Chapter Five : Fangs Beneath The Iron Mine
When Fang Luo saw Fang Ting, he paused for a moment. Though his cultivation was no longer what it had been in his past life, his experience and intuition remained sharp.
He could faintly sense that something had changed about Fang Ting. Something profound. He was clearly not the same man he'd been just a few days ago.
[What exactly did Sixth Uncle go through in the past few days? There's something different about him—could it be… he awakened a special constitution?]
If Fang Luo's cultivation were higher than Fang Ting's, he could simply scan him with spiritual sense and get an answer. But at the moment, he was still just a Body Tempering cultivator. No matter how experienced he was, he couldn't uncover the truth just by looking.
Fang Ting maintained a calm expression.
"Fang Luo, is there something you need?"
Fang Luo came back to his senses and spoke slowly. "Yesterday, I was walking around the city and happened to run into some members of the Zou and Wei families. Normally, the three major clans keep to themselves, rarely interacting. But I noticed those two seemed unusually close—sneaking around like they didn't want to be seen."
"When something seems out of place, it usually is. I suspect they're planning something. Maybe it's time we made some preparations, just in case."
Fang Ting replied, "Most of our clan's assets are within the city. Outside, we only have the Black Iron Mine—and it's one of our main sources of income."
"So if they were planning to target the Fang clan, that's the most likely place to start. I've already stationed people near the mine. If anything happens, I'll be informed immediately."
Fang Luo felt a bit relieved.
[Sixth Uncle really is meticulous. If not for that catastrophe in my previous life, under his leadership, the Fang clan would have continued to flourish.]
Fang Luo gave a bashful smile.
"So you'd already thought of that. I spent all night thinking it over."
Fang Ting chuckled. "Look at you, flattering people now."
[Now that I think about it, it's been at least three or five hundred years since I last flattered anyone.]
Fang Luo added, "Even if they do cause trouble at the mine, their real target is probably you. You're the strongest person in the clan. If you fall, the clan is in real danger."
"So they might use chaos at the mine as a distraction—to draw you out, ambush you on the road, and catch you off guard."
[That was exactly how they killed Sixth Uncle in my previous life. The plan wasn't all that sophisticated, but it was highly effective.]
Fang Ting frowned slightly. "What do you think I should do?"
"Poison."
Fang Luo explained, "They'll be well prepared. Without external help, we wouldn't be able to win in a direct confrontation. They'll likely set up formations to prevent escape. That's when we have to strike first."
"You could purchase a colorless, odorless poison, take the antidote in advance, and then release the poison quietly when they spring the ambush."
Then he added, "This was a suggestion from my master."
That last part was to maintain his disguise as a rookie. It wouldn't make sense for someone who had just begun cultivating to come up with such a ruthless and precise tactic.
Fang Ting's eyes lit up. He slapped the armrest of his chair.
"Excellent plan! I'll arrange for the poison right away."
Since Fang Ting had the Flawless Spirit Body, no poison could affect him—he didn't even need the antidote.
No doubt about it—reborn protagonists have brilliant ideas.
"Oh right, when can we meet your master? I'd love to properly thank him for all he's done for the Fang clan."
Fang Luo responded, "I've mentioned it to him before, but he's used to a solitary life and doesn't like interacting with strangers."
"Ah, I see. What a pity," Fang Ting said, feigning disappointment.
Seeing how easily persuaded Fang Ting was, Fang Luo finally let go of the anxiety he'd been carrying. Once the Zou and Wei families were dealt with, that stone in his heart could fall completely.
After Fang Luo left, Fang Ting immediately sent someone to purchase the most potent poison available, sparing no expense.
Once everything was in place, both he and Fang Luo felt much more at ease.
Two more days passed.
At the Fang clan's Black Iron Mine, 40 miles east of Yunshan City, something unexpected finally happened.
The Zou and Wei families had acted—just not directly.
They didn't send people to cause chaos. Instead, they had captured several powerful demonic beasts and released them into the mining area to create havoc.
This was a clever move. It would lull the Fang clan into thinking this was just a random beast attack—something that had occurred before.
Fang Ting's scouts near the mine reported the disturbance immediately.
"It's time!"
Fang Ting's eyes narrowed, and he shot to his feet. A murderous aura radiated from him.
Today, either the Zou and Wei families die, or they perish. There is no third option.
Fang Ting summoned the seven elders and left the Fang estate.
Once outside the city, he retrieved a small flying vessel. When thrown into the air, it expanded rapidly in the wind, becoming a fifty-feet-long, six-feet-wide gray ship. A carving of a green eagle adorned its hull.
All eight of them boarded the vessel. A protective barrier formed around them to block the wind, and the ship shot off like a streak of light toward the east.
This was the Flying Eagle Boat, the Fang clan's personal flying treasure—a top-grade Yellow-tier artifact.
Cultivation techniques could be shared by many, but weapons and magical tools could only be used by one cultivator at a time, making them far more rare.
The Fang clan had only been cultivating Mystic-tier techniques until recently. Other than Fang Ting, most of them used Yellow-tier weapons. Some of the Body Tempering juniors didn't even have decent gear at all.
Flying treasures were even rarer. Even a top-grade Yellow-tier item like this required a massive number of spirit stones to purchase.
At full speed, the Flying Eagle Boat was as fast as a Profound Core cultivator using sword flight.
The Second Elder asked with confusion, "Clan Leader, even if beasts are attacking the mine, isn't it overkill for all of us to go?"
Only Fang Ting and Fang Luo knew the truth about the plot. The others were still in the dark.
Fang Ting replied, "This is a trap laid by the Zou and Wei families. They've already set up an ambush along the way. What we're doing now is playing along—and then striking back."
The seven elders were shocked.
The First Elder furrowed his brow. "If that's true, then they've likely gathered all their top experts. Just the eight of us… isn't that too few?"
"Exactly. Shouldn't we bring in some help?"
They all knew the three clans had equal overall strength. No one could take on two at once under normal circumstances.
But Fang Ting said with confidence, "Don't worry. I won't fight a battle I'm not sure I can win. Just follow my lead."
Seeing how certain he was, the elders looked at one another, hesitant to question him further.