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

His eyes darted around, and a mischievous smile crept across his lips: "Miss Long, how about we make a bet?"

Little Dragon Girl paused slightly, turned to look at him, and frowned slightly: "What are we betting on?"

"Simple." Lin Tian stood with his hands behind his back, his smile as bright as a fox who had just stolen a chicken. "I'll just stand here and count to three. After the three counts, guess—will that broken dragon stone rise up again?"

Xiaolongnu's eyes narrowed, then she shook her head: "No."

The Dragon-Slaying Stone, weighing tens of thousands of kilograms, could not be moved even slightly, let alone stand still.

"Since Miss Long guessed 'no,' then I have no choice but to bet on 'yes.'" Lin Tian's smile grew even more smug. "How about it? Dare to take a bet?"

He certainly has the confidence.

While the supernatural power of "driving mountains and driving peaks" may not reach the level of moving mountains and overturning seas, lifting a stone? A piece of cake. This whole scheme was a trap he set from beginning to end, just waiting for Little Dragon Girl to fall into it.

After a moment of silence, Xiaolongnu finally agreed, not believing he could defy fate. "Fine. But if you lose, you must never again entertain the thought of escaping."

"make a deal!"

"I'll take it." Lin Tian laughed heartily, his tone light and cheerful. "Miss Long, you'd better keep your eyes wide open, or you'll really have a headache later."

"No," Little Dragon Girl replied calmly, her expression as cold as ice.

"That's more like it."

Lin Tian smiled, his gaze fixed on the broken dragon stone pressing against the cave entrance, and slowly exhaled: "One, two, three... up!" The last word had barely left his lips—

Rumble!!

The earth trembled, and rocks flew everywhere. The boulder, weighing over ten thousand pounds, slowly rose before everyone's eyes, as if lifted by an invisible giant hand. In just a few breaths, it was suspended high in the air, completely opening the passage.

Xiaolongnu's pupils contracted slightly, a hint of undisguised shock flashing in her eyes. She parted her lips slightly, her gaze blank, a rare look of dazedness appearing on her usually aloof and snow-white face.

"How was it? Miss Long, I won this round, didn't I?" Lin Tian said with a smile.

Upon hearing the voice, Xiaolongnu suddenly snapped back to reality, her gaze falling on him with a complex mix of emotions, as if she had a thousand words to say but couldn't find the words to speak.

"Miss Dragon, isn't it time to keep your promise—"

A flash of cold light!

The sword's edge pierced the air, aiming straight for his throat! Little Dragon Girl suddenly drew her sword, swift as a startled swan, the tip pointing directly at Lin Tian's throat.

He remained smiling, his eyes unmoved, not even a tremor in his eyelashes.

The sword stopped just inches from his throat, humming softly. Little Dragon Girl frowned slightly, her voice tense: "Why...why didn't you dodge?"

"What are you hiding for?" Lin Tian looked directly into her eyes, his tone calm but firm. "If you want my life, then take it."

He could see it clearly—this sword strike carried no killing intent.

As a master swordsman, he could tell at a glance whether his opponent intended to die. Xiaolongnu's thrust was merely a test, a struggle, not a fatal move. Even if she were to kill him at the last moment, he could easily catch the blade between his fingers the instant it pierced her skin, remaining unharmed. After all, she was only at the peak of the Acquired Realm, while he… had already surpassed her.

As for saying such affectionate things? Ha, Lin Tian knew perfectly well: no matter when or when, when trying to win a girl's heart, the truth is the least effective.

The two faced each other in silence, the air seemingly frozen.

After a long silence, Xiaolongnu suddenly raised her eyes, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible: "Would you... be willing to die for me?"

Lin Tian was taken aback.

She then understood—the rules of the ancient tomb: if the virginity mark remains, one can never leave the tomb for life. Only one man, unaware of this rule, was willing to die for her, and thus could break his vow and descend the mountain.

Before he could answer, he saw Xiaolongnu's eyes dim slightly and her fingertips tremble slightly, as if she had already decided that he was unwilling.

"Silly girl." Lin Tian suddenly chuckled, his voice gentle yet undeniable, "You are mine. As long as I, Lin Tian, ​​am alive, I will never let you suffer the slightest grievance."

Upon hearing this, Xiaolongnu's eyes softened, and a crack finally appeared in her icy expression. She lowered her gaze for a moment, then said softly, "Set off tomorrow? Granny Sun will accompany me."

"We'll leave this morning." Lin Tian nodded. "It would be best if Granny Sun came along. You're not worldly-wise, so I'll feel more at ease with her by your side."

……

"What will happen to that ancient tomb in the future?" she asked again.

"Tomorrow I will put the Dragon-Slaying Stone back down and destroy the entrance passage again. Even if someone manages to break through the stone, they won't be able to get in."

Little Dragon Girl frowned: "What if they want to come back in the future?"

Lin Tian smiled and said, "Don't worry. There's a pond behind Zhongnan Mountain, with a hidden waterway at the bottom that leads directly to the tomb. Since I can destroy it, I can certainly repair it too—it's just that restoring it takes a little more effort than destroying it."

Little Dragon Girl looked up in surprise.

She, a descendant of the ancient tomb's heirs, was unaware of this secret passage! Yet this person knew it all too well?

Lin Tian touched the tip of his nose and said calmly, "You know about the matter between Patriarch Chongyang and Heroine Lin Chaoying. As a disciple of Quanzhen, it's not surprising that I know these things."

You can't exactly say, "I've read 'The Return of the Condor Heroes,' can you?" I respectfully call you my ancestor, so what's wrong with taking the blame for such a huge advantage?

"Alright." Little Dragon Girl nodded gently. "Tomorrow morning, Granny Sun and I will be waiting for you at the tomb entrance."

After saying that, she turned and stepped into the ancient tomb, her figure ethereal, like a lone lotus under the moon.

Gazing at that stunning figure, Lin Tian shrugged and muttered to himself, "This relationship... it's truly a tangled mess."

let it go.

The dream of a harem... which man hasn't thought about it?

But the thought of the East... caused Lin Tian's anus to tighten, and a wave of physiological fear washed over him.

Never mind, things will work themselves out.

For now—enjoying life while you can is the right thing to do.

Lin'an, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty.

There is a saying: "Above is heaven, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou."

Lin'an is nestled in this beautiful and prosperous land.

North of the Yangtze River, the thunderous roar of iron hooves echoed, leaving a trail of bloodshed wherever the Mongol army passed. Meanwhile, the Jiangnan region remained shrouded in mist and rain, with the city of Lin'an indulging in decadent pleasures. The Song Dynasty court had long since become immersed in literature and music, with no trace of the clash of swords.

Before the horses had even stopped, a procession of honored guests had already come forward outside the city gate. The fat man at the head of the procession, wearing a scarlet official robe, with a protruding belly and a face full of smiles, was Cui Jing, the Minister of Rites. He was of high rank, but even more slick than before.

His gaze swept across the crowd, finally landing on Lin Tian. A look of delight immediately spread across his face, and he quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully: "Your Highness! This humble official is Cui Jing. I have come by His Majesty's decree to welcome you back to the palace. His Majesty has already prepared a banquet in the palace to welcome you back!"

"I've heard that Emperor Lizong built a new Taoist temple for our Quanzhen Sect?" Lin Tian's tone was calm, yet carried an unyielding coldness. "Let's settle Master and all the senior uncles first. There's no need to say anything else."

"But... His Majesty—" Cui Jing looked troubled, the words just beginning to come out.

"I don't want to say it a second time." Lin Tian's eyes sharpened as he interrupted, "Understand?"

Cui Jing's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately bowed his head: "Yes, yes, yes! You Daoist masters have had a long journey, and you should indeed settle down first. This humble official will lead the way!"

How dare he utter another word? Everyone in the court knew how much Emperor Lizong of Song, Zhao Yun, valued this "Your Highness." Even Jia Sidao, who held immense power, was instantly rebuked by Zhao Yun and utterly humiliated for casually remarking in court, "There's no need to welcome Lin Tian back"—this was unprecedented!

As for Cui Jing? He's nothing but a fence-sitter who changes his mind with the wind. If Lin Tian wanted to touch him, a single word would suffice.

Clearly, Zhao Yun was determined to mend the relationship. This Taoist temple, built on the outskirts of Lin'an, was a complete replica of the Ming Dynasty Chongyang Palace, with meticulous attention to even the smallest details. What surprised Lin Tian the most was that—a replica of an ancient tomb was also found on the back mountain.

They were just worried about where to put Little Dragon Girl, but now they've saved themselves the trouble.