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

"Father, what are you laughing at?" Ren Yingying was completely confused.

Xiang Wentian and Linghu Chong also looked puzzled and turned to look at each other.

Ren Woxing's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he sneered, "You don't understand! The first sentence of the Sunflower Manual is—'To practice this skill, one must first castrate oneself!' Hahahaha! In other words, Dongfang Bubai is now a eunuch!" By the end, his laughter was maniacal, as if half of his ten years of resentment had vanished in an instant.

If he knew that Dongfang Bubai was actually a woman who could cultivate this skill due to her special constitution, and that he had personally entrusted her with the manual to help her reach the pinnacle... he would probably vomit three liters of blood on the spot and die.

"Ah?!" Ren Yingying blushed and lowered her head in embarrassment.

Xiang Wentian and Linghu Chong also had stiff expressions, their mouths twitching, and they couldn't say a word.

Although Ren Woxing was arrogant, he was not stupid. Although he possessed profound skills and could suppress several peak acquired masters by himself, he had never stepped into the innate realm.

He slowly suppressed his smile and nodded, saying, "Brother Xiang is right. We cannot attack this forcefully; we must plan carefully. Since a direct confrontation won't work, we can only outsmart them."

Seeing them begin plotting against Dongfang Bubai, Linghu Chong felt a sudden urge to retreat. He rose and cupped his hands in greeting: "Now that Leader Ren is out of danger, I have fulfilled my promise to Yingying. I shall take my leave now."

"Chong-ge..." Ren Yingying called softly, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Ren Woxing frowned. The young man had acted decisively and was quite skilled. Now that he had just been released from prison, he needed manpower, so how could he let him go so easily?

He immediately spoke up: "Brother Linghu, what future is there in being a disciple of Mount Hua? Why not help me kill that scoundrel Dongfang Bubai! I will not only appoint you as the vice leader of the Sun Moon Sect, but I will also betroth Yingying to you—how about it?!" His eyes were burning, clearly he had already seen through his daughter's intentions.

"Father!" Ren Yingying's ears turned red as she scolded him.

Linghu Chong's heart trembled slightly. He stole a glance at the beauty; how could he not be moved? But… his junior sister, who constantly pestered him to practice the Chongling Sword Technique, was still waiting on the mountain. At this moment, no love-hate entanglements had arisen; the two of them spent their days practicing swordsmanship together, their affection overflowing. How could he easily cross the line?

He took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Leader Ren. But as a disciple of Mount Hua, how can Linghu Chong betray his sect and join your esteemed sect? Besides..." He looked at Ren Yingying, gritted his teeth, and said, "I already have someone I love."

As soon as she finished speaking, Ren Yingying's face turned deathly pale.

Ren Woxing's face turned ashen. He was used to being domineering, and when had he ever been treated with such disrespect? Linghu Chong's ungratefulness only fueled his anger.

Seeing the atmosphere tense, Xiang Wentian reacted quickly, stepping forward to smooth things over:

"Master, Brother Linghu, let's put these grudges aside for now. The most urgent task is to eliminate that traitor Dongfang Bubai! Brother Linghu, although your rescue of the Master today is a righteous act, once word gets to Mount Hua, that old fox Yue Buqun will not let you off easily."

Linghu Chong nodded slightly. It was more than just punishment. Even with Feng Qingyang backing him up, it was already a miracle that his ancestors had burned incense for him to keep his cultivation from being destroyed.

Seeing his solemn expression, Xiang Wentian's eyes flashed with joy, and he took a step closer: "Brother Linghu, I have a way to make you suffer less punishment when you go back."

Linghu Chong was taken aback and quickly asked, "Please enlighten me, elder brother."

Xiang Wentian's lips curled slightly: "Now that Dongfang Bubai is entrenched in the Sun Moon Sect, he's at odds with the Five Mountains Sword Sects. If you can help the sect leader take his head and then return to Mount Hua, your merits and demerits will cancel each other out. Even if your master is strict, he won't be able to bring himself to kill you. What do you think?"

These words sounded grand and dignified, but in reality, they were setting a trap—Xiang Wentian was leading him step by step into a snare.

Linghu Chong frowned, feeling that something was off, but the effects of the alcohol hadn't worn off and his mind was a mess, so he couldn't make sense of it.

"In that case...we will do as our elder brother says."

He bowed respectfully, and as soon as he finished speaking, he was already in the game.

---

"What?" Lin Tian raised an eyebrow. "You're saying that after Ren Woxing escaped from the West Lake prison, he didn't head north to Blackwood Cliff, but instead headed southwest?!"

"Indeed, sir." Lin Si and Lin Shisan knelt on the ground, their voices low. "After crossing the Hubei border, they switched to waterways. Our pursuit failed... We were unable to complete our mission and are willing to accept punishment."

"Get up." Lin Tian waved his hand, his expression indifferent. "I didn't want you to get too close anyway, so it's not a dereliction of duty."

Even so, he fell into deep thought.

After ten years of imprisonment, Ren Woxing harbored a deep hatred for Dongfang Bubai. Shouldn't his first act upon escaping be to storm Blackwood Cliff and settle old scores? Yet, he deliberately avoided battle and instead stealthily headed southwest... Something's not right, something's very wrong!

etc--

He suddenly realized: Xiang Wentian, knowing the strength of the East, must have already warned Ren Woxing. Ren Woxing was arrogant but not foolish; knowing he was outmatched, why would he throw his life away? What he needed now was a trump card that could turn the tide…

Southwest... What's in the Southwest?

Miao territory! The Five Poisons Cult!

Gu magic!

Lin Tian's eyes suddenly lit up, and he suddenly understood! Ordinary poisons had long been recognized by Dongfang, but only the Gu technique, a secret technique passed down in Miao territory, was unpredictable and could possibly deceive everyone and quietly erode his body.

"Heh..." He chuckled softly, a chill flashing across his eyes. "Ren Woxing, you really are ruthless."

If the other party forces their way into Blackwood Cliff, Lin Tian won't bother intervening—he has confidence in Dongfang; even ten Ren Woxing tied together wouldn't be enough for him to chop down with a single blow. But if they use Gu magic to ambush them… that's a different story.

---

"My lord, Blackwood Cliff is over two hundred feet high, its surface as smooth as a mirror, without a single mark." Lin Yi reported, bowing his head, sweat beading on his forehead. "Even with all my might, I could only climb to about thirty feet. I am truly... ashamed."

Lin San and Lin Qi stood to the side, their heads bowed even lower—they hadn't even reached thirty zhang.

"Heh." Lin Tian shrugged and chuckled. "Didn't I tell you? We 'walked' up there. Lightness skill? Useless."

What good is the Innate Realm? Humans can't fly. Faced with this sheer cliff that pierces the clouds, even the highest level of cultivation is useless.

But this doesn't mean he's helpless.

If someone asks him if he can get up there, he will reply: I have a hundred ways to climb up.

For example, Guo Jing used the black ox hooves to practice the "Golden Goose Skill" to cross mountains; or simply carved steps into the cliff face... Unfortunately, in his eyes, these methods were clumsy and tiring, a complete waste of time.

"Walk...walk up?!" Lin Yi, Lin San, and Lin Qi looked completely bewildered, as if they were listening to gibberish.

The next moment—

They nearly popped their eyes out of their sockets.

Lin Tian took a step, and a stone platform suddenly appeared out of thin air on the rock wall beneath his feet! With his foot firmly planted, he took another step, and another platform was created.

One step at a time, climbing higher and higher.

In the blink of an eye, he was already more than ten feet in the air, his clothes fluttering, looking down at the three of them.