Forced Choice

Reconstructing the Light Spirit Pill would be quite difficult. For now, cultivation came first, with restoring pill formulas as a secondary pursuit!

After considering it for a moment, Chen Fei put the matter of the pill formula aside.

It was not because the matter was unimportant, but because it was the most difficult. As for improving his strength, all three paths stood on equal footing, so the choice was naturally clear.

Time drifted by leisurely. During the day, Chen Fei refined pills at the Medical Hall, but he did so only a few times. After refining a few furnaces of Blood Qi Pills, he would stop.

He then worked on increasing his proficiency in Immortal Points the Way, because that was the clearest path to improving his strength. As long as he raised Immortal Points the Way to Great Perfection, his killing move would be complete.

Fortunately, tapping fingers was indeed simple. It only tested one's hand speed. In just two days, Chen Fei had cultivated Immortal Points the Way to its peak.

Technique: Immortal Points the Way (Great Perfection)

Sssht!

In the courtyard, a streak of Sword Qi flashed past, and a hole silently appeared in the rockery. Chen Fei calmly sheathed his sword, stepped forward to inspect the hole in the rockery, and could not help smiling.

"Manager Chen, Manager Chen, are you there?"

Liu Jun's voice rang out beyond the door. Somewhat puzzled, Chen Fei opened it and saw Liu Jun standing outside, panting heavily.

"Did something happen at the Medical Hall?"

Since he wanted to test the sword technique Immortal Points the Way, Chen Fei had deliberately not gone to the Medical Hall today.

"A new manager has taken office at the Medical Hall. Everyone has been ordered to report there immediately."

Liu Jun glanced at Chen Fei and lowered his voice. Previously, most people had believed that the position of manager at North City Medical Hall would fall to Chen Fei.

After all, they had heard that Chen Fei's backing was Zhang Sinan, the eldest daughter of the Zhang Family. Yet only a few days later, a new manager had arrived, while Chen Fei had received no promotion.

Liu Jun felt that Chen Fei should be furious right now, but Chen Fei's expression remained utterly calm.

Of course he was calm. If the Zhang Family could go back on their word regarding the Light Spirit Pill formula, how could the position of manager at North City Medical Hall possibly fall into his hands?

Besides, Chen Fei had no interest in being a manager. The pay would not increase by much, but the work would certainly pile up in mountains. The current arrangement suited him far better.

"Come on. Let's go meet this new manager."

Chen Fei smiled faintly and walked ahead. Liu Jun carefully followed behind, telling Chen Fei what he had learned.

The new manager was called Zhang Yuezhen. She was from a collateral branch of the Zhang Family and had previously developed her affairs in another county.

However, that county had now been conquered, turning everyone there into refugees. Zhang Yuezhen's family had come to Pingyin County to seek refuge with the main family.

"I heard Manager Zhang has a very close relationship with the eldest miss," Liu Jun whispered from the side.

Chen Fei nodded slightly. Their relationship was probably indeed unusual; otherwise, she would not have been sent to oversee North City Medical Hall. But she had only just fled to Pingyin County, and now she was taking charge as manager. North City Medical Hall was likely in for a busy time.

"Before coming here, I reviewed the Medical Hall's account books. Our earnings are far below those of Qingzheng Medical Hall. I will not pursue what happened in the past, but from now on, I hope we can catch up to them—or even surpass Qingzheng Medical Hall."

The moment he stepped into the Medical Hall, Chen Fei heard a voice. Looking up, he saw Zhang Yuezhen staring sharply at everyone present, her bearing alone suppressing the entire room.

"Enough. Return to your respective posts. If needed, I will speak to each of you separately!"

Zhang Yuezhen waved a hand. The people below felt as though they had been granted amnesty and hurriedly dispersed.

"Greetings, Manager Zhang!" Chen Fei stepped forward and cupped his hands.

"You are Chen Fei?"

Zhang Yuezhen openly looked Chen Fei up and down, then said, "Sinan has mentioned you before. Your talent for pill refinement is fairly good."

"The eldest miss overpraises me."

"I came to North City Medical Hall at Sinan's request in order to rebuild the Medical Hall. For that, I will need the help of many people."

"It is our duty to contribute to the Medical Hall," Chen Fei said with a smile.

"Since it is your duty, why do you refine so few pills every day?"

Zhang Yuezhen's tone suddenly turned stern as she stared at Chen Fei. "I have reviewed your pill-refining records from the past few days. A few Blood Qi Pills a day—is that how you contribute to the Medical Hall?"

"I was frightened a few days ago, so my condition has not been very good lately," Chen Fei explained.

"I do not need to hear any of that. I only want to ask you this: from now on, can you refine thirty furnaces of Blood Qi Pills and thirty furnaces of healing pills every day?" Zhang Yuezhen waved a hand, cutting Chen Fei off directly.

"I'm afraid I can't," Chen Fei said, shaking his head slightly.

"The manager tells you to refine pills, so you refine pills. What are all these excuses? You clearly just do not want to put in the effort!" Shan Xiang rebuked from the side. She was Zhang Sinan's maid, and her coming here represented Zhang Sinan's stance.

Although Chen Fei was the deputy manager of the Medical Hall, Shan Xiang showed no fear whatsoever.

"Pill refinement is difficult to explain clearly." Chen Fei spread his hands helplessly.

Zhang Yuezhen narrowed her eyes slightly, already growing impatient. "Then tell me: how many furnaces of pills can you refine each day?"

"Starting tomorrow, I will do my best to refine five furnaces of Blood Qi Pills."

"Only one more furnace than now?"

Zhang Yuezhen's aura instantly pressed down on Chen Fei. Though Zhang Yuezhen was not very old, with the support of her Lineage, she had already reached the Bone Forging Realm.

"I will strive to recover quickly and refine more pills," Chen Fei said with a smile.

Zhang Yuezhen said nothing. Her eyes remained fixed on Chen Fei's, while Chen Fei did not evade her gaze and met it directly.

"Very well. Remember the choice you made today!"

Zhang Yuezhen snorted coldly and turned to leave. Shan Xiang also glared fiercely at Chen Fei before following Zhang Yuezhen.

"Manager Chen..."

Once Liu Jun saw Zhang Yuezhen walk away, he stepped forward with concern. On the new manager's very first day, was it really wise to clash with her?

Chen Fei patted Liu Jun on the shoulder and walked toward his own Pill Chamber.

A new official lit three fires upon taking office. Zhang Yuezhen clearly intended to use Chen Fei as the first sacrifice to her blade.

If Chen Fei truly agreed, not only would his time be completely squeezed dry, he would have no energy left for his own affairs.

In the future, Zhang Yuezhen would arrange even more work for Chen Fei.

Though Chen Fei was the deputy manager, his foundation was actually very shallow. Others believed he had Zhang Sinan at his back, but Zhang Sinan had never regarded him as one of her own.

Zhang Yuezhen, on the other hand, was Zhang Sinan's true relative. As long as Zhang Yuezhen kept Chen Fei in hand, the others at the Medical Hall would see that even Chen Fei was so obedient. How would they dare to shirk work?

Chen Fei had now directly become a tool in Zhang Yuezhen's hands, a tool for setting North City Medical Hall in order.

"Chen Fei is being so uncooperative. When we return, I will certainly report this to the eldest miss!" Shan Xiang said indignantly.

"Why trouble Sinan with such a matter?"

Zhang Yuezhen narrowed her eyes and sneered. "If Chen Fei had refused outright, I might have respected him as a real man. This kind of evasion is worse than a woman's. I look down on him instead!"

Shan Xiang could not help laughing. How could Chen Fei possibly dare to refuse her to her face? Zhang Yuezhen would probably slap him to the ground. After all, he was only in the Skin Tempering Realm.