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

"I'm afraid... we can't avoid it." Lin Tian suddenly spoke, his tone unusually calm.

"Hmm?" Lin Zhennan turned his head, his brows furrowed.

"It's not a coincidence," Lin Tian said slowly. "The one Pingzhi killed was named Yu Yan, Yu Canghai's only son. Although I silenced him, he caused quite a stir at the restaurant this afternoon, and Yu Canghai will find out the truth sooner or later. This kind of blood feud... even if we, the entire Lin family, were to pay the price, it would never be enough."

"..."

Lin Zhennan froze, his eyes glazed over, and he slumped back into his chair, his face ashen.

Lin Pingzhi gritted his teeth and stepped forward, his voice trembling: "Father, Mother, this trouble is my fault, I will take full responsibility. Hand me over to Yu Canghai, at worst... I'll pay for his son's life with my own."

"You bastard!!" Lin Zhennan roared, his eyes wide with rage. "The Lin family isn't your place to stand up for yourself! Madam, take Tian'er and Hepingzhi to your father-in-law's place for refuge immediately! I'll handle Yu Canghai! I, Lin Zhennan, have been wandering the world for many years and have friends all over the world. Hmph! Does Yu Canghai dare to lay a finger on me?! We're leaving tonight, leaving Fuzhou immediately!"

He spoke tough on the surface, but deep down he knew he wouldn't survive this ordeal. So-called friends in the underworld were nothing more than business dealings; offering help in times of need? Forget about it. Those who would kick him when he was down were plentiful, though. His success was based on his wealth and influence; the relationships he built on prestige couldn't withstand the slightest hardship.

Ultimately, the martial arts world only recognizes strength.

Even so, Lin Zhennan, as a father, can be considered to be competent.

Madam Wang didn't speak, but simply looked at Lin Tian quietly. She knew this son best—he had always been decisive and steady, and his expression had remained calm and composed since he entered the room, clearly indicating that he had already made up his mind.

So he asked, "Tian'er, did you already have a plan? You didn't stop Pingzhi from killing Yu Renyan at the tavern, so you probably already had it in mind."

"Of course there is a solution, and it's quite simple," Lin Tian chuckled.

"What countermeasures?" Lin Zhennan hurriedly asked.

Lin Tian's eyes turned cold as he stared directly at his father, his voice like a knife: "If Yu Canghai dares to extend even one hand, I'll chop it off; if he dares to extend both hands, I'll cripple both of his arms; if he dares to come to our door in person, I won't hesitate to send him to his death. If the Qingcheng Sect really dares to mobilize their entire force—"

He paused, his tone suddenly turning icy:

"Then I'll make them all pay with their lives. If they want to destroy my Lin family, they'd better be prepared to be wiped out completely."

As soon as he finished speaking, a chilling killing intent swept out from his body, as if winter had suddenly arrived. The air in the room seemed to freeze, and the temperature seemed to drop by more than ten degrees in an instant. Lin Pingzhi stood to the side, his face turning deathly pale, and he could barely stand.

"Tian'er, I know your martial arts are already first-rate, but Yu Canghai is, after all, the head of Qingcheng Sect, a grandmaster of his generation..." Lin Zhennan was initially delighted to hear that his son had a plan, but after hearing these words, he was filled with disappointment.

In his eyes, this was just the arrogant talk of a naive and ignorant teenager.

Before he could finish speaking, a dragon roared with a "clang"!

The sword flashed suddenly, like autumn waters stretching across the sky. Amidst the surging air currents, a cold glint appeared, and then it quietly returned to its sheath.

"Boom! Boom!"

Two loud explosions rang out from outside the hall—the pair of guardian stone lions, just over ten steps away, were cleanly severed in the middle, the cuts as smooth as a mirror!

"Father," Lin Tian said calmly, "is my swordsmanship good enough to contend with Qingcheng?"

Lin Zhennan stood frozen in place, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, his mouth agape.

He had witnessed the power and might of Master Tianmen, the leader of the Mount Tai Sect, before; he was a top figure in the martial world. But compared to that sword strike just now… it didn't seem so fierce?

"A sword hilt inlaid with thirteen pearls?" Madam Wang's eyes flashed like lightning as she suddenly exclaimed, "Tian'er...you wouldn't happen to be—the 'Deadly Sword' that swept through the martial world and became famous throughout the land a year ago, would you?!"

The sword in Lin Tian's hand was specially made by a contemporary master craftsman in Longquan, Zhejiang, a holy land for sword making, using ancient techniques. It cost 30,000 taels of silver, and the thirteen pigeon-egg-sized pearls on the hilt are priceless.

The moment this sword was forged, it was immediately rated as a blue-grade divine weapon by the system.

"A deadly sword?!" Lin Zhennan was startled and stared intently at the sword.

That's... really thirteen pearls embedded in it?!

"Yang... Tian'er, are you really the deadly swordsman who struck fear into the hearts of bandits this past year? You even took down the Mad Wind Stronghold in Hubei?!" His voice trembled.

For those in the escort agency business, the biggest headache is not government inspections or exclusion by prestigious families, but rather the bandits and outlaws who call themselves "heroes".

After a single delivery, half the profits have to be given away, which is incredibly painful.

This deadly swordsman swept through five provinces—Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Hubei—within six months, wiping out every notable mountain stronghold. Lin Zhennan secretly cheered him on countless times, even vowing that if this man ever revealed his identity, he would bring a generous gift to express his gratitude!

Who would have thought—the benefactor was actually his own son?!

Lin Zhennan was momentarily stunned, unable to process what was happening.

"I did indeed take down the Mad Wind Stronghold." Lin Tian smiled calmly. "If there isn't another 'Deadly Sword' user in the martial world with the same moves, then it must be me."

"Hahaha! I never expected this! I never even dreamed of it!" Lin Zhennan burst into laughter, his face flushed with excitement, his beard trembling. "My son has become a rising star in the martial arts world! Your reputation has probably already surpassed your father's by now!"

Before the laughter subsided, his brows furrowed again: "But... Tian'er, Yu Canghai is no ordinary character. It is rumored that he entered the Acquired Realm several years ago, and the Four Heroes of Qingcheng are also masters who became famous at a young age... If it is really as you say, and Qingcheng attacks with all its might, we... may not be able to stop them."

"Heh..." Lin Tian chuckled lightly, his tone nonchalant. "Half a year ago, when we wiped out the Mad Wind Stronghold, Qin Tieshan, a peak-level expert, was killed with a single sword strike. I haven't been idle these past six months—my internal energy has broken through again. As for the Four Beasts of Qingcheng?"

A slight smirk played on his lips, a dismissive look on his face.

"Killing them is no more difficult than slaughtering chickens."

"Tian'er...you said your internal strength has broken through again, could it be...you have..."

As he spoke, Lin Zhennan's eyes widened, his pupils contracted sharply, and his face was filled with shock and disbelief.

"Um."

Lin Tian nodded slightly, his tone indifferent, but he had already tacitly agreed. However, his current cultivation level was no longer at the initial stage of the Acquired Realm, but had stepped into the next level of the Lesser Acquired Realm.

"Alright! Since you're so confident, Tian'er, then my Fuwei Escort Agency will go all out and fight Yu Canghai! Tian'er, what's our next move?!"

Lin Zhennan slammed his hand on the table, bursting with heroic spirit, but before he finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Lin Tian.

Clearly, this confidence rests entirely on Lin Tian.

"Simple." Lin Tian's eyes turned cold, his tone sharp as a knife. "Yu Canghai has probably been racking his brains these past few days, trying to find a legitimate excuse to destroy my Lin family—so let's just hand that excuse to him ourselves. Once Pingzhi kills Yu Renyan, we'll release the news. Of course, don't forget to expose Yu Renyan's filthy deeds of bullying men and women and abducting women as well. Blame us? The Lin family won't take the blame."

He paused, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Also, the girl Pingzhi rescued is the daughter of Yue Buqun, the leader of the Huashan Sect. Spread that word. Huashan wants to get involved? Then don't blame me for being ruthless and dragging them into this mess. Heh... I want to see if that 'Gentleman Sword' Yue Buqun can still maintain his hypocritical facade when he learns that his daughter was rescued by my Lin family!"

"The Qingcheng Sect appears respectable on the surface, but they are ruthless in their dealings with poison and deception, even more so than the evil sects. The escort agency is full of people and eyes, making it impossible to guard against them. From today onwards, all porters and servants will be dismissed, leaving only a few cooks to prepare meals, and twenty or thirty highly skilled escorts to guard the agency."

His voice deepened, a murderous intent lurking beneath: "Each of you be given twenty poisoned hidden weapons, all coated with a lethal agent that kills on contact with blood. When the Qingcheng Sect attacks, anyone who dares to approach will be killed without mercy! I want to see if Yu Canghai can hold them off, and whether his shrimp soldiers and crab generals have all become iron-headed and iron-armed!"

As he finished speaking, a cold glint flashed in Lin Tian's eyes, sharp as a blade.

After a slight pause, he added, "Also, prepare sufficient dry rations and clean water, and store them in the inner hall. All food and drink for the next few days will be distributed from here—to prevent them from poisoning us."

"Good! Tian'er, your year in the martial world has not been in vain. You are meticulous and even your father admires you." Lin Zhennan nodded heavily, his tone filled with undisguised satisfaction. "I'll go and make the arrangements right away."

"Brother, Father..." Lin Pingzhi, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke, his expression complex, "Using poison... isn't that... against the righteous path?"

"..."

Lin Tian almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

But Lin Zhennan was even angrier than him.

"You insolent wretch!" Lin Zhennan abruptly stood up, his roar like thunder. "The Lin family is about to be wiped out, and you're still spouting nonsense about righteousness?! The Qingcheng Sect claims to be a prestigious and righteous sect, yet they covet my Lin family's Evil-Slaying Sword Manual, secretly plotting to destroy us. How are they any kind of righteous sect?! Hmph! Madam, lock this unfilial son in the woodshed in the backyard, throw him in a few days' worth of dry rations and water, seal all the doors and windows, and confine him for ten days to half a month. Don't let him out!"

"Ah?! Father..."

Lin Pingzhi was completely dumbfounded, his face filled with astonishment.

"Yes, listen to your father. Pingzhi, come with me."

Unusually, Madam Wang did not plead for him. She knew perfectly well that Lin Zhennan's actions, ostensibly a punishment, were actually an attempt to protect him.

Lin Zhennan felt the same way. He was more afraid that his foolish son, who was full of chivalry and didn't know his own limitations, would cause trouble again.

……

Outside Fuzhou city, there is an abandoned Taoist temple, its crumbling walls exuding an eerie atmosphere.

"Renyan...Renyan...died at the hands of that brat Lin Zhennan! Don't worry, your father will avenge you!"

Inside the temple, a short Taoist priest dressed in a black robe and wearing a Taoist hat paced back and forth, gritting his teeth and showing a ferocious expression.

This man was no more than five feet tall, yet his aura was sinister and intimidating—he was none other than Yu Canghai, the head of the Qingcheng Sect and the abbot of Songfeng Temple.

"Renxiong, has there been any unusual activity at the Fuwei Escort Agency these past two days?" He suddenly turned around and looked coldly at the disciple beside him.

"Reporting to Master," the man bowed and replied. He was none other than Hong Renxiong, one of the Four Heroes of Qingcheng. "Your disciple and Junior Brother Renjie have been keeping watch day and night. Apart from dismissing some servants and menial laborers, the Lin family members have all stayed indoors, seemingly fearing your power and hiding away."

Yu Canghai's lips slowly curled into a sinister smile: "Afraid? Ha... It's not fear, it's suicide."

"Revenge? Ha! You dared to kill my son Renyan! I, Yu Canghai, swear that none of the four members of the Lin family will live! Pass down the order—tonight at midnight, raze the Fuwei Escort Agency to the ground!"

The night was as dark as ink, and the city of Fuzhou was completely silent, its streets and alleys shrouded in darkness.

Only the Fuwei Escort Agency remained brightly lit, with glints of swords flashing in the distance. The escorts were tense, their hands on their weapons, as if facing a formidable enemy. Only one man sat calmly in the hall, his expression composed, as if the eye of the storm was merely a leisurely tea break.

It was Lin Tian.

"Young Master... Will Yu... Yu Canghai really come tonight?" A middle-aged man in his fifties or forties spoke in a low voice beside him, his voice trembling slightly. He was dressed in the uniform of a镖头 (bodyguard/escort), his face deeply lined, and he was none other than Cui De, the old镖头 who had followed the Lin family for many years.

"What's wrong, Uncle Cui? Are you scared?" Lin Tian took a sip of tea, raised his eyes and smiled, his tone teasing.

Cui De's face flushed, then he straightened his back: "Afraid? Of course I'm afraid! But the Chief Escort has treated me with the utmost kindness, and even if I die in this courtyard today, I will never back down! The Qingcheng Sect wants to destroy my Fuwei Escort Agency? They'll have to step over my dead body first!"

"Well said!"

"I'll risk it all! I only have two shoulders and a head; does Yu Canghai have three heads and six arms?"

"Back then, Lord Yuantu swept through the martial world, even defeating the founder of Qingcheng! Now they dare to bully us?"

"With the chief镖头 (chief镖师, a term referring to a bodyguard or镖师 in Chinese martial arts novels) here, what

The crowd was outraged, and a wave of voices surged forth.

Lin Zhennan stood to the side, his mouth burning with embarrassment. But he knew perfectly well what he was capable of.

The family genealogy clearly states that their ancestor, Lin Yuantu, was a master of the Acquired Perfection realm, invincible throughout the world. As for himself? In the martial arts world, he barely ranked third-rate, not even as good as his son, Lin Tian, ​​let alone comparable to Yuantu.

"Cough cough..." He coughed twice and waved his hand, saying, "Old Cui, don't exaggerate. What kind of person is Lord Yuantu? With my limited skills, I haven't even figured out one or two tenths of the 'Evil-Repelling Sword Manual.' Compared to Yu Canghai, I'm far inferior... Sigh."

This sounds humble, but it's actually self-aggrandizement.

If it really comes down to it, he probably won't even last three moves.

"ah?!"

"What?! The chief镖头 (chief镖师, a term referring to a high-ranking镖师) is inferior to Yu Cang

The crowd was in uproar, but no one flinched. Fear was on their faces, but their eyes remained fixed on the front, and their hands gripping the knives were as steady as iron.

Lin Tian's eyes flickered slightly, and he nodded gently.

These people were all trusted confidants personally left behind by Lin Zhennan, and their loyalty was beyond question.

Lin Zhennan looked around, raised his hand to suppress the noise, and said, "Don't worry, everyone. Although I am no match for Yu Canghai, if I didn't have some confidence, why would I let you all die in vain?"

The entire room fell silent instantly, and all eyes turned to him.