Collective Mutation, All Break Through

Roar! Roar!

Little Flame also let out two roars, expressing his confusion.

His confusion mainly came from himself... Why had everyone eaten the pills, yet only he reacted differently?

"Uh... nothing. I just said that whoever failed to pull through would be on the menu afterward," Lin Yun said flatly.

"That really was lethal, that line." Qing Tan swallowed.

Time passed bit by bit. Under Lin Yun's "encouragement," all five beasts pulled through.

"Chi Ling, check their bloodlines." Lin Yun called to Chi Ling through his consciousness.

"Yes, Master!"

Chi Ling obediently agreed and sensed the five beasts' bloodlines.

After a while, Chi Ling said, "The three Fire Python Tigers successfully obtained mutated bloodlines. The two Black Iron Demon Leopards had their bloodlines slightly strengthened, but did not gain mutated bloodlines."

Smack! Smack!

The moment Lin Yun heard that, he gave each leopard a slap on the head.

"A Zhen, A Qiang, you two have truly disappointed me."

This had been a chance to mutate, yet they had wasted it. What a pity.

Though mutation involved an element of chance, this was a Blood Marrow Pill, something even better than a Mutated Blood Pill.

Three successes out of five still made Lin Yun feel as if he had lost out.

Whimper! Whimper!

Bao Qiang and Bao Zhen lowered their heads in grievance. They had thought they succeeded after sensing their bloodlines grow stronger, but their Master's slap immediately left them dejected.

"What are the usual reasons for failure?" Lin Yun asked.

Chi Ling explained, "Mutation itself has a low success rate. Adult Demon Beasts have largely fixed physiques and stable bloodlines, so their chances of mutation are lower. It is also related to a Demon Beast's state of mind and will. If a Demon Beast feels intense emotions such as dissatisfaction or anger toward itself and its current situation, and desperately wishes to change, that can also trigger a bloodline mutation."

Lin Yun nodded and fell into thought.

Little Fire and Little Yan were still young, so their chances of successful mutation were high.

Tiger Heroine had lost her mate and experienced a life-or-death crisis. She had already come to deeply understand her own weakness and surely wanted to become stronger. Moreover, she had given birth to a mutated-bloodline offspring like Little Flame, so she already possessed the foundation for mutation.

By comparison, Bao Qiang and Bao Zhen had been living their happy little life as a pair of leopards. They had not experienced any real crises, making it difficult for them to undergo a transformation from the heart.

Lin Yun had originally planned to let them take another pill and try again.

But considering the situation, he decided not to waste it.

The two of them had not undergone enough hardship. Even if they took another one, their success rate would not be high.

It would be better to wait and see later.

Or he could just have them make babies, like Tiger Heroine, and have a few more.

The chances for little leopards had to be higher than theirs.

"You two are only useless because your lives have been too good. I gave you an opportunity, yet you couldn't make use of it. Learn more from Tiger Heroine! You can't match her strength, and you can't even match her at having cubs? All you do every day is flaunt your love. Why don't you produce some results already?" Lin Yun berated the two leopards in frustration.

He still really wanted Bao Zhen and Bao Qiang to mutate successfully.

They were both his Beast Taming companions, and he hoped they could accompany him farther down the road.

Whimper! Whimper! The two leopards lowered their heads again in grievance.

The infuriating thing was that they even buried their heads together.

Lin Yun cursed inwardly and stopped scolding them.

He took out the Blood Pills.

He poured them directly onto the stone platform, separating the fourth-grade and fifth-grade ones.

The fourth-grade pills were for the Three Little Tigers, while the fifth-grade pills were for the three adults.

"Your bloodlines have all strengthened. Now eat. Break through for me."

Lin Yun ordered them to eat the Blood Pills without restraint.

The three little ones had been at the Body Tempering Ninth Layer for some time, while the two leopards had also remained at the initial stage of the Heavenly Yuan Realm for a long time.

Although Tiger Heroine had not been at the middle stage for long, she had constantly fought and trained, making her foundation very stable. Breaking through to the late stage would not be a problem.

Gulp, gulp, gulp...

The Six Beasts swept through the pills like a whirlwind, devouring them wildly. Soon, more than a thousand Blood Pills had all been eaten.

"Into the Alchemy Furnace!"

Lin Yun stored the Six Beasts inside the Alchemy Furnace and had Chi Ling safeguard their breakthroughs.

The Blood Pills' power was immense. He was worried these fellows might explode from within, but with Chi Ling guiding them, it would be much safer.

"Lin Yun, Brother, you're incredible! This Alchemy Furnace is practically a divine artifact." Qing Tan watched Lin Yun's series of actions, her face filled with excitement.

Beast Taming, alchemy, even altering bloodlines—it was all beyond her imagination... Lin Yun, Brother, was just too amazing.

"My treasure is known only to you now, so you mustn't tell anyone else," Lin Yun said softly, resting a hand on Qing Tan's shoulder.

"Mhm~" Qing Tan nodded obediently, letting out a soft murmur.

Three days later, the Six Beasts emerged from seclusion one after another.

All of them had successfully broken through.

Tiger Heroine had reached the late Heavenly Yuan Realm, Two Leopards the middle Heavenly Yuan Realm, and the Three Little Tigers the initial Earthly Yuan Realm.

Looking at his strengthened lineup, Lin Yun was brimming with confidence.

Holding Qing Tan in his arms, he mounted Tiger Heroine.

"Charge! Back to Ironwood Manor!"

The two of them and the Six Beasts crossed mountains and ridges. Traveling at full speed this time, they reached Ironwood Manor in just one day.

Lin Yun and the others approached from deep within the forest.

As they neared Ironwood Manor's territory, Lin Yun released his Mental Energy to investigate.

The next moment, Lin Yun frowned.

"As expected, something has happened."

Lin Yun took a deep breath and said.

At that moment, the small valley that had previously belonged to Two Leopards was filled with busy figures. Members of the Lei Family were mining there.

He had been gone with Two Leopards for nearly a month. It was only natural that the Lei Family had discovered it after such a long time.

Lin Yun had been mentally prepared for this.

If he truly wanted to obtain Ironwood Manor and the Yang Yuan Stone Mine, the Lei Family had to be eliminated.

He was bound to clash with the Lei Family sooner or later. It had merely happened sooner than expected, and the secret of the Yang Yuan Stone Mine could no longer be kept.

"Let's see who the Lei Family has sent."

Lin Yun continued releasing his Mental Energy, probing deeper into Ironwood Manor.

Having discovered wealth like the Yang Yuan Stone Mine, the Lei Family could not possibly leave only one Heavenly Yuan Realm expert behind to guard it.

"Hiss, five Heavenly Yuan Realm experts. That old dog Lei Bao is here too."

"The Lei Family must be worried that Two Leopards will come back to kill them."

Lin Yun inwardly sensed trouble. Lei Bao was a peak Heavenly Yuan Realm expert, qualified to attempt a breakthrough into the Core Formation Realm. He was extremely powerful, and Tiger Heroine, who had only just broken through, was most likely no match for him.

On top of that, there was a whole group of Earthly Yuan Realm experts.

With the Lei Family's lineup, even if Lin Yun joined the battle, there was a high chance that both sides would suffer heavy losses.

"Who is it?"

Lei Bao suddenly rushed out of a wooden house and let out an angry roar. His voice carried powerful Yuan Energy fluctuations that slammed violently into the surrounding air.

His sharp gaze swept over the area before quickly locking onto the direction where Lin Yun and the others were.

"Which expert is spying on my Lei Manor? Please show yourself so we may speak," Lei Bao called loudly. His voice echoed throughout Ironwood Manor and carried into the mountain forest.

"I was actually discovered. Worthy of a peak Heavenly Yuan Realm expert," Lin Yun thought in surprise.

When he had used his Mental Energy to investigate before, no one had ever noticed him.

It seemed those people had simply been too weak.

Lei Bao was close to the Core Formation Realm, so it was not strange that he could sense the fluctuations of Mental Energy.

"Tiger Heroine, retreat first!"

Lin Yun decisively withdrew, leading the Six Beasts back into the forest.

To be safe, he needed to reconsider his plans.

Although he was confident he could deal with Lei Bao if he charged over now, he probably would not be able to protect the Three Little Tigers.

Two days later, Lin Yun returned to the Lin Family.

Qing Tan went to fetch Lin Dong.

Seeing Lin Yun again, Lin Dong was shocked. He could not see through Lin Yun's Cultivation Base and felt that Lin Yun had improved yet again... the gap between himself and Brother Lin Yun seemed to have widened once more.

"Tiger Heroine, Little Fire, Little Flame, it's been a long time. You've all grown stronger again," Lin Dong said, greeting the Four Tigers.

He reached out to stroke them.

"Hm?!"

Lin Dong's hand suddenly froze.

When he touched Tiger Heroine, the Stone Talisman actually reacted.

But the surprise had only just begun.

When he touched Little Fire and Little Yan, the Stone Talisman reacted as well, just like when he had first touched Little Flame.

"What's going on? Lin Yun, Brother only went out once, yet Tiger Heroine's entire family can trigger a reaction from the Stone Talisman." Lin Dong's confusion deepened.

Lin Yun watched him, smiling inwardly.

He did not explain anything to Lin Dong.

"Lin Dong, I'd like to discuss something with you," Lin Yun said seriously.

He intended to bring Lin Dong into the plan.

Lin Dong had already reached the Earthly Yuan Realm Late Stage. If he wanted to break through to the Heavenly Yuan Realm, he needed the opportunity offered by the Yang Yuan Stone Mine.

Lin Dong already knew about Tiger Heroine's family. Since Lin Yun had no reason to hide it now, he told Lin Dong about Two Leopards and the Yang Yuan Stone Mine at Ironwood Manor.

As for Two Leopards, he said that Tiger Heroine had subdued him.

When he heard that Lin Yun intended to make a move against the Lei Family's Ironwood Manor and Yang Yuan Stone Mine, Lin Dong was shocked—but his blood also began to boil... Lin Yun, Brother was actually doing something this big.

Without a second thought, he agreed to join in!

Lin Yun, Brother had stood up for him before. How could Lin Dong possibly be disloyal?

Lin Yun immediately laid out the plan. He was not yet prepared to reveal his relationship with Tiger Heroine, nor did he want the Lin Family's other forces involved for now.

It was not yet time for the final battle.

They would pick them off one by one first.

The old method—use Tiger Heroine as bait.

The next day!

Lin Dong once again went to the shop jointly set up by the Lei and Xie Families to offer rewards for information on the Fire Python Tiger.

Nearly half a year had passed since Lei Li and Xie Yingying died, yet the Lei and Xie Families still had not given up hunting the Fire Python Tiger.

Lin Dong told the manager that he had discovered the Fire Python Tiger's tracks again.

With the experience from last time, the Lei and Xie Families trusted Lin Dong this time. They spent half a day gathering enough men and preparing plenty of weapons and equipment before setting out.

The Lei and Xie Families each dispatched two Heavenly Yuan Realm experts.

There were four Heavenly Yuan Realm experts in total, two of whom were at the middle stage of the Heavenly Yuan Realm.

Throughout the process, Lin Dong kept up his act perfectly, constantly urging them on and demanding that they give him the two Fourth-Grade Spiritual Medicines from the reward in advance.

Because Lin Dong knew that none of these people would be coming back.

The Lei and Xie Families readily agreed.

The group followed Lin Dong to a forest in the south.

They searched for a long time. Just as the people from the Lei and Xie Families were preparing to give up, the Fire Python Tiger finally appeared.

Those who had long since grown impatient charged over in delight.

Lin Dong quietly retreated behind the group and watched the battle from afar.

"Kill!"

The people from the Lei and Xie Families split into several squads, carrying various capture weapons such as chains, iron hooks, and rope nets.

However, once they entered the dense forest, they discovered that there was not one Fire Python Tiger, but four.

Not only that, there were also two black leopards.

More than twenty people were surrounded by the six beasts.

Screams rang out through the forest.

Against a team led by four Heavenly Yuan Realm experts, Lin Yun did not need to make a move at all.

He only needed to leisurely create missions.

Very quickly, the hunting party from the Lei and Xie Families was completely wiped out.

Lin Yun received several bottles of pills as rewards.

Lin Dong sent the news back. Upon learning it, grief flooded the Lei and Xie Families like a river.

At first, only Lei Li and Xie Yingying had died.

They had refused to let go of the Fire Python Tiger, and this time, each family had buried two more Heavenly Yuan Realm experts, along with a number of Earthly Yuan Realm elites.

The Lei Family's main forces were stationed at Ironwood Manor.

After losing two Heavenly Yuan Realm experts, only three remained.

Such terrible news instantly overshadowed the joy of discovering the Yang Yuan Stone Mine.

The Lei Family higher-ups at Ironwood Manor could no longer stay put. Lei Bao had no choice but to return home and take charge of the situation.

At a time like this, countless eyes were fixed on the Lei Family. He could not afford to be absent; if he was, others would easily suspect the Lei Family's purpose at Ironwood Manor.

They were worried that news of the Yang Yuan Stone Mine would be discovered.

With two Heavenly Yuan Realm experts dead, the family's strength had sharply declined. If others discovered the Yang Yuan Stone Mine as well, the Lei Family—this juicy piece of meat—would immediately be pounced upon by countless people.

People were already secretly watching Ironwood Manor. The Lei Family was now on edge over every little thing, terrified that others would uncover the truth.

However, they did not know that no matter what they did, they could not escape one person's eyes.

Just as Lei Bao revealed himself in Qingyang Town.

Elsewhere, having received the news, Lin Yun had already set off for Ironwood Manor.

Feign east, strike west; divide and conquer.

That was Lin Yun's tactic.

Ironwood Manor now had only two Heavenly Yuan Realm experts stationed there.

Bao Qiang and Bao Zhen could probably handle them.

It took Lin Yun only half a day to reach Ironwood Manor.

After sweeping the area with his spiritual sense once more and confirming there were no mistakes.

Time to open the furnace! Release the leopards!