Lin Dongxue stood to the side, her eyes fixed on Tang Yan. His handsome, bright features made her momentarily lose focus.

She sighed inwardly, regretting how shallow she had been in the past, believing all the rumors and keeping her distance from Tang Yan. If she had gotten to know him earlier, she would have realized how different he was from what everyone said.

Suddenly, she felt a fluctuation from Tang Yan’s body, causing her heart to skip a beat. Could it be that he broke through too?

After a brief moment of shock, Lin Dongxue calmed down. After all, Tang Yan was already strong to begin with, and with the large number of spirit pills he had consumed, a breakthrough under such circumstances was to be expected.

But soon, Lin Dongxue's face showed disbelief.

Just after his breakthrough, Tang Yan's body showed another wave of energy. Then, a strong aura flashed and disappeared.

In a single day, Tang Yan had jumped two stages?

Lin Dongxue widened her eyes in shock, staring at Tang Yan as if she couldn't believe it. Could he be one of the spiritual beasts from Cangyun Mountain?

When Tang Yan opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Lin Dongxue's curious gaze.

“What are you looking at?” Tang Yan asked, puzzled.

“Ah!” Lin Dongxue, who had been daydreaming, was startled by his voice. She patted her chest and said, “You should’ve said something when you woke up! You scared me.”

Tang Yan was speechless. It was clearly her who had been staring at him, yet she blamed him for it.

But Lin Dongxue was more focused on something else, her eyes wide with excitement. “Did you just break through?”

Since Tang Yan had been cultivating right under Lin Dongxue’s watch, there was no way he could hide it from her. He nodded in acknowledgment.

“No, no, what I meant was, did you just advance two stages?” Lin Dongxue asked hastily.

“Yes,” Tang Yan nodded again, casually.

Lin Dongxue froze for a moment. Was there something wrong with him? Advancing two stages in one go—how could he act like it was nothing?

“You know, in the entire Tianxiang Kingdom, only the most talented geniuses can break through two stages in a row!” Lin Dongxue bit her lip, voice tinged with incredulity.

“Oh, I see now,” Tang Yan casually replied, as if it was no big deal.

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Lin Dongxue almost went mad. She tried explaining how difficult it was to break through two stages, but no matter what she said, Tang Yan remained calm and indifferent, which only made her more frustrated. Finally, she gave up, deciding not to dwell on it.

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After the battle with Liu Jing, the awkwardness from when Lin Dongxue kissed Tang Yan had completely disappeared.

The following days, Lin Dongxue focused mainly on combat techniques. Having broken through to the second rank of the Xuan realm, her fighting ability had increased significantly. Under Tang Yan's guidance, her progress was astounding.

Meanwhile, Tang Yan, inspired by his battle with Liu Jing, found a way to combine his Tianji Zaohua Fire with his martial techniques. He grew increasingly fascinated with the results.

For the next six days, Tang Yan relentlessly honed the integration of the Tianji Zaohua Fire and his combat skills.

Lin Dongxue couldn't help but feel grateful for following Tang Yan. This decision had turned out to be incredibly wise! With so many spirit beasts in Cangyun Mountain, including three-stage beasts, it truly was a paradise for her cultivation.

After crossing another mountain peak, a large city came into view in the distance.

Lin Dongxue glanced at Tang Yan, feeling a slight reluctance to leave. But when she realized her thoughts, she was startled and blushed deeply. Tang Yan, seemingly unaware of her emotions, made no comment.

"According to the map, this is Fang City. In ten days, we’ll meet with the city lord," Tang Yan said as he gestured for her to follow. "Let’s go, time to head down the mountain."

Half an hour later, they arrived at the city gates.

"Fang City!" After confirming their location, Tang Yan and Lin Dongxue walked in.

It wasn’t long before the hustle and bustle of the city surrounded them.

“No wonder it’s the number one city in the East Region; it’s far more prosperous than Yun City,” Tang Yan remarked.

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a sharp pain at his waist. Turning, he saw Lin Dongxue glaring at him fiercely.

Realizing his words could be seen as a slight to Lin Xiao, Tang Yan chuckled awkwardly. This girl sure knew how to strike.

Rubbing the sore spot, Tang Yan said, "Let’s go, time to meet the people we’re supposed to."

They flagged down a carriage, and soon, they were on their way.

When the carriage stopped, they were in the heart of the city, an area far more lively than before.

Among the buildings, the most noticeable was the Wan Fang Tower.

Tang Yan immediately noticed its towering structure.

It was not only tall but also occupied a large area. While the surrounding buildings were mostly three stories high, this one had six, standing out like a crane among chickens.

"Guests, please come in. Will you be dining or staying?" A waiter greeted them as they entered.

“We’ve reserved a room. Could you please check?” Tang Yan smiled politely.

"Of course, sir. Please give me your names and the name of the person who made the reservation," the waiter explained enthusiastically.

After Tang Yan provided the details, the waiter flipped through a ledger. When he found their reservation, his expression turned respectful. "Please follow me."

Rather than leading them upstairs, the waiter opened a back door and guided them inside.

Beyond the door, a large lake came into view, connected to a small river flowing toward an unknown direction. The area was surrounded by trees, and even though it was early winter, the scenery remained lush and vibrant.

Every so often, there was a separate courtyard.

Tang Yan couldn't help but admire the place. No ordinary inn could match this level of elegance.

"How much for a night's stay here?" Tang Yan asked out of curiosity.

"From one hundred to a thousand taels, depending on the room," the waiter answered honestly.

Tang Yan nodded, understanding that this place was certainly not affordable for ordinary people.

After walking along the stone path for a while, the waiter stopped in front of a small courtyard. "This is Master Tang’s courtyard. Miss Lin and the warrior Lin have another one nearby. Your companion, Young Master Liu, has a room as well."

“Thank you,” Tang Yan said, and dismissed the waiter.

“Come on, let’s go meet my father,” Tang Yan said, ready to head out. But before he could, Lin Dongxue grabbed his arm.

She knocked on the courtyard door, and after a short while, Lin Xiao appeared, visibly relieved to see them.