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

Lin Tian then slowly and deliberately spoke:

"Before today, I did not question whether you were good or evil. But from this day forward, all sects must register at the Heaven and Earth Pavilion. The rules set by the Heaven and Earth Pavilion are the ironclad laws for your journey through the martial world. Those who disobey will die."

After he finished speaking, all was deathly silent.

To establish rules for the entire martial arts world?!

This is an attempt to trample the martial arts world underfoot!

That's utterly arrogant!

Suddenly, a cold snort rang out:

"Hmph! What arrogance! When did it become your place to set the rules of the martial world? In my fifty years of wandering the martial world, I have never seen such an outrageous person! I will not entertain you!"

The speaker was an elderly man with white hair and beard. He was so angry that he stood up and turned to leave.

Lin Tian stood with his hands behind his back, expressionless.

Just as the old man stepped out of the threshold—

His body stiffened abruptly, his pupils contracted sharply, and he collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. A scarlet dot slowly bloomed between his brows, and a steel needle as thin as a hair pierced through his skull silently.

"Didn't I tell you to listen carefully?" Lin Tian's tone was relaxed, as if he were merely shooing away a bothersome fly. "This is a matter of life and death. Don't listen? Then I'll have to send you on your way."

"Senior Wang!!" Guo Jing rushed over, lifted the corpse and checked its breath. There was no breath under its nose, the pupils were dilated, and there was no sign of life.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, and gritted his teeth as he questioned:

"Junior Brother Zhitian! Why did you kill Senior Wang?! Just because he refused to bow down and offended you?!"

It exudes an aura of imminent conflict, as if swords were about to be drawn.

Lin Tian glanced at Guo Jing indifferently, his expression unchanged, showing neither anger nor response.

"Tianyi, answer Senior Brother Guo." His tone was calm, yet carried an unyielding authority.

"Yes, sir." A figure darted out from the side—it was Tianyi, the one who had just made the move.

He stared directly at Guo Jing, his voice as cold as iron: "Wang Fujiao, the leader of the Iron Spear Sect in Hubei, known as 'Invincible Spear Master.' Seven years ago, in order to take a seventh concubine, he ordered his disciple to slaughter her parents and a man. Three months later, the woman committed suicide in resentment. Four years ago, he rebuilt the Iron Spear Sect and stole the property of seventeen merchants in Jiangling, causing three families to lose their fortunes and their families to be torn apart. Three years ago... In the past ten years, a total of thirty-two innocent people have died because of him."

He paused, then added, "I'm sorry, Senior Brother Guo. The Heaven and Earth Pavilion has only been established for three years, and its foundation is still shallow. We can only find information from the last ten years. However... this is enough to kill him several times over."

Guo Jing's lips parted slightly, but he was momentarily speechless. His anger surged within him, yet he had nowhere to vent it.

"But Elder Wang has also been a chivalrous figure!" he argued. "Whenever fellow martial artists encountered trouble in the Iron Spear Sect's territory, he would always lend a helping hand without expecting anything in return. He was highly respected in the martial arts world!"

"Provide aid?" Lin Tian sneered. "Use stolen silver to be a good person? Can your skin get any thicker? According to you, merits and demerits can offset each other? Then I once killed five thousand Mongol cavalrymen. Even if I mistakenly killed this old thief, it would only count as one loss. Wouldn't I still have to kill another four thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine to settle the score?"

Guo Jing was not good with words, and these words left him red-faced and speechless.

Seeing this, Huang Rong couldn't bear it any longer and immediately stepped forward: "Merits and demerits cannot offset each other, but even if Senior Wang is guilty, he should be handed over to the authorities for judgment. Brother Lin's unauthorized execution is far too arbitrary!"

"Boss Huang is right, you're meddling too much."

"Even if someone is guilty, it's not your place to judge them!"

"What are you pretending to be, some kind of chivalrous hero? You're clearly an executioner!"

The crowd echoed their agreement, and a chorus of voices rose up.

Lin Tian's lips curled into a mocking smile: "Ridiculous! You always shout about acting on behalf of Heaven, but when you kill someone, who ever mentions the laws of the Song Dynasty? Now you're using the government to pressure me? You're quite adept at playing the double standard game, aren't you? Do you think I'm easy to manipulate?"

His gaze turned icy, and his voice was like a chilling blade rising from the deepest abyss:

"Heavenly Guards, heed my command! Anyone who spoke just now, except for Gang Leader Huang—kill them all!"

"Yes, sir!"

Seven responses rang out in unison, from Tianyi to Tianqi, seven Tianzi Guards stepped forward.

In an instant, blood splattered.

The voices of more than ten people who had spoken were still audible when their necks were severed, their throats ripped open, and they didn't even have time to scream. How could they, at most at the initial stage of the Acquired Realm, possibly withstand seven assassins at the minor stage of the Innate Realm, who had mastered the Sunflower Manual and whose speed was unparalleled in the world?

Guo Jing's pupils contracted sharply; before he could even raise his palm, all the men were already dead.

"Junior Brother Zhitian!! Are you trying to rebel?!" He stepped in front of him, his eyes blazing, and his palms seemed to surge with wind and thunder. The aura of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms suddenly erupted.

"Brother Guo, don't be anxious." Lin Tian remained calm. "According to the laws of the Great Song Dynasty, everyone present is guilty of at least the death penalty—none of them are innocent."

"Everyone?" Guo Jing asked in a deep voice, "Including me, Guo Jing?"

"Of course," Lin Tian sneered, "and it will be dismemberment by chariot, slow slicing—the most extreme punishments."

"What crime have I, Guo Jing, committed to deserve such cruel torture!" Guo Jing roared angrily.

"Treason and collusion with the enemy, is that enough?" Lin Tian uttered five words calmly.

"Hmph!" Huang Rong snorted coldly, stepping forward. "My brother Jing and I live in seclusion on Peach Blossom Island overseas. Even if the Song Dynasty falls, it won't affect us in the slightest. If he didn't care about the common people and not want to see them trampled by the Mongol hooves, why would he leave the island to engage in worldly affairs? Treason? That's pure nonsense!"

"If I, Guo Jing, harbor even the slightest thought of betrayal," Guo Jing solemnly swore, "may I be struck by lightning and never be reincarnated!"

"Oh?" Lin Tian suddenly smiled. "Then I'll tell you."

"I'm all ears," Guo Jing said, standing tall and fearless.

"Did you organize this 'Heroes' Gathering' at Dasheng Pass today?" Lin Tian asked.

"Yes, it is indeed me, Guo." Guo Jing readily admitted.

"That is irrefutable proof of your treason and collusion with the enemy." Lin Tian suddenly raised his voice, which was like a thunderclap.

"Absurd! Brother Jing convened this gathering of heroes today to unite heroes from all over the world to fight against the Mongols, but in your mouth, it's become treason and betrayal? You can't distinguish right from wrong and you've turned black into white!" Huang Rong sneered in anger.

"Rong'er is absolutely right." Guo Jing spoke in a deep voice, his tone low but filled with suppressed anger. "Junior Brother Lin Tian, ​​I, Guo, am utterly devoted to my country and its people. How could I be considered a traitor? If you don't believe me, then I'll explain it to you in public today!"

Lin Tian chuckled softly, his eyes flashing slightly: "Senior Brother Guo, let me ask you—what is a hundred li north of Dasheng Pass? And what is four hundred li south of it?"

Huang Rong was taken aback upon hearing this. Her brow twitched slightly, as if she had realized something. Her pupils suddenly contracted, and her face turned pale instantly.

Guo Jing, however, had no doubts and answered frankly: "One hundred li to the north is Hongze, which was originally part of our Great Song territory, but has now been occupied by the Mongol Yuan; four hundred li to the south is Lin'an—the capital of our dynasty."

"Oh? It seems Senior Brother remembers clearly." Lin Tian's lips curled up, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

The tone shifted abruptly, becoming as cold as a blade: "Have you ever considered this—you opened the city gates wide, inviting heroes from all directions, even allowing a Mongol general like the Golden Wheel Monk, dressed in lama robes, to swagger into the venue! Where do you place the laws of the Great Song Dynasty?!"

He approached step by step, his voice like thunder: "If Jinlun hadn't come here to cause trouble, but instead led a raid on the city's defenses, then let the Mongol cavalry take advantage of the situation, Dasheng Pass would have fallen in an instant! Using that as a springboard, they could have marched straight to Lin'an, causing the country to collapse and the nation to crumble—Brother Guo, you would be the number one hero!"

With each word he spoke, Guo Jing's face grew paler, until finally it was ashen.

"I... never thought about these things..." he murmured, his voice hoarse.

"I know," Lin Tian said, his tone softening slightly. "That's why I'll still call you Senior Brother Guo."

Guo Jing gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot, and suddenly clasped his hands together, placed them across his forehead, and slammed them down!

"Brother Jing!!"

"father!!"

"Uncle Guo!!"

"Master!!"

Huang Rong, Yang Guo, Guo Fu, Wu Dunru, and Wu Xiuwen exclaimed in unison and rushed forward, but they were all a step too late.

Only one hand, fair and slender, steadily held the pair of palms that were about to self-destruct—the one who made the move was Lin Tian.

Guo Jing looked up in surprise.