This punch had been simulated countless times in Tang Yan’s mind—success hinged on this moment.

He could feel his inner energy surging forth, wildly converging into his fist. The overwhelming force made him feel an irresistible urge to strike.

"Come forth!" Tang Yan roared. His fist shot out like a battering ram, cutting through the air with a fierce gust, producing a deep, thunderous sound.

Boom!

A flash of exhilaration flickered in Tang Yan’s eyes—his guess had been right!

Having just mastered an impressive new combat technique, he felt a surge of satisfaction. Instead of resting, he remained in the courtyard, continuously practicing every move of this technique.

Boom! Boom!

After executing a powerful two-strike combo, he stopped, resisting the urge to throw a third punch.

A towering building needed a solid foundation.

Boom! Boom!

Boom! Boom!

The rhythmic echoes of his punches filled the courtyard.

Now that his theory had been confirmed, there was no need to rush ahead recklessly.

A firm foundation would allow him to climb higher, faster.

As dawn gradually broke, Tang Yan’s repeated training deepened his understanding of the two techniques.

Zi Yun had known from the beginning that this martial art was incomplete, so she hadn’t paid it much attention.

But after seeing Tang Yan train relentlessly for three days and nights, practicing just those two moves, she began to feel uneasy. Had this kid lost his mind?

"You’ve already mastered those movements. Why keep repeating them?" Zi Yun finally couldn’t hold back her curiosity.

Tang Yan had just finished another two-strike combo. Instead of answering, he took a deep breath and started the routine once again.

Boom.

Boom!

Still the same two moves, still the same two resounding impacts.

Zi Yun frowned, but in the next instant, her eyes widened in shock.

This time, Tang Yan didn’t stop after the second punch. Instead, he stepped forward, his fist carrying an even stronger force as he unleashed a third strike.

Boom!

A violent burst of energy exploded through the air—the power of this punch was even greater than the sum of the first two!

"Wasn’t this technique only supposed to have two moves? How did you do that?" Zi Yun was astonished. Feeling the power behind the third strike, she realized Tang Yan had truly gained something valuable.

"Sharpening the blade doesn’t delay the woodcutter. If I solidify my foundation now, the path ahead will be much smoother," Tang Yan replied as he retracted his stance.

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Zi Yun’s body tensed slightly. As someone who had already reached the pinnacle of Sky Rank, she possessed a profound understanding of martial arts. What Tang Yan said sounded simple, but when she thought about it carefully—it made perfect sense.

She gazed at him with a complex expression. The more time she spent with this guy, the harder he was to understand.

Ever since meeting him, his talent in cultivation, his literary skills, his strategic thinking—all of it far surpassed his peers.

In Cloud City, he was extraordinary. In Purple Bamboo City... he was still a genius!

What puzzled Zi Yun even more was this: if he was capable of such rapid progress now, why had he been so mediocre for all those years before?

Of course, unless Tang Yan explained it himself, no one in this world would ever know the answer.

Two more days passed.

On the morning of the third day, Zi Yun’s eyes widened once again.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

After throwing three consecutive punches, just like last time, Tang Yan did not stop. Instead, he stepped forward and unleashed yet another punch.

Boom!

A fourth strike!

As the punch landed, an even more terrifying destructive force erupted in midair.

"This guy...!" Zi Yun’s heart trembled at the sheer power of that strike. The strength behind it had increased exponentially compared to the previous ones.

"How many moves does this Thousand Mountain Fist have?" Zi Yun asked in shock.

"I don’t know," Tang Yan replied honestly.

"You don’t know?" Zi Yun frowned, thinking he was messing with her.

Seeing the way Zi Yun clenched her fists, Tang Yan was startled. Knowing this violent woman, she was probably jumping to conclusions again. Quickly, he explained, "This technique allows for continuous strikes as long as the right conditions are met. But people have limits—who knows how many moves it can really extend to?"

Zi Yun, being exceptionally intelligent, pondered his words for a moment before realization struck. "So this martial art… isn’t incomplete after all?"

"That’s right. It’s actually a complete technique—you just need to grasp its essence," Tang Yan replied with a smile.

Even though she was the proud third young lady of the Purple Bamboo Clan, a flicker of excitement flashed in Zi Yun’s eyes.

A technique this extraordinary… it might not be just a mere Earth Rank martial art—it could very well have stepped into the Sky Rank realm!

"Keep this technique a secret," Zi Yun warned seriously. "If word gets out, you could become a target."

"Of course," Tang Yan agreed readily.

Just then, a young maid hurried over.

"Young Master, the Lord asked me to bring this to you."

Tang Yan smiled and took the wooden box from Xiao Cui’s hands.

At that moment, the previously dormant Heavenly Creation Cauldron inside his dantian suddenly stirred. A thought struck him—could this be another spiritual treasure?

Opening the box, he saw three beast cores of different colors resting inside.

Tang Yan immediately recalled the bet he had won against the Liu family at the Mid-Autumn Festival tournament. These were part of his rewards, and it had taken until today for them to be delivered.

After exchanging a few words with Zi Yun, he returned to his room, locked the door, and reopened the box.

Three Tier-3 Beast Cores lay before him. The once-slumbering Creation Cauldron now pulsed with energy.

With a thought, the three beast cores vanished from his palm, drawn into the Heavenly Creation Cauldron.

A surge of flames ignited inside the cauldron, instantly refining the beast cores into pure liquid essence, which dispersed evenly.

The only remaining Spirit Whirlpool Fruit Sapling trembled slightly and, in an instant, visibly grew taller.

Just as Tang Yan thought the process was over, an unexpected surge of pure energy flowed out from the cauldron, merging seamlessly into his vortex-like dantian.

The energy was not only potent but also incredibly gentle. It integrated into his dantian effortlessly, without the slightest feeling of resistance.

Wasting no time, Tang Yan focused his mind and entered meditation.

Soon, he slipped into a deep state of cultivation.

When he finally opened his eyes again, he was momentarily stunned by the transformation within him.

In just one night, his strength had broken through to the seventh level of the Mortal Rank!

What surprised him even more was the tiny flickering flame that had always resided in his dantian—it had now become noticeably stronger!

With a mere thought, a flame appeared in front of him, pulsating as if it had a life of its own.

All this time, his progress in fire manipulation had been painfully slow. Now he realized it wasn’t due to a lack of talent—it was because he hadn’t found the right way to enhance it!

Could it be that absorbing spiritual energy from rare materials not only strengthened the Heavenly Creation Cauldron and its Primal Flame but also fed back into his own cultivation?

If that were true, then with enough rare treasures, he could advance at an unimaginable speed!

However, thinking about the exorbitant cost of Tier-3 beast cores, Tang Yan quickly dismissed the idea.

Too expensive—he couldn't afford to feed the cauldron like this all the time!