Little Flame

At the bottom of the depression lay a layer of pale red rock. It was somewhat translucent, and deep within it, pale red crystals could vaguely be seen embedded one after another.

A Yang Yuan Stone Mine!

"It really is a Yang Yuan Stone Mine! With this mine, not only can our Lin Family dominate Qingyang Town, we can even expand into Yan City."

Lin Ken was so excited that he could barely contain himself. This was the foundation of the Lin Family's rise, a perfect opportunity for the Lin Family to grow stronger.

"Good, good, good! I'll organize men to begin mining immediately. No, we must treat this place as the main base of our Lin Family and concentrate most of our strength here."

As the family head, Lin Zhentian made a swift decision on the spot to relocate the family's forces from the original Clan Territory to Ironwood Manor.

"Grandfather, before the Lei Family reacts, we can first move the women, children, and elderly members of the clan here. Once the relocation is complete, we can announce that Ironwood Manor has fallen into our Lin Family's hands. Then the initiative will be in our hands."

Lin Dong offered a reminder. Qing Tan and the others were still at the Lin Family's Clan Territory, and he was equally worried about their safety.

"Dong'er is right. Eldest Brother, Third Brother, stay behind. I'll go bring the clan members over at once."

Lin Zhentian was a man of decisive action. He turned and left with several people.

Two days later, the relocation of the Lin Family's members and forces was declared complete. They officially announced that Ironwood Manor had fallen under the Lin Family's control, while all the Lei Family experts stationed there had been executed for deliberately destroying the manor's soil.

The moment this news spread, Qingyang Town was shaken!

While the various factions wondered why the Lin Family's style had suddenly become so forceful, they also waited for the Lei Family's response. With both of the Lei Family's Heavenly Yuan Stage experts slain, would the Lei Family go to war with the Lin Family?

It was not only the large and small factions of Qingyang Town that were waiting—the Lin Family was waiting as well. They waited for the Lei Family to make the first move, so they could counterattack and destroy them. Yet this strange situation continued for several days, and the Lei Family showed no response at all.

It turned out that Lei Bao, that old fox, had an exceptionally keen nose. Two of the Lei Family's five Heavenly Yuan Stage experts had already been lost, leaving them with one fewer than the Lin Family. Even though the Lei Family had the Xie Family as an ally, the Lin Family likewise had the Savage Blade Martial Hall.

If war broke out now, even if the Lei and Xie Families won, it would only be a costly victory. Lei Bao was unwilling to pay such a price. Feeling that his cultivation had made a breakthrough, Lei Bao entered seclusion, intending to reach the Yuan Dan Stage before wiping out the Lin Family in one stroke.

After waiting left and right without the Lei Family making a move, Lin Zhentian could only curse that old fox before ordering the clan members to begin large-scale mining of the Yang Yuan Stone Mine deep within the forest.

Of course, on the surface, they used the felling of ironwood trees as a cover.

Two months later.

The back mountain of Ironwood Manor had long since changed beyond recognition. A tunnel burrowed deep into the mountain, and constant clanging sounds rang out from within.

On a slope of the back mountain, a lean figure sat cross-legged with his hands forming cultivation seals. Powerful energy fluctuations swirled around his body. He seemed to be making a breakthrough.

Boom!

After a long while, a violent burst of aura flashed and vanished, and the lean figure opened his eyes.

"Phew! I've finally reached Minor Perfection Yuan Dan Stage!"

Lin Dong drew all the overflowing aura back into his body and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. Using Yang Yuan Pills secretly refined from the Yang Yuan Stone Mine, he had finally succeeded in breaking through.

Recently, Lin Zhentian and the others had planned a trip to Yan City to exchange the mined Yang Yuan Stones for Yang Yuan Stones. Lin Dong remained silent on the matter.

Although the Ancestral Stone could extract Yang Yuan Stones more efficiently and save the clan from making repeated trips, exposing the Ancestral Stone over a few Yang Yuan Stones was clearly unwise.

"Awoo~"

Accompanied by a long beastly howl, a fiery red figure suddenly shot out of the dense forest and pounced straight at the newly awakened Lin Dong.

That fiery red shadow was naturally Little Flame. Whether it was because Lin Dong had constantly fed it Ancestral Stone Spiritual Liquid, or because Little Flame itself possessed a mutated physique, in less than three months, its body had rapidly expanded at a visible rate.

Little Flame now stood as high as Lin Dong's chest. From afar, its fiery red body looked like a blazing flame. Its developing form more closely resembled that of a fierce tiger, and only upon seeing the thick fiery python tail on its back would one realize its true identity.

"Little Flame, looks like you went hunting in the forest again."

Lin Dong reached out with apparent disdain and pushed away the pouncing Little Flame. Its mouth and fangs were covered in blood, so it had probably eaten not long ago.

"Roar, roar, roar~"

The more Lin Dong refused to let Little Flame approach, the more it insisted on throwing itself into his arms. The affectionate Little Flame nearly crushed Lin Dong to death.

A tiger weighing several hundred pounds desperately wanted to leap into your arms, roll around, and act cute in your embrace. Tell me, was that a surprise? Was it unexpected? Were you moved?

Don't move, don't move!

"Hehe, Brother Lin Dong, you snuck out again to play with Little Flame."

Just as Little Flame's enthusiasm became excessive, a sweet female voice sounded beside Lin Dong's ear.

"Qing Tan, you're here."

Lin Dong looked up at the newcomer and took the chance to escape Little Flame's claws. Unfortunately, Little Flame still followed behind him like a clingy little shadow.

Qing Tan reached out and patted Little Flame's tiger head, making it happily wag its tail. Then she said with a smile, "Let's go back. Father and the others are looking for you."

"They're looking for me?" Lin Dong was somewhat puzzled.

"Mm, I don't know the details either. Come on, come on. You'll know when we get there."

Qing Tan pulled Lin Dong onto Little Flame's back, grabbed its fiery red fur, and cried out, "Little Flame, move out! We're going home!"

Whoosh!

Having received the command, Little Flame shot out like an arrow leaving the bow, carrying the two of them straight down the mountain. It knew every corner of Ironwood Manor by heart.

"Father, I heard you were looking for me?"

Lin Dong hurried back on Little Flame and found two figures already standing in the hall: Lin Zhentian and Lin Xiao.

"Mm. Over the past two months, we've mined more than five hundred Yang Yuan Stones. We plan to make a trip to Yan City and exchange them all for Yang Yuan Pills. We'll also sell the ironwood felled from the manor, which will serve nicely as a cover."

"Your grandfather says you deserve credit for discovering the Yang Yuan Stone Mine. Since we're going to Yan City, we have to take you along to broaden your horizons."

Lin Xiao, who stood with his hands behind his back, turned around and looked at Lin Dong with a smile.

"Yan City? Dong'er doesn't want to go for now, and there isn't anything I want to buy. I want to stay in the manor and cultivate."

Lin Dong shook his head. Although his Origin Energy cultivation had just broken through, his Talisman Master realm was still stuck at the peak of Three Seal Talisman Master. Both legs had to be equally strong to walk faster, and he did not want to fall too far behind in his Mental Energy cultivation.

"Dong'er, this opportunity..."

Lin Xiao still wanted to say something, but Lin Zhentian waved his hand. "Third Brother, let Dong'er decide for himself. Dong'er's devotion to cultivation is a good thing."

"Dong'er, stay in the manor and cultivate properly. Your father and I will be back soon."

Lin Zhentian patted Lin Dong's shoulder encouragingly.

He was truly too satisfied with this precious grandson of his. Not only was his cultivation talent excellent, but he was also neither arrogant nor impetuous, with an outstanding temperament.

"Yes, Grandfather."

Lin Dong nodded lightly, but he was thinking that this trip to Yan City would certainly expose the Lin Family's possession of a Yang Yuan Stone Mine. After all, the Lei Family had quite a few informants in Yan City.

But it did not matter. If the Lei Family dared to come, he would simply kill them.