Undercover Agent, Slacking Off

After those in External Refinement: Bronze Skin circulated their Jing Power, the membrane beneath their skin became tough, their skin changed color, and their resistance to blows greatly increased. Ordinary blades and swords could hardly harm them.

Although the first level of External Refinement: Bronze Skin, Bronze Skin, could not render one completely fearless of blades and swords, ordinary weapons found it difficult to leave any major wounds. At most, they could leave a small cut, a shallow mark.

After breaking through to the Bronze Skin Realm, one's strength would also increase greatly, far surpassing that of an adult who had cultivated Jing Power. Their overall abilities would be vastly stronger still.

Yang Chan had made many preparations, but he had not expected Zhao Ziqing to be an External Refinement: Bronze Skin expert. For someone with such strength to lie low in the Medicine Hall as a Formal Disciple rather than advance to Elite Disciple status, there had to be a problem. He was hiding an enormous secret, and might even have been planted in the Qingyuan Sect by some force.

This made Yang Chan think of a term: "undercover agent."

Only someone like that would make such an extreme choice after being exposed.

Otherwise, if he had merely tampered with medicinal ingredients, though he would have faced severe punishment, his life would not have been in danger.

Zhao Ziqing's reaction before him was far too extreme.

Yang Chan frowned slightly, considering whether he should reveal his strength. Though he had not broken through to the Bronze Skin Realm, if he wished, he could break through instantly. He had already been only a step away.

If not for the changes to his skin after breaking through drawing others' attention, he would have done so long ago.

As this thought surfaced, Yang Chan saw that Steward Li's expression had barely changed. After a brief consideration, he made his choice.

A terrified expression appeared on his face. Once he seemed to react, he immediately ran toward the medicine room behind him.

"Yang Chan, give me your life!"

With an enraged roar, Zhao Ziqing pounced toward Yang Chan, intent on killing him to vent his hatred.

In his eyes, Yang Chan was the source of it all, so Yang Chan became the target of his revenge. Among these people, Yang Chan was also the weakest.

Killing one person meant he would at least not lose out. Killing a few more would let him earn his money back. That was the fate of an undercover agent from another faction.

Once exposed, they became discarded pawns. There was no retreat whatsoever; they could only choose the most extreme way to meet death.

If not for Yang Chan standing before him, Zhao Ziqing could have held on longer, perhaps even left the Qingyuan Sect alive. But now, that was no longer possible.

The Law Enforcement Hall had become involved. The many secrets on his person could not be concealed at all. His identity, background, and everything else would be exposed, and might even endanger his real family.

Choosing this most extreme course now was deliberate. Only by creating a huge commotion could he alert the others within the Qingyuan Sect. At the same time, it was a final warning, proof that he had not betrayed them, telling those people not to harm his family.

At this point, Zhao Ziqing had no choice left. Or rather, from the moment he entered the Qingyuan Sect, he had never had any room to choose.

Now that someone had discovered something wrong, it was actually only natural. Too much information had been passed along, and that was bound to arouse suspicion.

After Qingyuan Sect elders, along with Personal Disciples, Elite Disciples, and others, had been ambushed by the Three Great Sects, the sect had also begun arranging investigations.

Zhao Ziqing knew the investigation had not reached him yet, but it likely would not take much longer. Though he had acted in secret, Zhao Ziqing sensed the danger. That was why he had wanted to obtain a place as an Alchemist Assistant. It would allow him to pass messages more easily while also preventing others from becoming suspicious of him.

Yet just as he had begun, he had turned cleverness into clumsiness and drawn every bit of trouble onto himself.

Under these circumstances, Zhao Ziqing had no other chance. He could only fight to the death and take a few people with him, which could still count as completing his mission.

Yang Chan's steps did not appear fast, yet he evaded Zhao Ziqing's pursuit at just the right moment twice in a row. His movements were extremely nimble.

When Zhao Ziqing attacked him for the third time, someone appeared before Yang Chan. It was Steward Wang, who had not shown himself until now.

Steward Wang's skin had taken on an antique bronze color. Zhao Ziqing's killing blow landed on Steward Wang, yet it failed to injure him in the slightest.

Instead, Steward Wang kicked Zhao Ziqing to the ground with a single kick. Zhao Ziqing could not get back up for a long while; his internal organs had been injured.

Skin that had turned antique bronze marked the final step of skin tempering, the sign of mastery in skin tempering. At this level, ordinary blades and swords could not leave even a mark on the skin and flesh. Only specially forged weapons could pierce the flesh of an expert at this level. Such strength was truly formidable.

Only then did Yang Chan stop, wearing an expression of being shaken out of his wits. Yet deep in his eyes, there was no surprise.

It was much as he had expected. The people here would not simply let Zhao Ziqing kill someone, especially a Formal Disciple.

The Medicine Hall guards directly broke all four of Zhao Ziqing's limbs before taking him away. Clearly, they intended to interrogate him for more useful information.

Zhao Ziqing's reaction was enough to show that there were many problems with him, and he needed to be thoroughly investigated.

"The Medicine Hall is an important place. No disturbances are allowed. Continue your work."

Steward Sikong stepped forward at this point and spoke.

Clearly, he was another person who had been watching the show, only appearing after everything was over.

It reminded Yang Chan of certain people from films and television dramas.

Yang Chan was in the crowd and was about to leave when Steward Sikong told him to stay behind.

Only a few words were spoken, but their content surprised Yang Chan somewhat.

Sikong Yan told Yang Chan that the matter of replacing the medicine was over. If major problems were uncovered from Zhao Ziqing and the others, Yang Chan would be rewarded with things such as cultivation medicine packs and silver.

The general meaning was that Yang Chan had done well this time. If he discovered anything in the future, he could continue reporting it to him.

It was as though he wanted to recruit Yang Chan as an underling and control the internal affairs of the Medicine Hall.

Naturally, Yang Chan agreed on the surface. As for whether he would have any information to report, that was another matter.

If this incident had not been pinned on him, if Yang Chan had not wanted someone in the shadows constantly targeting him and disrupting his low-key life in the sect, he would never have done this.

He had no choice. These people had forced his hand.

Since Yang Chan had chosen to act, he had to pull out the weeds by the roots and resolve things at their source. Eliminating the source of trouble was the key.

However, judging from Zhao Ziqing's situation, this source did not seem simple. It might even be connected to an enemy sect. Yang Chan could only say sorry about such matters. If he encountered it again next time, he would still act the same way.

This incident also reminded Yang Chan of Wang Sheng, the Steward Disciple who had long since been driven down the mountain. In the current chaotic situation, he had probably vanished from the mortal world by now.

After leaving Sikong Yan, Yang Chan returned to the medicine room and continued sorting fresh medicinal herbs such as Peony, Angelica Dahurica, and Notopterygium. Though the herbs were different, Yang Chan's mastery was excellent. He sorted them skillfully and could still finish the task ahead of time.

However, Yang Chan remembered that after finishing too early yesterday, that extra basket of Angelica Sinensis had become the source of trouble. After thinking it over, he slowed down.

He was not slacking off. He was simply inspecting them more carefully.

That was how serious he was.