Time passed second by second, and the warmth that had been building in Tang Yan’s dantian slowly increased.

"Boom!"

Countless streams of energy surged from his sea of consciousness, flowing relentlessly toward the intense heat in his dantian. Soon, the shape of a cauldron began to take form. With a dull thud, the true energy in his dantian ignited, burning through his meridians.

Though the temperature was high, Tang Yan could still bear it, but as time passed, his skin began to turn fiery red and unbearably hot.

He had planned to endure a little longer, but when he noticed wisps of white mist rising from his body and his consciousness becoming increasingly faint, he couldn’t hold it back any longer. Without time to put on his clothes, he rushed out the door and bolted outside.

"Young Master, where are you going... ah!" Xiao Cui, hearing the noise, stuck her head out the window. Under the moonlight, she saw her master running off in such a carefree manner, her mouth agape. Her face instantly flushed red, and she stomped her foot, angrily muttering to herself. However, she was too embarrassed to follow him.

"Splash!" The sound of someone splashing into the water broke the silence of the night.

Tang Ling, already a seasoned martial artist at the eighth rank of the Profound level, had extraordinary hearing. When he heard the splash, his heart skipped a beat. That sound... it came from the direction of that troublesome boy’s residence.

"What’s going on?" Tang Ling stormed out of his study, his voice full of anger.

"Master, the young master has jumped into the lake to bathe," a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness.

"What nonsense!" Tang Ling was livid, almost furious enough to lose his composure. He had just thought that his grandson had changed for the better, but within a single day, he reverted to his old ways. The autumn night might not be cold, but the lake water would certainly not be comfortable for most people. What on earth was that boy thinking?

Just as Tang Ling had a sliver of hope for his grandson, Tang Yan’s behavior shattered it completely. With a heavy sigh, he waved his sleeve and left.

Meanwhile, Tang Yan, upon jumping into the lake, felt the refreshing coolness wash over him, bringing a sense of relief. The Supreme Alchemy Manual was incredibly domineering; during his first session of cultivation, it didn’t temper his dantian—it was refining his meridians instead!

The burning true energy constantly refined his meridians, expelling impurities through his pores.

After a night of cultivation, the true energy finally settled down, and Tang Yan slowly opened his eyes.

"Feels amazing!" Swimming to the shore, Tang Yan stretched his muscles and tested his strength. In just one night, he had reached the third rank of the Origin level, and he couldn’t help but marvel at how extraordinary this cultivation method was.

The progress in his cultivation was apparent, and his thoughts began to clear. He now saw his situation more clearly.

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The Tang family had become weak, and the power struggles within Yun City were more apparent than ever. It was clear that other families were eyeing the Tang family’s wealth. But as long as he lived, his grandfather would fight tooth and nail to protect him, making it difficult for others to take control. However, once his grandfather was gone, the Tang family would fall with little resistance.

"You want to destroy the Tang family? I won’t let you have your way!" A cold glint flashed in Tang Yan’s eyes, and a fleeting sense of murderous intent surged. The overwhelming presence of a once-revered Alchemy Saint erupted for a moment.

The aura vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving the experts within the Tang family stunned. They wondered if it was just a figment of their imagination.

At that moment, Tang Yan, now dressed in a white robe with golden embroidery, appeared before them. His appearance was elegant, and with a folding fan in hand, he looked like a charming young nobleman.

Despite only being at the third rank of the Origin level, refining a Grade-1 elixir was no challenge for him with his vast experience from his previous life. However, the Tang family didn’t even own a proper cauldron, so he’d need to purchase one if he wanted to make elixirs.

A standard cauldron would cost at least a thousand taels of silver. His grandfather, worried about him causing trouble again, had confiscated all his pocket money, leaving him with only thirty taels a month.

"I’ll have to ask my grandfather for some silver," Tang Yan thought to himself. Just as he was wondering how to approach the subject, he saw Mo Bo rush in.

"Young Master, where are you going? You should go back and rest."

"Mo Bo, what’s going on?" Tang Yan was curious. Normally, if something small happened, Mo Bo would send someone else, so it was rare for Mo Bo to personally come.

Mo Bo sighed, "The last time you had a little trouble with the city lord’s daughter, the city lord’s mansion is here to demand an explanation. This time, it’s a bit more complicated. Also, someone from Miaodanfang, Wu Xuan, has come."

"Miaodanfang?" Tang Yan paused, immediately recalling the name. Miaodanfang was renowned across the entire Tingxiang Kingdom, and many of their masters were at the third rank of alchemy. It was not known if they had a fourth-rank alchemist, but generally speaking, if a third-rank alchemist was publicly acknowledged, it meant there were likely even stronger individuals hidden away.

The status of alchemists was already prestigious, and being affiliated with Miaodanfang made a second-rank alchemist almost untouchable in any city.

Rumor had it that the chief alchemist of Miaodanfang, Wu Xuan, was under thirty and had already attained the rank of second-rank alchemist. There were also rumors that Wu Xuan was close friends with Lin Dongxue, the daughter of the city lord. Could it be that Wu Xuan was here to seek justice for her?

Miaodanfang had accumulated so many favors over the years, and many people owed them debts or sought to repay them. If this situation wasn’t handled well, Miaodanfang could turn against the Tang family, and those who had been relying on the Tang family’s elixirs might collectively retaliate. Though the Tang family had power in Yun City, they were not the strongest, and this was still a small city.

"Mo Bo, is my grandfather trying to have me feign illness to gain sympathy and offer compensation to the city lord’s mansion to smooth things over?" Tang Yan pondered for a moment.

Mo Bo was momentarily stunned. This boy was sharper than usual.

"Let’s go to the front hall. While the Tang family might not be the strongest in Yun City, if we go all out, no one will escape unscathed. Even the city lord’s mansion will have to think twice before targeting us. As long as the old master is still around, they won’t dare to openly harm you."

Tang Yan chuckled lightly and walked toward the front hall.

Mo Bo was once again taken aback. Though the Tang family was the weakest among the four great families in Yun City, they were still a major force. If they gathered all their strength to oppose any faction in Yun City, even the city lord’s mansion would be severely affected. Those who coveted the Tang family’s assets would have to reconsider their actions as long as the old master was still alive.

Looking at Tang Yan walking confidently, hands clasped behind his back, wearing a white robe with gold trim, Mo Bo couldn’t help but wonder: If the young master had been serious about martial arts when he was younger, surely the Tang family would have been dominating the younger generation in Yun City by now.