"Enough talk. A bet is a bet, and when you lose, you honor the debt. Today is the day the Lin Family takes over Ironwood Manor."
Lin Zhentian waved his hand, his manner firm and domineering.
"Family Head Lin Zhentian, why the rush? The Lei Family never said we wouldn't hand over Ironwood Manor. We only need a few more days, after all..."
As Lei Nuo stalled for time, he signaled to Lei Ying to send men to clean up the mess behind them.
"Grandfather, hurry and strike. They're stalling for time. The Lei Family is sending people to destroy the soil in Ironwood Manor."
A figure streaked in from the distance. It was Lin Dong, returning from his secret investigation of Ironwood Manor. The Lin Family had launched its move early, so the Lei Family had only begun destroying the special black soil that nurtured the ironwood trees. The damage was still limited.
"What? Destroying the soil? You're courting death! Charge! Kill every last Lei clansman in the manor, leave none alive!"
Once Lin Zhentian understood the situation, fury seized him. The Lei Family intended to destroy Ironwood Manor completely. Enraged, he ordered the attack.
"Kill!"
With Family Head Lin Zhentian leading the charge, the Lin Family's finest stormed into Ironwood Manor like battle machines.
"Retreat! Fall back now!"
Upon learning their scheme had been exposed and hearing Lin Zhentian's proclamation of merciless slaughter, Lei Nuo, his nerves shattered with fear, hastily signaled for the Lei Family's finest to retreat.
"Uncle Qin Ying, take a few men and charge with me to the innermost area. Stop them from destroying the soil."
Seeing the gates of Ironwood Manor shattered by a single punch from Lin Xiao, Lin Dong immediately ordered one of the Lin Family's Earthly Yuan Realm guard commanders to move with him.
"Yes, Young Master Lin Dong. The rest of you, follow me."
The rugged-looking man took the lead with stern resolve and selected several capable men to follow Lin Dong into Ironwood Manor.
In the Depths of Ironwood Manor, a large stretch of land where ironwood trees should have grown lay bare. Several servants in Lei Family livery poured pungent liquid into the soil.
"Insolence! Stop this at once!"
A furious roar rang out. From the distance, a dozen figures radiating killing intent came galloping toward them on fast horses. Many servants recognized the Lin Family's arrivals, panicked, and scrambled to flee.
"You Lin Family curs, who gave you permission to enter here!"
The Lei Family guards had not yet received the order to retreat, so they surrounded the newcomers at once. Two figures at the front stood out from the rest.
"Young Master Lin Dong, be careful. The Lei Family's guard force here includes two Earthly Yuan Realm experts. Perhaps we should still—"
Qin Ying called out as he watched Lin Dong charge ahead of everyone else.
"Thud! Thud!"
No sooner had he spoken than two dull, heavy sounds rang out.
Lin Dong looked at the two corpses skewered on the saber he held, turned back with a frown, and said, "That's supposed to pass for an expert?"
"We should—uh, we should be fine, right?"
Qin Ying's mouth fell open. After a moment, he answered with uncertainty.
Two Earthly Yuan Realm Experts of his own rank had died like that? Did that mean Young Master Lin Dong could kill Qin Ying just as easily as slaughtering a dog?
The Lei Family guards had been about to charge alongside their two leaders, but they froze. When they saw their leaders die in an instant, they turned and fled, abandoning all thought of the intruders.
"Kill them all! Leave none alive!"
Too lazy to give chase, Lin Dong issued the order.
"Yes, Young Master Lin Dong. Follow me in pursuit!"
A chill ran through Qin Ying's heart. He accepted the order solemnly and led his men in pursuit.
An hour later, the Lin Family's experts had taken full control of Ironwood Manor.
In a spotless grand hall, Lin Zhentian sat in the main seat and asked in a deep voice, "How bad are the losses? Is it serious?"
"Not too bad—less than half a percent. Production can resume within a few days. We interrogated the Lei Family servants and learned that they began today. The ironwood planting area is enormous, and the trees are difficult to fell, so they had little time to destroy much."
Lin Ken, seated nearby, rose and spoke.
"Good, well done. Organize all our people to restore Ironwood Manor to its original state. This will be another major source of wealth for our Lin Family going forward."
The losses were minor, and the tension in Lin Zhentian's weathered face finally eased.
"Understood, Father. It's just that we killed every one of the Lei Family's capable fighters stationed here outright, especially Lei Nuo and Lei Ying, both Heavenly Yuan Stage experts. Lei Bao is bound to be driven into a cornered frenzy when he hears of it."
Lin Ken hesitated. The Lin Clan Grounds were weakly defended. If the Lei Family received the news and attacked the Lin Clan Grounds without restraint, the consequences would be dangerous.
"You needn't worry. We have wiped out every expert the Lei Family left here. They likely don't even know that Ironwood Manor has fallen. I'll return to the clan grounds shortly and stand guard. You and Third Brother stay here to defend Ironwood Manor."
"Hmph, if the Lei Family dares to make a move, I'll use the opportunity to wipe them out. After all, our Lin Family now has two Yuan Dan Realm Experts."
Lin Zhentian waved his hand, clearly having planned this for some time.
"Oh right, where did Dong'er go? He has performed a great service."
After they finished discussing the important matters, Lin Zhentian looked around the hall. His precious grandson was nowhere to be seen.
As for where Lin Dong had gone—he had gone to "coincidentally" discover Yang Astral Qi in the soil deep within Ironwood Manor, and to "coincidentally" discover a Yang Yuan Stone Mine.
"Grandfather, look what I found."
Lin Zhentian had barely finished speaking when hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. Lin Dong entered, holding a pale red stone.
The stone was smooth, round, and pale red, with a faintly translucent surface like crystal. Gentle warmth seeped from within it, as though he held a ball of sunlight.
"Is that a Yang Yuan Stone?"
Lin Zhentian and the other two, all widely experienced, recognized the object at once, but none looked surprised. Though a Yang Yuan Stone was both a cultivation resource and currency, one stone was of little use.
"It's not a single Yang Yuan Stone but an entire Yang Yuan Stone Mine. I found Yang Astral Qi in the soil deep in Ironwood Manor's forest. After digging, I uncovered a large Yang Yuan Stone Mine."
Lin Dong set the newly unearthed Yang Yuan Stone on the table.
Ironwood Manor covered an enormous area. Besides the region where the ironwood trees grew, there was also a sprawling stretch of ordinary forest. The Lei Family had simply overlooked what lay right under their noses—no one had ever noticed the existence of the Yang Yuan Stone Mine.
Deep in the forest lurked two Black Iron Demon Leopards, each comparable to an early-stage Heavenly Yuan Stage Expert. Lin Dong had killed them both with ease and thrown their corpses far away.
"What? A Yang Yuan Stone Mine? Where is it? Take us there now!"
Lin Zhentian shot to his feet, his expression alight with excitement as he looked at Lin Dong.
The site was a valley with a shallow depression. A large Indentation marked one corner, clearly left by an expert's blast of Yuan Power.
Lin Zhentian and the others stood before the Indentation, their faces flushed and their bodies trembling as they stared below. They looked as though they had found a peerless treasure.