Can, Liu Tianzhou of the Lingnan Sword Sect and his junior brother, as well as Long Jia Da Chang Lao—almost every familiar face Jiang Feng knew was present.

Zhan seemed quite pleased with the crowd and surveyed them.

"You have passed the Wen Xin Test, proving you are of steadfast mind and thus qualified to vie for my inheritance."

"But this Seat's inheritance can be claimed by only one."

"Therefore, the next trial will be simple…"

Zhan's words paused, a flash of cold murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"Kill!"

"Kill utterly, kill until only one remains!"

"Who survives shall be my heir!"

With those words, the entire plaza instantly fell into a death‑like silence.

Everyone stared at each other, their faces full of shock and disbelief.

They had never imagined the price of gaining the Wu Zun Inheritance could be so steep!

Must they slaughter each other?

Until only one person remains?

That's far too cruel!

Most of the people in the plaza came from various hidden‑world factions, many of whom had been friends for years.

They usually saw each other in passing; even with competition, they would never reach a life‑or‑death clash.

Yet now Zhan forces them to kill each other, with only one survivor allowed?

"How… how can this be allowed?"

Someone could not help but speak, their voice trembling slightly.

"Lord Martial Saint, we all came sincerely to seek the inheritance; why must we eradicate each other? Could we not use another method of testing?"

"Yes! Mutual slaughter is too cruel; even if we obtain the inheritance, we'll be despised by the world!"

"Lord Martial Saint, please think it over!"

Many voices echoed in agreement, their faces full of resistance.

Zhan's phantom looked at the crowd, revealing a demonic grin.

"Think it over? This Seat's inheritance will not be granted so easily. To obtain what others cannot, one must pay a price others cannot afford!"

"The weak are devoured by the strong; survival of the fittest is the rule of the jianghu! If you do not kill the other, you become a soul under their blade!"

"Moreover, my disciples, how many ants can we kill, anyway?"

Zhan's words, like a demonic chant, stirred the greed deep within their hearts!

Indeed!

The temptation of the Wu Zun Inheritance is overwhelming!

It is a chance to touch the Heavenly Human Realm!

Such an opportunity may come only once in a lifetime!

For that, even turning swords against former friends seems tolerable.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the plaza became exceedingly eerie.

Those who had been whispering close together suddenly spread apart.

Their eyes were filled with vigilance, the previous friendliness gone.

Everyone surveyed those around them as if eyeing prey.

The air seemed to be filled with invisible gunpowder smoke.

A bloody melee could erupt at any moment.

Only Long Bad Dao, still carefree, tugged Jiang Feng's arm and whispered beside his ear.

"Old Jiang, is this Tianmu Martial Saint a pervert? He actually makes us kill each other!"

"Before we came, all the great families agreed not to engage in mutual slaughter, to keep the harmony. He, however, forces us to kill until only one remains—how excessive!"

Long Bad Dao curled his lip, looking disdainful.

"He doesn't really think a few empty words will make us actually kill each other, does he? Even if someone does survive and gains the Wu Zun Inheritance, the world's factions will reject them, and they won't live long anyway!"

Jiang Feng watched the varied expressions of the crowd and slowly shook his head.

"You're too naive. The lure of the Wu Zun Inheritance is far greater than you imagine; how many can truly resist it?"

"Human nature is the thing that can't endure the test."

Jiang Feng knows the weakness of human nature all too well.

War may seem cruel, yet it precisely hits everyone's vital point.

Long Bad Dao clearly didn't believe it and was about to say something, but a chilling, mournful scream cut him off!

"Ah!"

Everyone instinctively looked toward the direction the sound came from.

A black silhouette flashed by like a ghostly specter.

Immediately after, a Long Jia Da Chang Lao had a blood-filled hole suddenly appear on his chest, and fresh blood spurted out.

His eyes widened, shock still lingered on his face, and his body fell down limp.

He twitched a few times, then his breath was gone for good.

Standing beside his corpse was the Heavenly Ruin Daoist!

The Heavenly Ruin Daoist's eyes glittered with a mad light.

He looked at the corpse on the Ground and licked his Mouth.

"Hmph! A bunch of indecisive lot! Wanting the Wu Zun Inheritance yet lacking the nerve to act, how laughable!"

"I possess the cultivation of the Half-step Celestial Realm; on this plaza, who can stop me? This Wu Zun Inheritance, I, Heavenly Ruin, will claim it!"

His voice rang loudly, carrying a strong pressure, and echoed throughout the plaza.

The crowd, upon hearing, changed color one after another, their eyes filled with Shock and dread.

Long Bad Dao saw the Long Jia Da Chang Lao slain, and his Pupils suddenly contracted.

That was his great‑grandfather! One of the elders he respected most!

At this moment, the blood in Long Bad Dao's body surged instantly to his head, and a torrent of Anger erupted from his heart.

His eyes instantly turned crimson, veins bulged, and he let out a deafening roar.

"Heavenly Ruin Old Daoist! You dare kill a Long Family member! I'll fight you to the death!"

Before the words finished, Long Bad Dao violently broke free from Jiang Feng's grip.

The Dragon Elephant Technique inside him erupted without restraint, a ferocious aura sweeping outward.

His figure, like a raging bull, charged wildly toward the Heavenly Ruin Daoist.

Seeing this, the Heavenly Ruin Daoist's eyes flashed a hint of cold.

"Hmph, you death‑seeking ants!"