No one had expected Li Xin to suddenly step forward and challenge Lin Tian.
This made many frown, and Mi Qi overjoyed.
He had intended to test the waters himself, and now with Li Xin making a move, he could conveniently distance himself from the matter.
Therefore, he turned all his attention to Ying Zheng, wanting to see his reaction.
Ying Zheng, at this moment, clearly frowned, appearing displeased.
Generals friendly with Li Xin immediately sensed something was amiss and quickly spoke up.
"General Xin, General Lin Tian just finished his sword dance, he must be tired. Perhaps we could invite General Lin Tian to spar another day!"
"Is General Lin tired? If General Lin is tired, Xin can wait a while!"
Li Xin's objective was clear: to spar with Lin Tian.
He knew his actions were rash and risky, but it was also his best opportunity to make a gamble.
He knew Ying Zheng valued talent and that if he proved his martial prowess and ability to be superior, Li Xin's future would undoubtedly soar to new heights, becoming limitless.
As for other matters, he could no longer concern himself with them.
However, he was completely unaware that Lin Tian was actually Ying Zheng's son, and the principle of valuing talent would not apply to Lin Tian.
In fact, Ying Zheng was already angered.
"General Li Xin!"
"I beg Your Majesty to grant this request!"
Li Xin's words caused Ying Zheng to close his eyes.
Having talent was good, but foolishness and youthful arrogance were something Ying Zheng would never tolerate.
Therefore, in Ying Zheng's heart, Li Xin had already received a large red X.
When selecting generals in the future, Li Xin would be the first to be excluded.
Li Xin, still unaware, was fantasizing about achieving fame through this battle and being greatly favored by the King of Qin in the future.
Ying Zheng remained silent, and Lin Tian spoke first.
"Since General Li Xin has requested to spar with me, I naturally cannot refuse!"
"There's no need to rest, we can fight now!"
"Good!!"
Upon hearing Lin Tian's agreement, Li Xin's heart visibly trembled, his joy evident on his face.
The next moment, he bowed to Lin Tian and attacked directly.
"General Lin Tian, be careful!"
With that, Li Xin drew his sword and lunged straight at Lin Tian.
Li Xin's swordsmanship was extremely sharp; his thrust aimed directly at a vital point.
If it were an ordinary soldier facing him, they would surely be killed with a single thrust.
Even the Iron Eagle Warriors might not be his match.
In this regard, Li Xin indeed possessed genuine skill.
However, this sharp thrust, in Lin Tian's eyes, was no different from children playing house.
Not only was the sword strike slow, but the power behind it was also very weak.
With such swordsmanship, it was incredibly simple for Lin Tian to evade.
But Lin Tian did not dodge.
Instead, he parried with his own sword, striking Li Xin's directly, then with a gentle flick, Li Xin's sword flew out of his hand.
Immediately after, Lin Tian's sword was at Li Xin's throat.
Li Xin was clearly bewildered and at a loss. He hadn't even seen how Lin Tian had moved his sword before it was disarmed.
And then, Lin Tian's sword was at his neck.
He had lost!
Defeated in a single move!
This caused countless people to gasp in shock.
"Hiss! If I remember correctly, General Li Xin's swordsmanship should be very formidable. Even our Great Qin's Iron Eagle Warriors were not necessarily his match!"
"I also remember General Li Xin previously fighting against the Iron Eagle Warriors, where he clearly held the upper hand. How is it that he was defeated in one move now?"
"We didn't know how powerful General Lin Tian's swordsmanship truly was until this spar. It turns out General Lin Tian's swordsmanship is worlds apart from ours. No wonder General Lin Tian alone could slay four thousand enemy soldiers."
"This single move is worthy of the title Sword God!"
Lin Tian's one-move defeat of Li Xin had completely won over everyone's respect.
Even Li Xin was stunned.
In his opinion, he should have been able to overpower Lin Tian.
The saying in the army about taking the enemy general's head amidst ten thousand troops, and slaying four thousand enemy soldiers alone, must have been an exaggeration.
His true combat strength was likely just that of a fierce battlefield general.
Therefore, Li Xin was confident in fighting Lin Tian.
Most others also held a similar view regarding Lin Tian's combat strength.
Aside from those who had witnessed it firsthand, who would believe such mythical combat prowess as slaying four thousand enemy soldiers alone and taking an enemy general's head amidst ten thousand troops?
Even when Lin Tian performed his sword dance, they would have only thought his swordsmanship was extraordinary.
However, after Lin Tian's battle with Li Xin, they completely believed the earlier accounts.
Someone as powerful as Li Xin couldn't even withstand a single move from Lin Tian.
When others faced Lin Tian, wouldn't it be like a child's play?
Thinking of this, many people's admiration for Lin Tian grew.
Ying Zheng, moreover, couldn't help but stand up.
"Excellent!!"
"General Lin Tian is indeed our Great Qin's Sword God. With such combat power, he is undoubtedly the foremost general of our Great Qin!"
"Today's battle was truly spectacular!"
"Proclaim: General Lin Tian's combat power is unparalleled. Reward him with a thousand gold coins, a fine horse, and a set of armor!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!!"
Upon hearing such rewards, others cast envious glances at Lin Tian.
They envied not only Ying Zheng's rewards to Lin Tian but also Ying Zheng's acknowledgment of Lin Tian's combat strength.
Just now, Ying Zheng had called Lin Tian the Sword God of Great Qin and personally declared him the foremost general of Great Qin.
Such honor was what countless generals dreamed of.
At this moment, Li Xin's eyes turned red.
Such rewards were something he had only dreamed of, yet Ying Zheng had never bestowed such honor upon anyone before.
It was as if, in his heart, no general could be considered the foremost general.
But now, this honor of being the best in the world had fallen upon Lin Tian.
This favoritism was too obvious.
Yet, others could not refute it, because it was merely Ying Zheng's casual remark, not a formal bestowal or an official position.
However, those with keen minds understood Lin Tian's standing in Ying Zheng's heart.
Especially Mi Qi, he was now completely convinced that Lin Tian's position in Ying Zheng's heart far surpassed that of Fu Su.
"His Majesty has always been indifferent towards Fu Su. Although he treats him as a Prince of Great Qin, there is nothing special about him compared to other Princes of Great Qin!"
"Yet now, as soon as Lin Tian appears, His Majesty elevates his prestige and establishes his authority!"
"Such differential treatment is excessively biased!"
This bias made Mi Qi feel a sense of clarity.
It turned out that Ying Zheng was not incapable of favoritism, but rather, he simply did not wish to show favoritism towards Fu Su.
Thinking this, Mi Qi's expression turned grim.
"Indeed, Lin Tian is the greatest stumbling block to Prince Fu Su becoming the King of Qin!"
"This stumbling block cannot be allowed to remain!"
...