Situation

In his own Pill Room, Chen Fei swallowed a Light Spirit Pill, sat cross-legged, and circulated the Startling Suspension Force. Only after a full two hours did Chen Fei open his eyes and breathe out a mouthful of Turbid Breath.

Chen Fei still had not fully deduced the Pill Recipe for the Light Spirit Pill. He was stuck on the final step and could only slowly grind away at it with time. By Chen Fei's estimate, in about another month, the Pill Recipe for the Light Spirit Pill should be worked out.

Although the Pill Recipe for the Light Spirit Pill had yet to emerge, that did not affect Chen Fei's use of Light Spirit Pills for cultivation.

Because he was selling Grass Return Pills in the Black Market, Chen Fei did not have any great fortune to his name now, but small money kept coming in. A Light Spirit Pill worth fifteen taels of silver brought Chen Fei no pressure at all when he took it.

With the Startling Suspension Force at Great Perfection plus Light Spirit Pills, according to the feedback given by the Panel, Chen Fei estimated it would take close to a year to push his cultivation to the Bone Forging Realm.

Compared with the more than a year before, the time had already been reduced quite a bit.

If Chen Fei still wanted to further compress the time needed to cultivate to the Bone Forging Realm, he either had to obtain a higher-level Inner Strength Technique, or take Ever Floating Pills.

Higher-level Inner Strength Techniques were kept for themselves by the various Noble Families of Pingyin County. Generally, only direct descendants could receive the inheritance. Even if Chen Fei married into a Noble Family, the possibility of obtaining an Inner Strength Technique would be very low.

Thus in Pingyin County, Chen Fei most likely had no chance of obtaining a stronger Inner Strength Technique. He could only try his luck in the Black Market and obtain those techniques that could still be Simplified.

As for Ever Floating Pills, those were actually pills meant for Marrow Refining Realm Martial Artists to take. The Light Spirit Pills Chen Fei was using now were normally something martial artists in the Bone Forging Realm were willing to buy for cultivation.

Thus Chen Fei was actually already taking pills above his realm. Fortunately, Light Spirit Pills did not place much burden on a martial artist's body. One pill a day was entirely within what Chen Fei could bear.

Chen Fei estimated that he could probably take Ever Floating Pills now as well. Unfortunately, in Pingyin County, Ever Floating Pills were almost nonexistent. Even if there were any, they were monopolized by the disciples of the various Noble Families.

Chen Fei had not seen any Ever Floating Pills in any of the pharmacies or Medical Halls. Even in the Black Market, on the occasional one or two times they appeared, they were quickly bought out before Chen Fei could make a move.

Chen Fei rose and went into the courtyard, and the longsword in his hand began to move. Threads of Sword Qi coiled around the blade. As sword light flickered, it was as if a flame had risen into the air within the courtyard.

"Hiss!"

A moment later, Chen Fei ended the move. A straight gully appeared on the ground, caused by the Sword Qi just now.

Technique: Fire Pattern Sword (Great Perfection)

Two days had passed since he encountered the Weird outside the city, and Chen Fei had successfully cultivated the Fire Pattern Sword to the level of Great Perfection.

What delighted Chen Fei somewhat was that the Great Perfection of the Fire Pattern Sword had actually faintly driven the power of Immortal Guides the Way to grow. Logically, Immortal Guides the Way had long since reached Great Perfection, and its power should already have been fixed.

Only later did Chen Fei understand. It should be that his overall growth had opened up some of the limitations of Immortal Guides the Way. After all, his cultivation was only at the Flesh Refining Realm, and his realm in the sword path was also fairly ordinary.

No matter how powerful Immortal Guides the Way was, it could only manifest according to the conditions he currently possessed.

From this, one could also see how exaggerated the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect was. A single move within one set of Sword Techniques surpassed the various Sword Techniques Chen Fei had fused together through untold hardship. But it also stirred Chen Fei's longing for the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect. It truly was a colossal thing.

Two days ago, the Zhang Family had made a huge move. After learning that Sun Shu had turned into an existence nearly like a Weird, and that all of his hatred was directed at the Zhang Family, the Zhang Family had been simply unable to sleep or eat in peace.

That day, the Zhang Family gathered their people. They even brought along men from the yamen, and all of them charged toward that dense forest outside the city.

Whether the two sides ultimately met, no one knew. Everything was kept secret.

Chen Fei did not get involved in this matter again. To the outside world, Chen Fei was merely an Alchemist at the Skin Refining Realm. If not for Zhang Yuezhen that day, such a battle would never have had anything to do with Chen Fei.

Night fell. Chen Fei, in Disguise, appeared in the Black Market.

"The situation in the south hasn't been too optimistic lately. You should be a little careful in the near future."

Inside the small room, the scent of medicinal herbs filled the surroundings. Chi Defeng looked at Chen Fei and said with a smile.

"The Rebel Army is going to fight its way to Pingyin County?" Chen Fei asked in surprise.

Ever since the Imperial Court's army suffered a crushing defeat, all sorts of rumors had been spreading through the county lately. Some said the army would regroup and fight the Rebel Army to the death. Others said the Rebel Army had already surrounded the Imperial Court's army and was now gradually encircling and killing them.

"Still don't know, but the Imperial Court's army is currently retreating in the direction of Pingyin County. Where they'll be stationed in the end is still unknown."

"Are the Rebel Army chasing from behind?" Chen Fei asked.

"Not really." Chi Defeng shook his head and said, "Those rebels have gained so many cities and territories, and right now they're still rushing to stabilize them. For the time being, they don't seem to have any intention of continuing the pursuit."

Chen Fei's heart loosened slightly. When two armies clashed, that was the most dangerous place. With Chen Fei's current small frame, whether he could preserve his life in such a situation was a question.

"Do you have any channels to get to the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect?" Chen Fei thought for a moment, then suddenly asked.

If there was anywhere relatively safe now, apart from the Imperial Court's rear, it would probably be within the territory of such a top-tier sect.

From Skin Refining to Organ Refining, these were commonly called the Body Refinement Five Realms. Above Body Refinement, there were even deeper Cultivation Realms. That was the true beginning of breaking away from a mortal body of flesh and blood.

Over at the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, there were such top-tier experts. It was precisely because of the existence of such experts that the surroundings of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect appeared relatively peaceful.

Rumor had it that within the Imperial Court's territory, the flames of war were now rising everywhere, and no one knew what had gone wrong. What Chen Fei could think of now was to go to this kind of top-tier sect.

As long as he raised his cultivation, then no matter what happened afterward, he would have the ability to resolve it.

"No. Outside, war has thrown everything into chaos and Weird run rampant. Trying to cross such a long distance would be very difficult and very dangerous."

Chi Defeng shook his head and said, "Things haven't reached that point yet."

Chen Fei nodded with a slight frown and began checking today's herbs. A moment later, Chen Fei took out one medicinal herb and handed it to Chi Defeng. Expressionless, Chi Defeng took another medicinal herb from behind him and handed it back to Chen Fei.

The corner of Chen Fei's eye twitched slightly. This game of telling real from fake still had not ended. The key was that Chi Defeng now did not show the slightest trace of shame. He simply wore an expression as if to say, oh, you discovered it, very impressive.

"Right, if I run into a Weird, is there any good way to save my life?"

Carrying the herbs on his back, just before leaving, Chen Fei suddenly asked.

Unless he absolutely had no choice, Chen Fei would not leave Pingyin County on his own. But if such a day really came, on the road, Chen Fei was not afraid of anything else—only encountering a Weird he could not stop. That would be truly troublesome.

"Oh? You ran into a Weird recently?"

Chi Defeng looked Chen Fei up and down a few times. He was not missing any arms or legs.

"I went out of the city a few times and ran into them."

"Then how did you deal with them?" Chi Defeng asked curiously.

"One was worn to death with qi, blood, and inner strength. The other couldn't be worn down, so I just ran." Chen Fei thought back to the time with Sun Shu. It had been too dangerous. Fortunately, he had run fast enough.