Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

Black Mountain harbored some doubts about Lynn's breakthrough and was unsure of Lynn's current situation.

However, Heishan thought again that even if Lynn was indeed breaking through, it wouldn't matter.

Having entered the Second Ring Road before him, I already have a significant advantage.

I'll go check it out myself tonight. If he really is at a critical moment for a breakthrough, then I can take this opportunity to get rid of Lynn!

He put down his wine glass, looked around at everyone in the hall, and said in a tone that was neither too loud nor too soft: "Gentlemen, Lin En, the patriarch of the Gray Feather Clan, is currently in seclusion and breaking through to a higher level. He cannot come today."

"Since he is not here, the Witch Crystal Mine belonging to the Gray Feather family will be temporarily taken over by my Black Stone family."

The hall suddenly fell silent.

The clan leaders exchanged glances, their faces showing a hint of surprise.

Montenegro's statement was too direct.

Regardless of whether Lynn was in seclusion or not, you can just take over someone else's mine without even consulting them.

"We'll discuss this further once Chief Lynn successfully breaks through," Black Mountain added, though his tone lacked sincerity.

The thin-faced clan chief opened his mouth as if to say something, but after glancing at Black Mountain's expression, he swallowed his words.

The others also lowered their heads; some picked up their glasses and pretended to drink, while others looked out the window.

No one said a word.

The loss wasn't their own property; it wasn't worth offending a second-ring wizard for the sake of the Grayfeather family.

Everyone here understands this principle.

Seeing that no one objected, Heishan's smile widened even more.

He bent his finger and tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention back.

"Now that everyone's here, let's talk about the redistribution of resource points."

He nodded to the head butler.

The head steward immediately pulled a rolled-up map from his sleeve and spread it on the table.

The map marks the mines, medicinal fields, hunting grounds, and trade routes of more than a dozen surrounding families.

Black Mountain's finger first landed on the central piece of witch crystal mine marked "Grey Ridge".

That was a mine that the Gray Feather family had been operating for generations, and it was also the Gray Feather family's main source of income.

"Since Chief Lynn has not arrived, the Gray Ridge Mine will be temporarily managed by Blackrock City until Chief Lynn emerges from seclusion, at which point we can discuss ownership."

He spoke casually, but everyone could tell that the word "temporary custody" meant there was little chance of the items being returned.

Then Black Mountain moved his finger to the side and pointed to two other mining spots:

"The Bluestone Mine and the Southern Slope Herb Field will be taken over by Blackrock City, and the Blacktooth Family is willing to buy your share at market price."

The two family heads who were mentioned changed their expressions, but after exchanging a glance, they both silently lowered their heads.

Buying at market price is, frankly, a forced purchase, but they are a small family, how could they dare to say no to a second-ring wizard?

Alright, let's cut our losses and survive.

Over the next hour, Black Mountain reshuffled the dozen or so resource points.

The three richest members went to the Black Fang family, while the rest were redistributed according to their relationship to the family, with the stronger members receiving more and the weaker members receiving less.

He had drawn all over the map with a quill pen, making it look like a piece of rag that had been recut.

As the event ended, the heads of the various families rose one after another to say goodbye.

Some people looked ashen-faced, while others forced smiles, but no matter what they thought in their hearts, they all said the same thing: "Chief Black Mountain is wise."

Heishan stood at the door to see the guests off, bowing to each one with a warm smile.

How could he not be happy?

As long as they successfully take over those three most lucrative resource points, the Black Fang family's foundation will increase dramatically, their cultivation resources will become much more abundant, and the entire family will take off completely!

Only after the last clan chief's carriage drove out of the alley did he turn around and return to his courtyard.

The smile on his face slowly faded, revealing a silent and gloomy expression beneath.

"Lynn," he murmured the name, "you'd better really be breaking through, otherwise..."

The head butler stood to the side, not daring to say a word.

The night wind blew across the black flag in the courtyard, making it flutter loudly.

...

Over the next two days, Black Mountain sent his family's secret guards to Graystone City to investigate, mainly to find out Lynn's whereabouts.

The bodyguards were gone for two days, and it was already dark when they returned.

Heishan sat in his study, an account book spread out in front of him, a pen in his hand, but he didn't write a single word.

Hearing the knock on the door, he didn't even look up: "Come in."

The guard pushed open the door and knelt on one knee: "Clan leader, I have important matters to report."

"explain."

"Something strange has happened at the Gray Feather family's shop in Graystone City," the guard said in a low voice.

"My subordinates have learned that the shopkeepers of several shops belonging to the Gray Feather family, who are from collateral branches of the family, have not shown up for several days."

Black Mountain paused, pen in hand: "A few days?"

"It's been at least three or four days. The shop is still open as usual, but only the staff are keeping things running. No one is managing the accounts or checking the inventory."

"The clan chief hasn't shown his face these past few days. Only the clan chief's wife and the young clan chief go out for a walk each day, and they don't stay long before returning to their residence. They don't see any outsiders."

Heishan put down his pen and leaned back: "What did the shop assistants say?"

"The men don't know anything. They just say that the manager gave them a few instructions one night and never came back the next day."

Black Mountain frowned and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest a few times.

When he was planning to target the Gray Feather family, he specifically investigated Lynn's background.

He knew everything about Lynn's cultivation progress, the witchcraft he had mastered, his personality and habits, and the distribution of his family's businesses.

Logically speaking, Lynn will not be able to reach the threshold of the Second Ring Road within five years.

However, just before the banquet, news broke that the Gray Feather Clan had gone into seclusion, and now the clan seems to be shrinking its power and even dismissing its members.

"How long has Lynn been in seclusion?" Black Mountain asked.

"It has been seven or eight days since the Gray Feather family refused the banquet."

Heishan didn't speak, but stood up and walked to the window. The moon was half-hidden by clouds, and the courtyard was pitch black.

He suddenly chuckled.

Lynn went into seclusion, the collateral branches withdrew, and the shopkeeper disappeared.

This is not a seclusion; it is clearly a way to send clansmen away to avoid disaster and preserve the family bloodline.

But what are we running from? And what disaster are we trying to avoid?

Although he was a dark wizard, he only wanted a magic crystal mine from him and did not say he wanted to wipe out his entire family.

Why are the Gray Feather Clan so frightened?

Although it would be more appropriate to wipe out his entire family to prevent future troubles, Black Mountain was only one step ahead in cultivation level, not capable of suppressing all the surrounding families.

If they go too far, the other families will inevitably unite, and then the Black Mountain family will face the risk of extinction.

That's why Black Mountain convened the clan leaders to discuss the allocation of resource points, rather than forcibly occupying them.

But the Gray Feather family's reaction struck him as odd.

Was Lynn overreacting?

"Unless he's encountered something bigger than the Witch Crystal Mine," Black Mountain thought to himself.

"Or perhaps he wasn't even in the family, or maybe he's even dead!"