The voice was crisp and loud, but hardly pleasant. At the very least, the people of Fang City felt rather offended.

Cheng Gong was not stupid. Suffering sudden bouts of dizziness twice in a row was clearly no coincidence. Staring at Tang Yan with deep wariness, he charged forward once more.

"Great Flameburst!"

Cheng Gong unleashed his martial skill yet again.

"Unrepentant!" Tang Yan snorted lightly. After spinning three consecutive times, he drove the fourth punch of the Thousand Mountains Fist straight toward Cheng Gong.

A bone-white flame flickered and vanished.

Although Cheng Gong was already on high alert, the Soul-Refining Fire was a spiritual flame born of heaven and earth. It was extremely difficult for ordinary cultivators to guard against. The dizziness struck once more, causing even his True Qi to scatter.

Bang! Already in poor condition, Cheng Gong finally failed to hold his ground against Tang Yan's strike and was sent staggering back.

Tang Yan pressed his advantage, stepping in to deliver another punch.

"Stop-"

Bang!

Before Fang Wentian could finish shouting, Tang Yan's fist had already slammed into Cheng Gong.

This punch showed no mercy. Cheng Gong was blasted backward, crashing heavily onto the ground. He lay there gasping for breath, unable to rise. A wooden token tumbled from his robes, clearly marked with the number "Five."

At this moment, the third match concluded, with Du Shu of Qing City claiming victory.

"What is the meaning of this?" Fang Wentian demanded sharply.

Tang Yan sneered inwardly. Had they really been blind to Cheng Gong picking a fight just moments ago? He took a step forward and replied calmly, "Young Master Cheng has urgent business tonight and wished to finish his match early. Seeing that I held the same number token as him, he decided to spar with me right here offstage."

Although Tang Yan's excuse was utterly absurd, it provided Fang Wentian with a perfect way to step down gracefully.

After all, Cheng Gong had been the one to stir up trouble in another city's resting area. If they truly pursued the matter, the blame would ultimately fall on Fang City.

"Cheng Gong, is this true?" Fang Wentian looked down at him.

"More... more or less..." Unable to think of a better response on the spot, Cheng Gong stammered his admission.

"Then in this battle, you have lost." Looking at Cheng Gong with profound disappointment, Fang Wentian's tone was laced with reproach.

"Tang Yan wins!" A cry erupted from the crowd. "I knew I should have bet on both of Yun City's contestants!"

The spectators suddenly realized something-the odds placed on Tang Yan were astronomical!

"Grandfather, we won a hundred million taels of silver!" Shen He exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Shen Shan was equally surprised. Having watched Tang Yan's first two matches, he had assumed the boy would struggle against the Four Young Masters of the East Domain. He had been fully prepared to lose that hundred million taels of silver, yet it had turned into a massive profit.

"To think that such a remarkable person like Young Master Tang exists in this small Eastern Region. If he had been born in the Northern Spirit Realm, I imagine he would be stirring up the winds and clouds among their younger generation as well," Shen Shan sighed in admiration.

...

"Isn't Yun City a bit too strong? Out of the top five in the Eastern Region Grand Competition, Yun City actually secured two spots!"

"It's terrifying. Just what happened in Yun City? They've always been at the bottom, yet their progress this time is monstrous."

The crowd buzzed with endless discussions about Yun City, while the smile on Lin Xiao's face could no longer be contained.

Tallying up his recent strokes of good fortune: his wife's facial scars had vanished, his daughter's strength had surged, and now Yun City had shocked the world at the Eastern Region Grand Competition, its status rising with the tide... It seemed that ever since he met that brat Tang Yan, his life had become exceptionally smooth sailing.

...

After the competition ended, Tang Yan was about to follow Lin Xiao back to the Myriad Directions Tower.

"Little Brother Tang, please wait." An aged voice called out.

Tang Yan turned to look and saw Shen Shan waving at him.

Lin Xiao also recognized the man. It was the wealthy elder who had wagered a hundred million taels of silver on Tang Yan.

"If you have matters to attend to, go ahead," Lin Xiao said with a smile.

"Who is that person?" Lin Dongxue asked bluntly.

"A new friend I met a couple of days ago while out. He doesn't seem to be from Tingxiang. I'll go see what he needs."

Tang Yan excused himself and walked toward Shen Shan.

"Old Brother Shen, Little He, we meet again," Tang Yan greeted with a smile.

"The Eastern Region Grand Competition just happened to begin, so I brought He'er to take a look. I never expected that you would be participating as well, little brother. Young Master Tang, to win against someone of a higher cultivation rank-that was truly a brilliant display!" Shen Shan praised sincerely.

"My strength is only at the Black Rank, after all. The gap of a single minor grade isn't too vast. I merely won by a stroke of luck," Tang Yan replied modestly.

Shen Shan's curiosity grew even deeper. Though this young man's cultivation was low, his temperament was exceptional. Just what kind of master could raise such an outstanding disciple?

"You are too modest, little brother. Come, let us go to the inn where I am staying to chat."

Shen Shan ushered Tang Yan into a carriage. A quarter of an hour later, they arrived at a restaurant beside Purple Heart Lake.

Stepping into the establishment, they walked straight through to the rear courtyard and out onto a long viewing corridor.

Leaning against the wooden railing, the beautiful scenery of Purple Heart Lake stretched out before them.

However, the restaurant was unusually deserted. Aside from the waiting staff, there wasn't a single guest. In a bustling area like Purple Heart Lake, such an empty hall was truly puzzling.

Seeming to notice Tang Yan's surprise, Shen Shan explained, "I dislike the noise, so I simply rented out the entire building. We will be leaving tonight."

Renting an entire restaurant just to avoid noise-such a gesture was incredibly extravagant.

But remembering the sum Shen Shan had wagered today, Tang Yan understood. A trifling amount of silver like this probably meant absolutely nothing to the old man.

Tang Yan cupped his hands in respect, then shifted his gaze to Shen He. He asked in confusion, "Old Brother, did you call me here because there is a problem with the mental cultivation method I provided for Little He?"

Hearing Tang Yan's words, Shen Shan took a deep breath, forcing down his rising excitement. He spoke slowly, "There is no problem. In fact, the effects have vastly exceeded my expectations. It has only been three days, yet Little He's cultivation has already reached the Origin Rank Third Grade!"

Tang Yan was startled. Three grades in three days? That speed was simply heaven-defying!

"Has Little He consumed any spiritual medicines recently?" Tang Yan asked.

"Fearing that his body wouldn't be able to handle the strain, I only gave him a single low-grade Second Rank Pill. This rate of advancement... never mind you, even I was given a fright." A glint of sheer joy flashed in Shen Shan's eyes.

Tang Yan carefully inspected Shen He for a moment, then had the boy extend his arm so he could press two fingers to his pulse. After a short while, Tang Yan released his grip and smiled. "Over the years, Little He has consumed countless miraculous Spirit Pills. Because he was unable to cultivate, a massive amount of spiritual energy simply pooled and stagnated within his body.

"Now that he has a proper cultivation method, those residual pill energies are finally being catalyzed. I believe he will reach the Yellow Rank very soon.

"In the future, when administering pills to him, try your best to avoid any with fire attributes."

Hearing Tang Yan's explanation, Shen Shan experienced a sudden realization. He had been secretly worried that his grandson's overly rapid breakthrough might leave hidden flaws, but it turned out this was the reason all along.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Shen Shan thanked Tang Yan. Then, a brief flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes.

"If you have something on your mind, Old Brother, please speak freely," Tang Yan said with a smile.

"I was just wondering... who exactly is your master, little brother?" Shen Shan asked.

"This..." Tang Yan paused, caught slightly off guard, before offering a wry smile. "My master comes and goes without a trace. He is indifferent by nature and remains aloof from worldly affairs. I don't even know his true title, and I rarely see him more than a few times a year."

Taking Tang Yan's answer at face value, Shen Shan nodded in understanding. He took another deep breath and asked, "I wonder... has your esteemed master ever spoken to you about the concept of 'Force'?"