Ironwood Manor

In the clearing of the forest, a figure moved like a fierce tiger, arms swinging as deep blue Yuan Power continuously radiated outward, causing a faint layer of frost to form on the ground.

"Boom!"

A straight punch slammed into an innocent tree, the immense force violently tearing it from the soil and sending it flying backward, kicking up a spray of dirt.

"Well done!" Seeing Lin Dong finally reach the mid Earthly Yuan Stage, Lin Changqiang let out a sincere compliment.

Compared to his talent in Spiritual Power, Lin Dong's Yuan Power aptitude wasn't exactly outstanding, so reaching the mid Earthly Yuan Stage from the early stage in just two months was already quite impressive.

Of course, the Ancestral Stone had played its part, but since both of them had cheats, it was like neither had one, wasn't it? (ω`)

"Changqiang, are you already close to the Heavenly Origin Stage?" Lin Dong blinked his eyes at Lin Changqiang, curiosity in his heart.

"I only reached the late Earthly Yuan Stage a few days ago, how could I break through so fast? What do you take me for, a once-in-a-century genius?" Lin Changqiang rolled his eyes at Lin Dong in annoyance, then glanced at his own status panel:

"Host: Lin Changqiang

Gender: Male

Cultivation Level: Late Earthly Yuan Stage (6%)

Martial Arts: Returning Wind Soft Hand (Third-grade), Pure Yuan Finger (Fourth-grade), Mysterious Gate Seal (Fifth-grade), Fire Dance Whirlwind (Sixth-grade)...

Cultivation Art: Azure Yuan Art

Spiritual Power Level: None

Secret Technique: None

Spiritual Power Art: None

Items: Small Horn (2), Intimacy Rose (2), Double Experience Card (1), Double Gold Coin Card (2), Dragon Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear (High-grade Spirit Treasure), Ghost Captain (Fashion)

Lottery Draw Count: 5"

"To reach the Heavenly Origin Stage, it'll probably take at least another month or two." Lin Changqiang pouted in dissatisfaction. "This Azure Yuan Art gets weaker the further you go. Once we break through to the Heavenly Origin Stage, we definitely need to check out the Trade Fair or Flame City to see if we can get a better art."

"If it only takes a month or two to reach the Heavenly Origin Stage, how is that not a genius?" Lin Dong was starting to wonder about Lin Changqiang's definition of genius.

"Ha, I've been hiding it for so many years, but you still found me out—paper can't wrap fire." Lin Changqiang thought about it and realized he was right; he was even faster than Lin Dong, who had the Ancestral Stone, so what was there to complain about? He raised an eyebrow and grinned lecherously at Lin Dong. "Say it again~(￣▽￣~)~"

Lin Dong rolled his eyes with practiced ease, completely ignoring Lin Changqiang. He wiped the sweat off his face and whistled into the forest. Soon after, a tiger's roar echoed from the depths.

Before long, Xiao Yan came bounding out and appeared before them. In just half a month, his size had grown noticeably larger, and his mouth now held slightly ferocious fangs. At this point, Xiao Yan was finally showing a hint of his true might.

The changes in Xiao Yan delighted Lin Dong, but they made Lin Changqiang rather uncomfortable. Watching Xiao Yan grow fiercer by the day, and thinking of the future three-to-four-meter-tall dark-skinned brute, he only felt more exhausted.

"Changqiang, my dad and the others are coming back tonight. Do you want to come with me to ask about Ironwood Manor?" Lin Dong suddenly looked at Lin Changqiang, remembering that the other seemed quite interested in Ironwood Manor.

"No need, you go ahead. It's a father-son chat; what would I be butting in for?" Hearing this, Lin Changqiang felt a slight joy. If Ironwood Manor was coming, then Yang Yuan Stones would follow, and with Yang Yuan Stones, the Heavenly Origin Stage was within reach.

Lin Dong nodded, let out a whistle, and dashed off with Xiao Yan.

That evening, just as Lin Changqiang finished dinner, he heard a somewhat hurried knock at the door. A glint flashed in his eyes, and he quickly opened it. The visitor was indeed Lin Dong.

"Changqiang, those bastards from the Lei Family! They originally agreed to hand over Ironwood Manor to our Lin Family, but it's been a month and a half, and they still haven't made a move. We sent people to urge them, and they just avoid us!"

"How could that be?! The bet that day was made in front of countless people. The Lei Family wouldn't go back on their word, would they? That would be shameless!" Lin Changqiang widened his eyes in feigned shock.

"They haven't said they're backing out either, they're just dragging their feet and refusing to hand it over. Isn't that just bullying the honest?" Lin Dong sneered at the Lei Family's tactics. "Father and the others plan to take people to Ironwood Manor tomorrow. If they still won't agree, we'll just force our way in. After all, we're in the right here!"

Lin Changqiang looked helplessly at Lin Dong, thinking, Why can't this kid get to the point? He had no choice but to hint subtly. "So, are you going tomorrow?"

"Of course I am." Lin Dong finally caught on and remembered why he'd come. "Right, Father asked me to see if you want to come with us tomorrow."

"Go? Why wouldn't I? We martial artists, what fear have we of a fight?" As soon as Lin Dong finished, Lin Changqiang puffed out his chest with righteous fervor.

"Good, I'll go prepare then. I'll come get you tomorrow morning, and we'll gather at the Lin Family's main gate." With that, Lin Dong got up and left.

Watching Lin Dong's retreating figure, Lin Changqiang quickly shut the door, put on his Fashion, and lay down on the bed to check the system's latest notification.

"Ding, congratulations to the host for triggering a Side Quest: The Lei Family's men are secretly sabotaging Ironwood Manor. This is utterly outrageous—they must be thrown out!

Quest success: Reward of three Lottery Draw Opportunities. Quest failure: Deduction of one Lottery Draw Opportunity."

The next morning, at the Lin Family's main gate, dozens of fine horses stood in neat rows, their backs carrying the Lin Family's best men. Leading them were Lin Xiao and Lin Ken, both experts at the Heavenly Origin Stage.

Among the horses, Xiao Yan, blazing like a flame, stood out prominently. Lin Dong was seated on Xiao Yan's back. By now, under the nourishment of the Ancestral Stone's golden fertilizer, Xiao Yan was fully capable of serving as a mount, and his stamina even surpassed that of ordinary horses.

Lin Changqiang rode a horse nearby, full of envy. It wasn't that Lin Dong wouldn't let him ride, but he felt it would be weird for the two of them to share Xiao Yan.

"Move out!"

After counting the men, Lin Ken raised his horsewhip without hesitation and led the group galloping out of Qingyang Town.

Ironwood Manor was known for producing a type of wood as hard as refined iron, impervious to fire and water, with a thick, heavy texture ideal for making weapons or building materials. As such, this ironwood was quite valuable.

Moreover, within a hundred-mile radius, only Ironwood Manor produced this timber, so over the years, the Lei Family had raked in a fortune from the manor's operations.

After a morning of travel, the group finally arrived at a slope outside Ironwood Manor around noon.

From the slope, they could clearly see a sprawling estate at the end of the road, so vast that its edge was beyond sight.

Straining their eyes, they could barely make out the black giant trees deep within the estate—those were the ironwoods.

Lin Ken squinted at the tightly shut manor gates and frowned. "The gates are closed and heavily guarded. It seems this trip won't go smoothly..."

Lin Xiao nodded slightly. He raised his hand, and the Lin Family men behind him immediately went on alert. With a series of clangs, gleaming blades were drawn, each man's face cold and stern, a faint killing intent rising in the air.

Lin Changqiang and Lin Dong watched this scene, feeling a bit tense. Compared to life-and-death battles like this, the fights they'd experienced were nothing more than child's play.

"Yan Shuangying, take two men to protect Dong'er and Changqiang. The rest of you, follow me!"