Elder Lin Yu, are you going to kill me?

"Your sword killed for the first time and was overjoyed."

"Blade sharpness increased by ten percent. You gained one year of sword comprehension."

A mighty voice rang out in his mind.

A flicker of surprise and uncertainty flashed in Lin Tian's eyes.

He withdrew his sword and examined it closely.

Hum!

The longsword seemed to sense the killing intent in Lin Tian's heart and hummed softly.

Lin Tian gazed at the sword, his eyes dark and deep.

A strange feeling arose in his heart.

This was his sword, the sword he was destined to possess.

The sword was him.

"You don't have a name yet."

Lin Tian spoke softly, sinking into thought.

"Since you're a sword that belongs to me alone, why not call you the Heavenly Sword?"

"Shall we sever all the myriad things of this world together?"

Hum!

The blade rang out again, as though it had a voice.

"Good."

A smile appeared on Lin Tian's face again. He seemed able to feel the Heavenly Sword's mood.

Naive and excited.

And just then.

"Young Master Lin Tian, what have you done to Deacon Wang?"

An aged, stern voice came from outside the door.

Lin Tian faced the door without speaking.

Only the Heavenly Sword pointed diagonally at the ground, as though waiting to hunt.

The voice belonged to the steward of the Lin estate.

The Lin Lineage's steward had a cultivation of Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

The steward's attitude toward his body's former owner had grown increasingly vicious.

He had even secretly instructed others to ambush the former owner.

If not for his luck in surviving, the former owner would have died long ago.

Lin Tian dared to kill Aunt Wang precisely because he was certain that even if he killed her, the Lin estate would do nothing to him.

After all, the Joyous Immortal Sect's holy maiden would not want to see a maimed Lin Tian.

With light footsteps, Lin Tian walked behind the door.

He stepped forward with his left foot, bent his legs slightly, and extended his left hand.

As though drawing a bow.

His right hand gripped the sword hilt, its tip resting two inches above the web between his left thumb and forefinger.

He poured his strength into it, the sword tip aimed at the person on the other side of the door.

The blade remained silent, waiting to thrust.

The steward was at Qi Training Ninth Layer, two layers above him.

However, the steward's martial techniques lacked a solid foundation, and his cultivation was inflated.

Now, Lin Tian already possessed one year of sword comprehension.

The Heavenly Sword in his hand was a treasure as well.

If he suddenly struck to kill, the steward would very likely fail to dodge in time.

"Young Master Lin Tian, Deacon Wang is on good terms with the patriarch. If you have treated her with the slightest impropriety, it will be difficult to answer to him."

On the other side of the door, the steward, whose temples were streaked with gray, spoke in a sinister voice laced with coldness.

Behind him stood more than a dozen Lin Lineage servants.

These servants stood along the steps outside the door, all wearing traces of mockery on their faces.

And just then.

The steward frowned and sniffed. Faint traces of blood wafted from Lin Tian's room.

"This is bad! Lin Tian, you outrageous fool!"

The steward cried out in alarm and struck his palm straight at Lin Tian's door.

Crack!

The door was unlocked, and the steward pushed it straight open.

At that moment, the steward, who was about to enter the room, abruptly froze.

There, before him.

An exceptionally handsome man stood with his body bent like a bow, sword in hand.

At that very instant, the man suddenly moved. The sword tip shot like an azure dragon piercing the heavens, aimed straight at the steward's throat.

"You dare!"

The steward's pupils abruptly contracted, and just as he prepared to retreat.

Azure light flashed, like blue blossoms bursting into bloom on a tree of fire.

Swish!

In an instant, the sword tip pierced the steward's neck.

Hiss! Hiss!

Blood sprayed out in a pillar.

The steward's eyes widened as he trembled incessantly.

Before dying, he saw those eyes, cold as an abyss of the netherworld.

"You killed an expert two minor stages above your cultivation with your sword, exciting it to the utmost."

"Sword strike damage increased by twenty percent. You gained Qi Training Eighth Layer cultivation!"

Hum!

After the voice rang out in Lin Tian's mind, mottled spiritual light swirled around him.

His cultivation advanced once more.

"He... he killed Steward Li!"

"Lin Tian has gone mad! Deacon Wang is dead too!"

"Run!"

At that moment, after a brief daze, these servants were frightened out of their wits and immediately chose to flee.

"Can you get away?"

Lin Tian murmured, his gaze locking onto several people who had treated him particularly viciously in the past.

Then Lin Tian caught up in an instant.

Wherever the sword light reached, flowers of blood bloomed.

Throughout the small courtyard of the side quarters, heads fell to the ground one after another.

In an instant, half of the dozen-odd servants were dead.

"Young Master Lin Tian, don't... don't kill me!"

Seeing that she could not escape, a young maid dropped straight to her knees.

Her frail body shook with terror as she pleaded desperately.

Lin Tian approached her, his eyes lowered.

His sword tip pointed diagonally at the ground, blood dripping continuously down the blade.

"You once gave me your own food, so I won't kill you..."

Lin Tian spoke quietly and walked straight past the maid.

"Thank you, young master!"

The maid's voice trembled. She pressed her head firmly against the ground, feeling as though she had been granted amnesty.

A sense of relief at her good fortune arose in her heart.

Fortunately, she had not bullied Lin Tian like the others usually did.

Otherwise, her head would definitely have fallen today.

Even so, she was still extraordinarily terrified.

Today's Lin Tian was far too different from his usual self.

Slaughterous, brutal, and cold-blooded, like a demon.

He had endured silently for so many years.

Yet his outburst today made people tremble with the utmost fear.

Someone like this was far too terrifying.

"No... don't kill me."

The round-faced maid, whose face still bore a handprint, collapsed to the ground in despair, feeling as though she had fallen into an ice cellar.

"Not killing you earlier bothered me for so long."

Lin Tian spoke indifferently, pressing the sword tip against the round-faced maid's forehead.

Crack, crack, crack!

It slowly pierced inward.

"Spare me, young master!"

"No, no... don't kill me!"

"I was wrong! Young master, I'll never provoke you again!"

Screams rang out incessantly, only to fall silent a moment later.

Except for one person, everyone else was dead.

Lin Tian had slaughtered them all in the blink of an eye.

Throughout the small courtyard of the side quarters, streams of blood joined into pools and seeped into the soil.

The stench of blood assailed the nose, chilling the heart.

Lin Tian stood silently in the pool of blood, his white clothes covered in blood.

"You killed twelve enemies with your sword. Your sword tasted the exquisite flavor of slaughter."

"Sword strike damage increased by thirty percent. Sharpness increased by twenty percent."

"You gained Qi Training Ninth Layer cultivation. You gained three years of sword comprehension."

"Notice: you and your sword level up together. When you break through to the Body Opening Realm, your sword will also advance in quality, and both of you will gain innate abilities!"

The voice resounded in Lin Tian's mind.

Hum!

The presence around Lin Tian surged again, and he reached Qi Training Ninth Layer in one leap.

Unfamiliar memories flooded into Lin Tian's mind.

These were memories of comprehension concerning the way of the sword.

They were like the truths of the sword, as though they had been in Lin Tian's mind from birth.

In those memories, Lin Tian knew no sword techniques.

Yet the power of each sword strike could already rival that of someone at the same level using a mid-grade Yellow-tier martial technique.

In this world, martial techniques followed the same ranks as spiritual artifacts.

They were divided into Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, Divine, Exalted, and Emperor.

Each rank was further divided into three grades: high, middle, and low.

And throughout the entire Lin Lineage.

The most precious martial technique was low-grade Profound-tier.

Only Lin Luo, the Lin Lineage's patriarch, could use it.

He merely held his longsword quietly, and chilling Sword Qi filled the courtyard.

An intent of slaughter lingered around the servants kneeling and trembling there, making them shudder.

It was clearly the blazing heat of summer, yet the murderous chill within this courtyard made one's hair stand on end.

Lin Tian flicked the blood from his blade.

Just then, the courtyard gate opened.

His gaze was icy as he glanced at the person rushing over.

"Lin Tian, have you finished making trouble?"

The man barked coldly. He wore lavish robes and had a long white beard.

He stood at the courtyard entrance, looking into the courtyard that had already become a sea of blood.

When he caught sight of the dead steward and the woman's corpse inside the room.

Brutality rose across his face, and a dangerous presence spilled from his entire body.

"Elder Lin Yu, are you going to kill me?"

Lin Tian wiped the Heavenly Sword's blade with his sleeve, sharp sword light flashing across his handsome face.

Lin Yu's beard quivered, and his entire body trembled slightly.

His deeply sunken eyes stared fiercely at Lin Tian.

Clearly, he had already flown into a towering rage.

"Very good. It turns out we've underestimated you all this time."

He spoke through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with killing intent.

Lin Tian gave a derisive laugh and looked at Lin Yu.

"So you're a coward too."

Sure enough, at Lin Tian's words, the fury on Lin Yu's face grew even more violent.

Yet, despite his rage,

Lin Yu did not attack.

The Joyous Immortal Sect's envoy was waiting in the main hall to take Lin Tian to the sect.

"If you've finished making a scene, go change your clothes. The people from the Joyous Immortal Sect are already waiting for you."

Lin Yu suppressed his anger deep inside as he spoke to Lin Tian.

Lin Tian merely chuckled and walked toward Lin Yu, sword in hand.

"Elder Lin Yu, you're at the Body Opening Realm, Third Layer, aren't you? With such a low cultivation, why not let me practice on you?"

Lin Yu's pupils abruptly contracted as he saw Lin Tian charge toward him with his sword.

A glint of cold steel spilled azure light, and an intensely thick smell of blood rushed into his face.

Meanwhile.

Inside the Lin Lineage's main hall.

Four carved stone pillars stood on either side.

A Lin Lineage elder sat before each pillar.

Two people occupied the seats of honor at the far end of the hall.

One was around forty or fifty, handsome and dressed in luxurious purple robes.

He was Lin Luo, the head of the Lin Lineage. He lifted his teacup and took a light sip.

His gaze, however, casually swept over the sinister-looking man in white seated beside him.

"Please, have some tea, Envoy."

Lin Luo spoke with a smile.

The sinister-looking man frowned.

"Why has this Lin Tian still not arrived? Our sect's holy maiden has taken an interest in your Lin Tian. This is an immense honor for your lineage."

His voice was chilling, carrying a hint of menace.

Lin Luo's expression stiffened slightly, but he still explained with a smile.

"Tian'er's courtyard is rather far from here. Our elder Lin Yu has already gone to fetch him personally. Please wait just a little longer, Envoy."

Once Lin Luo finished, the other elders in the hall all smiled and chimed in.

"Indeed, Envoy, please don't be anxious. Our Tian'er naturally wants to tidy himself up properly to leave you with a better impression."

"For Tian'er to catch the holy maiden's eye, he must have accumulated blessings in his previous life."

"Hahaha, indeed. We feel honored by association as well."

"This is the Joyous Immortal Sect we're talking about, a sacred land that martial artists like us yearn for."

Their eyes were full of smiles as they heaped praise upon him.

In truth, everyone present knew.

Once Lin Tian entered the Joyous Immortal Sect, his only fate was to have his Yang Qi harvested until he died.

Their Lin Lineage, on the other hand, would gain the Joyous Immortal Sect's favor and be bestowed treasures.

"Heh."

The envoy chuckled with a hint of disdain, looking at a somewhat handsome elder as he spoke.

"In that case, why don't you come along with me? I recall that one of our outer sect elders is also in urgent need of a human cauldron."

At those words, the elder's expression changed drastically, and his entire body began trembling.

"Envoy, please don't joke. Haha, Lin Zun's looks fall far short of Tian'er's. I'm afraid if he went to the Joyous Immortal Sect, people would only disdain him."

Beside him, Lin Luo gave an awkward laugh and smoothed things over.

"Yes, yes, I'm truly unworthy. Besides, I'm not very capable in that regard."

The elder named Lin Zun hurriedly explained, his voice filled with fear.

The envoy cast an indifferent glance at Lin Luo.

He no longer looked at that elder.

Then his gaze flickered slightly, as though he had caught an unusual scent.

His brow furrowed a little, but he still said nothing.

The ants here truly could not interest him.

At that moment.

Both of Lin Yu's arms had been severed. He lay in a pool of blood, staring at Lin Tian in terror.

"How can you be this strong?"

His eyes were wide, his entire body trembling.

"Lin Yu, how did you kill Xiaolian yesterday?"

Lin Tian's gaze was impassive. With one swing of his sword, he severed Lin Yu's legs.

"Aah!"

An utterly harrowing scream rang out.

"Does it hurt?"

Lin Tian asked softly, driving his sword tip into Lin Yu's eye and twisting it.

"My only regret is that there's too little time to attend to you to my heart's content."

As Lin Tian spoke, the killing intent in his eyes turned into a trace of sorrow.

His predecessor's obsession was influencing him.

"Unfortunately, no matter what happens, Xiaolian isn't coming back."

Lin Tian spoke softly, but his hands did not slow.

"No, please, no! Kill me! Kill me!"

Lin Yu begged for mercy as his body grew increasingly unrecognizable.

"Do you know why I left you your tongue?"

Lin Tian asked calmly, looking at the no-longer-human figure before him.

"Kill me! Kill me!"

Lin Yu could no longer see any light. His thoughts had already grown hazy, and he kept screaming.

"Because your pleas for mercy sound like heavenly music to my ears."

Seeing that Lin Yu could no longer answer, Lin Tian could only continue speaking to himself.

The servants outside the courtyard heard his voice.

Every one of them turned deathly pale, as though they had witnessed the endless hell with their own eyes.

They fled for their lives.

A flash of sword light swished past.

Lin Yu finally died.

"You experienced a thoroughly satisfying battle. Your sword has entered a state of enlightenment."

"Your sword has advanced into a Profound-Grade Spiritual Artifact and gained its first innate divine ability: Tyranny."

"Tyranny: activates automatically when your health drops to fifty percent. Your sword will absorb your enemies' blood Qi to restore your body."

"Your cultivation has broken through to the Body Opening Realm, First Layer. You have gained five years of sword Dao comprehension!"

"You have gained your first innate sword technique: One Sword to the Ends of the Earth!"

Hum!

A humming rang out from within Lin Tian.

Terrifying power surged from the Heavenly Sword into Lin Tian's body.

At that moment, brilliant light seemed to spill from all around him.

His presence grew steadily stronger, chilling and terrifying.

Swish!

He swept his sword across.

Boom!

Azure light cleaved through the courtyard's openwork wall.

This was Sword Qi.

Before the sword arrived, its Sword Qi went ahead.

Lin Tian now possessed a foundation of nine years of sword Dao comprehension in his mind.

A strike like this was already as effortless as a dragonfly skimming the water.

Every stroke could unleash Sword Qi.

Every stroke could instantly kill someone at the Body Opening Realm, Third Layer, like Lin Yu.

And just then,

a point of light flickered in Lin Tian's mind.

It was his innate sword technique: One Sword to the Ends of the Earth.

As he contemplated One Sword to the Ends of the Earth, sword intent arose in Lin Tian's eyes.

He seemed to see it.

A colossal sword stretched across the mortal world, radiating terrifying sword light as though tearing heaven and earth apart.

Whoosh!

The colossal sword descended amid the wild howls of furious thunder.

The sky was cleaved open!

Shattered sunlight streamed through the severed dark clouds.

Heaven and earth fell silent.

This was Lin Tian's first innate sword technique.

However, One Sword to the Ends of the Earth required him to nurture its momentum.

He had to build up a force within his heart.

The longer he nurtured it, the more terrifying this strike's power would become.

"A fine sword technique."

Lin Tian murmured, a warm drop of blood trickling down his chin.

It was as though a force had formed within his heart, steadily growing more terrifying.