allendalepharm Chapter 150 The Ruler of Qin!
Chapter 150 The Ruler of Qin!
A lone wolf? He is the ruler of Qin! Even though Lü Buwei wields immense power and has rendered him a mere puppet, Lü Buwei still has to bow and address him as "Your Majesty" in court. He has never experienced such humiliation before.
"What about me? Didn't Lü Buwei teach you to read people's expressions? Didn't he teach you—when a powerful enemy is pressing in, to bow your head first, then catch your breath?" Lin Tian chuckled. Before he finished speaking, Ying Zheng's vision suddenly blurred.
In the blink of an eye, a three-foot-long sword was already at his neck, its chilling aura piercing his flesh like a needle.
The sword, Yuanhong, was drawn from its sheath; the one wielding it was none other than Lin Tian.
Gai Nie's pupils contracted sharply. Lin Tian was incredibly fast—his fingers had just touched the hilt of the sword and hadn't even pulled it out an inch when he saw the cold blade at his throat.
He froze, even his breath caught in his throat.
Lin Tian's voice rang out, unhurried and calm: "Trust me, don't draw your sword. Otherwise, even if Ying Zheng's head rolls to the ground, you won't survive the next breath. Don't believe me? Ask your junior brother."
Gai Nie turned his gaze to Wei Zhuang, who was standing quietly to the side.
Wei Zhuang's face was as cold as iron, and his voice was like a double-edged sword: "I cannot withstand even one of his moves."
Gai Nie frowned even more, staring intently at Lin Tian, but ultimately did not move an inch, his hand remaining firmly on the hilt of his sword.
It wasn't cowardice, but fear that if he made the slightest move, the sword would already have slit Ying Zheng's throat.
Seeing that he didn't move, Lin Tian's gaze returned to Ying Zheng's face.
With a slight smirk, he said in a playful tone, "Tell me, should I take your life now? If Lü Buwei knew you died here, he'd probably empty the entire national treasury to buy your head."
Ying Zheng narrowed his eyes and remained silent.
From casual conversation to swords pointed at throats, it all happens in the blink of an eye.
Only then did Han Fei snap out of his daze and hurriedly said, "Brother Lin! It was just a joke, quickly sheathe your sword! Let's talk this out slowly—the other day you were praising the King of Qin to me, saying that he would surely unify the six kingdoms and conquer the eight directions within ten years. How come we've met face to face, with swords drawn and no room for retreat?!"
Lin Tian killed Ying Zheng and could easily escape; but if Ying Zheng's body lay dead in Xinzheng, the state of Han would be plunged into a sea of blood in an instant.
Upon hearing these words, a glint of light flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes.
He completely ignored the cold blade at his neck, staring straight at Lin Tian, and said, word by word, "Does sir truly believe—that Zheng can conquer the world within ten years?"
Lin Tian did not deny it: "That's true. But the prerequisite is that you have to accomplish something first."
"What is it?" Ying Zheng blurted out.
Lin Tian chuckled: "Let this sword remain unstained by your blood today."
Ying Zheng frowned, and after a moment, he met those eyes and remained silent for a long time. But in his eyes, Lin Tian showed no sign of panic, only a calm and unwavering composure.
"Oh? You're not afraid of dying?" Lin Tian asked with interest.
"Of course I fear death," Ying Zheng said in a low voice. "With Lü Buwei still out and the six kingdoms still unshaken, I cherish my life more than anyone else. But whether you take action or not, you have already made up your mind. No matter how much I say, I cannot change your mind—in that case, why waste my breath?" His tone was calm, as if he were not talking about life and death, but about the morning dew and breeze.
Lin Tian's smile deepened, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes—indeed, it was that Ying Zheng.
"I won't kill you," he said, his tone softening, "but you must do me one thing."
"Please speak, sir." Ying Zheng nodded.
"When the Qin army conquers Xinzheng, not a single person in Zilan Pavilion shall be harmed; when the Qin state unifies the world, Zilan Pavilion shall not be implicated or punished. If you nod, I will sheathe my sword; if you shake your head—" Lin Tian paused, slightly lowering the blade of his sword, "I will send you on your way immediately."
He didn't know when he left, but he knew one thing for sure: in this world of Qin's Moon, beyond the realm of mythology, there was no longer a path for him. Nongyu, Zinu... he had to pave a way for them to survive.
"Sir, you are so certain that I can truly unify the seven kingdoms?" Ying Zheng's expression was slightly taken aback.
Although the Qin state was powerful, there were still formidable rivals among the other states. The Chu state was the most prominent among them, with its superior military strength and vast territory, making it capable of standing on equal footing with Qin.
Meanwhile, deep within the Qin state, Lü Buwei held absolute power, binding him firmly to the throne, rendering him powerless.
Ying Zheng was filled with doubt. What made Lin Tian so certain that he would eventually conquer the six kingdoms? Although he had long ago made this vow, he knew better than anyone else that this path was full of thorns and that a slight misstep would lead to utter ruin.
Lin Tian just smiled. He couldn't very well say directly: "I not only know that you can unify the world, but I also remember exactly when you died and in which mausoleum you were buried."
Seeing that Lin Tian had no intention of answering, Ying Zheng did not press the matter further. He pondered for a moment, then said in a low but firm voice, "Very well, Ying Zheng accepts the agreement proposed by you, sir."
Upon hearing this, Lin Tian slightly raised the corners of his mouth and slowly sheathed the Yuanhong Sword. Gai Nie, who was standing quietly to the side, relaxed his shoulders slightly and his breathing slowed down.
Lin Tian sheathed his sword swiftly and decisively, without any hesitation. Ying Zheng's eyes flickered slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across them.
"Aren't you afraid... that Ying Zheng might break his promise in the future?" he suddenly asked.
"I'm not afraid." Lin Tian's tone was as indifferent as a breeze brushing across a hillside.
"Oh?" Ying Zheng's lips curled slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "It's quite surprising that you trust me so much, sir."
"Believe you?" Lin Tian chuckled softly, raising his eyes to look directly at Ying Zheng before lowering them. His fingertips lightly traced the scabbard of the Yuanhong sword, his voice as cold as frost: "I believe in it more than you. So, before you see my corpse lying in ruins, don't entertain any wicked thoughts—otherwise, believe me, even if you surround Xianyang Palace with a thousand troops, I can still take your life with a laugh."
Ying Zheng's expression darkened slightly, his gaze sharp as he fixed on Lin Tian: "Sir, you underestimate the mighty Qin cavalry."
"Is that so?" Lin Tian remained unmoved, only asking indifferently, "Then how did those 100,000 Wei Wu soldiers on the Wei-Han border vanish overnight? You should know that although the Wei Wu soldiers are no longer as sharp and invincible as Wu Qi was back then, even a starved camel has crushed countless warhorses."
Ying Zheng frowned, his eyes filled with suspicion.
Ji Wuye died suddenly, and the State of Wei angrily dispatched 100,000 elite troops to attack the State of Han—this could not be kept secret from the seven states.
When all the states were certain that Xinzheng would lose several cities, a thunderbolt struck everyone's head: the Wei Wu army was completely wiped out, with corpses strewn all over the field, and they did not even set foot on an inch of Han territory!
Without Ji Wuye, how could Han defeat Wei's sharpest blade? Even more bizarrely, the Han army did not send out a single soldier.
The surviving soldiers who managed to escape back to Daliang said in a madman: they were slaughtered by one person.
No one believed it. King Wei was furious and immediately executed those madmen.
"Could it be...?"
Ying Zheng's pupils suddenly contracted, and when he looked at Lin Tian again, his eyes were filled with undisguised shock.
Han Fei finally spoke, his voice steady: "King Qin, although this matter is unbelievable, it is true that Brother Lin alone annihilated those 100,000 Wei soldiers."
Ying Zheng gasped, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Tian.
One person annihilating 100,000—this is no ordinary human feat.
"Please rest assured, sir, Ying Zheng is well aware of the situation." His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and each word was as deep and resolute as a rock.
Lin Tian smiled. The conditions hadn't crossed any lines, and Ying Zheng was never a fool to offer his kindness to someone who wouldn't listen—a wise man would weigh the pros and cons.
"There is one thing I don't understand." Lin Tian's eyes shone brightly, piercing Ying Zheng. "You were in Xianyang, under the control of Lü Buwei, but your life was not in danger. Why did you insist on risking your life to sneak into Xinzheng? Lü Buwei would love for you to die outside—don't tell me it's for Han Fei. He may have extraordinary talent, but he wouldn't make you risk your life."