"Since no one wishes to challenge them, Yun City's places for the Eastern Region Grand Competition shall be provisionally set as Tang Yan, Lin Dongxue, and Liu Zhi. Patriarch Liu, once Liu Zhi awakens, inform him to gather at the City Lord's Manor ten days from now. We will travel to Fang City together." Lin Xiao gave Liu Wuhui the order.

"I shall obey the City Lord's wishes!"

Liu Wuhui was deeply anxious. His precious grandson had been beaten by that brat Tang Yan until it was hard to say whether he would live or die. After giving Lin Xiao a hurried farewell, he rushed back toward the Liu Family.

Lin Xiao looked at Tang Yan with a meaningful gaze.

This young man had brought him far too many shocks. Only today did Lin Xiao realize, with some astonishment, that he could no longer quite see through Tang Yan.

Whether in schemes or in strength, what this young man revealed never seemed to be his strongest side.

Yun City had placed at the bottom of the Eastern Region Grand Competition for several sessions in a row. Lin Xiao had long been holding back a flame in his heart.

He had originally thought that this year, even if Yun City did not end up last, it would at most linger somewhere near the lower ranks.

But Tang Yan's forceful rise had given Lin Xiao a trace of expectation.

Under the crowd's astonished and awed gazes, Tang Yan returned to the Tang Family's side.

Old Master Tang had not seen Tang Yan for two months. He had countless things he wanted to say to him. Once the selection ended, he had no desire to linger and pulled Tang Yan back toward the Tang Family.

The moment they boarded the carriage, Old Master Tang could no longer hold himself back. He grabbed Tang Yan excitedly and asked, "When did you break through to Yellow Rank ninth grade?"

"About twenty days ago, I think?" Tang Yan could not remember clearly either.

"Good, very good!" Old Master Tang was quite excited. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "When you fought Liu Zhi, where did that martial skill you used at the end come from?"

"It wasn't a new martial skill. It was the Thousand Mountains Fist we won at the Heavenly Treasure Auction House last time. That fist art was never a fragment at all, but a complete martial skill. I can't determine its exact rank yet, but I'm certain it's above Black Rank!" Tang Yan said solemnly.

"Black Rank!"

Old Master Tang's mind shook violently.

In Yun City, even Yellow Rank cultivation methods were exceedingly rare. Just what kind of absurd luck had this boy stumbled into?

The Flame Burst Palm his mother had left him was at least Black Rank, and even a martial skill he casually bought at an auction was also at least Black Rank?

With so many fortunate matters falling upon Tang Yan one after another, Old Master Tang felt it all seemed unreal.

Especially when Tang Yan had crossed three grades in just two months. No matter how he thought about it, it felt almost fantastical.

He studied his grandson carefully, then asked tentatively, "You truly reached Yellow Rank ninth grade? You didn't use some secret art to forcefully raise your strength?"

"It isn't Yellow Rank ninth grade." Tang Yan shook his head.

Seeing Tang Yan deny it, Old Master Tang felt a faint disappointment, yet also felt this was how things should be. He comforted him, "Eighth grade is already very strong. Cultivate diligently. Breaking through to ninth grade is only a matter of time."

"It isn't Yellow Rank eighth grade either!" Tang Yan shook his head again.

"What? Not eighth grade either?"

Old Master Tang's eyes widened, and he said in annoyance, "Before you left, didn't you say your strength had already reached seventh grade?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Old Master Tang realized his tone had been a little too harsh, and his attitude softened again.

"But that is normal too. Before you left, you had only just broken through to Yellow Rank seventh grade. Spending two months consolidating your strength is already quite good. There is still one month before the Eastern Region Grand Competition. If you keep working hard this month, you'll have a chance to step into eighth grade!"

Tang Yan was a little dazed.

In his previous life, he had heard of upgrading from junior college to university, but never downgrading the other way.

Scratching his head, he said quietly, "I'm already Black Rank first grade."

"I know, I know... huh!"

Old Master Tang felt as if he had been choked by the air itself. His eyes widened as he stared at Tang Yan and asked in disbelief, "What did you say?"

"Grandfather, you didn't hear wrong. It's exactly as you heard!"

Seeing Old Master Tang look as if he had been frightened, Tang Yan almost wanted to slap himself twice.

If he had simply admitted he was Yellow Rank ninth grade earlier, would there have been so many twists and turns?

"It truly is Black Rank?"

Old Master Tang believed he had encountered plenty of astonishing matters over the past several decades, but all of them added together were not as fierce as what had happened today.

"Why would I lie to you?" Tang Yan nodded with certainty.

"Good! Good! Good!"

After praising him three times in a row, Old Master Tang actually could not find the right words to praise his own grandson.

"How did your strength break through to Black Rank in these two months?" Old Master Tang was extremely curious about Tang Yan's experiences.

Under Old Master Tang's repeated questioning, Tang Yan avoided the heavier parts and briefly spoke of his time tempering himself outside.

Although Tang Yan had greatly softened the cruelty of those experiences, Old Master Tang could still sense just how much hardship he had endured.

"You've suffered." Old Master Tang's eyes grew faintly moist.

"Grandfather, your meridians were injured when you were young, weren't they?" Tang Yan changed the subject.

Hearing Tang Yan's words, Tang Ling sighed and said, "Those are old matters. Everything can wait until your strength reaches Heaven Rank. How did you know?"

"Master saw it. He refined several Pills and told me to bring them to you. I heard they are very effective in repairing meridians!"

Tang Yan took two porcelain bottles from his robes and said, "This is the Meridian-Nourishing Spirit Pill. It can repair most problems with the meridians. This is the Essence-Stabilizing Pill. It can stabilize the Spiritual Qi in the Dantian."

Tang Yan hesitated for a moment, then took out another porcelain bottle.

"This is called a Yang Pill. It contains an enormous amount of Spiritual Qi. Only experts at the peak of Black Rank can take it. After taking it, there is an eighty percent chance of stepping into Earth Rank! But Master repeatedly warned that Grandfather's Dantian and meridians must be completely stabilized before you take it!"

As Tang Yan explained the Pills one by one, Old Master Tang's heart clenched violently.

He took the bottles in excitement and asked in astonishment, "They can truly repair the Dantian and Meridians?"

"Master said they would be effective for Grandfather!" Tang Yan said confidently.

Tang Ling had already placed immense trust in Tang Yan's mysterious master. Now that he heard Tang Yan's certainty, all doubt vanished, and his heart grew even more stirred.

"When we next see your master, you must invite him to the residence. I must thank him properly in person!" Tang Ling instructed solemnly.

"Alright." Tang Yan nodded.

At that moment, the carriage happened to stop at the Tang Family's gates.

"Keep an eye on the family's affairs lately. Decide small matters yourself. For major matters, discuss them with Uncle Mo. I will enter Secluded Cultivation for a few days!"

After saying this, he paid Tang Yan no further mind. With a pull of the carriage curtain, his figure turned into a wisp of light smoke and darted into the Tang Family residence.

Only Tang Yan remained behind, alone and utterly disordered in the carriage...

Tang Yan's strength had already stepped into Black Rank. Refining low-rank Pills had become effortless for him.

There was still one month before the Eastern Region Grand Competition, and Tang Yan was filled with expectation toward the so-called Azure Dragon Academy.

In his heart, he had already decided that he must enter Azure Dragon Academy and step into a wider world.

After Azure Dragon Academy, he still had to search for his father and mother.

Although he had never met them, the blood flowing through this body was indeed the bloodline of the Tang Family!

Deep in his heart, he had long since accepted his own identity.

But before leaving, he had to remove every hidden danger that threatened the Tang Family.

For example, the Liu Family, the Wu Family, and the Qin Family!