Chapter 368: Zhang Taiying Chickened Out

The air was deathly silent and terrifying!

It was as if the Great Dao itself had sealed their lips, leaving everyone staring at the ancient tower on the ground, now vanished by half, and collectively falling into silence.

Even Xin Gugu was stunned by Xu Xiaoshou's audacious move.

First, he had claimed a Lingchi, drenching him like a drowned rat—that was one thing.

But now, right in front of everyone, he had brazenly intercepted half of their inheritance?

What kind of person was this!

A mere Yuanfu, something that was just meant for evading enemy pursuits, had somehow been turned into a tool for robbing divine artifacts!

If he fully developed that Chaotic Space, would the entire world end up in your hands, Xu Xiaoshou?

"Under suspicion, passive value, 66."

"Under admiration, passive value, 222."

Not only were the people of Zhangfu dumbfounded, but the surrounding onlookers were equally shocked beyond words.

"This might lead to... no end but death?"

If anyone's inheritance was cut in half like this, reconciliation would be impossible.

What's more, the part of the ancient tower that had collapsed was the top of the Cangjing Ge.

The significance of the top for such a tower building was obvious.

Ordinary family disciples could barely reach the second floor when selecting Lingji.

Even those who fought tooth and nail to break through to the Xiantian realm could only manage the third or fourth floor.

And now...

Looking at it this way, the Cangjing Ge was left with only four and a half floors.

Selecting Lingji?

What a joke!

With no space left, how could they even go upstairs, let alone pick Lingji?

The first to explode in rage was Zhang Taiying, who was already seething with fury.

Realizing the implications of the Cangjing Ge, his pupils vanished entirely, and rings of demonic patterns rose in his blood-red eyes.

"Roar!!!"

With a furious roar, this being, now transformed into a small giant, swallowed a drop of Wangzuo essence blood in one gulp, causing his body to swell even larger.

Black fur erupted wildly across his frame, making Zhang Taiying resemble a Titan beast. He broke free from the restraints of those behind him and thundered forward.

The void shattered instantly as his form shot toward Xu Xiaoshou.

"Die!"

Zhang Duoyu immediately struck out, but at that moment, she couldn't keep up with Zhang Taiying's speed and grabbed at nothing.

"Grand Elder!"

She turned urgently to one side, only to see Zhang Zhongmou shaking his head in sorrow.

"No."

Just that single word, and Zhang Duoyu understood.

This battle, even if they didn't want it, Zhang Taiying had to fight.

The inheritance could not be severed!

This young man's seemingly simple Mustard Seed Sumeru technique could potentially cause a complete setback for Zhangjia for the next ten or twenty years.

For a rising family like Zhangjia, the blow would be devastatingly destructive!

"Family head..."

Zhang Duoyu murmured softly. She looked at the distant youth, who seemed as light as if he were about to float into the sky, and clenched her fists.

"Go!"

The two followed closely and charged at Xu Xiaoshou.

"Good!"

Xin Gugu's eyes blazed with fighting spirit as he shouted, ready to meet Zhang Taiying's punch.

Xu Xiaoshou nearly fainted from his shout.

"Help... help me up."

He swayed and turned back.

Xin Gugu: "..."

He glanced at the back of Xu Xiaoshou's head, hesitated, and said, "I'm over here."

Xu Xiaoshou didn't turn around.

Even with his consciousness blurred and unable to process the images from "Perception," he still detected that fierce killing intent through "All Things Are Swords."

"Zhang Taiying, you still dare to make a move?"

Shocked in his heart, he didn't realize that his earlier sword had truly intimidated the other side—it was the final, utterly ruthless retraction that had provoked this.

But now, there was no time for overthinking!

"Don't move!"

After stopping Xin Gugu, Xu Xiaoshou turned gracefully.

If they really fought now, all his efforts would be in vain!

Barely aligning himself with the direction of the killing intent, Xu Xiaoshou let out a cold laugh.

Then, with a flick of his fingertip, he drew a sword qi in the void.

"Cross the line, and die!"

His clear, cold voice echoed through the howling wind. The chilling sword intent jolted Zhang Taiying's mind awake.

It was just an ordinary sword qi, so weak it barely stayed in the Xiantian realm...

Yet, it carried a faint, extremely subtle trace of sword intent.

That very thing had earlier ripped through the sky and severed a Wangzuo-level super defense array.

"Could I, Zhang Taiying, withstand it?"

Almost the moment his toes were about to touch that feeble sword qi, he involuntarily halted.

"Move!"

"Move, damn it!"

Zhang Taiying's anger overwhelmed him. He stared at the unsteady Xu Xiaoshou and could tell, even if he were blind, that the young man was in a bad state.

What's more, he wasn't blind!

"In your current condition, you couldn't possibly unleash that sword again!" he roared at the youth behind the sword qi.

Whoosh!

Two figures stopped behind him as well.

Shock filled Zhang Duoyu's eyes.

The unrestrained Zhang Taiying had been halted with a single word?

Even in a rage, he was held back by one phrase?

This was completely impossible before.

" Fear?"

Zhang Duoyu had always thought the word didn't exist in Zhang Taiying's dictionary, but now, she wavered.

"Ah!"

Zhang Zhongmou watched the scene, a flicker of sorrow in his eyes.

Unlike Zhang Duoyu, who had to stand alone and charge for the family while making choices in her own life...

As someone who had been through it, he fully understood.

He said nothing. No matter how at odds they were in daily life, he wouldn't judge Zhang Taiying's decision now.

"State..."

Xu Xiaoshou closed his eyes, but that vague intent seemed to envelop everyone.

He gave a bitter smile and didn't deny it: "You're right, I'm indeed in a weakened state right now. But, is a single sword really that hard?"

No one believed him—not even Xin Gugu.

What a load of nonsense in this state!

"Ha ha ha!"

Zhang Taiying widened his eyes in fury and threw his head back in wild laughter: "If a sword isn't hard, you could chop me down right now. Why waste words?"

Xu Xiaoshou remained unfazed and countered: "If a sword is hard, then why don't you dare to cross the line?"

The scene fell into heavy silence.

Xin Gugu was stunned. In that moment, he admitted it:

When it came to convoluted thinking, everyone present combined probably couldn't match Xu Xiaoshou.

Whether in reaction speed or sheer twistiness.

"Roar!" Zhang Taiying let out an enraged, earth-shaking howl.

He slammed a fist into his own chest, feeling his blood surge, trying to drive himself completely mad.

But reason suppressed the impulse.

The thin veil of shame was pierced, and Zhang Taiying felt his face burn.

He was indeed scared, but...

But...

"Don't make excuses for yourself anymore."

Xu Xiaoshou spoke indifferently.

Relying on the powerful recovery of "Everlasting Life," he had bought himself enough time to move a bit.

He spread his arms, pulling A-Jie and Xin Gugu behind him, and stepped forward with his weakened body, exposing himself to the peak Wangzuo.

"This one will give you another chance—choose for yourself..."

"One step, or one sword!"