Before long, Lin Xuan, Lin Dong, and the four beasts reached Black Dragon Stronghold.
The bandits inside were terrified of the Fire Python Tigers and Black Iron Demon Leopard, especially seeing Lin Xuan atop the leopard. They immediately ran to inform the leader.
They remembered this killing god.....once easily defeating Yan Kuo and the other three leaders.
"Young Master Lin Xuan, you've arrived!"
Xiong Wei excitedly ran over, bowing.
"Good, you behaved well. Didn't run," Lin Xuan said, giving Xiong Wei an approving glance.
"Now, send your men to scout the road from Yancheng.
If you spot Xie Qian, report to me immediately."
"Yes, Young Master Lin!" Xiong Wei immediately summoned his trusted subordinates.
"Young Master Lin, are you planning to strike the Xie family?"
"Not planning. I've already acted. The Tianyuan-level members of the Lei and Xie families are dead. Only Xie Qian escaped to Yancheng.
I'm here to intercept him," Lin Xuan said calmly.
"Uh… you killed them just the other night. You probably didn't know."
Gulp! Xiong Wei swallowed hard. He couldn't accept this news immediately.
But recalling Lin Xuan instantly killing Yan Kuo and the others, he felt it was no big deal.
"How's your control over the surrounding bandits? Unified them?"
Lin Xuan probed the stronghold. There were only slightly over a hundred people.
"After Yan Kuo and the other leaders died, the men scattered.
The ones left are my brothers," Xiong Wei sighed. His strength was still unreliable.
"Any stronger bandit forces nearby?"
"A few…"
"Good. Take me to deal with them."
Lin Xuan changed the topic. "You must have gathered the treasures in Black Dragon Stronghold. Show me."
Xiong Wei led Lin Xuan to the treasury. "The previous stash is here.
None has been touched, waiting for you to inspect."
The treasury was full of items. Lin Xuan used spiritual power to scan.
He remembered that in the original story, Lin Dong obtained a piece of Broken Yuan Xuang Steel, usable to forge spiritual weapons.
"Found it!"
Lin Xuan opened a chest, seeing a black metal roughly half the size of a head.
After scanning, nothing else was appealing.
"I only need this. Leave the rest for developing the stronghold."
"Thank you, Young Master Lin!" Xiong Wei expressed his joy.
After storing the steel, Lin Xuan exited the treasury.
"Now, let's visit those bandit camps you mentioned."
"Yes!"
Three days later, Lin Xuan and Xiong Wei had cleared two Tianyuan-level bandit forces.
They approached a third, called Lieyan Mountain.
"Huh!"
Lin Xuan suddenly exclaimed upon seeing it.
He had been practicing Insight Eye Technique. Under its effect, he faintly sensed massive Yang Gang energy within the mountain itself.
Others would hardly notice.
The Insight Eye Technique, enhanced by spiritual power, could see energy flows hidden beneath surfaces.
Just like human Yuan power circulation, invisible from the outside, but Lin Xuan could detect it.
Nearby mountains were calm, but Lieyan Mountain showed red-hot Yang Gang energy below.
"With such dense Yang Gang energy… could this be another Yang Yuan Stone vein?"
Lin Xuan's heart stirred. "Move, speed up."
At Lieyan Mountain, the leader was only early Tianyuan.
Lin Xuan didn't even need to act. Seeing the Black Iron Demon Leopard, the leader surrendered immediately.
Lin Xuan accepted him. Bandits with this sense of timing made excellent laborers.
If there's a mine, they become expert miners.
"Start digging!"
Lin Xuan ordered. The bandits obeyed.
He communicated with Chi Ling nearby; she sensed the Yang Gang energy too, buried deep—much deeper than at Tiemu Village.
Lin Xuan was nearly certain it was a Yang Yuan Stone vein and created a task.
[Task: Obtain a Yang Yuan Stone vein. Reward: One bag of Yang Yuan Pills]
Indeed, the second time creating the same task yielded slightly lesser rewards.
One bag of Yang Yuan Pills was still good… Lin Xuan smiled and urged Xiong Wei and others to dig faster.
With the two Tianyuan-level leaders working hard, they reached 100 meters deep in two hours.
"Found it! Yang Yuan Stone! There really is a vein here."
Xiong Wei held the first stone, cheering.
"Insight Eye Technique is effective," Lin Xuan thought, silently praising it.
Finding the vein energized the bandits...they began digging frantically.
"You two will guard this mine. I take 70%, you get 10% each. The remaining 10% rewards your men."
"No more banditry. Reform and become miners. I'll try to find more mines for you."
"Work diligently, and I won't treat you unfairly."
Lin Xuan lectured the two leaders.
The mountain range was vast, connected to the Tianyan Mountains.
He estimated more veins were hidden and intended to find them all, making full use of Insight Eye Technique.
"Yes, Young Master Lin!"
The two responded excitedly and firmly.
No one would want to stay a bandit with mining opportunities.
Though Lin Xuan's words were slightly exaggerated.....mines aren't that easy to find....he was still delighted by discovering the Yang Yuan Stone vein.
Just then, a fast horse approached Lieyan Mountain.
One of Xiong Wei's trusted men reported after dismounting:
"Young Master Lin, I found traces of Xie Qian!"
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