Chapter 496: Slaughter in the Sea of Blood, Nourished by Rage

Mu Can’s expression was calm, but a fire of rage burned in his heart.

His fiancée had come to break off their engagement, and she’d made such a public spectacle of it that he and his deceased parents had lost all face.

If she had just come to discuss it with him discreetly, rather than delivering the news with such arrogance and fanfare, Mu Can would have naturally chosen to respect her wishes.

After all, his family had fallen from grace, and he was indeed not worthy of her. If she were really forced to marry him, it would only make her suffer.

However, after getting in with the Golden Cicada Sect, she had gotten a bit carried away.

He didn’t utter the classic line about how fortunes turn and one shouldn’t bully the young and poor. He knew he didn’t have the right.

His family was poor, and he wasn’t a Spirit Master. If he really dared to say something like that, he would undoubtedly be killed.

In the end, all he could do was numbly watch the farce unfold, leaving a mess in its wake.

His reputation was ruined. In the future, it was unlikely any good family would be willing to marry their daughter to him.

He wasn’t just angry; he was full of hate. But he was powerless, and when you’re powerless, enduring it is the only option.

As for a common man’s fury, spilling blood in a final, desperate act? He wished he could, but he was simply incapable.

In the end, he could only helplessly close the door, adopting an “out of sight, out of mind” attitude.

“Actually, this is nothing. At least I’m still alive, right?” Mu Can couldn’t help but mock himself.

Just as he turned around, a crimson light appeared before his eyes.

Before he could figure out what was happening, the crimson light shot directly into the space between his eyebrows.

The crimson light transformed into a Spiritual Technique, the *Blood Sea Slaughter Sutra*. Simply by killing, one could obtain immense Blood Spiritual Power and become a powerful Spirit Master.

There was nothing that could not be solved by killing.

This Spiritual Technique came from Seven Kills Zhenren, a figure of unknown origin. It sought out those with hearts full of rage, who would use blood to forge a Blood Sea Body and slaughter to nurture a Life-taking Saber.

And Mu Can’s current situation perfectly matched the requirements of the *Blood Sea Slaughter Sutra* passed down by Seven Kills Zhenren.

So he was chosen to unleash boundless calamity.

After the information settled in his mind, Mu Can was deeply shaken.

‘I’m angry, but I’m not some crazed killer. How could I ever bring myself to actually kill someone?’

‘But I’m not the only inheritor. Anyone who meets the conditions can receive the *Blood Sea Slaughter Sutra* from Seven Kills Zhenren.’

‘If I don’t get stronger, I’ll die if another inheritor finds me.’ Panic began to set in.

And it turned out, the best nourishment for the Blood Sea Body and the Life-taking Saber was to kill other inheritors of Seven Kills Zhenren.

Of course, that alone wouldn’t be too scary. ‘As long as I keep a low profile, who would know I have the *Blood Sea Slaughter Sutra*? The truly fatal part is that inheritors can sense each other within a hundred-li radius.’

He could make sure he didn’t wander far, but he couldn’t guarantee another inheritor wouldn’t enter his hundred-li radius.

So, his choices were to wait for death in constant terror or start killing.

‘To create the Blood Sea Body, the Life-taking Saber, or even Blood Spiritual Power… it all requires a first kill. You have to kill one person to get started.’

This made Mu Can’s face twist. ‘It has to be a human sacrifice? And here I was, thinking I could just kill a chicken.’

The requirements were strict and unchangeable.

‘How is someone like me, who doesn’t even have the strength to tie up a chicken, supposed to kill anyone?’ Mu Can felt a surge of frustration.

For him, this *Blood Sea Slaughter Sutra* seemed like nothing but trouble.

Just as he was worrying about what to do, his front door was kicked open.

He looked up in shock, instantly recognizing the intruders as several of the town’s notorious thugs.

“Er Niu, what do you want?” He frowned and stood up. He’d had no dealings with these men.

He shouldn’t have been a target for extortion. Even though his parents were dead, he still had the backing of his uncles and kinsmen. The power of the Mu Clan was not something a few local thugs could afford to provoke.

“Nothing much. Just heard you offended a Spirit Master from the Golden Cicada Sect.” The burly man called Er Niu sat down rudely, grabbed the teapot, and started guzzling tea straight from the spout.

After a large gulp, he said, “I have connections. I can help you make peace with the Spirit Master, but you’ll need to provide a little something to show your sincerity.”

As soon as he said that, Mu Can knew exactly what the thug was after. He was planning to use this opportunity to extort him.

In an instant, his anger surged uncontrollably.

“I don’t have any money. Get lost, or don’t blame me for what happens next.” Mu Can wasn’t afraid of offending these thugs at all, so he didn’t hold back.

Er Niu’s eye twitched, and he shot to his feet. “You little bastard. It seems you’d rather do this the hard way.”

“In that case, we’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of the Spirit Master from the Golden Cicada Sect. It’s time you learned your place.”

As he spoke, the other thugs present immediately surrounded Mu Can.

Seeing things were turning against him, Mu Can tried to flee, but he was already cornered inside the house with no way out.

They had the numbers and swarmed him with a flurry of punches and kicks, beating Mu Can until he howled in agony.

Once he felt Mu Can had had enough, Er Niu called a halt, and the others stopped as well.

“3,000 Wen. I’ll come for it tomorrow. I’ll help you smooth things over. Otherwise… hmph.” Er Niu was determined to extort a sum from Mu Can.

Covered in injuries, Mu Can struggled to his feet, a vicious glint in his eyes.

The timing of these thugs’ arrival was too coincidental. Whether someone had arranged it or they had just smelled an opportunity, it was definitely premeditated.

‘Scrape together 3,000 Wen for them? Impossible. If I give it to them tomorrow, they’ll just find another excuse to come back the day after.’

They would bleed him dry and then take his life.

They wouldn’t kill him directly. They would just keep tormenting him until he died of illness or killed himself.

As for facing legal trouble? They didn’t have to worry about that. The fact that they could wreak havoc in the town without being punished meant they had someone powerful protecting them.

The thugs turned to leave, paying Mu Can no mind.

They were wary of the clan’s power, true, but now that Mu Can had offended a Spirit Master from the Golden Cicada Sect, the clan would surely not stick their necks out for him.

He had now been abandoned.

Without protection, he was just a fat sheep.

After being beaten and extorted, Mu Can realized this as well.

The kinsmen he had relied on were no longer on his side.

‘So, the only thing I can rely on is the *Blood Sea Slaughter Sutra*.’ As this thought emerged in his mind, Mu Can snatched a sharp knife from the kitchen stove.

Holding the sharp knife, he charged straight at Er Niu, roaring, “Er Niu!”

Hearing the shout, Er Niu subconsciously turned and said arrogantly, “What, looking for your Lord Niu…”

SCHLICK…

He didn’t finish his sentence before Mu Can’s sharp knife plunged into his chest.

Excruciating pain shot through him, and a look of disbelief appeared on Er Niu’s face.

He couldn’t believe that Mu Can actually dared to attack him, much less try to take his life.

Even he didn’t dare to kill someone directly, only indirectly cause their death through torment and abuse.

“Just sending you on your way,” Mu Can said coldly, pulling out the knife. Blood instantly sprayed from Er Niu’s chest, spattering onto him.

The *Blood Sea Slaughter Sutra* began to activate.

As the blood landed on him, it transformed into a hazy crimson light and merged into his body. The first wisp of Blood Spiritual Power was born in an instant.

“You… how could you dare…” Er Niu clutched his chest and staggered back a few steps, pointing a finger at Mu Can.

But Mu Can, without another word, stepped forward and slit Er Niu’s throat with the knife.

“‘What’s there not to dare?’ Mu Can sneered. ‘Are you allowed to kill people, but no one’s allowed to kill you?'”

Er Niu’s breath stopped. The kill was complete. Mu Can felt the rage in his chest absorb the essence of the slaughter, transforming into a long saber.

The Blood Sea Body and Blood Spiritual Power were already stirring, and now the Life-taking Saber had begun to take form.

‘But this isn’t enough. I need more slaughter, more blood, to grow stronger.’

The remaining thugs who saw this were scared out of their wits.

Bullying the weak and fearing the strong was second nature to thugs like them.

So when Mu Can killed Er Niu without hesitation, they were naturally terrified.

“Murder! Run!!!” One of the thugs came to his senses, shouting as he tried to flee.

But since Mu Can had already made his move, how could he possibly let them go?

The Life-taking Saber transformed into a crimson shadow, piercing the man’s skull. He died on the spot, all the blood in his body sucked completely dry.

His entire body instantly turned into a desiccated corpse.

The Life-taking Saber devoured the blood, feeding it back to the Blood Sea Body and the Blood Spiritual Power, while completing the kill made the Life-taking Saber itself stronger.

It was a mutually beneficial process.

“This feeling… it’s truly wonderful.” Mu Can reveled in the slaughter and blood, experiencing an exhilarating thrill he had never felt before.

He controlled his now-stronger Life-taking Saber, which became a crimson shadow that began to harvest the remaining thugs.

No matter how fast they ran, they weren’t faster than the flying Life-taking Saber.

Before they could even run out the door, they all became desiccated corpses and collapsed to the ground.

“You fool! You’re a murderer now! What will our Mu Clan do?”

“They just beat you and wanted a little money, you should have just given it to them! Why did you have to go and destroy the hundred-year reputation of our Mu Clan?”

Mu Can was in the middle of dealing with the bodies when he saw his family’s Third Grand-uncle rushing over. He showed no concern for Mu Can, instead cursing him for bringing shame to the Mu Clan.

“That’s an interesting thing to say, Third Grand-uncle. I just wonder, where was the Mu Clan when these thugs were beating and extorting me?” A crimson light flashed in Mu Can’s eyes.

“You… how dare you talk back to me! Isn’t this all trouble you brought on yourself!” The Mu Family’s Third Grand-uncle was fuming.

However, Mu Can just revealed a vicious grin.

“Third Grand-uncle is right. I shouldn’t talk back to you. It’s meaningless.”

“So if the Mu Clan has a problem, they can go ask these thugs themselves. I can’t be bothered to explain it to you.” At that moment, Mu Can understood: his own power was the only power that truly mattered.

‘So-called clans and noble families… they’re nothing but a bunch of weaklings huddling together for warmth.’

The Life-taking Saber flashed, completely severing all ties to the past.