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

In terms of sheer power, Lin Tian could easily dominate the martial arts world.

But what about the shadows? Who knows if those "old monsters" left over from the last golden age of martial arts are still lurking?

According to a secret report from the Heaven and Earth Pavilion, a mysterious sect with immense power is entrenched in the Tianshan area, so powerful that even the Mongols are wary of it and dare not disturb it lightly...

Lin Tian's eyes darkened slightly: Sure enough, the remnants of that era are not all dead.

"My lord, Guo Jing and Huang Rong have appeared at Lu Family Manor in Dasheng Pass, issuing invitations to many heroes. A martial arts tournament will be held in half a month." The young man knelt on one knee, his tone respectful.

Lin Tian smirked and sneered, "Martial arts heroes? Haha, just a bunch of wandering ruffians joining in the fun. They talk a big game, but once it's over, they all scatter like birds and beasts. You call this a martial arts tournament? Ridiculous!"

His eyes sharpened, and his aura surged suddenly, as imposing as a deep pool and a towering mountain, his domineering gaze sweeping across the surroundings: "My Heaven and Earth Pavilion has endured for three years; today, it's time to bare our fangs. This martial world—I will make it bow down in submission!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a chill filled the air.

"Tianqi, from Tianyi to you, tomorrow you will come with me to Dasheng Pass. Go and prepare." Lin Tian waved his hand indifferently.

"Yes, sir!" Tian Qi clasped his hands in acceptance and turned to leave.

"Are you leaving?"

As soon as Tianqi withdrew, Xiaolongnu, dressed in white, quietly entered the hall. Time seemed to have stood still on her; three years had passed without a change in her appearance, and she remained as aloof as frost.

"Yes, I'll be going out for a while," Lin Tian chuckled, his gaze gentle.

Although the ice was broken only once by a spark of attraction between the two, their three years of being together day and night had already forged an unspoken understanding between them.

"How long will it take?" she asked.

"It will take at least three months, and no more than half a year." Lin Tian looked at her, his tone gentle yet firm. "Once the world's hearts are won over, I will accompany you back to the ancient tomb in Zhongnan Mountain, and from then on, we will live a life of peace and tranquility."

"Really?" Little Dragon Girl's eyes suddenly lit up, then dimmed. "But...your identity."

She lived in the ancient tomb, but she was not detached from worldly affairs. Granny Sun often spoke of the happenings outside, especially his affairs, which she never ignored. He was the only son of the Song Dynasty emperor, the future heir to the throne, so how could he be willing to live in seclusion in the mountains? This was her deepest hesitation, and the reason why the two of them had not been able to take their relationship to the next level.

Lin Tian took a step closer, gazed into her eyes, and said in a deep and firm voice, "The vast land cannot compare to the pool of autumn water in your eyes."

The air seemed to stand still.

Xiaolongnu's cheeks flushed instantly, and her heartbeat became slightly erratic.

"Master! Master—"

Just as feelings were welling up between them, Yang Guo barged in, abruptly breaking the ice.

"Huh? Master's wife is here too?" Yang Guo was taken aback when he saw Xiaolongnu present, then scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly.

Xiaolongnu's expression instantly returned to its aloofness. She glanced at him indifferently and turned to leave. Aside from Lin Tian and Granny Sun, she was always this distant with everyone else; Yang Guo was already used to it.

……

"Master! Your disciple has opened the eighth extraordinary meridian and is now at the peak of the acquired realm. Hehe—I haven't let you down, have I?" Yang Guo shook his head, beaming with pride.

"Is that all?" Lin Tian didn't even lift his eyelids.

"Of course," Yang Guo nodded confidently.

But the next instant, a chill ran up his spine from the soles of his feet. He swallowed hard and cautiously probed, "Um... Master, did I... say something wrong?"

"Heh." Lin Tian slowly raised his eyes, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as a pool. "If you still can't reach the Innate Realm within six months—I'll have Tianyi escort you into seclusion to exclusively cultivate the Sunflower Manual. Understand?"

……

"What?!" Yang Guo froze on the spot.

As Lin Tian's personally taught disciple, how could he not know what a forbidden item the "Sunflower Manual" was? He was eager to try it when he first heard the name, but Lin Tian threw the manual in front of him. When he opened it, the first eight characters read: "To practice this skill, one must first castrate oneself."

He was so frightened that he threw down the book, kowtowed, and swore he would rather die than touch it again!

"Master...you...you're joking, right?" Yang Guo's voice trembled.

"Maybe." Lin Tian's lips curled slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "You can take a gamble."

"Then...then I'll go practice now!" Yang Guo jolted and tried to run away. This master seemed calm on the surface, but he was actually bursting with a wicked sense of humor. If you really angered him, he might not only punish you by making you copy the mental cultivation manual three hundred times, but he might also put you in a red wedding dress and send you to a secret room for "advanced training".

"Wait a minute," Lin Tian called out to him.

"Come with me to Dasheng Pass tomorrow. Your Uncle Guo is there; it's been three years since I last saw him. He must miss you terribly."

"Uncle Guo..."

Yang Guo lowered his head, remained silent for a long time, and then asked in a low voice, "Is Aunt Guo... here too?"

"Yes," Lin Tian replied calmly.

"I've already told you the cause of your father's death. Whether you seek revenge or not is up to you."

"Master, should I... seek revenge?" Yang Guo's face showed struggle.

"This is your path, ask yourself." Lin Tian stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep. "I've only ever said one thing—doing good or evil is all a matter of the heart. And a son avenging his father is a matter of course."

"Disciple...understands, Master." Yang Guo nodded heavily, his tone firm.

"Hmph! Dasheng Pass is located on the border between the Song and Mongol dynasties. For the sake of a so-called heroes' gathering, the city gates are wide open like a vegetable market. I'm afraid even if Mongol barbarians sneak in, no one will notice."

And that's certainly true—in the original story, the Golden Wheel Monk and his entourage swaggered in without being questioned at all.

"A knight-errant who uses martial arts to break the law? What can these outlaws do besides fight, cause trouble, and make a scene?" Lin Tian sneered. "They treat the law as a decoration, trample all the rules under their feet, and yet they call themselves a righteous army. How laughable."

"Master, please calm down!" Seeing Lin Tian's stern expression, Yang Guo quickly tried to smooth things over. "It's not worth getting sick over this rabble."

"You old? Am I that old?" Lin Tian glanced at him sideways, his gaze sharp as a knife. Yang Guo immediately shut his mouth and shrank back.

"Let's go and attend this gathering of 'heroes'."

Before he finished speaking, Lin Tian had already strode forward, his figure as straight as a sword. Yang Guo followed closely behind, and several Heavenly Guards stood in silent formation, their killing intent subtly revealed.

……

Standing atop the high platform, Guo Jing spoke in the center, his voice booming like a bell: "It is truly a rare occasion for all the heroes to gather here! Now that the Mongols are invading the south and the land is in turmoil, I have convened this meeting to discuss with you all how to prevent the Tartars from daring to set foot on our Great Song Dynasty once more!"

"Master... are we just going to stand here like this?" Yang Guo stood on the outskirts of the crowd, gazing longingly at the dazzling array of food and drink on the stage. "There's a table full of chicken, duck, fish, and meat over there, and the aroma of the wine is wafting over here... why don't we go over and have a taste?"

"You're short of a meal?" Lin Tian glanced at him indifferently. "He who takes a bribe is bound to do his bidding. Once he's full, what are you going to do about it later?"

"Flip the table?!" Yang Guo's eyes lit up instantly, and he grinned from ear to ear. "I love this show!"

He was a restless person by nature, and after being influenced by his master Lin Tian, ​​he had long since made "causing trouble" his daily entertainment.

At that moment in Taichung, as soon as Guo Jing finished speaking, Huang Rong gracefully moved her lotus-like steps and softly said, "As the saying goes, a snake cannot move without a head. Today, heroes have gathered, and loyal and righteous men have come together. Why not take this opportunity to elect a person of high moral character and prestige to serve as the leader of the martial arts alliance, to lead the heroes and fight against foreign enemies?"

"good!"

"Brilliant plan! As expected of Chief Huang, a woman who is just as capable as any man!"

Cheers and applause erupted.

"You call that an idea?" Yang Guo scoffed. "Anyone can say that. I thought they could actually come up with some amazing plan to fight the Mongol army."

"Heh..." Lin Tian's lips curled slightly. "A mere tea party can stop the iron cavalry from advancing south? If it were that simple, why would I have secretly plotted for three years?"

"That's true." Yang Guo scratched his head, then his eyes lit up and he lowered his voice, saying, "But Master, in my opinion, the position of leader of the martial arts world is a disgrace to anyone but you."

"Me?" Lin Tian glanced sideways. "Are you indirectly insulting your master?"

"Ah?! How dare I!" Yang Guo exclaimed in shock, waving his hands hastily. "Your disciple reveres you as a god, heaven and earth bear witness!"

"Is that so?" Lin Tian coldly surveyed his surroundings. "Then look at all these people here. Apart from your Uncle Guo, how many of them could last ten moves against you? You want me to lead this bunch of third-rate characters? Isn't that an insult to me? Or is it a compliment to my arrogance?"

Yang Guo chuckled twice, hesitated for a moment, and then weakly said, "Then... how about I take the role?"

Lin Tian's eyelids twitched, and he casually said, "Don't ever say I'm your master again."