As the afterglow of the setting sun draped the earth in a thin veil of gold, a familiar convoy once again appeared at the end of the road.
"This journey went smoothly. Either Black Dragon Stronghold didn't dare make a move, or they went straight for Ironwood Manor." At the front of the convoy, Lin Mang looked toward the manor at the edge of his vision and could not help laughing.
Lin Xiao was just about to speak when his expression changed slightly. He caught the scent of blood in the air.
"Father!" Lin Xiao hurriedly turned to Lin Zhentian, only to see him frown slightly. Clearly, he had noticed the bloody smell as well.
"Hmph, those rats really did attack Ironwood Manor!" Lin Zhentian's expression darkened. Although the men of Black Dragon Stronghold would certainly suffer a crushing defeat, the Lin Family would likely still lose some people. "Let's go back and see how many casualties there are."
With that, he spurred his horse toward Ironwood Manor. Lin Xiao and the others quickly followed.
"A bunch of worthless trash dared lay their hands on the Lin Family's territory!" Inside a hall in the manor, Lin Zhentian's face was grim and his expression fierce. Killing intent flashed in Lin Xiao and Lin Mang's eyes as well.
"Please calm down, Father." Seeing Lin Zhentian's rage, Lin Ken hurriedly stepped forward to comfort him. "Fortunately, we were prepared and did not leak the news that Changqiang and Dong'er had broken through to the Heavenly Origin Stage."
After a brief pause, Lin Ken said with a cheerful grin, "As soon as Black Dragon Stronghold launched its attack, Dong'er and I held Yan Yan back. Changqiang dealt with Yun Shan in just a few breaths, scaring the people of Black Dragon Stronghold into fleeing in panic. Not a single member of our Lin Family was lost!"
The moment his words fell, the entire hall fell silent. Lin Zhentian and the other two stared at Lin Changqiang in shock. "He dealt with Yun Shan in just a few breaths? How is that possible?" Even for Lin Zhentian himself, killing an early Heavenly Origin Stage cultivator in a few breaths would be no easy task.
"Yun Shan's cultivation was not low, but his brain did not work very well. He believed whatever others told him, so he was defeated by me because of his carelessness." Lin Changqiang shook his head helplessly. Their reaction was even greater than when they had learned that he and Lin Dong had reached the Heavenly Origin Stage.
"Father, that is indeed what happened." Lin Ken smiled strangely at Lin Zhentian and the others' reactions. "Changqiang said he was at the Earthly Yuan Stage, and Yun Shan simply believed him. Then he actually tried to trade injuries with Changqiang. Changqiang was unharmed, while he was beaten to death."
Hearing this, Lin Zhentian and the others did not know whether to laugh or cry. Their slightly gloomy mood from Black Dragon Stronghold's attack also brightened.
"That Lin Langtian of the Lin Clan began cultivating at ten and took five years to enter the Heavenly Origin Stage. Yet Dong'er and Changqiang have spent barely over a year to reach the early and middle Heavenly Origin Stage respectively! Our Lin Family of Qingyang Town has finally produced two geniuses!" Lin Zhentian grinned from ear to ear.
Hearing Lin Langtian's name from Lin Zhentian, Lin Dong narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. Lin Changqiang, however, thought to himself, They're just three cheats. It only comes down to whose cheat is more overpowered.
Lin Langtian had also possessed the template of a protagonist in his early days. His parents had died when he was young, yet after falling off a cliff, he somehow survived and even found Master Mu's Yuan Spirit. With Master Mu's help, he became a genius of the Lin Clan and enjoyed the finest resources of the entire clan.
Unfortunately, the old man he had picked up was not even as good as Little Sable, let alone the Ancestral Stone and his own system.
"Dong'er, Changqiang, neither of you should go out for the time being. Stay in the manor and cultivate properly. Strive to surpass Lin Langtian as soon as possible." Lin Zhentian smiled kindly at the two of them, then turned toward Lin Xiao and Lin Mang. "Tomorrow, you two will accompany me to wipe out Black Dragon Stronghold!"
"Father, the chief of Black Dragon Stronghold has always been cunning. They fled in such a sorry state today, so I fear he has hidden again." Lin Mang frowned tightly.
"When they fled during the day, I had already secretly sent people to follow them." Lin Ken smiled faintly. He had long known that, given his father's temperament, he would never let this matter rest.
Lin Xiao frowned. "Father, Black Dragon Stronghold has only two Heavenly Origin Stage cultivators, yet they dared attack our Lin Family without fearing retaliation. There must be something suspicious behind this!"
Lin Zhentian nodded, and a savage look appeared on his face. "Within a hundred miles, aside from the Lei and Xie Families, who else could back Black Dragon Stronghold? Tomorrow, Lin Xiao and Lin Mang will join me in wiping out Black Dragon Stronghold. We'll kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. Lin Ken will remain at Ironwood Manor. If the Lei and Xie Families make a move, notify Mad Saber Martial Hall!"
"Yes!" they answered in unison.
The next day, at three in the morning, while the sky was still dark, many figures dressed in black had already gathered outside Ironwood Manor. Though they did not speak, a chilling killing intent quietly spread through the air.
Looking at the assembled forces, Lin Zhentian nodded in satisfaction. Without another word, he waved his hand and charged out first alongside Lin Xiao and Lin Mang. A large force followed behind them like a black torrent.
The land gradually awakened, and a faint ray of dawn broke the silence of the night.
Within Ironwood Manor, many younger members of the Lin Family had already risen early to practice martial arts. Lin Dong chatted with Lin Xia, Qing Tan, and the others while occasionally pointing out mistakes in their movements.
Lin Changqiang, however, lay drowsily on the grass nearby, completely out of place among the diligent crowd.
"Lin Hong and I should be able to break through to the Earthly Yuan Stage within two months. We can't compare to you and Changqiang, but at least we'll be able to help the family a little." Lin Xia brushed aside a loose strand of hair from her forehead and turned the conversation toward Lin Changqiang. "Lin Dong, don't you cultivate with Changqiang every day? Is he always like this? I feel like I've never seen him cultivate."
"Maybe this is what being a genius is like." Lin Dong helplessly glanced at Lin Changqiang. "Changqiang spends no more than three hours a day cultivating."
"It's not as if I haven't tried to persuade him to cultivate seriously and not waste his talent, but he says he can cultivate even while lying down, and that he can learn martial arts after watching them a few times." Lin Dong shook his head. If Lin Changqiang cultivated more than twenty hours a day like he did, he would probably have reached the Yuan Dan Stage long ago.
Lin Xia's eyes widened at this. "How is that possible? He can cultivate while lying down and sleeping, and learn martial arts just by watching others perform them? Isn't that just fooling honest people?"
"I didn't believe it at first either, but his cultivation speed and mastery of martial arts have indeed been advancing by leaps and bounds." Lin Dong sighed. It was even more infuriating than Qing Tan. Although Qing Tan's Yuan Power cultivation could keep increasing, she at least still had to practice martial arts herself.
Just then, rumbling hoofbeats suddenly sounded outside the manor. Everyone immediately looked out in delight, only to see a large force approaching Ironwood Manor from afar. Before long, they became a torrent that surged into the manor.
Seeing the triumphant Lin Zhentian and the others, the entire manor erupted in thunderous cheers.
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