Chapter 426: You Really Are a Failure of a Beast Marshal!
As the laughter faded, a dark pillar of light suddenly shot in from outside the great hall, slamming directly onto the throne.
Black light condensed, and with a rustling cloak, a burly figure appeared, taking his seat in grand fashion. His eyes swept the crowd, crackling like thunder, oppressive and sharp.
"Greetings, Beast Marshal!"
With the appearance of the black-robed man on the throne, the hall erupted in cries of reverence.
Lin Fan's gaze shifted toward the throne.
The man's physique was no less imposing than Xiao Yan's. His chiseled face bore the aura of a high-ranking figure, sharp and commanding. Yet deep in his eyes, one could catch a glimpse of cruel, ruthless intent.
The moment Xu Zhong appeared, Lin Fan noticed Xiao Yan's body subtly lean forward—like a tiger ready to pounce.
"Haha! It's a rare occasion to hold our Thunder Abyss Mountain Gathering—no one leaves without getting drunk today!" Xu Zhong laughed heartily, clearly enjoying the atmosphere and the admiration.
"Long live the Beast Marshal!"
Cheers rang out in response, and the crowd's gazes carried clear fear and respect. As one of the eight Beast Marshals, Xu Zhong's name held terrifying weight.
Xu Zhong laughed again and waved his hand. Dancers with wine gourds weaved through the hall, and a festive atmosphere quickly spread.
As Xu Zhong scanned the crowd, his gaze landed on the generals' seats. When he noticed the absence of Mountain General Meng Shan, his expression changed slightly. "Where is Meng Shan? Why isn't he here?"
Sky Crocodile General quickly stood and said respectfully, "Forgive me, Marshal. I do not know—he may have been delayed by some urgent matter."
Chen Tong and the others also expressed ignorance.
Xiao Yan said nothing and sat silently.
Xu Zhong's expression shifted momentarily before he chuckled. "Since he couldn't make it, we won't wait."
"This great land of Thunder Abyss exists thanks to the efforts of my nine generals. Today's feast is in your honor. I offer you a toast for your year of hardship."
With that, he raised his gourd in a casual toast.
The eight remaining generals lowered their heads slightly and drained their cups.
Then, Xiao Yan set his cup down with a smile and said, "Since the Beast Marshal acknowledges our efforts, may I ask for a favor?"
Xu Zhong's eyes narrowed slightly but smiled. "General Yan, feel free to speak."
"Remove the Dark Abyss Ghost Runes from our bodies," Xiao Yan said slowly.
Xu Zhong's smile vanished. He leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees. The pressure he exuded instantly thickened.
He stared at Xiao Yan and said coldly, "Are you testing my patience, General Yan? You think I'll keep tolerating you?"
Xiao Yan's crimson eyes gleamed with murderous light. "Xu Zhong, you and I both know the truth—why pretend? You planted those runes to trap me here in Thunder Abyss. All because of the legacy blood in my body!"
The hall fell into dead silence.
The gathered leaders from various factions stared in shock. This tension… was this a complete fracture at the top of Thunder Abyss Mountain?
So this year's Mountain Gathering… wasn't going to be ordinary.
That General Yan dared provoke Xu Zhong so openly was beyond all expectations.
Xu Zhong's expression darkened as his hand slowly clenched into a fist. His voice turned cold. "In the past, you avoided me. But now you challenge me? Don't tell me you've found support?"
His sinister gaze shifted to Lin Fan and Lin Dong.
The entire hall's attention followed, and dozens of eyes focused curiously on the two young men seated at Xiao Yan's side.
Lin Fan slowly rose, meeting Xu Zhong's eyes with calm resolve.
"There's no point hiding anymore, is there?" Lin Fan said. "You covet the legacy blood in my brother's body. Well, we happen to want the half you're holding."
"Give it up now, and you might live."
"If not—today, we take your blood… and your life."
Silence.
Everyone froze.
The faces in the hall were blank with shock. Some even rubbed their ears, unsure they'd heard correctly.
"Did he just say… he's going to kill Xu Zhong?"
Many exchanged stunned glances, disbelief in their eyes.
After all, Xu Zhong was a peak expert of the Full Completion Death Profound Realm—just a step away from Reincarnation!
And Lin Fan? He was only at Major Completion.
To think someone at that level would threaten a peak powerhouse—it was hard to believe.
Up front, the atmosphere chilled. Even the seven generals, including Chen Tong, shivered slightly as they looked at Lin Fan.
They had known Lin Fan would make a move today—but they hadn't expected him to be so brazen.
There was no turning back now.
On the throne, Xu Zhong leaned forward slightly. His eyes locked onto Lin Fan, crimson veins of fury creeping across them.
"You… want to kill me?"
His lips curled into a sneer. Then he burst into laughter, shaking with amusement.
A moment later, his voice turned icy.
"Someone like you thinks you can take my life? You're not worthy!"
"Then come test me!" Xiao Yan roared, his tiger eyes flashing with fury. He slammed his palm on the stone table, sending it flying toward Xu Zhong.
BOOM!
Xu Zhong's eyes narrowed, but he remained unmoved. The stone table shattered a meter in front of him, pulverized into dust.
"Seize the traitors!" Xu Zhong bellowed.
Whoosh!
At once, the Sky Crocodile General leaped up.
But to his shock, Chen Tong and the other generals simply held their wine cups, making no move to act.
Even Huo Miao, who glanced at Xiao Yan's fierce gaze, hesitated—then stayed seated.
Lin Fan chuckled. "Looks like you're a pretty pathetic Beast Marshal."
And with that, space around him twisted. In the blink of an eye, he appeared beside the stunned Sky Crocodile General.
A silver space blade materialized in his palm.
Shlick!
Before the general could even react, the blade sliced him clean in half—body and soul erased instantly.
"Now… it seems you've run out of supporters," Lin Fan said with a smile as he casually claimed the man's spatial pouch.
Hssss...
A wave of cold gasps swept through the hall.
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