The next morning, Lin Zhentian led a large force and stormed toward Black Dragon Stronghold in grand fashion.
In less than half a day, Lin Zhentian and the others had completely wiped out Black Dragon Stronghold and returned with a rich haul.
"Father, did everything go smoothly?" Seeing Lin Zhentian, Lin Xiao, and the others return, Lin Yi went up to greet them.
"Mm, very smoothly. From now on, there will be no more Black Dragon Stronghold in the Great Yan Dynasty."
Lin Xiao was visibly excited. He grinned and patted Lin Yi on the shoulder before lifting the black oilcloth covering the back of a carriage, revealing heaps of gold and all sorts of other items.
"These were all collected from Black Dragon Stronghold. Those bandits had quite a collection. See if there's anything you're interested in. Take whatever you want."
"Let me have a look." Lin Yi nodded slightly and swept his gaze over the many items. Before long, he spotted a piece of black metal about half the size of a head.
The surface of the metal was covered in dust, making it rather inconspicuous. However, the moment Lin Yi saw it, he felt the Spiritual Energy in his mind ripple faintly.
"This one." Lin Yi reached out and picked up the black metal, smiling.
"Hehe, you have pretty good taste. This is a piece of Shattering Origin Profound Steel. It's extremely effective at breaking through Yuan Power."
Seeing Lin Yi's choice, Lin Xiao couldn't help chuckling. "Of course, what's even more remarkable about this Shattering Origin Profound Steel is its excellent ability to carry and guide Spiritual Energy."
Lin Yi smiled. "In that case, this item is just right for me."
Lin Xiao was quite in agreement. This Shattering Origin Profound Steel was indeed best suited for Lin Yi.
The news of Black Dragon Stronghold's destruction reached the ears of numerous factions in various forms not long after Lin Zhentian and the others returned to Ironwood Manor.
There were also vague reports that Lin Yi had killed Yan Kuo and Wu Sha.
All of Qingyang Town was shaken by this, though there was also some lingering doubt about whether the news was genuine.
Qingyang Town, the Lei Family.
"Heh, is the Lin Family deliberately showing off to my Lei Family?" Lei Bao sat in a grand chair, holding a teacup as he sneered.
"Father, it seems Lin Zhentian has also guessed that our Lei Family was the one who drove Black Dragon Stronghold to attack Ironwood Manor." Beside Lei Bao, a middle-aged man frowned.
This middle-aged man was Lei Bao's son, Lei Pi, and he was also a Heaven Origin Realm expert.
"So what if he knows? What can he do?" Lei Bao shook his head. His gaze suddenly sharpened as he said, "The Lin Family is going to Flame City this time to sell Yang Yuan Stones, right?"
"Mm. We can confirm that there must be a Yang Yuan Stone vein within Ironwood Manor." Lei Pi spoke in a deep voice.
Lei Bao slowly nodded, greed and sinister intent flashing in his eyes.
"By the way, Father, I heard that the reason Black Dragon Stronghold's attack on Ironwood Manor failed was because that Lin Yi from the Lin Family killed Yan Kuo and Wu Sha." Lei Pi hesitated before speaking.
"Lin Yi? That little brat from the Lin Family who's only seventeen? How is that possible?" Lei Bao suddenly cried out. His voice had become much sharper from shock.
Lei Pi gave a bitter laugh. "At the very least, it's certain that Lin Yi has broken through to the Heaven Origin Realm."
Lei Bao's aged face twitched several times before suddenly turning ferocious. He said coldly, "Lei Pi, find an opportunity to take care of that brat. As for the Lin Family—heh, they won't be arrogant for much longer either."
"Father, are you about to break through to the Yuan Dan Stage?" Lei Pi's face immediately filled with wild joy.
"When I successfully break through, Qingyang Town will completely become my Lei Family's territory!"
The sinister look at the corners of Lei Bao's mouth deepened. He stared in the direction of Ironwood Manor and gnashed his teeth. "Lin Zhentian, I'll make sure your Lin Family is ruined and your entire family destroyed!"
Deep within the Yang Yuan Stone vein beneath Ironwood Manor.
Lin Yi sat cross-legged inside the cave, where a special Yang Gang Qi seeped out. He cultivated with all his might as the surrounding world energy fluctuated. Threads of Yuan Power surged forth continuously before pouring endlessly into his body.
Aside from ordinary Yuan Power, the special Yang Gang Qi produced in the cave was also constantly absorbed by Lin Yi and fused with the Yuan Power in his body, greatly enhancing its offensive power.
Several dozen Yang Yuan Pills hovered before Lin Yi. Every so often, his mouth would open slightly, and a pill would fly into it on its own.
Under the combined effects of ordinary world energy, special Yang Gang Qi, and Yang Yuan Pills, the total amount of Yuan Power within Lin Yi's body continued to rise.
The Yuan Power mass in his dantian also expanded at an astonishing pace.
As the Yuan Power mass in his dantian rapidly grew, an extremely abundant force suddenly spread through Lin Yi's limbs and bones...
This whole-hearted cultivation lasted an entire day. Only then did Lin Yi slowly open his tightly shut eyes.
"Late Heaven Origin Realm."
Feeling the changes within his body, Lin Yi's face also filled with pleasant surprise.
Two and a half months had passed since the battle at Ironwood Manor.
On the fifth day after Black Dragon Stronghold was destroyed, Lin Yi had successfully broken through to the Mid Heaven Origin Realm.
However, he had not relaxed or slacked off. He continued cultivating with great diligence.
In addition, he had a sufficient supply of Yang Yuan Pills and the assistance of the special Yang Gang Qi inside the cave.
Thus, Lin Yi's cultivation proceeded extremely smoothly. After a little over two months, his cultivation had advanced another step, entering the Late Heaven Origin Realm!
Now, even relying solely on his Yuan Power cultivation, he was strong enough to run rampant through Qingyang Town!
Of course, Lin Yi had not neglected his Spiritual Energy cultivation either. Last time, Lin Xiao had brought back several Spirit Medicines that restored Spiritual Energy. Combined with cultivating using the Spiritual Energy Grinding Mill, his Spiritual Energy was also steadily improving.
"Yi'er, you broke through?" Just as Lin Yi finished breaking through, a voice filled with surprise and delight came from beside him. It was Lin Zhentian, who was cultivating in the same cave.
"I've made a little progress." Lin Yi smiled faintly, then asked, "Grandfather, how much longer until you can break through to the Yuan Dan Stage?"
"Give me another month, and I should be able to give it a try!" Light flashed in Lin Zhentian's eyes. After pondering for a while, he spoke.
"Then congratulations in advance, Grandfather." Lin Yi smiled faintly before continuing, "I'll refine some more Yang Gang Qi for you now."
Lin Zhentian nodded with a smile and sat cross-legged on a rock near the source of the Yang Gang Qi.
Lin Yi said nothing more. He sat down directly behind Lin Zhentian and thrust his right palm toward the empty air, releasing a powerful suction force that drew the violent Yang Gang Qi into his palm.
His left palm pressed against an acupoint on Lin Zhentian's back, continuously pouring the refined Yang Gang Qi into his body.
Three months had passed since they discovered the Yang Gang Qi here. Every three days, Lin Yi would refine some of it and infuse it into Lin Zhentian's body. He had long since become familiar with the process.
This infusion lasted for over an hour.
Only after sensing the suction force coming from Lin Zhentian's body gradually weaken did Lin Yi stop refining the Yang Gang Qi.
"Yi'er, thanks for your hard work."
After a while, Lin Zhentian slowly opened his eyes. Two different hues of light flowed within them, resembling Yin Yang Qi.
"It was nothing." Lin Yi smiled. "It's getting late. Let's head back."
"Mm." Lin Zhentian nodded slightly, then rose and left the mine with Lin Yi, heading toward their lodgings in the manor.
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