The fiery red shadow, like a ball of flame, streaked through the forest. Lin Dong, sitting on the tiger's back, heard Xie Qian's angry roar from behind and merely sneered.
Although he was currently still at the middle stage of the Heavenly Origin Realm, if Lin Dong were to unleash a mental force attack, killing Xie Qian was not impossible. However, his main task right now was to ensure Liu Yan and her group safely reached Ironwood Manor, so he didn't want to waste too much time entangled with them here.
Otherwise, today he would have let the Xie family experience what it meant to suffer heavy losses.
As Lin Dong was contemplating this, Xiao Yan had already burst out of the forest. The scene before them had become much brighter. He looked up and saw Liu Yan and her group standing anxiously on a small mound not far away.
"Young Master Lin Dong is back!"
Luo Ling, with his sharp eyes, immediately spotted the fiery red figure rushing towards them. A look of joy instantly appeared on his face as he shouted loudly.
Hearing the shout, Liu Yan and the others quickly turned their gaze. After seeing him safe and sound, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Uncle Luo Ling, let's go."
Xiao Yan, like a whirlwind, charged onto the small mound. He casually tossed aside the blood-stained iron sword he was holding and said with a smile to Luo Ling.
Luo Ling's gaze swept over Lin Dong. At this moment, his entire body was covered in bloodstains. Xiao Yan, below him, still had blood and flesh in his wide mouth. Looking at their appearance, it was clear they had just gone through an extremely fierce battle. But what astonished him was that even after such a battle, Lin Dong seemed as vigorous as a dragon and a tiger, showing no signs of weakness.
"Young Master Lin Dong, where are the Xie family members?" Luo Ling asked cautiously, worried.
"Half of them are dead. As for Xie Qian, he probably wouldn't dare to pursue us here," Lin Dong said casually.
Hearing this, Luo Ling's face couldn't help but twitch. Only now did he understand why the remaining guards were so confident. It turned out that the strength of this young master of the Lin family had reached a considerably high level.
Although it was inconceivable for someone of his age to have reached such a level, Luo Ling quickly accepted the fact. To be able to kill half of the Xie family's forces under Xie Qian's disdainful gaze was enough to show that Lin Dong's strength was immense, so much so that even someone as powerful as Xie Qian could do nothing.
"Mother, it's alright now. Let's return to Ironwood Manor," Lin Dong said with a smile to Liu Yan.
"You... this child." Seeing Lin Dong covered in fresh blood, Liu Yan's eyes reddened with heartache. She stepped forward with a cotton cloth and continuously wiped him clean.
Lin Dong casually allowed Liu Yan to wipe the bloodstains from his body. Then, he waved his hand, leading the group quickly towards Ironwood Manor. Approximately two hours later, Ironwood Manor appeared in their sight.
On the courtyard wall of Ironwood Manor, Lin Xiao and the others had been waiting anxiously ever since Lin Dong led the group away, remaining there the entire time. However, this anxiety finally subsided when a familiar group of figures appeared in the distance.
"The waves behind push the waves ahead, this young lad... truly speechless." Seeing a fiery red figure rapidly approaching, Lin Mang couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. They knew Xie Qian's strength very well, but Lin Dong had once again brought them a pleasant surprise.
Under Lin Dong's guidance, this final group of Lin family members successfully entered Ironwood Manor. Hearing the cheers from all around, Lin Dong couldn't help but shake his head.
"Mother!"
Lin He quickly jumped down from the courtyard wall and then threw herself into the arms of the woman accompanying Liu Yan, tears streaming down her face. This time, she had been quite frightened.
"Lin Dong, thank you."
After Lin He nestled into her mother's embrace, she turned around and couldn't help but gently hug Lin Dong, whispering.
"We're family, no need to be so polite," Lin Dong said with a smile.
"Dong'er, are you alright?" Lin Xiao and the others also gathered around, their eyes a little nervous as they looked at the thick bloodstains on Lin Dong's body.
Seeing the anxious gazes of Lin Xiao and the others, Lin Dong smiled and shook his head.
Seeing that Lin Dong was unharmed, Lin Xiao and the others all breathed a sigh of relief.
"That scoundrel Xie Qian, we must settle this grudge with them properly!" Lin Mang said with a hint of malice.
"As long as Father successfully breaks through, we won't need to fear the Lei and Xie families anymore. At that time, our Lin family can still seek an opportunity to enter Yan City, and the development there will far surpass what we can achieve now," Lin Xiao said.
"Yes, during this time, I will send people to pay full attention to every move of the Lei and Xie families."
Lin Qian nodded, then closed the manor gate, ordering the entire manor to enter a state of alert. After that, he led the group of family members into the manor to rest properly.
***
After all the family members had been withdrawn to Ironwood Manor, the Lin family chose to seal off the manor gates, no longer having any contact with the Lei and Xie families.
As for the Lin family's actions, the Lei and Xie families also chose to remain silent, not thinking of uniting to attack. This somewhat strange scene left observers a little puzzled. After all, everyone knew that the Lin family and the Lei family were now like fire and water, and given the Lei family's temperament, they certainly wouldn't be so easily benevolent...
However, although the actions of both sides were a bit strange, some people could still sense the tense atmosphere between the two families. Sensitive people understood that a true confrontation between the two sides was merely a matter of time.
***
Under this defensive standoff, a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Behind Ironwood Manor, on a towering mountain peak, Lin Dong sat cross-legged. From here, he could overlook the entire Ironwood Manor at the foot of the mountain. During this time, worried that someone might disturb Lin Zhentian, who was in seclusion, he had secretly taken action, monitoring the surroundings of Ironwood Manor.
However, what made him feel a little fortunate and suspicious was that the expected attack never materialized. The Lei and Xie families, during this period, were actually more silent than their Lin family.
"What in the world are those people up to?" Lin Dong muttered softly. The Lei and Xie families now regarded his Lin family as a thorn in their side, a splinter in their flesh. There was no way they could remain so quiet and still. If not, then they were very likely plotting something.
"It won't be that easy to destroy my Lin family."
Lin Dong chuckled coldly, a strange light flickering in his eyes. In this past month, his cultivation of Yuan Power still showed no signs of a breakthrough, but he was becoming increasingly proficient in controlling his mental energy. Moreover, the successful condensation of his Natal Talisman Seal further significantly boosted his mental energy.
Now, every time he fully circulated the mental energy within his Niwan Palace, his heart would be filled with an extreme sense of powerful confidence. This made Lin Dong feel as if even late-stage Heaven Yuan Realm experts would be unable to resist him.
"I wonder, with my current mental energy, can I truly contend with a Yuan Dan Realm expert?"
Lin Dong's eyes suddenly lit up, becoming much more fervent. Such a thought, if it were in the past, he probably wouldn't even dare to entertain. But now that he had discovered and understood the formidable power of his own mental energy, his past awe towards Yuan Dan Realm experts had faded considerably.
His heart warmed slightly at this thought, but in an instant, Lin Dong felt helpless. Yuan Dan Realm experts were not easily found. He wouldn't even have the opportunity to spar with one.
"Today, it seems there are no problems."
Lin Dong rose from the rock, gazing into the distance, then suddenly chuckled. His body moved as if to return to the manor. However, just as his body moved, he felt a keen sensation. He immediately stopped, his gaze shifting towards a secluded room deep within the Ironwood Manor. At that moment, a powerful, suffocating surge of Yuan Power suddenly erupted from there!
"Such powerful Yuan Power fluctuations..."
Watching the Yuan Power form a vortex in the air deep within the Ironwood Manor, Lin Dong couldn't help but take a deep breath. Then, a look of ecstatic joy appeared in his eyes. Lin Zhentian had finally successfully broken through!