Chapter 5, The Master of All Beasts Appears

Lin Jian sighed, "This person is truly formidable! No wonder Chen Peizhi is so arrogant; it turns out he has such a glorious family history." Zhang Tingting replied, "Indeed, however, although Chen Guangfu is upright, he is ruthless and merciless, often leaving his opponents in dire straits. He has truly instilled fear in the hearts of those in the underworld. For decades since then, whenever someone in the underworld hears of the 'Ten Thousand Calamities Swordmaster,' it is as if they have seen the Grim Reaper. There was a saying in the martial world at that time: 'Better to meet the King of Hell than to encounter the Ten Thousand Calamities.' He has indeed made those in the underworld tremble with fear. For decades since then, whenever someone in the underworld hears of the 'Ten Thousand Calamities Swordmaster,' it is as if they have seen the Grim Reaper. Therefore, he earned the title of 'Ten Thousand Calamities Swordmaster,' for under his sword, there is truly no chance of recovery." Lin Jian sighed, "In fact, even the most wicked and evil individuals should be given a chance to reform; why must one drive them to extinction?" He could not help but add, "But how would you know so much about these past events?" Zhang Tingting laughed, "Do not forget that my Wan Shou Manor is neighboring his Wan Jie Mountain Manor; my family knows quite a bit about his affairs. These stories are what I heard from my father." Lin Jian suddenly realized, "So that’s how it is. According to you, Chen Peizhi does not wield the Ten Thousand Calamities Divine Sword?"

Zhang Tingting sat on the ground, picking up dry twigs to draw two stick figures holding hands. One was labeled with her name, and the other with Lin Jian's name. She smiled faintly, feeling quite satisfied. Lost in thought, she gazed at the fire, a smile unconsciously appearing at the corners of her mouth, her cheeks flushed, entranced. Suddenly, she noticed a shadow on the stone wall, and her heart leaped with joy, thinking Lin Jian had returned. She jumped up and called out, "Brother Jian, why are you back so soon... Ah! You are Ba..." Before she could finish her sentence, she was struck at a pressure point, and the figure that appeared was actually Ba Tianshang! After Lin Jian and Zhang Tingting escaped, the people of Tiger Mountain Village dispersed to guard the mountain paths. Li Yucheng and others went to inform Hu Meng. Upon learning of his beloved son's death, Hu Meng was furious, scolding his subordinates for their incompetence. He vowed to have Lin Jian tortured to death for revenge and immediately set out with Li Yucheng, Ba Tianshang, and the Zeng brothers to search for Lin Jian's whereabouts. Ba Tianshang was responsible for patrolling the back mountain and happened to stumble upon this cave. Peering through the entrance, he vaguely saw the glow of a fire inside, which aroused his suspicion. He guessed that Lin Jian and the others were hiding in the cave. He thought of calling others to come, but then reconsidered: "They are both seriously injured at this moment; capturing them would be as easy as pie. Why should I summon others to compete for credit? If I capture them and present them to the village chief, the merit would be mine. Not only would I be exonerated, but I could also gain wealth and promotion." Ever since Hu Dawei's death, he had been thinking about occupying the position of the chief steward.

Zhang Tingting whispered shyly, "You can also consider me as your family..." The last few words she spoke were almost inaudible, but fortunately, Lin Jian was close to her and had some mastery of internal energy, so he understood her clearly. Lin Jian felt a surge of emotion in his heart and tightened his embrace around her, saying, "I... I really don't know how to thank you..." Zhang Tingting replied, "Silly, is there any need to say thank you for this?"

Zhang Tingting let out a soft protest, pushed Lin Jian away, and turned around. When Lin Jian asked her this question, despite her cheerful disposition as a young woman, she felt embarrassed and could not bring herself to answer directly, her face involuntarily flushing. Lin Jian, completely oblivious to the thoughts of a young girl, had no idea of the feelings Zhang Tingting harbored. He embraced Zhang Tingting from behind and gently said by her cheek, "What's wrong, Tingmei? Did I say something wrong? Please don't be angry." Zhang Tingting softly replied with an "Mm," and Lin Jian joyfully exclaimed, "That's good!" After a moment, Zhang Tingting said, "Brother Jian, you mentioned that you are an orphan. Do you know who your parents are?" Lin Jian shook his head and replied, "I don't know. I was raised by my grandfather since I was little. One day, when I went to the village to fetch wine for my grandfather, I overheard a woman who had taken me to my grandfather say that I was not his biological grandchild. I have no idea who my father is or what my mother looked like." Zhang Tingting said, "Your father must have been a great hero, and your mother must have been very beautiful." Lin Jian smiled wryly and said, "You haven't seen them, so how do you know they are as you imagine?" Zhang Tingting laughed and said, "It must be so; otherwise, how could they have given birth to such an outstanding son like you?" Lin Jian also laughed and said, "Then I guess your father must be very handsome, and your mother must be as beautiful as you, like a celestial being." Zhang Tingting replied sadly, "You will know what my father looks like when you meet him, but as for my mother, my father said she died during childbirth, and I have never seen her face." Both of them brought up their sorrowful pasts, and their hearts inevitably felt a wave of sadness.

Lin Jian praised, "You are truly fortunate to have such a capable father." Zhang Tingting laughed, "Don't you also have an impressive father?" Lin Jian asked in surprise, "Where did I get such an impressive father?" Zhang Tingting replied, "Did not Li Yucheng say that you are the heir of the Sword Palace? You are only twenty, yet your swordsmanship is already so extraordinary; your father must be even more remarkable. However, I suppose your father is a person of high caliber, which is why few know his name." The thoughts of young girls are often quite naive; they tend to connect what they see with their imagination, reasoning it out, and firmly believe that they are making perfect sense. Lin Jian smiled wryly and said, "Tingmei, you are overthinking it. Jian Gongcheng is neither my father nor could he ever be my father." Zhang Tingting widened her eyes and asked, "Could it be that Jian Gongcheng is your grandfather, or perhaps your master?" The girl reacted quickly to her own misjudgment. Lin Jian replied, "That person has long since turned to dust; his age could be that of my grandfather's grandfather." Zhang Tingting gasped, "Then how did you learn his swordsmanship?" Lin Jian smiled wryly again and said, "Tingmei, you are overthinking it. Jian Gongcheng is neither my father nor could he ever be my father." Zhang Tingting widened her eyes and asked, "Could it be that Jian Gongcheng is your grandfather, or perhaps your master?" The girl reacted quickly to her own misjudgment. Lin Jian said, "That person has long since turned to dust; his age could be that of my grandfather's grandfather." Zhang Tingting exclaimed, "Then how did you learn his swordsmanship? Was it passed down to you by Jian Gongcheng's heir?" Lin Jian replied, "Jian Gongcheng had no heir; he lived a lonely life, without even a single relative." As he spoke, he suddenly felt a wave of sadness, tears welling up in his eyes. He lamented Jian Gongcheng's fate and could not help but connect it to his own. Lin Jian continued, "The only relative Jian Gongcheng had was his master, and the only relative I have is my grandfather who raised me."

Lin Jian laughed softly, saying, "Isn't that name a bit too long?" He paused and continued, "Alright, enough joking around, let's speak seriously." Zhang Tingting replied, "I'm not joking; I'm being serious." Lin Jian said, "Nonsense, how could he be the world's number one divine sword? Just take Li Yucheng for example; Chen Peizhi is no match for him." Zhang Tingting deliberately sighed and said, "In the end, do you always think I'm talking about Chen Peizhi?" Lin Jian widened his eyes and asked, "Isn't it?" He then said, "Alright, enough joking around, let's speak seriously." Zhang Tingting replied, "I'm not joking; I'm being serious." Lin Jian said, "Nonsense, how could he be the world's number one divine sword? Just take Li Yucheng for example; Chen Peizhi is no match for him." Zhang Tingting deliberately sighed and said, "In the end, do you always think I'm talking about Chen Peizhi?" Lin Jian widened his eyes and asked, "Isn't it? You said..." Zhang Tingting continued, "I'm talking about someone else; this person's family claims to have the world's number one divine sword." Lin Jian, feeling confused, said, "How did it suddenly become about his family? This is baffling." Zhang Tingting smiled slightly and said, "I can see you are racking your brain trying to figure this out, so let me tell you honestly: actually, the title of the world's number one divine sword was earned by Chen Guangfu." Lin Jian interjected, asking, "Chen Guangfu?" Zhang Tingting explained, "Chen Guangfu is the founder of the Wanjie Villa, and he is also the ancestor of Chen Peizhi. The name of Wanjie Villa comes from a famous sword technique in the world." Lin Jian exclaimed, "A famous sword technique in the world?" Zhang Tingting confirmed, "Indeed, this sword technique is called the Wanjie Divine Sword. However, only Chen Guangfu has mastered this technique. Back in the day, he challenged sword masters from all over the world and was known as the Wanjie Swordmaster Chen Guangfu. This sword technique was named the Wanjie Divine Sword. It is said that the defeated sword masters united to forge a plaque for Chen Guangfu, which bore the six characters 'World's Number One Divine Sword'.

The young girl recalled the fatal arrow that Lin Jian had taken for her the previous night, feeling a pang of guilt. She reached into her bosom to retrieve the healing ointment to treat Lin Jian's wound, but to her dismay, her hand came up empty. Glancing around, she spotted the medicine bottle on the ground, picked it up, and upon uncorking it, found it completely empty, leaving her disappointed. As she shifted her position, she realized that her left shoulder was also injured, but it had already been bandaged, and she felt a slight chill on her shoulder. A thought crossed her mind, and she understood that Lin Jian had taken the healing ointment from her bosom to bandage her wound, using the remaining medicine on himself, leaving only a rough bandage for his own injury. A warmth surged in her heart, and she felt a quiet gratitude. However, another thought struck her: he must have touched her skin while taking the medicine and bandaging his own wound. This realization made her cheeks flush with embarrassment, yet this time, she did not feel anger towards Lin Jian; instead, she felt a sweetness in her heart. Lin Jian, noticing her flushed face, assumed she was still angry about him holding her and instinctively covered his cheeks, saying, "Miss, please don’t misunderstand. The truth is, when you were unconscious, your body was trembling, and I thought you were very cold, so I held you. I only held you for a moment and had no ill intentions towards you. If I lie, may heaven strike me down..." Before he could finish, the girl placed a hand over Lin Jian's mouth, gazing at him with tender eyes filled with gratitude. She sighed softly and said, "I believe you, so why must you swear?" In truth, she had long ceased to harbor any resentment towards Lin Jian.

This person is Lin Jian. He hurried back, but his pace was not as swift as that of a young horse, and he had to be cautious of any appearances by the people from Tiger Mountain Village, which caused him to slow down considerably. By the time he arrived, the youth had already killed Ba Tianshang, leaving only a trail of blood, while a middle-aged man dragged Ba Tianshang's corpse into the forest. Lin Jian did not see this; he only noticed the bloodstains outside the cave. His heart sank, thinking that the people from Tiger Mountain Village had been there. Worried for Zhang Tingting's safety, he immediately rushed into the cave, just in time to see the youth reaching out towards Zhang Tingting, who remained motionless. His heart grew colder, fearing that something had happened to her. The youth was startled, stood up, and inadvertently blocked Zhang Tingting's face. He coldly asked, "Who are you?" Lin Jian anxiously shouted, "Tingmei! Tingmei!" But Zhang Tingting's mute acupoint had been struck, and she could not speak. The youth thought to himself, "Tingmei? Could it be that this kid knows this girl?" Just as he was about to explain, Lin Jian saw Zhang Tingting lying on the ground, unmoving, and did not respond. He assumed that she had fallen victim to this youth's treachery, and his heart was filled with unutterable grief and anger. He shouted, "You scoundrel! Return Tingmei to me!" As he spoke, he threw down the deer and, with a whoosh, thrust his sword forward. The youth was taken aback, wanting to explain, but it was too late. He quickly dodged, concerned that fighting inside the cave might harm Zhang Tingting, and after evading a few of Lin Jian's strikes, he immediately exited the cave. Lin Jian, fearing that the youth would escape, also rushed out of the cave, not even glancing at Zhang Tingting lying on the ground. Had he looked, this misunderstanding would not have occurred.

Lin Jian felt her soft jade-like hand gently placed on his mouth, inhaling the fragrance of her body, and his heart stirred involuntarily. He could not help but reach out to hold her hand, but inadvertently tugged at his wound, letting out a muffled groan. The young girl thought to herself that Lin Jian was doing all this for her, and she couldn't help but tremble as she said, "Jian, Brother Jian, how are you?" Lin Jian's heart warmed, as if he were listening to celestial music; it was the first time he had heard a young girl address him in such a manner, causing his heart to flutter instinctively. Lin Jian gently wrapped his arm around the girl. She, feeling weak from her injury and willingly allowing it, nestled into his embrace, finding it extremely comfortable and warm. Lin Jian, holding the warm jade in his arms, felt an immense sense of ease and softly said, "It's nothing, for you, this little pain is nothing at all." The girl smiled sweetly, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Lin Jian. Lin Jian's blood surged, and unable to restrain himself, he lowered his head and gently kissed her cherry lips. Her face, already quite red, was now further adorned with a layer of rosy hue. Lin Jian gently caressed her hair and asked, "Miss Zhang, what is your name?" The girl hesitated slightly and replied softly, "My name is Zhang Tingting." In ancient times, a girl's given name was kept very secret; generally, it was only known to close acquaintances. By revealing her name to Lin Jian, Zhang Tingting inadvertently regarded him as someone close.

Zhang Tingting, lying on the ground, was anxious and restless. She wanted to explain the cause and effect, but was unable to speak due to her acupoints being sealed, only hoping that the time would come when her acupoints would be released. During this period, one was a lifesaver and the other was a lover bound by life and death; whoever was injured would leave a lifelong regret. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions, only wishing that the young man would reveal the truth to avoid this fierce battle. While Zhang Tingting was anxiously waiting in the cave, the young man and Lin Jian were fiercely fighting outside. Lin Jian was filled with grief and anger, his eyes red, and every move he made was lethal. The young man wielded two short swords, alternating them to fend off the attacks. Even if he wanted to reveal the truth, under Lin Jian's relentless assault, he had no time to retaliate, let alone speak. After parrying a few moves, the young man could not help but feel genuine anger; every move from Lin Jian was deadly, and if he made a single mistake, he would immediately lose his life under the sword. In this life-and-death moment, the young man could only use his unique skills and give it his all. Lin Jian executed a move called "Fragrant Breeze Blowing the Curtain," transforming his long sword into countless sword flowers that fell like raindrops. The young man was secretly taken aback and suddenly thrust both swords forward, one aimed at Lin Jian's throat and the other at his wrist. This move was specifically designed to deal with Ba Tianshang, effectively forcing the enemy to let go.

Lin Jian swiftly turned his body, adjusting his long sword to grip it firmly. The shadow of the sword moved, striking towards the youth's "Liang Qiu Xue". The youth horizontally blocked with his sword, his left hand forming a finger to point at Lin Jian's "Kai Xuan Xue". He knew that Lin Jian's skills in hand and foot techniques were inferior to his own, thus he always closed in for close combat. Lin Jian was aware of the youth's exceptional finger techniques, so he could only dodge sideways. Lin Jian raised one leg, kicking towards the youth's lower body. The youth shifted his foot, extending his finger to strike at Lin Jian's "Xi Yan Xue". Lin Jian leaped up, his long sword swaying towards the youth's neck. The youth blocked again with his sword. Lin Jian shouted loudly, and the tip of the sword was unexpectedly bent under pressure, the sword body twisted, and the tip aimed at the youth's neck. The youth was greatly alarmed, his body tilted to avoid the vital point, but his shoulder was grazed, instantly bleeding profusely. This strike was unexpected, catching him off guard, and it was purely a victory through internal strength. Lin Jian began to understand the principle of "using qi to control the sword" in the Sword Palace. After being struck on the shoulder, the youth immediately retreated and leaped away. Lin Jian shouted, "Where do you think you're going!" Just as he was about to pursue with his sword, he suddenly heard someone shout, "Do not be rude!" A figure flashed in, and a sword energy pierced towards Lin Jian. Lin Jian was greatly startled, extending his sword to block, only to hear a loud "clang" as his long sword flew out of his hand. Lin Jian focused his gaze and saw a middle-aged man dressed in white.

Lin Jian smiled and said, "Indeed, she is as graceful as a willow!" Zhang Tingting, feeling shy, hid her face in Lin Jian's chest, not daring to look him in the eye. Lin Jian, with his soft and fragrant embrace, felt as if he were floating, almost as if he were ascending to immortality. He sensed a heat spreading throughout his body, feeling extremely restless. Unbeknownst to him, this was the awakening of his feelings; he thought instead that he had overexerted himself the previous night, resulting in internal injuries. When he was learning martial arts from Jiang Butong, Jiang had mentioned that the internal energy of the Kunlun School was vigorous, which could lead to excessive strain on the body. If one forced themselves to practice too much, it could easily result in injuries to the internal organs. Lin Jian had not exerted his full strength during his duel with Hu Liancheng the night before for this very reason, and when he had to fight for his life later on, he was unsure if he had sustained any internal injuries. He silently recited the method for circulating his meridians and practiced it three times in his mind, gradually feeling more at ease. Zhang Tingting asked, "Brother Jian, what’s wrong?" Lin Jian smiled slightly and replied, "It’s nothing. By the way, why did they want to capture you to take you back as a wife? Is it because of your celestial beauty?" Zhang Tingting's face flushed with embarrassment. After a moment, she sighed softly and said, "Actually, their reason for capturing me to be a wife is just a pretext; the real reason is to use me as a hostage." Lin Jian was puzzled and asked, "A hostage? They have already attacked your villa, so why do they still need to capture you as a hostage? Isn’t that redundant?" Zhang Tingting replied proudly, "Don’t think that they have succeeded just because they have taken the villa. Even if they occupy the villa, as long as my father returns, they will have to return it. At that time, they might even have to pay with their lives!"

Lin Jian realized: "I understand now, they are afraid of your father's formidable martial arts, which is why they are trying to capture you as a hostage to threaten him." He couldn't help but think that if someone as skilled as Li Yucheng feared Zhang Tingting's father alone, it was evident how high Zhang Tingting's father's martial prowess was. Zhang Tingting said: "You finally guessed it right, they want to capture me as a hostage for this very reason. Hmph! As long as my father is around, they wouldn't dare to be so audacious. When my father returns, I will make them pay for their blood debts!" Zhang Tingting continued: "You finally guessed it right, they want to capture me as a hostage for this very reason. Hmph! As long as my father is around, they wouldn't dare to be so audacious. When my father returns, I will make them pay for their blood debts! I will avenge the steward Wang!" As she spoke, her eyes turned red. Lin Jian felt a wave of sorrow; Zhang Tingting had such a powerful father, yet he did not even know who his own father was. Wasn't this a great tragedy for an orphan? Lin Jian exclaimed: "Is steward Wang dead?" He had a good impression of steward Wang, and upon hearing the news of his death, he was taken aback. Lin Jian felt a wave of sorrow; Zhang Tingting had such a powerful father, yet he did not even know who his own father was. Wasn't this a great tragedy for an orphan? Lin Jian exclaimed: "Is steward Wang dead?" He had a good impression of steward Wang, and upon hearing the news of his death, he was taken aback. Zhang Tingting said fiercely: "Steward Wang sacrificed himself to protect me while I escaped, that is how he was harmed!" Lin Jian felt very sad as well, suddenly thinking: "Steward Wang sacrificed himself to protect Tingting's escape, and she is also willing to sacrifice herself to let me escape. Such deep feelings, I, Lin Jian, truly am fortunate!"

Lin Jian looked up at the cave entrance and saw that the raindrops were falling sparsely. The sky had cleared, and a faint light was slanting in from outside the cave, indicating that dawn had arrived. Feeling hungry and thirsty, Lin Jian stretched lazily, stood up, and took his clothes from the rack, handing them to Zhang Tingting. Only then did Zhang Tingting remember that her clothing was thin; her face flushed red as she accepted the clothes and turned away to put them on. Lin Jian also donned his clothes, took his sword and gourd, and walked to the cave entrance. Zhang Tingting asked, "Brother Jian, where are you going?" Lin Jian patted his stomach and laughed, "My stomach is empty; I’m going to hunt a roe deer to fill it. I’ll be back soon, so don’t go anywhere." As he spoke, he picked up some firewood, feeling hungry and thirsty again. He placed some by the fire to dry while putting the rest in to smolder. Zhang Tingting said, "Be careful and come back early." Lin Jian smiled slightly and walked out of the cave. He picked up a branch and began to sweep away the footprints he had left on the ground. After the rain, it was easy to leave tracks, and Lin Jian knew that the people from Tiger Mountain Stronghold would not let him and Zhang Tingting go easily, which is why he acted so cautiously. As Lin Jian entered the forest, the fresh, moist air hit him, invigorating him. He took a deep breath, feeling completely refreshed. After stretching his limbs and patrolling the forest for a moment, he discovered the tracks of a roe deer. After the rain was indeed the time when animals came out to move about, and Lin Jian followed the tracks.

The two faced each other for a moment, and the burly man was the first to step towards Lin Jian. Lin Jian was secretly taken aback, thinking, "This person possesses such profound internal strength, he was able to neutralize the force of my finger in an instant." After circulating the internal energy of his North Dipper Divine Skill for a few rounds, his left leg had also recovered. This time, he did not dare to engage the burly man lightly. Lin Jian slid his foot, and his long sword pierced forward gracefully, aiming at the burly man. The burly man struck with his iron fist, the force of his punch was incredibly fierce. His boxing technique was exquisite, the trajectory of his punches steady, and the wind from his fists powerful, making it difficult for Lin Jian to gain any advantage. He thought, "This person possesses such profound internal strength, he was able to neutralize the force of my finger in an instant." After circulating the internal energy of his North Dipper Divine Skill for a few rounds, his left leg had also recovered. This time, he did not dare to engage the burly man lightly. Lin Jian slid his foot, and his long sword pierced forward gracefully, aiming at the burly man. The burly man struck with his iron fist, the force of his punch was incredibly fierce. His boxing technique was exquisite, the trajectory of his punches steady, and the wind from his fists powerful, making it difficult for Lin Jian to gain any advantage. However, Lin Jian's swordsmanship was extraordinary, and the burly man did not dare to approach too closely. After exchanging over ten moves, the burly man suddenly changed his boxing style, becoming extremely agile, leaping up and down like a large monkey. Lin Jian found it interesting and thought, "What an unusual boxing style this is." Little did he know, this was the famous "Monkey Style Boxing" in the martial world. After exchanging over ten moves, the burly man suddenly changed his boxing style, becoming extremely agile, leaping up and down like a large monkey. Lin Jian found it interesting and thought, "What an unusual boxing style this is." Little did he know, this was the famous "Monkey Style Boxing" in the martial world. Lin Jian thrust his sword swiftly, and the burly man shifted his body, bringing his palms together, attempting to trap Lin Jian's sword. This grappling technique was quite exquisite, but unexpectedly, Lin Jian's long sword suddenly spun, a flash of light, and the burly man's left shoulder was immediately struck by the sword, blood seeping out instantly. The burly man was secretly startled, and he quickly brought his two fingers together, aiming to strike Lin Jian's vital point. Lin Jian thrust his sword swiftly, and the burly man shifted his body, bringing his palms together, attempting to trap Lin Jian's sword. This grappling technique was quite exquisite, but unexpectedly, Lin Jian's long sword suddenly spun, a flash of light, and the burly man's left shoulder was immediately struck by the sword, blood seeping out instantly. The burly man was secretly startled, and he quickly brought his two fingers together, aiming to strike Lin Jian's vital point. Lin Jian was puzzled; usually, one would use a single finger to strike a vital point, but who would use two fingers? He did not have time to think further when the burly man's fingers were already about to touch him.

Lin Jian gently wiped away Zhang Tingting's tears and comforted her, saying, "Tingmei, you must not be sad any longer. Steward Wang has treated me very well, and I will definitely avenge this blood feud against him!" Zhang Tingting nodded, her tear-streaked face appearing even more pitiful. Lin Jian gazed at her beautiful face and the still-moist eyelashes, feeling a sudden surge of emotion in his heart, realizing that to live life in such a way must be a great happiness! Lin Jian said, "Tingmei, on another note, why did those people capture you to threaten your father?" Zhang Tingting retorted, "Do you know who they are?" Lin Jian replied, "Aren't they just some bandits who dwell in the mountains and commit crimes?" Lin Jian looked at her beautiful face and the still-moist eyelashes, feeling a sudden surge of emotion in his heart, realizing that to live life in such a way must be a great happiness! Lin Jian said, "Tingmei, on another note, why did those people capture you to threaten your father?" Zhang Tingting retorted, "Do you know who they are?" Lin Jian replied, "Aren't they just some bandits who dwell in the mountains and commit crimes? But it seems they have been less active in the past decade or so." Zhang Tingting said, "That's it." Lin Jian asked, "Could this be related to your father?" Zhang Tingting replied, "Of course, it is precisely because of my father that they dare not act so recklessly." Lin Jian said, "I see, I had always thought it was the government suppressing them that made them refrain from harming the villagers." Zhang Tingting explained, "The government has come here, but this area is remote, far from the county seat. As the saying goes, 'the mountains are high and the emperor is far away.' The government has attempted several encirclements but only managed to capture a few foot soldiers, which has had no real effect." She paused and continued, "Jiangling is a vital route in Xiazhou; to travel from the north of Xiazhou to Yuezhou and Tanzhou, one must pass through Jiangling. They rely on robbing the merchant caravans that pass through. The government has attempted several encirclements but only managed to capture a few foot soldiers, which has had no real effect." She paused again and added, "Jiangling is a vital route in Xiazhou; to travel from the north of Xiazhou to Yuezhou and Tanzhou, one must pass through Jiangling. They rely on robbing the merchant caravans that pass through. Our Wanshou Mountain Villa has resided here since the end of the Tang Dynasty. My father disapproves of their violent deeds and has intervened multiple times. They fear the reputation of our Wanshou Mountain Villa, so they do not dare to be too rampant."

Zhang Tingting then said, "Brother Jian, who is Jian Gongcheng? How do you know his swordsmanship?" Lin Jian replied, "This matter is quite lengthy to explain. It was merely by chance that I was able to learn the sword techniques of the elder Jian." He then recounted the events that transpired. Zhang Tingting opened her mouth in surprise and said, "So that's how it is. I didn't expect it to be so complicated. I thought that Guo Yan had a great reputation in the martial world, yet his son turned out to be so unworthy." She paused for a moment and continued, "Jian Gongcheng is truly a passionate person; he doesn't care whether Miss Han likes him or not, he only wishes for her well-being." She looked up at Lin Jian and smiled, saying, "And you are no less than him. Despite how I treated you before, you still treat me so well."

Lin Jian stepped forward with a mysterious gait, turning his body as his long sword danced, flashing towards the young man's face. The young man leaped aside, landing swiftly, but quickly jumped away again, his body soaring and descending, the long sword thrusting and retracting unexpectedly, dazzling the onlookers. Lin Jian found it difficult to counter; this was a set of lightness techniques employed by the young man, known as "Jade Rabbit Leaping to the Moon." Lin Jian, unaware of the intricacies, devised a plan. He suddenly spun his body, the long sword swirling, resembling a whirlwind rushing in. The young man dared not confront it head-on and hurriedly leaped aside. Seizing this opportunity, Lin Jian thrust his sword closely following the young man. The young man was secretly astonished as Lin Jian's sword approached his face. Suddenly, the young man extended two fingers, pinching Lin Jian's sword, and with a kick of his toes, struck Lin Jian's wrist at the "Shenmen Acupoint." Lin Jian's hand jolted, and the long sword slipped from his grasp, snatched away by the young man. The young man flicked his fingers, the sword hilt striking Lin Jian's shoulder at the "Jianjing Acupoint," causing Lin Jian's arm to go numb. The young man raised his right hand, placing the long sword against Lin Jian's neck. Lin Jian's abdomen suddenly collapsed, lowering his head to evade the young man's sword. The young man was slightly taken aback as Lin Jian's right hand suddenly turned, his palm pressing against the back of the sword that had been taken from him. With a strong pull and a twist of his wrist, the long sword followed suit, forcing the young man to release his grip. Lin Jian flipped the long sword, the hilt striking the young man's shoulder, causing a wave of soreness and numbness. The young man snorted coldly, executing a move called "Purple Qi Coming from the East," with sword energy like a rainbow, vast and powerful, the sword tip trembling, enveloping all of Lin Jian's upper body acupoints. The young man had to let go, and Lin Jian flipped the long sword, the hilt striking the young man's shoulder, causing a wave of soreness and numbness. The young man snorted coldly, executing a move called "Purple Qi Coming from the East," with sword energy like a rainbow, vast and powerful, the sword tip trembling, enveloping all of Lin Jian's upper body acupoints. The sword techniques employed by this young man primarily focused on acupoint striking, and his skill in using the sword to strike acupoints surpassed that of Lin Jian.

Zhang Tingting felt a sense of foreboding, looking at him in terror, and stammered, "What do you want?" Ba Tianshang plunged the knife into the ground, unfastened his outer garment, and did not hide his intentions, leering as he said, "Little girl, you are destined to die, and seeing your beautiful face truly makes my heart ache! What a pity, once the young master is dead, you won't have a chance to live either, so you might as well let me enjoy myself first. Hahaha!" Zhang Tingting's body trembled, and she shouted loudly, "Just kill me! Just..." Ba Tianshang, fearing that her cries would attract others, immediately pressed on her mute point. He leered at her, taking in her figure from head to toe, swallowed hard, and said with a grin, "Don't worry, little girl, I will take good care of you and won't hurt you." As he finished speaking, his demeanor was exceedingly lewd, and he reached out his hand to touch Zhang Tingting's delicate face.

Ba Tianshang charged into the cave with his knife, unaware that Lin Jian was no longer inside. Upon entering, he discovered that only Zhang Tingting was present. Without a moment's hesitation, he struck her pressure point. Ba Tianshang's gaze fell upon the red bloodstains on the ground, and he felt a sense of relief, thinking that the young man must have died on the way. Although they had seen Lin Jian carrying Zhang Tingting away after being shot, they assumed he had collapsed due to his severe injuries. Unfortunately, the rain had washed away both the blood and the scent; otherwise, they would have been tracked down by hunting dogs. Zhang Tingting, struck at her pressure point, immediately fell down, landing right on the drawing of a little person she had made. If Ba Tianshang had seen this drawing, he would have surely realized that Lin Jian was still alive. Ba Tianshang laughed and said, "You little girl will ultimately not escape from my grasp, hum! If you had married into the Hu family properly back then, wouldn't everything have been fine? But now, hum, I fear that even if I don't kill you, I will have to torment you thoroughly!" Zhang Tingting was terrified, her face pale, her eyes slightly red, but she held back her tears. Ba Tianshang reached out, intending to capture Zhang Tingting to use as a hostage for Hu Meng, while he could always search for Lin Jian later, whether he was dead or alive. The firelight cast a red glow on Zhang Tingting's face, and Ba Tianshang paused, gazing at her delicate beauty. A wicked thought arose in his heart, and he mused, "With the young master dead, she can no longer become the lady of Tiger Mountain. Sending her away would only lead to her death eventually; it would be better for me, Ba Tianshang, to enjoy her first!" With this thought, he couldn't help but let out a few lewd chuckles.

Lin Jian found it interesting and couldn't help but ask, "Since your father's martial arts are so formidable, why didn't you use them when we fought in the forest that day?" Zhang Tingting pouted and replied, "My father said it's not appropriate for girls to learn martial arts, so he taught me a set of Golden Dragon Whip techniques instead. This Golden Dragon Whip technique was derived from the Nine Turns Circular Dragon Whip, which my father said is intricate and difficult to learn. He believed it would be of no benefit for me, so he didn't teach it to me." When a woman uses her fists, she inevitably has to make contact with her opponent, and moreover, the martial arts routines are vigorous and not suitable for a delicate female body. Therefore, Zhang Tingting's father found it unseemly and remarked that it is not appropriate for girls to learn martial arts. Lin Jian, with a sense of longing, said, "Your family's martial arts are indeed profound and extensive." Zhang Tingting sweetly replied, "You are such a good person; my father will surely like you. When the time comes, he might even pass on a couple of martial arts techniques to you." Lin Jian was overjoyed and said, "Then I must be truly fortunate." He still did not understand the implications behind Zhang Tingting's words, which subtly hinted at inviting Lin Jian to be her husband. Lin Jian asked, "Tingmei, do you know when your father will return?" Zhang Tingting pouted, "What do you mean by 'your father'? You make it sound like he is an outsider." She thought that Lin Jian understood the meaning behind her words when he said he was fortunate, but upon hearing him speak so formally, she couldn't help but get angry. Lin Jian asked curiously, "Then why call him your father? Should I call him uncle instead?"

Zhang Tingting laughed and said, "So you accomplished such remarkable feats at such a young age. In the future, people in the martial world will say that you, Lin Jian, burned down the Five Tigers of Junzhou when you were just a child. How impressive that would be!" Lin Jian laughed heartily, took a cooked roe deer from the rack, tore off a hind leg, and handed it to Zhang Tingting. Zhang Tingting reached out to take it but tore off a piece of meat to feed Lin Jian instead. Lin Jian smiled and opened his mouth to eat it. Not to mention that he was hungry at the moment, the roe deer meat tasted exceptionally delicious. If Zhang Tingting had offered him wood to eat, he would have enjoyed it just the same. The two of them had a hearty meal, leaning against each other. Lin Jian looked at Zhang Tingting and reached out his hand, intending to caress her cheek. Suddenly, they heard a rough voice shouting from the cave entrance: "Bold lecher!" Both of them were startled. Lin Jian thought it was another person from the Tiger Mountain stronghold. The term "lecher" naturally referred to Lin Jian being intimate with their "unmarried daughter-in-law." He thought to himself, "Tingmei's injury has not yet healed. If only one person comes, that would be fine. But if there are many, we would be trapped in the cave like fish in a barrel." With this thought, he turned to look back and saw that the newcomer was a tall figure. However, this person was facing away from the sunlight, and Lin Jian could not see his face clearly. In his memory, there were no such tall figures among the experts of the Tiger Mountain stronghold, which eased his mind a little. He then released Zhang Tingting, drew his sword, and charged forward.

Lin Jian smiled faintly, feeling an immense joy in his heart. After a while, he asked, "Ting Mei, your father is so formidable, how dare they still attack the manor?" Zhang Tingting replied, "These scoundrels, seeing that my father is not here, dared to attack the manor under the pretense of seeking a marriage alliance. Hmph! If it weren't for my father's current business trip to the Western Regions, they wouldn't even have the courage to touch a blade of grass at Wan Shou Manor!" Lin Jian nodded and said, "Indeed. Ting Mei, your whip technique is quite impressive; did your father teach you?" Zhang Tingting replied, "Yes, my father is very skilled in martial arts, known in the martial world as the Invincible Divine Fist. If it weren't for my father's current business trip to the Western Regions, they wouldn't even have the courage to touch a blade of grass at Wan Shou Manor!" Lin Jian nodded again, "Indeed. Ting Mei, your whip technique is quite impressive; did your father teach you?" Zhang Tingting continued, "Yes, my father is very skilled in martial arts, known in the martial world as the Invincible Divine Fist. Since the founding of Wan Shou Manor at the end of the Tang Dynasty, each generation of manor masters has created numerous exquisite martial arts. The first generation, Zheng Xing Gong, established the foundation of Wan Shou Manor, leaving behind the Five Animal Skills, Seven Grabs of the Eagle Claw, and Nine Turns of the Ringed Dragon Whip. However, most of these martial arts are incredibly intricate, and the subsequent masters have not possessed the same innate talent as Zheng Xing Gong. Although they have created many martial arts, they are difficult to compare with those created by Zheng Xing Gong. Since my great-grandfather, Wan Shou Manor has innovated in fist techniques, accumulating no less than dozens of fist styles. My father has refined these fist techniques, which is why he is known in the martial world as the Invincible Divine Fist." She spoke passionately about the past, showing no signs of embarrassment when discussing her family's illustrious achievements. Since my great-grandfather, Wan Shou Manor has innovated in fist techniques, accumulating no less than dozens of fist styles. My father has refined these fist techniques, which is why he is known in the martial world as the Invincible Divine Fist." She spoke passionately about the past, showing no signs of embarrassment when discussing her family's illustrious achievements.

Lin Jian was carrying a deer. Although the deer was not heavy, it was enough to feed two people. He brought the deer to the stream, where the water was crystal clear. Lin Jian was extremely thirsty, so he set down the deer, cupped his hands to drink several large mouthfuls of water, and thought to himself: "Ting Mei has lost so much blood; she must be very thirsty as well. I should bring some stream water back for her." He then took out his wine gourd, washed it in the stream, filled it to the brim, and secured it to his belt. Lin Jian picked up his sword, skinned the deer, removed its internal organs, and cleaned its fur. Just as he was about to leave, he heard the sound of two horses approaching from the east. Lin Jian hesitated for a moment and thought, "Could it be the Tiger Mountain Bandit stronghold?" He quickly climbed a tree to get a better view and saw two men in white riding on horseback, not wearing the attire of the Tiger Mountain Bandits, which eased his mind. Lin Jian was still quite far from them and could not see their faces clearly, but he heard the man in front say, "Kang Shu, go ahead and make sure that deer doesn't escape!" The man behind replied, "Alright! Young Master, let's chase after it." Hearing their confident tone, Lin Jian realized that they were both skilled fighters. He thought, "These two are definitely not from the Tiger Mountain Bandits; they are just here hunting in the forest. It has nothing to do with me. I should hurry back to check on Ting Mei and not keep her waiting too long." With that, he jumped down and hurried towards the cave.

Zhang Tingting looked up at him, unsure of what to say. Lin Jian continued, "Moreover, since only Ba Tianshang has come, and there are no other members of the Tiger Mountain stronghold here to be alarmed by the fight, I deduce that they are acting separately, intending to capture us while we are injured. Since this place is sought by Ba Tianshang, the others will not come here, so we can stay here safely for a while. " Zhang Tingting nodded and said, "No wonder you are not worried at all. " Lin Jian smiled slightly and said, "However, this place is not suitable for a long stay. They are searching separately, so there must be a predetermined time. If the time comes and they do not see Ba Tianshang, they will immediately come looking for us here. " Zhang Tingting asked curiously, "Why? Do they know we are here? " Lin Jian gently poked Zhang Tingting's forehead with his index finger and laughed, "You silly girl, this reasoning is very simple. Since they are searching separately, each person has their own place to look. For example, Ba Tianshang is responsible for searching the back mountain. If Ba Tianshang is missing, where do you think they will look for him? " Zhang Tingting pushed Lin Jian and said, "Do they know we are here? " Lin Jian gently poked Zhang Tingting's forehead again and laughed, "You silly girl, this reasoning is very simple. Since they are searching separately, each person has their own place to look. For example, Ba Tianshang is responsible for searching the back mountain. If Ba Tianshang is missing, where do you think they will look for him? " Zhang Tingting pushed Lin Jian and said, "You are the silly one! " Lin Jian added, "The back mountain is vast, and the time they agreed upon must not be short, so we are not in a hurry to escape. In fact, staying here is the safest option. " Zhang Tingting nodded, secretly admiring Lin Jian's astute reasoning.

Zhang Tingting said: "Indeed, the Wanjie Divine Sword is extremely difficult to practice, and it seems that the method of practicing the Wanjie Divine Sword has been lost, which has led to several generations of the Chen family being unable to master it. However, they have created several well-known sword techniques, such as the Sleeve Universe Sword and the Heavenly Gang Righteousness Sword. Yet, they ultimately cannot compare to Chen Guangfu's Wanjie Divine Sword, and thus the Wanjie Villa has gradually been forgotten by people. Even at the Sword and Sabre Conference twenty years ago, the villa's master, Chen Luo, did not participate." Lin Jian asked: "What is the Sword and Sabre Conference?" Zhang Tingting replied: "This is a martial arts competition organized by the leaders of various sects in the martial world, aimed at selecting the Sabre King and Sword King every twenty years, with the intention of promoting martial arts and inspiring the younger generation. The conference is presided over by the abbot of the Shaolin Sect, and the judges include the leaders of the Kunlun Sect, the Emei Sect, and the Beggar's Sect, with their disciples also allowed to participate. The winner is recognized as the Sabre King and Sword King in the martial world. I heard from my father that the Sabre King twenty years ago was Bi Shen, and the Sword King was Shi Wanli. Shi Wanli was one of the famous Four Heroes of the West Sword, renowned throughout the world at that time."

Lin Jian felt a sudden darkness before his eyes and unexpectedly spat out blood. Since he began practicing martial arts and engaging in combat, he had never been struck to the point of bleeding. Lin Jian looked at the bright red blood on the ground and raised his head to glance at the burly man, who was approaching him with his right hand poised to strike, clearly intending to end Lin Jian's life with a single blow. Lin Jian struggled to stand up, but his left leg suddenly gave way, nearly causing him to fall. He hurriedly leaned against the tree for support, his heart filled with dread as his left leg felt weak and lacked strength. Lin Jian secretly resolved to fight back, channeling the internal energy of the Big Dipper Divine Skill throughout his body, intending to use the Golden Shuttle Snake Hand to determine life and death. The burly man stepped closer, snorted coldly, and said, "You lecherous scoundrel, prepare to pay with your life!" As he spoke, he struck down heavily with his palm. Lin Jian swiftly dodged to the side, slipping past the burly man's left rib. The man was momentarily taken aback, not expecting Lin Jian to evade so quickly after being hit by his Frog Breathing Technique. His palm struck nothing but air, and he immediately bent his left leg, driving his knee toward Lin Jian's abdomen. Lin Jian reached out to wrap around the burly man, and with a finger jabbed at the Zu San Li acupoint on the man's foot, an important point in the human body that could severely injure internal organs if struck. This move was quite vicious. However, the burly man had profound internal strength; with a sudden shake of his foot, he forcefully shook off Lin Jian's hand. Even so, Lin Jian's left foot ached painfully. Seizing the moment, Lin Jian rushed out and grabbed the long sword on the ground. The burly man, unable to pursue immediately, remained in place but turned his body toward Lin Jian to guard against a surprise attack. Yet, Lin Jian's left foot was also numb and weak; even if he wanted to strike at the burly man, he found himself powerless.

Lin Jian was trying to avoid the acupoints, but unexpectedly, the burly man suddenly spread his fingers and simultaneously struck Lin Jian's Yu Fu acupoint and He Zhong acupoint. Lin Jian was taken aback, realizing the man's intention to use his fingers to hit the acupoints. However, striking acupoints requires internal energy, and the fact that this man could use two fingers from one hand to do so was truly impressive. Caught off guard, Lin Jian was hit, but he reacted swiftly. At the moment the man struck Lin Jian's acupoints, Lin Jian thrust his sword towards the man's throat. The man hurriedly dodged, causing the two fingers to miss their target. Lin Jian only felt a moment of numbness, and then he was able to move again. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking: "That was close; this person has profound internal strength and a wide array of martial skills. A moment's inattention could lead to being struck." Lin Jian focused his mind and cautiously engaged in combat. He let out a clear whistle, and his long sword struck out repeatedly. The burly man felt Lin Jian's attacks were suddenly rapid and powerful. The man employed a variety of techniques, with his fist techniques alternating between soft and hard. For a time, neither could gain the upper hand, making it difficult to determine a winner. Suddenly, Lin Jian executed a move called "Heavenly Rainbow Beyond the Sky," and several flashes of light appeared. The man's clothing was cut in several places. Even though he dodged in time, he couldn't help but feel a shock in his heart, thinking: "How did I not know that such a skilled swordsman had emerged in the martial world in recent years? It's a pity his conduct is improper; I cannot let him go." The burly man realized that if he continued to engage in a straightforward duel, it would be difficult to defeat Lin Jian. He suddenly took out a silver long whip from his waist, which shimmered in the sunlight like dragon scales.