Forcibly Breaking into Ironwood Manor, One Against Three

Lin Yan was unaware of the story that had unfolded between Lin Ken and Lin Xia after he had departed.

He headed straight for the main hall of the clan, arriving before its doors shortly thereafter.

"Uncle Yu, Uncle Yue, I have something to discuss with Grandfather. Could you please let me through?"

As he approached the entrance, he spotted the two guards stationed on either side. Lin Yan cupped his hands toward them and said with a smile.

"So it is Lin Yan."

"The Clan Head has already given word: if you have business, you are to enter directly without the need for notification."

"Please!"

The two guards treated Lin Yan with exceptional kindness, bordering on reverence. While others wishing to see Lin Zhentian were required to announce themselves and await his approval, Lin Yan was exempt from this process. They bowed to him and promptly stepped aside to let him pass.

"Many thanks, Uncles."

Lin Yan thanked the two men and walked straight into the hall.

Inside, Lin Zhentian had just finished his cultivation and was taking a moment to sip some tea. Seeing Lin Yan arrive, a kind, grandfatherly smile instantly appeared on his aged face.

"Yan'er is here! Hahaha, sit!"

"What brings you here today? How did you find the time to visit your grandfather?"

"Someone, prepare a teacup for Yan'er. Let him taste this new tea of mine."

Lin Zhentian laughed heartily. When facing Lin Yan, he shed all the airs of a Clan Head, acting instead with the warmth and care of an elder.

Lin Yan thanked Lin Zhentian and then produced the medicinal liquid.

"Grandfather, I came today to bring you a gift."

Lin Zhentian looked at the vials with some confusion. "Yan'er, what is this?"

Lin Yan smiled and explained the effects of the liquid to Lin Zhentian: "This is a medicinal liquid for cultivation, suitable for practitioners in the Body Tempering Realm. I obtained the formula from an expert by chance; with this liquid, I was able to improve by several levels in just a few months."

"I had some free time today, so I bought some medicinal herbs and brewed a batch to bring to you."

Lin Zhentian's eyes lit up as he looked at the vials as if they were precious treasures.

He trusted Lin Yan implicitly, and it was precisely because of this trust that he understood the true value of the liquid.

To improve by several levels in a few months—even in the Body Tempering Realm—was a terrifying feat!

Lin Zhentian asked cautiously, "Yan'er, these herbs must be very expensive, right?"

Lin Yan replied with a smile, "Grandfather, don't worry about that. Consider these a small gift from me. If you see any juniors in the clan with decent talent whom you wish to nurture, you can use these to aid their cultivation. The medicinal properties are mild and won't harm their bodies; adding them to water for a bath will be highly beneficial."

Lin Zhentian looked deeply at Lin Yan, engraving this gesture into his heart.

He then let out a hearty laugh. "Good, good, good! In that case, Grandfather will accept your gift."

"As I've said before, if you ever need anything in the Lin Clan, just tell your grandfather. Don't be a stranger."

"Come, drink your tea!"

Lin Yan began to drink his tea, and having set the matter aside, he began to chat with Lin Zhentian about daily life and cultivation.

The two enjoyed a pleasant conversation. In truth, this was the first time Lin Zhentian had engaged in such an in-depth discussion with Lin Yan. This exchange gave him a new perspective on the boy; he was a fine child, truly worthy of being treated with sincerity.

Lin Yan did not intend to stay long, however, and after a brief chat, he prepared to leave.

Lin Zhentian casually pressed a bag of silver into his hand and added, "Oh, that's right, Yan'er. Tomorrow, your Uncle Xiao and the others are going to take over the Ironwood Manor. You should go with them; get out more and broaden your horizons. Even in cultivation, one must remember to balance work and rest."

Lin Yan nodded in agreement.

As soon as he stepped out of the hall, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Ironwood Manor, is it?"

"If I recall correctly, that's a rather special dungeon. I believe it even has a Yang Origin Stone Mine."

"I should be able to 'check-in' at a place like that, right?"

As he walked home, pondering the matter, Lin Yan thought that doing good deeds really did have its rewards. If he hadn't come to see Lin Zhentian today, the old man likely wouldn't have sought him out, and he might have wasted a check-in opportunity.

The more he thought about it, the more expectant he became. Could he check in at Ironwood Manor? And if he could, what kind of rewards would he receive?

The next day, at the main gate of the Lin Clan, dozens of fine horses stood in neat rows, mounted by some of the clan's best fighters.

Lin Ken and Lin Xiao were naturally among them. As the two Heaven Origin Realm experts of the Lin Clan, they had to personally oversee such an important task as taking over the Ironwood Manor.

The most eye-catching of them all, however, was Lin Dong, who rode out atop his Fire Python Tiger, looking imposing and majestic.

Lin Yan appeared far more ordinary, mounted on one of the horses. Although he possessed a Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python, it was, unfortunately, not yet suitable for riding.

"Taking over the Ironwood Manor is important, but you must also protect Lin Yan and Lin Dong well. Do not let any accidents befall them, or I will not forgive you." At the gate, Lin Zhentian saw them off, though he gave Lin Xiao and Lin Ken a stern warning before they departed.

"Rest assured, Father." The two men agreed immediately.

Lin Xiao treated Lin Yan as if he were his own son, and while Lin Ken was perhaps less expressive, he understood the immense significance Lin Yan and Lin Dong held for the Lin Clan. He would risk his life to ensure their safety.

The group soon set off, heading straight toward the Ironwood Manor.

The Ironwood Manor was a well-known estate near Green Sun Town, famous for its production of ironwood. This wood was as hard as refined iron, resistant to both fire and water, and possessed a dense, heavy texture that made it perfect for crafting weapons and constructing buildings.

Demand for this ironwood had always been high, and for years, the Lei Clan had profited handsomely from the manor.

But those days were in the past. Today, the Lin Clan was arriving to take over, and from this point forward, the Ironwood Manor would have nothing more to do with the Lei Clan.

Lin Xiao and the others traveled for about half the morning, finally arriving at the outskirts of Ironwood Manor by midday. However, upon approaching the manor, they discovered the main gates were tightly locked, clearly signaling that no strangers were welcome.

Lin Xiao and his group were obviously not going to retreat over such a trivial matter, so they continued forward. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before they were intercepted by members of the Lei Clan.

"Halt! This is Lei Clan territory. No entry without permission."

Lin Xiao had anticipated this. He let out a deep shout, his voice spreading like a thunderclap to echo throughout the entire manor: "Send out the person in charge! Today, the Lin Clan has come to take over Ironwood Manor!"

The Lei Clan was clearly prepared. As soon as Lin Xiao's voice faded, two figures quickly emerged. "I say, isn't the Lin Clan being a bit too impatient? If you want to handle the handover, go to the Lei Clan and process the paperwork first!"

"Indeed, Brother Lin Ken, Brother Lin Xiao. Since our Lei Clan promised to hand over Ironwood Manor, we will not go back on our word. Why be in such a hurry and ruin the harmony between our two clans? How about this: give us five more days. After five days, we will hand over Ironwood Manor to you. How does that sound?"

The two speakers were Lei Ying and Lei Nuo. One played the bad cop while the other played the good cop, but their core objective remained the same: to keep them from entering Ironwood Manor.

Lin Xiao and Lin Ken frowned upon hearing this.

Lin Yan, however, felt that something was wrong, though he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

Sigh, my memory. Ever since I arrived in the Martial Movement World, the longer I stay, the more details I seem to forget.

I only remember that Ironwood Manor has a Yang Origin Stone Mine, but I've completely forgotten what actually happened here.

It's truly a headache.

Lin Yan scratched his head as he pondered.

"Brother Lin Yan, I think they are intentionally stalling for time. Why don't we sneak into the manor? Let's see what kind of medicine they're hiding in their gourd."

Lin Dong's thoughts shifted, and he made the suggestion to Lin Yan.

Lin Yan nodded in agreement. "Let's go!"

They acted immediately. The two quickly bypassed the line of sight, set off from the woods, and before long, they had quietly snuck into the interior of Ironwood Manor.

However, the scene that appeared before them made their eyelids twitch uncontrollably.

They quickly discovered that the Lei Clan had arranged a large group of men to frantically chop down trees, even dousing the ground with large quantities of chemicals in an attempt to destroy the land.

Clearly, the Lei Clan's intention was mutual destruction. Since they couldn't have Ironwood Manor, they didn't want the Lin Clan to profit from it either, which was why they kept stalling the Lin Clan—to buy time to complete this massive project.

"Those bastards!"

Lin Dong cursed in annoyance.

Lin Yan scanned the Lei Clan guards who were providing security ahead.

There were fourteen guards in total, three of whom had reached the Earth Origin Realm. Among those three, two were at the early stage of the Earth Origin Realm, and one was at the late stage.

As for the others, most were martial artists at the seventh or eighth level of the Body Tempering Realm.

Lin Dong explained to Lin Yan, "Brother Lin Yan, I recognize those men. The one at the late stage of the Earth Origin Realm is called Lei Shan; he is the strongest in the Lei Clan aside from those Heaven Origin Realm experts. As for the two at the early stage of the Earth Origin Realm, one is called Dai En, a former bandit who later became a guard for the Lei Clan. The other is his brother."

Lin Dong originally wanted to charge in directly, but upon closer thought, the opposition had the numbers. There were only two of them, and with Lei Shan at the late Earth Origin Realm present, they risked capsizing in the gutter if they forced a confrontation.

However, Lin Yan made his decision. "Lin Dong, you, Little Yan, and my pet, Xiao Cai, handle those in the Body Tempering Realm. Leave the three Earth Origin Realm experts to me."

Lin Dong's brows twitched slightly, and he said in a daze, "Brother Lin Yan, those are three Earth Origin Realm experts. Won't that be too much for you? Why don't I help you share the load?"

Lin Yan replied with a faint smile, "I can handle it. Besides, if you clear your side quickly, you can come and help me, can't you?"

As he finished speaking, Lin Yan released the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python and issued his command, then charged forward without another word.

Lin Dong, trailing behind, felt quite helpless, but since things had reached this point, he could only follow Lin Yan's instructions.

Lin Dong muttered to himself, "In that case, Brother Lin Yan, you must hold on."

"I'll come to assist you as soon as I defeat these bastards!"