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

"This is what I saw with my own eyes, and there is absolutely no falsehood in it." Ma Yu's expression was calm, but his tone was as firm as a rock.

But this cool and aloof explanation was nothing more than a thin piece of paper about to be torn apart in Jia Sidao's eyes. His eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze suddenly falling on Lin Tian, ​​who remained calm and collected, seemingly unconcerned. A harmless smile played on his lips.

"Your Highness, is everything Daoist Ma Yu said truly true?"

At this moment, Jia Sidao had already laid out his strategy in his mind.

If Lin Tian says it's "untrue," he can immediately impeach Ma Yu and suppress the matter of Lin Tian returning to the Zhao surname.

If Ruolin Ten says it's "true"? Ha, that makes things even easier.

Picking up a piece of beef, its aroma wafting through the air, Lin Tian slowly and deliberately put it in his mouth, chewing it carefully, savoring the delicious flavor. Only after swallowing the last bite did he glance at Jia Sidao, his tone calm yet authoritative:

"Everything Master says is true."

Jia Sidao's eyes flashed, and he could hardly hide his joy.

He was eager for Lin Tian to confess. That way, the accusation of deceiving the emperor would be firmly pinned on Lin Tian's head instead of Ma Yu's. Even if Zhao Yun didn't actually punish him, as long as he sowed suspicion in the emperor's heart and shook his trust, his mission would be accomplished.

"In that case," Jia Sidao immediately put on a congratulatory face, "it seems that Your Highness's fate has indeed reversed, from being cursed to being favored by Heaven, truly a blessing for our Great Song!"

Changing his tone abruptly, he knelt down and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, the outskirts of Lin'an have been suffering from drought for several months. The fields are cracked, and if there is no rain, there will be no harvest. Now that Your Highness is favored by Heaven, why not personally preside over the rain-praying ceremony? This would not only relieve the people's suffering but also proclaim to the world that the future ruler of our Great Song Dynasty is ordained by Heaven and protected by the heavens. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"

Upon hearing this, the assembled officials held their breath, exchanging glances, none daring to utter a word. Everyone could see that this was an attempt to put a noose around Lin Tian's neck. One wrong move, and he would be utterly disgraced.

"Summoning wind and rain? Prime Minister Jia, you're being far too harsh on Tian'er," Zhao Yun said in a deep voice, his protectiveness for his son undisguised. After all, this was his only bloodline.

"Your Majesty..." Jia Sidao was anxious, not expecting the emperor to be so biased.

"Why not?" Lin Tian suddenly asked.

The entire room fell silent, all eyes turning to him in shock—Jia Sidao had clearly set a trap, and he had actually fallen for it?!

"Is this true? Your Highness, there is no joking before the emperor, are you aware of that?" Jia Sidao stepped forward, pressing Lin Tian for an answer, trying to pin it down completely.

Zhao Yun's face turned ashen as he glared at Jia Sidao.

"I never speak lightly before Your Majesty," Lin Tian replied calmly, then a slight smile played on his lips, though it was cold: "However, Prime Minister Jia, simply praying for rain is rather boring. How about adding some prizes?"

"Oh? What's the prize?" Jia Sidao raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Lin Tian smiled and said clearly, "If I fail to bring rain by tomorrow, I will leave the city immediately and never set foot in Lin'an again."

"Okay! I won!" Jia Sidao blurted out, afraid that if he was a second too late, the bet would be void.

"Ha." Lin Tian looked at him as if he were a clown. "Jia Lianxiang agreed so readily without even hearing the second half of the bet?"

Jia Sidao was taken aback, then forced a smile and said, "As long as Your Highness can make the request, and I can do it, I will comply without hesitation."

"Prime Minister Jia, of course I can do it." Lin Tian's tone was calm, but before he finished speaking, it suddenly turned cold. "If I can truly summon the rain tomorrow—Jia Sidao, I will take your life!"

Kill him? A single sword strike would suffice. But that would be too easy. What Lin Tian wanted was to ignite hope in him first, then personally push him into the abyss, condemning him to eternal damnation.

Those words, like a chilling wind crawling out from the depths of hell, sent a shiver down Jia Sidao's spine, stiffened his limbs, and even made him hold his breath for a moment.

"What?" Lin Tian glanced sideways, his tone turning indifferent again. "Prime Minister Jia, are you scared?"

Jia Sidao gritted his teeth, but a sudden thought struck him: This man's expression was so calm... Could it be... that he truly possessed the power to summon wind and rain?!

He immediately sneered. Impossible! It must be a bluff! What 'destined by heaven' or 'blessed by heaven'? It's all nonsense from charlatans. He actually believes it? Hmph! Trying to scare me, Jia Sidao? You're still too green!

Besides, I am the current Prime Minister, wielding immense power! Even if you could summon a torrential rain, would you dare to act under His Majesty's very nose? Absolutely not!

"Afraid? What's there to be afraid of!" Jia Sidao said, head held high and chest puffed out, full of confidence.

Zhao Yun's face turned ashen. To be forced into such a predicament at a banquet for the emperor and his ministers—he, the emperor, had utterly lost face. He couldn't help but glare fiercely at Jia Sidao—how could the person who usually understood him so well be so foolish today?

How could Jia Sidao not know the emperor's anger? But he had to play dumb. If he retreated today, he would suffer an even worse death later.

"To command the wind and rain? That... is simply too absurd."

"Perhaps Your Highness can really do it."

"Absurd! The methods of immortals are beyond the reach of mortals!"

The courtiers whispered among themselves, all shaking their heads in disbelief.

Only one person remained calm and composed, sitting as steady as a mountain—Ma Yu.

He had personally witnessed Lin Tian slaughter five thousand Mongol cavalrymen single-handedly with his sword; he had seen him roar to the sky, "Thunder, come!" and in an instant, thunder ripped through the air; he had shouted, "Earth collapse!" and the earth cracked and spread like a spider web...

Let alone having the power to command the wind and rain, even if Lin Tian said he could carry a child for ten months and give birth, Ma Yu would still believe him without a doubt.

"Prime Minister Jia," Lin Tian said calmly, "don't forget to prepare the rain-praying platform tomorrow."

"Of course," Jia Sidao said with a forced smile.

Lin Tian rose and bowed slightly to Zhao Yun: "Thank you for your hospitality, Emperor Lizong. I have important matters to attend to tomorrow, so I cannot stay any longer."

"Then... Tian'er, you should return to your residence first." Zhao Yun waved his sleeve, his tone helpless. In his heart, however, he was already calculating: how to save his life if the rain didn't come tomorrow.

With Lin Tian and Ma Yu gone, the festive atmosphere of the banquet vanished. Zhao Yun was gloomy, and the assembled officials had no appetite for food and drink. The grand feast ended abruptly.

The next morning, outside Lin'an city, all the officials gathered, and the emperor himself arrived in a grand procession, as if the entire court had been moved to the countryside.

"Your Highness," Jia Sidao pointed to a high platform in the distance, his face full of pride, "Last night, this old minister ordered hundreds of craftsmen to work through the night to complete this rain-praying platform, which is over ten zhang high—are you satisfied with it?"

"Very good." Lin Tian nodded.

Zhao Yun frowned: "Prime Minister Jia, there are no steps on this platform... how will Tian'er climb to the top?"

"Your Majesty," Jia Sidao chuckled, "you can even summon wind and rain, so a mere high platform, even without steps, surely cannot stop Your Highness." As he spoke, his gaze swept over Lin Tian, ​​his sarcasm evident.

He had specifically asked the top martial artists enshrined in the mansion—the Five Great Masters of the World—and they said there was absolutely no way he could leap ten zhang to the top!

"It's not difficult at all." Lin Tian's expression remained unchanged.

As soon as he finished speaking, he lightly touched the ground with his toes.

People leaped into the air like arrows released from a bow, soaring like birds in flight, heading straight for the top of the rain-praying platform, which was over ten zhang high and a hundred meters away.

It would be extremely difficult to reach this level with only the first realm of cultivation. But don't forget—to summon wind and rain, one must first "summon the wind."

Riding the winds of heaven and earth, his lightness skill has long surpassed ordinary understanding.

"Excellent! Absolutely amazing!" Zhao Yun's eyes shone brightly. "Is this the legendary lightness skill of the martial world? Even I... am captivated!"

"Your Majesty," Ma Yu quickly replied, "In this world, only Tian'er can achieve such a level. This old Daoist... is far from even a tenth of her level."

But inwardly, he thought to himself, "Don't even think about asking me to teach you!"

"Damn it! Didn't that good-for-nothing swear that no one in the world could do it?! How could Lin Tian possibly do it!" Jia Sidao's face turned ashen, his heart pounding with anger. He was determined to get rid of that nonsensical martial artist when he got back.

Under the blazing sun, the cicadas' chirping was like knives, and waves of scorching heat rose up.

Below the high platform, the assembled officials gazed upwards, the sunlight blinding them. Yet no one dared to look away—today's events concerned the fate of the nation, and even more so, their very lives.

"How can we possibly pray for rain in this awful weather?"

"It's so hot! If this sun keeps shining like this, we'll feel like we're steaming."

"Your Highness is about to be embarrassed. How will His Majesty handle this?"