Ambush

But Chen Fei was an alchemist. For medicinal ingredients he handled every day, no matter how convincing the fakes were, Chen Fei would still spot them.

"What? There are fake medicines again!"

Chi Defeng acted as though he had only just learned of it, crying out, "Little brother, it's fine. Knowing those people were unreliable, I specifically had them gather extra this time. That way, your ten portions of ingredients won't come up short."

As he spoke, Chi Defeng dragged out more medicinal ingredients from another room and laid them before Chen Fei.

Chen Fei looked at Chi Defeng. He had prepared two contingencies. If it went unnoticed, he profited. Even if it was discovered, he had backup ingredients ready.

This Chi Defeng was truly a talent.

"I'll take another look."

Chen Fei stepped forward to inspect the new ingredients. A moment later, his face darkened slightly. Mixed among them were still some fake medicinal ingredients.

Chen Fei stood and looked at Chi Defeng.

"There are fakes again? Outrageous, truly outrageous!"

Chi Defeng shook his head like a rattle-drum, then flipped a bundle of medicinal ingredients out from behind his back and handed it to Chen Fei. "Take another look. Luckily, I prepared plenty."

"..."

A quarter of an hour later, Chen Fei left the Dark market with a bundle on his back. The merchants in this Dark market truly all shared the same trait: every last one of them pursued profit above all else. Since he understood that, Chen Fei had not considered replacing Chi Defeng.

At the very least, the ingredients Chi Defeng provided were of decent quality, and he delivered them on time.

After returning to his rented courtyard, Chen Fei entered the Pill Chamber and spent over an hour refining all the ingredients into Revival Pills.

As his proficiency steadily approached Great Perfection, the yield of Revival Pills grew higher and higher. From ten portions of ingredients, Chen Fei refined a full thirty-one Revival Pills.

"Once I sell these, I can simplify Immortal Points the Way."

A smile appeared on Chen Fei's face. He had coveted this sword move for a long time. Once he had it, he would possess a killing move. Even against enemies stronger than himself, he would have a chance to fight for his life.

Early the next morning, before Chen Fei had even left home, Liu Jun came looking for him.

"Something terrible has happened!"

When Liu Jun saw Chen Fei, his expression was exceedingly flustered.

"What happened?" Chen Fei handed him a cup of tea with a smile.

"Steward Sun... Steward Sun ran away, and he killed many people!"

As Liu Jun spoke, his body involuntarily trembled. The bloodstains on the Medical Hall floor seemed to flow before his eyes once more.

"Don't panic. Tell me properly." Chen Fei's expression immediately turned serious.

"This morning, people from the main family came and said Steward Sun was to go to the Zhang Family to discuss something. But Steward Sun tried to flee..."

After taking several sips of tea, Liu Jun calmed down slightly and explained in detail what had happened that morning, allowing Chen Fei to understand the situation.

The Zhang Family guards had ordered Sun Shu to go to the Zhang Family. Sun Shu used the excuse of returning to his room to get something, but instead tried to escape through a secret passage in his room.

Yes, Sun Shu had dug a secret passage directly beneath his room, as if he had long prepared for the possibility of being exposed. But the Zhang Family guards who came this time were extremely cautious and immediately noticed something was wrong.

They rushed into the room and fought Sun Shu.

Sun Shu displayed astonishing strength. Of the five guards, two were killed outright, and Sun Shu still managed to escape.

The Zhang Family flew into a rage, reported the matter to the authorities, and put up their own reward for Sun Shu. Even merely providing information about Sun Shu would earn a substantial sum of silver.

As the assistant steward of the Medical Hall, Chen Fei naturally had to go there after learning what had happened.

"Physician Qin is dead?"

Not long after arriving at the Medical Hall, another piece of news came. Physician Qin, who had arrived at North City Medical Hall a few days earlier, had just been killed in the street.

The murderer wore a bamboo hat, making his features impossible to see, but Chen Fei knew that the killer was Sun Shu.

"What fierce vengeance!"

Chen Fei muttered to himself. Sun Shu had likely guessed that Physician Qin had something to do with his exposure. After all, Physician Qin had happened to visit North City Medical Hall a few days ago.

What Chen Fei had not expected was that after escaping the Medical Hall, Sun Shu had not immediately left Pingyin County. Instead, he had gone to ambush and kill Physician Qin. Revenge did not wait overnight—he was a ruthless man!

Everyone in the Medical Hall knew of it now, so the Zhang Family naturally knew even earlier.

This time, the Zhang Family was truly beside itself with rage. Sun Shu's actions were simply a slap across the Zhang Family's face. Unsurprisingly, the reward instantly doubled, reaching an amount that made even Chen Fei feel tempted.

But when he considered Sun Shu's current strength, Chen Fei gave up that thought.

Among the five guards that morning, one was in the Bone Forging Realm and four were in the Muscle Tempering Realm. Yet Sun Shu had been able to kill two under their siege and leave calmly. Chen Fei's current small frame was not enough for Sun Shu to beat on.

For the entire day, North City Medical Hall was in turmoil, and everyone was absent-minded.

As night fell, Chen Fei left the Medical Hall and headed toward his residence.

After circling through several alleys, just as he was about to step into his courtyard, Chen Fei abruptly stopped. He looked around with some hesitation, his body slowly retreating several steps.

"You're quite sharp. I failed to notice it before!"

A voice rang out. At some unknown moment, a black shadow had appeared atop the courtyard wall. It looked down at Chen Fei from above, its gaze so cold and sinister that it made one's body shiver.

"Steward Sun?"

Chen Fei's pupils contracted slightly. Though the newcomer had concealed his face, Chen Fei recognized him roughly from his build. More importantly, the man made no effort at all to disguise his voice.

"I'm no steward now. I'm merely a stray dog cast from its home!" Sun Shu laughed softly, his voice piercing, like countless fine needles trying to stab into one's neck.

"Steward Sun, you jest."

Chen Fei quietly retreated several more steps, his eyes fixed on Sun Shu. "May I ask what business Steward Sun has here?"

"I thought it over carefully today. Why did the Zhang Family discover my affairs? One reason was that Qin fellow, and the other was you!"

Sun Shu's icy gaze bore into Chen Fei as he said, "So before leaving Pingyin County, I came to see you. Otherwise, I would feel somewhat unwilling to accept it."

"Steward Sun, you misunderstand!"

"What I believe is right, then it is right. As for what you think, what does it have to do with me? I want to kill you—what does that have to do with you?" Sun Shu burst into loud laughter.

"Steward Sun speaks reasonably. Farewell, Steward Sun!"

As Chen Fei's words fell, his figure flickered, and he vanished from where he stood.

"Trying to run? Did you ask me first?"

Sun Shu snorted coldly, his body shooting forward as he directly gave chase. Yet after following for only a moment, Sun Shu's arrogant smile gradually vanished.

Sun Shu had thought he could catch Chen Fei in just a few strides. But now, the distance between them was steadily widening. In only a brief moment, they were already dozens of meters apart.

And as time passed, that distance continued to grow.

Sun Shu's eyes filled with shock. Hadn't Chen Fei only recently broken through to the Skin Tempering Realm?

Was this really the movement speed a Skin Tempering Realm martial artist could possess?