The words spoken by President Song were merely his momentary thoughts; the people he truly hated were those before him.
If it hadn't been for them tempting his greed with other benefits back then, he wouldn't have done those things. Perhaps he would still be living his small life, but there's no medicine for regret in this world. Even if he was filled with remorse, he couldn't go back to the past.
The old man let out a cold laugh, "You should know my nickname. I am called Ghost Hand."
"This moniker isn't because I can create such lifelike antique fakes, but because the poisons I concoct can send people straight to hell."
"They all think I'm elusive, like a ghost."
"Now, the number of people who truly know my nickname and have seen my true face is definitely no more than a handful. The rest are basically finished."
"I never reveal my true appearance to those people because I know that once I show up, I'll become their target, and they might even capture me to serve them endlessly."
"It's a pity they no longer have that chance. And Lin Xiaotian will follow you here. After all, we've grasped some clues about Lin Xiaotian's methods, allowing us to deduce his likely actions."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted towards the villa entrance, a confident smile gracing his lips. "Mr. Lin has already arrived. There's no need for you to linger at the door."
"Even if all my subordinates are dead, it won't be any loss. They were just people I hired temporarily; I have no feelings for them."
"Come out. There's no need to hide any longer."
President Song's face showed disbelief. "How is that possible?"
"After leaving the company, I got directly into your car. The driver was fast, and I paid attention the whole way. There were no cars following us. Lin Xiaotian had no chance to tail us."
The old man's gaze, filled with a half-smile, turned towards him. "You know nothing of true power. Did you think Lin Xiaotian would follow you in a car?"
"This doesn't even require the kind of strength that can match modern cars. You truly don't know how powerful true martial artists are."
"I did want to get back at Lin Xiaotian, but more importantly, I wanted to capture him. He holds too many secrets, and by capturing him, I can seize more resources from him, which would allow me to break through to a stronger realm."
"The current situation has pushed me to the brink of the Five Declines of Heaven. My lifespan can only last for about a year."
"To survive, I would give up everything."
"Originally, I intended to use milder methods, such as deliberately creating fakes of these antiques to force Lin Xiaotian's hand. But I didn't expect Lin Xiaotian's discernment to be so sharp, perfectly countering my strongest tactic."
"Therefore, I could only forcibly lure Lin Xiaotian here and use the poison I had prepared earlier to make him hesitant."
As he said these words, he was already absolutely certain that the visitor had arrived long ago.
Especially his subordinates. After picking up President Song, they were supposed to gather in the villa's main hall, but now not a single one was there. It was obvious without thinking that they had all been dealt with.
President Song looked at the old man, then at the door, but after looking for a long time, he saw nothing. His voice trembled slightly. "Are you mistaken? Lin Xiaotian didn't come."
The old man shook his head, saying nothing.
Just then, a person slowly walked in from outside. Only when he entered the light could they clearly see that it was indeed Lin Xiaotian.
A brilliant smile appeared on Lin Xiaotian's face. "Old man, you are indeed very clever."
"I've checked all the surroundings. Apart from the temporary hires you brought, I haven't found anyone else. Apart from you, the others have probably already been dismissed by you?"
"You couldn't have produced so many antique fakes by yourself. Your 'Ghost Hand' has truly opened my eyes."
"If you could have used this skill for good, you might have achieved great things by now. But you chose the wrong path."
Ghost Hand shook his head, still smiling as if he felt no fear. "Lin Xiaotian, you must have heard what I said earlier."
"If I had truly walked the righteous path, I wouldn't have my current strength, nor could I have lived for over a hundred years."
"My strength has reached the peak of a Grandmaster, but I am definitely no match for you. I sensed it long ago that your strength far surpasses mine."
"What I desire are the few pills in your possession. For example, a single Sheng Sheng Zao Hua Dan could allow me to break through to a stronger realm."
"Give me a bottle of pills, and I will serve you for ten years."
Lin Xiaotian smiled. "Old man, do you think you're very humorous?"
"If you hadn't appeared before me, hiding in the shadows, I might not have been able to do anything to you. After all, no matter how strong I am, I can't conjure you out of thin air."
"Now you're like someone seeking their own death. Since you've appeared before me, I have no need to waste any more time with you."
"Those fakes were indeed skillfully made, but they still have too many flaws. In my eyes, they are still worthless."
Ghost Hand gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with anger. "Lin Xiaotian, you can despise my strength. After all, a genius anomaly like you is rare, perhaps appearing only once in a thousand years."
"But if you despise my forgery skills, you must be truly unconvinced."
Lin Xiaotian walked forward a few steps, glancing at the arrangements in the living room. Several spots contained unfinished antique fakes.
He walked over directly, picked up a brush, and dipped it into the fragrant ink.
"This ink is from centuries-old inkstones, a waste in your hands. And the Xuan paper here has also been preserved for hundreds of years. The reason your fakes are so realistic is mostly due to these materials themselves."
"As for your techniques, I truly don't think much of them. Today, I will make you completely convinced."