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

Staring at the jade box, his fingertips trembled slightly. Even those who have seen through the illusions of the world, how many can truly be carefree when facing a life-or-death situation?

"Young friend Lin, I'll shamelessly reserve one petal of this thousand-year-old Tianshan snow lotus for Brother Liu. As for the other petal, please take it back. Although I've exhausted my inner strength, I still have a few days to live, more than enough time to pass on the score of 'The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.' Don't misunderstand, it's not that I'm unwilling to accept this spiritual medicine—it's just that I, Qu Yang, have dissipated my inner strength without the sect leader's permission. If this is discovered, I will be severely punished. There's no need to waste such a treasure on me."

"Since Brother Qu is nearing the end of his life, what is the point of me, Liu Zhengfeng, living on alone?" Liu Zhengfeng's tone was calm, but his words were as firm as iron. "This Tianshan Snow Lotus is not a waste, Young Hero Lin, you should take it back."

……

Lin Tian remained silent.

Indeed, the relationship between Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang was far more than just that of close friends.

He sighed softly and shook his head helplessly: "Fine, might as well go all the way. Keep both petals. As for Dongfang Gu... if Bubai really investigates—just say it was on my behalf. She'll give me some face."

As soon as the words were spoken, Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng were stunned.

After a long silence, Liu Zhengfeng finally spoke with difficulty, his voice trembling slightly: "Young Master Lin...you...you actually know Dongfang Bubai?! And...you even have such a relationship?!"

Dongfang Bubai!

Who is that person?

Her martial arts skills were unparalleled, and she looked down upon all heroes; even the most righteous masters dared not deny this. Since appearing in the martial world, she had never had any connection with any force outside of the Sun Moon Sect, and she rarely stepped out of Blackwood Cliff.

How could they possibly understand—how exactly did Lin Tian manage to get on the good side of this god of death?!

"What?" Lin Tian raised an eyebrow and smiled calmly. "Are you allowed to befriend Qu Yang, the Right Envoy of the Demonic Sect, but I'm not allowed to know Dongfang Bubai, the leader of the Demonic Sect?"

One sentence left Liu Zhengfeng speechless.

He and Qu Yang became friends through music, forming a bond that is rare in this world. But Lin Tian… could it be that he also shares some kind of resonance with Dongfang Bubai?!

Lin Tian chuckled and continued, "Actually, Dongfang Bubai is not a bloodthirsty person. In the past ten years, although the Sun Moon Sect has been called a demonic sect, has it ever slaughtered a single faction or wiped out a single sect? The conflicts in the martial world have actually decreased by more than half, and it is many times more stable than when Ren Woxing was in power."

"Indeed!" Qu Yang nodded in agreement, a hint of respect flashing in his eyes. "What you say is absolutely right, young friend Lin. Since the Eastern Cult Leader took over the Divine Sect, the sect has become much more restrained in its actions. Even if some brothers are still unruly, they have all restrained themselves and are no longer as violent as they used to be."

Liu Zhengfeng nodded slightly, looking thoughtful.

He was not a pedantic person to begin with, and being able to share a deep bond with Qu Yang, he naturally wouldn't be blindly fixated on the distinction between good and evil. Upon reflection, the Sun Moon Cult today is indeed far more enlightened than it was during Ren Woxing's era.

"Alright, that's all I can do to help." Lin Tian bowed, turned to leave, and said, "Everything is settled, farewell."

Without hesitation or looking back, the figure vanished in a flash.

……

After descending Hengshan Mountain, the yellow horse galloped swiftly.

Lin Tian headed north.

His original plan was to return to Fuzhou immediately after the Golden Basin Washing Hands Ceremony, and then use the power of the thousand-year-old Tianshan Snow Lotus to cultivate in seclusion and strive to break through to the Innate Realm within six months.

But now, he has changed his mind.

That song, "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," gave him a glimpse into the prototype of the "Fifteenth Deadly Sword."

If one relies solely on secluded practice, one might master it in six months, but that's ultimately just reinventing the wheel, the least efficient path. The real shortcut lies in actual combat—find a master swordsman at the pinnacle of swordsmanship to spar with, use their skill to hone your own, and integrate the strengths of various schools into a single sword strike.

In the world of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," there is no need for a second person when it comes to swordsmanship.

Huashan Sect – Feng Qingyang.

He rose to fame at a young age, roamed the martial world for many years, and was hailed as the "Sword Saint." His sword intent was profound, reaching the realm of "no moves are better than moves."

Back then, the Sword and Qi factions of Mount Hua were locked in a power struggle. The Qi faction tricked him into going on a wedding trip, causing him to miss the final battle and leading to the destruction of the Sword faction. When he returned, the outcome was already decided. Overwhelmed with regret and despair, he secluded himself on the Cliff of Repentance, vowing never to step into the troubles of the martial world again.

This is the man who wields the Dugu Nine Swords, the pinnacle of swordsmanship in the world.

If one could receive his guidance, even just one battle would be enough to transform the Fifteenth Sword.

Having just arrived at Hengshan from Huashan a few days ago, Lin Tian couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile: Fate really does like to go in circles.

However, he was not in a hurry to travel this time.

Feng Qingyang is a genuine expert at the Innate Realm.

Although the acquired and the innate are only one realm apart, they are like a chasm, one in the heavens and the other on the earth.

Although Lin Tian was confident in his swordsmanship, was it really possible to use a fully-developed acquired skill to directly confront a fully-developed innate expert? He wasn't out of his mind. Besides, what kind of swordsmanship did Feng Qingyang practice? The Dugu Nine Swords! That was a deadly technique created by a heaven-defying figure like Dugu Qiubai!

Who is Dugu Qiubai? A legendary figure who has shattered countless ages and is invincible in the world, a true legendary giant!

Within the entire landscape of Jin Yong's martial arts novels, Lin Tian knew who was truly at the pinnacle of legend: Bodhidharma, Dugu Qiubai, and Zhang Sanfeng. As for the Sweeping Monk and the Carefree Ancestor… he couldn't be sure if they were on the same level.

After swallowing a few petals of Tianshan Snow Lotus, the seventh extraordinary meridian was suddenly opened, and Lin Tian stepped into the perfect stage of the Acquired Realm. Only then did he set off to climb Mount Hua.

……

Mount Hua, nestled against the Qinling Mountains to the south and overlooking the Yellow River and Wei River to the north, boasts sharp peaks and craggy rocks, resembling a dragon coiled and a tiger crouching, and has been known as "the most dangerous place under heaven" since ancient times.

Although the Huashan Sect is not as prosperous as it once was, even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse, and its former glory can still be faintly seen among the broken eaves and crumbling walls.

Halfway up the mountain, a huge rock suddenly stands out, with three powerful characters carved on it: "Huashan Sect".

A disciple squatted by the rock, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, lazily passing the time, his face radiating utter boredom.

"Guarding the mountain gate? Guarding the mountain gate? Where can this broken stone be thrown? Who could possibly steal it?" Lu Hou'er muttered. "Master really does come up with something out of nowhere."

"Are you a disciple of Mount Hua?" A sudden question interrupted his rambling.

Lu Hou'er was startled, recognizing the voice. He looked up and his eyes widened in surprise: "Young Master Lin... Young Master Lin? You... what brings you to Mount Hua?"

He had attended the "Golden Basin Washing Hands" ceremony, so he naturally recognized Lin Tian.

Lin Tian glanced at him and saw a small monkey perched on his shoulder. He chuckled and said, "You must be Lu Hou'er. Brother Linghu often mentions you. You truly live up to your name."

Lu Hou'er scratched his head and chuckled twice: "Young Master Lin, you're here to see Senior Brother, right? It's a pity, Senior Brother has been punished by Master and sent to the Cliff of Repentance, so we won't be able to see him for a while."

Lin Tian shook his head: "I'm not here to see Linghu Chong, I'm here to pay my respects to Sect Leader Yue." As he spoke, he handed over a vermilion visiting card, "Please present this to him."

"Oh! Okay! Young Master Lin, wait a moment, I'll take it up right away!" Lu Hou'er was taken aback, but quickly took it, put the monkey on his shoulder to the side, and ran up the mountain.