Price to Be Negotiated Separately

He was destined never to hear Lin Shuguang's answer.

The moment he landed, he was seized again by a hand and forcibly dragged out of the ravine in the ground, then brought before the killer who had still been alive moments earlier.

"Whoever tells me who's behind this first, I'll spare."

The swordsman and the killer stiffened at the same time.

The two exchanged a glance.

But suddenly, the swordsman chose to strike. Gathering the last of his strength, he thrust his sword at the killer beside him.

He had intended to kill the man first, then bite his tongue and commit suicide.

But this was happening right under Lin Shuguang's nose. How could he possibly succeed so easily?

The long sword that had suddenly stabbed out at an odd angle not only failed to reach the killer—it was brutally snapped in half by Lin Shuguang's strength midway through.

"You're both just selling your lives for money. Why put on this act of loyal martyrdom in front of me?"

Without changing expression, Lin Shuguang shattered the swordsman's arm as well.

The swordsman immediately let out a heart-wrenching scream.

The killer, who had witnessed the scene with his own eyes, trembled all over.

Looking down at the two of them from above, Lin Shuguang said, "I'll give you one last chance. Speak."

"It was Master An! We were all acting on Master An's orders..." The killer did not want to die. He had only entered the trade halfway through life for the sake of money.

Between money and his life, he knew perfectly well which mattered more!

"Shut up!" The swordsman's entire arm had been crippled, and his face was deathly pale, but he still roared to stop the other man.

Lin Shuguang ignored him and looked at the killer. "What's the background of that man surnamed An?"

"He... Senior, if I tell you, will you let me go? I have elderly parents above me and children below me. If I weren't trying to make money, I wouldn't have taken this kind of job..." The killer pleaded.

Lin Shuguang's gaze was cold, and his answer was concise. "Speak."

The killer hesitantly opened and closed his mouth, deciding to take a gamble. "His name is An Qi. He came from Xiliang and fled here after taking a life... I don't know who he's working for now, but I can be certain it's those few forces in the Provincial Capital. Sir, I've told you everything I know. Can you..."

Before he could finish pleading, Lin Shuguang interrupted him. "Then who is he?"

The killer paused and looked at the swordsman beneath Lin Shuguang's foot. Remembering how the man had just tried to kill him, his eyes filled with resentment. "His name is Song Yu. He's An Qi's trusted aide!"

"What else do you know?"

"That's all I know..."

Lin Shuguang looked at him indifferently and brought his saber down without hesitation.

"Don't be a villain in your next life. You're not suited for it."

With that, the head fell to the ground.

Blood sprayed violently across Song Yu's face, and he was completely dumbfounded.

When he saw Lin Shuguang turn around, he blankly raised his head. His dull gaze met Lin Shuguang's cold, tranquil eyes, and the hairs on his back instantly stood on end as though facing a great enemy.

He swore that he had never seen anyone with such overwhelming Killing Intent.

Even An Qi, whose pressure had once kept him from daring to raise his head, had never revealed such a crazed and savage side.

At a certain moment, he suddenly realized... In this assassination, they had never been hunting Zhong Tong at all. Instead, they had been openly hunted by the mysterious and terrifying martial artist before them!

"Who... exactly are you..."

Song Yu's voice trembled as he spoke. He looked at Lin Shuguang as though he were looking at a ferocious beast wearing human skin—no, a man-eating demon god!

Lin Shuguang merely glanced at him. "Who gave the orders behind the scenes?"

"I..." Song Yu lowered his head. "I can't say!"

"Is that so? Then don't."

Lin Shuguang's indifferent voice suddenly sounded beside his ear. "Let that rat outside accompany you on the way down."

Song Yu's expression changed.

He had just raised his head and was about to shout a warning when Saber Light erupted violently before him, swallowing and slaughtering him on the spot.

Without even turning his head, Lin Shuguang walked out the gate. Behind him, blood poured down like rain.

"What... what is he going to do?"

Zhong Xinyue and Zhong Xinkai, who had witnessed the scene with their own eyes, could not help voicing their confusion.

Although they were a hundred meters away, they had still seen Lin Shuguang's decisive and swift manner of killing.

The siblings, who had never killed anyone before, both wore pale expressions now.

Not long afterward, a deafening explosion came from the entrance.

Soon, Lin Shuguang walked out, dragging someone behind him. He instructed the bodyguards, "His name is An Qi. Keep him under watch. Discuss everything else after your boss returns."

The bodyguards stared blankly at An Qi, who had been thrown to the ground like a lump of mud. They quickly came to their senses and hurried over.

"Master, you're not hurt, are you?"

Zhong Xinkai ran over to Lin Shuguang with extraordinary familiarity.

That shamelessness... Lin Shuguang actually had the strange feeling that he had finally met his match.

"Mr. Lin." Zhong Xinyue also came over at this moment and asked in a quiet, reserved manner whether he was injured. Nothing about her suggested that she was the same person who had earlier threatened her younger brother's life.

Lin Shuguang shook his head. "I'm fine. We've figured out who's behind this. We'll discuss the rest after your father returns."

"Who was it?" Zhong Xinkai asked, unusually serious.

Although he was somewhat reckless, he could still tell right from wrong. Over the past few days, he had often seen Zhong Tong hiding away and sighing alone.

Business disputes had affected his family as well. He truly despised such conduct!

Seeing his indignation, Lin Shuguang shook his head slightly without saying anything and walked into the hall.

Zhong Xinkai was stunned for a moment before hurriedly chasing after him. "Master, wait for me—"

That afternoon.

After Zhong Tong finished his meeting and heard about what had happened at the estate, he immediately hurried back, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.

When he saw the ruins of the estate, cold sweat instantly broke out all over him.

If not for Lin Shuguang, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

All his relief vanished, and after hearing the truth from Lin Shuguang, Zhong Tong sank into a long silence.

He had never expected the truth to be connected to the past—to the Lineage of his wife, who had disappeared three years ago...

At some point, his eyes reddened. In the end, he let out a long sigh and gave a self-mocking smile. "After all these years, I really did keep thinking about her."

Lin Shuguang's gaze remained calm, without the slightest hint of mockery. "I didn't tell them about this."

Zhong Tong clasped his fists gratefully. "Mr. Lin, you've been considerate."

Lin Shuguang shook his head. "It's nothing. According to the requirements of our previous agreement, I've already helped you clear out all your enemies. As for the person behind the scenes... that's your family matter. If you need me to take action, just say the word. Killing people is what I'm best at."

Zhong Tong fell silent, as if caught in some inner struggle. After a while, he slowly spoke in a hoarse voice. "They're Ah Ya's family, after all... But this time, they really went too far.

"They want me dead, they want my assets, and they even want to take Ah Ya's child... Mr. Lin, I'd like to ask you for one thing. Go to the Ding Family on my behalf."

Lin Shuguang's gaze was calm as he spoke unhurriedly. "The Ding Family isn't an ordinary family. Killing someone there won't be easy."

Zhong Tong also understood Lin Shuguang's difficulties.

The Ding Family was a major family.

They could not simply be killed at will.

Otherwise, it would certainly draw the attention of the country's ultimate weapons. That would be a genuine risk for Lin Shuguang and might even cause unnecessary trouble.

So he hurriedly explained, "You don't need to kill anyone, Mr. Lin. Just deliver a message for me."

Lin Shuguang looked at him and slowly nodded. "Fine. But the price will be negotiated separately."

"Negotiated separately!"

That night.

Lin Shuguang left Qingzhou alone.

By the time Zhong Xinkai and Zhong Xinyue realized what had happened, they were both caught off guard.

"Why didn't you tell me that my master had left Qingzhou? I'm going back to find my master!"

Zhong Tong was astonished. "Your master? Mr. Lin??? Don't throw that title around carelessly, understand? The martial world takes this very seriously!"

"I don't care! Once a teacher, a father for life. If you stop me, I'll sever ties with you today!" Zhong Xinkai shouted with his neck stiff.

Zhong Tong: "..."

He had just raised his hand.

"I'm going back too!"

His usually sensible elder daughter, Zhong Xinyue, suddenly spoke as well.

Zhong Tong was struck by a splitting headache.

After a long silence, he finally opened the door. "Mr. Lin has important business. Even if you go back, you won't find him. Stay here. Once everything is settled, I'll take you back."

"Really?" Zhong Xinkai looked over suspiciously.

Zhong Tong glared at him irritably. The glare of that shiny bald head was making his eyes ache, so he turned away and cursed, "Get back to your room and read your books! If you can't get into a martial arts school next year, I'll break your legs. And you still dare say 'once a teacher, a father for life'? I'm the first one who doesn't want a good-for-nothing like you as my son!"

He kicked him irritably.

Zhong Xinkai knelt in the doorway.

After Zhong Tong left, Zhong Xinkai looked at Zhong Xinyue, who seemed deep in thought. "Sis, where do you think my master went?"

When Zhong Xinyue heard him call Lin Shuguang "master," she rolled her eyes at him irritably. "I think Dad was right. You should say that less often, especially not in front of Mr. Lin. Otherwise, if you really violate a taboo, you might even extinguish the tiny spark of his desire to take you as a disciple with that careless attitude of yours."

"You're just jealous of me." Zhong Xinkai clicked his tongue and left with his head held high.

Zhong Xinyue: "..." She raised her brows, rolled her neck, and suddenly charged forward with a flying kick.

Provincial Capital.

The Ding Family.

"Who are you looking for?"

A Ding Family servant opened the door and saw a young face. He left the door half-closed and asked curiously.

"Is Ding Jianzhong here?"

At Lin Shuguang's words, the man's expression changed. He hurriedly tried to close the door.

Ding Jianzhong was the current patriarch of the Ding Family. For someone to call him by his full name the moment he arrived clearly meant that he had come with hostile intentions.

But before the door could close, Lin Shuguang stopped it with one palm. Even when the man flushed and used all his strength to push the door shut, Lin Shuguang still opened it with ease, shattering the man on the spot.

The man's face was filled with horror. He raised his voice and shouted, "This is bad! This is bad! Someone's here to cause trouble!!! Someone, come quickly!!!"

Lin Shuguang calmly watched him shout.

The man kept shouting until the hairs all over his body suddenly stood on end. He turned and ran.

Lin Shuguang withdrew his gaze.

He took one step forward, and the blood qi that erupted from him immediately sent rolling waves of force surging through the Ding Family residence.

"This junior is Lin Shuguang. On someone's behalf, I've come to pay a visit to Senior Ding Jianzhong!"

His voice boomed like thunder, spreading across every inch of the Ding Family grounds.

It was as if spring thunder had exploded. The earth around them burst apart one patch after another.

In an instant!

The Ding Family was thrown into utter chaos!