Martial Arts Master: The Lin Family Sword God, who swept through the Five Mountains and Four Sects

However, among these countless swordsmen, only two can be called "Sword Gods".

First, there's Ximen Chuixue, dressed in white as snow and with a clear and discerning swordsmanship.

Secondly, there is Xie Xiaofeng, a man born with the talent of a swordsman and an emperor among swordsmen—the man who pushed swordsmanship to the pinnacle of art. He seemed to be blessed by fate from birth, flawless and undefeated in his life.

Yet this near-perfect swordsman almost died from a single sword strike.

That person was named Yan Shisan.

That sword is called the Thirteen Deadly Swords!

Even if it's just a red card-level martial skill, Lin Tian wouldn't even glance at it, let alone a purple card-level martial skill.

The reason why the Thirteen Deadly Swords are listed only in red is because the world only recognizes their surface appearance!

Those first thirteen sword strikes were merely a prelude, a cover-up, a foil to the main attraction!

When the thirteen swords reach their limit, they will break free from their cocoons and transform into butterflies, unleashing that defying-the-heaven fourteenth sword!

But that sword strike was not yet over!

Immediately following, the fifteenth sword strike, like a shadow, descended suddenly, carrying the aura of destruction and death. When Yan Shisan unleashed this sword, even the Sword God Xie Xiaofeng could only close his eyes and await death, utterly powerless to resist!

If the Thirteen Deadly Swords are red-grade martial arts skills, then the fourteenth sword is the peak of purple-grade, and the fifteenth sword is definitely an orange-grade ultimate killing move, surpassing the mortal realm!

Even Lin Tian suspected that the fifteenth sword might not be the end, and that there might be a sixteenth, seventeenth, and so on hidden behind it. However, these were not his concerns for the time being.

With a light flick of his finger, the card of the Thirteen Deadly Swords shattered instantly, and a flood of information rushed into his mind.

Surprisingly, this martial arts inheritance was not a simple indoctrination of techniques, but rather the complete memories of Yan Shisan—the swordsman who pushed the Thirteen Deadly Swords to their extreme—were directly imprinted into his consciousness!

In an instant, Lin Tian's mastery of this sword technique had reached the same level as Yan Shisan! Unfortunately, his understanding of the fourteenth and fifteenth swords remained a blank.

Name: Lin Tian

Age: 18

Cultivation level: Peak of first-class

Cultivation Technique: Mind-Intent Qi Hunyuan Gong [Shaoyang Divine Skill]

Martial arts training: Evil-Repelling Sword Manual [Beginner's Guide], Thirteen Deadly Swords [Masterful]

(Note: The levels of martial arts skill range from low to high: Beginner, Advanced, Mastery, Consummate Skill, Divine Skill, Pinnacle, and Transcendental)

This is a data panel automatically presented by the system. It is intuitive, clear, and easy to understand, making it arguably the most powerful cheat in the cultivation world.

……

His gaze swept to the side, where the old elm tree, struck by his palm strike, was still shedding its leaves.

He raised his hand and lightly tapped with his sword.

In an instant, twenty-seven leaves broke precisely along their veins and drifted to the ground.

"Without using internal force, Linghu Chong of the Dugu Nine Swords could blind fifteen people with one sword, but my sword, though powerless and without force, can take down twenty-seven—Yu Canghai, you'd better hurry up and jump out..." Lin Tian looked at Duan Ye and sneered inwardly.

"Big brother, Mom wants you to come eat!"

Suddenly, a clear, youthful voice came from behind.

Turning around, he saw that the newcomer had clear features and was exceptionally handsome, with a profile that bore a striking resemblance to Lin Tian.

"Pingzhi, let's go eat," Lin Tian replied with a smile.

This young man was Lin Pingzhi, his nominal younger brother.

In the entire world of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," compared to the Northern Song Dynasty's Tianlong Babu and the late Song Dynasty's Condor Heroes, what has declined is not only martial arts, but also the concept of chivalry.

The various sects vied for power and profit, appearing virtuous but ultimately driven by self-interest. Throughout the entire book, perhaps only Lin Pingzhi in the early stages truly displayed chivalry—unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on him, leading to a tragic end.

That's why Lin Tian had a good impression of him.

Moreover, he is now his own brother, and their brotherly bond is quite strong.

"Huh? Why did you agree so readily today, Big Brother?" Lin Pingzhi asked, looking surprised.

In the past, when he called Lin Tian to eat, nine times out of ten he would be practicing swordsmanship and would always say "wait a moment," only to arrive late when he had almost finished eating.

"Big brother, did something good happen to you?" Lin Pingzhi couldn't help but ask, seeing the smile that Lin Tian couldn't suppress.

To be honest, he was a little afraid of Lin Tian. Not only because the other party's martial arts were far superior to his, but also because whenever he made a mistake and angered his mother since childhood, Lin Tian would always scold him with a cold face and show no mercy.

"Hmm, I've made some progress in martial arts," Lin Tian said with a faint smile.

"A breakthrough?!"

Lin Pingzhi's pupils dilated, and he immediately asked urgently, "Then...then aren't you even stronger than Father now?"

Two years ago, Lin Tian sparred with Lin Zhennan, resulting in a draw. At the time, Lin Zhennan laughed heartily, admitting that Lin Tian's strength was no less than his own. Now, with another breakthrough, Lin Pingzhi naturally concluded—his elder brother had surpassed their father!

In his eyes, his father, Lin Zhennan, was already a top master in the martial arts world, so how strong must his older brother, who was even stronger than his father, be?

Thinking of this, Lin Pingzhi's eyes lit up, and he looked at Lin Tian with admiration.

Seeing the gaze directed at him by Lin Pingzhi, Lin Tian simply chuckled and offered no further explanation.

Two years ago, before he had even broken through to the second tier, he had already held back his strength in his sparring match with Lin Zhennan. In other words, even back then, Lin Zhennan was no match for him.

For the past two years, in order not to embarrass Lin Zhennan, he has always avoided fighting and has never truly gone all out. Lin Zhennan is also well aware of his own limitations, and since then, he has never mentioned the word "fight" again.

It has to be said, Lin Zhennan's talent is truly appalling. Possessing the top-tier Shaolin internal skill, the "Heart-Mind Qi Hunyuan Gong," and having diligently cultivated it for decades, he's still stuck in the third-rate realm. If Lin Yuantu knew this in the afterlife, he'd probably jump out of his coffin and start cursing.

……

"Tian'er, try this! It's your favorite West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce, and also Duck Stuffed with Glutinous Rice! You must be starving after practicing your sword all morning."

At the dinner table, Madam Wang kept putting food into Lin Tian's bowl with her chopsticks.

The bowls were piled up like a small mountain, and they didn't seem to be decreasing at all.

"Mom, I also want to eat duck stuffed with glutinous rice..."

Seeing that his mother only had eyes for his eldest brother, Lin Pingzhi couldn't help but mutter something, his tone revealing a hint of bitterness.

Lin Tian glanced at him, smiled, and was about to give the duck leg in his bowl to his younger brother when Madam Wang stopped him with a quick chopstick and stuffed it back into his bowl.

"What are you robbing me for!" she scolded, frowning. "Your older brother works hard practicing his martial arts and needs nourishment. What about you? You haven't even gotten up since the sun is high in the sky, and you haven't even done a single set of punches this morning. What are you going to eat to nourish yourself?"

Everyone says that mothers favor their youngest sons, but in Madam Wang's case, it was the other way around—she loved her eldest son, Lin Tian, ​​so much that she wanted to tear her heart out to pity him.

Having been reprimanded in public, Lin Pingzhi lowered his head sheepishly, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

He was well aware that, in terms of aptitude, effort, and achievements, he was far inferior to his older brother. If he were to talk back now, he would probably have to endure another long lecture.

"Alright, Pingzhi," Lin Zhennan said, stepping in to ease the tension. He casually placed another duck leg into Lin Pingzhi's bowl. "It's not like there's only one left, what's the point of arguing?"

He paused, then said earnestly, "Pingzhi, while martial arts are not the only way to travel the world, we must never abandon the Lin family's Evil-Repelling Sword Technique. From now on, set aside one hour each day to practice swordsmanship with your elder brother. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Father."

Lin Pingzhi casually agreed; he had heard this countless times, and his ears were practically calloused from it.

Lin Tian always ate in a whirlwind, finishing his meals in no time.

At this time in the past, he would have already gotten up and left his seat to go to the backyard to practice his sword. But today was different—after putting down his chopsticks, he sat still, his expression solemn.

Lin Zhennan noticed something was wrong and stopped eating, asking suspiciously, "Tian'er, what's wrong? Is the food not to your liking? Or is something on your mind?"

Madam Wang and Lin Pingzhi, who were standing nearby, also stopped eating and turned to look at him.

Lin Tian straightened his clothes and said seriously, "Father, Mother, there is something I would like to ask you about."

"Oh?" Lin Zhennan raised an eyebrow, quite surprised.

This son has always had his own ideas, and he almost never needs to worry about making decisions. Now that he suddenly says he needs to "seek instructions," it has piqued his curiosity.

Lin Tian paused briefly, glancing at Madam Wang, before slowly speaking: "Today, during my training, my cultivation broke through again. If I continue to cultivate in seclusion, I'm afraid I won't make any progress for several years. Therefore, I want to go out and gain experience, to travel the martial world."

"absurd!!"

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Zhennan slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly, his face grim: "Do you think the martial world is a place for leisurely travel?! How many bloody incidents happen every day, how many corpses lie strewn in the streets! I've been a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) for half my life, I know ten times more than you! With your meager skills, you dare to talk about roaming the martial world? No way! Absolutely not!"

"Yes, Tian'er," Madam Wang said anxiously, quickly advising, "Your father is right. The world is dangerous, and people's hearts are even more treacherous. You are still young. If you really want to see the world, why not accompany your father on a few escort missions? Why insist on venturing into the world alone?"

Born into the prestigious Wang family of Luoyang, she understood better than anyone how dangerous the martial world could be. How could she possibly worry about her son, who had never stepped outside the house?

After glancing at Lin Zhennan and Madam Wang, Lin Tian said nothing more. He casually pushed aside the bowls and chopsticks on the table, then gently placed his palm down on the table.

Lin Zhennan frowned, about to speak, but his pupils suddenly contracted and he froze on the spot—that seemingly casual hand had silently sunk into the hard marble as if it were sinking into quagmire!

"This... how is this possible?" His lips trembled slightly, and his voice changed tone.

Although his martial arts skills were mediocre, his eyesight was excellent. This table was made of top-grade marble that he had brought back from Yunnan when he was a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) years ago. Its texture was as solid as iron, and even if an ordinary second-rate master used all his internal strength, he could only leave a crack.

But right now, Lin Tian's palm strike didn't just crack, it sank in!

He plunged in an inch, but it didn't budge, as if the stone had turned into tofu, and he was the one wielding the knife.

To reach this level, the required refinement and precision of internal energy control are far beyond what is achieved by cracking the skin; they would be ten or even a hundred times greater!

Only those who have truly reached the first-class level can achieve this!

"Yang...Tian'er, you...you have broken through to the first-class master level?!" Lin Zhennan's voice trembled as he stared intently at his son, as if he were seeing him for the first time.

"Hmm." Lin Tian nodded lightly. "I made some breakthroughs this morning." He paused, then added casually, "My swordsmanship has also improved slightly."

His tone was as calm as if he were talking about how many bowls of rice he ate that day.

But to Lin Zhennan, these words were like a thunderclap.

A slight breakthrough?

First-class realm?

The top masters he had met were all renowned figures, pillars of their respective sects, and respected elders even within the Five Mountains Sword Sect, holding positions of great prestige and inspiring awe.

Lin Zhennan, on the other hand, usually had to bow and scrape when he saw these people, for fear that a single word would cause trouble for him and affect the business of Fuwei Escort Agency.

Now, his eighteen-year-old son has actually stepped into a level that he could only look up to?!

An eighteen-year-old top-tier expert?!

Has such a monstrous talent ever existed in the martial world?!

Linghu Chong, the so-called genius of the Huashan Sect, is older than Tian'er and is still stuck in the second tier!

What does this mean?

This means that his son is very likely to be the most dazzling figure among the younger generation of the entire Five Mountains Sword Sect!