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

He knew Wei Zhuang's abilities all too well—although he joined Ghost Valley later than him, his combat prowess and profound foundation were in no way inferior. Yet, under Lin Tian's hand, Wei Zhuang didn't even have time to draw his sword before he was forced to retreat with a crash. This was like a thunderbolt striking Gai Nie's heart: if he were to face him, the outcome would probably be the same—a complete rout.

"One hundred thousand Wei soldiers... was it really him who killed them all?" Gai Nie asked in a low voice.

"Yes," Wei Zhuang replied readily. After a slight pause, he added, "I saw it with my own eyes—one man swept through 100,000 armored soldiers, his clothes not a speck of dust, his hair not a strand of tangled silk."

Gai Nie fell silent. Shocked as he was, he trusted Wei Zhuang—this man would never stoop to lying to his fellow disciples, much less deceive him with such a thing.

He simply couldn't accept that... human martial arts could be so terrifyingly powerful.

Suddenly, Wei Zhuang's eyes sharpened, his gaze like a knife, piercing straight to the end of the street.

"Bai Yifei's guards have arrived," he whispered. "Nightfall, make your move."

"His Majesty's whereabouts must not be revealed." Gai Nie spoke rapidly, and before he finished speaking, he had already leaped off the roof, landing steadily beside Ying Zheng. He clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ying Zheng raised his hand to interrupt him.

His gaze never left Lin Tian, ​​his tone calm yet sharp: "Prime Minister Lü has laid a nine-fold trap for me. This time, entering Han is a certain death. I'm afraid I won't live to fulfill the conditions you mentioned earlier." Despite his words, there was not a trace of fear between his brows, but rather a calm and iron-like demeanor.

Upon hearing this, Lin Tian rolled his eyes and sneered inwardly: Trying to get something for nothing? Trying to get me to be his personal protector for free? That's wishful thinking.

"Oh? Never mind then—it was just a casual remark." His tone was as indifferent as a breeze brushing past my ear.

Ying Zheng paused slightly, then after a moment's thought, spoke first: "I wonder if you, sir, would be willing to protect me and ensure my safety?"

He knew perfectly well that the Eight Beauties were already lurking like venomous snakes, and the assassins secretly planted by Lü Buwei were likely even more formidable; and even though Gai Nie possessed divine swordsmanship, he was ultimately no match for four opponents. Only Lin Tian was someone he could truly entrust his life to.

"One hundred thousand gold coins." Lin Tian's lips curled slightly. "I guarantee you won't lose a single hair in Xinzheng City."

Ying Zheng's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

One hundred thousand gold coins? That's not an offer, that's outright robbery!

It should be noted that the entire South Korean army of over 100,000 elite troops could barely scrape together this amount in a year with their food, pay, and military supplies.

"The King of Qin's command isn't worth 100,000 gold coins?" Lin Tian glanced sideways, his smile concealing a sharp edge. "If you don't agree, I'll turn around and tell Nightfall—the King of Qin is currently squatting in a small courtyard somewhere in Xinzheng, drinking porridge."

"Deal." Ying Zheng nodded decisively. "I beg you, sir, to protect my safety."

"Don't worry." Lin Tian laughed loudly, "The money is exchanged, life and death are irrelevant—at least in Xinzheng, you won't die."

He was in high spirits. With a few words and a laugh, 100,000 taels of gold were already in his pocket; this deal was a sure thing.

Black and White Xuanjian? Eight Linglong? He didn't care at all. As for Nightfall? If Blood-Clad Marquis Bai Yifei really dared to come knocking, he probably wouldn't even have time to think about how he would die.

This money was easier to find than copper coins on the roadside.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards are within a hundred paces," Gai Nie whispered a reminder. They were the fiercest cavalry in the Han army, each soldier clad in armor and wielding a spear; any ordinary expert would be instantly reduced to dust upon encountering them.

With several hundred elite soldiers and Bai Yi not personally leading the suicide squad, Gai Nie knew he was not yet capable of providing full protection—he was unwilling to let Ying Zheng take any risks.

Ying Zheng simply waved his hand gently, his gaze resolute: "It's alright. With you here, sir, I have no worries."

Lin Tian smiled, looked up at the sky, and turned to Ying Zheng, saying, "Yu'er, it's time to prepare the meal. Shall we eat together? I still have a few jars of aged liquor in my cellar."

"I couldn't ask for more," Ying Zheng replied loudly.

Upon hearing the word "wine," Han Fei's eyes lit up, and he rushed forward, saying, "Brother Lin's wine, I've been longing for it for so long, and today I've finally got my wish!"

"There's none for you." Lin Tian lifted his eyelids, showing no mercy. "I'll pour you another cup to warm your stomach after you pay off your debt."

"Ah—cough, the sun is really bright today." Han Fei chuckled twice, and quietly moved his toes back half an inch.

Pay back the money? The deadline Lin Tian set last time has long passed. Where would he get the money? What's worse, the interest has snowballed to an amount that even selling himself into the salt mine for ten years wouldn't be enough to pay it off. So he might as well give up—when you're drowning in debt, you're actually quite content.

Lin Tian also had a headache.

They can't really carry a bucket of black dog blood, climb up the walls of the Han King's palace, and paint it with "Ninth Prince Han Fei, who never pays his debts and is proficient in eating, drinking, gambling and whoring," can they?

Han Fei has a thick skin, while Lin Tian still has to make a living in Xinzheng.

"Oh, Han Fei owes you money, sir? I'll settle it for him." Ying Zheng's tone was casual, as if he were merely brushing a speck of dust off his sleeve. He didn't believe for a second how much Han Fei could owe Lin Tian.

Not much, thirty-seven thousand taels of gold. Lin Tian's voice was calm, yet it sounded like an iron hammer striking a blue brick.

Originally, Han Fei only owed three thousand gold coins, but in just one year, the interest more than doubled, reaching seven thousand gold coins. As for why he suddenly asked for thirty-seven thousand gold coins—the reason is obvious: if a piece of fat meat falls from the sky and you don't take a bite, it might just hit you on the head.

As the old saying goes: If you don't take what Heaven gives you, you will suffer the consequences.

So, this time they're killing the King of Qin, wouldn't that be considered a "golden opportunity"? Lin Tian already had his answer: Of course it is. There's absolutely no problem with that.

As for why he didn't ask for 50,000 or 80,000? He had weighed it carefully—37,000 gold was already the limit. Any higher, and Ying Zheng would probably flip the table on the spot and throw the account book in his face.

Sure enough, Ying Zheng's eyelids twitched suddenly, and he glanced at Han Fei out of the corner of his eye, his eyes full of doubt: How did this kid manage to bite such a hole?

Han Fei was also stunned. He opened his mouth to argue, but when he met Lin Tian's gaze, he immediately swallowed his words.

—If he were to reveal the truth now, saying that he only owes seven thousand gold coins, Honglian's fists would smash his ribs into pipa strings by tomorrow.

On second thought: Ying Zheng is the unlucky one, I'm the creditor, once the money is settled, I'll feel completely relieved. Han Fei simply lowered his eyes and drank his tea, treating himself as a mere decoration.

"Very well, I will pay for him." Ying Zheng uttered these words with a slight clench of his teeth.

A gentleman's word is his bond; those four words carry the weight of a thousand pounds. To lose face for thirty-seven thousand taels of gold, to be looked down upon by Lin Tian, ​​and to be laughed at by Han Fei—it's not worth it.

"Well, you now owe me 137,000 gold coins. Settle it off within six months; if you don't pay by then, interest will accrue; if you don't pay within a year, I'll tear down the beams of your Xianyang Palace." Lin Tian finished speaking and lightly tapped the table with his fingertips.

"Rest assured, sir." Ying Zheng's lips twitched, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

He suddenly felt extremely annoyed—if he had known this would happen, he should have swallowed back the words "I will pay for him" that he had just uttered. He sighed inwardly: from now on, he really should count to three before speaking.

Lin Tian, ​​of course, was unaware that his casual remark had subtly opened a crack in Ying Zheng's door: thinking ahead is a hundred times better than speaking quickly. Even if he knew, he would only pat him on the shoulder and smile: "Kid, you have a long road ahead of you."

Before the words were finished, the sound of rapid boots suddenly rang out outside the courtyard, the armor plates clanging like hailstones hitting an iron plate—the Imperial Guards had completely surrounded the entire house.

Ying Zheng's gaze darkened as he turned to Lin Tian. Lin Tian merely raised his eyes and smiled, the smile not reaching his eyes.

boom!!