Miss Zi, You Have No Martial Honor

She was still dressed in spotless white, like an immortal maiden untouched by the smoke and dust of the mortal world.

"What's got you so happy?" Tang Yan asked in confusion after a brief moment of distraction.

At the sight of Tang Yan, the smile on Zi Yun's face vanished. Her sword slid from its sheath, and she cried in a clear voice, "Little thief, watch my sword!"

Tang Yan's heart jolted. What was she up to this early in the morning? He retreated several steps, barely dodging the slender sword, then caught his breath and shouted, "You silly girl, what are you doing?"

"I've recovered a little more of my strength, so I'm here to spar with you. Enough chatter. I won't go easy on you!" Zi Yun replied. Her aura erupted, radiating an immensely powerful pressure.

Sensing the fluctuations coming from her, Tang Yan exclaimed, "Profound Tier!"

"You've got a good eye. But don't worry. You're only Yellow Tier First Grade, so I'll use Third Grade strength against you." Before her words had faded, her slender sword was already in front of him.

Tang Yan understood now. The last time she had sparred with him, he had suppressed her instead. She had been nursing that frustration and now wanted to settle the score!

Since he had nothing else to do, he might as well let Zi Yun help him hone his moves.

They traded blows in the courtyard. Tang Yan sparred with Zi Yun using Yellow Tier First Grade strength, constantly refining his Cloudflow Sword and Phantom Shadow Steps.

Zi Yun had been born into a distinguished clan, and her martial arts were exquisitely refined. She was the perfect sparring partner for Tang Yan.

A quarter of an hour later, Zi Yun discovered that even with Yellow Tier Third Grade strength, she could only fight Tang Yan to a draw. Her frustration deepened.

Bang! Zi Yun's aura changed, and Yellow Tier Fourth Grade power surged forth.

Sensing the change, Tang Yan cried out theatrically, "Seriously, Miss Zi? You're a mighty Heaven Tier expert, the esteemed third young lady of Purple Bamboo City, yet you're using Fourth Grade strength against someone at Yellow Tier First Grade? You're cheating!"

Zi Yun was already burning with shame and anger because she had failed to beat Tang Yan with Yellow Tier Third Grade strength. Having him point it out only made her more furious. "None of your business! I'll do as I please!"

One Force Breaks a Hundred Acupoints indeed. Faced with Zi Yun's ferocious sword assault, Tang Yan finally lost his earlier composure and found himself in danger from time to time.

With such a disparity in strength, Tang Yan was steadily driven back. Still, Zi Yun could only barely suppress him and had no hope of winning anytime soon.

Facing a freak like Tang Yan, Zi Yun was secretly amazed. His eye was incredibly sharp, and every stroke of his sword was masterfully executed, like that of a grandmaster. How had a speck of a place like Cloud City managed to nurture such talent?

I refuse to believe I can't put you in your place! Zi Yun gritted her teeth, and her aura shifted again as she unleashed Yellow Tier Fifth Grade strength.

"Damn it, Miss Zi Yun, you're bullying me with your strength!" Tang Yan shouted.

"Don't talk nonsense. I'm giving you pointers!" After spending so many days with Tang Yan, Zi Yun had cultivated a somewhat thicker skin herself.

Though Tang Yan's techniques were exquisite, he was not one to overestimate himself. Faced with Zi Yun's imposing swordsmanship, he knew his current strength could not withstand it. His dantian stirred, releasing more true qi.

"Second Grade?" Zi Yun asked in surprise as she sensed his aura.

"Hehe, you found me out even though I hid it so well..." Tang Yan said with a grin.

Knowing Fifth Grade strength might not be enough to deal with Tang Yan, Zi Yun simply raised her strength to Seventh Grade.

Then she saw Tang Yan raise his strength to Fourth Grade.

Zi Yun's expression darkened. Just how much strength was this brat hiding?

Soon, Zi Yun realized she had been thinking too small. She had not come to spar with Tang Yan this time, so why bother slowly grinding away at him?

Profound Tier power erupted.

"Miss Zi, big sister Zi, don't joke around!"

"Ow! I surrender!"

"..."

Half an hour later, Zi Yun finally let out a relieved breath and walked away, thoroughly satisfied.

Only Tang Yan remained, lying on the ground and groaning, his body covered in bruises.

"You demoness Zi, you have no martial honor! If you ever want pills from me again, you can forget it!" Tang Yan protested from the ground.

"I still have a bottle of Qi-Restoring Pills. They'll help me recover to Earth Tier at least. When I need more pills, I'll just come to you. If you dare refuse, watch out for my fists! Hmph!" Sharp-eared Zi Yun had actually heard his quiet grumbling. Her reply drifted over from afar, leaving Tang Yan so frustrated he could have spat blood.

If I'd known this would happen, I never would have refined pills for her!

Tang Yan wailed inwardly a few times, then gritted his teeth and stood up.

Although he had taken a terrible beating, Tang Yan had also gained quite a lot. Zi Yun's techniques could not compare with his own, but they were still exquisite. Under her fierce assault, both his Cloudflow Sword and Phantom Shadow Steps had improved considerably.

However, his current strength could at most contend with Yellow Tier Eighth Grade. Tomorrow's competition was still far from a sure thing.

If I reveal the heaven-earth creation flame too soon, it'll inevitably draw the attention of people with designs on it. I shouldn't expose it yet. If I can advance my strength a little further, I'll have another measure of assurance at tomorrow's Mid-Autumn Gathering. Countless thoughts raced through Tang Yan's mind. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and with a thought, a Spirit Whirlpool Fruit appeared in his hand.

After so many days of nourishment inside the cauldron, the Spirit Whirlpool Fruit occasionally released wisps of spiritual energy. Since he already had a seedling that had taken root, it was time to put this Spirit Whirlpool Fruit to use.

He called Xiao Cui over and asked her to buy several medicinal ingredients. Since the pill he intended to refine was rather precious, its supporting ingredients were costly as well. Another sizable chunk of the million taels of silver the Wonderful Elixir Workshop had given him was spent.

Inside the pill-refining room, Tang Yan carefully guided the pill flame and tossed the Spirit Whirlpool Fruit into the cauldron to refine it.

After repeated purification, an extremely viscous emerald-green liquid soon collected in the cauldron's hidden compartment.

He added the remaining medicinal ingredients one by one, then sat beside the Pill Cauldron and focused his mind.

Time ticked away, and his spiritual energy drained rapidly. Tang Yan had to take a High Spirit Pill to replenish the energy within his body.

At last, Tang Yan slapped the cauldron's lid. A black pill flew out of the Pill Cauldron and landed in his hand.

He quickly took out a porcelain bottle and placed the pill inside, then dropped onto the floor, gasping for breath.

"My strength really is still too weak. A single Third Tier middle-grade pill nearly cost me my life!" Tang Yan drew a deep breath, glanced at the porcelain bottle in his hand, and left the pill-refining room in satisfaction.

Only after leaving the Pill Room did Tang Yan realize it was already late at night.

Back in his bedroom, he sat cross-legged on the bed and took out the newly refined pill. He could feel the spiritual energy surging within it, like a volcano about to erupt.

This pill was called the Dantian-Expanding Pill. In his previous life, experts from all quarters of the Hidden Martial World had fought over it. Once taken, it could expand the storage capacity of the dantian, allowing its user to unleash greater power than others of the same grade.

Boom! The moment he swallowed the pill, an enormous surge of power exploded inside his body.