sinovels Chapter 81 A Family of Tools
Chapter 81 A Family of Tools
Could it be that Lin Yuantu was considering the Qingcheng Sect's reputation and showing mercy to the escort agency?
Something's even more wrong!
If he truly wanted to establish the authority of the escort agency, he should have decisively defeated Changqingzi with a single, overwhelming move, making Changqingzi feel a sense of awe and reverence. That would have been the best long-term strategy.
On the contrary, this battle completely offended the Qingcheng Sect, causing Changqingzi to die young in despair after returning home, and prompting his disciple Yu Canghai to keep an eye on the Fuwei Escort Agency for decades to avenge this grudge.
This isn't establishing authority; it's clearly creating enmity!
Shen An suspected that Lin Yuantu had deliberately harassed and insulted Changqingzi during the martial arts competition.
Unless... he deliberately wanted Changqingzi to see it, to deliberately show off his martial arts skills!
Just then, Shen An noticed that Lin Zhennan's grip on his arm was tightening. Seeing his distraught appearance, he could only offer words of comfort:
"Chief Escort Lin, calm down. The deceased is gone, and your grandfather's reputation was well-deserved. It's just that times have changed, and new talents emerge in the martial arts world. The way of martial arts is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind."
These words were merely meant to comfort him; after all, Shen An couldn't very well tell him that his grandfather hadn't taught him any real swordsmanship. But Lin Zhennan clearly took them to heart.
He released his grip on Shen An's arm, staggered back two steps, and muttered to himself:
"If we don't advance, we fall behind... If we don't advance, we fall behind... Yes, it's my incompetence, it's my disgrace to the illustrious name of our ancestors..."
Seeing his appearance, Shen An sighed inwardly.
However, there were some things he absolutely had to figure out, so he could only bother this poor man again.
"Chief镖头 Lin, if I may be so bold, I have some questions about you and your grandfather. I wonder if it's alright?"
"Young hero, please ask whatever you wish. There's nothing I can't tell you. I never intended to hide anything from anyone, but... but I never imagined I would be this bad."
Lin Zhennan wasn't worried at all about what this highly skilled disciple of the Songshan Sect would want from him.
He was quite frank.
Shen An looked at him, and the pity in her heart deepened.
Yes, Lin Zhennan wasn't trying to hide it at all; he simply didn't have the concept of "the dangers of the underworld."
Lin Yuantu's reputation was like a giant protective umbrella, enveloping the entire Fuwei Escort Agency. Even now, it was still enough to frighten away the Twin Bears of the Northern Desert.
Under this umbrella, he was protected from wind and rain, and shielded from the scorching sun. From birth, Lin Zhennan grew up listening to his grandfather's legends and watching the flags of the escort agency fly high. All he encountered were "friends" who greeted him with smiles and treated him with utmost respect. The escorts he selected were those whose martial arts skills were inferior to his own and who were easier to control.
His world was the entire Fuwei Escort Agency. And within that world, he was indeed the undisputed overlord.
Therefore, he lost his composure when the "gentle breeze" from the Northern Desert Twins broke through a corner of the greenhouse; and his entire worldview collapsed when he learned that it was only third- or fourth-rate.
He had no idea that he was now like a child carrying gold in the marketplace, and thought that the smiles others gave him were out of kindness.
This naiveté is both pathetic and lamentable.
"Since that's the case, then I'll take the liberty of asking," Shen An composed himself and asked in a deep voice, "I've heard that after the legendary hero Lin founded his escort agency, he sought out masters from both the legitimate and illegitimate worlds, defeating them one by one with his Seventy-Two Styles of the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique, thus establishing the Fuwei Escort Agency's renowned reputation of 'Subduing Dragons and Tigers.' Is this true?"
Mentioning his grandfather's glorious deeds, a glimmer of light finally appeared in Lin Zhennan's eyes. He nodded, and said with a hint of pride:
"That's true. My grandfather once said that the key to running a security escort agency, which involves traveling all over the country, is 'prestige.' Without ruthless methods, one cannot control petty villains, and the business will not last long. Therefore, back then, his flag welcomed challenges from all sides, regardless of whether they were good or evil, and he won the reputation of being invincible."
"Is it to show off?" Shen An pressed.
"Naturally, it's to show off," Lin Zhennan answered without hesitation, but then added, "However, my grandfather also said that he enjoys the process of sparring with others even more. He said that every match is a way to demonstrate his superb martial arts skills to the world."
Shen An caught a word.
exhibit!
Just as I was thinking!
He suddenly remembered Lin Yuantu's other identity.
Zen Master Duyuan!
Before leaving the monastic life, he was a prized disciple of Zen Master Hongye of the Southern Shaolin Temple, and a young leader who was entrusted with important tasks, such as going to Mount Hua to mediate disputes between two sects.
Such a person already holds an extraordinary position and reputation in the martial arts world.
Why did he decide to leave the monastic life?
Why become a bodyguard that everyone despises and hates, someone who would be eaten alive and few would even speak up for him?
Is it because of a craving for worldly pleasures? For wine, women, wealth, and power?
Putting aside the fact that he couldn't enjoy women after having his penis cut off, with his unparalleled martial arts skills, what job wouldn't be more prestigious and wealthy than running a security escort agency?
Can you imagine Dongfang Bubai opening a security escort agency?
Lin Yuantu, who had practiced the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique for decades, was not far behind Dongfang Bubai, who had practiced the Sunflower Manual for over a decade.
Why did Lin Yuantu do this? Why did he open a security escort agency?
A top-tier martial arts master whose skills might be no less than those of Dongfang Bubai and Feng Qingyang, would run a busy and demanding escort agency?
With the word "display," the answer becomes obvious.
The escort agency is just a platform.
A platform that would allow him to legitimately compete with masters from all walks of life and make a name for himself.
But what's the use of that?
In Shen An's mind, the martial arts secrets that had been sealed for a hundred years were frantically connected, combined, and collided.
More than a hundred years ago, the "Sunflower Manual" was acquired by Zen Master Hongye of the Southern Shaolin Temple.
The two patriarchs of Mount Hua, Yue Su and Cai Zifeng, secretly peeked at the Sunflower Manual at the Southern Shaolin Temple.
Du Yuan, a disciple of Zen Master Hongye, went to Mount Hua to mediate a dispute. He indirectly memorized some of the scriptures from the Second Patriarch of Mount Hua, who had secretly peeked at the scriptures.
Later, Du Yuan returned to secular life, adopted the alias Lin Yuantu, and founded the Fuwei Escort Agency.
Lin Yuantu, with his astonishing Seventy-Two Styles of Evil-Repelling Swordplay, became invincible, allowing everyone to witness firsthand just how powerful and terrifying this martial art, derived from the Sunflower Manual, truly was.
The news that the Huashan Sect was secretly keeping the "Sunflower Manual" was leaked, which attracted the covetousness and frenzied attacks of the Demonic Sect.
It matches up, it matches up perfectly.
Why didn't the Demonic Sect directly approach Lin Yuantu?
Did you really not contact them, or did you contact them but didn't get a response?
Why not seek out the Southern Shaolin Temple?
Haha, before his death, Zen Master Hongye destroyed the Sunflower Manual.
Moreover, if the Demonic Sect could completely defeat Shaolin, they would have already gone to steal the Yi Jin Jing and the Seventy-Two Arts.
Only Mount Hua is the softest persimmon.
A plan spanning a century gradually became clear in Shen An's mind.
A hundred years ago, the Demonic Cult was powerful, and the Wudang Sect was robbed of the Zhenwu Sword and the Taijiquan Manual, which severely damaged its vitality and caused it to never recover.
The next target of the Demonic Cult should have been the Shaolin Temple, the pinnacle of martial arts in the world.
But Shaolin gave up a disciple and a secret manual.
This disciple, disguised as Lin Yuantu, used a security escort agency as a stage to widely publicize the power of the "Sunflower Manual," successfully drawing everyone's attention and the demonic sect's military might to Mount Hua.
The Huashan Sect became the first line of defense against the Demonic Sect, and the Five Mountains Sword Sect Alliance was formed as a result. They fought against the Demonic Sect for decades, resulting in rivers of blood.
On Jade Maiden Peak, blood flowed like a river; in the Cliff of Contemplation, corpses piled up like mountains.
Shaolin Temple, however, remained steadfast atop the clouds, watching the entire martial arts world descend into chaos and turmoil with cold indifference.
Lin Yuantu, Yue Buqun, Zuo Lengchan... these heroes and villains who stirred up the winds and clouds of the martial arts world may just be pawns in this huge game of chess.
From the day it was founded, Fuwei Escort Agency was destined to be nothing more than a tool.
Its mission is to add a footnote to the legend of this peerless secret manual.
As for Lin Zhennan, and his father...
Their existence might just be evidence for Lin Yuantu to make his lie of "being greedy for worldly pleasures, indulging in wine, women, wealth, and power" seem more believable.