Discontent

"Drink! All of you, drink!"

Inside a Wine House, Pu Liao was exchanging cups with several people, looking utterly carefree.

"It's getting a bit late, and the owner is about to close up. How about we call it here for today?" a guard asked with a smile.

"There's still wine left. Close up what!" Pu Liao turned his head and spat a mouthful of thick phlegm onto the floor.

The guards exchanged glances, and someone secretly curled his lip. Though Pu Liao was injured now and had trouble walking, the Zhang Family had not killed the donkey once it left the millstone; instead, they had kept him on at Qingzheng Medical Center.

It was just that with his leg broken, Pu Liao's life was more or less set now. Though he was still their leader, his prestige was already far from what it had been.

Only after a full half hour did Pu Liao finally eat and drink his fill. Alone, swaying unsteadily, he limped back toward his residence.

At this moment, the night was deep and still, and there were no pedestrians left in the county. Pu Liao was not afraid either; he even hummed a few lines out loud.

His mood had been very good these past few days. Even dragging an injured leg behind him could not hide it. This sort of eating and drinking at the wine table had already gone on for several days.

"Creak!"

The old door let out a sound as it was pushed open. Pu Liao entered, locked the door, lit a candle, and was just about to take a sip of the tea on the table when he suddenly caught sight of someone sitting upright in the corner.

Pu Liao's drunkenness was frightened awake in an instant. Cold sweat broke out all over him, and he immediately gripped the longsword in his hand, staring carefully at the figure. It was actually Chen Fei.

"Why are you in my place!"

Pu Liao was badly startled inside, but he forced himself to appear calm and shouted the question at Chen Fei. His eyes darted left and right as he pondered a way to get out.

Since Chen Fei had suddenly appeared here, the assassination had probably gone wrong. Chen Fei was clearly only in the Skin Refining Realm, so how could nothing have happened to him?

Pu Liao could not understand what had happened, and right now, all he wanted was to steady Chen Fei first.

"Why did you send someone to kill me? Back then, when we ran into that group of Mountain Bandits, I was the one who carried you back." Chen Fei looked expressionlessly at Pu Liao. This was something Chen Fei had never been able to figure out.

If there was any grudge between them, the biggest one was merely what had happened when Pu Liao taught him the cultivation method. Could it be that just because of that small matter, he wanted someone to kill him?

"When did I ever send anyone to kill you!"

Pu Liao looked bewildered as he stared at Chen Fei and said, "Who's framing me? This is simply spitting blood from the mouth to smear a man!"

"Your emotions are far too different from usual. Looks like it really was you!"

Longsword in hand, Chen Fei began walking step by step toward Pu Liao. Since he could not get the reason out of him, Chen Fei simply stopped asking. In this world, many things did not need much of a reason in the first place.

"It has nothing to do with me! If you want to kill me, you still can't use such a clumsy excuse!"

Seeing Chen Fei draw close, Pu Liao panicked and roared, "Back then, when I taught you the cultivation method, I deliberately made things difficult for you. I was in the wrong first. I can apologize to you, even set several tables at Yanfei Restaurant tomorrow and admit my fault in public."

As Pu Liao shouted, he retreated backward.

"No need." Chen Fei shook his head.

"If the Zhang Family discovers that I've been killed, they'll definitely investigate thoroughly. Everything has to be about evidence. If you have evidence that I sent someone to kill you, then I'll die without complaint. But today you're casually finding a pretext like this—I refuse to accept it!" Pu Liao shouted loudly in terror.

Chen Fei stopped. Seeing this, Pu Liao let out a slight breath of relief and was just about to speak when a streak of cold light flashed through the dim room.

Pu Liao's body suddenly stiffened. A Blood Mark appeared on his forehead, and his eyes looked at Chen Fei. He had thought he had already steadied Chen Fei and could escape this disaster.

"With me, evidence isn't needed."

Watching Pu Liao breathe his last, Chen Fei's figure flickered, and he left the room.

A moment later, Chen Fei returned to the Courtyard he had rented.

Looking at the bright moon in the sky, Chen Fei sighed softly. He only wanted to cultivate quietly, but this world clearly did not give him that chance.

The next afternoon, news of Pu Liao's death spread throughout North City Medical Center.

"Could it be those Mountain Bandits again? It's only been quiet for a few days, and they've actually come again!"

"It might not be. The ones killed before were all wealthy households. Pu Liao was just a guard. He shouldn't have been targeted."

"Who can say for sure? Maybe we should just stay inside the medical center recently. There are more people here, so it's safer."

Inside North City Medical Center, everyone was discussing it, and Liu Jun even made a special trip over to report the matter to Chen Fei.

No one would connect Pu Liao's death with Chen Fei, this alchemist.

Many people knew that Chen Fei had only broken through to the Skin Refining Realm not long ago, and his main focus was even more on Refining pills. He also had no grievance or enmity with that Pu Liao.

No matter how one looked at it, there should have been no conflict between the two, and Chen Fei did not have the strength to kill Pu Liao either.

Chen Fei refined Qi Blood Pills as usual, raising his Proficiency with the Grass Return Pill. In his heart, he calculated going to the Black Market that night to complete the handover of that batch of medicinal herbs.

As long as the medicinal herbs arrived, Chen Fei would be able to refine Grass Return Pills and Sell them in the Black Market.

Though last night's matter had been dangerous without disaster, Chen Fei's hunger for strength kept increasing. Danger always came at unknown times; only by being strong enough could he avoid it.

Near evening, Chen Fei was just about to set up the furnace and refine the last batch of Qi Blood Pills for the day when he was suddenly notified to go to the Zhang Family.

Chen Fei was somewhat surprised. Thinking of that Young Miss, Zhang Sinan, it was possible she wanted to ask about North City Medical Center, or perhaps Pu Liao's death. That was also a possibility.

After tidying up briefly, Chen Fei arrived at the Zhang Family.

High mansions and great courtyards, golden roofs and stone walls—the Zhang Family's residence looked majestic and imposing. This was Chen Fei's first time visiting the Zhang Family. He entered through a side door and followed a servant to a separate courtyard.

Chen Fei looked up and saw that Zhang Sinan was currently speaking with Zeng Defang.

"Greetings, Young Miss. Greetings, Old Zeng!" Chen Fei stepped forward and cupped his hands.

"Have you been settling in well at North City Medical Center?"

Zhang Sinan turned to look at Chen Fei, sizing him up from head to toe. Compared to when they had first met during the disaster relief, Chen Fei now seemed much sturdier, making him a bit easier on the eyes.

Before, he had been dark and scrawny, somewhat unpleasant to look at. If not for his skill in Pill Refining Art, Chen Fei would never have caught Zhang Sinan's eye no matter what.

"Many thanks for your concern, Young Miss. Everything is well."

"Have you discovered anything in North City Medical Center?" Zhang Sinan asked calmly.

Zhang Sinan had only remembered Chen Fei today after hearing news of Pu Liao's death, along with the task she had assigned him back then. So she had simply summoned Chen Fei over to ask him clearly.

"Everything in North City Medical Center is handled by Steward Sun. I have had little chance to come into contact with it," Chen Fei said honestly.

"Sun Shu is cautious by nature. With Chen Fei suddenly going to North City Medical Center like that, it is only normal for Sun Shu to be on guard."

Seeing Zhang Sinan frown, Zeng Defang spoke up on Chen Fei's behalf.

And that was indeed the truth. Sun Shu would never trust Chen Fei at all. If Chen Fei had not been obediently refining pills lately and kept his hands out of everything else, North City Medical Center would not be this peaceful now.

"I said back then that if you discovered a problem, I could make the decision to give you the Light Spirit Pill's Pill Recipe. But if there continues to be no progress on this matter, then when the time comes, I may have no choice but to send you back to your original place, and your share of the pills will also have to return to the previous thirty percent."

Zhang Sinan was somewhat displeased, her expression cold as she said, "Think it over carefully yourself! If there is nothing else, you may go back first."

Zhang Sinan had issued an order to leave, clearly dissatisfied with Chen Fei's performance.