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

……

"Where's Lao Cai? Where is he? Come out and greet Ma!"

A shout broke the silence of the mountains. Lao Denuo immediately stood up to greet him, his smile undiminished: "Oh, what a distinguished guest! I just spent thirty taels of silver to take over this shop a couple of days ago. Old Cai mentioned to me that Young Master Lin from Fuwei Escort Agency is a frequent visitor and is our great benefactor. We dare not neglect him in the slightest."

"Haha, you're smart enough to know what's good for you." Chief镖师 Shi grinned, casually tossing over a pheasant and a yellow rabbit. "Clean them up, stir-fry two big plates of them, and bring a few side dishes to go with your drinks. Our young master is Chief镖师 Lin, generous and magnanimous, spending money like water. If the food is good, you'll get your thirty taels back immediately."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Laudenau, carrying his prey, happily darted into the kitchen.

Lin Tian, ​​standing in the corner, narrowed his eyes and frowned slightly. After a year away, Pingzhi had become even more arrogant and domineering… It seemed the first thing he'd do upon returning home was to teach him a lesson.

Lin Pingzhi suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, scratched his head, looked around, and looked completely bewildered.

"Bring me the wine! Bring me the wine! Damn it, this godforsaken place in Fujian is full of mountains and steep roads, even the horses are exhausted!"

Before the words were finished, two men in green robes burst in. They were dressed in a refined manner on the upper body, but their lower bodies were bare, making them look like incongruous mountain spirits.

The person who arrived was Yu Renyan, the son of Yu Canghai, and his lackeys.

"What kind of wine do you want?" Yue Lingshan stepped forward and asked coldly, her tone clearly showing disgust. These two foul-mouthed, strangely dressed fellows were truly repulsive.

Her face was covered by a mask, making her appearance extremely ugly, but her voice was clear and melodious, which made people turn their heads.

Yu Renyan was taken aback. He looked at her for a moment, then suddenly reached out and lifted her chin, shaking his head and sighing, "What a pity, what a pity."

"Senior Brother Yu, you have a hot figure, but that face... makes me want to vomit." The henchman chimed in with a mocking laugh.

"Hahaha—" Yu Renyan burst into laughter.

"What the hell! Two blind good-for-nothings dare to act wildly in my Fuzhou!"

Before Yue Lingshan could react, Lin Pingzhi slammed his fist on the table, his eyes wide with anger, and pointed at Yu Renyan, cursing.

"Oh?" Yu Renyan glanced at him sideways and sneered, "Trying to be a hero and save the damsel in distress? You little rascal, you've got a sharp tongue."

The term "Rabbit God" was considered an extreme insult. In ancient times, if a man was addressed in this way, it was even worse than insulting a prostitute.

"you--!"

Lin Pingzhi's blood boiled, and he grabbed the tin wine pot on the table and smashed it hard at Yu Renyan.

Yu Renyan easily dodged to the side.

The atmosphere inside the shop was tense, but Lin Tian, ​​sitting in a corner, continued to drink alone, his expression indifferent, as if the conflict before him was nothing more than an insignificant drama.

Just like in the plot, Yu Renyan grabbed Lin Pingzhi's head and forced him to kowtow and admit his mistake.

But in the next instant, Lin Pingzhi suddenly pulled out a dagger and stabbed it into Yu Renyan's heart!

Blood gushed out, splattering all over his face and body, as if he had been doused with scalding cinnabar.

"I...I killed someone?!"

The dagger slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. Lin Pingzhi staggered backward, his eyes glazed over, and his whole body trembled.

Having grown up in luxury and even avoided the slaughter of chickens, how could he have ever witnessed such a bloody scene? At this moment, he was completely disoriented, his hands and feet turning ice-cold.

"Tell...my father...to avenge me..."

Yu Renyan managed to squeeze out a few words, but his pupils were already dilated. Before he could finish speaking, he collapsed to the ground.

"Senior Brother Yu! Senior Brother Yu!"

The servant accompanying him screamed twice, glanced at Lin Pingzhi and the other bodyguards around him, knew he was no match for them, gritted his teeth and glared at them, then turned and rushed out the door—he mounted his horse, whipped it, and tried to escape!

Lin Pingzhi was still in a daze, and the head镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) were also standing there dumbfounded and didn't react.

"waste!"

A cold rebuke suddenly rang out, "If you don't have the ability, why pretend to be a hero? Have you used up all your martial arts experience?!"

Before the words were finished, a whooshing sound flashed and disappeared—

"puff!"

The Qingcheng disciple who had just leaped onto the horse suddenly had a bamboo chopstick stuck in the back of his head, twitched, fell off the horse, and remained motionless.

The entire room fell silent.

All eyes turned to the source of the sound—a young man in the corner of the tavern, who was drinking with his head down.

The hunchbacked old man, Laudenuo, felt his pupils shrink sharply, his heart pounding: A master! A single chopstick kills a third-rate expert dozens of steps away; this internal strength must be at least at the first-rate level! To reach such a level at such a young age… Who is he? Why did he save Lin Pingzhi? Could it be… besides Yue Buqun and his master, there are other forces eyeing the "Evil-Repelling Sword Manual"?

On the other side, Chief Escort Shi and another colleague hurriedly stepped forward, blocking Lin Pingzhi's path, and clasped their hands in a deep voice, saying:

"Your Excellency is truly virtuous. We hope you will keep today's events a secret. The Fuwei Escort Agency will certainly reward you handsomely. Besides... you were the one who dealt with that person just now, so you certainly wouldn't tell anyone, would you?"

The tone appears respectful, but it actually contains a hidden threat.

"Oh?" The man finally spoke, still without turning around. He slowly sipped his wine and sneered, "You know this can't get out? Ha—then why did you just watch that kid ride away on horseback? A镖头 (bodyguard/escort) with this level of skill? It's laughable! And what did you mean by your last sentence? Are you trying to use the Fuwei Escort Agency to pressure me? Or are you trying to drag me down with you?"

Lin Pingzhi gritted his teeth and stepped forward, forcing a show of strength: "Brother, this whole mess started with me, I'll take full responsibility, and I won't implicate you!"

"Heh." The man turned around, a smile playing on his lips, but his eyes were as cold as knives. "Bear the blame alone? Can you even handle it? Your martial arts are mediocre at best, and you spend your days traveling, hunting, and having fun. You seem to be living a rather carefree life, young master?"

"you--!"

Lin Pingzhi felt his blood rush to his head, his face flushed red, and he raised his finger, but stopped abruptly the moment he met those eyes.

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean'? Keep going." The man tilted his head and smiled, his tone flippant, yet a sense of oppression was palpable.

"Big...Big Brother..."

Lin Pingzhi shrugged, lowered his head, and his voice instantly went limp.

I've been afraid of him since I was a child, so much so that I never dared to talk back when he scolded me.

The two镖头 (bodyguards) beside him were stunned upon hearing this. Upon closer inspection—the young man's features were none other than those of the long-lost eldest son, Lin Tian!

"Young Master!"

"Young Master!"

The two immediately bowed and saluted, their voices changing tone.

"Don't you understand the principle of letting a tiger return to the mountain? It's one thing to be young and ignorant, but you two have been escorting goods for years, traversing the south and north, and you don't even know this basic taboo?!"

Lin Tian's gaze swept over, his tone suddenly turning cold, his question as sharp as a knife.

The two镖头 (bodyguards) felt a chill run down their spines and sweat beaded on their foreheads.

Lin Tian is the true eldest son of the Fuwei Escort Agency, whose status is already above Lin Ping's. It is also rumored that his martial arts skills are already close to those of the chief escort. How dare they raise their heads?

"Upon returning, you will be stripped of your镖师 (bodyguard/escort) title and punished by serving as a 鼍子 (porter/trainman) for six months. Understand?"

Lin Tian gave the order calmly.

"Yes, young master!" the two replied in unison, without any complaint.

If Lin Tian hadn't intervened today, the news would have leaked, and the enemies would have come knocking; the consequences would have been unimaginable. Punishing him with only six months as a porter is already an exceptionally lenient punishment.

"Brother, is this really necessary? Chief Escort Zheng and Chief Escort Shi..."

Lin Pingzhi had barely finished speaking when Lin Tian coldly interrupted him: "You still dare to speak? Isn't this all your fault? It's good to be chivalrous, but you should also consider whether you have the ability! In the past year, your martial arts haven't improved; instead, they've regressed to this state—how is there any difference between you and a street thug throwing punches? I'll teach you a lesson when we get back."

Lin Pingzhi's face immediately turned bitter, as if he had swallowed a bitter pill.

"How can you be so fierce, brother?!" Yue Lingshan suddenly stepped forward, her voice clear and bright. "When you're out in the martial world, helping those in need is the righteous thing to do. What right do you have to stop me?"

Ultimately, this whole thing started because of her. Seeing Lin Pingzhi being scolded so badly that he couldn't lift his head, she naturally felt uncomfortable.

"Um?"

Lin Tian's eyes turned cold as he swept his gaze over. In the next instant, his sword flashed like lightning, its cold light aimed directly at Yue Lingshan's face!

"ah--!"

"stop!"

"Big brother!!"

"Young Master!!"

Everyone gasped in alarm, nearly scared out of their wits.

Laudenau was terrified – if Yue Lingshan were to get into trouble under his nose, Yue Buqun would skin him alive! Zuo Lengchan would never risk a falling out with Mount Hua for a disciple with mediocre talent.

Lin Pingzhi was utterly shocked. His elder brother was always measured and never killed innocent people indiscriminately. The two镖头 (bodyguards) Zheng and Shi were also pounding with fear—although the name "Deadly Sword" was well-known, Lin Tian only ever killed those who deserved to die.

If he were truly a bloodthirsty scoundrel, the martial world would have been awash in blood this year. After all, his system that drops cards doesn't discriminate between good and evil.

Lin Tian knew better than anyone else that even with a system by his side, he couldn't lose his bottom line. Otherwise, one day he would be driven to a dead end.

Just as the tip of the sword was about to touch Yue Lingshan's skin, he flicked his wrist, and the sword's momentum suddenly changed from a thrust to a parry—with a "whoosh," the ugly mask on her face fell off.

A stunningly beautiful face suddenly appeared, with exquisite features and skin as smooth as jade.

"He is indeed good-looking; no wonder Linghu Chong has been thinking about him for so many years," Lin Tian thought to himself.

However, for a modern soul like him who has seen countless internet celebrities and stars, this beauty is barely considered pleasing to the eye.

"You...you...how dare you!" Yue Lingshan's fingertips trembled as she pointed at Lin Tian, ​​both shocked and furious.

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Lin Tian sneered. "Go back and tell Yue Buqun to mind his own business. Otherwise, it might not just be his hand that gets broken—you only have one life."

After saying that, he shifted his gaze to Lao Denuo, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Please also convey these words to Sect Leader Zuo on my behalf."

Laudenuo froze, cold sweat instantly soaking his back—what did that mean?! Not only did he know my and Yue Lingshan's identities, but he also realized that I was a spy planted by Master in Mount Hua?!

Impossible! How could he possibly know about such a top-secret matter?!

And... he's Lin Pingzhi's older brother?

According to intelligence reports, Lin Zhennan does have two sons, twin brothers, which means he is only nineteen years old this year.

A top-tier expert at the age of nineteen?!

Good heavens... Master only reached the first-class level at the age of twenty-seven, and was already hailed as a once-in-a-century genius. How could there be such a monstrous talent in the world?!

Is it...

Could it be that the Lin family's "Evil-Repelling Sword Manual" is truly as miraculous as the legends say?!

No! We must report to our master immediately!

Seeing Laudenau's shifty eyes and rapidly changing thoughts, Lin Tian could guess what he was plotting just by looking at a strand of hair. But he didn't care at all—he no longer needed to fear Zuo Lengchan. If he dared to attack, he would simply kill him with a single sword strike.

The mansion of the Fuwei Escort Agency was considered a prominent residence in the entire city of Fuzhou. Stone altars stood on both sides of the gate, each with a flagpole two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) high, with green flags fluttering in the wind.

On the left side of the flag, a lion embroidered with gold thread is depicted with its claws outstretched, lifelike appearance. As it sways in the wind, it seems ready to pounce and devour people at any moment.

"Tian'er's back? Quick, pull Mother to see him!"

Before she arrived, her voice preceded her. Madam Wang strode out of the inner hall like the wind, rushed to Lin Tian in a few steps, grabbed his hand, and looked him up and down with eyes full of heartache and joy.

"Tian'er, you've been away for a whole year, and you've gotten so tanned and strong. Don't go off again this time, or your mother really won't stand for it."

"Don't worry, Mother, I won't go anywhere this time. I'll stay with you." Lin Tian quickly replied, knowing that if he didn't agree, Madam Wang would definitely not let it go.

"Alright, Madam, Tian'er has just arrived home. Let him sit down and rest for a while." Lin Zhennan sat in the main seat, picked up his teacup, and was about to take a sip when his gaze swept over the room. He saw Lin Pingzhi standing behind Lin Tian, ​​head down, clothes tattered, and face covered in dust. He immediately frowned. "Pingzhi? What happened to you? What's wrong?"

"Father, Mother... I... I've caused trouble. Just now... I even killed someone." Lin Pingzhi looked up at Lin Zhennan, then quickly lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly.

"Murder?!" Lin Zhennan's brows furrowed, his voice suddenly rising, "Explain clearly, what happened!"

He didn't care at all—who in the underworld hasn't stained their hands with blood to make a living? As long as it doesn't involve any big shots in the government, what could Lin Zhennan possibly be afraid of in Fuzhou?

"Father, it's like this..." Lin Pingzhi dared not hide anything and told the whole story of what happened in the restaurant from beginning to end, without missing a single word.

"The martial arts of the expert from Sichuan far surpass Pingzhi's... Master Yu of the Qingcheng Sect sent four disciples to visit a few days ago. Could they be his followers? If so... then we're in trouble." Lin Zhennan thought to himself, "Fortunately, Tian'er has silenced us. As long as the news doesn't leak out, we should be fine."

He looked up at Lin Tian and said in a deep voice, "Tian'er, you handled this matter well. These two people from Sichuan have powerful backgrounds. Today's events must not be spread, otherwise, the entire Lin family will be implicated."

"Huh?! Who...who exactly are they?" Lin Pingzhi exclaimed in shock, his face turning deathly pale.

"Don't ask too many questions! Although you were reckless today, you weren't entirely wrong." Lin Zhennan waved his hand. "But remember, like your older brother said, if you don't have the ability, don't try to be a hero. From now on, stay home and practice your swordsmanship, and don't go out too much."

He was the one who taught him to be chivalrous and righteous in the first place, but now he can't bring himself to scold him, so he can only gloss over it.