Cycle

"How did that Sun Shu turn into a Weird? He appeared inside the city several times before, and the Zhang Family even cornered him once. Didn't they say the County Government Office had a treasure that could suppress Weirds?"

Thoughts kept churning through Chen Fei's mind. Unfortunately, there was no one who could give him the answers to any of this.

"Sun Shu is still over there?"

"He's still there, and he really is injured, but we have to end this quickly. Otherwise, once others get the news, they'll probably come very soon too."

"He's only Sun Shu. I'll remember this favor!"

"I'll go back and wait for your good news!"

Faint, indistinct voices suddenly came from up ahead. Chen Fei's heart had only just leaped with joy when he abruptly sensed something was wrong. Why did the contents of this conversation sound so familiar?

When Chen Fei reached the front and saw those people in the distance, his scalp suddenly went numb.

"Holy fuck!"

Chen Fei almost cursed out loud. In his eyes, Zhang Qiang, Zhang Yuezhen, and the others were talking right now, with a line of Guards following behind Zhang Yuezhen. At the tail end of the group, Chen Fei even saw himself.

"Sun Shu, he's appeared! Kill him!"

Zhang Yuezhen suddenly looked toward Chen Fei and shouted loudly, her expression extremely excited. It was not just Zhang Yuezhen; those Guards, and even Zhang Qiang, were all staring at Chen Fei with blood-red eyes.

Chen Fei's figure flickered, tracing an arc as he ran past the side of this group of things that were neither known to be human nor Weird.

"Sun Shu, you can't escape... you can't escape, Chen Fei..."

Zhang Yuezhen's voice drifted over, now clear, now faint. At first she was still shouting Sun Shu's name, but by the end, it had become Chen Fei's. Chen Fei subconsciously looked back. Those people who had been bright and splendid just now were now all covered in blood.

There was a sword wound in Zhang Yuezhen's chest, and her left arm had vanished at some unknown point. Right now she was chasing madly from behind, the coldness in her eyes enough to make one's hair stand on end.

Swift Movement!

The secret art of the Movement Technique was suddenly activated, and Chen Fei's speed climbed a notch. The cold Aura that had been constantly closing in was shaken off by Chen Fei all at once.

"Chen Fei... Chen Fei, I hurt so much... you offended your superiors... I'll kill you, kill you..."

The frantic, utterly illogical voice came from behind. Chen Fei did not look back again, desperately running in the direction of Pingyin County.

This group of Weirds was something Chen Fei knew he could not handle. Only by returning to Pingyin County could he preserve his life.

Fortunately, Chen Fei's Movement Technique was indeed quite good, especially in the Swift Movement state. It far surpassed the Bone Forging Realm and also surpassed those Weirds. Only a moment later, Chen Fei saw the city wall of Pingyin County ahead, while the cold Aura behind him had already vanished without a trace.

"Finally back!"

After entering within the city walls, a wave of warmth appeared over Chen Fei's body, making him involuntarily let out a breath of relief.

"I have to go to the Zhang Family. This matter has gotten a bit big."

Chen Fei caught his breath and thought of the sudden turn of events just now. This matter would give the Zhang Family a headache. If not for the fact that the others inside the medical center had seen Chen Fei leave together with them, Chen Fei would actually have wanted to avoid this affair.

But too many people had seen it then. If Chen Fei wanted to deny it, it would instead make him look even more suspicious.

Chen Fei found an empty alley and slapped his own chest with his palm, spraying out a mouthful of blood. Then he slammed himself hard into the ground, bruising his face black and blue.

"This should be about right."

Chen Fei stood up and bared his teeth. Not having a single injury at all would be somewhat hard to justify.

A quarter of an hour later, Chen Fei arrived at the Zhang Family and saw Zhang Sinan.

"What did you say? Everyone died!"

When Zhang Sinan heard Chen Fei's words, she stood up at once.

"That Sun Shu may have already turned into a Weird."

Chen Fei told most of what had happened, apart from his conflict with Zhang Yuezhen.

Zhang Sinan paced back and forth, her brows tightly furrowed. Those Guards dying was somewhat regrettable, but in truth, it was not a great loss for the Zhang Family. But for a Bone Forging Realm like Zhang Yuezhen to have died as well was hard to accept.

Especially Sun Shu. If he had truly turned into a Weird, the difficulty of resolving this matter had risen by a large margin all at once.

"Come with me!"

Zhang Sinan said this, then walked forward. Chen Fei followed behind her.

A moment later, the two of them arrived in Zhang Ting's study.

Chen Fei recounted what had just happened once more. Zhang Ting flew into a thunderous rage, but he did not vent his anger on Chen Fei.

Chen Fei was an Alchemist with cultivation at the Skin Refining Realm. By good luck, he had picked up his life and brought it back. No matter how one assigned blame for this matter, it could not be placed on Chen Fei's head.

And an Alchemist was still a very important asset to the Zhang Family medical center.

Instead, it was Zhang Yuezhen, who, for the sake of fighting for credit, had only brought the Guards of North City Medical Center to look for Sun Shu, resulting in her death, and very possibly alarming Sun Shu's side.

In Zhang Ting's view, Zhang Yuezhen had simply died without deserving pity.

"You did well. You brought back the news. Go receive your reward."

Zhang Ting glanced at Chen Fei, waved his hand for Chen Fei to withdraw, then looked at Zhang Sinan and said, "Summon the clan elders!"

"Yes!"

Zhang Sinan nodded and led Chen Fei out.

"What reward do you want?"

Zhang Sinan said in a low voice that merit was rewarded—this was something the Zhang Family had always prided itself on.

"A Movement Technique Secret Manual!"

Chen Fei thought for a moment. The Light Spirit Pill Recipe was definitely impossible, and the Inner Strength Technique was the Zhang Family's inheritance, so they would not give that either. As for Sword Techniques, Chen Fei had already plucked them clean last time. Movement Techniques, on the other hand, could still be strengthened further.

In this encounter with the Weird, if Chen Fei's Movement Technique had not been outstanding enough, he would probably already be dead. Therefore, no matter how much he strengthened his Movement Technique, it could not be considered excessive.

"Fine!"

Zhang Sinan glanced at Chen Fei, thinking he had been frightened by what happened this time, and nodded in agreement.

"Could I choose for myself, like last time?"

"All right!"

Zhang Sinan's brows furrowed slightly. Though she was somewhat impatient, she did not refuse. She summoned her personal maid, Dan Xiang, and had her take her hand token to collect the Secret Manuals. Meanwhile, Zhang Sinan herself went to seek out the Zhang Family clan elders one by one.

The time it took an incense stick to burn later, in Zhang Sinan's Courtyard.

"Three Movement Technique Secret Manuals. The Young Miss said you must make your choice within a quarter of an hour!"

Dan Xiang looked at Chen Fei, somewhat unable to stomach the sight of him. Zhang Yuezhen was dead, yet Chen Fei had actually managed to come back alive. There was simply no reason in it.

"A quarter of an hour?"

Chen Fei's brows furrowed slightly. That was not enough time for the Panel to record the Secret Manuals. Seeing the expression Dan Xiang wore toward him, Chen Fei understood in his heart. He took five taels of silver from his robes and stuffed them into Dan Xiang's hand.

"What are you doing!"

Dan Xiang's eyes widened, and she wanted to throw the silver away. But feeling the weight of it, she found herself somewhat reluctant. As Zhang Sinan's maid, Dan Xiang's wages were actually not much; these five taels of silver would take her a good month or two to save.

"I only need three quarters of an hour. I hope Miss Dan can make an accommodation."

Chen Fei took out another ten taels of silver and pressed them into Dan Xiang's hand. Dan Xiang fell completely silent, put the Silver Taels away, and looked off to the side.

A smile appeared on Chen Fei's face, and he hurriedly picked up the Secret Manuals.

Half an hour later, Chen Fei left the Zhang Family.

Technique: One Leaf Crossing (not yet entered), Cloud Ascending Steps (not yet entered), Wind Walking Three Folds (not yet entered)

Looking at the Movement Techniques recorded on the Panel, Chen Fei's heart stirred with excitement. Compared with the Secret Manuals bought from the Black Market, these were undoubtedly much more profound. Once integrated into Chen Fei's current Movement Technique, they would surely let him climb another floor higher.

Though today had been dangerous, in the end, it could not be called a trip without harvest.