At the bottom of the Indentation lay a stretch of pale red, slightly translucent rock. Faintly visible deep within it were pale red crystals.
Yang Yuan Stones!
"So it really is a Yang Yuan Stone Mine! With this Yang Yuan Stone Mine, our Lin Family won't just dominate Qingyang Town; we might even advance into Flame City."
Lin Ken was so excited that he could barely contain himself. This was the foundation of the Lin Family's rise and their perfect chance to grow stronger.
"Good, good, good. I'll organize men to begin mining. No, wait—I should make this place our Lin Family's main base and concentrate most of our strength here."
As Family Head, Lin Zhentian made the decision on the spot: the family would move its strength from the original Clan Grounds to Ironwood Manor.
"Grandfather, we can move the clan's women, elderly, and children here before the Lei Family realizes what's happening. Once the transfer is complete, we can announce that Ironwood Manor is in our Lin Family's hands. By then, we'll hold the initiative."
Lin Dong spoke up to remind them. After all, Qing Tan and the others were still at the Lin Clan Grounds, and he was equally worried about their safety.
"Dong'er is right. Eldest Brother, Third Brother, you two stay behind to hold the fort. I'll go bring the clan members over right away."
Lin Zhentian was a man of swift decisive action — he turned and left with several others at once.
Two days later, the relocation of the Lin Family's people and strength was declared complete. It was officially announced to the outside world that Ironwood Manor now belonged to the Lin Family, and the Lei Family experts who had been left behind to guard the manor were executed to the last man for deliberately damaging the soil within the estate.
The moment this news broke, Qingyang Town was shaken!
While various factions puzzled over why the Lin Family's methods had suddenly turned so ruthless, they also waited quietly to see how the Lei Family would respond. With two of the clan's Heavenly Yuan experts slain, would the Lei Family declare war on the Lin Family?
The various powers, large and small, in Qingyang Town were waiting. So was the Lin Family, hoping the Lei Family would strike first, allowing them to counterattack and wipe out the clan. Yet the bizarre standoff lasted for several days, and the Lei Family made no move.
Lei Bao, that old fox, had an extremely keen sense of danger. The Lei Family had lost two of its five Heavenly Yuan experts, leaving it one short of the current Lin Family's number. Although the Lei Family still had the Xie Family as an ally, the Lin Family had the Berserk Blade Martial Hall.
If war broke out now, even a victory for the Lei and Xie Families would be a pyrrhic one, and Lei Bao was unwilling to pay that price. Feeling his Cultivation approach a Breakthrough, Lei Bao entered seclusion. Once he reached the Yuan Dan Realm, he planned to deal with the Lin Family in one decisive stroke.
Lin Zhentian waited, but the Lei Family never acted. He cursed the old fox under his breath, then ordered the clan to begin large-scale mining of the Yang Yuan Stone Mine deep within the dense forest.
Of course, on the surface, it was still disguised as ironwood logging.
Two months later.
The mountain behind Ironwood Manor had changed beyond recognition. A tunnel bored deep into the mountainside, and the constant clang of hammering echoed from within.
On a slope in the back mountain, a lean figure sat cross-legged with his hands forming a cultivation Seal Formation. Powerful energy swirled around his body as he attempted a Breakthrough.
"Boom!"
After a long while, the violent surge of energy flashed and vanished. The lean figure opened his eyes.
"Whew! I've finally reached the Lesser Perfect Yuan Dan Realm!"
Lin Dong drew the escaping energy back into his body and exhaled. He had finally completed his Breakthrough with the Yang Yuan Pills he had secretly refined from the Yang Yuan Stone Mine.
Lin Zhentian and the others planned to visit Flame City and exchange the mined Yang Yuan Stones for Yang Yuan Pills. Lin Dong said nothing about it.
The Ancestral Stone could extract Yang Yuan Stones far more efficiently and spare the clan repeated journeys. But exposing the Ancestral Stone for the sake of a few Yang Yuan Stones would be unwise.
"Roar~"
A long, resonant beast's roar rang out as a fiery red figure burst from the dense forest and charged straight at Lin Dong, who had just awakened.
The fiery red figure was, of course, Little Flame. Whether his growth came from Lin Dong feeding him Ancestral Stone Spirit Liquid or from Little Flame's own Mutated Physique, his body had expanded at a visible rate in less than three months.
Little Flame now stood as high as Lin Dong's chest. From a distance, his fiery red body looked like a burning Flame. His developing form more closely resembled a fierce tiger; only the thick Python Tail on his back revealed his true identity.
"Little Flame, looks like you went off hunting in the forest again."
Lin Dong reached out and pushed Little Flame away with a look of distaste. Blood smeared the corners of Little Flame's mouth and his fangs, evidence of a recent meal.
"Growl growl~"
The more Lin Dong tried to keep Little Flame away, the harder Little Flame tried to throw himself into Lin Dong's arms. His affectionate frenzy nearly crushed Lin Dong flat.
A tiger weighing several hundred pounds throws itself into your arms, rolls around, and nuzzles you affectionately. Are you surprised? Shocked? Touched?
He didn't dare move. He didn't dare move at all!
"Hehe, Brother Lin Dong, you snuck out to play with Little Flame again."
As Little Flame's enthusiasm became too much, a sweet, playful female voice rang beside Lin Dong's ear.
"Qing Tan, you're here."
Lin Dong glanced up at the approaching figure and used the opportunity to escape Little Flame's Demonic Clutches. Little Flame still followed him like a persistent shadow.
Qing Tan reached out and patted Little Flame's tiger head, making him wag his tail happily. She laughed and said, "Come back with me—Father and the others are looking for you."
"Looking for me?" Lin Dong looked a bit puzzled.
"Mm, I don't know the details either. Come on, let's go — you'll find out when we get there."
Qing Tan pulled Lin Dong onto Little Flame's back beside her, grabbed a fistful of his fiery red fur, and shouted, "Little Flame, let's go home!"
"Whoosh!"
At the command, Little Flame shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, carrying them straight down the mountain. He knew every inch of Ironwood Manor.
"Father, I heard you were looking for me?"
After riding Little Flame back in a hurry, Lin Dong found Lin Zhentian and Lin Xiao standing in the main hall.
"Yes. Over the past two months or so, we've mined over five hundred Yang Yuan Stones in total. We're planning a trip to Flame City to exchange all of them for Yang Yuan Pills. While we're at it, we'll sell off the ironwood logged from the estate — it'll serve as a good cover."
"Your grandfather says you're the one who deserves the most credit for discovering the Yang Yuan Stone Mine. When we go to Flame City, we ought to bring you along and broaden your horizons."
Lin Xiao stood with his hands clasped behind his back, turning around with a smile as he looked at Lin Dong.
"Flame City? I don't want to go for now, and there's nothing in particular I want to buy. I'd rather stay at the manor and cultivate."
Lin Dong shook his head. Although his Yuan Power Cultivation had reached a Breakthrough, his Talisman Master realm remained at the peak of the Three-Seal Talisman Master stage. A person needed both legs to move in step to walk faster, and he did not want his Spiritual Power cultivation to fall too far behind.
"Dong'er, an opportunity like this—"
Lin Xiao was about to say more, but Lin Zhentian waved a hand and said, "Third Brother, let Dong'er decide for himself. It's a good thing that Dong'er is so devoted to his cultivation."
"Dong'er, stay at the manor and cultivate well. Your father and I will be back before you know it."
Lin Zhentian patted Lin Dong's shoulder in encouragement.
He was deeply satisfied with his beloved grandson. Lin Dong possessed outstanding cultivation talent, yet he was neither arrogant nor impatient and had an excellent temperament.
"Yes, Grandfather."
Lin Dong gave a slight nod, but he was thinking that the trip to Flame City would expose the Lin Family's Yang Yuan Stone Mine. After all, the Lei Family had many eyes and ears in Flame City.
Still, it did not matter. If the Lei Family dared to come, he would kill them where they stood.