"I... although I can't see any flaws, it feels excellent—perfect! I wonder, Miss Wuxuan, do you notice anything wrong?" Tang Yan tossed the question back to Wuxuan.

Wuxuan rolled her eyes at Tang Yan before responding with a crisp voice, "You've indeed been practicing hard lately. There are no errors, but the only thing missing is refinement. With time, you'll definitely master it. To accelerate mastering the technique, you need constant practice and sparring with someone. That will help improve."

At first, Tang Yan agreed with Wuxuan’s words, but as she continued, a bad premonition crept over him. Was she actually suggesting that he be the sparring partner?

"Alright, since Miss Wuxuan has begun her teachings, I shouldn't stay longer to avoid suspicion of stealing techniques. Farewell!" Tang Yan swiftly tried to take his leave.

"Stop!" As soon as Tang Yan made a move, Winter Snow immediately called out, "What’s this? You were just saying you came to be my sparring partner, now you want to leave?"

"Well... I’m at the 8th level of Yuan stage, while Miss Winter Snow’s strength is close to the Xuan stage. What’s the point of sparring with someone like me?" Tang Yan put on a pitiful face and continued, "Plus, I don't have a tendency to be abused. Why should I be your sparring partner?"

Winter Snow and Wuxuan were both stunned. Was this guy out of his mind? So many people in Yun City would gladly be Winter Snow’s sparring partner, and yet this guy wants to refuse?

However, Tang Yan did have a point, and for a moment, both women were left speechless. After a brief pause, Wuxuan spoke up, "How about this? You temporarily spar with Winter Snow. In return, we will offer you a reward. What do you think?"

"How much?" Tang Yan immediately perked up.

"You're such a money-grubber!" Winter Snow huffed at his reaction and then said, "Fine. I'll use strength below the Yellow stage to spar with you. If you can last for half an hour, I’ll give you a first-grade mid-level pill. How about it?"

A first-grade mid-level pill? As a Grand Alchemist, Tang Yan had no real interest in pills, but he was definitely fond of money. He shook his head, "I’m not interested in cultivation, but I’m very interested in silver. Here’s the deal: If I last for half an hour or force you to use your Yellow stage strength, you pay me ten thousand silver. How about that?"

Hearing Tang Yan’s proposal, Winter Snow raised an eyebrow, scoffing, "You think you can make me use my Yellow stage strength? Fine. Just don’t run away when I beat you."

"Miss Wuxuan, may I borrow your sword?" Tang Yan smiled.

Wuxuan’s face turned slightly red at his request, and she quickly unsheathed her sword and tossed it to him. "Here. I’d like to see how Young Master Tang handles his swordplay."

Taking the sword, Tang Yan felt its weight. It was slightly heavier than a regular sword, which made him wonder what Wuxuan’s true strength was. This weapon felt more substantial than typical swords.

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"Thank you, Miss Wuxuan." Tang Yan expressed his thanks, though his mind was already working on a new plan. Why couldn’t he use Winter Snow as his sparring partner too?

The more he thought about it, the better it seemed. Tang Yan was excited, and after considering it for a moment, he decided to use this sparring session to refine his family’s martial art—Cloud Sword.

As the only heir of the Tang family, if he didn’t master their martial arts, it would be shameful. Moreover, Tang Yan remembered his grandfather had once said that Cloud Sword was a solid technique, though its ranking was low due to some missing moves and flaws.

Tang Yan had a good memory and quickly recalled the moves of Cloud Sword.

"Be careful!" Winter Snow had been eager to beat Tang Yan and with a sharp shout, she lunged at him with her slender sword.

Tang Yan felt the full force of her Qi and noted that she was only using her 8th level Yuan stage strength. He smiled inwardly and raised his sword to meet her attack.

As he fought, Tang Yan continued to think about the flaws in Cloud Sword. His focus was divided between defending against Winter Snow’s fierce attacks and exploring the martial art. It made him appear somewhat frantic, but there was no fear in his eyes—only a sense of excitement. The intense sparring was helping him discover the missing pieces of the technique.

Wuxuan, watching the fight, saw Tang Yan struggling and smiled to herself. It looked like she would enjoy watching him fail.

But as time passed, Wuxuan’s smile gradually faded, replaced by confusion.

Tang Yan had been on the defensive at first, barely holding his ground. Now, a quarter of an hour had passed, and he showed no signs of weakness. Why wasn’t he faltering as expected?

Tang Yan, however, was becoming more and more excited. Cloud Sword indeed had many flaws—some moves had been altered, and others were incomplete—but with a little time, he was confident he could fix it.

Suddenly, Wuxuan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She had clearly seen Tang Yan, who was initially struggling, gradually steadying himself.

In the beginning, Winter Snow had been dominating the fight, but now, Tang Yan was gradually gaining the upper hand, even attempting to counterattack.

Wuxuan, with her years of experience and knowledge of martial techniques, recognized that Cloud Sword was a powerful technique—much stronger than anything she had seen before.

Could it be that Tang Yan wasn’t just practicing his sword technique, but also perfecting it?

The thought left her both impressed and a bit wary.

On the sparring ground, Winter Snow felt the pressure and, frustrated by her inability to defeat Tang Yan, clenched her teeth. She decided to escalate the fight. Her 9th level Yuan stage strength suddenly burst forth, and Tang Yan’s situation changed instantly.

The difference between Yuan stage 8th and 9th levels was significant. As Wuxuan and Winter Snow both thought, Tang Yan would surely lose now.

But just as they were sure of it, something unexpected happened. Tang Yan’s sword suddenly shifted. Though still at the 8th level of Yuan stage, his movements became smoother, and his swordsmanship more fluid and powerful.

A quarter of an hour had passed, and Tang Yan, who had seemed on the verge of defeat, had turned the tide and started to press back.

Wuxuan was now thoroughly focused, her gaze locked on Tang Yan. She could no longer ignore what was happening.

Tang Yan’s moves were stronger, more refined. His swordsmanship had transformed, and the difference was noticeable.

Winter Snow, seeing that she was unable to gain the upper hand even with her 9th level strength, was furious. Yet, she also had to admit, she was impressed.

As Tang Yan’s sword surged with newfound power, the fight reached a boiling point. Cloud Sword had truly found its flow, and with every move, Tang Yan was perfecting it.

He wasn’t just sparring—he was rewriting the very foundations of his family’s martial art.