Watching Old Master Tang’s departing figure, the onlookers couldn't help but twitch their mouths.

This shameless old man! Your grandson just beat Liu Cheng so badly that he coughed up blood and couldn't get up, yet you're claiming he was bullied?

If this counts as bullying, then what would it be if someone really beat your grandson to death?

While Cloud City was buzzing with discussions about the incident, Old Master Tang had already dragged Tang Yan back home.

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Inside the study, Old Master Tang finally couldn't hold back anymore. He grabbed Tang Yan's shoulders and shook him vigorously.

"Kid, you can cultivate True Qi again?"

Seeing his excited grandfather, Tang Yan felt a headache coming. "Yeah, if I couldn't, I'd probably be dead by now."

"But how? Wasn't your dantian destroyed?" Tang Ling hurriedly asked.

"Well…." Tang Yan hesitated.

Seeing his grandson's reluctance to speak, Old Master Tang suddenly recalled the overwhelming surge of power that had briefly appeared in the Tang family over a month ago. At the time, he had dismissed it as an illusion. But now… Could it be that some hidden expert had secretly saved his grandson?

"A month ago, I encountered an old man," Tang Yan began, quickly fabricating a story. "He said we were destined to meet and gave me something to eat. After that, I could cultivate again. He even passed down some techniques to me. But he loves peace and despises worldly affairs, so he asked me not to mention him. I even invited him to stay in our family, offering him endless food and wine, but that stubborn old man refused."

Tang Yan babbled on, thinking his grandfather would press for details. But instead, Old Master Tang suddenly smacked him on the head.

"You little brat! That senior healed your dantian and taught you cultivation techniques, yet you call him an ‘old man’? If he doesn’t want to be involved in worldly matters, it means he has his own pride and principles!"

Tang Yan was dumbfounded. His random lie was actually believed?

What he didn’t know was that Old Master Tang had been struggling with many unanswered questions. Why had he sensed a powerful presence that day? Why had his grandson suddenly been able to cultivate? Why had Tang Yan changed so much?

Now, thanks to Tang Yan’s "harmless lie," everything made sense!

"Alright, since your master doesn’t want his name mentioned, keep this secret to yourself," Old Master Tang commanded with a wave of his hand.

Tang Yan exhaled in relief. That was close! At least he wouldn’t have to come up with more excuses.

"You may leave. Don’t go out too much these days. If you must, get my approval first," Old Master Tang added.

As Tang Yan left the study, Old Master Tang stood by the window, watching him. His eyes darkened.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Yan'er can cultivate again… but what about that incident with the City Lord’s daughter? If the City Lord decides to bring it up again…."

His fists clenched. "As long as I live, I will stand in front of you!"

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As soon as Tang Yan left the study, he remembered something—Xiaocui! His Spirit Swirl Fruit was still with her. Had she brought it back?

Just as he was about to look for her, Xiaocui called out, "Young Master, over here!"

Seeing Xiaocui holding the bizarre-looking Spirit Swirl Fruit, Tang Yan finally relaxed.

"Young Master, here!" Xiaocui handed him the fruit while staring at him eagerly.

Tang Yan laughed and said, "Aren’t all my silver notes with you? Take a hundred taels for yourself."

"Thank you, Young Master!" Xiaocui beamed with joy.

The moment Tang Yan touched the Spirit Swirl Fruit, the alchemy cauldron in his dantian trembled again.

Excited, he quickly rushed to his room to investigate.

Xiaocui, watching him hurry away, mumbled to herself, "Young Master really seems to like that ugly fruit. His tastes are getting weirder…."

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Back in his room, Tang Yan sat cross-legged on his bed. He stared at the fruit and wondered:

"Does the cauldron… want to eat this fruit?"

But how was he supposed to feed it? Did he have to eat it himself first?

Curious, he wrapped a thread of True Qi around the Spirit Swirl Fruit.

WHOOSH!

The cauldron in his dantian trembled violently, releasing an immense suction force.

The next moment, Tang Yan’s hand was empty!

"WHAT THE—?! It actually ate it?!"

Tang Yan cursed in shock and immediately checked his dantian.

What he saw stunned him.

Inside the cauldron, a hazy cloud of primordial energy swirled at the bottom. The Spirit Swirl Fruit, instead of being destroyed, had sprouted roots in the chaotic energy.

Even more bizarrely, the fruit’s shriveled, lifeless exterior had begun glowing with vitality!

It’s… alive?!

Tang Yan was utterly dumbfounded. Could it be that this cauldron could cultivate medicinal herbs?

He looked around and found some ordinary medicinal plants nearby. He tried feeding them into the cauldron with his True Qi, but nothing happened.

So, this cauldron only accepts certain rare herbs?

Curious, he experimented further. He was able to take the fruit out and put it back in at will.

After playing around for a while, Tang Yan finally decided to leave the Spirit Swirl Fruit inside the cauldron for now.

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However, he wasn’t in a hurry to consume it.

While eating raw spirit herbs could increase cultivation, refining them into pills with supporting ingredients would be far more beneficial.

Now that his strength had been exposed, trouble was bound to come knocking.

Especially the matter regarding Lin Dongxue, the City Lord’s daughter.

If someone spread rumors that "Tang Yan attempted to defile Lin Dongxue, but the City Lord covered it up due to fear of the Tang family’s power," the City Lord’s reputation would take a major hit.

If that happened, the City Lord might feel pressured to act against Tang Yan to restore his family’s honor.

And the ones behind such rumors? Definitely the Liu family.

The Liu family had influence over many smaller clans in Cloud City. If they gave the order, those clans would ensure the rumor spread like wildfire.

Analyzing the situation, Tang Yan knew he needed a countermeasure.

Currently, the Tang family was surrounded by enemies. If they sacrificed some of their influence to appease the City Lord’s mansion, they would suffer losses. Other major families might take advantage, further weakening the Tang family.

If the Tang family got devoured bit by bit, how could they survive in Cloud City?

To prevent this, the City Lord’s Mansion was the key.

As Tang Yan pondered, he suddenly remembered something—a rumor about the City Lord’s wife.

She had a disfiguring scar from an old illness. Despite seeking medical treatment for years, nothing had worked.

Because of this, she rarely appeared in public. Even when she did, she always covered her face.

Not many knew about this, but as one of the four great families, the Tang family had confirmed it as true.

And in Tang Yan’s memories, there was a pill recipe perfect for treating scars—the Scarless Pill!